Industrial biotechnology provides practical solutions to the challenges in the areas of resources, energy and environment. Based on the 7th China Summit Forum on Industrial Biotechnology Development, this special issue reports the latest advances in the fields of bioinformatics, microbial cell factories, fermentation engineering, industrial enzymes and high throughput screening methods.
Biotechnology ; China ; Enzymes ; chemistry ; Fermentation ; High-Throughput Screening Assays ; Industrial Microbiology

The clinical data of 25 patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstruction pulmonary disease (AECOPD) admitted from March 2009 to October 2010 were analyzed. The sputum samples were collected and the levels of inflammatory cell, interleukin-8 (IL-8) and eotaxin in sputum were determined. The lung function was measured. Twenty healthy subjects served as controls. The counts of neutrophils and eosinophils, and the levels of IL-8 and eotaxin in sputum of AECOPD were higher than those of health subjects. There was a positive correlation between the levels of IL-8 and the counts of neutrophils (P < 0. 01), and between the levels of eotaxin and the counts of eosinophils in sputum ( P < 0.01). The levels of IL-8 and eotaxin were negatively correlated with the lung function (FEV1% ).

Weanling rats and mice were fed on an iron-deficient diet. By the end of the 4th week, the rats were sacrificed for the determination of immune function and the mice were infected with S. typhimurium. The rate of peripheral blood lymphocytes transformation, total serum complement activity (CH50) and splenic tissue cAMP levels in the iron-deficient rats were 26.3? 5.86%, 58.39?14.79u/ml and 0.93?0.48 pmol/mg respectively, but that in the controls were 38.3?4.61%, 75.17?19.51u/ml and 2.69?1.17pmol/mg respectively. The former were significantly lower than the latter. The serum hemolysin (HC50) and serum lysozyme in the iron-deficient rats were 330.62 ?21.90 and 29.50 ?16.85ug/ml respectively; and that in the controls were 353.24?29.77 and 30.08?10.39ug/ml respectively. The differences between these two groups were not significant. Gross histological changes were found in the spleen of the iron-deficient rats, but no changes in the thymus. After the intraperitoneal injection of S. typhimurium, the mortality of iron-deficient mice were significantly higher than the controls.

This paper describes virtual instrumentation and its most representative developing environment-LabVIEW. The use of LabVIEW to program custom functions ,such as signal acquisition ,processing ,system control ,in biomedical research ,is also introduced.

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy is a new technique that can determine the concentrations of a few detectable metabolites altered in diseases.Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and spectroscopic imaging are of noninvasive and accuracy.This article focus on the role of proton MRS in preoperative diagnosis and differentiation,tumor grading,evaluation of the efficacy of brain tumor therapies and radiotherapy induced changes.

Objective To study the effect of 17?-estradial(E-2) on apoptosis of cardiomyocytes induced by norepinephrine(NE) in vitro and its mechanism. Methods The cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were treated with NE(50??mol/L),E-2(10?nmol/L) or NE(50??mol/L)+E-2(10?nmol/L) respectively in serum-free DMEM for 48?h.The morphological changes of myocytes were studied by phase-microscopy and transmission electron microscopy;apoptosis was identified by DNA laddering and apoptotic rate was assayed by flow cytometer;cfos protein in cardiomyocytes was detected using semiquantitative immunofluorescence cytochemistry technique. Results 17?-estradiol inhibited the morphological changes of apoptotic cardiomyocytes induced by norepinephine such as cell atrophy,condensed chromatin clumps against the nuclear envelope associated with swelling of mitochondria and presentation of apoptotic body,DNA laddering disappeared,the apoptotic rate decreased and the expression of c-fos protein inhibited in cardiomyocytes.Conclusion 17?-estradiol can protect cultured cardiomyocytes from apoptosis induced by norepinephrine,its mechanism might associate with suppression of c-fos protein expression.

Objective To evaluate the method of plasmodium DNA template extraction from dried blood on filter paper . Methods Collectedand tested 47 blood samples of suspected imported malaria patients ,the DNA was extracted and tested by using conventional procedures and PCR ,then count and analyze test results of matched design .Results The Kappa value was 0 .492 when compared filter paper dried blood spots with thick and thin blood smear test results ,and the Kappa value was 0 .686 when com‐pared with whole blood sample .Using the results of thick and thin blood smear and whole blood samples as the gold standard to e‐valuate the sensitivity and specificity of filter paper dried blood spot method respectively ,the sensitivity was 75 .0% ,71 .4% and specificity was 78 .9% ,100 .0% .Conclusion Collected blood samples using filter paper can′t get good results in PCR test ,still needs further research .

Objective To study the difference of clinical manifestations,treatment and prognosis between idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and interstitial lung disease associated with connective tissue disorder, secondary pulmonary fibrosis(SPF). Methods The elderly patients≥ 60 yrs old, diagnosed as IPF or SPF in PUMC Hospital between 1990 and 2002 were reviewed and analyzed. Results Cough and dyspnea appeared to be the most common complaints in both groups. The most common signs were Velcro rales and clubbing fingers. The symptoms and signs were more common in IPF group. The mean course was shorter in SPF group (8.5 months vs 24.0 months). Mortality rate was high in both groups (26.3% and 30.0%) and showed no significant difference. The common causes of SPF were Sjogren syndrome, polymyositis, rheumatoid arthritis and progressive systemic sclerosis (9/40, 8/40, 7/40, 7/40, respectively). The most common radiograghic findings were bibasilar reticular patterns and showed more severe in IPF than in SPE〔41(71.9%) vs 14(35.0%)〕,P

Because the rehabilitation process is too long and its effect is non-significant, stroke patients are prone to showing over-reliance on their families, being unconfident in their abilities, and they usually miscommunicate with medical staff, in fact, the reason why they have these problems is that they didn't manifest appropriate ego states, so they couldn't communicate with families and medical staff healthily,which is extremely unfavorable for stroke rehabilitation. So-called ego state is individual mentality and corresponding behavior patterns.This paper used ego state concept in transactional analysis theory to describe the change of stroke patients' ego states, and analyze the communication patterns among patients, medical staffs and families, in order to assist patients to be aware of their own ego states, and present them properly, develop healthy communication, and promote the rehabilitation of the disease in the end.

Objective To investigate the distribution of age and relationship of ESR with HCT.Methods The HCT,age and ESR datas of the patients which all ages were above 40 years were Collected,then count the mean and standard deviation x±s with different groups of HCT,t test was made to identify the significance of difference.Results HCT:The levels of hct in males was 0.47±0.26 in higher groups of HCT,0.39±0.27 in normal groups and 30.01 ±3.59 in lower groups.The levels of HCT in fe-males was 0.42±0.17 in higher groups,0.30±0.36 in normal groups,0.27±0.45 in lower groups;Age:The average age in males was 57.41±10.62 years in higher HCT groups of patients,67.23 ±12.75 in lower hct groups,there were significantly difference between them.The avarage age in females was 60.70 ± 11.60 in higher HCT groups of patients,61.60 ± 12.40 in lower HCT groups,there were no significantly difference between them.ESR:The levels of ESR in males was (3.95 ±3.26)mm/h in higher HCT groups,(61.61±40.04)mm/h in lower HCT groups;The ESR in females was (28.26±28.62)mm/h in higher HCT groups, (60.20±43.71)mm/h in lower HCT groups,there were significantly difference between different groups included both males and femals.Conclusion When the HCT were decreased,the age and ESR were increased in males,the ESR were also increased but had no relationship with ages in females.Conjuction the age and ESR,it could improve the prevention and monitoring in heart-brain blood disease through the HCT.