Abstract: Toxoplasma gondii, an opportunistic pathogenic protozoan, is widely distributed worldwide and can cause zoonoses, which is a serious threat to human health. Nowadays, the relationship between T. gondii infection and neuropsychiatric diseases has attracted researchers' attention increasingly. T. gondii infection is related to the pathogenesis of many neuropsychiatric diseases by affecting the nervous system, such as schizophrenia, depression, Alzheimer's disease, and so on. This review will focus on the relationship between T. gondii infection and neuropsychiatric diseases and summarizes the possible mechanisms of disorders resulting from T. gondii infection． It is expected that the study on the related pathogenic mechanism of T. gondii will lead to new therapeutic directions and feasible solution for the clinical treatment of neuropsychiatric diseases caused by T. gondii infection.

This study aimed to construct recombinant adenovirus expressing Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) against nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The C-terminal region fragment of the ebna1 gene of Epstein-Barr virus was amplified from the standard strain B95-8 by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The gene fragment was inserted into the pDC316 shuttle plasmid using the EcoRI and BgIII restriction enzyme sites. The pDC316-ebna1 shuttle plasmid and pBHG helper plasmid were cotransfected into HEK293 cells after sequencing. The soluble protein was extracted from HEK293 cells, which caused apparent cytopathic effects. The transcription and expression of the ebna1 gene were confirmed using flow cytometry and Western blotting. rAd-ebna1 titers were measured by the TCID50. rAd-ebna1 was injected into BALB/c mice at a dose of 2 x 10(8) VP per mouse, EBNA1 epitope-specific responses were measured at 1st, 2nd, 4th and 8th weeks post-immunization. The target fragment of ebna1 (939 bp) was obtained by PCR, and was in consensus with the sequence from the standard strain B95-8. Cytopathic effects were observed after the pDC316-ebna1 shuttle plasmid and pBHG helper plasmid were cotransfected into HEK293 cells. rAd-ebna1 was successfully recombined in HEK293 cells. EBNA1 protein was detected in HEK293 cells, rAd-ebna1 titers reached 10(8) TCID50/mL. Specific responses to CD4+ epitopes of EBNA1 were detected in the immunized mice. In conclusion, rAd-ebna1 was successfully constructed and induced specific responses to CD4+ epitopes of EBNA1 in immunized mice.
Adenoviridae ; genetics ; immunology ; Animals ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; virology ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; immunology ; prevention & control ; virology ; Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens ; administration & dosage ; genetics ; immunology ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; immunology ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Viral Proteins ; administration & dosage ; genetics ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo compare the long-term efficiency between preoperative radiotherapy or radiochemotherapy followed by lower-anterior resection and abdominoperineal resection (APR) for lower and locally advanced rectal cancer.

METHODSFrom January 1983 to December 2000, 157 consecutive patients suffering from lower rectal cancer were enrolled in the study, which included 69 cases of clinical stage II and 88 cases of stage III respectively. All patients were divided in to three groups. Patients in group A (n=52) received preoperative radiotherapy with a total dose of 35-45 Gy within 4-5 weeks plus preoperative chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil (5- FU) followed by lower-anterior resection; patients in group B (n=51) received radiotherapy followed by lower-anterior resection; patients in group C (n=54) received APR only. Clinical data of all patients were reviewed retrospectively.

RESULTSThe follow-up rate was 91.7%. The 5- year survival rate was higher in group A (71.1%) than those in group B (47.1%) and group C (42.6%)(P< 0.05). The tumor- free survival rate was higher in group A (61.5%) than those in group B (37.3%) and group C (35.2%)(P< 0.05). The local recurrence rate was 13.5%, 15.7% and 11.1% in group A, B and C respectively, there was no significant difference in recurrence rate among three groups (P> 0.05). The distant metastasis rate was lower in group A (23.1%) than those in group B (49.0%) and group C (46.3%)(P< 0.05), but there was no significant difference in distant metastasis rate between group B and group C.

CONCLUSIONSThe combined preoperative radiochemotherapy followed by lower-anterior resection can improve the 5-year survival rate and tumor-free survival rate, and decrease distal metastasis rate.

Adult ; Aged ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Rectal Neoplasms ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of aging on the proliferative and differentiation capacity of human periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs).

METHODSHuman periodontal ligament tissues were obtained from surgically extracted third molars from 6 subjects aged 18-20 years (group A) and 6 subjects aged 45-50 years (group B). The proliferative capacity of PDLSCs isolated from the tissues was examined with MTT assay, and the osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation capacity of the cells were evaluated using alizarin red staining and oil red O staining. SA-βG expression was analyzed to assess the cell senescence. In both groups, PDLSCs were induced for osteogenic differentiation for 7 days, and the differentiation ability of the cells was assessed by examining alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and by detecting the expressions of osteocalcin (OCN) and ALP using Western blotting.

RESULTSHuman PDLSCs were successfully isolated from the 12 teeth and were characterized as MSCs. The PDLSCs derived from donors of different ages were all capable of osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation, but their proliferative and osteogenic differentiation capacity decreased with the donors' age. The cells also exhibited an age- related increase in adipogenic differentiation capacity and SA-βG expression. In both groups, the cells induced in osteogenic medium showed increased OCN expression and ALP activation, and the increments were more obvious in group A.

CONCLUSIONHuman PDLSCs can be isolated from periodontal ligament tissues even from donors of advanced ages, but their proliferative and differentiation capacity decreases and their adipogenic differentiation capacity increases with age.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of Tongfu Huoxue decoction on experimental intracelebral hemorrhage and the associated machenisms.

METHODThe cerebral hemorrhage model in rats was induced by local injection of type VII collagenase and they were randomly divided into four groups. The treated groups were treated with Naoxuekang and Tongfu Huoxue decoction. The control groups were only treated with water. The changes of neurological defect were observed. The content of brain water, MDA, NO and the activity of SOD were measured.

RESULTThe cerebral hemorrhage rats showed hemiplegia, and the hemorrhage brains showed celebral edema, higher quotient of brain and content of brain water, suggesting the hemorrhage model was established successfully. After the treatment of Tongfu Huoxue decoction, the hemorrhage rats showed smaller hemorrhage volume, the brain tissue from the hemorrhage rats had lower MDA content and the quotient of brain, and also had higher activity of SOD and content of NO.

CONCLUSIONTongfu Huoxue decoction has treatment effects on cerebral hemorrhage.

Animals ; Arctium ; chemistry ; Brain ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Collagenases ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Fallopia japonica ; chemistry ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Phytotherapy ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Prunus ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

Objective To provide technical support for market supervision of TCM decoction pieces in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei districts; To facilitate the medical treatment of people in the three districts. Methods A comparative study and analysis on processing procedures of TCM decoction pieces in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei districts was conducted. Results There were some differences in TCM decoction pieces in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei districts. The quality of TCM decoction pieces is easy to be contradictory according to different standards. Conclusion It is badly in need of a unified standard for the preparation of TCM decoction pieces.

Gastrointestinal microbiota has an important impact on physiological functions of human body. In recent years,the importance of gastrointestinal microbiota in tumorigenesis has emerged. Aberrant location and proportion of microbiota can cause not only carcinogenesis of local epithelia,but also tumorigenesis in submucous tissues or even distant organs. Certain microbes can produce genotoxin or generate reactive oxygen species to cause DNA damage and affect DNA damage repair,which leads to genetic instability and induces cell transformation. Moreover,gastrointestinal microbiota is able to affect the function of host immune system and form an immunosuppressive microenvironment,while some other pathogenic bacteria can cause chronic inflammation and may be involved in tumor immune escape. Based on the above,gastrointestinal microbiota is oncogenic and closely linked to tumorigenesis.

OBJECTIVETo establish transplanted models of VX2 tongue carcinoma in rabbits by three methods and compare these models.

METHODSAfter establishment of VX2 tumor-bearing rabbits, 72 New-Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups. Intact tumour tissue, modified tumour cell suspension, tumour cell suspension were respectively injected into the middle-third lateral border of the tongues of rabbits in 3 groups to induce transplanted VX2 tongue carcinoma. The histological features, the tumour-take rates and the metastasis rates of the 3 models were observed.

RESULTSThe tumour-take rate of 3 models were 83.3%, 91.7% and 33.3% respectively; the lymph node metastasis rates were 71.4%, 100.0% and 37.5% respectively; the lung metastasis rates were 35.7%, 81.3% and 0 respectively. The histological features of the transplanted VX2 tongue carcinoma of 3 models were all consistent with those of moderately differentiated carcinoma.

CONCLUSIONThe biological properties of the transplanted VX2 tongue carcinoma of 3 models is much alike to tongue carcinoma in humans. The model established with modified tumor cell suspension is considered to be more suitable for tongue cancer study.

Animals ; Carcinoma ; Disease Models, Animal ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Rabbits ; Tongue Neoplasms

OBJECTIVETo analyze factors influencing the choice of atrial septal occluder (ASO) for transcatheter closure of patients with secundum atrial septal defect (ASD).

METHODSA total of 1114 ASD patients [388 males, aged from 2 to 75 years, mean age (26.3 +/- 17.0) years] were enrolled. Patients were divided to adult (> 14 years, mean 34.4 years, n = 779) and child (< or = 14 years, mean 7.3 years, n = 335) groups. ASD size in different ultrasound cross-sections was determined by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). ASO size was chosen on the basis of the maximum diameter of the defect (MD). Defect-shapes and rim lengths of ASD, the difference choice of ASO in the two groups were compared.

RESULTSMD of the defects ranged from 5 to 40 mm [mean (19.7 +/- 7.8) mm]. ASD was successfully occluded in 1085 out of 1114 patients (97.4%). Occluder size ranged from 6 to 46 mm [mean (25.8 +/- 8.9) mm] and the difference between occluder size and MD ranged from 2 to 10 mm [mean (6.1 +/- 3.4) mm, ASO/MD ratio 1.3:1]. Though the diameter of the defect was similar between the 2 groups, the size of occluder was significantly larger in adult group than that in child group (ASO/MD ratio 1.1 - 1.6:1 vs. 1.2 - 1.8:1, P < 0.05). MD was significantly correlated with ASO in both groups (r = 0.911 and r = 0.944 in adults and child groups, respectively, all P < 0.01). The size and increment of the occluder used in patients with deficient anterior rims was significantly bigger than patients with sufficient anterior rims (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe maximum diameter of the defect was the major determinant for selecting occluder size and choice of occluder size was also influenced by patient age, defect-shape and defect rim for transcatheter closure of secundum ASD.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Cardiac Catheterization ; instrumentation ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Physicians ; psychology ; Practice Patterns, Physicians' ; Prosthesis Design ; Septal Occluder Device ; Young Adult

Recently many reports have described that recombinant baculovirus could serve as a new gene transfer vehicle for mammalian cells with many unique advantages. In this study, the constructed recombinant baculovirus BacV-CMV-EGFPA containing the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) gene driven by CMV promoter was used to explore the feasibility of improving the efficiencies of transduction experiment in CV-1 cells by centrifugal method. Refer to the centrifugal transduction protocol of recombinant lentivirus, CV-1 cells were incubated with the culture supematant of Sf-21 cells infected by BacV-CMV-ECFPA (moi = 30) and then centrifuged at 600g for 1 h at RT, reporter gene transfer and expression efficiencies were analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM) 48h post transduction. Results showed that centrifugal method can achieve higher gene delivery and expression efficiencies than transduction by simple virus-cell mixing for 4h at 27 t with least impairment to cell viability. The centrifugal transduction protocol was further optimized by testing different centrifugal times, post-centrifugation incubation times and surrounding solutions. We found that centrifugation at 600g for 1 h at RT is sufficient to achieve the highest transduction efficiencies in target cells and PBS is more suitable than other surrounding solutions. Compared with previous protocol in which tranduction occurs for 4 - 8h at 27 degrees C, centrifugal method developed in this study could achieve more higher transduction efficiencies in more shorter time. Nine different mammalian cell lines (CV-1, 293FT, HepG2, 293T, CHO, C127, MT4, H9, Molt-4) were used to investigate the feasibility of delivering exogenous genes into different mammalian cells with the BacV-CMV-EGFPA supernatant (moi = 30) at 600g for 1h in PBS surrounding solution at RT. Results showed that most mammalian cell lines used in this study could be effectively transduced with recombinant baculoviruses by centrifugal method, and more higher and satisfactory transduction efficiencies could be achieved in primate adherent culture cells than in suspended culture cells. These results show that the baculovirus centrifugal transduction protocol have notable advantages: more rapid, efficient and nontoxic, and could be easily used in daily common experiments.
Animals ; Baculoviridae ; genetics ; CHO Cells ; Cell Line ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Centrifugation ; methods ; Cricetinae ; Cricetulus ; Feasibility Studies ; Flow Cytometry ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reproducibility of Results ; Spodoptera ; Transduction, Genetic ; methods