Penetration moxibustion for postpartum subinvolution of uterus: Two case reports and mechanism analysis: 透灸法成功治疗产后子宫复旧不良:两则病例报告及机制分析

This article introduced the application of penetration moxibustion in successfully treating two cases of postpartum subinvolution of uterus. The main complaint of one case was increasing volume of abnormal vaginal bleeding for five days after delivery. The bleeding stopped after the patient received 7 times treatment of warming needle and penetration moxibustion on Zhōngjí (中极CV3), Guānyuán (关元CV4) and Qìhăi (气海CV6). The other case complained about persistent abdominal pain for 15 days, which was worsening for the recent 2 days. The symptom of abdominal pain was relieved after the penetration moxibustion was applied on CV4, CV6 and Zǐgōng (子宫 EX-CA1) for 5 times for the case. Penetration moxibustion can relieve abdominal pain during the postpartum period, accelerate lochia discharge, and recovery of menstrual and uterine cavity. Àiyè (艾叶 Artemisiae Argyi Folium) was proved to have antibacterial, hemostatic, and analgesic effects. The warming function and radiation features of moxibustion can help to alleviate spasm of the smooth muscle in the uterus and enhance the metabolism of the uterine tissue by expanding microvessels and improving the circulations of both blood and lymph. It can also activate cells in the uterine tissue by increased temperature in order to enhance the decomposition and elimination of pathological wastes, such as inflammation and hematoma. In addition, it can also relieve pelvic pain by inhibiting neuronal excitability.     

Use of mammalian museum specimens to test hypotheses about the geographic expansion of Lyme disease in the southeastern United States

Lyme disease, caused primarily in North America by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, is the most frequently reported vector-borne disease in North America and its geographic extent is increasing in all directions from foci in the northeastern and north central United States. Several southeastern states, including Virginia and North Carolina, have experienced large increases in Lyme disease incidence in the past two decades, with the biggest changes in incidence occurring in the western portion of each state. We tested the hypothesis that B. burgdorferi s.s. was present in western Virginia and North Carolina Peromyscus leucopus populations prior to the recent emergence of Lyme disease. Specifically, we examined archived P. leucopus museum specimens, sampled between 1900 and 2000, for B. burgdorferi s.s. DNA. After confirming viability of DNA extracted from ear punch biopsies from P. leucopus study skins collected between 1945 and 2000 in 19 Virginia counties and 17 North Carolina counties, we used qPCR of two species-specific loci to test for the presence of B. burgdorferi s.s. DNA. Ten mice, all collected from the Eastern Shore of Virginia in 1989, tested positive for presence of B. burgdorferi; all of the remaining 344 specimens were B. burgdorferi-negative. Our results suggest that B. burgdorferi s.s was not common in western Virginia or North Carolina prior to the emergence of Lyme disease cases in the past two decades. Rather, the emergence of Lyme disease in this region has likely been driven by the relatively recent expansion of B. burgdorferi s.s. in southward-moving ticks and reservoir hosts in the mountainous counties of these two states.     

Comprehensive screening of tick-borne microorganisms indicates that a great variety of pathogens are circulating between hard ticks (Ixodoidea: Ixodidae) and domestic ruminants in natural foci of Anatolia

Grazing domestic ruminants serve as important reservoirs and/or amplificatory hosts in the ecology of tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) and tick vectors in the natural foci; however, many enzootic life cycles including ruminants and ticks are still unknown. This study investigated a wide range of TBPs circulating among ticks and grazing ruminants in the natural foci of Anatolia, Turkey. Tick specimens (n = 1815) were collected from cattle, sheep, and goats in three ecologically distinct areas (wooded, transitional, and semi-arid zones) of Anatolia and identified by species: Dermacentor marginatus, Dermacentor reticulatus, Hyalomma anatolicum, Hyalomma excavatum, Hyalomma marginatum, Hyalomma scupense, Haemaphysalis inermis, Haemaphysalis parva, Haemaphysalis punctata, Haemaphysalis sulcata, Ixodes ricinus, Rhipicephalus bursa, and Rhipicephalus turanicus. PCR-sequencing analyses revealed TBPs of great diversity, with 32 different agents identified in the ticks: six Babesia spp. (Babesia occultans, Babesia crassa, Babesia microti, Babesia rossi, Babesia sp. tavsan1, and Babesia sp. Ucbas); four Theileria spp., including one putative novel species (Theileria annulata, Theileria orientalis, Theileria ovis, and Theileria sp.); one Hepatozoon sp.; four Anaplasma spp., including one novel genotype (Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Anaplasma marginale, Anaplasma ovis, and Anaplasma sp.); six unnamed Ehrlichia spp. genotypes; Neoehrlichia mikurensis; nine spotted fever group rickettsiae, including one putative novel species (Rickettsia aeschlimannii, Rickettsia slovaca, Rickettsia hoogstraalii, Rickettsia monacensis with strain IRS3, Rickettsia mongolitimonae, Rickettsia raoultii, Candidatus Rickettsia goldwasserii, Candidatus Rickettsia barbariae, and Rickettsia sp.); and Borrelia valaisiana. Detailed phylogenetic analyses showed that some of the detected pathogens represent more than one haplotype, potentially relating to the tick species or the host. Additionally, the presence of Neoehrlichia mikurensis, an emerging pathogen for humans, was reported for the first time in Turkey, expanding its geographical distribution. Consequently, this study describes some previously unknown tick-borne protozoan and bacterial species/genotypes and provides informative epidemiological data on TBPs, which are related to animal and human health, serving the one health concept.     

Analysis of the complete mitochondrial genomes of Dermacentor albipictus suggests a species complex

Dermacentor albipictus is a one-host tick broadly distributed across North America. There are two easily recognizable color variants – ornate and inornate/brown – that have been taxonomically synonymized. Based on mt-cox1 and mt-16S data, there is also evidence for two genetic lineages which do not match the color variants. We present for the first time the complete mitochondrial genomes of the two color variants of D. albipictus including representatives of each lineage. The AT-rich genomes are 14,822 bp – 14,865 bp in length and contain 13 protein coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes and 22 transfer RNA genes, arranged in the conserved type 3 metastriate mitochondrial genome order. The overall differences were 10.66% between the mitochondrial genomes of D. albipictus ornate variant lineage 1 and lineage 2, 10.51% between lineage 1 and inornate/brown variant and 5.87% between lineage 2 and inornate/brown variant. The inornate/brown variant did not form a separate lineage and all inornate isolates were found to belong to lineage 2. Ornate variant isolates occurred in both lineage 1 and 2. The high divergence of the mitochondrial genome suggests that D. albipictus may represent a species complex. Other barcoding genes that may help capture the genetic differences between color and lineage variants include nad1, nad2, nad5, cox1 and atp8 loci. The mtDNA data generated in this study are available in GenBank (Accession numbers: OM678457 - OM678459 and ON032564 - ON032573) for future studies on tick taxonomy, phylogenetics and molecular epidemiology.     

当归抽薹开花过程中赤霉素代谢水平及其关键酶基因克隆与表达分析

目的 对当归Angelica sinensis 16个赤霉素（gibberellins,GAs）进行含量测定、GAs代谢酶基因筛选并进行生物信息学分析、关键基因克隆及表达验证,以期为调控当归抽薹开花提供理论依据。方法 利用HPLC-MS/MS对不同材料中GAs含量进行测定与分析,基于当归全长转录组筛选直接参与GAs代谢酶基因,利用在线工具进行生物信息学分析,并对关键酶基因GA2ox6和GA20ox1表达水平进行q RT-PCR检测。结果 在所测定的16个GAs中,8个GAs含量在早薹植株中高于非早薹植株,13个GAs含量随植株发育时期延长逐渐增加。当归全长转录组中含有9个直接参与GAs代谢的酶基因,可分为6个亚家族,共含有6个保守基序,亚细胞定位于细胞质。GA2ox6和GA20ox1基因克隆片段由于插入序列与全长转录组测序片段存在长度差异。GA2ox6基因在抽薹植株、随种苗春化作用和植株发育时期延长呈现低表达,而在冷冻规避春化作用种苗中呈现高表达,GA20ox1基因则相反;GA2ox6和GA20ox1基因在叶和茎中相对于根均呈现高表达。结论 当归含有9个直接参与GAs代谢的酶基因,各成...     

21世纪全球视域下的黄芩科研知识图谱构建及可视化分析

目的 对21世纪以来国内外黄芩Scutellaria baicalensis相关研究进展进行可视化分析,梳理其研究前沿,分析发展方向,为今后黄芩相关研究提供科学依据。方法 对Web of Science（WOS）数据库中的英文文献,中国知网、万方、维普中的中文文献进行检索并进行数据清洗。利用VOSviewer、Coocation等软件对发文量、地区/作者合作网络、关键词共现、主题演化路径进行可视化分析,并对黄芩相关的研究前沿热点进行分析。结果 纳入英文文献1560篇、中文文献22 214篇。黄芩相关领域发文量在2014年以前每年呈现上升趋势,之后每年发文量趋于稳定状态,我国在黄芩相关研究领域占主导地位。合作网络显示国际上中国与美国合作较为紧密,国内各地区合作较为散乱,协作程度较为薄弱。关键词分析表明未来黄芩的研究主要集中在代谢组学、化学成分、作用机制、抗肿瘤、阿尔茨海默症等方向。结论 黄芩相关研究进展迅速,近年来对黄芩的研究逐步稳定,2019年后有回温现象。在后续的研究过程中应注重各地区、各机构之间的合作创新。代谢组学、化学成分、作用机制、抗肿瘤、阿尔茨海默症等方向成为近年来黄芩相关领域的研究热点。黄芩不良反应机制研究还不够完善,同时在其质量评价方面需要更深一步的研究。     

经基因分析确诊的原发性范可尼综合征一例报告

摘要：原发性范可尼综合征是一类罕见的遗传病，由于HNF4A等基因缺陷导致近端肾小管功能障碍，重吸收受 阻引发营养物质丢失及电解质紊乱，从而以多饮、多尿、生长发育落后、佝偻病为主要表现。对于原发性范可尼综合 征的临床与遗传学研究，国内仅有数例病例报道，尚少见遗传学确诊病例报道。本文患者经临床、生化、影像学及 HNF4A基因分析，发现HNF4A基因存在c.187C>T（p.R63W）的杂合突变，未在患者父母中检出，经临床及遗传学确诊 为原发性范可尼综合征。给予患者左卡尼汀、辅酶Q10、纠酸、保肝、护肾、补充维生素D、改善线粒体功能等治疗并 进行随访，患者临床症状有所好转。     

Influence of the number and interval of treatment cycles on cytokine-induced killer cells and their adjuvant therapeutic effects in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

ObjectiveCytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells have important therapeutic effects in adoptive cell transfer (ACT) for the treatment of various malignancies. In this study, we focused on in vitro expansion of CIK cells and their clinical efficacy in combination with chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).MethodsA total of 64 patients with NSCLC (enrolled from 2011 to 2012), including 32 patients who received chemotherapy alone or with sequential radiotherapy (conventional treatment, control group) and 32 patients who received conventional treatment and sequential CIK infusion (study group), were retrospectively analyzed. The time to progression (TTP), overall survival (OS) and adverse effects were analyzed and the phenotype of lymphocytes in CIK population was also determined by flow cytometry.ResultsAfter in vitro expansion, the average percentage of CIK cells was 26.35%. During the 54-month follow up, the median OS and TTP were significantly longer in the study group than in the control group (P = 0.0189 and P = 0.0129, respectively). The median OS of the ACT ≥ 4 cycles subgroup was significantly longer than that of the ACT < 4 cycles subgroup (P = 0.0316). The percentage of CIK cells in patients who received ≥ 4 cycles of ACT was higher than that in patients treated with < 4 cycles of ACT (P = 0.0376). Notably, CIK cells were difficult to expand in vitro in some patients after the first ACT cycle but became much easier as the treatment cycles increased monthly. Longer treatment interval negatively impacted the expansion of CIK cells.ConclusionsSystematic immune levels can be increasingly boosted by reinfusion of ACT. Conventional treatment plus CIK cells is an effective therapeutic strategy to prevent progression and prolong survival of patients with advanced NSCLC.     

ROS act as an upstream signal to mediate cadmium-induced mitophagy in mouse brain

As a well known generator of reactive oxygen species (ROS), cadmium (Cd) is found to be an effective inducer of mitophagy in mouse kidney and liver cells. Here, we aim to elucidate whether Cd can also initiate mitophagy in mouse brain and what role ROS play in this process. Our results showed that Cd caused overproduction of ROS. Meanwhile, Cd induced mitophagy, as indicated by the collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), formation of mitophagosomes, increases of PINK1 level and LC3-II/LC3-I ratio and decrease of mitochondrial mass. Scavenging of ROS by N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) or acetyl-l-carnitine (ALC) rescued MMP and mitochondrial mass, and squelched PINK1 level, mitochondrial accumulation of Parkin and LC3-II/LC3-I ratio, suggesting that ROS were associated with Cd-induced mitophagy. Cyclosporine A (CsA), an inhibitor of mitophagy, blocked Cd-induced mitophagy and PINK1/Parkin pathway but failed to suppress ROS increase, revealing that ROS are the causes rather than the results of Cd-induced mitophagy. In conclusion, this study suggested that ROS functioned on the upstream of PINK1/Parkin pathway to mediate Cd-induced mitophagy.