The Monascus mutant with high yield of yellow pigment was obtained by using conventional relevant mutation techniques, e.g., treating with physical mutagens(such as UV light) and chemical sub- stances (such as N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine). The yellow pigment was scanned from 300 nm to 600 nm with UV spectrometer, the maximal absorption was determined at 410 nm. The growth characteristic of Monascus mutant is stable, the yellow pigment value and colour hue in liquid fermentation can reach 100 U/mL and 3.5 respectively. The yellow pigment is stable from pH 3 to pH 8, but the precipitation appeared as the pH of the pigment solution lower than 3.

Approximately 3 to 5％ of newly diagnosed metastatic cancers are of unknown primary tissue origin due to difficulties identifying a primary tumor using standard diagnostic approaches.MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have recently been demonstrated to be able to assist pathologist with improved accuracy in diagnosing cancers of unknown primary origin (CUP).In this short commentary,we will highlight some of the recent advancements in miRNA based cancer diagnosis as well as some future directions for the field.

OBJECTIVETo study the concentrations of IL-4 and IL-13 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in neonates with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and concurrent ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).

METHODSSixty-eight neonates with RDS undergoing mechanical ventilation for over 48 hrs were enrolled. IL-4 and IL-13 levels in BALF were measured using ELISA 1, 72 and 96 hrs after mechanical ventilation. The results were compared between the neonates with concurrent VAP (n=37) and without (n=31).

RESULTSThe levels of BALF IL-4 96 hrs after ventilation in the VAP group (35.34+/-1.78 ng/mL) were significantly higher than those in the non-VAP group (13.69+/-2.47 ng/mL, P<0.05). The levels of BALF IL-13 96 hrs after ventilation in the VAP group (33.74+/-2.74 ng/mL) also increased significantly compared with those in the non-VAP group (13.50+/-3.81 ng/mL) (P<0.05). There were significant differences in BALF IL-4 and IL-13 levels between 1 hr and 96 hrs in the VAP group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSBALF IL-4 and IL-13 levels increase in neonates with RDS and concurrent VAP. IL-4 and IL-13 may involve in the regulation of the inflammatory immune response.

Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Interleukin-13 ; analysis ; Interleukin-4 ; analysis ; Male ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated ; immunology ; microbiology ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; immunology

85 mL/min),CL=6.0?(WT/60)~(0.52).④The increased volume of peripheral distribution (V_2) was observed when norvancomycin was co-administered with diuretics;④Reduced drug clearance,prolonged t_(1/2),and increased values of AUC_(24) were found in elderly patients.Conclusions Renal function impairment and age have significant impact on PK parameters of norvancomycin.Dosing regimens of norvancomycin were finally established for different patients on the basis of important PPK parameters generated from different groups of patients.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Condylomata Acuminata ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Rural Population ; Urban Population ; Young Adult

Heavy metal leftover on farm and stock products has become a big threat to human. It is necessary to develop some fast and efficient detection methods. Heavy metal immunoassays are new methods for detection of heavy metal ions. Compared to the traditional chemical methods, immunoassays are not only fast, cheap, simple, but also reasonably portable, highly sensitive and selective. It can be used as preliminary screening for rapid determination of heavy metal ions. Except chemical chelators, phytochelatin and metallothionein can also be used for preparing immunogen, both of them can chelate heavy metal ions to carrier protein. There are two prototype assays: polyclonal antibody immunoassay and monoclonal antibody immunoassay. The former includes fluorescence polarization immunoassay; the latter includes indirectly competitive ELISA, one-step competitive immunoassay and KinExA immunoassay. Among these assays, indirectly competitive ELISA which was used for determining heavy metal ions in the early days was easy to be interfered and showed false positive. Fluorescence polarization immunoassay which used polyclonal antibody for determining heavy metal ions was simple and cheap. KinExA instrument could be functioned as an immunosensor for environmental samples. One-step immunoassay which avoided to the addition of second antibody and chromogenic substrate was simple and sensitive. Colloidal gold enhanced immunochromatography assay is a semi-quantitation for determining heavy metal ions. As an adjunctive way for chemical methods, it has the potential application in rapid determination of heavy metal ions.
Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; immunology ; Gold ; chemistry ; Humans ; Immunoassay ; methods ; Metals, Heavy ; analysis ; immunology

Acetic Acid ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Female ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; economics ; methods ; Staining and Labeling ; economics ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; diagnosis

In this study, we observed the levels of adrenomedullin (ADM) and proadrenomedullin N-terminal 20 peptide (PAMP) in myocardium and aorta of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) in comparison with Wistar-kyoto (WKY) rats. Contents of ADM and PAMP were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) in plasma, myocardium and aorta. The amount of Pro-ADM mRNA of myocardium and aorta was determined by competitive quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In SHRs the amounts of Pro-ADM mRNA of myocardium and aorta were 66.7% (P<0.01) and 73% (P<0.01) higher than those in WKY rat, respectively. In SHRs, the levels of ADM in plasma, myocardium and aorta were 29%, 76.7% and 79% (all P<0.01) higher than those in WKY rats, respectively. The level of PAMP in SHRs was increased by 42.5% in plasma (P<0.01), 47.2% in myocardium (P<0.0.1) and 27.3% in aorta (P<0.05) compared to WKY rats, respectively. In addition, the ratio of ADM content to PAMP content in SHRs group was increased compared with that in WKY group (2.0+/-0.25 vs 1.64+/-0.3 and 2.2+/-0.18 vs 1.56+/-0.28, in myocardium and aorta, respectively, P<0.01). These results suggest that ProADM gene expression is up-regulated and the increase in ADM and PAMP is different in SHRs. The significance of inconsistency of increase in ADM and PAMP in SHRs needs to be further investigated.
Adrenomedullin ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; Aorta ; metabolism ; Female ; Male ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Up-Regulation

The paper is to report the establishment of a population pharmacokinetic model for flurbiprofen (FP), an active metabolite of flurbiprofen axetil (FA). 246 FP serum concentration and clinical data were perspectively collected from 23 general anaesthesia patients receiving FA intravenously before operation in Dentofacial Surgery and Otorhinolaryngology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University. Population pharmacokinetic data analysis was performed using NONMEM software. The measure of Bootstrap was applied for internal validation, while Visual Predictive check was adopted for external validation. The data of FP correspond with two-compartment model. The body weight (WT) had conspicuous effect on clearance and volume of central compartment, while sex, age and daily dose of administration had no marked effect on pharmacokinetic parameter of FP. The basic model was described as follows: CL (L x h(-1)) = 1.28x EXP(ETA(1)), V1 (L) = 5.03x EXP(ETA(2)), Q (L x h(-1)) = 8.5 x EXP(ETA(3)), V2 (L) = 4.39 x EXP(ETA(4)). The final model was described as follows: CL (L x h(-1)) = 1.32 x (WT/60) x EXP(ETA(1)), V1 (L) = 5.23 x (WT/60) x EXP(ETA(2)), Q (L x h(-1)) = 8.45 x EXP(ETA(3)), V2 (L) = 4.37 x EXP(ETA(4)). The population typical value of CL, V1, Q and V2 were: 1.32 L x h(-1), 5.23 L, 8.45 L x h(-1) and 4.37 L, respectively. Bootstrap and visual predictive check show that the final model of FP is stable, effective and predictable. A novel population pharmacokinetic model is developed to estimate the individual pharmacokinetic parameter for patients intravenous injecting FA in terms of patients' characteristics and dosing history, and to design a prior dosage regimen.
Adult ; Aged ; Analgesics ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Body Weight ; Female ; Flurbiprofen ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; metabolism ; pharmacokinetics ; therapeutic use ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; surgery ; Humans ; Injections, Intravenous ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Models, Biological ; Pain, Postoperative ; drug therapy ; prevention & control ; Prospective Studies ; Software ; Young Adult

AIMTo study the effect of uvarigrin on mitochondrial dependent pathway during the apoptosis induced by it in MDR KBv200 cells and their parental sensitive KB cells.

METHODSMTT assay was used to detect the cytotoxic effect of uvarigrin on KBv200 and KB cells. Annexin V FITC staining identified uvarigrin-induced apoptosis in KBv200 and KB cells. These cells underwent incubation with DCFH-DA, or DiOC6, followed by flowcytometry for the measurement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential (deltapsim), respectively. The Western blotting analysis was performed on Caspase-9 activation.

RESULTSUvarigrin inhibited the growth of KBv200 cells and KB cells in vitro. Most of the uvarigrin-induced cells death was found to be due to apoptosis, as determined by Annexin V FITC staining. During the apoptosis, the level of ROS increased while the level of deltapsim decreased in a time-dependent manner. Uvarigrin triggered Caspase-9 activation.

CONCLUSIONUvarigrin induced apoptosis in KBv200 cells and KB cells probably through a mitochondria-dependent pathway.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 9 ; metabolism ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Furans ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Humans ; KB Cells ; Lactones ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Membrane Potentials ; drug effects ; Mitochondria ; physiology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Uvaria ; chemistry