A pilot-scale research on purification of odorous gas emitted from wastewater treatment plant using a biofilter was conducted. The aim of this study is to check on the performance of biofilter running in various conditions and the effect of pH fluctuations on the performance of biofilter. The relation between distribution of microorganism and removal of odorous gases were also discussed here. The experimental results show that the predominant odor-causing gas can be efficiently eliminated by a biofilter inoculated with deodoring microorganism which were isolated previously. Moreover the biofilter had been proved having good tolerance to shocking loads of pollutant and can operate well in the condition of low pH.

The genes of maltooligosyl trehalose synthase (MTSase) and maltooligosyl trehalose tetrahydrolase(MTHase) from Sulfolobus solfataricus ATCC 35092 were amplified using PCR. The expression plasmids, pTrc99a-MTSase and pTrc99a-MTHase, were constructed by inserting these two DNA fragments into E. coli expression vector pTrc99a. The specific activity of MTSase and MTHase in E. coli BL21(DE3) at optimal fermentation conditions reached 31.3U/g (wet cell) and 403U/g (wet cell), respectively. The biotransformation of partially hydrolyzed starch to trehalose catalyzed by MTSase and MTHase was carried out at 75℃ and pH 5.0. The highest yield of trehalose (ca. 53.6%) was gained when the original starch concentration was 15%(w/v) and the DE value was 10.

Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis of polymerase chain reaction-amplified genes coding for 16s rDNA was used to assess changes of biodiversity in a biotrickling filter used to treat waste air containing toluene. The results shown that along with gradually increase of removing capacity for toluene, microbial community structure in packing materials sampled from biotrickling filter also changed markedly over periods of experiment. Under selective pressure of toluene, the number of microbial species decreased but relative abundance of some predominant species increased,and microbial spatial location along the height of biotrickling filter tend to be identical.

Fumaric acid esters (FAE), mainly dimethylfumarate (DMF), have been shown to be highly efficacious in the treatment of psoriasis. Among the potential side effects of FAE therapy, lymphocytopenia is sometimes observed. In order to address the question whether FAE may interfere with systems of the innate defense, the modulatory role of FAE on the generation of superoxide-anion by human monocytes and neutrophils was studied by measuring the reduction of cytochrome c. Various concentrations of DMF and its metabolite methylhydrogenfumarate (MHF) were used to observe their modulatory effect on superoxide-anion generation by monocytes and neutrophils in response to bacteria (S. aureus and E. coli) and candida (C. albicans). Dexamethasone (DXM, 1 x 10(-7) mol x L(-1)) was also studied at the same time. We found that DXM significantly inhibited superoxide-anion generation from monocytes in response to bacteria and C. albicans, whereas DMF and MHF (10-20 microg x mL(-1)) significantly increased the production of superoxide-anion in monocytes in response to the above mentioned bacteria. DXM, DMF and MHF did not affect superoxide-anion generation of neutrophils. Our data indicate that DMF and MHF enhance superoxide-anion generation in human monocytes as one of the important mechanisms of innate defense against microorganisms.
Candida albicans ; immunology ; Cells, Cultured ; Cytochrome c Group ; metabolism ; Dermatologic Agents ; pharmacology ; Dimethyl Fumarate ; Escherichia coli ; immunology ; Fumarates ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Phagocytes ; metabolism ; Staphylococcus aureus ; immunology ; Superoxides ; metabolism ; Zymosan ; immunology

To investigate whether lithium carbonate, propranolol or chloroquine aggravate psoriasis through influencing cytokines of the psoriatic cytokine network, HaCaT keratinocytes were stimulated with TNF-a after treatment with these drugs. Protein secretion of a set of multiple different cytokines and growth factors in culture supernatants were measured by using a cytokine antibody array technology. Expression of IL-8 and IL-6 mRNA was determined by real-time PCR. In culture supernatants of TNF-alpha-stimulated HaCaT cells, production of IL-6 and TNF-alpha could be enhanced by lithium carbonate; production of IL-6 and a panel of cytokines and growth factors could be enhanced by propranolol hydrochloride; and IL-6 was up-regulated by chloroquine diphosphate as well. Real-time PCR analysis showed a significantly dose-dependent increase of IL-8 and IL-6 mRNA expression in HaCaT cells stimulated with TNF-a as compared to cells without TNF-alpha-stimulation, the mRNA expression of IL-8 was higher than that of IL-6 with the same concentration of TNF-alpha (P < 0.01). Compared with HaCaT cells cultured with medium alone, propranolol hydrochloride at the concentration of 1 x 10(-6) mol x L(-1) could stimulate HaCaT cells to express higher level of IL-6 mRNA (P < 0.05). The drugs investigated show a modulatory effect on certain cytokines and growth factors which are able to modulate inflammatory type of immune reaction present in psoriatic lesions.
Adrenergic beta-Antagonists ; adverse effects ; Antimalarials ; adverse effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Chloroquine ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Interleukin-8 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Keratinocytes ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Lithium Carbonate ; adverse effects ; Propranolol ; adverse effects ; Psoriasis ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; pharmacology

A patient with skin rash, skin denudation, anuria, general dropsy and dyspnea for unknown etiology underwent continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) for 3 consecutive days. The biochemical indexes were monitored during the therapy and biopsy was performed on the right thigh. Pathological examination of the biopsy sample established the diagnosis of polymyositis(PM) and dermatomyositis(DM). After the start of CRRT, the patient's heart, liver, kidney and lung injuries showed obvious improvement, and the urine volume (UV) increased and serum creatinine (Cr), urea, total bilirubin (TBIL), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels all decreased promptly. The patient showed progressive improvement of the physiological condition even after CRRT, and was discharged 10 days later. This case suggests the efficacy of CRRT in the management of severe PM/DM and its value as a good option for treatment of severe autoimmune disease, especially systemic inflammatory response syndrome.
Adult ; Dermatomyositis ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Polymyositis ; therapy ; Renal Replacement Therapy ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To analyzed the treatment of intracranial aneurysms by mierosurgical clipping, endovascular embolization and embolization combined clipping therapy.In order to explore the ideal and effec- tive treatment plan of intracranial ruptured aneurysm.Methods The clipped group of 30 aneurysms.The embolized group of 34 aneurysms.The combined group of 15 aneurysms.Results Clipped group:All of aneurysms was clipped well,no recurrence,mortality 6%(2/30).Embolized Group:complete embolization rate 70.6%(24/34),recurrence rate 17.6%(6/34),mortality 11.8%(4/34).Combined group:no recur- rence,mortality 6.7%(1/15).All patients of three groups were evaluated by Glasgow Outcome Scale one month later and the rate of recovery well was 80.0%,79.4%and 80.0%.Following up for six months the data were 90.0%,88.2%and 86.7%.Conclusion Microsurgical clipping aneurysm(?)neck is still an ef- fective therapy.Meanwhile it has an absolute advantage of high completely cure rate and low recurrence rate, furthermore it is an available remediation method for those cases that failure of embolization,and for those re- currence aneurysms that have been embolized,microsurgical clipping should be,taken as soon as possible in case of aneurysms re-ruptured.For the patients the aneurysms are narrow shape,irregular shape,small(≤3 nun)or with cerebral hematomas microsurgical clipping is a fitting choice.

The HIV-1 Rev protein facilitates nuclear export of unspliced and singly spliced viral transcripts containing RRE RNA through the CRM1 export pathway. Inhibition of Rev-mediated RNA nuclear export can arrest HIV-1 transcriptional process, which clearly, reveals a target for anti-HIV drug development. In this work, a cell-based assay has been established for screening anti-HIV compounds targeting the Rev-mediated RNA nuclear export. This assay utilized a codon-optimized green fluorescent protein (GFP) as reporter gene, which expression is in a Rev-dependent manner. Any compound that inhibits the Rev-mediated RNA nuclear export is identified by reducing emission of GFP. The Z' score of this model is 0.8220. Three thousands compounds were screened and the positive rate was 9.3% with a cutoff at 50% inhibition. IMB7C7, one of the positive compounds, efficiently inhibits viral production from HIV-1 infected cells.
Active Transport, Cell Nucleus ; drug effects ; Anti-HIV Agents ; pharmacology ; Cell Nucleus ; metabolism ; Codon ; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated ; pharmacology ; Genes, Reporter ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; HEK293 Cells ; HIV-1 ; drug effects ; genetics ; High-Throughput Screening Assays ; Humans ; Karyopherins ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Viral ; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection ; Virus Replication ; drug effects ; rev Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus ; genetics ; metabolism

Strict regulation of HIV-1 PR function is critical for efficient production of mature viral particles. During viral protein expression and viral assembly, HIV-1 PR located within Gag-Pol precursor must be inactive to prevent premature cytoplasmic processing of the viral Gag and Gag-Pol precursors. Premature activation of HIV-1 precursors leads to major defects in viral assembly and production of viral particles. A cell-level premature activation of HIV-1 precursors assay using bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) was established. Three thousand compounds were screened to evaluate this assay. The results showed that the assay is sensitive, specific and stable (Z' factor is 0.905).
Anti-HIV Agents ; pharmacology ; Benzoxazines ; pharmacology ; Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer Techniques ; methods ; Fusion Proteins, gag-pol ; genetics ; metabolism ; HEK293 Cells ; HIV Protease ; metabolism ; physiology ; HIV-1 ; enzymology ; High-Throughput Screening Assays ; methods ; Humans ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Protein Precursors ; metabolism ; physiology ; Pyridazines ; pharmacology ; Transfection ; Virion ; growth & development ; Virus Assembly ; gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo establish a rapid nested multiplex PCR assay for subtyping HIV-1 CRF01_AE, CRF07_BC, CRF08_BC, B, and C strains prevailing in Guangxi.

METHODSubtype-specific primers were designed for these subtypes based on their gag sequences. The subtypes of HIV-1 samples from Guangxi were determined by nested multiplex PCR and DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis, respectively, and then the sensitivity and the specificity of nested multiplex PCR were calculated.

RESULTSNested multiplex PCR could correctly classify the 5 known-subtype samples, and were not reactive to all HIV-negative samples. Of the 72 HIV-positive samples, 66 were correctly identified as CRF01_AE, CRF07_BC, CRF08_BC, and B by this assay, giving a sensitivity of 91.7% (66/72), and a specificity of 100%.

CONCLUSIONThis assay is a simple, fast, and cost-effective subtyping method for HIV-1 CRF01-AE, CRF07_BC, CRF08_BC, and B strains prevailing in Guangxi.

China ; DNA Primers ; genetics ; Genotype ; HIV Infections ; virology ; HIV-1 ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; economics ; methods