MicroRNA-mediated responses to long-term magnesium-deficiency in Citrus sinensis roots revealed by Illumina sequencing.

BACKGROUND: Magnesium (Mg)-deficiency occurs most frequently in strongly acidic, sandy soils. Citrus are grown mainly on acidic and strong acidic soils. Mg-deficiency causes poor fruit quality and low fruit yield in some Citrus orchards. For the first time, we investigated Mg-deficiency-responsive miRNAs in 'Xuegan' (Citrus sinensis) roots using Illumina sequencing in order to obtain some miRNAs presumably responsible for Citrus Mg-deficiency tolerance. RESULTS: We obtained 101 (69) miRNAs with increased (decreased) expression from Mg-starved roots. Our results suggested that the adaptation of Citrus roots to Mg-deficiency was related to the several aspects: (a) inhibiting root respiration and related gene expression via inducing miR158 and miR2919; (b) enhancing antioxidant system by down-regulating related miRNAs (miR780, miR6190, miR1044, miR5261 and miR1151) and the adaptation to low-phosphorus (miR6190); (c) activating transport-related genes by altering the expression of miR6190, miR6485, miR1044, miR5029 and miR3437; (d) elevating protein ubiquitination due to decreased expression levels of miR1044, miR5261, miR1151 and miR5029; (e) maintaining root growth by regulating miR5261, miR6485 and miR158 expression; and (f) triggering DNA repair (transcription regulation) by regulating miR5176 and miR6485 (miR6028, miR6190, miR6485, miR5621, miR160 and miR7708) expression. Mg-deficiency-responsive miRNAs involved in root signal transduction also had functions in Citrus Mg-deficiency tolerance. CONCLUSIONS: We obtained several novel Mg-deficiency-responsive miRNAs (i.e., miR5261, miR158, miR6190, miR6485, miR1151 and miR1044) possibly contributing to Mg-deficiency tolerance. These results revealed some novel clues on the miRNA-mediated adaptation to nutrient deficiencies in higher plants.

Liver dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI for staging liver fibrosis in a piglet model.

PURPOSE: To determine whether dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) could monitor progression of liver fibrosis in a piglet model, and which DCE-MRI parameter is most accurate for staging this disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixteen piglets were prospectively used to model liver fibrosis and underwent liver DCE-MRI followed by biopsy on the 0, 5th, 9th, 16th, and 21st weekends after modeling of fibrosis. Time of peak (TOP), time to peak (TTP), positive enhancement integral (PEI), maximum slope of increase (MSI), and maximum slope of decrease (MSD) were measured and statistically analyzed for the monitoring and staging. RESULTS: As fibrosis progresses, TOP and TTP tended to increase, whereas MSI, MSD, and PEI tended to decrease (all P < 0.05). TOP, TTP, and MSI could discriminate fibrosis stage 0 from 1-4, 0-1 from 2-4, 0-2 from 3-4, and 0-3 from 4; PEI could distinguish the above-mentioned stages except 0-3 from 4; and MSD could distinguish stage 0-3 from 4, and 0 from 1-4 (all P < 0.05). For predicting stage ≥1, ≥2, and ≥3, the area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of MSI was largest among all parameters; for stage 4 AUC of TTP was largest. CONCLUSION: DCE-MRI has the potential to dynamically stage progression of liver fibrosis.

[Association of myocardial bridge of the left anterior descending coronary artery with coronary atherosclerotic stenosis in the segment proximal to the site of bridge].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether myocardial bridging (MB) is independently associated with coronary atherosclerosis proximal to MB in the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) identified by computed tomographic coronary angiography (CCTA). METHODS: From March 2011 to December 2012, patients (n=9 862) with suspected coronary disease underwent CCTA using dual-source CT scanner. The baseline clinical characteristics (age, gender, smoking history, presence of hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, family history of heart attack, and body mass index) and the results of CCTA were reviewed. Two radiologists evaluated the coronary artery for MB and coronary atherosclerosis stenosis (CAS) in LAD and made a diagnosis by consensus. Significant independent risk factors for CAS were investigated by multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 3 182 (32.3%) cases of MB and 3 359 cases of CAS of LAD were identified. No patient with CAS in the tunneled segment was found. The mean length of bridges and the mean thickness of the overlying myocardium was (17.3±5.2) mm and (1.2±0.9) mm, respectively. There were 1658 MB cases in 3 359 cases of LAD stenosis and 1 524 MB cases in 6 503 cases of no LAD stenosis (χ(2)=681.12, P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that MB in the LAD were significantly associated with CAS in the proximal LAD (OR=3.07, 95%CI=2.81-3.37, P<0.001), and after final adjustment for age, gender, body mass index, family history of heart attack, smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and resting heart rate (OR=2.86, 95% CI=2.60-3.16, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: MB in the LAD is independently associated with CAS in the proximal segment to MB.

Value of coronary computed tomography angiography in ruling out coronary artery disease before intermediate- and high-risk non-cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of preoperative coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) in the detection of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients planned to undergo non-cardiac surgery at intermediate or high risk to avoid unnecessary invasive coronary angiography (ICA). METHODS: The study protocol was approved by our institutional review board and informed consent was given. In this prospective study, 157 consecutive patients who underwent CCTA before undergoing non-cardiac surgery at intermediate or high risk was involved. The non-cardiac surgery included high-risk surgery (17 patients) and intermediate-risk surgery (140 patients). Follow-up was performed in 6-11 months to define cardiac events described as acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or death secondary to ASC, arrhythmias, cardiac revascularization, or cardiac failure. χ(2) test was performed to compare the differences in incidence of cardiac events among patients who had undergone or who had not undergone preoperative ICA. RESULTS: CCTA was of diagnostic value in 145 of 157 patients. Thirty-seven of 145 had no CAD, and 88 of 145 had no significant CAD (<50% stenosis), and non-cardiac surgery was performed in them without preoperative ICA. No patients in those patients had postoperative ischemic events at follow-up; 20 had significant CAD (≥50% stenosis) and underwent surgery after preoperative ICA. CCTA was non-diagnostic in 12 patients who were referred for preoperative ICA, and 4 of 12 underwent surgery after PCI or CABG. There were no differences in cardiac events between patients who had undergone preoperative ICA and those who had not (P=0.45). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with planned non-cardiac surgery at medium or high risk of cardiovascular events, preoperative CCTA is an effective diagnostic tool for detecting CAD. Preoperative ICA can be safely avoided in patients with normal findings or with stenosis<50% in CCTA.

Spleen size measured on enhanced MRI for quantitatively staging liver fibrosis in minipigs.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether and how spleen size measured on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could be used to stage liver fibrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixteen minipigs were used to prospectively model liver fibrosis staged by biopsy. Abdominal gadolinium-enhanced MRI was performed on the 0, 5th, 9th, 16th, and 21st weekend after beginning of the modeling. Splenic maximal width (W), thickness (T), length (L), and area (S) together with spleen volume (SV) and liver volume (LV) were measured on enhanced MRI and the ratio of SV to LV (SV/LV) was calculated. Spleen multidimensional indexes 1 and 2 were obtained by W × T × L and S × L, respectively. Statistical analyses were performed to determine which parameter could best stage the fibrosis. RESULTS: W, T, L, S, SV, index 1 and 2, and SV/LV tended to increase with increasing stages of fibrosis (r = 0.46-0.796, all P < 0.001), and might predict liver fibrosis stage ≥1, ≥2, ≥3, and 4 (area under receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] = 0.697-1.0, all P < 0.05). Among the parameters, splenic index 1, SV, and SV/LV might be best for predicting stage ≥1 (AUC = 0.941), ≥2 or ≥3 (AUC = 0.875 or 0.978, respectively), and 4 (AUC = 1.0), respectively. CONCLUSION: Spleen size measured on MRI could be used for staging liver fibrosis.

Association between late gadolinium enhancement and outcome in dilated cardiomyopathy: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic value of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) derived from cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is well studied, and several new metrics of LGE have emerged. However, some controversies remain; therefore, further discussion is needed, and more precise risk stratification should be explored. AIM: To investigate the associations between the positivity, extent, location, and pattern of LGE and multiple outcomes in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). METHODS: PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library were searched for studies that investigated the prognostic value of LGE in patients with DCM. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated to assess the role of LGE in the risk stratification of DCM. RESULTS: Nineteen studies involving 7330 patients with DCM were included in this meta-analysis and covered a wide spectrum of DCM, with a mean left ventricular ejection fraction between 21% and 50%. The meta-analysis revealed that the presence of LGE was associated with an increased risk of multiple adverse outcomes (all-cause mortality, HR: 2.14; arrhythmic events, HR: 5.12; and composite endpoints, HR: 2.38; all P < 0.001). Furthermore, every 1% increment in the extent of LGE was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality. Analysis of a subgroup revealed that the prognostic value varied based on different location and pattern of LGE. Additionally, we found that LGE was a stronger predictor of arrhythmic events in patients with greater left ventricular ejection fraction. CONCLUSION: LGE by CMR in patients with DCM exhibited a substantial value in predicting adverse outcomes, and the extent, location, and pattern of LGE could provide additional information for risk stratification.

Association of radiotherapy with thoracic vertebral fractures in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: A retrospective cohort study.

To investigate the association between radiotherapy (RT) and thoracic vertebral fractures in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and explore the risk factors of thoracic vertebral fracture in ESCC who underwent RT. This retrospective cohort study including 602 consecutive ESCC patients examined the association between RT and thoracic vertebral fractures using multivariable Cox proportional hazard models and relevant risk factors of thoracic vertebral fractures based on clinical and RT parameters in patients with ESCC. Followed for a median follow-up of 24 months, 54 patients had thoracic vertebral fractures. The multivariable analysis revealed RT as an independent risk factor after adjusting for clinical risk factors. Univariable analyses associated a 5-Gy increase in vertebral dose to single vertebrae and a 1-time increase in RT fraction with higher risk of vertebral fracture. Adding RT factors (vertebral dose and fraction) and mean vertebral hounsfield unit to the Cox models containing conventional clinical risk factors significantly improved the χ2 value for predicting vertebral fractures (all P < .001). This study revealed RT, as well as increased vertebral dose and RT fractions, as a significant, consistent, and strong vertebral fracture predictor in ESCC. Combined vertebral dose, RT fractions, and vertebral hounsfield unit provided optimal risk stratification for ESCC patients.

Tumour size of resectable oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma measured with multidetector computed tomography for predicting regional lymph node metastasis and N stage.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether and how tumour size of resectable oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) measured with multidetector CT could predict regional lymph node metastasis (LNM) and N stage. METHODS: Two hundred five patients with ESCC underwent radical oesophagectomy with three-field lymphadenectomy less than 3 weeks after contrast-enhanced CT. Tumour size of the ESCC (tumour length, maximal thickness and gross tumour volume, GTV) was measured on CT. Statistical analyses were performed to identify whether tumour size could predict regional LNM and N stage, and to determine how to use the size of ESCC to predict N stage. RESULTS: Univariate analysis showed that tumour size could predict regional LNM (all P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that GTV could independently predict regional LNM (P = 0.021, odds ratio = 1.813). Mann-Whitney tests showed that tumour size could distinguish grouped N stages (all P < 0.05). GTV might be a differentiating indicator between N0 and N1-3 stages (cutoff, 14.4 cm(3)), between N0-1 and N2-3 (cutoff, 15.9 cm(3)), and between N0-2 and N3 (cutoff, 26.1 cm(3)), with sensitivity of 76%, 63% or 75%, and specificity of 75%, 61% and 81%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The GTV of ESCC measured with CT could be an indicator for predicting regional LNM and grouped N stages. KEY POINTS : • Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) allows accurate assessment of oesophageal tumour size • For resectable squamous cell tumours, size helped predict regional lymph node involvement • Gross tumour volume may predict the N stage of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

catena-Poly[[[tetra-aqua-neodymium(III)]-di-µ-isonicotinato] chloride].

In the title complex, {[Nd(C(6)H(4)NO(2))(2)(H(2)O)(4)]Cl}(n), the Nd(III) cation is located on a twofold rotation axis and coordinated by four isonicotiniate anions and four water mol-ecules in a distorted square-anti-prismatic geometry. The carboxyl-ate groups of the isonicotinate anions bridge the Nd(III) cations, forming polymeric chains running along the c axis. The Cl(-) anion is located on a twofold rotation axis and is linked to the polymeric chains via O-H⋯Cl hydrogen bonding. Inter-molecular O-H⋯O and O-H⋯N hydrogen bonds are also present in the crystal structure.

Acupoint Massage Therapy Alters the Composition of Gut Microbiome in Functional Constipation Patients.

RESULTS: Results showed the overall structure of gut microbiome has no significant difference between experimental and control groups. In the genus level, the abundance of Pseudobutyrivibrio and Ruminiclostridium is higher in the experiment group than in the control, whereas that of Fusicatenibacter is less. The 16S KEGG function prediction suggested that Parkinson disease, retinol metabolism, and arachidonic acid metabolism could explain the biological function of different gut microbiome. Furthermore, cytokines in the serum showed a correlation with the abundance of Pseudobutyrivibrio in CFC. CONCLUSION: AMT could change the composition of gut microbiome which is associated with cytokines in CFC patients.

In-situ solidification/stabilization of heavy metals contaminated site soil using a dry jet mixing method and new hydroxyapatite based binder.

In this study, in-situ treatment using dry jet mixing construction method and SPC (single superphosphate and calcium oxide) new binder are used to solidify/stabilize a heavy metal contaminated site soil with relatively high content of organic matters. Time-dependent field performance of the soils at 41 and 326 days after treatment is evaluated, which includes electrical conductivity (EC), leachability of heavy metals and chemical oxygen demand (COD), soil penetration resistance, acid neutralization capacity (ANC), and chemical speciation of heavy metals. The results indicate that the stabilized soils exhibit satisfactory performance which is comparable with the laboratory study. In-situ SPC treatment significantly decreases EC values and increases penetration resistance values of the soils. Leachability of lead, zinc, cadmium and COD decreases with increasing SPC content or curing time. Large percentages of heave metals in the soils are transformed from exchangeable fractions to residual fractions after treatment. These, coupled with the improved ANC, result in low heavy metal leachability in stabilized soils.

Genetic distinctions and clinical characteristics of type 1 autoimmune hepatitis in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The genetic features in Eastern autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) patients are seldom surveyed. Previous studies on the linking of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) with AIH have highlighted the necessity of evaluating ethnically homogeneous populations, but no investigation for Taiwanese patients has been reported. This study aims to evaluate the HLA characteristics of Taiwanese AIH patients. METHODOLOGY: Medical records of Taiwanese AIH patients (1990-2005) were reviewed and the correlation of HLA alleles with disease susceptibility and severity was surveyed. HLA typing was performed by polymerase chain reaction amplification with sequence-specific primers. RESULTS: Unlike the Western reports, HLA-A1, B8, and DR3 were not identified. The most frequently encountered was A11 (48.6%). DR4 (35.1%) was less often found than that in Japanese and Chinese series. As compared with Taiwanese normal controls, the frequency of B35 was significantly increased (18.9% vs. 5.4%, odds ratio = 4.072, Pc < 0.001). B35-postitive patients also had higher pretreatment serum aminotransferase concentrations. More of the patients were cholestatic and responded well to a lower dose of prednisolone as compared with those reported in the Western literature. CONCLUSIONS: HLA-B35 plays a distinct role in susceptibility and severity of AIH in Taiwan. Racial genetic backgrounds may account for the different results.

Genetic variants of the XRCC7 gene involved in DNA repair and risk of human bladder cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between the polymorphisms of the KU70 and X-ray repair cross complementing group 7 (XRCC7) genes and the risk of bladder cancer. METHODS: This hospital-based case-control study included 213 patients with newly diagnosed bladder transitional cell carcinoma and 235 cancer-free controls frequency-matched by age and sex. Two polymorphisms, KU70 and XRCC7, using a method involving polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism were genotyped. RESULTS: The risk of bladder cancer decreased in a dose-response manner as the number of XRCC76721G alleles increased (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.70, 95% confident interval [CI] = 0.47-1.03 for 6721GT and OR = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.10-0.99 for 6721GG; P(trend) = 0.013). However, when we used 6721 (GT + GG) as the reference, we found a statistically significant increased risk of bladder cancer associated with the 6721TT genotype (OR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.04-2.25). In the stratification analysis, this increased risk was more pronounced among subgroups of patients aged >65 years (OR = 2.27; 95% CI = 1.25-4.10) and ever smokers (OR = 2.06, 95% CI = 1.15-3.68). Furthermore, we observed a 3.24-fold increased risk (95% CI = 1.35-7.78) for smokers aged >65 years carrying 6721TT genotype compared with those carrying the 6721 (GG + GT) genotype. However, the KU70-61C > G polymorphism was not associated with a significantly increased risk of bladder cancer. CONCLUSIONS: The XRCC7 but not the KU70 polymorphism appears to be involved in the etiology of human bladder cancer. Larger studies with more detailed data on environmental exposure are needed to verify these initial findings.

[Separation and purification and structural characterization of baicalein].

The root of scutellaria baicalensis georgi that contains a variety of flavonoids is a very old and well-known drug in traditional Chinese medicine, which is widely used for treatment of bronchitis, tumors and inflammatory diseases. The baicalein is the main active component from traditional Chinese medicine-scutellaria baicalensis georgi. It is a very significance research work that the baicalein was separated and purified, and its composition and molecular structure are analyzed and determined for the pharmacology study of Chinese medicine-scutellaria baicalensis georgi. The main works in this paper are as follows. Powdered roots (100 g) were extracted with methanol by three times, each time for 48 hours. The crude extracts were purified by polyamide column chromatography and CH3Cl-C2H5OH gradient desorption. A short yellow prismatic crystal was acquired by recrystallizing technique and its composition and molecular structure were characterized by color reactions and spectral analysis methods as FTIR, UV-Vis, MS and 1H NMR, 13C-NMR. The FTIR spectrum appears the absorption bands for hydroxyls, pyrone carbonyl, aromatic C=C bond and singly substituted phenyl. The characteristic absorption peaks and the vibration modes in FTIR spectrum were identified as corresponding groups. The UV-Vis spectrum in methanol solution and the mix solution of methanol with 5 diagnostic reagents, NaOMe, NaOAc, NaOAc/H3BO3, AlCl3, AlCl3/HCl, respectively indicate that the yellow prismatic crystal is flavone with 5-hydroxyl, 4-carbonyl and 5,6,7- or 5,7,8-trihydroxyls on ring A. The structure of the crystal was characterized by three different MS. The results of FAB-, ESI- and EI-MS show that it is not a flavone glocuside but the flavone with three phenyl hydroxyls on ring A, and no OH group and other substituted groups on ring B. The molecular ion and fragment ions are identified by MS, which include such as m/z 270 M+, m/z 242 [M-CO]+, m/z 168 A, m/z 140 [A1-CO]+, m/z 105 B, m/z 102 B, m/z 77 [B2-CO]+, respectively. 13C-NMR (DMSO-d6) exhibits the signals of the fifteen carbon atoms, nine oxygenous aromatic C, five non-oxygenous aromatic C and a carbonyl C. 1H-NMR(DMSO-d6 + D2O, DMSO-d6 )indicates the presence of C-5, C-6, C-7 hydroxyl protons, which is consistent with the results of UV spectrum. The signals for C-2',6' hydroxyls appear at delta = 8.055 as a doublet peak with spin-spin coupling constant 6.0 Hz. The other signals were ascribed to the corresponding H or C atoms in the compound. The results of FTIR, UV-Vis, MS, 1H NMR, 13C-NMR spectroscopy characterization show that crystal is the 5,6,7-trihydroxy-flavone, that is baicalein, and the molecular formula is C15H10O5.

A TaqMan-based real-time PCR assay for the detection of Ungulate bocaparvovirus 2.

Ungulate bocaparvoviruses (UBoV) 2-5 are recently discovered porcine bocaparvoviruses belonging to the family Parvoviridae, and are considered to be a potentially major cause of swine diseases. In order to detect local UBoV2 epidemics in China, we developed a TaqMan-based real-time PCR (qPCR) assay targeting the UBoV2 VP1 gene and compared the results of qPCR with conventional PCR (cPCR). The qPCR reproducibly detected a recombinant DNA plasmid containing the VP1 gene over a range of eight orders of magnitude, from 9.97 × 10-1-106 copies/µL, with a lower limit of detection of 9.97 copies/µL, compared with approximately 9.97 × 102 copies/µL for cPCR. The qPCR assay showed no cross-reactivity with other UBoVs or other porcine viruses. This qPCR assay detected UBoV2 in 18.1% (84/463) of pig samples collected from Chinese swine herds, with the highest infection rate of 35.3% (53/150) in loose stools. UBoV2 was not detected in liver samples. The TaqMan-based qPCR assay established in this study was highly sensitive and specific for the diagnosis and quantification of UBoV2. The results of this study will further our understanding of the etiology, epidemiology, and pathogenesis of UBoV2 infection.

Functional variations in the JWA gene are associated with increased odds of leukemias.

The association between the -76G>C in the 5'-flanking region and 723T>G in JWA exon three variants were examined for risk of leukemia development in a hospital-based case-control study of 201 leukemia patients and 243 cancer-free controls in a Chinese population. Studies showed that the -76C allele was associated with significantly increased odds of leukemia but the 723G allele was correlated with marked decreased odds of leukemia. Variation in the -76C allele resulted in almost complete loss of oxidative stress stimulated transcription activities of the promoter fragment.

Single nucleotide polymorphism of the JWA gene is associated with risk of leukemia: a case-control study in a Chinese population.

The JWA gene was initially cloned as a novel cell differentiation-associated gene and was subsequently found to be an environmental responsive gene. The JWA gene also produced a marked effect during chemical-induced multidirectional differentiations of primary and human myeloid leukemia cells. Recently, a novel single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in exon2 of the JWA gene (454CA) was identified that may play a role in risk of bladder cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the 454CA (NM_006407.2) in JWA exon2 variants and risk of leukemia in a hospital-based case-control study of 202 leukemia patients and 289 cancer-free controls. Results indicated that 454A allele was found to associate with significantly increased risk of leukemia, although the 454CA is a synonymous polymorphism in coding region of the JWA gene. In conclusion, the potentially functional genetic polymorphism 454CA of the JWA gene appears to contribute to the risk of multiple kinds of leukemia in a south Chinese population.

Functional polymorphisms of JWA gene are associated with risk of bladder cancer.

The JWA gene is a novel cell differentiation-related gene thought to be a responsive gene in response to DNA damage and repair induced by environmental stressors. Recently, a novel single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was identified in the promoter of the JWA gene (-76GC) that may alter the transcription activity and thus play a role in increased risk of bladder cancer. Further, studies were conducted to screen for more novel variants in the JWA exons by using PCR-SSCP (polymerase chain reaction-single-strand conformation polymorphism) followed by PCR-RFLP (PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism) methods. Finally, the functional relevance of the newly identified genetic variants in a hospital-based case-control study of 215 bladder cancer patients and 250 cancer-free controls was evaluated. In addition to the -76GC polymorphism, another novel SNP (454CA in exon2 and 723TG in exon 3) of JWA was identified. The -76GC allele and genotype frequencies were found to vary in different ethnic groups. The -76C allele and 454A allele were both associated with significantly increased risk of bladder cancer. In contrast, the 723GG genotype was associated with a decreased risk of bladder cancer. Furthermore, -76C and 454A together increased the risk of bladder caner using haplotype and stratification analysis. In conclusion, the three novel functional genetic polymorphisms of JWA gene, -76GC, 454CA, and 723TG, appear to contribute to the etiology of bladder cancer.

[UV-Vis spectroscopic characterization of active components from Scutellaria baicalensis georgi].

The molecular structures of three active components from scutellaria baicalensis have been studied by ultraviolet-visible spectra. The index flavonoid structures and substituted positions were deduced by analyzing the UV-Vis spectra in the methanol solution of three active components and the methanol solution with 5 diagnostic reagents, NaOMe, NaOAc, NaOAc/H3BO3, AlCl3, AlCl3/HCl respectively, which provided strong evidences for the structural characterization of the active components from natural products.