Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; RNA, Viral ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; SARS Virus ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; diagnosis ; virology

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Nimodipine on the hemorrheology and brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) in the patients with vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI) and to explore the mechanism.Methods50 cases with VBI were divided into Nimodipine group (25 cases) and routine therapy group (25 cases). The hemorrheology and BAEP were measured before the treatment and 1 month later.ResultsThe blood viscosity,including the whole blood viscosity shear value, plasma viscosity and blood fat of patients with VBI was increased. The total abnormity rate of BAEP was 76%. The main abnormity was brainstem type. The hemorrheology and the function of nerve conduction were improved distinctly (P<0.05) after treatment. Compared with the routine therapy group, the level of plasma viscosity was decreased markedly (P<0.05) in Nimodipine group, and peak latency of V wave, interpeak latency of III-V and I-V were also improved significantly (P<0.05).Conclusions Nimodipine can improve the hemorrheology and the function of nerve conduction in patients with VBI.

The strain of DG7 isolated from the oilwater sample in DAGANG oilfield could produce surfactant ?acids and gas in the culture medium in which the diesel was sole carbon source .The strain was Gram-negative, motive, rod and growed facultatively in the 0 to 18.5% NaCl. Based on its characters, the strain was identified as a member of the genus Aeromonas, but there were some differences between this strain and the described species of this genus in some biochemical features, suggesting that it could be a new species of the genus.

Objective To express the plasminogen activator(Pla) of Yersinia pestis and one of its gene fragments,and to detect their immunological reactivity.Methods The pla gene and its specific gene fragment pla-c were amplified by PCR using the EV76 strain as a template.PCR products were then ligated with the plasmid pET32a (+).The recombinant plasmids pET32a (+)-pla and pET32a (+)-pla-c were subsequently trausformed into E.coli BL21 (DE3).The expressed products were purified by HIS affinity chromatography,and their immunological reactivity was detected by Western blotting.Results The recombinant Pla(52.8 × 103) was expressed as inclusion bodies,and the recombinant Pla-c protein (24.0 × 103) was expressed in the soluble form.These two recombinant proteins reacted with anti-Yersinia pestis EV76 rabbit sera.Conclusions The recombinant Pla and its specific fragments have displayed immunological reactivity,and can be served as an alternative diagnosis method for Yersinia pestis.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of etanercept plus Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycoside (TWP) in elderly patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODSTotally 46 elderly patients with active RA were randomly assigned to the treatment group (22 cases) and the control group (24 cases). All patients received subcutaneous injection of etanercept, 25 mg each time, twice per week. The dosage was reduced to once per week 3 months later. Patients in the treatment group took TWP Tablet (10 mg each time, three times per day), while those in the control group took methotrexate (MTX), 10 mg each time, once per week. The whole course lasted for 24 weeks. Patients' rest pain, tender joint number, swollen joint number, health assessment questionnaire (HAQ), patients' global assessment, physicians' global assessment, erythrocyte sediment rate (ESR), C reactive protein (CRP), rheumatic factor were assessed at week 0, 4, 8, 12, and 24. The curative effect was statistically evaluated by the United States Institute of Rheumatology ACR20, ACR50, and ACR70 improvement criteria. Meanwhile, any adverse event was recorded and evaluated.

RESULTSTotally 41 completed the trial, and 5 dropped off (3 in the treatment group and 2 in the control group). Compared with the control group, there was no statistical difference in ACR20, ACR50, or ACR70 in the treatment group (P > 0.05). Compared with before treatment in the same group, there was some improvement in tender joint number, swollen joint number, visual analogue scale (VAS) for patients' global assessment, VAS for physicians' global assessment, ESR, CRP, and HAQ between the two groups, showing statistical difference (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group in the same phase, there was no statistical difference in the treatment group (P > 0.05). There was no statistical difference in the occurrence of adverse events between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONSEtanercept plus TWP could achieve equivalent therapeutic effect to that of Etanercept plus MTX. The two regimens could improve clinical signs, symptoms, and QOL related to RA. They were well tolerated in the treatment of elderly patients with active RA.

Aged ; Antirheumatic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; drug therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Etanercept ; Female ; Glycosides ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Tripterygium ; chemistry

Brain ; abnormalities ; Cerebral Cortex ; abnormalities ; Humans ; Infant ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Nervous System Malformations ; diagnosis ; Prognosis

Objective This study was to investigate the role of lactoferrin and C-reactive protein (CRP)assay in ascitic fluid for diagnosis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP)in the patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis.Methods Ascites was collected from the inpatients with decompensated liver cirrhosis before and after treatment from May to December 2011 for anal-ysis of polymorphonuclear cells (PMN)and bacterial culture.The level of lactoferrin and C-reactive protein in the ascites were determined.Results A total of 117 ascites samples were collected from 66 patients.Twenty-six patients met the criteria of SBP with PMN ≥ 250×106/L in ascites,were assigned to SBP group.Of these patients,11 presented with fever 37.3℃ to 38℃, and 11 patients had elevated peripheral blood white cell count > 10 × 109/L.Eleven patients had neutrophil cell percentage >0.75.Only 8 patients in this group had positive bacterial culture.Another 12 patients met the criteria of suspected SBP,and assigned to suspected SBP group.The remaining 28 patients did not satisfy the criteria of SBP,and assigned to non-SBP group.The pretreatment lactoferrin level was (768.46 ± 611 .70)ng/mL and (98.28 ± 56.81 )ng/mL in SBP and non-SBP group,respectively.The pretreatment CRP level was (9.397 ±3.737 )mg/L and (1 .786 ±0.52 )mg/L in SBP and non-SBP group,respectively.The lactoferrin and CRP levels decreased sharply after antibacterial and support-ive treatment in SBP group,which were 657.05 ng/mL and 8.13 mg/L,respectively.The cut-off value of lactoferrin for diagnosis of SBP was 233 ng/mL with sensitivity 96.2% and spe-cificity 97.5%.The cut-off value of CRP for diagnosis of SBP was 4.390 mg/L with sensitivity 92.3% and specificity 92.5%. However,lactoferrin combined with CRP had a sensitivity of 99.70% and specificity of 90.18% for diagnosis of SBP.Conclu-sions Lactoferrin and CRP levels in the ascites of patients with liver cirrhosis are useful for diagnosis of SBP with high specifici-ty and sensitivity.

OBJECTIVETo demonstrate the possibility of high-level expression of bioactive human beta-defensin-2 (hBD2) in E.coli, and to purify the recombinant hBD2.

METHODSDNA fragment containing mature hBD2 coding region (smhBD2-cDNA) was amplified by PCR, multiple copies of smhBD2-cDNA were linked using Bgl II and BamH I enzymes, pET32-nsmHBD2-cDNA with 1, 2, 4, or 8 copies of smhBD2-cDNA was constructed. The soluble and insoluble hBD2 proteins were separated and analyzed by SDS-PAGE analysis. The soluble protein underwent a separation process containing affinity chromatography, enterokinase digestion and ion exchange chromatography to get the recombinant hBD2 peptide. The bioactivity of recombinant hBD2 was examined by bacteria-inhibition tests in liquid culture.

RESULTThe plasmids pET32-nsmHBD2-cDNA with 1, 2, 4 copies of smhBD2-cDNA were constructed and the expressed soluble protein accounted for 52 %, 48 %, and 31 % respectively. The plasmids with 8 copies expressed mainly insoluble protein with few in soluble form. The growth of E.coli K12D31 was dramatically suppressed with a inhibition rate of 90 %, when the final concentration of recombinant hBD2 reached between 0.4 to 0.5 mug/ml.

CONCLUSIONFusion expression of human beta-defensin-2 with multiple joined genes in E.coli could increase the expression of hBD2.

Anti-Infective Agents ; pharmacology ; Chromatography, Affinity ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Escherichia coli ; drug effects ; genetics ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; beta-Defensins ; biosynthesis ; genetics

The NPRI (nonexpressor of pathogenesis-related genes (1) gene, firstly cloned in Arabidopsis thaliana, is a key gene involved in regulation of plant disease resistance. It plays a pivotal role not only in systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and induced systemic resistance (ISR), but also in basic resistance and resistance (R) gene-dependent resistance. NPR1 monomerization induced by enhanced reducing condition after oxidative burst, and the accumulation of NPR1 monomers in the nuclei, are required and enough for expression of PR (pathogenesis-related) genes and SAR. NPR1 regulates PR gene expression through interaction with TGA transcription factors (TF). As a cross-talk point of a variety of defense signaling pathways, probably through direct or indirect interacting with some WRKY TFs and a NPR1-like protein NPR4, NPR1 is essential in balancing salicylic acid- and jasmonic acid- dependent signal transduction pathways, which is achieved through an unknown mechanism in the cytosol. The possible application of NPR1 in plant protection is also discussed in this review.
Arabidopsis Proteins ; genetics ; Cyclopentanes ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; genetics ; Oxylipins ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Plant Diseases ; genetics ; Plants, Genetically Modified ; Salicylic Acid ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Signal Transduction

This research was a part of the investigation of traditional Chinese medicine resources survey in Markam. The medicinal plants in natural reserve were studied for the first in this paper. There were 300 species in 202 genera of 54 families, among them there were 7 species of ferns in 5 genera of 5 families, 6 species of gymnosperms in 4 genera of 3 families, and 287 species of angiosperms in 194 genera of 61 families. There were 166 species Tibetan medicinal plants in 102 genera of 47 families. Quantitative analysis was carried out in 6 aspects of family and genus composition, medicinal parts, drug properties, flavour of a drug, Tibetan medicine, toxicity and new plants. The concrete suggestions of protection and exploitation were put forward, which provided scientific basis for the sustainable utilization of medicinal plants in this area.
Biodiversity ; Conservation of Natural Resources ; Medicine, Tibetan Traditional ; Plants, Medicinal ; Tibet