Cooperated biotransformation of ginsenoside extracts into ginsenoside 20(S)-Rg3 by three thermostable glycosidases.

AIMS: The aim of this work was to transform ginsenoside extract into the pharmacologically active minor ginsenoside 20(S)-Rg3 by three thermostable glycosidases. METHODS AND RESULTS: The GH1 thermostable beta-glucosidase Tpebgl1 from Thermotoga petrophlia was found to have the ability to convert ginsenosides Rb1 and Rb2. Its properties concerning ginsenoside conversion were systematically investigated. It had high specific activity on pNPG (162·20 U mg-1 ) and pNPArp (22·14 U mg-1 ). The Km and Vmax of Tpebgl1 for pNPG were 0·28 mmol l-1 and 470·2 U mg-1 and for pNPArp were 17·30 mmol l-1 and 74·28 U mg-1 . Therefore, it could successfully convert ginsenosides Rb1 and Rb2 into ginsenoside Rd, which has been proven by experiments in this paper then. Tpebgl1 also had good tolerance to glucose and some organic solvents. These made Tpebgl1 a good catalyst candidate for industrial application. Finally, it was applied to convert ginsenoside extract into the pharmacologically active minor ginsenoside 20(S)-Rg3, combined with thermostable ginsenoside Rc converting α-1,6-l-arabinofranosidase Tt-Afs and ginsenoside Rd converting ß-glucosidase Tpebgl3. A quantity of 10 g l-1 of ginsenoside extract was transformed into 3·93 g l-1 of Rg3 at 90°C, pH 5·0 for 3 h, with a corresponding molar conversion of 98·19%. CONCLUSION: The thermostable enzyme Tpebgl1 was found to be a ginsenoside-converting enzyme and successfully applied in the preparation of ginsenoside 20(S)-Rg3 from ginsenoside extract. The three-step cooperate  transformation system of ginsenoside extract was established by using Tpebgl1, Tt-Afs (a thermostable ginsenoside Rc converting α-1,6-l-arabinofranosidase) and Tpebgl3 (a thermostable ginsenoside Rb1 converting ß-glucosidase). SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Converting all the major ginsenosides into protopanaxadiol-type ginsenoside extract would greatly reduce the cost of ginsenoside Rg3 preparation. Enzymes from thermophilic bacteria can meet the requirement of higher reaction temperatures in industrial reactions for substrate solubility promotion and bacterial contamination prevention.

Response of broiler chickens to dietary soybean bioactive peptide and coccidia challenge.

Growth performance, nutrient digestibility, jejunal morphology, plasma cytokine, and gene expression responses of broiler chickens (Cobb 500) to graded concentrations of dietary soybean bioactive peptide (SBP) and coccidia challenge (CC) were investigated in 2 experiments. In experiment 1, 384 male broiler chicks were used to investigate the effect of graded dietary concentrations of SBP on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and intestinal morphology in a randomized complete block design with 8 replicate cages and 6 diets. Corn-soybean meal-based diet was supplemented with 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 g of SBP/kg of diet. There were linear effects (P < 0.05) of graded concentrations of SBP on BW, BW gain, gain:feed, ileal villus height, and jejunal crypt depth at day 22 post hatching. There were linear effects (P < 0.01) of graded SBP concentrations on Ileal DM and energy digestibility. Experiment 2 was conducted to investigate the immune-protective properties of SBP on broiler chickens during a coccidia challenge. A total of 256 male broiler chicks were randomly assigned to 8 replicate cages in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments with 2 SBP levels (0 or 4 g/kg of diet) and with or without CC. On day 14 post hatching, birds in the challenged group received 20×, which is twice the recommended coccidia vaccine dose of 25 doses/kg BW, whereas the non-challenged group received physiological saline. Dietary SBP ameliorated the CC-induced effect (P = 0.01) on gain: feed. Coccidia challenge reduced (P < 0.05) jejunal villi height, whereas dietary SBP supplementation increased (P < 0.05) jejunal villi height. Dietary SBP attenuated the CC-induced effects (P < 0.05) on the expression of plasma IL-1ß, transforming growth factor-ß, claudin-1, and occludin genes. In conclusion, dietary SBP improved growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and jejunal morphology. In addition, dietary SBP reduced the impact of coccidia challenge, and may be beneficial in the feed of broiler chickens for alleviation of health-related effects of coccidia infection.

Anti-atherosclerotic effect of Longxuetongluo Capsule in high cholesterol diet induced atherosclerosis model rats.

Chinese dragon's blood, the red resin of Dracaena cochinchinensis, one of the famous traditional medicines, has been used to promote blood circulation, disperse blood stasis, stop bleeding, relieve pain and muscle regeneration for thousands of years. The aims of this study were to evaluate the anti-atherosclerotic effect of Longxuetongluo Capsule (LTC), which made by total phenolic compounds of Chinese dragon's blood, in high cholesterol diet (HCD)-induced atherosclerosis model rats and explore the possible mechanism. Atherosclerosis rats were induced by administration of HCD for 4 weeks and treated with atorvastatin (2.08mg/kg/d) or various concentrations of LTC (81, 162 and 324mg/kg/d) for additional 4 weeks. Body weight (BW), lipid profiles, serum VCAM-1, ICAM-1, MCP-1, AST and ALT were then tested. Histopathological evaluation of aorta and liver were determined by hematoxylin and eosin staining. NF-κB expression in aorta was detected by Immunohistochemical staining. Meanwhile, the inhibition effects of LTC on the migration and proliferation and Intracellular Ca2+ levels induced by PDGF-BB were also evaluated in rat aortic smooth muscle cells (A7r5). The results demonstrated that LTC produced a significant anti-atherosclerotic activity in terms of reduction in serum lipids and lipoprotein profile, VCAM-1, ICAM-1, MCP-1, AST, ALT levels, and increase in HDL-c level compared to atherosclerotic group. Rats treated with LTC not only attenuated the pathological region and atheroma formation, but also reduced hepatic steatosis and inflammatory cell infiltration. Immunohistochemical analysis showed LTC reduced NF-κB expression in aorta. Furthermore, PDGF-BB induced proliferation and migration of A7r5 and intracellular calcium rise were also abrogated by LTC. The results indicate that LTC prevents atherosclerosis and fatty liver by controlling lipid metabolism, the underlying mechanism may attributed to its anti-inflammation activity, regulation of the vascular smooth muscle function and intracellular calcium signaling.

Impaired synaptic vesicle recycling contributes to presynaptic dysfunction in lipoprotein lipase-deficient mice.

Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is expressed at high levels in hippocampal neurons, although its function is unclear. We previously reported that LPL-deficient mice have learning and memory impairment and fewer synaptic vesicles in hippocampal neurons, but properties of synaptic activity in LPL-deficient neurons remain unexplored. In this study, we found reduced frequency of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) and readily releasable pool (RRP) size in LPL-deficient neurons, which led to presynaptic dysfunction and plasticity impairment without altering postsynaptic activity. We demonstrated that synaptic vesicle recycling, which is known to play an important role in maintaining the RRP size in active synapses, is impaired in LPL-deficient neurons. Moreover, lipid assay revealed deficient docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA) in the hippocampus of LPL-deficient mice; exogenous DHA or AA supplement partially restored synaptic vesicle recycling capability. These results suggest that impaired synaptic vesicle recycling results from deficient DHA and AA and contributes to the presynaptic dysfunction and plasticity impairment in LPL-deficient neurons.

Genetic diversity analysis of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) by inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers.

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) is not only a nutrient-rich vegetable but also an important medicinal herb. Inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers were employed to investigate the genetic diversity and differentiation of 24 okra genotypes. In this study, the PCR products were separated by electrophoresis on 8% nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel and visualized by silver staining. The 22 ISSR primers produced 289 amplified DNA fragments, and 145 (50%) fragments were polymorphic. The 289 markers were used to construct the dendrogram based on the unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic average (UPGMA) cluster analysis. The dendrogram indicated that 24 okras were clustered into 4 geographically distinct groups. The average polymorphism information content (PIC) was 0.531929, which showed that the majority of primers were informative. The high values of allele frequency, genetic diversity, and heterozygosity showed that primer-sample combinations produced measurable fragments. The mean distances ranged from 0.045455 to 0.454545. The dendrogram indicated that the ISSR markers succeeded in distinguishing most of the 24 varieties in relation to their genetic backgrounds and geographical origins.

Prognostic impact of pERK in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with sorafenib.

BACKGROUND: Sorafenib represents the standard of care targeted therapy for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, biomolecules that predict a patient's response to sorafenib treatment for HCC remain largely unknown. Thus, this study was designed to investigate whether phosphorylated ERK (pERK) and members of the sorafenib target or PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway predict the efficacy of sorafenib in advanced HCC patients. METHODOLOGY: From December 2008 to October 2011, pathological specimens from 54 advanced HCC patients received sorafenib treatment were obtained. Clinicopathological variables, treatment response, survival and time to progression (TTP) were recorded. Immunophenotypical analysis was carried out using antibodies against pERK, phosphorylated S6K (pS6K), VEGFR2 and PTEN. RESULTS: The median overall survival (OS) and TTP were 14.2 and 3.4 months, respectively, and the disease control rate (DCR) was 59.3%. Better Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS) (95% CI: 3.27-4.93 m vs. 1.15-2.85 m, p = 0.01), Child-Pugh class A score (95% CI: 3.47-4.53 vs. 1.14-2.06 m, p < 0.01), and higher pERK (3.34-6.66 m vs. 1.33-2.67 m, p = 0.03) and VEGFR2 (3.49-6.52 m vs. 2.15-2.73 m, p = 0.04) immunohistochemical staining score were associated with increased TTP by univariate analysis. The ECOG PS (p = 0.022), Child-Pugh class (p = 0.045) and pERK staining score (p = 0.012) were found to be associated with TTP using multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Sorafenib treatment outcome is favorable in advanced HCC patients who received tumor resection and who have a good ECOG PS and Child-Pugh class A liver function. The pERK immunohistological staining score, ECOG PS and Child-Pugh class may be helpful in determining patients most likely to benefit from sorafenib therapy.

Effect of tea catechins on regulation of cell proliferation and antioxidant enzyme expression in H2 O2 -induced primary hepatocytes of goat in vitro.

Tea catechins (TC) are polyphenols that have potent antioxidant activity. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of TC on antioxidant status of hepatocytes challenged with H2 O2 . Primary hepatocytes of goat were exposed to 1 mm H2 O2 without or with 5, 50 and 500 µg/ml TC. The cells were harvested at 48 h post-treatment to determine effects of TC on proliferation, apoptotic features and membrane integrity of cells, and expression of genes and activities of antioxidant enzymes. H2 O2 exposure caused damage to cells (p < 0.001). A lower concentration of TC (5 µg/ml) displayed a protective effect by inhibiting exorbitant cell proliferation and DNA degradation. Both H2 O2 exposure and TC pre-incubation affected expression of antioxidant enzymes at mRNA and protein levels (p < 0.001). The activities of catalase (CAT) (p = 0.027), CuZn-superoxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD) (p < 0.001) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) (p < 0.001) increased with TC pre-incubation followed by H2 O2 challenge. Changes of CuZn-SOD activity induced by H2 O2 and TC basically paralleled the changes in the corresponding mRNA and protein levels, but the correlation in CAT and GPx expression displayed slightly different patterns at different concentrations of TC. These findings infer that oxidative stress can induce deleterious cellular responses and this unfavourable condition may be alleviated by treatment with TC.

Dietary inclusion of tea catechins changes fatty acid composition of muscle in goats.

This study was conducted to examine dietary tea catechins (TC) supplementation on the fatty acid composition of muscle and ruminal bacteria in goats fed a maize stover-based diet. Forty goats, 8 months old (16.2 ± 1.2 kg), were randomly divided into four equal groups (10 animals in each group) and assigned to four experiment diets with TC supplementation at four levels (0, 2,000, 3,000 and 4,000 mg TC/kg feed, namely TC0, TC2000, TC3000 and TC4000, respectively). After a 60-day feeding period, all the goats were slaughtered and sampled. The results showed that dietary TC inclusion increased the average daily gain (ADG), protein content in the semimembranosus muscle and dry matter in the longissimus dorsi muscle (LD). Dietary TC supplementation increased the ratio of n-6 to n-3 fatty acid, the ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids was higher in TC3000 and TC4000 than in TC0 and TC2000 for LD. The current results implied that dietary inclusion of a suitable TC dose could improve the growth performance and increase the proportions of unsaturated fatty acids in muscle, and the biohydrogenation of ruminal microorganisms might change the profiles of fatty acids in the muscle of growing goats.

Gene expression analysis of oxidative stress and apoptosis in proton-irradiated rat retina.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study was to examine the induction of oxidative stress and apoptosis-associated gene expression profiles in retina after proton irradiation exposure at 0.5 to 4 Gy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One eye of each Sprague-Dawley rat (6 per group) was irradiated with a conformal proton beam to total doses of 0, 0.5, 1 and 4 Gy. Retinal tissues were isolated for characterization of gene expression profiles 6 hours after proton radiation. RESULTS: For oxidative stress, many genes responsible for regulating the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were significantly up-regulated (Fmo2, Gpx2, Noxa1 and Sod3) compared to controls. Several important genes involved in the initiation or activation of apoptotic signaling pathways were significantly up-regulated following irradiation (Fas, Faslg, Trp63 and Trp73). TUNEL assay and caspase-3 immunocytochemical analysis revealed increased apoptotic immunoreactivity following irradiation. CONCLUSION: The data revealed that exposure to proton radiation induced oxidative stress-associated apoptosis. In response to ionizing radiation, the expression of genes involved in pathways mediating apoptosis may be differentially regulated in different dose regimens.

The effect of short tandem repeat loci and low selenium levels on endemic osteoarthritis in China.

BACKGROUND: The etiology of Kashin-Beck disease, an endemic osteochondropathy, is unknown. Environmental factors, including selenium deficiency, have been proposed as potential risk factors, but the onset and frequency of this disease vary among groups with similar environmental exposures. Some cases of osteoarthritis that share similar pathological features with Kashin-Beck disease have been associated with specific chromosomal short tandem repeats. In order to better understand the pathogenesis of Kashin-Beck disease, we examined fifteen short tandem-repeat loci on chromosomes 2 and 11 in patients and control subjects, and assessed the interaction between genetic variants and selenium deficiency. METHODS: DNA samples from 129 patients with Kashin-Beck disease (the Kashin-Beck disease group), seventy-two healthy control subjects from areas where Kashin-Beck disease was endemic (control group 1), and forty-eight healthy control subjects from areas where Kashin-Beck disease was not endemic (control group 2) were collected, and fifteen short tandem repeats were genotyped. The allele frequencies of these short tandem-repeat loci were compared among the three groups. Differences in selenium concentrations among patients and controls were also examined, and the interaction between low selenium levels and the susceptibility loci was calculated. RESULTS: The percentages of subjects with short tandem-repeat alleles D2S338 (290 bp) and D11S4094 (194 bp) in the Kashin-Beck disease group were significantly lower than those in the two control groups, while percentages of D2S305 (320 bp) and D11S4149 (221 bp) were higher than those in the control groups. The percentage of subjects with D11S4149 (217 bp) in the Kashin-Beck disease group was only significantly lower than that in control group 1. The percentages of subjects with D11S912 (106 bp) in both the Kashin-Beck disease group and control group 1 were significantly lower than those in control group 2. Selenium concentrations in serum from subjects in the Kashin-Beck disease group and control group 1 were similar, but both were lower than that of control group 2. The odds ratios of low selenium in serum were between 1.2 and 1.6 (p > 0.05), and the odds ratios of interactions between low selenium and the susceptibility loci ranged between 0.8 and 1.4 (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that variants of the chromosomal short tandem repeats D11S4094, D11S4149, D2S338, and D2S305 are associated with Kashin-Beck disease, and that the frequency of D11S912 polymorphisms varies in geographic areas with high and low prevalences of Kashin-Beck disease. Our data did not show a significant interaction between low selenium and the susceptibility loci in the occurrence of Kashin-Beck disease. The interaction between genetic variabilities and environmental factors can be complex, but our results suggest that genetic factors may be more important than selenium deficiency in the pathogenesis of Kashin-Beck disease.

Effects of yeast culture and fibrolytic enzyme supplementation on in vitro fermentation characteristics of low-quality cereal straws.

The effects of yeast culture and fibrolytic enzyme preparation (containing cellulase and xylanase) on in vitro fermentation characteristics of rice straw, wheat straw, maize stover, and maize stover silage were examined using an in vitro gas production technique. Four levels of yeast culture and fibrolytic enzyme supplements (0, 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 g/kg of straw DM, respectively) were tested in a 4 x 4 factorial arrangement. Supplementation of yeast culture increased the cumulative gas production, theoretical maximum of gas production, rate of gas production, IVDMD, and in vitro OM disappearance (IVOMD), and decreased the lag time for each type of straw. Fibrolytic enzyme supplementation tended to increase cumulative gas production, theoretical maximum of gas production, and rate of gas production; prolonged lag time of gas production; and enhanced IVDMD and IVOMD for 4 types of cereal straws, with the significance of this effect being dependent on the level of supplemented enzymes. There were significant interactions between fibrolytic enzymes and yeast on all in vitro gas production parameters, IVDMD, and IVOMD of each type of straw. The outcome of this research indicated that the application of fibrolytic enzyme preparation and yeast culture could improve in vitro gas production fermentation of cereal straws.

The use of midazolam and small-dose ketamine for sedation and analgesia during local anesthesia.

UNLABELLED: Small-dose ketamine in combination with sedative drugs has increasingly been used for sedation and analgesia in local anesthesia. We compared the clinical efficacy of midazolam with two different ketamine infusion regimens during plastic surgery under local anesthesia. Sixty patients undergoing plastic surgery procedures with local anesthesia were randomly assigned to two groups of 30 patients each in a double-blinded fashion. All patients received a bolus of 0.05 mg/kg midazolam, followed by a stepwise infusion: 1.67 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1) for the first 30 min, then reduced to 1.33 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1) for 90 min and subsequently to 1 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1). Two minutes before the infiltration of local anesthetic solution, a bolus of ketamine 0.3 mg/kg IV was administered, followed by a stepwise infusion of ketamine: Group A, 16.67 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1) for 30 min, 13.3 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1) for 90 min, and subsequently 10 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1); Group B, 8.33 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1) for 30 min, 6.67 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1) for 90 min, and then 5 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1). The level of sedation was evaluated by using the modified Observer's Assessment of Alertness/Sedation scale. We observed the effects of the two ketamine infusion regimens on sedation levels, respiratory and cardiovascular variables, and perioperative side effects. In both groups, midazolam and ketamine produced adequate sedation (with Observer's Assessment of Alertness/Sedation scores of 2-4) without significant respiratory and cardiovascular depression during surgery. However, there were fewer disruptive movements and there was less postoperative vomiting in Group B (P < 0.01). In conclusion, ketamine and midazolam provided satisfactory intraoperative sedation, analgesia, and amnesia in both groups. However, side effects associated with ketamine occurred less often in the smaller-dose ketamine group. IMPLICATIONS: Sedation and analgesia are often provided during local anesthesia. This study demonstrates that a small-dose ketamine infusion in combination with midazolam provided satisfactory intraoperative sedation, analgesia, and amnesia in healthy plastic-surgery patients when it was used to supplement local anesthesia.

DNA postreplication repair and mutagenesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

DNA postreplication repair (PRR) is defined as an activity to convert DNA damage-induced single-stranded gaps into large molecular weight DNA without actually removing the replication-blocking lesions. In bacteria such as Escherichia coli, this activity requires RecA and the RecA-mediated SOS response and is accomplished by recombination and mutagenic translesion DNA synthesis. Eukaryotic cells appear to share similar DNA damage tolerance pathways; however, some enzymes required for PRR in eukaryotes are rather different from those of prokaryotes. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, PRR is centrally controlled by RAD6 and RAD18, whose products form a stable complex with single-stranded DNA-binding, ATPase and ubiquitin-conjugating activities. PRR can be further divided into translesion DNA synthesis and error-free modes, the exact molecular events of which are largely unknown. This error-free PRR is analogous to DNA damage-avoidance as defined in mammalian cells, which relies on recombination processes. Two possible mechanisms by which recombination participate in PRR to resolve the stalled replication folk are discussed. Recombination and PRR are also genetically regulated by a DNA helicase and are coupled to the cell-cycle. The PRR processes appear to be highly conserved within eukaryotes, from yeast to human.

Possible enhancement of the first-pass metabolism of phenacetin by ingestion of grape juice in Chinese subjects.

AIMS: This serendipitous study revealed an unexpected effect of Jufeng grape juice on the CYP1A2-mediated metabolism of phenacetin. Investigation of the inhibition of CYP1A2 by grapefruit juice was involved but a translation error led to the grape juice substitution. METHODS: Twelve healthy subjects took a single oral dose of phenacetin (900 mg) on two randomized occasions together with 200 ml water or grape juice. Plasma phenacetin and paracetamol concentrations were assessed by h.p.l.c. RESULTS: Ingestion of grape juice was associated with reduced plasma phenacetin concentrations, while paracetamol levels were unaffected. Paracetamol to phenacetin AUC ratios increased from 13.9+/-3.1 to 24.3+/-3.8 after ingestion of grape juice. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest enhanced first-pass metabolism of phenacetin, due to CYP1A2 activation by grape juice or to desaturation of CYP1A2 isoenzymes secondary to a slower rate of phenacetin absorption.

Methionine reduces spontaneous and alkylation-induced mutagenesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells deficient in O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase.

The exposure of DNA to reactive intracellular metabolites is thought to be a major cause of spontaneous mutagenesis. DNA alkylation is implicated in the above process by the fact that bacterial and yeast cells lacking DNA alkylation-specific repair genes exhibit elevated spontaneous mutation rates. The origin of the intracellular alkylating molecules is not clear; however, S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) has been proposed as one source because it has a reactive methyl group known to methylate proteins and DNA. We supplemented yeast cultures with excess methionine and examined the effects of increased endogenous SAM concentration on spontaneous and alkylation-induced mutagenesis in the absence of various DNA repair pathways. Our results show that either the excess methionine, or the increased SAM produced as a result of this treatment, is able to protect yeast cells from mutagenesis, and that this effect is alkylation-damage-specific. The protective effect was observed only in the mgt1 mutant deficient in the O(6)-methylguanine-DNA repair methyltransferase, but not in the wild type or other DNA repair-deficient strains, indicating that the protection is specific for O-methyl lesions. Thus, our results may lend support to the recently reported chemopreventive effect of SAM in rodents and further suggest that the observed tumor prevention by SAM may be, in part, due to its suppression of spontaneous mutagenesis in mammals. Given that a strong correlation has been established between O(6)-methylguanine and carcinogenicity, this study may offer a novel approach to preventing carcinogenesis.

Neurobiological mechanisms of the meridian and the propagation of needle feeling along the meridian pathway.

The present experiments attempt to find the meridian phenomenon and how the needle feeling propagates along the given meridian channels. The neurobiological mechanisms of the meridian were studied with neuroelectrical recording from the motor neurons and CB-HRP retrograde histochemistry technique in both rats and cats. The results demonstrated that most, but not all, of alpha motor neurons supplying a muscle group of a given meridian were selectively activated by afferent inputs originating not only from homonymous or heterogeneous, but synergistic muscle, but also from the skin nerve overlying the muscle group of the homonymous meridian. However, the afferent inputs from the heterogeneous meridian have very weak or no effect. On the other hand, the labeled motor neurons supplying a given meridian muscles from a discrete longitudinal column with a definite bound in the lateral ventral horn. There are oriented dendro-dendristes projections between the labeled motor neurons. The characteristics of both selective responses of the motor neurons to afferent inputs and their neuro-anatomical arrangements in spinal cord offer neurobiological evidence for the meridian phenomenon.

[Modern history of gynecology in China].

Dealing with the modern history (1850-1949) of the establishment and development of Gynecology in China, this paper claims that the sprouting period covers the time prior to 1899. After 1991 Gynecology developed steadily due to the advancement of surgery, pathology, bacteriology and anesthesiology. During this period, there were definite improvements in Gynecology diagnosis, treatment of pelvic inflammation and gynecological endocrinology.

[History of modern obstetrics in western medicine in china].

This paper deals with the developmental history of western medicine in China. Due to the hindrance of feudal conception, modern obstetrics began rather late. The first Chinese obstetrical ward was established in Fujian Province in 1911. Before 1930, the Chinese maternal and neonatal mortality rates were 4-5 times higher than that of European and American countries. After 1930, "Education of Midwives" commenced, including the founding of midwifery school, antenatal care, pelvie measurements, improvements of the diagnosis for pathological pregnancy, management of complications during pregnancy. All these have improved modern obstetrics in China and laid down the foundation for its development after 1949.