Protective effect of astrocyte-conditioned medium on neurons following hypoxia and mechanical injury / 中华创伤杂志(英文版)

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the protective effect of mouse astrocyte-conditioned medium (ACM) on hypoxic and mechanically injured neurons by a cell model in vitro, and to explore the possible mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The model of hypoxic neuronal injury was caused by 3% O2 in three-gas incubator. Neurons were cultured with ordinary medium or 20% ACM respectively and randomly divided into hypoxic group (hypoxia for 4, 8, 24 h and marked as H4R0, H8R0, H24R0) and hypoxia reoxygenation group (H4R24, H8R24, H24R24). Mechanical injury model was developed by scratching neurons cultured in 20% ACM or ordinary medium to different degrees. Neurons in both medium were divided into normal control group, mild, moderate and severe injury groups. The 20% ACM was added 24 h before hypoxia/reoxygenation or mechanical injury. The morphology and survival of neurons were observed and counted by trypan blue staining. The concentration of NO, lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and membrane ATPase activity were detected by corresponding kits.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>It was showed that 20% ACM can obviously promote the survival rate of hypoxia/reoxygenated neurons and scratched neurons as well. The morphology and number of neurons exposed to hypoxia or scratch injury showed great difference between groups with or without ACM treatment. Compared with control group, the concentration of NO and LDH was much lower in hypoxic/reoxygenated neurons treated with 20% ACM, and the ATPase activity was higher. For the mechanical injury model, neurons with moderate injury also revealed a lower NO and LDH concentration than the control group. All the differences were statistically significant (P less than 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>ACM can promote the survival and functional recovery of neurons following hypoxia or scratching to a certain degree. The mechanism may be associated with reducing the synthesis and release of NO and LDH as well as increasing the activity of membrane ATPase.</p>

Foodborne pathogens in retail oysters in south China / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the occurrence of important foodborne pathogens in shellstock Pacific oysters in the food markets in South China.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From July 2007 to June 2008, retail oysters were collected in different seasons from South China and analyzed for the prevalence and levels of Listeria monocytogenes, Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>None of L. monocytogenes could be detected in any of the 202 oyster samples tested, while E vulnificus and V. parahaemolyticus could be detected in 67 (54.9%) and 109 (89.3%) of the 122 oyster samples analyzed, respectively, with an MPN (most probable number) value greater than or equal to 3. V. vulnificus and V. parahaemolyticus with a more than 102 MPN/g were found in 36 (29.5%) and 59 (48.4%) of the 122 oyster samples, respectively. The tdh and trh genes were detected in 4 (0.3%) and 8 (0.6%) of the 1 349 V parahaemolyticus isolates, respectively. Of the 122 samples, 4 (3.3%) was positive for either tdh or trh. The levels of V. vulnificus and total V. parahaemolyticus in oysters in South China varied in different seasons.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>V. vulnificus and pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus are frequently found in oysters in south China, which may pose a potential threat to public health. Data presented here will be useful for the microbiological risk assessment in oysters in China.</p>

Molecular typing of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from foodstuff in Guangdong province by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish molecular typing of Listeria monocytogenes isolates by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) for studying the epidemiologic characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from foodstuff in Guangdong province and to build up PFGE typing database of Listeria monocytogenes isolates for identifying the infectious resource of the outbreaks and other epidemiologic investigation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>"Standardized Protocol for Molecular Subtyping of Listeria monocytogenes by PFGE" was followed. BioNumerics software was applied on image analysis, database establishment, comparative and corresponding analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>107 Listeria monocytogenes isolates were typed by PFGE, 41 PFGE types were observed among the isolates. The PFGE types were dispersive among these isolates. Listeria monocytogenes isolates were most frequently isolated in raw chicken while the most PFGE types were found in this type of food. The positive rate was relatively high in cold and iced foods. Only 1-2 DNA fragment difference occurred in 26 Listeria monocytogenes isolates by PFGE, so high degree of relatedness remained among these isolates. There were unique PFGE patterns in the regions of Shaoguan and Huizhou. From time to time, a number of isolates remained close relationship.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>PFGE typing of the 107 Guangdong Listeria monocytogenes isolates demonstrated relative genetic diversity but a number of the isolates showed close relatedness.</p>