Identifying and Addressing the Spiritual Needs of Older Adults in Care Facilities: Administrators of Chinese Nursing Homes Relate Their Perspectives.

Addressing the spiritual needs of older adults is a central component of holistic service provision. Using a qualitative description design, this study identified: (1) common spiritual needs among Chinese nursing home residents, including the needs of residents with dementia, (2) the process staff use to identify these needs when residents are unable to verbalize them, and (3) the strategies staff implement to meet the identified needs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 nursing home administrators. Analysis produced five themes, including the need for older adults to express their faith, receive love and care, have contact with their children, interact with others, and participate in activities. For residents with dementia who are unable to verbalize their concerns, staff used two primary strategies to identify spiritual needs: careful observation and communication with family members. To address the identified spiritual needs, multiple strategies were offered including arranging clergy visits and personalizing care.

Acupuncture for obesity and related diseases: Insight for regulating neural circuit.

Obesity is defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health. Obesity is associated with numerous pathological changes including insulin resistance, fatty liver, hyperlipidemias, and other obesity-related diseases. These comorbidities comprise a significant public health threat. Existing anti-obesity drugs have been limited by side effects that include depression, suicidal thoughts, cardiovascular complications and stroke. Acupuncture treatment has been shown to be effective for treating obesity and obesity-related conditions, while avoiding side effects. However, the mechanisms of acupuncture in treating obesity-related diseases, especially its effect on neural circuits, are not well understood. A growing body of research has studied acupuncture's effects on the endocrine system and other mechanisms related to the regulation of neural circuits. In this article, recent research that was relevant to the use of acupuncture to treat obesity and obesity-related diseases through the neuroendocrine system, as well as some neural circuits involved, was summarized. Based on this, acupuncture's potential ability to regulate neural circuits and its mechanisms of action in the endocrine system were reviewed, leading to a deeper mechanistic understanding of acupuncture's effects and providing insight and direction for future research about obesity. Please cite this article as: Jiang LY, Tian J, Yang YN, Jia SH, Shu Q. Acupuncture for obesity and related diseases: insight for regulating neural circuit. J Integr Med. 2024; 22(2): 93-101.

Constituents, pharmacological activities, pharmacokinetic studies, clinical applications, and safety profile on the classical prescription Kaixinsan.

Kaixinsan (KXS) is a noteworthy classical prescription, which consists of four Chinese medicinal herbs, namely Polygalae Radix, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Poria, and Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma. KXS was initially documented in the Chinese ancient book Beiji Qianjin Yaofang written by Sun Simiao of the Tang Dynasty in 652 A.D. As a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription, it functions to nourish the heart and replenish Qi, calm the heart tranquilize the mind, and excrete dampness. Originally used to treat amnesia, it is now also effective in memory decline and applied to depression. Although there remains an abundance of literature investigating KXS from multiple aspects, few reviews summarize the features and research, which impedes better exploration and exploitation of KXS. This article intends to comprehensively analyze and summarize up-to-date information concerning the chemical constituents, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, clinical applications, and safety of KXS based on the scientific literature, as well as to examine possible scientific gaps in current research and tackle issues in the next step. The chemical constituents of KXS primarily consist of saponins, xanthones, oligosaccharide esters, triterpenoids, volatile oils, and flavonoids. Of these, saponins are the predominant active ingredients, and increasing evidence has indicated that they exert therapeutic properties against mental disease. Pharmacokinetic research has illustrated that the crucial exposed substances in rat plasma after KXS administration are ginsenoside Re (GRe), ginsenoside Rb1 (GRb1), and polygalaxanthone III (POL). This article provides additional descriptions of the safety. In this review, current issues are highlighted to guide further comprehensive research of KXS and other classical prescriptions.

Qingchang suppositry induced remission in patients with mild-to-moderate ulcerative proctitis: a multicenter, prospective, randomized, parallel-controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Qingchang suppository (, QCS), a preparation of Chinese herbal medicine, in the induction of remission in patients with mild-to-moderate ulcerative proctitis (UP). METHODS: We performed a multicenter, prospective, randomized, parallel-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of QCS induction therapy in 140 adult patients with mild-to-moderate UP and TCM syndrome of dampness-heat in large intestine. The patients were randomized to receive QCS (study group) or Salicylazosulfapyridine (SASP) suppository (control group) one piece each time, twice a day, per anum for 12 weeks. Mayo score and main symptoms score were evaluated at weeks 0, 2, 4, 8 and 12, rectosigmoidscopy was taken at weeks 0, 4, 8 and 12, Geboes score, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) and safety indexes were assessed at weeks 0 and 12. The primary efficacy endpoint is clinical remission rate, the secondary efficacy endpoints are clinical response rate, mucosa healing rate, Geboes score, the remission rates of the main symptoms, the median day to the remission of the symptom, etc. RESULTS: There were no statistical difference in the clinical remission rates, the clinical response rates, the mucosa healing rates, Geboes score, ESR and CRP between the two groups. The remission rates of tenesmus and anal burning sensation of the study group were significantly higher than those of the control group (76.5% vs 25.0%, P = 0.009; 74.51% vs 29.63%, P = 0.003). The median day to the remission of purulent bloody stool of the study group was significantly less than that of control group [11 (1, 64) vs 19 (2, 67), P = 0.007]. The patients receiving QCS had a significantly higher mucosa healing rate at week 4 than the patients receiving SASP suppository (71.42% vs 52.85%, P = 0.023). No adverse event occurred in the study group while the adverse events incidence of the control group was 5.7% (P = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS: QCS could induce the remission of UP as effectively and safely as SASP suppository, and was superior to SASP suppository in relieving the symptoms of tenesmus, anal burning sensation and purulent bloody stool and the time to reach mucosa healing.

The long-term effect of modulated acoustic stimulation on alteration in EEG brain network of chronic tinnitus patients: An exploratory study.

Acoustic stimulation is one of the most influential techniques for distressing tinnitus, while how it functions to reverse neural changes associated with tinnitus remains undisclosed. In this study, our objective is to investigate alterations in brain networks to shed light on the enigma of acoustic intervention for tinnitus. We designed a 75-day long-term acoustic intervention experiment, during which chronic tinnitus patients received daily modulated acoustic stimulation with each session lasting 15 days. Every 15 days, professional tinnitus assessments were conducted, collecting both electroencephalogram (EEG) and tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) data from the patients. Thereafter, we investigated the changes in EEG network organizations during continuous acoustic stimulation and their progressive evolution throughout long-term therapy, alongside exploring the associations between the evolving changes of the network alterations and THI. Our current study findings reveal reorganization in alpha/beta long-range frontal-parietal-occipital connections as well as local frontal and parietal-occipital regions induced by acoustic stimulation. Furthermore, we observed a decrease in modulation effects as therapy sessions progressed. These alterations in brain networks reflect the reversal of tinnitus-related neural activities, particularly distress and perception; thus contributing to tinnitus rehabilitation through long-term modulation effects. This study provides unique insights into how long-term acoustic intervention affects the network organizations of tinnitus patients and deepens our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying tinnitus rehabilitation.

Anti-inflammatory effects of acupuncture in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Numerous randomised controlled trials have suggested the positive effects of acupuncture on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the underlying therapeutic mechanisms of acupuncture for COPD have not been clearly summarized yet. Inflammation is central to the development of COPD. In this review, we elucidate the effects and underlying mechanisms of acupuncture from an anti-inflammatory perspective based on animal studies. Cigarette smoke combined with lipopolysaccharide is often used to establish animal models of COPD. Electroacupuncture can be an effective intervention to improve inflammation in COPD, and Feishu (BL13) and Zusanli (ST36) can be used as basic acupoints in COPD animal models. Different acupuncture types can regulate different types of inflammatory cytokines; meanwhile, different acupuncture types and acupoint options have similar effects on modulating the level of inflammatory cytokines. In particular, acupuncture exerts anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting the release of inflammatory cells, inflammasomes and inflammatory cytokines. The main underlying mechanism through which acupuncture improves inflammation in COPD is the modulation of relevant signalling pathways: nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) (e.g., myeloid differentiation primary response 88/NF-κB, toll-like receptor-4/NF-κB, silent information regulator transcript-1/NF-κB), mitogen-activated protein kinase signalling pathways (extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, p38 and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase), cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, and dopamine D2 receptor pathway. The current synthesis will be beneficial for further research on the effect of acupuncture on COPD inflammation. Please cite this article as: Jiang LH, Li PJ, Wang YQ, Jiang ML, Han XY, Bao YD, Deng XL, Wu WB, Liu XD. Anti-inflammatory effects of acupuncture in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(6): 518-527.

Asymmetric response of aboveground and belowground temporal stability to nitrogen and phosphorus addition in a Tibetan alpine grassland.

Anthropogenic eutrophication is known to impair the stability of aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), but its effects on the stability of belowground (BNPP) and total (TNPP) net primary productivity remain poorly understood. Based on a nitrogen and phosphorus addition experiment in a Tibetan alpine grassland, we show that nitrogen addition had little impact on the temporal stability of ANPP, BNPP, and TNPP, whereas phosphorus addition reduced the temporal stability of BNPP and TNPP, but not ANPP. Significant interactive effects of nitrogen and phosphorus addition were observed on the stability of ANPP because of the opposite phosphorus effects under ambient and enriched nitrogen conditions. We found that the stability of TNPP was primarily driven by that of BNPP rather than that of ANPP. The responses of BNPP stability cannot be predicted by those of ANPP stability, as the variations in responses of ANPP and BNPP to enriched nutrient, with ANPP increased while BNPP remained unaffected, resulted in asymmetric responses in their stability. The dynamics of grasses, the most abundant plant functional group, instead of community species diversity, largely contributed to the ANPP stability. Under the enriched nutrient condition, the synchronization of grasses reduced the grass stability, while the latter had a significant but weak negative impact on the BNPP stability. These findings challenge the prevalent view that species diversity regulates the responses of ecosystem stability to nutrient enrichment. Our findings also suggest that the ecological consequences of nutrient enrichment on ecosystem stability cannot be accurately predicted from the responses of aboveground components and highlight the need for a better understanding of the belowground ecosystem dynamics.

Salvianolic acid B suppresses hepatic fibrosis by inhibiting ceramide glucosyltransferase in hepatic stellate cells.

UDP-glucose ceramide glucosyltransferase (UGCG) is the first key enzyme in glycosphingolipid (GSL) metabolism that produces glucosylceramide (GlcCer). Increased UGCG synthesis is associated with cell proliferation, invasion and multidrug resistance in human cancers. In this study we investigated the role of UGCG in the pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis. We first found that UGCG was over-expressed in fibrotic livers and activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). In human HSC-LX2 cells, inhibition of UGCG with PDMP or knockdown of UGCG suppressed the expression of the biomarkers of HSC activation (α-SMA and collagen I). Furthermore, pretreatment with PDMP (40 µM) impaired lysosomal homeostasis and blocked the process of autophagy, leading to activation of retinoic acid signaling pathway and accumulation of lipid droplets. After exploring the structure and key catalytic residues of UGCG in the activation of HSCs, we conducted virtual screening, molecular interaction and molecular docking experiments, and demonstrated salvianolic acid B (SAB) from the traditional Chinese medicine Salvia miltiorrhiza as an UGCG inhibitor with an IC50 value of 159 µM. In CCl4-induced mouse liver fibrosis, intraperitoneal administration of SAB (30 mg · kg-1 · d-1, for 4 weeks) significantly alleviated hepatic fibrogenesis by inhibiting the activation of HSCs and collagen deposition. In addition, SAB displayed better anti-inflammatory effects in CCl4-induced liver fibrosis. These results suggest that UGCG may represent a therapeutic target for liver fibrosis; SAB could act as an inhibitor of UGCG, which is expected to be a candidate drug for the treatment of liver fibrosis.

LepRb+ cell-specific deletion of Slug mitigates obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in mice.

Leptin exerts its biological actions by activating the long-form leptin receptor (LepRb). LepRb signaling impairment and leptin resistance are believed to cause obesity. The transcription factor Slug - also known as Snai2 - recruits epigenetic modifiers and regulates gene expression by an epigenetic mechanism; however, its epigenetic action has not been explored in leptin resistance. Here, we uncover a proobesity function of neuronal Slug. Hypothalamic Slug was upregulated in obese mice. LepRb+ cell-specific Slug-knockout (SlugΔLepRb) mice were resistant to diet-induced obesity, type 2 diabetes, and liver steatosis and experienced decreased food intake and increased fat thermogenesis. Leptin stimulated hypothalamic Stat3 phosphorylation and weight loss to a markedly higher level in SlugΔLepRb than in Slugfl/fl mice, even before their body weight divergence. Conversely, hypothalamic LepRb+ neuron-specific overexpression of Slug, mediated by AAV-hSyn-DIO-Slug transduction, induced leptin resistance, obesity, and metabolic disorders in mice on a chow diet. At the genomic level, Slug bound to and repressed the LepRb promoter, thereby inhibiting LepRb transcription. Consistently, Slug deficiency decreased methylation of LepRb promoter H3K27, a repressive epigenetic mark, and increased LepRb mRNA levels in the hypothalamus. Collectively, these results unravel what we believe to be a previously unrecognized hypothalamic neuronal Slug/epigenetic reprogramming/leptin resistance axis that promotes energy imbalance, obesity, and metabolic disease.

Nitidine chloride induces cardiac hypertrophy in mice by targeting autophagy-related 4B cysteine peptidase.

Nitidine chloride (NC) is a standard active component from the traditional Chinese medicine Zanthoxylum nitidum (Roxb.) DC. (ZN). NC has shown a variety of pharmacological activities including anti-tumor activity. As a number of anti-tumor drugs cause cardiotoxicity, herein we investigated whether NC exerted a cardiotoxic effect and the underlying mechanism. Aqueous extract of ZN (ZNE) was intraperitoneally injected into rats, while NC was injected into beagles and mice once daily for 4 weeks. Cardiac function was assessed using echocardiography. We showed that both ZNE administered in rats and NC administered in mice induced dose-dependent cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction, whereas administration of NC at the middle and high dose caused death in Beagles. Consistently, we observed a reduction of cardiac autophagy levels in NC-treated mice and neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, we demonstrated that autophagy-related 4B cysteine peptidase (ATG4B) may be a potential target of NC, since overexpression of ATG4B reversed the cardiac hypertrophy and reduced autophagy levels observed in NC-treated mice. We conclude that NC induces cardiac hypertrophy via ATG4B-mediated downregulation of autophagy in mice. Thus, this study provides guidance for the safe clinical application of ZN and the use of NC as an anti-tumor drug.

Role of Danggui Buxue Decoction for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. / å½“å½’è¡¥è¡€æ±¤é˜²æ²»å¿ƒè‚ºç–¾ç— çš„ä½œç”¨.

Cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases have become the major disease endangering people's physical and mental health because of its high morbidity and mortality. Danggui Buxue Decoction, a noteworthy classical prescription, is composed of astragali radix and angelicae sinensis radix at a ratio of 5꞉1. It is a prescription for tonifying both vital energy and blood and has the effect of dredging collaterals. Its main active components, such as polysaccharides, saponins, flavonoids and volatile oils, have good effects on antioxidation, inflammation regulation, immune regulation and promotion of blood circulation. Danggui Buxue Decoction can improve myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury and heart failure, relieve the symptoms of diabetic cardiomyopathy, inhibit pulmonary fibrosis, protect lung injury and fight against lung cancer and other cardiopulmonary diseases. Preclinical studies have showed that this prescription can inhibit inflammation and oxidative stress, regulate autophagy and enhance immune function through multi-target pathways. Reviewing the main effective components, pharmacological action and mechanism, and clinical application of Danggui Buxue Decoction are helpful to provide comprehensive information for the clinical application of Danggui Buxue Decoction in prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases.

Anxiety and sleep quality among front-line nurses treating first wave COVID-19 in China: The mediating role of mindfulness.

AIM: To explore anxiety, sleep quality, and mindfulness of frontline nurses at the initial epicenter of the pandemic, to examine the mediating effects of mindfulness. BACKGROUND: COVID-19 was first identified in Wuhan, China in January 2020. Nurses were at the forefront of care and treatment across hospitals in response to the pandemic. METHODS: Single site cross-sectional survey conducted in Wuhan province (China) between March and April in 2020. Quantitative analysis of survey data from N118 nurses working in the frontline COVID response. Questionnaires included: The general information questionnaire, the Self-Anxiety Scale, the Short Inventory of Mindfulness, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. RESULTS: Front-line nurses' anxiety was positively associated with sleep quality and mindfulness was negatively associated with anxiety and sleep quality. Mindfulness had a mediating role on anxiety and sleep quality, with intermediary adjustment effects (ES = 0.136, 95 % CI 0.02 to 0.26), accounting for 21.9 % of the total effect ratio. CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety causes a reduction in sleep quality and mindfulness can help with anxiety. Mindfulness strategies may help during periods of higher anxiety in the workplace; however, other factors must be considered. Further research is required on strategies for assisting nurses during periods of extreme anxiety.

Nitrogen enrichment alters multiple dimensions of grassland functional stability via changing compositional stability.

Anthropogenic nutrient enrichment is known to alter the composition and functioning of plant communities. However, how nutrient enrichment influences multiple dimensions of community- and ecosystem-level stability remains poorly understood. Using data from a nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) addition experiment in a temperate semi-arid grassland that experienced a natural drought, we show that N enrichment, not P enrichment, decreased grassland functional and compositional temporal stability, resistance and recovery but increased functional and compositional resilience. Compositional stability and species asynchrony, rather than species diversity, were identified as key determinants of all dimensions of grassland functional stability, except for recovery. Whereas grassland functional recovery was decoupled from compositional recovery, N enrichment altered other dimensions of functional stability primarily through changing their corresponding compositional stability dimensions. Our findings highlight the need to examine ecological stability at the community level for a more mechanistic understanding of ecosystem dynamics in the face of environmental change.

Shikonin ameliorated mice colitis by inhibiting dimerization and tetramerization of PKM2 in macrophages.

Dysregulated immune response plays a pivotal role in Ulcerative colitis. In lamina propria of inflammatory colonic mucosa, macrophages tend to polarize into M1 type and metabolically reprogram to aerobic glycolysis. PKM2 orchestrates glucose metabolic switch in macrophages, which tetramer has high pyruvate kinase activity, while which dimer mainly works as a protein kinase to stabilize HIF-1α and mediate anabolism. Shikonin is a potent PKM2 inhibitor derived from traditional Chinese medicine Arnebiae Radix with anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogen activities. However, it is unclear which conformation of PKM2 is inhibited by Shikonin, and whether this inhibition mediates pharmacological effect of Shikonin. In this study, we examined the efficacy of Shikonin on dextran sulfate sodium-induced mice colitis and determined the states of PKM2 aggregation after Shikonin treatment. Results showed that Shikonin dose-dependently alleviated mice colitis, down-regulated expression of F4/80, iNOS and CD86, decreased IFN-γ, IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-α, while increased IL-10 in mice colon. Furthermore, Shikonin suppressed the pyruvate, lactate production and glucose consumption, inhibited the pyruvate kinase activity and nuclear translocation of PKM2, and decreased both dimerization and tetramerization of PKM2 in macrophages. In vitro assay revealed that Shikonin bounded to PKM2 protein, inhibited the formation of both dimer and tetramer, while promoted aggregation of PKM2 macromolecular polymer. TEPP-46, an activator of PKM2 tetramerization, attenuated the ameliorative effect of Shikonin on disuccinimidyl suberate mice. In summary, Shikonin improved mice colitis, which mechanism may be mediated by inhibiting dimerization and tetramerization of PKM2, suppressing aerobic glycolysis reprogram, improving mitochondrial dynamic, and therefore alleviating inflammatory response of macrophages.

Effectiveness of Tai Chi Yunshou motor imagery training for hemiplegic upper extremity motor function in poststroke patients: study protocol for a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Evidence concerning the effect of Tai Chi Yunshou motor imagery training (TCY-MIT) on upper extremity motor function (UE-MF) recovery in poststroke patients is lacking, and few studies have examined the neural mechanisms of MIT. The study was designed to assess the effectiveness of TCY-MIT and its possible neural mechanisms. METHODS/DESIGN: The study is an assessor-blinded, parallel, superiority, randomized clinical trial. A total of 78 eligible participants will be randomly assigned to 2 groups in a 1:1 ratio. Participants in the control group will receive (conventional rehabilitation therapies) CRTs for 40 min per day, 6 days per week, for 3 weeks. Participants in the intervention group will receive CRTs combined with TCY-MIT (30 min per day, 6 days per week, for 3 weeks). The primary outcome measure is the Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Upper Extremity. Secondary outcome measures are the Box and Block Test, muscle strength test, modified Barthel index, and Pearson correlation coefficients. All outcomes will be assessed at baseline, after completion of the intervention (1, 2, and 3 weeks), and at the end of follow-up (2 months). The outcome assessor will be blinded to the group allocation of the participants. DISCUSSION: We expect this assessor-blinded, parallel, superiority, randomized clinical trial to explore the effectiveness of TCY-MIT combined with CRTs compared with CRTs alone for UE-MF in poststroke patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ID: ChiCTR2100048868 . Registered on 19 July 2021.

Protective effects of Coridius chinensis extracts on rat reproductive damage induced by manganese.

Manganese (Mn2+ ) is an environmental pollutant, and testis is one of the main target organs. Coridius chinensis (C. chinensis), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been shown widely used in treating various kinds of pain, nephropathy and erectile dysfunction. In our recent study, we found that Mn2+ exposure caused testicular injury could be rescued in part by the antioxidant activity of C. chinensis extracts (CcE). However, there is dearth of extensive knowledge on the therapeutic effects of C. chinensis on manganese-induced reproductive toxicity. In the present study, Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were administered manganese chloride alone or co-treated with CcE for 30 consecutive days. Results indicated that C. chinensis mediated suppression of spermatogenic dysfunction, and the number of apoptotic cells was significantly decreased in CcE-treated groups. Furthermore, the disintegrated testicular ultrastructural structure caused by Mn2+ was partially repaired in CcE-treated groups. C. chinensis significantly inhibited Mn2+ -induced decline in biomarkers of blood-testis barrier (BTB) including occludin, claudin1, zonula occludens-1 and junctional adhesion molecule 1, whereas it decreased the expression of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and c-Src. This study demonstrated that c-Src and FAK might be involved in the repair of Mn2+ -induced testicular injury by C. chinensis, but further research is needed.

The Effect of Yijinjing on the Cognitive Function of Patients With Chronic Schizophrenia.

Background: Patients with chronic schizophrenia present cognitive impairment, which affects their social function and prevents them from reintegrating into society. Yijinjing is a traditional Chinese aerobic exercise that has a putative psychosomatic effect on improving cognitive function. Methods: From January to May 2021, 40 patients with chronic schizophrenia were recruited and randomly divided into a control group and a Yijinjing group. In the 12-week intervention, the patients in the control group received conventional treatment, whereas patients in the Yijinjing group performed Yijinjing exercise (40 min/session, twice a week) in addition to receiving conventional treatment. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Insight and Treatment Attitude Questionnaire (ITAQ), the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (SES), and the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) were used to measure clinical symptoms and cognitive function at 0, 6, and 12 weeks. Results: The demographic information was not significantly different between groups. At baseline, the scores of all the scales were not statistically different between groups. After 12 weeks of intervention, compared to those at baseline, the scores of the negative scale (t = 19.00, p < 0.0001), general psychopathology scale (t = 15.98, p < 0.0001), and total score (t = 15.47, p < 0.0001) of the PANSS and SES (t = 5.378, p < 0.0001) had significantly decreased, and the scores of the ITAQ (t = 7.984, p < 0.0001) and MMSE (t = 6.750, p < 0.0001) had significantly increased in Yijinjing group; the score of the MMSE increased in the control group as well (t = 2.491, p = 0.0222). Compared to the respective scores in the control group, the negative scale score (t = 2.953, p = 0.0054) significantly decreased, and the ITAQ (t = 3.043, p = 0.0042) and MMSE (t = 2.2.68, p = 0.0291) scores significantly increased in the Yijinjing group after 12 weeks of intervention. Conclusion: These results provide a preliminary indication that Yijinjing exercise had the potential to improve cognitive function and negative symptoms in patients with chronic schizophrenia. A larger-scale study to determine the trajectory of change in the longer term should be undertaken.

Effect of Short-Term Low-Nitrogen Addition on Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus of Vegetation-Soil in Alpine Meadow.

As one of the nitrogen (N) limitation ecosystems, alpine meadows have significant effects on their structure and function. However, research on the response and linkage of vegetation-soil to short-term low-level N deposition with rhizosphere processes is scant. We conducted a four level N addition (0, 20, 40, and 80 kg N ha-1 y-1) field experiment in an alpine meadow on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) from July 2014 to August 2016. We analyzed the community characteristics, vegetation (shoots and roots), total carbon (TC), nutrients, soil (rhizosphere and bulk) properties, and the linkage between vegetation and soil under different N addition rates. Our results showed that (i) N addition significantly increased and decreased the concentration of soil nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N) and ammonium nitrogen, and the soil pH, respectively; (ii) there were significant correlations between soil (rhizosphere and bulk) NO3--N and total nitrogen (TN), and root TN, and there was no strong correlation between plant and soil TC, TN and total phosphorus, and their stoichiometry under different N addition rates. The results suggest that short-term low-N addition affected the plant community, vegetation, and soil TC, TN, TP, and their stoichiometry insignificantly, and that the correlation between plant and soil TC, TN, and TP, and their stoichiometry were insignificant.

[A preliminary pharmacophylogenetic study of Solanaceae medicinal plants containing tropane alkaloids].

The Solanaceae plants distributed in China belong to 105 species and 35 varietas of 24 genera. Some medicinal plants of Solanaceae are rich in tropane alkaloids(TAs), which have significant pharmacological activities. In this paper, the geographical distribution, chemical components, traditional therapeutic effect, pharmacological activities, and biosynthetic pathways of TAs in Solanaceous plants were summarized. Besides, the phylogeny of medicinal plants belonging to Solanaceae was visualized by network diagram. Fourteen genera of Solanaceae plants in China contain TAs and have medical records. TAs mainly exist in Datura, Anisodus, Atropa, Physochlaina, and Hyoscyamus. The TAs-containing species were mainly concentrated in Southwest China, and the content of TAs was closely related to plant distribution area and altitude. The Solanaceae plants containing TAs mainly have antispasmodic, analgesic, antiasthmatic, and antitussive effects. Modern pharmacological studies have proved the central sedative, pupil dilating, glandular secretion-inhibiting, and anti-asthma activities of TAs. These pharmacological activities provide a reasonable explanation for the traditional therapeutic efficacy of tropane drugs. In this paper, the geographical distribution, chemical components, traditional therapeutic effect, and modern pharmacological activities of TAs-containing species in Solanaceae were analyzed for the first time. Based on these data, the genetic relationship of TAs-containing Solanaceae species was preliminarily discussed, which provided a scientific basis for the basic research on TAs-containing solanaceous species and was of great significance for the development of natural medicinal plant resources containing TAs.

Pyrolysis of soybean soapstock for hydrocarbon bio-oil over a microwave-responsive catalyst in a series microwave system.

A novel Silicon carbide (SiC) foam ceramic based ZSM-5/SiC nanowires microwave-responsive catalyst was developed to upgrade the pyrolysis volatiles in a microwave-assisted series system (both the pyrolysis and catalytic systems were heated by microwave). The growth of SiC nanowires was helpful for the ZSM-5 growth on the SiC foam ceramic. Because the specific surface area of SiC foam ceramic was improved. The dielectric properties of the composite catalyst were improved due to the growth of SiC nanowires. Bio-oil composition analysis showed that area percentage of hydrocarbons and aromatic hydrocarbons could reach 80.89% and 40.48% at catalytic temperature of 450 ℃and 500 ℃, respectively. The microwave-responsive composite catalyst had good aromatization performance in microwave-assisted series system due to high dielectric properties and specific surface area. The composite catalyst performed well after five-cycle regeneration, and the hydrocarbon content could still reach 76.40%, which is 80.89% for the original catalyst.