Metagenomic analysis of the dynamical conversion of photosynthetic bacterial communities in different crop fields over different growth periods.

Photosynthetic bacteria are beneficial to plants, but knowledge of photosynthetic bacterial community dynamics in field crops during different growth stages is scarce. The factors controlling the changes in the photosynthetic bacterial community during plant growth require further investigation. In this study, 35 microbial community samples were collected from the seedling, flowering, and mature stages of tomato, cucumber, and soybean plants.

Clinical observation of the reduced glutathione in the treatment of diabetic chronic kidney disease.

Background: Diabetic chronic kidney disease (CKD) has become the main cause of death in diabetic patients, but its pathogenesis has not yet been clear.

Objective: To investigate the effects of reduced glutathione (GSH) on oxidative stress (OS), angiogenesis factors and lymphocyte subsets in diabetic CKD patients.

Methods: A total of 130 subjects were retrospectively studied.

Oxymatrine Inhibits Influenza A Virus Replication and Inflammation via TLR4, p38 MAPK and NF-κB Pathways.

Oxymatrine (OMT) is a strong immunosuppressive agent that has been used in the clinic for many years. In the present study, by using plaque inhibition, luciferase reporter plasmids, qRT-PCR, western blotting, and ELISA assays, we have investigated the effect and mechanism of OMT on influenza A virus (IAV) replication and IAV-induced inflammation in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that OMT had excellent anti-IAV activity on eight IAV strains in vitro.

Anti-influenza A virus activity of rhein through regulating oxidative stress, TLR4, Akt, MAPK, and NF-κB signal pathways.

Rhein, an anthraquinone compound existing in many traditional herbal medicines, has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor, antiviral, hepatoprotective, and nephroprotective activities, but its anti-influenza A virus (IAV) activity is ambiguous. In the present study, through plaque inhibition assay, time-of-addition assay, antioxidant assay, qRT-PCR, ELISA, and western blotting assays, we investigated the anti-IAV effect and mechanism of action of rhein in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that rhein could significantly inhibit IAV adsorption and replication, decrease IAV-induced oxidative stress, activations of TLR4, Akt, p38, JNK MAPK, and NF-κB pathways, and production of inflammatory cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases in vitro.

Emodin Inhibition of Influenza A Virus Replication and Influenza Viral Pneumonia via the Nrf2, TLR4, p38/JNK and NF-kappaB Pathways.

Lasting activations of toll-like receptors (TLRs), MAPK and NF-κB pathways can support influenza A virus (IAV) infection and promote pneumonia. In this study, we have investigated the effect and mechanism of action of emodin on IAV infection using qRT-PCR, western blotting, ELISA, Nrf2 luciferase reporter, siRNA and plaque inhibition assays. The results showed that emodin could significantly inhibit IAV (ST169, H1N1) replication, reduce IAV-induced expressions of TLR2/3/4/7, MyD88 and TRAF6, decrease IAV-induced phosphorylations of p38/JNK MAPK and nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65.

Radiologic features of primary intracranial ectopic germinomas: Case reports and literature review.

Rationale: Germinomas are sensitive to radiation therapy and chemotherapy; therefore, correct imaging diagnosis is crucial for them. However, the imaging findings of germinomas originating from off-midline regions displayed different patterns from those originating from midline areas.

Patient Concerns: The objective of this study is to describe the radiologic features of primary ectopic germinoma.

Diffusion characteristics of the fornix in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

White matter degradation is a major part of the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The fornix is the predominant outflow tract from the hippocampus, and alterations to its microstructure in patients with AD are still being explored. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is an in vivo neuroimaging technique that can provide unique information about alterations in tissue microstructure, which can indicate underlying neurobiological process at the microstructural level.

Inhibition of Tanshinone IIA, salvianolic acid A and salvianolic acid B on Areca nut extract-induced oral submucous fibrosis in vitro.

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge has been reported to possess excellent antifibrotic activity. In this study, we have investigated the effect and mechanism of tanshinone IIA (Tan-IIA), salvianolic acid A (Sal-A) and salvianolic acid B (Sal-B), the important active compounds of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, on areca nut extract (ANE)-induced oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) in vitro. Through human procollagen gene promoter luciferase reporter plasmid assay, hydroxyproline assay, gelatin zymography assay, qRT-PCR, ELISA and Western blot assay, the influence of these three compounds on ANE-stimulated cell viability, collagen accumulation, procollagen gene transcription, MMP-2/-9 activity, MMP-1/-13 and TIMP-1/-2 expression, cytokine secretion and the activation of PI3K/AKT, ERK/JNK/p38 MAPK and TGF-β/Smads pathways were detected.

Prognostic value of MGMT promoter methylation and TP53 mutation in glioblastomas depends on IDH1 mutation.

Several molecular markers have been proposed as predictors of outcome in patients with glioblastomas. We investigated the prognostic significance of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation and TP53 mutation status dependent on isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) mutation in glioblastoma patients. A cohort of 78 patients with histologically confirmed glioblastomas treated with radiation therapy and chemotherapy were reviewed retrospectively.

Panax notoginseng saponins inhibit areca nut extract-induced oral submucous fibrosis in vitro.

Background: Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a premalignant and fibrosing disease, which is closely associated with the habit of chewing areca nut. Panax notoginseng Buck F. H.

An attenuated coxsackievirus b3 vector: a potential tool for viral tracking study and gene delivery.

Cardiomyocytes are quite resistant to gene transfer using standard techniques. We developed an expression vector carrying an attenuated but infectious and replicative coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) genome, and unique ClaI-StuI cloning sites for an exogenous gene, whose product can be released from the nascent viral polyprotein by 2A(pro) cleavage. This vector was tested as an expression vehicle for green fluorescent protein (GFP).

Identification of 23-(s)-2-amino-3-phenylpropanoyl-silybin as an antiviral agent for influenza A virus infection in vitro and in vivo.

It has been reported that autophagy is involved in the replication of many viruses. In this study, we screened 89 medicinal plants, using an assay based on the inhibition of the formation of the Atg12-Atg5/Atg16 heterotrimer, an important regulator of autophagy, and selected Silybum marianum L. for further study.

Drug screening for autophagy inhibitors based on the dissociation of Beclin1-Bcl2 complex using BiFC technique and mechanism of eugenol on anti-influenza A virus activity.

Autophagy is involved in many human diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and virus infection, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), influenza A virus (IAV) and coxsackievirus B3/B4 (CVB3/B4), so a drug screening model targeting autophagy may be very useful for the therapy of these diseases. In our study, we established a drug screening model based on the inhibition of the dissociation of Beclin1-Bcl2 heterodimer, an important negative regulator of autophagy, using bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) technique for developing novel autophagy inhibitors and anti-IAV agents. From 86 examples of traditional Chinese medicines, we found Syzygium aromaticum L.

Susceptibility weighted imaging: a new tool in the diagnosis of prostate cancer and detection of prostatic calcification.

Background: Susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) is a new MRI technique which has been proved very useful in the diagnosis of brain diseases, but few study was performed on its value in prostatic diseases. The aim of the present study was to investigate the value of SWI in distinguishing prostate cancer from benign prostatic hyperplasia and detecting prostatic calcification.

Methodology/principal Findings: 23 patients with prostate cancer and 53 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia proved by prostate biopsy were scanned on a 3.

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy predicts radiotherapy response and time-to-progression in high-grade gliomas after surgery.

Background: Reliable early prediction response to therapy and time-to-progression (TTP) remain an important goal of high-grade gliomas (HGGs) research. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) has been applied with variable success in clinical application, and we hypothesize that (1)H-MRS in predictive value should perform well as a marker of TTP in patients treated with radiotherapy (RT) after surgery.

Methods: (1)H-MRS was performed before surgery on 25 patients who had undergone resection of HGGs; then the ratios of lipid/creatine (Lip/Cr) and myo-inositol/creatine (mI/Cr) were determined in the solid tumor.

A drug screening method based on the autophagy pathway and studies of the mechanism of evodiamine against influenza A virus.

In this research, we have established a drug screening method based on the autophagy signal pathway using the bimolecular fluorescence complementation-fluorescence resonance energy transfer (BiFC-FRET) technique to develop novel anti-influenza A virus (IAV) drugs. We selected Evodia rutaecarpa Benth out of 83 examples of traditional Chinese medicine and explored the mechanisms of evodiamine, the major active component of Evodia rutaecarpa Benth, on anti-IAV activity. Our results showed that evodiamine could significantly inhibit IAV replication, as determined by a plaque inhibition assay, an IAV vRNA promoter luciferase reporter assay and the Sulforhodamine B method using cytopathic effect (CPE) reduction.

Regional homogeneity analysis on acupoint specificity with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: The mechanism of acupuncture analgesia in craniotomy has been widely studied. However, the theoretical basis for selection of acupoints has not been examined. In this study, we used the regional homogeneity method blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signals to determine changes in brain activity in response to transcutaneous electrical stimulation on acupoints and non-acupoints in resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Measurement of tumor size in adult glioblastoma: classical cross-sectional criteria on 2D MRI or volumetric criteria on high resolution 3D MRI?

Objective: To investigate the added value of volume on post-contrast three dimensional (3D) T1-weighted image (T1WI) over classical cross-sectional area on two dimensional (2D) T1WI in evaluating tumor response in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).

Methods: Tumor cross-sectional area and volume measurements were performed on 104 MRI studies from 42 adult patients with GBM on post-contrast 5 mm 2D T1WI and isotropic high resolution 3D T1WI, respectively. 52 pairs of MRI scans were analyzed for relative change.

Disease distribution and medical resources during the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Background: Appropriate planning and staffing for medical services at large-scale athletic events is essential to provide for a safe and successful competition. There are few well-documented accounts describing the demand for such services. The present study provided the data from the Beijing 2008 Olympics and Paralympics, with a view to provide the guidance for planning future events.

Sonography in the 29th Olympic and Paralympic Games: a retrospective analysis.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the application of sonography at the polyclinic of the Olympic/Paralympic village during the Olympic/Paralympic Games.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 759 consecutive patients who underwent sonography at the ultrasound division of the polyclinic in the Olympic/Paralympic village from July 20, 2008, to September 20, 2008. Prevalence of emergency sonography after sports injury and non-sports-related urgent conditions during the games was analyzed.

Research progress on resting state fMRI of epilepsy.

As a study method of resting state network (RSN), resting state functional MRI (rfMRI) can be applied to detect low frequency fluctuate (LFF) in various cerebral areas based on resting state blood oxygen level dependence (BOLD) signals; and it is easier and more consistent than task-related fMRI. The development, features and methods of rfMRI as well as the application in epilepsy were reviewed in this article.

Medical care delivery at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Background: Beijing successfully hosted the 2008 Olympic Games, and the services including medical services were widely appreciated by both participants and visitors. We retrospectively analyzed the quality of the medical services provided to athletes, spectators, VIPs, and the workforce during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The information thus gathered would be useful for planning strategies for managing mass gatherings.

Dental service in 2008 Summer Olympic Games.

Objective: How to organise an appropriate team to provide quality dental care during the Olympic Games has become an important consideration for each successive host country. The aims of this study were to document dental services provided at the Olympic Games and to provide data for planning future events. SET-UP OF THE DENTAL CARE DEPARTMENT: There were six dental chairs in six independent treatment rooms, one technical laboratory, a sterilising room and an x-ray room equipped with one digital panoramic screening machine and one intraoral x-ray machine in the polyclinic in the Olympic Village in Beijing.

Regulatory action of charred Gossamer urocteae on the functions of mouse oral fibroblasts.

Objective: To explore the influence of charred Gossamer urocteae (CGU) on the functions of primary cultured mouse oral fibroblasts and reveal its mechanism in wound healing.

Methods: CGU was extracted with different solvents and ethanol extract (EE), ethyl acetate fraction (EF), n-butanol fraction (BF) and aqueous fraction (AF) were obtained. The effects of different fractions on the proliferation, matrix metalloproteinase-2,9 (MMP-2,9) activities, synthesis of collagen and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) in the mouse oral fibroblasts were determined by MTT, gelatin zymography, chloramine-T method, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) respectively.