Development of a tetra-primer ARMS-PCR for identification of sika and red deer and their hybrids.

Accurate identification of deer-derived components is significant in food and drug authenticity. Over the years, several methods have been developed to authenticate these products; however, identifying whether female deer products are hybrids is challenging. In this study, the zinc finger protein X-linked (ZFX) gene sequences of sika deer (Cervus nippon), red deer (Cervus elaphus) and their hybrid offspring were amplified and sequenced, the X221 and X428 species-specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) loci were verified, and a tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system (T-ARMS-PCR) assay was developed to identify the parent-of-origin of female sika deer, red deer, and their hybrid deer. The T-ARMS-PCR developed based on the X221 locus could identify sika deer, red deer, and their hybrid offspring according to the presence or absence of PCR product sizes of 486 bp, 352 bp, and 179 bp, respectively, just as X428 locus could identify sika deer, red deer, and their hybrid offspring according to the presence or absence of PCR product sizes of 549 bp, 213 bp, and 383 bp, respectively. Forty products labeled deer-derived ingredients randomly purchased were tested using this assay, and the results showed that the identification results based on the two SNP loci were utterly consistent with the actual sources. In addition, this method was found to be accurate, simple, convenient, and with high specificity, thus providing an essential technical reference for deer product species identification. It is also an important supplement to the identification methods of the original ingredients of existing deer products.

A mathematical model for estimating the age-specific transmissibility of a novel coronavirus

BackgroundA novel coronavirus named as "SARS-CoV-2" has spread widely in many countries since December 2019, especially in China. This study aimed to quantify the age-specific transmissibility by using a mathematical model. MethodsAn age-specific susceptible - exposed - symptomatic - asymptomatic - recovered - seafood market (SEIARW) model was developed based on two suspected transmission routes (from market to person and person to person). The susceptible people from Wuhan City were divided into different age groups. We used the subscript i and j to represent age group 1 to 4 (i = j; 1: [≤] 14 years; 2: 15-44 years; 3: 45-64 years; 4: [≥] 65 years) and 1 to 5 (i = j; 1: [≤] 5 years; 2: 6-14 years; 3: 15-24 years; 4: 25-59 years; 4: [≥] 60 years), respectively. Data of reported COVID-19 cases were collected from one published literature from 26 November to 22 December, 2019 in Wuhan City, China. The age-specific transmissibility of the virus was estimated accordingly secondary attack rate (SAR). ResultsThe age-specific SEIARW model fitted with the reported data well by dividing the population into four age groups ({chi}2 = 4.99 x 10-6, P > 0.999), and five age groups ({chi}2 = 4.85 x 10-6, P > 0.999). Based on the four-age-group SEIARW model, the highest transmissibility occurred from age group 2 to 3 (SAR23 = 17.56 per 10 million persons), followed by from age group 3 to 2 (SAR32 = 10.17 per 10 million persons). The lowest transmissibility occurred from age group 1 to 2 (SAR12 = 0.002 per 10 million persons). Based on the five-age-group SEIARW model, the highest transmissibility occurred from age group 4 to 5 (SAR45 = 12.40 per 10 million persons), followed by from age group 5 to 4 (SAR54 = 6.61 per 10 million persons). The lowest transmissibility occurred from age group 3 to 4 (SAR34 = 0.0002 per 10 million persons). ConclusionsSARS-CoV-2 has high transmissibility among adults and elder people but low transmissibility among children and young people.

Development of a 9-locus X-STR multiplex PCR system for genetic analysis of three ethnic populations in China / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

X-chromosome short tandem repeats (X-STR) analysis has been confirmed to be effective for kinship testing such as in deficiency paternity cases. The aim of this study was to develop a new multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system that can simultaneously amplify 9 X-STR loci (GATA172D05, DXS10159, DXS6797, HPRTB, DXS10079, DXS6789, DXS9895, DXS10146 and GATA31E08) in the same PCR reaction, and to obtain the database of the 9 X-STR loci in three ethnic populations in China. The genetic data of 815 (404 females and 411 males) unrelated Han Chinese from Hubei province, and Yi and Zhuang Chinese from Yunnan province were analyzed by using this multiplex system. The results showed that a total of 93 alleles for all these loci were found, and 7 to 20 alleles for each locus were observed. All of the analyzed loci were in agreement with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium after Bonferroni correction in the three studied populations. The polymorphism information content (PIC) and power of discrimination (PD) in females were 0.6566-0.8531 and 0.8639-0.9684, respectively. Pairwise comparisons of allele frequency distribution showed significant differences in the most of these loci between different populations. The results indicate that this multiplex system is very useful for forensic analysis of different ethnic populations in China.

Development of a 9-locus X-STR multiplex PCR system for genetic analysis of three ethnic populations in China / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

X-chromosome short tandem repeats (X-STR) analysis has been confirmed to be effective for kinship testing such as in deficiency paternity cases. The aim of this study was to develop a new multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system that can simultaneously amplify 9 X-STR loci (GATA172D05, DXS10159, DXS6797, HPRTB, DXS10079, DXS6789, DXS9895, DXS10146 and GATA31E08) in the same PCR reaction, and to obtain the database of the 9 X-STR loci in three ethnic populations in China. The genetic data of 815 (404 females and 411 males) unrelated Han Chinese from Hubei province, and Yi and Zhuang Chinese from Yunnan province were analyzed by using this multiplex system. The results showed that a total of 93 alleles for all these loci were found, and 7 to 20 alleles for each locus were observed. All of the analyzed loci were in agreement with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium after Bonferroni correction in the three studied populations. The polymorphism information content (PIC) and power of discrimination (PD) in females were 0.6566-0.8531 and 0.8639-0.9684, respectively. Pairwise comparisons of allele frequency distribution showed significant differences in the most of these loci between different populations. The results indicate that this multiplex system is very useful for forensic analysis of different ethnic populations in China.

Research progress on the phenotype informative SNP in forensic science / 法医学杂志

Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) refers to the single base sequence variation in specific location of the human genome. Phenotype informative SNP has gradually become one of the research hot spots in forensic science. In this paper, the forensic research situation and application prospect of phenotype informative SNP in the characteristics of hair, eye and skin color, height, and facial feature are reviewed.

Effects of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome in children on multiple systems / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) may cause serious morbidities, such as systemic hypertension, diabetes, and cor pulmonale. However, currently no many reports on study of OSAHS in children are available. This study aimed to explore the effects of OSAHS on children's multiple systems.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>A total of 89 cases of children who came to the Sleep Treatment Center in the authors' hospital from March 2009 to December 2010 with snoring were tested with overnight polysomnography (PSG). They were classified into mild OSAHS group (n = 59, mean age of 5.71, SD = 2.46) and moderate to severe group (n = 30, mean age of 5.30, SD = 2.73) based on the PSG results, and 100 healthy children were selected as the control group (n = 100, mean age of 6 years, SD = 2.98). Data including height, weight, body mass index and blood pressure, peripheral blood routine, blood lipids, glucose and insulin, electrocardiogram and echocardiography were collected. Patients' adenoid face and abnormal occlusion were also recorded. Comparisons of the data were made among those groups.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Mild OSAHS and moderate to severe group had significantly higher prevalence of adenoid face (23.7%, 26.7%), and abnormal occlusion (74.6%, 60.0%) than that in control group (0, 40%) (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in terms of BMI between the OSAHS group and the control group, but the weight (kg) and height (cm) in the mild OSAHS group (23.3 ± 10.1, 114.9 ± 16.2) and moderate to severe group (21.9 ± 8.4, 110.8 ± 13.3) were lower than those of the control group (31.8 ± 10.1, 136.1 ± 15.1) (all P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the level of HDL-C (mmol/L)and insulin (mU/L) in moderate and severe group decreased [(1.20 ± 0.30) vs. (1.40 ± 0.27), 2.79 (0.84 - 16.16) vs. 4.92 (0.76 - 16.80), P < 0.05], while the LDL-C (mmol/L) increased [(2.61 ± 0.75) vs. (2.32 ± 0.62), P < 0.05]. The red blood cell counts (× 10(12)/L) and the blood platelet counts (× 10(9)/L) in the mild OSAHS (4.93 ± 0.37, 292.92 ± 75.64) and moderate and severe OSAHS group (5.23 ± 0.22, 292.50 ± 63.05) were significantly higher in contrast to the control group (4.70 ± 0.31, 255.60 ± 69.12) (all P < 0.05), systolic blood pressure (mmHg) in mild group (98.54 ± 10.44) and moderate to severe group (99.13 ± 19.13) was significantly higher compared to control group (87.88 ± 11.37), and the heart rate (beats/min) in moderate to severe group (94.43 ± 10.64) was higher than those in control group (87.12 ± 16.20) (all P < 0.05). The mild OSAHS and moderate and severe OSAHS group had decreased right ventricular internal diameter [(14.24 ± 1.64) mm, (13.17 ± 2.07) mm ], increased main pulmonary artery diameter [(17.05 ± 3.33) mm, (16.33 ± 3.14) mm] and the thickness of right ventricular wall [(3.43 ± 0.26) mm, (3.57 ± 0.20) mm] compared to control group [ (16.10 ± 2.96) mm, (14.11 ± 2.52) mm, (3.32 ± 0.25) mm] (all P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>OSAHS in children may be associated with craniofacial malformations, and may contribute to slow growth and development, elevated blood viscosity and blood pressure, metabolic abnormalities, and change cardiac structure.</p>

RP-HPLC fingerprint for quality assessment of Radix Angelicae dahuricae / 药学学报

<p><b>AIM</b>To establish the RP-HPLC fingerprint analysis for the quality control of Radix Angelicae dahuricae.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HPLC fingerprint analysis method of Radix Angelicae dahuricae was developed. Kromasil C18 column (250 mm x 4.6 mm ID, 5 microm) was used, with mixture of acetonitrile and water as mobile phase in a gradient mode. The flow rate was 1.0 mL x min(-1). The wavelength of measurement was 254 nm. Twenty-one batches of Radix Angelicae dahuricae were determined.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The 21 samples were classified as 4 clusters by cluster analysis and the 11 superior in producing area samples were confirmed to establish the mutual model. The samples' quality was assessed by Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprint of TCM 2004.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The method can be used to identify and evaluate the quality of Radix Angelicae dahuricae conveniently.</p>