[Suitability of human settlement environment in Buyei traditional villages in rocky desertification area of Guizhou, China.].

To investigate the traditional village living environment adaptability to desertification and topography, the suitability evaluation index system and weight of traditional Buyei traditional villages in the rocky desertification area human settlement were quantified using Delphi method and comprehensive weighting method. We calculated human settlements environment suitability value and threshold to comprehensively analyze the human settlements environment suitability. The results showed that 10% of the traditional Buyei traditional villages were located in the rocky desertification areas with high intensity and extremely high intensity and had the tradition of selecting the best environment.

Betaine-assisted recombinase polymerase assay with enhanced specificity.

Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is a widespread isothermal amplification method and regarded as an excellent candidate to replace polymerase chain reaction. However, the specificity of RPA is not always satisfactory when the sample contains amounts of background DNA. Herein, we report a novel RPA method named betaine-assisted RPA (B-RPA) that uses inexpensive betaine to avoid nonspecific amplification effectively.

CD45CD33CD11b myeloid-derived suppressor cells suppress CD8 T cell activity via the IL-6/IL-8-arginase I axis in human gastric cancer.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are a prominent component of the pro-tumoral response. The phenotype of and mechanisms used by MDSCs is heterogeneous and requires more precise characterization in gastric cancer (GC) patients. Here, we have identified a novel subset of CD45CD33CD11b MDSCs in the peripheral blood of GC patients compared to healthy individuals.

Comparison of the myocardial protective effect of sevoflurane versus propofol in patients undergoing heart valve replacement surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.

Background: This study aimed to compare myocardial protective effects of anaesthesia with intravenous infusion of propofol versus inhalation of sevoflurane in patients undergoing heart valve replacement surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.

Methods: Seventy-six patients undergoing valve replacement with cardiopulmonary bypass were randomly assigned to propofol or sevoflurane anesthesia during the surgery, respectively. For assessing myocardial injury, cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and creatine kinase isozyme (CK-MB) were determined before induction (T), 0.

Substitution of the precursor peptide prevents anti-prM antibody-mediated antibody-dependent enhancement of dengue virus infection.

Antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) is currently considered as the mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of severe dengue disease. Many studies have shown that precursor (pr) peptide-specific antibodies do not efficiently neutralize infection but potently promote ADE of dengue virus (DENV) infection. To explore the effect of pr peptide substitution on neutralization and ADE of DENV infection, the rabbit anti-prM polyclonal antibodies (pAbs) and anti-JEVpr/DENV-M pAbs were prepared, and the neutralization and ADE of these two pAbs were further compared.

Association of Toll-like receptor 2 polymorphisms with gout.

Gout is the most common autoinflammatory arthritis characterized by elevated serum urate and recurrent attacks of intra-articular crystal deposition of monosodium urate (MSU) in tissues. The pathogenesis of gout has not been fully determined, although certain genetic factors are involved in the development of gout. Accumulated data suggested that MSU crystal-induced inflammation is a paradigm of innate immunity.

[Role of store-operated Ca2+ channels in primary hepatocytes under conditions of calcium overload and ethanol-induced injury].

Objective: To investigate the role of store-operated calcium channels (SOCs) in primary hepatocytes under conditions of calcium overload and ethanol-induced injury.

Methods: The in vitro model of chronic ethanol-induced hepatocyte injury was established using primary hepatocytes isolated from Sprague-Dawley rats. Ethanol-induced changes (24, 48 and 72 h; 50, 100, 200, 400 and 800 mmol/L) in expression of the SOCs proteins stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) and calcium release-activated calcium channel protein 1 (Oria1) were detected by qualitative PCR analysis (mRNA) and western blotting (protein).

Expression of CC chemokine ligand 5 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and its correlation with disease activity and medication.

Objective: To determine the levels of CC chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5) in serum and synovial fluid (SF) from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and their relations with disease activity and medication.

Methods: CCL5 in serum and SF was quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 28 RA patients and 21 osteoarthritis (OA) patients. In RA patients, the correlations of CCL5 levels in serum and SF with disease activity were analyzed.

[Membrane and cytoplasmic expression of urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor in synovial tissues of rheumatoid arthritis patients].

Objective: To investigate the production of membrane-expressed urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (muPAR) and cytoplasmic-expressed uPAR (cuPAR) in synovial tissue from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and analyze their relationship with the severity of synovial inflammation in RA.

Methods: MuPAR and cuPAR were measured with indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) and immunoperoxidase histochemical analysis of the synovial tissue sections from 18 patients with RA, 10 patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and 4 healthy subjects. The association of uPAR expression with the severity of synovitis in RA was then analyzed.

[Construction and expression of fusion gene expression plasmid HBV preS2S-rhGM-CSF].

Aim: To construct GM-CSF and preS2 fusion gene expression plasmid to enhance the immunogenicity of hepatitis B DNA vaccine.

Methods: HBV preS2S gene(846 bp) and rhGM-CSF gene(384 bp) were amplified by PCR, respectively. The eukaryotic expression plasmid pcDNA3.