Objective To compare the safety of two antibody inductors, namely lymphocytes scavenger and IL-2 receptor blocking agent, in living kidney transplantation. Methods The data of 191 patients, who received living kidney transplant in our hospital from Feb. 2007 to Jul. 2012, were retrospectively analyzed, and grouped according to the inductors they received as: a) lymphocytes scavenger group (n=56), with rabbit antithymocyte immunoglobulin (rATG, 4 cases) and porcine antihuman T-lymphocyte immunoglobulin (pATG, 52 cases) served as the inductor; b) IL-2 receptor blocking agent group (n=54), with basiliximab (40 cases) and daclizumab (14 cases) served as the inductor; and c) control group (n=8l). The incidence of rejection and infection, and the survival rate of patient/allograft within one year were then compared among the three groups. Results Within one year after the transplantation, the incidence of acute rejection in lymphocytes scavenger group, IL-2 receptor blocking agent group and control group was 12.5%, 11.1% and 28.4%, respectively. There was a significant difference between the two inductor groups and control group (P=0.003), but no significant difference was found between the two inductor groups (P>0.05). The incidence of delayed graft function (DGF) in the three groups was 8.9%, 7.4% and 13.6%, respectively, with no statistical significance (P>0.05). Also there was no significant difference among the three groups in the incidence of infection and the survival rate of patient/allograft within one year after transplantation (P>0.05). Conclusion Both inductors may significantly reduce the incidence of acute rejection within one year without increasing the incidence of infection and other adverse events, nor affect the postoperative patient/graft survival, so they are both safe and effective.

Flavonolignans, as a special class of flavonoid, have attracted people's attention for their remarkable hepatopro-tection and anti-cancer activity. However, separation of flavonolignans and identification of their absolute configuration have met with great challenges due to the complexity and similarity of structures. The circular dichroism (CD) rules and their application in analyzing the absolute configuration of flavonolignans are summarized in the review and hopefully it may be helpful for the structure elucidation of flavonolignans.

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics and outcome of correction with Ilizarov fixator for the knee deformities.Methods From May 2003 to April 2010,21 patients (22 knees) underwent knee deformity correction with Ilizarov fixator,including 12 males and 9 females with an average age of 20.3 years (range,8-48).Causes of the deformities included poliomyelitis in 4,burn in 2,osteomyelitis in 2,trauma in 9,Blount diseases in 2,and multiple osteochondromatosis in 2.Five patients had fixed flexion contracture due to soft tissue,they were corrected through a combination of Ilizarov's frame crossover the joint with a pair of hinges by gradual posterior distraction.Eight patients (9 limbs) had one way bony deformities and 7 patients had complex deformations.The frame with 4 hinge-posts was used for correction by restoring the alignment firstly,and then gradual lengthening to correct bone shortening.Additionally,an overlay frame of the above mentioned combinations was applied for correction of bony deformity combined with soft tissue contracture for 1 patient.Results The average time in frame was 22.3 weeks (range,12-36).At the time of removing frame,satisfactory alignment was achieved in all of the affected knees,and solid bony healing was obtained in osteotomy or bone lengthening area in 16 patients (17 limbs) with bony correction.All patients were followed up for an average of 32.1 months (range,6-86).The range of motion was improved from 102.14°±49.36° preoperatively to 126.90°±24.31° at the final follow-up.Additionally,the Japanese Orthopaedic Association knee score was also increased from 50.24±23.64 before operation to 85.71±10.52 at the final follow-up.All of them were able to walk without crutches,deal with daily life independently.Only 2 patients with the range of motion of the knee less than 90° were not able to squat.Conclusion Ilizarov fixator has advantages of minimal intervention to local tissue in operation and nimble adjustment at any time,and disadvantages related to a longer time in frame.

Background Retinal development continues during the early postnatal period in mammals.Correct arrangement of layers and precise location of various cells in the retina are vital for forming normal visual function during critical period plasticity.Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography(SD-OCT)provides highquality in vivo retinal imaging and the possibility to measure retinal thickness longitudinally. Objective The present study was to investigate the changes of retinal thickness during critical period plasticity in rats. Methods In vivo consecutive scanning of retinal image was performed in 10 SPF Sprague-Dawley rats at postnatal day 14(P14),P18,P21,P24 and P42 with SD-OCT,and retinal histopathological examination was used to detect retinal morphologic changes at the same postnatal ages in 20 matched rats.The whole retinal thickness,the thickness from inner limiting membrane(ILM)to inner plexiform layer(IPL),the thickness of inner nuclear layer(INL)and the thickness from outer nuclear layer(ONL)to retinal pigment epithelium(RPE)were measured using Cirrus HD-OCT system and HMIAS-2000 Imaging System in retinal sections.The measurement parameters by Cirrus HD-OCT and those by hematoxylin-eosin staining were compared.The use of animals followed the Statement of National Institute of Health (USA). Results In vivo high-resolution images of rat retinas with SD-OCT compared well with histology,which enabled quantitative comparison of the SD-OCT and histological data during critical period plasticity in rats.From P14 to P42,the retinal thickness gradually decreased with the increase of rat ages(F=15.425,P=0.000),and so were the thickness from ILM to IPL,the thickness of INL and the thickness from ONL to RPE(F=3.973,P=0.007;F=17.529,P=0.000;F=7.038,P=0.000).The retinal thickness,thickness of INL.thickness from ONL to RPE measured by Cirrus HD-OCT were significantly correlated with those measured by retinal sections among P14,P18,P21,P24 and P42 rats(r=0.794,P=0.000;r=0.784,P=0.000;r=0.681,P=0.000). Conclusion SD-OCT is a demonstratably valuable technology to study the structure of retinas in rats.The retinal thickness is shown to reduce in thickness throughout the development of the retina during critical period plasticity due to the decrease in thickness of INL and the distance from the ONL to RPE,as illustrated by OCT scanning.

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has become the most common chronic liver disease affecting global public health, and its incidence rate is increasing year by year. The molecular mechanism of its pathogenesis is not yet fully understood, and there is a shortage of effective clinical prevention and treatment methods. Studies have found that sodium butyrate can participate in gene regulation, immune regulation, intestinal barrier function regulation, oxidative stress and other in-vivo physiological activities. Furthermore, it also plays an important role in preventing and alleviating the MAFLD occurrence and development. This article reviews the related studies of sodium butyrate on gene expression regulation, fat metabolism improvement, intestinal flora regulation, and steatohepatitis improvement with MAFLD.

Objective: To study the expression pattern of apolipoprotein J (Apo J) in rat's model of vascular restenosis after cartid balloon dilation. Methods: A total of 40 Wistar rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: Experimental group, the rat's model of carotid artery injury was established by 2 F Fogarty balloon catheter scratching in right carotid artery and Control group, the rats received sham operation without catheter scratching. n=20 in each group. Right carotid artery tissue was taken at 1, 2, 3, 4 weeks after the operation respectively and 5 rats were used for each time point. The morphological changes were measured by HE staining, protein and gene expressions of Apo J were examined by immunohistochemistry and qRT-PCR. Results: Compared with Control group, at each time point Experimental group had obvious intimal hyperplasia and up-regulated protein and gene expressions of Apo J, P<0.05. In Experimental group, with prolonged time of injury, consistent endometrial hyperplasia was observed and it reached the maximum at 4 weeks after operation; the peak protein and gene expressions of Apo J was found at 3 weeks after operation, then decreased at certain point at 4 weeks after operation, P<0.05. Conclusion: Apo J might be closely related to intimal hyperplasia after vascular injury, high expression of vascular Apo J was mainly derived from vascular smooth muscle cell synthesis, it could be a kind of compensation with protective role and might be used as a new biological target for treating vascular retenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention.

BACKGROUND: Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), commonly known as bone cement, has been widely used in the orthopedic surgery. It ensures the immediate stability of prosthesis and the minimal micromotion at the cement-bone interface, allowing early weight-bearing after surgery. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the biomechanical performance of Sanders type III fracture of the calcaneus by using PMMA bone cement as a treatment. METHODS: Eight adult cadaveric ankle and calcaneus specimens were selected and served as normal controls after detection of biomechanical properties. Another eight specimens were collected and randomized into experimental group and control group to make a model of Sanders type III fracture in the calcaneus. In the experimental group, PMMA bone cement was injected into the defect area. In the control group, the artificial bone was implanted in the defect area and a steel plate was used to fix the lateral calcaneus. Biomechanical properties of the specimens in the experimental and control group were detected. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Strain and stress of the calcaneus: The stress distribution of the calcaneus in the normal control group was consistent with that in the experimental group, and there was no significant difference between the two groups. The stress of the calcaneus in the experimental group was similar to that in the control group with no significant difference. (2) Displacement and axial stiffness of the calcaneus: Compared with the normal control group, the calcaneal displacement in the experimental group only decreased slightly, and there was no significant difference between the two groups, and likewise, the calcaneal displacement in the control group increased slightly. In the experimental group, the axial compression strength was (21.98±1.88) MPa and the axial compression stiffness was (1 633±150) N/mm. Therefore, there was no significant difference between the experimental group and the normal control group (P > 0.05). (3) Contact strength of the subtalar joint: Fractures basically recovered with good outcomes after PMMA bone cement injection. To conclude, by using PMMA bone cement in the treatment of calcaneus fractures, the scientific validity and clinical utility can be ensured.

OBJECTIVEAcute monocytic leukemia (AML)-M5 is the common type of acute myeloid leukemias in children. Studies have shown that there are abundant lipopolysaccharide (LPS) receptor (designated as CD14) molecules on the cell membrane of M5 cells and they play an important role in the diagnosis of M5, since they can be recognized and bound by mouse-anti-human CD14 monoclonal antibody (McAb). However, mouse-originated antibodies are largely not suitable for clinical application due to the severe side effects, thus "humanized antibody" is desired. As the first step for developing humanized antibody, the construction and expression of single chain antibody (scFv) with functional protein are necessary. The present study aimed to express ZCH-7-2F9 ScFv (scFv(2F9)) in eukaryotic cells and obtain the scFv(2F9) protein with a high biological activity.

METHODSFour primers were synthesized to construct the eukaryotic expressional vector, which included SfiI and EcoRI enzyme cleaving site, 6 x His and stop code TGA sequences. scFv(2F9) gene was amplified through splicing by overlap extension (SOE) using the high fidelity Taq polymerase. Positive recombinants (pSectag2A/scFv(2F9)) were identified through enzyme cleaving and sequenced before expression and were transformed into Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells for expression. Western-Blot and flow cytometry (FCM) were carried out to determine the relative molecular mass (Mr) and binding activity of scFv(2F9).

RESULTSThe cloned scFv(2F9) gene was identified to be functional by sequencing and expressing. The interested protein could be detected in the culture supernatant of transformed CHO cells with an Mr of 31 000. The blocking test showed that the positive cell percentages, the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) and the peak of channel (peak Ch) were reduced by 90.02%, 63.30% and 63.38%, respectively after blocking with scFv(2F9), while those were 4.55%, 10.09% and 5.02% after blockage using the supernatant from the CHO cells transfected with blanked vector pSectag2A.

CONCLUSIONSThe scFv(2F9) against human CD14 antigen was successfully expressed in eukaryotic cells and showed a high biological activity, which may be useful for the further studies on its humanized antibodies.

Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Base Sequence ; CHO Cells ; Child ; Cloning, Molecular ; Cricetinae ; Cricetulus ; Humans ; Lipopolysaccharide Receptors ; immunology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Single-Chain Antibodies ; genetics ; isolation & purification

China ; Clinical Trials as Topic ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Kidney Diseases ; drug therapy ; Prospective Studies ; Retrospective Studies ; Tripterygium

In order to provide the evidences for CD19 as a better antibody targeting molecule for B lineage acute leukemias than CD20 through the multi-parameter flow-cytometry analysis of leukemia cells, the samples from 321 patients with acute leukemia (AL) were immunophenotyped by multi-color flow cytometry and CD45/SSC gating strategy followed by the analysis of CD19 and CD20 expression. The results showed that the positive rate of CD19 (115/116, 99.1%) in 116 cases with B lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B lineage ALL) was significantly higher than that of CD20 (33/116, 28.4%) (P < 0.01); in 17 patients with B lineage/Myeloid (B/My) acute mixed lineage leukemia (AMLL), the former positive rate (17/17, 100%) was also higher than the latter (5/17, 29.4%) (P < 0.01). Both of the two antigens were negative in 29 patients with acute T lymphoblastic leukemia and 7 patients with T/My AMLL. The positive rates of CD19 and CD20 in 152 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were 7.2% and 2.0%, respectively. The difference of the fluorescence intensity between the two antigens on the cells from each patient with B lineage ALL or B/My AMLL was statistically significant (t = 20.68, P < 0.001). The specificity of CD19 and CD20 in B lymphocytic lineage was 92.3% (132/143) and 92.7% (38/41), respectively, while the sensitivity was 99.2% (132/133) and 28.6% (38/133), respectively, the former sensitivity was significantly higher than the latter (chi(2) = 144.018, P = 0.001). It is concluded that CD19 continuously and steadily express on almost all subtypes of B lineage leukemic cells with homogeneous pattern while only a small number of leukemias express CD20. Both the specificity and sensitivity of CD19 were very high with a much broader reaction pattern than that of CD20 on this group of diseases. These indicate that CD19 may be a better antibody targeting molecule than CD20 for patients with B-lineage acute leukemia.
Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Antigens, CD19 ; biosynthesis ; Antigens, CD20 ; biosynthesis ; Bone Marrow Cells ; immunology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Lineage ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; Infant ; Leukemia ; blood ; immunology ; pathology ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; immunology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tumor Cells, Cultured