Description and genomic characterization of Jiella flava sp. nov., isolated from Acrostichum aureum.

Two endophytic bacteria, designated strains CQZ9-1T and MQZ9-1, were isolated from semi-mangrove plant Acrostichum aureum collected from Maowei Sea Mangrove Nature Reserve in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, PR China. The two strains possessed almost identical 16S rRNA gene sequences (99.7 %). The average nucleotide identity (ANI), average amino acid identity (AAI) and the digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between the two strains were 100 %, indicating that they represented the same species. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities between strains CQZ9-1T, MQZ9-1 and the most closely related type strains, Jiella mangrovi KSK16Y-1T, Jiella sonneratiae MQZ13P-4T and Jiella endophytica CBS 5Q-3T were 98.0-98.1, 97.3-97.4 and 97.3-97.4 %, respectively. The results of phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and genome sequences indicated that CQZ9-1T and MQZ9-1 formed a distinct lineage with J. endophytica CBS5Q-3T, Jiella pacifica 40Bstr34T, J. mangrovi KSK16Y-1T, J. sonneratiae MQZ13P-4T, Jiella aquimaris JCM 30119T and J. aquimaris 22II-16-19i. The draft genomes of strains CQZ9-1T and MQZ9-1 were 4  162  933 bp and 4  164  266 bp in size, respectively, and their DNA G+C contents were both 63.8 %. Comparative genome analysis of the two strains and the type strains of related species revealed ANI, AAI and dDDH values below the cut-off levels of 95-96, 95.5 and 70 %, respectively. The ubiquinone detected in CQZ9-1T was Q-10. The major cellular fatty acid of strains CQZ9-1T and MQZ9-1 was found to be C18:1ω7c. Combined data from phenotypic, phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic studies indicated that CQZ9-1T and MQZ9-1 represent a novel species of the genus Jiella, for which the name Jiella flava sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CQZ9-1T (= CGMCC 1.18725T = JCM 34331T).

hsa_circ_0026827 Promotes Osteoblast Differentiation of Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells Through the Beclin1 and RUNX1 Signaling Pathways by Sponging miR-188-3p.

Previous studies have found that circular RNA (circRNA) hsa_circ_0026827 plays a role during osteoblast differentiation, but the mechanism is unclear. The aim of this study was to illuminate the role of hsa_circ_0026827 in human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) during osteoblast differentiation. The results show that hsa_circ_0026827 expression significantly increased during osteoblast differentiation, while knockdown of hsa_circ_0026827 suppressed DPSC-derived osteoblast differentiation. microRNA (miRNA) expression profile analysis showed that downregulation of hsa_circ_0026827 promoted miR-188-3p expression. miR-188-3p downregulation restored osteogenic differentiation of DPSCs after hsa_circ_0026827 was silenced. Luciferase reporter assays verified that miR-188-3p was the target of hsa_circ_0026827 and also demonstrated that Beclin1 and RUNX1 were miR-188-3p downstream targets. miR-188-3p overexpression suppressed DPSC osteogenic differentiation by targeting Beclin-1-mediated autophagy and runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1). In vivo studies using a heterotopic bone model also found that hsa_circ_0026827 overexpression plays an important role in promoting heterotopic bone formation. In conclusion, our research indicates that hsa_circ_0026827 promotes osteoblast differentiation of DPSCs via Beclin1 and the RUNX1 signaling pathways by sponging miR-188-3p, which suggests novel therapeutics for osteoporosis treatment.

Isolation, identification and antioxidative capacity of water-soluble phenylpropanoid compounds from Rhodiola crenulata.

Six water-soluble phenylpropanoid compounds obtained from Rhodiola crenulata (R. crenulata) were fractionated by high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC), and purified by semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (Semi-prep HPLC). The purities of the six compounds were all above 98.0% and their structures were identified by spectroscopic methods. Among them, a new compound, 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-ethyl-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-6-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (1), together with two known phenylpropanoids, p-hydroxyphenacyl-ß-D-glucopyranoside (3) and picein (4) were isolated from R. crenulata for the first time. Meanwhile, the contents of six isolated ingredients from the crude extract of R. crenulata had been simultaneously detected, with satisfactory results. Furthermore, the antioxidant activities of the six compounds were accessed by measuring the radical scavenging activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazy (DPPH), and four compounds exhibited potent antioxidative activity.

[Therapeutic effect of sirolimus against chronic allograft nephropathy in kidney transplant recipients].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy and safety of sirolimus in management of chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN). METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted involving 31 CAN patients followed up since March 2002, who experienced a change from a calcineurin inhibitor (CNI)-based regimen to a SRL-based regimen. Serum creatinine (Cr) in these patients was compared before and after the regimen change, and the adverse events associated with SRL were analyzed. RESULTS: Till March 2007 when the study closed, 15 patients reached the primary endpoint for resuming dialysis, 8 had improved and 8 had stable renal function. In patients with high Cr(0)(> or =3 mg/L, n=12), 9 resumed dialysis and 2 had improved renal function, but one of the patients with renal improvement eventually died due to infection; in the patients with low Cr(0)(<3 mg/L, n=19), 5 resumed dialysis, 8 had stable renal function and 6 had improved renal function, showing significant difference between the 2 groups (P=0.003). Altogether 14 patients reached the secondary endpoint for ceasing SRL for severe infection (5 patients, of whom 4 resumed dialysis and 1 died of infection) or adverse events associated with SRL (9 patients, of whom 4 resumed dialysis, 2 had stable and 3 had improved renal function). Hyperlipidemia (51.6%), leukocytopenia (41.9%), mouth ulcer (29.0%) and liver function lesion (16.1%) were the commonest adverse events in these patients, and totalling 13 severe adverse events were recorded, including 2 fatal cerebral hemorrhage, 3 fatal infection episodes, and 8 pulmonary and urinary infections that require hospitalization. CONCLUSION: Conversion from a CNI-based to SRL-based regimen can be effective for some CAN cases, especially for those with Cr(0) below 3 mg/L. Attention must be given to adverse events like hyperlipidemia and leukocytopenia, as well as the related cerebral vascular accidents and infections.

[Characteristics of neoplasm occurrence of renal allograft recipients and their prognosis].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Renal allograft recipients are more likely to develop neoplasm than general population because of long-term immunosuppressive treatment and concurrent infections. This study was designed to analyze the clinical features of neoplasm occurrence of renal allograft recipients, and the effect of radical surgery (RS) on their prognosis. METHODS: Records of 2 160 renal allograft recipients treated in our center from Oct. 1987 to Apr. 2003 were retrospectively studied. The time to neoplasm development, pathologic type of tumor, patients' survival time were analyzed to explore the clinical features of neoplasm developing after kidney transplantation. Recipients developed neoplasms were divided into RS group and non-RS group according to their treatment pattern. The effect of RS on patients' survival was estimated. RESULTS: A total of 33 patients developed neoplasms after transplantation. Among them,11(33.3%) developed neoplasms in digestive system. The median survival time of RS group (10 patients) was 41.5 months, that of non-RS group (23 patients) was 6.0 months. The 20-month survival rate of RS group was 70.0%, while that of non-RS group was 13.0%. CONCLUSIONS: Renal allograft recipients are more likely to develop neoplasm than general population. Moreover, their main malignancies are liver cancer, skin cancer, lymphoma and thyroid carcinoma, which differ from those observed in general population. Early diagnosis and treatment, especially feasible RS, will improve short-term outcome, while long-term therapeutic effect needs to be further observed.

Microcalorimetric study on host-guest complexation of naphtho-15-crown-5 with four ions of alkaline earth metal.

Thermodynamic parameters of complexation of naphto-15-crown-5 with four alkaline earth ions in aqueous media was determined using titration microcalorimetry at 298.15 K. The stability of the complexes, thermal effect and entropy effect of the complexation is discussed on the basis of the guest ions structure and the solvent effect. The stability constants tendency to vary with ion radius was interpreted. Complex of naphtha-15-crown-5 with calcium ion is very stable due to the synergism of static electric interaction and size selectivity between the host and the guest.