Search

Atraphaxis has approximately 25 species and a distribution center in Central Asia. It has been previously used to hypothesize an origin from montane forest. We sampled 18 species covering three sections within the genus and sequenced five cpDNA spacers, atpB-rbcL, psbK-psbI, psbA-trnH, rbcL, and trnL-trnF. BEAST was used to reconstruct phylogenetic relationship and time divergences, and S-DIVA and Lagrange were used, based on distribution area and ecotype data, for reconstruction of ancestral areas and events. Our results appear compatible with designation of three taxonomic sections within the genus. The generic stem and crown ages were Eocene, approximately 47 Ma, and Oligocene 27 Ma, respectively. The origin of Atraphaxis is confirmed as montane, with an ancestral area consisting of the Junggar Basin and uplands of the Pamir-Tianshan-Alatau-Altai mountain chains, and ancestral ecotype of montane forest. Two remarkable paleogeographic events, shrinkage of the inland Paratethys Sea at the boundary of the late Oligocene and early Miocene, and the time intervals of cooling and drying of global climate from 24 (22) Ma onward likely facilitated early diversification of Atraphaxis, while rapid uplift of the Tianshan Mountains during the late Miocene may have promoted later diversification., (© 2014 Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences.)

Purpose: To compare the amount of debris extruded apically from root canals when different irrigants were used., Methods: Fifty-eight extracted single-rooted human mandibular premolars with straight root canals were used. The teeth were randomly divided into control group (group A, n=7) and 3 experimental groups (group B,C,D,n=17). All teeth were prepared for root canal therapy, and 3 different irrigants were used (group B: 1% sodium hypochlorite; group C: 2.5% sodium hypochlorite; group D: 17% EDTA). Debris extruded from the apical foramen during root canal irrigation was collected into tubes and the amount of debris extruded was counted and analyzed. Statistical significance was assessed by Student-Newman-Keuls test with SPSS 13.0 software package., Results: Group B, C, D had more amount of extruded debris, which was significantly different from the control group (P<0.05). Group C had the highest amount of extruded debris,which was significantly different from the other group (P<0.05)., Conclusions: The type of irrigants used can affect the amount of apically extruded debris. 2.5% sodium hypochlorite can produce more apically extruded debris. 1% sodium hypochlorite and 17% EDTA are better than 2.5% sodium hypochlorite in terms of irrigation efficacy.

The objective of this study was to analyze the clinical feature of hepatitis delta virus (HDV)-infected patients and to discuss the pathological mechanism of hepatitis D. A total of 507 patients with hepatitis due to the infection of HDV were included. The incidence rates of various hepatitis subtypes, the sequelae, the clinical manifestation, the hepatic function, and the hepatic virus makers for all the 507 patients were analyzed statistically. A cohort of 213 patients with hepatitis B, who were also HDV free, served as the control. HDV infection significantly contributed to the increased incidence rate and mortality of severe hepatitis (SH) and cirrhosis (P < 0.01). HDV was also associated with higher incidence rates of hemorrhage in the gastrointestinal tract, abdominal ascites and hepatic encephalopathy, repetitive augmentation of alanine transaminase, and its enhanced magnitude (P < 0.01 or 0.05). The major liver function changes in patients with SH or chronic serious hepatitis was significant compared to the control (P < 0.01). Within the HDV(+) category, HBeAg(-) expression was significantly higher in the HBV DNA(-) group than the HBV DNA(+) group (P < 0.01). The expression of HDAg(+) HBeAg(-) in acute hepatitis, SH, and cirrhosis was significantly higher than that of HDAg(+) HBeAg(+) (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). The HDV infection was closely associated with the development and prognosis of chronic serious hepatitis, SH, and cirrhosis. HDV infection could inhibit the HBV DNA replication or the HBcAg expression. The direct cytotoxicity of HDV might be the leading pathological factor in AH. HDV might play a major role in the deterioration and chronicization of HDV-co-infected hepatitis B and was responsible for the increased mortality of HBV/HDV patients.

Background: Crossed cerebellar diaschisis (CCD) was a common radiological phenomenon manifested as reduced blood flow and metabolism in the cerebellar hemisphere contralateral to a supratentorial cerebral lesion. The hypoperfusion and hypometabolism in the contralateral cerebellum in CCD was traditionally detected by positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). The present prospective study aimed to assess the detection of CCD in subacute stage ischemic stroke by arterial spin-labeling (ASL) perfusion technique with a 3.0-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner., Methods: ASL images were obtained from 46 patients with supratentorial ischemic stroke at subacute stage. Regional cerebral blood flow values in the cerebellar hemispheres were measured on a region of interest basis., Results: Twenty-four of 46 (52%) patients showed CCD phenomenon by ASL-MRI method, which was in line with the PET/SPECT series. Infarctions in basal ganglia areas are prone to cause CCD., Conclusions: With advantages in easy acquisition and no radiation, ASL-MRI seems to be an ideal tool for the detection and follow-up of CCD., (Copyright © 2014 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Fish roe, a nutritious food, is favored by consumers, but has also been confirmed to be allergenic in salmonid fish. However, little information is available in other fish species. To determine the allergen in the roe of large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea), crude extracts were incubated with sera of allergic patients. The major allergen was purified by column chromatography methods, revealing a single band with 16 kDa and was confirmed as β'-component (β'-c) by mass spectrometry. The results of physicochemical characterization showed that β'-c was a glycoprotein and was relatively stable following thermal or acid/alkali treatment. Furthermore, β'-c was easily degraded by pepsin, but was resistant to trypsin and α-chymotrypsin. After treatment with different processing methods, including Maillard reaction (MR), ultraviolet radiation (UVR), ultrasound-heat (UH), and retorting (RT), the IgG-binding activity of β'-c decreased obviously by MR, but decreased slightly by UVR and UH. Cross-immunoreactivity results of the allergens in the roes of different species revealed that β'-c was a specific allergen in teleostean, and the cross-immunoreactivity between the roe of large yellow croaker and other kinds of fish roe was relatively strong., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

While the adult human heart has very limited regenerative potential, the adult zebrafish heart can fully regenerate after 20% ventricular resection. Although previous reports suggest that developmental signaling pathways such as FGF and PDGF are reused in adult heart regeneration, the underlying intracellular mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here we show that H2O2 acts as a novel epicardial and myocardial signal to prime the heart for regeneration in adult zebrafish. Live imaging of intact hearts revealed highly localized H2O2 (~30 μM) production in the epicardium and adjacent compact myocardium at the resection site. Decreasing H2O2 formation with the Duox inhibitors diphenyleneiodonium (DPI) or apocynin, or scavenging H2O2 by catalase overexpression markedly impaired cardiac regeneration while exogenous H2O2 rescued the inhibitory effects of DPI on cardiac regeneration, indicating that H2O2 is an essential and sufficient signal in this process. Mechanistically, elevated H2O2 destabilized the redox-sensitive phosphatase Dusp6 and hence increased the phosphorylation of Erk1/2. The Dusp6 inhibitor BCI achieved similar pro-regenerative effects while transgenic overexpression of dusp6 impaired cardiac regeneration. H2O2 plays a dual role in recruiting immune cells and promoting heart regeneration through two relatively independent pathways. We conclude that H2O2 potentially generated from Duox/Nox2 promotes heart regeneration in zebrafish by unleashing MAP kinase signaling through a derepression mechanism involving Dusp6.

Importance: Little is known about the necessity of multiple same-day intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements in describing the effect of IOP-lowering surgical procedures, and such evidence could affect surgical trial recruitment and retention of participants., Objective: To determine whether a single IOP measurement might adequately approximate the mean of several measurements in glaucoma surgical trials., Design, Setting, and Participants: A prospective, multicenter, interventional cohort from the prerandomization phase of a randomized clinical trial evaluating use of a supraciliary implant for treatment of IOP was conducted at multiple ophthalmology clinics. A total of 609 patients (609 eyes) with primary open-angle glaucoma and cataract were included., Interventions: One IOP measurement was made while patients were receiving their usual medications to lower IOP, and 3 IOP measurements were made at 8 am, 12 pm, and 4 pm after patients underwent washout of all IOP-lowering eyedrops., Main Outcomes and Measures: The proportion of eyes in which the increase in IOP after washout, using the mean of the 3 measurements, differed by more than 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, or 2.0 mm Hg from the increase in IOP after washout using only 1 of the postwashout measurements. A proportion of 10% or less at the 1.5-mm Hg cutoff was considered clinically acceptable. The hypothesis was formulated after data collection but before the data were examined., Results: The mean (SD) IOP before washout was 18.5 (4.0) mm Hg. The mean increase in IOP after washout, using the mean of the 3 measurements, was 5.3 (4.2) mm Hg. The percentage of eyes in which the increase in IOP using a single postwashout IOP differed from the increase in IOP using the mean of 3 measurements by more than 1.5 mm Hg was 35.1%, 25.6%, 34.2%, 30.0%, and 31.4% when the single measurement was made at 8 am, 12 pm, 4 pm, a randomly chosen single measure of those 3 times, and the time closest to that of the prewashout IOP, respectively. By logistic regression, the 12 pm postwashout IOP had the lowest proportion of eyes differing from the mean (P < .001) and thus most closely approximated the mean diurnal IOP., Conclusions and Relevance: Although eliminating multiple IOP measurements would simplify the conduct of surgical trials in glaucoma, our data show that using a single IOP measurement after washout does not adequately approximate the mean of multiple IOP measurements.

In peroxisome, acyl-coenzyme A oxidase 1 (ACOX1) is the first rate-limiting enzyme of the fatty acid beta-oxidation pathway, which catalyzes the desaturation of acyl-CoAs to 2-trans-enoyl-CoAs. Two isoforms of acyl-coenzyme A oxidase 1 were firstly identified in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in this study. ACOX1 isoform1 (ACOX1i1) and ACOX1 isoform2 (ACOX1i2) were encoded by the single gene with 661 amino acids in length. The coding region of both isoforms consisted of 14 exons. The residues from 89 to 193 in ACOX1i1 were encoded by exon 3b, while in ACOX1i2 they were encoded by exon 3a. Homologous alignment analysis indicated that the varied region (the residues from 89 to 193) of ACOX1i1 was more conserved than ACOX1i2 in vertebrates (Mammalia, Aves, Amphibia and Pisces). The mRNA expression level of ACOX1i1 and ACOX1i2 was detected separately in eleven tissues and the results indicated that ACOXi1 expression was the highest in liver followed by kidney and brain, while the expression of ACOXi2 was the highest in kidney followed by liver. The normalized levels of both transcript variants were comparable in most tissues, however the level of ACOX1i2 was significantly higher than that of ACOX1i1 in white muscle and kidney (5.1 fold and 3.1 fold), and ACOX1i1 was significantly higher than ACOX1i2 in gill and brain (4.8 fold and 1.9 fold). In different nutritional states, the expression levels of both isoforms in liver were comparable between fasting and most of post-feeding time points, except that the expression at 3h post-feeding was significantly lower than others. The expression of ACOX1i1 in the kidney also showed the similar pattern, indicating the lowest expression at 8h post-feeding, however, no significant change was seen in ACOX2i2 among all nutritional states. These results suggested that ACOX1i1 and i2 may play different roles in tissues, and their expression levels were differently modulated by nutritional stage., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Food restriction (FR) and refeeding (Re) have been suggested to impair body mass regulation and thereby making it easier to regain the lost weight and develop over-weight when FR ends. However, it is unclear if this is the case in small mammals showing seasonal forging behaviors. In the present study, energy budget, body fat and serum leptin level were measured in striped hamsters that were exposed to FR-Re. The effects of leptin on food intake, body fat and genes expressions of several hypothalamus neuropeptides were determined. Body mass, fat content and serum leptin level decreased during FR and then increased during Re. Leptin supplement significantly attenuated the increase in food intake during Re, decreased genes expressions of neuropepetide Y (NPY) and agouti-related protein (AgRP) of hypothalamus and leptin of white adipose tissue (WAT). Hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) gene expression of WAT increased in leptin-treated hamsters that were fed ad libitum, but decreased in FR-Re hamsters. This indicates that the adaptive regulation of WAT HSL gene expression may be involved in the mobilization of fat storage during Re, which partly contributes to the resistance to FR-Re-induced overweight. Leptin may be involved in the down regulations of hypothalamus orexigenic peptides gene expression and consequently plays a crucial role in controlling food intake when FR ends.

The 210Pb(ex) activities and nutrient (TOC, TN and TP) contents in sediment cores of Fuxian Lake and Dianchi Lake were measured by traditional methods, as well as their vertical distribution and relationship were also comparatively analyzed in this paper. The study results indicated that the vertical distributions of 210Pb(ex) and nutrients were significantly different between Fuxian Lake and Dianchi Lake. The variation amplitude of 210Pb(ex) activities in Dianchi Lake was higher than that in Fuxian Lake. The disordered distribution characteristics of 210Pb(ex) in Dianchi Lake surface sediments were closely related to physicochemical migration of lead caused by human activities. The variation trends of nutrients in sediment cores were corresponded to local natural evolution and human activities in different historical periods. Relationship between 210Pb(ex) activities and nutrients were mainly affected by the nutrition level of lakes. The greater the lake eutrophication level was, the stronger the correlation was found. To the individual nutrient indicators, similar characteristics were shown in the two lakes, and the order was TOC > TP > TN.

Background: Myricaria consists of about twelve-thirteen species and occurs in Eurasian North Temperate zone, most species in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) and adjacent areas., Methodology/principal Findings: Twelve species of Myricaria plus two other genera Tamarix and Reaumuria in Tamaricaceae, were sampled, and four markers, ITS, rps16, psbB-psbH, and trnL-trnF were sequenced. The relaxed Bayesian molecular clock BEAST method was used to perform phylogenetic analysis and molecular dating, and Diva, S-Diva, and maximum likelihood Lagrange were used to estimate the ancestral area. The results indicated that Myricaria could be divided into four phylogenetic clades, which correspond to four sections within the genus, of them two are newly described in this paper. The crown age of Myricaria was dated to early Miocene ca. 20 Ma, at the probable early uplifting time of the Himalayas. The Himalayas were also shown as the center of origin for Myricaria from the optimization of ancestral distribution. Migration and dispersal of Myricaria were indicated to have taken place along the Asian Mountains, including the Himalayas, Kunlun, Altun, Hendukosh, Tianshan, Altai, and Caucasus etc., westward to Europe, eastward to Central China, and northward to the Mongolian Plateau., Conclusions/significance: Myricaria spatiotemporal evolution presented here, especially the Himalayan origin at early Miocene ca. 20 Ma, and then migrated westward and eastward along the Asian mountains, offers a significant evolutionary case for QTP and Central Asian biogeography.

Objective: To observe the effects and mechanism of Xiaoyao Powder extract on the content of melanin in co-culture model of melanoma cells and keratinocytes., Methods: Eluting components of Xiaoyao Powder was collected by AB-8 macroporous resin column. Different concentration extracts of Xiaoyao Powder were added into the co-culture model of A375 melanoma cells and HaCat ke- ratinocytes. Hunt method was used to detected the content of melanin. RT-PCR assay was used to detect the effects of the extract of Xi- aoyao Powder on the TYR,TRP-1 and TRP-2 mRNA expression in A375 melanoma cells., Results: Compared with the control group,the extract of Xiaoyao Powder down-regulated content of melanin and mRNA expression of TYR,TRP-1 and TRP-2 in A375 melanoma cells by 82.23% ,93. 01% and 29. 11% ,23.78% ,20. 05% ;25. 13% ,15.02% ,11.64% ,respectively(P < 0. 01)., Conclusion: The extract of Xiaoyao Powder can decrease the melanogenesis by down-regulating the mRNA expression of tyrosinase and its related protein.

Respiratory quotient (RQ) is one of the basic indices in physiology and energy metabolism of animals. When RQ is calculated, the amount of released CO2 is typically used directly. But for calcifying marine organisms, calcification which can affect dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) content in the water may cause methodological error to some extent, if it is ignored. In this paper, RQ and O/N of cultured oyster Crassostrea gigas and 3 marine fouling animal species (Mytilus edulis, Ciona intestinalis, Styela clava) were measured in the respiratory chamber to discuss the effect of calcification in RQ determination. The results demonstrated that calcification rates of C. gigas and M. edulis were (56.37 +/- 14.85) and (17.95 +/- 7.21) micromol x g(-1) x h(-1), respectively. (3.72 +/- 0.80) and (1.48 +/- 0.14) mg x L(-1) DIC in the water were correspondingly decreased, which occupied about (60.9 +/- 7.6)% and (39.9 +/- 5.7)% of respired CO2, respectively. RQ values of 4 animals were C. gigas 1.38 +0.19, M. edulis 1.18 +/- 0.11, C. intestinalis 1.11 +/- 0.05 and S. clava 1.32 +/- 0.19, which agreed with the O/N values except C. intestinalis. Meanwhile, the uncorrected RQ values of C. gigas and M. edulis were 0.56 +/- 0.19 and 0.70 +/- 0.04, respectively, which were contrary to the O/N values. Therefore, it was obviously that calcification could result in a significant influence on the respiratory quotient by affecting water DIC concentration and should be accurately calculated in RQ measurement.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia, and a recent genome-wide association study identified the hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel 4 (HCN4) as a novel AF susceptibility locus. HCN4 encodes for the cardiac pacemaker channel, and HCN4 mutations are associated with familial sinus bradycardia and AF., Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether novel variants in the coding region of HCN4 contribute to the susceptibility for AF., Methods: We sequenced the coding region of HCN4 for novel variants from 527 cases with early-onset AF from the Massachusetts General Hospital AF Study and 443 referents from the Framingham Heart Study. We used site-directed mutagenesis, cellular electrophysiology, immunocytochemistry, and confocal microscopy to functionally characterize novel variants., Results: We found the frequency of novel coding HCN4 variants was 2-fold greater for individuals with AF (7 variants) compared to the referents (3 variants). We determined that of the 7 novel HCN4 variants in our AF cases, 1 (p.Pro257Ser, located in the amino-terminus adjacent to the first transmembrane spanning domain) did not traffic to cell membrane, whereas the remaining 6 were not functionally different from wild type. In addition, the 3 novel variants in our referents did not alter function compared to wild-type. Coexpression studies showed that the p.Pro257Ser mutant channel failed to colocalize with the wild-type HCN4 channel on the cell membrane., Conclusion: Our findings are consistent with HCN4 haploinsufficiency as the likely mechanism for early-onset AF in the p.Pro257Ser carrier., (Copyright © 2014 Heart Rhythm Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Action potential-driven Ca(2+) currents from the transverse tubules (t-tubules) trigger synchronous Ca(2+) release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum of cardiomyocytes. Loss of t-tubules has been reported in cardiac diseases, including heart failure, but the effect of uncoupling t-tubules from the sarcolemma on cardiac muscle mechanics remains largely unknown. We dissected intact rat right ventricular trabeculae and compared force, sarcomere length, and intracellular Ca(2+) in control trabeculae with trabeculae in which the t-tubules were uncoupled from the plasma membrane by formamide-induced osmotic shock (detubulation). We verified disconnection of a consistent fraction of t-tubules from the sarcolemma by two-photon fluorescence imaging of FM4-64-labeled membranes and by the absence of tubular action potential, which was recorded by random access multiphoton microscopy in combination with a voltage-sensitive dye (Di-4-AN(F)EPPTEA). Detubulation reduced the amplitude and prolonged the duration of Ca(2+) transients, leading to slower kinetics of force generation and relaxation and reduced twitch tension (1 Hz, 30°C, 1.5 mM [Ca(2+)]o). No mechanical changes were observed in rat left atrial trabeculae after formamide shock, consistent with the lack of t-tubules in rodent atrial myocytes. Detubulation diminished the rate-dependent increase of Ca(2+)-transient amplitude and twitch force. However, maximal twitch tension at high [Ca(2+)]o or in post-rest potentiated beats was unaffected, although contraction kinetics were slower. The ryanodine receptor (RyR)2 Ca-sensitizing agent caffeine (200 µM), which increases the velocity of transverse Ca(2+) release propagation in detubulated cardiomyocytes, rescued the depressed contractile force and the slower twitch kinetics of detubulated trabeculae, with negligible effects in controls. We conclude that partial loss of t-tubules leads to myocardial contractile abnormalities that can be rescued by enhancing and accelerating the propagation of Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+) release to orphan RyR2 clusters., (© 2014 Ferrantini et al.)

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) content and bone biomechanics in osteoporosis rats so as to explore its mechanism underlying improvement of postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP)., Methods: Forty female SD rats (4.5 months old) were randomly divided into sham-operation (sham), model, medication and EA groups (10 rats/group). The rat's bilateral ovaries were removed to establish the PMOP model. For rats in the sham group, similar procedures were conducted except removing comparable weight of fat tissues around the ovaries. For rats in the EA group, "Guanyuan" (CV 4) was punctured with filiform needles and stimulated electrically (1 mA, 2 Hz) for 20 min, once a day for 30 days. For rats in the medication group, pentanoic acid estradiol (50 microg/500 g) was administrated by gavage. The serum IGF-1 content was examined by ELISA and the bone biomechanics measured by three-point bending tests, respectively., Results: Compared with the sham group, the serum IGF-1 level, femoral maximum load and fracture load were significantly reduced in the model group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). In comparison with the model group, these indexes were significantly increased in rats of the EA and medication groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), but without significant difference between the EA and medication groups (P > 0.05)., Conclusion: EA produces benefits on postmenopausal osteoporosis through increasing the serum IGF-1 contents and bone strength.

Background: Kluyveromyces marxianus has recently become a species of interest for ethanol production since it can produce ethanol at high temperature and on a wide variety of substrates. However, the reason why this yeast can produce ethanol at high temperature is largely unknown., Results: The ethanol fermentation capability of K. marxianus GX-UN120 at 40°С was found to be the same as that of Saccharomyces cerevisiae at 34°С. Zymogram analysis showed that alcohol dehydrogenase 1 (KmAdh1) was largely induced during ethanol production, KmAdh4 was constitutively expressed at a lower level and KmAdh2 and KmAdh3 were almost undetectable. The genes encoding the four alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs) were cloned from strain GX-UN120. Each KmADH was expressed in Escherichia coli and each recombinant protein was digested with enterokinase to remove the fusion protein. The optimum pH of the purified recombinant KmAdh1 was 8.0 and that of KmAdh2, KmAdh3 and KmAdh4 was 7.0. The optimum temperatures of KmAdh1, KmAdh2, KmAdh3 and KmAdh4 were 50, 45, 55 and 45°C, respectively. The K(m) values of the recombinant KmAdh1 and KmAdh2 were 4.0 and 1.2 mM for acetaldehyde and 39.7 and 49.5 mM for ethanol, respectively. The V(max) values of the recombinant KmAdh1 and KmAdh2 were 114.9 and 21.6 μmol min⁻¹ mg⁻¹ for acetaldehyde and 57.5 and 1.8 μmol min⁻¹ mg⁻¹ for ethanol, respectively. KmAdh3 and KmAdh4 catalyze the oxidation reaction of ethanol to acetaldehyde but not the reduction reaction of acetaldehyde to ethanol, and the K(m) values of the recombinant KmAdh3 and KmAdh4 were 26.0 and 17.0 mM for ethanol, respectively. The V(max) values of the recombinant KmAdh3 and KmAdh4 were 12.8 and 56.2 μmol min⁻¹ mg⁻¹ for ethanol, respectively., Conclusion: These data in this study collectively indicate that KmAdh1 is the primary ADH responsible for the production of ethanol from the reduction of acetaldehyde in K. marxianus. The relatively high optimum temperature of KmAdh1 may partially explain the ability of K. marxianus to produce ethanol at high temperature. Understanding the biochemical characteristics of KmAdhs will enhance our fundamental knowledge of the metabolism of ethanol fermentation in K. marxianus.

The first step of biodegradation is the contact of microorganism and pollutants, in order to examine the influence of phenanthrene on Sphingomonas sp. GY2B's surface properties during its degrading process, the bacteria was cultivated at different conditions, and detected by flow cytometry combined with fluorescent dyes for its surface changes. The results indicated that, the membrane structure had been certainly damaged during the degrading process, leading to an increased membrane permeability. Moreover, the destruction of bacteria membrane integrity became more serious with a higher pollutant concentration. At the concentration of 300 mg x L(-1), the ratio of stained bacterial cells/unstained cells was 12.44 after cultured for 60 h, while at 100 mg x L(-1) and 1.2 mg x L(-1), the ratios were 1.95 and 1.11, respectively. The results of fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) absorbance spectroscopy detection, the discrimination of death, injured and intact cells, and Zeta potential detection further verified the bacterial cell surface permeability changes. Flow cytometry combined with fluorescent dye propidium iodide was used to monitor the changes of bacterial membrane integrity on single-cell level which exhibited a good potential for exploring the changes of bacterial surface properties during the degrading progress and more deeply for investigating the degradation mechanism.

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation of "Mingmen" (GV 4) on the bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) content and biomechanics in osteoporosis rats so as to explore its mechanism underlying improvement of osteoporosis., Methods: Fifty female SD rats were randomized into sham operation (sham), model, EA-GV 4, EA-non-acupoint (non-acupoint) and estrogen (medication) groups, with 10 rats in each group. Postmenopausal osteoporosis model was established by removing the rats' bilateral ovaries under anesthesia. EA (2 Hz/15 Hz, 1.0 mA) was applied to "Mingmen" (GV 4) or non-acupoint for 20 min, once daily for 30 times, with one day's interval between every two 10 times. Rats of the medication group were lavaged with Pentanoic Acid Estradiol (25 microg/mL, 2 mL/500 g), once every day (the dosage of estradiol was adjusted according to their body weight) continuously for 1 month. Rats of the model and sham groups experienced the fixing and fastening procedures as the other rats in the EA and medication groups. After intervention, the BMP-2 expression level of the femoral bone tissue, and bone biomechanical values were determined by immunohistochemistry and three-point bending tests, respectively., Results: (1) In comparison with the sham operation group, the femoral biochemical maximum load and fracture load values were significantly decreased in the model group (P < 0.05). While compared with the model group, the biochemical maximum load and fracture load values were obviously increased in the EA-GV 4 and medication groups (P < 0.05), but not in the non-acupoint group (P > 0.05). (2) Compared with the sham group, the femoral BMP-2 expression of model group was significantly decreased (P < 0.05), compared with the model group, the expression of BMP-2 of GV 4 and medication groups significantly increased (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: EA-GV 4 intervention can improve bone biomechanical changes in osteoporosis rats.

Endotoxins, also known as lipopolysaccharide complexes, are anchored in the outer membrane cell wall of most Gram-negative bacteria and some cyanobacteria. They are continuously released to environment during cell decay. Being common pyrogens and highly immunogenic molecules, endotoxins are related to many human diseases. Due to the tolerances and thermo-stability of endotoxin molecules, they were hard to be removed by common methods. The health risk caused by the endotoxin contamination in drinking water and water environment by various exposure pathways have attracted more and more attention in recent years. In this paper, the physical and chemical properties, biological activities and detection assay of the endotoxin contamination were reviewed, and interfere factors of the main assay, the LAL/TAL (Limulus amebocyte lysate/Tachypleus amebocyte lysate) assay, for detecting endotoxin in water sample were investigated, and the development tendency of the endotoxin detection assay was analyzed.

Background: All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) has been tried for the treatment and prevention of a number of epithelial cancers. However, the precise mechanism by which ATRA inhibits the growth of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) remains elusive., Aims: To determine the suppressive effects of ATRA on the human cSCC cell line SCL-1, and explore the possible mechanisms involved., Methods: SCL-1 cells were treated with ATRA, then cell proliferation was measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, while apoptosis and cell cycle progression were analysed by flow cytometry. Protein levels of cell-cycle regulatory proteins and the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and Jun kinase (JNK) were detected by western blotting analysis. Transcriptional activity of activator protein (AP)-1 was examined by luciferase reporter assay., Results: ATRA inhibited the proliferation of SCL-1 cells and had modest proapoptotic effects. ATRA also induced G1 cell-cycle arrest, inhibited the expression of cyclin D1/cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)4 and cyclinE/CDK2, and increased the expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21 and p27. In addition, ATRA significantly decreased the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and JNK1/2, and inhibited AP-1 transcriptional activity., Conclusions: ATRA induces cell-cycle arrest in human cSCC cells by inhibiting the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-AP1 pathway, and could be effective in the prevention and chemotherapy of human cSCC., (© 2014 British Association of Dermatologists.)

Chronic exposure to stress has been widely implicated in the development of anxiety disorders, yet relatively little is known about the long-term effects of chronic stress on amygdala-dependent memory formation. Here, we examined the effects of a history of chronic exposure to the stress-associated adrenal steroid corticosterone (CORT) on the consolidation of a fear memory and the expression of memory-related immediate early genes (IEGs) in the lateral nucleus of the amygdala (LA). Rats received chronic exposure to CORT (50 μg/ml) in their drinking water for 2 weeks and were then titrated off the CORT for an additional 6 days followed by a 2 week 'wash-out' period consisting of access to plain water. Rats were then either sacrificed to examine the expression of memory-related IEG expression in the LA or given auditory Pavlovian fear conditioning. We show that chronic exposure to CORT leads to a persistent elevation in the expression of the IEGs Arc/Arg3.1 and Egr-1 in the LA. Further, we show that rats with a history of chronic CORT exposure exhibit enhanced consolidation of a fear memory; short-term memory (STM) is not affected, while long-term memory (LTM) is significantly enhanced. Treatment with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) fluoxetine following the chronic CORT exposure period was observed to effectively reverse both the persistent CORT-related increases in memory-related IEG expression in the LA and the CORT-related enhancement in fear memory consolidation. Our findings suggest that chronic exposure to CORT can regulate memory-related IEG expression and fear memory consolidation processes in the LA in a long-lasting manner and that treatment with fluoxetine can reverse these effects.

Color glaze is one of the four famous traditional ceramics of Jingdezhen, especially for the products from Ming and Qing Dynasties' official kilns which have rich connotation of technology and culture. The chemical composition and chromaticity characteristic of glaze and body of purple-gold glaze samples from Jingdezhen Ming and Qing Dynasties' official kilns were analyzed by energy dispersive X ray fluorescence (EDXRF) and colorimeter. Preliminary study on the composition, formula and chromaticity characteristic of glaze of purple-gold glaze samples of different period was carried out and the intrinsic causes of ifferences were discussed. The result shows that the concentration of magnesium and calcium in purple-gold glaze is different from the other glazes in Jingdezhen in the same time, probably due to the addition of auburn or brown limestone which is rich in magnesium. The purple-gold glaze sample of Ming Dynasty is darker chiefly because the concentration of magnesium and calcium is higher than the sample of Ming Dynasty which led to iron crystal separated, reducing the brightness and glossiness of glaze. In addition, the body of purple-gold glaze samples from Jingdezhen Ming and Qing Dynasties' official kilns has the characteristics of high silicon and low aluminum and the molar ratio of silicon to aluminum of samples from Ming Dynasty to Qing Dynasty declined, showing that the concentration of kaolin of sample's body of Ming dynasty was increased. The result of this experiment fill deficiency in the ceramic science and technology research in our country about purple-gold glaze from Ming and Qing Dynasties' official kilns and provides scientific material for comprehensive understanding of porcelain marking technology and intrinsic value of Jingdezhen official kiln.

An asymmetrical Fabry-Perot interferometric (AFPI) force sensor is fabricated based on a narrowband reflection of low-reflectivity fiber Bragg grating (LR-FBG) and a broadband Fresnel reflection of the cleaved fiber end. The AFPI sensor includes a section of microfiber made by tapering and it achieves a force sensitivity of 0.221 pm/μN with a tapered microfiber of 40 mm length and 6.1 μm waist diameter. Compared with similar AFPI structure in 125 μm-diameter single mode fiber, the force sensitivity of the microfiber AFPI structure is greatly enhanced due to its smaller diameter and can be optimized for different force scales by controlling the diameter. The fabrication process of the AFPI sensor is simple and cost-effective. The AFPI sensor has better multiplexing capacity than conventional extrinsic fiber-optic Fabry-Perot sensors, while it also release the requirement on the wavelength matching of the FBG-pair-based FPI.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Adequate pharmacokinetic data of escin, a natural mixture of triterpene saponins used for the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency, hemorrhoids, inflammation and edema, is of special interest in view of the growing use of escin agent in clinical medicine. However, pharmacokinetic data are inadequate to support their clinical indication. Escin Ib and isoescin Ib are the chief active ingredients in escin, pharmacokinetics study of them would be helpful for improving the practice of escin application. The goals of this study are to determine the plasma concentration of escin Ib and isoescin Ib using an established liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method and to compare the pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of these compounds in rats when administered as pure isomers or as sodium escinate., Materials and Methods: Five groups of Wistar rats (n=6 per group) were treated with either an intravenous (IV) dose (2.78mg/kg) of sodium escinate (corresponding to 0.5mg/kg of escin Ib and 0.5mg/kg of isoescin Ib), an IV dose (0.5mg/kg) and an oral dose (4mg/kg) of pure escin Ib or isoescin Ib. The concentrations of escin Ib and isoescin Ib in rat plasma were determined by LC-MS/MS at various times following the administration of the drugs. The pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated by a non-compartmental analysis and then subjected to statistical analysis., Results: The administration of sodium escinate, which contains the two isomers, gave rise to higher terminal phase half-life (t1/2) and mean residence time (MRT) values for both escin Ib and isoescin Ib compared to the corresponding compounds administered alone. The absorption of escin Ib and isoescin Ib was very poor, with the oral bioavailability (F) values of <2% observed for both compounds. The two compounds were found to isomerize in vivo, wherein the conversion of escin Ib to isoescin Ib was much easier than that of isoescin Ib to escin Ib., Conclusions: A comparison of the pharmacokinetics of escin Ib and isoescin Ib administered alone and together in rats suggests that the administration of herbal preparations of escin in a clinical setting may result in a longer duration of action than the administration of each isomer alone. The interconversion of escin Ib and isoescin Ib when administered alone indicates that the administration of one isomer results in exposure to the other isomer., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Cancer is the most common disease worldwide, with death often occurring as a result of metastasis. Thus, interfering with metastasis has been regarded as a promising strategy to improve the current cancer treatments. However, exploration and development of novel anti-metastatic agents remains a major challenge. Recent evidence indicated that a polysaccharide isolated from Taxus yunnanensis suppressed tumor cells proliferation. With the objective of seeking bioactive extracts, we had previously isolated, purified and characterized a complex, water-soluble polysaccharides, PSY-1, from the leaves of Taxus chinensis var. mairei, and identified its anti-neoplastic effects. In this study, we focused on the effects of PSY-1 on cancer metastasis and its mechanism(s). The results illustrated that PSY-1 effectively suppressed the migration and invasion ability of the melanoma cancer cell line B16-F10, caused down-regulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9, and that the NF-kappaB pathway was involved in the anti-metastatic effects imposed by PSY-1.

Rabies virus (RABV) is known to cause a fatal infection in many mammalian species, yet its pathogenesis remains poorly understood. This study was performed to analyze the microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles in RABV-infected primary neurons of mice. A total of 53 miRNAs were found to be differentially expressed in RABV-infected samples compared with mock samples in a time-dependent manner. Among them, the expression of ten miRNAs was validated by real-time RT-PCR. Potential target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs were predicted by TargetScan. Further bioinformatics analysis indicated that these predicted targets were overrepresented in neuronal function-related Gene Ontology (GO) terms and biological pathways. The results of this study suggest that RABV may cause neuronal dysfunction by regulating cellular miRNA expression.

MicroRNA expression is a research focus in studies of tumors. This article concentrates attention on potential links between tumors caused by mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) and human breast cancer, in order to provide theoretical basis for using mouse model to search for miRNA effects mediated by Wnt/beta-catenin signaling in human breast cancer. By analyzing interactions between miRNAs and the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway in breast cancer, we hope to casts light on more biological functions of miRNAs in the process of tumor formation and growth and to explore their potential value in cancer diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. Our endeavor aimed at providing theoretical basis for finding safer, more effective methods for treatment of human breast cancer at the miRNA molecular level.

The first organocatalytic asymmetric sequential allylic alkylation-cyclization of Morita-Baylis-Hillman carbonates and 3-hydroxyoxindoles has been developed to afford spirooxindoles bearing α-methylene-γ-butyrolactone motifs in 25-85% yield, 60-94% ee and up to >20 : 1 diastereoselectivity.

Background: Long non-coding RNAs play an important role in tumorigenesis, hence, identification of cancer-associated lncRNAs and investigation of their biological functions and molecular mechanisms are important for understanding the development and progression of cancer. Recently, the downregulation of lncRNA MEG3 has been observed in various human cancers. However, its role in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the expression pattern of MEG3 in NSCLC and to evaluate its biological role and clinical significance in tumor progression., Methods: Expression of MEG3 was analyzed in 44 NSCLC tissues and 7 NSCLC cell lines by qRT-PCR. Over-expression approaches were used to investigate the biological functions of MEG3 in NSCLC cells. Bisulfite sequencing was used to investigate DNA methylation on MEG3 expression. The effect of MEG3 on proliferation was evaluated by MTT and colony formation assays, and cell apoptosis was evaluated by Hoechst staining and Flow-cytometric analysis. NSCLC cells transfected with pCDNA-MEG3 were injection into nude mice to study the effect of MEG3 on tumorigenesis in vivo . Protein levels of MEG3 targets were determined by western blot analysis. Differences between groups were tested for significance using Student's t-test (two-tailed)., Results: MEG3 expression was decreased in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumor tissues compared with normal tissues, and associated with advanced pathologic stage, and tumor size. Moreover, patients with lower levels of MEG3 expression had a relatively poor prognosis. Overexpression of MEG3 decreased NSCLC cells proliferation and induced apoptosis in vitro and impeded tumorigenesis in vivo. MDM2 and p53 protein levels were affected by MEG3 over-expression in vitro., Conclusions: Our findings indicate that MEG3 is significantly down-regulated in NSCLC tissues that could be affected by DNA methylation, and regulates NSCLC cell proliferation and apoptosis, partially via the activition of p53. Thus, MEG3 may represent a new marker of poor prognosis and is a potential therapeutic target for NSCLC intervention.

Vesiculobullous eruptions in mycosis fungoides (MF) are extremely rare. Here, we report a case of a 62-year-old woman presenting with erythematous patches and plaques of 2 years in duration, who had recently developed vesicles on erythematous MF plaques. Histopathological examination showed intra-subepidermal blisters, and infiltration of the epidermis by atypical lymphoid cells, forming Pautrier's microabscesses. Negative immunofluorescence excluded autoimmune blistering diseases. Immunohistochemistry revealed a CD4⁺ T-cell phenotype and gene rearrangement study confirmed a clonal T-cell proliferation. Kaposi's varicelliform eruption (KVE) developed in the patient 1 week after initiation of systemic corticosteroids and immunotherapy. Cluster of vesicles and erosions arising on the pre-existing plaque and a positive immunofluorescence test for Herpes simplex virus and histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of cutaneous herpes infection. This is the first case report on bullous MF complicated by KVE in the published work., (© 2013 Japanese Dermatological Association.)

Aseptic joint loosening is a key factor that reduces the life span of arthroplasty. There are currently few effective treatments for joint loosening except surgical revision. We explored the inhibitory effects of p110β-targeted small interfering RNA (siRNA) and lentivirus on particle-induced inflammatory cytokine expression in the murine macrophage cell line, RAW264.7. siRNA- and lentivirus-targeting p110β were transfected and infected prior to particle stimulation, respectively. Ceramic and titanium particles of different sizes were prepared to stimulate macrophages. Fluorescence microscopy showed that the efficiency of siRNA transfection and lentivirus infection were 74.2 ± 4.2 and 92.3 ± 2.6 %, respectively. TNF-alpha mRNA in the particle stimulation plus RNA interference (RNAi) groups were significantly lower compared with the particle stimulation-only groups (P < 0.05). Similarly, protein levels of TNF-alpha in RNAi-treated groups were significantly decreased after transfection or infection (P < 0.05). It showed that Phosphor-AKT (Ser473) activation was significantly reduced by RNAi through western blot. As assessed by CT, micro-CT and histological analysis, particle implantation induced a significant osteolysis in mice calvaria, which was limited by p110β lentivirus addition. These results suggested that p110β subtype of PI3K, followed by activation of Ser473, may possibly participate in the regulation of macrophages activity by wear particles, ultimately resulting in the TNF-α secretion and osteolysis.

Lagochilus occurs in the arid zones across temperate steppe and desert regions of Northwest China. Cooling with strong dessication in the Pleistocene, along with rapid uplift of mountain ranges peripheral to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, appear to have had major impacts on the genetic structure of the flora. To understand the evolutionary history of Lagochilus and the divergence related to these past shifts of habitats among these regions, we sequenced the plastid intergenic spacers, psbA-trnH and trnS-trnG from populations throughout the known distributions of ten species of the genus. We investigated species-level phylogeographical patterns within Lagochilus. Phylogenetic trees were constructed using Neighbor-joining and Bayesian inference. The divergence times of major lineages were estimated with BEAST and IMa. Genetic structure and demographic history were inferred by AMOVA, neutrality tests, mismatch distribution, and Bayesian skyline plot analyses. The results showed that most chloroplast haplotypes were species-specific, and that the phylogeny of Lagochilus is geographically structured. The estimated Bayesian chronology and IMa suggested that the main divergence events for species between major eastern and western portions of the Chinese desert occurred at the Plio-/Pleistocene boundary (ca. 2.1-2.8 Ma ago), and likely coinciding with the formation of these deserts in Northwest China. The regional demographic expansions, in the western region at ca. 0.39 Ma, and in the eastern at ca. 0.06 Ma, or across all regions at ca. 0.26 Ma, showed the response to aridification accompanied by cooling of the Pleistocene sharply increased aridity in the Chinese deserts, which reflects a major influence of geologic and climatic events on the evolution of species of Lagochilus. We suggest that diversification is most likely the result of the past fragmentation due to aridification; the expansion of the range of species along with the deserts was an adaptation to dry and cold environments during the Quaternary., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Ground dry leaves of two emerged macrophytes Zinania Caduciflora and Phragmites australis from Lake Dianchi were soaked in distilled water in laboratory to track their DOM release process. The results showed that: (1) during soaking, concentration of DOM which was released to the overlying water by the two species increased at first, then decreased and increased again at last. Concentrations of DOC, DON, and DOP released by both species reached their peaks at the 8th, 8th, and 24th hour, respectively; (2) the two species showed the same DOM release trend, i.e., release rates and intensities of DOC, DON, and DOP by both species reached the peaks at the 8th hour, and for both of them, the release rates and intensities of DOC, DON, and DOP at the 8th hour followed the order of DOC > DON > DOP; (3) the SUVA254 value obtained by the UV-visible spectroscopy increased at first and then decreased; (4) Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy showed that the characteristic peak -OH disappeared during the decomposition process; (5) intensity of the humic-acid fluorescence peak as showed by the 3D-EEM fluorescence intensity (F/DOC) increased along with degradation.

Endotoxins, derived from cell walls of most Gram-negative bacteria and some cyanobacteria, are common pyrogen and highly immunogenic molecules, and related to many diseases. In this paper, a detection method for endotoxin activity in water environment using kinetic-turbid assay of Tachypleus Amebocyte Lysate (TAL) was established, the influence of pH and salts on TAL assay was investigated. Results showed that it was favorable for TAL assay in the pH range of 6.0-8.4, at low pHs, inhibition results were observed and opposite results were obtained at high pHs. The pH should be adjusted by Tris-HCl (pH = 7.4) buffer before the endotoxin detection. No significant interference was shown in the detection of water containing NaCl, Na2SO4, CaCl2, MgCl2 and KCl with a concentration of less than 50 mg x L(-1), however, the inhibition occurred at the concentration up to 1000-10,000 mg x L(-1). Only 2. 5 mg x L(-1) of FeCl, Fe2(SO4)3, AlCl3 and Al2 (SO4)3 caused significant inhibition. Endotoxin activities of ultrapure water, tap water and recreational water were detected by TAL assay, and their endotoxin activities were < 0.06 EU x mL(-1), 0.46 EU x mL(-1) and 432. 68 EU x mL(-1), respectively.

Objective: To study the chemical constituents in the needles of Taxus cuspidata collected from Japan., Methods: Chemical constituents were isolated by column chromatography, TLC and preparative HPLC. The structures were identified on the basis of NMR spectral analysis., Results: Six non-taxoids were isolated and identified as: 4-[(1E)-3-hydroxy-1-buten-1-yl]-3,5,5-trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-one (1), megastigm-5-ene-3, 9-diol (2), 6alpha-epoxy-7-megastigmen-9-one (3), 4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone (4), 12-hydroxy-alpha-cyperone (5), scutellarein-7-O-alpha-L-rhamnoside (6)., Conclusion: Compounds 2 - 6 are isolated from Taxus genus for the first time. Compound 1 is obtained from Taxus cuspidata for the first time.

Longquan celadon not only has been loved widely by the domestic and international ceramic lovers, but also imitated by the kiln workers from different places. Among all of the imitated celadons, the most representative products appeared in Ming and Qing dynasties. This paper used EDXRF to test 38 pieces of Longquan celadon of Song, Yuan and Ming dynasty and imitated Longquan celadon in Jingdezhen of Ming dynasty, combined with firing temperature in order to analyze the different composition characteristics of the bodies and the glaze, evolution rule and formation reasons of these samples in the two different places from the views of time and space. It will be contributed to realising the evolution development, mutual communication and influence of the southern celadon and also provide a scientific basis to get the exact information of the celadon including its time and place of origin and so on.

The scarcity of information on polybrominated diphenyl ethers' (PBDEs) flow in landfill restricts the life cycle analysis of PBDEs. In this study, eight PBDE congeners (BDEs 28, 47, 99, 100, 153, 154, 183, and 209) in topsoil, vegetation leaves, leachate, and municipal aged refuse collected from Shanghai Laogang Municipal Landfill (SLML) were investigated. The present study revealed elevated PBDE concentrations in topsoil and proved PBDE leakage from SLML and vegetation uptake. BDE-209 was the predominant congener, and this could be due to massive usage of deca-BDE mixture in Shanghai. ΣPBDE concentrations in leachates treated by reed wetland and A(2)/O process fell in the low end of the worldwide range. ΣPBDE concentrations in aged refuse samples rose from under 50 ng/g dw in 1989 to the range of 5,150-5,718 ng/g dw in 2002. PBDE concentrations increase in aged refuse samples throughout the 1990s into the 2000s paralleled municipal solid waste output from 1991 to 2002 in Shanghai. Exponential increase in BDE-209 concentration in aged refuse suggested the increasing market demands for deca-BDE mixture after 1990 in China. Notably, the inventory of PBDEs in SLML was 28.7 MT, and the doubling time of BDE-209 in aged refuse was calculated to be 1.6 year. SLML can be considered as a source of PBDE and one main recipient of PBDE as well, receiving inputs predominantly from the PBDE-containing waste. Priority should be given to formulate regulation on PBDEs and sorting work before landfill disposal.

Purpose: To investigate the incidence, cause, and prevention of complications associated with interventional therapy for perimembranous ventricular septal defects (pmVSDs)., Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 890 patients with pmVSDs after interventional therapy. The complications were then analyzed by electrocardiography and echocardiography during or after interventional therapy. During the follow-up period of 12-52 (mean of 26.9 ± 21.6) months, the technical success rate was 97.9% (871/890)., Results: The incidence of serious complication was 1.12% (10/890), including five cases of third-degree atrioventricular block, two of severe tricuspid valve regurgitation, one of cerebral infarction in the basal ganglia area, and two of femoral artery thrombosis. No death was reported during patient follow-up., Conclusions: Transcatheter closure of pmVSDs in selected patients was found to be effective and safe., Key Words: Complication; Interventional therapy; Ventricular septal defect.

Background: The temperature in arid Eastern Central Asia is projected to increase in the future, accompanied by increased variability of precipitation. To investigate the impacts of climate change on plant species in this area, we selected two widespread species as candidates, Clematis sibirica and C. songorica, from montane coniferous forest and arid steppe habitats respectively., Methodology/principal Findings: We employed a combined approach of molecular phylogeography and species distribution modelling (SDM) to predict the future responses of these two species to climate change, utilizing evidence of responses from the past. Genetic data for C. sibirica shows a significant phylogeographical signal (N ST > F ST, P<0.05) and demographic contraction during the glacial-interglacial cycles in the Pleistocene. This forest species would likely experience range reduction, though without genetic loss, in the face of future climate change. In contrast, SDMs predict that C. songorica, a steppe species, should maintain a consistently stable potential distribution under the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and the future climatic conditions referring to its existing potential distribution. Molecular results indicate that the presence of significant phylogeographical signal in this steppe species is rejected and this species contains a high level of genetic differentiation among populations in cpDNA, likely benefiting from stable habitats over a lengthy time period., Conclusions/significance: Evidence from the molecular phylogeography of these two species, the forest species is more sensitive to past climate changes than the steppe species. SDMs predict that the forest species will face the challenge of potential range contraction in the future more than the steppe species. This provides a perspective on ecological management in arid Eastern Central Asia, indicating that increased attention should be paid to montane forest species, due to their high sensitivity to disturbance.

Background: Canine distemper virus (CDV) infects a variety of carnivores, including wild and domestic Canidae. In this study, we sequenced and phylogenetic analyses of the hemagglutinin (H) genes from eight canine distemper virus (CDV) isolates obtained from seven raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) and a giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) in China., Results: Phylogenetic analysis of the partial hemagglutinin gene sequences showed close clustering for geographic lineages, clearly distinct from vaccine strains and other wild-type foreign CDV strains, all the CDV strains were characterized as Asia-1 genotype and were highly similar to each other (91.5-99.8% nt and 94.4-99.8% aa). The giant panda and raccoon dogs all were 549Y on the HA protein in this study, irrespective of the host species., Conclusions: These findings enhance our knowledge of the genetic characteristics of Chinese CDV isolates, and may facilitate the development of effective strategies for monitoring and controlling CDV for wild canids and non-canids in China.

"Mingmen" (GV 4) is one of the most frequently used acupoints in acupuncture clinic. In recent years, more and more experimental researches have been focusing on GV 4 or acupoint recipe containing GV 4 in rats. Accurate location of GV 4 is probably not only related to fully display its therapeutic effect, but also to help study its underlying mechanisms. However, there has been no unified standard about the accurate location of GV 4 in the adult rat at present. In the present paper, the authors review related literature about GV 4 location in experimental studies in recent 10 years, and put forward a practical method for locating GV 4 in the rat by combining their own experience. That is, GV 4 is taken according to the relative relationship of ilium and spinous process of the lumbar vertebra. In addition, the authors also recommend some matters needing attention in locating GV 4 in rats.

To understand the role of the conjugate bridge in modifying the properties of organic dye sensitizers in solar cells, the computations of the geometries and electronic structures for 10 kinds of tetrahydroquinoline dyes were performed using density functional theory (DFT), and the electronic absorption and fluorescence properties were investigated via time dependent DFT. The population analysis, molecular orbital energies, radiative lifetimes, exciton binding energies (EBE), and light harvesting efficiencies (LHE), as well as the free energy changes of electron injection ( ) and dye regeneration ( ) were also addressed. The correlation of charge populations and experimental open-circuit voltage (Voc) indicates that more charges populated in acceptor groups correspond to larger Voc. The elongating of conjugate bridge by thiophene units generates the larger oscillator strength, higher LHE, larger absolute value of , and longer relative radiative lifetime, but it induces the decreasing of EBE and . So the extending of conjugate bridge with thiopene units in organic dye is an effective way to increase the harvest of solar light, and it is also favorable for electron injection due to their larger . While the inversely correlated relationship between EBE and LHE implies that the dyes with lower EBE produce more efficient light harvesting.

Two perspectives compete to explain how the surface form of digits affects cognitive processing of numerical magnitude; one argues for a common pathway and the other for separate pathways. This study examined the operand-related error effect in simple multiplication operations using different combinations of visually presented Arabic digits and auditorily presented Mandarin number words. The study suggested two conclusions, both consistent with the separate pathway perspective. First, the numerical surface form (Arabic digits, spoken Mandarin number words) affected retrieval. That is, surface properties were maintained as specific codes throughout processing. Second, the phonological code activated by spoken Mandarin number words interfered with activation of answers during retrieval.

The relation between serum uric acid and metabolic syndrome is observed not only with frank hyperuricemia but also with serum uric acid levels within the normal range. The current "normal" range set for hyperuricemia often fails to identify patients with potential metabolic disorders. We investigate the association between serum uric acid within the normal range and incident metabolic syndrome risk, and further to determine the optimal cut-off value of serum uric acid for the diagnosis or prediction of metabolic syndrome. A total of 7399 Chinese adults (2957 men and 4442 women; ≥20 years) free of metabolic syndrome were followed for 3 years. During the 3-year follow-up, 1190 normouricemic individuals developed metabolic syndrome (16.1%). After adjusting the associated variables, the top quartile of serum uric acid levels was associated with higher metabolic syndrome development compared with the bottom quartile in men (hazard ratio (HR), 1.29; p<0.05) and women (HR, 1.62; p<0.05). ROC curve analysis indicated that the optimal cut-off values for serum uric acid to identify metabolic syndrome were 6.3 mg/dl in men and 4.9 mg/dl in women. Our results suggested that high baseline serum uric acid levels within the normal range predict future development of metabolic syndrome after 3 y of follow-up.

Zeolites were synthesized from silica-rich (SF-Z) and calcium-rich (CF-Z) fly ashes, respectively, and their performance in immobilizing ammonium and phosphate was investigated through batch experiments. The cation exchange capacity and phosphate immobilization capacity of SF-Z were identified as 2.79 meq/g and 12.97 mg/g while those of CF-Z were 0.69 meq/g and 87.41 mg/g, respectively. The mixture of SF-Z and CF-Z (MSC-Z) immobilized simultaneously ammonium and phosphate, and the ratio of SF-Z to CF-Z depended on the ammonium and phosphate concentrations in wastewater and the discharge standard. The adsorption processes of ammonium and phosphate on MSC-Z followed Ho's pseudo-second-order model and the intra-particle diffusion was a rate-controlling step. The Langmuir model produced better suitability to the equilibrium data. The thermodynamic study revealed that the adsorption of both ammonium and phosphate on MSC-Z was an endothermic reaction. After treatment by MSC-Z, the ammonium and phosphate concentrations in wastewater from a sewage treatment plant decreased from 7.45 and 1.42 mg/L to 2.06 and 0.51 mg/L, respectively, and met Surface Water Environment Quality Standard in China δ. These results show that the immobilization of ammonium and phosphate in wastewater can be achieved by the combination of zeolites synthesized from silica-rich and calcium-rich fly ashes.

A phytochemical investigation of Chromolaena odorata resulted in the isolation of five new compounds, 5aα,6,9,9aβ,10-pentahydro-10β-hydroxy-7-methylanthra[1,2-d][1,3]dioxol-5-one (1), 1,2-methylenedioxy-6-methylanthraquinone (2), 3-hydroxy-1,2,4-trimethoxy-6-methylanthraquinone (3), 3-hydroxy-1,2-dimethoxy-6-methylanthraquinone (4), and 7-methoxy-7-epi-medioresinol (5), together with 12 known compounds, odoratin (6), 3β-acetyloleanolic acid (7), ursolic acid (8), ombuin (9), 4,2'-dihydroxy-4',5',6'-trimethoxychalcone (10), (-)-pinoresinol (11), austrocortinin (12), tianshic acid (13), cleomiscosin D (14), (-)-medioresinol (15), (-)-syringaresinol (16), and cleomiscosin A (17). All the compounds were evaluated for their PPARγ transactivation activity, and compound 6 showed moderate activity with an EC(50) value of 3.10 μM.

The synthesis of hybrid nanostructures with controlled size, shape, composition and morphology has attracted increasing attention due to the fundamental and applicable interest. Here, we demonstrate the synthesis and optical properties of hierarchical CdSe-Au hybrid nanostructures with zinc blende (ZB) CdSe nanocrystals (NCs). For 3.5 nm ZB CdSe NCs, one Au cluster was deposited on each CdSe NC. Nevertheless, several Au clusters were selectively deposited on the apexes of 5 nm and 8 nm ZB CdSe NCs, resulting from the different reactivity of crystal facets. Furthermore, hierarchical CdSe-Au nanostructures with complex morphology were organized with the isolated CdSe-Au hybrid NCs by the coalescence of Au domains on the CdSe-Au hybrid NCs. UV-Vis spectra revealed a red tail upon the deposition of Au clusters. The chemical joint of Au on CdSe NCs was further confirmed by fluorescence quenching. The optical limiting performance of CdSe-Au hybrid NCs dispersed in toluene was investigated at 532 nm using a Nd:YAG laser with the pulse width of 8 ns.

Objective: To analyze the superiorities of acupoint catgut-embedding therapy, discuss its law of clinical application and provide scientific decision-making for clinical treatment., Methods: Literatures on acupoint catgut-embedding therapy in the recent 40 years were selected, input, examined and verified, picked up and analyzed by establishing database with the modern computer technology., Results: (1) One thousand and seventy-five literatures were input. It shows that the acupoint catgut-embedding therapy has an extensive application in all departments, especially in the internal department, accounting for 48.54% (50/103) of the total disease category. It has the most extensive application on treatment of epigastric pain, with the frequency of 102 times, and obesity of 74 times. The next is surgery, accounting for 14.56% (15/103). The major application is on low back pain and leg pain with the frequency of 79 times. Psoriasis, with the frequency of 30 times, holds the major application in dermatological department. And blepharoplasty, with the frequency of 30 times, gains the most application in department of ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology. (2) In the included literatures, selection of adjacent acupoints and distal acupoints are held as the major method of acupoint selection. The adjusted lumbar puncture needle is taken as the major tool for the acupoint catgut-embedding therapy. And catguts of different sizes are adopted for the operation. (3) Analysis of the therapeutic effect shows that acupoint catgut-embedding therapy has obvious effect in all departments, especially in surgery and dermatology, with the total effective rate over 90%., Conclusion: Epigastric pain, obesity, epilepsy, asthma, abdominal pain, facial paralysis and constipation of the internal medicine, low back pain and leg pain of the surgical department, psoriasis of the dermatological department and blepharoplasty of the department of ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology are considered as the dominant diseases for acupoint catgut-embedding therapy.

Objective: To analyze the basic characteristics of effects of acupoint application therapy in order to guide clinical decision better., Methods: A database on acupoint application therapy was established first by collection, sorting, screening, recording, collation, data extraction, and statistical analyses of the related literature published in recent 60 years, and using modern computer system. Then, its predominant indications and application rules in clinical practice were analyzed using data mining techniques., Results: Outcomes of data mining showed that the acupoint application therapy was extensively utilized in the treatment of a variety of diseases or clinical conditions (142 in total) in different clinical departments, particularly in the internal medicine which contains 51 types of clinical conditions or diseases (accounting for 35.92%). Among them, the top 3 are asthma, cough, and abdominal pain, with the appearance frequency being 161, 79 and 45 times (= articles) in the domestic journals, respectively. The second one is the paediatric department, containing 30 kinds of diseases or clinical conditions (accounting for 21.13%). Among them, cough (106 articles), asthma (104 articles) and diarrhoea (82 articles) are frequently seen. The surgery department takes the third place, involving 27 disorders (accounting for 19.01%), with lumbago-leg pain being the most (31 articles). In the departments of ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology, 14 types of disorders (accounting for 9.86%) have been reported, with nasosinusitis being the most (56 papers). This therapy has also been used to treat 10 types of gynecopathy (7.04%) and 10 kinds of dermopathy (7.04%), with dysmenorrhea (37 articles) and shingles (6 articles) being the most. For acupoint application, complex prescriptions of Chinese herbal medicines in the forms of paste and cataplasm are frequently adopted, but with fewer application of enhancer of cutaneous penetration. Regarding the utilized acupoint, local points are often chosen. In the light of the collected papers, the highest effective rate is for dermopathy, followed by surgical problems, gynecopathy, paediatric conditions, and disorders of the internal medicine, ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology., Conclusion: Acupoint application therapy has been used for 142 kinds of disorders of different clinical departments, with the dominant indications being asthma, cough, abdominal pain, facial paralysis and constipation in the internal medicine, cough, asthma and diarrhoea in the paediatrics, lumbago-leg pain in the surgery, nasosinusitis in the otorhinolaryngology, and dysmenorrhea of gynecopathy.