Optimizing Nucleophilic Depolymerization of Proanthocyanidins in Grape Seeds to Dimeric Proanthocyanidin B1 or B2.

Depolymerization of polymeric proanthocyanidins (PPCs) in grape seeds into oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs), especially the dimers, has important academic significance and practical value. Reaction conditions including nucleophilic reagent/PPC mass ratio, HCl concentration, reaction time, and temperature were systematically optimized by central composite design to maximize the yield of the dimeric product B2 or B1. The yield of B2 reached 3.35 mg mL-1 under the conditions of (-)-epicatechin/PPC mass ratio 2.8, HCl concentration 0.06 mol, reaction time 16 min and temperature 36 °C, and that of B1 reached 3.64 mg mL-1 under the conditions of (+)-catechin/PPC mass ratio 2.8, HCl concentration 0.07 mol, reaction time 17 min, and temperature 34 °C. Overall, this study has provided theoretical guidance and a practical approach to improvethe reaction process and economic value of proanthocyanidins in grape seed proanthocyanidin extract.

Response of Plant Secondary Metabolites to Environmental Factors.

Plant secondary metabolites (SMs) are not only a useful array of natural products but also an important part of plant defense system against pathogenic attacks and environmental stresses. With remarkable biological activities, plant SMs are increasingly used as medicine ingredients and food additives for therapeutic, aromatic and culinary purposes. Various genetic, ontogenic, morphogenetic and environmental factors can influence the biosynthesis and accumulation of SMs. According to the literature reports, for example, SMs accumulation is strongly dependent on a variety of environmental factors such as light, temperature, soil water, soil fertility and salinity, and for most plants, a change in an individual factor may alter the content of SMs even if other factors remain constant. Here, we review with emphasis how each of single factors to affect the accumulation of plant secondary metabolites, and conduct a comparative analysis of relevant natural products in the stressed and unstressed plants. Expectantly, this documentary review will outline a general picture of environmental factors responsible for fluctuation in plant SMs, provide a practical way to obtain consistent quality and high quantity of bioactive compounds in vegetation, and present some suggestions for future research and development.

[Chemical composition and chromaticity characteristic of Jilan glaze of Ming and Qing official kilns].

Color glazes of Ming and Qing official kilns are excellent representatives of the famous ancient Chinese porcelains. The study of official ware with Jilan glaze has been an important topic. But it made slow progress due to the rarity of samples with strict production management and using system. The recipes, chemical composition and chromaticity characteristic of the Jilan samples excavated from official kilns in the Ming and Qing dynasties were first discussed by systematical testing with the energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) and color difference meter. The results showed that the porcelain stone content in Jilan bodies of official kiln in the Ming dynasty is higher than the samples of the Qing dynasty. The manganese content in Jilan glazes of the Ming dynasty is higher than that in the Qing dynasty, while the glaze ash addition and the lightness value in the glaze are opposite.

Expression and significance of skin aspartic protease in lesions of cutaneous lupus erythematosus / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective To study the expression of skin aspartic protease (SASPase) in lesions of cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) and its role in the pathogenesis of CLE.Methods Skin samples were resected from the lesions and normal skin of 9 patients with CLE,including 3 cases of subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE),4 cases of discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) and 2 cases of acute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (ACLE).Keratinocytes were isolated from the tissue samples and cultured in serum-free medium.Total proteins were extracted from the keratinocytes and separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis.ImageMaster 2D analysis software was used to assess differentially expressed proteins in keratinocytes between the lesional and normal skin,which were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS).The expression levels of SASPase were further determined by Western blot.The data were analyzed statistically by Student's t test.Results Keratinocytes were isolated from the tissue samples and successfully cultured in vitro.Two-dimensional electrophoresis profiles of proteins from the keratinocytes were obtained with high resolution and reproducibility,and the average matching protein spots were about 1200 with the matching rate higher than 80％.As Western blot showed,the relative expression level of SASPase was 0.463 ± 0.018 in keratinocytes from the lesional skin,and 0.145 ± 0.011 in those from the normal skin (P ＜ 0.05).The Western blot results were consistent with those of two-dimensional electrophoresis.Conclusion The initiation and progression of CLE seem to be associated with the abnormal activation and overexpression of SASPase.

[Effect of warmth-promotion needling on cerebral SOD, MDA and AChE in vascular dementia rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of warmth-promotion needling on cerebral malondialdehyde (MDA) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity so as to explore its underlying mechanism in improving vascular dementia (VD). METHODS: Forty Wistar rats were randomized into control, model, medication, needle-twirling and warmth-promotion groups with 8 cases in each. VD model was established by occlusion of the bilateral common carotid arteries and reperfusion in combination with intraperitoneal injection of sodium nitroprusside (2.5 mg/kg). Warmth-promotion needling was applied to "Dazhui" (GV 14), "Baihui" (GV 20) and "Shuigou" (GV 26). Rats of medication group were intragastric perfusion of Nimodipine suspension (0.0108 g/kg). The treatment was given once daily continuously for 15 days. SOD and AChE activity and MDA content of the brain (right side) tissue were detected with purine oxidase method, hydroxylamine chromatometry and thio-malonylurea method separately. RESULTS: In comparison with control group. SOD activity of model group decreased significantly (P < 0.01), AChE activity and MDA content increased considerably (P < 0.01); while compared with model group, SOD activity of warmth-promotion, needle-twirling and medication groups raised evidently (P < 0.01), AChE activity and MDA content of the later 3 groups lowered significantly (P < 0.05, 0.01). The effects of warmth-promotion group were significantly superior to that of medication group in lowering MDA content and to those of needle-twirling group in raising SOD activity and lowering AChE activity and MDA content (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Warmth-promotion needling can function well in resisting lipid peroxidation injury and lowering AChE activity in VD rats, which may contribute to its effect in improving learning-memory ability.

[Experimental study on the prevention and treatment effects of warm-reinforcing needling for hyperlipoidemia in the rabbit].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of warm-reinforcing needling (WRN) on serum lipid metabolism in hyperlipoidemia (HL) rabbits. METHODS: A total of 32 rabbits were randomly and evenly divided into control group, WRN group, model group and uniform reinforcing-reducing needling (URRN) group. HL model was established by feeding the rabbits with hypercholesterol and high-fat forage continuously for 7 weeks. For rabbits of WRN and URRN groups, "Zusanli" (ST 36), "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6), "Xuehai" (SP 10) were punctured and stimulated manually with WRN and URRN techniques respectively, once daily, continuously for 7 weeks. At the end of experiments, blood samples were collected from the heart, and centrifuged for detecting serum total cholesterol (TC) triglyceride (TG) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) with enzyme method, and platelet aggregation rate (PAR) with an intelligent blood agglutometer. Low density lipoprotein (LDL) = TC- (HDL + TG/2.2). RESULTS: Compared with normal control group, serum TC, TG and LDL contents in model group, WRN and URRN groups increased significantly (P < 0.01), and HDL content of model group decreased considerably (P < 0.01); while in comparison with model group, serum TC, LDL and TG contents of WRN and URRN groups decreased considerably (P < 0.01), and serum HDL levels of WRN and URRN groups increased significantly (P < 0.01). Serum TC content of WRN group was markedly lower than that of URRN group (P < 0.05), and HDL of WRN group was remarkably higher than that of URRN group (P < 0.01). In comparison with normal control group, 1 min, 5 min and maximum PARs in model, WRN and URRN groups increased significantly (P < 0.01), while in comparison with model group, 1 min, 5 min and maximum PARs of WRN and URRN groups decreased considerably (P < 0.01). In addition, 1 min and maximum PARs in WRN group were markedly lower than those in URRN group (P < 0.05). Light microscopic observation showed that the apoptotic foam cells in the lipid plaque of aorta wall in model group appeared and were obviously more than those of WRN and URRN groups. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture can effectively lower serum TC, LDL and TG levels, raise serum HDL content, and suppress platelet aggregation, and the therapeutic effect of WRN is significantly superior to that of URRN, which may contribute to the action of acupuncture in regulating blood lipid and inhibiting the formation of atheromatous plaque.

[Effects of "warmth-producing needling for removing obstruction" on hippocampal morphological changes and learning-memory abilities in vascular dementia rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of "Warmth-producing Needling for Removing Obstruction" (WPNRO) on the pathomorphological changes of brain and learning-memory abilities in vascular dementia (VD) rats. METHODS: A total of 50 Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control, model, medication, needle-twirling, and WPNRO groups, with 10 cases in each group. VD model was established by repeated cerebral ischemia-reperfusion via repeated occlusion of the bilateral common carotid arteries under anesthesia (3% embutal 40 mg/kg, i.p.). "Dazhui" (GV 14), "Baihui"(GV 20) and "Shuigou"(GV 26) were punctured with filiform needles and stimulated with twirling technique and WPNRO technique respectively and continuously for 1 min. Animals of medication group were fed with Nimodipine (0.0108 g/kg). The treatment was conducted once daily continuously for 15 days. The rats' learning and memory results were detected respectively with step-down avoidance test in the first 6 days' training and 24 h later. At the end of experiments and after decapitation, the right brain was taken, cut into sections (5 microm) and stained with H & E method for observing structural changes of hippocampus. RESULTS: 1) Behavior reactions: compared with control group, the latency for finding the safe platform and the times of error in model group increased significantly, and compared with model group, both latencies and times of error in WPNRO, needle-twirling and medication groups decreased considerably (P < 0.05, 0.01). In comparison with needle-twirling group, both latencies and times of error in WPNRO group were significantly fewer (P < 0.05, 0.01), and no significant differences were found between WPNRO and medication groups in these two indexes (P > 0.05). It indicated that acupuncture particularly WPNRO could improve both learning and memory abilities in VD rats. 2) Structural changes of neurons in CA1 region of hippocampus: in normal group, the neurons arranged in order and closely, and were normal in the structure; in model group, the neurons arranged obviously in disorder, had karyopyknosis and hyperplasia in glial cells and decreased in the number. In WPNRO group, no evident cellular karyopyknosis or hyperplasia of glial cells was found, and the structure and number of cells were close to those of normal group. In acupuncture and medication groups, fewer neurons, cellular karyopyknosis and hyperplasia of more glial cells were found. CONCLUSION: "Warming-producing Needling for Removing Obstruction" can significantly relieve cerebral ischemia induced disturbance of learning and memory and lessen structural injury of hippocampal neurons in rats.

Investigation of therapeutic effects of variable pulse light in pigment patch and telangiectasis / 重庆医科大学学报

Objective:To Investigate the therapeutic effects of variable pulse light(VPL)in pigment patch and telangiectasis. Methods:126 cases were involved in our study. They were treated 5 times at interval 3 weeks by using photorejuvenation machine (Energist ULTRATM). The face was took photo before and after treatment, the judgement of results was made after the course was completed. Results:The effective rates for pigment patch and telangiectasis were 87.84%,and 90.38% respec- tively. No severe side effect were observed. Conclusion:The treatment of variable pulse light is an effective and safty method for pigment patch and telangiectasis.

Clinical and pathological features of keratoacanthoma / 重庆医科大学学报

Objective:To study the clinical and pathological features,malignancy and prognosis of keratoacanthoma(KA).Methods: Eighteen patients with KA were collected, and their clinical features were analyzed with pathological aspects observed by immunohistochemical SP techniques.Results:The typical lesion of KA is a hemispheric,dome-shaped,skin-colored nodule in which there is a smooth crater filled with a central keratin plug.Histological examination showed a crater filled with eosinophilic keratin.A"lip"formed by invagination of epidermis surrounds the keratin-filled crater.Wide excision of the lesions is the first choice for the treatment of KA. The expression levels of p53 was higher than controls(P