Maidong products are categorized into "Hang Maidong" and "Chuan Maidong". Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, "Hang Maidong" has been regarded as having superior quality, but currently, it remains in name only in the market. This article reviewed historical materia medica and local chronicles from the Ming and Qing Dynasties and analyzed the historical evolution of Maidong production areas. The history of Maidong production in Zhejiang can be traced back to the Song Dynasty, and cultivation had already developed by at least the Ming Dynasty. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was consistently used as a tribute. Ming Dynasty chronicles record "Chuan Maidong", which had already been cultivated on a large scale by the Qing Dynasty. "Hang Maidong" and "Chuan Maidong" share the same origin, with the former identifiable by the "gourd waist" shape of its tuberous root. Based on this, it can be inferred that the "Maimendong" herb illustrated in the Origins of Materia Medica(Ben Cao Yuan Shi) and the Maidong stored in the Qing Palace Imperial Pharmacy were both "Hang Maidong". The protection and development of the authentic "Hang Maidong" medicinal herb are urgently needed.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/history* ; History, 17th Century ; History, Ancient ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/history* ; History, Medieval ; History, 16th Century ; History, 18th Century ; History, 15th Century ; Plants, Medicinal/chemistry* ; History, 19th Century ; History, 20th Century ; Humans ; Materia Medica/history* ; History, 21st Century

Obvious epigenetic differentiation occurred on Lycium barbarum in different cultivation areas in China. To investigate the difference and change rule of DNA methylation level and pattern of L. barbarum from different cultivation areas in China, the present study employed fluorescence-assisted methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism(MSAP) to analyze the methylation level and polymorphism of 53 genomic DNA samples from Yinchuan Plain in Ningxia, Bayannur city in Inner Mongolia, Jingyuan county and Yumen city in Gansu, Delingha city in Qinghai, and Jinghe county in Xinjiang. The MSAP technical system suitable for the methylation analysis of L. barbarum genomic DNA was established and ten pairs of selective primers were selected. Among amplified 5'-CCGG-3' methylated sites, there were 35.85% full-methylated sites and 39.88% hemi-methylated sites, showing a high degree of epigenetic differentiation. Stoichiometric analysis showed that the ecological environment was the main factor affecting the epigenetic characteristics of L. barbarum, followed by cultivated varieties. Precipitation, air temperature, and soil pH were the main ecological factors affecting DNA methylation in different areas. This study provided a theoretical basis for the analysis of the epigenetic mechanism of L. barbarum to adapt to the diffe-rent ecological environments and research ideas for the introduction, cultivation, and germplasm traceability of L. barbarum.
China ; DNA Methylation ; DNA Primers ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Lycium/genetics*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical treatment outcomes and the changes of the outcomes over time in extremely preterm twins in Guangdong Province, China. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for 269 pairs of extremely preterm twins with a gestational age of <28 weeks who were admitted to the department of neonatology in 26 grade A tertiary hospitals in Guangdong Province from January 2008 to December 2017. According to the admission time, they were divided into two groups: 2008-2012 and 2013-2017. Besides, each pair of twins was divided into the heavier infant and the lighter infant subgroups according to birth weight. The perinatal data of mothers and hospitalization data of neonates were collected. The survival rate of twins and the incidence rate of complications were compared between the 2008-2012 and 2013-2017 groups. RESULTS: Compared with the 2008-2012 group, the 2013-2017 group (both the heavier infant and lighter infant subgroups) had lower incidence rates of severe asphyxia and smaller head circumference at birth (P<0.05). The mortality rates of both of the twins, the heavier infant of the twins, and the lighter infant of the twins were lower in the 2013-2017 group compared with the 2008-2012 group (P<0.05). Compared with the 2008-2012 group, the 2013-2017 group (both the heavier infant and lighter infant subgroups) had lower incidence rates of pulmonary hemorrhage, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage (P-IVH), and neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS) and a higher incidence rate of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS There is a significant increase in the survival rate over time in extremely preterm twins with a gestational age of <28 weeks in the 26 grade A tertiary hospitals in Guangdong Province. The incidences of severe asphyxia, pulmonary hemorrhage, PDA, P-IVH, and NRDS decrease in both the heavier and lighter infants of the twins, but the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia increases. With the improvement of diagnosis and treatment, the multidisciplinary collaboration between different fields of fetal medicine including prenatal diagnosis, obstetrics, and neonatology is needed in the future to jointly develop management strategies for twin pregnancy.
Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia/epidemiology* ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Extremely Premature ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn/epidemiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

Objective:To investigate the correlation of isokinetic thigh muscle asymmetry with gait asymmetry at one year after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.Methods:A retrospective case series analysis was made on 25 patients treated by ACL reconstruction in Third Hospital of Peking University from January 2014 to January 2019. All the subjects were male, aged 17-47 years [(29.4±5.2)years]. Standard rehabilitation treatment procedures were conducted after surgery. The isokinetic muscle strength of the thigh was collected at one year after operation to evaluate knee extensor and flexor concentric strength at 60°/s, 180°/s and 300°/s, and knee extensor and flexor eccentric strength at 60°/s. The maximum concentric and eccentric strength of the knee extensor and flexor were analysed between the injured and intact side. The three-dimensional motion information and ground reaction force was collected during the stance phase of gait, and knee kinematic and kinetic parameters were calculated by inverse dynamics analysis, including the peak flexion moment, peak extension moment, first and second peak adduction moment, peak external and internal rotation moment, peak flexion angle, peak extension angle during the terminal stance phase, flexion angle at heel strike, peak abduction angle, and peak external rotation angle during terminal stance phase. Spearman correlation analysis was used to study the correlation between limb symmetry index (LSI) of isokinetic muscle strength and LSI of gait parameters.Results:One year after ACL reconstruction, the maximum concentric strength of the knee extensor and flexor at 60°/s, 180°/s and 300°/s and maximum eccentric strength of the knee flexor and extensor at 60°/s on the injured side were significantly lower than those on the normal side (all P<0.01). Compared with the intact side, the peak knee extension moment on the injured side was significantly lower during the stance phase of gait ( P<0.01), and the extension angle was insufficient during the terminal stance phase ( P<0.01). There were no significant differences between the injured and intact side in terms of peak flexion moment, first and second peak adduction moment, peak external and internal rotation moment, peak flexion angle, flexion angle at heel strike, peak abduction angle, and peak external rotation angle during terminal stance phase (all P>0.05). One year after ACL reconstruction, Spearman correlation analysis during gait stance phase showed that the LSI of 60°/s concentric strength of the isokinetic knee extensor was significantly related to LSI of peak internal rotation moment ( R=0.42, P<0.05), the LSI of 180°/s concentric strength of the isokinetic knee extensor was significantly related to LSI of peak flexion moment ( R=0.45, P<0.05), the LSI of 180°/s concentric strength of the isokinetic knee flexor was significantly correlated with LSI of peak flexion angle ( R=0.46, P<0.05), the LSI of 300°/s concentric strength of the isokinetic knee extensor was significantly correlated with LSI of peak knee flexion angle ( R=0.42, P<0.05), and the LSI of 60°/s eccentric strength of the isokinetic flexor was significantly correlated with LSI of peak knee flexion angle ( R=0.54, P<0.01). Conclusions:For patients following ACL reconstruction at one year postoperatively, a significant correlation of isokinetic thigh extensor strength asymmetry with peak knee flexion and rotation moment and peak knee flexion angle, and that of isokinetic thigh flexor strength asymmetry with peak knee flexion angle are observed during the stance phase of gait, which suggests that patients with ACL reconstruction still need systematic rehabilitation training one year postoperatively to improve muscle strength and motor function so as to reduce the risk of ACL reinjury and secondary injury.

Objective::To investigate the role and mechanism of Testudinis Carapax et Plastrum aqueous extract in promoting osteogenic differentiation of mouse preosteoblast cell line(MC3T3-E1) by regulating nuclear transcription factor-κB(NF-κB) inflammation microenvironment. Method::MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured in vitro, and osteogenic induction (OI) was performed. Testudinis Carapax et Plastrum was prepared and treated the cells. Cells were devided into control group, osteogenic induction group and Testudinis Carapax et Plastrum (20 mg·L^-1)with osteogenic induction group. The proliferation of MC3T3-E1 was detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), and the optimum concentration of intervention was determined. MC3T3-E1 differentiation and osteogenic mineralization were assayed using alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Alizarin red staining (ARS), respectively. The expressions of NF-κB p65, NF-κB p105, interleukin-6(IL-6), ALP and Collagen-Ⅰ(COL-Ⅰ) mRNA were detected by Real-time PCR. Result::The results of CCK-8 showed that the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 did not change statistically with time, but it showed an upward trend, while the proliferation at 20 mg·L^-1 was more obvious than other groups. The ALP and ARS showed that the positive staining rate of osteogenic induction group and Testudinis Carapax et Plastrum with osteogenic induction group were higher than control group.Real-time PCR results showed that on the 7^th day in culture, the expression of NF-κB p105 and IL-6 mRNA in Testudinis Carapax et Plastrum with osteogenic induction group was significantly lower than that in control group (P<0.01), and the expression of ALP and COL-Ⅰ mRNA was significantly upregulated(P<0.05), on the 14^th day, the expression of NF-κB p65, NF-κB p105 and IL-6 mRNA in Testudinis Carapax et Plastrum with osteogenic induction group was significantly lower than that in control group (P<0.01). The expression of ALP and COL-Ⅰ mRNA was significantly increased (P<0.05, P<0.01). Conclusion::Testudinis Carapax et Plastrum aqueous extract can promote osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 via a mechanism associated with the regulation of inhibition of NF-κB inflammatory microenvironment.