Measurement of the

The cross section of the ^{13}C(α,n)^{16}O reaction is needed for nuclear astrophysics and applications to a precision of 10% or better, yet inconsistencies among 50 years of experimental studies currently lead to an uncertainty of ≈15%. Using a state-of-the-art neutron detection array, we have performed a high resolution differential cross section study covering a broad energy range. These measurements result in a dramatic improvement in the extrapolation of the cross section to stellar energies potentially reducing the uncertainty to ≈5% and resolving long standing discrepancies in higher energy data.

A target-group-change couple with mass defect filtering strategy to identify the metabolites of "Dogel ebs" in rats plasma, urine and bile.

"Dogel ebs" was known as Sophora flavescens Ait., a classical traditional Chinese Mongolian herbal medicine, which had the effects on damp-heat dysentery, scrofula, and syndrome of accumulated dampness toxicity. Although the chemical constituents have been clarified by our previous studies, the metabolic transformation of "Dogel ebs" in vivo was still unclear. To explore the mechanism of "Dogel ebs," the metabolites in plasma, bile, and urine samples were investigated. A fast positive and negative ion switching technology was used for the simultaneous determination of flavonoids and alkaloids in "Dogel ebs" in a single run. And a target-group-change coupled with mass defect filtering strategy was utilized to analyze the collected data. 89 parent compounds and 82 metabolites were characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry. Both phase I and phase II metabolites were observed and the metabolic pathways involved in oxidation, demethylation, acetylation, and glucuronidation. 69 metabolites of "Dogel ebs," including three hydroxyls bonding xanthohumol, formononetin-7-O-glucuronide, 2'-hydroxyl-isoxanthohumol decarboxylation metabolite, oxysophocarpine dehydrogen, 9α-hydroxysophoramine-O-glucuronide, etc. were reported for the first time.

Influence of warm acupuncture on gut microbiota and metabolites in rats with insomnia induced by PCPA.

BACKGROUND: Insomnia is the most common of the sleep disorders. Current pharmacotherapy treatment options are usually associated with adverse effects and withdrawal phenomena. Therapeutic alternatives with a more favorable safety profile for patients are needed. Mongolian medical warm acupuncture (MMWA) is an emerging therapeutic option for treating insomnia. However, the underlying mechanisms responsible for the anti-insomnia efficacy of the MMWA remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the effect of the MMWA on the alterations of the gut microbiota and serum metabolome in rats with insomnia. RESULTS: We found that the relative abundances of gut bacteria and the concentrations of several serum metabolites were obviously altered in PCPA-induced insomnia rats. The MMWA treatment exerted an anti-insomnia effect. In addition, the dysbiosis of the gut microbiota and the serum metabolites were ameliorated by the MMWA. Correlation analysis between the gut microbiota and metabolites suggested that the levels of Amide c18, Benzoyl chloride, Cytosine, and N, n-dimethylarginine were positively correlated with the relative abundance of Clostridium XlVa and Blautia, which characterized the insomnia rats. KEGG enrichment analysis identified the cAMP signaling pathway involving anti-insomnia effect of the MMWA. Moreover, the MMWA intervention significantly increased contents of butyrate in feces, while effectively inhibited the expression level of GAT-1 in brain tissues. CONCLUSION: This study reveals that the MMWA intervention might have a major impact on the modulation of host gut microbiota and metabolites, which in turn have a crucial role in the regulation of the host's signaling pathways associated with insomnia. The present study could provide useful ideas for the study of the intervention mechanisms of the MMWA in insomnia rat models.

Cytotoxic activities of flavonoids from a traditional Mongolian medicinal herb Clematis aethusifolia Turcz.

In the course of our search for antitumour constituents from the traditional Mongolian medicinal herb Clematis aethusifolia Turcz., 11 flavonoids were isolated for the first time from the dried aerial parts of the plant by flash C18 column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20 and reversed phase preparative HPLC. The planar structures of these flavonoids were established based on 1D and 2D NMR and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Compounds 1, 2, 4 and 5 showed moderate cytotoxicity against a panel of five human solid tumour cell lines, including A-375, a human melanoma cell line; SK-OV-3, a human ovarian cancer cell line; A549, a human lung cancer cell line; HCT-15, a human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line; and SH-SY5Y, a human neuroblastoma cell line (with IC50 values of 20-70 µM). The obtained cytotoxic apigenin and its derivatives may be useful as standard compounds for the quality control of the crude drug and its preparations.

[Surgery of ventral hernia using fascia lata graft]. / Operáicia ventrálnej hernie s pouzitím stepu z fascie lata.

Severe intraabdominal sepsis sometimes recquires very aggressive surgery with repeated surgical revisions of abdominal cavity. This often leads to large ventral hernia. The authors present one of the possibilities of surgical management of the hernia using fascia lata graft. This method is easy to perform and cost effective because of autologous material, which is most ideal from the point of biological view.

[Current trends in the diagnosis and therapy of anal pruritus. Review of 238 cases]. / Attuali orientamenti di diagnosi e terapia del prurito anale. Revisione di 238 casi.

Perianal pruritus may be caused by a variety of factors. Of these, the most frequently occurring are proctological, infections, dermatological, dietary, and systemic. The results of a study carried out on 238 patients from 1980 to 1984 are reported. The survey was carried out with the aim of defining the frequency of pruritus in relation to the triggering cause, to sex and to age. It is emphasised that diagnosis is often difficult and requires the measurement of the following parameters: blood glucose levels, blood, nitrogen levels, ESR, haemochrome, hepatic functions, in addition to a gynaecological examination, analysis of faeces, proctocolonoscopy, skin biopsy and other tests. These are carried out to determine whether anal pruritus is a symptom of a systemic disease, or whether it is brought about by local causes. Treatment measures adopted are reported. Treatment is mainly symptomatic and aetiological for cases caused by local disturbances.