Staphylococcal enterotoxin B exposed to pregnant rats inhibits the hedgehog signaling pathway in thymic T lymphocytes of the offspring.

The Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway is involved in T cell differentiation and development and plays a major regulatory part in different stages of T cell development. A previous study by us suggested that prenatal exposure to staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) changed the percentages of T cell subpopulation in the offspring thymus. However, it is unclear whether prenatal SEB exposure impacts the Hh signaling pathway in thymic T cells. In the present study, pregnant rats at gestational day 16 were intravenously injected once with 15 µg SEB, and the thymi of both neonatal and adult offspring rats were aseptically acquired to scrutinize the effects of SEB on the Hh signaling pathway. It firstly found that prenatal SEB exposure clearly caused the increased expression of Shh and Dhh ligands of the Hh signaling pathway in thymus tissue of both neonatal and adult offspring rats, but significantly decreased the expression levels of membrane receptors of Ptch1 and Smo, transcription factor Gli1, as well as target genes of CyclinD1, C-myc, and N-myc in Hh signaling pathway of thymic T cells. These data suggest that prenatal SEB exposure inhibits the Hh signaling pathway in thymic T lymphocytes of the neonatal offspring, and this effect can be maintained in adult offspring via the imprinting effect.

A randomized controlled trial investigating the impact of a single flash cupping session on patients with chronic lower back pain using multichannel surface electromyographic assessment.

BACKGROUND: Chronic lower back pain (CLBP) is one of the most common disorders worldwide. Flash cupping has the ability to relieve CLBP; nevertheless, its impact on CLBP and the likely mechanism of action have not been studied. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to assess the impact of a single, brief cupping session on CLBP and low back muscle activity using multichannel surface electromyography (sEMG). METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial, 24 patients with CLBP were enrolled and randomly assigned to the control group (treated by acupuncture) and cupping group (treated by acupuncture and flash cupping). Acupuncture was applied on the shen shu (BL23), dachang shu (BL25), and wei zhong (BL40) acupoints in both the groups. A brief cupping treatment was applied to the shen shu (BL23), qihai shu (BL24), dachang shu (BL25), guanyuan shu (BL26), and xiaochang shu (BL27) acupoints on both sides of the lower back in the cupping group. The numeric rating scale (NRS) was used to assess therapy efficacy for lower back pain (LBP) before and after treatment. Surface EMG data collected during symmetrical trunk flexion-extension movements were utilized to measure lower back muscle activity and the effectiveness of LBP therapy. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference (P= 0.63) in pain intensity between the two groups before and after treatment. There was a statistically significant difference (P= 0.04) between the control group and the cupping group in the sEMG topographic map parameter CoGx-To-Midline. CONCLUSION: This study established a connection between the action mechanism of flash cupping and enhanced horizontal synchronization of lower back muscular activity.

Characterization of the complete chloroplast genome of Biondia chinensis (Apocynaceae: Asclepiadoideae: Asclepiadeae), a rare and threatened liana endemic to China.

The complete chloroplast genome of Biondia chinensis, a rare liana of the Asclepiadoideae endemic to China, was determined in this study. It is classified as Vulnerable species because of the sharp decline in its population size due to the habitat destruction. The whole chloroplast genome was 160,308 bp long, comprising of a large single copy (LSC) region of 91,335 bp and a small single copy (SSC) region of 19,185 bp, which were separated by a pair of 24,894 bp long inverted repeat (IR) regions. It encoded a total of 131 genes, including 86 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. Most of the gene species appeared as a single copy, while 22 gene species appeared in double copies. The overall A + T content was 62.2%, while the corresponding values of the LSC, SSC, and IR regions were 63.9, 68.1, and 56.7%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that, among all the species which have been analyzed B. chinensis was relatively close to Vincetoxicum rossisum.

Structure elucidation and antioxidant activity of a novel polysaccharide from Polyporus umbellatus sclerotia.

A novel water-soluble polysaccharide PUP60S2, with a molecular weight of 1.44×10(4)Da, was obtained from the sclerotia of Polyporus umbellatus by hot water extraction, ethanol precipitation, anion-exchange and size-exclusion chromatography. PUP60S2 was a polysaccharide comprised of about 22.3% glucuronic acid. Monosaccharide composition analysis showed that PUP60S2 was only comprised of glucose and glucuronic acid. Reduction of carboxyl groups, sugar analysis, methylation analysis, together with one and two dimension NMR spectra disclosed that the backbone of PUP60S2 consisted of (1→6)-ß-d-glucopyranosyl, every second of which was substituted at O-3 by side chains consisting of terminal ß-d-Glcp, (1→3)-ß-d-Glcp, (1→3)-ß-d-GlcpA, (1→4)-ß-d-Glcp and (1→4)-ß-d-GlcpA units. The antioxidant activity assay in vitro showed that PUP60S2 exerted a significant scavenging effect on DPPH, hydroxyl radical and superoxide radical in a dose-dependent manner.

[Study on the Measurement and Optimization of Soybean Oil Optical Spectrum in THz Range].

Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy is an effective technique that applies spectral measurements by using an ultra fast femtosecond laser. These unique properties of terahertz waves make it an effective nondestructive testing technology. Currently, it has been applied in many fields. However, when we calculate the optical parameters of the sample especially for liquids, from data obtained with time-domain spectroscopy, a common problem occurred is spurious oscillation, which is caused by the Fabry-Perot effect in sample, containers and optical elements. In order to obtain high frequency resolution and accurate sample optical parameters, it is necessary to use some signal processing techniques properly. In this paper, we improved de-convolution algorithm and presented a simple algorithm based on the traditional optical parameter calculation model. Considering the nonlinear absorption of THz wave by samples, containers, emitters or detectors, a THz time-domain trace containing echo signals can be represented as a convolution of the primary peak, some delta functions and nonlinear transfer functions. By analyzing equations，spurious oscillations in the THz spectra result from echo signals can be removed or reduced effectively. The use of the method is discussed and the transmission spectrum of soybean oil in 0.2~2.0 THz range is measured accurately by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy. Experiments show that, this method can effectively remove the frequency oscillation caused by echoes. This algorithm is not affected by the tested object, and is equally applicable to other liquid measurements in THz range. What's more, compared with the traditional method of main pulse interception, this algorithm under the same experimental conditions can effectively improve frequency resolution of soybean oil in 0.2~2.0 THz region, from 50 GHz to less than 10 GHz. At the end of this paper, the causation of remaining oscillation in sample spectrum and absorption spectrum were deeply analyzed.

C2 nerve dysfunction associated with C1 lateral mass screw fixation.

The C1 lateral mass screw technique is widely used for atlantoaxial fixation. However, C2 nerve dysfunction may occur as a complication of this procedure, compromising the quality of life of affected patients. This is a review of the topic of C2 nerve dysfunction associated with C1 lateral mass screw fixation and related research developments. The C2 nerve root is located in the space bordered superiorly by the posterior arch of C1 , inferiorly by the C2 lamina, anteriorly by the lateral atlantoaxial joint capsule, and posteriorly by the anterior edge of the ligamentum flavum. Some surgeons suggest cutting the C2 nerve root during C1 lateral mass screw placement, whereas others prefer to preserve it. The incidence, clinical manifestations, causes, management, and prevention of C2 nerve dysfunction associated with C(1) lateral mass screw fixation are reviewed. Sacrifice of the C2 nerve root carries a high risk of postoperative numbness, whereas postoperative nerve dysfunction can occur when it has been preserved. Many surgeons have been working hard on minimizing the risk of postoperative C2 nerve dysfunction associated with C1 lateral mass screw fixation.

[Evolution of miRNA in plants].

Due to the important role of miRNA in regulation of plant gene expression, researchers have focused on the prediction, identification, functional and evolutionary analysis of miRNA. As genome sequencing has been completed in many species, the integration of genomic sequences with evolutionary data of miRNA provides more and more evidence and hypotheses for the origin and evolution of miRNA. However, the evolution of miRNA in plants has not been extensively reviewed. In this article, we reviewed several aspects of the evolution of miRNA in plants, including the origin hypothesis of miRNA, the birth and death of miRNA, and the functional evolution of miRNA, which provides a reference for future research.

Incidence and mortality of breast cancer in China, 2008.

BACKGROUND: Female breast cancer incidence and mortality data for the duration of 2008, in China, retrieved from the National Central Cancer Registry, was analyzed. METHODS: In 2008, there were 56 registries that submitted cancer registration data. Based on the criteria of data quality, a total of 41 registries' data met the requirement and were accepted for analysis. The incidence and mortality rates of breast cancer in females were calculated, including age specific rates, age-standardized rates, proportions, and cumulative rates, stratified by areas (urban/rural). RESULTS: The number of cases included from 41 registries was 66 138 784, with 32 798 187 of these cases found in women (25 898 251 in urban areas and 6 899 936 in rural areas). There were 15 625 new cases reported and 3414 deaths of women with breast cancer, resulting in a mortality to incidence ratio of 0.22. The morphological verified rate was 91.96%, and 0.43% of cases were identified by death certificate only. The crude cancer incidence rate in all areas was 47.64/100 000, and the Age-Standardized Incidence Rates by Chinese standard population, (ASIRC) and World standard population (ASIRW) were 25.26/100 000 and 31.71/100 000, respectively. The cumulative incidence rate (0-74 years old) was 3.44%. Both crude and adjusted incidence rates in urban areas were much higher than those in rural areas. The crude cancer mortality was 10.41/100 000, and the Age-Standardized Mortality Rates by Chinese standard population (ASMRC) and by World population (ASMRW) were 4.90/100 000 and 6.48/100 000, respectively. The cumulative mortality rate (0-74 years old) was 0.071%. Age-adjusted mortality rates in urban areas were also higher than in rural areas. Age specific incidence rates peaked in age group 50-54 in all areas (108.27/100 000) and in urban areas (119.68/100 000). It reached the peak in the 55-59 age group for rural women. Age specific mortalities rose with the increase of age for both women in urban and rural areas, with mortality rates of 76.16/100 000 and 23.73/100 000 in age groups of 85 and above, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in Chinese women. Preventative measures, such as health education and screening, are needed in the general population, but especially for those in the high-risk group found in urban areas.

Report of incidence and mortality in china cancer registries, 2008.

OBJECTIVE: Annual cancer incidence and mortality in 2008 were provided by National Central Cancer Registry in China, which data were collected from population-based cancer registries in 2011. METHODS: There were 56 registries submitted their data in 2008. After checking and evaluating the data quality, total 41 registries' data were accepted and pooled for analysis. Incidence and mortality rates by area (urban or rural areas) were assessed, as well as the age- and sex-specific rates, age-standardized rates, proportions and cumulative rate. RESULTS: The coverage population of the 41 registries was 66,138,784 with 52,158,495 in urban areas and 13,980,289 in rural areas. There were 197,833 new cancer cases and 122,136 deaths in cancer with mortality to incidence ratio of 0.62. The morphological verified rate was 69.33%, and 2.23% of cases were identified by death certificate only. The crude cancer incidence rate in all areas was 299.12/100,000 (330.16/100,000 in male and 267.56/100,000 in female) and the age-standardized incidence rates by Chinese standard population (ASIRC) and world standard population (ASIRW) were 148.75/100,000 and 194.99/100,000, respectively. The cumulative incidence rate (0-74 years old) was of 22.27%. The crude incidence rate in urban areas was higher than that in rural areas. However, after adjusted by age, the incidence rate in urban was lower than that in rural. The crude cancer mortality was 184.67/100,000 (228.14/100,000 in male and 140.48/100,000 in female), and the age-standardized mortality rates by Chinese standard population (ASMRC) and by world population were 84.36/100,000 and 114.32/100,000, respectively. The cumulative mortality rate (0-74 years old) was of 12.89%. Age-adjusted mortality rates in urban areas were lower than that in rural areas. The most common cancer sites were lung, stomach, colon-rectum, liver, esophagus, pancreas, brain, lymphoma, breast and cervix which accounted for 75% of all cancer incidence. Lung cancer was the leading cause of cancer death, followed by gastric cancer, liver cancer, esophageal cancer, colorectal cancer and pancreas cancer, which accounted for 80% of all cancer deaths. The cancer spectrum varied by areas and sex in rural areas, cancers from digestive system were more common, such as esophageal cancer, gastric cancer and liver cancer, while incidence rates of lung cancer and colorectal cancer were much higher in urban areas. In addition, breast cancer was the most common cancer in urban women followed by liver cancer, gastric cancer and colorectal cancer. CONCLUSION: Lung cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer, esophageal cancer and female breast cancer contributed to the increased incidence of cancer, which should be paid more attention to in further national cancer prevention and control program. Different cancer control strategies should be carried out due to the varied cancer spectrum in different groups.

[Geographical distribution of cancer mortality in China, 2004-2005].

OBJECTIVE: To describe geographical distribution and its transition of mortality of cancers in China. METHODS: The information of 2 513 949 310 person years were collected in 1973-1975 and 142 660 482 person years in 2004-2005 respectively. Being standardizing the death rates of these two survey with 2000 national census population, the changes of mortality of main cancers was observed and the geographic distribution of cancers in 2004-2005 was analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 1 865 445 cancer deaths were collected in 1973-1975, the standardized death rate was 99.61/100 000, and 193 839 cancer deaths were collected in 2004-2005, the standardized death rate was 123.72/100 000, with growth of 24.20%. District mortality analysis showed that the provincial standardized cancer death rates varied greatly, with the highest in Heilongjiang (7443 cases, 183.34/100 000), and the lowest in Yunnan (2454 cases, 61.03/100 000). The highest standardized death rate of esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, liver cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, leukemia, female breast cancer, cervical cancer was in Henan (3535 cases, 32.95/100 000), Gansu (1333 cases, 59.35/100 000), Heilongjiang (1640 cases, 38.63/100 000), Shanghai (390 cases, 11.58/100 000), Heilongjiang (2382 cases, 60.15/100 000), Hainan (36 cases, 7.04/100 000), Tianjin (161 cases, 5.45/100 000), Heilongjiang (179 cases, 8.09/100 000), Xinjiang (131 cases, 10.69/100 000) respectively; the lowest standardized cancer death rate of above-mentioned cancers was in Yunnan (63 cases, 1.59/100 000), Beijing (235 cases, 5.95/100 000), Tianjin (454 cases, 10.86/100 000), Tibet (3 cases, 0.82/100 000), Tibet (12 cases, 3.29/100 000), Qinghai (0 case, 0.00/100 000), Tibet (1 cases, 0.28/100 000), Tibet (6 cases, 2.88/100 000), Chongqing (27 cases, 1.02/100 000) respectively. CONCLUSION: Comparing the two surveys, the standardized mortality of cancers was increased. Most of cancers occurred obviously in cluster by geographical distribution.

[Ovary cancer mortality in China 2004 - 2005: results from the Third National Retrospective Sampling Survey of Death Causes].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the distribution characteristics and trend of ovary cancer mortality based on results of the Third National Retrospective Sampling Survey of Death Causes. METHODS: Data of National Retrospective Sampling Survey for the years of 2004 - 2005 from 158 counties/cities/districts was used for the settings. A total of 69,690,241 person-year for female between 2004 and 2005 including 23,598,822 person-year in urban and 46,091,419 person-year in rural were respectively included in the study. Furthermore, the areas of east, middle, and west were divided into the subsets. And also the areas of urban and rural areas were divided into the subsets. The crude death rate and age-specific death rate and the age-standardized death rate by Chinese population of 1982 (CASR) and by world population of 1960 (WASR) were calculated. The historical comparison with the sampling survey of 1990 - 1992 (second time) was conducted, and the global comparison with some selected countries was performed. RESULTS: The crude death rate for ovary cancer was 1.45/100 000 (1008/69 690 241) between 2004 and 2005, which was ranked the 12th and accounted for 1.45% (1008/69 667) of all sites of cancers. The CASR was 0.97/100 000 and the WASR was 1.26/100 000. The crude death rate of ovary cancer were 2.67/100 000 (630/23 598 822) and 0.82/100 000 (378/46 091 419) in urban and rural areas respectively, with the CASR of 1.62/100 000 and 0.59/100 000 in urban and rural areas respectively. Compared with the data from the second time (0.06/100 000 for crude death rate, 0.53/100 000 for CASR and 0.75% for proportion), the crude death rate increased by 141.07% and the CASR increased by 83.02%. The proportion of mortality was increased by 92.92%, which ranked from the 17th to the 12th. In the urban areas, the CASR of ovary cancer increased by 31.71% (1.23/100 000 vs 1.62/100 000), while by 118.52% in rural areas (0.27/100 000 vs 0.59/100 000) with an increasing trend more remarkable in rural than in urban. CONCLUSION: Ovary cancer is not the leading site of cancer death-cause in China, its morality is higher in urban than in rural. It is necessary to pay more attention to ovary cancer in China.

Representativeness of population-based cancer registration in China--comparison of urban and rural areas.

OBJECTIVE: Chinese cancer registration data provide information on the national cancer burden but how representative they are of the real situation is uncertain. Mortality data from cancer registration and the third national death survey were therefore compared to determine the accuracy of estimates in China. METHODS: The data were from the Cancer Registration Annual Report, 2004, China and the third National Death Survey, 2004-205. Negative binomial regression was used to estimate site-specific cancer mortality rate ratios between the two. RESULTS: The estimated cancer mortality for all sites from national cancer registration was representative for China, especially in urban areas, but mortality was over-estimated for rural areas, with large differences in some cancer site-specific mortalities. CONCLUSION: Although cancer registration data are representative at the country level and for urban areas, they may not reflect real cancer burden in rural areas, particularly with some cancer types. Setting up new cancer registries in non-high risk areas in rural areas should be enhanced in further cancer surveillance plans.