Clinically being applied treatment against chronic hepatitis has three limitations: low response rates, severe adverse effects and a high rate of drug resistance. Hence, novel targets for antiviral therapy need to be developed so as to provide an armory of different strategies. During the replication of hepatitis B virus, the interaction of viral polymerase (P protein, also called P) and epsilonRNA is indispensable for the initiation of reverse transcription via protein priming and the pregenome RNA (pgRNA) packaging. Three strategies are currently developed for blocking P-epsilon interaction: heat shock protein inhibitors, epsilonaptamers and chemical compounds for blocking formation of P-epsilon complex. Previously, our group has for the first time worldwide in vitro screened several aptamers, which are able to interfere with the P-epsilon interaction. A strong inhibition against HBV was observed in vitro and in vivo experiments, respectively. In conclusion, the so far developed chemicals suppressing the P-epsilon interaction may bypass or overcome the viral resistance problems during clinic treatment and represent a highly attractive option for therapeutic intervention.
Animals ; Gene Expression Regulation, Viral ; Gene Products, pol ; antagonists & inhibitors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hepatitis B ; therapy ; virology ; Hepatitis B virus ; enzymology ; genetics ; physiology ; Humans ; RNA, Viral ; genetics ; metabolism ; Virus Replication

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; surgery ; Thyroidectomy ; methods ; Young Adult

It is very important to probe into the axonal regeneration and functional recovery of central nervous system (CNS) after implantation of cells into cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for spinal cord injury (SCI). Transplantation of cells via CSF poses great potentials for SCI in clinic. Studies on administration of cells via CSF indicate that the method is safe and convenient. The method is more suitable to treating multiple lesions of the CNS since it does not produce open lesions. However, there are disputes over its promotion effects on axonal regeneration and functional recovery of spinal cord after injury; and some questions, such as the mechanisms of functional recovery of spinal cord, the proper time window of cell transplantation, and cell types of transplantation, still need to be handled. This review summarized the method of cell transplantation via CSF for treatment of SCI.
Animals ; Cell Transplantation ; methods ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; cytology ; physiology ; Humans ; Nerve Regeneration ; physiology ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; pathology ; surgery

It has been extensively confirmed that fetal ventral mesencephalic cell (VMC) transplantation can ameliorate the symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). But there are still several problems to be resolved before the extensive clinical application of this technology. The major limitations are the poor survival of grafted dopamine (DA) neurons and restricted dopaminergic reinnervation of host striatum. Some attempts have been made to solve these problems including use of some trophic factor and co-transplantation with neural/paraneural origins. The purpose of this review is to overview advances of the means improving the survival of grafts and their current limitations.
Animals ; Brain Tissue Transplantation ; methods ; Fetal Stem Cells ; transplantation ; Fetal Tissue Transplantation ; methods ; Graft Survival ; Humans ; Mesencephalon ; embryology ; transplantation ; Parkinson Disease ; therapy

To study the MEN1 gene mutations in a multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 ( MEN 1 ) family,and determine the possible mechanism of disease induced by the mutations.Genomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood leukocytes and the MEN1-related tumor tissues of the patient and the family members,then the coding exons and exon/intron boundaries of the MEN1 gene were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced.Subclone sequencing was performed to identify the heterozygosity.Further immunohistochemistry was performed to observe menin protein expression in the tumor tissues.We identified a heterozygous deletion mutation of intron 9 ( IVS9+ 1_11 delGTGAGGGACAG) in the proband and two family menbers.We also demonstrated for the first time that the expression of menin protein is absent in the parathyroid adenoma tissue.The heterozygous mutation in the initial of intron 9,IVS9+ 1_11 delGTGAGGGACAG is a new type of MEN1 gene mutations in China.This mutation may produce an aberrant splicing of MEN1 mRNA,generating easily degradation and loss of expression of menin protein and resulting eventually in the disease.

Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Lead ; blood ; Lead Poisoning ; blood ; epidemiology ; Middle Aged

A rare strain of actinomycetes, with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, was isolated from the soil samples from the farmland in the area of Yaohu lake in Nanchang. The information about the taxonomic identification, such as the morphology, physiological properties, cell components and 16S rRNA gene se-quences, suggested that the rare strain of actinomycetes was identified as Micromonospora carbonacea.

Based on the strain of Micromonospora carbonacea JXNU-1 with board-spectrum antimicrobial activity, the technology for the isolation and purification of antibiotic from the fermentation broth of the Micromonospora carbonacea, and its physical-chemical properties were studied. The results showed that, the antibiotic was stable under the condition of high temperature and alkali, but not in acid solution. After the pretreatment of centrifugation and filtration to remove the cells and lipids, the antibiotic was absorbed to negative exchange resin, and the impurity was excluded when 2 mol/L NaCl was used as primary eluent. The antibiotic could be eluted with 20% alcohol as eluent, and the eluting speed of the antibiotic was greatly accelerated as 2 mol/L NaCl was added into 20% alcohol as final eluent. Aqueous solution of the antibiotic was yielded from the alcohol-salt eluant by decompression concentration to wipe off alcohol and by dialysis to exclude salt. One active component was detected in antibiotic solution by paper chromatography, and theHPLC purity was over 99%. As the antibiotic shows positive color-forming reaction to Molish reagents, Benedict’s reagents and Diohenvlamine reagents, combined with the characteristics of absorption spectra, it is deduced that the antibiotic belongs to nucleoside antibiotics.

Advances in mechanism and application of the heating effect in breeding of microorganism are reviewed in this paper. Heat produces mutagenesis effect and screening effect. Heating mutagenesis effect is occurred through the substitution of G-C base pair induced by heat, and heating screening effect produces higher forward mutation rate induced by other mutagens.