OBJECTIVETo analyse a special kind of Schisandra chinensis with the white fruit using ITS2 barcode at molecular levels.

METHODITS2 regions were sequenced bidirectionally. Sequence assembly and consensus sequence generation were performed using the CodonCode Aligner, MEGA 5.0 software was used to align the sequences. The ITS2 secondary structure was predicted using ITS2 web server, BLAST 1 method was used to identify the S. chinensis with the white fruit.

RESULTThe length of the ITS2 sequence was 231 bp. And the sample was identified as S. chinensis using the method of BLAST 1. Their mean interspecific genetic distance (K2P distance) among the populations of the S. chinensis with the white fruit and S. chinensis was far lower than the mean interspecific genetic distance between the S. chinensis and S. sphenanthera.

CONCLUSIONBy using ITS2 the S. chinensis with the white fruit was identified as S. chinensis, and the ITS2 barcode could be used to identify S. chinensis and S. sphenanthera.

DNA, Plant ; chemistry ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; chemistry ; genetics ; Fruit ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Nucleic Acid Conformation ; Schisandra ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Software

The study aims to explore the effects and mechanisms of water extract of Potentilla anserina (PA) on myelosuppression mice induced by cyclophosphamide based on metabonomics. The myelosuppressive mouse model was established by injected with cyclophosphamide and treated with water extract of PA. Thymus and spleen indexes, peripheral hemogram and bone marrow nucleated cells of each group was detected. Bone marrow pathology analysis was performed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The levels of interleukin 3 (IL-3), interleukin 6 (IL-6), erythropoietin (EPO), granulocyte colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in serum were measured. The changes of biomarkers and related metabolic pathways were analyzed by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS-based metabonomics. Animal experiments were approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Southwest Minzu University. The high doses of PA could significantly improve the decrease of white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC) counts and hemoglobin (HGB) levels of mice induced by cyclophosphamide (P < 0.05), and significantly increase the number of nucleated cells and the area of hematopoietic tissue in femoral bone marrow. The medium and high doses of PA could significantly improve the serum levels of SOD, CAT, MDA, IL-6 and GM-CSF (P < 0.05), and have no significant effect on the expression of IL-3 and EPO (P > 0.05). Serum metabolomics analysis showed that the aqueous extracts of PA could alleviate myrosuppression by regulating the aminoacyl-tRNA, valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis mediated by 13 different metabolites such as valine, leucine, asparagine and hydroxyisohexic acid. PA improve the inhibition of hematopoietic function in myelosuppression mouse, and its mechanisms may be related to anti-oxidation and promoting the expression of hematopoietic-related cytokines and regulating the related metabolic pathways.

italic>Ardisia crispa (Thunb.) A. DC. is a traditional Miao medicinal herb with significant therapeutic effects in the treatment of sore throat, tonsillitis, edema of nephritis and bruising and rheumatism, etc. Ardisia crispa var. amplifolia and Ardisia crispa var. dielsii are varieties of A. crispa. A. crispa var. amplifolia and A. crispa var. dielsii are controversial in terms of species evolutionary relationships and taxonomic identification. In this study, we sequenced the whole genome sequences of A. crispa var. amplifolia and A. crispa var. dielsii chloroplasts using Illumina platform, assembled, annotated and characterized them, compared the structural features and degree of variation among chloroplast genomes using bioinformatics methods, and also downloaded constructing phylogenetic trees to analyze the phylogenetic relationships of chloroplasts in Primulaceae and Myrsinaceae using whole genome sequence information. The results showed that the complete chloroplast genome sequences of A. crispa var. amplifolia and A. crispa var. dielsii were 156 749 bp and 156 748 bp in length, with 132 genes annotated, including 87 protein-coding genes; the codon preference of A/U was greater than that of G/C; The differences in the coding regions of rps15 and rpoB genes in the comparative genome analysis can be used as loci for molecular identification of the two species; the differences in the coding regions of ycf1, ycf2, rpoC1, ycf3, petD and rpl16 genes in the chloroplast genome compared with those of the same genus can be used as loci for identification of the genus. In the phylogenetic results, A. crispa var. amplifolia and A. crispa var. dielsii were clustered together with 100% support, indicating that they are closely related. In this research, we analyzed the chloroplast genome structure and phylogenetic relationships of A. crispa var. amplifolia and A. crispa var. dielsii, providing an important theoretical basis for their molecular identification, genetic variation, breeding and phylogenetic analysis.

OBJECTIVETo compare the content of six lignans of different parts of Schisandra chinensis.

METHODAgilent TC-C18 (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) was used with acetonitrile-water gradient system as mobile phase. Wave length was 250 nm. The flow rate was 1 mL x min(-1). Column temperature was 30 degrees C.

RESULTThe total lignans content of wild Schisandra chinensis was higher than that of the cultivated varieties. The total lignans content of different parts varied significantly, wherein the root > main branch > side branches > leaf.

CONCLUSIONThis method is stable, reliable, can be used for the quality evaluation of different parts of Schisandra.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Lignans ; analysis ; Schisandra ; chemistry

Objective To investigate the relationship between hemoglobin and blood pressure of pregnant women in Zhoushan islands, so as to provide scientific evidence for the etiological study of gestational hypertension. Methods A retrospective study was conducted among 1 383 pregnant women who received perinatal care in Zhoushan Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Zhejiang Province from January 2017 to June 2018. Pregnant women were monitored for hemoglobin content and blood pressure in the early, middle and late pregnancy. The multivariate linear regression was used to analyze the relationship between hemoglobin content and blood pressure in different pregnancy. Results The incidence of anemia in early, middle and late pregnancy was 7.74%, 25.45% and 15.76% respectively. The multivariate linear regression showed that hemoglobin levels during pregnancy had effects on systolic blood pressure in early, middle and late pregnancy, and the earlier hemoglobin levels were monitored, the more obvious the effect on systolic blood pressure was.With the increase of hemoglobin level, systolic blood pressure increased, such as the effect of hemoglobin on systolic blood pressure in early pregnancy, mid-pregnancy and late pregnancy. Hemoglobin of first trimster had the greatest effect (β=0.10, P<0.001), Hemoglobin of second trimester had no obvious effect, and that of third trimester had the second effect (β=0.04, P=0.027).Hemoglobin levels and diastolic blood pressure levels were similar to their relationship with systolic blood pressure. Conclusions Hemoglobin levels during pregnancy have significant effects on systolic and diastolic blood pressure in first, second and third trimsters of pregnancy. Regular measurement of hemoglobin levels during pregnancy can improve the health of pregnant women.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prognostic factors in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at stage III and IV and establish a reliable model of clinical prognostic index.

METHODSKaplan-Meier and Cox regression were used to analyze the relationship between the prognostic factors and survival time in 114 cases of NSCLC. The prognostic factors included clinical-pathological features and serum levels of cytokeratin fragment 19 (Cyfra21-1), CEA, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), CA125, interleukin-2 (IL-2) and soluble interleukin-2 receptors (sIL-2R).

RESULTSKaplan-Meier analysis showed that KPS, sex, disease stage, treatment, Cyfra21-1, sIL-2R and CA125 were related to prognosis. Multivariate analysis indicated that Cyfra21-1, stage and treatment were independent prognostic factors. When Cyfra21-1 > 3.5 mg/L, stage IV and chemotherapy < 3 cycles, the relative risk (RR) was 1.691, 2.229 and 3.035, respectively. In patients given 3 or more cycles of chemotherapy, serum Cyfra21-1, sIL-2R and stage at diagnosis were significantly independent prognostic factors. Three of these prognostic factors were used to establish a prognostic index (PI) model based on a simple algorithm: PI = Cyfra21-1 + sIL-2R + stage. The median survival period of patients with 3 or more cycles of chemotherapy were 18 months if PI = 0, 8 months if PI = 1 or 2, and 5 months if PI = 3.

CONCLUSIONThe serum Cyfra21-1, sIL-2R and disease stage in unresectable NSCLC were independent prognostic factors. PI calculated on the basis of Cyfra21-1, sIL-2R and stage is recommended to predict the survival period of NSCLC.

Antigens, Neoplasm ; blood ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; blood ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; drug therapy ; mortality ; pathology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Keratin-19 ; Keratins ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; mortality ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Receptors, Interleukin-2 ; blood ; Survival Rate

This study was aimed to investigate the relationship between endostatin and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expressions on bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) in mice after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) and effect of ligustrazine on their expressions. The mice were randomly divided into 3 groups: normal group (without treatment), saline group (control of BMT) and ligustrazine group (BMT + ligustrazine). BMT mouse models were established. The normal group was not treated, the saline group was given normal saline (0.2 ml/mouse, twice a day) through gastric tube, while the ligustrazine group was given ligustrazine (0.2 ml/mouse, twice a day) also through gastric tube. On day 7, 14, 21 and 28 after BMT, mice were killed by euthanasia. The expression levels of endostatin and VCAM-1 in bone marrow stromal cells were detected by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR analysis respectively. The results showed that the endostatin protein mainly expressed in nuclei of BMSCs, the VCAM-1 protein mainly expressed in plasma of BMSCs. On day 7, 14, 21 after BMT the expression levels of endostatin mRNA and protein in ligustrazine and saline groups were significantly lower than that in normal group (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), while their expression levels in ligustrazine group were lower than that in saline group. On day 28 the expression levels in saline group returned to normal, while the expression levels in ligustrazine group not were normalized. On day 7, 14, 21 after BMT the expression levels of VCAM-1 mRNA and protein in ligustrazine and saline groups were significantly lower than that in normal group (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), but their expression levels in ligustrazine group were significantly lighter than that in saline group (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). On day 28 the VCAM-1 expression level in ligustrazine group returned to normal, while its expression level in saline group not were normalized. The difference between these two groups was significant (P < 0.01). Correlation analysis revealed that there was a negative correlation between endostatin and VCAM-1 expression in saline group, there was a positive correlation between endostatin and VCAM-1 expression in ligustrazine group. It is concluded that the endostatin can influence hematopoiesis in bone marrow by affecting VCAM-1 expression on BMSC and hindering connection between stromal cells and hematopoietic cells as well as extracellular stroma and hematopoietic cells, while ligustrazine can enhance the adhesion molecule expression on stromal cell surface of bone marrow in BMT-mice, accelerate the homing and proliferation of HSPC in bone marrow after BMT, meanwhile can promote the repair of bone marrow microenvironment, accelerate hematopoietic reconstitution of bone marrow after BMT through feedback regulation of endostatin expression of BMSC in BMT-mice.
Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; Endostatins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Female ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Pyrazines ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Random Allocation ; Stromal Cells ; metabolism ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanism of cleft palate in mice induced by 2, 3, 7, 8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD).

METHODSOn gestation day 10 (GD 10), 12 pregnant mice were randomly divided into two groups as the treated group and the control group with 6 mice in each group. The mice in the treated group received intragastric administration with 64 microg TCDD/kg, while the mice in the control group received equivalent corn oil. The embryos were examined under stereomicroscope to detect the incidence of cleft palate on GD 18.5. Another 18 pregnant mice were randomly divided into two groups (treated group and control group) on GD 10 with 9 pregnant mice in each group. Then each group was divided into 3 subgroups: GD 13.5, GD 14.5 and GD 15.5, with 3 pregnant mice in each subgroup. The palatal shelves were dissected from the embryos for RNA and DNA extraction on GD 13.5, GD 14.5 and GD 15.5. At last the expression of Smad 2-4 and Smad 7 mRNA was investigated by RT-PCR, and the TGF-beta3 promoter methylamine levels were investigated by methylation specific PCR (MSP).

RESULTSThe cleft palate mice model was established successfully by exposing pregnant C57BL/6J mice to TCDD. Total frequency of clefts was 100% in TCDD group, and the frequency of clefts was 0 in the control group. The relative expression of Smad 2 mRNA was 0.263 +/- 0.088, 0.296 +/- 0.016 and 0.159 +/- 0.027 in TCDD group, 0.180 +/- 0.042, 0.282 +/- 0.029 and 0.165 +/- 0.018 in control group. The relative expression of Smad 3 mRNA was 0.453 +/- 0.153, 0.551 +/- 0.160 and 0.328 +/- 0.049 in TCDD group, 0.375 +/- 0.126, 0.510 +/- 0.145 and 0.259 +/- 0.035 in control group. The relative expression of Smad 4 mRNA was 0.675 +/- 0.174, 0.577 +/- 0.070 and 0.396 +/- 0.066 in TCDD group, 0.557 +/- 0.138, 0.587 +/- 0.080 and 0.441 +/- 0.054 in control group. The relative expression of Smad 7 mRNA was 0.283 +/- 0.050, 0.320 +/- 0.068 and 0.169 +/- 0.045 in TCDD group, 0.207 +/- 0.043, 0.288 +/- 0.051 and 0.155 +/- 0.040 in control group. There was no significant difference between the TCDD treated mice and the control (P > 0.05). The TGF-beta3 promoters were at the un-methylation state both in the TCDD treated and control group.

CONCLUSIONIt suggests that TCDD could induce a stable formation of cleft palate, but it is not through the TGF-beta/Smad signaling nor through the modification of TGF-beta3 promoter methylation.

Animals ; Cleft Palate ; chemically induced ; DNA Methylation ; Female ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins ; toxicity ; Pregnancy ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Signal Transduction ; Smad Proteins ; metabolism ; Teratogens ; toxicity ; Transforming Growth Factor beta3 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo establish a novel suspension microarray technology for the detection of three kinds of veterinary drug residues: chloramphenicol, clenbuterol and 17-beta-estradiol (CAP, CL and E2).

METHODSThe three conjugates that veterinary drug coupled with bovine serum albumin (BSA) were synthesized and identified by ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometry and mass spectrum. The veterinary drug conjugates were immobilized on the polystyrene fluorescent microspheres/beads. There were competitive reactions between the veterinary drugs in the aqueous phase and that on the beads for combination with their specific biotinylated monoclonal antibodies. The optimum amount of the veterinary drug conjugates and the antibodies were optimized and selected. The detective standard curves were plotted. The specificity and the unknown samples were also determined by grouping according to different concentrations of the interferes and the samples. Meantime, the different microstructures of the surfaces of the beads were also observed by scanning electron microscope.

RESULTSCouplings were completed between small molecular veterinary drugs and BSA. The amounts of the three conjugates and the antibodies were optimized. The detective standard curves of the suspension array and their corresponding coefficients of determination (R2) were good (R2 > 0.99). The detection ranges of the three veterinary drugs were (40.00 - 6.25) x 10(5) ng/L, (50.00-7.81) x 10(5) ng/L and 1.00 x 10(3) - 7.29 x 10(5) ng/L respectively. Simultaneously, the specific detection of the suspension microarray was excellent and did not indicate significant cross-reactions. Errors between the found and the real are in the range of 8.09% - 17.03%. It can be considered that the relative standard deviations were relatively small. Successful couplings were also directly confirmed by the observation for microstructures of the surfaces of the beads by scanning of electron microscope and laid good foundation for the following responses.

CONCLUSIONThe high-throughput suspension microarray should provide a novel method for multi-analysis of the veterinary drugs and have a wide applicative prospects with simple operation, sensitive, rapid and low cost.

Chloramphenicol ; analysis ; Clenbuterol ; analysis ; Drug Residues ; analysis ; Estradiol ; analysis ; Microarray Analysis ; methods ; Veterinary Drugs ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the impacts of three different surgical approaches to urethral stricture on the erectile function of the patients.

METHODSThis study included 126 male patients with urethral stricture, 35 treated by substitution urethroplasty (group A), 52 by anastomotic urethroplasty (group B), and 39 by internal urethroplasty (group C). We evaluated the pre- and postoperative erectile function of the patients using IIEF-5 scores by telephone calls and interviews. We also monitored their nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT).

RESULTSThe IIEF-5 scores in groups A, B and C were 13.5 +/- 4.5, 11.1 +/- 4.8 and 14.5 +/- 4.41 respectively after surgery, all significantly decreased as compared with 17.1 +/- 2.6, 17.1 +/- 3.0 and 17.6 +/- 2.2 preoperatively (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAll the three surgical approaches can reduce IIEF-5 scores in patients with urethral stricture, but anastomotic urethroplasty may induce a higher incidence of erectile dysfunction than the other two approaches.

Adult ; Aged ; Humans ; Intraoperative Period ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Penile Erection ; physiology ; Urethral Stricture ; surgery ; Urologic Surgical Procedures, Male ; methods ; Young Adult