Plant Virome Analysis by the Deep Sequencing of Small RNAs of Fritillaria thunbergii var. chekiangensis and the Rapid Identification of Viruses.

Thunberg fritillary (Fritillaria thunbergii), a perennial used in traditional Chinese herbal medicine, is a members of the family Liliaceae. The degeneration of germplasm is a severe problem in the production of Fritillaria thunbergii var. chekiangensis. However, no information about viral infections of F. thunbergii var. chekiangensis has been reported. In this study, we sequenced the small RNAs of F. thunbergii var. chekiangensis from leaves and bulbs, and viruses were identified using a phylogenetic analysis and BLAST search for sequence. In addition, multiplex reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to rapidly detect viruses in this variety. Our study first reported that five viruses infected F. thunbergii var. chekiangensis. Among them, fritillary virus Y (FVY), lily mottle virus (LMoV), Thunberg fritillary mosaic virus (TFMV), and hop yellow virus (HYV) had been reported in F. thunbergii, while apple stem grooving virus was first reported in the genus Fritillaria. A multiplex RT-PCR method was developed to rapidly test the four viruses FVY, LMoV, TFMV, and HYV in F. thunbergii var. chekiangensis. Our results provide a better understanding of the infection of F. thunbergii var. chekiangensis by viruses and a basic reference for the better design of suitable control measures.

Effects of Armillariella tabescens mycelia on the growth performance and intestinal immune response and microflora of early-weaned pigs.

This study was performed to evaluate effects of Armillariella tabescens (A. tabescens) on the growth performance and intestinal immune response and microflora in early-weaned pigs when used as feed additive. A. tabescens mycelia were added to basal diets at concentrations of 0%, 0.1%, 0.3% or 0.9% (w/w). A total of 144 commercial cross-bred piglets were randomly allocated to one of these four diets and fed for 30 days. The growth performance of early-weaned piglets displayed improvement with diets containing 0.1% and 0.3% dried mycelia powder from A. tabescens. Supplementing with 0.1% or 0.3% A. tabescens mycelia induced a 2.6- and three-fold increase in secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) content in the jejunal mucosa, respectively, but had only a marginal effect on sIgA in the ileal mucosa. Expression of interleukin-2, interferon-γ, and tumor necrosis factor-α in the jejunal mucosa were elevated with A. tabescens mycelia administration. Increased amounts of Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. in the jejunum, and decreased amounts of Escherichia coli in the jejunum and ileum were observed with the administration of A. tabescens-containing diets. This study demonstrated that A. tabescens had beneficial effects on the growth performance and intestinal microflora of early-weaned pigs.

Malone Antegrade Continence Enema in Patients with Perineal Colostomy After Rectal Resection.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the value of antegrade continence enema (Malone operation) in abdominoperineal resection (Miles' operation). Between January 2008 and May 2009, five cancer patients (two men and three women) underwent abdominoperineal resection and digestive reconstruction by perineal colostomy and Malone antegrade continence enema in our institution. Their functional results and quality of life were recorded. None of the patients died, but two had wound infections and one experienced urinary retention. Patients performed antegrade enema every 24 h with 2,000 mL of normal saline by themselves. The duration of the enema lasted for an average of approximately 35 min, and fecal contamination was not detected at 24 h. Patient satisfaction was determined to be 88 %. Malone antegrade continence enema associated with abdominoperineal resection and perineal colostomy provided acceptable continence. It preserved the body image of the patients and resulted in a satisfactory quality of life. It is a potential alternative for patients who are not willing to have a permanent colostomy.

[Treatment of antipsychotics induced mild hepatic damage by Dangfei Liganning Tablet: an efficacy observation].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic efficacy of Dangfei Liganning Tablet (DLT) in the treatment of antipsychotics induced mild hepatic damage. METHODS: Totally 80 mental inpatients with antipsychotics induced mild liver injury were randomly assigned to two groups, the treatment group (40 cases) and the control group (40 cases). Patients in the treatment group took DLT, two tablets each time, three times per day, while those in the control group took Liver-protecting Tablet (LT), four tablets each time, three times per day. The treatment course was 4 weeks for all. Changes of glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (ALT) and glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase (AST) were observed before treatment, week 1, 2, and 4 after treatment. The therapeutic efficacy was compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Compared with the former time point, ALT and AST gradually decreased in the two groups at week 1, 2, and 4 (P <0. 05). The cured rate was 72. 5% and the total effective rate was 97. 5% in the treatment group. They were 62. 5% and 90. 0% respectively in the control group. There was no statistical difference in the two indices between the two group (P >0.05). No obvious adverse reaction occurred in the two groups. CONCLUSION: DLT could treat antipsychotics induced mild hepatic damage in a safe and effective way.

[The effect of breviscapine on the pulmonary arterial pressure and the expression of Rho-kinase in pulmonary arterioles of hypoxic rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of breviscapine on the pulmonary artery pressure and the Rho-kinase and Rho-kinase mRNA in pulmonary arterioles of rats treated with hypoxia, and therefore to explore the mechanisms of breviscapine on hypoxic pulmonary hypertension. METHODS: Eighteen adult male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups. One group was exposed to air (normal group), the second group was exposed to isobaric hypoxia for 3 weeks (hypoxic group), and the third group was exposed to hypoxia for 3 weeks and treated with breviscapine (preventive group). Cardiac catheterization was used to measure the mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP). The heart was isolated, and the right ventricle (RV), left ventricle plus ventricular septum (LV + S) were weighed to calculate the ratio RV/(LV + S). The ratio of vascular wall thickness/vascular external diameter (WT%) and the ratio of vascular wall area/total vascular area (WA%) were measured by image analysis. The quantity of Rho-kinase and Rho-kinase mRNA in rat pulmonary arterioles were determined by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization respectively. RESULTS: The mPAP in the preventive group [(19.83 +/- 1.47) mm Hg, 1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa] was significantly lower than that of the hypoxic group [(27.3 +/- 5.0) mm Hg], t = 4.28, P < 0.05. The RV/(LV + S) in the preventive group (0.29 +/- 0.03) was significantly lower than that in the hypoxic group (0.34 +/- 0.05, t = 2.39, P < 0.05). The WT% and WA% in the preventive group (25 +/- 5 and 45 +/- 5, respectively) were significantly lower than those in the hypoxic group (36 +/- 12 and 59 +/- 13, respectively, t = 4.89, 5.89, P < 0.05). The positive staining of ROCKI and ROCKII on pulmonary arterioles in the preventive group (1.18 +/- 0.10 and 1.30 +/- 0.12, respectively) were significantly lower than those in the hypoxic group (1.29 +/- 0.08 and 1.63 +/- 0.24, respectively, t = 3.90, 5.82, P < 0.05). The positive staining of ROCKI mRNA and ROCKII mRNA in the preventive group (1.23 +/- 0.13 and 1.22 +/- 0.06, respectively) were significantly lower than those in the hypoxic group (1.37 +/- 0.13 and 1.59 +/- 0.31, respectively, t = 3.94, 5.83, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Breviscapine was shown to prevent hypoxic pulmonary hypertension and decrease Rho-kinase and Rho-kinase mRNA.

[Effect of dehydroepiandrosterone on Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells in pulmonary hypertensive rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on Ca(2+)-activated K(+) (K(Ca)) channel and mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) in rats with chronic pulmonary hypertension. METHODS: Fifty Wistar rats were divided randomly into a normal group (group A, n = 10) and a chronic hypoxia group (group B, n = 40). The rats in group B were subdivided into group B(1), B(2), B(3), and B(4) (each n = 10) at random. The rats in group B were exposed to hypoxia (FiO(2) = 0.10 +/- 0.05) for 3 weeks, whereas the rats in group A maintained in air. Under normoxic conditions, the smooth muscle cells (SMCs) were isolated from the pulmonary artery by the acute enzymatic dissection methods. In the symmetrical high K(+) solution, the K(Ca) currents were separated with inside-out configuration using the patch clamp technique. The activity of K(Ca) currents in SMCs between group B(1) and group A was compared under normoxic conditions, and the effect of DHEA on K(Ca) channel from group B(1) was observed. The mPAP and mean systemic arterial pressure (mSAP) were determined by right cardiac catheterization in rats from group B(2), B(3), B(4) before and after DHEA was administrated to rats by intravenous injection. RESULTS: The activity of K(Ca) channel in group B rats was much lower than that in group A (P < 0.01). DHEA could reverse the reduced K(Ca) channel in group B(1) rats. The mPAP were decreased significantly (P < 0.01) after DHEA was administrated to the rats in group B(2), B(3), B(4) with little change on mSAP (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Persistent decrease of K(Ca) channel activity may take part in the development of chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in rats. DHEA can decrease the increased mPAP induced by chronic hypoxia via activating K(Ca) channel of SMCs from pulmonary arteries.