Search

Primula sugongii J.D.Ya, Bin Yang & Y.H. Tan and P. zhengyii Bin Yang & Y.H. Tan, two new species of Primulaceae from Yunlong County and Luchun County, Yunnan Province, China, are described based on morphological characters and phylogenetic evidence, and colour plates of these two species are also provided. The molecular phylogenetic analysis using the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) and chloroplast genome, Primula sugongii was nested within the clade with most members of sect. Obconicolisteri, for Primula zhengyii, the phylogenetic position and its affiliation is somewhat controversial. Based on the comprehensive morphological evidence, they are affiliated to Primula sect. Obconicolisteri Balf. f. Primula sugongii is morphologically similar to P. barbicalyx C.H. Wright in having short and pilose scapes and calyx, but it can be easily distinguished by its longer corolla tube and corolla exannulate at throat, and series of other characters of the leaf blade. Primula zhengyii is morphologically similar to P. zhui Y.H. Tan & Bin Yang and P. intanoensis T. Yamaz., but clearly differs from P. zhui by its shorter corolla tube and smaller flowers size and differs from P. intanoensis by its distylous flowers and several other characters of leaf blade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Differences in warfarin maintenance dosages based on the presence of polymorphisms in VKORC1, CYP2C9, CYP4F2, and ORM1 can be determined through dosage adjustment according to routine guidelines. Little is known about whether routine therapy could provide consensus anticoagulation control for patients with different genotypes. This study was carried out to compare anticoagulant control in patients with different genotypes. Six hundred seventy patients using warfarin according to Chinese guidelines were enrolled. Warfarin dosages and monitored international normalized ratios (INRs) were recorded. Genotypes of VKORC1 rs9923231, CYP4F2 rs2108622, CYP2C9 rs1057910, and ORM1 rs17650 polymorphisms were determined. Warfarin dosages and INR were compared between genotypes. Patients with the AGCC*F*F*1*1 polymorphism took longer than patients with the AACC*F*F*1*1 polymorphism (20 vs 5 days, P < .001) to achieve the targeted INR range. The INR values of patients with AACC*F*F*1*3 were unstable and did not enter the stable state control phase until after 35 days. The peak INR of patients with the AACC*F*F*1*3 polymorphism was exceedingly high, with some values exceeding the control range limit of 3.0. Patients with the AACC*F*S*1*1 or AACT*F*F*1*1 polymorphisms exhibited similar INR values as the patients with the AACC*F*F*1*1 polymorphism. This study found that routine medication with warfarin provides significantly different levels of anticoagulant control between patients with wild-type genotypes and patients with heterozygous polymorphism genotypes of VKORC1 rs9923231 or CYP2C9 rs1057910. Patients with heterozygous polymorphism genotypes of VKORC1 or CYP2C9 require genotype-directed therapy with warfarin to increase efficacy and safety in anticoagulant treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An iterative method is used to find the values of the Hamiltonian parameters for Yb3+ in a given low-symmetry crystalline site. Samples of Yb3+:RETaO4 (RE = Gd, Y, and Sc) were prepared and their structures were determined. Based on the obtained structural data, their orbital-spin parameters and crystal field parameters were fitted by the superposition model (SM). Using the crystal field parameters obtained by the SM fitting as the initial parameters, the Hamiltonian parameters were fitted iteratively. The calculated and experimental energy levels for Yb3+:RETaO4 are consistent, and the maximal mean-root-square deviation is only 2.84 cm-1, indicating that the method is effective to determine the Hamiltonian parameters of Yb3+ in low-symmetry crystalline sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dissociative electron attachment process for CHCl3 at different electric field have been studied with nitrogen as drift and carrier gas using corona discharge ionization source ion mobility spectrometry (CD-IMS). The corresponding electron attachment rate constants varied from 1.26×10−8 cm3/(molecules s) to 8.24×10−9 cm3/(molecules s) as the electric field changed from 200 V/cm to 500 V/cm. At a fixed electric field in the drift region, the attachment rate constants are also detected at different sample concentration. The ion-molecule reaction rate constants for the further reaction between Cl− and CHCl3 are also detected, which indicates that the technique maybe becomes a new method to research the rate constants between ions and neural molecules. And the reaction rate constants between Cl− and CHCl3 are the first time detected using CD-IMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ion mobility spectra for ten alcohols have been studied in an ion mobility spectrometry apparatus equipped with a corona discharge ionization source. Using protonated water cluster ions as the reactant ions and clean air as the drift gas, the alcohols exhibit different product ion characteristic peaks in their ion mobility spectra. The detection limit for these alcohols is at low concentration pmol/L level according to the concentration calibration by exponential dilution method. Based on the measured ion mobilities, several chemical physics parameters of the ion-molecular interaction at atmosphere were obtained, including the ionic collision cross sections, diffusion coefficients, collision rate constants, and the ionic radii under the hard-sphere model approximation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: Cardioplegic arrest and subsequent reperfusion results in myocardial injury partly related to local inflammation in the heart. It has been proven that aminophylline has numerous anti-inflammatory effects. This study has been designed to evaluate the effects of aminophylline used as a cardioprotective agent for patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) for valve replacement. Methods: Thirty patients undergoing elective valve replacement were randomized to receive either aminophylline (n =15), or normal saline (control n =15). Administration of aminophylline (5mg/kg) was injected intravenously after induction of anesthesia. The cardiac Troponin I (cTnI), myocardial myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, atrial cyclic AMP, and a coronary sinus neutrophil count were measured before and after cardioplegic arrest. Results: There were no differences between the two groups with regard to clinical variables. The cTnI concentration increased significantly after aortic declamping in both groups. However, it was significantly lower, 8h after aortic declamping, in aminophylline group (1.00±0.41 vs 2.37±1.35ng/ml p =0.038). The atrial cAMP was significantly higher before aortic cross-clamping in aminophylline group (42.5±6.7pmol/g tissue vs 30.6±12.4pmol/g tissue p =0.04). In addition, we found that the aminophylline group had a significantly lower MPO after reperfusion (1.50±0.58U/g tissue vs 0.86±0.24U/g tissue p =0.003), and a significantly lower neutrophil count 30min after aortic declamping (0.68±0.11×103 cell/ml vs 0.32±0.16×103 cell/ml, p =0.023). Conclusions: Pretreatment with intravenous aminophylline reduces the subclinical myocardial injury and neutrophil activation in patients undergoing CPB for valve replacement. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We report on a high-peak-power electro-optically Q -switched laser emitting a near-diffraction-limited beam profile at 1064 nm by using a gradient-doped Nd:YAG crystal. The gradient-doped crystal features a unique combination of a reduced thermal lens effect through effectively spreading the heat load distribution within its volume. Its performance is compared with those of Nd:YAG crystals with uniform volume doping distribution operating in the Q -switched regime with the same laser configuration, demonstrating the higher average and peak power achievable with the gradient-doped crystal. The maximum average output power amounts to 6.9 W at a pulse repetition rate of 2 kHz, which corresponds to a maximum peak power of ∼585 k W . Compared to homogeneous dopant crystals, the slope efficiency and average output power increased by 30.8% and 21.1%, respectively.

Objective: To investigate the potential association between monocyte chemotactic protein 1(MCP-1)in plasma and acute aortic dissection(AAD)., Methods: A total of 110 patients with Stanford type A AAD who had received emergent surgical treatment in Xiangya hospital from September 2011 to September 2014 were enrolled in as the study group;meanwhile,110 patients with simple hypertension who had received treatment in department of cardiology were chosen as the control group. The plasma level of MCP-1 was measured and then compared between these two groups., Results: The plasma level of MCP-1 in the study group was(257.79±86.52)pg/ml,which was significantly higher than that in control group [(136.57±48.84)pg/ml](P<0.001)., Conclusion: There may be a correlation between plasma MCP-1 level and AAD.

The aim of the present study was to determine a suitable procedure for the treatment of chest wall neoplasms with less potential risk and an increased rate of survival. Fifty patients with suspected chest wall malignancies were analyzed using various preliminary investigation tools. Whole-chest scanning was performed in all the patients. The patients were subsequently subjected to biopsies for further confirmation of the neoplasm. All such patients were then treated with a surgical approach and radiation therapy, with a follow-up period lasting up to six years. The majority of the patients showed improved survival rates relative to conventional therapies. The survival rates of patients suffering from osteosarcoma (78%) were higher those of patients with rhabdomyosarcoma (73%) and malignant small round cell tumors (64%). The survival and the mortality rates of the patients with synovial sarcoma and fibrosarcoma were the same. This study, which was conducted on a small group of patients, has provided guidance for further studies on tumors of the chest wall, which may, in turn, increase the longevity of affected patients.

Background & Objective: Secreted proteins from cancer cells may be potential serologic biomarkers of cancer. It's important to globally identify secreted proteins of cancer cells. This study was to identify secreted proteins of lung cancer cells., Methods: Proteins in the conditioned medium of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell line A549 was collected and the proteome analysis was subsequently performed. Specific protein spots in A549 cells were identified by peptide mass fingerprints using mass spectrometry and through searching database. The expression of identified secreted proteins was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 15 specimens of NSCLC tissue and paired distant lung tissue. Manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) activity in serum and conditioned medium was detected by spectrophotometry., Results: Fourteen secreted proteins were identified, which included peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase A (PPIA), Mn-SOD, peroxiredoxin 1 (PDX1), phosphatidylethanolamine binding protein (PEBP), glutathione S-transferase P (GSTP1-1), glucose-dependent insulinotropic protein receptor (GIPR), ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase isozyme L1 (PGP9.5), alpha enolase (ENO1), dihydrodiol dehydrogenase (DDH), phosphoglycerate mutase 1 (PGAM1), galectin-1 (GAL1). PPIA, DDH, PGAM1, PDX1, PGP9.5, ENO1, and PEBP were overexpressed in cancer tissues. Higher level of Mn-SOD activity was detected in conditioned medium than in control. Serum Mn-SOD activity was significantly higher in NSCLC patients than in healthy controls (P<0.01)., Conclusions: Multiple secreted proteins of A549 cells were identified in this study and the overexpression of ENO1 and PEBP in NSCLC was revealed for the first time. Mn-SOD is secreted serologic marker of NSCLC. The results presented here would provide clues to identify new serologic biomarkers of NSCLC.