Flavonoids contribute most to discriminating aged Guang Chenpi (Citrus reticulata 'Chachi') by spectrum-effect relationship analysis between LC-Q-Orbitrap/MS fingerprint and ameliorating spleen deficiency activity.

To further explore the mechanism of "the longer storage time, the better bioactivity" of aged Guang Chenpi, the dry pericarp of Citrus reticulata 'Chachi' (CRC), a series of activity assessments were performed on spleen deficiency mice. The constituents in CRC with different storage years were analyzed by LC-Q-Orbitrap/MS. A total of 53 compounds were identified, and CRC stored for more than 5 years showed higher flavonoid content, especially that of polymethoxyflavones. Anti-spleen deficiency bioactivity analysis among various CRC with different storage years showed aged CRC (stored for more than 3 years) could significantly alleviate fatigue and depression behaviors much better, increase D-xylose and gastrin secretion, and upregulate the expression of the linking protein occludin in the colon walls. Results from 16S rDNA sequencing showed that aged CRC could downregulate the abundance of Enterococcus, Gemmata, Citrobacter, Escherichia_Shigella, and Klebsiella, which were significantly overrepresented in the model group. Bacteroides, Muribaculum, Alloprevotella, Paraprevotella, Alistipes, Eisenbergiella, and Colidextribacter were downregulated in the model group but enriched in the CRC groups. At last, the spectrum-effect relationship analysis indicated that flavonoids such as citrusin III, homoeriodictyol, hesperidin, nobiletin, and isosinensetin in aged CRC showed the highest correlation with better activity in ameliorating spleen deficiency by regulating gut microbiota. Flavonoids contribute most to discriminating aged CRC and could disclose the basis of "the longer storage time, the better bioactivity" of aged Guang Chenpi.

Biorefining process of agricultural onions to functional vinegar.

Biorefinery of onion vinegar (OV) is attractive as a method for producing functional foods from onions or onion by-products. In this study, a two-stage fermentation of OV using Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC9763 and Acetobacter pasteurianus CICC20001 was carried out at 28 °C, the titratable acidity reached 4.01%, and the YA/E was 69.64% at 72 h. Based on this, semi-continuous fermentation was performed, proceeded to charge-discharge consisting of three cycles, and the yield, productivity, and specific production rate were 76.71%, 17.73 g/(L·d), and 20.51 h-1, respectively, which was higher than fed-batch fermentation. The in vivo antioxidant experiments showed that OV significantly increased GSH-Px, SOD, and CAT enzyme activities of Caenorhabditis elegans at 271.57, 129.26, and 314.68%, respectively. Nutritional analysis revealed that the total flavonoids and polyphenols were 3.01 mg/mL and 976.76 µg/mL, respectively. It was also shown that the acetic acid to total organic acid (A/T) ratio of OV was 79.02%, and the total free amino acid content was 262.30 mg/100 mL, 1.78-7.44 times higher than other fruit vinegar. The OV prepared in this study showed higher quality than the commercial vinegar.

Preparation of Dendrobium officinale Flower Anthocyanin and Extended Lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans.

The Dendrobium officinale flower is a non-medicinal part of the plant, rich in a variety of nutrients and bioactive ingredients. The purpose of this article was to explore the preparation conditions of anthocyanins (ACNs) from the D. officinale flower. Subsequently, its anti-aging effects were evaluated with Caenorhabditis elegans. Results showed that the ACNs had antioxidant activities on scavenging free radicals (DPPH· and ABTS+·), and the clearance rate was positively correlated with the dose. Additionally, ACNs significantly increased the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in C. elegans, which was 2.068-fold higher than that of the control. Treatment with ACNs at 150 µL extended the lifespan of C. elegans by 56.25%, and treatment with ACNs at 50 µL promoted fecundity in C. elegans. Finally, the protective effect of ACNs enhanced stress resistance, thereby increasing the survival numbers of C. elegans, which provided insights for the development and practical application of functional products.

The Practical Application of Oil Painting in the Treatment of Mental Illness.

With the rapid development of economy, politics, science, and technology and the improvement of living material level, people pay more attention to personal physical and mental development. The incidence of mental illness is on the rise. Psychological education curriculum learning and psychological counselling are based on communication; there are still many limitations. The art media enables patients to reveal their subconscious and potential emotional needs, so that interveners have the opportunity to explore these issues and build a bridge of communication with patients. In this paper, oil painting therapy of nonverbal communication is proposed as a way of psychological therapy. The patients in the psychological department of a hospital are served by six stages of therapy, each stage of treatment has different arrangements, and continuous service and treatment are adopted. Based on the art analysis principle of oil painting creation, the therapeutic experience obtained from oil painting creation and the experience gained from oil painting were divided into groups to compare the therapeutic effect and explore the role of oil painting art therapy. The results showed that the scores of the treatment group were significantly lower than those of the control group at 4 weeks and 6 weeks after the art therapy of oil painting creation, showing a significant downward trend overall. Oil painting art therapy may alleviate anxiety, providing data support for the application of oil painting art therapy in patients with depressive episodes.

Onion Vinegar Quality Evaluation and its Alleviate Oxidative Stress Mechanism in Caenorhabditis elegans Via SKN-1.

Recently, there has been renewed interest in biorefining of agricultural onion into functional products. In this study, onion vinegar (OV) are prepared by a two-stage semi-continuous fermentation method, and its content of total flavonoids (3.01 mg/mL) and polyphenols (976.76 µg/mL) is superior to other commercial vinegars. OV possesses a high radical scavenging activity and enhances the antioxidant enzyme activities in vivo, alleviating intracellular oxidative stress in Caenorhabditis elegans. Treated by OV, the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl radical (DPPH·), diammonium 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzo thiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS+·) and 2-phenyl-4,4,5,5- tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl 3-Oxide (PTIO·) free radicals clearance rates are 88.76, 98.76 and 90.54%, respectively in vitro. Whereas the glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) enzyme activities in C. elegans reach 271.57, 129.26, and 314.68%, respectively. Using RNAi and RT-PCR, it has been further confirmed that OV modulates transcription factor SKN-1, the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) homologous, in C. elegans, enhancing the resistance of C. elegans against sodium arsenite stress. Lifespan analysis reveals that 1 mL OV extends the maximum lifespan of the nematode to 26 days. Evidence is presented which shows that OV increases the lifespan of C. elegans by activating the SKN-1 signaling pathway. Overall, the OV is a well functional condiment, enhancing the value-added of onion.

Vaccination coverage among COVID-19 prevention and control management teams at primary healthcare facilities in China and their attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccine: a cross-sectional online survey.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the COVID-19 vaccination coverage rate and differences among various COVID-19 prevention primary healthcare (PHC) facilities in China and understand their attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccine. These findings are helpful to provide important suggestions to further improve national COVID-19 vaccination rate. DESIGN: A nationwide cross-sectional online survey was designed and conducted among COVID-19 prevention and control management teams at PHC facilities in mainland China. In the self-designed questionnaires, each subject was asked to evaluate on a 1-10 scale (10=extremely important/acceptable/influential) the COVID-19 vaccination importance, acceptance and factors related to vaccine hesitancy. SETTING: Subjects from 31 provinces and autonomous regions including minorities across mainland China were invited to complete the questionnaire between 22 February 2021 and 2 March 2021. PARTICIPANTS: Were selected by multistage stratified sampling, 998 valid questionnaires (valid rate 99.11%) were collected. The respondents were divided into group A (≤5 respondents within each PHC facility, n1=718) and group B (>5 respondents within each PHC facility, n2=280). OUTCOME MEASURES: Survey on vaccination rate and attitude towards COVID-19 vaccine included the following: (1) if the subjects think the vaccination is important in containment of COVID-19 pandemic (1-10 scale, 10=extremely important), (2) if they would accept COVID-19 vaccine (1-10 scale, 10=extremely acceptable) and (3) their opinions on 7 factors possibly related to vaccine hesitancy (1-10 scale, 10=extremely influential). All the items were designed based on the previous expert interviews. RESULTS: Our results showed vaccination rate was greater in group A (85.93%) than in group B (66.43%) (p<0.001). Detailed analyses revealed that in group A, male members were twice as likely to get vaccinated as compared with female members (adjusted OR (aOR): 2.07; 95% CI: 1.26 to 3.43, p=0.004). In group B, those who were at or under the median age had twice the odds of vaccination coverage compared with those who were over the median age (aOR: 2.29; 95% CI: 1.22 to 4.33, p=0.010). In addition, those who were specialised in traditional Chinese medicine were less likely to get vaccinated against COVID-19 compared with those who were specialised in general medicine, with the aOR: 0.10 (95% CI: 0.01 to 0.83, p=0.033). By analysing the factors that influenced the vaccination attitudes among the 998 respondents, we found no significant difference between the vaccinated and unvaccinated participants. However, further detailed analyses found that team members with undergraduate college education were less likely to score higher in COVID-19 vaccination importance than those with technical secondary school education (aOR: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.13 to 0.93, p=0.035); Furthermore, those with non-medical job titles had nearly twice the odds of giving a higher score for the uncertainty of vaccine efficacy compared with those with junior medical titles (aOR: 1.70; 95% CI: 1.02 to 2.85, p=0.016). Team members with a non-medical title were more likely to give a higher score for advice on social sources compared with those with a junior medical title (aOR: 1.70; 95% CI: 1.02 to 2.85, p=0.042). CONCLUSION: In PHC facilities, although there was a higher COVID-19 vaccination rate among COVID-19 prevention and control teams, some subgroups with different descriptive characters showed negative attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination. Because primary care workers in China are highly expected to receive the vaccination, and support and educate the public for COVID-19 vaccination. Thus, it is important and necessary to continue to educate them about their vaccination concerns and change their attitudes towards vaccination. Our findings are highly beneficial for designing public vaccination education strategies.

Upconversion Luminescence-Initiated and GSH-Responsive Self-Driven DNA Motor for Automatic Operation in Living Cells and In Vivo.

In light of the worthy design flexibility and the good signal amplification capacity, the recently developed DNA motor (especially the DNA walker)-based fluorescent biosensors can offer an admirable choice for realizing bioimaging. However, this attractive biosensing strategy not only has the disadvantage of uncontrollable initiation but also usually demands the supplement of exogenous driving forces. To handle the above obstacles, some rewarding solutions are proposed here. First, on the surface of an 808 nm near-infrared light-excited low-heat upconversion nanoparticle, a special ultraviolet upconversion luminescence-initiated three-dimensional (3D) walking behavior is performed by embedding a photocleavage linker into the sensing elements, and such light-controlled target recognition can perfectly overcome the pre-triggering of the biosensor during the biological delivery to significantly boost the sensing precision. After that, a peculiar self-driven walking pattern is constructed by employing MnO2 nanosheets as an additional nanovector to physically absorb the sensing frame, for which the reduction of the widespread glutathione in the biological medium can bring about sufficient self-supplied Mn2+ to guarantee the walking efficiency. By selecting an underlying next-generation broad-spectrum cancer biomarker (survivin messenger RNA) as the model target, we obtain that the newly formed autonomous 3D DNA motor shows a commendable sensitivity (where the limit of detection is down to 0.51 pM) and even an outstanding specificity for distinguishing single-base mismatching. Beyond this sound assay performance, our sensing approach is capable of working as a powerful imaging platform for accurately operating in various living specimens such as cells and bodies, showing a favorable diagnostic ability for cancer care.

Determination of optimal dietary selenium levels by full expression of selenoproteins in various tissues of broilers from 1 to 21 d of age.

The current NRC dietary selenium (Se) requirement (0.15 mg/kg) of broilers is primarily based on growth performance data reported in 1986. Our study aimed to determine optimal dietary Se levels of broilers fed a practical corn-soybean meal diet for the full expression of selenoproteins in various tissues. A total of 384 one-d-old male broilers (n = 8 replicates/diet) were fed a basal corn-soybean meal diet or the basal diet supplemented with 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 or 0.5 mg Se/kg in the form of Na2SeO3 for 21 d. Regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the optimal dietary Se levels using broken-line, quadratic or asymptotic models. The activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in the plasma, liver, kidney and pancreas, iodothyronine deiodinase (DIO) in the plasma, liver and pancreas, and thioredoxin reductase (Txnrd) in the liver and pancreas, the mRNA levels of Gpx1, Gpx4, Dio1, selenoprotein (Seleno) h, Selenop and Selenou in the liver, Gpx4, Dio1, Txnrd1, Txnrd2, Selenoh, Selenop and Selenou in the kidney, and Gpx1, Gpx4, Selenoh and Selenou in the pancreas, and the protein levels of GPX4 in the liver and kidney of broilers were influenced (P < 0.05) by added Se levels, and increased quadratically (P < 0.05) with the increase of added Se levels. The estimates of optimal dietary Se levels were 0.07 to 0.36 mg/kg based on the fitted broken-line, quadratic or asymptotic models (P < 0.001) of the aforementioned selenoprotein expression in the plasma, liver and kidney, and 0.09 to 0.46 mg/kg based on the fitted broken-line models (P < 0.001) of the aforementioned selenoprotein expression in the pancreas. The results indicate that the optimal dietary Se levels would be 0.36 mg/kg to support the full expression of selenoproteins in the plasma, liver and kidney, and 0.46 mg/kg to support the full expression of selenoproteins in the pancreas of broilers fed a practical corn-soybean meal diet from 1 to 21 d of age.

Characterization of the Pore Structure and Fluid Movability of Coal-Measure Sedimentary Rocks by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR).

Analyzing and mastering the pore structure and fluid movability characteristics of coal-measure sedimentary rocks is significant for the safe and effective development of unconventional resources. In this work, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments were carried out on three common fine sedimentary rocks (i.e., shale, mudstone, and sandstone) from a coal-measure stratum in northern China. NMR transverse (T 2) of the water-saturated and centrifuged rock samples are compared and analyzed. Moreover, the pore size distribution (PSD) and the free-fluid volume index (FFI) of the investigated samples are discussed. Results have shown that the shale and mudstone samples are mainly dominated by adsorption pores with a diameter of 0.01-1 µm, while the sandstone samples are dominated by seepage pores with a diameter of 1-100 µm. The FFI results calculated by the cutoff and the area methods are 11.15-77.62 and 7.56-75.96%, respectively. There are good correlations between FFI and porosity, permeability, and reservoir quality index (RQI). Also, the effects on FFI are different on various kinds of clay minerals. The contents of illite and chlorite are negatively correlated with FFI, while kaolinite is positively correlated with FFI.

[Research on planting area and industrial development strategy of Tibetan medicine].

Appropriate producing areas can guarantee the quality of Tibetan medicine, but research on the suitable ecological factors and suitable producing areas of Tibetan medicinal plants is scarce. This paper used the Geographic Information System for Global Medicinal Plants(GMPGIS) to analyze the ecological suitability of Tibetan medicinal plants nationwide. For the first time, the range of ecological factors and main soil types of Tibetan medicinal plants were extracted, such as the average annual temperature-19.4-24.2 ℃, annual average precipitation 17-4 088 mm, annual average sunshine 124.2-171.6 W·m~(-2). The main soil types were black calcareous soil, thin layer soil, chestnut soil and so on. Based on 337 sampling points, the largest ecological similarity area of Tibetan medicine across the country was obtained through ecological similarity analysis. In addition to Tibet and Qinghai provinces and Tibetan Autonomous Prefectures in Sichuan, Gansu, and Yunnan provinces, Jiuquan city and Linxia county in Gansu province, Panzhihua and Ya'an in Sichuan province, and Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Shanxi provinces also had larger suitable cultivation areas. In addition, by analyzing the current situation of Tibetan medicine industry, the research pointed out that there were some problems such as unreasonable development and utilization of resources, lack of standards and norms, weak basic research and imperfect industrial system, and made corresponding countermeasures for sustainable development of resources, formulation of standards and specifications, promotion of medicine through science and technology, expansion of domestic and foreign markets, etc. This study provided the basis for guiding the rational layout of production bases, introduction and breeding of plant Tibetan medicine nationwide, laying the foundation for the scientific and standardized production of high-quality Tibetan medicine, clarifying the development direction of Tibetan medicine industry, and providing ideas for the development strategy of Tibetan medicine and other national medicine industry.

L-Arginine and N-carbamoylglutamic acid supplementation enhance young rabbit growth and immunity by regulating intestinal microbial community.

OBJECTIVE: An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of L-arginine (L-Arg) and N-carbamoylglutamic acid (NCG) on the growth, metabolism, immunity and community of cecal bacterial flora of weanling and young rabbits. METHODS: Eighteen normal-grade male weanling Japanese White Rabbits (JWR) were selected and randomly divided into 6 groups with or without L-Arg and NCG supplementation. The whole feeding process was divided into weanling stage (Day 37 to 65) and young stage (Day 66 to 85). The effects of L-Arg and NCG on the growth, metabolism, immunity and development of the ileum and jejunum were compared via nutrient metabolism experiments and histological assessment. The different communities of cecal bacterial flora affected by L-Arg and NCG were assessed using high-throughput sequencing technology and bioinformatics analysis. RESULTS: The addition of L-Arg and NCG were able to enhance the growth of weanling and young rabbit by increasing the nitrogen metabolism, protein efficiency ratio, and biological value, as well as feed intake, daily weight gain. Both L-Arg and NCG were able to increase the concentration of IgA, IgM, and IgG. NCG was superior to L-Arg in promoting intestinal villus development by increasing villus height and V/C index, reducing the crypt depth. The effects of L-Arg and NCG on the cecal bacterial flora were mainly concentrated in different genera, including Parabacteroides, Roseburia, dgA-11_gut_group, Alistipes, Bacteroides, and Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005. These bacteria function mainly in amino acid transport and metabolism, energy production and conversion, lipid transport and metabolism, recombination and repair, cell cycle control, cell division, and cell motility. CONCLUSION: L-Arg and NCG have promotional ability on the growth and immunity of weanling and young Japanese White Rabbits, as well as their effects on the jejunum and ileum villi. L-Arg and NCG have different effects in the promotion of nutrient utilization, relieving inflammation and enhancing adaptability through regulating microbial community.

Pro-inflammatory cytokines serve as communicating molecules between the liver and brain for hepatic encephalopathy pathogenesis and Lycium barbarum polysaccharides protection.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Gogi berry is a traditional food supplement and medical herbal which has been widely used in Eastern Asian countries. Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) are the major active components of Gogi berry and have been proved to possess a lot of biological activities. AIM OF THE STUDY: We aimed to delineate the protective effect and mechanism of LBP on hepatic encephalopathy (HE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We investigated the protective mechanism of LBP in a thioacetamide (TAA, intraperitoneally injected, 400 mg/kg) induced acute HE mice model. Key phenotypes of clinical HE were phenocopied in the mice model, including high mortality, severe hepatic histology injury, increased hepatic oxidative stress, apoptosis, enhanced circulating levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and ammonia, suppressed tryptophan hydroxylase activity, and deficits in locomotor activity. RESULTS: The pathological alterations were effectively ameliorated by the oral administration with LBP (5 mg/kg, oral gavage, everyday), which were mediated by regulating MAPK pathways in both the liver and brain. Knockout of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α or IL-6 effectively ameliorated impaired mice locomotor activity and MAPK activation in the brain. In an in vitro TNF-α-, IL-6-, or ammonia-induced microglia damaged cell model, cell injuries were evidently protected by the co-administration with LBP (50 µg/ml). CONCLUSION: LBP ameliorated the hepatic/brain injuries and impaired locomotor activities in a HE mice model. Pro-inflammatory cytokines may serve as communicating molecules linking the liver and brain for the HE pathogenesis, partly through MAPK regulation.

Chemical Composition, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Activities of Vetiveria zizanioides (L.) Nash Essential Oil Extracted by Carbon Dioxide Expanded Ethanol.

In the present study, the composition of essential oil isolated from the roots of Vetiveria zizanioides (L.) Nash, harvested in China, was studied, along with the bioactivities. A green novel method using an eco-friendly solvent, CO2-pressurized ethanol, or carbon dioxide expanded ethanol (CXE) was employed to isolate the essential oil from the root of Vetiveria zizanioides (L.) Nash with the purpose of replacing the traditional method and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). After investigating the major operating factors of CXE, the optimal conditions were obtained as follows: 8.4 MPa, 50 °C, 5 mL/min ethanol, and 0.22 mole fraction of CO2, presenting an extraction oil that ranged from 5.12% to 7.42%, higher than that of hydrodistillation (HD) or indirect vapor distillation (IVD). The Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis showed that three major components, including valerenol (18.48%), valerenal (10.21%), and ß-Cadinene (6.23%), are found in CXE oil, while a total of 23 components were identified, 48 components less than using conventional hydrodistillation. Furthermore, the antimicrobial activities of root oils were evaluated by the microdilution method, which showed that CXE oil exhibited an ability against Gram-positive bacteria, especially Staphylococcus aureus, approximately equivalent to traditional samples. Additionally, the DPPH free radical scavenging assay demonstrated that the antioxidant abilities of root oils were sorted in the descending order: IVD > HD > CXE > SFE. In conclusion, after a comprehensive comparison with the conventional methods, the CXE-related technique might be a promising green manufacturing pattern for the production of quality vetiver oil, due to the modification of ethanol by the variable addition of non-polar compressible CO2, ultimately resulting in a prominent dissolving capability for the extraction of vetiver solutes.

[Investigation on protective effect and efficacy difference of extract of Schisandrae Sphenantherae Fructus and Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus against acetaminophen-induced liver injury].

The study was aimed to investigate the protective effect and pharmacodynamic difference of the ethanol extracts of Schisandrae Sphenantherae Fructus and Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus on the drug-induced liver injury induced by acetaminophen.The cell activations of LO2 cells treated by Schisandrae Sphenantherae Fructus and Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus ethanol extracts were tested by CCK-8 essay.The effects of ethanol extracts on cell survival rate,the activities of ALT and AST in culture medium were detected based on the injury model of LO2 cells induced by APAP.Further,in purpose to observe the protective effect of Schisandrae Sphenantherae Fructus and Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus ethanol extracts on a mouse model of liver injury induced by intraperitoneal injectionof acetaminophen was established.Mice were randomly divided into control group,model group,positive drug group and Schisandrae Sphenantherae Fructus and Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus ethanol extracts administration groups.The activities of ALT and AST in the serum and the levels of MDA,SOD,GSH and GSH-PX in the liver homogenate of the mice were detected by commercial kits.The HEstaining was used to observe the histopathological changes of liver tissue in each group and the TUNEL staining was used to observe the hepatocyte apoptosis.The results showed that the ethanol extracts at less than 1 g·L~(-1)did not affect the activity of LO2 cell.Compared with the model group,the cell survival rates of the Schisandrae Sphenantherae Fructus and Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus ethanol extract administration groups was significantly increased;the ALT and AST in the culture medium were distinct decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01).The survival rate of Schisandrae Sphenantherae Fructus and Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus ethanol extract from different batches were similar,while that of the Schisandrea Sphenatherae Fructus ethanol extract from different batches were quite different(P<0.05or P<0.01).Further,animal experiments showed that Schisandrae Sphenantherae Fructus and Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus ethanol extract administration groups could markedly inhibit the increase of ALT and AST levels in serum(P<0.01),decrease MDA content significantly(P<0.01),and increase GSH,GSH-PX and SOD activity significantly(P<0.01).Among them,compared with other groups,Schisandrae Sphenantherae Fructus ethanol extract-2 group showed the best effect(P<0.05 or P<0.01)while Schisandrae Sphenantherae Fructus ethanol extract-1 showed a poor effect(P<0.05 or P<0.01).In conclusion,both Schisandrae Sphenantherae Fructus and Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus ethanol extracts have protective effect on APAP-induced drug-induced liver injury and there was a certain difference in the efficacy between Schisandrae Sphenantherae Fructus and Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus ethanol extracts from different habitats.

Impact of phosphorus application on drought resistant responses of Eucalyptus grandis seedlings.

Eucalyptus grandis is the most widely planted tree species worldwide and can face severe drought during the initial months after planting because the root system is developing. A complete randomized design was used to study the effects of two water regimes (well-watered and water-stressed) and phosphorus (P) applications (with and without P) on the morphological and physio-biochemical responses of E. grandis. Drought had negative effects on the growth and metabolism of E. grandis, as indicated by changes in morphological traits, decreased net photosynthetic rates (Pn ), pigment concentrations, leaf relative water contents (LRWCs), nitrogenous compounds, over-production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and higher lipid peroxidation. However, E. grandis showed effective drought tolerance strategies, such as reduced leaf area and transpiration rate (E), higher accumulation of soluble sugars and proline and a strong antioxidative enzyme system. P fertilization had positive effects on well-watered seedlings due to improved growth and photosynthesis, which indicated the high P requirements during the initial E. grandis growth stage. In drought-stressed seedlings, P application had no effects on the morphological traits, but it significantly improved the LRWC, Pn , quantum efficiency of photosystem II (Fv /Fm ), chlorophyll pigments, nitrogenous compounds and reduced lipid peroxidation. P fertilization improved E. grandis seedling growth under well-watered conditions but also ameliorated some leaf physiological traits under drought conditions. The effects of P fertilization are mainly due to the enhancement of plant N nutrition. Therefore, P can be used as a fertilizer to improve growth and production in the face of future climate change.

Dietary Supplementation with Chromium Picolinate Influences Serum Glucose and Immune Response of Brown-Egg Laying Hens.

To investigate the effect of chromium picolinate (CrPic) on egg production performance, egg quality, blood indices, and immune function of laying hens, 270 23-week-old Beijing Red brown-egg laying hens were randomly assigned to one of three treatments with six replicates of 15 birds per replicate for each treatment in a completely randomized design. Laying hens were fed a Cr-unsupplemented corn-soybean meal basal diet (control, containing 0.45 mg Cr/kg by analysis) or the basal diet supplemented with 0.4 or 0.6 mg Cr/kg from CrPic for 10 weeks. Laying hens fed diets supplemented with CrPic had a lower (P < 0.05) serum glucose (GLU) concentration and higher (P < 0.03) serum antibody titer against Newcastle disease than those fed the control diet at 33 weeks of age. However, supplemental CrPic had no effect (P > 0.05) on egg production and egg quality of brown-egg laying hens from 24 to 33 weeks of age. The results from this study indicated that supplemental CrPic decreased serum GLU and enhanced the immune function of brown-egg laying hens.

[Key points of poverty alleviation of Chinese herbal medicine industry and classification of recommended Chinese herbal medicines].

To build a well-off society in an all-round way, eliminate poverty, improve people's livelihood and improve the level of social and economic development in poverty-stricken areas is the frontier issues of the government and science and technology workers at all levels. Chinese herbal medicine is the strategic resource of the people's livelihood, Chinese herbal medicine cultivation is an important part of China's rural poor population income. As most of the production of Chinese herbal medicine by the biological characteristics of their own and the interaction of natural ecological environment factors, showing a strong regional character.the Ministry of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the State Council Poverty Alleviation Office and other five departments jointly issued the "China Herbal Industry Poverty Alleviation Action Plan (2017-2020)", according to local conditions of guidance and planning of Chinese herbal medicine production practice, promote Chinese herbal medicine industry poverty alleviation related work In this paper, based on the relevant data of poverty-stricken areas, this paper divides the areas with priority to the poverty alleviation conditions of Chinese herbal medicine industry, and analyzes and catalogs the list of Chinese herbal medicines grown in poverty-stricken areas at the macro level. The results show that there are at least 10% of the poor counties in the counties where the poverty-stricken counties and the concentrated areas are concentrated in the poverty-stricken areas. There is already a good base of Chinese herbal medicine industry, which is the key priority area for poverty alleviation of Chinese herbal medicine industry. Poverty-stricken counties, with a certain degree of development of Chinese medicine industry poverty alleviation conditions, the need to strengthen the relevant work to expand the foundation and capacity of Chinese herbal medicine industry poverty alleviation; 37% of poor counties to develop Chinese medicine industry, the basic conditions of poverty alleviation. It is suggested that: prioritized priorities, counties that have a good foundation for Chinese herbal medicine industry will implement the "Poverty Alleviation Action Plan for Chinese Herbal Medicine Industry" through nearly 100 counties with priority development.

Wideband Acoustic Immittance: Normative Study and Test-Retest Reliability of Tympanometric Measurements in Adults.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to present normative data of tympanometric measurements of wideband acoustic immittance and to characterize wideband tympanograms. METHOD: Data were collected in 84 young adults with strictly defined normal hearing and middle ear status. Energy absorbance (EA) was measured using clicks for 1/12-octave frequencies (0.236 to 8 kHz), with the ear canal air pressure systematically varied (+200 to -300 daPa). In 40 ears, 7 consecutive trials and a trial of clinical 226-Hz acoustic admittance (Ya) tympanometry followed. A cavity test was also conducted. RESULTS: From the wideband EA tympanogram, several EA spectrums and EA tympanograms were derived. Descriptive statistics were performed, and population parameters were estimated. The immediate test-retest reliability was excellent. Effects of ear canal air pressure on EA were examined comprehensively. Differences in EA between tympanometric and ambient-pressure measurements were significant. Single-frequency EA tympanograms exemplified for half-octave frequencies were contrasted. The bandpass EA tympanogram, 0.236- and 1-kHz EA and Ya tympanograms, and 226-Hz Ya tympanogram were compared in 9 variables. CONCLUSIONS: This study established a database of wideband tympanograms in healthy adults. The data analyses will promote our understanding of the middle ear transfer function. These data will serve as a reference for further studies in clinical populations.

Effects of ferrous carbamoyl glycine on iron state and absorption in an iron-deficient rat model.

An iron-deficient rat model was established and used to determine the effects of different iron sources on iron metabolism and absorption. Iron-deficient rats were assigned to one of three treatment groups, and their diet was supplemented with deionized water (control), Fe-CGly, or FeSO4 for 8 days via intragastric administration. Blood samples were obtained for analysis of iron-related properties, and the small intestine and liver were removed for quantitative reverse transcription PCR of genes related to iron metabolism. The serum total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) levels of rats in Fe-CGly and FeSO4 supplementation groups was lower (P < 0.05) than that of the rats in the control group. The rats in Fe-CGly group exhibited higher (P < 0.05) plasma Fe and ferritin levels and lower (P < 0.05) TIBC levels compared with the rats in FeSO4 groups. The relative expression of liver hepcidin increased (P < 0.05) by tenfold and 80-fold in the Fe-CGly and FeSO4 groups, respectively, whereas divalent metal transporter 1, duodenal cytochrome b, and ferroportin 1 expression decreased (P < 0.05) in the duodenum in both Fe-CGly and FeSO4 group. A comparison between Fe-CGly and FeSO4 group showed that iron regulatory protein 1 (IRP1) and iron regulatory protein (IRP2) expressions were reduced (P < 0.05) in rats administered FeSO4 than in rats administered with Fe-Cgly. These results indicate that Fe-CGly rapidly improves the blood iron status and that IRP1 and IRP2 may play an important role in the intestinal absorption of Fe-CGly.

Enhanced Performance of Community Health Service Centers during Medical Reforms in Pudong New District of Shanghai, China: A Longitudinal Survey.

BACKGROUND: The performance of community health service centers (CHSCs) has not been well monitored and analysed since China's latest community health reforms in 2009. The aim of the current investigation was to evaluate the performing trends of the CHSCs and to analyze the main factors that could affect the performance in Pudong new district of Shanghai, China. METHODS: A regional performance assessment indicator system was applied to the evaluation of Pudong CHSCs' performance from 2011 to 2013. All of the data were sorted out by a panel, and analyzed using descriptive statistics and a generalized estimating equation model. RESULTS: We found that the overall performance increased annually, with a growing number of CHSCs achieving high scores. Significant differences were observed in institutional management, public health services, basic medical services and comprehensive satisfaction during the period of three years. However, we found no differences in the service scores of Chinese traditional medicine (CTM). The investigation also demonstrated that the key factors affecting performance were the location, information system level, family GP program and medical association program rather than the size of the center. However, the medical association participation appeared to have a significant negative effect on performance. CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded from the three-year investigation that the overall performance was improved, but that it could have been further enhanced, especially in institutional management and basic medical service; therefore, it is imperative that CHSCs undertake approaches such as optimizing the resource allocation and utilization, reinforcing the establishment of the information system level, extending the family GP program to more local communities, and promoting the medical association initiative.