A new acyclic thiophene sesterterpene from the Sikao Bay sponge,Xestospongia sp.

Bioactivity-guided fractionation of the ethyl acetate extract of a marine sponge, Xestospongia sp., led to the isolation of a new thiophene-S-oxide acyclic sesterterpene (1). The chemical structure was extensively analyzed using NMR and mass spectral data. Compound 1 showed weak cytotoxicity against Vero cells.     

Formalin-inactivated vaccine provokes cross-protective immunity in a mouse model of human enterovirus 71 infection

Human enterovirus 71 (HEV71) has emerged as a major cause of epidemics of hand, foot and mouth disease associated with severe neurological sequelae in the Asia-Pacific region. In this study, a passive protection mouse model was used to evaluate the protective efficacy of formalin-inactivated HEV71 vaccines derived from a Chinese C4 genotype strain. Pregnant mice were immunised using a prime/boost strategy and ≥50U of vaccine protected five-day-old pups from lethal challenge with a mouse-adapted (B3 genotype) strain of HEV71. Immunised mice developed a neutralising antibody response to both the immunising C4 strain and to the mouse-adapted strain. Mice born to immunised dams showed significantly less myositis and reduced viral loads in tissues.     

Serum Level of Soluble Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 Correlates with Pulmonary Arterial Pressure in Children with Congenital Heart Disease

Background  Endothelial activation and vascular inflammation are thought to be the mechanisms of pulmonary hypertension. Increased expression of the intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1) and raised serum level of its soluble form (sICAM-1) are found in various conditions associated with endothelial activation. Methods  Serum samples from 31 children (14 boys and 17 girls; age, 4.9 ± 4.6 years) with congenital heart disease (CHD) collected at the time of cardiac catheterization were analyzed for sICAM-1 level. Uni- and multivariable stepwise linear regression analyses were performed for the following variables against the sICAM-1 level: age, hemoglobin, serum creatinine, systemic arterial pressure (SAP), pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP), pulmonary blood flow (Qp) and resistance (Rp), systemic blood flow (Qs) and resistance (Rs), Qp/Qs, Rp/Rs, and pulmonary and systemic oxygen saturation. Results   The sICAM-1 levels in children who had CHD with and without pulmonary hypertension were 411 ± 110 and 344 ± 81 ng/ml, respectively (p = 0.11). In the univariable models, age, serum creatinine, systolic PAP, mean PAP, diastolic PAP, Rp, and Rp/Rs were significantly correlated with sICAM-1 level. In the multiple stepwise regression model, only mean PAP remained as an independent predictor of sICAM-1 level (r = 0.55; p = 0.002). Conclusion  Children with CHD and pulmonary hypertension had a trend toward elevated sICAM-1 compared with CHD children who had no pulmonary hypertension. A linear correlation was found between mean pulmonary arterial pressure and sICAM-1 level.     

A potential new serotype of Riemerella anatipestifer isolated from ducks in Thailand

Eighty isolates of Riemerella anatipestifer representing 71 outbreaks of riemerellosis in Thailand between 1994 and 1999 were serotyped using the gel diffusion precipitin test. Based on the precipitation patterns, 25 serological profiles containing one to three antigenic determinants were recognized. Heat-stable antigens of the organism reacted with antisera raised against 16 known serotypes and an untypable strain 698/95. The most prevalent serotype appeared to be serotype 7, followed by serotypes 5, 10, 21 and 1. Further study demonstrated that the untypable strain probably represents a new serotype. Analysis of the polymerase chain reaction-amplified rrs genes for restriction fragment length polymorphisms verified the inclusion of strain 698/95 within the species R. anatipestifer and supported earlier work excluding strain 670/89, which had originally been designated the reference strain of serotype 20. Therefore, it is suggested that the strain 698/95 could be adopted as a replacement for the reference strain of serotype 20. Attention should be paid to strains with multiple antigenic factors as they may be useful for the preparation of vaccines.     

Young coconut juice, a potential therapeutic agent that could significantly reduce some pathologies associated with Alzheimer's disease: novel findings

Brains from ovariectomised (ovx) rats can display features similar to those observed in menopausal women with Alzheimer's disease (AD), and oestrogen seems to play a key role. Preliminary studies on young coconut juice (YCJ) have reported the presence of oestrogen-like components in it. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of YCJ on the AD pathological changes in the brains of ovx rats. Rat groups included sham-operated, ovx, ovx+oestradiol benzoate (EB) and ovx+YCJ. Brain sections (4?μm) were taken and were immunostained with β-amyloid (Aβ) 1-42, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) (an intermediate neurofilament of astrocytes) and Tau-1 antibodies. Aβ 1-42, GFAP and Tau-1 are considered as reliable biomarkers of amyloidosis, astrogliosis and tauopathy (neurofibrillary tangles), respectively, which in turn are characteristic features associated with AD. The serum oestradiol (E2) level was measured using a chemiluminescent immunoassay technique. YCJ restored the serum E2 to levels significantly (P?相似文献   

Agreement of IOL power and axial length obtained by IOLMaster 500 vs IOLMaster 500 with Sonolink connection

Background

The accurrate and expedient ocular biometry is essential for modern cataract surgery. IOLMaster 500, one of the most popular partial coherence interferometry (PCI) device, has been widely used. However, with the PCI device, it is difficult to obtain the axial length through densely opaque media. With the current version of IOLMaster 500, a unique feature is added to link with the Synergy immersion A-scan ultrasound (sonolink connection). In case of failure to measure axial length by IOLMaster 500, the axial length can be obtained by ultrasound, and then transferred to IOLMaster 500 for the IOL power calculation. This study aims to compare the results and evaluate the agreement between IOL power and axial length obtained by IOLMaster 500 and IOLMaster 500 with sonolink connection.

Methods

A prospective study of 60 eyes in 60 mild-to-moderate cataract patients was conducted under Institutional Ethics Committee approval. Keratometry (K) and axial length (AL) of all eyes were measured using IOLMaster 500 (Carl Zeiss, Germany), then IOL power was generated using Holladay 1 formula (group 1). After 5 min, the K measurements were repeated with IOLMaster 500 and the AL were measured again using the Synergy A-scan ultrasound (Accutome, USA). Then, the AL data were transferred to IOLMaster 500 via the sonolink connection to generate the IOL power using the same setting (group 2). The IOL power and AL were compared between the two groups, and the agreement was evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the Bland–Altman method.

Results

The mean IOL power in group 1 was 21.04?+?2.36 D and group 2 was 21.03?+?2.36 D. The mean AL in group 1 was 23.35?+?0.86 mm and in group 2 was 23.36?+?0.86 mm. There was no statistically significant difference in IOL power and AL between the two groups. The agreements in IOL power and AL between both groups were high (ICCs?=?0.997 for IOL power and 0.993 for AL)

Conclusions

The IOL power and AL derived from both groups were similar. The agreements between them were high.     

Mouse adaptation of a sub-genogroup B5 strain of human enterovirus 71 is associated with a novel lysine to glutamic acid substitution at position 244 in protein VP1

Most human enterovirus 71 (HEV71) strains infect only primates and are unable to cause clinically apparent infection in mice. Here we describe a mouse-adapted HEV71 strain that belongs to sub-genogroup B5 with increased virulence in newborn BALB/c mice. The mouse-virulent strain was initially selected by serial passage of a HEV71 clinical isolate (HEV71-B5) in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells (CHO-B5), followed by serial passage in newborn mice. Virus from the fifth mouse passage was cultured twice on Vero cells and designated as MP-B5. MP-B5 induces severe disease of high mortality in newborn mice in a dose-dependent manner. Skeletal muscle is the primary site of virus replication and results in severe myositis. CHO-B5 harbours a single amino acid substitution (K(149) → I) in the VP2 capsid protein. Five additional nucleotide sequence changes were identified in MP-B5, two of which are located in the 5' UTR and the three within the open reading frame (ORF). Two of the ORF mutations resulted in deduced amino acid changes in the capsid protein VP1: S(241) → L and K(244) → E; the third ORF mutation was a synonymous C → T change at nucleotide position 6072 within the 3D polymerase gene. Infectious cDNA clone-derived mutant virus populations of HEV71 belonging to sub-genogroup B3 (CHO-26 M) that contain the VP1 mutations identified in MP-B5 were generated in order to determine the mutation(s) responsible for mouse virulence. Only viruses expressing the VP1 (K(244) → E) mutation were virulent in 5-day-old BALB/c mice, indicating that the VP1 (K(244) → E) change is the critical genetic determinant of mouse adaptation and virulence in this model.     

A new acyclic thiophene sesterterpene from the Sikao Bay sponge, Xestospongia sp

Bioactivity-guided fractionation of the ethyl acetate extract of a marine sponge, Xestospongia sp., led to the isolation of a new thiophene-S-oxide acyclic sesterterpene (1). The chemical structure was extensively analyzed using NMR and mass spectral data. Compound 1 showed weak cytotoxicity against Vero cells.     

A reverse genetic study of the adaptation of human enterovirus 71 to growth in Chinese hamster ovary cell cultures

We selected Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell-adapted strains of human enterovirus 71 (HEV71) belonging to sub-genogroups B5 (HEV71-B5) and C2 (HEV71-C2) by serial passage in CHO cells at a high multiplicity of infection. During the course of CHO cell passage, virus growth improved significantly, with increasing virus titres and the presence of cytopathic effect observed. A study of virus growth kinetics revealed that the CHO cell-adapted strains of HEV71-B5 (CHO-B5) and HEV71-C2 (CHO-C2) grew efficiently in CHO cells with maximum titres >100-fold higher than unadapted parental virus. Both CHO-B5 and CHO-C2 harboured single amino acid mutations within the VP2 capsid protein gene. CHO-B5 has an amino acid substitution of K(149)→I in VP2 and CHO-C2 has an amino acid substitution of K(149)→M in VP2. An isolate of sub-genogroup C4 (HEV71-C4) failed to adapt to CHO cells during serial passage. Infectious cDNA clone-derived populations of HEV71-C4 containing the mutations K(149)→I or K(149)→M in VP2 were generated by site-directed mutagenesis. Both mutations resulted in the ability of the virus to replicate efficiently in CHO cells, indicating that amino acid position 149 in VP2 is critical for the adaptation of HEV71 to growth in CHO cells.