Overcoming the Inflammatory Toxicity of Cationic Gene Vectors

Cationic lipid- and polymer-based vectors are the most extensively studied synthetic gene vectors. These vectors have been widely used in animal models and some have been tested in clinical trials. The clinical progress of these vectors has been slowed by their inflammatory toxicity. This review summarizes the observations, the mechanisms, and various strategies employed to overcome the inflammatory toxicity of cationic gene vectors.     

Trunk,pelvis and lower limb coordination between anticipated and unanticipated sidestep cutting in females

BackgroundEmerging research has suggested a plausible relationship may exist between lower limb coordination and musculoskeletal injury. A small number of studies have investigated the link between coordination and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during sidestep cutting. While prior work has shown unanticipated sidestep cutting to exhibit a more ‘at risk’ kinematic profile compared to anticipated tasks, a detailed understanding of the coordination between multiple joints and how they differ during unanticipated actions is lacking, particularly in females.Research questionThe purpose of this study was to observe the difference in trunk, pelvis and lower limb coordination and coordination variability during a dynamic, sidestep cutting task under anticipated and unanticipated conditions in a healthy female cohort.MethodsThree-dimensional motion analysis data were recorded during anticipated and unanticipated sidestep cutting for nineteen healthy female participants (age, 24 ± 3yrs; height, 164 ± 5 cm; and weight, 58 ± 6 kg). Vector coding methodology was used to calculate coordination and coordination variability values and statistical parametric and non-parametric mapping was used to comprehensively determine differences between anticipated and unanticipated conditions.ResultsDifferences were observed between anticipated and unanticipated conditions in the hip flexion – knee abduction angle (89 % of stance), hip rotation – knee abduction angle (55 % of stance), knee flexion – knee abduction angle (81–83 %, 86 % and 88–89 %) and knee flexion – ankle flexion angle (14–18 %) coupling angles. Differences in coupling angle variability were also observed with only one cluster of significance seen in hip abduction – knee abduction variability (27–30 % of stance).SignificanceHealthy females exhibit significant differences in lower limb coupling angles and coupling angle variability between anticipated and unanticipated sidestep cutting. Interventions aimed at reducing ACL injury risk may need to consider that anticipated and unanticipated sidestep cutting tasks present unique demands, and therefore should both be trained specifically.     

Testing for rational bubbles in a coexplosive vector autoregression

Summary Asset bubbles can be described through the rational bubble solution of the standard stock price model linking stock prices and dividends. We show how the hypothesis of a rational bubble can be tested in the context of a bivariate coexplosive vector autoregression. The methodology is illustrated using US stock prices and dividends for the period 1974–2000.     

猕猴B病毒囊膜蛋白gD基因真核细胞表达载体? 的构建及表达

目的 构建猕猴B病毒囊膜蛋白gD的真核表达载体, 并且检测其在293T细胞内的表达情况。 方法 首先通过基因合成手段获得含B病毒gD蛋白的基因片段, 在经由PstⅠ和NotⅠ双酶切后连接到pEGFP-N3载体, 随后将构建的pEGFP-N3-GD重组质粒转染到人胚胎肾上皮细胞系293T细胞。再用Western blot检测所提蛋白其在细胞内的表达情况, 并用激光共聚焦分析其在细胞内的表达定位情况。 结果 成功获得携带gD基因的阳性重组质粒pEGFP-N3-GD, 且pEGFP-N3-GD重组质粒能在293T细胞的表面正常表达。 结论 利用真核表达系统, 既能够在细胞表面产生B病毒gD蛋白的特异性重组抗原, 而且可用于B检测抗原的制备。     

媒传疾病的疾病负担估算方法研究进展

媒传疾病的疾病负担是指媒传疾病所致患者伤残及早逝对健康寿命、社会经济造成的损失和影响,包括经济负担和个体家庭负担两个方面。伤残调整寿命年是衡量疾病负担的综合指标。疾病经济负担分为直接经济负担、间接经济负担和无形经济负担,直接经济负担的估算方法有微观成本法和宏观成本法,间接经济负担的估算方法包括人力资本法和摩擦成本法,无形经济负担一般用支付意愿法估算。目前卫生经济学评价方法主要是成本-效用分析、成本-效益分析和成本-效果分析法。本文对疟疾等媒传疾病的疾病负担估算方法进行综述,以比较不同方法对指标选择的要求及其应用价值。     

中国2013年登革热流行病学分析

目的根据2013年全国登革热监测数据,分析我国登革热流行病学特征与趋势,探讨相应防治对策及建议。方法利用2013年"传染病报告信息管理系统"和5省监测点上报数据,进行回顾性描述分析。结果 2013年全国26个省(自治区、直辖市)共报告登革热病例4 663例,其中,本地感染病例4 293例,无死亡病例。报告发病数居前5位的省份依次为广东(2 894例)、云南(1 538例)、浙江(37例)、河南(36例)和福建(33例)。部分监测点高发季节布雷图指数显著高于预警值,提示传播风险较大。结论我国已存在登革热输入病例增加、多点本地暴发和重点地区蚊媒密度较高等诸多风险因素,发生登革热本地暴发的风险不断增加。加强病例与蚊媒监测,促进社会动员与部门合作,在疫情早期及时采取综合防控措施,是防止疫情蔓延的重要措施。     

媒介与媒介生物性疾病

该文在收集分析文献材料的基础上，探讨了媒介与媒介生物性疾病等概念及其相互关系。（1）狭义的媒介生物即传染病流行三环节中的生物性传播因素，即有关的节肢动物；广义的媒介生物即世界卫生组织所定义的、包括人畜共患病的脊椎和非脊椎动物的终宿主和中间宿主以及动物贮存宿主。（2）当前世界范围内广泛接受的媒介生物性疾病概念为由节肢动物、鼠类和软体动物起主要传播作用的传染病。（3）自然疫源性疾病的概念当前仪见使用于中俄两国，分原始的和后来扩展的两种，且后者定义不甚严格，但当前我国对该概念的使用已远远超出其原始定义的范围，按照原始定义，自然疫源性疾病必然同时既是人畜共患病，又是一种狭义的媒介生物性疾病。（4）媒介生物性疾病与人畜共患病及按原始定义的自然疫源性疾病三者的关系可以概括为：媒介生物性疾病与自然疫源性疾病是整体与部分的关系，后者是前者的一部分；媒介生物性疾病与人畜共患病的关系是绝大部分重叠的关系。三个概念中目前在世界范围内应用最多的足人畜共患病，其次是媒介生物性疾病，应用最少的为自然疫源性疾病。     

以乙型肝炎病毒为载体的基因治疗研究

目的 探讨乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)作为肝靶向性基因治疗载体的可能性。方法 用外源报告基因绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)取代HBV S基因读码框构建重组HBV载体,通过脂质体转染HepG2细胞,荧光显微镜下观察外源基因的表达,半巢式聚合酶链反应(PCR)检测细胞核内HBV 共价闭合环状DNA构型,常规PCR和Southern杂交检测上清液重组病毒DNA。结累 携带外源基因GFP的重组HBV载体能够在肝细胞内表达外源蛋白,此重组载体为复制缺损型,单独转染后不能在肝细胞包装与复制,在缺失包装信号ε的辅助HBV质粒下可被包装成携带外源基因的成熟重组HBV颗粒并分泌到胞外。结论 HBV可被改造成肝靶向性基因治疗载体。     

Is Rhodnius prolixus (Triatominae) invading houses in central Brazil?

Sylvatic triatomines of the genus Rhodnius commonly fly into houses in Latin America, maintaining the risk of Chagas disease transmission in spite of control efforts. In the recent past, adult bugs collected inside houses in central Brazil were identified as R. prolixus, a primary disease vector whose natural geographical range excludes this region. Three nearly sibling species (R. neglectus, R. nasutus, and R. robustus), secondary vectors with limited epidemiological significance, occur naturally south of the Brazilian Amazon. The specific status of Rhodnius specimens found inside houses in central Brazil is therefore an epidemiologically important (and still debated) issue. We used wing and head geometric morphometrics to investigate the taxonomic status of 230 adult specimens representing all four 'R. prolixus group' species (19 populations from palm trees, domiciles, and reference laboratory colonies). Discriminant analyses of shape variation allowed for an almost perfect reclassification of individuals to their putative species. Shape patterning revealed no consistent differences between most specimens collected inside houses in central Brazil and R. neglectus, and showed that R. robustus and R. neglectus occur sympatrically (and fly into houses) in southern Amazonia. Furthermore, all Brazilian specimens clearly differed from our reference R. prolixus population. Using geometric morphometrics, we confidently ascribed individual triatomines to their species within the problematic 'R. prolixus group', illustrating the potential value of this approach in entomological surveillance. Our results strongly support the idea that R. neglectus, and not R. prolixus, is the species invading houses in central Brazil.     

靶向表达的逆转录病毒载体LN.ALBTRS.TK的构建

目的:构建出在肝细胞中具靶向表达潜能的逆转录 TK 基因载体。方法:用 p2335A-1中的一段2.0Kb的人白蛋白组织特异性转录调节序列(ALBTRS)取代 pSTK 中的 SV40启动子,所构建的载体命名为 LN.ALB-TRS.TK。结果:载体 LN.ALBTRS.TK 的结构中,含有 ALBTRS 启动子,具有在肝细胞中特异表达白蛋白的潜能,载体经酶切鉴定表明结构符合要求。结论:成功地构建出具靶向表达潜能的逆转录载体 LN.ALBTRS.TK。