Influenza is a major threat to millions of people worldwide. Vaccines and antiviral agents are two main options available to reduce the impact of the influenza virus, while anti-influenza agents are the most effective means to prevent the transmission of the highly contagious virus and to treat the epidemics of disease. At present, four anti-influenza agents have been approved by the FDA for the treatment of influenza, including two M2 protein ion channel inhibitors-amantadine and rimantadine and two neuraminidase inhibitors-zanamivir and oseltamivir. Arbidol hydrochloride, launched in Russia, is a potent inhibitor of influenza virus, too. Neuraminidase inhibitors could be classified generally by structure into six different kinds: sialic acid derivatives, benzoic acid derivatives, cyclohexene derivatives, cyclopentane derivatives, pyrrolidine derivatives and natural products. In this paper, recent progress in the research of the action mechanisms and structure-activity relationships of these anti-influenza virus agents were reviewed.

CAS (Chrome azurol S) assay was a universal method for detecting the bacterial siderophores, and Sugar-Asn liquid medium has been applied to the studies on siderophores from Pieudomonas. In this paper, Asp has been substituted for Asn, and MSA-CAS agar plate was developed by integrating the MSA (sugar-Asp) medium and CAS bright blue dye, which has been used in the universal CAS assay. On the aspect of siderophores detection , 8 strains of 7 species from Pseudomonas had been screened on MSA-CAS agar plates and universal CAS assay respectively. The results showed that MSA-CAS agar was higher-sensitive and lower basic fluorescent than universal CAS assay.

A novel stable blue agar plate which is convenient to preparing and more effective than the universal chrome azurol sulfonate (CAS) assay established by Schwyn and Neilands was designed by replacing MM9 growth medium and pipes with certain concentrate of phosphorus buffer solution which pH could be stabled at 6.8. It is more suitable for screening over- siderophores production bacteria. Since OD_ 630 of the sample is usually out of the range of spectrophotometer with CAS assay solution when quantifying the siderophores and the outcome is not steady,the measuring wavelength had been changed to 680 nm corresponding to the middle of max absorbance and the correlation between siderophores concentrations and OD was unchanged. But the detecting sensitivity is elevated by enlarged the absorbance differences among samples with different productivity of siderophores at 680 nm .

The changes in the tau protein phosphorylation and expression of bcl-2, and bax in rat parietal cortex neurons after focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) were explored, and the relationship between the tau protein phosphorylation and the expression of bax or apoptosis was clarified in order to elucidate the relationship between cerebral infarction and Alzheimer's disease. The rat focal cerebral I/R model was induced by occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery using the intraluminal suture method. The level of tau protein phosphorylation at Ser396, Ser404, Tyr231, Ser199/202 sites and the expression of bcl-2, bax and total tau 5 in rat parietal cortex during focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion were detected by Western blot. The relationship between the tau protein phosphorylation and the expression of bax, or apoptosis was examined by TUNEL method and double-labeling immunofluorenscence method. The results showed that the level of tau hyperphosphorylation at Ser199 / 202, Ser396, Ser404, Tyr231 sites and the expression levels of bcl-2, and bax were significantly higher in I/R group than in the sham group, but the ratio of bcl-2/bax was decreased. Neuronal apoptosis, bax expression and the tau protein hyperphosphorylation were co-localized. It is suggested that Alzheimer's disease-like pathological changes occur after cerebral I/R. The highly abnormal phosphorylation of tau protein plays a key role in cerebral I/R-induced apoptosis. The cerebral infarction may contribute to Alzheimer's disease occurrence and development.

Objective To investigate the role of pancreatic β cell on pancreatic regeneration following experimental acute pancreatitis.Methods Eighty-seven SD male rats were randomly divided into four groups:control group ( n =15 ),STZ group ( n =24),L-Arg group ( n =24 ),STZ + Arg group ( n =24).60 mg/kg of STZ was administrated by intraperitoneal injection to induce the diabetes model.2.5 g/kg body weight of LArg was administrated by intraperitoneal injection to induce the acute pancreatitis model.The rats were sacrificed 1,3,5,7 d later and the serum levels of amylase and glucose were measured.Relative pancreatic weight (pancreatic weight/body weight) were measured.Pancreatic tissue underwent routine pathologic examination,and the percentage of area of necrosis and tissue transformation was calculated.The expression of Reg4 and insulin was performed by immunofluorescence.Results Serum level of glucose significantly increased after STZ injection.After L-Arg injection,serum level of amylase significantly increased,and there was pancreatic tissue edema,necrosis,infiltration of inflammatory cells,which suggested the successful model induction.The percentage of area of necrosis in STZ + L-Arg group was (71.6 ± 6.0) ％ at the 3rd day,which were significantly higher than (42.3 ± 4.0 ) ％ in L-Arg group; the percentage of area of transformation was (45.6 ± 5.4) ％,which were significantly lower than (78.5 ± 6.4) ％ in L-Arg group.Expression of Reg4 in pancreatic islets of STZ + L-Arg group was significantly lower than those in L-Arg group.Conclusions STZ impairs pancreatic β cells,aggravates pancreatic damage following L-arginine induced pancreatitis and inhibits pancreatic regeneration.

Introduced in 2009, whole-exome sequencing (WES) is a technology in which target capture methods are used to enrich sequences of coding regions of genes from fragmented total genomic DNA, which is followed by high-throughput sequencing of the captured fragments. As reported, WES has been successfully applied for discovering genes underlying several Mendelian diseases, especially autosomal recessive types. In this review, authors have summarized the main computational strategies which have been applied to identify novel autosomal recessive diseases genes using whole-exome data.
Cloning, Molecular ; Exome ; Genes, Recessive ; Genetic Diseases, Inborn ; genetics ; Humans ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

Objective To investigate the characteristics of the objective sleep disturbances in Parkinson' s disease (PD) and the factors related to it.Methods One hundred and one PD patients and 90 age- and sex- matched controls underwent a video-polysomnography.The sleep parameters and its related factors in two groups were analyzed.Results Sleep latency was not statistically different in comparing two groups.PD patients had a higher percentage of non-rapid eye movement( non-REM ) sleep stage 1 and a lower percentage of non-REM sleep stage 2 compared with controls ( 27.9 ± 1 7.8 vs 21.2 ± 11.7,t =3.034,P =0.003 ;47.8 ± 17.4 vs 54.7 + 12.9,t =- 3.043,P =0.003 ).Reduced sleep efficiency,decreased the proportion of slow wave sleep and REM sleep,increased awake time and longer REM sleep latency occurred in PD patients.There were no significant differences of these above parameters.Some sleep parameters in PD patients were correlated with advancing age,the severity of PD,and the degree of depression.The index of periodic leg movements in sleep (PLMSI) of 41 PD patients (40.6％ ) was more than 15.These PD patients didn' t complain corresponding symptoms about their legs.The PLMSI in PD patients were significantly higher than the controls.PLMSI increased with aging in the PD group( r =0.261,P ＜0.01 ).PD patients didn' t suffer significantly lower apnea- hypopnea index and oxygen desaturation index.The lowest SPO2 ( L-SPO2 ) increased in the PD group.REM sleep without atonia occurred in 83 patients (82.2％) with PD.Thirty-eight patients (37.6％) were diagnosed with REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD).The incidences of REM without atonia and RBD in the PD group were significantly higher than in the control s(0 and 8 patients (8.9％),x2 =42.271,102.480; both P ＜ 0.01 ).Conclusions The sleep parameters in PD patients are changed.For PD patients,there is no difficulty in falling asleep.The PD patients also have sleep structure disorder and difficulty in maintaining sleep.The sleep parameters are correlated with advancing age,the severity of PD,and the degree of depression in PD.PLMS don' t lead to sleep disturbances in PD patients.The blood oxygen saturation don' t decrease severely when PD patients suffer apnea or hypopnea.RBD occur more frequently in PD patients.

OBJECTIVETo construct the eukaryotic expression plasmid containing mouse vasoactive intestinal peptide(VIP) gene with biological activities.

METHODSVIP cDNA including the sequences of signal peptide was cloned from mouse thymus by RT-PCR, and then inserted into the mammalian expression vector pcDNA3.1 between Hind III and EcoR I restriction sites. COS-7 cells were transfected with pcDNA3. 1-VIP using liposome, the expression of VIP was identified by Western blot and ELISA. Supernatant of transfected cell culture was added to LPS-stimulated macrophages and the TNF-alpha production in cell medium was observed by ELISA.

RESULTSThe cloned VIP cDNA was confirmed by enzyme digestion and DNA sequencing. The expression of VIP was detected in the pcDNA3. 1-VIP transfected COS-7 cells by Western blot and ELISA. The VIP in culture supernatant potently inhibited TNF-alpha production by LPS-induced Macrophages in vitro.

CONCLUSIONThe eukaryotic expression plasmid that expresses biological active murine VIP has been constructed successfully.

Animals ; Base Sequence ; COS Cells ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; Eukaryotic Cells ; metabolism ; Mice ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Plasmids ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Recombination, Genetic ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of progesterone on the growth and migration of breast cancer cells.

METHODSMCF-7 and T-47D cells were cultured in DMEM and stimulated with 100 nmol/L progesterone for 48 h, and the cell proliferation was evaluated by MTT assay, cell migration by wound-healing assay and E-catherin expression by Western blotting.

RESULTSProgesterone stimulated the cell proliferation and migration and down-regulated the expression of E-catherin in both MCF-7 and T-47D cells.

CONCLUSIONSProgesterone stimulates the cell proliferation and migration of cultured breast cancer cells, suggesting the clinical significance of anti-progesterone therapy in breast cancer.

Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; Cadherins ; metabolism ; Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Female ; Humans ; Progesterone ; pharmacology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical effect of the Chinese medicine Yangjing Decoction on idiopathic asthenospermia.

METHODSThis study included 62 patients with idiopathic asthenospermia diagnosed with the computer-assisted semen analysis system and other methods based on the WHO guidelines. The patients were equally randomized to a trial and a control group, the former treated with Yangjing Decoction at the dose of 400 ml bid, and the latter with Yougui Capsules tid, both for a course of 6 months. Then we analyzed the changes in sperm concentration and percentage of grade a + b sperm in the patients, as well as the pregnancy in their wives.

RESULTSCompared with the controls, the patients of the trial group showed a significantly elevated percentage of grade a + b sperm after 6 months medication (P < 0.01), though no statistically significant differences were observed in sperm concentration (P > 0.05). The total rate of effectiveness was 87.09% and 7 pregnancies were achieved in the trial group, as compared with 66.74% and 3 pregnancies in the controls (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONYangjing Decoction can significantly improve sperm vitality, and has a desirable effect on idiopathic asthenospermia.

Adult ; Asthenozoospermia ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oligospermia ; drug therapy ; Phytotherapy ; Pregnancy ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult