Anidulafungin is an effective antifungal medicine, which can inhibit activities of candida in vitro and in vivo. Echinocandin B (ECB) is the key precursor of Anidulafungin, thus the price and market prospect of Anidulafungin is directly due to the fermentation titer of ECB. In this study, Aspergillus nidulans was used for ECB fermentation, and the influence of adding microparticles on ECB fermentation was studied, such as talcum powder, Al2O3, and glass beads. The particle size and concentration were the key factors for mycelium morphology and ECB production, and ECB production could reach 1 262.9 mg/L and 1 344.1 mg/L by adding talcum powder of 20 g/L (d50 = 14.2 μm) and 7 glass beads (6 mm), an increase by 33.2% and 41.7%, respectively. The results indicated that the mycelium morphology of filamentous microorganisms and the product yield of fermentation could be improved by adding microparticles remarkably, and it provide an important method for the fermentative optimization of filamentous microorganisms.
Antifungal Agents ; metabolism ; Aspergillus nidulans ; metabolism ; Echinocandins ; biosynthesis ; Fermentation ; Fungal Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Industrial Microbiology ; methods

Laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) is a minimally invasive surgical technique, and also an important development of modern surgery. According to Japanese Gastric Cancer Treatment Guideline, indications of LADG must be strictly limited in early gastric cancer patients, while it should be investigated in advanced gastric cancer. Based on available studies, the short-term advantage of LADG for early gastric cancer has been generally accepted, but the totally laparoscopic technique for early gastric cancer is still to be further studied. LADG for advanced gastric cancer continues to be controversial, which needs the relevant final results of randomized controlled trials from China, Japanese, and Korean to determine, although some current studies have demonstrated similar efficacy of LADG plus D2 lymphadenectomy as compared to open gastrectomy.
Adenocarcinoma ; Gastrectomy ; methods ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Lymph Node Excision ; Stomach Neoplasms ; surgery

BACKGROUNDTransradial access has been increasingly used during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in last decade. Clinical benefits of upstream use of tirfiban therapy in STEMI patients treated by primary PCI have been reported. We investigated the merits of transradial vs. transfemoral access in primary PCI for STEMI patients with upstream use of tirofiban.

METHODSPatients with STEMI treated with tirofiban between December 2006 and October 2012 then by primary PCI were compared between transradial (n = 298) and transfemoral (n = 314) access. Baseline demographics, angiographic and PCI features and primary endpoint of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) at 30-day clinical follow-up were recorded.

RESULTSBaseline and procedural characteristics were comparable between the two groups, apart from more patients in transradial group had hypertension and were treated by thrombus aspiration during primary PCI. Significantly fewer MACE occurred in the transradial group (5.4%) compared with the transfemoral group (9.9%) at 30-day clinical follow-up. Major bleeding events at 30-day clinical follow-up were 0 in transradial group and in 2.9% of transfemoral group. Multivariate analysis confirmed transradial approach as an independent negative predictor of 30-day MACE (HR 0.68; 95%CI 0.35 - 0.91; P = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONSUsing transradial approach in primary PCI for acute STEMI infarction patients treated with tirofiban was clearly beneficial in reducing bleeding complications and improving 30-day clinical outcomes.

Aged ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; methods ; Tyrosine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo summarize clinical and molecular features of two children with autosomal recessive chronic granulomatous disease caused by CYBA mutations.

METHODThe clinical records and CYBA mutations were reviewed for analysis of infections and inflammatory complications.

RESULTThe first case was a girl diagnosed with "liver and spleen abscess" in our hospital when she was 2.9 years old, with past history of neonatal impetigo and recurrent purulent lymphadenitis and positive family history. The results of DHR123 flow-cytometry showed that positive phagocytes after phorbol ester (PMA) stimulation was 84.63%. CYBA mutation analysis showed that she had heterozygous 35C > T, Q3X and IVS-2A > G. The second case was a boy diagnosed with "sepsis (salmonella D)" when he was 4 years old with a past history of impetigo, sepsis, perianal abscess, skin infection and positive family history. The results of flow cytometry showed that positive phagocytes after PMA stimulation was 96.13%. CYBA mutation analysis showed that he had homozygous 35C > T, Q3X and his parents were all carriers. All of them had BCG related axillary lymphnode calcification.

CONCLUSIONA22CGD cases had recurrent purulent infections (skin, lymphnode, liver and spleen, lung, blood), DHR123 flow cytometric analysis helped the diagnosis of CGD, CYBA mutation analysis ascertained the diagnosis of A22CGD.

Child, Preschool ; Chromosome Aberrations ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Genes, Recessive ; Granulomatous Disease, Chronic ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Male ; Mutation ; NADPH Oxidases ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic efficacy of dietary boron supplement on retinoic acid-induced osteoporosis in rats, so as to provide experimental evidence for clinical management of osteoporosis with boron.

METHODSThirty-two SD rats were randomized into normal control group (8 rats) and osteoporotic group (24 rats), and osteoporosis was induced in rats of the latter group by intragastric retinoic acid administration at the daily dose of 80 mg/kg for 15 consecutive days. The osteoporotic rats were subdivided into control group (8 rats) without treatment, boron treatment group (8 rats) and estradiol treatment group (8 rats). After 30 days of treatment, the serum contents of Ca, P, boron and the activities of alkaline phosphatase (AKP) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) in the rats were assayed, the bone mineral density (BMD) of the whole body, lumbar vertebrae and tibia were determined, and the morphological changes of the femurs were observed.

RESULTSThe serum contents of Ca and P in the rats of the 4 groups differed scarcely, but the content of boron in boron treatment group was markedly higher than that in the other three groups. In the osteoporotic control group, the activities of serum AKP and TRAP, the masses of spongy bone and cortical bone of the femurs, and the quantity of the osteoclasts were increased, with the BMD of the lumbar vertebrae and tibia decreased, suggesting osteoporotic conditions. The mean trabecular plate density and thickness, trabecular bone volume and cortical bone volume of the femurs in the osteoporotic rats treated with boron or estradiol were significantly increased, but the active osteoclast quantity in the spongy bone and serum TRAP activities were obviously decreased, and the bone quality was comparable with that of the normal group. In addition, the serum AKP activity and the active osteoblast quantity in the spongy bone were obviously increased in boron treatment group.

CONCLUSIONThe dietary boron supplement can increase the serum content of boron of osteoporotic rats to stimulate bone formation and inhibit bone resorption, producing therefore obvious therapeutical effect against osteoporosis.

Acid Phosphatase ; blood ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; blood ; Animals ; Bone Density ; drug effects ; Boron ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Dietary Supplements ; Female ; Femur ; drug effects ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Isoenzymes ; blood ; Osteoporosis ; blood ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tartrate-Resistant Acid Phosphatase ; Time Factors ; Tretinoin

The study was aimed to investigate the optimum conditions of freeze drying preservation of amniotic membrane (AM). The AM from the health puerperal woman was preserved by freeze drying at optimized way. The key factors of freeze drying process, including abstersion aqua, conservation liquor, the curve of freezing temperature, and the ingredient of protective agent, were optimized. All their morphologic structure was observed by light microscope and scanning electron microscope. The degradation rates by collagenase IV and the characterization of biomechanics were analyzed. The radio-immunologic method was used to investigate the cytokines quantity. All properties of freeze dried AM were compared with those of fresh AM. Light micrographs showed that the five structure-layers exist both in the fresh AM and in those preserved by freeze drying, while the fibro-material was tight-structured in the fresh AM, but loose slightly; the thickness of fibro-material was larger slightly in freeze dried AM. Scanning electron micrographs show that the micro-hairs of epithelial cells in fresh AM were decreased slightly in optimized drying AM, the collagen fibre of fresh AM and of optimized drying AM were well in morphological structures and arranged tightly. The degradation rate by collagenase IV was faster in optimized drying AM,compared with that of the fresh AM. There were insignificant diversity in biomechanical characters (tensile strength, elongation at break and elastic modulus) of the optimized drying AM compared with fresh AM. The cytokines quantity in optimized drying AM decreased significantly compared with fresh AM. The improved freeze drying process has better advantage in keeping the morphological structure, preferable biomechanics and biological vitality of AM, compared with the early research.
Amnion ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Collagenases ; metabolism ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Female ; Freeze Drying ; methods ; Humans

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of Notch signaling in differentiation of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat retinal progenitor cells (RPCs). METHODS: RPCs were isolated from 16-day embryonic SD rats and cultured in suspension. RPCs were cultured respectively in media with (treatment group) or without (control group) gamma-secretase inhibitor X which was used to block Notch signaling. Morphological observation and immunocytochemistry were applied at day 14 to determine the cell types and analyze the expression of Notch pathway genes in both groups. RESULTS: Most RPCs expressed Notch1 intracellular domains or its downstream transcriptional factor Hes1. A few expressed bHLH transcriptional factors NeuroD and Mash1. Most auto-differentiated RPCs expressed NeuroD or Mash1, while a few of them expressed Notch1 intracellular domains or Hes1. In the group treated with gamma-secretase inhibitor X, the positive rate of Nestin or GFAP was much lower than that in the control group while the positive rate of beta-tubulin was much higher than that in the control group. The difference in the positive rate of recovering between the two groups was not significant. CONCLUSION In vitro Notch signaling may inhibit retinal stem cells differentiation. Inhibiting Notch signaling in vitro may promote differentiation to neurons and partially inhibit glial differentiation.
Animals ; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Cell Differentiation ; physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Fetus ; Homeodomain Proteins ; metabolism ; Neurons ; cytology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptor, Notch1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Retina ; cytology ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; physiology ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; Transcription Factor HES-1

Objective To study the PINK1 aggresome formation and it's features in response to proteasomal inhibition.Methods Full-length PINK1 cDNA were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)from fetus brain cDNA library and subcloned into the EcoR I and BamH I sites of the vector pEGFP- N1.The integrity of the constructs was confirmed by sequencing.COS-7 cells were transiently transfected with PINK1-pEGFP-N1 using Lipofectamine 2000.Cells were treated by MG-132 in order to test the effect of proteasome inhibition on aggregation formation.The protein level of wild-type PINK1 with or without MG-132 treatment was confirmed by Western blot analysis.The formation of PINK1 aggregates was tested by fluorescence and the presence of ubiquitin,and ?-synuclein in PINK1 aggregates was examined by immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy.Results The expression level of PINK1 was significant increased into the form of aggregate in cells treated with MG-132;immunostaining for endogenous ubiquitin and ?-synuclein revealed a co-localization of both proteins in PINK1-positive aggregates.Conclusions In the presence of MG-132,overexpressed PINK1 forms into aggregates,whose components are ubiquitin and ?-synuclein.

Objective To analyse the characterisitics of daily blood glucose profiles of insulinoma using continuous glucose monitoring system(CGMS) and to investigate the value of CGMS in the diagnosis of insulinoma. Methods The blood glucose of 6 patients with pathologically-confirmed insulinoma(insulinoma group) were detected by CGMS for 3 consecutive days.The mean blood glucose(MBG),M-value of Schlichtkrull(M-value),frequency distribution of glucose levels and the hypoglycemic episodes of CGMS were measured,and the results were compared with those of normal glucose regulation(n=6,control group) and patients with newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetes with reactive hypoglycemia(n=5,diabetes group). Results The M-value of insulinoma group was significantly higher than that of control group(P0.05).The M-value and MBG of diabetes group were higher than those of insulinoma group and control group(P

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of postoperative chemotherapy in pT1bN0 and pT2N0 gastric cancer patients with high risk factors. Materials and Methods: Clinicopathological data of gastric cancer patients, who had undergone gastrectomy in high volume centers in Korea and China and were finally diagnosed with pT1bN0 and pT2N0 between 2006 and 2010, were analyzed retrospectively. Survival analyses stratified by risk factors and multivariable analyses were performed. Results: A total of 1509 patients were enrolled, with 41 (2.7%) patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy after gastrectomy and 1468 (97.3%) patients undergoing surgery alone. The adjuvant chemotherapy group showed higher percentages of tumor with maximal diameter >3 cm (51.2% vs. 25.8%), poor differentiation (68.3% vs. 49.8%), and less harvested lymph nodes (17.1% vs. 5.2%) compared to the surgery alone group. The overall survival rates were 95.1% in the adjuvant chemotherapy group and 93.3% in the surgery alone group, without significant difference. In multivariable analysis, age was found to be an independent prognostic factor. However, there were no difference in the overall survival between patients with risk factors and those without risk factors, even in terms of age. Meanwhile, patients with more than two risk factors who received chemotherapy showed better survival trend, especially for pT2N0 patients, compared to the surgery alone group, although no significant differences were observed. Conclusion In pT1bN0 and pT2N0 patients, age was found to be an independent prognostic factor. However, adjuvant chemotherapy seemed to be unnecessary, while postoperative chemotherapy might offer survival benefits to pT2N0 patients with more than two risk factors.