Role of the gut microbiota and their metabolites in hemodialysis patients.

High serum phosphate levels in chronic kidney disease (CKD) are linked to adverse health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease, kidney disease progression, and all-cause mortality. This study is aimed to find out which microorganisms or microbial functions have a significant impact on higher calcium-phosphorus product (Ca x P) after they undergo hemodialysis (HD) treatment. Feces samples from 30 healthy controls, 15 dialysis patients with controlled Ca xP (HD), and 16 dialysis patients with higher Ca xP (HDHCP) were collected to perform in 16S amplicon sequencing. We found gut microbial composition was significantly different between hemodialysis patients and healthy controls. Three phyla including Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Proteobacteria were significantly enriched in hemodialysis patients. Although only one genus, Lachnospiraceae_FCS020_group, was significantly increased in higher Ca xP group, there were four metabolic pathways predicted by PICRUSt significantly increased in higher Ca xP group and associated with causing VC, including the pentose phosphate pathway, steroid biosynthesis, terpenoid backbone biosynthesis, and fatty acid elongation pathway. Characterizing dysbiosis of gut microbiome played the important role in hemodialysis patients.

Clinical Study on Modified Guipitang Combined with Xuefu Zhuyutang in Treating Mild Cognitive Impairment After Cerebral Infarction / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy and anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effect of modified Guipitang combined with Xuefu Zhuyutang in the treatment of mild cognitive impairment （MCI） after cerebral infarction with syndromes of heart and spleen deficiency and blood stasis blocking collateral. MethodA total of 114 eligible patients were randomly divided into a control group and an observation group，with 57 cases in each group. Patients in the control group were given red deer ginseng tablets （po），4 tablets/time，2 times/day. Patients in the observation group were given modified Guipitang combined with Xuefu Zhuyutang （po，1 dose/day）for continuous 8 weeks. This study compared the scores of montreal cognitive assessment （MoCA） scale，Rivermead behavioral memory test （RBMT），activities of daily living （ADL），trail making test B （TMT-B），neuropsychiatric inventory questionnaire （NPI） and scores of traditional Chinese medcine（TCM） syndrome with syndromes of heart and spleen deficiency and blood stasis blocking collateral before and after treatment. Then we further detected the levels of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine （8-OHDG），malondialdehyde （MDA），oxidized low density lipoprotein （ox-LDL），superoxide dismutase （SOD），homocysteine （Hcy），interleukin-8 （IL-8），C-reactive protein （CRP） and fibrinogen （FIB） levels before and after treatment. ResultThe total effective rate for the treatment of cognitive function impairment in the observation group was 92.98% （53/57），which was higher than 78.95% （45/57） in the control group （χ2＝4.653，P<0.05）. The recovery rate of cognitive function in the observation group was 54.39% （31/57），which was higher than 33.33% （19/57） in the control group （χ2＝5.130，P<0.05）. The MoCA，RBMT and ADL scores of the observation group were higher than those of the control group （P<0.01），and the TMT-B time of the former was shorter than that of the latter （P<0.01）. In addition， the observation group showed lower scores of TCM syndrome，NPI-1 and NPI-2 scores than the control group （P<0.01）. The SOD level of the observation group was higher than that of the control group （P<0.01），and the levels of 8-OHDG，ox-LDL，MDA，Hcy，IL-8，CRP and FIB were lower than those of the control group （P<0.01）. ConclusionModified Guipitang combined with Xuefu Zhuyutang can improve cognitive function in MCI patients after cerebral infarction with syndromes of heart and spleen deficiency and blood stasis blocking collateral， with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effect， and yield superior efficacy than red deer ginseng tablets.

Biejiajian Wan Regulates Polarization of Macrophages via HIF-1α/NF-κB Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect and mechanism of Biejiajian Wan on liver fibrosis by regulating the polarization of macrophages. MethodRaw264.7 cells were cultured in vitro by serum pharmacological method， and the hypoxia model of RAW264.7 cells was established by stimulating RAW264.7 cells with cobalt chloride （CoCl2）. The cells were randomly divided into blank group， CoCl2 hypoxia model group （200 mmol·L-1）， Biejiajian Wan low-dose group （200 mmol·L-1+0.55 g·kg-1 Fuzheng Quyu capsules）， medium-dose group （200 mmol·L-1+1.1 g·kg-1 Biejiajian Wan）， and high-dose group （200 mmol·L-1+2.2 g·kg-1 Biejiajian Wan） and Fuzheng Quyu capsule group （200 mmol·L-1+0.56 g·kg-1 Biejiajian Wan）. Cell proliferation was detected by cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8）， and the gene expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β） and interleukin-6 （IL-6） in macrophages was detected by real time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. The expression of macrophage polarization-related protein and HIF-1α/nuclear factor-kappa B （NF-κB） signaling pathway-related protein was tested by Western blot， and the distribution and expression of NF-κB signaling pathway-related protein and HIF-1α were determined by cell immunofluorescence. ResultCompared with the conditions in the blank group， the proliferation of RAW264.7 cells was inhibited after CoCl2 stimulation for 24 hours （P<0.05）， the mRNA expression of HIF-1α， IL-1β and IL-6 in the model group were increased （P<0.05）， the protein expression of HIF-1α and M1 macrophage phenotypic proteins IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） was boosted while that of M2 macrophage phenotypic protein interleukin-10 （IL-10） was reduced （P<0.05）， the protein expression of NF-κB p65， phosphorylation （p）-NF-κB p65， phosphorylated NF-κB inhibits protein kinase α/β （p-IKKα/β） and phosphorylated NF-κB inhibits protein α (p-IκBα） was elevated （P<0.05）， the nuclear expression of HIF-1α and NF-κB p65 was promoted. Compared with the conditions in the model group， after 24 hours of treatment with corresponding drug-containing serum， each treatment group promoted the proliferation of RAW264.7 cells （P<0.05）， the mRNA expression levels of HIF-1α， IL-1β and IL-6 in macrophages were reduced （P<0.05）， the protein expression of HIF-1α， IL-6 and TNF-α was decreased， while that of CD163 and IL-10 was increased （P<0.05）， the protein expression of NF-κB p65， p-NF-κB p65， p-IKKα/β and p-IκBα was lowered （P<0.05）， the nuclear expression of HIF-1α and NF-κB p65 was inhibited. ConclusionBiejiajian Wan could modulate the polarization of macrophages， attenuate the injury of macrophage-associated inflammatory response under hypoxia， and thus delay the progression of liver fibrosis， which might be related to its regulation of HIF-1α/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Biejiajian Wan Regulates Polarization of Macrophages via HIF-1α/NF-κB Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect and mechanism of Biejiajian Wan on liver fibrosis by regulating the polarization of macrophages. MethodRaw264.7 cells were cultured in vitro by serum pharmacological method， and the hypoxia model of RAW264.7 cells was established by stimulating RAW264.7 cells with cobalt chloride （CoCl2）. The cells were randomly divided into blank group， CoCl2 hypoxia model group （200 mmol·L-1）， Biejiajian Wan low-dose group （200 mmol·L-1+0.55 g·kg-1 Fuzheng Quyu capsules）， medium-dose group （200 mmol·L-1+1.1 g·kg-1 Biejiajian Wan）， and high-dose group （200 mmol·L-1+2.2 g·kg-1 Biejiajian Wan） and Fuzheng Quyu capsule group （200 mmol·L-1+0.56 g·kg-1 Biejiajian Wan）. Cell proliferation was detected by cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8）， and the gene expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β） and interleukin-6 （IL-6） in macrophages was detected by real time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. The expression of macrophage polarization-related protein and HIF-1α/nuclear factor-kappa B （NF-κB） signaling pathway-related protein was tested by Western blot， and the distribution and expression of NF-κB signaling pathway-related protein and HIF-1α were determined by cell immunofluorescence. ResultCompared with the conditions in the blank group， the proliferation of RAW264.7 cells was inhibited after CoCl2 stimulation for 24 hours （P<0.05）， the mRNA expression of HIF-1α， IL-1β and IL-6 in the model group were increased （P<0.05）， the protein expression of HIF-1α and M1 macrophage phenotypic proteins IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） was boosted while that of M2 macrophage phenotypic protein interleukin-10 （IL-10） was reduced （P<0.05）， the protein expression of NF-κB p65， phosphorylation （p）-NF-κB p65， phosphorylated NF-κB inhibits protein kinase α/β （p-IKKα/β） and phosphorylated NF-κB inhibits protein α (p-IκBα） was elevated （P<0.05）， the nuclear expression of HIF-1α and NF-κB p65 was promoted. Compared with the conditions in the model group， after 24 hours of treatment with corresponding drug-containing serum， each treatment group promoted the proliferation of RAW264.7 cells （P<0.05）， the mRNA expression levels of HIF-1α， IL-1β and IL-6 in macrophages were reduced （P<0.05）， the protein expression of HIF-1α， IL-6 and TNF-α was decreased， while that of CD163 and IL-10 was increased （P<0.05）， the protein expression of NF-κB p65， p-NF-κB p65， p-IKKα/β and p-IκBα was lowered （P<0.05）， the nuclear expression of HIF-1α and NF-κB p65 was inhibited. ConclusionBiejiajian Wan could modulate the polarization of macrophages， attenuate the injury of macrophage-associated inflammatory response under hypoxia， and thus delay the progression of liver fibrosis， which might be related to its regulation of HIF-1α/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Characterizing the Performance of a Compact BTEX GC-PID for Near-Real Time Analysis and Field Deployment.

In this study, we test the performance of a compact gas chromatograph with photoionization detector (GC-PID) and optimize the configuration to detect ambient (sub-ppb) levels of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene isomers (BTEX). The GC-PID system was designed to serve as a relatively inexpensive (~10 k USD) and field-deployable air toxic screening tool alternative to conventional benchtop GCs. The instrument uses ambient air as a carrier gas and consists of a Tenax-GR sorbent-based preconcentrator, a gas sample valve, two capillary columns, and a photoionization detector (PID) with a small footprint and low power requirement. The performance of the GC-PID has been evaluated in terms of system linearity and sensitivity in field conditions. The BTEX-GC system demonstrated the capacity to detect BTEX at levels as high as 500 ppb with a linear calibration range of 0-100 ppb. A detection limit lower than 1 ppb was found for all BTEX compounds with a sampling volume of 1 L. No significant drift in the instrument was observed. A time-varying calibration technique was established that requires minimal equipment for field operations and optimizes the sampling procedure for field measurements. With an analysis time of less than 15 min, the compact GC-PID is ideal for field deployment of background and polluted atmospheres for near-real time measurements of BTEX. The results highlight the application of the compact and easily deployable GC-PID for community monitoring and screening of air toxics.

Non-invasive optical imaging of retinal Aß plaques using curcumin loaded polymeric micelles in APPswe/PS1ΔE9 transgenic mice for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease clinically characterized by impaired memory and progressive cognitive decline. Despite the advances in AD research, an effective method to timely diagnose AD has remained elusive, and until now, most AD patients receive the available symptomatic treatments late. Although the pathological hallmarks of AD have been traditionally described in the brain, recent studies have shown similar pathological changes in the retina which is developmentally an extension of the forebrain. Interestingly, retinal beta-amyloid (Aß) accumulation preceded that of the brain in a transgenic mouse model of AD. In the quest of finding an early reliable biomarker for AD, researchers have targeted the optical imaging of retinal Aß plaques as a method of diagnosing AD. One promising polyphenol compound that has found application in this area is curcumin due to its natural binding affinity to Aß fibrils and oligomers while giving out a strong fluorescence signal. However, the clinical applications of curcumin have been difficult due to problems related to its bioavailability and retention in the body since it is a hydrophobic molecule. To address these limitations, we herein report the development of anionic and water-soluble DSPE-PEG2000 curcumin polymeric micelles (also referred to as curcumin micelles) that can label both brain and retinal Aß plaques ex vivo. Following their intravitreal injection in the APPswe/PS1ΔE9 transgenic mouse model of AD, green-labeled retinal deposits were optically imaged live using a rodent retinal microscope. Furthermore, these micelles had excellent intraocular biocompatibility, low hemolytic ratio, and were safe for use in two key retinal cell lines (ARPE-19 and 661W cells). Taken together, these findings provide an alternative insight into the optical imaging of Aß plaques for the diagnosis of AD using the eyes. More importantly, this study can be translated to humans in the future to improve on early diagnosis and timely management of the disease.

Predicting ventricular tachyarrhythmia in patients with systolic heart failure based on texture features of the gray zone from contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.

BACKGROUND: Previous research showed that gray zone detected by late gadolinium enhancement cardiovascular magnetic resonance (LGE-CMR) imaging could help identify high-risk patients. In this study, we investigated whether LGE-CMR gray zone heterogeneity measured by image texture features could predict cardiovascular events in patients with heart failure (HF). METHOD: This is a retrospective cohort study. Patients with systolic HF undergoing CMR imaging were enrolled. Cine and LGE images were analyzed to derive left ventricular (LV) function and scar characteristics. Entropy and uniformity of gray zones were derived by texture analysis. RESULTS: A total of 82 systolic HF patients were enrolled. After a median 1021 (25%-75% quartiles, 205-2066) days of follow-up, the entropy (0.60 ± 0.260 vs. 0.87 ± 0.28, p = 0.013) was significantly increased while the uniformity (0.68 ± 0.14 vs. 0.53±0.15, p = 0.016) was significantly decreased in patients with ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF). The percentage of core scar (21.9 ± 10.6 vs. 30.6 ± 10.4, p = 0.029) was higher in cardiac mortality group than survival group while the uniformity (0.55 ± 0.17 vs. 0.67 ± 0.14, p = 0.018) was lower in cardiac mortality group than survival group. A multivariate Cox regression model showed that higher percentage of gray zone area (HR = 8.805, 1.620-47.84, p = 0.045), higher entropy (>0.85) (HR = 1.391, 1.092-1.772, p = 0.024) and lower uniformity (≦0.54) (HR = 0.535, 0.340-0.842, p = 0.022) were associated with VT/VF attacks. Also, higher percentage of gray zone area (HR = 5.716, 1.379-23.68, p = 0.017), core scar zone (HR = 1.939, 1.056-3.561, p = 0.025), entropy (>0.85) (HR = 1.434, 1.076-1.911, p = 0.008) and lower uniformity (≦0.54) (HR = 0.513, 0.296-0.888, p = 0.009) were associated with cardiac mortality during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Gray zone heterogeneity by texture analysis method could provide additional prognostic value to traditional LGE-CMR substrate analysis method.

Noninvasive Hemodynamic Profiles during Hemodialysis in Patients with and without Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND: Although the dynamics of blood pressure (BP) during dialysis provide information related to the control system, the prognosis and relationships between temporal changes in intradialytic hemodynamic regulation, BP, and decreased cardiac function remain largely unclear. METHODS: Hemodynamic parameters, including heart rate (HR), stroke volume (SV), cardiac index, and systemic vascular resistance index, were recorded using a noninvasive hemodynamic device on a beat-by-beat basis in 40 patients on dialysis who were divided into three groups, i.e., those with and without BP lability and those with heart failure (HF). Statistical measurements, including mean, standard deviation, coefficient of variation (CV), and index of nonrandomness of each hemodynamic parameter were derived from the three different phases divided equally during dialysis and compared using 3×3 two-way mixed-model analysis of variance to determine the effects of the different stages of hemodialysis (HD), cardiac function, and intradialytic changes in BP on the hemodynamic parameters. In addition, multivariate Cox regression was performed to determine the association between the changes in the derived parameters and BP lability. RESULTS: The average SV tended to decrease during HD in all groups (p = 0.041). A significant decrease was observed in the CV of SV between the first two stages of HD in patients with labile BP and HF when compared to those without labile BP (p = 0.037). Significant interactions between group and stage of the index of nonrandomness for HR were also noted; this index was significantly higher in patients without labile BP than in those with labile BP or HF (p = 0.048). A higher difference between the early and middle stages of HD for nonrandomness indexes of HR was an independent predictor of reduced BP lability during HD (HR = 0.844, 95% confidence interval 0.722-0.987, p = 0.034). CONCLUSIONS: Increases in the CV of SV and the index of nonrandomness for HR during early-stage HD in response to decreased SV may be associated with better BP control during HD. This finding suggests that patients with more structurally meaningful hemodynamic control have a more favorable cardiovascular outcome.

Alteration autonomic control of cardiac function during hemodialysis predict cardiovascular outcomes in end stage renal disease patients.

Dialysis-induced hemodynamic instability has been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) mortality. However, the control mechanisms beneath the dynamic BP changes and cardiac function during hemodialysis and subsequent CV events are not known. We hypothesize that the impaired hemodynamic control can be prognostic indicators for subsequent CV events in end stage renal diseaes (ESRD) patients. To explore the association of hemodynamic parameters and CV events in hemodialysis patients, we enrolled ESRD patients who received chronic hemodialysis without documented atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and hemodynamic parameters were continuously obtained from the impedance cardiography during hemodialysis. A total of 35 patients were enrolled. 16 patients developed hospitalized CV events. The statistical properties [coefficient of variance (standard deviation / mean value; CoV)] of hourly beat-to-beat dynamics of hemodynamic parameters were calculated. The CoV of stroke volume (SV) and cardiac index (CI) between the 1st and 2nd hour of dialysis were significantly increased in patients without CV events compared to those with CV events. Higher CoV of SVdiff and CIdiff were significantly correlated with longer CV event-free survival, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed fair overall discriminative power (0.783 and 0.796, respectively). The responses of hemodynamic control mechanisms can be independent predictive indexes for lower hospitalized CV events, which implies that these patients who have better autonomic control systems may have better CV outcomes.

A Multiplatform Inversion Estimation of Statewide and Regional Methane Emissions in California during 2014-2016.

California methane (CH4) emissions are quantified for three years from two tower networks and one aircraft campaign. We used backward trajectory simulations and a mesoscale Bayesian inverse model, initialized by three inventories, to achieve the emission quantification. Results show total statewide CH4 emissions of 2.05 ± 0.26 (at 95% confidence) Tg/yr, which is 1.14 to 1.47 times greater than the anthropogenic emission estimates by California Air Resource Board (CARB). Some of differences could be biogenic emissions, superemitter point sources, and other episodic emissions which may not be completely included in the CARB inventory. San Joaquin Valley (SJV) has the largest CH4 emissions (0.94 ± 0.18 Tg/yr), followed by the South Coast Air Basin, the Sacramento Valley, and the San Francisco Bay Area at 0.39 ± 0.18, 0.21 ± 0.04, and 0.16 ± 0.05 Tg/yr, respectively. The dairy and oil/gas production sources in the SJV contribute 0.44 ± 0.36 and 0.22 ± 0.23 Tg CH4/yr, respectively. This study has important policy implications for regulatory programs, as it provides a thorough multiyear evaluation of the emissions inventory using independent atmospheric measurements and investigates the utility of a complementary multiplatform approach in understanding the spatial and temporal patterns of CH4 emissions in the state and identifies opportunities for the expansion and applications of the monitoring network.

Rdh13 deficiency weakens carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury by regulating Spot14 and Cyp2e1 expression levels / 医学前沿

Mitochondrion-localized retinol dehydrogenase 13 (Rdh13) is a short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase involved in vitamin A metabolism in both humans and mice. We previously generated Rdh13 knockout mice and showed that Rdh13 deficiency causes severe acute retinal light damage. In this study, considering that Rdh13 is highly expressed in mouse liver, we further evaluated the potential effect of Rdh13 on liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl). Although Rdh13 deficiency showed no significant effect on liver histology and physiological functions under regular culture, the Rdh13 mice displayed an attenuated response to CCl-induced liver injury. Their livers also exhibited less histological changes and contained lower levels of liver-related metabolism enzymes compared with the livers of wild-type (WT) mice. Furthermore, the Rdh13 mice had Rdh13 deficiency and thus their liver cells were protected from apoptosis, and the quantity of their proliferative cells became lower than that in WTafter CCl exposure. The ablation of Rdh13 gene decreased the expression levels of thyroid hormone-inducible nuclear protein 14 (Spot14) and cytochrome P450 (Cyp2e1) in the liver, especially after CCl treatment for 48 h. These data suggested that the alleviated liver damage induced by CCl in Rdh13 mice was caused by Cyp2e1 enzymes, which promoted reductive CCl metabolism by altering the status of thyroxine metabolism. This result further implicated Rdh13 as a potential drug target in preventing chemically induced liver injury.

Exploration of the regulatory effect of miR-21 on breast cancer cell line proliferation and invasion as well as the downstream target genes

Objective To study the regulatory effects of miR-21 on breast cancer cell line proliferation and invasion as well as the downstream target genes. Methods Breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 were cultured and transfected with miR-21 mimics and the corresponding negative control mimics (NC mimics), and then MTS kits were used to detect cell viability. Transwell experiment was used to detect cell invasion ability, and fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression of proliferation and invasion-related genes in cells. Results 24 h after transfection of miR-21 mimics and NC mimics, cell OD value and the number of invasive cells of miR-21 group were significantly higher than those of NC group, and mRNA contents of PDCD-4, FasL, PTEN, RhoB, Maspin, TIMP3 and RECK in cells were significantly lower than those of NC group. Conclusion miR-21 can promote the proliferation and invasion of breast cancer cell lines, and its downstream target genes include PDCD-4, FasL, PTEN, RhoB, Maspin, TIMP3 and RECK.

Exploration of the regulatory effect of miR-21 on breast cancer cell line proliferation and invasion as well as the downstream target genes

OBJECTIVE@#To study the regulatory effects of miR-21 on breast cancer cell line proliferation and invasion as well as the downstream target genes.@*METHODS@#Breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 were cultured and transfected with miR-21 mimics and the corresponding negative control mimics (NC mimics), and then MTS kits were used to detect cell viability. Transwell experiment was used to detect cell invasion ability, and fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression of proliferation and invasion-related genes in cells.@*RESULTS@#24 h after transfection of miR-21 mimics and NC mimics, cell OD value and the number of invasive cells of miR-21 group were significantly higher than those of NC group, and mRNA contents of PDCD-4, FasL, PTEN, RhoB, Maspin, TIMP3 and RECK in cells were significantly lower than those of NC group.@*CONCLUSION@#miR-21 can promote the proliferation and invasion of breast cancer cell lines, and its downstream target genes include PDCD-4, FasL, PTEN, RhoB, Maspin, TIMP3 and RECK.

Mobile measurements of climate forcing agents: Application to methane emissions from landfill and natural gas compression.

UNLABELLED: Measuring greenhouse gas (GHG) source emissions provides data for validation of GHG inventories, which provide the foundation for climate change mitigation. Two Toyota RAV4 electric vehicles were outfitted with high-precision instrumentation to determine spatial and temporal resolution of GHGs (e.g., nitrous oxide, methane [CH4], and carbon dioxide [CO2]), and other gaseous species and particulate metrics found near emission sources. Mobile measurement platform (MMP) analytical performance was determined over relevant measurement time scales. Pollutant residence times through the sampling configuration were measured, ranging from 3 to 11 sec, enabling proper time alignment for spatial measurement of each respective analyte. Linear response range for GHG analytes was assessed across expected mixing ratio ranges, showing minimal regression and standard error differences between 5, 10, 30, and 60 sec sampling intervals and negligible differences between the two MMPs. GHG instrument drift shows deviation of less than 0.8% over a 24-hr measurement period. These MMPs were utilized in tracer-dilution experiments at a California landfill and natural gas compressor station (NGCS) to quantify CH4 emissions. Replicate landfill measurements during October 2009 yielded annual CH4 emissions estimates of 0.10±0.01, 0.11±0.01, and 0.12±0.02 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent (MTCO2E). These values compare favorably to California GHG Emissions Inventory figures for 2007, 2008, and 2009 of 0.123, 0.125, and 0.126 MTCO2E/yr, respectively, for this facility. Measurements to quantify NGCS boosting facility-wide emissions, during June 2010 yielded an equivalent of 5400±100 TCO2E/yr under steady-state operation. However, measurements during condensate transfer without operational vapor recovery yield an instantaneous emission rate of 2-4 times greater, but was estimated to only add 12 TCO2E/yr overall. This work displays the utility for mobile GHG measurements to validate existing measurement and modeling approaches, so emission inventory values can be confirmed and associated uncertainties reduced. IMPLICATIONS: Measuring greenhouse gas (GHG) source emissions provides data and validation for GHG inventories, the foundation for climate change mitigation. Mobile measurement platforms with robust analytical instrumentation completed tracer-dilution experiments in California at a landfill and natural gas compressor station (NGCS) to quantify CH4 emissions. Data collected for landfill CH4 agree with the current California emissions inventory, while NGCS data show the possible variability from this type of facility. This work displays the utility of mobile GHG measurements to validate existing measurement and modeling approaches, such that emission inventory values can be confirmed, associated uncertainties reduced, and mitigation efforts quantified.

High-global warming potential F-gas emissions in California: comparison of ambient-based versus inventory-based emission estimates, and implications of refined estimates.

To provide information for greenhouse gas reduction policies, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) inventories annual emissions of high-global-warming potential (GWP) fluorinated gases, the fastest growing sector of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally. Baseline 2008 F-gas emissions estimates for selected chlorofluorocarbons (CFC-12), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC-22), and hydrofluorocarbons (HFC-134a) made with an inventory-based methodology were compared to emissions estimates made by ambient-based measurements. Significant discrepancies were found, with the inventory-based emissions methodology resulting in a systematic 42% under-estimation of CFC-12 emissions from older refrigeration equipment and older vehicles, and a systematic 114% overestimation of emissions for HFC-134a, a refrigerant substitute for phased-out CFCs. Initial, inventory-based estimates for all F-gas emissions had assumed that equipment is no longer in service once it reaches its average lifetime of use. Revised emission estimates using improved models for equipment age at end-of-life, inventories, and leak rates specific to California resulted in F-gas emissions estimates in closer agreement to ambient-based measurements. The discrepancies between inventory-based estimates and ambient-based measurements were reduced from -42% to -6% for CFC-12, and from +114% to +9% for HFC-134a.

Clinical efficacy of mycophenolate mofetil in the treatment of systemic-onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the clinical efficacy of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in the treatment of systemic-onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SoJIA).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-five patients with a confirmed diagnosis of SoJIA who had received initial treatment were randomly divided into control (n=15), MMF1 (n=7) and MMF2 groups (n=13). The control group received conventional treatment, the MMF1 group received MMF after 2 weeks of conventional treatment that had not led to remission, and the MMF2 group received combination therapy with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, prednisone and MMF. Symptoms, signs, laboratory indices, and adverse events were observed after 2, 4, and 12 weeks of treatment, and follow-up was performed for 3-6 months.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Before treatment, the MMF2 group had a significantly longer disease course than the control group (P<0.05). After 2 weeks of treatment, the MMF1 and MMF2 groups had a significantly lower prednisone dose and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) than the control group (P<0.05). The MMF1 group had significantly higher body temperature than the other two groups (P<0.05). After 4 weeks of treatment, the MMF1 group had a significantly lower prednisone dose and ESR than the control group (P<0.05). The MMF2 group had a significantly lower prednisone dose, body temperature (recovery to normal), white blood cell count, ESR and serum ferritin concentration than the control group (P<0.05). Body temperature was significantly lower in the MMF2 group than in the MMF1 group (P<0.05). No adverse events were observed in either the MMF1 or MMF2 groups during treatment.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Combination therapy with MMF can lead to better control of the patient's condition, more rapid relief of clinical symptoms and reduced glucocorticoid dose. The therapy with MMF is safe in children.</p>

Optimization of formulas of Quban gel by uniform design / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To optimize formulas of Quban gel.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The U6 (6(2) x 3) uniform design was adopted to optimize gel formulas, with rheological parameters, such as viscosity and yield value in room temperature, viscosity and yield value in average temperature of skin, thixlotropy.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The optimum proportion of matrix was made of 1.0 g carbomer 940, 5 mL glycerin and pH value 5-6.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The regression model for gel matrix quality and gel rheological parameters was established to directly reflect the impacting effect of various factors, and provide certain preference basis for the screening of gel matrix formulas. Quban gel prepared by the method was evenly distributed, moderately viscous and highly thixotropic</p>

Emission factors for high-emitting vehicles based on on-road measurements of individual vehicle exhaust with a mobile measurement platform.

Fuel-based emission factors for 143 light-duty gasoline vehicles (LDGVs) and 93 heavy-duty diesel trucks (HDDTs) were measured in Wilmington, CA using a zero-emission mobile measurement platform (MMP). The frequency distributions of emission factors of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NO(x)), and particle mass with aerodynamic diameter below 2.5 microm (PM2.5) varied widely, whereas the average of the individual vehicle emission factors were comparable to those reported in previous tunnel and remote sensing studies as well as the predictions by Emission Factors (EMFAC) 2007 mobile source emission model for Los Angeles County. Variation in emissions due to different driving modes (idle, low- and high-speed acceleration, low- and high-speed cruise) was found to be relatively small in comparison to intervehicle variability and did not appear to interfere with the identification of high emitters, defined as the vehicles whose emissions were more than 5 times the fleet-average values. Using this definition, approximately 5% of the LDGVs and HDDTs measured were high emitters. Among the 143 LDGVs, the average emission factors of NO(x), black carbon (BC), PM2.5, and ultrafine particle (UFP) would be reduced by 34%, 39%, 44%, and 31%, respectively, by removing the highest 5% of emitting vehicles, whereas CO emission factor would be reduced by 50%. The emission distributions of the 93 HDDTs measured were even more skewed: approximately half of the NO(x) and CO fleet-average emission factors and more than 60% of PM2.5, UFP, and BC fleet-average emission factors would be reduced by eliminating the highest-emitting 5% HDDTs. Furthermore, high emissions of BC, PM2.5, and NO(x) tended to cluster among the same vehicles.

Efficacy of thalidomide for treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the efficacy of thalidomide in the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twelve children with JIA who did not respond to conventional treatment were administered with thalidomide (2 mg/kg daily). The symptoms, signs, and laboratory test results were compared before and after treatment. The thalidomide-related side effects were observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The average dosage of prednisone was reduced from 1.92 ± 0.16 mg/kg•d to 0.49 ± 0.42 mg/kg•d in the 12 patients 6 months after thalidomide treatment (P<0.01). Four patients did not need prednisone treatment any more. White blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C reactive protein (CRP) and serum ferritin (SF) significantly decreased after treatment in all of 12 patients (P<0.01). Hemoglobin level increased to normal in 8 patients after treatment (P<0.01). The number of affected joints decreased from 5 before treatment to zero to 2 after treatment in patients with polyarticular JIA (P<0.01). Signs of hip involvement and Schober's sign turned negative in enthesitis-related cases. No thalidomide-related side effects were observed.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Thalidomide is effective in the treatment of JIA in children who do not respond to conventional treatment.</p>

Generation of factor VIII gene knockout mouse by tetraploid embryo complementation technology / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Factor VIII( FVIII) gene knockout mouse model was established for further study on the treatment of hemophilia A.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Exons 16-19 of the mouse FVIII gene were knocked out by ET clone, ES homologous recombination and tetraploid embryo compensation technology. PCR, reverse transcriptase-PCR(RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the transcription and translation pattern of FVIII. The phenotype of the knockout mice was analyzed by examining the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and FVIII activity (FVIII:C).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>PCR, RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry confirmed that FVIII was deficient in the FVIII gene knockout mouse. The APTT results showed that FVIII-deficient mouse plasma had a prolonged clotting time compared to normal mouse plasma. The FVIII:C in heterozygous, hemizygous and homozygous mice was 80%, 8% and 10% of that in normal mice, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The phenotype of the FVIII gene knockout mouse appears grossly similar to that of human with hemophilia A. Establishment of this model may promote the development of new technologies of treatment to hemophilia A.</p>