Chitin is one of the most important component in fungal cell wall.Biosynthesis of chitin is a complex processes and needs several chitin synthase isoenzymes.The knowledge of structure,function and regulation of chitin synthases is mainly derived from the study of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.In contrast with the 3 chitin synthases in S.cerevisiae,7 were found in most filamentous fungi.In this review the classification and function of chitin synthases are summerized,and progress in the studies on chitin synthases of filamentous fungi which are of theoretical or medical or agricultural importance,including Aspergillus nidulans,Aspergillus fumigatus and Ustilago maydis are emphasized.Recent ad-vance of research on chitin synthase as antifungal target is also discussed.

Objective To evaluate the effect of endoscopic ultrasonography(EUS)in diagnosing e- sophageal and gastric varices in portal hypertension(PHT)patients.Methods Fifty-three patients with e- sophageal and gastric varices(EV、GV)of decompensation PHT and 20 patients without PHT as control were undergone EUS and esophagogastroduodenoscopy(EGD)simultaneously.EUS detected mainly the EGV,e- sophagus and stomach collateral veins.Results EUS identified EV endoscopically in 29(54.7%)patients. EUS detected GV in 24(45.3%)patients,compared with detection in 18(34.0%)patients by esopha- gogastroduodenoscopy(EGD)(P＜0.001).EUS detected PEV in 27(51%)patients.Distribution rates of PEV in F1,F2 and F3 are 0%,28.6% and 75% respectively.The comparison between groups shows sig- nificant difference(P＜0.001).Splenic vein can be seen in both control and experimental groups with di- ameter 7.5?1.35mm VS 11.5?3.5mm respectively,the difference between two groups is significant(P＜0.001).Proximal diameters of Azygos vein in two groups is 7.36?1.29mm VS 8.77?2.94mm respective- ly.Significant difference can be found(P＜0.05).Conclusion EUS had significant value in the diagnosis of PHT with EV and GV,and especially in detecting abnormalities of extra-luminal veins.

Child, Preschool ; Cysts ; Diagnostic Errors ; Humans ; Leiomyoma ; diagnosis ; Male ; Nose Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Vestibular Diseases

Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; Sjogren's Syndrome ; complications

Objective To investigate the utility of bedside electromyography (EMG) in diagnosis and management of critical illness patients with suspected neuromuscular diseases.Methods Bedside EMG was performed in 34 critical illness patients with weakness and respiratory involvement,including segmental motor nerve conduction studies,sensory nerve conduction studies,F waves,concentric needle EMG and repetitive nerve stimulation.The clinical manifestations and clinical utility of bedside EMG in critical illness patients with suspected neuromuscular diseases were analyzed. Results EMG was normal in 5 patients.Low-frequency repetitive nerve stimulation showed decrement response of compound muscle action potential (CMAP) in 4 of 8 patients.Motor nerve conduction studies showed CMAP amplitude decreased in 73.3％(22/30) patients,and demyelinating changes was detected in 20.0％ (6/30)patients.F-wave persistence was 0 in 55.0％ (11/20) patients.Amplitude of sensory nerve action potential decreased in 28.6％ (6/21)patients.Bedside EMG could help to confirm or exclude diagnoses and guide the management in 82.4％(28/34) patients,confirm the diagnoses of peripheral neuropathy but have no effect on management in 11.8％ (4/34) patients,and bedside EMG was inconclusive in 2 patients.Conclusions Bedside EMG is useful for the diagnosis and management of critical ill with suspected neuromuscular diseases,while motor nerve conduction studies and repetitive nerve stimulation are more valuable.Individualized protocol for EMG studies should be made on the basis of clinical problem.

Objective To compare the efficacy of a modified percutaneous transhepatic variceal embolization (PTVE) with 2-Octyl-Cyanoacrylate (2-OCA) and endoscopic variceal obturation (EVO) in preventing gastric variceal bleeding.Methods Seventy-seven patients with history of gastric variceal bleeding who underwent either EVO or PTVE were retrospectively reviewed.The rebleeding rate,survival rate and complications were compared between the two groups.Results EVO was performed in 45 patients; PTVE was performed in 32 patients.During the follow-up (19.78 ± 7.70 months in EVO group,vs.21.53 ± 8.56 months in PTVE group),rebleeding occurred in 17 patients (37.78％) of EVO group,and in 4 patients (12.5％) of PTVE group (P =0.028).The cumulative rebleeding free rate for EVO was 75％,59％,and 49％ in 1,2,and 3 years,respectively; 93％,84％,84％ for PTVE (P =0.011).There is no significant different in survival rate and the incidence of complications was similar in two groups.Conclusion Compared with EVO,PTVE with 2-OCA demonstrates advantage as an effective and safe method for gastric varices.

Objective To analyze the prognostic factors associated with three-year survival outcome in patients with serous ovarian adenocarcinoma by classification tree.Methods Retrospectively we analyzed 81 cases with serous ovarian adenocarcinoma who had 3-year clinical outcomes and were hospitalized in People's Hospital from Jan 1991 to Dec 2003 by classification and regression trees(CART)software.Establish the classification tree.Results Among the factors that were associated with the 3-year survival rate,age was the most important factor,other factors in turn were International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics(FIGO)stage,lymphoid metastasis,residual size after operation,chemotherapy and pathologic grade.By substitution variable analysis,it was demonstrated that there was cross interaction between age and residual size as well as age and chemotherapy.Conclusion Age,FIGO stage,lymphoid metastasis,residual size after operation,chemotherapy and pathologic grade are important prognostic factors related with three-year survival probability of serous ovarian adenocarcinoma patients.

Withanolide A is a biologically active secondary metabolite occuring in roots and leaves of Withania somnifera. In the present study, adventitious roots from leaf explants of W. somnifera were induced for the production of withanolide-A by Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain C58C1 to obtain hair roots. Hair roots induction rate reached 30%. The withanolide A was determined by HPLC in different hair roots lines and different parts of W. somnifera. The average content of withanolide A in all hair roots lines were 1.96 times as high as that in wild-plant, the concentration of withanolide A in hair roots (1.783 mg x g(-1) dry weight) were 1.51 times as high as the roots of wild W. somnifera (1.180 mg x g(-1) dry weight), respectively. It is possible to obtain withanolide A from hair roots culture of W. somnifera.
Agrobacterium tumefaciens ; physiology ; Plant Extracts ; analysis ; biosynthesis ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; growth & development ; metabolism ; microbiology ; Withania ; chemistry ; growth & development ; metabolism ; microbiology ; Withanolides ; analysis ; metabolism

Mean hemoglobin (Hb) concentration of about 3 500 subjects derived from 17 studies of Himalayan highlanders (Tibetans, Sherpas, and Ladakhis) was compared with lowlanders (Chinese Han, Indian Tamils) lived in the Himalayas, and European climbers during Everest expeditions as well as Andean natives. The results found that Hb concentration in Himalayan highlanders was systemically lower than those reported for Andean natives and lowland immigrants. These comparative data demonstrated that a healthy native population may successfully reside at high altitude without a significant elevation in Hb, and the lower Hb levels of Himalayan highlanders than those of migrated lowlanders and Andean natives are an example of favourable adaptation over the generations. In addition, excessive polycythemia has frequently been used as a marker of chronic mountain sickness (CMS). Altitude populations who have a higher Hb concentration also have a higher incidence of CMS. The low Hb in Himalayans suggested as showing adaptation over many generations in Tibetan stock. Recent work in Tibet, suggested that Tibetans there may have adapted to high altitude as a result of evolutionary pressure selecting for genes which give an advantage at altitude. All of the population genomic and statistical analysis indicated that EPAS1 and EGLN1 are mostly likely responsible for high altitude adaptation and closely related to low Hb concentration in Tibetans. These data supported the hypothesis that Himalayan highlanders have evolved a genetically different erythropoietic response to chronic hypoxia by virtue of their much longer exposure to high altitude.
Adaptation, Physiological ; Altitude ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors ; genetics ; Evolution, Molecular ; Hemoglobins ; genetics ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-Proline Dioxygenases ; genetics ; Tibet

OBJECTIVE:To compare genetic diversity of Spatolobi caulis from different areas of Guangxi by random amplified polymorphic DNA(RAPD)and inter-simple sequence repeat(ISSR). METHODS:Through using POPGENE 32 software,Ntsys software and SPSS 17.0 software,RAPD and ISSR methods were used to study genetic diversity of 9 samples of S. caulis from dif-ferent areas of Guangxi. RESULTS:After amplification of screened 3 RAPD primers and 4 ISSR primers,and there were 198 and 315 locus,and 37 and 80 polymorphism locus. Rates of polymorphism locus were 18.7% and 25.4%;the number of effective al-leles were 1.416 8 and 1.584 0;genetic diversity index were 0.269 4 and 0.351 3;Shannon diversity index were 0.431 6 and 0.529 9. All the values of ISSR marker were higher than RAPD marker. The average genetic similarity coefficient of ISSR and RAPD were 0.757 64 and 0.683 80,indicating ISSR was more sensitive for the detection of genetic diversity. The clustering result of them was close to each other. The correlation coefficient of them were 0.847,indicating very significant positive correlation at the level of 0.001. CONCLUSIONS:ISSR could reflect more information of genetic diversity than RAPD,and is more suitable for research of genetic diversity of S. caulis from different areas of Guangxi.