The process of U(VI) biosorption by freshwater algae Chlorella pyrenoidosa and its absorption mechanism, absorption thermodynamics and absorption kinetics were investigated in this paper. The effects of pH, contact time, initial U(VI) concentration and temperature on biosorption were studied respectively. Research result showed that the absorption effect of U(VI) by Chlorella pyrenoidosa was affected by pH value of solution to a great extent, the absorption reached its balance within 5 min with optimal pH value 6 and max absorption quantity 2.7 mg/g. On the other hand, the absorption quantity of U(VI) by Chlorella pyrenoidosa was positively correlated with the initial concentration of U(VI); and the absorption quantity did not fluctuate remarkably when temperature was varied at the range of 20℃ to 30℃. Research result also showed that the process of U(VI) absorption was congruent with the second order kinetic model, and the correlation coefficient was high reaching to 0.99. It was suggested that the U(VI) biosorption by Chlorella pyrenoidosa was a complicated process consisting of many simultaneous reactions and could be described by Languir model quite well.

The osmotic pressure of ammonium sulfate solutions has been measured by the well-established freezing point osmometry in dilute solutions and we recently reported air humidity osmometry in a much wider range of concentration. Air humidity osmometry cross-validated the theoretical calculations of osmotic pressure based on the Pitzer model at high concentrations by two one-sided test (TOST) of equivalence with multiple testing corrections, where no other experimental method could serve as a reference for comparison. Although more strict equivalence criteria were established between the measurements of freezing point osmometry and the calculations based on the Pitzer model at low concentration, air humidity osmometry is the only currently available osmometry applicable to high concentration, serves as an economic addition to standard osmometry.
Ammonium Sulfate ; chemistry ; Freezing ; Humidity ; Osmolar Concentration ; Osmometry ; methods ; Osmotic Pressure ; Solutions

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of polysaccharide fraction of Cordyceps sinensis (PSCS) on triptolide (TPL)-induced apoptosis in the HL-60 cells and the involved molecular mechanism.

METHODSThe cultured leukemia HL-60 cells were divided into three groups: control group, TPL group (cells were treated with 5 ng/ml TPL only), and PSCS+TPL cells group (cells treated with 5 ng/ml TPL and 100 microg/ml or 200 microg/ml PSCS for 18 h). Cell viability was tested by MTT assay and apoptotic cells were quantitatively measured by flow cytometry with Annexin V/PI double stain.The expressions of Caspase-3, 6, 7, 9 and NF-kappa B proteins were tested by Western blot.

RESULTMTT assay showed that different concentrations of PSCS inhibited the cell viability. Flow cytometry indicated that TPL markedly increased the apoptosis rate of the HL-60 cells, and PSCS enhanced the apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Western blot showed that TPL did not inhibit the expression of the Caspase-3, 6, 7, 9 and NF-kappa B proteins, and when cells were treated with PSCS, the expression of proteins decreased with the PSCS concentration rising.

CONCLUSIONPSCS can enhance TPL-induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells and inhibit the expression of NF-kappa B and Caspase 3,6,7,9,which might be the possible signaling pathway of inducing apoptosis.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspases ; metabolism ; Cordyceps ; chemistry ; Diterpenes ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Synergism ; Epoxy Compounds ; pharmacology ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Phenanthrenes ; pharmacology ; Polysaccharides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of the non-PLC-dependent protein kinase C (PKC) pathway of parathyroid hormone (PTH) on the apoptosis and proliferation of osteoblast MC-3T3E1 cells.

METHODSMC-3T3E1 cells were seeded in 96-well plates at the density of 1.5×10(4) cells/mL and incubated for 3 day. The cells were then exposed to 100 nmol/L of [Gly(1), Arg(19)]hPTH(1-28), 100 nmol/L of [Gly(1), Arg(19)]hPTH(1-34), 100 nmol/L of [Gly(1), Arg(19)]hPTH(1-34)+1 µmol/L Go6983, 1 µmol/L Go6983, or deionized water (control) for 1, 24 or 48 h. After the treatments, cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and Caspase-Glo® 3/7 Assay (Caspase-3) were used to examine the proliferation and apoptosis of MC3T3-E1 cells.

RESULTSCCK-8 results showed that hPTH(1-34) increased the number of MC3T3-E1 cells compared with hPTH(1-34)+Go6983 at 1 h and 24 h, but this difference was not statistically different. At 48 h, treatment with hPTH(1-34), as compared with hPTH(1-28), significantly increased the number of MC3T3-E1 cells (P<0.05), and this effect was blocked by the PKC inhibitor Go6983 (P<0.05). hPTH(1-34) did not result in significant inhibition of MC3T3-E1 cell apoptosis at 1 h and 24 h as compared with hPTH(1-34)+Go6983, but significantly inhibited the cell apoptosis as compared with hPTH(1-28) (P<0.05); this inhibitory effect was blocked by Go6983 (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONs A relatively long time (for 48 h) of exposure to PTH can inhibit apoptosis and promote the proliferation of MC3T3-E1cells through a non-PLC-dependent PKC pathway.

3T3 Cells ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cell Proliferation ; Indoles ; pharmacology ; Maleimides ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Osteoblasts ; Parathyroid Hormone ; pharmacology ; Protein Kinase C ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of 2-methoxycinnamaldehyde (isolated from fraction A of Guizhi Tang) on activity of COX and PGE2 release in rat cerebral microvascular endothelial cells (rCMEC) stimulated by IL-1.

METHODrCMEC were cultured, and identified by immunohistochemistry for von Willebrand factor (VIII factor, a marker for all endothelial cells) in cytoplasm of the cells. Different concentrations of 2-methoxycinnamaldehyde were added respectively and incubated for 3 hours, then stimulated for another 12 hours by IL-1. Activities of COX-1 and COX-2 in rCMEC, and production of PGE2 in the conditioned media were measured by ELISA.

RESULTPositive immunostaining for VIII factor was present diffusely in the cytoplasm of > 90% rCMEC. After being exposed to 30 ng x mL(-1) IL, the activity of COX-2 in rCMEC and the production of PGE2 in conditioned media were higher than those of control group, while there was no difference on activity of COX-1 in the two groups. 2-methoxycinnamaldehyde could down-regulate them in concentration-dependently, and significant differences on the activity of COX-2 and amount of PGE2 were showed in 200 microg x mL(-1) concentration.

CONCLUSION2-methoxycinnamaldehyde can affect the PGE2 release in rCMEC induced by IL-1, which might be related with its inhibition on the activity of COX-2.

Acrolein ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Brain ; blood supply ; Cells, Cultured ; Cyclooxygenase 1 ; metabolism ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; metabolism ; Dinoprostone ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Interleukin-1 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Male ; Microcirculation ; cytology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Acute Coronary Syndrome ; drug therapy ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; Aspirin ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; administration & dosage ; Thrombelastography ; Ticlopidine ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; Tyrosine ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives

Objective To understand the disease burden of patients with advanced schistosomiasis in Jiangsu Province. Methods Totally 450 patients with advanced schistosomiasis from southern, northern and central Jiangsu were chosen by the stratified sampling method, and surveyed by the self-designed economic burden questionnaire in 2015. The economic burden of the patients was analyzed by the descriptive analysis method, and its determinants were explored by the multiple linear regression analysis. Results A total of 450 subjects were surveyed and 434 valid questionnaires were recovered with the recovery rate of 96.44%. The per capita economic burden of advanced schistosomiasis patients was 10 217 Yuan in Jiangsu Province in 2015, including 7 221 Yuan in direct economic burden and 2 996 Yuan in indirect economic burden. The average lost labor force time was 140 days for the patients, and was 23 days for the family. The multiple linear regression analysis showed that the marital status, hospitalization health service utilization, and self-reported health score impacted on the disease economic burden. Conclusion The disease burden of patients with advanced schistosomiasis in Jiangsu Province is heavy.

Glioblastoma(GBM)is a lethal cancer with limited therapeutic options.Dendritic cell(DC)-based cancer vaccines provide a promising approach for GBM treatment.Clinical studies suggest that other immu-notherapeutic agents may be combined with DC vaccines to further enhance antitumor activity.Here,we report a GBM case with combination immunotherapy consisting of DC vaccines,anti-programmed death-1(anti-PD-1)and poly I:C as well as the chemotherapeutic agent cyclophosphamide that was integrated with standard chemoradiation therapy,and the patient remained disease-free for 69 months.The patient received DC vaccines loaded with multiple forms of tumor antigens,including mRNA-tumor associated antigens(TAA),mRNA-neoantigens,and hypochlorous acid(HOCl)-oxidized tumor lysates.Furthermore,mRNA-TAAAs were modified with a novel TriVac technology that fuses TAAs with a destabilization domain and inserts TAAs into full-length lysosomal associated membrane protein-1 to enhance major histo-compatibility complex(MHC)class Ⅰ and Ⅱ antigen presentation.The treatment consisted of 42 DC cancer vaccine infusions,26 anti-PD-1 antibody nivolumab administrations and 126 poly I:C injections for DC infusions.The patient also received 28 doses of cyclophosphamide for depletion of regulatory T cells.No immunotherapy-related adverse events were observed during the treatment.Robust antitumor CD4+and CD8+T-cell responses were detected.The patient remains free of disease progression.This is the first case report on the combination of the above three agents to treat glioblastoma patients.Our results suggest that integrated combination immunotherapy is safe and feasible for long-term treatment in this patient.A large-scale trial to validate these findings is warranted.

Artificial Intelligence ; Heart Failure ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo establish a new method for detection of red blood cell osmotic fragility by using flow cytometry.

METHODSThe hypotension salt solution of different concentrations (0.70 ml normal saline+0.3 ml deionized water, 0.60 ml normal saline+0.40 ml deionized water and 0.55 ml normal saline+0.45 ml deionized water) were prepared with normal saline and deionized water, in which the red blood cells were suspended, and the residual red blood cells were detected by flow cytometer.

RESULTSThere was no significant difference in percentage of residual red blood cells between different time points detected by flow cytometer in 3 different hypotonic salt solutions. The percentage of residual red blood cells in B+C+D+E+F+G detected time region was different among 3 NaCl dilution groups. The percentage of residual red blood cells in normal control was lower than that in hemoglobinopathy group. The percentage of residual red blood cells in hereditary spherocytosis (HS) group was obviously lower than that in hemoglobinopathy and normal control groups. The comparison of 3 different dilution concentrations found that the second concentration (0.60 ml normal saline+0.40 ml deionized water) is more suitable to screen HS by FC500 flow cytometer.

CONCLUSIONThe detection of red cell osmotic fragility by using flow cytometry is a simple, rapid, objective and economic way that can be an effective screening method for diagnose the HS.

Erythrocytes ; cytology ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Osmotic Fragility ; Spherocytosis, Hereditary ; physiopathology