Quality Grade Evaluation of Niuhuang Qingwei Pills Based on UPLC and TCM Reference Drug—A Novel Principle of Analysis of Multiple Components in Ready-Made Chinese Herbal Medicine

Ready-made Chinese herbal medicine (RMCHM) is one of the most common types of synergistic herbal medicine used worldwide. It is based on composite herbal formulae (CHF), which makes quality control of this kind of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) difficult, let alone distinguishing the good from the bad. Taking Niuhuang Qingwei Pills (NHQWP) as an example, this study reported the development of a novel principle of analysis of multiple components in RMCHM. Experimental procedures involved the selection of high-quality Chinese materia medica (CMM, individual medicinal plant parts used in the NHQWP) to prepare three batches of TCM reference drugs (TCMRD). Pure compounds of the active ingredients identified in the herbal formula including berberine hydrochloride, geniposide, forsythiaside A, 3,5-O-dicaffeoyl quinic acid, hesperidin, baicalin, glycyrrhizic acid, and chrysophanol in the three TCMRDs were analyzed as well as those in 49 batches of commercial products from 18 manufacturers by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) method combined with wavelength switching. Using the TCMRD as the scientific ruler, quality grade specifications of NHQWP were proposed by comprehensive analysis of multiple components. Accordingly, 13, 28, and 8 batches of samples were primarily rated as first-grade, second-grade, and unqualified, respectively

Synergistic Effect of Functionalized Nickel Nanoparticles and Quercetin on Inhibition of the SMMC-7721 Cells Proliferation

The effect of functionalized nickel (Ni) nanoparticles capped with positively charged tetraheptylammonium on cellular uptake of drug quercetin into hepatocellular carcinoma cells (SMMC-7721) has been explored in this study via microscopy and electrochemical characterization as well as MTT assay. Meanwhile, the influence of Ni nanoparticles and/or quercetin on cell proliferation has been further evaluated by the real-time cell electronic sensing (RT-CES) study. Our observations indicate that Ni nanoparticles could efficiently improve the permeability of cancer cell membrane, and remarkably enhance the accumulation of quercetin in SMMC-7721 cells, suggesting that Ni nanoparticles and quercetin would facilitate the synergistic effect on inhibiting proliferation of cancer cells

Situação epidemiológica e a relação com variáveis meteorológicas da HFMD em Guangzhou, sul da China, 2008-2012

A doença de mão-pé-e-boca (HFMD) está se tornando doença extremamente comum transmitida pelo ar e contato em Guangzhou, sul da China, levando preocupação às autoridades de saúde pública acerca da sua incidência aumentada. Neste estudo foi usada parte ecológica e regressão binomial negativa para identificar o status epidêmico da HFMD e sua relação com variáveis meteorológicas. Durante 2008-2012 um total de 173.524 casos confirmados de HFMD foram apresentados, 12 com morte, elevando o índice de fatalidade a 0,69 por 10.000. As incidências anuais de 2008 a 2010 foram 60,56, 132,44, 311,40, 402,76 e 468,59 por 100.000, respectivamente, mostrando tendência de rápido aumento. Cada 1 °C de aumento da temperatura correspondeu a aumento de 9,47% (95% CI 9,36% a 9,58%) no número semanal de casos de HFMD, enquanto a 1 hPa de aumento da pressão atmosférica correspondeu a decréscimo no número de casos de 7,53% (95% CI - 7,60% a - 7,45%). De maneira semelhante cada aumento de 1% na humidade relativa correspondeu a aumento de 1,48% ou 3,3% e a um aumento de 1 metro por hora na velocidade do vento correspondeu a um aumento de 2,18% ou 4,57%, no número de casos semanais de HFMD, dependendo das variáveis consideradas no modelo. Estes achados revelaram que o status epidêmico do HFMD em Guangzhou é caracterizado por alta morbidade, mas baixa fatalidade. Fatores referentes ao tempo tiveram influência significante na incidência do HFMD.Hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) is becoming one of the extremely common airborne and contact transmission diseases in Guangzhou, southern China, leading public health authorities to be concerned about its increased incidence. In this study, it was used an ecological study plus the negative binomial regression to identify the epidemic status of HFMD and its relationship with meteorological variables. During 2008-2012, a total of 173,524 HFMD confirmed cases were reported, 12 cases of death, yielding a fatality rate of 0.69 per 10,000. The annual incidence rates from 2008 to 2012 were 60.56, 132.44, 311.40, 402.76, and 468.59 (per 100,000), respectively, showing a rapid increasing trend. Each 1 °C rise in temperature corresponded to an increase of 9.47% (95% CI 9.36% to 9.58%) in the weekly number of HFMD cases, while a one hPa rise in atmospheric pressure corresponded to a decrease in the number of cases by 7.53% (95% CI -7.60% to -7.45%). Similarly, each one percent rise in relative humidity corresponded to an increase of 1.48% or 3.3%, and a one meter per hour rise in wind speed corresponded to an increase of 2.18% or 4.57%, in the weekly number of HFMD cases, depending on the variables considered in the model. These findings revealed that epidemic status of HFMD in Guangzhou is characterized by high morbidity but low fatality. Weather factors had a significant influence on the incidence of HFMD

Quinoline Group Modified Carbon Nanotubes for the Detection of Zinc Ions

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were covalently modified by fluorescence ligand (glycine-N-8-quinolylamide) and formed a hybrid material which could be used as a selective probe for metal ions detection. The anchoring to the surface of the CNTs was carried out by the reaction between the precursor and the carboxyl groups available on the surface of the support. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) unambiguously proved the existence of covalent bonds between CNTs and functional ligands. Fluorescence characterization shows that the obtained organic–inorganic hybrid composite is highly selective and sensitive (0.2 μM) to Zn(II) detection

An Experimental Exploration of the QCD Phase Diagram: The Search for the Critical Point and the Onset of De-confinement

The QCD phase diagram lies at the heart of what the RHIC Physics Program is all about. While RHIC has been operating very successfully at or close to its maximum energy for almost a decade, it has become clear that this collider can also be operated at lower energies down to 5 GeV without extensive upgrades. An exploration of the full region of beam energies available at the RHIC facility is imperative. The STAR detector, due to its large uniform acceptance and excellent particle identification capabilities, is uniquely positioned to carry out this program in depth and detail. The first exploratory beam energy scan (BES) run at RHIC took place in 2010 (Run 10), since several STAR upgrades, most importantly a full barrel Time of Flight detector, are now completed which add new capabilities important for the interesting physics at BES energies. In this document we discuss current proposed measurements, with estimations of the accuracy of the measurements given an assumed event count at each beam energy.Comment: 59 pages, 78 figure

Effective Rheology of Bubbles Moving in a Capillary Tube

We calculate the average volumetric flux versus pressure drop of bubbles moving in a single capillary tube with varying diameter, finding a square-root relation from mapping the flow equations onto that of a driven overdamped pendulum. The calculation is based on a derivation of the equation of motion of a bubble train from considering the capillary forces and the entropy production associated with the viscous flow. We also calculate the configurational probability of the positions of the bubbles.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

Beeldcultuur, een drieluik.I: Deconstructie van het fenomeen culturele studies

An important process in glass manufacture is the forming of the product. The forming process takes place at high rate, involves extreme temperatures and is characterised by large deformations. The process can be modelled as a coupled thermodynamical/mechanical problem including the interaction between glass, air and equipment. In this paper a general mathematical model for glass forming is derived, which is specified for different forming processes, in particular pressing and blowing. The model should be able to correctly represent the flow of the glass and the energy exchange during the process. Various modelling aspects are discussed for each process, while several key issues, such as the motion of the plunger and the evolution of the glass-air interfaces, are examined thoroughly. Finally, some examples of process simulations for existing simulation tools are provided

Demographic variation in incidence of adult glioma by subtype, United States, 1992-2007

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We hypothesized that race/ethnic group, sex, age, and/or calendar period variation in adult glioma incidence differs between the two broad subtypes of glioblastoma (GBM) and non-GBM. Primary GBM, which constitute 90-95% of GBM, differ from non-GBM with respect to a number of molecular characteristics, providing a molecular rationale for these two broad glioma subtypes.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We utilized data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program for 1992-2007, ages 30-69 years. We compared 15,088 GBM cases with 9,252 non-GBM cases. We used Poisson regression to calculate adjusted rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The GBM incidence rate increased proportionally with the 4^thpower of age, whereas the non-GBM rate increased proportionally with the square root of age. For each subtype, compared to non-Hispanic Whites, the incidence rate among Blacks, Asians/Pacific Islanders, and American Indians/Alaskan Natives was substantially lower (one-fourth to one-half for GBM; about two-fifths for non-GBM). Secondary to this primary effect, race/ethnic group variation in incidence was significantly less for non-GBM than for GBM. For each subtype, the incidence rate was higher for males than for females, with the male/female rate ratio being significantly higher for GBM (1.6) than for non-GBM (1.4). We observed significant calendar period trends of increasing incidence for GBM and decreasing incidence for non-GBM. For the two subtypes combined, we observed a 3% decrease in incidence between 1992-1995 and 2004-2007.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The substantial difference in age effect between GBM and non-GBM suggests a fundamental difference in the genesis of primary GBM (the driver of GBM incidence) versus non-GBM. However, the commonalities between GBM and non-GBM with respect to race/ethnic group and sex variation, more notable than the somewhat subtle, albeit statistically significant, differences, suggest that within the context of a fundamental difference, some aspects of the complex process of gliomagenesis are shared by these subtypes as well. The increasing calendar period trend of GBM incidence coupled with the decreasing trend of non-GBM incidence may at least partly be due to a secular trend in diagnostic fashion, as opposed to real changes in incidence of these subtypes.</p

Galectin-8 in IgA Nephritis: Decreased Binding of IgA by Galectin-8 Affinity Chromatography and Associated Increased Binding in Non-IgA Serum Glycoproteins

Background Immunoglobulin A nephritis (IgAN) is the most common primary glomerulonephritis worldwide. It is caused by accumulation of IgA1-containing immune complexes in the kidney resulting in renal failure, which is thought to be due to altered glycosylation of IgA with a decrease of 2-3-sialylated galactosides (NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal). less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanPurpose The purpose of this study was to analyze whether altered glycosylation of IgA would lead to an altered binding to galectin-8, an endogenous lectin with strong affinity for 2-3-sialylated galactosides. Galectins are a family of beta-galactoside-binding proteins; by binding various glycoproteins, they play important roles in the regulation of cellular functions in inflammation and immunity. Hence, an altered binding of IgA to galectin-8 could lead to pathologic immune functions, such as glomerulonephritis. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanMethods Affinity chromatography of serum glycoproteins on the human sialogalactoside-binding lectin galectin-8N permitted quantitation of bound and unbound fractions, including IgA. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanResults Analysis of similar to 100 IgA nephritis sera showed that the galectin-8N unbound fraction of IgA increased compared to similar to 100 controls, consistent with the known loss of galactosylation. A subgroup of similar to 15% of the IgAN patients had a ratio of galectin-8 bound/unbound IgA andlt;0.09, not found for any of the controls. Unexpectedly, the galectin-8N-binding fraction of serum glycoproteins other than IgA increased in the sera of IgAN patients but not in controls, suggesting a previously unrecognized change in this disease. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanConclusion This is the first study that relates a galectin, an endogenous lectin family, to IgA nephritis and thus should stimulate new avenues of research into the pathophysiology of the disease.Funding Agencies|Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsradet)|2008-3356|Swedish Foundation for Swedish Research|FFL4|Swedish Healthcare System (ALF)||Region Skane||</p

A molecular imprinting-based turn-on Ratiometric fluorescence sensor for highly selective and sensitive detection of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)

A novel molecular imprinting-based turn-on ratiometric fluorescence sensor was constructed via a facile sol-gel polymerization for detection of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) on the basis of photo induced electron transfer (PET) by using nitrobenzoxadiazole (NBD) as detection signal source and quantum dots (QDs) as reference signal source. With the presence and increase of 2,4-D, the amine groups on the surface of QDs@SiO2 could bind with 2,4-D and thereby the NBD fluorescence intensities could be significantly enhanced since the PET process was inhibited, while the QDs maintained constant intensities. Accordingly, the ratio of the dual-emission intensities of green NBD and red QDs could be utilized for turn-on fluorescent detection of 2,4-D, along with continuous color changes from orange-red to green readily observed by the naked eye. The as-prepared fluorescence sensor obtained high sensitivity with a low detection limit of 0.14 mu M within 5 min, and distinguished recognition selectivity for 2,4-D over its analogs. Moreover, the sensor was successfully applied to determine 2,4-D in real water samples, and high recoveries at three spiking levels of 2,4-D ranged from 95.0% to 110.1% with precisions below 4.5%. The simple, rapid and reliable visual sensing strategy would not only provide potential applications for high selective ultratrace analysis of complicated matrices, but also greatly enrich the research connotations of molecularly imprinted sensors. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved