Ethyl carbamate (EC) as a potential carcinogen commonly exists in traditional fermented foods. It is important eliminate urea that is the precursors of EC in many fermented foods, including Chinese Rice wine. On the basis of achieving high-level overexpression of food-grade ethanol-resistant acid urease, we studied the hydrolysis of urea and EC with the recombinant acid urease. Recombinant acid urease showed degraded urea in both the simulated system with ethanol and Chinese Rice wine (60 mg/L of urea was completely degraded within 25 h), indicating that the recombinant enzyme is suitable for the elimination of urea in Chinese Rice wine. Although recombinant acid urease also has degradation catalytic activity on EC, no obvious degradation of EC was observed. Further investigation results showed that the Km value for urea and EC of the recombinant acid urease was 0.7147 mmol/L and 41.32 mmol/L, respectively. The results provided theoretical foundation for realizing simultaneous degradation of urea and EC.
Oryza ; Recombinant Proteins ; metabolism ; Urea ; chemistry ; Urease ; metabolism ; Urethane ; chemistry ; Wine ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo study the action mechanism of a Chinese herbal mixture PC-SPES II inducing the apoptosis of androgen independent prostate adenocarcinoma cell line (PC-3).

METHODSThe growth of PC-3 was shown by MTT. Immunofluorescence staining of acridine orange (AO) and flow cytometry were used to detect the apoptosis. The expressions of the apoptosis-related proteins were analyzed with their monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies after Western blotting.

RESULTSPC-SPES II not only inhibited the growth of PC-3 cells but also induced their death. The apoptosis of PC-3 cells treated with PC-SPES II was detected by immunofluorescence staining of AO and flow cytometry, which showed the apoptotic cells to be (29.8 +/- 5.6)%, but the untreated control cells (0.06 +/- 0.014)%, (P < 0.01). The expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, two antiapoptosis proteins, was decreased while Bax, a pro apoptosis protein, was elevated in the cells treated with PC-SPES II as compared with the untreated control (P < 0.01). Accordingly, the expression of the activated fragments of caspase-3 was also increased (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe Chinese herbal mixture PCSPES II can induce the apoptosis of PC-3. Its mechanism may lie in the up-regulation of Bax expression and down-regulation of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL expressions, which induce the activated fragments of caspase-3 by mitochondria.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology

Trypsin as an important serine protease has been widely used in food, pharmaceutical and tanning industries. In this study, we successfully expressed trypsin (cloning from Streptomyces griseus ATCC10137) in Streptomyces lividans TK24 and comparatively investigated its enzymatic properties. Specifically, applying S. griseus ATCC 10137 genome as template, we obtained the sprT gene and sub-cloned it into the expression plasmid pIJ86, generating the recombinant strain S. lividans TK24/pIJ86-sprT. When cultivated in R2YE and SELF, the activity of rSGT reached 9.21 U/mL and 8.61 U/mL, respectively. Meanwhile, the results of the enzymatic analysis showed that rSGT exhibited a higher acid tolerance and a higher specificity to hydrolyze amide bonds compared with bovine trypsin (BT). In addition, Zn2+ and organic solvents up-regulated esterase and amidase of rSGT. Taken together, the results obtained herein provide meaningful information for further modification of rSGT and its industrial application.
Fermentation ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Streptomyces griseus ; enzymology ; Streptomyces lividans ; genetics ; metabolism ; Trypsin ; biosynthesis ; genetics

Objective To understand the epidemiological features of Alzheimer's disease (AD)in the community-based elderly living in cities and counties in Hebei province.Methods Under the stratified random sampling method,Mini Mental State Examination(MMSE)was used to evaluate senile dementia and Activity of Daily Living Scale(ADL)and to evaluate the daily lives of the elderly.Related dementia standard on the diagnose of AD and its subtypes was used.Statistically,data was analyzed through SPSS 13.0 software.Results The overall prevalence was 64.84%(2355/3632) on chronic diseases in those elderly who were over 60 years of age while AD appeared to be high and increased with age.The prevalence rate of dementia was 7.24%(263/3632),in which AD accounted for 4.87%(177/3632).Rates for other chronic diseases were as follows:hypertension (32.35%),diabetes(11.37%),chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(9.25%),coronary heart disease(8.84%)and stroke(7.16%).The prevalence of AD increased with age and was related to the low degree of education having.Conclusion Elderly living in the communities of Hebei province showed high prevalent rates of chronic diseases including AD,which had become the major kind of diseases related to old age.

BACKGROUNDLate incomplete stent apposition (ISA) may occur after drug-eluting stent implantation, affecting long-term clinical outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of clinical presentations of coronary artery disease on late ISA after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) by means of three-dimensional volumetric intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) analyses.

METHODSOne hundred and thirty-seven patients with coronary artery disease received SES implantation during PCI and had repeat angiography with IVUS examination. All patients were followed up one year after the procedure.

RESULTSIn overall 219 treated lesions (137 patients), late ISA was identified in 25 lesions (16 patients). Clinical diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and use of long stents were more common in patients with than in those without late ISA. Patients with late ISA had greater external elastic membrane (EEM) area in stented segment ((15.34 +/- 5.44) vs (13.83 +/- 4.51) mm(2), P = 0.026), stented-to-reference segment EEM area ratio (1.13 +/- 0.22 vs 1.02 +/- 0.18, P < 0.001), and plaque and media area ((8.43 +/- 3.93) vs (7.01 +/- 2.93) mm(2), P = 0.002) than in those without late ISA. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that clinical diagnosis of ACS and use of long stents were independent risk factors for late ISA (OR 6.477, 95% CI 2.297 - 18.263, P < 0.001; OR 3.680, 95% CI 1.181 - 11.469, P = 0.025; respectively). During one-year follow-up after IVUS examination, the rate of very late stent thrombosis tended to be higher in patients with than in those without late ISA (18.7% vs 3.3%, P = 0.051).

CONCLUSIONSThe occurrence of late ISA after SES implantation may be related to clinical status, use of long stents, and marked positive vessel remodeling. Late ISA tended to increase the rate of very late stent thrombosis during follow-up, highlighting the importance of long-term dual antiplatelet therapy for these patients.

Acute Coronary Syndrome ; complications ; Aged ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation ; adverse effects ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; administration & dosage ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prosthesis Failure ; Sirolimus ; administration & dosage ; Ultrasonography, Interventional

OBJECTIVEThe impact of late incomplete stent apposition (ISA) post sirolimus eluting stent (SES) implantation in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) on long-term clinical outcomes remains controversial. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between late ISA and clinical outcomes in patients with ACS compared with that with stable angina (SA).

METHODSFrom February 2005 to March 2007, 54 ACS patients and 83 SA patients were enrolled in this study, late ISA was determined by means of three-dimensional volumetric intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) analyses one year after SES implantation and clinical outcomes one year post IVUS were obtained in these patients.

RESULTSIn 219 treated lesions of the 137 patients, late ISA was documented in 25 lesions in 16 patients (20 ISA in 12 ACS patients vs. 5 ISA in 4 SA patients, P<0.001). Though lumen area in reference and stented segment, neointimal hyperplasia (NIH) area and percentage of NIH in stented segment, and external elastic membrane (EEM) area in reference segment were similar between two groups, EEM area in stented segment [(15.34+/-5.44) mm2 vs. (13.83+/-4.51) mm2, P=0.026], stented/reference segment EEM area ratio (1.13+/-0.22 vs. 1.02+/-0.18, P<0.001), plaque and media area [(8.43+/-3.93) mm2 vs. (7.01+/-2.93) mm2, P=0.002] was significantly lager in ACS group than that in SA group. Multivariable logistic analysis showed that ACS (OR 6.477 with 95% CI from 2.297 to 18.263, P<0.001) and stent length>or=23 mm (OR 3.680 with 95% CI from 1.181 to 11.469, P=0.025) were main independent factors of occurrence of late ISA. Incidence of main adverse cardiac events (MACE) one year post IVUS was similar between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONCompared with patients with SA, ACS patients had larger stented segment EEM area, plaque and media area as well as increased incidence of ISA. However, the incidence of MACE was similar in ACS and SA patients one year after IVUS.

Acute Coronary Syndrome ; pathology ; therapy ; Aged ; Angina Pectoris ; pathology ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Sirolimus ; administration & dosage ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical significance of resection of the pancreatic capsule and anterior layer of transverse mesocolon in radical gastrectomy.

METHODSBetween January 2007 and July 2008, a total of 213 gastric cancer patients enrolled in the study. These patients were randomly assigned into two groups: 105 in group R and 108 in group N. Only in group R were the pancreatic capsule and anterior layer of transverse mesocolon resected during radical gastrectomy. The pancreatic capsule and anterior layer of transverse mesocolon were histologically analyzed for metastasis. The data including blood loss during operations, number of dissected lymph nodes and postoperative complications were analyzed in both groups.

RESULTSThere were no significant differences between the two groups in blood loss during operation and postoperative complications, but the differences in operation time and number of dissected lymph nodes between the two groups were significant. Metastases to the pancreatic capsule and/or anterior layer of transverse mesocolon were diagnosed in nine (8.6%) patients of group R. The metastases to the pancreatic capsule and/or anterior layer of transverse mesocolon were found to be associated with tumor invasion depth, anterior or posterior gastric wall, clinical staging and perigastric lymph node metastasis extent (P<0.05), but not with age, gender, tumor location, size, Borrmann type and pathological classification (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSResection of pancreatic capsule and anterior layer of transverse mesocolon in group R does not increase postoperative complications in comparison with group N. The resection is beneficial to the patients with advanced gastric cancer staging relatively late because of potential metastasis to pancreatic capsule and anterior layer of transverse mesocolon.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Colon, Transverse ; Female ; Gastrectomy ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Mesocolon ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Pancreas ; surgery ; Stomach Neoplasms ; surgery

BACKGROUNDSyncope is common in children and adolescents, with 15% estimated to have had at least one syncopal episode by age 18. In recent years, an increasing number of children, especially girls at their school age, have developed unexplained syncope. The mechanism of an unexplained syncope exhibited by children is incompletely studied; the association between different hemodynamic patterns and clinical features is also not clear. The aim of the study was to investigate the hemodynamic patterns of children with unexplained syncope and to examine the clinical relevance.

METHODSTwo hundred and eight children [87 boys, 121 girls, aged 3 - 19 years, mean (11.66 +/- 2.72) years] were selectively recruited from May 2000 to April 2006 when they presented syncope as their main complaint at the Multi-center Network for Childhood Syncope in Beijing, Hunan Province, Hubei Province, and Shanghai of China. All of the patients underwent head-up tilt tests; data were analyzed using SPSS version 10.0 for Windows. Continuous variables were expressed as the mean +/- standard deviation. Dichotomous variables were compared through a chi(2) test. A value of P < 0.05 (two sided) was regarded as statistically significant.

RESULTSThe age distribution of children with syncope was approximately normal. Head-up tilt tests was positive in 155 children, and the incidence of positive response of the baseline head-up tilt test for diagnosing unexplained syncope was 50.48%. The sensitivity value and diagnostic value of sublingual nitroglycerin head-up tilt test were both 74.52%. The hemodynamic pattern was normal in 53 children. The 155 children, who were positive in head-up tilt tests, showed signs of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (60, 28.8%), the vasoinhibitory pattern (72, 34.6%), the cardioinhibitory pattern (5, 2.4%), and the mixed pattern (18, 8.7%). The gender distribution between the two age groups (age < 12 years vs age > or = 12 years) was not different (P > 0.05). The distribution of hemodynamic patterns between the children of the two age groups (age < 12 years vs age > or = 12 years), and the children with different complaints (dizziness vs syncope) was significantly different (P < 0.05), while the distribution between the children of different sexes and different lasting time of syncope (< or = 5 minutes vs > 5 minutes) was not significantly different (P > 0.05). Different hemodynamic patterns were differentiated by differing syncope inducements, presymptoms, and complicated symptoms during and after syncope.

CONCLUSIONThe tested girls were more prone when compared with the boys to have unexplained syncope, and the peak age was around twelve years old. The incidence of positive response of head-up tilt tests was also relatively higher for the girls. The distribution of hemodynamic patterns for different ages was different. For children with unexplained syncope, we should use head-up tilttests to distinguish the hemodynamic patterns in order to adopt rational therapeutic measures.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Reflex ; Sex Characteristics ; Syncope ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Tilt-Table Test

Objective To improve the load resistance ability of students in teenager aviation schools and carry out specialized training for the body situation and shape of students.Methods We selected students from 14 teenager aviation schools and measured their height,weight,and the circumferences of necks,chests,upper-arms,waists,hips,and thighs.We compared the data of these students from different areas and the parameters were analyzed statistically by correlation analysis.Results Totally 411 students from 6 southern schools and 403 students from northern schools were investigated.Their average body height,weight and body mass index (BMI) were (172.3 ± 4.39) cm,(62.7 ± 7.3) kg,and (21.1 ± 2.23)kg/m2 respectirely.Students from northern schools were taller and heavier than those from southern schools (P ＜ 0.05).There was no difference between students from northern and southern schools in BMI.Compared with the domestic average levels of height,weight and chest circumference of teenagers aged 14 to 17,students of teenager aviation schools were higher,but there was no difference in weight or chest circumference.The average circumferences of the chest,neck,left upper-arm,right upper-arm,waist,hip,left thigh and right thigh were (83.1 ± 5.06),(34.7 ±3.07),(25.2±2.33),(25.5 ±2.30),(73.4 ±6.73),(89.7 ±5.89),(50.1 ±5.22),and (50.2 ±5.27)cm,respectively.According to the data,students from northern schools had a bigger chest circumference and thigh circumference but a smaller neck circumference and upper-arms circumference than those from southern schools (P ＜ 0.05).The correlation coefficient between BMI and the circumferences of the chest,neck,left upper-arm,right upperarm,waist,hip,left thigh and right thigh was 0.2201,0.1066,0.2466,0.2499,0.2291,0.2149,0.2299,0.2264,respectively.All of them were statistically significant (P ＜ 0.0001).Conclusion Load resistance related parameters of students in teenager aviation schools are not different from the domestic levels,which points to the urgent need for load resistance ability training for these students.Some parameters vary between areas.BMI is positively related to those load resistance parameters.Based on regional variations and regularities found in this study,specialized load resistance ability training could be made more efficient.

Objective:To report a SPTLC2 gene mutation in a family with a phenotype of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.Methods:To screen the family of patients with pathogenic mutations of SPTLC2 gene from the database of hereditary peripheral neuropathy in the Department of Neurology, Peking University First Hospital, and to collect their clinical data, peripheral nerve conduction examination, nerve ultrasound examination, pathological examination of the peroneal nerve and whole exome sequencing results of prohand.Results:One family was screened, the proband was a 16-year-old female with 4 years of sensory loss and anhidrosis of both lower limbs and 16 months of walking difficulty who admitted to Peking University First Hospital in January 2022. Physical examination showed sensory loss, dry skin and weakness in distal limbs. Her father had numbness and dry skin in the distal lower limbs from childhood,weakness and atrophy of his lower limbs in adulthood. He died at age of 52 years old. The nerve conduction study revealed no action potentials of the sensory and motor nerves of the lower limbs in the proband. The amplitude of the compound muscle action potential of the motor conduction of the bilateral ulnar nerve and median nerve decreased, and the nerve conduction velocity of the bilateral median nerve were 32 m/s and 24 m/s. Neurosonography showed thickening of peripheral nerves. Sural biopsy revealed severe loss of myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibers with onion bulbs formation. SPTLC2 gene showed a known heterozygous p.G435V mutation. The lower limb weakness was improved after oral L-serine.Conclusions:SPTLC2 gene mutation can lead to an intermediate Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease phenotype. L-serine can improve the limb weakness.