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The present study was to investigated differential expressed genes (GEGs) in ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM), and to construct regulation networks, and to study the correlation between myocardial infarction risk.Data sets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) to screen out messenger RNA (mRNA) and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) differentially expressed between ICM samples and normal samples. Gene Ontology (GO) function analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were performed. Differentially expressed mRNA and lncRNA were analyzed, and bioinformatics methods were used to predict and analyze microRNA (miRNA), and a competing endogenous RNA (Hub gene) regulatory network was constructed. Using the Limma software package in R language, DEGs of ICM were screened with non-heart failure donors as the control group under the conditions that the differential expression ratio was not less than 2 times, and the corrected P value was0.05. The ClusterProfiler software package was used for GO enrichment analysis and KEGG enrichment analysis. The Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING) 11.0 online database was used to screen key genes for protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis.The GO function analysis and KEGG pathway analysis showed that the DEGs were significantly enriched in metabolic pathways, oxidative phosphorylation, extracellular matrix receptor interactions, and other pathways, and were closely related to fibrosis, collagen catabolic process, and inflammatory response function, and a Hub gene regulatory network related to ICM lncRNA was constructed. Bioinformatics methods were used to effectively analyze the DEGs of ICM, and the Hub gene regulatory network of ICM was successfully constructed.This study identified a certain risk correlation between ICM susceptibility genes and myocardial infarction.

We report the detection of a giant planet orbiting a G-type giant star HD 167768 from radial velocity measurements using HIgh Dispersion Echelle Spectrograph (HIDES) at Okayama Astrophysical Observatory (OAO). HD 167768 has a mass of $1.08_{-0.12}^{+0.14} M_{\odot}$, a radius of $9.70_{-0.25}^{+0.25} R_{\odot}$, a metallicity of $\rm{[Fe/H]}=-0.67_{-0.08}^{+0.09}$, and a surface gravity of $\log g = 2.50_{-0.06}^{+0.06}$. The planet orbiting the star is a warm Jupiter, having a period of $20.6532_{-0.0032}^{+0.0032}\ \rm{d}$, a minimum mass of $0.85_{-0.11}^{+0.12}\ M_{\rm{J}}$, and an orbital semimajor axis of $0.1512_{-0.0063}^{+0.0058}\ \rm{au}$. The planet has one of the shortest orbital periods among those ever found around deeply evolved stars ($\log g < 3.5$) using radial velocity methods. The equilibrium temperature of the planet is $1874\ \rm{K}$, as high as a hot Jupiter. The radial velocities show two additional regular variations at $41\ \rm{d}$ and $95\ \rm{d}$, suggesting the possibility of outer companions in the system. Follow-up monitoring will enable validation of the periodicity. We also calculated the orbital evolution of HD 167768 b and found that the planet will be engulfed within 0.15\,Gyr., Accepted by Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan, 9 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables

Schizopholis Waagen, 1885 is a genus of linguliform brachiopod, which is known from Cambrian Stage 4 to the Wuliuan Stage of Australia, Antarctica, Pakistan and China. Recently, new material of Schizopholis was discovered from the upper part of the Tsinghsutung Formation (Cambrian Series 2, Stage 4) near Balang village, Jianhe County, Guizhou Province, China. These specimens display the oval pedicle opening in the ventral valve, a median tongue and a pair of tubercles in the dorsal valve that are characteristic features of Schizopholis napuru ( Kruse, 1990 ). This is the first time that this species has been described from Guizhou Province, China. Previously, fossils of this species are usually preserved in carbonate deposits, but the new material documented herein preserved in mudstone of the Tsinghsutung Formation, providing new information regarding both the paleogeographic distribution and paleoecology of this species.

On the basis of previous studies, this study prepared and evaluated microemulsion gel loading enriched ingredients of Epimedii Folium and investigated its protective effect against peripheral nervous system damage caused by chemotherapeutics. The preparation method and the type and dosage of the matrix were investigated from rheology, preparation difficulty, and drug loading. Then the optimal prescription was determined and the microemulsion gel loading enriched ingredients of Epimedii Folium was prepared. The in vitro release and transdermal behaviors of the gel were investigated in the Franz diffusion cell with epimedin A1,A,B,C, and icariin as evaluation indicators. The oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy(OIPN) model was established in Wistar rats. The protective effect of the microemulsion gel loading enriched ingredients of Epimedii Folium against peripheral nervous system damage caused by chemotherapeutics was evaluated by behavioral measurement after drug administration and histopathological examination of dorsal root ganglia and sciatic nerve. The preparation process of the microemulsion gel loading enriched ingredients of Epimedii Folium was stable, and the release of the five components was consistent with the Hixson-Crowell cube root law. Behavioral indicators intuitively showed that the drug could effectively relieve mechanical allodynia caused by oxaliplatin. The histopathological examination showed that the drug can improve neuron damage in the dorsal root ganglia, axon degeneration, and demyelination caused by oxaliplatin. Therefore, the preparation process of the microemulsion gel loading enriched ingredients of Epimedii Folium is feasible, which can achieve stable drug release. It has a certain therapeutic effect on chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy(CIPN).

This study aimed to investigate the enhancing effect of muscone on the transdermal penetration of traditional Chinese medicine ingredients and explore its possible mechanism of action. The Franz diffusion cells were employed to investigate the effect of muscone on the transdermal permeation of a series of model drugs with a wide range of log P values. The solubilities at saturation and the stratum corneum(SC)/vehicle partition coefficients of model drugs were measured to evaluate the effect of muscone on drug thermodynamic activities and partition of drugs into SC. Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(ATR-FTIR) was employed to explore the effect of muscone on the molecular structure of SC. The results showed that muscone significantly promoted the transdermal penetration of hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs, and the enhancement ratio(ER) increased with the decrease in the log P. Muscone could interact with the SC lipids to increase the disorder and fluidity of lipid bilayer packing, which improved skin permeability and promoted transdermal absorption of drugs. This study provides a scientific basis for the application of muscone in traditional Chinese medicine topical preparations.

Although mutations causing α-thalassemia (α-thal) are mainly larger deletions involving one or both of the duplicated α-globin genes, point mutations are not rare. We have identified a novel mutation of the translation initiation codon of the α2-globin gene with DNA sequencing and allele-specific multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) in a Chinese family. RNA analysis was performed with reverse transcription-MLPA (RT-MLPA). A novel mutation at the translation initiation codon of the α2-globin gene (HBA2: c.3G>C) was identified. The proband and his father, who were both carriers of this mutation, had a hematological phenotype of mild α+-thalassemia (α+-thal) trait with low-normal limit of mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and normal Hb A2. RNA analysis showed markedly decreased levels of α-globin mRNA and the presence of a small amount of mutant mRNA. The HBA2: c.3G>C mutation most likely caused α-thal by lowering levels of wild α-globin chain. Our study increases the mutation spectrum of α-thal.

Although mutations causing α-thalassemia (α-thal) are mainly larger deletions involving one or both of the duplicated α-globin genes, point mutations are not rare. We have identified a novel mutation of the translation initiation codon of the α2-globin gene with DNA sequencing and allele-specific multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) in a Chinese family. RNA analysis was performed with reverse transcription-MLPA (RT-MLPA). A novel mutation at the translation initiation codon of the α2-globin gene (

The aim of this present study was to investigate the enhancing activities of animal-derived muscone on the transdermal permeation of drugs with different lipophilicities and shed light on its possible mechanisms of action. The epidermal keratinocytes and dermal fibroblast cell lines were employed to evaluate the cytotoxicity of muscone using MTT assay. A series of model drugs with a wide range of lipophilicity were tested using in vitro permeation studies in which Franz diffusion cells and rat skin were used. The saturation solubilities and SC/vehicle partition coefficients of model drugs were measured to monitor the effect of muscone on drug thermodynamic activities and partition of drug into SC layer, respectively. Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy were used to understand the effect of muscone on molecular organization of the stratum corneum (SC). It was found that muscone displayed lower cytotoxicity than the commonly-used and standard penetration enhancer Azone. Meanwhile, muscone could significantly promote the percutaneous absorption of all of five model drugs. The molecular mechanism studies revealed that muscone could enhance the skin permeability predominantly by interacting with the SC lipids, especially the disorder of the lipid bilayer packing. These results suggested that muscone could be a safe and efficient penetration enhancer in the external use.

Primary hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (PHO) is a rare inherited disease caused by genetic defects in the prostaglandin metabolism pathway; disturbed prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 ) catabolism resulting in increased PGE2 level is suggested in the pathogenesis. Forty-three Han Chinese patients with PHO were studied and 41 of them were treated. Mutations in the HPGD gene, causing hypertrophic osteoarthropathy, primary, autosomal recessive 1 (PHOAR1; OMIM 259100), were identified in seven patients, and mutations in the SLCO2A1 gene, causing hypertrophic osteoarthropathy, primary, autosomal recessive 2 (PHOAR2; OMIM 614441), were identified in 36 patients. Clinical phenotypes of PHO varied, ranging from mild isolated finger clubbing to severe pachydermia and disabling joint swelling, even within families. Circulating PGE2 metabolism features of PHOAR2 were different from those of PHOAR1. Different frequency and severity of pachydermia between the subgroups were also indicated. A percentage of PHOAR2 patients suffered from gastrointestinal hemorrhage, but this symptom was not observed in the PHOAR1 subgroup. Clinical evidence highlighted the essential role of sex hormones in prostaglandin transporter regulation with respect to PHOAR2 onset, although no significant associations of urinary PGE2 or PGE-M with sex hormones were identified. Treatment with etoricoxib, a selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, was proved to be beneficial and safe. We detected its notable efficacy in decreasing urinary PGE2 levels in the majority of the enrolled patients during 6 months of intervention; clinical phenotypes assessed, including pachydermia, finger clubbing, and joint swelling, were improved. We found no visible evidence of a positive effect of etoricoxib on periostosis; however, significant links between urinary PGE2 and serum bone turnover markers indicated a potential role of decreased PGE2 in periostosis management. This is the largest reported cohort of subjects genetically diagnosed with PHO. For the first time, we systematically investigated the biochemical and clinical differences between PHOAR1 and PHOAR2, and prospectively showed the positive efficacy and safety of etoricoxib for PHO patients. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Background: The aims of this study were: (1) to evaluate the association of serum osteocalcin with bone mineral density (BMD) and markers of bone metabolism in postmenopausal and elderly Chinese women, and (2) to observe the relationships of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in and around the osteocalcin gene with osteocalcin and BMD. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 725 postmenopausal Chinese women. Five SNPs (rs1543294, rs1800247, rs759330, rs2842880, and rs933489) of the osteocalcin gene were genotyped. Serum osteocalcin and intact parathyroid hormone (PTH), 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], and type I collagen containing cross-linked C-telopeptide (β-CTX) were measured. The BMD of the lumbar spine and proximal femur was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results: Osteocalcin was positively correlated with serum phosphorus (p = 0.001), alkaline phosphatase (ALP; p < 0.001), PTH (p = 0.002) and β-CTX (p < 0.001), and negatively correlated with BMD at the lumbar spine (p < 0.001) and total hip (p = 0.002). No significant association was obtained between the SNPs, haplotypes of the osteocalcin gene, and BMD or osteocalcin. Conclusion: Our results suggest that osteocalcin was positively correlated with serum phosphorus, ALP, PTH, and β-CTX, but negatively correlated with BMD at the lumbar spine and total hip. Common genetic variants of the osteocalcin gene may not be a major contributor to variations in serum osteocalcin or BMD in postmenopausal and elderly Chinese women.

The heteronuclear d-f coordination complexes [Er2Zn2(C6H5COO)10(phen)2] (1), [Ho2Zn2(C6H5COO)10(phen)2] (2), [Pr3Zn6(C6H5COO)21(phen)3] (3), [ErCd(C6H5COO)5(phen)·H2O] (4), [Ho2Cd3(C6H5COO)12(phen)2] (5), [EuCd2(C6H5COO)7(phen)2] (6) (C6H5COOH = benzoic acid;phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) were synthesized by hydrothermal methods, and their structures were studied by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Complexes 1, 2, 4, and 5 crystallize in the triclinic space group P and complexes 3 and 6 in the monoclinic space group C2/c. The room temperature IR, UV/Vis/NIR absorption, and emission spectra of the six complexes were determined and assigned. In the visible and NIR regions, the emission spectra of complexes show characteristic bands of corresponding LnIII ions, which are attributed to the sensitization from the d block (Zn/Cd-ligand section) and ligands. In comparison with isolated LnIII ions, the NIR emission bands of complexes 1–5 exhibit shifting, broadening and splitting, which are also present in their UV/Vis/NIR absorption spectra. Thus, the two spectra of complexes can evidence each other.

Concave grating spectrometer based on Dyson concentric optical system has advantages of low aberration, large aperture and compact structure. The object plane and image plane of concentric spectrometer subsystem must be reunited into one plane while the distance between the object point and image point is relatively small. Thus it is difficult to satisfy this requirement for the existing focal plane of detection technology and assembly technology. In order to solve the assembly problem of the object and detector, the traditional Dyson concentric spectrometer was improved by introducing the off-axis mirror to shift the image light beam. The results show that the object plane and image plane of the improved system are separated successfully by the beam folding, and the aberration at all wavelengths is more rational distribution.

Purpose: To analyse and compare the clinical effects and safety of capecitabine and tegafur/gimeracil/oteracil (S-1) in the treatment of advanced breast carcinoma.Methods: Eighty-four metastatic breast cancer elderly patients for whom first or second-line treatment had failed, were selected from among those admitted to the oncology ward of Binjiang People’s Hospital, China between January 2014 and June 2015. They were randomly divided into S-1 group (n =41) and capecitabine group (n = 41) and received varying doses of those drugs according to body surface area. Clinical effects, progression-free survival, and incidence of adverse reactions were compared for the two groups following treatment.Results: Disease control rate (CR) in S-1 group was 55.6 %, much higher than 35.1 % observed for capecitabine group (p < 0.05). The disease control rate for the S-1 group was 93.7 %, also much higher than the 70.6 % found in capecitabine group. Survival analysis showed that the median survival times of the two groups did not differ significantly (p > 0.05). Furthermore, some adverse reactions such as myelosuppression and lack of strength, did not differ significantly between the two groups (p > 0.05), whereas others, including leukopenia, nausea and vomiting and hand-foot syndrome were more serious and frequent in capecitabine group than in S-1 group (p < 0.05).Conclusion: Monotherapy with S-1 is more effective than that with capecitabine. Adverse reactions are minimal for both drugs.Keywords: Breast carcinoma, Capecitabine, S-1, Adverse reactions, Myelosuppression, Leukopenia, Hand-foot syndrome

Background According to the World Health Organization (WHO) report, e-cigarette use is doubling from 2008 to 2012 among adolescents. In Taiwan, e-cigarettes contain nicotine are controlled under Pharmaceutical Affairs Act since 2009, but it will violate Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act if e-cigarettes are in the form of tobacco products. This study aims to demonstrate the prevalence of e-cigarette use and reasons for trying e-cigarettes among adolescents. Methods Data were drawn from the Taiwan Global youth tobacco survey (Taiwan GYTS) conducted under a school-based and cross-sectional study from 2014 to 2016. The annual sample size is approximately 45,000 persons. Results Although tobacco use by adolescents has declined substantially over the past few years, the prevalence of e-cigarette use by junior and senior high school students has risen from 2.0% and 2.1% in 2014 to 3.7% and 4.8% in 2016 respectively, both nearly doubling within this three years. 44.1% of junior high school students and 29.4% of senior high school students who have never used any tobacco product have tried e-cigarettes. “Friends are using them” and “The flavor or smell is better” are the two major reasons for trying e-cigarettes among adolescents. Our findings also show that e-cigarette use by adolescents is influenced by the views on conventional tobacco use from parents and friends. Conclusions Facing the rapid development of e-cigarettes, Taiwan's governments have cooperated with each other to comprehensively block hazards from e-cigarettes by border seizure and inspection, source tracking, channel inspection, monitoring and management, education broadcasting and cessation guidance, etc. Taiwan's Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act is now in the process of amending to regulate e-cigarettes under two laws - Pharmaceutical Affairs Act and Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act - with the prohibitions on import, manufacture, and sale, persons under the age of eighteen shall not use e-cigarettes is also prohibited.

Background Smoking kills more than 27,000 people each year. In 2009, amendment of the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act came into effect with expanded ban of smoking including all public indoor places and some public outdoor places, prohibition of all types of promotion, and a raise in tobacco taxation. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of this amendment on smoking rate and health inequality. Methods Data were drawn from the Taiwan Adult Smoking Behavior Survey (TASBS) conducted under a nationally representative cross-sectional study with telephone interviews from 2004 to 2016. Probability proportional to size (PPS) sampling and post-stratification were used to better represent the characteristics of the population. The annual sample size is approximately 15,000-26,000 persons. Results The adult smoking rate declined from 21.9% in 2008 to 15.3% in 2016, indicating a 30.3% decline in smoking rate and a reduction in the number of smokers by approximately 810,000 within 8 years. The speed of reduction in this period was more remarkable than that experienced in 4 years before the amendment. Among different subgroups, the reduction was more significant in males aged 18-29 and 65 or over than those aged 30-64, and people of lowest level of education (junior high or lower) than those of higher education. Conclusions Implementation of the amended Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act has managed to remarkably reduce both smoking rate itself and inequality in smoking rates. However, continued efforts are needed to achieve the goal of a 30% relative reduction in smoking rate by 2025 set by the World Health Organization (WHO), decreasing the adult smoking rate from 20% in 2010 to 14% in 2025.

Background Smoking kills more than 27,000 people each year in Taiwan. This study aims to demonstrate the significant progress with Taiwan MPOWER performances and compare achievements with OECD and other Asian countries. Methods Assessment data from Taiwan's laws and regulations, a comprehensive health surveillance system, and research database and reports, with WHO MPOWER performance rating indicators. Results The adult smoking rate declined from 21.9% in 2008 to 15.3% in 2016, indicating a 30.3% decline in smoking rate and a decrease in the number of smokers by approximately 810,000 within 8 years. Taiwan has protected over 90% of the population from smoke-free environments by enforcing the law in eliminating second hand smoke in public areas, and promoted the recognition of tobacco hazards to youth especially via campus activities, official websites, Facebook, and YouTube. It´s worth noting that Taiwan is the 2 nd country to carry out the ordinance of smoke-free parks and national parks around the world. Assisting over 110,000 smokers since 2012 in quitting smoking successfully by providing the Second Generation Smoking Cessation Program and other services such as Quitline, cessation classes and cessation counseling. Over 40% of smokers attempt to quit after Taiwan enacted health warning labels on tobacco packs. The Health Promotion Administration has worked with the National Communications Commission (NCC) to establish the guideline that anti-tobacco textual messages are required to add on Radio and TV programs, reminding people of tobacco harming. Conclusions Taiwan gains five 1 st performance (Monitoring, Smoke-free environments, Cessation programmes, Anti-tobacco mass media campaigns, Bans on advertising, promotion and sponsorship) while compared to OECD and other Asian countries (New Zealand, Japan, Republic of Korea, Thailand, Taiwan China, etc.), and ranks among the best with Singapore, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia. Continued efforts are needed to raise the health warnings and taxations in the future.

To investigate the effects of calcium and vitamin D supplementation on bone turnover marker levels, muscle strength and quality of life in postmenopausal Chinese women. A total of 485 healthy postmenopausal Chinese women (63.44±5.04 years) were enrolled in this open-label, 2-year, prospective, community-based trial. The participants were divided into group A, B, C, which were treated with calcium (600 mg/d) alone, calcium (600 mg/d) and cholecalciferol (800 IU/d) or calcium (600 mg/d) and calcitriol (0.25 μg/d), respectively, for 2 years. Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, parathyroid hormone, β-CTX and P1NP were measured, and the muscle strength and quality of life were assessed at baseline and at 12- and 24-month follow-ups. Four hundred and sixty one participants completed this study. Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D were significantly increased in group C, but not changed in groups A and B at 24-month follow-up. Serum levels of parathyroid hormone, bone turnover marker β-CTX and bone formation marker P1NP were significantly decreased in group C, while serum levels of β-CTX were increased in group A at 24-month follow-up. The participants in group C maintained the grip strength, while those in groups A and B exhibited decreased grip strength at 24-month follow-up. The quality of life for the participants in groups B and C remained consistent, but that in group A was deteriorated at 24-month follow-up. Supplementation with calcitriol and calcium modifies the bone turnover marker levels, and maintains muscle strength and quality of life in postmenopausal Chinese women, whereas supplementation with cholecalciferol and calcium prevents aging-mediated deterioration in quality of life.

In urban rail transit, renewable energy absorption device set in substations can make trains apply renewable energy braking as much as possible, thus can reduce environmental pollution and prevent from tunnel temperature rise; the effective utilization of renewable energy can reach the purpose of energy-saving emission-reduction. The thesis makes analysis and comparison upon the absorption technology of renewable energy of trains, demonstrates advantages and disadvantages of various absorption schemes, it has certain reference value for design of renewable braking energy utilization schemes of trains in rail transit engineering.

Athetis lepigone (Moschler) is an invasive insect pest that feeds on corn seedlings in the summer corn region of China. Inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers were used to determine genotype of A. lepigone collected from 15 geographic locations in North China. Data from seven primers resulted in a total of 183 bands that were scored, 174 (95.08%) of which were polymorphic. Genetic distance estimates among the 15 populations of A. lepigone ranged from 0.0133 to 0.0595. At species level, Nei's genetic diversity index was 0.3537 and Shannon information index was 0.5288. Genetic differentiation among the 15 populations was estimated at 0.0747 and historical mean number of migrants (N m ) was 6.19. Clustering analysis revealed no correlation between genetic diversity and geographic proximity among the A. lepigone populations. This lack of significant genetic diversity or correlation with geographic location suggests that gene flow may be high among the 15 A. lepigone populations or homogenization may be a result of recent range expansion. These data provide important preliminary estimates of A. lepigone population dynamics which may help in evaluating local scales required for control of this insect.

Objective: To investigate the expression of Topo IIα and Ki67 and its clinical significance. Methods: The clinical pathological data of one hundred and sixteen invasive breast cancer patients who were admitted into our hospital from July 2013 to December 2015 and underwent radical mastectomy were retrospectively analyzed. The expression of topoisomerase (Topo) IIα and Ki67 was detected using immunohistochemical method, and the correlation between the two kinds of proteins and the general clinical pathological characteristics of the patients was analyzed. Results: The positive expression rates of Topo IIα and Ki67 in breast cancer were 58.6% and 75% respectively. The expression of Topo IIα was in no apparent correlation with the age, tumor size, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) (P>0.05), but in a correlation with the number of metastatic lymph glands (P

Primary hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (PHO) is a rare inherited disease caused by genetic defects in the prostaglandin metabolism pathway; disturbed prostaglandin E

The aims of this study were as follows: 1) to evaluate the association of serum sclerostin with bone mineral density (BMD) and markers of bone metabolism in postmenopausal Chinese women and 2) to observe the relationships of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the sclerostin (SOST) gene with serum sclerostin, BMD, and markers of bone metabolism.A cross-sectional study was conducted with 703 postmenopausal Chinese women. Ten tagging SNPs (rs1234612, rs1513670, rs1634330, rs1708635, rs2023794, rs7220711, rs74252774, rs851057, rs851058, and rs865429) of the SOST gene were genotyped. Serum sclerostin and markers of bone metabolism were measured, including serum intact PTH, 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide, and β-CrossLaps of type I collagen containing cross-linked C-telopeptide (β-CTX). The BMD of the lumbar spine and proximal femur were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.Serum sclerostin was positively correlated with BMD at the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip and with serum 25(OH)D (all P.01) but negatively correlated with β-CTX (P.01). The significant relationships between serum sclerostin and BMD and with serum β-CTX persisted, even after adjustments for age, body mass index, and serum 25(OH)D (all P.01). However, there was no correlation between serum sclerostin and age or serum procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide. We failed to identify a significant association between the SNP, haplotypes of SOST and BMD, or serum sclerostin.Our results suggested that serum sclerostin was positively correlated with the BMD at the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip and with serum 25(OH)D but was negatively correlated with serum β-CTX. Genetic polymorphisms of SOST may not be a major contributor to variations in the serum sclerostin or BMD in postmenopausal Chinese women.

A nitrogen-fixing bacterium, designated strain SCSIO N0430T, was isolated from a mangrove sediment sample. Analysis of the sequence of the nifH gene responsible for nitrogen fixation in this strain indicated a close relationship to an uncultured bacterium ZNZ-D11 (GenBank accession no. JF896696). 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that this isolate had less than 93 % similarity to its closest relative, Sunxiuqinia elliptica DQHS4T. A phylogenetic tree reconstructed based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain SCSIO N0430T was a member of the phylum Bacteroidetes . Chemotaxonomic and physiological characteristics, including phospholipids and major fatty acids, readily distinguished the isolate from established members of the phylum Bacteroidetes . It is concluded that strain SCSIO N0430T represents a novel genus and species, for which the name Mangrovibacterium diazotrophicum gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain of the species SCSIO N0430T ( = KCTC 32129T = DSM 27148T = JCM 19152T). Based on phylogenetic characteristics and 16S rRNA gene signature nucleotide patterns, the three genera Sunxiuqinia , Prolixibacter and Mangrovibacterium are proposed to make up a novel family, Prolixibacteraceae fam. nov., in the order Bacteroidales .

Dent disease comprises a group of X-linked recessive inherited renal tubular disorders, the symptoms of which include low-molecular-weight proteinuria (LMWP), hypercalciuria, nephrocalcinosis, and progressive renal failure. We sought to characterize the clinical manifestations and to identify the mutations associated with this disease in Chinese patients. In total, 155 DNA samples were collected from one affected individual, four of his family members, and 150 healthy donors. All 12 exons and the exon-intron boundaries of the CLCN5 gene were amplified and directly sequenced in this Chinese family. The proband demonstrated osteomalacia, which had resulted in more than 10 fractures, LMWP, and renal failure. A single base 'G' deletion at nucleotide 246 (c. 246delG) was identified in exon 5 of the CLCN5 gene in this patient, resulting in a frame shift mutation (fsX) that changed the Threonine (Thr) residue in position 83 to Proline (Pro). The proband's mother was found to be a carrier of this mutation. The present study suggests that a novel frameshift mutation (c. 246delG) in exon 5 of the CLCN5 gene is responsible for Dent disease in this case. Our findings also expand the known spectrum of CLCN5 mutations.

Ultrafine matrix composite powder was prepared from brown corundum slag, grinding balls, anhydrous ethanol, and modifier using a planetary ball mill. The adsorption material was used for dyeing wastewater treatment. A pH instrument, spectrophotometer, and digital water bath oscillator were used to study the amount of modifier, milling speed, milling time, ball-to-powder weight ratio, and slurry concentration to investigate the effects of preparation conditions on the adsorption performance of adsorbent material. The prepared adsorbents and activated carbon were used to adsorb methylene blue in solution under the same conditions to compare adsorbent dosage, adsorption time, temperature, pH of solution, and initial concentration of methylene blue and to study their effects on methylene blue decolorization rate. The experiment results show that dosage of R of 7.5%, ball-to-powder weight ratio of 14:1, rotational speed of 500 rpm, slurry concentration of 20%, and ball milling time of 2.5 h were the optimum parameters. The composite powder (4 g/l) was added to methylene blue wastewater (35 mg/l), pH was adjusted to 6, and adsorption was carried out for 0.5 h at 30°C. The removal rate reached 99.4%.

PRD1-BF-1-RIZ1 homologous domain containing protein-16 (PRDM16) is a cell-autonomous transcriptional component that stimulates the development of brown fat cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the contribution of genetic variants of PRDM16 to obesity-related phenotype variations in Chinese.A total of 3204 subjects (consisting of 400 male-offspring nuclear families, 401 female-offspring nuclear families, and 729 unrelated older males) were recruited. Ten tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the PRDM16 gene were genotyped using multiplex quantitative real-time PCR by Taqman assay. Body compositions were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The associations of the SNPs with the obesity-related phenotypes were analyzed using the quantitative transmission disequilibrium test (QTDT), GLM-ANOVA and PLINK statistical methods.Rs2236518 was the only SNP that was associated with BMI in young (aged 20-40 years) males (P=0.011) using QTDT, and in the older men (aged 50-80 years) (P=0.003) using GLM-ANOVA. No significant associations were detected in the females. Nor was a relationship found between any haplotype and obesity-related phenotypes. When PLINK was used, no significant relationship was detected between 10 SNPs and obesity-related phenotypes in any of the studied cohorts.Rs2236518 is associated with BMI in the young males (using QTDT), and the older males (using GLM-ANOVA).However, the result is not confirmed using PLINK. The discrepancy needs to be further addressed.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical characteristics and major causative gene in pediatric patients with Camurati‑Engelmann disease (CED). Biochemical and radiographic examinations, bone scintigraphy and genetic analyses were performed in two affected males and their parents. The two patients experienced waddling gait, muscular weakness and growth developmental delay. X-ray radiography revealed typical fusiform thickening of the diaphyseal portions of the long bones. The abnormal uptake of tracer Tc-99m was visualized in the skull and both sides of the upper humeri, ulnas, radii, femurs and tibias using bone scintigraphy. Serum levels of the bone formation marker procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide (PINP) and the bone resorption marker β‑isomerized C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen (β-CTX) in the 6-year-old patient were significantly increased compared with the normal value range, while only the β-CTX levels were elevated in the 16-year-old patient. A heterozygous missense mutation p.Arg218Cys in exon 4 of the transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) gene was detected in the two patients, while their parents had normal wild‑type genotypes. In conclusion, the p.Arg218Cys mutation was shown to contribute to the clinical phenotypes in two pediatric patients with CED. The results of this study suggest that abnormal bone turnover marker levels, typical radiological findings and mutations in the TGFβ1 gene are three important factors in the diagnosis of sporadic CED cases.

A marine bacterium, designated SCSIO 03483T, was isolated from a marine sediment sample collected from the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea. The strain produced roundish colonies with diffusible yellow-coloured pigment on nutrient agar medium or marine agar 2216. Optimal growth occurred in the presence of 0–4 % (w/v) NaCl, at pH 7.0 and a temperature range of 28–37 °C. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that the isolate belonged to the familyFlavobacteriaceaeand showed relatively high sequence similarity withImtechella halotoleransK1T(92.7 %). Phylogenetic analysis based on nearly complete 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the isolate shared a lineage with members of the generaImtechella,JoostellaandZhouia. Phospholipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified aminolipids and three unknown polar lipids. The major respiratory quinone was MK-6 and the major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 03-OH and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω6c/C16 : 1ω7c). The DNA G+C content of strain SCSIO 03483Twas 38.4 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and molecular data, strain SCSIO 03483Trepresents a novel species in a new genus in the familyFlavobacteriaceae, for which the nameSinomicrobium oceanigen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain ofSinobacterium oceaniis SCSIO 03483T( = KCTC 23994T = CGMCC 1.12145T).

Introduction Inclusion-body myopathy (IBM) with Paget's disease of bone (PDB) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), designated as IBMPFD, is a rare, autosomal dominant disorder (MIM 605382 ). IBMPFD is caused by mutations in the gene that encode valosin-containing protein (VCP). We investigated a Chinese family in which multiple members were diagnosed with PDB and suffered from weakness of the limbs. However, no members of this family were diagnosed with FTD. We made a preliminary diagnosis of PDB, but failed to identify an SQSTM1 mutation in any of the patients. We used whole-exome sequencing to identify the pathogenic gene mutation affecting the Chinese male proband. Materials and methods Altogether, 254 subjects, including one 56-year-old male proband, four affected, related individuals and additional nine family members from a non-consanguineous Chinese family, and 240 healthy donors were recruited and genomic DNA was extracted. All eight exons and the exon–intron boundaries of the SQSTM1 gene were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and directly sequenced in five patients (II13, II4, II5, II8, II9). Using whole-exome sequencing, we identified a novel mutation in VCP as the disease-causing mutation. We confirmed the result by sequencing a 500-bp region of the promoter and the coding region of VCP in all 254 of the participants using Sanger sequencing. Results No mutation in the SQSTM1 gene was identified in the five patients examined using direct Sanger sequencing. However, through whole-exome sequencing we were able to identify a novel missense mutation in exon 3 of the VCP gene (p.Gly97Glu) in the Chinese male proband. This mutation was confirmed using Sanger sequencing. The proband, four affected individuals and three unaffected individuals carried this mutation. We were able to correctly diagnose the patients with atypical IBMPFD. Structural analysis of the p.Gly97Glu mutation in the VCP protein showed that the affected amino‐acid is located in the interface of the protein. This abnormality may therefore interfere with protein function. Conclusions This is the first report of a family from China with IBMPFD. A novel VCP mutation was found as the cause of atypical IBMPFD in a Chinese family. Our findings confirm that VCP gene mutations can be a pathogenic cause of IBMPFD.

Low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) is associated with osteoporosis and osteoporotic fracture, but it remains uncertain whether these associations are causal. We conducted a Mendelian randomization (MR) study of 1,824 postmenopausal Chinese women to examine whether the detected associations between serum 25OHD and bone mineral density (BMD) and bone metabolism markers were causal. In observational analyses, total serum 25OHD was positively associated with BMD at lumbar spine (P = 0.003), femoral neck (P = 0.006) and total hip (P = 0.005), and was inversely associated with intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) (P = 8.18E-09) and procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide (P1NP) (P = 0.020). By contract, the associations of bioavailable and free 25OHD with all tested outcomes were negligible (allP > 0.05). The use of four single nucleotide polymorphisms, GC-rs2282679, NADSYN1-rs12785878, CYP2R1-rs10741657 and CYP24A1-rs6013897, as candidate instrumental variables in MR analyses showed that none of the two stage least squares models provided evidence for associations between serum 25OHD and either BMD or bone metabolism markers (all P > 0.05). We suggest that after controlling for unidentified confounding factors in MR analyses, the associations between genetically low serum 25OHD and BMD and bone metabolism markers are unlikely to be causal.

The methyltransferase-like 21C gene (METTL21C), which is mainly expressed in muscle, can promote the differentiation of myoblasts to myotubes and reduce glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis of osteocytes. The purpose of this study was to explore the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms of METTL21C and peak bone mineral density (BMD), body mass index, total fat mass (TFM), and total lean mass (TLM) in Chinese young men. Fifteen tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms were genotyped, and haplotype blocks were derived in 400 Chinese male nuclear families. The peak BMD of the lumbar and hip, TFM, and TLM were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The association analyses were performed by a quantitative transmission disequilibrium test. Both TLM and TFM had a significant positive effect on peak BMD, but the positive regulation of TLM was stronger than that of TFM. After 1000 permutations, significant within-family associations were found between rs9585961 and lumbar spine BMD and femoral neck BMD, rs9518810 and femoral neck BMD, and rs599976 and body mass index, TFM, and percentage fat mass (all P

A previous study shows that bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7) gene polymorphisms are associated with bone mineral density (BMD) in 920 European Americans. To determine the association of BMP7 polymorphisms and BMD and osteoporotic fracture susceptibility, we performed a case-control association study in postmenopausal Chinese women with or without osteoporotic fracture.A total of 3815 unrelated postmenopausal Chinese women (1238 with osteoporotic fracture and 2577 healthy controls) were recruited. BMDs of the lumbar spine 1-4 (L1-4) and proximal femur (including total hip and femoral neck) were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Eight tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in BMP7 gene, including rs11086598, rs4811822, rs12481628, rs6025447, rs230205, rs17404303, rs162316 and rs6127980, were genotyped.Among the 8 SNPs, rs6025447 and rs230205 were associated with total hip BMD (P=0.013 and 0.045, respectively). However, the associations became statistically insignificant after adjusting for age, height and weight. The TGTG haplotype of BMP7 gene was associated with total hip BMD (P=0.032), even after adjusting for age, height and weight (P=0.048); but the association was insignificant after performing the Bonferroni multiple-significance-test correction. Moreover, the 8 SNPs and 9 haplotypes of BMP7 gene were not associated with L1-4 or femoral neck BMD or osteoporotic fracture.This large-sample case-control association study suggests that the common genetic polymorphisms of BMP7 gene are not major contributors to variations in BMD or osteoporotic fracture in postmenopausal Chinese women.

With the development of the plastic connection technology and laser welding technology, as well as the improvement of the processing requirements of automotive plastic parts, laser transmission welding method is the first choice for the welding method of automobile plastic welding, which has the advantages of good welding quality, high efficiency and easy control. So the laser transmission welding is studied in this paper. The principle of laser transmission welding is introduced, and the transmission welding system of plastic laser is designed by using the optical fiber laser as the light source. The light beam collimation and focusing system is designed considering the divergence of the fiber laser source. The welding experiment of polypropylene specimen was carried out with the design of the optical fiber laser transmission welding system. Finally, the strength of welding specimen was tested. The results show that: the optical fiber laser transmission welding system in the laser power 40W, welding speed of 50mm/s, carbon black content of 0.1%, the welding strength is 379N, welding firm, meet the actual application needs.

Using aromatic carboxylic acids as main ligands, four Ln(III) coordination polymers, [Er(CH3C6H4COO)2(Ac)(H2O)]n (1), [Yb(β-C10H7COO)2(Ac)(H2O)]n (2), [Nd(C9H7O2)3]n (3) and [Ho(C9H7O2)3]n (4) (CH3C6H4COO = p-toluylate, Ac = acetate, β-C10H7COO = β-naphthoyloxy, C9H7O2 = cinnamate), were synthesized by hydrothermal method and their structures were studied by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Polymers 1 and 2 possess 2D layer structures, and polymers 3 and 4 possess 1D chain structures. At room temperature in the solid state, the IR, UV–Vis–NIR spectra and the emission spectra in the visible and near-infrared (NIR) regions of the four polymers were determined. In the NIR region, polymers 1–4 show characteristic emission bands of the corresponding Ln(III) ions which exhibit shift, splitting or broadness in comparison with their theoretical emission bands. This can be confirmed by their UV–Vis–NIR spectra and discussed emphatically.

By using whole-exome sequencing, we identified a homozygous guanine-to-adenine transition at the invariant -1 position of the acceptor site of intron 1 (c.97-1GA) in solute carrier organic anion transporter family member 2A1 (SLCO2A1), which encodes a prostaglandin transporter protein, as the causative mutation in a single individual with primary hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (PHO) from a consanguineous family. In two other affected individuals with PHO from two unrelated nonconsanguineous families, we identified two different compound heterozygous mutations by using Sanger sequencing. These findings confirm that SLCO2A1 mutations inactivate prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) transport, and they indicate that mutations in SLCO2A1 are the pathogenic cause of PHO. Moreover, this study might also help to explain the cause of secondary hypertrophic osteoarthropathy.