Mitochondrion is one of the vital organelles in plants. Combined with chloroplast and nuclear genomes, mitochondrial DNA could be used to deduce the evolution of species more correctly. In this paper, we elaborated the characters of mitochondrial genome and reviewed the processes of identification of Chinese materia medica based on mitochondrial DNA sequences.

The genetic diversity of three Tibetan herbs, i. e., Sang-Di, E-Dewa and Ye-Xingba (Tibetan names), was studied based on the field collection, specimen identification and DNA sequence analysis. Swertia hispidicalyx, Gentiana lhassica and Scrophularia dentata, as the original plants of the three Tibetan herbs, were collected and identified. The regions of ITS, matK, rbcL, rpoC1, trnL(UAA), psbA-trnH, atpB-rbcL, trnS (GCU)-trnG(UCC), rpl20-rps12, trnL(UAA)-trnF(GAA) and nadl 2nd intron were amplified and sequenced. The ITS regions of S. hispidicalyx and S. dentata were cloned and sequenced, and the sequences were classified into different genotypes. All the sequences were analyzed and compared with those of closely related species. Our studies may provide reference for the genetic diversity analysis and molecular identification of the three Tibetan herbs.
Genetic Variation ; Gentiana ; classification ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; Plants, Medicinal ; classification ; genetics ; Scrophularia ; classification ; genetics ; Swertia ; classification ; genetics ; Tibet

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Hypoglycemia ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Hypothalamus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Insulin ; pharmacology ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; metabolism ; Male ; Neuropeptides ; metabolism ; Orexins ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Methods: CHB patients and healthy volunteers were enrolled from Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine between August 21, 2018 and December 31, 2020. They were divided into three groups: healthy group, LGDHS group, and latent syndrome (LP) group. Proteomic analysis using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) was performed to identify differentially expressed proteins (DEPs). Metabolomic profiling via ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was applied to serum samples to detect differentially regulated metabolites (DMs). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment were employed to explore dysregulated pathways. Principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were utilized to visualize group separation and identify key metabolites and proteins contributing to LGDHS differentiation. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis evaluated the diagnostic performance of key biomarkers, while logistic regression models assessed their predictive accuracy. P values were corrected for multiple tests using the Benjamini-Hochberg method to control the false discovery rate (FDR). Validation of potential biomarkers was conducted using independent microarray data and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Results: A total of 150 participants were enrolled, including healthy group (n = 45), LGDHS group (n = 60), and LP group (n = 45). 254 DEPs from proteomics data and 72 DMs from metabolomic profiling were identified by PCA and OPLS-DA. DEPs were mainly enriched in immune and complement pathways, while DMs involved in amino acid and energy metabolism. The integrated analysis identified seven key biomarkers: α1-acid glycoprotein (ORM1), asparagine synthetase (ASNS), solute carrier family 27 member 5 (SLC27A5), glucosidase II alpha subunit (GANAB), hexokinase 2 (HK2), 5-methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine methyltransferase (MTR), and maltase-glucoamylase (MGAM). Microarray validation confirmed the diagnostic potential of these genes, with area under the curve (AUC) values for ROC analysis ranging from 0.536 to 0.759. Among these, ORM1, ASNS, and SLC27A5 showed significant differential ability in differentiating LGDHS patients (P = 0.016, P = 0.035, and P < 0.001, respectively), with corresponding AUC of 0.749, 0.743, and 0.759, respectively. A logistic regression model incorporating these three genes demonstrated an AUC of 0.939, indicating a high discriminatory power for LGDHS. RT-qPCR further validated the differential expression of ORM1 and SLC27A5 between LGDHS and LP groups (P = 0.011 and P = 0.034, respectively), with ASNS showing a consistent trend in expression (P = 0.928). Conclusion This study integrates multi-omics approaches to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying LGDHS in CHB. The identification of biomarkers ORM1, ASNS, and SLC27A5 offers a solid basis for the objective diagnosis of LGDHS, contributing to the standardization and modernization of TCM diagnostic practices.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the prognostic factors in patients after surgical resection of a huge primary liver cancer (HPLC).

METHODSClinical and follow-up data of 69 cases of huge HPLC treated in our hospital from July 2001 to July 2008 were retrospectively analyzed. Sixteen clinicopathologic factors possibly influencing the survival were selected, and multivariate analysis of these parameters was performed using the Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTSThe cumulative 1-, 3-, 5-year survival rates of 58 patients were 58.2%, 31.4% and 12.3%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that radical resection, intrahepatic metastasis, vascular invasion and degree of hepatic cirrhosis significantly affect the postoperative survival. The Cox multivariate analysis indicated that radical resection, intrahepatic metastasis and degree of hepatic cirrhosis are independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONSSurgical resection is a major and active treatment for huge HPLC. The therapeutic efficacy depends on intrahepatic metastasis, degree of hepatic cirrhosis and radical resection. Aggressive treatment and prevention on postoperative intrahepatic recurrence and metastasis is an important strategy to improve the survival of patients with huge HPLC.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatectomy ; methods ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; pathology ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Tumor Burden ; Young Adult

Objective To study associations between manganese superoxide dismutase 9 Ala/Val (Mn-SOD 9 Ala/Val)genet-ic polymorphism and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD)and Mn-SOD activity and the impact on coronary heart disease (CHD)were studied.Methods There were 82 CHD patients and 57 controls in this research.Sequencer was used to identify the genotype of Mn-SOD 9 Ala/Val genetic polymorphism and colorimeter was used to detect the serum T-SOD and Mn-SOD activity.Results Compared with the control group,the serum T-SOD and Mn-SOD activity of the CHD group was significantly reduced(t=4.83,6.57,P all<0.05),while the VV genotype and V allele of Mn-SOD 9 Ala/Val genetic poly-morphism of the CHD group were higher (χ2 =4.75,P <0.05).The serum T-SOD and Mn-SOD activity of the Mn-SOD 9 VV genotype was significantly lower than the Mn-SOD 9 AA genotype(t=2.96,3.11,P all<0.05).Conclusion The ser-um T-SOD and Mn-SOD activity in the CHD patients was reduced.Mn-SOD 9 Ala/Val genetic polymorphism was involved in the pathogenesis of CHD by influencing the Mn-SOD activity.

Virtual surgery provides important assistance in preoperative planning of brain surgeries. A virtual surgery system essentially consists of visualization and modeling of the medical data and deformation simulation of human organs (mainly soft tissues). We used the hybrid level set theory, threshold segmentation, and morphological methods to segment the human head MRI volumetric data into five parts, namely the outline of the head, gray matter, white matter, cerebrospinal fluid and ventricles. The iso2mesh toolkit based on Delaunay algorithm was then employed to generate the tetrahedral mesh and mark the five parts. We further studied the soft tissue deformation, and established a mechanic model based on Tensor-Mass system to simulate the point-touch and ball-touch models for soft tissue deformation. This approach can help to improve the positioning accuracy of a virtual brain surgery and represent the process of brain tissue deformation.
Algorithms ; Brain ; surgery ; Computer Simulation ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; methods ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Models, Biological ; Phantoms, Imaging ; Surgery, Computer-Assisted ; methods ; User-Computer Interface

OBJECTIVETo probe the effects of long-term oral administration of lanthanum nitrate [La(NO(3))(3)] on morphological change in the liver, aftereffect of deposited La in the liver and their mechanism in rats.

METHODSYoung Wistar rats were divided into two groups, one fed with 0.1, 0.2, 2.0, 10.0 and 20.0 mg/kg of La(NO(3))(3) for six months and the other for the control. Changes in ratio of liver to body weight were observed after exposure to La(NO(3))(3) at varied doses for six months and one month after six-month exposure, as well as morphology of the liver in the rats with routine histochemistry and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) technique. Content of La in the liver was measured with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

RESULTSRatio of liver to body weight was significantly higher in the male rats exposed to 20.0 mg/kg of lanthanum for six months than that in the control group. Ratio of liver to body weight restored to normal in the rats exposed to 20.0 mg/kg of La one month after six-month exposure. Infiltration of inflammatory cells in the portal region of the liver, small amount of fat drops in hepatocytic cytoplasm, increased density of mitochondria stroma, lysosome containing highly-electronic-density bodies and dense granules, normal nucleus and slightly deformed nucleus of hepatocytes could be found in the rats exposed to 20.0 mg/kg. Areas of the liver deposited with glycogen after six-month exposure to 20.0 mg/kg of La accounted for (26.1 +/- 1.5)% and (4.1 +/- 1.4)%, respectively for male and female rats, significantly lower than those in the control group [(31.3 +/- 1.4)% and (39.4 +/- 0.9)%, respectively], with a statistical significance and very statistical significance, respectively. There was a little infiltration of inflammatory cells in the portal region of the liver one month after six-month exposure to 20.0 mg/kg of La, and amount of the dense bodies was lower in the rats exposed to La for six months. Liver contents of La in the rats of all experimental groups were lower one month after six-month exposure than those in the rats exposed for six months.

CONCLUSIONSExposure to a dose of 20.0 mg/kg La(NO(3))(3) for a long term could damage the liver structure to certain extent, but lanthanum deposited in the liver could be eliminated from the body gradually.

Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Female ; Lanthanum ; toxicity ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Organ Size ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

BACKGROUND: The immediate implantation in the anterior maxillary region is in a high risk of aesthetic complications. OBJECTIVE: To assess the prognosis of the labial bone plate after anterior maxillary repair with immediate implant combined with immediate restoration. METHODS: Thirty-two patients with single failed tooth in the anterior maxillary region were subjected to implantation of ZIMMER implants immediately after minimally invasive extraction. Good primary stability was achieved and immediate restoration was carried out. Final restoration was finished after 6-12 months of osteosynthesis and gingival shaping. The loading situation of the labial bone plate was recorded at 6 months post operation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Final restoration was finished with normal loading in all the patients. No bleeding and swelling of the gingiva was recorded. The horizontal absorption of the labial bone plate at the upper margin, 5 mm and 10 mm below the upper margin was (-2.12±0.05), (-1.54±0.04), and (-1.01±0.06) mm, respectively. Therefore, absorption of the labial bone plate with varying degrees exists after anterior maxillary repair with immediate implant combined with immediate restoration.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze pathological characteristics of organs recovered during forensic autopsy submitted by legal medicine experts. METHODS: From Baoji city, 358 cases of forensic autopsy specimens from a series of routine exams were collected. And histopathological diagnoses were reviewed. RESULTS: Majority of the 358 cases were young men. The major causes of death were trauma, sudden death and poisoning. The cause of death was determined with histology in 250 cases. No typical histological changes were noted in 101 cases. The tissue autolysis and decomposition were present in 7 cases. The major pathological diagnosis was cardiovascular disease, followed by diseases in respiratory, nervous, and digestive systems. CONCLUSION Forensic autopsy with its professional characteristics, is different from regular autopsy. When diagnosing cause of death by histopathological examination, pathologists should collaborate with legal medicine experts to know the details of the cases, circumstances surrounding the death, and specific forensic pathological characteristics.
Anxiety ; Autolysis ; Autopsy ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cause of Death ; China ; Cooperative Behavior ; Death, Sudden ; Female ; Forensic Medicine ; Forensic Pathology ; Humans ; Interprofessional Relations ; Male