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To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of tripterygium glycosides (TG) combined with ACEI/ARB preparation in treating diabetic nephropathy stage IV. The computer retrievals were made in Cochrane Libarary, PubMed, Embase, SCI, Sinnomed, CNKI, Chinainfo and VIP, and hand retrievals were conducted for meeting and academic papers (updated to December 30, 2014), in order to collect randomized controlled trials and quasi-randomized control trials for TG combined with ACEI/ARB preparation in treating diabetic nephropathy stage IV and set the literature inclusion and elimination standards. Eligible literatures were included and evaluated according to standards in Cochrane Handbook. RevMan 5.3 and Stata 12.0 were used for a Meta-analysis. A total of 13 randomized controlled trials and quasi-randomized control trials involving 1119 patients with diabetic nephropathy were included. The Meta analysis result showed that compared with the control group, the combination group showed better effects in reducing the 24-hour urinary protein [MD = -0.84, 95% CI (-1.02, -0.66)], raising albumin [SMD = 0.98, 95% CI (0.81, 1.16)], the total efficiency [OR = 4.23, 95% CI (2.77, 6.46)] and the significant efficiency [OR = 5.35, 95% CI (2.70, 10.60)], with no statistical difference in Serum Creatinine between Both groups [MD = -0.82, 95% CI (-4.30, 2.66), P = 0.64]. However, the risk of adverse reactions increased by 7% [RD = 0.07, 95% CI (0.03, 0.12)]. The Egger's test showed no publication bias. Tripterygium Glycosides combined with ACEI/ARB in treating diabetic nephropathy stage IV is supper than the single administration of ACEI/ARB, with a good prospect in clinical application. Nevertheless, due to the small-size and low-quality samples in this study, more high-quality and large sample-size randomized controlled trials shall be conducted to verify the findings.

Performance and process biokinetics of the upflow pilot-scale anaerobic ammonium oxidation (ANAMMOX) reactor were investigated at ambient temperature. The results of substrate testing showed that the pilot-scale ANAMMOX reactor operated stably when the influent nitrite concentration reached (380.4 +/- 18.3) mg x L(-1); while the nitrite inhibition occurred when its concentration arrived at (480.5 +/- 21.9) mg x L(-1). The results of shortening of hydraulic retention time (HRT) showed that the HRT could be shortened to 3.43 h, and the nitrogen removal rate was as high as 3.45 kg x (m3 x d)(-1). Temperature was found to affect the performance of the ANAMMOX reactor significantly during long-term operation. The modified Stover-Kincannon model was applied to model the non-inhibition performance of the pilot-scale reactor under different temperature ranges. Good fitting results were obtained. The process biokinetic parameters and effluent substrate concentration prediction equations as well as the substrate removal efficiency prediction equations obtained in different temperature ranges are helpful to the stable operation of the pilot-scale ANAMMOX bioreactor.

Objective: To explore the relationship between germ cell apoptosis and the expression as well as the distribution of Sertoli cell vimentin induced by local exposure to heat., Methods: Local short-term exposure of prepubertal male rats testis to heat (43 degrees C for 15 min). Histochemical method was used to observe morphological characteristics of seminiferous tubule. The distribution and expression of Sertoli cell cytoskeletons were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and germ cell apoptosis was evaluated by TUNEL technique at different hour-intervals., Results: After 2 h and 4 h heat exposure, the disattachment phenomenon between Sertoli cell and spermatogonia occurred. Spermatogonia arranged in disorder and displaced away from the basement membrane of seminiferous tubules. Immunohistochemical staining showed that vimentin positive staining was seen radiating from the Sertoli cell perinuclear region with apical "spoke-like" pattern in controls. There was an intense vimentin immunoreactivity surrounding Sertoli cell nuclei along with the collapse of the apical extensions in 2 h group, but no significant difference compared with the controls. The expressions of vimentin in 12 h and 24 h groups were higher than those of the controls (P <0.01), respectively. TUNEL showed that incidence of apoptosis was observed to increases markedly in 12 h and 24 h groups, but it was found that the incidences of apoptotic events were decreased in these two groups compared with the controls., Conclusion: The changes of expression and distribution of Sertoli cell vimentin filaments correlate with the increased germ cell apoptosis. Local heat may disrupt spermatogenesis by injuring Sertoli cell directly.

Previous studies have revealed that estrogen receptor beta (ER-beta) in the mouse hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) may play different roles from that in the PVN of rat and other animal species. In the present study, the expression of ER-beta in the developing PVN of postnatal female mice was studied using nickel ammonium sulfate intensified immunocytochemical techniques, and the results showed that ER-beta immunopositive materials were predominantly localized in the magnocellular division of the PVN, only sparse positive cells were found in the parvocellular division and dorsal cap of the PVN. Most of the positive cells were strongly labeled, but some lightly labeled cells were also detected. No apparent positive signals were observed in the cytoplasm or the processes of the neurons. The highest levels of expression were found at early postnatal days (postnatal day 1 to 9), and then it decreased to lower levels from day 15 and thereafter. The above results together with other findings suggest that at early postnatal development, ER-beta may play important role in the regulation of the structure and function of PVN, such as neuroendocrine, morphological maturation, food intake and body weight increase of postnatal animals.