Current trends in the epidemiological typing of clinically relevant microbes in Europe

A questionnaire-based survey was performed to accumulate data on methodologies used in microbiology laboratories involved in epidemiological typing. Genotyping by PFGE and MLST are currently clearly preferred over phenotyping. The overall wish is to increase the activities by over 20% and additional resources would be used to invest in real-time typing.     

CSN4基因干扰对乳腺癌MDA-MB-231细胞增殖和凋亡的影响

乳腺癌目前是危害女性常见的恶性肿瘤,研究发现COP9复合体中的各个亚基与恶性肿瘤的发生发展密切相关,且CSN4亚基对整个复合体具有很重要的调节作用。为探讨CSN4基因在乳腺癌细胞中的生物学功能及其分子作用机制,本研究首先在乳腺癌细胞MDA-MB-231中,成功建立了慢病毒介导的CSN4基因的干扰表达体系,并通过细胞表型实验、CCK8实验和细胞克隆形成实验证实CSN4基因表达的干扰能显著抑制乳腺癌MDA-MB-231细胞的增殖速率和克隆形成能力。流式细胞检测结果表明,干扰CSN4的表达能显著增加Sub G_1期乳腺癌MDA-MB-231细胞比例;凋亡检测结果表明,干扰CSN4的表达能显著增加早期凋亡和晚期凋亡细胞的比例,这证明干扰CSN4的表达能够促进乳腺癌细胞凋亡。最后,通过Western blot实验证实CSN4能调控CDK6和Caspase3蛋白的表达,激活Caspase3切割PARP,揭示CSN4可调控CDK6和Caspase3的表达从而影响乳腺癌细胞的增殖和凋亡。本研究结果进一步加深了人们对乳腺癌细胞凋亡和细胞生长的分子机制的认识,同时也进一步揭示了CSN4在肿瘤生物学中的作用和机制。     

Public-health and individual approaches to antiretroviral therapy: township South Africa and Switzerland compared

Background

The provision of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in resource-limited settings follows a public health approach, which is characterised by a limited number of regimens and the standardisation of clinical and laboratory monitoring. In industrialized countries doctors prescribe from the full range of available antiretroviral drugs, supported by resistance testing and frequent laboratory monitoring. We compared virologic response, changes to first-line regimens, and mortality in HIV-infected patients starting HAART in South Africa and Switzerland.

Methods and Findings

We analysed data from the Swiss HIV Cohort Study and two HAART programmes in townships of Cape Town, South Africa. We included treatment-naïve patients aged 16 y or older who had started treatment with at least three drugs since 2001, and excluded intravenous drug users. Data from a total of 2,348 patients from South Africa and 1,016 patients from the Swiss HIV Cohort Study were analysed. Median baseline CD4⁺ T cell counts were 80 cells/μl in South Africa and 204 cells/μl in Switzerland. In South Africa, patients started with one of four first-line regimens, which was subsequently changed in 514 patients (22%). In Switzerland, 36 first-line regimens were used initially, and these were changed in 539 patients (53%). In most patients HIV-1 RNA was suppressed to 500 copies/ml or less within one year: 96% (95% confidence interval [CI] 95%–97%) in South Africa and 96% (94%–97%) in Switzerland, and 26% (22%–29%) and 27% (24%–31%), respectively, developed viral rebound within two years. Mortality was higher in South Africa than in Switzerland during the first months of HAART: adjusted hazard ratios were 5.90 (95% CI 1.81–19.2) during months 1–3 and 1.77 (0.90–3.50) during months 4–24.

Conclusions

Compared to the highly individualised approach in Switzerland, programmatic HAART in South Africa resulted in similar virologic outcomes, with relatively few changes to initial regimens. Further innovation and resources are required in South Africa to both achieve more timely access to HAART and improve the prognosis of patients who start HAART with advanced disease.     

Ocular sequelae of congenital toxoplasmosis in Brazil compared with Europe

Background

Toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis appears to be more severe in Brazil, where it is a leading cause of blindness, than in Europe, but direct comparisons are lacking. Evidence is accumulating that more virulent genotypes of Toxoplasma gondii predominate in South America.

Methods

We compared prospective cohorts of children with congenital toxoplasmosis identified by universal neonatal screening in Brazil and neonatal or prenatal screening in Europe between 1992 and 2003, using the same protocol in both continents.

Results

Three hundred and eleven (311) children had congenital toxoplasmosis: 30 in Brazil and 281 in Europe, where 71 were identified by neonatal screening. Median follow up was 4.1 years in Europe and 3.7 years in Brazil. Relatively more children had retinochoroiditis during the first year in Brazil than in Europe (15/30; 50% versus 29/281; 10%) and the risk of lesions by 4 years of age was much higher: the hazard ratio for Brazil versus Europe was 5.36 (95%CI: 3.17, 9.08). Children in Brazil had larger lesions, which were more likely to be multiple and to affect the posterior pole (p<0.0001). In Brazil, visual impairment (<6/12 Snellen) was predicted for most affected eyes (87%, 27/31), but not in Europe (29%; 20/69, p<0.0001). The size of newly detected lesions decreased with age (p = 0.0007).

Conclusions

T. gondii causes more severe ocular disease in congenitally infected children in Brazil compared with Europe. The marked differences in the frequency, size and multiplicity of retinochoroidal lesions may be due to infection with more virulent genotypes of the parasite that predominate in Brazil but are rarely found in Europe.     

3种七叶树属植物叶片气体交换特征和叶绿素荧光特性比较

在自然条件下,测定了中华七叶树（Aesculus chinensis）、黄花七叶树（A. octandra）和大花七叶树（A. hybrida）植物叶片的气体交换参数和叶绿素荧光参数,并对其进行比较。结果表明,3种植物的光补偿点差异较大,其中中华七叶树最低,为12.53 μmol·m^-2·s^-1、明显低于其它2个种（分别为36.11和46.41 μmol·m^-2·s^-1）;3种植物的光饱和点也存在较大差异,其中中华七叶树为1 475 μmol·m^-2·s^-1;明显高于其它2个种（分别为1 366.67和1 025 μmol·m^-2·s^-1）;3种植物的最大净光合速率同样存在显著性差异,其中中华七叶树为9.47 μmol CO₂·m^-2·s^-1,显著高于其它2个种（分别为5.91和2.30 μmol CO₂·m^-2·s^-1）,说明了中华七叶树具有较强的光合能力。中华七叶树的表观电子传递速率（ETR）为55.800,分别是黄花七叶树和大花七叶树的1.33、1.44倍;中华七叶树的PSⅡ总的光化学量子产额（Yield）为0.470,分别是黄花七叶树和大花七叶树的1.21、1.15倍;中华七叶树的光化学淬灭（qP）为0.975,分别是黄花七叶树和大花七叶树的1.10、1.10倍。3项荧光指标在不同树种之间差异性达显著水平,说明中华七叶树具有较高的电子传递活性和光能转化效率。     

腺相关病毒介导的小鼠IX因子在血友病B小鼠体内表达研究

通过重组HSV/AAV辅助病毒方法制备出高滴度(>10~(12))的重组AAV/mFⅨ病毒颗粒,并注射到血友病B小鼠的后肢骨骼肌中,获得了稳定的高水平小鼠Ⅸ因子表达(>370ng/mL),持续时间超过350d。治疗组小鼠体内的Ⅸ因子活性达到正常值的30％,而且出血症状得到显著改善。在小鼠血浆中未发现抗Ⅸ因子的中和抗体,第1次注射后抗AAV抗体的水平也非常低。重复注射AAV/mFⅨ病毒后,不同剂量组的小鼠体内的抗AAV抗体出现了不同的结果。组织分析结果证实了血浆中有功能的FⅨ因子确实来源于骨骼肌。以上结果显示,AAV介导的基因转移是血友病B基因治疗的极有前途的方法。     

Muscle injection of rAAV/mFIX to secrete clotting factor IX corrects the hemorrhagic tendencies in hemophilia B mice

Hemophilia B is an X-linked disorder caused by the deficiency of clotting factor IX (FIX). Compared with conventional blood transfusion treatment, gene therapy offers a more attractive approach to achieve the goal of prophylactic hemostasis without the extreme costs, infectious and thrombotic risks, and the need for repeated and frequent injections of factor IX concentrates. Since 1987, our lab has conducted study of gene therapy for hemophilia B. In 1991, clinical trials involving four pa…     

间伐对日本黑松海岸林更新的影响

为弄清间伐对海岸林内环境因子 ,进而对海岸林天然更新的影响 ,在黑松海岸林内进行了 4种不同强度的块状间伐试验 .林分间伐后 ,对更新状况和环境因子进行了连续观测 .结果表明 ,间伐可以改善林内光环境、提高土壤的含水量、加强空气流动、促进枯枝落叶的分解等 .4 0年生的黑松海岸林 5 0 %间伐处理后 (密度为 15 0 0株·hm-2 ,林冠开阔度 >30 % )不会对海岸林本身造成风害 ,也不会对防护功能产生较大影响 ,但却能为黑松海岸林天然更新提供良好的生态环境 .试验结果证实了间伐产生的林隙内日本黑松的更新规律 ,提出间伐可作为同龄黑松海岸林向复层、异龄海岸林演化的主要经营措施 .     

陕西不同林区栓皮栎种群空间分布格局及动态的比较研究

在陕西黄龙山区、秦岭北坡和巴山北坡设置 1 0× 1 0 m2 样方 98个 ,应用相邻格子法进行每木调查获得野外资料 ,采用离散分布理论拟合检验、t检验和聚集强度测定的方法 ,对栓皮栎种群空间分布格局及动态进行了对比研究。结果表明 :1栓皮栎种群在黄龙山区为奈曼 A型分布 ,秦岭北坡和巴山北坡为负二项分布 ;聚集强度 ,秦岭北坡 >黄龙山区 >巴山北坡。 2在秦岭和巴山北坡中低海拔地区 ,种群为负二项分布 ,随海拔升高 ,秦岭北坡趋向随机分布 ,巴山北坡趋向均匀分布 ;两地种群聚集强度随海拔升高呈“低 -高 -低”的变化格局。3秦岭北坡 1～ 1 0年生种群的聚集度最大 ,随着年龄增加 ,聚集强度逐渐下降 ;而黄龙山区和巴山北坡种群的聚集强度随年龄增加而增强。栓皮栎种群生物学和生态学特性与环境因素共同作用是种群分布格局形成的主要因素 ,人为干扰对分布格局具有重要影响。根据环境条件和种群动态规律实行不同的经营方式是实现栓皮栎林持续利用的根本性措施     

耐氨固氮菌分泌物对水稻秧苗生长的影响

研究了催娩克氏菌（Klebsiella oxytoca)的不同菌株（耐氨固氮型,野生型,不固氮型）对杯栽水稻秧苗生长的影响,发现耐氨固氮菌可分泌某种植物生长促进物质,此类物质可被阳离子树脂吸附,在80℃下活性不受影响,在适宜浓度下,可使水稻秧苗的根重和苗重增加30%。