0.05,respectively).But most inte-restingly,the MMP-9 showed a positive relevance(r=0.686,P

A pilot-scale research on purification of odorous gas emitted from wastewater treatment plant using a biofilter was conducted. The aim of this study is to check on the performance of biofilter running in various conditions and the effect of pH fluctuations on the performance of biofilter. The relation between distribution of microorganism and removal of odorous gases were also discussed here. The experimental results show that the predominant odor-causing gas can be efficiently eliminated by a biofilter inoculated with deodoring microorganism which were isolated previously. Moreover the biofilter had been proved having good tolerance to shocking loads of pollutant and can operate well in the condition of low pH.

Aim To study on biological properties and hemopoiesis-supporting function of human bone marrow stromal cells cultured for long-term in vitro. Methods ① Bone marrow stromal cells from fetus, chidren and adults were cultured for long-time in vitro by static adherent wall assay. ② The phenotypes of the stromal cells were analyzed by immunocytochemical staining or FACA.③ Hemopoietic stem cells in umbilical cord blood were co-cultured and expanded with the stromal cells at different development stages. Results ① The fibroblast myoid cell lines were established and could be propagated to 10 generations and kept for 6 months, meantime, endothelial cells and macrophoges were obtained. ② The child stromal myoid cells were positive for viementin and negative for VIII factor by immunocytochemical staining and their phenotypes were CD33-,CD34-,CD38-and CDW90＋ , while the phenotypes of adult stromal cells were CD33-, CD34-, CD38＋ and CDW90＋ . ③ The stromal cellls could support long-time survival or expansion of LTC-ICs. Survival time of LTC-ICs in the stromal cell-supporting system supplemented with SCF, IL-3 and IL-6 was even longer than that in system without stromal cells(P∨ 0.01). The productivity rate of LTC-ICs cultured in the stromal cell-supporting system was 2 to 4 times higher than that cultured in system without stromal cells. Conclusion The human bone marrow stromal cells could be cultured for long-time in vitro and have hemopoiesis-supp ortingfunction for the hemopoietic stem cells in cord blood.

Objective To explore the histopathological features of chronic hepatitis B virus ( HBV) carriers and chronic hepatitis B( CHB) patients with mildly elevated serum alanine aminotransferase ( ALT) . Methods 105 patients were divided into three groups according to serum ALT levels; Croup A [ALT level ≤0. 5 × upper limits of normal ( ULN)] , Group B (0. 5 × ULN ＜ ALT level≤ 1 × ULN) and Group C( 1 × ULN ＜ ALT level ＜ 2 × ULN ). Grade of liver inflammation and stage of liver fibrosis in the three groups were compared. The changes in clinical parameters were then observed in patients who had liver histopathological changes. Results Among 40. 95% of the patients, hepatitis degree went to G2 or even worse; and among 30.43% of the patients whose ALT level were normal, the hepatitis degree reached G2 or even worse. In 26. 67% of the patients, degree of fibrosis went to S2 or even worse, and for the 17. 39% patients whose ALT level were normal, degree of fibrosis went to S2 or even worse. The aggravation of liver inflammation and fibrosis was correlated with ALT and hyaluronic acid increasing ( all P ＜ 0. 05 ) . Conclusions Frequent monitoring of serum ALT and hyaluronic acid may help to understand histopathological changes in the liver. Liver biopsy applied to CHB should be regarded as a main basis if antiviral therapy should be conducted.

This article reveals the similarities and differences between the two materia medica systems of traditional Chinese medicine and traditional Mongolian medicine by comparing the medicinal property theories of these two; our expectations are the mutual profits and complementation of the two traditional medicines from each other, a broader clinical use of natural medicinal herbs, and then, a development of traditional medicines.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Medicine, East Asian Traditional

OBJECTIVETo characterize the clinical, laboratory, imaging and pathological features of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and investigate the impact of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) therapy on patient prognosis.

METHODSThe medical records of 22 patients diagnosed with PSC between 2002 and 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. The PSC diagnosis had been made in patients with suspect biochemical abnormalities following evaluation by magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and/or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC). Fibrosis and inflammation were assessed by immunohistochemical analyses of tissue biopsies. Outcome of patients treated with UDCA (13-15 mg/kg/day, oral) were compared to that of patients without UDCA treatment by the X2 or corrected X2 tests.

RESULTSAmong the 22 PSC patients, the majority was male (n=15) and presented with fatigue, dark urine, and body weight loss (n=15). Four cases had ulcerative colitis. At admission, all 22 cases showed elevated levels of alkaline phosphatase[ALP: (348+/-184) U/L], 19 cases showed elevated alanine aminotransferase [ALT: (94.0+/-67.0) U/L] and aspartate aminotransferase [AST: (98.0+/-67.0) U/L], and 15 cases showed elevated levels of total bilirubin (99.0+/-115.0) mumol/L and direct bilirubin (74.4+/-92.4 mumol/L. ERCP examination showed segmental intrahepatic bile duct stenosis with expansion, and stiff and enlarged gallbladder bile ducts, but unclear findings for the common bile ducts and pancreatic ducts. MRCP showed beading of the intrahepatic bile duct, stiffness of the bile duct wall, and dilation of the common bile duct. Fibrosis and inflammation were observed in the bile ducts, along with hyperplasia and the typical features of "onion skin" fibrosis and fibrous obliterative cholangitis. Five of the 10 patients treated with UDCA improved, and seven of the 12 patients in the non-UDCA treatment group improved. There was no statistically significant difference in outcome between the groups (paired X2=0.333, corrected X2=0.083, P more than 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPSC patients were predominantly male and the common clinical manifestations were fatigue, dark urine, and body weight loss. At admission, serum biochemical indicators of cholangitis were increased significantly and subsequent imaging studies confirmed the suspected diagnosis by showing obvious characteristic changes. UDCA treatment did not significantly improve patient prognosis.

Adult ; Cholangiography ; methods ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cholangitis, Sclerosing ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of protein kinase C (PKC)/transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta1) pathway on activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC).

METHODSHSC rHSC-99 cell line was used in three groups in this study. Group A served as a control. In group B the HSC were incubated with PKC agonist PMA (0.5 micromol/L), and in group C the cells were incubated with PKC inhibitor calphostin C (100 nmol/L). The PKC activities were detected at different incubation time points (0, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h). Western blot and RT-PCR were used to detect the expression of TGF beta1, Smad 4, collagen type I, III and alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) at the 24 h point. Cell proliferation was assessed by MTT colorimetric assay.

RESULTSPMA increased the activity of PKC significantly, whereas calphostin C inhibited the activity of PKC. The increased activity of PKC promoted the HSC to express TGF beta1, Smad 4, collagen type I, III and alpha-SMA. In comparison with the controls, the expressions of TGF beta1, Smad 4, collagen type I, III and alpha-SMA increased 4.8, 13.1, 2.4, 1.8 and 1.3 fold respectively (P < 0.01). PKC promoted the proliferation of HSC. The above effects were inhibited by the inhibition of PKC activity.

CONCLUSIONChanging of PKC activity can regulate and control the expression of TGF beta1, which may play a role in regulating the activation of HSC.

Animals ; Cell Line ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; metabolism ; Protein Kinase C ; metabolism ; Rats ; Signal Transduction ; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism

Objective To study the cytokine levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in children with mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP). Methods Clinical data of 90 patients with MPP (MPP group), who were admitted to Tianjin Children's Hospital from January to December 2017, were collected in this study. The 90 cases were divided into group A1 (<7 days), group A2 (7-14 d) and group A3 (15-30 d) according to the course of disease on admission, with 30 cases in each group. Children who were without MPP and needed bronchoscopy examination or treatment at the same time were used as the control group (B group). The expression levels of cytokines (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10) were detected by enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). Results The serum and BALF levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10 increased significantly in A group compared with those in B group (P<0.05). The highest levels of cytokines (TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-2) were found in Group A1. The highest levels of cytokines (IL-4 and IL-6) were found in Group A2. Conclusion The levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-2 are increased significantly in the disease course of < 7 days. In the disease course of 7 to 14 days, the IL-4 and IL-6 are elevated significantly. Our data suggest that these cytokines may be involved in the pathogenesis of MPP.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)is an autoimmune disease whose pathogenesis is extremely complicated.With the further research,the role of inflammasome in the pathogenesis of Lupus nephritis has also been gradually emphasized.Among them,the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is the most exhaustive inflammasome.We summarize the related studies on the role of NLRP3 inflammasome in Lupus nephritis in recent years.We found that NLRP3 inflammasome not only plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Lupus nephritis,but also participates in the process of kidney injury by circulating immune cells and renal innate cells.Finally,we introduced two specific inhibitors of NLRP3 inflammasome,β-hydroxybutyrate and MCC950,which provided a new strategy for the treatment of Lupus nephritis.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) refers to the clinical syndrome of rapid loss of renal function caused by various causes.AKI increases the risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the mortality of patients.The increase in the rate has caused a great economic burden on the family and society.The pathogenesis of mediating AKI is numerous,and it is currently believed that innate and adaptive immune-mediated inflammatory reactions are involved in the initiation,progression and repair stage of AKI.T lymphocytes play a key role in it.This article will review the progress of the role of T cells in AKI.