AIM: To evaluate the effect of microfiltrating the extract of Sophora japonica L. by inorganic ceramic membrane. METHODS: The extract of Sophora japonica L. was processed by inorganic ceramic membrane, and the whole solid, effective ingredinent and flux of mebrane were examined. RESULTS: The extract of Sophora japonica L. became clear after microfiltration. The decreasing rate of the whole solid was 27.88%, the metastasis rate of the effective ingredient was 78.26, and the increasing rate of the effective ingredient was 8.48%. CONCLUSION: The microfiltration of inorganic ceramic membrane can improve the qualitry of extract of Sophora japonica L. refinery effect.

Objective To investigate the changes and clinical significance of the levels of matrix metallopro-teinase -9(MMP -9)in the serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF)in children with asthma whose had differ-ent levels of 25 -hydroxyl -vitamin D3 [25 (OH)D3 ]in the serum.Methods Fifty children with asthma between January 201 3 and January 201 5 were enrolled as the asthma group,based on the disease severity,and the patients were divided into the moderate to severe group (37 cases)and the mild group (1 3 cases),while 20 children with abnormal airway or tracheal foreign body were as a control group.The levels of 25 (OH)D3 and MMP -9 in the serum,levels of MMP -9 in BALF were measured and compared by using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)me-thod.Re-sults The level of serum 25 (OH)D3 in the asthma group[(1 9.5 ±6.4)μg/L]was lower than that in the control group[(39.3 ±7.1 )μg/L ],and there was a statistical difference between 2 groups(P <0.05).The level of serum 25(OH)D3 in moderate to severe group[(1 6.6 ±4.1 )μg/L]was lower than that in the mild group[(27.9 ±4.5)μg/L],there were statistically significant difference between 2 groups(P <0.05).There was no significant difference in the total number of cells and the percentage of macrophages among different serum 25(OH)D3 levels of children with asthma and the control group(P >0.05).The percentages of neutrophils,eosinophils and epithelial cells in BALF were significantly higher in different serum 25(OH)D3 levels of children with asthma than those of the control group(all P <0.05).There were significant difference levels of MMP -9 in the serum and BALF among different serum 25(OH)D3 levels of children with asthma and the control group(all P <0.05).In children with asthma,the levels of 25(OH)D3 in serum were significantly negatively correlated with the percentages of neutrophils,eosinophils and epithelial cells in BALF (r =-0.683,-0.795,-0.670,all P <0.05 ),exiting a significantly negatively correlation also seen between the serum levels of 25(OH)D3 and MMP -9 (r =-0.796,P <0.05).Conclusions Children with asthma often have low levels of serum 25 -(OH)D3 ,25(OH)D3 and MMP -9 may be involved in airway inflammation and airway remo-deling in children with asthma,and they may involve in the occurrence and development of asthma.

Background and purpose:As a tumor suppressor gene, ribosomal S6 kinase 4 (RSK4) plays important roles in inhibiting cell proliferation, migration and inducing cell apoptosis. However, the proteins interacting with RSK4 are still unknown. This study aimed to screen proteins interacting with RSK4 in breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 by lfag-tag affnity puriifcation and LC-MS/MS (liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry).Methods:The pcDNA3.1/EGFP-RSK4-Flag eukaryotic expression vector was constructed by inserting full lengthRSK4 gene into vector pcDNA3.1/EGFP-Flag. And then the recombinant plasmids were transferred into MDA-MB-231 cells. Real-timelfuorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RTFQ-PCR) and Western blot were used to detect the expression of RSK4 in MDA-MB-231 cells. Affnity puriifcation and LC-MS/MS were applied to screen proteins interacting with RSK4, and the related action mechanism of RSK4 with its interacted proteins was detected based on bioinformatics gene ontology (GO) and ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA).Results:Twenty-four proteins, such as serine/threonine-pro-tein kinase 38 (STK38)/serine/threonine-protein kinase 38-like (STK38L), MOB kinase activator 2 (MOB2) and protein arginineN-methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5), were successfully identiifed by Flag-tag affnity puriifcation followed by LC-MS/MS analysis, which probably interacted with RSK4. Bioinformatics analysis of the identiifed proteins suggested the proteins interacting with RSK4 were involved in diverse biological pathways, such as apoptosis and cell migration. Conclusion:According to bioinformatics results of proteins interacting with RSK4 identiifed by affnity puriifcation and LC-MS/MS, biological networks of RSK4 are involved in apoptosis and migration in breast cancer cells.

pH, affects of different alkaline materials KOH, K 2CO 3, NaOH, Na 2CO 3 on the growth, and NaCl, KCl tolerance of 29 isolates from the saline and alkaline soils in Xinjiang and Qinghai Provinces of China and 1 type strain were studied. Results showed that only a few alkaliphilic actinomycetes were Na +-obligately dependent, and K +-sensitive. Some alkaliphilic actinomycetes were CO 3 2- -sensitive, and NaCl, KCl could inhibit their growth. 4 kinds of alkaline materials had no affect on growth of alkaliphilic Nocardiopsis, and these strains showed high tolerance to NaCl, KCl. So it was presumed that only K + and CO 3 2- obligately dependent alkaliphilic Actinomycetes maybe exist in alkaline environments.

425 halophilic bacteria strains were isolated by using six different media from thirty salt-soil samples collected from Heijing ancient salt mine,Yunnan. By the growth on NaCl grandient concentration and other screening methods,79 strains of extremely halophilic microorganisms were chosen for further research. Based on colonies color,shape and size,15 stains were selected to be sequenced. The sequencing results revealed that 11 of them were haloarchaea. According to the phylogenetic analysis,they belong to four genera of the family Halobacteriaceae. The blast results showed that the similarities of six sequences were higher than 97 % with the validly described species of the following four genera: Halorubrum,Natronococcus,Natrialba,Halalkalicoccus. The similarities of other five sequences with any validly described species were less than 97 %,therefore,the taxonomic positions of the following five strains YIM-ARC 0032,YIM-ARC 0036,YIM-ARC 0037,and YIM-ARC 0050 could be determined according to further polyphasic taxonomy data.The results indicated that there was a considerable diversity of haloarcheaea in salt-mine environment of Heijing ancient salt mine,Yunnan and it was worth continuing to research on this area.

Animals ; Brain Edema ; Brain Ischemia ; Cerebral Infarction ; Cerebrovascular Circulation ; Rats ; Reperfusion ; Reperfusion Injury

Objective To analyze the relationship between pre － pregnancy body mass index ( BMI) ，gestational weight gain ( GWG) and the birth weight of infants，and explore the effect of weight change before and during pregnancy on low birth weight ( LBW) and macrosomia． Methods Women were enrolled by the Chinese Pregnant Women Cohort Study during first trimester． Each respondent＇s weight before and during pregnancy and the birth weight of infant were collected after fellow up． Prepregnancy BMI was divided into underweight，normal and overweight /obesity groups and GWG was divided into suitable， insufficient and excessive groups． Multivariate Logistic regression was adopted to explore the relationship be- tween pre－pregnancy BMI，GWG and newborn＇s birth weight． Ｒesults Women＇s prepregnancy BMI and GWG were associated with neonatal birth weight ( all P＜0. 05) ． Prepregnancy overweight or obesity ( OＲ=2. 339，95% CI: 1. 674－2. 282，P＜0. 001) and excessive GWG ( OＲ= 1. 398，95% CI: 1. 188－1. 978，P= 0. 048) were shown as risk factors for macrosomia． Insufficient GWG increased LBW risk ( OＲ = 1. 479， 95% CI: 1. 461－1. 679，P= 0. 035) while excessive GWG declined LBW risk ( OＲ= 0. 428，95% CI: 0. 225 －0. 817，P= 0. 010) ． Under weight－insufficient GWG was risk factor of LBW ( OＲ= 1. 335，95% CI: 1. 048 －2. 319，P= 0. 048) while normal BMI－excessive GWG ( OＲ= 1. 088，95% CI: 1. 016－1. 675，P= 0. 038) and overweight /obesity－excessive GWG ( OＲ= 1. 498，95% CI: 1. 244－2. 017，P= 0. 046) were associated with higher risk of delivering macrosomia． Conclusions Prepregnancy BMI and GWG were associated with infant＇s birth weight and women were suggested to maintain their weight in recommended range before and during pregnancy．

OBJECTIVETo study the difference in the pharmacokinetics of emodin in Zhiganning capsules and Rhizoma Polygontum Cuspidatum by nonaqueous RP-HPLC.

METHODThe rats were orally administered with the extraction of Rhizoma Polygontum Cuspidatum and Zhiganning capsules. After hydrolysis and extraction, the content of emodin in the plasma is determined by Nonaqueous RP-HPLC.

RESULTThe concentration-time profiles of emodin fit two-compartment model. The pharmacokinetics parameters including, t1/2alpha, AUC(0-infinity), CL(s) and C(max) of emodin in the group of Rhizoma Polygontum Cuspidatum were significantly different from these in the group of its compounds.

CONCLUSIONThere is a significant difference in pharmacokinetics of emodin between zhiganning capsules and the extraction of Rhizoma Polygontum Cuspidatum.

Animals ; Area Under Curve ; Capsules ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Emodin ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Female ; Male ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Polygonum ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rhizome ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of tuina on the mechanical properties of skeletal muscles of four limbs in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

METHODSThirty CFS patients were recruited as the test group, while another 30 healthy volunteers were recruited as the healthy control group. Patients in the test group received tuina therapy, 30 min each time, once every other day, for totally 10 times. Isokinetic testing technology was used to compare peak torque (PT), total watt (TW), average power (AP), and flexor/extensor (F/E) ratio in the elbow and knee muscles of CFS patients before and after treatment. The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT) fatigue scale was used to evaluate the fatigue degree before and after treatment, and compared with the healthy control group.

RESULTSAfter treatment the FACIT fatigue scale score decreased significantly in the test group when compared with before treatment (27.5 +/- 9.1 vs 42.5 +/- 11.2), showing statistical difference (P < 0.05). The pre-treatment PT, TW, AP, and F/E ratio in the skeletal muscle were all lower in the test group than in the healthy control group. Compared with before treatment in the test group, patients' elbow 60 degrees/s angular velocity values during exercise extensor PT and TW, knee 60 degrees/s and 180 degrees/s angular velocity values during exercise flexor PT and TW increased significantly; elbow extensor and knee extensor, flexor AP was significantly elevated; knee in 180 degrees/s angular velocity of movement F/E ratio significantly increased, and all the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The improvement of the fatigue degree in CFS patients and elbow in 60 degrees/s angular velocity values under the flexor and extensor TW, and flexor AP value of the degree of improvement were negatively correlated (r = -0.282, -0.482, -0.285, P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Meanwhile, the muscles with the knee in 180 degrees/s angular velocity was negatively correlated with the F/E ratio of the degree of improvement (r = -0. 330, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSCFS patients have lowered mechanical properties of four limbs. Tuina therapy can improve the biomechanical properties of limb skeletal muscle and reduce the overall degree of fatigue in patients. The changes of limb skeletal muscle and mechanical properties can provide objective reference for the clinical diagnosis and assessment of CFS.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Muscle, Skeletal ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of the levels of galectin-3 (Gal-3) in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of children with asthma whose have different serum levels of 25-hydroxyl-vitamin D₃[25(OH)D₃].

METHODSFifty children with asthma between January 2013 and December 2014 were enrolled as the asthma group, and they were classified into 25(OH)D₃sufficient (n=7), insufficient (n=12) and deficient subgroups (n=31) according to the serum levels of 25(OH)D₃. Twenty children with abnormal airway or tracheal foreign bodies served as the control group. The levels of 25(OH)D₃, Gal-3 and total IgE in serum and Gal-3 levels in BALF were measured using ELISA.

RESULTThe serum levels of 25(OH)D₃in the asthma group were lower than in the control group (P<0.05). The 25(OH)D₃deficient subgroup displayed the highest percentages of neutrophils, eosinophils and epithelial cells in BALF, followed by the 25(OH)D₃insufficient subgroup and the 25(OH)D₃sufficient subgroup (P<0.05). The percentages of neutrophils, eosinophils and epithelial cells in BALF in the three subgroups were all higher than in the control group (P<0.05). In children with asthma, serum levels of 25(OH)D₃were negatively correlated with the percentages of neutrophils, eosinophils and epithelial cells in BALF (r=-0.683, -0.795 and -0.670 respectively; P<0.05); and a negative correlation was also seen between serum 25(OH)D₃levels and serum Gal-3 and total IgE levels (r=-0.759 and -0.875 respectively; P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe children with asthma have low serum levels of 25(OH)D₃. 25(OH)D₃and Gal-3 may be involved in the airway inflammation and the development of asthma.

Asthma ; etiology ; metabolism ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; chemistry ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Galectin 3 ; analysis ; blood ; physiology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Infant ; Male ; Vitamin D ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; physiology