双重实时荧光PCR快速鉴别人参和西洋参＊

目的 建立一种能够快速鉴定人参和西洋参的双重实时荧光PCR方法。方法 通过对人参属及其近似种基因序列的分析比对，设计特异性的引物探针，建立双重实时荧光PCR检测方法。PCR反应体系为Premix Ex Taq （Probe qPCR） 10 μL，人参上下游引物各0.5 μL，西洋参上下游引物各0.3 μL，人参与西洋参特异性探针各0.4 μL，DNA模板2 μL，灭菌去离子水补至20 μL。反应条件为95℃预变性30 s；然后以95℃变性5 s，60℃退火延伸30 s进行40个循环。应用该方法测试了27份DNA样品，包括7份人参、6份西洋参、4份人参与西洋参混合样、10份其他人参属样品及其他常见中药材样品的DNA，以确定该方法的特异性。将人参与西洋参样品DNA混合后10倍稀释成不同浓度后进行检测，用以确定该方法的灵敏度。结果 人参及西洋参样品均在特定的荧光通道下出现典型的阳性扩增曲线，人参与西洋参混合样品均同时出现两条阳性扩增曲线，其它对照样品及空白对照均没有出现阳性扩增曲线。灵敏度检测结果显示该方法检测人参及西洋参的最低检测限均为2 pg DNA/反应。结论 本实验建立的双重实时荧光PCR方法能够同时快速、准确、灵敏地鉴别出人参和西洋参。     

约束隐结构研究冠心病痰湿证的定量化辨证规则＊

目前在中医界已发布的冠心病痰湿证辨证标准是以主症、次症形式定性地给出，存在主观性较强的问题。本文引入约束隐结构分析，该方法将主症、次症的语义作为约束条件加入隐结构分析过程，得到含有主症、次症语义约束的定量化中医证候辨证规则。使用该方法对冠心病痰湿证患者556条无标签数据的分析，得到其约束隐结构模型，最后建立定量化痰湿证辨证规则，舌胖边有齿痕（3.16）、苔腻（3.12）、苔白滑（4.72）、胸闷（1.73）、脉濡或滑（6.04）；次症：肢体困重（0.48）、口黏（0.63）、体胖（0.49）、大便粘滞（1.38）、脘腹痞满（0.97）、面色晦浊（0.79）、嗜睡（1.18）、纳差（1.07）。与经典隐结构模型得到规则和中医界已发布的定性化辨证规则相比，约束隐结构得到的规则客观性强，具有可重复性。在证候类大小、规则的量化合理度上较好地反映了主症、次症的特点，得到的规则切合中医实际，为冠心病痰湿证辨证标准的定量化研究提供帮助和参考。     

Genetics of intervertebral disc disease: A review

Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) is a common musculoskeletal disease affecting about 5% of all individuals. It is characterized by lumbar disc herniation, which causes nerve root irritation, either mechanically or via inflammatory mediators, and results in radiating pain, known as sciatica. Numerous studies have been conducted to identify the causes and risk factors for IVDD. Lifting heavy loads, torsional stress, and motor vehicle driving are among the best-identified environmental risk factors. However, it has become evident recently from family and twin studies that genetic factors may also be important in IVDD. This hypothesis was strengthened by the identification of two collagen IX alleles associated with sciatica and lumbar disc herniation. In addition, disc degeneration has been shown to be related to an aggrecan gene polymorphism, a Vitamin D receptor and matrix metalloproteinase-3 gene alleles. This review highlights the genetic role and occupational aspects of IVDD.     

Identification of volatile organic compounds in muscle tissues of different species based on Headspace-Gas-Chromatography Ion-Mobility spectrometry

Species identification of unknown biological samples is crucial for forensic applications, especially in cases of explosion, disaster accidents, and body mutilation after murdering, as well as poaching, illegal trade in endangered animals, and meat food fraud. In this study, we identified 60 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in fresh skeletal muscle tissues of seven different animal species (cattle, sheep, pigs, rabbits, rats, chickens and carp) and a human dead body by headspace-gas-chromatography ion-mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS), and compared their differences by retention time, drift time and molecular weight. The results showed that these VOCs formed different gallery plot fingerprints in the skeletal muscle tissues of the human dead body and seven animal species. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed significantly different fingerprints between these species, and these fingerprints maintained good stability between the species and within the same species. Some VOCs have high species specificity, while VOCs of human fresh muscle tissues from different individual sources have little difference, demonstrating that all tested muscle tissue samples could be distinguished based on different VOCs. HS-GC-IMS has proved to be a rapid, high-throughput, highly sensitive and specific species identification method, which can be used for forensic species identification in criminal cases and disaster accidents, as well as detection in the field of food safety, such as meat fraud and adulteration.     

Self-assessed preoperative level of habitual physical activity predicted postoperative complications after colorectal cancer surgery: A prospective observational cohort study

IntroductionThere is a growing interest in physical activity in relation to recovery after surgery. One important aspect of measuring recovery after surgical procedures is postoperative complications. The aim of this study was to determine if there is an association between the preoperative level of habitual physical activity and postoperative complications in patients undergoing elective surgery for colorectal cancer.Materials and methods115 patients scheduled for elective surgery due to colorectal cancer between February 2014 and September 2015 answered a questionnaire regarding physical activity and other baseline variables. Physical activity was assessed using the Saltin-Grimby physical activity level scale. Complications within 30 days after surgery were classified according to Clavien-Dindo, and the Comprehensive Complications Index (CCI) was calculated. Primary outcome was difference in CCI and key secondary outcome was risk for CCI ≥20.ResultsPhysically inactive individuals had a CCI that was 12 points higher than individuals with light activity (p = 0.002) and 17 points higher than regularly active individuals (p = 0.0004). Inactive individuals had a relative risk for a CCI ≥20 that was 65% higher than for individuals reporting light activity (95% confidence interval (CI) for relative risk (RR) = 1.1–2.5) and 338% higher than for regularly active individuals (95% CI for RR = 2.1–9.4).ConclusionSelf-assessed level of habitual physical activity before colorectal cancer surgery was associated with fewer postoperative complications measured with CCI, in a dose-response relationship.     

Re‐structuring the negotiated order of the hospital

Researchers continue to lament the lack of organisational focus in the sociology of health and illness. Although studies have increasingly focused on boundaries between organizations, little such research has focused on the formal boundaries within the hospital itself. Given its dramatic compartmentalisation, and continuing prevalence in health systems, the lack of organisational perspective in hospital research limits insights into the effects (as well as the construction) of the order of health work and care. With a greater emphasis on ‘ordering’ in the concept of negotiated order, the aim of this study is to examine the manifestation and consequences of the formal boundaries of hospital departments. Fieldwork featured 12 months of ethnography, including formal and informal observations, 80 audio‐recorded, semi‐structured interviews, and 56 field interviews, in the Emergency Departments (EDs) of two tertiary referral hospitals. Compared with in‐patient hospital departments, the ED has limited legitimacy claims of organ‐specific knowledge to transfer patients out of the ED. The manifestation of specialised knowledge hierarchies in organisational structures disadvantages patients who are older and who have chronic conditions, underpinning the argument that effects as well as the negotiation of stable organisational orders deserve increased attention in the sociology of health and illness.     

Developmental validation of the Huaxia™ Platinum PCR amplification kit: A 6-dye multiplex direct amplification assay designed for Chinese reference samples

The Huaxia™ Platinum Kit for short tandem repeat (STR) amplification was designed to meet the needs of the rapidly growing Chinese forensic database. This PCR multiplex allows simultaneous amplification of the following autosomal loci: D3S1358, vWA, D16S539, CSF1PO, TPOX, D8S1179, D21S11, D18S51, Penta E, D2S441, D19S433, TH01, FGA, D22S1045, D5S818, D13S317, D7S820, D6S1043, D10S1248, D1S1656, D12S391, D2S1338, Penta D and the gender-identification markers Yindel, and AMEL.The Huaxia™ Platinum Kit enables direct amplification from blood and buccal samples stored on treated and untreated paper, and features an optimized PCR protocol that yields time to results in less than 45 min. Developmental validation testing followed SWGDAM guidelines and demonstrated that this assay produces reproducible and accurate results. Studies on 798 individuals in 4 major Chinese ethnic groups produced highly concordant results with other commercially available STR genotyping kits. The validation results demonstrate that the Huaxia™ Platinum Kit is a robust and reliable identification system for forensic DNA databasing applications.