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 evaluate the surgical outcome of cystic vestibular schwannoma patients with fluid-level imaging by MRI.Methods Forty-five patients of cystic vestibular schwannoma were enrolled and divided into fluid-level (n =24) group and non-fluid-level (n =21) group by MRI.The incidence of peritumoral adhesion,incidence of complete tumor removal and postoperative facial nerve function of the two groups were recorded.Results The incidence of peritumoral adhesion in fluid-level and non-fluid-level group were 70.8％ (17/24) and 28.6％ (6/21),and the difference was significant (x2 =8.010,P ＜ 0.05).The incidence of complete tumor removal were 45.8％ (11/24) and 76.2％ (16/21) in fluid-level and non-fluid-level group,which showed significant differences between groups (x2 =4.30 ; P ＜ 0.05).Patients of House-Brackmann grade Ⅰ-Ⅲ in fluid-level group at discharge and one year after operation,were 62.5％ (15/24) and 50.0％ (8/16),and 81.0％ (17/21) and 83.3％ (15/18) in non-fluid-level group.The was significant difference at one year after operation (P ＜ 0.05) in terms of patients of House-Brackmann grade Ⅰ-Ⅲ.Conclusion The cystic vestibular schwannoma patients with fluid level have more frequency to adhere to surrounding neurovascular structures and less favorable surgical outcome.These findings may be useful in predicting surgical outcome and making surgical strategy preoperatively.

Adolescent ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Parotid Diseases ; pathology ; Parotid Gland ; pathology ; Recurrence

Objective To develop a water station that can be loaded to a ship and supply freshwater. Methods The water station comprises the reverse osmosis seawater desalination device, pressure water tank, high pressure water pump, etc, with 40-feet international standard containers as the carrier. Results The water station can produce 80 t freshwater daily, and the quality of produced water conforms to the standards of the state and army for drinking water quality. Conclusion The water station, which has highly-compaction, strong-mobility, excellent-adaptability and high-automaticity, fits for a ship.

Based on the competition reaction of target protein, aptamer probe, padlock probe and complementary sequence, a highly sensitive fluorescent aptasensor was developed in this study in combination with rolling circle amplification. In the absence of target protein, the ligation-rolling circle amplification reaction was repressed because the complementary sequence hybridized with aptamer probe to form double-stranded duplex. While in the presence of target protein, the target molecules bound specifically with aptamer probe, inducing displacement of the complementary sequence and hybridization with padlock probe. The padlock probe was circularized with the assistance of E. coli DNA ligase, and the rolling circle amplification process could be accomplished by Phi 29 DNA polymerase. The amplification product contained thousands of repeated sequences which could hybridize with the loop of molecular beacon ( the detection probes) , resulting in a significant fluorescence signal. The effects of length of complementary DNA ( CDNA ) sequence and concentration of padlock probe were investigated. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the model target protein thrombin could be highly sensitively detected by the proposed aptasensing system in a linear range of 0 . 067-32 . 4 nmol/L with a detection limit of 0 . 03 nmol/L ( approximately 90 amol target molecules). Moreover, the presented sensing method was universal for other target analysis by skillfully design of the sequence of aptamer probe and related oligonucleotides.

OBJECTIVETo screen the optimized methods for detection seed viability and germination rate determination of Atractylodes macrocephala, and determine the relationship between seed viability and germination rate.

METHODThere were four methods, which including 2,3,5-triphynel tetrazolilum chloride (TTC) staining, red ink staining, BTB staining and Nongjia method, to evaluate the 12 A. macrocephala local varieties'seed viability and measure their germination rate.

RESULTSeed viability of A. macrocephala using TTC staining ranked the first compared to that of other three methods. Seed viability was significantly related with germination rate using TTC method. Their correlation coefficient reached 0.915 and regression equation was also found out between seed viability (X) and germination rate (Y), which was Y = -0.083 4 + 0.995 4X.

CONCLUSIONTTC staining was the optimal method to determine A. macrocephala seed vitality. Furthermore, seed viability was significant related with germination rate of A. macrocephala.

Abstract: Objective　To explore the correlation between monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (MHR) and insulin resistance (IR) in male patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) combined with metabolic-related fatty liver disease (MAFLD). Methods A total of 454 male patients with T2DM combined with MAFLD in National Metabolic Management Center (MMC) of the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University from May 2018 to July 2020 were enrolled. The general clinical data of subjects were collected, blood routine and biochemical indexes were tested, homeostasis model insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) was calculated, visceral fat area (VFA) and subcutaneous fat area (SFA) were measured. Accordingtothe MHR quartile, patients were divided into group Q1 (MHR≤0.38), group Q2 (0.380.64) to compare the differences in measured indicators above. In addition, patients were divided into two groups according to HOMA-IR, HOMA-IR<2.5 and HOMA-IR≥2.5, and the differences in MHR were compared. Results The patients were divided into four groups according to MHR:group Q1 (n=115), group Q2 (n=110), group Q3 (n=120) and group Q4 (n=109). Fasting insulin (FINS) were respectively 6.17(4.20,9.76), 7.73(4.94,10.66), 8.92(5.32,11.33) and 9.13(5.25,12.27) mU/L, 2-hour postprandial insulin were 22.75(12.87,39.59), 27.55(16.44,39.77), 30.98(17.46,43.11) and 31.28(18.54,45.92) U/L. HOMA-IR were 3.12(1.63,4.25), 3.72(2.26,4.66), 3.87(2.48,5.44) and 3.95(2.42,5.31). Neutrophil (Neu) were 3.10(2.60,3.70), 3.20(2.50,3.93), 3.60(2.80,4.28), 4.20(3.30,5.00)×109/L. Subcutaneous fat area (SFA) were (181.27±53.60), (192.64±62.41), (199.53±61.40) and (203.69±71.51) cm2. They all increased gradually. However, the levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) [1.18(1.06,1.35), 1.02(0.86,1.17), 0.96(0.80,1.03) and 0.80(0.69,0.92) mmol/L] and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) [(3.00±0.79), (2.76±0.83), (2.67±0.85) and (2.59±0.92) mmol/L] decreased gradually. Pearson's or Spearman's correlation analysis showed that MHR was positively correlated with FINS, 2-hour postprandial insulin (2hINS), HOMA-IR, VFA and SFA (r=0.190, 0.153, 0.184, 0.114, 0.127, P<0.05). The coronary heart disease history, systolic blood pressure,diastolic blood pressure,fasting plasmaglucose (FPG), FINS, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), blood uric acid (Ur), body mass index (BMI), VFA, SFA and MHR of patients in group HOMA-IR≥2.5 were higher than group HOMA-IR<2.5 (P<0.05). Conclusion　MHR is positively correlated with IR in male patients with T2DM combined with MAFLD, and as MHR increases, the degree of IR is higher.

Objective To compare the efficacy of uniform multi-drug therapy (UMDT) versus routine multi-drug therapy (RMDT) for the treatment of multi-bacillary (MB) leprosy patients based on bacterial index changes and frequencies of leprosy reaction.Methods This study recruited newly diagnosed leprosy patients after taking informed consent in three districts of Guizhou province as well as in one district of Yunnan province from November 2003 to June 2005.The patients received 6-month UMDT or 2-year RMDT.Clinical follow up and bacterial reexamination were carried out once a year.Changes of bacterial index (BI) and frequencies of leprosy reaction were compared between the patients receiving RMDT and UMDT.Results A total of 166 patients received UMDT and 170 received RMDT in this study.Among the UMDT-treated patients,114 were skin smear positive,and 83 had been followed up for 42 months; of the RMDT-treated patients,149 underwent all the bacterial examinations during a 48-month follow up.The mean bacterial index decreased from 2.84 before treatment to 0.33 at the end of the 42-month follow up in the 83 patients,and from 2.55 to 0.26 at the end of the 48-month follow up in the 149 patients,with no significant difference in the changes of bacterial index between the two groups (t =0.77,P ＞ 0.05).Bacterial index became negative in 73.5％ (61/83) of the UMDT-treated patients and in 77.2％ (115/149) of the RMDT-treated patients (x2 =0.40,P＞ 0.05)at the end of follow up.During the follow up peroid,the incidence of type Ⅰ leprosy reaction was 14.6％ (13/89) in the UMDT group,significantly higher than that in the RMDT group (3.4％ (5/149),x2 =10.08,P＜ 0.01 ).Conclusions There is no significant difference in mean bacterial index changes and bacterial clearance rate during the follow up peroid between UMDT- and RMDT-treated patients.The incidence of type Ⅰ leprosy reaction is higher in the UMDT group than in the RMDT group,and further investigation is needed to clarify the mechanisms underlying the phenomenon.

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI)for the differential diagnosis of the adenoid cystic carcinoma and pleomorphic adenoma of the head and neck.Methods Thirty-one pa-tients with histopathologically proved adenoid cystic carcinoma and pleomorphic adenoma were examined with DCE-MRI,in which 10 cases were benign and 21 cases were malignant.The data of the conventional 3.0T DCE-MRI were improved by the 3D fast spoiled gradient-echo sequence (FSPGR)method.Z-test was performed on the quantitative parameters for benign and malignant le-sions,including volume transfer constant (Ktrans ),rate constant (Kep )and extravascular extracellular space fraction (Ve ).The re-ceiver operating characteristic (ROC)curves were plotted to investigate the diagnosis.Results The mean Ktranss of the adenoid cystic carcinoma group and pleomorphic adenoma group were (0.266 ± 0.103 )min-1 and (0.1 55 ± 0.080)min-1 respectively,and the difference between them were statistically significant (Z =-2.699,P < 0.05).The difference between the keps of the aforementioned two groups was of statistical significance (Z =-2.263,P < 0.05),while that of the ves is without statistical significance (Z =-1.132, P >0.05).The areas under the ROC curves of the Ktrans and kep were 0.813 and 0.763 respectively.Choosing the optimal diagnostic cut-off points corresponding to the maximum Youden indexes 0.173 min-1 and 0.818 min-1 ,the sensitivities of Ktrans and kep for identifying the adenoid cystic carcinoma and pleomorphic adenoma were 90.9% and 81.8%,and the specificities were 77.8% and 66.7%.Ktrans was of the highest sensitivity and specificity for the identification of the adenoid cystic carcinoma and pleomorphic adenoma.Conclu-sion The dynamic contrast-enhanced parameter Ktrans plays a certain role in the differential diagnosis of the adenoid cystic carcinoma and pleomorphic adenoma of the head and neck.

Objective To explore the diagnostic merits of the average apparent diffusion coefficient(ADCav) for leukoencephalopathy in neonates and children.Methods One hundred and fifty-six neonates and children with central nervous system signs or symptoms were classified into 6 groups according to their ages(1 d-0.05).Contrast to the normal,the ADCav of leukoencephalopathy in neonates and children decreased.With increasing age,there showed a linear downtrend in each group.Conclusions The ADCav rises in neonates and children with leukoencephalopathy.The ADCav variation precedes changes in routine MRI.