Perioperative Electroacupuncture Can Accelerate the Recovery of Gastrointestinal Function in Cancer Patients Undergoing Pancreatectomy or Gastrectomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

The effect of perioperative acupuncture on accelerating gastrointestinal function recovery has been reported in colorectal surgery and distal gastrectomy (Billroth-II). However, the evidence in pancreatectomy and other gastrectomy is still limited. A prospective, randomized controlled trial was conducted between May 2018 and August 2019. Consecutive patients undergoing pancreatectomy or gastrectomy in our hospital were randomly assigned to the electroacupuncture (EA) group and the control group. The patients in the EA group received transcutaneous EA on Bai-hui (GV20), Nei-guan (PC6), Tian-shu (ST25), and Zu-san-li (ST36) once a day in the afternoon, and the control group received sham EA. Primary outcomes were the time to first flatus and time to first defecation. In total, 461 patients were randomly assigned to the groups, and 385 were analyzed finally (EA group, n = 201; control group, n = 184). Time to first flatus (3.0 ± 0.7 vs 4.2 ± 1.0, P < 0.001) and first defecation (4.2 ± 0.9 vs 5.4 ± 1.2, P < 0.001) in the EA group were significantly shorter than those in the control group. Of patients undergoing pancreatectomy, those undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy and intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) surgery benefitted from EA in time to first flatus (P < 0.001) and first defecation (P < 0.001), while those undergoing distal pancreatectomy did not (P flatus=0.157, P defecation=0.007) completely. Of patients undergoing gastrectomy, those undergoing total gastrectomy and distal gastrectomy (Billroth-II) benefitted from EA (P < 0.001), as did those undergoing proximal gastrectomy (P=0.015). Patients undergoing distal gastrectomy (Billroth-I) benefitted from EA in time to first defecation (P=0.012) but not flatus (P=0.051). The time of parenteral nutrition, hospital stay, and time to first independent walk in the EA group were shorter than those in the control group. No severe EA complications were reported. EA was safe and effective in accelerating postoperative gastrointestinal function recovery. Patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy, IORT surgery, total gastrectomy, proximal gastrectomy, or distal gastrectomy (Billroth-II) could benefit from EA. This trial is registered with NCT03291574.

Potential of rhBMP-2 and dexamethasone-loaded Zein/PLLA scaffolds for enhanced in vitro osteogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells.

Nanofibers fabricated by electrospinning simulate the extracellular matrix of bone cells and so researchers have taken a keen interest in them for regenerating bone tissue. The aim of this study was to fabricate ideal Zein/PLLA nanofibers by coaxial electrospinning and to load them with bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) and dexamethasone (DEX) for dual controlled-release for bone tissue engineering applications. Morphology, surface hydrophilicity and core-shell construction were analyzed by environmental scanning electron microscopy (SEM), water contact angle and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The properties of the scaffolds were studied in terms of the viability, morphology and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that had been cultured on nanofiber mats of the Zein/PLLA and were determined using SEM, CCK-8 assay, quantitative ALP staining analysis, quantitative mineral deposition using Alizarin red staining (ARS), immunofluorescence staining and western blot analysis of osteogenic proteins. In vitro studies demonstrated that the biological activity of DEX and BMP-2 was retained in the dual-drug-loaded nanofiber scaffolds. A large quantity of DEX was released in the first three days, while the release of BMP-2 lasted for more than 21 days. In vitro osteogenesis studies showed that the drug-loaded nanofiber scaffolds induced osteogenic differentiation. Furthermore, the dual controlled-release of BMP-2 and DEX enhanced the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs resulting from synergistic effects. Therefore, Zein/PLLA nanofiber scaffolds loaded with BMP-2 and DEX have great potential in bone tissue engineering applications.

Natural variation in ARF18 gene simultaneously affects seed weight and silique length in polyploid rapeseed.

Seed weight (SW), which is one of the three major factors influencing grain yield, has been widely accepted as a complex trait that is controlled by polygenes, particularly in polyploid crops. Brassica napus L., which is the second leading crop source for vegetable oil around the world, is a tetraploid (4×) species. In the present study, we identified a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) on chromosome A9 of rapeseed in which the genes for SW and silique length (SL) were colocated. By fine mapping and association analysis, we uncovered a 165-bp deletion in the auxin-response factor 18 (ARF18) gene associated with increased SW and SL. ARF18 encodes an auxin-response factor and shows inhibitory activity on downstream auxin genes. This 55-aa deletion prevents ARF18 from forming homodimers, in turn resulting in the loss of binding activity. Furthermore, reciprocal crossing has shown that this QTL affects SW by maternal effects. Transcription analysis has shown that ARF18 regulates cell growth in the silique wall by acting via an auxin-response pathway. Together, our results suggest that ARF18 regulates silique wall development and determines SW via maternal regulation. In addition, our study reveals the first (to our knowledge) QTL in rapeseed and may provide insights into gene cloning involving polyploid crops.

The BnGRF2 gene (GRF2-like gene from Brassica napus) enhances seed oil production through regulating cell number and plant photosynthesis.

Seed yield and oil content are two important agricultural characteristics in oil crop breeding, and a lot of functional gene research is being concentrated on increasing these factors. In this study, by differential gene expression analyses between rapeseed lines (zy036 and 51070) which exhibit different levels of seed oil production, BnGRF2 (Brassica napus growth-regulating factor 2-like gene) was identified in the high oil-producing line zy036. To elucidate the possible roles of BnGRF2 in seed oil production, the cDNA sequences of the rapeseed GRF2 gene were isolated. The Blastn result showed that rapeseed contained BnGRF2a/2b which were located in the A genome (A1 and A3) and C genome (C1 and C6), respectively, and the dominantly expressed gene BnGRF2a was chosen for transgenic research. Analysis of 35S-BnGRF2a transgenic Arabidopsis showed that overexpressed BnGRF2a resulted in an increase in seed oil production of >50%. Moreover, BnGRF2a also induced a >20% enlargement in extended leaves and >40% improvement in photosynthetic efficiency because of an increase in the chlorophyll content. Furthermore, transcriptome analyses indicated that some genes associated with cell proliferation, photosynthesis, and oil synthesis were up-regulated, which revealed that cell number and plant photosynthesis contributed to the increased seed weight and oil content. Because of less efficient self-fertilization induced by the longer pistil in the 35S-BnGRF2a transgenic line, Napin-BnGRF2a transgenic lines were further used to identify the function of BnGRF2, and the results showed that seed oil production also could increase >40% compared with the wild-type control. The results suggest that improvement to economically important characteristics in oil crops may be achieved by manipulation of the GRF2 expression level.

Maternal control of seed oil content in Brassica napus: the role of silique wall photosynthesis.

Seed oil content is an important agronomic trait in rapeseed. However, our understanding of the regulatory processes controlling oil accumulation is still limited. Using two rapeseed lines (zy036 and 51070) with contrasting oil content, we found that maternal genotype greatly affects seed oil content. Genetic and physiological evidence indicated that difference in the local and tissue-specific photosynthetic activity in the silique wall (a maternal tissue) was responsible for the different seed oil contents. This effect was mimicked by in planta manipulation of silique wall photosynthesis. Furthermore, the starch content and expression of the important lipid synthesis regulatory gene WRINKLED1 in developing seeds were linked with silique wall photosynthetic activity. 454 pyrosequencing was performed to explore the possible molecular mechanism for the difference in silique wall photosynthesis between zy036 and 51070. Interestingly, the results suggested that photosynthesis-related genes were over-represented in both total silique wall expressed genes and genes that were differentially expressed between genotypes. A potential regulatory mechanism for elevated photosynthesis in the zy036 silique wall is proposed on the basis of knowledge from Arabidopsis. Differentially expressed ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco)-related genes were used for further investigations. Oil content correlated closely with BnRBCS1A expression levels and Rubisco activities in the silique wall, but not in the leaf. Taken together, our results highlight an important role of silique wall photosynthesis in the regulation of seed oil content in terms of maternal effects.

Outcomes of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt through the left branch vs. the right branch of the portal vein in advanced cirrhosis: a randomized trial.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is technically divided into TIPS through the left branch of the portal vein (TIPS-LBPV) and TIPS through the right branch of the portal vein (TIPS-RBPV). In order to compare their advantages and disadvantages, this randomized, controlled trial was designed to investigate their outcomes in advanced cirrhotic patients. METHODS: Seventy-two patients were randomly placed into TIPS-LBPV (36 patients) and TIPS-RBPV (36 patients, with four failures) groups, and they were prospectively followed for 2 years after TIPS implantation. RESULTS: Patients who underwent the two different kinds of TIPS were balanced during recruitment for this study. The incidences of overall encephalopathy and de novo encephalopathy in the TIPS-LBPV group were significantly lower than that of the TIPS-RBPV group during follow-up (P=0.036 and 0.012 respectively). The incidences of rebleeding or re-intervention and improvement of ascites were similar between groups (P>0.05). Patients undergoing TIPS-RBPV required more rehospitalization and incurred more costs than those who underwent TIPS-LBPV (P=0.030 and 0.039 respectively). There was no significant difference between the two groups in survival based on a survival curve constructed according to the Kaplan-Meier method (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing TIPS-LBPV had a lower incidence of encephalopathy, less rehospitalization and lower costs after TIPS implantation compared with patients undergoing TIPS-RBPV.

Identification of differentially expressed genes in seeds of two near-isogenic Brassica napus lines with different oil content.

The regulation of seed oil synthesis in rapeseed is largely unknown. In this study, we compared the gene expression during seed development between two lines of Brassica napus with a 10% difference in oil content. We isolated the immature seeds 15 and 25 days after flowering at periods preceding and including the major accumulation of storage oils and proteins. The differentially expressed gene clones between the two rape lines were isolated by subtractive suppression hybridization (SSH). All SSH clones were arrayed and screened by dot blot hybridization, followed by RT-PCR analysis for selected clones. A total of 217 cDNA clones corresponding to 30 genes were found to have a high expression in seeds with high oil content. Six genes were highly expressed in seeds with low oil content. Northern blot and enzyme activity analysis demonstrated a change in expression pattern of several genes. The results provide information on gene-encoding factors responsible for the regulation of oil synthesis. The possible role of these genes in seeds is discussed. The genes in this study may be suitable as novel targets for genetic improvement of seed oil content and may also provide molecular markers for studies of rape breeding.

[Gene expression and activity regulation of two calmodulin binding protein kinases in tobacco seedling].

Two different calmodulin-binding protein kinase cDNAs (NtCBK1/2) have been isolated from tobacco. To understand the CBK protein activity regulation, we compared the activity regulation of NtCBK1 and NtCBK2 by pH, Mg(2+) concentration and Na(+) concentration. We found the autophosphorylation of NtCBK1/2 reached the maximum in pH 7.5 and 8 respectively; Mg(2+) and Na(+) shown different effects on the activity of NtCBKs, high and low Mg(2+) concentrations both inhibited the activity of NtCBKs, but Na+ had little effect on the kinase activity. In addition, to obtain further insight about the physiological roles of individual NtCBKs, we detected the expression profiles of CBKs. The results revealed different patterns of expression of NtCBK1 and NtCBK2. Both are largely expressed in leaf and flower; but in stem and root, NtCBK1 gene had stronger expression than NtCBK2. NtCBK2 expression was induced by GA treatment, while NtCBK1 expression remained unchanged under GA treatment. Expression of both NtCBK1 and NtCBK2 increased in response to salt stress, the former to a greater extent, and both expressions did not change under high/low temperature, drought, NAA and ABA treatments.