Recently, the hepatotoxicity issue regarding to Psoraleae Fructus (PF) has attracted remarkable concerns, which highlights the urgent need to explore the toxicity attenuation method for PF. In this study, we proposed an alcohol soaking and water rinsing method for pre-processing PF based on the record in the classics - "Lei Gong Pao Zhi Lun", aiming to attenuate the potential hepatotoxicity of PF. The optimal pre-processing methods and parameters were investigated by U*12(10⁸) uniform design coupled with 3D-cultured human-derived liver organoids model and high-content imaging. The results showed that there were significant variations among the hepatotoxicity intensities of different pre-processed PF products. Four factors, including the concentration of alcohol, the ratio of material and alcohol in alcohol soaking, the time of alcohol soaking and the times of water rinsing, were found as independent significant factors (all P<0.01). The optimal pre-process parameters were further predicted and verified as follows: the alcohol concentration is 80%, the times of alcohol soaking is 3, the ratio of alcohol and material of alcohol soaking is 3, the time for alcohol soaking is 30 h, the ratio of water and material of water rinsing is 2, the times of water rinsing is 3, the time water rinsing is 12 h and the time of steaming is 5 h. This research demonstrated that the alcohol soaking and water rinsing method can effectively reduce the potential hepatotoxicity of PF. This method provides a reference for reducing the risk of PF liver injury from the perspective of Chinese medicinal materials pre-processing.

Objective: To summarize the experience of diagnosis and treatment of superior mesenteric artery compression syndrome (SMACS) secondary to chronic constipation according to the concept of Lee′s triad syndrome. Methods: The concept of Lee′s triad syndrome: (1) clinical symptoms: triad of constipation, malnutrition, upper gastrointestinal obstruction (vomiting, difficulty in eating); (2) anatomical manifestations: with triple anatomy anomaly of transverse colon sagging, elevated spleen flexure, and mesentery arterial compression; (3) treatment: with triple treatment of enteral nutrition support, chest-knee posture and fecal microbiota transplantation. A descriptive cohort study was performed. According to Lee′s triad syndrome criteria, clinical data of 78 patients with superior mesenteric artery compression syndrome secondary to chronic constipation in the Tenth People′s Hospital of Tongji University and General Hospital of Eastern Theater Command from June 2004 to November 2018 were prospectively collected, including basic information, symptoms and signs, imaging findings, nutritional indicators, gastrointestinal quality of life index (GIQLI) and Wexner defecation score. The above parameters based on Lee′s triad syndrome criteria were followed up and recorded at 1, 3, 6, 12 months after comprehensive treatment. Results: All the patients had Lee′s triple symptoms of constipation, malnutrition, upper gastrointestinal obstruction (vomiting, eating difficulties), and triple anatomy anomaly of transverse colon sagging, elevated spleen curvature, and mesentery arterial compression before treatment. After triple treatment of enteral nutrition support, chest-knee posture, and fecal microbiota transplantation, 69 (88.5%) patients had a significant improvement of symptoms, and 9 patients had no significant improvement of symptoms and then eventually received surgery. The 69 cases without operation received follow-up for 12 months. All the patients eventually returned to normal eating, and upper gastrointestinal angiography and superior mesenteric artery imaging showed duodenal compression disappeared. After 1 month, the constipation-related indexes were improved. After 12 months, the number of autonomous defecation per week increased from 1.0±0.8 to 5.0±1.6 (P<0.001). The GIQLI score increased from 52.7±8.5 to 93.2±7.5 (P<0.001), and the Wexner score decreased from 19.1±2.5 to 6.2±2.1 (P<0.001). After 1 month, nutritional indexes were improved gradually. After 12 months, the BMI increased from (17.9±1.8) kg/m² to (21.0±1.3) kg/m², total protein increased from (65.2±5.7) g/L to (68.3±4.2) g/L, albumin increased from (32.1±5.1) g/L to (40.4±3.0) g/L, prealbumin increased from (163.2±53.7) mg/L to (259.1±45.6) mg/L, fibrinogen increased from (1.9±0.5) g/L to (2.4±0.5) g/L, whose differences were statistically significant (all P<0.001). Upper gastrointestinal angiography and superior mesenteric artery imaging showed duodenal compression were relieved. The angle between superior mesenteric artery and abdominal aorta increased from (17.4±3.8)° to (37.8±5.8)° (t=-22.26, P<0.001). Conclusion When patients with SMACS secondary to chronic constipation have Lee′s triple symptoms and triple anatomy anomaly, the triple combination treatment of enteral nutrition support, chest-knee posture and fecal microbiota transplantation should be applied.

Objective: To analyze the molecular characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes strains from ready-to eat food in China. Methods: A total of 239 Listeria monocytogenes strains isolated from ready-to-eat food in 2017, all strains underwent whole-genome sequencing (WGS) , and comparisons uncovered population structure derived from lineages, clonal complex, serogroups, antimicrobial susceptibility and virulence, which were inferred in silico from the WGS data. Core genome multilocus sequence typing was used to subtype isolates. Results: All strains were categorized into three different lineages, lineage Ⅱ was the predominant types in food, and IIa was the main serogroups. CC8, CC101 and CC87 were the first three prevalent CCs among 23 detected CCs, accounting for 49.4%. Only 4.6% (11 isolates) of tested strains harbored antibiotic resistance genes, which were mostly trimethoprim genes (7 isolates, 2.9%). All strains were positive for LIPI-1, and only a part of strains harbored LIPI-3 and LIPI-4, accounting for 13.8% (33 isolates) and 14.2% (34 isolates), respectively. ST619 carried both LIPI-3 and LIPI-4. 51.5% (123 isolates) of strains carried SSI-1, and all CC121 strains harbored SSI-2. Different lineages, serogroups and CCs can be separated obviously through cgMLST analysis, and 24 sublineages were highly concordant with CCs. Conclusion Ⅱa was the main serogroups in ready-to-eat food isolates in China; CC8, CC101 and CC87 were the prevalent CCs, and CC87 isolates was hypervirulent isolates, cgMLST method can be adopted for prospective foodborne disease surveillance and outbreaks detection.

Objective To study the possible mechanisms,efficacy and safety of acetaminophen and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on promoting the closure of ductus arteriosus in preterm infants.Method From January 2016 to May 2018,preterm infants (gestational age＜34 weeks) with symptomatic patent ductus arteriosus (sPDA) admitted to our neonatal intensive care unitwere enrolled prospectively.15 mg/kg of acetaminophen was orally given every 6 hours for three days (acetaminophen group).If acetaminophen was contraindicated (PRP group) or acetaminophen therapy failed (PRP rescue group),PRP transfusion was given at a single dose of 20 ml/kg.Echocardiogram,platelet-derived growth factors (PDGF) and urinary prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were examined before and 72 hours after treatment.The data were analyzed using ANOVA,student's t test,Kruskal-Wallis H method and chi-square test.Result A total of 70 cases were enrolled.61 cases were treated with acetaminophen.The success rate (67.2％,41/61) was similar to PRP group (6/9) (P=1.000),and significantly higher than PRP rescue group (6/17) (P=0.017).The complications in acetaminophen group included 22 cases of hyperbilirubinemia (36.1％),5 cases of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage (8.2％),4 cases of positive fecal occult blood test (6.6％),3 cases of oliguria (4.9％),1 case of Grade Ⅲ ～ Ⅳ intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) (1.6％),and 1 case of≥ Ⅱ stage necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) (1.6％).A total of 3 cases of hyperbilirubinemia were in PRP group.One case of hyperbilirubinemia,one oliguria,one Grade Ⅲ～ Ⅳ IVH and one ≥ Ⅱ stage NEC were in PRP rescue group.The urinary PGE2 level in post-treatment was lower than pre-treatment in acetaminophen group (t=6.878,P＜0.001).The blood platelet count and PDGF level in post-treatment were higher than pre-treatment in PRP group (t=-2.496,-8.906;P=-0.037,＜0.001) and PRP rescue group (t=-3.374,-2.503;P=0.004,0.024).Conclusion Oral acetaminophen and PRP transfusion had similar efficacy in promoting the closure of ductus arteriosus in preterm infants.If oral acetaminophen was contraindicated or failed,PRP transfusion could be one of the candidates for rescue therapy to promote the closure of ductus arteriosus in preterm infants.

Objective To study the influence factors on the accuracy of a smartphone software application (APP) , which is an automated image-based bilirubin (AIB) testing technique for neonatal bilirubin. Methods This was a prospective study involving 179 jaundiced neonates admitted to the Department of Neonatology of the Affiliated Xuzhou Hospital of Southeast University from August to December, 2017. If blood sampling was required to determine total serum bilirubin (TSB), the transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) and AIB on the sternum (glabella or the visible darkest yellow area were tested in 36 cases at the same time) were also tested. The concentrations of AIB were measured using a mobile phone-based neonatal jaundice monitoring APP with images taken by OPPO R11 smartphone (55 cases were also taken by Huawei Mate 8 and iPhone 6). The accuracy and non-inferiority of AIB comparing with TcB, the correlation and consistency between AIB and TSB and the value of AIB in predicting TSB were analyzed. Non-inferiority trial, student's t test, variance analysis, Pearson's correlation analysis, Bland-Altman plots and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used as statistical methods. ResuLts A total of 179 neonates were enrolled in this study with the mean gestational age of (36.2±2.1) weeks and the mean birth weight of (2 871±735) g. Based on all data, the mean difference between the absolute value of AIB minus TSB (|AIB － TSB|) and the absolute value of TcB minus TSB (|TcB － TSB|) was 0.77 mg/dl (1 mg/dl=17.1 μmol/L) with the 95%CI of (0.60-0.95) mg/dl, suggesting that the accuracy of AIB was not inferior to that of the TcB. Furthermore, AIB was not inferior to TcB in its accuracy in different subgroups based upon the time after birth ( ≤ 48 h and >48 h), gestational age (≤35 weeks and >35 weeks) and in the daytime subgroup. In the nighttime subgroup, the mean difference between ∣ AIB － TSB ∣ and ∣ TcB － TSB ∣ was 1.47 mg/dl [95%CI: (1.08-1.87) mg/dl], which indicated that the accuracy of AIB was inferior to that of the TcB. There were good correlation (r=0.788) and highly consistency between AIB and TSB based on all data [96.4% (238/247) of the samples were within the 95% limits of agreement of (－4.75 to 5.71) mg/dl]. Such results were also found in different subgroups, such as smartphone brands, detection areas, the time after birth and gestational age. The correlation and consistency between AIB and TSB in daytime subgroup (r=0.924, 98.4%) were obviously stronger than those of the nighttime subgroup (r=0.727, 87.5%). The mean difference between the absolute value of ocular value minus TSB (|ocular value－TSB|)and|AIB－TSB|was 2.13 mg/dl [95%CI: (1.68-2.58) mg/dl], implying a superior accuracy of AIB than ocular estimation. The areas under the ROC curves, the sensitivity and the specificity of AIB for the prediction of TSB >10, >15 and >20 mg/dl were 0.94, 93% and 85%; 0.89, 75% and 87%; and 0.84, 50% and 88%, respectively. ConcLusions AIB is not inferior to TcB in accuracy, and is significantly superior to ocular estimation. There are good correlation and strong consistency between AIB and TSB. The accuracy of AIB, and the correlation and consistency between AIB and TSB are less likely to be affected by the time after birth, gestational age, smartphone brands and areas being examined, but are largely affected when examining during nighttime. Therefore, it is recommended to detect AIB at daytime with bright natural light.

Objective To investigate whether cyclic GMP-AMP synthase ( cGAS ) , a cytosolic DNA sensor, could recognize the reverse transcription intermediate and induce the subsequent signaling path-way during the infection of human T cell leukemia virus type 1 ( HTLV-1 ) . Methods Biotin-labeled ssDNA90, a reverse transcription intermediate of HTLV-1, was transfected into HeLa cells and the interac-tion between it and cGAS was detected by co-immunoprecipitation experiments. HeLa cells were co-cultured with HTLV-1-positive MT2 cells and the interaction between cGAS and stimulator of interferon genes ( STING) was analyzed by co-immunoprecipitation experiments. The expression of STING in HeLa cells was silenced by siRNA. cGAS was transfected into the HeLa cells 24 h after the silencing and after 24 h, these cells were co-cultured with MT2 cells for another 24 h. Real-time PCR assay was used to measure the ex-pression of IFN-β, RANTES ( regulated upon activation, normal T-cell expressed, and secreted) , TNF-α, HTLV-1 protein Tax, p19 and HBZ. Immunoblot assay was performed to evaluate the phosphorylation of IRF3 and p65 in HeLa cells. Results cGAS interacted with ssDNA90. cGAS interacted with STING in the cytoplasm. In STING-silenced HeLa cells, cGAS transfection had no influence on the expression of IFN-β, RANTES , TNF-α, Tax , p19 or HBZ , nor did it affect the phosphorylation of IRF3 or p65 . Conclusions cGAS interacted with HTLV-1 RTI ssDNA90 and activated STING-dependent innate immune responses.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Benzenesulfonates ; analysis ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dietary Exposure ; analysis ; Food Coloring Agents ; analysis ; Food Safety ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Risk Assessment ; Young Adult

Ziziphora bungeana is a kind of medicinal plants belongs to Labiatae,and it also a kind of geoherbs in Xinjiang. The main active ingredient linarin has a higher content in inflorescence than in other parts. In this study,high-throughput sequencing technology was used to reveal the transcriptome of the inflorescence of Z. bungeana,77 366 unigenes were acquired,of which 56 375 unigenes were annotated based on search of the database and classification. Through the analysis of metabolic pathways,sixty unigenes were probably encoding some enzymes involved in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathways. The contents of linarin in different parts were determined and the key genes were verified by qRT-PCR. The discovery provides the research basis for further analysis of the enzyme genes involved in the biosynthesis of the major flavonoid components in Z. bungeana.
Flavonoids ; biosynthesis ; Gene Expression Profiling ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Lamiaceae ; chemistry ; Transcriptome

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of miR-155 in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and to explore the effect of transfection of miR-155 inhibitor on the biological characteristics of DLBCL cells. METHODS: A total of 76 patients with DLBCL treated in our hospital were selected from April 2013 to December 2017. In the same time, 40 cases of lymph node reactive hyperplasia (LNRH) were selected as control group. DB cells were cultured and divided into miR-155 inhibitor, negative control and blank groups. The expressions of miR-155 in DLBCL, negative and blank control groups were detected by using real-time PCR, the cell proliferation was detected by MTT assay, the apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry, and the cell migration and invasion were detected by Transwell assay. RESULTS: The relative expression level of miR-155 in tissues of DLBCL patients was significantly higher than that in tissne of controls (1.93±0.16 vs 1.01±0.09) (t=33.991, P=0.000). The expression level of miR-155 increased (P＜0.05) in DLBCL patients with LDH level abnormarity, BCL-2, MUM1, Ki-67≥50%, non-GC type, Ann Arbor stage III-IV, extranodal lesion number≥2 and IPI score 3-5. The relative expression level of miR-155 in the miR-155 inhibitor group was lower than that in the negative control group and the blank group (P＜0.05). The absorbance (A) values at 24, 48, 72 and 96 h of culture in the miR-155 inhibitor group were lower than those in the negative control group and the blank group (P＜0.05), while the apoptotic rate was higher than that in the negative control group and the blank group (P＜0.05). Both the migrating cells and invading cell number in the miR-155 inhibitor group were lower than those in the negative control group and the blank group (P＜0.05). CONCLUSION The miR-155 highly expresses in DLBCL tissue, which relates with tumor malignancy and invasion progression. The specific inhibition of miR-155 expression in DB cells can reduce cell proliferation, accelerate cell apoptosis, and inhibit cell migration and invasion.
Apoptosis ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse ; genetics ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

Lycii Fructus is a commonly used Chinese herbal medicine. Due to limited wild resources,Lycii Fructus is mainly derived from the cultivation of Lycium barbarum when it circulate in the market. Related studies have shown that there are some differences in the quality of Lycii Fructus from different regions. In August 2017,our research team went to the county areas of Ningxia,Gansu,Qinghai,Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia,which included 13 counties and planted L. barbarum. The county areas obtained 71 batches of samples. According to the content of four chemical components of polysaccharides,protein,vitamins and naringin in 71 batches,the quality of zoning was studied by SPSS and Arc GIS. The results showed that there were significant differences in the contents of polysaccharides,protein,vitamins and naringin in the sampling area. Among them,the vitamin content in Inner Mongolia was relatively high. The content of polysaccharide in Xingjiang was relatively high,the protein content of Ningxia was relatively high. The content of naringin in Inner Mongolia was relatively high. The quality of Lycii Fructus from different producing areas requires a comprehensive evaluation of multiple indicators. Through the analysis of the four chemical components and the eco-environmental factors,the chemical composition with high percentage of percentage content is affected by climatic factors,and the chemical composition with low proportion is greatly affected by soil factors. The literatures such as " Chinese Flora" are mostly recorded that L. barbarum are planted in the northwest and south central areas. There is no record of artificial planting L. barbarum in the northeast region. Through this study,it is found that Liaoning and Jilin province also have a small amount of L. barbarum cultivated. The result shows that in the middle temperature zone and warm temperature zone there are also the cultivation of L. barbarum.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Fruit ; Lycium ; Polysaccharides