Changes of lymphocyte subsets in smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis

Background and Aims: The host immune system plays an important role in the pathogenesis and defense mechanism of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). This study aimed to explore the different changes in the immune system between smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and smear-positive PTB patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 85 active PTB patients and 50 healthy adults were enrolled. The participants were divided into smear-negative PTB, smear-positive PTB, and control groups. Chest computed tomography (CT) and lymphocyte subgroup counts in peripheral blood were measured in all participants. Results: There were higher numbers of CD4 + T-cells, NK cells, and pulmonary cavities in the smear-positive PTB group, whereas the numbers of B-ells were significantly increased in the smear-negative PTB group. Conclusions: Smear-negative PTB showed fewer pulmonary cavities, mild inflammatory response, lower numbers of immune cells, and higher numbers of B- cells.

Global microRNA profiles and signaling pathways in the development of cardiac hypertrophy

Hypertrophy is a major predictor of progressive heart disease and has an adverse prognosis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) that accumulate during the course of cardiac hypertrophy may participate in the process. However, the nature of any interaction between a hypertrophy-specific signaling pathway and aberrant expression of miRNAs remains unclear. In this study, Spague Dawley male rats were treated with transverse aortic constriction (TAC) surgery to mimic pathological hypertrophy. Hearts were isolated from TAC and sham operated rats (n=5 for each group at 5, 10, 15, and 20 days after surgery) for miRNA microarray assay. The miRNAs dysexpressed during hypertrophy were further analyzed using a combination of bioinformatics algorithms in order to predict possible targets. Increased expression of the target genes identified in diverse signaling pathways was also analyzed. Two sets of miRNAs were identified, showing different expression patterns during hypertrophy. Bioinformatics analysis suggested the miRNAs may regulate multiple hypertrophy-specific signaling pathways by targeting the member genes and the interaction of miRNA and mRNA might form a network that leads to cardiac hypertrophy. In addition, the multifold changes in several miRNAs suggested that upregulation of rno-miR-331*, rno-miR-3596b, rno-miR-3557-5p and downregulation of rno-miR-10a, miR-221, miR-190, miR-451 could be seen as biomarkers of prognosis in clinical therapy of heart failure. This study described, for the first time, a potential mechanism of cardiac hypertrophy involving multiple signaling pathways that control up- and downregulation of miRNAs. It represents a first step in the systematic discovery of miRNA function in cardiovascular hypertrophy.

Movement of trunk and surface electromyography under symmetric loading and unloading with static posture / 医用生物力学

Objective To observe the electromyography (EMG) activities and kinematic characteristics of the back, abdomen and hip muscles under the static symmetric loading and unloading with the flexion and extension posture. Methods Six healthy male subjects stood on a specially designed testing platform, doing flexion/extension under symmetric loading and unloading, respectively. Each trial lasted 4 seconds and was repeated 3 times. The EMG activities of 10 muscles(rectus abdominis，obliquus externus abdominis，erector spinae，multifidus，gluteus Medius), the 3D angular movement, the plantar COP (center of pressure) were recorded during the trial.The normalized EMG, trunk angle and COP displacement were calculated, and statistical analyses of all data were made. Results Muscle activities of the back were greater (10.47~16.94) with flexion both under loading and unloading. Muscle activities of the abdomen were greater with extension under unloading, and those of the back (3.70~17.95) and hip (6.64~11.52) were increasing under loading, with muscle activities of the abdomen decreasing (10.66~4.18). The flashing trunk numbers was increased with the increase of loading, especially 1.55-time increase in the trunk angle. The COP displacement in anterior posterior direction was shifted greater than that in lateral direction, and this shift was more during flexion (14.60) than that during extension (7.65).Conclusions Extension increases the activities of back muscles, especially for multifidus, and it also increases the torso angular displacement and flashing trunk numbers, especially under loading.

Mitochondrial DNA and STR analyses for human DNA from maggots crop contents: A forensic entomology case from central-southern China

Insect larvae and adult insects found on human corpses can provide important forensic evidence however it is useful to be able to prove evidence of association. Without this, it could be claimed that the insect evidence was a contaminant or had been planted on the body. This paper describes how mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and STR analysis of the crop contents of larvae of the blowfly Aldrichina grahami collected from separated body parts was used to provide evidence of association.