Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are traditional dairy strains which have a long history of safe use. They are a kind of food-grade microorganisms that can be used in industry to produce lots of food and drink, such as yoghourt. In the last two decades the physiology and genetics of these bacteria have been thoroughly studied. Because of their genetic accessibility and easy to handle, LAB, in addition to their traditional applications, have been extensively developed and used for the expression of heterologous genes. So they have an important foreground in agricultural, medical and many other fields. People have developed a series of food-grade gene expression systems of LAB. LAB, especially their model strain Lactococcus lactis and their most useful food-grade induced expression system--nisin controlled gene expression system NICE and its food-grade inducer nisin, food-grade host, expressing vectors and applications in expressing heterologous proteins of NICE will be introduced.

Objective To study the association between pulse wave velocity and conventional atherosclerotic risk factors in patients with essential hypertension. Methods Automatic pulse wave velocity (PWV) measuring system was applied to examine carotid-femoral PWV (CFPWV) and carotid-radial PWV (CRPWV) as the parameters reflecting central elastic large arterial and peripheral muscular medium-sized arterial elasticity, respectively. Six hundred sixty four hypertensive patients aged 18-82 years (353 males and 311 females, mean age 52.1?12.8 years) were recruited. Blood pressure, fasting glucose, uric acid and cholesterol were measured. Results CFPWV and CRPWV significantly increased with the increase of the blood pressure level (both, P

Objective: Accumulating evidence shows that hypertension is a chronic low-grade inflammatory disease,and inflammatory reaction is involved in the formation and progress of target-organ damage in hypertension.The authors aimed to explore the changes in the serum levels of interleukin-6(IL-6),soluble CD40 ligand(sCD40L),metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9),tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1(TIMP-1),lipid profile and left ventricular structure in patients with essential hypertension.Methods: The serum levels of IL-6,sCD40L,MMP-9 and TIMP-1,along with blood lipids were determined and echocardiography was performed to evaluate the cardiac structure and function of 158 hypertension patients and 22 age-and sex-matched controls.Results: The hypertension patients exhibited higher levels of IL-6(P

Objective To explore the relationship between the obstetric factors defined by Robson Ten-Group Classification System (RTGCS) and cesarean section rate (CSR),and to evaluate the validity of predictive models established based on the RTGCS for cesarean section.Methods Clinical data of 41 295 cases delivered in Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital from January 1,2012 to September 30,2014 were retrospectively collected.CSR of different groups categorized by the RTGCS was analyzed by descriptive epidemiological methods by three models.Model 1 was obstetrics factors (parity,history of cesarean section,number of fetus,mode of labor,fetal presentation and gestational age);model 2 was obstetrics factors (model 1) + demographic characteristics and severity (maternal age and with/without treatment in intensive care unit);model 3 was defined as model 2+ complications (placenta previa,placental abruption,chronic or gestational hypertension,preeclampsia,renal disease,or human immunodeficiency virus infection).The relationship between obstetrics factors classified by the RTGCS and CSR was analyzed by the logistic regression model (the potential confounders were controlled).The validity of predictive models was evaluated by analyzing the area under the receiver operative characteristic (ROC) curve.Results (1) There were statistical differences in total CSR and CSR before labor among those cases respectively grouped by age,medical insurance,parity,signal/multiple pregnancy,fetal presentation and gestational age (all P＜0.05).(2) The recruited cases were categorized into ten groups according to the RTGCS and among them,the second group (single,cephalic presentation,nulliparous,≥ 37 gestational weeks,induced labor or cesarean section before labor) accounted for most of the cesarean section cases (61.2％,11 217/18 322),followed by the fourth group (single,cephalic presentation,multiparous,no previous cesarean section,≥ 37 gestational weeks,induced labor or cesarean section before labor),which were 11.2％ (2 061/18 322).(3) Obstetrical parameters,including parity,number of fetus,mode of delivery,history of cesarean section,fetal presentation and gestational weeks at delivery were related to CSR,even after adjustment for maternal age and medical insurance,or obstetrical complications,or both above factors (all P＜0.05).(4) Areas under the ROC curves and the 95％ confidence intervals of model 1,2 and 3 were 0.867 (0.863-0.870),0.875 (0.872-0.878) and 0.881 (0.878-0.885),respectively (all P＜0.01).Conclusion Related variables of RTGCS highly correlate with CSR and could be used as promising indicators for prediction of cesarean section.The RTGCS is of great application value to those research subjects.

One new dicyclopeptide cyclo-(L-N-methyl Glu-L-N-methyl Glu) (1), together with one new natural dicyclopeptide cyclo-(L-methyl Glu ester-L-methyl Glu ester) (2), and two known dicyclopeptides cyclo-(L-methyl Glu ester-L-Glu) (3), and cyclo-(L-Glu-L-Glu) (4), were isolated from the aerial parts of Dianthus chinensis L. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analyses and chemical methods.
Dianthus ; chemistry ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Components, Aerial ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

PURPOSE: To investigate the changes and correlations of the serum inflammation factors levels and left ventricular (LV) structure and function in patients with acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective study was performed on 70 STEMI patients and 70 control subjects. Serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L), metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) were measured by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and cardiac structure and function were assessed by echocardiography at admission and 3-year follow-up. RESULTS: We found that the levels of serum IL-6, sCD40L and MMP-9 increased steadily among control subjects, remote myocardial infarction and acute STEMI patients, and the level of TIMP-1 elevated remarkly at 3-year follow-up visit in STEMI. The admission level of serum MMP-9 positively correlated with LV end-diastolic and end-diastole volume (r=0.294, p=0.022; r=0.269, p=0.036, respectively), and TIMP-1 positively correlated with E/A ratio (r=0.278, p=0.044) at 3-year follow-up. CONCLUSION: The study indicates that admission levels of serum MMP-9 and TIMP-1 closely correlated with left ventricular structure and function, which may be involved in the process of post-infarction remodeling of myocardium.
Aged ; CD40 Ligand/blood ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-6/blood ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9/blood ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction/*blood/*physiopathology ; Prospective Studies ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1/blood ; Ventricular Remodeling/*physiology

Objective To investigate the effect of early enteral nutrition combined with probiotics on the nutritional status of patients with severe head injury. Methods Thirty-five patients with severe head injury were randomized into early enteral nutrition group ( control group, n = 18 ) and early enteral nutrition combined with probiotics group (observational group, n = 17). All the patients received enteral nutrition via nasogastric tube within 24-48 hours following admission. Hemoglobin, lymphocyte count,plasma concentrations of total protein, albumin, prealbumin, cholinesterase, and fasting blood glucose were determined before enteral nutrition and at days 8, 15, 21 after enteral nutrition. Arm circumference (AC), triceps skinfold thickness (TSF) and ann muscle circumference ( AMC ) were measured at the same time points. Gastrointestinal reactions as well as the time to first defecation were recorded. Glasgow coma scale (GCS) was assessed. Results There was no difference in terms of hemoglobin, lymphocyte count, plasma concentrations of total protein, prealbumin, and GCS score at each time point between the two groups ( P ＞ 0. 05 ). At day 8 after enteral nutrition, the patients in the observational group exhibited significantly lower level of fasting blood glucose than those in the control group (P ＜ 0.05 ). At day 15,the concentration of plasma cholinesterase in the observational group was significantly higher than that in the control group ( P ＜ 0. 05 ). At day 21, the observational group showed a tendency in increase of plasma albumin level in comparison with the control group( P = 0. 054), and the decrease of AC and AMC was obviously lower than that in the control group ( P ＜0. 05 ) compared with pre-enteral nutrition. The observational group showed less gastro-oesophageal reflux and constipation as well as earlier time to first defecation compared with the control group ( P ＜ 0. 05,0. 01 ). Conclusion Compared with the ordinary enteral nutrition, the enteral nutrition combined with probiotics can attenuate metabolic disorders and improve the nutritional status of the patients with severe head injury.

Background The construction of tissue-engineered corneal endothelium needs the functional seeding cells,so how to culture a large amount of functional corneal endothelial cells (CECs) is an urgent problem to be solved.Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of aqueous humor on bovine CECs in vitro.Methods Aqueous humor of 1.2 ml was collected from the anterior chamber of bovine and sterilized,and the liquid supernatant was obtained.The bovine CECs were isolated from bovine cornea and then cultured in low glucose Dulbecco Modified Eagle Medium with 10％ fetal bovine serum (FBS) in vitro.Aqueous humor was added into the medium with the final concentration of 2.5％,5.0％,l0.0％,15.0％ and 20.0％,respectively,and no aqueous humor was added in the control group.Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used to detect the absorbency value of CECs for the evaluation of cell proliferation.Progression of the cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM).After confluence of the cells was reached,1 ml plastic spear tip was used to scratch the cell single layer,and the cells were incubated consequently in medium with 10％ FBS and with or without aqueous humor for 24 hours.Healing area of the cell single layer was measured.The cells were incubated at a density of 6 × 105 cells/ml and cultured using medium with or without 10.0％ aqueous human for 5 days,and the number of the cells was analyzed by DAPI fluorescence technique.Results Under the phase-contrast microscopy,the confluent CECs showed a slabstone-like and hexagonal appearance.CCK-8 assay revealed that the absorbance values of CECs was significantly different among the various culture groups (F=4.051,P =0.007),and the absorbance value in different concentrations of aqueous human culture groups was significantly higher than that in the control group (P ＜ 0.01).FCM showed that the percentage of the cells in S-G2 phases was (34.80-±3.13)％ in the 10.0％ aqueous humors group and (23.06±1.13)％ in the control group,showing a significant difference (t =-5.729,P=0.005).The scratch test showed that the healing area of the cell signal layer was (0.116±0.019) mm2 in the 10.0％ aqueous humors group and (0.358 ±0.049) mm2 in the control group,showing a significant difference (t =13.842,P =0.000).The density of cells in the 10.0％ aqueous humor group was (1439± 1 10)/field,which was more than (1162±45)/field in the control group (t =-11.020,P=0.000).Conclusions Aqueous humor at the concentration of 10.0％ promote the growth and proliferation of bovine CECs.The result suggests that 10.0％ aqueous humor can be used as a promoting agent during the culture of CECs.

20 beats/ h);⑤ normal control group(n=20):healthy person without OSAS or hypertension.The serum level of IL-6, sCD40L,hsCRP,sICAM-1,VACM-1 are determined by ELISA method.Results The serum level of IL-6, sCD40L,hsCRP,sICAM-1,VCAM-1 in patients of OSAS alone group or HT alone group is higher than that of normal control group;whereas,the serum level of IL-6,sCD40L,hsCRP,sICAM-1,VCAM-1 in patients with hy- pertension co-existed OSAS are furthermore higher than that of OSAS alone group,hypertension alone group(P

AIM: To evaluate the effects of the extract of Buddleja officinalis eye drops in basic tears secretory volume, tear film stability, expression of androgen receptors(AR) in castrated rats with dry eye, and to investigate the therapeutic effects of extract of Buddleja officinalis on dry eye caused by gonadal hormones level imbalance. METHODS:A total of 45 Wistar masculinity rats were divided at random into 9 groups, including normal group(A1,A2 and A3), model group(B1,B2 and B3), therapy group with extract of Buddleja officinalis eye drops(C1,C2 and C3). The "1" stood for being fed for 1 month, and "2" for 2 months, and "3" for 3 months. The dry eye model was established with orchiectomy on group B,C. Group C was treated with Buddleja officinalis extract eye drops for one month. All rats were checked with Schirmer Ⅰ test (SⅠt) and tear film break-up time (BUT). Expression of AR was analyzed by flow cytometer(FCM). RESULTS:The SⅠt value of group C was significantly higher than that of group B (P<0.01) and the BUT value of group C was significantly longer than that of group B (P<0.01), which indicated the eye drop could significantly keep basic tears secretory volume and tear film stability. And the expression of AR of group C was much higher than that of group B,which showed that available composition of the eye drops maybe display androgen-like activity.CONCLUSION:The main components of extract of Buddleja officinalis is the flavonoids which could significantly inhibit happening of dry eye of rat after androgen level lowered. Its mechanism is like androgen's and it could display androgen-like activity to keep basic tears secretory volume and tear film stability.