Search

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of real-time fluorescent quantitative (qPCR) assay in detecting mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB) in paraffin embedded tissues for diagnostic purpose., Methods: Using qPCR assay, 1000 consecutive formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues (from 2011 to 2012) suspected of MTB infection were tested by amplifying the MTB specific insertion sequence 6110 (IS6110). The specificity of the PCR product was confirmed by Sanger sequencing as compared with the MTB genomic DNA of the IS6110 sequence. Tissues with Ziehl-Neelsen acid-fast staining were used as control., Results: In the 1000 samples, 513 were positive for mycobacterium by Ziehl-Neelsen acid-fast staining (detection rate 51.3%); whereas 546 were MTB positive by qPCR assay (detection rate 54.6%). Concordance rate for both assays was 73.1%. The diagnosis rate increased by 14.4% by combinination of Ziehl-Neelsen acid-fast staining and qPCR results. More interestingly, by analyzing the Ziehl-Neelsen acid-fast staining and qPCR results three cases of M.leprae infection and four cases of non-tuberculous Mycobacterium (NTM) infection were identified., Conclusions: qPCR detection of MTB in FFPE tissue is more sensitive than Ziehl-Neelsen acid-fast staining assay. Combination of these two assays can increase the detection rate and also identify some rare cases of NTM infection.

Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis is an important process to manufacture hydrocarbons and oxygenated hydrocarbons from mixtures of carbon monoxide and hydrogen (syngas). The catalysis process occurs on, for example, cobalt metal surfaces at elevated temperatures and pressures. A fundamental understanding of the reduction pathway of supported cobalt oxides, and the intermediate species present during the activation, can assist in developing improved industrial supported cobalt catalysts. Hard synchrotron X-rays have the unique ability to probe atomic processes both in terms of phases present as well as the crystallographic and local structure (using the pair distribution function approach) under realistic conditions. In this manuscript we present results from measurements during in situ hydrogen activation of a model Co/alumina catalyst using in situ synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction and pair-distribution function (PDF) analysis on beam line ID31 at the ESRF in Grenoble, France. The PDF analysis showed a substantially improved understanding of the reduction of cobalt oxides, as for the first time all cobalt could be accounted for by using total scattering analysis.

Introduction: The 2010 targets of the China Hepatitis B Prevention Programme were a prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) less than 1.0% for children less than five years old and less than 6.0% for the total population. This survey assessed the prevalence of Hepatitis B infection in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, China in 2009-2010., Methods: Multistage sampling was used with 2372 subjects among 17 selected villages. Blood specimen collection and testing by enzyme-linked immunosorbnet assay (ELISA) were completed using the following markers for hepatitis infection: HBsAg and antibody to HBsAg (anti-HBs); hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and antibody to HBeAg (anti-HBe); and hepatitis B core antibody (total anti-HBc). The data were analysed with Epi Info, version 3.3.2., Results: The prevalence of HBsAg was 2.4% (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.8-3.0; Adjusted Prevalence [AP] 2.9%); anti-HBs prevalence was 51.1% (95% CI: 49.1-53.1; AP 49.2%) and total anti-HBc prevalence was 41.7% (95% CI: 39.8-43.7; AP 45.5%). The prevalence of HBsAg and total anti-HBc positivity increased from young to older age groups, yet the prevalence of anti-HBs positivity decreased from young to older age groups (P < 0.001 for all). There was no difference in the prevalences of HBsAg and anti-HBs among females and males (P = 0.108 and 0.089), but females had a higher prevalence than males for total anti-HBc positivity (P < 0.001)., Discussion: This survey showed that in 2010 the prevalence of HBsAg among children aged less than five years was lower than the national target of 1.0% and that the prevalence of HBsAg for the total population was lower than the national target of 6.0%.

Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis is an important process in the manufacturing of hydrocarbons and oxygenated hydrocarbons from mixtures of carbon monoxide and hydrogen (syngas). The reduced iron catalyst reacts with carbon monoxide and hydrogen to form bulk Fe(5)C(2) Hägg carbide (χ-HC) during FT synthesis. Arguably, χ-HC is the predominant catalyst phase present in the working iron catalyst. Deactivation of the working catalyst can be due to oxidation of χ-HC to iron oxide, a step-wise decarburization to cementite (θ-Fe(3)C), carbon formation or sintering with accompanying loss of catalytic performance. It is therefore critical to determine the precise crystal structure of χ-HC for the understanding of the synthesis process and for comparison with the first-principles ab initio modelling. Here the results of high-resolution synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data are reported. The atomic arrangement of χ-HC was confirmed by Rietveld refinement and subsequent real-space modelling of the pair distribution function (PDF) obtained from direct Fourier transformation. The Rietveld and PDF results of χ-HC correspond well with that of a pseudo-monoclinic phase of space group Pī [a = 11.5661 (6) Å, b = 4.5709 (1) Å, c = 5.0611 (2) Å, α = 89.990 (5)°, β = 97.753 (4)°, γ = 90.195 (4)°], where the Fe atoms are located in three distorted prismatic trigonal and one octahedral arrangement around the central C atoms. The Fe atoms are distorted from the prismatic trigonal arrangement in the monoclinic structure by the change in C atom location in the structure.

Objective: To investigate the clinical significance of tumor microvascular density (MVD) detected by anti-CD105 and anti-CD34 as a predictor of recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after liver transplantation (LT)., Methods: One hundred and twelve (100 with adjacent nontumorous area) patients with HCC who underwent LT between Jan. 2001 and Dec. 2006 were included in this retrospective study. Paraffin blocks of tumor tissue and adjacent nontumorous tissue were used for immunohistochemical study. MVD of HCC was evaluated by anti-CD105 monoclonal antibody and anti-CD34 monoclonal antibody., Results: The immunohistochemich staining showed CD34 strongly positive expressed in the tumor area with tumor mature vasculature, and CD105 strongly positive expressed in adjacent nontumorous area with tumor newly formed vessels. Univariate analysis using chi-square test showed portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT), pTNM stage, MVD-CD105 expression in adjacent nontumorous area, tumor size and serum AFP level were significantly associated with HCC recurrence after LT (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis by Cox's regression model showed MVD-CD105 expression in adjacent nontumorous area and PVTT still remained significant correlation with recurrence of HCC after LT (P < 0.05), and MVD-CD105 in adjacent nontumorous area was significantly correlated with PVTT (r(s) = 0.257, P = 0.01), pTNM stage (r(s) = 0.350, P = 0.000), as well as serum AFP level (r(s) = 0.208, P = 0.038)., Conclusion: The anti-CD105 mAb is an ideal tool to quantify new microvessels in HCC. MVD-CD105 expression in adjacent nontumorous area may be used as an additional factor for the identification of patients at risk for post-transplant recurrence.

The incidence of autonomic neuropathy in 52 insulin-dependent and 87 non-insulin-dependent diabetic subjects was studied as well as the relationship between the type and duration of diabetes, metabolic control and the association of atypical infarctions with autonomic neuropathy. No statistically significant relationship was found between any parameter and the presence of autonomic neuropathy. Atypical infarctions were not confined to subjects with autonomic neuropathy, but the incidence was considerably higher than that in the general population. Position of the infarction did not determine whether it was silent or not. It is suggested that physicians should be alert to the occurrence of silent infarctions in all diabetics and not only those with clinical evidence of autonomic neuropathy.

Results of a phase II study of AAFC in 32 patients with advanced measurable gastrointestinal cancer are presented. Fourteen patients were treated with a weekly schedule, while 18 were treated with 5-day courses of the drug. There were 12 patients with pancreas cancer, eight with stomach cancer, seven with cancer of the esophagus, four with colorectal cancer, and one with cancer of the gallbladder. Response was observed in pancreas and stomach cancer. Two patients with pancreas cancer had partial remissions, three other patients (two pancreas and one stomach) had response of short duration, considered to be less than a partial remission. There appeared to be very little difference between the two different schedules of administration. AAFC shows limited activity in adenocarcinoma of pancreas and stomach; there does not appear to be a practical application for AAFC as a single agent.