Transcriptome analysis of immune-related genes in Sesarmops sinensis hepatopancreas in reaction to peptidoglycan challenge.

Sesarmops sinensis is a dominant omnivorous crab species, which plays an important ecological function in salt marsh ecosystems. To better understand its immune system and immune related genes under pathogen infection, the transcriptome was analyzed by comparing the data of S. sinensis hepatopancreas stimulated by PBS and PGN. A set of assembly and annotation identified 39,039 unigenes with an average length of 1105 bp, obtaining 1300 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in all, which included 466 remarkably up-regulated unigenes and 834 remarkably down-regulated unigenes. In addition, based on mensurable real time-polymerase chain reaction and high-throughput sequencing, several immune responsive genes were found to be markedly up-regulated under PGN stimulation. In conclusion, in addition to enriching the existing transcriptome data of S. sinensis, this study also clarified the immune response of S. sinensis to PGN stimulation, which will help us to further understand the crustacean's immune system.

A non-mammalian Toll-like receptor 26 (TLR26)gene mediates innate immune responses in yellow catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco.

In this study, we identified a fish-specific Toll-like receptor (TLR) in Pelteobagrus fulvidraco, an economically important freshwater fish in China. This TLR, PfTLR26, was shown to be encoded by a 3084 bp open reading frame (ORF), producing a polypeptide 1027 amino acids in length. The PfTLR26 protein contains a signal peptide, eight leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domains, two LRR_TYP domains in the extracellular region, and a Toll/interleukin (IL)-1 receptor (TIR) domain in the cytoplasmic region, consistent with the characteristic TLR domain architecture. This predicted 117.1 kDa protein was highly homologous to those of other fish, with phylogenetic analysis revealing the closest relation to TLR26 of Ictalurus punctatus. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that the PfTLR26 gene was expressed in all tissues tested, with the highest expression levels seen in the head kidney and blood, and the lowest seen in muscle. PfTLR26 exhibited significant upregulation in liver, spleen, head kidney, and blood at different time points following challenge with the common TLR agonists lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and polyriboinosinic polyribocytidylic acid (Poly I:C). Taken together, these results suggest that PfTLR26 may be an important component of the P. fulvidraco innate immune system, participating in the transduction of TLR signaling under pathogen stimulation.

Characterization of immune-related genes in the yellow catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco in response to LPS challenge.

Fish are considered an excellent model for studies in comparative immunology as they are a representative population of lower vertebrates linked to invertebrate evolution. To gain a better understanding of the immune response in fish, we constructed a subtractive cDNA library from the head kidney of lipopolysaccharide-stimulated yellow catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco) using suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH). A total of 300 putative EST clones were identified which contained 95 genes, including 27 immune-related genes, 7 cytoskeleton-related genes, 3 genes involved in the cell cycle and apoptosis, 9 respiration and energy metabolism-related genes, 7 genes related to transport, 24 metabolism-related genes, 10 genes involved in stress responses, seven genes involved in regulation of transcription and translation and 59 unknown genes. Using real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR, a subset of randomly selected genes involved in the immune response to lipopolysaccharide challenge were investigated to verify the reliability of the SSH data which identified 16 up-regulated genes. The genes identified in this study provide novel insight into the immune response in fish.

Body Size and Weight of Pill Bugs (Armadillidium vulgare) Vary between Urban Green Space Habitats.

Rapid urban development poses a threat to global biodiversity. At the same time, urban green spaces offer opportunities for holding biodiversity in cities. Among biological communities, the soil fauna plays a crucial role in ecological processes but is often ignored. Understanding the effects of environmental factors on soil fauna is critical for ecological conservation in urban areas. In this study, five typical green space habitats were selected including bamboo grove, forest, garden, grassland, and wasteland in spring, for detecting the relationship between habitats and Armadillidium vulgare population characteristics in Yancheng, China. Results indicate that soil water content, pH, soil organic matter, and soil total carbon varied significantly among habitats, as well as the body length and body weight of pill bugs. The higher proportion of larger pill bugs was found in the wasteland and the lower proportion in the grassland and the bamboo grove. The body length of pill bugs was positively related to pH. Soil total carbon, soil organic matter, and the number of plant species were correlated with the body weight of pill bugs.

Distribution of mudsnail Bullacta caurina along smooth cordgrass Spartina alterniflora invasion stages on a coast of the Yellow Sea, China.

On a Chinese coast of the Yellow Sea, a 15-year Spartina alterniflora invasion sequence was classified into five stages: no invasion, initial invasion, immature invasion, mature invasion, and senescing invasion. The effects of invasion on Bullacta caurina distribution were studied. The stem density and vegetation coverage, and sediment organic matter content increased after S. alterniflora invaded, whereas chlorophyll a concentration and porewater salinity decreased. The stem density and vegetation coverage, and porewater salinity were the dominant factors explaining habitat variations. The invasion stages, seasons and their interaction had significant effects on B. caurina density, and the density decreased after initial invasion stage of S. alterniflora. Here, a clumped spatial distribution pattern was detected on B. caurina population. Organic matter content and chlorophyll a concentration were distinguished for predicting B. caurina density. The hydrologic condition, food resources, temperature, and predation risk comprehensively affected B. caurina distribution after S. alterniflora invasion.

Chromosome-level genome assembly of Paralithodes platypus provides insights into evolution and adaptation of king crabs.

The blue king crab, Paralithodes platypus, which belongs to the family Lithodidae, is a commercially and ecologically important species. However, a high-quality reference genome for the king crab has not yet been reported. Here, we assembled the first chromosome-level blue king crab genome, which contains 104 chromosomes and an N50 length of 51.15 Mb. Furthermore, we determined that the large genome size can be attributed to the insertion of long interspersed nuclear elements and long tandem repeats. Genome assembly assessment showed that 96.54% of the assembled transcripts could be aligned to the assembled genome. Phylogenetic analysis showed the blue king crab to have a close relationship with the Eubrachyura crabs, from which it diverged 272.5 million years ago. Population history analyses indicated that the effective population of the blue king crab declined sharply and then gradually increased from the Cretaceous and Neogene periods, respectively. Furthermore, gene families related to developmental pathways, steroid and thyroid hormone synthesis, and inflammatory regulation were expanded in the genome, suggesting that these genes contributed substantially to the environmental adaptation and unique body plan evolution of the blue king crab. The high-quality reference genome reported here provides a solid molecular basis for further study of the blue king crab's development and environmental adaptation.

Succession of macrofaunal communities and environmental properties along a gradient of smooth cordgrass Spartina alterniflora invasion stages.

The exotic species smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora) is recognized as an important invasive species in China, introduced about 40 years ago. The consistent smooth cordgrass invasion significantly modified the coastal ecosystem. Understanding the ecological succession and mechanisms of wetland soil ecosystems is essential for biological conservation after the landscape change resulting from the smooth cordgrass invasion. In this study, five different invasion stages of a 16-year smooth cordgrass invasion sequence were identified in a coastal wetland as no invasion, initial invasion, young invasion, mature invasion, and senescing invasion. The succession of macrofaunal communities and environments were investigated along the gradient of invasion stages. The infauna decreased, and the epifauna increased along the invasion sequence. The significant differences of the communities were detected among the mud flats experiencing different invasion stages. The initial and young invasion stages of smooth cordgrass possibly promote the macrofaunal biodiversity, but biodiversity decreased at mature and senescing invasion stages. The ecological effect of smooth cordgrass invasion on macrofauna depended on the species' traits and the invasion stage. The environmental properties co-varied with invasion stages, and varied significantly among selected habitats. Total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen, and the carbon-nitrogen ratio (C/N) strongly related to the smooth cordgrass coverage, stem density, and height. C/N was identified as the key factor for shaping the environment by principal components analysis, and TOC for regulating the macrofaunal community by canonical correspondence analysis. The succession of macrofaunal communities should be considered as a comprehensive response to the variations on environmental properties co-varying with smooth cordgrass invasion in coastal wetlands.

A novel modulation of physiological regulation in cultured Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir japonica sinensis) in response to consistent salinity changes.

The life history of the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir japonica sinensis) includes two migrations: a feeding migration and a reproductive migration. Ambient salinity is one of the most critical factors during migration. In this study, the salinity adaptation mechanism of Chinese mitten crabs was simulated using continuous salinity changes. The expression of six key genes [Na+/K+-ATPase α subunit (NAK-α), V-type H+-ATPase subunit A (VHA-A), Zinc transporter (ZnT), Cl- channel protein 2 (CLCN2), ubiquitin/ribosomal S27 fusionprotein (S27), and glutathione S-transferase (GST)] and the activities of three enzymes [Na+/K+-ATPase (NAK), V-type H+-ATPase (VHA), and glutathione S-transferase (GST)] were evaluated in ten groups exposed to a range of salinity changes during mariculture based on the transcriptome data obtained from short term salinity-induced crabs (ES) compared to control group in freshwater crabs (EF). The results revealed that different genes exhibited different roles in physiological regulation. In total, 3,599 unigenes were significantly and differentially expressed in a comparison between the EF and ES treatments. A novel modulation of gene expression and the corresponding enzyme activity of NAK and VHA exhibited similar patterns. As genes related to osmoregulation, NAK and VHA showed similar patterns of both gene expression and enzyme activity in mariculture. During the gradual change in salinity from 0‰ to 25‰ and back to 0‰, the gene expression and enzyme activities of NAK and VHA initially increased (0‰ â†’ 10‰), weakened (10‰ â†’ 20‰) and then increased again (20‰ â†’ 25‰ â†’ 0‰). S27 could serve as a reference gene in the expression analysis of Chinese mitten crabs under salinity stress. ZnT and CLCN2 were involved in osmoregulation as functional proteins. Our findings provide insights into the regulation mechanisms employed during the migration of the Chinese mitten crab.

Chromosome-level genome assembly reveals the unique genome evolution of the swimming crab (Portunus trituberculatus).

BACKGROUND: The swimming crab, Portunus trituberculatus, is an important commercial species in China and is widely distributed in the coastal waters of Asia-Pacific countries. Despite increasing interest in swimming crab research, a high-quality chromosome-level genome is still lacking. FINDINGS: Here, we assembled the first chromosome-level reference genome of P. trituberculatus by combining the short reads, Nanopore long reads, and Hi-C data. The genome assembly size was 1.00 Gb with a contig N50 length of 4.12 Mb. In addition, BUSCO assessment indicated that 94.7% of core eukaryotic genes were present in the genome assembly. Approximately 54.52% of the genome was identified as repetitive sequences, with a total of 16,796 annotated protein-coding genes. In addition, we anchored contigs into chromosomes and identified 50 chromosomes with an N50 length of 21.80 Mb by Hi-C technology. CONCLUSIONS: We anticipate that this chromosome-level assembly of the P. trituberculatus genome will not only promote study of basic development and evolution but also provide important resources for swimming crab reproduction.

High-Quality Genome Assembly of Eriocheir japonica sinensis Reveals Its Unique Genome Evolution.

As an important freshwater aquaculture species in China, the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir japonica sinensis) has high economic and nutritional value. However, limited genomic information is currently available for studying its basic development and genetic diversity. Here, we performed whole-genome sequencing on Oxford Nanopore Technologies Limited's platform using promethION. The assembled size of E. j.sinensis genome was approximately 1.27 Gb, which is close to the estimated size (1.19 Gb). Furthermore, based on assessment using Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs (BUSCO) (Simao et al., 2015), 94.00% of the expected eukaryotic genes were completely present in the genome assembly. In addition, repetitive sequences accounted for ~61.42% of the assembled genome, and 22,619 protein-coding genes were annotated. Comparative genomics analysis demonstrated that the Chinese mitten crab diverged from Penaeus vannamei ~373.6 million years ago, with a faster evolution rate than shrimp. We anticipate that the annotated high-quality genome of E. j. sinensis will promote research on its basic development and evolution and make substantial contributions to comparative genomic analyses of crustaceans.

Comparative transcriptome analysis of Eriocheir japonica sinensis response to environmental salinity.

Chinese mitten crabs (Eriocheir japonica sinensis) are catadromous, spending most of their lives in fresh water, but moving to a mixed salt-fresh water environment for reproduction. The characteristics of this life history might imply a rapidly evolutionary transition model for adaptation to marine from freshwater habitats. In this study, transcriptome-wide identification and differential expression on Chinese mitten crab groups were analysed. Results showed: clean reads that were obtained totalled 93,833,096 (47,440,998 in Group EF, the reference, and 46,392,098 in Group ES, the experimental) and 14.08G (7.12G in Group EF 6.96G in Group ES); there were 11,667 unigenes (15.29%) annotated, and they were located to 230 known KEGG pathways in five major categories; in differential expression analysis, most of the top 20 up-regulated pathways were connected to the immune system, disease, and signal transduction, while most of the top 20 down-regulated pathways were related to the metabolism system; meanwhile, 8 representative osmoregulation-related genes (14-3-3 epsilon, Cu2+ transport ATPase, Na+/K+ ATPase, Ca2+ transporting ATPase, V-ATPase subunit A, Putative arsenite-translocating ATPase, and Cation transport ATPase, Na+/K+ symporter) showed up-regulation, and 1 osmoregulation-related gene (V-ATPase subunit H) showed down-regulation. V-ATPase subunit H was very sensitive to the transition of habitats. These results were consistent with the tests of qRT-PCR. The present study has provided a foundation to further understand the molecular mechanism in response to salinity changing in water.

Transcriptome Analysis of Hepatopancreas from the Cr (VI)-Stimulated Mantis Shrimp ( Oratosquilla oratoria) by Illumina Paired-End Sequencing: Assembly, Annotation, and Expression Analysis.

Cr (VI), the pathogenicity factor, is widely known to cause toxic effects in living organisms. Given the economic importance of the mantis shrimp ( Oratosquilla oratoria), the understanding of impacts by Cr (VI) is considered important. In this study, transcriptome of mantis shrimp was characterized by a comparison between control and Cr (VI)-treated samples using RNA-seq approach. Totally, 88 234 826 bp and 13.24G clean reads were obtained. The total length and number of unigenes were 68 411 206 bp and 100 918, respectively. The maximal and average length of unigenes was 24 906 bp and 678 bp, respectively (N50, 798 bp). 7115 of these unigenes accounted for 7.05% of the total that were annotated in all databases. After annotation of assembled unigenes, 35 619 of them were assigned into 3 functional categories and 56 subcategories using Gene Ontology; 18 580 of them were assigned into 26 functional categories using Clusters of Orthologous Groups of proteins; 16 864 of them were assigned into 5 major categories and 32 subclasses using KEGG. Finally, 1730 genes were differentially expressed (DGEs), 9 up-regulated pathways (protein digestion and absorption, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, pancreatic secretion, tyrosine metabolism, amoebiasis, ECM-receptor interaction, riboflavin metabolism, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism and AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications) were significantly enriched ( q < 0.05), and one down-regulated pathway ( Staphylococcus aureus infection) was significantly enriched ( q < 0.05). Up-regulation of genes in pathways of protein digestion/absorption ( PepT1/SLC15A and ATP1B) and environment information processing ( COL1AS, COL4A; LAMA3_5, LAMB3; FN1 and TN) may imply the potentially positive toxicity resistance mechanisms.

A small heat shock protein 21 (sHSP21) mediates immune responses in Chinese oak silkworm Antheraea pernyi.

Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) are conserved among insects and play an important role in the regulation of many biological processes, including temperature stress, abiotic stress, immune responses, metamorphosis, and embryo development. Antheraea pernyi is an economically valuable silk-producing moth and source of insect food containing high-quality protein. The aim of this study was to quantify expression of the ApsHSP21 gene in response to pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV) challenge. The deduced ApsHSP21 protein sequence consists of 186 residues with a calculated molecular mass of 21.0 kDa and an isoelectronic point (pI) of 6.63. The protein contains a conserved α-crystallin domain (ACD), and includes two casein kinase II phosphorylation sites, a protein kinase C phosphorylation site, two tyrosine kinase phosphorylation sites, and various polypeptide binding sites. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that ApsHSP21 is closely related to homologs from other insects. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis revealed that expression of ApsHSP21 was significantly up-regulated at different timepoints following simulated pathogen challenge with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), peptidoglycan (PGN), glucan, and NPV. The results suggest sHSP21 is involved in innate immune responses in A. pernyi.

Molecular evolution of mitochondrial coding genes in the oxidative phosphorylation pathway in malacostraca: purifying selection or accelerated evolution?

The mitochondrion is the energy-producing factory of eukaryotic cells, in which oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) is the main pathway for the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) by cellular respiration. Because of their vital role in metabolism, mitochondrial proteins are predicted to evolve primarily under constant purifying selection. However, all mitochondrial coding genes of malacostraca had a significantly higher synonymous nt divergence (Ks) in this study. Complex I (NADH dehydrogenase) and complex V (ATP synthase) had a much higher ratio of non-synonymous to synonymous nt divergence (Ka/Ks) and non-synonymous diversity (πNS), whereas complex III (cytochrome bc1 complex) and complex IV (cytochrome c oxidase) had a significantly lower Ka/Ks and non-synonymous diversity (πNS). The Ka/Ks, πNS, πS, and Ka results revealed that two types of mitochondrial genes, NADH dehydrogenase and ATP synthase, in malacostraca were consistent with accelerated evolution. Furthermore, two other types of mitochondrial genes, cytochrome bc1 complex and cytochrome c oxidase, were consistent with purifying selection. Generally, the evolutionary pattern of all mitochondrial proteins of the OXPHOS pathway in malacostraca was not entirely consistent with purifying selection.

Transcriptome-Wide Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes in Chinese Oak Silkworm Antheraea pernyi in Response to Lead Challenge.

Antheraea pernyi is a commercially cultivated silk moth and a source of insect food with high-quality protein. Insects suffer oxidative stress on exposure to heavy metals, and reactive oxygen species are cleared by antioxidant enzymes. To gain better understanding of the antioxidant defense system of A. pernyi, we analyzed transcriptomes of pupae after stimulation with lead and phosphate-buffered saline (control). In total, 72 367 unigenes were identified. Gene ontology analysis revealed that these DEGs were in 20 biological process subcategories, 19 cellular component subcategories, and 18 molecular function subcategories. Clusters of orthologous groups of protein annotation placed a total of 528 DEGs into 25 categories. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis identified antioxidant defense pathways, including "Peroxisome" and "Glutathione metabolism", which are reported for the first time in A. pernyi. Our study enriches A. pernyi transcriptome databases and provides insight into the heavy metal responses of antioxidant systems of this insect fat bodies.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae).

The complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) was determined to be 15,883 bp (GenBank accession No. KM009121), which contains 22 tRNA genes, 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 rRNA genes and a major non-coding A + T-rich region. It has the typical gene organization and order of mitogenomes from ancestral insects. The nucleotide composition was also biased toward A + T nucleotides (71.72%) and the AT skew of this mitogenome was slightly positive. All of the 22 tRNA genes displayed a typical clover-leaf structure, with the exception of trnS1 (AGN). Thirteen PCGs were initiated by ATN codons, except for cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene which was initiated by AAT. Eight of the 13 PCGs harbor the incomplete termination codon by T or TA. The A + T-rich region of the mitogenome was 1237 bp in length and the A + T content was 82.30%.

Comparative phylogeography of two marine species of crustacean: Recent divergence and expansion due to environmental changes.

Environmental changes, such as changes in the coastal topography due to Eurasian plate movements, climate oscillation during the Pleistocene, and alteration of ocean currents, have complicated the geographical structure of marine species and deepened their divergence between populations. As two widely distributed species of crustacean (Oratosquilla oratoria and Eriocheir japonica), weak differences were expected due to their high dispersal potential of planktonic larvae with ocean currents. However, results showed a significant genetic divergence between north of China and south of China in the study. In addition, the estimated north-south divergence time (27-30.5 Myr) of mantis shrimp was near the time of the Himalayan movement, and the China-Japan clade divergence time (10.5-11.9 Myr) of mitten crabs was also coincident with the time of the opening of the Sea of Japan. Thus, we hypothesized that environmental changes in the coastal topography contributed to the marine species divergence. Furthermore, based on phylogenetic analysis, network analysis and haplotype distribution, we surmised that mitten crabs originated from a population with the oldest haplotype (H6) and then divided into the north and south populations due to the recent Eurasian plate movements and ocean currents. And lineage of Japan originated from the north population for the opening of the Sea of Japan. While O. oratoria was guessed to originate from two separate populations in the China Sea. The results of "star-like" network, negative values in neutral test, and Tajima's D statistics of two marine species supported a recent rapid population expansion event after the Pleistocene glaciations.

The redivision of geographic population and genetic structure of Eriocheir in the West-Pacific Ocean.

Mitten crabs (Eriocheir) were widely distributed in the West-Pacific Ocean. In response to change of temperature during the Pleistocene, they were forced into repeated cycle of glacial retreat and interglacial expansion. In the study, genetic diversity and phylogeographic structure of Eriocheir were analysed by mtDNA markers. All results supported the redivision of four geographic populations of mitten crabs corresponding to geographic distribution. And introgression of the sympatric populations might have happened for some shared haplotypes. Results of "star-like" network, unimodal curve of mismatch distributions and significantly negative values of neutral test suggested a recent population expansion.

Pilot postoperative ileus study of escin in cancer patients after colorectal surgery.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative ileus, a common complication in patients after abdominal surgery, brings no benefit to the recovery of postoperative patients, and treatment targeted at restoring gastrointestinal motility may shorten the hospital stay. Studies have shown that escin accelerates gastrointestinal transit in mice and improves gastrointestinal motility in patients after abdominal surgery. A pilot study of escin's effect on the recovery of gastrointestinal motility was conducted in colorectal cancer patients in anticipation of a multiple-center randomized controlled trial. METHODS: A total of 72 postoperative colorectal cancer patients were randomly assigned to four parallel groups on the basis of sealed envelopes-escin 5 mg group (E5 mg), escin 15 mg group (E15 mg), escin 25 mg group (E25 mg), and placebo group-with 18 patients in each group. Escin or placebo was diluted in 500 ml 5% dextrose injection, which was given once daily through the subclavian vein. The first injection took place 6 h after completion of the surgery. The treatment continued for 7 days or stopped at the time of the patient's first bowel movement. Time to recovery of passage of gas (TRPG), time to recovery of gastrointestinal sounds (TRGS), and time to recovery of bowel movements (TRBM) were recorded to evaluate the efficacy of escin. RESULTS: The TRPGs of the three escin treatment groups were 76.78 + 28.81 h (E5 mg), 72.06 + 14.65 h (E15 mg), and 65.50 + 26.70 h (E25 mg), respectively, with differences of 6.03 +/- 7.64 h (p = 0.436; E5 mg), 10.75 +/- 4.92 h (p = 0.036; E15 mg), and 17.31 +/- 7.20 h (p = 0.022; E25 mg) compared with the placebo group. The TRGSs of the three escin treatment groups were 45.28 +/- 26.15 h (E5 mg), 41.22 +/- 16.98 h (E15 mg), and 40.33 +/- 14.09 h (E25 mg), respectively, with differences of 4.33 +/- 7.12 h (p = 0.547; E5 mg), 8.39 +/- 5.36 h (p = 0.127; E15 mg), and 9.28 +/- 4.87 h (p = 0.065; E25 mg) compared with the placebo group. The TRBMs of the three escin treatment groups were 89.25 +/- 23.77 h (E5 mg), 84.83 +/- 27.91 h (E15 mg), and 84.44 +/- 19.74 h (E25 mg), respectively, with differences of 19.03 +/- 10.13 h (p = 0.069; E5 mg), 23.44 +/- 10.70 h (p = 0.035; E15 mg), and 23.83 +/- 9.63 h (p = 0.019; E25 mg) compared with the placebo group. CONCLUSION: The results of this pilot Postoperative Ileus Study of Escin (PISE) showed that escin can shorten the time to recovery of gastrointestinal motility in cancer patients after colorectal surgery.