OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Astragali Radix on the denervated tibial muscle atrophy in rats, and discuss its mechanism.

METHODTotally 60 SPF-grade Sprague-Dawley rats were selected in the common peroneal nerve crush model, and then randomly divided into 6 groups: Astragali Radix high-dose, medium-dose, low-dose groups, the Mecobalamin group, the model group, and the sham operation group. They were administered with drugs after the operation. At 18 d, the pathological section staining and morphological analysis were performed. The wet-weight ratio and section area of tibial muscles were also measured. The real-time fluorescence quantification was adopted to detect the differential expression between Angptl4 and PI3K genes.

RESULT(1) Wet-weight ratio: The wet-weight ratio in Astragali Radix high-dose, medium-dose groups was much higher than that in the model group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). (2) Section area: The sham operation group was higher, with regular morphology; Whereas the model group showed significant decrease, with chaotic structure and obvious connective tissue proliferation; Astragali Radix groups and the mecobalamin group showed relatively small section areas, with chaotic structure and unobvious connective tissue proliferation. Compared with the model group, Astragali Radix groups showed significant increase (P < 0.01). (3) Motor end plate: The sham operation group was in uniform brownish black color and oval or round shape; Astragali Radix medium-dose and high-dose group and the mecobalamin group showed rough line edges; Astragali Radix medium-dose and low-dose groups and the model group showed decline in the number, with irregular morphology, rough line edges and a light color. (4) Angptl4 and PI3K: Compared with the model group, the Astragali Radix high-dose group showed significant increase (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAstragali Radix has a significant effect in preventing and treating denervated tibial muscle atrophy. It may delay the muscle atrophy by increasing Angptl4 and PI3K gene expressions.

Angiopoietin-like 4 Protein ; Angiopoietins ; genetics ; Animals ; Astragalus Plant ; Astragalus membranaceus ; chemistry ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Male ; Muscular Atrophy ; drug therapy ; genetics ; pathology ; prevention & control ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tibia

Objective To verify the feasibility of Cas9 microinjection in frozen-thawed pronuclear embryos, based on the model of pronuclear embryos of C57BL/6J mice by in vitro fertilization.Methods After fertilized mouse pronuclear embryos cultured in vitro, one-cell and 2-cell embryos were frozen using EFS20/40 cryopreservation tube.The next day recovered and then cultured.The recovery rate and survival rate of the one-cell and 2-cell embryos were compared.The frozen-thawed and fresh pronuclear embryos were injected with Cas9 mixture and injection buffer into the cytoplasm, and then cultivated to 2-cell embryos,and the survival rate and development rate of the 2-cell embryos were compared.Results The recovery rate of frozen-thawed one-cell embryos was 92.5%, the survival rate was 92.8%, the recovery rate of 2-cell embryos was 90.5% and the survival rate was 95.8%, showing no significant difference.Furthermore, the survival rate of fresh one-cell embryos after Cas9 injection was 92.7%, the survival rate of one-cell embryos of the blank group was 97.5%.While the survival rate of Cas9 injected frozen-thawed one-cell embryos was 82.6%, and that of the blank group was 92%,showing a significant difference between the frozen-thawed injected group and other groups(P < 0.05).The development rate of 2-cell embryos after Cas9 injection was not significantly different.Conclusions Frozen-thawed pronuclear embryos can be used for Cas9 microinjection.

Objective To study the significance of the cerebrospinal fluid(CSF)lactate level in diagnosing neonatal bacterial meningitis(BM). Methods The CSF samples were collected from neonates admitted to Neonatal Ward of Children's Hospital of Fudan University between January 2014 and March 2015. CSF lactate and glucose con-centrations were measured with blood - gas analyzer. CSF and serum glucose levels were measured with glucometer. The enrolled neonates were divided into 2 groups based on CSF culture,CSF white blood cells(WBCs)and clinical presenta-tion:observation group(neonates with BM)and control group(neonates without BM). Statistical analysis of data was performed with Stata 12. 0. Results A total of 93 infants(16 assigned to observation group and 77 assigned to control group)met the inclusion criteria. Neonates in observation group had higher median CSF lactate level(4. 2 mmol/ L)and CSF lactate/ glucose ratio(L/ Gcsf)(2. 32 mmol/ L),than those in control group(1. 3 mmol/ L,0. 52),and there were significant differences(Z = - 6. 19,- 5. 92,all P ﹤ 0. 05). CSF glucose levels were lower in observation group(me-dian,1. 25 mmol/ L)than those in control group(median,2. 5 mmol/ L),and the difference was significant(Z = 4. 97, P ﹤ 0. 05);CSF/ serum glucose ratio(CSF/ Sglu)were lower in observation group(median,0. 44 vs 0. 81 in control group),and the difference was significant(Z = 4. 43,P ﹤ 0. 05). The optimal CSF lactate cutoff point of 2. 2 mmol/ L had a positive predictive value(PPV)of 72. 7% and negative predictive value(NPV)of 100. 0% for bacterial meningi-tis. The optimal L/ Gcsf cutoff point of 1. 24 had a PPV of 94. 1% and NPV of 100. 0% . The optimal CSF glucose cutoff point of 2. 0 mmol/ L had a PPV of 65. 0% and NPV of 95. 9% . The optimal CSF/ Sglu cutoff point of 0. 6 had a PPV of 60. 0% and a NPV of 96. 9% . Conclusion CSF lactate may be an excellent biomarker for early diagnosis of neo-natal BM.

Chlorogenic acid displays several important roles in the therapeutic properties of many herbs, such as antioxidant activity, antibacterial, antiviral, scavenging free radicals and exciting central nervous system. Only about one-third of chlorogenic acid was absorbed in its prototype, therefore, its gut metabolites play a more important role in the therapeutic properties of chlorogenic acid. It is necessary to consider not only the bioactivities of chlorogenic acid but also its gut metabolites. This review focuses on the potential activities and mechanisms of chlorogenic acid and its gut metabolites on central nervous system diseases.
Animals ; Central Nervous System Diseases ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Chlorogenic Acid ; administration & dosage ; metabolism ; Humans ; Intestines ; drug effects ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the rules of occurrence and development of TCM syndromes in patients of depression by analysing the population distribution and related factors of it.

METHODSA clinical epidemiologic survey was carried out with the materials collected by the four-diagnostic method from patients of depression to gain the syndrome types of 397 patients through dynamic cluster analysis, factor analysis and TCM syndrome differentiation. The constitution of syndrome types in different population and the relation between TCM syndrome types and the clinical types differentiated by Western medicine of depression was analyzed.

RESULTSSix syndrome types were found in 397 patients with depression. They were, ranging in occurrence order, the Gan-Qi stagnation with mental uneasiness type (108 cases, 27.2%); the Xin-Pi deficiency with dampness retention type (94 cases, 23.7%); the Xin-Gan Qi-stagnation with Phlegm retention type (76 cases, 19.1%); the Xin-Gan Qi stagnation with Jing-Luo disharmony type (57 cases, 14.3%); the Xin-Shen Qi stagnation with collateral obstruction type (34 cases, 8.6%); and the Xin-Gan Qi stagnation with Heat interfering mental type (28 cases, 7.1%). There were statistical significance (P < 0.01) in comparison of the syndrome types constitution among patients of different ages or different Western medicinal types (mild, with or without psychotic symptoms), but no significant difference was shown in that among patients of different sexes, with or without familial history of mental diseases, with monophasic or biphasic, initial or recurrent episode (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe result obtained in this study is basically in accord with the cognitive rule of TCM theory, it provides a reliable base of syndrome differentiation for treatment.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; Cluster Analysis ; Demography ; Depressive Disorder ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged

Background Rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lens,as a kind of new correction of refraction error,has been wildly used,but whether it will cause eye optical system of the change and influence on the visual acuity is unclear.Objective Present study was to evaluate and compare the visual quality of low to moderate myopia following wearing of RGP contact lens and spectacles.Methods Sixty-eight eyes of 35 subjects with low or mediate myopia were included in this study.Wave-front aberrations and visual acuities under the different contrasts (10％,30％,40％,52％,76％,92％) in the light or dark environment were examined before and 3 months after wearing of RGP corneal contact lens.These parameters were compared with those after wearing of spectacles with paired t test.Results The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was improved significantly from 0.94±0.10 to 1.26±0.03 3 months after wearing of RGP corneal contact lens (t=-9.266,P=0.000).After fitting of RGP corneal contact lens,the total higher order wave-front aberrations,the 3rd and 4th order aberrations were significantly declined in comparison with those of before fitting (total:t=4.683,P=0.000;RMS3:t=4.656,P=0.000;RMS4:t=3.929,P=0.000).However,no significant differences were detected in the 5th and 6th order aberrations between RGP corneal contact lens fitting and spectacles wearing (RMS5:t=1.766,P=0.083 ;RMS6:t=1.150,P=0.256).In both bright and dark environments,BCVA values were much better in the eyes with RGP corneal contact lens wearing than that in the eyes with spectacles wearing (all P＜0.05).The BCVA was always reduced with the decline of contrast level whether bright or dark backgrounds both in RGP corneal contact lens wearing eyes and spectacles wearing eyes.Conclusions Wearing of RGP corneal contact lens provides better visual quality for low to moderate myopia than the spectacles wearing.

?AlM: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of posterior continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis ( PCCC ) combined with anterior vitrectomy in preventing posterior capsule opacification of congenital cataract surgery.
?METHODS:Postoperative clinical follow-up data of 82 cases ( 87 eyes ) with congenital cataract treated in Eye Center of our hospital from January 2011 to August 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into the surgical control group ( 38 cases, 40 eyes, recieved phacoemulsification + PCCC ) and the study group ( 44 cases, 47 eyes, accepted phacoemulsification+ PCCC + anterior vitrectomy). The incidence of central optic axis opaque and postoperative visual acuity distribution were recorded at 1a follow - up. lntraoperative and postoperative complications were observed.
?RESULTS:The rate of central optic axis opaque grade 0 in control group was 37. 5%, compared to 76. 6% in study groups. The opacity distribution ratio of grade 1,2,3 and 4 in study group were lower than that of control group, and the central optic axis opacity distribution ratio in study group was significantly better than that of control group (P<0. 05). The 19 eyes(47. 5%) of visual acuity testing ≤0. 5 in control group , was higher than the 7 eyes(14. 89%) of that in the study group, The 21 eyes (52. 5%) of visual acuity testing >0. 5 in control group was lower than the 40 eyes ( 85. 11%) of that in study group. The visual acuity between two groups has statistical significance difference after 1a follow-up ( P<0. 05 ) , and the visual acuity in study group was significantly better than that in the control group. The postoperative intraocular pressure at 1mo and 1a follow-up was lower than before operation in two groups ( P<0. 05), but there was no significant difference between two groups in intraocular pressure (P<0. 05).
?CONCLUSlON: Combination of phacoemulsification, PCCC and anterior vitrectomy presents reliable clinical effects on postoperative central optic axis opacity distribution ratio and visual acuity, and it should be adopted to prevent the occurrence of posterior capsule opacification.

In order to obtain the fungicides with minimal impact on efficiency of mycorrhizal symbiosis, the effect of five fungicides including polyoxins, jinggangmycins, thiophanate methylate, chlorothalonil and carbendazim on the growth of medicinal plant and efficiency of mycorrhizal symbiosis were studied. Pot cultured Glycyrrhiza uralensis was treated with different fungicides with the concentration that commonly used in the field. 60 d after treated with fungicides, infection rate, infection density, biomass indexes, photosyn- thetic index and the content of active component were measured. Experimental results showed that carbendazim had the strongest inhibition on mycorrhizal symbiosis effect. Carbendazim significantly inhibited the mycorrhizal infection rate, significantly suppressed the actual photosynthetic efficiency of G. uralensis and the most indicators of biomass. Polyoxins showed the lowest inhibiting affection. Polyoxins had no significant effect on mycorrhizal infection rate, the actual photosynthetic efficiency of G. uralensis and the most indicators of biomass. The other three fungicides also had an inhibitory effect on efficiency of mycorrhizal symbiosis, and the inhibition degrees were all between polyoxins's and carbendazim's. The author considered that fungicide's inhibition degree on mycorrhizal effect might be related with the species of fungicides, so the author suggested that the farmer should try to choose bio-fungicides like polyoxins.
Fungi ; drug effects ; growth & development ; physiology ; Fungicides, Industrial ; pharmacology ; Glycyrrhiza uralensis ; chemistry ; growth & development ; microbiology ; physiology ; Mycorrhizae ; drug effects ; growth & development ; physiology ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; Symbiosis ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of Buyang Huanwu Decoction ([Chinese characters: see text]) on promoting functional recovery of crushed common peroneal nerve in rats.

METHODSThirty Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to produce common peroneal nerve injuries model,and the length of injury was 5 mm. All the rats were divided into 3 groups: BYHWD group, mecobalamin group and model group. The drugs were given by gavage daily for 18 days. Footprint test was performed at the 18th day after surgery to evaluate toe spread function (TSF). Electrophysiology was performed at the 18th day after operation to determine the nerve conduct velocity (NCV). The wet weight ratio and section area of tibial muscle were also measured.

RESULTS(TSF:At the 18th day after operation, the TSF in BYHWD group (-0.15 +/- 0.07) increased significantly compared with that of model group (-0.25 +/- 0.07) (P < 0.01); the TSF in mecobalamin group (-0.17 +/- 0.08) also increased notably compared with that of model group (P < 0.01).(2) NCV: the NCV in BYHWD group [(18.36 +/- 2.74) m/s] (P < 0.01l) and in mecobalamin group [(16.32 +/- 3.54) m/s] (P < 0.05) also increased significantly compared with that of model group [(9.08 +/- 2.56) m/s]; there was striking variation between model group and mecobalamin group (P < 0.05). (3) Wet weight ratio: the wet weight ratio in BYHWD group [(64.21 +/- 2.92)%] (P < 0.01)and in mecobalamin group [(62.43 +/- 3.21)%] (P < 0.01) all increased significantly compared with that of model group [(54.27 +/- 2.05)%]. (4) The section area of tibial muscle: the section area of tibial muscle in BYHWD group [(654.21 +/- 42.92) cm2] (P < 0.01) and in mecobalamin group [(638.43 +/- 93.21) cm2] (P < 0.01) all increased significantly compared with that of model group [(574.27 +/- 52.05) cm2]; there was also striking variation between model group and mecobalamin group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONBYHWD can promotes functional recovery of crushed nerve as a result of accelerating recovery of TSF, raising NCV and delaying the decrease of tibial muscle section area and wet weight ratio.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Electrophysiological Phenomena ; drug effects ; Male ; Organ Size ; drug effects ; Peroneal Nerve ; drug effects ; injuries ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Recovery of Function ; drug effects ; Time Factors

The morphological index of the seedlings including the plants height, the ground diameter, the leaf amounts, the fresh weight of the whole plant and the ratio of height to diameter was measured and the principal components were analyzed so as to determine the grading index, and stepwise cluster analysis was applied for clustering analysis. Pot experiments were used to measure the indicators of plant growth and development, the yield and the quality. The results showed that the height and ground diameter were determined as the quality indicators of the seedlings grading and the standard quality grading of seedlings of Anoectochilus roxburghii was initially set up, different seeding plants influenced the plants growth and the yield. The ground diameter of the class I was larger than that of the class II and III, so as the yield. The seedling grading had no obvious effect on the internal quality of medicinal materials. The results of the study provide the basis for standard cultivation of A. roxburghii.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Orchidaceae ; chemistry ; classification ; growth & development ; Quality Control ; Seedlings ; chemistry ; classification ; growth & development