Complete chloroplast genome sequence of Pithecellobium clypearia (Jack) Benth.

Pithecellobium clypearia (Jack) Benth. 1844 belongs to the genus Pithecellobium in the family Fabaceae. The complete chloroplast genome of P. clypearia was sequenced and analyzed by Illumina sequencing in this study. The full length of the complete chloroplast genome is 176,770 bp, containing a pair of inverted repeat regions of 39,693 bp (IRa and IRb) separated by a large single-copy (LSC) region of 92,500 bp and a small single-copy (SSC) region of 4,884 bp. The P. clypearia chloroplast genome encodes 137 genes, comprising 92 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis based on complete chloroplast genomes revealed that P. clypearia is closely related to Archidendron lucyi and Pithecellobium flexicaule. This study provides useful resources for further study and development of this species.

Intensity-tunable terahertz bandpass filters based on liquid crystal integrated metamaterials.

In this paper, we demonstrate an intensity-tunable THz bandpass filter by introducing liquid crystal (LC) integrated with asymmetric frequency selective surface (FSS) and subwavelength metal gratings. Here, the tunable THz filter is derived from the inner polarization state conversion in composited devices, and the incident linear polarization can be converted into 90° orthogonal components. By controlling the LC orientation under the applied electric field with the metamaterial electrodes, the polarization conversion process can be actively modulated; thus, the polarization-dependent and tunable THz bandpass filter is achieved. Based on the multilayer design and the inner Fabry-Perot-like resonance mechanism, the LC-integrated metamaterials filter presents better filtering performance than the single FSS filter, and the Q-value is improved from 7.7 to 13.8 at the working frequency. Our simulated work paves the way for the design of new and efficient THz filters.

Effect of individualized medical nutrition guidance on pregnancy outcomes in older pregnant women.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to explore the effect of individualized medical nutrition guidance on pregnancy outcomes among older pregnant women. METHODS: This was a prospective study using a randomized controlled trial design. We selected 820 older pregnant women and randomly divided them into a study group and control group (410 women each). The control group was given routine health education and nutrition guidance; the study group was provided individualized medical nutrition guidance. Gestational diabetes mellitus, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, vaginal delivery rate, postpartum hemorrhage rate, gestational body weight, neonatal birth weight, and neonate transfer to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) were compared between the groups. RESULTS: The incidence of gestational diabetes in the study group was significantly lower and the rate of vaginal delivery was significantly higher than those in the control group. The incidence of macrosomia, rate of neonatal transfer to the NICU, and rate of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia were significantly lower in the study group than those in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Individualized nutritional intervention for older pregnant women can effectively reduce the incidence of complications during pregnancy and childbirth and improve maternal and child outcomes.

Complete chloroplast genome sequence and phylogenetic analysis of Clerodendrum japonicum (Thunb.) Sweet (Ajugoideae, Lamiaceae).

Clerodendrum japonicum (Thunb.) Sweet belongs to the genus Clerodendrum in the family Lamiaceae. It is an important medicinal plant with great ornamental and economic value. We sequenced and analyzed the complete chloroplast genome of C. japonicum by Illumina sequencing in this study. The full length of the complete chloroplast genome is 152,215 bp, containing a pair of inverted repeat regions of 25,705 bp (IRa and IRb) separated by a large single-copy region (LSC) of 83,491 bp and a small single-copy region (SSC) of 17,314 bp. The C. japonicum chloroplast genome encodes 131 genes, comprising 85 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, 8 rRNA genes, and 1 pseudogene. This study will be useful for further study on population, phylogenetic, and molecular genetic studies of this medicinal plant.

Complete chloroplast genome sequence and phylogenetic analysis of Torenia fournieri.

Torenia fournieri belongs to the genus Torenia in the family Linderniaceae. The complete chloroplast genome of T. fournieri was sequenced and analyzed by Illumina sequencing in this study. The full length of the complete chloroplast genome is 153,938 bp, containing a pair of inverted repeat regions of 24,805 bp (IRa and IRb) separated by a large single copy region (LSC) of 85,498 bp and a small single copy region (SSC) of 18,830 bp. The T. fournieri chloroplast genome encodes 131 genes, comprising 87 protein-coding genes, 36 tRNA genes, 8 rRNA genes, without pseudogene. Phylogenetic analysis showed that T. fournieri was closely related to T. benthamiana and T. concolor within the genus Torenia in family Linderniaceae.

Rescue of male infertility through correcting a genetic mutation causing meiotic arrest in spermatogonial stem cells.

Azoospermia patients who carry a monogenetic mutation that causes meiotic arrest may have their biological child through genetic correction in spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). However, such therapy for infertility has not been experimentally investigated yet. In this study, a mouse model with an X-linked testis-expressed 11 (TEX11) mutation (Tex11PM/Y) identified in azoospermia patients exhibited meiotic arrest due to aberrant chromosome segregation. Tex11PM/Y SSCs could be isolated and expanded in vitro normally, and the mutation was corrected by clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated endonuclease 9 (Cas9), leading to the generation of repaired SSC lines. Whole-genome sequencing demonstrated that the mutation rate in repaired SSCs is comparable with that of autonomous mutation in untreated Tex11PM/Y SSCs, and no predicted off-target sites are modified. Repaired SSCs could restore spermatogenesis in infertile males and give rise to fertile offspring at a high efficiency. In summary, our study establishes a paradigm for the treatment of male azoospermia by combining in vitro expansion of SSCs and gene therapy.

Salvianolic Acid B Improves Postresuscitation Myocardial and Cerebral Outcomes in a Murine Model of Cardiac Arrest: Involvement of Nrf2 Signaling Pathway.

Survival and outcome of cardiac arrest (CA) are dismal despite improvements in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Salvianolic acid B (Sal B), extracted from Salvia miltiorrhiza, has been investigated for its cardioprotective properties in cardiac remodeling and ischemic heart disease, but less is known about its role in CA. The aim of this study was to learn whether Sal B improves cardiac and neurologic outcomes after CA/CPR in mice. Female C57BL/6 mice were subjected to eight minutes of CA induced by an intravenous injection of potassium chloride (KCl), followed by CPR. After 30 seconds of CPR, mice were blindly randomized to receive either Sal B (20 mg/kg) or vehicle (normal saline) intravenously. Hemodynamic variables and indices of left ventricular function were determined before CA and within three hours after CPR, the early postresuscitation period. Sal B administration resulted in a remarkable decrease in the time required for the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in animals that successfully resuscitated compared to the vehicle-treated mice. Myocardial performance, including cardiac output and left ventricular systolic (dp/dtmax) and diastolic (dp/dtmin) function, was clearly ameliorated within three hours of ROSC in the Sal B-treated mice. Moreover, Sal B inhibited CA/CPR-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis and preserved mitochondrial morphology and function. Mechanistically, Sal B dramatically promoted Nrf2 nuclear translocation through the downregulation of Keap1, which resulted in the expression of antioxidant enzymes, including HO-1 and NQO1, thereby counteracted the oxidative damage in response to CA/CPR. The aforementioned antiapoptotic and antioxidant effects of Sal B were impaired in the setting of gene silencing of Nrf2 with siRNA in vitro model. These improvements were associated with better neurological function and increased survival rate (75% vs. 40%, p < 0.05) up to 72 hours postresuscitation. Our findings suggest that the administration of Sal B improved cardiac function and neurological outcomes in a murine model of CA via activating the Nrf2 antioxidant signaling pathway, which may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of CA.

Low prevalence of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in dairy cattle from China's central region.

BACKGROUND: Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular protozoan that can infect humans and other animals, including cattle. Cattle are one of the world's main sources of meat, and people who consume raw or undercooked meat and milk of cattle infected with T. gondii can become infected. In this study, a total of 5292 dairy cattle serum samples, collected from 17 cities (Henan Province, China) from January 2015 to September 2017, were screened for antibodies against T. gondii. RESULTS: Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 1.93% (102/5292) (95% CI, 1.56-2.30) of dairy cattle using a modified agglutination test (cut-off 1:100). The results showed that geographic location and season may be risk factors for T. gondii infection of cattle (P < 0.05), and the seroprevalence of T. gondii in cattle along the Yellow River is higher than other areas. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first large-scale investigation on the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in cattle from Central China. This survey shows that the T. gondii infection rate of dairy cattle is low; however, these findings provide additional information on the epidemiology of Chinese T. gondii. The possibility of dairy cattle exposure to T. gondii in Central China can not be ignored, and the consumption of raw or undercooked beef or milk may pose a risk to human health.

Enhanced asymmetric transmissions attributed to the cavity coupling hybrid resonance in a continuous omega-shaped metamaterial.

In this paper, the infinite-length metallic bar is folded to a continuous omega-shaped resonator and then arranged as a bi-layer metamaterial, which presents a hybrid resonance and a Fabry-Perot-like cavity mode. The asymmetric transmission (AT) for linearly polarized light is powerfully enhanced at a near-infrared regime by strongly coupling the hybrid resonance to the cavity, with the maximum value of the high-efficiency AT effect reaching 0.8 at around 1364 nm. At this near-infrared band, such a high-efficiency AT effect has never been realized previously by a bi-layer metamaterial. More importantly, we demonstrate that our design is robust to the misalignments, which greatly decreases the difficulties in sample fabrications. Accordingly, the proposed omega-shaped metamaterial provides potential applications in designing polarization filters, polarization switches, and other nano-devices.

Experimental verification of asymmetric transmission in continuous omega-shaped metamaterials.

A bi-layer continuous omega-shaped metamaterial was proposed and fabricated to measure the asymmetric transmission (AT) effect of a linearly polarized light at near-infrared region. The metamaterial was fabricated by the electron-beam lithography method, and the AT effect was demonstrated by the difference between total transmittances in the two opposite propagation directions for x-/y-polarized incident light. The experimental results were confirmed by the full-wave simulated results. Importantly, we also experimentally demonstrated that the AT effect is robust against the misalignments between the first and the second omega-shaped layers. Accordingly, the successfully prepared sample and its characterization provide a bright future for applications in light-controlled switchers and optical diodes in on-chip optical systems and information communication systems.

[Comparative identification studies on wild and cultivated Glycyrrhiza uralensis produced Ningxia based on index components and near-infrared spectroscopy].

This study is to construct a rapid and effective method for identification of wild and cultivated Glycyrrhiza uralensis (hereinafter referred to as Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma) from Ningxia by comparison of the difference in chromatography identification based on index components and near-infrared spectroscopy identification. HPLC and UV methods were used to determine the content of liquiritin, glycyrrhizate and total flavonoids for 9 wild Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and 14 cultivated Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma samples,and the near-infrared spectroscopy was also,collected. The results illustrated that the chromatography identification based on index components could not identify wild and cultivated Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma from Ningxia, while near-infrared spectroscopy could quickly and effectively achieve it. It provides an effective method for the growth pattern identification and application of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma.

Super-radiating manipulation of a nano-emitter by active toroidal metamaterials.

The far-field radiation of a single dipolar emitter can be controlled by coupling to toroidal dipole resonance attached to metallic double flat rings, realizing a conversion from non- to super-radiating. The underlying physical mechanism is the hybridization interference of toroidal and electric dipoles under an asymmetric configuration by introducing a radial displacement of the dipolar emitter. By embedding gain medium in the gap spacer between double flat rings, the directional far-field super-radiating power can achieve a tremendous enhancement with a moderate requirement on the gain coefficient, promoting light-matter interaction manipulation.

Effective tracking of bone mesenchymal stem cells in vivo by magnetic resonance imaging using melanin-based gadolinium3+ nanoparticles.

Tracking transplanted stem cells is necessary to clarify cellular properties and improve transplantation success. In this study, we designed and synthesized melanin-based gadolinium3+ (Gd3+ )-chelate nanoparticles (MNP-Gd3+ ) of ∼7 nm for stem cell tracking in vivo. MNP-Gd3+ possesses many beneficial properties, such as its high stability and sensitivity, shorter T1 relaxation time, higher cell labeling efficiency, and lower cytotoxicity compared with commercial imaging agents. We found that the T1 relaxivity (r1 ) of MNP-Gd3+ was significantly higher than that of Gd-DTPA; the nanoparticles were taken up by bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) via endocytosis and were broadly distributed in the cytoplasm. Based on an in vitro MTT assay, no cytotoxicity of labeled stem cells was observed for MNP-Gd3+ concentrations of less than 800 µg/mL. Furthermore, we tracked MNP-Gd3+ -labeled BMSCs in vivo using 3.0T MRI equipment. After intramuscular injection, MNP-Gd3+ -labeled BMSCs were detected, even after four weeks, by 3T MRI. We concluded that MNP-Gd3+ nanoparticles at appropriate concentrations can be used to effectively monitor and track BMSCs in vivo. MNP-Gd3+ nanoparticles have potential as a new positive MRI contrast agent in clinical applications. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 131-137, 2017.

Optical force enhancement and annular trapping by plasmonic toroidal resonance in a double-disk metastructure.

Optical forces can be enhanced by surface plasmon resonances with various interesting characteristics. Here, we numerically calculated the optical forces enhanced by a new kind of toroidal dipolar resonance in a double-disk metastructure. The results show that this kind of optical force is competitive with ordinary plasmonic forces and typically can reach-182.5pNµm2mW-1. Influences of geometric parameters are discussed for the enhancement characteristic of optical force. Finally, we make a contrastive investigation on the optical trapping characteristic on a 5-nm-diameter nanoparticle, and show that the unique annular trapping region can be utilized for nanoscale applications.

Endogenous transmembrane protein UT2 inhibits pSTAT3 and suppresses hematological malignancy.

Regulation of STAT3 activation is critical for normal and malignant hematopoietic cell proliferation. Here, we have reported that the endogenous transmembrane protein upstream-of-mTORC2 (UT2) negatively regulates activation of STAT3. Specifically, we determined that UT2 interacts directly with GP130 and inhibits phosphorylation of STAT3 on tyrosine 705 (STAT3Y705). This reduces cytokine signaling including IL6 that is implicated in multiple myeloma and other hematopoietic malignancies. Modulation of UT2 resulted in inverse effects on animal survival in myeloma models. Samples from multiple myeloma patients also revealed a decreased copy number of UT2 and decreased expression of UT2 in genomic and transcriptomic analyses, respectively. Together, these studies identify a transmembrane protein that functions to negatively regulate cytokine signaling through GP130 and pSTAT3Y705 and is molecularly and mechanistically distinct from the suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) family of genes. Moreover, this work provides evidence that perturbations of this activation-dampening molecule participate in hematologic malignancies and may serve as a key determinant of multiple myeloma pathophysiology. UT2 is a negative regulator shared across STAT3 and mTORC2 signaling cascades, functioning as a tumor suppressor in hematologic malignancies driven by those pathways.

Effect of transcutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation on propofol sedation: an electroencephalogram analysis of patients undergoing pituitary adenomas resection.

BACKGROUND: Transcutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation (TAES) as a needleless acupuncture has the same effect like traditional manual acupuncture. The combination of TAES and anesthesia has been proved valid in enhancing the anesthetic effects but its mechanisms are still not clear. METHODS: In this study, we investigated the effect of TAES on anesthesia with an electroencephalogram (EEG) oscillation analysis on surgery patients anesthetized with propofol, a widely-used anesthetic in clinical practice. EEG was continuously recorded during light and deep propofol sedation (target-controlled infusion set at 1.0 and 3.0 µg/mL) in ten surgery patients with pituitary tumor excision. Each concentration of propofol was maintained for 6 min and TAES was given at 2-4 min. The changes in EEG power spectrum at different frequency bands (delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma) and the coherence of different EEG channels were analyzed. RESULTS: Our result showed that, after TAES application, the EEG power increased at alpha and beta bands in light sedation of propofol, but reduced at delta and beta bands in deep propofol sedation (p < 0.001). In addition, the EEG oscillation analysis showed an enhancement of synchronization at low frequencies and a decline in synchronization at high frequencies between different EEG channels in either light or deep propofol sedation. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed evidence suggested that TAES may have different effects on propofol under light and deep sedation. TAES could enhance the sedative effect of propofol at low concentration but reduce the sedative effect of propofol at high concentration.

[Production regionalization study of Glycyrrhiza uralensis].

The distribution information of Glycyrrhiza uralensis was collected by interview investigation and field survey, and 46 related environmental factors were collected, some kinds of functional chemical constituents of G.uralensis were analyzed. Integrated climate, topography and other related ecological factors, the habitat suitability study was conducted based on Arc geographic information system(ArcGIS),and maximum entropy model. The AUC of ROC curve was both above 0.95, indicating that the predictive results with the maximum model were highly precise. The results showed that 5 major ecological factors have obvious influence on ecology suitability distributions of G. uralensis, including July average temperature, soil sub category, Dec precipitation, vegetation types and standard deviation of seasonal variation in temperature, et al. It is suitable for the living habits of the G. uralensis, adequate light, low rainfall, summer heat and large temperature difference between day and night, which is suitable for distribution in the northern temperate plains and mountains. In addition, the ecological suitability regionalization based on the chemical constituents of G.uralensis also provides a new suitable distribution area other than the traditional distribution area, which provides a scientific basis for the reasonable introduction of G.uralensis.

[Production regionalization study of Lycii Fructus].

The distribution information of Lycii Fructus was collected by interview investigation and field survey, and 46 related environmental factors were collected, some kinds of functional chemical constituents the of Lycii Fructus were analyzed. Integrated climate, topography and other related ecological factors, the habitat suitability study was conducted based on Arc geographic information system(ArcGIS),and maximum entropy model. The AUC of ROC curve was both above 0.95, indicating that the predictive results with the maximum model were highly precise. The results showed that 5 major ecological factors had obvious influence on ecology suitability distributions of Lycii Fructus, including soil pH, soil subclass, vegetation type and in August the average temperature et al. It is suitable for the living habits of the Lycii Fructus, dry, cool weather, more hardy, drought-resistant, alkali soil, which is suitable for distribution in the northern temperate plains. In addition, the ecological suitability regionalization based on the chemical constituents of Lycii Fructus also provides a new suitable distribution area other than the traditional distribution area, which provides a scientific basis for the reasonable introduction of Lycii Fructus.

[Comparative studies on HPLC fingerprint and near-infrared spectra of cultivated and reference crude Scutellaria baicalensis].

Scutellaria baicalensis is a common and important medicinal plant in China, facing with reducing sharply in wild resources. To meet the needs in Chinese herbwouls medicine market and clinical application, S. baicalensis has been widely cultivated in Ningxia, Hebei, Shanxi, and Gansu et al. HPLC finger-print and near-infrared were studied in the research to evaluate quality difference of S. baicalensis in four districts. The results showed that the similarity of HPLC finger-print of 12 cultivated S. baicalensis and reference crude herb is more than 0.961, and the other is more than 0.983. On the other hand, paired sample t-test indicated there has no significant difference between the common peaks' area of 12 cultivated S. baicalensis and reference crude herb. It was verified that 12 cultivated S. baicalensis has highly consistency with reference crude herb. On the basis of chromatographic finger-print and near-infrared spectrum, the study applied paired sample t-test to verify analysis results, which could avoid erroneous judgment induced by indefinite threshold values in the similarity of chromatographic finger-print and provide reliable basis for the analysis results. Meanwhile, it also provides a new idea for improving the quality control method of Chinese medicinal materials by comparative study about two comprehensive detection means.