Long non-coding RNA ( LncRNA) is a class of transcript (>200 nucleotides) that do not encode proteins. It plays an important role in epigenetic regulation and gene expression at transcriptional or post transcriptional level. The abnormal expression of LncRNA may lead to various pathological processes. Diabetic retinopathy ( DR ) is a multifactorial disease. Recent studies have shown that many specific expressions of LncRNAs are closely related to the genesis of DR. In this review, we summarized the recent advances in the function of LncRNA, the regulatory mechanisms of LncRNA involved in the development of DR, and the related therapies.

Objective: To analyze the difference of chemical compositions in Xanthii Herba and Xanthii Fructus. Methods: Eight batches of Xanthii Herba and Xanthii Fructus samples from different origins were determined by UPLC-Triple TOF-MS/MS. Through the analysis of the multistage tandem mass spectrometry, the characteristic peaks were extracted with mass spectrometry data peak matching, peak alignment, and noise filtering. Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were used for data processing. The components were identified according to a mass spectrometry accurate mass and two mass spectrometry fragmentation information, combined with the software of database search and literature. Results: The chemical compositions in Xanthii Herba and Xanthii Fructus samples are clearly distinguished. Forty-four compositions have the differences between Xanthii Herba and Xanthii Fructus. Forty-one chemical compositions are identified. Among of them, there are 12 kinds of differential compositions which presented different changing laws. Conclusion: From the different compositions of Xanthii Herba and Xanthii Fructus, the material basis can be provided for revealing the property and efficacy in Xanthii Herba and Xanthii Fructus.

Objective: To analyze the dynamic changes of phenolic acids and anthraquinones from the aerial parts of Xanthium sibiricum (Xanthii Herba) in different collection periods. Methods: To establish an HPLC method for simultaneous determination of chlorogenic acid, neochlorogenic acid, protocatechualdehyde, protocatechuic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, 1,3-dicaffeoylquinic acid, ferulic acid, 3,4- dicaffeoylquinic acid, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, aloeemodin, emodin, and chrysophanol in the aerial parts of X. sibiricum. Results: The contents of phenolic acids and anthraquinones in different harvest time showed dynamic changes. In mid July, the content of total phenolic acids was higher. The higher content of total anthraquinones was in late July. The contents of five total phenolic acids were higher in mid July, such as chlorogenic acid, protocatechuic aldehyde, ferulic acid, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, and 1,3-dicaffeoylquinic acid. The content of chlorogenic acid was higher in late June, and the rest of five phenolic acids were higher in mid July. Conclusion: This can provide the basis for determining the suitable harvest time of X. sibiricum.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a method for the determination of phenolic acids, anthraquinones, and flavonoids in Xanthii Herba at different harvest time by UPLC-QTRAP-MS/MS and analyze the dynamic accumulation of multiple active components in Xanthii Herba. METHODS: Chromatographic separation was conducted on an Agilent ZORBAX SB-C18 (4.6 mm×250 mm, 5 μm) column with gradient elution using methanol and 0.2% formic acid as mobile phases. MS analysis was carried out using electrospray ionization in negative MRM mode. Grey related degree was used for the comprehensive evaluation. RESULTS: The calibration curves for the 18 components showed good linearity (r>0.9994) in the range of the tested concentrations. The average recoveries of the 18 components were from 96.96% to 102.55% with relative standard deviations (RSDs) less than 3%. There were differences in the contents of 18 components in Xanthii Herba at different harvest periods. Xanthii Herba had high quality in late July and mid-July. CONCLUSION: This study reveals the rule of the dynamic accumulation of 18 components in Xanthii Herba and provides information for the suitable harvest time.

OBJECTIVE: To establish a high performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) method for simultaneousn determination of nchlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, isochlorogenic acid A, isochlorogenic acid C, neochlorogenic acid, and cynarin in the herbs of Xanthii Herba and Xanthii Fructus. METHODS: 50 mmol·L^-1 borax-water was used as buffer solution (pH 9.54). The separation was performed on an uncoated fused silica capillary (64.5 cm×75 μm, 56 cm of effective length) maintained at 25℃ at voltage of 25 kV. The detection wavelength was 326 nm, and the sample was injected at 25 kPa×6 s. RESULTS: The calibration curves of the seven phenolic acid showed good linearity (r>0.9994) in the ranges of the tested concentrations, and the average recoveries of the method were between 99.85%-102.70%. CONCLUSION: The method is simple, accurate and reproducible, and can be used for the quality evaluation and control of Xanthii Herba and Xanthii Fructus.

The use of optimal regulatory sequences for simultaneous expression of the transgenes might play a significant role in engineering plants with increased disease and insect resistance.The plant expression vector pOMS-GUS,which contained the GUS gene under the control of a chimeric promoter based upon the mannopine synthase(mas)promoter and the octopine synthase(ocs)enhancer,was constructed.Used as control,another vector pMAS-GUS,carried the GUS gene driven by only the mas promoter.The two vectors were introduced into tobacco plants by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.Fluorometric assays for GUS activity and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)analysis revealed that GUS gene expressed weakly with untreated transgenic tobacco while the level of GUS activity increased steadily after 1 h subjected to wounding.The expression of the mas and ocs/mas promoters was induced a further 1.8-fold and 5.7-fold,respectively.SA(1 mmol/L)or MJ(250 ?mol/L)treatment also caused a large induction of the ocs/mas chimeric promoter;And the application of SA in combination with MJ(1 mmol/LSA & 250 ?mol/L MJ)produced an additive effect that exceeded the wounding response.The results showed that the ocs/mas chimeric promoter is a strong inducible promoter that can be activated by various stresses.The chimeric promoter should have utility in development of disease and insect resistant transgenic crops.

Objective To discuss the clinical ultiliazation and significance of microembolus detection by transcranial Doppler (TCD) sonography in intracranial stenosis-occlusive disease.Data sources All related articles in this review were mainly searched from PubMed published in English from 1996 to 2012 using the terms of microembolic signal,transcranial Doppler,intracranial stenosis,stroke.Study selection Original articles and reviews were selected if they were related to the clinical utilization of microembolus detection in intracranial stenosis-occlusive disease.Results Intracranial stenosis is a significant cause of cerebral emboli,and microembolus detection by TCD sonography were widely used in exploring the mechanisms of ischemic stroke with intracranial stenosis (including the middle cerebral artery stenosis and the vertebral-basilar stenosis),evaluating the prognosis of acute stroke,evaluating the therapeutic effects,and predicting the recurrent events of stroke.Conclusion Microembolus detection by TCD sonography plays an important role in the cerebral ischemic stroke patients with intracranial stenosis.

To standardize the harvest ways of Dendrobium officinale and improve the quality and yield of D. officinale, a field experiment was carried out to study the effect of two kinds of harvest ways, which were keeping some of the axial shoot and harvesting all of the shoot by the end of the year. Then, the agronomic traits and yield were measured and the contents of polysaccharides and extractum were determined. The results showed that the harvest ways significantly affected the growth of D. officinale. Keeping some of the axial shoot could significantly improved the number of sprout, stem length, internode number and the internodal length, which also triggered increase the weight of fresh stems, leaves and the total of them and dry stems in per unit area, but it could not promote the stem diameter and the polysaccharide content in stems. Keeping some of the axial shoot moderately was conducive to the improvement of the production of medicinal materials in the process of harvesting by promoting the germination and growth of new buds, and to ensure the polysaccharide content by regulating the illumination and the density of cultivation.
Agriculture ; methods ; Dendrobium ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; growth & development

Cassiae Semen is a common traditional Chinese medicine, and contents of anthraquinones of Cassiae Semen different significantly from area to area. According to Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 edition), only contents of aurantio obtusin and chrysophanol were used to evaluate the quality of Cassiae Semen, another data could be added later. Ten batches of Cassiae Semen from different areas were determined, and total anthraquinones, total free anthraquinones and total combined anthraquinones contents were assessed by ultraviolet visible spectrophotometer, contents of aurantio obtusin, rhein, aloe emodin, emodin, chrysophanol and physcion were determined by HPLC. After that, principal components analysis was used to evaluate these data determined previous by dimension reduction analysis. At last, the result suggests that three main components were found out, it shows that content of aloe emodin could be used to evaluate the quality of Cassiae Semen as well as contents of aurantio obtusin and chrysophanol. And Cassiae Semen from Hebei province posseses higher quality than Cassiae Semen from other different areas. All these results can provide a good reference for quality evaluating of Cassiae Semen medicinal materials at a certain extent.
Anthraquinones ; analysis ; Cassia ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Principal Component Analysis

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of combination of Epimedii Folium and Ligustri Lucidi Fructus on osteoporosis rats induced by retinoic acid.

METHODSixty three-month-old male Wistar rats were randomly divided into the normal control group, the model group, the Epimedii Folium group, the Ligustri Lucidi Fructus group, the combination group of Epimedii Folium and Ligustri Lucidi Fructus and the raloxifene group. The osteoporosis model was established through oral administration with retinoic acid for two weeks. Meanwhile, all of treatment groups were administered with corresponding drugs for three weeks. The contents of serum calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), alkaline phosphatase (AKP) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (StrACP) were detected, and the pathomorphological changes of femurs were observed.

RESULTThe model control group showed much lower contents of serum Ca and P than the normal control group, but with significantly higher AKP and StrACP activity than the normal control group. The femoral head area showed reduced, narrow and sparse trabecular bones, with typical osteoporosis-like changes. Compared with the model control group, all of treated groups showed significant increase in Ca and P contents in serum, and down-regulate AKP and StrACP levels, while trabecular bones became more and wider, and densely interweaved as a reticular formation. Among them, the combination group showed the most significant effect.

CONCLUSIONEpimedii Folium and Ligustri Lucidi Fructus could effectively correct the abnormal bone metabolism and improve pathological conditions of bone tissues, so as to show the anti-osteoporosis effect. The combined application of the two drugs showed a better efficacy.

Acid Phosphatase ; blood ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; blood ; Animals ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Calcium ; blood ; Drug Interactions ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Epimedium ; chemistry ; Femur ; drug effects ; pathology ; Isoenzymes ; blood ; Ligustrum ; chemistry ; Male ; Osteoporosis ; blood ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Phosphorus ; blood ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tartrate-Resistant Acid Phosphatase ; Tretinoin ; adverse effects