[Summary] This paper was to investigate whether serum angiopoietin-like protein 2 (Angptl 2) is associated with macrovascular complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus.The results showed that there were statistically significant differences in serum Angptl 2 levels among control group and groups of type 2 diabetic patients with or without carotid atherosclerosis [0.98 (0.82-1.22),3.70 (2.69-4.85),1.17 (0.76-2.47) ng/ml].Logistic regression showed that Angptl 2 was an independent risk factor of macrovascular complications in the patients with type 2 diabetes.

A reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and single-strand conformation polymorphisms (SSCP) assay were applied to rapidly detect the molecular variability in CP and SP genes among seven isolates of Rice stripe virus in China. The PCR results showed that the CP gene of JD isolate and SP gene of PJ isolate could not be amplified. SSCP analysis showed that there were completely different electrophoretic pattern of CP gene among six isolates. To SP gene, SSCP results also discovered polymorphisms. There were five patterns among these isolates, and the pattern of YL and BS isolates were same.

Objective The aim of this study is to detect the mRNA and protein expression levels of ERCC1 and XPF genes among different age groups of healthy Chinese Han individuals,and to analyze the correlation between the mRNA and protein expression levels andthe age of individuals in order to find new molecular markers for forensic age estimation.Methods Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 150 unrelated healthy Chinese Han individuals.The plasma was centrifuged from the whole blood by gradient centrifugation,and the totalRNA was extractedwithTrizol fromperipheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs).Real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to quantitatively analyze the mRNA relative expression levels of ERCC1and XPF in PBMCs.Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to quantitatively analyze the protein expression levels of ERCC1and XPF in plasma.Results There were no significant differences in the mRNA relative expression levels of ERCC1 and XPF in PBMCs between males and females(P＞0.05).Significant differences were found in the mRNA relative expression levels of ERCC1 and XPF between different age groups (P＜0.05).Regression analysis showed thatthe mRNA relative expression levels of ERCC1 and XPF were both negatively correlated with age.The correlation coefficients(r) were-0.578 and-0.844,respectively.When the age was used as independent variable(x) and the mRNA expression relative level as dependent variable (y),the fitting curveswere Y=3.3E-5X2-0.0261X+1.9175 (R2=0.3244,P＜0.01),Y=0.0003X2-0.0459X+2.0439 R2=0.729,P＜0.01),respectively.There were no significant differences inthe protein expression levels of ERCC1 and XPF in plasma between different age groups or genders (P＞0.05).Conclusion The mRNA relative expression levels of ERCC1 and XPF in PBMCsdeclined with the increase of age,however,the protein expression levels in plasma were unrelated to age.ERCC 1 and XPF genes can be used asnew molecular markers for forensic age estimation,so as to providetheoretical basis for establishing the mathematical model of ERCC1/XPF genesin concern ofindividual ages.

A strain of thermotolerant halophilic bacteria YJ0238 was isolated from the salt well at 47℃ in the Kangning countryside where was located at the side of Lancang River in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Some physiological and biochemical properties were characterized.16S rRNA gene sequence of YJ0238 was amplified by PCR,and its nucleotide sequence was determined. Based on it’s physiological and biochemical properties,homology and phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequence,strain YJ0238 was identified as a subspecies of the species Idiomarina zobellii. The GenBank accession number of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain YJ0238 is EF693953. Until now,there were few reports on the study of high-temperature and high-salt microbial in domestics. The results of this study will provide research material and information for further studies in this area.

OBJECTIVE: Mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid (mtDNA) 8344 A>G (m.8344A>G) mutation is the common mutation associated with mitochondrial myoclonus epilepsy with ragged-red fibers (MERRF) syndrome. Herein we report a rare case with mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes/MERRF/Leigh (MELAS/MERRF/Leigh) overlap syndrome caused by m.8344A>G mutation. METHODS: The clinical and imaging data of the patient were collected and an open muscle biopsy was carried out. We further employed molecular genetic analyses to detect mtDNA mutation in the proband and his mother. And then a clinical and neuroimaging follow-up was performed. RESULTS: This patient was a 25-year-old male, who developed exercise intolerance since the age of 6. At age 10, he suffered from acute episodes of hemianopia, and cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed occipital stroke-like lesions and cranial magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) revealed a lactate peak corresponding to the lesion. After that the patient presented slowly progressive psychomotor decline. He had myoclonic seizures and cerebellar ataxia since the age of 12. At age 21, he was admitted to our hospital because of confusion and cranial MRI revealed symmetrical lesions in bilateral posterior putamen, thalami and midbrain. Then repeated MRI showed progression of original lesions and new frontal multiple stroke-like lesions. Symptomatic and rehabilitation treatment relieved his condition. Follow-up cranial MRI at age 24 showed the lesions in basal ganglia and thalami diminished, and the midbrain lesions even completely vanished. Muscle pathology indicated the presence of numerous scattered ragged-red fibers (RRF), suggestive of a mitochondrial disorder. Polymerase chain reaction-restricted fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) detected the m.8344A>G mutation of the MT-TK gene encoding mitochondrial transfer RNA for lysine in the patient's blood. Next generation sequencing (NGS) of the whole mitochondrial genome identified that the proportion of m.8344A>G was 90%, and no other mtDNA mutation was detected. Sanger sequencing further identified this mutation both in the proband and his mother's blood, although the mutation load was much lower in his mother's blood with approximately 10% heteroplasmy. CONCLUSION The present study is the first to describe a patient with m.8344A>G mutation in association with the MELAS/MERRF/Leigh overlap syndrome, which expands the phenotypic spectrum of the m.8344A>G mutation.
Acidosis, Lactic ; Adult ; Child ; DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics* ; Humans ; Male ; Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathies ; Mutation ; Stroke ; Young Adult

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Ascites ; pathology ; Biopsy ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Child ; Cytodiagnosis ; methods ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell ; pathology ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; pathology ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse ; pathology ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pleural Effusion ; pathology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe clinical therapeutic effect of acupuncture kinetotherapy for acute simple laryngitis of wind-heat type and to probe the mechanism.

METHODSEighty cases were randomly divided into a test group and a control group, 40 cases in each group. The test group were treated with acupuncture kinetotherapy (Acupuncture was given at Kaiyin point No. 1 combined with deep respiratory movement of the glottis), once daily. The control group were treated with ultrasonic aerosol inhalation of 0.9% sodium chloride injection, gentamicin sulfate injection 80 000 U and Dexamethasone injection 5mg, twice a day. The treatment was given for 5 days for the 2 groups.

RESULTSThe cured and markedly effective rate was 90.0% in the test group and 82.5% in the control group with no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05); in the test group there was a very significant difference before and after treatment in the cumulative score of symptoms and the acoustic parameters (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture kinetotherapy has obvious therapeutic effect on acute simple laryngitis of wind heat type, with no toxic and adverse effects.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Laryngitis ; Wind

Objective To study the FMS-like tyrosine kinase-3 (FLT3) gene, NPM1 gene and c-kit gene mutations in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) by extracting DNA from the storage of bone marrow slides, and to investigate the relationship between the three gene mutations and clinical features in AML. Methods The bone marrow slides of 55 patients diagnosed with AML were enrolled in this study. The PCR, DNA sequencing and molecular cloning were used to detect and analyse the FLT3-ITD, NPM1 and c-kit gene mutations. Patients' remission, progression and survival time were also recorded. Results The DNA was successfully extracted from the bone marrow slides with -20 ℃ frozen storage without Wright stained, chemically fixed, and room temperature storage Wright stained discoloured by phenol ∶ chloroform ∶ isoamyl alcohol method, which can be used in PCR, direct sequencing and molecular cloning sequencing analysis. 10 of the 55 cases (18.2 %) were FLT3-ITD positive, including 9 cases with heterozygous mutations and 1 case with homozygous mutation. FLT3-ITD positive group had lower complete remission (CR) rate, shorter event-free survival (EFS) time and overall survival (OS) time than the negative group (P< 0.05). 9 of the 55 cases (16.4 %) had NPM1 heterozygous gene mutations, all belonging to type A. The EFS rate of the patients with NPM1 mutation was higher in 10 months and the OS rate was higher in 19 months (P< 0.05). 3 of 9 NPM1 mutations patients were FLT3-ITD positive. The CR rates of the four groups after initial remission induction therapy in order were NPM1+FLT3-ITD-, NPM1-FLT3-ITD-, NPM1-FLT3-ITD+, NPM1+FLT3-ITD+(P<0.05). Besides, NPM1-FLT3-ITD+was a risk factor affecting the OS (RR=1.250, P=0.005). 2 of the 55 cases (3.6 %) had c-kit gene mutations, namely mutant D816H and mutant D816V. The c-kit gene mutations were not found in patients with FLT3-ITD and NPM1 mutations. Conclusions The FLT3-ITD mutation is a poor prognosis molecular marker in AML, and NPM1 mutation is a good factor for the prognosis. NPM1-FLT3-ITD+is a risk factor affecting OS. The rate of c-kit gene mutation is low in AML, without the overlap of FLT3 and NPM1 mutations.

OBJECTIVEImpact of the presence of bacteria associated with a marine dinoflagellate, Alexandrium tamarense CI01, on the growth and toxin production of the algae in batch culture was investigated.

METHODSPronounced changes in the activities of the algal culture were observed when the culture was treated with different doses of a mixture of penicillin and streptomycin.

RESULTSIn the presence of antibiotics at the initial concentration of 100 u/mL in culture medium, both algal growth and toxin yield increased markedly. When the concentration of antibiotics was increased to 500 u/mL, the microalgal growth was inhibited, but resumed in a few days to eventually reach the same level of growth and toxin production as at the lower dose of the antibiotics. When the antibiotics were present at a concentration of 1 000 u/mL, the algal growth was inhibited permanently.

CONCLUSIONSThe results indicate that antibiotics can enhance algal growth and toxin production not only through their inhibition of the growth and hence competition for nutrients, but also through their effects on the physiology of the algae.

Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Bacteria ; Dinoflagellida ; microbiology ; pathogenicity ; Eutrophication ; Marine Toxins ; biosynthesis ; Penicillins ; pharmacology ; Saxitoxin ; Streptomycin ; pharmacology