Silencing of Glutamine: Fructose-6-Phosphate Aminotransferase Impairs Growth and Development in Sogatella furcifera (Hemiptera: Delphacidae).

Glutamine: fructose-6-phosphate aminotransferase (GFAT), the fourth enzyme in the chitin synthesis pathway, exerts wide-ranging effects on the growth and development of organisms. However, the role of GFAT in Sogatella furcifera remains unknown. In this study, the functional significance of the GFAT gene of S. furcifera was analyzed using a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and RNA interference (RNAi) analyses. The complementary DNA sequence of SfGFAT was 3162 bp in length and contained a 2067 bp open reading frame encoding 688 amino acid residues. Structural domain analysis indicated that the SfGFAT protein consisted of one glutamine aminotransferase class 2 domain and two sugar isomerase domains. Expression profile analysis revealed that SfGFAT was expressed throughout the egg, nymph, and adult phases and was strongly expressed on the first day of each nymph stage and in the integuments of five tissues. RNAi results revealed that SfGFAT gene silencing significantly inhibited the mRNA expression of the target gene and resulted in severe mortality among S. furcifera. In summary, these findings demonstrate that SfGFAT plays a critical role in the development of S. furcifera. Moreover, these results may aid in the development of methods to control the spread of S. furcifera.

Identification and Validation of Signature Genes and Their Correlations with Infiltrated Immune Cells in Neonatal Sepsis.

Background and Objective: There is increasing demand to identify accurate and reliable molecular biomarkers for early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. We aimed to identify and verify signature genes in neonatal sepsis through comprehensive bioinformatics analysis. Methods: A Gene Expression Omnibus data set was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in patients with neonatal sepsis and healthy controls by functional and disease enrichment analysis. Gene set enrichment analysis, screening of DEGs using 2 machine algorithms, analysis of receiver operating characteristic curves, and correlation analysis with infiltrating immune cells was performed. Results: We identified 433 DEGs: 144 downregulated and 289 upregulated. Gene Ontology analysis identified DEGs for T cell activation, positive regulation of cytokine production, secretory granule cavity, cytoplasmic vesicle cavity, immune receptor activity, and antioxidant activity. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis identified DEGs for hematopoietic cell lineage, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, and coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Disease Ontology analysis identified DEGs for hematopoietic system diseases, skin system diseases, and bacterial infectious diseases. We also gained understanding of the enrichment of various functions and pathways by gene set enrichment analysis. In the neonatal sepsis group, Gene Ontology analysis results were significant for coagulation, endocytosis, white cell migration, myeloid leukocyte-mediated immunity, and phagocytosis; KEGG analysis results were significant for chemokine signaling pathway, complement and coagulation cascade, leukocyte migration across endothelium, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, and toll-like receptor signaling pathway. We screened 2 signature DEGs (GSN and SEMA4B) using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and support vector machine recursive feature elimination algorithms and verified their diagnostic accuracy by receiver operating characteristic curves. We correlated GSN and SEMA4B expression levels with the infiltration levels of 22 types of immune cell. Conclusion: GSN and SEMA4B expression accurately predicted early-stage neonatal sepsis, which is beneficial for early clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Discovery of bletillain, an unusual benzyl polymer with significant autophagy-inducing effects in A549 lung cancer cells through the Akt/GSK-3ß/ß-catenin signaling pathway.

Lung cancer is one of the most malignant tumors with the highest mortality and morbidity. The tubers of Bletilla striata are known as "an excellent medicine for lung diseases" in traditional Chinese medicine. This study performed a targeted study to explore compounds with anti-lung cancer activity and the molecular mechanisms using A549 cells. Eighteen bibenzyl derivatives, including four new compounds (13, 14, 16, and 18), were isolated from the tubers of B. striata. Analysis of the structure-activity relationship indicated that the cytotoxicity of the bibenzyls against A549 cells increased gradually as the number of the benzyl groups in the structures increased. Bletillain (18), an unusual benzyl polymer, was found to be the most active compound. Further flow cytometric analysis, dual-luciferase assays, real-time PCR assays, and western blot assays revealed that bletillain induced autophagy in A549 cells by regulating the Akt/GSK-3ß/ß-catenin signaling pathway. Beclin 1, LC3, and p62 are downstream autophagy factors of Akt, and Beclin 1 was the key autophagy factor. These results suggested that bibenzyls of B. striata play important roles in the treatment of lung cancer and provided scientific evidence illustrating why the tubers of B. striata are a suitable medicine for the treatment of lung cancer in traditional Chinese medicine.

[Effects of 12-week Tai Chi exercise on the microvascular reactivity of the middle-aged and elderly patients with mild hypertension and its mechanism].

Objective: To study the effects of 12-week Taijiquan exercise on the microvascular reactivity of middle-aged and elderly patients with mild hypertension and to explore the mechanisms of microvascular reactivity. Methods: Thirty patients with mild hypertension were divided into exercise group (53.8±6.3 years old) and control group (52.6±7.5 years old). The number and gender ratio of the two groups were the same. The exercise group performed Tai Chi exercise for 12 weeks, and the control group maintained the original lifestyle and did not do other regular sports. The two groups of subjects were tested for microvascular reactivity, blood pressure, serum nitric oxide content, and nitric oxide synthase activity before exercise intervention, 6th week and 12th week, respectively. Results: There was no significant difference in the basic values of each index between the two groups of subjects before the test (P＞ 0.05). In the 6th week, the microvascular reactivity (blood flow increase rate), systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, nitric oxide content, nitric oxide synthase activity of the exercise group did not significantly change from the basic value (P＞0.05). At the 12th week, the microvascular reactivity, nitric oxide content, c nitric oxide synthase activity were significantly higher than those of the base values and the control group (P＜0.05), but the systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were significantly lower than those of the base values and control group (P＜0.05). In the control group, there were no significant changes in the 6th and 12th week values of each index from the basic value (P＞0.05). Conclusion: Twelve weeks of Taijiquan exercise can improve the microvascular reactivity of middle-aged hypertensive patients, reduce blood pressure, and increase the nitric oxide content and c nitric oxide synthase of patients. The increase of endogenous nitric oxide production is one of the biological mechanisms of Tai Chi exercise to improve the microvascular responsiveness of hypertension patients.

A novel method for quality consistency evaluation of Yankening Tablet by multi-wavelength fusion profiling combined with overall components dissolution method and antioxidant activity analysis.

Yankening Tablet (YKNT) is an anti-inflammatory Chinese medicine, which has the effect of heat-clearing and purging pathogenic fire. In this paper, a novel method for quality consistency evaluation of YKNT by multi-wavelength fusion profiling combined with multi-component quantification, overall components dissolution method and antioxidant activity analysis was established. The five-wavelength fusion fingerprint (FWFFP) of 19 batches of YKNT was established, which was evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively by systematic quantified fingerprint method (SQFM), and the quality of YKNTs was divided into different grades successfully. Three active components, Berberine (BBR), baicalin (BCL) and chrysophanol (CRP) in YKNT, were quantitatively determined by quantitative analysis of multi-components by single marker (QAMS). Principal component analysis divided the 19 batches of samples into two categories according to the content difference, which was consistent with the SQFM evaluation results. The combination of SQFM and QAMS successfully achieved the quantitative determination of YKNT from the whole to accurate. Partial least squares (PLS) model was developed to explore the relationship between the antioxidant ability and fingerprint of YKNT. Further overall dissolution UV fingerprints (ODUV-FP) were successfully established, in which the ultraviolet fingerprint (UV-FP) quantitative method was applied to determine the dissolution of the whole chemical substance of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) preparation. HPLC fingerprints (HPLC-FP) and ODUV-FP were combined to realize the dual control of the quality and efficacy of YKNT, providing a new method for consistency evaluation of TCM.

New Isoflavanes from Spatholobus suberectus and Their Cytotoxicity against Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines.

The rattans of Spatholobus suberectus Dunn are a traditional Chinese medicine activating blood circulation and removing stasis. They have often been used for the traditional Chinese medicinal treatment of breast cancer in modern China. In this study, four novel isoflavanes (1-3 and 5) and four known analogues (4 and 6-8) were isolated from an ethanolic extract of the rattans of S. suberectus. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses and electronic circular dichroism studies. MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines were used to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of the isolates. Interestingly, compounds 1 and 2 only inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 cells, while compound 6 showed a selective cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231 cells. However, compound 4 had significant cytotoxicity against both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines.

Current Treatment Patterns of Aplastic Anemia in China: A Prospective Cohort Registry Study.

Aplastic anemia (AA) is a hematologic disease characterized by pancytopenia and hypocellular bone marrow, potentially leading to chronic anemia, hemorrhage, and infection. The China Aplastic Anemia Committee and British Committee for Standards in Haematology guidelines recommend hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) or immunosuppressive therapy (IST) comprising antithymocyte globulin (ATG) with cyclosporine (CsA) as initial treatment for AA patients. With limited epidemiological data on the clinical management of AA in Asia, a prospective cohort registry study involving 22 AA treatment centers in China was conducted to describe the disease characteristics of newly diagnosed AA patients and investigate real-world treatment patterns and patient outcomes. Of 340 AA patients, 72.9, 12.6, and 3.5% were receiving IST, traditional Chinese medicine, and HSCT, respectively, at baseline; only 22.2% of IST-treated patients received guideline-recommended ATG with CsA initially. Almost all patients received supportive care (95.6%) as blood transfusion (97.8%), antibiotics (63.7%), and/or hematopoietic growth factors (58.2%). Overall, 64.8% achieved a partial or complete response, and 0.9% experienced relapse. No new safety concerns were identified; serious adverse events were largely unrelated to the treatment regimen. These results demonstrate the need to identify and minimize treatment barriers to standardize and align AA management in China with treatment guideline recommendations and further improve patient outcomes.

Alkaloids from the rhizomes of Ligusticum striatum exert antimigraine effects through regulating 5-HT1B receptor and c-Jun.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Migraine is a prevalent, complex, painful, and disabling neurovascular disorder that places an enormous social and economic burden on patients. Rhizome Chuanxiong (RCX), the dried rhizomes of Ligusticum striatum DC., has been widely used in the clinic for the treatment of migraine for centuries in China. Total alkaloids (TAs) are considered to be important effective ingredients of L. striatum, especially for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. However, there has been no study published, to date, reporting the antimigraine effects of TAs from RCX (RCXTAs). AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study was designed to evaluate the antimigraine effects of RCXTAs and explore the underlying mechanisms in an experimental migraine rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: RCXTAs were prepared in accordance with our previous optimized preparation process. A nitroglycerin-induced migraine model in rats and a reserpine-induced migraine model in mice were established to investigate the effects of RCXTAs on monoamine neurotransmitters in brain tissue, including 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and its metabolite (5-HIAA). Migraine rats or mice were divided into six groups as follows: control; model; zolmitriptan (1.67 mg/kg); and low-, medium-, and high-dose RCXTAs (12.5, 25, and 50 mg/kg, respectively). The levels of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in the brains of rats and mice were determined by using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Pathological changes in the brains of migraine rats were examined by immunohistochemistry. The protein expression of 5-HT1B receptor, c-Fos, and c-Jun in the periaqueductal gray (PAG) of migraine rats was measured by Western blot. RESULTS: After preventive administration of RCXTAs to the nitroglycerin-induced migraine rats, the levels of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in the brain tissue were generally upregulated in all three RCXTA dose groups, a finding that was similar to that observed in the control group. Additionally, the 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels were significantly increased in the medium- and high-dose RCXTA groups when compared with the model group (p < 0.01). Therapeutical administration of RCXTAs to reserpine-induced migraine mice also inhibited the reduction of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in the brain (p < 0.01). Both immunohistochemistry and Western blot tests showed that RCXTAs pretreatment has significantly upregulated 5-HT1B receptor expression and downregulated c-Jun expression in the nitroglycerin-induced migraine rats. CONCLUSIONS: RCXTAs exerted significant preventive and therapeutic effects on migraine via increasing the levels of 5-HT and 5-HIAA. Upregulation of the expression of monoamine neurotransmitter 5-HT1B receptor and downregulation of the expression of c-Jun were the possible mechanisms.

Pocahemiketals A and B, two new hemiketals with unprecedented sesquiterpenoid skeletons from Pogostemon cablin.

Pocahemiketals A and B (1 and 2), two novel hemiketal sesquiterpenoids with unprecedented skeletons, were isolated from the essential oil of the aerial parts of Pogostemon cablin. In addition to a bicyclo[3.2.1]-carbon core, 1 and 2 possessed a hemiketal α,ß-unsaturated-γ-lactone moiety. Their structures were determined by extensive spectroscopic analysis, electronic circular dichroism calculation, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound 2 exhibited significant vasorelaxant activity against phenylephrine-induced contraction of a rat aorta ring with the EC50 value of 16.32µM.

[Preliminary analysis of bitter substances in spica of Prunella vulgaris].

Volatile oil components and the contents and types of amino acid in spica of Prunella vulgaris were analysed by GC-MS and amino acid analyzer. Esters, fatty acids, aromatic hydrocarbon, ketone and several alcohol compounds were identified by mass spectrum comparison. In these ingredients, beta-ionone smelled aroma of cedar, raspberry, nerolidol showed weak sweet soft orange blossom flavor, neroli tasted sweet and fresh, nerolidol tasted sweet with light aroma of wood, hexadecanal showed a weak aroma of flowers and wax, alpha-sinensal had rich and fresh sweet orange flavor. To some extent, these types of aromatic substances can affect the taste of herbal tea or decoction made of Spica Prunellae. Among amino acids detected, natural amino acids accounted for a larger proportion, and those natural amino acids showed bitterness, slight bitterness, sourness (freshness), sweetness, slight sweetness, sourness (slight freshness). The results indicated that bitter and slightly bitter amino acids have the greatest impacts on the sense of Spica Prunellae.

Neurochemical changes in the rat occipital cortex and hippocampus after repetitive and profound hypoglycemia during the neonatal period: an ex vivo ¹H magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.

The brain of a human neonate is more vulnerable to hypoglycemia than that of pediatric and adult patients. Repetitive and profound hypoglycemia during the neonatal period (RPHN) causes brain damage and leads to severe neurologic sequelae. Ex vivo high-resolution (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was carried out in the present study to detect metabolite alterations in newborn and adolescent rats and investigate the effects of RPHN on their occipital cortex and hippocampus. Results showed that RPHN induces significant changes in a number of cerebral metabolites, and such changes are region-specific. Among the 16 metabolites detected by ex vivo (1)H NMR, RPHN significantly increased the levels of creatine, glutamate, glutamine, γ-aminobutyric acid, and aspartate, as well as other metabolites, including succine, taurine, and myo-inositol, in the occipital cortex of neonatal rats compared with the control. By contrast, changes in these neurochemicals were not significant in the hippocampus of neonatal rats. When the rats had developed into adolescence, the changes above were maintained and the levels of other metabolites, including lactate, N-acetyl aspartate, alanine, choline, glycine, acetate, and ascorbate, increased in the occipital cortex. By contrast, most of these metabolites were reduced in the hippocampus. These metabolic changes suggest that complementary mechanisms exist between these two brain areas. RPHN appears to affect occipital cortex and hippocampal activities, neurotransmitter transition, energy metabolism, and other metabolic equilibria in newborn rats; these effects are further aggravated when the newborn rats develop into adolescence. Changes in the metabolism of neurotransmitter system may be an adaptive measure of the central nervous system in response to RPHN.

[Factor of Prunella vulgaris yield components and morphological characteristics of relationship in different populations].

Prunella vulgaris is a perennial herb whose dry spike is used for medicine in China. It is also a very important traditional medicine. Current study was conducted to the biomass components factors of P. vulgaris in the different ecological environments for the development and protection. The results showed that the contribution factor of the production in different environments was significant differences. In favorable environment, the length of leaf, numbers of leaves, height, reproductive branch number of individuals gave the greatest contribution. In transitional habitats, the diameter of stem and spike, the length of leaf contributed the most. While in the undergrowth and dry hillside, the length of root, the width of leaf, the length of spike were the main factors for biomass.

[Case-control study on therapeutic effects of Chinese herb of promoting blood circulation to dissipate blood stasis in the treatment of mudslide injuries].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of Chinese herb of promoting blood circulation to dissipate blood stasis on the levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) in serum of patients with mudslide injuries, and investigate the mechanisms of Chinese herb of promoting blood circulation to dissipate blood stasis in the treatment of mudslide injuries. METHODS: Patients with mudslide injuries who were translated from Zhouqu and Chengxian to Lanzhou from 12th August 2010 were divided into two groups (group A and group B). Twenty-five patients in group A, containing 15 males and 10 females, with an average age of (39.0 +/- 3.9) years. According to AIS scoring system, 1 point in 2 cases, 2 points in 3, 3 points in 17 and 4 points in 3. No patients got 5 points. Based on ISS rating system, 16 cases got 16 points or less, 7 cases rated between 16 and 25, only 2 cases were equal to 25 points or more. Another 25 patients were in group B, including 11 males and 14 females, with a mean age of (40.1 +/- 3.6) years; AIS score showed 3 cases got 1 point, 4 got 2 points, 16 got 3 and 2 got 4 points, no patients got 5 points. Patients in group B were divided into three parts by ISS score:15 cases (16 points or less); 9 cases (range 16 to 25 points) and 1 case (25 points or more). All the patients accepted general physical checkup. Eight patients were treated by surgical treatment in group A (3 patients were treated with open reduction plate fixation, 4 patients were treated with debridement BHID, and 1 patient underwent foreign body removal) and 6 cases in group B (1 patient was treated with craniocerebral surgery,2 patients were treated with chest surgery, and 3 patients were treated with soft tissue debridement). All the patients of two groups were treated by support treatment, detumescence treatment and preventing infection, complications. A seven days course of treatment with detumescence analgesic mixture 50 ml p.o. bid, traumatologic cleansing liquid 20 ml ad us, ext 20 to 30 min qid to group A,continuous treatment of two courses. Using immunometric assay to determine serum levels of inflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha, IL-6 at the 2nd, 7th, 14th days after admission. Analysis of data were done with the help of SPSS 16.0 statistic software. RESULTS: There were no statistical differences of TNF-alpha, IL-6 between two groups at the second day after admission, and there were statistical differences at the 7th and 14th days between two groups. There were significant differences of TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels between the 7th day and the 2nd day, the 14th day and 2nd day after admission. CONCLUSION: The Chinese herb of promoting blood circulation to dissipate blood stasis can inhibit the release of inflammatory factor after traumatism.

[Shengli capsules enhance sexual ability in male rats].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of Shengli capsules on the sexual ability of normal and castrated male rats. METHODS: Shengli capsules were given by intragastric administration to 100 experimental male rats at different doses of 0.35, 0.70 and 1.40 g / kg. Data were collected and analyzed, including capture latency period, times of capture, sexual endurance and times of ejaculation, to assess the effects of Shengli capsules on the sexual ability of the rats. The Castrated Animal Impotence Model was employed to determine the erectile latency period and the function parameters of the preputial gland, seminal vesicle and prostate, so as to test the effects of Shengli on the development of the rats'sexual organs. RESULTS: Shengli was proved to be effective in shortening copulation latency in the dose groups of 0.35, 0.70 and 1.40 g / kg (P < 0.01), increasing significantly the frequency of capture in the high- and low-dose groups of 0.35 and 1.40 g / kg (P < 0.05), reducing the latency period to erection in the low-dose group of 0.35 g / kg, and blocking the shrink of the seminal vesicle and prostate in the medium-dose group of 0.70 g / kg. CONCLUSION: Shengli is significantly effective in enhancing the sexual ability of male rats: it can boost libido, increase erection frequency and improve sexual performance. However, further studies have yet to be done on its action mechanisms.

Shengli capsules enhance sexual ability in male rats / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effects of Shengli capsules on the sexual ability of normal and castrated male rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Shengli capsules were given by intragastric administration to 100 experimental male rats at different doses of 0.35, 0.70 and 1.40 g / kg. Data were collected and analyzed, including capture latency period, times of capture, sexual endurance and times of ejaculation, to assess the effects of Shengli capsules on the sexual ability of the rats. The Castrated Animal Impotence Model was employed to determine the erectile latency period and the function parameters of the preputial gland, seminal vesicle and prostate, so as to test the effects of Shengli on the development of the rats'sexual organs.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Shengli was proved to be effective in shortening copulation latency in the dose groups of 0.35, 0.70 and 1.40 g / kg (P < 0.01), increasing significantly the frequency of capture in the high- and low-dose groups of 0.35 and 1.40 g / kg (P < 0.05), reducing the latency period to erection in the low-dose group of 0.35 g / kg, and blocking the shrink of the seminal vesicle and prostate in the medium-dose group of 0.70 g / kg.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Shengli is significantly effective in enhancing the sexual ability of male rats: it can boost libido, increase erection frequency and improve sexual performance. However, further studies have yet to be done on its action mechanisms.</p>