Objective To observe the effects of Kuijiening Plaster point application on the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IFN-γ, IL-12 and anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4, IL-10 in serum and colonic tissue of ulcerative colitis (UC) rats with spleen-kidney yang deficiency; To investigate the possible mechanism of Kuijiening for the treatment of UC with spleen-kidney yang deficiency. Methods Sennae Folium solution gavage, ice water stimulation and trinitrobenzene-sulfonic acid ethanol combinative methods were applied to establish the models of UC rats with spleen-kidney yang deficiency. Rat models were randomly divided into control group, model group, application group and SASP group, 10 in each group. The control group and model group were given medicine-free cataplasm matrix point application and perfused with NS. The application group was given Kuijiening Plaster point application and perfused with NS. SASP group was given medicine-free cataplasm matrix point application and perfused with SASP. The courses were 28 days. General conditions of rats in each group were observed during treatment. The general morphology and pathological form of colonic tissue were observed with naked eye and light microscopy through HE staining respectively in each group post-treatment. Pathological features were observed and scored by HE dyeing. Levels of IFN-γ, IL-12, IL-4 and IL-10 in serum and colonic tissue of rats in each group were detected with ELISA. Results The general conditions, gross morphology and optical microscope pathological morphology of colonic tissue improved and scores decreased in application group and SASP group. Compared with the model group, levels of IL-4 and IL-10 significantly increased, while the levels of IFN-γ and IL-12 decreased in serum and colonic tissue in application group and SASP group, with statistical significance (P<0.01). Moreover, levels of IL-4 and IL-10 in application group decreased not as much as those in SASP group, while IFN-γ and IL-12 concentration increased higher than SASP group, without statistical significance (P>0.05). Conclusion Kuijiening Plaster point application can play a role in treating UC with spleen-kidney yang deficiency through partially restoring the balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in serum and colon tissue of rats.

Objective To isolate and identify human anti-oxidized low density lipoprotein (LDL) autoantibodies.Methods Oxidized LDL (Ox-LDL) autoantibodies were isolated from eight healthy subjects by affinity chromatography with using an Ox-LDL cross-linked Sepharose 4B column.Results Three elution peaks of Ox-LDL autoantibodies were washed out from the Ox-LDL column by NaHCO3,acetate and KCNS buffer in turn and collected respectively.Ox-LDL autoantibodies were isolated from all the selected healthy subjects.All the three elution peaks had good reactivity with Ox-LDL.Among them,the elution peaks by KCNS buffer had high protein level and strong reactivity with Ox-LDL.The types of these antibodies included IgG and IgM, and IgG was the main type.Conclusion The isolated Ox-LDL autoantibodies had strong reactivity with Ox-LDL.

Objective To explore whether ischemic tolerance exists in patients of cerebral infarction following transient ischemic attacks (TIA). Methods Thirty-eight patients with cerebral infarction following TIA(with TIA group) and 98 patients with cerebral infarction without TIA (without TIA group)were studied. The positive expression rate of CD62P in platelet and the size of cerebral infarction on admission was measured. The scores of activities of daily living were evaluated on admission and after a month. Results The positive expression rate of CD62P in platelet was lower in with TIA group than that in without TIA group [ (4.21 ± 0.43 )% vs (6.01 ± 0.03)%,P< 0.05 ]. The area of cerebral infarction and the scores of activities of daily living were lower in with TIA group than those in without TIA group(P< 0.05 ). Conclusion Cerebral infarction following TIA has ischemic tolerance.

Lignin degradation products are toxic to microorganisms, which is one of the bottlenecks for fuel ethanol production. We studied the effects of phenolic ketones (4-hydroxyacetophenone, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-acetophenone and 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxy-acetophenone) derived from lignin degradation on ethanol fermentation of xylose and cellular lipid composition of Pichia stipitis NLP31. Ethanol and the cellular fatty acid of yeast were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Results indicate that phenolic ketones negatively affected ethanol fermentation of yeast and the lower molecular weight phenolic ketone compound was more toxic. When the concentration of 4-hydroxyacetophenone was 1.5 g/L, at fermentation of 24 h, the xylose utilization ratio, ethanol yield and ethanol concentration decreased by 42.47%, 5.30% and 9.76 g/L, respectively, compared to the control. When phenolic ketones were in the medium, the ratio of unsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids (UFA/SFA) of yeast cells was improved. When 1.5 g/L of three aforementioned phenolic ketones was added to the fermentation medium, the UFA/SFA ratio of yeast cells increased to 3.03, 3.06 and 3.61, respectively, compared to 2.58 of the control, which increased cell membrane fluidity and instability. Therefore, phenolic ketones can reduce the yeast growth, increase the UFA/SFA ratio of yeast and lower ethanol productivity. Effectively reduce or remove the content of lignin degradation products is the key to improve lignocellulose biorefinery.
Acetophenones ; chemistry ; Ethanol ; chemistry ; Fermentation ; Industrial Microbiology ; Ketones ; chemistry ; Lignin ; chemistry ; Lipids ; chemistry ; Phenols ; chemistry ; Pichia ; chemistry ; Xylose ; chemistry

Objective To investigate the most sensitive methods for diagnosing spontaneous internal carotid artery dissection (sICAD) and spontaneous vertebral artery dissection (sVAD) respectively,for the sake of earlier and more accurate diagnosis.Methods Consecutive patients with sICAD and sVAD who visited the Department of Neurology and Radiology,Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University during 2008-2013 were retrospectively reviewed and the sensitivity of CT angiography (CTA),magnetic resonance T1-weighted fat-suppressed images (MR T1-FS) and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) for the diagnosis of sICAD and sVAD was compared.Results Eighty patients (62 male,18 female; mean age (45.7 ± 11.9) years) were included in the study.There were 99 arterial dissections in total,45 cases of sICAD,52 cases of sVAD and 2 cases of spontaneous middle cerebral artery dissections.The sensitivity of CTA,DSA and MR T1-FS for diagnosing sICAD was 97.5％ (39/40),90.0％ (36/40) and 69.6％ (16/23) respectively,while for sVAD was 89.8％ (44/49),84.6％ (44/52) and 100.0％ (27/27) respectively.Conclusions sICAD and sVAD have significant differences in many aspects including diagnostic strategies.CTA and MR T1-FS seem to be the most sensitive methods for the diagnosis of sICAD and sVAD respectively.Although DSA has been considered as the gold standard for the diagnosis of artery dissection,this imaging technique does not allow analysis of artery wall thickness,thus also has limitations.It is likely that the diagnostic sensitivity will be improved by combining CTA and MR T1-FS.

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of a new minimal incision suture technique in repair of acute close rupture of Achilles tendon.Methods From August 2008 through October 2014,134 patients with acute close rupture of Achilles tendon were treated with a self-designed minimally invasive suture technique at our institution.They were 130 men and 4 women,with an average age of 37.4 years (range,from 18 to 52 years).The left side was injured in 93 patients and the right side in 41.The interval from injury to surgery was 1 to 7 days (average,2.5 days).The tendon rupture was located at 4.5 to 6.3 cm proximal to its insertion in 133 patients,and at 1.2 cm in one.With the ankle held in full plantar flexion,a 1.0 to 1.5 cm transverse incision was made over the palpable defect.Forceps were then used to mobilize the tendon from beneath the paratenon.The safe puncture site was determined by course and distribution of the sural nerve indirectly located by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Ethicon MB66 nonabsorbable suture was passed diagonally through the tendon bulk under epidural puncture needle guidance.The proximal and distal ends of the suture were tied together and buried.The tendon ends were apposed through the transverse incision.Postoperative individual rehabilitation was established based on pathological differentiation for tendon tissue.Results All the patients were followed up for 8 to 48 months (average,19.6 months).All the wounds healed at the first stage.No complications happened related to incision.The nervus suralis was injured in 3 patients;tendon re-rupture occurred in 4 patients,3 of whom received re-operation and one of whom conservative treatment.Their American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) scores averaged 99.6,giving a good to excellent rate of 100％ (133excellentcasesandonegoodcase).According to the Arner-Lindholm evaluation criteria,ankle function was excellent in 99 cases,good in 34 ones and poor in one,giving a good to excellent rate of 99.3％.Conclusion The new minimal incision suture technique is worthy of promotion in repair of ruptured Achilles tendon,because it is simple and reliable,does not interfere with the blood circulation to the Achilles tendon,prevents such complications as sural nerve injury and recurrent rupture,and leads to little adhesion and quick functional recovery.

Objective To analyze the molecular genetic basis of novel allele HLA-B * 9534 and establish the allele group specific primer PCR method. Methods Genomic DNA was extracted from whole blood by commercial DNA extraction kit. The HLA-B exons 1 to 8 coding sequences of the proband were am-plified by PCR and the amplification product was purified with double enzymes digestion and both strands of exons 2, 3 and 4 were sequenced. The exon 2-4 amplification of the HLA-B * 9534 was performed with al-lele group specific primers PCR and the PCR product was directly sequenced for exon 2 to 4. Results The proband has two HLA-B alleles. The result was assigned for HLA-B * 1518 and B * 4601 combination with a mismatch in 593A/G heterozygote by DNA sequencing of exon 2 to 4 with loci primers. After separating the two alleles of the proband with allele group specific primers polymerase chain reaction method, HLA-B * 4601 and HLA-B * 9534 alleles were identified after sequencing. The HLA-B * 9534 is identical to HLA-B * 1518 except for one nucleotide substitutions in exon 3 at position 593 A→G, this results in amino acid substitution at cedon 174 from Asn to Ser. The sequences of the novel allele have been submitted to GenBank (EU046491) and the allele has been officially nominated by the WHO Nomenclature Committee. Conclusion Identification of a novel HLA-B * 9534 allele and allele group specific primer PCR for HLA-B * 9534 was re-liable.

Objective To investigate clinical presentations,laboratory examinations,magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appearances and treatment of hypertrophic cranial pachymeningitis (HCP).Methods The clinical data of 13 patients with HCP receiving comprehensive therapy in Huashan Hospital from January 2007 to January 2013 were analyzed retrospectively.Results The onset of HCP was mostly chronic with an average duration of 26.7 months.The main clinical manifestations of the 13 patients were chronic headaches (12/13) and cranial nerve paralysis (12/13).Inflammation markers and cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) protein levels increased in patients with HCP and gradually became normal after the treatment.The MRI demonstrated local or diffused thickened dura located in tentorium (10/13),falx cerebrum (5/13),frontal lobe (4/13),temporal lobe (7/13) and parietal lobe (4/13).The signal intensity was isointense on T1-weighted MR images and hypointense on T2-weighted MR images.Enhanced MR images showed conspicuous enhancement of the dural edges.Corticosteroid therapy improved the clinical symptoms in 12 of 13 patients.Conclusions HCP typically causes headache and paralysis of multiple cranial nerves.Enhanced MRI shows characteristic manifestations.At present corticosteroid therapy is the treatment of choice followed by immunosuppressive agent and radiotherapy.

Aim To examine the effect of Nampt over-expression on cardiac hypertrophy,and elucidate the role of NF-κB.Methods The cultured neonatal car-diomyocytes were pretreated with 100 μmol · L-1 PE or transfected with Nampt.The mRNA and protein ex-pression of Nampt were determined by Real-time PCR and Western blot respectively.The cardiomyocyte hy-pertrophy was monitored by measuring cell-surface area and the mRNA levels of ANP and BNP,which were biomarkers of hypertrophic response.Moreover,we te-sted the effects of Nampt on NF-κB-dependent tran-scription activity through luciferase reporter gene as-says.Results Nampt overexpression significantly in-creased cardiomyocyte surface area and the mRNA ex-pression of ANP and BNP.In addition,Nampt overex-pression could markedly increase NF-κB-dependent transcription activity. Moreover, when p65 was knocked down,cardiomyocytes with Nampt overexpres-sion could not induce cardiac hypertrophy.Conclusion
Overexpression of Nampt induces cardiac hypertro-phy by increasing NF-κB-dependent transcription activ-ity.

Objective To investigate α-interferon (α-IFN) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)inhibitor celecoxib synergistically inhibit the growth of human liver cancer SMMC-7721 cells xenografts and tumor angiogenesis in a nude mouse model.Methods The effects of celecoxib and α-interferon on tumor volumes and weight were observed.The expressions of VEGF and Cox-2 were determined by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR,and the effect of α-interferon on MVD also was observed by immunohisto chemistry.Results During the period of observation tumor volume increased progressively in control group,while it was suppressed obviously in other drug treatment groups.The average tumor volume was significantly smaller in celecoxib + α-IFN group than that in IFN group,celecoxib group and control group (P ＜ 0.01,respectively),its inhibitory rate was 61.84％.Immunohistochemistry showes that the VEGF and MVD was significantly smaller in celecoxib + IFN group than that in α-IFN group,celecoxib group and control group (P ＜ 0.01,respectively).RT-PCR shows that the COX-2mRNA and VEGF mRNA pression was lower in the celecoxib + α-IFN group than in α-IFN group,celecoxib group and control group (P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions The COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib and α-interferon synergistically reduces xenografts growth of human liver cancer SMMC-7721 cells effectively via suppressing tumor growth and angiogenesis.