Objective To provide a proper concentration of Internal Standard Solution by comparing five different degrees to the simultaneous analysis of 10 metals including V,Cr,Mn,Fe,Ni,Cu,As,Cd,Pb and Hg in Cardeniajasminoides.Method An Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry method with Microwave-Assisted Digestion was developed with10,50,200,500,1 000 μg/L of Ge,In,Bi as internal standard.Result The degree of 500 μg/L concentration of internal stand solution can both correct the matrix effect and alleviate the contamination as the 1 000 μg/L.Conclusion With excellent detection limits,high sensitivity and wide linear range,the 500 μg/L internal standard may serve as reference in the determination of elements in other traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

OBJECTIVE:To establish a method for simultaneous determination of 18 toxic elements from 10 ingredients of Modified xiaoyao formula and their extracts,and to study transport rates of above elements. METHODS:Microwave digestion-in-ductively coupled plasma mass (ICP-MS) was used to determine above elements. Radio-frequency power was 1.50 kW,atomiza-tion pressure was 720 kPa,sampling depth was 7 mm,plasma gas flow rate was 15.0 L/min,carrier gas flow rate was 1.00 L/min, spray chamber temperature was 2℃,He flow rate was 4.5 mL/min under collision mode,measurement points/peak was 3,data ac-quisition mode was jump mode. RESULTS:The linear ranges of As,Pb,Cu,Hg,Cd,Mo,V,Cr,Mn,Fe,Ni,Zn,Ru,Rh, Pd,Os,Ir,Pt was 0-500.17 ppb(r was 0.9994-09999);LOD was 0.0004-5.3410 ng/g;RSD of repeatability tests was all lower than 5.0%;average recoveries were 82.0%-117.9%(RSD=0.2%-5.7%,n=9). Ru,Rh,Pd,Os,Ir,Pt,Hg had not been detect-ed. The transfer rates of 11 metals in the extracts ranged 1.46%-31.90%. CONCLUSIONS:The method is simple,precise,stable and repeatable,and can be used for simultaneous determination of 18 toxic elements in 10 ingredients of Modified xiaoyao formula and their extracts. The contents of toxic elements are decreased during the preparation of Modified xiaoyao formula extract to guar-antee the safety of drug use to certain extent.

Objective To evaluate images quality and diagnostic feasibility of low-dose CT in patients with traumatic rib fractures.Methods Twenty-five patients presented with thoracic iniury were underwent 64-slice spiral CT scanning in inspiration breath-hold technique.Two scan protocols were performed.In one scan protocol noise index(NI)is 11,and in another NI is 21,but the other scan parameters were no difference.The mean value of tube current,the volume CT dose index(CTDIvol),and effective dose(ED)were recorded.Image quality was scored by 2 experienced radiologists using the 5-points scale.The numbers and degrees of rib fractures were recorded.The data were tested by using the Wilcoxon signed rank sum test.The differences of the inter-observer were determined by Kappa statistics.Results The mean CTDIvol and ED in scan protocol with NI of 11 were(13.88±5.17)mGy and(8.14±3.21)mSv,and that with NI of 21 were(3.91±1.57)mGy and(2.31±0.97)mSv.Compared the scan with NI of 11.there was 72%intrinsie dose reduction in the scan with NI of 21.The mean value of tube current in scan with NI of 11 and 21 were(195.88±69.33)mAs and(54.56±21.54)mAs.AIl patients with 11 and Ⅲ degree and most patients with I degree rib fractures that identified by the scan with NT of 11 were detected by the scan with NI of 21.There were no statistical difference between two scaus with the Wilcoxon signed rank sum test.The diagnostic acceptability and image noise score in the scan with NI of 11 were 4.9±0.2 and 4.6±0.5.and that with NI=21 were 3.5±0.5 and 3.3±0.5.There was prefect concordante in the inter-observers in diagnostic acceptability on finding of rib fractures.diagnostic acceptability and image noise(Kappa=0.876,0.820,0.792,P<0.01)between two scan protocols.Conclusion Rib fractures can be diagnosed by the low-dose CT using the scan protocol with NI of 21.

Objective To evaluate accuracy of density measurements within coronary plaque by multi-slice spiral CT and factors that influence measurements. Methods Four adult cadaver hearts were used. Thrombus and pericardial fat which acquired from specimen (size 2.0, 1.5, 1.0 and 0.5 mm respectively) were placed into coronary artery to simulate coronary plaques. The contrast medium (three different concentrations 1: 30, 1:40, and 1:50) were injected into coronary artery. The raw date were reconstructed with two slice width ( 1. 00 and 0. 75 mm). Results When contrast medium concentrations was 1: 30, the CT values of thrombus were 109 HU ( slice width 1. 00 mm, size 2. 0 mm) , 115 HU ( slice width 1.00 mm, size 1.5 mm), 101 HU (slice width 0.75 mm, size 2.0 mm), 113 HU ( slice width 0. 75 mm,size 1. 5 mm) ; the CT values of fat were - 23 HU ( slice width 1. 00 mm, size 2. 0 mm) , -17 HU(slice width 1.00 mm, size 1.5 mm) , -9 HU(slice width 1.00 mm, size 1.0 nun), -27 HU ( slice width 0.75 mm, size 2. 0 mm) , - 19 HU (slice width 0.75 mm, size 1. 5 mm) , - 13 HU (slice width 0. 75 mm,size 1. 0 mm). When contrast medium concentrations was 1: 40, the CT values of thrombus were 79 HU( slice width 1.00 mm,size 2.0 mm) , 87 HU( slice width 1.00 mm, size 1. 5 mm) , 115 HU( slice width 1. 00 mm,size 1. 0 mm) , 73 HU(slice width 0. 75 mm,size 2. 0 mm) , 80 HU(slice width 0. 75 mm, size 1. 5 mm) , 110 HU( slice width 0. 75 mm, size 1. 0 mm) ; the CT values of fat were - 31 HU ( slice width 1. 00 mm, size 2. 0 mm) , - 22 HU ( slice width 1. 00 mm, size 1. 5 mm) , - 10 HU ( slice width 1.00 mm,size 1.0 mm) , -35 HU(slice width 0. 75 mm,size 2.0 mm) , -25 HU(slice width 0. 75 mm, size 1. 5 mm) , - 19 HU ( slice width 0. 75 mm, size 1. 0 mm). When contrast medium concentrations was 1:50, the CT values of thrombus were 53 HU ( slice width 1. 00 mm, size 2. 0 mm) , 60 HU ( slice width 1.00 mm,size 1.5 mm) ,63 HU(slice width 1.00 mm,size 1.0 mm) ,51 HU(slice width 0.75 mm,size 2. 0 mm) ,64 HU( slice width 0. 75 mm,size 1. 5 mm) ,67 HU( slice width 0. 75 mm,size 1. 0 mm) ,145 HU (slice width 0. 75 mm, size 0. 5 mm) ; the CT values of fat were - 39 HU ( slice width 1. 00 mm, size 2. 0 mm) , -28 HU( slice width 1. 00 mm,size 1. 5 mm) , - 22 HU( slice width 1. 00 mm,size 1. 0 mm) , 17 HU(slice width 1. 00 mm,size 0. 5 mm) , -41 HU(slice width 0. 75 mm,size 2. 0 mm), -36 HU(slice width 0. 75 mm, size 1. 5 mm ) , - 27 HU ( slice width 0. 75 mm, size 1. 0 mm ) , 3 HU ( slice width 0. 75 mm, size 0. 5 mm ) . The density values of thrombus were correlated with size ( t = - 6. 624, P 0. 05) not found statistically significant may be caused by both too close slice width (1.0 mm and 0. 75 mm) and few samples. The slice width(t= -2. 595,P

Objective To examine the values of Regional Homogeneity (ReHo) in first-episode, treatment-naive patients with major depressive disorder before and after antidepressant treatment in order to explore the neural mechanism of antidepressants. Methods Twenty-five first-episode, treatment-naive patients with major depressive disorder, which met with DSM-IV diagnosis criteria underwent fMRI resting-state scans before and after 8-week antidepressant treat-ment. Paired Samples T-test was used to analysis the differences between two groups. Results The ReHo in the patient group after treatment were significantly decreased in the right medial frontal gyrus, left inferior parietal lobule, left middle temporal gyrus, left insula, right precuneus, left cingulate gyrus and posterior lobe of the cerebellum , while significantly in-creased in the right medial frontal gyrus, left medial frontal gyrus, right inferior parietal lobule, left postcentral gyrus and right middle temporal gyrus compared with before treatment. Conclusions E xtensive abnormal activity within the default mode network in the resting-state may be involved in the neuropathophylogical substrate of depression and the abnormal activity can be partly reversed by antidepressant treatment, suggesting that regional homogeneity can be used to dynamical-ly evaluate the effect of antidepressant treatment.

OBJECTIVETo clone the full-length cDNA of a gene responsible for vascular smooth muscle cell (v-SMC) proliferation in atherogenesis, and study its function.

METHODSOxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) at optimal concentration was used as the stimulant to induce v-SMC proliferation in culture medium. A cDNA subtractive library of v-SMC proliferation specific to ox-LDL stimulation was established using subtractive hybridization technique. Methods, including blotting, Northern hybridization and gene sequencing, were used to clone new gene fragments. By using full-length cDNA screening and protein expression techniques, one full-length cDNA was cloned and its function was studied.

RESULTSOne full-length cDNA was cloned. The new gene (Genbank AF 174647) expressed a 44 kDa protein, which might be associated with the activity of ox-LDL.

CONCLUSIONThe new gene cloned may be associated with SMC proliferation in atherogenesis.

Amino Acid Sequence ; Arteriosclerosis ; genetics ; Base Sequence ; Blotting, Northern ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Cloning, Molecular ; Gene Library ; Humans ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; pharmacology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; drug effects ; Nucleic Acid Hybridization

The mutation rate used in the previous analyses of pig evolution and demographics was cursory and hence invited potential bias in inferring evolutionary history.Herein,we estimated the de novo mutation rate of pigs as 3.6×10-9 per base per generation using high-quality whole-genome sequencing data from nine individuals in a three-generation pedigree through stringent filtering and validation.Using this mutation rate,we re-investigated the evolutionary history of pigs.The esti-mated divergence time of～10 kiloyears ago(KYA)between European wild and domesticated pigs was consistent with the domestication time of European pigs based on archaeological evidence.However,other divergence events inferred here were not as ancient as previously described.Our estimates suggest that Sus speciation occurred～1.36 million years ago(MYA);European wild pigs split from Asian wild pigs only～219 KYA;and south and north Chinese wild pigs split～25 KYA.Meanwhile,our results showed that the most recent divergence event between Chinese wild and domesticated pigs occurred in the Hetao Plain,northern China,approximately 20 KYA,supporting the possibly independent domestication in northern China along the middle Yellow River.We also found that the maximum effective population size of pigs was～6 times larger than estimated before.An archaic migration from other Sus species originating～2 MYA to European pigs was detected during western colonization of pigs,which may affect the accuracy of previous demo-graphic inference.Our de novo mutation rate estimation and its consequences for demographic his-tory inference reasonably provide a new vision regarding the evolutionary history of pigs.

OBJECTIVETo examine the effect of angiotensin II (Ang II) on nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) activation in human endothelial cell line ECV304 and the molecular mechanism by which Ang II activates NF-kappaB.

METHODSECV304 cells were transiently cotransfected with an NF-kappaB/luciferase reporter gene and inactive NF-kappaB-inducing kinase (NIK), IkappaB kinase alpha (IKK(alpha)), IkappaB kinase beta (IKK(beta)) mutants or vectors, respectively. The effect on NF-kappaB was detected by using an electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and overexpression of the mutants enabled blocking of reporter gene activation induced by Ang II. With immunofluorescence and immuno-electronic microscope techniques, including confocal microscopy and gold particle labeled electronic microscopy, definite cytoplasmic-to-nuclear translocations of NF-kappaB activation were detected using subunits p50 and p65 induced by Ang II.

RESULTSThe translocation of p50 in nuclei was highly remarkable 2 hours after Ang II stimulation, and the activity was somewhat reduced 6 hours after stimulation to the 18th hour. Northern blot also showed PDGF-B mRNA increased by stimulation of Ang II for 18 hours.

CONCLUSIONAng II is effective in stimulating NF-kappaB activation through a pathway dependent on NIK, IKK(alpha) and IKK(beta), and induces PDGF-B transcription in the endothelial cell line, ECV304.v

Angiotensin II ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay ; Endothelium, Vascular ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; NF-kappa B ; pharmacology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis ; genetics ; Transcription, Genetic ; drug effects