Short noncoding DNA fragments improve the immune potency of electroporation-mediated HBV DNA vaccination.

Electroporation (EP)-mediated DNA immunization can elicit effective immune responses in a variety of animals, and is widely used in research studies and clinical trials. However, high-pulse voltage, high DNA dose and multiple immunizations are still required to achieve considerable immune responses. To further improve the efficiency of EP-mediated DNA immunization, many parameters have been tried and optimized in recent years. In our early research, we found that the short noncoding DNA fragments (sf-DNA) can significantly enhance EP-mediated transgene expression of reporter genes. In this study, we tested the effect of sf-DNA on the immune potency of EP-mediated hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA vaccination in a mouse model. The results show that the use of sf-DNA in EP-mediated HBV DNA vaccination leads to an enhanced expression of the HBV surface antigen, resulting in higher cellular and humoral responses. Furthermore, the immune responses in the sf-DNA-mediated 120 V cm(-1) EP immunization group were higher than that of the 200 V cm(-1) EP without sf-DNA groups. These data suggest that the sf-DNA can be used as an effective helper molecule to improve the immune response of EP-mediated HBV DNA vaccination, which may make the EP-mediated DNA vaccination more effective and suitable for animal and clinical application.

Testicular choriocarcinoma with pelvic and pulmonary metastases: a case report.

Testicular tumors represent a common form of solid tumor in young men, with choriocarcinoma of the testis being a rare, non-granulomatous germ cell tumor. It accounts for less than 0.3% of all testicular germ cell tumors. Pelvic and pulmonary metastases originating from testicular choriocarcinoma are exceptionally uncommon in men. This study describes a case of a 27-year-old male diagnosed with testicular choriocarcinoma, presenting initially with nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Furthermore, this review encompasses cases of testiclar choriocarcinoma in individuals aged 30 years and below, both in China and internationally, over the past 20 years.

Terminal arbor degeneration--a novel lesion produced by the antineoplastic agent paclitaxel.

The antineoplastic agent paclitaxel causes a dose-limiting distal, symmetrical, sensory peripheral neuropathy that is often accompanied by a neuropathic pain syndrome. In a low-dose model of paclitaxel-evoked painful peripheral neuropathy in the rat, we have shown that the drug causes degeneration of intraepidermal nerve fibers (IENFs), i.e. the fibers which give rise to the sensory afferent's terminal receptor arbor. However, we did not find any evidence for axonal degeneration in samples taken at the mid-nerve level. Here we aimed to determine whether the absence of degenerating peripheral nerve axons was due to sampling a level that was too proximal. We used electron microscopy to study the distal-most branches of the nerves innervating the hind paw glabrous skin of normal and paclitaxel-treated rats. We confirmed that we sampled at a time when IENF degeneration was prominent. Because degeneration might be easier to detect with higher paclitaxel doses, we examined a four-fold cumulative dose range (8-32 mg/kg). We found no evidence of degeneration in the superficial subepidermal axon bundles (sSAB) that are located just a few microns below the epidermal basal lamina. Specifically, for all three dose groups there was no change in the number of sSAB per millimeter of epidermal border, no change in the number of axons per sSAB and no change in the diameter of sSAB axons. We conclude that paclitaxel produces a novel type of lesion that is restricted to the afferent axon's terminal arbor; we name this lesion 'terminal arbor degeneration'.

Whole body vibration training improves depression-like behaviors in a rat chronic restraint stress model.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent psychiatric disorder that brings great harm and burden to both patients and society. This study aimed to examine the effects of whole-body vibration (WBV) training on a chronic restraint stress (CRS) induced depression rat model and provide an initial understanding of related molecular mechanisms. Adult Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly divided into the following three groups: a) control group, b) depressive disorder group, and c) depression with WBV training treatment group. Daily food intake, body weight, sucrose preference test, open field test, elevated plus maze, forced swimming test, and Barnes maze task tests were performed. Immunofluorescence staining and ELISA analysis were used to assess neuronal damage, synaptic proteins, glial cells, and trophic factors. The data of behavioral tests and related biochemical indicators were statistically analyzed and compared between groups. Rats undergoing CRS showed increased anxiety-like behavior and memory impairment, along with synaptic atrophy and neuronal degeneration. WBV could reverse behavioral dysfunction, inhibit the degeneration of neurons, alleviate the damage of neurons and the pathological changes of glial cells, enhance trophic factor expression, and ameliorate the downregulation of dendritic and synaptic proteins after CRS. The effect of WBV in rats may be mediated via the reduction of hippocampal neuronal degeneration and by improving expression of synaptic proteins. WBV training exerts multifactorial benefits on MDD that supports its use as a promising new therapeutic option for improving depression-like behaviors in the depressive and/or potentially depressive.

Noggin induces human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells to differentiate into neural and photoreceptor cells.

The present study was undertaken to explore the effect of noggin on neuronal differentiating potential of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMMSCs) in vitro so as to provide a means of alleviate retinal degeneration. A green fluorescent protein-tagged noggin gene was transferred into adult hBMMSCs or induce hBMMSCs with classical inducer, epidermal growth factor(EGF). Neurons were observed as early as 48 h after transduction of hBMMSCs with a noggin adenoviral vector. Differentiation peaked by 10 days in culture, and these differentiated cells expressed multiple markers including rhodopsin (18.4 +/- 1.5% of cells), chx10 (4.8 +/- 0.6%), nestin (4.2 +/- 0.8%), and Nrl (3.7 +/- 0.4%), as verified by immunofluorescence staining. Noggin-transduced cells produced more photoreceptor cells than non-transduced cells, suggesting that noggin has the ability to induce hBMMSCs to trans-differentiate into photoreceptor cells. In contrast, induction with EGF for 10 days led to lower levels of rhodopsin and chx10, and undetectable levels of Nrl and Nestin. These findings suggested noggin-transduced hBMMSCs produced more photoreceptor cells than EGF-induced cells. It is suggested that the present protocol has application in cell replacement therapy for patients suffering from photoreceptor cell loss.

Beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity increases in cerebrospinal fluid of acute head-injured patients.

beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity (beta-ELI) was measured in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 36 acute head-injured patients and 12 patients without head injury as controls. The mean level of beta-ELI in CSF of controls, mild cerebral contusions, and severe cerebral contusion patients were 51.9 +/- 5.6 pg/ml, 110.5 +/- 14.5 pg/ml, and 173.8 +/- 20.1 pg/ml respectively, with significant difference between them. The results also showed that beta-ELI may reflect the prognosis of acute head-injured patients.

The rice inoculant strain Alcaligenes faecalis A15 is a nitrogen-fixing Pseudomonas stutzeri.

The taxonomic position of the nitrogen-fixing rice isolate A15, previously classified as Alcaligenes faecalis, was reinvestigated. On the basis of its small subunit ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) sequence this strain identifies as Pseudomonas stutzeri. Phenotyping and fatty acid profiling confirm this result. DNA:DNA hybridisations, using the optical renaturation rate method, between strain A15 and Pseudomonas stutzeri LMG 11199T revealed a mean DNA-binding of 77%. The identification was further corroborated by comparative sequence analysis of the oprF gene, which encodes the major outer membrane protein of rRNA homology group I pseudomonads. Furthermore we determined the nifH sequence of this strain and of two putative diazotrophic Pseudomonas spp. and made a comparative analysis with sequences of other diazotrophs. These Pseudomonas NifH sequences cluster with NifH sequences isolated from the rice rhizosphere by PCR and of proteobacteria from the beta and gamma subclasses.

Predictors of exercise behavior in patients with rheumatoid arthritis 6 months following a visit with their rheumatologist.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: When factors that influence exercise behavior are known, health care professionals can more likely design and modify patient education materials targeted to promote exercise behavior. This study aimed to identify predictors of exercise behavior in patients with rheumatoid arthritis 6 months after a visit with their rheumatologist. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Twenty-five rheumatologists and 132 patients with rheumatoid arthritis participated. One hundred thirteen patients (85.6%) completed the 6-month follow-up. Rheumatologists and patients completed baseline questionnaires and were audiotaped during a subsequent visit. Physical function and exercise behavior were ascertained via questionnaire 6 months following the visit. Multivariate logistic regression identified predictors of exercise behavior at 6 months. Eighty-nine patients (79%) were female. The average age was 54.8 years (SD=14.4, range=20-94). The mean duration of illness was 9.8 years (SD=8.7, range= <1-35). Patients were moderately impaired (mean Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey [SF-36] function score=49.3, SD=27.5). Thirty-four patients (27%) were exercising 6 months after visiting their rheumatologist. More than 50% of the rheumatologists had 5 or more years of clinical experience, 18 (72%) were male, and 10 (42%) reported they exercised regularly. RESULTS: Predictors of exercise behavior at 6 months were patients' past history of exercise (odds ratio=6.8, 95% confidence interval=3.1-15) and rheumatologists' current exercise behavior (odds ratio=0.26, 95% confidence interval=0.09-0.77). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Patients were nearly 7 times more likely to exercise 6 months after visiting their rheumatologist if they participated in exercise in the past. If a patient's rheumatologist was currently performing aerobic exercise, the patient was 26% more likely to be engaged in exercise at follow-up. These data may be useful in understanding patient motivation to participate in exercise.

[The construction of genomic library of Alcaligenes faecalis and cloning of nifH gene sequence homologous to Klebsiella pneumoniae].

A genomic library of Alcaligenes faecalis A-15Hl which possesses rather high nitrogenase activity has been constructed. The total DNA of A. faecalis A-15 Hl was partially digested with Sau3AI. 13-20 kb of fragments recovered from agarose gel were cloned in bacteriophage EM-BL4 vector. A total number of 1.2 x 10(6) of recombinants was obtained. It is much beyond the desired capacity of a library. By using nifH gene of K. pneumoniae from plasmid pGB1 as probe, we have successfully screened the clone containing its homologous sequence. The recombinant bacteriophage DNA was digested with EcoRI. A 3.5 kb of hybridizing band appeared after southern blotting and then was cloned in pUC19 DNA. The result of southern blotting indicated that the recombinant plasmid clone contained nifH gene sequence of A. faecalis. This clone was named as pAFH.

Correlation between surgical modality and clinicopathologic characteristics for ureteral transitional cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between surgical modality and clinicopathologic features for ureteral transitional cell carcinoma. METHODS: The correlation between surgical modality and clinicopathology characteristics of 146 patients with ureteral carcinoma having undergone surgery was evaluated using univariate analysis by a general linear model. RESULTS: 43.8%, 51.4% and 4.8% of patients experienced nephroureterectomy, renal conservation management and palliative operations, respectively, with a mean survival time of 97.3, 101.3 and 51.0 months (p=0.069) accordingly. Univariate analysis by general linear model indicated that the size of lesions, pathologic stage and tumour grade had a statistically significant impact on surgical modality (p=0.000, p=0.001 and p=0.017, respectively). CONCLUSION: Tumour stage and grade, as well as tumour size, correlate with surgical modality.

Effects of entropy on the gas-phase pyrolysis of ethyl N,N-dimethylcarbamate.

In this study, we examined the gas-phase pyrolysis of ethyl N,N-dimethylcarbamate theoretically at various theoretical levels. The reaction consists of a two-step mechanism, with N,N-dimethylcarbamic acid and ethylene as reaction intermediates. In the first step, the reaction proceeds via a six-membered cyclic transition state (TS), which is more favorable than that via a four-membered cyclic TS. Here, the contribution of entropy to the overall potential energy surface was found to play an important role in determining the rate-limiting step, which was found to be the second step when viewed in terms of the enthalpy of activation (DeltaH(not equal)), but the first step when entropy changes (-TDeltaS(not equal)) were considered. These results are consistent with experimental findings. Moreover, the experimental activation entropy can be reproduced by using the hindered rotor approximation, which converts some low vibration frequencies that correspond to internal rotational modes into hindered rotors.

Clinical study on liposomal amphotericin B (Ambisome) in deep fungal infections in China.

Ambisome (L-Amb) was used to treat nine cases of meningitis or menigoencephalitis by Cryptococcus neoformans and 28 cases of other deep fungal infections. A retrospective study on conventional amphotericin B (C-Amb) was performed as the control. A series of indices was observed including curative effect, fungal clearance rate, course of treatment, daily dose, cumulative dose and adverse effects. Nine cases of cryptococcal meningitis or menigoencephalitis treated with Ambisome were clinically cured with an effective rate of 100%, within a mean course of 50 days, which was shorter than that of C-Amb, by a mean cumulative dose of 1807.2 mg, which was not statistically significant in comparison with C-Amb. Fungal clearance rate on the second month of treatment was 89% with Ambisome, which was higher than that of C-Amb. Twenty-eight cases of other deep fungal infections treated with Ambisome were clinically cured with an effective rate of 92%, within a mean course of 19.3 days, by a mean cumulative dose of 907.5 mg, and fungal clearance rate on the second and third month was 75 and 92%, respectively. The adverse effects by Ambisome decreased evidently compared with those by C-Amb.

Intracavity frequency-doubled and stabilized cw ring Nd:YAG laser with a pair of KTP crystals.

Generation of an up to 1.5-W single-frequency and a 650-mW frequency-stabilized second harmonic at 1.06 µm has been demonstrated in a cw ring Nd:YAG laser with a pair of properly oriented KTP crystals in which the walk off between the intracavity modes has been eliminated. The frequency stability is better than 5 MHz for the second-harmonic output level of 650 mW. The fluctuation of power is less than 4%. PACS: 42.60. By. 42.65 Ky.

Correlation between surgical modality and clinicopathologic characteristics for ureteral transitional cell carcinoma

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between surgical modality and clinicopathologic features for ureteral transitional cell carcinoma. METHODS: The correlation between surgical modality and clinicopathology characteristics of 146 patients with ureteral carcinoma having undergone surgery was evaluated using univariate analysis by a general linear model. RESULTS: 43.8%, 51.4% and 4.8% of patients experienced nephroureterectomy, renal conservation management and palliative operations, respectively, with a mean survival time of 97.3, 101.3 and 51.0 months (p=0.069) accordingly. Univariate analysis by general linear model indicated that the size of lesions, pathologic stage and tumour grade had a statistically significant impact on surgical modality (p=0.000, p=0.001 and p=0.017, respectively). CONCLUSION: Tumour stage and grade, as well as tumour size, correlate with surgical modality (AU)