A Traditional Chinese Medicine Plant Extract Prevents Alcohol-Induced Osteopenia.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been practiced in the treatment of bone diseases and alcoholism. Chronic excessive alcohol use results in alcohol-induced bone diseases, including osteopenia and osteoporosis, which increases fracture risk, deficient bone repair, and osteonecrosis. This preclinical study investigated the therapeutic effects of TCM herbal extracts in animal models of chronic excessive alcohol consumption-induced osteopenia. TCM herbal extracts (Jing extracts) were prepared from nine Chinese herbal medicines, a combinative herbal formula for antifatigue and immune regulation, including Astragalus, Cistanche deserticola, Dioscorea polystachya, Lycium barbarum, Epimedium, Cinnamomum cassia, Syzygium aromaticum, Angelica sinensis, and Curculigo orchioides. In this study, Balb/c male mice were orally administrated alcohol (3.2 g/kg/day) with/without TCM herbal extracts (0.125 g/kg, 0.25 g/kg, or 0.5 g/kg) by gavage. Our results showed that after 50 days of oral administration, TCM herbal extracts prevented alcohol-induced osteopenia demonstrated by µ-CT bone morphological analysis in young adults and middle-aged/old Balb/c male mice. Biochemical analysis demonstrated that chronic alcohol consumption inhibits bone formation and has a neutral impact on bone resorption, suggesting that TCM herbal extracts (Jing extracts) mitigate the alcohol-induced abnormal bone metabolism in middle-aged/old male mice. Protocatechuic acid, a natural phenolic acid in Jing extracts, mitigates in vivo alcohol-induced decline of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) gene expression in the bone marrow of Balb/c male mice and in vitro ALP activity in pre-osteoblast MC3T3-E1 cells. Our study suggests that TCM herbal extracts prevent chronic excessive alcohol consumption-induced osteopenia in male mice, implying that traditional medicinal plants have the therapeutic potential of preventing alcohol-induced bone diseases.

Effects of different dosing modes of calcium nitrate on P locking in sediment and nutrient concentrations in waters.

Sediment is an endogenous pollution source, which often leads water systems to eutrophication due to the release of nutrients, especially phosphorus (P). Calcium nitrate (CN) was dosed to the water systems under different modes to control P release from the sediments in this study. A 63-day static laboratory test was conducted to explore the effects of intermittent dosing and one-time dosing modes of CN on P locking in the sediment and the concentrations of nitrogen (N) and P in waters. Results showed that 89% total phosphorus (TP) in the overlying water and 91% TP in the interstitial water of sediment were reduced in the intermittent dosing reactor, which were 4% and 13% higher than those in the one-time dosing reactor, respectively. Thus, the concentration of TP in the overlying water of the dosing reactors was both below 0.1 mg/L during the whole experiment. Meanwhile, the mean values of oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) in the sediment increased to - 110.7 ± 42.02 mV when CN was added intermittently, which were significantly higher than those of the one-time dosing reactor (- 158.3 ± 44.61 mV) and control reactor (- 320.7 ± 0.05 mV). Compared with one-time dosing mode, the intermittent dosing not only reduced the maximum concentrations of NO2--N from 9.21 to 1.79 mg/L and NO3--N from 92.42 to 27.58 mg/L but also shorten their retention time in the overlying water, which might depress the toxic threats to aquatic animals in water environments. Therefore, the intermittent dosing of CN could not only improve the P locking effect but also minimize the risks to aquatic animals in water environments under the premise of reasonable dosage selected. In a word, this research provided an effective operation mode for locking P with CN in the heavily polluted water bodies, which is also advantageous to avoid toxic threats to aquatic animals in water environment.

Release characteristics of nitrogen and phosphorus from sediments formed under different supplemental water sources in Xi'an moat, China.

The endogenous release of nutrients from sediments contributes to the eutrophication of landscape water to a certain degree, which depends on the characteristics of sediments. The study explored the characteristics of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) released from two different sediments, which were deposited from reclaimed water (SRW) or surface water (SSW) respectively in Xi'an moat. This paper aimed to compare the effects of nutrient release from SRW and SSW on the water quality. Results showed that the maximum increase rates reached 1.21 mg TN/(L·day) and 0.11 mg TP/(L·day), respectively, in the overlying water of SRW, which were 1.6 and 2.8 times those of SSW. The released amounts of SRW were 0.192 mg TN/g and 0.038 mg TP/g, which were 4.1 and 12.7 times those of SSW. Meanwhile, the densities of benthic algae in SRW and SSW were 5.605 × 109 and 2.846 × 108 cells/L, respectively. Moreover, the species number and individual sizes of benthic algae in SRW were also larger than those in SSW, which played an important role in the nitrogen circulation. Unexpectedly, oxidation reduction potential (ORP) level of SRW was lower than that of SSW, although SRW has a higher dissolved oxygen level. Therefore, the N and P concentrations in the overlying water of SRW were considerably higher than those of SSW, which was mainly attributed to the higher nutrient contents and lower ORP in SRW.

Glaucoma Drainage Device Coated with Mitomycin C Loaded Opal Shale Microparticles to Inhibit Bleb Fibrosis.

Excessive fibrosis is the topmost factor for the defeat of surgical glaucoma drainage device (GDD) implantation. Adjuvant drug approaches are promising to help reduce the scar formation and excessive fibrosis. Opal shale (OS), as a natural state and noncrystalline silica substance with poriferous nature and strong adsorbability, is highly likely to undertake drug loading and delivery. Here, we employed OS microparticles (MPs) by ultrasound and centrifugation and presented an innovative and improved GDD coated with OS MPs, which were loaded with mitomycin C (MMC). MMC-loaded OS MPs were physically absorbed on the Ahmed glaucoma valve surface through OS' adsorbability. About 5.51 µg of MMC was loaded on the modified Ahmed glaucoma valve and can be released for 18 days in vitro. MMC-loaded OS MPs inhibited fibroblast proliferation and showed low toxicity to primary Tenon's fibroblasts. The ameliorated drainage device was well tolerated and effective in reducing the fibrous reaction in vivo. Hence, our study constructed an improved Ahmed glaucoma valve using OS MPs without disturbing aqueous humor drainage pattern over the valve surface. The modified Ahmed glaucoma valve successfully alleviated scar tissue formation after GDD implantation surgery.

Glutamine supplementation provides neuroprotection by inhibiting microglia-mediated neuroinflammatory response after traumatic brain injury in rats / 中华临床营养杂志

Objective To investigate the effects and mechanisms of Glutamine (Gln) supplementation on neurobehavioral outcome,neuronal apoptosis,microglia polarization,and neuroinflammatory response after traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rats.Methods TBI animal models were established using Feeney's method.Sixty Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups:control group (Con),traumatic brain injury group (TBI),and glutamine supplementation group (TBI+Gln).We measured rat behavioral outcomes by modified neurologic severity score (mNSS) tests at day 1,3,7 and 14 after TBI.Apoptotic neurons were determined by Nissl staining.The microglia polarization relatived protein (Iba-1,CD16,CD86) expressions in TBI cerebral cortices were determined by immunohistochemistry staining and western blotting,respectively.While,the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α),interleukin (IL)-1 and interferon (IFN)-γ were tested by enzyme linked immunosorbent Assay (ELISA).Results Compared with the Con group,the levels of neurobehavioral outcome,neurons apoptosis,microglia polarization and neuroinflammatory factors were significantly increased in the other two groups (P=0.00).Compared with the TBl group,glutamin supplementation improvedneurobehavioral outcome [7 d:(10.74±0.25) points vs.(8.94±0.24) points,P=0.01;14 d:(8.77± 0.16) points vs.(7.43±0.13) points,P=0.03].Meanwhile,glutamin supplementation suppressed the apoptotic rates of neurons [3d:(80.18±8.38)％ vs.(65.47±7.02)％,P=0.01;7 d:(58.90±6.12)％ vs.(42.73±4.88)％,P=0.01;14d:(39.56±2.95)％vs.(31.12±3.16)％,P=0.01],inhibited protein expressions of Iba-1 and CD16,and increased the protein expression of CD86,which promoted the phenotypic shift of microglia from M1 to M2 phenotype,inhibited microglial activation,and thus reduced TBI-induced neuroinflammatory factors [TNF-α:(125.42 ± 12.81) pg/ml vs.(74.36 ± 9.25) pg/ml,P =0.01;IL-1:(69.04±8.48) pg/ml vs.(34.73±3.92) pg/ml,P=0.01;TNF-α:(89.75±9.40) pg/ml vs.(45.62±6.64) pg/ml,P=0.02].Conclusion Glutamine supplementation can markedly reduce neuron apoptosis and improve neurological outcomes after TBI,possibly mediated by promoting the phenotypic shift of microglia from M1 to M2 phenotype and thus reducing TBI-induced neuroinflammatory factors.

Chinese tuina downregulates the elevated levels of tissue plasminogen activator in sciatic nerve injured Sprague-Dawley rats / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To elucidate the mechanism of Chinese tuina in treating sciatic nerve crush injury, and to detect the levels of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), which is thought to play an important role in nerve regeneration.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-two adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to sciatic nerve crush injury and 16 rats (sham-operated group) went through a sham operation. Control group was given no treatment while tuina group received tuina therapy since day 7 post-surgery. Tuina treatment was performed once a day and lasted for 20 days. The sciatic functional index was examined every 5 days during the treatment session. The rats' gastrocnemius muscles were evaluated for changes in mass and immunohistochemistry techniques were performed to detect the levels of tPA and PAI-1.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Tuina therapy improved the motor function of sciatic nerve injured rats (P<0.05), however, it did not increase muscle volume (P<0.05). Tuina downregulated the levels of tPA and PAI-1 (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The present study implies that tuina treatment could accelerate rehabilitation of peripheral nerve injury.</p>

Protective effects of traditional Tibetan medicine Zuo-Mu-A Decoction () on the blood parameters and myocardium of high altitude polycythemia model rats / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the protective effects of Tibetan medicine Zuo-Mu-A Decoction (, ZMAD) on the blood parameters and myocardium of high altitude polycythemia (HAPC) model rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups by a random number table, including the normal, model, Rhodiola rosea L. (RRL) and ZMAD groups (10 in each group). Every group was raised in Lhasa to create a HAPC model except the normal group. After modeling, rats in the RRL and the ZMAD groups were administered intragastrically with RRL (20 mL/kg) and ZMAD (7.5 mL/kg) once a day for 2 months, respectively; for the normal and the model groups, 5 mL of distilled water was administered intragastrically instead of decoction. Then routine blood and hematologic rheology parameters were taken, levels of erythropoietin and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were tested, and ultrastructural change in the left ventricular myocardium was observed using transmission electron microscopy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the model group, ZMAD significantly reduced the red blood cell count, hemoglobin levels, whole blood viscosity at low/middle shear rates, plasma viscosity, erythrocyte electrophoretic time, erythropoietin and 8-OHdG levels, and also increased the erythrocyte deformation index (P<0.05). There was no difference in all results between the RRL and the ZMAD groups. The cardiac muscle fibers were well-protected, mitochondrial matrix swelled mildly and ultrastructure changes were less prominent in the ZMAD group compared with the model group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>ZMAD has significant protective effects on the blood parameters against HAPC, and also has the beneficial effect in protecting against myocardial injury.</p>

Research on fractal tones generating method for tinnitus rehabilitation based on musical instrument digital interface technology / 生物医学工程学杂志

Tinnitus is a subjective sensation of sound without external stimulation. It has become ubiquitous and has therefore aroused much attention in recent years. According to the survey, ameliorating tinnitus based on special music and reducing pressure have good effects on the treatment of it. Meantime, vicious cycle chains between tinnitus and bad feelings have been broken. However, tinnitus therapy has been restricted by using looping music. Therefore, a method of generating fractal tones based on musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) technology and pink noise has been proposed in this paper. The experimental results showed that the fractal fragments were self-similar, incompletely reduplicate, and no sudden changes in pitches and would have a referential significance for tinnitus therapy.