The female sheep reproductive tracts were freshly collected from a local meat processing plant and used as experimental materials. Two antibacterial peptides were isolated and characterized from female sheep reproductive tracts by two consecutive chromatographic steps. The peptide isolation procedures included acetic acid extraction, dialyzed, gel filtration chromatography on Sephadex G-50, and reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Their molecular mass were 4 820.47 u and 4 012.5 u, respectively, analyzed by MALDI-TOF-MS. The partial N-terminal amino acid sequences of two peptides were determined as AYVLDEPKP and YDSGA, respectively, by Edman degradation. The antimicrobial activity was tested during each purification step by the radial diffusion plate assay and broth microdilution method. These two peptides showed good antimicrobial activities against reference strains of G~+(S. Aureus ATCC2592 and Streptococcu ATCC55121), G~-(E. Coli ATCC25922) and fungi(C. Albicans ATCC2002). The peptides did not show active hemolytic activity against rabbit blood red cells and had no significant effects on human blood coagulation system. The discovery of antibacterial peptides in sheep reproductive system reveals that antibacterial peptides may play a role in innate immunity against microorganisms in a wide range of animal species.

Objective To study the effects of Wortmannin, inhibitor of PI3K and SB202190, inhibitor of P38 MAPK and PD98059, inhibitor of ERK1/2 on the migration of epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Methods There were fives groups in this experiment, including control group, EGF group, PD98059 (PD) group, SB202190(SB) group and Wortnannin (WT) group. The migration rate of the VSMCs was measured by wound healing assay. Results At the 24th hours after wounding, there was obvious migration in EGF group compared to control group. The migration of VSMCs was significantly inhibited in PD group, SB group and WT group compared to the EGF group, but there were no significant difference among three inhibitor groups. At the 30th hours after woun-ding, there was still obvious migration in EGF group compared to control group. The migration of VSMCs was significantly inhibited in the three iuhibitors group compared to the EGF group, and there were significant difference among three inhibitor groups. Furthermore, inhibiting effect on VSMCs in SB group was more obvious compared to PD group and WT group. Conclusion These results suggested that the migra-tion of EGF-induced VSMCs may play a role through PI3K, P38 MAPK and ERKI/2 signal pathways, and the effect of P38 MAPK signal pathway is very important.

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) is a key regulator of developmental processes. A FGF homolog (vFGF) is found in all lepidopteran baculoviruses. Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) and Bombyx mori NPV (BmNPV) vFGFs are chemotactic factors. Here we analyzed the vfgf of Helicoverpa armigera NPV (HearNPV), a group Ⅱ NPV. The HearNPV vfgftranscripts were detected from 18 to 96 h post-infection (hpi) of Hz-AMI cells with HearNPV and encoded a 36 kDa protein, which was secreted into the culture medium. HearNPV vFGF had strong affinity to heparin, a property important for FGF signaling via an FGF receptor. Unlike its AcMNPV homolog, HearNPV vFGF specially chemoattracted Hz-AM 1, but not other insect cells such as Sf9 and Se-UCR and not the mammalian cells 293 and HepG2. HearNPV vFGF is also associated with the envelope of BV but is absent in occlusion-derived virus, which coordinated to the chemotatic activity analysis.

Baculoviruses produce two viral phenotypes, the budded virus (BV) and the occlusion-derived virus (ODV). ODVs are released from occlusion bodies in the midgut where they initiate a primary infection. Due to the lack of an in vitro system, the molecular mechanism of ODV infection is still unclear. Here we present data demonstrating that Helicoverpa armigera nucleopolyhedrovirus (HearNPV) ODV infected cultured Hz-AM1 cells in a pH dependent manner. The optimal pH for ODV infection was 8.5, which is same to that in the microvilli of midgut epithelial cells, the ODV native infection sites. Antibodies neutralization analysis indicated that four HearNPV oral infection essential genes p74, pif-1, pif-2 and pif-3 are also essential for HearNPV ODV infection in vitro. Thus, HearNPV-HzAM1 system can be used to analyze the mechanism of ODV entry.

Objective:To construct I-Ad/IgG2b Fc baculovirus expression vector and express I-Ad/IgG2b Fc dimer fusion protein in Sf9 insect cells.Methods:I-Ad α,I-Ad β and IgG2b Fc gene sequences were amplified from BALB/c mouse lymphocytes by RT-PCR.I-Ad α and I-Ad β were connected with the leucine zipper sequence Fos and Jun respectively by overlapping PCR to form I-Ad α-Fos and I-Ad β-Jun.I-Ad α-Fos and IgG2b Fc fragments were ligated by restriction sites Xba I to form I-Ad α-Fos-IgG2b Fc recombination sequence.I-Ad α-Fos-IgG2b Fc and I-Ad β-Jun fragments were inserted to PPH and PP10,which were the downstream of the promoters in the plasmid pFastBacTMDual,to form pFastBacTMDual+[I-Ad/IgG2b Fc] recombinant plasmids.The constructed vector was identified by PCR,restriction endonuclease and sequencing.The recombinant plasmids pFastBacTMDual+[I-Ad/IgG2b Fc] was transferred into the DH10Bac competent cell to form recombinant baculovirus Bacmid+[I-Ad/IgG2b Fc].The recombinant baculovirus was transfected into Sf9 insect cells by liposome transfection reagent.After infected with Sf9 insect cells,the supernatant was collected and concentrated by PEG20000 to obtain I-Ad/IgG2b Fc dimer fusion protein.The fusion protein was detected by double-antibody sandwich ELISA and Western blot.Results:PCR,restriction enzyme digestion and sequencing confirmed that the recombinant vector pFastBacTMDual+[I-Ad/IgG2b Fc] had the correct sequence.The double antibody sandwich ELISA and Western blot showed that recombinant bacmid could successfully infect Sf9 insect cells,and the expressed fusion protein had the correct conformation.Conclusion:The pFastBacTMDual+[I-Ad/IgG2b Fc] baculovirus expression vector was successfully constructed and expressed in Sf9 insect cells,laying a foundation for the study of I-Ad-restricted T cells.

OBJECTIVE:To enhance the function of the hospital drug control room(DCR)laboratory. METHODS: The status quo and the chief work carried out there of DCR were analyzed comprehensively. RESULTS: The function of the DCR has gradually extended from quality control of self-made drugs to the monitoring on hospital drug quality and solving of the problems encountered in clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS: The function of the DCR should be enhanced further to shift its focus from drug-centered to patient-centered so as to enhance hospital medical service level and promote rational drug use.

Objective In this article we report our methods and effects of CT-guided bone biopsy in extremities.Methods 50 patients with extremital bone lesion were candidates for CT-guided biopsy.Two or more procedures were routinely performed in each case.Ackmann drill was used for 13 patients with sclerotic lesions.Temno core needle was used for 42 cases.Fine needle aspiration was combined for 12 patients with cystic or obviously liquefied lesions.Results In the 50 cases,a diagnosis was possible in 88%(44/50).The six unsatisfactory results were from sclerotic lesions(n=3),liquefied lesions(n=2) and mixed lesion(n=1).50cases were divided into primary malignant tumors(n=23),primary benign tumors and tumor-like lesions(n=12),metastatic tumors(n=8),and bone inflammations (n=7).Their diagnostic accuracies of CT-guided biopsy were 91%,83%,100% and 71% separately.No severe complications were observed in our series.Conclusion CT-guided extremital bone biopsy is a safe,accurate and effective method.Bone drill,needle core and fine needle aspiration should be slected according to the type of bone lesions.In order to increasing its accuracy,the operator should avoid necrotic areas and select more then one point to get samples.One modality can be performed concomitantly with other one in the evaluation of bone lesions,since the three modalities are complementary.

Objective: To study influence of glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) complicated coronary heart disease (CHD) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Methods: A total of 100 DM+CHD patients after PCI were selected from our hospital.According to HbA1c level, they were divided into HbA1c<6.5% group (n=48) and HbA1c≥6.5% group (n=52).Levels of C reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and interleukin (IL)-6 before PCI, incidence rate of MACE on six and 24 months after PCI were compared between two groups.Results: Compared with HbA1c<6.5% group before PCI, there were significant rise in serum levels of CRP[(18.5±6.2) mg/L vs.(25.8±4.2) mg/L]and TNF-α[(32.4±12.3) ng/L vs.(48.3±11.8) ng/L]in HbA1c≥6.5% group, P<0.01 both.On six months after PCI, incidence rate of myocardial infarction in HbA1c≥6.5% group was significantly higher than that of HbA1c<6.5% group (9.62% vs.0, P=0.028);24 months after PCI, compared with HbA1c<6.5% group, there were significant rise in incidence rates of myocardial infarction (2.08% vs.15.38%) and diseased vessel restenosis (12.50% vs.32.69%) in HbA1c≥6.5% group (P<0.05 all).Conclusion: In DM+CHD patients after PCI, those with lower HbA1c level possess better prognosis.

Protein phosphorylation is one of the most common post-translational modification processes that play an essential role in regulating protein functionality.The Helicoverpa armigera single nucleopolyhedrovirus (HearNPv) orf2-encoded nucleocapsid protein HA2 participates in orchestration of virus-induced actin polymerization through its WCA domain,in which phosphorylation status are supposed to be critical in respect to actin polymerization.In the present study,two putative phosphorylation sites (232Thr and 250Ser) and a highly conserved Serine (245Ser) on the WCA domain of HA2 were mutated,and their phenotypes were characterized by reintroducing the mutated HA2 into the HearNPV genome.Viral infectivity assays demonstrated that only the recombinant HearNPV bearing HA2 mutation at 245Ser can produce infectious virions,both 232Tbr and 250Ser mutations were lethal to the virus.However,actin polymerization assay demonstrated that all the three viruses bearing HA2 mutations were still capable of initiating actin polymerization in the host nucleus,which indicated the putative phosphorylation sites on HA2 may contribute to HearNPV replication through another unidentified pathway.

Protamines are a group of highly basic proteins first discovered in spermatozoon that allow for denser packaging of DNA than histones and will result in down-regulation of gene transcription[1].It is well recognized that the Autographa californica multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) encodes P6.9,a protamine-like protein that forms the viral subnucleosome through binding to the viral genome[29].Previous research demonstrates that P6.9 is essential for viral nucleocapsid assembly,while it has no influence on viral genome replication[31].In the present study,the role of P6.9 in viral gene transcription regulation is characterized.In contrast to protamines or other protamine-like proteins that usually down-regulate gene transcription,P6.9 appears to up-regulate viral gene transcription at 12-24 hours post infection (hpi),whereas it is non-essential for the basal level of viral gene transcription.Fluorescence microscopy reveals the P6.9's co-localization with DNA is temporally and spatially synchronized with P6.9's impact on viral gene transcription,indicating the P6.9-DNA association contributes to transcription regulation.Chromatin fractionation assay further reveals an unexpected co-existence of P6.9 and host RNA polymerase Ⅱ in the same transcriptionally active chromatin fraction at 24 hpi,which may probably contribute to viral gene transcription up-regulation in the late infection phase.