Infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is characterized by a progressive depletion of CD4 T lymphocytes, which leads to dysfunction of the immune system. Although a variety of mechanisms may contribute to the gradual T cell decline that occurs in HIV-infected patients, abnormal apoptosis of infected or bystander T lymphocytes is an important event leading to immunodeficiency. The HIV envelope glycoprotein plays a crucial role in HIV associated apoptosis through both death receptor-mediated and mitochondria-dependent pathways. This review summarizes current knowledge of Env-mediated T lymphocyte apoptosis.

To investigate the relationship between transcription factor and the change of protein expression levels in heart failure. Methods Bioinformatic method was used to analyze the data of binding-sites on the 5 ' flaking regions of four genes whose mRNA level changed in failing heart from three databases about nucleic acid-EMBL, transcriptional regulation factor-TRANSFAC and protein-SWISS-PORT.The expression level of selected transcription factor was determined by immunohischemical method.Results Nine transcription factors were inferred to influence the proteins' levels in occurrence and development of heart failure.Serum response factor (SRF) was selected from the nine factors and assayed. The results showed that there was a higher level of SRF in healthy group than in chronic heart failure (CHF), and the level was associated with the degree of CHF. It was also found that there was a relative higher level of SRF in the acute myocardial infarction (AMI) than that in CHF, but which was lower than the healthy. Conclusion It showed that SRF had a quantitative change in the development of heart failure, and suggested SRF might play an important regulative role in heart failure. The expression changes of proteins related to myocardial function might be regulated by the quantitative change of transcription factor(s).

To against the emergence of drug-resistent candidiasis, the studys of synergism of natural compounds combine with antifungal agents in vitro showed a continuous growth in recent years. The paper reviewed recent progresses to compare the synergetic effect by FICI method, and to conclude the synergetic mechanisms which have been confirmed as a reference for futher study.
Antifungal Agents ; therapeutic use ; Candida albicans ; drug effects ; Drug Combinations ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods

Objective:To investigate the role of blood ammonia in the evaluation of the prognosis of septic patients in the emergency department and to compare its value with mortality in emergency department sepsis (MEDS) score.Methods:A retrospective clinical study was conducted to septic patients who were diagnosed in the Emergency Department of West China Hospital of Sichuan University from June 2017 to May 2018, and met the diagnostic criteria established by the diagnostic criteria of the American College of Chest Physicians/Society of Critical Care Medicine in 2001. The subjects who had other diseases that affected blood ammonia level and were lost to follow-up were excluded. MEDS scores were collected, and the survival status of patients was followed up by telephone. The independent samples t test was used to compare the differences between the two groups, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to assess the accuracy of the prediction of sepsis mortality, and the logistic regression model was used to explore the value of the combined use of blood ammonia and MEDS score.Results:Eighty subjects were finally included in the study and divided into the 1-week survival group ( n=52), 1-week death group ( n=28); 4-week survival group ( n=37), 4-week death group ( n=43); 12-week survival group ( n=33), 12-week death group ( n=47); 1-year survival group ( n=32), and 1-year death group ( n=48). There was no statistical difference in the demographic characteristics of subjects between the groups. The average blood ammonia level of all the subjects who died was higher than that of the patients who survived in the same period [(116.57 ± 85.33) μmol/L vs (77.63 ± 35.82) μmol/L, (108.53 ± 73.00) μmol/L vs (71.19 ± 32.53) μmol/L, (106.74 ± 71.59) μmol/L vs (69.21 ± 28.84) μmol/L, (105.77 ± 71.14) μmol/L vs (69.50 ± 29.25) μmol/L, P<0.05]. Based on death after one week, four weeks, twelve weeks and one year, the area under ROC curve (AUC) of blood ammonia was 0.668 (95% CI: 0.542-0.793, P=0.014), 0.706 (95% CI: 0.593-0.819, P=0.002), 0.705 (95% CI: 0.592-0.818, P=0.002), and 0.697 (95% CI: 0.582-0.811, P=0.003), respectively. Compared with the use of blood ammonia, lactic acid or MEDS score alone, the combined use of blood ammonia and MEDS score increased the accuracy of prognosis evaluation in sepstic patients ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Blood ammonia has a high value in predicting the short-term and 1-year prognosis of septic patients in the emergency department. The combined use of blood ammonia and MEDS score can further improve its predictive value.

OBJECTIVETo explore the features of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) of the hippocampus in schizophrenia patients before and after stereotactic neurosurgery.

METHODS1H-MRS was performed to determine NAA/Cr and CHO/Cr ratios on the bilateral hippocampal regions before and after stereotactic neurosurgery in 20 schizophrenia patients, with 20 healthy individuals as the controls.

RESULTSThe NAA/Cr ratio in the hippocampal regions was significantly lower and the CHO/Cr ratio significantly higher in schizophrenia patients before the surgery than in the healthy controls (P<0.01). The NAA/Cr and CHO/Cr ratios in the hippocampal regions underwent no significant changes in the patients after the surgeries (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONNeuronal and cell membrane metabolism impairment is present in the hippocampus of schizophrenia patients, and stereotactic neurosurgery does not produce obvious adverse effects on the cell membrane metabolism in the hippocampus of the patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aspartic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Choline ; metabolism ; Creatine ; metabolism ; Female ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; methods ; Male ; Protons ; Schizophrenia ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Stereotaxic Techniques ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the incidence and its main pathogenic bacteria infection status of food-borne diarrhea and analyze their influencing factors in Yunnan province from 2012 to 2016. Me thods 1743 cases of food-borne diarrhea were collected, which were supervised from 11 hospitals covering from 2012 to 2016 years in Yunnan province.We gathered and tested the biological samples. Meanwhile, we analyzed the main pathogenic bacteria and their influencing factors. Re s ults 65 positive strains samples were checked out in 1743 cases of food-borne diarrhea positive samples, the positive rate was 3.73％ (65/1743). Salmonella and Shigella strains were the main pathogenic bacteria, the main suspect food was meat and its products, as well as fruits and their products. In this study, Professions, methods of processing and clinical diagnosis were considered as the main factors of main pathogenic microbe detectable rates of food-borne diarrhea cases in Yunnan province. Conclus ion We should carry out public health education widespreadly in nursery, scattered children, farmers and migrant workers, students and other special crowds, provide intervention measures, attach great importance to food processing, reduce the possible contamination of food during processing, improve the level of clinical diagnosis and treatment and the recognization ability of food-borne diseases, and propose targeted prevention and control measures.Thus, food-borne disease can be prevented and controlled effectively.

OBJECTIVETo study the p53/p21 fusion gene as a potential fusion gene for the gene therapy of human oral squamous cell carcinoma.

METHODSp21 cDNA was obtained from normal human embryonic lung cells by RT-PCR, fusing with p53 gene. The recombinant plasmid pcDNA-p53/p21 was constructed by inserting the p53/p21 fusion gene into eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1 and subsequently transfected into human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell line (Tca8113) with lipofectamine. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to demonstrate the expression of p53/p21 fusion gene. Using clonal formation experiment and (3)H-TdR incorporation assay were used to evaluate the clonal formation and proliferation ability of Tca8113 cells.

RESULTSIt was observed that p53/p21 fusion gene could inhibit clonal formation and proliferation of human oral carcinoma. RT-PCR and Western blot demonstrated that it was the expression of exogenous p53/p21 fusion gene that led to the above results.

CONCLUSIONSTransfection of p53/p21 fusion gene to Tca8113 cells could inhibit the tumor cell proliferation and clone formation in vitro, and make itself a potential fusion gene for the gene therapy of human oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; therapy ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 ; genetics ; Gene Fusion ; genetics ; Genes, p53 ; genetics ; Genetic Therapy ; Humans ; Mouth Neoplasms ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mRNA expression of collagen genes in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and paired normal oral mucosal tissue.

METHODSThe differential mRNA expressions of collagen genes between 30 OSCC tissues and the paired normal oral mucosal tissues were detected by RT-PCR.

RESULTThe relative expression level of COL1A1 mRNA in the 30 cancerous tissues was up-regulated by 2.78 folds as compared with its expression in the paired normal samples, suggesting its significant overexpression in OSCC (P<0.001). The expression levels of COL1A2, COL4A1, COL4A2, and COL5A2 mRNA in the cancerous tissues were up-regulated by 1.07, 1.15, 1.27, and 1.16 folds compared to those in paired normal samples (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONCOL1A1 mRNA overexpression may play an important role in the carcinogenesis of OSCC and can be a potential molecular marker of OSCC.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; Collagen ; genetics ; metabolism ; Collagen Type I ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Neoplasms ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Young Adult

DNA, Viral ; genetics ; Gene Silencing ; Genetic Testing ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; physiology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Virus Replication

OBJECTIVETo screen and clone the novel genes related to cellular proliferation of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

METHODSWe selected the Rb gene as the bait protein gene to construct the fusion bait plasmid of yeast two-hybrid. The whole code sequence of Rb gene was acquired by digestion with restricted enzyme EcoRI and BamH1 and reclaimed from its original vector pGBT9-pRb. After being confirmed by electrophoresis, the Rb gene was cloned into the MCS of the plasmid pGBKT7 to construct a recombined plasmid pGBKT7-pRb and the sequence of the recombined plasmid was detected in company. According to the protocol of yeast two hybrid system III, the competent Y187 yeast was prepared, and transformed with recombined plasmid pGBKT7-pRb. Following that, the toxicity and transcriptional activation of this recombined plasmid pGBKT7-pRb in Y187 yeast were tested.

RESULTSThe sequence of the recombined plasmid was correct compared with the sequence provided in Genbank. The protein could be correctly synthesized in vitro, and no self-activating transcriptional activation and toxicity was observed in Y187 yeast.

CONCLUSIONSThe construction of the recombined plasmid was capable to be used as the fusion bait plasmid in yeast two-hybrid system III, and the recombined Rb-protein could be used as the bait protein successfully.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; genetics ; Genes, Retinoblastoma ; genetics ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Mouth Neoplasms ; genetics ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Recombination, Genetic ; Retinoblastoma Protein ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Two-Hybrid System Techniques ; Yeasts ; genetics