RESUMO O presente trabalho visa investigar os efeitos do extrato de semente de uva Proanthocyanidin (GSPE) sobre o desempenho da produção, o metabolismo e o status antioxidante de gado leiteiro Holstein em lactação precoce. Quarenta e oito vacas leiteiras multíparas Holstein foram divididas em quatro grupos (CON, G20, G40 e G80) e receberam 0, 20, 40 e 80mg de GSPE/kg de peso corporal/dia, respectivamente. O G20 aumentou significativamente o rendimento do leite em comparação com os outros grupos. A proteína e os sólidos não gordurosos do leite foram aumentados nos grupos G20, G40 e G80 somente no sétimo dia durante a experiência. Não foi observada diferença significativa na gordura do leite e na contagem de células somáticas, bem como nos parâmetros de metabolismo energético no sangue, na função hepática e na função renal entre os grupos em relação ao grupo controle. Não houve diferença significativa na glutationa peroxidase, na dimutase de superóxido, na capacidade antioxidante total e no peróxido de hidrogênio entre os grupos, mas o conteúdo malondialdeído do G20 aumentou significativamente no dia 14 em comparação com o CON, e tendia a aumentar no dia 28. Em conclusão, a alimentação de 20mg de GSPE/kg de peso corporal/dia foi associada a um aumento significativo no rendimento do leite, sem efeitos nocivos sobre a função hepática ou a renal, com o metabolismo de energia substancial e a melhoria dos parâmetros antioxidantes de gado leiteiro no início da lactação.

ABSTRACT Aims to investigate the effects of grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) on production performance, metabolism, and anti-oxidative status of Holstein dairy cattle in early lactation. Forty-eight multiparous Holstein dairy cattle were assigned to four groups (CON, G20, G40 and G80) and supplied with 0, 20, 40, and 80mg GSPE/kg of body weight/day. G20 significantly increased milk yield compared with other groups. Milk protein and non-fat-solids were increased in G20, G40 and G80 groups compared with the control group only at the 7th day during the experiment. No significant difference was observed in milk fat and somatic cell count, nor on parameters of energy metabolism in blood, liver function and kidney function between the four groups. There was no significant difference in glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, total antioxidant capacity, and hydrogen peroxide between the groups; but the malondialdehyde content of G20 significantly increased at day 14 in comparison with CON, and tended to increase at the 28th day. In conclusion, feeding 20mg GSPE/kg of body weight/day was associated with a significant increase in milk yield without detrimental effects on liver or kidney function and with substantial energy metabolism and antioxidant parameters improvement in early lactation dairy cattle.

ABSTRACT Objective: This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of using an acellular dermal matrix (ADM) biological patch for abdominal wall reconstruction and in the treatment of infant and neonatal giant omphalocoele as well as other large abdominal wall defects. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the surgical use of an ADM biological patch for reconstructing the abdominal wall was performed. Eleven infants with giant omphalocoele, one with an iatrogenic large abdominal wall defect, and one with a large abdominal wall hernia were treated by filling the abdominal wall defect with the biological patch and expanding the abdominal cavity volume to avoid sharply increased pressure after the direct suture closure of the abdominal incision. This procedure obtained good results. Results: Infants with giant omphalocoele had good results in 10 of 11 cases (the parents of one patient ended treatment). One infant with an iatrogenic abdominal wall defect and one with a large abdominal wall hernia had good results; at follow-up, neither infant has had complications. Conclusion: Large abdominal wall defects in neonates and infants can be reconstructed by ADM patches with good results.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Este estudio tiene como objetivo investigar la viabilidad del uso del parche de matriz dérmica acelular (MDA) biológico para la reconstrucción de la pared abdominal y el tratamiento de onfaloceles gigantes, así como otros defectos de la pared abdominal en infantes y neonatos. Métodos: Se realizó un análisis retrospectivo del uso quirúrgico del parche biológico de MDA para reconstruir la pared abdominal. Once infantes con onfalocele, uno con un defecto iatrogénico grande de la pared abdominal, y otro con una hernia grande de la pared abdominal, fueron tratados rellenando el defecto de la pared abdominal con el parche biológico y ampliando el volumen de la cavidad abdominal, para evitar un aumento agudamente considerable de la presión tras el cierre de la sutura directa de la incisión abdominal. Este procedimiento dio buenos resultados. Resultados: Los infantes con onfalocele gigante tuvieron buenos resultados en 10 de los 11 casos (los padres de un paciente dieron por terminado el tratamiento). Un niño con defecto iatrogénico de la pared abdominal y uno con una hernia grande de la pared abdominal tuvieron buenos resultados. En el seguimiento, ninguno de los niños tuvo complicaciones. Conclusión: Los defectos grandes de la pared abdominal en recién nacidos y niños pequeños pueden ser reconstruidos con parches de MDA con buenos resultados.

The most widely used support design damage criterion for rockburst-prone mines is based upon kinetic energy, which is proportional to the square of the ejection velocity and is commonly expressed in terms of peak particle velocity (PPV). Field monitoring and back-analyses have shown that ejection velocities of the order of 10 m/s and higher can result from seismic events of moderate magnitude. Such velocities are much higher than those predicted using PPV obtained from scaling laws. It has also been found that the peak ground motion (i.e. PPV) on the surface of an excavation is preferentially amplified (by four- to tenfold) compared to the motion in solid rock at a similar distance from the source. However, the wave propagation and interaction processes involved within the fractured rock in generating high ground motion are very complex and are not well understood at this time. In this paper, velocity amplification was investigated by modelling the dynamic interaction between fractured rock and a free surface using a 2D discontinuum-based numerical program, UDEC (Universal Distinct Element Code). A 1D model with a fractured zone was used to represent the fractured rock. Velocity amplification, quantified by PPV, predicted at the free end of the model was 2.0-3.6 times higher than the input velocity. It was found that the wave frequency, fracture stiffness, fracture spacing, and thickness of fractured zone are the main factors that affect the velocity amplification. The results have proved that the interaction of the seismic wave and multiple fractures near the free surface strongly influences the ground motion.

ABSTRACT External iliac arterial obstruction is relatively rare in renal transplantation, and may cause surgical failure and ipsilateral leg ischaemia. Prompt diagnosis and management of this kind of complication is essential to rescue the patient and allograft. Four patients with external iliac arterial obstruction caused by Satinsky atrauma forceps in renal transplantation were analysed and summarized. In case one, the obstruction of the external iliac artery distal to the renal allograft caused ipsilateral leg ischaemia. After surgical fixation of the endarterium, the patient recovered from the lower limb ischaemia. In case two, the obstruction of the external iliac artery was located proximal to the renal allograft. Since the endarterial rupture was not found and fixed in time, the renal allograft was lost. The third case was similar to the second. Based on the previous experience, we fixed the endarterium promptly, and transplanted the kidney back successfully. In case four, there was endarterial rupture with atherosclerosis located around the anastomosis stoma. After taking out the atherosclerotic plaque and fixing the endarterium, the blood supply of kidney and lower limb was good. External iliac arterial rupture and obstruction caused by Satinsky atrauma forceps in renal transplantation is rare, but may cause severe and depressing outcome. The critical step is to find and fix the impaired endarterium as early as possible.

RESUMEN La obstrucción arterial ilíaca externa es relativamente rara en el trasplante renal, y puede causar fracaso quirúrgico e isquemia ipsilateral de la pierna. Un pronto diagnóstico y tratamiento de este tipo de complicación es esencial para salvar al paciente y el aloinjerto. Los casos de cuatro pacientes con obstrucción arterial ilíaca externa causada por fórceps Satinsky atrauma en el trasplante renal, fueron analizados y resumidos. En el primer caso, la obstrucción de la arteria ilíaca externa distal al aloinjerto renal, causó una isquemia ipsilateral de la pierna. Después de la fijación quirúrgica del endarterio, el paciente se recuperó de la isquemia de la extremidad inferior. En el segundo caso, la obstrucción de la arteria ilíaca externa fue localizada proximal al aloinjerto renal. Como que la ruptura endarterial no fue detectada y corregida a tiempo, se perdió el aloinjerto renal. El tercer caso fue similar al segundo. Basado en la experiencia anterior, fijamos el endarterio rápidamente, y trasplantamos el riñón de nuevo con éxito. En el cuarto caso, hubo una ruptura endarterial con ateroesclerosis situada alrededor del estoma de la anastomosis. Después de sacar la placa aterosclerótica y fijar el endarterio, el suministro de sangre del riñón y del miembro inferior fue bueno. La ruptura arterial ilíaca externa y la obstrucción causada por fórceps Satinsky atrauma en el trasplante renal ocurren raramente, pero pueden traer consigo un resultado severo y deprimente. El paso fundamental es encontrar y fijar el endarterio dañado lo antes posible.

In the current literature, there is evidence that psychological factors can affect the incidence and progression of some cancers. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is known to be elevated in individuals experiencing chronic stress and is also involved in oncogenesis and cancer progression. However, the precise mechanism of IL-6 induction by the stress-related hormone norepinephrine (NE) is not clear, and, furthermore, there are no reports about the effect of NE on IL-6 expression in gastric epithelial cells. In this study, we examined the effect of NE on IL-6 expression in immortalized human gastric epithelial cells (GES-1 cells). Using real-time PCR and enzyme-linked immunoassay, we demonstrated that NE can induce IL-6 mRNA and protein expression in GES-1 cells. The induction is through the β-adrenergic receptor-cAMP-protein kinase A pathway and mainly at the transcriptional level. Progressive 5′-deletions and site-directed mutagenesis of the parental construct show that, although activating-protein-1 (AP-1), cAMP-responsive element binding protein (CREB), CCAAT-enhancer binding protein-β (C/EBP-β), and nuclear factor κ-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) binding sites are all required in the basal transcription of IL-6, only AP-1 and CREB binding sites in the IL-6 promoter are required in NE-induced IL-6 expression. The results suggest that chronic stress may increase IL-6 secretion of human gastric epithelial cells, at least in part, by the stress-associated hormone norepinephrine, and provides basic data on stress and gastric cancer progression.

Epithelium, a highly dynamic system, plays a key role in the homeostasis of the intestine. However, thus far a human intestinal epithelial cell line has not been established in many countries. Fetal tissue was selected to generate viable cell cultures for its sterile condition, effective generation, and differentiated character. The purpose of the present study was to culture human intestinal epithelial cells by a relatively simple method. Thermolysin was added to improve the yield of epithelial cells, while endothelin-3 was added to stimulate their growth. By adding endothelin-3, the achievement ratio (viable cell cultures/total cultures) was enhanced to 60% of a total of 10 cultures (initiated from 8 distinct fetal small intestines), allowing the generation of viable epithelial cell cultures. Western blot, real-time PCR and immunofluorescent staining showed that cytokeratins 8, 18 and mouse intestinal mucosa-1/39 had high expression levels in human intestinal epithelial cells. Differentiated markers such as sucrase-isomaltase, aminopeptidase N and dipeptidylpeptidase IV also showed high expression levels in human intestinal epithelial cells. Differentiated human intestinal epithelial cells, with the expression of surface markers (cytokeratins 8, 18 and mouse intestinal mucosa-1/39) and secretion of cytokines (sucrase-isomaltase, aminopeptidase N and dipeptidylpeptidase IV), may be cultured by the thermolysin and endothelin-3 method and maintained for at least 20 passages. This is relatively simple, requiring no sophisticated techniques or instruments, and may have a number of varied applications.

Mouse PNAS-4 (mPNAS-4) has 96% identity with human PNAS-4 (hPNAS-4) in primary sequence and has been reported to be involved in the apoptotic response to DNA damage. However, there have been no studies reported of the biological functions of mPNAS-4. In studies conducted by our group (unpublished data), it was interesting to note that overexpression of mPNAS-4 promoted apoptotic death in Lewis lung carcinoma cells (LL2) and colon carcinoma cells (CT26) of mice both in vitro and in vivo. In our studies, mPNAS-4 was cloned into the pGEX-6P-1 vector with GST tag at N-terminal in Escherichia coli strain BL21(DE3). The soluble and insoluble expression of recombinant protein mPNAS-4 (rmPNAS-4) was temperature-dependent. The majority of rmPNAS-4 was insoluble at 37°C, while it was almost exclusively expressed in soluble form at 20°C. The soluble rmPNAS-4 was purified by one-step affinity purification, using a glutathione Sepharose 4B column. The rmPNAS-4 protein was further identified by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry analysis. The search parameters of the parent and fragment mass error tolerance were set at 0.1 and 0.05 kDa, respectively, and the sequence coverage of search result was 28%. The purified rmPNAS-4 was further used as immunogen to raise polyclonal antibodies in New Zealand white rabbit, which were suitable to detect both the recombinant and the endogenous mPNAS-4 in mouse brain tissue and LL2 cells after immunoblotting and/or immunostaining. The purified rmPNAS-4 and our prepared anti-mPNAS-4 polyclonal antibodies may provide useful tools for future biological function studies for mPNAS.