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Objectives: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the intestinal flora-short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) metabolism axis in rats with simple obesity, so as to explore the underlying mechanism of EA in reducing obesity., Methods: Male SD rats were randomly divided into control group, model group and EA group, with 6 rats in each group. The obesity model was established by feeding the rats with high-fat diet. Rats in the EA group were treated with EA at "Quchi" (LI11) and "Zusanli" (ST36) for 15 min, once daily for 21 consecutive days. The changes of body weight were observed every other day. H.E. staining was used to observe the pathological changes of adipose tissue and liver. The blood lipid content was detected by automatic biochemical analyzer. The diversity of intestinal flora in rat feces was analyzed by 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing. The content of SCFAs in rat feces was detected by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS). The correlation between the relative abundance of fecal intestinal flora and the content of SCFAs in rats was analyzed by Pearson method., Results: Compared with the control group, the body weight of rats, the serum total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) were significantly increased ( P <0.01) in the model group. The results of 16S rRNA sequencing showed that, at the genus level the relative abundance of Bacteroides, Butyrivibrio and Roseburia in were decreased significantly( P <0.05), while that of the Lachnospiraceae&#95;NK4A136&#95;group increased( P <0.05). After the intervention, compared with the model group, the body weight, serum TC and TG contents of rats in the EA group were significantly decreased ( P <0.05, P <0.01)；the results of 16S rRNA sequencing showed that, the relative abundance of the Bacteroidota phylum significantly increased ( P <0.01) and Firmicutes decreased ( P <0.01) at the phylum level, and at the genus level the relative abundances of Bacteroides, Butyrivibrio and Roseburia significantly increased ( P <0.01, P <0.05)；the contents of acetic acid and propionic acid in SCFAs significantly increased ( P <0.01). H.E. staining showed an increase of the diameter of adipocytes, with obvious lipid droplets and inflammatory infiltration in the model group, which was relatively milder in the EA group. PCoA analysis showed that there were significant differences in the structure of intestinal flora between the control group and the model group, as well as the model group and the EA group. At the phylum level, the relative abundance of Bacteroidota was positively correlated with acetic acid and propionic acid contents, with that of Firmicutes negatively correlated with acetic acid and propionic acid contents ( P <0.001). At the genus level, the relative abundances of Bacteroides, Streptococcus and Butyricimonas were positively correlated with acetic acid content ( P <0.01, P <0.05), and the relative abundances of Bacteroides, Streptococcus and Roseburia were positively correlated with propionic acid content ( P <0.001, ( P <0.05)., Conclusions: EA can improve the disorder of lipid metabolism in obese rats by improving the disorder of intestinal flora-SCFAs metabolic axis, thus playing a role in inhibiting obesity.

Panax ginseng is a perennial herb with the main active compounds of ginsenosides. Among the reported ginsenosides, ginsenoside Rg&#95;1 not only has a wide range of medicinal functions and abundant content but also is one of the major ginsenoside for the quality evaluation of this herb in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. The main biosynthesis pathway of ginsenoside Rg&#95;1 in P. ginseng has been clarified, which lays a foundation for the comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the biosynthesis and regulatory mechanism of ginseno-side Rg&#95;1. However, the biosynthesis of ginsenoside Rg&#95;1 is associated with other complex processes involving a variety of regulatory genes and catalyzing enzyme genes, which remain to be studied comprehensively. With the transcriptome data of 344 root samples from 4-year-old P. ginseng plants and their corresponding ginsenoside Rg&#95;1 content obtained in the previous study, this study screened out 217 differentially expressed genes(DEGs) with Rg&#95;1 content changes by DEseq2 analysis in R language. Furthermore, the weighted gene co-expression network analysis(WGCNA) revealed 40 hub genes among the DEGs.Pearsoncorrelation analysis was further perforned to yield 20 candidate genes significantly correlated with ginsenoside Rg&#95;1 content, and these genes were annotated to multiple metabolic processes including primary metabolism and secondary metabolism. Finally, the treatment of P. ginseng adventitious roots with methyl jasmonate indicated that 16 of these genes promoted the biosynthesis of ginsenoside Rg&#95;1 in response to methyl jasmonate induction. Finally, one of the 16 genes was randomly selected to verify the function of the gene by genetic transformation and qRT-PCR and to confirm the rationality of the methodology of this study. The above results lay a foundation for studying the mechanism for regulation on the synthesis of ginsenoside Rg&#95;1 and provide genetic resources for the industrial production of ginsenoside Rg&#95;1.

Soil Cd, Hg, Pb, As, Cr, Cu, Zn, and Ni of 12 districts in the Three Gorges Reservoir area (Chongqing section) were analyzed, and different evaluation methods were used to assess the degree of contamination, potential ecological risk, and human health risk of soil heavy metals in paddy soils. The results showed that the average values of all heavy metals except Cr in paddy soils in the Three Gorges Reservoir area exceeded the background values of soils in the Three Gorges Reservoir area, and the contents of Cd, Cu, and Ni in 12.32%, 4.35%, and 2.54% of the soil samples exceeded the screening values, respectively. The variation coefficients of the eight heavy metals were 29.08%-56.43%, which belonged to the medium and above-intensity variation levels and were influenced by anthropogenic activities. The eight heavy metals were contaminated in the soil, and 16.30%, 6.52%, and 2.90% of the soil Cd, Hg, and Pb were heavily contaminated. At the same time, the potential ecological risk of soil Hg and Cd were in the medium risk level on the whole. Wuxi County and Wushan County had relatively high pollution levels among the 12 districts, the Nemerow pollution index showed a moderate pollution level, and the comprehensive potential ecological risks were also at a moderate ecological hazard level. The results of the health risk evaluation showed that hand-mouth intake was the main exposure path of non-carcinogenic risk and carcinogenic risk. Soil heavy metals presented no non-carcinogenic risk for adults (HI<1), but 12.68% of the sites had non-carcinogenic risk for children (HI>1). As and Cr were the main influencing factors for non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks in the study area, and their total contributions to non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks were more than 75% and 95%, respectively, which was cause for concern.

Rationale: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with metabolic dysfunction, including progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Chronic intermittent hypoxia (IH) as a model of OSA worsens hepatic steatosis and fibrosis in rodents with diet induced obesity. However, IH also causes weight loss, thus complicating attempts to co-model OSA and NAFLD. We sought to determine the effect of various durations of IH exposure on metabolic and liver-related outcomes in a murine NAFLD model. We hypothesized that longer IH duration would worsen the NAFLD phenotype., Methods: Male C57BL/6J mice ( n = 32) were fed a high trans -fat diet for 24 weeks, to induce NAFLD with severe steatohepatitis. Mice were exposed to an IH profile modeling severe OSA, for variable durations (0, 6, 12, or 18 weeks). Intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test was measured at baseline and at six-week intervals. Liver triglycerides, collagen and other markers of NAFLD were measured at sacrifice., Results: Mice exposed to IH for 12 weeks gained less weight ( p = 0.023), and had lower liver weight ( p = 0.008) relative to room air controls. These effects were not observed in the other IH groups. IH of longer duration transiently worsened glucose tolerance, but this effect was not seen in the groups exposed to shorter durations of IH. IH exposure for 12 or 18 weeks exacerbated liver fibrosis, with the largest increase in hepatic collagen observed in mice exposed to IH for 12 weeks., Discussion: Duration of IH significantly impacts clinically relevant outcomes in a NAFLD model, including body weight, fasting glucose, glucose tolerance, and liver fibrosis., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

In pig-to-human xenotransplantation, the transmission risk of porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) is of great concern. However, the distribution of PERVs in pig genomes, their genetic variation among Eurasian pigs, and their evolutionary history remain unclear. We scanned PERVs in the current pig reference genome (assembly Build 11.1), and identified 36 long complete or near-complete PERVs (lcPERVs) and 23 short incomplete PERVs (siPERVs). Besides three known PERVs (PERV-A, -B, and -C), four novel types (PERV-JX1, -JX2, -JX3, and -JX4) were detected in this study. According to evolutionary analyses, the newly discovered PERVs were more ancient, and PERV-Bs probably experienced a bottleneck ~0.5 million years ago (Ma). By analyzing 63 high-quality porcine whole-genome resequencing data, we found that the PERV copy numbers in Chinese pigs were lower (32.0±4.0) than in Western pigs (49.1±6.5). Additionally, the PERV sequence diversity was lower in Chinese pigs than in Western pigs. Regarding the lcPERV copy numbers, PERV-A and -JX2 in Western pigs were higher than in Chinese pigs. Notably, Bama Xiang (BMX) pigs had the lowest PERV copy number (27.8±5.1), and a BMX individual had no PERV-C and the lowest PERV copy number (23), suggesting that BMX pigs were more suitable for screening and/or modification as xenograft donors. Furthermore, we identified 451 PERV transposon insertion polymorphisms (TIPs), of which 86 were shared by all 10 Chinese and Western pig breeds. Our findings provide systematic insights into the genomic distribution, variation, evolution, and possible biological function of PERVs.

Dof(DNA binding with one finger), a unique class of transcription factors in plants, play an important role in seed development, tissue differentiation, and metabolic regulation. To identify the number and function of Dof gene family members in Panax ginseng, this study identified the members of Dof gene family in P. ginseng and systematically analyzed their structures, evolution, functional differentiation, expression patterns, and interactions using bioinformatics methods at the transcriptome level. At the same time, the association analysis of Dof genes from P. ginseng with key enzyme genes for ginsenoside synthesis was carried out to screen the candidate PgDof genes involved in the regulation of ginsenoside biosynthesis. The results showed that there were 54 genes belonging to the Dof gene family in P. ginseng from Jilin. All PgDof genes had Zf-Dof conserved motifs, implying that they were evolutionarily conserved and could be divided into five groups. Expression pattern analysis confirmed that the expression of PgDof gene family members in different tissues, different year-old P. ginseng, and different farm varieties varied significantly. Simultaneously, as revealed by &quot;gene-saponin content&quot; and &quot;gene-gene&quot; linkage analysis, an important candidate PgDof14-1 gene involved in the regulation of ginsenoside biosynthesis was obtained. From the established genetic transformation system of this gene in the hairy roots of P. ginseng, a positive hairy root clone was determined. This study has laid a theoretical foundation for the study of Dof gene family in P. ginseng.

Ethyl carbamate (EC) is a genotoxic and carcinogenic compound that is also a by-product of fermented foods (bread, sour milk, soy cheese, etc.) and alcoholic beverages (wine, sake, distilled liquor, etc.). Studies have showed that ethyl carbamate is ingested by humans primarily through the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Many countries have thus established EC limits for alcoholic beverages. Chinese liquor (Baijiu) is a traditional and unique distilled liquor, which has a huge consumption in China due to its excellent color, flavor, and taste. Therefore, the control of EC in Chinese liquor is of great significance. This review summarized for the first time the progress in presence level, analysis method, formation mechanism, and elimination strategy of EC of Chinese liquor in recent decades. KEY POINTS: • GC-MS and HPLC are the main methods to quantify EC in Chinese liquor. • EC is formed in the fermentation, distillation, and storage stage. • EC content can be reduced from raw material, microorganism, and production process.

To evaluate the economics of Suhuang Zhike Capsules in the treatment of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD) for inpatients. Based on the published clinical research data, cost-utility analysis was used in this study to evaluate the pharmacoeconomics of Suhuang Zhike Capsules in treatment of AECOPD inpatients from the perspective of medical insu-rance. The test group was treated with Suhuang Zhike Capsules combined with conventional Western medicine, and the control group was treated with conventional Western medicine alone. Treeage software was used to construct a pharmacoeconomic model and perform simulation analysis. The results showed that the cost and output of Suhuang Zhike Capsules combined with the conventional Western medicine were 60 010.18 yuan and 1.92 quality adjusted life year(QALYs), respectively in the simulated 3 years of disease treatment. The cost and output of the conventional Western medicine were 96 730.60 yuan and 1.90 QALYs respectively. Suhuang Zhike Capsules combined with conventional Western medicine required lower cost but achieved higher output, showing cost-utility advantages, so this drug combination was a plan with pharmacoeconomic advantages. The sensitivity analysis results showed that the conclusion was relatively stable. Based on the above results, it is believed that as compared with the conventional Western medicine, Suhuang Zhike Capsules combined with conventional Western medicine have lower cost and higher output for the treatment of AECOPD inpatients, and it is a treatment plan with pharmacoeconomic advantages.

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a model organism with three sequenced genomes capable of genetic transformation. C. reinhardtii has the advantages of being low cost, non-toxic, and having a post-translational modification system that ensures the recombinant proteins have the same activity as natural proteins, thus making it a great platform for application in molecular biology and other fields. In this review, we summarize the existing methods for nuclear transformation of C. reinhardtii, genes for selection, examples of foreign protein expression, and factors affecting transformation efficiency, to provide insights into effective strategies for the nuclear transformation of C. reinhardtii., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. and Société Française de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire (SFBBM). All rights reserved.)

Background: Biliary diseases are common digestive system disorders which may combine with biliary tract infection such as cholecystitis or cholangitis. Thus, rapid identification of the bacteria and their antibiotic susceptibility profiles are crucial for reducing the mortality of patients with biliary tract infection., Aim: To identify bacterial species and antibiotic susceptibility for antibacterial therapy and analyze bile cultivation risk factors for increasing detection rates., Methods: This retrospective study was conducted from July 2008 to July 2017. In total, 1339 bile samples which were collected during therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopan-creatography or percutaneous transhepatic cholangiodrainage or other biliary surgeries or biliary drainage were obtained to characterize pathogen spectra, antibiotic susceptibility, and clinical features. Clinical data including age, sex, comorbidities, clinical symptoms, protopathies, and history of biliary tract diseases and surgeries were collated from hospital medical records. Species identification and initial drug susceptibility were further identified by biochemical characterization using the VITEK 2 Compact test., Results: Positive microbiological findings were observed in 738 samples. The most frequently encountered strains were gram-negative bacteria (74.94%), including Escherichia coli (37.78%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (8.96%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (10.29%). Bile bacteria were largely sensitive to carbapenems, piperacillin/tazobactam, and gentamicin. Gram-negative strains had low susceptibility to ceftriaxone, quinolones and ampicillin. Almost the same micro-organisms were present in patients with malignant and benign diseases. The number of samples with Klebsiella pneumoniae in the bile culture were significantly different between patients with malignant and benign diseases (55 vs 30; P = 0.019). Age ( P < 0.001), fever ( P < 0.001), history of biliary tract diseases and surgeries (both P < 0.001), benign disease ( P = 0.002), and the comorbidity chronic renal insufficiency ( P = 0.007) affected the positive rates of the bile samples., Conclusion: Gram-negative bacteria were the most commonly isolated biliary bacteria. We determined the major factors associated with positive detection rates. Microbiological analysis of bile samples allowed accurate antibiotic treatments., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (©The Author(s) 2020. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the current status of the occupational hazards of welding fume, manganese, and manganese compounds in the welding environment of a large container manufacturing enterprise, as well as the status of occupational health examination of workers, and to provide a basis for improving the welding environment of this enterprise. Methods: In August 2016, July 2017, and August 2018, convenience sampling was used to perform an on-site occupational hygiene survey of the welding workshop for three consecutive years, and welding fume, manganese and, manganese compounds (counted as manganese dioxide) were measured for their workplace exposure concentrations and exposure levels in workers. A comprehensive analysis was performed for the results of occupational health examination. Results: Welding fume, manganese, and manganese compounds in the welding environment gradually increased from 2016 to 2018 (χ(2)(trend)=5.14 and 5.54, P <0.05). The maximum over-standard rate of concentration-short term exposure limit was 43.3% (13/30) for welding fume and 40.0% (12/30) for manganese and its compounds, and the maximum over-standard rate of time-weighted average concentration was 26.7% (8/30) for welding fume and 23.3% (7/30) for manganese and its compounds. Abnormalities were observed in the occupational health examination of welding workers in 2016-2018, among which respiratory system abnormalities (cough, expectoration, and wheezing), nervous system abnormalities (dizziness, fatigue, sleep disorders, amnesia, hyperhidrosis, and palpitations), and electrocardiogram abnormalities (bundle conduction block) had an incidence rate of above 10.0%, and the incidence rate of abnormalities on posterior-anterior X-ray high-kV chest radiograph was close to 8.9% (30/336) . Conclusion: There is severe exposure to welding fume, manganese, and manganese compounds among workers in this enterprise, which cause great hazards to the health of workers. It is necessary to strengthen occupational health management, take measures to improve the welding environment, and enhance occupational disease prevention.

Objective: To establish a method for determination of methyl ethyl ketone in urine by headspace gas chromatography. Methods: In the urine sample(hereinafter referred to as urine sample), methyl ethyl ketone is pretreated by headspace technology, and a certain amount of head air is injected into the gas chromatograph, separated by capillary column, detected by hydrogen flame ionization detector, and the retention time is qualitative and the peak height is high. Peak area. Results: Good linearity was in the range of 0.01 to 6.0 μg/ml with a regression equation of y =13.316 x +0.8497 and γ =0.9997.The minimum detectable concentration of methyl ethyl ketone was 0.01 μg/ml. The range intra-day RSD and inter-day RSD were 2.2%-5.5% and 2.5%-6.1% respectively. Urine samples can be stored for 20 days in the refrigerator at 4 ℃. Conclusion: The method has a high advantage of sensitivity and accuracy, and also easy to operate. Therefore, it is suitable for the determination of methyl ethyl ketone in urine.

Objective: To comprehensively evaluate the clinical effect, safety and cost of Qianlieshutong Capsules (QC) in the treatment of chronic prostatitis., Methods: We searched Cochrane Library, PubMed, Springer, ProQuest, CNKI, Wanfang Data and VIP for randomized controlled trials (RCT) on the treatment of chorionic prostatitis with QC published from January 2000 to May 2018. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, two researchers independently completed the screening and evaluation of the articles, extraction of information, and meta-analysis of the included RCTs using the RevMan 5.3 software., Results: Totally 10 RCTs involving 1 796 cases were included in this study, in which the chronic prostatitis patients treated by the combination of QC and quinolones all showed a significantly better response than the controls (P < 0.05). QC combined with quinolones cost an average of ¥23 more than quinolones alone with a 1% increase of therapeutic effectiveness, ¥38.39 more with a 1-unit reduction of WBCs, and ¥38.84 more with a 1-point decrease in the NIH-CPSI score., Conclusions: The combination of QC with quinolones has a better therapeutic efficacy but a higher cost than quinolones alone in the treatment of chronic prostatitis.

In order to investigate the protective effects of allyl methyl trisulfide (AMTS) on acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity, 75 KM mice were randomized into 5 groups, i.e. a control group, an APAP group, and three AMTS/APAP groups. The mice in the AMTS/APAP groups and APAP group were gavaged with 25-100 mg kg -1 AMTS or corn oil for 7 d followed by intraperitoneal injection of 300 mg kg -1 APAP, while mice in the control group were treated with a vehicle. We found that AMTS significantly attenuated APAP-induced hepatotoxicity shown by reduced mortality, decreased serum aminotransferase activities, and improved liver histological morphology. APAP overdose resulted in a significant increase of hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) level and a decrease of the protein levels of NQO-1, γ-GCS, HO-1, and SOD, which was suppressed by AMTS pretreatment. Furthermore, AMTS inhibited the APAP-induced elevation of hepatic p62 and LC3II protein levels. Interestingly, AMTS attenuated the APAP-induced decline of hepatic CYP2E1 protein levels, but AMTS alone led to the decrease of CYP2E1 protein expression in mouse liver. Collectively, these data suggest that AMTS could attenuate APAP-induced hepatotoxicity by suppressing CYP2E1 and activating Nrf2.

Objective: To establish a method for the determination of diethyl phthalate by gas chromatography in the air of workplaces. Methods: Diethyl phthalate in the air of workplace was collected throμgh glass fiber filter, eluted with methylbenzene, and detected by gas chromatography coupled with FID detectors. Results: The linear range of diethyl phthalate determined by this method was 14.0~1 400 μg/ml, y=2.09801x-3.66229, and the coefficient correlation was 0.999 99. The detection limit was 1.10 μg/ml, and the minimum detection concentration was 0.18mg/m(3) (collected sample volume was 30 L) . The within-run precisions were 1.04%~2.75%, and the between-run precisions were 0.34%~1.30%. The recovery rates were 98.72%~103.21%, and sampling efficiency was 97.2%~100.0%. The elution efficiencies were 97.25%~98.68%. The samples could be stored at room temperature for 15 days. Conclusion: The indicators established in this study were conformed with the requirements of GBZ/T210.4-2008, "The Guidelines for the Development of Occupational Hygiene Standards Methods Part 4: Determination of Chemical Substances in the Air of Workplaces" . Diethyl phthalate in the workplace air could be rapidly collected, accurate separated and determinated. This method is applicable to the determination of diethyl phthalate in the workplace air.

In recent years, metabolomics using high-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) has been used to study the metabolic profiles in plasma, urine, stool and tissue in animal model of chronic kidney disease (CKD). In the previous work, we found that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) "Kidney Flaccidity Compound" (KFC) based on "kidney flaccidity theory" can improve renal function and quality of life of patients with kidney disease. This study aimed to investigate the metabolic profiles in peripheral blood of hemodialysis patients administrated by KFC for 1.5 and 3 months and explore the potential metabolic mechanism using UPLC. Results showed that 121 metabolites were different between KFC 3-months group and untreated control, of which 75 were significantly upregulated and 46 were significantly downregulated. In the 1.5-months treatment group, there were 365 metabolites, of which 164 were significantly upregulated and 192 downregulated. There were 6 metabolites and 15 metabolites upregulated 3-fold in 3-months and 1.5-months KFC treatment group, respectively. In addition, more than 60 new metabolites were identified in the peripheral blood in KFC treated patients, including two potential diagnostic markers MGDG 30:8 and 2-(hydroxymethyl)-6-[[(1R,4S) -2,2,4-trimethyl-3-oxabicyclo[2.2.2]octan-5-yl]oxy]oxane-3,4,5-triol. The pathway enrichment analysis showed thce differential metabolites mainly enriched in Arginine and proline metabolism, Urea cycle, Tyrosine metabolism, Methionine metabolism, Tricarboxylic acid cycle, and Androgen and estrogen metabolism. The findings are helpful to reveal the mechanism of KFC protects CKD, and to provide a new strategy for recovery renal function in hemodialysis patients.

The relationship between saponin content of Panax quinquefolius in different parts of the organization and expression of ginsenoside biosynthesis related gene was obtained by the correlation analysis between saponin content and gene expression. The 14 tissue parts of P. quinquefolius were studied, six saponins in P. quinquefolius. Samples (ginsenoside Rg₁, Re, Rb₁, Rc, Rb₂ and Rd), group saponins and total saponins were determined by high performance liquid chromatography and vanillin-sulfuric acid colorimetric method. Simultaneously, the expression levels of 7 ginsenoside biosynthesis related genes ( SQS, OSC, DS, β-AS, SQE, P450 and FPS ) in different tissues of P. quinquefolius were determined by Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. Although 7 kinds of ginsenoside biosynthesis related enzyme gene in the P. quinquefolius involved in ginsenoside synthesis, the expression of β-AS and P450 genes had no significant effect on the content of monosodium saponins, grouping saponins and total saponins, FPS, SQS, OSC, DS and SQE had significant or extremely significant on the contents of single saponins Re, Rg1, Rb1, Rd, group saponin PPD and PPT, total saponin TMS and total saponin TS ( P <0.05 or P <0.01). The biosynthesis of partial saponins, grouping saponins and total saponins in P. quinquefolius was affected by the interaction of multiple enzyme genes in the saponin synthesis pathway, the content of saponins in different tissues of P. quinquefolius was determined by the differences in the expression of key enzymes in the biosynthetic pathway. Therefore, this study further clarified that FPS, SQS, OSC, DS and SQE was the key enzyme to control the synthesis of saponins in P. quinquefolius by correlation analysis, the biosynthesis of ginsenosides in P. quinquefolius was regulated by these five kind of enzymes in cluster co-expression of interaction mode., Competing Interests: The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose., (Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.)

Thyroid cancer patients with high miR-490-3p inhibit translation of PCBP1 mRNA, whereas in patients with low miR-490-3p PCBP1 mRNA expression is high; however, the resultant protein is targeted for degradation through the proteasome. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the molecular mechanism that regulates post-translation degradation of poly r(C) binding protein (PCBP) 1 expression in thyroid cancer cells. Mass spectrometric analysis of PCBP1 immunoprecipitates from MG-132 treated TPC1 cells revealed a list of ubiquitin ligases associated with PCBP1. RNAi-mediated silencing of the candidate ubiquitin ligases revealed that knockdown of the ubiquitin ligase UBE4A stabilized PCBP1 in TPC1 cells. Concurrent overexpression of the candidate ubiquitin ligases in the normal thyroid epithelial cell line Nthy-ori 3-1 confirmed that ubiquitin conjugation factor E4 A (UBE4A) is the ubiquitin ligase that is degrading PCBP1. Coimmunoprecipitation of HA-tagged PCBP1 in TPC1 cells cotransfected with FLAG- UBE4A revealed robust polyubiquitinated smear of PCBP1, thus confirming UBE4A as the ubiquitin ligase of PCBP1. UBE4A expression mimicked PCBP1 mRNA expression in thyroid cancer patients and was inversely correlated to PCBP1 protein expression. Low UBE4A expression level was associated with a better prognosis in thyroid cancer patients. Our data reveal a post-translational regulatory mechanism of regulating PCBP1 expression in thyroid cancer cells., (© 2017 The Author(s).)

Objective: To establish a practical method forsampling and detectingtributyl phosphate intheworkplace. Methods: The samples were extracted by glass fiber membrane, eluted with ether, separated by gas chromatography, and detected by flame photometric detector. Results: There were good linear relationship in the minimum detection concentration was 7.2-720.0 μg/ml, and the correlation coefficient was 0.999 92. The detection limit was 0.86 μg/ml, and the minimum detection concentration was 0.14 mg/m(3) (sample volume was 30 L) . Recovery rates were 99.8%-100.2%. The with-in relative standard deviations were 4.0%-5.4% and the between relative standard deviations were 2.0%-5.5%, and average samplingefficiency was about 99.1%-100.0%. Conclusion: This method conforms with the requirements of "Standardization of Methods for Determination of Toxic Substance in Workplace" . Tributyl phosphate in air could be determined accurately using this method.

In order to obtain the expression of ginsenoside biosynthetic pathway related enzyme gene in ginseng hairy root under the control of elicitors, methyl jasmonate (MeJA) was added exogenously as elicitors. Ginseng hairy root clones induced by 4-year-old ginseng root was used as material, total saponin content in ginseng hairy root before and after MeJA treatment was determined by vanillin-sulfuric acid colorimetry, Meanwhile, relative expression of squalene synthase genes, squalene epoxidase genes, oxidized squalene cyclase genes, dammarenediol synthase genes, β-amyrin synthase genes, cycloartenol synthase genes before and after MeJA treatment were determined by Real-time PCR. The optimum conditions of MeJA which added to ginseng hairy root were obtained, the optimum additional concentration was 6×10⁻⁴ μmol•L⁻¹, the optimum additional time was 22 d, and the optimum action time was 5 d. The addition of MeJA could improve the enzymatic activity of peroxidase (PPD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (PPD) in ginseng hairy root. The expression of SQS，SQE，OSC，DS and β-AS genes of ginsenoside biosynthetic pathway increased significantly after MeJA treatment, while the change of CAS gene expression were not significant. The expression of key enzyme SQS，SQE，OSC，DS and β-AS genes in ginsenoside biosynthetic pathway was consistent with the changes of PPD，CAT，PPO enzymatic activity., Competing Interests: The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose., (Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.)

Poly r(C) binding protein (PCBP) 1 or heterogeneous ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) E1 is a RNA binding protein that plays a vital role in a wide variety of biological processes. PCBP1 has been shown to function as a tumor suppressor by negatively regulating translation of pro-metastatic proteins in different cancers. Loss of PCBP1 expression or its Akt2-mediated phosphorylation at serine 43 residue has both been indicated to de-repress its regulation of EMT inducer proteins. Our previous work has established that PCBP1 functions as a tumor suppressor in thyroid cancer, where its translation is inhibited by microRNA-490-3p. Here we show that thyroid cancer patients can be divided into 2 cohorts based on miR-490-3p expression and PCBP1 mRNA expression-one cohort with high PCBP1 mRNA expression and basal miR-490-3p expression and a second cohort with low PCBP1 mRNA expression and high miR-490-3p expression. However, PCBP1 protein expression is also downregulated in the cohort with high PCBP1 mRNA expression, with expression levels similar to what is observed in patients with the low PCBP1 mRNA expression. Our analysis shows that PCBP1 mRNA is actively translated in patients with high PCBP1 mRNA expression, but that the protein is post translationally degraded by the proteasome machinery. Our results thus elucidate a novel mechanism responsible for down regulation of PCBP1 expression in thyroid cancer. It will be important in future to identify the mechanism that causes degradation of PCBP1 protein and to identify if similar mechanisms are active in other tumors characterized by low PCBP1 protein expression.

Panax ginseng is one of the famous rare medicinal herbs, and ginsenosides are the main active ingredient of ginseng is ginsenoside.They can be divided into three chemotypes: oleanane type, protopanaxadiol (PPD) type and the protopanaxatriol (PPT)type. Ginsenosides possess anti-thrombotic, anti-fatigue, anti-aging, cancer control, strengthening the immune system and many other effects. Rrogress has remarkably been made in pharmacology, efficacy and blosynthesis of ginsenosides.This review covers the recent research achievements of ginsenasides, which would be helpful for the relevant researchers to get useful information., Competing Interests: The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose., (Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.)

Aim: To examine the therapeutic/preventive potential of liposome-encapsulated spironolactone (SP; Lipo-SP) for acute lung injury (ALI) and fibrosis., Materials & Methods: Lipo-SP was prepared by the film-ultrasonic method, and physicochemical and pharmacokinetic characterized for oral administration (10 and 20 mg/kg for SP-loaded liposome; 20 mg/kg for free SP) in a mouse model bleomycin-induced ALI., Results: Lipo-SP enhanced bioavailability of SP with significant amelioration in lung pathology. Mechanistically, SP-mediated mineralocorticoid receptor antagonism contributes to inflammatory monocyte/macrophage modulation via an inhibitory effect on Ly6C(hi) monocytosis-directed M2 polarization of alveolar macrophages. Moreover, Lipo-SP at lower dose (10 mg/kg) exhibited more improvement in body weight gain., Conclusion: Our data highlight Lipo-SP as a promising approach with therapeutic/preventive potential for ALI and fibrosis.

Fifteen tissues of 4-year-old fruit repining stage Jilin ginseng were chosen as materials, six kinds of monomer saponins (ginsenosides Rg1, Re, Rb1, Rc, Rb2 and Rd) content in 15 tissues was measured by HPLC and vanillin-sulfuric acid method. The relative expression of FPS, SQS, SQE, OSC, β-AS and P450 genes in 15 tissues was analyzed by real-time PCR. The correlations between ginseng saponin content in 15 tissues of Jilin ginseng and biosynthetic pathway -related genes were obtained. The results showed that was a synergistic increase and decrease trend of positive linear correlation among six kinds of monomer saponin content, and there was a significantly (P < 0.01) positive correlation between monomer saponin content and total saponins content. Monomer saponin content and 6 kinds of enzyme gene correlation were different. Biosynthesis of ginseng total saponins and monomer saponin were regulated by six kinds of participation ginsenoside biosynthesis enzyme genes, the expression of these six kinds of genes in different tissues of ginseng showed collaborative increase and decrease trend, and regulated biosynthesis of ginseng ginsenoside by group coordinative manner.

Zhi-Long-Huo-Xue-Tong-Yu (ZLHXTY) is a defined mixture of 5 herbs developed by Professor S.J. Yang according to the Buyang Huanwu decoction method, which has been recorded in the Yilingaicuo. This study investigated the renoprotective effects of ZLHXTY on mitochondrial dysfunction induced by diabetic kidney injury in a diabetic rat model. Diabetes was induced by a single intravenous injection of streptozotocin. Rats were daily fed either ZLHXTY or vehicle beginning in the 1st week after injection. Levels of mitofusin 2 (mfn2), dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1), caspase-9, and rho-associated, coiled-coil-containing protein kinase 1 (ROCK1) were detected using Western blotting. Levels of intracellular calcium and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) were examined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. An electron microscopic examination of kidney tissue was performed. The levels of mfn2 and ATP in the diabetes and ZLHXTY groups decreased from the 4th week after modeling. The expression levels of Drp1, ROCK1, and caspase-9 increased in the diabetes group but decreased in the ZLHXTY group from the 4th week after modeling. Compared with the diabetes group, ZLHXTY treatment decreased the mesangial expansion index and proteinuria levels, and improved the pathological changes typical of diabetic kidney injury. Furthermore, ZLHXTY treatment inhibited the activation of ROCK1 and expression of Drp1 and caspase-9, but did not affect the expression of mfn2. This study indicates that ZLHXTY treatment could protect kidney tissue from diabetic injury through the ROCK1 pathway response to mitochondrial dysfunction induced by diabetes.

Main Conclusion: Storage promotes carotenoid accumulation and converts amylochromoplasts into chromoplasts in winter squash. Such carotenoid enhancement is likely due to continuous biosynthesis along with reduced turnover and/or enhanced sequestration. Postharvest storage of fruits and vegetables is often required and frequently results in nutritional quality change. In this study, we investigated carotenoid storage plastids, carotenoid content, and its regulation during 3-month storage of winter squash butternut fruits. We showed that storage improved visual appearance of fruit flesh color from light to dark orange, and promoted continuous accumulation of carotenoids during the first 2-month storage. Such an increased carotenoid accumulation was found to be concomitant with starch breakdown, resulting in the conversion of amylochromoplasts into chromoplasts. The butternut fruits contained predominantly β-carotene, lutein, and violaxanthin. Increased ratios of β-carotene and violaxanthin to total carotenoids were noticed during the storage. Analysis of carotenoid metabolic gene expression and PSY protein level revealed a decreased expression of carotenogenic genes and PSY protein following the storage, indicating that the increased carotenoid level might not be due to increased biosynthesis. Instead, the increase likely resulted from a continuous biosynthesis with a possibly reduced turnover and/or enhanced sequestration, suggesting a complex regulation of carotenoid accumulation during fruit storage. This study provides important information to our understanding of carotenogenesis and its regulation during postharvest storage of fruits.

Objective: To explore ginseng fermentation process by Lactobacillus plantarum, and to make part of total saponins transformed into more reactive ginsenoside Rd., Method: Microbial fermentation was carried out by still dark culture. Total saponins were extracted by Soxhlet extraction, and determined by UV visible spectrophotometry with colours reaction by vanillin-sulfuric acid. Ginsenoside Rd was determined by HPLC method., Result: The fermentation process was: MRS medium, 35 degrees C, pH 5.0, cultured for 2 days. The content of total saponins was inhance 32%, and the content of ginsenoside Rd was increased 4.864 mg x g(-1)., Conclusion: The fermentation system's process was reasonable, and it's suitable for mass production, important significance for ginsenoside microbial transformation.

Paroxysmal dyskinesias (PDs) are a group of episodic movement disorders with marked variability in clinical manifestation and potential association with epilepsy. PRRT2 has been identified as a causative gene for PDs, but the phenotypes and inheritance patterns of PRRT2 mutations need further clarification. In this study, 10 familial and 21 sporadic cases with PDs and PDs-related phenotypes were collected. Genomic DNA was screened for PRRT2 mutations by direct sequencing. Seven PRRT2 mutations were identified in nine (90.0%) familial cases and in six (28.6%) sporadic cases. Five mutations are novel: two missense mutations (c.647C>G/p.Pro216Arg and c.872C>T/p.Ala291Val) and three truncating mutations (c.117delA/p.Val41TyrfsX49, c.510dupT/p.Leu171SerfsX3 and c.579dupA/p.Glu194ArgfsX6). Autosomal dominant inheritance with incomplete penetrance was observed in most of the familial cases. In the sporadic cases, inheritance was heterogeneous including recessive inheritance with compound heterozygous mutations, inherited mutations with incomplete parental penetrance and de novo mutation. Variant phenotypes associated with PRRT2 mutations, found in 36.0% of the affected cases, included febrile convulsions, epilepsy, infantile non-convulsive seizures (INCS) and nocturnal convulsions (NC). All patients with INCS or NC, not reported previously, displayed abnormalities on electroencephalogram (EEG). No EEG abnormalities were recorded in patients with classical infantile convulsions and paroxysmal choreoathetosis (ICCA)/paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD). Our study further confirms that PRRT2 mutations are the most common cause of familial PDs, displaying both dominant and recessive inheritance. Epilepsy may occasionally occur in ICCA/PKD patients with PRRT2 mutations. Variant phenotypes INCS or NC differ from classical ICCA/PKD clinically and electroencephalographically. They have some similarities with, but not identical to epilepsy, possibly represent an overlap between ICCA/PKD and epilepsy., (© 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and International Behavioural and Neural Genetics Society.)

Objective: To detect potential mutation of Doublecortin (DCX) gene in a patient featuring X-linked subcortical laminar heterotopia (X-SCLH) and epilepsy., Methods: Mutation of the DCX gene was screened by PCR and direct sequencing. Pathogenicity of the mutation was analyzed with a PolyPhen-2 software., Results: A de novo missense mutation c.971T>C (p.Phe324Ser) was discovered., Conclusion: A diagnostic method for X-SCLH has been established, which may facilitate diagnosis and genetic counseling of patients featuring this disease.

The mechanism of autophagy in diabetic nephropathy (DN) is still unclear. The study was performed on streptozotocin (STZ) rats to investigate whether programmed cell death contribute to the pathogenesis and progression of DN. STZ rats were induced by an single intravenous injection of STZ dissolved in citrate buffer, early DN (E-DN) for STZ rats was defined as the stage from modeling to the end of the 8th week according to previous studies. A total of 36 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups: an E-DN group and a control group. After the 1st, 4th, and 8th week, the rats were sacrificed. Beclin1 and microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) were examined, apoptosis level in renal tissue was detected by Tunnel assay detected as the apoptotic index. An electron microscopic examination of kidney tissues was performed at end of the 4th and 8th week. Compared with the control group, Beclin1 expression increased since the 1st week after modeling in STZ rats kidney and peaked at the end of the 8th week in western blotting and immunohistochemical stain. Meanwhile the level of LC3-II in DN group was significantly lower from the end of the 1st to the 8th week. A small amount of autophagosomes were observed in both E-DN group and control group under electron microscopic examination, and there was no significant difference between the groups. These findings indicate that an abnormality on autophagy may play an important role in the pathogenesis of E-DN.

A two-segment Fermi-Pasta-Ulam lattice has been investigated by using nonequilibrium molecular dynamics. Here we present an anomalous negative differential thermal resistance (NDTR) that has not been reported in Frenkel-Kontorova and φ(4) lattices up to the present. The NDTR disappears in the low-temperature region. The region of NDTR shifts from the large to the small temperature difference region as the system size increases. The anomalous dependence of NDTR on the temperature can be explained as the negative effect induced by the nonlinear coupling. The explanation can also cover the phenomenon of NDTR in momentum-nonconserved lattices.

Objective: To study the expression of beclin1 in renal tissue of diabetic rats, and its role in diabetic nephropathy (DN)., Methods: Diabetic rat model was produced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg), it was considered to be diabetic nephropathy that 72 h blood glucose after modeling was higher than 16 mmol/L. The positive urine protein was detected by paper method at the end of 1 week. 24 h urine albumin excretion (ALb) and urinary albumin and urinary creatinine ratio (ACR) were examined by immunoturbidimetry, Beclin1 expression was also studied by immunohistochemistry with envision method. The electron microscopy was used to detect the form of autophagic vesicles and lysosome., Results: (1) Compared with control group, the 24-hour urinary albumin excretion rate and ACR in diabetic rats were significantly higher. (2) The electron microscopy showed there were autophagic vesicles in renal tissue in both groups; (3) Immunohistochemistry showed beclin1 expression in normal rat kidney cells partly, while no expression in glomeruli. The expression of beclin1 in DN renal tissue was stronger than that in normal rats (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: beclin1 may be involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy with the mechanism related to the process of programmed cell death.

Objective: To study the imprinting status of genetic imprinted gene PEG10 (perternally expressed gene 10) in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues and liver cancer cell lines., Methods: Genomic DNA was extracted from 20 HCC tissues and its adjacent tissues, 15 normal liver tissues, 5 liver cancer cell lines (PLC/PRF/5, smmc-7721, HepG2, Hep3B, SK-HEP-1) and 2 normal human liver cell lines (changliver, HL7702). The DNA fragments containing single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) site of PEG10 were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the genotype of samples was detected by DNA sequencing. Total RNA was extracted from heterozygous samples, the imprinting status and expression level of PEG10 were evaluated by quantitative real time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and DNA sequencing., Results: It was found that 16/40 of HCC and its adjacent tissues were heterozygous, 3/15 of normal liver tissue were heterozygous. A site of heterozygous mutation was found in HepG2 cells by DNA sequencing. The other liver tissues and cell lines were all homozygous. PEG10 was biallelically expressed and showed loss of imprinting (LOI) in 82.4% (14/17) liver cancer samples (16 HCC tissues and HepG2), however it was a monoallelic expression and showed genomic imprinting in17.6% (3/17) liver cancer samples. In HCC, the expression levels of PEG10 were increased apparently, but it was negative expressed in cancer adjacent tissues and normal liver tissues. Expression levels of PEG10 were not significantly different between imprinted HCC tissues and HCC tissues with LOI (t = 1.311, P value is more than 0.05)., Conclusion: PEG10 imprinting is lost in a majority of HCC and no correlation exists between the imprinting status of PEG10 and its expressions in HCC tissues.

In plants, it is well established that chloroplast is one of the early targgeted organelles to breakdown during leaves senescing. Here we applied a newly developed super-high-yield hybrid rice (Oryza sativa) LiangYouPeiJiu (LYPJ) and its parents lines to investigate changes in ultrastructure of chloroplasts, fatty acid composition of thylakoid membrane lipids and chlorophyll (Chl) a fluorescence transient in natural senescing leaves. We found that at full expansion of flag leaves in three lines, chloroplasts often showed oblong shapes with a typical membrane system of stroma and grana thylakoids, whereas their shapes had been changed from oblong to spherical during senescence. Our data showed that the initiation of senescence displayed accumulation of starch and an increase in the number and size of plastoglobuli with the damaged thylakoid membranes; subsequently, swollen thylakoid membranes in stroma and in grana with a significant increase in MDA content, and disorganization of thylakoid membrane system with significant changes in fatty acid composition of thylakoid membrane lipids were developed. Compared with its parents, the newly developed hybrid rice LYPJ had the highest capacity of carbohydrate transport from leaves (sources) to ears (sink), marked with the lowest accumulation of starch grains in the leaf chloroplasts, and the slowest senescing rate of chloroplast in overall leaf senescence process. Chl a fluorescence transients of three kinds of flag leaves were analyzed by so-called JIP-test. The results of analysis suggest that these findings inculding a high inherited activity of antioxidant enzymes and high photosynthetate transport to pretect chloroplast structure in the hybrid rice LYPJ have close relations to its super-high yield., (Copyright 2009 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) and expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), P53 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), which has not yet been elucidated., Methods: HPV16 was detected by amplifying the HPV16 E6 gene by the PCR method, and the expression of COX-2, P53 protein in 69 ESCCs and 32 normal esophageal mucosa (NEM) from Shaanxi Province was examined by the streptavidin-peroxidase method. Estimation of overall survival by HPV16, COX-2, and P53 was calculated with the Kaplan-Meier method and analyzed with the log-rank test., Results: The infection rate of HPV16 in ESCCs (35 of 69, 50.7%) was significantly higher than that in NEMs (two of 32, 6.25%) (P<0.01). The expression rate of COX-2 in ESCCs (44 of 69, 63.8%) was higher than that in NEMs (two of 32, 6.25%) (P<0.01). The expression intensity of COX-2 expression had statistical difference in histological grade (R = 0.4453, P = 0.0019), tumor stage (R = 0.438, P = 0.000), and metastasis (R = 0.417, P = 0.002). P53 expression rate was 49.3% (34 of 69) in ESCC and 18.8% (six of 32) in NEMs. The expression rate of P53 proteins in ESCC was statistically higher than that in N67EMs (P = 0.0037). The infection of HPV16 had inverse correlation with the overexpression of COX-2 in ESCCs (R = -0.321, P = 0.008). The HPV16 DNA in ESCC had no statistical correlation with P53 protein (R = -0.014, P = 0.9055) and the elevated expression of COX-2 had positive correlation with P53 protein in ESCC (R = 0.441, P = 0.000). No statistical correlation was observed between the infection of HPV16 and clinicopathological features in ESCCs including sex, age, tumor stage, and lymph node metastasis, respectively (P>0.05). The COX-2 had no statistical correlation with sex and age (P>0.05), but had association with tumor stage and lymph node metastasis, respectively (P<0.05). The expression of P53 protein had significant association with lymph node metastasis (P = 0.0005), but not with sex, age, and tumor stage, respectively (P>0.05). The overexpression of COX-2, infection of HPV16, and P53 protein in ESCC were not correlated with survival during the 5-year follow-up period (P>0.05)., Conclusion: We first concluded that the increased expression of COX-2 had inverse correlation with HPV16 in ESCC. COX-2, HPV16, and P53 had no significant effect on the survival of patients with ESCC. These observations might help us to further understand the significant association between HPV16 and other molecules involved in the carcinogenesis and progression of ESCC.

Background: Esophageal cancer is the fourth most prevalent malignancy in China. The relationship between COX-2, CD44v6, and nm23H1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unclear., Material and Methods: Expression of COX-2, CD44v6, and nm23H1 was examined, using the streptavidin-peroxidase method, in 82 ESCC and 30 normal esophageal mucosa (NEM) samples from the Shaanxi Province in China., Results: The positive rates of COX-2, CD44v6, and nm23H1 were 73.2% (60/82), 64.6% (53/82), and 24.4% (31/82), respectively in ESCC, but 6.7% (2/30), 3.3% (1/30), and 90% (27/30), respectively in NEMs. There was a statistically significant difference between NEMs and ESCCs (p < 0.05). Expression of COX-2 showed a positive statistical correlation with expression of CD44v6 (r = 0.4732, p < 0.0001), and an inverse correlation with nm23H1 (r = -0.3226, p = 0.0035). Expression of COX-2, CD44v6, and nm23H1 had no significant correlation with gender or age (p > 0.05), but increased expression of COX-2 and CD44v6 showed statistical correlation with invasion and lymph node metastasis, respectively (p < 0.05). Decreased expression of nm23H1 was statistically correlated with lymph node metastasis (p = 0.0007) but had no correlation with invasion (p = 0.8221)., Conclusions: This is the first report of a significant correlation between COX-2, CD44v6, and nm23H1 in ESCC. This knowledge might help us to further understand the molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis and progression of ESCC., (Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

The Jahn-Teller (JT) distortion induced orbital order and optical conductivity in SrRuO(3) and CaRuO(3) are investigated by first-principles calculations. The total energy and optical conductivity of all the spin ordering states of SrRuO(3) and CaRuO(3) are calculated in the LDA+U scheme with U(eff) = 2.5 eV. The down-spin t(2g) of Ru show antiferromagnetic-like orbital order in the a-b plane. We observe a d-d transition peak at an energy of about 1.0 eV in the calculated optical conductivity and analyze the reason for it not being observed in previous experiments.

Objective: To study the callus induction and plant regeneration of Ixeridium sonchifolium., Method: By using the orthogonal experiment design, the medium for callus induction and plant regeneration was optimized., Result: The optimal medium for callus induction was MS + 2, 4-D 1.5 mg x L(-1) +6-BA 1.5 mg x L(-1) +NAA 1.0 mg x L(-1) + IBA 1.5 mg x L(-1) + KT1.5 mg x L(-1), the optimal medium for inducing adventitious bud was MS +2, 4-D 0.2 mg x L(-1) +6-BA 0.5 mg x L(-1) + NAA 0.5 mg x L(-1) + IBA 0.5 mg x L(-1) + KT 0.5 mg x L(-1). Plantlets were rooted on 1/4MS medium supplemented with different concentrations of IBA, and high rooting and survival was achieved when the IBA concentration was 0.1 mg L(-1)., Conclusion: An efficient system for plant regeneration of I. sonchifolium was established.

Objectives: Human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) is regarded as one of the important tumor-related viruses, which are known to have a role in cervical carcinoma; however, there are few reports on HPV16 in gastric carcinoma (GC). Our study aimed to investigate the relationship between HPV16 and the occurrence of GC., Methods: Liquid PCR (LPCR) and in-situ PCR (ISPCR) methods were carried out to detect the HPV16 oncogene E6 cell-type-specific enhancer in the long control region of HPV16 in 40 GCs and corresponding gastric adjacent normal mucosa (GANM). The patients were from Shaanxi Province in China; Helicobacter pylori (Hp) was detected by immunohistochemistry and by hematoxylin and eosin staining in their gastric tissues., Results: The HPV16 E6 gene was detected in 37.5% (15/40) of the GCs and 5% (2/40) of the GANMs with LPCR, as was the cell-type-specific enhancer; however, the positive rate of E6 was 27.5% (11/40) in GCs and 0% (0/40) in GANMs, respectively, with ISPCR. HPV16 DNA was mainly located in the nucleus of gastric glandular epithelium cells. The infection rate of HPV16 DNA in GCs was higher than that in GANMs (P=0.0004), and the HPV16 had no statistical correlations with sex, age, invasion, grading or lymph node metastasis (P>0.05). The infection rate of HPV16 in cardiac GCs was significantly higher than that in noncardiac ones (P=0.0136), and HPV16 had no correlation with Hp in GCs (P=0.0829). Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis indicated that there was no statistical difference between the LPCR and ISPCR methods in our study through optimizing parameters in ISPCR procedures (P=0.768)., Conclusions: These findings suggested that HPV16 can infect gastric glandular epithelium cells and that viral infection might play a role in the occurrence of GCs independent of or without the cooperation of an Hp infection.

Objective: To establish a spectrophotometric determination method of bromine in the air of workplace., Methods: Bromine in the air of workplace was absorbed by methyl orange solution, then determined by spectrophotometry., Results: The range of the determination was 0.2 to 2.8 microg/ml, the linear equation was Y=0.0427X-0.0092, r=0.9996. The detection limit was 0.2 microg/ml. The minimum detectable concentration was 0.27 mg/m(3) for 7.5 L air sample. The relative standard deviations covered the range of 1.1% approximately 3.7%. The recovery rate was in the range of 93.6% to 97.2%. The sampling efficiency ranged from 93.5% to 100.0%., Conclusion: The method is available for the determination of bromine in the air of workplace.

Purpose: To compare the clinical effects of rapid palatal expansions combined with maxillary protractions to that of maxillary protractions of the maxillary deficiency alone., Methods: Twenty patients aging from 9 to 11 years were divided into two groups , each group had 10 patients. All patients were diagnosed as having deficient maxillas with anterior crossbite. Group A were treated with rapid palatal expansion before maxillary protraction.Group B were treated with maxillary protraction alone. Lateral cephalometric films were taken at the beginning and the end of the treatment, and analyzed with McNamara analysis (Co-A,Co-Gn,ANS-Me) and traditional analysis., Results: (1) After maxillary protraction,the maxilla and upper dentitions were protracted in both groups,the anterior crossbite had been corrected and obvious profile changes can be observed. (2) The mandible moved backward and downward in the RPE group and more obvious profile changes can be achieved compared with no RPE group., Conclusion: (1) It's an effective method to manage the maxillary deficiency with maxillary protraction in the mixed dentition. (2) Applying maxillary protraction combined with RPE is more adaptable to low angle cases.

Objective: This study aimed at investigating bio-tribological property of titanium opposite to teeth as a base of clinical application., Methods: Under a modified fretting machine, wear tests on human natural teeth were carried out in artificial saliva conditions against to pure titanium. The dynamic frictional process and wear mechanisms were investigated by means of Nene-2, MVK-H12, TALYSURF6, OM, LSM, SEM, EDX., Results: The coefficient of friction exhibited a variation pattern of longs. The wear mechanism of natural tooth was detected as micro-cut and denaturation of dental texture and the wear depth of Ti/teeth was 20.33 + 2.86 microm, the wear depth of Ti/Ti being 38.00 + 5.88 microm (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: The natural tooth has a good tribological behavior, matching the friction behavior of pure titanium. Over occlusal force during masticate process and para-function should be avoided. When we chose dental materials, wear resistance should be taken into account.

Objective: To study the biomarkers of styrene and to provide theoretical basis for bio-monitoring of styrene., Methods: Urinary mandalic acid (MA), phenylglyoxalic acid (PGA) and mercapturic acid (MUA) of styrene were examined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)., Results: The correlation regression equations between exposure dose and MA, PGA and MUA level in morning urinary samples were: ŷ = 2.58x + 70.82; ŷ = 1.66x + 37.42; ŷ = 0.05x + 0.55 respectively. The correlation regression equations between exposure dose and MA, PGA and MUA level in post-shift urinary samples were: ŷ = 1.85x + 89.02; ŷ = 1.33x + 4.32; ŷ = 0.04x + 0.68 respectively. All showed close dose-response relationship., Conclusions: The level of MA, PGA and MUA in morning or post-shift urinary samples may be used as bio-monitoring indexes of styrene.