In the experiment, the production of plagues by Bdellovibrio bacteria in solid medium cultivation, the reproduction of Bdellovibrio bacteria in liquid medium cultivation and the attachment of Bdellovibrio bacteria to carrier were observed, which aimed to study the effects of enrofloxacin on the growth and at-tachment ability of Bdellovibrio bacteria BDF-H16. Results indicated that in solid medium cultivation, the production of plagues by Bdellovibrio bacteria BDF-H16 was inhibited by different concentrations (2 ?g/mL, 5 ?g/mL, 10 ?g/mL, 20 ?g/mL, 50 ?g/mL) of enrofloxacin and the inhibitory effects of enrofloxacin became stronger with the increase of the concentration of enrofloxacin. Similarly, in liquid medium cultivation, the reproduction of Bdellovibrio bacteria BDF-H16 was also obviously inhibited by different concentrations ofenrofloxacin and higher concentrations of enrofloxacin such as 10 ?g/mL, 20 ?g/mL, 50 ?g/mL had stronger inhibitory effects on the reproduction of BDF-H16. However, the growth tendency of Bdellovibrio bacteria BDF-H16 was not inhibited in 10 ?g/mL enrofloxacin. Additionally, when zeolite was added, enrofloxacin had also inhibitory effects on the numbers of Bdellovibrio bacteria BDF-H16 attached to zeolite. With the increase of the concentrations of enrofloxacin, the numbers of Bdellovibrio bacteria BDF-H16 attached to zeolite became smaller and smaller. However, the attachment rate of Bdellovibrio bacteria BDF-H16 to zeo-lite became higher under 2 ?g/mL-20 ?g/mL enrofloxacin. The results above showed that enrofloxacin had inhibitory effects on the plague production and reproduction of Bdellovibrio bacteria BDF-H16, but the at-tachment ability of Bdellovibrio bacteria BDF-H16 was strengthened in liquid medium cultivation with 2 ?g/mL-20 ?g/mL enrofloxacin and zeolite, and adding zeolite helped to reduce the adverse effects of en-rofloxacin on Bdellovibrio bacteria BDF-H16.

To explore the effect of releasing aqueous humor of anterior chamber through lateral incision of cornea in treating early elevated intraocular pressure ( lOP ) after implantation of implantable collamer lens ( lCL) .METHODS: Patients with elevated lOP were analyzed after lCL implantation. When the lOP>25mmHg, aqueous humor was released slowly through lateral incision of cornea, and made the lOP reduce to 10 ~13mmHg. After operation, lOP was measured every 2h. The releasing of aqueous humor was repeated until the lOP was decreased to normal.RESULTS: One hundred sixty - seven patients ( 330 eyes) were implanted lCL, while the lOP of 32 patients (62 eyes) was higher than 25mmHg after lCL implantation. Viscoelastic material was found in aqueous humor of most of high lOP patients, and the lOP of 48 eyes did not increase again through releasing aqueous humor once. The lOP of all these eyes was decreased to normal through releasing aqueous humor in 3 times at most. There were no abnormal in postoperative follow-up.CONCLUSlON:The main reason of early elevated lOP after lCL implantation is the remaining of viscoelastic material of eyes. Releasing aqueous humor through lateral incision of cornea can decrease lOP effectively. lt is a simple, safe, painless and repetition, which the patients are willing to accept.

Objective To investigate the occurrence of nocturnal myocardial ischemia and its relationship with sleep-disordered breathing (apneas and oxygen desaturations) in patients with angina pectoris undergoing coronary angiography.Methods Eighty-two men and 14 women referred for consideration of coronary intervention were randomly selected. Observation by an overnight sleep monitor and Holter recording were performed to study sleep-disordered breathing (oxyhemoglobin desaturations≥4％ and apnea-hypopneas),heart rates, and ST-segment depressions (≥ 1mm, ≥1 min).Results Nocturnal ST-segment depressions occurred in 37 ％ of the patients. ST-segment depression within 2 min after an apnea-hypopnea or desaturation occurred in 17％ of the patients. This temporal association was seen in 21％ of the patients with nocturnal ST-segment depressions, more frequently in men (P＜0.05) and more frequently in those with severe disordered breathing (P＜0.05).Most of these ST-segment depressions were preceded by a series of breathing events: repeated apnea-hypopneas or desaturations or both in 73％ of the patients. Conclusions Episodes of nocturnal myocardial ischemia are common in patients with angina pectoris. A temporal relationship between sleep-disordered breathing and myocardial ischemia was present in some of our patients, and occurs more frequently in men and in those with severely disordered breathing. (J Geriatr Cardiol 2004;1(2):90-94.)

Effects of Cr 6+ concentration and culture time on four heavy metal removing strains,stability of these four strains removing Cr 6+,configuration changes inside or outside their cells,effects of Cr 6+ on soluble reductive sugar inside their cells,and effect of several factors on these strains had been studied,and the Cr 6+ resistance mechanisms of these strains have been discussed elementarily. The results showed that the Lethality of these strains caused by Cr 6+ was similar with one another, namely, increasing at first, then decreasing, and finally increasing again as culture time passed. Acclimatization of Candida sp. was better than Sporobolomycetaceae sp.,and the Cr 6+ resistance of Sporobolomycetaceae sp. 7-3 was the best of the four. The research also demonstrated that the metabolic activity of these strains had been influenced by Cr 6+ in a certain extent. Scanning electron microscopy,transmission electron microscopy,and atomic force microscopy observations approved that removal of Cr 6+ by Candida sp. was depended on both surface adsorption and intracellular accumulation. Effects of Cr 6+ concentration, pH, culture time, nitrogen source, carbon source and adsorption time on these strains are not the same.

Humans ; Moxibustion ; Depression ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Esophagitis, Peptic

OBJECTIVETo explore the killing effect of the mutant herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-sr39tk) and its wild-type (HSV-tk) mediated by lentiviral vector on T lymphocytes in vitro and compare T cell survival rate after GCV or ACV treatment.

METHODSThe three-plasmid lentiviral vector system including packaging plasmid DeltaNRF, envelope plasmid VSV-G and vector plasmid (pTK151 + HSV-sr39tk or pTK151 + HSV-tk) were cotransfected into human embryonic kidney 293T cells using modified calcium phosphate precipitation methods. The packaged virus was harvested 72 h later. The survival of T cells expressing HSV-sr39tk or HSV-tk was measured by MTT assay after 4 day-culture against a gradient of GCV or ACV concentrations.

RESULTSThe three plasmids were effectively cotransfected and a high titre of lentivirus was obtained (2 x 10(6) IU/ml). 39tk(+) T cell survival rates declined promptly when the prodrug GCV/ACV concentrations increased from 0 micromol/L to 10 micromol/L. The T cell survival rates in GCV group declined from (96.04 +/- 3.23)% to (36.76 +/- 4.38)% while in ACV group from (97.31 +/- 4.61)% to (43.75 +/- 8.99)%. However, when GCV/ACV concentrations were more than 10 micromol/L, further decline of 39tk(+) T cell survival rates became unobvious. The growth rate of 39tk(+) T cell exposed to GCV or ACV was obviously lower than that in un-transfected T cells (P < 0.05). Tk(+) T cells were sensitive to GCV (P < 0.05), but not to ACV (P > 0.05). There was a significant difference in killing effects between 39tk(+) T cell + GCV group and tk(+) T cell + GCV group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe lentiviral vectors containing HSV-sr39tk gene could infect T lymphocytes effectively and stably without affecting the proliferation of the transduced cell. In contrast to HSV-tk gene, T cells infected HSV-sr39tk were more sensitive not only to GCV but also to ACV.

Acyclovir ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Ganciclovir ; pharmacology ; Genetic Vectors ; Lentivirus ; genetics ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Plasmids ; genetics ; T-Lymphocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; Thymidine Kinase ; genetics ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo construct a recombinant lentiviral vector (pXZ208-BDDhFVIII) mediating B-domain-deleted human coagulation factor VIII (BDDhFVIII) gene and investigate its expression in HLF, Chang-Liver and MSC cells.

METHODSBDDhFVIII gene fragment was separated by endonuclease digestion and was cloned into the multiple cloning sites of pXZ208 to construct a recombinant lentiviral vector pXZ208-BDDhFVIII. Viral particles were prepared by means of three-plasmid cotransfection of 293T package cells by calcium phosphate precipitation. After infection, the coagulant activity of human FVIII in the culture medium of 293T, HLF, Chang-Liver and MSC cells was assayed by one-stage method. The gene transduction efficiency was assayed by flow cytometry (FCM). Furthermore, PCR was performed to test the integration of BDDhFVIII.

RESULTSThe infection rates of HLF, Chang-Liver and MSC were (74.52 +/- 7.57)%, (27.24 +/- 6.53)% and (42.34 +/- 5.84)% respectively. The activities of FVIII in supernatants of HLF, Chang-Liver and MSC were (54.1 +/- 5.6)%, (22.5 +/- 2.9)% and (12.5 +/- 2.7)% respectively. BDDhFVIII gene integration was detected in all the infected cells.

CONCLUSIONThe recombinant lentiviral vector pXZ208-BDDhFVIII was successfully constructed and efficiently integrated into target cells to express human FVIII activity in vitro.

Cell Line ; Factor VIII ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Lentivirus ; genetics ; Plasmids ; Transfection

The recovery force of Ti-Nb coated and uncoated TiNi shape memory alloy rods was investigated. The rods were 6.0 mm, 6.5 mm and 7.0 mm in diameter respectively. The mean transition temperature was 33.0 degrees C. The rods were stored at -18 degrees C and pre-bent with a three-point bending fixture, the span was 20. 0 centimeters and the deflections were 5.0 mm, 10.0 mm, 15.0 mm and 20.0 mm, respectively. The rods were then heated in a constant temperature saline solution chamber. The experimental temperature was 37.0 C and 50.0 C respectively. The recovery force was measured in a constant displacement mode on biomaterial test machine. The results showed that the recovery force of the memory alloy rod increased with increasing recovery temperature, rod diameter and deformation of both Ti-Nb coated and uncoated surface. The recovery force of Ti-Nb coated rods of 6.0 and 6.5 millimeter in diameter was lower than the uncoated rods in the same diameter. However, the recovery force of 7.0-mm-diameter rods showed no significant difference between coated and uncoated surface.
Alloys ; chemistry ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Coated Materials, Biocompatible ; Niobium ; Temperature ; Titanium

OBJECTIVETo investigate the levels and roles of serum growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL) in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).

METHODSSerum GH and PRL levels were measured by radioimmunoassay in 54 neonates with HIE (20 mild, 19 moderate and 15 severe HIE) at the acute and convalescence stages. Twenty normal neonates were used as controls.

RESULTSSerum GH levels were significantly lower, but PRL levels were significantly higher in moderate and severe HIE neonates at the acute stage compared with those of controls and mild HIE neonates (P < 0.01). There were noticeable differences in serum levels of GH and PRL between the moderate and severe HIE cases (P < 0.01). During the convalescence stage, serum GH levels increased and PRL levels decreased in moderate and severe HIE neonates compared with those at the acute stage (P < 0.01); serum GH and PRL levels in each sub-group of HIE restored to the levels of controls. There was a closely negative correlation between GH and PRL levels at the acute stage of HIE (r = -0.8759, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSGH and PRL might be involved in the pathophysiological process of HIE. The levels of GH and PRL closely relate to the severity of HIE at the acute stage.

Female ; Human Growth Hormone ; blood ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; blood ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Prolactin ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between periodontitis and the low-grade inflammation in metabolic syndrome (MS) patients.

METHODSFifty-seven MS patients, 26 healthy controls were enrolled. Non-stimulated whole saliva was collected. The levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-1beta was analyzed by radioimmunoassay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Concentration of cytokines was compared between MS patients and the healthy controls. Correlations between the cytokines and various periodontal indices, and between the cytokines level and different quantity of metabolic syndrome components were also investigated.

RESULTSLevels of TNF-alpha in saliva of MS patients [(69.30+/-21.01) ng/L] were significantly higher than that in the healthy subjects [(57.85+/-15.69) ng/L, P<0.05], and of IL-1beta in MS patients [(616.42+/-360.05) ng/L] higher than that in healthy subjects [(506.06+/-245.76) ng/L], but the difference was not statistically significant. TNF-alpha was positively correlated with bleeding index (BI). In MS patients, TNF-alpha level and IL-1beta level increased with increasing severity of periodontal disease and increasing component numbers of MS.

CONCLUSIONSPeriodontal inflammation may be one of the sources of low-grade inflammation in MS patients. Both systemic and periodontal conditions may influence the level of salivary TNF-alpha and IL-1beta.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-1beta ; metabolism ; Male ; Metabolic Syndrome ; complications ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Periodontal Index ; Periodontitis ; complications ; metabolism ; Saliva ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism