Body fat of 12 male adults were measured by water displacement me-thod(density method) at every morning for 5 successive days. The standard deviation of single observation was 0.29kg calculated by mean residual lung volume method. It was significantly lower than the value (0.5kg) calculated by the ordinary method (p

OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility of detecting of Y-STR of fetal DNA in maternal plasma using Ion Torrent PGM™ System. METHODS: A total of 16 fetal DNA samples from maternal plasmas (8 cases from 38 weeks gestational age and 8 ones from 12 weeks) were prepared and a multiplex assay with 7 STR loci (DYS390, DYS391, DYS393, DYS438, DYS437, DYS456, DYS635) was designed for multiplex-PCR amplification. Using Ion Torrent PGM™ System, the results of Y-STR sequences and capillary electrophoresis were obtained and compared. RESULTS: Y-STR specific alleles were detected in the maternal plasma of all the pregnant women having male babies of second and third trimester, which were higher than that detected by capillary electrophoresis. Consistent Y-STR genotypes were observed between fetal DNA from maternal plasma and genomic DNA from the newborn babies. CONCLUSION Based on Ion Torrent PGM™ System, the prenatal Y-STR detection method may provide a high-sensitive and high-throughput choice for prenatal STR detection in forensic testing.
Alleles ; Chromosomes, Human, Y/genetics* ; DNA/blood* ; Family ; Female ; Fetal Blood/chemistry* ; Genotype ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Pregnancy ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sex Determination Analysis ; Tandem Repeat Sequences/genetics*

Three butylphthalide derivatives were isolated from the Rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong using a series of isolation and purification approaches including macroporous resin, ODS-A column, Sephadex LH-20 and preparative HPLC. These structures were elucidated based on extensive spectroscopic data (UV, IR, HR-ESI-MS and NMR) and identified as (3Z,3aE)-(6R,7R,2'S)-6-hydroxy-7-(2-carboxyl-2-hydroxyethylthio)-3-(2-hydroxybutylidene)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-phthalide (1), (3Z,3aZ)-3-butylidene-6,7-dihydroxy-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-phthalide 7-O-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-fructo-furanoside (2) and 3-(3-β-D-glucopyranosyloxy-butylidene)-7-hydroxy-phthalide (3).

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between pharmacological effects and properties of traditional Chinese medicine by the decision tree algorithm.

METHODBased on of pharmacological effects of traditional Chinese medicine, the decision tree algorithm was applied in the study on the relationship between pharmacological effects and properties of traditional Chinese medicines. A model was established with the decision tree algorithm for the purpose of predicting the properties of traditional Chinese medicine components.

RESULTThe established model was reliable and stable, and could be used to predict the properties of traditional Chinese medicine components.

CONCLUSIONThe prediction for the properties of traditional Chinese medicine components with a decision tree model could reflect the theoretical connotation of the properties of traditional Chinese medicine components to some extent and provide a new method for studying the properties of traditional Chinese medicine components.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a multiplex allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR) assay with three-color fluorescence labeling for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) SNP typing. METHODS: Based on the principle of AS-PCR, the primer sets were designed for 20 SNP located on the coding region of mtDNA and divided into 2 groups labeled with FAM and HEX fluorescence, respectively. A primer set included two forward (reverse) allelic specific primers with different sizes and a generic reverse (forward) primer. Blood samples from 200 unrelated individuals were analyzed by AS-PCR and capillary electrophoresis. Three random samples at least for each SNP site were examined and verified by direct sequencing. The haplotype frequency was investigated. RESULTS: Distinct electropherograms of 200 blood samples were obtained successfully. The typing results of direct sequencing were identical to those obtained from AS-PCR. The minimum detectable DNA concentration was 0.2 pg under the system of 10 microL. The sensitivity of the DNA concentrations ranged from 0.5 to 5 pg. The 200 individuals were assigned into 15 haplotype, and the haplotype diversity was 0.906 0. CONCLUSION AS-PCR is a simple, rapid and efficient method for mtDNA SNP typing, and can be applied to forensic practice.
Alleles ; DNA ; DNA Primers ; DNA, Mitochondrial/analysis* ; Electrophoresis, Capillary ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Mitochondria ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods* ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

Day-old chick is unique animal model in brain development and behavior study. The intermediate medial mesopallium (IMM), a region of the chick forebrain, is intimately involved in the early learning processes, which offers the ideal opportunity to study the neural changes that underlie behavioral plasticity. In this paper, the intracellular recordings were conducted from IMM neurons in chick forebrain slices, in which electrophysiological properties, synaptic responses and long-term potentiation (LTP) were observed. Coronal sections of left forebrains (500 mum thick), containing IMM, were prepared from domestic chicks, aged 2-10 days. In 69 IMM neurons, the resting membrane potential was measured to be (-59.4+/-5.3) mV, slope membrane resistance (70.8+/-27.2) MΩ, and time constant (10.2+/-4.3) ms. The amplitude, threshold, overshoot, half-width, max rise slope and max decay slope of action potential evoked by intracellular current injection were (85.2+/-9.4) mV, (-38.7+/-7.6) mV, (25.6+/-8.9) mV, (2.1+/-0.5) ms, (150.5+/-41.2) mV/ms and (-64.3+/-14.0) mV/ms, respectively. Spike-firing frequency was increased with depolarizing current intensity in 32 of 69 tested cells [linear regression slope was (21.5+/-10.9) Hz/nA, P<0.05 in all cells]. The depolarizing synaptic responses (i.e. EPSPs), with stimulus intensity- and membrane potential-dependent properties, were elicited by dorsal (n=25) or ventral (n=62) focal electrical stimuli at 0.1 Hz in all tested IMM neurons and could be nullified reversibly by perfusion with 100 mumol/L AP5 (NMDA receptor antagonist) and 3 mumol/L DNQX (non-NMDA receptor antagonist), but enlarged by 6 mumol/L bicuculline (GABA(A) receptor antagonist). The EPSPs evoked by ventral stimulation were persistently increased after tetanic stimulation (5 Hz, 300 pulses/train, 2 trains, train interval 10 min) in 6 of 12 tested IMM neurons. The amplitude of EPSPs was potentiated to more than 120% of control level (when analyzed at 45 min of enhancement, P<0.05, n=5), which lasted at least 30 min and then could be referred to as LTP. Moreover, area under curve, duration and max rise slope of EPSPs were also enhanced (P<0.05), while no significant changes were observed in the electrophysiological parameters of IMM neurons following induction of LTP (P>0.05). These results suggest that the intracellular recording techniques in the chick brain slices can be used to perform multi-parameter analysis of synaptic responses and their LTP.
Animals ; Brain ; physiology ; Chickens ; In Vitro Techniques ; Long-Term Potentiation ; Membrane Potentials ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate ; antagonists & inhibitors

In order to investigate the antioxidant properties of the polysaccharides from the brown alga Sargassum fusiforme, the crude polysaccharides from S. fusiforme (SFPS) were extracted in hot water, and the lipid peroxidation inhibition assay exhibited that SFPS possessed a potential antioxidant activity. Hence, two purely polymeric fractions, SFPS-1 and SFPS-2 were isolated by the column of DEAE (2-diethylaminoethanol)-Sepharose Fast Flow, with their molecular weights of 51.4 and 30.3 kDa determined by high performance gel permeation chromatography (HPGPC). They were preliminarily characterized using chemical analysis in combination of infrared (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies and found to contain large amounts of uronic acids and beta-glycosidical linkages. The antioxidant activities of these two SFPS fractions were evaluated using superoxide and hydroxyl radical-scavenging assays. The results show that the antioxidant ability of SFPS-2 was higher than that of SFPS-1, probably correlating with the molecular weight and uronic acid content.
Antioxidants ; chemistry ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Molecular Weight ; Pilot Projects ; Polysaccharides ; chemistry ; Sargassum ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo predict part of medicinal properties of traditional Chinese medicine components and traditional Chinese medicine decoction pieces by using the traditional Chinese medicinal property data prediction platform, in order to establish the relationship between properties of traditional Chinese medicine components and traditional Chinese medicine decoction pieces.

METHODThe properties of traditional Chinese medicine components were predicted by using the medicinal property data prediction platform based on the pharmacological effects of the components.

RESULTThe total sum of identical or similar results of the prediction for the properties of traditional Chinese medicine components and traditional Chinese medicine decoction pieces accounted for over 75%.

CONCLUSIONThe self-similarity exists between properties of traditional Chinese medicine components and traditional Chinese medicine decoction pieces, which reflects the inheritance, additivity and emergence among different properties of traditional Chinese medicines.

Objective To explore the effect of action observation therapy (AOT) on upper limb function in children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy,and the better program. Methods From March to November,2017,45 children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy were randomly assigned to control group and AOT group.The control group was further divided into group A(n=11)and group B(n=11), and received conventional rehabilitation treatment and scenic-observation therapy, 20 minutes every time for group A,and 30 minutes every time for group B.AOT group was further divided into group C(n=10)and group D (n=11), and received AOT in addition, 20 minutes every time for group C, and 30 minutes every time for group D,five times each week for twelve weeks for all the groups.Before treatment,eight and twelve weeks af-ter treatment, they were assessed with hand grip strength, Upper Extremities Functions Test (UEFT), and Wee Functional Independence Measure(WeeFIM). Results After treatment,the hand grip strength and the score of UEFT were better in group D than in groups B and C(P<0.05),and were better at twelve weeks than at eight weeks(P<0.05).No significant difference was found in the score of WeeFIM among groups after treatment(P>0.05). Conclusion AOT could improve upper limp function in children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy,and it's more ef-fective after more training.

Objective To evaluate the application of 43-plex SNP typing system in forensic science. Methods The typing of 43 SNP loci in 123 unrelated Han individuals from East China was detected by MALDI-TOF-MS. The application value of 43-plex SNP typing system was assessed according to the foren-sic parameters of population genetics. Results All the 43 SNP loci of 123 individuals showed no signifi-cant departure from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P>0.05). Excepted rs1355366, rs2270529, rs10776839 and rs938283, there were 39 SNP loci had minor allele frequencies (MAF), which were greater than 0.25. Among the 25 loci MAFs, 24 ranged from 0.4 to 0.5, while 3 were close to 0.4. The DP, CDP, PIC, Ho, PEtrio and PEduo of the 43 SNP loci were 0.2901-0.6544, 1-9.8×10-11, 0.1708-0.5000, 0.1557-0.5935, 0.0854-0.2500 and 0.0146-0.1250, respectively. The CPEtrio and CPEduo were 0.999986 and 0.9924361, respectively. Conclusion The 43-plex SNP typing system in present study shows a high polymorphism, which can be an effective supplement and verification for traditional STR genetic markers. It also can be used with other commercial kits for the forensic paternity testing and individual identification.