[Effects of duodenal ligation on gastroesophageal reflux and bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats].

Objective: To investigate the effects of duodenal ligation on gastroesophageal reflux and bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats. Methods: Wistar rats were randomized into the control (Ctrl) group, bleomycin (BLM) group, duodenal ligation (GER) group and duodenal ligation plus bleomycin treatment (BLM+GER) group. At day 0 (d0), duodenum ligation was performed in the GER and the BLM+GER group through an open-abdomen surgery at 1.0 cm below the pylorus by about 30% of the circumference. Meanwhile, sham operation was performed in the Ctrl and the BLM group with similar procedures to the above without ligation of the duodenum. At day 14, bleomycin solution (5 mg/kg, for the BLM and BLM+GER groups) or saline (for the Ctrl and GER groups) was intratracheally instilled. Rats were sacrificed at d28 or at d42. HE, Masson's trichrome or TUNEL staining was performed on lung sections of the groups. The levels of hyrdoxyproline (HYP) or malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured respectively by alkaline hydrolysis or thiobarbituric acid colorimetry. The levels of pepsin and cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples were assessed by ELISA. Western blot or RT-PCR was used to quantify relative lung expression of proteins or mRNA, respectively. Results: Lungs of the GER group rats were presented with mild inflammatory cell infiltration. Alveolitis and lung fibrosis was prominent in the BLM group but even more severe in the BLM+GER group. Of the Ctrl, GER, BLM and BLM+GER group, the average numbers of apoptotic cells per each magnified field (×200) on d28 lung sections was (5.6±3.0), (6.4±5.3), (15.4±5.3) and (18.4±9.1), respectively (P=0.008); the proportion (%) of blue-stained area under Masson's trichrome at d42 was (21.5±2.8), (23.4±2.5), (34.0±5.8) and (41.3±2.9) (P<0.05); the HYP contents (mg/L) at d42 of each group was (0.77±0.01), (1.26±0.01), (2.02±0.01) and (2.39±0.01) (P<0.01); the BALF levels of MDA (µmol/L) at d42 were (0.51±0.09), (0.87±0.12), (1.40±0.31) and (1.71±0.12) (P<0.001), and differences of these three indices at d42 reached statistical significance when comparing the Ctrl or GER group with the BLM or BLM+GER group (all P<0.05). The levels of pepsin, pH, interleukin (IL)-1ß, transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1 and HYP at d28 and d42 were statistically different between the GER group and the Ctrl group (all P<0.05). As compared with the BLM group, the values of TGF-ß1, HYP, p-Smad3, vimentin, p-ERK1/2 and cleaved caspase-3 at d28 and d42 were different in the BLM+GER group (all P<0.05). At both d28 and d42, the BALF levels of pepsin and pH were statistically different between the BLM and the Ctrl group, or between the BLM+GER group and the GER group (all P<0.05). Conclusions: Gastroesophageal reflux is induced through duodenal ligation, which activates proinflammatory and profibrotic signals in the lungs and significantly aggravates bleomycin-induced lung injury and fibrosis. In addition, pulmonary fibrosis may induce or worsen the extent of reflux.

[Clinical and pathologic analysis of 414 cases of renal angiomyolipomain in a single institution].

Objective: To study the different clinicopathological characteristics between classic and epithelioid renal angiomyolipoma, and the relationships between clinicopathological characteristics and biological behaviors as basis for clinical treatment. Methods: The clinicopathological and follow-up data for the patients diagnosed with renal angiomyolipoma between 2004 and 2011 were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed. Results: There were 414 cases of renal angiomyolipoma diagnosed over 8 years ago, accounting for 8.1% (414/5 287) of all renal parenchymal tumors. The patients included 122 male and 292 female (male-to-female ratio of 1.0∶2.4), mean age 44.0 years (range 15-74 years). Of these, 195(47.1%) tumors occurred in the left kidney, 212(51.2%) in the right kidney and seven (1.7%) were bilateral. Clinically, some cases presented with hypochondrial pain, hematuria or palpable masses. Histologically, 394(95.2%) were classic angiomyolipoma, 20(4.8%) were epithelioid angiomyolipoma; 54, 23 and 7 cases had hemorrhage, necrosis and cystic degeneration, respectively; and 5, 30 and 14 cases had perirenal fat invasion, atypical cells and polymorphic/giant tumor cell. There was a positive correlation between atypical cells and epithelioid tumor type, respectively. The other clinicopathological parameters did not correlate with histological type. Follow-up data was available in 360 patients, with follow-up period of 3 to 99 months. One case died from other causes. The remaining patients were free of disease. Conclusions: Angiomyolipoma is a common renal parenchyma tumor. Clinically, it is usually biologically benign. Histologically, it can be either classic or epithelioid types. The epithelioid type should be differentiated from the classic renal cell carcinoma, Mit family translocation renal tumor and renal hemangioblastoma. Atypical cells, more commonly found in the epithelioid angiomyolipoma, do not affect the clinical prognosis of patients.

Expression, Identification and Characterize of CD25-Binding Epitope Modified Human IL-2 in Pichia pastoris.

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) plays important roles in variety of immune functions and it is widely used in the medication. But in recent years it was reported that vascular leak syndrome (VLS) was induced by IL-2. Evidences showed that the interaction of IL-2 and IL-2Rαßγ (CD25) caused VLS. Thus, this experiment modified the CD25-binding epitope in human IL-2 (hIL-2) to minimize the side effect of IL-2 in the medication. In this study, a recombinant human interleukin 2 (rhIL-2) was expressed in Pichia (P.) pastoris. An effective strategy was established to express rhIL-2 protein in 120 L scale and the optimal purification procedure was investigated. The purity of rhIL-2 in final product was about 98 % and the concentration of the rhIL-2 was 0.45 mg/mL. Bioactivity analysis showed that the purified rhIL-2 protein displayed high activity on proliferation of CTLL-2 cells and increased the ratio of CD4(+)/CD8(+). It indicates that the target protein is expressed and the character of the rhIL-2 has high activity. This study provides a strategy for large-scale production of bioactive rhIL-2 protein using P. pastoris as an expression host.

Isolation and partial characterization of selenium-containing tRNA from germinating barley.

Selenium-containing tRNA was discovered in germinating barley for the first time with the 75Se isotopic tracer technique; therefore, this technique was used to study the effect of different concentrations of selenium and sulfur in the medium on the content of selenium-containing tRNA in germinating barley. Se-containing tRNAs and its hydrolysates were isolated, purified, and characterized by means of column chromatography, ion-exchange chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, and the ultraviolet-visible spectrum. The results show that the amount of selenium in tRNA is almost unaffected by the sulfuric content in the medium, and the pathway for selenium and sulfur to enter tRNA might not be exactly the same. Selenium exists within tRNA in the form of 5-methylamine methyl-2-selenouridine, just as it does within a microorganism tRNA.

[The preliminary study of cross-hearing and its effects of checked ear in cat].

AIM: To study the cross-hearing and its mechanism of cat, so that preliminary explore the effects to checked ear on the amplitudes of ABR. METHODS: with the method utterly damaged the cochlea. We observed the cross-hearing and its effects on checked ear of the 16 normal cats. RESULTS: (1) The cross-hearing began to appear when the intensity of click > or = 75 dB( SPL), if the intensity of click was increased to 95 dB, the cross-hearing become the most obvious. (2) This cross-hearing could be completely masked by 40 or 45 dB (SPL) steady white noise (SWN). (3) Make a comparison of two waves on the same time shaft indicates that the trough of cross-hearing wave and the crest of p(III), p(IV) wave by 95 dB click are corresponding. (4) To observe the alteration of amplitude of ABR evoked by 95 dB click when load 40 dB SWN on the contralateral ear under the circumstance of the both ears are normal, we discovered that the 40 dB SWN can increase the amplitude of the wave p(III), p(IV) (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The experiment results demonstrate that the effect of cross-hearing to the amplitude of ABR on the checked ear depend on the corresponding situation of the wave crest and trough of both cross-hearing and ABR on the same time shaft. In fact, the ABR evoked by high intensity of click is a synthetic potential by cross-hearing and appeared on the stimulated ear.

[Technical research on termination of early pregnancy].

PIP: The research on contraceptives for embryogenesis and pregnancy termination by applying prostaglandins and Chinese medicinal herbs has now achieved great acclaim both at home and abroad. However, these achievements cannot be considered satisfactory as of yet because the time necessary for abortion is great, and the embryo cannot be evacuated so completely. In particular, during the early stages of pregnancy, menstrual induction and pregnancy termination with drugs cannot be considered ideal. However, when utilizing a capillary mechanical method, a simple sweeping and absorbing operation is performed in the uterine cavity 2-10 days after menstruation. The uterus internal membrane can be peeled off, thus physiologically interrupting the pregnancy. The embryo can thus be eliminated at the earliest stage and the induction of menstruation and cessation of pregnancy can be brought about quickly. From the clinical observations made on 200 cases selected at random out of 1400 cases and controls, it is shown that abortion time is shortened, and that the embryo is eliminated thorougly. This occurs faster, results in less bleeding, and less discomfort, and without side effects. Therefore, it may be regarded as a safe, reliable new technology for the earliest pregnancy termination. (author's modified)^ieng