PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Tang

Publications and source records attributed to J Tang.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

The effect of timing of dolasetron administration on its efficacy as a prophylactic antiemetic in the ambulatory setting.

UNLABELLED: Dolasetron (12.5 mg IV) is effective in both preventing and treating postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) after ambulatory surgery. However, the optimal timing of dolasetron administration and its effect on the patient's quality of life after discharge have not been established. One-hundred-five healthy, consenting women undergoing gynecologic laparoscopic procedures with a standardized general anesthetic technique were enrolled in this randomized, double-blinded study. Group 1 received dolasetron 12.5 mg IV 10-15 min before the induction of anesthesia; Group 2 received dolasetron 12.5 mg IV at the end of the laparoscopy (79 +/- 48 min later than Group 1); and Group 3 received dolasetron 12.5 mg IV at the end of anesthesia (93 +/- 52 min later than Group 1). The incidence of PONV, complete responses (defined as no emetic episodes and no rescue medication within the 24-h period after anesthesia), recovery profiles, and patient satisfaction were recorded. In the postanesthesia care unit and during the 24-h follow-up period, the incidence of nausea and vomiting, as well as the need for rescue antiemetics, did not differ significantly among the three groups. The percentages of patients with complete responses to the study drug within the first postoperative 24 h were also similar in all three groups (55%, 59%, and 52% for Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively). The early and intermediate recovery profiles, including resumption of a normal diet and patient satisfaction with the control of PONV, were not different among the three study groups. Dolasetron 12.5 mg IV administered before the induction of anesthesia is as effective as dolasetron given at the end of laparoscopy or at the end of anesthesia in preventing PONV after outpatient laparoscopy. IMPLICATIONS: The timing of dolasetron administration appears to have little effect on its efficacy when administered as a prophylactic antiemetic in the ambulatory setting.

Adult↗

The recovery of cognitive function after general anesthesia in elderly patients: a comparison of desflurane and sevoflurane.

UNLABELLED: We evaluated the cognitive recovery profiles in elderly patients after general anesthesia with desflurane or sevoflurane. After IRB approval, 70 ASA physical status I-III consenting elderly patients (> or =65 yr old) undergoing total knee or hip replacement procedures were randomly assigned to one of two general anesthetic groups. Propofol and fentanyl were administered for induction of anesthesia, followed by either desflurane 2%-4% or sevoflurane 1%-1.5% with nitrous oxide 65% in oxygen. The desflurane (2.5 +/- 0.6 MAC. h) and sevoflurane (2.7 +/- 0.5 MAC. h) concentrations were adjusted to maintain comparable depths of hypnosis using the electroencephalogram bispectral index monitor. The Mini-Mental State (MMS) test was used to assess cognitive function preoperatively and postoperatively at 1, 3, 6, and 24-h intervals. The use of desflurane was associated with a more rapid emergence from anesthesia (6.3 +/- 2.4 min versus 8.0 +/- 2.8 min) and a shorter length of stay in the postanesthesia care unit (213 +/- 66 min versus 241 +/- 87 min). However, there were no significant differences between the Desflurane and the Sevoflurane groups when the MMS scores were compared preoperatively, and postoperatively at 1, 3, 6, and 24 h. Compared with the preoperative (baseline) MMS scores, the values were significantly decreased at 1 h postoperatively (27.8 +/- 1.7 versus 29.5 +/- 0.5 in the Desflurane group, and 27.4 +/- 1.7 versus 29.2 +/- 1.0 in the Sevoflurane group, respectively). However, the MMS scores returned to preoperative baseline levels within 6 h after surgery. At 1 h and 3 h after surgery, 51% and 11% (versus 57% and 9%) of patients in the Desflurane (versus Sevoflurane) Group experienced cognitive impairment. In conclusion, desflurane is associated with a faster early recovery than sevoflurane after general anesthesia in elderly patients. However, recovery of cognitive function was similar after desflurane and sevoflurane-based anesthesia. IMPLICATIONS: Desflurane was associated with a faster early recovery than sevoflurane after general anesthesia in elderly patients. However, recovery of cognitive function was similar with both volatile anesthetics.

Aged↗

Polymorphisms in HLA class I genes associated with both favorable prognosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 infection and positive cytotoxic T-lymphocyte responses to ALVAC-HIV recombinant canarypox vaccines.

Carriers of certain human leukocyte antigen class I alleles show favorable prognosis of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection, presumably due to effective CD8(+) cytotoxic T-lymphocyte responses, but close relationships between class I variants mediating such responses to natural and to vaccine HIV-1 antigen have not been established. During 6 to 30 months of administration and follow-up in trials of ALVAC-HIV recombinant canarypox vaccines, cells from 42% of 291 HIV-1-negative vaccinated subjects typed at class I loci responded to an HIV-1 protein in a lytic bulk CD8(+) cytotoxic T-lymphocyte assay. By 2 weeks after the second dose, higher proportions of vaccinees carrying one of two alleles consistently associated with slower progression of natural HIV-1 infection reacted at least once: B*27 carriers reacted to Gag (64%; odds ratio [OR] = 10.3, P = 0.001) and Env (36%; OR = 4.6, P = 0.04), and B*57 carriers reacted to Env (44%; OR = 6.6, P < 0.05). By 2 weeks after the third or fourth dose, B*27 carriers had responded (two or more reactions) to Gag (33%; OR = 4.4, P < 0.05) and B*57 carriers had responded to both Gag (39%; OR = 5.3, P = 0.013) and Env (39%; OR = 9.5, P = 0.002). Homozygosity at class I loci, although conferring an unfavorable prognosis following natural infection, showed no such disadvantage for vaccine response. Individual class I alleles have not previously demonstrated such clear and consistent relationship with both the clinical course of an infection and cellular immunity to a vaccine against the infectious agent. This proof of principle that class I an alleles modulate both processes has implications for development of HIV-1 and presumably other vaccines.

AIDS Vaccines↗

The regulatory role of DR4 in a spontaneous diabetes DQ8 transgenic model.

MHC class II molecules are critical determinants of genetic susceptibility to human type 1 diabetes. In patients, the most common haplotype contains the DRA1*0101-DRB1*0401 (DR4) and DQA1*0301-DQB1*0302 (DQ8) loci. To assess directly the relative roles of HLA-DQ8 and DR4 for diabetes development in vivo, we generated C57BL/6 transgenic mice that lack endogenous mouse MHC class II molecules but express HLA-DQ8 and/or DR4. Neither HLA-DQ nor HLA-DR transgenic mice developed insulitis or spontaneous diabetes. However, when they were crossed to transgenic mice (C57BL/6) expressing the B7.1 costimulatory molecules on pancreatic beta cells that do not normally develop diabetes, T cells from these double transgenic mice were no longer tolerant to islet autoantigens. The majority of DQ8/RIP-B7 mice developed spontaneous diabetes, whereas only 25% of DR4/RIP-B7 mice did so. Interestingly, when DQ8 and DR4 were coexpressed (DQ8DR4/RIP-B7), only 23% of these mice developed diabetes, an incidence indistinguishable from the DR4/RIP-B7 mice. T cells from both DR4/RIP-B7 and DQ8DR4/RIP-B7 mice, unlike those from DQ8/RIP-B7 mice, exhibited a Th2-like phenotype. Thus, the expression of DR4 appeared to downregulate DQ8-restricted autoreactive T cells in DQ8DR4/RIP-B7 mice. Our data suggest that although both DQ8 and DR4 can promote spontaneous diabetes in mice with a non-autoimmune-prone genetic background, the diabetogenic effect of the DQ8 allele is much greater, whereas DR4 expression downregulates the diabetogenic effect of DQ8, perhaps by enhancing Th2-like immune responses.

Animals↗

A comparative study on the viscoelasticity and morphology of polyaniline films galvanostatically grown on bare and 4-aminothiophenol-modified gold electrodes using an electrochemical quartz crystal impedance system and SEM.

The equivalent-circuit parameters of the 9-MHz piezoelectric quartz crystal (PQC) resonance were measured in situ during the galvanostatic polymerization of aniline on 4-aminothiophenol(4-ATP)-modified and bare Au electrodes for ca. 2000 s, respectively. Two polymerization media, 0.100 mol L-1 aniline in 1.0 mol L-1 H2SO4 and in 2.0 mol L-1 HClO4 aqueous solutions, and two values of the current density, 12 and 36 microA cm-2, were used. At identical levels of the resonant frequency shifts in the solutions, obviously greater increases in the motional resistance (R1) were found after aniline polymerization on bare Au electrodes, though the absolute values of delta f0/delta R1 were all large; also, the resonant frequency shifts in air (delta f0g) were considerably smaller for PANI films grown on bare Au electrodes. It is thus concluded that, under identical polymerization conditions, (1) the PANI film grown on a bare gold electrode is rougher, less compact, and can entrap solution more notably; (2) the deposition efficiency of PANI is higher on a 4-ATP-modified Au electrode, owing to a significantly greater observed "dry" frequency shift, and thus a greater "net" mass value of the polyaniline backbone. SEM observations have confirmed that PANI films on 4-ATP-modified Au electrodes were smoother and more compact than those grown on bare Au ones under identical polymerization conditions. In addition, a technique of simultaneous measurements of the electroacoustic admittance of the PQC resonance and the electrochemical impedance was used to monitor the adsorption of 4-ATP onto a PQC gold electrode.

Journal Article↗

Abnormalities of retinal metabolism in diabetes and experimental galactosemia. VII. Effect of long-term administration of antioxidants on the development of retinopathy.

Antioxidants were administered to diabetic rats and experimentally galactosemic rats to evaluate the ability of these agents to inhibit the development of diabetic retinopathy. Alloxan diabetic rats and nondiabetic rats that were fed 30% galactose randomly received standard diets or the diets supplemented with ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol (vitamins C+E diet) or a more comprehensive mixture of antioxidants (multi-antioxidant diet), including Trolox, alpha-tocopherol, N-acetyl cysteine, ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, and selenium. Diabetes or galactose feeding of at least 12 months resulted in pericyte loss, acellular capillaries, and basement membrane thickening. Compared with diabetic controls, the development of acellular capillaries was inhibited by 50% (P < 0.05) in diabetic rats that received supplemental vitamins C+E, and the number of pericyte ghosts tended to be reduced. The vitamins C+E supplement had no beneficial effect in galactosemic rats, but these rats consumed only approximately half as much of the antioxidants as the diabetic rats. The multi-antioxidant diet significantly inhibited ( approximately 55-65%) formation of both pericyte ghosts and acellular capillaries in diabetic rats and galactosemic rats (P < 0.05 vs. controls), without affecting the severity of hyperglycemia. Parameters of retinal oxidative stress, protein kinase C activity, and nitric oxides remained elevated for at least 1 year of hyperglycemia, and these abnormalities were normalized by multi-antioxidant therapy. Thus, long-term administration of antioxidants can inhibit the development of the early stages of diabetic retinopathy, and the mechanism by which this action occurs warrants further investigation. Supplementation with antioxidants can offer an achievable and inexpensive adjunct therapy to help inhibit the development of retinopathy in diabetes.

Acetylcysteine↗

Particle size analysis as a tool for performance measurements in high rate effluent filtration.

In the Netherlands almost all wastewater treatment plants have been redesigned and adapted in order to remove nitrogen, phosphorus and suspended solids to a very low level. The improved effluent quality leads to a growing interest in the reuse of effluent of the modernised wastewater treatment plants. This again results in investigations on filtration techniques as deep bed filtration and membrane filtration. At the wastewater treatment plant Ede research was done on deep bed filtration in order to develop relations between particle removal and filter performance and to explore ways of optimization. The results of the experiments are rather typical for effluent of modern Dutch wastewater treatment plants. The very low concentrations of suspended solids and precipitable substances result in poor flocculating properties. From turbidity measurements it may be concluded that the best results were obtained with a dosage of flocculant. However, the particle size measurements indicated the opposite. Suspended solids calculations, based on the particle volume distributions, showed a better removal without a dosage of flocculant. From this it is concluded that a dosage of coagulant (Fe3+ or Al3+) has an adverse effect on the removal efficiencies even at low dosages (1 mg/l).

Conservation of Natural Resources↗

Metabolism of chlorpyrifos by human cytochrome P450 isoforms and human, mouse, and rat liver microsomes.

One of the factors determining the toxicity of chlorpyrifos (CPS), an organophosphorus (OP) insecticide, is its biotransformation. CPS can be activated by cytochrome P450 (CYP) through a desulfuration reaction to form chlorpyrifos-oxon (CPO), a potent anticholinesterase. CPS can also be detoxified by CYP through a dearylation reaction. Using pooled human liver microsomes (HLM), a K(m(app)) of 30.2 microM and V(max(app)) of 0.4 nmol/min/mg of protein was obtained for desulfuration, and a K(m(app)) of 14.2 microM and a V(max(app)) of 0.7 nmol/min/mg of protein was obtained for dearylation. These activities are lower than those obtained from rat liver microsomes. Gender differences in humans were also observed with female HLM possessing greater activity than male HLM. Use of human CYP isoforms expressed in human lymphoblastoma cells demonstrated that CYP1A2, 2B6, 2C9*1, 2C19, and 3A4 are involved in CPS metabolism. CYP2B6 has the highest desulfuration activity, whereas dearylation activity is highest for 2C19. CYP3A4 has high activity for both dearylation and desulfuration. The use of phenotyped individual HLM demonstrated that predictions of metabolic activation and/or detoxication could be made based on relative amounts of CYP2B6, 2C19, and 3A4 in the microsomes. Thus, individuals with high CYP2C19 but low 3A4 and 2B6 are more active in dearylation than in desulfuration. Similarly, individuals possessing high levels of CYP2B6 and 3A4 have the greatest potential to form the activation product. These differences between individuals suggest that differential sensitivities to CPS may exist in the human population.

Animals↗

Body mass index profile in Hong Kong Chinese adults.

INTRODUCTION: Obesity has now become an epidemic with increasing prevalence in most parts of the world. However, information on the problem of obesity in Asians is limited. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: From April 1996 to August 1997, 17,121 Chinese adult subjects from the community of Hong Kong presented themselves voluntarily at the United Christian Nethersole Community Health Service Centers for primary health care check-up. Demographic data including height and weight were documented. Their body mass indexes (BMI) were measured. The prevalence rates of overweight and obese subjects were calculated according to the 1995 World Health Organization criteria. RESULTS: There were 4781 (27.9%) men and 12,340 (72.1%) women. The mean age (+/- SD) was 51.3 +/- 16.0 years (range 20 to 96 years, median 49.8 years). Of the 17,121 subjects, 4939 (28.85%) were overweight and 656 (3.83%) were obese. Based on the 1997 Hong Kong Census statistics of the overall Hong Kong population data, the age-standardised prevalence rates of overweight and obese subjects were 30.52% and 3.19% in men and 22.14% and 3.35% in women, respectively. Of the 10,937 subjects of working age (20 to 65 years), the prevalence rates of overweight and obese subjects were 28.98% and 3.55%, respectively. Of the 6648 subjects aged > or = 60 years, the prevalence rates of overweight and obese subjects were 36.31% and 4.81%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In Hong Kong, the age-standardised prevalence rate of overweight and obese subjects were 30.5% and 3.2% in men and 22.1% and 3.4% in women, respectively. This information provides some useful estimations of the extent of an important public health problem, obesity, in Hong Kong.

Adult↗

[Continuous measurement of baseline atmospheric carbon monoxide in western China].

In-situ custom-designed gas chromatography(GC)-HgO system was established for the continuous measurement of atmospheric CO at Waliguan Baseline Station(36 degrees 17' N, 100 degrees 54' E, 3816 m asl) in western China. The system's assembling, testing, running and calibration indicated that the chromatographic method has stable baseline and high separation efficiency, as well as reliable detection method. This system adopted high automatic operating techniques and followed strict quality control. It is up to the standard of WMO's baseline watch on global atmosphere. According to the flask sampling results of in-situ CO variation at Waliguan, CO standards in clean dry air under international comparison were used to determine the adjustable working standard curves, so as to calculate the ambient CO mixing ratios based on peak height. This system's detection limit for CO is around 1 x 10(-9) (V/V), the precision is below 0.1% and accuracy in +/- 0.05%, it can provide continuous and accurate surface CO mixing ratios in baseline areas of China.

Air↗

Tracheal-innominate artery fistula caused by the endotracheal tube tip: case report and investigation of a fatal complication of prolonged intubation.

CASE REPORT: A patient with extensive burns was intubated with an 8.0 mm internal diameter endotracheal tube (ETT) equipped with a subglottic suction port (Mallinckrodt HiLo Evac). The ETT was secured to a left upper molar with wire sutures throughout the hospitalization course to ensure airway stability. On the 40th day of intubation, the patient exsanguinated and died from a tracheo-innominate artery fistula. Postmortem examination revealed a 1 cm lesion of the left anterior tracheal wall at the position of the ETT tip. The prolonged stationary position of the ETT was considered the primary factor responsible for the fistula. Yet tracheo-innominate artery fistula normally is associated with high cuff pressures rather than with the tube tip. The special ETT construction required for the subglottic suction feature was suspected to have increased tube rigidity and may have played a contributory role. METHODS: The rigidity of the Mallinckrodt HiLo Evac was measured with a mechanical model and compared to 5 other commercially-available ETTs. Rigidity was expressed as the force generated by the ETT tip when the tube curvature was altered by 5 cm and 10 cm of flexion from its resting position. RESULTS: The mean force exerted by the Mallinckrodt HiLo Evac was 10.1 +/- 2.8 g at 5 cm of flexion and 17.7 +/- 5.1 g at 10 cm of flexion. This was significantly greater than all other ETT brands tested (by one-way analysis of variance and Student-Newman-Kuels test, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This case of fatal tracheo-innominate artery fistula formation associated with an ETT tip was unusual because of the extended duration of endotracheal intubation and the complexity of the patient's airway management problems. Our data suggest that the higher rigidity of the HiLo Evac ETT may have contributed to fistula development at the tube tip. However, we do not believe that the higher rigidity of the HiLo Evac ETT necessarily poses any greater risk than other ETTs under normal circumstances, in which the tube tip is not fixed in a stationary position for an extended period.

Adult↗

[Allele sequences and population genetics of pentanucleotide tandem repeat D6S957].

OBJECTIVE: Pentanucleotide tandem repeat loci are useful markers of short tandem repeat (STR) for genetic analysis. We focused on the analysis of the DNA sequence for each allele at the pentanucleotide STR locus D6S957 in order to understand their structures in the human genome and to construct human allelic ladder, which is necessary for forensic DNA typing. In order to evaluate the forensic applicability of D6S957, we investigated the genotype distributions and allele frequencies in major ethnic groups. METHODS: A total of 230 samples from unrelated individuals were analyzed by PCR. Allele determination was carried out by comparison with a sequenced human allelic ladder made in-house. An example of each allele was sequenced on an ABI 377 automated sequencer. RESULTS: This pentanucleotide STR exhibited a minimal amount of stutter and provided easily interpretable results. Eight alleles were found in these populations. No evidence of deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was observed. In 64 confirmed father/mother/child triplets no mutation events were observed. The mutation rate was indirectly estimated at 2.5 x 10(-5) using a maximum likelihood method. CONCLUSION: D6S957 is a useful marker for forensic casework and paternity analysis.

Alleles↗

Genotyping and preparation of the recombinant nucleocapsid protein antigen of hantavirus.

OBJECTIVE: To identify new recombinant antigens with potential for diagnosis of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and establish reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragments length polymorphism (RT-PCR-RFLP) for genotyping of hantavirus. METHODS: One group of primers was used to clone the full-length S genome segment and the partial S genome segment of the N-terminal. The two cloned genes were both fusionally expressed and non-fusionally expressed in the T7 system. The other group of primers was used to establish a RT-PCR method to detect RNAs in 37 virus isolates, 2 positive standard virus strains of hantavirus and 5 negative controls. The method for typing RFLP was set up by digesting the PCR products of 20 virus isolates with Ras I and Hind III. RESULTS: The non-fusionally expressed products with a working concentration of 1:10,000 by chapping enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA), presented good biological activity though yields were lower than that of the fusionally expressed products. The specific component of the hantavirus genome (299 bp or 577 bp) was seen in all viral samples. The genotyping of hantavirus showed that 9 out of the total were Hantann (HTN) viruses, 8 were seoul (SEO) viruses and 3 were not determined. CONCLUSIONS: The good working titrer of expressed recombinant antigen showed that it has the potential to replace the natural antigen for detecting hantavirus antibodies. On comparison with cELISA, the detection rates for these two methods were 100% and 84.6%, and the coincidence rate was 84.6%. The former had a 15.4% higher sensitivity than the latter. The typing efficiency of RT-PCR-RFLP and sero-typing method was 85% (17/20) and 55% (11/20), respectively, showing that the former was 30% higher than the latter, while their results were highly consistent.

Antibodies, Viral↗

Intravascular local gene transfer mediated by protein-coated metallic stent.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility, efficiency and selectivity of adenovirus-mediated gene transfer to local arterial wall by protein-coated metallic stent. METHODS: A replication-defective recombinant adenovirus carrying the Lac Z reporter gene for nuclear-specific beta-galactosidase (Ad-beta gal) was used in this study. The coating for metallic stent was made by immersing it in a gelatin solution containing crosslinker. The coated stents were mounted on a 4.0 or 3.0 mm percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) balloon and submersed into a high-titer Ad-beta gal viral stock (2 x 10(10) pfu/ml) for 3 min, and then implanted into the carotid arteries in 4 mini-swines and into the left anterior descending branch of the coronary artery in 2 mini-swines via 8F large lumen guiding catheters. The animals were sacrificed 7 (n = 4), 14 (n = 1) and 21 (n = 1) days after implantation, respectively. The beta-galactosidase expression was assessed by X-gal staining. RESULTS: The results showed that the expression of transgene was detected in all animal. In 1 of carotid artery with an intact intima, the beta-gal expression was limited to endothelial cells. In vessels with denuded endothelium, gene expression was found in the sub-intima, media and adventitia. The transfection efficiency of medial smooth muscle cells was 38.6%. In 2 animals sacrificed 7 days after transfection, a microscopic examination of X-gal-stained samples did not show evidence of transfection in remote organs and arterial segments adjacent to the treated arterial site. CONCLUSIONS: Adenovirus-mediated arterial gene transfer to endothelial, smooth muscle cells and adventitia by protein-coated metallic stent is feasible. The transfection efficiency is higher. The coated stent may act as a good carrier of adenovirus-mediated gene transfer and have a potential to prevent restenosis following PTCA.

Adenoviridae↗

Identification of variants of CYP3A4 and characterization of their abilities to metabolize testosterone and chlorpyrifos.

CYP3A4 is the most abundant isoform of cytochrome P450 (CYP) in adult human liver. It metabolizes numerous clinically, physiologically, and toxicologically important compounds. The expression of CYP3A4 varies 40-fold in individual human livers, and metabolism of CYP3A4 substrates varies at least 10-fold in vivo. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CYP3A4 were identified by direct sequencing of genomic DNA in 72 individuals from three different ethnic groups, including Caucasians, Blacks (African-Americans and African pygmies), and Asians. A total of 28 SNPs were identified, including five which produced coding changes M445T (CYP3A4*3), R162Q (CYP3A4*15), F189S (CYP3A4*17), L293P (CYP3A4*18), and P467S (CYP3A4*19). The latter four represent new alleic variants. Racial variability was observed for the frequency of individual SNPs. CYP3A R162Q was identified only in Black populations with an allelic frequency of 4%. CYP3A4 F189S and CYP3A4 M445T were identified in Caucasians with allelic frequencies 2% and 4%, respectively. L293P and P467S were only observed in Asians at allelic frequencies of 2%. The cDNAs for the F189S, L293P, M445T, and P467S mutant alleles were constructed by site-directed mutagenesis and expressed in an Escherichia coli expression system. Testosterone and the insecticide chlorpyrifos were used to assess the catalytic activities of the most common CYP3A4 allele (CYP3A4*1) and its allelic variants. CYP3A4 F189S exhibited lower turnover numbers for testosterone and chlorpyrifos, while CYP3A4 L293P had higher turnover numbers for both substrates. The turnover numbers of the CYP3A4 M445T and P467S alleles to metabolize these compounds were not significantly different from those of wild-type CYP3A4.

Alleles↗

[Causal factors of decline disease in exotic pine (Pinus taeda and P. elliottii) plantations].

Investigation on the cause of the decline of exotic pine plantations in Anhui Province was carried out from 1995 to 2000. The results showed that the cause might develop from the interaction of three or more sets of factors. The first group of factors called as predisposing factors were high and low temperature and rainfall, poor soil fertility, and excessive soil bulk density, soil moisture, and of stand density; the second group of factors called as inciting factors were insect defoliators, damaging diseases of needles, late spring frost, severe drought, and excessive resin-tapping, and the third group of factors called as contributing factors were several biotic agents such as shoot blight infected by Sphaeropsis sapinea, decay wood and root rot by fungi, and bark beetles and wood borers.

Causality↗