To investigate the effects of human anti-BAFF scFv-Fc against the hsBAFF, ICR mice were randomly divided into six groups: control, hsBAFF (1 mg x kg(-1)), hsBAFF (1 mg x kg(-1)) + Ab (1 mg x kg(-1)), hsBAFF (1 mg x kg(-1)) + Ab (2 mg x kg(-1)), hsBAFF (1 mg x kg(-1)) + human IgG (1 mg x kg(-1)) and hsBAFF (1 mg x kg(-1)) + human IgG (2 mg x kg(-1)) groups. The effects of scFv-Fc administration on the proliferation of B lymphocytes were evaluated using an MTT assay. The titres of antibody in the serum and B lymphocytes differentiation were assessed by ELISA and flow cytometry, respectively. The results showed that administration of scFv-Fc to mice injected with hsBAFF significantly prevented human BAFF-induced increases in splenic B cell numbers and serum immunoglobulin levels. Furthermore, this fully human antibody would avoid inducing the human anti-mouse antibody (HAMA) response when used in humans. These findings suggest that the compact antibody may be useful in therapeutic or diagnostic application of the BAFF-associated autoimmune diseases in human.

Objective To compare the early renal function recovery after kidney transplant from donation after cardiac death (DCD) and brain death (DBD).Methods The Medline (1950-2011),Embase and Cochrane library database were searched and supplemented by review of conference proceedings and publication bibliographies.All original single institution studies reporting outcomes for DCD and DBD kidney transplant recipients were considered.Odds ratios (OR) and 95％ confidence intervals (CI) based on random effects models were calculated.Results Nine publications,all cohort studies,involving 2049 DCD and 5498 DBD recipients,were included.DCD recipients had 7.24 times increased odds of DGF (OR=7.24,95％ CI =3.86-13.58),and 4.97 times increased odds of PNF (95％ CI =3.77-6.55).Conclusion DCD renal transplantation is associated with higher risks of DGF and PNF.

Objective:To measure the voice samples of the normal aged in order to systemically study the fea-tures of the voice changes. Method :To collect and analyze 146 voice samples of the normal aged with sonogram.Result:The fundamental frequency of the voice of the aged decreases and rises in the male more than 80 yearsolder. The low frequency harmonics are regulation and the intensity is strong in the formant of the aged. Thedifference reduces in voice between male and female. The harmonics to noise ratio tends downwards and the am-plitude perturbation quotient tends upwards along with the growth of age in the aged male. The changes of the above-mentioned parameters are not significant in the aged female. Conclusion:The voice changes are normalphysiological ones in the normal aged. The changes of the parameters are used to evaluate normal aged voice andabnormal one. The changes show that the function in the aged phonation tends to decline to a certain extent andit must be protected and be trained.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) and angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT-1 receptor) blocker on the progression of rat pulmonary fibrosis induced by bleomycin A5.

METHODSTwenty-four male Wistar rats were randomized into pulmonary fibrosis model, perindopril treatment, losartan treatment and control groups. In the former 3 groups, pulmonary fibrosis was induced via intratracheal injection of bleomycin A5 (5 mg/kg), after which the rats in the perindopril and losartan groups received intragastric administration of the corresponding agents at the daily dose of 2 mg/kg and 10 m/kg, respectively. The rats in the control group had intratracheal injection of normal saline only. In the 4th week, the histological changes of the lung tissues were examined microscopically with Masson staining. Hydroxyproline content in the lungs was measured, and the protein expressions of AT-1 receptor, TGF-beta1 and IkappaBalpha were examined using Western blotting. DNA binding activity of NF-kappaB was analyzed with electrophoretic gel mobility shift assay (EMSA), and zymography was used to assess the activity of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and 9 (MMP-2, 9).

RESULTSBoth perindopril and losartan treatment significantly reduced the pulmonary fibrosis score, content of hydroxyproline, protein expression of TGF-beta1, DNA binding activity of NF-kappaB and MMP-2, 9 activity, and increased cytoplasmic protein expression of IkappaBalpha. Perindopril treatment lowered the protein level of AT-1 receptor.

CONCLUSIONPerindopril and losartan may inhibit bleomycin A5-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats by reducing the protein expression of TGF-beta1 and suppressing the DNA binding activity of NF-kappaB and MMP-2, 9 activity.

Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers ; therapeutic use ; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Bleomycin ; analogs & derivatives ; Blotting, Western ; Losartan ; therapeutic use ; Male ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Perindopril ; therapeutic use ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1 ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism

Withanolide A is a biologically active secondary metabolite occuring in roots and leaves of Withania somnifera. In the present study, adventitious roots from leaf explants of W. somnifera were induced for the production of withanolide-A by Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain C58C1 to obtain hair roots. Hair roots induction rate reached 30%. The withanolide A was determined by HPLC in different hair roots lines and different parts of W. somnifera. The average content of withanolide A in all hair roots lines were 1.96 times as high as that in wild-plant, the concentration of withanolide A in hair roots (1.783 mg x g(-1) dry weight) were 1.51 times as high as the roots of wild W. somnifera (1.180 mg x g(-1) dry weight), respectively. It is possible to obtain withanolide A from hair roots culture of W. somnifera.
Agrobacterium tumefaciens ; physiology ; Plant Extracts ; analysis ; biosynthesis ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; growth & development ; metabolism ; microbiology ; Withania ; chemistry ; growth & development ; metabolism ; microbiology ; Withanolides ; analysis ; metabolism

Objective Pancreas perfusion is an essential step in human islet isolation.To develop the new methods for introductal canulation,collagenase infusion and to observe their effects on islets isolation.Methods A total of 17 pancreases were digested from March 2005 to April 2010.The pancreases were distended by three methods:the standard method (n =3),the one-cannula method (n =11) and three-cannula method (n =3).In the standard group,the pancreases were completely cut into half at the mid-body.Two catheters were inserted into the main duct:one directed toward the tail and the other to the head.In the one-cannula method group,a long tube was inserted into the duct at the head,advancing to the tail In the three-cannula method group,pancreatic parenchyma was then minimally cut at the mid-body and three catheters were inserted into the main pancreatic duct:one at the head (the first catheter) and two at the mid-body,one toward the tail (the second catheter) and the other toward the head (the third catheter).The pancreases were digested by improved Ricordi technique.Ficoll continuous density/grads centrifuge method was performed to purify the islets.DTZ staining was adopted to identify islets and count islet equivalent (IEQ). AO/EB fluorescence examination was used to count active islet percentage.Static glucose stimulating test (SGS) in vitro was designed to estimate islet function and calculate SI.Results The distension volume of the threecannula method group was 1.24 rnl/g pancreas,and higher than the other groups (for the standard group:0.71 ml/g pancreas; for one-cannula method group:0.96 ml/g pancreas,P＜0.05).The yield of islet in the three-cannula method group and the one-cannula method group was 2514 and 2270 IEQ/g,which was significantly more than that in the standard group (1914 IEQ/g pancreas,P＜0.05).The purity and viability of the islets were 74 ％/79.3 ％,75.6 ％/79.4 ％ and 78.3 ％/84.0 ％ respectively in the three groups with the difference being not significant among the groups.SI in the one cannula method group (4.74) and the three-cannula method group (5.27) was significantly higher than that in the standard group (3.46).ConclusionThe three-cannula method improved collagenase infusion and the islet yields.

AIM: To study the quality control of Fuyankang Capsule(Radix et Rhizoma Salviae Miltiorrhizae,Radix Paeoniae Rubra,Radix Scutellariae,etc.) METHODS: The presence of Radix Paeoniae Rubra,Herba Taraxaci,Radix Scutellariae,Rhizoma Polygoni Cuspidati were identified by TLC.The content of hydroxybenzyl laxticacid,dansensu in the capsule was assayed by HPLC. RESULTS: Linearity of dansensu was found in the range from 0.04 ?g to 0.20 ?g.The average recovery was 98.8% and RSD was 1.5%. CONCLUSION: The method is highly sensitive,simple,precise and reproducible and can be used for the quality control of the capsule.

Objective To explore the differences in health care quality,scale,output,efficiency,cost and financial condition between freestanding secondary hospitals and system-affiliated secondary hospitals in Shanghai,and analyse the determinants of hospital integration. Methods Eleven upper secondary hospitals in Shanghai integrated between 2000 and 2004 were selected,and another 40 secondary hospitals (including 30 upper secondary hospitals and 10 middle secondary hospitals) without integration were served as controls. Using related data of 1999,Mann-Whitney U test was performed to analyse the differences between these two groups,and Logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore the determinants of hospital integration. Results There were significant differences in health care quality,scale,and output between these two groups (P0.05). It was revealed by Logistic regression analysis that health care quality,scale,output,and financial condition were determinants of integration. Conclusion System-affiliated secondary hospitals have advantages over freestanding hospitals in health care quality,scale,output and financial condition,and those with better health care quality,larger scale,larger output and better financial condition are more likely to be integrated by tertiary hospitals.

Objective To investigate the correlation and clinicopathological features of ATAD2 and E-cadherin expression in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC),and role of ATAD2 in HCC cells invasion and metastases.Methods The expressions of ATAD2 and E-cadherin in 90 HCC specimens and 16 specimens collected from peritumoral tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) test.The correlations between ATAD2 and E-cadherin expression and clinicopathological features were analyzed.The lentiviral vector of sh-ATAD2 RNA was used to interfere with ATAD2 expression.Western blot was performed to evaluate the changes of E-cadherin and Vimentin expression in HCC cells after ATAD2 expression interference.The role of ATAD2 in HCC cells invasion and metastasis was assessed by Transwell analysis.Results ATAD2 protein expression was obviously upregulated in HCC tissue compared to peritumoral tissue (56.7％ vs.31.3％,P ＜ 0.05).Meanwhile,E-cadherin expression was significantly downregulated in HCC tissue (43.3％ vs.68.7％,P ＜0.05).ATAD2 and E-cadherin expressions were both correlated with HCC metastasis (P ＜ 0.05).Correlation analysis demonstrated that the ATAD2 expression was negatively correlated with E-cadherin (r =-0.263,P ＜ 0.05).After interfering ATAD2 expression,cell migration and invasion of HCCLM3 cells were suppressed (migration,42.5 ± 2.6 vs.78.1 ± 3.8,P ＜ 0.05;invasion,33.0 ± 4.7 vs.72.7 ± 5.6,P ＜ 0.05).Meanwhile,the E-cadherin expression was remarkably upregulated (P ＜ 0.05).However,the Vimentin expression downregulated (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions ATAD2 expression was upregulated in HCC,and silencing ATAD2 could upregulate E-cadherin expression and downregulate Vimentin expression,and inhibit the invasion and metastasis of HCC cells.Modulating E-cadherin expression may be the potential mechanism of ATAD2 in HCC invasion and metastasis.

Objective To investigate the mechanism and effect of the spinal cord outlet of the skull base on Chiari Ⅰ malformation with syringomyelia.Methods The cervical spinal cord stem angle (Anbc),slope angle of cervical vertebra (Ansc) of Chiari Ⅰ malformation were measured.In foramen magnum (Llf) and anterior vertebral canal level (Laf),spinal canal(Ac),spinal cord (As) and inferior hernia area (Ah) were measured.Angle,area and ratio were compared in Chiari Ⅰ malformation with syringomyelia,Chiari Ⅰ malformation without syringomyelia and normal control group.Results Ansc,Anbc-Ansc had significant differences among control group and Chiari Ⅰ malformation patients (all P＜0.001).In Llf,Laf,As had significant differences among three groups (all P＜0.05),further comparison of the two showed there were significant differences between Chiari Ⅰ malformation with syringomyelia patients and control group,Chiari Ⅰ malformation without syringomyelia patients and control group in Llf(all P＜0.05).In Llf,Laf,Ac in Chiari Ⅰ malformation with syringomyelia was smaller than control group (P＜0.05).Ah in Llf,Lafand Lh in Llf had no statistical significant difference between Chiari Ⅰ malformation with and without syringomyelia patients (all P＞0.05).In Llf,Laf,As/Ac had statistical significant difference among Chiari Ⅰ malformation with and without syringomyelia patients,control group (all P＜0.001),further comparison of the two showed As/Ac in Llf had statistical significance difference between Chiari Ⅰ malformation with syringomyelia patients and control group (P＜0.05),As/Ac in La had statistical significance difference between Chiari Ⅰ malformation with syringomyelia patients and control group,between Chiari Ⅰ malformation without syringomyelia patients and control group (all P＜0.05),Conclusion The cervical spinal cord,Ansc reducing,narrow vertebral proportion increase are important factors to promote Chiari Ⅰ malformation syringomyelia.