The ecological suitability area of Cirsium lineare (Thunb.) Sch.-Bip. under future climate change in China based on MaxEnt modeling.

Many kinds of medicinal ingredients occur in Cirsium lineare that have good clinical efficacy, conferring on this species its high medicinal development value. However, with a rapidly changing global climate, it is increasingly imperative to study the factors affecting the habitat distribution and survival of species. We predicted the current and future distribution areas of suitable habitats for C. lineare, analyzed the importance of environmental variables in influencing habitat shifts, and described the alterations to suitable habitats of C. lineare in different periods (modern, 2050s, and 2070s) and scenarios (RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5). The results show that, under the current climate, the total suitable area of C. lineare is about 2,220,900 km2, of which the highly suitable portion amounts to ca. 292,600 km2. The minimum temperature of the coldest month, annual precipitation, and mean daily temperature range are the chief environmental variables affecting the distribution of habitat for C. lineare. In the same period, with rising greenhouse gas emission concentrations, the total suitable area will increase. In general, under future climate change, the suitable habitat for C. lineare will gradually migrate to the west and north, and its total suitable area will also expand. The results of this experiment can be used for the conservation and management of the wild resources of C. lineare. We can choose suitable growth areas to protect the medicinal resources of C. lineare through in situ conservation and artificial breeding.

Comparative and phylogenetic analysis of Chiloschista (Orchidaceae) species and DNA barcoding investigation based on plastid genomes.

BACKGROUND: Chiloschista (Orchidaceae, Aeridinae) is an epiphytic leafless orchid that is mainly distributed in tropical or subtropical forest canopies. This rare and threatened orchid lacks molecular resources for phylogenetic and barcoding analysis. Therefore, we sequenced and assembled seven complete plastomes of Chiloschista to analyse the plastome characteristics and phylogenetic relationships and conduct a barcoding investigation. RESULTS: We are the first to publish seven Chiloschista plastomes, which possessed the typical quadripartite structure and ranged from 143,233 bp to 145,463 bp in size. The plastomes all contained 120 genes, consisting of 74 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNA genes and eight rRNA genes. The ndh genes were pseudogenes or lost in the genus, and the genes petG and psbF were under positive selection. The seven Chiloschista plastomes displayed stable plastome structures with no large inversions or rearrangements. A total of 14 small inversions (SIs) were identified in the seven Chiloschista plastomes but were all similar within the genus. Six noncoding mutational hotspots (trnNGUU-rpl32 > rpoB-trnCGCA > psbK-psbI > psaC-rps15 > trnEUUC-trnTGGU > accD-psaI) and five coding sequences (ycf1 > rps15 > matK > psbK > ccsA) were selected as potential barcodes based on nucleotide diversity and species discrimination analysis, which suggested that the potential barcode ycf1 was most suitable for species discrimination. A total of 47-56 SSRs and 11-14 long repeats (> 20 bp) were identified in Chiloschista plastomes, and they were mostly located in the large single copy intergenic region. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Chiloschista was monophyletic. It was clustered with Phalaenopsis and formed the basic clade of the subtribe Aeridinae with a moderate support value. The results also showed that seven Chiloschista species were divided into three major clades with full support. CONCLUSION: This study was the first to analyse the plastome characteristics of the genus Chiloschista in Orchidaceae, and the results showed that Chiloschista plastomes have conserved plastome structures. Based on the plastome hotspots of nucleotide diversity, several genes and noncoding regions are suitable for phylogenetic and population studies. Chiloschista may provide an ideal system to investigate the dynamics of plastome evolution and DNA barcoding investigation for orchid studies.

Posterior auricular artery as a novel anatomic landmark for identification of the facial nerve: A clinical study.

Background: In our previous cadaveric study, we highlighted the posterior auricular artery (PAA) as a potential landmark for early identification of facial nerve (FN) when performing parotidectomy. However, further clinical study is critically needed before this landmark could be applied in clinical practice. Methods: For 31 patients enrolled, we tried to identify the FN by the guide of the PAA during parotidectomy. Additionally, the FN function was evaluated during follow-up. Results: PAA could be exposed in 28 out of 31 (90.3%) patients during parotidectomy. Moreover, the FN trunk could be identified by the guide of the PAA in all these 28 patients with identifiable PAA. Furthermore, no iatrogenic FN damage happened in this study and the transient FN dysfunction rate was 5.7%. Conclusion: The PAA is an ideal landmark for early identification of the FN trunk when performing parotidectomy.

Mitochondrial DHODH regulates hypoxia-inducible factor 1 expression in OTSCC.

Oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) was one of the most hypoxic tumors with unfavorable outcomes. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) signaling was associated with cancer proliferation, lymph node metastasis, angiogenesis and poor prognosis of OTSCC. Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) catalyzed the rate-limiting step in the de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis. The aim of the study was to explore the biological function of DHODH and investigate whether DHODH regulated HIF-1 signaling in OTSCC. Proliferation, migration and anoikis resistance were used to determine the function of DHODH. Western blot and luciferase activity assays were used to determine the regulatory role of DHODH on HIF-1. We found that increased DHODH expression was associated with advanced tumor stage and poorly differentiated tumor in head and neck cancer patients in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). DHODH enhanced the proliferation and aggressiveness of OTSCC. Moreover, DHODH prompted tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. DHODH promoted transcription, protein stability, and transactivation activity of HIF1A. DHODH-induced HIF1A upregulation in OTSCC can be reversed by reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger, indicating that DHODH enhanced HIF1A expression via ROS production. DHODH inhibitor suppressed DHODH-mediated ROS generation and HIF1A upregulation. Targeting DHODH using clinically available inhibitor, atovaquone, might provide a new strategy to treat OTSCC.

Management of refractory cervical anastomotic fistula after esophagectomy using the pectoralis major myocutaneous flap / Tratamento da fístula anastomótica cervical refratária após esofagectomia utilizando retalho miocutâneo do músculo peitoral maior

Abstract Introduction A refractory cervical anastomotic fistula which postoperatively remains unhealed for more than 2 months under conservative care severely impacts the quality of life of the patient and potentially leads to anastomotic stricture after the fistula heals. It is widely accepted that, to avoid this complication, refractory cervical anastomotic fistulas should undergo more aggressive treatments. However, when and which surgical intervention should be considered is unclear. Objective This study was designed to evaluate the role of the pectoralis major myocutaneous flap in the management of refractory cervical anastomotic fistulas based on our experience of 6 cases and a literature review. Methods Six patients diagnosed with refractory cervical anastomotic fistula after esophagectomy treated using pectoralis major myocutaneous flap transfer were included in the study. The clinical data, surgical details, and treatment outcome were retrospectively analyzed. Results All patients survived the operations. One patient who had a circumferential anastomotic defect resulting from surgical exploration developed a mild fistula in the neo-anastomotic site in the 5th postoperative day, which healed after 7 days of conservative care. This patient developed an anastomotic stricture which was partially alleviated by an endoscopic anastomotic dilatation. All the other 5 patients had uneventful recoveries after operations and restored oral intake on the 10th-15th days after operation, and they tolerated normal diets without subsequent sequelae on follow-up. One patient developed both local and lung recurrence and died in 15 months after operation, while the other 5 patients survived with good tumor control during the follow-up of 25-53 months. Conclusion The satisfactory treatment outcome in our study demonstrates that pectoralis major myocutaneous flap reconstruction is a reliable management modality for refractory cervical anastomotic fistulas after esophagectomy, particularly for those patients who experienced persistent fistulas after conservative wound care and repeated wound closures.

Resumo Introdução Uma fístula anastomótica cervical refratária, que permanece sem cicatrização por mais de 2 meses sob cuidados conservadores, afeta gravemente a qualidade de vida do paciente e potencialmente causa estenose anastomótica após a cicatrização da fístula. É amplamente aceito que as fístulas anastomóticas cervicais refratárias devem ser submetidas a tratamentos mais agressivos. No entanto, quando e qual intervenção cirúrgica deve ser considerada ainda é incerto. Objetivo Avaliar o papel do retalho miocutâneo do peitoral maior no manejo de fístula anastomótica cervical refratárias com base em nossa experiência de 6 casos e uma revisão da literatura. Métodos Foram incluídos no estudo seis pacientes diagnosticados com fístula anastomótica cervical refratária após esofagectomia tratados com transferência de retalho miocutâneo do peitoral maior. Os dados clínicos, detalhes cirúrgicos e resultado do tratamento foram analisados retrospectivamente. Resultados Todos os pacientes sobreviveram às cirurgias. Um paciente com defeito anastomótico circunferencial, resultante da exploração cirúrgica, desenvolveu uma fístula leve no sítio neoanastomótico no 5° dia de pós-operatório, que foi resolvida após 7 dias de tratamento conservador. Esse paciente desenvolveu uma estenose anastomótica parcialmente aliviada por uma dilatação endoscópica anastomótica. Todos os outros 5 pacientes tiveram recuperações sem intercorrências após as cirurgias, restabeleceram a ingestão oral 10 ou 15 dias após a operação e toleraram dietas normais sem sequelas subsequentes no seguimento. Um paciente desenvolveu recorrência local e pulmonar e morreu 15 meses após a cirurgia, enquanto os outros 5 pacientes sobreviveram com bom controle tumoral durante o seguimento de 25 a 53 meses. Conclusão O resultado satisfatório do tratamento em nosso estudo demonstra que a reconstrução com o retalho miocutâneo do peitoral maior é uma modalidade de manejo confiável para as fístula anastomótica cervical refratárias após a esofagectomia, particularmente nos pacientes que apresentaram falha após o tratamento conservador das feridas cirúrgicas e com fechamento repetido delas.

Management of refractory cervical anastomotic fistula after esophagectomy using the pectoralis major myocutaneous flap.

INTRODUCTION: A refractory cervical anastomotic fistula which postoperatively remains unhealed for more than 2 months under conservative care severely impacts the quality of life of the patient and potentially leads to anastomotic stricture after the fistula heals. It is widely accepted that, to avoid this complication, refractory cervical anastomotic fistulas should undergo more aggressive treatments. However, when and which surgical intervention should be considered is unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to evaluate the role of the pectoralis major myocutaneous flap in the management of refractory cervical anastomotic fistulas based on our experience of 6 cases and a literature review. METHODS: Six patients diagnosed with refractory cervical anastomotic fistula after esophagectomy treated using pectoralis major myocutaneous flap transfer were included in the study. The clinical data, surgical details, and treatment outcome were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: All patients survived the operations. One patient who had a circumferential anastomotic defect resulting from surgical exploration developed a mild fistula in the neo-anastomotic site in the 5th postoperative day, which healed after 7 days of conservative care. This patient developed an anastomotic stricture which was partially alleviated by an endoscopic anastomotic dilatation. All the other 5 patients had uneventful recoveries after operations and restored oral intake on the 10th-15th days after operation, and they tolerated normal diets without subsequent sequelae on follow-up. One patient developed both local and lung recurrence and died in 15 months after operation, while the other 5 patients survived with good tumor control during the follow-up of 25-53 months. CONCLUSION: The satisfactory treatment outcome in our study demonstrates that pectoralis major myocutaneous flap reconstruction is a reliable management modality for refractory cervical anastomotic fistulas after esophagectomy, particularly for those patients who experienced persistent fistulas after conservative wound care and repeated wound closures.

Microwave Ablation Vs Traditional Thyroidectomy for Benign Thyroid Nodules: A Prospective, Non-Randomized Cohort Study.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of microwave ablation (MWA) for benign thyroid nodules (BTNs) and compare trauma and complication rates between MWA and traditional thyroidectomy for BTNs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 84 patients with BTNs were recruited and followed up at 1, 3, 6, and 12months. 56 and 28 patients chose to undergo MWA (group A) and traditional thyroidectomy (group B), respectively. Efficacy was assessed by volume reduction rate (VRR) and therapeutic success rate (TSR) at each follow-up. Trauma was compared using inflammation response parameters, visual analog scale (VAS) scores, quality of life (QOL) and thyroid function measures at 1, 3, and 6 months. Complications rates were also compared. RESULTS: The VRR was 80.70 ± 18.60%, and TSR was 91.70% at 6-months. Furthermore, the VRR increased to 90.45 ± 11.51%, and TSR increased to 100% at 12-months. C-reactive protein levels were significantly higher in group B on the first postoperative day (POD) (3.89 ± 0.86 mg/mL vs 3.39 ± 0.56 mg/mL, p = 0.002). Visual analog scale scores were significantly lower in group A on the first and second POD. Thyroid stimulating hormone levels were significantly lower in group A at three (1.71 ± 1.12uIU/mL vs 2.37 ± 1.24uIU/mL, p = 0.013) and 6-months (1.34 ± 0.70uIU/mL vs 1.97 ± 0.94uIU/mL, p = 0.002). There were no significant between-group differences in QOL and complication rates. CONCLUSION: Microwave ablation shows acceptable and promising efficacy. Compared with thyroidectomy, MWA was associated with less trauma and comparable complication rates.

Plastid phylogenomics improves resolution of phylogenetic relationship in the Cheirostylis and Goodyera clades of Goodyerinae (Orchidoideae, Orchidaceae).

Goodyerinae are one of phylogenetically unresolved groups of Orchidaceae. The lack of resolution achieved through the analyses of previous molecular sequences from one or a few markers has long confounded phylogenetic estimation and generic delimitation. Here, we present large-scale phylogenomic data to compare the plastome structure of the two main clades (Goodyera and Cheirostylis) in this subtribe and further adopt two strategies, combining plastid coding sequences and the whole plastome, to investigate phylogenetic relationships. A total of 46 species in 16 genera were sampled, including 39 species in 15 genera sequenced in this study. The plastomes of heterotrophic species are not drastically reduced in overall size, but display a pattern congruent with a loss of photosynthetic function. The plastomes of autotrophic species ranged from 147 to 165 kb and encoded from 132 to 137 genes. Three unusual structural features were detected: a 1.0-kb inversion in the large single-copy region of Goodyera schlechtendaliana; the loss and/or pseudogenization of ndh genes only in two species, Cheirostylis chinensis and C. montana; and the expansion of inverted repeat regions and contraction of small single-copy region in Hetaeria oblongifolia. Phylogenomic analyses provided improved resolution for phylogenetic relationships. All genera were recovered as monophyletic, except for Goodyera and Hetaeria, which were each recovered as non-monophyletic. Nomenclatural changes are needed until the broader sampling and biparental inherited markers. This study provides a phylogenetic framework of Goodyerinae and insight into plastome evolution of Orchidaceae.

Surfactant-enhanced remediation of oil-contaminated soil and groundwater: A review.

Oil leakage, which is inevitable in the process of extraction, processing, transportation and storage, seriously undermines the soil and groundwater environment. Surfactants can facilitate the migration and solution of oil contaminants from nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) or solid phase to water by reducing the (air/water) surface tension, (oil/water) interfacial tension and micellar solubilization. They can effectively enhance the hydrodynamic driven remediation technologies by improving the contact efficiency of contaminants and liquid remediation agents or microorganism, and have been widely used to enhance the remediation of oil-contaminated sites. This paper summarizes the characteristics of different types of surfactants such as nonionic, anionic, biological and mixed surfactants, their enhancements to the remediation of oil-contaminated soil and groundwater, and examines the factors influencing surfactant performance. The causes of tailing and rebound effects and the role of surfactants in suppressing them are also discussed. Laboratory researches and actual site remediation practices have shown that various types of surfactants offer diverse options. Biosurfactants and mixed surfactants are superior and worth attention among the surfactants. Using surfactant foams, adding shear-thinning polymers, and combining surfactants with in-situ chemical oxidation are effective ways to resolve tailing and rebound effects. The adsorption of surfactants on soils and aquifer sediments decreases remediation efficiency and may cause secondary pollution, Therefore the adsorption loss should be noticed and minimized.

The Clinical Significance of Dickkopf Wnt Signaling Pathway Inhibitor Gene Family in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND Dickkopf Wnt signaling pathway inhibitor (DKK) gene family, which is known to inhibit the Wnt regulation process, is widely found in cancers. However, the roles and functions of specific family members in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are still unclear. MATERIAL AND METHODS Online bioinformatics tools (Oncomine, UALCAN, Kaplan-Meier plotter, GEPIA, Metascape, and STRING) were used to analyze the relationships between distinct DKKs and HNSCC. The transcriptome expression, clinical association, functions, pathways, and protein-protein interaction networks of DKKs in HNSCC were explored. RESULTS The mRNA expression of DKK1, DKK3, and Dickkopf-like acrosomal protein 1 (DKKL1) in HNSCC was significantly higher than in normal tissues, while that of DKK4 was lower. The mRNA expression of DKK1, DKK3, and DKKL1 was elevated in higher-grade HNSCC. The mRNA expression of DKK1 and DKK3 was elevated in human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative HNSCC, while DKKL1 had a higher mRNA expression in HPV-positive HNSCC. In addition, DKK1 was significantly associated with unfavorable overall survival in HNSCC patients. DKK3 was more likely to be a negative factor for the 5-year survival rate, while DKK4 was the opposite. DKK1 function was mainly enriched in GTPase-mediated signal transduction. Porcupine O-acyltransferase, a key regulator of the Wnt signaling pathway, was also associated with DKK1 in the protein-protein interaction network. CONCLUSIONS With regard to improving the therapeutic strategies of HNSCC in the future, DKK1 could be an unfavorable prognostic biomarker. DKK3, DKK4, and DKKL1 might be potential biomarkers for HNSCC.

The role of carbon nanoparticle in lymph node detection and parathyroid gland protection during thyroidectomy for non-anaplastic thyroid carcinoma- a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficiency of the carbon nanoparticles (CNs) in lymph node identification and parathyroid gland (PG) protection during thyroidectomy for non-anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (N-ATC). METHODS: A systematic literature search for relevant literatures published up to December 2018 in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane Library was performed. Both English and Chinese literatures were retrieved and analyzed. Randomized controlled trials or nonrandomized controlled trials comparing the use of CNs with the use of methylene blue or a blank control in patients undergoing thyroidectomy for N-ATC were enrolled in this study. The primary outcomes included the number of lymph nodes harvested, the rate of lymph nodes involved, and the rates of accidental parathyroidectomy, hypoparathyroidism, and hypocalcemia. Weighted mean differences (WMDs), odds ratios (ORs) and risk differences (RDs) were calculated for the dichotomous outcome variables. Between study heterogeneity was tested using the Q tests and the I2 statistics. All analyses were performed using Review Manager (version 5.3.5). RESULTS: 25 studies comprising 3266 patients were included in this analysis. The total number of lymph nodes harvested in the CNs groups was significantly higher than that in the control groups (WMD, 2.36; 95% CI, 1.40 to 3.32; P <0.01). Administrating CNs was associated with a lower incidence of accidental PG removal (OR = 0.28, 95% CI = 0.21 to 0.37, P<0.01) and lower rates of both postoperative transient hypoparathyroidism (OR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.33 to 0.64, P <0.01) and transient hypocalcemia (OR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.33 to 0.65, P <0.01). No significant difference was found concerning lymph node metastatic rates between CNs group and control group. Subgroup analysis indicated that the application of CNs in reoperation thyroidectomy reduced both the rate of transient hypoparathyroidism (OR = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.06 to 0.75, P = 0.02) and the possibility of accidental PGs removal (OR = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.07 to 0.62, P = 0.004, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The application of CNs in thyroidectomy for N-ATC results in higher number of lymph node harvested and better PG protection during both initial and reoperation thyroidectomy.

NADPH oxidase 5α promotes the formation of CD271 tumor-initiating cells in oral cancer.

Oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) has a distinctive cell sub-population known as tumor-initiating cells (TICs). CD271 is a functional TIC receptor in head and neck cancers. The molecular mechanisms governing CD271 up-regulation remains unclear. Oxidative stress is a contributing factor in TIC development. Here, we explored the potential role of NADPH oxidase 5 (NOX5) and its regulatory mechanism on the development of CD271-expressing OTSCC. Our results showed that the splice variant NOX5α is the most prevalent form expressed in head and neck cancers. NOX5α enhanced OTSCC proliferation, migration, and invasion. Overexpression of NOX5α increased the size of OTSCC xenograft significantly in vivo. The tumor-promoting functions of NOX5α were mediated through the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-generating property. NOX5α activated ERK singling and increased CD271 expression at the transcription level. Also, NOX5α reduces the sensitivity of OTSCC to cisplatin and natural killer cells. The findings indicate that NOX5α plays an important part in the development of TIC in OTSCC.

Clinical application of different operative approach of total knee replacement in knee valgus patients. Retrospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: According to the severity of knee valgus, different operative approaches were applied in total knee replacement. Hence, we assessed the safety and efficacy of different operative approaches in the level IV study. METHODS: From May 2011 to March 2014, a retrospectively analysis was conducted among 31 patients with knee valgus (mild in 10 cases, moderate in 8 cases and severe in 13 cases based on Keblish grade). Medial approach trip knee replacement was performed in mild and moderate patients, which were assigned as medial approach group. Lateral approach was performed in severe patients, which was assigned as lateral approach group. Relevant results were compared between medial approach group and lateral approach group, including valgus corrected angle, postoperative knee joint activity and Kss score. Furthermore, operative time, postoperative blood loss, patellar trajectory and anterior knee pain were also compared between the two groups. RESULTS: All operations were successful without obvious complications. In medial approach group, postoperative knee valgus angle was (7 ±â€¯1)°. Three months after operation, degree of knee joint activity was (85.2 ±â€¯5.2)°, and KSS score of knee joint was (80.1 ±â€¯5.2). Significant differences were detected in these compared with preoperative data (all P < .05). Moreover, similar results were found in lateral approach group with postoperative knee valgus angle as (8.2 ±â€¯2.3)°, degree of knee joint activity three months after operation as (85.2 ±â€¯5.3)°, and KSS score of knee joint as (80.3 ±â€¯3.2). However, no significant differences were found among these three groups in operative time, postoperative blood loss, patellar trajectory or anterior knee pain. CONCLUSIONS: Different operative approaches in total knee replacement according to the severity of knee valgus were proved as effective and safe procedures, which deserved further application.

Purification of a mannose-binding lectin Pinellia ternata agglutinin and its induction of apoptosis in Bel-7404 cells.

A novel high-throughput purification method for a monocot mannose-binding lectin, Pinellia ternata agglutinin (PTA), from tubers of P. ternata was established by mannose-Sephrose 4B affinity chromatography. The total protein was extracted from tubers of P. ternata using phosphate buffered saline (PBS) buffer. The extracted total protein was precipitated completely at 65% ammonium sulfate saturation and dissolved in different concentrations of NaCl solution to activate its binding affinity toward the column. PTA was bound to the affinity column by loading of the total protein into the column and elution using PBS buffer. The maximum purification yield (35.5mg/g) was obtained when PTA was treated with 25% (w/v) NaCl solution, and the purity of PTA analyzed by SDS-PAGE was ∼97%. The agglutination property of purified PTA was confirmed by mouse erythrocytes, which indicates its biological function. Nuclear staining assay and DNA fragmentation demonstrated that PTA could induce apoptosis of Bel-7404 cells, which further demonstrates its biological and pharmacological activities. Induction of apoptosis in the human tumor Bel-7404 cell line by PTA indicates its possible use in cancer therapy. The present investigation reports a significantly improved isolation method to obtain highly purified mannose-binding plant lectin proteins. The proposed method has great potential for industrial application because of its advantages, which include rapid isolation, high purity, high yield, low cost, and minimal requirement of chemical materials.

Microarray and degradome sequencing reveal microRNA differential expression profiles and their targets in Pinellia pedatisecta.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous small non-coding RNAs which play a critical role in gene regulation in plants. Pinelliapedatisecta is one of the most important herbs in traditional Chinese medicine, but there are no microRNAs of Pinelliapedatisecta were deposited in miRBase and the research of the related miRNA biological functions is still insufficient. To detect Pinelliapedatisecta miRNAs and discover their expression difference with Pinelliaternata, we carried out a microarray profiling. A total of 101 miRNAs belonging to 22 miRNA families were detected both in Pinelliapedatisecta and Pinelliaternata respectively, among them 21 miRNAs showed their differentially expression. GO (gene ontology) term enrichment analysis of the target genes of differential expression miRNAs reveal that these miRNAs mainly affect the reproduction, transcription factor activity and plant developmental process. To elucidate the target function of miRNAs, we constructed a degradome library from Pinellia pedatisecta leaf. The result showed that a total of 18 transcript were identified as targets of miRNAs and further analysis indicated that miR156 and miR529 may function together to repress SPL14.

Prokaryotic expression and bioactivity analysis of N-terminus domain of Pinellia ternata agglutinin using alkaline phosphatase signal peptide.

Pinellia ternata agglutinin (PTA) from the tubers of P. ternata is a two-domain monocot mannose-binding lectin. Pta-n encoding N-terminus domain of PTA (PTA-N) was fused with Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatase signal peptide (APSP) gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for secretion expression. The fused nucleotide sequence apsp-pta-n was inserted into pET-28a prokaryotic expression vector by restriction enzyme digest sites (Nco I and Xho I), and then overexpressed in E. coli BL21(DE3) cells by isopropyl ß-d-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) induction. Expressed APSP targeted the recombinant protein APSP-PTA-N into the periplasmic space, and then APSP was recognized and automatically cleaved by the membrane-bound signal peptidase. Ni-NTA chromatography was used for the purification and about 20 mg/L purified PTA-N was obtained. The minimum agglutination concentration of PTA-N determined by mice erythrocytes was 6.33 ± 0.47 µg/ml. The carbohydrate inhibition assay was carried out to determine the carbohydrate-binding property indicating PTA-N bound to specific sugars. The in vitro anti-proliferative activity towards human tumor cell lines and anti-fungal activity against Gibberella saubinetii were also demonstrated. Nuclear staining assay was performed to demonstrate PTA-N induced cell apoptosis. The results showed that PTA-N had significant biological functions, similar to native PTA. This strategy was the first time used to express plant mannose-binding lectin proteins and the product induced human tumor cell apoptosis, suggesting its potential application in biomedicine research.

24-h residual urine volume at hemodialysis initiation: a possible predictor for acute ischemic stroke incurrence in hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: Residual renal function (RRF) recently has been confirmed to be a significant predictor of morbidity and mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients. As RRF is not exactly the same with 24-h residual urine volume, the aim of our study is to evaluate the association of residual urine volume with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) among HD patients. METHODS: 282 patients starting chronic HD in our center during January 2005 and December 2008 were enrolled. The clinical data at HD initiation and the occurrence of AIS since starting HD were recorded and obtained from our database. According to the prevalence of AIS, we divided 282 patients into the AIS group (n=69) and non-AIS (n=213) group. RESULTS: A total of 69 (24.5%) patients suffered from AIS since HD initiation. Patients with AIS were much older, with more diabetes, had higher levels of hemoglobin, while lower levels of residual urine volume and serum uric acid. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, old age (OR, 1.036; 95% CI, 1.009-1.063; P=0.008), diabetes (OR, 2.385; 95% CI, 1.074-5.294; P=0.033) and 24-h residual urine volume<1290 ml at HD initiation (OR, 2.446; 95% CI, 1.219-4.907; P=0.012) was significant predictors for future AIS occurrence during HD. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that residual urine volume levels at HD initiation are inversely associated with AIS risk in future in chronic HD patients. Besides, aging and diabetes should also be noticed for prevention of AIS.

[The risk factors and prognosis of acute kidney injury after cardiac surgery: a prospective cohort study of 4007 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk factors and prognosis influential factors of acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiac surgery. METHODS: The clinical data of patients who were hospitalized and underwent cardiac surgery from April 2009 to May 2011 were collected prospectively. Demographic characteristics, types of surgeries, preoperative renal function, pre- and intra-operative conditions and clinical outcomes, etc were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 4007 patients underwent cardiac surgery were recruited. The overall incidence of AKI was 31.2% (1250/4007). The incidence of AKI requiring renal replacement treatment (AKI-RRT) was 2.6% (104/4007). The overall hospital mortality was 1.9% (77/4007), and was significantly higher in AKI group than in non-AKI group (5.4% vs 0.3%, P < 0.01). The hospital mortality of AKI-RRT group was 36.5% (38/104). Grouped by type of surgery, cardiac transplantation had the highest AKI incidence (73.0%) and highest in-hospital mortality (18.9%), followed by coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) combined with valve surgery (AKI incidence 57.8%, in-hospital mortality 6.1%) and aneurysm surgery (AKI incidence 52.0%, in-hospital mortality 5.5%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that man, age, BMI, hypertension, chronic heart failure, pre-operative serum creatinine (SCr) > 106.0 µmol/L, intra-operative cardiopulmonary bypass time, intra-operative hypotension and aneurysm surgery were the risk factors of AKI after cardiac surgery. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that pre-operative SCr > 106.0 µmol/L and intra-operative hypotension were independent risk factors of renal recovery after cardiac surgery while recovery of urine output was the favorable factor. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac surgery usually induces high AKI incidence and poor prognosis, which closely associated with many risk factors in peri-operative stage. The incidence of AKI is related to a number of perioperative risk factors. Heart transplantation, aneurysm surgery, CABG combined valve surgery are high risk surgeries.

Plasma pentraxin 3 is associated with cardiovascular disease in hemodialysis patients.

This cross-sectional study evaluates the associations of Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Plasma was obtained from 98 maintenance HD patients before and after a session of HD and 50 age-matched healthy subjects. We measured plasma PTX3 levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Our results showed that plasma PTX3 levels were significantly higher in HD patients compared with controls (1.87 vs. 1.11 ng/mL, p < 0.001), and increased acutely after a single HD session (post-HD 2.18 ng/mL vs. pre-HD 1.87 ng/mL, p < 0.001). Patients with CVD had higher plasma PTX3 levels than those without CVD (2.18 vs. 1.76 ng/mL, p < 0.05). Plasma PTX3 levels correlated positively with cardiac troponin T (ρ = 0.287, p = 0.007) and carotid artery intima-media thickness (ρ = 0.294, p = 0.043). High plasma PTX3 (>1.87 ng/mL) level was positively and independently associated with CVD (OR = 3.15, p = 0.024). Receiver operator characteristics analysis showed the correlation between PTX3 and CVD more closely than high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in patients whose hs-CRP were higher than 3 mg/L. The area under the curve for PTX3 and hs-CRP was 0.655 (p = 0.047) and 0.562 (p = 0.458), respectively. Moreover, plasma PTX3 levels correlated negatively with body mass index, hemoglobin, pre-albumin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein. These data support the main conclusions: PTX3 levels are markedly elevated in HD patients; HD procedure itself induces PTX3 elevation; plasma PTX3 is associated with CVD in maintenance HD patients.

Serum uric acid is inversely related to acute ischemic stroke morbidity in hemodialysis patients.

AIM: Elevated serum uric acid (sUA) is usually associated with a high occurrence of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in the general population. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of sUA in AIS among hemodialysis (HD) patients. METHODS: We followed up the occurrence of AIS in 226 HD patients for 18 months from January 2009 to June 2010. The parameters included demographic characteristics, duration of HD, sUA, serum albumin, and other parameters. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate the function of SUC levels in the occurrence of AIS. RESULTS: A total of 43 patients suffered from AIS. By univariate logistic regression analysis an inverse association was observed in sUA level with the risk of AIS (p = 0.005), but the significance of this inverse association was attenuated while adjusted for age, gender and pulse pressure (PP) (p = 0.029), and even weakened while adjusted for age, gender, PP and diabetes nephropathy (DN) (p = 0.065), and finally abolished after adjustment for age, gender, PP, DN, hsCRP and pre-albumin. CONCLUSION: This study indicates an inverse association between sUC and the occurrence of AIS in HD patients. Demographic characteristics and malnutrition-microinflammation syndrome seem to play a significant role in this association.