The kinetics of batch and fed-batch cultures of recombinant Escherichia coli to produce humanlike collagen were investigated. Through examining the density of substrate and the amount of mushrooms and the density of products during the process of fermenting, a set of kinetic models are set up. The influence of cell without plasmid was considered. The results show that the kinetic model may well simulate the fermenting process.

Objective:To evaluate the benefit of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) as a consolidation therapy in the survival of multiple myeloma (MM) patients at different risks. Methods:A total of 67 MM patients who received ASCT as consolida-tion therapy between August 2006 and July 2011 were enrolled in the retrospective study. The cases were divided into three risk groups on the basis of the International Staging System and fluorescence in situ hybridization. Another 67 patients who accepted consolidation chemotherapy at the same period were selected as case-paired controls matched in terms of age, sex, optimal response after induction, and risk stratifications. All the patients received bortezomib-and/or thalidomide-based induction therapies. Results:No statistical differ-ences in non-complete remission (nCR)/complete remission (CR) rate were observed between the ASCT and chemotherapy groups (44.8%vs. 37.3%, P=0.380) after the induction therapy. The progression-free survival (PFS) was longer in the ASCT group than in the chemotherapy group (32.4 months vs. 15.1 months, P<0.001). The overall survival (OS) was longer in the ASCT group than in the che-motherapy group (58.8 months vs. 42.1 months, P=0.009). both the PFS (median:30.5 months vs. 11.2 months, P<0.001) and the OS (median:85.5 months vs. 34 months, P=0.015) rates were significantly prolonged in the high-risk subgroup after ASCT. In the interme-diate-risk subgroup, neither PFS nor OS showed any significance after ASCT (P>0.05). In the low-risk subgroup, only PFS was extend-ed (median: 34.8 months vs. 17.6 months, P=0.012) after ASCT, without significant improvements in the OS (P>0.05). Conclusion:The MM patients obtained cytogenetic high-risk benefits mostly from ASCT consolidation after inductions based on novel agents.

OBJECTIVETo verify the pharmacological hypothesis of prescriptions by studying the targeted distribution of major components in stewed rhubarb in the rat model with acute pancreatitis (AP).

METHODNormal SD rats (control group, n = 5) and the AP model induced with intraperitoneal cerulein (model group, n = 5) were taken as the experimental objects. Rats of the two groups were orally administered with stewed rhubarb granules (20 g x kg(-1)). Their heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney and pancreas were collected two hours after the administration. Such constituents as emodin, chrysophanol, physcion, rhein and aloe-emodin and their concentrations in each tissue homogenate were detected by high performance liquid chromatography-mass-mass.

RESULTAloe-emodin and physcion in stewed rhubarb whose concentrations in liver and kidney of normal rats were higher than that in pancreatic tissues, while the distribution spectrums and concentrations of the remaining components in pancreatic tissues had no significant difference with that of other organs. The concentrations of emodin, aloe-emodin, rhein and chrysophanol in stewed rhubarb in pancreatic tissues of the AP model group were higher than that in other tissues and organs, while their concentrations in pancreatic, renal and splenic tissues were notably higher than that in the normal group.

CONCLUSIONIn the conditions of AP, effective components in stewed rhubarb show a targeted distribution feature in pancreas, which provides experimental basis for the pharmacological hypothesis of prescriptions.

Acute Disease ; Animals ; Anthraquinones ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Organ Specificity ; Pancreatitis ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rheum ; chemistry

Aged ; Humans ; Male ; Mesothelioma ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Peritoneal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between microsatellite alterations of RASSF1A gene and the development of cervical carcinoma, and HPV16 infection.

METHODSTwo sites of microsatellite polymorphism of RASSF1A gene were selected, we used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique to detect the LOH and MSI of cervical tissues, and to detect the infection state of HPV16.

RESULTSThere were significant differences of LOH rates at the two sites between clinical stage and pathological grade (P < 0.05). Significant differences were noted between the cervical carcinomas with lymph node metastasis and those without lymph node metastasis in regard to their LOH and MSI at the two sites ( P < 0.05). The incidence of LOH of RASSF1A gene was higher in HPV16(+) than that in HPV16(-) ( P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe change of RASSF1A gene is a relatively late event in cervical carcinomas. The detection of the LOH and MSI of RASSF1A gene might be helpful to the early diagnosis and the screening of cervical carcinoma. It might also be useful for predicting the prognosis of cervical carcinoma. Infection of HPV16 and LOH of RASSF1A gene had reacted together in the development of cervical carcinoma.

Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Loss of Heterozygosity ; genetics ; Microsatellite Repeats ; genetics ; NM23 Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinases ; genetics ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins ; genetics ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; genetics

The effectiveness and safety of acupuncture-moxibustion for the treatment of agrypnia was systematically reviewed. The clinical randomized controlled trial (RCT) of acupuncture-moxibustion for agrypnia were collected. The literature and document on acupuncture-moxibustion RCT for the treatment of agrypnia that published from January of 2001 to March of 2012 was searched with computer in PubMed, CNKI, Wanfang and VIP database. According to Cochrane Handbook 5. 1. 0, the bias risk and quality assessment were performed on every included trial and RevMan 5. 0 software was applied to make the Meta analysis. Totally 14 researches were included, involving 2662 cases. The Meta analysis showed that the differences of total effective rate between acupuncture-moxibustion and clinical routine treatment were significant [RR = 1.16, 95% CI (1.12, 1.19), Z = 9.32, P < 0.000 01]. The results indicate that total effective rate of acupuncture-moxibustion for agrypnia is obviously superior to that of clinical routine treatment, meaning clinical efficacy of acupuncture-moxibustion is served credit.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Amblyopia ; therapy ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Moxibustion

Weightlessness environment can lead to the muscle atrophy and body fluid distribution upward,which can cause the bone calcium metabolism disorder and always accompanied by the loss of bone microstructure and increased rate of bone fracture. Under microgravity,the astronauts are much easier to decrease the Ca2+ ion in bone, which can cause serious osteoporosis. However the bone lost is not equilibrium, it is especially serious in the mechanism loading bone and the recovery process is more difficult. These are very different from the osteoporosis in older people and postmenopausal osteoporosis. It is necessary to find an optimal method to due with it. In traditional Chinese medicine theory,the kidney stores "Jing" and dominates the bone, thus a lot of bone related diseases can be treated through the kidney. A lot of clinical practices have also proved that the Chinese herbs used under the guidance of basic Chinese medicine theory are always good at the treatment of common osteoporosis. In simulated weightlessness experiment, people found that the kidney nourishment drugs do can prevent the decrease of BMD. So in this article we want to review the causes of weightlessness and the potentials applications of tradition Chinese medicine in the treatment of weightlessness osteoporosis.
Humans ; Mechanical Phenomena ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Osteoporosis ; etiology ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Weightlessness ; adverse effects

OBJECTIVERett syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder which causes severe mental retardation. This study aimed at elucidating clinical features of 66 Chinese RTT cases diagnosed by The Department of Pediatric Neurology, Peking University First Hospital since 1987, and at analysis of the MeCP2 genotype / phenotype correlation.

METHODSSixty-six RTT cases were followed up every one to two years to get the information of their clinical manifestations and the response to the L-carnitine treatment which was administered to the patients at a dose of 80-100 mg/(kg d). MeCP2 mutation analysis by PCR and sequencing were performed on 39 cases.

RESULTSIn this cohort of cases, the onset of the disease occurred between 3 and 38 months of age, 89% of the cases lost their purposeful hand use at 7 months to six years of age, all the cases had stereotype hand movement which presented at 1 to 5 years of age, 85% of the cases lost language ability at 11 months to eight years of age, 21% of the cases lost the ability of walking at ages of 2 years and 9 months to 15 years. The symptoms/signs such as small head circumference, seizures, breathing irregularities, teeth grinding, scoliosis/ kyphosis were presented in many of the cases. The clinical manifestations were improved in 6 cases after L-carnitine treatment. MeCP2 gene mutation was found in 64% of the cases. Two cases with non-sense mutation C502t (amino acid change R168X) died, two cases with missense mutation C397T (amino acid change R133C) and one case with missense mutation A398T (amino acid change R133H) preserved several words.

CONCLUSIONDeceleration of the head growth, loss of acquired purposeful hand use, stereotype hand movement and language deterioration were the main characteristics of RTT. L-carnitine could improve the clinical manifestation of some cases. There are some correlations between MeCP2 genotype and phenotype.

Adolescent ; Carnitine ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone ; genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Genotype ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2 ; Mutation ; Phenotype ; Repressor Proteins ; genetics ; Rett Syndrome ; drug therapy ; genetics ; pathology ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDMumps virus infection is a potentially serious viral infection of childhood and early adulthood. In China, live attenuated S(79) mumps vaccine has been licensed for pediatric use since 1990. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of live attenuated S(79) mumps vaccine against clinical mumps in outbreaks.

METHODSCases were selected from mumps outbreaks in schools in Guangzhou between 2004 and 2005. Each case was matched by gender, age and classroom. Vaccination information was obtained from Children's EPI Administrative Computerized System. Vaccine effectiveness (VE) was calculated for 1 or 2 doses of S(79) vaccine with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTSOne hundred and ninety-four cases and 194 controls were enrolled into the study. VE of the S(79) mumps vaccine for 1 dose versus 0 confer protection 80.4% (95% CI, 60.0%-90.4%) and VEs against mumps in outbreaks for 1 dose of mumps vaccine are similar among those children aged 4-9 years and aged over 10 years old.

CONCLUSIONThe live attenuated S(79) mumps vaccine can be effective in preventing clinical mumps outbreaks.

Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Mumps ; epidemiology ; immunology ; Mumps Vaccine ; immunology ; Vaccines, Attenuated ; immunology

Objective　To explore the relationship between hemolymph phenol oxidase and the melanization of Plasmodium yoelii oocysts in Anopheles dirus. Methods　An Anopheles dirus-Plasmodium yoelii system was used Anopheles dirus were divided into 3 groups, that is, non-blood-fedding (N), normal-blood-fedding (B) and infected-blood-fedding (I). The activities of MPO and o-DPO in hemolymph from 3 groups were determined with native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and density scanning at 5, 7, 11 and 15 d after blood feeding. Results　Both MPO and o-DPO activity were significantly higher in group I than group N and B (P<0.05). But with the melanization of Plasmodium yoelii oocysts, both MPO and o-DPO activity in group I were decreased in comparison with group N, especially on the 15 th day after infected-blood feeding. MPO and o-DPO activity in group B were significantly stronger than those of group N. Conclusion　Blood feeding and infection of Plasmodium yoelii both can activate the cascade. The heamolymph phenol oxidase may play an important role in the melanization of Plasmodium yoelii oocysts in Anopheles dirus.