Abstract Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes vary greatly in different regions. The aim of this study is to investigate the distribution of HCV genotypes in HCV infected patients, in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Nucleic acid extraction and amplification were performed with test kits on 153 HCV infected patients serum samples. The HCV viral load was measured using reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) and HCV genotypes were determined. Among the 153 HCV-infected patients, 56 had genotype (GT)1b (36.60%), 45 had GT2a (29.40%), 23 had GT3a (15.00%), 14 had GT3b (9.20%),13 had GT6a (8.50%), 1 had GT1g (0.70%), 1 had GT6xa (0.70%). In GT1b, 21.40% were female and 78.60% were male; in GT2a, 42.20% were female and 57.80% were male;Males were most prevalent in genotypes 1b(39.30%), while female were most prevalent in genotype 2a(46.30%). Rare GT1g and GT6xa were also detected in males. The 41-50 year age group had the highest HCV prevalence of 32.00%. HCV GT1b is the predominant HCV genotype in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

Resumo Os genótipos do vírus da hepatite C (HCV) variam muito de acordo com a região. O objetivo deste estudo é investigar a distribuição do genótipo do vírus da hepatite C em pessoas infectadas pelo vírus na região autônoma de Ningxia Hui. A extração de ácido nucleico e a expansão de amostras séricas em 153 pacientes infectados com HCV foram realizadas utilizando kits de ensaio. A capacidade do vírus HCV foi medida pela reação em cadeia da polimerase retrotranscrição (RT-PCR) e o genótipo HCV foi determinado. Os genótipos (Gt) tiveram a seguinte distribuição entre os 153 casos de infecção HCV: 56 Gt 1-B (36, 60%), 45 Gt 2-A (29, 40%), 23 Gt 3-A (15, 00%), 14 Gt 3-B (9, 20%), 13 Gt 6-A (8, 50%), 1 Gt 1-G (0, 70%) e 1 Gt 6-Xa (0, 70%). Já o sexo dos indivíduos teve a seguinte distribuição: Gt 1-B, 21, 40% mulheres e 78, 60% homens; Gt 2-A, 42, 20% mulheres e 57, 80% homens. A presença de homens é mais comum no genótipo 1-B (39, 30%), enquanto as mulheres ocorrem mais comumente no genótipo 2-A (46, 30%). Gt 1-G e Gt 6-Xa raros também foram detectados em homens. A taxa de infecção com HCV para grupos etários de 41 a 50 anos é a mais alta, com 32,00%. HCV Gt 1-B é o genótipo dominante do HCV na região autônoma de Ningxia Hui.

Inflammation of cartilage is a primary symptom for knee-joint osteoarthritis. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are known to play an important role in the articular cartilage destruction related to osteoarthritis. Naringenin is a plant-derived flavonoid known for its anti-inflammatory properties. We studied the effect of naringenin on the transcriptional expression, secretion and enzymatic activity of MMP-3 in vivo in the murine monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) osteoarthritis model. The assessment of pain behavior was also performed in the MIA rats. The destruction of knee-joint tissues was analyzed microscopically. Moreover, the effect of naringenin was also studied in vitro in IL-1β activated articular chondrocytes. The transcriptional expression of MMP-3, MMP-1, MMP-13, thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS-4) and ADAMTS-5 was also studied in primary cultured chondrocytes of rats. Naringenin caused significant reduction in pain behavior and showed marked improvement in the tissue morphology of MIA rats. Moreover, a significant inhibition of MMP-3 expression in MIA rats was observed upon treatment with naringenin. In the in vitro tests, naringenin caused a significant reduction in the transcriptional expression, secretion and enzymatic activity of the studied degradative enzymes. The NF-κB pathway was also found to be inhibited upon treatment with naringenin in vitro. Overall, the study suggests that naringenin alleviated pain and regulated the production of matrix-metalloproteinases via regulation of NF-κB pathway. Thus, naringenin could be a potent therapeutic option for the treatment of osteoarthritis.

Large numbers of spat of giant lion's paw scallop Nodipecten subnodosus are required for the development of the scallop aquaculture industry. Despite the large adult populations of this species in Ojo de Liebre Lagoon, Baja California Sur, Mexico, attempts to collect spat with onion bag collectors during the reproductive season (September-November) have not been successful. We assessed lion's paw spatfall at three sites (La Ventana, El Conchalito, and El Borbollón) within the lagoon, where high recruitment was previously recorded. Netlon collectors instead of onion bags were used and they were deployed at each site at a depth of 1 m on two occasions (October and November 2007) when pediveliger larvae were more abundant. Collectors were retrieved and evaluated in February 2008, after being submerged for 118 or 82 days. Pediveliger larvae were present from late September to late November at all three sites. Densities peaked at 1 m in mid-November and were significantly higher at La Ventana, accounting for 12,400 larvae m-3. Collectors installed in October at El Conchalito showed higher (P < 0.05) mean recruitment (1.7 ± 0.2 spat per collector) than collectors set in November (0.4 ± 0.3 spat per collector). Collectors installed in October and November at La Ventana had 0.6 ± 0.3 and 0.9 ± 0.2 spat per collector, respectively. No significant differences were observed in the growth rates of the juveniles collected. High densities of larvae in the plankton during November indicated that high reproductive activity occurred earlier that month or in late October. La Ventana showed the highest potential for spat collection based on larval abundance, followed by El Borbollón and El Conchalito; however, El Conchalito showed the highest spat recruitment, followed by La Ventana and El Borbollón. Since spat collection was relatively low at all sites, more efforts to determine better collection sites and techniques, as well as appropriate deployment times are required.

La acuicultura de la almeja mano de león Nodipecten subnodosus requiere de una oferta confiable de jóvenes para su desarrollo. A pesar de que existen grandes poblaciones de esta especie en la Laguna Ojo de Liebre, Baja California Sur, México, los intentos de captación de semilla en costales cebolleros durante la temporada reproductiva (septiembre a noviembre) no han sido exitosos. En el presente estudio se evaluó el reclutamiento de jóvenes de N. subnodosus en tres sitios (La Ventana, El Conchalito y El Borbollón) dentro de la laguna, donde previamente se había registrado un mayor reclutamiento. Se emplearon colectores de malla Netlon en vez de costales cebolleros, los cuales se instalaron a 1 m de profundidad en los sitios de captación en dos ocasiones (octubre y noviembre de 2007) cuando las larvas pediveliger eran más abundantes. Los colectores se retiraron y evaluaron en febrero de 2008, después de estar sumergidos durante 118 ó 82 días. Se observaron larvas pediveliger desde finales de septiembre hasta finales de noviembre en los tres sitios de recolección. Las máximas densidades fueron obtenidas a 1 m de profundidad a mediados de noviembre y éstas fueron significativamente mayores en La Ventana, con un total de 12,400 larvas m-3. Los colectores instalados en octubre en El Conchalito mostraron un reclutamiento medio significativamente mayor (P <0.05, 1.7 ± 0.2 semillas por colector) que los colectores instalados en noviembre (0.4 ± 0.3 semillas por colector). Los colectores instalados en octubre y noviembre en La Ventana tuvieron un reclutamiento medio de 0.6 ± 0.3 y 0.9 ± 0.2 semillas por colector, respectivamente. No se observaron diferencias significativas en las tasas de crecimiento de los jóvenes recolectados. Las altas densidades de larvas pediveliger observadas en el mes de noviembre indican que la actividad reproductiva se presenta a finales de octubre o principios de noviembre. Con base en la abundancia de larvas pediveliger, La Ventana presentó el mayor potencial para la captación de semillas, seguida por El Borbollón y El Conchalito; sin embargo, El Conchalito mostró el mayor reclutamiento de jóvenes, seguido por La Ventana y El Borbollón. Debido a que la captación de semillas fue relativamente baja en los tres sitios, se requieren más esfuerzos para determinar sitios y técnicas de captación óptimos, así como tiempos apropiados de inmersión de colectores.

The bandgap energy as a function of temperature has been determined for lead iodide. The monocrystal was obtained in a vacuum sealed quartz ampoule inside a vertical furnace by Bridgman's method. The optical transmittance measurement enables to evaluate the values of Eg. By a fitting procedure of Eg as a function of temperature is possible to extract the parameters that govern its behavior. The variation of Eg with temperature was determined as: Eg(T) = Eg(0) - <FONT FACE="Symbol">a</FONT>T2/(<FONT FACE="Symbol">a</FONT> + T), with: Eg(0) = (2.435 <FONT FACE="Symbol">±</FONT> 0.008) eV, <FONT FACE="Symbol">a</FONT> = (8.7 <FONT FACE="Symbol">±</FONT> 1.3) x 10-4 eV/K and <FONT FACE="Symbol">a</FONT> = (192 <FONT FACE="Symbol">±</FONT> 90) K. The bandgap energy of lead iodide at room temperature was found to be 2.277 <FONT FACE="Symbol">±</FONT> 0.007 eV.