Origin discrimination and quality evaluation of Gastrodiae rhizoma (Orchidaceae) by high-performance liquid chromatographic fingerprint

Purpose: To develop a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprint method for the quality control and origin discrimination of Gastrodiae rhizoma.Methods: Twelve batches of G. rhizoma collected from Sichuan, Guizhou and Shanxi provinces in china were used to establish the fingerprint. The chromatographic peak (gastrodin) was taken as the reference peak, and all sample separation was  performed on a Agilent C18 (250 mm×4.6 mmx5 μm) column with a column  temperature of 25 °C. The mobile phase was acetonitrile/0.8 % phosphate watersolution (in a gradient elution mode) and the flow rate of 1 mL/min. The detection wavelength was 270 nm. The method was validated as per the guidelines of Chinese Pharmacopoeia.Results: The chromatograms of the samples showed 11 common peaks, of which no. 4 was identified as that of Gastrodin. Data for the samples were analyzed  statistically using similarity analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). The similarity index between reference chromatogram and samples’ chromatograms were all > 0.80. The similarity index of G. rhizoma from Guizhou, Shanxi and Sichuan isevident as follows: 0.854 - 0.885, 0.915 - 0.930 and 0.820 - 0.848, respectively. The samples could be divided into three clusters at a rescaled distance of 7.5: S1 - S4 as cluster 1; S5 - S8 cluster 2, and others grouped into cluster 3.Conclusion: The findings indicate that HPLC fingerprinting technology is appropriate for quality control and origin discrimination of G. rhizoma.Keywords: Gastrodiae rhizoma, Origin discrimination, Quality control; HPLC fingerprin

Effects of Total Ginsenosides on the Feeding Behavior and Two Enzymes Activities of Mythimna separata (Walker) Larvae

Ginsenosides, the main effective components of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer and Panax quinquefolius L., are important allelochemicals of ginseng. Although many studies have targeted the pharmacological, chemical, and clinical properties of ginsenosides, little is known about their ecological role in ginseng population adaptation and evolution. Pests rarely feed on ginseng, and it is not known why. This study investigated the effects of total ginsenosides on feeding behavior and activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and glutathione s-transferase (GST) in Mythimna separata (Walker) larvae. The results showed that the total ginsenosides had significant antifeeding activity against M. separata larvae, determined by nonselective and selective antifeeding bioassays. In addition, the total ginsenosides had inhibitory effects on the activities of GST and AChE. The antifeeding ratio was the highest at 8 h, then decreased, and was the lowest at 16 h. Both GST and AChE activities decreased from 0 h to 48 h in all total ginsenosides treatments but increased at 72 h. Total ginsenosides had antifeeding activity against M. separata larvae and inhibitory effects on the activities of GST and AChE

Impact of stress hyperglycemia ratio on mortality in patients with cardiac arrest: insight from American MIMIC-IV database

BackgroundStress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR) has shown a predominant correlation with transient adverse events in critically ill patients. However, there remains a gap in comprehensive research regarding the association between SHR and mortality among patients experiencing cardiac arrest and admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).MethodsA total of 535 patients with their initial ICU admission suffered cardiac arrest, according to the American Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-IV database. Patients were stratified into four categories based on quantiles of SHR. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to evaluate the association SHR and mortality. The association between SHR and mortality was assessed using multivariable Cox regression models. Subgroup analyses were conducted to determine whether SHR influenced ICU, 1-year, and long-term all-cause mortality in subgroups stratified according to diabetes status.ResultsPatients with higher SHR, when compared to the reference quartile 1 group, exhibited a greater risk of ICU mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 3.029; 95% CI: 1.802-5.090), 1-year mortality (aHR = 3.057; 95% CI: 1.885-4.958), and long-term mortality (aHR = 3.183; 95% CI: 2.020-5.015). This association was particularly noteworthy among patients without diabetes, as indicated by subgroup analysis.ConclusionElevated SHR was notably associated with heightened risks of ICU, 1-year, and long-term all-cause mortality among cardiac arrest patients. These findings underscore the importance of considering SHR as a potential prognostic factor in the critical care management of cardiac arrest patients, warranting further investigation and clinical attention

4,4′-Dimethyl-1,1′-[ethyl­enedioxy­bis(nitrilo­methyl­idyne)]dibenzene

The Schiff base, C18H20N2O2, which lies about an inversion centre, adopts a linear conformation. The mol­ecules are packed by C—H⋯π inter­actions, forming a two-dimensional supra­molecular network

Expression of a LINE-1 endonuclease variant in gastric cancer: its association with clinicopathological parameters

BACKGROUND: Long interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE-1 or L1), the most abundant and only autonomously active family of non-LTR retrotransposons in the human genome, expressed not only in the germ lines but also in somatic tissues. It contributes to genetic instability, aging, and age-related diseases, such as cancer. Our previous study identified in human gastric adenocarcinoma an upregulated transcript GCRG213, which shared 88% homology with human L1 sequence and contained a putative conserved apurinic/apyrimidinic endonucleas1 domain. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was carried out by using a monoclonal mouse anti-human GCRG213 protein (GCRG213p) antibody produced in our laboratory, on tissue microarray constructed with specimens from 175 gastric adenocarcinoma patients. The correlation between GCRG213p expression and patient clinicopathological parameters was evaluated. GCRG213p expression in gastric cancer cell lines were studied using Western blotting analysis. L1 promoter methylation status of gastric cancer cells was tested using methylation-specific PCR. BLASTP was used at the NCBI Blast server to identify GCRG213p sequence to any alignments in the Protein Data Bank databases. RESULTS: Most primary gastric cancer, lymph node metastases and gastric intestinal metaplasia glands showed positive GCRG213p immunoreactivity. High GCRG213p immunostaining score in the primary gastric cancer was positively correlated with tumor differentiation (well differentiated, p = 0.001), Lauren’s classification (intestinal type, p < 0.05) and a late age onset of gastric adenocarcinoma (≥65 yrs; p < 0.05). GCRG213p expression has no association with other clinicopathological parameters, including survival. Western blotting analysis of GCRG213p expression in gastric cancer cells indicated that GCRG213p level was higher in gastric cancer cell lines than in human normal gastric epithelium immortalized cell line GES-1. Partial methylation of L1 in gastric cancer cells was confirmed by methylation-specific PCR. BLASTP program analysis revealed that GCRG213p peptide shared 83.0% alignment with the C-terminal region of L1 endonuclease (L1-EN). GCRG213p sequence possesses the important residues that compose the conserved features of L1-EN. CONCLUSIONS: GCRG213p could be a variant of L1-EN, a functional member of L1-EN family. Overexpression of GCRG213p is common in both primary gastric cancer and lymph node metastasis. These findings provide evidence of somatic L1 expression in gastric cancer, and its potential consequences in the form of tumor

Effects of Transverse Baffle Design on Reducing Liquid Sloshing in Partially Filled Tank Vehicles

Longitudinal liquid sloshing in partially filled clear-bore tanks causes extensive degradation of tankers braking performance. To reduce the negative effect of longitudinal liquid sloshing on tankers, three kinds of transverse baffles were designed, namely, the conventional baffle, the circular baffle, and the staggered baffle. Each kind of baffle took several forms to investigate the impact of baffle installation angle, the sizes of holes pierced on the baffle, and their arrangement on the antisloshing effect. FLUENT software was used to simulate liquid sloshing in tanks equipped with different kinds of transverse baffles and subject to constant braking deceleration. A time-series analysis of the forces act on tank walls and transverse baffles was carried out. It was drawn that the baffle shape and its installation angle have great impact on the antisloshing effect of baffles. The study on the antisloshing effect of different transverse baffles is of great significance for tank vehicle driving and braking safety, as well as for the design of optimal transverse baffles

Expression of GCRG213p, LINE-1 endonuclease variant, significantly different in gastric complete and incomplete intestinal metaplasia.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal metaplasia (IM) of the gastric mucosa is classified as complete (Type I) and incomplete IM (Type II and III) subtypes, which showed significantly different risk for developing to gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC). GCRG213, a variant of L1-endonuclease (L1-EN), first identified in our lab, was upregulated in GAC tissue. However, the relationship between GCRG213 and IM subtypes is not clear. Our study explored the association of GCRG213 protein (GCRG213p) with IM subtypes. METHODS: Gastric cancer and/or para-tumor tissue samples were collected from 123 patients who underwent gastrectomy for intestinal type gastric adenocarcinoma. The subtypes of IM were characterized with Alcian blue-periodic acid-Schiff and High Iron Diamine-Alcian blue staining methods. Immunohistochemistry of GCRG213p was performed, and its expression in gastric adenocarcinoma and para-tumor tissue including dysplasia, IM, and normal mucosa were analyzed. RESULTS: GCRG213p was expressed in 48.94% IM, 57.14% dysplasia and 55.32% GAC, respectively. GCRG213p expression was higher in well and moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma (P = 0.037). In IM glands, GCRG213p expressed mainly in the cytoplasm of absorptive enterocytes with defined brush borders, but not in goblet cells. The expression of GCRG213p in type I IM (90.00%) was significantly higher than that in type II (36.36%) and type III (25.00%) (P \u3c 0.001). In normal gastric mucosa, GCRG213p was exclusively positive in the cytoplasm of gastric chief cells. CONCLUSIONS: The expression of GCRG213p in complete IM was significantly higher than in incomplete IM, which implies that GCRG213p may play a role on the developing of IM to adenocarcinoma. GCRG213p was exclusively expressed in chief cells, suggesting that it might be involved in cell differentiation from the chief cells to IM

A Numerical Feasibility Study of Kinetic Energy Harvesting from Lower Limb Prosthetics

With the advancement trend of lower limb prosthetics headed towards bionics (active ankle and knee) and smart prosthetics (gait and condition monitoring), there is an increasing integration of various sensors (micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, strain gauges, pressure sensors, etc.), microcontrollers and wireless systems, and power drives including motors and actuators. All of these active elements require electrical power. However, inclusion of a heavy and bulky battery risks to undo the lightweight advancements achieved by the strong and flexible composite materials in the past decades. Kinetic energy harvesting holds the promise to recharge a small on-board battery in order to sustain the active systems without sacrificing weight and size. However, careful design is required in order not to over-burden the user from parasitic effects. This paper presents a feasibility study using measured gait data and numerical simulation in order to predict the available recoverable power. The numerical simulations suggest that, depending on the axis, up to 10s mW average electrical power is recoverable for a walking gait and up to 100s mW average electrical power is achievable during a running gait. This takes into account parasitic losses and only capturing a fraction of the gait cycle to not adversely burden the user. The predicted recoverable power levels are ample to self-sustain wireless communication and smart sensing functionalities to support smart prosthetics, as well as extend the battery life for active actuators in bionic systems. The results here serve as a theoretical foundation to design and develop towards regenerative smart bionic prosthetics