Expression and Clinical Significance of Peripheral Blood IL-17A, IL-22, Tim-3, and gal-9 in Children with Infectious Mononucleosis.

To investigate the expression and clinical significance of peripheral blood interleukin (IL)-17A, IL-22, T cell immunoglobulin molecule-3 (Tim-3), and galectin-9 (gal-9) in children with infectious mononucleosis (IM) caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Peripheral blood of 54 children with IM (case group) was collected and divided into a liver damage group and a non-liver damage group. During the same period, 20 healthy children were in the control group. IL-17A and IL-22 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to measure the mRNA expression of Tim-3 and gal-9. Their correlation with clinical indicators was then analyzed. The IL-17A expression level was higher in the case group than in the control group, while Tim-3, gal-9, and IL-22 were lower than those in the control group. Tim-3 was positively correlated with gal-9, but negatively correlated with IL-17A. Tim-3 and gal-9 were positively correlated with CD4+/CD8+ cells. Conversely, they were negatively correlated with CD3+, CD3+CD8+, white blood cell, lymphocyte (L), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). In the case group, IL-17A was positively correlated with L, GGT, and LDH, but negatively correlated with the natural killer (NK) cell count. IL-17A and IL-22 were positively correlated with CD3+, CD3+CD8+, ALT, and AST, but they were negatively correlated with the ratio of CD4+/CD8+. In the liver damage group, IL-17A, IL-22, CD3+, CD3+CD8+, immunoglobulin A (IgA), IgG, IgM, L, ALT, AST, GGT, LDH, and α-hydroxybutyrate levels were higher than those in the non-liver damage group. However, Tim-3, gal-9, the ratio of CD4+/CD8+, and NK were lower than those in the non-liver damage group. IL-17A, IL-22, Tim-3, and gal-9 are involved in the immune pathogenesis of IM caused by EBV infection in children, which may be related to immune liver injury.

A Modified Flexor Tendon Suture Technique Combining Kessler and Loop Lock Flexor Tendon Sutures

OBJECTIVES: In the present study, a novel single knot tenorrhaphy was developed by combining the modified Kessler flexor tendon suture (MK) with the loop lock technique. METHODS: A total of 48 porcine flexor digitorum profundus tendons were collected and randomly divided into six groups. The tendons were transversely cut and then repaired using six different techniques, the MK method, double knot Kessler-loop lock flexor tendon suture (DK), and single knot Kessler-loop lock flexor tendon suture (SK), each in combination with the epitendinous suture (P), and the same three techniques without P. Furthermore, by performing the load-to-failure tests, the biomechanical properties and the time taken to complete a repair, for each tenorrhaphy, were assessed. RESULTS: Compared to the MK+P method, DK+P was more improved, thereby enhancing the ultimate tensile strength. The SK+P method, which required fewer knots than DK+P, was easier to perform. Moreover, the SK+P repair increased the force at a 2-mm gap formation, while requiring lesser knots than DK+P. CONCLUSION: As opposed to the traditional MK+P method, the SK+P method was improved and exhibited better biomechanical properties, which may facilitate early mobilization after the repair.

Effects of betaine supplementation on L-threonine fed-batch fermentation by Escherichia coli.

Betaine can act as a stress protectant, methyl donor, or enzyme stabilizer in vitro for the biosynthesis of structurally complex compounds. The performances of betaine type and concentration on the metabolic processes of Escherichia coli JLTHR in a 5-L fermentor were investigated. The results showed that the maximum L-threonine production of 127.3 g/L and glucose conversion percentage of 58.12% was obtained fed with the glucose solution containing 2 g/L betaine hydrochloride, which increased by 14.5 and 6.87% more compared to that of the control, respectively. This study presents an analysis of the metabolic fluxes of E. coli JLTHR for the production of L-threonine with betaine supplementation. When betaine was fed into the fermentation culture medium, the metabolic flux entering into the pentose phosphate pathway (HMP) and biosynthesis route of L-threonine increased by 57.3 and 10.1%, respectively. In conclusion, exogenous addition of betaine was validated to be a feasible and efficacious approach to improve L-threonine production.