Growth year is one of the important factors for the quality of Polygala tenufolia. In this study, primary metabolites and secondary metabolites were compared in 1, 2 and 3 years old P. tenufolia cultivated in Shaanxi Heyang. The samples were subjected to ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis, and the obtained data were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA) and other statistical analysis methods. In addition, content and correlation of different metabolites were also calculated. The results showed no significance between main component contents in 2 year-old and 3 year-old P. Tenufolia, but 1 year-old was statistically different. The contents of primary metabolites, such as fructose, sucrose, and choline increased as time goes on, while glycine and raffinose decreased. The contents of secondary metabolites, such as onjisaponin Fg, polygalasaponin XXVIII, polygalasaponin XXXII increased, while polygalaxanthone III and parts of oligosaccharide multi-ester including tenuifoliose A, tenuifoliose C, tenuifoliose C2 and tenuifoliose H decreased with the extension of the growth years. Growth years has important impact on the quality of P. tenuifolia and the existing growing years of commodity P. tenuifolia have its scientific evidence. This study supplied a new method for the quality evaluation of Chinese medicinal materials.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Mass Spectrometry ; Metabolomics ; Oligosaccharides ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Polygala ; chemistry ; Quality Control

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of leukocyte-associated Ig-like receptor-1(LAIR-1) in children with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), in order to explore the possible role of LAIR-1 in the pathogenesis of childhood ITP.

METHODSExpression levels of LAIR-1 on CD4(+) T cells, CD8(+) T cells and CD19(+)CD20(+) B cells of peripheral blood were measured in 40 children with ITP by flow cytometry. Serum level of solubility LAIR-1 (sLAIR-1) was measured using ELISA. Real-time PCR was used to measure LAIR-1 mRNA expression. Thirty-two healthy children served as the control group.

RESULTSThe percentages of CD19(+)CD20(+) B cells in the ITP group were significantly higher than in the control group (P<0.05). In contrast, the percentage of CD4(+) T cells in the ITP group was significantly lower than in the control group (P<0.05). The expression levels of LAIR-1 on CD4(+) T cells and CD8(+) T cells were significantly lower in the ITP group than in the control group (P<0.05). Serum sLAIR-1 level and LAIR-1 mRNA expression in the ITP group significantly increased compared with the control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSLAIR-1 expression on CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells decreases and serum sLAIR-1 level increases in children with ITP, suggesting that LAIR-1 may play an important role in immune imbalance in these children.

CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic ; immunology ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Receptors, Immunologic ; blood ; genetics ; physiology

Anal Canal/surgery* ; Humans ; Rectal Fistula/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the integrity of the resected mesentery specimen after total mesorectal excision (TME) for low rectal cancer using methylene blue perfusion via the superior rectal artery.

METHODSTwenty patients with low rectal cancer were randomly divided into the methylene blue group (n=10) and the control group (n=10). All the patients received TME and macroscopic examination of the mesorectal surface was performed to evaluate the quality of the surgical specimen. The methylene blue was injected into the specimen postoperatively via superior rectal artery.

RESULTSThe mesorectal surface of all the specimens was intact on macroscopic examination. However, after methylene blue perfusion, 2 specimens were found to be incomplete. The number of lymph nodes in the methylene blue group were significantly larger (17.3+/-2.4 vs 12.4+/-5.4, P=0.016).

CONCLUSIONSIntegrity evaluation of TME specimen is necessary. Methylene blue perfusion is a convenient and effective method to identify subtle incompleteness of specimen and can improve the detection of lymph node.

Adult ; Aged ; Digestive System Surgical Procedures ; Female ; Humans ; Infusions, Intra-Arterial ; Male ; Mesenteric Artery, Inferior ; Mesentery ; pathology ; surgery ; Methylene Blue ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Period ; Prognosis ; Rectal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Rectum ; blood supply

OBJECTIVETo search for the genes which could interact with newly found homo sapiens cross-immune reaction antigen (PCIA1) gene and accordingly to provide insights into the study of the gene function.

METHODSThe Stratagene's BacterioMatch Two-Hybrid System and BacterioMatch Fetal Kidney Library were adopted and the recombinant bait plasmid pBT-PCIA1 was cotransformated with the target plasmid pTRG-cDNA library DNA into the reporter stain. After screening and isolation of positive pTRG clones, the target genes were identified by DNA sequencing and bioinformation analysis.

RESULTSAmong all the seven detected target genes, three genes' function were not known, the other four genes had important functions. Their mutations or abberant expression resulted in severe diseases and overexpression of ACTN4 (actinin, alpha 4), PSAP (prosaposin) or EIF3S10 (eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3, subunit 10 theta) could promote tumor development and progression.

CONCLUSIONThe bacterial two-hybrid system technique is an efficient method, which can provides insights into the study of novel genes' function by detecting protein-protein interactions. This study indicates that PCIA1 gene expression correlates with tumor formation, invasion and metastasis.

Bacteria ; genetics ; metabolism ; Computational Biology ; DNA Restriction Enzymes ; metabolism ; Gene Library ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Two-Hybrid System Techniques

Objective To investigate the influence from compressing manipulation by flexing hip and knee in supine position on stress distributions in the pelvis and strain distributions in the sacroiliac joints by 3D finite element method, and discuss the possibility of moving the whole sacroiliac joints under such manipulation. Methods A 3D finite element model of the normal pelvis was constructed based on CT images. According to the manipulation principle, the compressing force in flexing hip and knee was decomposed in two directions, and loaded on the 3D finite element model to calculate stress of the pelvis and strain of the sacroiliac joints. Results Under the loading of simulative manipulation, stress of the pelvis was mainly located at 1/3 part of the anterior inferior of the sacroiliac joints, the greater sciatic notch, and the middle 1/3 part of the inferior and anterior of gluteal lines. The maximum strain of the sacroiliac joints was mainly located in the posterior superior, posterior inferior and central 1/2 part of the sacroiliac joints. Conclusions The compressing manipulation by flexing hip and knee can only move 1/3 part of the interior of the sacroiliac joints, rather than the whole of the sacroiliac joints.

The content changes of chemical components in different phenological phase of the cultivated Polygala tenuifolia is one of the important factors for determination of the best harvest time in the production practice. In this study, the digital gene expression (DGE) profiles of the cultivated P. tenuifolia were analyzed in different phenological phase (flowering fruit bearing stage, wilting stage, dormancy stage). The differentially expressed genes were found in the biosynthesis of chemical composition in P. tenuifolia, and the representational ones were validated by RT-qPCR. Then, the key enzymes (CYP450s and UGTs) involved in the downstream of the triterpenoid saponins biosynthesis pathway in P. tenuifolia were predicted through the correlation analysis of gene expression. The number of down-regulated genes was more than that of up-regulated in P. tenuifolia from flowering fruit bearing stage to dormancy stage. Six differentially expressed genes (HMGS, PMK, FPPS, SQS, SE, β-AS) and five (PAL, C4H, 4CL, CAD, peroxidase) were annotated to the triterpenoid saponins and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway in P. tenuifolia, respectively. Compared to wilting and dormancy stages, the saponins, xanthones, and lignins were largely synthesized at the flowering fruit bearing stage of P. tenuifolia. Furthermore, UGT83A1, CYP716B1, CYP98A3, CYP86B1, and CYP94A1 may be the part of key enzymes in the downstream of the triterpenoid saponins biosynthesis pathway in P. tenuifolia. This study provides evidence to support the correctness of traditional harvest time of P. tenuifolia at the level of transcription, and lays the scientific foundation for gene cloning and functional verification of CYP450s and UGTs in the downstream of the triterpenoid saponins biosynthesis pathway in P. tenuifolia in the future.