Objective To explore the multiple risk factors for family lifestyle of children with congenital heart defects (CHDs) in Shaanxi Province, China. children and their parents. The univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to analyze the influence of risk factors related to parents' lifestyle on CHDs. Results Several possible risk factors were found for CHDs, including fever (OR=4.465, P=0.017), pesticides contact (OR=2.234, P=0.083), passive smoking during pregnancy (OR=20.529, P=0.007) and father's smoking (OR=3.342, P=0.005); fever (OR=2.428, P=0.012) and passive smoking during pregnancy (OR=1.201, P=0.037) were also correlated with ventricular sepal defect (VSD). Conclusion Fever, pesticides contact and passive smoking are associated with CHDs during pregnancy. We should focus our attention on health care during pregnancy to avoid the above-mentioned risk factors and call on parents to hold on to a good healthy lifestyle.

In this study, the COI barcode was used to identify the Scolopendra medicinal materials and its adulterants in order to provide a new method for the identification of Scolopendra. Genomic DNA was extracted from the experimental samples. The COI sequences were amplified and sequenced bi-directionally. Sequence alignment and NJ tree construction was carried out by MEGA6.0 software. The results showed that the COI sequences can be obtained from all experimental samples. The average inter-specific K2P distance of Scolopendra was 0.222 and the minimum inter-specific distance was 0.190. All the Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans medicinal samples clustered into a clade in the NJ tree and can be distinguished from its adulterants. In a conclusion, COI can be used to correctly identify Scolopendra medicinal materials, and it will be a potential DNA barcode for identifying other animal medicinal materials.
Animals ; Arthropod Proteins ; genetics ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; methods ; Drug Contamination ; prevention & control ; Electron Transport Complex IV ; genetics ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Quality Control ; Scorpions ; classification ; enzymology ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation( NIPPy) on the gene and protein expression of biquitin-proteasome of skeletal muscle in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD).

METHODSSeven patients with AECOPD by NIPPV were used as the study group, meanwhile, 6 patients with AECOPD who refused NIPPV was the control group. The blood gas analysis, heart rate (HR) and mean arterial pressure (MBp) were monitored before and 14 days after treatment. A skeletal muscle biopsy was performed after 14 days of therapy. The mRNA expression of ribosomal protein S21 (RPS21), Ubiquitin, Ubiquitin combined with enzyme E2 (E2), Ubiquitin ligase E3 (E3) in skeletal muscle cell were measured by RT-PCR. The protein expression of mitochondrial aconitase (AC02), protease C3 (C3), ribosomal protein SLC16 (SLC16) were detected by Western blot.

RESULTSForteen days after treatment, the patients in NIPPV group got much better improvement in PaCO2, PaO2 and HR than that of the patients.in the control group (P < 0.05). The gene expression of RPS21,Ubiquitin, E2 and E3 in skeletal muscle cell on patients with NIPPV were obviously lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared with that of the control group, the protein expression of C3 and AC2 increased significantly in the NIPPV group (P < 0.01). The protein expression of SLC16 was significantly lowered in the treated group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONNIPPV can ameliorate the proteasome pathway and energy metabolic disorders in patients with AECOPD.

Humans ; Muscle, Skeletal ; metabolism ; Positive-Pressure Respiration ; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex ; metabolism ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; metabolism ; therapy ; Ubiquitin ; metabolism

In order to construct an integrated DNA barcoding database for identifying Chinese animal medicine, the authors and their cooperators have completed a lot of researches for identifying Chinese animal medicines using DNA barcoding technology. Sequences from GenBank have been analyzed simultaneously. Three different methods, BLAST, barcoding gap and Tree building, have been used to confirm the reliabilities of barcode records in the database. The integrated DNA barcoding database for identifying Chinese animal medicine has been constructed using three different parts: specimen, sequence and literature information. This database contained about 800 animal medicines and the adulterants and closely related species. Unknown specimens can be identified by pasting their sequence record into the window on the ID page of species identification system for traditional Chinese medicine (www. tcmbarcode. cn). The integrated DNA barcoding database for identifying Chinese animal medicine is significantly important for animal species identification, rare and endangered species conservation and sustainable utilization of animal resources.
Animals ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; methods ; Databases, Nucleic Acid ; Eukaryota ; classification ; genetics ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Objective To investigate the efficacy and toxicity of postmastectomy hypofractionation radiotherapy in patients with high-risk breast cancer. Methods Postmastectomy radiation of 43.5 Gy in 15 fractions of 2.9 Gy over 3 weeks was delivered to 38 patients with breast cancer. The incidence of acute radi-ation toxicity and lecoregional recurrence was evaluated. Results With a median follow up of 13 months, all patients were alive. No patient had locoregional recurrence within radiation field. Five (13%) had dis-tant metastases. Five (13%) developed grade 3 radiation dermatitis at 2 to 3 weeks after the course of radia-tion. Three (8%) had grade 2 radiation pneumonitis. Conclusions Hypofractionation radiation of 43.5 Gy in 15 fractions of 2.9 Gy over 3 weeks is effective in the near time for patients with high-risk breast cancer after mastectomy, and the acute toxicities are tolerable.

Acute Disease ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteochondroma ; diagnosis ; pathology ; therapy ; Spinal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; therapy

In this paper, the chloroplast psbK-psbI intergenic spacers of 18 species of Dendrobium and their adulterants were amplified and sequenced, and then the sequence characteristics were analyzed. The sequence lengths of chloroplast psbK-psbI regions of Dendrobium ranged from 474 to 513 bp and the GC contents were 25.4%-27.6%. The variable sites were 71 while the informative sites were 46. The inter-specific genetic distances calculated by Kimura 2-parameter (K2P) of Dendrobium were 0.006 1-0.058 1, with an average of 0.028 4. The K2P genetic distances between Dendrobium species and Bulbophyllum odoratissimum were 0.093 2-0.120 4. The NJ tree showed that the Dendrobium species can be easily differentiated from each other and 6 samples of the inspected Dendrobium species were identified successfully through sequencing the psbK-psbI intergenic spacer. Therefore, the chloroplast psbK-psbI intergenic spacer can be used as a candidate marker to identify Dendrobium species and its adulterants.
Chloroplasts ; DNA, Chloroplast ; genetics ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; genetics ; Dendrobium ; classification ; genetics ; Plants, Medicinal ; classification ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo identify the Cynomorii Herba and its analogues species using DNA barcoding technique.

METHODTotal genomic DNA extracted from all materials using the DNA extraction kit. The internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) regions were amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and purified PCR products were sequenced bi-directionally. Sequence assembly and consensus sequence generation were performed using the CodonCode Aligner 3.7.1. The Kimura 2-Parameter (K2P) distances and GC content were computed using MEGA 5. 0. Species identification analyses were conducted through the species identification system for traditional Chinese medicine and neighbor-joining (NJ) trees.

RESULTThe ITS2 sequence lengths of Cynomorii Herba were 229 bp. The average intra-specific genetic distances of Cynomorii Herba were 0.003. The average inter-specific genetic distances between Cynomorii Herba and its adulterants species were 0.760. The results showed that the minimum inter-specific divergence is larger than the maximum intra-specific divergence. The species identification system for traditional Chinese medicine and NJ trees results indicated that Cynomorii Herba and its adulterants species can be easily identification.

CONCLUSIONThe ITS2 region is an efficient barcode for identification of Cynomorii Herba, which provide a new technique to ensure clinical safety in utilization of traditional Chinese medicine.

Cynomorium ; classification ; genetics ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; DNA, Intergenic ; genetics ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

In order to identify Peucedani Radix, Peucedani Decursivi Radix and their adulterants, the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) regions of Peucedani Radix, Peucedani Decursivi Radix and their adulterants were amplified and bidirectionally sequenced based on the Principles for Molecular Identification of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica Using DNA Barcoding, which has been promulgated by Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission. Sequences were analyzed and assembled by Codon Code Aligner V3. 7.1. The relevant data were analyzed by MEGA 5. 0. Species identification analyses were performed by using the nearest distance methods and neighbor-joining (NJ) methods. The result showed that the ITS2 sequence lengths of Peucedani Radix were 229-230 bp and the average intra-specific genetic distances were 0.005. The ITS2 sequence lengths of Peucedani Decursivi Radix were 227 bp and the sequences contained no variation site. The average inter-specific K2P genetic distance of Peucedani Radix, Peucedani Decursivi Radix and their adulterants species were 0.044 and 0.065 respectively. The minimum inter-specific divergence is larger than the maximum intra-specific divergence of Peucedani Decursivi Radix. The nearest distance methods and NJ trees results indicated that Peucedani Radix, Peucedani Decursivi Radix and their adulterants species could be identification clearly. The ITS2 regions can stably and accurately distinguish Peucedani Radix, Peucedani Decursivi Radix and their adulterants.
Apiaceae ; classification ; genetics ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; methods ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; Drug Contamination

Fifty-eight samples belonging to 7 species of Arisaematis Rhizoma and its adulterants were collected. The ITS2 locus was employed as a DNA barcode and amplified, sequenced and assembled for all of the collected samples. Then, ITS2 sequences have been annotated using HMM-based method. The intra- and inter-specific variations were calculated and NJ tree was constructed using MEGA 6.0 software. The results showed that inter-specific K2P distances were significantly larger than intra-specific distances for all of the three origin species of Arisaematis Rhizoma. Furthermore, three origin species, Arisaema amurense, A. erubescens and A. heterophyllum, can be respectively formed to be a single branch with high bootstrap values. It is concluded that ITS2 can be used to correctly identify Arisaematis Rhizoma from its adulterants and the application of ITS2 in the identification of traditional Chinese medicine has an important prospective.
Arisaema ; classification ; genetics ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; methods ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; genetics ; Drug Contamination ; prevention & control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; classification ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Quality Control ; Rhizome ; classification ; genetics