OBJECTIVETo study the influence of different drying methods on the quality of Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus and thus provide useful reference for its proper drying methods.

METHODSchisandrae Chinensis Fructus was processed by eight drying methods including vacuum freeze drying, natural drying in the shade, drying in the sun, oven drying and vacuum drying under different temperature. The contents of the functional ingredients includes chisandrin, gomisin D, gomisin J, schisandrol B, angeloylgomisin H, angeloylgomisin Q, gomisin G, schisantherin A, deoxyschisandrin, schisandrin B, schisandrin C, 5-HMF, total aids and total sugars. The main components change after drying were analyzed by HPLC, ultraviolet spectrophotometry and potentiometric titration. Principal component analysis (PCA) was carried out by SPSS software to evaluate the quality of different processed products from Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus.

RESULTAll these results are in accordance with the requirements of Chinese Pharmacopoeia published in 2010, the contents of schisandrin and total eleven lignans were the highest using vacuum drying, and 5-HMF were the lower, oven drying made little difference but with lower schisandrin and higher 5-HMF as the heat increased.

CONCLUSIONDifferent drying methods have significant influence on the quality of Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus. Oven drying under 5°C should be adopted to substitute drying in the sun according to the China Pharmacopoeia published in 2010 for Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus by comprehensive analysis of the cost, content and practicality.

Desiccation ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Schisandra ; chemistry ; Temperature

OBJECTIVETo study the dynamic characteristics of serotonin (5-HT), dopamine (DA) and their metabolin changes in brain during the development of exercise-induced central fatigue.

METHODSCoupling of microdialysis and capillary electrophoresis-laser induced fluorescence detection method were used to continuously monitored the changes of DA, tryptophan (Trp), tyrosine (Tyr), 5-HT and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in striatum extracellular fluid during the exhaustive exercise and recovery time.

RESULTSThe concentrations of Trp, 5-HT, 5-HIAA in striatum extracellular fluid had no remarkable changes in the early time of exercise (P < 0.05), while they significantly increased during the later time of exercise and whole recovery time (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The concentrations of DA and Tyr significantly increased over basal level in the later exercise time, exhaust and recovery time (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). DA/5-HT significantly increased in the initial time of exercise (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), while decreased during the later exercise time, the nadir occurred at 15 minutes before rats exhausted. DA/5-HT slightly recovered back to basal level during the recovery time, and there was no significant difference during later exercise, exhausted and recovery time compared with basal level (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe changes of DA and 5-HT in striatum have phase characteristics. Both of them significantly increase during the development of exercise-induced fatigue. However, the 5-HT plays the dominant role in the dynamic changes of them.

Animals ; Corpus Striatum ; metabolism ; Dopamine ; metabolism ; Fatigue ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Male ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; physiology ; Physical Exertion ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Serotonin ; metabolism

To determine the optimal condition of pollen germination. The pollen of Prunella vulgaris was cultured in vitro. Pollen germination rates were recorded using 10% H3BO4, 30% Ca(NO3)2, 20% MgSO4 and 10% KNO3 as the basic mineral medium with PEG of different molecular weight, sucrose of various density and multiple pH value. The rates were also measured under different cultivation temperature and pollen acquisition time. The optimal condition of pollen germination is 10% H3 BO4, 30% Ca(NO3)2, 20% MgSO4, 10% KNO3, and 25% PEG-4000 as the medium, with pH about 6. 5 and pollen acquired at the beginning of blossom.
Flowers ; physiology ; Pollen ; physiology ; Prunella ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo study the changes of soil fertility in Sheyang county where Chrysanthemum morifolium has been cultivated for more than 30 years and to develop the special fertilizer for cultivation of C. morifolium.

METHODThe pH values, organic matter and the contents of total and available N, P, K and Zn in the soil layer of 0 to 40 cm, as well as the total N, P, K and Zn contents in the flowers, roots, stems and leaves of the plants, were analysed. The balanced fertilization plan for cultivation of C. morifolium was put forward. In addition, the formula of special fertilizer for cultivation of C. morifolium was determined according to flower yield and utilization rate of N, P, and K.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONThe soil had high pH values and high soil salt contents, with unbalanced application of N, P, and K fertilizers and a shortage of available Zn after cultivation of C. morifolium. The contents of soil organic carbon, N and P declined with increasing cultivation time of C. morifolium, which resulted from the improper rotations and fertilization. The balance fertilization practice and the special fertilizer utilization are effective ways to improve soil fertility for C. morifolium.

Chrysanthemum ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Fertilizers ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Nitrogen ; analysis ; Phosphorus ; analysis ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Potassium ; analysis ; Soil ; analysis ; Zinc ; analysis

The research was conducted to study the breeding system of Prunella vulgaris L. Flowering dynamics was observed. Pollen viability, stigma receptivity, pollen-ovule ratio (P/O), out-crossing index (OCI) were measured. Bagging experiments were conducted. The results showed that the life span of one single flower was 1-2 days, the flowering span for the inflorescence of stalk was 7-14 days, the P/O was 1 046+/-148. 26, the OCI was 2. Combined with results of bagging experiment, the breeding system of P. vulgaris L. was mixed with cross-polination and self pollination. In the absence of pollination insects, the pollination and fertilization can be accomplished with high seed setting rate, and the seeds have a relatively high germination rate.
Breeding ; Pollen ; growth & development ; physiology ; Pollination ; Prunella ; growth & development ; physiology ; Tissue Survival

AIMTo investigate the effect of musk soluble components on the growth, the differentiation and the transfection efficiency of rat neural stem cell (NSC) in vitro.

METHODSThe growth and the differentiation of rat NSC were observed when musk soluble components were added into the culture medium of NSC. Meanwhile, the pEGFP-C1, which expressed the enhanced GFP protein, was transfected into the NSC by method of electro- transfection.

RESULTSWhen NSC was treated with musk soluble components, the neurites were outgrowth around NSC and attached to the plate, and the neural spheres were disassociated. The glia-like cells appeared at the concentration of 0.3 per thousand. When the concentration of musk soluble components was lower than 3 per thousand, the transformative cells could recover. Furthermore, the efficiency of transfection pEGFP into NSC was remarkably increased after the treatment with musk.

CONCLUSIONAfter the treatment of NSC with musk soluble components, the neural spheres were disassociated, and then attached to the plate. Musk soluble components could induce NSC differentiation into glia-like cells and improve the transfection efficiency of pEGFP-C1 in vitro.

Animals ; Brain ; cytology ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Culture Media ; Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated ; chemistry ; Female ; Fetus ; Male ; Materia Medica ; pharmacology ; Neural Stem Cells ; cytology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Transfection

Abdomen ; Hernia ; Humans ; Prostheses and Implants ; Prosthesis Implantation ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo assess the association of human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-DRB1 allele with the genetic susceptibility to cirrhosis due to hepatitis B virus(HBV).

METHODSOne hundred and six patients with cirrhosis due to HBV in Hubei area were investigated for HLA-DRB1 gene by polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific primers technique. The results were compared with those from 108 normal healthy people.

RESULTSThe frequency of HLA-DRB1*1201/1202 allele was 20.28% in patient group, which was significantly higher than the frequency (6.01%) in control group, the relative risk (RR) being 4.9878 (P<0.01). The frequency of HLA-DRB1*1501/1502 allele was decreased in patient group (patient 6.6%, control 16.67%, RR=0.3043, P<0.05), while the frequencies of other HLA-DRB1 alleles were not significantly different(P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONHLA-DRB1*1201/1202 allele may be the susceptibility gene in patients with cirrhosis due to HBV in Hubei Han nationality; HLA-DRB1*1501/1502 allele is a resistant gene in patients with cirrhosis.

Adult ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; HLA-DR Antigens ; genetics ; HLA-DRB1 Chains ; Hepatitis B ; complications ; genetics ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; pathogenicity ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; complications ; genetics ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; etiology ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo construct a human source vector containing minidystrophin-EGFP fusion gene and investigate its expression in Cos-7 cells.

METHODSThe recombinant human source vector named pHrnDysG was constructed with PCR-clone methods. Three fragments of dystrophin gene were PCR amplified from normal human dystrophin gene cDNA (GenBank NM04006). These three fragments were ligated to generate a minidystrophin gene. The enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene was fused to the C terminal of the minidystrophin gene, and then the pHrnDysG was finally obtained by cloning the fusion gene to pHrneo. Fluorescence microscope and RT-PCR were used to detect the expression of minidystrophin-EGFP fusion gene after the recombinant construct was transfected into Cos-7 cells by lipofectamine.

RESULTSRestrictive enzyme digestion analysis and sequencing confirmed that pHrnDysG vector was constructed successfully. After the recombinant pHrnDysG was transfected to Cos-7 cells, RT-PCR demonstrated that the fusion gene was successfully transcribed, and the green fluorescence was observed at the cell membrane.

CONCLUSIONThe minidystrophin-EGFP fusion gene mediated by pHrneo vector could express in Cos-7 cells and its products' localization in the cell membrane was the same as that of full length dystrophin. These results suggested that the recombinant human source vector pHrnDysG might be potentially used in studies on the gene therapy of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Animals ; COS Cells ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Dystrophin ; genetics ; metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Models, Genetic ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transfection

To explore the reasonable procedures and strategies of diagnosis and treatment of congenital neutropenia (CN), clinical data and laboratory examination results of a boy suspected of CN were collected; gene ELA2, GFI1, HAX1, and WASp of whom were sequenced, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor receptor (G-CSFR) expression on neutrophil was analyzed, and cytoplasmic domain of G-CSFR was sequenced. The results showed that the diagnosis of non-syndromic variants of CN (NSVCN) was made on this patient according to the criteria; sequencing results revealed no mutation occurred in ELA2, GFI1, HAX1 and WASp; a normal expression level of G-CSFR on neutrophil from this patient was detected and no truncated mutation was found in the intracellular domain of G-CSFR. It is concluded that reasonable procedure of diagnosis and treatment of CN is established, and a sporadic NSVCN with no recognized pathogenic mutation is confirmed in this patient.
Child ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Humans ; Male ; Neutropenia ; congenital ; diagnosis ; genetics ; therapy ; Receptors, Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; metabolism