The plant AT-rich sequence and zinc-binding protein (PLATZ) family is composed of plant-specific zinc finger-like transcription factors, which play important roles in plant growth, development, and stress tolerance. In this study, to gain a better understanding of the PLATZ gene in C. sinensis and elucidate its response under drought and high temperature conditions, the PLATZ gene family of the C. sinensis cultivar 'Tieguanyin' was systematically identified, and a total of 12 CsPLATZ family members were identified. Expasy online and other bioinformatics tools were used to analyze the members of the PLATZ gene family in terms of protein physicochemical properties, phylogenetic relationships, cis-acting elements, gene structures, and intra- and inter-species collinearity. The results of phylogenetic analysis classified the CsPLATZ family members into 2 subfamilies. The conserved domains and gene structures of PLATZ family members within the same subfamily had a high degree of consistency, whereas a certain degree of diversity was observed among the subfamilies. Twelve PLATZ genes were unevenly distributed across 7 chromosomes of C. sinensis and the promoter regions of these genes had multiple cis-acting elements related to hormone and stress responses. The collinearity analysis showed that there were 4 pairs of duplication events in the CsPLATZ gene family, all of which were segmental duplications. Based on this gene family, C. sinensis had a closer evolutionary relationship with A. thaliana than with O. sativa. The transcriptome analysis showed that the expression levels of CsPLATZ family members varied in different tissue samples of C. sinensis. 6 genes (CsPLATZ-1, CsPLATZ-2, CsPLATZ-3, CsPLATZ-4, CsPLATZ-6, and CsPLATZ-8) with high expression in shoots, young leaves, and roots were selected for high temperature and drought stress treatments, and their expression was quantified by qRT-PCR. The results indicated that the six genes might play important roles in the response to drought stress. In addition, CsPLATZ-2 and CsPLATZ-8 might have important functions in the response to high temperature stress. The results of this study will contribute to a better understanding of the biological functions of PLATZ genes and their possible roles in the growth, development, and stress responses of C. sinensis.
Droughts ; Camellia sinensis/physiology* ; Phylogeny ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Plant Proteins/genetics* ; Stress, Physiological/genetics* ; Multigene Family ; Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Hot Temperature ; Genes, Plant

Hyperbranched polymers (HBPs) have drawn great interest in the biomedical field on account of their special morphology, low viscosity, self-regulation, and facile preparation methods. Moreover, their large intramolecular cavities, high biocompatibility, biodegradability, and targeting properties render them very suitable for anti-tumor drug delivery. Recently, exploiting the specific characteristics of the tumor microenvironment, a range of multifunctional HBPs responsive to the tumor microenvironment have emerged. By further introducing various types of drugs through physical embedding or chemical coupling, the resulting HBPs based delivery systems have played a crucial part in improving drug stability, increasing effective drug concentration, decreasing drug toxicity and side effects, and enhancing anti-tumor effect. Here, based on different types of tumor microenvironment stimulation signals such as pH, redox, temperature, etc., we systematically review the preparation and response mechanism of HBPs, summarize the latest advances in drug delivery applications, and analyze the challenges and future research directions for such nanomaterials in biomedical clinical applications.

The epitranscriptomic mark N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A), which is the predominant internal modification in RNA, is important for plant responses to diverse stresses. Multiple environmental stresses caused by the tea-withering process can greatly influence the accumulation of specialized metabolites and the formation of tea flavor. However, the effects of the m⁶A-mediated regulatory mechanism on flavor-related metabolic pathways in tea leaves remain relatively uncharacterized. We performed an integrated RNA methylome and transcriptome analysis to explore the m⁶A-mediated regulatory mechanism and its effects on flavonoid and terpenoid metabolism in tea (Camellia sinensis) leaves under solar-withering conditions. Dynamic changes in global m⁶A level in tea leaves were mainly controlled by two m⁶A erasers (CsALKBH4A and CsALKBH4B) during solar-withering treatments. Differentially methylated peak-associated genes following solar-withering treatments with different shading rates were assigned to terpenoid biosynthesis and spliceosome pathways. Further analyses indicated that CsALKBH4-driven RNA demethylation can directly affect the accumulation of volatile terpenoids by mediating the stability and abundance of terpenoid biosynthesis-related transcripts and also indirectly influence the flavonoid, catechin, and theaflavin contents by triggering alternative splicing-mediated regulation. Our findings revealed a novel layer of epitranscriptomic gene regulation in tea flavor-related metabolic pathways and established a link between the m⁶A-mediated regulatory mechanism and the formation of tea flavor under solar-withering conditions.
RNA/metabolism* ; Epigenome ; Plant Proteins/metabolism* ; Plant Leaves/metabolism* ; Camellia sinensis/metabolism* ; Flavonoids ; Terpenes/metabolism* ; Tea/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant

Oolong tea is a semi-fermented tea with strong flavor, which is widely favored by consumers because of its floral and fruity aroma as well as fresh and mellow taste. During the processing of oolong tea, withering is the first indispensable process for improving flavor formation. However, the molecular mechanism that affects the flavor formation of oolong tea during withering remains unclear. Transcriptome sequencing was used to analyze the difference among the fresh leaves, indoor-withered leaves and solar-withered leaves of oolong tea. A total of 10 793 differentially expressed genes were identified from the three samples. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes were mainly involved in flavonoid synthesis, terpenoid synthesis, plant hormone signal transduction and spliceosome pathways. Subsequently, twelve differentially expressed genes and four differential splicing genes were identified from the four enrichment pathways for fluorescence quantitative PCR analysis. The results showed that the expression patterns of the selected genes during withering were consistent with the results in the transcriptome datasets. Further analysis revealed that the transcriptional inhibition of flavonoid biosynthesis-related genes, the transcriptional enhancement of terpenoid biosynthesis-related genes, as well as the jasmonic acid signal transduction and the alternative splicing mechanism jointly contributed to the flavor formation of high floral and fruity aroma and low bitterness in solar-withered leaves. The results may facilitate better understanding the molecular mechanisms of solar-withering treatment in flavor formation of oolong tea.
Camellia sinensis/genetics* ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Plant Leaves ; Plant Proteins/metabolism* ; Taste ; Tea ; Transcriptome/genetics*

Objective To evaluate the factors influencing the diagnostic positivity of endoscopic ultrasonography guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) for small size pancreatic carcinoma (SSPC) and the occurrence of the adverse events after the aspiration.Methods 51 patients with SSPC ≤2 cm in diameter treated in Changhai hospital from February 2008 to January 2015 were retrospectively studied.The gender,age,tumor diameter,location,the dilation of pancreatic ducts,the number of aspirations and the needle passages,the usage of negative pressure during aspiration,the pathological examination of the specimens and postoperative adverse events and the like were collected.Univariate analysis and logistic regression analyze were applied to determine the factors influencing the diagnostic positivity of EUS-FNA for SSPC and postoperative adverse events.Results Among the 51 patients,positive cytology outcome were identified in 30 patients,which were negative in 21 patients.Univariate analysis identified that there were no statistical differences on the age,sex,dilated pancreatic duct,the number of aspirations and needle passages between two groups (P value ＞0.05).The diagnostic positivity using the 10ml minor negative pressure was obviously higher than that using 20 ml negative pressure,and the differences were statistically significant (P =0.028).Multivariate logistic regression identified 10ml minor negative pressure was easier to obtain positive cytology outcome (Odds Ratio 0.2810,95％ CI 0.093-0.851).In addition,the number of passages in patients with postoperative adverse events was greater than those without postoperative adverse events (30 vs 20),and the difference was statistically significant (P =0.034).Conclusions The introduction of 10 ml negative pressure could improve the diagnostic positivity of EUS-FNA for SSPC,and the increased number of needle passages may increase the occurrence rate of postoperative adverse events.

Objective To explore the electrophysiological examination results and risk factors of type 2 diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Methods 337 patients with type 2 diabetes from August 2014 to December 2016 in the first people's hospital in Shizuishan city were divided into DPN group (n=218) and NPDN group(n=119) according to the results of NCV and SSR examinations. The general information and laboratory biochemical indicators in the two groups were compared. Multivariate Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors of DPN. Results The diagnosis rate of DPN detected by NCV combined with SSR was higher than that of NCV or SSR alone(P<0.05);There were significant differences in age,duration of diabetes,history of hypertension,systolic blood pressure,2h FBG,HbA1c,FINS,2 h INS,FC-P, 2h FC-P,ACR between the DPN group and NPDN group(P<0.05);Logistic multivariable analysis showed that age, duration of diabetes, 2h FBG, HbA1c, ACR were independent risk factors for DPN. Conclusion It is beneficial to increase the diagnosis rate of DPN by NCV combined with SSR. There is a higher incidence rate of DPN type 2 diabetes patients with older grade, longer duration of diabetes, higher 2h FBG, HbA1c and ACR.

Objective To investigate the expression and clinical features of amplified in breast cancer 1 (AIB1) and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers in human hepatocellular carcinoma and to observe the effect of AIB1 silencing by RNA interference (RNAi) on expression of EMT markers and invasiveness of HepG2 cells.Methods In this study,expression of AIB1,E-cadherin,Vimentin,ZO-1,and N-cadherin protein in 81 hepatocellular carcinomas were assessed through immunohistochemistry and clinicopathological significance was analyzed.After the lentiviral vector of AIB1 RNA interference was transfected into HepG2 cells,the expression of AIB1 and EMT markers was detected by real-time PCR and Western blot.The invasion and metastasis was evaluated by Transwell analysis.Results The expression of AIB1 protein was significantly up-regulated in the hepatocellular carcinoma tissue compared to the normal tumor adjacent tissue.The frequency of AIB1 overexpression in hepatocellular carcinomas with lymph node metastasis is 63％ (P ＜ 0.05).Correlation analysis demonstrated that the AIB1 protein expression was inversely correlated with E-cadherin,and positively correlated with Vimentin in hepatocellular carcinomas.After transfection with AIB1 targeting siRNA,the expression of AIB1 mRNA and protein decreased significantly (P ＜ 0.05).Knockdown of AIB1 expression increased the expression of E-cadherin and inhibited the expression of Vimentin.In addition,the invasion of HepG2 cells silenced AIB1 were significantly descented.Conclusion Above data suggests that overexpression of AIB1 might promote invasiveness and metastasis of cancer cells through regulation of E-cadherin and Vimentin expression in hepatocellular carcinomas.

Objective To investigate the effect-site concentration for 50% of maximal effect (EC50 )of propofol required for loss of consciousness and onset of burst suppression and to assess the effect of target-control infusion(TCI)of remifentanil on these EC50 of propofol.Methods Sixty patients undergoning general anesthesia for scheduled surgery were randomly divided into 2 groups (n=30):group R received TCI of remifentanil with a target concentraton of 4 ng/ml 10 minutes before TCI of propofol,which started at a target plasma concentration of 1μg/ml and then increased by 1μg/ml step every 1 minute until the burst suppression ratio reach to 15%.Group N received a mock TCI of saline instead of remifentanil and the other procedures were as same as group R.During this,all patients were assessed by modified Observ-er’s Assessment of Alertness/Sedation (OAA/S)scale,the loss of consciousness was definited by modified OAA/S values less than 2,the onset of burst suppression was definited by 15% of burst suppression ratio. Results The EC50 of effect-site concentration of propofol required for loss of consciousness and onset of burst suppression were 2.35 (95%CI 2.29-2.41)and 6.31 (95%CI 6.13-6.47)μg/ml respectively.The EC50 of propofol required for loss of consciousness was decreased to 1.73μg/ml by TCI of remifentanil,but the EC50 of propofol required for onset of burst suppression did not changed by TCI of remifentanil. Conclusion TCI of remifentanil could decrease the EC50 of propofol effect-site concentration required for loss of consciousness but has no effect on the EC50 of propofol required for onset of burst suppression.

Objective To determine the critical value of the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale (EPDS) in preliminary screening of postpaitum depression (PPD) in puerpera of Chengdu. Methods A prospective cohort of 732 women completed the Chinese version of EPDS and the Beck depression inventory (BDI) three to fourteen days after giving birth. Results The optimal critical value for EPDS to screen PPD was as follows: score no higher than 5 symboled no or slight PPD;score between 6 and 9 represented mild PPD, score equal to or higher than 10 showed moderate or severe PPD. Conclusions The EPDS is reliable in screening PPD in Chengdu, and it has optimal critical value at which it is sensitive to identify PPD in puerperas of Chengdu.

Objective To evaluate the utility of the Chinese version of the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale(EPDS)when being used in puerperas in Chengdu.Methods Following translation and back translation,the EPDS was commented by six experts,then a prospective cohort of 732 women completed the EPDS and the Beck depression inventory(BDI)three to fourteen days after siring birth.Rusuits The concordance rates of translation and back translation were all 100%;the content validity ratio of the EPDS was 0.9333;the Cronbaeh's alpha coefficient of the EPDS was 0.76,the cumulative variance contribution of the two factors was 44.979%,and the spearman correlation coefficient between the EPDS and BDI was 0.584,＜0.01.Conclusions The EPDS possesses good cknical pefformanee,is very concise,easy to read and understand and well accepted by mainland Chinese puerperas and researchers.It is a good instrument for screening for postnatal depression in puerperas of Chengdu.