Characteristic of complete mitochondrial genome and phylogenetic relationship of a Chinese Serow in Xishui, China.

In this study, we reported a complete mitochondrial genome of Chinese Serow from Guiyang. It has a circular genome of 16,442 bp including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, and a control region. In the phylogenetic tree, we found it clustered tightly with a sequence with a distinct white forehead and white face outlook in the genus Capricornis, which indicated there are a certain number of this species.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Capricornis sp., possible a new species of Serow from Guizhou, China.

The genus Capricornis was widely distributed in Asia. In the present study, the complete mitochondrial genome of Capricornis sp., possible a new species of Serow from Guizhou province of China, was sequenced for the first time. Sequence analysis showed it is 16,441 bp in length, consisting of 12S rRNA gene, 16S rRNA gene, 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, 13 protein-coding genes and one control region (CR).

[Comparative study of intertrochanteric fractures treated with proximal femur locking compress plate in aged].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinic outcomes of dynamic hip screw (DHS), intramedullary fixation (IF) and proximal femur locking plate (PF-LCP) in the treatment of intertrochanteric fractures in the elderly patients. METHODS: From July 2000 to August 2009, 165 old patients with intertrochanteric fractures were treated respectively by DHS, IF, PF-LCP. Fifty-eight patients were in DHS group including 30 males and 28 females with an average age of 71 years old; there were 30 cases of type II fracture of Jensen, 28 cases of type III fracture. Sixty-five patients were in IF group including 35 males and 30 females with an average age of 73 years old; there were 37 cases of type II fracture of Jensen, 28 cases of type III fracture. Forty-two patients were in PF-LCP group including 23 males and 19 females with an average age of 74 years old; there were 22 cases of type II fracture of Jensen,20 cases of type III fracture. The operative procedures,complications and therapeutic effects were compared among 3 groups. RESULTS: All patients were followed up from 15 to 21 months (averaged 18.3 months). The incision length and the operation time of IF group were shorter than that of DHS and PF-LCP, but there were no significant difference between DHS group and PF-LCP group. The intraoperattive blood loss, rehabilitation and healing time of IF and PF-LCP were less or shorter than that of DHS group, but there were no significant difference between IF group and PF-LCP group. The functional recovery of IF group and PF-LCP were better than that of DHS group, there were significant difference among 3 groups. The complications of PF-LCP group was fewer than that of IF group and DHS group. CONCLUSION: PF-LCP is the credible method for intertrochanteric fractures in the elderly patients, especially for severe comminuted fracture and osteoporosis, for it can reduce operation complications and benefit for fracture healing and hip functional recovery.

[Percutaneous kyphoplasty and conservative therapy for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures: a clinical comparative study].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical effects of percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) and conservative therapy in patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF). METHODS: The data of 63 patients with OVCF from Sep. 2007 to Apr. 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 14 males and 49 females,ranging in age from 63 to 92 years, with an average of 73.4 years. Among them, 30 cases(38 vertebrae), 33 cases (35 vertebrae) were respectively treated with PKP, conservative therapy. The VAS score, the height of vertebral body and the neighboring vertebral fracture were observed during follow-up. RESULTS: All the patients were followed up from 10 to 15 months with an average of 13.3 months. Pain relieved in 27 cases with PKP, and VAS scores decreased from 8.32 before treatment to 2.63 at the 1st week after treatment; VAS scores still remained under 2 at the later follow-up. VAS scores had not changed at the 1st week after conservative therapy. VAS scores with conservative therapy were higher than with PKP after 1, 3 months (P < 0.05), but after 6 months, there was no significant difference between conservative therapy and PKP (P > 0.05). The average height of vertebral body on the X-rays increased in 4.1 mm at the 1st week after treatment with PKP (P < 0.01) and unchanged posteriorly. The height of vertebral body had some improvement at 3, 6 months after conservative therapy, but the height of vertebral body with PKP was significantly higher than with conservative therapy (P < 0.01). New fractures occurred in 4 cases (5 vertebrae) with PKP, in 2 cases (2 vertebrae) with conservative therapy. CONCLUSION: PKP is an effective method in treating osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures, which can relieve pain quickly, increase stability immediately, recover height of vertebral body, but maybe can increase the risk of new fracture. Conservative therapy is not without any merit, as long as systemic treatment can still make good prognosis.

A novel ferroceneylazobenzene self-assembled monolayer on an ITO electrode: photochemical and electrochemical behaviors.

A novel ferroceneylazobenzene self-assembled monolayer (SAM) has been constructed on an indium-tin oxide (ITO) electrode via the covalent attachment of 4-(4'-11-ferrocenyl-undecanoxyphenylazo)benzoic acid ( FcAzCOOH) onto a silanized ITO substrate surface and verified by reflectance infrared spectroscopy and water contact angle. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and cyclic voltammogram (CV) indicated that the FcAzCOOH formed a uniform and reproducible SAM on the ITO electrode with a surface coverage of ca. 1.9 x 10 (-10) mol/cm (2) (87 A (2)/molecule). The reversible photoisomerization behavior of the SAM was characterized by UV-vis spectra. The azo pi-pi* transition band intensity of the SAM gradually decreased with UV (365 nm) irradiation and was almost recovered again when subsequent exposure to ambient room light (400-800 nm). The increased tilt angle of the molecules on the ITO substrate after UV irradiation further confirmed the trans-to- cis isomerization of azobenzene moieties. The CV of the trans- FcAzCOOH modified ITO electrode showed a pair of waves due to redox of the ferrocene groups in the potential range of 0 to +800 mV (vs SCE), and the peak separation of the redox wave became larger after UV irradiation and almost returned to its original value after subsequent exposure to the visible light. Rate-dependent CV curves indicated that the charge transfer rate between the ferrocene species in the SAM and the ITO electrode was slowed down after UV irradiation due to the smaller porosity of the monolayer film and the more compact barrier layer between the redox species and the ITO electrode. It is the first time to directly observe the influence of photoisomerization of the azobenzene moiety on the redox behavior of redox species in the ferroceneylazobenzene-functionalized SAM. The present results provide profound insight into the role of redox microenvironment on electron transfer kinetics and also provide a simple and facile approach to the preparation of photocontrollable electrodes.

Human factor H interacts selectively with Neisseria gonorrhoeae and results in species-specific complement evasion.

Complement forms a key arm of innate immune defenses against gonococcal infection. Sialylation of gonococcal lipo-oligosaccharide, or expression of porin 1A (Por1A) protein, enables Neisseria gonorrhoeae to bind the alternative pathway complement inhibitor, factor H (fH), and evade killing by human complement. Using recombinant fH fragment-murine Fc fusion proteins, we localized two N. gonorrhoeae Por1A-binding regions in fH: one in complement control protein domain 6, the other in complement control proteins 18-20. The latter is similar to that reported previously for sialylated Por1B gonococci. Upon incubation with human serum, Por1A and sialylated Por1B strains bound full-length human fH (HufH) and fH-related protein 1. In addition, Por1A strains bound fH-like protein 1 weakly. Only HufH, but not fH from other primates, bound directly to gonococci. Consistent with direct HufH binding, unsialylated Por1A gonococci resisted killing only by human complement, but not complement from other primates, rodents or lagomorphs; adding HufH to these heterologous sera restored serum resistance. Lipo-oligosaccharide sialylation of N. gonorrhoeae resulted in classical pathway regulation as evidenced by decreased C4 binding in human, chimpanzee, and rhesus serum but was accompanied by serum resistance only in human and chimpanzee serum. Direct-binding specificity of HufH only to gonococci that prevents serum killing is restricted to humans and may in part explain species-specific restriction of natural gonococcal infection. Our findings may help to improve animal models for gonorrhea while also having implications in the choice of complement sources to evaluate neisserial vaccine candidates.