Characterization of the Complete Chloroplast Genome of Four Species in Callerya.

BACKGROUND: Callerya reticulata (Bentham) Schot, Callerya dielsiana (Harms) P.K. Loc ex Z. Wei & Pedley, Callerya nitida var. hirsutissima (Z. Wei) X.Y. Zhu, and Callerya nitida (Bentham) R. Geesink, which belongs to the Leguminosae family, are important medicinal plants in China. The genus Callerya includes 26 species, 18 species are distributed in China, and the vine stems of some species are used as traditional medicinal herbs because they have important pharmacological activity. Due to the high similarity of appearance, it is difficult to identify them in the market by appearance alone. Therefore, circulating of Callerya-related materia medica on the market is confusing, sometimes even leading to drug safety problems. It is urgent to develop molecular methods for their identification. OBJECTIVE: To sequence and analyze the complete chloroplast (cp) genomes of C. reticulata, C. dielsiana, C. nitida var. hirsutissima, and C. nitida and to analyze their cp genome differences as a basis for seeking easier DNA barcoding for their identification. METHOD: After using Illumina high-throughput sequencing and nanopore sequencing to obtain the genome data, some bioinformatics software was used to assembly and analyze the molecular structure of cp genomes. RESULTS: The complete cp genomes of the four species were circular molecules, which ranged from 130 435 to 132 546 bp, and GC contents ranged from 33.89% to 34.89%. Each of them includes a large single-copy region, a small single-copy region, and without large inverted repeat regions. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that highly variable regions of the four cp genomes would provide useful plastid markers, which could be used as a potential genomic resource to resolve phylogenetic questions and provide a reference for mining specific DNA barcodes of these species. HIGHLIGHTS: Our study provided highly effective molecular markers for subsequent phylogenetic analysis, species identification, and biogeographic analysis of Callerya.

Effects of two human chorionic gonadotropin doses administered to the ovarian states during the in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer program.

The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) dose on the pulsatility indices (PI) of the intraovarian artery on the day of follicle aspiration and the oocyte quality, intrafollicular oxidative stress and luteinization. PI was also measured on the day of hCG administration. A total of 15 patients were undergoing the in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) program. To estimate whether there was any difference between the intraovarian artery blood flow and oocyte development of the same patients treated with 5,000 or 10,000 IU hCG, the intraovarian artery blood flow was measured by transvaginal color ultrasonography pulsed wave Doppler, and the follicular fluids and the granulosa cells were collected at follicle aspiration. There were statistically significant differences between the same patients undergoing the two different hCG-dose treatments in which the first protocol included 10,000 IU and the second protocol included 5,000 IU hCG treatment. These differences were apparent in the PI of intraovarian artery blood flow on the day of follicle aspiration (P=0.0023), in the incidence of apoptosis in cumulus (ApoC) and mural (ApoM) granulosa cells (ApoC, P=0.0077; ApoM, P=0.0128), in the total oocytes retrieved (P=0.0342) and in the follicle fluid progesterone concentration (P=0.0044). There were no significant differences between the two protocols in the PI of intraovarian artery blood flow on the day of hCG administration (P=0.4326), serum steroid on the day of follicle aspiration [serum P, P>0.9999; serum estradiol (E2), P=0.8589], follicle fluid E2 concentration (P=0.8939), mature oocyte rate (P=0.3743) and total mature oocytes retrieved (P=0.2026). In conclusion, the dose of hCG administration can significantly affect the intraovarian artery blood flow and the development of follicles and oocytes in an IVF-ET program.

Effects of combining low­dose aspirin with a Chinese patent medicine on follicular blood flow and pregnancy outcome.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical value of low­dose aspirin in combination with Tiao Jing Cu Yun pills in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) by measuring follicular peripheral blood flow parameters and the clinical efficacy. The study involved 78 infertile females with PCOS who were randomly divided into experimental (n=38) and control (n=40) groups. The subjects in the experimental group were treated with letrozole in combination with aspirin and Tiao Jing Cu Yun pills, and the control group was treated with letrozole alone. Transvaginal color Doppler ultrasonography was used to measure the endometrial thickness, pulsatility index (PI), resistance index (RI), peak systolic velocity and end diastolic velocity (EDV) of the follicular peripheral artery on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin administration. The patients who failed to become pregnant in the control group were reintegrated into the experimental group in the subsequent cycle and the clinical effect was observed. In the experimental group, subject perifollicular blood flow was more plentiful, and the PI and RI of the perifollicular blood flow were significantly reduced, while the EDV of the perifollicular blood flow and the rate of clinical pregnancy were markedly elevated compared with the subjects in the control group. Low­dose aspirin combined with Tiao Jing Cu Yun pills effectively improved perifollicular artery blood flow, and enhanced the oocyte quality and rate of clinical pregnancy.