Two pairs of primers specific to small subunit ribosomal DNA of Plasmodium falciparum were designed and the expected SSUrDNA fragment was amplified for detecting P.falciparum infection with double-ternperature-nested polymerase chain reaction using DNA prepared by boiling method. The results showed that the nested PCR could amplify a constant size of desired SSUrDNA fragment of P. falciparum which was further confirmed by digestion of restrlction endonuclease and could detect parasitemia level of 0. 8 ? 10-6. It has great potentials for identifying Plasmodium species in ring form of erythrocytic stage and detecting mixed Plasmodium infections. Therefore, it is suggested that this method is sensitive, accurate, simple and rapid in detecting Plasmodium falciparum in blood samples for malaria diagnosis.

OBJECTIVETo discuss the possible mechanism of drug resistance transmission between Staphylococcus and Escherichia coli.

METHODSThe chloramphenicol resistance plasmid of Staphylococcus aureus was extracted to transform the sensitive Escherichia coli, and the drug-resistant Escherichia coli were screened by drug sensitivity test.

RESULTSThe drug-resistant Escherichia coli were successfully obtained.

CONCLUSIONStaphylococcus may have a natural shuttle plasmid of drug resistance, which can transform Escherichia coli under specific conditions.

Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; genetics ; Escherichia coli ; drug effects ; genetics ; Plasmids ; Staphylococcus ; genetics ; Transformation, Bacterial

Objective To observe the bone metabolism of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and investigate the roles of some bone metabolism markers such as tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP5),C-terminal telopeptide of collagen-Ⅰ (CTX-Ⅰ) and BALP in PsA patients with bone destructions.Methods Sixty-five cases of psoriatic arthritis,30 cases of psoriasis and 30 cases of healthy people were enrolled.Bone mineral densities of lumbar spines and the left femoral necks were measured for all PsA patients using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry.The Serum levels of TRACP5b,CTX-Ⅰ,BALP of healthy controls,Ps and PsA patients were measured.The PsA group was further divided into bone destruction group and none bone destruction group by image datasets.The levels of TRACP5b,CTX-Ⅰ,BALP,PsAJAI,ESR and CRP from each group were detected.Mann-Whitney and x2 test were used for statistic analysis.Results TRACP5b levels of the healthy controls,Ps and PsA patients were (0.9±0.4),(0.7±0.5) and (2.0±1.4) U/L respectively,and were significantly higher in the PsA patients than those of the other two groups (Z=-3.698,-3.638; P＜0.05).The CTX-Ⅰ levels of these three groups were (0.9±0.8),(0.6±0.7) and (2.6±1.8) ng/ml respectively,and were also dramatically higher in the PsA patients than the other two groups (Z=-5.262,-5.734; P＜0.05).BALP levels of each group were (22±4),(22±4) and (25±7) U/L,and were also evidently higher in the PsA patients than patients in the other two groups (Z=-2.214,-2.000; P＜0.05).Meanwhile,the levels of TRACP5b [(2.6±1.4) U/L],CTX-Ⅰ [(3.1±1.8) ng/ml] and BALP [(26±7) U/L] were significantly higher in bone destruction group than those in the none bone destruction group [(1.2±1.0) U/L,(1.9±1.6) ng/ml,(23±6) U/L,Z=-3.544,-3.429,-2.083; P＜0.05].Conclusion The high levels of TRACP5b,CTX-Ⅰ and BALP in PsA indicate that there is bone metabolism imbalances in PsA.And the high levels of TRACP5b,CTX-Ⅰ and BALP in the bone destruction group suggest that the rises of TRACP5,CTX-Ⅰ and BALP levels may be related with bone erosions.

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of osteoclasts and osteoprotegerin/receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand (OPG/RANKL) system on bone destruction of psoriatic arthritis.MethodsThe peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 41 psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients,20 osteoarthritis (OA) patients and 24 healthy controls were cultured to become osteoclasts.After 14 days,cytochemistry method was used to detect tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) expression.At the same time,enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay(ELISA) was used to measure the levels of serum OPG and RNAKL for all cases.At the same time,the clinical and laboratory examinations of the PsA were collected.Statistical analysis was conducted with one-way ANOVA and Spearman's correlation.ResultsSignificantly higher OC production was observed in the peripheral blood of PsA patients[(17.7±4.8)/view field] than that of the healthy controls[(6.4±1.6)/view field] and OA patients [(6.5±l.6)/view field].The levels of RANKL were significantly higher in PsA patients [(178±38) pg/ml] than those in the other two groups [(32±4) pg/ml and (67±17) pg/ml].There was significant difference between the PsA group with bone destruction and without destruction in the levels of OC and RANKL [(17.6±0.9) /view vs(7.9±1.3) /view and(199±72) pg/ml vs(128±44) pg/ml,P＜0.01].Imaging scores was positively correlated with the levels of OC and RANKL in PsA patients (P＜0.05).ConclusionIn PsA,there are significantly more OC and higher RANKL in the peripheral blood than those of the controls.The high levels of OC and RANKL are closely related with bone destruction.OC and RANKL are useful in identifying bone destruction.

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this survey was to obtain some information of the prevalence of dental caries in the youth aged 12, 15 and 18 years of Sichuan province.

METHODSBased on WHO and national oral health survey standards, dental caries prevalence and treatment needs were investigated randomly in selected young individuals of Sichuan province in 1995.

RESULTSThe prevalent rates of caries of 12-, 15-, and 18-year-old adolescents were 28.47% and 36.40% and 39.54% respectively. The mean DMFT of 12-, 15- and 18-year-old were 0.52, 0.81, and 0.99. There are more pit and fissure caries than smooth caries in the young of 12-year-old than those of 15- and 18-year-old.

CONCLUSIONDespite improvement can be seen in adolescents' oral health in Sichuan, there remains a proportion of active untreated decays. Some simple prevention programs are needed to stabilize the caries.

Adolescent ; Age Factors ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; DMF Index ; Dental Caries ; epidemiology ; Dental Health Surveys ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Prevalence ; Sampling Studies ; Sex Factors

OBJECTIVETo study the potential risk factors for severe acute respiratory syndromes (SARS)-related deaths in Beijing.

METHODSEpidemiological data were collected among the confirmed SARS patients officially reported by Beijing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (BCDC), and information was also supplemented by a follow-up case survey. Chi-square test and multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis were performed.

RESULTSOld age (over 60 years) was found to be significantly associated with SARS-related deaths in the univariate analysis. Also, history of contacting SARS patients within 2 weeks prior to the onset of illness, health occupation, and inferior hospital ranking as well as longer interval of clinic consulting (longer than 1 day) were the risk factors for SARS-related deaths. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis found four risk factors for SARS-related deaths.

CONCLUSIONOld age (over 60 years) is the major risk factor for SARS-related deaths. Moreover, hospital health workers, the designated hospitals for SARS clinical services and the interval of consulting doctors (less than 1 day) are protective factors for surviving from SARS.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Infant ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; epidemiology ; mortality

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of electro-acupuncture (EA) on the expression of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cell (TREM)l in ankle joint synovial tissue of acute gouty arthritis (AGA) rats.

METHODSForty male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: normal, AGA, medication and EA group, 10 rats in each group. AGA model was established by induced monosodium urate (MSU) method, except the normal group. Tow days before AGA model was established, normal and AGA groups were lavaged with normal saline (20 ml/kg), medication group was lavaged with colchicine solution (20 ml/kg), EA(1.5-2 Hz, D.-D.wave, 9v; 1-3 rnA) was applied to "Sanyinjiao" (SP6), "jiexi" (ST41) and "Kunlun" (BL60) for 20 min, once daily;continuously for 9 days. Then observed the changes in dysfunction, and the content of TNF-α and IL-lβ detected by ELISA, the expression of TREM-l detected by immunohistochemistry and western blot.

RESULTSCompared to the normal group, the AGA group of the dysfunction index increased significantly (P<0.01), the content of TNF-α and IL-lβ increased significantly (P<0.05), the expression of TREM-l in synovial tissue increased significantly (P<0.05); the medication and EA groups compared to the AGA group, the dysfunction index decreased significantly (P<0.01), the content of TNF-α and IL-lβ decreased significantly (P<0.05), the expression of TREM-l in synovial tissue decreased significantly (P<0.05); there were not statistically significant between the medication and EA group (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONEA treating AGA may be through down-regulating the expression of TREM -1 in synovial tissue.

Animals ; Ankle Joint ; metabolism ; pathology ; Arthritis, Gouty ; metabolism ; therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Interleukin-1beta ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Immunologic ; metabolism ; Synovial Membrane ; metabolism ; Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells-1 ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical effects of intramedullary fixation of Kirschner pin for the treatment of distal fibula fractures.

METHODSFrom April 2007 to June 2010, thirty patients with the distal fibula fractures were treated with intramedullary fixation of Kirschner pin. There were 22 males and 8 females with an average age of 35.6 years old (22 to 60 years), length of hospital stay was 10 to 30 days (means 15.8 days). There were 20 cases of Transverse fracture and 10 cases of oblique fracture. Evaluation of the function of the ankle joint is based on the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) standard evaluation systems.

RESULTSAll the cases were followed up. The mean followed-up time was 15.5 months (3 to 30 months). All fractures were bone healed, no case suffered infection and nonunion, no case suffered nervus fibularis superficialis injury. According to the AOFAS (American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society) evaluation systems, the total scores after operation was 96.1 +/- 4.3 (the pain was 39.0 +/- 4.0, the fracture force line was 10, the function was 47.1 +/- 2.1. Twenty-eight patients obtained excellent results, 2 good.

CONCLUSIONThis method can be easily operated with the advantages of less pain and safety. It can effectively attenuate the financial burden of the patients. Thus worth being popularized in clinicic and basic level hospital.

Adult ; Female ; Fibula ; injuries ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUNDRheumatic diseases involve multiple organs that are affected by immunological mechanisms. Treatment with corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents may also increase the frequency of infection. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a widespread herpes virus and a well-recognized pathogen, which causes an opportunistic and potentially fatal infection in immunocompromised patients. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the clinical and laboratory characteristics of CMV pneumonia in patients with rheumatic diseases after immunosuppressive therapy in a single center in Shanghai, China.

METHODSEight hundred and thirty-four patients with rheumatic diseases who had undergone CMV-DNA viral load tests were included, and the medical records of 142 patients who were positive for CMV-DNA in plasma samples were evaluated. GraphPad Prism version 5.013 (San Diego, CA, USA) was used to conduct statistical analysis. The correlation between CMV-DNA viral loads and lymphocyte counts was assessed using the Spearman rank correlation coefficient test. Significance between qualitative data was analyzed using Pearson's Chi-squared test. The cut-off thresholds for CMV-DNA viral load and lymphocyte count were determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

RESULTSOne hundred and forty-two patients had positive CMV viral load tests. Of these 142 patients, 73 patients with CMV pneumonia were regarded as symptomatic, and the other 69 were asymptomatic. The symptomatic group received higher doses of prednisolone (PSL) and more frequently immunosuppressants than the asymptomatic group (P < 0.01). The symptomatic group had lower lymphocyte counts, especially CD4+ T-cells, than the asymptomatic group (P < 0.01). By ROC curve analysis, when CD4+ T-cell count was <0.39 × 109/L, patients with rheumatic diseases were at high risk for symptomatic CMV infection. The CMV-DNA load was significantly higher in the symptomatic patients than that in asymptomatic patients (P < 0.01; threshold viral loads: 1.75 × 104 copies/ml). Seven patients had a fatal outcome, and they had lower peripheral lymphocyte counts (P < 0.01), including CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSWhen CD4+ T-cell count is <0.39 × 109/L, patients are at high risk for pulmonary CMV infection. Patients are prone to be symptomatic with CMV-DNA load >1.75 × 104 copies/ml. Lymphopenia (especially CD4+ T-cells), presence of symptoms, and other infections, especially fungal infection, are significant risk factors for poor outcome, and a higher PSL dosage combined with immunosuppressants may predict CMV pneumonia.

CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; China ; Cytomegalovirus ; pathogenicity ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; genetics ; immunology ; therapy ; virology ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; methods ; Pneumonia ; genetics ; immunology ; therapy ; virology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Retrospective Studies ; Rheumatic Diseases ; genetics ; immunology ; therapy ; virology ; Viral Load

BACKGROUNDThe antitumor role of Ras association domain family 1A (RASSF1A) gene and its potential molecular mechanisms are not well understood. The objective of this study was to observe the antitumor ability of RASSF1A in hepatocellular carcinoma, and study the mechanisms of cell apoptosis induced by RASSF1A.

METHODSAfter stably transfecting a RASSF1A (wild-type or mutant) expression vector into the BEL-7402 hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, RT-PCR and Western blotting was used to detect the RASSF1A expression levels in recombinant cells. The effects of wild-type RASSF1A on cell growth were observed in vitro by analyzing cell proliferation rate, cell colony formation, and in vivo by analyzing tumorigenesis in nude mice. In addition, the effect of RASSF1A gene expression on the chemosensitivity of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells to antitumor drugs was examined by inhibition of cell proliferation and the percentage of apoptotic cells.

RESULTSWild-type RASSF1A, not the mutant, suppressed cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Re-expression of wild-type RASSF1A could enhance the inhibition of cell proliferation and the percentage of apoptotic cells following cell treatment with mitomycin, but had no significant effect when combined with adriamycin, etoposide, 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin treatment.

CONCLUSIONWild-type RASSF1A inhibits cell growth and enhances cell chemosensitivity to mitomycin in hepatocellular carcinoma, suggesting that RASSF1A may serve as a new target for gene therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; genetics ; Blotting, Western ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Genetic Therapy ; methods ; Humans ; Mitomycin ; pharmacology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology