News on alginate recovery by forward osmosis: Reverse solute diffusion is useful.

The water content in the recycled alginate solutions from aerobic granular sludge was nearly 100%. Forward osmosis (FO) has become an innovative dewatering technology. In this study, the FO concentration of sodium alginate (SA) was investigated using calcium chloride as a draw solute.

Pilot study of pressure-flow properties in a numerical model of the middle ear.

Constructing a three-dimensional (3D) model through non-invasive techniques will greatly benefit the diagnosis and treatment of otitis media. However, such a model should reflect the physiological characteristics of the middle ear; in particular, the pressure-flow responses determine the validity of the model. A 3D model of the middle ear was constructed by digital scanning and simulation.

Comparison of airflow characteristics after Draf Ⅲ frontal sinus surgery and normal person by numerical simulation.

Draf III frontal sinus surgery is confirmed as an effective surgical treatment for refractory sinusitis and frontal sinus tumors, etc. Although it has been reported to improve symptoms and reduce the recurrence rate of polyps significantly, the study of airflow characteristics in frontal sinus after Draf III is still rare, especially compared with normal person. This study was designed to describe the airflow characteristics of frontal sinus after Draf III procedure and differences compared with normal subject.

[Expression, Purification and Structure Prediction of Hum s1, a Major Allergen of Humulus Scandens].

Objective: Hum s1, a major allergen of Humulus Scandens, was cloned, expressed and purified. Its protein structure and function was predicted and analyzed, which provided a foundation for further studies into the diagnostic and therapeutic efficacy of the recombinant allergen.

Methods: The target gene was amplified by PCR and sub-cloned into the expression vector pET32a through Kpn I /Xho I site.

The PPARγ agonist, rosiglitazone, attenuates airway inflammation and remodeling via heme oxygenase-1 in murine model of asthma.

Aim: Rosiglitazone is one of the specific PPARγ agonists showing potential therapeutic effects in asthma. Though PPARγ activation was considered protective in inhibiting airway inflammation and remodeling in asthma, the specific mechanisms are still unclear. This study was aimed to investigate whether heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) related pathways were involved in rosiglitazone-activated PPARγ signaling in asthma treatment.

Numerical analysis of the relationship between nasal structure and its function.

The functions of the nasal cavity are closely related to its structure. In this study the three-dimensional finite element models were established based on the clinical data of twenty-four volunteers to study the influence of nasal structure on nasal functions of heating the inhaled airflow. Numerical simulations mainly concerning the airflow distribution and the airflow temperature are performed.

[Construction and identification of the expression library of album pollen allergens cDNA].

Aim: To construct and identify the express library of album pollen allergens cDNA.

Methods: Total RNA were extracted from the album pollen with TRIzol reagent and the mRNA was isolate for the amplify followed. A double stranded cDNA (ds cDNA) was synthesized using primers containing Xho I and Poly(dT) sequence by ZAP Express®cDNA synthesis kit.

[Effect of septoplasty or in combination with out fracture of the inferior turbinate on the airflow field and nasal airway].

Objective: To explore the effect of septoplasty or in combination with out fracture of the inferior turbinate in patients with nasal septum deviation on the airflow field and the nasal airway structure.

Methods: Six patients with nasal septum deviation underwent spiral CT imaging scans before surgery and during the follow-up. The 3D finite element meshes of the nasal airway were developed from the above CT scans.

[Screening specific allergens of allergic asthma from DNA expression library of Humulus pollen].

Objective: To screen the allergic asthma-specific allergen from complementary DNA (cDNA) expression library of Humulus pollen.

Methods: Screened the Humulus pollen lambdaTripIEx2 cDNA expression library which had been constructed using the method of immunological screening with patients' blood serum of Humulus pollen allergic asthma, extracted the positive phage DNA and the positive phage DNA, and identified by double restriction enzyme with EcoRI, Hind III and agarose gel electrophoresis. Then the DNA fragments were sequenced and the repeats and sequence homology were analyzed.

Inhibition of cGMP phosphodiesterase 5 suppresses matrix metalloproteinase-2 production in pulmonary artery smooth muscles cells.

1. It has been shown that the beneficial effects of phosphodiesterase (PDE) 5 inhibition on pulmonary hypertension (PH) are associated with the induction of vascular relaxation and suppression of the proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMC). In the present study, we investigated whether PDE5 inhibition affects the production and/or secretion of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in PASMC, resulting in extracellular matrix remodelling in the pulmonary vasculature and, thus, the development of PH.

[Purification and analysis of the immunoactivity of humulus pollen allergen].

Objective: To purify the humulus pollen allergen and study the allergenicity and immunogenicity of it.

Methods: Crude humulus pollen extracts were purified by gel filtration with Sephadex G-75 and Sephacryl S-200HR. Various fractions of the allergen protein were collected respectively.

[The role of nuclear factor kappa B activation in immune-complex-induced acute lung injury in rabbits].

Objective: To explore the effects of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) in rabbit immune-complex-induced acute lung injury(ALI).

Methods: Thirty rabbits were randomly divided into 5 groups, including N, M2h, M4h, M6h and M8h groups. N group was the normal control group.

[Analysis of the character of self-adaptation of nasal structure in patients with nasal septum deviation].

Objective: To analyze the different characters of nasal airflow-field between 10 patients with nasal septum deviation and 20 healthy Chinese people by the method of three-dimensional reconstruction of these people's nasal cavity and numerical simulation of the flow field in these nasal cavity models. The character of airflow-field was considered by analyzing the relationship between the structure and function of the human nose.

Methods: Based on the data obtained from the CT images, 10 patients with nasal septum deviation and 20 healthy Chinese people's nasal cavity models were reconstructed by the method of surface rendering.

[Analysis of the allergenicity and immunogenicity of Psilogramma menephron allergen].

Objective: To analyze the allergenicity and immunogenicity of Psilogramma menephron allergen so as to provide the basis for preparing recombinant and standardized allergen vaccines of Psilgramma menephorn.

Methods: The extracts of Psilgramma menephorn were analyzed by SDS-PAGE, and the allergenicity and immunogenicity of the extracts were tested with 9 sera from allergic patients by means of immunoblotting.

Results: More than 20 allergen proteins were separated from the extract of Psilgramma menephorn by SDS-PAGE, with the relative molecular weight ranging from 12,000 to 128,000.

[Cloning, screening and sequence analysis of the major allergens of Psilgramma menephorn].

Objective: To identify and isolate the genes encoding the allergens of Psilgramma menephorn by screening the cDNA expression library.

Methods: The cDNA expression library of Psilgramma menephorn was constructed in lambdaZAPIIphage, and the library was screened using the sera from the patients allergic to Psilgramma menephorn and those from the rabbits immunized with Psilgramma menephorn extracts. The positive clones were subcloned into pBluescript plas, and the cDNA in the positive clones were amplified with PCR and sequenced.

[Application of serum surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization proteomic patterns in distinguishing non-small cell lung cancer patients from healthy people].

Objective: To explore the application of serum surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization (SELDI) marker patterns in distinguishing non-small cell lung cancer patients from healthy people by protein chip technology.

Methods: One hundred and sixty-three serum samples (123 patients with lung cancer and 40 healthy persons), were randomly divided into a training set [94 cases, 53 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), 21 small cell lung cancer and 20 healthy persons] and a blinded test set (69 cases), were included for analysis by surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS). Five protein peaks at 11,493, 6,429, 8,245, 5,336 and 2,536 were automatically chosen for the system training and the development of a decision classification tree model (marker pattern).

[Structure of nasal cavity and characters of airflow].

Objective: To study the airflow in nasal cavity by reconstructing 20 volunteers' nasal cavity models and numerical simulation of the flow field in these nasal cavity models.

Methods: Based on the data from the CT images, 20 volunteers' nasal cavity models were reconstructed by the method of surface rendering. The flow field in these three-dimensional models were simulated with finite element method.

[Observation of maxillary mucosa restoration after the endoscopic sinus surgery operation of chronic sinusitis and nasal polyps].

Objective: To understand the restoration process of the mucosa through the continual endoscopic, microscopic, transmission electron microscopic and scanning electron microscopic observation of the nasal mucosa after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). This restoration process of mucosa can be used to appraise the effectiveness of the operation.

Methods: Thirty-one cases (53 sides) with chronic nasal sinusitis and nasal polyps were selected randomly, which had been undergone ESS operation during January to December, 2001.