The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of fluoxetine (FLX) on the expressions of BDNF and Bcl-2 in the hippocampus, the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex of conditioned fear (CF) model mice. Forty eight mice were randomly divided into three groups, normal control group, CF stress group and FLX-pretreated CF group. The FLX-pretreated CF group was given FLX (10 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) for 7 days before CF stress. After CF stress model was established, all mice were given behavioral experiments to test whether FLX impaired or improved the auditory and contextual fear conditioning. Then mice were sacrificed. The expressions of BDNF and Bcl-2 were detected by Western blotting. The results showed that the freezing time of FLX-pretreated CF group was significantly lower than that of CF group; FLX pretreatment up-regulated the expression of Bcl-2 in the hippocampus at 1 d after CF stress (P < 0.001), but no significant differences was observed at 7 d; BDNF significantly increased in the hippocampus at 7 d (P < 0.001), but no differences at 1 d; the expressions of BDNF and Bcl-2 in the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex were of no obvious differences between CF group and FLX-pretreated CF group at 1 d or 7 d after CF stress. Parallel to these changes, pretreatment with FLX could affect histopathologic changes induced by CF stress. Furthermore, the results indicated that FLX pretreatment could protect against CF stress-induced neurological damage via the activation of BDNF and Bcl-2 in hippocampus.
Amygdala ; metabolism ; Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; metabolism ; Fear ; drug effects ; Fluoxetine ; pharmacology ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Male ; Memory ; drug effects ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Prefrontal Cortex ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Stress, Psychological ; metabolism

In this paper, Gaussian pixelate Chinese character processing software is designed, and HMD is used to realize the recognition experiment for pixelate Chinese characters based on simulated prosthetic vision. The structure of recognition system, software design and the experiment for determining Gaussian width (sigma) are presented. It is shown that when sigma is 0.235, the recognition program is the best.
Equipment Design ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Language ; Prostheses and Implants ; Software Design ; Visual Perception

In order to obtain higher L-lactic acid yield industrial strain, the original strain Rhizopus oryzae PW352 was mutated by means of N+ ions implantation and a mutant strain Rhizopus oryzae RE3303 was obtained. Its lactic acid yield was increased by 75% than that of the original one. The acid producing condition was optimized by orthogonal design. The concentration of L-lactic acid reached to 131～136g/L and the conversion rate of glucose was as high as 86%～90% under the optimum condition.

Moderate drought stress has been found to promote the accumulation of active ingredients in Glycyrrhiza uralensis root and hence improve the medicinal quality. In this study, the transcriptomes of 6-month-old moderate drought stressed and control G. uralensis root (the relative water content in soil was 40%-45% and 70%-75%, respectively) were sequenced using Illumina HiSeq 2000. A total of 80,490 490 and 82 588 278 clean reads, 94,828 and 305,100 unigenes with N50 sequence of 1,007 and 1,125 nt were obtained in drought treated and control transcriptome, respectively. Differentially expressed genes analysis revealed that the genes of some cell wall enzymes such as β-xylosidase, legumain and GDP-L-fucose synthase were down-regulated indicating that moderate drought stress might inhibit the primary cell wall degradation and programmed cell death in root cells. The genes of some key enzymes involved in terpenoid and flavonoid biosynthesis were up-regulated by moderate drought stress might be the reason for the enhancement for the active ingredients accumulation in G. uralensis root. The promotion of the biosynthesis and signal transduction of auxin, ethylene and cytokinins by moderate drought stress might enhance the root formation and cell proliferation. The promotion of the biosynthesis and signal transduction of abscisic acid and jasmonic acid by moderate drought stress might enhance the drought stress tolerance in G. uralensis. The inhibition of the biosynthesis and signal transduction of gibberellin and brassinolide by moderate drought stress might retard the shoot growth in G. uralensis.
Droughts ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Glycyrrhiza uralensis ; genetics ; Plant Roots ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Stress, Physiological ; Transcriptome

OBJECTIVETo observe the protective effect of active fractions of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction (HJD) on primary cortical neuron injury after oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD)/reperfusion (R) injury. Methods Using macroporous resin method, HJDFE30, HJDFE50, HJDFE75, and HJDFE95 with 30%, 50%, 75%, and 95% alcohol were respectively prepared. Then the content of active components in different HJD fractions was determined with reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The OGD/R injury model was induced by sodium dithionite on primary cortical neurons in neonate rats. MTT assay was used to observe the effect of four fractions (HJDFE30, HJDFE50, HJDFE75, and HJDFE95) and seven index components of HJD on the neuron viability.

RESULTSRP-HPLC showed active component(s) contained in HJDFE30 was geniposide; baicalin, palmatine, berberine, and wogonside contained in HJDFE50; baicalin, berberine, baicalein, and wogonin contained in HJDFE75. The neuron viability was decreased after OGD for 20 min and reperfusion for 1 h, (P <0. 01), and significantly increased after administered with HJD, HJDFE30, HJDFE50, and HJDFE75 (P <0. 05, P <0. 01). Geniposide, baicalin, baicalein, palmatine, wogonside, and wogonin could increase the cortical neuron viability (P <0. 05, P <0. 01).

CONCLUSIONSHJDFE30, HJDFE50, and HJDFE75, as active fractions of HJD, had protective effect on primary cortical neuron injury after OGD/R. Furthermore, geniposide, baicalin, and baicalein were main active components of HJD.

Animals ; Berberine ; Berberine Alkaloids ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Flavanones ; Flavonoids ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Iridoids ; Models, Animal ; Neurons ; Oxygen ; metabolism ; Rats ; Reperfusion Injury ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical effect of acupoint catgut-embedding and electroacupuncture on simple obesity and evaluate the economics benefit by cost-benefit analysis.

METHODSSixty cases were randomly devided into an acupoint catgut-embedding group and an electroacupuncture group, 30 cases in each group. Zhongwan (CV 12), Tianshu (ST 25), Daheng (SP 15), Shuifen (CV 9), Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zusanli (ST 36) and Ashi acupoints were selected as the main acupoints in both groups. The acupoint catgut-embedding group was treated with acupoint catgut-embedding, once each week, four weeks as a course for two courses. The electroacupuncture group was treated with electroacupuncture, three times each week for eight weeks.

RESULTS1) The total effective rate in the acupoint catgut-embedding group was 90.0% (27/30) and in the electroacupuncture group was 86.7% (26/30), with the similar therapeutic effect between the two groups (P > 0.05). 2) The body mass, body mass index (BMI), waistline, hip circumference and waist-to-hip ratio in the two groups were all decreased significantly (all P < 0.05). 3) The total medical treatment cost in the acupoint catgut-embedding group was 61 500 yuan and the cost per patient was 2050 yuan, and in the electroacupuncture group, the total cost was 117 210 yuan and the cost per patient was 3907 yuan. The cost effect analysis showed that there were 1857 yuan of the cost per patient in the acupoint catgut-embedding group less than that in the electroacupuncture group.

CONCLUSIONAcupoint catgut-embedding has significant effect in treating simple obesity with low cost and fine economics benefit.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; economics ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Catgut ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Electroacupuncture ; economics ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Obesity ; economics ; therapy ; Young Adult

Electromagnetic Fields ; Magnetic Fields ; Microwaves ; adverse effects ; Television

Objective To explore the changes of cardiac muscle enzymogram and heart function before and after transactheter closure of ventricular septal defect(VSD).Methods The serum levels of cardiac troponin(cTnI),carcatine kinase(CK),lactie dehydrogenase(LDH),aspartate aminotransferase(AST)and the left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)were detected by two-dimensional echocardiography,and the change before and after intervention was analyzed.Results The serum level of cTnI in VSD patients after treatment was markedly higher than that before intervention[(0.29?0.17)?g/L vs(0.02?0.01)?g/L,t=9.0 P0.05).Conclusion Catheterization to treat VSD may have influence on enzymogram and the heart function,which may be related to the minor myocardial damage during the operation.

Objective: To observe the time-effect relationship of moxibustion for primary dysmenorrhea (PD) due to stagnation and congelation of cold-damp, thus explore the optimal choice of moxibustion duration, and provide evidence for achieving satisfactory efficacy in moxibustion treatment. Methods: A total of 90 patients with PD due to stagnatin and congelation of cold-damp were divided into three groups by the random number table method, with 30 cases in each group. All the patients in the three groups were given moxibustion treatment at Guanyuan (CV 4), 20 min in group A, 40 min in group B and 60 min in group C. The changes in the pain measurement score in the three groups were observed after treatment. Results: After treatment, there were significant differences in the clinical efficacy among the three groups (P<0.05); the clinical efficacy was better in group B and group C than that in group A (P<0.05), and that in group B was better than that in group C (P<0.05). Besides, the pain measurement score changed significantly after treatment in the three groups (all P<0.05), and the between-group differences were also statistically significant (P<0.05); the pain measurement scores in group B and group C were lower than that in group A (P<0.05), and that in group B was lower than that in group C (P<0.05). Conclusion: Given the same stimulating frequency and intervention time of moxibustion, 40-minute duration demonstrates relatively better efficacy for PD due to stagnation and congelation of cold-damp.

Objective: To observe the clinical effect of Modified Taohong Siwu Decoction (MTSD) in treating pediatric intractable nephropathy (PIN). Methods: Ninety-five patients with PIN were divided into 2 groups at random. The 60 patients in the treated group were treated with MTSD and the 35 patients in the control group were treated with heparin. The clinical therapeutic effect and levels of thromboxane B2 (TXB2) and 6-keto-prostacyclin F1α (6-keto-PGF1α) before and after treatment were observed. Results: The total effective rate in the treated group was 81.7%, which was similar to that in the control group (80.0%, P>0.05). The levels of TXB2 and TXB2/6-keto-PGF1α ratio were higher in both groups of the patients as compared with those of the healthy control (P<0.01). After treatment, the two criteria were significantly improved in the two treated groups, as compared with those before treatment, the difference was significant (P<0.01), while in comparison between the MTSD treated group and the control group, no significant difference was found (P>0.05). Conclusion: MTSD has good effect in treating PIN, it could improve the metabolic unbalance of thromboxane and prostacyclin.