Animals ; Cardiovascular System ; chemistry ; Female ; Group II Phospholipases A2 ; blood ; Group IV Phospholipases A2 ; blood ; Group V Phospholipases A2 ; blood ; Group X Phospholipases A2 ; blood ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

According to the designed specific primers of gene fragment based on the Salvia miltiorrhiza transcriptome data, a full-length cDNA sequence of SQS2 from S. miltiorrhiza f. alba was cloned by the method of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The SmSQS2 cDNA sequence was obtained, this sequence is named SmSQS2 and its GenBank registration number is KM244731. The full length of SmSQS2 cDNA was 1245 bp, encoding 414 amino acids including 5'UTR 115 bp and 3'UTR 237 bp. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that SmSQS2 had relative close relationship to the SQS2 of S. miltiorrhiza. The induction of E. coli [pET28-SQS2] in different temperature, induction time, IPTG concentrations and density of inducing host bacterium (A600) were performed, Shaking the culture at 30 degrees C until the A600 is approximately 0.6 and add IPTG to final concentration of 0.2 mmol x L(-1), and then the optimal expression of SmSQS2 recombinant protein were accumulated after the induction time of 20 h. The research provided important base for the study of sterol and terpene biosynthesis of SQS2 in S. miltiorrhiza f. alba.
Cloning, Molecular ; Farnesyl-Diphosphate Farnesyltransferase ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Models, Molecular ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry ; classification ; enzymology ; genetics ; Sequence Alignment

Cordyceps militaris is of significant economic value in medical care and food exploitation because of its many physiological activities. This paper reviews(1) the taxonomic position of its anamorph,(2) interesting culture ways,(3) strain degeneration and genetic variability,and(4) research progress in bioactive compounds and pharmacological functions.

To study the changes of metabolites in rat urine after treatment of Aristolochia fangchi decoction by metabonomic method.

Base on the traditional Chinese medicinal materials list that include Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China, Dao-di Herbs, the common used herbs, endangered species, to analyze the key-point investigation traditional Chinese medicinal materials list was analysed. Results displayed that the variety number of traditional Chinese medicinal materials in Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China is 894, the variety number of Dao-di Herbs is 495, the variety number of the common use is 326, the variety number of traditional Chinese medicinal materials from endangered species is 280, and during the third national survey of Chinese material medica resources the variety number of traditional Chinese medicinal materials that were analysed is 360. In the list of Dao-di Herbs and common used herbs over 85% are in the list of Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China, in the list of the common used herbs over 80% are in the list of Dao-di Herbs, in the list of Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China and Dao-di Herbs over 10% are in the list of endangered species. The key-point investigation traditional Chinese medicinal materials list includes three part, the first part includes 563 variery traditional Chinese medicinal materials that need to statistics quantity of resource by field investigation, the second part includes 457 variery that need to monitor the changing situation, the third part includes 280 variery that need to estimated endangered situation.
Animals ; China ; Conservation of Natural Resources ; economics ; Databases, Factual ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; economics ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; economics ; instrumentation ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; growth & development

Thirteen compounds were isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of Crepis crocea by column chromatographies on silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and semi-preparative HPLC. The structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis as tectorone I (1), 8β- (2-methyl- 2-hydroxy-3-oxobutanoyloxy) -glucozaluzanin C (2), tectoroside (3), luteolin-7-O-glucoside (4), cosmosiin (5), esculetin (6), 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (7), trans-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (8), Caffeic acid (9), methyl p-hydroxyphenyllactate (10), ethylp- hydroxyphenyllactate (11), cis-3,4-dihydroxy-β-ionion (12). All the compounds, except for compounds 4 and 9, were isolated from this plant for the first time, and tectorone I (1) is a new natural product.
Crepis ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Mass Spectrometry ; Molecular Structure

Objective To investigate the correlation between the quantitative results,the semi-quantitative scores from ultrasound elastography and the distribution of myofibroblasts (MFS)in breast tumor,and to analyze the value of quantitative results and the semi-quantitative score from ultrasound elastography in the diagnosis of breast tumor.Methods Thirty eight patients with breast lesions underwent ultrasound elasticity examinations,tissue dispersion quantitative analysis technique was used to assess the 11 characteristic quantities and the corresponding strain ratios in all lesions,and the score of ultrasonic elastography was evaluated.38 cases were divided into benign and malignant group according to pathological diagnosis results.The expression levels of CD34 andα-SMA protein in breast tissue were examined by immunohistochemistry.The distribution patterns of MFS in breast tumor were analyzed. The correlation between the quantitative results, the semi-quantitative scores from ultrasound elastography and the distribution of MFS in breast tumor was studied.Results The expression level of CD34 in malignant group was significantly higher than that in benign group, while the expression level of α-SMA was significantly higher than that in benign group;the differences in the expression levels of CD34 andα-SMA between benign and malignant breast tumor patients were statistically significant (P < 0.01 ).The masses observed in malignant group by elastography were shown in blue,while most of the masses in benign group were shown in green.There were statistically significant differences between two groups in elastography scores (P < 0.05 ). There was a anegative correlation between the CD34 expression in tumor tissue and the score of ultrasound elastography (r=-0.423 7,P =0.027 3).There was a negative correlation between the CD34 expression and the score of ultrasound elastography (r=-0.423 7,P =0.027 3),while the positive correlation was found between theα-SMA expression and the score of ultrasound elastography (r=0.397 0,P =0.014 2).The CD34 expression was significantly correlated with the average relative strain value,entropy,area ratio of low-strain region,kurtosis, skewness and inverse difference moment (P <0.05).Among the 11 characteristics,CD34 was positively correlated with the average relative strain value (r=0.385 6,P =0.016 8)and entropy (r=0.380 5,P =0.018 5);CD34 was negatively correlated with area ratio of low-strain region (r = - 0.351 7,P = 0.030 4),kurtosis (r =-0.427 7,P =0.007 4),skewness (r=-0.394 6,P =0.014 2),inverse difference moment (r = -0.344 3, P =0.034 3),angular second moment (r = - 0.484 9,P = 0.002 0)and strain ration (r = - 0.379 0,P =0.047 5);CD34 was not correlated with standard deviation,complexity and contrast (P > 0.05).The α-SMA espression was positively correlated with kurtosis (r = 0.356 9,P = 0.027 8),skewness (r = 0.323 0,P =0.047 9),area ratio of low-strain region (r=0.382 0,P =0.021 6)and strain ratio (r=0.403 3,P =0.012 0). Conclusion The features and its scores of ultrasound elastography are correlated with the distribution of MFS in breast tumor,suggesting that the ultrasound elastography is very informative and helpful in the diagnosis of breast tumor.

Objective To investigate factors associated with prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in Dagang Oil Field, and to provide the scientific evidence for the intervention measurements. Methods A cross-sectional, population-based survey was conducted in Dagang Oil Field from 2008 to 2010. Totally, 16 553 adults, 8 174 men (49.38%) and 8 379 women (50.62%), completed all of the questionnaires, measurement examination and blood specimen collection. Results The prevalence of hypertension was 27.30%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that male, old age, overweight or obesity, family history of hypertension, marriage, education attainment, snoring, high heart rate, fasting blood glucose, serum total protein, and hyperuricemia were associated with hypertension. The awareness, treatment, control rates among all hypertensive subjects, and control rate among treated hypertensive participants were 52.65%, 40.07%, 15.51%, and 38.78%, respectively. Awareness was more common in those who were 45-64 years old , high medical costs, family history of hypertension, and smoking currently. Odds ratio (OR) (95% CI) of awareness was 5.24 (2.78 to 9.88), 24.11 (11.91 to 48.84) and 27.46(13.92 to 54.18) for medical costs 1-59.9 yuan/month, 60-199.9 yuan/month, and≥200 yuan/month, respectively. In contrast, exercising 2-4 times/week and longer sleep duration were associated with lower awareness. Medication treatment was more common in those who had old age, high medical costs, hypertension family history, coronary heart disease, prefer vegetable, while less common in those who exercise occasionally, sleep longer and drink alcohol currently. OR (95%CI) of treatment was 10.89 (3.76 to 31.56), 54.07 (19.20-152.24), and 87.31 (31.54 to 241.75) for medical costs 1-59.9 yuan/month, 60-199.9 yuan/month, and ≥200 yuan/month, respectively. Controlled hypertension was more common in those who had old age, high medical costs, exercise 2-4 times/week, coronary heart disease, prefer crude fibre diet, but less common in those who drink alcohol currently, have higher heart rate, and higher education attainment. OR (95%CI) of controlled hypertension was 13.59 (6.50-28.44), 14.67 (7.01-30.68), and 17.43 (8.34-36.39) for medical costs 1-59.9 yuan/m, 60-199.9 yuan/m, and≥200 yuan/m, respectively. Conclusion Despite high rate of awareness, treatment and control of hypertension still need to be strengthened.

Objective To investigate the contribution of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP)variation in folate metabolism pathway genes and its interaction with environmental risk factors to the etiology of NTD. Methods In 275 families from central China, a total of 278 aborted fetal tissues or blood samples were collected from NTD individuals, 478 maternal and/or paternal blood samples were also obtained as controls. Folate supplementation, maternal diabetes mellitus and medication before pregnancy and during the first trimester of pregnancy were investigated. SNP analyses of all samples were performed by CEQ 8800. Case-parent control study and transmission/disequilibrium tests (TDT) were performed according to environmental cofactors stratification to evaluated 28 SNP in 12 folate pathway genes associated with human NTD. Results Only gene MTHFR rs1801133 was significantly associated with NTD, and synergistic effects of environmental risk factors (no folate supplementation and maternal diabetes) were shown on the occurrence of NTD. Linkage disequilibrium between BHMT rs3733890 and NTD existed in case of no folate supplementation,whereas the genotype alone did not contribute to the etiology of NTD. Other SNP were not significantly associated with NTD. Conclusions MTHFR rs1801133 is a risk factor of NTD, but BHMT rs3733890 is not an independent risk factor. Further investigations in folate and methionine cycle genes are requird in larger scale to enclose the interactions between gene and gene, or gene and environmental factors.