Fungal granuloma of mediastinal lymph nodes in an immunocompetent host / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

This is a case report of mediastinal fungal granuloma in an immunocompetent host. The definite diagnosis was made by pathological biopsy via video-assisted thoracoscopy and silver methenamine staining showed aspergillus hyphae and spores in the epithelioid granuloma. In conclusion, opportunistic pathogenic fungi can cause granulomatous inflammation in mediastinal lymph nodes in an immunocompetent host, as it can do in an immunocompromised host. More attention should be paid on tissue biopsy and pathological examination to ensure a correct diagnosis for these kinds of cases.

Analysis and recombinant construction of HBV the reverse transcriptase gene with drug-resistant mutations from 40 patients with chronic hepatitis B / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze genetic mutation associated with drug resistance in the reverse transcriptase (RT) domain of HBV from 40 patients with chronic hepatitis B, and to construct mutant RT gene recombinant vectors for drug-resistant phenotypic analysis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HBV DNA was extracted from sera of the 40 patients receiving anti-HBV nucleot (5) ide analogue. The complete RT domain-encoding gene was amplified by nested PCR, and then cloned into pGEM-T-easy vector. Three to Five clones were randomly selected for DNA sequencing. Data were analyzed by UNASTAR software. The pTriEx-HBV (C) 1.1 expression vectors were constructed by replacing the 1250-hp Xho I/Nco I fragments containing complete RT domain from individual patients samples.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All samples were detected with drug-resistant mutations associated with lamivudine, adefovir, and entacavir singly or in combination. Ninety-six mutant RT genes were cloned into pGEM-T-easy vector, from which 40 major mutant RT genes were replaced into pTriEx-HBV (C) 1.1 expression vectors. The construction was confinned to be successful by verifying mutation existence using DNA sequencing, and detectable HBsAg and HBeAg in the cell supernatant after transfecting recombinant expression vectors into Huh7 cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The analysis of drug-resistant mutation and the construction of mutant-recombinant expression vectors were successfully implemented using the samples frum clinical patients. The work lays a foundation for drug-resistant phenotypic analysis of HBV mutants.</p>