Objective:To assay aflatoxin B1 in the oil as a pharmaceutical excipient in soft capsules by LC-MS/MS. Methods:Aflatoxin B1 was extracted from the peanut oil in soft capsules by the solvent composed of methanol and 0. 1% formic acid solution, and then centrifuged and the supernatant was purified by neutral alumina cartridges and tested after the concentration with the mobile phase consisting of methanol and 0. 1% formic acid solution with gradient elution at the flow rate of 0. 3 ml·min-1 . 25μl of the tested solu-tion was injected for the analysis at the column temperature of 30℃. Electrospray ionization ( ESI) source was applied and operated in the position ion mode. Multiple reactions monitoring ( MRM) mode was used to quantify the samples. Results:Aflatoxin B1 was in good linearity within the range of 0. 098-1. 960 μg·L-1(r=0. 999 5). The limit of detection was 0. 05 μg·L-1. The average sampling recovery was 97. 73% (n=6) with RSD of 4. 625%. Conclusion:The method is proved to be sensitive, accurate, specified and re-producible, which is referential for the assay of aflatoxin B1 in oily preparations.

Biomarkers, Tumor ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Protein Kinase Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Pyrazoles ; therapeutic use ; Pyridines ; therapeutic use ; Pyrimidines ; therapeutic use ; Smoking

Adult ; African Continental Ancestry Group ; ethnology ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Calcinosis ; complications ; Coronary Disease ; complications ; Female ; HIV Infections ; complications ; pathology ; physiopathology ; HIV-1 ; Heart Diseases ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Lipid Metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardium ; pathology

OBJECTIVEAnalyses of bladder cancer mortality in the Black Foot Disease (BFD) endemic area of southwest Taiwan conducted by Morales et al. showed a discontinuity in risk at 400 microg/L arsenic in the drinking water in a stratified analysis and no discontinuity in a continuous analysis. As the continuous analysis presentation had been used by both the NRC and the EPA to assess the carcinogenic risk from arsenic ingestion, an explanation of the discontinuity was sought.

METHODSReview of 40 years of published health studies of the BFD-endemic area of SW Taiwan showed that earlier publications had limited their cancer associations with arsenic levels in artesian well waters and that the reports of Morales et al., NRC, and EPA failed to do so. Underlying data for the Morales et al. study were obtained from the appendix to the NRC report. Bladder cancer mortality rates were calculated from case counts and person-years of observation for each study village. Villages were categorized by water source according to the descriptions from the underlying study. Graphic and regression analyses were conducted of the bladder cancer mortality rates using exposure as a continuous variable and simultaneously stratifying by water source.

RESULTSThe median village well arsenic levels ranged from 350 to 934 microg/L for villages solely dependent on artesian well water and from 10 to 717 microg/L for villages not solely dependent on artesian well water. Bladder cancer mortality rates were found to be dependent upon the arsenic level only for those villages that were solely dependent on artesian well water for their water source. Bladder cancer mortality rates were found to be independent of arsenic level for villages with non-artesian well water sources.

CONCLUSIONSThe data indicate that arsenic exposure levels do not explain the bladder cancer mortality risk in SW Taiwan among villages not dependent upon artesian well water. The association for villages dependent upon artesian well water may be explained either by arsenic acting as a high-dose carcinogen or in artesian well water as a co-carcinogen with some other aspect of artesian well water (possibly humic acid). Arsenic exposure level alone appears to be an insufficient exposure measure to describe the risk of bladder cancer mortality in the BFD-endemic area. Risk analyses that fail to take water source into account are likely to misrepresent the risk characterization, particularly at low arsenic levels.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Arsenic Poisoning ; complications ; epidemiology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Death Certificates ; Environmental Exposure ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mortality ; trends ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Assessment ; Taiwan ; epidemiology ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; etiology ; mortality ; Water Supply

OBJECTIVE: To find the mutation of disease-causing genes of sudden unexplained death syndrome (SUDS) in the young by whole exome sequencing in one case. METHODS: One SUDS case was found no obvious fatal pathological changes after conventional autopsy and pathological examination. The whole exome sequencing was performed with the Ion Torrent PGM™ System with hg19 as reference sequence for sequencing data. The functions of mutations were analyzed by PhyloP, PolyPhen2 and SIFT. A three-step bioinformatics filtering procedure was carried out to identify possible significative single nucleotide variation (SNV), which was missense mutation with allele frequency < 1% of myocardial cell. RESULTS: Four rare suspicious pathogenic SNV were identified. Combined with the analysis of conventional autopsy and pathological examination, the mutation MYOM2 (8_2054058_G/A) was assessed as high-risk deleterious mutation by PolyPhen2 and SIFT, respectively. CONCLUSION Based on the second generation sequencing technology, analysis of whole exome sequencing can be a new method for the death cause investigation of SUDS. The gene MYOM2 is a new candidate SUDS pathogenic gene for mechanism research.
Autopsy ; Brugada Syndrome/genetics* ; Cause of Death ; DNA Mutational Analysis/methods* ; Death, Sudden/etiology* ; Exome ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Testing/methods* ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing/methods* ; Humans ; Molecular Biology ; Molecular Diagnostic Techniques/methods* ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical and laboratory characteristics of two myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) patients with double isochromosome 20q- anomaly.

METHODSBone marrow cell chromosome preparations were made with both direct method and short-term culture. Karyotype analysis was performed by R-banding technique, and dual-color FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) by using a 20q telomeric probe and a sequence-specific probe for 20q12.

RESULTSThe clinical and hematological findings were comparable with diagnosis of MDS. Karyotype analysis showed that both patients had double isochromosome 20q- anomaly: case 1 is 46, XX, der(20)? i(20q-) [6]/46, idem, der (6) i (6p) [1]/47, idem, +der (20)? i (20q-) [3]/47, idem, der(6)i (6p), +der(20)? i (20q-) [20]; case 2 is 45, XY, -7, der (20)? i (20q-) [17]/46, idem, +der(20) ? i(20q-) [3]. Two derivative chromosomes 20 were proved 20q isochromosomes with interstitial deletions by dual-color FISH in one patient.

CONCLUSIONSDouble isochromosome 20q- anomaly is a rare recurrent karyotype abnormality in MDS, and signals a poor prognosis.

Chromosome Banding ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 20 ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Isochromosomes ; Karyotyping ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo explore the morphologic, immunophenotypic, cytogenetic and clinical features of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients with dicentric (9; 20) (p11 - 13; q11).

METHODSChromosome specimens of bone marrow cells were prepared by direct method and/or short-time culture. Karyo-typing was performed by R-banding technique. Dual-color fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed using both chromosome 9 classical satellite probe and chromosome 20 alpha-satellite probe in one patient.

RESULTSThe two ALL patients were positive for CD10 and HLA-DR, showing of B cell origin. Both patients had dicentric (9; 20): case 1 was 45, XY, der (9) t (9; 20) (p11; q11), -20[20]; case 2 was 45, XX, der (9) t (9; 20) (p13; q11), t (9; 22) (q34; q11), -20[10]/46, idem, +8[16]/47, idem, +8, +21[14]. Mutual translocation between chromosomes 9 and 20 of the dicentric chromosome was confirmed by FISH in one patient.

CONCLUSIONSDicentric (9; 20) (p11 - 13; q11) is a rare recurring chromosome abnormality associated with ALL. Because of the subtle nature of the translocation, FISH is essential for the detection of this abnormality.

Adult ; Base Sequence ; Chromosome Banding ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 20 ; genetics ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 9 ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Karyotyping ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; genetics ; pathology ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Translocation, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo explore the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors (flt-1 and flk-1) in the retina of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), and its relation to the alteration of retinal blood vessels.

METHODSEighty-six newborn Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into hyperoxia and air groups, then each group was further divided into 1, 3, 7 and 14 days subgroups. The rats in hyperoxia group inhaled 75% oxygen and ROP model was thus set up. These animals were sacrificed respectively after 1, 3, 7 and 14 days, then the retinal endothelial cells were marked by CD34 to observe the change of retinal blood vessels. The expression of VEGF, flt-1 and flk-1 in the retina was measured by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSThe retinal capillary density index (RCDI) in control group increased as days went on (F = 21.589, P < 0.01, but it was the least on the 7th day in hyperoxia group, after the rats had been returned to air for 7 days, RCDI increased significantly (F = 67.885, P < 0.01); In the control group, the expression of VEGF and flk-1 was the strongest in the retina on the 7th day, the result had significant difference as compared with the 1st and 14th day (P < 0.05). The expression of VEGF and flk-1 on the 7th day in hyperoxia group was weaker than that of control group (P < 0.05). But on the 14th day in hyperoxia group, they were stronger than that of control (P < 0.05). The localization of the expression of flt-1 was changed when blood vessels altered, but there was no significant difference in expression intensity as a whole (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONWhen the premature retina was exposed to hyperoxia, the expression of VEGF and flk-1 was reduced, and retinal blood vessels were also decreased; but the expression of VEGF and flk-1 was stronger in retina when premature rats were exposed to relative hypoxia, and the retinal blood vessels also increased significantly. It is concluded that VEGF and flk-1 may play important roles in the development of retinal blood vessels and its change in ROP. However, flt-1 has less effect compared with flk-1.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Hypoxia ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor ; analysis ; Retina ; chemistry ; pathology ; Retinal Diseases ; metabolism ; pathology ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; analysis

Objective To investigate the safety and efficacy of ureteral access sheath (UAS) with vacullm suction during flexible ureteroscopy lithotripsy in treatment of renal stones. Methods 96 cases of renal stones patients who received flexible ureteroscopy lithotripsy were retrospectively analyzed and divided into two groups:control group with 50 cases and treatment group with 46 cases. The stones free rate, operation time, intrapelvic pressure, renal colic, formation of steinstrasse, SIRS, Calcitonin Zymogen, leukocyte count, hospitalization time, hospitalization costs and treatment efficiency were evaluated after one month. Results The average, maximum and minimum intrapelvic pressure of treatment group was much lower than that of control group (P < 0.05); After one month, the treatment efficiency and stones free rate of control group was 70.0% and 82.0%, lower than that of treatment group (P < 0.05); The operation time of control group and treatment group was(108.6 ± 3.5) min, (86.3 ± 5.2) min (P < 0.05); The cases of renal colic, steinstrasse and SIRS of control group after treatment was 13 cases, 11 cases, 10 cases which was more than that of treatment group with 2 cases respectively (P < 0.05); The hospitalization time, hospitalization costs of control group and treatment group was (8.8 ± 1.1) d, (23 067.5 ± 392.8) RMB and (7.7 ± 1.2) d, (21 957.3 ± 378.6) RMB (P < 0.05); The Calcitonin Zymogen, leukocyte count of control group and treatment group was (1.5 ± 0.3) and (0.3 ± 0.1) ng/ml, (14.6 ± 0.5)×109/L and (6.4 ± 0.6)×109/L (P < 0.05). Conclusion The application of ureteral access sheath with vacullm suction during flexible ureteroscopy lithotripsy in treatment of renal stones was simple, safe and effective, and can shorten the operation time, improve the rate of clearing stone and treatment efficiency, reduce the incidence of adverse reactions. The application can be extended.

The relationship between the levels of renalase and changes in proteinuria,hypertension,renal function,renal tubular epithelial cell apoptosis and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) expression was investigated in patients (chronic nephritis,primary nephrotic syndrome or other kidney disease) that underwent renal biopsy.The study group comprised 72 patients undergoing renal biopsy.Patient profiles and renal function were collected.Concentrations of renalase and Bcl-2 were measured by immunohistochemistry.Tubular injury was detected by periodic acid Schiff staining (PAS) and renal tubular epithelial cell apoptosis was assessed by TUNEL assay.The expression of renalase was significantly lower in renal biopsy specimens than in normal kidney tissues.There was a positive linear relationship between renalase and some serum and cardiac indices;a negative correlation was found between age,eGFR,Ccr and 24-h urinary protein.Renal tubule injury index and tubular epithelial cell apoptosis index showed a negative linear correlation with renalase.The results showed that renalase probably increased the expression of Bcl-2.By two independent samples t-test,renalase levels were significantly increased in the non-hypertension group than in the hypertension group.One-way ANOVA showed that renalase expression was higher in samples with Lee's grade Ⅲ than in those with Lee's grade V.The expression of renalase was significantly decreased in patients who underwent renal biopsy,and was also associated with blood and renal function.The research proved that renalase may reduce renal tubular injury and apoptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells through the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway,finally achieving the purpose of delaying the progress of renal failure.