Characterization and factors associated with sleep quality among rural elderly in China.

This article elucidates on sleep quality characterization and its associated factors among the Chinese elderly in the rural areas of Anhui province. We conducted a questionnaire survey on 2700 elderly individuals, from whom we obtained 2416 valid responses. The sleep quality, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and functional status of the subjects were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Short Form-36 (SF-36), and Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scales.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T polymorphism is associated with estimated glomerular filtration rate in hypertensive Chinese males.

Background: Plasma level of total homocysteine (tHcy) is negatively correlated with kidney function in general population. However, the causal mechanism of this correlation is poorly understood. The purpose of this study is to investigate the association of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T gene polymorphism, which is a major genetic determinant of the plasma tHcy level, with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in Chinese.

Magnetic porous ferrospinel NiFe2O4: A novel ozonation catalyst with strong catalytic property for degradation of di-n-butyl phthalate and convenient separation from water.

Magnetic porous ferrospinel NiFe(2)O(4) prepared by a sol-gel method is introduced as a novel catalyst in the ozonation of refractory di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), which is scarcely adsorbed on the catalyst surface under the investigated conditions in water. Such ferrospinel showed remarkable and stable catalytic ozonation acceleration on the degradation of DBP compared with the case of ozonation alone at pH 7.7.

[Expertise-based randomized controlled trials and its application in acupuncture clinical research].

Through introduction of the methodological mechanism and comparison with classic randomized controlled trial, the status and the applicability of the expertise-based randomized controlled trials in clinic are explored, and its characteristics in acupuncture clinical application are analyzed. It is held that expertise-based randomized controlled trial is more suitable for the acupuncture clinical research, especially for acupuncture practice which emphasizes manipulations and different schools.

Obesity and depressive symptoms in the elderly: a survey in the rural area of Chizhou, Anhui province.

Objective: The aim of the present study is to examine the relationship between obesity and depressive symptoms and to test the "Jolly Fat" hypothesis among older Chinese.

Methods: A total of 736 rural Chinese aged 60 years and older participated in this cross-sectional study. Body mass index (BMI = kg/m(2) ) was calculated from the subjects' measured weight (kg) and height (meter).

Design and synthesis of orally available MEK inhibitors with potent in vivo antitumor efficacy.

The structure-based design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of two novel series of potent and selective MEK kinase inhibitors are described herein. The elaboration of a lead pyrrole derivative to a bicyclic dihydroindolone core provided compounds with high potency and good drug-like pharmaceutical properties. Further scaffold modification afforded a series of dihydroindolizinone inhibitors, including an orally available advanced preclinical MEK inhibitor with potent in vivo antitumor efficacy.

Genome-wide survey and characterization of the WRKY gene family in Populus trichocarpa.

Unlabelled: WRKY transcription factors participate in diverse physiological and developmental processes in plants. They have highly conserved WRKYGQK amino acid sequences in their N-termini, followed by the novel zinc-finger-like motifs, Cys₂His₂ or Cys₂HisCys. To date, numerous WRKY genes have been identified and characterized in a number of herbaceous species.

[Development of an intervertebral disc organ culture model and its clinical significance].

Objective: To develop an in vivo intervertebral disc organ culture model for a physiological environment and evaluate its clinical significance.

Methods: Murine functional spine units (FSUs) were isolated from 10-week-old mouse lumbar spines. FSUs consisted of two vertebrae surrounding one disc.

Injection of AAV2-BMP2 and AAV2-TIMP1 into the nucleus pulposus slows the course of intervertebral disc degeneration in an in vivo rabbit model.

Background Context: Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is a common cause of back pain. Patients who fail conservative management may face the morbidity of surgery. Alternative treatment modalities could have a significant impact on disease progression and patients' quality of life.

LyP-1-conjugated doxorubicin-loaded liposomes suppress lymphatic metastasis by inhibiting lymph node metastases and destroying tumor lymphatics.

Lymphatic metastasis can be greatly promoted by metastases growth and lymphangiogenesis in lymph nodes (LNs). LyP-1, a cyclic peptide, is able to specifically bind with tumor cells and tumor lymphatics in metastatic LNs. This work aimed to use LyP-1-conjugated liposomes (L-LS) loaded with doxorubicin (DOX) (L-LS/DOX) to suppress lymphatic metastasis by inhibiting both metastases and tumor lymphatics in LNs.

[Study on using apparent spectrum to retrieve the inherent optical properties of ocean water].

The inherent optical properties are needed when establishing the semi-analytic model in the ocean color retrieval algorithm. Using the in-situ measurements, a retrieval model for inherent optical properties from remote sensing reflectance was established. The in-situ data measured in the 2003 spring cruise over the Yellow and East China Seas is introduced.

Genome-wide analysis of BURP domain-containing genes in Populus trichocarpa.

BURP domain-containing proteins have a conserved structure and are found extensively in plants. The functions of the proteins in this family are diverse, but remain unknown in Populus trichocarpa. In the present study, a complete genome of P.

Genome-wide analysis of the heat shock transcription factors in Populus trichocarpa and Medicago truncatula.

Research has provided substantial evidences that heat shock proteins (HSPs) play essential roles in extreme physiological conditions. Heat shock transcription factors (HSFs) are important HSPs regulators, but their functions are poorly understood, particularly in Populus and Medicago. In this study, a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of the HSFs was performed in Populus trichocarpa and Medicago truncatula.

EGF stimulates cyclooxygenase-2 expression through the STAT5 signaling pathway in human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) can be activated by several growth factors within the tumor microenvironment, and it can activate several signaling pathways. For tumor development, these EGFR-related signaling pathways may converge on several common nuclear transcription factors, one such transcription factor being STAT5. STAT5 plays an important role in the oncogenic signal transduction pathway in non-small cell lung cancer.

Discovery of TAK-733, a potent and selective MEK allosteric site inhibitor for the treatment of cancer.

A novel 5-phenylamino-8-methylpyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine-4,7(3H,8H)-dione series of MEK inhibitors has been developed using structure-based drug design. Lead optimization of this series led to the discovery of TAK-733. This was advanced to Phase I clinical studies for cancer treatment.

Cis-cinnamic acid-enhanced 1 gene plays a role in regulation of Arabidopsis bolting.

Cis-cinnamic acid (CA) is one of many cis-phenylpropanoids found in both monocots and dicots. It is produced in planta via sunlight-mediated isomerization of trans-cinnamic acid. This pair of isomers plays a differential role in regulation of plant growth.

Bupivacaine decreases cell viability and matrix protein synthesis in an intervertebral disc organ model system.

Background Context: Bupivacaine is a local anesthetic commonly used for back pain management in interventional procedures. Cytotoxic effects of bupivacaine have been reported in articular cartilage and, recently, in intervertebral disc cell culture. However, the relevance of these effects to discs in vivo remains unclear.

Stimulation of IFN-γ production by garlic lectin in mouse spleen cells: involvement of IL-12 via activation of p38 MAPK and ERK in macrophages.

Several lectins, present in beans and edible plant products, have immuno-potentiating and anti-tumor activities. We here report the effects of garlic lectin purified from garlic bulbs on the production of cytokines such as interleukin-12 (IL-12) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in the mouse. Garlic lectin induced IFN-γ production in spleen cells in a bell-shaped time (24-60 h)- and concentration (0.

Naturally-occurring mutation in the calcium-sensing receptor reveals the significance of extracellular domain loop III region for class C G-protein-coupled receptor function.

Context: Inactivating mutations of the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) cause familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia and neonatal severe hyperparathyroidism. Most mutations are clustered in the N-terminal and Cys-rich regions of the extracellular domain (ECD) and seven-transmembrane domain. Disease-causing mutations are uncommon in the C terminus of ECD.

Efficient biosynthesis of uridine diphosphate glucose from maltodextrin by multiple enzymes immobilized on magnetic nanoparticles.

Uridine diphosphate glucose (UDP-Glc) serves as a glucosyl donor in many enzymatic glycosylation processes.This paper describes a multiple enzyme, one-pot, biocatalytic system for the synthesis of UDP-Glc from low cost raw materials: maltodextrin and uridine triphosphate. Three enzymes needed for the synthesis of UDP-Glc (maltodextrin phosphorylase, glucose-1-phosphate thymidylytransferase, and pyrophosphatase)were expressed in Escherichia coli and then immobilized individually on aminofunctionalized magnetic nanoparticles.

Structure-based design and synthesis of pyrrole derivatives as MEK inhibitors.

A novel series of pyrrole inhibitors of MEK kinase has been developed using structure-based drug design. Optimization of the series led to the identification of potent inhibitors with good pharmaceutical properties.

[Sleep and quality of life among rural elderly in Anhui province].

Objective: The primary purposes of this article were to examine the distributions and correlation between conditions of sleep and the quality of life, so as to explore the risk factors of abnormal sleep among elderly in the rural areas of Anhui province.

Methods: Elderly who aged 60 years or more (n = 1680) were randomly selected from rural areas in Anhui province. Conditions of sleep and quality of life of the subjects were assessed independently, using the pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) scale and SF-36 scale.

[Effects of compound Zhe-Bei granule (CZBG) combined with doxorubicin on expression of membrane transport proteins in K562/A02 cell xenografts].

This study was purposed to investigate the effects of compound Zhe-Bei granule (CZBG) combined with doxorubicin on expressions of P-gp, MRP, LRP in K562/A02 cell xenografts. Tumor xenograft model were established by injecting the multidrug resistant cell line K562/A02 in the axillary flank of BALB/c-nu-nu mice. CZBG-intragastric administration and doxorubicin-intraperitoneal injection in combination were given to the BALB/c-nu nude mice.

Orthokeratinized odontogenic cyst: a clinicopathologic study of 61 cases.

Context: Orthokeratinized odontogenic cyst (OOC) is a relatively uncommon developmental cyst comprising about 10% of cases that had been previously coded as odontogenic keratocysts. Odontogenic keratocyst was designated as keratocystic odontogenic tumor (KCOT) in the new World Health Organization classification and OOC should be distinguished from KCOT for differences in histologic features and biologic behavior.

Objective: To analyze the clinicopathologic features of 61 cases of OOC in a Chinese population.