The biochemical mechanism of degrading keratins by S.fradiae var S-221 was primarily studied.The compounds (Na_ 2 SO_ 4 , Na_ 2 SO_ 3 and sulfdryl acohol), which respecitively enhance specific activity of keratinase, activate keratinase intensively and mainly act on the disulfide bonds reductase in the keratinase, Na_ 2 SO_ 3 activates intensively both disulfide bonds reductase and polypeptide hydrolytase at 0.01 mol/L, whereas Na_ 2 S_ 2 O_ 3 , which acts on the disulfide bonds reductase, inhibits keratinase.On the condition that substrate, keratins exists, S.fradiae var S-221 is induced to produce exo-keratinase, which is a multiproteinase, containing disulfide bonds reductase, which is a key enzyme degrading keratins, then, with polypeptidic, hydrolytase, graduately hydrolyzates denatured keratins into polypeptides, oligopeptides and free amino acids, so that keratins have been decomposed completely.Sulfur in the keratins was transferred into sulfhydryl compounds, H_ 2 S and sulfates in the course of keratinolysine.

Objective To evaluate the correlation between impaired fasting glucose and the extent and severity of angiographic coronary artery disease( CAD ) in patients who underwent coronary angiography.Methods A total of 630 consecutivc patients who underwent coronary angiography were selected in the stndy.The extent and severity of angiographic CAD were diagnosed based on the followings:whether or not with CAD diagnosis by angiography,the number of diseased vessels,the CAD Gensini cumulative index.According to fasting plasma glucose ( FPG),all patients were divided into three group,group 1 ( FPG ＜5.6 mmol/L),group 2 ( 5.6 mmol/L ≤ FPC ＜ 6.1 mmol/L) and group 3 ( 6.1 mmol/L ≤ FPG ＜ 7.0mmol/L).The CHD risk factors and the lesion degree of coronary arteries were compared among three groups.The relation of FPG and CAD were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyses.Results The incidence of CH and,the CAD Gensini cumulative index and the incidence of mult-vessel lesions were significantly different among the three subgroups ( all P ＜ 0.05 ).After adjusting other inffluencing factors,there were significantly positive correlation between the number of diseased vessels and the CAD Gensini cumulative index and FPG( P ＜0.05).The FPG had significant correlation with the diagnosis or not of CAD by angiography( OR =3.042,95％ CI:2.589 -6.275,P ＜0.01).Conclusions In prediabetic period,the extent and severity of angiographic coronary artery disease have significant correlations with the impaired fasting glucose,and the extent and severity can increase along with the increasing FPG.

Objective To investigate the optimal concentration and site for ozoneadministration to relieve neuropathic pain in rats. Methods Twenty-four adult male rats with sciaticnerve injury (SNI) were randomized equally into 4 groups, and received ozone injections for analgesia atdifferent sites, namely the operative site, the sciatic nerve, the L5 spinal nerve or the operative site inaddition to the L5 spinal nerve. Another 4 groups of rats with SNI (n=6) had ozone injections at theconcentrations of 40, 50, 60, or 70 μg/mL, all administered at both the operative site and the L5 spinalnerve. The analgesic effects of the ozone injections were evaluated using paw withdrawal threshold test inall the rats. Results In rats with ozone injection at both the operative field and the L5 spinal nerve, themechanical pain threshold was significantly increased in comparison with that in rats with injections atother sites (P<0.05), but different doses of ozone simultaneously injected at the two sites did not producesignificant differences in the pain threshold (P>0.05). Conclusion Ozone produces obvious analgesiceffects in rats with SNI-induced neuropathic pain when injected at both the operative site and thespinal nerve, and ozone within the concentration range from 40 to 70 μg/mL has similar analgesic effect.

Bronchi ; abnormalities ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Multidetector Computed Tomography ; methods ; Pulmonary Artery ; diagnostic imaging ; Trachea ; abnormalities

Sweetpotato starch thermal properties and its noodle quality were analyzed using a rapid predictive method based on near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). This method was established based on a total of 93 sweetpotato genotypes with diverse genetic background. Starch samples were scanned by NIRS and analyzed for quality properties by reference methods. Results of statistical modelling indicated that NIRS was reasonably accurate in predicting gelatinization onset temperature (T(o)) (standard error of prediction SEP=2.014 degrees C, coefficient of determination RSQ=0.85), gelatinization peak temperature (T(p)) (SEP=1.371 degrees C, RSQ=0.89), gelatinization temperature range (T(r)) (SEP=2.234 degrees C, RSQ=0.86), and cooling resistance (CR) (SEP=0.528, RSQ=0.89). Gelatinization completion temperature (T(c)), enthalpy of gelatinization (DeltaH), cooling loss (CL) and swelling degree (SWD), were modelled less well with RSQ between 0.63 and 0.84. The present results suggested that the NIRS based method was sufficiently accurate and practical for routine analysis of sweetpotato starch and its noodle quality.
Food Technology ; methods ; Ipomoea batatas ; chemistry ; Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared ; methods ; Starch ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether the presence of HBV mutant in vaccinees simply reflects the prevalence of HBV mutant in a specific geographic area or is indeed due to the immune pressure induced by vaccination.

METHODSHBV S genes were amplified by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequence analysis of the "a" determinant was performed on sera from 30 childhood patients with immunoprophylaxis and 30 patients without vaccinations.

RESULTSMutations of the "a" determinant were detected in 8 of the 60 patients. They were all of the adw subtype. The prevalence of amino acid substitutions as detected by direct sequencing was higher in those fully-vaccinated than of those not vaccinated. In all 8 vaccinated and also with detectable mutants, the mean age was older than the other vaccinated children.

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of mutants is related to HBV subtypes and genotypes. Universal vaccination has accelerated an accumulation of HBsAg "a" determinant mutants with amino acid changes critical for immune escape in vaccinated children who became carriers. This suggests that new vaccination strategies should be considered.

Child ; China ; Epitopes ; genetics ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; prevention & control ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; genetics ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; immunology ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Point Mutation ; Vaccination

AIMStudies on synthesis and antibacterial activity of new heterocycles.

METHODSThe cyclocondensation of [(3-pyridyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl] thio acetic acid with various aroyl hydrazines in the presence of POCl3 and xylene gave the corresponding titled compounds, and the in vitro antibacterial activity was primarily evaluated by the method of cupplate diffusion solution.

RESULTSSixteen novel titled compounds were synthesized, their structures were confirmed by IR, 1HNMR, MS and elemental analysis. Biological screening results demonstrated that most of the compounds prepared displayed potential antibacterial activity.

CONCLUSIONOxadiazoles incorporting pyridyl oxadiazole ring may be usefully antibacterial candidate drugs.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Escherichia coli ; drug effects ; Oxadiazoles ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Proteus vulgaris ; drug effects ; Staphylococcus aureus ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1) on the proliferation, migration and invasion of human colon cancer LoVo cells, and to explore the related mechanisms.

METHODSHuman colon cancer LoVo cells were divided into three groups: phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) was used to induce the activation of SphK1 in the PMA group, N,N-dimethylsphingosine (DMS) used to suppress the activity of SphK1 in DMS group, and the cells treated with equal amount of 0.9 % NaCl instead of drugs served as the control group. The activity of SphK1 was assayed by autoradiography, the cell proliferation was assessed by MTT assay, cell migration and invasion were examined by Boyden chamber assay, concentrations of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 were assayed by ELISA, and RT-PCR and Western blot were used to evaluate the mRNA and protein expression in the cells.

RESULTSThe activity of SphK1 was efficiently induced by PMA and significantly suppressed by DMS. PMA induced cell proliferation in a time- and dose-dependent manner. On the contrast, DMS suppressed cell proliferation in a time- and dose-dependent manner. After treating with PMA, the number of migrating and invasing cells were increased to 143.36 ± 8.73 and 118.46 ± 6.25, significantly higher than those of the control group (75.48 ± 6.12 and 64.19 ± 5.36). After treating with DMS, the number of migrating and invasing cells were decreased to 38.57 ± 3.24 and 32.48 ± 4.27, significantly lower than those of the control group (P < 0.01). The relative expression levels of FAK, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 mRNA in the PMA group were 0.82 ± 0.06, 0.74 ± 0.05 and 0.89 ± 0.09, and those in the DMS group were 0.23 ± 0.02, 0.26 ± 0.03 and 0.37 ± 0.04, with significant differences between the PMA, DMS and control groups (P < 0.01). Compared with the control group, the relative expression levels of FAK and p-FAK proteins in the PMA group (0.52 ± 0.06 and 0.51 ± 0.06) were significantly elevated, and those of the DMS group (0.20 ± 0.03 and 0.09 ± 0.02) were significantly decreased. In addition, the concentrations of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 were significantly elevated with the activation of SphK1. On the contrary, those of the DMS group were significantly reduced with the suppression of SphK1 (Both P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSSphK1 may enhance the proliferation, migration and invasion of colon cancer LoVo cells through activating FAK pathway and up-regulating the expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Colonic Neoplasms ; enzymology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Focal Adhesion Kinase 1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Phosphorylation ; drug effects ; Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Sphingosine ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate ; pharmacology ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; genetics ; metabolism

Different remote sensing monitoring methods are needed for the medicinal plant resource in different types of ecological environment. This paper explained remote sensing monitoring methods for the resource of the wild medicinal plants and cultivated plants, and analyzed the rare species, generous species and species in special ecological environment in detail. It provides a new method to all kind of medicinal plants resources' remote sensing monitoring.
Atractylodes ; China ; Conservation of Natural Resources ; Ecosystem ; Geographic Information Systems ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Plants, Medicinal ; Satellite Communications

OBJECTIVETo investigate the frequency of micrometastasis in levels lII - IV of clinical negative neck (cN0) in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of oral tongue, and to discuss the management of cervical lymph node for cN0 tongue SCC.

METHODSA total of 471 cervical lymph nodes derived from 25 patients with cN0 tongue SCC, including 263 lymph nodes in level III and 208 lymph nodes in level IV, were included in this study. All lymph nodes were re-examined by anti-cytokeratin (CK) immunohistochemical staining combined with semi-serial section per 500 microm.

RESULTSAmong the 25 cases, seven patients were confirmed harboring metastasis in 11 lymph nodes of level III, and no positive lymph node in level IV was detected by routine hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. 11 positive lymph nodes in level IIl, which confirmed by HE staining, were also detected by immunohistochemical staining with CK combined with semiserial section. Among the 460 cervical lymph nodes in which HE staining did not show metastasis, only one lymph node in level III harboring a 2.0 mm x 1.5 mm micrometastasis was detected by immunohistochemical staining with CK, and no positive lymph node in level IV was detected by immunohistochemical staining with CK.

CONCLUSIONThe frequency of occult metastasis in level IV was very low, so it seemed unnecessary to dissect level IV for all patients with cN0 tongue SCC.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Female ; Humans ; Keratins ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Neoplasm Micrometastasis ; Tongue ; Tongue Neoplasms