Construction of Functionalized α-Imino Ketones via Pd-Catalyzed C-H Addition to Nitriles/Aerobic Oxidation Sequences.

Pd(II)-catalyzed addition of sp2 C-H to nitrile/aerobic oxidation sequences for the preparation of functionalized α-imino ketones is described in which readily available heteroarenes and O-acyl cyanohydrins were employed. Various functionalized targeted molecules can be prepared in good yields with high atom and step economy. Moreover, a broad substrate scope and the ready manipulation and availability of the reaction partners enable this protocol to be appealing to explore the chemical space of the construction of functionalized α-imino ketones with high efficiency.

[Survey of infection situation of intestinal parasites of rural residents in plain area of Shandong Province].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the current situation of infections of intestinal parasites of rural residents in four cities namely Dongying, Weifang, Jining and Heze of Shandong Province. METHODS: Twenty-four villages were randomly selected as study areas. The Kato-Katz technique was applied to test the stool samples of adult residents and the cellophane tape anus method was applied to test the infection of Enterobius vermicularis of children aged 12 years or below. Fifty families were randomly selected from each village and surveyed with questionnaires for the general situation of the family, and the knowledge of prevention and control of parasites, and healthy behaviors of the family members. RESULTS: Totally 8,227 adult residents and 1,313 children were investigated and the total infection rate of intestinal parasites was 0.55% (45 cases). The infection rates of Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworm, Trichuris trichura, E. vermicularis and Clonorchis sinensis were 0.15% (12 cases), 0.06% (5 cases), 0.09% (7 cases), 1.37% (18 cases) and 0.04% (3 cases), respectively. Totally 3,767 residents were surveyed with questionnaires, and the awareness rate of the knowledge of prevention and control of parasites was 28.72% (1,082 cases), the formation rates of washing hands before meal, washing hands after toilet, washing fruit and vegetables before eating, and never drinking unboiled water were 60.66% (2,285 cases), 50.17% (1,890 cases), 48.71% (1,835 cases), and 87.07% (3,280 cases), respectively. CONCLUSION: In the plain area of Shandong Province, the infection rates of A. lumbricoides, hookworm, T. trichura and C. sinensis are low but the infection rate of E. vermicularis of children is relatively high; the awareness rates of the knowledge of parasites as well as the formation rates of healthy behaviors are low. Therefore, the health education and promotion should be strengthened.

[Survey of intestinal parasitic infections and related knowledge and behavior of residents in Jiaodong area of Shandong Province].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the status of intestinal parasitic infections and the related knowledge and behavior in residents of Jiaodong area of Shandong Province, so as to provide the evidence for making an appropriate preventive and control strategy. METHODS: A total of 18 villages from 6 counties in Jiaodong area were selected as investigation sites according to the stratified sampling method. The feces samples of the permanent residents aged above 3 years were collected and examined by Kato-Katz technique to find the intestinal parasite eggs, and the children under 12 years old were examined by the method of cellophane anal swab to detect the Enterobius vennrmicularis eggs. In addition, 50 households in each survey sites were randomly selected to investigate the basic family situation and the condition of awareness on prevention knowledge and formation of correct behavior of residents by using a structured questionnaire. RESULTS: Totally 6 163 residents involved in the feces examinations, and the total infection rate of intestinal parasites was 6.91%. The infection rates of Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides and hookworm were 6.56%, 0.62% and 0.21%, respectively. The infection rate of E. vermicularis in children under 12 years old was 0.51%. The eggs of Clonorchis sinensis and Taenia solium were not found in this survey. The awareness rate of knowledge about preventing parasitic diseases was 49.54%. The formation rates of washing hands before eating, washing hands after using the toilet, never eating raw fruit and vegetable without washing clean, never working in the field with bare feet, and never drinking unboiled water were 97.78%, 91.95%, 88.81%, 92.42% and 86.48% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The infection rate of intestinal parasites is low in Jiaodong area, but there is a significant difference among different counties. The awareness rate of knowledge about preventing parasitic diseases is low, but the formation rate of healthy behavior is high. In the future, the health education and the strategy of taking medicine among the key population should be enhanced, and the project of reconstructing safe water supply and lavatory should be advanced.

[Analysis of results of technique competition for diagnosis of parasitic diseases in Shandong Province].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the capacity of Plasmodium detection and helminth detection and the mastery degree of basic knowledge of parasitic diseases. METHODS: Three professionals from each city were selected as contestants. The content of the competition contained three parts. The first part included making blood slides and Giemsa staining of Plasmodium, and identification of species and number with microscopy, the second part included making stool slides with Kato-Katz technique and identification of common helminth eggs with microscopy, and the third part was basic knowledge of parasitic diseases. RESULTS: Totally 51 contestants took part in the competition. The average score of the test of making blood slides was 14.8 +/- 3.3, and the passing rate was 82.4%. The average score of the identification of species and number of Plasmodium with microscopy was 19.2 +/- 9.3, and the passing rate was 29.4%. The average score of the test of making stool slides was 9.3 +/- 0.7, and the passing rate was 100%. The average score of the identification of common helminth eggs with microscopy was 28.0 +/- 2.6, and the passing rate was 100%. The average score of basic knowledge of parasitic diseases was 76.3 +/- 11.9, and the passing rate was 88.2%. The average score of the test of making blood slides in the female was higher than that in the male (15.7vs.13.5, P < 0.05), and the average score of the test of making blood slides in the intermediate title contestants was higher than that in the junior title contestants (16.1 vs.14.1, P < 0.05). The average score of the basic knowledge of parasitic diseases in the contestants from cities was higher than that in the contestants from towns (83.2 vs. 72.6, P < 0.05), and the average score of basic knowledge of parasitic diseases in the contestants from high economic level cities was higher than that in the contestants from low economic level cities (82.4 vs. 71.5, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: For professionals in Shandong Province, the capacity of helminth detection was strong and the basic knowledge of parasitic diseases was mastered well, while the capacity of Plasmodium detection was weak.

[Control strategy and practice of soil-transmitted parasitic diseases in Shandong Province].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the sustainable development control strategies on soil-transmitted parasitic diseases appropriate to current epidemic characteristics so as to effectively reduce the epidemic level and harm to people in Shandong Province. METHODS: This project was led by the Shandong Medical Department, governed and instructed by the Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, concretely implemented by the centers for disease control and prevention in counties or cities. All the work was carried out according to the Control Programming of National Key Parasitic Diseases, and with the combination of routine and key control strategies according to the actual situation. RESULTS: The average infection rate of soil-transmitted parasitic diseases in Shandong Province was 18.26% in 2003. During the 2007 to 2009 period, 3,115,194 people from 74 counties in 9 cities received anthelmintic medicine. The numbers receiving health education were 39 866 923 in county, 34,730,663 in city, 3,2000 in province, respectively. The coverage rate of non-hazardous sanitary latrines was 58.05%. In 2009, 6,581 people were surveyed from 7 counties or cities and the infection rate of soil-transmitted parasitic diseases was 7.61%. During three years, 30 provincial training classes were held and 2,130 people attended, 52 municipal classes were held and 3110 people attended, and 403 county classes were held and 12,789 people attended. In the whole province, the infection rate of soil-transmitted parasitic diseases reduced to 7.10% in 2009, with the reduction rate of 61.12%, reaching the national objective. CONCLUSIONS: The comprehensive control model for soil-transmitted parasitic diseases is very successful in Shandong Province.

Controllable fabrication of patterned ZnO nanorod arrays: investigations into the impacts on their morphology.

Fabricating ZnO nanorod arrays with precisely controlled morphology, alignment, and density is highly desirable but rather challenging. On the other hand, understanding the parameters that affect their final morphology and the growth mechanisms is significant to integrate such patterned ZnO nanorod arrays in various applications. Therefore, ZnO nanorod arrays with different density and morphology were fabricated by electron beam lithography (EBL) combined with the hydrothermal methods in this work. The influences of prepatterned geometry and the growth parameters such as seed layer, the precursor concentration, and the growth time on their final morphology were investigated. Under the coactions of EBL and the subsequent hydrothermal growth, ZnO nanorod arrays with precisely controlled density, position and morphology were achieved. The growth mechanism was also discussed in detail for the ZnO nanorod arrays which confined by the aperture with different size.

[Cloning and identification of ROP2 gene of Toxoplasma gondii].

OBJECTIVE: To amplify ROP2 from the genomic DNA of Toxoplasma gondii RH strain and construct eukaryotic expression plasmid pc-DNA3-ROP2. METHODS: Tachyzoites of T. gondii RH strain were collected and depurated to obtain genome. A pair of primers was designed and synthesized according ROP2 gene sequence. The gene fragment encoding ROP2 was amplified from the genomic DNA of T. gondii RH strain by means of PCR. It was then reclaimed and purified, and inserted into cloning vector pUCm-T. The recon was cut by EcoR I, Hind III, and the inserted ROP2 gene fragment was subcloned into pc-DNA3 eukaryotic expression vector using T4DNA ligase, followed by further PCR identification, double digestion via restrictive enzymes, and sequencing. RESULTS: The amplified specific gene fragment of ROP2 was about 1.7 kb in length. The gene fragment cloned and subcloned into pc-DNA3 was correct, and the eukaryotic expression plasmid contained ROP2 gene fragment was successfully constructed. CONCLUSION: The recombinant plasmid pc-DNA3-ROP2 was successfully constructed.

Biological role of surface Toxoplasma gondii antigen in development of vaccine.

AIM: To analyze the biological role of the surface antigen of Toxoplasma gondii (T gondii) in development of vaccine. METHODS: The surface antigen of T gondii (SAG1) was expressed in vitro. The immune response of the host to the antigen was investigated by detection of specific antibody reaction to SAG1 and production of cytokines. Mice were immunized with recombinant SAG1 and challenged with lethal strain of T gondii RH. The monoclonal antibody to r-SAG1 was prepared and used to study the effects of SAG1 on T gondii tachyzoites under electromicroscope. RESULTS: The mice immunized with recombinant SAG1 delayed death for 60 h compared to the control group. The recombinant SAG1 induced specific high titer of IgG and IgM antibodies as well as IFN-gamma, IL-2 and IL-4 cytokines in mice. In contrast, IL-12, IL-6 and TNF-alpha were undetectable. When T gondii tachyzoites were treated with the monoclonal antibody to r-SAG1, the parasites were gathered together, destroyed, deformed, swollen, and holes and gaps formed on the surface. CONCLUSION: SAG1 may be an excellent vaccine candidate against T gondii. The immune protection induced by SAG1 against T gondii may be regulated by both hormone- and cell-mediated immune response.

[Studies on the immuno-protection of ROP2 nuclei acid vaccine in Toxoplasma gondii infection].

OBJECTIVE: To study the protective effect of ROP2 nuclei acid vaccine in mice. METHODS: Forty-two BALB/c mice were divided into three groups. Each mouse in experiment group was injected with 50 microg recombinant plasmid pc-DNA3-ROP2 through musculus quadriceps fexoris. In control groups, each mouse was injected with 50 microg blank plasmid pc-DNA3 and with 50 microl PBS respectively. All mice were immunized for three times with an interval of three weeks. The volume was doubled for the final injection in the two plasmid groups. Blood, spleens and lymph nodes of 4 mice in each group were taken for the detection of CD4+, CD8+ T cells and cytokines 2 weeks after the final immunization. The rest mice in 3 groups were challenged with 500 tachyzoites of Toxoplasm gondii RH strain for further observation. RESULTS: The vaccine induced strong cellular and humoral immune response. The titer of antibody in serum was high after inoculation and recognized ROP2 protein antigen expressed in vitro. The lymphocyte phenotype was analyzed. CD4+ T cells proliferated sharply (69.5+/-3.4)%, and the ratio of CD4/CD8+ increased considerably by (4.69+/-1.32)% (P<0.01). The level of IL-2, IL4, IL-6, IL-12, IFN-gamma and TNF in serum and cultured supernatant of spleen cells and lymph cells was higher in the experiment group than that in control groups, especially in serum. 88.9% mice in the experiment group were protected 180 hours after the challenge of T. gondii. The death time of mice in experiment group was delayed and the survival time was prolonged in comparison to that in control groups with a significant difference (P< 0.01). CONCLUSION: The recombinant ROP2 nuclei acid vaccine shows fair immunogeni-city and obviously produces immuno-protection.