The Yin-Yang Property of Chinese Medicinal Herbs Relates to Chemical Composition but Not Anti-Oxidative Activity: An Illustration Using Spleen-Meridian Herbs

“Yin-Yang” and “Five Elements” theories are the basis theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). To probe and clarify the theoretical basis of these ancient Chinese wisdoms, extensive efforts have been taken, however, without a full success. In the classification of TCM herbs, hot, cold and neutral herbs are believed to possess distinct profile of chemical compositions of which the compounds should have different polarity and mass: this view provides a new perspective for further illustration. To understand the chemical properties of TCMs in the classification of “Yin-Yang” and “Five Elements,” 15 commonly used herbs attributed to spleen-meridian were selected for analyses. Chemically standardized water extracts, 50% ethanol extracts and 90% ethanol extracts were prepared and subjected to different analytic measurements. Principle component analysis (PCA) of full spectrum of HPLC, NMR and LC-MS of the extracts were established. The results revealed that the LC-MS profile showed a strong correlation with the “Yin-Yang” classification criterion. The Yang-stimulating herbs generally contain more compounds with lower molecular weight and less polar property. Additionally, a comprehensive anti-oxidative profiles of selected herbs were developed, and the results showed that its correlation with cold and hot properties of TCM, however, was rather low. Taken together, the “Yin-Yang” nature of TCM is closely related to the physical properties of the ingredients, such as polarity and molecular mass; while such classification has little correlation with anti-oxidative property. Therefore, the present results provide a new direction in probing the basic principle of TCM classification

Kai-Xin-San, a Chinese Herbal Decoction Containing Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Polygalae Radix, Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma, and Poria, Stimulates the Expression and Secretion of Neurotrophic Factors in Cultured Astrocytes

Kai-xin-san (KXS), a Chinese herbal decoction prescribed by Sun Simiao in Beiji Qianjin Yaofang about 1400 years ago, contains Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Polygalae Radix, Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma, and Poria. In China, KXS has been used to treat stress-related psychiatric diseases with the symptoms of depression and forgetfulness. Although animal study has supported the antidepression function of KXS, the mechanism in cellular level is still unknown. Here, a chemically standardized water extract of KXS was applied onto cultured astrocytes in exploring the action mechanisms of KXS treatment, which significantly stimulated the expression and secretion of neurotrophic factors, including NGF, BDNF, and GDNF, in a dose-dependent manner: the stimulation was both in mRNA and protein levels. In addition, the water extracts of four individual herbs did not significantly stimulate the expression of neurotrophic factors, which could explain the optimized effect of KXS in a herbal decoction. The KXS-induced expression of neurotrophic factors did not depend on signaling mediated by estrogen receptor or protein kinase. The results suggested that the antidepressant-like action of KXS might be mediated by an increase of expression of neurotrophic factors in astrocytes, which fully supported the clinical usage of this decoction

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Correction to: Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake

Study on quality standard of Andrographis Herba

Objective To improve the quality standard of Andrographis Herba through determination of effective components, moisture, total ashes, acid insoluble ashes, extracts and heavy metals. Methods TLC and HPLC were used for qualitative and quantitative identification of andrographolide and dehydroandrograpolide in Andrographis Herba. Routine examinations were based on the procedures recorded in the Appendix Ⅸ A, Ⅸ H, Ⅸ K, ⅩA and Ⅸ E of Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010), for foreign matter, moisture, ashes, extracts determination and heavy metal test respectively. Results Total content of andrographolide and dehydroandrographolide, extractives (70% ethanol) all complied with Chinese pharmacopoeia. Conclusion The established method was simple, accurate and can be used as the quality standard for the quality control of Andrographis Herba

A globular, not a symmetric, form of acetylcholinesterase is expressed in chick motor neurons: Down-regulation toward maturity and after denervation

In vertebrate neuromuscular junctions, the postsynaptic specializations include the accumulation of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) at the synaptic basal lamina and the muscle fiber. Several lines of evidence indicate that the presynaptic motor neuron is able to synthesize and secrete AChE at the neuromuscular junctions. By using anti-AChE catalytic subunit, anti-butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) catalytic subunit, and anti-AChE collagenous tail monoclonal antibodies, we demonstrated that the motor neurons of chick spinal cord expressed AChE in vivo and the predominant AChE was the globular form of the enzyme, Neither asymmetric AChE nor BuChE was detected in the motor neurons. The molecular mass of AChE catalytic subunit in the motor neuron was similar to 105 kDa, which was similar to that of the globular enzyme from low-salt extracts of muscle both of them were similar to 5 kDa smaller than the asymmetric AChE from high-salt extracts of muscle, The level of AChE expression in the motor neurons decreased, as found by immunochemical and enzymatic analysis, during the different stages of the chick's development and after nerve lesion. Thus, the AChE activity at the neuromuscular junctions that is contributed by the presynaptic motor neurons is primarily the globular, not the asymmetric, form of the enzyme, and these contributions decreased toward maturity and after denervation

Calcitonin gene-related peptide increases the expression of acetylcholinesterase in cultured chick myotubes

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a neuropeptide may play a role in the formation of neuromuscular junctions is synthesized by the motor neurons and is able to stimulate the expression of acetylcholine receptor (AChR) in cultured myotubes. By using antibody and DNA probe that are specific for acetyl cholinesterase (AChE), we reported the expression of AChE could also be stimulated by CGRP in cultured chick myotubes. After CGRP application, the amount of AChE protein, that showed a molecular weight of similar to 105 kDa as recognized by the anti-AChE monoclonal antibody, was increased by similar to 1.7-fold. Two transcripts encoding AChE, similar to 4.8 and similar to 6.0 kb, were identified and their levels of expression were increased to similar to 3-fold after treatment with CGRP. However, the total AChE enzymatic activity in the CGRP-treated myotubes was unchanged. These evidences suggest that most of the CGRP-induced AChE proteins in the cultured chick myotubes are the inactive pool of enzyme