Serum BAFF and APRIL might be associated with disease activity and kidney damage in patients with anti-glomerular basement membrane disease.

Aim: B cell activating factor belonging to the tumour necrosis factor family (BAFF) and a proliferation inducing ligand (APRIL) are two tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-like cytokines that were found to be elevated in many autoimmune diseases. Anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease is a typical severe autoimmune disease characterized by raised serum anti-GBM antibodies. In this study we aimed to detect the serum levels of BAFF and APRIL in patients with anti-GBM disease, and their clinical significance was further analyzed.

Adsorption characteristics of ammonium exchange by zeolite and the optimal application in the tertiary treatment of coking wastewater using response surface methodology.

Natural zeolite is a favorable NH(4)(+)-ion exchanger in the tertiary wastewater treatment. In this study, a natural Chinese zeolite was anatomized using the mercury injection method, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron micrographs. The kinetic process of ammonium adsorption onto the zeolite was best described by the pseudo second order model; the adsorption equilibrium data fitted better to the Freundlich isotherm; and the exchange between ammonium and alkali/alkaline earth cations was in the order of Na(+) > Ca(2+) > K(+) > Mg(2+).

A highly active catalytic system for Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions of aryl and heteroaryl chlorides in water.

An easily available Pd(OAc)(2)/(2-mesitylindenyl)dicyclohexylphosphine/Me(octyl)(3)N(+)Cl(-)/K(3)PO(4)·3H(2)O catalytic system was developed and it shows high catalytic activity in the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction of a diverse array of aryl and heteroaryl chlorides in water. Notably, this catalytic system also works with ultra-low loading of the catalyst with high turnover numbers.

Association of epitope spreading of antiglomerular basement membrane antibodies and kidney injury.

Background And Objectives: Antiglomerular basement membrane autoantibodies are pathogenic in antiglomerular basement membrane disease with two major epitopes, E(A) and E(B), on α3 chain of type IV collagen. This study investigated the epitope spectrum of antiglomerular basement membrane autoantibodies, aiming to identify the association between epitope specificity and kidney injury.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: All 108 patients with antiglomerular basement membrane disease and complete clinical data were divided into three groups according to renal dysfunction: mild group (n=20) with serum creatitine≤1.

Functional analysis of the promoter of the heat shock cognate 70 gene of the Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei.

Current knowledge on cis-regulatory elements of immune genes of the Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) is poor. In this study, we identified the promoter of the heat shock cognate protein 70 (HSC70) gene of L. vannamei (lvhsc70).

Complement activation contributes to the injury and outcome of kidney in human anti-glomerular basement membrane disease.

Purpose: Linear or granular deposition of complement 3 (C3) along glomerular basement membrane (GBM) is generally revealed in kidneys of human anti-GBM disease. However, the mechanism of complement activation and its association with clinical features and outcomes are less clear.

Methods: We measured the plasma and urinary levels of complement components, C1q, mannose-binding lectin (MBL), factor B (Ba), C3, C3a, C4, C4a, C5, C5a and soluble C5b-9 (SC5b-9), using ELISA in 20 patients with renal biopsy proven anti-GBM disease.

Phenyl substituted indenylphosphine ruthenium complexes as catalysts for dehydrogenation of alcohols.

Thermal treatment of (1H-inden-3-yl)dicyclohexylphosphinium tetrafluoroborate (1) and (3-mesityl-1H-inden-3-yl)dicyclohexylphosphinium tetrafluoroborate (3) with tBuONa followed by [(η(6)-cymene)RuCl(2))](2) in methanol gave the adduct {(η(6)-cymene)RuCl(2)[(1H-inden-3-yl)PCy(2)]} (6) and {(η(6)-cymene)RuCl(2)[(3-mesityl-1H-inden-3-yl)PCy(2)]} (7), respectively. Thermal treatment of (2-phenyl-1H-inden-3-yl)dicyclohexylphosphinium tetrafluoroborate (4) with tBuONa followed by [(η(6)-cymene)RuCl(2))](2) or RuCl(3)·3H(2)O in methanol gave {Ru[κ(P):(η(6)-2-phenyl-1H-inden-3-yl)PCy(2)]Cl(2)} (8). Whereas (2-mesityl-1H-inden-3-yl)dicyclohexylphosphine (5) reacted with [(η(6)-cymene)RuCl(2))](2) (in toluene) or RuCl(3)·3H(2)O (in ethanol) to afford {Ru[κ(P):(η(6)-2-mesityl-1H-inden-3-yl)PCy(2)]Cl(2)} (9).

Experimental and mathematical methodology on the optimization of bacterial consortium for the simultaneous degradation of three nitrogen heterocyclic compounds.

This study aims to establish a systematic method to optimize the bacterial consortium for the simultaneous biodegradation of multixenobiotics in wastewater. Three nitrogen heterocyclic compounds (NHCs), pyridine, quinoline, and carbazole, were chosen as the target compounds with each about 200 mg/L. Different consortia originated from six bacteria for degrading pyridine (Paracoccus sp.

Sequencing and analysis of four BAC clones containing innate immune genes from the Zhikong scallop (Chlamys farreri).

The sequencing of BAC clones (~100 kb) can reveal some characteristics of a genome that are challenging to obtain based on short sequences. Additionally, although the immune genes of the Zhikong scallop (Chlamys farreri) have been studied widely, few analyses have been conducted at the DNA level. In this study, four C.

Antibodies against linear epitopes on the Goodpasture autoantigen and kidney injury.

Background And Objectives: Linear epitopes on the Goodpasture autoantigen involved in human anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease are not fully defined. This study investigated the linear epitopes recognized by circulating antibodies in anti-GBM patients, aiming to identify the potential nephrogenic linear epitopes and their clinical significance.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: Sixty-eight patients with anti-GBM disease were enrolled.

Influence of variable domain glycosylation on anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies and anti-glomerular basement membrane autoantibodies.

Background: The pathophysiological significance of variable region glycosylation of autoantibodies is still unclear. In the current study, the influence of the variable region N-linked oligosaccharides on the reactivity of three autoantibody specificities was investigated with Sambucus nigra agglutinin (SNA), which mainly binds to oligosaccharides with terminal α2, 6-linked sialic acid on the variable region of IgG.

Methods: Twenty-seven patients with serum positive anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ANCA) against myeploperoxidase (MPO) or proteinase 3 (PR3), or autoantibodies against glomerular basement membrane (GBM) were included.

Influence of myeloperoxidase-catalyzing reaction on the binding between myeloperoxidase and anti-myeloperoxidase antibodies.

In the current study, whether myeloperoxidase (MPO)-catalyzing reaction could influence the antigenicity of MPO was investigated. Hypochlorite acid, the main product of the catalytic reaction, could lower the binding between MPO-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) and MPO when the available chlorine was higher than 0.031×10(-3) g/l.

A BAC-based physical map of Zhikong scallop (Chlamys farreri Jones et Preston).

Zhikong scallop (Chlamys farreri) is one of the most economically important aquaculture species in China. Physical maps are crucial tools for genome sequencing, gene mapping and cloning, genetic improvement and selective breeding. In this study, we have developed a genome-wide, BAC-based physical map for the species.

[Infrared spectral analysis for calcined borax].

To valuate the quality of calcined borax which is sold in the market, 18 samples of calcined borax were studied using the Fourier transform infrared, and samples with different water content were selected and analyzed. Then, the results of analysis were used to evaluate the quality of calcined borax. Results show that the infrared spectra of calcined borax include OH vibration, BO3(-3) vibration and BO4(5-) vibration absorption bands.

Anti-glomerular basement membrane disease: outcomes of different therapeutic regimens in a large single-center Chinese cohort study.

Anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease usually presents with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis accompanied by pulmonary hemorrhage. The low incidence and fulminant course of disease preclude a large randomized controlled study to define the benefits of any given therapy. We conducted a retrospective survey of 221 consecutive patients seen from 1998 to 2008 in our hospital, and report here the patient and renal survival and the risk factors affecting the outcomes.

Circulating anti-glomerular basement membrane autoantibodies against α3(IV)NC1 undetectable by commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.

Aim: Cases with anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease have been reported with linear deposit of immunoglobulin G (IgG) along GBM, but have undetectable anti-GBM antibodies in circulation by enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). We speculated that the structure of the antigens recognized by these antibodies may contribute to the negative results of ELISA.

Methods: Sera from four patients were collected, with typical linear deposit of IgG along GBM but no anti-GBM reactivity by commercial ELISA kits.

Advances in human antiglomerular basement membrane disease.

Antiglomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) disease is an autoimmune disorder that mostly presents as raised titers of antibodies against the GBM, rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and pulmonary hemorrhage. The disease is caused by antibodies against noncollagenous domain of α3 chain of type IV collagen, which contains the epitopes E(A) and E(B). The humoral and cellular immunity contributing to the initiation of anti-GBM disease has been extensively studied as a model for autoimmune diseases, although most of the data come from animal studies.

The association of HLA-DQB1, -DQA1 and -DPB1 alleles with anti- glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease in Chinese patients.

Background: Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles are associated with many autoimmune diseases, including anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease. In our previous study, it was demonstrated that HLA-DRB1*1501 was strongly associated with anti-GBM disease in Chinese. However, the association of anti-GBM disease and other HLA class II genes, including HLA-DQB1, -DQA1,-DPB1 alleles, has rarely been investigated in Asian, especially Chinese patients.

Performance evaluation of a novel chemiluminescence assay for detection of anti-GBM antibodies: an international multicenter study.

Background: Autoantibodies to the non-collagen region (NC1) of the alpha-3 subunit of collagen IV represent a serological hallmark in the diagnosis of Goodpasture's syndrome (GPS). The objective of our study was to carefully analyze the performance characteristics of a novel anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) chemiluminescence immunoassay (CIA).

Methods: Sera from patients with GPS (n = 90) were collected from four clinical centers.

Biodegradation of carbazole by the seven Pseudomonas sp. strains and their denitrification potential.

Carbazole, one representative of non-alkaline nitrogen heterocyclic compounds, is widespread in the natural environment and harmful to human health. In this research, the seven bacterial strains using carbazole as their sole carbon, nitrogen and energy source were isolated from activated sludge of a coking wastewater treatment plant. All strains efficiently degraded 500 mg/L of carbazole in the medium within 36 h.

Comparison of characteristics of natural autoantibodies against myeloperoxidase and anti-myeloperoxidase autoantibodies from patients with microscopic polyangiitis.

Objective: Natural autoantibodies (NAAs) against MPO exist in normal human plasma. In the current study, the immune characteristics of MPO-NAA and MPO-ANCA were examined and compared with the aim to investigate the pathogenesis of MPO-ANCA.

Methods: MPO-NAAs were affinity purified from normal plasma of five healthy blood donors and one batch of IVIG.

Clinical features and outcomes of anti-glomerular basement membrane disease in older patients.

Background: Anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease is being recognized increasingly in older patients. Disease presentation and outcomes of these patients are unclear.

Study Design: Case series.

[Study on the function of plasmid in pyridine-degrading bacteria].

In order to identify the characteristics of the plasmids of degrading bacterial strains and the relationship between the plasmids' function and biodegradation, plasmids were isolated from two bacterial strains (Paracoccus sp. BW001 and Shinella zoogloeoides BC026) and pulse-field gel electrophoresis was used to identify the distribution of plasmids and their molecular size. Two large plasmids with 190-245 kb and one small plasmid with 4.

Influence of myeloperoxidase by anti-myeloperoxidase antibodies and its association with the disease activity in microscopic polyangiitis.

Objectives: ANCAs with specificity for MPO are serological markers of ANCA-associated vasculitides, especially microscopic polyangiitis (MPA). This study investigated potential associations between the influence of MPO-ANCA on the oxidation activity of MPO and the clinical manifestations as well as immunological characteristics of MPO-ANCA.

Methods: MPO-ANCA was purified with MPO-affinity chromatography from plasma of 13 consecutive patients with MPO-ANCA-positive MPA.

Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway and natural products for cancer chemoprevention.

Background: One of the potential strategies for preventing cancers is using food-based natural products to induce cytoprotective enzymes including phase II and antioxidative enzymes that act in concert to detoxify and eliminate harmful reactive intermediates formed from carcinogens. The antioxidant response element (ARE), which is activated upon binding of the nuclear factor E2-related protein 2 (Nrf2) transcription factor protein, has been identified in the regulatory regions of numerous genes encoding cytoprotective enzymes. Herein, we summarized the current body of knowledge regarding Nrf2 regulation as well as highlighted the Nrf2/ARE activators from natural products, which will potentially be used as chemopreventive agents for cancer patients.