1,3-Bis(carboxy­meth­yl)imidazolium triiodide 1-carboxyl­atomethyl-3-carboxy­methyl­imidazolium

In the title compound, C7H9N2O4 +·I3 −·C7H8N2O4, the two imidazolium units are hydrogen bonded through the carboxyl groups. The units are further linked via inter­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bonding, resulting in a one-dimensional ladder-type structure. As a result, the two carb­oxy groups of each imidazolium unit adopt a cis configuration with respect to the imidazolium ring

Use of Xinfeng capsule to treat abarticular pathologic changes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

AbstractObjectiveTo observe the influence of Xinfeng-capsule (XFC) on abarticular pathologic changes (APCs) and other indices of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and explore the mechanism of action of XFC in improving such changes.MethodsThree-hundred RA patients were divided randomly into a treatment group (n=150) and control group (n=150). A normal control (NC) group (n=90) was also created. Changes in cardiac function, pulmonary function, anemia indices and platelet parameters of RA patients were measured. Curative effects of the two groups were compared, and comparison carried out with the NC group.ResultsIn 300 RA patients, late diastolic peak flow velocity (A peak) was much higher (P<0.01) and early diastolic peak flow velocity (E peak), E/A, and left ventricular fraction shortening much lower (P<0.01) than those in the NC group. Vital capacity (VC), forced vital capacity in one second, forced vital capacity (FVC), maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV), maximal expiratory flow in 50% of VC (FEF50) and FEF75 were lowered remarkably (P< 0.05 or P<0.01). Platelet count (PLT), plateletcrit (PCT) and mean platelet volume (MPV) increased markedly (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and hemoglobin (Hb) level decreased significantly (P<0.05). After XFC treatment, the A peak and PLT and PCT were much lower (P<0.05), and E/A and the number of red blood cells as well as Hb level were much higher (P< 0.05), as were FVC, MVV and FEF50 (P<0.05 or P< 0.01), in the treatment group than those in the NC group. Total score of pain and swelling in joints, uric-acid level and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level were much lower, and superoxide dismutase level as well as the number of CD4 + CD25 + regulation T cells (Treg) and CD4 + CD25 + CD127-Treg were much higher (P<0.05 or P<0.01) in the treatment group than those in the NC group.ConclusionRA patients with pathologic changes in joints also suffer from lower cardiac and pulmonary functions and from parameters of anemia and platelet factors. XFC can improve the symptoms of RA patients, ameliorate their cardiac and pulmonary functions and reduce the parameters of anemia and platelet factors. XFC lowers the immune inflammatory reaction to improve APCs in RA patients

Clinical presentation of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in adults is less typical than in children

OBJECTIVE: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in adults is largely underdiagnosed. To improve the rate and accuracy of diagnosis in adults, the clinical and laboratory characteristics of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis were analyzed in and compared between adults and children in a Chinese cohort. METHOD: Data from 50 hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis patients, including 34 adults and 16 children who fulfilled the 2004 hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis diagnostic criteria, were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: 1. Etiological factors: The proportion of Epstein-Barr virus infection was lower in adults compared with children, whereas fungal infection and natural killer/T cell lymphoma were more frequent in adults (

Sustainable development: Rate oceans' capital to help achieve SDGs

Goal 14 of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is dedicated to conserving and using the oceans and their resources for sustainable development. We suggest that a 'gross marine product' (GMP) index — a measure of the oceans' natural capital — would be invaluable for achieving this goal. The seas provide us with food, materials, livelihoods and recreation. Managing these ecosystem services effectively can help us to eradicate poverty, develop sustainable economies and adapt to global environmental changes. Yet international-resource experts and national strategies still focus largely on goods and services delivered by terrestrial ecosystems (see go.nature.com/2bcqjr0). A GMP index would provide a measure of marine ecosystem goods and services on a national or global scale, derived from estimates for individual oceans. More international research will be necessary to underpin these estimates. The results would inform decision-makers, the private sector and the public on how they could help to achieve goal 14, as well as the 60 targets across most of the 17 SDGs that are relevant to the sustainable development of coastal zones. An integrated programme that measures, monitors and assesses the health of human–ocean systems should oversee their sustainability

QTL Mapping for Protein and Sulfur-Containing Amino Acid Contents Using a High-Density Bin-Map in Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.)

Soybean provides essential protein and amino acids for humans and animals, while sulfur-containing amino acids (SAA), including methionine (Met) and cysteine (Cys), are very limited. In this study, we constructed a high-density bin-map with 3420 bin markers using 676 857 SNPs of a recombinant-inbred line (RIL) population derived from a cross between Kefeng no. 1 and Nannong 1138-2. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping was performed for Cys, Met, SAA, and the protein content using this high-density bin-map. Twenty-five QTLs linked to these four traits were identified, and four genomic regions located on chromosomes (Chr) 07, 08, 15, and 20 were overlapped by multiple QTLs. Among them, bin 115-124 located on Chr 15 was associated with all four traits and was a novel locus with a high LOD value. These findings will provide a basis for nutritional quality improvement using marker-assisted selection breeding and clarify the genetic mechanisms of SAA and protein in soybean

Eicosapentaenoic acid enhances heat stress-impaired intestinal epithelial barrier function in Caco-2 cells.

OBJECTIVE: Dysfunction of the intestinal epithelial tight junction (TJ) barrier is known to have an important etiologic role in the pathophysiology of heat stroke. N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), play a role in maintaining and protecting the TJ structure and function. This study is aimed at investigating whether n-3 PUFAs could alleviate heat stress-induced dysfunction of intestinal tight junction. METHODS: Human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells were pre-incubated with EPA, DHA or arachidonic acid (AA) and then exposed to heat stress. Transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and Horseradish Peroxidase (HRP) permeability were measured to analyze barrier integrity. Levels of TJ proteins, including occludin, ZO-1 and claudin-2, were analyzed by Western blot and localized by immunofluorescence microscopy. Messenger RNA levels were determined by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR). TJ morphology was observed by transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: EPA effectively attenuated the decrease in TEER and impairment of intestinal permeability in HRP flux induced by heat exposure. EPA significantly elevated the expression of occludin and ZO-1, while DHA was less effective and AA was not at all effective. The distortion and redistribution of TJ proteins, and disruption of morphology were also effectively prevented by pretreatment with EPA. CONCLUSION: This study indicates for the first time that EPA is more potent than DHA in protecting against heat-induced permeability dysfunction and epithelial barrier damage of tight junction

Quantum Dots Based Potential-Resolution Dual-Targets Electrochemiluminescent Immunosensor for Subtype of Tumor Marker and Its Serological Evaluation

The identification of subtypes of known tumor markers is of great importance for clinical diagnosis but still a great challenge in novel detection methodologies with simple operation and acceptable sensitivity. This work for the first time reported a quantum dots (QDs) based potential-resolved electrochemiluminescent (ECL) immunosensor to realize simultaneous detection of dual targets. Because of different surface microstructures, dimercaptosuccinic acid stabilized CdTe (DMSA-CdTe) QDs and TiO₂ nanoparticles-glutathione stabilized CdTe (TiO₂-GSH-CdTe) QDs composites showed a large difference of ECL peak potential (∼360 mV), which provided an access for potential-resolution detection. The ECL emission on indium tin oxide electrodes showed consistent strength during the cyclic scan, and intensity data were collected at −0.89 V and −1.25 V (vs Ag/AgCl) for DMSA-CdTe QDs and TiO₂-GSH-CdTe QDs composites, respectively. The interface modification procedures of immunosensor construction were characterized by atomic force microscopy. The portion of <i>Lens culinaris</i> lectin affiliated isoform of alpha fetoprotein (AFP), AFP-L3%, in total AFP, is recently a novel criteria showing even higher sensitivity and specificity than AFP at the early stage of cancer. Combined with the enzyme cyclic amplification strategy, linear ranges for AFP-L3 and AFP dual-targets detection were 3.24 pg mL^–1–32.4 ng mL^–1 and 1.0 pg mL^–1–20 ng mL^–1, with limits of detection of 3.24 pg mL^–1 and 1.0 pg mL^–1, respectively. Compared with clinical detection data, the calculated portion of AFP-L3% by as-prepared immunosensor showed acceptable accuracy. These results open a new avenue for facile and rapid multiple-components detection based on the nano-ECL technique and provide a new clinical diagnosis platform for HCC

Genome-Wide Identification and Functional Characterization of Stress Related Glyoxalase Genes in Brassica napus L.

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is not only one of the most important oil crops in the world, but it is also an important vegetable crop with a high value nutrients and metabolites. However, rapeseed is often severely damaged by adverse stresses, such as low temperature, pathogen infection and so on. Glyoxalase I (GLYI) and glyoxalase II (GLYII) are two enzymes responsible for the detoxification of a cytotoxic metabolite methylglyoxal (MG) into the nontoxic S-D-lactoylglutathione, which plays crucial roles in stress tolerance in plants. Considering the important roles of glyoxalases, the GLY gene families have been analyzed in higher plans, such as rice, soybean and Chinese cabbage; however, little is known about the presence, distribution, localizations and expression of glyoxalase genes in rapeseed, a young allotetraploid. In this study, a total of 35 BnaGLYI and 30 BnaGLYII genes were identified in the B. napus genome and were clustered into six and eight subfamilies, respectively. The classification, chromosomal distribution, gene structure and conserved motif were identified or predicted. BnaGLYI and BnaGLYII proteins were mainly localized in chloroplast and cytoplasm. By using publicly available RNA-seq data and a quantitative real-time PCR analysis (qRT-PCR), the expression profiling of these genes of different tissues was demonstrated in different developmental stages as well as under stresses. The results indicated that their expression profiles varied among different tissues. Some members are highly expressed in specific tissues, BnaGLYI11 and BnaGLYI27 expressed in flowers and germinating seed. At the same time, the two genes were significantly up-regulated under heat, cold and freezing stresses. Notably, a number of BnaGLY genes showed responses to Plasmodiophora brassicae infection. Overexpression of BnGLYI11 gene in Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings confirmed that this gene conferred freezing tolerance. This study provides insight of the BnaGLYI and BnaGLYII gene families in allotetraploid B. napus and their roles in stress resistance, and important information and gene resources for developing stress resistant vegetable and rapeseed oil

Genome-Wide Identification and Functional Characterization of Stress Related Glyoxalase Genes in <i>Brassica napus</i> L.

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is not only one of the most important oil crops in the world, but it is also an important vegetable crop with a high value nutrients and metabolites. However, rapeseed is often severely damaged by adverse stresses, such as low temperature, pathogen infection and so on. Glyoxalase I (GLYI) and glyoxalase II (GLYII) are two enzymes responsible for the detoxification of a cytotoxic metabolite methylglyoxal (MG) into the nontoxic S-D-lactoylglutathione, which plays crucial roles in stress tolerance in plants. Considering the important roles of glyoxalases, the GLY gene families have been analyzed in higher plans, such as rice, soybean and Chinese cabbage; however, little is known about the presence, distribution, localizations and expression of glyoxalase genes in rapeseed, a young allotetraploid. In this study, a total of 35 BnaGLYI and 30 BnaGLYII genes were identified in the B. napus genome and were clustered into six and eight subfamilies, respectively. The classification, chromosomal distribution, gene structure and conserved motif were identified or predicted. BnaGLYI and BnaGLYII proteins were mainly localized in chloroplast and cytoplasm. By using publicly available RNA-seq data and a quantitative real-time PCR analysis (qRT-PCR), the expression profiling of these genes of different tissues was demonstrated in different developmental stages as well as under stresses. The results indicated that their expression profiles varied among different tissues. Some members are highly expressed in specific tissues, BnaGLYI11 and BnaGLYI27 expressed in flowers and germinating seed. At the same time, the two genes were significantly up-regulated under heat, cold and freezing stresses. Notably, a number of BnaGLY genes showed responses to Plasmodiophora brassicae infection. Overexpression of BnGLYI11 gene in Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings confirmed that this gene conferred freezing tolerance. This study provides insight of the BnaGLYI and BnaGLYII gene families in allotetraploid B. napus and their roles in stress resistance, and important information and gene resources for developing stress resistant vegetable and rapeseed oil