30 and 32 kDa outer membrane proteins of Bordetella pertussis as a modulator on promoting degranulation of mast cells

The correlation between the activities of the outer menbrane proteins （OMPs） of Bordetella pertussis and the lgE-mediated asthma was investigated in the present study, in which the OMPs of B. pertussis and their components were prepared by detergent treatment and chromatography, and the molecular weights of the OMPs components were determined by SDS-PAGE. The amounts of total as well as the ovalbumin （OVA）-specific IgE induced by dead B. pertussis whole bacterial vaccine on guinea pigs were detected by ELISA. Meanwhile, the effect of the OMPs and their components to promote the degranulation of guinea pig mast cells was observed by using the mast cell degranulation test, and ELISA assay was used to measure the histatmine levels in the supematants from the mast cell cultures. Histamine sensitive test was used to demonstrate the effects of the OMPs and their components to increase the histamine lethal sensitivity in mice. It was found that four components with molecular weights of 30, 32, 38 and 69 kDa could be obtained from the OMPs of B. pertussts, and the dead whole bacteria vaccine of B. pertussis had the ability to increase the levels of the total as well as the OVA-specific IgE in sera of guinea pigs. The OMPs and their 30 and 32 kDa components demonstrated significantly enhancing effect on the degranulation of guinea pig mast cells, and the histamine levels in the supematants from the mast cell culture treated with OMPs and their 30 and 32 kDa components were also significantly increased. It is evident that the strong adjuvant activity and the enhancing effect to degranulation of mast cells and the release of histamine of certain outer membrane components of B. pertussis could be demonstrated as revealed by the results of the present study, suggesting the possibility of a close relationship between the infection of vaccination with B. pertussis and the IgE-mediated asthma.

Adherence of uropathogenic Escherichia coli to human primary epithelial cells of renal pelvis

Human primary epithelial cells of renal pelvis was established to investigate the adherence of uropathogenic Escherichia coli （UPEC） to this cell line, in which the primary cell culture was performed by using cultivation of the normal epithelium of renal pelvis in keratinocyte serum free medium （K-SFM） with epidermal growth factor （EGF） and bovine pituitary extract （BPE）. Both UPEC132 obtained from urine specimen of patients with pyelonephritis and the pilus-free representative strain E. coli K-12p678- 54 were used to study the adherence of these strains on human primary epithelial cells of renal pelvis. The UPEC adherence was performed with observation on the morphological changes of the adhered cells, while the adhesion rates and indices were calculated in different times of experiment. In addition, the virulence genes hly and cnfl of UPEC132 were detected by multiplex PCR assay. In this study, the human primary epithelial cells of renal pelvis was found to exhibit the character of the transitional epithelial cells. Compared with the control group, the adhesion rates and indices began to increase from 15 min of the experiment time and reached its peak in 120 min. The adhesion rate and index of UPEC132 to human primary epithelial cells of renal pelvis were 74.4% and 34.0 respectively. Many microscopic changes in the primary cells adhered with UPEC132 could be detected, such as rounding or irregularity in shape, unevenness in staining and the cytoplasmic and nuclear changes. It suggests that human primary epithelial cells of renal pelvis can be used for the experiment on UPEC adhesion, thus providing a basis for the further study on the pathogenesis of UPEC.

基于Cell多核处理器的层次化运行时支持技术

基于Cell处理器的异构多核架构及软件显式管理的多级存储层次,使其面临编程困难和性能难以有效发挥等问题.现有基于Cell/B.E.的编程模型多侧重于支持类似于流处理的"批量访存"(bulk data transfer)应用,传统非规则访存应用性能较低.通过扩展Cell/B.E.访存库增强协处理单元的自主作用,以协处理单元为中心建立Cell计算平台上的MPI和弱一致性Pthread分层并行编程运行时支持.分层的运行时支持结构及扩展后的Cell/B.E.访存库使模型具有更好的效率和可扩展性,并且提高了非规则应用的性能;模型中的MPI方便了大量传统并行应用向新架构的移植及开发,而弱一致性Pthread则为MPI提供高效的任务运行时管理支持及为系统级用户提供对架构全面控制的编程接口.实验结果表明,提出的运行时支持技术不仅可适应不同应用的要求,同时借助访存库中的剖分优化机制可有效地挖掘Cell/B.E.架构性能.

基于Shell脚本的IBM Cell/B.E.模拟环境的自动安装与测试

本文针对IBM Cell/B.E模拟环境的构建提出了一种借助Shell脚本创建的方法,解决了模拟环境构建中所面临的图形系统的自动启动与配置、License的自动确认、软件的自动安装与配置等问题,并给出了实例测试验证该方法的正确性.这为今后研究和使用IBM Cell/B.E模拟环境提供了一种尝试性的解决方案.

FMM算法在Cell/B.E.处理器上实现的分析与验证

FMM算法[1]是基于树结构的,用于解决多体问题(N-Body)的经典算法。它将N-Body问题的计算复杂度由O(N2)降为O(N),并且能达到任意精度。通用CPU在计算规模较大的N-Body问题时需要耗费大量的时间。为了加速算法的执行,本文对FMM算法在Cell/B.E.处理器上的实现进行了分析与验证。首先从功能上将FMM算法分解为八个核心过程,在此基础上根据计算特点的不同,对八个核心过程进行归类,最后选取其中有代表性的核心步骤,阐述了其在Cell/B.E.上实现的可行性问题,以及部分核心步骤的设计和实现过程。实验结果表明,选定的FMM算法核心步骤在Cell/B.E.上可以获得相对通用CPU较高的加速比。

Inhibition of genes expression of SARS coronavirus by synthetic small interfering RNAs

RNA interference (RNAi) is triggered by the presence of a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), and results in the silencing of homologous gene expression through the specific degradation of an mRNA containing the same sequence. dsRNAmediated RNAi can be used in a wide variety of eucaryotes to induce the sequence-specific inhibition of gene expression.Synthetic 21-23 nucleotide (nt) small interfering RNA (siRNA) with 2 nt 3' overhangs was recently found to mediate efficient sequence-specific mRNA degradation in mammalian cells. Here, we studied the effects of synthetic siRNA duplexes targeted to SARS coronavirus structural proteins E, M, and N in a cell culture system. Among total 26 siRNA duplexes, we obtained 3 siRNA duplexes which could sequence-specifically reduce target genes expression over 80％ at the concentration of 60 nM in Vero E6 cells. The downregulation effect was in correlation with the concentrations of the siRNA duplexes in a range of 0～60 nM. Our results also showed that many inactive siRNA duplexes may be brought to life simply by unpairing the 5' end of the antisense strands. Results suggest that siRNA is capable of inhibiting SARS coronavirus genes expression and thus may be a new therapeutic strategy for treatment of SARS.

Effect of Antisense Oligodeoxynucleotide Directed to NF-κB-RelA on Bcl-x_L mRNA in Extended Drug Resistance Leukemia Cell Line HL- 60/E6

To explore the effect of NF κB on bcl x gene transcription in extended drug resistance leukemia cell line HL 60/E6, drug resistant subline HL 60/E6 was derived by intermittently exposing HL 60 cells to 6 ng/ml epirubicin. Indirect immunofluorescence was used to demonstrate the location of NF κB RelA in HL 60/E6 cells. FCM analysis and RT PCR were used to detect the efficiency of liposome mediated ODN transfection and the change of bcl x L mRNA levels after 5 μmol/L phosphorothioate (PS) derivatized antisense (AS) oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) directed to RelA was transferred into HL 60/E6 cells. The results showed that RelA remained persistently active and located at the nuclei of HL 60/E6 cells,but in the cytoplasm of HL 60 cells, the efficiency of liposome mediated ODN transfection was significantly higher than that of null ODN ( P <0.01 in 4 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h). Exposure of HL 60/E6 cells to 5 μmol/L AS PS ODN directed to RelA led to a maximal 40 % decline of bcl x L mRNA levels within 8 h. The inhibition rate of bcl x L mRNA was (15±1.79) %, (28±2.34) %, (40±3.47) %, (20±1.54) % in 4 h, 6 h, 8 h, 15 h, respectively, but it was less than 15 % in control group. It was concluded that NF κB was involved in regulating bcl x transcription. It was suggested that NF κB was an important factor for drug resistance in leukemia cells.

电去离子(EDI)净水设备树脂更换后的故障分析及处理

针对E-cell膜堆树脂更换后,膜堆运行电流偏小,运行一段时间之后产水水质开始恶化的情况,进行了一系列试验,分析得出其原因为树脂层不够充实。结合试验结果引用"空穴"传导理论解释了产水水质恶化的原因。提出了解决方案:使EDI在较高电压、较小淡水流量的状况下,用EDI产水作为其进水进行循环再生。此方法快速有效,且维护成本较小。

Hepatitis E virus-related acute liver failure associated with pure red cell aplasia

The Editor welcomes submissions for possible publication in the Letters to the Editor section. Letters commenting on an article published in the Journal or other interesting pieces will be considered if they are received within 6 weeks of the time the article was published. Authors of the article being commented on will be given an opportunity to offer a timely response to the letter. Authors of letters will be notified that the letter has been received. Unpublished letters cannot be returned.

Secure Multicast Tree Construction Using Bacterial Foraging Optimization (BFO) for MANET

In Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks (MANET), the group communication for multiple senders and receivers threatens the security features. The multicasting is provoked to various security attacks, eavesdropping etc., hence secure multicasting requires imperative significance. The secure multicast tree construction using Bacterial Foraging Optimization (BPO) algorithm is proposed to develop a secure multicast tree construction in MANET. During routing, the proposed algorithm utilizes the public routing proxy to hide identity of the sender and receiver from other nodes for maintaining confidentiality. The public routing proxy is estimated using bacterial foraging optimization algorithm and path reliability is evaluated after the each iteration. Path reliability enhances the security of the network from black hole attacker and DoS attackers compared to traditional approaches for secure multicast tree formation in MANETs. By simulation results, we have shown that the proposed technique offers authentication and confidentiality during secure multicasting which is compared to conventional multicast tree formation algorithms in MANETs.

Estradiol regulates T cell activation by influencing co-stimulatory molecules transcription

To investigate whether estradiol （E2） plays a role in cell-contact-dependent regulatory mechanism of T cell activation, we studied the role of E2 in regulating gene transcription of CTLA-4, ICOS, B7-1, B7-2 and B7h in vitro. The splenic cells of normal female BALB/c mice were activated by ConA. Then the cells were cultured with E2 （100 pg/ml or 50 ng/ml） for 24 h or 48 h, respectively. The cell proliferation was measured by MTF assay and the expression of the co-stimulatory molecules mRNA was examined by RT-PCR analysis. We found that E2 （100 pg/ml, physiological level） stimulated the acti- vated spleen cells proliferation; inhibited CTLA-4, ICOS, TGF-β and IL-10 gene transcription; promoted B7-1 and B7-2 gene transcription. E2 （50 ng/ml, pregnant level） inhibited the proliferation of the activated splenic cells; promoted CTLA-4, B7-1, IL-10 but inhibited B7-2 and TGF-β gene transcription. Therefore, we conclude that the effects of E2 on T cell activation are partially through its regulation on the co-stimulatory molecules. The co-stimulatory molecules are crucial components of the cell-contact dependent regulatory mechanism, and E2 may regulate T cell activation by this mechanism.

Effect of polysaccharide sulfate 916 on the production of nitric oxide in ECV3 04 cells induced by cytokines and H_2O_2

To investigate the effect of polysaccharide sulfate 916 (PS916) on the productio n of nitric oxide (NO) in ECV304 cells induced by tumor necrosis factor α (TNF α), interleukin 1β (IL 1β) and H 2O 2 in vitro Methods Production of NO in ECV304 cells was measured by the Griess method and the proli feration of cells was tested by the MTT method The activity of NO synthase was detected spectrophotometrically Results Production of NO in ECV304 cells decreased after treatment with 40?ng/ml IL 1 β and 40?ng/ml TNFα, but increased in the presence of H 2O 2 0 1?mmol/L PS916 significantly enhanced NO production in ECV304 cells in a dose depende nt manner in the TNFα and IL 1β treated groups and decreased it in the H 2O 2 treated group Proliferation of ECV304 cells was inhibited by TNFα and H 2O 2 and no effect was found in the IL 1β treated group PS916 increased the proliferation of cells treated with TNFα and H 2O 2 dose dependently In vitro, PS916 has no effect on the activity of NO synthase Conclusion PS916 has a protective effect on ECV304 cells exposed to IL 1β, TNFα and H 2 O 2

Effect of polysaccharide sulfate 916 on the production of nitric oxide in ECV3 04 cells induced by cytokines and H2O2

To investigate the effect of polysaccharide sulfate 916 (PS916) on the productio n of nitric oxide (NO) in ECV304 cells induced by tumor necrosis factor α (TNF α), interleukin 1β (IL 1β) and H 2O 2 in vitro Methods Production of NO in ECV304 cells was measured by the Griess method and the proli feration of cells was tested by the MTT method The activity of NO synthase was detected spectrophotometrically Results Production of NO in ECV304 cells decreased after treatment with 40?ng/ml IL 1 β and 40?ng/ml TNFα, but increased in the presence of H 2O 2 0 1?mmol/L PS916 significantly enhanced NO production in ECV304 cells in a dose depende nt manner in the TNFα and IL 1β treated groups and decreased it in the H 2O 2 treated group Proliferation of ECV304 cells was inhibited by TNFα and H 2O 2 and no effect was found in the IL 1β treated group PS916 increased the proliferation of cells treated with TNFα and H 2O 2 dose dependently In vitro, PS916 has no effect on the activity of NO synthase Conclusion PS916 has a protective effect on ECV304 cells exposed to IL 1β, TNFα and H 2 O 2