Agmatine ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Analgesia ; methods ; Animals ; Injections, Spinal ; Male ; Morphine ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spinal Cord ; drug effects

Objective To investigate the resistant mechanism of imipenem-resistant K. pneumoniae.Methods The minimal inhibitive concentrations (MICs) of the antimicrobial agents were determined by Etest.Isoelectric focusing electrophoresis (IEF),plasmid extraction,conjugation, transformation,PCR amplification,cloning and sequencing were carried out for analyzing the encoding gene of ?-1actamases.Results Three kinds of ?-1actamases were detected with pIs of 7.2,6.7,and 5.4.in a clinical strain of K.pneumoniae.These ?-1actamases were TEM-I (pI,5.4),SHV-12 (pI,8.2) and KPC-2 ( pI,6.7 ) confirmed by sequencing of the PCR products.Only one band of ?-1actamase with pI 6.7 was displayed in the transformant.A 1500 bp segment,which contained the KPC-2 gene confirmed by nucleotide sequence analysis,was cloned from a 60 000 bp plasmid of the transformant.Conclusion The strain of K.pneumoniae resistant to imipenem produces a plasmid-mediated carbapenemase KPC-2 which belongs to Bush group 2f,class A ?-1actamase.

DNA barcoding method was conducted for the authentication of pollen materials due to difficulty of discriminating pollen materials bearing morphological similarity. In this study, a specific focus was to identify cattail pollen (Puhuang) and pine pollen (Songhuafen) samples from their adulterants which are frequently mixed-together. Regions of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) from 60 samples were sequenced, and new primers for cattail pollen were designed according to the sequence information. The results from the NJ trees showed that the species of pine pollen, Puhuang and their adulterants can be classified as obvious monophyly. Therefore, we propose to adapt DNA barcoding methodology to accurately distinguish cattail pollen, pine pollen and their adulterant materials. It is a great help for drug regulatory agency to supervise the quality of medicinal materials.
China ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; methods ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; genetics ; Drug Contamination ; prevention & control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; classification ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Pinus ; classification ; genetics ; Pollen ; classification ; genetics ; Quality Control ; Typhaceae ; classification ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the distribution and characteristic of the karyotypes in Down syndrome (DS) patients in southern Hainan Province, China.

METHODSCytogenetic analysis was carried out in 132 cases clinically suspected of DS.

RESULTSEighty-six of the cases were diagnosed as DS with karyotype analysis. Among the DS patients in southern Hainan, 93.02% of the cases had typical trisomy 21, 3.49% had translocation, and 3.49% had mosaic karyotype. The percentage of DS babies born by younger mothers (<35 years) was greater than that of the babies born by elder mothers (91.86% vs 8.14%). In addition, a case of translocation between chromosomes 5 and 8 with regular trisomy 21 was identified, which represented the first case ever reported.

CONCLUSIONTypical trisomy 21 karyotype is more frequent in DS cases than translocation and mosaic karyotypes in southern Hainan Province, where the mother delivering a child with DS tends to be younger.

Abnormal Karyotype ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Cytogenetics ; Down Syndrome ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Karyotyping ; Male

Objective: To facilitate the functional analysis of chromosomal genes and their products, the recombineering technique to epitope tagging of chromosomal genes of Y. pestis was adapted. Methods: The epitope tag was generated by primer annealing and then fused with resistance gene by fusion PCR. The epitope-resistance cassette was inserted into pBluecript, resulted in the template plasmid, pBS-MH. The tagging cassette for rpoS was obtained by PCR amplification from pBS-MH with primers containing homology specific to the target gene. PCR products were transformed into recombination competent cells and recombinants were selected. PCR and DNA sequencing were used to confirm the correct tagging event. The expression of the tagged protein was detected with Western blot by using monoclonal antibody to the epitope. Results: The template plasmid containing fusion of epitope and resistance gene was successfully constructed. The sigma factor gene, rpoS, was tagged with a myc-his tag at the COOH terminus. Expression of the tagged rpoS was successfully detected indirectly by the antibody against His tag. Conclusion: The chromosomal gene tagging by recombineering technique represents a powerful tool in the functional study of bacterial genes and their products.

Adult ; Cytokines ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Subsets ; Lymphohistiocytosis, Hemophagocytic ; Lymphoma ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; Th1 Cells ; Th2 Cells

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of dopamine and norepinephrine on the renal function in the patients with septic shock.

METHODSEighty-seven patients with septic shock were divided into three groups (group A, B, C) according to the biggest infusing rate of norepinephrine, with the infusing rate of 0.5 - 0.9, 1.0 - 1.5, 1.6 - 2.0 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1), respectively. Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), urine output, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (CRE), urine albumin (U-ALB) and urine beta(2)-microglobulin (Ubeta(2)-MG) as well as APACHE III score in all the patients were detected.

RESULTSBefore anti-shock therapy was given, hypotension, tachycardia and oliguria occurred in all the 87 patients, and CRE, BUN, U-ALB, Ubeta(2)-MG and APACHE III score were abnormal in most cases. With the anti-shock therapy, MAP, HR, urine output and BUN, CRE in all patients returned to normal levels gradually, and U-ALB, Ubeta(2)-MG levels and APACHE III score also restored but still remained abnormal.

CONCLUSIONSThe first aim of treating septic shock should be restoring the organ blood supply, and based on volume resuscitation, dopamine, noradrenaline and other vasoactive drugs could be combined to maintain circulatory stability.

APACHE ; Adult ; Aged ; Blood Transfusion ; Cardiotonic Agents ; administration & dosage ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Dopamine ; administration & dosage ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Norepinephrine ; administration & dosage ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock, Septic ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Vasoconstrictor Agents ; administration & dosage

BACKGROUNDVasoactive drugs are often necessary for reversing hypotension in patients with severe infection. The standard for evaluating effects of vasoactive drugs should not only be based on the increase of arterial blood pressure, but also on the blood flow perfusion of internal organs. The effects of dopamine and metaraminol on the renal function of the patients with septic shock were investigated retrospectively in this study.

METHODSNinety-eight patients with septic shock were divided into three groups according to the highest infusing rate of metaraminol, with the lightest infusing rate of (0.1 - 0.5, 0.6 - 1.0, > 1.0) microgxkg(-1)xmin(-1) in group A, B and C respectively. Urine output, mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), urine output, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (CRE), urine albumin (U-ALB), urine beta(2)-microglubulin (Ubeta(2)-MG) and Apache III scores were recorded.

RESULTSBefore antishock therapy, hypotension, tachycardia and oliguria occurred to all the 98 patients with septic shock and CRE, BUN, U-ALB, Ubeta(2)-MG and Apache III scoring were abnormal in most cases. With the antishock therapy, MAP, HR, urine output, BUN and CRE in all patients returned gradually to normal (P < 0.05 or < 0.01 compared to those before antishock therapy). U-ALB, Ubeta(2)-MG output and Apache III scoring also reverted but remained abnormal (P < 0.01 compared to those before antishock therapy). No statistically significant differences in the changes of these indices with the time existed among the three groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONDopamine and metaraminol when applied to the patients with septic shock could effectively maintain the circulatory stability and promote restoration of renal function.

APACHE ; Adult ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Dopamine ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Heart Rate ; drug effects ; Humans ; Kidney ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Kidney Function Tests ; Male ; Metaraminol ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock, Septic ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Vasoconstrictor Agents ; therapeutic use ; beta 2-Microglobulin ; urine

OBJECTIVETo discuss the mechanisms of electroacupuncture at "Neiguan" (PC 6) on p38 MAPK signaling pathway in rats with cardiac hypertrophy.

METHODSForty SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: a normal group, a model group, a model plus p38 MAPK inhibitor group, a model plus electroacupuncture group, ten rats in each group. The model rats were established by subcutaneous injection 3 mg/(kg x d) of Isoprenaline Hydrochloride; model plus p38 MAPK inhibitor group were injected 0.3 mg/(kg x d) of specific inhibitor SB 203580; model plus electroacupuncture group was treated by electroacupuncture at "Neiguan"(PC 6) with continuous-wave, 2 Hz and 1 mA for 20 minutes, once a day for 14 days. There was no treatment in other two groups. The contents of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta in heart tissue were detected by radioimmunoassay and the p38 MAPK, p-p38 MAPK by western blot.

RESULTSCompared with normal group, the contents of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, p38 MAPK, p-p38 MAPK were significantly increased in model group (all P < 0.01). The contents of TNFalpha, IL-1beta, p38 MAPK, p-p38 MAPK were significantly decreased in model plus p38 MAPK inhibitor group and model plus electroacupuncture group, compared with model group, all P < 0.05; compared with normal group, P < 0.05, P < 0.01; but no significant difference between model plus p38 MAPK inhibitor group and model plus electroacupuncture group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture at "Neiguan" (PC 6) can prevent the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK of myocardial hypertrophy, and the mechanism maybe adjust p38 MAPK signaling pathway by inhibiting the expression of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta.

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Cardiomegaly ; metabolism ; therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Interleukin-1beta ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism

OBJECTIVEIt is controversial whether unilateral interruption of the arteria iliaca interna distal end affects penile hemodynamics and erectile function. The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate this influence by detecting the blood flow of the penile artery before and after renal transplantation.

METHODSThirty-three patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) received renal transplantation, the grafts revascularized by end-to-end anastomosis to the right internal iliac artery. Six months before and after the surgery, we obtained the IIEF scores of the patients, recorded their penile blood flow on color Doppler ultrasonography and the levels of serum creatinine, hemoglobin and serum cholesterol, and analyzed post-transplantation immunosuppressive medication.

RESULTSThe patients ranged in age from 21 to 55 years, of whom 36% had erectile dysfunction (ED) during MHD, and 33% after renal transplantation. A total of 67% of the renal transplant recipients (RTR) complained of unchanged and 15% deteriorated ED, while 18% admitted improved erectile function. The patients showed a significantly stronger sexual desire after the transplantation than before it (6.2 +/- 1.6 vs 8.9 +/- 0.9, P < 0.01). There was a significant decrease in peak systolic velocity (PSV) in the cavernous arteries after transplantation as compared with pre-transplantation (P < 0.01). Penile arterial blood flow insufficiency was found in none of the RTRs.

CONCLUSIONUnilateral interruption of the internal iliac artery decreases penile arterial blood flow, but not to such a degree as to result in ED. Unilateral interruption of the arteria iliaca interna distal end does not affect the erectile function of RTRs.

Adult ; Anastomosis, Surgical ; Humans ; Iliac Artery ; surgery ; Kidney Transplantation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Penile Erection ; Penis ; blood supply ; Priapism ; etiology ; Prospective Studies ; Renal Artery ; surgery ; Young Adult