Human African trypanosomiasis is caused by the infection of Trypanosoma brucei gambiense or T.b. rhodesiense, while another morphologically identical subspecies, T.b.brucei, and other closely related species, T.equiper-dum and T.evansi, are considered not infectious to human. This is highly related to the trypanosome lytic factor (TLF) found in normal human serum (NHS) and the serum resistance-associated (SRA) protein of trypanosomes infectious to human. We reviewed the research progress in TLF and its role in trypanosome lysis as well as the mechanism of SRA against the TLF.

Objective To research the significance of the levels of neuron-specific enolase(NSE), S100B and myelin basic protein(MBP) in predicting the severity and prognosis in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Methods The serum levels ofNSE, SI00B and MBPwere measured within 72 hours after the injury in 36 patients with SAH(SAH group), then the severity of illness and prognosis was evaluated by world federation of neurosurgical societies(WFNS) grade and Glasgow outcome scale(GOS) respectively. Twenty healthy persons were selected as controls(control group). Results After the injury, the serum levels of NSE,SI00B and MBP in SAH group increased significantly compared with those in control group. Moreover, there were significant difference in the serum levels of NSE, S100B and MBP among different groups in different severity of illness and prognosis. Assessed the severity and prognosis by serum levels of NSE 25 μg/L, S100B 1.2 μg/L and MBP 10.0 μg/L after 72 hours of SAH, the specificity of assessing the severity by NSE, SI00B and MBP was 71.43%,61.90%, 66.67%, and the sensitivity was 73.33%,86.62% and 73.33%. At assessment of prognosis,the specificity of NSE, S100B, MBP was 69.57%, 60.87%,65.22%, and the sensitivity was 61.54%,76.92% and 69.23%. Conclusion There are higher specificity and sensitivity in evaluating the severity of illnoss and prognosis in patients with SAH by serum levels of NSE, S100B and MBP.

Objective To clone the genes coding for cysteine proteases (CPs, TvCPs) from Trichomonas vaginalis and to analyze their genetic variations with the related sequences from NCBI database (GenBank) and T. vaginalis Genome Project database from The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR). Method TvCP genes were amplified using PCR, and inserted into vector pET28b or pBS-T. The recombinant plasmids were then transformed to Escherichia coli BL21 or Top10 strain. The recombinant plasmids were used for sequencing. Homologous TvCP genes were blasted based on NCBI GenBank and TIGR T. vaginalis Genome Project database. The sequences of cloned TvCP genes were aligned and clustered by Clustal X (1.83 version) with retrieved sequences. Comparisons of amino acids among cathepsin L-like TvCPs, human L-like cathepsins and papaya papain were performed using DNAstar software, and their phylogenic tree was constructed based on neighbor-joining method using Clustal X. Results Two TvCP3 clones and one TvCP2 had a high identity of more than 99% with their responding TvCPs. Three clones of TvCP4 genes, GZ-CP4-clone 1-3, belonged to two members of a family showing a high percentage identity of more than 97.5% with the sequences of TvCP4 genes from databases (GenBank and TIGR) both at amino acid and nucleotide levels. Nine homologous TvCP4 pro-enzymes with 304 amino acids and other two members with deletions of N-terminal sequence existed in T. vaginalis sharing a similarity of 62.3-96.7% amino acids, which may evolve by means of gene replication and deletion. TvCP1-4, TvCP12, TvCP25 and CP65 had an identity of 61-88.2% at amino acid levels. So far, all reported sequences of C1 family from T. vaginalis belonged to capanthesin L-like subfamily with the same enzymatic active sites, conserved cysteine residues and similar structural features such as ERFNIN-like motif in pro-enzyme region, suggesting that they might result from gene duplication and mutations. Conclusion TvCPs belong to cathepsin L-like family with genetic diversity, but they have the same active amino acid residues, cysteine residues and similar structural characteristics, suggesting that they may derive from one ancestor.

In the experiment of atherosclerosis, the change of the cerebrovascular dynamic indexes (CVDI) was observed. In the atherosclerosis group, the values of carotid artery's mean flow (Qmcan), mean velocity (Vmcan), maximal velocity (Vmax), minimal velocity (Vmin) and cerebrovascular compliance for zero pressure (CO) were significantly decreased (P

Objective To analyze the relationship between genetic variability and evolution among Trypanosoma brucei (including T. b. brucei, T. b. rhodesiense and T. b. gambiense), T. evansi and T. equiperdum isolates. Methods Genomic DNAs of 26 trypanosome isolates were amplified by a mobile genetic elements (MGE)-PCR technique and cluster analysis was performed based on the molecular profiles with Neighbor-Joining method. Results The genetic variability among trypanosome isolates examined was obvious with an average genetic distance of 41.2% (ranged from 0 to 100%). Similarity coefficient among T. brucei isolates was 41.15% which was lower than that between T. evansi and T. equiperdum isolates. The closest relationship was found between T. evansi and T. brucei isolates with a similarity coefficient of 62.94%. The genetic variability between T. b. rhodesiense and T. b. brucei isolates was higher than that among T. b. gambiense isolates. Conclusion Species and subspecies in Trypanozoon displayed a higher genetic variability; T. equiperdum isolates collected from China and from South America, and T. evansi isolates from China and from South America, should have a similar origin.

In order to investigate the effects of phenylalanine, tyrosine and tyramine on the growth of Lycoris radiata suspension cells and the accumulation of alkaloids, the growth quantity of the cells as well as the content of alkaloids in cells were determined, which were treated with above three kinds of precursors alone and phenylalanine combined with tyrosine respectively. The results indicate that the addition of phenylalanine alone and addition of phenylalanine on the basis of tyrosine at high concentration (200 micromol/L) had no significant effect on the growth of Lycoris radiata suspension cells and the content of alkaloids in cells; whereas tyrosine and tyramine promoted the growth of the cells and alkaloids accumulation. Treated with tyrosine at high concentration (200 micromol/L), the content of alkaloids of the cells was 2.56-fold higher than that of the control group, the amounts of lycoramine (3.77 mg/g) and galanthamine (4.46 mg/g) were 6.61-fold and 6.97-fold higher than that of the control group, respectively. When treated with tyramine (200 micromol/L), the amount of alkaloids in Lycoris radiata suspension cells was 2.63-fold higher than that of the control group, and the amounts of lycoramine (4.45 mg/g) and galanthamine (5.14 mg/g) were 9.08-fold and 9.18-fold higher than that of the control group, respectively. The above results demonstrate that adding tyrosine and tyramine in the media significantly promoted the growth of the Lycoris radiata suspension cells and alkaloids accumulation in the cells.
Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids ; chemistry ; Cells, Cultured ; Culture Media ; chemistry ; Galantamine ; chemistry ; Lycoris ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Phenylalanine ; chemistry ; Plant Cells ; chemistry ; Plant Extracts

BACKGROUND: A new type of materials, Collamer, is polymerized with type V collagen and HEMA by Staar company, which is a good material for the establishment of intraocular contact lens(ICL). There is no similar material in our country.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the biocompatibility of ICL made mainly by collagen-polymer in animals.DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial.SETTING: Testing Center of Shanghai Institute of Biomaterial.MATERIALS: Our study was conducted in the Testing Center of Shanghai Institute of Biomaterial from January 2000 to April 2000. Cell strain: hearty L-929 cells(fibroblast of mouse) after 48-72 hours of passage; Twenty white guinea pig of either gender aged between 1 month and 3 months with a body mass between 300 g and 500 g; Seven healthy adult New Zealand rabbit of either gender(female rabbits were not required pregnant for pyrogenic reaction test) with a body mass between 1.7 kg and 3.0 kg or between 2.5 kg and 3.5 kg(experimental animals were obtained from Shanghai experimental animal center, ordinary grade).INTERVENTIONS: Collagen was used to perform the following biological tests: ① cytotoxicity test (cell growth rate); ② anaphylaxis test; ③ pyrogenic reactions test; ④ subcutaneous implant test. The data were analyzed and evaluated according to criteria.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Growth and proliferation of fibroblast in mice; ② Reactions of erythema and edema of every provocation site and every observatory time after the induction of intradermal injection and local patch test; ③ Increase of body temperature of the rabbit after the injection of the extraction of the material into auricle marginal vein; ④ Reactions around the materials after 4 weeks of collagen implantation in rabbits subcutaneously.RESULTS: ① Cytotoxicity test: relative growth rate of collagen group was 99％ to 106%, and the toxicity grade was level 0 - 1. ② Anaphylaxis test:there was no erythema or edema reaction at every provocation site at each time point of collagen group. The skin reaction to collagen-polymer was level 0. ③ Pyrogenic reactions test: the temperature increased in rabbit was below 0.6 ℃ and the total increase of the temperature was below 1.4 ℃ in rabbits. ④ Subcutaneous implant test: there was very little lymphocyte infiltration around the sample in both collagen group and control group with Level I inflammatory reaction. And the evaluation of the formation of fiber cyst was level I.CONCLUSION: Results of material biological evaluation tests demonstrate that this collagen-polymer has high biocompatibility, and can become an ideal material for ICL.

OBJECTIVETo establish a miniature pig model of mandibular osteoradionecrosis (ORN).

METHODSA single dose of irradiation (IR25 Gy, 28 Gy) was delivered via an electronic linear accelerator to the right mandible of 24 miniature pigs by utilizing three dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT). The first molar of the mandible was extracted 2 months after radiation. Mandibular ORN was diagnosed through gross observation, X-ray film, CT, and histopathologic examination.

RESULTSAt 3-4 months after radiation, all animals suffered from mandibular ORN after dental extraction. The symptoms of ORN were more severe in the 28 Gy group than in the 25 Gy group.

CONCLUSIONA miniature pig model of mandibular ORN can be established through 25 Gy irradiation + dental extraction.

Animals ; Mandible ; Mandibular Diseases ; pathology ; Molar ; Osteoradionecrosis ; pathology ; Particle Accelerators ; Radiation Injuries, Experimental ; pathology ; Radiotherapy, Conformal ; adverse effects ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature ; Tooth Extraction

OBJECTIVE:To establish an RP-HPLC method for simultaneous determination of the contents of costunolide and dehydrocostuslactone in Xuedan weichang pill. METHODS:The determination was performed on Shim-pack VP-ODS column(150 mm?4.6 mm,5 ?m) with methanol-water(60∶40) as mobile phase and the detection wavelength was set at 225 nm.RESULTS:The linear ranges of costunolide and dehydrocostuslactone were 13.6～272.0 ?g?mL-1 and 11.25～225.0 ?g?mL-1,respectively,and their average recoveries were 99.47% and 99.62%,respectively with RSD of 1.75%(n=6) and 1.14%(n=6),respectively. CONCLUSION:The method established is simple,feasible,accurate and reliable,and it is applicable for the quality control of Xuedan weichang pill.

With the rapid development of medicine,medical ethics and medical philosophy have also made a far step forward.Under the new historical conditions,they are endowed with a new scientific connotation,which is elaborated in the modern version of Hippocratic Oath.