Reactivity of patients with maintenance hemodialysis to erythropoietin in the treatment of renal anemia.

To explore the reactivity of patients with renal anemia (MHD) to erythropoietin (EPO) in maintenance hemodialysis (HD), 31 patients were enrolled in this study. According to the level of serum ferritin (SF), they were divided into two groups; one group received treatment using recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) and the other group was given iron sucrose. Taking terminal EPO dosage, terminal erythropoietin resistance index (ERI) and rate of change of ERI (ΔERII) as target indexes, the influence of SF level on dosage of EPO was evaluated after usage conditions of relevant substances in a 3-month period. The results revealed that differences of dialysis age, albumin (ALB), blood calcium, initial and terminal SF, variable quantity of hemoglobin (Hb), terminal EPO and ERI between two groups had statistical significance. Furthermore, SF level and terminal EPO (r = -0.37, P < 0. 05) as well as SF level and terminal ERI (r = - 0.39, P <0.05) were negatively correlated. Difference of terminal ERI between the two groups had statistical significance. It can therefore be summarized that supplementing an iron agent intravenously to maintain SF level between 500 ng/ml and 1200 ng/ml may improve reactivity of patients with MHD to EPO. In addition, rHuEPO therapy in treating anemia of patients with MHD has the same effect with intravenous drug delivery, less side effects and is easy to administer.

Effects of sodium ferrous chlorophyll treatment on anemia of hemodialysis patients and relevant biochemical parameters.

This study explores the effects of sodium ferrous chlorophyll treatment on the anemia of maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients, as well as the relevant biochemical parameters. We selected 72 patients who had received regular MHD treatment two or three times a week for more than 3 months in the Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Zhengzhou City of Henan Province from March 2014 to March 2016. They were equally divided into a treatment group and a control group. Haemoglobin (HB) and hematocrit (HCT) of the treatment group increased significantly after treatment (p < 0.01), but less in the control group (p < 0.05); Also serum ferritin (SF) and transferrin saturation (TAST) of the treatment group increased significantly after treatment (p < 0.01); SF of the control group also increased significantly (p < 0.01) and TAST of the control group increased (p < 0.05) but less than in the treatment group. No obvious changes of serum creatinine (SCR), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), C-reactive protein (CRP) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were found in either groups after treatment (p>0.05). Albumin (ALB) dosage of the treatment group increased after treatment (p < 0.05) while hemopoietin (EPO) decreased significantly (p < 0.01). ALB and EPO of the control group had no obvious changes after treatment (p>0.05). ALB level of the treatment group increased more significantly than in the control group (p < 0.05), while EPO dosage decreased more significantly than in the control group (p <0.05). Therefore, the combination of conventional western medicine and sodium ferrous chlorophyll can effectively improve anemia conditions of MHD patients and their quality of life.

Alterations of fatty acid ß-oxidation capability in the liver of ketotic cows.

Dairy cows are highly susceptible to ketosis after parturition. In the present study, we evaluated the expression of fatty acid ß-oxidation-related enzymes in the liver of ketotic (n=6) and nonketotic (n=6) cows. Serum levels of nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), ß-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), and glucose were determined by using standard biochemical techniques. The mRNA abundance and protein content of acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain (ACSL), carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT I), carnitine palmitoyltransferase II (CPT II), acyl-CoA dehydrogenase long chain (ACADL), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase (HMGCS), and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) were evaluated by real-time PCR and ELISA. We found that serum glucose levels were lower in ketotic cows than in nonketotic cows, but serum BHBA and NEFA concentrations were higher. Messenger RNA and protein levels of ACSL were significantly higher in livers of ketotic cows than those in nonketotic cows. In contrast, mRNA levels of CPT I and mRNA and protein levels of CPT II, ACADL, HMGCS, and ACC were decreased in the liver of ketotic cows. Serum NEFA concentration positively correlated with ACSL protein levels and negatively correlated with protein levels of CPT II, HMGCS, ACADL, and ACC. In addition, serum BHBA concentration negatively correlated with protein levels of CPT II, HMGCS, and ACADL. Overall, fatty acid ß-oxidation capability was altered in the liver of ketotic compared with nonketotic cows. Furthermore, high serum NEFA and BHBA concentrations play key roles in affecting pathways of fatty acid metabolism in the liver.

Large-area fabrication of periodic Fe nanorings with controllable aspect ratios in porous alumina templates.

Highly uniform Fe nanoring arrays in porous anodic alumina templates are fabricated by physical vapour deposition and grazing ion milling techniques. The nanorings have aspect ratios ranging from 0.8 to 4, depending on the deposition conditions. The outer diameter of the individual nanorings, and the area density and distribution patterns are completely determined by the template used. Selected-area electron diffraction reveals that these nanorings have a polycrystalline microstructure. The nanoring fabrication method demonstrated here can be extended to other materials.

Cloning and characterization of a 22 kDa outer-membrane protein (Omp22) from Helicobacter pylori.

Helicobacter pylori is a causative agent of gastritis and peptic ulceration in humans. As the first step towards development of a vaccine against H. pylori infection, we have attempted to identify protective antigens. A potential target of vaccine development would be a H. pylori specific protein, which is surface-exposed and highly antigenic. We identified a 22 kDa outer-membrane protein (Omp22) from H. pylori, which was highly immunoreactive. By screening a H. pylori genomic DNA library with rabbit anti-H. pylori outer-membrane protein antibodies, the omp22 gene was cloned and 1.4 kb of the nucleotide sequence was determined. One open reading frame, encoding a 179-residue polypeptide, was identified and the amino acid sequence deduced showed homology with peptidoglycan-associated lipoproteins. The sequence was conserved among other H. pylori strains. Omp22 protein is expressed as a precursor polypeptide of 179 residues and undergoes lipid modification and cleavage of an 18 amino acid signal peptide to yield a mature protein. Omp22 protein in H. pylori as well as recombinant Omp22 protein expressed in E. coli was localized into the outer membrane and exposed on the cell surface. Omp22 may have the potential as a target antigen for the development of a H. pylori vaccine.

Moyamoya disease in Korea.

Thirty eight cases of moyamoa disease, 21 children, 17 adults were encountered during a 16-year period at Yonsei University Medical Center. Clinical manifestations, together with computed tomography (CT) and angiographic findings were analyzed with a review of the literature. The mean age was 6.3 +/- 3.5 years in children and 36.8 +/- 9.9 years in adults. The majority of attacks occurred in spring in both adults and children. The most common chief complaint on admission was hemiparesis followed by convulsion in children, while in adults, loss of consciousness was most common followed by headache. Of transient neurologic deficits, hemiplegia was most common in children, while cranial nerve involvement was common in adults. Hemiplegia, also was the most common permanent neurologic manifestation in children, while hemiparesis and intellectual deterioration were the most common in adults. Of the children, 90.6% showed infarction on CT, while 88.2% of adults had hemorrhage. Bilateral occlusion of the carotid arteries was the most common site of lesions in both adults and children on cerebral angiogaphy.

Comparison of biotinylated DNA and RNA probes for rapid detection of varicella-zoster virus genome by in situ hybridization.

We describe a general method for the production of nonisotopic DNA and RNA probes for the detection of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) genome by in situ hybridization. VZV DNA was extracted from purified viral nucleocapsids, cleaved with restriction enzyme (RE) BamHI, and cloned into plasmid pBR322 by the standard vector insert procedure. We cloned over 85% of the VZV genome and obtained 18 recombinants. Plasmids containing the B, F, G, H, and J fragments of VZV DNA were labeled by the nick translation method with biotin-11-dUTP as the dTTP analog. Additionally, the B fragment was cleaved with RE AvaI, subcloned into the plasmid pGEM-4 transcription vector, and subsequently linearized with REs PstI and EcoRI. RNA was transcribed with T7 or SP6 polymerase, with a substitution of allylamine-UTP as the UTP analog, and labeled with epsilon-caproylamidobiotin-N-hydroxysuccinimide ester. The DNA and RNA probes were used under full-stringency conditions for in situ hybridization with alkaline phosphatase as the detector and 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl phosphate-Nitro Blue Tetrazolium as the substrate. When tested under comparable conditions, the RNA probe was slightly more sensitive than was the DNA probe: both probes showed homology only with VZV-infected cells and clinical tissues and not with the other herpesviruses. Probes prepared from variable regions of the genome (fragments F and J) performed as well as did those from conserved regions (fragments B. G. and H). Biotinylated probes have distinct advantages over isotopic probes and retain their full potency for more than 2 years when stored properly.

Nucleotide regulation of Escherichia coli glycerol kinase: initial-velocity and substrate binding studies.

Substrate binding to Escherichia coli glycerol kinase (EC 2.7.1.30; ATP-glycerol 3-phosphotransferase) was investigated by using both kinetics and binding methods. Initial-velocity studies in both reaction directions show a sequential kinetic mechanism with apparent substrate activation by ATP and substrate inhibition by ADP. In addition, the Michaelis constants differ greatly from the substrate dissociation constants. Results of product inhibition studies and dead-end inhibition studies using 5'-adenylyl imidodiphosphate show the enzyme has a random kinetic mechanism, which is consistent with the observed formation of binary complexes with all the substrates and the glycerol-independent MgATPase activity of the enzyme. Dissociation constants for substrate binding determined by using ligand protection from inactivation by N-ethylmaleimide agree with those estimated from the initial-velocity studies. Determinations of substrate binding stoichiometry by equilibrium dialysis show half-of-the-sites binding for ATP, ADP, and glycerol. Thus, the regulation by nucleotides does not appear to reflect binding at a separate regulatory site. The random kinetic mechanism obviates the need to postulate such a site to explain the formation of binary complexes with the nucleotides. The observed stoichiometry is consistent with a model for the nucleotide regulatory behavior in which the dimer is the enzyme form present in the assay and its subunits display different substrate binding affinities. Several properties of the enzyme are consistent with negative cooperativity as the basis for the difference in affinities. The possible physiological importance of the regulatory behavior with respect to ATP is considered.