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Radon studies were conducted in two Canadian cities, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Winnipeg, Manitoba, to evaluate trends in indoor radon before and after the 2010 National Building Code of Canada was adopted into the legally binding provincial building codes in 2011. Participants were recruited in neighbourhoods characterized by newer housing developments. A postcard campaign in each city offered free radon testing to every house in the target areas, and free testing kits were mailed to study participants. Indoor radon measurements and house questionnaires were completed by 225 eligible participants in Halifax and 171 eligible participants in Winnipeg, using alpha-track radon detectors deployed for three months during the heating season in 2021-2022. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the association between indoor radon and the period of construction, the area in contact with the ground, the number of storeys, the type of heating system, the water source, and the type of ventilation. These analyses were focussed on the detached study houses because the majority of the participants lived in a detached house, and significant associations were identified for the period of construction and the floor where the radon detector was located. An odds ratio of 1.91 (1.04-3.50) for the detached Halifax study houses built after 2011 was associated with having a higher than geometric mean radon concentration (p = 0.033), nearly double the likelihood. There was no evidence of significant change in the indoor radon after 2011 in the detached Winnipeg study houses. A lower likelihood - almost half - for measurement conducted on a main/upper floor compared to in the basement was associated with a radon concentration above the respective geometric mean for each city: an odds ratio of 0.48 (0.27-0.86) for the detached Halifax study houses (p = 0.012), and of 0.45 (0.32-0.64) for the detached Winnipeg study houses (p = 0.022). Radon is the second most important cause of lung cancer, after smoking, and the results of this study support strengthening the radon preventive measures required in new low-rise housing to reduce the associated lung cancer burden in Canada., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Crown Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Although discrimination has gained increasing attention in research and practice intervention for family caregivers of children with disabilities, little is known about the social determinants that associate with the perceived discrimination among caregivers, especially in non-Western contexts. This study aims to examine the socio-familial and child-level determinants of perceived discrimination among family caregivers of children with disabilities in China., Method: This study drew from a population-based cross-sectional survey in Shenzhen, China. Proportional quota sampling was conducted to get data from 2500 family caregivers of children with disabilities in rehabilitation service centers (response rate = 94.9%, n = 2373), accounting for 25% of the total population of children with disabilities receiving service in Shenzhen. Latent profile analysis was conducted to categorize three perceived discrimination groups among caregivers (i.e., severe perceived discrimination group, moderate perceived discrimination group, and low perceived discrimination group). The multinomial logistic regression models were conducted to test the association between these social determinants and perceived discrimination., Results: Most caregivers (82.9%) reported moderate or severe levels of perceived discrimination. Caregivers of children with moderate and severe impairments and children with mental and multiple disabilities were more vulnerable to perceiving severe social discrimination. Socio-familial characteristics, particularly the intersectionality between gender and employment, influence caregivers' perceived discrimination., Conclusion: Caregivers of children with disabilities experience pervasive social discrimination in contemporary urban China. Our study demonstrates that the social construction of disablism and the affiliate discrimination against family caregivers of children with disabilities is complex and multidimensional and depends upon the children's disability and the caregivers' socio-demographic characteristics., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Oviductal smooth muscle exhibits spontaneous rhythmic contraction (SRC) and controls the passage of the ova at the exact time, but its mechanistic regulation remains to be determined. In this study, female mice with Ano1 SMKO (smooth muscle-specific deletion of Ano1) had reduced fertility. Deficiency of Ano1 in mice resulted in impaired oviductal SRC function and reduced calcium signaling in individual smooth muscle cells in the oviduct. The Ano1 antagonist T16Ainh-A01 dose-dependently inhibited SRCs and [Ca 2+ ] i in the oviducts of humans and mice. A similar inhibitory effect of SRCs and [Ca 2+ ] i was observed after treatment with nifedipine. In our study, ANO1 acted primarily as an activator or amplifier in [Ca 2+ ] i and contraction of tubal smooth muscle cells. We found that tubal SRC was markedly attenuated in patients with ectopic pregnancy. Then, our study was designed to determine whether chloride channel Ano1-mediated smooth muscle motility is associated with tubal SRC. Our findings reveal a new mechanism for the regulation of tubal motility that may be associated with abnormal pregnancies such as ectopic pregnancies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We declare that we have no financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that can inappropriately influence our work, there is no professional or other personal interest of any nature or kind in any product, service and/or company that could be construed as influencing the position presented in, or the review of, the manuscript entitled., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Lay Abstract: Timely detection is an issue of paramount importance in the care of children with autism spectrum disorder. Whether the delayed autism spectrum disorder diagnosis can be explained by children's clinical presentations and socio-familial status in China is a question to be addressed. We investigated 1235 autism spectrum disorder children from 132 rehabilitation organisations in Shenzhen, China. These children were found to have a mean age of diagnosis of 31.4 ± 12.7 months and a median age of diagnosis of 30.0 months. The majority of these children were able to receive their diagnosis during toddlerhood. However, about one in six were not diagnosed until they entered preschool or later, thus missing the golden window of opportunity for early intervention. The age of diagnosis was likely to be late if the children were older, were less severe and presented with no intellectual impairment. The odds of having a delayed autism spectrum disorder diagnosis were more than 9 times higher among migrant autism spectrum disorder children than among those with local household registrations, thus underscoring the importance of identifying culturally sensitive socio-economic determinants in autism spectrum disorder detection, as these factors are likely to affect the quality of life of many autism spectrum disorder children and their families., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

Terpenoids are the largest class of all known natural products, possessing structural diversity and numerous biological activities. Ten previously undescribed terpenoid glycosides, glechlongsides A-J (1-10), were isolated from the ethanol extract of the whole plant of Glechoma longituba, including diterpenoid glycoside and pentacyclic triterpenoid saponin. The structures of these compounds were characterized by extensive analysis of 1D and 2D NMR as well as HRESIMS spectra. In addition, glechlongsides F-I (6-9) exhibited weak cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines BGC-823, Be1, HCT-8, A2780, and A549 with IC 50 values ranging from 3.77 to 30.95 μM, respectively., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the association between phototherapy (PT) and the development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants., Study Design: A retrospective case-control study was conducted on VLBW infants with or without NEC (stage IIA or greater) born at ≤35 weeks' gestation in a tertiary hospital over 7 years. Sample size calculation, trend test, as well as univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were employed., Results: A total of 824 VLBW infants were reviewed, with 74 cases and 122 controls finally enrolled. The odds of NEC increased with the duration and number of PT sessions. Exposure to >120 h and >4 instances of PT were significantly associated with NEC in multivariate analysis., Conclusion: This is the first study suggesting a potential association between PT and development of NEC in VLBW infants. This association needs further exploration., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc.)

Postoperative delirium (POD) is an acute cognitive dysfunction that is mainly characterized by memory impairment and disturbances in consciousness. POD can prolong the hospital stay and increase the 1-month mortality rate of patients. The overall incidence of POD is approximately 23%, and its prevalence can go up to 50% in high-risk surgeries. Neuroinflammation is an important pathogenic mechanism of POD that mediates microglial activation and leads to synaptic remodeling. Neuroinflammation, as an indispensable pathogenesis of POD, can occur due to a variety of factors, including aseptic inflammation caused by surgery, effects of anesthetic drugs, disruption of the blood-brain barrier, and epigenetics. Understanding these factors and avoiding the occurrence of risk factors may help prevent POD in time. This review provides a brief overview of POD and neuroinflammation and summarizes various factors affecting POD development mediated by neuroinflammation, which may serve as future targets for the prevention and treatment of POD., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Outdoor fresh air ventilation plays a significant role in reducing airborne transmission of diseases in indoor spaces. School classrooms are considerably challenged during the COVID-19 pandemic because of the increasing need for in-person education, untimely and incompleted vaccinations, high occupancy density, and uncertain ventilation conditions. Many schools started to use CO 2 meters to indicate air quality, but how to interpret the data remains unclear. Many uncertainties are also involved, including manual readings, student numbers and schedules, uncertain CO 2 generation rates, and variable indoor and ambient conditions. This study proposed a Bayesian inference approach with sensitivity analysis to understand CO 2 readings in four primary schools by identifying uncertainties and calibrating key parameters. The outdoor ventilation rate, CO 2 generation rate, and occupancy level were identified as the top sensitive parameters for indoor CO 2 levels. The occupancy schedule becomes critical when the CO 2 data are limited, whereas a 15-min measurement interval could capture dynamic CO 2 profiles well even without the occupancy information. Hourly CO 2 recording should be avoided because it failed to capture peak values and overestimated the ventilation rates. For the four primary school rooms, the calibrated ventilation rate with a 95% confidence level for fall condition is 1.96±0.31 ACH for Room #1 (165 m 3 and 20 occupancies) with mechanical ventilation, and for the rest of the naturally ventilated rooms, it is 0.40±0.08 ACH for Room #2 (236 m 3 and 21 occupancies), 0.30±0.04 or 0.79±0.06 ACH depending on occupancy schedules for Room #3 (236 m 3 and 19 occupancies), 0.40±0.32,0.48±0.37,0.72±0.39 ACH for Room #4 (231 m 3 and 8-9 occupancies) for three consecutive days., (© Tsinghua University Press 2022.)

The incremental cost effectiveness ratios for implementing a recent recommendation to install a more radon resistant foundation barrier were modelled for new and existing housing in 2016, for each province and territory in Canada. Cost-utility analyses were conducted, in which the health benefit of an intervention was quantified in quality-adjusted life years, to help guide policymakers considering increasing investment in radon reduction in housing to reduce the associated lung cancer burden shouldered by the health care system. Lung cancer morbidity was modelled using a lifetable analysis that incorporated lung cancer incidence and survival time for localized, regional, and distant stages of diagnoses for both non-small cell and small cell lung cancer. The model accounted for surgical or advanced lung cancer treatment costs avoided, and average health care costs incurred for radon-attributable lung cancer cases prevented by the intervention. The incremental implementation of radon interventions in the housing stock was modelled over a lifetime horizon, and a discount rate of 1.5% was adopted. This radon intervention in new housing was cost effective in all but one region, ranging from $18,075/QALY (15,704; 20,178) for the Yukon to $58,454/QALY (52,045; 65,795) for British Columbia. A sequential analysis was conducted to compare intervention in existing housing for mitigation thresholds of 200 and 100 Bq/m 3 . This intervention in existing housing was cost effective at a mitigation threshold of 200 Bq/m 3 in regions with higher radon levels, ranging from $33,247/QALY (27,699; 39,377) for the Yukon to $61,960/QALY (46,932; 113,737) for Newfoundland, and more cost effective at a threshold of 200 than 100 Bq/m 3 . More lung cancer deaths can be prevented by intervention in new housing than in existing housing; it was estimated that the proposed intervention in new housing would prevent a mean of 446 (416; 477) lung cancer cases annually. The cost effectiveness of increased radon resistance in foundation barriers in housing varied widely, and would support adopting this intervention in new housing across Canada and in existing housing in higher radon regions. This study provides further evidence that the most cost effective way of responding to the geographically variable radon burden is by implementing specific regional radon reduction policies., (Crown Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The performance of radon barrier materials currently available for housing foundations was evaluated using a unique radon infiltration building envelope test system that was designed to test radon prevention and mitigation systems using real world construction techniques. The reduction in radon concentration measured across the air barrier in the foundations has been used to evaluate five representative barrier materials installed in the radon infiltration building envelope test facility. The reduction in radon concentration in the mock house varied from 68% for 6 mil polyethylene to 98% for the spray polyurethane foam. The five representative barrier materials were selected after determining the radon diffusion coefficient and the corresponding radon resistance from samples of 14 barrier materials in a radon diffusion testing chamber. The Canadian experience evaluating whether radon barrier materials would satisfy building code requirements was described., (© [2021] Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada.)

Among arthropod vectors, ticks transmit the most diverse human and animal pathogens, leading to an increasing number of new challenges worldwide. Here we sequenced and assembled high-quality genomes of six ixodid tick species and further resequenced 678 tick specimens to understand three key aspects of ticks: genetic diversity, population structure, and pathogen distribution. We explored the genetic basis common to ticks, including heme and hemoglobin digestion, iron metabolism, and reactive oxygen species, and unveiled for the first time that genetic structure and pathogen composition in different tick species are mainly shaped by ecological and geographic factors. We further identified species-specific determinants associated with different host ranges, life cycles, and distributions. The findings of this study are an invaluable resource for research and control of ticks and tick-borne diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of Interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate clinical effect of minimally invasive osteotomy and external fixation with the center of roration of angulation (CORA) in treating cubitus varus in adolescents., Methods: From August 2013 to August 2017, 15 patients with cubitus varus caused by supracondylar fracture of humerus were treated with minimally invasive osteotomy and external fixation with the CORA. Among them, including 9 males and 6 females; 11 patients on the left side and 4 patients on the right side; aged from 13 to 16 years old with an average of 14.5 years old. The time from injury to operation was for 6 to 10 years with an average of 7.5 years. Five patients had a history of recurrence after cubitus varus surgery. Correction time. fracture healing time, carrying angle were observed, Laupattarakasem standard was used to evaluate clinical effect., Results: All patients were followed up from 12 to 30 months with an average of 24 months; correction time ranged from 3 to 5 weeks with an average of 4 weeks; fracture healing time ranged from 4 to 6 months with an average of 5 months; carrying angle before operation ranged from -12° to -23°, and improved 9° to 14° after operation. According to Laupattarakasem evaluation criteria, 11 patients got an excellent result, 3 good and 1 fair., Conclusions: Minimally invasive osteotomy and external fixation with CORA in treating cubitus varus deformity in adolescents has advantages of less trauma, less blood loss, earlier exercise, speed and angle of correction could controlled without hospitalized for fixation., Competing Interests: The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose., (Copyright© 2019 by the China Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology Press.)

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) expression is shared by both intestinal cells and neurons of brainstem, which plays anorexigenic role on food intake. However, the exact source of physiological GLP-1 influencing food intake and pertinent mechanism of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) remain unelucidated. In this study, the immediate early gene product c-Fos was chosen as the specific antigen for immunohistochemistry to show the certain areas of central nervous system (CNS) activation by the GLP-1RA. Thirty normal SD rats were randomly assigned to 3 groups, which were single intraperitoneally injected with Liraglutide (200 μg/kg), Exenatide (10 μg/kg) and saline, respectively. After injection, the amount of food intake and acute glycemic variation were assessed for comparison. The results showed that acute pharmacological dosage of GLP-1RA (Liraglutide or Exenatide) could significantly influence food intake. However, glycemic change indicated that the anorexic effect was dissociated with change in blood glucose in normal rats. Moreover, c-Fos was expressed significantly higher in major critical nuclei related to food intake in GLP-1RA groups when compared with the control group, and its expression was also found in spinal cord. The results suggested that acute administration of pharmacological doses of GLP-1 influences CNS via circulation and vagal pathways, especially on the arcuate nucleus (ARC) and the nucleus of solitary tract (NTS), and GLP-1 modulates autonomic nervous activities.

Objective: To explore the regulatory mechanism of micro-ribonucleic acid (miR)-122-3p in the osteogenic differentiation of mouse adipose-derived stem cells (mADSCs)., Materials and Methods: The regulatory mechanism of miR-122-3p in the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells was investigated through its overexpression and knockdown., Results: The overexpression of miR-122-3p inhibited the osteogenic differentiation of mADSCs. On the contrary, its knockdown promoted the osteogenic differentiation of mADSCs. The further study on the molecular mechanism of miR-122-3p regulating mADSCs' osteogenic differentiation showed that the overexpression of miR-122-3p could activate the Wingless and int-1 (WNT)/β-catenin signaling pathway, but the knockdown of miR-122-3p could repress this signaling pathway., Conclusions: MiR-122-3p influences the osteogenic differentiation of mADSCs by modulating the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the mechanism of micro-ribonucleic acid (miR)-214-3p in regulating fracture healing in rats with osteoporosis., Materials and Methods: A total of 30 female Sprague-Dawley rats were selected and randomly divided into 3 groups, including group A [phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), n=10], group B (AntagomiR-NC, n=10), and group C (AntagomiR-214-3p, n=10). All rats underwent ovariectomy, and the osteoporosis rat model was verified by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry 8 weeks after the operation. Then the osteoporotic fracture was established in rats via a second operation. From the successful modeling until the 6th week, 50 μL PBS (2 nmoL) was intraperitoneally injected in group A, an equal amount of AntagomiR-NC was injected in group B, and an equal amount of AntagomiR-214-3p was injected in group C once a week. At the 6th week, fracture healing of osteoporosis rats was evaluated. At the same time, the expression of miR-214-3p in the three groups was detected via reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). Furthermore, the protein expressions of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) and Smad4 in the three groups were detected via Western blotting (WB)., Results: After ovariectomy, the bone mineral density in each group was significantly lower than that before ovariectomy, and the differences were statistically significant (p<0.05). Imaging evaluation demonstrated that compared with group A and B, there were significantly more callus tissues in group C. Meanwhile, the fracture line healing was better and blurred, and the internal fixation had no displacement and loosening. RT-PCR results indicated that the expression level of miR-214-3p in group C was significantly lower than that of the other two groups (p<0.05). WB results showed that the protein expression levels of BMP2 and Smad4 in group C were significantly higher than those of group A and group B (p<0.05)., Conclusions: MiR-214-3p delays fracture healing in rats with osteoporotic fracture by inhibiting the BMP/Smad signaling pathway.

Comparative pharmacokinetic profiles of diaveridine following single intravenous and oral dose of 10 mg/kg body weight in healthy pigs and chickens were investigated, respectively. Concentrations of diaveridine in plasma samples were determined using a validated high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet (HPLC-UV) method. The concentration-time data were subjected to noncompartmental kinetic analysis by WinNonlin program. The corresponding pharmacokinetic parameters in pigs or chickens after single intravenous administration were as follows, respectively: t 1/2β (elimination half-life) 0.74 ± 0.28 and 3.44 ± 1.07 h; V d (apparent volume of distribution) 2.70 ± 0.99 and 3.86 ± 0.92 L/kg; Cl B (body clearance) 2.59 ± 0.62 and 0.80 ± 0.14 L/h/kg; and AUC 0-∞ (area under the blood concentration vs. time curve) 4.11 ± 1.13 and 12.87 ± 2.60 μg∙h/mL. The corresponding pharmacokinetic parameters in pigs or chickens after oral administration were as follows, respectively: t 1/2β 1.78 ± 0.41 and 2.91 ± 0.57 h; C max (maximum concentration) 0.43 ± 0.24 and 1.45 ± 0.57 μg/mL; T max (time to reach C max ) 1.04 ± 0.67 and 3.25 ± 0.71 h; and AUC 0-∞ 1.33 ± 0.55 and 9.28 ± 2.69 μg∙h/mL. The oral bioavailability (F) of diaveridine in pigs or chickens was determined to be 34.6% and 72.2%, respectively. There were significant differences between the pharmacokinetics profiles in these two species., (© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Canopy temperature is a result of the canopy energy balance and is driven by climate conditions, plant architecture, and plant-controlled transpiration. Here, we evaluated canopy temperature in a rubber plantation (RP) and tropical rainforest (TR) in Xishuangbanna, southwestern China. An infrared temperature sensor was installed at each site to measure canopy temperature. In the dry season, the maximum differences (T c  - T a ) between canopy temperature (T c ) and air temperature (T a ) in the RP and TR were 2.6 and 0.1 K, respectively. In the rainy season, the maximum (T c  - T a ) values in the RP and TR were 1.0 and -1.1 K, respectively. There were consistent differences between the two forests, with the RP having higher (T c  - T a ) than the TR throughout the entire year. Infrared measurements of T c can be used to calculate canopy stomatal conductance in both forests. The difference in (T c  - T a ) at three g c levels with increasing direct radiation in the RP was larger than in the TR, indicating that change in (T c  - T a ) in the RP was relatively sensitive to the degree of stomatal closure.

Thymol has been developed as medicine and food preservative due to its immune-regulatory effect and antimicrobial activity, respectively. However, little is currently known about the role of thymol in the modulation of plant physiology. In the present study, we applied biochemical and histochemical approaches to investigate thymol-induced tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa) seedlings against Cd (cadmium) stress. Thymol at 20 μM recovered root growth completely upon CdCl 2 exposure. Thymol pronouncedly decreased Cd-induced ROS accumulation, oxidative injury, cell death, and Cd 2+ accumulation in roots. Pharmaceutical experiments suggested that endogenous NO mediated Cd-induced phytotoxicity. Thymol decreased Cd-induced NO accumulation by suppressing the activity of NOS (nitric oxide synthase) and NR (nitrate reductase) in root. The application of NO donor (SNP, sodium nitroprusside) resulted in the increase in endogenous NO level, which in turn compromised the alleviating effects of thymol on Cd toxicity. Such findings may helpful to illustrate the novel role of thymol in the modulation of plant physiology, which may be applicable to improve crop stress tolerance.

Rice flowering regulation is an extremely complex process, which is controlled by genetic factors and external environment. Photoperiodic regulatory pathway is pivotal to control flowering in rice, in which florigen genes Hd3a and RTF1 are at the core and they are regulated by upstream Hd1-dependent, Ehd1-dependent, as well as both Hd1- and Ehd1-independent pathways. The three pathways bring a variety of light signal information together to Hd3a and RTF1 for further integration, and then transmit the signals in the form of florigen to the downstream flowering related genes. In this review, we summarize the research progress of photoperiod regulated genes on flowering time in rice, including the photoreceptors and circadian rhythm genes, the florigens, its upstream, downstream and interacting genes. We hope to provide a reference for in-depth study of rice flowering regulation.

Objective: To explore clinical effects of Ilizarov technique at stage I for repairing tibial post-traumatic osteomyelitis with bone and skin defect., Methods: From June 2010 to December 2013,44 patients with tibial post-traumatic osteomyelitis with bone and skin defect were treated with Ilizarov technique at stage I . Among them, there were 35 males and 9 females aged from 18 to 70 years old with an average of 42.5 years old. Bone defect ranged from 4 to 16 cm, skin defect ranged from 3 cm x 4 cm to 5 cm x 16 cm. The operation was performed debridement thoroughly, removed inflammatory bone section, osteotomy invasively, install circular external fixator by Ilizarow technique; screw nut were rotated at 1 week after operation, and prolonged 0.5 to 1.0 mm everyday. Wound surface, new born callus and bone healing were observed to evaluate clinical effects., Results: All patients were followed up from 11 to 36 months with an average of 18.5 months. Bone defect after osteotomy was from 6 to 22 cm with an average of 11.5 cm; the time of wound healing time ranged from 21 to 79 d with an average of 38 d; bone defect healing time was from 8 to 15 months with an average of 12.5 months. All patients were cured, no recurrent infection, refracture and shorten of calf deformity were occurred., Conclusion: Repairing tibial post-traumatic osteomyelitis with bone and skin defect by llizarov technique at stage I has advantages of less trauma, low inflammatory recurrence rate, could avoid multiple complex operation, and receive definite curative effect.

Mineral particle size is an important factor affecting mineral spectrum characteristics, so to explore the changes of the mineral spectrum curves under different particle sizes and the spectrum difference of different minerals under the same particle size are the keys of hyperspectral remote sensing information mineral identification and the theoretical basis of research on spectral differences of different particle -sizes. Six kinds of collected minerals were observed by spectrometer to get the reflectivity spectrum curve and first order differential spectral curve under different particle sizes, and the spectral characteristics of various kinds of minerals under different particle sizes were analyzed. At the same time, spectrum difference of different mineral under the same particle size was compared to explore possible wavelengths of hyperspectral remote sensing mineral identify. Results show that the spectrum curves of various minerals have a larger difference with the change of the particle size, but change law is not the same. The whole spectrum curve of hypersthene will be decreased with the increase of particle size, and the spectrum curve at a specific wavelength range of antigorite, hematite, kaolinite and chlorite will be decreased with the increase of particle size, and there is no direct correlation between the spectrum of olivine and the particle size. Under the same size, different mineral spectral reflectance change a lot in most band range and it provides the possibility for high precision identification of mineral. Antigorite, kaolinite and chlorite all have more absorption peaks of narrow width and smaller intensity than the other minerals. Spectrum curves of hematite, olivine and hypersthene are relatively smooth, and the number of the absorption and reflection peaks is relatively small. This study aims at providing basic data and theoretical support for mineral spectral library construction and mineral hyperspectral identification technology.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is an important gasotransmitter in mammals. Despite physiological changes induced by exogenous H2S donor NaHS to plants, whether and how H2S works as a true cellular signal in plants need to be examined. A self-developed specific fluorescent probe (WSP-1) was applied to track endogenous H2S in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) roots in site. Bioimaging combined with pharmacological and biochemical approaches were used to investigate the cross-talk among H2S, nitric oxide (NO), and Ca(2+) in regulating lateral root formation. Endogenous H2S accumulation was clearly associated with primordium initiation and lateral root emergence. NO donor SNP stimulated the generation of endogenous H2S and the expression of the gene coding for the enzyme responsible for endogenous H2S synthesis. Scavenging H2S or inhibiting H2S synthesis partially blocked SNP-induced lateral root formation and the expression of lateral root-related genes. The stimulatory effect of SNP on Ca(2+) accumulation and CaM1 (calmodulin 1) expression could be abolished by inhibiting H2S synthesis. Ca(2+) chelator or Ca(2+) channel blocker attenuated NaHS-induced lateral root formation. Our study confirmed the role of H2S as a cellular signal in plants being a mediator between NO and Ca(2+) in regulating lateral root formation.

The central nervous system (CNS) plays a key regulatory role in glucose homeostasis. In particular, the brain is important in initiating and coordinating protective counterregulatory responses when blood glucose levels fall. This may due to the metabolic dependency of the CNS on glucose, and protection of food supply to the brain. In healthy subjects, blood glucose is normally maintained within a relatively narrow range. Hypoglycemia in diabetic patients can increase the risk of complications, such as heart disease and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The clinical research finds that the use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a positive effect on the treatment of hypoglycemia. Here the authors reviewed the current understanding of sensing and counterregulatory responses to hypoglycemia, and discuss combining traditional Chinese and Western medicine and the theory of iatrogenic hypoglycemia in diabetes treatment. Furthermore, the authors clarify the feasibility of treating hypoglycemia on the basis of TCM theory and CNS and have an insight on its clinical practice.

The aim of this research was to determine the chemical composition of the essential oil of Acorus calamus rhizomes, its insecticidal activity against the booklouse, (Liposcelis bostrychophila) and to isolate any insecticidal constituents from the essential oil. The essential oil of A. calamus rhizomes was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. A total of 32 components of the essential oil of A. calamus rhizomes was identified and the principal compounds in the essential oil were determined to be α-asarone (50.09%), (E)-methylisoeugenol (14.01%), and methyleugenol (8.59%), followed by β-asarone (3.51%), α-cedrene (3.09%) and camphor (2.42%). Based on bioactivity-guided fractionation, the three active constituents were isolated from the essential oil and identified as methyleugenol, (E)-methylisoeugenol and α-asarone. The essential oil exhibited contact toxicity against L. bostrychophila with an LD50 value of 100.21 µg/cm2 while three constituent compounds, α-asarone, methyleugenol, and (E)-methylisoeugenol had LD50 values of 125.73 µg/cm2, 103.22 µg/cm2 and 55.32 µg/cm2, respectively. Methyleugenol and (E)-methylisoeugenol possessed fumigant toxicity against L. bostrychophila adults with LC50 values of 92.21 μg/L air and 143.43 μg/L air, respectively, while the crude essential oil showed an LC50 value of 392.13 μg/L air. The results indicate that the essential oil of A. calamus rhizomes and its constituent compounds have potential for development into natural fumigants/insecticides for control of the booklice.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most serious chronic complications of diabetes mellitus. The observed incidence patterns in different ethnics and familial clustering have suggested that the genetic factor plays an important role in the development and progression of DN. This paper reviews the recent advances on genetics of DN, including candidate genes association studies, linkage studies and genome-wide association studies (GWASs). Candidate genes association studies and meta-analysis showed that a few candidate genes have been reproducibly associated with DN, such as ACE, AGT and PPARG genes. Linkage studies and genome-wide linkage studies have also identified susceptibility chromosomal loci. With the development of high-throughput sequencing and chip techniques, GWAS has become an important strategy to identify variants responsible for DN. The genetic factor has been the significant contribution to the pathobiology of DN. However, it is not the only cause of the pathobiology of DN, because the environment factor also influences the pathobiology of DN. Nonetheless, genetic studies may provide valuable information for the pathobiology of nephropathy and potential targets of its treatment.

Beauvericin (BEA) is a cyclic hexadepsipeptide mycotoxin with notable phytotoxic and insecticidal activities. Fusarium redolens Dzf2 is a highly BEA-producing fungus isolated from a medicinal plant. The aim of the current study was to develop a simple and valid kinetic model for F. redolens Dzf2 mycelial growth and the optimal fed-batch operation for efficient BEA production. A modified Monod model with substrate (glucose) and product (BEA) inhibition was constructed based on the culture characteristics of F. redolens Dzf2 mycelia in a liquid medium. Model parameters were derived by simulation of the experimental data from batch culture. The model fitted closely with the experimental data over 20-50 g l(-1) glucose concentration range in batch fermentation. The kinetic model together with the stoichiometric relationships for biomass, substrate and product was applied to predict the optimal feeding scheme for fed-batch fermentation, leading to 54% higher BEA yield (299 mg l(-1)) than in the batch culture (194 mg l(-1)). The modified Monod model incorporating substrate and product inhibition was proven adequate for describing the growth kinetics of F. redolens Dzf2 mycelial culture at suitable but not excessive initial glucose levels in batch and fed-batch cultures.

The CCD multi-band data of HJ-1A has great potential in inland water quality monitoring, but the precision of atmospheric correction is a premise and necessary procedure for its application. In this paper, a method based on dark pixel for water-leaving radiance retrieving is proposed. Beside the Rayleigh scattering, the aerosol scattering is important to atmospheric correction, the water quality of inland lakes always are case II water and the value of water leaving radiance is not zero. So the synchronous MODIS shortwave infrared data was used to obtain the aerosol parameters, and in virtue of the characteristic that aerosol scattering is relative stabilized in 560 nm, the water-leaving radiance for each visible and near infrared band were retrieved and normalized, accordingly the remotely sensed reflectance of water was computed. The results show that the atmospheric correction method based on the imagery itself is more effective for the retrieval of water parameters for HJ-1A CCD data.

A cationic trypsin (trypsin A) and an anionic trypsin (trypsin B) were highly purified from the hepatopancreas of the Japanese sea bass (Lateolabrax japonicus) by ammonium sulfate precipitation, column chromatographies of DEAE-Sepharose and Sephacryl S-200 HR. Purified trypsins revealed single band on SDS-PAGE and their molecular masses were 21 kDa and 21.5 kDa, respectively. Trypsins A and B exhibited maximal activity at 40°C, and shared the same optimal pH at 9.0 using Boc-Phe-Ser-Arg-MCA as the substrate. The two trypsins were stable up to 45°C and in the pH range from 7.0 to 11.0. Trypsin inhibitors such as Pefabloc SC, PMSF and benzamidine are effective to these two enzymes and their susceptibilities were similar. Apparent K(m)s of trypsins A and B were 1.12 and 0.7 μM and k(cat)s of them were 72.08 and 67.79 S(-1) for Boc-Phe-Ser-Arg-MCA, respectively. The N-terminal amino acid sequences of the two trypsins were determined to the 24th residues, which were highly identical to trypsins from other species of fish while trypsins A and B only shared 45.8% identity. The digestive effect of the two trypsins on native shrimp muscular proteins indicated their effectiveness in the degradation of food proteins., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Through the integrated approach of remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) techniques, four Landsat TM/ETM+ imagery acquired during 1979 and 2008 were used to quantitatively characterize the patterns of land use and land cover change (LULC) and urban sprawl in the fast-growing Shanghai Metropolis, China. Results showed that, the urban/built-up area grew on average by 4,242.06 ha yr(-1). Bare land grew by 1,594.66 ha yr(-1) on average. In contrast, cropland decreased by 3,286.26 ha yr(-1) on average, followed by forest and shrub, water, and tidal land, which decreased by 1,331.33 ha yr(-1), 903.43 ha yr(-1), and 315.72 ha yr(-1) on average, respectively. As a result, during 1979 and 2008 approximately 83.83% of the newly urban/built-up land was converted from cropland (67.35%), forest and shrub (9.12%), water (4.80%), and tidal land (2.19%). Another significant change was the continuous increase in regular residents, which played a very important role in contributing to local population growth and increase in urban/built-up land. This can be explained with this city's huge demand for investment and qualified labor since the latest industrial transformation. Moreover, with a decrease in cropland, the proportion of population engaged in farming decreased 13.84%. Therefore, significant socio-economic transformation occurred, and this would lead to new demand for land resources. However, due to very scarce land resources and overload of population in Shanghai, the drive to achieve economic goals at the loss of cropland, water, and the other lands is not sustainable. Future urban planning policy aiming at ensuring a win-win balance between sustainable land use and economic growth is urgently needed.

Aminopeptidases play important roles in turnover of proteins, metabolism of hormones and neurotransmission, cell maturation and immunological regulations. In the present study, an aminopeptidase was purified to homogeneity from the skeletal muscle of grass carp by ammonium sulfate fractionation and sequential chromatographic steps, including DEAE-Sephacel, Sephacryl S-200, hydroxyapatite and Phenyl-Sepharose. The purified enzyme revealed a molecular mass of approximately 105 kDa both on SDS-PAGE and on gel filtration of Superdex 200. The enzymatic activity toward synthetic substrates was optimal at 40°C and pH 7.0-7.5. Metal-chelating agents such as EDTA and EGTA effectively inhibited the enzyme activity while inhibitors to serine, asparatic and cysteine proteinases did not show much effect, suggesting its belonging to metalloproteinase family. A specific aminopeptidase inhibitor bestatin was most effective in suppressing the enzymatic activity and performed in a competitive fashion. The enzymatic activity was slightly enhanced by metal ions of Mg2+ and Mn2+ while inhibited to different extents by Co2+, Cu2+, Zn2+ and Ca2+. Sulfhydryl reagent was necessary to maintain its activity. Purified enzyme demonstrated amidolytic activity most effectively against synthetic aminopeptidase substrate Leu-methylcoumarylamide (MCA) while N-terminal-blocked substrates and myofibrillar proteins were not hydrolyzed. The enzyme purified in the present study was quite possibly a leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) and functions during muscular protein metabolism.

This study examined the effects of biotic and abiotic elicitors on the production of diterpenoid tanshinones in Salvia miltiorrhiza cell culture. Four classes of elicitors were tested, heavy metal ions (Co2+, Ag+, Cd2+), polysaccharides (yeast extract and chitosan), plant response-signaling compounds (salicylic acid and methyl jasmonate), and hyperosmotic stress (with sorbitol). Of these, Ag (silver nitrate), Cd (cadmium chloride), and polysaccharide from yeast extract (YE) were most effective to stimulate the tanshinone production, increasing the total tanshinone content of cell by more than ten-fold (2.3 mg g(-1) versus 0.2 mg g(-1) in control). The stimulating effect was concentration-dependent, most significant at 25 microM of Ag and Cd and 100 mg l(-1) (carbohydrate content) of YE. Of the three tanshinones detected, cryptotanshinone was stimulated most dramatically by about 30-fold and tanshinones I and IIA by no more than 5-fold. Meanwhile, most of the elicitors suppressed cell growth, decreasing the biomass yield by about 50% (5.1-5.5 g l(-1) versus 8.9 g l(-1) in control). The elicitors also stimulated the phenylalanine ammonia lyase activity of cells and transient increases in the medium pH and conductivity. The results suggest that the elicitor-stimulated tanshinone accumulation was a stress response of the cells.

Glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (GPI) was purified to homogeneity from the skeletal muscle of crucian carp ( Carassius auratus ) by ammonium sulfate fractionation, column chromatographies of Q-Sepharose, SP-Sepharose, and Superdex 200 with a yield of 8.0%, and purification folds of 468. The molecular mass of GPI was 120 kDa as estimated by gel filtration, while on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), two subunits (55 and 65 kDa) were identified, suggesting that it is a heterodimer. Interestingly, GPI revealed specific inhibitory activity toward a myofibril-bound serine proteinase (MBSP) from crucian carp, while no inhibitory activity was identified toward other serine proteinases, such as white croaker MBSP and crucian carp trypsin. Kinetic analysis showed that GPI is a competitive inhibitor toward MBSP, and the K(i) was 0.32 microM. Our present results indicated that the multifunctional protein GPI is an endogenous inhibitor to MBSP and may play a significant role in the regulation of muscular protein metabolism in vivo.

This Letter proposes a characteristic length scale on surfaces and demonstrates its impact on nanorod growth. The proposed length scale is the dimension of a surface segment bounded by multiple-layer steps. Lattice kinetic Monte Carlo simulations, taking Cu as the prototype of nanorods, show that the proposed length scale (i) exists as the result of a diffusion barrier of adatoms down multiple-layer steps, (ii) dictates that the diameter of metallic nanorods is on the order of several hundred nanometers, and (iii) sets the upper limit of the facet dimension.

A new pyridine alkaloid 1, together with three known alkaloids N-methylanabasine (2), anabasamine (3), and isonicoteine (4), was isolated from the aerial part of Anabasis aphylla L. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis.

Two trypsins of anionic form (trypsin A) and cationic form (trypsin B) from the pyloric caeca of mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi) were highly purified by a series of chromatographies, including DEAE-Sephacel, Sephacryl S-200 HR, Q-Sepharose or SP-Sepharose. Purified trypsins revealed a single band on native-PAGE. The molecular weights of trypsin A and B were 21kDa and 21.5kDa, respectively, as estimated by SDS-PAGE, both under reducing and non-reducing conditions. Zymography analysis showed that both trypsins were active in degrading casein. Trypsin A and B exhibited maximal activity at 35°C and 40°C, respectively, and shared the same optimal pH of 8.5, using Boc-Phe-Ser-Arg-MCA as substrate. The two trypsins were stable up to 45°C and in the pH range from 4.5 to 11.0. Trypsin inhibitors are effective on these two enzymes and their susceptibilities were similar. Both trypsins were activated by metal ions such as Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) and inactivated by Fe(2+), Zn(2+), Mn(2+), Cu(2+), Al(3+), Ba(2+) and Co(2+) to different degrees. Apparent Km values of trypsin A and B were 2.18μM and 1.88μM, and Kcat values were 81.6S(-1) and 111.3S(-1) for Boc-Phe-Ser-Arg-MCA, respectively. Immunoblotting analysis using anti-common carp trypsin A positively cross-reacted with the two enzymes, suggesting their similarity. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of trypsin B was determined as IVGGYECEAH, which is highly homologous with trypsins from other species of fish., (Copyright © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The objective of this study was to survey the amount of working cast model of denture restoration, and to calculate the amount of die stone powder of each working cast model, then to classify the working cast model, with the expectation to perfuse the working cast model in clinic according to this classification, and to achieve the goal of increasing quality of working cast model and saving materials., Methods: 311 working cast models were selected to perfuse with three kinds of tray including small size, middle size and large size randomly in clinic. The amount of die stone powder of working cast model was calculated, and the data were analyzed using SPSS 13.0 software package. The mean values of the die stone powder was used to establish a classification, which was verified clinically., Results: The results showed that the working cast model of denture restoration could be divided into three kinds: small group (< or = 45 g), middle group (46-55 g) and large group (56-65 g). The samples for verification were all in the size of this classification of the amount of die stone powder., Conclusions: There is a close relationship between the amount of die stone powder of working cast model and the size of the tray, the dental arch. By clinical application of the classification, quantitative control of standard water powder ratio, improvement of model qualities and saving of materials can be achieved.

Objective: To study the chemical constituents of Syringa veutina Kom., Methods: The constituents were isolated and repeatedly purified on silica and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. They were dentified and structurally elucidated by spectral analysis., Results: Seven compounds were obtained. They were identified as Syningin(1), Liriodendrin(2), (+) -Medioresinol di-O-beta-D-glucopyranosied (3), Rutin(4), Quercetin 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5), Kaempferol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosied (6), D-mannitol (7)., Conclusion: Compound 2 and 3 were isolated from this genus for the first time. Compound 4, 5, 6 and 7 were isolated from this plant for the first time.

Smac/DIABLO is a recently identified protein released from mitochondria in response to apoptotic stimuli and promotes apoptosis by antagonizing inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs). In this study, we observed depressed Smac/DIABLO and increased XIAP expression in ovarian epithelial tissues ordered by normal, benign and malignant epithelia. In epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), the expression of Smac/DIABLO decreased with the malignancy. Smac/DIABLO expression showed no correlation with TRAIL sensitivity, while lower Smac/DIABLO expression and decreased release of Smac/DIABLO from mitochondria upon apoptosis stimuli were observed in paclitaxel-resistant A2780/pac cells as compared to the sensitive controls. Ectopic Smac/DIABLO alone inhibited cell growth, arrested cells in G0/G1 phase, and sensitized drug-resistant EOC cells to TRAIL or paclitaxel-induced apoptosis. Increased apoptosis was associated with the down-regulation of XIAP, FLIP, and up-regulation of Smac/DIABLO, cytochrome c, p53, along with increased activity of caspase-3. Thus, over-expression of Smac/DIABLO is a promising strategy for drug-resistant ovarian cancer treatment.

In the search for new drugs and natural remedies, medicinal plants or herbs used in folk and traditional medicines are promising candidates. For the naturally rare and slowly growing plant species, plant tissue culture in bioreactors provides a cost-effective, sustainable and well-controlled means for mass production of the active principles of medicinal plants, and enables fuller utilization of their biosynthetic capacity. Recognizing that natural resources and agricultural land in China are limited,many Chinese research groups have engaged in the development of plant tissue culture techniques and processes for the cultivation and rapid propagation of medicinal plants, and for the biosynthesis and biotransformation of phytomedicines. This review primarily aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the major achievements in this and related research areas in China over the last three decades, but also to identify the difficulties and predict future trends in developing plant tissue culture biotechnology for the manufacture of bioactive natural products.

Objective: To compare the clinical outcomes and differences of arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction by using allografts and autografts., Methods: Fifty-three patients with grade III ACL injuries were divided randomly into 2 groups. Twenty-five cases of group A with autografts of patellar bone-tendon-bone (B-PT-B;n = 15) and 4 strands of semitendinosus/gracilis (n = 10); 28 patients of group B with allografts of B-PT-B (n = 18), 4 strands of semitendinosus/2 strands of gracilis tendons (n = 6) and double tibialis posterior (n = 4) as well as Achilles bone-tendon (n = 2). All procedures were performed endoscopically by some surgeons. All patients were followed up for 12 to 31 months, average 19 months., Results: There were statistically significant differences revealed in physical examination. IKDC and Lysholm-Tegner Score as well as KT-2000 testing was used preoperation and postoperation for both group, but there were no significant differences between the two groups except that group B had less time in operation and longer time in postoperative fever comparing with group A. (2-sample t test, P < 0.05). The KT-2000 side to side difference less than 3 mm were 88% and 86% and more than 5 mm were 4% and 7.1% respectively. The infection rates were 0% and 3.5% for the two groups., Conclusion: The clinical outcomes of the allografts and autografts in ACL reconstruction is almost the same. Allografts are a reasonably alternative choice for ACL reconstruction in patients over middle ages and for multiple ligament surgery as well as revision procedures.

This paper presents a novel method that employs a wavelet transform and filter bank to detect ventricular late potentials (VLPs) from beat to beat in order to keep its variance. Conventionally, three time-domain features, which are highly related to the QRS complex endpoint, are generally accepted as criteria for classifying VLPs. Signal averaging is a general and effective de-noising method in electroencephalogram late potentials detection, but it may also eliminate the beat-to-beat variance. Other types of filter applied to the time sequence may destroy the late potentials as well when trying to filter out the noise. To preserve the variance from beat to beat as well as late potentials as much as possible, the concept of a beat-sequence filter will be introduced and the wavelet transform can be directly applied to the beat sequence, as will be demonstrated in this paper. After de-noising, instead of applying the voltage comparison on the de-noised signal to determine the QRS complex endpoint, the signal will be processed by a filter bank, and the QRS complex endpoint will be determined by consideration of the correlation between two beats. Both simulation and clinical experimental results will be presented to illustrate the effectiveness of this method.

Background: We studied the change of brain tissue oxygen pressure (PbrO2) value within 24 hours after trauma and during moderate hypothermia in patients with severe head injury. The PbrO2 value was used to differentiate patients at risk of brain ischemia and to predict outcome., Methods: A flexible microcatheter to be used for continuous monitoring of brain tissue oxygen was inserted into the normal frontal white matter, along with a thermocouple, in 14 patients with severe head injury within 1.5-12 hours (mean 6.1 +/- 5.2 hours) after trauma. Moderate hypothermia was also used within 24 hours in these patients., Results: (1) No complications related to the microcatheter were seen. (2) Low initial PbrO2 values (mean values <10 mmHg) were noted after severe head injury. (3) The occurrence of low initial PbrO2 values (< or = 5 mmHg) was significantly correlated with a poor outcome. (4) Moderate hypothermia can increase PbrO2, but hyperventilation reduced PbrO2. (5) The difference between RT and BT increased during moderate hypothermia., Conclusions: The PbrO2 values were low in severe head injury, but hypothermia may improve these values. The technique of continuously monitoring brain tissue oxygen pressure may give better insight into cerebral oxygenation and warn of impending ischemia of brain tissue, especially in patients treated with hyperventilation. It will help to improve the management and final outcome of patients with severe head injuries.

Five main saponins were separated from the cell cultures of Panax notoginseng (Burk) F. H. Chen. They were sanchinoside Rb1, Re, R1, Rg1 and Rh1 identified by TLC, HPLC, IR, M. P., 13CNMR and EI-MS. Saponin components of the cell cultures were almost the same as those of the cultivated plants. But the content of saponins was different between the cell cultures and the cultivated plants. Saponin extraction and separation procedure suitable for the cell cultures has to be different from that for the cultivated plants.

By omitting the component NH4NO3 and doubling the amount of KNO3 in MS medium, the Panax quinque folium cells cultured in such medium grew more rapidly and their saponin content was much higher than that cultured in regular MS medium. The growth rate and saponin content of the cells cultured in such medium (KNO33300 mg/l) increased 65.1% and 166.2% respectively as compared with that cultured in the regular medium. The application of oligosaccharins from Panax ginseng and Dendrobium candidum also increased their saponin content and growth rate. Especially, the content of Rg group saponins was apparently raised. It took more than 25 days for the cell suspension cultures to produce saponins in large amounts. The curve of saponin formation lagged slightly behind the growth curve in cell suspension culture and fermentation culture. The cell fermentation culture with a stabilized pH value was better than the culture with the pH value changing spontaneously on saponin content, growth rate and biomass. Finally, the culture patterns of P. quinque folium cells were compared and discussed.