Computerised modified paramedian approach technique versus conventional midline approach technique of lumbar puncture: a randomised control trial protocol.

INTRODUCTION: The lumbar puncture (LP) technique is widely used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. In recent years, the paramedian approach technique (PAT) has gained increasing interest due to its advantages over the conventional midline approach technique (MAT) that has been traditionally employed in clinical practice for LP. However, there have been inconsistent discussions regarding the efficacy of different LP techniques. Based on digital virtual human and computer simulation techniques, a new approach called computerised modified PAT (CMPAT) was proposed. Therefore, the aim of this study is to discuss a randomised controlled trial (RCT) protocol to investigate and compare the effects of CMPAT and MAT in patients undergoing LP. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will conduct a prospective, multicentre RCT. The study will recruit 84 patients aged 18-99 years who require LP. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the CMPAT treatment group (group A) or the MAT treatment group (group B). The primary outcome measure will be the number of needle insertion attempts required for a successful LP. Secondary outcomes will include the puncture success rate, pain assessment in the back, head, and legs, and the occurrence of complications. The measurement of these secondary outcomes will be taken during the procedure, as well as at specific time points: 30 min, 6 hours, 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 2 weeks and 4 weeks after the procedure. Pain levels will be assessed using a Numerical Rating Scale. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval (2022YF052-01) has been obtained from the Ethics Committee of Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China. The research findings will be published in an international peer-reviewed scientific journal and presented at scientific conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2300067937.

Identification of Pns6, a putative movement protein of RRSV, as a silencing suppressor.

RNA silencing is a potent antiviral response in plants. As a counterdefense, most plant and some animal viruses encode RNA silencing suppressors. In this study, we showed that Pns6, a putative movement protein of Rice ragged stunt virus (RRSV), exhibited silencing suppressor activity in coinfiltration assays with the reporter green fluorescent protein (GFP) in transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana line 16c. Pns6 of RRSV suppressed local silencing induced by sense RNA but had no effect on that induced by dsRNA. Deletion of a region involved in RNA binding abolished the silencing suppressor activity of Pns6. Further, expression of Pns6 enhanced Potato virus × pathogenicity in N. benthamiana. Collectively, these results suggested that RRSV Pns6 functions as a virus suppressor of RNA silencing that targets an upstream step of the dsRNA formation in the RNA silencing pathway. This is the first silencing suppressor to be identified from the genus Oryzavirus.

Constituents from the seeds of Brucea javanica with inhibitory activity of Tobacco mosaic virus.

Three new constituents were obtained along with 10 known compounds from the seeds of Brucea javanica. The structures of these compounds were determined based on spectral and chemical evidence. These new compounds included a monoterpenoid glycoside and two sesquiterpenes. Bioactivity screening of these constituents showed that compounds 1, 3, 8, 9, and 13 with obvious activities in inhibiting multiplication of the Tobacco mosaic virus.

Identification of two marine fungi and evaluation of their antivirus and antitumor activities.

OBJECTIVE: To identify two marine fungi and evaluate the inhibitory effects of their crude extracts on Tobacco mosaic virus and two tumor cell lines. METHODS: Crude extracts was obtained by extracting with MeOH and evaporated in vacuo. The extracts was water-soluble fraction which was dissolved in water, and the other fraction was water insoluble. The fungi were identified by morphology and Internal Transcribed Spcer (ITS) rDNA molecular methods. The inhibitory effect on Tobacco mosaic virus was evaluated by indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, and the anti-tumor activity was tested by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium method. RESULTS: The fungi were identified as Penicillium oxalicum and Neosartorya fischeri. There crude extracts inhibited Tobacco Mosaic Virus and two tumor cell lines. The active fraction named 0312F1 inhibited Tobacco Mosaic Virus and tumor cell lines and was water-soluble. The fraction named 1008F1 inhibited Tobacco Mosaic Virus and was insoluble in water, whereas the fraction inhibited tumor cell lines was water-soluble. CONCLUSION: The active fraction named 0312F1 inhibited Tobacco Mosaic Virus was different from that named 1008F1 inhibited Tobacco Mosaic Virus. The active fraction named 0312F1 inhibited tumor cell lines was the same as that named 1008F1. Furthermore, the inhibitory activity of water-soluble fraction named 0312F1 against BEL-7404 cell line was much higher than that against SGC-7901 cell lines, whereas the inhibitory activity of active fraction named 1008F1 against SGC-7901 cell line was much higher.

Antiphytoviral activity of bruceine-D from Brucea javanica seeds.

BACKGROUND: Brucea javanica (L.) Merr. is widely distributed throughout the southern parts of China and has been used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of diseases. The objective of the present study was to identify the active antiphytoviral compound in the seeds of B. javanica and evaluate the inhibitory activity of the compound against plant virus. RESULTS: Bioassay-guided fractionation of the most active extract from the seeds led to the isolation of an antiphytoviral compound which was identified as bruceine-D by conventional spectroscopy methods. The compound exhibited significant inhibitory activity against the infection and replication of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), with IC(50) values of 13.98 and 7.13 mg L(-1) respectively. The compound also showed a strong inhibitory effect on the infectivity of potato virus Y (PVY) and cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). Furthermore, the compound could effectively inhibit systemic TMV infection in the host tobacco plant under glasshouse conditions. CONCLUSION: The results suggested that bruceine-D from Brucea javanica may have the potential to be used as a natural viricide, or a lead compound for new viricides.

[Effects of microcystins on expression of apoptosis-associated hepatocyte genes].

OBJECTIVE: To deeply explore the effects of microcystins (MC-LR) on Bax and Bcl-2 during the course of MC-LR promoting liver tumor. METHODS: applied to set up the animal model, and the effect of MC-LR promoting liver tumor was evaluated by the Albertgamma-GT methods. And then, the immunohistochemical technique, RT-PCR and image analysis were used to study the expression of the Bcl-2 and Bax during the course of promoting tumor. RESULTS: (1) MC-LR might enhance the positive reaction rate of GGT. The positive reaction rate of GGT in DEN + pure toxin group was 100%, it was significantly higher than the DEN control group 22.22% (P < 0.05). (2) The intension and areas of the protein expression of Bcl-2 in DEN + pure toxin group were 0.0977 and 0.0315, and in DEN control group were 0.0460 and 0.0205, respectively. The expression level of Bcl-2 protein in DEN + pure toxin group were significantly higher than in DEN control group (P < 0.05). Simultaneously, the protein expression of Bax was significantly decreased by MC-LR (P < 0.05). The intension and areas of the expression of Bax in DEN + pure toxin group were 0.0283 and 0.0073, and in DEN control group were 0.0655 and 0.0244 respectively. (3) The mRNA expression of Bcl-2 was significantly increased by MC-LR. The intension of Bcl-2 mRNA expression in DEN + pure toxin group was 2.244, being significantly higher than in the other groups (P < 0.05). However, the mRNA expression of Bax showed no significant difference between DEN + pure toxin and the other groups. CONCLUSION: The expression change of Bcl-2 and Bax should possibly play an important role in the course of MC-LR promoting liver tumor.

[Current situation and prospect of studies on genus Umbravirus].

Umbraviruses are a group of imperfectly characterized plant viruses, which are distinguished from most other viruses by their genomes lack of a gene for coat protein (CP) , and as a result umbraviruses do not form conventional virus particles. Umbraviruses are mechanically transmissible, and can be aphid transmitted in the persistent manner by an unrelated assistor virus, which is always a member of the family Luteoviridae . In nature, each umbravirus depends for survival on one particular luteovirus. The genus Umbravirus comprises seven distinct virus specieses and three tentative members. Only Tobacco bushy top virus (TBTV) has been reported in China as an umbravirus. Tobacco bushy top disease, caused by TBTV and its helper, Tobacco vein distorting virus(TVDV), which resulted in severe tobacco losses in western of Yunan. Umbraviruses had a restricted host range in nature, and their infectivity and longevity in vitro are not so stable. Plants infected umbraviruses contain abundant double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), and some umbraviruses possess one or more additional dsRNA species associated with the presence of a satellite RNA. The genomes of the umbraviruses consist of one linear segment of positive sense single-stranded RNA(ssRNA), and the nucleotide sequences possess ORFs for four potential non-structural protein products. The umbravirus-encoded ORF3 proteins play essential roles in stabilization of viral RNA and mediation of its long-distance movement. The current research progresses have been reviewed detailly, and the future research tendency and research fields about umbraviruses and umbravirus-caused diseases are put forward.

Purification and Characterization of AAVP, a Protein Inhibitor of TMV Infection, from the Edible Fungus, Agrocybe aegerita.

A protein with activity of inhibiting TMV infection on Nicotiana glutinosa, named AAVP, was isolated and purified from the fruiting bodies of edible fungus Agrocybe aegerita by precipitation of 40%--80% saturation of (NH(4))(2)SO(4) followed by DEAE-Fast Flow and S-200 column chromatography. The protein was proved to be homogeneous by SDS-PAGE and IEF. Analysis of the composition of amino acids showed that this protein contained no cysteine, poor in methionine and phenylalanine and rich in acidic and hydroxyl amino acids. The inhibition of TMV was 84.32% when the concentration of AAVP was 200 mg/L. N-terminus of this protein was blocked by pyroglutamyl, and the N-terminal sequence was QGVNIYNIVAGA. On potato-sucrose-agar medium, the purified protein did not inhibit the growth of three plant pathogen fungi, Trichoderma viride, Colletotrichum musae and Fusarium oxysporum.

[Sequence analysis of RNA3 of Rice stripe virus isolates found in China: evidence for reassortment in Tenuivirus].

The RNA3 segments of four isolates of Rice stripe virus (RSV), isolated from endemic sites at Panjin (PJ), Liaoning Province, Kunming (KM) and Yiliang (YL), Yunnan Province, as well as from outbreak sites at Hongze (HZ), Jiangsu Province, were determined. RNA3 of these four isolates were 2480 bp, 2509 bp, 2489 bp and 2497 bp in length, respectively. Compared with RNA3 of T and M isolates from Japan and Y isolate from Yunnan Province of China, that had been previously reported, these seven isolates could be divided into two groups. KM and YL isolates formed group one, and PJ, HZ, Y, T and M isolates belonged to another group. The two groups shared 97%-98% and 93%-94% sequence homology in viral RNA3 (vRNA3) and viral complementary RNA3 (vcRNA3) at the nucleotide levels, respectively, and there was no significant difference between the two groups at the amino acid levels. In the first group, Y isolate was significantly different from HZ,PJ and two Japan isolates in their RNA4 segment. These results show that there were two subgroups in RSV natural population related with geographical location, and reassorment may be the main factor leading to different segments of Y isolate belonging to different subgroups. The results may provide another evidence for reassortment variation in Tenuivirus.

[Purification and activities of an alkaline protein from mushroom Coprinus comatus].

An Alkaline protein, y3, can be purified from the fruiting bodies of mushroom Coprinus comatus by means of CM-sepharose FF ion-exchange column chromatography and Superdex 75 High Resolution molecular sieve chromatography. The protein has a molecular weight of about 14.4kD by SDS-PAGA. Some activities of y3 have been detected, and the result is the following: the inhibition rate against Tobacco Mosaic Virus is 83.0% when the concentration of y3 is 12.5 microg/ mL. y3 is able to agglutinate rabbit and human erythrocytes at the concentration of 1.562 microg/mL and 0.781 microg/mL. Using an assay system based on mach cancer cell line MGC-803, y3 was studied for its inhibitory ability against celles multiplication, and the IC50 is 12 microg/mL. The N-terminal sequence is NRDVAACARFIDDFCDTLTP, which has no homology with other sequences in Genbank.

[Screening of proteins anti-tobacco mosaic virus in Pleurotus eryngii].

Proteins were obtained by ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration from the dry sample of Pleurotus eryngii. In terms of detection on local lesion host, these components were confirmed to be anti-TMV and their inhibition rates reach more than 70%, or even 99%. The protein named xb68Ab of MW 23.7kD was purified by ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration its inhibition rate against TMV are 99.43% and 98.9% on Nicotiana glutionosa and Chenopodium amaranticolor, respectively.

[Sequence aanlysis of intergenic region of rice stripe virus RNA4: evidence for mixed infection and genomic variation].

The intergenic region (IR) of the RNA4 of 22 isolates of Rice stripe virus (RSV) in China was cloned and sequenced. The IR sequences were compared with one another and with that from Japan. Sequence comparisons showed that these isolates could be divided into three different types, with the IR length of 634 bp, 654 bp and 732 bp, respectively. It is interesting to note three different types all occurred in Yunnan RSV natural population, whereas other province only existed 654 bp type length isolates. Mixed infections with different types of IR length coexisting in some isolates in Yunnan was observed. IR sequences were not more conserved (83% - 100%) among the populations of RSV from China than with those of RSV isolates from Japan (83% - 94%). There were two important structure characteristics in IRs sequences. Firstly, there was a-19 nt insertion in 654 bp type isolates and a-103 nt in 732 bp type isolates in comparison to 634 bp type isolates. This inserted sequences were rather highly conserved. Blast analysis indicates the 16 nt (AGAAACATGAGAGTA) in 19 nt insertation was very similar in sequence to wheat cDNA library; and the 20 nt (AGAATTGCCTTGGTGTTAT) in 103 nt insertion was identical to a stretch sequences of barley cDNA library. Recombination hot-spot sequences existed in RNA4 IR. Secondly, IRs sequence was rich in U and A residues where two distant hairpin structures could be formed with computer-assisted folding analysis. One was highly conserved and stable, but the other was rather unstable because of bases variation. It is believed that this stabilised hairpin structure, rather than a sequence motif, might serve as a transcription terminator during the synthesis of mRNAs from the ambisense segments. Negative selection constraints imposed by secondary structure might have maintained the conserved sequences. In this paper, the relationship between the lowest free energy of the unstable hairpin structures and the different pathogenesis among some isolates was also discussed in this paper.

p2 of rice stripe virus (RSV) interacts with OsSGS3 and is a silencing suppressor.

A rice cDNA library was screened by a galactosidase 4 (Gal4)-based yeast two-hybrid system with Rice stripe virus (RSV) p2 as bait. The results revealed that RSV p2 interacted with a rice protein exhibiting a high degree of identity with Arabidopsis thaliana suppressor of gene silencing 3 (AtSGS3). The interaction was confirmed by bimolecular fluorescence complementation assay. SGS3 has been shown to be involved in sense transgene-induced RNA silencing and in the biogenesis of trans-acting small interfering RNAs (ta-siRNAs), possibly functioning as a cofactor of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase 6 (RDR6). Given the intimate relationships between virus and RNA silencing, further experiments were conducted to show that p2 was a silencing suppressor. In addition, p2 enhanced the accumulation and pathogenicity of Potato virus X in Nicotiana benthamiana. Five genes that have been demonstrated to be targets of TAS3-derived ta-siRNAs were up-regulated in RSV-infected rice. The implications of these findings are discussed.

A bacteriophage-related chimeric marine virus infecting abalone.

Marine viruses shape microbial communities with the most genetic diversity in the sea by multiple genetic exchanges and infect multiple marine organisms. Here we provide proof from experimental infection that abalone shriveling syndrome-associated virus (AbSV) can cause abalone shriveling syndrome. This malady produces histological necrosis and abnormally modified macromolecules (hemocyanin and ferritin). The AbSV genome is a 34.952-kilobase circular double-stranded DNA, containing putative genes with similarity to bacteriophages, eukaryotic viruses, bacteria and endosymbionts. Of the 28 predicted open reading frames (ORFs), eight ORF-encoded proteins have identifiable functional homologues. The 4 ORF products correspond to a predicted terminase large subunit and an endonuclease in bacteriophage, and both an integrase and an exonuclease from bacteria. The other four proteins are homologous to an endosymbiont-derived helicase, primase, single-stranded binding (SSB) protein, and thymidylate kinase, individually. Additionally, AbSV exhibits a common gene arrangement similar to the majority of bacteriophages. Unique to AbSV, the viral genome also contains genes associated with bacterial outer membrane proteins and may lack the structural protein-encoding ORFs. Genomic characterization of AbSV indicates that it may represent a transitional form of microbial evolution from viruses to bacteria.

Expression of rice gall dwarf virus outer coat protein gene (S8) in insect cells.

To obtain the P8 protein of Rice gall dwarf virus (RGDV) with biological activity, its outer coat protein gene S8 was expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) insect cells using the baculovirus expression system. The S8 gene was subcloned into the pFastBac™1 vector, to produce the recombinant baculovirus transfer vector pFB-S8. After transformation, pFB-S8 was introduced into the competent cells (E. coli DH10Bac) containing a shuttle vector, Bacmid, generating the recombinant bacmid rbpFB-S8. After being infected by recombinant baculovirus rvpFB-S8 at different multiplicities of infection, Sf9 cells were collected at different times and analyzed by SDS-PAGE, Western blotting and immunofluorescence microscopy. The expression level of the P8 protein was highest between 48-72 h after transfection of Sf9 cells. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed that P8 protein of RGDV formed punctate structures in the cytoplasm of Sf9 cells.

Pc4, a putative movement protein of Rice stripe virus, interacts with a type I DnaJ protein and a small Hsp of rice.

Rice stripe virus (RSV) infects rice and causes great yield reduction in some Asian countries. In this study, rice cDNA library was screened by a Gal4-based yeast two-hybrid system using pc4, a putative movement protein of RSV, as the bait. A number of positive colonies were identified and sequence analysis revealed that they might correspond to ten independent proteins. Two of them were selected and further characterized. The two proteins were a J protein and a small Hsp, respectively. Interactions between Pc4 and the two proteins were confirmed using coimmunoprecipitation. Implications of the findings that pc4 interacted with two chaperone proteins were discussed.

Structure-activity relationship of triterpenes and triterpenoid glycosides against tobacco mosaic virus.

A new activity of triterpenes and triterpenoid glycosides against phytovirus has been found. Based on the anti-TMV replication activity in vivo, 47 triterpenes and triterpenoid glycosides were screened through the leaf-disk method together with indirect ELISA. Structure-activity relationships were analyzed according to the results of bio-activity screening. Besides, the EC(50) values of those compounds having higher activities were measured.

[Purification of plastocynin from Ulva pertusa by column chromatography and analysis of its N-terminal amino acid sequence].

Protein plastocyanin from a green alga, Ulva pertusa, has been purified. Samples were homogenized in 0.02 mol/L phosphate buffer (pH 7.2) and then centrifuged to remove debris and subjected to ammonium sulfate fractionation (40%-80% saturation). Ion exchange column chromatography with DEAE-Sepharose Fast Flow and gel filtration column chromatography with Sephadex G-75 were then employed for further purification of plastocyanin. Three peaks, A, B and C, were eluted with 0.01 mol/L phosphate buffer, containing a NaCl linear gradient from 0 to 1.0 mol/L at the flow rate of 32 mL/h through DEAE-Sepharose chromatography. The protein fractions containing the plastocyanin were then purified further with Sephardex G-75 column chromatography. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophores (SDS-PAGE) is analysis indicates that the protein was purified to homogeneity and its relative molecular mass is 10,000. N-terminal amino acid sequence was used to identify the protein. The protein was transblotted to PVDF membrane and N-terminal amino acid sequence was performed via Edman degradation with an automated amino acid sequencer. The 20 N-terminal amino acid residues are AAIVKLGPDDGSLAFVPSKI, which share 85% homology with the 20 N-terminal amino acid sequence of U. prolifera and U. arasakii, and share 90% homology with the ones of U. pertusa formerly reported.

Molecular characterization of a new lectin from the marine alga Ulva pertusa.

A new lectin, named UPL1, was purified from a green alga Ulva pertusa by an affinity chromatography on the bovine-thyroglobulin-Sepharose 4B column. The molecular mass of the algal lectin was about 23 kD by SDS-PAGE, and it specifically agglutinated rabbit erythrocytes. The hemagglutinating activity for rabbit erythrocytes could be inhibited by bovine thyroglobulin and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. The lectin UPL1 required divalent cations for maintenance of its biological activity, and was heat-stable, and had higher activity within pH 6-8. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified lectin was determined (P83209) and a set of degenerate primers were designed. The full-length cDNA of the lectin was cloned by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) method (AY433960). Sequence analysis of upl1 indicated it was 1084 bp long, and encoded a premature protein of 203 amino acids. The N-terminal sequence of the mature UPL1 polypeptide started at amino acid 54 of the deduced sequence from the cDNA, indicating 53 amino acids lost due to posttranslational modification. The primary structure of the Ulva pertusa lectin did not show amino acid sequence similarity with known plant and animal lectins. Hence, this protein may be the paradigm of a novel lectin family.