Objective To investigate the current status of the indoor air pollution in urban area in Beijing and find the influence factors for the concentrations of formaldehyde and nitrogen oxides (NOx) indoors. Methods 463 persons were chosen randomly from Xicheng district of Beijing to complete the questionnaires about their indoor environment condition. The levels of formaldehyde and NOx were monitored in the bedrooms and the kitchens of 91 households. And we used the multi-regression model to find out some influence factors that related to formaldehyde and NOx concentration. Results The average daily concentration of formaldehyde in the bedrooms was about 0.049 mg/m3 and the rate of excess standard was 13%. The formaldehyde pollution in the decorated rooms (0.058 mg/m3) was more serious than that in the control rooms (0.034 mg/m3) and there was statistically significant difference between them (P

The quality control method and standard were established to control the quality of Pteris multifida in this paper. The tests of water content, total ash, acid-unsoluble ash and ethanol-soluble extractives of P. multifida were carried out according to the methods recorded in appendix of Chinese Pharmacopeia (2010 edition, volume 1) . The TLC method was established by using rhoifolin as references, and a mixture of CHCl3 -MeOH-HAc (6: 1: 1) as the developing solvent system on GF254 thin layer plate. The contents of rhoifolin was determined by HPLC on a Diamonsil C18 (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 μm) column, using acetonitrile-water (containing 0.15% formic acid) (16: 84) as mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.0 mL x min(-1). The column temperature was 30 degrees C and the detection wave-length was 350 nm. As a result, pterosin C 3-O-β-D-glucosidede and the other constituents were well separated on TLC detected under the UV light at 254 nm . The methodology validation for the assay of rhoifolin presented that it was in good linear correlation in the ranges of 0.025 5-5.1 μg with the regression equations of Y = 1 092.4X + 9.503 5 (r = 0.999 8), and the average recoveries were 100.3% (RSD 1.3%). The content range of rhoifolin from 16 different batches of Pteris multifida was 0.08-5.06 mg x g(-1). The water content, total ash, acid-unsoluble ash and ethanol-soluble extractives of 16 samples varied in the ranges of 7.35% - 12.96%, 6.90% - 16.33%, 2.07% -11.38% and 13.29% -23.87%, respectively. The suggesting limes in the quality standard for water content, total ash, acid-unsoluble ash, ethanol-soluble extractives and rhoifolin content were ≤ 12% , ≤ 15% , ≤ 8.5% , ≥ 14% and ≥ 0.040%, respectively. The result proved that the established quality of control method was specific and accurate, which can be used for the quality control of P. multifida.
China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Chromatography, Thin Layer ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; standards ; Pteris ; chemistry ; Quality Control

Dengue virus (DENV) is a re-emerging disease transmitted by the Aedes mosquitoes and has become a major public health problem in southern China. Currently, no antiviral drug or effective vaccine exist to control this disease. The chimeric DENV structural protein vaccine cannot elicit balanced levels of protective immunity to each of the four viral serotypes; therefore, non-structural protein components may be required to construct an effective DENV vaccine. The Dengue virus non-structural 1 (DENV NS1) protein plays a critical role in viral pathogenesis and protective immunity. Therefore, immunity to Dengue 1-4 NS1 subtypes may be crucial for the prevention of severe disease. This review attempts to provide an overview about the structure and function of DENV NS1.
Animals ; Dengue ; immunology ; prevention & control ; virology ; Dengue Vaccines ; chemistry ; genetics ; immunology ; Dengue Virus ; chemistry ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Viral Nonstructural Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; immunology

BACKGROUND: Human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (hGM-CSF) is a kind of cytokine which can stimulate the differentiation and proliferation of haematopoictic precursor cells and plays an important role in the process of immunoloregulation. Escherichia coli (E.coli) expression system has advantages,such as low cost and high output, over other systems.Therefore, E.coli is still the most commonly used exogenous gene expression system.OBJECTIVE: To observe the expression of hGM-CSF in the E.coli swain DH5α.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: The present observational experiment was performed at the Central Laboratory of Biotechnology Research,China Three Gorges University between February and June 2007. MATERIALS: Plasmid pBR322hGM-CSF was purchased from American Type Culture Collection, USA.hGM-CSF antibody was sourced from Sigma Company, USA.IPTG, X-gal,and vector pMGT-18 were purchased from Shanghai Bioengineering Technology Company, China. METHODS: Primer was designed according to hGM-CSF gene. Taking cloning vector plasmid pBR322-hGM-CSF as template, hGM-CSF gene was acquired and recombined into prokaryotic expression vector pGEX-4T-1. Recombinant plasmid confirmed by enzyme digestion and sequencing was transformed into E.coli strain DH5α and induced by isopropy-β-D-thiogalactoside (IPTG). Expression product was identified by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electropheresis (SDS-PAGE) and detected by Western blotting assay. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: hGM-CSF expression in the E.coli strain DH5α. RESULTS: SDS-PAGE results revealed that the recombinant hGM-CSF protein with relative molecular weight of 40 500 was produced up to approximately 17.9% of total protein. Western blotting detection results indicated that there was a 40 500 bp brand. CONCLUSION: The present study reconstructed prokaryotic expression vector pGEX-hGM-CSF, induced its expression in the E.coli strain DH5α, and obtained hGM-CSF fusion protein.

Objective: To acquire recombinant nematode anticoagulant peptide ( NAP) with high anticoagulant activity. Methods: Pichia pastoris GS115 strain was transformed with recombinant yeast expression vector pPICS. 5K-rNAP. Expression of rNAP was induced with methanol after the identification of positive strains. NAP expressed in the collected yeast culture supernatant was confirmed with SDS-PAGE and Western blot. The biological activity of the products was validated with PT (prothrombin time) , INR (international normalized ratio) and APTT (activated partial thromboplastin time) , respectively. Results: The yeast strains expressing NAP were identified. The rNAP was secreted into culture supernatant with a molecular weight of about 10 kDa due to glycosylation, which is a little bigger than that predicted (8.7kDa). The anticoagulant efficiency of rNAP was confirmed with the in vitro assays. Conclusion: The recombinant nematode anticoagulant peptide with high biological activity was successfully expressed in Pichia pastoris and can be used in the future development of novel anticoagulant agent.

The purpose of this study is to explore the feasibility of wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) modified liposome as a vehicle for ophthalmic administration. Liposome loaded with 5-carboxyfluorescein (FAM) was prepared by lipid film hydration method. WGA was thiolated and then conjugated to the surface of the liposome via polyethylene glycol linker to constitute the WGA-modified and FAM-loaded liposome (WGA-LS/FAM). The amount of thiol groups on each WGA molecule was determined, and the bioactivity of WGA was estimated after it was modified to the surface of liposome. The physical and chemical features of the WGA-modified liposome were characterized and the ocular bioadhesive performance was evaluated in rats. The result showed that each thiolated WGA molecule was conjugated with 1.32 thiol groups. WGA-LS/FAM had a mean size of (97.40 +/- 1.39) nm, with a polydispersity index of 0.23 +/- 0.01. The entrapment efficacy of FAM was about (2.95 +/- 0.21)%, and only 4% of FAM leaked out of the liposome in 24 h. Erythrocyte agglutination test indicated that after modification WGA preserved the binding activity to glycoprotein. The in vivo ocular elimination of WGA-LS/FAM fitted first-order kinetics, and the elimination rate was significantly slower than that of the unmodified liposome, demonstrating WGA-modified liposome is bioadhesive and suitable for ophthalmic administration.
Absorption, Physicochemical ; Adhesiveness ; Administration, Ophthalmic ; Animals ; Drug Carriers ; Eye ; metabolism ; Fluoresceins ; chemistry ; Liposomes ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Male ; Particle Size ; Polyethylene Glycols ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Wheat Germ Agglutinins ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics

Objective To investigate the imaging findings of pelvic lipomatosis in 4 cases with clinical correlation.Methods The imaging data of 4 cases with pelvic lipomatosis proved clinically and pathologically were retrospectively analyzed.CT scan,intravenous urography(IVU)or cystography were performed in all cases.MRI was done in one case,barium enema in one case and urinary cystoscopy in 3 cases.Results Hyperlucent areas in the pelvis("transparent pelvis"sign)were demonstrated on plain X-ray film,CT,IVU and barium enema studies.IVU showed bilateral hydronephrosis,stenosis of lower segment of ureter and dilatation of proximal ureter.The bladder was elevated,simulating an inverted pear. Barium enema study revealed that the rectum and the sigmoid colon were pushed laterally and upwards. Three cases had associated with cystitis cystica by pathology.Conclusion The imaging findings of pelvic lipomatosis,together with clinical information,are helpful to establish the diagnosis.

To explore the correlation between the ecological factors and the contents of podophyllotoxin and total lignans in root and rhizome of Sinopodophyllum hexandrum, podophyllotoxin in 87 samples (from 5 provinces) was determined by HPLC and total lignans by UV. A correlation and regression analysis was made by software SPSS 16.0 in combination with ecological factors (terrain, soil and climate). The content determination results showed a great difference between podophyllotoxin and total lignans, attaining 1.001%-6.230% and 5.350%-16.34%, respective. The correlation and regression analysis by SPSS showed a positive linear correlation between their contents, strong positive correlation between their contents, latitude and annual average rainfall within the sampling area, weak negative correlation with pH value and organic material in soil, weaker and stronger positive correlations with soil potassium, weak negative correlation with slope and annual average temperature and weaker positive correlation between the podophyllotoxin content and soil potassium.
Berberidaceae ; chemistry ; China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Climate ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Ecosystem ; Lignans ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Podophyllotoxin ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Soil ; chemistry ; Temperature

Objective:To observe the anticaries effects of the vaccine gene pcDNA3- PAc against dental caries in BALB/c mice by different routes. Methods: BALB/c mice were immunized with the recombinant plasmid pcDNA3- PAc by the submandibular gland- target injection,the quadriceps femoris injection and the intranasal irrigation respectively. All the mice were immunized two times. The immune interval was two weeks. Saliva and serum samples were collected respectively at 0, 1, 2, 4 weeks after immunization. The specific antibodies were detected by ELISA. Results:The specific antibodies were up at one week after immunization in different routes. The peak time of the antibodies level appeared at 4 weeks.The level of salivary specific anti- PAc IgA induced by submandibular gland- target injection and that of serum IgG induced by thigh bone muscle injection was the highest, respectively. The differences of antibodies level between in experiment groups and negative control group or vacant comparison group were significant(P<0.01). Conclusion: The vaccine gene pcDNA3- PAc effectively induce local mucosal immune response and systemic immune response.

Objective:To determine the law of dose variation in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients treated with helical tomotherapy by observing the difference between the actual and planned doses of targets and at-risk organs in these patients. Methods:Ten naso-pharyngeal carcinoma patients were treated with helical tomotherapy. Each single dose distribution and the corresponding computed tomography (CT) images were transmitted to the commercial software MIMvista 6.50, which was used to perform deformable image registration on the CT images. The sum of the actual dose was then obtained by accumulating the single doses. The image-guided actu-al dose was denoted as Plan 2, and the initial plan was called Plan 1. The dose-volume histogram of the dose distribution of targets and at-risk organs in Plans 1 and 2 were compared. Results:The D98 and D95 doses of the planning gross target volume (PGTV) in Plan 2 were significantly lower than those in Plan 1. Compared with Plan 1, the Dmean and D50 doses of double parotids in Plan 2 were higher by 42.23%and 63.82%(P<0.001, P=0.001) on average, respectively, for the left parotid, as well as by 38.64%and 66.76%(P=0.002, 0.004), respectively, for the right parotid. The D2 dose of spinal cord in Plan 2 was significantly higher than that in Plan 1. The doses were higher by 16.49%on average (P=0.026). Conclusion:To achieve precise and individually adaptive radiotherapy, correcting the error between anatomy and placement during tomotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients is necessary.