Antifungal mechanism of rose, mustard, and their blended essential oils against Cladosporium allicinum isolated from Xinjiang naan and its storage application.

AIMS: To reveal the inhibition mechanism of rose, mustard, and blended essential oils against Cladosporium allicinum isolated from Xinjiang naan, and investigate the effect of the three essential oils on oxidative damage and energy metabolism. METHODS AND RESULTS: Rose and mustard essential oils significantly inhibited mycelial growth and spore viability in a dose-dependent relationship. After essential oil treatment, the cell membrane permeability was altered, and significant leakage of intracellular proteins and nucleic acids occurred. SEM observations further confirmed the disruption of cell structure. ROS, MDA, and SOD measurements indicated that essential oil treatment induced a redox imbalance in C. allicinum, leading to cell death. As for energy metabolism, essential oil treatment significantly reduced Na+K+-ATPase, Ca2+Mg2+-ATPase, MDH activity, and CA content, impairing metabolic functions. Finally, storage experiments showed that all three essential oils ensured better preservation of naan, with mustard essential oil having the best antifungal effect. CONCLUSIONS: Rose and mustard essential oils and their blends can inhibit C. allicinum at multiple targets and pathways, destroying cell morphological structure and disrupting metabolic processes.

[Effect of electroacupuncture on urodynamics and expression of Wnt-1, ß-catenin, and Ngn1 in the spinal cord in rats with bladder detrusor hyperreflexia due to supersacral spinal cord transection].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Dazhui" (GV14) and "Ciliao" (BL32) on rats with bladder detrusor hyperreflexia (DH) after supersacral spinal cord transection, as well as the mechanism of EA in improving the urinary function by regulating the expression of Wnt-1, ß-catenin and Neurogenin 1(Ngn1). METHODS: A total of 48 female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham-operation group, model control group, EA group, and EA control group, with 12 rats in each group. T10 spinal cord transection (SCT) was performed by surgery. The Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan (BBB) score was used to evaluate the motor function of SCT rat, and the Crede technique was used to assist urination. After the urine volume became stable, the urodynamic test was used to determine whether a rat model of DH was successfully established. The rats in the EA group were given EA at GV14 and BL32, and those in the EA control group were given EA (10 Hz/50 Hz, 20 min) at the acupuncture points at 1 cm next to GV14 and BL32 at both sides alternatively. EA was performed once a day for one week. Urodynamic parameters were used to evaluate urinary function. Western blot and immunohistochemistry were used to measure the expression of Wnt-1 and ß-catenin in the spinal cord, and immunofluorescence assay was used to measure the expression of Ngn1 in the spinal cord. RESULTS: The BBB score of the model control group significantly decreased compared with that of the sham-operation group(P<0.01), and the EA group was significantly higher than the model control group and the EA control group. Compared with the sham-operation group, the model control group had significant increases in bladder base pressure, maximum pressure, and leak point pressure (P<0.01) and significant reductions in maximum bladder capacity and compliance (P<0.01). Compared with the model control group, the EA group had significant reductions in bladder base pressure, maximum pressure, and leak point pressure (P<0.01) and significant increases in maximum bladder capacity and compliance (P<0.01, P<0.05). Compared with the EA group, the EA control group had significant increases in bladder base pressure, maximum pressure, and leak point pressure (P<0.01) and significant reductions in maximum bladder capacity and compliance (P<0.01, P<0.05). Compared with the sham-operation group, the model control group had significant increases in the protein expression of Wnt-1 and ß-catenin (P<0.05, P<0.01) and a signi-ficant reduction in the protein expression of Ngn1 in the spinal cord (P<0.01). Compared with the model control group, the EA group had significant increases in the protein expression of Wnt-1, ß-catenin and Ngn1 in the spinal cord (P<0.01). Compared with the EA group, the EA control group had significant reductions in the protein expression of Wnt-1, ß-catenin, and Ngn1 in the spinal cord (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: EA at GV14 and BL32 can significantly improve urinary function in rats with bladder DH due to SCT, partially by activating the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway and promoting the protein expression of Wnt-1, ß-catenin and Ngn1.

[Correlation study between accumulation of triterpenoids and expression of relative genes in Alisma orientale].

To research the correlation between accumulation of triterpenoids and expression of key enzymes genes in triterpenoid biosynthesis of Alisma orientale,the study utilized UPLC-MS/MS method to detect eight triterpenoids content in the tuber of A. orientale from different growth stages,including alisol A,alisol A 24 acetate,alisol B,alisol B 23 acetate,alisol C 23 acetate,alisol F,alisol F 24 acetate and alisol G,and then the Real time quantitative PCR was used to analyze the expression of key enzymes genes HMGR and FPPS in triterpenoid biosynthesis. Correlation analysis showed that there was a significant positive relation between the total growth of these eight triterpenoids and the average relative expression of HMGR and FPPS(HMGR: r = 0. 998,P<0. 01; FPPS: r = 0. 957,P<0. 05),respectively. Therefore,the study preliminarily determined that HMGR and FPPS genes could regulate the biosynthesis of triterpenoids in A. orientale,which laid a foundation for further research on the biosynthesis and regulation mechanism of triterpenoids in A. orientale.

[Effects of different psychological interventions on relieving orthodontic pain in patients with different personalities: a preliminary study].

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of different psychological interventions on relieving orthodontic pain in patients with different personalities. METHODS: Three hundred patients were involved and randomized into five groups:control group, cognitive therapy group, music therapy group, muscle relaxation group and suggestion therapy group. Eysenck personality questionnaire was used to evaluate personality traits of patients, and visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to assess patients' intensity of orthodontic pain at 2, 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h after initial archwire placement.The VAS scores were analyzed via repeated measures analysis of variance with SPSS 16.0 software package. RESULTS: The cognitive group,music group, muscle relaxation group and suggestion group were reported lower pain than control group (P<0.001). The music group showed a greater decrease in VAS than other four groups in patients with a tendency of extroversion and stable mood (P<0.01).The suggestion group showed less pain than cognitive group in patients with a tendency of extroversion and unstable mood (P<0.05).For patients with other personality traits, there was no significant difference among the four intervention groups. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive therapy, music therapy, muscle relaxation and suggestion therapy could relieve orthodontic pain effectively. For patients with a tendency of extroversion and stable mood, music therapy was the first choice to control orthodontic pain. Cognitive therapy could be used for patients with other personality traits.

[Clinical observation on acupuncture for treatment of male osteoporosis].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the therapeutic effects of acupuncture combined with drug and simple drug for treatment of male osteoporosis. METHODS: Fifty-five cases were divided into an observation group (25 cases) and a control group (30 cases) randomly. The observation group was treated with acupuncture and moxibustion at Pishu (BL 20), Shenshu (BL 23), Mingmen (GV 4), Shenque (CV 8) and so on combined with taking Alendronate, while the control group was treated with taking Alendronate simply. The improvement of both Integral of Clinical Symptoms (ICS) and Bone Mineral Density (BMD) of two groups was observed after 6 months treatment. RESULTS: The ICS of two groups after treatment both decreased significantly (both P < 0.001), and the decreasing degree in observation group was more significant than that in control group (P < 0.001). The BMD of lumbar vertebrae and femur in observation group increased obviously than that before treatment (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The increasing degree of BMD of lumbar vertebrae in observation group after treatment was more obvious than that in control group (P < 0.05). There were abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, dyspepsia and other adverse reaction in control group, while the degree and occurrence rate of those in observation group alleviated and decreased obviously. CONCLUSION: The effect of acupuncture combined with drug for treatment of male osteoporosis is good with little adverse reaction. This method is better than taking Alendronate.

[The effect of chimonin on collagen metabolism of pulmonary arterioles in chronic hypoxic rats].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect and mechanism of chimonin on pulmonary arterioles I and III type collagen metabolism in pulmonary hypertension rats induced by chronic hypoxic hypercapnia. METHODS: Thirty-six Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal control group(A), hypoxic hypercapnic group(B), hypoxic hypercapnia + chimonin group(C). Collagen I, III and their mRNA, Blood CO concentration (COHb%), activity of HO-1 in blood serum and lung homogenate, content of hydroxyproline in lung homogenate, pulmonary arteriole micromorphometric index were observed. RESULTS: Hypoxic hypercapnic rats's mPAP, Hyr of lung homogenate, content of I type collagen and I type collagen mRNA in pulmonary arterioles, were significantly higher than those in control group, pulmonary vessel remodeling of hypoxic hypercapnic rats was significant, those changes in hypercapnia + chimonin group were significantly lower than those in hypoxic hypercapnic group. Blood CO concentration, activity of HO-1 in blood serum and lung homogenate in rats of hypoxic hypercapnic rats were significantly higher than those of control group, and those of hypercapnia + chimonin group were even higher than hypoxic hypercapnic group (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in mCAP, content of III type collagen and their mRNA in three groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Chimonin can reduce pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary vessel remodeling induced by hypoxic hypercapnia through inhibiting proliferation of collagen I, the mechanism maybe is up regulating endogenous carbon monoxide system.