The metabolic properties of leukemia-initiating cells (LICs) in distinct bone marrow niches and their relationships to cellfate determinations remain largely unknown. Using a metabolic imaging system with a highly responsive genetically encoded metabolic sensor, SoNar, we reveal that SoNar-high cells are more glycolytic, enriched for higher LIC frequency, and develop leukemia much faster than SoNar-low counterparts in an MLL-AF9-induced murine acute myeloid leukemia model. SoNar-high cells mainly home to and locate in the hypoxic endosteal niche and maintain their activities through efficient symmetric division. SoNar can indicate the dynamics of metabolic changes of LICs in the endosteal niche. SoNar-high human leukemia cells or primary samples have enhanced clonogenic capacities in vitro or leukemogenesis in vivo. PDK2 fine-tunes glycolysis, homing, and symmetric division of LICs. These findings provide a unique angle for the study of metabolisms in stem cells, and may lead to development of novel strategies for cancer treatment.

In order to make sure whether Panax notoginseng is sensitive to chloridion and guide fertilization in planting of P. notoginseng, the effects of the different proportion of potassium chloride (KCl) and potassium sulfate (K2SO4) on the yield, quality of P. notoginseng were studied. The results showed that K fertilizer significantly improved the growth of P. notoginseng and increased the biomass per plant or per pot and the content of N, P, K and the content of saponin. In cases of conditions such as potassium, and the effects of K2SO4 on increasing the petiole length, leaf size, rhizome length, root length, and content and accumulation of Ginsenoside Rg1 were better than those of KCl. While compared with K2SO4, KCl was more conducive to augmenting height, root width, the biomass of shoot, rhizome, root and the content of Ginsenoside Rb1 and Rd. There was not remarkable difference in agronomic characters, biomass and the content of N, P, K among KCl, K2SO4 and the combination of KCl and K2SO4. However, the content of saponin of the treatment with combination of KCl and K2SO4 was significant higher than that of single KCl or K2SO4 treatments. K fertilizer significantly increased yield and the content of saponins. And P. notoginseng was not sensitive to chloridion. KCl increased the yield and the content of saponins of P. notoginseng as well as K2SO4, and the combination treatment was superior to single treatment. It is recommended that the KCl should be adopted in production, to reduce the cost of potash fertilizer.
Agriculture ; Fertilizers ; analysis ; Panax notoginseng ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Potassium Chloride ; analysis ; metabolism ; Quality Control ; Soil ; chemistry ; Sulfates ; analysis ; metabolism

Adult ; Angiomyolipoma ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Antigens, Neoplasm ; metabolism ; Epithelioid Cells ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Melanoma-Specific Antigens ; Neoplasm Proteins ; metabolism ; Nephrectomy ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The maternal components are constantly changing with gestational weight gains during pregnancy. Body composition analysis is a method for evaluating the maternal body composition accurately during pregnancy, models of which consist of fat mass, extracellular water, intracellular water, inorganic salts and protein basically. Among various methods to execute body composition analysis, bioelectrical impedance analysis is an important method for pregnant women. Many studies have reported about clinical applications based on correlations between maternal individual components and gestational diseases. This article reviews the researches on clinical applications of body composition analysis to pregnant women.

OBJECTIVEIn order to improve the irrigation for Panax notginseng growing seedlings, different mulching ways were carried out to investigate the effects of double mulching.

METHODField experiment was applied to study soil moisture, soil temperature and bulk density of different mulching ways while the germination rate and seedlings growth also were investigated.

RESULTCompared with the traditional single mulching with pine leaves or straw, double mulching using plastic film combined with pine leaves or straw could reduce 2/3 volumes of irrigation at the early seedling time Double mulching treatments didn't need to irrigate for 40 days from seeding to germination, and kept soil moisture and temperature steady at whole seedling time about 30% and 9.0-16.6 degrees C, respectively. The steady soil moisture and temperature benefited to resist late spring cold and germinate earlier while kept germination regularly, higher rate and seedlings quality. In contrast, single mulching using pine leaves or straw had poor soil moisture and temperature preserving, needed to irrigate every 12-day, meanwhile dropped the germination and booming time 14 days and 24-26 days, respectively, reduced germination rate about 11.3%-8.7%. However, single pine leaves mulching was better than straw mulching. In addition, though better effects of soil moisture and temperature preserving as well as earlier and higher rate of germination with single plastic films mulching had, some disadvantages had also been observed, such as daily soil temperature changed greatly, seedling bed soil hardened easily, more moss and weeds resulted difficulty in later management.

CONCLUSIONTo the purpose of saving water and labor as well as getting higher germination rate and seedlings quality, double mulching using plastic films combined pine leaves at the early time and single mulching removing plastic films at the later time is suggested to apply in the growing seedlings of P. notoginseng.

Agriculture ; methods ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Fertilizers ; analysis ; Panax notoginseng ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Quality Control ; Seedlings ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Soil ; chemistry

OBJECTIVEIn order to provide scientific basis for introduction breeding and production regionalization of Panax notoginseng, the environment of producing area, agronomic traits and medicinal material output were investigated.

METHODUsing field survey sampling at harvest time, agronomic traits indicators of leaf segment, stem segment and roots segment etc. of commodity P. notoginseng, longitude and latitude, elevation, soil type, landform of producing area were measured and observed.

RESULTThe P. notogiseng cultivation was expanding from traditional area like Wenshang to new areas as Honghe, Kunming, Qujing at large scale. Comparing with traditional cultivated fields, the elevation of new fields, which are red soil of moderate or low mountain slopes and gentle hills between 1 800-2 130 m, increases markedly. The agronomic traits of new cultivated fields such as plant height, stem diameter, the ground and underground biomass were better than those of traditional cultivated fields in varying degree. Furthermore, the root weight, taproot weight, taproot length and other agronomic index augmented more than 20%. Comparison among different cultivated fields showed P. notoginseng of Honghe Shiping Niujie, Kunming Shilin Guishan, Honghe Jiangshui Guanting etc. had better agronomic traits, the plant were thick and tall, the taproot and the top of reed were large, the number of root was more. Inversely, P. notoginseng of Kunming Guandu Xiaoshao, Guangxi Jingxi Lutong, Wenshang Yanshan Jiangna were thin and small. Cluster analysis showed that cultivated fields of P. notoginseng which was across clustered by traditional and new cultivated fields can be divided into three groups, including a high-yielding region insist of three new cultivated fields Honghe Shiping Niujie, Kunming Shilin Guishan, Honghe Jiangshui Guanting and one traditional cultivated field Wenshan Yanshan Jiangna. Correlation analysis indicated that the size and weight of taproot and top of reed were significantly positive correlated with plant height, stem diameter, leaf size, leaf weight and stem weight. Regression analysis pointed out that stem diameter, leaf width, leaf length/width, leaf weight were the main factors affecting the dry weight of taproot, and the main factors influencing the dry weight of top of reed were plant height, petiole, leaf length, leaf width and other agronomic traits.

CONCLUSIONFrom agronomic traits, P. notoginseng in new cultivated fields were more robust than that in traditional fields, but besides the length of taproot, the difference of rest agronomic traits didn't reach the significant level. It is suggested that, in the west and the north of traditional area, the red soil land of moderate or low mountain slopes and gentle hills where the elevation is between 1 800-2 130 m is suitable for cultivating P. notoginseng. Honghe Shiping Niujie, Honghe Jianshui Guanting, Kuming Shilin Gongshan can be used as vital development area for commodity P. notoginseng.

Agriculture ; methods ; Breeding ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Panax notoginseng ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics ; growth & development ; Quality Control ; Quantitative Trait Loci ; Soil ; chemistry

Optimization of sensor array is a significant topic in the application of electronic nose (EN). Stepwise discriminant analysis and cluster analysis combining with screening of typical index were employed to optimize the original array in the classification of 100 samples from 10 kinds of traditional Chinese medicine based on alpha-FOX3000 EN. And the identification ability was evaluated by three algorithm including principle component analysis, Fisher discriminant analysis and random forest. The results showed that the identification ability of EN was improved since not only the effective information was maintained but also the redundant one was eliminated by the optimized array. The optimized method was eventually established, it was accurate and efficient. And the optimized array was built up, that is, S1, S2, S5, S6, S8, S12.
Algorithms ; Biosensing Techniques ; methods ; Cluster Analysis ; Discriminant Analysis ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; classification ; isolation & purification ; Electronic Nose ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Principal Component Analysis ; Reproducibility of Results ; Smell

OBJECTIVEThe study was undertaken to analyze retrospectively the results of radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) on septum originated tachycardia in children with arrhythmia. The 98 children were all treated with RFCA on septum originated tachycardia in which the ablation sites were located near the bundle of His.

METHODSFifty female and forty-eight male cases were included in this analysis. They were at the age of 8.1 +/- 2.3 years and their body weight was (28 +/- 9) kg. The arrhythmia they suffered from consisted of atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia (AVNRT) (n = 62), atrioventricular reentry tachycardia (AVRT) on septum (n = 25), atria Itachycardia on Koch areas (n = 3) and left ventricular tachycardia (ILVT) on the septum (n = 8). Swartz SRO long sheath was used on the right site ablation. Titration of capacity and degreed time of increase were used in the ablation.

RESULTSRadiofrequency ablation was successful in all cases. Eleven cases had relapse after the procedure. They accepted RFCA again and then the treatment succeeded. One case of AVRT at the posterior septum experienced complete atrioventricular block (AVB) during ablation. Two weeks later this case was implanted with permanent pacemaker.

CONCLUSIONSThe septal site is narrow and small in children. Atrioventricular node is tender. If the above facts were neglected, it was very likely to cause AVB, especially in children accepting the procedures of electrophysiologic study an RFCA on the septal site. Attention should be paid to the followings during such procedures: ablation in the sinus rhythm; ablation following the principle, titration of capacity and degreed time of increase; ablation at the right site long sheath; thermo-ablation catheter application and ablation on the two sides of septum in the posterior septum ablation procedure. The end-point of ablation in children should be the elimination of tachycardia and the delta wave, disassociation of VA or passing through bundle of His at pacing in the ventricle, disappearance of jumping conduction or no echo or one echo but without AVNRT after infusion of isoprenaline and stimulation procedure. Avoiding bundle of His injury is important during the procedure of ablation in children.

Adolescent ; Bundle of His ; physiopathology ; Catheter Ablation ; methods ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Tachycardia ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

AIMTo investigate the inhibitory effect of ginkgolide B on angiogenesis in chronic inflammation and the possible mechanisms.

METHODSThe murine chronic granulomatous air pouch model was used to observe the anti-angiogenesis effect of ginkgolide B. The vascular index was determined by colorimetry of carminic acid, and angiogenesis was observed by histology method. The interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) levels in mice serum and in supernatants of U937 cell culture stimulated by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) were detected by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels in mice serum and in supernatant of U937 cell culture were measured by cytotoxicity bioassay. The mRNA expression of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha of U937 cell culture was investigated by RT-PCR.

RESULTSOral administration of ginkgolide B 25 and 100 mg x kg(-1) was shown to significantly inhibit the vascular index of murine chronic granulomatous air pouch model with the inhibitory rate of 22.52% and 25.29%, respectively. This result was supported by histological observation. Concomitantly, the IL-1beta levels in mice serums were also significantly decreased with the inhibitory rate of 50.61% and 58.66%; so were the TNF-alpha levels with the inhibitory rate of 28.91% and 52.41%. Ginkgolide B at concentration of 1 x 10(-5) to 1 x 10(-8) mol x L(-1) could also reduce both the IL-1beta and TNF-alpha contents in the supernatants of U937 cell culture stimulated by PMA, but the scopes of changes were much different. For IL-1beta the IC50 was 1.93 x 10(-8) mol x L(-1), while ginkgolide B at concentration of 1 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1) only decreased the release of TNF-alpha by 25.99%. Furthermore, ginkgolide B at concentrations of 1 x 10(-5) to 1 x 10(-7) mol x L(-1) was shown to significantly inhibit TNF-alpha mRNA expression of U937 cells; and at concentrations of 1 x 10(-5) and 1 x 10(-6) mol x L(-1) could inhibit IL-1beta mRNA expression.

CONCLUSIONGinkgolide B was shown to significantly inhibit angiogenesis of the murine chronic granulomatous air pouch model, reduce the IL-1beta and TNF-alpha levels in mice serums, and significantly inhibit IL-1beta and TNF-alpha mRNA expression and protein secretion in supernatants of U937 cell culture. It was suggested that reduction of proangiogenic cytokines IL-1beta and TNF-alpha secretion may contribute to the anti-angiogenesis effect of ginkgolide B in the murine chronic granulomatous air pouch model.

Animals ; Cell Line ; Diterpenes ; pharmacology ; Female ; Fibrinolytic Agents ; pharmacology ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; metabolism ; Ginkgolides ; Granuloma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Inflammation ; metabolism ; pathology ; Interleukin-1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Lactones ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; pathology ; Platelet Activating Factor ; antagonists & inhibitors ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; U937 Cells ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the significance of toll-like receptors (TLR) -7 and -8 in the pathogenesis of infection caused by Enterovirus type 71 (EV71) through measuring the expression of TLR7 and TLR8 in brain and lung tissues from the death cases caused by EV71 infection.

METHODSNine children who died of EV71 infection (EV71 group) were selected as study subjects, and 7 children who died of accidents or non-infectious diseases were used as the control group. Brain and lung tissues from the death cases in both groups at autopsy were collected, and immunohistochemistry was applied to detect the expression of TLR7 and TLR8 in lung and brain tissues in both groups. Integrated optical density (IOD) was applied for semi-quantitative analysis of the expression of TLR7 and TLR8.

RESULTSImmunohistochemical results showed that the expression of TLR7 and TLR8 in lung and brain tissues was strongly positive in the EV71 group, and the IOD values in the EV71 group were also significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the expression of TLR7 and TLR8 between lung and brain tissues in the EV71 group (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSTLR7 and TLR8 are highly expressed in lung and brain tissues from the patients who die of severe EV71 infection, suggesting that TLR7 and TLR8 may be involved in the pathogenesis of brain and lung damages caused by severe EV71 infection.

Brain ; immunology ; Child ; Cytokines ; physiology ; Enterovirus A, Human ; Enterovirus Infections ; etiology ; immunology ; Humans ; Lung ; immunology ; Toll-Like Receptor 7 ; analysis ; physiology ; Toll-Like Receptor 8 ; analysis ; physiology