Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Sturge-Weber Syndrome

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of Di' ao Xinxuekang Soft Capsule (DK) on the plasma levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and endothelin (ET) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), and to study its underlying mechanisms.

METHODSTotally 100 patients with CHD confirmed by coronary angiography were randomly assigned to two groups, the control group (60 cases) and the DK treatment group (40 cases). Patients in the control group received conventional therapy, while those in the DK treatment group received DK additionally. The therapeutic course for all was 3 months. The plasma levels of SOD, MDA, ET, and NO were determined pre-treatment, 4, 8, and 12 weeks after treatment.

RESULTSCompared with before treatment, the serum levels of SOD and NO increased and the levels of MDA and ET decreased at each time point. Besides, better effects were obtained in the DK treatment group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONDK possibly played a role in inhibiting lipid peroxidation and improving the endothelial dysfunction.

Aged ; Coronary Disease ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Endothelins ; blood ; Endothelium, Vascular ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; blood ; Middle Aged ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Phytotherapy ; Superoxide Dismutase ; blood

In order to obtain an efficient screening procedure for identification of succinate producing anaerobic strains,a semi-quantitative paper chromatography method was developed. Lactic acid and acetic acid were identified as the main byproducts in the process of succinate production by the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).Succinic acid was completely separated from the byproducts of lactic acid and acetic acid in the same broth developed by paper chromatography.The content of succinic acid was calculated by a semi-quantitative method.The results showed that paper chromatography was a simple and cost effective method that could be utilized to screen anaerobic strains producing succinic acid.

Objective To investigate the antimicrobial resistance of clinical isolates from a hospital in Chongqing during one year according to CHINET project.Methods Disc diffusion test (K-B method) was employed to study the antimicrobial resistance. WHONET5 was used for data analysis.Results In one year period from 2004 to 2005,690 non-duplicate isolates were collect- ed.Enterobacter isolates showed the lowest resistance rate to imipenem and meropenem.About 37.5% of E.coli and 31.4% of K.pneumoniae isolates produced ESBLs,respectively.All ESBLs-producing strains were susceptible to imipenem and mer- openem.About 37.2%,39.4% and 48.9% of P.aeruginosa isolates were resistant to imipenem,meropenem and ceftazidime, respectively.Pandrug-resistant (PDR) P.aeruginosa was isolated from our hospital.All strains of A.baumannii were sus- ceptible to imipenem and meropenem.About 37.7% of A.baumannii were resistant to cefoperazone-sulbactam.Twenty-nine strains showed the same resistant pattern among non-susceptible strains of A.baumannii,mainly derived from 2 clones by PFGE analysis.Conclusions The surveillance results suggest that prevalent strain resistant to cefoperazone-sulbactam may pres- ent in some ICUs.Resistance rate to cefoperazone-sulbactam increased significantly.

Objective To analyze the species of the antibody and immune responsibility in pneumonic plague patients in order to pave the way to screen the new sub-unit of the vaccine to provide the experimental basis. Methods Using the virulence-related protein microarray containing 149 proteins of Yersinia pestis (Y.pestis), the species of the antibody and immune responsibility were analyzed in serum of two pneumonic plague patients in six months after onset. Results Eighty-eight gene coded proteins were detected out the related antibodies except YPMT1.23c, YPMT1.86, YPO0406 and YPO1071 in patient 1. Forty-three antibodies from gene coded protein were analyzed, other forty-nine had not been identified in patient 2. Thirty-nine antibodies were detected in both patients. The proteins YPMT1.81c, YPMT1.84, YPCD1.31c, rw10, YPCD1.28, YPCD1.58, YPMT1.62c, YPO3247-related antibodies increased significantly by 109.96,176.4 ;20.64,17.73 ;16.50,7.16 ;23.51,7.65 ;46.00,25.61 ;4.50,8.24 ;5.98,5.08 ;23.98,4.76 folds, respectively. Conclusions The study on the antibody in pneumonic plague patients helps us to select the potential vaccine candidates, which reveals that eight proteins are the immunity diagnosis targets and the research key of sub-unit vaccine.

The effect of initial ammonium chloride level on production of curdlan in Alcaligenesfaecalis was investigated. It was found that ammonium chloride was the limiting substrate for cell growth during the batch fermentation process. However, the cell growth and curdlan production could not be enhanced by solely increasing the initial ammonium chloride level. The pH drop in the broth due to the consumption of ammonium chloride also effected the cell growth and curdlan production. By simultaneously increasing the initial ammonium chloride concentration and implementing an optimal pH control strategy, which is to control pH at 7.0 in the growth phase, and then shift to 5.6 in the production phase, the biomass and curdlan production in batch fermentation were increased markedly. If the initial ammonium chloride concentration was increased from 1.1 g/L to 3.6 g/L, biomass concentration of 7.2 g/L was obtained, and the final curdlan concentration reached 30.5 g/L, which was 51.7% higher than that of the former case. As the cell growth was improved due to the increase of the initial ammonium chloride concentration, the agitation speed and aeration rates must be enhanced to suit the higher oxygen uptake requirement. However, as curdlan molecules is subject to the structural breakage due to the high shear stress at higher agitation speed, an overall optimal condition for both productivity and quality of curdlan should be considered comprehensively.
Alcaligenes faecalis ; drug effects ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Ammonium Chloride ; pharmacology ; Culture Media ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Fermentation ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; beta-Glucans ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of the third-party bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on the allogeneic skin transplantation.

METHODS40 female C57BL/6 mice and 50 male BALB/C mice were respectively used as donors and recipients of skin transplantation. 50 BALB/C mice were divided randomly into 5 groups: Blank control group, Cyclophosphamide group BMSCs group, Cyclophosphamide + BMSCs group and CM-DiI staining group, with 10 mice in each group. Before skin transplantation, high-dose abdominal injection of Cyclophosphamide (200 mg/kg, 2 d) was performed in recipient mice. On the transplantation day, a bonus of 1 x 10(5) BMSCs of the SD rat (SD-BMSCs) were injected through the tail vein. The observation of skin grafts, mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC), HE staining, the observation of CM-DiI-labeled SD-BMSCs and FACS were used.

RESULTSThe skin graft survival time was significantly prolonged in the Cyclophosphamide + BMSCs group, as compared with the blank control group, the Cyclophosphamide group, the BMSCs group respectively. When BMSC and lymphocyte mixed at the ratio of 1:1 and 1:10, rat BMSCs inhibited T lymphocyte proliferation. More angiogenesis and less lymphocyte infiltration were found in the experimental group than them in other groups. Red fluorescent cells were found in CM-DiI staining group under long-term observation. The SD-BMSCs can he detected by flow cytometry in the cell group and the Cyclophosphamide + BMSCs group.

CONCLUSIONSBMSCs can survive in the heterogeneous recipient body; the third-party BMSCs transplantation can prolong skin graft survival time; BMSCs can inhibit T lymphocyte activation and proliferation.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skin Transplantation ; Transplantation, Homologous

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the usefulness of a broad-range real-time PCR assay aimed at the 16S rRNA gene of bacteria in a clinical setting in rapid and reliable diagnosis of neonatal septicemia for improving the speed and accuracy of bacterial detection.

METHODSThe universal primer and TaqMan probe were designed based on the highly conserved sequences of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. The chosen primers and probe did not show any likely cross hybridization with human, viral or fungal genome sequences. The TaqMan assay used the fluorescent signal on the probe, such as 6-carboxyfluorescin (6-FAM), and quenched by the standard 6-carboxytetramethylrhodamine (TAMRA) probes. The broad-range 16S rRNA gene real-time PCR array was established. Then, three common pathogenic microorganisms including Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli, which were prepared by a 10-fold dilution series respectively from 10(8) colony forming unit (CFU)/ml to 10(3) CFU/ml, as well as controls, were used for testing of both sensitivity and specificity of the real-time PCR assay. The blood samples from 830 cases of suspected septicemia, who were hospitalized in our neonatal ward and the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and developed clinical signs suggestive of infection, were tested with routine culture and bacterial 16S rRNA genes real-time PCR separately. In addition, 30 neonates without infection were enrolled as the negative control group.

RESULTSAll the three common pathogenic bacterial species were positive on the 16S rRNA genes real-time PCR assay. There were no cross-reaction with cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), fungi, human DNA and blank control, and the technique showed high specificity and sensitivity. The detection limit of the TaqMan assay was tested by amplifying serial dilutions of the three common pathogenic bacterial DNA. The minimal detection limit of the TaqMan system was equivalent to 3 CFU of bacteria, the threshold cycle (CT), which is inversely proportional to the log of the amount of target DNA initially present, was 37.90 by calculation. The real-time PCR assay was evaluated on 830 blood specimens for suspected neonatal septicemia, as compared to the results obtained from the routine bacterial cultures. The positive rate by the real-time PCR assay was 5.18% (43/830) in 830 samples, and was significantly higher than that of blood culture [2.41% (20/830) (P < 0.01)]. The real-time PCR was positive in all the 20 positive blood culture samples. Thirty non-infectious blood samples were negative by both the PCR assay and blood cultures. When blood culture was used as control, the sensitivity of the real-time PCR assay was 100%, the specificity was 97.16%, and the index of accurate diagnosis was 0.972. Moreover, three of the PCR positive amplicons were confirmed by sequencing to confirm the accuracy of the real-time PCR assay in testing clinical specimens. The sequencing showed that except for one sequence, all the others were demonstrated to be Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli respectively, which was in accord with the results of the blood cultures.

CONCLUSIONSThe bacterial 16S rRNA genes real-time PCR had been established to diagnose the neonatal septicemia. The sensitivity and specificity the real-time PCR assay were higher than those of blood culture. This technique can provide a rapid way for the etiological diagnosis of neonatal septicemia, and was a convenient and accurate method in etiologic diagnosis of neonatal septicemia.

DNA ; analysis ; DNA Primers ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; Genes, rRNA ; genetics ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Limit of Detection ; Nucleic Acid Hybridization ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S ; analysis ; Rhodamines ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sepsis ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Staphylococcus aureus ; genetics ; Staphylococcus epidermidis ; genetics

BACKGROUNDHereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) is a group of inherited neurodegenerative disorders with the shared characteristics of slowly progressive spasticity and weakness of the lower limbs. Thirteen loci for autosomal dominant HSP have been mapped.

METHODSA Chinese family with HSP was found in the Shandong province and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China and genomic DNA of all 19 family members was isolated. After exclusion of known autosomal dominant loci, a genome wide scan and linkage analysis were performed.

RESULTSThe known autosomal dominant loci of SPG3A, SPG4, SPG6, SPG8, SPG9, SPG10, SPG12, SPG13, SPG17, SPG19, SPG29, SPG31 and SPG33 were excluded by linkage analysis. The results of a genome wide scan demonstrated candidate linkage to a locus on chromosome 11p14.1-p11.2, over an 18.88 cM interval between markers D11S1324 and D11S1933. A maximal, two point LOD score of 2.36 for marker D11S935 at a recombination fraction (theta) of 0 and a multipoint LOD score of 2.36 for markers D11S1776, D11S1751, D11S1392, D11S4203, D11S935, D11S4083, and D11S4148 at theta=0, suggest linkage to this locus.

CONCLUSIONThe HSP neuropathy in this family may represent a novel genetic entity, which will facilitate discovery of this causative gene.

Adult ; Chromosome Mapping ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 11 ; Female ; Humans ; Lod Score ; Male ; Spastic Paraplegia, Hereditary ; genetics

Thirteen isolates of Class I Newcastle disease virus obtained from healthy poultry in China during 2008 were characterized genotypically in this study. All the isolates were proved to be lentogenic strains based on the deduced amino acid sequence of the Fusion protein gene. Molecular epidemiological analysis showed that 13 isolates could be subdivided into 2 distinct genotypes, 11 isolates belonged to genotype 2, and other 2 isolates belonged to genotype 3. Results indicated two genotypes of Class I Newcastle disease virus might widely exist in domestic poultry in China.
Animals ; Birds ; China ; epidemiology ; Genotype ; Humans ; Molecular Epidemiology ; methods ; Newcastle Disease ; epidemiology ; virology ; Newcastle disease virus ; classification ; genetics ; pathogenicity ; Phylogeny ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Viral Fusion Proteins ; genetics