Isolation and characterization of two homolog phages infecting Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Bacteriophages (phages) are capable of infecting specific bacteria, and therefore can be used as a biological control agent to control bacteria-induced animal, plant, and human diseases. In this study, two homolog phages (named PPAY and PPAT) that infect Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 were isolated and characterized. The results of the phage plaque assay showed that PPAT plaques were transparent dots, while the PPAY plaques were translucent dots with a halo. Transmission electron microscopy results showed that PPAT (65 nm) and PPAY (60 nm) strains are similar in size and have an icosahedral head and a short tail. Therefore, these belong to the short-tailed phage family Podoviridae. One-step growth curves revealed the latent period of 20 min and burst time of 30 min for PPAT and PPAY. The burst size of PPAT (953 PFUs/infected cell) was higher than that of PPAY (457 PFUs/infected cell). Also, the adsorption rate constant of PPAT (5.97 × 10-7 ml/min) was higher than that of PPAY (1.32 × 10-7 ml/min) at 5 min. Whole-genome sequencing of phages was carried out using the Illumina HiSeq platform. The genomes of PPAT and PPAY have 54,888 and 50,154 bp, respectively. Only 17 of the 352 predicted ORFs of PPAT could be matched to homologous genes of known function. Likewise, among the 351 predicted ORFs of PPAY, only 18 ORFs could be matched to genes of established functions. Homology and evolutionary analysis indicated that PPAT and PPAY are closely related to PA11. The presence of tail fiber proteins in PPAY but not in PPAT may have contributed to the halo effect of its plaque spots. In all, PPAT and PPAY, newly discovered P. aeruginosa phages, showed growth inhibitory effects on bacteria and can be used for research and clinical purposes.

Research on medical radioisotope production technology by medium and high-energy cyclotron and solid target / 中华核医学与分子影像杂志

In this paper, the domestic and international demand and development trend of clinical diagnostic radionuclides are analyzed, and the medium and high-energy cyclotrons, adequate and systematic facilities, and preparation techniques required for the production of medical radionuclides based on solid targets are introduced. This paper focuses on the research and development carried out by some important medical institutions and scientific research institutes in China over the years in the aspects of medium and high-energy cyclotrons, beam transmission lines, high-power irradiation target stations and new medical isotope production processes etc. It also looks forward to some new directions for the development of medical radionuclides in China during the 14th Five-Year Plan period.

Mutations, Recombination and Insertion in the Evolution of 2019-nCoV

BackgroundThe 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV or SARS-CoV-2) has spread more rapidly than any other betacoronavirus including SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. However, the mechanisms responsible for infection and molecular evolution of this virus remained unclear. MethodsWe collected and analyzed 120 genomic sequences of 2019-nCoV including 11 novel genomes from patients in China. Through comprehensive analysis of the available genome sequences of 2019-nCoV strains, we have tracked multiple inheritable SNPs and determined the evolution of 2019-nCoV relative to other coronaviruses. ResultsSystematic analysis of 120 genomic sequences of 2019-nCoV revealed co-circulation of two genetic subgroups with distinct SNPs markers, which can be used to trace the 2019-nCoV spreading pathways to different regions and countries. Although 2019-nCoV, human and bat SARS-CoV share high homologous in overall genome structures, they evolved into two distinct groups with different receptor entry specificities through potential recombination in the receptor binding regions. In addition, 2019-nCoV has a unique four amino acid insertion between S1 and S2 domains of the spike protein, which created a potential furin or TMPRSS2 cleavage site. ConclusionsOur studies provided comprehensive insights into the evolution and spread of the 2019-nCoV. Our results provided evidence suggesting that 2019-nCoV may increase its infectivity through the receptor binding domain recombination and a cleavage site insertion. One Sentence SummaryNovel 2019-nCoV sequences revealed the evolution and specificity of betacoronavirus with possible mechanisms of enhanced infectivity.

Hemodynamic response in cirrhotic patients with transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt / 中华内科杂志

Objective:To discuss the effects of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) procedure on hemodynamics in cirrhotic patients.Methods:A total of 23 cirrhotic patients for TIPS insertion were enrolled from January 2018 to October 2018. Serum N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), transthoracic echocardiography and non-invasive cardiac output measurement based on impedance cardiogram were carried out before and 24h, 1 month, 6 months after TIPS in order to observe cardiac function and hemodynamic changes after TIPS.Results:Significant increases in right atrial area [(17.2±4.0) cm 2 vs. (15.0±3.4) cm 2, P<0.05], right ventricular area [(15.1±3.8) cm 2 vs. (13.7±3.5) cm 2, P<0.05] and left ventricular volume [(97.4±21.5) ml vs. (91.1±22.7) ml, P<0.05] were observed 24 h after TIPS. These changes were accompanied with significant reduction in collapsible index of inferior vena cava [(20.7± 8.1)% vs. (28.6±11.3)%, P<0.01] and elevation in pulmonary arterial systolic pressure [(36.0±8.4) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) vs. (31.8±5.4) mmHg, P<0.01]. There also existed significantly elevated serum NT-proBNP [(551.2±325.1) ng/L vs. (124.2±94.4) ng/L, P<0.01], cardiac output [(5.82±0.96) L/min vs. (5.12±1.28) L/min, P<0.01], cardiac index [(3.47±0.64) L·min -1·m -2 vs. (3.05±0.78) L·min -1·m -2, P<0.01], early diastolic filling rate [(59.0±14.3)% vs. (54.5±11.0)%, P<0.05], and reduced systemic vascular resistance index (SVRi) [(1 798.4±357.3) dyne·s·cm -5·m -2 vs. (2 195.7±508.7) dyne·s·cm -5·m -2, P<0.01] 24 h after TIPS. At the end of 6-month follow-up, all these parameters, but not SVRi, returned towards baseline values. Moreover, peak early to late diastolic tissue velocity ratio at the level of lateral mitral annulus (E′/A′) was significantly higher at the end of 6-month follow-up than that at baseline (1.06±0.32 vs. 0.90±0.45, P<0.05). Neither the right ventricular fractional area changes nor the left ventricular ejection fractions during the follow-up period were different from those at baseline ( P>0.05). Conclusion:Cirrhotic patients who had no cardiovascular pathologies had adequate adaptation and good compensation ability to reach a new hemodynamic homeostasis for the increased volume load after TIPS insertion.

Effects of interfering Twist gene on glycolysis in pancreatic cancer PANC1 cells and its mechanism / 中华胰腺病杂志

Objective To observe the effects of interfering Twist expression on glycolysis in pancreatic cancer PANC1 cells and explore the potential mechanism.Methods Twist targeting siRNA (siTWIST) was designed and synthesized,and pancreatic cancer PANC1 cells were transfected with siTWIST using liposome,with nonspecific siRNA (siNC) transfected cells as negative control group and untransfected cells as blank control group.RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression levels of Twist mRNA and protein,and Akt and p-Akt protein expression in different groups;cell proliferation was detected by MTT;and glycolysis key enzyme (pyruvate kinase and hexokinase) activity and the content of lactic acid in the supernatant of culture fluid were detected.Results Twist mRNA level in control group,siRNA group and siTwist group expression was 1.00 ± 0.09,1.01 ± 0.08 and 0.36 ± 0.02;Twist protein level was 0.41 ± 0.05,0.42 ± 0.04 and 0.12 ± 0.06;the mRNA and protein expression in siTWIST group was obviously lower than those in control group and the difference was statistically significant (P ＜ 0.05).The cell survival rate was (100.02± 9.36)％,(100.01 ± 10.25)％ and (59.32± 7.26)％,which in siTWIST group was obviously lower than that in control group;pyruvate kinase activity was (0.73 ± 0.05)U/mg,(0.72 ± 0.08) U/mg and (0.43 ± 0.05) U/mg;the activities of hexokinase were (4.98 ± 0.48) U/mg,(4.96 ± 0.52) U/mg and (2.54 ± 0.21) U/mg;the content of lactic acid was (20.36 ± 2.61) mmol/L,(20.64 ± 3.05) mmol/L and (9.48 ± 1.09) mmol/L;the ratio of p-Akt/Akt was 0.65 ± 0.04,0.63 ± 0.07,and 0.25 ± 0.04,which in siTWIST group was obviously lower than that in control group.Conclusions Interference with Twist expression could inhibit the proliferation and glycolysis pathway in pancreatic cancer cells,and the mechanism may be related to the Akt signaling pathway.

Chemical constituents from Spongia sp., a marine sponge in Xisha Islands / 药学实践杂志

Objective To investigate the chemical constituents in the marine sponge, Spongia sp., collected from the Xisha Islands.Methods The pure chemical components from the petroleum ether extract of Spongia sp.were obtained by repeated column chromatography on silica gel,ODS,Sephadex LH-20 and semi-preparative HPLC.Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analysis and comparison with the reported data.The antifungal activity of those compounds was evaluated by dilution method.Results 9 compounds were isolated and identified,including smenodiol(1),smenospongorine(2),5-epi-smenospongorine(3),dictyoceratin C(4),epi-smenospongidine(5),dictyoceratin A(6),stigmasta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one(7),3-oxo-4,6,8(14)-triunsaturated steroids(8),ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one(9).Conclusion Compounds 1~9 were isolated from the sponge of genus spongia for the first time.Compound 2、3、5 and 9 exhibited antifungal activities against Candida albicans,Trichophyton mentaqrophytes and Trichophyton rubrum with the MIC values of 12.5~25 μg/ml.

Diagnostic value of combining serum soluble ST2 and interleukin-33 for heart failure patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction / 中华心血管病杂志

Objective@#Diagnostic efficacy of serum markers is low for heart failure patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HF-pEF) as compared to heart failure patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction.We sought to explore the diagnostic value of serum levels of soluble ST2 (sST2) combined with interleukin-33 (IL-33) for the diagnosis of HF-pEF in this study.@*Methods@#A total of 376 patients with HF-pEF (HF group), 376 matched-control patients without heart failure who shared similar clinical characteristics (non-HF group) were included in the study.Another 500 healthy individuals were recruited for assessing the normal ranges of IL-33 and sST2.Serum levels of NT-proBNP were measured by chemi-luminescence assay, while IL-33 and sST2 were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.@*Results@#Serum levels of IL-33 and sST2 were not normally distributed in healthy population.Serum concentrations of IL-33 and sST2 were significantly higher in HF-pEF patients than in patients in non-HF group (median, IL-33: 0.437 μg/L vs. 0.127 μg/L, P<0.01; sST: 0.118 μg/L vs. 0.067 μg/L, P<0.01). The area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of sST2 for detecting HF-pEF was 0.763 (95%CI 0.729-0.795, P<0.01), with 71.01% sensitivity and 66.75% specificity, the AUC was 0.884 (95%CI 0.859-0.908, P<0.01), with 80.05% sensitivity and 81.91% specificity in patients with serum IL-33 higher than 0.117 μg/L (median level of serum IL-33 in healthy individuals, n=306). The AUC of NT-proBNP for detecting HF-pEF was 0.83, with 74.73% sensitivity and 84.57% specificity.The AUC of sST2 for detecting HF-pEF was significantly higher than NT-proBNP in population with high serum IL-33 (AUC: 0.88 vs. 0.83, P<0.01).@*Conclusion@#Serum sST2 could serve as a satisfactory biomarker for HF-pEF diagnosis, especially for patients with high serum IL-33 concentrations.

Comparison of effects of two anesthetic approaches on infections of immunol-ogical parameters during splenectomy in hepatocellular carcinoma / 中国免疫学杂志

Objective:To investigate the impacts of two anesthesia approaches on infections of immunological parameters during splenectomy in hepatocellular carcinoma patients .Methods: Sixty hepatocellular carcinoma patients were divided into two groups randomly,each groups was thirty (liver function Child-Pugh grade was A-B).Total intravenous anesthesia with pmpofol group (group A,n=30 ) and combined intravenous inhalational anesthesia with sevoflurane group (group B,n=30 ).Before induction of anesthesia , at the end of operation ,and after operation 24 hours.blood samples were collected to determined with the level of CD 3+,CD4+,CD8+, CD4+/CD8+and TNF-α, IL-2, IL-6 of hepatocellular carcinoma patients .Results: The perioperative physiological index MAP , HR, SpO2,RR each point had no obvious difference between two groups (P>0.05).The levels of CD3+,CD4+,CD8+,CD4+/CD8+had no significant difference between two groups before anesthesia (P>0.05).There was no significant changes in CD3+,CD8+with two groups in all moments.Compared with the T0,A,B two groups of CD4+,CD4+/CD8+were lower (P0.05 ) .Compared with the T0 moment,there was no significant change in group A of TNF-αlevel (P>0.05),while group B increased significantly in postoperative day ( P0.05 ) . Conclusion: Both total intravenous anesthesia with pmpofol and combined intravenous inhalational anesthesia with sevoflurane inhibit the immune function of the patients with hepatocellular carcinoma cell immune reaction .The inhibitory effect of sevoflurane inhalation anesthesia on cell immune function is less affected .

Bone marrow mononuclear cell transplantation for cerebral hemorrhage / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:It has been proved that bone marrow mononuclear cel transplantation can obviously improve neurological function of rats with cerebral hemorrhage. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of transplanted bone marrow mononuclear cel s on the neurological function and apoptosis in perihematomal brain tissues fol owing cerebral hemorrhage in a rat model. METHODS:Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were given stereotaxical injection of col agenase IV into the caudate nucleus to establish cerebral hemorrhage models in transplantation group (n=12) and model group (n=12), and then at 6 hours after cerebral hemorrhage, rats in these two groups were administrated 3x1010/L al ograft bone marrow mononuclear cel s and the same amount of PBS, respectively. Another 12 rats were given no interventions as control group. Neurological functions of rats were assessed at 1, 4, 8, 16 days after cerebral hemorrhage;pathological changes of the injury sites were observed at 16 days after transplantation;neuronal apoptosis rates in the perihematomal brain tissue were detected by flow cytometry at 2 and 4 days after transplantation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The modified neurologic severity scores in the transplantation group were significantly lower than those in the model group at 8 and 16 days after cerebral hemorrhage (P<0.05). In the control group, cel s in each layer arranged closely with complete structure, and neurons and glial cel s were in good shape;in the model group, perihematomal brain tissues were loose with intercel ular gap, in which most neurons and glial cel s became necrotic;in the transplantation group, cel s in each layer arranged closely and regularly, and glial cel proliferation occurred. Besides, compared with the model group, the neuronal apoptosis rate in the transplantation group was significantly lower (P<0.05). To conclude, bone marrow mononuclear cel s can significantly enhance the neurological function recovery and reduce neuronal apoptosis in the brain of cerebral hemorrhage rats.

Denitrifying capability and community dynamics of glycogen accumulating organisms during sludge granulation in an anaerobic-aerobic sequencing batch reactor.

Denitrifying capability of glycogen accumulating organisms (GAOs) has received great attention in environmental science and microbial ecology. Combining this ability with granule processes would be an interesting attempt. Here, a laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was operated to enrich GAOs and enable sludge granulation. The results showed that the GAO granules were cultivated successfully and the granules had denitrifying capability. The batch experiments demonstrated that all NO3(-)-N could be removed or reduced, some amount of NO2(-)-N were accumulated in the reactor, and N2 was the main gaseous product. SEM analysis suggested that the granules were tightly packed with a large amount of tetrad-forming organisms (TFOs); filamentous bacteria served as the supporting structures for the granules. The microbial community structure of GAO granules was differed substantially from the inoculant conventional activated sludge. Most of the bacteria in the seed sludge grouped with members of Proteobacterium. FISH analysis confirmed that GAOs were the predominant members in the granules and were distributed evenly throughout the granular space. In contrast, PAOs were severely inhibited. Overall, cultivation of the GAO granules and utilizing their denitrifying capability can provide us with a new approach of nitrogen removal and saving more energy.

Immunomodulatory effects of sea cucumber fucoidan on macrophage and the signaling pathways / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the immunomodulatory effects of sea cucumber fucoidan ( SC-FUC) on macro-phage and the signaling pathways. Methods Cell via-bilities in response to different concentrations of SC-FUC were analyzed by MTT, phagocytosis ability was detected by neutral red,and nitric oxide ( NO) produc-tion was examined by Griess reaction kit. The mRNA expression levels of IL-6 , IL-10 , Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and related signal molecules MyD88, TRIF, NF-κB were assayed by real-time PCR. All the experi-ments were based on murine RAW264. 7 cell line. Re-sults SC-FUC could promote RAW264 . 7 cell prolif-eration, phagocytosis as evidenced by uptake of neutral red and release of NO. The effects were significant at the early stage (6 h and 12 h) . SC-FUC could up-reg-ulate the expression of IL-6 , IL-10 , TLR4 , TLR5 , TLR9. Moreover, mRNA expressions of TLRs signaling molecules were increased, as well as MyD88, TRIF, NF-κB. Conclusions SC-FUC could activate macro-phage, and then promote the immune function by pro-moting production or expression of NO, IL-6, IL-10. It is speculated to be relevant to activated cell surface re-ceptors in macrophage, including TLR4, TLR5, TLR9, and NF-κB signaling pathways.

Epicardial adipose tissue: the accomplice implicated in the genesis and maintenance of atrial fibrillation / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The purpose of this review was to delineate our current knowledge of the close relationship between the abundance of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and the risk of all major cardiovascular disease, especially atrial fibrillation (AF).</p><p><b>DATA SOURCES</b>The data analyzed in this review were mainly from articles reported in PubMed published from 1972 to 2014.</p><p><b>STUDY SELECTION</b>Original articles and critical reviews relevant to EAT and AF were selected.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>EAT, a particular form of metabolically active visceral fat deposited around the heart, is being regarded as an important independent predictor of cardio-metabolic diseases. EAT is composed of smaller adipocytes than other visceral fat depots and functioned like brown adipose tissue (BAT) to protect adjacent tissues. Improving the understanding of EAT in AF genesis and maintenance may contribute to prevent AF and reduce the complications associated with AF.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The findings suggest that EAT associates with AF severity and the recurrence of AF after catheter ablation even after adjustment for AF risk factors, but the precise mechanisms are not fully elucidated.</p>

Short-term intensive atorvastatin therapy improves endothelial function partly via attenuating perivascular adipose tissue inflammation through 5-lipoxygenase pathway in hyperlipidemic rabbits / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Atherosclerosis is a kind of disease with multiple risk factors, of which hyperlipidemia is a major classical risk factor resulting in its pathogenesis and development. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of short-term intensive atorvastatin (IA) therapy on vascular endothelial function and explore the possible mechanisms that may help to explain the clinical benefits from short-term intensive statin therapy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>After exposure to high-fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks, the animals were, respectively, treated with IA or low-dose atorvastatin (LA) for 5 days. Blood lipids, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), nitric oxide (NO), endothelin-1 (ET-1), and endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation function were, respectively, measured. mRNA and protein expression of CRP, TNF-α, IL-6, macrophage chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) were also evaluated in pericarotid adipose tissue (PCAT) and cultured adipocytes.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>HFD increased serum inflammatory factor levels; induced significant hyperlipidemia and endothelial dysfunction, including imbalance between NO and ET-1; enhanced inflammatory factors and 5-LO expression; and promoted macrophage infiltration into adipose tissue. Five-day IA therapy could significantly decrease serum inflammatory factor levels and their expression in PCAT; restore the balance between NO and ET-1; and improve endothelial function and macrophage infiltration without significant changes in blood lipids. However, all of the above were not observed in LA therapy. In vitro experiment found that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) enhanced the expression of inflammatory factors and 5-LO in cultured adipocytes, which could be attenuated by short-time (6 hours) treatment of high-dose (5 µmol/L) but not low-dose (0.5 µmol/L) atorvastatin. In addition, inhibiting 5-LO by Cinnamyl-3,4-dihydroxy-α-cyanocinnamate (CDC, a potent and direct 5-LO inhibitor) could significantly downregulate the above-mentioned gene expression in LPS-treated adipocytes.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Short-term IA therapy could significantly ameliorate endothelial dysfunction induced by HFD, which may be partly due to attenuating inflammation of PCAT through inhibiting 5-LO pathway.</p>

Potency of a novel multi-epitope vaccine against foot-and-mouth disease type Asia 1 in guinea pigs / 中国人兽共患病学报

The potency of an improved recombinant multi-epitope vaccine against FMDV type Asia1 was evaluated in this study .A multi-epitope gene based on FMDV type Asia1 was designed and a recombinant expression plasmid (pRE-oIgG) was constructed .The proteins ,RE-oIgG and 3D were expressed in E .coli cells and purified with Ni-NTA agarose resin by affinity chromatography .The proteins ,RE-oIgG ,3D and RE-oIgG plus 3D ,were emulsified in an oil adjuvant ISA 206 .Twenty-five female guinea pigs were randomly divided into five groups and intramuscularly vaccinated for with RE-oIgG ,3D ,RE-oIgG plus 3D ,an inactivated FMDV vaccine (type Asia1) ,and PBS .All animals were vaccinated for two times .Anti-FMDV specific an-tibodies ,neutralization antibodies ,protection potency ,and lymphoproliferation assay were detected by ELISA ,virus neutrali-zation assay ,challenge test ,and flow cytometry ,respectively .Results showed that RE-oIgG plus 3D elicited significant high-level anti-FMDV specific antibodies compared to RE-oIgG alone (P<0 .05) .All the vaccinated animals induced higher level lymphoproliferation responses in vitro except PBS .Both 3D alone and PBS produced the negligible neutralizing antibodies and anti-FMDV specific antibodies .RE-oIgG plus FMDV 3D not only elicited high levels of anti-FMDV neutralizing antibodies ,but also induced significant lymphoproliferation responses .More importantly ,RE-oIgG plus 3D conferred complete protection to guinea pigs against challenge with 1 000 GPID50 .Interestingly ,two of five vaccinated animals with 3D alone were full protected against challenge ,and other three animals significantly showed a delay of 2-3 days in the onset of clinical signs .Therefore ,we considered that RE-oIgG plus 3D induces strong humoral and cellular immune responses ,which may be used for control and prevention of FMD in the future .

Glycometabolic state in hypertensive and normotensive patients: identifying candidates for oral glucose tolerance tests / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To characterize unknown glycometabolic state in patients with essential hypertension (EHT) and normotensive patients and determine which EHT patients are candidates for oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This cross-sectional study consecutively recruited 895 EHT patients and 486 normotensive patients. The data including blood glucose, blood pressure, blood lipids, angiography profiles, and left ventricular parameters were collected.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>OGTTs performed in all patients revealed that the prevalence of abnormal glucose metabolism (AGM) was significantly higher in EHT patients than in normotensive patients at both baseline (P<0.001) and post-OGTT analysis (P<0.001). In total, 76.4% of the individuals with impaired glucose tolerance and 78.2% of individuals with newly diagnosed diabetes would have remained undetected if OGTTs had not been performed. Newly diagnosed AGM was significantly correlated with the presence and severity of coronary stenosis and left ventricular structure abnormalities and dysfunction. EHT patients with fasting glucose ≥5.6 mmol/L, hypertension duration exceeding 10 years, coronary artery disease, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein >3 mg/L, or high levels of apoB/apoA-1 ratio were at high risk of AGM.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>AGM is more common in patients with EHT than in normotensive patients, and OGTTs is a cost-effective strategy to detect AGM in EHT patients.</p>

Dynamic and distribution of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria communities during sludge granulation in an anaerobic-aerobic sequencing batch reactor.

The structure dynamic of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) community and the distribution of AOB and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) in granular sludge from an anaerobic-aerobic sequencing batch reactor (SBR) were investigated. A combination of process studies, molecular biotechniques and microscale techniques were employed to identify and characterize these organisms. The AOB community structure in granules was substantially different from that of the initial pattern of the inoculants sludge. Along with granules formation, the AOB diversity declined due to the selection pressure imposed by process conditions. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and sequencing results demonstrated that most of Nitrosomonas in the inoculating sludge were remained because of their ability to rapidly adapt to the settling-washing out action. Furthermore, DGGE analysis revealed that larger granules benefit more AOB species surviving in the reactor. In the SBR were various size granules coexisted, granule diameter affected the distribution range of AOB and NOB. Small and medium granules (d<0.6 mm) cannot restrict oxygen mass transfer in all spaces of the sludge. Larger granules (d>0.9 mm) can result in smaller aerobic volume fraction and inhibition of NOB growth. All these observations provide support to future studies on the mechanisms responsible for the AOB in granules systems.

Association of serum 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine levels with the presence and severity of coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVE: Oxidative stress is involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. 8-Hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), an oxidative product of DNA, is a sensitive biomarker to reflect oxidative stress status in vivo. However, the circulating 8-OHdG levels in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) have not yet been elucidated. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether serum 8-OHdG levels are associated with the presence and severity of CAD. METHODS: We measured serum 8-OHdG levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 127 patients with suspected CAD who underwent coronary angiography. The severity of CAD was assessed by the number of diseased vessels and Gensini score. RESULTS: The serum 8-OHdG levels in patients with CAD were significantly higher than those in patients with normal coronary arteries [median (interquartile range), 0.41 (0.30-0.57) ng/ml versus 0.32 (0.25-0.43) ng/ml, P = 0.001]. Log (8-OHdG) levels increased with the number of diseased vessels (P = 0.002) and significantly correlated with Gensini score (r = 0.379, P = 0.001). The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that serum 8-OHdG was independently associated with the presence of CAD (odds ratio, 1.318; P = 0.027). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the serum 8-OHdG levels are increased in patients with CAD and are associated with the severity of coronary artery stenosis. 8-OHdG might serve as an independent factor for predicting CAD.

Immune Potential of a Novel Multiple-epitope Vaccine to FMDV Type Asia 1 in Guinea Pigs and Sheep / 中国病毒学·英文版

To develop a safe and efficient recombinant subunit vaccine to foot-and-mouth disease virus(FMDV)type Asia 1 in sheep,a tandem repeated multiple-epitope gene consisting of residues 137-160 and 197-211 of the VP1 gene of FMDV was designed and artificially synthesized.The biologically functional molecule,the ovine IgG heavy constant region(oIgG)as a protein carrier was introduced for design of the multiple-epitope recombinant vaccine and recombinant expression plasmids pET-30a-RE and pET-30a-RE-oIgG were successfully constructed.The recombinant proteins,RE and RE-oIgG,were expressed as a formation of inclusion bodies in E.coli.The immune potential of this vaccine regime in guinea pigs and sheep was evaluated.The results showed that IgG could significantly enhance the immune potential of antigenic epitopes.The recombinant protein RE-oIgG could not only elicit the high levels of neutralizing antibodies and lymphocytes proliferation responses in the vaccinated guinea pigs,but confer complete protection in guinea pigs against virus challenge.Although the recombinant protein RE could not confer protection in the vaccinated animals,it could delay the appearance of the clinical signs and reduce the severity of disease.Inspiringly,the titers of anti-FMDV neutralizing antibodies elicited in sheep vaccinated with RE-oIgG was significantly higher than that for the RE vaccination.Therefore,we speculated that this vaccine formulation may be a promising strategy for designing a novel vaccine against FMDV in the future.

The EPS characteristics of sludge in an aerobic granule membrane bioreactor.

The relationship between extracellular polymerase substances (EPS) and sludge characteristic were investigated by extraction and analysis of EPS in different size biomass and membrane fouling in an aerobic granule membrane bioreactor (GMBR). The results indicated that the contents of EPS, polysaccharides and proteins in large granules (particle diameter, d>0.45mm) were significantly lower than that in small granules (d<0.45mm) and flocculent sludge. In addition, the content of EPS in membrane fouling was more than that in suspended biomass. For flocculent sludge, the sedimentation and filtering performance decreased markedly as increasing EPS content. However, for granular sludge, there was no significant correlation between EPS content and sludge characteristics. Furthermore, application of aerobic granule can improve sludge filtering properties and delay the process of membrane fouling, as a result of better morphological structure and lower EPS content.

Fusion expression of Asia I type FMDV neutralizing epitope with heavy chain constant region of sheep IgG and the assessment of its immunogenicity / 生物工程学报

VP1 is a major antigenic protein of foot-and-mouth disease virus(FMDV), which induces the immune response against FMDV infection, and contains several epitopes of the virus. We designed and chemically synthesized a DNA fragment which encoding a tandem repeat protein of 136-160aa and 198-211aa of a strain of type Asia I FMDV, and cloned the gene of heavy chain constant region of sheep IgG. By using the BamH I, EcoR I and Xho I sites, both genes were cloned into pPROExHTb vector in turn to form a recombinant plasmid pPRO-FshIgG A chimeric protein, named FshIgG, was obtained after transforming the pPRO-FshIgG into Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) host cell and induced by IPTG. Inoculation with 100 microg FsIgG induced strong neutralizing antibody response in guinea pigs, and FshIgG inoculated guinea pigs were also protected against 200 ID50 FMDV challenge. Our study indicated that the heavy chain constant region of sheep IgG can act as the carrier protein for FMDV peptide epitopes, and FshIgG is a potential multiepitope peptide vaccine candidate to prevent FMDV infection.