High-Quality Genome Resource of Fusarium pseudograminearum Isolate Fp22-2 by Oxford Nanopore Long-Read Sequencing.

Fusarium crown rot (FCR), caused by Fusarium pseudograminearum, results in severe yield and quality losses of cereal crops in many arid and semiarid areas of the world. Limited information about the genome of F. pseudograminearum restricts the pathogenesis research and breeding of disease-resistant wheat varieties. In this study, a high-quality genome assembly of F. pseudograminearum isolate Fp22-2 was generated using Oxford Nanopore long-read sequencing technology. The assembled nuclear genome of Fp22-2 is 37.33 Mb with a repeat content of 3.69% and is divided into four contigs with a k-mer completeness score of 97.2% and a base quality accuracy of >99.99%. A total of 14,475 protein-coding genes (BUSCO completeness score, 99.9%) were predicted and functionally annotated. Moreover, genes encoding pathogenic proteins, including effector proteins and carbohydrate-active enzymes, and secondary metabolic gene clusters were identified. Overall, the high-quality genome assembly and gene annotation provided here will allow further investigation of the biology of F. pseudograminearum and lead to the development of new control options for FCR.

Pharmacology mechanism of Flos magnoliae and Centipeda minima for treating allergic rhinitis based on pharmacology network.

Chinese herbs such as Flos magnoliae (FM) and Centipeda minima (CM) can be effective in treating allergic rhinitis (AR). However, there is little research on the therapeutic mechanism of these two drugs acting on AR at the same time. In order to systematically understand the mechanism of action of two drugs acting on AR at the same time, we searched various databases to obtain 31 components and 289 target proteins of FM, 25 components and 465 target proteins of CM. The interaction networks of FM, CM, and AR proteins were constructed by Cytoscape-v3.2.1 software. The core protein of two network intersections was obtained by using Venny 2.1.0. The R platform was used for the core target protein gene ontology (GO) comment analysis and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathway analysis. Thirteen common targets and seven acting pathways were obtained. The results of animal experiments showed that FM and CM volatile oil could effectively improve the symptoms of AR by regulating the common targets. In summary, this study successfully explained the potential therapeutic mechanism of FM and CM in the treatment of AR. At the same time, it indicates that the two drugs can be compatible as a new application.

[Extraction kinetics of volatile oil from galangal by steam distillation].

To reveal the extraction regularity of volatile oil from galangal by GC-MS analysis. The volatile oil in galangal was extracted by steam distillation. The extract was collected every 30 min, the oil part and the water part were separated. GC-MS was used to analyze the extraction liquid collected at different time periods. A total of 140 volatile components were obtained by GC-MS analysis. Among them, the main components were eucalyptus oil alcohol, alpha-pine oil alcohol and 4-terpene alcohol; 22 special components were dissolved in water, 77 special components were dissolved in oil and 41 components were dissolved in both oil and water. With the increase of specific components in water, the content of Eucalyptus in water increased in a linear manner. The increase of eucalyptus oil further promoted the dissolution or dispersion of alpha PN in water, and the change of specific components in oil was positively correlated with the content of Eucalyptus and alpha-terpilenol in oil. The results of principal component analysis show that the physical and chemical properties of the compounds were important factors affecting the distribution of components. PC1 (molecular weight, melting point, boiling point positive correlation), PC2 (negative correlation of refractive index) and PC3 (positive correlation of water solubility) were the main components that lead to the differences in composition distribution. The process of extracting volatile oil from galangal through steam distillation was affected by the physical and chemical properties of volatile components. Some components were specifically distributed in the fragrance and volatile oil system. The endemic components of aromatic water increased the content of the main components in the water system, which may lead to the "emulsification", reduction of the yield and low quality of the volatile oil.

High-quality genome assembly and annotation of Clonostachys chloroleuca strain Cc878 using Oxford Nanopore long-read sequencing.

As a noteworthy biocontrol fungus, Clonostachys chloroleuca currently lacks a high-quality reference genome. Here, we present the first high-quality genome assembly of C. chloroleuca strain Cc878 achieved through Oxford Nanopore Long-Read sequencing. The nuclear genome of Cc878 was assembled into four contigs, totaling 59.38 Mb.

Characterization of disinfection byproduct formation potential in 13 source waters in China.

The formation potential of four trihalomethanes (THMFP) and seven haloacetic acids (HAA7FP) in 13 source waters taken from four major water basin areas in China was evaluated using the simulated distribution system (SDS) chlorination method. The specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA254: the ratio of UV254 to dissolved organic carbon (DOC)), which ranged between 0.9 and 5.0 L/(mg x m), showed that the organic compounds in different source waters exhibited different reactivities with chlorine. The HAA7FP of source waters ranged from 20 to 448 microg/L and the THMFP ranged from 29 to 259 microg/L. The HAA7FP concentrations were higher than the THMFP concentrations in all but one of the samples. Therefore, the risks of haloacetic acids (HAAs) should be of concern in some source waters. TCM (chloroform) and BDCM (bromodichloromethane) were the major THM constituents, while TCAA (trichloroacetic acid) and DCAA (dichloroacetic acid) were the major HAA species. Br-THM (brominated THM species) were much higher than Br-HAA (brominated HAA species), and the formation of Br-DBP (Br-THM and Br-HAA) should be of concern when the bromide concentration is over 100 microg/L.

Evaluation of therapeutic effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation on bone metastasis pain and its influence on immune function of patients.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to observe the effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on bone metastasis pain, anxiety and immune function in cancer patients. METHODS: A total of 127 patients with bone metastasis pain from malignant tumors were treated with TEAS or drugs. The TEAS group comprised of 62 patients, while the drug control group comprised of 65 patients. The differences in general indexes, baseline pain and anxiety between these two groups were not statistically significant. RESULTS: Compared with those before treatment, the visual analog scale (VAS) scores of patients in the TEAS group and drug control group decreased after treatment, and the differences were statistically significant. The degrees of pain relief after treatment were similar between the two groups. Anxiety improved in both the TEAS group and drug control group, and the difference between these two groups was not statistically significant. The differences in immune indexes, B cell and CD8 between the TEAS group and drug control group were statistically significant. TEAS treatment could improve the declining trend of CD8 in patients. CONCLUSIONS: TEAS treatment and drug treatment can effectively alleviate mild to moderate pain in patients, and the efficacy of these two groups is similar. The treatment for moderate and severe pain needs to be combined with drug treatment to achieve a control effect. TEAS can improve the anxiety and immune function of patients, and prevent the decrease in B cells and CD8 in patients treated with drugs alone.

Network pharmacology exploration reveals a common mechanism in the treatment of cardio-cerebrovascular disease with Salvia miltiorrhiza Burge. and Carthamus tinctorius L.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to identify the key genes and KEGG pathways in Carthamus tinctorius L. (Safflower) and Salvia miltiorrhiza Burge. (Salvia) for the treatment of cardio-cerebrovascular disease, and to explore their potential molecular mechanisms. METHODS: Compounds and targets in Safflower and Salvia were retrieved from Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP). We obtained targets of myocardial infarction (MI) and cerebral infarction (CI) data from Therapeutic Target Database (TTD), Drugbank and DisGeNET datasets. The network of Safflower, Salvia, CI and MI was established and then executing, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) analyses of the functional characteristics were performed. The Chinese herbal prescription and target for CI and MI were obtained by searching in the database. Finally, the main pathways of Salvia and Safflower in Chinese patent medicines were analyzed. The MCAO model was established in rats, and compatibility of salvia with safflower was experimentally verified. RESULTS: We obtained a total of 247 genes targeted by 52 compounds from Safflower and 119 genes targeted by 48 compounds from Salvia. In total, we identified 299 known therapeutic targets for the treatment of CI and 960 targets for the treatment MI. There are 23 common targets for Salvia, Safflower, MI, and CI. A total of 85 KEGG pathways were also enriched and intersected with the pathway of proprietary Chinese medicine to yield 25 main pathways. Safflower and Salvia have the best therapeutic effect in MCAO. CONCLUSION: We identified gene lists for Safflower and Salvia in CI and MI. Bioinformatics and interaction analyses may provide new insight into the treatment of cardio-cerebrovascular diseases with Safflower and Salvia.

Preparation and quality evaluation of a volatile oil microemulsion from Flos magnoliae and Centipeda minima.

In order to improve the water solubility of the volatile oils extracted from Flos magnoliae (FM) and Centipeda minima (CM), they were prepared as a microemulsion (ME), which were then used in the development of an FM and CM volatile oil ME for the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR). ME was prepared by phase inversion emulsification, and the prescription factors such as emulsifier, co­emulsifier, oil phase, Km, which represents the ratio of the mass of emulsifier to that of the co­emulsifier, and preparation factors such as temperature affecting the formation of the ME were selected according to the formation area of ME in a pseudo­ternary phase diagram. The quality of the ME was evaluated based on its appearance, particle size, Zeta potential and stability. The content of eucalyptol in ME was determined by gas chromatography­mass spectrometry (GC­MS). The cumulative permeability of the ME within 24 h was measured with a transdermal diffusion tester. The results revealed that the best formula for preparation of the ME was as follows: Castor oil polyoxyethylene ether (EL­40) was the emulsifier; the co­emulsifier was anhydrous ethanol; the Km was 2:1; the mixed phase of volatile oil and isopropyl myristate with mass ratio of 1:1 was used as oil phase; and the preparation temperature was 25˚C. The content of eucalyptol in the ME was 2.57 mg/g, and the cumulative permeability of the ME in 24 h was significantly increased compared with that of the reference oil solution. The appearance of the ME was uniform, and the solution was transparent. In conclusion, compared with traditional preparations, FM and CM volatile oil ME is a novel, improved and more effective preparation for the treatment of AR.

Randomized Controlled Trials of Tianma Gouteng Decoction Combined with Nifedipine in the Treatment of Primary Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a primary risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Tianma Gouteng decoction (TGD), originating from Zabingzhengzhixinyi, has been used for thousands of years in China to treat hypertension, giddiness, and migraine. This updated meta-analysis aimed at assessing the efficacy and safety of TGD combined with nifedipine in the treatment of primary hypertension. METHODS: Related research published prior to September 1, 2019, was found in electronic databases without language limitations. Fourteen studies were selected and analyzed for specified criteria, including the quality of the studies. All outcomes were recorded exhaustive. Data management and analysis were performed using RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS: A total of 1,537 (769 cases in the experimental group and 768 cases in the control group) patients were enrolled. The total efficacy rate was improved significantly for the combination of nifedipine with TGD compared to nifedipine treatment alone (I 2 = 22%, RR = 1.17, and 95% CI: 1.12 to 1.22). Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptoms of patients were obviously improved in the experimental group than in the control group (I 2 = 22%, RR = 1.17, and 95% CI: 1.12 to 1.22). Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptoms of patients were obviously improved in the experimental group than in the control group (I 2 = 22%, RR = 1.17, and 95% CI: 1.12 to 1.22). Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptoms of patients were obviously improved in the experimental group than in the control group (I 2 = 22%, RR = 1.17, and 95% CI: 1.12 to 1.22). Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptoms of patients were obviously improved in the experimental group than in the control group (I 2 = 22%, RR = 1.17, and 95% CI: 1.12 to 1.22). Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptoms of patients were obviously improved in the experimental group than in the control group (P < 0.00001) when two studies (shicaihong 2017 and xiaoyugao 2017) were removed. And the results of DBP showed no heterogeneity (I 2 = 22%, RR = 1.17, and 95% CI: 1.12 to 1.22). Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptoms of patients were obviously improved in the experimental group than in the control group (P < 0.00001) when two studies (shicaihong 2017 and xiaoyugao 2017) were removed. And the results of DBP showed no heterogeneity (. CONCLUSION: The combination of TGD and nifedipine has a better effect in the treatment of hypertension, including blood pressure lowering and patients' TCMs improving. However, our findings must be handled with care because of the small sample size and low quality of clinic trials cited. Other rigorous and large-scale RCTs are in need to confirm these results.

A Chinese Prescription Chuanxiong Chatiao San for Migraine: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUNDS: Chuanxiong Chatiao san (CXCT) is a famous Chinese classical prescription. It has a favorable effect in treating migraine. It is reported that CXCT combined with Western conventional medicine (WCM) could increase the therapeutic efficacy on migraine. The purpose of this paper is to systematically assess the clinical efficacy, safety, and some indexes of CXCT for migraine. METHODS: PubMed, Embase Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, the Cochrane Library, and the CBM were searched from January 2000 to February 2019. We made a detailed record of outcome measurements. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS: A total of 3307 patients were included in the 37 articles. Meta-analysis showed that CXCT significantly increased the total efficiency rate (TER), compared with Western medicine treatment (WMC) (P < 0.00001). When CXCT is combined with WMC, the result showed that P < 0.00001. CXCT was significantly reduced the adverse events (AEs) compared with WMC (P < 0.00001). The levels of VAS, number of migraine episodes (NE), and time of headache duration (TD) were significantly reduced (P < 0.00001). Platelet function and blood rheology level were improved via a significantly decrease in 5-HT and ß-EP (P < 0.00001). Other indicators such as substance P, CGRP high-cut viscosity, low-cut viscosity, plasma viscosity, and fibrinogen were significantly reduced (P < 0.00001). CONCLUSION: Our findings provide evidence that CXCT and CXCT combined with WMC have higher efficacy in the treatment of migraine compared with WCM alone. Methodological quality was generally low, so the conclusion of this paper has some limitations and it has to be carefully evaluated.

Therapeutic Efficacy of Kangfuxin Liquid Combined with PPIs in Gastric Ulcer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Kangfuxin liquid (KFX) combined with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in the treatment of gastric ulcer (GU). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Electronic databases including PubMed, Wanfang, CNKI, VIP, Embase, Cochrane Library, and CBM were examined for appropriate articles without language limitations on key words before March 10, 2019. RevMan 5.3 software was applied to execute outcome assessment and finish the meta-analysis. RESULTS: 22 articles involving 2,024 patients with a gastric ulcer were selected. Total efficacy rate and efficacy rate of gastroscopy were significantly enhanced for the combination of KFX with PPIs compared to those of PPI treatment alone (OR = 6.95, 95% CI: 4.87, 9.91, P < 0.00001; OR = 2.96, 95% CI: 1.98, 4.42, P < 0.00001, respectively). Same results were found for different PPIs in combination on total efficacy rate, respectively. The combination also significantly reduced the adverse events (OR = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.22, 0.70, P=0.002). In addition, KFX combined with PPI could suppress the inflammation (MD = -6.11, 95% CI: -7.45, -4.77, P < 0.00001), reduce the recurrence rate (OR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.14, 0.70, P=0.005), and enhance the clearance rate of Helicobacter pylori (HP, OR = 3.76, 95% CI: 1.80, 7.87, P=0.0004). It seemed like the combination would influence immune function by increasing levels of T-lymphocyte subsets CD4 and CD8 but not CD3 (MD = 2.40, 95% CI: 1.25, 3.55, P < 0.0001); MD = 25.72, 95% CI: 14.55, 36.90, P < 0.00001; MD = 0.72, 95% CI: -0.66, 2.09, P=0.31, respectively). CONCLUSION: KFX combined with PPIs in treatment of patients with GU could improve the total efficacy rate and efficacy rate of gastroscopy and reduce adverse events and the recurrence rate. However, the results of this study should be handled with care due to the limitations. Several rigorous RCTs are in need to confirm these findings.

Reconstruction of the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network based on competitive endogenous RNA reveal functional lncRNAs in Cerebral Infarction.

Functioning as miRNA sponges, long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) exert its pharmacological action via regulating expression of protein-coding genes. However, the lncRNA-mediated ceRNA in cerebral Infarction (CI) remains unclear. In this study, the expression recordsets of mRNA, lncRNA and miRNA of CI samples were obtained from the NCBI GEO datasets separately. The differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs), miRNAs (DEMis) and mRNAs (DEMs) were identified by limma package in R platform. A total of 267 DELs, 26 DEMis, and 760 DEMs were identified as differentially expressed profiles, with which we constructed the ceRNA network composed of DELs-DEMis-DEMs. Further, clusterProfiler package in R platform is employed for performing Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway analysis. An aberrant ceRNA network was constructed according to node degrees in CI, including 28 DELs, 19 DEMs and 12 DEMis, from which we extracted the core network, in which 9 nodes were recognized as kernel genes including Tspan3, Eif4a2, rno-miR-208a-3p, rno-miR-194-5p, Pdpn, H3f3b, Stat3, Cd63 and Sdc4. Finally, with the DELs-DEMis-DEMs ceRNA network provided above, we can improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of CI mediated by lncRNA.

Using Network Pharmacology to Explore Potential Treatment Mechanism for Coronary Heart Disease Using Chuanxiong and Jiangxiang Essential Oils in Jingzhi Guanxin Prescriptions.

BACKGROUND: To predict the active components and potential targets of traditional Chinese medicine and to determine the mechanism behind the curative effect of traditional Chinese medicine, a multitargeted method was used. Jingzhi Guanxin prescriptions expressed a high efficacy for coronary heart disease (CHD) patients of which essential oils from Chuanxiong and Jiangxiang were confirmed to be the most important effective substance. However, the interaction between the active components and the targets for the treatment of CHD has not been clearly explained in previous studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Genes associated with the disease and the treatment strategy were searched from the electronic database and analyzed by Cytoscape (version 3.2.1). Protein-protein interaction network diagram of CHD with Jiangxiang and Chuanxiong essential oils was constructed by Cytoscape. Pathway functional enrichment analysis was executed by clusterProfiler package in R platform. RESULTS: 121 ingredients of Chuanxiong and Jiangxiang essential oils were analyzed, and 393 target genes of the compositions and 912 CHD-related genes were retrieved. 15 coexpression genes were selected, including UGT1A1, DPP4, RXRA, ADH1A, RXRG, UGT1A3, PPARA, TRPC3, CYP1A1, ABCC2, AHR, and ADRA2A. The crucial pathways of occurrence and treatment molecular mechanism of CHD were analyzed, including retinoic acid metabolic process, flavonoid metabolic process, response to xenobiotic stimulus, cellular response to xenobiotic stimulus, cellular response to steroid hormone stimulus, retinoid binding, retinoic acid binding, and monocarboxylic acid binding. Finally, we elucidate the underlying role and mechanism behind these genes in the pathogenesis and treatment of CHD. CONCLUSIONS: Generally speaking, the nodes in subnetwork affect the pathological process of CHD, thus indicating the mechanism of Jingzhi Guanxin prescriptions containing Chuanxiong and Jiangxiang essential oils in the treatment of CHD.

The Relationship between Compound Danshen Dripping Pills with Isosorbide Mononitrate in the Treatment of Elderly Patients with Unstable Angina Pectoris.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Compound Danshen Dripping Pill (CDDP) and Isosorbide Mononitrate (ISMN) in the treatment of unstable angina pectoris (UAP) in the elderly. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, CBM, and PubMed databases were searched for appropriate articles without language limitations on keywords. RevMan 5.3 software was used to perform the meta-analysis. RESULTS: This analysis compared CDDP with ISMN of 21 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that involved a total of 2356 patients with UAP. When the treatment lasted for four weeks, the clinical effective rate was OR = 3.97, 95% CI = 2.97, 5.30, and P < 0.00001, the ECG efficiency was OR = 3.43, 95% CI = 2.13, 5.53, and P < 0.00001, and incidence of adverse reactions was OR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.52, 1.04, and P = 0.08 > 0.05. When the treatment lasted for eight weeks, clinical efficiency rate was OR = 4.22, 95% CI = 2.37, 3.79, and P < 0.00001, incidence of adverse reactions was OR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.26, 1.27, and P = 0.17 > 0.05, whole blood low-cut blood viscosity was SMD = -0.61 and 95% CI -1.60, 0.38, whole blood high-cut blood viscosity was SMD = -0.38 and 95% CI -0.97, 0.21, and blood cells specific volume was SMD = -0.80 and 95% CI -2.61, 1.01. CONCLUSION: Based on this meta-analysis, the CDDP was superior to ISMN with UAP in the elderly. However, there is still a need to further verify the clinical efficacy and safety of CDDP with more strictly designed RCTs with large sample and multiple centers in the future.

A detour strategy for colloidally stable block-copolymer grafted MAPbBr3 quantum dots in water with long photoluminescence lifetime.

Perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) exhibit remarkable photoluminescence properties; however, their use in biological applications is hindered by their extreme sensitivity to water. We report a facile and general strategy for the preparation of aqueous colloidally stable polystyrene-b-poly(ethyl oxide) (PS-b-PEO) grafted MAPbBr3 QDs (MA = methylammonium): transferring the as-synthesized PQD@PS-b-PEO from toluene into water using precipitation in hexane as a critical intermediate step. When rehydrating the precipitate in water, the PQDs can be dispersed well individually or self-assembled into well-defined vesicular nanostructures with high photoluminescence quantum yields of up to 43%, high color purity (full width at half maximum down to 18 nm), and long average photoluminescence lifetimes up to 164 ns. The resulting PQD nanostructures in water also show excellent thermo- and photo-stability, low cytotoxicity, and bright potential for cell imaging. This work highlights the future prospects of using polymer-modified PQDs with desired physicochemical properties for biomedical applications.

Chiral Plasmonic Nanochains via the Self-Assembly of Gold Nanorods and Helical Glutathione Oligomers Facilitated by Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide Micelles.

Gold nanorods are excellent anisotropic building blocks for plasmonic chiral nanostructures. The near-infrared plasmonic band of nanorods makes them highly desirable for biomedical applications such as chiral bioimaging and sensing, in which a strong circular dichroism (CD) signal is required. Chiral assemblies of gold nanorods induced by self-associating peptides are especially attractive for this purpose as they exhibit plasmonic-enhanced chiroptical activity. Here, we showed that the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) micelles in a gold nanorod solution promoted the self-association of l-/d-glutathione (GSH) and significantly enhanced the chirality of the resulting plasmonic nanochains. Chiroptical signals for the ensemble in the presence of CTAB micelles were 20 times greater than those obtained below the critical micelle concentration of CTAB. The strong optical activity was attributed to the formation of helical GSH oligomers in the hydrophobic core of the CTAB micelles. The helical GSH oligomers led the nanorods to assemble in a chiral, end-to-end crossed fashion. The CD signal intensities were also proportional to the fraction of nanorods in the nanochains. In addition, finite-difference time-domain simulations agreed well with the experimental extinction and CD spectra. Our work demonstrated a substantial effect from the CTAB micelles on gold nanoparticle assemblies induced by biomolecules and showed the importance of size matching between the inorganic nanobuilding blocks and the chiral molecular templates (i.e., the GSH oligomers in the present case) in order to attain strong chiroptical activities.

[Discussion of some problems in studying relationship between sphygmo-diagram and syndrome types or diseases].

In contemporary studies of pulse and of the relationship between sphygmo-diagram and syndrome types or diseases, pulse instrument is usually applied to trace the sphygmo-diagram. A comparatively systemic theory about pulse diagnosis has been formed, and it promotes the pulse researching process. But the mechanism of pulse is complicated and the expressive information of pulse is diversity. So it is difficult to record the complicated information of pulse by applying the instrument. In addition, the simplicity in methods of tracing and analyzing sphygmo-diagram and the lack of criterion for syndrome differentiation make it difficult to study the relationship between the sphygmo-diagram and the syndrome types. It's important to lay stress on clinical applying, to promote communication among researchers, to unify the standards of pulse instrument and syndrome differentiation, and to reinforce the research on the relationship between sphygmo-diagram and the syndrome types. The government's support is also needed to promote multi-science cooperation at the same time.

Immunomodulatory Potential of the Polysaccharide-Rich Extract from Edible Cyanobacterium Nostoc commune.

A dry sample of Nostoc commune from an organic farm in Pingtung city (Taiwan) was used to prepare polysaccharide-rich (NCPS) extract. The conditioned medium (CM) from NCPS-treated human peripheral blood (PB)-mononuclear cells (MNC) effectively inhibited the growth of human leukemic U937 cells and triggered differentiation of U937 monoblast cells into monocytic/macrophagic lines. Cytokine levels in MNC-CMs showed upregulation of granulocyte/macrophage-colony stimulatory factor and IL-1ß and downregulation of IL-6 and IL-17 upon treatment with NCPS. Moreover, murine macrophage RAW264.7 cells treated with NCPS exhibited the stimulatory effects of nitric oxide and superoxide secretion, indicating that NCPS might activate the immunity of macrophages. Collectively, the present study demonstrates that NCPS from N. commune could be potentially used for macrophage activation and consequently inhibited the leukemic cell growth and induced monocytic/macrophagic differentiation.

Study of axonal guidance growth cue netrin-1 on nano-materials in nerve regeneration / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

Nerve regeneration is a major problem in our society after nerve injury.With the development of nanotechnology,some nano-materials,such as carbon nanotubes and graphene with electrical conductivity,have been used to promote neuronfunctional recovery.Some of the nano-materials,however,are neurotoxic and cause neuronal apoptosis.Nerve injury often leads to the disruption of axons,and broken axons cannot form synapse with target neurons,which affects the repair and regeneration of nerves.Netrin-1 is an important cue in neurogenesis,which can guide the growth and migration of axons and synapse formation during neuronal regeneration.However,some growth factors are used to decorate the surface of nanomateriaes to decrease the toxicity in medicine,but the molecular mechanism by which netrin-1 mediates the toxicity of nanomaterials is not clear yet.In this study,we investigated the nano-materials and the function of netrin-1 in neuronal regeneration in recent years.We have proved that netrin-1 can not only guide the growth and migration of axon and synapse formation,but also promote functional recovery of the neurons which are injured by the toxicity of nanomaterials.Our review will provide a theoretical basis for neuronal regeneration by nanomaterials.

Tests of equivalence and non-inferiority for diagnostic accuracy based on the paired areas under ROC curves.

Assessment of equivalence or non-inferiority in accuracy between two diagnostic procedures often involves comparisons of paired areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. With some pre-specified clinically meaningful limits, the current approach to evaluating equivalence is to perform the two one-sided tests (TOST) based on the difference in paired areas under ROC curves estimated by the non-parametric method. We propose to use the standardized difference for assessing equivalence or non-inferiority in diagnostic accuracy based on paired areas under ROC curves between two diagnostic procedures. The bootstrap technique is also suggested for both non-parametric method and the standardized difference approach. A simulation study was conducted empirically to investigate the size and power of the four methods for various combinations of distributions, data types, sample sizes, and different correlations. Simulation results demonstrate that the bootstrap procedure of the standardized difference approach not only can adequately control the type I error rate at the nominal level but also provides equivalent power under both symmetrical and skewed distributions. A numerical example using published data illustrates the proposed methods.