Objective:To compare the size-specific dose estimates (SSDE) among children groups with different age ranges by radiation dose structured reports (RDSR) and automatic collection of key images.Methods:Four hundred and four patients (age range 0 to 18 years) were enrolled through automatically capturing the radiation dose structured reports with Teamplay software on the PACS, and the water equivalent diameter (WED) and SSDE were calculated by measurement on the CT axial images. The differences of SSDE and other radiation parameters in different groups were analyzed by using ANOVA method, and the relationship between SSDE and CTDI vol was analyzed by Pearson correlation coefficient. Results:The mean value of SSDE for all subjects was (4.70±3.29) mGy, and increased with the increase of age, showing significant differences among different age groups ( F=46.11, P<0.01). There was a highly linear correlation between SSDE and CTDI vol from 1 year to 18 years old (| r|≥0.92, P<0.01). Conclusions:This study provides a method to apply SSDE to scan quality control in daily work. The result shows that the SSDE level in some age groups can be converted linearly by CTDI vol, and the conversion factor varies with different age groups. The difference between SSDE and CTDI vol gradually decreases with age, so SSDE is more suitable for evaluating the radiation dose of CT examination for children.

To optimize key enzymes, such as to explore the gene resources and to modify the expression level, can maximize metabolic pathways of target products. β-carotene is a terpenoid compound with important application value. Lycopene cyclase (CrtY) is the key enzyme in β-carotene biosynthesis pathway, catalyzing flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)-dependent cyclization reaction and β-carotene synthesis from lycopene precursor. We optimized lycopene cyclase (CrtY) to improve the synthesis of β-carotene and determined the effect of CrtY expression on metabolic pathways. Frist, we developed a β-carotene synthesis module by coexpressing the lycopene β-cyclase gene crtY with crtEBI module in Escherichia coli. Then we simultaneously optimized the ribosome-binding site (RBS) intensity and the species of crtY using oligo-linker mediated DNA assembly method (OLMA). Five strains with high β-carotene production capacity were screened out from the OLMA library. The β-carotene yields of these strains were up to 15.79-18.90 mg/g DCW (Dry cell weight), 65% higher than that of the original strain at shake flask level. The optimal strain CP12 was further identified and evaluated for β-carotene production at 5 L fermentation level. After process optimization, the final β-carotene yield could reach to 1.9 g/L. The results of RBS strength and metabolic intermediate analysis indicated that an appropriate expression level of CrtY could be beneficial for the function of the β-carotene synthesis module. The results of this study provide important insight into the optimization of β-carotene synthesis pathway in metabolic engineering.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect and safety of Kudiezi injection on patients with acute ischemic stroke.

METHODSeven hundreds patients were divided into two groups by central randomization system. The study group, 346 cases, was treated with kudiezi injection plus traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) synthesis rehabilitation project, and the control group, 354 cases, was treated with synthetic rehabilitation project. The patients were treated for 10 to 21 days. Before treatment and at the 7th, 14th and 21th day of treatment, the indexes include NIHSS used for evaluating the neurological deficit degree and the motor function score (Fugl-Meyer) for evaluating motor function were observed. The safety index is defined by adverse observation event and laboratory test. The incidence of adverse events and laboratory tests results were observed before and after treatment at the same time.

RESULTApplication of generalized estimating equation model, we found that as the treatment time, NIHSS score and FMI score of the two groups showed a trend of improvement. And at the 14th days and 21th days of treatment, compared to the control group the treatment group showed significant statistical difference on the impact of NIHSS and FMI (P<0.05). No serious adverse events were observed.

CONCLUSIONKudiezi injection plus TCM rehabilitation project of ischemic stroke showed some superiority to western medicine rehabilitation program on improving the neurological deficit and motor function. Kudiezi injection is safe and effective in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke.

Aged ; Brain Ischemia ; drug therapy ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Injections ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; adverse effects ; Middle Aged ; Product Surveillance, Postmarketing ; Stroke ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo verify the efficacy and safety of post-marketed fleabane injection combined with Dengzhan Shengmai capsules in the treatment of ischemic stroke (IS).

METHODA multicentre, prospective, practical, randomized controlled study was carried out to compare the efficacy and safety of Dengzhan group (n = 343) and western medicine group (n = 335), appling "clinical study central stochastic system". The treatment of Dengzhan group is using fleabane injection in acute stage and Dengzhan Shengmai capsules in convalescence. The primary indexes of effect evaluation are the important outcome events in 360 days' follow-up, including mortality, recurrence, disability and quality of life to reflect the effect of clinical study. The indexes of safety evaluation involve laboratory examination results and incidence of adverse events.

RESULTAfter 360 days' follow-up, 4 people died of IS in Dengzhan group, and the mortality rate of which is 1.17%, while 16 died in Western medicine group (WM group), and the mortality rate is 4.78%, suggesting that the mortality rate of Dengzhan group is significantly lower than WM group (P<0.05). Eleven cases recurred in Dengzhan group, and the recurrence rate of which is 3.21%, while 12 recurred in WM group, and the recurrence rate is 3.59%, indicating that the recurrence rate of Dengzhan group is slightly lower than WM group. The disability rate of Dengzhan group is 39.53%, among which the rate of severely disabled cases are 1.49%, while the disability rate of WM group is 40.13%, among which the rate of severely disabled cases are 3.13%, suggesting that the disability rate of Dengzhan group is lower and the severity of disability is also lighter than WM group. In the field of quality of life, the activity ability and the upper limb function store of stroke patients in Dengzhan group improved far much better than WM group (P<0.05). Analysis of safety suggested that, adverse events occurred in 11 cases in Dengzhan group, among which 4 cases is related with the drug treatment, the incidence of adverse events of which is 1.17%, and the main manifestations involve fever and chilling, rash, nausea, dizziness, palpitation, etc. which were all appeared after the treatment of fleabane injection, and disappeared 1 to 2 days after drug withdrawal. 13 cases occurred abnormal liver function and 2 cases abnormal kidney function in Dengzhan group. According to the judgment of clinical physicians, 3 case of ALT abnormality is possibly related to the treatment, the others are all unrelated with the treatment.

CONCLUSIONFleabane injection and Dengzhan Shengmai capsules are all safe and effective TCM in the treatment of ischemic stroke.

Adult ; Aged ; Brain Ischemia ; drug therapy ; Capsules ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Erigeron ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Injections ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Product Surveillance, Postmarketing ; Prospective Studies ; Stroke ; drug therapy

A robust strain of the species Saccharomyces cerevisiae CGMCC1949 was screened and identified, and advanced solid state fermentation (ASSF) technology for fuel ethanol production from sweet sorghum stalks was thus developed. The fermentation time was shortened to less than 30 h, and ethanol yield was 92% of its theoretical maximum. And in the meantime, the cost-effective storage was established for sweet sorghum stalks, with less than 5% sugar loss after 200 days of storage, making the plant operation could extend up to 200 days without feedstock shortage. With the fermentation kinetics and heat-mass transfer models, modeling of the ASSF process was investigated, and the rotating drum bioreactor was designed. Furthermore, the ASSF technology was successfully applied in the pilot plant in which the rotating drum bioreactor was scaled up to 127 m3, and ethanol yield of 91% was achieved. At the end, techno-economic analysis (TEA) conducted by ASPEN indicated that ethanol production from sweet sorghum stalks by the ASSF is economically competitive.
Bioreactors ; microbiology ; Ethanol ; metabolism ; Fermentation ; Industrial Microbiology ; methods ; Models, Theoretical ; Plant Stems ; metabolism ; Saccharomyces cerevisiae ; metabolism ; Sorghum ; metabolism