Effect of Hemicellulose on the Wet Tensile Strength of Kozo Paper.

Kozo paper, usu-mino-gami, is frequently used as the first back lining paper of hanging scrolls in order to support the main paper with a painting or a work of calligraphy on it. To dye it an appropriate color, paper is often treated with an alkali mordant solution. However, current kozo paper products have received such comments from conservators that wet tensile strength is weak and hard to handle. Therefore, improving the wet tensile strength of kozo paper is required. In previous papers, the effect of the sheet forming method, cooking condition, and parenchyma cell content between fibers on the wet tensile strength of kozo paper has been investigated. In this paper, the effect of glucuronoxylan, the main component of hardwood hemicellulose on the wet tensile strength of kozo paper was investigated. The wet tensile strength of kozo paper, when made in different cooking conditions, was evaluated using the Finch device. Glucuronoxylan content in fiber was analyzed using GC-FID. According to the results, it has been proved that glucuronoxylan content (with a xylan to glucan molar ratio of 4.43% to 5.16%) itself contributes to the wet tensile strength of the kozo sheet. Therefore, to increase the wet tensile strength of kozo paper, it is recommended to cook under milder conditions, thus retaining a higher amount of glucuronoxylan in the pulp.

Upregulated UHRF1 promotes bladder cancer cell invasion by epigenetic silencing of KiSS1.

Ubiquitin-like with PHD and RING finger domains 1 (UHRF1), as an epigenetic regulator, plays important roles in the tumorigenesis and cancer progression. KiSS1 functions as a metastasis suppressor in various cancers, and epigenetic silencing of KiSS1 increases the metastatic potential of cancer cells. We therefore investigated whether UHRF1 promotes bladder cancer cell invasion by inhibiting KiSS1. The expression levels of UHRF1 and KiSS1 were examined by quantitative real-time PCR assay in vitro and in vivo. The role of UHRF1 in regulating bladder cancer metastasis was evaluated in bladder cancer cell. We found that UHRF1 levels are upregulated in most clinical specimens of bladder cancer when compared with paired normal tissues, and UHRF1 expression levels are significantly increased in primary tumors that subsequently metastasized compared with non-metastatic tumors. Forced expression of UHRF1 promotes bladder cancer cell invasion, whereas UHRF1 knockdown decreases cell invasion. Overexpression of UHRF1 increases the methylation of CpG nucleotides and reduces the expression of KiSS1. UHRF1 and KiSS1 expression level is negatively correlated in vivo and in vitro. Knockdown of KiSS1 promotes bladder cancer cell invasion. Importantly, forced expression of KiSS1 partly abrogates UHRF1-induced cell invasion. These data demonstrated that upregulated UHRF1 increases bladder cancer cell invasion by epigenetic silencing of KiSS1.

catena-Poly[[(nitrato-κO,O')silver(I)]-µ-N,N'-bis-(3-pyridyl-methyl-idene)benzene-1,4-diamine].

In the title compound, [Ag(NO(3))(C(18)H(14)N(4))](n), the Ag(I) atom is coordinated by two N atoms from two N,N'-bis-(3-pyridyl-methyl-idene)benzene-1,4-diamine (bpbd) mol-ecules and two O atoms from a bidentate nitrate anion. The bpbd mol-ecules bridge the Ag atoms into a chain. Two adjacent chains are further connected by Ag⋯Ag inter-actions [3.1631 (8) Å], forming a double-chain structure. A π-π inter-action [centroid-centroid distance = 3.758 (3) Å] occurs between the double chains. Inter-chain C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds are observed.

[The relationship between the peripheral blood of CD61, CD63, PAC-1 and the transplant kidney function].

OBJECTIVES: To explore the relationships between the peripheral blood levels of CD61, CD63, PAC-1 and the incidence of acute rejection and tubular necrosis after renal transplantation, and recovery of the graft function. METHODS: The peripheral blood levels of CD61, CD63, and PAC-1 of 86 patients with uremia in different stages before and after transplantations were analyzed by flow cytometry. The patients were divided into three groups: (1) twenty-nine patients with normal grafts function, (2) hirty with acute rejection and (3) twenty-seven with acute tubular necrosis. The patients with acute rejection were randomly divided into treatment group with anticoagulants and cntrol group. RESULTS: The peripheral blood levels of CD61, CD63 and PAC-1 significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the patients with acute rejection, in comparison with those with normal grafts function and those with acute tubular necrosis. The peripheral blood levels of CD61, CD63 and PAC-1 in patients with acute rejection in anticoagulants therapy was lower, recovery time of the grafts function was shorter, one-year survival rates of patients and grafts were higher, as compared with those of controls. CONCLUSIONS: The patients with acute rejection have significantly high peripheral blood levels of CD61, CD63 and PAC-1 before transplantation, however, these values in patients with acute tubular necrosis are not high, this suggesting that acute rejection might relate to platelet activation, while acute tubular necrosis might not relate to it. After anticoagulants therapy in patients with acute rejection, the grafts function might recover faster and their one-year survival rates and grafts might be higher in those with CD61, CD63 and PAC-1 decreasing remarkably.

Magnetic resonance urography in the diagnosis of urinary tract obstruction after renal transplantation.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate magnetic resonance urography (MRU) in the diagnosis of urinary tract obstruction after renal transplantation. METHODS: A total of 31 patients with suspected urinary tract obstruction after renal transplantation were examined, and the results were compared with those from surgery and B-ultrasound examination. RESULTS: The urinary tract after renal transplantation was clearly shown using MRU, and all patients were clearly diagnosed by MRU. Imaging results were consistent with those from surgery. CONCLUSIONS: MRU is suitable for detecting urinary tract obstruction after renal transplantation. It is a alternative method for IVP and CT in patients with renal function impairment and uremia.

[Ureteral fistula after kidney transplantation].

OBJECTIVE: To study pathogeny, diagnosis and treatment of ureter fistula after renal transplantation. METHODS: The clinical data from 30 cases after renal transplantations were analyzed. RESULTS: Four patients received conservative treatment, and 2 repairment of the fistula. Eleven patients had resection of the ureter or adjustment of the kidney, followed by the anastomosis of the ureter and bladder again. After the turning of the bladder's lamella, 13 patients were given 20 - 24 Foley's tube connecting the pelvis and bladder and nine of them were not subjected to re-anastomosis waiting for the pelvis crawling to the bladder as a tunnel. The one-year survival rates for 30 cases and kidneys was 96.7% (29/30) and 86.7% (26/30) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: There a lot of causes for ureter which are fistula, running related to every aspect of transplantation. Early diagnosis and treatment is important to prognosis. Most patients need reanastomosis. According to the blood stream, edema, length of the ureter, operative procedures are selected to ensure free of strain.