A promising genetic marker, sag5b, was cloned and expressed and the difference of the genes between highly virulent strain (RH) and less virulent strain(Prugniaud) of Toxoplasma gondii was compared. The PCR-generated product of sag5b was subcloned into T easy vector and plasmid pET28a consecutively. The fusion expression was induced by IPTG and identified by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. The immunoreactivity of recombinant SAG5B was identical to that of native SAG5B on the membrane of tachyzoites of RH strain. The brains of mice infected with Prugniaud strain of T. gondii were homogenated. Sag1 was successully cloned by PCR from both RH strain tachyzoites and the homogenized brain tissues of mice infected with low virulent strain of Prugniaud,whereas sag5b was only detected in RH strain but not in Prugniaud strain, indicating that sag5b could be used as a genetic marker for differentiation of strain virulence. Expression and vaccination of the virulence-associated gene into mice failed to induce obvious protective immunity against the challenge of RH strain.

Objective · To investigate the difference in myocardial strain of left ventricle between obstructive hypertrophy cardiomyopathy (HCM) and nonobstructive HCM. Methods · Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exam was performed on 48 sequential enrolled patients with HCM (18 with obstructive HCM, and 30 with nonobstructive HCM), whose left ventricular ejection fractions (LVEF) were over 50%. Twenty-five healthy volunteers were examined as normal controls. Global longitudinal strain (GLS), global radial strain (GRS), global circumferentialstrain (GCS), LVEF, left ventricular end diastolic volume (LVEDV), left ventricularmass (LVM), left ventricular end diastolic volume index (LVEDVI), and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) were collected and compared. Radial strain, circumferential strain and peak radial displacement were also measured in medial segment of left ventricle according to American Heart Association (AHA) 17-segment model. Results · ① LVEF of the patients with obstructive HCM was bigger than those of nonobstructive HCM patients and control group (P<0.05). LVM and LVMI of the HCM groups were bigger than those of control group (P<0.01). ② Left ventricle GLS, GRS, and GCS significantly decreased in the patients with nonobstructive HCM compared to those with obstructive HCM (P<0.05). The three parameters of two HCM groups were significantly lower than those of healthy volunteers (P<0.05). ③ Compared with obstructive HCM patients,the segmental parameters of left ventricule, the medial segment circumferential strain and radial strain of nonobstructive HCM patients significantly decreased (P<0.05), and the two parameters of both HCM groups were lower than those in healthy volunteers. Compared with obstructive HCM patients and healthy volunteers, peak radial displacement of left ventricule medial segment in nonobstructive HCM witnessed a significant decrease, while no significant difference was observed between obstructive HCM patients and healthy volunteers. Conclusion · In the LVEF preserved HCM patients, the myocardial strain of left ventricle in nonobstructive HCM patients decrease significantly than that in obstructive HCM patients, which may result in the different clinical outcomes intwo types of HCM patients. It is suggested that the myocardial strain is more sensitive than ejection fraction in the evaluation of myocardial performance of HCM patients.

During the past three decades, the technology of implant surface modification has already formed well-developed methods including physical and chemical means. However, titanium is a kind of bioinert material, which will directly result in slowly bone-bond with bone tissue after implantation and ultimately reduce the success rate of dental implant surgery. Therefore, the introduction of bioactive substances which can effectively regulate and promote the proliferation of bone cells to modify the titanium implant surface has received tremendous attention in the research of oral implant field. The research of biological modification starts relatively late and it has not formed well-established system yet. The research progress is given in this paper concerning the bioactivators and methods used in biological modification. Furthermore, the current situation as well as the recent developments involving the biological modification of dental implant are also discussed in this review.

Objective To explore the clinical efficacy of Qingpeng unguentum(QU)combined with auricular acupuncture(AA)and multi-dimensional collaborative intervention(MDCI)in the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia(PHN).Methods Patients with PHN who attended the department of dermatology at Zhejiang Provincial Dermatology Hospital from January 2022 to January 2023 were retrospectively selected.According to the intervention regimens,patients were divided into three groups:the QU group(QU external application),the AA group(QU external application combined with AA),and the MDCI group(QU external application combined with AA and MDCI).Changes in negative mood[self-rating anxiety scale(SAS)and self-rating depression scale(SDS)],pain degree(visual analogue scale,VAS score),sleep quality(Pittsburgh sleep quality index,PSQI score),quality of life(mos36-item short form health survey,SF-36 score)and inflammatory markers(IL-6,TNF-α and CRP)were compared before and after intervention using paired sample t-tests.Differences among the groups in these parameters and in nursing satisfaction were analyzed using ANOVA,rank-sum test,or chi-square test.Results A total of 110 PHN patients were included in this study,with 30 in the QU group,41 in the AA group,and 39 in the MDCI group.There were no significant differences among the three groups in negative mood,pain degree,sleep quality,quality of life,and inflammatory markers(P>0.05).After 1 month of intervention,the scores for SAS,SDS,VAS,PSQI,as well as serum levels of IL-6,TNF-α,and CRP,significantly decreased compared to pre-intervention levels(P<0.05).The level of these indicators were lower in the AA group than in the QU group(P<0.05),and the level in the MDCI group were lower than those in the AA group(P<0.05).SF-36 scores were elevated in the 3 groups compared with the pre-intervention period,and were greater in the MDCI group than in the AA group,and in the AA group than in the QU group(P<0.05).Additionally,the total response rate and total satisfaction rate were significantly higher in the AA group than in the QU group(P<0.05),and higher in the MDCI group than in the AA group(P<0.05).Conclusion QU combined with AA and MDCI significantly improves negative mood,pain degree,sleep quality,and quality of life in PHN patients,reduces levels of inflammatory markers,and enhances overall treatment efficacy.It is recommended for promotion in clinical practice.

BACKGROUND:In the construction of guided bone regeneration membrane with biological function,a single material cannot meet the clinical needs due to its insufficient function,so the composite of multiple materials has become a trend of tissue repair engineering. OBJECTIVE:To prepare silk fibroin/bioactive glass composite fiber membranes by electrospinning technology,and to characterize the physicochemical properties and biocompatibility in vitro. METHODS:The solution of electrospinning was prepared by dissolving 0.8 g silk fibroin protein in 10 mL hexafluoro-isopropanol alcohol,and the nanofiber membrane of silk fibroin protein was prepared by electrospinning technology(denoted as SF fiber membrane).0.1,0.3,0.5,and 0.8 g of bioactive glass were added to the electrospinning solution,and the silk fibroin/bioactive glass composite fiber membrane was prepared by electrospinning technology(recorded as SF/1BG,SF/3BG,SF/5BG,and SF/8BG fiber membrane in turn).The physicochemical properties and biocompatibility of five groups of fiber membranes were characterized. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The scanning electron microscopy results showed that nanofibers of the prepared composite membrane were smooth,continuous and uniform and had no beaded structure.There was no obvious adhesion between the silk fibers,and they all showed random arrangement of disordered porous structures.The fiber diameter of the fiber membrane decreased after the addition of bioactive glass.Fourier infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction detection results showed that the chemical structure of silk fibroin protein and bioactive glass in fiber membrane was stable.The water contact angles of SF,SF/1BG,SF/3BG,SF/5BG,and SF/8BG were 105.02°,72.58°,78.13°,79.35°,and 72.50°,respectively.(2)Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were inoculated on five groups of fiber membranes.CCK-8 assay results showed that SF/1BG,SF/3BG,and SF/5BG fiber membranes could promote the proliferation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells compared with SF and SF/8BG.Live cell/dead cell staining showed that the cell vitality on the surface of the five groups of fiber membranes was better,and the number and distribution of cells on the surface of SF/5BG fiber membrane were more uniform.Rhodamine phalloidin staining and scanning electron microscopy exhibited that compared with SF fiber membrane,the SF/5BG fiber membrane was more favorable to the adhesion of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were inoculated on the fiber membrane of the five groups for osteogenic induction differentiation,and the alkaline phosphatase activity of the SF/3BG and SF/5BG groups was higher than that of the other three groups(P＜0.05,P＜0.01,P＜0.001).Alizarin red staining showed that the formation of calcium nodules in fiber membrane increased after the addition of bioactive glass,and the formation of calcium nodules in the SF/5BG group was the most.(3)The results show that silk fibroin/bioactive glass composite fiber membrane has good biosafety and biocompatibility.