The change of kirenol, darutigenol and darutoside in Siegesbeckia and its first to ninth processed products were studied, and the ten fingerprints were compared, which provided the experimental basis for the study of Siegesbeckia processing tech- nology. The samples were analysed by HPLC on a SunFire-C18 column (4.6 mm x 150 mm, 5 μm) with gradient elution of acetonitrile (0.1% formic acid)-water (0.1% formic acid) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL x min(-1). Column temperaturewas 30 °C and the detected wavelength was 215, 320 nm. The calibration curves of kirenol, darutigenol and darutoside were linear in the range of 2.180-26.16, 2.900-34.80, and 1.012-6.072 mg x L(-1), respectively, and the average recoveries were 96.4%, 97.2% and 96.3% wit RSD 2.2%, 1.7% and 2.4%. This method was simple, the result was stable and had good repeatability, recovery and precision. The re- sult was the basis of the chemical contents variation in the processing of Siegesbeckia Herbs and further clarifying the effect of the changing.
Asteraceae ; chemistry ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Temperature

Nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis is used for the determination of the contents of diosgenin and ruscogenin in Radix Ophiopogonis. The operating buffer was composed of 20 mmol x L(-1) Na2B4O7-HCl (pH 7.61) in 70% methanol. The applied voltage was 25 kV and detection potential was at +0.70 V. With these conditions, the components were successfully separated. The content of diosgenin in Radix Ophiopogonis was 0.018 mg x g(-1) and ruscogenin was 0.008 mg x g(-1). The average recoveries of diosgenin and ruscogenin were 102% and 99.2%, respectively. A new method of the quality control of diosgenin and ruscogenin in Radix Ophiopogonis is provided.
Diosgenin ; analysis ; Electrophoresis, Capillary ; methods ; Ophiopogon ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Spirostans ; analysis

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Apoptosis ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Division ; Child ; Female ; Glioma ; chemistry ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; Male ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; analysis ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Proteins ; Prognosis ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; analysis

Two new MAR segments (M14 and M17) were cloned from tobacco genome. Both of the sequences contained several typical consensus sequences of MARs, which were different from the original MAR sequence, such as 90%AT-box, A-box, T-box, the base unpairing regions (BUR), autonomously replicating sequences (ARS), the consensus sequence for topoisomerase II, MAR recognition sequence (MRS), origin of replication (ORI), curved DNA motifs and ATATTT et al. To investigate the effects of these two sequences on gene expression in transgenic plants, 3 plant expression vectors were constructed with uidA gene coding beta-glucuronidase (GUS) which were flanked on one side and on both sides by the MARs we obtained. These plant expression vectors with one or two MARs were transformed into tobaccos via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method, with the plant expression vector pCAMBIA2301 without MAR and wild type tobacco as controls. GUS histochemical staining results showed that the uidA gene expressed stably in transgenic tobaccos. Quantitative detection of GUS activity showed that the MARs could increase GUS expression levels in vivo in contrast to the controls, wherever they were flanked on one side or both sides of uidA gene. The vector ligated with MARs in the same direction on both sides of uidA could increase the GUS expression level much better than both vectors which just ligated with single MARs on one side. The former one increased the average GUS activity for 3.14 folds, but 1.56 and 2.43 folds for the latter two vectors with single MARs respectively contrasting to the pCAMBIA2301 control. But the expression differences among individual transformants were still obvious. Therefore, it was concluded that the DNA sequences we obtained in this experiment were two novel MARs and could enhance gene expression in vivo. In the meanwhile, although the numbers of the MARs typical motifs in M14 were more than in M17, especially the 90% AT box which had been considered to be the highest correlative motif with binding strength in vitro, the enhancement of gene expression was lower yet, which implied no correlation between improvement of gene expression and binding strength between MARs and nuclear matrix in vitro.
Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Genetic Vectors ; Matrix Attachment Regions ; Nuclear Matrix ; metabolism ; Plants, Genetically Modified ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Tobacco ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo explore the adverse effects of coking oven emissions (COE) on the serum oxidation-reduction and relevant genes in the exposed workers.

METHODSFifty-six coke oven workers and forty controls were investigated. Serum Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and the activities of total superoxide dismutases (T-SOD) were measured by spectrophotometrical method. Immunohistochemical method was used to assess the P21 and P53 levels in peripheral white blood cells.

RESULTSCompared with controls, the individuals exposed to COE had significantly increased levels of serum MDA [(5.30 +/- 2.29) nmol/mL, P < 0.01] and markedly decreased levels of T-SOD [(100.04 +/- 10.75) NU/mL]. Additionally, the median levels of P53 and P21 were markedly increased in the exposed individuals compared with the controls (21.4% and 23.2%, respectively, all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe findings indicate that occupational exposure to COE causes the rise of serum oxidation-reduction MDA and the fall of T-SOD, and increasing expression levels of P21 and P53 proteins before the occurrence of apparent clinical symptoms.

Adult ; Air Pollutants, Occupational ; adverse effects ; Case-Control Studies ; Coke ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; blood ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) ; metabolism ; Superoxide Dismutase ; blood ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; metabolism ; Young Adult

king condition before pregnancy were associated with the development of polydactyly and syndactyly.

Objective With Landsat TM remote sensing images,snail habitats in Poyang Lake region were identified,using two indices:the modified normalized difference water index (MNDWI) and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI).Methods Two Remote sensing images of both wet and drought seasons in Poyang Lake region were obtained.MNDWI and NDVI were extracted from the images respectively,to present the regions of “water in summer and land in winter” and the coverage of vegetation.By overlaying those two regions,the areas of potential snail habitats were drawn.Finally,sensitivities and specificities of the recommended methods were assessed and compared to that of the traditional methods for the sake of extracting the areas of snail habitats.Results The threshold values of MNDWI for the wet and drought seasons were 0.34 and 0.58,respectively and the threshold value for NDVI of the drought season was 0.02.Sensitivity and specificity of our method were 95％ and 100％,respectively,higher than the conventional approach (se.=75％,sp.=100％ ).Conclusion Joint application of MNDWI and NDVI seemed a better method to detect the snail habitats and could be used for the quantitative and automatic surveillance program on snails.

BACKGROUNDLow back pain (LBP) is a major medical and social problem among working populations and is associated with high medical expense, loss of productivity, and disability. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of LBP among soldiers and evaluate the possible causative factors in military training. The results may provide an insight into changes needed in military training that will reduce the occurrence of LBP among soldiers.

METHODSA cross-sectional survey was conducted in a group of young soldiers in China to estimate the prevalence of LBP and evaluate possible causative factors in military training.

RESULTSThe survey was distributed to 1659 soldiers, of whom 1624 responded. LBP was reported by 425 of the 1624 (26.2%) soldiers. The prevalence of LBP was higher in the armored force (51.3%) than in the artillery (27.5%) or infantry (11.9%). A multivariate logical regression analysis identified night training, 5 km cross-country race, and grenade-throwing training as military training risk factors for LBP.

CONCLUSIONSThe relatively high incidence of LBP among soldiers was related to night training, 5 km racing, and grenade throwing. Modifications in these training methods should enhance the health of recruits and lower the incidence of LBP.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; epidemiology ; Male ; Military Personnel ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEThe congenital muscular dystrophies (CMD) are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of neuromuscular disorders with progressive muscle wasting and weakness that begin during neonatal or early infantile period. To study the clinical diagnosis, immunohistochemical feature and follow-up information of CMD, data of 8 cases with CMD were analyzed.

METHODSImmunohistochemical features of biopsied muscle specimens were summarized and analyzed by using anti-laminin alpha2 (merosin), anti alpha-dystroglycan (alpha-DG) and anti beta-dystroglycan (beta-DG) antibodies.

RESULTSThese patients mostly presented at birth or during the first six months of life with muscle weakness, hypotonia, contractures, and feeding difficulty or respiratory dysfunction. Hematoxylin-eosin staining of skeletal muscle specimens from these patients showed typical characteristics of CMD. Differences in fiber size, with predominantly small and round fibers, and dense connective tissue infiltration were seen. Four of the 8 patients were merosin-stain negative, which might be due to primary merosin deficiency. T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging of the brain shows abnormalities of the white matter. Four cases were merosin-stain positive, and two of them also had hypoglycosylation of alpha-dystroglycan. Two patients had mental retardation. One of them had optic nerve atrophy and abnormal brain structure.

CONCLUSIONSTwo types of CMD were present in our group. Merosin-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy (congenital muscular dystrophy 1A, MDC1A) was more common, accompanied by abnormalities of the white matter. "Alpha-dystroglycanopathy" could be seen in merosin-positive cases.

Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Laminin ; deficiency ; Male ; Muscular Dystrophies ; congenital ; diagnosis ; metabolism