The cis-epoxysuccinate hydrolase (CESH) from Rhizobium strain BK-20 is the key enzyme for L(+)-tartaric acid production. To establish a highly efficient and stable production process, we first optimized the enzyme production from Rhizobium strain BK-20, and then developed an immobilized cell-culture process for sustained production of L(+)-tartaric acid. The enzyme activity of free cells reached (3 498.0 +/- 142.6) U/g, and increased by 643% after optimization. The enzyme activity of immobilized cells reached (2 817.2 +/- 226.7) U/g, under the optimal condition with sodium alginate as carrier, cell concentration at 10% (W/V) and gel concentration at 1.5% (W/V). The immobilized cells preserved high enzyme activity and normal structure after 10 repeated batches. The conversion rate of the substrate was more than 98%, indicating its excellent production stability.
Alginates ; chemistry ; Cells, Immobilized ; Glucuronic Acid ; chemistry ; Hexuronic Acids ; chemistry ; Hydrolases ; metabolism ; Rhizobium ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Tartrates ; metabolism

Sphingolipids, especially ceramide and S1P, are structural components of biological membranes and bioactive molecules which participate in diverse cellular activities such as cell division, differentiation, gene expression and apoptosis. Emerging evidence demonstrates the role of sphingolipids in hepatocellular death, which contributes to the progression of several liver diseases including ischaemia-reperfusion liver injury, steatohepatitis or hepatocarcinogenesis. Furthermore, some data indicate that the accumulation of some sphingolipids contributes to the hepatic dysfunctions. Hence, understanding of sphingolipid may open up a novel therapeutic avenue to liver diseases. This review focuses on the progress in the sphingolipid metabolic pathway with a focus on hepatic diseases and drugs targeting the sphingolipid pathway.
Apoptosis ; Ceramides ; metabolism ; Fatty Liver ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Lysophospholipids ; metabolism ; Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Sphingolipids ; metabolism ; Sphingosine ; analogs & derivatives ; metabolism

Objective To design and develop a Information System for Medical Center of Clinical Audiology , (MCCAIS301 ) .Methods The system framework was established by developing software ,constructing user platform and creating database .An implication procedure was also established for clinical use for the MCCA IS301 .The MC-CAIS301 was connected with the Hospital Information System (HIS) in order to connect the equipment in the auditory clinical center and other clinical database system .Results The MCCAIS301 was a new database system for hospital in-formation management specifically designed for audiological tests .It provided an extra functions of the existing HIS system .The MCCAIS301 could store the testing results from more than ten different hearing instruments made from five different companies .The data from the MCCAIS301 could be transferred to the HIS system .The results of the MCCAIS301 could be retrieved and analyzed using the HIS system .MCCAIS301 system had nine sets of standardized hearing testing results ,five output formats and three statistical analyzing functions .Conclusion The MCCAIS301 is an effective information management system which has a strong practical use to improve the efficiency of daily audiology data analysis .The MCCAIS301 using digital technology moves the audiology data analysis from a manual low efficient stage to an effective and intelligent level .

Objective To analyze the current research focus of solid organ transplantation in order to provide information for Chinese clinicians and researchers for research direction and topic selection.Method By using bibliometric method,the Chinese Science Citation Database and Web of Science were thoroughly searched and highly cited papers concerning solid organ transplantation were summarized and analyzed from 2010 to 2013.With the year of publication,national and institutional distribution,source journals,column type,research content as indicators,all the keywords of high-frequency were analyzed via co-word analysis method in order to summarize the characteristics of hot research subject in the field of solid organ transplantation.Result From 2010 to 2013,top100 highly cited articles in Chinese had a preference for liver transplantation,followed by kidney transplantation,immunosuppressant,organ donation,postoperative complication and rejection,while articles in English mainly focused on surgical technique,recipient survival,transplant immunity and rejection.Top 100 highly cited articles were from 50 and 58 institutions for Chinese and English,respectively.There were 47 papers from top 10 institutions in Chinese,accounting for 45.6％ of the total citations.There were 43 papers from top 10 institutions in English,accounting for 47.4％ of the total citations.Top 100 highly cited papers in Chinese were distributed in 27 journals.The top 10 journals published 75 papers,which have been cited for 316 times.Top 100 highly cited papers in English were distributed in 36 journals.The top 10 journals published 70 papers,which have been cited for 7 694 times.Conclusion Domestic experts and scholars should pay continuous attention to the organ donation issues related to research in the future,with reference to the advanced experience of Europe and the United States and other countries.Solid organ transplantation registry,data center report and update,transplant recipient prognosis and long-term survival should be highly focused.

OBJECTIVETo examine the growth-inhibitory, apoptosis- and necrosis-inducing effects of realgar nano-particles (RNP) in human chronic myelogenous leukemia cell line K562 and acute myeloid leukemia cell line HL-60, and to find out the chemical species with efficacy.

METHODA "solvent-relay" strategy was used for the preparation of RNP suspension. Cell viability was determined by MTT assay. Cell apoptosis and necrosis were characterized with Annexin V-PI double staining in association with flow cytometry and with morphological examination with Hoechst 33258 staining. Parallel experiments with arsenous acid (H3AsO3), the dominant form of arsenic trioxide in the solution, were conducted for comparison.

RESULTThe mean diameter of RNP was 159.0 nm. RNP showed growth-inhibitory effect on both cell lines. The double staining test indicated that RNP induced both apoptosis and necrosis, and this was further confirmed by morphological examination.

CONCLUSIONRNP induced both apoptosis and necrosis in leukemia cell lines K562 and HL-60. Thioarsenite species with both As-O and As-S bonds may be the active intermediates in the RNP.

Antineoplastic Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Arsenicals ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; HL-60 Cells ; pathology ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; pathology ; Materia Medica ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Nanotechnology ; Necrosis ; Particle Size ; Sulfides ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology

Objective To observe ultrastructure of the morphological relationship between neuron and astrocytes in hippocampi of pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-kindled epileptic rats,and to investigate the communicative ways between them.Methods Epilepsy models of 10 kindled rats established by intraperitoneal injection of PTZ[i.p.,35 mg/(kg · d)],assigned as kindled group.Five rats received 9 g/L saline as control group.Three days after being kindled,the ultrastructural relationship between neurons and the astrocytes was observed with transmission electron microscope and Cx43 labelling immuno-electron microscopy.Results 1.Synapses increased in hippocampi of PTZ-kindled epileptic rats.2.Gap junctions were observed between astrocytes and neurons.3.Astrocytic process extended into the synaptic cleft between pre-synaptic and post-synaptic membranes which formed the synaptic complex.4.The Cx43-hemichannels existed between astrocytes and neurons.Conclusions In hippocampi of PTZ-kindled epileptic rats,ultrastructure of morphological relationship between neurons and astrocytes includes synaptic complex,gap junctions and hemichannels,which might be communicative forms between neurons and astrocytes.

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between collgen (Col) IV, VEGF secreted by the tumor cells and vasculogenic mimicry (VM).

METHODS158 bi-phase differential malignant tumor specimens were alloted and made into tissue microarray. These tissue microarray sections were stained with CD31, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and Col IV. Subsequently, distributive trait of Col IV and the difference of VEGF expression were analyzed.

RESULTSThe basement membrane of VM was PAS and Col IV positive. The expression of VEGF in bi-phase differential malignant tumor with VM was less than that in those without VM. The difference of VEGF expression in malignant melanoma and alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma was significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCollgen IV and periodic acid-Schiff positive material take part in constructing the basement membrane of vasculogenic mimicry. The difference of the VEGF expression proves that vasculogenic mimicry can sustain the tumor blood supply.

Collagen Type IV ; analysis ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Neoplasms ; blood supply ; chemistry ; pathology ; Periodic Acid-Schiff Reaction ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; analysis

Objective To study the effect of bromocriptine(BRC) on the activation of T lymphocyte stimulated by phytohemagglutinin(PHA).Methods After CD4+ T cell line Jurkat E6-1 cells were stimulated by PHA,prolactin(PRL) and BRC,respectively,the expression of linker for activation of T cells(LAT) and zeta-chain T cell receptor associated protein kinase 70 000(ZAP-70) mRNA of T lymphocytes were checked by RT-PCR.The expression of PRL mRNA of T lymphocytes was detected by Real time PCR.The expression of CD25(cluster of differentiation) as a marker of early activation on the surface of T lymphocytes was detected by flow cytometry,and the activation of nuclear factor-?B(NF-?B) was detected by luciferase reporter system.Results 1.BRC inhibited the expression of ZAP-70 as the common signal molecules both in the T lymphocyte activation pathway and PRL-prolactin-prolactin receptor(PRLR) signal transduction pathway,and decreased the expression of PRL mRNA produced by activation T lymphocytes.2.BRC enhanced the expression of LAT mRNA as another important signal molecular on the T lymphocytes and CD25 on the surface of the T lymphocytes.3.The activation of NF-?B of T lymphocytes was decreased.Conclusions BRC might inhibit the activation of T lymphocytes by inhibiting the expression of ZAP-70,the common signal molecules between T lymphocytes activation and PRL-PRL pathway,and PRL mRNA,the like-T lymphocyte growth factor.

Objective To study the CT and MRI findings of osteosarcoma in paranasal sinus and evaluate their clinical value.Methods All 9 cases of osteosarcoma were verified by histopathology.Imaging data were analyzed retrospectively.Results The lesion occurred in maxillary sinus in 5 cases,in ethmoid sinus in 3 cases and in sphenoid sinus in one case.Primary osteosarcoma was found in 7 cases.Secondary osteosarcoma occurred from fibrous dysplasia and ossifying fibroma each in one case.On CT,the involved areas revealed bony destruction associated with ill-defined and irregular soft tissue mass.The lesion showed heterogeneous density with minimal or massive tumor bone formation,cloud-like in 3 cases,ivory-like in 2 cases,spicule-like in 2 cases,cloud- and spicule -like in one case and spicule- and ivory-like in one case.Postcontrast CT showed mild to moderate inhomogeneous enhancement in 3 cases.On MR T_1 WI,the lesions showed hypointensity compared to brain in 5 cases and iso-intensity in 2 cases.On T_2WI,the lesions showed heterogeneous hyperintensity in 4 cases and isointensity in 3 cases with marked hypointense foci which corresponded to tumor bone on CT.Postcontrast MR imaging demonstrated moderate to marked inhomogeneous enhancement in these cases.MRI showed accurately the extent and associated changes of the lesions.The lesions invaded the orbit,pterygopalatine and infratemporal fossae,skull base and extensive craniofacial structures in 5,4,3 cases and 1 case,respectively.Conclusion CT is the optimal modality in showing tumor bone of osteosareoma in paranasal sinus.MRI can demonstrate optimally the invading extent of the lesions.Combined imaging modalities can provide more comprehensive information for diagnosis and therapy of osteosarcoma in paranasal sinus.

The cyanuric chloride linkers have been used for cyclizing polypeptide, but not used for α-conotoxin, the peptides with rich disulfide bonds and more amino acid residues. In this study, cyclic peptides c[A10L]PnIA-1-4 were synthesized efficiently by lysine assisted cyanuric chloride linkers with 28.92%-52.00% yields. The activity evaluation showed that the IC₅₀ values of c[A10L]PnIA-1 against α7 and α3β2 nAChR subtypes were 5 and 7 times higher than [A10L]PnIA respectively, and the subtype selectivity was maintained. The results of circular dichroism show that this cyclization method had no significant effect on its secondary structure. Compared with the commonly used head-to-tail cyclization in conotoxin cyclization, this method has the advantages of rapid reaction and high yield, which is expected to be further applied to the cyclization study of various α-conotoxins.