[Evaluation of early diagnostic value of 6 antigens from Schistosoma japonicum in mice].

Objective: To find out the candidate antigen for immunoreagent, which could be used to diagnose Schistosoma japonicum infection early in mice.

Methods: The mice were infected with cereariae of S. japonicum Chinese mainland strain.

[Characterization and preliminary application of six monoclonal antibodies against recombinant signal protein 14-3-3 of Schistosoma japonicum].

Objectives: To identify the properties of six monoclonal antibodies (McAbs) against recombinant signal protein 14-3-3 of Schistosoma japonicum, and investigate their value in the diagnosis of schistosomiasis.

Methods: The subclasses, titers, affinity-constants, detection limits and specificities of six McAbs were identified by ELISA and Western blotting. Dot Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (Dot-ELISA) for detecting the 14-3-3 protein in the sera of rabbits infected with Schistosoma japonicum was established, then it was used to observe the dynamics of 14-3-3 protein in sera of rabbits infected with Schistosoma japonicum before and after treatment.

Social capital and psychological distress.

The author proposes a conceptual model to explain the diverse roles of social capital--resources embedded in social networks--in the social production of health. Using a unique national U.S.

Noradrenaline regulates substance P release from rat dorsal root ganglion neurons in vitro.

Objective: To determine whether activation and/or inhibition of α-adrenoreceptors influences substance P (SP) release from dorsal root ganglion (DRG) primary sensory neurons in vitro.

Methods: DRGs were dissected from 15-day embryonic Wistar rats. DRG neurons were dissociated and cultured for 2 d and then exposed to noradrenaline (NA) alone (1×10(-4) mol/L), or along with the α1-adrenoreceptor antagonist prazosin (1×10(-6) mol/L) or the α2-adrenoreceptor antagonist yohimbine (1×10(-5) mol/L) for 4 d.

Monitoring specific antibody responses against the hydrophilic domain of the 23 kDa membrane protein of Schistosoma japonicum for early detection of infection in sentinel mice.

Background: Schistosomiasis remains an important public health problem throughout tropical and subtropical countries. Humans are infected through contact with water contaminated with schistosome cercariae. Therefore, issuing early warnings on the risk of infection is an important preventive measure against schistosomiasis.

Development of a highly sensitive and specific immunoassay for determining chrysoidine, a banned dye, in soybean milk film.

A highly specific and sensitive indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (icELISA）was developed for the first time for the detection of chrysoidine, a dye banned in soybean milk film. Two haptens with different spacer arms were synthesized to produce antibodies. Both homologous and heterologous immunoassay formats were compared to enhance the icELISA sensitivity.

Protective effect of total alkaloids of Sophora alopecuroides on dextran sulfate sodium-induced chronic colitis.

Objective: To investigate the effect of total alkaloids of Sophora alopecuroides (TASA) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice.

Methods: Chronic experimental colitis was induced by administration of 4 cycles of 4% DSS. Fifty mice were randomly distributed into 4 groups (normal, DSS, DSS/high-dose TASA, and DSS/low-dose TASA groups) by a random number table with body weight stratification.

Detection of the circulating antigen 14-3-3 protein of Schistosoma japonicum by time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay in rabbits.

Background: Schistosomiasis remains a major public health concern that afflicts millions of people worldwide. Low levels of Schistosoma infection require more sensitive diagnostic methods. In this study, a time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (TRFIA) was developed for detecting the signal transduction protein 14-3-3, a circulating antigen of Schistosoma japonicum.

[Analysis on the HPLC chromatographic fingerprint of gegen qinlian decoction].

Objective: To investigate the multiple bioactive constituents in Gegen Qinlian decoction and evaluate its bioactivity and quality control.

Methods: A high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) method for the simultaneous qualitative determination of multiple components was developed. The separation was performed on a Kromasil C18 column by gradient elution with acetonitrile and ammonium acetate (containing 0.

Spin squeezing, negative correlations, and concurrence in the quantum kicked top model.

We study spin squeezing, negative correlations, and concurrence in the quantum kicked top model. We prove that the spin squeezing and negative correlations are equivalent for spin systems with only symmetric Dicke states populated. We numerically analyze spin squeezing parameters and concurrence in this model and find that the maximal spin squeezing direction, which refers to the minimal pairwise correlation direction, is strongly influenced by quantum chaos.

[The clinical features and surgical treatment strategies of cervical kyphosis].

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics and the surgical treatment strategy of cervical kyphosis.

Methods: From March 2006 to October 2009, 31 cases of cervical kyphosis were treated. According to the clinical features and imaging findings, different treatment methods were used.

Adoptive transfer of CD4+CD25+ regulatory cells combined with low-dose sirolimus and anti-thymocyte globulin delays acute rejection of renal allografts in Cynomolgus monkeys.

Although donor alloantigen specific Treg cells play an important role in transplant tolerance, therapeutic applications are limited by their low frequency. In this study, isolated Tregs from Cynomolgus monkeys were efficiently expanded by a co-culture system, and maintained suppressive function on the proliferation of CD4(+) effector cells in vitro. Adoptive transfer of expanded donor alloantigen specific Tregs without any immunosuppressants could prolong survival of MHC-mismatched allografts in Cynomolgus monkeys.

Effect of sophoridine on dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in C57BL/6 mice.

Sophoridine (SRI), one of the quinolizidine alkaloids, is a new anticancer drug with noticeable antitumor action and lower toxicity. To our knowledge, there is no report about its effect on colitis. Repeated colitis was induced by administration of four cycles of 4% DSS.

Kinetics of circulating antigen 14-3-3 in sera of rabbits firstly infected with Schistosoma japonicum and treated with/without praziquantel.

A sandwich ELISA was developed for the detection of circulating antigen 14-3-3 in the sera of rabbits. Rabbits that were infected with 500 cercariae of Schistosoma japonicum were grouped and the kinetics of 14-3-3 was observed. For the treated group, the 14-3-3 protein could be detected as early as 2-4 weeks postinfection and then its levels rose rapidly and reached a peak at around 6 weeks.

Amelioration of dextran sulfate sodium-induced chronic colitis by sulfasalazine salicylazosulfapyridine via reducing NF-kappaB transcription factor p65 recruitment to ICAM-1 gene promoters.

Sulfasalazine salicylazosulfapyridine (SASP), consisting of 5-aminosalicylic acid bound to sulfapyridine by a diazo bond, is an effective drug in the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). However, its mechanism of action remains a matter of debate. The objective of our work was to investigate SASP's effect on NF-kappaB signal transduction pathway in transcriptional regulation level.

Hapten synthesis and antibody production for the development of a melamine immunoassay.

The incorporation of melamine into food products is banned but its misuse has been widely reported in both animal feeds and food. The development of a rapid screening immunoassay for monitoring of the substance is an urgent requirement. Two haptens of melamine were synthesized by introducing spacer arms of different lengths and structures on the triazine ring of the analyte molecular structure.

[Incidence and risk factors on HIV infection among injection drug users in Dehong prefecture area of Yunnan province].

Objective: To determine the incidence and risk factors on HIV infection among injection drug users (IDU) in Dehong prefecture area of Yunnan province.

Methods: An epidemiological cohort of HIV-negative IDU had been developed and followed since October, 2004. HIV new infections and related behaviors had been investigated every six months.

Surgical complications in kidney transplantation in nonhuman primates.

Surgical complications are important causes of graft loss in the nonhuman primate kidney transplantation model. We reviewed the incidence and intervention methods in 182 kidney transplantations performed in our lab recently 2 years in Cynomolgus monkeys. There were six renal artery thromboses (3.

Determination, characterization and cytotoxicity on HELF cells of ZnO nanoparticles.

Three kinds of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) with different size were characterized with transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD). The potential cytotoxicity of ZnO NPs with various concentrations has been investigated using human embryonic lung fibroblasts (HELF) cells. The cytotoxicity of ZnO NPs on the normal HELF cell was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol)-2,5-diphenltetrazoliumhromide (MTT) assay and characterized with photo microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Down-regulation of TIPE2 mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Breakdown of immune homeostasis contributes to the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Tumor necrosis factor alpha induced protein-8 like-2 (TIPE2) is a very recently identified immune homeostasis maintaining gene. We wondered whether TIPE2 is associated with SLE.

Dysfunction of IL-10-producing type 1 regulatory T cells and CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells in a mimic model of human multiple sclerosis in Cynomolgus monkeys.

CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg and IL-10(+) Tr1 cells play a major role in controlling autoimmunity by suppressing self-reactive T cells. Dysfunction of Tregs appears to be a critical factor in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating disorder of CNS, where CD4(+) T cells result in nervous tissue damage.

Social capital and health inequality: evidence from Taiwan.

Does social capital, resources embedded in social relationships, influence health? This research examines whether social capital impacts depressive symptoms and overall perceived health status over and above the effects of social support. Our analyses use unique data from the Taiwan Social Change Survey collected in 1997, and measures social capital and social support through two network instruments (the position generator and the name generator). Results replicate the effects of social support, as measured through the name generator, on both outcomes.

Influence of thermal and dense-phase carbon dioxide pasteurization on physicochemical properties and flavor compounds in Hami melon juice.

The influence of thermal and dense-phase carbon dioxide (DP-CO(2)) pasteurization on physicochemical properties and flavor compounds in Hami melon juice was investigated. Melon juice was pasteurized using DP-CO(2) treatment and compared to a conventional high-temperature-short-time (HTST) method. The DP-CO(2) treatment was carried out using a DP-CO(2) unit (55 degrees C, 60 min, and 35 MPa).

Spin squeezing as an indicator of quantum chaos in the Dicke model.

We study spin squeezing, an intrinsic quantum property, in the Dicke model without the rotating-wave approximation. We show that the spin squeezing can reveal the underlying chaotic and regular structures in phase space given by a Poincaré section, namely, it acts as an indicator of quantum chaos. Spin squeezing vanishes after a very short time for an initial coherent state centered in a chaotic region, whereas it persists over a longer time for the coherent state centered in a regular region of the phase space.