Feasibility of Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Axillary Artery Cannulation for Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation and its Effect on the Recovery of Spontaneous Heartbeat in Patients with ECPR.

Objective: The measurement of the right and left axillary arteries and aortic arch and their vessels by multi-row spiral CT angiography provides the basis for clinical catheter selection and depth for axillary artery placement. This study reported the clinical experience of 7 patients who successfully underwent ultrasound-guided percutaneous axillary artery cannulation for veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO). Methods: Patients who had CT angiography of the thoracic aorta at our institution between January 2020 and March 2022 were assessed for eligibility and included. The diameters of the cephalic trunk (D1), right common carotid artery (D2), right axillary artery (D3), left common carotid artery (D4), left axillary artery opening (D5), right axillary artery cannulation length (L1), and left axillary artery cannulation length (L2) were measured. The tangential angles α, ß, and γ of the cephalic trunk, left common carotid artery and left subclavian and aorta was measured using an automatic angle-forming tool. The decision to use a 15F cannula for ultrasound-guided percutaneous axillary artery cannulation in veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) aims to achieve optimal vascular access. This cannula size strikes a balance, providing sufficient blood flow rates for ECMO support while minimizing the risk of complications associated with larger cannulas. Precise measurements of arterial dimensions, including the cephalic trunk, common carotid arteries, and axillary arteries, play a crucial role in guiding catheter selection and determining the depth of axillary artery placement. These measurements allow for tailored approaches based on individual patient characteristics, enhancing the safety and efficacy of the intervention. Additionally, measuring tangential angles (α, ß, and γ) provides insights into arterial alignment, optimizing the cannula trajectory for efficient blood flow. The use of an automatic angle-forming tool enhances measurement precision, contributing to procedural accuracy, minimizing complications, and ensuring the success of ultrasound-guided percutaneous axillary artery cannulation. In summary, the choice of a 15F cannula and precise measurements are essential components of the methodology, emphasizing safety, efficacy, and personalized approaches in VA-ECMO. From March to June 2022, 7 patients (6 males and 1 female) in our intensive care medicine department underwent successful ultrasound-guided percutaneous axillary artery cannulation for VA-ECMO with 15F cannula, including 3 cases with extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) and 4 cases with circulatory collapse. Results: 292 patients met the study criteria, 215 males and 77 females, with a mean age of 67.2±14.2 years. The measurements showed that D1 was (13.1±2.0) mm, D2 was (8.8±2.5) mm, D3 was (6.1±1.2) mm, D4 was (8.3±3.5) mm, D5 was (6.1±1.1) mm, L1 was (114.1±17.8) mm, and L2 was (128.4±20.2) mm. The tangential angles α of the cephalic trunk left common carotid artery and left subclavian artery to the aorta were (43.8°±17.1°), ß was (50.7°±14.8°), and γ was (62.4°±19.1°). Males had significantly wider D3 and D5, longer L1 and L2, and smaller gamma angles than females (P < .05). Three ECPR cases showed no recovery of the spontaneous heartbeat with femoral artery cannulation for VA-ECMO but recovered spontaneous heartbeat after axillary artery cannulation for VA-ECMO was adopted. The measurements in this study have important implications for veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) procedures. They provide crucial information about arterial dimensions, including the cephalic trunk, common carotid arteries, and axillary arteries. This information guides clinicians in selecting catheters and determining the ideal depth for percutaneous axillary artery cannulation during ECMO interventions. Notable gender differences in arterial dimensions highlight the need for personalized approaches in ECMO procedures. Customizing catheter choices and cannulation depth based on individual patient characteristics, informed by these measurements, improves the safety and effectiveness of the intervention. The measured tangential angles (α, ß, and γ) offer insights into arterial alignment, crucial for optimizing cannula trajectory and ensuring proper alignment for efficient blood flow. The use of an automatic angle-forming tool enhances measurement precision, contributing to procedural accuracy and minimizing the risk of complications during ECMO procedures. In summary, these measurements directly enhance the precision and safety of VA-ECMO procedures, underscoring the importance of personalized approaches based on individual anatomical variations and improving overall intervention success and outcomes. Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided percutaneous axillary artery cannulation for VA-ECMO with a 15F cannula is clinically feasible. Axillary artery cannulation for VA-ECMO contributes to the restoration of spontaneous heartbeat in ECPR patients more than femoral artery cannulation, and the possible mechanism is a better improvement of coronary blood flow. However, the study has limitations, including a modest sample size and a single-center, retrospective design, impacting its generalizability. To validate and extend these findings, further research with larger and diverse cohorts, including prospective investigations, is necessary to ensure their applicability across various clinical settings and patient demographics in VA-ECMO.

Association between Metabolically Healthy Status and Risk of Gastrointestinal Cancer.

PURPOSE: Although obesity is associated with numerous diseases, the risks of disease may depend on metabolically healthy status. Nevertheless, it is unclear to whether metabolically healthy status affects risk of gastrointestinal (GI) cancer in general Chinese population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 114,995 participants who met the criteria were included from the Kailuan Study. The study participants were divided into four groups according to body mass index (BMI)/waist circumference (WC) and metabolic status. Incident of GI cancer (esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, liver cancer, biliary cancer, pancreatic cancer, and colorectal cancer) during 2006-2020 were confirmed by review of medical records. The Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to assess the association metabolically healthy status with the risk of GI cancer by calculating the hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: During a mean 13.76 years of follow-up, we documented 2,311 GI cancers. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that compared with the metabolically healthy normal-weight group, metabolically healthy obese (MHO) participants demonstrated an increased risk of developing GI cancer (HR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.11 to 2.13) by BMI categories. However, such associations were not found for WC category. These associations were moderated by age, sex, and anatomical site of the tumor. Individuals with metabolic unhealthy normal-weight or metabolic unhealthy obesity phenotype also have an increased risk of GI cancer. CONCLUSION: MHO phenotype was associated with increased risk of GI cancer. Moreover, individuals who complicated by metabolic unhealthy status have an increased risk of developing GI cancer. Hence, clinicians should consider the risk of incident GI cancer in people with abnormal metabolically healthy status and counsel them about metabolic fitness and weight control.

Insulin resistance and inflammation mediate the association of abdominal obesity with colorectal cancer risk.

Background: The close association of abdominal obesity rather than general obesity with colorectal cancer (CRC) risk might be mediated by IR and inflammation, which has never been systematically explored in large-scale prospective studies. Methods: We prospectively examined the mediation effects of the fasting triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and C-reactive protein (CRP) on the associations of obesity (general and abdominal) with CRC risk among 93,659 participants. We used the Cox proportional hazards regression models and subgroup analyses to evaluate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of CRC. The CAUSALMED procedure was used to perform the mediation analyses. Results: During 13.02 years of follow-up, a total of 586 CRC cases were verified. Male participants with general obesity and abdominal obesity had a 1.29-fold and a 1.28-fold increased risk of CRC. However, a significant association was only observed among female individuals with abdominal obesity. Both TyG index and CRP were associated with an elevated risk of CRC, and A significant interaction between the TyG index and CRP was found for the risk of CRC (P for interaction<0.05). CRP and the TyG index significantly mediated the positive association between abdominal obesity and CRC risk. Conclusion: CRP and TyG index increased the risk of CRC independently and synergistically. Mediation effects of CRP and the TyG index were found for the association between abdominal obesity and CRC risk.

Zearalenone Promotes Uterine Development of Weaned Gilts by Interfering with Serum Hormones and Up-Regulating Expression of Estrogen and Progesterone Receptors.

In this study, we aimed to assess the effect of diet ZEA on serum hormones, the location and expression of estrogen receptor ERα/ß and progesterone receptor (PR) of the uterus in weaned piglets and to reveal the mechanism underneath. A total of 40 healthy weaned gilts were randomly allocated to basal diet supplemented with 0 (Control), 0.5 (ZEA0.5), 1.0 (ZEA1.0) and 1.5 (ZEA1.5) mg ZEA/kg and fed individually for 35 days. Meanwhile, the porcine endometrial epithelial cells (PECs) were incubated for 24 h with ZEA at 0 (Control), 5 (ZEA5), 20 (ZEA20) and 80 (ZEA80) µmol/L, respectively. The results showed that nutrient apparent digestibility (CP and GE), nutrient apparent availability (ME/GE, BV and NPU), the uterine immunoreactive integrated optic density (IOD), relative mRNA and protein expression of ER-α, ER-ß and PR and the relative mRNA and protein expression of ER-α and ER-ß in PECs all increased linearly (p < 0.05) with ZEA. Collectively, ZEA can interfere with the secretion of some reproductive hormones in the serum and promote the expression of estrogen/progesterone receptors in the uterus and PECs. All these indicate that ZEA may promote the development of the uterus in weaned gilts through estrogen receptor pathway.

Atomistic characterization of the SiO2 high-density liquid/low-density liquid interface.

The equilibrium silica liquid-liquid interface between the high-density liquid (HDL) phase and the low-density liquid (LDL) phase is examined using molecular-dynamics simulation. The structure, thermodynamics, and dynamics within the interfacial region are characterized in detail and compared with previous studies on the liquid-liquid phase transition (LLPT) in bulk silica, as well as traditional crystal-melt interfaces. We find that the silica HDL-LDL interface exhibits a spatial fragile-to-strong transition across the interface. Calculations of dynamics properties reveal three types of dynamical heterogeneity hybridizing within the silica HDL-LDL interface. We also observe that as the interface is traversed from HDL to LDL, the Si/O coordination number ratio jumps to an unexpectedly large value, defining a thin region of the interface where HDL and LDL exhibit significant mixing. In addition, the LLPT phase coexistence is interpreted in the framework of the traditional thermodynamics of alloys and phase equilibria.

Association between the TyG index and TG/HDL-C ratio as insulin resistance markers and the risk of colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: No previous prospective research has explored the association of the TyG (fasting triglyceride-glucose) index and TG/HDL-C ratio as insulin resistance markers with the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence in the Northern Chinese population. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, we included 93,659 cancer-free participants with the measurements of TyG index and TG/HDL-C ratio. Participants were divided by the quartiles of the TyG index or TG/HDL-C ratio. The associations of TyG index, TG/HDL-C ratio, and their components with CRC risk were assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression models. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 13.02 years, 593 incident CRC cases were identified. Compared with the lowest quartile of the TyG index (Q1), the risk of CRC was higher in persons in the third (Q3) and highest quartiles (Q4) of the TyG index, with corresponding multivariable-adjusted HRs (95% CI) of 1.36 (1.06, 1.76) and 1.50 (1.19, 1.91), respectively. The elevated risks of CRC incidence were observed in people in the second, third, and highest quartiles of the TG/HDL-C ratio groups, with corresponding multivariable-adjusted HRs (95% CI) of 1.33 (1.05, 1.70), 1.36 (1.07, 1.73) and 1.37 (1.07, 1.75), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated TyG index and TG/HDL-C ratio were associated with a higher risk of developing CRC among adults in Northern China.

High salt intake combined with hypertension elevated the risk of primary liver cancer: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Hypertension and high-salt intake may act synergistically to increase the risk of primary liver cancer (PLC). We prospectively examined the joint effect of hypertension and salt intake on the risk of PLC incidence. Methods: A total of 92,978 participants were included in the final analyses. The study population was divided into 4 groups according to the presence or absence of hypertension and salt intake. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to evaluate the association of hypertension and/or high-salt intake with the risk of incident cancers. The CAUSALMED procedure was used to perform the mediation analyses. Results: During a median follow-up of 12.69 years, a total of 418 incident cancer cases were identified. Hypertension was a risk factor for PLC in women but not in men. High salt intake was associated with an elevated risk of PLC in men. A significant interaction between salt intake and hypertension was found for the risk of PLC (P for interaction=0.045). Compared with Group 1 (hypertension-, high salt intake-), participants in Group 2 (hypertension-, high salt intake+) and Group 4 (hypertension+, high salt intake+) were associated with an elevated risk of PLC with the corresponding multivariate HRs (95%CIs) of 1.73(0.96,3.10) and 1.96(1.09,3.53) respectively. No significant mediation effect was found for the association between hypertension, salt intake and PLC risk. Conclusions: The combination of high salt intake and hypertension could significantly increase the risk of PLC. It may be reasonable to recommend a low-salt intake to prevent and control the prevalence of PLC and hypertension. Trial registration: Kailuan study, ChiCTR-TNRC-11001489. Registered 24 August, 2011-Retrospectively registered, https://www.chictr.org.cn/showprojen.aspx?proj=8050.

Association between metabolic syndrome, C-reactive protein, and the risk of primary liver cancer: a large prospective study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels and metabolic syndrome (MetS) are known to be associated with an increased incidence of different cancers. We aimed to evaluate the effect of MetS combined with high hs-CRP levels on the risk of primary liver cancer (PLC). METHODS: Participants were recruited from the Kailuan cohort study and were classified into four groups according to the presence or absence of MetS and inflammation (hs-CRP ≥ 3 or < 3 mg/L). The associations of MetS and inflammation with the risk of PLC were assessed using Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: This study included 92,770 participants. The mean age was 51.4 years old. Over a median follow-up of 13.02 years, 395 participants were diagnosed as PLC. Compared to the control participants without inflammation (hs-CRP < 3 mg/L) and MetS (n = 69,413), participants with high hs-CRP levels combined with MetS (n = 2,269) had a higher risk of PLC [hazard ratios (HR) 2.91; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.77-4.81], and participants with high hs-CRP levels and without MetS (n = 14,576) had the same trend (HR, 1.36; 95%CI, 1.05-1.75). However, participants with low hs-CRP levels and MetS (n = 6,512) had no significant association with an elevated risk of PLC (HR, 1.18; 95%CI, 0.76-1.82). After excluding participants who had cancer during the first year of follow-up, sensitivity analysis showed the same trend. In addition, co-occurrence of MetS and high hs-CRP levels had significant interactive effects on the risk of PLC between the sexes (P < 0.001) and the patients with HBV infection (P = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Participants with co-occurrence of MetS and high hs-CRP levels have an elevated risk of PLC. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Kailuan study, ChiCTR-TNRC-11001489. Registered 24 August, 2011-Retrospectively registered, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showprojen.aspx?proj=8050.

Low Level of Dietary Organic Trace Elements Improve the Eggshell Strength, Trace Element Utilization, and Intestinal Function in Late-Phase Laying Hens.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of organic trace elements (Cu, Fe, Zn, and Mn) on performance, egg quality, trace elements utilization, and intestinal function in late-phase laying hens. A total of 1,080 laying hens (Hy-line brown, 65 weeks old) were randomly assigned to four treatments with six replications of 45 layers each. The basal diet was prepared without adding exogenous trace elements. The control group was fed with a basal diet supplemented with 600 mg/kg of inorganic trace elements. The three treatment groups were fed basal diets supplemented with 300, 450, and 600 mg/kg organic trace elements (OTE300, 450, and 600), respectively. The results showed that there was no significant difference in growth performance among all treatments. However, OTE450 significantly improved the eggshell strength of laying hens (p < 0.05), but had no significant effects on haugh unit, egg yolk weight, eggshell weight, and eggshell thickness, compared with other groups. Moreover, compared with the control group, OTE450 significantly increased the contents of copper, iron, and zinc in serum (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, all of the trace elements had a lower deposition in the feces in organic trace elements groups (p < 0.05). Histological analysis showed that the addition of organic trace elements could significantly improve the villus height and villus concealment ratio (p < 0.05). In addition, the messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expressions of divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1), zinc transporter 1 (ZnT-1), and ferroportin 1 (FPN1) were the highest in the OTE450 group. In conclusion, OTE450 could improve egg quality, intestinal function, and trace element utilization efficiency. Thus, this study provides a theoretical basis for the application of low levels of organic trace elements in laying hens.

Understanding the kinetic anisotropy of the soft-sphere bcc crystal-melt interfaces.

By employing the non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau (TDGL) theory for the solidification kinetics, we predict the kinetic coefficients for the bcc(100), (110), and (111) CMIs of the soft-spheres, which are modeled with the inverse-power repulsive potential, and compare with the previous reported data of the bcc Fe system. We confirm a universal-like behavior of the spatial integrations of the (density wave amplitudes) Ginzburg-Landau order parameter square-gradient for the bcc CMI systems. The TDGL predictions of the kinetic anisotropies for bcc soft-sphere and bcc Fe CMI systems are identical; both agree well with the MD measurement for the soft-sphere system but differ strongly with the MD measurement for the Fe system. This finding implies that the current TDGL theory reflects a preference of presenting the generic anisotropy relationship due to the interfacial particle packings but lacks the contribution parameter which addresses the specificities in the kinetic anisotropies owing to the particle-particle interactions. A hypothesis that the density relaxation times for the interface melt phases to be anisotropic and material-dependent is then proposed.

Fasting Blood Glucose, Cholesterol, and Risk of Primary Liver Cancer: The Kailuan Study.

PURPOSE: The influence of fasting blood glucose (FBG) and cholesterolemia primary liver cancer (PLC) in china was analyzed via a large prospective cohort study based on a community population, and the combined effects between them were investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Overall, 98,936 staff from the Kailuan Group who participated in and finished physical examinations between 2006 and 2007 were included in the cohort study. Their medical information was collected and they were followed up after examination. The correlations of serum FBG or total cholesterol (TC) with PLC were analyzed. Then, we categorized all staff into four groups: normal FBG/non-hypocholesterolemia, normal FBG/hypocholesterolemia, elevated FBG/non-hypocholesterolemia, elevated FBG/hypocholesterolemia, and normal FBG/non-hypocholesterolemia was used as a control group. The combined effects of elevated FBG and hypocholesterolemia with PLC were analyzed using the Age-scale Cox proportional hazard regression model. RESULTS: During 1,134,843.68 person-years follow-up, a total of 388 PLC cases occurred. We found the elevated FBG and hypocholesterolemia increase the risk for PLC, respectively. Compared with the non-hypocholesterolemia/normal FBG group, the risk of PLC was significantly increased in the non-hypocholesterolemia/elevated FBG group (hazard artio [HR], 1.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.88 to 1.62) and hypocholesterolemia/normal FBG group (HR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.19 to 1.97), and in the hypocholesterolemia/elevated FBG group (HR, 3.16; 95% CI, 2.13 to 4.69). And, a significant interaction effect was found of FBG and TC on PLC. All results were independent from the influence of liver disease. CONCLUSION: Elevated serum FBG and hypocholesterolemia are risk factors for PLC, especially when combined. Thus, for the prevention and treatment of PLC, serum FBG and TC levels should be investigated.

The efficacy and safety of lamotrigine for absence seizures in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIMS: This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) systematically explored the effectiveness and safety of lamotrigine for absence seizures in children and adolescents. METHODS: Keywords searches were conducted in Pubmed Embase Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials Wanfang CNKI from inception through March 2019. The RCTs comparing lamotrigine with other drugs and/or placebo for the treatment of absence seizures in children and adolescents were considered in this study. The study was conducted adhering to PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS: Eight RCTs (n = 787) were included in our study. Among these studies, one study (N = 45 patients) used placebo as a control and seven studies (N = 742 patients) used positive drug controls. For effectiveness, there was significant difference between lamotrigine and valproate [OR = 0.42, 95%CI (0.28-0.63), I2 = 0%] or ethosuximide [OR = 0.34, 95%CI (0.22-0.53), I2 = 0%]. For adverse effects (AEs), there was no significant difference between lamotrigine and valproate [OR = 1.17, 95%CI (0.59, 2.32), I2 = 0%] or ethosuximide [OR = 0.75, 95%CI (0.47, 1.19), I2 = 92%], and the most common adverse effects of lamotrigine were Rash (7.88%), Fatigue (6.50%) and Headache (6.50%). CONCLUSIONS: According to current evidence, LTG is less effective than VPA and ESM, however, based on its relative safety, LTG might be reasonably tried as initial therapy in children and adolescents at risk of significant adverse effects from VPA and ESM, and future well-designed studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Function of mitochondrial pyruvate carriers in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

Mitochondrial pyruvate carriers (MPC) have been identified as a critical component of energy metabolism in the cancer cells of multiple malignant tumor types. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between the expression of MPC1 and MPC2 and the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A total of 85 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded HCC tissues were assessed using immunohistochemistry. A further 20 fresh pathological specimens, including cancer and adjacent normal liver tissues from patients who had undergone a hepatectomy, were analyzed using western blotting and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The relative expression of MPC1 and MPC2 was quantified using Image-Pro Plus software, and the association between MPC expression and clinical outcomes was analyzed by Student's t-test. MPC1 and MPC2 protein expression was significantly downregulated in HCC, but no association was identified between the expression of MPC1 or MPC2 and the clinicopathological characteristics of the patients. MPC1 mRNA levels were decreased in each cancer sample, while a mixture of increased and decreased MPC2 mRNA levels observed in the HCC samples. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that the protein level and the microvascular invasion of MPC1 were positively associated with the recurrence of HCC (P=0.000 and P=0.017, respectively). MPC1 may therefore serve as an attractive biomarker for the identification of patients with HCC at a high risk of recurrence following curative resection.

In Vitro Protective Efficacy of Clostridium butyricum Against Fish Pathogen Infections.

Most pathogens in intestine are opportunist, called "opportunistic pathogens" that usually do not cause disease in a healthy host. Only when the host's resistance is lowered or the intestinal microecological balance is destroyed, the opportunistic pathogens are capable of causing disease. Here, two opportunistic pathogens, Salmonella enteritidis and Vibrio parahaemolyticus were chosen to test the possible antagonistic effect of the probiotic agent Clostridium butyricum on these pathogens infections in vitro using fish intestinal epithelial cells (FIECs). The C. butyricum and its spent culture supernatants exhibited significant inhibitory activity on S. enteritidis and V. parahaemolyticus growth and adherence to FIECs. The C. butyricum also showed significant inhibitory effects on S. enteritidis and V. parahaemolyticus induced apoptosis, which may due to its growth and adhesion inhibitory effects. These results indicated that the probiotic bacterium C. butyricum has preventive and therapeutic effects on S. enteritidis and V. parahaemolyticus infections in fish.

[Effects of Jinhuang Yidan Granule on the bile compositions of primary bile duct pigment calculus patients].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of Jinhuang Yidan Granule (JYD) on the bile compositions of primary bile duct pigment calculus patients. METHODS: Sixty-six patients with primary bile duct pigment calculus were randomly assigned to the control group (who took no Chinese medicine) and the JYD group (who took JYD). The bile from T-tube during the operation, 3, 10, and 40 days after medication were examined. The contents of bile acids, bilirubin (conjugated bilirubin, mono-conjugated bilirubin), glucoprotein, calcium ion, beta-glucuronidase, superoxide radical anion, and other components were detected and compared. RESULTS: Three days after taking JYD, the total bile acids increased, the total bilirubin and beta-glucuronidase decreased, showing statistical significance when compared with the control group (P < 0.05). In the JYD group, the total bile acid increased, the total bilirubin, the conjugated bilirubin, the mono-conjugated bilirubin, glucoprotein, calcium ion, beta-glucuronidase, superoxide radical anions decreased 10 and 40 days after medication, showing statistical significance when compared with the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The level of the total bile acid increased, the levels of the total bilirubin, the conjugated bilirubin, the mono-conjugated bilirubin, glucoprotein, calcium ion, beta-glucuronidase, superoxide radical anions decreased after 40-day medication in the two groups, showing statistical significance when compared with the peri-operative indices of the same group (P < 0 05, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: JYD could significantly improve the pathologic bile compositions of the bile duct calculus, improve the environment of the biliary tract, showing certain preventive and therapeutic effects on bile pigment calculus of the primary bile duct calculus. Better effects may be obtained by long-term taking.

Polyclonal antibodies from hen egg yolk (IgY) with hydrolysis activity.

Polyclonal catalytic antibodies (abzymes) play an important role in immunology research. In this study, we report polyclonal antibodies IgYs isolated from chicken egg yolk with hydrolysis activity for the first time. The IgYs were raised in hens using HNPBV [4-(hydroxy (naphthalen-2-yloxy) phosphoryl) butanoic acid] attached to BSA (Bovine serum albumin) as an immunogen. Anti-(HNPBV-BSA) IgYs were isolated from yolks of the eggs laid using a two-step salt precipitation and one-step gel filtration protocol. NA (naphthalen-2-yl acetate) was selected as the substrate and the hydrolysis reaction of the IgYs for it was examined. The result reveals that the rate of the hydrolysis reaction is higher (Kcat/K (uncat) approximately 2x10(4)). The purified IgYs were digested with pepsin and the smaller fragment (Fab') with specific antigen binding properties was produced. The research indicates that the enzymatic properties of Fab' are similar to IgYs. The catalytic activity of the IgYs was further determined by measuring the rate of hydrolysis of NA in the presence of inhibitor. These findings show that chicken egg is an excellent donor for polyclonal catalytic antibodies.