MiR-3571 modulates traumatic brain injury by regulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway via Fbxo31.

To investigate the effect of miR-3571 on traumatic brain injury (TBI) via the regulation of neuronal apoptosis through F-box-only protein 31/phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (Fbxo31/PI3K/AKT). We established TBI rat and cell models. Hematoxylin‒eosin (HE) and Nissl staining were used to observe brain injury and the number of Nissl bodies, respectively. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were assessed by 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU), terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL), and flow cytometry. Gene and protein expression was measured via reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‒qPCR), Western blotting, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In this study, miR-3571 was highly expressed in TBI models. Inhibition of miR-3571 expression can suppress autophagy, reduce the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, and reduce neuronal apoptosis, thus alleviating the pathological conditions of tissue congestion, edema and structural damage after TBI. These experiments demonstrated that miR-3571 could target and regulate the level of Fbxo31. Knockdown of Fbxo31 weakened the remission effect of the miR-3571 inhibitor on TBI and promoted neurological damage; moreover, overexpression of Fbxo31 enhanced the protective effect on neural function, whereas the PI3K/AKT pathway inhibitor LY294002 increased the damage caused by miR-3571 on neural function and weakened the protective effect of Fbxo31. In conclusion, miR-3571 regulates the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway by reducing Fbxo31 expression, promotes neuronal apoptosis and exacerbates TBI.

Prenatal ultrasound diagnosis of congenital infantile fibrosarcoma and congenital hemangioma: Three case reports.

BACKGROUND: Congenital infantile fibrosarcoma (CIF) and congenital hemangioma (CH) have similarities on prenatal ultrasound and are rare. CASE SUMMARY: We report 3 cases of fetuses with superficial hypervascular tumors, confirmed by postnatal pathology as CIF (1 case) and CH (2 cases, including 1 in a twin fetus). In Case 1, a mass with a rich blood supply in the fetal axilla was discovered by prenatal ultrasound at 28+0 wk of gestation. The postpartum pathological diagnosis was CIF, the mass was surgically removed, and the prognosis of the child was good. In Case 2, at 23+1 wk of gestation, a mass was discovered at the base of the fetus's thigh on prenatal ultrasound. The postpartum pathological diagnosis was CH. After conservative treatment, the mass shrank significantly. Case 3 occurred in a twin fetus. At 30+0 wk of gestation, prenatal ultrasound revealed a bulging mass with a rich blood supply on the abdominal wall of one of the fetuses. Three weeks later, the affected fetus died, and the unaffected baby was successfully delivered by emergency cesarean section. The affected fetus was pathologically diagnosed with CH. CONCLUSION: Prenatal ultrasound can provide accurate information, such as the location, size and blood supply of a surface mass in a fetus. We found similarities between CIF and CH in prenatal ultrasound findings. Although it is difficult to distinguish these conditions by prenatal ultrasound alone, for superficial hypervascular tumors that rapidly increase in size in a short period, close ultrasound monitoring of the fetus is required to quickly address possible adverse outcomes.

DHX9/DNA-tandem repeat-dependent downregulation of ciRNA-Fmn1 in the dorsal horn is required for neuropathic pain.

Circular RNAs (ciRNAs) are emerging as new players in the regulation of gene expression. However, how ciRNAs are involved in neuropathic pain is poorly understood. Here, we identify the nervous-tissue-specific ciRNA-Fmn1 and report that changes in ciRNA-Fmn1 expression in spinal cord dorsal horn neurons play a key role in neuropathic pain after nerve injury. ciRNA-Fmn1 was significantly downregulated in ipsilateral dorsal horn neurons after peripheral nerve injury, at least in part because of a decrease in DNA helicase 9 (DHX9), which regulates production of ciRNA-Fmn1 by binding to DNA-tandem repeats. Blocking ciRNA-Fmn1 downregulation reversed nerve-injury-induced reductions in both the binding of ciRNA-Fmn1 to the ubiquitin ligase UBR5 and the level of ubiquitination of albumin (ALB), thereby abrogating the nerve-injury-induced increase of ALB expression in the dorsal horn and attenuating the associated pain hypersensitivities. Conversely, mimicking downregulation of ciRNA-Fmn1 in naïve mice reduced the UBR5-controlled ubiquitination of ALB, leading to increased expression of ALB in the dorsal horn and induction of neuropathic-pain-like behaviors in naïve mice. Thus, ciRNA-Fmn1 downregulation caused by changes in binding of DHX9 to DNA-tandem repeats contributes to the genesis of neuropathic pain by negatively modulating UBR5-controlled ALB expression in the dorsal horn.

Assessment of Suitable Reference Genes for qRT-PCR Normalization in Eocanthecona furcellata (Wolff).

Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) is a widely used tool for measuring gene expression; however, its accuracy relies on normalizing the data to one or more stable reference genes. Eocanthecona furcellata (Wolff) is a polyphagous predatory natural enemy insect that preferentially feeds on more than 40 types of agricultural and forestry pests, such as those belonging to the orders Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Hymenoptera. However, to our knowledge, the selection of stable reference genes has not been reported in detail thus far. In this study, nine E. furcellata candidate reference genes (ß-1-TUB, RPL4, RPL32, RPS17, RPS25, SDHA, GAPDH2, EF2, and UBQ) were selected based on transcriptome sequencing results. The expression of these genes in various samples was examined at different developmental stages, in the tissues of male and female adults, and after temperature and starvation treatments. Five algorithms were used, including ΔCt, geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and RefFinder, to evaluate reference gene expression stability. The results revealed that the most stable reference genes were RPL32 and RPS25 at different developmental stages; RPS17, RPL4, and EF2 for female adult tissue samples; RPS17 and RPL32 for male adult tissue samples; RPS17 and RPL32 for various temperature treatments of nymphs; RPS17 and RPS25 for nymph samples under starvation stress; and RPS17 and RPL32 for all samples. Overall, we obtained a stable expression of reference genes under different conditions in E. furcellata, which provides a basis for future molecular studies on this organism.

Cold tolerance strategy and cryoprotectants of Megabruchidius dorsalis in different temperature and time stresses.

The honey locusts (genus Gleditsia) are a genus of high-value trees in Asia. Seed beetle, Megabruchidius dorsalis (Fåhraeus) (Col.: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae), is a Gleditsia oligophagous pest that causes severe yield reduction. To understand the cold tolerance of M. dorsalis adults, this study investigated its cold tolerance strategy and the influence of low temperatures on its physiology and biochemistry. The low-temperature treatments were divided into three groups: long-term temperature acclimation (Group 1; 15°C, or 20°C, or 25°C, or 28°C [control check, CK] for 10 days), short-term low-temperature exposure (Group 2; 0°C or 4°C for 2 h), and long-term low-temperature induction (Group 3; 0°C or 4°C for 1, 3, or 5 d). The supercooling point (SCP; temperature at which spontaneous nucleation and ice lattice growth begin), freezing point (FP; temperature at which insect fluids freeze), low lethal temperature (LLT; temperature at which all individuals are killed), water, lipid, glycerol, and total sugars contents were measured under different temperature stresses. The results showed that M. dorsalis adults were a freeze-avoidant species. The SCP and LLT at 28°C were -10.62°C and -19.48°C, respectively. The SCP and FP of long-term temperature acclimation (15°C, or 20°C, or 25°C) were significantly lower than that of the control group (28°C). The water content of the long-term low temperature induction (0°C) group was significantly lower than that of the control group. The lipid and glycerol content in the acclimated group at 20°C and 25°C were significantly higher than in the control group. M. dorsalis adults may maintain their biofluids in a supercooled state via cryoprotectant accumulation and cryoprotective dehydration to prevent ice nucleation. This study provides a theoretical basis for future research on overwintering and potential distribution and related prediction of M. dorsalis adults.

Three-dimensional digital measurement of the facet joint in normal individual and lumbar intervertebral disc herniation patients aged 13 - 18 years.

BACKGROUND: Lumbar facet joint is an important element of spinal "three-joint complex". Whether there is a relationship between strange structure of facet joint and adolescent lumbar disc herniation (ALDH) is nonetheless controversial, and the current research is mainly centered on adults. OBJECTIVE: To find out the normal lumbar facet joints between 13 and 18 years old to provide anatomical basis for early diagnosis and therapy of lumbar disc herniation. METHODS: CT imaging information of 32 sufferers with lumbar disc herniation aged from 13 to 18 years old in Inner Mongolia have been collected as the ALDH group, and 62 wholesome subjects in the equal period had been chosen as the normal group. Uncooked records of continuous scanning lumbar tomography pix were imported into MIMICS 21.0 for evaluation and size in DICOM format. The parameters include facet joint height, facet joint width, et al. RESULTS: 1. The left and right transverse angle of L5S1 segment in the ALDH group were (52.41 ± 9.2) ° and (55.99 ± 10.91) ° (P < 0.05), and the differences were statistically significant. The right side is larger than the left side. 2. Facet joint thickness in L3-L5 segment of the normal group was significantly higher than that of male (1.63 ± 0.32) mm than that of female (1.38 ± 0.25) mm; In 16-18 years old group, comparison of facet joint cross-sectional area was statistically significant (22.1 ± 3.04) mm2 in male than (18.92 ± 3.71) mm2 in female. 3. In comparison between normal and ALDH group, there was significant difference in L3-4 transverse angle (P < 0.05), L4-5 facet joint height and facet joint thickness (P < 0.05), L5S1 facet joint thickness and transverse angle (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: When ALDH occurs in the L5S1 segment, there is a substantial difference between the left and right sides of the transverse angle, and there is a difference in the thickness and the facet joint cross-sectional area between males and females, which is generally larger in males than in females. Facet joint height is larger, transverse angle of left and right is asymmetric, inferior articular process is larger, and facet joint thickness is smaller can indicate that lumbar disc herniation is effortless to occur.

Exploration on Determination and Quantity Transfer of Index Components in Benchmark Samples of Erdongtang / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo establish the determination for index components in benchmark samples of Erdongtang， and clarify the content and transfer rate rages of index components in 15 batches of benchmark samples， and to explore the quantity transfer of index components of decoction pieces to benchmark samples. MethodFifteen batches of benchmark samples were prepared， the contents of mangiferin， baicalin and glycyrrhizic acid were determined by high performance liquid chromatography （HPLC）-diode array detector （DAD）， the mobile phase was acetonitrile （A）-0.1% formic acid aqueous solution （B） for gradient elution （0-10 min， 10%-17%A； 10-25 min， 17%-19%A； 25-28 min， 19%-25%A； 28-45 min， 25%-33%A； 45-46 min， 33%-45%A； 46-60 min， 45%-55%A）， detection wavelength was set at 254 nm. Contents of timosaponin BⅡ and the sum of protoneodioscin and protodioscin were determined by HPLC-evaporative light scattering detector （ELSD）， the mobile phase was acetonitrile （A）-water （B） for gradient elution （0-20 min， 24%A； 20-25 min， 24%-27%A； 25-33 min， 27%-28%A； 33-36 min， 28%-90%A； 36-41 min， 90%-24%A）. ResultThe methodological verification of the established method was good， which could be used for determination of five index components in benchmark samples. The content ranges of mangiferin， baicalin， glycyrrhizic acid， timosaponin BⅡ， and the sum of protoneodioscin and protodioscin in 15 batches of benchmark samples of Erdongtang were 0.14%-0.23%， 2.40%-3.37%， 0.07%-0.44%， 0.43%-0.95%， and 0.15%-0.47%， the transfer rate ranges of them were 33.90%-52.15%， 84.46%-105.61%， 22.59%-93.86%， 38.07%-61.43%， and 53.28%-96.11%， respectively. ConclusionThe consistencies of transfer rate of mangiferin， baicalin， timosaponin BⅡ and the sum of protoneodioscin and protodioscin （except glycyrrhizic acid） between decoction pieces and benchmark samples of Erdongtang are good， indicates that the transfer rates of 4 index components are stable during the preparation process of benchmark samples， which can provide data support for research and development of the compound preparation of this formula.

[Establishment of quality evaluation methods for pieces and standard decoction of honey-fried Descurainiae Semen].

To establish a content determination method for quality control of the pieces and standard decoction of honey-fried Descurainiae Semen. Standard decoction of honey-fried Descurainiae Semen was prepared with standardized process, and high performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode-array detector(HPLC-DAD) was used to detect its characteristic fingerprint and determine the content of quercetin-3-O-ß-D-glucose-7-O-ß-D-gentiobioside. In addition, the transfer rate, dry extract rate and pH value were calculated. The results showed that the established method had a high accuracy. The content of quercetin-3-O-ß-D-glucose-7-O-ß-D-gentiobioside in 13 batches of standard decoction was 0.03-0.12 mg·mL~(-1); the transfer rate was 13.4%-23.1%; the rate of extracts was 1.9%-5.5%, and the pH was between 5.4-5.9. The similarity coefficients were all greater than 0.85, indicating good homogeneity for the different batches of decoction. There were 7 common peaks in the characteristic chromatogram, one of which was quercetin-3-O-ß-D-glucose-7-O-ß-D-gentiobioside. In this paper, the established content determination and quality evaluation method for Descurainiae Semen pieces and decoction was simple, rapid and reproducible, providing reference for the quality control of honey-fried Descurainiae Semen pieces, standard decoction and its preparations.

[Quality evaluation methods for standard decoction of Nelumbinis Folium].

The quality evaluation method for standard decoction of Chinese herbal slices is the basis for the quality evaluation of granules and preparations of classical formula(decoction)of traditional Chinese medicine. This study aimed to establish a method for the determination of quercetin-3-O-glucuronic acid in Nelumbinis Folium(NF)and its standard decoction, so as to provide reference for the quality control of NF and its standard decoction. Fifteen batches of representative NF were collected to prepare standard decoction, and the parameters of dry extract rate, transfer rate of index component, and pH value were calculated. HPLC was used to establish the content determination method for quercetin-3-O-glucuronic acid in NF and its standard decoction. The concentration range of quercetin-3-O-glucuronic acid in the standard decoction of NF was 1.09-3.06 g·L~(-1), while the concentration range of nuciferine was 0.01-0.17 g·L~(-1). The average extraction rate of NF standard decoction was(14.4±2.6)%, the average transfer rate of quercetin-3-O-glucuronic acid was(70.7±18.6)%, and the average transfer rate of nuciferine was(9.6±5.4)%. Compared with Nuciferine, quercetin-3-O-glucuronic acid had a high content and stable transfer rate in standard decoction, and was recommended to be the quality control marker for NF and its standard decoction. This paper establishes a quality evaluation method for NF standard decoction, and can provide reference for the quality control of all preparations derived from NF and its decoction.

Research Strategies for Quality Standards of Famous Classical Formula Based on Standard Decoction (Material Reference) / 中国实验方剂学杂志

The inheritance of traditional clinical value of famous classical formulae is an important direction for the development of traditional Chinese medicine industry.Compared with the previous research and development of new drugs, the management requirement of " material reference" was introduced into the famous classical formulae research, which is used as the reference of process optimization and quality control.The characteristics of compound preparation of famous classical formulae are also reflected in the core concept of " quality inheritance of classics" in the road of industrial development.How to implement the above requirements and concepts into product development and industrial production? There are many specific common problems to be solved in practical research.How to effectively establish the " material reference" of famous classical formulae of different dosage forms? How to use " material reference" to guide the process optimization of compound preparation of famous classical formulae? How to determine the daily dose of famous classical formulae? How to take effective measures in the selection of raw material to reduce quality fluctuation range? This paper discusses the key issues such as production process and quality evaluation from the following aspects.Firstly, the management regulations and research and development guidelines are analyzed, and the specific implementation methods are given.Then, the possible problems in the Requirements for Declaration Documents (Draft for Opinions) are pointed out, and relevant suggestions are given.Finally, based on the research experience of standard decoction and famous classical formulae in the laboratory, an example is given to provide reference for the development of compound preparation of famous classical formulae.

Analysis on Quality Evaluation Methods of Asparagi Radix Decoction Pieces and Its Standard Decoction / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To establish the quality evaluation methods of Asparagi Radix decoction pieces and its standard decoction. Method:Ten batches of Asparagi Radix standard decoction were prepared. High performance liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detection method (HPLC-ELSD) was established for the determination of protodioscin and protoneodioscin in Asparagi Radix decoction pieces and its standard decoction, and the fingerprint detection of Asparagi Radix decoction pieces with acetonitrile-water as mobile phase for gradient elution. UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS/MS was used to identify ten main common peaks in the fingerprint with acetonitrile-0.1% formic acid solution as mobile phase for gradient elution, electrospray ionization (ESI) and positive and negative ion mode scanning were employed, the detection range was m/z 100-1 400. Result:The total content of protodioscin and protoneodioscin in Asparagi Radix decoction pieces was 0.41%-0.72%, and their total content in Asparagi Radix standard decoction was 0.33%-0.59%, the transfer rate of these two components was 73.6%-98.3%. The dry extract yield of the standard decoction was 59.0%-73.0%, and its pH was 4.9-5.6. There were 10 common peaks in the fingerprint, and all of them were saponins, including protoneodioscin, protodioscin, aspacochioside A and its isomer, methyl protodioscin, asparagoside F, (25R)-26-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-furostan-5, 20-diene-3β, 26-diol-3-O-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→2)]-[β-D-glucopyranosyl (1→4)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→4)]-β-D-glucopyranoside, 26-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-furostan-20 (22)-ene-3β, 26-diol-3-O-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→2)]-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→4)]-β-D-glucopyranoside, pseudodiosgenin, aspacochioside C. Conclusion:In this paper, the quality evaluation methods of Asparagi Radix decoction pieces and its standard decoction are established, and these methods are stable and feasible, which can provide reference for the quality control of pharmaceutical preparations containing Asparagi Radix.

Identification of Decoction Pieces and Standard Decoction of Ophiopogonis Radix and Liriopes Radix by TLC / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:There were 92 kinds of compound preparations containing Ophiopogonis Radix in the 2015 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia， but there was no effective method to identify these compound preparations. Because Ophiopogonis Radix and Liriopes Radix are similar in appearance， it is easy to be confused in application. The aim of this study was to set up a thin layer chromatography （TLC） to identify compound preparations containing Ophiopogonis Radix and distinguish Ophiopogonis Radix and Liriopes Radix in the forms of decoction pieces and standard decoction. Method:In this study， decoction pieces of Ophiopogonis Radix and Liriopes Radix were collected and separately prepared as standard decoction. TLC was used to qualitatively identify decoction pieces and standard decoction of Ophiopogonis Radix and Liriopes Radix， and compound preparations containing Ophiopogonis Radix. In the TLC， the lower solution of chloroform-methanol-water （65∶35∶10） was selected as the developing agent and 10% sulfuric acid ethanol solution as the chromogenic agent. Result:The resolution of this TLC was good. Decoction pieces， standard decoction and preparations of Ophiopogonis Radix had the same characteristic strips， which were two bright white fluorescent strips under ultraviolet lamp （365 nm）. But these two characteristic strips were not existed in the TLC of decoction pieces and standard decoction of Liriopes Radix. The corresponding components of both of these two strips were identified as mixture containing saponins by LC-MSn， including ophiopogonin Ra， Tb， ophiopogonin D'， borneol glycoside， ophiopogonin C and Liriope muscari baily saponins C. Conclusion:The established TLC method， which has significant advantages such as high specificity and sensitivity， can be applied to the characteristic identification of decoction pieces and standard decoction of Ophiopogonis Radix， the identification of compound preparations containing Ophiopogonis Radix， and the distinction of Ophiopogonis Radix and Liriopes Radix， thus serving as an effective method to qualitatively identify Ophiopogonis Radix and its compound preparations.

Establishment of quality evaluation methods for pieces and standard decoction of honey-fried Descurainiae Semen / 中国中药杂志

To establish a content determination method for quality control of the pieces and standard decoction of honey-fried Descurainiae Semen. Standard decoction of honey-fried Descurainiae Semen was prepared with standardized process, and high performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode-array detector(HPLC-DAD) was used to detect its characteristic fingerprint and determine the content of quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucose-7-O-β-D-gentiobioside. In addition, the transfer rate, dry extract rate and pH value were calculated. The results showed that the established method had a high accuracy. The content of quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucose-7-O-β-D-gentiobioside in 13 batches of standard decoction was 0.03-0.12 mg·mL~(-1); the transfer rate was 13.4%-23.1%; the rate of extracts was 1.9%-5.5%, and the pH was between 5.4-5.9. The similarity coefficients were all greater than 0.85, indicating good homogeneity for the different batches of decoction. There were 7 common peaks in the characteristic chromatogram, one of which was quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucose-7-O-β-D-gentiobioside. In this paper, the established content determination and quality evaluation method for Descurainiae Semen pieces and decoction was simple, rapid and reproducible, providing reference for the quality control of honey-fried Descurainiae Semen pieces, standard decoction and its preparations.

Quality evaluation methods for standard decoction of Nelumbinis Folium / 中国中药杂志

The quality evaluation method for standard decoction of Chinese herbal slices is the basis for the quality evaluation of granules and preparations of classical formula(decoction)of traditional Chinese medicine. This study aimed to establish a method for the determination of quercetin-3-O-glucuronic acid in Nelumbinis Folium(NF)and its standard decoction, so as to provide reference for the quality control of NF and its standard decoction. Fifteen batches of representative NF were collected to prepare standard decoction, and the parameters of dry extract rate, transfer rate of index component, and pH value were calculated. HPLC was used to establish the content determination method for quercetin-3-O-glucuronic acid in NF and its standard decoction. The concentration range of quercetin-3-O-glucuronic acid in the standard decoction of NF was 1.09-3.06 g·L~(-1), while the concentration range of nuciferine was 0.01-0.17 g·L~(-1). The average extraction rate of NF standard decoction was(14.4±2.6)%, the average transfer rate of quercetin-3-O-glucuronic acid was(70.7±18.6)%, and the average transfer rate of nuciferine was(9.6±5.4)%. Compared with Nuciferine, quercetin-3-O-glucuronic acid had a high content and stable transfer rate in standard decoction, and was recommended to be the quality control marker for NF and its standard decoction. This paper establishes a quality evaluation method for NF standard decoction, and can provide reference for the quality control of all preparations derived from NF and its decoction.

[Current situation and research strategy of quality control of health food containing Chinese materia medica].

Health food containing Chinese materia medica has many advantages in health preservation and reducing the risk of disease occurrence,which meets people's demands for " great health" and " preventive treatment of disease". However,due to its complex ingredients,diverse quality of raw materials,as well as the vagueness and lack of integrity for existing quality standards,chaos is caused in the health food market,which restricts its healthy development and also poses new challenges to the quality control of healthy food. At present,the total component content or single component content is determined in most functional/marker component examinations. Safety and microbial detection methods fail to cover the contamination range of the raw materials of Chinese materia medica.Therefore,it is impossible to meet the purpose of ensuring authenticity,safety and efficacy. In recent years,a lot of Chinese materia medica extracts have been used as raw materials for food products,but many extracts lack standards. The author believes that the quality control of health food containing Chinese materia medicas should start with the quality control of Chinese materia medica extracts. In this way,product quality is controlled from source to ensure product consistency; secondly,the overall quality control should be strengthened to ensure the authenticity of the products; the scope of safety inspection shall be expanded to fundamentally ensure the safety of products. At the same time,we should strengthen the quality control of whole process and strengthen the overall quality control of raw materials to produce health food of high quality.

MHC class I diversity predicts non-random mating in Chinese alligators (Alligator sinensis).

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) has several important roles in kin recognition, pathogen resistance and mate selection. Research in fish, birds and mammals has suggested that individuals optimise MHC diversity, and therefore offspring fitness, when choosing mates. In reptiles, however, it is unclear whether female mate choice is based on genome-wide genetic characteristics such as microsatellite DNA loci, particular functional-trait loci (e.g., MHC) or both, and MHC's effects on mate choice remain relatively understudied. Herein, we used 13 microsatellite loci and two MHC class I loci to investigate female mate choice of Chinese alligators (Alligator sinensis) in the semi-natural condition. We also determined correlations between the MHC genotype of breeding males and male reproductive success. We found that MHC-heterozygous males harbour a greater reproductive success, which probably is the reason that these males are more preferred by the females than MHC-homozygous males. Furthermore, the MHC class I amino-acid distance and functional distance of true mating pairs were higher compared with those of randomly sampled pairs. Analysis of microsatellites revealed that, despite mate choice, females did not completely avoid inbreeding. These findings are the first evidence of MHC-associated mate choice in Chinese alligators, suggesting that females may adopt different mating strategies after assessing the MHC characteristics of potential mates.

Effects of Mongolian Warm Acupuncture on iNOS/NO and Inflammatory Cytokines in the Hippocampus of Chronic Fatigue Rats.

The inducible nitric oxide synthase/nitric oxide (iNOS/NO) signaling pathway and inflammatory cytokines play important roles in the pathogenesis of exercise-induced fatigue. Studies have found that Mongolian warm acupuncture (WA) could alleviate exercise-induced fatigue. However, the exact mechanisms underlying its effects remain unclear. In the present study, we investigated the effects of Mongolian WA on iNOS/NO signaling pathway and proinflammatory cytokines in a chronic exhaustive swimming-induced fatigue rat model. Animals were randomly divided into Control group, Ctrl + WA group, Model group, and Model + WA group. The body weight, exhaustive swimming time test, and Morris water maze test were performed before and after the chronic exhaustive swimming. The serum levels of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and iNOS were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mRNA expressions of IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ, and iNOS in the hippocampus were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Moreover, the protein expression of iNOS in the hippocampus was measured by western blot, and the NO productions in the serum and hippocampus were detected by Griess reaction system. Chronic exhaustive exercise significantly reduced the body weight and exhaustive swimming time, and induced impairment in learning and memory, and which were reversed by WA treatment. Chronic exhaustive exercise also increased the expressions of iNOS and proinflammatory cytokines, while WA treatment significantly decreased the level of iNOS and proinflammatory cytokines. However, chronic exhaustive exercise did not affect the NO production. These findings demonstrated that WA could alleviate the chronic exhaustive swimming-induced fatigue and improve the learning and memory ability, and the actions might be related to the reduction of inflammatory response and iNOS expression.

Current situation and research strategy of quality control of health food containing Chinese materia medica / 中国中药杂志

Health food containing Chinese materia medica has many advantages in health preservation and reducing the risk of disease occurrence,which meets people's demands for " great health" and " preventive treatment of disease". However,due to its complex ingredients,diverse quality of raw materials,as well as the vagueness and lack of integrity for existing quality standards,chaos is caused in the health food market,which restricts its healthy development and also poses new challenges to the quality control of healthy food. At present,the total component content or single component content is determined in most functional/marker component examinations. Safety and microbial detection methods fail to cover the contamination range of the raw materials of Chinese materia medica.Therefore,it is impossible to meet the purpose of ensuring authenticity,safety and efficacy. In recent years,a lot of Chinese materia medica extracts have been used as raw materials for food products,but many extracts lack standards. The author believes that the quality control of health food containing Chinese materia medicas should start with the quality control of Chinese materia medica extracts. In this way,product quality is controlled from source to ensure product consistency; secondly,the overall quality control should be strengthened to ensure the authenticity of the products; the scope of safety inspection shall be expanded to fundamentally ensure the safety of products. At the same time,we should strengthen the quality control of whole process and strengthen the overall quality control of raw materials to produce health food of high quality.

Research Progress on Pharmacodynamic Material Basis and Quality Control of Danggui Buxue Tang / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Danggui Buxue Tang(DBT) is a famous classical formula of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) for invigorating Qi and activating blood circulation.It is composed of Angelicae Sinensis Radix and Astragali Radix.It has the effect of enriching blood,invigorating Qi and regulating immunity,and has a high application value in clinical treatment.Because of its definite curative effect and simple compatibility,it has become a hot spot in the research field of TCM.This paper summarized and analyzed the research status of DBT from the pharmacological action,pharmacodynamic material basis,pharmacokinetics,quality control,compatibility and decoction process,so as to provide reference for the development of DBT and formulating its quality standard.

Adsorption of Pb(II) from fish sauce using carboxylated cellulose nanocrystal: Isotherm, kinetics, and thermodynamic studies.

In the present study, a new adsorbent based on carboxylated cellulose nanocrystal (CCN) was developed for the adsorption of Pb(II) from fish sauce. The prepared adsorbent material was characterized by zeta potential, FT-IR, XRD, and XPS tools. The changes in the morphological structure of the developed CCN surface were evidenced by SEM and TEM. The favorable adsorption conditions were selected by studying the contact time, initial concentration, temperature, and concentration of the used glutamic acid and NaCl. The results indicated that the Langmuir isotherm model agrees very well with experimental adsorption data (R2=0.9962) with a maximum adsorption capacity 232.56mg/g of Pb(II) at 293.2K. Additionally, data of the adsorption kinetics follow the pseudo-second-order kinetics (R2>0.9990). On the other hand, the thermodynamics studies show that the adsorption process is spontaneous and endothermic. Furthermore, the developed CCN could be regenerated using acid treatment with a good reusability for Pb(II) adsorption. The results clearly indicated that the synthesized CCN could be effectively applied as a new material for Pb(II) adsorption from fish sauce solutions.