The process mechanism and current application status of boron removal in reverse osmosis(RO)desalination were introduced.The characteristic and proper application range of eachboron removal process was summarized.Also,the running conditions of two practical desalination cases were analyzed and compared.Eventually,the future of application and the research direction of boron removal process in RO desalination were prospected.

Cells, Cultured ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Fetal Blood ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 1 Protein ; Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 3 Protein ; Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Time Factors ; Toll-Like Receptor 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical effect of Guoshu acupoint pressure therapy on acute mastitis during lactation.

METHODSFifteen cases suffered from acute lactation mastitis were treated with Guoshu acupoint pressure therapy, that is, firstly with lifting and flicking reduction at "Taiji" and "Xuepen" point, whose intensity was varied from patient's physical fitness. Subsequently, the patients were treated with flame therapy induced by distillate spirit, once each day.

RESULTSAfter the treatment, all the patients were cured completely in from 1 to 5 days, with an average of 2.5 days.

CONCLUSIONGuoshu acupoint pressure therapy is effective on acute mastitis during lactation.

Acupressure ; Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Lactation ; Mastitis ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo observe changes in activity and proliferation of cultured Schwann cells under the high glucose condition and effect of allyl glycoside extracted from Herba Rhodiolae (AG) on these changes for exploring the possible mechanism of diabetic peripheral nerve injury and the pharmacologic action of AG on them.

METHODSAdopting refined Brokes method, Schwann cells were isolated from the sciatic nerve tissue of newborn Wistar rats and purified. Their activity and proliferative capability were determined using XTT method and 3H-TdR incorporative method respectively.

RESULTSHigh glucose showed marked inhibitory effect on both activity and proliferative capability of Schwann cells, and the inhibition could be markedly improved by AG.

CONCLUSIONDiabetic peripheral nerve injury is possibly related to inhibitory effect of high glucose on activity and proliferative capability of Schwann cells. Effect of AG in improving these inhibitory changes provides the experiment basis for clinical use of traditional Chinese medicine, Herba Rhodiolae.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Diabetic Neuropathies ; etiology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Glucose ; pharmacology ; Glycosides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Male ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Schwann Cells ; cytology ; Sciatic Nerve ; cytology

OBJECTIVEN-Acetylcysteine (NAC) is a sulfhydryl donor molecule with antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects. A major role has been described for inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase in several inflammatory liver diseases. NAC attenuates NO generation following lipopolysaccharide injection in rats. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of NAC against lipopolysaccharide injury in hepatocytes of neonatal mice and the molecular mechanisms by which NAC influences inflammatory responses of the hepatocytes.

METHODSThe liver of neonatal mouse was digested by collagenase to dissociate the hepatocytes. The hepatocytes were cultured and isolated. After 7 days of culture the normal hepatocytes were divided into two groups: LPS group and NAC group. In LPS group, 10 microg/ml LPS was added into the culture medium. In NAC group, 5 mmol/L NAC was added into the culture medium firstly, 10 microg/ml LPS was added after 1 h of culture. There were 12 mice in each group. The cell supernatants and the hepatocytes were collected at 0, 6 and 12 hours after adding LPS. The cell supernatants were taken to measure the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level and nitric oxide (NO) production by the biochemical methods. The cells were taken to analyze the gene expression of induced nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) by the RT-PCR.

RESULTSIn LPS group, the levels of ALT, NO and iNOS mRNA increased significantly at the time points 6 h and 12 h compared with the time point 0, (P < 0.01). Compared with the LPS group, the levels of ALT, NO and iNOS mRNA of NAC group were lower at the time points 6 h and 12 h (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSNAC may play a protective role in the hepatocytes injury caused by LPS in the neonatal mice. The protective mechanism works partially through the inhibition of iNOS activation by LPS.

Acetylcysteine ; pharmacology ; Alanine Transaminase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Hepatocytes ; drug effects ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Mice ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of curcumin on release of cytochrome c and expressions of Bcl-2, Bax, Bad, Bcl-xL, caspase-3, poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP), and survivin of HT-29 cells.

METHODSHT-29 cells were treated with curcumin (0 approximately 80 micromol/L) for 24 h. The release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria and the apoptosis-related proteins Bax, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, Bad, caspase-3, PARP, and survivin were determined by Western blot analysis and their mRNA expressions by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSCurcumin significantly induced the growth inhibition and apoptosis of HT-29 cells. A decrease in expressions of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and survivin was observed after exposure to 10 approximately 80 micromol/L curcumin, while the levels of Bax and Bad increased in the curcumin-treated cells. Curcumin also induced the release of cytochrome c, the activation of caspase-3, and the cleavage of PARP in a dose-dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONThese data suggest that curcumin induced the HT-29 cell apoptosis possibly via the mitochondria-mediated pathway.

Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Nucleus ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; Cytochromes c ; secretion ; HT29 Cells ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial ; drug effects ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; genetics ; Mitochondria ; physiology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; genetics ; bcl-X Protein ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene polymorphism and serum lipid profile.

METHODSPolymerase chain reaction-restricted fragments length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to determine ApoE genotype on 1452 subjects including 1101 cases with cardio cerebrovascular disease including 379 cases with cerebral infarction, 313 cases with cerebral hemorrhage, 257 cases with coronary heart disease, and 152 cases with other types and on 351 healthy controls.

RESULTSAfter adjusting for age, sex and BMI, the subjects with ApoE4 carriers had significantly higher levels of total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and ApoB than those with ApoE2 carriers and ApoE3/3 (P < 0.05), and higher level of triglyceride(TG) than those with ApoE3/3 (P < 0.05), while the subjects with ApoE2 carriers had significantly higher levels of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) than those with ApoE4 (P < 0.05). The effects of ApoE polymorphism exhibited similarity in different sex and age of subjects. Linear regression analysis showed that unlike ApoE3/3, the HDL-C level in ApoE2 carriers tend upward with age (beta = 0.178, P = 0.015), significantly higher than ApoE4 carriers and ApoE3/3 in the cohort of 65-74 years (P < 0.05). The level of TC and TG in ApoE4 carriers had a tendency of downward with age (p = -0.179, P = 0.009; beta = -0.147, P = 0.032).

CONCLUSIONApoE gene polymorphism affected profile of blood lipids and the effects were found in different sex and age. The degrees of effects related to ApoE2 carriers and ApoE4 carriers to blood lipid level seemed to be related to age.

Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Apolipoproteins E ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Sex Factors ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of TLR4/2 mRNA in neonatal cord blood mononuclear cells (MNC).

METHODSForty-six neonates without asphyxia and 40 neonates with asphyxia were divided into groups depending on the gestational age. In the neonates without asphyxia, there were 18 full term infants (the gestational age > or = 37 weeks), 16 preterm infants whose gestational age was > or = 32 weeks but < 37 weeks, and 12 preterm infants whose gestational age was < 32 weeks. In the neonates with asphyxia, 11 were full term infants, 15 were preterm infants whose gestational age was > or = 32 weeks but < 37 weeks and 14 were preterm infants at gestational age < 32 weeks. MNCs were separated and cultured with LPS (1 microg/ml) for 3 h. Cells were collected for analysis of gene expression of TLR4/2 by RT-PCR technique. Cell supernatants were taken to measure TNF-alpha production following the ELISA protocol. Fifteen healthy adults were enrolled into the control group. In addition, the Pearson correlation analyses were carried out between the levels of TLR4, TLR2 mRNA and the levels of TNF-alpha.

RESULTSIn the neonates without asphyxia, TLR4, TLR2 mRNA and TNF-alpha levels were 0.75 +/- 0.12, 0.63 +/- 0.08, 2502.6 +/- 273.1 ng/L, separately, in the full term infants, 0.37 +/- 0.04, 0.32 +/- 0.03, 1218.8 +/- 145.7 ng/L, separately, in the preterm infants whose gestational ages were > or = 32 weeks but < 37 weeks, and 0.26 +/- 0.03, 0.20 +/- 0.03, 811.8 +/- 105.2 ng/L separately, in the preterm infants whose gestational ages were < 32 weeks. In the neonates with asphyxia, TLR4, TLR2 mRNA and TNF-alpha levels were 0.58 +/- 0.07, 0.50 +/- 0.06, 1946.4 +/- 244.2 ng/L, separately, in the full term infants, 0.29 +/- 0.03, 0.26 +/- 0.03, 970.0 +/- 94.3 ng/L, separately, in the preterm infants whose gestational age was > or = 32 weeks but < 37 weeks, and 0.17 +/- 0.02, 0.14 +/- 0.02, 652.6 +/- 60.3 ng/L, separately, in the preterm infants whose gestational age was < 32 weeks. The levels of TLR4, TLR2 mRNA and TNF-alpha in the adults were 2.71 +/- 0.75, 2.61 +/- 0.33, 9270.1 +/- 1098.3 ng/L, separately. In the preterm infants and full term infants, the levels of TLR4, TLR2 mRNA and TNF-alpha were lower in comparison to the adults. The lower the gestational age, the lower the levels of TLR4, TLR2 mRNA and TNF-alpha. There were significant differences between the levels of TLR4, TLR2 mRNA and TNF-alpha of the neonates without asphyxia and those of the neonates with asphyxia. In the neonates with asphyxia, the levels of TLR4, TLR2 mRNA and TNF-alpha were lower than those in the neonates without asphyxia (P < 0.01). Whether the neonates were asphyxic or not, the levels of TLR4, TLR2 were paralleled with the levels of TNF-alpha.

CONCLUSIONSThe expression of TLRs in the neonates, especially in the preterm infants was lower than that in the adults, which probably contributes to the susceptibility of neonates to infections.

Blood Cells ; metabolism ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Toll-Like Receptor 2 ; metabolism ; Toll-Like Receptors ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; immunology

Papillary cystadenoma of the epididymis is a rare benign tumor, accounting for only 4 per cent of all epididymal tumors. Histologically, it can be confused with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. This extremely rare lesion may occur sporadically or as a manifestation of von Hippel-Lindau(VHL) disease. The present paper reported a case of papillary cystadenoma accompanied by testicular atrophy with no signs of VHL syndrome or infertility. To date, no similar case was reported in the literature. The tumor measured 5.0 cm x 4.0 cm x 4.0 cm and was located in the right epididymis. Histopathologic examination of a surgically removed specimen indicated a primary papillary cystadenoma. Histomorphologically, these tumors are characterized by cysts with colloid-like contents and papillary formations of light epithelium. Since metastatic renal cell carcinoma may be histologically similar to papillary cystadenoma, the importance of long-term urologic follow-up for possible presentation of renal cell carcinoma is discussed.
Adult ; Atrophy ; etiology ; Cystadenoma, Papillary ; complications ; pathology ; Epididymis ; Genital Neoplasms, Male ; complications ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Testis ; pathology

The effects of different surgical procedures for late pancreatic head carcinoma without gastric outlet obstruction were explored in order to provide theoretical basis to select a suitable operation for these patients. The clinical data of 441 cases of late pancreatic head carcinoma without gastric outlet obstruction were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were divided into 4 groups based on different surgical procedures: group A (101 cases) subjected to Roux-en-Y cholecystojejunostomy; group B (133 cases) undergoing Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy; group C (83 cases) given Roux-en-Y cholecystojejunostomy combined with gastrojejunostomy; group D (124 cases) receiving Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy combined with gastrojejunostomy. Therapeutic efficacy in each group was evaluated comparatively. Both groups B and D had a lower rate of postoperative obstructive jaundice than groups A and C separately (P<0.05 for all). The data of mean life span showed that both groups B and D had a lower survival rate than groups A and C separately (P<0.05 for all). The incidence of postoperative gastric outlet obstruction in groups A and B was higher than that in groups C and D separately (P<0.05 for all). The gastrojejunostomy had no impacts on the mean life span, and there was no statistically significant difference in complications, average hospital stay (days) and median survival among four groups (P>0.05). For the late pancreatic head carcinoma without gastric outlet obstruction, Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy is effective for the reduction of icteric index and the incidence of recurrent jaundice, also offers an opportunity for prolonged survival. Combined use of prophylactic Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy during surgical biliary drainage is safe for advanced pancreatic carcinoma with obstructive jaundice, which can decrease the incidence of postoperative gastric outlet obstruction, and has important implications for improving outcomes.
Aged ; Anastomosis, Roux-en-Y ; Carcinoma ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Gastric Outlet Obstruction ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Patient Selection ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome