The Influence of Ixeris sonchifolia Hance Injection Combined with Isosorbide Mononitrate in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease and Diabetes.

Objective: To evaluate the influence of Ixeris sonchifolia Hance injection combined with isosorbide mononitrate in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and diabetes. Methods: 60 patients with CHD and diabetes mellitus admitted to our hospital between January 2019 and June 2020 were recruited and assigned via the random number table method at a ratio of 1 : 1 to receive either isosorbide mononitrate treatment (control group) or Ixeris sonchifolia Hance injection plus isosorbide mononitrate treatment (observation group). Outcome measures included left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP), left ventricular end systolic volume (LVESV), left ventricular function (LVEF), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and the total treatment efficiency. Results: The two groups had similar LVEDP, LVESV, and LVEF before treatment (p > 0.05). After treatment, the LVEDP and LVESV of the two groups declined (p < 0.05), whereas LVEF increased (p < 0.05), with lower LVEDP and LVESV and higher LVEF in the observation group than in the control group (p < 0.05). Before treatment, there were no significant differences in the BNP levels between the two groups (p > 0.05). After treatment, the observation group had a more significant reduction in the BNP levels versus the observation group (p < 0.05). The observation group showed a higher treatment efficacy than the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Ixeris sonchifolia Hance plus isosorbide mononitrate may offer a viable alternative in the treatment of patients with CHD and diabetes mellitus. Future trials are, however, required prior to clinical promotion.

Increased nodular P level induced by intercropping stimulated nodulation in soybean under phosphorus deficiency.

Low P availability is a vital constraint for nodulation and efficient N2 fixation of legume, including soybean. To elucidate the mechanisms involved in nodule adaption to low P availability under legume/cereal intercropping systems, two experiments consisting of three cropping patterns (monocropped soybean, monocropped maize, soybean/maize intercropping) were studied under both sufficient- and deficient-P levels. Our results demonstrated that intercropped soybean with maize showed a higher nodulation and N2 fixation efficiency under low P availability than monocropped soybean as evidenced by improvement in the number, dry weight and nitrogenase activity of nodules. These differences might be attributed to increase in P level in intercropping-induced nodules under low P supply, which was caused by the elevated activities of phytase and acid phosphatases in intercropping-induced nodules. Additionally, the enhanced expression of phytase gene in nodules supplied with deficient P level coincided with an increase in phytase and acid phosphatase activities. Our results revealed a mechanism for how intercropped maize stimulated nodulation and N2 fixation of soybean under P deficient environments, where enhanced synthesis of phytase and acid phosphatases in intercropping-induced nodules, and stimulated nodulation and N2 fixation.

[Root morphological changes in maize and soybean intercropping system under different phosphorus levels]. / 不同磷水平下玉米-å¤§è±†é—´ä½œç³»ç»Ÿæ ¹ç³»å½¢æ€å˜åŒ–.

A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the changes of root morphology and its relationship with P uptake under different P levels (0, 50 and 100 mg P2O5·kg-1, represented by P0, P50 and P100, respectively). The results showed that intercropping significantly changed root morphological parameters of both maize and soybean, and increased the root:shoot ratio in soybean under different P levels. Intercropping significantly increased root length, root surface area, root volume, and root dry weight of maize and soybean by 25.6%, 22.0%, 39.2%, 34.3% and 28.1%, 29.7%, 37.3%, 62.3%, respectively, but significantly decreased the average root diameter by 15.2% and 11.7% compared to corresponding monoculture. The phosphorus uptake equivalent ratio (LERP) was >1, showing P uptake advantage of intercropping and that the LERP were unaffected by P levels. The root morphological changes induced by intercropping were closely related to P uptake improvement. The increases of maize root surface area and soybean root length were the main mechanisms driving efficient P uptake in maize and soybean intercropping. Based on the regression equation, 10% increase of maize root surface area or soybean root length caused 5%-10% increase of phosphorus uptake. P uptake of intercropped maize was not declined under P50 level compared to that of monoculture supplied with P100 level. In conclusion, maize and soybean intercropping has the potential to maintain crop P uptake when reducing application of phosphate fertilizer.

Respiratory nursing care with Angong Niuhuang pill for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease following cardiac surgery.

AIM: Angong Niuhuang pill (ANP) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) drug widely used for treating stroke. This study aimed to investigate the effect of ANP on respiratory nursing outcomes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients following cardiac surgery. METHODS: A total of 80 COPD patients following cardiac surgery were enrolled and randomized into the control group receiving routine postoperative nursing and ANP group additionally receiving ANP treatment for 3 days (n = 40 for both group). The frequency of back percussion, time of back percussion, amount of expectoration, arterial blood gas levels were compared between groups. RESULTS: Compared to the control group, the ANP group had a significantly shorter daily mean time of back percussion at day 3 (p = .036) and day 7 (p = .014). The daily mean amount of expectoration was higher at day3 (p = .018) but lower at day 7 (p = .043) in the ANP group than in the control group. In addition, the ANP group had significantly higher hemoglobin saturation (SpO2 ) and partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2 ) but lower partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2 ) at both day 3 and day 7 than the control group (all p < .05). Furthermore, the time of postoperative aerosol inhalations (p = .041), pulmonary infection rate (p = .025) and postoperative hospital stay (p = .036) were significantly reduced in the ANP group. The ANP group had significantly lower TCM symptom scores at day 3 and day 7 after surgery. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that ANP treatment can effectively promote the postoperative recovery and respiratory nursing outcomes in COPD patients following cardiac surgery.

Pharmacological effects and mechanisms of muscone.

Musk, the dried secretion from the preputial follicles of the male musk deer (genus Moschus), possesses various pharmacological activities and has been used extensively in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Muscone is the main active ingredient of musk and exerts pharmacological effects similar to those of musk. Although muscone was notably used to treat various disorders and diseases, such as neurological disorders, chronic inflammation and ischemia-reperfusion injury, most of the mechanisms of the pharmacological action of muscone remain unclear because of slow progress in research before the 21st century. In recent years, the pharmacological activities and mechanisms of muscone have been clarified. The present article summarizes the pharmacological and biological studies on cerebrovascular disease, cardiovascular disease, neurological effects, cancer and others and the associated mechanisms of the action of muscone to date.

[Different mechanisms mediated the potentiation uterine smooth muscle caused by Polygala tenuifolia decoction progesterone in virginal rats].

OBJECTIVE: To research the effects of Polygala tenuifolia decoction on myoelectric activity of uterine smooth muscle and contractile activity of uterine smooth muscle strips of virginal rats. METHOD: To record the effects of P. tenuifolia decoction on myoelectric activity of uterine smooth muscle and contractile activity of uterine smooth muscle strips of virginal rats with biolap 410 biological system. Five blocking agents were used to study their mechanisms respectively. RESULT: Different dosages of water extract of P. tenuifolia (0.02, 0.04, 0.08 g x kg(-1)), could significantly potentiate uterine myoelectric activity and contractile activity of virginal rats. CONCLUSION: The effect of P. tenuifolia on myoelectric activity of uterine smooth muscle and contractile activity of uterine smooth muscle strips in rats may be mainly associated with H1 receptor, L-voltage-dependant calcium channels or prostaglandin synthese, its nothing to M receptor.