At the time of phage’s discovery, phage therapy was regarded as a possible treatment method against bacterial infection. Although phage therapy was used to treat and prevent bacterial infection in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, it was abandoned by the West in the 1940s with the arrival of the antibiotic era. However, the ongoing evolution of bacterial multidrug-resistance has recently motivated the Western scientific community to reevaluate phage therapy for bacterial infections that are incurable by conventional chemotherapy. With the indepth study of phages, it’s increasingly acknowledged that phages, as the medicine to cure bacterial infection, are convenient, safe and efficient therapeutics. This paper summarizes the recent years’ advanced researches in this area.

Objectives To investigate the distribution of Schistosoma japonicum infected Oncomelania snails in the marshland of Dangting Lake region,and explore the effects of gradient and vegetation on the distribution of the infected snails.Methods Three marshland areas in upstream and downstream of Dongting Lake were selected.The snail distribution was investigated and the ground elevation was assessed (Wusong's elevation of zero)and the vegetation types were also recorded from 1987-1989 and 2009.Results In the 3 types of snail habitats of the marshland,the average rate of areas with infected snails was 35.5%,and the snails mainly distributed beside the embankment and slope zone.More infected snails were found in the high altitude and steep slope zone,while no infected snails were found in the low altitude and flat slope zone,and reed areas as well.Conclusion The Schistosoma japonicum infected snails in the marshland of Dongting Lake mainly distribute beside the embankment and slope zoon,and are correlated with the water level in flood seasons and the activities of definitive hosts.

Cells, Cultured ; Hepacivirus ; isolation & purification ; Hepatitis C ; virology ; Humans

Atrial Fibrillation ; Brain Ischemia ; China/epidemiology* ; Embolism ; Humans ; Ischemic Stroke ; Stroke

Catheterization ; adverse effects ; methods ; Catheterization, Central Venous ; adverse effects ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Subclavian Artery ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo detect hot point mutations of ATP7B gene in Hunan Han patients with Wilson' disease (WD).

METHODSThe genomic DNA of 22 WD patients was extracted and exons 5, 8, 12, 13 were amplified by PCR. Screening for the mutations was done by direct sequencing and analysed by BLAST.

RESULTSFifteen of the 22 patients were found with mutations. Ten heterozygous Arg778Leu (2273G --> T) mutations were found in exon 8, all of them were accompanied with 2250C --> G polymorphism (Leu770Leu). Seven patients were found with 2855G --> A (Arg952Lys) polymorphism (4 heterozygous and 3 homozygous), 3 of them had Arg778Leu mutation in exon 8 and one with heterozygous mutation Gly943Asp (2828G --> A) in exon 12 simultaneously. Only one patient was found with heterozygous Pro992Leu (2975C --> T) mutation in exon 13. No mutations were found in exon 5.

CONCLUSIONArg778Leu is the hot point mutation of ATP7B gene in Hunan Han patients with Wilson' disease while exon 5 is not.

Adenosine Triphosphatases ; genetics ; Adolescent ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Cation Transport Proteins ; genetics ; Child ; Copper-transporting ATPases ; DNA ; genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Exons ; Hepatolenticular Degeneration ; ethnology ; genetics ; Humans ; Mutation

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the relationship between epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) and lung metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

METHODSThere were 100 patients who underwent surgical resection of hepatocellular carcinoma between January 2000 and March 2004. They were classified with non-distance metastasis and lung metastasis depend on the close following up till March 2007. Their hepatocellular carcinoma specimens were retrospectively examined for EMT markers (E-cadherin, Vimentin, Fibronectin) with immunochemistry staining in tissue microarray. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used for study the relationship between EMT and lung metastasis.

RESULTSUnivariate analysis showed that down regulation of E-cadherin, overexpression of fibronectin, cytosolic expression of vimentin, AFP >or= 400 ng/ml, tumor size more than 10 cm, portal vein involvement, poorly differentiated of tumor had close correlation with lung metastasis. Multivariate analysis indicated that overexpression of fibronectin was independent factor for lung metastasis apart from tumor size more than 10 cm, portal vein involvement and poorly differentiated of tumor.

CONCLUSIONThe results proposed that EMT has close relation with lung metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Adult ; Aged ; Cadherins ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Differentiation ; Epithelial Cells ; pathology ; Female ; Fibronectins ; metabolism ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lung Neoplasms ; secondary ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Stromal Cells ; pathology ; Vimentin ; metabolism

This study was purposed to investigate the acute myeloid leukemia with complex karyotype t(2;21;8)(p12;q22;q22) (AML-M(2)) by using morphologic, immunologic, cytogenetic and molecular biologic classification technique (MICM) and to analyze the MICM characteristics of AML-M(2) and their diagnostic significance. The FAB typing of bone marrow cells (BMCs) was performed by Wright-Giemsa staining and histochemical staining of BM smears; the immunophenotype of leukemic cells was detected by flow cytometry; the karyotypes of chromosome samples prepared by short-term (48 hours) conventional culture of fresh BMCs were analyzed by RHG banding technique; the FISH signaling in mitotic metaphase was determined by dual color and dual fusion AML/ETO probe and chromosome painting probe, and was compared with results of conventional cytogenetic assay; the AML/ETO fusion transcripts were detected by nested RT-PCR. The results indicated that the bone marrow smears of case 1 showed extremely hyperplasia with myeloblasts in which a ratio of eosinophilic granulocytes and monocytes increased. Case 2 accorded with AML-M(2b) in which abnormal increase of myelocytes mainly appeared. The complex karyotype t(2;21;8)(p12;q22;q22) was detected by cytogenetic analysis combined with FISH in both two cases and AML1/ETO fusion transcripts were found by RT-PCR as well. The immunophenotype assay showed high co-expression of CD34 and HLA-DR accompanied with CD19 and CD56 expressions. It is concluded that application of MICM has an important significance for correct diagnostic typing of AML-M2 with complex karyotype variant of t(8; 21)(p12;q22;q22).
Adult ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 2 ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 21 ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 8 ; Female ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; Karyotyping ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; diagnosis ; genetics ; immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanism of new bone formation in the distraction osteogenesis (DO) for correction of cleft palate (CP) in rhesus.

METHODSCP was created by operation in 23 rhesus. The CP was corrected with DO in 21 animals as experimental group. The distraction rate was 0.8 mm per day, two times a day. The bone fragments were fixed after cleft closure, every 3 animals were sacrificed to get specimen after 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24 weeks of fixation. 6 days before sacrifice, tetracycline was administrated for labeling (30 mg/kg).

RESULTSThe hard and soft tissue def of fixation. At the same time, the bone volume and calcification between the distraction gap increased. The cleft in the control group could not b ect was successfully closed with DO by intramembrane osteogenesis. The new formed bone was remodeling and became maturation during the period e corrected spontaneously.

CONCLUSIONSThe DO can successfully correct both the soft and hard tissue defect in CP by intramembrane osteogenesis. The fixation is important for remodeling and maturation of the new formed bone.

Animals ; Biomarkers ; Cleft Palate ; pathology ; surgery ; Macaca ; Osteogenesis, Distraction ; Palate, Hard ; pathology ; Palate, Soft ; pathology

Anemia ; complications ; Hematologic Diseases ; complications ; Humans ; Long QT Syndrome ; etiology