Molecular networking-assisted systematical profiling and the in vivo neuroprotective effect of ellagitannins from the Melastoma dodecandrum Lour.

BACKGROUND: Ellagitannins (ETs) are a major classification of natural tannins, with relatively large and complex structures. ETs from medicinal plants are focused increasingly due to urolithins, a kind of intestinal metabolite of ETs, which showed promising anti-Alzheimer's disease (AD) effects. Melastoma dodecandrum (MD), a widely used traditional Chinese medicine is rich in ETs, but their chemistry and potential neuroprotective effects have not been investigated. PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify the chemical composition of ETs in the crude extract of MD and to investigate their neuroprotective effects in vivo. METHODS: UPLC-QTOF-MS-based molecular networking (MN) and structural characterization were applied to targeted profiling of the MD-ETs. Animal behavior experiments, including the novel object recognition test (NOR), open field test (OFT), and Morris water maze test (MWM), were conducted to assess the memory improvement effects of MD-ETs in AD model mice. RESULTS: A total of 70 ETs, ranging from monomers to tetramers, were tracked and characterized in the MD extract using MN-guided targeted profiling, with 59 of them reported for the first time in this species. MD-ETs significantly improved memory impairment in AD mice, as indicated by decreased escape latency, increased number of crossings and target quadrant distance in MWM, increased rearing number in OFT, and increased preference index in NOR. CONCLUSION: This study systematically characterized the composition and structural features of ETs in MD using targeted LC-MS profiling, expanding the chemical information of ETs in MD. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that MD-ETs have significant effects on improving impaired memory in AD mice, suggesting their potential as alternative natural medicines for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Identification of ellagic acid and urolithins as natural inhibitors of Aß25-35-induced neurotoxicity and the mechanism predication using network pharmacology analysis and molecular docking.

Ellagic acid (EA) is a dietary polyphenol that widely exists in grapes, strawberries, and walnuts. It usually exerts multiple biological activities together with its in vivo metabolites called urolithins. EA and urolithins had been proposed as natural agents for applying on the early intervention of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the neuroprotective effects of those small molecules have not been confirmed, and the action mechanism is not clear. Deposition of beta-amyloid (Aß) protein is well documented as being involved in the initiation and pathological process of AD. In the present study, we investigated the attenuating effects of EA and several urolithins on Aß25-35-induced neuronal injury and its underlying molecular mechanism by constructing the in vitro AD cell model of PC12 cells and primary neurons. The results revealed that EA and urolithins especially the UM5 and UM6 exerted promising neuroprotective effects in improving the Aß25-35-induced cell damage and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage, reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, inhibiting neuronal apoptosis, and promoting neurite outgrowth. These results provide new insights into the development of UM5 and UM6 as anti-AD candidates. A network pharmacology analysis combining molecular docking strategy was further adopted to predict the signaling pathway involved in the anti-AD action of EA and urolithins, and the activation of PI3K-Akt, as well as the inhibition of MAPK was found to be involved.

Stress-strain and acoustic emission characteristics of cement-based materials used to simulate soft rock with fractures.

Instability failure in rock mass engineering is closely related to expansion of joint fissures. In this study, uniaxial compression tests and acoustic emission (AE) measurements were carried out simultaneously on specimens of soft rock-like material with different fracture angles and connectivity values to better understand their influence on the deformation and failure of the material. The stress-strain curve and AE signal of fractured soft rock-like material are similar to those of intact soft rock-like; specifically, they exhibit a compaction, elastic deformation, stable fracture development, and unstable fracture development. The main differences between fractured and intact material occur during post-peak failure stage. Under the combined influence of fracture angle and connectivity, the uniaxial compressive strength of fractured soft rock-like material ([Formula: see text]) is lower than that of the intact soft rock-like material (fcu), and can be described by the relationship [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is the strength reduction coefficient, fitted as [Formula: see text]. In this equation, x is the fracture angle ([Formula: see text]) and y is the fracture connectivity (%). Under uniaxial compression, the main types of secondary cracks were wing cracks and secondary coplanar cracks. The specimen with a fracture angle of 30° mainly underwent tensile failure under loading, whereas those with fracture angles of 45° and 60°mainly experienced shear failure under high-connectivity conditions (45%).

Phosphorylated and Phosphonated Low-Complexity Protein Segments for Biomimetic Mineralization and Repair of Tooth Enamel.

Biomimetic mineralization based on self-assembly has made great progress, providing bottom-up strategies for the construction of new organic-inorganic hybrid materials applied in the treatment of hard tissue defects. Herein, inspired by the cooperative effects of key components in biomineralization microenvironments, a new type of biocompatible peptide scaffold based on flexibly self-assembling low-complexity protein segments (LCPSs) containing phosphate or phosphonate groups is developed. These LCPSs can retard the transformation of amorphous calcium phosphate into hydroxyapatite (HAP), leading to merged mineralization structures. Moreover, the application of phosphonated LCPS over phosphorylated LCPS can prevent hydrolysis by phosphatases that are enriched in extracellular mineralization microenvironments. After being coated on the etched tooth enamel, these LCPSs facilitate the growth of HAP to generate new enamel layers comparable to the natural layers and mitigate the adhesion of Streptococcus mutans. In addition, they can effectively stimulate the differentiation pathways of osteoblasts. These results shed light on the potential biomedical applications of two LCPSs in hard tissue repair.

[Investigation of Dominant Plants and Analysis of Ecological Restoration Potential in Lailishan Tin Tailings].

To investigate the dominant plants in ecological restoration of tin mining areas, field investigations were conducted in a tin tailings area in Lailishan, Yunnan Provence, and 15 dominant plants and corresponding rhizosphere soils were collected. The plant root mycorrhizal infection rate; the copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and tin (Sn) contents; and the chemical properties of the rhizosphere tailings were determined. The transfer and enrichment coefficients of six heavy metals were calculated for each of the 15 plants to comprehensively evaluate the application potential of native plants. The rhizophere tailings had an average pH value of 3.13, which was acidic. The organic matter, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total potassium, alkaline hydrolyzed nitrogen, and available phosphorus content of the soils was 6.07 g ·kg-1, 5.74 g ·kg-1, 0.62 g ·kg-1, 8.66 g ·kg-1, 30.84 mg ·kg-1, and 2.08 mg ·kg-1 respectively, indicating relatively nutrient-poor soil. The average Cu, Cd, Ni, Pb, As, and Sn contents of the soils were 347.40, 1.02, 1.34, 168.47, 25.81, and 2299.02 mg ·kg-1, respectively. Among the heavy metals, the Cd content reached a third-level pollution warning value. The soil also contained a large amount of Cu and Pb which exhibited a different spatial distribution. This area appears to have a high risk of Cu, Pb, and Cd pollution. In addition, the roots of Olea europaea L. and Eurya japonica Thunb. had a high rate of mycorrhizal infection. Alnus cremastogyne Burk., Bambusa multiplex (Lour.) Raeusch. ex Schult. 'Alphonse-Kar' R. A. Young, Juncus effusus L., and Cyperus rotundus L. var. had a strong ability to absorb and transport heavy metals. The other plants were also adapted to the growth environment of the tin tailings, with the potential to restore the mining area.

Exploring the Mechanism of Zhibai Dihuang Decoction in the Treatment of Ureaplasma Urealyticum-Induced Orchitis Based on Integrated Pharmacology.

Background: Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) infection is the most common cause of male infertility. Zhibai Dihuang Decoction (ZBDHD) can improve the rate of forwarding motility sperm, sperm deformity rate, seminal plasma zinc and refined berry sugar levels. Methods: The potential targets of ZBDHD are obtained from The Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ETCM). Orchitis-related targets were collected from the Genecards and OMIM databases. The Cytoscape and the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) were utilized to construct and analyzed the networks. Finally, a rat model of orchitis caused by UU infection was used to detect related indicators of mitochondrial energy metabolism using TUNEL apoptosis detection technology, loss cytometry, Real-Time Quantitative Reverse Transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western Blot. Results: A total of 795 ZBDHD targets and 242 orchitis-related targets were obtained. The "ZBDHD- orchitis PPI network" was constructed and analyzed. ZBDHD can regulate signaling pathways and biological processes related to mitochondrial energy metabolism. The results of experimental studies have shown that ZBDHD maintains the integrity of sperm mitochondrial respiratory chain function by enhancing mitochondrial Na+-K+-ATPase and Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase activities, promotes the synthesis of mitochondrial ATP, and improves sperm energy supply, thereby improving the motility, vitality and survival rate of sperm, and effectively improving the quality of semen in UU-infected rats (p < 0.05). Conclusion:This study discovered the multi-pathway mechanism of ZBDHD intervention in UU-induced orchitis through integrated pharmacological strategies, which provides a reference for further research on the mechanism of ZBDHD intervention in orchitis in the direction of mitochondrial energy metabolism.

Use of a Systematic Pharmacological Methodology to Explore the Mechanism of Shengmai Powder in Treating Diabetic Cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND Cardiovascular complications, such as diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM), are the leading cause of death in diabetic patients. Shengmai Powder (SMP) was found to have cardioprotective effects. MATERIAL AND METHODS Based on the systematic pharmacological methodology, this research determined the genes of DCM and the known targets of SMP, predicted potential compounds and targets of SMP, constructed networks for DCM and SMP, and performed network analysis. RESULTS Five network were constructed: (1) the DCM gene PPI network; (2) the Compound-compound target network of SMP; (3) the SMP-DCM PPI network; (4) the Compound-known target network of SMP; (5) and the SMP known target-DCM PPI network. Several DCM and treatment related targets, clusters, signaling pathways, and biological processes were found. CONCLUSIONS SMP is able to regulate glycometabolism-related, lipid metabolism-related, inflammatory response-related, oxidative stress-related signaling pathways, and biological processes and targets, which suggests that SMP may have a therapeutic effect on DCM.

The correlation of ESCO1 expression with a prognosis of prostate cancer and anti-tumor effect of ESCO1 silencing.

BACKGROUND: Recently, it has been reported that establishment of sister chromatid cohesion N-acetyltransferase 1 (ESCO1) is involved in tumorigenesis. However, its role in prostate cancer remains unclear. In the present study, the association between ESCO1 expression and the prognosis of prostate cancer was investigated, and the potential molecular mechanisms underlying its actions in tumor progression were also examined. METHODS: Immunohistochemical analysis was performed to detect the expression of ESCO1 in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), human prostate cancer, and metastasis tissue samples, and the association between the establishment of ESCO1 expression and the prognosis of prostate cancer was investigated. The effect of ESCO1 expression on the viability, migration, and invasion of prostate cancer cells in vitro was analyzed, along with the effect of ESCO1 silencing on the growth of prostate tumors in vivo. RESULTS: The results demonstrated an increase in the expression of ESCO1 in prostate cancer tissue when compared with BPH, and it was significantly associated with tumor malignancy and poor patient survival. Additionally, knockdown of ESCO1 significantly inhibited the viability and migration of prostate cancer cell. Furthermore, we found that knockdown of ESCO1 significantly inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Pathway analysis identified that the silencing of ESCO1 significantly decreased the phosphorylation levels of protein kinase B. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study indicate that ESCO1 plays a vital role in the progression of human prostate cancer; furthermore, ESCO1 may potentially serve as a prognostic marker and a novel therapeutic target for this disease.

Effectiveness of Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of coenzyme Q10 for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: Data from randomized controlled trials were obtained to assess the effects of coenzyme Q10 versus placebo or western medicine on patients with T2DM. The study's registration number is CRD42018088474. The primary outcomes included glycosylated hemoglobin, fasting blood glucose, and fasting insulin. RESULT: Thirteen trials involving 765 patients were included. Compared with the control group, coenzyme Q10 may decrease the HbA1c (WMD -0.29; 95% CI -0.54, -0.03; P = 0.03) and the fasting blood glucose (WMD -11.21; 95% CI -18.99, -3.43; P = 0.005). For fasting insulin, there is also not strong evidence that confirms which one is better because there was no statistical difference (WMD -0.48; 95% CI -2.54, 1.57; P = 0.65). CONCLUSION: Based on current evidence, coenzyme Q10 may assist glycemic control, decrease TG, and improve HDL-C in patients with T2DM.

A novel Halomonas ventosae-specific virulent halovirus isolated from the Qiaohou salt mine in Yunnan, Southwest China.

Although Halomonas phages belonging to the families Myoviridae and Siphoviridae have been reported, no virulent Halomonas siphoviruses are known. In this study, a virulent bacteriophage, QHHSV-1, of the family Siphoviridae that specifically infects H. ventosae QH52-2 was isolated from the Qiaohou salt mine. Restriction analysis indicated that QHHSV-1 is a dsDNA virus with a genome size of 33.5-39.5 kb. Transmission electron microscopy showed that QHHSV-1 is a typical representative of the Siphoviridae, with an icosahedral head (47 nm in diameter) and a non-contractile tail (75 nm in length). We also assessed the adsorption rate of QHHSV-1 for the host bacterium and found significant inhibition after the addition of 10 mM CaCl2. Based on a one-step growth curve, we determined a latent period of 30 min and a burst size of 73 PFU/infected cell. At the optimal pH of 8.0, 25.9 and 15.2 % of the phages survived after a 60-min incubation at 50 and 60 °C, respectively. Phage replication was possible at a wide range of salt concentrations, from 2.0 to 20 % (w/v), with an optimum concentration of 5 %. The survival of QHHSV-1 at different salt concentrations decreased with time and 25 % survival after 25 days at 30 % salt concentration.

[Nitrogen Removal of Municipal Wastewater by ANAMMOX Coupled Shortcut Nitrification in Anaerobic Baffled Reactor].

If the technology of anaerobic ammonium oxidation(ANAMMOX) can substitute the mainstream technology of municipal wastewater treatment plant, the energy of municipal wastewater treatment will be decreased significantly. Thus, anaerobic baffled reactor(ABR) was used to build carbon system, shortcut nitrification system and anaerobic ammonia oxidation system. And the three systems were coupled to shortcut nitrification-anaerobic ammonia oxidation reactor to treat municipal wastewater. The results showed that the average effluent COD concentration of carbon removal system was 80 mg·L-1 when the hydraulic retention time of carbon removal system was 4.5 h. And the subsequent shortcut nitrification system would not be adversely affected by the effluent COD. Finally, the average effluent total nitrogen concentration was 10 mg·L-1, with total nitrogen volume load of ANAMMOX system of 0.36 kg·(m3·d)-1. When the dissolved oxygen was controlled between 1 to 2 mg·L-1, the nitrite accumulation rate could be maintained around 90%, ensuring the stable operation of the subsequent anaerobic ammonia oxidation system. The nitrogen of municipal wastewater could be stable and efficiently removed by the shortcut nitrification -ANAMMOX integration ABR with temperature of 30℃ and dissolved oxygen of 1-2 mg·L-1.

Effect of Calcium Ions on Dewaterability of Enzymatic-Enhanced Anaerobic Digestion Sludge.

Waste-activated sludge (WAS) solubilized remarkably after enzymatic-enhanced anaerobic digestion, but its dewaterability was deteriorated. In this study, a novel method was performed to improve the dewaterability of enzymatic-enhanced anaerobic digestion sludge by adding CaCl2 (0.01~1.00 g/g total sludge). The capillary suction time (CST), moisture content, and filtrate turbidity were employed to characterize the dewaterability of WAS, and the possible mechanisms involved were clarified. The results showed the dewaterability did not worsen when CaCl2 was added before sludge digestion, and the CST, moisture content, and filtrate turbidity were notably reduced with the increase of CaCl2 dosage. It also shown that calcium ions played an important role in the bioflocculation of digested sludge by neutralizing negative charges on the surface of sludge. In addition, soluble protein initially lowered a little and then observably improved with the addition of CaCl2, while soluble carbohydrate was reduced sharply first and then bounced back afterwards. The interactions between calcium ions and the biopolymer further enhanced the dewatering of sludge through bridging of colloidal particles together.

Arenimonas taoyuanensis sp. nov., a novel bacterium isolated from rice-field soil in China.

A Gram-stain negative, aerobic, rod-shaped bacterial strain, YN2-31A(T), was isolated from rice-field soil, Taoyuan Village, Yunnan province of China. The bacterium was observed to grow at 20-45 °C (optimum 28 °C), at pH 5.0-10.0 (optimum 7.0), and in the presence of 0-2% (w/v) NaCl (optimum 0-1%). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain YN2-31A(T) is most closely related to Arenimonas daejeonensis DSM 18060(T) (96.1%), Arenimonas malthae DSM 21305(T) (95.9%), Arenimonas donghaensis DSM 18148(T) (95.1%), Arenimonas composti DSM 18010(T) (94.8%) and Arenimonas maotaiensis JCM 19710(T) (94.8%). The major cellular fatty acids (>10%) were found to be iso-C(18:1) ω9c, iso-C(15:0), Sum In Feature 3 (C(16:1) ω7c/C(16:1) ω6c), and C(16:0). The major ubiquinone was identified as Q-8 and the major cellular polar lipids were identified as diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and unidentified phospholipids. The genomic DNA G+C content was determined to be 72.3 mol%. The results of the phylogenetic, genetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic analyses suggest that strain YN2-31A(T) represents a novel species of the genus Arenimonas, for which the name Arenimonas taoyuanensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YN2-31A(T) (=DSM 26777(T) = CCTCC AB2012964(T)).

[Nitrogen Removal Using ANAMMOX and Denitrification for Treatment of Municipal Sewage].

In this study, an Anaerobic Baffled Reactor ( ABR) was constructed. The ANAMMOX process was successfully started up using this reactor within 45 days under the following condition: 27 degrees C, pH of 8, HRT of 10 h, and the influent NO2(-) -N/NH4(+) -N was 1.32. At the stable phase, the average TN removal percentages reached 83% and the ΔNH4(+) -N: ΔNO2(-) -N: ΔNO3(-) -N was 1 : 1. 31 : 0.27. In the process of treating municipal sewage, there was inevitably a certain amount of organic carbon in the influent. Organic carbon had no obvious effect on the ANAMMOX process at C/N of 0.5; Nitrogen removal was improved, and the average total nitrogen (TN, including ammonia, nitrite and nitrate nitrogen) removal efficiency of 93% was obtained at C/N of 1. However, at C/N of 2, the TN removal performance reduced due to the suppression of ANAMMOX by organic carbon; the ANAMMOX bacteria could recover their activity in a short period of time by reducing the influent COD concentration. In this work, the performance of the ANAMMOX-denitrification process in the treatment of municipal sewage was investigated, which proved the suitability of ABR-denitrification reactor in treating municipal sewage with low ammonia nitrogen concentration, with an effluent TN concentration of 7.5 mg x L(-1), and the average TN removal percentages reaching 86%.

[Expressions of CMTM8 and E-cadherin in primary and metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression and clinical pathological significance of CMTM8 and E-cadherin in primary and metastatic clear-cell renal cell carcinoma. METHODS: The immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expressions of CMTM8 and E-cadherin in 17 cases of primary clear-cell renal cell carcinoma, 8 cases of normal renal tissue, 9 cases of metastatic renal cell carcinoma in lungs and 10 cases of metastatic renal cell carcinoma in bones. RESULTS: The membranous staining intensities of CMTM8 and E-cadherin in normal renal tissue were strong, but reduced in low-grade clear-cell renal cell carcinoma. There were positive cytoplasmic stainings of CMTM8 and E-cadherin in high-grade clear-cell renal cell carcinoma. Increased cytoplasmic expression of CMTM8 was frequent in metastatic renal cell carcinoma, accompanied with reduced cell surface staining. The expression of E-cadherin could be negative or weakly positive at membrane and cytoplasma. CMTM8 and E-cadherin expressions were negatively correlated with development and metastasis in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (r=-0.841 and r=-0.732, P<0.001). Moreover, CMTM8 was also correlated with the expression of E-cadherin (r=0.694, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: CMTM8 and E-cadherin are negatively correlated with tumorgenesis and development in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma. The location and intensity of their expressions have significant association with the prognosis.

Comparative molecular analysis of the prokaryotic diversity of two salt mine soils in southwest China.

While much is known about the microbial diversity in some hypersaline environments, little is known about those of salt mine tunnel soils. The objective of this study was to conduct a comprehensive phylogenetic comparison of the archaeal and bacterial communities present in Yipinglang salt mine (YPL) and Qiaohou salt mine (QH) tunnels differing in salinity and salt composition using 16S rRNA gene clone libraries. Two hundred twenty-eight sequences for QH and 182 sequences for YPL were analyzed by amplified ribosomal DNA-restriction analysis. Libraries revealed 44 bacterial and 57 archaeal different operational taxonomic units belonging to at least 8 bacterial and 3 archaeal divisions, but not all divisions were observed in both salt mines. The bacterial community affiliated with the Bacteroidetes was the most abundant (60% of clones) in QH, while the community in YPL was dominated by δ-Proteobacteria (45% of clones). All archaeal clones from QH were affiliated with Halobacteriaceae. In contrast, in the YPL library, 49% of clones belonged to Halobacteriaceae, 31% of clones related to unclassified archaea, and 21% of clones belonged to Crenarchaeota. Bioinformatic analysis and comparisons showed that the clone libraries were significantly different between two salt mines.

Efficacy and safety of bipolar plasma vaporization of the prostate with "button-type" electrode compared with transurethral resection of prostate for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

BACKGROUND: Transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) has been considered as the standard treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). However, issues that have not yet been overcome for TURP include bleeding and absorption of irrigation fluid. Thus, novel improvement of the surgery is necessary. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of bipolar plasma vaporization of the prostate (BPVP) with "button-type" electrode against standard TURP for BPH. METHODS: From January 2009 to January 2012, 30 patients who scheduled for surgical treatment of BPH surgical treatment were enrolled in the trial with provided consent for the study. Patients were prospectively randomized 1:1 to undergo either BPVP or TURP. Participants were blinded to the randomization scheme. All cases were assessed preoperatively and followed at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively by indwelling catheter time, blood loss, hospital stays, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life (QOL), and Qmax. RESULTS: BPVP was significantly superior to TURP in terms of indwelling catheter time ((4.1 ± 4.1) days vs. (6.8 ± 6.8) days, P = 0.000), blood loss ((64.7 ± 103.8) ml vs. (254.7 ± 325.4) ml, P = 0.040), hospital stay ((8.7 ± 1.0) days vs. (11.7 ± 1.5) days, P = 0.000), IPSS ((4.2 ± 8.0) vs. (9.3 ± 3.7), P = 0.049), QOL ((1.5 ± 0.8) vs. (2.6 ± 1.4), P = 0.027), Qmax ((16.3 ± 5.7) ml/s vs. (12.5 ± 3.1) ml/s, P = 0.038), hemoglobin ((130.7 ± 9.4) g/L vs. ((122.1 ± 11.9) g/L, P = 0.047), Na(+) level ((138.6 ± 2.1) mmol/L vs. ((137.2 ± 2.0) mmol/L, P = 0.046) and operation time ((39.0 ± 15.5) minutes vs. ((69.3 ± 24.8) minutes, P = 0.004). And there were no statistical differences between BPVP group and TURP group in preoperatively assessment: patient's age ((70.9 ± 7.1) years vs. (71.9 ± 6.1) years, P = 0.736), IPSS ((24.6 ± 4.7) vs. (27.3 ± 5.9), P = 0.100), QOL ((5.1 ± 0.8) vs. (5.1 ± 1.0), P = 0.940), Qmax ((4.4 ± 2.7) ml/s vs. (5.3 ± 2.6) ml/s, P = 0.314), hemoglobin ((137.4 ± 8.7) g/L vs. (139.2 ± 10.4) g/L, P = 0.623), Na(+) level ((140.5 ± 1.8) mmol/L vs. (141.3 ± 1.4) mmol/L, P = 0.192) and prostate volume ((59.0 ± 17.4) ml vs. (70.1 ± 28.8) ml, P = 0.276). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with TURP, BPVP with "button-type" electrode shows superior efficacy and safety. Therefore, BPVP with "button-type" electrode represents a valuable endoscopic treatment alternative for BPH patients.

Susceptibility to AcMNPV and expression of recombinant proteins by a novel cell clone derived from a Trichoplusia ni QAU-BTI-Tn9-4s cell line.

It is well known that Tn5B1-4 (commercially known as the High Five) cell line is highly susceptible to baculovirus and provides superior production of recombinant proteins when compared to other insect cell lines. But the characteristics of the cell line do not always remain stable and may change upon continuous passage. Recently an alphanodavirus, named Tn5 Cell Line Virus (or TNCL Virus), was identified in High Five cells in particular. Therefore, we established a new cell line, QB-Tn9-4s, from Trichoplusia ni, which was determined to be free of TNCL virus by RT-PCR analysis. In this paper, we describe the development of a novel cell clone, QB-CL-B, from a low passage QB-Tn9-4s cell line and report its susceptibility to AcMNPV, and the level of recombinant protein production. This cell clone was similar to its parental cells QB-Tn9-4s and Tn5B1-4 cells in morphology and growth rate; although it also showed approximately the same responses to AcMNPV infection and production of occlusion bodies, there were higher levels of recombinant protein production in comparison to QB-Tn9-4s (parental cells) and High5 cells.

[A survey of Japanese encephalitis antibody migrant workers in Shenzhen 2009].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the immunological status of Japanese encephalitis (JE) antibodies amongst migrant workers and to provide epidemiological basis for public health strategies on JE prevention and control in Shenzhen. METHODS: A multi-stage random sampling method was used, and 1003 migrant workers aged 18 to 60 from 44 factories were investigated and their serum specimens were collected. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect JE antibodies qualitatively. RESULTS: The gross IgG seroprevalence rate for JE was 20.2% (203/1003). Sex-specified seroprevalence was 21.2% (103/485) for male and 19.3% (100/518) for female, respectively (χ(2) = 579, P > 0.05). Age-specific seropositive rates were 22.6% (12/53) for those below 20 years old, 18.7% (120/642) for those between 20-years old, 26.0% (58/223) for those between 30-years old and 15.3% (13/85) for those on or above 40 years old (χ(2) = 7.96, P > 0.05). Proportions for self-reported positive immunization, non-immunization and unclear immunization history were 22.1% (30/136), 22.1% (51/231) and 19.2% (122/636), respectively (χ(2) = 501, P > 0.05). Seroprevalence by region of origins showed that workers from Guangdong province was the highest (30.5%, 50/164), followed by workers from Guangxi (29.7%, 22/74) whilst workers from Shan(3)xi (5.4%, 2/37) had the lowest rate. Seroprevalence rate for managers (29.0%, 31/107) was higher than that of technicians (7.1%, 1/14) (χ(2) = 21.78, P < 0.05). Serological positive rate of workers with university or above educational background was the highest (32.7%, 16/49), followed by that for individuals with college degree (10.3%, 10/97) (χ(2) = 13.02, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: No associations are detected between JE seroprevalence and age, or sex, or self-reported immunization histories amongst migrant labor workers in Shenzhen. However, correlations between JE serological positive rate and region of origins, occupation and educational attainment are found to be significant. The gross seroprevalence of JE antibodies suggests that the level of JE antibodies amongst Shenzhen migrant workers is low and the population immunity barrier has yet to be established. It is necessary to strengthen prevention and control strategies of JE among labor workers of Shenzhen.

[Study on the epidemiological characteristics of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Inner Mongolia].

OBJECTIVE: In order to better understand the epidemiological features of Hantviruses in Inner Mongolia. METHODS: Epidemiological surveillance data during the period of the past 52 years were analyzed. An epidemiological survey was carried out in the main epidemic areas in 2005. RESULTS: A total of 8310 hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) cases were reported in Inner Mongolia from 1955 to 2006, and distributed in 61 counties. HFRS cases were mainly distributed in the east part of Inner Mongolia before 1990. However, HFRS cases had occurred in the middle and western parts since 1990. Hulunbeier prefecture, from the eastern part of Inner Mongolia, had been the most severe area being hit by HERS since the first outbreak in 1955, with 7369 cases reported over the past 52 years, and accounted for 88.68% of the total cases in the whole autonomous region. Although no HFRS cases had been reported before 1999 in Bayannaoer which located in the western part of Inner Mongolia, a total of 95 cases were reported in 2005. Hantavirus antigens had been detected in 11 species of rodents so far,including Apodemus agrarius, Rattus norvegicus, Mus Musculus, Cricetulus barabensis, meriones meridianus, Microtus maximowiczii , Clethrionomys rutilus, Apodemus peninsulae, Phodopus roborvskii, Dipus sagitta and Allactaga sibirica. CONCLUSION: Results suggested that the epidemics might remain at a relatively high level in the years to come in Inner Mongolia. Furthermore, there might be other types of Hantaviruses in addition to the already identified Seoul viral type in this area.