Microbial production of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) by photosynthetic bacteria compared to other bacteria and algae was reviewed. During anaerobic cultivation of the Rhodobacter spaeroides mutant strain, control of the redox potential was effective or producing large amounts of extracellular ALA. ALA has been practically applied in agriculture as herbicide, pesticide and growth-promoting factor for plants. New agriculture applications including salt tolerance and cold temperature tolerance of plants were also desired. Finally recent medical application for cancer treatment, tumor diagnosis and other clinical uses were discussed.

2 weeks) (both, P

Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Radiography ; Retroperitoneal Space ; pathology ; Rhabdomyosarcoma ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; physiopathology

Objective To elucidate the effect of human leukocyte antigen(HLA)cross-reactive groups(CREGs)matching on the patient/graft survival rate of renal transplant recipients positive for penal-reactive antibody(PRA).Methods The PRA level and the HLA antibody specificity of renal transplant candidates were assayed using the LAT1240,LM720R,and SSP2LB kits.The appropriate donors were selected according to the CREGs matching standard.Results 112 recipients included 43 positive cases of HLA classⅠantibody,39 positive cases of HLA classⅡantibody,and 30 positive cases of bothⅠandⅡ.The HLA mismatching cases of 0,1,2,3,4 and 5 allele(s)were 6,39,38, 21,7 and 1,respectively.Hyper-acute rejection(2 cases),acute rejection(18 cases),chronic rejec- tion(5 cases),delayed graft function(4 cases),graft excision(one case)due to rejection and deaths (13 cases,5 with a functioning graft)occurred after transplant.Ninety-nine recipients and 96 grafts survived.The 1-,3-,and 5-year graft survival rate was 91.96%,86.96%,and 86.21%,respec- tively.Conclusion The HLA matching rate of patient/graft was elevated significantly and the effect of high PRA level was decreased according to the principle of CREGs,which increased the patient/graft survival rate remarkably in sensitized recipients.

The microstructure of cationic cyclopeptide (TD-34) treated Caco-2 cell membrane was observed, and we discussed the relationship between membrane structure and insulin transmembrane permeability. Atomic force microscope (AFM) was used to observe living cell membrane in air condition and tapping mode. Results showed that the surface of Caco-2 cell membrane treated with TD-34 lost its smoothness and nearly doubled its roughness. Apparent permeability coefficients (P(app)) of insulin in Caco-2 cell monolayers increased 2.5 times. In conclusion, AFM can be used to observe microstructure of cationic cyclopeptide treated cell membrane and cationic cyclopeptide enhanced insulin delivery across Caco-2 cell membrane by increasing membrane fluidity.
Caco-2 Cells ; Cations ; Cell Membrane ; drug effects ; Cell Membrane Permeability ; drug effects ; Humans ; Insulin ; metabolism ; Membrane Fluidity ; drug effects ; Microscopy, Atomic Force ; Peptides, Cyclic ; pharmacology

Prepulse inhibition ( PPI) is the suppression of the startle reflex when the startling stim-ulus is preceded by a non-startling stimulus ( the prepulse) . It is an operational measurement of sensorimotor gating mechanism to help the brain adapt to the complex environment,which could be top-down modulated by attention and other higher cognitive processes. Deficits of PPI and the top-down modulation of PPI are closely related to psychiatric diseases. Research papers published from January 2001 to October 2016 related to PPI in psychiatric disorders were searched in the Chinese and English databases. Results showed that schizo-phrenic patients and their relatives showed deficits in baseline PPI as well as the attentional modulation of PPI,and more importantly,the attentional modulation of PPI rather than the baseline PPI was more related to the symptom severity. Patients with Tourette'' s syndrome showed PPI impairment,while patients with obsess-ive compulsive disorder had lower levels of PPI. PPI deficits in bipolar disorder patients were gender-depend-ent. Studying PPI and the top-down modulation of PPI could provide a basis to study the interaction of senso-ry processing and attention,and facilitate the researches of neural mechanism underlying the deficits of senso-ry gating. To establish advanced paradigms of PPI,new cognitive components could be introduced,such as at-tention,emotion,motor control,compulsivity and so on,thus improving the specificity of PPI test and promo-ting the PPI test as new biomarker and endophenotype in various psychiatric disorders.

Objective To investigate the correlation between helicobacter pylori infection and pathological characteristics of gastric mucosal in the elderly.Methods Retrospective analysis was conducted in 278 patients with benign upper gastrointestinal disease from January 2014 to June 2014.The patients were examined by endoscopy and 13C-UBT,and divided into elderly group (aged 60 years and over,n=111) and non-elderly group (aged＜60 years,n=167).The relationships between Hp infection and pathological changes in gastric mucosal tissue (severe chronic inflammation,neutrophil infiltration,lymph follicles,gastric gland atrophy,intestinal metaplasia) were analyzed.Results There was no significant difference in helicobacter pylori infection rate between the elderly group and non-elderly group [27.0％ (30/111) vs.36.5％ (61/167),P＞0.05].The rate of gastric gland atrophy was higher in elderly group than in non-elderly group [13.5％ (15/111) vs.6.0％ (10/167),P=0.028].The rates of severe chronic inflammation,neutrophil infiltration,lymph follicles,gland atrophy and intestinal metaplasia were 73.6％,70.3％,14.3％,18.7％,29.7％ in patients with helicobacter pylori infection,which were higher than those in patients without helicobacter pylori infection (19.8％,3.2％,0.5％,4.3％,8.6％,respectively,all P=0.000).Removing the factor of Hp infection,the rates of glands atrophy and intestinal metaplasia were higher in elderly group than in non-elderly group (8.6％ vs.0.9％,43.3％ vs.23.0％,P=0.013 and 0.045).Conclusions Helicobacter pylori infection correlates with severe chronic gastric mucosal inflammation,neutrophil infiltration,lymph follicles formation.Gland atrophy and intestinal metaplasia are related to the Hp infection,and age is also their influencing factor.

BACKGROUND:The effects of both conservative and traditional open reduction and internal fixation are dissatisfactory in the treatment of thoracolumbar fractures, however, minimal-invasive percutaneous pedicle screw-rod systems provide a new available method.
OBJECTIVE:To investigate the clinical effect of percutaneous pedicle screw fixation using Sextant minimal-invasive system in the treatment of thoracolumbar fractures.
METHODS:A total of 55 patients, who had undergone percutaneous pedicle screw fixation using Sextant system (25 patients) or open pedicle screw fixation (30 patients) for single-level vertebral body compression fractures in Department of Orthopedics, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University from February 2011 to January 2013, were enrol ed in this study. They showed no neurological signs and symptoms. The operative time, intraoperablood loss, postoperative drainage amount, length of hospital stay, pre-and post-operative Cobb angle and anterior vertebral body height ratio were recorded and compared between two groups.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Except two patients in open pedicle screw fixation group were lost after discharge, al other patients were fol owed up for 8-14 months. There were significant differences in operative time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage amount and length of hospital stay between two groups (P=0.000 0). The post-operative Cobb angle was significantly lower while anterior vertebral body height ratio was significantly higher at one week than those before fixation in two groups (P=0.000 0). No significant difference was found in correction loss between two groups at 8 months after operation. Experimental findings indicate that, percutaneous pedicle screw fixation using Sextant system has a satisfactory outcome in the treatment of thoracolumbar fractures. However, understanding the correct indications is very important for clinical application.

BACKGROUND:Though the effects of conservative or traditional open reduction and internal fixation in the treatment of thoracolumbar fractures are reliable and satisfactory for most cases, two methods also have shortages. Minimal-invasive percutaneous pedicle screw system provides a new available method. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the clinical effect of Sextant percutaneous pedicle screw system in the treatment of thoracolumbar fractures. METHODS:A total of 55 patients, who had undergone percutaneous pedicle screw fixation using Sextant system (25 patients) or traditional open internal fixation (30 patients) for single-level vertebral body compression fractures in Department of Orthopedics of Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University from February 2011 to January 2013, were enrol ed in this study. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Except two patients in traditional open internal fixation group were lost after discharge, al other patients were fol owed up for 8-14 months. Operative time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage amount and hospital day were better in percutaneous pedicle screw fixation group than in the traditional open internal fixation group (P<0.05). Compared with preoperation, the sagittal Cobb angle, visual analogue scale and Oswestry disability index after operation were significantly lower (P<0.05), while anterior vertebral body height ratio was significantly higher in each group (P<0.05). No significant difference was found in terms of correction loss and Oswestry disability index between two groups at 8 months after operation (P>0.05). The results show that percutaneous pedicle screw fixation using Sextant system has a satisfactory outcome in the treatment of thoracolumbar fractures. However, obeying indication strictly is very important for clinical application.

Objective To analyze the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in type 2 diabetic patients and its association with traditional and non-traditional risk factors. Methods A total of 420 type 2 diabetic patients with duration exceeding 1 year and without acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina,and infection were evaluated. PAD was diagnosed by ankle-brachial index ≤0.90. Risk factors included age, gender, body mass index, smoking, hypertension, diabetes duration,glycated hemoglobin A[C ( HbA_1C ), uric acid, triglyceride, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),high sensitive C reactive protein(hs-CRP),fibrinogen,and urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER). Results The prevalence rate of PAD was 16.4%(69/420). Older age, longer diabetes duration,lower HDL-C, higher UAER, hs-CRP and fibrinogen were associated with PAD. Multiple Logistic regression revealed that only age, UAER, hs-CRP and fibrinogen levels were independent risk factors. The prevalence rate of PAD was 4.7%(2/43), 12.9%(27/209) and 23.8%(40/168) in patients of less than 50 years old,50-70 years old and more than 70 years old, and was 7.9%( 14/177),9.3%( 11/118) and 35.2% (44/125) in different hs-CRP group (hs-CRP < 1 mg/L,l-3 mg/L, >3 mg/L), and was 9.7% (30/310) ,34.4%(33/96) and 42.9%(6/14) in normoalbuminuria, microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria, and was 12.1%(43/356) and 40.6%(26/64) in different fibrinogen levels group (≤4 g/L and > 4 g/L). Conclusions The prevalence rate of PAD is higher in type 2 diabetic patients. Non-traditional cardiovascular risk factors may be involved in the development of PAD.