Optimization of polysaccharide extraction from Hippocampus by deep neural network and Box-Behnken design-response surface methodology / 中国中药杂志

In this paper, the extraction rate of crude polysaccharides and the yield of polysaccharides from Hippocampus served as test indicators. The comprehensive evaluation indicators were assigned by the R language combined with the entropy weight method. The Box-Behnken design-response surface methodology(BBD-RSM) and the deep neural network(DNN) were employed to screen the optimal parameters for the polysaccharide extraction from Hippocampus. These two modeling methods were compared and verified experimentally for the process optimization. This study provides a reference for the industrialization of effective component extraction from Chinese medicinals and achieves the effective combination of modern technology and traditional Chinese medicine.

Progress in Research on Effect of Processing on Chemical Constituents and Pharmacological Effect of Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma, one of precious and important traditional Chinese medicinal herb, has the functions of dispersing blood stasis and stopping bleeding, detaching swelling and alleviating pain, and invigorating Qi and blood. It is a traditional Chinese medicine for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. After processing, the efficacy of Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma was obviously different, the raw products mainly dispersed blood stasis and hemostasis, while the main effect of processed products was to replenish blood and Qi. In recent years, more attention has been paid to Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma research, mainly focusing on the chemical constituent, pharmacological action and clinical application of the raw products. Although the research on processed Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma has been increasing in these years, the mechanism of processing and the changes of bioactive constituents before and after processing are still unclear. This paper systematically summarized the modern processing methods of Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma and compared the changes in chemical constituent and pharmacological action before and after processing through literature search. It is proposed that modern technologies should be put forward to study the correlation between the chemical constituent transformation and enriching blood as the breakthrough point, in order to explain the processing mechanism of Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma, improve the quality evaluation system of this decoction pieces, and provide guarantee for the safety and effectiveness of its clinical medication.

Correlation of reproductive hormone levels and seminal plasma oxidative stress with semen quality in obese males / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>Objective</b>To investigate the correlation of the levels of reproductive hormones and oxidative stress in the seminal plasma with semen parameters in obese males.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Based on the body mass index (BMI), we divided 138 infertile men into three groups: normal (BMI <24 kg/m2, n = 48), overweight (24 kg/m2≤BMI<28 kg/m2, n = 47), and obesity (BMI ≥28 kg/m2, n = 43). We determined the concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteotropic hormone (LH), prolactin (PRL), testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2) in the serum by electrochemiluminescence and measured the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione-S-transferases (GSTs), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the seminal plasma by ELISA, compared the above indexes among the three groups, and analyzed their correlation with the semen volume, sperm concentration, total sperm count, and percentage of progressively motile sperm (PMS).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The semen volume was significantly lower in the obesity than in the normal group (［2.63 ± 0.74］ vs ［3.37 ± 1.00］ ml, P < 0.05), and so was the percentage of PMS in the overweight and even lower in the obesity than in the normal group (［47.91 ± 12.89］ and ［41.27 ± 15.77］ vs ［54.04 ± 13.29］%, P < 0.05). Compared with the normal group, both the overweight and obesity groups showed markedly decreased levels of serum T (［4.83 ± 1.42］ vs ［3.71 ± 1.22］ and ［3.49 ± 1.12］ ng/ml, P<0.05), T/LH ratio (1.53 ± 0.57 vs 1.19 ± 0.54 and 0.97 ± 0.51, P<0.05), SOD (［112.05 ± 10.54］ vs ［105.85 ± 6.93］ and ［99.33 ± 8.39］ U/ml, P<0.05), and GSTs (［31.75±6.03］ vs ［29.54±5.78］ and ［29.02±4.52］ U/L, P<0.05), but remarkably increased seminal plasma ROS (［549.93±82.41］ vs ［620.61±96.13］ and ［701.47±110.60］ IU/ml, P<0.05) and MDA (［7.46 ± 2.13］ vs ［8.72 ± 1.89］ and ［10.47 ± 2.10］ nmol/L, P<0.05). BMI was correlated positively with ROS and MDA, but negatively with the semen volume, PMS, T, T/LH, SOD and GSTs (P<0.05); LH negatively with sperm concentration, total sperm count and GSTs (P<0.05); PRL negatively GSTs (P<0.05); E2 positively with SOD (P<0.05); T positively with SOD (P<0.05) but negatively with MDA (P<0.05); T/LH positively with PMS and SOD (P<0.05) but negatively with ROS and MDA (P<0.05); SOD positively with semen volume, PMS and GSTs (P<0.05) but negatively with ROS and MDA (P<0.05); GSTs negatively with sperm concentration; total sperm count and MDA (P<0.05); ROS positively with MDA (P<0.01) but negatively with PMS (P<0.05); and MDA negatively with semen volume (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the independent factors influencing the semen volume were BMI and GSTs, those influencing the total sperm count were BMI and T, and those influencing PMS were BMI and MDA.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Increased BMI induces changes in the levels of male reproductive hormones and seminal plasma oxidative stress and affects semen quality, which may be associated with male infertility.</p>

Correlation of semen parameters with inflammatory factors in the seminal plasma of obese males / 中华男科学杂志

Objective@#To investigate the influence of inflammatory factors on semen parameters in the seminal plasma of obese men.@*METHODS@#Based on the body mass index (BMI), 171 males were divided into a normal group (BMI 0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#The levels of TNF-α and IL-6 are increased and that of VEGF decreased in the seminal plasma of obese males, which may affect the semen quality.

Right hepatic arterial pseudoaneurysm with hemobilia following minilaparotomy cholecystectomy: a rare complication

Hepatic arterial pseudoaneurysm with hemobilia occurs less frequently as a complication of minilaparotomy cholecystectomy than laparoscopic cholecystectomy; however, given its severe nature, it needs to be managed promptly. This report presents a case of right hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm with hemobilia in a 36-year-old woman who underwent minilaparotomy cholecystectomy 5 weeks earlier. Angiography with embolization was carried out as definitive treatment