Objective To explore the optimal conditions of the vacuum-belt drying process of Rhizoma Chuanxiong extract.Methods Influencing factors of the vacuum belt drying process of Rhizoma Chuanxiong extract were studied by using orthogonal test.The water content and ferulic acid content of dried product were used as the quality indicators.Results The optimal parameters of the vacuum-belt drying process were as follows:the heated region temperature being 95 ℃,the feeding speed at 10 Hz/s,and the belt speed at10 Hz/s.Conclusion The vacuum-belt drying techniquefor drying the extract brings high drying rate and high quality product.This study can provide a reasonable basis for industrial production in line with the GMP requirements.

Objective To observe the microfiltration of different types of ceramic membrane for aqueous extract of Rhizoma Chuanxiong,and to select the optimal type of ceramic membranes. Methods The aqueous extract of Rhizoma Chuanxiong was microfiltered by inorganic ceramic membranes in the pore diameter of 50 nm,200 nm,and 500 nm,respectively. The characters,total solids,and active ingredients of the aqueous extract were analyzed and compared before and after microfiltration. Results The aqueous extract turned into clarified liquid from turbid liquid after microfiltration with the three types of the inorganic ceramic membrane. The removal rate for total solids was 25.7 %,26.5 %and 25.9 %,and the loss rate for ferulic acid was 12 %,6 %and 4 %,respectively for the inorganic ceramic membranes in the pore diameter of 50 nm,200 nm,and 500 nm. Conclusion Both the yield of dry solid material and ferulic acid are stable during the three middle-scale tests,indicating that he aperture ceramic membrane in the pore diameter of 200 nm is a optimal selection for the purification and refining of aqueous extract of Rhizoma Chuanxiong.

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Objective To observe the influence of XueShuanXinMaiNing(XSXMN)in the behavior and structures of cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the rats withβamyloid protein(Aβ)-induced Alzheimer’s disease(AD),and to explore its therapeutic effects on the rat AD.Methods 100 male Wistar rats were selected.According to weight, the rats were randomly divided into sham operation group, model group, positive drug group (donepezil hydrochloride,1.75 mg· kg-1 ),XSXMN 1.1 g· kg-1 group and XSXMN 2.2 g· kg-1 group. The rat AD models were made by injecting Aβinto hippocampus.After oral administration for 15 d,Morris water maze test, dark avoidance task and pathology test were performed.Results In Morris water maze test,compared with model group,the latency and swimming distance to platform of the rats in XSXMN 1.1 g·kg-1 group were decreased on the 2nd,4th and 5th day(P<0.05 or P<0.01);in XSXMN 2.2 g·kg-1 group,the latency to platform of the rats were decreased from the 3nd to 6th day(P<0.05 or P<0.01),the swimming distances to platform of the rats were decreased from the 3rd to 5th day(P<0.05 or P<0.01).On the 7th day,in XSXMN groups,the times of passing platform,time of staying on platform,distance of staying on platform,time of staying in effective area, distance of staying in effective area, time of staying on platform/total time, distance of staying on platform/total distance,time of staying on platform/total time were all increased significantly(P<0.05 or P<0.01)within 90 s. In dark avoidance task,compared with model group,the error latency and the error times of the rats in XSXMN groups had no obvious change on the 2nd day.The pathological results showed that there were degeneration nerve cells and necrosis nerve cells in the rat cerebral cortex in XSXMN groups,while in the rat hippocampus there were less number of nerve cells with obscure cell layer and many degeneration and necrosis cells were found;compared with model group,there was no obvious improvement.Conclusion XSXMN can improve the learning and memory function of the AD rats.

Cardiac arrhythmia is one of the most common cardiovascular diseases,with high morbidity and mortality,which threatens human health and lives. With the development of medicine, natural products are revealing ever-greater anti-arrhythmic benefits and potential. However,their targets have not been fully clarified. In the recent ten years ,scientists have been studying the molecular mechanisms of natural products that have been found to inhibit INa,ICa-L,Ito,IK1,IKr,IKM3,HERG channel current and steady state K+ current,promote IKs and IKATP,inhibit microRNA-1 expression and change cardiac microRNA expression profile,affect Na+-K+-ATPase and superoxide dismutase activity,inhibitβ receptor and angiotensinⅡ receptor,and regulate lipid metabolism,thus affecting cardiac rhythm and exerting anti-arrhythmic effect. This paper revies the research advances in the antiarrhythmic tar?gets of natural products.

Objective Few studies are reported on the construction of a finite element model of human complex knee joint using multimodality CT and MRI images.In this study, we developed a finite element model of the knee joint for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) using matched and fused CT and MRI data, hoping to provide a useful tool for the simulation study of knee joint biomechanics of TKA.Methods The CT and MRI image data about an intact knee of a 26-year-old male volunteer were imported into the Mimics software for the establishment of 3D models of bony and soft-tissue structures.A complete knee model was developed following the registration and fusion of the constructed 3D models based on the external landmarks.After the simulated implantation of TKA components, a finite element model of the TKA knee was constructed with the Hypermesh software.Then the finite element model was analyzed following the definition of its material behavior, boundary conditions and loading.Results The finite element model of the TKA knee, which was composed of bones, ligaments, components, polyethylene insert and bone cement, was developed from CT-MRI image registration and fusion and maintained its important spatial relationship among different structures in the TKA knee.The results obtained from the finite element analysis showed the characteristics of stress distribution in the TKA knee.Conclusion The finite element model of the knee joint for TKA can be established by matching and fusing CT and MRI image data, which can be employed as a useful tool for the study of knee joint biomechanics of TKA.

Objective To investigate the prevalence and prognostic value of anemia in male and female patients with chronic systolic heart failure (CSHF).Methods Data of in-hospital patients with CSHF were investigated between 2000 and 2010 from 12 hospitals in Hubei Province.Patients were divided into normal hemoglobin (Hb) group,mild anemia group,moderate anemia group,severe and extreme anemia group.According to age,body mass index (BMI) and correction of glomerular filtration rate (GFRc),patients were divided into several subgroups,respectively.Multivariate logistic regression was performed to determinate the associated factors with anemia.Kaplan-Meier curve was performed to evaluate the difference in all-cause mortality in male and female patients with anemia.Univariate and multivariate Cox proportion hazard analysis was performed to determinate the risk of all-cause mortality among different anemia group in male and female patients.Results A total of 16681 patients were enrolled.Anemia accounted for 23.79％ and 27.29％,separately,in male and female patients with CSHF.BMI and GFRc were related to anemia in both male and female patients with CSHF,while only age was related to anemia for female patients with CSHF.The hazard ratio of all-cause mortality was 1.08 (P ＜ 0.01),1.13 (P ＜ 0.O1) and 1.02 (P =0.74),respectively,for all,male and female anemia patients with CSHF,compared to normal Hb group.Compared to normal Hb group,the hazard ratio of mild anemia group,moderate anemia group,severe and extreme anemia group was 1.05 (P =0.14),1.20 (P ＜0.01) and 1.36 (P ＜0.01),respectively,for all CSHF patients;1.11 (P ＜ 0.01),1.35 (P ＜ 0.01) and 1.37 (P ＜ 0.01),respectively,for male;0.96 (P=0.48),1.08 (P=0.40) and3.47 (P＜0.01),respectively,for female.Conclusions Compared to male,female patients suffer higher prevalence of anemia in patients with CSHF.There is a significant difference in risk factors and prognosis of anemia between male and female patients with CSHF.

Objective To study the effects and molecular mechanism of MAWBP in the proliferation, invasion and migration of human colorectal cancer cell lines. Methods Colorectal cancer cell lines, caco-2 and HT-29, were divided into MAWBP over-expressed group and control group. MAWBP was stablely over-expressed in both cell lines by lentivirus, and the positive clones were screened by puromycin. The expression of MAWBP gene at mRNA and protein levels was evaluated by RT-PCR and western blot. Cell proliferation was detected by MTT. Cell migration and invasion were detected by transwell experiment. The EMT related protein levels of Snail, E-cadherin, and MAPK pathway protein of ERK, p38, p-ERK, p-p38 were determined by western blot analysis. Results Compared with the control group, the expression of MAWBP was significantly higher in HT-29-MAWBP and caco2-MAWBP group . The cell proliferation , invasion and migration ability significantly reduced in the HT-29-MAWBP group. The expression of Snail, p-ERK and p-p38 significantly decreased, while the E-cadherin increased in HT-29-MAWBP and caco2-MAWBP group. Conclusions Over- expression of MAWBP exerts an inhibitory effect on the proliferation, invasion and migration of colorectal caner cells via inhibit the MAPK pathway and regulate the EMT process.

Objective To determine the prognostic value of fight ventricular end-diastollc diameter (RVDD)in patients with chronic heart failure(CHF).Methods The clinical data of the in-hospital patients diagnosed as CHF were analyzed retrospectively.Telephone follow-up was carried out for all participants.The patients were divided into the survival group and death groups according to their clinical outcomes.The relationship between RVDD and death was evaluated by independent t-test and multivariate Logistic regression analysis.Results 1552 in-hospital patients were enrolled into the study.The mean age was 64.62 ± 10.45 years old,with 879(56.64％)male.After 3 years' follow-up,439(28.29％)patients died.Comparison of baseline data showed that gender,age,SBP,NYHA classification,the serum level of creatinine,LVEF,LVDD and RVDD were significantly different between the two groups(P ＜ 0.01);Multivariable logistic analysis showed that RVDD(OR=1.11,95％ CI:1.07-1.14,P ＜0.01),age(OR =1.03,95％ CI:1.02-1.05,P ＜0.01),creatinine(OR =1.02,95 ％ CI:1.01-1.04,P ＜ 0.01),LVEF(OR =0.93,95 ％ CI:0.92-0.97,P ＜ 0.01),LVDD(OR =1.13,95％ CI:1.09-1.17,P ＜0.01)and NYHA classification(OR =1.17,95％ CI:1.12-1.24,P ＜ 0.01)were independent predicting factors for the death of CHF patients.The power of RVDD to predict mortality was examined by ROC curves.The area under the curve was 0.805(95％ CI:0.798-0.812,P ＜ 0.01).Conclusion RVDD increases the risk of death in patients with CHF.RVDD is a significant independent predictor for death among patients with CHF.

The cDNA fragment of JEV prME gene was cloned into the baculovirus shuttle vector (bacmid) to construct a recombinant baculovirus vector, defined as AcBac-prME. Then the recombinant baculovirus Ac-prME was obtained by transfecting Sf9 cells with AcBac-prME. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence results indicated that both prM and E proteins were efficiently expressed in Sf9 cells. Electron microscopy suggested that prME was assembled into JEV-VLPs. To further evaluate the potential of JEV-VLPs as vaccine, the mice were immunized with JEV-VLPs and then challenged with lethal JEV. The results of mice survival and pathological changes demonstrated that the JEV-VLPs performed complete protection against JEV-P3 strain and relieved pathological changes in the mice brain significant. This study suggest that JEV-VLPs would be a potential vaccine for Japanese encephalitis virus.
Animals ; Antibodies, Viral ; immunology ; Encephalitis Virus, Japanese ; genetics ; immunology ; Encephalitis, Japanese ; immunology ; prevention & control ; virology ; Humans ; Japanese Encephalitis Vaccines ; administration & dosage ; genetics ; immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Sf9 Cells ; Vaccination ; Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle ; administration & dosage ; genetics ; immunology ; Viral Envelope Proteins ; administration & dosage ; genetics ; immunology