A procedure for the preparation of PCR template from Saccharomyces cerevisiae using boiling method is described,and arg-13 gene from low copy ARSCEN plasmid and ymc1 gene from genomic DNA are amplified with high efficiency respectively.

OBJECTIVEChina began providing antiretroviral therapy to people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in 2003. This study was to investigate the living conditions, including quality of life and happiness, and need for palliative care of end-of-life PLWHA in rural Henan.

METHODSOne hundred end-of-life AIDS patients were selected from Weishi, Zhenping and Tanghe counties in Henan, using convenience sampling. The World Health Organization Quality of Life for HIV (WHOQOL-HIV) BREF Chinese Version was used to measure the quality of life and the Memorial University of Newfoundland Scale of Happiness (MUNSH) was employed to measure subjective welfare. Qualitative interviews and focus group discussions were undertaken to learn about the palliative care provided and the specific needs of the end-of-life patients.

RESULTSPatients' overall quality of life was moderate (12.62±1.97). Highest scores were in the spirituality/religion/personal beliefs, higher than the average scores in the Chinese population (P<0.01), while psychological (13.58±2.06) and environment (12.50±3.28) domain scores were similar to the latter (P>0.05). Both independence (12.15±2.15) and physiological (14.04±3.16) domain scores were lower than the average of the people living with HIV/AIDS in other studies (P<0.01); however, all were in the moderate range. The average MUNSH score was 21.00±6.20, which was also moderate. The in-depth interviews indicated that the Henan Provincial Government's policy of treatment and care had a beneficial impact on end-of-life AIDS patients, although the care components could be improved.

CONCLUSIONSLiving conditions of the end-of-life AIDS patients were moderate, and the HIV/AIDS palliative care model used was beneficial to them. Care could be improved by assisting the family unit as a whole.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; psychology ; therapy ; Adult ; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active ; Blood Donors ; psychology ; China ; Critical Illness ; Female ; HIV Infections ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; psychology ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Palliative Care ; standards ; Plasma Exchange ; statistics & numerical data ; Quality of Health Care ; Quality of Life ; Rural Population ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo observe protective effects of Shenmai (SM) injection on the delayed injury of the cerebral neurons in rat with intracerebral hemorrhage.

METHODRosenberg models of intracerebral hemorrhage was established and the effects of SM injection on the pathologic changes in neuronal structure, mitochondria-DNA(mtDNA)deletion, C-myc gene and expression PDGF-A gene in hippocampal CA1 areas, were investigated.

RESULTSM injection inhibited the apoptosis of pyramidal cells in the hippocampal CA1 areas, and decreased the degree of mtDNA deletion in the neurons in the injured area. SM injection had no effect on gene expression of C-myc at initial stage a intracerebral hemorrhage, but significantiy decreased the level of PDGF-A mRNA and prolonged the time of its expression.

CONCLUSIONSM injection might attenuate the delayed injury induced by intracerebral hemorrhage via regulating the expression of PDGF.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; metabolism ; pathology ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; genetics ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Gene Deletion ; Hippocampus ; pathology ; Male ; Neurons ; drug effects ; Neuroprotective Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Ophiopogon ; chemistry ; Panax ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Pyramidal Cells ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To investigate the influence of mild hypothermia on the apoptotic protease activating factor-1 (Apaf-1) protein expression in the hippocampal CA1 area and learning and memory functions of rats after diffuse brain injury (DBI). Methods Forty-eight male Wistar rats were equally randomized into normal group, sham-operated group, brain injury group and mild hypothermia treatment group (n=12). Rats in the normal group did not receive any treatment; rats in the sham-operated group only received anesthesia, and incision and suture of scalp; rats in the brain injury group and mild hypothermia treatment group were induced the DBI models according to Marmarou method; and rats in the mild hypothermia treatment group were performed hypothermia with ice blanket and ice bag to control the rectal temperature within 30.0-31.0 ℃ for 2 h. After DBI for 2 weeks, the times of searching refuge platform and the protein expression of Apaf-1 were compared among the 4 groups. Results The times of searching refuge platform in the normal group, sham operated group, brain injury group and mild hypothermia treatment group were (10.1 ±1.9), (10.3±1.8), (3.8±2.3) and (6.9±1.1), respectively,with significant differences between each 2 groups (P<0.05). The protein expression of Apaf-1 in the brain injury group and mild hypothermia treatment group was obviously higher than that in the other groups (P<0.05), and significantly lower protein expression of Apaf-1 in the mild hypothermia rats was noted as compared with that in the brain injury rats (P<0.05). Conclusion Mild hypothermia might play a protective role by inhibiting neuronal apoptosis for rats with DBI through the Apaf-1 pathway,which can improve learning and memory abilities.

Adult ; Humans ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; metabolism ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1 ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVENovel stents loaded with antibody against CD105 were analyzed for their potential to limit coronary neointima formation and to accelerate endothelialization by attracting activated endothelial cell.

METHODSThirty Stents coated with antibody against CD105, thirty unloaded polymer, and thirty bare metal stents were deployed in 90 coronary arteries of 30 minipigs. Oral aspirin (300 mg before operation and 100 mg post operation) and clopidogrel (300 mg before operation and 75 mg post operation) were orally administrated. Coronary artery quantitative analysis was completed by coronary arteriography, the vascular endothelium changes were observed under scanning electron microscope and the vascular morphological changes were observed under light microscope 7 and 14 days after operation.

RESULTSComplete procedural and angiographic success was achieved in all 30 minipigs. There were no major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events. At 7 days, there was no difference for mean neointimal area and percent area stenosis among various groups. At 14 days, endothelialization scores were significantly higher in the CD105 antibody-loaded stents and bare metal stents group than in sirolimus-eluting stents group (1.78 ± 0.49, 1.50 ± 0.67 vs. 1.08 ± 0.29, all P < 0.05), mean percent area stenosis in the CD105 antibody-loaded stents, sirolimus-eluting stents group were less than that in bare metal stents group [(23.8 ± 4)%, (24.2 ± 2)% vs. (38.0 ± 3)%, all P < 0.05], mean angiographic late luminal loss in the CD105 antibody-loaded stents, sirolimus-eluting stents group were less than that in bare metal stents group [(0.29 ± 0.28) mm, (0.28 ± 0.02) mm vs. (0.41 ± 0.01) mm, all P < 0.05]. There was no difference for mean percent area stenosis in the CD105 antibody-loaded stents and sirolimus-eluting stents group. The mean neointimal area in the CD105 antibody-loaded stents, and sirolimus-eluting stents group were less than that in bare metal stents group [(0.88 ± 0.08) mm(2), (0.89 ± 0.12mm)(2) vs. (1.00 ± 0.14) mm(2), all P < 0.05] and there was no difference for the mean neointimal area in the CD105 antibody-loaded stents and sirolimus-eluting stents group. At 7 and 14 days, there was no difference for the injury score and the inflammation score among various groups, scanning electron microscopy evidenced enhanced endothelial coverage on CD105 antibody-loaded stents compared to sirolimus-eluting stents group.

CONCLUSIONStent coated with antibody against CD105 could effectively reduce in-stent restenosis and accelerate endothelialization in the minipigs.

Animals ; Antibodies ; pharmacology ; Antigens, CD ; immunology ; Aspirin ; pharmacology ; Coronary Restenosis ; prevention & control ; Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; Neointima ; prevention & control ; Stents ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature ; Thrombosis ; prevention & control ; Ticlopidine ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of polydatin on the expression level of miR-214 and liver function in atherosclerotic mice.

METHODSForty male ApoE(-/-) mice were randomly allocated into 4 groups (n=10), namely the model group, low- and high-dose polydatin groups, and simvastin group, with 10 male C57BL/6J mice serving as the normal control group. Mouse models of atherosclerosis were established by feeding the ApoE(-/-) mice with a high-fat diet. After 12 weeks of treatment, blood levels of glucose, lipids, AST, and ALT and the contents of T-SOD and MDA in the liver tissue were detected. The pathologies of the liver were examined with HE staining, and miR-214 expression in the liver was detected using quantitative real-time PCR.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control mice, the mice in the model group showed significantly increased blood glucose, serum TC, TG, LDL-C, ALT, and AST levels, and MDA contents in the liver (P<0.01), with significantly decreased serum HDL-C level and SOD and miR-214 levels in liver (P<0.01). Polydatin treatment significantly ameliorated such changes in blood glucose, serum ALT, AST, TC, TG, LDL-C, and HDL-C levels, and MDA, SOD, and miR-214 contents in liver tissue (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONs Polydatin can reduce blood glucose and lipid levels and protect the liver function in atherosclerotic mice possibly by up-regulating the expression of miR-214 and T-SOD and down-regulating MDA in the liver.

Animals ; Apolipoproteins E ; genetics ; Atherosclerosis ; drug therapy ; Blood Glucose ; analysis ; Diet, High-Fat ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Glucosides ; pharmacology ; Lipids ; blood ; Liver ; drug effects ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Knockout ; MicroRNAs ; metabolism ; Stilbenes ; pharmacology ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

BACKGROUND:Previous studies have shown that traumatic brain injury can promote the regeneration of peripheral nerve by reducing scar collagen in nerve endings.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of brain injury at different locations on the ipsilateral rat sciatic nerve regeneration.METHODS:Ninety-nine healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were equivalently randomized into three groups:group A,right sciatic nerve transection;group B,right sciatic nerve transection combined with right brain injury;and group C,right sciatic nerve transection combined with left brain injury.All of transected nerves were sutured under microscope.Classical Feeney method was used to establish a model of traumatic brain injury.At 4,6,8,10 and 12 weeks after modeling,the sciatic functional index (SFI) was calculated by measuring footprint.At 4,8 and 12 weeks after modeling,the bilateral gastrocnemius were harvested for determining wet weight and calculate wet weight ratio,followed by acetylcholinesterase staining at the motor end plate to detect the absorbance values.At 4,8 and 12 weeks after modeling,fluoro-gold retrograde tracing was used to trace L4-5 vertebrae for 1 week,and the number of spinal cord anterior horn motor neurons positive for fluoro-gold was detected and calculated by fluorescence microscope.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The SFI value in each group was gradually improved with time.The SFI value was significantly higher in the groups B and C than the group A at 4 and 6 weeks after modeling (P ＜ 0.05),and was further improved in the group B at 8 weeks compared with the groups A and C (P ＜ 0.05).The wet weight ratio of gastrocnemius showed no significant difference among groups at 4 weeks after modeling (P ＞ 0.05),and the group B showed a significantly higher wet weight ratio than the other groups from the 8th week (P ＜ 0.05).Compared with the groups A and C,the absorbance values of motor endplate in group B appeared to be a significant increase at the beginning of the 8th week (P ＜ 0.05).At 4 and 6 weeks after modeling,the number of spinal cord anterior horn motor neurons positive for fluoro-gold was significantly nigher in the groups B and C than in the group A,and the number was significantly higher in the group B than the groups A and C at 12 weeks (all P ＜ 0.05).These finding manifest that brain injury can promote the repair of ipsilateral sciatic nerve injury,thus proving theoretical reference for unveiling the mechanism by which traumatic brain injury promotes peripheral nerve regeneration.

Objective To select the items from the Chinese menopause rating scale(CMRS)through pre-tcsting those people with menopausal syndromes.Methods 293 people were surveyed in Guangzhou in 2005.among which 196 people with menopausal syndromes and others without.Psychometrics methods were employed to develop the scale.The item pools were all round.Methods used would include:focus group discussion and interviews,subjective evaluation method and Delphi method,to preliminarily screen the items.Data on scales measured from 196 cases with and 97 subjects without menopausal syndromes during the menopausal period,were collected.Again,seven statistical methods were employed to select the items.Results The 40-items scale for menopausal syndrome was formed to include:a)three domains:somatic(18-items),psychological(14-items)and social(5-items);b)one general appraisaIitem:c)two lie-test iterns.Conclusion The Chinese menopausal syndrome scale we used seemed to possess good content validity.feasibility and intra-class reliability.

OBJECTIVEBased on the 2002 WHO health survey data, to explore the latent relationship among self-reported health level, the actual level of health, the social demographic characteristics and the risk factors, and to analyze the influence of the various surveillance indicators on self-reported health and the degree that the self-reported health explained the actual level of health.

METHODSField tests for various components of the World health survey were conducted in nine countries during 2002, including India, Brazil, Burkina, Hungary, Nepal, Russia, Spain, Tunisia, and Vietnam (29 971). The survey questionnaire included a self-assessment component and anchoring vignette component. The self-assessment component data was adjusted and eliminated the affect of "cut-point bias" by using the anchoring vignette component data, and then was used to build the structural equation model on the relationship among self-reported health level, actual health level, social demographic characteristics and the risk factors.

RESULTSIn the final structural equation model, "the actual level of health" = 0.80 × "the self-reported health level" + (-0.04) × "the social demographic characteristics" + (-0.08) × "the risk factors" (R(2) = 0.66), and "the self-reported health level" = (-0.70) × "the social demographic characteristics" + 0.10 × "the risk factors" (R(2) = 0.55). The standardized total effect of self-reported health to the actual level of health was 0.80, and that of the social demographic characteristics to the self-reported health and the actual level of health were -0.70 and -0.60, respectively. And the 16 items of self-reported health consisted of 8 dimensions; and sorted by the power of impact to the actual health level, they were mobility, pain and discomfort, sleep, cognition, feelings, self-care ability, visual capacity and interpersonal activities.

CONCLUSIONThere were significant linear correlation relationship between the actual level of health and the self-reported health, as well as between the self-reported health and the social demographic characteristics. And the self-reported 16 items used by the 2002 WHO health survey played an important role in the health evaluation of population.

Demography ; Health Status ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Models, Statistical ; Risk Factors ; Self Report ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; World Health Organization