AIM: To explore the role of calcineurin i n th e expression of NF-?B and the neurotoxicity in cultured cortical neurons treate d with interleukin-1? (IL-1?) and NMDA. METHODS: The cultured rat cortical neurons were used in the expe riment, damage of neurons was induced by interleukin-1?(IL-1?) or excitator y amino acid (NMDA). The degree of neuron damage was examined with the methods o f MTT assay and LDH releasing rate assay, as well as the Annexin V and PI immuno fluorescence. The expression of NF-?B p65 on the neurons was tested by the West ern blot analysis. RESULTS: Viability of neurons was obviously lower in the IL-1? group and NMDA group respectively than that in control group (P0.05). Annexin V and PI immunofluoresc ence showed that IL-1? mainly induced the neuron apoptosis, and NMDA induced th e neuron necrosis. CONCLUSIONS: The calcineurin mediates the higher expression of N F -?B p65 and neuron damage induced by IL-1?, but not play a critical role in th e necrosis induced by NMDA in the cultured cortical neurons. These results indic ate that calcineurin is the key molecule in the apoptotic signaling pathway.

It is the objective of this study to optimize the extraction process of red ginseng to minimize the unit cost of extracting effective ingredients. The relation between the target variables of total quantity of ginsenosides and first extraction time, first extraction solution amount, second extraction time, second extract solution amount were studied with Box-Behnken experimental design method. At the same we also considered the cost of extraction solution and energy usage. The objective function was set as unit cost of target (total quantity of ginsenosides or its purity) for the multi-objective optimization of extraction process. As a result, the optimal process parameters were found as first extraction time (108.7 min), first extraction solution amount folds (12), second extraction time (30 min), second extraction solution amount folds (8) to minimize the unit cost. It indicated that this approach could potentially be used to optimize industrial extraction process for manufacturing Chinese medicine.
Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; economics ; methods ; Cost Control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; economics ; isolation & purification ; Panax ; chemistry

It is the objective of this study to develop dynamic predictive model for the extraction process of red Ginseng using NIR spectroscopy. NIR spectroscopy was collected online and PLSR models were developed for total quantity of ginsenosides. The performance of NIR prediction model achieved R, RMSEC, RMSEP of 0.996 09, 0.018 9, 0.016 8, respectively. A first order dynamic mass transfer model was combined with NIR prediction of the quality indicator to predict the trajectory of the extraction process based upon the initial 3 or 4 data points. The results showed good agreement with actual measurements indicating reasonable accuracy of the predictive model. It could potentially be used for advanced predictive control of the extraction process.
Chemical Fractionation ; methods ; Ginsenosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Models, Theoretical ; Panax ; chemistry ; Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared

Three weeks’ training, visiting and demonstrating classes in Michigan State University gave us an opportunity to understand the education system, the teaching characteristics and the “students centered”teaching principle of USA. Some reasonable teaching methods were applied in the class which may embody the student-oriented teaching aim and develop the students’ subjective initiative. The teaching effect showed that most students were fond of the teaching strategies and they also did good job in final tests.

A set of central composite design experiments were designed by using four factors which were ethanol amount, ethanol concentration, refrigeration temperature and refrigeration time. The relation between these factors with the target variables of the retention rate of schizandrol A, the soluble solids content, the removal rate of fructose and the removal rate of glucose were analyzed with Bayesian networks, and ethanol amount and ethanol concentration were found as the critical process parameters. Then a network model was built with 2 inputs and 4 outputs using back propagation artificial neural networks which was optimized by genetic algorithms. The R2 and MSE from the training set were 0.983 8 and 0.001 1. The R2 and MSE from the test set were 0.975 9 and 0.001 8. The results showed that network analysis method could be used for modeling of Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus ethanol precipitation process and identify critical operating parameters.
Bayes Theorem ; Chemical Precipitation ; Cold Temperature ; Cyclooctanes ; chemistry ; Ethanol ; chemistry ; Fructose ; analysis ; Fruit ; chemistry ; Glucose ; analysis ; Lignans ; chemistry ; Neural Networks (Computer) ; Polycyclic Compounds ; chemistry ; Reproducibility of Results ; Schisandra ; chemistry ; Time Factors

Adolescent ; Adult ; Environmental Exposure ; Female ; Humans ; Inhalation Exposure ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharynx ; pathology ; Sulfuric Acid Esters ; poisoning ; Young Adult

Objective To determine the effect of iron deficiency on hemoglobin A2(HbA2) expression in patients with β-thalassemia.Methods The participants were recruited from the out-patient clinics of the Pediatrics Department and Obstetrics Department of Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical College and from some β-thalassemia major families.Blood samples from the participants were used for blood smear tests and hemoglobin electrophoresis and to analyze serum ferritin (SF),3 alpha-globin gene deletions,and 17 beta-globin point mutations.Results Of the 408 individuals,304 were assigned to group A (normal controls),26 to group B (iron deficiency),56 to group C (β-thalassemia),and 22 to group D (β-thalassemia combined with iron deficiency). The results for the comparison of the mean HbA2 values among pairs of groups were as follows: group A vs group B,q=5.074 7,P<0.05; group A vs group C,q=37.650 8,P<0.05; group A vs group D,q=16.043 0,P<0.05;group C vs group D,q=7.682 9,P<0.05; Group B vs group D,q=15.806 6,P<0.05. There were no significant correlation between SF and HbA2 in all 4 groups.Conclusions Iron deficiency decreased the HbA2 level in both controls and individuals with β-thalassemia. HbA2 levels decreased significantly in individuals with both β-thalassemia and iron deficiency as compared with β-thalassemia group alone. However,they remained significantly higher than both the control and iron-deficient groups. Therefore,the elevation of HbA2 could be used to diagnose β-thalassemia reliably even in the presence of iron deficiency.

Objective: Diuresis and removing urinary calculus action of Jieshitong tablet were studied. Methods: Metabolic cage method of rats was adopted to be engaged in diuresis experiment; glycol and ammonium chloride had been given orally for 30 days to form concretion model so that a removing urinary calculus trial could be done. Results: High and low doses of Jeshitong tablet both had significant diuresis effect, total urinary output in 3h of drug group increased about 50% than that of control group. Concretio formative rates of Jeshitong tablet group significantly decresed; the stronger removing urinary calculus action, the higher Jieshitong concentraction was. Conclusion: Jieshitong tablet had diuresis and removing urinary calculus action.

Objective To investigate the genotype distribution of extended-spectrum?-lactamases(ESBLs) and AmpC?-lacta- mases produced by Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae in 10 teaching hospitals of China.Methods 90 clinical strains of E.coli and 61 strains of K.pneumoniae isolated in 2003 and confirmed to produce ESBLs were collected from 10 teaching hos- pitals in China.Analytical isoelectric focusing was used to measure the pI of the?-lactamases.Conjugation experiment was used to study the transfer of cefoxitin resistance.Plasmid-mediated AmpC enzyme genes were amplified and sequenced by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (MPCR).Results The prevalence of ESBL-producing E.coli and K.pneumoniae was about 50% in Wuhan,Nanjing and Jinan.The prevalence of ESBL-producing E.coli was lower than K.pneumoniae in Beijing.However,in other hospitals the prevalence of ESBL-producing E.coli was a little higher than K.pneumoniae.About 24.4% of ESBL-pro- ducing E.coli isolates and 19.4% of ESBL-producing K.pneumoniae isolates were resistant to cefoxitin.Cefoxitin-resistant i solate was identified in all hospitals except Shenyang.Major genotype of ESBL-producing isolates was CTX-M.The CTX-M-9 group was the most common group,followed by CTX-M-1.More K.pneumoniae isolates produced both ESBLs and AmpC en- zyme than E.coli.The genotype was CTX-M/DHA-1.The PCR results of 3 transconjugants producing both ESBLs and AmpC enzyme were the same as their donor isolates.Conclusions The genotype of ESBL-producing isolates is mainly CTX-M-9 group in these teaching hospitals.More K.pneumoniae isolates produced both ESBLs and AmpC enzyme than E.coli.Most of these isolates are due to geno type CTX-M/DHA-1,which can spread through plasmid.

OBJECTIVETo establish a method for the determination of curculigoside in Curculigo orchioides, a species of crude medicine.

METHODThe methanol was used as the solvent of exatraction and the curculigoside was extracted from the crude medicine with the method of the ultrasonic vibration. Using Sep-Pak C18 cartridges to purify the solution, the curculigoside was detected by HPLC. Intersil ODS-3(150 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 microns) chromatographic column was used, mobile phase of methanol-water-ice acetic acid (45:80:1) and detect wavelength was set at UV 283 nm.

RESULTThe average recovery was 99.2% for the determination of curculigoside, RSD = 1.7% (n = 5). The content range of the curculigoside for 6 kinds of different samples was from 0.11% to 0.35%.

CONCLUSIONThis method could be used to control the quality of crude medicine C. orchioides.

Benzoates ; analysis ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Curculigo ; chemistry ; Glucosides ; analysis ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Rhizome ; chemistry