Effect of different drying methods on the essential oils of mint (Mentha haplocalyx).

The essential oils of fresh, shade-dried, sun-dried, and oven-dried mint of Mentha haplocalyx Brig., and the shade-dried herbs after one hour of soaking were analyzed by GC-MS to provide a scientific basis to regulate the drying methods. Fifty-nine compounds were isolated and identified, including 35 from fresh herbs, 25 from shade-dried herbs, 23 from sun-dried herbs, 17 from oven-dried herbs and 48 from shade-dried mint after one hour of soaking.

Isolation of phosphate-solubilizing fungus and its application in solubilization of rock phosphates.

Microorganisms have been obtained to improve the agronomic value of rock phosphates (RPs), but the phosphorus solubilizing rate by these approaches is very slow. It is important to explore a high-efficient phosphate-solubilizing approach with a kind of microorganisms. This study aimed to isolate a high-efficient level of phosphate-solubilizing fungus from rhizosphere soil samples phosphate mines (Liuyang County, Hunan province, China) and apply it in solubilization of RPs.

Phenotypic and genomic characterization of human coxsackievirus A16 strains with distinct virulence in mice.

Human coxsackievirus A16 (CA16) infection results in hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) along with other severe neurological diseases in children and poses an important public health threat in Asian countries. During an HFMD epidemic in 2009 in Guangdong, China, two CA16 strains (GD09/119 and GD09/24) were isolated and characterized. Although both strains were similar in plaque morphology and growth properties in vitro, the two isolates exhibited distinct pathogenicity in neonatal mice upon intraperitoneal or intracranial injection.

Elevated antigen-specific Th2 type response is associated with the poor prognosis of hand, foot and mouth disease.

The immunopathogenesis of severe hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) remains elusive. This study revealed that enterovirus 71 (EV71) epitope-specific CD4+ T cell responses of HFMD patients were skewed toward a Th2 cytokine profile. Patients that demonstrated higher levels of IL-4 expression in their CD4 T cells following antigen stimulation in vitro tended to have a more prolonged period of high fevers and a longer duration of illness.

Global transcriptomic analysis of human neuroblastoma cells in response to enterovirus type 71 infection.

Human enterovirus type 71 (EV71) is the major pathogen of hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) and has been associated with severe neurological disease and even death in infants and young children. The pathogenesis of EV71 infection in the human central nervous system remains unclear. In this study, human whole genome microarray was employed to perform transcriptome profiling in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells infected with EV71.

Integrated pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics parameters-based dosing guidelines of enrofloxacin in grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella to minimize selection of drug resistance.

Background: Antibiotic resistance has become a serious global problem and is steadily increasing worldwide in almost every bacterial species treated with antibiotics. In aquaculture, the therapeutic options for the treatment of A. hydrophila infection were only limited to several antibiotics, which contributed for the fast-speed emergence of drug tolerance.

TLR9 promoter polymorphism is associated with both an increased susceptibility to gastric carcinoma and poor prognosis.

Objective: Genetic polymorphisms of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) may influence the effects of H. pylori infection and play important roles in gastric carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to determine whether the polymorphisms of TLR4 and TLR9 are associated with susceptibility to gastric carcinoma and its prognosis.

Thyroid hormone inhibits TGFβ1 induced renal tubular epithelial to mesenchymal transition by increasing miR34a expression.

The interactions between kidney and thyroid functions have been known for many years, but how the thyroid affects the kidney function is largely unknown. Here we analyzed the role of T3 on the tubular epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which is recognized to play pivotal roles in the process of renal fibrosis. T3 was found to significantly inhibit the TGFβ1 induced EMT in human proximal tubular epithelial cell line HK-2.

Adverse effect of metformin therapy on serum vitamin B12 and folate: short-term treatment causes disadvantages?

Diabetes is a global public health challenge that imposes heavy burdens on communities and individuals. Metformin, the first-line medication for diabetes, has the superiority of reducing risk of macrovascular diseases, all-cause mortality and even possibly cancers. Recent observational studies, however, have demonstrated that long-term metformin therapy increases the probability of vitamin B12 and folate deficiency, and might contribute to the progression of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Impact of vitamin D on chronic kidney diseases in non-dialysis patients: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background And Objectives: Recent studies have supported a role for both newer and more established vitamin D compounds in improving proteinuria, although systematic evaluation is lacking. Furthermore, concerns remain regarding the influence of vitamin D on the progression of renal function. We analyzed the efficacy and safety of vitamin D in non-dialysis patients and compared the use of newer versus established vitamin D compounds by performing a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Effect of minocycline on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Minocylcine, a tetracycline derivate, has been shown to cross the blood-brain barrier and enter the central nervous system. In this study, cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury models were established using the suture method, and minocycline was immediately injected intraperitoneally after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (22.5 mg/kg, initially 45 mg/kg) at a 12-hour interval.

High-throughput simultaneous genotyping of human platelet antigen-1 to -16 by using suspension array.

Background: Comprehensive and accurate detection of human platelet antigens (HPAs) plays a significant role in diagnosis and prevention of the platelet (PLT) alloimmune syndromes and ensuring clinical safety of patients undergoing PLT transfusion. The majority of the available methods are incapable of performing high-throughput simultaneous detection of HPA-1 to -16, and the accuracy of many methods needs to be further enhanced.

Study Design And Methods: We have developed a new HPA-genotyping method for simultaneous detection of HPA-1 to -16 based on suspension array technology.

Development and validation of the work-family-school role conflicts and role-related social support scales among registered nurses with multiple roles.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop work-family-school role conflicts and role-related social support scales, and to validate the psychometrics of those scales among registered nurses with multiple roles.

Methods: The concepts, generation of items, and the scale domains of work-family-school role conflicts and role-related social support scales were constructed based on a review of the literature. The validity and reliability of the scales were examined by administering them to 201 registered nurses who were recruited from 8 university hospitals in South Korea.

Chloride channel blocker 4,4-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid inhibits nitric oxide-induced apoptosis in cultured rat hippocampal neurons.

Apoptosis in cultured rat hippocampal neurons was induced using the nitric oxide donor 3-morpholinosydnonimine, and cells were treated with the chloride channel blocker, 4,4-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid. Results showed that the survival rate of neurons was significantly increased after treatment with 4,4-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid, and the rate of apoptosis decreased. In addition, the expression of the apoptosis-related proteins poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose)polymerase-1 and apoptosis-inducing factor were significantly reduced.

Complete genome sequence analysis of human echovirus type 30 isolated in China.

We report here the complete genome sequence of a human echovirus type 30 strain ECV30/GX10/05 isolated in Guangxi, China, in 2010. Phylogenetic analysis showed that ECV30/GX10/05 was closely related to a Korean strain isolated in 2008. The sequence information will help in an understanding of the molecular epidemiology and evolution of echovirus.

The effect of treatment with α-glycosidases from Bacteroides fragilis on the survival of rat erythrocytes in the circulation.

Background: It has been demonstrated recently that α1,3-galactosidase from Bacteroides fragilis can efficiently convert human group B red blood cells (RBC) to group O cells. In addition, in vitro data indicated that the enzymatic conversion process did not affect the physiological or metabolic parameters of the RBC. The aim of this study was to investigate the lifespan of enzyme- treated RBC in vivo in the circulation.

[Removal of αGal xenotransplantation antigen by a novel α-galactosidase].

αGal, a xenotransplantations antigen (XTA), can lead to hyper acute reaction (HAR) in xenotransplantation. α-Galactosidase from B. fragilis is a novel galactosidase belong to CAZy GH110 which can clear the terminal αGal from branched and linear oligosaccharides.

Adrenaline promotes cell proliferation and increases chemoresistance in colon cancer HT29 cells through induction of miR-155.

Recently, catecholamines have been described as being involved in the regulation of cancer genesis and progression. Here, we reported that adrenaline increased the cell proliferation and decreased the cisplatin induced apoptosis in HT29 cells. Further study found that adrenaline increased miR-155 expression in an NFκB dependent manner.

Application of α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase and α-galactosidase in AB to O red blood cells conversion.

Background: Enzymatical conversion of A or B RBCs into group O RBCs (ECORBCs) was achieved by using α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase and α-galactosidase, respectively. Now, we initiated AB to O-RBC conversion by using these two enzymes together. But α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase and α-galactosidase's preserving and their reaction buffer were quite different.

Sonic hedgehog promotes autophagy of vascular smooth muscle cells.

Sonic hedgehog (Shh) is a morphogen critically involved in development that is reexpressed in atherosclerotic lesions. It also stimulates proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Autophagy in vascular SMCs is known to promote SMC survival and increase plaque stability.

Development of RT-LAMP and real-time RT-PCR assays for the rapid detection of the new duck Tembusu-like BYD virus.

A new duck Tembusu virus (TMUV), also known as BYD virus, has been identified as the causative agent for the emerging duck egg-drop syndrome in mainland China. The rapid spread and wide distribution of the new TMUV in mainland China result in heavy loss to the poultry industry and pose great threats to public health. Rapid and sensitive detection methods are critical for prevention and control of TMUV infections.

A broad-range method to detect genomic DNA of multiple pathogenic bacteria based on the aggregation strategy of gold nanorods.

It remains challenging to detect unknown pathogenic bacteria in diagnostic, clinical and environmental fields. This work describes the approach to the development of a sensitive, broad-range genosensing assay targeting the conserved 16S rDNA region existing in most bacteria, by monitoring the aggregation level of gold nanorods (GNRs)-based nanoprobes through their localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) property. In the quantitative detection of artificial sequence, the limit of detection (LOD) of such a bioassay is demonstrated to reach the 5 pM level.

Tribological behavior study on Ti-Nb-Sn/hydroxyapatite composites in simulated body fluid solution.

In this study, Ti-35Nb-2.5Sn/xhydroxyapatite (HA) composites were sintered by pulse current activated sintering (PCAS) from powders milled for different time. These sintered composites were expected to be potential biomaterials.

[Eco-physiological functions of mycorrhizal fungi].

Abstract: Mycorrhizal fungi are an important member of soil microorganisms, not only rich in genetic diversity and species diversity, but also in functional diversity, which mainly manifest in: 1) affecting the origin, evolution, and distribution of terrestrial plants, 2) promoting plant growth and development, 3) enhancing plant tolerance against environmental stress, 4) remedying polluted and degraded soils, 5) promoting agricultural, forestry, and animal husbandry production, and 6) maintaining ecological equilibrium and stabilizing ecosystem and its sustainable productivity. With the development of technique and research, more functions contributed by mycorrhizal fungi would be discovered.