Cordyceps militaris is of significant economic value in medical care and food exploitation because of its many physiological activities. This paper reviews(1) the taxonomic position of its anamorph,(2) interesting culture ways,(3) strain degeneration and genetic variability,and(4) research progress in bioactive compounds and pharmacological functions.

Objective To explore the effect of carbon nanoparticles-epirubicin suspension on proliferation and apoptosis in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells.Methods MCF-7 cells were cultured with different concentrations of CNP-EPI in vitro.CCK-8 assay was used for determinate inhibition effect of CNP-EPI on the proliferation of MCF-7 cells at different concentration and different time.According to the determination of IC90,5 μg/ml CNP-EPI was selected,and cell morphology and cell apoptosis rates were observed after 24 h.Results The inhibition effect of the CNP-EPI was stronger significantly in CNP-EPI group than in normal control group within 24 h,48 h,72 h when the concentration was from 1 μg/ml to 200 μg/ml (P＜0.01).The inhibition of CNP-EPI on the proliferation of MCF-7 cells was gradually strengthened in a dose-dependent relation within the same time,and the inhibition effect is reduced in the same concentration of drugs with the time extension,but it still has a strong inhibitory effect in 72 h,and the inhibition effect of different concentration of CNP was not obvious on MCF-7 cells.Obvious changes of cell morphology were observed under inverted microscope such as:a lot of dead cells,cell adherent growth poor,cell morphology became round and karyopycnosis etc,in 5 μg/ml CNP-EPI group after 24 h.However,no obvious abnormity of cell norphology was observed in normal control group and corresponding CNP group.Late apoptosis rate was (14.57±2.41) ％,the mortality rate could reach (78.63±-20.55)％ in 5 μg/ml CNP-EPI group after 24 h.The mortality rate and apoptosis rate of cells was higher significantly in CNP-EPI group than in CNP group and normal control group (P＜0.05).Conclusion CNP-EPI can obviously inhibit the proliferation or kill human breast cancer MCF-7cells,and the inhibition effect of CNP-EPI on proliferation of breast cancer cells might be the result of delayed releasing of EPI.

Acremonium ; chemistry ; Adjuvants, Immunologic ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Cordyceps ; chemistry ; classification ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; pharmacology ; Polysaccharides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology

The dry seeds of Cassia obtusifolia were carried by the "ShenZhou 8" satellite and sowed after landing. Based on our pri- or study on SP1, the characteristics of plants growth, physiological index and content of effective components were examined. The results showed that the QC10, QC29 strains matured 5 d earlier compared with control. The plant height, across diameter and ground diameter of QC10, QC29, QC46 strains was superior to the control at whole growth period. The branch number increased ranging from 4 to 11 and the number of pods reached 321, 313,281, respectively, which was dramatically higher than the control (246). The yield of QC10, QC29, QC46 strains increased noticeably from 31.4 to 63.2 g. The 1000-seed-weight of QC10, QC29, QC46 strains was 25.86, 25.88, 24.06 g, while the control was 23.69 g. Compared to the control, the mass fraction of chlorophyll was enhanced 1.098, 1.016, 0.297 mg. There was no significant difference in aurantio-obtusin and chrysophanol content of seeds. Through two years research, three high-yield mutant strains were obtained. This study indicates that spaceflight-induced mutants could provide new germplasm for C. obtusifolia breeding and offers the theoretical basis for further utilization of spaceflight-induced mutation to breed high-quality C. obtusifolia strains.
Cassia ; chemistry ; genetics ; growth & development ; Mutation ; Space Flight

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristics of tinnitus in patients with auditory neuropathy spec- trum disorder (ANSD). METHOD: This study recruited 14 ANSD patients with tinnitus. All the ANSD patients un- derwent detailed history taking, audiological examinations and assessments of tinnitus. This study analyzed the correlation of tinnitus status and hearing loss, and discussed the effects of sex, age, and the course of disease on tinnitus in ANSD patients. RESULT: (1) In the ANSD patients, tinnitus often occurred in 3 years after the onset of hearing loss; (2) Tinnitus was highly prevalent in ANSD patients, and the severity of tinnitus was mostly from mild to moderate; (3) There was no obvious correlation between the subjective grading of tinnitus and hearing loss de- gree, and the impact of curve patterns of hearing loss on the level of tinnitus need much more evidence-based proof; (4) Along with the course extension, the impact of tinnitus on the quality of life was much more obvious; (5) Some risk factors such as noise exposure could be the reasons of aggravating the degree of tinnitus. CONCLUSION Tinnitus in ANSD patients has its unique clinical features. The study of Tinnitus in ANSD patients can provide clinical basis for further research in ANSD.
Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Central ; complications ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Quality of Life ; Tinnitus ; complications ; diagnosis

The technique conditions of decolonization of fermentation broth were successively optimized using single factor assay and orthogonal layout method in Cordyceps jiangxiensis. The optimal condition of decolorization was investigated to be 3g/100mL active carbon, 5 min absorption time, pH5 of fermented broth and 25℃absorption temperature. Under the optimal condition, the maximum decolorization rate of fermented broth reached 89. 6% , simultaneously 10. 7% consuming rate of exopolysaccahride was minimum. Subsequently, the extract condition of exopolysaccharide of C. jiangxiensis was further optimized by orthogonal layout design. The maximum exopolysaccharide production was 0. 38 g/L under the optimal condition, i. e. firstly fermented filtrate decolorized and deproteined was concentrated to 1/7 of its total volume, secondly concentration broth was mixed with four times its volume of absolute ethanol and stirred vigorously, lastly precipitation of exopolysaccharide proceeded at 4℃for 16 hrs and the exopolysaccharide collected by centrifugal ion and dryness.

BACKGROUND: We sought to determine the association between chronic pain and participating in routine health screening in a low socioeconomic-status (SES) rental-flat community in Singapore. In Singapore, ≥ 85% own homes; public rental flats are reserved for those with low-income. METHODS: Chronic pain was defined as pain ≥ 3 months. From 2009−2014, residents aged 40−60 years in five public rental-flat enclaves were surveyed for chronic pain; participation in health screening was also measured. We compared them to residents staying in adjacent owner-occupied public housing. We also conducted a qualitative study to better understand the relationship between chronic pain and health screening participation amongst residents in these low-SES enclaves. RESULTS: In the rental-flat population, chronic pain was associated with higher participation in screening for diabetes (aOR = 2.11, CI = 1.36−3.27, P < 0.001), dyslipidemia (aOR = 2.06, CI = 1.25−3.39, P = 0.005), colorectal cancer (aOR = 2.28, CI = 1.18−4.40, P = 0.014), cervical cancer (aOR = 2.65, CI = 1.34−5.23, P = 0.005) and breast cancer (aOR = 3.52, CI = 1.94−6.41, P < 0.001); this association was not present in the owner-occupied population. Three main themes emerged from our qualitative analysis of the link between chronic pain and screening participation: pain as an association of “major illness”; screening as a search for answers to pain; and labelling pain as an end in itself. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic pain was associated with higher cardiovascular and cancer screening participation in the low-SES population. In low-SES populations with limited access to pain management services, chronic pain issues may surface during routine health screening.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Breast Neoplasms ; Chronic Pain* ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Dyslipidemias ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Humans ; Mass Screening* ; Pain Management ; Public Housing ; Singapore ; Social Class* ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

Acute Lung Injury ; metabolism ; virology ; Adult ; Disease Outbreaks ; Extravascular Lung Water ; metabolism ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; pathogenicity ; Influenza, Human ; metabolism ; virology ; Male ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; metabolism ; virology

Different factors including hybridization solution components, hybridization temperature, and the concentration and proportion of the labelled primer, which affected the sensitivity and specificity of single mutation identification, were exploited. Asymmetric PCR increased the hybridization sensitivity, and the asymmetric multi-PCR did not affect the specificity, while the sensitivity was improved a little. Among 30 lung cancer samples detected with the oligonucleotide microarray, 12 was found P53 gene mutations and 5 had K-ras gene mutations. The P53 gene mutations identified by the oligonucleotide microarray was proved 80% same as the sequencing results. The obvious statistical relations of K-ras and P53 gene mutations with tumor type, tumor stage and smoking were not obtained because of less samples and mutation sites.
Genes, ras ; genetics ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Mutation ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; methods ; Oligonucleotides ; genetics ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; genetics