137 research outputs found
Purification, composition and antioxidant activity of polysaccharides from wolfberry, cherry, kiwi and cranberry fruits
Water-soluble polysaccharides from wolfberry (Lycium barbarum L.), sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.), kiwi (Actinidia chinensis L.) and cranberry fruits (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton) were extracted with boiling water, fractionated using ion exchange column chromatography, and characterized for molecular weight by high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC). Monomer sugar composition was determined by gas chromatography (GC), and antioxidant activity was assayed by oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC). All four types of fruit investigated had four separate polysaccharide fractions; however, the polysaccharides from sweet cherries had higher molecular weight fractions. All the fruits contained rhamnose, fucose, arabinose, xylose, mannose, galactose, and glucose, but the polysaccharides from different fruits, and from cherries of different cultivars and maturity levels, had different ratios of simple sugars. TEAC and ORAC assays revealed that raw and purified polysaccharides from cherries, cranberries, kiwi, and wolfberries have antioxidant activity, and sweet cherry polysaccharides have the highest antioxidant activity
Ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction enhances AAV mediated gene transfection: human RPE cells in vitro and the rat retina in vivo
The present study was performed to investigate the efficacy and safety of Ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) mediated rAAV2-EGFP to cultured human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells _in vitro_ and the rat retina _in vivo_. _In vitro_ study, cultured human RPE cells were exposed to US under different conditions with or without microbubbles. Furthermore, the effect of UTMD to rAAV2-EGFP itself and the cells were evaluated. _In vivo_ study, gene transfer was examined by injecting rAAV2-EGFP into the subretinal space of the rats with or without microbubbles and then exposed to US. We investigated EGFP expression _in vivo_ via stereomicroscopy and performed quantitative analysis by Axiovision 3.1 software. HE staining and frozen sections were used to observe tissue damage and location of EGFP gene expression. _In vitro_ study, the transfection efficiency of rAAV2-EGFP increased 74.85% under the optimal UTMD conditions. Furthermore, there was almost no cytotoxicity to the cells and rAAV2-EGFP itself. _In vivo_ study, UTMD could be used safely to enhance and accelerate transgene expression of the retina. Fluorescence expression was mainly located in the layer of retina. UTMD is a promising method for gene delivery to the retina
C4 Protein of Sweet Potato Leaf Curl Virus Regulates Brassinosteroid Signaling Pathway through Interaction with AtBIN2 and Affects Male Fertility in Arabidopsis
Sweepoviruses have been identified globally and cause substantial yield losses and cultivar decline in sweet potato. This study aimed to investigate the interaction between sweepovirus and plant host by analyzing the function of the viral protein C4 of Sweet potato leaf curl virus-Jiangsu (SPLCV-JS), a sweepovirus cloned from diseased sweet potato plants in East China. Ectopic expression of the C4 in Arabidopsis altered plant development drastically with phenotypic changes including leaf curling, seedling twisting, deformation of floral tissues and reduction of pollen fertility, and seed number. Using bimolecular fluorescence complementation analysis, this study demonstrated that the SPLCV-JS C4 protein interacted with brassinosteroid-insensitive 2 (AtBIN2) in the plasma membrane of Nicotiana benthamiana cells. The C4 AtBIN2 interaction was further confirmed by yeast two-hybrid assays. This interaction led to the re-localization of AtBIN2-interacting proteins AtBES1/AtBZR1 into the nucleus which altered the expression of brassinosteroid (BR)-response genes, resulting in the activation of BR-signaling pathway. The interaction of SPLCV-JS C4 and AtBIN2 also led to the down-regulated expression of key genes involved in anther and pollen development, including SPROROCYTELESS/NOZZLE, DEFECTIVE IN TAPEL DEVELOPMENT AND FUNCTION 1, and ABORTED MICROSPORES, which caused abnormal tapetal development, followed by defective exine pattern formation of microspores and pollen release. Consequently, male fertility in the C4 transgenic Arabidopsis was reduced. The present study illustrated how the sweepovirus C4 protein functioned in host cells and affected male fertility by interacting with the key components of BR-signaling pathway
Identification of miRNAs in a Liver of a Human Fetus by a Modified Method
BACKGROUND: miRNAs are 17-25 nucleotides long RNA molecules that have been found to regulate gene expression in human cells. There are studies showing that different groups of miRNAs are involved in development of different tissues. In hepatocytes there are reported particular types of miRNAs that regulate gene expression. METHODS: We established a human fetal liver cDNA library by a modified cloning protocol. Then plasmid isolation from the colonies was performed. After sequencing and database searching, the miRNAs were recognized. RT-PCR and sequencing were carried out to validate the miRNAs detected. Real-time PCR was used to analyze the expression of each miRNA. RESULTS: One novel miRNA was discovered, together with another 35 previously-known miRNAs in the fetal liver. Some of them existed in variants. The miRNAs identified were validated by RT-PCR and sequencing. Quantitative analysis showed that they have variable expression. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that a special group of miRNAs may play an important role in fetal liver development in a synergistic manner
A study on extraction of volatile oil from green orange peel by reduced-pressure steam distillation and in vitro antioxidant activity
[Objective] This study aimed to develop a method for extracting volatile oil from green-orange peel by reduced-pressure steam distillation. [Methods] A volatile oil tester was combined with a vacuum device for the extraction of volatile oil from green-orange peel, and a regulating valve in the device controlled the vacuum level. The composition and content of volatile oil under reduced pressure and atmospheric pressure were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and the in vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated. [Results] The optimum process for the extraction of volatile oil by reduced-pressure steam distillation was: particle size of 8 mesh, solid-liquid ratio of 1∶7 (g/mL), vacuum of 0.082 MPa, time of 40 min, yield of 1.769 mL/100 g. 163 kinds of components were identified in the volatile oil of green orange peel extracted by reduced-pressure steam distillation, which was 33 kinds more than that by atmospheric pressure steam distillation, and the content of major components was increased. The scavenging ability of the volatile oil extracted under vacuum to superoxide anion free radical and hydroxyl free radical was significantly higher than that extracted by atmospheric steam distillation. [Conclusion] The reduced-pressure steam distillation volatile oil extraction has the characteristics of low temperature, short time, high yield, simple operation, and high operability. The obtained volatile oil has a good antioxidant effect, and the method is suitable for the extraction and separation of heat-sensitive substances
Efficacy of robot-assisted full-endoscopic transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion in the treatment of degree Ⅰand Ⅱ lumbar spondylolisthesis
Objective To evaluate the efficacy of robot-assisted full-endoscopic transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (Endo-TLIF) in the treatment of grade Ⅰ and Ⅱ lumbar spondylolisthesis. Methods The clinical data of 17 lumbar spondylolisthesis patients underwent robot-assisted Endo-TLIF treatment in Gansu Provincial Hospital from January 2020 to January 2022 were retrospectively collected. The postoperative hospital stay and complications were recorded. The accuracy of pedicle screw placement and the time of single screw placement were calculated. The clinical efficacy was evaluated by modified MacNab and lumbar interbody fusion was evaluated by Suk method. The related scores were recorded before operation, 1 month after operation and at the last follow-up. Results There were (126.45±17.28) min in duration of surgery, (90.00±11.25) mL in intraoperative blood loss, (4.10±0.95) times in intraoperative X-ray fluoroscopy, and (3.54±0.37) days in postoperative hospital stay. The accuracy of pedicle screw placement was 97.06 %, and average pedicle screw placement time was 9.75 min. At the last follow-up, all patients were evaluated to have good lumbar interbody fusion, with the excellent and good rate was 94.12%. One month after operation and at the last follow-up, the visual analogue scale (VAS) score was lower than that before operation, while the total score of Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) was significantly higher than that before operation (P<0.05). No dura mater injury, nerve tissue injury, screw loosening and fracture were found in all patients. Conclusion Robot-assisted Endo-TLIF in the treatment of grade Ⅰ and Ⅱ lumbar spondylolisthesis has good efficacy, and has the advantages of accurate pedicle screw placement, less trauma, short operation time, and less intraoperative blood loss, but there are problems of high cost and high radiation to patients
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Worse Prognosis in Papillary, Compared to Tubular, Early Gastric Carcinoma
Purpose: Papillary early gastric carcinoma (EGC) is uncommon but shows worse prognosis in our most recent study in a Chinese population with unknown reasons. The aim of the present study was to further investigate risk factors for worse prognosis in patients with papillary adenocarcinoma, compared to those with tubular adenocarcinoma. Methods: We searched the electronic pathology databank for radical gastrectomy cases over an 8-year period at a single medical center in Nanjing, China, and identified consecutive 240 EGC cases that were classified as either papillary (n=59) or tubular (n=181) EGC tumors in accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO) gastric cancer diagnosis criteria. We investigated and compared clinicopathologic risk factors for prognosis between papillary and tubular EGC groups. All patients were followed up and their 5-year survival rate was compared statistically with the Kaplan-Meier method with a log rank test. Results: Compared to tubular EGCs, papillary EGCs were significantly more common in elderly patients, more frequently occurred in the proximal stomach with protruding/elevated growth patterns, submucosal invasion, and a micropapillary component. Although lymphovascular invasion (16.9%), nodal (13.6%) and distant (11.8%) metastases in papillary EGCs were more frequent than those (8.3%, 7.2%, and 3.7%, respectively) in tubular EGCs, the differences approached but did not reach statistically significant levels. Significant risk factors for nodal metastasis included lymphovascular invasion in both EGC groups, but the ulcerative pattern and submucosal invasion only in tubular EGCs. The 5-year survival rate was significantly worse in papillary (80.5%) than in tubular (96.8%) EGCs. Conclusions: Compared to tubular EGCs, papillary EGCs diagnosed with the WHO criteria in Chinese patients were more frequent in elderly patients, proximal stomach and showed the significantly worse 5-year survival rate with more protruding/elevated growth patterns and the micropapillary component. Further studies in larger samples are urgently needed to validate these findings for precision individualized EGC patient management
Crop Diversity for Yield Increase
Traditional farming practices suggest that cultivation of a mixture of crop species in the same field through temporal and spatial management may be advantageous in boosting yields and preventing disease, but evidence from large-scale field testing is limited. Increasing crop diversity through intercropping addresses the problem of increasing land utilization and crop productivity. In collaboration with farmers and extension personnel, we tested intercropping of tobacco, maize, sugarcane, potato, wheat and broad bean – either by relay cropping or by mixing crop species based on differences in their heights, and practiced these patterns on 15,302 hectares in ten counties in Yunnan Province, China. The results of observation plots within these areas showed that some combinations increased crop yields for the same season between 33.2 and 84.7% and reached a land equivalent ratio (LER) of between 1.31 and 1.84. This approach can be easily applied in developing countries, which is crucial in face of dwindling arable land and increasing food demand
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