Meta-analysis of clinical trials focusing on hypertonic dextrose prolotherapy (HDP) for knee osteoarthritis.

Hypertonic dextrose prolotherapy (HDP) is an injection of a concentrated dextrose solution for the purpose of local treatment of musculoskeletal pain and possible enhancement of repair mechanisms. This systematic review and meta-analysis examines the clinical utility of HDP injection for treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) utilizing HDP to treat knee OA were retrieved from MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library (CENTRAL). Identification and inclusion of RCTs utilizing intra-articular and extra-articular administration of HDP vs administration of other injectate or physical therapy as control for knee OA were included. Primary clinical outcomes were changes in knee WOMAC, pain and function score. Secondary outcomes were adverse events related to HDP. For continuous outcomes with same or different measurements, we calculated, respectively the weighted mean difference (WMD) or the standardized mean difference (SMD), respectively. Results were pooled using DerSimonian and Laird random effect models across the included studies and heterogeneity between studies was estimated using the I2 index. Five studies comprising a total of 319 treated patients met inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. At a mean of 22.8 weeks follow-up, HDP treatment significantly improved total WOMAC score (WMD = 13.77, 95% CI: 6.75-20.78; p < 0.001; I2 = 90%), pain (SMD = 1.33, 95% CI: 0.49-2.17; p < 0.001; I2 = 91%) and knee function (SMD = 1.30, 95% CI: 0.45-2.14; p < 0.001; I2 = 91%) compared with control group. There were no severe adverse events related to dextrose injection reported in all the included studies. HDP is a promising treatment for knee OA with a reasonable safety profile. Further research in mechanism of HDP activity and long-term follow-up study will be needed for exploring this novel therapy modality.

A critical analysis of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) complexities, emerging variants, and therapeutic interventions and vaccination strategies.

Coronavirus is a family of viruses that can cause diseases such as the common cold, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The universal outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS coronaviruses 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a global pandemic. The ß-Coronaviruses, which caused SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), have spread in more than 213 countries, infected over 81 million people, and caused more than 1.79 million deaths. COVID-19 symptoms vary from mild fever, flu to severe pneumonia in severely ill patients. Difficult breathing, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), acute kidney disease, liver damage, and multi-organ failure ultimately lead to death. Researchers are working on different pre-clinical and clinical trials to prevent this deadly pandemic by developing new vaccines. Along with vaccines, therapeutic intervention is an integral part of healthcare response to address the ongoing threat posed by COVID-19. Despite the global efforts to understand and fight against COVID-19, many challenges need to be addressed. This article summarizes the current pandemic, different strains of SARS-CoV-2, etiology, complexities, surviving medications of COVID-19, and so far, vaccination for the treatment of COVID-19.

Resveratrol (RV): A pharmacological review and call for further research.

Resveratrol (RV) is a well-known polyphenolic compound in various plants, including grape, peanut, and berry fruits, which is quite famous for its association with several health benefits such as anti-obesity, cardioprotective neuroprotective, antitumor, antidiabetic, antioxidants, anti-age effects, and glucose metabolism. Significantly, promising therapeutic properties have been reported in various cancer, neurodegeneration, and atherosclerosis and are regulated by several synergistic pathways that control oxidative stress, cell death, and inflammation. Similarly, RV possesses a strong anti-adipogenic effect by inhibiting fat accumulation processes and activating oxidative and lipolytic pathways, exhibiting their cardioprotective effects by inhibiting platelet aggregation. The RV also shows significant antibacterial effects against various food-borne pathogens (Listeria, Campylobacter, Staphylococcus aureus, and E. coli) by inhibiting an electron transport chain (ETC) and F0F1-ATPase, which decreases the production of cellular energy that leads to the spread of pathogens. After collecting and analyzing scientific literature, it may be concluded that RV is well tolerated and favorably affects cardiovascular, neurological, and diabetic disorders. As such, it is possible that RV can be considered the best nutritional additive and a complementary drug, especially a therapeutic candidate. Therefore, this review would increase knowledge about the blend of RV as well as inspire researchers around the world to consider RV as a pharmaceutical drug to combat future health crises against various inhumane diseases. In the future, this article will be aware of discoveries about the potential of this promising natural compound as the best nutraceuticals and therapeutic drugs in medicine.

HuoXue QianYang QuTan Recipe attenuates left ventricular hypertrophy in obese hypertensive rats by improving mitochondrial function through SIRT1/PGC-1α deacetylation pathway.

Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a vital role in the progression of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Previous studies have confirmed that the disorder of SIRT1/PGC-1α deacetylation pathway aggravated mitochondrial dysfunction. HuoXue QianYang QuTan Recipe (HQQR) is a commonly used prescription that has shown therapeutic effects on obesity hypertension and its complications. However, the potential mechanisms are still unclear. In the present study, obesity hypertension (OBH) was established in rats and we investigated the efficacy and mechanisms of HQQR on LVH. Rats were divided into the five groups: (1) WKY-ND group, (2) SHR-ND group, (3) OBH-HF group, (4) OBH-HF/V group and (5) OBH-HF/H group. We evaluated body weight, Lee index and blood pressure (BP) before and every 2 weeks after treatment. After 10 weeks of treatment, we mainly detected glycolipid metabolic index, the severity of LVH, mitochondrial function along with SIRT1/PGC-1α deacetylation pathway. Our results showed that HQQR significantly lowered body weight, Lee index, BP and improved the disorder of glycolipid metabolism in OBH rats. Importantly, we uncovered HQQR could alleviate mitochondrial dysfunction in OBH rats by regulating SIRT1/PGC-1α deacetylation pathway. These changes could be associated with the inhibition of LVH.

Calcitriol prevents peripheral RSC96 Schwann neural cells from high glucose & methylglyoxal-induced injury through restoration of CBS/H2S expression.

A meta-analysis has suggested that vitamin D deficiency is involved in diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and the levels of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are also decreased in type 2 diabetes. The injection of vitamin D induces cystathionine-ß-synthase (CBS) expression and H2S generation. However, it remains unclear whether the supplementation of vitamin D prevents DPN through improvement of CBS/H2S expression. In the present study, RSC96 cells, a rat Schwann cell line, were exposed to high glucose and methylglyoxal (HG&MG) to simulate diabetic peripheral nerve injury in vivo. Before the exposure to HG&MG, the cells were preconditioned with calcitriol (CCT), an active form of vitamin D, and then CCT-mediated neuroprotection was investigated in respect of cellular viability, superoxide anion (O2(-)) generation, inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase (iNOS)/NO expression, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), as well as CBS expression and activity. It was found that both high glucose and MGO decreased cell viability and co-treatment with the two induced a more serious injury in RSC96 cells. Therefore, the exposure to HG&MG was used in the present study. The exposure to HG&MG markedly induced iNOS expression, NO and O2(-) generation, as well as MMP loss. In addition, the exposure to HG&MG depressed CBS expression and activity in RSC96 cells. However, the preconditioning with CCT significantly antagonized HG&MG-induced cell injury including the decreased viability, iNOS overexpression, NO and O2(-) accumulation, as well as MMP loss. CCT also partially restored the decreased CBS expression and activity triggered by HG&MG, while the inhibition of CBS with hydroxylamine attenuated CCT-mediated neuroprotection. Moreover, the exogenous donation of H2S produced similar cellular protective effects to CCT. The data indicate that the supplementation of vitamin D prevents HG&MG-induced peripheral nerve injury involving the restoration of endogenous H2S system, which may provide a basal support for the treatment of DPN with vitamin D clinically.

Effects of electroacupuncture combined with clean intermittent catheterization on urinary retention after spinal cord injury: a single blind randomized controlled clinical trial.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of electroacupuncture (EA) combined with clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) on spinal cord injury (SCI) induced urinary retention. METHODS: A total of 107 patients with SCI induced urinary retention were randomly divided into 3 groups, including group 1 (CIC treatment), group 2 (EA combined with CIC treatment), and group 3 (sham acupuncture combined with CIC treatment). After different treatments, the residual urine volume, voided volume (each time), number of bladder balance patients, and frequency of CIC were recorded and compared. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between group 1 and 3 in number of bladder balance patients and voided volume (ml) at the 1(st) month. The rate of patients reaching bladder balance was significantly higher in group 2 than group 1 and 3 (P<0.05). The frequency of CIC was significantly less in group 2 than the other groups (P<0.001). The voided volume at the 1(st) and the 3(rd) month after surgery was significantly higher in group 2 than that in group 1 and 3 (P<0.001). Meanwhile, after 1 month and 3 months of treatment, residual urine volume was significantly reduced in group 2 compared with that in group 1 and 3 (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The therapeutic effects of EA were effective for SCI induced urinary retention by reducing residual urine volume and the frequency of CIC, increasing voided volume, and promoting the balance of vesical function.

[Sulfation of naringenin by Mucor sp].

Naringenin (1) was transformed to three metabolites (2-4) by Mucor sp. Based on LCMS(n)-IT-TOF and NMR spectroscopic data, 2-4 were identified as naringenin-7-O-sulphate, naringenin-4'-O-sulphate, and naringenin-5-O-sulphate, respectively. These results might provide hints to the mammalian/human metabolism of naringenin.

[Diversity and in vitro antitumnor activity of endophytic fungi from mangrove plants Xylocarpus].

A total of 24 biologically pure entophytic fungal strains were isolated from stems, leaves, and seed coats of Xylocarpus plants by repeated purification, and identified with Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) rDNA molecular method, which belonging to 14 genera, 11 families, 9 orders and 3 classes. There were differences in genus and species levels among three plant materials from different habitats and species, and it was found that the strains of Phomopsis and Colletotrichum existed in all three plant materials. In vitro assay of antitumor activity by MTT method revealed that the EtOAc extracts of 15 strains exhibited potent antitumor activity. These results suggest that it is of value for further investigation on the above fungal strains.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone stimulates the biosynthesis of pregnenolone sulfate and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in the hypothalamus.

The sulfated neurosteroids pregnenolone sulfate (Δ(5)PS) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) are known to play a role in the control of reproductive behavior. In the frog Pelophylax ridibundus, the enzyme hydroxysteroid sulfotransferase (HST), responsible for the biosynthesis of Δ(5)PS and DHEAS, is expressed in the magnocellular nucleus and the anterior preoptic area, two hypothalamic regions that are richly innervated by GnRH1-containing fibers. This observation suggests that GnRH1 may regulate the formation of sulfated neurosteroids to control sexual activity. Double labeling of frog brain slices with HST and GnRH1 antibodies revealed that GnRH1-immunoreactive fibers are located in close vicinity of HST-positive neurons. The cDNAs encoding 3 GnRH receptors (designated riGnRHR-1, -2, and -3) were cloned from the frog brain. RT-PCR analyses revealed that riGnRHR-1 is strongly expressed in the hypothalamus and the pituitary whereas riGnRHR-2 and -3 are primarily expressed in the brain. In situ hybridization histochemistry indicated that GnRHR-1 and GnRHR-3 mRNAs are particularly abundant in preoptic area and magnocellular nucleus whereas the concentration of GnRHR-2 mRNA in these 2 nuclei is much lower. Pulse-chase experiments using tritiated Δ(5)P and DHEA as steroid precursors, and 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate as a sulfonate moiety donor, showed that GnRH1 stimulates, in a dose-dependent manner, the biosynthesis of Δ(5)PS and DHEAS in frog diencephalic explants. Because Δ(5)PS and DHEAS, like GnRH, stimulate sexual activity, our data strongly suggest that some of the behavioral effects of GnRH could be mediated via the modulation of sulfated neurosteroid production.

Giardia intestinalis: effects of Pulsatilla chinensis extracts on trophozoites.

Pulsatilla chinensis is a medicinal root plant that has been used to treat a wide range of disease conditions. Our study determined the antiprotozoal activity of various P. chinensis extracts and fractions against Giardia intestinalis including their effects on parasite growth, cell viability, adherence, and morphology. Ethyl acetate extracts (IC50 = 257.081 µg/ml) were the most active to inhibit the growth of G. intestinalis followed by aqueous extract (PWE), saponins, and n-butanol extract. The PWE and ethyl acetate extract inhibited G. intestinalis trophozoites adherence after 3 h of incubation and killed almost 50 % of the parasite population in a time-dependent manner. Changes in morphology, presence of precipitates in the cytoplasm, dissolved cytoplasm with large vacuole, break of flagella and ventral disk, membrane blebs, and intracellular and nuclear clearance of the treated trophozoites were observed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. We demonstrated that P. chinensis induced these changes in G. intestinalis morphology and consequently has potential therapeutic use against giardiasis.

[Soil and water losses and phosphorus output at the places between ridges in sloping peanut land under different planting modes in Yimeng mountainous area of Shandong Province, East China].

Taking the typical land use type, sloping Arachis hypogaea land, in Yimeng mountainous area of Shandong as study object, an in-situ fixed-point field experiment was conducted to study the characteristics of soil and water losses and phosphorus output at the places between ridges in the sloping land under different planting modes (Arachis hypogaea + Cynodon dactylon, I; A. hypogae + Melilotus officinalis, II; A. hypogaea + Lolium multiflorum, III; A. hypogaea + Trifolium repens, IV; A. hypogaea + blank control, V). Planting grasses at the places between ridges could effectively decrease the soil and water losses. The runoff was 55.1%-61.3% of the control, and decreased in the order of II > I > IV> III. The sediment loss was 3.4% -32.3% of the control, and decreased in the order of IV > II > I > 11. A. hypogaea + L. multiflorum was effective in storing water and retaining sediment. During the early period of planting L. multiflorum, the sediment loss was more affected by rainfall and presented a fluctuated variation, but in late period, the sediment loss decreased continuously and performed more stable, and accordingly, the sediment retention increased continuously. Planting grasses effectively decreased the output of phosphorus, with the decrease of total phosphorus (TP) output being 52.8%-75.3% of the control, and was in the order of I > II > IV > III. As compared with the control, planting grasses decreased 27.5% -67.0% of the output of particle phosphorus (PP), but relatively increased the output of dissolvable phosphorus (DP). A. hypogaea + L. multiflorum had the best effect in decreasing the output of phosphorus, with the outputs of TP and PP being 58.4% and 27.5% of the control, respectively. In the growth period of the vegetations, the losses of different phosphorus forms differed, and the dissolvable inorganic phosphorus was the main form of the output of DP during whole rain season. After the peanut harvested, the output of different phosphorus forms in the first rainfall was much higher than that in the maximum intensity rainfall.

[Effects of tuina on muscular tension of flexor and extensor in patients with knee osteoarthritis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of Tuina on muscular tension of flexor and extensor in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). METHODS: From June 2009 to March 2010, 20 patients with KOA were observed, including 7 males and 13 females, the age ranged from 42 to 72 years with an average of 61 years. Eight patients were ailed with single knee, 12 patients were ailed with double knee. The maneuver of Tuina were Gun maneuvers (120 to 140 times per minute), An maneuvers, Na maneuvers and Ca maneuvers. The patients were treated 3 times every week,and 10 times were 1 course of treatment. The muscular tension of flexor and extensor were measured before and after treatment, and the press force of the point reached largest of L 500 g when the press was 500 g. The therapeutic effects were assessed by WOMAC (including pain, stiffness, functional activity and overall score) scale before and after treatment. RESULTS: There was significant increase in the ill knee on L 500 g (P<0.01). There was significant decrease after treatment in WOMAC (P<0.01). There was significant positive correlation between the improvement rate of extensor and the improvement rate of therapeutic effects (P<0.01, r=0.764). There was significant positive correlation between the improvement rate of flexor and the improvement rate of therapeutic effects (P<0.01, r2=0.533). CONCLUSION: Tuina can improve muscular tension of flexor and extensor in patients with knee osteoarthritis, thus can improve the therapeutic effects.

[Distribution of phosphorus species in the sediment from Weishanhu district in Lake Nansihu].

In order to learn the phosphorus (P) species distribution in sediments of Lake Nansihu, 0-25 cm sediments from Weishanhu district in Lake Nansihu were analyzed with a sequential extraction method. The results show that: the average values of Ex-P, Al-P, Fe-P, Oc-P, Ca-P, De-P, Org-P in Weishanhu district sediments are 5.62 mg/kg, 4.08 mg/kg, 12.25 mg/kg, 13.34 mg/kg, 116.67 mg/kg, 232.36 mg/kg and 396.79 mg/kg respectively, and the rank order of P-fractionation for Lake Nansihu is Al-P < Ex-P < Fe-P < Oc-P < Ca-P < De-P < Org-P. The vertical phosphorous species distribution exhibits the obvious rule that exchangeable P (Ex-P), Fe-bound P (Fe-P), occluded P (Oc-P), organic P (Org-P) value decrease with depth, while the values of Al-bound P (Al-P), authigenic calcium bound P (A Ca-P), detrital apatite P (De-P) increase. The Sum1 content (the sum of Ex-P, Al-P and Fe-P) in surficial sediments is remarkably positively correlated with the PO4(3-) concentration of overlaying water, to which Fe-P content contributes the most with the correlation index 0.72. In spatial phosphorous species distribution, the discrepancy of potential active species(Ex-P, Al-P and Fe-P) is greater than those inert ones (Oc-P, Ca-P and De-P), and Org-P is only second to those potential active species.

[Rapid determination of thiabendazole residue in barbary wolfberry fruit by ion exchange chromatography and fluorescence detection].

OBJECTIVE: To developed a method for the determination of thiabendazole residues in barbary wolfberry fruit by ion exchange chromatography (IEC) with fluorescence detection. METHOD: The samples were extracted with 0.1% H3PO4. Chromatographic analysis was performed on a Supelcosil LC-SCX (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) column eluted with 0.1 mol x L(-1) KH2PO4 (pH 3.0)-acetonitrile (70:30) and detection at lamdaex = 307 nm and lamdaem = 359 nm. RESULT: Thiabendazole in measured samples was separated completely. The calibration curve was linear at the range of 0.0005-0.02 mg x L(-1) with good precision and accuracy. CONCLUSION: The proposed method was satisfactorily applied to the analysis of thiabendazole residues in barbary wolfberry fruit.

[Effect and mechanism of heavy metal stabilization treatment of sediment in Jinshan Lake].

The heavy metal stabilization treatment (by mixture of CaO, CaO2, CaO and CaO2) of sediment in Jinshan Lake were investigated through soil column experiment, including the transport and transformation of heavy metal in sediment after stabilization, and the mechanism of heavy metal stabilization treatment technology. In the simulated acid rain experiment under a pH of 2.9, Zn in the sediment stabilized by CaO, CaO+ CaO2, CaO2, respectively, transferred to the third layer with the first layer's migrating quantities of 96, 97 and 93 mg/kg, while in another experiment under a pH of 5.0, Zn transferred to the third layer with the first layer's migrating quantities of 87, 90 and 89 mg/kg, respectively. In the blank experiments under pH 2.9 and 5.0, Zn transferred to the sixth and fifth layer with the first layer migrating quantities of 128 and 112 mg/kg, respectively. The above results were concluded to be: 1) both migrating velocity and first layer's migrating quantity of Zn decreased in stabilized sediment; 2) the three tested ways could reduce it migrating capability in soil; 3) pH of leached solution could affect the migrating capability of Zn and high Ph would lead to the decrease of Zn in soil. For Ni and Cd, the similar conclusion could also be gained. The results of metal transporting mechanism experiments with CaO, CaO + CaO2, CaO2 showed that: 1) pH of the sediment increased from 6.76 to 8.33, 8.15 and 8.21; 2) TOC content decreased with a range of 5%, 10.9% and 13.1%; 3) fixedness part contents of Zn, Ni and Cd increased 10.6%, 1.7% and 4.5%, respectively, which is the important reason leading to the decrease of metal transporting capability. The transformation proportion of heavy metal from labilization to stabilization showed that the stabilization capability of heavy metal followed the sequence: Zn > Cd > Ni.

[Effect of combined therapy with hypha Cordyceps and ginkgo leaf tablet on micro-inflammation in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the status of the micro-inflammation in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis and the effect of combined therapy with hypha cordyceps and ginkgo leaf tablet for its prevention and treatment. METHODS: Sixty-five patients undergoing long-term maintenance hemodialysis were randomly assigned to the treated group (33 patients) and the control group (32 patients). Patients in both groups underwent hemodialysis regularly, meanwhile, 3 capsules of Jinshuibao (each capsule containing hypha cordyceps 0.33 g) and 1 tablet of ginkgo leaf tablet (0.23 g/tablet) were additiolally given to the patients in the treated group orally, 3 times per day, and 3 months as 1 treatment course. Their serum inflammatory factors, such as high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), which could reveal the state of microinflammation, were determined before and after treatment. And the same index was also determined in 30 healthy persons allocated in a normal control group. RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group, the serum levels of hs-CRP (4.94 +/- 2.21 mg/L), IL-6 (0.472 +/- 0.220 microg/L) and TNF-alpha (1.748 +/- 0.724 microg/L) in the treated group were higher before treatment, these indexes decreased markedly after treatment (3.28 +/- 1.28 mg/L, 0.379 +/- 0.163 microg/L, and 1.330 +/- 0.458 microg/L, respectively, all P < 0.01), but without significant change in the control group. CONCLUSION: Micro-inflammation reaction exists popularly in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis, and the combined therapy with hypha cordyceps and ginkgo leaf tablet could effectively improve this kind of micro-inflammation reaction.

[Residence time distributions and spatial variation of N, P in the subsurface-flow constructed wetlands for purification of eutrophic aquaculture water].

Hydraulic residence time distributions (RTD) and spatial variations of N, P were studied in a small-scale horizontal subsurface-flow constructed wetlands (HSFCWs) planted with Cyperous alternifolius and Typha angustifolia respectively for purification of eutrophic aquaculture water. The results show that the residence time distribution curves of the investigated HSFCWs lie between plug-flow and completely mixed model with characteristic values (sigma2) of 0.3246 and 0.4108, respectively. Compared with Typha angustifolia, Cyperous alternifolius wetland shows fine flow pattern with characteristics of smoother RTD curve and weaker vertical mixed flow. Total nitrogen (TN) and ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N) show stratified distributions in the two HSFCWs, especially in the front end of the wetland beds. TN in the lower layer is higher than that in the upper, while NH4+-N in the middle layer is the lowest in all the sampling layers. Total phosphorus (TP) and phosphate (PO4(3-)-P) increases with sampling depth. Differences in TP and PO4(3-)-P between the layers decrease gradually along distance. Cyperous alternifolius wetland shows better stratification distributions of N, P, as compared with Typha angustifolia, which is mainly contributed to the difference in flow patterns between the two HSFCWs. On average, concentrations of TN and TP in the rear end of the Cyperous alternifolius wetland are 19.3% and 12.5% lower, respectively, as compared to the Typha angustifolia wetland, suggesting that removal efficiencies of the Cyperous alternifolius wetland for purification of eutrophic aquaculture water is higher than those of the Typha angustifolia.

[Effect on different adding means of calcium peroxide to control phosphorus release from sediment].

Calcium peroxide is applied to sediment remediation. Based on laboratory-simulated test, trend of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) concentration in overlying was measured after two means of calcium peroxide treatment, mixing and capping. Transformation among different phosphorus fractions in the sediments was studied to analyze the distinguished effect. The results show that SRP concentration in overlying water presents different trend after mixing and capping of calcium peroxide. SRP concentration of the former decreased at first and increased subsequently, while that of the latter kept decreasing and average release velocity of SRP was 6.077 mg/(m2 x d) and -0.879 mg/(m2 x d) respectively. The transformation of phosphorus fractions in the sediments shows that diverse change of iron-bound phosphate are deemed to cause the effect under different adding options of calcium peroxide.

[Studies of soil embryological characteristics of the Salvia miltiorrhiza of Zhongjiang].

OBJECTIVE: To study the characteristics of the SiO2/R2O3 in non-zonal purple soil in the light of the difference between the high yield and low yield of Salvia miltiorrhiza. METHOD: Both the high yield and low yield drugs developed from the same parental material (k1cy) were chosen in the ecology area in Zhongjiang county, Sichuan Province. By using the air-dried drugs as sample, quadrat sampling method was used to calculat the production. Gravimetric method, volumetric method, and colorimetric method and neutralization titration were used to measure the content of adhesive particle colloids element in the soil. And T-test was used for the variable-difference analysis. RESULT: There was a sharp contrast between the production of high yield and low yield drugs (P < 0.001). The characteristic value of the high yield soil embryology was much higher than that of the low yield soil. CONCLUSION: The characteristic value of the purple soil embryology is one of the important factors of the soil adaptability of the drug and its quality. The weathering degree of the soil is closely related to the yield of the drug.

[Clinical study on treatment of chronic aplastic anemia assisted by TCM for reinforcing shen and activating blood circulation to dredge channels].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of TCM for reinforcing Shen and activating blood circulation to dredge Channels in auxiliary treating chronic aplastic anemia (CAA), and to explore its mechanism. METHODS: Seventy-nine patients with CAA were randomly divided into the treated group treated with TCM plus western medicine and the control group treated with western medicine alone. The clinical efficacy was observed and levels of plasma sFas and sFasL before and after treatment were determined by ELISA. RESULTS: The basic cure rate and total effective rate in the treated group were 37.50% and 87.50%; while in the control group were 20. 51% and 61.54% respectively. Comparison between the two groups showed significant difference (P < 0.01). The sFas level was markedly lower in both groups before treatment, but after treatment, it got elevated in the treated group significantly (P < 0.05), as compared with that in the control group, the difference was significant (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: TCM is effective in treating CAA with less toxic and side-effect, the mechanism might be the inhibition on over apoptosis of hematopoietic cells in CAA patients through regulating immune function of organism.