Activated protein C(APC)is generated through hydrolysis of protein C by thrombin-thrombomodulin complex.APC has been proved to play different roles in many human diseases,such as anticoagulant,antiinflammatory,profibr-inolysis,antiapoptotic and endothelial cytoprotective activities.In this review,the research progress of the functions of APC and related diseases,especially the neural protective roles of APC in central nervous system were summarized.

Objective To explore the level of patient safety culture of nurses, so as to provide more objective information for the developmental measures to improve patient safety culture. Methods 1 866 nurses from six grade-3 hospitals of a province were investigated by patient safety culture assessment scale. Results The total scores of patient safety culture of nurses was 3.57 ± 0.42, belongs to the middle-level. 5 factors in descending order according to the questionnaire scores was teamwork climate, safety climate, job Satisfaction,perception of management and stress recognition. The lower scores were the punishment of adverse events, job stress, work intensity, the staffing and so on. Conclusions It is very important that nurse managers should focus on improving a safer system in nursing, find out the potential risks, create a positive patient safety culture,and reduce or prevent adverse events of nursing in order to promote patient safety.

OBJECTIVETo study the molecular types of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from a severe food-poisoning and to trace the possible strains.

METHODSReal-time PCR was applied to detect nuc gene as a specific marker for S. aureus, mecA gene encoding methicillin resistance and 5 other genes encoding staphylococcal enterotoxins (sea, seb, see, sed, see). Isolates were also performed with 16S rRNA oligonucleotide sequence analyzing by DNAStar MegAlign 5.0 software and pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) by BioNumerics Version 4.0 software.

RESULTSThe nuc gene was detected from the 10 isolated strains, sea and seb genes were detected from 7 strains. There were 4 16 S rRNA types and 5 PFGE types found from all the strains.

CONCLUSIONSThree relative S. aureus strains were involved in the severe food-poisoning at least. Molecular subtyping might give a molecular epidemiological evidence and support the source tracing of an outbreak.

Bacterial Typing Techniques ; China ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; Enterotoxins ; Humans ; Staphylococcal Food Poisoning ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Staphylococcus aureus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo construct an cell penetrating peptide-based expression vector capable of targeted delivery of proteins into the cell nuclei and study its function of protein transduction.

METHODSThe fusion protein expression vector pET14b-HC(L)NE (pET14-b-His-CPP-Linker-NLS-EGFP) incorporating cell penetrating peptide (CPP), nuclear localization signal(NLS), linker and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) was constructed based on His-tagged pET14b-HE (pET14b-His-EGFP) by site-directed mutagenesis PCR method. After identification by enzyme digestion and DNA sequencing, the recombinant plasmid was transformed into BL21(DE(3)) strain. The HC(L)NE fusion protein was expressed following IPTG induction and purified with Ni(2+)-NTA affinity chromatography. After dialysis and filtration, the HC(L)NE fusion protein was added into cultured eukaryotic cells. The protein transduction in the living cells was observed under fluorescence microscope and analyzed by Western blotting.

RESULTSEnzyme digestion and DNA sequencing confirmed successful construction of the pET14b-HC(L)NE vector, and the fusion protein efficiently expressed in E. coli. Protein transduction experiments in eukaryotic cells revealed that the fusion protein could rapidly penetrate the cell membrane and reach the cell nucleus, and this internalization was time- and concentration-dependent.

CONCLUSIONThe cell penetrating peptide-based expression vector for targeted protein delivery to the cell nucleus has been successfully constructed, and a transport system that can delivery exogenous proteins or polypeptides into the cytoplasm and cell nucleus is established, which provides an economical and efficient means for functional study of the proteins and polypeptide in cells and targeted drug delivery.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; COS Cells ; Cell Line ; Cell Membrane ; metabolism ; Cell Nucleus ; metabolism ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Mice ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; NIH 3T3 Cells ; Nuclear Localization Signals ; genetics ; Peptides ; genetics ; metabolism ; Protein Transport ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo apply multiplex polymerase chain reaction (MPCR) assay and sequencing in study of the carrying status of four pathogenicity-related genes of Vibrio cholerae (V.cholerae) and the variation of ctxA.

METHODSPrimers targeting cholera toxin sub-unit A gene (ctxA), toxin-coregulated pilus gene (tcpA), accessory cholera enterotoxin gene (ace), zonula occludens toxin gene (zot) were designed and the MPCR method was applied to detect the pathogenicity-related genes of 276 strains of V.cholerae isolates. The amplified fragments of ctxA gene were sequenced and the genetic homology of the amplified fragments of ctxA was analyzed.

RESULTSOf the 276 strains of V.cholerae, 93.9% strains from human sources belong to the pathogenicity-related genes type A (ctxA(+)tcpA(+)ace(+)zot(+) type) and 6.1% belong to pathogenicity-related genes type C (ctxA(-)tcpA(-)ace(-)zot(-) type). Type A strains from clinical sources were isolated from patients with mild to severe symptom and carriers, among which 68.5% were isolated from patients with mild symptom and 21.9% from carriers. All 63.6% of type C strains from clinical sources were isolated from patients with mild symptom and 36.4% from carriers. The proportion of type C strains that caused mild symptom was higher than that of type A strains. Of the 78 strains isolated from the environment, 9.0% strains belong to pathogenicity-related type A and 35.9% belong to the pathogenicity-related genes type B (ctxA(-)tcpA(-)ace(+)zot(+) type), while 55.1% belong to pathogenicity-related genes type C. The sequencing results showed little genetic variation among the amplified fragments for ctxA.

CONCLUSIONMPCR disclosed the polymorphic status of pathogenicity-related gene patterns in V.cholerae isolates of Guangzhou, providing effective means for further study on evolution of pathogenicity-related genes among V.cholerae isolates from human and environmental sources. This study also offers significant guidance for effective prevention, control and warning against cholera epidemic in local area.

China ; Cholera Toxin ; genetics ; DNA, Bacterial ; Genes, Bacterial ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Analysis ; Vibrio cholerae ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo investigate the activity of pyramidal neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of normal and 6-OHDA-lesioned rats and the responses of the neurons to 5-hydroxytryptamine-7 (5-HT(7)) receptor stimulation.

METHODSThe changes in spontaneous firing of the pyramidal neurons in the mPFC in response to 5-HT(7) receptor stimulation were observed by extracellular recording in normal and 6-OHDA-lesioned rats.

RESULTSBoth systemic and local administration of 5-HT(7) receptor agonist AS 19 resulted in 3 response patterns (excitation, inhibition and no change) of the pyramidal neurons in the mPFC of normal and 6-OHDA-lesioned rats. In normal rats, the predominant response of the pyramidal neurons to AS 19 stimulation was excitatory, and the inhibitory effect of systemically administered AS 19 was reversed by GABAA receptor antagonist picrotoxinin. In the lesioned rats, systemic administration of AS 19 also increased the mean firing rate of the pyramidal neurons, but the cumulative dose for producing excitation was higher than that in normal rats. Systemic administration of AS 19 produced an inhibitory effect in the lesioned rats, which was partially reversed by picrotoxinin. Local administration of AS 19 at the same dose did not change the ?ring rate of the neurons in the lesioned rats.

CONCLUSIONThe activity of mPFC pyramidal neurons is directly or indirectly regulated by 5-HT7 receptor, and degeneration of the nigrostriatal pathway leads to decreased response of these neurons to AS 19.

Action Potentials ; Animals ; Oxidopamine ; Parkinson Disease ; metabolism ; Prefrontal Cortex ; cytology ; Pyramidal Cells ; drug effects ; Rats ; Receptors, Serotonin ; metabolism ; Serotonin Receptor Agonists ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo perform a prospective study the effects of autologous peripheral blood stem cell (APBSC) transplantation on acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related decompensated cirrhosis.

METHODSA total of 68 hospitalized patients with HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis undergoing conventional treatment were included in the study. Thirty-three of these patients also received APBSC transplantation therapy (treatment group) and 35 did not (control group). The treatment group was observed for postoperative adverse reaction, and changes (pre-vs.post-treatment) in total bilirubin, prothrombin time (PT), albumin (Alb), spleen size and ARFI imaging findings. Statistical analyses were carried out using the t-test, non-parametric test, and chi-square test.

RESULTSThe patients who received APBSC transplantation showed improving levels of Alb and PT, but not of total bilirubin, at postoperative weeks 24, 36 and 48, and reduced spleen length and ARFI findings at postoperative weeks 36 and 48.Compared to the baseline data (week 0) for the treatment group and to the data for the control groups, these differences were statistically significant (P less than 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAPBSC transplantation can reduce ARFI imaging findings and improve the pathology of liver fibrosis in patients with HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis.

Bilirubin ; blood ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Elasticity Imaging Techniques ; Hepatitis B ; therapy ; Hepatitis B virus ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; therapy ; virology ; Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; Prospective Studies ; Prothrombin Time

OBJECTIVETo explore the reasons for the low intracellular transduction efficiency of a previously constructed His-TAT-Flag recombinant protein and establish a more efficient transduction system.

METHODSThe Flag tag of pET14b-His- Tat-Flag vector was deleted with PCR mutant kit, and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) coding sequence was inserted into the new pET14b-His-TAT recombinant vector. Enzyme digestion and DNA sequencing were performed for identification of pET14b-His-TAT-EGFP vector, which was then transformed into E. coli BL21(DE(3)). After IPTG induction, the recombinant protein of His-TAT-EGFP was isolated and analyzed with SDS-PAGE. Purified His-TAT-EGFP recombinant protein was added to ECV304 cells and the fluorescence was observed to evaluate the transduction efficiency.

RESULTSpET14b-His-TAT vector and pET14b-His-TAT- EGFP vector were successfully constructed, which was identified with enzyme digestion and DNA sequencing. His-TAT-EGFP fusion protein was expressed and purified successfully and showed cellular transduction activity.

CONCLUSIONThe prokaryotic expression vector has been successfully constructed by modifying pET14b-His-TAT-Flag, and the expressed and purified recombinant protein of His-TAT-EGFP possesses high efficiency of intracellular transduction activity.

Amino Acid Sequence ; Cell Line ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; HIV-1 ; genetics ; Humans ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Protein Transport ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection ; methods ; tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo apply pulse-field gel electrophoresis analysis(PFGE) in the analysis of cholera outbreak events and to determine the molecular epidemiological characteristics of Vibrio cholerae ( V. cholerae) isolates.

METHODSPFGE using restriction enzyme Not I was employed in the molecular subtyping of forty-one strains of V. cholerae isolated in cholera outbreak events from 2003 to 2005 in Guangzhou area and PFGE patterns were analyzed by BioNumerics Version 4.0 software to perform cluster analysis. Pattern profiles were compared by utilizing of Dice coefficient and UPGMA(unweighted pair group method with arithmetic averages). Comparison of PFGE typing results was performed with phage-biological typing and pathogenicity-associated genes typing.

RESULTSIn cholera outbreak events, PFGE could discriminate epidemiologically related and unrelated strains, having more discriminatory power than phage-biological typing and pathogenicity-associated genes-typing.

CONCLUSIONSMolecular sub-typing by PFGE could disclose the epidemiological relationships of strains from humans and the environment, providing molecular epidemiological evidence and support for the source-tracking of cholera outbreak events.

Bacterial Typing Techniques ; methods ; Cholera ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Disease Outbreaks ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; Humans ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Vibrio cholerae ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effects between abdominal acupuncture and Deanxit for treatment of menopause depressive disorder, and to explore the efficacy and safety of abdominal acupuncture.

METHODSSixty cases were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each. The observation group was treated with abdominal acupuncture at Zhongwan (CV 12), Xiawan (CV 10), Qihai (CV 6) and Guanyuan (CV 4), etc. The control group was treated with oral administration of Deanxit. The patients in both groups were treated for 4 weeks and followed up for another 4 weeks, and they were evaluated by Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) every couple weeks.

RESULTSThe total HAMD scores of 2 and 4 weeks treatments and 2 and 4 weeks follow-up were all reduced in both groups (all P < 0.01). The total scores of 2 and 4 weeks follow-up in observation group were lower than those in control group, with significant differences in statistical analysis (both P < 0.05). Compared with the clinical therapeutic effect of both groups after 4 weeks treatment, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05), however, after 4 weeks follow-up, the therapeutic effect in observation group was superior to that in control group, with significant difference in statistical analysis (P < 0.05). The safety indexes before and after treatment of both groups were normal, and the adverse reaction rate in observation group was much lower than that in control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAbdominal acupuncture is an effective and safe method for menopause depressive disorder, it improves the menopause depressive symptoms with persistent action, less symptoms relapse and adverse reactions.

Abdomen ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Anthracenes ; therapeutic use ; Depressive Disorder ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Drug Combinations ; Female ; Flupenthixol ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Menopause ; drug effects ; psychology ; Middle Aged