Transcriptome analysis of Armillaria gallica 012 m in response to auxin

Gastrodia elata is an achlorophyllous and fully mycoheterotrophic orchid which obtains carbon and other nutrients from Armillaria species in its life cycle. Many researchers suggested that plant hormones, as signing molecules, play a central role in the plant–fungi interaction. In the process of Armillaria gallica 012 m cultivation, both exogenous indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) distinctly stimulated the growth of mycelia in solid media. The differential expression genes (DEGs) of A. gallica 012 m with IAA versus blank control (BK) and IBA versus BK were investigated. The results showed that more than 80% of DEGs of the IAA group were coincident with the DEGs of the IBA group, and more than half of upregulated DEGs and most of the downregulated DEGs of the IAA group coincided with those DEGs of the IBA group. Above research implied that A. gallica 012 m could perceive IAA and IBA, and possess similar responses and signaling pathways to IAA and IBA. The overlapping differential genes of the IAA group and IBA group were analyzed by GO term, and the results showed that several DEGs identified were related to biological processes including positive regulation of the biological process and biological process. The downregulated NmrA-like and FKBP_C genes might be benefit to the growth of mycelia. Those results can explain that exiguous IAA and IBA improved the growth of A. gallica to some extent. We speculate that IAA and IBA are signaling molecules, and regulate the expression of growth-related genes of A. gallica 012 m by the same signaling pathway.     

抗辐射菌DNA结合蛋白的氨基酸序列分析

目的　对抗辐射菌Ｄ．ｒａｄｉｏｕｄｕｒａｎｓ 的ＤＮＡ结合蛋白（ＤＢＰ） 进行Ｎ－ 末端氨基酸（ＡＡ） 序列分析,探讨其抗辐射分子学组成的特性。方法　采用地高辛（ＤＩＧ） 标记染色体ＤＮＡ 作为探针,ＳｏｕｔｈＷｅｓｔｅｒｎ 印迹法检测ＤＢＰ,在Ｎ－ 端ＡＡ 自动序列仪上分析ＡＡ序列。结果　野生型抗辐射菌存有８ 种ＤＢＰ的特性蛋白（分子量分别为１２２、９３、３３、２９、１６、１５、１４ 和１２ｋｄ）;ＡＡ 序列分析发现其中９３ｋｄ 和３３ｋｄ 可能为新的蛋白质;两种新ＤＢＰ 的表达水平随不同培养基和培养时间而变化。结论　抗辐射菌的ＤＢＰ,尤其是９３ｋｄ 和３３ｋｄ 的ＤＢＰ与其辐射耐受性可能有密切关系     

Prevention of stroke in urban China: a community-based intervention trial

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stroke has been the second leading cause of death in large cities in China since the 1980s. Meanwhile, the prevalences of hypertension and smoking have steadily increased over the last 2 decades. Therefore, a community-based intervention trial was initiated in 7 Chinese cities in 1987. The overall goal of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention aimed at reducing multiple risk factors for stroke. The primary study objective was to reduce the incidence of stroke by 25% over 3.5 years of intervention. METHODS: In May 1987 in each of 7 the cities, 2 geographically separated communities with a registered population of about 10 000 each were selected as either intervention or control communities. In each community, a cohort containing about 2700 subjects (>/=35 years old) free of stroke was sampled, and a survey was administered to obtain baseline data and screen the eligible subjects for intervention. In each city, a program of treatment for hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes was instituted in the intervention cohort (n approximately 2700) and health education was provided to the full intervention community (n approximately 10 000). A follow-up survey was conducted in 1990. Comparisons of intervention and control cohorts in each city were pooled to yield a single summary. RESULTS: A total of 18 786 subjects were recruited to the intervention cohort and 18 876 to the control cohort from 7 cities. After 3.5 years, 174 new stroke cases had occurred in the intervention cohort and 253 in the control cohort. The 3.5-year cumulative incidence of total stroke was significantly lower in the intervention cohort than the control cohort (0.93% versus 1.34%; RR=0.69; 95% CI, 0.57 to 0.84). The incidence rates of nonfatal and fatal stroke, as well as ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, were significantly lower in the intervention cohort than the control cohort. The prevalence of hypertension increased by 4.3% in the intervention cohort and by 7.8% in the control cohort. The average systolic and diastolic blood pressures increased more in the control cohort than in the intervention cohort. Among hypertensive individuals in the intervention cohort, awareness of hypertension increased by 6.7% and the percentage of hypertensives who regularly took antihypertensive medication increased 13.2%. All of these indices became worse in the control cohort. The prevalence of heart diseases and diabetes increased significantly in the both cohorts (P<0.01). The prevalence of consumption of alcohol increased slightly, and that of smoking remained constant in both cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: A community-based intervention for stroke reduction is feasible and effective in the cities of China. The reduction, due to the intervention, in the incidence of stroke in the intervention cohort was statistically significant after 3.5 years of intervention. The sharp reduction in the incidence of stroke may be due to the interventions having blunted the expected increase in hypertension that accompanies aging as well as to better and earlier treatment of hypertension, particularly borderline hypertension. Applied health education to all the residents of the community may have prevented some normotensive individuals from developing hypertension and improved overall health awareness and knowledge.     

Incidence of presumed cytomegalovirus retinitis in HIV-infected pediatric patients.

INTRODUCTION: Large population studies of adult patients suggest an incidence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis as high as 19% to 20% as a late complication of adult HIV infection. We conducted this prospective study of a large cohort of HIV-infected children to determine the incidence of CMV retinitis in HIV-infected children. METHODS: From January 1984 to August 1997, 173 HIV-infected children were followed up for an average of 55.3 months (13-164 months). The patients were seen in the Department of Pediatrics at least once every 6 months. Ophthalmologic examinations were initiated when a patient's CD4 count dropped below 50 or sooner if required for ophthalmologic or other indications. Ophthalmologic examination was then repeated every 6 months. RESULTS: A total of 116 (67%) of 173 patients underwent ophthalmologic examination. Four (3.4%) of 116 patients had CMV retinitis at a mean time of 17.3 months (8-38 months) after their CD4 counts dropped below 20. None of the 4 patients with CMV retinitis had subjective visual complaints despite advanced retinitis. Three patients had bilateral and 1 patient had unilateral CMV retinitis. CONCLUSIONS: CMV retinitis occurred infrequently in HIV-infected pediatric patients and was diagnosed only in patients with a CD4 count below 20. Routine ophthalmologic screening examinations may not be necessary in pediatric patients until the CD4 count is below 20. Because children may not complain of decreased vision, at-risk children should undergo frequent ophthalmologic examination.     

Regulation of complement activation by C-reactive protein.

C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute-phase serum protein and a mediator of innate immunity. CRP binds to microbial polysaccharides and to ligands exposed on damaged cells. Binding of CRP to these substrates activates the classical complement pathway leading to their uptake by phagocytic cells. Complement activation by CRP is restricted to C1, C4, C2 and C3 with little consumption of C5-9. Surface bound CRP reduces deposition of and generation of C5b-9 by the alternative pathway and deposition of C3b and lysis by the lectin pathway. These activities of CRP are the result of recruitment of factor H resulting in regulation of C3b on bacteria or erythrocytes. Evidence is presented for direct binding of H to CRP. H binding to CRP or C3b immobilized on microtiter wells was demonstrated by ELISA. Attachment of CRP to a surface was required for H binding. H binding to CRP was not inhibited by EDTA or phosphocholine, which inhibit ligand binding, but was inhibited by a 13 amino acid CRP peptide. The peptide sequence was identical to the region of CRP that showed the best alignment to H binding peptides from Streptococcus pyogenes (M6) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Por1A). The results suggest that CRP bound to a surface provides secondary binding sites for H resulting in greater regulation of alternative pathway amplification and C5 convertases. Complement activation by CRP may help limit the inflammatory response by providing opsonization with minimal generation of C5a and C5b-9.     

The influence of the route of administration: a comparative study at steady state of oral sustained release morphine and morphine sulfate suppositories

Steady state pharmacokinetics of morphine (M), morphine-3-glucuronide (M3G) and morphine-6-glucuronide (M6G) were investigated in 6 patients with intractable cancer pain administered orally with MST (Mundipharma, Limburg, Germany) and, subsequently, rectally with MSR to make a judgment whether orally administered morphine can be replaced by rectally administered morphine. The parent drug and glucuronide metabolites were measured simultaneously using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and native fluorescence detection. The mean morphine area under the curve (AUC) value (0-8 h) was smaller (434.3 +/- 170.2 nmolL(-1)h) in the oral administration than in the rectal administration (574.8 +/- 285.0 nmolL(-1)h) (p < 0.05). The rectal administration resulted in less production of M3G and M6G. There were no significant differences in the mean steady state concentrations (C(ss)) of morphine, M3G, and M6G between the oral and rectal administrations (p > 0.05). The median AUC ratio--M3G/M and M6G/M, 12.58 and 1.85--following MSR rectal administration was smaller than following MST oral administration in 6 patients (19.97 and 2.59; p < 0.05), whereas the median AUC ratio M3G/M6G in the rectal dosing was 6.24 (range 5.2-7.6) was almost the same as the median ratio M3G/M6G in the oral dosing was 6.49 (range 5.8-8.5; p > 0.1). Four of the 6 patients had a greater Cmax of M3G and M6G after oral administration than after rectal administration. The same 4 had lower fluctuation rates for morphine, M3G (p < 0.05), and M6G (p < 0.05) after rectal administration. Therefore, during chronic morphine treatment, it still seems difficult to decide whether oral administration can be replaced by rectal administration.     

药流与负压吸宫法的效果和可接受性研究

研究的目的:比较RU486/Cytotec药物和负压吸宫术两种流产方法的效果,以及医学的和个人的可接受性.对象为通过咨询,介绍两种流产方法后,让对象自愿选择而组成.年龄在20～34岁.药物组100例,闭经35～42天,第1天口服RU486 600mg,第3天服Cytotec(PGE1)0.4mg,第17、43天回医院随访.手术组100例,闭经≤56天,负压吸宫术后第14、43天回医院随访.结果:完全流产率药物组为89%,手术组为100%.对象选择这两种流产方法的主要原因:药物组94%的人认为痛苦少,手术组的55%认为手术快、节省时间,而且手术同时可取出或放置宫内节育器(占45%).结论:RU486/Cytotec药物流产和负压吸宫术在各自适合的人群中都具有高度的可接受性.两种方法各具优缺点,不能相互取代,二者相辅相成,取长补短,将使终止妊娠的措施更为安全     

Effect of cimetidine on wedged hepatic venous pressure in cirrhotic patients

According to our supposition that "humoral mechanism" plays an important role in the pathogenesis of portal hypertension due to cirrhosis, antagonists to some of humoral substances would lower the portal pressure in cirrhotic patients. Wedged hepatic venous pressure (WHVP) was used as an indicator for changes of portal pressure. Cimetidine was given intravenously to 8 cirrhotic patients, in whom an average lowering of 0.72 kPa (7.3 cm H2O) of WHVP was observed subsequently. This change was of clinical significance as compared with the previous results of splenorenal shunting operations.