ABSTRACT Pneumatic seed metering devices are widely used in high-speed and precise corn seeding operations. The objective of this study was to analysis the high-speed seeding performance of a pneumatic precision seed metering device at seeding speed ≥12 km/h. In this study, full-factor experiments were conducted of an air-suction rotary-hub corn precision seed metering device at the early stage of development. Seed leaking was the primary failure mode, and the experimental factors had no evident regular influence on the repeat index. The negative pressure of 3-7 kPa had significantly positive and negative correlations with the qualified index and the leak index, whereas the seeding speed of 12-20 km/h was significantly negatively and positively correlated with the qualified index and the leak index, respectively. The leak index reached its greatest value of 32.48%, 15.61% and 66.77% when the negative pressure was 3 kPa, and it was always less than 10% when the negative pressure was greater than 6 kPa for the three corn seed varieties. The corn seed varieties with smaller sizes and regular shapes were more suitable for high-speed precision seeding operations above 12 km/h, and the negative pressure could be increased to improve the qualified index and reduce the leak index.

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: A growing volume of literature has suggested long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) as important players in tumor progression. In this study, we aimed to investigate the expression and prognostic value of lncRNA LINC00173 (LINC00173) in melanoma. METHODS: LINC00173 expression was measured in 163 paired cancerous and noncancerous specimen samples by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The correlations between LINC00173 expression with clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis were analyzed by chi-square test, log-rank test, and multivariate survival analysis. Receiver-operating characteristic curves were used for the assessment of the diagnostic value of LINC00173 for melanoma patients. RESULTS: The expression level of LINC00173 in melanoma specimens was distinctly higher than that in adjacent non-neoplasm specimens (p<0.01). Besides, LINC00173 was expressed more frequently in patients with advanced melanoma than in patients with early melanoma. Multivariate assays confirmed that LINC00173 expression level was an independent prognostic predictor of melanoma patients (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Our data indicated that LINC00173 expression could serve as an unfavorable prognostic biomarker for melanoma patients.

Abstract The Geographical Origin of Chinese medicinal materials plays an important role in guaranteeing the authenticity of Chinese medicinal materials, ensuring the quality and efficacy of Chinese medicinal materials, maintaining the market order, and reducing the risk of medical accidents caused by counterfeit Chinese medicinal materials. In recent years, there have been more and more research papers on tracing Chinese medicinal materials by stable isotope and mineral element analysis combined with chemometrics. Using stable isotope and mineral element analysis to trace traditional Chinese medicinal materials has the advantages of high accuracy and strong reliability. Through chemometrics methods, medicinal materials from different origins can be classified, distinguished, and modeled, and finally the purpose of origin traceability can be achieved. Based on the introduction of the basic principles of stable isotopes and mineral elements, this article systematically analyzes the research and application of relevant stable isotope and mineral element analysis techniques in the origin traceability of Chinese medicinal materials in the past 10 years, and proposes the existing problems in origin traceability of Chinese medicinal materials. This article aims at providing reference for the origin traceability, confirmation and supervision of Chinese herbal medicines, and promoting the establishment and improvement of the traceability technical system of Chinese herbal medicines.

ABSTRACT We evaluated the maternal behavior, physiology, and reproductive performance of both Damin (Min-pig × Large White) and Large White gilts to identify the advantages hybrid sows offer with regard to stress relieve and improvement of the welfare level of sows during late lactation. First-parity Damin gilts (n = 40) and first-parity Large White gilts (n = 40) were farrowed in individual pens. Video surveillance was used to monitor the occurrence of lateral recumbency and compare it to other postures, such as ventral recumbency, defecation, urination, tail posture, sham-chewing, and bar-biting behaviors. Monitoring was conducted from 07:00 to 09:00 h and from 13:00 to 15:00 h on days 3 and 6 of each week from the third to the fifth week post-parturition. In addition, the concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and salivary α-amylase were assessed. During the fourth week postpartum, Damin gilts showed a higher frequency of postural changes from lateral recumbency to other postures and less ventral recumbency, sham-chewing, and bar-biting behavior compared with Large White gilts. However, no significant differences were found between Damin and Large White gilts with regard to urination, defecation, tail wagging, and “tail low” behaviors. The concentrations of serum interleukin-6, salivary α-amylase, and serum tumor necrosis factor-α were higher in Damin gilts than in Large White gilts during the fifth week postpartum. Damin gilts partly achieve lower stress levels during late lactation and better animal welfare than purebred Large White gilts.

Abstract Tricholoma Matsutake is an important edible mushroom that has been artificially cultivated and used as a food and medicinal ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine. In the past decades, many researchers have reported that Tricholoma Matsutake Polysaccharides (TMP) possess various bioactivities, including anti-tumor, immunomodulatory, anti-oxidation and anti-aging. The structural characteristics of TMP were studied by GC-MS, LC-MS, NMR, and FT-IR, and the structure-activity relationship of TMP biomolecular was analyzed. This paper reviews the progress of TMP extraction, purification, structure characterization and application.

Abstract Gut bacterial β-glucuronidase (GUS) can reactivate xenobiotics that exert enterohepatic circulation- triggered gastrointestinal tract toxicity. GUS inhibitors can alleviate drug-induced enteropathy and improve treatment outcomes. We evaluated the inhibitory effect of Polygonum cuspidatum Siebold & Zucc. and its major constituents against Escherichia coli GUS (EcGUS), and characterized the inhibitory mechanism of each of the components. Trans-resveratrol 4’-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (HZ-1) and (-)-epicatechin gallate (HZ-2) isolated from P. cuspidatum were identified as the key components and potent inhibitors. These two components displayed strong to moderate inhibitory effects on EcGUS, with Ki values of 9.95 and 1.95 μM, respectively. Results from molecular docking indicated that HZ-1 and HZ-2 could interact with the key residues Asp163, Ser360, Ile 363, Glu413, Glu504, and Lys 568 of EcGUS via hydrogen bonding. Our findings demonstrate the inhibitory effect of P. cuspidatum and its two components on EcGUS, which supported the further evaluation and development of P. cuspidatum and its two active components as novel candidates for alleviating drug-induced damage in the mammalian gut.

Abstract Objective: To modify the chronic atrial fibrillation of atrial tachycardia pacing in beagles with a homemade pacemaker placed outside the body and to evaluate connective tissue growth factor and fibrosis of atrial tissue in our modified atrial tachycardia pacing beagle model. Methods: Twelve adult beagles of either sex were randomly divided into an atrial tachycardia pacing group and a control group (n=6 in each group). We performed the temporary pacemaker implantation at the right atrial appendage and put the pacemaker into the pocket of dog clothing in the atrial tachycardia pacing group. After eight weeks of atrial tachycardia pacing, the electrocardiography, transthoracic echocardiography, hematoxylin-eosin staining, and Masson’s staining of the right atrial appendages were performed along with the immunohistochemistry, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot analysis of connective tissue growth factor, collagen I, and collagen III. Results: In the atrial tachycardia pacing group, atrial fibrillation was induced in five beagles (83.3%); the left atrium enlarged significantly; more canines had mitral regurgitation; and the Masson’s staining, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot results demonstrated more obvious fibrosis of the left atrium. Conclusion: The modified beagle model of atrial fibrillation using a right atrium pacemaker outside the body was effective, increased connective tissue growth factor and collagen I messenger ribonucleic acid overexpression, and induced atrial fibrosis.

ABSTRACT This study was performed to compare changes in posture, nursing behavior, and production performance of two breeds of sows. The posture, postural changes, nursing behavior, and production performance of hybrid Damin (Large White × Min pig, n = 32) and Landrace × Large White (n = 32) sows were observed by video recording for 72 h after farrowing and from 07:00 to 09:00 h and 13:00 to 15:00 h within any successive two-day period of each week from the two to five weeks postpartum. The production performances were compared between the two breeds. Except standing at days 1 to 3 postpartum and sitting at day 2 postpartum, there were significant differences in postures between the two breeds of sows. The frequency of ventral-to-lateral recumbency at day 1 and weeks 4 and 5 postpartum and sitting-to-lying at days 1 and 3 and weeks 4 and 5 postpartum was significantly lower for the Damin than for Landrace × Large White sows. The frequency of standing-to-lying in the first 72 h postpartum was significantly higher for the Damin than for Landrace × Large White sows. At days 2 and 3 postpartum, piglet loss was significantly lower for the Damin than for Landrace × Large White sows. The duration of parturition and farrowing interval were significantly longer for the Landrace × Large White than for Damin sows. The number of live piglets was higher for the Damin than for Landrace × Large White sows. The birth weight of litters and weaning weight of piglets were lower for Damin than for Landrace × Large White piglets. These data suggest that the Damin sows showed stronger maternal instincts through their behaviors and postural changes compared with the Landrace × Large White sows.

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Leptin (LEP) is a peptide hormone that acts via leptin receptor (LEPR) binding. Genetic evidence from different human populations has implicated LEP/LEPR in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD), and suggests that certain LEP/LEPR gene polymorphisms may increase the risk of CAD. The aim of this study was to assess two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in LEP genes (rs2167270 and rs7799039) and two in LEPR genes (rs6588147, rs1137100) for association with CAD. METHODS: We enrolled 271 North Chinese Han CAD patients, and 113 healthy age- and sex-matched controls. Genomic DNA was extracted from whole blood, and the four SNPs were assessed using a MassArray system. RESULTS: The G allele frequency at rs2167270 was significantly higher among CAD cases than among controls. The AG genotype at rs7799039 was associated with a significantly decreased risk of CAD unlike the AA genotype used as the reference. The A allele was significantly associated with the CAD patient group. Interestingly, statistically significant differences in genotype and allele frequency at LEP rs2167270 and rs7799039 existed among females but not among males. CONCLUSIONS: The current study detected a significant association between genetic variations at LEP rs7799039 and rs2167270 and the risk of CAD in a north Chinese population, and revealed that LEP rs2167270 and rs7799039 gene polymorphisms might act as predisposing factors for CAD.

Service innovation has been found to be a major driver of innovation performance in service contexts. But this issue raises questions concerning the extent to which the relationship between market orientation and innovation performance holds in the high-tech industry. Relatively little research has examined how market orientation contributes to innovation performance through service innovation. We here report an empirical study of 235 Taiwanese high-tech firms to examine the influence of market orientation on service innovation and innovation performance. A noteworthy finding is that the impacts of customer orientation and competitor orientation on innovation performance are fully mediated by service innovation. However, service innovation does only partially mediate the relationship between inter-functional orientation and innovation performance. The findings of this study should help managers consider appropriate service innovation in high-tech industry.

PURPOSE: To investigate the correlation between lateralization of cerebral basal ganglia hemorrhage and handedness. METHODS: Medical records and computed tomography (CT) scans for 84 patients with primary hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in basal ganglia were reviewed. Data of gender, age, handedness, and location of basal ganglia hematoma were statistically analyzed. Data of age, gender, handedness, health condition, and mean blood flow velocity (BFV) in middle cerebral arteries (MCAs) and anterior cerebral arteries (ACAs) on both sides of 114 healthy individuals were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: We found out that the patients with right basal ganglia hemorrhage were mostly left-handed, while patients with left basal ganglia hemorrhage were mostly right handed (p=0.021, r=0.251). And the mean BFV in the right MCAs of left-handed ones are relatively higher, the mean BFV in the left MCAs of right-handers are relatively higher (p=0.008, r=0.248). CONCLUSION: There 's a correlation between lateralization of cerebral basal ganglia hemorrhage and handedness.