Phospholipid fatty acids are the major constituents of the membranes of all living cells, and different groups of microorganism synthesize a variety of PLFA through various biochemical pathways. Several PLFAs can be used as "signatures" to analyze changes in microbial biomass and microbial communities structure. More and more PLFA method was used in soil microbial analysis. This article briefly reviewed the applications of PLFA methods in soil microbial analysis.

Cornea is the major refractive components of the eye. As a viscoelastic tissue, cornea exhibits complicated biomechanical properties: non - linear elasticity, anisotropy and viscoelasticity. The biomechanical properties play an important role in keeping the normal structureand function. Changes in biomechanical properties are always earlier than the clinical symptoms. So quantitative measurement of the biomechanical properties benefits the early diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Different methods to measure the biomechanical properties of cornea were reviewed in detail, including classic ex vivo destructive tests, commercially available in vivo measuring methods and other emerging methods with the potential for clinical application but not validated for in vivo measurement. The operating principles, advantages as well as limitations of these methods were also described.

To investigate the effects of electro-acupuncture at Shuigou (DU26) on latency and amplitude of motor evoked potential (MEP) in rats after cerebral infarction.

Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; complications ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; complications

Objective: To investigate the effect of combining acupuncture and auricular point sticking on heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with post-stroke depression (PSD). Methods: A total of 80 cases with PSD were randomized into a treatment group and a control group. The control group was intervened by oral administration of paroxetine hydrochloride, whereas the treatment group received acupuncture plus auricular point sticking base on the same oral administration. The Hamilton depression rating scale (HAMD) and HRV were measured before and after treatment in both groups. Results: The individual and global scores of HAMD significantly dropped after 8 weeks of treatment in both groups (all P<0.05). In the treatment group, anxiety/somatization factor, sleep disturbance, hopelessness factor, cognition factor and global score were significantly different from those in the control group (all P<0.05). The 24 h standard deviation of all normal-to-normal R-R interval (SDNN), standard deviation of 5-minute average of normal R-R intervals (SDANN), root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), percent of differences between adjacent normal R-R intervals >50 ms (PNN50) and high frequency (HF) were increased while low frequency (LF) and LF/HF decreased significantly after 8 weeks of treatment in both groups (P<0.05). All items in the treatment group were significantly different from those in the control group (all P<0.05). Conclusion: Combining acupuncture and auricular point sticking can enhance the conventional medical treatment for HRV in patients with PSD.

Objective To screen differentially expressed genes in placentas with hepatitis B virus (HBV)infection and to discuss the molecular mechanism of HBV intrauterine infection.Methods Thirty placenta tissue specimens from HBsAg and HBV DNA positive pregnant women were used as the study group and 30 placenta tissue specimens from normal pregnant women with HBsAg and HBV DNA negativity were served as the control group.The suppression subtractive hybridization(SSH)technique was used.Total RNAs of placenta tissue of the study group were mixed as the tester,and total RNAs of placenta tissue of the control group were mixed as the driver.A subtractive cDNA library was constructed by PCR-selective cDNA subtraction systems.Amplifications of the library were carried out with E.coil strain DH5? by reverse spot hybridization.RT-PCR confirmed that phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)was up-regulated in placenta tissue with HBV infection.Results Colony PCR showed that the clones contained 200-1000 bp inserts. Thirty five clones were confirmed by reverse spot hybridization and analyzed by sequencing and bioinformatics.Thirty three known genes and 2 genes with unknown function were obtained.RT-PCR preliminarily confirmed that PI3K gene was up-regulated in HBV infected placenta.Conclusions The differentially expressed genes in placentas with hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection using SSH technique has been screened out successfully.These differentially expressed genes encoding proteins participating in cell vital metabolism and malformation,and signal conduction-antiapoptosis pathway.This finding brings some new clues for studying the mechanisms of HBV intrauterine infection.

Objective To investigate the effects and mechanisms of 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2 D3] on hyperoxia-induced lung injury of neonatal rats.Methods Neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into air group,hyperoxia group and 1,25(OH)2D3 group within 12 hours after birth,eight in each group.Rats in air group were exposed to air,while those in hyperoxia and 1,25 (OH) 2 D3 group were exposed to hyperoxia (≥85 ％ oxygen concentration).Rats in 1,25(OH)2D3 group were injected with 1,25(OH)2D3 0.5 μg/(kg · d) intraperitoneally once a dayfor seven days,meanwhile the rats in the other two groups received 0.9 ％ saline in the same way.All rats were sacrificed on day 7.Lung tissue sections were HE stained in order to assess lung histological changes and lung radical alveolar count (RAC).The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin(IL)-1β and IL-6 mRNA were measured by real time-polymerase chain reaction.Analysis of variance and LSD test were applied for statistics.Results Compared with the air group,the weight of rats in the hyperoxia group was significantly lower on day 7 [(8.48±1.34) g vs (12.51±0.47) g,t=8.05,P＜0.05],while the weight of rats in 1,25(OH)2D3 group [(10.29±1.00) g] was higher than that in the hyperoxia group (t=3.61,P＜0.05).Lung tissue structure was normal in the air group.In the hyperoxia group,inflammatory exudation was observed in pulmonary interstitial,the alveolar size was uneven,and the RAC was lower than that in the air group (5.6±0.1 vs 6.8±0.2,t=21.45,P＜0.05).The RAC in 1,25(OH)2D3 group (6.2±0.1) was significantly increased compared with that in the hyperoxia group (t=11.76,P＜0.05),but still lower than that in the air group (t=9.69,P＜0.05).The expressions of TNF-α,IL-1β and IL-6 mRNA in hyperoxia group (0.0348±0.0006,0.0269±0.0003 and 0.0368 ± 0.0006) were higher than those in the air group (0.0111±0.0007,0.0040±0.0003 and 0.0162 ±0.0007,t=56.54,111.12 and 49.26,P＜0.05,respectively).The expressions of TNF-α,IL-1β and IL-6 mRNA in the 1,25 (OH)2D3 group (0.0203±0.0009,0.0141±0.0004 and 0.0251±0.0009) were lower than those in the hyperoxia group (t=34.44,61.93 and 27.99,P＜0.05,respectively),but higher than those in the air group (t=22.10,49.19 and 21.27,P＜0.05,respectively).Conclusions 1,25(OH)2D3 could attenuate hyperoxia-induced lung injury by inhibiting the expression of inflammatory cytokines.

Rutaecarpine (Rut) is a type of indole quinazoline alkaloid exracted from Ruticarpum. Studies showed that Rut has a wide range of pharmacological effects, such as anti-hypertension, anticancer, anti-inflammation, anti-thrombus formation. Currently, many scholars are committed to developing it into a new antihypertensive and anti-inflammatory drug with all new mechanisms. But studies found that Rut is a highly fat-soluble drug with low water and oil solubility. Its high insolubility is the main obstacle in its oral absorption and application, which greatly reduced its bioavailability. Therefore, hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CD) was used as the inclusion material to prepare Rut-HP-beta-CD inclusion complex in this experiment, in order to increase its water solubility and bioavailability. In this experiment, the inclusion complex was prepared by the stirring-freeze-dry method. The preparation process was optimized by the orthogonal test, with the inclusion rate as the index, and molar ratio between host and guest molecules, inclusion temperature, time and stirring speed as the impacting factors. Moreover, the inclusion complex was verified by detecting the apparent solubility, thin layer chromatography, microscopic identification, melting point detection and dissolution study. The results showed that under the conditions of the molar ratio between Rut and HP-beta-CD of 1: 1, temperature at 60 degrees C, inclusion time of 4h and stirring speed at 600 r x min(-1), the inclusion rate of Rut-HP-beta-CD reached 91.04%. Therefore, the preparation process of Rut-HP-beta-CD inclusion under the optimum conditions is simple and feasible, with a highest inclusion rate and reproducibility, and could significantly improve Rut's solubility and bioavailability, and provide a reliable experimental basis for its clinical application.
2-Hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin ; Alkaloids ; chemistry ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Rutaceae ; chemistry ; Solubility ; beta-Cyclodextrins ; chemistry

Objective To evaluate the effects of 131 adrenoceptor anfisense on blood pressure and?1 adrenoceptor mRNA and protein levels in 2 kidney 1 clip(2K1C)rats.Method 2KIC hypertensive rots were produced by clipping renal artery of SD rats.Liposome/AS-ODNs 2.0 were tested intravenously in rats with 2KIC hypertension.Animals were divided into 5 groups(n=18 in each group):?1-AS-ODN group,?1-IN-ODN group,2K1C group,Sham group and SD group.Blood pressure was measured by tail-cuff method,the levels of myocardial?adreneceptor mRNA and protein were tested by RT-PCR and binding assay.Results On the basis of the magnitude and duration of hypotension,?1-AS-ODN decreased blood pressure by 39 mmHg at the most for 4 weeks.Compared with the 2KIC group,?1-AS-ODN did not significantly change the levels of myocardial?1 adrenoceptor mRNA but significantly decreased the levels of myocardial?1 adrenoceptor protein at 2,7,30 days (P