At the beginning of the 1980s, a concept of viable but non-culturable(VBNC) was suggested. VBNC is a survival strategy adopted by microorganisms when they are exposed to environmental stress. This article try to make a summary of research of the conditions of VBNC formation, recovery of culturability and methods of VBNC cells detection. In addition, introduces the first growth factor of microorganisms-Rpf.

This project is targeted on exploring some improving approaches to isolate and culture the microorganisms which are difficult to be isolated and cultured through the conventional ways. The results showed that betaine, sodium pyruvate, SOD and catalase are helpful for increasing the total number and variety of isolated strains. A kind of combined method was also used to isolate the micro-colony which can not be seen by naked eyes on the plates. Totally 52 Actinomycetes and 103 bacteria and 17 fungi were obtained from 4 soil samples using the above methods. 4. 325% microorganisms were obtained as positive strains to inhibit the growth of some kinds of test bacteria, which is higher than the percent using generally isolated ones. These microbial natural products may remain an important resource for the drug discovery.

Objective To explore the effect of epidural labor analgesia on the prolactin (PRL) levels of parturient.Methods Sixty primipara who delivered in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University from October 2016 to May 2017 were selected as research object.The parturient were divided into observation group and control group,with 30 cases in each group.The parturient in observation group were given ropivacaine combined with sufentanil for epidural block labor analgesia;the parturient in control group took natural production method without any analgesia method.The pain score,duration of labor,milk yield,serum PRL level before analgesia and 24,48 h postpartum and the number of initial lactation at 30 rmin,24 h,48 h postpartum of maternal were compared between the two groups.Results The active period of the first stage of labor of parturient in the observation group was significantly shorter than that in the control group (P ＜ 0.05);there was no statistic difference in the latent period of the first stage of labor,the second stage of labor and the third stage of labor of parturient between the observation group and the control group(P ＜ 0.05).There was no statistic difference in the pain score of parturient between the two groups before analgesia(P ＜ 0.05);the pain score of parturient in observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group at the time point of uterine orifice open 3 cm,uterine orifice full dilatation and fetal disengagement(P＜ 0.05).There was no statistic difference in the PRL levels of parturient between the two groups before analgesia (P ＜ 0.05);the PRL level of parturient in observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group at 24,48 h postpartum(P ＜0.05).The condition of initial lactation of maternal in the observation group was significantly better than that in the control group(P ＜ 0.05).The milk yield of parturient in observation group was significantly more than that in the control group at 24,48 h postpartum (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Epidural analgesia can reduce the pain of parturient,shorten the active stage of the first stage of labor,increase the level of PRL and increase the milk yield of the postpartum.

OBJECTIVETo explore the therapeutic effect of interleukin-11 (IL-11) on high-dose methotrexate (HDMTX) induced mucositis in Wistar's rats, the proliferative effect on CEM leukemia cell line and the antitumor effect on HDMTX.

METHODSNinety-five 5-week old, 120 - 150 grams weight Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups. Group A is normal control (n = 15), group B MTX control (n = 20), group C IL-11 pretreatment group before MTX injection (n = 20), group D (n = 20) the high dose IL-11 group (475 microg.kg(-1).d(-1)) after MTX injection, group E (n = 20) the low dose IL-11 group (150 microg.kg(-1).d(-1)) after MTX injection. All rats in group B approximately E were given 1 ml MTX intraperitoneally (100 mg/kg). Rats were killed at day 1, 3, 5, 7 after MTX injection. The mortality rates, changes of small intestine tissue morphology and ultra structure were observed. The proliferation of small intestine crypt cell was assayed by proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunohistochemical staining. MTT method was used to detect the proliferation of CEM cell line.

RESULTIL-11 treatment resulted in a significant increase of survival of HDMTX treated rats, increased of small intestinal villus length and villus/crypt ratio. IL-11 administration was associated with enhancement of small intestine mucosa recovery after HDMTX therapy. Group C showed a greater effect than group B (P < 0.01). IL-11 had no effect on CEM cell proliferation.

CONCLUSIONIL-11 has a significant mitigating effect on high-dose MTX induced intestinal mucositis in rat, and significantly increase the survival of the rats. IL-11 could be safely used in the HDMTX treatment of childhood acute lymphocyte leukemia.

Animals ; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic ; toxicity ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Interleukin-11 ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Intestinal Mucosa ; drug effects ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Intestine, Small ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Methotrexate ; toxicity ; Microscopy, Electron ; Mucositis ; chemically induced ; mortality ; prevention & control ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; analysis ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Survival Rate

BACKGROUNDCarbon disulfide (CS(2)) is a commonly used organic solvent. Many epidemiological investigations and animal experiments have indicated that learning and memory ability can be affected to different degrees after long-term exposure to CS(2), but the mechanisms are still unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the possible mechanisms of CS(2)-related impairment of the learning and memory ability of rats, by investigating the effects of CS(2) on nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity and NOS mRNA expression in rat hippocampus.

METHODSRat models of toxicity were generated by inhalation of various doses of CS(2). After two months of inhaling intoxication, the activities of constitutive NOS (cNOS) and induced NOS (iNOS) in the hippocampus were measured. The levels of neuronal NOS (nNOS) mRNA and iNOS mRNA were measured by semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTScNOS activity was significantly decreased compared with controls, while iNOS activity was changed only slightly. CS(2) treatment significantly decreased nNOS mRNA levels. iNOS mRNA levels were significantly increased only at higher doses of CS(2).

CONCLUSIONThe effect of CS2 on learning and memory ability in rats is related to the activity of NOS and the expression of nNOS in the hippocampus.

Animals ; Carbon Disulfide ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic ; drug effects ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Spectrophotometry

OBJECTIVETo summarize the clinical characteristics of alternating hemiplegia of childhood (AHC).

METHODSThe clinical data of 13 children with AHC were analyzed. Cranial MRI, EEG, analysis of serum amino acids and urinary organic acids, measurement of plasma lactate and pyruvate levels were done in all patients. Other laboratory examinations such as magnetic resonance angio-imaging (MRA), digital subtraction arteriography (DSA) and Video-EEG were also performed in some patients.

RESULTSOf the 13 patients, 12 were male, and 1 was female. The age of onset was from 2 days to 55 months (average 13.1 months). The initial symptoms were abnormal ocular movements (AOMs) consisting of ocular deviation, gaze or nystagmus in 2 cases, AOMs and dystonic posturing in 9 cases, hemiplegia in 2 cases. All patients had recurrent alternating hemiplegic episodes. The hemiplegic attacks lasted from a few minutes to 10 days. The occurrence of the attacks ranged from 8 times daily to one time every 2 months. In 10 patients the abnormal eye movements or dystonic posturing, at times, recurred intermittently during the hemiplegic attack. Choreoathetosis was present in 2 cases. Ataxia was present in 1 case; 7 patients also had the episodes of quadriplegia. During the episodes of quadriplegia, dysarthria or aphasia was present in 4 cases, dyspnea and dysphagia was present in 2 cases, respectively. Sleep could relieve both weakness and associated paroxysmal symptoms. Mental retardation was present in 9 cases, seizures in 3 cases. Except for EEG or Video-EEG was abnormal in 3 patients, other laboratory investigations were normal in all patients. Twelve patients received flunarizine therapy. Flunarizine reduced the severity, duration, or frequency of hemiplegic attacks in 8 patients.

CONCLUSIONThe results suggest that AHC is characterized by frequent episodes of alternating hemiplegia with extrapyramidal symptoms and mental retardation, flunarizine is effective in treating some AHC patients.

Anticonvulsants ; therapeutic use ; Child, Preschool ; Electroencephalography ; Female ; Flunarizine ; therapeutic use ; Hemiplegia ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Intelligence Tests ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Treatment Outcome

Ten compounds were isolated from the barks of Jasminum giraldii by means of various of chromatographic techniques such as silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and Rp-HPLC. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic data analysis as (+)-medioresinol (1), (+) -syringaresinol (2), syringaresinol-4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), oleanic acid (4), 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-trans-cinnamaldehyde (5), trans-sinapaldehyde (6), syringaldehyde (7), 1-(4-methoxy -phenyl) -ethanol (8), trans-cinnamic acid (9), and 4-(1-methoxyethyl) -phenol (10). Among them, compounds 1-3, 5-8 and 10 were isolated from the J. genus for the first time and compounds 4 and 9 were obtained from J. giraldii for the first time. In the DPPH free radical scavenging assay, compound 1 exhibited significant activity (IC50 55.1 micromol x L(-1)), compared with vitamin C(IC50 59.9 micromol x L(-1)); and compound 2 showed moderate activity (IC50 79.0 micromol x L(-1)), compared with 2, 6-di-tert-butyl4-methylphenol (IC50 236 micromol x L(-1)).
Antioxidants ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Jasminum ; chemistry ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Molecular Structure ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

OBJECTIVETo examine the effect of estrogen on the expressions of phosphorylated Tau (P-Tau), ChAT and nerve growth factor (NGF) protein in the brain tissue of rat models of Alzheimer disease (AD).

METHODSRat models of AD were established by injecting Aβ1-42 protein fragments in the right lateral ventricle. Two weeks later, 17β-estradiol tablets were implanted subcutaneously at the neck of the rats and maintained for 30 days. The pathological changes in the rats' brain neurons and alterations in the expressions of P-Tau, ChAT and NGF proteins were observed using HE staining and immunohistochemistry, respectively.

RESULTSIn the AD rats, neurofibrillary tangles occurred in the brain tissue, and estrogen treatment significantly reduced the formation of neurofibrillary tangles. Estrogen treatment also resulted in lowered P-Tau expression and increased ChAT and NGF protein expressions in comparison with those in the AD model rats.

CONCLUSIONEstrogen can up-regulate ChAT and NGF and down-regulate tau protein expression, thus producing obvious therapeutic effect on AD in rats.

Alzheimer Disease ; metabolism ; pathology ; Animals ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Estradiol ; pharmacology ; Male ; Nerve Growth Factors ; metabolism ; Neurons ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; tau Proteins ; metabolism

This study was purposed to investigate the inhibition of hTERT antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (ASODN) on the proliferation and telomerase activity in HL-60 cells and to explore the relativity between the telomerase activity and the expression of hTERT gene in HL-60 cells. After treated by hTERT ASODN the expression of hTERT was detected by RT-PCR, the morphological changes of HL-60 cells was observed with inverted microscopy, the cell proliferation was measured by MTT method, and the telomerase activity was determined with TRAP-ELISA and TRAP-PAGE. The results showed that after sealing hTERT gene with ASODN for 72 hours, the expression of hTERT gene was significantly inhibited, the cell growth was repressed and the ability of proliferation decreased, and the effect was specific in sequence and dependent in dose and time. OD(450-690) values were 2.648 +/- 0.42, 1.504 +/- 0.47, 1.223 +/- 0.39, 0.944 +/- 0.16 respectively, as the cells were treated with 0, 10, 20, 30 micromol/L ASODN for 72 hours. The difference was significant as compared 10, 20, 30 micromol/L groups with 0 micromol/L ASODN group respectively (P < 0.05), but the difference was no significant when compared 20 micromol/L SODN group (2.376 +/- 0.65) with untreated group (2.648 +/- 0.42) (P > 0.05). TRAP-PAGE detection revealed that comparing ASODN groups with SODN groups the telomerase image bands were decreased and least was found in groups of 30 +/- mol/L. It is concluded that the hTERT ASODN may inhibit the proliferation and down-regulate the telomerase activity in HL-60 cells by sealing the expression of hTERT gene.
Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Telomerase ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Transfection

BACKGROUNDHirayama disease is a juvenile muscular atrophy of the distal upper extremities and affects mainly young males. The present study aimed to investigate the neuroelectrophysiological characteristics of Hirayama disease.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed the neural conduction velocity (NCV) parameters and needle-electrode electromyograms (EMG) of 14 patients with Hirayama disease. According to the clinical features of the patients, NCV was performed on affected upper-limb including median nerves and ulnar nerves, while EMG was selectively performed on upper and lower extremities, sternocleidomast and thoracic paraspinal muscles.

RESULTSThe median nerves of all affected upper limbs of patients with Hirayama disease had normal conduction velocities and compound motor action potentials (CMAPs). The ulnar nerves of all affected upper limbs also had normal conduction velocities. Of the 16 measured ulnar nerves of the affected upper limbs, eight had normal CMAPS, while the other eight showed CMAPs below the normal value by < 20%. All patients had neurogenic injury on the affected side in muscles innervated by anterior horn cells at the lower cervical region (C7-8, T1). Four patients had unilateral upper-limb muscle neurogenic injury on the affected side. Seven patients had bilateral upper-limb muscle neurogenic injury, while only two patients experienced bilateral upper-limb muscle atrophy/weakness. The other three patients showed extensive neurogenic injury (unilateral upper-limb muscle atrophy/weakness in one patient, bilateral symptoms in the other two patients).

CONCLUSIONSElectromyographic examination showed that the majority of Hirayama disease patients exhibited characteristic segmental injury in the anterior horn of the lower cervical region, while a few patients exhibited extensive neurogenic injury. These data suggest that the actual influence of Hirayama disease may be more extensive than indicated by the clinical presentations.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Electromyography ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Neural Conduction ; physiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Muscular Atrophies of Childhood ; physiopathology ; Young Adult