Zymonomas mobilis was transformed with a polyhydroxybutyrate synthesis operon phbCAB equipped with a pdc promoter from Z. mobilis. For the first time,PHB was produced in recombinant Z.mobilis. Shake flask studies indicated that accumulation of PHB in Zymomonas mobilis increased approximately 10% ethanol productivity for the first 48h of anaerobic fermentation. After that,the PHB effect was observed as insignificant probably due to the exhaustion of the sugar.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of transurethral pneumatic ballistic lithotripsy via outer sheath of ureterorenoscope for bladder calculi. Methods From March 2003 to May 2007, 32 patients with bladder calculi were treated by transurethral pneumatic ballistic lithotripsy via outer sheath of ureterorenoscope. Results The operation was completed in all the patients without conversion to open surgery. Transurethral prostatectomy (TURP) was carried out on 22 patients who were complicated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Four patients received cystotrachelotomy because of bladder-neck contracture, and 4 underwent dilation of the urethra owning to urethral stenosis. Simple pneumatic ballistic lithotripsy was performed on two patients. The operation time was 25 to 90 minutes with a mean of (45?25) minutes. No patient had residual stones or perforation of bladder. One patient developed urethral stenosis after the operation. Conclusions Transurethral pneumatic ballistic lithotripsy via outer sheath of ureterorenoscope is a safe, less traumatic treatment for patients with bladder calculi with few complications. The method is especially suitable for patients with BPH.

Objective To study the effect of mini percutaneous nephrolithotripsy (MPCNL) for non-nephredema kidney calculi. Methods A total of 47 patients with non-nephredema kidney calculi were enrolled in this study. Physiological saline solution was infused into the kidney through a ureteral catheter to induce hydronephrosis. C-arm X-ray machine was employed in percutaneous puncture and Wolf EMS was used to smash the calculi. Results The mean operation time was (120?35) min.The calculi were removed through one passage in 38 cases,through two passages in 6, and three passages in 3. Among the 47 patients, the MPCNL was performed once in 35, and twice in 12. The stone-free rate was 83.0% (39/47) and final stone-free rate was 93.6% (44/47). No complications were noted in all the patients. Conclusions Highly skilled technique is necessary in MPCNL for non-nephredema kidney calculi. The MPCNL is a safe, minimally invasive, and effective method. By using MPCNL, patients have less trauma, lower rate of calculi remaining, and quick recovery. As long as the surgeons are familiar with the technique of MPCNL and the anatomy of non-nephredema kidney, the therapeutic outcome can be as good as that in the patients with nephredema renal calculi.

Objective To approach the relationship between visceral histopathology and blood bacteriology changes of projectile-burn combined wound jointed with seawater soak. Methods After model creation in dogs of projectile-burn combined wound jointed with seawater soak, fifteen dogs were randomly assigned randomized into two groups: projectile-burn-only(unsoaked group, US), projectile-burn combined wound with seawater immersion(soaked group,S). 0, 4,7,10,20,28h after injury the blood samples were taken for bacterial culture. Tissue samples of heart, liver, kidneys were taken for pathological examination with light microscope (LM) 28h after injury or in the moribund stage. Results Bacteriemia was found in soaked group earlier and severer.The bacteriemia has a multiple sources. There were not only intestinal bacteria, but also surface bacteria and seawater bacteria found in soaked group. Different degrees of circulation disturbance, degeneration changes and severe inflammation reaction were found in viscera. Conclusion After seawater soak, bacteriemia aggravated the injury of animals′ viscera, and thus led to a higher mortality.

Objective To evaluate modified retroperitoneal laparoscopic resection of renal cyst. Method Thirty-six patients with renal cyst were treated by modified retroperitoneal laparoscopic resection of renal cyst,summarized the clinic data and follow-up the effect. Results All 36 cases were operated suc-cessfuUy without changing to opening operation,average operation time (50 ± 35)min,no complications oc-curred and no recurrence was found. Conclusions The modified retroperitoneal laparoscopic resection of renal cyst with two 5 mm-trocars and one 10 mm-trocar has less trauma than classic laparoscopic operation. It is one of mini-trauma operation method which is worth to be popularized in clinic.

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is one of the most common causes of mental retardation, but modern medicine has not yet produced a good therapeutic effect. Clinical practice and scientific studies have showed that acupuncture has a marked therapeutic effect on mental retardation, but researches on the mechanism of its action are still not mature. In view of this, this article will focus on the present situation of FXS study and expound the feasibility of NLGN-3 protein as a target for the mechanism of action of acupuncture on FXS.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is an epithelial cell growth factor that can stimulate intestinal development, repair the damage of epidermal cells as well as reduce the incidence of pathogen infection and diarrhea. In order to produce a recombinant Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) expressing porcine epidermal growth factor (pEGF), we constructed a recombinant vector stably expressing pEGF in L. plantarum strains. First, L. plantarum strain Lp-1 was isolated from intestinal contents of piglets. Then the functional domain of pEGF, M6 precursor protein signal peptide (SP) and super strong constitutive promoter (SCP) were connected with the backbone plasmid pIAβ8 to construct the recombinant vector that was transformed into Lp-1 by electroporation. Afterwards, pEGF was expressed in Lp-1 and detected by Tricine-SDS-PAGE and ELISA. After orally irrigated early-weaned BALB/c mice with the recombinant L. plantarum every morning and late afternoon for 10 consecutive days, body weight, villous height and crypt depth in the intestine were measured to examine the influence of the recombinant bacteria on the intestinal development of early-weaned mice in vivo. Finally, the results of our experiments demonstrated that pEGF was successfully expressed in Lp-1 and the molecular weight of pEGF was 6 kDa. In addition, the recombinant pEGF can enhanced the daily gain and exerted significance influence (P < 0.05) to the small intestinal morphology of early-weaned BALB/c mice. In conclusion, pEGF could be expressed in L. plantarum and the recombinant pEGF possesses good biological activity.
Animals ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; biosynthesis ; Genetic Vectors ; Intestines ; microbiology ; Lactobacillus plantarum ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Plasmids ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Protein Precursors ; Protein Sorting Signals ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Swine

OBJECTIVETo compare the difference of clinical efficacy on sleeping disorder in the children with encephalopathy between the combined therapy of acupuncture at head points and seed-pressure at ear points and the simple acupuncture at head points.

METHODSThirty cases of sleeping disorder induced by encephalopathy werei randomized into an observation group and a control group, 15 cases in each one. In the observation group, the combined therapy of acupuncture at head points and seed-pressure at ear points was adopted. The head points in cluded Sishencong (EX-HN 1), Shenting (GV 24) and Benshen (GB 13). The ear points were the positive reactive sites in the cymba and cavum conchae. In the control group, acupuncture was applied simply to the acupoints on the head. The treatment was given once on every Tuesday and Friday a week separately, 30 min each time. Totally, 16 treatments were required. Children's sleeping habit questionnaire (CSHQ) was used to observe the sleep improvements and the efficacy in the patients of the two groups.

RESULTSIn the observation group, the results of sleep resistance, sleep anxiety, night sleep wake, parasomnias, sleep dyspnea, daytime somnolence and the total score after treatment were all improved apparently as compared with those before treatment (all P<0. 05). In the control group, the results of night sleep wake, parasomnias, daytime somnolence and the total score after treatment were improved apparently than those before treatment (all P<0. 05). In the observation group, the results of sleep resistance, sleep dyspnea and the total score after treatment were better than those in the control group (all P<0. 05) and the scores of sleep anxiety and daytime somnolence in the control group were better than those in the observation group after treatment (both P<0. 05).

CONCLUSIONThe combined therapy of acupuncture at head points and seed-pressure at the positive reactive sites in the cymba and cavum conchae achieves the superior efficacy on sleep resistance and sleep dyspnea as compared with the simple acupuncture. The efficacy of simple acupuncture is more satisfactory on sleep anxiety and daytime somnolence.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Acupuncture, Ear ; Brain Diseases ; complications ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Sleep ; Sleep Wake Disorders ; etiology ; physiopathology ; therapy

To discuss the availability of evaluation on the dissolution studies of the multicomponents in traditional Chinese medicine, the in vitro dissolution of total composition of the tablet of rhizomes of Ligusticum chuanxiong components and its correlation with the in vivo were studied by the method of area under the absorbance-wavelength curve (AUAWC). Taken the tablet of rhizomes of Ligusticum chuanxiong components which is composed of sodium ferulate and ligustrazine hydrochloride as subject model, the dissolution tests were carried out with basket method. The plasma concentrations of tablets in different rats were determined by AUAWC at different interval times. The in vivo absorption percentage was calculated by Wagner-Nelson equation to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo correlation. According to the results, the cumulative dissolution in vitro of total composition of tablets of rhizomes of Ligusticum chuanxiong components at 60 min was 90.65% in water by AUAWC. The in vivo pharmacokinetics is fitted with an one-compartment model. The linear equation based on the cumulative dissolution rate (fr) and absorption percentage (fa) at 5, 10, 20, 30 and 60 min was fa = 0.819 7 fr+0.183 and the correlation coefficient was 0.959 5, which showed a good correlation between the in vitro dissolution and the in vivo absorption percentage. The method of AUAWC can be used accurately, feasibly and conveniently to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo correlation of total composition of tablets of rhizomes of Ligusticum chuanxiong components, which will provide better guidance to study the in vitro and in vivo correlation of sustained release preparation etc under complex system of traditional Chinese medicine in the future.
Animals ; Coumaric Acids ; chemistry ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Ligusticum ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Solubility ; Tablets

Objective To investigate the value of MR imaging methods for the quantification of fat content in a customized lipid phantom at 3.0 T.Methods Eleven homogeneous fat-water phantoms (50 ml)with fat volume percentages from 0 to 100％ were constructed with reference to Bernard's methods.Fat tractions of the lipid phantom were acquired using water selective saturation (WS),fat selective saturation (FS),in-and out-of-phase imaging (IOP),iterative decomposition of water and fat with echo asymmetry and least-squares estimation (IDEAL) gradient echo imaging and IDEAL Quant imaging methods on a 3.0 T MRI system.For statistical comparisons,paired-sample t test,Pearson correlation test,and Bland-Ahman maps were applied.Results Evaluated fat fractions acquired by WS,IDEAL Gradient echo imaging and IDEAL Quant were (49.6±28.8)％,(46.0±28.4)％,(51.0±32.0)％,the result has no significant difference with the true fat contents(t values were-0.186,-2.218,2.713;P values were 0.856,0.051,0.055).Evaluated fat fractions acquired by FS,corrected algorithm and IOP were (64.2±26.7)％,(58.9±31.9)％ and (45.3±32.3)％,these three kinds of methods have significant difference with the true fat contents (t values were 5.168,4.273,-6.441;P＜0.01).All the chemical shift imaging methods correlated with the true phantom model fat fractions,r values were 0.977(FS),0.978 (corrected algorithm),0.982 (WS),0.99 8(IOP),0.993 (IDEAL Gradient echo imaging),0.999 (IDEAL Quant) (all P＜0.01).Each method's 95％ confidence interval of the mean difference acquired by Bland-Altman map was WS (-14.7％ to 13.8％),FS (-3.6％ to 32.0％),corrected algorithm (-4.6％ to 22.5％),IOP(-9.4％ to 0.0％),IDEAL gradient echo imaging (-15.9％ to 7.8％),IDEAL Quant(-2.0％ to 4.0％).IDEAL Quant had the best correlation and confidence with the true fat fraction.Conclusions Chemical shift imaging methods (IOP,IDEAL Gradient echo imaging,IDEAL Quant) can acquire more accurate fat quantification results than chemical saturation imaging methods (FS,Corrected algorithm,WS) in a customized lipid phantom at 3.0 T.IDEAL Quant can acquire the best fat quantification result compared with the other imaging methods.