OBJECTIVE: To analyze the overall survival (OS) of elderly acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients treated with oral arsenic-containing Qinghuang Powder (, QHP) or low-intensity chemotherapy (LIC). METHODS: Forty-two elderly AML patients treated with intravenous or subcutaneous LIC (1 month for each course, at least 3 courses) or oral QHP (3 months for each course, at least 2 courses) were retrospectively analyzed from January 2015 to December 2017. The main endpoints of analysis were OS and 1-, 2-, 3-year OS rates of patients, respectively. And the adverse reactions induding bone marrow suppression, digestive tract discomfort and myocardia injury were observed. RESULTS: Out of 42 elderly AML patients, 22 received LIC treatment and 20 received QHP treatment, according to patients' preference. There was no significant difference on OS between LIC and QHP patients (13.0 months vs. 13.5 months, >0.05). There was no significant difference on OS rates between LIC and QHP groups at 1 year (59.1% vs. 70.0%), 2 years (13.6% vs. 15%), and 3 years (4.6% vs. 5.0%, all >0.05). Furthermore, there was no significant difference of OS on prognosis stratification of performance status > 2 (12 months vs. 12 months), age> 75 year-old (12.0 months vs. 12.5 months), hematopoietic stem cell transplant comorbidity index >2 (12 months vs. 13 months), poor cytogenetics (12 months vs. 8 months), and diagnosis of secondary AML (10 months vs. 14 months) between LIC and QHP patients (>0.05). CONCLUSION QHP may be an alternative treatment for elderly AML patients refusing LIC therapy.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Arsenicals ; therapeutic use ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; drug therapy ; mortality ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Powders ; Retrospective Studies

A new species of Alternaria causing leaf spots on the rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) in Yunnan, China, was isolated, examined, and illustrated. Morphologically, it belongs to the section Porri of Alternaria, which produces relatively large conidia and a simple or branched, filamentous long beak. It is, however, characterized by conidiophores gradually enlarging near the apex into a clavate conidiogenous cell and long ellipsoid to obclavate, smooth-walled conidia with a long filamentous beak. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on ITS rDNA, GAPDH, and TEF1-alpha sequences demonstrate that the phytopathogen falls in the clade of the section Porri, being most closely related to A. sidae, A. sennae, A. deseriticola, A. cyamopsidis, A. rostellata, A. nitrimali, A. crassa, and A. thunbergiae.
Acanthaceae ; Accidental Falls ; Alternaria ; Animals ; Ascomycota ; Beak ; China ; Classification ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Hevea ; Rubber ; Spores, Fungal

To observe the protective effect of Longxue Tongluo capsule (LTC) on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (EAhy.926 cells) injury induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL, 100 mg·L⁻¹). The effect of the cell viability of LTCin alleviating OX-LDL-induced endothelial cell injury was determined by MTT and LDH assay. The effect of LTC on lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), nitric oxide (NO), super oxide dlsmutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were detected by corresponding assay kits according to manufacturer's instruction. The effect of LTC on the protein expressions of intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), p65, p-p65, IKB and p-IKB were detected by Western blot. The results showed that compared with the normal control group, the activity of EAhy.926 cells was significantly decreased, LDH leakage (<0.01) increased, NO content and SOD activity significantly decreased (<0.01, <0.05), and the expressions of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, p-p65/p65 and p-IKB(<0.05)increased.This study demonstrated that LTC had no significant effect on the growth of normal cells. The treatment with LTC significantly promoted the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells damagedby ox-LDL, decreased MDA content and LDH release, andincreased the activity of SOD and NO content. Meanwhile, ox-LDL significantly increased the expressions of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, p-p65/p65, p-IKB/IKB in Eahy.926 cells; these effects were suppressed by LTC at 1, 2 mg·L⁻¹. In conclusion, LTC has a significant protective effect on human umbilical vein endothelial cells caused by ox-LDL. This study suggested that LTC has a certain therapeutic effect on AS.

Objective: To observe the effect of miR-155 on angiotensin Ⅱ (AngⅡ)-induced mice vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) phenotype switching with its possible mechanism. Methods: Primary cultured mice VSMCs were treated by AngⅡ at different concentrations and time periods, relevant expressions of miR-155 were examined by RT-PCR. qRT-PCR was conducted to determine miR-155 changes in Blank control group, miR-155 mimics group, miR-155 mimics negative control (NC) group, miR-155 inhibitor group and miR-155 inhibitor NC group. Western blot analysis was performed to measure the effect of miR-155 on AngⅡ-enforced ERK1/2 and mTOR signaling pathway in Blank control group, AngⅡ group, miR-155 mimics group, AngⅡ+miR-155 mimics group, miR-155 inhibitor group and AngⅡ+miR-155 inhibitor group; to detect the impact of miR-155, rapamycin (Rap) and U0126 on AngⅡ promoted VSMC phenotype switching in Blank control group, AngⅡ group, miR-155 mimics group, AngⅡ+miR-155 mimics group, AngⅡ+U0126 group and AngⅡ+Rap group, and to detect protein expressions of SM22α, α-SM-actin (contractile phenotype marker protein) and OPN (synthetic phenotype marker). Results: AngⅡ decreasing miR-155 expression was in a dose- and time-dependent manner. miR-155 could reduce the basal and AngⅡ-promoted ERK1/2, mTOR signaling pathway, while miR-155 inhibitor could elevate the above effect. Rap, U0126 and miR-155 could inhibit AngⅡ-attenuated expressions of SM22α, α-SM-actin and meanwhile inhibit AngⅡ-enforced expression of OPN. Conclusion: miR-155 could inhibit mice AngⅡ-promoted VSMC phenotype switching which might be via inhibiting the activations of mTOR and ERK1/2.

The open reading frame of 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate reductase (HDR) was cloned from Phlegmarirus carinatus by RT-PCR method and the sequence was analyzed by bioinformatics tools. After searching the transcriptome dataset of P. carinatus, one unique sequence encoding 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate reductase was discovered. The primers were designed according to the cDNA sequence of 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate reductase from the dataset. And then, the open reading frame (ORF) of 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate reductase, named as PcHDR1 (GenBank Accession number：JQ957845), was cloned by RT-PCR strategy with the template of mixed RNA extracted from roots, stem and leaf of P. carinatus. The bioinformatic analysis of this gene and its corresponding protein was performed. The ORF of PcHDR1 consisted of 1 437 base pairs (bp), encoding one polypeptide with 478 amino acids. The sequence comparison showed that PcHDR1 is closest with GbHDR (Ginkgo biloba),and the sequence homology was up to 78%. Bioinformatics prediction and analysis indicated that PcHDR1 protein contained a conserved domain of LytB, without transmembrane region and signal peptides. This study cloned and analyzed 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate reductase from P. carinatus. The result will provide a foundation for exploring the function of PcHDR1 involved in terpene biosynthesis in P. carinatus plants.

Wildlife tending and artificial cultivation is an important way to protect the wild resources of Rhodiola crenulata. It is a study hotspot at present. The distribution information of R. crenulata was collected by query data and field survey, the ecological suitability regionalization was conducted based on maximum entropy model combine with ecological factors, including climate, soil and altitude. To provide the reference for production layout, suitable planting area and the selection of artificial planting base by studying the ecological suitability regionalization of R. crenulata. The potential distribution areas mainly concentrated in the easen Tibet, western Sichuan, southern Qinghai, and Gansu Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. There were 5 major environmental factors to have obvious influence on ecology suitability distributions of R. crenulata, including altitude (contribution rate of 61.8%), precipitation of warmest quarter (contribution rate of 19%), the coefficient of variation of precipitation seasonality (contribution rate of 4.7%), the SD of temperature seasonality (contribution rate of 4%), mean temperature of driest quarter (contribution rate of 2.5%). The AUCs of ROC curve were both above 0.9, indicating that the predictive results with the Maxent model were highly precise. The study of the ecological suitability regionalization of R. crenulata based on Maxent can provide a scientific basis for the selection of artificial planting base.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of premature rupture of the membrane (PROM) on neonatal complications in premature infants.

METHODSThe registration information of 7684 preterm infants with gestational age <37 weeks were collected from the cooperative units in the task group between January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014. Specially trained personnel from each cooperative units filled in the unified form in a standardized format to record the gender, gestational age, birth weight, PROM, placental abruption, antenatal corticosteroid, Apgar score, amniotic fluid pollution, and complications of the infants. The data were analyzed comparatively between the cases with PROM and those without (control).

RESULTSThe preterm mortality rate was significantly lower but the incidences of ICH, NEC, ROP and BPD were significantly higher in PROM group than in the control group (P<0.05). The 95% confidence interval of the OR value was <1 for mortality, and was >1 for ICH, NEC, ROP and BPD. After adjustment for gestational age, birth weight, gender, mode of delivery, placental abruption, placenta previa, prenatal hormones, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), gestational period hypertension and 5-min Apgar score <7, the incidences of NEC, ROP and BPD were significantly different between the two groups (P<0.05) with 95% confidence interval of OR value >1, but the mortality rate and incidence of ICH were not significantly different between the two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONPROM is a risk factor for NEC, ROP and BPD in preterm infants, and adequate intervention of PROM can reduce the incidences of such complications as NEC, ROP and BPD in the infants.

Apgar Score ; Birth Weight ; Female ; Fetal Membranes, Premature Rupture ; pathology ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Newborn, Diseases ; etiology ; Infant, Premature ; Pregnancy ; Risk Factors

Mosquitoes are seriously harmful to human health for transmitting some mortal diseases. Among the methods of mosquito control, synthetical insecticides are the most popular. However, as a result of longterm use of these insecticides, high resistant mosquitos and heavy environmental pollution appear. Thus, eco-friendly prevention measures are taken into the agenda. Essential oils extracted from medicinal plants have repellent and smoked killing effects on mosquitoes. With abundant medical plants resources and low toxicity, they have the potential of being developed as a new type of mosquito and insect repellent agent. The recent application advances of essential oils of medicinal plants in insect repellent and its application limitations are overviewed. This review will provide references for the future development and in-depth study of essential oils.

Insulin resistance is the pathophysiological basis of many diseases. Overcoming early insulin resistance highly significant in prevention diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver, and atherosclerosis. The present study aimed at evaluating the therapeutic effects of baicalin on insulin resistance and skeletal muscle ectopic fat storage in high fat diet-induced mice, and exploring the potential molecular mechanisms. Insulin resistance in mice was induced with a high fat diet for 16 weeks. Animals were then treated with three different doses of baicalin (100, 200, and 400 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1)) for 14 weeks. Fasting blood glucose, fasting serum insulin, glucose tolerance test (GTT), insulin tolerance test (ITT), and skeletal muscle lipid deposition were measured. Additionally, the AMP-activated protein kinase/acetyl-CoA carboxylase and protein kinase B/Glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta pathways in skeletal muscle were further evaluated. Baicalin significantly reduced the levels of fasting blood glucose and fasting serum insulin and attenuated high fat diet induced glucose tolerance and insulin tolerance. Moreover, insulin resistance was significantly reversed. Pathological analysis revealed baicalin dose-dependently decreased the degree of the ectopic fat storage in skeletal muscle. The properties of baicalin were mediated, at least in part, by inhibition of the AMPK/ACC pathway, a key regulator of de novo lipogenesis and activation of the Akt/GSK-3β pathway, a key regulator of Glycogen synthesis. These data suggest that baicalin, at dose up to 400 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1), is safe and able to attenuate insulin resistance and skeletal muscle ectopic fat storage, through modulating the skeletal muscle AMPK/ACC pathway and Akt/GSK-3β pathway.
AMP-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase ; metabolism ; Adipose Tissue ; metabolism ; Animals ; Diet, High-Fat ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta ; physiology ; Insulin Resistance ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Muscle, Skeletal ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; physiology ; Signal Transduction ; physiology

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of high-advanced glycation end products (AGEs) diet on diabetic vascular complications. The Streptozocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice were fed with high-AGEs diet. Diabetic characteristics, indicators of renal and cardiovascular functions, and pathohistology of pancreas, heart and renal were evaluated. AGEs/RAGE/ROS pathway parameters were determined. During the experiments, the diabetic mice exhibited typical characteristics including weight loss, polydipsia, polyphagia, polyuria, high-blood glucose, and low-serum insulin levels. However, high-AGEs diet effectively aggravated these diabetic characteristics. It also increased the 24-h urine protein levels, serum levels of urea nitrogen, creatinine, c-reactive protein (CRP), low density lipoprotein (LDL), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the diabetic mice. High-AGEs diet deteriorated the histology of pancreas, heart, and kidneys, and caused structural alterations of endothelial cells, mesangial cells and podocytes in renal cortex. Eventually, high-AGEs diet contributed to the high-AGE levels in serum and kidneys, high-levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and low-levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in serum, heart, and kidneys. It also upregulated RAGE mRNA and protein expression in heart and kidneys. Our results showed that high-AGEs diet deteriorated vascular complications in the diabetic mice. The activation of AGEs/RAGE/ROS pathway may be involved in the pathogenesis of vascular complications in diabetes.
Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; complications ; metabolism ; Diabetic Angiopathies ; genetics ; metabolism ; Diet ; adverse effects ; Glycation End Products, Advanced ; metabolism ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Kidney ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Oxidative Stress ; Pancreas ; metabolism ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products ; genetics ; metabolism ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism