Photosynthetic bacteria(PSB) showed great promise in biohydrogen production. Chromatium vinosum was able to utilize the fermentation waste of Klebsiella oxytoca for both photo-fermentative and dark-fermentative hydrogen production. The content of residual sugars and main organic acids decreased obviously after hydrogen production by C.vinosum. The maximal hydrogen production of C.vinosum was obtained at pH 6.5 adding extra 0.1%(W/W) NH_4Cl. Under photo-fermentative conditions, the content of butyric acid decreased by 54.38%, and the maximal hydrogen yield was 36.97 mL/mg cell. Under dark-fermentative conditions, the content of butyric acid decreased by 36.1% and the maximal hydrogen production was achieved as 37.50 mL/mg cell.

By using the Medical Case Inquiry System and registries of infant's birth,the number of women with gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM)and the total number of women delivering in the First and Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University,Chongqing Xinqiao Hospital,and Chongqing Health Center For Women and Children from 2005 to 2009 were obtained.The data of 540 pregnant women with GDM were further analyzed.From 2005 to 2009,the incidence of GDM increased from 2.29% to 3.81 %(P<0.05).The diagnosis of GDM was made earlier by 28.0 weeks in 2009 compared with 31.3 weeks in 2005(P<0.05).Body mass index during GDM diagnosis manifested a growing trend(25.6-28.1 kg/m2),but no significance(P>0.05).From 2005 to 2009,the other related factors,including the average maternal age,the constituent ratio of women with advanced maternal age,pregnancy history,delivery history,and family history of diabetes showed insignificant changes(P>0.05).

Hydrogenases are enzymes that catalyse the oxidation of hydrogen and the reduction of protons. It plays an important role in the process of biohydrogen production. According to the metal atoms within hydrogenase, it can be classified as NiFe-hydrogenase, Fe-hydrogenase and metal-free hydrogenase. The overwhelming majority of hydrogenases are metalloenzymes. The metal atoms are involved in the forming of active site and [Fe-S] clusters. The active site directly catalyzes the reduction of protons and the oxidation of hydrogen. The [Fe-S] clusters are involved in the transport of electrons between the H2-activating site and the redox partners of hydrogenase. Presently, the crystal structures of NiFe-hydrogenase and Fe-hydrogenase from a few kinds of microorganism have been revealed. The metal-free hydrogenase, characterized by the absence of [Fe-S] cluster and the presence of an iron-containing cofactor, shows a great diversity comparing with those of NiFe-hydrogenases and Fe-hydrogenases. Recent progress have also indicated the mechanisms of activation.
Catalysis ; Catalytic Domain ; Hydrogenase ; metabolism ; Iron-Sulfur Proteins ; metabolism ; Oxidation-Reduction

Two hydrogen-producing bacterial strains were newly isolated and identified as Enterobacter sp. Z-16 and Clostridium sp. C-32 by 16S rDNA sequence analysis. Various parameters for hydrogen production, including substrates, initial pH and temperature, have been studied. The optimum condition for hydrogen production of strain Z-16 were achieved as: initial pH7.0, temperature 35 degrees C , sucrose as the favorite substrate. In comparison, The optimum condition for hydrogen production of strain C-32 were obtained as: initial pH8.0, temperature 35 degrees C , maltose as the favorite substrate . Under batch fermentative hydrogen production conditions, the maximal hydrogen conversion rate for strain Z-16 and strain C-32 were 2.68 mol H2/mol sucrose and 2.71mol H2/mol maltose, respectively. Using glucose as substrate, the hydrogen conversion rate of strain Z-16 and strain C-32 were 2.35 and 2.48 mol H2/mol glucose, respectively. This research suggest a good application potential of strain Z-16 and C-32 in the future biological hydrogen production.
Clostridium ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Enterobacter ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Fermentation ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Hydrogen ; metabolism ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Maltose ; metabolism ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S ; genetics ; Species Specificity ; Sucrose ; metabolism ; Temperature

Animals ; Fatty Liver, Alcoholic ; metabolism ; Liver ; metabolism ; Male ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; pharmacology ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

Objective To explore the influence of Xihuang Pill on the levels of hormones and receptors in hypothalamus -pituitary-ovary axis and the index of ovary and uterus organs in rats .Methods Wistar female non-pregnant rats were randomly divided into 5 groups ( n =10 in each group):blank group,control group and medium,high and low dose experi-mental groups.Each rat in the control group was given 1.8 mg· kg-1· d-1 tamoxifen;and each rat in the high , middle and low dose experimental groups was given 2.16,1.08 and 0.54 g· kg -1· d-1Xihuang Pill for gastric perfusion,and the blank group was given distilled water with equal volume.The serum levels of gonadotropin -releasing hormone ( GnRH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinzing hormone (LH),estra-diol(E2),progesterone were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.The expression of follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) and luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) in ova-ries were detected by Western blot.Results GnRH in blank group,control group and high,middle and low dose ex-perimental groups were ( 14.99 ±2.33 ), ( 14.63 ±3.39 ), ( 11.90 ±1.11 ), ( 5.55 ±1.05 ), ( 14.82 ±1.47 ) ng· L-1,respectively;comparison between high ,middle dose experimental groups and blank group ,the difference was significant ( all P ＜0.01 ) .E2in the 5 groups were ( 16.84 ±4.20 ), ( 9.10 ±4.76 ), ( 13.38 ±2.12 ), (13.45 ±4.14),(16.32 ±4.23) ng· L-1,respectively;comparison between control group and blank group ,the di-fference was significant ( P ＜0.01 ) .Progesterone in the 5 groups were ( 164.46 ±14.90 ), ( 189.99 ±23.35 ), (187.12 ±17.23),(196.25 ±15.87),(173.26 ±14.07) pmol· L-1,respectively;comparison between control group and high,middle dose experimental groups with blank group ,the difference was significant ( P＜0.05 or P＜0.01 ). Conclusion Xihuang Pill can reduce the contents of GnRH and E 2in serum of rats and increase the content of progesterone,which indicates that Xihuang Pill can have an influence on hypothalamic -pituitary-ovarian axis related hormones.

OBJECTIVETo analyse the male reproductive toxicity of carbaryl.

METHODSThirty-one male carbaryl exposure workers and 46 male administrators in the office in a pesticide factory were selected as the exposure group and internal control group respectively, and 22 male administrators in a center for disease control and prevention were served as the external control group. In order to evaluate the exposure levels, the concentrations of carbaryl, methyl isocyanate, ammonia and phenol in the ambient air of the work place in these three groups were monitored simultaneously for three consecutive days. Moreover, three workers in the exposure group and the external control group were selected to evaluate the amount of carbaryl of individual and dermal contamination for three consecutive days. After the semen were collected according to the standard method, the workers'semen qualities were analysed with WHO method, the sperm morphology and the sperm motility were evaluated using micro-cell slide spectrum technology and computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA) respectively.

RESULTSIn the exposure group, the concentrations of carbaryl and phenol (52.41 mg/m(3) and 0.08 mg/m(3) respectively) were significantly higher than those in the internal and external control group (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). Furthermore, in the carbaryl exposure area the geometric mean concentration of carbaryl with the individual sampling was 7.38 mg/m(3), and the geometric mean of dermal contamination detected in the carbaryl exposure area was 862.47 mg/m(2). Carbaryl was not found in the external control area (P < 0.01). The seminal volume [(2.39 +/- 1.44) ml] and the sperm motility [(1.77 +/- 0.61) grade] were significantly lower than those in the external control group (P < 0.05), and sperm motion parameters such as linearity (LIN, 39.89% +/- 6.00%), straightness (STR, 71.51% +/- 11.22%), straight line velocity [VSL, (26.29 +/- 7.84) microm/s] and beat cross frequency [BCF, (3.99 +/- 1.55) Hz] were lower than those in the internal and external control group (P < 0.05), while the abnormal rates of viscidity, sperm motility and total aberration rate were higher than those in the external control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONOccupational exposure to carbaryl production can affect the workers'sperm and semen quality to certain extent.

Adult ; Carbaryl ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Insecticides ; adverse effects ; Male ; Occupational Exposure ; Semen ; drug effects ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects ; Spermatozoa ; abnormalities ; drug effects

OBJECTIVESTo study the effects of fenvalerate exposure on the semen quality of occupational workers in order to find out the early effective biomarkers.

METHODSThirty-two male workers who exposed to fenvalerate and 46 male administrators in the office in a pesticide factory were selected as the exposure group and internal control group, respectively, and 22 male administrators in a center for disease control were served as the external control group. In order to evaluate the exposed levels, the concentration of fenvalerate, toluene and xylene in the ambient air of working place in these three groups were monitored simultaneously for three consecutive days. After the semen were collected according to the standard method, the workers' semen qualities were analysed with University of California at Davis (UCDavis) method and the sperm motility were evaluated using computer assisted sperm analysis(CASA).

RESULTSIn the exposure group, the concentrations of fenvalerate were significantly higher than those in the internal and external control group (P < 0.01), while no significant difference of the concentration on toluene or xylene was found (P > 0.05). Sperm motion parameters in the exposure group such as linearity(LIN), straightness(STR), and the sperm count were decreased significantly, and the abnormality rate of viscidity, coagulation and sperm count were increased significantly as compared with the internal and the external control groups(P < 0.05). Furthermore, the sperm progression and beat cross frequency (BCF) in the exposure group were also lower significantly than those in the external control group(P < 0.05), while the abnormality rate of sperm progression was increased significantly.

CONCLUSIONSIn such a low concentration, occupational exposure to fenvalerate can affect workers' semen quality, especially the sperm count and sperm movement ability.

Adult ; Humans ; Insecticides ; toxicity ; Male ; Nitriles ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; Pyrethrins ; toxicity ; Semen ; drug effects ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo establish the role of psychological factors in the etiology and symptomatology of chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), analyze the influence of the psychological obstacles and other relative factors on the prognosis of CP/CPPS by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, and provide a scientific basis for psychotherapy of the problem.

METHODSA total of 291 CP/CPPS patients and 100 normal controls were investigated in age, education, occupation, character, disease course, NIH chronic prostatitis syndrome index (NIH-CPSI) and leukocyte count in EPS and by self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) to establish the psychological factors related with CP/CPPS. Then, all the CP/CPPS patients were treated with the same method and followed up for 6 weeks. Based on the therapeutic results, the influence of psychological and other relative factors on the prognosis of CP/CPPS was analyzed with univariate and multivariate Cox regression.

RESULTSAll together 258 valid questionnaires were collected from the patients and 87 from the normal controls. Of the 258 CP/CPPS patients, the mean scores on SAS and SDS were 42.8 +/- 11.43 and 48.15 +/- 11.49 respectively, both significantly higher than those of the controls (32.12 +/- 9.68 and 35.12 +/- 10.81) (P < 0.01). The rates of anxiety, depression and anxiety and/or depression in the CP/CPPS group were 25.97, 21.71 and 34.50 % respectively, all significantly higher than in the control group (P < 0.01). The rate of introversion was significantly higher while that of extroversion significantly lower in the former than in the latter (P < 0.01). The total effectiveness rate of treatment was 70.54 % in the CP/CPPS patients. Univariate and multivariate analyses with Cox regression revealed that anxiety, depression and disease course were the definite factors that negatively affected the prognosis of CP/CPPS, while the other factors, such as age, CPSI, character and leukocyte count in EPS had no influence.

CONCLUSIONSuch psychological obstacles as anxiety and depression play an important role in the pathogenesis, development and prognosis of CP/CPPS. In the treatment of CP/ CPPS, importance should be attached to the patients'psychological status and proper psychological intervention is sometimes necessary.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Anxiety ; etiology ; psychology ; Chronic Disease ; Depression ; etiology ; psychology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pelvic Pain ; etiology ; psychology ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Prostatitis ; complications ; psychology ; Regression Analysis ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Syndrome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects and apoptosis of intrathecal injection of Methylprednisolone Sodium Succinate (MPss) for acute spinal cord injury (SCI) in New Zealand rabbits.

METHODSSeventy-two healthy New Zealand rabbits were used for the procedure and were randomly divided into two groups: SCI group and SHAM group, which was both divided into 6 subgroups, such as the vehicle group, the MPss intrathecal injection groups (1.5 mg/kg, 3.0 mg/kg, 6.0 mg/kg group), the MPss intravenous injection group and the combined injection group. TARLOV score was tested daily to evaluate the motor function. The rabbits were sacrificed 7 days after the surgery and the thoracic spinal cord sections and the sacral sections where MPss was injected were harvested for HE and TUNEL staining. Two-Factors Repeated Measures analysis of variance for TARLOV scores tested at various times and One-Way ANOVA analysis of variance for data between groups were used.

RESULTSeven days after surgery in SCI group, there was no statistical difference between the TARLOV scores of intrathecal injection of MPss 3.0 mg/kg group, 6.0 mg/kg group and MPss intravenous injection group (P > 0.05), which were all better than the vehicle group (F = 4.762, P < 0.05). Referring to the lymphocyte infiltration at the injury site in SCI group, there was statistical difference between MPss intrathecal injection 6.0 mg/kg group (1.33 ± 0.21) and the vehicle group (2.67 ± 0.21) (F = 5.793, P < 0.05) and no statistical difference between intrathecal injection of MPss 6.0 mg/kg group and MPss intravenous injection group (P > 0.05). As for the lymphocyte infiltration at the intrathecal injection site in SHAM group, there was statistical difference between MPss intrathecal injection 6.0 mg/kg group (2.50 ± 0.55) and the vehicle group (0.50 ± 0.55) (F = 17.333, P < 0.05). TUNEL staining in SCI group showed statistical difference between MPss intrathecal injection 6.0 mg/kg group (6.3 ± 1.5) and the vehicle group (20.3 ± 2.2) (F = 71.279, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSIntrathecal injection of MPss can improve the functional recovery of lower limb and decrease apoptosis of neuron cells,which can provide same effects as the traditional intravenous injection of MPss in New Zealand rabbits.

Acute Disease ; Analysis of Variance ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Injections, Spinal ; Male ; Methylprednisolone Hemisuccinate ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Rabbits ; Recovery of Function ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; drug therapy