Correlation between ERCC1 expression and concurrent chemotherapy and radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal cancer

In this study, the expression of DNA excision repair cross-complementing gene 1 (ERCC1) in local advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma has been correlated with the efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy. A total of 76 patients diagnosed with undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma diagnosed by nasopharyngeal biopsy and undergoing single-agent cisplatin chemotherapy (80 mg/m(2)) with concurrent radiotherapy (on the first, twenty-second, and forty-third day, 5 times per week, mean dose 74 Gy, range 70-78 Gy) at the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Guangxi Medical University between January and December 2010 were included. After chemoradiotherapy, outcomes and long-term survival were evaluated. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect expression of ERCC1 protein in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The relationship between the expression of ERCC1 and efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy and long-term survival were analyzed. ERCC1 was expressed in 42.1% of cases. The expression of ERCC1 was correlated with T stage and clinical staging (P < 0.05), but not with gender, age, or N stage. The response rate in the ERCC1-positive and ERCC1-negative groups was 75.0% and 97.7%, respectively (P < 0.05). In the 72 cases with follow-up available, 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates were 91.0, 83.3, and 79.0%; they were 92.4, 87.8, 80.5%, respectively, in the ERCC1-positive group, and 87.9, 77.4, 77.4%, respectively, in the ERCC1-negative group. The expression of ERCC1 may be a sensitive prognostic indicator of concurrent chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Concurrent involved-field radiotherapy and XELOX versus XELOX chemotherapy alone in gastric cancer patients with postoperative locoregional recurrence

PURPOSE

To compare the treatment outcomes of concurrent involved-field radiotherapy and XELOX (oxaliplatin and capecitabine) versus XELOX chemotherapy alone in gastric adenocarcinoma patients with locoregional recurrence.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From 2004 to 2008, 79 patients with recurrent locoregional gastric cancer after curative resection of gastric tumor were enrolled. Among them, 41 patients received involved-field radiotherapy (median dose 50 Gy) by a 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy technique and concurrent XELOX chemotherapy, and 38 patients were treated with XELOX chemotherapy alone (oxaliplatin 130 mg/m, capecitabine 1000 mg/m, twice daily, 3 wk each cycle).

RESULTS

The concurrent radiochemotherapy group showed better overall response (including complete response and partial response) when compared with the chemotherapy group (87.8% vs. 63.0%, P=0.01). The control rates for pain, bleeding, and dysphagia/obstruction were 89.5% (17/19), 81.8% (9/11), and 80% (8/10), respectively, in the radiochemotherapy group and 58.8% (10/17), 50% (5/10), and 57.1% (4/7), respectively, in the chemotherapy group. The concurrent radiochemotherapy group showed better overall symptom-control rate when compared with the chemotherapy group (55.9% vs. 85%, P=0.006). Patients receiving concurrent radiochemotherapy trended toward a better median overall survival when compared with those receiving chemotherapy alone (13.4 vs. 5.4 mo, P=0.06). In addition, there were no significant differences in the rates of toxicity or adverse reactions between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Concurrent involved-field radiotherapy and XELOX showed better responses and overall symptom-control rates compared with XELOX chemotherapy alone in gastric cancer patients with postoperative locoregional recurrence. A trend of survival benefit from radiochemotherapy was also observed but needs to be further explored.

Imaging appearance of giant cell tumour of the spine above the sacrum

Giant cell tumour (GCT) of the spine is rarely encountered in daily clinical practice. Most of the tumours occur at the sacrum instead of at the spine above the sacrum, which has been reported to account for 1.3-9.3% of all spine GCTs. This article is a review of our radiological experience of the diagnosis of spine GCT above the sacrum based on 34 patients at a single institution. The purpose of this pictorial review is to highlight the imaging findings of GCT and to provide clues that may distinguish it from other, more common neoplasms.

Accurate high level ab initio-based global potential energy surface and dynamics calculations for ground state of CH2(+)

A global many-body expansion potential energy surface is reported for the electronic ground state of CH2 (+) by fitting high level ab initio energies calculated at the multireference configuration interaction level with the aug-cc-pV6Z basis set. The topographical features of the new global potential energy surface are examined in detail and found to be in good agreement with those calculated directly from the raw ab initio energies, as well as previous calculations available in the literature. In turn, in order to validate the potential energy surface, a test theoretical study of the reaction CH(+)(X(1)Σ(+))+H((2)S)→C(+)((2)P)+H2(X(1)Σg (+)) has been carried out with the method of time dependent wavepacket on the title potential energy surface. The total integral cross sections and the rate coefficients have been calculated; the results determined that the new potential energy surface can both be recommended for dynamics studies of any type and as building blocks for constructing the potential energy surfaces of larger C(+)/H containing systems.

First Report of Bean common mosaic virus Infecting Azuki Bean (Vigna angularis) in China

Azuki bean (Vigna angularis Ohwi & Ohashi) is one of the traditional grain legumes in China. From 2010 to 2013, mosaic and crumpling symptoms on leaves and stunting, all typical symptoms of a viral disease, were observed on cultivars CWA030, CWA221, and JCA002 of azuki bean with incidence rates of 30 to 100% and yield losses of 50 to 95% in the three fields of Changping district, Beijing. To identify the possible viral pathogen(s), 21 symptomatic leaf samples from different cultivars were collected and total RNA was extracted from the samples and subjected to RT-PCR testing with degenerate primers targeting portions of the coding regions of Cucumovirus capsid protein (CP) (1) and Potyvirus NIb (2); these viruses had been reported in azuki bean. Fragments of 940 bp and 350 bp corresponding to Cucumovirus CP and Potyvirus NIb, respectively, were amplified from all the samples collected. Sequencing of the PCR products from nine samples, followed by BLAST analysis, confirmed the presence of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) and Bean common mosaic virus (BCMV). All the samples tested were also positive with direct antigen coating (DAC)-ELISA using specific antiserum to CMV or BCMV (Agdia, Elkhart, IN). The CMV CP gene (GenBank Accession No. KJ467817) shared 99% sequence identity with a China CMV isolate (DQ873558). To further characterize the BCMV strain found, fragments of 3,388 bp spanning BCMV NIa, NIb, CP and 3'UTR regions were amplified with another primer set, BCMV-F (5'-AGCAAGTCAATTTACAAGGGACTTC-3') and BCMV-R (5'-GGAACAACAAACATTGCCGTAGCTAC-3') from three samples, and three independent clones from each sample were sequenced. Sequence analysis revealed that this segment (KJ467816) shared 98% identity with the BCMV azuki bean strain (U60100). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of BCMV, together with CMV, naturally infecting azuki bean in China. Further attention should be paid to this emerging viral disease and measures should be taken to control the spread of BCMV. References: (1) S. K. Choi et al. J. Virol. Methods 83:1345, 1999. (2) L. Zheng et al. Plant Pathol. 59:1345, 2010.

Accurate ab initio-based adiabatic global potential energy surface for the 2(2)A" state of NH2 by extrapolation to the complete basis set limit

A full three-dimensional global potential energy surface is reported first time for the title system, which is important for the photodissociation processes. It is obtained using double many-body expansion theory and an extensive set of accurate ab initio energies extrapolated to the complete basis set limit. Such a work can be recommended for dynamics studies of the N((2)D) + H2 reaction, a reliable theoretical treatment of the photodissociation dynamics and as building blocks for constructing the double many-body expansion potential energy surface of larger nitrogen/hydrogen containing systems. In turn, a preliminary theoretical study of the reaction N((2)D)+H2(X(1)Σg (+))(ν=0,j=0)→NH(a(1)Δ)+H((2)S) has been carried out with the method of quasi-classical trajectory on the new potential energy surface. Integral cross sections and thermal rate constants have been calculated, providing perhaps the most reliable estimate of the integral cross sections and the rate constants known thus far for such a reaction.

A sero-epidemiological survey of Chinese Babesia motasi for small ruminants in China

Babesia motasi BQ1 (Lintan) was first isolated from Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis collected in Gannan Tibet Autonomous Region, Gansu province in April 2000. In this study, a total of 3,204 serum samples from small ruminants in 22 provinces located in different districts of China were tested for antibodies against merozoite antigens from cultured B. motasi BQ1 (Lintan) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. This method can survey the prevalence of low-pathogenic Chinese B. motasi. The results of this survey indicated that the average positive rate was 43.5 %, and the positive rates of investigated provinces were significantly different from 6.1 to 91.0 %, and the infections had been found in all provinces investigated. Our data provide large important information regarding the current sero-prevalence of B. motasi in China.

Ab initio-based double many-body expansion potential energy surface for the first excited triplet state of the ammonia molecule

A global single-sheeted double many-body expansion potential energy surface is reported for the first excited triplet state of NH(3). It employs an approximate cluster expansion of the molecular potential that utilizes previously reported functions of the same family for the triatomic fragments. Four-body energy terms have been calibrated from extensive accurate ab initio data so as to reproduce the main features of the title system. A new switching function formalism has been reported to approximate the true multisheeted nature of NH(3)((3)A(2) ('')) potential energy surface, thus allowing the correct behavior at the NH(2)((2)A(")) + H((2)S) and NH(2)((4)A(")) + H((2)S) dissociation limits. The resulting fully six-dimensional potential energy function reproduces the correct symmetry under the permutation of identical atoms, and predicts the correct behavior at all dissociation channels while providing a realistic representation at all interatomic separations. The major attributes of the NH(3) double many-body expansion potential energy surface have also been characterized, and found to be in good agreement, both with the calculated ones from the raw ab initio energies and the theoretical results available in the literature.

Tubular proteinuria in mice and humans lacking the intrinsic lysosomal protein SCARB2/Limp-2

Deficiency of the intrinsic lysosomal protein human scavenger receptor class B, member 2 (SCARB2; Limp-2 in mice) causes collapsing focal and segmental glomerular sclerosis (FSGS) and myoclonic epilepsy in humans, but patients with no apparent kidney damage have recently been described. We now demonstrate that these patients can develop tubular proteinuria. To determine the mechanism, mice deficient in Limp-2, the murine homolog of SCARB2, were studied. Most low-molecular-weight proteins filtered by the glomerulus are removed in the proximal convoluted tubule (PCT) by megalin/cubilin-dependent receptor-mediated endocytosis. Expression of megalin and cubilin was unchanged in Limp-2(-/-) mice, however, and the initial uptake of injected Alexa Fluor 555-conjugated bovine serum albumin (Alexa-BSA) was similar to wild-type mice, indicating that megalin/cubilin-dependent, receptor-mediated endocytosis was unaffected. There was a defect in proteolysis of reabsorbed proteins in the Limp-2(-/-) mice, demonstrated by the persistence of Alexa-BSA in the PCT compared with controls. This was associated with the failure of the lysosomal protease cathepsin B to colocalize with Alexa-BSA and endogenous retinol-binding protein in kidneys from Limp-2(-/-) mice. The data suggest that tubular proteinuria in Limp-2(-/-) mice is due to failure of endosomes containing reabsorbed proteins to fuse with lysosomes in the proximal tubule of the kidney. Failure of proteolysis is a novel mechanism for tubular proteinuria.

[Raman tweezers-based analysis of carotenoid synthesis in Rhodotorula glutinis]

Carotenoid synthesis in Rhodotorula glutinis was investigated with Raman tweezers in order to find the effect of nitrogen and carbon resource on carotenoid yield. The cells in fermentation terminus were harvested, and then divided into two parts, one for UV analysis, the other for Raman tweezers detection. Original spectra were preprocessed by carrying out background elimination and baseline correction, and the averaged spectra of cells cultivated in different fermentation medium were analyzed qualitatively. The results showed that the Raman intensity of carotenoid were obviously different. There was a high correlation between UV results and Raman peak height data, the correlation coefficients of fitted parameters were 0.907 8 and 0.912 1, respectively. Quantitative analysis of 1 508 cm(-1) peak height indicated that the appropriate nitrogen and carbon resources for the growth of Rhodotorula glutinis cells and synthesis of carotenoid were yeast extract + tryptone, and glucose, respectively. The above results suggest that Raman tweezers can provide information about carotenoids in Rhodotorula glutinis cells and serve as an effective tool for real time measurement of carotenoid synthesis and optimization of fermentation medium.

Differentiation of colonic polyps by confocal laser endomicroscopy

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIM

The real-time identification and removal of adenomas is a cost-effective strategy to improve the prognosis of colorectal cancer. Confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) could provide real-time histological-level observation. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of CLE diagnosis using a simple classification system that differentiates adenomas from non-neoplastic polyps with intravenous fluorescein staining alone.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

An endoscope integrated confocal laser microscopy system was used in this study. CLE images of 35 colonic polyps, including 15 hyperplastic polyps and 20 adenomas confirmed by histology, were first evaluated to develop criteria for diagnosis of neoplastic and non-neoplastic polyps. The diagnostic criteria included goblet cell depletion, villous architecture, and microvascular alterations. We then performed a prospective study of colonic polyps found during CLE and classified them according to the established criteria. A total of 115 patients with 115 colonic polyps were included. The real-time CLE diagnosis was compared with that from histology. The stored CLE images were evaluated later by a blinded observer.

RESULTS

The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of real-time CLE in identifying colonic adenomas were 93.9 % (95 % confidence interval [CI] 85.4 - 97.6), 95.9 % (95 % CI 86.2 - 98.9), 96.9 % (95 % CI 89 - 99), and 92.2 % (95 % CI 81 - 97), respectively, compared with histological results. Interobserver agreement between real-time and post-CLE still-image evaluation was excellent (kappa = 0.929). Goblet cell depletion alone had a sensitivity of 84.9 % (95 % CI 73 - 92) and a specificity of 87.8 % (95 % CI 75 - 95), as well as excellent interobserver agreement (kappa = 0.824).

CONCLUSIONS

Endoscope integrated CLE with fluorescein staining may reliably assist in the real-time identification of colonic adenomas. Among three diagnostic categories, goblet cell depletion can be used to distinguish adenomas and hyperplastic polyps.

Dual-trap Raman tweezers for probing dynamics and heterogeneity of interacting microbial cells

We report on development of dual-trap Raman tweezers for monitoring cellular dynamics and heterogeneity of interacting living cells suspended in a liquid medium. Dual-beam optical tweezers were combined with Raman spectroscopy, which allows capturing two cells that are in direct contact or closely separated by a few micrometers and simultaneously acquiring their Raman spectra with an imaging CCD spectrograph. As a demonstration, we recorded time-lapse Raman spectra of budding yeast cells held in dual traps for over 40 min to monitor the dynamic growth in a nutrient medium. We also monitored two germinating Bacillus spores after the initiation with L-alanine and observed their heterogeneity in the release of CaDPA under identical microenvironment.

Gate-voltage control of chemical potential and weak antilocalization in Bi₂Se₃

We report that Bi₂Se₃ thin films can be epitaxially grown on SrTiO₃ substrates, which allow for very large tunablity in carrier density with a back gate. The observed low field magnetoconductivity due to weak antilocalization (WAL) has a very weak gate-voltage dependence unless the electron density is reduced to very low values. Such a transition in WAL is correlated with unusual changes in longitudinal and Hall resistivities. Our results suggest a much suppressed bulk conductivity at large negative gate voltages and a possible role of surface states in the WAL phenomena.

Multiple-trap laser tweezers Raman spectroscopy for simultaneous monitoring of the biological dynamics of multiple individual cells

We report the development of a multiple-trap laser tweezers Raman spectroscopy (LTRS) array for simultaneously acquiring Raman spectra of individual cells in physiological environments. This LTRS-array technique was also combined with phase contrast and fluorescence microscopy, allowing measurement of Raman spectra, refractility, and fluorescence images of individual cells with a temporal resolution of ~5 s. As a demonstration, we used this technique to monitor multiple Bacillus cereus spores germinating in a nutrient medium for up to 90min and observed the kinetics of dipicolinic acid release and uptake of nucleic acid-binding stain molecules during spore germination.

Telmisartan alleviates rosiglitazone-induced bone loss in ovariectomized spontaneous hypertensive rats

In the present study, we systematically examined telmisartan, an angiotensin AT(1) receptor antagonist, on rosiglitazone-induced bone loss in ovariectomized spontaneously hypertensive rats. Telmisartan (5 mg/kg/d, 90 days) was found to be able to significantly alleviate rosiglitazone (10 mg/kg/d, 90 days)-induced decrease in BMD of femur and lumbar vertebrae. The BMD changes were associated with positive biomechanical changes of lumbar vertebrae, improvements in microarchitecture of tibial metaphysic and normalized serum osteocalcin (OC) levels and urinary deoxypyridinoline/creatinine (DPD/Cr) ratio. MicroCT analysis of the tibial metaphysis showed that telmisartan significantly prevented the decreases in bone volume/tissue volume (BV/TV), connect density (Conn. D.), trabecular number (Tb. N.) and trabecular thickness (Tb. Th.), and increase in trabecular separation (Tb. Sp.) induced by rosiglitazone. Histomorphometric analysis also showed that telmisartan had protective effects on rosiglitazone-reduced bone formation indices such as histomorphometric bone volume fraction (BV/TV-Histo), mineralizing surface/bone surface (MS/BS), mineral apposition rate (MAR) and bone formation rate (BFR/BS). Our study clearly showed that telmisartan alleviated rosiglitazone-induced bone loss in ovariectomized spontaneous hypertensive rats. The relief of bone loss provides a possible therapeutic application of telmisartan with rosiglitazone for the treatment of elderly women patients afflicted with metabolic syndrome.

Amplification and overexpression of the cyclin D1 gene in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Aims-To determine cyclin D1 gene amplification and expression levels in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients.Methods-Total RNA and genomic DNA were isolated from 40 samples of HNSCC tissue and matched normal tissue and were hybridised with a cyclin D1 cDNA probe. Northern and Southern analyses were used to detect mRNA overexpression and cyclin D1 gene amplification, respectively.Results-15 of the 40 HNSCC samples examined (38%) showed cyclin D1 gene amplification. Of these 15 samples, all 13 from which RNA was available showed increased cyclin D1 expression.Conclusions-HNSCC patients with both amplification and overexpression of the cyclin D1 gene are at greater risk than patients who showed no cyclin D1 gene amplification; amplification and over-expression of the cyclin D1 gene may play an important role in the progression of HNSCC and in clinical outcome.

Altered p53 in microdissected, metachronous, premalignant and malignant oral lesions from the same patients

Aims-To determine whether mutant p53 alleles harboured by malignant tumours of the oral cavity were also present in previous premalignant lesions at the same site.Methods-Paraffin embedded tumour specimens along with their premalignant counterparts were analysed for p53 alterations using immunohistochemistry, microdissection, polymerase chain reaction amplification, and DNA sequencing.Results-Malignant lesions from five of eight patients showed overexpression of p53 protein by immunohistochemistry. Upon DNA sequencing, two of these five specimens had p53 mutations. Of the five patients whose cancers showed p53 overexpression by immunohistochemistry, three had previous premalignant lesions that also had immunohistochemically detectable p53 protein. However, DNA sequencing showed that none of these three had mutations in the p53 gene. The remaining five premalignant lesions had no immunohistochemically detectable p53 protein.Conclusions-Some premalignant lesions have increased p53 protein which can be detected by staining with antibody to p53. This staining is not caused by mutations in p53 that are found in subsequent tumours at the same site.

Tunable electrical properties of silicon nanowires via surface-ambient chemistry

p-Type surface conductivity is a uniquely important property of hydrogen-terminated diamond surfaces. In this work, we report similar surface-dominated electrical properties in silicon nanowires (SiNWs). Significantly, we demonstrate tunable and reversible transition of p(+)-p-i-n-n(+) conductance in nominally intrinsic SiNWs via changing surface conditions, in sharp contrast to the only p-type conduction observed on diamond surfaces. On the basis of Si band energies and the electrochemical potentials of the ambient (pH value)-determined adsorbed aqueous layer, we propose an electron-transfer-dominated surface doping model, which can satisfactorily explain both diamond and silicon surface conductivity. The totality of our observations suggests that nanomaterials can be described as a core-shell structure due to their large surface-to-volume ratio. Consequently, controlling the surface or shell in the core-shell model represents a universal way to tune the properties of nanostructures, such as via surface-transfer doping, and is crucial for the development of nanostructure-based devices.

Origins of endomorphin-2 immunopositive fibers and terminals in the spinal dorsal horn of the rat

Endomorphin 2 (EM2) plays essential roles in regulating nociceptive transmission within the spinal dorsal horn, where EM2-immunopositive (EM2-IP) fibers and terminals are densely encountered. However, the origins of these EM2-IP structures are still obscure. Unilateral primary sensory afferents disruption (lumbar 3-6 dorsal roots rhizotomy) significantly decreased the density of EM2-IP fibers and terminals in the superficial laminae (laminae I and II) on the ipsilateral but not contralateral lumbar dorsal horn (LDH). Spinal hemisection at the 7th thoracic (T7) segment down-regulated bilateral EM2 expression, with a higher influence on the ipsilateral side of the LDH. Unilateral L3-6 dorsal roots rhizotomy combined with spinal transection but not with hemisection at T7 level completely obliterated EM2-IP fibers and terminals on the rhizotomized-side of the LDH. Disruption of bilateral (exposure to the primary afferent neurotoxin, capsaicin) primary sensory afferents combined with spinal hemisection at T7 decreased the EM2-IP density bilaterally but could obliterate it on neither side of the LDH. While in capsaicin plus transection rats, EM2 was depleted symmetrically and completely. In the colchicine treated rats, no EM2-IP neuronal cell bodies could be detected in the spinal gray matter. After injecting tetramethyl rhodamine dextran-amine (TMR) into the LDH, some of the TMR retrogradely labeled neurons in the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) showed EM2-immunoreactivities. The present results indicate that EM2-IP fibers and terminals in the spinal dorsal horn originate from the ipsilateral primary afferents and bilateral descending fibers from NTS.

Activation of GABAergic neurons following tooth pulp stimulation

The functional impact of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)ergic neurons in nociceptive transmission of the spinal trigeminal nucleus is not fully established. Using both the glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD)(67)-green fluorescence protein (GFP) knock-in mouse and the tooth pulp stimulation model, we performed double-immunofluorescent histochemistry to determine the characteristics of GABAergic neuron activation in the spinal trigeminal nucleus. The number of Fos-positive GABAergic neuronal profiles was significantly increased 2 hrs after tooth pulp stimulation. The Fos/GFP double-labeled neurons were mainly present in superficial laminae of the spinal trigeminal subnucleus interpolaris-caudalis transition (Vi/Vc) and subnucleus caudalis (Vc) on the side ipsilateral to the stimulation. Subsequently, the number of double-labeled neurons decreased gradually and became comparable with that of the controls by 48 hrs. Our results provide direct morphological evidence that a subset of GABAergic neurons in the spinal trigeminal system was activated during tooth pulp stimulation.

Astrocytic activation in thoracic spinal cord contributes to persistent pain in rat model of chronic pancreatitis

One of the most important symptoms in chronic pancreatitis (CP) is constant and recurrent abdominal pain. However, there is still no ideal explanation and treatment on it. Previous studies indicated that pain in CP shared many characteristics of neuropathic pain. As an important mechanism underlying neuropathic pain, astrocytic activation is probably involved in pain of CP. Based on the trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induce rat CP model, we performed pancreatic histology to assess the severity of CP with semiquantitative scores and tested the nociceptive behaviors following induction of CP. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expressions in the thoracic spinal cord were observed by immunohistochemistry and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Meanwhile, we injected intrathecally astrocytic specific inhibitor l-alpha-aminoadipate (LAA) and observed its effect on nociception induced by CP. Compared to the naive and sham group, TNBS produced long lasting pancreatitis, and persistent mechanical hypersensitivity in the abdomen that was evident 1 week after TNBS infusion and persisted up to 5 weeks. Compared with naive or sham operated rats, GFAP staining was significantly increased 5 weeks after CP induction. Real-time RT-PCR indicated that GFAP expression was significantly increased in TNBS treated rats compared to the sham group. TNBS-induced astrocytic activation was significantly attenuated by LAA, compared with the saline control. Treatment with LAA significantly, even though not completely, attenuated the allodynia. Our results provide for the first time that astrocytes may play a critical role in pain of CP. Some actions could be taken to prevent astrocytic activation to treat pain in CP patients.

[Sequence the complete sequence of bocavirus I with SISPA-PCR]

OBJECTIVE

To sequence the complete sequence of bocavirus I with sequence independent single primer amplification (SISPA-PCR).

METHODS

To exclude the co-effection samples, all clinical samples of diarrhea cases were screened with special primers of rotavirus, astrovirus, adenovirus, calicivirus and bocavirus I. The virus were enriched through ultracentrifugation. Other nucleic acids, such as human and bacteria genomes, were degradated by DNase I and RNase. DNA of bocavirus was Amplificated with SISPA-PCR, then purificated, cloned and sequenced. The sequences were alighmented in nr with blastn and assembled with DNAstar.

RESULTS

A 4834bp sequence of bocavirus I were assembled.

CONCLUSION

SISPA-PCR is an economical and efficient technique for sequence a virus complete genome.

[Detection of Aichi virus in stool samples from children in Lanzhou]

OBJECTIVE

To identification and analysis Aichi virus from diarrhea and normal children in Lanzhou, and discuss the relationship between Aichi virus and Infant Diarrhea.

METHODS

According to the literature published data, Using RT-PCR method to amplified Aichi virus 3CD fragment and the positive products were sequenced and determined, and made the alignment analysis between the nucleotide sequences of the amplified fragment with the known sequence of this virus.

RESULTS

There was 1 case detection of Aichi virus in the 46 hospitalized children with diarrhea and 299 children with diarrhea out-patients specifically, Overall detection rate was 0.06%, and there was no Aichi virus was detected in normal control children. 2 viral 3CD gene and the known reference strains of nucleotide sequences were 97%, while phylogenetic analysis showed that genotype of 2 viral belongs to the B.

CONCLUSIONS

There existed B Genotype of Aichi virus in China, and more research is needed to clarified the etiology and epidemiology of Aichi virus characteristics.