Accidents, Occupational ; Adult ; Ammonia ; poisoning ; Burns, Inhalation ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Injury ; chemically induced ; therapy ; Male ; Pneumonia, Aspiration ; therapy ; Respiratory Therapy ; Young Adult

A novel white-rot fungus AH28-2,which was isolated from 224 fungi samples,ability to produce effectively laccase by induction.Several factors influencing laccase production were investigated.The optimum conditions were as follows:the 300mL Erlenmeyer flask containing 150mL of liquid medium was inoculated with 7.5mL of mycelial fragments and the medium was supplied with lignin at a concentration of 0.1%(initial pH8.5).The cultures was incubated at 28℃ on rotary shaker(150r/min) for 4～5 days.The maximum enzyme activity was 20184IU/L.

The production conditions of extracellular laccase from Armilliria mellea and the characteristics of the enzyme were studied. The experiment proved that initial pH5.5 of the culture medium and temperature at 25 degrees C were favorable for laccase synthesis. As carbon resources, cellobiose and raffinose were better in terms of productivity than maltose, sorbose and galactose. Organic nitrogen source was more suitable for Armilliria mellea to synthesize laccase than inorganic nitrogen source. Peat extract (PE) enhanced notably the yield of laccase; the maximal yield was 7 times as much as that of the control when PE concentration was 50%. Three isozymes were detected in culture supernatant named A, B and C respectively after their mobility on PAGE. After concentrated by (NH4)2SO4 precipitation, laccase A was further purified to homogeneity by preparative native PAGE and anion exchange column chromatography. The native enzyme was a single polypeptide with a molecular mass of approximately 59 kD estimated by SDS-PAGE, while 58 kD by gel filtration chromatography under non-denaturing conditions. Determined by IEF its isoelectric point was 4.0. The optimal pH value and temperature were 5.6 and 60 degrees C respectively in catalytic reaction of oxidizing guaiacol. At 60 degrees C and 65 degrees C, half-lives of laccase A were 45 min and 36.8 min, respectively. Enzyme activity was inhibited with 100 mmol/L Cl-, but was activated with 1 mmol/L SO4(2-). However, if the concentration of NaN3 was only 1 mmol/L, laccase A lost its activity completely. 10 mmol/L EDTA had no effect on laccase A, while 1 mmol/L Cu2+ could enhance its activity. Laccase A showed a good stability when the pH of the buffer varied from 5.2 to 7.2. Using guaiacol as the substrate, the Km was 1.026 mmol/L and the Vmax was 5 mumol/(min.mg); using ABTS instead, the Km was 0.22 mmol/L and Vmax was 69 mumol/(min.mg).
Agaricales ; drug effects ; enzymology ; growth & development ; Carbohydrates ; pharmacology ; Culture Media, Conditioned ; metabolism ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Enzyme Stability ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Laccase ; Oxidoreductases ; isolation & purification ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo observe therapeutic effect of acupuncture on diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and explore the mechanism.

METHODSSixty-eight cases of DPN were treated with acupuncture at Jianyu (LI 15), Quchi (LI 11), Waiguan (TE 5) etc. and their blood sugar, blood lipids and hemorrheologic indexes and nerve conductive velocity before and after treatment were determined.

RESULTSAfter treatment, 43 cases were markedly effective, 20 cases were effective and 5 cases were ineffective, with a total effective rate of 92.6%; the nerve conductive velocity, plasma insulin, C-peptide, opioid peptides increased significantly (P<0.01) and blood viscosity significantly decreased (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture has a definite therapeutic effect on DPN and the increase of nerve conductive velocity is possibly related with the increase of plasma opioid peptides.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Blood Glucose ; Diabetic Neuropathies ; Humans ; Lipids

BACKGROUNDMicroRNAs (miRNAs) control gene expression by destabilizing target transcripts and inhibiting their translation. Aberrant expression of miRNAs has been described in many human diseases, including schizophrenia. However, the effects on miRNA expression in response to antipsychotic treatment in peripheral circulation have not been thoroughly examined.

METHODSUsing quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), We quantified the expression of seven candidate miRNAs in plasma samples of 40 first-episode schizophrenics before and after antipsychotic treatment. The patients were all treated with risperidone and achieved remission in 1 year.

RESULTSCompared with the baseline, the expression levels of miR-365 and miR-520c-3p were significantly down-regulated after 1 year of risperidone treatment (P < 0.001). There were no significant correlations between the clinical symptoms and the expression levels of these two miRNAs (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThis study analyzed possible circulating miRNAs in response to antipsychotic monotherapy for schizophrenia, the further mechanism need to be confirmed.

Adult ; Antipsychotic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; MicroRNAs ; blood ; Risperidone ; therapeutic use ; Schizophrenia ; drug therapy ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo assess the value of the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) in predicting the early-stage outcome of liver transplantation in patients with end-stage liver disease.

METHODSThe MELD scores of 87 liver transplantation recipients with end-stage liver disease were calculated, and their early-stage complications and mortality were analyzed.

RESULTSThe incidence of severe complications was 20.7%; in these recipients, with the 28-day and 3-month survival rates of 89.7%; and 88.5%;, respectively. The mean MELD scores showed significant differences between the complication-free group and survival group (14.6 vs 12.9, P<0.05), and also between the complication group and death group (21.6 vs 29.4, P<0.05). Compared to patients with MELD no greater than 15, patients with MELD between 16 and 24 showed significantly increased complication rate but had comparable survival rate (P>0.05); but in patients with MELD no less than 25, the survival rate was significantly decreased with also increased complication rate.

CONCLUSIONSA higher MELD score before liver transplantation is associated with greater likeliness of early-stage complication rate and mortality. High MELD score (over 25) can be a useful index in predicting severe complications and death in patients undergoing liver transplantation.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; complications ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; etiology ; surgery ; Liver Failure ; etiology ; pathology ; surgery ; Liver Transplantation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Models, Biological ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Severity of Illness Index ; Survival Analysis ; Young Adult

Objective To explore the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and physical fitness index (PFI) among children and adolescents.Methods The study sample included 8941 students aged 7 to 18 years in Anhui who attended the Physical Fitness and Health Surveillance program of Chinese School Students,in 2010.Within each sex- and age-specific group,students were classified into five BMI categories which were:very low,BMI ＜5th percentile; low,BMI ≥5th but ＜15th percentiles; normal,BMI ≥15th but ＜85th percentiles; high,BMI ≥85th but ＜95th percentiles; and very high,BMI ≥95th percentiles.Z-scores based on urban-rural,sex- and age-specific means and standard deviations were calculated,and the sum of Z-scores for the fitness tests was used as a PFI.Differences in PFI between BMI categories were compared with ANOVA.Sex- and grade-specific regressions of PFI on BMI were done by using a linear model.Results For 8941 students,the PFIs on very low,low,normal,high and very high group were-1.77,-0.91,0.32,-0.17 and -0.54,respectively,and showed an inverted U shape.The normal BMI group students presented the highest PFI.Data from Linear regression analysis revealed that PFI was significantly positively correlated with BMI,while negatively associated with BMI square,which indicated that PFI was the quadratic function of BMI.When BMI was increasing,PFI showed a parabolic curvilinear.Conclusion Relationships between BMI and PFI were parabolic curvilinear among the children and adolescents aged 7 to 18 in Anhui province.

Objective The paper aimed to discuss the influence of case teaching of forensic pathology based on network platform on the critical thinking ability of forensic students.Methods Students majoring in forensic were randomly divided into the experimental group and the control group with 20 students per group. According to heterogeneity classification, the experimental group was divided into 4 subgroups. The subgroups participated in network cases learning whereas the control group received traditional case teaching. Participants were required to fill in California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory-Chinese Version (CCTDI-CV) before and after learning. CCTDI-CV scores, the scores of final exam and the number of students who had improved in CCTDI-CV scores were compared between the two groups. Results For the experimental group, the total score of CCTDI-CVand the scores of items including looking for the truth, systematized ability, self-confidence, thirst for knowledge were significantly improved after learning. The performance of the experimental group was better than that of the control group at the end of teaching (P＜0.05) . The scores of final exam were higher in the experimental group compared to the control group (P＜0.05) .Conclusion Forensic pathology cases teaching based on network platform is an effective way to stimulate students'critical thinking ability and to improve the study ability.

Purpose: To identify more accurate predictors of upper urinary tract dilatation (UUTD) in neurogenic bladder (NB) children, we studied the relationship among urodynamic parameters at different bladder filling stages, detrusor leak point pressure (DLPP) and UUTD. Methods: A total of 158 children (3–16 years) with NB were included and then divided into 2 groups according to whether their NB diagnosis was complicated with UUTD: the UUTD group (39 patients) and those without UUTD group (control group, 119 patients). The bladder filling phase was divided into 3 equal parts: the early, middle, and end filling stages. The bladder compliance (BC) and detrusor pressure (△Pdet) at each phase and DLPP at the end filling stage were recorded. Results: A BC<8 mL/cm H2O both in the middle and end stages is more specific than a BC<9 mL/cm H2O in the end stage (72%, 73%, vs. 66%), and △Pdet >8 cm H2O in the early stage, 20 cm H2O in the middle stage and 25 cm H2O in the end stage are more sensitive than △Pdet >40 cm H2O in the end stage (82%, 85%, 85%, vs. 49%). A DLPP cutoff value of 20 cm H2O showed higher sensitivity for predicting UUTD than 40 cm H2O. Conclusions Low BC and a high △Pdet in the middle and end filling stages are more accurate factors than classic indicators for predicting UUTD. In addition, a DLPP value of >20 cm H2O in the end bladder filling stage shows high sensitivity.

BACKGROUNDPrimary anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV) is a chronic autoimmune disease associated with multisystem dysfunction. Renal involvement is common and closely associated with outcome. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical determinants of mortality of patients with AAV-related renal injury in the first 2 years after diagnosis in a single West Chinese center.

METHODSDemographic and laboratory parameters of 123 consecutive patients with AAV-related renal injury diagnosed in Renal Division and Institute of Nephrology, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital between 2004 and 2012 were collected retrospectively. All patients were followed up for 2 years after diagnosis. Survivors were compared with nonsurvivors to identify the clinical baseline variables associated with mortality. Multivariate Cox regression model was used to determine the independent predictors of mortality.

RESULTSOf the 123 patients, 46 (37.4%) died by the end of 2 years after diagnosis, with 41 (33.3%) patients dying within the first 12 months. In comparison with the survivors, Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (BVAS), the incidence of pulmonary hemorrhage and digestive system (DS) involvement, serum creatinine, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were significantly higher in nonsurvivors, whereas lymphocyte counts, hemoglobin, and complement 3 (C3) were significantly lower. Renal replacement therapy was more common in nonsurvivors. High BVAS (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.058, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.002-1.117; P = 0.042), pulmonary hemorrhage (HR = 1.970, 95% CI: 1.033-3.757; P = 0.04), DS involvement (HR = 2.911, 95% CI: 1.212-6.911; P = 0.017), and serum creatinine >400 μmol/L (HR = 2.910, 95% CI: 1.271-6.664; P = 0.012) were independent predictors of death in patients with AAV-related renal injury.

CONCLUSIONSPatients with AAV-related renal injury have high early mortality. Those with high BVAS (particularly with pulmonary or DS involvement) and serious renal dysfunction should receive aggressive therapy and careful monitoring to reduce the occurrence of adverse events and improve prognosis.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis ; drug therapy ; immunology ; pathology ; Autoantibodies ; immunology ; Autoimmune Diseases ; drug therapy ; immunology ; pathology ; Cyclophosphamide ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Mycophenolic Acid ; therapeutic use ; Neutrophils ; immunology ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Retrospective Studies