Corticospinal-motor neuronal plasticity promotes exercise-mediated recovery in humans with spinal cord injury.

Rehabilitative exercise in humans with spinal cord injury aims to engage residual neural networks to improve functional recovery. We hypothesized that exercise combined with non-invasive stimulation targeting spinal synapses further promotes functional recovery. Twenty-five individuals with chronic incomplete cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spinal cord injury were randomly assigned to 10 sessions of exercise combined with paired corticospinal-motor neuronal stimulation (PCMS) or sham-PCMS. In an additional experiment, we tested the effect of PCMS without exercise in 13 individuals with spinal cord injury with similar characteristics. During PCMS, 180 pairs of stimuli were timed to have corticospinal volleys evoked by transcranial magnetic stimulation over the primary motor cortex arrive at corticospinal-motor neuronal synapses of upper- or lower-limb muscles (depending on the injury level), 1-2 ms before antidromic potentials were elicited in motor neurons by electrical stimulation of a peripheral nerve. Participants exercised for 45 min after all protocols. We found that the time to complete subcomponents of the Graded and Redefined Assessment of Strength, Sensibility and Prehension (GRASSP) and the 10-m walk test decreased on average by 20% after all protocols. However, the amplitude of corticospinal responses elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation and the magnitude of maximal voluntary contractions in targeted muscles increased on overage by 40-50% after PCMS combined or not with exercise but not after sham-PCMS combined with exercise. Notably, behavioural and physiological effects were preserved 6 months after the intervention in the group receiving exercise with PCMS but not in the group receiving exercise combined with sham-PCMS, suggesting that the stimulation contributed to preserve exercise gains. Our findings indicate that targeted non-invasive stimulation of spinal synapses might represent an effective strategy to facilitate exercise-mediated recovery in humans with different degrees of paralysis and levels of spinal cord injury.

Chamaejasmine Isolated from Wikstroemia dolichantha Diels Suppresses 2,4-Dinitrofluoro-benzene-Induced Atopic Dermatitis in SKH-1 Hairless Mice.

Plants of the genus Wikstroemia have long been used as traditional medicines to treat diseases like pneumonia, rheumatism, and bronchitis. This study was designed to determine the effect of chamaejasmine, a biflavonoid present in W. dolichantha, on atopic dermatitis (AD)-like skin lesions in a 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced murine model of AD. Initially, we examined the anti-allergic activities of ten flavonoids from W. dolichantha by measuring ß-hexosaminidase release from RBL-2H3 cells. Subsequently, an SKH-1 hairless mouse model of AD was developed based on the topical application of DNCB. Chamaejasmine (0.5%) or pimecrolimus (1%, positive control) were applied to dorsal skins of DNCB-sensitized AD mice for two weeks. Serum IL-4 and IgE levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and skin hydration were measured using a Tewameter TM210 and a SKIN-O-MAT, respectively. Of the ten flavonoids isolated from W. dolichantha, chamaejasmine most potently inhibited DNP-specific IgE-induced degranulation in RBL-2H3 cells. Topical administration of chamaejasmine attenuated the clinical symptoms of DNCB-induced dermatitis (i.e., itching, dryness, erythema, and edema). Histological analyses demonstrated that dermal thickness and mast cell infiltration in dermis were significantly reduced by chamaejasmine. In addition, 0.5% chamaejasmine inhibited DNCB-induced increases in total IL-4 and IgE levels in serum, improved skin barrier function, and increased epidermis moisture. Our findings suggest chamaejasmine might be an effective therapeutic agent for the treatment of atopic diseases.

Effect of Topically Applied Wikstroemia dolichantha Diels on the Development of Atopic Dermatitis-Like Skin Symptoms in Mice.

Plants of the genus Wikstroemia are traditionally used to treat inflammatory diseases like bronchitis and rheumatoid arthritis. In the present study, the anti-atopic effects of an EtOH extract of Wikstroemia dolichantha (WDE) on oxazolone- and DNCB (2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene)-induced dermatitis in mice were investigated. Both ears of BALB/c mice were exposed to oxazolone, and dorsal skins of SKH-1 hairless mice were sensitized with DNCB to induce acute eczematous atopic skin lesions. 1% WDE was applied daily to oxazolone- and DNCB-induced AD mice for two or three weeks, respectively. Total IL-4 and IgE concentrations in serum, transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and skin hydration were assessed. High-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) was used to determine the composition of WDE. Dermal application of 1% WDE grossly and histopathologically improved oxazolone- and DNCB-induced AD skin symptoms. Epidermal thickness and mast cell infiltration were significantly lower in animals treated with WDE than in vehicle controls. Furthermore, in addition to reducing DNCB-induced increases in serum IL-4 (interleukin 4) and IgE (immunoglobulin E) levels, WDE also decreased TEWL and increased skin hydration (indicative of improved skin barrier function). The four flavonoids taxifolin, aromadendrin, padmatin and chamaejasmine were tentatively identified in WDE by HPLC-DAD/QTOF-MS. The above results show WDE protected against oxazolone- and DNCB-induced AD in mice by down-regulating the TH2-associated cytokine IL-4 and improving skin barrier function and suggest WDE might be useful for the management of atopic dermatitis.

Anemone rivularis inhibits pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase activity and tumor growth.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Anemone rivularis Buch.-Ham. ex DC. (Ranunculaceae) have been used as a traditional remedy for treatment of inflammation and cancer. However, there is no report demonstrating experimental evidence on anti-tumor action of A. rivularis. AIM OF STUDY: The Warburg's effect, preference of aerobic glycolysis rather than oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) even in oxygen rich condition, is focused as one of major characteristics of malignant tumor. Thus, we investigated the effect of A. rivularis on the Pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) kinases (PDHKs), a major molecular targets for reducing aerobic glycolysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The ethanol extract of whole plant of A. rivularis (ARE), fingerprinted by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), was applied to in vitro and cell-based PDHK activity assays. The effect of ARE on cell viabilities of several tumor cells was estimated by MTT assay. The expression of phosphor-PDH, PDH and PDHK1 were measured by Western blot analysis. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis was measured by fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis, using 5-(and-6)-carboxy-2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (carboxy-H2DCFDA) and Annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) staining, respectively. Mitochondrial membrane potential was examined by tetramethylrhodamine methyl ester (TMRM) staining. In vivo anti-tumor efficacy of ARE was estimated by means of tumor volume and weight using allograft injection of murine Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cells to dorsa of C57BL/6 mice. RESULTS: ARE inhibited the viabilities of several cancer cells, including MDA-MB321, K562, HT29, Hep3B, DLD-1, and LLC. ARE suppressed PDHK activity in in vitro kinase assay, and also inhibited aerobic glycolysis by reducing phosphorylation of PDHA in human DLD-1 colon cancer and murine LLC cells. The expression of PDHK1, a major isoform of PDHKs in cancer, was not affected by ARE treatment. Moreover, ARE increased the both ROS production and mitochondrial damage. In addition, ARE suppressed the in vitro tumor growth through mitochondria-mediated apoptosis. The growth rates of allograft LLC cells were also reduced by ARE treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Here, we firstly report that ARE inhibits PDHK activity and growth of tumor in both in vitro and in vivo experiments. Therefore, we suggest ARE as a potential candidate for developing anti-cancer drugs.

Study on dynamic change law of N, P and K in Panax notoginseng plant soils with different interval year / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study effects of different interval year on Panax notoginseng plant soils macro element content.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The dynamic change of total N, P, K and available N, P, K in soil from Mabai, Matang, Gumu and Panlong was determined under different planting patterns (new soil, interval 5 years soil and continuous cropping soil).</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Contents order of soil total N, P and available N, P were interval 5 years soil > continuous cropping soil > new soil. No significant quarter change on soil total N was found, but the other three showed inverted "v" curve, and the peak value appeared on April 2010. Content of soil total K did not change significantly, but the available K content order was new soil > continuous cropping soil > interval 5 years soil, the quarter change was similar as soil available N or P. The soil total N, P, K and available N, P, K were different of the 4 monitoring sites under the 3 interval planting modes. There was a significant correlation between soil total P and available P under all these 3 interval planting modes, but N and K. The propitiation of N-P-K of new soil, interval 5 years soil and continuous cropping soil were 1: 0.4: 2.4, 1: 0.4:1.4, 1:0. 4:2.0, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Continuous cropping pattern induce the accumulation of P, but deficient of K. The imbalance proportion of N, P and K was one of the incentives of continuous cropping induced obstacles. Strengthen the research of optimum proportion of soil N, P and K, and then eliminate continuous cropping obstacles by means of formulated fertilization is the future research direction.</p>

Double mulching application for Panax notoginseng growing seedlings / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>In order to improve the irrigation for Panax notginseng growing seedlings, different mulching ways were carried out to investigate the effects of double mulching.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Field experiment was applied to study soil moisture, soil temperature and bulk density of different mulching ways while the germination rate and seedlings growth also were investigated.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Compared with the traditional single mulching with pine leaves or straw, double mulching using plastic film combined with pine leaves or straw could reduce 2/3 volumes of irrigation at the early seedling time Double mulching treatments didn't need to irrigate for 40 days from seeding to germination, and kept soil moisture and temperature steady at whole seedling time about 30% and 9.0-16.6 degrees C, respectively. The steady soil moisture and temperature benefited to resist late spring cold and germinate earlier while kept germination regularly, higher rate and seedlings quality. In contrast, single mulching using pine leaves or straw had poor soil moisture and temperature preserving, needed to irrigate every 12-day, meanwhile dropped the germination and booming time 14 days and 24-26 days, respectively, reduced germination rate about 11.3%-8.7%. However, single pine leaves mulching was better than straw mulching. In addition, though better effects of soil moisture and temperature preserving as well as earlier and higher rate of germination with single plastic films mulching had, some disadvantages had also been observed, such as daily soil temperature changed greatly, seedling bed soil hardened easily, more moss and weeds resulted difficulty in later management.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>To the purpose of saving water and labor as well as getting higher germination rate and seedlings quality, double mulching using plastic films combined pine leaves at the early time and single mulching removing plastic films at the later time is suggested to apply in the growing seedlings of P. notoginseng.</p>

Ecological stoichiometry and its application to medicinal plant resources / 中国中药杂志

Ecological stoichiometry is a study of the balance of biological system's energy and the balance of multiple chemical elements. It focuses on the relationship of the element ratio in ecological processes. In this paper, the concept and main theoretical basis of ecological stoichiometry were introduced, and the status of stoichiometry in medicinal plant resources was reviewed. According to the recent development of ecological stoichiometry, the future directions of ecological stoichiometry of medicinal plants could be the study of the relationship between stoichiometric characteristic and growth and secondary metabolism of medicinal plants, and the influence of biotic (or abiotic) factors on the stoichiometric characteristic of medicinal plants.

Advances in Research on Multiple Cropping of Medicinal Plants / 世界科学技术-中医药现代化

Multiple cropping has a long history in China, and been used widely in other countries of the world. Be-cause the multiple cropping of medicinal plants (MCMP) partially alleviates land-use contradiction between medici-nal plants and crops, this cropping system is an optimization for cultivation pattern of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and important for sustainable development of TCM resources. In this paper, we reviewed the concept, devel-opment history, theoretical basis, and main patterns about MCMP, analyzed the effect of multiple cropping on growth, yield, effective components, pest and disease control of medicinal plants, evaluated the ecological and economic ben-efits of MCMP, and discussed issues and prospects in the research of MCMP. This information can be useful for the medicinal plant cultivators.

Correlation analysis soil nutrition as sell as yield and active compounds of Coptis teeta / 中国中药杂志

The correlations between soil nutrition and yield as well as active compound contents of Coptis teeta were analyzed. The contents of 13 soil factors, rhizome biomass and the content of berberine, jatrorrhizine, and palmatine in rhizome of C. teeta were determined, and analyzed by factor analysis (FA) and correlation analysis (CA). FA showed that the first three factors accounted for 86.9% of the total variance. The contents of Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, and Zn correlated with the first factor. The content of organic matter, N, available N, available P, and available K correlated with the second factor. CA showed that yield of C. teeta had a significant positive correlation with available P (r = 0.931) at 0.01 level, and available N (r = 0.703) at 0.05 level. The content of berberine of C. teeta had a significant positive correlation with available P (r = 0.680) at 0.05 level. The yield and berberine content of C. teeta were high in the soil with high contents of available N and available P.

Status and prospective on nutritional physiology and fertilization of Panax notoginseng / 中国中药杂志

Sanqi, Panax notoginseng, is a famous traditional Chinese herb, which has more than 400 years cultivation history in China. This paper has reviewed the studies on the suitable growing soil conditions for Sanqi, mineral nutrition effects on Sanqi, and the effects of nutrients uptake on the yield and quality of Sanqi by applying fertilizer. Thereafter, research needed to be put further efforts in the future has raised for discussion, and outlined the following topics for further research like the mechanism of mineral nutrition, methods of nutrients deficiency diagnosis on site, suitable cultivated soil grading special fertizer development, disease resistance, and fertilization recommended by soil testing.

Correlation and path analysis on artemisinin content and yield with different agronomic traits of Artemisia annua / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To provide the basis for improving utilization of Artemisia annua germplasm resources and breeding variety, the interrelations between artemisinin content, artemisinin yield and agronomic traits of A. annua were studied.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The artemisinin content and each agronomic trait of 63 A. annua germplasm resources were measured by the visual observation and measurement methods. And the correlation analysis, regression analysis and path analysis were adopted.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The result showed that there were significant differences in the artemisinin content and yield of 63 germplasm resources from the main production region of A. annua. Correlation analysis showed that there were significantly positive correlation between leaf weight and artemisinin yield with stem and branch characters, but there were negative correlation between artemisinin content with leaf characters of A. annua plant. The artemisinin content of A. annua increased with the increasing of primary branch number, bottom secondary branch number, and bottom stem diameter, etc. On the other hand, it decreased with the increasing of top secondary branch number, secondary leaf axis length, and bottom branch diameter, etc. The artemisinin yield of A. annua increased with the increasing of artemisinin content, leaf weight, and bottom secondary branch number, etc., and decreased with the increasing of bottom branch diameter, middle secondary branch number, and stem weight, etc. Path analysis showed that the primary branch number and bottom secondary branch number had a direct positive effect on the artemisinin content of A. annua. But the top secondary branch number had a direct negative effect on the artemisinin content of A. annua. The leaf weight and artemisinin content had a direct positive effect on the artemisinin yield and the ratio of leaf/stem, branch weight and stem weight had a direct negative effect.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>On the breeding A. annua variety, it can take into account both high leaf yield and high artemisinin content. And it was strongly recommend that the plant with moderate plant height and crown, shortness pinnae and secondary leaf axis, less middle and top secondary branch, strong stem, higher primary branch number and bottom secondary branch number, and higher ratio leaf/stem could be selected for breeding new varieties with high leaf yield and high artemisinin content.</p>

Effects of mineral nutrition on metabolism of flavonoids in medicinal plants / 中国中药杂志

Flavonoids are an important effective component of traditional Chinese medicine, which are widely distributed in the plant kingdom. The biosynthesis of flavonoid in plants is affected and regulated by various environmental factors. For a necessary environmental factor to plant growth and development, mineral nutrients are paid more and more attention on the regulation to the metabolism of flavonoids in medicinal plants. In this paper, an overview of flavonoids biosynthetic pathway, and the macroelements, microelements and rare earth elements on the metabolism of flavonoids in medicinal plants are presented. And the regulation mechanism of them are also analyzed and discussed.

Effects of phosphate fertilizer on active ingredients and antioxidant activities of Chrysanthemum morifolium / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>In order to provide a scientific fertilizer application for the standardized cultivation, the effects of phosphate (P) fertilizer on the active ingredients and antioxidant activities of Chrysanthemum morifolium were studied.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Pot experiment was adopted to study the effects of P supply on the yield and the content of flavonoids, chlorogenic acid, soluble sugar, soluble amino acids and crude protein of C. morifolium flower. And effects of P supply on the hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, superoxide anion radical scavenging activity, and 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl hydrate (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity of flower were researched too.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The yield of C. morifolium dry flower increased 129. 94% when P fertilizer was applied. Appropriate application of P fertilizer could also significantly improve the content and accumulation of total flavonoids, chlorogenic acid and soluble sugar in C. morifolium. Thus, the inhibition rates of hydroxyl radical, superoxide anion radical and DPPH free radical of C. morifolium was increased. When the level of P supply exceeded 0.20 g P2O5 per plant, P had also negative influence on the yield and the content of active ingredients and the scavenging activity of hydroxyl radical, superoxide anion radical and DPPH free radical of C. morifolium. Furthermore, there were significant positive correlations between the content of total flavonoids and chlorogenic acid and the inhibition rate of hydroxyl radical, superoxide anion radical and DPPH free radical, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Appropriate application of P fertilizer could be beneficial to the increase the active components and antioxidant activity of C. morifolium. And recommended level of P fertilizer is 0.26-0.28 g x kg(-1).</p>

Characteristics of accumulation and distribution of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium in Chrysanthemum morifolium / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the characteristics of dry matter accumulation and N, P, K, Ca and Mg accumulation and distribution of Chrysanthemum morifolium.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The sampling were carried out on the different growing time of C. morifolium, and the amount of dry matter and the content of N, P, K, Ca and Mg in all parts of the plant were measured.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The dry matter accumulation was lineally increased with the absorption and accumulation of N, P, K, Ca, and Mg. In different growing periods, the accumulation and distribution of mineral nutrition were different in C. morifolium. The mineral nutrition was mostly in the leaf of the plant in the vegetative period. When the growth changed from vegetative growth to reproductive growth, the mineral nutrition was transferred and distributed into bud, flower and root shoot. And the period of flower bud differentiation of C. morifolium was the period of maximal accumulation of dry matter and showed the maximum efficiency of N, P and K nutrition. For production of 100 kg dry flower 4.13 kg N, 0.37 kg P, 5.03 kg K, 3.03 kg Ca and 0.81 kg Mg were needed. And the ratio of them was 1:0.09:1.22:0.73:0.20.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The period of flower bud differentiation is the most crucial period in the growth of C. morifolium. And it must pay attention to the supply of mineral nutrition and moisture of plant to promote flower formation and dry matter accumulation in this period. It is strongly recommended that the phosphorus and potassium fertilizers should be early applied, the nitrogenous fertilizer should be applied dividedly, and the calcium magnesium fertilizers are also applied properly.</p>

A case of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome associated with severe hyperemesis gravidarum / 대한산부인과학회잡지

Hypermesis gravidarum is a complication defined as vomiting severe enough to require hospital admission during early pregnancy. Thiamine deficiency is known to lead to certain neurological seguelae including Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. Wernicke's encephalopathy is an illness of acute onset characterized by global confusion, paralysis of eye ball movements, and gate ataxia due to a deficiency of thiamine. The immediate administration of thiamine prevents progression of the disease and reverses brain lesions that have not yet progressed to the point of fixed structural change. We have experienced a case of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome associated with hyperemesis gravidarum, which seemed to be developed by prolonged thiamine-free fluid therapy. We emphasize the need for thiamine supplementation in hyperemesis gravidarum patients.