[Genome-wide identification, phylogenetic analysis and expression profiling of the WOX family genes in Solanum lycopersicum].

Members of the plant-specific WOX transcription factor family have been reported to play important roles in cell to cell communication as well as other physiological and developmental processes. In this study, ten members of the WOX transcription factor family were identified in Solanum lycopersicum with HMMER. Neighbor-joining phylogenetic tree, maximum-likelihood tree and Bayesian-inference tree were constructed and similar topologies were shown using the protein sequences of the homeodomain. Phylogenetic study revealed that the 25 WOX family members from Arabidopsis and tomato fall into three clades and nine subfamilies. The patterns of exon-intron structures and organization of conserved domains in Arabidopsis and tomato were consistent based on the phylogenetic results. Transcriptome analysis showed that the expression patterns of SlWOXs were different in different tissue types. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis suggested that, as transcription factors, the SlWOX family members could be involved in a number of biological processes including cell to cell communication and tissue development. Our results are useful for future studies on WOX family members in tomato and other plant species.

Sialendoscopy-assisted treatment for chronic obstructive parotitis related to Sjogren syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: Chronic obstructive parotitis related to Sjogren syndrome is not uncommon, but it is rarely reported in the literature. The aim of this study was to describe our experience in the treatment of chronic obstructive parotitis related to Sjogren syndrome. STUDY DESIGN: Seventeen cases of chronic obstructive parotitis related to Sjogren syndrome treated with sialendoscopy from June 2014 to June 2015 at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Stomatology, China Medical University, were retrospectively reviewed. The cohort underwent ultrasonography, salivary gland scintigraphy, and sialography before sialendoscopy. All patients were asked to complete a visual analogue scale (VAS) evaluation before and 6 months after surgery. A paired t test was conducted, and P < .05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The 17 study patients (27 parotid glands) successfully underwent interventional sialendoscopy under local anesthesia. The mean preoperative VAS score was 6, and the mean VAS score 6 months after sialendoscopy was significantly lower at 4.5 (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Interventional sialendoscopy plays a significant role in the treatment of chronic obstructive parotitis related to Sjogren syndrome.

[The effect of autogenous vein cuff and injection of cerebral cell growth peptide on the recovery of injured facial nerve].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of autogenous vein cuff and injection of cerebral cell growth peptide on the recovery of the injured facial nerve. METHODS: The injured facial nerve was anastomosed and covered with an autogenous vein cuff. Cerebral cell growth peptide was then injected to it. The different repairing methods were evaluated and compared with electromyography and observing functional recovery of the mimetic muscles. RESULTS: The new repairing method accelerated the recovery of the injured facial nerve. The recovery period of mimetic muscle function was significant shorter than the traditional method (P < 0.01). The recovery period of I-stage repairing was significant shorter than that of II--stage repairing (P < 0.01). The conduction velocity of the repaired facial nerves had no obvious differences between the new repairing method and the traditional method (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Application of the autogenous vein cuff to cover the nerve anastomosis and injection of cerebral cell growth peptide is a promising method for facial nerve repairing.