Effect and Safety of Herbal Medicine Foot Baths in Patients with Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: A Multicenter Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect and safety of foot baths with Tangbi Waixi Decoction (TW) in treating patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). METHODS: It is a multicenter double-blinded randomized controlled trial. Participants with DPN were recruited between November 18, 2016 and May 30, 2018 from 8 hospitals in China. All patients received basic treatments for glycemic management. Patients received foot baths with TW herbal granules either 66.9 g (intervention group) or 6.69 g (control group) for 30 min once a day for 2 weeks and followed by a 2-week rest, as a therapeutic course. If the Toronto Clinical Scoring System total score (TCSS-TS) ⩾6 points, the patients received a total of 3 therapeutic courses (for 12 weeks) and were followed up for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was change in TCSS-TS score at 12 and 24 weeks. Secondary outcomes included changes in bilateral motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) and sensory nerve conduction velocity (SNCV) of the median and common peroneal nerve. Safety was also assessed. RESULTS: Totally 632 patients were enrolled, and 317 and 315 were randomized to the intervention and control groups, respectively. After the 12-week intervention, patients in both groups showed significant declines in TCSSTS scores, and significant increases in MNCV and SNCV of the median and common peroneal nerves compared with pre-treatment (P<0.05). The reduction of TCSS-TS score at 12 weeks and the increase of SNCV of median nerve at 24 weeks in the control group were greater than those in the intervention group (P<0.05). The number of adverse events did not differ significantly between groups (P>0.05), and no serious adverse event was related with treatment. CONCLUSION: Treatment of TW foot baths was safe and significantly benefitted patients with DPN. A low dose of TW appeared to be more effective than a high dose. (Registry No. ChiCTR-IOR-16009331).

Strategies on biosynthesis and production of bioactive compounds in medicinal plants.

Medicinal plants are a valuable source of essential medicines and herbal products for healthcare and disease therapy. Compared with chemical synthesis and extraction, the biosynthesis of natural products is a very promising alternative for the successful conservation of medicinal plants, and its rapid development will greatly facilitate the conservation and sustainable utilization of medicinal plants. Here, we summarize the advances in strategies and methods concerning the biosynthesis and production of natural products of medicinal plants. The strategies and methods mainly include genetic engineering, plant cell culture engineering, metabolic engineering, and synthetic biology based on multiple "OMICS" technologies, with paradigms for the biosynthesis of terpenoids and alkaloids. We also highlight the biosynthetic approaches and discuss progress in the production of some valuable natural products, exemplifying compounds such as vindoline (alkaloid), artemisinin and paclitaxel (terpenoids), to illustrate the power of biotechnology in medicinal plants.

Regulation of intestinal micro ecology between raw and salt-processed Alpinia oxyphylla on renal injury rats.

Alpinia oxyphylla Fructus is one of the traditional Chinese medicine plants in the treatment of kidney injury. In clinical practice, crude Alpinia oxyphylla Fructus (CAOF) and salt-processed Alpinia oxyphylla Fructus (SAOF) are the two commonly used drugs specificated in the prevention and treatment of diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, the intestinal micro ecology regulation between CAOF and SAOF on DN has not been reported. In this paper, intestinal micro ecology regulation activities between CAOF and SAOF in DN rats were compared and analyzed by short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and intestinal flora analysis. The results showed that both SAOF and CAOF can regulate the intestinal flora metabolite SCFAs level in DN rats, reduce blood glucose concentration and improve inflammatory reaction. The intestinal flora analysis showed SAOF and CAOF could increase the intestinal bacterial diversity. The treatment of renal injury may be related to their increased intestinal bacterial diversity.

Turning gray selenium and sublimed sulfur into a nanocomposite to accelerate tissue regeneration by isothermal recrystallization.

BACKGROUND: Globally, millions of patients suffer from regenerative deficiencies, such as refractory wound healing, which is characterized by excessive inflammation and abnormal angiogenesis. Growth factors and stem cells are currently employed to accelerate tissue repair and regeneration; however, they are complex and costly. Thus, the exploration of new regeneration accelerators is of considerable medical interest. This study developed a plain nanoparticle that accelerates tissue regeneration with the involvement of angiogenesis and inflammatory regulation. METHODS: Grey selenium and sublimed sulphur were thermalized in PEG-200 and isothermally recrystallised to composite nanoparticles (Nano-Se@S). The tissue regeneration accelerating activities of Nano-Se@S were evaluated in mice, zebrafish, chick embryos, and human cells. Transcriptomic analysis was performed to investigate the potential mechanisms involved during tissue regeneration. RESULTS: Through the cooperation of sulphur, which is inert to tissue regeneration, Nano-Se@S demonstrated improved tissue regeneration acceleration activity compared to Nano-Se. Transcriptome analysis revealed that Nano-Se@S improved biosynthesis and ROS scavenging but suppressed inflammation. The ROS scavenging and angiogenesis-promoting activities of Nano-Se@S were further confirmed in transgenic zebrafish and chick embryos. Interestingly, we found that Nano-Se@S recruits leukocytes to the wound surface at the early stage of regeneration, which contributes to sterilization during regeneration. CONCLUSION: Our study highlights Nano-Se@S as a tissue regeneration accelerator, and Nano-Se@S may provide new inspiration for therapeutics for regenerative-deficient diseases.

A chromosome-scale genome assembly of Artemisia argyi reveals unbiased subgenome evolution and key contributions of gene duplication to volatile terpenoid diversity.

Artemisia argyi Lévl. et Vant., a perennial Artemisia herb with an intense fragrance, is widely used in traditional medicine in China and many other Asian countries. Here, we present a chromosome-scale genome assembly of A. argyi comprising 3.89 Gb assembled into 17 pseudochromosomes. Phylogenetic and comparative genomic analyses revealed that A. argyi underwent a recent lineage-specific whole-genome duplication (WGD) event after divergence from Artemisia annua, resulting in two subgenomes. We deciphered the diploid ancestral genome of A. argyi, and unbiased subgenome evolution was observed. The recent WGD led to a large number of duplicated genes in the A. argyi genome. Expansion of the terpene synthase (TPS) gene family through various types of gene duplication may have greatly contributed to the diversity of volatile terpenoids in A. argyi. In particular, we identified a typical germacrene D synthase gene cluster within the expanded TPS gene family. The entire biosynthetic pathways of germacrenes, (+)-borneol, and (+)-camphor were elucidated in A. argyi. In addition, partial deletion of the amorpha-4,11-diene synthase (ADS) gene and loss of function of ADS homologs may have resulted in the lack of artemisinin production in A. argyi. Our study provides new insights into the genome evolution of Artemisia and lays a foundation for further improvement of the quality of this important medicinal plant.

Regulation of myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury signal pathway by flavonoid monomer / 中国中药杂志

Acute myocardial infarction seriously endangers the health of people due to its high morbidity and high mortality. Reperfusion strategy is the preferred treatment strategy for acute myocardial infarction. However, reperfusion may lead to additional heart damage, namely myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury(MIRI). Therefore, how to reduce myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury has become one of the urgent problems to be solved in cardiovascular disease. Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has the multi-component, multi-channel, and multi-target advantages in the treatment of MIRI, which offers new ideas in this aspect. TCM containing flavonoids has a variety of biological activities and plays a significant role in the treatment of MIRI, which has great research and development application value. TCM containing flavonoids can regulate multiple signaling pathways of MIRI, such as phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase/kinase B(PI3K/Akt) signaling pathway, Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcriptions(JAK/STAT) signaling pathway, adenosine 5'-monophosphate(AMP)-activated protein kinase(AMPK) signaling pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK) signaling pathway, nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2/antioxidant response element(Nrf2/ARE) signaling pathway, nuclear factor kappa-B(NF-κB) signaling pathway, silent information regulator 1(Sirt1) signaling pathway, and Notch signaling pathway. It reduces MIRI by inhibiting calcium overload, improving energy metabolism, regulating autophagy, and inhibiting ferroptosis and apoptosis. Therefore, a review has been made based on the regulation of relative signaling pathways against MIRI by TCM containing flavonoids, thus providing theoretical support and potential therapeutic strategies for TCM to alleviate MIRI.

Research progress on the diagnosis and treatment of demodex blepharitis / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

Demodex is one of the most common parasites in the human body. It can be classified into demodex folliculorum and demodex brevis based on the parasitic sites. It is an opportunistic pathogenic microorganism, and clinical symptoms may not appear in part of infected people, but the parasite can cause multiple common ocular diseases represented by blepharitis. Its typical symptoms include dry eyes, foreign body sensation in eyes, secretion attached to eyelashes, and ocular surface irritation. The diagnosis of demodex blepharitis should be based on the clinical manifestations and the results of etiological tests. The treatment is related to many kinds of drugs including plant essential oil and physical therapy. At present, diagnosing and treating demodex blepharitis is increasingly sophisticated, but the relationship between demodex infection and its pathogenicity remains unclear. This paper summarizes the current characteristics of demodex and the clinical manifestation, diagnosis, treatment, and existing issues of demodex blepharitis, hoping to provide a reference for future studies in demodex.

Curcumin alleviates nuclear factor-κB/NOD-like receptor protein 3 mediated renal injury caused by acute respiratory distress syndrome through reducing mitochondrial oxidative stress / 中华危重病急救医学

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the effect of curcumin on renal mitochondrial oxidative stress, nuclear factor-κB/NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NF-κB/NLRP3) inflammatory body signaling pathway and tissue cell injury in rats with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).@*METHODS@#A total of 24 specific pathogen free (SPF)-grade healthy male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into control group, ARDS model group, and low-dose and high-dose curcumin groups, with 6 rats in each group. The ARDS rat model was reproduced by intratracheal administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at 4 mg/kg via aerosol inhalation. The control group was given 2 mL/kg of normal saline. The low-dose and high-dose curcumin groups were administered 100 mg/kg or 200 mg/kg curcumin by gavage 24 hours after model reproduction, once a day. The control group and ARDS model group were given an equivalent amount of normal saline. After 7 days, blood samples were collected from the inferior vena cava, and the levels of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in serum were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The rats were sacrificed, and kidney tissues were collected. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were determined by ELISA, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was detected using the xanthine oxidase method, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were determined by colorimetric method. The protein expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), caspase-3, NF-κB p65, and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) were detected by Western blotting. The mRNA expressions of HIF-1α, NLRP3, and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Renal cell apoptosis was detected by TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL). The morphological changes in renal tubular epithelial cells and mitochondria were observed under a transmission electron microscope.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the control group, the ARDS model group exhibited kidney oxidative stress and inflammatory response, significantly elevated serum levels of kidney injury biomarker NGAL, activated NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway, increased kidney tissue cell apoptosis rate, and renal tubular epithelial cell damage and mitochondrial integrity destruction under transmission electron microscopy, indicating successful induction of kidney injury. Following curcumin intervention, the injury to renal tubular epithelial cells and mitochondria in the rats was significantly mitigated, along with a noticeable reduction in oxidative stress, inhibition of the NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway, and a significant decrease in kidney tissue cell apoptosis rate, demonstrating a certain dose-dependency. Compared with the ARDS model group, the high-dose curcumin group exhibited significantly reduced serum NGAL levels and kidney tissue MDA and ROS levels [NGAL (μg/L): 13.8±1.7 vs. 29.6±2.7, MDA (nmol/g): 115±18 vs. 300±47, ROS (kU/L): 75±19 vs. 260±15, all P < 0.05], significantly down-regulated protein expressions of HIF-1α, caspase-3, NF-κB p65, and TLR4 in the kidney tissue [HIF-1α protein (HIF-1α/β-actin): 0.515±0.064 vs. 0.888±0.055, caspase-3 protein (caspase-3/β-actin): 0.549±0.105 vs. 0.958±0.054, NF-κB p65 protein (NF-κB p65/β-actin): 0.428±0.166 vs. 0.900±0.059, TLR4 protein (TLR4/β-actin): 0.683±0.048 vs. 1.093±0.097, all P < 0.05], and significantly down-regulated mRNA expressions of HIF-1α, NLRP3, and IL-1β [HIF-1α mRNA (2-ΔΔCt): 2.90±0.39 vs. 9.49±1.87, NLRP3 mRNA (2-ΔΔCt): 2.07±0.21 vs. 6.13±1.32, IL-1β mRNA (2-ΔΔCt): 1.43±0.24 vs. 3.95±0.51, all P < 0.05], and significantly decreased kidney tissue cell apoptosis rate [(4.36±0.92)% vs. (27.75±8.31)%, P < 0.05], and significantly increased SOD activity (kU/g: 648±34 vs. 430±47, P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Curcumin can alleviate kidney injury in ARDS rats, and its mechanism may be related to the increasing in SOD activity, reduction of oxidative stress, and inhibition of the activation of the NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway.

Smart Lattice Structures with Self-Sensing Functionalities via Hybrid Additive Manufacturing Technology.

Lattice structures are a group of cellular materials composed of regular repeating unit cells. Due to their extraordinary mechanical properties, such as specific mechanical strength, ultra-low density, negative Poisson's ratio, etc., lattice structures have been widely applied in the fields of aviation and aerospace, medical devices, architecture, and automobiles. Hybrid additive manufacturing (HAM), an integrated manufacturing technology of 3D printing processes and other complementary processes, is becoming a competent candidate for conveniently delivering lattice structures with multifunctionalities, not just mechanical aspects. This work proposes a HAM technology that combines vat photopolymerization (VPP) and electroless plating process to fabricate smart metal-coated lattice structures. VPP 3D printing process is applied to create a highly precise polymer lattice structure, and thereafter electroless plating is conducted to deposit a thin layer of metal, which could be used as a resistive sensor for monitoring the mechanical loading on the structure. Ni-P layer and copper layer were successfully obtained with the resistivity of 8.2×10-7Ω⋅m and 2.0 ×10-8 Ω⋅m, respectively. Smart lattice structures with force-loading self-sensing functionality are fabricated to prove the feasibility of this HAM technology for fabricating multifunctional polymer-metal lattice composites.

Meizi-Consuming Culture That Fostered the Sustainable Use of Plum Resources in Dali of China: An Ethnobotanical Study.

Prunus mume has been cultivated for more than three millennia with important edible, ornamental, and medicinal value. Due to its sour taste, the Prunus mume fruit (called Meizi in Chinese and Ume in Japanese) is not very popular compared to other fruits. It is, however, a very favorite food for the Bai people living in Eryuan County, Dali of Yunnan, China. The local people are masters of making various local products with plum in different ways. In this research, we conducted field investigations in Eryuan County using ethnobotanical methods from August 2019 to July 2021, focusing on the Prunus mume (for its edible fruits). A total of 76 key informants participated in our semi-structured interviews. The survey recorded 37 species (and varieties) belonging to 11 families related to the Bai people's Meizi-consuming culture. Among them, there are 14 taxa of plum resources, including one original species and 13 varieties. These 37 species are either used as substitutes for plum due to their similar taste or as seasonings to improve the sour taste of plum. The higher Cultural Food Significance Index value implies that Prunus mume, Chaenomeles speciosa, Phyllanthus emblica, Prunus salicina, and Chaenomeles cathayensis have high acceptance and use value in the Bai communities. Among the various local products traditionally made by the Bai people, carved plums, preserved plums, perilla-wrapped plums, and stewed plums are the most famous and popular categories in the traditional markets. Currently, the plum business based on the traditional Meizi-consuming culture of the Bai people is already one of Eryuan's economic pillars. This study showed that plums play an important role in expressing the local cultural diversity, and they also help the local people by improving their livelihood through their edible value. In turn, for the sustainable use of plum resources, the Bai people positively manage local forests through a series of measures to protect the diversity of plum resources and related plant communities.

Limb loss experience evoked by electric cortical stimulation.

Limb loss experience is a type of body illusion characterized by the sensation of a missing limb or body part. We aimed to investigate the brain areas involved in this unusual somatosensory experience evoked by electric cortical stimulation with stereo-electroencephalography electrodes. We retrospectively reviewed the data of patients with medical intractable epilepsy, from October 2015 to December 2020, who underwent stereo-electroencephalography implantation and electric cortical stimulation in order to locate the epileptogenic zone and obtain a functional map. We included patients who reported experiences of limb loss during the process of electric cortical stimulation for functional mapping. Three patients reported experiences of limb loss in the process of electric cortical stimulation. Limb loss experience (including the right hand, right upper limb and right side of the body) occurred when the cortex of the left posterior insula, posterior dorsal cingulate and parietal operculum were stimulated. Limb loss experience can be evoked by electric cortical stimulation of the posterior insula, parietal operculum, and posterior cingulate cortex, and provides additional evidence that these cortices play a role in the integration of body sensory perception.

Effectiveness of electroacupuncture at Jiaji acupoints (EX-B2), plus moxibustion and intermediate on postherpetic neuralgia: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of electroacupuncture at Jiaji acupoints (EX-B 2) plus moxibustion and intermediate frequency on postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). METHODS: A total of 140 outpatients who satisfied the inclusion criteria and volunteered for this treatment were randomly divided into treatment (n = 70) and control (n = 70) groups. Both groups received a localized lesion area and electroacupuncture treatment combined with moxibustion and intermediate frequency. The treatment group (TG) increased acupuncture at Jiaji acupoints (EX-B 2) and electroacupuncture. Pain and anxiety were assessed before and after 5, 10, 15, and 20 treatments by using visual pain simulation score (VAS) and Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA), respectively. Clinical efficacy was also evaluated. RESULTS: The baseline between the two groups did not significantly differ (P > 0.05). The VAS and HAMA scores of the two groups after treatment significantly decreased compared with those of various treatment stages (P > 0.05). The HAMA score (P < 0.01) of TG was lower than that of the control group (CG). The VAS score of TG was lower than that of CG in the 5th and 10th treatments (P < 0.01). In the 15th and 10th scores, CG was also superior to TG (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The combined treatment of electroacupuncture at Jiaji acupoints (EX-B 2), moxibustion, and intermediate frequency can relieve the pain and anxiety symptoms of PHN. The efficacy of the combined treatment was superior to traditional acupuncture.

[Identification and quality evaluation of Tripterygium wilfordii].

With the extensive clinical application of Tripterygium wilfordii, there are many counterfeit products on the market. Traditional technology can not effectively identify the authenticity of the traditional Chinese medicine. Therefore, a strategy of accurate identification and quality evaluation of Tripterygium based on DNA barcode and chemical fingerprint spectrum was established. Based on DNA barcode technology, HMMer annotation method of hidden Markov model and K2P model were used to analyze genetic distance.BLAST1, nearest distance and phylogenetic tree (NJ-tree) methods were used to assess the identification efficiency of the ITS2 barcode. The fingerprint of 27 T. wilfordii was established by UPLC-PDA method, and the similarity of the fingerprint of different sources was evaluated. The main components of T. wilfordii were determined by LC-MS/MS. The results revealed that the intraspecific genetic distances of T. wilfordii were lower than the interspecific genetic distances between T. wilfordii and its adulterants. The results of similarity search showed that ITS2 sequence was used to identify T. wilfordii and its adulterants. The clustering of T. wilfordii and its adulterants was clear in the tree of NJ cluster, and 12 of 27 samples were identified as true T. wilfordii.The chemical fingerprint spectrum research indicates that the feature one region can distinguish the false product of tripterygium glycosides more intuitively. The cluster analysis of HCA-thermal map showed that the contents of six active components of T. wilfordii from different habitats were significantly different, which could be used to evaluate the quality of T. wilfordii. This paper is of guiding significance for the accurate identification and quality evaluation of Tripterygium medicinal plants.

Structural Insights of Benzenesulfonamide Analogues as NLRP3 Inflammasome Inhibitors: Design, Synthesis, and Biological Characterization.

NLRP3 inflammasome plays critical roles in a variety of human diseases and represents a promising drug target. In this study, we established the in vivo functional activities of JC124, a previously identified NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor from our group, in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease and acute myocardial infarction. To understand the chemical space of this lead structure, a series of analogues were designed, synthesized, and biologically characterized. The results revealed the critical roles of the two substituents on the benzamide moiety of JC124. On the other hand, modifications on the sulfonamide moiety of JC124 are well tolerated. Two new lead compounds, 14 and 17, were identified with improved inhibitory potency (IC50 values of 0.55 ± 0.091 and 0.42 ± 0.080 µM, respectively). Further characterization confirmed their selectivity and in vivo target engagement. Collectively, the results strongly encourage further development of more potent analogues based on this chemical scaffold.

Progress in the repair of osteoporotic bone defects: scaffold implantation and locaI drug delivery / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND: With the development of chemical synthesis technology, the application of anti-osteoporosis drugs incorporated into scaffolds to promote bone regeneration in osteoporotic bone defects has become a hot issue nowadays. OBJECTIVE: To introduce bone tissue engineering scaffolds, and to discuss and summarize the application of the scaffolds carrying anti-osteoporosis drugs for osteogenesis in osteoporotic bone defects. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, Springerlink, Medline, WanFang and CNKI databases were retrieved with "osteoporosis, bone defect, scaffold" as key words for relevant articles published from 2005 to 2017. Initially, 201 articles were retrieved, and finally 64 articles were selected for further analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: With the development of biochemical synthesis technology, various types of tissue-engineered bone scaffolds have been used for the treatment of osteoporotic bone defects. For example, the modified calcium phosphate cement, β-tricalcium phosphate, and hydroxyapatite all can promote bone regeneration. However, the ability of conventional scaffolds to promote bone regeneration is severely damaged under the state of osteoporosis. In this case, an anti-osteoporosis therapy becomes necessary. Considering severe adverse effects of systemic anti-osteoporosis drugs and limited local bone regeneration, the combination of scaffold implantation and local drug delivery can promote osteoporotic bone defect healing. Importantly, to incorporate bone regeneration inducers into scaffolds and steadily release with their biological activity is the key to success. Bisphosphonate, strontium, bone morphogenetic protein 2 and parathyroid hormone, traditional Chinese medicine and mesenchymal stem cells are the drugs commonly combined with tissue-engineered bone scaffolds. With the development of biotechnology, genetically modified stem cell-scaffold composites have gradually appealed to researchers.

Hybrid Sequencing of Full-Length cDNA Transcripts of Stems and Leaves in Dendrobium officinale.

Dendrobium officinale is an extremely valuable orchid used in traditional Chinese medicine, so sought after that it has a higher market value than gold. Although the expression profiles of some genes involved in the polysaccharide synthesis have previously been investigated, little research has been carried out on their alternatively spliced isoforms in D. officinale. In addition, information regarding the translocation of sugars from leaves to stems in D. officinale also remains limited. We analyzed the polysaccharide content of D. officinale leaves and stems, and completed in-depth transcriptome sequencing of these two diverse tissue types using second-generation sequencing (SGS) and single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing technology. The results of this study yielded a digital inventory of gene and mRNA isoform expressions. A comparative analysis of both transcriptomes uncovered a total of 1414 differentially expressed genes, including 844 that were up-regulated and 570 that were down-regulated in stems. Of these genes, one sugars will eventually be exported transporter (SWEET) and one sucrose transporter (SUT) are expressed to a greater extent in D. officinale stems than in leaves. Two glycosyltransferase (GT) and four cellulose synthase (Ces) genes undergo a distinct degree of alternative splicing. In the stems, the content of polysaccharides is twice as much as that in the leaves. The differentially expressed GT and transcription factor (TF) genes will be the focus of further study. The genes DoSWEET4 and DoSUT1 are significantly expressed in the stem, and are likely to be involved in sugar loading in the phloem.

Complete Chloroplast Genome of Medicinal Plant Lonicera japonica: Genome Rearrangement, Intron Gain and Loss, and Implications for Phylogenetic Studies.

The complete chloroplast (cp) genome of Lonicera japonica, a common ornamental and medicinal plant in North America and East Asia, was sequenced and analyzed. The length of the L. japonica cp genome is 155,078 bp, contains a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRa and IRb), of 23,774 bp each, as well as large (LSC, 88,858 bp) and small (SSC, 18,672 bp) single-copy regions. A total of 129 genes were identified in the cp genome, 16 of which were duplicated within the IR regions. Relative to other plant cp genomes, the L. japonica cp genome had a unique rearrangement between trnI-CAU and trnN-GUU. In L. japonica cpDNA, rps19, rpl2, and rpl23 move to the LSC region, from the IR region. The ycf1 pesudogene in the IR region is lost, and only one copy locates in the SSC region. Comparative cp DNA sequence analyses of L. japonica with other cp genomes reveal that the gene order, and the gene and intron contents, are slightly different. The introns in ycf2 and rps18 genes are found for the first time. Four genes (clpP, petB, petD, and rpl16) lost introns. However, its genome structure, GC content, and codon usage were similar to those of typical angiosperm cp genomes. All preferred synonymous codons were found to use codons ending with A/T. The AT-rich sequences were less abundant in the coding regions than in the non-coding ones. A phylogenetic analysis based on 71 protein-coding genes supported the idea that L. japonica is a sister of the Araliaceae species. This study identified unique characteristics of the L. japonica cp genome that contribute to our understanding of the cpDNA evolution. It offers valuable information for the phylogenetic and specific barcoding of this medicinal plant.

Therapeutic Observation of Navel Acupuncture for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of navel acupuncture in treating lumbar spinal stenosis. Method A total of 120 patients with lumbar spinal stenosis were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 60 cases each. The treatment group was intervened by navel acupuncture based on syndrome differentiation of traditional Chinese medicine, while the control group was intervened by oral administration of Bulleyaconitine A tablets, 10 d as a treatment course, for successive 2 courses. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was observed before and after the intervention, and the clinical efficacies were compared.Result The total effective rate was 98.3% in the treatment group versus 76.6% in the control group, and the between-group difference was statistically significant (P<0.01). The VAS scores were significantly changed after the intervention in both groups (P<0.05); the VAS score in the treatment group was significantly different from that in the control group after the treatment (P<0.05).Conclusion Navel acupuncture is an effective approach in treating lumbar spinal stenosis.

[Cloning and bioinformatics analysis of 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate reductase（PcHDR1）gene in Phlegmarirus carinatus].

The open reading frame of 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate reductase (HDR) was cloned from Phlegmarirus carinatus by RT-PCR method and the sequence was analyzed by bioinformatics tools. After searching the transcriptome dataset of P. carinatus, one unique sequence encoding 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate reductase was discovered. The primers were designed according to the cDNA sequence of 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate reductase from the dataset. And then, the open reading frame (ORF) of 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate reductase, named as PcHDR1 (GenBank Accession number：JQ957845), was cloned by RT-PCR strategy with the template of mixed RNA extracted from roots, stem and leaf of P. carinatus. The bioinformatic analysis of this gene and its corresponding protein was performed. The ORF of PcHDR1 consisted of 1 437 base pairs (bp), encoding one polypeptide with 478 amino acids. The sequence comparison showed that PcHDR1 is closest with GbHDR (Ginkgo biloba),and the sequence homology was up to 78%. Bioinformatics prediction and analysis indicated that PcHDR1 protein contained a conserved domain of LytB, without transmembrane region and signal peptides. This study cloned and analyzed 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate reductase from P. carinatus. The result will provide a foundation for exploring the function of PcHDR1 involved in terpene biosynthesis in P. carinatus plants.