Cell-specific expression and immunolocalization of nitric oxide synthase isoforms and soluble guanylyl cyclase α1 and ß1 subunits in the ovary of fetal, neonatal and immature pigs.

The present study is designed to investigate the cellular expression and immunolocalization of three different nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms and soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) subunits in the porcine ovary. Our results showed that in the fetal and neonatal pigs, all three isoforms of NOS were mainly localized in the oocyte and showed the expression of gradual increase in the granulosa cell and theca cell with the growing follicle. In addition, subunits of the sGC, sGC α1 and ß1 were mainly expressed in the granulosa cell in precious studies. The bioactivity of total NOS, eNOS, iNOS and nNOS was detected in the ovary and were higher at prenatal stages compared to postnatal stages. However, the activities of nNOS were no different between prenatal stages and postnatal stages. Taken together, our findings suggested that the NOS/sGC pathway may be involved in the follicular formation and development in the porcine ovary.

Spatio-temporal distribution of malaria in Yunnan Province, China.

The spatio-temporal distribution pattern of malaria in Yunnan Province, China was studied using a geographic information system technique. Both descriptive and temporal scan statistics revealed seasonal fluctuation in malaria incidences in Yunnan Province with only one peak during 1995-2000, and two apparent peaks from 2001 to 2005. Spatial autocorrelation analysis indicated that malaria incidence was not randomly distributed in the province. Further analysis using spatial scan statistics discovered that the high risk areas were mainly clustered at the bordering areas with Myanmar and Laos, and in Yuanjiang River Basin. There were obvious associations between Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodoium falciparum malaria incidences and climatic factors with a clear 1-month lagged effect, especially in cluster areas. All these could provide information on where and when malaria prevention and control measures would be applied. These findings imply that countermeasures should target high risk areas at suitable times, when climatic factors facilitate the transmission of malaria.

Predicting the risk of hantavirus infection in Beijing, People's Republic of China.

To understand the spatial distribution of hantavirus infections across landscapes and its influencing environment factors in Beijing, People's Republic of China, rodents captured in this region were examined for hantavirus by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. A total of 1,639 rodents were trapped at 86 randomly selected sites. The overall infection rate for hantavirus was 7.14% in the rodents. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the natural infection rates for hantavirus in rodents were significantly associated with rice agriculture (odds ratio [OR] = 2.88, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.27-30.70), orchards (OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.02-5.96), and moderate elevation (OR = 9.83, 95% CI = 2.22-43.55). A risk map was constructed on the basis of these significant factors to predict extension and transmission of infection with hantavirus in this region.