In order to discover the steroid biotransformation ability of filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger TCCC41650, we studied the fermentation of 4-androstene-3,17-dione with A. niger TCCC41650. The transformation product was purified, crystallized and determined as 16β-hydroxy-androst-4-ene-3,17-dione by X-ray single crystal diffraction method. The best fermentation condition was found to be pH 6.0, ethanol amount 2% with a substrate concentration of 1 per thousand, the transformation rate is 85.81% after 72 h. Based on the best of our knowledge, 16β-hydroxylation rarely occurs in microbial transformations of steroid. This study laid the foundation for the research of 16β-hydroxylation steroids
Androstenedione ; metabolism ; Aspergillus niger ; metabolism ; Biotransformation ; Fermentation ; Hydroxylation ; Industrial Microbiology

ObjectiveTo elucidate the clinical characteristics and the outcome of SARS in elderly pat ients. Methods Clinical data of 66 elderly patients(≥60 years) with SARS were analysed and compared with that of 238 younger adult SARS patients(18-59 years) in the sa me period. Results Sixty-six out of 304 patients(21 7%) with SARS were more than 60 years. Th e mortality rate of SARS in elderly patients was 22 7%. Underlying disease,lon ger course of disease,dyspneic respiration,severe type of SARS,and higher mor tality were more prevalent in elderly patients than those in the younger adult S ARS patients(P

colon cancer and to find out treatment and prevention by using different gene changes.

Objective To observe the effects of Three-in-one Acupuncture on hemiplegia after ischemic stroke. Methods 146 patients with hemiplegia after ischemic stroke were randomly allocated into trial group (n=73) and control group (n=73). The trial group accepted Three-in-one Acupuncture, while the control group accepted rehabilitation, for 4 weeks. They were assessed with Neurological Deficit Score (NDS), Functional Comprehensive Assessment (FCA) and Barthel Index (BI) before and 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after treatment. They were followed up for a year. Results The NDS decreased since 7 days after treatment in the trial group (P<0.05), while it decreased since 21 days in the control group (P<0.05). The NDS was less in the trial group than in the control group 7 and 14 days after treatment (P<0.05). The FCA score increased since 21 days after treatment in both groups, and the BI score increased since 14 days after treatment in both groups (P< 0.05). There was no significant difference between the trial group and the control group (P>0.05). The rate of improvement was 87.9% in the trial group, similar with 84.1% in the control group (P>0.05). The recurrence rate was 11.54% in the trial group, less than 25.49% in the control group in a year (P<0.05). Conclusion Three-in-one Acupuncture is as effective as rehabilitation on hemiplegia after ischemic stroke, more quickly and with less recurrence.

BACKGROUND:Biliary stricture following liver transplantation is mainly focus on biliary stoma stricture; while, balloon dilatation temporarily keeps biliary tract open but not works out a solution at all.OBJECTIVE: To discuss the diagnosis and treatment of postoperative biliary stricture after orthotopie liver transplantation by the endoscope technique.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: A case analysis, which was performed at Dalian Liver and Gall Surgical Institute. Ten patients hospitalized from the Department of Liver and Gall Surgery of Dalian Friendship Hospital and four patients hospitalized from the Department of Organ Transplantation of Tianjin First Central Hospital were diagnosed as biliary stricture after orthotopic liver transplantation.PARTICIPANTS: Among 14 patients, 10 males and 4 females with mean age of 46 years provided end-to-end biliary anastomose.METHODS: Fourteen cases of postoperative biliary stricture after orthotopic liver transplantation were analyzed and diagnosed by endoscope technique. And by endoscope technique, the stricture was supported with tube after balloon dilatation.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Bile duct mucous membrane under T-tube radiography and endoscope; calculary distribution and bile duct mucous membrane at stoma; healing of biliary stoma of donors and recipients; inflammatory edema and stricture; recheck of above-mentioned parameters after stricture expansion by endoscopic stone extraction technique.RESULTS: Thirteen cases of postoperative biliary stricture after orthotopic liver transplantation were analyzed and diagnosed by endoscope technique, including one was induced by calculus, and one non-stoma stricture. One case was treated with balloon dilation; biliary infection and jaundice occurred in 2 cases after endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) + basket lithotripsy + endoscopic nasobiliary drainage (ENBD), so operations or fibrocholedochoscope treatments had to be carried out. By T tube radiography, in 1 case there was strip-like negative simulacrum or no stricture, well-healed anastomosis and good mucous membranel transition; poor or no intrahepatic visualization were found in 2 cases, so anastomosis dilation was processed after the calculi removal by fibrocholedochoscope, stricture disappeared in 3 or 4 months; in 8 cases there were blur extrahepatic or intrahepatic biliary visualization, cord-like, column or branch-like negative simulacrum in biliary ducts and sign of non-anastomosis stricture, after removal of calculi, anastomosis stricture and congestion, edema were found, all these disappeared after average 2.5 months of dilation; the other 1 case was found stricture by T the radiography, but no calculi was found with fibrocholedochoscope, finally the Ttube was removed after 2 months of stricture dilation.CONCLUSION: Endoscopy is significant to directly reflect and reliably diagnose postoperative biliary stricture and effectively treat biliary stricture by anastomosis dilation.

OBJECTIVEBecause maternal epidermal growth factor (EGF) may be an adaptive response to accelerate growth and maturation in premature infants, we compared the EGF content in fresh cow's milk and cow's milk-based infant formulas with full and preterm mother's milk.

METHODSEGF content of 57 human colostrum from mothers delivering prematurely and at term, 4 different fresh cow's milk and 8 different cow's milk-based infant formulas was determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA).

RESULTSHuman milk from mothers of premature infants had a higher EGF content compared to that from mothers of term infants (28.2 +/- 10.3 nmol/L vs. 17.3 +/- 9.6 nmol/L). EGF content in human milk negatively correlated with gestational age and birth weight of neonates. EGF content in fresh cow's milk (13.8 - 18.2 nmol/L) was similar to that in human term milk. EGF levels in non-hydrolyzed protein formulas were much lower (5.6 - 8.6 nmol/L), and were undetectable in hydrolyzed protein formulas.

CONCLUSIONThe high EGF content in premature milk may represent a maternal compensatory mechanism to accelerate the growth and development of immature infants. Feeding infants with breast milk from their own mother should be advocated since there is lack of EGF in cow's milk-based infant formulas.

Animals ; Cattle ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Food ; analysis ; Milk ; chemistry ; Milk, Human ; chemistry

Bariatric surgery is effective on obesity, which can significantly improve the metabolic diseases of obesity patients, especially the type 2 diabetes. However, the surgical proce-dures of bariatric and metabolic surgery are still evolving and in progress. One anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) is the latest bariatric surgery recognized by the international bariatric and metabolic surgery community. The authors review the relevant literatures at home and abroad, and introduce the development history, surgical skills, clinical efficacy, status quo and adaptability of OAGB.

Objective To investigate the changes and related factors of maternal thyroid autoantibodies during early pregnancy. Methods Urinary iodine concentration( UIC) , serum thyroid stimulating hormone( TSH) , free thyroxine ( FT4 ) , thyroid-peroxidase antibody ( TPOAb ) , thyroglobulin antibody ( TgAb ) concentrations were determined in 7 190 women during early pregnancy in an iodine-sufficient region of China. Results The prevalence of TPOAb positivity and TgAb positivity were 8. 7% and 12. 0% respectively. The prevalence of overt hypothyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism increased significantly in group of thyroid antibody positivity. The prevalence of TPOAb positivity and TgAb positivity presented a U-shaped curve, ranging from mild iodine deficiency to iodine excess, especially increased significantly in the group with UIC<100 μg/L. Conclusion Prevalence of thyroid antibodies positivity became higher during early pregnancy. The positive thyroid autoantibodies during pregnancy were significantly associated with maternal hypothyroidism. Both iodine excess and iodine deficiency are risk factors of positive thyroid antibodies.

Objective: To investigate the vitamin A nutritional status of 6- to 17-year-old urban children and adolescents by analyzing serum retinol level, between 2010 and 2012 in China. Methods: Data were obtained from the China Nutrition and Health Survey in 2010-2012. Using multi-stage stratified sampling and the population proportional stratified random sampling method, 6 617 children aged 6-17 years from 32 metropolis and 41 middle-sized and small cities of China were selected. The questionnaire survey was used to collect demographic information. Blood samples were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography to determine serum retinol concentration, and the World Health Organization guidelines were used to evaluate the nutritional status of vitamin A. Vitamin A levels, vitamin A deficiency, and marginal vitamin A deficiency in children with different characteristics were compared. Results: A total of 3 785 cases with valid samples were obtained. The overall mean serum retinol concentration level was (1.49±0.71) μmol/L; the mean serum retinol concentration was (1.55±0.69) μmol/L for metropolis and (1.49±0.75) μmol/L for middle-sized and small cities (P>0.05). The mean serum retinol concentration was (1.52±0.78) μmol/L for boys and (1.47±0.68) μmol/L for girls (P>0.05). The mean serum retinol concentration level was (1.46±0.70) μmol/L for 6- to 11-year-old children and (1.54±0.65) μmol/L for 12- to 17-year-old children (P<0.05). The total vitamin A deficiency rate and marginal vitamin A deficiency rate was 7.69% (291/3 785) and 18.57% (703/3 785), respectively. The vitamin A deficiency rate was 8.00% (36/450) for metropolis and 7.64% (65/3 335) for middle-sized and small cities; 8.12% (155/1 908) for boys and 7.25% (136/1 877) for girls; and 8.04% (171/2 115) for 6- to 11-year-old children and 7.18% (120/1 670) for 12- to 17-year-old children. No significant differences were observed for region, sex, or age (P>0.05). The marginal vitamin A deficiency rate was 19.11% (86/450) for metropolis and 18.50% (617/3 335) for middle-sized and small cities; 18.19% (347/1 908) for boys and 18.97% (356/1 877) for girls, with no significant differences observed (P>0.05). The marginal vitamin A deficiency rate was 16.54% (350/2 115) for 6- to 11-year-old children and 21.13% (353/1 670) for 12- to 17-year-old children (P<0.05). Conclusion The vitamin A nutritional status of 6- to 17-year-old Chinese urban children and adolescents between 2010 and 2012 has improved, and the gap between cities is narrowing. However, vitamin A deficiency overall remains high, especially in younger children, and requires specific attention.

Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for patients with severe obesity, which can significantly improve the metabolic disorders, especially type 2 diabetes mellitus. Bariatric and metabolic surgery is the latest and fastest-growing branch of surgery, with the types of procedure and other novel treatment modalities are still evolving and in progress. The authors summarize the recent advancement related to novel bariatric and metabolic surgery in the treat-ment of morbid obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus in recent years through literature search, which can be divided into the following three parts: (1) novel surgical procedures and new guideline of indication. Sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass are the most performed bariatric surgery. Duodenal switch or the variant of one anastomosis duodenal ileostomy are also accredited procedures but been less performed. One anastomosis gastric bypass is the most recently accredited bariatric surgical procedures with better safety profile and weight loss efficacy than most of the procedures. For other novel procedures, bipartition procedure may be the next accredited proce-dure. A new worldwide guideline is recently launched and the indication for bariatric surgery is lowered BMI 27.5 kg/m 2 for Asian. (2) The effect and mechanism of bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery can significantly reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease and mortality in obese patients. The main beneficiary group is patients with diabetes mellitus. Along with the recent basic research and the success of new gut hormone related drugs, the mechanism of bariatric surgery can be mostly attributed to gut hormonal effect, however, gastric volume still play an important role. (3) Novel obesity treatment modalities. Endoscopic obesity treatment has a major progress in the success of endoscopic gastroplasty by endoscopic suturing designs. More noteworthy is the development of new intestinal hormone drug therapy, which can achieve a weight loss of 14% in one year by injec-ting once a week glucagon-like peptide-1 preparation, and then combining two or three intestinal hormone drugs can achieve a weight loss of 24% in one year, which is close to the effectiveness of bariatric surgery. Pharmacologic treatment of obesity is very promising and expected. With the increasing severity of obesity and diabetes mellitus in the world, in addition to the explosive develo-pment of bariatric and metabolic surgery in recent years, many new surgical methods and new treatments, especially new and effective intestinal hormone related therapeutic drugs, have been developed. The success of bariatric and metabolic surgery depends on a multidisciplinary team with rich clinical experience: precise preoperative planning and comprehensive postoperative manage-ment, as well as patient understanding and cooperation, in order to achieve the best results.