Three osmotolerant yeasts were isolated from three batches of "swollen can" soy sauce produced by a Guangdong condiment plant. These strains grew faster in the media containing 50%～60% glucose or 15% NaCl than in common yeast media. The three yeasts were identified as Pichia etchellsii by using morphological characteristics, physiological and biochemical tests.

In this study, the automatic segmentation of the irregular lesion region in the image of fundus fluorescence angiography was actualized by means of the modified Back Propagation (BP) neural network method. Combining the transfer scaling coefficient between pixel of the image and the actual size, the area of the irregular lesion region was measured. The results may provide valuable data for the clinical diagnosis, treatment and prognostic evaluation.
Algorithms ; Fluorescein Angiography ; methods ; Nerve Net ; Retinal Diseases ; diagnosis ; pathology

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this article is to examine the effect of curcumin on the proliferation and metastasis of human tongue squamous cell carcinoma and analyze its mechanism.

METHODSSCC-4 were treated with curcumin of 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 60, 100 micromol x L(-1) in 24 h. MTT assay, Matrigel invasion assay, flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy were used to examine the effect of curcumin on the growth and metastasis of SCC-4. cDNA microarray and RT-PCR were employed to analyze the expression of genes treated by curcumin.

RESULTSThe results showed that curcumin could concentration-dependently inhibit SCC-4 cell proliferation at the concentration range from 20 to 100 micromol x L(-1). Furthermore, Matrigel invasion assay indicated that curcumin can reduce SCC-4 cell invasion under the dosage of 20, 30, 60 micromol x L(-1). Flow cytometry also showed that curcumin can influence the distribution of cell cycle of SCC-4 cell with the dosage of 20, 30, 60 micromol x L(-1). And the dosage of 30 micromol x L(-1) curcumin could lead to the recruitment of alpha-tubulin. cDNA microarray showed that 87 genes were activated and 198 genes were inhibited with the effect of curcumin. These results were validated by the real time quantitative RT-PCR.

CONCLUSIONAccording to the results, it suggests that curcumin has the potential as the leading compound for anti-cancer proliferation and invasion in oral cancer treatment, and cdc27, EGFR substrate 15, PPAR-alpha and H2A histone may play an important role among this multiple anticancer-targeting ability.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Curcumin ; Humans ; Mouth Neoplasms

With regard to the large amount of calculation in image mosaic algorithm, an image mosaic algorithm based on extended phase correlation of edge is presented. The improved wavelet edge detection algorithm is to detect edge of blood vessels. Then the image translation, rotation and scale changes are calculated by the extended phase correlation method. These parameters are utilized to stitch images. Finally, image fusion can be achieved by fade-in-fade-out method. It is proved by experiments that this algorithm is simple to calculate, and can effectively achieve the image mosaic.
Algorithms ; Fundus Oculi ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; methods

3D Scaffolds with controlled porous structure were designed and fabricated by utilizing CAD and rapid prototyping techniques. A flow perfusion bioreactor, which allowed exposure of the culture cells to low levels of mechanical stimulation by fluid flow-induced shear stress, was developed in our lab. The scaffolds were pre-designed and the negative images of the designs were used to build the molds on a stereolithography (SL) apparatus with epoxy resins. Calcium phosphate cement paste was cast into the molds. And after pyrolysis, the 3D scaffolds with controlled internal pore architectures were obtained. Rabbit osteoblasts were seeded in 3D porous scaffolds, cultured in the flow perfusion bioreactor with media flow rate set at 2 mL/min and 6-well plates. At 3, 7, and 14 days, scanning microscopic evaluation showed excellent growth on the surface of scaffolds and poor viability of cells within microchannels in static cultures. In flow perfusion bioreactor, there was greater cellularity throughout the scaffolds and abundant deposition of extracellular matrix. Cells were also seen throughout the internal microchannels of scaffolds. These results represent that better mass transport of oxygen and nutrient occurred in the flow perfusion bioreactor and cells distribution in 3D porous scaffolds was improved.
Animals ; Bioreactors ; Cell Culture Techniques ; instrumentation ; methods ; Cell Division ; Cells, Cultured ; Osteoblasts ; cytology ; Porosity ; Rabbits ; Skull ; cytology ; Tissue Engineering ; methods ; Tissue Scaffolds

In recent years, mental disability estimation are more than ever in the practice of forensic psychiatric expertise. The standards about mental disability estimation in the Disability Evaluation Criteria of Traffic Accident Injury are ambiguous and difficult to operate, it cause to different understanding in one case. This article discuss some common questions through 3 aspects in mental disability expertise according to some typical cases, there are the first, we should compare the IQ score before and after injurious in intelligence estimate. The second, the mental disability estimation should be done at least one year after the end of medicine treatment. The third, mental estimate scale should be used in mental disability estimation.
Accidents, Traffic ; Adolescent ; Craniocerebral Trauma/psychology* ; Disability Evaluation ; Expert Testimony/standards* ; Female ; Forensic Psychiatry/legislation & jurisprudence* ; Humans ; Intelligence ; Male ; Persons with Mental Disabilities ; Wechsler Scales ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to summarize recent studies on nondopaminergic options for the treatment of motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD).

DATA SOURCESPapers in English published in PubMed, Cochrane, and Ovid Nursing databases between January 1988 and November 2016 were searched using the following keywords: PD, nondopaminergic therapy, adenosine, glutamatergic, adrenergic, serotoninergic, histaminic, and iron chelator. We also reviewed the ongoing clinical trials in the website of clinicaltrials.gov.

STUDY SELECTIONArticles related to the nondopaminergic treatment of motor symptoms in PD were selected for this review.

RESULTSPD is conventionally treated with dopamine replacement strategies, which are effective in the early stages of PD. Long-term use of levodopa could result in motor complications. Recent studies revealed that nondopaminergic systems such as adenosine, glutamatergic, adrenergic, serotoninergic, histaminic, and iron chelator pathways could include potential therapeutic targets for motor symptoms, including motor fluctuations, levodopa-induced dyskinesia, and gait disorders. Some nondopaminergic drugs, such as istradefylline and amantadine, are currently used clinically, while most such drugs are in preclinical testing stages. Transitioning of these agents into clinically beneficial strategies requires reliable evaluation since several agents have failed to show consistent results despite positive findings at the preclinical level.

CONCLUSIONSTargeting nondopaminergic transmission could improve some motor symptoms in PD, especially the discomfort of dyskinesia. Although nondopaminergic treatments show great potential in PD treatment as an adjunct therapy to levodopa, further investigation is required to ensure their success.

This study was purposed to investigate the ratio of Th17 cells and CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells in peripheral blood of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and to explore their roles in the pathogenesis and clinical diagnosis. Based on the number of peripheral lymphocytes and treatment condition, the CLL patients were divided into 2 groups: untreated group (n = 30) and remission group (n = 15), the healthy control group (n = 20) was set up as well. The frequencies of Th17 and Treg cells of all cases were detected by flow cytometry (FCM). The results showed that frequencies of CD3(+)CD4(+)T cells and Th17 cells were significantly higher in untreated group than that in healthy control group (P < 0.05), the frequencies of CD3(+)CD8(+)T cells and Treg cells were significantly lower in untreated group than that in healthy control group (P < 0.05), the ratio of Th17/Treg was significantly higher in untreated group than that in healthy control group (P < 0.05). The frequencies of Th17 were not statistically different between remission and healthy control groups, the frequencies of Treg cells were significantly lower in remission group than that in healthy control group (P < 0.05), the ratio of Th17/Treg was significantly higher in remission group than that in healthy control group (P < 0.05), frequencies of Th17 cells were markedly lower in remission group than that in untreated group (P < 0.05). It is concluded that Th17/Treg imbalance exists in patients with CLL, which may play a key role in pathogenesis and development of CLL.
Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell ; pathology ; Lymphocyte Count ; Male ; Middle Aged ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; cytology ; Th17 Cells ; cytology

Objective To develop a musculoskeletal multi-body dynamic model of the patient-specific total knee replacement (TKR), and to simulate knee joint biomechanical characters of the patient during right-turn gait. Methods Based on the musculoskeletal dynamic software AnyBody and the method of force-dependent kinematics as well as the related data from a patient with TKR, the corresponding patient specific lower extremity musculoskeletal multi-body dynamic model was constructed and then used to simulate the right-turn gait of the patient. The knee contact forces, motion, muscle activations and ligament forces were predicted simultaneously by inverse dynamics analysis on such right-turn gait. ResultsThe root mean square error of the predicted average tibiofemoral medial contact force and lateral contact force were 285 N and 164 N, respectively, and the correlation coefficients were 0.95 and 0.61, respectively. The predicted average patellar contact force was 250 N. The predicted contact forces and muscle activations were consistent with those in vivo measurements obtained from the patient. In addition, the model also predicted the average range of tibiofemoral rotations of flexion-extension, internal-external, varus-valgus as 3°-47°, -3.4°-1.5°, 0.2°--1.5°, and the average range of tibiofemoral translations of anterior-posterior, inferior-superior, medial-lateral as 2.6-9 mm, 1.6-3.2 mm, 4.2-5.2 mm, respectively. The predicted average peak value of the medial, lateral collateral ligament force and posterior cruciate ligament force were 190, 108, 108 N, respectively. Conclusions The developed model can predict in vivo knee joint biomechanics, which offers a robust computational platform for future study on the failure mechanisms of knee prosthesis in clinic.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the roles of inflammatory factors and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) signal pathway in metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

METHODSThe oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines with highly metastasis potential (Tb) and lower metastasis potential (Tca8113) were used in this study. The levels of NF-kappaB activity in oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines were determined by Western blotting and luciferase reporter assay. pBalphabe-IkappaBalpha-SR expression vector or NF-kappaB inhibitor pyrolidinedithiocarbamate (PDTC) was used to inhibit NF-kappaB, and cell migration was examined by transwell assay. The secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), IL-1alpha, IL-6, IL-8 and GM-CSF proinflammatory cytokines was determined by ELISA when Tb cells were transfected with pBalphabe-SR-IkappaBalpha or treated with PDTC.

RESULTSWestern blotting showed that the levels of phosphorIkappaBalpha and phosphor-p65 were highly expressed in Tb cells. Tb cells had high level of constitutive NF-kappaB activity and were more sensitive to TNF-alpha. The migration of highly metastatic Tb cells, either transfected with dominant-negative mutant inhibitor pBalphabe-SR-IkappaBalpha or treated with PDTC, was suppressed when determined by transwell assay. The secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, including TNF-alpha, IL-1alpha, IL-6, IL-8 and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), was inhibited by pBalphabe-SR-IkappaBalpha transfection or PDTC treatment.

CONCLUSIONSThe inflammatory factors such as TNF-alpha could promote oral squamous cell carcinoma cell metastasis via NF-kappaB signal pathway.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; metabolism ; Humans ; I-kappa B Proteins ; metabolism ; Interleukin-1alpha ; metabolism ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-8 ; metabolism ; NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; Proline ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Signal Transduction ; Thiocarbamates ; pharmacology ; Tongue Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Transcription Factor RelA ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism