OBJECTIVETo study the absorption characteristics of nitrogen (N) , phosphorus (P) , and potassium (K) of Pinellia ternate from Sichuan under the cultivated condition.

METHODThe samples of P. ternate S-29 and S-33 from Sichuan were regularly collected randomly, the contents of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium of each part (aerial and underground parts) were determined, and their distribution and accumulation characters of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium were also studied.

RESULTThe absorption rate of aerial and underground parts of P. ternate were different in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium at different growing stages. Among them, the potassium uptake was the highest, while the phosphorus uptake was the lowest. Totally, the uptakes of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium of P. ternate from Sichuan during "sprout tumble" stage were comparatively higher than that not at "sprout tumble" stage. A significant correlation was observed between the phosphorus and potassium uptake of the aerial and underground parts, respectively (P < 0.05). And there was also significant positive correlation between the nitrogen and phosphorus uptake at underground parts (P < 0.05). During the growth stage of P. ternate, for producing 100 kg air-dried P. ternate, 5.02-5.64 kg N, 2.44-2.56 kg P205, 11.62-13.49 kg K20 were needed to be absorbed.

CONCLUSIONP. ternate from Sichuan should be given enough base fertilizer in field cultivation, and then be supplied with phosphorus and potassium by combining foliar spray with field application during the middle ten days of June and last ten days of August. The ratios of potassium should be properly improved. There was promoting effect in the phosphorus and nitrogen assimilations of the underground parts of P. ternate from Sichuan.

China ; Nitrogen ; metabolism ; Phosphorus ; metabolism ; Pinellia ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Potassium ; metabolism

Objective: To identify the risk factors for failure of internal fixation with proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA) for reverse intertrochanteric hip fractures. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted of the 45 patients with reverse intertrochanteric hip fracture who had been treated with PFNA fixation from January 2006 through January 2018 at the Department of Traumatic Orthopaedics, The Third Affiliated Hospital to Peking University. They were 19 males and 26 females, aged from 19 to 97 years (average, 71.9 years). According to the AO/OTA classification, there were 7 cases of type 31-A3.1, 4 cases of type 31-A3.2 and 34 cases of type 31-A3.3. Fracture healing was judged according to the X-ray at the time of last follow-up. The patients were assigned into a healed group and a failed group. The 2 groups were compared in terms of gender, age, body mass index (BMI), mechanism of injury, AO classification, type of main fracture line, reduction method, reduction quality, status of lateral femoral wall and tip-apex distance. A multivariate logistic regression model was designed to analyse the dependent variable 'implant failure’ with a set of independent variables as risk factors. Results: The 45 patients were followed up for 12 to 62 months (average, 28.4 months). Implant failure was observed in a total of 6 patients (13.3%), 3 of whom had helical blade perforation, 2 main screw breakage, and one cut-out of helical blade. The single factor analysis revealed significant differences in reduction quality and type of main fracture line between the patients with successful fixation and those with failed fixation (P<0.05). The multiple logistic regression analysis identified poor reduction quality (OR=30.809, 95%CI: 1.052~902.298, P=0.047) and a transverse fracture line (OR=25.639, 95%CI: 1.636~401.917, P=0.021) as risk factors for implant failure. Conclusion Poor reduction quality and a transverse fracture line may be predictors of implant failure in reverse intertrochanteric hip fractures treated with PFNA fixation.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the differentially expressed genes(DEGs), and screen the key genes and signaling pathways in human lung epithelial A549 cells exposed to silica dust using bioinformatics and gene chip. METHODS: The GSE30215 gene expression profiles of A549 cells exposed to silica dust were downloaded from Public Gene Expression Omnibus database developed by the National Center for Biotechnology Information. The DEGs were screened by using GEO2 R analysis tools. Then, the DEGs were imported into the biological information annotation database for Gene Ontology(GO) functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. The protein-protein interaction(PPI) network was constructed with the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes database and visualized using the software Cytoscape. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(PCR) was used to verify the expression of key DEGs in A549 cells. RESULTS: Of the 52 DEGs screened, 45 were up-regulated and 7 were down-regulated. The results of GO analysis showed that the DEGs were mainly distributed in extracellular region, associated with regulating biological functions such as chemotaxis, transcription factor activity and so on. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that these DEGs were mainly involved in the tumor necrosis factor(TNF) signaling pathway and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain like receptor signaling pathway. The top 10 key DEGs screened by PPI network were C-C motif chemokine ligand(CCL)2, prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2, interleukin 6, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand(CXCL) 8, CXCL2, jun proto-oncogene, colony stimulating factor 2(CSF2), CCL20, TNF-α induced protein 3(TNFAIP3), and CXCL5. Real-time quantitative PCR results revealed that the changes of key genes were in consistent with the screening results, except the CCL2. CONCLUSION: We found 10 key DEGs that are related to the toxicity caused by exposure to silica dust in A549 cells by bioinformatics. Among them, CSF2, CCL20 and TNFAIP3 may provide new research direction for the mechanisms of the development of multiple pulmonary fibrotic diseases including pneumoconiosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the differentially expressed microRNAs(miRNAs) in human embryonic lung fibroblast MRC-5 cells stimulated by transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1) using microarray chip, and screen for key genes and signaling pathways of fibroblast trans-differentiation. METHODS: The miRNA expression gene chip dataset GSE43992 on TGF-β1 stimulated MRC-5 cells were downloaded from high-throughput Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO) database of National Center for Biotechnology Information of the United States. The R language Limma package was used to screen the differentially expressed miRNAs. Corresponding target genes were predicted by miRWalk database performed by Gene Ontology(GO) functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) signaling pathway enrichment analysis. The protein-protein interaction(PPI) network was constructed by the search tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes database. RESULTS: A total of five differentially expressed miRNAs were identified, including four up-regulated miRNAs and one down-regulated miRNA; and 42 corresponding differentially expressed target genes were predicted. GO analysis indicated that the target genes were significantly enriched in collagen catabolic process, extracellular matrix organization, membrane organization, collagen fibril organization, and cellular response to amino acid stimulus. The results of KEGG pathway analysis showed that the signaling pathways corresponding to miRNAs and target genes were mainly concentrated in 18 signaling pathways, that were mainly related to the age-ethnic signaling pathways and protein digestion and absorption miRNAs in tumors and diabetic complications. The core genes transfected into the myofibroblasts by the three fibroblasts screened by the PPI network were threonine kinase 1, estrogen receptor 1 and β-catenin. CONCLUSION: Five differentially expressed miRNAs, 42 target genes, 18 signaling pathways, and 3 core genes related to TGF-β1-induced MRC-5 cell trans-differentiation were screened. It can provide new reference for the treatment and research of many diseases including pneumoconiosis and pulmonary fibrosis.