[A multicenter study on respiratory pathogen detection with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children]

Objective: To analyze the status of respiratory pathogen detection and the clinical features in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP). Methods: A prospective, multicenter study was conducted to collect clinical data, including medical history, laboratory examinations and multiplex PCR tests of children diagnosed with MPP from 4 hospitals in China between November 15th and December 20th, 2023. The multiplex PCR results and clinical characteristics of MPP children in different regions were analyzed. The children were divided into severe and mild groups according to the severity of the disease. Patients in the severe group were further divided into Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) alone and Multi-pathogen co-detection groups based on whether other pathogens were detected besides MP, to analyze the influence of respiratory pathogen co-detection rate on the severity of the disease. Mann-Whitney rank sum test and Chi-square test were used to compare data between independent groups. Results: A total of 298 children, 136 males and 162 females, were enrolled in this study, including 204 children in the severe group with an onset age of 7.0 (6.0, 8.0) years, and 94 children in the mild group with an onset age of 6.5 (4.0, 7.8) years. The level of C-reactive protein, D-dimer, lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) were significantly higher (10.0 (5.0, 18.0) vs. 5.0 (5.0, 7.5) mg/L, 0.6 (0.4, 1.1) vs. 0.5 (0.3, 0.6) mg/L, 337 (286, 431) vs. 314 (271, 393) U/L, Z=2.02, 2.50, 3.05, all P<0.05), and the length of hospitalization was significantly longer in the severe group compared with those in mild group (6.0 (6.0, 7.0) vs. 5.0 (4.0, 6.0) d, Z=4.37, P<0.05). The time from onset to admission in severe MPP children was significantly shorter than that in mild MPP children (6.0 (5.0, 9.5) vs. 9.0 (7.0, 13.0) d, Z=2.23, P=0.026). All patients completed the multiplex PCR test, with 142 cases (47.7%) MPP children detected with 21 pathogens including adenovirus 25 cases (8.4%), human coronavirus 23 cases (7.7%), rhinovirus 21 cases (7.0%), Streptococcus pneumoniae 21 cases (7.0%), influenza A virus 18 cases (6.0%). The pathogens with the highest detection rates in Tianjin, Shanghai, Wenzhou and Chengdu were Staphylococcus aureus at 10.7% (8/75), adenovirus at 13.0% (10/77), adenovirus at 15.3% (9/59), and both rhinovirus and Haemophilus influenzae at 11.5% (10/87) each. The multi-pathogen co-detection rate in severe MPP children was significantly higher than that in mild MPP group (52.9% (108/204) vs. 36.2% (34/94), χ²=10.62,P=0.005). Among severe MPP children, there are 89 cases in the multi-pathogen co-detection group and 73 cases in the simple MPP group. The levels of LDH, D-dimer and neutrophil counts in the multi-pathogen co-detection group were significantly higher than those in the simple MPP group (348 (284, 422) vs. 307 (270, 358) U/L, 0.8 (0.5, 1.5) vs. 0.6 (0.4, 1.0) mg/L, 4.99 (3.66, 6.89)×109 vs. 4.06 (2.91, 5.65)×109/L, Z=5.17, 4.99, 6.11, all P<0.05). Conclusions: The co-detection rate of respiratory pathogens, LDH and D-dimer in children with severe MPP were higher than those with mild MPP. Among severe MPP children the stress response of children in co-detection group was more serious than that of children with simple MPP.

[Efficacy and safety analysis of hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors for anemia in low-risk myelodysplastic syndromes patients]

Myelodysplastic syndromes is a heterogeneous group of myeloid neoplastic disorders originating from hematopoietic stem cells and manifesting as pathological bone marrow hematopoiesis and a high risk of transformation to acute myeloid leukemia. In low-risk patients, the therapeutic goal is to improve hematopoiesis and quality of life. Roxadustat is the world's first oral small-molecule hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor, which, unlike conventional erythropoietin, corrects anemia through various mechanisms. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the changes in anemia, iron metabolism, lipids and inflammatory indexes in patients with low-risk myelodysplastic syndromes to evaluate its therapeutic efficacy and safety, and to provide theoretical and practical data for the application of roxadustat in myelodysplastic syndromes.

Application of urinary N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase combined with serum retinol-binding protein in early detection of diabetic nephropathy

BACKGROUND

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a microangiopathy of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which can damage the kidney through various ways and mechanisms due to the nature of the disease, involving the renal interstitium and glomeruli. However, in the early stage of the disease, patients only showed kidney volume increase and glomerular hyperthyroidism, and typical symptoms that are difficult to arouse individual attention were noticed.

AIM

To observe the expression of serum retinol-binding protein (RBP) and urinary N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) in patients with DN, and to analyze their value in disease prediction, so as to provide new targets for early diagnosis and treatment of DN.

METHODS

The baseline data of 50 T2DM patients treated in our hospital between January 2021 and December 2022 were retrospectively reviewed and included in group A. The baseline data of 50 patients with type 2 DN admitted to our hospital during the same period were collected and included in group B. The baseline data and serum RBP and urine NAG expression were compared between the two groups to analyze their value in the early prediction of DN.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in age, gender, duration of diabetes, combined hyperlipidemia and combined hypertension between the two groups (P > 0.05); the expression of urinary NAG and serum RBP in group B was higher than that in group A, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05); a multiple logistic regression model was established, and the results showed that urinary NAG and serum RBP were related to the presence or absence of injury in diabetic patients, and overexpression of urinary NAG and serum RBP may be risk factors for renal injury in T2DM patients (OR > 1, P < 0.05); receiver operating curve curve was plotted, and the results showed that the area under the curve of urinary NAG and serum RBP expression alone and in combination for predicting DN was > 0.80, and the predictive value was satisfactory; bivariate Spearman linear correlation analysis showed that there was a positive correlation between urinary NAG and serum RBP expression in patients with DN (r = 0.566, P = 0.000).

CONCLUSION

The increased expression of urinary NAG and serum RBP may be the risk factors leading to the progression of T2DM to DN. The possibility of DN can be considered in patients with urinary NAG and serum RBP overexpression by examining the expression of urinary NAG and serum RBP in patients with T2DM in clinical practice.

[Incidence and prognosis of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to infection of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain: a national multi-center survey of 35 566 population]

Objective: This cross-sectional investigation aimed to determine the incidence, clinical characteristics, prognosis, and related risk factors of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain in mainland China. Methods: Data of patients with SARS-CoV-2 from December 28, 2022, to February 21, 2023, were collected through online and offline questionnaires from 45 tertiary hospitals and one center for disease control and prevention in mainland China. The questionnaire included demographic information, previous health history, smoking and alcohol drinking, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, olfactory and gustatory function before and after infection, other symptoms after infection, as well as the duration and improvement of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction. The self-reported olfactory and gustatory functions of patients were evaluated using the Olfactory VAS scale and Gustatory VAS scale. Results: A total of 35 566 valid questionnaires were obtained, revealing a high incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain (67.75%). Females(χ2=367.013, P<0.001) and young people(χ2=120.210, P<0.001) were more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Gender(OR=1.564, 95%CI: 1.487-1.645), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), oral health status (OR=0.881, 95%CI: 0.839-0.926), smoking history (OR=1.152, 95%CI=1.080-1.229), and drinking history (OR=0.854, 95%CI: 0.785-0.928) were correlated with the occurrence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2(above P<0.001). 44.62% (4 391/9 840) of the patients who had not recovered their sense of smell and taste also suffered from nasal congestion, runny nose, and 32.62% (3 210/9 840) suffered from dry mouth and sore throat. The improvement of olfactory and taste functions was correlated with the persistence of accompanying symptoms(χ2=10.873, P=0.001). The average score of olfactory and taste VAS scale was 8.41 and 8.51 respectively before SARS-CoV-2 infection, but decreased to3.69 and 4.29 respectively after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and recovered to 5.83and 6.55 respectively at the time of the survey. The median duration of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions was 15 days and 12 days, respectively, with 0.5% (121/24 096) of patients experiencing these dysfunctions for more than 28 days. The overall self-reported improvement rate of smell and taste dysfunctions was 59.16% (14 256/24 096). Gender(OR=0.893, 95%CI: 0.839-0.951), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), history of head and facial trauma(OR=1.180, 95%CI: 1.036-1.344, P=0.013), nose (OR=1.104, 95%CI: 1.042-1.171, P=0.001) and oral (OR=1.162, 95%CI: 1.096-1.233) health status, smoking history(OR=0.765, 95%CI: 0.709-0.825), and the persistence of accompanying symptoms (OR=0.359, 95%CI: 0.332-0.388) were correlated with the recovery of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2 (above P<0.001 except for the indicated values). Conclusion: The incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain is high in mainland China, with females and young people more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Active and effective intervention measures may be required for cases that persist for a long time. The recovery of olfactory and taste functions is influenced by several factors, including gender, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status, history of head and facial trauma, nasal and oral health status, smoking history, and persistence of accompanying symptoms.

Nuclear DJ-1 Regulates DNA Damage Repair via the Regulation of PARP1 Activity

DNA damage and defective DNA repair are extensively linked to neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD), but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we determined that the PD-associated protein DJ-1 plays an essential role in modulating DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair. Specifically, DJ-1 is a DNA damage response (DDR) protein that can be recruited to DNA damage sites, where it promotes DSB repair through both homologous recombination and nonhomologous end joining. Mechanistically, DJ-1 interacts directly with PARP1, a nuclear enzyme essential for genomic stability, and stimulates its enzymatic activity during DNA repair. Importantly, cells from PD patients with the DJ-1 mutation also have defective PARP1 activity and impaired repair of DSBs. In summary, our findings uncover a novel function of nuclear DJ-1 in DNA repair and genome stability maintenance, and suggest that defective DNA repair may contribute to the pathogenesis of PD linked to DJ-1 mutations.

Parkin regulates microglial NLRP3 and represses neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease

Microglial hyperactivation of the NOD-, LRR-, and pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome contributes to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Recently, neuronally expressed NLRP3 was demonstrated to be a Parkin polyubiquitination substrate and a driver of neurodegeneration in PD. However, the role of Parkin in NLRP3 inflammasome activation in microglia remains unclear. Thus, we aimed to investigate whether Parkin regulates NLRP3 in microglia. We investigated the role of Parkin in NLRP3 inflammasome activation through the overexpression of Parkin in BV2 microglial cells and knockout of Parkin in primary microglia after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment. Immunoprecipitation experiments were conducted to quantify the ubiquitination levels of NLRP3 under various conditions and to assess the interaction between Parkin and NLRP3. In vivo experiments were conducted by administering intraperitoneal injections of LPS in wild-type and Parkin knockout mice. The Rotarod test, pole test, and open field test were performed to evaluate motor functions. Immunofluorescence was performed for pathological detection of key proteins. Overexpression of Parkin mediated NLRP3 degradation via K48-linked polyubiquitination in microglia. The loss of Parkin activity in LPS-induced mice resulted in excessive microglial NLRP3 inflammasome assembly, facilitating motor impairment, and dopaminergic neuron loss in the substantia nigra. Accelerating Parkin-induced NLRP3 degradation by administration of a heat shock protein (HSP90) inhibitor reduced the inflammatory response. Parkin regulates microglial NLRP3 inflammasome activation through polyubiquitination and alleviates neurodegeneration in PD. These results suggest that targeting Parkin-mediated microglial NLRP3 inflammasome activity could be a potential therapeutic strategy for PD.

Mitochondrial morphology and synaptic structure altered in the retina of parkin-deficient mice

Mutations in the PRKN gene are the major cause of autosomal recessive Parkinson's disease (PD). However, studies of parkin-/- mice did not show the loss of dopaminergic neurons and motor phenotypes at a young age. Whether pathological changes are associated with nonmotor symptoms of PD remains unclear. Visual impairment is one common nonmotor symptom in patients with PD. This study aimed to examine the effects of parkin-/- on mitochondria and synaptic structures in the retina of 6-month-old mice. Compared with wild-type mice, parkin-/- mice exhibited a slightly thickened retina. Also, the number of normal mitochondria (mito-5 grade) in rod spherules (RSs) significantly decreased (p < 0.01), the average area of mitochondria was significantly larger (p < 0.001), and the number of ribbons in RSs significantly decreased (p = 0.02). The RSs of parkin-/- mice showed severe swelling after flicker stimulation. Our study implicated that parkin-/- led to the impairment of mitochondria and abnormality of the synaptic structure in mouse retina at a young age, which damaged the synaptic transmission between photoreceptors and second-order retinal neurons and resulted in visual impairment.

Learning of 3D Graph Convolution Networks for Point Cloud Analysis

Point clouds are among the popular geometry representations in 3D vision. However, unlike 2D images with pixel-wise layouts, such representations containing unordered data points which make the processing and understanding the associated semantic information quite challenging. Although a number of previous works attempt to analyze point clouds and achieve promising performances, their performances would degrade significantly when data variations like shift and scale changes are presented. In this paper, we propose 3D graph convolution networks (3D-GCN), which uniquely learns 3D kernels with graph max-pooling mechanisms for extracting geometric features from point cloud data across different scales. We show that, with the proposed 3D-GCN, satisfactory shift and scale invariance can be jointly achieved. We show that 3D-GCN can be applied to point cloud classification and segmentation tasks, with ablation studies and visualizations verifying the design of 3D-GCN.

[Research advances on stem cell therapy for diabetic foot wounds]

Diabetic foot wound repair is a challenging issue in clinical practice. Due to the influence of multiple factors including the damage and regeneration failure of local tissue, the impaired pathways of wound repairing through blood vessels and nerve nutrition, and disorders of a variety of cellular factors, traditional treatment methods are often difficult to achieve good therapeutic effects. Stem cells are a type of cells with potentials of multidirectional differentiation, which also possess functions such as regulating immunity and paracrine to facilitate the comprehensive wound repair, so they have promising application prospect at present for the treatment of diabetic foot wounds. Because the relevant parameters of stem cell treatment are in the exploratory phase, there were no standardized data. This paper reviews the application of stem cells in the research of diabetic foot wound treatment over the past 6 years, analyzing and summarizing the contents in focused aspects including the types and sources of stem cells, effects of donor age and gender on stem cells, mode of administration, transplantation survival rate and safety, which may provide a reference for further application of stem cells in the clinical treatment of diabetic foot wound.

Specific immune status in Parkinson's disease at different ages of onset

Recent evidence suggests that innate and adaptive immunity play a crucial role in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, studies regarding specific immune cell classification in the peripheral blood in PD remain lacking. Therefore, we aimed to explore the different immune status in patients with PD at different ages of onset. We included 22 patients; among them were 10 who had early-onset PD (EOPD) and 12 had late-onset PD (LOPD) and 10 young healthy controls (YHCs) and 8 elder HCs (EHCs). Mass cytometry staining technology was used to perform accurate immunotyping of cell populations in the peripheral blood. Motor symptoms and cognitive function were assessed using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) III score and Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) score, respectively. T test and ANOVA statistical analysis were performed on the frequency of annotated cell population. Linear regression model was used to analyze the correlation between clusters and clinical symptoms. We characterized 60 cell clusters and discovered that the immune signature of PD consists of cluster changes, including decreased effector CD8⁺ T cells, lower cytotoxicity natural killer (NK) cells and increased activated monocytes in PD patients. In summary, we found that CD8⁺ T cells, NK cells, and monocytes were associated with PD. Furthermore, there may be some differences in the immune status of patients with EOPD and LOPD, suggesting differences in the pathogenesis between these groups.

[AGT rs5051 gene polymorphism increases the risk of coronary heart disease in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in the Han Chinese population]

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the angiotensinogen (AGT) rs5051 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and the onset risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the Han Chinese population. Methods: A total of 454 subjects were enrolled in this study. Among them, 140 cases were with NAFLD, 112 cases with NAFLD combined with CHD, and 202 healthy controls. Blood samples of all subjects were examined for biochemical indexes. Genotype at AGT rs5051 locus was detected by polymerase chain reaction. SPSS 21.0 statistical software was used for data statistical analysis. Results: The differences in distribution of AGT rs5051 genotypes and alleles between the NAFLD and the control group were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The differences in the distribution of AGT rs5051 genotypes and alleles between the NAFLD combined with CHD and the NAFLD group were statistically significant (χ(2) = 10.32, P = 0.001; χ(2) = 11.72, P < 0.001). Binary logistic regression analysis results showed that TC + CC genotype had increased the occurrence risk of CHD in NAFLD patients (OR = 2.203, 95% CI: 1.322 ~ 3.670, P = 0.02) than AGT rs5051 TT genotype carriers. After adjusting for gender, age, and body mass index, the TC + CC genotype still significantly increased the occurrence risk of CHD in NAFLD patients (OR = 2.378, 95% CI: 1.384 ~ 4.087, P = 0.02). In addition, AGT rs5051 C allele mutations had significantly increased the occurrence risk of CHD in patients with NAFLD (OR = 2.018 before adjustment, 95% CI: 1.345 ~ 3.027, P = 0.001; OR = 2.161, 95% CI: 1.406 ~ 3.322 after adjustment. P < 0.001). Conclusion: This study is the first to report the correlation between AGT rs5051 polymorphism and the occurrence risk of CHD in patients with NAFLD in Han Chinese population. AGT rs5051 polymorphism can significantly increase the risk of CHD in patients with NAFLD.

Apolipoprotein E Genotype Contributes to Motor Progression in Parkinson's Disease

BACKGROUND

Emerging evidence indicates that the apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 exacerbates α-synuclein pathology.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether APOE ε4 contributes to motor progression in early Parkinson's disease (PD).

METHODS

Longitudinal data were obtained from 384 patients with PD divided into APOE ε4 carriers (n = 85) and noncarriers (n = 299) in the Parkinson's Progression Marker Initiative. Participants underwent yearly motor assessments over a mean follow-up period of 78.9 months. Repeated measures and linear mixed models were used to test the effects of APOE ε4.

RESULTS

The motor progression was significantly more rapid in patients with PD carrying APOE ε4 than in noncarriers (β = 0.283, P = 0.026, 95% confidence interval: 0.033-0.532). Through subgroup analysis, we found that the effect of APOE ε4 was significant only in patients with high amyloid β burden (β = 0.761, P < 0.001, 95% confidence interval: 0.0356-1.167).

CONCLUSIONS

APOE ε4 may be associated with rapid motor progression in PD. © 2021 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Identification of miRNAs, mRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs associated with hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after interferon treatment

To study the molecular mechanism of interferon-alpha (IFN-α) in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the molecular markers that can predict the therapeutic effect, differentially expressed (DE)-miRNAs, -mRNAs, -lncRNAs, and -circRNAs were screened between 12 samples collected from 4 patients who had not received treatment (control), 4 patients who had received recombinant human interferon a-2b treatment (case1), and 4 patients who had relapsed after receiving recombinant human interferon a-2b treatment (case2). Enrichment analyses were performed to determine the principal functions of the DE-RNAs. We also constructed protein-protein interactions (PPI) and competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks. In addition, a series-cluster analysis was performed to analyze changes in gene expression across different groups of HCC. Furthermore, the expression of the genes were verified in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. A total of 36 union DE-miRNAs, 175 union DE-mRNAs, 65 union DE-lncRNAs, and 52 union DE-circRNAs were obtained between the control vs case1, and case2 vs case1 groups. DE-mRNAs were mainly involved in the mitochondrial inner membrane. DE-circRNAs were mainly enriched in the Golgi apparatus. ceRNA network contained 68 DE-mRNAs, 26 DE-miRNAs, 45 DE-lncRNAs, and 23 DE-circRNAs. A total of 24 DE-miRNAs, 175 DE-mRNAs, 65 DE-lncRNAs, and 52 DE-circRNAs were classified into eight profiles, respectively. A total of 26 genes showed a significant correlation with prognosis of HCC (p < 0.05). Some genes may be used to predict the efficacy of IFN-α in the treatment of HCC. The results may lay a foundation for investigating the different sensitivities of IFN-α in the treatment of HCC.

Study of the collagen type VI alpha 3 (COL6A3) gene in Parkinson's disease

Background

To date, the genetic contribution to Parkinson’s disease (PD) remains unclear. Mutations in the collagen type VI alpha 3 (COL6A3) gene were recently identified as a cause of isolated dystonia. Since PD and dystonia are closely related disorders with shared clinical and genetic characteristics, we explored the association between COL6A3 and PD in a Chinese cohort.

Methods

We performed genetic screening of COL6A3 in a Chinese cohort of 173 patients with sporadic PD and 200 healthy controls. We identified variants that are likely to have pathogenic effects based on: 1) a minor allele frequency of < 0.01; and 2) the variant being recognized as deleterious by at least 15 different in silico predicting tools. Finally, we tested the aggregate burden of COL6A3 on PD via SKAT-O analysis.

Results

First, we found compound heterozygous COL6A3 gene mutations in one early-onset PD patients. Then, we explored whether COL6A3 variants contributed to increased risk of developing PD in a Chinese population. We detected 21 rare non-synonymous variants. Pathogenicity predictions identified 7 novel non-synonymous variants as likely to be pathogenic. SKAT-O analysis further revealed that an aggregate burden of variants in COL6A3 contributes to PD (p = 0.038).

Conclusion

An increased aggregate burden of the COL6A3 gene was detected in patients with PD.

Genetic analysis of arylsulfatase A (ARSA) in Chinese patients with Parkinson's disease

Recently, the arylsulfatase A (ARSA) variant c.899 T > C (p.L300S) was identified to be segregated with Parkinson's disease (PD) in one family of Japanese descent. And the variant c.1055A > G (p.N352S) of ARSA was reported as a risk reduction factor for PD in a Japanese population. To further investigate the relationship between ARSA and PD, we screened these two loci of the ARSA gene in 407 sporadic PD patients and 471 healthy controls from a Chinese Han population. However, we did not detect the ARSA p.L300S variant in either PD patients or healthy controls. Moreover, in case-control association analysis, the p.N325S variant showed no significant association with PD. Therefore, these results suggested that these ARSA variants may not be common genetic factors for sporadic PD in Chinese Han population.

Analysis of rare variants of autosomal-dominant genes in a Chinese population with sporadic Parkinson's disease

BACKGROUND

To date, several studies have suggested that genes involved in monogenic forms of Parkinson's disease (PD) contribute to unrelated sporadic cases, but there is limited evidence in the Chinese population.

METHODS

We performed a systematic analysis of 12 autosomal-dominant PD (AD-PD) genes (SNCA, LRRK2, GIGYF2, VPS35, EIF4G1, DNAJC13, CHCHD2, HTRA2, NR4A2, RIC3, TMEM230, and UCHL1) using panel sequencing and database filtration in a case-control study of a cohort of 391 Chinese sporadic PD patients and unrelated controls. We evaluated the association between candidate variants and sporadic PD using gene-based analysis.

RESULTS

Overall, 18 rare variants were discovered in 18.8% (36/191) of the index patients. In addition to previously reported pathogenic mutations (LRRK2 p.Arg1441His and p.Ala419Val), another four unknown variants were found in LRRK2, which also contribute to PD risk (p = 0.002; odds ratio (OR) = 7.83, 95% confidence intervals (CI) = 1.76-34.93). The cumulative frequency of undetermined rare variants was significantly higher in PD patients (14.1%) than in controls (3.5%) (p = 0.0002; OR=4.54, 95% CI = 1.93-10.69).

CONCLUSION

Our results confirm the strong impact of LRRK2 on the risk of sporadic PD, and also provide considerable evidence of the existence of additional undetermined rare variants in AD-PD genes that contribute to the genetic etiology of sporadic PD in a Chinese cohort.

[Rapamycin affect the apoptosis of splenic CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells of mouse severe aplastic anemia model]

目的

探讨雷帕霉素（Rapamycin, RAPA）对重型再生障碍性贫血（SAA）模型小鼠CD4⁺CD25⁺ Treg细胞凋亡情况的影响及可能的机制。

方法

以近交系雌性BALB/c小鼠作为对照（对照组），应用IFN-γ腹腔注射联合白消安灌胃的方法建立SAA小鼠模型（SAA组），并使用RAPA腹腔注射5 d治疗SAA小鼠（RAPA组）。骨髓活检病理学检查观察各组小鼠的骨髓造血组织变化；免疫磁珠分选出各组小鼠脾脏Treg细胞，用流式细胞术检测其凋亡率；Western blot法检测各组小鼠脾脏Treg细胞的Akt、磷酸化（p）-Akt、Stat3、p-Stat3的表达水平；收集各组小鼠外周血和脾脏中单个核细胞，用流式细胞术检测CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺ Treg细胞的比例变化。

结果

与对照组相比，SAA组造血细胞明显减少，且造血细胞被大量的脂肪组织所代替，RAPA组造血细胞亦明显减少，可见大量脂肪细胞；对照组、SAA组、RAPA组小鼠胫骨骨髓造血组织面积分别为（94.25±4.20）%、（7.00±2.00）%、（9.75±1.83）%，差异有统计学意义（Welch F=1 441.822，P<0.001）；RAPA组略高于SAA组[Δx=2.15%（95%CI 0.15%~5.35%），P=0.037]。对照组、SAA组、RAPA组脾脏Treg细胞凋亡率分别为（19.84±1.39）%、（29.85±2.72）%、（22.39±3.71）%，差异有统计学意义（F=18.338，P<0.001）；RAPA组Treg细胞凋亡率明显低于SAA组。RAPA组脾脏Treg细胞中Akt、Stat3的表达水平高于SAA组，而p-Akt和p-Stat3表达水平低于SAA组（P值均<0.05）。SAA组、RAPA组的脾脏CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺/CD4⁺CD25⁺、CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺/CD4⁺细胞比例均低于对照组，且RAPA组明显高于SAA组（P值均<0.017）。

结论

IFN-γ联合白消安诱导的SAA模型小鼠脾脏Treg细胞存在过度凋亡现象，而RAPA可能通过抑制Treg细胞内Akt及Stat3的磷酸化上调Foxp3的表达，从而抑制Treg细胞的凋亡。

Eyes in pituitary disorders

The eye is a vital sense organ related to vision, conveying the underlying physical and mental state of well-being of an individual. Eye signs are often associated with endocrinal disorders such as exophthalmos in thyro-toxicosis. However, a thorough eye evaluation may lead to the identification of the early features that help in the diagnosis of various endocrine disorders. This is of vital importance especially in the central nervous system lesions. This is observed more in cases of pituitary mass lesions, which often present with functional hormonal alterations rather than visual symptoms. The definitive therapy has to be provided before it reaches the late stage of the disease which might lead to permanent visual disabilities. Hence, ophthalmologists, endocrinologists, neuro-radiologists and neurosurgeons need to intervene with combined efforts. In this review, we highlight the eye signs in pituitary disorders, along with a brief description of uncommon ocular-pituitary syndromes.

Characterization of novel expressed sequence tag-simple sequence repeat markers and analysis of genetic diversity in four geographic populations of Thais luteostoma

In this study, the genetic diversity in four geographic populations (Yushan Island, Zhoushan, Wenzhou, and Xiamen) of Thais luteostoma was analyzed using 21 microsatellite loci. The results of this study showed that the alleles obtained from different populations ranged from 2 to 8. The average number of alleles and effective alleles were 4.59 and 3.16, respectively. The observed heterozygosity and expected heterozygosity values were in the range 0.338-0.372 and 0.452-0.495, respectively. The polymorphism information content ranged from 0.273 to 0.785. We observed a high level of genetic diversity at 9 of the 21 microsatellite markers in these populations. The genetic differentiation indices of the four geographic populations ranged from 0.0312 to 0.0565, showing a medium level of genetic differentiation. The genetic distances among populations ranged from 0.158 to 0.465. The UPGMA tree indicated that the Yushan Island and Zhoushan populations clustered first, and these subsequently clustered with the Wenzhou and Xiamen populations, indicating that the Xiamen shellfish population was least related to the other populations. The information regarding the shellfish population structure obtained in this study would facilitate the genetic breeding and conservation of T. luteostoma.

[Inhibitory effect of RNA interference targeting GFI-1 on the proliferation of atypical chronic myelogenous leukemia NT1 cells]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the inhibitory effects of RNA interference targeting GFI-1 on growth and proliferation of atypical chronic myelogenous leukemia (aCML) NT1 cells.

METHODS

NT1 cells were transfected with PBS and liposome complex (vehicle group), scrambled siRNA and liposome complex (negative control, NC group), and GFI-1 siRNA and liposome complex (GFI-1 siRNA group), respectively. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot were performed to examine the expression levels of GFI-1 mRNA and protein, respectively. The proliferation abilities of NT1 cells of the three groups were evaluated by MTT assay. The cell cycle in cells of the three groups was analyzed by flow cytometry. Moreover, nude mouse xenograft model was used to detect the tumor formation ability in the three group cells.

RESULTS

Quantitative real-time PCR data showed that the expression level of GFI-1 mRNA in GFI-1 siRNA group was significantly lower than those of NC group and vehicle group [(0.367±0.017) vs. (0.918±0.006) and (1.010±0.005), respectively, (P<0.05)]. Western blot results showed that the GFI-1 protein expression level in the GFI-1 siRNA group was also significantly reduced, compared with those of the NC group and vehicle group (P<0.05 for both). From MTT assay data, the absorbance value of NT1 cells in the GFI-1 siRNA group (0.667±0.059) was significantly lower than those of the NC group (1.096±0.049) and vehicle group (1.193±0.064, P=0.023). Flow cytometry data showed that sub-G1 and G0/G1 phase proportions of the GFI-1 siRNA group were significantly higher than those of the NC and vehicle groups [sub-G1: (8.2±2.5)% vs. (1.9±1.3)% and (2.0±3.6)%, respectively, (P<0.05); G0/G1: (66.7±3.8)% vs. (53.3±4.5)% and (48.6±3.2)%, respectively, (P<0.05)]. Furthermore, the tumor weight in the GFI-1 siRNA group [(0.37±0.02) g] was significantly lower than those in the NC group [(0.83±0.06) g] and vehicle group [(0.92±0.04) g] (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

RNA interference targeting GFI-1 inhibits the growth and proliferation of NT1 cells, which may provide a new therapeutic target for atypical chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Development of polymorphic SSR markers in the razor clam (Sinonovacula constricta) and cross-species amplification

Next-generation sequencing provides large-scale sequencing data with relative ease and at a reasonable cost, making it possible to identify a large amount of SSR markers in a timely and cost-effective manner. On the basis of the transcriptome database of Sinonovacula constricta obtained by Illumina/Solexa pyrosequencing, 60 polymorphic SSR markers were developed and characterized in 30 individuals. The number of alleles per polymorphic locus ranged from 2 to 7 with an average of 3.75 alleles. The observed and expected heterozygosities varied from 0.050 to 1.000 and from 0.050 to 0.836, respectively. Nineteen loci significantly deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P < 0.01) after Bonferroni's correction for multiple tests. In addition, interspecific transferability revealed that 20 polymorphic loci in Solen linearis were first characterized in this study. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest number of SSRs in S. constricta and the first report of cross-species amplification. These novel polymorphic SSR markers will be particularly useful for conservation genetics, evolutionary studies, genetic trait mapping, and marker assisted selection in the species.

Development of novel polymorphic microsatellite markers for the blood clam Tegillarca granosa by pyrosequencing

Large amounts of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) generated using next-generation sequencing technologies provide a cost-effective and valuable genomic resource for the development of microsatellite markers. In this study, we isolated 115 novel polymorphic microsatellite markers for the blood clam Tegillarca granosa from ESTs in 454 sequencing data. All the loci were characterized in 30 individual clams from a natural population in Xiangshan (Zhejiang Province, China). The number of alleles per locus varied from 2 to 10, with an average of 3.78. The observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0 to 1 and from 0.040 to 0.799, respectively. The polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged from 0.038 to 0.825, and 29 highly polymorphic loci (PIC ≥ 0.5) and 42 moderately polymorphic loci (0.25 < PIC < 0.5) were identified. Thirty-eight of the 115 loci deviated significantly from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P < 0.01) after a Bonferroni correction. A BlastX search revealed that 46 (40%) of the polymorphic loci identified were from transcript regions of known genes. The microsatellite markers developed in the present study will greatly enrich the microsatellite resources of T. granosa, and are available for further population genetic analysis, genetic trait mapping, and molecular-assisted selection.

Microsatellite marker analysis reveals the distinction between the north and south groups of hard clam (Meretrix meretrix) in China

Meretrix meretrix is one of the important commercial bivalves in China. A total of 198 individual clams were collected from 5 locations characteristic of the clam's 5 main natural habitats in China, that is, Shandong, Jiangsu, Fujian, Guangdong, and Guangxi. Ten polymorphic microsatellite markers were selected to examine the genetic diversity and identify genetic differences between the 5 populations. A total of 183 alleles across 10 loci were detected in the individual clams. The observed heterozygosity and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.197 to 0.7026 and from 0.6264 to 0.9408, respectively. The genetic diversity within samples was high (8.6-11.2 alleles per locus, observed heterozygosity = 0.25-0.875 and expected heterozygosity = 0.6848-0.9259). Most of the genotype distributions significantly deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Genetic structure analysis showed that the 5 populations could be divided into 2 groups, the north and south groups. Neighbor-joining analysis revealed a clear distinction between the north group (Shandong and Jiangsu) and the south group (Fujian, Guangdong, and Guangxi). Locus MM1031 was used to distinguish between groups. Our results can be used for population identification and crossbreeding of M. meretrix.

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein invasion: safety, efficacy, and prognostic factors

PURPOSE

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization and to identify the prognostic factors associated with survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and portal vein (PV) invasion.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From January 2006 to March 2012, 50 patients with HCC invading into the PV (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C) were treated with transarterial chemoembolization. The parenchymal tumor and PV tumor were confirmed by multidetector computed tomography (CT) and angiography. There were 14 patients with right PV tumor, 12 patients with left PV tumor, and 24 patients with main PV tumor. The response was evaluated by multidetector CT using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. Patients with residual tumors received repeated transarterial chemoembolization every 6-8 weeks unless the patients achieved complete remission or developed contraindications.

RESULTS

The median survival period of the entire group was 6.2 months (range, 1.7-50.9 mo), and the overall response rate was 42% (21 of 50 patients). The 6-month, 12-month, 24-month, and 36-month survival rates were 54%, 22%, 10%, and 8%. There were no instances of 30-day mortality or acute liver failure related to transarterial chemoembolization. The median survival of the 21 responders was 10.5 months, and the median survival of the 29 nonresponders was 5.5 months (P < .001). In both univariate and multivariate analyses, only the response to transarterial chemoembolization (hazard ratio = 0.25, P < .001) and the absence of ascites (hazard ratio = 0.24, P = .01) were significant prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Transarterial chemoembolization is a safe and effective treatment for HCC with major PV invasion. The response to transarterial chemoembolization and the ascites status were the most significant predictive factors for prolonged survival.

Structure and immune expression analysis of hemoglobin genes from the blood clam Tegillarca granosa

Hemoglobin (Hb) is the major protein component of erythrocytes in animals with red blood, although it can serve additional functions beyond the transport of oxygen. The blood clam (Tegillarca granosa) is one of the few mollusks that has Hb, although the structure and function of molluskan Hbs remain unclear. We characterized two unique and highly compartmentalized blood clam hemoglobin genes, Tg-HbIIA and Tg-HbIIB, at the molecular level. The full-length cDNA of Tg-HbIIA was 731 bp with a 450-bp open reading frame encoding 150 amino acids; that of Tg-HbIIB was 698 bp, with a 456-bp open reading frame encoding 152 amino acids. Their intronic regions were amplified by PCR. The two genes showed the typical 2 intron/3 exon organization found in T. granosa. The 3-D structures of the three blood clam Tg-Hbs were predicted using the SWISS-MODEL Protein Modeling Server, and a phylogenetic analysis was conducted to investigate its evolution. As quantified by qRT-PCR, the expression levels of Tg-HbIIA and Tg-HbIIB were significantly upregulated upon challenge by Vibrio parahaemolyticus, lipopolysaccharides, and peptidoglycans. Three Hb isoforms, Tg-HbI, Tg-HbIIA, and Tg-HbIIB, were found. Specific structures and evolutionary features were found in these molluskan Hb genes. Challenge experiments indicated that Tg-Hbs are involved in immune defense responses against bacterial infection and bacterial pathogenic factors. As this is the first functional research on Hb genes in the blood clam, our findings provide new insight into the innate immune defense mechanisms of T. granosa.

Evidence of the production of silver nanoparticles via pretreatment of Phoma sp.3.2883 with silver nitrate

AIMS

The objective was to demonstrate the size of silver particles produced by the filamentous fungus Phoma sp.3.2883 via adsorption and accumulation, and to confirm that this silver was in a reduced state.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Mycelium was freeze-dried and then shake-cultured in a silver nitrate solution. It was found that up to 13.4 mg of silver was produced per gram of dry mycelium via atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS) analysis. The silver particles adsorbed on the mycelium were observed and measured under transmission electron microscope and their estimated size was 71.06 +/- 3.46 nm. Further examination of the particles via X-ray photoelectron spectroscope confirmed that the adsorbed silver particle had been reduced.

CONCLUSION

The frozen mycelium of Phoma sp3.2883 has the potential for use in silver nanoparticle production.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Silver nanoparticles could be used in the oil industry as an important catalyst and in the field of human medicine as a bactericide. The fungus Phoma sp3.2883 is a potential biosorbent that could be used for the production of these silver nanoparticles, and may also be useful in waste detoxification and in silver recovery programmes.

The effects of simulated microgravity on cultured chicken embryonic chondrocytes

Using the cultured chicken embryonic chondrocytes as a model, the effects of simulated microgravity on the microtubular system of the cellular skeleton, extracellular matrix, alkaline phosphatase activity, intracellular free calcium concentration and mitochondrial ATP synthase activity with its oligomycin inhibition rate were studied with a clinostat. The microtubular content was measured by a flow cytometer. The decrease of microtubular content showed the impairment of the cellular skeleton system. Observation on the extracellular matrix by the scanning electron microscopy showed that it decreased significantly after rotating, and the fibers in the extracellular matrix were more tiny and disorderly than that of the control group. It can be concluded that the simulated microgravity can affect the secreting and assembly of the extracellular matrix. In contrast to the control, there was a time course decrease in alkaline phosphatase activity of chondrocytes, a marker of matrix mineralization. Meanwhile a significant drop in the intracellular calcium concentration happened at the beginning of rotation. These results indicate that simulated microgravity can suppress matrix calcification of cultured chondrocytes, and intracellular free calcium may be involved in the regulation of matrix calcification as the second signal transmitter. No significant changes happened in the mitochondrial ATP synthase activity and its oligomycin inhibition rate. Perhaps the energy metabolism wasn't affected by the simulated microgravity. The possible mechanisms about them were discussed.

[Quantitative structure-retention relationship (QSRR) studies of polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) on diverse gas chromatographic stationary phases on a set of novel molecular distance edge vector]

By taking phenyl as a pseudo atom, there are three types of atom in the polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDF) molecule, being chlorine atom, oxygen atom and pseudo atom. The chemical structure of PCDF congeners is depicted by a novel molecular distance-edge vector(VMDE, mu in short), developed in our laboratory, which consists of the modified VMDE parameters based on the identical group as a pseudo atom instead of a traditional atom. Furthermore quantitative structure-retention relationships (QSRR) between the new mu vector and gas chromatographic (GC) retention behavior of PCDFs are generated by multiple linear regression method for various stationary phases. Four models, each of which is constructed by using all sample sets, with high correlation coefficient, r > 0.98, are developed for three columns (DB-5, SE-54, OV-101). In order to test the equation stability and prediction ability of each model, it is essential to perform a cross validation (CV) procedure. Satisfactory CV results have been obtained by using one external predicted sample every time with high correlation coefficients, r > 0.97. These results show that the new mu vector has high structural selectivity and good property relativity, and it is easy to calculate the mu vector. And the QSRR models have high relative coefficients, good stability and good predictability.

Safety and effectiveness of percutaneous fluoroscopic gastrostomy in cancer patients

PURPOSE

To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of percutaneous fluoroscopic gastrostomy (PFG) in cancer patients.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the success rate, complication rate, and patient outcomes of PFG performed during a 15-month period in our hospital. The Cope type 10-French and 12-French self-retaining catheters were used for gastrostomy.

RESULTS

Of the 113 PFG procedures requested during the study period, 112 (99.1%) were performed successfully; one procedure was cancelled because the nasogastric tube could not be passed through the obstructed esophagus. Thirty-day follow-ups were obtained for 92.0% of the procedures. Of the patients with at least 30 days of follow-up, eight (7.8%) died, but only two deaths (1.9%) were procedure-related. Major complications, including peritonitis and severe wound infection, occurred after eight procedures (7.8%). Minor complications, including superficial wound infection, tube fracture, leakage, severe pain, mild hemorrhage, and tube migration, occurred after 23 procedures (22.3%). The severity of pneumoperitoneum was significantly associated with the frequency of complications (p < 0.05). After placement of the gastrostomy, 68% of the patients maintained or increased their initial body weight; 28% lost 10% or less of their body weight; and 4% lost more than 10% of their body weight.

CONCLUSIONS

PFG appears to be effective and relatively safe for long-term nutritional support in cancer patients.

Effects of fluvastatin on structure and function of resistant vessels in spontaneously hypertensive rats

AIM

To evaluate the effects of fluvastatin, a hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor, on the alterations of structure and function of resistant vessels in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).

METHODS

Eight-week-old male SHR were given fluvastatin 20 mg.kg-1.d-1 by gavage. Rats were decapitated at 16 wk. Wall-to-lumen area ratios (W/L) of thoracic aorta and mesenteric arteries (3rd grade branch) were assessed by morphometric assay. The effects of fluvastatin on vascular reactivity to sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and norepinephrine (NE), were studied with rings of thoracic aorta and mesenteric arteries isolated from rats.

RESULTS

After 8 wk of treatment, histological examination showed that the wall-to-lumen area ratio was lower in SHRflu than that in SHR (0.44 +/- 0.09 vs 0.79 +/- 0.09, P < 0.05). EC50 of vasodilation response was much lower in SHRflu than that in SHR [(4.9 vs 190) pmol.L-1, P < 0.05], while EC50 of mesenteric artery rings from SHRflu was somewhat lower than that of SHR [(0.02 vs 0.04) nmol.L-1, P > 0.05]. In both aortic and mesenteric artery rings, EC50 of vasoconstriction in response to NE from SHRflu was higher than that of SHR [thoracic aorta: (0.20 vs 0.02) nmol.L-1, P < 0.05; mesentric arteries: (1.46 vs 0.72) nmol.L-1, P < 0.05].

CONCLUSION

Short-term treatment with fluvastatin ameliorated the vasomotoricity of resistant vessels, enhanced the sensitivity to vasodilator and depressed the sensitivity to vasoconstrictor; fluvastatin also attenuated the resistant vascular hypertrophy during the development of hypertension in SHR.

The effects of economic reform on health insurance and the financial burden for urban workers in China

Since 1980, Chinese enterprises have been undergoing reforms in employment practice, taxation, and workers' health/welfare benefits coverage. In particular, Chinese businesses have been facing a major challenge with respect to the financial burden of providing medical benefits to their workers. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the impact of enterprise reform on workers' health care benefits and their financial burden due to medical expenses. This study is based on a 1992 survey conducted in 22 cities, and included 406 enterprises and 5920 workers. It was found that there were wide variations of coverage for health care benefits among urban Chinese workers. It was also found that workers with partial coverage were as likely to incur out-of-pocket medical expenditures as workers without coverage. These out-of-pocket medical expenditures could reach as high as 25% of a worker's annual income. Policy recommendations are discussed at the end of the paper.

A SINE species from hippopotamus and its distribution among animal species

Thirty sequences of a short interspersed repetitive element (SINE) were isolated from genomic DNA of Hippopotamus amphibius (hippopotamus). RNA polymerase III split promoter sequence was observed in all of the 30 sequences; and poly(A)-like structure at 3'-end, as well as direct repeat flanking to the repetitive sequence in many of the 30 sequences. A comparison of the consensus sequence of the 30 sequences with sequences in a DNA database (DDBJ/GENBANK/EMBL) revealed 93% homology to the consensus sequence of a whale SINE, CHR-2, and 73% homology to mouse glutamic acid tRNA. Phylogenetic analysis of tRNA-related regions of the sequences with all of the mouse tRNAs revealed that glutamic acid tRNA was genetically closest to the hippopotamus SINE. In addition, the tRNA-related region of the consensus sequence was folded into a cloverleaf structure as with mouse glutamic acid tRNA. These findings led us to conclude that the SINE of hippopotamus was genetically related to a whale SINE, CHR-2 [the hippopotamus SINE was named CHR-2(hippo)] and was a retroposon derived from glutamic acid tRNA. Hipo53 and hipo95, which were the genetically most separated CHR-2(hippo) sequences in the present study, were used as a probe for dot-blot hybridization to examine the distribution of their homologous sequences among animal species. Although the distribution spectra of hipo53 and hipo95 homologous sequences in animal species differed to some extent, large amounts of both sequences were found in Hippopotamus amphibius and Globicephala macrorhynchus (whale); and small amounts in most of the animal species in Artiodactyla examined. These findings indicated that the hippopotamus and whale had more recently branched off from the clade that includes chevrotain and pecorans than the other animal species in the clade. The 30 CHR-2(hippo) sequences were aligned, and the substitution rates among the sequences were calculated with a different substitution rate model for transition and for transversion. The calculation combined with the mutation rate of the pseudogenes (r = 4.6 x 10(9)) indicated that CHR-2(hippo) sequences diversified at least 132 million years ago (Myr).

Purification and crystal growth of F1-ATPase from pig heart mitochondria

A method has been evolved toward the aim of getting suitable crystals for high resolution of structural analysis of F1-ATPase by X-ray crystallography. The different conditions for crystal growth of ATPase that were isolated and purified by different methods from pig heart mitochondrial ATP synthase had been compared and screened. A simple method for purification of F1-ATPase was adopted. The F1-ATPase is released with chloroform from submitochondrial particles. Then it was treated with fractional precipitation of (NH4)2SO4 and finally was further purified by employing the sephadex G 200 column. The crystals of F1-ATPase were usually obtained after a few months. They appeared to have uniform morphology of tetrahedron. They diffracted to a resolution of 7A. The diffraction data were collected on the XRD-100 Siemens Area Detector. According to a total of 240 frames, the cell parameters obtained are a = b = 147 A, c = 208 A, alpha = beta = gamma = 90 alpha, the probable space group is P4 or its antipode. The reproducibility of this method for crystallization of F1-ATPase is good.