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PHD proteins are an important class of transcription factors (TFs) that are widely distributed in eukaryotes and play crucial roles in many aspects of plant growth, development and response to stress. We identified a transcription factor, ThPHD5, from the PHD family in Tamarix hispida based on its potential involvement in abiotic stress response processes. In this study, the salt tolerance function of ThPHD5 from T. hispida was further characterized. The qRT-PCR results showed ThPHD5 expression was significantly induced by NaCl, PEG and ABA treatments. Transient transformation analysis revealed that ThPHD5 improved salt tolerance in T. hispida by increasing POD and SOD activity, decreasing the MDA, total ROS content and electrolyte leakage. To explore the salt tolerance mechanism of the ThPHD5 TF, its binding DNA motifs and potential downstream regulatory genes were analyzed. The results showed that ThPHD5 affect the expression of 7 antioxidant enzyme-related genes. The Yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) and Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay (EMSA) results indicated ThPHD5 could bind to ABRE, MYB and Dof cis-acting elements. ChIP-PCR further confirmed ThPHD5 exercise its regulatory function by directly binding motifs on the ThPOD16, ThSOD and ThSOD1 promoters. Taken together, these findings indicate the ThPHD5 TF improves salt tolerance in T. hispida by regulating the expression of antioxidant enzyme-related genes to increase antioxidant enzyme activity, enhance the ROS scavenge ability, reduce ROS accumulation and cellular damage., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Ogden type V tibial tubercle avulsion fracture is an unusual type of physial injury. Thus, little is known about its mechanism of injury and treatment. The type of osteosynthesis is variable and depends on the experience of the surgeon. We commonly used cancellous screws fixation combined with tension band wiring for displaced fracture of the anterior tibial tuberosity., Case Presentation: The present manuscript describes a case of a Han nationality 13-year-old boy who presented with severe pain of the left knee, which began after landing following a high jump. He had no significant past medical history apart from a high body mass index of 30.3. Radiographs revealed that he had an unusual Ogden type V tibial tubercle avulsion fracture. He was treated by open reduction and combined fixation with cannulated screws and tension-band wiring. After 3 months, the fracture healed without any complications or knee symptoms with full range of motion. He underwent reoperation for symptomatic hardware, which was removed at 5 months after initial surgery, and returned to his prior level of sporting activity at 1 year follow-up., Conclusion: Our case suggests that excellent functional outcome could be achievable by open reduction with the combination of internal fixation and tension-band wiring for Ogden type V tibial tubercle avulsion fracture. This type of osteosynthesis could not only achieve anatomical reduction and stable fixation for such fractures, but also avoid further damage to the proximal tibial epiphysis, which prevents serious complications, such difference in leg length., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: Through meta-analysis, this study aims to comprehensively evaluate the efficacy of single-plating and double-plating in the treatment of comminuted fractures of the distal femur., Methods: Computer searches of PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Biology Medicine (CBM), VIP, and Wanfang digital journals were performed, and the timeframe for the searches was from the establishment of each database to July 2023 for each of the databases. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software provided by the Cochrane Library, and the review process was registered in the PROSPERO database., Results: A total of ten studies were included for statistical analysis. One randomised controlled study and nine retrospective cohort studies with a total of 563 patients were included. The double-plate group was superior to the single-plate group in terms of knee mobility at 6 months postoperatively, overall postoperative complications, and the rate of healing of knee deformity. However, it increased the operation time and intraoperative bleeding, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of excellent knee function rate, fracture healing time, plate fracture, postoperative infection, delayed fracture healing, and non-union (P ≥ 0.05)., Conclusion: Double plate fixation for comminuted fractures of the distal femur can improve knee mobility at 6 months postoperatively, reduce overall postoperative complications, and decrease the incidence of malunion healing. However, it increases operative time and bleeding. Randomised studies are needed to provide strong evidence in the future.

Terrestrial geothermal springs are physicochemically diverse and host abundant populations of Archaea. However, the diversity, functionality, and geological influences of these Archaea are not well understood. Here we explore the genomic diversity of Archaea in 152 metagenomes from 48 geothermal springs in Tengchong, China, collected from 2016 to 2021. Our dataset is comprised of 2949 archaeal metagenome-assembled genomes spanning 12 phyla and 392 newly identified species, which increases the known species diversity of Archaea by ~48.6%. The structures and potential functions of the archaeal communities are strongly influenced by temperature and pH, with high-temperature acidic and alkaline springs favoring archaeal abundance over Bacteria. Genome-resolved metagenomics and metatranscriptomics provide insights into the potential ecological niches of these Archaea and their potential roles in carbon, sulfur, nitrogen, and hydrogen metabolism. Furthermore, our findings illustrate the interplay of competition and cooperation among Archaea in biogeochemical cycles, possibly arising from overlapping functional niches and metabolic handoffs. Taken together, our study expands the genomic diversity of Archaea inhabiting geothermal springs and provides a foundation for more incisive study of biogeochemical processes mediated by Archaea in geothermal ecosystems., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The growth conditions of the AlGaN barrier in AlGaN/AlGaN deep ultra-violet (DUV) multiple quantum wells (MQWs) have crucial influences on the light output power of DUV light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The reduction of the AlGaN barrier growth rate improved the qualities of AlGaN/AlGaN MQWs, such as surface roughness and defects. The light output power enhancement could reach 83% when the AlGaN barrier growth rate was reduced from 900 nm h -1 to 200 nm h -1 . In addition to the light output power enhancement, lowering the AlGaN barrier growth rate altered the far-field emission patterns of the DUV LEDs and increased the degree of polarization in the DUV LEDs. The enhanced transverse electric polarized emission indicates that the strain in AlGaN/AlGaN MQWs was modified by lowering the AlGaN barrier growth rate., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Growth-regulating factor (GRF) is a transcription factor unique to plants that plays a crucial role in the growth, development and stress adaptation of plants. However, information on the GRFs related to salt stress in Populus davidiana × P. bolleana is lacking. In this study, we characterized the activity of PdbGRF1 in transgenic Populus davidiana × P. bolleana under salt stress. qRTPCR analyses showed that PdbGRF1 was highly expressed in young leaves and that the pattern of PdbGRF1 expression was significantly changed at most time points under salt stress, which suggests that PdbGRF1 expression may be related to the salt stress response. Moreover, PdbGRF1 overexpression enhanced tolerance to salt stress. A physiological parameter analysis showed that the overexpression of PdbGRF1 significantly decreased the contents of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and malondialdehyde (MDA) and increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD and POD) and the proline content. A molecular analysis showed that PdbGRF1 regulated the expression of PdbPOD17 and PdbAKT1 by binding to the DRE ('A/GCCGAC') in their respective promoters. Together, our results demonstrate that the binding of PdbGRF1 to DRE regulates genes related to stress tolerance and activates the associated physiological pathways, and these effects increase the ROS scavenging ability, reduce the degree of damage to the plasma membrane and ultimately enhance the salt stress response in Populus davidiana × P. bolleana., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Candidatus Nanohaloarchaeota, an archaeal phylum within the DPANN superphylum, is characterized by limited metabolic capabilities and limited phylogenetic diversity and until recently has been considered to exclusively inhabit hypersaline environments due to an obligate association with Halobacteria. Aside from hypersaline environments, Ca. Nanohaloarchaeota can also have been discovered from deep-subsurface marine sediments., Results: Three metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) representing a new order within the Ca. Nanohaloarchaeota were reconstructed from a stratified salt crust and proposed to represent a novel order, Nucleotidisoterales. Genomic features reveal them to be anaerobes capable of catabolizing nucleotides by coupling nucleotide salvage pathways with lower glycolysis to yield free energy. Comparative genomics demonstrated that these and other Ca. Nanohaloarchaeota inhabiting saline habitats use a "salt-in" strategy to maintain osmotic pressure based on the high proportion of acidic amino acids. In contrast, previously described Ca. Nanohaloarchaeota MAGs from geothermal environments were enriched with basic amino acids to counter heat stress. Evolutionary history reconstruction revealed that functional differentiation of energy conservation strategies drove diversification within Ca. Nanohaloarchaeota, further leading to shifts in the catabolic strategy from nucleotide degradation within deeper lineages to polysaccharide degradation within shallow lineages., Conclusions: This study provides deeper insight into the ecological functions and evolution of the expanded phylum Ca. Nanohaloarchaeota and further advances our understanding on the functional and genetic associations between potential symbionts and hosts. Video Abstract., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Intramural pregnancy is a rare type of ectopic pregnancy, which is diagnosed by transvaginal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. Management strategies vary depending on the site of the pregnancy, the gestational age and the desire to maintain fertility. The incidence of intramural pregnancy in assisted reproductive technology is higher than that in natural pregnancy., Case Summary: We present a case of intramural pregnancy after in vitro fertilization and elective single embryo transfer following salpingectomy. The patient was completely asymptomatic and her serum β-human chorionic gonadotropin level increased from 290 mIU/mL to 1759 mIU/mL. Three-dimensional transvaginal ultrasound indicated a heterogeneous echogenic mass arising from the uterine fundus which was surrounded by myometrium and a slender and extremely hypoechoic area stretching to the uterine cavity which was thought to be a fistulous tract. Therefore, we considered a diagnosis of intramural pregnancy and laparoscopic surgery was conducted at 7 wk gestation., Conclusion: Early diagnosis and treatment of intramural pregnancy is significant for maintaining fertility., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (©The Author(s) 2022. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

With the aim of gaining new insight into the underlying apoptosis mechanisms and in vivo efficacy of cyclometalated Ir(III) complexes as metalodrugs, six new cyclometalated Ir(III)-quinoline complexes, [Ir(1a)(2pq) 2 ] (2a), [Ir(1b)(2pq) 2 ] (2b), [Ir(1c)(2pq) 2 ] (2c), [Ir(1d)(2pq) 2 ] (2d), [Ir(1e)(2pq) 2 ] (2e), and [Ir(1f)(2pq) 2 ] (2f) (2pq = 2-phenylisoquinoline), have been synthesized using 5,7-dihalo-8-hydroxylquinoline ligands (1a-1f) and [Ir(2pq) 2 Cl] 2 precursors and characterized. Complexes 2a-2f have shown potent anticancer activity against cisplatin-resistant SK-OV-3/DDP and A549/DDP cells (IC 50 = 0.11-1.83 μM), following the order 2e > 2f > 2b > 2c > 2d > 2a. Confocal microscopy images suggest that 2e and 2b could act as red-color probes for specific cell imaging and efficiently initiate apoptosis and autophagy in the mitochondria, cell cytosol, and nucleus. Overexpression of beclin1, caspase-9, cytochrome c, LC3II, and apaf-1; inhibition of p62, cyclin D1, cyclin A2, and CDK2; and a substantial rapid accumulation suggest a paraptotic mode of cell death induced by autophagy, DNA damage, and mitochondrial stress. In addition, the inhibitory rate of 2e on A549/DDP tumor growth was 64.1% at a concentration of 10.0 mg kg -1 , which is clearly higher than that of cisplatin. According to the biological assay, the cyclometalated Ir(III)-quinoline complex 2e exhibited a higher anticancer effect than 2b, which may be associated with the electronic effect of the methyl group of the 1e ligand of 2e playing a key role in the mechanism.

Background: The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is an independent predictor of clinical outcome of different diseases, such as acute ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, malignant tumor, and traumatic brain injury. However, the prognostic value of NLR plus admission Glasgow Coma Scale score (NLR-GCS) is still unclear in patients with diffuse axonal injury (DAI). Therefore this study assessed the relationship between the NLR-GCS and 6-month outcome of DAI patients., Methods: The clinical characteristics of DAI patients admitted to our department between January 2014 and January 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The candidate risk factors were screened by using univariate analysis, and the independence of resultant risk factors was evaluated by the binary logistic regression analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis. The predictive value of NLR-GCS in an unfavorable outcome was assessed by the receiver operating characteristics curve analysis., Results: A total of 93 DAI patients were included. Binary logistic regression analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis showed the level of NLR on admission was an independent risk factor of unfavorable outcomes in DAI patients. The ROC curve analysis showed that the predictive capacity of the combination of NLR and admission GCS score and combination of NLR and coma duration outperformed NLR, admission GCS score, and coma duration alone., Conclusions: The higher NLR level on admission is independently associated with unfavorable outcomes of DAI patients at 6 months. Furthermore, the combination of NLR and admission GCS score provides the superior predictive capacity to either NLR or GCS alone., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Three pairs of Securinega alkaloid epimers with a piperidin-2-yl moiety ( 1 - 6 ) were isolated from Flueggea suffruticosa , and their structures including absolute configurations were definitely characterized. An interconvertible C-2' epimerization process within each pair of epimers was observed. The following comprehensive experimental and theoretical investigations demonstrated an unusual stereochemical inversion mechanism of an N-substituted carbon stereogenic center, which was evidenced to be a protic solvent mediated process involving a tandem 1,4-elimination/1,4-addition as the key step.

Three new indole alkaloids, flueindolines A-C (1-3), along with nine known alkaloids (4-12), were isolated from the fruits of Flueggea virosa (Roxb. ex Willd.) Voigt. Compounds 1 and 2 are two new fused tricyclic indole alkaloids possessing an unusual pyrido[1, 2-a]indole framework, and 3 presents a rare spiro (pyrrolizidinyl-oxindole) backbone. Their structures with absolute configurations were elucidated by means of comprehensive spectroscopic analysis, chemical calculation, as well as X-ray crystallography. Chiral resolution and absolute configuration determination of the known compounds 4, 10, and 11 were reported for the first time. The hypothetical biogenetical pathways of 1-3 were herein also proposed., (Copyright © 2020 China Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Polygonflavanol B(1), a new flavonostilbene glycoside, was isolated from the roots of Polygonum multiforum(Polygonaceae) by various column chromatography methods including macroporous resin HP-20, silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and preparative HPLC. The structure with absolute configuration of the new compound was identified by its physicochemical properties, spectroscopic data, ECD calculation, and chemical method.

PML/retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARα), as a hallmark of acute promyeloid leukemia (APL), is directly related to the outcome of clinical APL remedy. It is reported that arsenicals can effectively degrade PML/RARα, such as arsenic trioxide and realgar. However, the high toxicity or insolubility have hampered their clinical applications. Realgar transforming solution (RTS) was produced from realgar by bioleaching process in our lab. Previous studies demonstrated that RTS had a significant anti-cancer ability on chronic myeloid leukemia through oncoprotein degradation. The capacity of RTS on treating APL is what is focused on in this study. The results showed that RTS had a noticeable sensitivity in NB4 cell, and RTS remarkably down-regulated PML/RARα expression and induced cell differentiation. Further, RTS could accumulate PML/RARα into the nuclear bodies and then execute degradation, which could be reversed by proteasome inhibitor MG132. The results also exhibited that the reduction of RTS-induced PML/RARα expression accompanied by the elevation of ubiquitin and SUMO-1 protein expression. Finally, PML and SUMO-1 had been demonstrated to be co-localized after RTS treatment by immunofluorescence co-localization assay and immunoprecipitation assay. In conclusion, these results suggested that RTS-induced cell differentiation may attribute to the PML/RARα degradation partially through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway.

We examined the effects of the extract from leaves of Liquidambar formosana Hance on S180 cells and screened for antitumor active sites in the plant. Solvent extraction was conducted to prepare extracts from the leaves of L. formosana Hance and conduct preliminary separation, an MTT assay to determine the effect of leaf extract on the proliferation of S180 cells, and inverted microscopy to observe the effect of chloroform extract on the morphology of S180 cells. Double-staining (Annexin V/propidium iodide) with flow cytometry was conducted to determine the effect of the chloroform extract on S180 cell apoptosis. At some concentrations, the different extracts from the leaves of L. formosana Hance dose-dependently inhibited the proliferation of S180 cells. Among all extracts, the chloroform extract showed the strongest inhibitory effect on S180 cell proliferation. The IC50 values for the chloroform extract, ethyl acetate extract, n-butanol extract, and water layer were 0.238, 0.471, 0.844, and 0.411 mg/mL, respectively. We observed cell shrinkage, volume reduction, and varying sizes by inverted microscopy. Additionally, with increasing drug concentration, the number of cells decreased and debris increased. The cells showed typical apoptotic morphological changes. The chloroform extract induced the apoptosis of S180 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Different extracts from the leaves of L. formosana Hance inhibited the proliferation of S180 cells, and the chloroform extract was the main antitumor component. This extract from the leaves of L. formosana Hance inhibited the proliferation of S180 cells in part by inducing apoptosis.

RING finger proteins and ubiquitination marks are widely involved in diverse aspects of growth and development, biological processes, and stress or environmental responses. As the smallest free-living photosynthetic eukaryote known so far, the green alga Ostreococus tauri has become an excellent model for investigating the origin of different gene families in the green lineage. Here, 65 RING domains in 65 predicted proteins were identified from O. tauri and on the basis of one or more substitutions at the metal ligand positions and spacing between them they were divided into eight canonical or modified types (RING-CH, -H2, -v, -C2, -C3HCHC2, -C2HC5, -C3GC3S, and -C2SHC4), in which the latter four were newly identified and might represent the intermediate states between RING domain and other similar domains, respectively. RING finger proteins were classified into eight classes based on the presence of additional domains, including RING-Only, -Plus, -C3H1, -PHD, -WD40, -PEX, -TM, and -DEXDc classes. These RING family genes usually lack introns and are distributed over 17 chromosomes. In addition, 29 RING-finger proteins in O. tauri share different degrees of homology with those in the model flowering plant Arabidopsis, indicating they might be necessary for the basic survival of free-living eukaryotes. Therefore, our results provide new insight into the general classification and evolutionary conservation of RING domain-containing proteins in O. tauri., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Iron pyrite, an important component of traditional Chinese medicine, has a poor solubility, bioavailability, and patient compliance due to a high dose required and associated side effects, all of which have limited its clinical applications and experimental studies on its action mechanisms in improving fracture healing. This study investigated Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (A.f)-bioleaching of two kinds of pyrites and examined bioactivities of the derived solutions in viability and osteogenic differentiation in rat calvarial osteoblasts. A.f bioleaching improved element contents (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, and Se) in the derived solutions and the solutions concentration-dependently affected osteoblast viability and differentiation. While the solutions had no effects at low concentrations and inhibited the osteoblast alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity at high concentrations, they improved ALP activity at their optimal concentrations. The improved osteoblast differentiation and osteogenic function at optimal concentrations were also revealed by levels of ALP cytochemical staining, calcium deposition, numbers and areas of mineralized nodules formed, mRNA and protein expression levels of osteogenesis-related genes (osteocalcin, Bmp-2, Runx-2, and IGF-1), and Runx-2 nuclear translocation. Data from this study will be useful in offering new strategies for improving pyrite bioavailability and providing a mechanistic explanation for the beneficial effects of pyrite in improving bone healing.

Objective: To investigate the chemical constituents from the young fruits of Citrus maxima cv. Shatian., Methods: The chemical constituents were isolated and purified by silica gel column chromatography and recrystallization, and their structures were identified on the basis of physicochemical properties and spectral analysis., Results: Seven compounds were isolated and identified as naringenin (I), marmin (II), naringin (III), β-sitosterol (IV) 5,7-dihydroxylcoumarin (V) 1, 3,5-trihydroxyhenzene (VI) and xanthotoxol (VII)., Conclusion: Except compound III, all compounds are isolated from the young fruits of Citrus maxima cv. Shatian for the first time.

In order to generate compounds with superior antitumor activity and reduced toxicity, twelve new hydroxycinnamic acid hydrazide derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their antiproliferative activities against two cancer cell lines (H1299 lung carcinoma cells and MCF-7 breast cancer cells), and compared to two normal counterparts (NL-20 lung epithelial cells and H184B5F5/M10 breast cells) by MTT method. The results demonstrated that some of these compounds possessed good antiproliferative activity against the two cancer cell lines. Among them, compound 2c was active against the growth of H1299 lung carcinoma cells with IC50 values of 1.50 μM, which was more active than the positive topotecan (IC50 = 4.18 μM). Simultaneously, it showed lower cytotoxic effects on normal NL-20 lung epithelial cells (IC50 > 10 μM). Mechanism studies indicated that it induced cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase followed by activation of caspase-3, and consequently caused the cell death. Further studies on the structure optimization are ongoing., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Realgar which contains arsenic components has been used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as an anticancer drug. However, neither Realgar nor its formula are soluble in water. As a result, high dose of Realgar has to be administered to achieve an effective blood medicine concentration, and this is associated with adverse side effects. The objective of the present study was to increase the solubility of a formula using hydrometallurgy technology as well as investigating its effects on in vitro and in vivo cell proliferation and apoptosis in Sarcoma-180 cell line., Materials and Methods: Antiproliferative activity of Realgar Bioleaching Solution (RBS) was evaluated by MTT assay. Further, effects of RBS on cell proliferation and apoptosis were studied using flow cytometry and transmission electron microscopy. Kunming mice were administered RBS in vivo, where arsenic specifically targeted solid tumors., Results: The results indicated that RBS extract potently inhibited the tumor growth of Sarcoma-180 cell line in a dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometry and transmission electron microscopy further indicated that RBS significantly induced cell apoptosis through the inhibition of cell cycle pathway in a dose-dependent manner. Further, on RBS administration to mice, arsenic was specifically targeted to solid tumors, Conclusions: RBS could substitute for traditional Realgar or its formula to work as a potent tool in cancer treatment.

Objective: To explore the association of osteoprotegerin (OPG) gene polymorphisms 209G/A, 245T/G and 1181G/C in the Han population of Fujian province with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and its severity., Methods: A prospective study was conducted. Two hundred and fifty-two cases without sibship of Fujian Han people was enrolled from July 2010 to September 2011, in which 68 healthy subjects as controls. One hundred and eighty-four patients with ACS were divided into three groups, 60 had one-vessel, 68 had two-vessel, and 54 had three-vessel lesion, 2 had not been found stenosis. DNA was extracted from venous blood, different groups of OPG gene polymorphism was identified by Sanger Method. OPG 209G/A, 245T/G and 1181G/C genotype frequencies and allelic frequencies were analyzed between ACS subjects and normal subjects and among the three groups of ACS, and the relationship between gene polymorphisms and ACS severity., Results: No significant differences were observed in the genotype and allelic frequencies of OPG gene 209G/A, 245T/G between the ACS and control groups. Significant differences were observed in the genotype and allelic frequencies of OPG gene 1181G/C between the ACS and control groups [1181G/C GG: 92 (50.0%) vs. 43 (63.2%), CC: 26 (14.1%) vs. 0, GC: 66 (35.9%) vs. 25 (36.8%), χ(2)=11.240, P=0.004; allelic gene G: 250 (67.9%) vs. 111 (81.6%), allelic gene C: 118 (32.1%) vs. 25 (18.4%), χ(2)=9.148, P=0.002]. No significant differences were observed in the genotype and allelic frequencies of OPG gene 209G/A, 245T/G and 1181G/C between those groups., Conclusions: There were no significant difference in frequencies OPG genotype and allele in polymorphisms 209G/A, 245T/C between patients with ACS and control group in Han population of Fujian province. There were difference in frequencies OPG genotype and allele in polymorphisms 1181G/C between patients with ACS and control group, but it was not differently distributed among patients with single-, double-, or triple-vessel lesion.

Objective: To study the chemical constituents of Buddleja davidii., Methods: The constituents were isolated and purified by silica gel column chromatography, polyamide column chromatography and macroporous adsorption resin and their structures were identified by spectroscopic analysis., Results: Eight compounds were elucidated as : Cranioside A (1), Eutigoside A (2), 1-O-4-Dimethoxyphenylethyl-4-O-3,4-dimethoxyphenylethy-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), Isomartynoside (4'), 4"-O-Acetylmartynoside (5), Stigmasterol glueoside (6), beta-Sitosterol (7), Daucosterol (8)., Conclusion: All these compounds are obtained from this plant for the first time.

Superoxide dismutases (SODs) are metalloenzymes that represent one important line of defense against reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this paper, two novel SOD genes, MdSOD1 and MdSOD2, which putatively encode 261 and 214 amino acid residues respectively were identified and characterized from the housefly Musca domestica. The high similarity of MdSOD1 and MdSOD2 with SODs from other organisms indicated that they should be two new members of the SOD family. qPCR exhibited a universal expression of MdSOD1 and MdSOD2 detected in various tissues of housefly larva, including the fat body, gut, hemocyte and epidermis. Expression profiling reveals that MdSOD1 and MdSOD2 can be induced significantly via not only heat shock and cadmium (Cd) stress but also Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus challenge. The two genes were cloned into the prokaryotic expression vector pET-28a to obtain the fusion proteins rMdSOD1 and rMdSOD2. Between them, the activity of rMdSOD2 was found by visual assay methods. ESI-LC-MS/MS analysis showed that three peptide fragments of the protein rMdSOD2 were identical to the corresponding sequence of M. domestica MdSOD2. MdSOD1 and MdSOD2 in housefly larvae were abrogated by feeding bacteria expressing dsRNA. High mortalities were observed in the larvae treated with dsRNA of SODs at heat shock, Cd stress and bacterial invasion. This phenomenon indicated that MdSOD1 and MdSOD2 are related to the survival of M. domestica under stress. This may provide new insights into the role of the two SOD genes in protecting M. domestica against both stress and bacterial invasion., (Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To optimize the preparation procedure for extraction of flavonoids from leaves of Heritiera littoralis., Methods: Comparing microwave extraction and ultrasonic extraction, The content of total flavonoids was measure by UV spectrophometry and the wavelength set at 510 nm. The effects of treatment time, extraction power, ethanol concentration and solid-liquid ratio were studied. The orthogonal test of four factors and three levels were studied to obtain the extraction technology of flavonoids from leaves of Heritiera littoralis., Results: The optimal technical conditions were mixing leaves of Heritiera littoralis with 70% ethanol on the ratio of 1 g: 30 mL, when microwave treatment time was 8 min and micro-wave power was 400 W. Under this condition, the extraction rate reached 6.15%., Conclusion: This study explores a practical extraction method for flavonoids from leaves of Heritiera littoralis, and lay a good foundation for mangrove medical research in future.

Based on the traditional experimental test of human parasitology, a reform was conducted to avoid the shortage of specimens and a disclosure of test questions. An experimental test system of human parasitology based on client/server (C/S) structure was therefore developed. This practicable system can increase the efficiency and fairness of examination and reduce cost.

Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is a Gram-negative, chemolithoautotrophic bacterium involved in metal bioleaching. It is used for the extraction of coarse medical realgar, which is converted into an aqueous solution. To prove its feasibility as an anticancer drug candidate, extracted realgar (ER/Af) was evaluated for its antitumor activities both in vitro and in vivo. In cytotoxicity tests, ER/Af displayed significant inhibition on cell proliferation of HepG2, SMMC7721, and H22 cells in a time and dose dependent manner. Remarkable tumor growth inhibition and survival time prolongation effects, along with no obvious toxicity, were observed in antitumor experiments against H22 cell-bearing mice. Apoptosis induction was also confirmed as one of the mechanisms involved in the efficacy of ER/Af both in vitro and in vivo. The most important observation is that ER/Af showed high selective affinity to tumor tissues with about eight-fold higher arsenic accumulations at the tumor site of mice than those of the arsenic trioxide (ATO)-treated group at the same dose (57.8 +/- 3.34 microg/g dry tissue vs. 7.6 +/- 0.88 microg/g dry tissue). In conclusion, A. ferrooxidans could be successfully used for the extraction of realgar and ER/Af was proved to be a promising anticancer drug candidate, which is valuable for further study and clinical trials.

The present paper reports the theoretical and experimental vibrational spectra of organophosphorus pesticide parathion-methyl in the frequency range from 0.2 to 2.0 THz respectively. Under the room temperature and nitrogen conditions, the absorption peaks were found at 0.65, 1.33, 1.81 and 1.91 THz, and the average refractive index was 1.39 based on the terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS). In parallel with the experimental study, density functional theory (DFT) was applied to obtain the structure and vibrational frequencies of parathion-methyl in the terahertz region. The calculated results are in reasonable agreement with the experimental data. The absorption features are caused by the collective vibrational and torsional modes, and the different absorption peaks correspond to different vibrational modes.

Considerable evidence has indicated that the aberrant, sustained enhancement of spinal NMDA receptors (NMDARs) function is closely associated with behavioral sensitization during inflammatory pain. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying inflammation-induced NMDARs hyperfunction remain poorly understood. The present study performed immunoblotting analysis to evaluate the possible changes in the protein expression of spinal NMDARs after injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) in mice. We found that CFA did not affect the total protein level of NMDARs subunit NR1 in spinal dorsal horn. However, NR1 immunoreactivity at synapses significantly increased after CFA injection, which was correlated in the time course with the development of mechanical allodynia. Inhibition of spinal NMDARs with D-APV completely eliminated the CFA-induced increase in NR1 immunoreactive density at synapses, and direct application of NMDA onto the spinal cord of naïve mice mimicked the effects of CFA, suggesting the importance of NMDARs activity in regulating the synaptic content of NR1 during inflammatory pain. Moreover, cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) downstream to NMDARs was also required for NR1 synaptic expression because inhibition of PKA activity abolished the enhancement of synaptic NR1 immunoreactivity evoked by either CFA or NMDA. Thus, our data suggested that NMDARs- and PKA-dependent increase in NR1 synaptic expression represented an important mechanism for the hyperfunction of spinal NMDARs following peripheral inflammation.

Objective: To investigate the inhibitory effect of Realgar bioleaching solution (RBS) on tumor S180 cells line and estimate its toxicity, to provide experimental evidence for the further exploit of Realgar., Methods: 24 hours after the models of ascites-tumor bearing mice were established, the mice were injected RBS once a day. The survival rates of S180 ascites-tumor bearing mice injected in RBS was studied, and the RBS acute toxicity of mice produced by oral, intraperitoneal or intravenous was evaluated by Drug Median Lethal Dose (LD50)., Results: The inhibitory effect of S180 cells in vivo had a dose-dependent manner. The survival rates of mice were 10% - 60% in the different dose in 15 days. The LD50 values of RBS by oral, intraperitoneal or intravenous were 5.27 mg/kg, 3.63 mg/kg and 2.68 mg/kg, respectively., Conclusion: RBS has potent antitumor effect, LD50 value of RBS is lower than that of traditional medicine.

Serum and stool samples were collected from 322 undergraduate students in medical school. Using stool in vitro cultivation as golden standard, 178 cases were found Blastocystis hominis positive and 144 were negative. Dot-ELISA was used to examine the serum samples with a sensitivity of 92.1% (164/178) and specificity of 97.1% (141/144). This revealed that dot-ELISA can be used for antibody detection against Blastocystis hominis.

Objective: To construct replication selective adenovirus AdhepE1 targeting human melanoma and observe its specific killing of human melanoma cells in vitro., Methods: Adenovirus E1 region, the murine tyrosinase promoter and enhancer DNA sequences were acquired respectively by PCR cloning. The shuttle plasmid of replication-selective adenovirus targeting human melanoma was constructed by DNA recombination. Replication-selective adenovirus AdhepE1 was generated by homologous recombination. The human melanoma cell line SK-Mel-1 and hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2 were attacked separately by lower dose of AdhepE1. Change of cell morphology was observed and the surviving cells were calculated. The expression of E1A was assayed by RT-PCR to verify the specific-replication of AdhepE1., Results: Replication selective adenovirus AdhepE1 targeting human melanoma was acquired by PCR. Human melanoma cell line SK-Mel-1 was sensitive to oncolytic killing of AdhepE1 whereas HepG2 was little responsive. The results of RT-PCR suggested that AdhepE1 replicated specifically in human melanoma cells., Conclusion: AdhepE1 can selectively kill human melanoma cells.

Objective: To study on dynamic mechanism of restenosis after PTCA treated with Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BYHWD)., Methods: Twenty-eight male New Zealand rabbits with mimic restenosis after aortic artery dilatation were detected by prime in situ labeling in aortic endothelium. The items included gene expression of copper zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD-1) and platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) mRNA to analyse dynamic mechanism of restenosis., Results: Seven days after aortic artery dilatation, PDGFR mRNA of aortic endothelium decreased clearly. The comparison between experimental and the control group showed significant difference (P < 0.05). By the same condition, the gene expression of SOD-1 was increasing, which showed a significant difference with the control group (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: BYHWD increased SOD-1 gene expression of artery endothelium, to improve oxygen feed for ischemia reperfusion in the same way, BYHWD suppressed PDGFR mRNA expression to control cellular pathological proliferation.

A study was made in Neijiang City, Sichuan Province to observe the safety and immunogenicity of a live attenuated hepatitis A virus (HAV) vaccine (H2 strain). 3,031 children, aged 6 to 9 years, were injected subcutaneously with 10(6.0) TCID50, 10(5.5) TCID50, and 10(5.0) TCID50 of HAV vaccine; the seroconversion rate and antibody GMT were 97.52%-90.68%, GMT = 1:5.19 +/- 1.90-1:3.36 +/- 1.94; 84.75%-76.27%, GMT = 1:4.29 +/- 1.96-1:2.0 +/- 2.67; 53.23%-51.61%, GMT = 1:2.57 +/- 1.89-1:1.68 +/- 1.41 respectively after 4 weeks to 12 months of inoculation. Forty-eight children in the control group were anti-HAV negative at 4, 8, and 12 weeks; 21 children in the oral group were not antibody positive 4 and 8 weeks after oral administration of the vaccine. The stool specimens of 3 of the 14 vaccinated children were HAA positive. The results suggest that the live attenuated HAV vaccine (H2 strain) is of good immunogenicity and safety.

A study in cytotoxicity of gentamycin to tissue-cultured bovine corneal endothelial cells and rabbit corneal epithelial cells is reported. When the cultured cells reached confluence, they were exposed to tissue culture media containing gentamycin for 6 hours. We found that 0.5% gentamycin caused significant damage to corneal epithelial cells--diffuse plasmolysis, with scattered cell necrosis and 5% loss. While corneal endothelial cells were exposed to 1.6 mg/ml gentamycin, extensive cell loss (approximately 15%) was observed. The damaged cells recovered their normal morphology after 24 hours. When the concentration of gentamycin increased twice, serious damage to cells occurred. The area of cell loss reached 40%, and the recovery of cellular morphology was much slower. This study demonstrates that gentamycin potential cytotoxicity to corneal epithelium and endothelium, suggesting that gentamycin should be rationally used in the treatment of ocular diseases.