Objective To investigate the localization of Smad2, Smad3, Smad4, and Smad7 proteins and their expression changes in the 5/6 subtotally nephrectomized rat kidney. Methods The rat model of chronic renal failure was established by performing 5/6 subtotally nephrectomy (SNx) and rats in the control group underwent sham-operation. The rats were sacrificed at 4, 8, and 12 week after operation. The sites and levels of expressions of Smad2, Smad3, Smad4, and Smad7 proteins were examined by immunohistochemical staining. Renal fibrosis was assessed by measuring tissue hydroxyproline. Results Immunohistochemical staining indicated that Smad2, Smad3, and Smad4 proteins were mainly expressed in glomeruli and renal tubular cells, while Smad protein 7 was expressed in glomeruli, but rarely in proximal renal tubular cells. Expressions of Smad2, Smad3, and Smad4 proteins in glomeruli were significantly increased during 4-12 weeks after 5/6 nephrectomy, but the expression level of Smad protein 7 was significantly decreased, but accompanied increase of hydroxyproline content in the renal tissues. Conclusion These results indicate that TGF-?/Smad signaling is involved in the progress of chronic glomerulosclerosis. The high level expressions of Smad2, Smad3, and Smad4 proteins and the down-regulation of Smad7 protein may be the major cause of the glomerulosclerosis in this model.

Objective To investigate the effect of acute physiology and chronic health evaluationⅡ ( APACHEⅡ) scoring system on evaluating the severity and prognosis in severe acute pancreatitis(SAP). Methods The APACHEⅡ scores were analyzed in 52 patients with SAP. Results The mean APACHEⅡ score of SAP was 16.60?9.07(8～40), and there were significant differences between the scores not only in Grade SAPⅠand Grade SAPⅡ(?

1,3-propanediol is an important chemical used as building block for the synthesis of highly promising polyesters such as polytrimethylene terephthalate. A genetically modified Klebsiella pneumoniae LDH526 can use glycerol as sole carbon source and produce 1,3-propanediol with the titer above 90 g/L. A key factor affecting the production of 1,3-propanediol by the mutant K. pneumoniae is the accurate control of the feeding of glycerol. To generate a robust and reproducible fermentation process of 1,3-propanediol, we designed and optimized an automatically feeding strategy of glycerol based on fermentation kinetics. By coupling the substrate feeding rate with easily observed variables -pH and fermentation time, we have achieved self-starting glycerol feeding and dynamic control of the glycerol concentration during the fermentation process. This automated system allowed us to generate a reproducible, consistent and operator-independent process from lab-scale to production scale. The final concentration of 1,3-propanediol was above 95 g/L after 72 h.
Culture Media ; Fermentation ; Glycerol ; Industrial Microbiology ; methods ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; growth & development ; Propylene Glycol ; Propylene Glycols ; metabolism

Objective To examine the expression of BMP4 in CNS of the developing rat. Methods In situ hybridization histochemistry(ISHH) was carried out on tissue sections using specific digoxigenin\|labeled oligonucleotide probe. Results It showed that BMP4 mRNA positive cells were located mainly in cerebellum and olfactory at E16.Strong positive signal was seen in hypoglossal nucleus,and moderate signal also seen in spinocerebellar tract and spinal lemniscus at P1\|2.The number of BMP4 mRNA positive cells was increased in the frontal cortex,parietal cortex,and hippocampus subiculum at P1W.The peak of BMP4 expression was in cortex and periamydaloid cortex.Widely distributed BMP4 mRNA positive cells were detected in cortex and hippocampus of rats at P1M,strong positive signal was observed in temporal CNS at P3M,strong positive signal was observed in hippocampus,temporal corex and periamydaloid cortex,lateral nucleus of thalamus and paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus.BMP4 mRNA positive cells were also found in corex,hippocampus,hypothalamus and thalamus at P18M.Conclusion\ These results indicated that BMP4 could play an important role in CNS development of rats.

AIM:To prepare Wurenchun Dispersible Tablet(Fructus schisandrae Chinensis)and investigate the dissolution of it.METHODS:The optimal formulation of Wurenchun Dispersible Tablets was established by the single factor experiments.The dissolution of deoxyschisandrin from Wurenchun Dispersible Tablets was determined by HPLC.RESULTS:Wurenchun Dispersible Tablets prepared by the mixture of 50 g extraction and 125 g CaHPO_4 plus excipent(MCC∶CMS-Na 3∶1)could disintegrate and disperse well within 3 min in(20?1)℃ water.The dissolution of deoxyschisandrin from Wurenchun Dispersible Tablets was higher than 80% in 15 min.CONCLUSION:Wurenchun Dispersible Tablets were stable,dissolved fast and completely.The preparation could promote the dissolution of total lignans.

Background The assessment of total corneal power is essential to both the prediction of intraocular lens power before cataract surgery and the diagnosis of corneal ectasia.Objective This study was to access the repeatability of corneal power measurements in post-laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) eyes with GalileiⅡ dual Scheimpflug analyzer.Methods In this cross-sectional study,68 eyes of 36 subjects who received LASIK surgery more than 3 months in Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University were recruited from July to September in 2011.The mean preoperative spherical equivalent diopter was (-4.95±2.08) D in the subjects with the diopter range from-1.75 D to-10.00 D.The parameters of corneal power were measured by Galilei Ⅱ dual Scheimpflug analyzer,including SimK,Ka,Kp,KG and Kray.Three-time consecutive measurements were completed in every examined eye to obtain the data of SimK,Ka,Kp,KG and Kray,respectively.The coefficient of variation (CV),standard deviation (SD),Cronbach α coefficient and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) were calculated to evaluate the repeatability.Concordance between the different measurements was assessed using Bland-Altman agreement analysis.This study followed the Helsinki Declaration,all subjects signed informed consent.Results The CVs of three-time measured SimK,Ka,Kp,KG and Kray were 0.24％,0.28％,-0.37％,0.31％ and 0.32％,respectively,and the Cronbach α values were ＞0.9 and the ICCs were ＞0.982.The Bland-Altman analysis between different measurements showed that the maximum 95％ limits of agreement (LoA) were 0.37 D for SimK,0.46 D for Ka,0.09 D for Kp,0.45 D for KG and 0.49 D for Kray,respectively.Conclusions The Galilei Ⅱ dual Scheimpflug analyzer performed high repeatability and concordance on corneal power measurements in post-LASIK eyes.The differences between measuring results are clinically acceptable.

Patch-clamp is used to study all sorts of ionic channels and their regulations with measuring pA current of cell ionic channel, but the fast capacitance (C-fast) compensation and slow capacitance (C-slow) compensation transient currents are caused by measuring objects and measuring instruments themselves which will change the properties of action potentials. The present paper firstly discusses the C-Fast transient currents affecting membrane capacitance and membrane potential, and then draws a conclusion that the changes of membrane potential affect the properties of action potential through analyzing the changes of membrane potential in H-H model. Based on this conclusion, we discuss the influence mechanisms mainly through the analysis of traditional C-fast compensation errors, and focus discussion on the shape of electrode capacitance affecting C-fast. This method can not only improve the compensation speed greatly, but also improve the compensation precision from the electrode shape as much as possible.
Action Potentials ; Electric Capacitance ; Ion Channels ; physiology ; Membrane Potentials ; Neurons ; cytology ; Patch-Clamp Techniques

Objective To provide evidence for a more reasonable method of determining red bone marrow dose by analyzing and comparing existing simulation methods.Methods By utilizing Monte Carlo simulation software MCNPX,the absorbed doses of red hone marrow of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)adult female voxel phantom were calculated throush 4 different methods:direct energy deposition.dose response function(DRF),King-Spiers factor method and mass-energy absorption coefficient (MEAC).The radiation sources were defined as infinite plate.sources with the energy ranging from 20 keV to 10 MeV.and 23 sources with different energies were simulated in total.The source was placed right next to the front of the RPI model to achieve a homogeneous anteroposterior radiation scenario.The results of different simulated photon energy sources through different methods were compared.Results When the photon energy was lower than 100 key,the direct energy deposition method gave the highest result while the MEAC and King-Spiers factor methods showed more reasonable results.When the photon energy was higher than 150 keV taking into account of the higher absorption ability of red bone marrow at highcr photon energy,the result of the King-Spiers factor method was larger than those of other methods.Conclusions The King-Spiers factor method might be the most reasonable method to estimate the red bone marrow dose from external radiation.

Objective To study the calculation of the room shielding thickness of tomotherapy accelerator,a new type of radiotherapy facility,especially the impact of the beam block on the shielding design.Methods According to the relevant standards,combined with the room geometry,the shielding thickness was calculated without the presence of the beam block,considering the primary beam,the scattered beam and leakage.Meanwhile,the shielding thickness was also calculated as comparison with the presence of the beam block,based on the characteristics of tomotherapy facility and its radiation field.Results There was statistical difference between the shielding thicknesses calculated with the presence of the beam block and those without the beam block,to the primary beam direction including the south wall,north wall,the roof and the floor,the shielding thickness were decreased by 95.59%,63.63% ,80.73%and 51.30% ,respectively.Conclusions For the tomotherapy accelerator,the beam block could be of great help to minify the shielding thickness of the room.The radiation field of the tomotherapy facility could be used for the calculation to improve accuracy,and the shielding thickness can also be estimated by subtracting the initial shielding thickness without beam block of the beam block equivalent thickness in the primary beam direction alternatively.

A HPLC method for determination of limonin, evodiamine and rutaecarpine in Evodia rutaecarpa was optimized. The mobile phase was [acetonitrile-tetrahydrofuran (25: 15)] -0.02% H3 PO4 (35:65). The detection wavelength was 220 nm and the flow rate was 1.0 mL x min(-1). Limonin, evodiamine and rutaecarpine were all well separated from other substances and their UV spectrums were essentially the same to the standards . The liner ranges of limonin, evodiamine and rutaecarpine were 0.196 8-3.936, 0.153 6-3.072, 0.097 4-1.948 microg. The average recoveries were 97.8%, 100.7% and 98.4%. RSD were 1.7%, 1.3% and 1.1% (n = 6). The method of this article is accurate, reproducible and can be used to enhance the quality control of E. rutaecarpa.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Evodia ; chemistry ; Indole Alkaloids ; analysis ; Limonins ; analysis ; Plant Extracts ; analysis ; Quinazolines ; analysis