Antimicrobial abietane-type diterpenoids from Torreya grandis.

Twelve undescribed abietane-type diterpenoids, along with ten known analogues were isolated from the twigs and leaves of Torreya grandis var. merrillii Hu. Their structures were characterized by spectroscopic data analyses, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and ECD spectra. Torgranols A-C possess three different architectures shaped via a common 6,7-seco-procedure and subsequent ring formations. In particular, torgranol A represents the first example of a 6,7-seco-abietane diterpenoid featuring a unique oxygen bridge between C-3 and C-6. The biosynthetic pathways for torgranols A-C were proposed. Some compounds displayed antimicrobial activities against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and/or Staphylococcus aureus.

Dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban are superior to warfarin in Asian patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation: An updated meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Most of the randomized clinical trials that led to the wide use of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) originated from western countries. AIM: To systematically review and quantitatively synthesize the real-world data regarding the efficacy and safety of dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban compared to warfarin for stroke prevention in Asian patients with non-valvular AF. METHODS: Medline, Cochrane, and ClinicalTrial.gov databases were reviewed. A random-effect model meta-analysis was used and I-square was utilized to assess the heterogeneity. The primary outcome was ischemic stroke. The secondary outcomes were all-cause mortality, major bleeding, intracranial hemorrhage, and gastrointestinal bleeding. RESULTS: Twelve studies from East Asia or Southeast Asia and 441450 patients were included. Dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban were associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of ischemic stroke [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.78, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.65-0.94; HR = 0.79, 95%CI: 0.74-0.85, HR = 0.70, 95%CI: 0.62-0.78; respectively], all-cause mortality (HR = 0.68, 95%CI: 0.56-0.83; HR = 0.66, 95%CI: 0.52-0.84; HR = 0.66, 95%CI: 0.49-0.90; respectively), and major bleeding (HR = 0.61, 95%CI: 0.54-0.69; HR = 0.70, 95%CI: 0.54-0.90; HR = 0.58, 95%CI: 0.43-0.78; respectively) compared to warfarin. CONCLUSION: Dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban appear to be superior to warfarin in both efficacy and safety in Asians with non-valvular AF.

Genome- and Transcriptome-Wide Identification of C3Hs in Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and Structural and Expression-Based Analyses of Their Functions During the Sprout Stage Under Salt-Stress Conditions.

CCCH (C3H) zinc-finger proteins are involved in plant biotic and abiotic stress responses, growth and development, and disease resistance. However, studies on C3H genes in Phaseolus vulgaris L. (common bean) are limited. Here, 29 protein-encoding C3H genes, located on 11 different chromosomes, were identified in P. vulgaris. A phylogenetic analysis categorized the PvC3Hs into seven subfamilies on the basis of distinct features, such as exon-intron structure, cis-regulatory elements, and MEME motifs. A collinearity analysis revealed connections among the PvC3Hs in the same and different species. The PvC3H genes showed tissue-specific expression patterns during the sprout stage, as assessed by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Using RNA-sequencing and RT-qPCR data, PvC3Hs were identified as being enriched through Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses in binding, channel activity, and the spliceosome pathway. These results provide useful information and a rich resource that can be exploited to functionally characterize and understand PvC3Hs. These PvC3Hs, especially those enriched in binding, channel activity, and the spliceosome pathway will further facilitate the molecular breeding of common bean and provide insights into the correlations between PvC3Hs and salt-stress responses during the sprout stage.

[Expression and significance of interleukin-23 and its related cytokines in chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura].

The aim of this study was to investigate the expression and immunologic regulation function of interleukin-23 and its related cytokines in chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) patients. Levels of cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) were detected by reverse-transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction in 30 patients with chronic ITP and 15 healthy volunteers. The quantity of IL-23, IL-12, IL-17 in serum was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed that low detectable mRNA levels of IL-23p19, IL-12p35, IL-27 and IL-12p40 were found in all patients and healthy persons. Trace of IL-17 mRNA were expressed in PBMNC of part of patients and normal controls. Levels of IL-12p35, IL-27, IL-17 mRNA between healthy persons and chronic ITP patients were not statistically different. Compared with normal controls, patients showed the lower expression levels of IL-23p19 and IL-12p40 mRNA (p < 0.01). The IL-12 levels of chronic ITP patients were significantly higher than that of normal controls (p < 0.01). The IL-23 and IL-17 levels of chronic ITP patients were same to that of normal controls. It is concluded that the imbalance of T cell subsets in ITP patients mainly associated with IL-12, but not with IL-23 and IL-17.

[Experience of preventive maintenance of medical equipment].

Preventive maintenance of medical equipment can be helpful in improving the efficiency of medical devices, establishing a standardized management and plan, a classification of maintenance of medical devices, inspection tour of devices and operating condition of dynamic monitoring devices. It has benefit in prolonging the useful life of medical devices, reducing maintenance cost and improving management and service quality.

[Expression of PRAME gene in adult acute leukemia and its significance in prognosis].

The study was aimed to investigate the expression of preferentially expressed antigen of melanoma (PRAME) gene in adult acute leukemia and its clinical significance. The expression of the PRAME gene of bone marrow was measured by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 73 adult newly diagnosed acute leukemia patients, 3 relapsed patients, 7 patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and 8 healthy donors, as well as two AL cell-lines (K562 and U937). The results indicated that PRAME mRNA was expressed in 42.9% AML patients (n=24) and 20% ALL patients (n=4), also in two leukemia cell-lines K562 and U937, but not in eight health donors and seven ITP patients. PRAME expression not correlated to the white blood count, hemoglobin level, platelet count and the percentage of blasts at diagnosis, yet independent of age, sex, and FAB type. PRAME mRNA expression in complete remission group seems much higher than those in partial complete remission group and death group. The increased levels of expression could be found prior to the relapse in one patient being regularly monitored. PRAME gene was overexpressed in adult acute leukemia patients and leukemia cell-lines. It is concluded that the expression of PRAME is an indicator of favorable prognosis and can be a useful tool for monitoring minimal residual disease (MRD) in adult acute leukemia. Differential expression between adult acute leukemia patients and healthy volunteers suggests that the immunogenic antigens PRAME are potential candidates for immunotherapy in adult acute leukemia.

[Study on properties and resonance rayleigh scattering spectra of nanometer selenium(0) particles in liquid phase].

In the HCl solution, selenium (IV) and excessive ascorbic acid (Vc) formed selenium(0), which homogeneously and steadily existed in liquid phase system. The Se(0) particles were aggregating spheres and their sizes were 26-243 nm from transmission electron microscope (TEM) and laser light scattering image. The nanometer Se(0) solution produced strongest resonance rayleigh scattering (RRS) at 470 nm. The intensity of RRS at 470 nm was linear with the concentration of Se(IV) in the range of 2.82 x 10(-9) -5.64 x 10(-6) g x mL(-1) (r = 0.997). Moreover, obvious Second-order scattering (SOS) and multiple frequence scattering (MFS) appeared at the same time.

[Expression of HoxA10 in acute leukemia and its significance].

To investigate the expression of HoxA(10) mRNA in acute leukemia patients and its significance, HoxA(10) level was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 50 patients with acute leukemias, 7 healthy volunteers and 3 patients with ITP (idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura). The regularity of the expression of HoxA(10) gene in acute leukemia and the relationship between HoxA(10) level and the prognosis of leukemia was explored. The results showed that HoxA(10) was expressed in all types of acute myelogenous leukemia; HoxA(10) message was also observed in acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients and part of control groups. 3 normal donors were found not to express HoxA(10). The level of HoxA(10) mRNA of acute myelogenous leukemia patients was significantly higher than that of acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients and controls (P < 0.01). HoxA(10) gene appeared to be more strongly expressed in AML-M(1) and -M(2) subtypes than in AML-M(4) and -M(5) subtypes, and the gene was notable high expressed in acute promyelocytic leukemia. The number of blast and promyeloid cells in the bone marrow was positive related with the level of HoxA (r = 0.635, P < 0.01). The level of HoxA(10) of 9 non-responsive patients was higher than that of 8 remission patients, but there was no significant difference between them (P = 0.258). HoxA(10) was overexpressed in acute myelogenous leukemia. It is concluded that HoxA(10) is a major transcription factor regulating hematopoiesis and a mark to differentiate lymphoid leukemia and myelogenous leukemia, but not a specific gene of cancer. The level of HoxA(10) is related with load of leukemic cells and curative effect, and can affect occurrence and development of leukemia in combination with many cytokines, HoxA(10) may facilitate the leukemia progression with another cofactors.

[Studies on the chemical constituents in root of Coleus forskohlii].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents in root of Coleusforskohlii. METHOD: The chemical constituents were isolated by column chromatography. The structures were elucidated on the basis of IR, MS, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and 2D-NMR experiments. RESULT: Six compounds were obtained and the structures were identified as 14-deoxycoleon U (1), demethylcryptojaponol (2), alpha-amyrin (3), betulic acid (4), alpha-cedrol (5) and beta-sitosterol (6). CONCLUSION: Compounds 1 and 2 were isolated from the genus Coleus for the first time. Compounds 3 and 4 were isolated from C. forskohlii for the first time.

The progress in mechanism of selenoprotein biosynthesis.

As the twenty-first amino acid, selenocysteine can be co-translationally incorporated into the polypeptide chain at UGA codon in the coding region of selenoprotein mRNA. The incorporation of selenocysteine needs a cis-acting element SECIS and four gene products: SelA, SelB, SelC and SelD. The position of SECIS in the mRNA of prokaryote and its structural features are greatly different from that of eukaryote. The researchers have made exploration in selenoprotein engineering by virtue of the mechanism of selenocysteine incorporation in Escherichia coli.