A xylanase producing strain was screened with xylan as the only carbon source. The strain was identified as Streptomyces cirratus. The effects of different factore on the enzyme production were studied. Corncobs xylan (water insoluble) and tryptone were the best C and N sources, respectively. The enzyme activity was increased to about 2.5 times by addition of 0.5% Tween 80 in the medium. The highest xylanase activity was up to 623u/mL.

OBJECTIVETo select optimal media and conditions for the tissue culture of Dendrobium lituiforum.

METHODThe basic media, light illumination condition, phytohormone, and natural aqueous extracts. were tested and compared. The chlorophyll contents and soluble protein contents were measured.

RESULTN6 medium was suitable for embryo germination and growth. 1/2 MS + NAA 0.5 mg x L(-1) cordd be used as the optimal protocorm multiplying media. Culture 20 days in darkness in advance, and then in light is useful to embryo germinate. 1/2 MS+ NAA 0-0.5 mg x L(-1) is beneficial to protocorm multiplication largely. N6 + 6-BA 2.0 mg x L(-1) + NAA 0.5 mg x L(-1) + 10% potato juice is useful to protocorm differentiation. Phytohormone and potato juice added to the media promoted chlorophyll content and souble protein content. N6 + NAA 0.5 mg x L(-1) + 10% banana juice is the best medium for plantlet rootage and strengthening.

CONCLUSIONConcentration of inorganic salt, nitrogen source and illumination condition are important to embryo germination and growth. The nitrogen source type has effect on the protocorm multiplication. The chlorophyll contents and souble protein contents may be index to indicate the growth condition of plantlets, which can help to select the optimal media.

Chlorophyll ; analysis ; Culture Media ; Dendrobium ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Light ; Plant Growth Regulators ; pharmacology ; Plant Proteins ; analysis ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Tissue Culture Techniques

Objective To evaluate the complications and prognostic factors of lung transplantation performed in a single center.Methods A rettospective analysis of demographic and outcome data of lung transplantation was performed.Survival analyses were performed using Kaplan-Meier estimation.Results Between January 2003 and April 2011,42 lung transplant procedures were performed.Overall survival rate at 1,3,and 5 years were 89％,59％ and 38％,respectively.1,3,and 5 years survival in patients with COPD was 83％,66％ and 45％,respectively,which were better than other primary end stage lung diseases ( 78％,17％ and 17％,respectively,P =0.013).Postoperative complications included pulmonary bacterium infection in 8 patients (20％),fungal infection in 12 (30％),and airway complications in4 (9.5％).35％ of patients had at least 1 episode of acute rejections within the first year,and 22.5％ of patients had BOS.2 patients underwent single lung retransplantation.Conclusion In this single center study,patients with COPD may have a good long-term survival.The most common postoperative complications were pulmonary infection and airway complication.

This case report describes a 44-year-old woman with primary spinal cord malignant melanoma localized in the lumbar region. This is a very rare lesion. The patient presented with back pain and slight weakness in her lower extremities. Magnetic resonance imaging showed hyperintense signals on T1-weighted images and hypointense signals on T2-weighted images. The entire tumor was removed surgically. The patient's postoperative clinical examination revealed mild neurological improvements. Histopathological investigations confirmed the tumor was a malignant melanoma. When treating common lesions of the lumbar spinal cord with a benign appearance, surgeons should be aware of the potential for malignant tumors.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Melanoma ; diagnosis ; Spinal Cord Neoplasms ; diagnosis

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) levels and the severity of coronary atherosclerosis.

METHODSFasting plasma ox-LDL was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and plasma LDL was measured by biochemical autoanalyser in 31 patients with coronary artery spasm (CAS group, chest pain with positive acetylcholine provocation test but without significant coronary artery stenosis), 35 patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP group) and 24 healthy persons (control group).

RESULTSPlasma LDL levels were similar between CAS and SAP groups but significantly higher than that in control group. Plasma ox-LDL levels significantly increased in proportion to coronary lesion severities [SAP (575 +/- 219 microg/L) > CAS (299 +/- 117 microg/L) > control (218 +/- 35 microg/L)]. In SAP group, plasma ox-LDL level was also significantly higher in multi-vessel disease group than that in single-vessel disease group (672 +/- 92 vs. 462 +/- 72 microg/L, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPlasma ox-LDL but not LDL level is significantly correlated to the severity of coronary atherosclerosis and should therefore be the focused therapy target in patients with coronary artery disease.

Adult ; Aged ; Angina Pectoris ; blood ; classification ; Coronary Vasospasm ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged

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%.

OBJECTIVETo observe effect of porcine relaxin(pRLX) on NO production of human microvascular endothelial cells(HMVECs) and discuss its possible mechanism.

METHODSiNOS and cNOS expression of HMVECs with or without pRLX were detected using western blotting. NO production of HMVECs with pRLX at different concentration or different time were determined by method of Griess. NO production of pRLX of HMVECs plus Non-selective NOS inhibitor NG-monomethyl-L-arginine(L-NMMA), selective iNOS inhibitor aminoguanidine(AG) or nuclear factors-kappaB (NF-kappaB) inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate(PDTC) were also analysed.

RESULTSpRLX promoted iNOS protein expression of HMVECs, but not cNOS protein expression. NO production of HMVECs was promoted by pRLX on concentration-dependent pattern instead of time-dependent one. AG, L-NMMA and PDTC were showed to block the effect of pRLX on NO production of HMVECs.

CONCLUSIONpRLX promote iNOS expression and NO production of HMVECs.

Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lung ; blood supply ; Nitric Oxide ; biosynthesis ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; biosynthesis ; Relaxin ; pharmacology ; Swine ; Time Factors

To investigate the influence of HIF-1alpha overexpression on the differentiation of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) ex vivo, EPCs were isolated from human peripheral blood by density gradient centrifugation, overexpressed HIF-1alpha was transfected to EPCs by electroporation; HIF1alpha, HIF1beta, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA level were measured with RT-PCR; HIF-1alpha protein was detected with immunohistochemistry in a time course. CD31(+) cells were measured with flow cytometry. Cell morphology was observed after transfection. The results showed that the transfection efficiency of HIF-1alpha to EPCs was about 20%. HIF-1alpha and its controlled target gene VEGF were markedly induced by HIF-1alpha vector (P < 0.05). HIF1beta had its same level as it before interference (P > 0.05). HIF-1alpha protein was induced by HIF-1alpha transfection after 12 hours but was undetectable at 24 hours. After 7 - 14 days cultured in 21% oxygen pressure, fluorescence-trace experiments revealed that CD31 + EPCs/EC could be generated more efficiently from overexpressed HIF-1alpha than that from pEGFP transfected group (P > 0.05). EPC morphology was observed by light microscopy. HIF-1alpha-transfected cells under normoxia sprouted more rapidly from the EPC colonies than the untransfected cells or cells transfected with an GFP vector, which essentially maintained the original colony formation. HIF-1alpha transfected cells took on an array-like arrangement rather than random dispersal, suggesting that they were in an advanced state of differentiation. It is concluded that the utility of overexpression of HIF-1alpha can induce target genes which have influence on cell differentiation. HIF-1alpha transfection was found to give a prospected way to do the insight research on ischemic treatment in vivo.
Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Plasmids ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; Transfection ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVEThe study was to investigate the impact of cord blood CD(3)AK cell culture supernatant (CS) on proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of HL-60 cells.

METHODSHL-60 cells were treated with different concentrations of CS (10%, 15%, 20%) for 3 days, 6 days and 9 days, and the same cells of control group were not treated with CS. The growth of induced cells was assessed with Trypan blue staining and cell counting with cytometer. The differentiation marker CD(11b) on the cell surface and cell-cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM), cell morphology (Wright-Giemsa staining) and NBT test to determine the extent of differentiation. Meanwhile, the changes of the apoptosis of the cells induced by 20% CS at different time points (3, 6 and 9 days) were analyzed by TUNNEL-POD, and the apoptotic characteristics of cells were observed.

RESULTSThe growth of HL-60 cell was inhibited as CS-inducing time and the dose of CS increased. At the same time, but HL-60 cell number in G(0)/G(1) phase of cell-cycle increased, but HL-60 cell number in S phase decreased compared with untreated group. The HL-60 cells induced by 20% CS for 9 days showed that (52.7 +/- 1.8)% of cells were at G(0)+G(1) phase and (43.8 +/- 1.1)% were at S phase (P < 0.05), which demonstrated that HL-60 cells induced by 20% CS underwent G(0)/G(1) phase cell-cycle arrest. The volume of the differentiated cells was enlarged gradually as CS-inducing time prolonged. After 3 days the differentiating cells began to express differentiating marker CD(11b) on the cell surface and the nuclei morphology of the differentiated cells was also changed and NBT-stained cells increased in number with the increased dose of CS increased. Three days after induction by 20% CS, the induced cells began to show signs of apoptosis and the apoptotic percentage of induced cells gradually increased with CS-induction time. The rate of apoptosis of cells was (33.3 +/- 2.3)% at 9 days (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONCS could not only inhibit the growth of HL-60 cells but also induce the differentiation and apoptosis in HL-60 cells.

Apoptosis ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Culture Media ; chemistry ; Fetal Blood ; chemistry ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans

AIMTo study the relationship of neurotoxicity of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) and the function of glutamate transporter.

METHODSUsing in vivo microdialysis together with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to detect the alteration of glutamate in the striatum and extracellular fluid of the PC12 cell. The rate of apoptosis and the activity of PC12 cells are read in a flow cytometer and a photometer for enzyme-labeled assays. The function of glutamate transporter is decided by detecting the ability of L-[3H]-glutamate uptake.

RESULTS6-OHDA was shown to induce apoptosis and decrease the activity of PC12 cells. Increased release of glutamate was also found in PC12 cells and the injured striatum of the PD rats. But glutamate uptake in PC12 cells and rat striatum synaptosomes are inhibited obviously.

CONCLUSIONThe neurotoxicity of 6-hydroxydopamine is associated with declined function of glutamate transporters, which may be one important pathogenesis mechanisms of Parkinson's disease.

Amino Acid Transport System X-AG ; drug effects ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Corpus Striatum ; metabolism ; Glutamic Acid ; metabolism ; Male ; Oxidopamine ; toxicity ; PC12 Cells ; Parkinson Disease ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley