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IntroductionClostridioides difficile (C. difficile) is a nosocomial bacterial pathogen that causes antibiotic-associated diarrhea mediated by cellular exotoxins secreted into the intestine during bacterial growth. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and PCR ribotyping are the main molecular typing for C. difficile. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) was developed for genetic evolution and outbreak investigation of C. difficile with higher precision and accuracy.MethodsA total of 699 whole (complete and draft) genome sequences of distinct C. difficile strains were used in this study to identify core gene set (2469 core genes) and the cgMLST scheme for the phylogeny analysis of C. difficile. This cgMLST pipeline was then carried the Chinese Pathogen Identification Net (China PIN) for surveillance of C. difficile in China. Within the China PIN, 195 WGS of C. difficile and an outbreak of CDI with 12 WGS of C. difficile were used to evaluate the cgMLST pipeline.ResultsThe result displayed that mostly tested C. difficile isolates could be successfully divided into 5 classic clades and the outbreak event was also successfully identified.DiscussionThe results are meaningful and offer a practicable pipeline for a national-wide surveillance of C. difficile in China.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common disease caused by complex endocrine and metabolic abnormalities in women of childbearing age. Metformin is the most widely used oral hypoglycemic drug in clinic. In recent years, metformin has been used in the treatment of PCOS, but its mechanism is not clear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of metformin on PCOS and its mechanism through PCOS mouse model. Female C57BL/6J mice aged 4-5 weeks were intragastrically given letrozole (1 mg/kg daily) combined with a high-fat diet (HFD) for 21 days to establish the PCOS model. After modeling, metformin (200 mg/kg daily) was intragastrically administered. One month later, the body weight and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) were measured. Hematoxylin eosin (HE) staining was used to detect the pathological changes of ovary. The serum levels of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), E

Eight different species were identified among the 79 isolates. The most prevalentThe taxonomy, antibiotic resistance, and pathogenicity of different

The regioselective N-addition/substitution reaction between α-alkylidene pyrazolinones and propargyl sulfonium salts has been developed to construct functionalized allylthio-containing pyrazolones with moderate to excellent yields. α-Alkylidene pyrazolinones act as N-nucleophilic agents which are distinguished from reported C-nucleophilic reactions. Excellent regioselectivity, readily available starting materials, the broad range of substrates, gram-scale synthesis, and simple operation illustrate the synthetic advantages of this new reaction pathway.

Hypertension is a clinical syndrome characterized by elevated systemic arterial blood pressure, which may be accompanied by functional or organic damage of heart, brain, kidney and other organs. The pathogenesis and development of hypertension are affected by genetic, environmental, epigenetic, intestinal microbiota and other factors. They are the result of multiple factors that promote the change of blood pressure level and vascular resistance. G protein coupled receptors(GPCRs) are the largest and most diverse superfamily of transmembrane receptors that transmit signals across cell membranes and mediate a large number of cellular responses required by human physiology. A variety of GPCRs are involved in the control of blood pressure and the maintenance of normal function of cardiovascular system. Hypertension contributes to the damages of heart, brain, kidney, intestine and other organs. Many GPCRs are expressed in various organs to regulate blood pressure. Although many GPCRs have been used as therapeutic targets for hypertension, their efficacy has not been fully studied. The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the role of GPCRs in blood pressure regulation and its distribution in target organs. The relationship between GPCRs related to intestinal microorganisms and blood pressure is emphasized. It is proposed that traditional Chinese medicine may be a new way to treat hypertension by regulating the related GPCRs via intestinal microbial metabolites.

This study was performed to compare the genetic diversity, virulence, and antimicrobial resistance ofA total of 38 clinical strains and 19 strains from healthy individuals were isolated from the samples collected in Ma'anshan City, Anhui Province. Their taxonomy was investigated using concatenatedThe 57The taxonomy, virulence properties, and antibiotic resistance of

The characteristics of DOM chemical fractions in road runoff with different traffic density were analyzed using excitation emission matrix spectroscopy (EEMs) technology, UV-vis spectra, and FTIR spectroscopy. The results showed that hydrophobic organics were the dominant components in DOM of road runoff, and hydrophobic neutral organics was the most abundant fraction. The hydrophilic organics in DOM of road runoff were mainly composed of protein-like substances. Both protein-like substances and fulvic-like acid substances were found in the hydrophobic organic matters. A high degree of aromatization and a low degree of humification were detected in hydrophobic organics, whereas the characteristics of hydrophilic organics were opposite. Some functional groups such as isomerized carboxyl and unsaturated C=C bonds were featured in acidic organics, and ether and ester groups, phenol, and alcohol were detected in alkaline and neutral organics. The substance composition and characteristics of DOM chemical fractions in road runoff were not affected by the traffic density. Traffic density influenced the quantity of substances in each chemical fraction only. With traffic density increasing, the matter content and the aromatization degree of DOM chemical fractions in road runoff increased, whereas the degree of humification decreased.

The first sequentially combined inorganic base promoted N-addition/[2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement reaction of α-alkylidene pyrazolinones and propargyl sulfonium salts has been reported to construct homoallyl sulfur-containing pyrazolones with moderate to excellent yields. α-Alkylidene pyrazolinones function as N-nucleophilic agents distinguished from the reported C-addition reactions. Propargyl sulfonium salts were first involved in the [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement protocol differentiated from the well-established annulation reactions. The excellent regioselectivity, the broad scope of substrates, gram-scale synthesis and convenient transformation embody the synthetic superiority of this cascade process.

A novel electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensor based on CdSe@CdS quantum dots (QDs) functionalized MoS2 modified electrode was developed for sensitive detection of Pb(II) using HRP-mimicking DNAzyme biocatalytic precipitation (BCP) for ECL signal quenching. Polycationic poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) and negatively charged QDs were adsorbed on the surface of MoS2, in sequence, to form the MoS2–QDs composites, which were employed as a matrix for the immobilization of the G-rich DNA strand, i.e., T30695. The MoS2–QDs were characterized by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, energy dispersive spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. CdSe@CdS QDs can produce an ECL signal using 0.1 M K2S2O8 as a co-reactant. T30695 can combine with Pb(II) ions to form a stable parallel G-quadruplex. The G-quadruplex can further combine with hemin to form DNAzyme, which can catalyze H2O2 and oxidize 4-chloro-1-naphthol (4-CN) to produce an insoluble precipitation of benzo-4-chlorohexadienone on the surface of the sensor. When the concentration of Pb(II) in the solution was increased, more of DNAzyme was generated and subsequently more 4-CN molecules were oxidized catalytically, leading to a decrease of the ECL signal. Using this quenching strategy, the ECL signal of the biosensor was linearly dependent on the logarithm of the Pb(II) concentration ranging from 1.0 × 10−15 to 1.0 × 10−11 M with a detection limit of 0.98 f M. The stability and selectivity of the sensor were also investigated. The sensor was applied in the determination of Pb(II) in the real water samples and satisfactory results were obtained.

Polycrystalline samples of Sr3YCo4-xCuxO10.5+δ (x=0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6) have been prepared by solid state reaction method. Crystal structure has been checked by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the results indicate that Sr3YCo4-xCuxO10.5+δ (x=0, 0.2, 0.4) with single phase have been synthesized in air, and the lattice parameters of Sr3YCo4-xCuxO10.5+δ (x=0, 0.2, 0.4) increase with increasing Cu content. Microstructure analysis demonstrates that the grain sizes enlarge and the number of pores decreases with increasing Cu content. The change of porous structure with different Cu contents is discussed by the liquid sintering theory. The temperature dependence of resistivity (ρ-T) curves of Sr3YCo4-xCuxO10.5+δ show nonmetallic behavior. And the electrical resistivity decreases successively with increasing Cu content, which is caused by the porous structure scattering the carriers as well as the increase of hole carriers.

SUMMARYLeaves of Nagafu No. 6 were transformed by the Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated method, and 158 hyg-resistant buds were obtained. Using fresh leaf tissue, seven positive lines were obtained by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with total DNA, and four by reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR) with total RNA. The results showed that the MhTGA2 gene was successfully transformed into Nagafu No. 6 plants and expressed. At 4 months after transplanting, photosynthetic parameters of young leaves were determined using transgenic and control plants prior to the determination of leaf surface characteristics (epidermal structure and stomatal distribution) by scanning electronic microscopy. The results showed that the net photosynthesis rate, the instantaneous carboxylation rate and stomatal conductance of transgenic plants were higher than the control, whereas the internal carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations of the transgenic plants were lower. Under non-saline conditions, the stomata of the transgenic plants were better distributed than in the control. Under saline conditions, the epidermal structure of the control leaves was severely hypohydrated and the quantity of stomata was significantly decreased. Conversely, the epidermal structure of transgenic leaves was not significantly altered, indicating salt-stress tolerance. The overall results suggested that MhTGA2 may play a crucial role in the response to salt stress in Nagafu No. 6.

Basic leucine zipper (bZIP) proteins form one of the largest families of transcription factors, and their individual contributions in a particular regulatory network remain difficult to assess. Here, we identified and functionally characterized the Malus hupehensis bZIP transcription factor designated MhTGA2 from M. hupehensis leaves treated with salicylic acid (SA). The MhTGA2 protein was localized in the nucleus. The expression of MhTGA2 was higher in leaves than in stems and roots. This gene was significantly induced by SA, methyl jasmonate, and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid and weakly induced by abscisic acid. The gene was clearly induced by low temperature (4°C) and NaCl and weakly induced by polyethylene glycol but not induced by apple ring spot pathogens. Overexpression of the MhTGA2 gene in transgenic tobacco plants conferred enhanced resistance to NaCl at the stage of seed germination and in seedlings, and it conferred resistance to mannitol at the stage of seed germination. Furthermore, ...

Based on numerical simulation of computing Software ANSYS, the curve of arching coefficient variation of pressure arch due to actual mining was analyzed aiming to a special mining face, the law of stress transfer and change in surrounding rock was discussed, and the evolving features and characteristics of pressure arch was obtained. The analysis and discussion show the following facts: Arch body will become thicker and stress in the arch body increases with working face’s driving distance increasing; the morphology of pressure arch transits from ellipsoid with long axis in the vertical direction to ellipsoid with long axis in the horizontal direction along the trend of working face; along the tendency of working face, the morphology of pressure arch is a ellipsoid with long axis in the vertical direction.

In proof-of-work (PoW)-based blockchain network, the blockchain miners publish blocks by contributing computing power to solve crypto-puzzles. Due to the weak computing power of single miner, miners tend to join a mining pool and share the profits from the mining pool according to the contribution proportions of the miners. However, some miners may initiate block withholding attack which may result in wasting computing power, even threatening the efficiency of the blockchain network. To address this problem, in this paper, we use the biform game model to optimize the miners' strategy choices. We firstly formulate the mining process as a non-cooperative–cooperative biform game model. We use the model to exhibit miners' strategy choices (non-cooperation stage) and the cooperation mining process (cooperation stage). Then we set the conditions to maintain the voluntary honest behavior of miners. After that, we employ the semi-CIS (semi-the center of imputation set value) value to compute the solutions of the cooperative games in the cooperation stage, and optimize miners' strategy choices to prevent the block withholding attack. Hence we can ensure the blockchain network is secure. Finally, the validity and applicability of the proposed model and method are verified by a numerical example.

The complex bis(μ-sulfur)-sulfur-[N-phenyl-N′-(2-nitrobenzoyl)-thiourea]copper (I) was obtained from the reaction between the N-phenyl-N′-(2-nitrobenzoyl)-thiourea(HL) and copper(II). The compound was characterized by IR and 1H NMR, 13C NMR spectroscopy and its structure was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The complex is binuclear with two copper(I) ions coordinated by a terminal sulfur, two bridging sulfurs, and a HL molecule. In addition, the compound is also a considerable plant-growth regulator. Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Silicon and the Related Elements to view the free supplemental file.

A convenient method for the preparation of hydrazone derivatives from condensation reaction of [3-phenoxymethyl-4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazole-5-yl-thio]acetyl hydrazine with various substituted benzaldehydes under conditions of microwave irradiation has been developed. This method has many merits including high yields, short reaction times, ease of work-up, and simple operation. All of the compounds have been characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, IR spectra and elemental analysis. In addition, the preliminary biological activity tests showed that some of the title compounds remarkably enhanced the root elongation of rape seedings; moreover, some compounds possessed antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis. Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Silicon and the Related Elements to view the free supplemental file.

Stroke has been the main cause of death in most urban residents in China since the 1990s. A community-based intervention trial carried out in China aimed to reduce the incidence and mortality of stroke. In 1991, two well-matched communities each with approximately 50,000 people were selected as intervention or control communities in the urban areas of Beijing, Shanghai and Changsha. Regular health education and health promotion activities were carried out between 1991 and 2000 in the intervention communities but no special action was taken in the control communities. Both fatal and nonfatal stroke cases were meticulously registered during the study in the two communities to assess the effect of long-term intervention. The trend in stroke incidence and the effect of intervention on stroke incidence were analyzed using a Poisson regression model adjusted for age, sex, year and city. Between 1991 and 2000, 2,273 first-ever stroke cases were registered in the intervention communities and 3,015 in the control communities. Geographic variation and changes in the incidence of stroke and its subtypes were found among these 3 cities. Through 10 years of intervention, incidence risks of all, ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes decreased by 11.4% (relative risk 0.8959; 95% confidence interval, CI, 0.8483–0.9460; p < 0.0001), 13.2% (relative risk 0.8676; 95% CI 0.8054–0.9345; p = 0.0002) and 7.2% (relative risk 0.9283; 95% CI 0.8517–1.0117; p = 0.0899), respectively, in the intervention compared with control communities. Accordingly, comprehensive community-based intervention measures could effectively reduce the incidence of stroke in the population.

To investigate the off-label use of oral glucocorticoids in outpatients.The information of outpatient glucocorticoids prescriptions from January 1st to June 30th in 2012 were collected from the information system in our hospital, then the software of Excel was employed to statistically analyze the data including the amount of drugs used in different departments,as well as the age, sex, and diagnosis of the patients. The diagnoses were compared with those included in the labels approved by China Food and Drug Administration and US Food and Drug Administration and domestic and foreign guidelines.It was found that 16.53% of the cases were off-label use,and dexamethasone had the highest proportion (60.50%) of off-label use. Most of the off-label use had evidence support, such as multiple myeloma and myasthenia gravis, while some cases did not, such as epilepsy and sudden deafness.The management of off-label use should be further strengthened to promote the safe and rational use of glucocorticoids.

Background and Purpose— For the past 2 decades, stroke has been a principal cause of death in China, and stroke incidence tends to increase with the increase of stroke-related risk factors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of urban community-based intervention on 3-year survival and recurrence after first-ever stroke. Methods— Two communities with a registered population of ≈50 000 each were selected as either intervention or control communities in Beijing during 1991 to 2000. Comprehensive intervention measures including the management of high-risk population and the health education of whole community population were regularly implemented. Then the influence of community intervention on 3-year survival and recurrence after initial stroke was evaluated. Results— Within 3 years, 41.85% of 736 patients in the intervention community died whereas 40.34% of 818 patients in the control community died. Of 223 cases from the intervention community, 26 (11.66%) had a recurrent stroke within 3 years versus 52 (20.80%) of 250 cases from the control community. The statistical difference was found. Compared with the control community, the death risk of first-ever stroke in the intervention community decreased by 26% (relative risk [RR]=0.74; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.61 to 0.89; P =0.002); especially, that of hemorrhagic stroke decreased by 39% (RR=0.61; 95%CI: 0.46 to 0.81; P =0.001). Compared with the control community, the recurrence risk of first-ever stroke from the intervention community decreased by 42% (RR=0.58; 95% CI: 0.34 to 1.00; P =0.048). Conclusion— Community intervention may be effective and beneficial to the recurrence prevention and survival improvement of stroke, especially hemorrhagic stroke.

A door-to-door two-phase study was used to investigate the prevalence of senile dementia in an urban community of Beijing. In the study population, 5,003 individuals aged 60 years and older (≥65 years, n = 3,728) were screened at home with the Chinese version of the MMSE. Persons who screened positive for dementia, using different cutoff scores based on degree of literacy, were further evaluated using the criteria of DSM-III-R and ICD-10. Among subjects who screened positive in phase I, 134 were diagnosed as having dementia in phase II. The prevalence ratios of dementia were 2.68% in the population aged 60 years and older, and 3.49% in the population aged 65 years and older. The prevalence rates among those aged 65 years and older were 1.85% for Alzheimer’s disease, 1.37% for vascular dementia and 0.27% for other dementia (including mixed dementia). The prevalence of all dementia and AD increased steeply with advancing age and was consistently higher in women, but it was not obviously higher for VaD in women. Alzheimer’s disease was the commonest type of dementia. Our prevalence figures for dementia and AD are similar to those previously reported for China.

Background and Purpose —Stroke has been the second leading cause of death in large cities in China since the 1980s. Meanwhile, the prevalences of hypertension and smoking have steadily increased over the last 2 decades. Therefore, a community-based intervention trial was initiated in 7 Chinese cities in 1987. The overall goal of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention aimed at reducing multiple risk factors for stroke. The primary study objective was to reduce the incidence of stroke by 25% over 3.5 years of intervention. Methods —In May 1987 in each of 7 the cities, 2 geographically separated communities with a registered population of about 10 000 each were selected as either intervention or control communities. In each community, a cohort containing about 2700 subjects (≥35 years old) free of stroke was sampled, and a survey was administered to obtain baseline data and screen the eligible subjects for intervention. In each city, a program of treatment for hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes was instituted in the intervention cohort (n≈2700) and health education was provided to the full intervention community (n≈10 000). A follow-up survey was conducted in 1990. Comparisons of intervention and control cohorts in each city were pooled to yield a single summary. Results —A total of 18 786 subjects were recruited to the intervention cohort and 18 876 to the control cohort from 7 cities. After 3.5 years, 174 new stroke cases had occurred in the intervention cohort and 253 in the control cohort. The 3.5-year cumulative incidence of total stroke was significantly lower in the intervention cohort than the control cohort (0.93% versus 1.34%; RR=0.69; 95% CI, 0.57 to 0.84). The incidence rates of nonfatal and fatal stroke, as well as ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, were significantly lower in the intervention cohort than the control cohort. The prevalence of hypertension increased by 4.3% in the intervention cohort and by 7.8% in the control cohort. The average systolic and diastolic blood pressures increased more in the control cohort than in the intervention cohort. Among hypertensive individuals in the intervention cohort, awareness of hypertension increased by 6.7% and the percentage of hypertensives who regularly took antihypertensive medication increased 13.2%. All of these indices became worse in the control cohort. The prevalence of heart diseases and diabetes increased significantly in the both cohorts ( P Conclusions —A community-based intervention for stroke reduction is feasible and effective in the cities of China. The reduction, due to the intervention, in the incidence of stroke in the intervention cohort was statistically significant after 3.5 years of intervention. The sharp reduction in the incidence of stroke may be due to the interventions having blunted the expected increase in hypertension that accompanies aging as well as to better and earlier treatment of hypertension, particularly borderline hypertension. Applied health education to all the residents of the community may have prevented some normotensive individuals from developing hypertension and improved overall health awareness and knowledge.

To detect the expression of phosphorylated-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (p-Stat3) and myeloid leukemia-1 (Mcl-1) as well as their correlation, and to investigate the functional role of Stat3 and Mcl-1 in the pathogenesis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).Stat3 activity in ESCC cells was inhibited with JAK/Stat3 inhibitors (AG490 or JSI-124). Specific siRNA was used to inhibit the Stat3 expression. Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. Expression of Mcl-1 protein was determined by Western blotting. Expression of phospho-Stat3 (Tyr705) and myeloid leukemia-1 (Mcl-1) proteins in ESCC tissues was detected by tissue microarray and immunohistochemistry. The relationship between p-Stat3 or Mcl-1 aberrant expression and clinicopatholohical features of ESCC was analyzed. The correlation of their expression was also analyzed.Suppression of the Stat3 signaling activation in ESCC cells led to marked apoptosis, and dramatic reduction of Mcl-1 protein. The positive rate of phospho-Stat3 (Tyr705) expression was 45.0% in 50/111 of the ESCC tissue samples. The lower the degree of tumor differentiation, the higher the positive rate of phospho-Stat3 (Tyr705), showing a significant difference (P = 0.018). The positive rate of Mcl-1 protein expression was 72.1% (80/111), and the lower the degree of tumor differentiation was, the higher there was the positive rate of Mcl-1, with a significant difference (P = 0.026). There was a positive correlation between the expressions of p-Stat3 and Mcl-1 proteins (P = 0.012).In a subset of ESCC tissues, p-Stat3 (Tyr705) and Mcl-1 are overexpressed and positively correlated with each other, and both are correlated with tumor differentiation. Persistent activation of Stat3 contributes to apoptotic resistance in ESCC cells, and may be at least partly mediated through upregulation of Mcl-1.

Although survival rates for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), especially in children, have shown dramatic improvement over time, poor outcomes are still observed in patients who have refractory or relapsed disease after conventional chemotherapy. New therapeutic options are urgently needed. Bortezomib (Velcade, formerly PS-341) is the first proteasome inhibitor approved by the US FDA for the treatment of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma and relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma. Although the mechanisms of bortezomib anticancer activity are still not completely understood, it is a new treatment option for patients with refractory or relapsed ALL, particularly when used in combination with conventional chemotherapy or targeted agents. This review summarizes recent advancements in the understanding of the bortezomib molecular mechanism of action in ALL. Understanding of the molecular approaches might help customize cancer chemotherapy for each individual patient, directing the field towards rational therapeutics.

Background Treatment failure for breast cancer is frequently due to lymph node metastasis and invasion to neighboring organs. The aim of the present study was to investigate invasion- and metastasis-related genes in breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Identification of new targets will facilitate the developmental pace of new techniques in screening and early diagnosis. Improved abilities to predict progression and metastasis, therapeutic response and toxicity will help to increase survival of breast cancer patients. Methods Differential protein expression in two breast cancer cell lines, one with high and the other with low metastatic potential, was analyzed using two-dimensional liquid phase chromatographic fractionation (Proteome Lab PF 2D system) followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS). Results Up regulation of α-subunit of ATP synthase was identified in high metastatic cells compared with low metastatic cells. Immunohistochemical analysis of 168 human breast cancer specimens on tissue microarrays revealed a high frequency of ATP synthase α-subunit expression in breast cancer (94.6%) compared to normal (21.2%) and atypical hyperplasia (23%) breast tissues. Levels of ATP synthase expression levels strongly correlated with large tumor size, poor tumor differentiation and advanced tumor stages (P < 0.05). ATP synthase α-subunit over-expression was detected on the surface of a highly invasive breast cancer cell line. An antibody against the ATP synthase α-subunit inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion in these breast cancer cells but not that of a non-tumor derived breast cell line. Conclusions Over-expression of ATP synthase α-subunit may be involved in the progression and metastasis of breast cancer, perhaps representing a potential biomarker for diagnosis, prognosis and a therapeutic target for breast cancer. This finding of this study will help us to better understand the molecular mechanism of tumor metastasis and to improve the screening, diagnosis, as well as prognosis and/or prediction of responses to therapy for breast cancer.

Fuji is susceptible to fungal diseases like apple powdery mildew. Non-expressor of pathogenesis-related gene 1 (NPR1) plays a key role in regulating salicylic acid (SA)-mediated systemic acquired resistance (SAR). Previous studies show that overexpressing the Malus hupehensis-derived NPR1 (MhNPR1) gene in tobacco induces the transcript expression of pathogenesis-related genes (PRs) and resistance to the fungus Botrytis cinerea. In this study we introduced the MhNPR1 gene into the ‘Fuji’ apple via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Four transgenic apple lines were verified by PCR and RT-PCR. The semi-quantitative RT-PCR results showed that transcript overexpression of the MhNPR1 gene induced the expression of MdPRs and MdMLO genes known to interact with powdery mildew. Furthermore, the transgenic apple plants resisted infection by apple powdery mildew better than the wild-type plants. As a result, transcript overexpression of the MhNPR1 gene induced SAR and enhanced the Fuji apple’s resistance to fungal disease.

People-oriented modern moral values and ideals and the origin of thinking. In this paper, on ideological and political education of existing problems, ideological and political education that college students should be people-oriented, continuous improvement and innovation ideological and educational work, and actively improve the ideological and political education, effective, attractive, appealing.

Background Many studies have been done to find out the molecular mechanism of systemic acquired resistance (SAR) in plants in the past several decades. Numbers of researches have been carried out in the model plants such as arabidopsis, tobacco, rice and so on, however, with little work done in woody plants especially in fruit trees such as apple. Components of the pathway of SAR seem to be extremely conserved in the variety of species. Malus hupehensis, which is origin in China, is strong resistance with rootstock. In the study, we attempted to make the expression pattern of pathogenesis related (PR) genes which were downstream components of the SAR pathway in response to salicylic acid(SA), methyl jasmonate(MeJA) and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid(ACC) in Malus hupehensis. Findings In order to analyze the expression pattern, the partial sequence of three PR genes from Malus hupehensis, MhPR1, MhPR5 and MhPR8 was isolated. These three PR genes were induced by SA, MeJA and ACC. However, MhPR1, MhPR5 and MhPR8 performed a distinct pattern of expression in different plant organs. MhPR5 and MhPR8 were basal expression in leaves, stems and roots, and MhPR1 was basal expression only in stems. The expression of MhPR1, MhPR5 and MhPR8 was enhanced during the first 48 h post-induced with SA, MeJA and ACC. Conclusions The results showed that a distinct pattern of expression of PR genes in Malus hupehensis which differed from the previous reports on model plants arabidopsis, tobacco and rice. MhPR1, MhPR5 and MhPR8 were induced by SA, MeJA and ACC, which were regarded as the marker genes in the SAR response in Malus hupehensis. In contrast with herbal plants, there could be specific signal pathway in response to SA, JA and ET for woody plants.

To observe whether the community-based management for patients with hypertension can reduce the incidence of stroke.Sample of this study included 36 863 people aged 35 years or more who came from a cohort consisting three communities from Tiantan Hospital, Puren Hospital and the Gymnasium Road Hospital in Beijing, based on the surveys on the Integrated Community Intervention Measures of Cerebro-vascular Diseases. Some patients with hypertension in this cohort were followed up and under management. First-ever stroke was considered as the end-point event.In both groups diagnosed as borderline hypertension or definite hypertension group, the rates of management and control showed an annual increase. The management rate for women was higher, but the control rate was lower (P0.05) than that for men. In the third year of this study, the control rate was nearly 18%. With the qualification of control rate, the risk factors of overall stroke, ischemic stroke or hemorrhagic stroke reduced gradually, and the qualification of control rate showed more effects on hemorrhagic stroke. The qualification of control rate in the three years could cause the risk factors of total stroke, ischemic stroke or hemorrhagic stroke to reduce by 25.7%, 19.1%, 27.4%, respectively. When comparing with blood pressure level at160/95 mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa), the level of140/90 mm Hg could reduce the risk factors as: 12.3% to total stroke, 12.8% to ischemic stroke and 14.9% to hemorrhagic stroke.Programs as long-term followed-up and management for patients with hypertension, and control the blood pressure at low level etc. could significantly reduce the incidence of stroke.

Esophagin/SPRR3 is one of the cornified-envelope structural precursor proteins, which is expressed during epithelia cell differentiation. In 1996, another research group discovered, and our own laboratory subsequently confirmed, frequent and dramatic decreased Esophagin/SPRR3 expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, the role of Esophagin/SPRR3 in tumorigenesis of esophageal epithelium remains undetermined. In this study, we demonstrate that expression of Esophagin/SPRR3 is frequently downregulated in ESCC. In contrast, no correlations between downregulation of Esophagin/SPRR3 expression and clinicopathologic characteristics were observed. Diminished Esophagin/SPRR3 expression was present in dysplastic epithelia, suggesting that Esophagin/SPRR3 alteration could represent an early event in squamous carcinogenesis of the esophagus. Exogenous expression of Esophagin/SPRR3 significantly suppressed the ability of ESCC cells to form colonies in plastic and soft agar, as well as tumor formation in vivo. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end label assay and immunofluorescence analysis of the active form of Caspase 3 indicated that dysregulated apoptosis might contribute to reduced tumorigenicity. In particular, upregulation of CDK11p46 protein was observed in ESCC cells expressing Esophagin/SPRR3, but not in control cells, indicating that Esophagin/SPRR3-induced apoptosis may be due, at least in part, to increased expression of CDK11p46 protein. These findings suggest that Esophagin/SPRR3 may play a role in the maintenance of normal esophageal epithelial homeostasis, and that aberrant expression of Esophagin/SPRR3 may contribute to the tumorigenesis of ESCC.

To evaluate the effect of a long-term community-based intervention program on risk factors of stroke among people with different risk factors.In 1987,2 geographically separated communities with 10 000 registered residents of each, were selected as either intervention or control communities in Beijing and Changsha. A cohort containing 2700 subjects at the age of 35 years or older,and free of stroke were sampled from each community. The baseline survey was conducted to screen the subjects at high risk for intervention and there were 5319 and 5506 subjects enrolled in intervention and control cohorts,respectively. Then,a program for controlling the risk factors of stroke was initiated in the intervention cohort and health education was provided to the whole intervention community. A follow-up survey was conducted in 1999. The information on incidence and mortality of stroke was collected.Comparing with the control cohort, the risk of incidence and mortality of stroke decreased by 22 % ( HR = 0.78,95 % CI:0. 66-0.92) and 73 % (HR = 0.27,95 % CI:0. 17-0.42) in intervention cohort. The risks of stroke were lower in intervention cohort than in control cohort among almost all of the sub-groups with or without risk factors of stroke except for being male,current smokers and current alcohol drinkers. The risk of death caused by stroke decreased significantly in those with or without the risk factors of stroke.The long-term community intervention on the risk factors of stroke could effectively reduce the risk of incidence and mortality of stroke among people with or without the risk factors of stroke. More attention should be paid to the males and those who smoke or drink alcohol.

Highly expressed in cancer (Hec 1), locating at centromere during cell mitosis, plays an important role in the pathway of spindle checkpoint. Hec 1-Nuf 2 complex is the structural basis for the recruitment of Mad 1/Mad 2 complex of spindle checkpoint. Hec 1 can interact with the subunit of 26S proteasome and inhibit the degradation of cyclins. It was initially identified as a protein interacting with Rb by yeast two-hybridization assay. Rb interacts with Hec 1 to regulate the binding ability of Smc 1 with DNA and participates in the regulation of M phase. Hec 1 mainly expresses at G2/M phase and functions through the phosphorylation by kinase Nek 2. Hec 1 is over expressed in some cancer cell lines and amplified in tumor tissues. The dysfunction of Hec 1 gene may cause severe impediment of chromosome separation and finally lead to chromosome instability, which is closely associated with the occurrence and development of tumors. Therefore, Hec 1 may become a new target of tumor gene therapy.

To study the chemical constituents of the roots of Euphorbia soongarica (Xinjiang origin).Compounds were isolated and purified by repeated normal column chromatography, preparative thin layer chromatography and Sephadex LH - 20 chromatography. The chemical structures were elucidated by NMR and MS spectra.Ten chemical constituents were isolated from the n-BuOH fraction and identified as ellagic acid (1) , 3, 3'-di-O-methylellagic acid (2) , 3, 3'-di-O-methylellagic acid-4'-O-alpha-D-arabinfuranoside (3), 3, 3'-di-O-methylellagic acid-4'-O-beta-D-xylopyranoside (4), 3, 3'-di-O-methylellagic acid-4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5), 3, 3', 4'-tri-O-methylellagic acid (6), 3-O-methylellagic acid-4'-O-beta-D-xylopyranoside (7), 3, 3', 4-tri-O-methylellagic acid-4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (8), brevifolin (9) and ethyl brevifolin carboxylate (10).All of above compounds were obtained from this plant for the first time.

Background and Purpose— To examine the incidence and trends of stroke and its major subtypes during the 1990s in 3 cities in China. Methods— Stroke cases registered between 1991 to 2000 were initially identified through the stroke surveillance networks established in Beijing, Shanghai, and Changsha, and then confirmed by neurologists. Results— The age-standardized incidence rates per 100 000 person years of overall first-ever stroke were 135.0 (95% CI, 126.5 to 144.6) in Beijing, 76.1 (70.6 to 82.6) in Shanghai, and 150.0 (141.3 to 160.0) in Changsha during the 1990s. Incidence of ischemic stroke (IS) was highest in Beijing, followed by Changsha and Shanghai; for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), the highest rate was found in Changsha, followed by Beijing and Shanghai. The same order as ICH was also observed for subarachnoid hemorrhage. The age-adjusted incidence of overall stroke and ICH for individuals ≥55 years of age in our populations was generally higher than that from Western populations. During the 1990s, ICH incidence decreased significantly at a rate of 12.0% per year in Beijing, 4.4% in Shanghai, and 7.7% in Changsha; in contrast, except for Changsha, IS incidence increased in Beijing (5.0% per year) and Shanghai (7.7%). Conclusions— There is a geographic variation in the incidence of stroke and its subtypes among these 3 cities, but the incidence of overall and hemorrhagic stroke in China is generally higher than that in the Western countries. Interestingly, the decrease in ICH and increase in IS during the past decade may reflect some underlying changes of risk factors in Chinese populations.

To evaluate the community-based intervention on reduction of hypertension and stroke in different age groups and subtypes hypertension.In 6 cities, 2 geographically separated communities with a registered population about 10 000 of each were selected as either intervention or control communities. A cohort containing 2 700 subjects, 35 years or older, and free of stroke were sampled from each community. The baseline survey was conducted to screen the subjects for intervention. In each city, a program for control of hypertension, heart diseases and diabetes was initiated in the intervention cohort and health education was provided to the whole intervention community. A follow-up survey was conducted 3 years later.Within 3 years, the prevalence of hypertension increased in both intervention and control cohorts, as well as in the middle and elderly cohorts, especially in the middle aged in control group. Among hypertensives in the intervention cohort, the rates of awareness, treatment and control of hypertension got improved. The incidence of stroke was 29% lower (HR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.58 - 0.87) and mortality of stroke was 40% lower (HR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.42 - 0.86) in the intervention cohort than the control cohort. The intervention was most effective in reduction of stroke for those with isolated systolic hypertension and combined systolic and diastolic hypertension (All P0.05). Meanwhile, all-cause mortality was 11% lower (HR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.78 - 0.99) in the intervention cohort than in the control cohort.The community-based intervention was effective in controlling the development of hypertension and stroke, while the elderly people benefit more than the middle aged people from the intervention.

To study the pharmacokinetics and relative bioavailability of salbutamol metered-dose inhaler (MDI) in healthy volunteers.An HPLC method for the determination of salbutamol in human plasma was improved. Ten healthy male Chinese volunteers were enrolled in a randomized crossover study. After the subjects inhaled or orally administered 1.2 mg salbutamol, fourteen blood samples were collected at predetermined time points. The concentrations of salbutamol in plasma were assessed with non-compartment model to obtain the pharmacokinetic parameters. The relative bioavailability of MDI versus water solution was calculated.The HPLC assay was sensitive, specific, accurate, and precise. The pharmacokinetics of salbutamol MDI was described well with two-compartment model. The parameters for salbutamol inhaled and orally administered were as following: T(max) (0.22+/-0.07) and (1.8+/-0.6) h, C(max) (3.4+/-1.1) and (3.9+/-1.4) microg/L, T(1/2) (4.5+/-1.5) and (4.6+/-1.1) h, AUC0-20 min (0.9+/-0.3) and (0.16+/-0.10) microg x h x L(-1), respectively. There were significant differences in T(max) and AUC0-20 min between the two dosage forms. The AUC0-20 min (inhal) was 8 times as high as the AUC0-20 min (po). The relative bioavailability of salbutamol MDI was 57 %+/-24 % compared with oral solution.The absorption process of salbutamol MDI in human was significantly different from that of oral solution.

As part of a longitudinal study performed in urban China, 37,655 subjects were evaluated for stroke risk factors, including having their blood pressure measured in a standard fashion. The cohort was followed for 3.5 years during which time 427 subjects experienced incident strokes – 221 ischemic, 203 hemorrhagic, and 3 undefined. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure were significantly related to risk of stroke and stroke type. Associations were stronger for systolic than diastolic blood pressure. These results emphasize the importance of systolic blood pressure, as opposed to diastolic, as a risk factor for stroke. In this study, the risk of stroke is increased by about 25% with each 10 mm Hg increase in systolic blood pressure.

Background and Purpose Incidence of stroke varies markedly in different world populations. In seven Chinese cities, the effect of a program of risk factor modification on the incidence and mortality of stroke was studied and compared with a control population. This article describes the incidence of stroke in the control populations for the years 1986 through 1990. Methods Incidence (first-ever strokes only) for 1986 was obtained by door-to-door interview with heads of households with subsequent verification on examination by a neurologist and review of medical and/or hospital records. In subsequent years, cases were ascertained with a three-tier monitoring system: by community health workers, local medical centers, and the Beijing Neurosurgical Institute. Results Average annual age-adjusted incidence per 100 000 was 215.6 (261.5 for males, 174.5 for females; P P Conclusions The stroke incidence rates in China, like those in Japan, are among the higher ones in the world. In recent years, there has been an apparent decline in stroke incidence. Marked differences in rates were found between males and females with decline in incidence occurring almost exclusively in males. There were also marked differences in stroke incidence among the cities studied. These differences may result in part from differences in diet, alcohol and cigarette consumption, or prevalence of hypertension.