Training in a wearable exoskeleton improves the lower limb motor recovery of stroke survivors / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

Objective:To explore any differential effect of training wearing a unilateral exoskeleton on the lower-limb motor function of stroke survivors.Methods:Forty stroke survivors were randomly divided into an exoskeleton group ( n=20) and a control group ( n=20). The control group performed conventional lower extremity exercise training while the exoskeleton group received exoskeleton-assisted lower-limb physical therapy. Each participant received eighteen 40-minute training sessions over three weeks. Before and after the intervention, the walking ability, lower-limb function, balance and ability in the activities of daily living of both groups were evaluated. Integrated electromyography (iEMG) of the rectus femoris and tibialis anterior of both legs was also recorded during sit-to-stand transitions to assess the activation of the affected muscles and the symmetry of bilateral muscle activation. Results:After the three weeks, significant improvement was observed in all of the measurements in both groups, but with the exoskeleton group scoring significantly better on average in functional ambulation category grading (1.63±0.72). Both groups′ iEMGs had also improved significantly compared with before treatment, but the exoskeleton group′s average result was by that time significantly better than the control group′s average.Conclusions:A wearable exoskeleton can effectively improve the rehabilitation of walking, lower limb movement, balance and skill in the activities of daily living of persons with subacute stroke. It better activates the affected lower limb muscles and improves the symmetry of bilateral lower limb muscle activation.

The effects of activating the reticulospinal tract on anticipatory postural adjustments in fine motor movements of the upper extremities / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

Objective:To observe any dependence of anticipatory postural adjustment (APA) on the difficulty of fine upper limb tasks and to document any effect of reticulospinal tract (RST) facilitation on APAs during such tasks.Methods:The study′s bivariate mixed design involved 4 different tasks and 3 different priming states. Thirteen healthy, male, right-handed subjects were recruited. They were asked to complete the 4 tasks of reaching, grasping a cup, pinching a card using the thumb or using the little finger, respectively for 10 times 1 in response to two different starting cues delivered through an earphone. Half of the trials with each task were initiated with 114dB white noise to startle and activate the reticulospinal tract (RST), while the others were activated with 80dB beeps as a control. Electromyographic signals were recorded from the bilateral sternocleidomastoid (SCM), lower trapezius (LT), latissimus dorsi (LD), lumbar erector spinae and right anterior deltoid muscles and also from the right flexor and extensor carpi radialis muscles (ECR/FCR). In the subsequent processing the electromyographic time domain and frequency domain indicators were converted into a pre-motor reaction time, a time to muscle peak contraction, an activation latency, and APA or compensatory postural adjustment (CPA) amplitude of the tested muscles. These were compared among the different tasks and stimuli. In addition, the 114dB test tasks were classified as two different priming status as SCM + and SCM - according to whether the sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) was activated in advance. Results:After RST activation the pre-motor reaction time and the time to peak contraction of all of the muscles were significantly shortened in all of the tasks. The deltoid muscle reaction times in the SCM + , SCM - and control states were (106.89±43.78)ms, (136.78±48.74)ms and (168.60±73.17)ms, respectively, and those differences are significant. The APA amplitudes of the contralateral LT and ipsilateral LD were significantly greater than normal, but the timing of muscle activation onset and the APA/CPA amplitudes of the ECR/FCR were not affected. The latency in the anticipatory muscle activation of the ECR in the little finger grip task was significantly shorter than that in reaching. Conclusions:The extensor carpi radialis show task-specific early activation in fine tasks of the upper limbs with different difficulties. RST activation can lead to early starting of expected actions, accelerate muscle contraction and increase APA amplitude of some trunk muscles, but it has no significant effect on APA/CPA amplitudes in the forearm muscles.

A Compound Stomachache Capsules Against Prostate Cancer by Targeting Phosphorylated AKT1 / 中国生物化学与分子生物学报

The development of anticancer drugs targeting AKT1 has been reported in a variety of cancers, but there are few related studies on Chinese medicinals targeting AKT1- In this study, Compound stomachache capsules (CSC) was used for inhibiting prostate cancer (PC) cells growth by targeting AKT1 in vitro and in vivo. Through mass spectrum, target prediction and bioinformatics analysis, it is found that 37 of CSC compounds have anticancer activity, and 6 compounds such as (+)-Magnoflorine, 7-hydroxycoumarin may be their main active components against prostate cancer- The results showed that CSC had significant in vitro inhibition on the growth of prostate cancer cells (P<0- 01), and the growth inhibition rate of PC3 cells reached about 35% at 80 μg/ mL- CSC also increased ROS production, and significantly promoted apoptosis (P <0- 01) and G

Genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic analysis of a medicinal snake, Bungarus multicinctus, to provides insights into the origin of Elapidae neurotoxins

The many-banded krait, Bungarus multicinctus, has been recorded as the animal resource of JinQianBaiHuaShe in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Characterization of its venoms classified chief phyla of modern animal neurotoxins. However, the evolutionary origin and diversification of its neurotoxins as well as biosynthesis of its active compounds remain largely unknown due to the lack of its high-quality genome. Here, we present the 1.58 Gbp genome of B. multicinctus assembled into 18 chromosomes with contig/scaffold N50 of 7.53 Mbp/149.8 Mbp. Major bungarotoxin-coding genes were clustered within genome by family and found to be associated with ancient local duplications. The truncation of glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor in the 3'-terminal of a LY6E paralog released modern three-finger toxins (3FTxs) from membrane tethering before the Colubroidea divergence. Subsequent expansion and mutations diversified and recruited these 3FTxs. After the cobra/krait divergence, the modern unit-B of β-bungarotoxin emerged with an extra cysteine residue. A subsequent point substitution in unit-A enabled the β-bungarotoxin covalent linkage. The B. multicinctus gene expression, chromatin topological organization, and histone modification characteristics were featured by transcriptome, proteome, chromatin conformation capture sequencing, and ChIP-seq. The results highlighted that venom production was under a sophisticated regulation. Our findings provide new insights into snake neurotoxin research, meanwhile will facilitate antivenom development, toxin-driven drug discovery and the quality control of JinQianBaiHuaShe.

Genome-wide identification and transcriptional profiling analysis of PIN/PILS auxin transporter gene families in Panax ginseng / 中草药·英文版

Objective: Plant hormones act as chemical messengers in the regulation of plant development and metabolism. The production of ginsenosides in Panax hybrid is promoted by auxins that are transported and accumulated by PIN-FORMED (PIN) and PIN-LIKES (PILS) auxin transporters. However, genome-wide studies of PIN/PILS of ginseng are still scarce. In current study, identification and transcriptional profiling of PIN/PILS gene families, as well as their potential relationship with ginsenoside biosynthesis in Panax ginseng were investigated. Methods: PIN/PILS genes in P. ginseng was identified via in silico genome-wide analysis, followed by phylogenetic relationships, gene structure, and protein profiles investigation. Moreover, previously reported RNA-sequence data from various tissues and roots after infection were utilized for PIN/PILS genes expression pattern analysis. The Pearson's correlation analysis of specific PIN/PILS genes expression level and main ginsenoside contents were taken to reveal the potential relationship between auxin transports and ginsenoside biosynthesis in P. ginseng. Results: A genome-wide search of P. ginseng genome for homologous auxin transporter genes identified a total of 17 PIN and 11 PILS genes. Sequence alignment, putative motif organization, and sub-cellular localization indicated redundant and complementary biological functions of these PIN/PILS genes. Most PIN/PILS genes were differentially expressed in a tissue-specific manner, and showed significant correlations with ginsenoside content correspondingly. Eight auxin transporter genes, including both PIN and PILS subfamily members, were positively correlated with ginsenoside content (cor > 0.60; P-value <0.05). The expression levels of eleven auxin transporter genes were increased dramatically in the early stage (0–0.5 DPI) after Cylindrocarpon destructans infection, accompanied with various overall expression patterns, implying the dynamic auxin transport in response to biotic stress. Conclusion: Based on the results, we speculate that the accumulation or depletion in temporal or spatial manner of auxin by PIN/PILS transporters involved in the regulation of HMGR activity and subsequent ginsenoside biosynthesis.

Resveratrol inhibits advanced glycation end products induced PC12 cell apoptosis through ROS-JNK pathway / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the effect of resveratrol (RSV)on apoptosis of PC 12 cells induced by advanced glycation end products(AGEs) and its possible molecular mechanism. Methods MTS assay was used to detect the effects of AGEs (0, 50, 100, 200, 400 g • L"1) and RSV (0, 5, 10, 20, 40 jxmol • L"1) on cell viability. PC12 cells were treated with AGEs (400 g • L-1) and RSV (10 |xmol • L"1). TUNEL staining was used to detect apoptosis; flow cytometry was used to detect apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) ; Western blot was used to detect protein expression of p-JNK, JNK, PUMA, Bcl-2, Bax and Caspase-3. Apoptosis was observed by flow cytometry after pretreat- ment with JNK specific phosphorylation inhibitor (sp600125). Results Compared with normal control group, the cell viability of AGEs group decreased, the apoptotic rate and ROS levels increased, the expressions of p-JNK, PUMA, Bax and Caspase-3 protein in-creased, the expression of Bcl-2 protein decreased; Compared with AGEs group, the cell viability of the AGEs + RSV group increased, the levels of apoptotic rate and ROS were reduced, the expressions of p-JNK, PUMA, Bax and caspase-3 protein decreased, the expression of Bcl-2 protein increased. Sp600125 could partially reverse the effect of AGEs on PC)2 cell apopto-sis. Conclusions RSV can significantly inhibit the apoptosis of PC 12 cells induced by AGEs, which may be related to the activation of ROS-JNK pathway.

Correlation between metabolic syndrome and early neurological deterioration in patients with minor stroke or high-risk transient ischemic attack / 国际脑血管病杂志

Objective:To investigate the correlation between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and early neurological deterioration (END) in patients with acute minor ischemic stroke (MIS) and high-risk transient ischemic attack (TIA).Methods:Consecutive patients with acute MIS or high-risk TIA admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University between May 2018 and June 2020 were enrolled prospectively. MIS was defined as the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score ≤3, high-risk TIA was defined as ABCD 2 score ≥4, and END was defined as the highest score of NIHSS within 72 h after admission increased by ≥1 compared with the baseline. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the correlation between MetS or its component and END. Results:A total of 145 patients with acute MIS or high-risk TIA were enrolled, including 66 males (45.5%), aged 68.28±9.71 years. Fifty-two patients (35.9%) met the diagnostic criteria of MetS, and 46 (31.7%) developed END. Univariate analysis showed that there were significant differences in age, sex, atrial fibrillation, elevated blood glucose, MetS, fasting blood glucose and C-reactive protein between the END group and the non-END group (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that MetS (odds ratio 2.637, 95% confidence interval 1.127-6.169) and high blood glucose (odds ratio 2.672, 95% confidence interval 1.052-6.789) were the independent risk factors for END within 72 h of admission in patients with acute MIS or high-risk TIA. Conclusion:MetS is significantly associated with END in patients with acute MIS or high-risk TIA.

Establishment of UPLC-PDA Fingerprint of Baoyuantang Substance Benchmark and Identification of Its Chemical Constituents / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To establish the fingerprint of Baoyuantang substance benchmark， and to analyze and identify the common peaks. Method:A total of 15 batches of Baoyuantang substance benchmark were prepared， ultra performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector method （UPLC-PDA） was used to establish the fingerprint of the substance benchmark， and the methodology was developed. The chromatographic conditions were as follows：ACQUITY UPLC BEH Shield C₁₈ column （2.1 mm×100 mm， 1.7 μm）， mobile phase of 0.05% formic acid solution （A） and 0.05% formic acid acetonitrile solution （ B） for gradient elution （0-0.5 min， 5%-19%B； 0.5-6 min， 19%B； 6-10 min， 19%-27%B； 10-20 min， 27%-45%B； 20-20.1 min， 45%-95%B； 20.1-23 min， 95%B）， the flow rate of 0.4 mL·min^-1， the column temperature of 30 ℃， the detection wavelength at 203 nm and 260 nm， and the injection volume of 2 μL. Similarity evaluation system of traditional Chinese medicine fingerprint （2012 edition） was used to establish the fingerprint and generate the control fingerprint. The chemical constituents of Baoyuantang substance benchmark were identified by comparison of standard substances and UPLC-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry （UPLC-ESI-MS/MS） with full information tandem mass spectrometry （MS^E） and scanning range of <italic>m</italic>/<italic>z</italic> 50-1 200. Result:The similarities of 15 batches of Baoyuantang substance benchmark were above 0.90 by comparing with the control fingerprint. There were 37 common peaks， 22 of which were identified through UPLC-ESI-MS/MS， including liquiritin， violanthin， ginsenoside Rg₁， ginsenoside Rb₁， ginsenoside Re and so on. These components were all from Astragali Radix， Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma， Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma. Conclusion:This method is accurate， stable and reliable， which will basically reflect the overall chemical composition characteristics of Baoyuantang， and it provides experimental basis for development of the granules of this famous classical formulas.

Analysis on Content Differences of Artemisinin and Arteannuin B in Different Provenances of Artemisia annua Under Indoor Hydroponic Conditions / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To establish a method for the determination of artemisinin and arteannuin B in different <italic>Artemisia annua</italic> germplasms， compare the differences of the two compounds among different <italic>A. annua</italic> germplasm under the condition of hydroponic homogenization and explore the key factors affecting contents of principal compounds in different<italic> A. annua</italic> germplasms. Method:Seedlings from different <italic>A. annua</italic> germplasms were arranged randomly and fed in a hydroponic cultivation system. Contents of artemisinin and arteannuin B were detected by ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry （UPLC-MS/MS） with multi-reaction monitoring mode and ACQUITY UPLC^® BEH C₁₈ column （2.1 mm×100 mm， 1.7 μm）， mobile phase was water-acetonitrile （95∶5， containing 0.1% formic acid， A） and acetonitrile-water （95∶5， containing 0.1% formic acid， B） for gradient elution （0-3.5 min， 25%-1%A； 3.5-3.6 min， 1%-25%A； 3.6-5.0 min， 25%A）， the flow rate was set at 0.4 mL·min^-1. The content differences of artemisinin and arteannuin B in different provenances of <italic>A. annua</italic> were detected and analyzed statistically. Result:The established method had high sensitivity and good separation. A significant difference of artemisinin and arteannuin B contents was observed in different germplasms under the same culture conditions， that is， under the constant temperature of 25 ℃ in hydroponics. The provenance with higher artemisinin content was Yunnan， and the content was 3 810.597 μg·g^-1. The highest strain of arteannuin B was Shanxi provenance germplasm with the content of 1 691.747 μg·g^-1. According to the content of artemisinin， the provenances were arranged as follows：Yunnan， Hainan， Hubei， Guangxi， Zhejiang， Shanxi， Beijing， Shandong， Heilongjiang， and Gansu province germplasms. Correlation analysis showed that there was a significant negative correlation between artemisinin content and latitude of <italic>A. annua</italic>， but there was no significant correlation between contents of artemisinin and arteannuin B and longitude. Conclusion:The contents of artemisinin and arteannuin B among different <italic>A. annua</italic> germplasms were significantly different under the same culture environment， and the dominant factors affecting biosynthesis and accumulation of artemisinin and arteannuin B in <italic>A. annua</italic> may be the genetic background， suggesting that germplasm improvement is the key factor to improve the medicinal quality of <italic>A. annua</italic> in subsequent cultivation.

Research progress on the epigenetic mechanisms of inverse relationship between Alzheimer's disease and cancer onset / 生理学报

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is currently the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease in the aging population. It is characterized by massive deposition of extracellular β-amyloid peptide and formation of intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. Cancer is also an age-related disease. Some epidemiological studies have shown an inverse relationship between AD and the onset of various types of cancers, that is, the risk of cancer in patients with AD is reduced, and vice versa. Epigenetic mechanisms play important roles in the development of AD and cancer. In this article, we will review the recent research advances on the epigenetic mechanisms of AD and cancer onset, and provide new ideas for rethinking the relevance of AD and cancer with a "holistic concept".

Chloroplast Genome Analysis of Liriope spicata var. prolifera, Ophiopogon japonicus in Sichuan and Zhejiang / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective::To determine the chloroplast genomes of Liriope spicata var. prolifera, Ophiopogon japonicus in Sichuan and Zhejiang, analyze their sequence characteristics and complete the screening of specific DNA barcodes. Method::The chloroplast genomes of L. spicata var. prolifera, O. japonicus in Sichuan and Zhejiang were sequenced, spliced and annotated through high-throughtput sequencing technology, and the structural characteristics and phylogenetic relationships of chloroplast genomes were analyzed by bioinformatics. Result::The total length of chloroplast genome of L. spicata var. prolifera was 155 998 bp, the total content of guanine and cytosine (GC) was 37.7%, and 85 protein-coding genes, 37 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes and 8 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes were successfully annotated, a total of 274 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were detected, the number of codons encoding leucine was the most, while the number of codons encoding tryptophan was the least. The total length of chloroplast genome of O. japonicus in Sichuan province was 156 078 bp, the total content of GC was 37.8%, and 85 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes and 8 rRNA genes were successfully annotated, a total of 265 SSRs were detected, the number of codons encoding leucine was the most, while the number of codons encoding tryptophan was the least. The total length of chloroplast genome of O. japonicus in Zhejiang province was 156 207 bp, the total content of GC was 37.7%, and 85 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes and 8 rRNA genes were successfully annotated, a total of 274 SSRs were detected with the highest number of codons encoding leucine and the lowest number of codons encoding tryptophan. Conclusion::The phylogenetic trees show that compared with O. japonicus in Sichuan province, L. spicata var. prolifera is more closely related to O. japonicus in Zhejiang province. The variation of non-coding regions of L. spicata var. prolifera, O. japonicus in Zhejiang and Sichuan is greater than that in the coding region. The entire chloroplast genome can be used as a super barcode for identifying species of Ophiopogon and Liriope.

Complete chloroplast genome of Salvia plebeia: organization, specific barcode and phylogenetic analysis / 中国天然药物

Salvia plebeia has been in use as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for more than 500 years. In this study, the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of S. plebeia was sequenced, assembled and compared to those of other five published Salvia cp genomes. It was found that the cp genome structure of S. plebeia was well conserved and had a total size of 151 062 bp. Four parameters were used to display the usage conditions of the codons of the amino acids in Salvia genus. Although the number of protein-coding genes in each species was the same, the total number of codons was different. Except for amino acids Trp and Met whose Relative Synonymous Codon Usage (RSCU) value of one condon was equal to 1, the remaining 19 amino acids had 1-3 preferred codons. The preferred codon names of each amino acid were coincident. The period size for the tandem repeats of six species ranged from 9 to 410 bp. Salvia cp genomes mainly possessed tandem repeats with a copy number less than or equal to 3. The sequence length of tandem repeats of the six species ranged from 25 to 824 bp. Highly viarable regions including four intergenic spacers and six partial genes were discovered as potential specific barcodes for Salvia species through cp genome-wide comparison. Finally, we performed phylogenetic analyses based on the complete cp genome and coding sequences respectively. These results provide information to help construct the cp genome library for Salvia, which may support studies of phylogenetics, DNA barcoding, population and transplastomics.

Functional Identification of a Multi-product Sesquiterpene Synthase from Ganoderma sinense / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective: Ganoderma sinense is one of the most famous medicinal fungi in China. Because it is a model medicinal fungus of basidiomycete,the functional identification of its sesquiterpene synthase is of great significance for the biosynthesis and regulation studies of fungal sesquiterpene. Method: A sesquiterpene synthase gene was discovered by mining the genome data of G. sinense. The sesquiterpene's conservative motifs was analyzed through multiple sequence alignment with two identified sesquiterpene synthases of G. sinense and three terpenoid synthases in the Nr database,which have the highest similarity to it. Subsequently,heterologous expression was observed in Escherichia coli,and protein expression was detected by SDS-PAGE. Volatile compounds were collected by solid phage microextraction (SPME) and detected by GC-MS. Result: The enzyme containing sesquiterpene conserved motifs DDXXDE and NSE/DTE were efficiently expressed in E. coli,and 11 sesquiterpenes were synthesized with endogenous FPP as the substrate. The product α-cadinol at 18.6 min was considered to be the main product,and previous studies showed a significant anticancer activity. According to the comparison with chemical standards,three products were identified as γ-muurlene,α-muurolene and δ-cadinene,respectively. Conclusion: The functional identification of multi-product sesquiterpene synthase from G. sinense can promote the study on the mechanism underlying its product diversity,and lay a foundation for the production of rare or novel sesquiterpenes by improving the catalytic activity of enzymes with enzyme engineering technology.

Correlation between serum miR-320b and carotid atherosclerosis in patients with acute ischemic stroke / 国际脑血管病杂志

Objective To investigate the correlation between serum miR-320b and carotid atherosclerosis in patients with acute ischemic stroke.Methods From January 2017 to December 2017,patients with acute ischemic stroke visited the Department of Neurology,the Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University were enrolled.According to the findings of carotid artery ultrasonography,they were divided into plaque group and plaque-free group.The baseline clinical data such as demographic data,vascular risk factors,and blood biochemical indicators were collected.Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expression level of serum miR-320b.Multivariatelogistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent risk factors for carotid atherosclerosis.Results A total of 135 patients with acute ischemic stroke were enrolled in this study,including 58 females and 77 males,aged 58.4 ± 10.6 years.There were 85 patients in the plaque group and 50 in the plaque-free group.The total cholesterol (t =5.523,P =0.023) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (t =4.415,P =0.044) in the plaque group were significantly higher than those in the plaque-free group,while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (t =5.849,P=0.017) and serum miR-320b (t =4.331,P=0.039) were significantly lower than those in the plaque-free group.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that referring to the highest quartile group,the low serum miR-320b level might be an independent risk factor for carotid atherosclerosis (the first quartile group:odds ratio 2.701,95％ confidence interval 1.154-6.321,P =0.022;the second quartile group:odds ratio 2.521,95％ confidence interval 1.249-5.091,P =0.010;and the third quartile group:odds ratio 1.849,95％ confidence interval 1.041-3.283,P=0.036).Conclusion The low serum miR-320b level might be an independent risk factor for carotid atherosclerosis in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

New records of medicinal plants in Tibet / 中国中药杂志

By the fourth survey of Chinese medicinal resources, new medicinal plants records of 2 genera and 5 species were reported in Tibet. They are two genera Rhynchoglossum and Asteropyrum, and five species including Rh. obliquum, A. peltatum, Urena repanda, Schefflera khasiana and Mimulus tenellus. All the voucher specimens are preserved in Herbarium of Tibet Agriculture and Animal Husbandry University.

Prediction of the globally ecological suitability of Panax quinquefolius by the geographic information system for global medicinal plants (GMPGIS) / 中国天然药物

American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) is a well-known Asian traditional herbal medicine with a large market demand. The plant is native to eastern North America, and its main producing areas worldwide are decreasing due to continuous cropping obstacles and environmental changes. Therefore, the identification of maximum similarities of new ecological distribution of P. quinquefolius, and prediction of its response to climate change in the future are necessary for plant introduction and cultivation. In this study, the areas with potential ecological suitability for P. quinquefolius were predicted using the geographic information system for global medicinal plants (GMPGIS) based on 476 occurrence points and 19 bioclimatic variables. The results indicate that the new ecologically suitable areas for P. quinquefolius are East Asia and the mid-eastern Europe, which are mainly distributed in China, Russia, Japan, Ukraine, Belarus, North Korean, South Korea, andRomania. Under global climate change scenarios, the suitable planting areas for P. quinquefolius would be increased by 9.16%-30.97%, and expandingnorth and west over the current ecologically suitable areas by 2070. The potential increased areas that are ecologically suitable include northern Canada, Eastern Europe, and the Lesser Khingan Mountains of China, and reduced regions are mainly in central China, the southern U.S., and southern Europe. Jackknife tests indicate that the precipitation of the warmest quarter was the important climatic factor controlling the distribution of P. quinquefolius. Our findings can be used as auseful guide for P. quinquefolius introduction and cultivation in ecologically suitable areas.

Application of DNA metabarcoding in species identification of Chinese herbal medicines / 中国中药杂志

DNA metabarcoding,one rapid and robust method using specific standard DNA fragments,has been widely used for rapid species identification of a bulk sample through high-throughput sequencing technologies.While it has been widely used in the studies of metagenomics,animal and plant biodiversity,it has gradually come to be used as a profitable method in species identification of mixed Chinese herbal medicines.In this paper,we mainly summarize the current studies of the application of DNA metabarcoding in species identification of mixed Chinese herbal medicines.Moreover,high-throughput sequencing technologies adopted in those studies,such as Sanger,the next-generation,and third-generation sequencing technologies,are discussed.It is conducted to provide a theoretical guidance for the application of DNA metabarcoding in species identification of mixed Chinese herbal medicines and in more other biodiversity studies.

Application of phylogenomics in Chinese medicine resources / 中国中药杂志

China is rich in the diversified Chinese medicine resources and is notable for the wide and long-term applications of Chinese medicine. However,the lack of genomic information on medicinal taxa leads to problems in relation to resource conservation and the downstream application of traditional Chinese medicine resources,which restricts the modernization process of traditional Chinese medicine. Molecular phylogenetics is an important tool to understand the origin and evolution of the earth's biodiversity and promote the conservation and use of medicinal taxa. With the development of sequencing technology,the combination of genomic data extends the traditional molecular phylogenetics to the research level of phylogenomics,making it more powerfully applied to all aspects of biological research. Undoubtedly,carrying out phylogenomic research on Chinese medicine species will greatly promote their resources conservation,molecular evaluation and identification,and the exploration and utilization of natural pharmacodynamic components,promoting the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine. This article starts with a brief introduction of the developing history and basic research methods of phylogenomics,and then reviews the current research progress in phylogenomics related to traditional Chinese medicine resources. Finally,it discusses the problems existing in the current research and the next direction of phylogenomics research in medicinal taxa. The article will hopefully provide a reference for relevant researches in future.

Correlative analysis of agronomic traits and quality of Panax ginseng saponins cultivation in farmland / 中国中药杂志

Cultivated ginseng in the farmland would become the mainly planting mode of Panax ginseng. However,there are relatively few cultivation ginseng varieties for farmland in China. Correlative analysis of qualitity and agronomic traits of P. ginseng cultivation in the farmland could provide a reference for the selection of excellent germplasm and new variety breeding of P. ginseng. In this study,the main index of saponin and agronomic traits of 4-6 years' samples were analyzed by UPLC and measured. The results show that there was significant difference in agronomic indexes of Damaya. The coefficient of variation of the root length( CV = 41. 97%) and fresh weight( CV = 31. 81%) were maximum,and the coefficient of variation of the stems thickness( 16. 72%) and root thickness were minimum. There was a significant correlation between yield and root thickness( P<0. 05). There was significant difference in drug yield of different harvest years( P<0. 05),and the yield of 6-years was 31. 52%-39. 69% higher than 4-years. However,there wasn't significant difference in total ginsenosides between 4 and 6 years old P. ginseng,but there was significant difference in ginseng Rg2,Rc and Rb2( P<0. 05),and the ginsenoside contents of different harvesting years were accorded with the criterion standards of 2015 Chinese Pharmacopoeia. There was no significant correlation between the saponin and the agronomic trait,while there was positive correlation with root thickness( P < 0. 05). Therefore,the stem diameter was positive correlation with yield of P. ginseng. Selection of the stem thickness of seedlings is beneficial to the increase of the yield and breeding of P. ginseng.

Butein protects from PC12 cells apoptosis induced by methylglyoxal via inhibiting p53 signaling pathway / 中国药理学通报

Aim To study the effect of butein on apop-tosis of PC12 cells induced by methylglyoxal (MG) and its mechanism. Methods Being pretreated with different concentrations of butein, PC12 cells were damaged by 1.5 mmol·L-1MG. Cell viability and cell toxicity were evaluated by MTT and LDH assay. Cell apoptosis and death were analyzed by PI and Ho-echst 33342. The antioxidant gene and proapoptotic gene expressions were determined by RT-PCR. The protein expression of p53 was detected by Western blot. Results Being pretreated with 2.5~10 μmol· L-1butein for 1 h significantly increased the cell via-bility,decreased LDH release,and protected from cell nuclei shrinkage, condensation and cleavage by MG. Meanwhile, butein increased the gene expression of SOD2, decreased the gene expression of proapoptotic genes p53 and caspase-9, and lowered the protein ex-pression of p53. Conclusion Butein can protect ap-optosis of PC12 cells from MG in a dose-dependent manner,which is linked with antioxidation and inhibi-ting p53 and caspase-9 gene expression.