[Diagnosis of Falciparum malaria by immunochromatographic test]

AIM

To evaluate the applicability of rapid immunochromatographic test(ICT) for diagnosing falciparum malaria in outpatient clinics in endemic area.

METHODS

With thick blood smear method as control, ICT was used for the detection of P. falciparum.

RESULTS

The sensitivity and specificity of ICT in detecting P. falciparum was 94.7% and 90.3%, respectively. No cross-reaction with P. vivax was found (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

ICT is much more rapid and simple than thick blood smear method for the diagnosis of falciparum malaria, and can be applied in the outpatient clinics in endemic area.

[Pathological changes of viscera after brain death: an experimental study]

In order to study the viscera changes after brain death while the function of the heart and lung was sustained artificially, 34 cats were used and divided into three groups. The results showed that pathological changes of viscera (heart, lung, liver and kidney) developed, including 1. ischemic cardiomyopathy, endocardiac hemorrhage, focal necrosis, mitochondria and microfilament destruction. 2. pulmonary congestion, edema and parenchymal inflammation. 3. ischemic lesions in the central band of hepatic lobular and ischemic lesions in renal proximal convoluted tubule.

Direct electrochemistry of cytochrome c at a glassy carbon electrode modified with single-wall carbon nanotubes

The electrochemistry of horse heart cytochrome c was studied by cyclic voltammetry at a glassy carbon electrode modified with single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). A pair of well-defined redox waves was obtained in cytochrome c aqueous solution at an activated SWNT film-modified electrode. The optimal conditions for activating the SWNT film-modified electrode has been determined. The electrode reaction of cytochrome c is a diffusion-controlled process. The peak current increases linearly with the concentration of cytochrome c in the range from 3.0 x 10(-5)-7.0 x 10(-4) M. The detection limit is 1.0 x 10(-5) M. The activated SWNT film was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, interaction of cytochrome c with adenine was characterized by electrochemical and spectral methods.

Immobilizing Shortened Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWNTs) on Gold Using a Surface Condensation Method

We propose a surface condensation method for assembling single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) on gold. The as-prepared long and randomly tangled SWNTs were cut into short pipes by chemical oxidation, allowing the nanotubes to be terminated by carboxyl functionalities. A surface condensation reaction was then performed by immersing an amino self-assembled monolayer (SAM)-modified gold substrate into the dimethylformamide suspension of carboxylic nanotubes with the aid of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide condensation agent. Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) results show that a highly aligned assembly of SWNTs has been formed on gold, with the nanotubes standing on the surface stable enough for a long ultrasonication. In combination with the microcontact printing (muCP) technique, we have fabricated patterned nanotube assemblies using this surface condensation method. Moreover, we found that the "giant" carbon nanotubes tend to form bundles on an amino-terminating surface, likely following a nucleation-growth model.

[Surgical treatment of elderly patients with early gastric cancer]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the characteristics of early gastric cancer (EGC), surgical treatment, and prognosis in elderly patients.

METHODS

Seventy-four patients with EGC with a mean age of 68 years treated by gastrectomy from August 1977 to December 1997 were studied retrospectively. A total of 74 patients were followed up, and the SAS statistical package program was used for all analyses.

RESULTS

The cumulative 5-year survival rate was 98.59% +/- 0.14%, and the 10-year survival rate was 91.61% +/- 0.04%. The 5-year survival rate in patients without lymph node metastasis was 100% and node-positive was only 75%. All of 74 patients were respectable, and there was neither operative death nor surgical infection.

CONCLUSIONS

If general condition in elderly patients permits, radical gastrectomy should be the choice of treatment for EGC, and D2 lymphadenectomy would be beneficial to some node positive patients. Local gastrectomy and partial gastrectomy are not suitable for EGC because of EGC may have multiple foci of cancer in 18.92%.

Iron(III) spin-crossover compounds with a wide apparent thermal hysteresis around room temperature

The magnetic properties of the spin-crossover compounds, [Fe(qsal)2]NCSe-MeOH (1) and [Fe(qsal)2]NCSe-CH2Cl2 (2), have been measured. We have discovered that both compounds 1 and 2 exhibit a wide thermal hysteresis loop of 140 K (T(1/2) upward arrow = 352 K and T(1/2) downward arrow = 212 K) and 180 K (T(1/2) upward arrow = 392 K and T(1/2) downward arrow = 212 K), respectively, in the first cycle. Thermogravimetric analysis shows that solvent molecules escape from compounds 1 and 2 around 340 and 395 K, respectively. This means that the hysteresis loops observed for the first cycle are only apparent ones. Following the first loop, they show a two-step spin-crossover in warming mode. The so-called "step 1" and "step 2" are centered around T(1/2(S1)) upward arrow = 215 K and T(1/2(S2)) upward arrow = 282 K, respectively. On the other hand, a one-step spin-crossover occurs at T(1/2) downward arrow = 212 K in cooling mode. The hysteresis widths can be estimated to be 3 K (step 1) and 70 K (step 2), assuming that the widths in steps 1 and 2 are defined as the differences between T(1/2(S1)) upward arrow and T(1/2) downward arrow, and T(1/2(S2)) upward arrow and T(1/2) downward arrow, respectively. The hysteresis width of 70 K in step 2 is one of the widest values reported so far for spin-crossover complexes. It is thought that the cooperativity operating in the complexes arises mainly from the intermolecular pi interactions between quinoline and phenyl rings. Using a previously reported model, we are able to simulate the hysteresis loop with a two-step spin-crossover in warming mode and a one-step transition in cooling mode.

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase and c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase in ischemic tolerance

The alterations and involvement of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK) activation were examined in the hippocampal CA1 region in a rat model of global brain ischemic tolerance. Western blotting study showed that ERK activation (diphosphorylation) level was decreased (3.75-, 0.56-, and 0.23-fold vs sham control) and JNK activation level was increased (3.82-, 4.63-, and 5.30-fold vs sham control) 3 days after more severe ischemic insults (6 min, 8 min, and 10 min of ischemia, respectively). These alterations were significantly prevented by pretreatment with preconditioning ischemia, which also provided neuronal protection against ischemic injury. Inhibition of ERK activation after preconditioning ischemia by PD98059, a specific ERK kinase inhibitor, significantly prevented the inhibitory effects of preconditioning ischemia on both JNK activation and ischemic injury. The results suggest that ERK activation after preconditioning ischemia may result in the prevention of JNK activation and thus be involved in the protective responses in ischemic tolerance in hippocampal CA1 region.

Intrafullerene electron transfers in Sm-containing metallofullerenes: Sm@C2n (74 < or = 2n < or = 84)

The electronic properties of Sm-containing metallofullerenes, Sm@C74, Sm@C76 (I, II), Sm@C78, Sm@C80, Sm@C82 (I, II, III) and Sm@C84 (I, II, III), are characterized by UV-Vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). The UV-Vis-NIR absorption spectra of Sm@C74, Sm@C80, Sm@C82 (I, II, III) and Sm@C84 (I, II) are quite similar to those of the corresponding Ca, Sr, Ba, Eu, Tm, Yb-based metallofullerenes. In contrast, the absorption spectra of Sm@C76 (I, II), Sm@C78 and Sm@C84(III) show a novel feature: the onset for Sm@C78 is observed approximately 2600 nm, which corresponds to a small band gap (approximately 0.5 eV). Furthermore, the oxidation states of Sm atom in the various fullerene cages are investigated by EELS, which reveals that the Sm atom takes +2 oxidation state in the fullerene cages. A probable rationale for the tendency to have the Sm2+ state is presented based on a simple thermochemical cycle model.

Expression of bbc3, a pro-apoptotic BH3-only gene, is regulated by diverse cell death and survival signals

BH3-only proteins function at a proximal point in a conserved cell death pathway by binding, through their BH3 domains, to other Bcl-2 family members and triggering mitochondrial events associated with apoptosis. Here, we describe a strongly pro-apoptotic BH3-only protein, designated Bbc3, whose expression increases in response to diverse apoptotic stimuli. bbc3 mRNA levels were induced by exposure to DNA-damaging agents and by wild-type p53, which mediates DNA damage-induced apoptosis. p53 transactivated bbc3 through consensus p53 binding sites within the bbc3 promoter region, indicating that bbc3 is a direct target of p53. Additionally, bbc3 mRNA was induced by p53-independent apoptotic stimuli, including dexamethasone treatment of thymocytes, and serum deprivation of tumor cells. Insulin-like growth factor-1 and epidermal growth factor, growth factors with broad anti-apoptotic activity, were each sufficient to suppress Bbc3 expression in serum-starved tumor cells. These results suggest that the transcriptional regulation of bbc3 contributes to the transduction of diverse cell death and survival signals.

Nuclear translocation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases in neuronal excitotoxicity

Subcellular distributions of extracellular signal-kinases (ERK1/2), including their activated form (p-ERK1/2), were investigated in glutamate-induced apoptotic-like death in cultured rat cortical neurons by Western immunoblot and immunocytochemistry. During 15 min glutamate exposure, p-ERK1/2 was increased in both cytosol and nuclear extracts, but prominently so in nuclear extracts. Simultaneously, ERK1/2 were mildly decreased in cytosol (to 0.7-fold vs sham control), largely increased in nuclear extracts (to 6.2-fold vs sham control), but not changed in total cell extracts. Immunocytochemistry studies also showed a large increase in nuclear and a mild decrease in cytosol extracts of ERK1/2 at 15 min of exposure. After glutamate exposure, all the above changes reverted simultaneously. The nuclear increase of ERK1/2 was largely prevented by inhibition of ERK1/2 activation, but prolonged by elongation of ERK1/2 activation. These observations suggest that stimulation of glutamate receptors in cortical neurons may incur an activation-dependent transient nuclear translocation of ERK1/2, which might be involved in excitotoxicity through a simultaneous strong elevation of p-ERK1/2 in nucleus.

[X-ray and clinical characteristics in sagittal fracture of the mandibular condyle]

OBJECTIVE

To study the X-ray and clinical characteristics in sagittal fracture of the mandibular condyle (SFMC).

METHODS

14 cases (15 sides) of SFMC in 48 cases who had condylar fractures were studied in the research, every patient was examined by the conventional x-ray, 2D-CT and 3D-CT, and followed up for 3-39 months.

RESULTS

The fracture line mainly passed through lateral 1/3 and middle 1/3 of anterior condyle and the middle 1/3 of posterior condyle. Following-up (3-39 months) showed that the patients' occlusions were normal in all cases.

CONCLUSIONS

The fracture line mainly located in the lateral pterygoid muscle fossa. Good results can be gotten by effective treatment. The 2D-CT and 3D-CT are valuable to the diagnosis.

Rapid two-step purification of a recombinant mouse Fab fragment expressed in Escherichia coli

We report a rapid, large-scale process for the purification of a recombinant Fab fragment specific for the tobacco mosaic virus coat protein (Fab57P). The fragment is expressed periplasmically in Escherichia coli. The expression level was optimized in 0.3-L fermentors. The highest levels were obtained using the following conditions: (1) low postinduction temperature (21 degrees C), (2) combined use of two beta-lactam antibiotics (carbenicillin and ampicillin), (3) IPTG concentration 0.1 mM, (4) regulated pH 7.2, (5) 17-h induction time, and (6) conditions that reduce mechanical stress. Optimized large-scale fermentations were done in 15- and 300-L capacity fermentors. The recombinant Fab fragment was purified by two chromatographic steps. After disruption of the bacteria using an APV Gaulin homogenizer, the crude E. coli homogenate was directly applied, without centrifugation, to an SP Sepharose Big Beads column. The recombinant Fab fragment was eluted as a single peak in a sodium chloride gradient. The fragment was further purified by affinity adsorption to a column packed with Epoxy-activated Sepharose 6B to which the antigen peptide NH(2)-CGS YNR GSF SQS SGLV-CONH(2) had been coupled through its N-terminal cysteine. The purified Fab57P fragment showed one band in SDS-PAGE. The overall purification yield was 35%.

[Influence of art of changes on the thinking of traditional Chinese medicine]

The most important influence of art of changes on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) was reflected in the formation of the basic theory of TCM. Some innovations were achieved by using the theory of art of changes to research medicine in later ages. However, the specific therapies and the prognostication of diseases inferred by using the art of mathematics were mostly unreliable. Though the researches on the art of changes were helpful to the exploration of the cause and effect of TMC, yet, its practical significance should be evaluated properly.