Proteomics in obstetrics and gynecology

Proteomics helps to understand the basic biological processes critical to normal cellular functions as well as the development of diseases. It identifies the essential components of these processes and exploits these components as targets in the development of new methods to prevent or treat diseases. Proteomics, although in an infancy stage in India, has the potential to complement and further enlarge the wealth of information in medicine, especially in the field of cancer. This article reviews the recent progress in proteomic techniques and their applications in the field of obstetrics and gynecology.     

科学、系统与可持续性——第六届工业生态学国际大会述评

综述了第六届工业生态学国际大会情况。大会的中心议题是"科学、系统与可持续性",设立了生命周期方法、产业共生、环境投入产出分析和物质流分析等23个议题。重点评述了社会物质代谢、产业共生与生态工业发展、工业系统复杂性、气候变化/能源及生物质四个领域。简要总结了国际工业生态学的发展趋势并给出了对我国工业生态学发展的启示。     

Glutathione metabolism is modulated by postmortem interval, gender difference and agonal state in postmortem human brains

The equilibrium between antioxidant function and oxidative stress is implicated in brain pathology. However, human studies on oxidant and antioxidant markers rely on postmortem tissue that might be affected by pre and postmortem factors. To evaluate the effect of these variables, we tested whether antioxidant enzymes [superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase] glutathione (GSH) and related enzymes [gamma glutamylcysteine ligase (GCL), GSH peroxidase (GPx), GSH reductase (GR), GSH-S-transferase (GST)] and malondialdehyde (MDA, marker of lipid peroxidation) are affected in postmortem human brains (n = 50) by increase in postmortem interval (2.5–26 h), gender difference and agonal state [based on Glasgow coma scale (GCS): range: 3–15] in different anatomical regions-frontal cortex (FC), cerebellum (CB) medulla oblongata (MO), substantia nigra (SN) and hippocampus (HC). While SOD and catalase activities were relatively unaltered, GR and GPx activities were affected by agonal state (GR in CB, p < 0.05; GPx in MO, p < 0.05) indicating altered GSH dynamics during the secondary events following neuronal injury. MO, SN and HC displayed low GSH compared to FC and CB. Total GSH level was decreased with PMI (MO, p = 0.02) which could be partly attributed to increase in MDA levels with increasing PMI in MO (p < 0.05). Total GSH level was higher in CB (p < 0.017) and MO (p < 0.04) in female brains compared to males. Interestingly, HC and SN regions showed significant stability in most of the markers tested. We suggest that while SOD and catalase were relatively unaffected by the pre and postmortem factors, GSH and its metabolic enzymes were significantly altered and this was more pronounced in MO of postmortem human brains. These data highlight the influence of pre and postmortem factors on GSH dynamics and the inherent differences in brain regions, with implications for studies on brain pathophysiology employing human samples.     

Systems analysis of adaptive immunity by utilization of high-throughput technologies

A new generation of high-throughput technologies for quantitative and clonal analysis of adaptive immune responses have been developed. Functional analysis of lymphocyte populations has been accomplished via microfluidic assay systems. Additionally, lymphocyte receptor repertoires have been characterized on proteomic and genomic levels with multiplexed protein microarrays and high-throughput DNA sequencing. These tools are providing an unprecedented level of information depth on the distribution of adaptive immune cell (B and T cell) functionalities and repertoires, which develop upon activation following vaccination, pathogenic infection, or in disease states. These various high-throughput technologies have unlocked the potential to transform immunology into an information-rich science that will enable rapid expansion of the field of experimental systems immunology.     

Multiplexed detection and differentiation of the DNA strains for influenza A (H1N1 2009) using a silicon-based microfluidic system

Pandemic influenza by the swine-origin influenza virus (H1N1 2009) has attracted considerable concern worldwide. A convenient and accurate diagnostic approach that can be deployed at the point of care, such as in a doctor's office or at an airport, is critical for disease control. Here we report the development of a silicon-based microfluidic system for subtype differentiation of the novel H1N1 2009 strain vs. the seasonal influenza A (FluA) strain. The proposed system included two functional modules: a multiplexed PCR module for amplification of nucleic acid targets and a multiplexed silicon nanowire (SiNW) module for sequence determination. The PCR module consisted of a microfluidic PCR chamber and an electrical controller to perform a multiplexed protocol that simultaneously enriched specific segments of both H1N1 and FluA strains (if present), with 10(4)-10(5) amplification efficiency. The PCR amplicon was subsequently denatured and transferred to the SiNW sensing module for a label-free, multiplexed detection. A control SiNW was implemented, for the first time, in order to eliminate background interference. The detection module demonstrated a 10× change in the magnitude of differential current when the target DNA was injected. Overall, the system achieved a sensitivity of 20-30 fg/μl for H1N1 and seasonal FluA nucleic acids in a 10 μl sample. The low sample consumption, high sensitivity and high specificity render it a potential point-of-care (POC) platform to help doctors reach a yes/no decision for infectious diseases.     

洋葱伯克霍尔德菌感染家兔抗感染疗效与体外药物敏感性的比较

目的使用无CLSI完整解释标准的药物,哌拉西林/他唑巴坦、替卡西林/棒酸、头孢吡肟治疗洋葱伯克霍尔德菌感染的家兔模型,观察比较何种体外药物敏感试验更能准确反应临床疗效。方法 57株临床分离的洋葱伯克霍尔德菌,感染57只家兔腹腔。将感染家兔分成3组(A、B、C组),每组19只;分别在48、72、96、120和144 h注射药物:A组每只家兔注射1 mL浓度为2 g/mL哌拉西林/他唑巴坦;B组每只家兔注射1 mL浓度为0.1g/mL头孢吡肟;C组每只家兔注射1 mL浓度为0.6 g/mL替卡西林/棒酸。比较肉汤稀释法(MIC法)、K-B法及VITEK法检测的药物敏感性结果与体内药物治疗的疗效关系。结果哌拉西林/他唑巴坦治疗组(A组),K-B法检测结果与家兔感染模型治疗过程相符率为72.2%,MIC法66.7%,VITEK法为66.7%。替卡西林/棒酸治疗组(B组),MIC法83.3%,VITEK法为77.8%,K-B法检测结果与家兔感染模型治疗过程相符率为50.0%。头孢吡肟治疗组(C组),MIC法88.9%,VITEK法为77.8%,K-B法检测结果与家兔感染模型治疗过程相符率为72.2%。结论在3种药物敏感性检测法中,哌拉西林/他唑巴坦以K-B法检测结果与感染家兔的抗感染疗效最为接近;替卡西林/棒酸及头孢吡肟均以MIC法与感染家兔的抗感染疗效最为接近;针对洋葱伯克霍尔德菌的感染建议临床使用不同的方法检测不同的药物体外敏感性。     

MLST based serotype prediction for the accurate identification of non typhoidal Salmonella serovars

Molecular Biology Reports - Traditional serotyping based on the phenotypic variation of O- and H-antigen remains as the gold-standard for the identification and classification of Salmonella...