In silico target fishing for the potential bioactive components contained in Huanglian Jiedu Tang (HLJDD) and elucidating molecular mechanisms for the treatment of sepsis.

The present study was designed to target fish for potential bioactive components contained in a Huang Lian Jie Du decoction (HLJDD) and identify the underlying mechanisms of action for the treatment of sepsis at the molecular level. he bioactive components database of HLJDD was constructed and the sepsis-associated targets were comprehensively investigated. The 3D structures of the PAFR and TXA2R proteins were established using the homology modelling (HM) method, and the molecular effects for sepsis treatment were analysed by comparing the bioactive components database and the sepsis targets using computational biology methods.

Short-term outcomes of adjustable single-incision sling (Ajust™) procedure for stress urinary incontinence: a prospective single-center study.

Objectives: Slings have become the most widely performed surgical procedure for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in last two decades. As the third generation sling, the efficacy of the early single-incision mini-sling was controversial. The aim of this study was to determine whether the new adjustable single-incision sling (Ajust™) is safe and effective in management of female SUI at 6-18 months follow-up.

Psychological distress and dyslipidemia in chinese police officers: a 4-year follow-up study in Tianjin, China.

Objective: This study aimed at investigating whether psychological distress in police officers was associated with dyslipidemia.

Methods: A survey was conducted to examine the psychological distress among 5867 police officers in Tianjin, China, from 2007 to 2011. Psychological distress was measured using the Symptom Check List-90-Revised.

Interaction and assembly of two novel proteins in the spore wall of the microsporidian species Nosema bombycis and their roles in adherence to and infection of host cells.

Microsporidia are obligate intracellular parasites with rigid spore walls that protect against various environmental pressures. Despite an extensive description of the spore wall, little is known regarding the mechanism by which it is deposited or the role it plays in cell adhesion and infection. In this study, we report the identification and characterization of two novel spore wall proteins, SWP7 and SWP9, in the microsporidian species Nosema bombycis.

Sequential combination therapy with flavopiridol and autocatalytic caspase-3 driven by amplified hTERT promoter synergistically suppresses human ovarian carcinoma growth in vitro and in mice.

Background: Induction of cell apoptosis and regulation of cell cycle are very attractive for treatments of tumors including ovarian carcinoma. Flavopiridol is a potent small molecular cyclin-dependent kinase(cdk) inhibitor, but its antitumor efficacy is not satisfied yet. Caspase-3 play a major role in the transduction of apoptotic signals and the execution of apoptosis in mammalian cells.

L-cysteine induced hemin/G-quadruplex concatemers electrocatalytic amplification with Pt-Pd supported on fullerene as a nanocarrier for sensing the spore wall protein of Nosema bombycis.

This work described a pseudobienzyme electrocatalytically amplified immunosensor for sensing the spore wall protein of Nosema bombycis by adopting L-cysteine as the electrocatalytic substance to generate H2O2in situ with the aid of hemin/G-quadruplex concatemers loaded onto C60@Pt-Pd. The hemin/G-quadruplex here is also acting as the probe for electrochemical signal output.

Using the ubiquitous pH meter combined with a loop mediated isothermal amplification method for facile and sensitive detection of Nosema bombycis genomic DNA PTP1.

Here we show an amplification-coupled detection method for directly measuring released hydrogen ions during the loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) procedure by using a pH meter. The genomic DNA of Nosema bombycis (N. bombycis) was amplified and detected by employing this LAMP-pH meter platform for the first time.

Sequential combination of flavopiridol with Taxol synergistically suppresses human ovarian carcinoma growth.

Purpose: The purpose is to investigate the effects of the sequential combination treatment of Taxol and flavopiridol on human ovarian carcinoma in vitro and in vivo.

Methods: Cell viabilities were determined using the cell counting kit and by flow cytometry. RT-PCR, TUNEL, and immunoblotting assays were used to detect cellular apoptotic activities following treatments.

Selective suppression of autocatalytic caspase-3 driven by two-step transcriptional amplified human telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter on ovarian carcinoma growth in vitro and in mice.

The objective of our study was to construct recombinant adenovirus (rAd) AdHTVP2G5-rev-casp3, which expresses autocatalytic caspase-3 driven by human telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter (hTERTp) with a two-step transcription amplification (TSTA) system and investigate its antitumor effects on ovarian cancer in vitro and in vivo. Fluorescent detection was used to detect EGFP expression in various cells. Cell viabilities were determined using the Cell Counting Kit-8 and flow cytometry.

Electrochemical immunosensor for detecting the spore wall protein of Nosema bombycis based on the amplification of hemin/G-quadruplex DNAzyme concatamers functionalized Pt@Pd nanowires.

In this work, an ultrasensitive electrochemical immunosensor for detecting the Pebrine disease related spore wall protein of Nosema bombycis (SWP N.b) was fabricated based on the amplification of hemin/G-quadruplex functionalized Pt@Pd nanowires (Pt@PdNWs). The synthesized Pt@PdNWs possessed large surface area, which could effectively improve the immobilization amount of hemin/G-quadruplex DNAzyme concatamers produced via hybridization chain reaction (HCR).

[Epidemiological survey of childhood asthma in 2010 in urban Baotou, China].

Objective: To investigate the prevalence rate of childhood asthma in 2010 in urban Baotou, China, as well as the characteristics of attacks and the status of diagnosis and treatment of childhood asthma.

Methods: More than 10 000 children (0-14 years) were selected from 3 secondary schools, 3 primary schools, 6 kindergartens, and 4 community vaccination sites in urban Baotou by cluster random sampling between September 2009 and August 2010. A standardized preliminary questionnaire was used for screening out suspected cases, which were then confirmed or excluded by a clinician; the confirmed cases underwent further questionnaire survey.

[Distribution and antibiotics resistance related to nosocomial pathogenic bacteria infection in patients after cardiac surgery].

Objective: To investigate the clinical distribution and antibiotics resistance of nosocomial infection caused pathogenic bacteria in patients after cardiac surgery.

Methods: Clinical data from 612 patients after cardiac surgery under microbiologically documented nosocomial infection was retrospectively analyzed from January 2007 to December 2012. Identification on related bacterial was performed in an automatic ATB Expression system while antimicrobial susceptibility was tested by Kirby-Bauer method.

Polyunsaturated fatty acid relatively decreases cholesterol content in THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cell: partly correlates with expression profile of CIDE and PAT members.

Background: Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have positive effect on the regulation of plasma lipids. But the mechanism for them to modulate lipid homeostasis in macrophage is still unclear. In this study, we employed PUFA to pretreat macrophages and evaluated the variations of lipid droplet (LD) content, lipid composition, and expressions of LD-associated genes in macrophage-derived foam cells.

A dichroic surface-plasmon-polariton splitter based on an asymmetric T-shape nanoslit.

An asymmetric T-shape nanoslit in a metal film is proposed to act as an efficient dichroic surface-plasmon-polariton (SPP) splitter, which is composed of a single nanoslit in immediate contacting with two nanogrooves with different widths. Simulations show that, due to the interferences of SPPs in the upper part of the asymmetric T-shape nanoslit, the generated SPPs propagating to the left and right directions on the front metal surface can be manipulated nearly independently by altering the right and left groove widths, respectively. Based on such effects, a dichroic SPP splitter is demonstrated and the splitting wavelengths can easily be adjusted.

A submicron broadband surface-plasmon-polariton unidirectional coupler.

The manipulation of light propagation is a basic subject in optics and has many important applications. With the development of nano-optics, this area has been downscaled to wavelength or even subwavelength scales. One of the most efficient ways to control light propagation is to exploit interference effects.

Increased leukocyte Rho-kinase activity in a population with acute coronary syndrome.

Accumulating evidence suggests that Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) may be important in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and coronary vasospasm. In the present study, we investigated whether ROCK activity is increased in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients. Twenty-one patients with ACS (12 males, mean age 58.

Autocatalytic caspase-3 driven by human telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter suppresses human ovarian carcinoma growth in vitro and in mice.

Objectives: To construct recombinant adenoviruses AdHT-rev-casp3 and Ad-rev-casp3, which express autocatalysis caspase-3 driven by human telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter and cytomegalovirus promoter, respectively; and to investigate their antitumor effects on ovarian cancer in vitro and in vivo.

Methods: Cell viabilities were determined using the cell counting kit 8 and flow cytometry. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting assays were used to detect cellular apoptotic activities after treatments.

Calcium-deficiency assessment and biomarker identification by an integrated urinary metabonomics analysis.

Background: Calcium deficiency is a global public-health problem. Although the initial stage of calcium deficiency can lead to metabolic alterations or potential pathological changes, calcium deficiency is difficult to diagnose accurately. Moreover, the details of the molecular mechanism of calcium deficiency remain somewhat elusive.

The genome of the pear (Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd.).

The draft genome of the pear (Pyrus bretschneideri) using a combination of BAC-by-BAC and next-generation sequencing is reported. A 512.0-Mb sequence corresponding to 97.

All-optical logic gates based on nanoscale plasmonic slot waveguides.

We report realizations of nanoscale integrated all-optical XNOR, XOR, NOT, and OR logic gates using plasmonic slot waveguides based on linear interference between surface plasmon polariton modes. The miniature device size with lateral dimensions smaller than 5 μm, precisely controlled optical phase difference, and quasi-monochromatic surface plasmon polariton modes excited by a continuous wave 830 nm laser beam ensure a high intensity contrast ratio of 24 dB between the output logic states "1" and "0". Compared with previous reported results, the intensity contrast ratio is enhanced 4-fold, whereas the lateral dimension is reduced 4-fold.

A novel sterol sulfate and new oligosaccharide polyester from the aerial parts of Polygala sibirica.

Polygalasterol A (1), a new sterol sulfate, and a new oligosaccharide ester, polygalasibiricose I (2), have been isolated from the n-butanol soluble fraction of the aerial parts of Polygala sibirica L. Their structures were determined to be (24R)-24-sulfo-5a-cholestane-3a,7a,12a,24-tetrol (1) and 3-O-benzoyl-beta-D-fructofuranosyl-(2-->1 )-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl-( 1 --2)]-4-0- {4-0-[3-O-[3-O-benzoyl-(2-O-acetyl)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->3 )]-2-O-acetyl-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl]-(Z)-p-coumaroyl}-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (2), respectively, by HRESIMS, and 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic studies.

Deep subwavelength confinement and giant enhancement of light field by a plasmonic lens integrated with a metal-insulator-metal vertical nanocavity.

A metal-insulator-metal vertical nanocavity is proposed to be integrated at the center of a plasmonic lens. Utilizing cavity resonance effect, the light intensity at the center of the integrated plasmonic lens gets enhancement up to 5500 times compared to that without the cavity, and the light field is tightly confined into a spot as small as 6.0 × 10(-3)λ(0)(2).

Comparison of intraoperative ultrasound pachymetry and postoperative optical coherence tomography of anterior segment in the measurement of flap thickness in eyes receiving laser in situ keratomileusis.

Purpose: To compare the measurement of flap thickness using intraoperative ultrasound pachymetry and postoperative Visante anterior segment optical coherence tomography (Visante-OCT) in eyes receiving laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK).

Methods: Seventeen patients (34 eyes) received LASIK using a Technolas-217Z100 laser and AMADEUSⅡ mechanical microkeratome (140μm head). Flap thickness was assessed with an ultrasound pachymeter intraoperatively and a Visante -OCT postoperatively at 1 week and 1 month.