Isolation and characterization of polymorphic microsatellite loci in the ridgetail white prawn Exopalaemon carinicauda

The ridgetail white prawn Exopalaemon carinicauda is one of the major economic shrimp species cultured in China. In this study, 30 microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized for the ridgetail white prawn E. carinicauda using a microsatellite-enriched library. Polymorphisms were tested in 30 individuals from a single wild population. The number of alleles at each locus ranged from 2 to 14. The observed and expected heterozygosities varied from 0.1000 to 0.8000 and from 0.2299 to 0.9228, respectively. The PIC value ranged from 0.2002 to 0.8939. These new loci will be useful in the study of population genetic structure and genetic diversity in this species.

Lack of association between HLA-A, -B and -DRB1 alleles and the development of SARS: a cohort of 95 SARS-recovered individuals in a population of Guangdong, southern China

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), caused by infection with a novel coronavirus (SARS‐CoV), was the first major novel infectious disease at the beginning of the 21st century, with China especially affected. SARS was characterized by high infectivity, morbidity and mortality, and the confined pattern of the disease spreading among the countries of South‐East and East Asia suggested the existence of susceptible factor(s) in these populations. Studies in the populations of Hong Kong and Taiwan showed an association of human leucocyte antigen (HLA) polymorphisms with the development and/or severity of SARS, respectively. The aim of the present study was to define the genotypic patterns of HLA‐A, ‐B and ‐DRB1 loci in SARS patients and a co‐resident population of Guangdong province, southern China, where the first SARS case was reported. The samples comprised 95 cases of recovered SARS patients and 403 unrelated healthy controls. HLA ‐A, ‐B and ‐DRB1 alleles were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction with sequence‐specific primers. The severity of the disease was assessed according to the history of lung infiltration, usage of assisted ventilation and occurrence of lymphocytopenia. Although the allelic frequencies of A23, A34, B60, DRB1*12 in the SARS group were slightly higher, and A33, ‐B58 and ‐B61 were lower than in the controls, no statistical significance was found when the Pc value was considered. Similarly, no association of HLA alleles with the severity of the disease was detected. Thus, variations in the major histocompatibility complex are unlikely to have contributed significantly to either the susceptibility or the severity of SARS in the population of Guangdong.

Neuroimaging studies of brain corpus striatum changes among heroin-dependent patients treated with herbal medicine, U'finer capsule

Chronic exposure to heroin is associated with structural changes in dopaminergic (DA) neurones. The present study examined the effects of a new herbal medicine, U'finer capsule, on the brain corpus striatum and DA systems, comparing pre- and post- treatment in 36 heroin-dependent patients. Neuroimaging studies were performed by using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with 99mTc-TRODAT-1 as radiotracer. The results show that U'finer significantly repaired the damaged bilateral corpus striatum, restoring it to a 'panda eye' shape, analogous in size and shape to that of the healthy volunteers. DA transporter (DAT) function in the bilateral corpus striatum was restored to a normal state after recovery from neurotoxic insult. These findings suggest that U'finer is a reliable herbal medicine in the treatment of heroin dependency.

[Effect of acupuncture on regional cerebral blood flow and cerebral functional activity evaluated with single-photon emission computed tomography]

Observation on effect of acupuncture on regional cerebral blood flow (RCBF) and cerebral functional activity was conducted in 11 healthy volanteers and 9 patients with cerebral vascular disease by using single-photon emission computed tomography. Results showed a significant difference in effect of needle retention and electro-acupuncture stimulation on contralateral cerebral hemisphere cortex and thalamus, ipsilateral basal ganglion and bilateral cerebella, the change on cerebral blood flow induced by electroacupuncture was greater than that induced by the former method. It is speculated that the improvement of cerebral blood supply and stimulation of functional activity of brain nerve cells induced by acupuncture on point of extremities depend on the regulatory function of central nerve system. Stimulations were transmitted in mainly through specific and non-specific sensory afferent systems, also the involvement of extrapyramidal system and cerebellum. Patients with cerebral vascular diseases are more sensitive to electro-acupuncture than healthy subjects.