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Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) constitutes a major global health threat due to the high incidence and mortality. Sorafenib is known as the first-line medication for advanced HCC; however, it only extends the limited benefit for HCC patients as the development of acquired resistance. Withaferin A exerts broad pharmaceutical applications in several cancers. However, its effects on HCC cell metastatic potential and sorafenib resistance remain elusive. Here, we corroborated that Withaferin A greatly restrained cell viability, invasion, vasculogenic mimicry (VM) formation, and VE-cadherin levels in HepG2 and SNU449 cells. Moreover, Withaferin A sensitized sorafenib (SR)-resistant HCC cells to sorafenib. In striking contrast to the parental cells, lower ferroptosis was observed in SR-resistant cells as the lower ROS, MDA, and higher intracellular GSH levels in SR-resistant cells. Of interest, Withaferin A enhanced ferroptosis in SR-resistant cells, which was reversed by ferroptosis antagonist liproxstation-1. Notably, Withaferin A elevated Keap1 expression to mitigate Nrf2 signaling activation-mediated epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and ferroptosis-related protein xCT expression. Importantly, blockage of the Keap1/Nrf2 signaling overturned Withaferin A-evoked ferroptosis and facilitated sorafenib resistance. In addition, knockdown of Keap1 antagonized the inhibitory efficacy of Withaferin A on HCC cell viability, invasion, and VM formation. Consequently, Withaferin A may attenuate the metastatic potential and sorafenib resistance by regulating Keap1/Nrf2-associated EMT and ferroptosis. Thus, Withaferin A may serve as a promising agent for HCC therapy, especially for advanced HCC.

Objective The aim of the present study is to reveal the effective components and their mechanism of hair growth promotion in the kernel of Prunus mira Koehne, and to improve its quality control level. Methods Network pharmacology was used to predict the mechanism of action and active components in the treatment of the kernel of P. mira. The contents of oleic acid, linoleic acid and amygdalin in 12 batches of the kernel of P. mira were determined by HPLC. An animal model of the depilation of KM mice induced by sodium sulfide was created, and then 5 effective components that promoted hair growth were initially screened. An animal model of C57BL/6 mice depilation model induced by sodium sulfide was created, and the 5 effective components selected above were used for re-evaluating, so as to clarify the 3 effective components that promote hair growth. RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate the influence of the expression of indicators in the skin Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, including β-catenin, GSK-3β, mRNA and protein expression of Cyclin D 1 and LEF 1. Results In the study of network pharmacology, it was found that there were 149 targets for the chemical composition and alopecia in the kernel of Prunus mira Koehne, and the "protein-protein network interaction diagram" and the network diagrams of "components in the kernel of Prunus mira Koehne - chemical -targets-hair loss" were constructed. KEGG enrichment resulted in 12 alopecia related pathways, involving 25 targets and 13 components. The methodological investigation of oleic acid, linoleic acid and amygdalin in the kernel of Prunus mira Koehne were carried out by HPLC. Furthermore, The average content of oleic acid, linoleic acid and amygdalin in 12 batches from different producing areas is 428.91mg/mL, 99.89mg/mL, 17.27 mg/mL. Vitamin E (3.125 mg/cm2/d), β-sitosterol (0.061 mg/cm2/d), linoleic acid (0.156 mg/cm2/d) had the effect of promoting hair growth in mice, and could up-regulate Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, the mRNA expression of LEF 1, GSK-3β, and β-catenin also showed an upward trend, but they had no significant effect on the protein expression of the four indicators.Conclusions The determination method of oleic acid, linoleic acid and amygdalin in the kernel of Prunus mira Koehne was established by HPLC, which improved the quality standard. Vitamin E (3.125 mg/cm2/d), β-sitosterol (0.061 mg/cm2/d) and linoleic acid (0.156 mg/cm2/d) in the kernel of Prunus mira Koehne can promote hair growth in mice, and its mechanism of action may be related to the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Background: Ribonucleotide reductase regulatory subunit M2 (RRM2) has been reported as an oncogene in some kinds of malignant tumors, such as lung adenocarcinoma, oral squamous cell carcinoma, glioblastoma, and breast cancer. However, there are few studies focus on the clinical significance of RRM2 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. This work aimed to evaluate the significance of RRM2 in Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) based on the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database.Results: The expression of RRM2 in tumor tissues higher than normal tissues(P＜0.001). The elevated expression of RRM2 in HCC was significantly correlated with T stage(P＜0.05), Pathologic stage(P＜0.05), Tumor status(P＜0.05), Histologic grade(P＜0.001), and AFP(P＜0.001). HCC with higher RRM2 expression was positive associated with worse OS (overall survival), PFS (progression free survival), and DSS (disease specific survival). In the univariate analysis, expression of RRM2, T stage, M stage, Pathologic stage, and Tumor status were negative correlated with OS(P＜0.05). Further analysis by multivariate Cox regression showed that tumor status(P＜0.01) and RRM2 expression(P＜0.05) were independent prognostic factors of OS in HCC. Moreover, GSEA showed that several pathways were enriched in RRM2 high-expression sample, including PD-1 signaling, Cell cycle, P27 pathway, T cell receptor signaling pathway. RRM2 was significantly correlated with the infiltration level of aDC, CD8 T cells, Cytotoxic cells, DC, Mast cells, Neutrophils, NK cells, pDC, T helper cells, T follicular helper cells, Tgd, Th17 cells, and Th2 cells(P＜0.05);Conclusion: The findings from bioinformatic analysis suggest that high expression of RRM2 could be a predictive factor in HCC with poor prognosis. Furthermore, pivotal pathways associated with tumorigenesis are involved in RRM2. Finally, the expression of RRM2 in HCC is related to the level of immune infiltration.

With the increasing growth of the herbal market, a rapid and easy-to-use system is highly desirable in the high-throughput identification of massive herbal medicine samples. Here, an ultrafast and colorimetric detection system was devised based on simplifying template preparation and a newly developed amplification technique, named colorimetric direct-VPCR. The system was successfully applied to the identification of Pinelliae Rhizoma. Compared to the traditional method, the whole test can be finished within 30 min from the sample treatment to the testing results. The method was evaluated by correctly identifying 72 samples obtained from 9 different habitats, demonstrating its high reliability. In summary, we present an ultrafast (less than 30 min) and colorimetric detection platform (under ultraviolet lamp) based on direct-VPCR for the identification of Pinelliae Rhizoma. The high practicability (100% accuracy) of this pipeline enables it to be a promising method in the routine detection of other herbal materials. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-021-03035-9.

Shuangchi Liu,1 Zhiduan Xu,1 Zhuling Fang,2 Dengyong Zhang,1 Zhongqiang Qin,1 Longfei Fan,1 Jiakang Duan,1 Hongxiang Yin,1 Yigang Zhang,1 Qing Pang,1,3 Yi Tan1 1Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, 233000, Anhui, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Medical Laboratory, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, 233000, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710061, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yi Tan; Qing PangDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, 233000, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail doctortanyi2007@126.com; portxiu2@126.comBackground: Advanced liver fibrosis can lead to cirrhosis, portal hypertension and liver failure. Besides, advanced liver fibrosis and cirrhosis are the major risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Almost all patients with HCC also have liver cirrhosis. This study aims to predict the survival rate of hepatitis B-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by age, international standardized ratio, albumin and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (AIAG), an indicator measuring the degree of cirrhosis.Methods: A total of 501 hepatitis B-related HCC patients experiencing radical surgery were analyzed, retrospectively. General data about demographics and labs were collected at the date of diagnosis to calculate AIAG [age, international standardized ratio (INR), albumin and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT)]. The Kaplan–Meier curves and Cox analysis were used to evaluate overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). The C-index was calculated in R software (version 4.0.3) to evaluate the accuracy of the prognostic model.Results: During a median follow-up period of 30 months, 31.1% (156/501) of the patients died, and 34.3% (172/501) experienced the recurrence of HCC. Compared with patients with lower AIAG score, patients with higher AIAG score had higher Child-Pugh grade and were at higher Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage (both P< 0.05). Multivariate analysis suggested that GGT, alpha fetoprotein (AFP), tumor size, BCLC stage and AIAG grade were independent predictors of OS and RFS. Furthermore, the combined use of tumor size, AFP and AIAG stage could predict survival significantly better (C-index=0.710, 95% CI: 0.669– 0.751) than BCLC stage.Conclusion: AIAG is significantly associated with survival of HCC patients, and provides additional prognostic information for patients with HCC. Our findings suggest that the combination of AIAG, tumor size and AFP stage has a better predictive value for the prognosis of patients with hepatitis B-related hepatocellular carcinoma. However, it is necessary for more external evidences to determine clinical utility.Keywords: AIAG, hepatocellular carcinoma, survival, prognosis

Background: The Chuanqing (穿青人) are an ethnic group native to the Guizhou Province of China, with a unique culture and rich knowledge of traditional medicinal plants. The herbal market at the Dragon Boat Festival (DBF) plays an important role in the inheritance of traditional medicinal knowledge among the Chuanqing. This study aims to record the profile of medicinal plants of the Chuanqing, discuss the dilemmas faced by its inheritance and propose strategies. Such information is important for the inheritance and protection of the Chuanqing’s traditional medical knowledge. Methods: Data were collected through key informant interviews, semi-structured interviews and free listing. The collected voucher specimens were identified and deposited in the herbarium. The medicinal plants were compared with the Information System of Chinese Rare and Endangered Plants of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The results were compared with those of the pharmacopeia of the People's Republic of China (ChP) and the Quality Standard of TCM, and National Medicine in Guizhou Province (QSG) and traditional medicines of Southeast Asian countries. Data were analyzed with use-value (UV) and cultural importance index (CI) values. Results: A total of 102 species from 53 families and 92 genera were recorded, with Orchidaceae and Asparagaceae (6 species each), Berberidaceae and Asteraceae (5 species each) as the predominant families. Whole plant (36%) was the most common medicinal part. Decoction (44%) was the most common preparation method. Seventy-one investigated human ailments were grouped into 12 categories. Diseases of the musculoskeletal system (34 mentions) were the most frequently mentioned in this study. Moreover, the most frequently used taxon was Hedera sinensis (Tobler) Hand.-Mazz. (UV and CI=0.29). A total of 9 medicinal plants were recorded in the Information System of Chinese Rare and Endangered Plants of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The Chuanqing’s medicine had high similarity with ChP and QSG. While it had a high similarity in preparation method, and low similarity in medicinal parts, plant families and disease treatments with traditional medicines in Southeast Asian countries.Conclusions: The traditional herbal market at the DBF is an important platform for communicating traditional medicinal plant knowledge of the Chuanqing. There are some differences and connections between the Chuanqing's medicine, Chinese traditional medicines, and traditional medicines in Southeast Asian countries. The Chuanqing's traditional medicine is facing many difficulties in the inheritance and development. More scientific research and policies planning are needed to solve it. This study highlights the traditional medicinal knowledge of the Chuanqing, providing basic data for further research on and protection of minority medicine.

Sleep is believed to benefit the host defense against pathogens. We aimed to investigate the association of sleep quality with clinical outcomes among hospitalized patients with COVID-19. We conducted a prospective cohort study in 205 adult hospitalized patients with diagnosed moderate COVID-19, with follow-up until hospital discharge or death. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) assessed sleep quality before and after infection. The primary outcome was the incidence of severe or critical pneumonia, and the secondary outcomes were duration of hospital stay and laboratory measurements during the follow up. Among the 205 included hospitalized patients, 185 (90.2 %) experienced poorer sleep quality after infection than before according to the PSQI score, and 25 (12.2 %) developed severe or critical pneumonia during follow-up. In Cox regression models, the adjusted hazard ratio of developing severe or critical pneumonia associated with each 1 score increment in the PSQI score before and after infection was 1.23 (95% CI: 1.09, 1.39) and 1.35 (95 % CI: 1.08, 1.67), respectively. Poorer sleep quality was also significantly associated with a prolonged hospital stay and more serious dysregulations in immune system indicated by several laboratory markers. Poorer sleep quality, either in the daily time or after infection with SARS-CoV-2, was associated with worse clinical outcomes. These findings highlight the importance of good sleep in confronting the emerging pandemic of COVID-19., EXCLI Journal; 20:Doc894; ISSN 1611-2156

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between sleep structure and amnesic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) in patients with insomnia disorder. METHODS: A total of 256 patients with insomnia disorder were diagnosed by neurologists, 45 of whom were diagnosed with aMCI according to the Petersen criteria, and 45 participants with intact cognition were chosen as controls matched for age and education. A case-control study was conducted to compare sleep structure between aMCI and control patients with insomnia disorder. We evaluated self-reported sleep problems by the Insomnia Severity Index and objective sleep features by polysomnography. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the associations between sleep parameters and aMCI in patients with insomnia disorder. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in Insomnia Severity Index scores between the aMCI and control groups. In the logistic regression after adjustment for covariates, people with a longer sleep duration (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.56, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.36–0.89), greater sleep efficiency (aOR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.32–0.77), and a higher percentage of total sleep time in stage 3 of non–rapid eye movement sleep (N3%) (aOR = 0.02, 95% CI: 0.01–0.15) have a lower relative probability of having aMCI. By contrast, higher N1% (aOR = 2.28, 95% CI: 1.36–3.82) and wake after sleep onset (aOR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.11–1.55) may be risk factors for aMCI in patients with insomnia. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with insomnia disorder, sleep duration, sleep fragmentation, sleep efficiency, N1% and N3% were independently associated with the presence of aMCI. In the clinical setting, if patients with insomnia show much more serious abnormalities in these sleep indices, clinicians should pay attention to their cognitive function. In-depth research would also be worthwhile to elaborate the causality between sleep and cognitive decline. CITATION: Zhang L, Li T, Lei Y, et al. Association between sleep structure and amnesic mild cognitive impairment in patients with insomnia disorder: a case-control study. J Clin Sleep Med. 2021;17(1):37–43.

A fluorescent visual identification system of Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis was established based on internal transcribed spacer barcoding. It is proposed for the first time that P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis should be divided into two types of genotypes: YN-I and YN-II according to single nucleotide polymorphism of internal transcribed spacer. In order to avoid false-negative results, two pairs of specific primers for YN-I and YN-II were designed, respectively, and specific visual fluorescent identification systems was established by SYBR Green I fluorescent dye was directly introduced into the PCR system which can be observed directly with the naked eye for the green fluorescent color of PCR system. Therefrom, it has realized the rapid and directly visual identification of two genotypes of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis from its common nine adulterants. This study proposed for the first time the existence of different genotypes on the legal basis of Rhizoma Paridis, and provided a model for the accurate identification of different genotypes.

Background: Chuanqing People is one of the unrecognized ethnic groups in China, having unique cultural backgrounds and rich knowledge of traditional medicinal plants. The herbal market on Dragon Boat Festival plays an important role in inheriting the traditional medicinal knowledge of Chuanqing People. The aim of this study was to record the characteristics, current situation, and problems of medicinal plant usages of the Chuanqing People of China, to serve for the inheritance of traditional knowledge and the protection of biodiversity. Methods: The information was collected through key informant interviews, semi-structured interviews, and taxonomy identification; and then, results were compared with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and other ethnic medicines of Guizhou Province. Data were analyzed with Use Value (UV) and CI value. Results: A total of 102 species from 53 families and 92 genera were recorded, including Orchidaceae and Asparagaceae (6 species respectively), Berberidaceae and Compositae (5 species respectively), Apocynaceae, Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, and Polygonaceae (4 species respectively) as predominate families. Moreover, 71 investigated human ailments were grouped into 12 categories. Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (34 mentions) were the most frequently mentioned in our study. The most frequently used species was Hedera nepalensis var. sinensis (Tobler) Rehder (UV & CI=0.288). Conclusion: The traditional herbal market during the Dragon Boat Festival is a hotspot of traditional medicinal plant knowledge of local people. However, urbanization threatens the inheritance of the local medicinal plant knowledge. The study highlights the traditional medicinal knowledge of Chuanqing People, which provides basic data for further research on botanical and conservation.

Background The Chuanqing people (穿青人) are a linguistic group native to the Guizhou Province of China, with unique culture and rich knowledge of traditional medicinal plants. Herbal market at Dragon Boat Festival (DBF) plays an important role in the inheritance of traditional medicinal knowledge among the Chuanqing people. This study aims to record the profile of medicinal plants of the Chuanqing people, discuss the dilemmas faced by their inheritance, and propose some strategies for passing down information, which is critical for the inheritance and protection of the Chuanqing people’s traditional medical knowledge. Methods Data were collected through key informants and semi-structured interviews and free listing. Collected voucher specimens were identified using by botanical taxonomy method and deposited in the herbarium. Data were analyzed through use-value (UV) and cultural importance index (CI) values. Medicinal plants were compared with the Information System of Chinese Rare and Endangered Plants of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Results were compared with the Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China (ChP), the Quality Standard of Traditional Chinese Medicine and National Medicine in Guizhou Province (QSG), and traditional medicines of Southeast Asian countries. Results A total of 102 species from 53 families and 92 genera were recorded, with Orchidaceae and Asparagaceae (six species each), and Berberidaceae and Asteraceae (five species each) as the predominant families. The whole plant (36%) was the most common medicinal part. Decoction (44%) was the most common preparation method. Seventy-one investigated human ailments were grouped into 12 categories. Diseases of the musculoskeletal system (34 mentions) were most frequently mentioned in this study. Moreover, the most frequently used taxon was Hedera sinensis (Tobler) Hand.-Mazz. (UV and CI = 0.29). The Chuanqing people’s medicine was highly similar to ChP and QSG. In comparison with Southeast Asian countries’ traditional medicines, except for the same preparation methods, the similarities in terms of medicinal ingredients, plants, and disease treatment were very low. Conclusions The herbal market at the DBF is an important platform for exchanging knowledge about the Chuanqing people’s traditional medicinal plants. The Chuanqing people’s traditional medicine is facing many challenges to its inheritance and development. To solve these problems, this study highlights the traditional medicinal knowledge of the Chuanqing people, providing basic data for further research and protection of minority medicine.

A fluorescent visual identification system of Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis was established based on internal transcribed spacer barcoding. It is proposed for the first time that P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis should be divided into two types of genotypes: YN-I and YN-II according to single nucleotide polymorphism of internal transcribed spacer. In order to avoid false-negative results, two pairs of specific primers for YN-I and YN-II were designed, respectively, and specific visual fluorescent identification systems was established by SYBR Green I fluorescent dye was directly introduced into the PCR system which can be observed directly with the naked eye for the green fluorescent color of PCR system. Therefrom, it has realized the rapid and directly visual identification of two genotypes of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis from its common nine adulterants. This study proposed for the first time the existence of different genotypes on the legal basis of Rhizoma Paridis, and provided a model for the accurate identification of different genotypes.

The resource shortage of Rhizoma Paridis has never been effectively addressed, and the industry continues to search for alternative resources. The in vitro effects on thrombin of Paris saponins and in vivo hemostatic activity of Paris fargesii var. brevipetala (PF) were evaluated in this study. PF is considered to be an alternative source of Rhizoma Paridis (RP). The in vitro incubation experiment was designed to investigate the effects on thrombin activity of Paris saponin H (PS H) and saponin extract in PF. The bleeding time of mouse tail snipping was used to evaluate the in vivo hemostatic effects of Paris saponins. Also, in vivo changes in four blood coagulation parameters in rats after oral administration of different groups of Paris saponins were compared. The effects of Paris saponins on liver function and blood lipid parameters were examined in order to avoid drug-induced liver injury. Activity studies of thrombin after ultra-filtration centrifugation showed that Paris saponins were able to enhance thrombin activity. Ultra performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) analysis results of the substrates led us to speculate that there is a specific binding between Paris saponins and thrombin. PS H and Paris saponins in PF significantly shortened the bleeding time in mice. One pathway by which Paris saponins enhance in vivo blood coagulation is by increasing fibrinogen (FIB), among the four blood coagulation parameters in rats. At the same time, the effects on liver and blood lipid parameters were insignificant. P. fargesii var. brevipetala can be developed as an alternative medicinal source of Rhizoma Paridis.

More attention was paid to the anti-tumor activity of Rhizoma Paridis (RP) recently, of which the wild resource was decreased significantly. This study was aimed to elucidate the chemical characteristics of Paris fargesii var. brevipetala (PFB) that may be administrated as alternate resource of legal RP. A HPLC-ELSD method was established to characterize the steroid saponins in rhizomes of PFB and two legal Paris species [Paris polyphylla var. chinensis (PPC) and P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis (PPY)] in Chinese Pharmacopoeia (CP). Ten saponins (paris saponins I, II, V, VI, VII, H, gracillin and other three paris saponins) were involved as standards. The results indicated that PFB contained pennogenyl saponins as the main components with small amounts of diosgenin saponins. The total contents of the detected saponins in PFB ranged from 9.12mg/g to 85.33mg/g. Nine of the twelve PFB samples own a total content of paris saponins I, II, VI, and VII more than 6.0mg/g (meeting the standard of CP 2010 edition). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares-Discriminate Analysis (PLS-DA) both confirmed the fact that saponin profiles of PFB, PPC and PPY were different from each other. In addition, paris saponin H (Ps H), the predominant saponin of PFB (>50%), was tested in vitro to evaluate its cytotoxic activities on HepG2, A549, RPE and L929 cells with a positive control of Cisplatin. Ps H showed a remarkable cytotoxic activity on A549 cells with an IC(50) value of 1.53±0.08μg/mL.

Effect of continuous annealing temperature on mechanical properties, formability, work hardening rate, texture, and corrosion resistance of ultra-purified ferritic stainless steel is analyzed by means of tensile test, electron back scattering diffraction, and electrochemical tests. The results show that with the increase of continuous annealing temperature during 850–940 °C, tensile strength and yield strength of the tested steel reduce and then rise slightly and decrease at last. Elongation increases sharply with the rise of continuous annealing temperature and then kept approximately constant. At 910 °C, the best formability and comprehensive performance are obtained, and the strength and elongation achieve best comprehensive performance. The grains near the {111} orientation grow up selectively. The higher continuous annealing temperature, the more obvious the tendency of growing and thus the more the γ fiber texture content. The low energy and low ∑ CSL grain boundaries composed of textures are the reasons why the corrosion resistance of specimen presents the changing trend similar to texture orientation. With the increases of continuous annealing temperature, the passive potential range and the stability of the surface film first increase and then decrease, while the pitting corrosion potential first decrease slightly and then increase sharply.

Recent studies suggest that angiogenesis and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are involved in the pathophysiology of epilepsy. However, relatively little data are available linking placenta growth factor (PIGF) with epilepsy. In this study, we assessed concentrations of PIGF in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 60 epileptic patients and 24 non-seizure subjects using sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Epileptic patients in general had higher concentration of CSF-PIGF than controls (7.95 ± 0.88 ng/l vs. 5.87 ± 0.79 ng/l, P0.01). CSF-PIGF level in secondary epileptic patients (8.59 ± 1.26 ng/l) was higher than that in idiopathic epileptic patients (7.62 ± 0.20 ng/l) (P0.05). In idiopathic epilepsy, CSF-PIGF level in patients with high seizure frequency was higher than those in patients with low seizure frequency and seizure-free in recent 3 years (7.78 ± 0.23 ng/l vs. 7.49 ± 0.09 ng/l and 7.59 ± 0.10 ng/l, P0.05). Concentration of CSF-PIGF in patients with a disease duration of5 years was higher than those in patients with durations of 1-5 years and1 year (7.72 ± 0.20 ng/l vs. 7.52 ± 0.09 ng/l and 7.41 ± 0.07 ng/l, P0.05). These results indicate that preexisting brain damage, seizure frequency and disease duration are important factors contributing to elevated PIGF.

In the trade and raw drug market, the medicinal plants of genus Paris are available in the form of rhizomes without any vouchers, thus making it difficult to identify and distinguish the different species of Genus Paris. Recent studies have shown that the species of Paris possess different chemical constituents, pharmacological activities, and efficiencies in clinical application. To distinguish 11 species of Paris collected from the western Sichuan province of China and ensure their safety and efficacy, in the present work, the microscopic characteristics of rhizomes and the crude drug powder of the 11 species of Paris were compared using a light microscope according to the usual microscopic techniques. The results of the microscopic features were systematically described and illustrated. The differences among these species are great enough that the identity of most material can be easily determined. Also, semiquantitative and quantitative micrographic parameter tables were simultaneously presented. Further, the key authentication parameters based on these anatomic characteristics analyzed was drawn up and presented for the Paris species studied. The study indicated that light microscopy and related techniques could provide a method that is convenient, feasible, and can be unambiguously applied in the authentication of species of Paris. This information is required not only for the identification procedures that guarantee the utilization of the appropriate raw material, but also for the quality control standards demanded. Microsc. Res. Tech. 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.