ABSTRACT:Nested‐PCR and loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) were applied to identify the Borrelia burg‐dor f eri (B .burgdor f eri) in ticks in this study .A total of 112 adult ixodes were collected from vegetation in a forest area and farm animals in Xunhua County ,Qinghai Province and Xinbin County ,Liaoning Province .The ticks were examined for the presence of B .burgdorferi by nested‐PCR and LAMP .Results showed that 12 in 51 samples were found positive in Xunhua County (23 .53% ) .While positive rate in Xinbin County was 29 .51% with 18 samples positive in 61 samples .In total of 112 tick samples ,the PCR‐positive rate was 17 .86% with 20 positive samples identified ,whereas 15 positive samples were con‐firmed with positive rate of 13 .39 % by LAMP assay .There was no significant difference between the two assays (Х2 =0 .85 , P>0 .05) .Results suggest that both nested‐PCR and LAMP could be used in identifying B .burgdorferi in ticks .Combina‐tion of these two assays could improve the testing results .This is the first report of B .burgdorferi in ticks in Xunhua and Xinbin counties ,and helps to complete the database of the infection rate of B .burgdor f eri in ticks in the widely‐forested area of China .

Objective To investigate the nursing professional values of different nursing groups and probe into the influencing factors.Methods By cluster and stratified sampling,a total of 583 participants including nursing students and registered nurses were investigated by Nursing Professional Values Scale.Results Nursing students and registered nurses hold a higher level of nursing professional values.Nursing professional value scores of nursing students were significantly higher than registered nurses.There was statistical difference between different nursing groups.Working years and monthly income were important influencing factors.Conclusions Nursing educators and administers could choose effective methods according to the condition to improve nursing professional values.

OBJECTIVE:To establish the method for determining 10 residual organic solvents in norvancomycin hydrochloride raw material. METHODS:Headspace gas chromatography was performed on the column of nitro modified polyethylene terephthal-ate glycol as stationary phase capillary column;the oven temperature program started at 40 ℃ for 3 min and increased at a rate of 8 ℃/min up to 150 ℃ for 10 min;the temperature was 200 ℃ with carrier gas of high-purity nitrogen gas,the constant flow rate was 5 ml/min with split ratio of 15∶1;the headspace vial equilibrium temperature was 85 ℃ with equilibrium time of 40 min,and the volume was 1 ml. RESULTS:The concentration of n-pentane,acetone,ethanol,benzene,acrylonitrile,toluene,xylene,chlo-robenzene,styrene,divinylbenzene had good linear relationship with its peak area values(r=0.995 7-0.999 9);the RSDs of preci-sion,repeatability tests was ≤6.6%;average recovery was in the range of 94.3%-106.6%(RSD=0.5%-4.5%,n=9). CONCLU-SIONS:The method is fast,sensitive and accurate,and can be used for the determination of residual organic solvents in norvanco-mycin hydrochloride raw material.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the mutations in a pedigree with maternally inherited sensorineural hearing loss, and to investigate whether 235delC heterozygote mutation in gap junction protein beta 2 (GJB2) gene modulates the severity of hearing loss associated with the A1555G mitochondrial mutation.

METHODSThe PCR products were digested with the Alw26 I restriction enzyme, followed by direct sequencing to detect the mitochondrial mutations in 72 members of a core pedigree of an extensive family with matrilineal nonsyndromic deafness; 235delC mutation of the GJB2 gene was screened in this family by using the Apa I restriction enzyme and direct sequencing.

RESULTSThe A1555G mutation of the mitochondrial DNA was present in all 27 members of maternal line, out of them, 21 members had phenotype of deafness (77.8%), with a high penetrance. Only three maternal line members of 72 members possessed 235delC heterozygote mutations, and the three had different phenotypes.

CONCLUSIONThe A1555G homozygous mutation of mitochondrial DNA is the susceptive etiological factor of nonsyndromic deafness in this family, but in the study of this pedigree, the 235delC heterozygous mutation in GJB2 gene may not aggravate the symptoms of hearing loss associated with the A1555G mitochondrial mutation.

Base Sequence ; Connexin 26 ; Connexins ; genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; chemistry ; genetics ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; genetics ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Male ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Polymerase Chain Reaction