In order to identify Aucklandiae Radix, Vladimiriae Radix, Inulae Radix, Aristolochiae Radix and Kadsurae Radix using ITS2 barcodes, genomic DNA from sixty samples was extracted and the ITS2 (internal transcribed spacer) regions were amplified and sequenced. The genetic distances were computed using MEGA 5.0 in accordance with the kimura 2-parameter (K2P) model and the neighbor-joining (NJ) phylogenetic tree was constructed. The results indicated that for Aucklandiae Radix (Aucklandia lappa), Vladimiriae Radix (Vladimiria souliei and V. souliei var. cinerea), Inulae Radix (Inula helenium), Aristolochiae Radix (Aristolochia debilis) and Kadsurae Radix (Kadsura longipedunculata), the intra-specific variation was smaller than inter-specific one. There are 162 variable sites among 272 bp after alignment of all ITS2 sequence haplotypes. For each species, the intra-specific genetic distances were also smaller than inter-specific one. Furthermore, the NJ tree strongly supported that Aucklandiae Radix, Vladimiriae Radix, Inulae Radix, Aristolochiae Radix and Kadsurae Radix can be differentiated. At the same time, V. souliei (Dolomiaea souliei) and V. souliei var. cinerea( D. souliei var. cinerea) belonging to Vladimiriae Radix were clearly identified. In conclusion, ITS2 barcode could be used to identify Aucklandiae Radix, Vladimiriae Radix, Inulae Radix, Aristolochiae Radix and Kadsurae Radix. Our study may provide a scientific foundation for clinical safe use of the traditional Chinese medicines.
Aristolochia ; classification ; genetics ; Base Sequence ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; methods ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; genetics ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; classification ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Plants, Medicinal ; classification ; genetics ; Quality Control

Adult ; Aged ; Angiopoietin-2 ; physiology ; Female ; Glioma ; blood ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Hypoxia ; blood ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; physiopathology

RNA-Sequencing (RNA-Seq) is a newly-developed method in transcriptome research, it can afford more accurate transcription information and be more quickly by using Next-generation Sequencing (NGS) technology. RNA-Seq has been widely used in various biological fields. Genuine traditional Chinese medicines (TCM), with good quality and therapeutic effect, were always praised highly and used by famous physicians. The geo-herbalism formation of TCM is based on the product of the gene expression at specific space and time. So it has been a research hotspot to analyze the mechanism of biosynthesis through RNA-Seq in the study on the secondary metabolism of medicinal plant. This article mainly illustrates the RNA-Seq and its advantages, it also discusses the potential application in genuine TCM, and it can provide useful information for other researchers.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Gene Expression Profiling ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Plants, Medicinal ; genetics ; RNA ; Sequence Analysis, RNA ; Transcriptome

To collect small molecule drugs and their drug target data such as enzymes, ion channels, G-protein-coupled receptors and nuclear receptors from KEGG database as the training sets, in order to establish drug-target interaction models based on the random forest algorithm. The accuracies of the models were evaluated by the 10-fold cross-validation test, showing that the predicted success rates of the four drug target models were 71.34%, 67.08%, 73.17% and 67.83%, respectively. The models were adopted to predict the targets of 26 chemical components and establish the compound-target-disease network. The results were well verified by literatures. The models established in this paper are highly accurate, and can be used to discover potential targets in other traditional Chinese medicine ingredients.
Algorithms ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Gene Regulatory Networks ; drug effects ; Humans ; Ligusticum ; chemistry ; Molecular Targeted Therapy ; Rhizome ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo compare the effect of reinforcing Shen method (RSM) and activating blood method (ABM) in treating osteoarthritis (OA) at the molecular level.

METHODSThe physical and chemical characteristics of components from respective recipes of RSM and ABM, and network features of component-target interaction network were analyzed by computer simulation methods including chemical space, molecular docking, and biological network, etc.

RESULTSThe chemical components of RSM and ABM were scarcely scattered with larger overlapping. Among established networks, the distribution of network features was partially similar in RSM and ABM. The average target number correlated with each component was 1.86 in RSM and 2.11 in ABM respectively. Each average target number was respectively correlated with 4.46 compounds and 3.93 compounds, reflecting multi-component and multi-target actions.

CONCLUSIONComputer simulation could intuitively trace out similarities and differences of two different methods and their interaction with targets, which revealed that the compatibility of RSM and ABM could have broader protein targets and potential synergism at the molecular level.

Objective To investigate whether the genetic variant rs10830963 of melatonin receptor 1B(MTNR1B)gene is associated with increased risk for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).Methods Eighty-seven GDM subjects(GDM group)and 91 normal pregnant women (control group)were randomly recruited form Women and Children's Hospital of Quzhou,Zhejiang Province,China.The allele and genotype frequencies of the rsi0830963 in MTNR1B gene were determined in all participants with PCR amplification and DNA sequencing.The allele and genotype frequencies of rs10830963 were compared to determine their differences between GDM subjects and normal controls.In addition,multiple linear regression was conducted to investigate the association patterns of the risk allele with fasting glucose and HbAlc levels.Results Both GG genotype and G allele frequencies of the rs10830963 loci in the GDM group were significantly higher than those in the controls,and women with G allele and GG genotype were associated with increased GDM risk(OR=1.53,95％ CI:1.005-2.324,P=0.047 and OR=2.16,95％ CI:1.052-4.434,P=0.034 respectively).After adjusting for age,body mass index before pregnancy,and family history of diabetes mellitus,women carrying GG genotype still had a higher GDM risk(OR =2.07,95％ CI:1.048-4.372,P =0.022).Multiple linear regression showed that the rs10830963 G allele was positively correlated with higher levels of fasting glucose(0.068 mmol/L,P=0.015)and HbAlc(0.073％,P=0.028).Conclusions Genetic variant rs10830963 in MTNR1B gene may contribute to the susceptibility to GDM in Chinese population and the rs10830963 G allele is a risk factor for the GDM susceptibility.

An experiment was conducted using cultivated Glycyrrhiza uralensis in age of one year to study the effects of abscisic acid (ABA) on chemical components content and color of G. uralensis. By using different concentrations of ABA spraying on leaves, the change of the chemical component content was analyzed within 45 d after ABA stimulation, and the effects on quality were studied combined with colorimetric analysis data. It turned out that in some sense the content of glycyrrhizic acid and liquiritin had increased within 45 d, especially for liquiritin. After high concentrations of ABA (3.96 mg · L(-1)) stimulating, the content of glycyrrhizic acid rose 52% while liquiritin up 392% within 30 d. Then they both showed a decline in the content of glycyrrhizic acid and liquiritin on 45 d. Color index values of a* and b* were all significantly higher than that of the control group within 45 d, which meant the color of powders turned toward red and yellow. The conclusion was that ABA (3.96 mg · L(-1)) stimulating could not only improve the quality in the traditional sense through the color of G. uralensis, but also in the modern sense by improving the content of glycyrrhizic acid and liquiritin.
Abscisic Acid ; pharmacology ; Color ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Flavanones ; analysis ; Glucosides ; analysis ; Glycyrrhiza uralensis ; chemistry ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Glycyrrhizic Acid ; analysis ; Plant Growth Regulators ; pharmacology

Objective To investigate a method of repairing complex tissue defects one stage in one finger or several fingers for more fine recipient site repairing and less donor area traum. Methods From August 2007 to August 2010,eight cases of 20 fingers were reconstructed according to the state of complex tissue defects in a hand,second toes (right or left side) were split into two or three parts as complex tissue flaps that may including joints,tendons,skin,nail beds,et al.These flaps then were translated to hand to repair complex tissue defects by anastomosing vessels.Results Twenty fingers in 8 cases were successfully reconstructed.Follow-up ranged from 3 months to 36 months,external appearance were fine.According to the Trial Evaluation Standard of Reconstructed Finger Function of Handsurgery Society of China,sixteen fingers were excellent,three fingers were good,one finger was fine.And there was no effect on foot.Conclusion Spliting single second toe is a good method for repairing more complex tissue defects in a hand.

Background Human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-B27-associated uveitis is one of the most common causes of non-infectious uveitis.T helper 17 (Th17) cells play an important role in human autoimmune diseases,but the pathology research on the production of Th17 cells in acute anterior uveitis patients positive for HLA-B27 was rarely reported.Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the expression and significance of the peripheral blood T helper cell subsets (Th1,Th2,Th17) in acute anterior uveitis patients positive for HLA-B27.Methods This study meets the criteria of the Helsinki Declaration.Informed consent was obtained from all the participants.A prospective cohort design was used in this study.Twenty-two patients with acute anterior uveitis positive for HLA-B27 were enrolled from Affiliated Second Hospital of Nanjing Medical University,and 16 normal healthy subjects with matched gender and age were enrolled as controls.The expression of interferon-γ (IFN-γ),interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-17 on lymphocytes (CD4+) in blood were assessed by flow cytometry,and immunoturbidimetry was used to detect the C reactive protein (CRP) level in blood.The degree of the severity of disease was evaluated by clinical scoring.The correlations between the percentage of IFN-γ+Th1,IL-4+Th2,or IL-17+Th17 with clinical factors and CRP were analyzed.Results The percentages of IFN-γ+Th1 and IL-17+Th17 in the peripheral blood were (23.11 ±9.69) ％ and (3.96±2.92) ％ in the patient group,showing a significant increase in comparison with (16.00±4.26)％ and (1.68±0.60) ％ in the control group (P=0.041,P=0.002).However,the IL-4+Th2 level was not significantly different between the patient group (0.33％ ±0.36％) and the control group (0.56％ ±0.34％) (P=0.122).No significant correlations were found between the percentage of IFN-γ+ Th1 with disease severity and CRP (r =0.197,P =0.500 ; r =0.253,P =0.383),between the percentage of IL-4+ Th2 with disease severity and CRP (r =0.068,P =0.817 ; r =0.439,P =0.116) as well as between the percentage of IL-17 + Th17 with CRP (r =0.226,P =0.436).However,a positive correlation was seen between the percentage of IL-17+ Th17 with disease severity (r =0.805,P =0.001).Conclusions IFN-γ and IL-17 in human CD4+T cells are significantly elevated in the blood of HLA-B27-related acute anterior uveitis patients.Disease severity is associated with the percentage of IL-17 +Th17,suggesting that Th1 cells together with Th17 cells participate in the pathogenesis of the disease and Th17 cells might play a dominant role in the disease.

Objective To investigate the influence of factors related to metabolic syndrome(MS)on the outcome in subjects without diabetes mellitus in a community.Methods A two-year follow-up study was conducted in 885 subjects who were enrolled in the epidemiologic survey carried out in Pingliang Community, Shanghai in 2002.Oral glucose tolerance test,lipid prefde,blood pressure(BP),body mass index(BMI),waist and hip circumferences were measured.Results (1)The baseline of BMI,fasting plasma glucose(FPG),2h plasma glucose after glucose loading(2hPG),BP,triglyceride(TG)in the subjects with impaired glucose regulation(IGR)increased significantly as compared to those with normal glucose regulation(NGR)(all P