A minute makes a difference: Apply countdown timers to cognitive well-being surveys.

This paper implemented the use of countdown timers in online subjective well-being (SWB) surveys via an online experiment. The study involved 600 US residents who were equally divided into two groups: a control group and an experimental group. Both groups were posed with the same question, "All things considered; how do you rate your own life satisfaction?" However, the experimental group was subjected to a 1-minute countdown timer before submitting their responses, while the control group was not. Our findings indicate that incorporating timers into online surveys can effectively prevent participants from mis-responding by distinguishing between their affective and cognitive well-being. Furthermore, the use of timers resulted in more comprehensive responses, as participants were able to engage in deeper reflection on their life and consider a wider range of factors.

Three new coumarins and a new coumarin glycoside from Micromelum integerrimum.

Three new coumarins, integmarins A-C (1-3), and a new coumarin glycoside, integmaside A (4) were isolated from the leaves and stems of Micromelum integerrimum. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR and MS data, and their absolute configurations were assigned according to the ECD data of the in situ formed transition metal complexes and comparison of experimental and calculated ECD data. Compounds 1 and 2 are two rare coumarins with butyl and propyl moieties at the C-6 position; compound 3 is a novel coumarin with a highly oxidized prenyl group, and compound 4 is a rare bisdihydrofuranocoumarin glycoside.

A new prenylated coumarin diglycoside with insulin-release promoting activity from Clausena dunniana.

A new prenylated coumarin diglycoside, 6-prenylcoumarin-7-O-ß-D-apiofuranosyl-(1→6)-ß-D-glucopyranoside (1) and five known flavonoid glycosides (2-6) were isolated from the leaves and stems of Clausena dunniana. The structures of these isolates were elucidated based on comprehensive MS, UV, IR, and NMR spectroscopic data analysis and comparison with the data reported in literature. Compounds 2-6 are obtained from the title plant for the first time. All these isolates were evaluated for their insulin-release promoting effects, and compounds 1, 2, and 4 exhibited significant activities (2.0 to 3.3-fold higher in comparison with the control, p < 0.01) at 40 µM.[Formula: see text].

Isolation and structure characterization of cytotoxic alkaloids from Micromelum integerrimum.

Ten undescribed alkaloids, named integerrines A-J, including one racemic heterodimer of carbazole and indole, two racemic, two scalemic, and one enantiomerically enriched biscarbazoles, two aldoximes, and one racemic pyrrolone, were isolated from the dried leaves and stems of Micromelum integerrimum. The racemic or scalemic compounds were resolved using chiral-phase HPLC and their configurations were determined by comparison of experimental and calculated ECD data. Four compounds exhibited moderate to weak cytotoxicities against HepG2, HTC-116, HeLa, and PANC-1 cell lines, with IC50 values of 14.1-67.5 µM.

[Famous veteran traditional Chinese medicine doctors' medication rules in treating spermatorrhea].

To explore famous veteran traditional Chinese medicine( TCM) doctors' medication rules in treating spermatorrhea based on the medical cases about spermatorrhea collected from Hundred TCM Clinical Doctors of Hundred Years in China and Proven Cases and National Medical Master Test Case. Researchers extracted such data as medicinal and therapies from these cases according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Then,Excle 2010,SPSS Clementine 12. 0 and SPSS 22. 0 were adopted respectively for frequency analysis,association rules analysis,cluster analysis and factor analysis. Cluster analysis was carried out by Ochiai algorithm of binary variable data,one of the systematic clustering methods. And principal component analysis was used for factor analysis. Finally,27 medical cases and 41 prescriptions were included in total. The frequency analysis showed that the most common therapy was the astringent therapy( n = 28),which was followed by the tonifying method,tranquilizing method,heat-clearing method,damp-dispelling method and Qiregulating method. The top three kinds of high-frequency traditional Chinese medicines were Poria,Ostreae Concha and Dioscoreae Rhizoma. The association rules analysis found out 11 association rules of medicine pairs,23 association rules of medicine combinations of the three kinds of herbs and 6 association rules of medicine combinations of five kinds of herbs. Among them,the representatives were Rubi Fructus→Fossilia Ossis Mastodi,Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata + Corni Fructus→Dioscoreae Rhizoma,and Pinelliae Rhizoma→Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium,which showed the therapeutic characteristics of astringing,tonifying the kidney and replenishing essence,fortifying the spleen and dispelling dampness. Moreover,7 medicine groups with relevance were extracted from the tree map generated by cluster analysis,including " Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex and Anemarrhenae Rhizoma" and " Angelicae Sinensis Radix,Rehmanniae Radix,Bupleuri Radix and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma",which demonstrated the effects of nourishing Yin and purging fire,tonifying and soothing the liver. Besides,totally 12 common factors were obtained according to factor analysis,including 14 drug combinations,like " Amomi Fructus,Anemarrhenae Rhizoma and Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex" and " Nelumbinis Stamen,Moutan Cortex,Poria and Scrophulariae Radix",which indicated the compatibility characteristics of tonifying the spleen and purging fire,dispelling dampness and clearing heat. In conclusion,data mining techniques( including frequency analysis,association rules analysis,cluster analysis and factor analysis) were used to comprehensively analyze the famous veteran TCM doctors' medication rules in treating spermatorrhea,which was helpful for guiding the clinical practice of treating spermatorrhea in TCM.

[Chemical constituents from Murraya euchrestifolia].

The open silica gel, ODS, and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, along with the semi-preparative HPLC was used to isolate and purify the chemical constituents from Murraya euchrestifolia. The structures of the isolates were elucidated by their physiochemical properties, NMR, and MS spectroscopic data, as well as comparison with literature data. Eighteen compounds were isolated from the CH2Cl2 fraction of the 95% aqueous EtOH extract of M. euchrestifolia, and their structures were identified as sakuranetin (1), eriodictyol-7,4'-dimethyl ether (2), isosakuranetin (3), 5-hydroxy-7,4'-dimethoxyflavanone (4), eriodictyol-7-methyl ether (5), lichexanthon (6), 5,6,7-trimethoxycoumarin (7), 5-hydroxy-6,8-dimethoxycoumarin (8), 8-hydroxy-6-methoxy-3-n-pentylisocoumarin (9), ethyl caffeate (10), 4-hydroxy-3,5- dimethoxycinnamic acid ethyl ester (11), methyl 3-(5'-hydroxyprenyl)-coumarate (12), (E)-coniferol (13), ß-hydroxypropiovanillone (14), 3-hydroxy-7,8-didehydro-ß-ionone (15), 3ß-hydroxy-5α, 6α-epoxy-7-megastigmen-9-one (16), grasshopper ketone (17), and 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde (18). Compounds 1-15 and 18 were first obtained from the plants of Murraya genus, and compounds 16 and 17 were isolated from M. euchrestifolia for the first time.

Tenuifolin, a saponin derived from Radix Polygalae, exhibits sleep-enhancing effects in mice.

BACKGROUND: Radix Polygalae, the dried root of Polygala tenuifolia, has been extensively used as a traditional Chinese medicine for promoting intelligence and tranquilization. Polygalasaponins extracted from the root of P. tenuifolia possess evident anxiolytic and sedative-hypnotic activities. Previous studies have reported that tenuifolin was a major constituent of polygalasaponins. PURPOSE: The currently study aims to investigate the hypnotic effect and possible mechanism of tenuifolin in freely moving mice. DESIGN/METHODS: The hypnotic effects of tenuifolin (20, 40 and 80mg/kg, p.o.) were assessed by electroencephalographic (EEG) and electromyographic (EMG) analysis. Double-staining immunohistochemistry test was performed to evaluate the neuronal activity of sleep-wake regulating brain areas. High performance liquid chromatograph- electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD) and ultrafast liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UFLC-MS) were used for the detection of neurotransmitters. Locomotor activity was measured by Open-field Test. RESULTS: Tenuifolin at doses of 40 and 80mg/kg (p.o.) significantly prolonged the total sleep time by increasing the amount of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, associated with the significant increase in the bouts of episodes respectively. After administration of tenuifolin, the cortical EEG power spectral densities during NREM and REM sleep were similar to that of natural sleep (vehicle) and thus compatible with physiological sleep. Double-immunohistochemistry staining test showed that tenuifolin increased the c-Fos positive ratios of GABAergic NREM sleep-promoting neurons in ventrolateral preoptic area (VLPO), cholinergic REM sleep-promoting neurons in laterodorsal tegmental area (LDT) and pontomesencephalic tegmental area (PPT) and decreased the c-Fos positive ratios in wake-promoting neurons (locus coeruleus (LC) and perifornical area (Pef)). Neurotransmitter detections revealed that tenuifolin significantly reduced the noradrenaline (NA) levels in LC, VLPO, PPT and LDT, elevated the GABA levels in VLPO, LC and Pef and increased the acetylcholine (Ach) levels in LDT and PPT. In addition, tenuifolin did not cause any change to locomotor activity. CONCLUSION: Taken together, these results provide the first experimental evidence of the significant sleep-enhancing effect of tenuifolin in mice. This effect appears to be mediated, at least in part, by the activation of GABAergic systems and/or by the inhibition of noradrenergic systems. Moreover, this study adds new scientific evidence and highlights the therapeutic potential of the medicinal plant P. tenuifolia in the development of phytomedicines with hypnotic properties.

[Phytochemical and pharmacological advance on Tibetan medicinal plants of Corydalis].

It was estimated that about 428 species of genus Corydalis are distributed all worldwide, with about 298, especially 10 groups and 219 species being uniquely spread in China. The genus Corydalis have been widely employed as folk medicines in China, especially as traditional Tibetan medicines, for treatment of fever, hepatitis, edema, gastritis, cholecystitis, hypertension and other diseases. The phytochemical studies revealed that isoquinoline alkaloids are its major bioactive ingredients. The extensive biological researches suggested its pharmacological activities and clinic applications against cardiovascular diseases and central nervous system, antibacterial activities, analgesic effects, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidation and anti-injury for hepatocyte, and so on. As an effort in promoting the research of pharmacodynamic ingredients, this article presents an overview focusing on the distribution, phytochemical and pharmacological results of Corydalis species that have been applied in traditional Tibetan medicinal, hopefully to provide a reference for the new Tibetan medicine development from Corydalis plant resource.

Effects of plasma exchange combined with continuous renal replacement therapy on acute fatty liver of pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP) in the third trimester or early postpartum period can lead to fatal liver damage. Its traditional therapy is not very effective in facilitating hepatic recovery. The safety and effect of plasma exchange (PE) in combination with continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) (PE+CRRT) for AFLP still needs evaluation. METHODS: Five AFLP patients with hepatic encephalopathy and renal failure were subjected to PE+CRRT in our department from 2007 to 2012. Their symptoms, physical signs and results were observed, and all relevant laboratory tests were compared before and after PE+CRRT. RESULTS: All the 5 patients were well tolerated to the therapy. Four of them responded to the treatment and showed improvement in clinical symptoms/signs and laboratory results, and they were cured and discharged home after the treatment. One patient succeeded in bridging to transplantation for slowing down hepatic failure and its complications process after 2 treatment sessions. Intensive care unit stay and hospital stay were 9.4 (range 5-18) and 25.0 days (range 11-42), respectively. CONCLUSION: PE+CRRT is safe and effective and should be used immediately at the onset of hepatic encephalopathy and/or renal failure in patients with AFLP.

Changes in peripheral CD4+CD25(high) regulatory T cells in the acute-on-chronic liver failure patients with plasma exchange treatment.

The prevalence of CD4+CD25(high) regulatory T cells (Tregs) in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (AoCLF) who received plasma exchange (PE) and/or medical treatment was investigated. One hundred five patients with AoCLF in two groups (PE plus routine-care, n = 48 and routine-care, n = 57) were enrolled in our study. In the PE group, there were 27 survivors (27/48) while, in the routine-care group, there were 18 survivors (18/57), both after 30 days treatment. Twenty-three healthy donors were used as the control group. Tregs were determined by flow cytometry serially. In the survivors, Tregs frequency were lower compared with the normal controls on admission and showed an up and down tendency; moreover, this frequency turned to the level as that in healthy subjects and was faster in the PE compared with the medical group while, among the nonsurvivors, Tregs stayed at a high level throughout the examination period. Importantly, an increased quantity of Tregs was associated with high mortality and reduced survival time of AoCLF patients. These data suggest that Tregs play a role in determining the patient's fate toward either a favorable or unfavorable clinical course of disease, and PE may represent a reliable hepatic support device for AoCLF.

Changes of serum cytokine levels in patients with acute on chronic liver failure treated by plasma exchange.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Acute on chronic liver failure (AoCLF) is associated with a high mortality rate. Plasma exchange (PE) may be useful to bridge patients with AoCLF to liver transplantation or to regenerate their own livers. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of PE on the circulating concentrations of cytokines in patients with AoCLF. METHODS: One hundred forty-nine patients with AoCLF in 2 groups (PE plus routine-care, n=62; and routine-care, n=87) were enrolled in our study. Fifteen healthy donors were used as the control group. Cytokine levels such as interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-10 (IL-10), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF-α) were detected on admission and on days 7, 14, 21, and 30 during hospitalization. RESULTS: All the detected cytokine values (IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-4, IL-2, and TNF-α) in the patient groups were higher compared with those in the healthy controls (P<0.001). PE was effective to decrease the serum concentration of cytokines: TNF-α dropped from (3.46±1.23) pg/mL to (1.64±0.66) pg/mL (P<0.01), IL-10 from (6.2±2.1) pg/mL to (3.5±1.1) pg/mL (P<0.01), IL-2 from (7.5±4.7) pg/mL to (4.0±2.1) pg/mL (P<0.01), IFN-γ from (27.5±15.8) pg/mL to (15.5±11.8) pg/mL (P<0.01), and IL-4 from (86.7±31.3) pg/mL to (44.7±26.3) pg/mL (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Cytokines may be important in the pathogenesis of the AoCLF, and PE may represent a reliable hepatic support device for AoCLF.

Artificial liver support system in China: a review over the last 30 years.

Severe viral hepatitis with high mortality is the most common cause of liver failure in China. Treatment of severe viral hepatitis by hemoperfusion was initially adopted in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Following 10 years of development in China, a plasma exchange (PE)-centered artificial liver support system (ALSS), principally dependent on PE technology was developed. Based on the condition and symptoms of each patient, PE was given alone, or combined with hemodialysis, hemofiltration, hemodiafiltration, hemoperfusion, or plasma perfusion. In the late 1990s, training courses for ALSS were developed, and ALSS began to be carried out across China. Guidelines for artificial liver therapy were formulated and published by the Artificial Liver and Liver Failure Group of the Chinese Society of Infection. In recent years, new methods have been attempted, including small pore-size plasma separators, a molecular adsorbent-based recirculating system (MARS), and a continuous albumin purification system (CAPS). According to a retrospective analysis published in 2004, ALSS therapy significantly (P < 0.001) improved the survival rate of patients with severe hepatitis compared with patients who received only medicines (43.4%, 157/362 vs. 15.4%, 55/358 in chronic patients and 78.9%, 30/38 vs. 11.9%, 5/42 in acute and subacute patients). Furthermore, ALSS has also proved valuable as a bridge to liver transplantation in the treatment of patients with end-stage severe hepatitis in China. More recently, ALSS has been used in the treatment of drug-induced liver failure, acute fatty liver during pregnancy, and other difficult-to-treat disorders in China.

Evaluation of a bioartificial liver based on a nonwoven fabric bioreactor with porcine hepatocytes in pigs.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We developed a bioartificial liver (BAL) based on a direct hemoperfusion typed nonwoven fabric bioreactor containing porcine hepatocytes. In this study, the efficacy of our BAL was evaluated with a pig fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) model. METHODS: FHF was induced with intravenous administration of D-galactosamine (1.3 g/kg) in each pig. Twelve hours post D-galactosamine injection, fifteen pigs were divided into: a BAL group (n = 5), in which pigs received the BAL treatment with 1.0 to 1.3 x 10(9) hepatocytes for 6 h, a sham BAL group (n = 5), in which pigs received the BAL treatment without hepatocytes, and a FHF group (n = 5), in which pigs only received intensive care. Parameters related to liver function and animal survival up to 168 h were determined. RESULTS: In the BAL group, blood ammonia and plasma lactate levels were lower, and serum glucose levels and Fischer index were higher than those in the other two groups. Survival time of pigs in the BAL group was significantly prolonged as compared with the sham BAL and the FHF group. CONCLUSIONS: The BAL based on a nonwoven fabric bioreactor containing porcine hepatocytes appears to be effective in the treatment of FHF in pigs.

Comparison of plasma exchange with different membrane pore sizes in the treatment of severe viral hepatitis.

Plasma exchange has become an effective mode of blood purification in patients suffering from liver failure. To assist in patient recovery, we compared two plasma separators to identify a plasma separator with suitable pore sizes to remove toxic substances effectively, and retain important plasma components. The study focused on severe viral hepatitis patients. Of 206 rounds of plasma exchange, 137 were completed with the PS-06 plasma separator (membrane pore size=0.2 microm) and 69 with the EC-4A plasma separator (membrane pore size=0.03 microm). The efficacy of different plasma separators was compared using survival rate, changes in liver biochemistry, immunoglobulin, and complement parameters. The survival rate of patients treated with PS-06 was 43.3% (13 of 30 patients). For patients treated with EC-4A, two patients were bridged to liver transplantation successfully, and 57.9% (11 of 19 patients) survived. In both groups, the levels of total bilirubin, prothrombin time, and bile acid declined significantly. Compared to PS-06, EC-4A could retain significantly larger amounts of immunoglobulin and complements. Our study revealed that plasma exchange implementation with membrane pore size 0.03 microm could remove adequate bilirubin and bile acid, a class of toxins bound to plasma protein in severe viral hepatitis patients, and reduce the loss of essential plasma macromolecules.

Effect of artificial liver support system on patients with severe viral hepatitis: a study of four hundred cases.

AIM: To assess the effect of artificial liver support system (ALSS) on patients with severe viral hepatitis, who were divided into treatment group and control group. METHODS: Four hundred in-hospital patients enrolled during 1995-2003 who received ALSS therapy were studied as the treatment group. Four hundred in-hospital patients enrolled during 1986-1994 who received other medical therapies served as the control group. The methods of ALSS used included plasma exchange, hemoperfusion, hemofiltration, continuous hemodiafiltration (CHDF). The effect of ALSS treatment was studied in patients at different stages of the disease. RESULTS: The cure rate of acute and subacute severe hepatitis in the treatment group was 78.9% (30/38), and was 11.9% (5/42) in the control group. The improved rate of chronic severe hepatitis in the treatment group was 43.4% (157/362), and was 15.4% (55/358) in the control group. We found that patients treated with ALSS in the early or middle stage of the disease had much higher survival rates than patients in the end stage of the disease. CONCLUSION: ALSS is an effective and safe therapy for severe viral hepatitis.

[Study of severe hepatitis treated with a hybrid artificial liver support system].

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of a hybrid artificial liver support system in the treatment of chronic severe hepatitis. METHODS: The hybrid artificial liver support system (HALSS) consisted of a bioreactor containing more than 5 x 10(9) porcine hepatocytes and plasma exchange device. 15 patients with chronic severe viral hepatitis were treated with the hybrid system. RESULTS: All the patients experienced a reduction in symptoms, such as fatigue, abdominal distention or ascites. After each treatment serum total bilirubin decreased markedly (from 493.5 micromol/L+-139.8 micromol/L to 250.9 micromol/L+-91.3 micromol/L, t=8.695, P<0.001), while prothrombin activity increased (from 24.5%+-8.4% to 30.6%+-6.3%, t=3.325, P<0.01). There were 11 patients whose progress of hepatocytes necrosis stopped after HALSS treatment, and finally they recovered completely. Four patients died of their worsen conditions. No serious adverse events were noted in the 15 patients. CONCLUSION: HALSS is a reliable hepatic support device for chronic severe hepatitis.