A reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and single-strand conformation polymorphisms (SSCP) assay were applied to rapidly detect the molecular variability in CP and SP genes among seven isolates of Rice stripe virus in China. The PCR results showed that the CP gene of JD isolate and SP gene of PJ isolate could not be amplified. SSCP analysis showed that there were completely different electrophoretic pattern of CP gene among six isolates. To SP gene, SSCP results also discovered polymorphisms. There were five patterns among these isolates, and the pattern of YL and BS isolates were same.

NS2 and NS3 are two post-transcriptional gene silencing suppressors that are encoded by Rice stripe virus. Gene silencing suppressors are always related to the pathogenicity of viruses. In this study, the cDNA of NS2 and NS3 were recombined by overlapping PCR assays, ligated to the RNAi vector, and inserted into the PXQ expression vector using Pst I; the expressed vector was transferred into calluses induced from seeds of the japonica rice cultivar, 'Nipponbare', using an Agrobacterium-mediated method. Thirty-one T0 transgenic plants were selected by G418 screening. PCR and southern blot analyses confirmed that the target gene was transformed into transgenic rice successfully, and different transgenic plants contained various copies of the gene. The disease resistance assay revealed that T0 transgenic rice had a delayed onset of RSV for approximately 10-20 d, and the accumulation of virus in the transgenic plants was reduced by 30%-50%. This was related to the delayed onset of disease.
Disease Resistance ; Oryza ; genetics ; immunology ; virology ; Plant Diseases ; genetics ; immunology ; virology ; Plants, Genetically Modified ; genetics ; immunology ; virology ; RNA Interference ; Tenuivirus ; genetics ; immunology ; Viral Nonstructural Proteins ; genetics ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo study DNA damages of liver cells in rats exposed to vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), and the expressions of DNA damage repair enzymes including O(6)-methyl guanine-DNA methyl transferase (MGMT), X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1) and X-ray repair cross-complementing group 3 (XRCC3); and to explore the repair mechanism of DNA damage induced by VCM.

METHODSRats were exposed to VCM by intraperitoneal injection. DNA damages were detected by single cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay). The expressions of DNA damage repair enzymes were measured by immunohistochemical methods.

RESULTSThe percentages of comet cells in low, moderate, and high dose groups (11.75%, 12.38%, and 17.63%, respectively) were greater than that of control (5.67%). The latter two groups were significantly different from that of control (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The expressions of MGMT and XRCC1 decreased, and XRCC3 increased with the dose of VCM increased. DNA damage was correlated with the expression of XRCC3 (r = 0.438, P = 0.067).

CONCLUSIONVCM can cause DNA damage of liver cells with dose-response relationship. DNA damage repair enzymes take part in the repairing of DNA damage induced by VCM.

Animals ; Carcinogens ; toxicity ; DNA Damage ; drug effects ; DNA Repair ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Liver ; cytology ; metabolism ; Male ; O(6)-Methylguanine-DNA Methyltransferase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vinyl Chloride ; toxicity ; X-ray Repair Cross Complementing Protein 1

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of losartan, an angiotensin II type-1 receptor (AT1R) antagonist, on the levels of angiotensin II (Ang II) and AT1R in diabetic rat kidney.

METHODSMale Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups, group A (n=11) served as the control group, group B (n=11) included the diabetic rats (induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin) without any therapy, and group C (n=9) diabetic rats treated with losartan. After 18 weeks of treatment, the kidneys were taken from all the rats to measure the expression of AT1R mRNA by RT-PCR and detect the Ang II level. Blood was also drawn from the heart to measure Ang II level, and 24-hour urine was collected to measure albumin level (urine albumin excretion, UAE) with rat albumin enzyme immunoassay kit.

RESULTSThe blood and renal Ang II levels showed no significant difference between the 3 groups. The expression of renal AT1R mRNA in group B (0.62-/+0.17) was significantly lower than that in group A (1.13-/+0.82, P<0.01) and group C (1.13-/+0.62,P<0.01). UAE in group B (2.18-/+1.98 mg) was significantly higher than that in group A (0.41-/+0.47 mg/d, P<0.01) and C (0.65 -/+0.89 mg/d, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONLosartan can increase the expression of AT1R mRNA in diabetic rat kidneys without altering the blood and renal Ang II levels.

Angiotensin II ; blood ; metabolism ; Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; blood ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Immunoassay ; methods ; Kidney ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Losartan ; therapeutic use ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1 ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Objective To evaluate the effects of the serum of patients with obstructive jaundice on myogenic differentiation of human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs). Methods Hu?man PMVECs were isolated and then subcultured. The cultured PMVECs were incubated with the serum of patients with obstructive jaundice or with the serum of healthy volunteers. At 24, 48 and 72 h of incubation (T1?3), the inverted microscope was used to observe the morphology of primary PMVECs. The expression of muscular proteins ( alpha?smooth muscle actin [α?SMA ] , smooth muscle?mysion heavy chain [ SM?MHC] , capolnin) in PMVECs was detected using Western blot analysis. Results The expression of cal?ponin andα?SMA was negative, and a few SM?MHC proteins were expressed when PMVECs were incubated with the serum of healthy volunteers; the expression of calponin, α?SMA and SM?MHC was positive when PMVECs were incubated with the serum of patients with obstructive jaundice. Compared with the serum of healthy volunteers, the expression of SM?MHC was significantly up?regulated when PMVECs were incubated with the serum of patients with obstructive jaundice (P<0.05). The expression of calponin, α?SMA and SM?MHC was significantly up?regulated at T2,3 compared with that at T1 , and at T3 compared with that at T2 when PMVECs were incubated with the serum of patients with obstructive jaundice ( P<0.05) . Conclusion The serum of patients with obstructive jaundice promotes myogenic differentiation of human PMVECs, which is probably one of the mechanisms underlying intrapulmonary microvascular dilatation.

OBJECTIVETo study the prevalence and distribution of Tourette syndrome (TS).

METHODSNine thousand, seven hundred and forty-two children and juveniles aged 7 - 16 years in Wenzhou were studied, using cluster random sampling method.

RESULTSThe prevalence of TS among school-age children was estimated to be 0.43% (0.74% for males and 0.07% for females). The prevalence of male children and juveniles was higher than that of female children and juveniles (chi(2) = 25.09, P < 0.001, prevalence ratio = 10.95, prevalence ratio 95% CI: 3.38 - 35.46). The highest prevalence of TS was between 9 - 10 years old. The mean age at onset of TS was 7.7 +/- 2.7 years, with 45.2% of them among 6 - 7 year olds. The rate of delayed diagnosis and rates of misdiagnosis and misclassification of the syndromes were 78.6%, 42.9% and 23.8%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONTourette syndrome had been a common disease of children and juveniles in Wenzhou area. The disease was correlated with age and sex, often misdiagnosed and misclassified. Physicians and as well as general publics should be trained to identify the cases.

Adolescent ; Age Factors ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Prevalence ; Sex Factors ; Tourette Syndrome ; diagnosis ; epidemiology

This study explored the relationship between the fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) level and the efficacy of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) in asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) overlap syndrome (ACOS) patients with different disease severity. A total of 127 ACOS patients with ACOS (case group) and 131 healthy people (control group) were enrolled in this study. Based on the severity of COPD, the ACOS patients were divided into: mild ACOS; moderate ACOS; severe ACOS; and extremely severe ACOS groups. We compared FeNO levels, pulmonary function parameters including percentage of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) to predicted value (FEV1%pred), ratio of FEV1 to forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC), inspiratory capacity to total lung capacity (IC/TLC) and residual volume to total lung capacity (RV/TLC), arterial blood gas parameters, including PH, arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO₂) and arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO₂), total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE), induced sputum eosinophil (EOS), plasma surfactant protein A (SP-A), plasma soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE), sputum myeloperoxidase (MPO), sputum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and Asthma Control Test (ACT) scores, and COPD Assessment Test (CAT) scores. Compared with pre-treatment parameters, the FeNO levels, RV/TLC, PaCO₂, total serum IgE, induced sputum EOS, plasma SP-A, sputum MPO, sputum NGAL, and CAT scores were significantly decreased after 6 months of ICS treatment, while FEV1%pred, FEV1/FVC, IC/TLC, PH, PaO₂, plasma sRAGE, and ACT scores were significantly increased in ACOS patients with different disease severity after 6 months of ICS treatment. This finding suggests that the FeNO level may accurately predict the efficacy of ICS in the treatment of ACOS patients.
Animals ; Asthma ; Carbon Dioxide ; Cats ; Eosinophils ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Glycosylation End Products, Advanced ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulins ; Inspiratory Capacity ; Lipocalins ; Lung Diseases, Obstructive ; Neutrophils ; Nitric Oxide* ; Oxygen ; Partial Pressure ; Peroxidase ; Plasma ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A ; Residual Volume ; Sputum ; Total Lung Capacity ; Vital Capacity

OBJECTIVETo study the epidemiological features of tic disorders (TD) among schoolchildren in Wenzhou area.

METHODSStratified cluster sampling was carried out to investigate TD in 9742 schoolchildren aged 7 to 16 years old in Wenzhou.

RESULTSThe average prevalence rate of TD among school-age children was 104/10 000 (166/10 000 for males, 29/10 000 for females). There was a significantly higher prevalence rate for males than that for females (chi(2) = 43.96, P < 0.001, prevalence ratio = 5.7, prevalence ratio 95% CI: 3.20 - 10.30). The prevalence rates of clinical subtypes in males was significantly higher than that of females while pupils was significantly higher than that in high school students (chi(2) = 11.33, P < 0.01, prevalence ratio = 2.2, prevalence ratio 95% CI: 1.37 - 3.43). Prevalence rate of transient tic disorders (TTD), chronic motor vocal tic disorder (CMVTD), tourette syndrome (TS) were 34/10 000, 27/10 000 and 43/10 000 respectively with the highest among 9-10 years old group. The mean onset age of TD was 8.5 +/- 2.8 years. The peak of onset was among 6-10 year olds. The rate of delayed diagnosis of the disorders was 69.3% and the median in delayed diagnosis was 1.0 year.

CONCLUSIONTD is a common disease with high rate of misdiagnoses among schoolchildren in Wenzhou area. Physicians and population should be trained to identify the syndromes and to practice correct diagnosis and effective treatment as early as possible.

Adolescent ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Prevalence ; Sex Factors ; Tic Disorders ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Tourette Syndrome ; epidemiology ; prevention & control

OBJECTIVETo analyses the clinical application of thoracodorsal artery perforator flaps (TAP).

METHODSWe used free or pedicled TAP flaps in 7 patients from Aug 2006 to April 2007, The age ranged from 7 to 42 years old, the perforator arteries was detected and labeled with a hand held Doppler flowmeter, the size of flaps ranged from 6 cm x 9 cm - 12 cm x 16 cm, the flaps designed with perforator artery included, all the flaps are based on the first perforator artery.

RESULTSAll the flaps survived well, no complication occurred with lowest donor site morbidity.

CONCLUSIONSThe thoracodorsal artery flap with latissimus dorsal muscle saved is a thin and reliable flaps with robust of blood supply, the flap can reduce significantly donor site morbidity and is a good choice for reconstructive surgery.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Back ; blood supply ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Surgical Flaps ; blood supply ; Thoracic Arteries ; transplantation ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical application of submental artery perforator flap for lower face defect and deformity.

METHODSFrom Sep. 2006 to Mar. 2009, 22 cases with lower face defects and deformities were treated with the submental artery perforator flaps. The age of the patients ranged from 14 to 36. The perforator point was detected by Doppler flowmeter. The size of the flaps ranged from 4 cm x 5 cm to 6 cm x 7 cm.

RESULTSDistal partial necrosis happened in one flap, which healed through dressing. All the other flaps survived with satisfactory appearance and less morbidity in donor sites.

CONCLUSIONSSubmental artery perforator flap is very suitable for lower face defect and deformity with reliable blood supply and less morbidity in donor site.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Chin ; blood supply ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mandible ; abnormalities ; Mandibular Injuries ; surgery ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Skin Transplantation ; methods ; Surgical Flaps ; blood supply ; Young Adult