Abelmoschi Corolla, the dried corolla of Abelmoschus manihot, has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-fibrosis activities. Its chemical constituents mainly include flavonoids, organic acids, steroids, and polysaccharides. This study reviewed the research progress in the chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of Abelmoschi Corolla in recent 20 years. According to the concept of quality marker(Q-marker), the Q-markers of Abelmoschi Corolla were predicted from plant phylogeny, chemical constituent specificity, traditional efficacy, chemical constituent measurability, and absorbed constituents. The primary Q-markers for Abelmoschi Corolla were anticipated to include quercetin-3'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, gossypetin-8-O-β-D-glucuronide, isoquercetin, myricetin,quercetin, and hyperoside, with the aim of providing reference data for improving the quality evaluation system of Abelmoschi Corolla.
Abelmoschus/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Flowers/chemistry* ; Humans ; Animals ; Quality Control ; Flavonoids/chemistry*

Constructing an efficient and easy-to-operate multigene expression system is currently a crucial part of plant genetic engineering. In this study, a fragment carrying three independent gene expression cassettes and the expression unit of the gene-silencing suppressor protein(RNA silencing suppressor 19 kDa protein, P19) simultaneously was designed and constructed. This fragment was cloned into the commonly used plant expression vector pCAMBIA300, and the plasmid pC1300-TP2-P19 was obtained. Each gene expression cassette consists of different promoters, fusion tags, and terminators. The target gene can be flexibly inserted into the corresponding site through enzymatic digestion and ligation or recombination and fused with different protein tags, which provides great convenience for subsequent detection. The enhanced green fluorescent protein(eGFP) reporter gene was individually constructed into each expression cassette to verify the feasibility of this vector system. The results of tobacco transient expression and laser-confocal microscopy showed that each expression cassette presented independent and normal expression. Meanwhile, the three key enzyme genes in the betanin synthesis pathway, BvCYP76AD, BvDODA1, and DbDOPA5GT, were constructed into the three expression cassettes. The results of tobacco transient expression phenotype, protein immunoblotting(Western blot), and chemical detection of product demonstrated that the three exogenous genes were highly expressed, and the target compound betanin was successfully produced. The above results indicated that the constructed multigene expression system for plants in this study was efficient and reliable and can achieve the co-transformation of multiple plant genes. It can provide a reliable vector platform for the analysis of plant natural product synthesis pathways, functional verification, and plant metabolic engineering.
Nicotiana/metabolism* ; Genetic Vectors/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Plant Proteins/metabolism* ; Plants, Genetically Modified/metabolism* ; Genetic Engineering/methods* ; Green Fluorescent Proteins/metabolism* ; Gene Expression

AIM To investigate the clinical effects of Buyang Huanwu Decoction combined with Erlong Xizhu Acupuncture Method on elderly patients with stroke.METHODS Ninety-six patients were randomly assigned into control group(48 cases)for 1-month intervention of Erlong Xizhu Acupuncture Method,and observation group(48 cases)for 1-month intervention of both Buyang Huanwu Decoction and Erlong Xizhu Acupuncture Method.The changes in neurological function indices(NIHSS score,NDS score),Hcy,CysC,vascular endothelial function indices(ET-1,NO,vWF),intracranial hemodynamic indices(Vmean,R,DR),hemorheological indices(WBLSV,WBHSV,FIB,HCT,EAI)and prognosis assessment indices(mRS score,BI score)were detected.RESULTS After the treatment,the two groups displayed decreased neurological function indices,Hcy,CysC,ET-1,vWF,R,DR,hemorheological indices,mRS score(P＜0.05),and increased NO,Vmean,BI score(P＜0.05),especially for the observation group(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION For the elderly patients with stroke,Buyang Huanwu Decoction combined with Erlong Xizhu Acupuncture Method can reduce serum Hcy,CysC levels,and improve vascular endothelial functions,intracranial hemodynamics,hemorheological indices,thus improve neurological functions and promote prognosis.

Objective: To investigate the application value of computed tomography (CT) examination of lymph node short diameter in evaluating cardia-left gastric lymph node metastasis in thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods: A total of 477 patients with primary thoracic ESCC who underwent surgical treatment in the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2013 to December 2017 were collected. All of them underwent McKeown esophagectomy plus complete two-field or three-field lymph node dissection. Picture archiving and communication system were used to measure the largest cardia-left gastric lymph node short diameter in preoperative CT images. The postoperative pathological diagnosis results of cardia-left gastric lymph node were used as the gold standard. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the efficacy of CT lymph node short diameter in detecting the metastasis of cardia-left gastric lymph node in thoracic ESCC, and determine the optimal cut-off value. Results: The median short diameter of the largest cardia-left gastric lymph node was 4.1 mm in 477 patients, and the largest cardia-left gastric lymph node short diameter was less than 3 mm in 155 cases (32.5%). Sixty-eight patients had cardia-left gastric lymph node metastases, of which 38 had paracardial node metastases and 41 had left gastric node metastases. The lymph node ratios of paracardial node and left gastric node were 4.0% (60/1 511) and 3.3% (62/1 887), respectively. ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve of CT lymph node short diameter for evaluating cardia-left gastric lymph node metastasis was 0.941 (95% CI: 0.904-0.977; P<0.05). The optimal cut-off value of CT examination of the cardia-left gastric lymph node short diameter was 6 mm, and the corresponding sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 85.3%, 91.7%, and 90.8%, respectively. Conclusion: CT examination of lymph node short diameter can be a good evaluation of cardia-left gastric lymph node metastasis in thoracic ESCC, and the optimal cut-off value is 6 mm.
Humans ; Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma/pathology* ; Cardia/surgery* ; Esophageal Neoplasms/pathology* ; Lymphatic Metastasis/pathology* ; Lymph Nodes/pathology* ; Lymph Node Excision ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods* ; Esophagectomy/methods* ; Retrospective Studies

Objective: To investigate the application value of computed tomography (CT) examination of lymph node short diameter in evaluating cardia-left gastric lymph node metastasis in thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods: A total of 477 patients with primary thoracic ESCC who underwent surgical treatment in the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2013 to December 2017 were collected. All of them underwent McKeown esophagectomy plus complete two-field or three-field lymph node dissection. Picture archiving and communication system were used to measure the largest cardia-left gastric lymph node short diameter in preoperative CT images. The postoperative pathological diagnosis results of cardia-left gastric lymph node were used as the gold standard. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the efficacy of CT lymph node short diameter in detecting the metastasis of cardia-left gastric lymph node in thoracic ESCC, and determine the optimal cut-off value. Results: The median short diameter of the largest cardia-left gastric lymph node was 4.1 mm in 477 patients, and the largest cardia-left gastric lymph node short diameter was less than 3 mm in 155 cases (32.5%). Sixty-eight patients had cardia-left gastric lymph node metastases, of which 38 had paracardial node metastases and 41 had left gastric node metastases. The lymph node ratios of paracardial node and left gastric node were 4.0% (60/1 511) and 3.3% (62/1 887), respectively. ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve of CT lymph node short diameter for evaluating cardia-left gastric lymph node metastasis was 0.941 (95% CI: 0.904-0.977; P<0.05). The optimal cut-off value of CT examination of the cardia-left gastric lymph node short diameter was 6 mm, and the corresponding sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 85.3%, 91.7%, and 90.8%, respectively. Conclusion: CT examination of lymph node short diameter can be a good evaluation of cardia-left gastric lymph node metastasis in thoracic ESCC, and the optimal cut-off value is 6 mm.
Humans ; Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma/pathology* ; Cardia/surgery* ; Esophageal Neoplasms/pathology* ; Lymphatic Metastasis/pathology* ; Lymph Nodes/pathology* ; Lymph Node Excision ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods* ; Esophagectomy/methods* ; Retrospective Studies

Colon cancer is a malignant tumor that harms human health. In spite of significant progress in our understanding of the molecular pathogenesis, the prognosis for patients with colon cancer remains poor. Ubiquilin-2 (UBQLN2) is a member of the ubiquitin family, actively implicated in the degradation of misfolded and redundant proteins through the ubiquitin-proteasome system and macroautophagy. However, the role and mechanism of UBQLN2 in colon cancer are not clear. This study was designed to explore the role of UBQLN2 in colon cancer and whether the Wnt pathway is involved. IHC and Western blotting analysis showed lower UBQLN2 expression in colon cancer tissues and cells (P<0. 05), and exhibited a negative correlation of UBQLN2 expression with clinical stage and lymph node metastasis (P< 0. 05). CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry demonstrated that UBQLN2 expression could inhibit colon cancer cell proliferation and promote cell apoptosis (P<0. 05). Western blotting analysis reveals that suppression of UBQLN2 enhances Bcl-2 expression but inhibits Bax and Wnt signaling. Taken together, these results showed that UBQLN2 inhibits proliferation and promotes apoptosis of colorectal cancer cells through suppressing the Wnt signaling pathway.

The paper introduces professor GAO Shu-zhong's understanding on "seeking yin from yang needling method" and its clinical application on the basis of "qi street" and "four seas" theories. Through professor GAO's clinical practice for years, he integrates and extendes the theories of "seeking yin from yang", "qi street" and "four seas" in Huangdi Neijing (The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic). In this specific acupuncture method, in reference with the theories of "qi street" and "four seas", acupuncture is exerted on yang part of body, e.g. the back and lumber region to treat the diseases of yin parts, e.g. the chest and abdomen, which is differentiated as yin-yang imbalance in pathogenesis. In order to fully explain the clinical curative effect of "seeking yin from yang needling method", the common diseases in clinic, e.g. the disorders of heart, spleen and stomach systems, as well as the gynecology are taken as examples in the paper.
Acupuncture ; Acupuncture Therapy/history* ; Humans ; Male ; Qi ; Vascular Surgical Procedures ; Yin-Yang

Objective: The relationship between serum uric acid (SUA) levels and glycemic indices, including plasma glucose (FPG), 2-hour postload glucose (2h-PG), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), remains inconclusive. We aimed to explore the associations between glycemic indices and SUA levels in the general Chinese population. Methods: The current study was a cross-sectional analysis using the first follow-up survey data from The China Cardiometabolic Disease and Cancer Cohort Study. A total of 105,922 community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 40 years underwent the oral glucose tolerance test and uric acid assessment. The nonlinear relationships between glycemic indices and SUA levels were explored using generalized additive models. Results: A total of 30,941 men and 62,361 women were eligible for the current analysis. Generalized additive models verified the inverted U-shaped association between glycemic indices and SUA levels, but with different inflection points in men and women. The thresholds for FPG, 2h-PG, and HbA1c for men and women were 6.5/8.0 mmol/L, 11.0/14.0 mmol/L, and 6.1/6.5, respectively (SUA levels increased with increasing glycemic indices before the inflection points and then eventually decreased with further increases in the glycemic indices). Conclusion An inverted U-shaped association was observed between major glycemic indices and uric acid levels in both sexes, while the inflection points were reached earlier in men than in women.
Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Blood Glucose/analysis* ; China/epidemiology* ; Cohort Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus/blood* ; Female ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Glycated Hemoglobin A/analysis* ; Glycemic Index ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Uric Acid/blood*

BACKGROUND: Shenyankangfu Tablet (SYKFT) is a Chinese patent medicine that has been used widely to decrease proteinuria and the progression of chronic kidney disease. OBJECTIVE: This trial compared the efficacy and safety of SYKFT, for the control of proteinuria in primary glomerulonephritis patients, against the standard drug, losartan potassium. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTION: This was a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial. Primary glomerulonephritis patients, aged 18-70 years, with blood pressure ≤ 140/90 mmHg, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥ 45 mL/min per 1.73 m MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was change in the 24-hour proteinuria level, after 48 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: A total of 735 participants were enrolled. The percent decline of urine protein quantification in the SYKFT group after 48 weeks was 8.78% ± 2.56% (P = 0.006) more than that in the losartan 50 mg group, which was 0.51% ± 2.54% (P = 1.000) less than that in the losartan 100 mg group. Compared with the losartan potassium 50 mg group, the SYKFT plus losartan potassium 50 mg group had a 13.39% ± 2.49% (P < 0.001) greater reduction in urine protein level. Compared with the losartan potassium 100 mg group, the SYKFT plus losartan potassium 100 mg group had a 9.77% ± 2.52% (P = 0.001) greater reduction in urine protein. With a superiority threshold of 15%, neither was statistically significant. eGFR, serum creatinine and serum albumin from the baseline did not change statistically significant. The average change in TCM syndrome score between the patients who took SYKFT (-3.00 [-6.00, -2.00]) and who did not take SYKFT (-2.00 [-5.00, 0]) was statistically significant (P = 0.003). No obvious adverse reactions were observed in any group. CONCLUSION: SYKFT decreased the proteinuria and improved the TCM syndrome scores of primary glomerulonephritis patients, with no change in the rate of decrease in the eGFR. SYKFT plus losartan potassium therapy decreased proteinuria more than losartan potassium therapy alone. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT02063100 on ClinicalTrials.gov.

Chronic unpredicted mild stress(CUMS) combined with isolated feeding was used to induce depressed rat model. The anti-depressant effects of Zhizichi Decoction(ZZCD) and its solid fermented product(ZZC) were analyzed by behavioral test and comparison of pathological tissues of hippocampus and liver, metabolic characteristics of intestinal flora, and relative abundance of species. The results showed that ZZC could increase sucrose preference, shorten the immobility time in the forced swim test and tail suspension test(P<0.05), and repair damaged hippocampus and liver tissues, and the effect was superior to that of ZZCD. The results of Biolog ECO plates showed that the average well color development(AWCD) of intestinal flora in the model group significantly decreased and the metabolic levels of sugar and amino acids were reduced, while the AWCD of the treatment groups increased. The metabolic levels of the two carbon sources were improved in the ZZC group, while only sugar metabolic level was elevated in the ZZCD group. Metagenomic analysis of intestinal flora showed that the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes was 3.87 in the control group, 21.77 in the model group, 5.91 in the ZZC group, and 18.48 in the ZZCD group. Lactobacillus increased by 3.28 times, and Prevotella and Bacteroidetes decreased by 75.59% and 76.39%, respectively in the model group as compared with that in the control group. Lactobacillus decreased by 31.13%, and Prevotella and Bacteroidetes increased by more than three times in the ZZC group as compared with that in the model group, while the corresponding changes in the ZZCD group were not significant. ZZC could improve depression-like beha-viors by regulating the structure of intestinal flora and metabolic functions and repairing damaged hippocampus and liver tissues in depressed rats, showing an anti-depressant effect superior to that of ZZCD. This study is expected to provide a basis for the development of new anti-depressant food products.
Animals ; Depression/drug therapy* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Fermentation ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Hippocampus ; Rats ; Stress, Psychological