Genetic diversity and relationships among serotype M1 strains of Streptococcus pyogenes.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to X Pan.
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This report describes a new simplified judgment system which enables users to register appropriate judgment rules with ease and to apply them to a wide variety of medical problems. The rule utilized in this system is 3-AND-3-OR, quite a simple one. By applying this judgment rule to the data of as many as 60 items, judgment results of the individual on each item is given by four different grades or categories, namely: 1) normal, 2) borderline, 3) abnormal, and 4) severe. As many as 20 types can be obtained simultaneously. The simplicity of the algorithm allows medical users who are not the experts in computer technology to use this system on a DOS-based personal computer.
Collected plantar prints with Ninhygrine-gourmet powder, traced main line trend with steromicroscope, the plantar dermatoglyphic main line trend of 250 sample Tibetans in good health in suburbs of Lhasa were analysed. They are composed of 125 males and 125 females. The results are as followes: Main line A of Tibetans trends chiefly towards area 1, and next towards area 7; main line B terminates mainly in area 1 and area 7 as well; main line C terminates mainly in area 1 and area 9; the frequency of main line D is the highest in area 1. The main line E chiefly towards area 13. Absence of triradius P is more, the frequency of main line pd termaiates higher (area 13 and area 11) than of main line Pf (area. 7). This paper compared the difference between sexes, nationalities and races. The results showed that the plantar main line trend of Tibetans have their own feature, and showed character of the Mongoloid.
The interaction between selective inhibitors of 3',5'-cyclic-nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) III (cyclic GMP inhibited phosphodiesterase) and selective inhibitors of PDE IV (Ro 20-1724 inhibited phosphodiesterase) to attenuate fetal bovine serum-stimulated incorporation of [3H]thymidine into DNA and cell proliferation was studied in a line (A10) of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). The nonselective PDE inhibitors 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) and papaverine attenuated DNA synthesis with EC50 values (16 and 18 microM, respectively) in the same range as their published IC50 values (2-50 and 2-25 microM, respectively) as PDE inhibitors. The selective PDE III inhibitors CI-930 and cilostamide used alone attenuated DNA synthesis with EC50 values (> 300 and 5.3 microM, respectively) that were much higher than published IC50 values (0.15-0.46 and 0.005-0.064 microM, respectively) for inhibition of PDE III. In the presence of the PDE IV inhibitor rolipram (10 microM), their EC50 values were shifted (0.66 and 0.16 microM, respectively) much closer to their respective IC50 values. When the selective PDE IV inhibitors rolipram and Ro 20-1724 were used alone, they attenuated DNA synthesis with EC50 values (111 and > 100 microM, respectively) much higher than their IC50 values (0.6-2.6 and 2-13 microM, respectively) as inhibitors of PDE IV, but 10 microM CI-930 (PDE III inhibitor) shifted their EC50 values (0.56 and 1.5 microM, respectively) much closer to their IC50 values. In experiments that assessed VSMC proliferation using the MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] method, IBMX and papaverine attenuated proliferation with EC50 values (27 and 58 microM, respectively) close to their IC50 values. CI-930 and cilostamide used alone did not cause 50% attenuation of proliferation at the highest concentrations tested (100 and 10 microM, respectively). In the presence of 5 microM rolipram, however, their effects were enhanced greatly with EC50 values (0.86 and 0.23 microM, respectively) that were close to their IC50 values as PDE III inhibitors. Similarly, rolipram and Ro 20-1724 attenuated VSMC proliferation with EC50 values close to their IC50 values in the presence (2.1 and 4.6 microM, respectively) but not in the absence (> 100 and > 10 microM, respectively) of 2 microM CI-930. The interactions between PDE III inhibitors and PDE IV inhibitors to attenuate DNA synthesis and VSMC proliferation were synergistic as determined by the combination index. The data demonstrate that the synergistic interactions that attenuate incorporation of [3H]thymidine into DNA are accompanied by synergistic attenuations of VSMC division.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
We have described a mobile miniature-gamma-camera system for use in electrical trauma units and have presented images and imaging characteristics of a prototype system. The system has as its principal component a miniature gamma camera based on a PSPMT. The camera is 92 mm x 92 mm x 190 mm in size, weighs 5 kg, has a 48 mm x 48 mm field of view, and has an intrinsic resolution of approximately 3 mm FWHM and 6 mm FWTM. It is expected that devices of this type will be useful as imaging tools in electrical trauma units and laboratories where imaging studies regarding uptake mechanisms of radiopharmaceuticals for assessing tissue viability are carried out.
An analysis based on Elston's model of mixed major locus and polygenic inheritance is extended to include populations of progeny testing such as F3, B1s and B2s families derived from F2 and backcrosses in a cross between two inbred lines. Genetic hypotheses that can be validly tested by the likelihood ratio method in the analysis of a breeding experiment include homogeneity of variances due to environment and/or polygenes with transformable scale effect by Box-Cox power function, random and independent segregation of major genes, invariance of the effects of major genes with population types and additive and dominant models for polygenes. Testing hypotheses in the order suggested here can lead to a gradual simplification of the models and increases the feasibility of the subsequent analysis, but caution must be paid to the possible bias in parameter estimation and hypotheses tests. The procedure is applied to a set of data on plant height of rice with the effects of dwarf genes in crosses among three varieties. Two recessive dwarf genes are shown to be nonallelic and unlinked. One dwarf gene is shown to reduce plant height about 36-56 cm, and another 52-61 cm. The effect of polygenes, estimated as the standard deviation among possible inbred lines derived from these crosses, is about 11.7 cm. Interactions between the dwarf genes and the polygenic background are found, especially for one of the two genes. Both the polygenic effects and the interactions are much smaller than the effects of the major dwarf genes.
BACKGROUND: Data on the association between physical activity and cardiovascular risk factors among populations with a relatively high level of physical activity such as the Chinese, are sparse. METHODS: In 1991, as part of the Sino-Shanghai Cardiovascular Disease Registry Project, a cross-sectional survey was performed in a random sample of 1206 residents, aged 35-64 years, living in rural Shanghai, China. Information on physical activity was obtained by questionnaire. The level of physical activity was categorized into low, moderate and high, based on the presence of a weekly frequency (< 1, 1-2, > or = 3) of periods of 20 minutes that cause shortness of breath, increase in pulse rate and perspiration. Body mass index (BMI), systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) level, serum lipids levels, smoking status and heart rate were assessed. RESULTS: Across groups with low, moderate and high levels of physical activity, significant inverse trends were found for hypertension, total cholesterol, BMI and heart rate in men, and for hypertension, SBP and DBP, BMI and heart rate in women. High density lipoprotein cholesterol and current smoking were not related to physical activity. When differences in BMI were allowed for, the association between physical activity and hypertension and serum cholesterol in men, and with hypertension, SBP and DBP in women, were attenuated. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings from a population-based survey in China suggest that a high level of physical activity is associated with favourable levels of some of the established cardiovascular risk factors in men and women.
BACKGROUND: Mortality from stroke has declined in many countries. This decline may result from a fall in incidence of stroke or a decrease in case fatality from stroke. The present study was conducted to investigate the temporal trends of incidence rate, mortality rate, and case fatality of stroke in an urban and rural Chinese population. METHODS: A community-based registry study was established in 1983 in defined rural and urban areas of Shanghai with a population aged 35 to 74 years of approximately 86,000 subjects, adhering to the methods and definitions of the World Health Organization MONICA protocol. All stroke events occurring in the population aged 35 to 74 years in these areas were registered by a special three-level case-registration system. RESULTS: From 1984 through 1991, 1391 stroke cases were identified. No significant change in the incidence rate of stroke was observed from 1984 through 1991 in men and women living in rural and urban areas. Age-standardized mortality rates (per 100,000 person years) of stroke declined significantly during this period, except for rural women. The annual changes and 95% confidence intervals of age-standardized mortality rates were: for rural men -4.6% (-5.4, -3.9), for rural women -0.6% (-1.6, 0.5), for urban men -2.5% (-3.5, -1.6), and for urban women -4.7% (-5.2, -4.2). A significant decrease in case fatality from stroke from 1984 through 1991 was found among men living in rural areas (from 62.4% to 46.0%) and among women living in urban areas (from 48.4% to 33.3%). Overall case fatality, however, showed a nonsignificant decline over time. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a decline in stroke mortality rate in a rural and urban Chinese population. No significant changes in stroke incidence were found in this study, whereas case fatality appeared to have decreased, in particular among men living in rural areas and women living in urban areas.
The authors summarized the application of traditional Chinese medicine to the management of hepatic cancerous pain in Beijing and Shanghai, and in Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces. The therapeutic principle was to invigorate blood circulation and reduce stasis and to soothe the liver and regulate qi, so as to dredge the channels and collaterals. The results were satisfactory.
By using a sensitive radioactive assay method, we present here evidence that L-pipecolic acid oxidase is localized in both mitochondria and peroxisomes of rat liver. Brain white matter contained a more than 2-fold higher activity of L-pipecolic acid oxidation than the brain cortex. Suborganellar fractionation studies indicate that while the enzyme is a matrix protein in mitochondria, it is membrane-associated in peroxisomes. Both rotenone and antimycin A completely inhibited the enzyme activity in mitochondria but not in peroxisomes. The enzyme was shown to be inducible in mitochondria and peroxisomes of rat liver and brain tissues by glucagon and di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, respectively. We report here for the first time the developmental aspects of L-pipecolic acid oxidation activity in rat liver and brain tissues. L-Pipecolic acid oxidase activity was detectable in whole rat embryo at 10 days of gestation, suggesting active L-pipecolic acid metabolism early during development. In both liver and brain tissues L-pipecolic acid oxidation activity was highest at 15 days of gestation and decreased with age in prenatal and postnatal conditions.
The median nerve somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP), pattern reversal visual evoked potentials (VEP), and brain stem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) were studied in 109 healthy adults and in 88 patients with acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. The upper limits for normal values of peak and interpeak latencies of multimodalities of evoked potentials in the reference group were established by a stepwise multiple regression analysis. SEP changes selectively affecting N32 and N60 were found in 78.8% of patients. There was prolonged P100 latency of VEP in 58.2% of the cases examined. The prevalence of BAEP abnormalities in comatose patients (36%) was significantly higher than that (8.6%) in conscious patients. BAEP abnormalities were most frequently seen in comatose patients who had diminished brain stem reflexes (77.8%). It has been found that a consistent abnormality involving N20 and subsequent peaks in SEP, a remarkable prolongation of P100 latency in VEP, or a prolongation of III-V interpeak latency in BAEP as well as the reoccurrence of evoked potential abnormalities after initial recovery all indicate unfavorable outcomes in patients with acute CO poisoning. The multimodality evoked potentials have proved to be sensitive indicators in the evaluation of brain dysfunction and in the prediction of prognosis of acute CO poisoning and the development of delayed encephalopathy.
By means of reverse phase and ion-exchange high performance liquid chromatography, a neurotoxic peptide named huwentoxin-I was purified from the venom of the Chinese bird spider Selenocosmia huwena. The intraperitoneal and intracisternal LD50 in mice of the toxin were 0.70 mg/kg and 9.40 micrograms/kg, respectively. This toxin at the concentration of 1 x 10(-5) g/ml can irreversibly block the neuromuscular transmission of the isolated mouse phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparation in 13.4 +/- 1.3 min (mean +/- S.D., n = 5). The isoelectric point is 8.95 determined by isoelectric focusing electrophoresis. It consists of 33 amino acids including 6 Cys and 6 Lys determined by amino acid analysis. The complete amino sequence of huwentoxin-I was determined. The N-terminal and C-terminal residues were Ala and Leu, respectively. The primary structure showed partial homology with that of mu-agatoxins from the funnel-web spider Agelenopsis aperta.
We provide a unified framework for the investigation of convergence properties of the iterative algorithms for photon attenuation correction in SPECT, including the iterative Chang method--a commonly used approach in which an average attenuation factor calculated over all projection angles is employed in a pointwise correction scheme. A new average attenuation factor calculated along the projection line is introduced, which can compensate exactly for the attenuation effect in the case of a uniform activity distribution. We propose a new hybrid approach in which we use this new average attenuation factor initially and then shift to the iterative Chang method in later iterations. This hybrid approach was evaluated in a simulation study by use of a computer-generated phantom with both non-uniform activity and non-uniform attenuation distributions. The results demonstrate that this hybrid approach improves the convergence speed of the iterative Chang method and produces reconstructed images of high quality.
We measured the PEFV curves in 557 adolescents aged from 6 to 19. Among them 200 were measured for MEFV curves additionally. The multiple regression equations of FVC and VFRC were simultaneously set up. The result indicated that the indexes increased with the growth of age. At the beginning stage (6-14 years) there was no difference in the indexes between boys and girls. Later in the age range from 14-16 years there were two cross points. Lastly (after 16 years) the indexes of the boys were much higher than those of the girls. The results suggest that the measurement of VFRC is a possible sensitive index to reflect the lung function variation, because it has not been influenced by the volume history.
We studied how the accuracy of the three-unit and four-unit bridges is affected by the three different sprue programmes and heat-treatment. The results of experiments are as follows. 1. In the two types of fixed bridge the accuracy of the lateral pouring sprue programme is greater than that of the top-pouring and bottom-pouring sprue programmes. 2. After the heat-treatment of the casting, the stresses are distributed again, so the accuracy of the casting becomes lesser. 3. The change in the measurement of the total and pontic lengths of multiple-unit fixed bridges generally causes a "fork shape" deformity.
1. Developmental aspects of L-lysine-ketoglutarate reductase, the first enzyme in saccharopine pathway of L-lysine degradation in rat liver and brain tissues were studied. 2. Although the adult rat brain shows negligible activity, the enzyme activity was shown to be highly active during the early stages of development. 3. The enzyme activity gradually decreased through development in the brain, whereas it gradually increased in the liver, establishing the fact that the saccharopine pathway is the major pathway in liver. 4. Our results also show that glucagon stimulated the induction of this enzyme by 2-3-fold in both adult liver and brain tissues.
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A highly polymorphic XbaI restriction site flanking the human 21-hydroxylase genes (21-OHA and 21-OHB) was found with the probe pC21/3c, the cDNA of the 21-hydroxylase gene. From the results of RFLP analysis of 10 subjects with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) owing to 21-hydroxylase deficiency and their parents, at least four polymorphic fragments (30 kb, 27 kb, 25 kb, and 15 kb) resulting from cleavage at the polymorphic endonuclease sites outside the genes were found, and at least 10 different polymorphic patterns were observed among Chinese. These results indicate that these polymorphic loci are very informative for prenatal diagnosis of 21-hydroxylase deficiency.