sp. nov., isolated from aquatic environments in the northern PR China.

Four strains (km711, km714, km542 and km524), representing a novel species, were isolated from aquatic environments in northern PR China. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, microaerobic, motile and growth depended on l-cysteine. They grew at 25‒42 °C (optimum, 35‒37 °C) and could tolerate up to 1.

Legionella qingyii sp. nov., isolated from water samples in China.

Three Legionella-like strains, designed km488, km489 and km521, were isolated from freshwater samples in China. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped and non-spore-forming. Growth was observed on BCYEα agar, but not on BCYEα agar without l-cysteine, chocolate agar with PolyViteX or Columbia blood agar.

Targeting single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the 16S rRNA gene to detect and differentiate Legionella pneumophila and non-Legionella pneumophila species.

A PCR-based method targeting single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the 16S rRNA gene was developed for differential identification of Legionella pneumophila and non-Legionella pneumophila. Based on the bioinformatics analysis for 176 Legionella 16S rRNA gene fragments of 56 different Legionella species, a set of SNPs, A(628)C(629) was found to be highly specific to L. pneumophila strains.

Different distribution patterns of ten virulence genes in Legionella reference strains and strains isolated from environmental water and patients.

Virulence genes are distinct regions of DNA which are present in the genome of pathogenic bacteria and absent in nonpathogenic strains of the same or related species. Virulence genes are frequently associated with bacterial pathogenicity in genus Legionella. In the present study, an assay was performed to detect ten virulence genes, including iraA, iraB, lvrA, lvrB, lvhD, cpxR, cpxA, dotA, icmC and icmD in different pathogenicity islands of 47 Legionella reference strains, 235 environmental strains isolated from water, and 4 clinical strains isolated from the lung tissue of pneumonia patients.

Effects of antiarrhythmic peptide 10 on acute ventricular arrhythmia.

Objective: To observe the effects antiarrhythmic peptide 10 (AAP10) aon acute ventricular arrhythmia and the phosphorylation state of ischemic myocardium connexin.

Methods: Acute total ischemia and partial ischemia models were established by ceasing perfusion and ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery in SD rats. The effects of AAP10 (1 mg/L) on the incidence rate of ischemia-induced ventricular arrhythmia were observed.

Two-step scheme for rapid identification and differentiation of Legionella pneumophila and non-Legionella pneumophila species.

A rapid two-step scheme based on PCR amplification and enzymatic digestion analysis of a 226-bp fragment of the 16S rRNA gene was developed to identify the Legionella genus by PCR amplification and to differentiate the Legionella pneumophila and non-Legionella pneumophila species by enzymatic digestion analysis. Among 42 ATCC strains (16 strains of L. pneumophila and 26 strains of non-L.

[Association study on the mitochondrial genome region np16181-16193 variation with type 2 diabetes mellitus].

Objective: To investigate the association of the mitochondrial DNA region np16181-16193 variations with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: Blood samples of 199 unrelated T2DM patients and 205 normal controls were collected to detect the mitochondrial DNA region np16181-16193 variations by PCR and sequencing, and to analyze the association of the variations with the major clinical symptoms.

Results: The mitochondrial DNA np16181-16193 region is a hypervariable area, with several polymorphisms.

[Detection of fungi in liquor workers with tinea corporis and tinea cruris using arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction].

Objective: To explore the method of rapid detection of skin fungi and the significance of conventional diagnosis liquor worker tinea corporis and tinea cruris using arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction AP-PCR.

Methods: Among liquor workers who were 50 tinea corporis patients, 58 tinea cruris patients and 50 health persons, we amplified the DNAs of the dermatophytes were amplified using AP-PCR and random primers OPD18 5'-GAGAGCCAAC-3' and OPAA11 5'-ACCCGACCTG-3', at the same time, the dermatophytes with microscope were detected and cultured.

Results: AP-PCR analysis detected fungal DNA in 45 patients(90.