Marine microorganisms,which live in special biotic environment,have been proven to be potential in producing novel bioactive substances.In past three decades,nearly 300 new compounds have been isolated and determined from marine fungi,and most of them showed antitumor,antibacterial and antiviral activities.This paper reviewed new advances in the studies of antitumor compounds from marine fungi in the recent ten years.

Objective To explore the clinical value of myocardial enzyme on diagnosis of cardiac insufficiency in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Methods Fifty patients with SAP were classified as cardiac insufficiency group (n=14) and non-cardiac insufficiency group (n=36). The serum biochemical markers, such as cardiac troponin I (cTnI), myoglobin (MYO), creatine kinase, MB form (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were examined in two groups. ROC curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for cardiac insuffi-ciency using myocardial enzyme. The APACHEⅡscore was also calculated. The relationship between myocardial enzyme and APACHEⅡscore was analyzed in two groups. Results The levels of cTnI, LDH and AST were significantly increased in cardiac insufficiency group than those in non-cardiac insufficiency group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in MYO and CK-MB between two groups of patients. The area under ROC curve for cTnI was 0.940, with a cut-off value of 0.07μg/L. The sensitivity and specificity of cTnI for diagnosing cardiac insufficiency in patients with SAP were 0.857 and 1.000, respectively. The area under ROC curve for LDH and AST was more than 0.7, with the low sensitivity for LDH (0.571) and the specificity for AST (0.778). The area under ROC curve for MYO and CK-MB was less than 0.7. APACHEⅡscore was positively correlated with cTnI, CK-MB and LDH (r= 0.639, 0.451 and 0.552,respectively, P<0.05). Conclusion The serum cTnI level can be used as the index for the diagnosis of cardiac insufficiency in patients with SAP, and can prefer-ably reflect the severity of SAP.

Herpes simplex viruses (HSV-1 and HSV-2) cause global morbidity and synergistically correlate with HIV infection.HSV exists life-long in a latent form in sensory neurons with intermittent reactivation,in despite of host immune surveillance.While abundant evidence for HSV interfering with innate immune responses so as to favor the replication and propagation of the virus,several lines of evidence declare that HSV attenuates adaptive immunity by various mechanisms,including but not limited to the ablation of antigen presentation,induction of apoptosis,and interruption of cellular signaling.In this review,we will focus on the perturbative role of HSV in Tcells signaling.

The main commercial production of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) comes from enzymatic transformation using sucrose as substrate by microbial enzyme fructosyltransferase. A fructosyltransferase genomic DNA was isolated from Aspergillus niger QU10 by PCR. The nucleotide sequence showed a 1 941 bp size, and has been submitted to GenBank (KF699529). The cDNA of the fructosyltransferase, containing an open reading frame of 1 887 bp, was further cloned by RT-PCR. The fructosyltransferase gene from Aspergillus niger was functionally expressed both in Escherichia coli and Pichia pastoris GS 115. The highest activity value for the construction with the α-factor signal peptide reached 431 U/mL after 3 days of incubation. The recombinant enzyme is extensively glycosylated, and the active form is probably represented by a homodimer with an apparent molecular mass of 200 kDa as judged from mobility in seminative PAGE gels. The extracellular recombinant enzyme converted sucrose mostly to FOS, mainly 1-kestose and nystose, liberating glucose. FOS reached a maximal value and represented about 58% of total sugars present in the reaction mixture after 4 h reaction. The results suggest that the availability of recombinant Pichia pastoris as a new source of a FOS-producing enzyme might result of biotechnology interest for industrial application.
Aspergillus niger ; enzymology ; genetics ; Base Sequence ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; Escherichia coli ; Fungal Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Glycosylation ; Hexosyltransferases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Molecular Weight ; Pichia ; Sucrose ; metabolism ; Trisaccharides ; metabolism

AIM: To observe the protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor 1 (VEGF-1) in pulmonary arterial endothelial cells and VEGF-1 gene expression in lung tissue in rats with hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension and treated with heparin. METHODS: Twenty four male adult SD rats were randomly divided into three groups (8 rats each): a control group (group A), a group with hypoxia for 4 weeks (group B) and a group with hypoxia for 4 weeks and injected with heparin to abdominal cavity simultaneously (group C). Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP), right ventricle hypertrophy index (RVHI) and vessel morphometry were measured. The morphology of pulmonary artery was observed by HE staining. The expression of VEGF-1 protein in pulmonary arterial endothelial cells was determined by immunohistochemistry. The level of VEGF-1 mRNA in lung tissue was measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: mPAP, RVHI, pulmonary artery remodeling parameters, VEGF-1 protein expression in pulmonary arterial endothelial cells and VEGF-1 gene expression in lung tissue of the three groups from high to low were group B, group C and group A. It was statistically significant when compared between either two groups of the three (P<0.01). Linear correlation analysis showed that VEGF-1 protein was positively correlated with pulmonary artery remodeling parameters (r=0.974, P<0.01), and VEGF-1 mRNA was positively correlated with VEGF-1 protein (VEGF 120 mRNA, r=0.919, P<0.01; VEGF164 mRNA, r=0.896, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Heparin may down-regulate the expression of VEGF-1 at the levels of transcription and translation, resulting in the inhibitory effect on rats with hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension.

The varicela-zoster virus(VZV) infection causes central vasculopathy,and then leads to stroke onset. This article review s the correlation betw een VZV infection and stroke onset in order to conduct a comprehensive assessment of patients w ith VZV infection, thereby reducing the risk of stroke after VZV infection.

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of levosimendan on patients with acutely decompensated heart failure (ADHF).Methods A prospective randomized and controlled study was carried out from June 2013 to June 2014.Patients were randomly divided into levosimendan group and dobutamine group,with 60 patients in each group.All patients received an intravenous infusion of levosimendan or dobutamine for 24 hours.Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP),stroke volume (SV) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were measured.The cardiovascular mortality,rehospitalization rate,the composite endpoint differences and the incidence of adverse events were compared between two groups in 1,3,6 months after treatment.Comparisons between two groups were made using Student t-test or one-way ANOVA.Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 17.0 software and a P value of ＜ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results There was no significant difference in the basic characteristics between two groups.Compared with baseline level,the plasma BNP levels,SV and LVEF were improved at 24 h in both groups (P ＜ 0.05).The cardiac function indexes were better in levosimendan group than in dobutamine group at 24 h [BNP (1147±407) pg/mL vs.(1 502±501) pg/mL,SV (60.9±9.6) mL vs.(57.3±10.3) mL,LVEF (31.6±6.0)％ vs.(28.8±5.1)％,P＜0.05].One month later,the cardiac function indexes were still better in levosimendan group than baseline [BNP (796 ± 296) pg/mL vs.(1 951 ±692) pg/mL,SV (64.6±9.5) mL vs.(52.2±9.1) mL,LVEF (33.4 ±5.8)％ vs.(25.7 ± 6.1) ％,P ＜ 0.05].After l months of treatment,the composite endpoint in levosimendan group was significantly lower than dobutamine group (5％ vs.16.3％,P =0.043).There was a downward trend of mortality and rehospitalization rate in levosimendan group in six months follow-up (P ＞ 0.05).The incidence of side effects was no statistically significant between groups (both were 13.3％).Conclusions Levosimendan is superior to that of dobutamine in improving the hemodynamic status and prognosis in ADHF patients,and the adverse reaction of levosimendan is less.

According 1o the genome sequences of α.β,e,ι toxins of Clostridium perfringens in GenBank,four pairs of primers targeting α,β,ε,ι toxin genes were designed.After the multiplex PCR reaction condition was optimized,the multiplex PCR for identification and toxintyping of C.perfringens strains was developed.The specificity test showed that the expected fragments of C.perfringens reference strains including A.B,C,D,E five toxin types were amplified successfully from genomic DNA of C.perfringens,respectively.However,a band could not be amplified from Clostidrium novyi and Clostridium septicum as negative control groups.The sensitivity test showed that the limit detection of multiplex PCR was 9.0,17.8,12.2,13.8,18.5 pg DNA of A,B,C,D,E five toxin types C.perfringens,respectively.Repetitive testing showed that the established method had a good repeatability.Nine type A strains of and 1 type C strains of C.Perfringens from 21 clinical samples of dead goat were detected by the multiplex PCR developed in this study.This study establishes the multiple PCR method which not only can detect C.perfringens rapidly but also can identify five toxin types of C.perfringens.

Objective To explore value of trephine in pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) for old thoracolumbar compression fracture with kyphotic deformity.Methods Thirty seven patients who underwent surgical treatment for old thoracolumbar kyphotic deformity in our hospital from February 2005 to February 2010 were retrospectively reviewed.Among them,21 patients underwent conventional PSO and 16 patients underwent PSO with trephine.In conventional PSO group,there were 14 males and 7 females,the average age was 55.6±3.7 years and the mean Cobb angle was 45.3°±4.6°.In PSO with trephine group,there were 11 males and 5 females,the average age was 53.3±4.2 years and the mean Cobb angle was 47.6°±5.9°.Results All patients were successfully followed up.The duration of follow-up ranged from 12 to 22 months in conventional PSO group,while 13 to 20 months in PSO with trephine group.The operation time,blood loss,amount of blood transfusion were 224±45 min,1043±234 ml,876±300 ml respectively in conventional PSO group,while 180±31 min,785±163 ml,500±230 ml in PSO with trephine group.Immediately after operation,correction rate of Cobb angle was 91.4％ in conventional PSO group and 90.9％ in PSO with trephine group.At final follow-up,the correction of Cobb angle lost 5.8％ in conventional PSO group and 6.2％ in PSO with trephine group.The improvement rate of JOA score was 81.1％ in conventional PSO group and 83.7％ in PSO with trephine group.The VAS score decreased 7.7±1.1 in conventional PSO group and 7.8±0.8 in PSO with trephine group.One patient in conventional PSO group experienced saddle numbness immediately after operation,which alleviated at final follow up.All patients achieved bony fusion at final follow up.No infection,screw loosening or breakage occurred in both groups.Conclusion The use of trephine in PSO for old thoracolumbar compression fracture with kyphotic deformity can reduce operation time,blood loss and improve efficiency of osteotomy.

Objective To explore the surgical technique and clinical effect of percutaneous lumbar endoscopic surgery for central disc herniation.Methods From February 2010 to April 2014,69 consecutive patients (36 males and 33 females) with central lumbar disc herniation underwent percutaneous endoscopic surgery were included in the study.The average age was 31.33±8.27 years,ranging from 16 to 56 years.All operations were performed by increasing the initial puncture angle.First enter the intervertebral space through the ventral nerve root,and then move the guide rod tip step by step to the top of the protrusion.Operative time,intraoperative blood loss and complications were recorded.Visual analogue scale (VAS), Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were followed up before surgery,immediately after surgery,3,12,24 months after surgery.The MacNab criteria were used to evaluate the efficacy at the last follow-up.During the follow-up period,X-ray,CT and MRI were performed to observe the instability and recurrence of the operative segment.Results All of the disc herniations were successfully removed without conversion to open surgery or revision.All patients were followed up for more than 24 months.The VAS scores of low back pain and leg pain were significantly lower than those before operation immediately,3 months,12 months and 24 months after operation (P＜0.01).The JOA score was significantly higher in monthly follow-up (P＜0.01),and ODI was significantly improved in 3 months and 24 months after operation (P＜ 0.01).There were 22 excellent cases (31.88％),44 good cases (63.77％),3 cases (4.35％) during the final follow-up,and the excellent and good rate was 95.65％.Dural sac injuries occurred in 1 patient and discharged from hospital in 2 weeks of symptomatic treatment.Lumbar instability and operative segment recurrence were not found during the follow-up period (2 years).Conclusion The improvement of the puncture angle and the technique innovation of the guide rod moving from intervertebral space to intraspinal canal step by step can effectively reduce the nerve root stimulation and injury during the puncture and the placement of the working passage,and significantly improve the clinical efficacy of percutaneous lumbar endoscopy in the treatment of central lumbar disc herniation.Microscopic management of the posterior longitudinal ligament can effectively reduce the recurrence rate and has no significant impact on spinal stability.