Polymorphism analysis of virulence-related genes among Candida tropicalis isolates / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#Adhesion, biofilm formation, yeast-hyphal transition, secretion of enzymes, and hemolytic activity are all considered important factors in Candida tropicalis infection. However, DNA sequence data for this pathogen are limited. In this study, the polymorphism and heterogeneity of genes agglutinin-like sequences (ALS)2, Lipase (LIP)1, LIP4, and secretory aspartyl proteinase tropicalis (SAPT)1-4 as well as the relationship between phenotype and genotype were analyzed.@*METHODS@#This study started in August 2013, and ended in July 2017. The complete length of ALS2, LIP1, LIP4, and SAPT1-4 of 68 clinical C. tropicalis isolates was sequenced. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as well as insertions and deletions (indels) were identified within these genes. In addition, phenotypic characteristics of the virulent factors, including adhesion and the secretion of aspartyl proteinases and phospholipases, were determined.@*RESULTS@#There were 73, 24, 17, 16, 13, and 180 SNPs in the genes LIP1, LIP4, SAPT1, SAPT2, SAPT3, and SAPT4, respectively. Furthermore, 209 SNPs were identified in total for the gene ALS2. Interestingly, large fragment deletions and insertions were also found in ALS2. Isolate FXCT 01 obtained from blood had deletions on all 4 sites and showed the lowest adhesion ability on the polymethylpentene surface. In addition, isolates with deletions in the regions 1697 to 1925 and 2073 to 2272 bp displayed relatively low abilities for adhesion and biofilm formation, and this phenotype correlated with the deletions found in ALS2. LIP1, SAPT4, and ALS2 displayed great heterogeneity among the isolates. Large deletions found in gene ALS2 appeared to be associated with the low ability of adhesion and biofilm formation of C. tropicalis.@*CONCLUSION@#This study might be useful for deeper explorations of gene function and studying the virulent mechanisms of C. tropicalis.

Effects of partial revascularization in elderly patients over 80 years old with coronary artery diseases / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the clinical effects of partial revascularization on elderly patients with coronary artery diseases(CAD) METHODS: Percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) of the most likely culprit vessels were performed in 37 patients over 80 years old with multivessel coronary artery diseases (CAD).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The success rate of PCI was 100% in these elderly patients without serious complications. The in-hospital mortality rate was 2.7%, and all the other patients recovered and were discharged.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Partial revascularization for elderly CAD patients can achieve satisfactory clinical results, and close attention should be given to the heart and kidney function of these patients.</p>

Unusual expression and molecular mechanisms of E-cadherin, beta-catenin in correlation with clinicopathologic parameters in neuroblastoma / 中华病理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the expression of E-cadherin and beta-catenin in neuroblastomas of various degrees of differentiation, and to investigate their molecular mechanisms in correlation with clinicopathologic parameters.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Immunohistochemistry EnVision method was used to detect E-cadherin and beta-catenin expression in 90 paraffin-embedded tissue samples of neuroblastomas. The methylation status of CpG islands of E-cadherin promoter was investigated by MSP in 7 fresh tissue and 24 paraffin-embedded tissue samples. The mutation status of exon 3 of beta-catenin gene was studied by PCR in 7 fresh tissue samples. Statistical analysis of the data was performed by SPSS software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>E-cadherin and beta-catenin were abnormally expressed in neuroblastomas in general. The expression of beta-catenin in well-differentiated neuroblastoms was markedly higher (47/70, 67.1%) than that of the poorly differentiated tumors (8/20, 40.0%). There was a markedly decreased expression of both genes in tumors with lymph node metastasis than those without. Demethylation was seen in some regions of the promoter of E-cadherin in 31 cases of nuroblatomas. PCR of the exon 3 of beta-catenin followed by DNA sequencing demonstrated rearrangements and mutations in 7 cases, including 2 cases harboring identical point mutation at gene position 27184, leading to a T-->A alteration.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The abnormal over-expression of E-cadherin in neuroblastomas is independent of the methylation status of their promoter sequences. The abnormal expression of beta-catenin may be related to mutational changes at exon 3 of the gene.</p>

Multi-central randomized controlled trials of electroacupunture at Zhigou (TE 6) for treatment of constipation induced by stagnation or deficiency of qi / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the therapeutic effect and safety of electroacupuncture (EA) at Zhigou (TE 6) on constipation induced by stagnation or deficiency of qi.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Multi-central randomized controlled trials were adopted and the patients conforming to the criteria for diagnosis, enrolling and excluding were divided into an observation group and a control group according to random number table. The observation group were treated with EA at Zhigou (TE 6) and the control group with EA at non-acupoint for 4 weeks. The cumulative score of clinical symptoms, colon transmission test and various safety indexes were assessed. The following-up was carried out 1 and 3 months after the end of treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>EA at Zhigou (TE 6) could obviously improve clinical symptoms and colon transmission time, decrease using rate of Kaisailu and cathartics, with an effective rate of 94.4%, which was better than 61.3% in the control group (P < 0.0001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>EA at Zhigou (TE 6) has a function of regulating qi and relaxing the bowels and it is an effective method for treatment of constipation with safety and no adverse effect.</p>

Spatial expression of cardiac alpha-actin during heart development in embryos / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Conotruncal defects (CTD) is a common type of cyanotic congenital heart defects. It was shown that CTD might be produced by ablation of cardiac neural crest during early stage embryos in experimental studies. There were many kinds of genes involved and cardiac alpha-actin (CAA) was one of them. The purpose of this study was to investigate the spatial expression of CAA gene during embryonic heart development, and to explore its role in the pathogenesis of congenital heart defects.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Experimental chicken embryos were subjected to cardiac neural crest ablation by using electric stimulation at 36-40 hr incubation stage. The embryos and organs of experimental and normal control groups during different developing periods were taken out, RNA was extracted by Trizol, and then reverse transcription was done. The dynamic changes of CAA mRNA expression at different development stages of embryos were assayed by fluorescent real-time PCR. The embryos and tissues at different stages were taken out, and paraffin sections were made. The localizations of CAA antibody expression in the developmental embryos were detected by immunohistochemical analysis (peroxidase-DAB coloration).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) The expression of CAA gene was detected at early embryo development, and increased subsequently to a stable level. Its expression was mainly limited to heart site, and could be increased along with the maturation of the cardiac muscle. There was no expression or little trace expression in liver, brain, and stomach. (2) There was a significantly low level of CAA gene expression on days 2-7 of chicken embryos whose cardiac neural crest were ablated in comparison with normal controls (P = 0.013). The level of CAA gene expression was also down-regulated on days 7, 9 and 15 of embryonic cardiac tissues (P = 0.029).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>CAA gene is closely associated with heart development, its expression was adjusted by cardiac neural crest, and its dysfunction may be an important factor leading to congenital heart defects.</p>

Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor- C Related Metastasis in Solid Tumors of Children / 实用儿科临床杂志

Objective To evaluated the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor -C(VEGF-C) in children with neurob-lastomaor willms' tumors. Methods The specimens from 33 cases with neuroblastoma and 30 cases with willms' tumors were detected by immunohistochemical staining method. Results In thirty - three cases of neuroblastoma, stage III VEGF - C positive rate were 37.5% (3/8),stage IV were 32% (8/25);favourable histological(FH) were 45%(9/20),unfavourable favourable histological(UFH) were 30.8%(4/13).Cases with distant meta stasis were 32% (8/25),and cases with lymph node involvement were 66.7%(4/6). In 30 cases with willms' tumors,stage I + II were 26.7% (4/15),while stage III + IV were 40% (6/15), FH were 27.3% (6/22), while UFH were 25% (2/8). Cases with distant metastasis were 33.3% (4/12),and cases with lymph node involvement were 60% (3/5). VEGF-C positive expression rate was significantly higher in tumors from children with lymph node metastasis than those without. Conclusion The study shows that expression of VEGF -C is related to lymph node metastasis.