Impact of Red Yeast Rice on Metabolic Diseases: A Review of Possible Mechanisms of Action.

Metabolic diseases constitute a major public health burden and are linked with high morbidity and mortality. They comprise atherosclerosis dyslipidemia, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. However, there is no single drug that can simultaneously treat multiple diseases with complex underlying mechanisms. Therefore, it is necessary to identify a class of adjuvant drugs that block the development of metabolic diseases from a preventive perspective. Red yeast rice is a food fermentation product widely used to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis. Modern pharmacology has shown that red yeast rice exerts potential protective effects on the liver, pancreas, blood vessels, and intestines. Therefore, this study was carried out to analyze and summarize the effect of red yeast rice on several metabolic diseases and the mechanisms of action involved. It was found that red yeast rice may be beneficial in the prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases.

[Radiation Environment Study of Near Space in China Area].

Aerospace activity in near space (20-50 km) has become a research hotspot for aviation big countries worldwide. Solar radiation study, as the prerequisite to carry out aerospace activity, is facing the barrier of lacking of observation in near space layer. Ozone is the most important factor that affects radiation value in this layer. Based on ECMWF reanalysis data, this input key parameter and its horizontal, vertical and temporal characteristics are analyzedwith results showing obvious regional features in temporal-spatial distribution and varieties. With meteorological data and surface parameters, near space over China is divided into 5 parts. Key factors' value is confirmed over each division. With SBDART radiation transfer model, solar radiation and ultraviolet radiation simulation in near space are conducted separately. Results show that it is influenced by latitude, total ozone and its vertical distribution, radiation varies under complex rules. The average year and monthly solar radiation strengthens changes with latitude reduction, while annual range changes reversely. Air absorbing is related to latitude and land-sea contrast and shows different values and seasonal variations. The ultraviolet radiation over South China Sea reaches its maximum value and minimum annual range, as well as minimum monthly range with value strengthening in summer and weakening in winter. In other areas radiation increases in summer while weakens in winter, monthly range shows double peaks with higher value in spring and autumn, lower in summer and winter. Air absorption in ultraviolet radiation is influenced by multiple factors, vertical varieties over areas besides South China Sea enhance in summer time. The vertical changes of monthly ranges affected by air absorption show consistence in higher and lower layer in June and July, while in other months ranges are bigger in higher layer.

Magnetoencephalography assessment of evoked magnetic fields and cognitive function in subcortical ischemic vascular dementia patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between cognitive impairment and somatosensory evoked magnetic field and auditory evoked magnetic field changes in elderly male patients with subcortical ischemic vascular dementia (SIVD). METHODS: Magnetoencephalography (MEG) was used to record evoked magnetic field changes from 4 SIVD patients (76-88 years), 3 patients with vascular cognitive impairment with no dementia (VCI-ND; 74-87 years), and 6 healthy volunteers (72-85 years). Latency peaks, equivalent current dipole (ECD) strength, and bilateral ECD position were recorded. The MEG data were superimposed on magnetic resonance imaging to produce magnetic source imaging. RESULTS: Compared to controls, SIVD patients showed increased M20 latency and ECD strength. There were no significant differences in M20 inter-hemispheric positions across diagnostic categories. At M100, SIVD patients showed delayed auditory evoked magnetic field latency compared to controls. However, ECD strength and 3-dimensional inter-hemispheric differences were similar across the groups at the M100 measurement. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in somatosensory and auditory evoked magnetic field changes correlated with cognitive impairment in SIVD patients. Magnetic field latency measures may provide an objective and sensitive index for early dementia detection and monitoring of cognitive function.

[Preliminary study on the functional localization of auditory cortex in auditory pathology patients using magnetoencephalography].

OBJECTIVE: To access the pathological changes of the functional localization of the primary auditory cortex in auditory neuropathy patients using magnetoencephalography (MEG). METHODS: The M100 waves of cortical evoked magnetic fields (AEF) evoked by 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 kHz pure tones were measured respectively in 10 auditory neuropathy patients (20 ears) and 15 healthy young subjects (30 ears) using a whole head 306 channel magnetoencephalography (MEG) system. The auditory cortex magnetic source imaging obtained by superimposing functional MEG data on structural magnetic resonance image (MRI). RESULTS: The M100 sources were obtained in all 15 healthy young subjects in all frequency except for 8 kHz in 16 ears. But in auditory neuropathy patients, the ratio of M100 from 0.5 to 6 kHz were 27.5% (11/40), 22.5% (9/40), 7.5% (3/40), 5% (2/40), 5% (2/40) respectively and no any waves in 8 kHz. The evoked ratio of M100 in low frequency was high and that decreased gradually with increasing of evoked pure tone frequency. The M100 latentencies and amplitudes were longer and lower in patient group than that in control group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Auditory neuropathy is an audiology disease with pathological lesions from the VIII cranial nerve to auditory cortex. MEG might become an important reference in decision making for therapies.

[Preliminary study on the functional localization of auditory cortex in the healthy young subjects using magnetic source imaging].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the value of magnetic source imaging (MSI) in the functional localization of the primary auditory cortex. METHODS: The M100 waves of cortical auditory evoked magnetic fields (AEFs) evoked by 0.5, 1, 2, 4 and 8 kHz pure tones in 5 subjects and by 2 kHz pure tones in 25 healthy young subjects were measured respectively (16 males and 14 females, with the age from 20 to 32 years old) using a whole head 306 channel magnetoencephalography (MEG) system. The MSI obtained by superimposing functional MEG data on structural magnetic resonance image (MRI) was used to localize the M100 sources on the auditory cortex. RESULTS: The M100 waves of AEFs were clear and replicable in both hemispheres. The M100 sources were localized on the bilateral transverse temporal gyri in all 30 subjects. The localization of M100 on transverse temporal gyri varied with the changes of stimulus frequency. The localization of primary auditory cortex was asymmetrical between bilateral hemispheres, and the left hemisphere M100 dipoles were significantly posterior compared to the right M100 dipoles. The M100 responses appeared significantly earlier to the contralateral stimuli than that to the ipsilateral stimuli in both hemispheres. The dipole positions of M100 were independent of the side of the stimuli. CONCLUSIONS: The functional localization of the primary auditory cortex could be determined precisely by magnetic source imaging (MSI) with high spatiotemporal resolution. MSI would hold great promise as a noninvasive tool for the fundamental and clinical research in otology.

[The clinical study of somatosensory evoked magnetic fields in patients with acute cerebral infarction by magnetoencephalography].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristics of somatosensory evoked magnetic fields (SEF) in patients with acute cerebral infarction by magnetoencephalgraphy (MEG). METHODS: SEFs were recorded from 17 patients with acute cerebral infarction and 18 healthy volunteers using 306-channel whole-head MEG. The electric stimuli were presented with interstimulus intervals of 0.5 s. The peaks of SEF were estimated by equivalent current dipole (ECD), which were superimposed on MRI. RESULTS: M20 was the most elemental components of SEF in all subjects, originating from the area close to the "hand area" of the primary somatosensory cortex. There appeared several abnormal SEF parameters in the patient group: (1) the value of interhemispheric difference of the M20 positions was (8 +/- 4) mm in the normal group and (11 +/- 3) mm in the patient group (P < 0.01); (2) the peak latency of M20 responses in the healthy group was (20.7 +/- 1.1) ms, significantly shorter than those in both the unaffected hemisphere and affected hemisphere in the patient group, (21.8 +/- 1.2) ms and (23.6 +/- 1.9) ms, (both P < 0.01); (3) the strength of ECD in the affected hemisphere was (17 +/- 10) nAm, significantly smaller than that in the unaffected hemisphere, (26 +/- 10) nAm (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Latent cortical impairment may be evaluated by MEG with higher spatial and temporal resolution. MEG provides objective and sensitive indexes to evaluate the function of somatosensory cortex in patients with acute cerebral infarction.