Adolescent ; Adult ; Altitude ; Exercise ; Free Radicals ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Placebos ; Tyrosine ; pharmacology ; Young Adult

Adolescent ; Animals ; Humans ; Liver Diseases, Parasitic ; Male ; Pentastomida

An antibiotic-producing bacterium, which was numbered as 20 #-5, was separated from the soil in Chongqing. It was identified as the member of pseudomonas. Gram positive bacteria are badly suppressed by it. The antibiotic secreted by 20 #-5 can endure 100℃ for half an hour, and it can also go through the ultrafiltration membrane with pores of 0.22?m.

Objective To study the relationship between Couagen Ⅰ,MMP-2,TIMP-2 gene expression and atrial fibrosis during heart failure(HF)in dog.Methods Fourteen dogs were used and randomized into HF induced by ventricular tachypacing and control group.Burst atrial pacing was used to induce atrial fibrillation(AF).And the mRNA and protein level of collagen Ⅰ,MMP-2 and TIMP-2 were detected by RT-PCR and immunohistochemical technique.Tissue samples were stained with Mallory trichrome.Results Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) decreased from (67.4? 6.0)% to (29.2?7.8)%,the inducible rate of AF(7/7 vs 2/7) and sustained AF(5/7 vs 0/7) increased and duration of AF stabeatrial fibrillation(SAF) [(462.12?181.43)s vs(0.57?0.57) s] prolonged significantly in HF group.Atrial fibrous tissue content and atrial size of HF group were significantly greater than the controls dogs(268.8% in lefe atria and 190.3% in right atria).The mRNA and protein level of collagen Ⅰ(56.2% and 132.2% in lefe atria,37.4% and 78.0% in right atria)and MMP-2 (100.0% and 115.7% in lefe atria,65.7% and 96.8% in right atria) increased evidently in both lefe atria and right atria,TIMP-2 mRNA decreased 46.3% in lefe atria and had no change in right atria and that its protein had no change in both atrium,whereas the ratio of MMP-2/ TIMP-2 of mRNA and protein increased markedly in both lefe atria (285.3% and 148.8%)and right atria (106.1% and 134.7%)of HF group.SAF had a positive correlation with fibrosis and the gene level of collagen Ⅰ in lefe atria,the ratio of MMP-2/TIMP-2 had a positive correlation with fibrosis and collagen Ⅰ gene level in lefe atria during HF.Conclusions The changes of collagen Ⅰ,MMP-2 and TIMP-2 gene expression appear to be a molecular mechanism of AF, and the molecular remodeling of collagen Ⅰ induced by regulation unbalance of MMP-2/TIMP-2 appears to be an important mechanism of atrial fibrosis during HF.

The rhizome of Panax japonicus var. major have been used as the natural medicinal agent by Chinese traditional doctors for more than thousand years. Most of the therapeutic effects of P. japonicus var. major had been reported due to the presence of tetracyclic or pentacyclic triterpene saponins. In this study, Illumina pair-end RNA-sequencing and de novo splicing were done in order to understand the pathway of triterpenoid saponins in this species. The valid reads data of 15. 6 Gb were obtained. The 62 240 unigenes were finally obtained by de novo splicing. After annotation, we discovered 19 unigenes involved in ginsenoside backbone biosynthesis. Additionally, 69 unigenes and 18 unigenes were predicted to have potential function of cytochrome P450 and UDP-glycosyltransferase based on the annotation results, which may encode enzymes responsible for ginsenoside backbone modification. This study provides global expressed datas for P. japonicus var. major, which will contribute significantly to further genome-wide research and analysis for this species.
Gene Expression Profiling ; Panax ; genetics ; Saponins ; biosynthesis ; Sequence Analysis, RNA

At present, the modernization of Chinese medicine preparations (CMPs) is still a challenging task. The 3 typical Chinese medicine materials (CMMs) used for preparing CMPs are the powders, extracts, and components of Chinese medicine and their properties of CMMs are important for designing CMPs. Basing on our long term research, we have established a property system for CMMs according to the state of CMMs under an exactly condition and according to the interaction characteristics between substances. The property system could be divided into 5 categories: material composition, spatial structure, body property, surface property, physicochemical properties, and they could also be divided into 18 subcategories. Furthermore, we also established the corresponding index and characterization system, where the 61 indexes and characterization techniques were systematically summarized. At last, we hope that the article will promote the modernization of CMPs.

Objective:To determine the contents of quercetin, kaempferol, total flavonoids and extracts in 52 samples of Lysimachiae Herba collected from different origins; To analyze the quality differences of Lysimachiae Herba among different producing areas. Methods:The quercetin and kaempferol contents of the Lysimachiae Herba from Guizhou Province, Sichuan Province and Chongqing were determined by HPLC, and the total flavonoids were determined by Symergy HTX microplate reader. Results:The total content of quercetin and kaempferol in 52 samples was among 0.146 2-2.517 0 mg/g, with an average content of 0.872 6 mg/g, among which the average content of Sichuan was 1.073 2 mg/g, that of Guizhou was 0.705 4 mg/g, and that of Chongqing was 0.865 1 mg/g. Among them, 20 samples reached the standard of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. The average content of the samples that met the standard was 1.439 7 mg/g. The compliance rate of samples collected in Guizhou, Sichuan and Chongqing reached 12.5%, 62.5%, and 38.8% respectively. The total flavonoid content of 52 samples was among 0.994 2- 3.866 4 mg/g, and 52 samples were in conformity with the ethanol hot extract standard of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Conclusions:The total contents of quercetin and kaempferol from different sources in Sichuan, Guizhou and Chongqing are quite different, and the total contents of quercetin and kaempferol collected from the same district and county are also quite different, and the compliance rate is low. There are great differences in total flavonoids in different producing areas and different populations of Lysimachiae Herba samples collected in the field.

Chronic heart failure is the end stage of heart diseases caused by multiple causes. Myocardial cell injury is the key cause of cardiac function deterioration. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent programmed death mode, is characterized by iron overload and excessive accumulation of lipid peroxides. Studies have demonstrated that inhibiting ferroptosis has a protective effect on myocardial cells. The theory of "harmful hyperactivity and responding inhibition" is an important rule developed by physicians to explain the generation and restriction of the five elements and the pathological imbalance of the human body, and can guide medication. Correlating with the nature, humans need to rely on the law of responding inhibition to maintain the harmony of five Zang-organs and the steady state of Fu-organs. The pathogenesis of ferroptosis in chronic heart failure highly coincides with the process of failing to "inhibition and hyperactivity becoming harmful". The initial factor of ferroptosis is the deficiency of heart Qi, which results in the inability to maintain the balance of cardiomyocyte redox system. The involvement of the five Zang-organs leads to the loss of distribution of body fluid and blood. As a result, the phlegm turbidity, blood stasis, and water retention in the meridians occur, which are manifested as the accumulation of iron and lipid peroxides, which is the aggravating factor of ferroptosis. The two factors interact with each other, leading to the spiral development and thus aggravating heart failure. According to the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) pathogenesis of ferroptosis, the authors try to treat the chronic heart failure by stages in accordance with the general principle of restraining excess and alleviating hyperactivity. The early-stage treatment should "nourish heart Qi, regulate the five Zang-organs, so as to restrain excess". The middle-stage treatment should "active blood, resolve phlegm, dispel pathogen, and eliminate turbidity", so as to alleviate hyperactivity. The late-stage treatment should "warm Yang, replenish Qi, active blood, and excrete water". Following the characteristics of pathogenesis, the TCM intervention can reduce iron accumulation and promote the clearance of lipid peroxide, thus inhibiting ferroptosis and improving cardiac function.
Humans ; Ferroptosis ; Lipid Peroxides ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Heart Failure/drug therapy* ; Chronic Disease ; Iron ; Water

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of short-term forest bathing on human health.

METHODSTwenty healthy male university students participated as subjects and were randomly divided into two groups of 10. One group was sent on a two-night trip to a broad-leaved evergreen forest, and the other was sent to a city area. Serum cytokine levels reflecting inflammatory and stress response, indicators reflecting oxidative stress, the distribution of leukocyte subsets, and plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1) concentrations were measured before and after the experiment to evaluate the positive health effects of forest environments. A profile of mood states (POMS) evaluation was used to assess changes in mood states.

RESULTSNo significant differences in the baseline values of the indicators were observed between the two groups before the experiment. Subjects exposed to the forest environment showed reduced oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory level, as evidenced by decreased malondialdehyde, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor a levels compared with the urban group. Serum cortisol levels were also lower than in the urban group. Notably, the concentration of plasma ET-1 was much lower in subjects exposed to the forest environment. The POMS evaluation showed that after exposure to the forest environment, subjects had lower scores in the negative subscales, and the score for vigor was increased.

CONCLUSIONForest bathing is beneficial to human health, perhaps through preventive effects related to several pathological factors.

Baths ; China ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; blood ; Life Style ; Lymphocyte Subsets ; Male ; Nature ; Recreation ; Stress, Physiological ; Testosterone ; blood ; Trees ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and its symptoms in Haidian district of Beijing, identify its associated risk factors and analyze the relations between GERD and history of other diseases.

METHODS2615 residents of 18-80 years old were selected to participate in the study by multi-stage sampling from Haidian district from June and September in 2008. Questionnaires were distributed to obtain the information on demographic characteristics, diseases history and the reflux disease questionnaire (RDQ).

RESULTSThe prevalence of GERD in the population was 8.4% (220/2615), and the prevalence of heartburn, reflux, both heartburn and reflux were 1.0% (25/2615), 6.2% (163/2615) and 1.2% (32/2615), respectively. Multi-factor analysis showed rural area (OR = 2.237, 95%CI: 1.422 - 3.517), female (OR = 1.456, 95%CI: 1.085 - 1.955), high education (OR = 1.242, 95%CI: 1.001 - 1.542), pressure (OR = 1.277, 95%CI: 1.089 - 1.497), bad emotional status (OR = 1.320, 95%CI: 1.046 - 1.665), and family history of gastrointestinal disorders (OR = 1.594, 95%CI: 1.075 - 2.365) were significantly associated with GERD. Rural area (OR = 2.481, 95%CI: 1.278 - 4.818), female (OR = 1.747, 95%CI: 0.902 - 3.386), drinking (OR = 1.838, 95%CI: 0.916 - 3.690), no exercise (OR = 2.091; 95%CI: 1.131 - 3.867) and bad emotional status (OR = 1.657, 95%CI: 1.123 - 2.446) were significant risk factors for heartburn. Rural area (OR = 2.171, 95%CI: 1.326 - 3.556), female (OR = 1.505, 95%CI: 1.102 - 2.056), high education (OR = 1.347, 95%CI: 1.063 - 1.706), pressure (OR = 1.317, 95%CI: 1.113 - 1.558), bad emotional status (OR = 1.266, 95%CI: 0.992 - 1.616), and family history of gastrointestinal disorders (OR = 1.739, 95%CI: 1.163 - 2.600) were significantly associated with reflux symptom. History of diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, anxiety, depression, peptic ulcer, gastritis, and renal diseases were found to be significantly related to GERD and its symptoms.

CONCLUSIONThis area has epidemic of GERD, which was related to mental problems and unhealthy life style, and should be paid more attention by conducting effective community-based interventions.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires