The early response of plant auxin gene family Aux/IAA (auxin/indole-3-acetic acid) and its interaction with auxin response factor (ARF) are important pattern to regulate plant growth and development. This work identified 28 StoIAA and 24 StoARF members based on the whole genome data of the medicinal plant Senna tora L., which were classified into 10 and 8 subfamilies, respectively. Phylogenetic tree and collinearity analysis showed that S. tora has close evolutionary relationship with the IAA and ARF homologous genes of Glycine max, Medicago truncatula, and the segment duplication events dominate the expansion of StoIAA and StoARF. Gene structure analysis showed that the vast majority of StoIAA and StoARF contain characteristic conserved domain. Transcriptome data showed that StoIAAs and StoARFs were expressed in leaves, roots and seeds, some members had tissue specific expression. The StoIAA and StoARF promoter region most contain functional elements related to stress response, growth and development, hormone induction and secondary metabolism. In addition, gene expression analysis showed that many StoIAAs and StoARFs can quickly respond to drought and salt stress and exhibited same expression patterns under both stress condition. The yeast two-hybrid experiment confirmed that StoARF8 and StoARF10 exhibit varying degrees of interaction with multiple StoIAA proteins, respectively. The above results provide a basis for further biological functional analysis of the Aux/IAA and ARF gene family of S. tora.

Glycogen synthase kinase 3/SHAGGY-like kinase (GSK3) proteins play important roles in regulating plant growth, development, and stress response. In order to reveal the characteristics of GSK family members in the medicinal plant Senna tora L., in this study, we conducted the identification and expression analyses of GSKs in S. tora based on its whole genome data, combined with bioinformatics and gene expression research methods. The results showed that a total of nine S. tora GSK genes were identified, all of which contained the GSK characteristic kinase domains. All members were distributed on six chromosomes, the encoding amino acid length ranged from 465 to 943 aa, the protein molecular weight was from 33.57 to 88.83 kDa, and the average isoelectric point was 8.2. The StoSKs were divided into four evolutionary branches, and the StoSKs in the same evolutionary branch shared the same exon/intron structure and conserved motifs. The expansion of the StoSKs gene family was mainly due to segment duplication events, and there were 17, 11, 8 and 7 pairs of collinear genes with Glycine max, Medicago truncatula, Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa, respectively. The promoter regions of StoSKs mostly contained responses elements related to stress stimulation, growth and development, and hormone induction. Transcriptome data analysis showed that StoSKs were expressed in different tissues, with the highest expression level in roots. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis indicated that StoSKs in different evolutionary branches displayed a synergistic expression pattern response to light, and most of StoSKs could rapidly respond to NaCl stress with significantly up-regulated expression. All the results provide a basis for further analysis of the biological functions of the GSKs gene family in S. tora.

Since 2015 when the transmission of schistosomiasis was controlled in China, the country has been moving towards elimination of schistosomiasis, with the surveillance-response as the main interventions for schistosomiasis control. During the period of the 13th Five-Year Plan, the transmission of schistosomiasis had been interrupted in four provinces of Sichuan, Jiangsu, Yunnan and Hubei and the prevalence of schistosomiasis has been at the historically lowest level in China. As a consequence, the goal set in The 13th Five-Year National Schistosomiasis Control Program in China is almost achieved. However, there are multiple challenges during the stage moving towards elimination of schistosomiasis in China, including the widespread distribution of intermediate host snails and complicated snail habitats, many types of sources of Schistosoma japonicum infections and difficulty in management of bovines and sheep, unmet requirements for the current schistosomiasis control program with the currently available tools, and vulnerable control achievements. During the 14th Five-Year period, it is crucial to consolidate the schistosomiasis control achievements and gradually solve the above difficulties, and critical to provide the basis for achieving the ultimate goal of elimination of schistosomiasis in China. Based on the past experiences from the national schistosomiasis control program and the challenges for schistosomiasis elimination in China, an expert consensus has been reached pertaining to the objectives, control strategy and measures for The 14th Five-Year National Schistosomiasis Control Program in China, so as to provide insights in to the development of The 14th Five-Year National Schistosomiasis Control Program in China.

Bexarotene is a synthetic analogue of retinoic acid and exerts protective effects on the nervous system. However, low bioavailability and poor solubility of the crystal type I form severely limits the application of bexarotene in the clinic. A co-amorphous sample of bexarotene-PVP-K30 was prepared and the structure was characterized by X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy. To determine the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of bexarotene, an LC-MS method was established to profile and quantify bexarotene in plasma and tissues of SD rats. In vitro dissolution indicated that the co-amorphous form improved the dissolution of bexarotene in pure water 4.17-fold. After rats were orally administered bexarotene or bexarotene-PVP-K30 co-amorphous (equivalent to 30 mg·kg^-1 bexarotene) the AUC of bexarotene was 7 034.89 and 10 174.03 μg·L^-1·h respectively, the peak time was advanced from 7.33 h to 0.9 h with the amorphous form, and C_max was enhanced from 627.76 to 3 011.88 μg·L^-1. The co-amorphous form yielded higher concentrations of bexarotene in various tissues, especially brain, liver and kidney. Animal welfare and experimental procedures complied with the rules of the Animal Ethics Committee of the Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. The results indicate that bexarotene-PVP-K30 co-amorphous improves the pharmacokinetic characteristics of bexarotene and provides preclinical data in support of bexarotene-PVP-K30 for the treatment of brain diseases.

Objective Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have potential value in the clinical application of various tumors. This study was to investigate the role of CTCs and their chemokine receptor CCR9 in the invasion and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods From May 2018 to June 2019, a total of 62 patients with NSCLC in the clinical oncology center of The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region were enrolled in this study. The CanpatrolTM CTC technique was used to detected the expressions of CTCs and CCR9 in CTCs in peripheral blood of patients. Furthermore, the relationships between expression levels of CTCs, CCR9 and clinical, pathological characteristics of NSCLC patients were analyzed. Results CTCs were detected in 56 of 62 (90.3%) NSCLC patients. CTCs counts were associated with TNM stage, lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis of NSCLC (P<0.05). In the analysis of clinical correlation between CTC subtypes and NSCLC, epithelial CTCs counts were related to TNM stage and distant metastasis of NSCLC (r=0.296 and r=0.273, P<0.05). Additionally, counts of mixed type CTCs were also correlative with NSCLC tumor metastasis (r =0.253, P =0.047). Finally, we found that the positive rate of CCR9 in mixed type CTCs was associated with distant metastasis of NSCLC (r=0.353, P=0.038). Conclusion CTCs counts and subtypes were correlated with TNM stage and metastasis of NSCLC. The expression level of CCR9 on CTC was expected to be a biomarker to evaluate the risk of tumor metastasis in NSCLC.

Glutamate decarboxylase, a unique pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent enzyme, catalyzes α-decarboxylation of L-glutamate to γ-aminobutyrate. However, glutamate decarboxylase from different sources has the common problem of poor thermostability that affects its application in industry. In this study, proline was introduced at 13 different positions in glutamate decarboxylase by using the design strategy of homologous sequence alignment between Thermococcus kodakarensis and Lactobacillus brevis CGMCC No.1306. A mutant enzyme G364P with higher thermostability was obtained. Compared to the wild type, thermostability of the mutant G364P was significantly improved, the half-life time (t1/2) at 55 °C and the semi-inactivation temperature (T₅₀ ¹⁵) of the mutant G364P increased 19.4 min and 5.3 °C, respectively, while kcat/Km of the mutant enzyme remained nearly unchanged. Further analysis of their thermostability by molecular dynamics simulations were performed. The root mean square deviation of G364P and root mean square fluctuation in the loop region including G364 were lower than the wild type at 313 K for 10 ns, and G364P increased one hydrophobic interaction in the loop region. It proves that mutation of flexible 364-Gly to rigid proline endows glutamate decarboxylase with enhanced thermostability.
Glutamate Decarboxylase ; Glutamic Acid ; Lactobacillus brevis ; Molecular Dynamics Simulation ; Proline

Objective:To analyze the effect of different glucocorticoid administration routes in the treatment of children's secretory otitis media and impacts on immunologic function.Methods:Clinical data of children with secretory otitis media received treatment at our hospital from January 2016 to June 2016 were analyzed.Patients were divided into two groups by different glucocorticoid administration routes,Group A:intratympanic injection;Group B:oral administration.After one week,clinical effects and immunologic functions were tested and compared between the two groups.Results:A total of 87 patients were analyzed,Group A 45 cases,Group B 42 cases.After one week treatment,both of the two groups got significantly improved in audiology indexe (P<0.05),however,these index were more better in Group A when compared with those of Group B(P<0.05).Meanwhile,Group A patients got higher cure rate than that of Group B (91.1%,41/45 vs 73.8%,31/42;X2=4.558,P=0.033).Both of the two groups got significantly improved in CD3+T,CD4+T and CD4/CD8 (P<0.05) and decreased in CD8,IL-4,IFN-γ and IL-4/IFN-γ(P<0.05),but these markers changed more significant in Group A (P<0.05).Group A patients had a lower recurrence rate than Group B patients one year after treatment, the difference was statistically significant (9.76%,4/41 vs 29.03%,9/31;Log-rank X2=4.698,P=0.030).Conclusion:The treatment of children's secretory otitis media,the intratympanic injection of glucocorticoid shows a better effect than that of oral cortico-steroids.

Objective To evaluate the effects on Stroke Volume Variation (SVV) during ventilation with selective lobar collapse (SLC) and one-lung ventilation (OLV) in thoracoscopic operation. Methods 60 patients scheduled for thoracoscopic operation to treat lower thoracic esophageal cancer or cardial carcinoma were randomly assigned into two groups: patients in one lung ventilation (OLV) group received right lung ventilation and left lung collapses, patients in selective lobar collapse (SLC) group received right lung and superior lobe of left lung ventilation by the use of endobronchial blocker. The intraoperative blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) and end-tidal carbon dioxide tension (PETCO2) were maintained in normal range. Record SVV, cardiac output (CO), stroke volume (SV), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), the heart rate (HR), cardiac index (CI) at four time points: 10 min after two lung ventilation in supine position (T1), 10 min after two lung ventilation in lateral position (T2), OLV or SLC for 10 min after the pleura was opened (T3), two lung ventilation for 10 min before the pleura was closed (T4). Results There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). Comparison between groups: There was no significant difference between the patients in OLV group and SLC group, including HR, SBP, DBP, CO, CI, SV and SVV (P > 0.05). Comparison in the group: SBP and DBP in OLV group and SLC group were significantly higher than T1at T3(P < 0.05). The SVV of OLV group and SLC group was significantly reduced at T3and T4(P < 0.05). Conclusion There was no significant difference in SVV monitoring of Vigileo monitoring with OLV and SLC in thoracoscopic operation. SVV can be used to monitor blood volume state during ventilation by SLC.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of rituximab in treating chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Methods The clinical data of CLL patients receiving fludarabine,cyclophosphamide±rituximab (with or without rituximab) regimen or cyclophosphamide,vincristine,and prednisone±doxorubicin±rituximab regimen in our hospital from March 2000 to February 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. Therapeutic efficacies and survivals of patients treated with different regimens were evaluated and compared. Results The complete response (CR) rate and the overall response rate (ORR) in 72 patients (43.6%) treated with rituximab were significantly higher than those treated without rituximab (38.9% vs. 21.5%,P=0.015;83.3% vs. 60.2%,P=0.001). The median PFS and OS for patients treated with rituximab were 53.0 (27.0-79.0) months and 112.0 (81.1-142.9) months,and the median PFS and OS for patients treated without rituximab were 28.0 (18.3-37.7) months and 89.0(72.0-106.0),but the results were not statistically significant (P=0.094,P=0.109). According to the cytogenetic features,patients were further divided into high-risk subgroup (with chromosome 17p deletion or 11q deletion) and non-high-risk subgroup. And in the high-risk subgroup,the ORR of patients treated with rituximab was 86.4%,which was significantly higher than that in patients treated without rituximab (53.3%)(P=0.012);in the non-high-risk subgroup,the PFS was marginally prolonged in patients treated with rituximab,but the difference was not statistically significant(P=0.050). Conclusions Compared with traditional chemotherapy,the chemoimmunotherapies with rituximab result in higher CR rate and ORR in CLL patients. In patients without 17p deletion or 11q deletion,the use of rituximab can marginally prolong PFS.

Objective · To assess the usefulness of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in locating the testicular area to guide microdissection testicular sperm extraction (M-TESE) for patients with nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA). Methods · CEUS was performed in 95 NOA patients. M-TESE was performed in the best and poorest perfusion areas on CEUS and in the conventional area. Sperm retrieval rates (SRR) of the three areas were compared. Results · M-TESE was performed in 147 testicles (95 patients). SRRs in best perfusion area, poorest perfusion area and conventional area were 66.3%, 32.6% and 47.3% respectively, and the differences between groups were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The arriving time (AT), time to peak intensity (TTP), peak intensity (PI) and area under the curve (AUC) showed statistical significance (all P<0.05)between the successful retrieval group (94 points) and unsuccessful retrieval group (200 points). And the SRR showed statistical difference among the three pathological groups. In maturation arrest group and Sertoli cell only group, the SRR in the best perfusion area was higher than that in the conventional area (both P<0.05). Conclusion · SRR was different in different pathological groups. The locating of the best perfusion area could guide M-TESE so as to improve the SRRs of maturation arrest group and Sertoli cell only group.