Cells, Cultured ; Humans ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; immunology ; Pericytes ; metabolism ; physiology

ObjectiveTo compare the efficacy and safety of intermittent patient-initiated single-dose antibiotic prophylaxis and continuous antibiotic prophylaxis for the prevention of recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) in postmenopausal women. MethodsA randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted for the prevention of recurrent urinary tract infection. Single dose of antibiotic was given every night in continuous antibiotic prophylaxis group and every time after exposure to conditions predisposed to UTI in intermittent antibiotic prophylaxis group. The duration of prevention was 12 months in both groups. ResultsThe effective rates of intermittent antibiotic prophylaxis and continuous antibiotic prophylaxis were 71.0% and 81.8% respectively (P＞0.05). The incidence of gastrointestinal adverse reaction in intermittent antibiotic prophylaxis group was significantly lower than that in continuous antibiotic prophylaxis group (7.7% vs 28.6%,P＜0.05). ConclusionsCompared with continuous antibiotic prophylaxis, intermittent patient-initiated single-dose antibiotic prophylaxis is a better prophylaxis with less gastrointestinal adverse reactions for the prevention of recurrent urinary tract infection in postmenopausal women.

Objective To observe the efficacy of the treatment of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) combined with prednisone on steroid-resistant idiopathic membranoproliferative glomerulonephrifis (IMPGN) patients with moderate to severe proteinufia. Methods Thirteen cases were diagnosed as IMPGN by renal biopsy after excluding secondary factors. Among 13 patients, 9 had severe proteinuria and another 4 had moderate proteinuria, 9 with hypertension and 11 with decreased renal function. Before MMF therapy, all of the cases were resistant to the treatment of glucocorticoid (prednisone 1 mg·kg-1·d-1) for 8 weeks or more. The dose of MMF was 1.5 g/d. Patients were followed up every month for blood pressure, urinary protein excretion, liver and kidney function, complete blood count, and adverse effects. Results At the initiation, the 24 h urinary protein excretion was (4.1±1.4) g, Scr (131.0±44.9) μmol/L, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (63.3±26.8) ml·min-1·(1.73 m2)-1. After prednisene therapy for at least 2 months, the 24 h urinary protein excretion (4.2±1.5) g, Ser (133.2±52.8)μmol/L and eGYR (63.3±27.1) ml·min-1·(1.73 m2)-1did not change significantly. After 3 months of the addition of MMF, 24 h urinary protein excretion declined slightly [(3.8±1.2) g, P>0.05]. After 6 months, 24 h urinary protein excretion declined significantly [(2.5±0.9) g, P<0.05], with decrease in Set and eGFR[(97.2±27.3) μmol/L and (81.3±24.2) ml·min-1·(1.73 m2)-1, P<0.05)]. At the end of 1 year, 24 h urinary protein excretion was only (1.5±0.6) g(P<0.01 ), Ser and eGFR were (95.9±22.5)μmol/L and (81.2±23.8) ml·min-1·(1.73 m2)-1(P<0.01). All the patients experienced a partial remission of proteinuria (urinary protein excretion decreased by 50% or more). Adverse event including stomach upset was found in 1 patient. Conclusion MMF combined with glucosteroids can effectively decrease proteinuria and improve renal function without obvious side effect in steroid-resistant IMPGN.

Halophilic microorganisms play important rules in salt field ecosystem and salt production. In this study, halophilic bacteria and haloarchaea from soils of Lianyungang Taibei and Yancheng Sanwei salt fields were analyzed. The halophilic bacterial and haloarchaeal types from both the soils were similar, but each soil had its distinctive species. A total of 17 halophilic bacteria were identified, among them, Halomonas was found from both the soils, while Pontibacillus and Halobacillus were isolated from Sanwei salt field only. Using uncultured 16S rRNA gene library technology, 13 haloarchaeal soil 16S rRNA genes were identified from both the saline soils. Halobacterium and Haloplanus were found from Taibei salt field, while Halobac- terium, Natronobacterium, Halogeometricum and Haloarcula were identified from Sanwei salt field. Ten haloarchaeal 16S rRNA gene sequences showed 92%~97% identities with the GenBank sequences that ap- pear to represent novel soil haloarchaeal species. This study provides important information that is useful for further investigation and application of halophiles of saline soil fields.

In traditional Chinese medicine herbs (TCM), including Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae (Danshen), Radix Puerariae Lobatae (Gegen), Radix Angelicae Sinensis (Danggui), and Rhizoma Chuanxiong (Chuanxiong) are widely used for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases and also often co-administered with Western drugs as a part of integrative medicine practice. Carboxylesterase 1 (CES1) plays a pivotal role in the metabolisms of pro-drugs. Since (S)-2-(2-(6-dimethylamino)-benzothiazole)-4,5-dihydro-thiazole-4-carboxylate (NLMe) has recently been identified by us as a selective CES1 bioluminescent sensor, we developed a rapid method using this substrate for the direct measurement of CES1 activity in rats. This bioluminescence assay was applied to determine CES1 activity in rat tissues after a two-week oral administration of each of the four herbs noted above. The results demonstrated the presence of CES1 enzyme in rat blood and all tested tissues with much higher enzyme activity in the blood, liver, kidney and heart than that in the small intestine, spleen, lung, pancreas, brain and stomach. In addition, the four herbs showed tissue-specific effects on rat CES1 expression. Based on the CES1 biodistribution and its changes after treatment in rats, the possibility that Danshen, Gegen and Danggui might alter CES1 ac-tivities in human blood and kidney should be considered. In summary, a selective and sensitive biolu-minescence assay was developed to rapidly evaluate CES1 activity and the effects of orally administered TCMs in rats.

Mitotic catastrophe is a new form of cell death,which is the phenomenon of cell death caused by the disorder of mitosis.It is a true endogenous mechanism of tumor suppression.However,although mitotic catastrophe is important in the prevention and treatment of tumors,the molecular mechanism of its occurrence has not been clearly elucidated.In this paper,we will discuss the latest research progress on the mechanism of mitotic catastrophe in tumor cells,and provide a reference for further study on the mechanism of mitosis catastrophe.

Objective To detect the positive rates of antibodies against avian influenza virus (AIV) subtypes H5, H6, H7 and H9 among people in poultry occupations in Guangdong province and to analyze the transmission of various subtypes of AIV from poultry to human contacts for the prevention and control of novel AIV infection in human beings.Methods Serum specimens were collected from 1066 peo-ple in poultry occupations ( occupational group) and 205 people not in poultry occupations ( non-occupational group) in 10 cities of Guangdong province.The inactivated AIV strains, isolated from poultry or environment of Guangdong province, were used as antigens to detect antibodies against AIV subtypes H5, H6, H7 and H9 by using the hemagglutination inhibition ( HI) assay.Results The positive rates of antibodies against AIV subtypes H5, H6, H7 and H9 carried by people from the occupational group were respectively 0.44%, 0%, 0.30%and 0.30%in 2013 and 1.08%, 0.0%, 0.0%and 0.27%in 2014.Only the anti-H9 anti-bodies were detected in serum samples collected form people in the non-occupational group in 2013 with a positive rate of 0.95%.No significant differences with the positive rates of anti-AIV antibodies were found between the occupational group and the non-occupational group.However, the geometric mean titer ( GMT) of anti-AVI antibodies in people from the occupational group was higher than that of the non-occupational group.Conclusion Although a grand spread of AIV from avian to human is not likely to happen yet, con-tacting with poultry is the risk factor for AIV infection in Guangdong population.A long-term surveillance of anti-AIV antibodies in serum should be strengthened among people in poultry occupations for the timely pre-vention and control of novel AIV outbreak.

OBJECTIVEFragile X syndrome (FXS) may be identified by many methods, such as PCR assay and Southern blot. However, each method has its limits or shortcomings. This study explored the reliability of the rapid, convenient and inexpensive hair root fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP ) assay in the identification of FXS.

METHODSFMRP in hair roots was determined by immunohistochemistry assay in 80 healthy children, in 40 children with mental retardation of unknown etiology and in 12 family members in one pedigree of FXS. FXS was confirmed by 7-deza-dGTP PCR.

RESULTSThere was a high expression of FMRP in hair roots (> or =80%) in healthy children. Two children were confirmed with FXS by 7-deza-dGTP PCR in 40 children with mental retardation of unknown etiology. FMRP expression was 10% and zero respectively in the two children. The other 38 children had FMRP expression of more than 80%. FMRP was not expressed in the two cases of FXS from the pedigree of FXS.

CONCLUSIONSInexpensive, rapid and convenient hair root FMRP assay is reliable for the diagnosis of FXS and may be widely applied for screening and diagnosing FXS in children with mental retardation.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein ; analysis ; Fragile X Syndrome ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Hair ; chemistry ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

Objective To clarify the relationship between clinical manifestation and pathological features of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) patients with mild proteinuria and/or hematuria.Methods Clinicopathological data from 316 biopsy-proven IgAN cases (proteinuria＜1 g/24 h and/or hematuria, and Scr＜133 μmol/L) from our hospital between January 1993 and October 2009 were studied retrospectively. The renal histopathology was quantified according to Lee's grading and Katafuchi's semi-quantitative standard, and the risk factors for renal pathological lesions were evaluated using multifactor logistic regression analysis. Results Among these 316 patients, 123 were male and 193 patients were female. The mean age at the time of renal biopsy was (33.10±10.69) years old. Clinical features were found as follows: hematuria with proteinuria was found in 267 patients (84.5%), isolated hematuria in 24 patients (7.6%), and isolated proteinuria in 25 patients (7.9%). 16.5% of patients had hypertension. The percentages of CKD stage Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ were 76.9%, 20.9% and 2.2%, respectively. 31.3% of patients presented Lee's grade Ⅲ or more severe.52.8% of patients had various degrees of glomerulosclerosis. Crescent formation was observed in 20.3% of patients. 22.5% of patients showed tubular atrophy;16.8% showed interstitial fibrosis and 24.7% also had renal vascular lesions. The extent of glomerulosclerosis was negatively correlated with eGFR levels, but positively correlated with the amount of proteinuria and mean arterial pressure (MAP) level (P＜0.05). The score of tubulointerstitial lesion was positively correlated with the amount of proteinuria and negatively correlated with eGFR and hemoglobin (Hb)level (P＜0.05). The degree of renal vascular lesion was also correlated to MAP level positively and eGFR level negatively (P＜0.05). Multifactor logistic regression analysis revealed that proteinuria, Scr and Hb at the time of renal biopsy were independent risk factors for severe renal pathological lesions (Lee's grade Ⅲ or more severe) with odds ratio of 8.564, 1.031 and 0.975 respectively (all P＜0.01). Conclusions Severe renal histological lesions and decrease of renal function may be seen in some IgAN patients with mild proteinuria and/or hematuria. The levels of proteinuria,Scr and Hb are the independent risk factors for severe renal pathological lesions. Renal biopsy is important in these patients in order to make diagnosis and individual treatment.