The application of enzymes has a high potential in the pulp and paper industry to improve the economics of the paper production process and to achieve, at the same time, a reduced environmental burden. Specific enzymes contribute to reduce the amount of chemicals, water and energy in various processes. This review is aimed at presenting the latest progresses of applying enzymes in bio-pulping, bio-bleaching, bio-deinking, enzymatic control of pitch and enzymatic modification of fibers.
Enzymes ; Industry ; Paper

AIM:To identify intragenic mutation loci of the BEST-1 gene with congenital vitelliform macular dystrophy by molecular genetic analysis at one family in Northeast China.
METHODS: Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral leukocyte of 2 patients and 5 healthy members in the family with vitelliform macular dystrophy and 100 normal controls. Ten exon sequences of BEST - 1 amplified by polymerase chain reaction ( PCR ) were made direct DNA sequencing to define the gene mutation loci and compared with gene screening performed on 100 normal controls.
RESULTS: After the direct DNA sequencing, no mutation loci was found in all the patients of this family with vitelliform macular dystrophy.
CONCLUSION:There is no mutation in the exons of BEST-1 gene causing disease genes in this family.

Objective To evaluate the accuracy of the soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) and lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP) as diagnostic indices for neonatal serious bacterial infections (SBI). Methods A total of 171 newborns were enrolled in the study, and were classiifed into SBI group (including early-onset and late-onset), non-SBI group according to clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations and the time of disease onset. Serum sTREM-1, LBP and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured. Receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC) was drawn, and the area under curve (AUC) was calculated. Each index was evaluated for the diagnostic value of neonatal SBI. Results The sTREM-1 and LBP levels were signiifcantly higher in SBI group than those in non-SBI group (P=0.000). The AUC of ROC for sTREM-1, LBP and CRP in early-onset SBI was 0.888, 0.839 and 0.706, respectively. The AUC of ROC for sTREM-1, LBP and CRP in late-onset SBI was 0.860, 0.865 and 0.705, respectively. Conclusions Both sTREM-1 and LBP are useful for the diag-nosis of neonatal SBI.

OBJECTIVE: Autotransplantation with cultured autologous limbal stem cell is viewed as the best treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to further recognize the molecular biological character of limbal stem cell and histological anatomy and to study the progression of transplantation of autologous limbal stem cell.DATA SOURCES: The papers of Medline January 1995 to December 2002 were looked up in computer by retrieved words "limbus cornea, stem cells,autotransplant" of English version. Simultaneously, the papers of January 1995 to January 2002 of Chinese version were looked up by the same retrieved words in Chinese on http:∥www.wanfangdata.com.cn.STUDY SELECTION: It is to examine initially the papers relevant with studies on histology and physiopathology of limbal stem cells and relevant with DATA EXTRACTION: More than 120 papers of relevant literatures were collected in total and 15 papers of those met the criteria and selected for synthetic analysis.cells: Stem cells of corneal epithelium present similar characters as other committed stem cells, with very strong capacity of proliferation and cell division, in poor differentiation state, long cellular cycle and unparallel divipapillary structure of limbal basal palisades of Vogt are limbal stem cells.sion of stem cells are controlled by serum-source factors and various kinds of cellular factors, the changes in factors in microenvironment affect directly the proliferation and division of limbal stem cells and result in various limbal stem cells of the healthy eye from the patient with several ocular surface diseases cultured are grafted to amniotic membrane carrier for ocular surface autotransplantation on affected eye. It is observed after operation that corneal epithelium is regenerated in 2 to 5 days and visual sensibility is remarkably increased in l month. It is visible in 4-month observation after operation that corneal epithelium is integrative and neogenetic vessels are removed persistently.CONCLUSION: Autotransplantation of cultured limbal stem cells is still at the phase of experimental research, in which, initial success has been achieved in treatment of ocular surface diseases; but the remote therapeutic effect of such transplantation is required a further clinical observation. A further study is expected on proliferation, differentiation, physiology and biochemistry of cultured limbal epithelial stem cells, on screening of unique monoclonal antibody of stem cells, on purification and culture in vitro in stem cells, as well as on how to control the differentiation of stem cells and the influence of cellular factors on stem cells. Whether is it possible to apply allogeneic transplantation of cultured limbal stem cells for disorders of both eyes with deficiency of any source of autologous limbal stem cells? Whether is it possible to reduce incidence of rejection by the possible alternations on antigenicity of cultured limbal stem cells? There would be more prospects in the study on those topics.

Objective To investigate the relationship among the D-dimer,C-reactive protein and left atrial diameter in the patients with atrial fibrillation(AF). Methods 53 AF patients were selected,the control group consisted of 32 cases of sinus rhythm(SR). The levels of D-dimer, CRP and LAD in AF group were compared with each other, and with those in the control group. Correlation analysis between D-dimer, CRP and LAD were made.Results D-dimer,CUP and LAD in AF group were significantly different from those in SR group. D-dimer and CRP in persistent AF and permanent AF differed significantly from that in SR and paraxymal AF. LAD in the group of persistent AF differed from that in SR group. LAD in permanent AF was significantly different from that in paraxymal AF and SR. Positive linear correlations were found between D-dimer, CRP and LAD in AF (r=0.376; 0.33).Conclusion Hypercoagulable state existsed in AF; the elevation of CRP should be the result and related to persistence time of AF. Positive correlation existsed between LAD and hypercoagulable state and inflammatory reaction.

Objective To investigate the association between serum uric acid (SUA)levels and outcome in acute ischemic stroke.Methods A total of 388 acute ischemic stroke patients were included in the prospective case study.Data on demographic characteristics, risk factors for life style, history of disease, the admission SUA and outcome at discharge were collected for all participants.Results Mean serum uric acid levels were (284.5±83.6) μmol/L in the normal uric acid? group, and(455.3±78.1)μmol/L in the high uric acid group(P＜0.01).There were significant differences in National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score at two weeks between the high UA group and the normal UA group [(11.0±6.0) vs.(11.0±5.3),P=0.048], and also in early neurological improvement (P=0.048).A significant difference was found in serum uric acid level between patients with good versus poor neurological function outcome (P =0.045).Conclusions There is the association between admission serum uric acid levels and outcome in acute ischemic stroke.Elevated serum uric acid level predicts a lower chance of a poor outcome in acute ischemic stroke.

Objective To investigate the significance and possible mechanism of food intolerance in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D).Methods Twenty-seven IBS-D patients matched the Rome Ⅲ criteria were selected as IBS-D group.Twenty-seven healthy individuals without gastrointestinal symptoms were assigned to control group.Food intolerance situation of two groups were analyzed with food intolerance status evaluation questionnaire,and detection of 14 food specific IgG antibody.The severity of IBS symptoms of IBS-D group were scored by IBS-symptom severity scale (SSS).Two pieces of mucosal tissues of both ileocecal junction and sigmoid colon were obtained under colonoscopy.The content of mucosal substance P (SP) was determined by immunohistochemistry.The quantity of mast cells were detected by Giemsa staining.Chi square test and Fisher exact probability method were performed for rate comparison between two groups.Measurement data were compared with t test and Mann-Whitney rank sum test.The correlation between IBS-SSS score and mast cells and the expression of SP positive cells were analyzed by Spearman rank correlation analysis.Results There was no statistically significant difference in positive rates of food specific IgG between two groups (x2 =3.085,P=0.389),however according to food intolerance status evaluation questionnaire,the incidence of food intolerance of IBS-D group was 44.4 ％ (12/27) which was higher than that of control group (14.8 ％,4/ 27),the difference was statistically (x2 =5.684,P=0.017).Food intolerance severity index of IBS-D group (median:0(0,60)) was higher than that of control group (median:0(0,0)),and the difference was statistically significant (U=239.50,P =0.007).In foods that may cause intolerance,the percentage of foods rich in fermentable oligosaccharides and monosaccharides,disaccharides and polyol (FODMAP) such as milk,noodles,soybeans was up to 71.4％ (30/42).The expression tates of SP positive cells in the mucosa of ileocecal junction and sigmoid colon of patients with IBS-D were higher than those of the control group (x2-20.735 and 22.071,both P＜0.01).The numbers of mast cell in the mucosa of ileocecal junction and sigmoid colonic of patients with IBS D (2.40 ± 1.04/high power field (HPF) and 2.35±1.11/HPF) were more than those of the control group (0.97 ± 0.70/HPF and 0.89 ± 0.72/HPF),and the difference was statistically significant (t=-5.850 and-5.629,both P＜0.01).The severity of bowel symptom of patients with IBS-D was moderately correlated with the number of mast cells in the mucosa of sigmoid colon (r=0.576,P=0.002),and was moderately correlated with the expression of SP positive cells (r=0.691,P＜0.01).Conclusions There may be relation ship among low-grade inflammation of intestinal mucosa,food intolerance and severity of intestinal symptoms in patients with IBS-D.

Objective To establish a numerical model of adsorption and desorption of CO_2 and to study the influencing factors on the removal system. Method A physical model was expressed by mathematical method, then an isothermal adsorption model for simulating molecular sieve was established. Result The working process of a CO_2 removed device was simulated and its result was analized with the established model.The characteristics of the adsorption and desorption was obtained. Conclusion The model describes the processes correctly, the influencing factors like humidity dimension of the bed are considered simultaneously.It remains to be improved by further experimental corrections.

Objective:To study the correlative clinical factors that causing hypophosphatemia in postoperative patients of general surgery.Methods:Serum phosphate levels of 101 patients of general surgery were monitored at the preoperative day,and the first,forth and seventh postoperative day.Influence factors of the serum phosphate levels were analysed.Results:The serum phosphate levels in patients elder than 55 years were lower than those younger than 55 years on the first and forth postoperative day(P

Objective:To observe the effects of nicotine on the proliferation and fibronectin(Fn) synthesis of human periodontal ligament cells(PDLCs) cultured in vitro,and to investigate the mechanism of the effects of smoking on the periodontitis.Methods:PDLCs were cultured in the presence of nicotine at various concentrations,the proliferation of cells was measured by MTT chromatometry,and the synthesis of Fn was measured by ELISA and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Results:①MTT chromatometry:Nicotine inhibited the proliferation of PDLCs obviously(P