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@#Abstract: Mycobacterium senegalense is one of the major pathogens causing bovine farcy, and reports of its infection in human are rare. Here is a report on a woman who had been taking hormones and immunosuppressants for a long time for SLE and underwent abdominal soft tissue infection with Mycobacterium senegalense after abdominal liposuction, to provide reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment. The patient, female, 32 years old, has a history of SLE for more than 2 years, and currently takes "methylprednisolone, hydroxychloroquine, and mycophenolate mofetil" regularly. Nine months before the patient was admitted to the hospital, she once performed abdominal, waist and buttock liposuction in a medical beauty institution. One month after the operation, several masses gradually appeared on the abdominal wall, accompanied by tenderness, one of the masses had obvious fluctuation on palpation and purulent fluid could be drawn out. The location of the abdominal wall mass was consistent with the insertion site of the liposuction needle. After the onset of the disease, the patient went to the medical beauty institution for puncture of the abdominal wall mass, and 5 mL of purulent fluid was pierced and sent for bacterial culture, and cultured "Mycobacterium Senegalense", after 3 days of treatment with "cephalosporin" antibiotics (specifically unknown), the symptoms did not improve, so she went to the second affiliated hospital of hainan medical college. After completing the relevant examinations during the hospitalization in our hospital, in order to clarify the etiology, another abdominal puncture to extract pus was performed, the mycobacterial culture + identification results: Mycobacterium senegalense. Consistent with the out-of-hospital results, the diagnosis of Mycobacterium senegalense infection was confirmed. After 3 months of treatment with "cefoxitin, azithromycin, amikacin, and levofloxacin", the patient's abdominal wall soft tissue infection was cured. Trauma or invasive procedures can lead to skin, muscle, or bone infection with nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), which can manifest as chronic painless nodules that progress to purulent folliculitis and abscesses. NTM infection should be suspected when the patient's wound has been exposed to water, there is a history of surgery, and empirical anti-infection is ineffective. This is the first case of Mycobacterium senegalense infection caused by medical beauty, which tell people that they should be cautious when choosing medical aesthetic projects and medical aesthetic institutions.
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An auxiliary isolation device of cupping therapy for cross-infection prevention is designed to reduce the disinfection steps and be against cross transmission. This device is composed of a disposable isolation unit made of fire proof plastic material and a disposable cup-mouth fixator made of elastic material. The disposable isolation unit includes two parts, the cup neck isolation unit and the inner isolation unit of fire cup. These two parts connect with the disposable cup-mouth fixator. All of those three sections of the device are center-connected ring-like structure. This device can well prevent the direct contact of fire cup with the patient's skin surface, characterized as safety protection, simple operation and saving time and manpower.
Subject(s)
Humans , Cupping TherapyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the risk factors for brain injury in preterm infants by a multicenter epidemiological investigation of brain injury in hospitalized preterm infants in Anhui, China.@*METHODS@#Preterm infants who were hospitalized in the department of neonatology in 9 hospitals of Anhui Neonatal Collaboration Network between January 2016 and January 2017 were enrolled as subjects. The data of maternal pregnancy and clinical data of preterm infants were collected, and the logistic regression model was used to analyze the risk factors for brain injury in preterm infants.@*RESULTS@#A total of 3 378 preterm infants were enrolled. Of the 3 378 preterm infants, 798 (23.56%) had periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage (PVH-IVH), and 88 (2.60%) had periventricular leukomalacia (PVL). Intrauterine distress, anemia, hypoglycemia and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) were risk factors for PVH-IVH (OR=1.310, 1.591, 1.835, and 3.310 respectively; P<0.05), while a higher gestational age was a protective factor against PVH-IVH (OR=0.671, P<0.05). PVH-IVH, NEC and mechanical ventilation were risk factors for PVL (OR=4.017, 3.018, and 2.166 respectively; P<0.05), and female sex and use of pulmonary surfactant were protective factors against PVL (OR=0.514 and 0.418 respectively; P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Asphyxia/anoxia, infection/inflammation, mechanical ventilation, anemia and hypoglycemia may increase the risk of brain injury in preterm infants.
Subject(s)
Humans , Infant, Newborn , Brain Injuries , Cerebral Hemorrhage , China , Gestational Age , Infant, Premature , Leukomalacia, PeriventricularABSTRACT
ObjectiveThe transient expression of the functional receptor sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP) leads to the inefficiency and instability of the hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma cell model. The aim of this study was to construct NTCP-Huh7 cell lines by transfecting GV358-NTCP into Huh7 cells and identify their susceptibility to HBV.MethodsThe recombinant plasmid GV358-NTCP was obtained by ligation of GV358 and NTCP, and then transfected into Huh7 cells for the construction of NTCP-Huh7 cells. The NTCP-Huh7 cells (NTCP-Huh7 group) and Huh7 cells (Huh7 group) were infected with HBV and co-incubated with HBV for 18 hours, and the co-incubation was continued after change of the culture medium. At 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 days of incubation, the supernatant and cells were collected for measurement of the contents of HBsAg, HBeAg, HBcAg and HBV DNA in the supernatant and HBV cccDNA in the cells as well as for determination of HBV susceptibility of the NTCP-Huh7 recombinant cells.ResultsWestern blot showed stably expressed NTCP proteins in the NTCP-Huh7 cells. At 8 days of incubation, the levels of HBsAg and HBeAg were significantly higher in the NTCP-Huh7 group (0.866±0.040 and 0.603±0.053) than in the Huh7 group (0.237±0.063 and 0.209±0.112) (P<0.05), reaching the peak at 8 days and also remarkably higher in the former than in the latter group at 4, 6 and 10 days (P < 0.05). So were the levels of HBV DNA and HBV cccDNA in the NTCP-Huh7 than in the Huh7 group at 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 days (P < 0.05). Immunofluorescence assay revealed the core antigen of HBV in the NTCP-Huh7 but not in Huh7 cells.ConclusionNTCP-Huh7 cells obtained by transfection of the GV358-NTCP recombinant plasmid into Huh7 cells are susceptible to HBV infection.
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Liver failure is a severe clinical syndrome and hitherto lack of effective treatment. Large numbers of studies have shown that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs),especially umbilical cord MSCs,have a therapeutic effect on acute liver failure. Yet,the homing of MSCs in vivo affects the effectiveness of engraftment. The author presents an overview of the results of recent basic and clini-cal studies on the treatment of liver failure with MSCs and proposes a direction of development in this field,hoping to give some enlight-enment to the postgraduates and clinicians of hepatology.
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To summarize the breeding and identification of Wuzhishan miniature pig models with α-l,3-galactosyltransferase (GGTA1) gene-knockout (GTKO).Methods The breeding and reproduction perform of GTKO Wuzhishan miniature pigs were assessed and the quantity of piglets was counted.The GTKO Wuzhishan miniature pig models with GGTA1gene knockout were validated by polymerase chain reaction(PCR).The αGal phenotype of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in human,wild-type Wuzhishan miniature pigs and GTKO Wuzhishan miniature pigs was detected by fluorescent microscope and flow cytometry.Routine blood test parameters were statistically compared between the GTKO and wild-type Wuzhishan miniature pigs.Results The inheritance of GGTA1 genotype complied with Mendel's law.Flow cytometry detected no fluorescent expression of PBMC in GGTA1-/-pig models,which were consistent with the genotype identification results.The mean piglets of the primiparous GTKO Wuzhishan miniature pigs were (6.8±1.8) and (8.3±2.2) for the multiparous Wuzhishan miniature pigs.No statistical significance was noted in routine blood test parameters between the GTKO and wild-type Wuzhishan miniature pigs (all P＞0.05).Conclusions Stable inheritance and normal reproductive capacity are observed in two generations of Wuzhishan miniature pigs continuously.GTKO Wuzhishan miniature pig is a reliable donor for heterogeneous organ transplantation.
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Department of Pediatrics, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China. zhuchuanlong@jsph.org.cn.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Child , Female , Humans , Male , Glycyrrhizic Acid , Therapeutic Uses , Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease , Drug Therapy , TabletsABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>The properties of subchondral bone influence the integrity of articular cartilage in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). However, the characteristics of subchondral bone alterations remain unresolved. The present study aimed to observe the dynamic alterations in the microarchitecture, mineralization, and mechanical properties of subchondral bone during the progression of OA.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A medial meniscal tear (MMT) operation was performed in 128 adult Sprague Dawley rats to induce OA. At 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks following the MMT operation, cartilage degeneration was evaluated using toluidine blue O staining, whereas changes in the microarchitecture indices and tissue mineral density (TMD), mineral-to-collagen ratio, and intrinsic mechanical properties of subchondral bone plates (BPs) and trabecular bones (Tbs) were measured using micro-computed tomography scanning, confocal Raman microspectroscopy and nanoindentation testing, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Cartilage degeneration occurred and worsened progressively from 2 to 12 weeks after OA induction. Microarchitecture analysis revealed that the subchondral bone shifted from bone resorption early (reduced trabecular BV/TV, trabecular number, connectivity density and trabecular thickness [Tb.Th], and increased trabecular spacing (Tb.Sp) at 2 and 4 weeks) to bone accretion late (increased BV/TV, Tb.Th and thickness of subchondral bone plate, and reduced Tb.Sp at 8 and 12 weeks). The TMD of both the BP and Tb displayed no significant changes at 2 and 4 weeks but decreased at 8 and 12 weeks. The mineral-to-collagen ratio showed a significant decrease from 4 weeks for the Tb and from 8 weeks for the BP after OA induction. Both the elastic modulus and hardness of the Tb showed a significant decrease from 4 weeks after OA induction. The BP showed a significant decrease in its elastic modulus from 8 weeks and its hardness from 4 weeks.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The microarchitecture, mineralization and mechanical properties of subchondral bone changed in a time-dependent manner as OA progressed.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Rats , Collagen , Metabolism , Osteoarthritis , Diagnostic Imaging , Metabolism , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , X-Ray MicrotomographyABSTRACT
The different biological functions were studied in mouse bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells isolated by differential time attachment to obtain the optimal adherent time in this study. Density gradient centrifugation-isolated bone marrow mononuclear cells were seeded on the fibronectin-coated dish. The 1-day cultured unattached cells were seeded on the second dish for 2 more days. Then unattached cells in the second dish were seeded on the third dish. The cells on 3 dishes were defined as 1-day adherent cells, 3-day adherent cells and 3-day unattached cells, respectively. After 20-day culture, the biological functions, such as the percentage of biomarkers, the ability of adhesion, and the ability of forming tubes in vitro were analyzed. The results showed that the percentages of positive CD34, FLK-1, and CD34/FLK-1 expressions in 1-day attached cells were significantly increased compared to those in the 3-day adherent or unattached cells (P < 0.01), which showed the strongest adhesion ability. The expression of eNOS in 1- or 3-day adherent cells was significantly higher than that in 3-day unattached cells (P < 0.01). The expression of VEGF in 3-day adherent cells was significantly higher than that in 1-day adherent cells or 3-day unattached cells (P < 0.01). These results suggest the biological functions of 1-day adherent cells are significantly stronger than that of 3-day adherent or unattached cells. VEGF expression in 3-day adherent cells is higher than that in 1-day adherent cells or 3-day unattached cells. The expression of eNOS in 1-day adherent cells or 3-day adherent cells is higher than that in 3-day unattached cells. The optimal adherent time to obtain mouse bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells is 1-3 d.
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Mice , Bone Marrow Cells , Cell Biology , Cell Culture Techniques , Methods , Cell Differentiation , Cell Separation , Methods , Cells, Cultured , Endothelial Cells , Cell Biology , Metabolism , Leukocytes, Mononuclear , Cell Biology , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III , Metabolism , Stem Cells , Cell Biology , Metabolism , Time Factors , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A , MetabolismABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the protective effect and the mechanism of controlled hypotension induced by transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) combined with general anesthesia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixteen male Beagles were randomly divided into a group of controlled hypotension induced by simple general anesthesia (control group) and a group of controlled hypotension induced by TEAS combined with general anesthesia (observation group). All the animals were administered with combination of Isoflurane and Sodium Nitroprusside (SNP) for controlled hypotension without TEAS until the arterial pressure was lowered to 30% basic mean arterial pressure (MAP) for 60 min. In the observation group, TEAS (2 Hz/100 Hz, 3-5 mA) was applied to "Hegu" (LI 4) "Zusanli" (ST 36), "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) and "Quchi" (LI 11) from the beginning of physiological conditions stability to the end of maintained low MAP for 60 min, but there was no TEAS in control group. The changes of MAP, the left intraventricular pressure (LIVP), T wave and ST-T segment of II lead electrocardiogram (ECG) were monitored with the physiological signal acquisition system, and myocardial apoptosis was detected by TUNEL method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All the animals could maintain stable required low blood pressure. At one hour after cease of controlled hypotension, MAP of (109.56 +/- 6.14) mmHg returned to the basic level in the observation group, while MAP of (84.91 +/- 6.36) mmHg was still lower than its basic MAP of (111.02 +/- 4.15) mmHg in the control group (P < 0.05), showing significant difference in MAP between the two groups (P < 0.05). -dp/dtmax of (3156.32 +/- 332.82) mmHg/s showed significant lower than its basic value of (4585.33 +/- 638.55) mmHg/s when blood pressure increased for 1 h in the control group (P < 0.05), but there was no difference in the observation group. When the objective low MAP maintaining for 60 min the ST segment was decreased significantly in the control group (P < 0.05), but there was no difference in the observation group. The numbers of positive apoptosis cardiocytes in the observation group were (24.67 +/- 2.45) cells/mm2, which were significantly fewer than (37.89 +/- 1.90) cells/mm2 in the control group (P < 0. 05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>TEAS combined with general anesthesia for controlled hypotension can significantly shorten restoration time of MAP, help to improve myocardial ischemia and the cardiac functional recovery and reduce myocardial apoptosis so as to produce myocardial protection.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Dogs , Humans , Male , Acupuncture Points , Anesthesia, General , Anesthetics, General , Pharmacology , Blood Pressure , Heart , Physiology , Hypotension, Controlled , Models, Animal , Random Allocation , Transcutaneous Electric Nerve StimulationABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To examine serum tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP) -1 and -2 levels in children with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and to investigate possible roles of the two markers.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and five obese children were classified into 4 groups: simple obesity (n=44), simple nonalcoholic fatty liver (SNAFL, n=25), and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH, n=36). Serum TIMP-1 and -2 levels were measured using ELISA. Serum ALT and gamma-GT levels were measured with totally automatic enzymatic method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Serum levels of TIMP-1 and gamma-GT increased with the disease development from simple obesity to SNAFL and NASH (P<0.05). Both serum TIMP-1 and -2 levels were positively correlated with gamma-GT levels (r=0.534, P<0.01; r=0.351, P<0.05, respectively). Ninety-seven percent of children in the NASH group had serum TIMP-1 levels over 2 standard deviations of healthy controls (83.35 microg/ L) compared with 76% in the SNAFL group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the case proportion with TIMP-2 levels over 2 standard deviations of healthy controls between the NASH and the SNAFL groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Both TIMP-1 and -2 may reflect the state of liver fibrosis in children with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and serum TIMP-1 appears to be more reliable.</p>
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Child , Female , Humans , Male , Alanine Transaminase , Blood , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Fatty Liver , Blood , Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 , Blood , Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 , Blood , gamma-Glutamyltransferase , BloodABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Erythropoietin (EPO) functions as a tissue-protective cytokine in addition to its crucial hormonal role in red cell production and neuron protection. This study aimed to determine the neuron protective effect of erythropoietin on experimental rats enduring spinal cord injury (SCI) by assessing thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) level and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) in the development of a rat model of SCI.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to three groups: sham operation control group, SCI group and EPO treatment group. By using a weight-drop contusion SCI model, the rats in the SCI group and EPO treatment group were sacrificed at 24 hours and 7 days subsequently. The Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) scores were examined for locomotor function. Pathological changes were observed after HE staining. The expressions of thrombospondin-2 (TSP-1) and TGF-beta were determined by immunohistochemical staining and Western blotting.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Slighter locomotor dysfunction was discovered and it was recovered abruptly as higher BBB scores were found in the EPO treatment group than in the SCI group (P < 0.01). Pathologically, progressive disruption of the dorsal white matter and regeneration of a few neurons were also observed in SCI rats. TSP-1 and TGF-beta expression increased at 24 hours and 7 days after SCI in the injured segment, and it was higher in the SCI group than in the EPO treatment group. Spinal cord samples from the animals demonstrated a TSP-1 optical density of 112.2 +/- 6.8 and TSP-1 positive cells of 5.7 +/- 1.3 respectively. After injury, the TSP-1 optical density and cell number increased to 287.2 +/- 14.3/mm(2) and 23.2 +/- 2.6/mm(2) at 24 hours and to 232.1 +/- 13.2/mm(2) and 15.2 +/- 2.3/mm(2) at 7 days respectively. When EPO treated rats compared with the SCI rats, the TSP-1 optical density and cell number decreased to 213.1 +/- 11.6/mm(2) and 11.9 +/- 1.6/mm(2) at 24 hours and to 189.9 +/- 10.5/mm(2) and 9.3 +/- 1.5/mm(2) at 7 days, respectively (P < 0.01). In the SCI rats, the TGF-beta optical density and positive neuron number were 291.4 +/- 15.2/mm(2) and 28.8 +/- 4.9/mm(2) at 24 hours and 259.1 +/- 12.3/mm(2) and 23.9 +/- 4.1/mm(2) at 7 days respectively. They decreased in the EPO treated rats to 222.8 +/- 11.9/mm(2) and 13.7 +/- 2.1/mm(2) at 24 hours and to 196.5 +/- 9.7/mm(2) and 8.7 +/- 2.2/mm(2) at 7 days (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Increased expression of TSP-1 and TGF-beta can be found in the injured segment of the spinal cord at 24 hours and 7 days after injury. EPO treatment can effectively prevent pathological alterations from severe spinal cord injury by reduced expression of TSP-1 and TGF-beta.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Female , Rats , Blotting, Western , Disease Models, Animal , Erythropoietin , Therapeutic Uses , Immunohistochemistry , Neuroprotective Agents , Therapeutic Uses , Random Allocation , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Spinal Cord Injuries , Drug Therapy , Metabolism , Thrombospondin 1 , Metabolism , Transforming Growth Factor beta , MetabolismABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To discuss the curative effect of the external fixator for complex tissue defect in the forearm.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From May, 2005 through December, 2008, the external fixators were used in 17 patients to treat the complex tissue defect in the forearm caused by trauma. There were 11 male and 6 female, with a mean age of 25.6. All patients were accompanied with the exposure of tendon, muscle or screw. The skin defect ranged from 7 cm x4 cm to 19 cm x9 cm. All patients underwent pedicle flap repair. The flap ranged from 10 cm x 6 cm to 20 cm x 15 cm. The proximal pedicle of the flap was sutured into a tubular. The position of the pedicle was fixed by the external fixator. The pin was at the ulnar and the iliac (n=5), and the radius and the iliac (n=12). The immobilization lasted 3 to 8 weeks, 5.1 weeks in average.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All patients were followed up for 3 to 20 months, 11.3 in average. All pedicle flaps survived with no pressure ulcer, or no erosion in the axilla. No compartment syndrome or osteomyelitis occurred. Four to six week after surgery, the pedicle was cut. Infection occurred at the cutting end in 1 patient. The wound healed after addressing. The wound in the other 16 patients healed successfully. The fracture of the ulnar and the radius healed 8.5 or 15 weeks after surgery, 13.5 weeks in average. Eleven patients underwent second stage reshape and function restoration. The function of the hands and forearms recovered satisfactorily. Eleven patients returned to their work. Six patients can live with basic function for living.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The external fixator used for complex tissue defect in the forearm can keep the position of the pedicle, replacing plaster fixation. It can reduce the incidence of flap and vessel spasm, and get good outcomes.</p>
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Young Adult , External Fixators , Follow-Up Studies , Forearm Injuries , General Surgery , Surgical FlapsABSTRACT
Objective To study the antagonistic effect of N-acetyl-L-cysteine(NAC)and ?-lipoic acid(LA)to the oxidative damage in the liver and kidney of rats induced by the condensate of cooking oil fume(COF).Methods SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups,8 in each,the blank control,COF group(10 ml/kg,subcutaneous injection),COF plus NAC(2 mmol/kg, intraperitoneal injection)and COF plus LA(0.35 mmol/kg,intraperitoneal injection).Forty-eight hours after treatment,the activity of SOD,GSH-Px and MDA level in the livers and kidneys were determined.Results In the kidney,compared with the COF group, both of NAC and LA could increase the activity of kidney SOD and GSH-Px and decreased the MDA level significantly,the same results were seen in the liver.Conclusion Both of N-aeetyl-L-cysteine and ?-lipoic acid has an obvious antagonistic effect to the oxidative damage in the liver and kidney of rats induced by the condensates of cooking oil fume.
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Objective To study the antagonistic effects of grape procyanidin(GPC)or lipoic acid(LA)to the rat liver cell peroxidative damage induced by~(60)Co ? radiation.Methods The cultured rat liver cells(1?10~9/L)were prepared from 10 rats aged 1 week,the survival rate was above 85%.The cultured liver cells were divided into the negative control group(without radiation), GPC group(75 mg/L),LA group(100 mg/L)and the positive control group(containing no antioxidants),which were radiated by (60)~Co ? radiation(2.5 Gy,90 cm,10 s).The SOD,GSH-Px activity,MDA level and comet assay were determined.Results Compared with the positive control group,in the GPC group and LA group,the activity of hepatic SOD and GSH-Px were significantly higher (P
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To study the contribution of T cell subsets in the pathogenesis of Murine hepatitis virus Type3 (MHV-3) induced chronic viral hepatitis in C3H/Hej mice, ninety C3H/Hej mice were chosen to individually receive 10 plaque forming units (PFU) of MHV-3 intraperitoneally. The changes of virus titer and pathology in liver tissue were examined by standard plaque assay and by the hematoxylin/eosin (HE) staining method from 2 days post MHV-3 infection. The ratios of T cell subsets including CD3+CD4+CD8-, CD3+CD4-CD8+, CD3+CD4-CD8-, CD3+CD4+CD25+, CD3+CD4+CD25- and CD3+CD4-CD25+ T lymphocyte of total T lymphocytes in blood, spleen and liver were examined at 0, 2, 4, 6,8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40 days post MHV-3 infection by flow cytosorting. We observed that the virus titer raised and showed persistent virus duplications and inflammatory changes in the livers of C3H/Hej mice from 2 days post MHV-3 infection. The double negative T cell (DN Treg cell) and CD4+CD25+ T cell ratios increased significantly from 2 days post MHV-3 infection in C3H/Hej mice, and CD3+CD4+CD8-, CD3+CD4-CD8+, CD3+CD4+CD25- and CD3+CD4-CD25+ T cell ratios decreased accordingly. In conclusion, the changes of virus titer and pathology in the livers of C3H/Hej mice post MHV-3 suggest their contribution to viral persistence. Further characterizations of DN Treg cells are that infection indicates that MHV-3 could induce the chronic inflammation in livers of C3H/Hej mice.The increase of the DN Treg cell and CD4+CD25+ T cell ratios in C3H/Hej mice post MHV-3 infection suggests that DN Treg cells and CD4+CD25+ T cells may both have important suppressive immunomodulation functions in the development of chronic viral hepatitis and have important roles in the virus persistent infection. Further characterizations of DNT cell and CD4+CD25+ T cell are under investigation.
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This study was designed to explore the RNA interference technique in inhibition of the expression of the mouse fibrinogen like protein 2 (mfgl2), which has been reported to be involved in the development a variety of diseases including fulminant viral hepatitis. A plasmid named p-mfgl2shRNA,complementary to the sequence of mfgl2 was constructed, while another short hairpin RNA (shRNA)which was a mutated form of the mfgl2shRNA sequences was used as a control. A plasmid named pEGFP-mfgl2 expressing the mfgl2-EGFP fusion protein was also constructed for the screening of the effect of p-mfgl2shRNA on mfgl2 expression. By cotransfection of p-mfgl2shRNA and pEGFP-mfgl2 or pcDNA3.1-mfgl2 expression construct into CHO cells or HeLa cells, the inhibition of mfgl2 expression by mfgl2shRNA was analyzed by direct observation through fluorescent microscopy, FACS, RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry staining. The experiments showed the significant inhibitory effect of p-mfgl2shRNA on mfgl2 expression at 48h post-transfection in both CHO and Hela cell lines with the inhibitory efficiency as high as 80.1%. The study demonstrated that the construct of p-mfgl2shRNA successfully interfered with the mfgl2 expression in vitro.
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<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Adrenomedullin is a potent vasodilating peptide and involved in many cardiovascular diseases. However, whether adrenomedullin is involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic cardiomyopathy is still unknown. Our aim was to characterize the expression pattern of adrenomedullin in the myocardium of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The weight, blood glucose, and urine glucose of 20 streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were measured before and after model induction in the diabetic and control groups. The alteration of the adrenomedullin expression was explored in the left ventricular myocardium in both groups by immunohistochemistry. Changes in heart ultrastructure were also analyzed by using hemotoxylin and eosin staining and transmission electron microscopy. All data were analyzed by the independent samples t test.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The data of weight, blood glucose, and urine glucose had no significant difference between the control and the diabetic groups before animal model induction. Four weeks after the induction of diabetes, the differences between the two groups in weight, blood glucose, and urine glucose were distinct. When compared with the control group, the diabetic group showed ultrastructural changes including hypertrophy, fibrosis, myofibrillar disarrangements, mitochondrial disruption, and increase in nuclear membrane invaginations. A significant decrease of adrenomedullin expression was also observed in cardiac myocytes of the diabetic rats (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Our study provides experimental evidence that hyperglycemia could damage cardiac myocytes. Down-regulation of cardioprotective peptide adrenomedullin in the myocardium of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats may contribute to the diabetic cardiomyopathy and left ventricular dysfunction.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Female , Rats , Adrenomedullin , Blood Glucose , Cardiomyopathies , Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental , Metabolism , Immunohistochemistry , Myocardium , Chemistry , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , StreptozocinABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To understand the epidemiological, clinical and etiological characteristics of an Echovirus type 6 meningitis outbreak in Jinzhai county, Liu'an city in Anhui, and to find out the proper way in controlling the aseptic meningitis outbreak.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A surveillance system for aseptic meningitis was established in Jinzhai to confirm the case definition. Stool or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens from some cases were collected for entero-viruses isolation and identification. Case-control study was conducted. The case group involved patients while the controls would include: patients' classmate with same gender and the age difference was not over one year. Neutralization antibody in serum specimens were collected and tested in cases and in healthy people.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>105 cases were distributed in 17 of the 30 towns in Jinzhai county while 41.0% of the cases were in Banzhuyuan town with an incidence rate of 203/10(5). Cases were clustered by school and classroom with age ranging from 3 to 15 years old and the highest as 10.9/10(5) in the 6 to 10 group. The incidence in males was 24.2/10(5) compared to 8.4/10(5) in females. The main clinic characteristics of cases were: fever, headache and vomiting. Echovirus type 6 from 25 of the 72 CSF samples (35%) was isolated. When comparing the cases group with control group, the OR of drinking home-made beverages was 4.1 (95% CI: 1.4-12.0), especially the beverages sacked by plastic bag: 3.3 (95% CI: 1.3-8.8). 6 out of 7 workers engaging in producing home-made beverages were detected to have carried Echovirus type 6 from their stool specimens. The Echovirus type 6 neutralization antibody positive rate in cases (73.5%) was significantly higher than that in 100 healthy people (46.0%) (X2 = 12. 526, P = 0.000).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This episode of meningitis outbreak was caused by Echovirus type 6. The proportion of drinking home-made beverages, especially the beverages sacked by plastic bag in cases group was higher than in control group.</p>
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Male , China , Epidemiology , Echovirus 6, Human , Virulence , Echovirus Infections , Epidemiology , Pathology , Virology , Meningitis , Epidemiology , Pathology , Virology , PrejudiceABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To construct the siRNA plasmid for mfgl2 gene, which has been reported to be involved in a variety of disease developments including fulminant viral hepatitis, acute rejection of allo/zero transplantation and fetal loss syndrome, and to investigate its inhibitory effects on mfgl2 expression in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A plasmid p-mfgl2shRNA complimentary to the sequence responsible for the functional domain of mouse fgl2 (mfgl2) was constructed. The pcDNA3.1 mfgl2 expression construct was able to show a satisfactory fgl2 protein expression. The plasmid expression pEGFP and a construct expressing irrelevant shRNA with a random combination of the p-mfgl2shRNA sequence were used as controls. A pEGFP-mfgl2 expressing mfgl2-EGFP fusion protein was also constructed for screening of the effect of p-mfgl2shRNA on the mfgl2 expression.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Cotransfection of p-mfgl2shRNA with pEGFP-mfgl2 decreased green fluorescent cells and the lightness of fluorescence within the cells at the 24 h, 48 h and 72 h post-transfection when compared with that in the control groups which were solely transfected with pEGFP-mfgl2. Furthermore the mfgl2 expression was significantly reduced when the pcDNA3.1 mfgl2 expression construct was cotransfected with p-mfgl2shRNA both at mRNA level by RT-PCR and protein level by RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry staining and FACS in both CHO cell and Hela cell lines.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The study demonstrated that the construct of p-mfgl2shRNA successfully interfered in the mfgl2 expression in vitro. It provides a basis for a further investigation of effect in vivo.</p>