Paenibacillus puerhi sp. nov., isolated from the rhizosphere soil of Pu-erh tea plants (Camellia sinensis var. assamica).

An aerobic, Gram-staining-positive, rod-shaped, endospore-forming and motile bacterial strain, designated SJY2T, was isolated from the rhizosphere soil of tea plants (Camellia sinensis var. assamica) collected in the organic tea garden of the Jingmai Pu-erh tea district in Pu'er city, Yunnan, southwest China. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the isolate belonged to the genus Paenibacillus. The closest phylogenetic relative was Paenibacillus filicis DSM 23916T (98.1% similarity). The major fatty acids (> 10% of the total fatty acids) were anteiso-C15:0 and isoC16:0. The major respiratory quinone was MK-7 and the major polar lipid was diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine. The peptidoglycan contained glutamic acid, serine, alanine and meso-diaminopimelic acid. Genome sequencing revealed a genome size of 6.71 Mbp and a G + C content of 53.1%. Pairwise determined whole genome average nucleotide identity (gANI) values and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values suggested that strain SJY2T represents a new species, for which we propose the name Paenibacillus puerhi sp. nov. with the type strain SJY2T (= CGMCC 1.17156T = KCTC 43242T).

Folic Acid Supplementation and the Association between Maternal Airborne Particulate Matter Exposure and Preterm Delivery: A National Birth Cohort Study in China.

BACKGROUND: Potential modification of the association between maternal particulate matter (PM) exposure and preterm delivery (PTD) by folic acid (FA) supplementation has not been studied. OBJECTIVE: We examined whether FA supplementation could reduce the risk of PTD associated with maternal exposure to PM in ambient air during pregnancy. METHOD: In a cohort study covering 30 of the 31 provinces of mainland China in 2014, 1,229,556 primiparas of Han ethnicity were followed until labor. We collected information on their FA supplementation and pregnancy outcomes and estimated each participant's exposure to PM with diameters of ≤10µm (PM10), 2.5µm (PM2.5), and 1µm (PM1) using satellite remote-sensing based models. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to examine interactions between FA supplementation and PM exposures, after controlling for individual characteristics. RESULTS: Participants who initiated FA ≥3 months prior to pregnancy (38.1%) had a 23% [hazard ratio (HR)=0.77 (95% CI: 0.76, 0.78)] lower risk of PTD than women who did not use preconception FA. Participants with PM concentrations in the highest quartile had a higher risk of PTD [HR=1.29 (95% CI: 1.26, 1.32) for PM1, 1.52 (95% CI: 1.46, 1.58) for PM2.5, and 1.22 (95% CI: 1.17, 1.27) for PM10] than those with exposures in the lowest PM quartiles. Estimated associations with a 10-µg/m3 increase in PM1 and PM2.5 were significantly lower among women who initiated FA ≥3 months prior to pregnancy [HR=1.09 (95% CI: 1.08, 1.10) for both exposures] than among women who did not use preconception FA [HR=1.12 (95% CI: 1.11, 1.13) for both exposures; pinteraction<0.001]. The corresponding association was also significantly lower for a 10-µg/m3 increase in PM10 [HR=1.03 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.03) for FA ≥3 months before pregnancy vs. 1.04 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.04) for no preconception FA; pinteraction<0.001]. CONCLUSION: Our findings require confirmation in other populations, but they suggest that initiating FA supplementation ≥3 months prior to pregnancy may lessen the risk of PTD associated with PM exposure during pregnancy among primiparas of Han ethnicity. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP6386.

[Optimized schemes for acupuncture treatment of migraine during attack].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effect of manual acupuncture, electroacupuncture (EA), auricular acupuncture and bloodletting therapies combined with orthogonal design for migraine patients, so as to select a better scheme for relieving headache. METHODS: total of 76 migraine patients in the stage of attack were recruited in the present study and randomly (stratified random and central random) allocated to 9 groups by means of orthogonal experimental design [L9 (3(4)), 4 factors (F) and three levels (L)] i.e., F1: ody-acupoints combination; F1-L1: regional acupoints [Sizhukong (TE 23), Shuaigu (GB 8), Taiyang (EX-HN 5), etc.] near the focus, F1-L2:regional +distal acupoints [Hegu (L 4), Taichong (LR 3), etc.] far from the focus, and F1-L3:regional + remote acupoints+ those selected according to syndrome differentiation [for instance, Ganshu (BL 18), Yanglingquan (GB 34), Qiuxu (GB 40) and Taixi (KI 3) for hyperactivity of Liver-yang, etc.]; F2: manual acupuncture or EA of body acupoints; F2-L1:no acupuncture stimulation, F2-L2:manual acupuncture stimulation, and F2-L3:manual + EA stimulation; F3: auricular acupuncture therapy; F3-L1:no acupuncture stimulation, F3-L2: otopoint-manual acupuncture (Shenmen, Jiaogan, etc.), and F3-L3:otopoint-EA; F4: bloodletting; F4-L1 : EX-HN 5 + Ashi point bloodletting, F4-L2:EX-HN5 bloodletting, and F4-L3: no bloodletting. The therapeutic effect of acupuncture was evaluated using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and analyzed by investigators who did not participate in the treatment course. RESULTS: Within 24 hours after the treatment, the four factors influencing headache relief from bigger to smaller are body-acupoints combination > manual acupuncture or EA stimulation > bloodletting > auricular acupuncture. Among the therapeutic schemes evaluated by orthogonal deduction, the analgesic effect was most stable in the manual acupuncture at regional + distal acupoints group which was recommended to be the ba-sic scheme for migraine. The auricular EA could effectively reduce VAS levels from 10 min to 30 min after stimulation, while bloodletting at Taiyang (EX-HN 5)+ Ashi points was effective in relieving migraine from 4 h to 24 h after the treatment, suggesting a long lasting post-therapeutic analgesic effect. CONCLUSION: Manual acupuncture stimulation of the local + distal body acupoints combined with otopoint-EA and bloodletting at Taiyang (EX-HN 5) + Ashi points is the best option for relieving migraine during attack.

[Study on the impacts of different time of moxibustion on regulating lipid effects of hyperlipidemia].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the impacts of different time of moxibustion on its regulating lipid effects and safety of hyperlipidemia. METHODS: Seventy-six cases of hyperlipidemia patients were randomly divided into three groups: including moxibustion 10 min group (group A, 25 cases), moxibustion 20 min group (group B, 25 cases) and moxibustion 30 min group (group C, 26 cases). All of these three groups choose the same acupoints, Shenque (CV 8),Zusanli (ST 36), Fenglong (ST 40) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) were selected. These three groups were treated with moxibustion for 10 min, 20 min and 30 min, respectively, three times a week, 12 times constituted one course, two courses were required for each group. All indices of blood lipid and fasting blood glucose were observed before and after treatment, and the preliminary evaluation was made on the safety of hepatic and renal function. RESULTS: There were significant decrease in total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and blood sugar after moxibustion treatment (all P<0.001), there was no significant difference of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) before and after treatment (P>0.05). The group C played more prominent role than group A in regulating the TC (P<0.01) and LDL-C (P<0.05), there was no significant difference between group C and group B (P>0.05). The blood urea nitrogen(BUN) was significantly reduced after moxibustion treatment (P<0.05), and there were no significant differences of other safety indices before and after treatment (all P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Moxibustion can effectively and safely reduce the blood lipid level of hyperlipidemia patients, the decreasing degree of lipid is different with different time of moxibustion after treatment, and the decreasing degree in moxibustion 30 min group is significantly better than that in moxibustion 10 min group.

[Study on the best solution of immediate analgesia of acupuncture for migraine].

OBJECTIVE: To select the best solution of immediate analgesia of migraine treated with acupuncture. METHODS: Taken 36 cases of migraine in attack stage as research objects, by means of orthogonal experimental design, applying the L9 (3(4)) orthogonal table, the therapeutic effect of immediate analgesia of acupuncture for migraine in attack stage was analyzed in four factors, which were effective acupoints combination, electroacupuncture therapy, auricular therapy and bloodletting therapy, and three levels of each factors. In the test procession, random approaches (stratified random and central random) and blinding experiment (the appraiser blind) were used. The time points of observation were before treatment, and 10, 20 minutes after treatment. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used to evaluate therapeutic effect. RESULTS: Comparing with the headache before treatment, at the time points of 10 and 20 minutes after treatment, the best solution for headache relief was needling therapy (local and distal points and points selection according to the differentiation), auricular electroacupuncture therapy and bloodletting at Taiyang Zimai (Extra) or Taiyang (EX-HN 5)and Ashi points. CONCLUSION: In the attack stage of migraine, by the therapy combined with puncture on local and distal points and the points according to the differentiation, auricular electroacupuncture and bloodletting at Taiyang Zimai or Taiyang (EX-HN 5) and Ashi points, the favorable effects of immediate analgesia are received.

[Randomized controlled study on influence of acupuncture for life quality of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To observe effects of acupuncture on quality of life of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). METHODS: Randomized, controlled and single-blinded study method was used, 70 cases were divided into an observation group and a control group, 35 cases in each group. The observation group was treated with acupuncture at Baihui (GV 20), Danzhong (CV 17), Zhongwan (CV 12), Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Hegu (LI 4), Zusanli (ST 36), etc.; the control group was treated with acupuncture at non-meridian points (2 cm to the acupoints), thrice a week. The treatment was given for 14 times. The World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) scale was used to evaluate the patients' quality of life before and after treatment. RESULTS: The physiological field, individuals own perception of his health condition and total score were significantly improved after treatment in the observation group (all P<0.05); there were no obvious changes in the psychology, social relationships, environment and subjective feelings about the quality of life (all P>0.05). The score of the environmental field in the control group was significantly decreased compared to that before treatment (P<0.05), and there were no significant changes in the other scores. There were no adverse effects in patients. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture can improve the quality of life of CFS patients, especially in physiological field and the individual perception to his well being. Acupuncture has high safety, and the acupoints has high specific degree than non-meridian points.

[Randomized controlled clinical trials of acupuncture treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupuncture on the fatigue degree in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). METHODS: Seventy CFS patients were equally randomized into control and treatment groups according to randomized block design. Acupuncture was applied to Baihui (GV 20), Danzhong (CV 17), Zhongwan (CV 12), etc., for patients in treatment group, and to non-acupoints (2 cm respectively to the abovementioned acupoints) for those in control group. The treatment was given once every other day, 14 times altogether. The fatigue degree and the therapeutic effect were assessed by Chalder's fatigue scale (FS). RESULTS: A total of 64 cases (32/group) were finished in this study. After the treatment, the physical FS (5.0 +/- 2.4 vs 6.8 +/- 1.5), mental FS (1.8 +/-1.8 vs 3.1 +/- 1.5) and the total FS (6.8 +/- 3.8 vs 9.9 +/- 2.5) in treatment group, physical FS (5.0 +/- 2.5 vs 6.4 +/- 1.5) and the total FS (7.5 +/- 3.4 vs 9.6 +/- 2.8) in control group decreased significantly compared with pre-treatment (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). There was no marked change in mental FS (2.5 +/- 11.6 vs 3.2 +/- 11.6) in control group after the treatment (P > 0.05). Comparison between two groups showed no significant differences in the 3 indexes (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture can relieve CFS patients' physical and mental fatigue and the therapeutic effect of acupuncture of acupoints is relatively better than that of non-acupoints in reducing mental fatigue.

[A meta analysis on randomized controlled trials of acupuncture treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). METHODS: According to the requirement of evidence-based medicine, CFS, fatigue syndrome, acupuncture and moxibustion, acupuncture, electroacupuncture, auricular acupuncture, auricular pellet pressure, plum-blossom needle, intradermal needle, moxibustion, three edged needle, cupping, cup-moving, acupoint injection, etc. were selected as the subject words for retrieving the related papers form domestic and foreign medical databases. The RCT was used as the enrolled criteria, and the clinical cure rate, markedly effective rate, total effective rate, and the scores of the Fatigue Assessment Instrument Questionnaire (FAI) and fatigue scale (FS) were used as the assessment indexes. The statistical package (RevMan 4.2) was used to review management and analysis of 13 papers. RESULTS: A total of 28 papers were enrolled. Logistic regression analysis showed that the total odds ratio (OR) was 4.56, with 95% confidence interval (CI) [2.84, 7.33] for the total effective rate in 10 studies, the total OR was 2.07 with 95% CI [1.49, 2.88] for the markedly effective rate in 8 studies, and the total OR was 2.51 with 95% CI [1.64, 3.85] for the clinical cure rate in 8 studies. The weighted mean difference (WMD) was -29.52 with 95% CI [-36.17, -22.88] for the FAI score in 3 studies, and the WMD -1.22 with 95% CI [-1.77, -0.67] for the FS score in 4 studies. The therapeutic effect in the treatment group of CFS was superior to that in the control group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture therapy is effective for CFS, but still needs being confirmed by more high-quality studies.

[The method and influencing factors of alkalescency protein purification from bitter melon (Momordica charantia) seeds by polyacrylicacid precipitation].

In this study, polyacrylicacid precipitation alkalescence protein from Momordica charantia L. seeds was studied, and the effect of conditions on experiment was also evaluated. Isoelectric precipitation is achieved by adjusting the pH of a protein solution and is based on that a protein's solubility is at minimum at its pI. The sample was titrated to pH 6.0 with citric acid, and 14.62% proteins were precipitated. With hydrochloric acid to pH 4.0, 32.49% proteins were precipitated. With the acetic acid to pH 6.0 and pH 4.0, 26.17% and 38.72% proteins were precipitated, respectively. In the 1 mL Bitter melon seeds extraction(pH 4.0) adjusted by acetic acid, hydrochloric acid and citric acid, the optimum dosage of PAA (1%) precipiting alkalescency protein (pl 8.65-9.30) was 100 microL, 120 microL and 100 microL, respectively. The respective extraction (1mL) was titrated to pH 5.0, pH 4.0, and pH 3.0 by acetic acid. After isoelectric precipitation, the PAA precipitation protein was performed. When concentration of PAA (1%) was 160 microL/mL, the protein decreased in the supernatant was 33.77% at pH 5.0, and 43.56% at pH 3.0. When concentration of PAA (1%) was 120 microL/mL, the protein decreased in the supernatant was 30.83% at pH 4.0. PAA-Protein complex could redissolve in alkaline conditions (pH > 9.0) and the protein most easilly redissolved when the NaCL was 3.0%. The bitter melon seeds extraction after PAA purification flowed through the Sephadex G-75 columns. The peaks I and II were obtained after 175 min and 300 min, respectively. SDS-PAGE and IEF analysis showed that the molecule weight from peaks I was 30 kD with pI 9.5, peaks II 10 kD with pI 9.3.