Anticonvulsant activity of Hypoxis hemerocallidea Fisch. & C. A. Mey. (Hypoxidaceae) corm ('African potato') aqueous extract in mice

Extracts of Hypoxis hemerocallidea Fisch. & C. A. Mey. (Hypoxidaceae) corm (popularly known as 'African potato') are extensively used in South African traditional medicines for the treatment, management and/or control of an array of human ailments, including childhood convulsions and epilepsy. This study examined the anticonvulsant activity of the plant's corm aqueous extract (APE, 50-800 mg/kg i.p.) against pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-, picrotoxin (PCT)- and bicuculline (BCL)-induced seizures in mice. Phenobarbitone and diazepam were used as reference anticonvulsant drugs for comparison. Like the reference antiseizure drugs used, Hypoxis hemerocallidea corm aqueous extract (APE, 100-800 mg/kg i.p.) significantly delayed (p < 0.05-0.001) the onset of, and antagonized, pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures. The plant's corm aqueous extract (APE, 100-800 mg/kg i.p.) also profoundly antagonized picrotoxin (PCT)-induced seizures, but only weakly antagonized bicuculline (BCL)-induced seizures. Although the data obtained in the present study do not provide conclusive evidence, it would appear that 'African potato' aqueous extract (APE) produces its antiseizure effect by enhancing GABAergic neurotransmission and/or action in the brain. The results of this laboratory animal study indicate that APE possesses anticonvulsant activity in the mammalian experimental model used and, therefore, tend to suggest that the herb may be used as a natural supplementary remedy in the management, control and/or treatment of childhood convulsions and epilepsy. In conclusion, the findings of this study indicate that Hypoxis hemerocallidea corm aqueous extract possesses anticonvulsant activity, and thus lend pharmacological credence to the suggested folkloric, anecdotal ethnomedical uses of the herb in the management of childhood convulsions and epilepsy in some rural communities of South Africa.     

人血清中环境雌激素的柱前荧光衍生-高效液相色谱测定法

目的建立对硝基苯甲酰氯柱前荧光衍生-高效液相色谱法同时测定人血清中环境雌激素双酚A、壬基酚、17α-乙炔基雌二醇以及内源性雌激素雌三醇、17α-雌二醇和17β-雌二醇的方法。方法血清样品经乙腈沉淀蛋白后,用乙醚萃取游离态雌激素,N2气流挥干、在无水条件下,雌激素与对硝基苯甲酰氯反应生成荧光产物,用高效液相色谱法定量。结果该法线性范围上限可达1.0×104μg/L,检测限为2.7~8.3μg/L,加标回收率范围为72.6%~98.6%。方法精密度为1.29%~4.52%。结论应用该法对10份血清样进行了测定,结果满意,该方法有应用推广价值。     

Strategies That Facilitate Extraction-Free SARS-CoV-2 Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented global demand for in vitro diagnostic reagents. Supply shortages and hoarding have impacted testing capacity which has led to inefficient COVID-19 case identification and transmission control, predominantly in developing countries. Traditionally, RNA extraction is a prerequisite for conducting SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT); however, simplified methods of sample processing have been successful at bypassing typical nucleic acid extraction steps, enabling extraction-free SARS-CoV-2 NAAT workflows. These methods involve chemical and physical approaches that are inexpensive and easily accessible alternatives to overcome extraction kit supply shortages, while offering acceptable test performance. Here we provide an overview of three main sample preparation strategies that have been shown to facilitate extraction-free SARS-CoV-2 NAATs.     

Extraction of Alkalis from Silicate Materials Part 1—Amorphous Silicate Materials

The main building materials widely used worldwide are those based on cement, glass, and ceramics. Taking into account the fact that the raw material base for the production of these materials is narrowing, and the quality of raw materials is declining, methods are being used to modify the structure of silicate materials in order to improve their properties when using cheaper raw materials and industrial waste, which should help reduce the energy intensity of their production. One of the ways to reduce energy consumption is the use of alkaline components in the chemical composition of silicate materials, which makes it possible to reduce the temperature of their synthesis. However, the presence of alkalis in the material at the stage of the operation is undesirable since it contributes, for example, to a decrease in the chemical resistance of silicate glasses or leads to the phenomenon of alkaline corrosion in cement products. In this regard, in order to reduce the negative impact of alkalis, it is necessary to extract them from the surface layers of the silicate material. There are various methods for extracting alkalis from silicate materials, some of which are presented in this article.     

Retinal detachment in eyes treated with Aurolab aqueous drainage implant for refractory glaucoma - Incidence and outcomes

Purpose:To analyze the incidence of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) in patients who have undergone prior Aurolab aqueous drainage implant (AADI) surgery and report outcomes in terms of anatomic, visual acuity, and intraocular pressure (IOP) findings.Methods:Case records of all patients who underwent RRD repair after AADI surgery from 2013 to 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Data collected included patient demographics, ocular examination findings at all visits including IOP and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and clinical findings related to RRD both at baseline and postoperatively.Results:Ten eyes of nine patients were included in study. The mean age of patients was 28.2 years (median: 15 years, range: 6–83 years). Mean duration between AADI and RRD was 14 months (median 2.5 months; range 2 days-72 months). All eyes underwent pars plana vitrectomy with silicon oil injection. The preoperative LogMAR BCVA (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) was 2.52 ± 0.15 which improved to 2.29 ± 0.58 at final follow-up; however, only one eye had vision ≥ 20/400 largely due to recurrent RRD and advanced glaucomatous disc damage. Postoperatively retina was attached in 6 eyes (60%) and IOP was ≤ 21 mmHg in 5 out of 6 eyes with anatomic successConclusion:The incidence of RRD following AADI was found to be 0.86% in our study. Pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with silicon oil tamponade was the preferred approach in the management of these eyes with IOP being well controlled post PPV. However, visual acuity outcomes were largely unsatisfactory due to recurrent RRD and preexisting advanced glaucoma.     

基于Box-Behnken响应面设计优选中药复方便乃通的提取工艺

[目的] 利用Box-Behnken响应面设计法优化中药复方便乃通（BNT）的提取工艺。[方法] 基于单因素实验优选BNT提取工艺的影响因素及其范围,运用Box-Behnken响应面设计法构建三因素三水平实验设计方案,以番泻苷B、番泻苷A及橙皮苷的含量作为响应指标优选最佳提取工艺条件,并进行工艺验证。[结果] 中药复方BNT的最佳提取工艺条件为料液比1∶8,回流时间30 min,提取次数2次。[结论] 利用Box-Behnken响应面设计法优化中药复方BNT提取工艺方法稳定,可为BNT提取工艺提供参考。     

Mitochondrial DNA in human hair shafts – existence of intra-individual differences?

The sequences of the hypervariable region 1 (HV1) of the mitochondrial DNA control region from multiple hair shafts from 10 unrelated individuals were compared to determine the frequency of differences in hairs from one individual. The extraction method described herein showed an average success rate of 67% for all 150 hair shafts tested in HV1. The mtDNA sequences from the hair shafts matched the sequences from the corresponding blood and saliva samples taken from the same donor and no evidence of heteroplasmy was found. The results emphasize the reliability of DNA extraction and mtDNA typing from human hair shafts for forensic purposes. Received: 16 July 1998 / Received in revised form: 31 August 1998     

秃疮花提取物对红细胞氧化性溶血的抑制机制

目的探讨秃疮花提取物对鼠红细胞氧化性溶血的影响及其机理。方法以H2O2诱导体外鼠红细胞发生氧化性溶血,以乙酰苯肼引发小鼠体内溶血性贫血,观察不同浓度或剂量秃疮花对鼠红细胞溶血率,细胞形态、小鼠体内红细胞、白细胞数量,血红蛋白含量,血浆丙二醛含量,以及红细胞内各种抗氧化酶活性的影响,并分析其作用机理。结果外秃疮花提取物对H2O2诱导的鼠红细胞溶血的抑制率可达78%。小鼠腹腔注射秃疮花提取物后,与模型组比较,红细胞数目增加,血红蛋白含量提高,白细胞数目减少,血浆丙二醛含量降低,四项指标均接近正常组(腹腔注射DLF 1.5 g/(kg.d),红细胞数目为8.49×1012/L);损伤小鼠腹腔注射秃疮花提取物后,红细胞内超氧化物歧化酶活性和血浆总抗氧化力无明显改变,而过氧化氢酶和谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶的活性显著提高,葡萄糖6磷酸脱氢酶活性上升极显著(较损伤组提高44.7%)。结论秃疮花提取物在体内外可分别抑制由H2O2和乙酰苯肼引发的鼠红细胞氧化性溶血,效果明显。小鼠腹腔注射秃疮花提取物后,红细胞内抗氧化酶活性普遍提高,提示秃疮花提取物通过增强红细胞的自由基清除能力而使细胞膜免受氧化性损伤,其中葡萄糖6磷酸脱氢酶活性的上升尤为显著,据此推测秃疮花提取物有可能通过抑制乙酰苯肼对葡萄糖6磷酸脱氢酶的干扰而缓解鼠红细胞的氧化性溶血。