Homopolymer PAN and triblock copolymer PAN-<b>b</b>-PMMA-<b>b</b>-PAN synthesized by RAFT polymerization were used to fabricate activated hierarchical porous carbon membranes by combining phase inversion, carbonization, and HNO3 activation method; during the preparation process, a lot of micro- and meso-pores generated because of phase separation of PAN and microphase separation of PAN-<b>b</b>-PMMA-<b>b</b>-PAN. The hierarchical porous structure shortened ions transport paths and facilitated the rapid migration of electrolyte ions. When the polymer membrane was prepared by the casting solution with 5 wt% of PAN-<b>b</b>-PMMA-<b>b</b>-PAN and the electrochemical performance was tested at the current densities from 0.5 to 5 A g−1, a high-end specific capacitance of 297.0 F g−1 and a capacitance retention of 75% were obtained in three-electrode configuration; this specific capacitance remained above 90% of initial value after 2000 cycles at 2 A g−1 in 6 M KOH aqueous solution. Moreover, symmetric supercapacitors assembled with the prepared materials achieved high energy density (15.8 Wh Kg−1) and power density (4000 W Kg−1) in 1 M Na2SO4 solution. The unique features and structures endowed the electrode membrane with good capacitive performance in both three-electrode and two-electrode configuration, which can be used as electrode membranes for high-performance energy storage devices and other applications.<br><br>Display Omitted<br>• An electrode membrane of activated hierarchical porous carbon was fabricated • Micro- and meso-pores generated due to the phase and microphase separation. • Effects of copolymer concentration on structure and performance were studied • High electrochemical performance for supercapacitor was obtained.
Meconopsis horridula is one of alpine plants belonging to family Papaveraceae, mainly distributed in Himalaya Range area. M. horridula is a rare alpine flower, and is a kind of traditional Tibetan medicine, which has been included in more than 40 compound formulae, having efficacies of clearing away heat and alleviating pain, activating blood circulation to remove stasis, traditionally used for the treatment of fractures, injuries, and chest and back pains. Modern research shows that the whole plant of M. horridula contains alkaloids, flavonoids, and terpenes, and its pharmacological activities including antitumor, antivirus and myocardial protection etc. However, due to various factors, the current research of M.horridula still faces many challenges. This paper summaries herein a progress of MH on its ecological resources, traditional uses, and studies on chemical constituents and pharmacological effects, hopefully to provide a useful reference for the ecological protection and applications.
Swertia mussotii is a kind of rare medicinal materials, the relevant researches are mainly concentrated on its medicinal efficacy and medicinal value till now, researches of adaptive distribution by applying remote sensing and GIS are relatively less. This study is to analyze the adaptive distribution of S.mussotii in Sichuan province by applying remote sensing and GIS technology, and provide scientific basis for the protection and development of wild resources, artificial cultivation and adjustment of Chinese medicine industrial distribution in Sichuan province. Based on literature review and ecological factors such as altitude, annual precipitation and annual average temperature, this study extracted ecological factors, overlay analysis in GIS, as well as combining GPS field validation data by means of remote sensing and GIS, discusses the adaptive distribution of SMF sin Sichuan province. ①The area of adaptive distribution of S. mussotii in Sichuan province is 1 543.749 km², mainly in Dege county, Ganzi county, Daofu county, Kangding county, Barkam, Jinchuan county, Xiaojin county, Danba county, Daocheng county, Xiangcheng county, Xinlong county, Aba county, Muli county and other counties and cities, accounts for about 7.25% in total area. ② Combining statistical information and field validation, this study found that S. mussotii adaptive distribution gained by remote sensing and GIS is in conformity with its actual distribution. The study shows that remote sensing and GIS technology are feasible to obtain the S. mussotii adaptive distribution, they can further be applied to studies on adaptive distributions of other rare Chinese medicinal herb.
Nine alkaloids and two phenolic glycosides were isolated from EtOH extract of the whole plants of Corydalis hendersonii by various chromatographic techniques including silica gel, ODS, Sephadex LH-20, and semi-preparative HPLC. Their structures were identified as groenlandicine (1), berberine (2), protopine (3), cryptopine (4), N-trans-feruloyloctopamine(5), 3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-N-[2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-methoxyethyl] acrylamide (6), N-cis-p-coumaroyloctopamine (7), N-trans-p-coumaroylnoradrenline (8),N-cis-feruloyloctopamine (9), apocynin (10), and glucoacetosyringone (11) by the spectroscopic data analysis and comparison with those in the literature. Among them, compounds 10 and 11 were isolated from this genus for the first time, and 1, 2, and 5-9 were isolated from the species for the first time. All isolates were tested for their protection for in vitro PC12 cell line and antiplatelet aggregation activity. The results showed that compounds 5 and 7 displayed protective effects at a concentration of 10 μmol·L⁻¹, and compound 2 showed antiplatelet aggregation activity induced by THR, ADP, and AA, and compound 3 exhibted inhibitory effect induced by THR.; Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.
A phytochemical investigation on the aerial parts of a Tibetan medicine Meconopsis horridula, by solvent extraction, repeated chromatographies on silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and preparative TLC techniques, led to the isolation of 9 compounds. By spectroscopic analysis and comparison of its 1H and 13C-NMR data with those in literatures, their structures were identified as oleracein E(1), N-( trans-p-coumaroyl) tyramine (2), chrysoeriol (3), apigenin (4), hydnocarpin (5), p-coumaric acid glucosyl ester (6), stigmast-5-ene-3beta-ylformate (7), 3beta-hydroxy-7alpha-ethoxy-24beta-ethylcholest-5-ene (8), and beta-sitosterol (9), respectively, among which compounds 6-8 were isolated from the genus for the first time,and 1,3 were isolated from the species for the first time. A MTT method was applied to evaluate the cytotoxic activity of compounds 14 against the human hepatocellular liver carcinoma cell line (HepG2), and compound 1 showed significant cytotoxicity against HepG2,with its inhibitory rate of 52.2% at 10 micromol x L(-1).;
In this article the classics textual research to the origin of "Zha-xun" was carried out, the ethnobotanical research methods, the origin of visits, key informant interviews, sample collection and textual research were applied in the research. The results showed that the hypothesis of Zha-xun"s origin mainly included "source of mine", "source of feces", "source of monkey menstrual blood" in China. There were "source of fossil", "source of the plant secretion" abroad. The authors had interviewed the villagers at origin, herbalists, Tibetan doctors, herb dealers, foreign scholars for a total of 18 people, and collecting 45 batches medicinal materials. According to ancient Tibetan classics textual and Tibetan medicine doctors' views, medicinal materials were divided into the genuine and the substitutes. The genuine was identified as ancient so-called "iron" type "Zha-xun", and the substitute was fecal pellet bonding briquette. According to the field survey and literature research, "source of fossil" more in line with substance of Zha-xun was derived from the rock. As the results, the author believed that Zha-xun was the mixture of organic fossils from the rock seepage with flying squirrel, pika feces. So it is needed to be set up Zha-xun classification standard to evaluate the quality of medicinal materials. Meanwhile, it was necessary to further clarify fecal pellet substitute rationality. Above all, this article clarified the status of the use of Tibetan medicine-"Zha-xun", and laid the foundation of species systematics and quality standards research of "Zha-xun".
The figwort genus <i>Scrophularia</i> L. (Scrophulariaceae) comprises 200-300 species and is widespread throughout the temperate Northern Hemisphere. Due to reticulate evolution resulting from hybridization and polyploidization, the taxonomy and phylogeny of <i>Scrophularia</i> is notoriously challenging. Here we report the complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequences of <i>S. henryi</i> Hemsl. and <i>S. dentata</i> Royle ex Benth. and compare them with those of <i>S. takesimensis</i> Nakai and <i>S. buergeriana</i> Miq. The <i>Scrophularia</i> cp genomes ranged from 152 425 to 153 631 bp in length. Each cp genome contained 113 unigenes, consisting of 78 protein-coding genes, 31 transfer RNA genes, and 4 ribosomal RNA genes. Gene order, gene content, AT content and IR/SC boundary structure were nearly identical among them. Nine cpDNA markers (<i>trnH-psbA</i>, <i>rps15</i>, <i>rps18-rpl20</i>, <i>rpl32-trnL</i>, <i>trnS-trnG</i>, <i>ycf15-trnL</i>, <i>rps4-trnT</i>, <i>ndhF-rpl32</i>, and <i>rps16-trnQ</i>) with more than 2% variable sites were identified. Our phylogenetic analyses including 55 genera from Lamiales strongly supported a sister relationship between ((Bignoniaceae + Verbenaceae) + Pedaliaceae) and (Acanthaceae + Lentibulariaceae). Within Scrophulariaceae, a topology of (<i>S. dentata</i> + (<i>S. takesimensis</i> + (<i>S. buergeriana</i> + <i>S. henryi</i>))) was strongly supported. The crown age of Lamiales was estimated to be 85.1 Ma (95% highest posterior density, 70.6-99.8 Ma). The higher core Lamiales originated at 65.6 Ma (95% highest posterior density, 51.4-79.4 Ma), with a subsequent radiation that occurred in the Paleocene (between 55.4 and 62.3 Ma) and gave birth to the diversified families. Our study provides a robust phylogeny and a temporal framework for further investigation of the evolution of Lamiales.
Plant-based natural products represent an alternative to chemical compounds for the control of mites in veterinary medicine. Here, the essential oil of Elsholtzia densa (E. densa) Benth was extracted using hydrodistillation at a rate of 1.2%. The chemical composition of the essential oil was determined by gas chromatographymass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The GC-MS analysis indicated that the principal compounds in the volatile oil of the sample were 4-Pyridinol (28.16%) and thymol (26.58%). The acaricidal activity of E. densa oil against Sarcoptes scabiei (S. scabiei) was tested in vitro. Toxicity test data were analysed using a complementary log-log (CLL) model. The E. densa oil was prepared in five concentrations by dilution with liquid paraffin (1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 mg/ml) and exhibited strong toxicity against S. scabiei with LT50 values of 16.637, 5.075, 2.884, 1.184 and 0.760 h, respectively. The LC50 values were 7.678, 4.623, 2.543, 1.502, 1.298 and 0.981 mg/ml for S. scabiei at 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 24 h, respectively. Compared to the control, the essential oil showed significant effects against S. scabiei in vitro. At 16 mg/ml, E. densa oil was found to kill all mites within a 16-h period. The results indicate that E. densa oil possesses potential acaricidal activity in vitro and may be exploited as a novel drug for the effective control of S. scabiei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Compound Phyllanthus urinaria L (CP) is a traditional formula widely used in clinical practice for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), especially HBV-related HCC. HBx, HBV X gene encoded X protein, has positive correlation with the abnormal SHH pathway in HBV-related HCC. So, we predicted that CP has the capability of anti-HBV-related HCC maybe via inactivating the HBx-Hedgehog pathway axis. HepG2-HBx cells, HBx overexpression, were treated with CP (70μg/ml and 35 μg/ml, respectively) for 48 hours and the mice which received the HepG2-HBx cells were treated with CP (625mg/kg and 300 mg/kg, respectively) for 17 days to evaluate the effect of CP on HBV-related HCC. HBx could accelerate HepG2 cells proliferation, clone formation, and migration in vitro and also could strengthen tumor growth in mice. However, CP could significantly decrease HepG2-HBx cells proliferation, clone formation, and migration in vitro and also could inhibit tumors growth in mice in a dose-dependent manner. Mechanism studies suggested that HBx upregulated the mRNA and proteins expression of Sonic hedgehog (SHH), transmembrane receptor patched (PTCH-1), smoothened (SMO), oncogene homolog transcription factors-1 (GLI-1), and oncogene homolog transcription factors-2 (GLI-2), which are compositions of the SHH pathway. CP could inhibit the mRNA and proteins expression of SHH, PTCH-1, GLI-1, and HBx. It may be one of the underlying mechanisms of CP to delay the HBV-related HCC development through the HBx-SHH pathway axis inactivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
In order to find new anticancer drugs, a series of novel furoxan-based coumarin derivatives (<i>10a</i>-<i>k</i>) were synthesized and evaluated for their antiproliferative activities in vitro. All compounds displayed more potent inhibition on human cervical cancer HeLa cell proliferation than coumarin-3-carboxylic acid, and compounds <i>10b</i>,<i> 10c</i>,<i> 10f</i>,<i> 10h</i>, and <i>10i</i> with IC<sub>50</sub> values ranging from 0.88 to 5.95 μM were even stronger than doxorubicin (IC<sub>50</sub> = 10.21 μM). The further study showed that compound <i>10i</i> exerted the highest antiproliferative activity (IC<sub>50</sub> = 0.60 μM) against human breast cancer MCF-7 cells, and compound <i>10f</i> had broader spectrum antiproliferative activity against five cancer cells with IC<sub>50</sub> values in the low micromolar range of 1.86-9.85 μM. More interestingly, compound <i>10f</i> had little effect on normal intestinal epithelial CCD841 cells. Our findings suggest that these novel furoxan-based coumarin derivatives may provide a new framework for the discovery of novel antitumor agents for the intervention of human carcinoma cells.
Soil respiration (Rs) is an important source of atmospheric CO2 flux and is sensitive to changes in soil nutrient and water contents. Despite extensive studies on the effects of enhanced atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition and changes in precipitation (P) on Rs, few studies have taken into account the effects of interactions between these factors on Rs of alpine grasslands. To address these questions, we investigated the effects of N addition (10 g N m-2 yr-1), changes in precipitation (±50% precipitation), and their interaction on soil respiration and its components, including heterotrophic respiration (Rh) and autotrophic respiration (Ra),in a Tibetan alpine steppe during three consecutive growing seasons. We found that Rs differed in its response to N addition and precipitation regimes. Specifically, decreased precipitation led to a significant reduction in Rs during the last two years, whereas N addition minimally impacted Rs. Another important finding was that soil respiration components differed in their response to N addition and precipitation regimes. Nitrogen addition significantly enhanced Ra, whereas Rh was not altered in response to N addition. By contrast, the precipitation regime led to marked changes in Rh, but exhibited marginally significant effects on Ra. Therefore, our findings highlighted that soil respiration differed in its response to N addition and precipitation regimes mainly due to the different responses of soil respiration components to these factors. Therefore, carbon dynamics should take soil respiration components into account under global change scenarios.
<br>Display Omitted<br>• Coupling reaction of haloquinolines with sulfonyl chlorides in water. • Excellent regioselectivity and scale-up synthesis. • Base-, extra activator- and organic solvent-free conditions. • In situ generated zinc bis-sulphinate as sulfone reagent and activator.<br>A simple and efficient method has been developed for construction of sulfonylated quinolines via coupling of haloquinolines and sulfonyl chlorides in water. The present methodology provides an attractive approach to various sulfonylated quinolines in moderate to good yields with favorable functional group tolerance, which has the advantages of operation simplicity, readily available starting materials, excellent regioselectivity, scale-up synthesis, and organic solvent-free conditions.
Although large amounts of soil organic carbon (SOC) stored in the shrublands, information about SOC storage was little on the Tibetan Plateau. This study aims to evaluate the spatial patterns and storage of SOC in the shrublands and the relationships of climatic variables and soil pH on the Tibetan Plateau.<br>We used 177 profiles of soil samples obtained from 59 shrubland sites on the northeast Tibetan Plateau from 2011 to 2013. Ordinary least squares regressions, curve estimation, and multiple linear regressions were used to evaluate controlling factors on SOC stock. Kriging interpolation was used to upscale sit-level measurements to the whole study area.<br>We found that SOC storage in the northeast Tibetan shrublands was 1.36 Pg C in the top 1 m with an average SOC stock of 12.38 kg m<sup>−2</sup>. SOC stock decreased from east to west and south to north but generally increased significantly with the mean annual temperature (MAT) and the mean annual precipitation (MAP), and tended to decrease with soil pH. Although similar relationships were also observed in alpine shrublands, the trends among SOC stock, MAP, and MAT were not observed in desert shrublands. Our results indicate that a reduction in soil pH accelerates the C sequestration potential. Furthermore, global warming contributed to C sequestration in alpine shrublands, specifically, SOC stock increased 8.44 kg m<sup>−2</sup> with an increased unit of MAT in alpine shrublands just considering temperature effects. Meanwhile, the C sequestration was different among different regions due to the uneven increases in precipitation. However, in desert shrublands, MAP and MAT did not significantly affect SOC stock.<br>The results indicate that though a reduction in soil pH could contribute to C sequestration, MAT and MAP have different effects on SOC stock in different Tibetan Plateau shrublands. Increased MAT and MAP were 0.05 °C and 1.67 mm every year on the Tibetan Plateau, which will increase C sequestration in alpine shrublands, but might have limited impacts on desert shrublands, which help us comprehend soil C cycling in the global climate change scenario.
AIM: Targeting the VEGF/VEGF receptor (VEGFR) pathway has proved to be an effective antiangiogenic approach for cancer treatment. Here, we identified 6-((2-((3-acetamidophenyl)amino)pyrimidin-4-yl)oxy)-N-phenyl-1-naphthamide (designated herein as DW10075) as a novel and highly selective inhibitor of VEGFRs. METHODS: In vitro tyrosine kinase activity was measured using ELISA, and intracellular signaling pathway proteins were detected by Western blot analysis. Endothelial cell proliferation was examined with CCK-8 assays, and tumor cell proliferation was determined with SRB assays. Cell migration, tube formation and rat aortic ring assays were used to detect antiangiogenic activity. Antitumor efficacy was further evaluated in U87-MG human glioblastoma xenograft tumors in nude mice receiving DW10075 (500 mg · kg(-1) · d(-1), po) for two weeks. RESULTS: Among a panel of 21 kinases tested, DW10075 selectively inhibited VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3 (the IC50 values were 6.4, 0.69 and 5.5 nmol/L, respectively), but did not affect 18 other kinases including FGFR and PDGFR at 10 μmol/L. DW10075 significantly blocked VEGF-induced activation of VEGFR and its downstream signaling transduction in primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), thus inhibited VEGF-induced HUVEC proliferation. DW10075 (1-100 nmol/L) dose-dependently inhibited VEGF-induced HUVEC migration and tube formation and suppressed angiogenesis in both the rat aortic ring model and the chicken chorioallantoic membrane model. Furthermore, DW10075 exhibited anti-proliferative activity against 22 different human cancer cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 2.2 μmol/L (for U87-MG human glioblastoma cells) to 22.2 μmol/L (for A375 melanoma cells). In U87-MG xenograft tumors in nude mice, oral administration of DW10075 significantly suppressed tumor growth, and reduced the expression of CD31 and Ki67 in the tumor tissues. CONCLUSION: DW10075 is a potent and highly selective inhibitor of VEGFR that deserves further development.
Anxiety and depression are common among patients with cancer, and are often treated with psychological interventions including mindfulness-based therapy.The aim of the study was to perform a meta-analysis of the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for improving anxiety and depression in patients with cancer.Medline, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Google Scholar were searched. The randomized controlled trials designed for patients diagnosed with cancer were included. Mindfulness-based interventions were provided.The outcomes assessed were the changes in anxiety and depression scores from before to after the intervention. The treatment response was determined by calculating the standardized mean difference (SMD) for individual studies and for pooled study results. Subgroup analyses by cancer type, type of therapy, and length of follow-up were performed.Seven studies, involving 469 participants who received mindfulness-based interventions and 419 participants in a control group, were included in the meta-analysis. Mindfulness-based stress reduction and art therapy were the most common interventions (5/7 studies). All studies reported anxiety and depression scores. The pooled SMD of the change in anxiety significantly favored mindfulness-based therapy over control treatment (-0.75, 95% confidence interval -1.28, -0.22, P = 0.005). Likewise, the pooled SMD of the change in depression also significantly favored mindfulness-based therapy over control (-0.90, 95% confidence interval -1.53, -0.26, P = 0.006). During the length of follow-ups less than 12 weeks, mindfulness-based therapy significantly improved anxiety for follow-up ≤12 weeks after the start of therapy, but not >12 weeks after the start of therapy.There was a lack of consistency between the studies in the type of mindfulness-based/control intervention implemented. Patients had different forms of cancer. Subgroup analyses included a relatively small number of studies and did not account for factors such as the severity of anxiety and/or depression, the time since diagnosis, and cancer stage.Mindfulness-based interventions effectively relieved anxiety and depression among patients with cancer. However, additional research is still warranted to determine how long the beneficial effects of mindfulness-based therapy persist.
* Mindful learning is applied into the domain of environmental protection. * We test the association between mindful learning and pro-environmental behavior in the perspective of self-expansion. * Mindful learning could influence self-reported pro-environmental behavioral intentions in both positive and negative ways. * The mindful-leaning material need to be carefully selected and employed.; This current article explores the differential effects of mindful learning on pro-environmental behavior from the perspective of self-expansion. A total of 253 participants were recruited for four experiments. In Study 1, the mindful-learning group reported greater levels of pro-environmental behavioral intentions compared to a randomized control. In Study 2, we utilized different learning materials focusing on self, humans, or the biosphere in three sub-experiments. Study 2a manipulated mindsets by a self-related focus and revealed participants in a mindfulness condition had lower pro-environmental behavioral intentions than those in the mindlessness group. Study 2b centered on humans and results showed that participants in a mindfulness group reported higher levels of pro-environmental behavioral intentions. Finally, Study 2c induced mindsets with a biospheric focus, showing participants in the mindful-learning condition had greater pro-environmental behavioral intentions. Combined, the studies provide empirical evidence that mindful learning could influence self-reported pro-environmental behavioral intentions both positively and negatively.
* Mindful learning is applied into the domain of environmental protection. * We test the association between mindful learning and pro-environmental behavior in the perspective of self-expansion. * Mindful learning could influence self-reported pro-environmental behavioral intentions in both positive and negative ways. * The mindful-leaning material need to be carefully selected and employed.; This current article explores the differential effects of mindful learning on pro-environmental behavior from the perspective of self-expansion. A total of 253 participants were recruited for four experiments. In Study 1, the mindful-learning group reported greater levels of pro-environmental behavioral intentions compared to a randomized control. In Study 2, we utilized different learning materials focusing on self, humans, or the biosphere in three sub-experiments. Study 2a manipulated mindsets by a self-related focus and revealed participants in a mindfulness condition had lower pro-environmental behavioral intentions than those in the mindlessness group. Study 2b centered on humans and results showed that participants in a mindfulness group reported higher levels of pro-environmental behavioral intentions. Finally, Study 2c induced mindsets with a biospheric focus, showing participants in the mindful-learning condition had greater pro-environmental behavioral intentions. Combined, the studies provide empirical evidence that mindful learning could influence self-reported pro-environmental behavioral intentions both positively and negatively.
BACKGROUND: This review aims to summarize the evidence of Tai Chi and qigong interventions for the primary prevention of stroke, including the effects on populations with major stroke risk factors.METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted on January 16, 2017 using the PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL databases. Randomized controlled trials examining the efficacy of Tai Chi or qigong for stroke prevention and stroke risk factors were included. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool.
RESULTS: Twenty-one trials with n = 1604 patients with hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes, overweight or obesity, or metabolic syndrome were included. No trials were found that examined the effects of Tai Chi/qigong on stroke incidence. Meta-analyses revealed significant, but not robust, benefits of Tai Chi/qigong over no interventions for hypertension (systolic blood pressure: -15.55 mm Hg (95% CI: -21.16; -9.95); diastolic blood pressure: -10.66 mm Hg (95% CI: -14.90, -6.43); the homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) index (-2.86%; 95% CI: -5.35, -0.38) and fasting blood glucose (-9.6 mg/dL; 95% CI: -17.28, -1.91), and for the body mass index compared with exercise controls (-1.65 kg/m; 95% CI: -3.11, -0.20). Risk of bias was unclear or high for the majority of trials and domains, and heterogeneity between trials was high. Only 6 trials adequately reported safety. No recommendation for the use of Tai Chi/qigong for the prevention of stroke can be given.
CONCLUSION: Although Tai Chi and qigong show some potential more robust studies are required to provide conclusive evidence on the efficacy and safety of Tai Chi and qigong for reducing major stroke risk factors.
ObjectiveTo assess the effects of a 12-week Tai Chi exercise program on sleep using the sleep spectrogram, a method based on a single channel electrocardiogram (ECG)-derived estimation of cardiopulmonary coupling, previously shown to identify stable and unstable sleep states.
Methods
We retrospectively analyzed 24-h continuous ECG data obtained in a clinical trial of Tai Chi exercise in patients with heart failure. Eighteen patients with chronic stable heart failure, left ventricular ejection fraction ⩽40% (mean [±standard deviation] age, 59±14 years, mean baseline ejection fraction 24%±8%, mean) were randomly assigned to receive usual care (N=10), which included pharmacological therapy and dietary and exercise counseling, or 12 weeks of Tai Chi training (N=8) in addition to usual care. Using the ECG-based sleep spectrogram, we compared intervention and control groups by evaluating baseline and 12-week high (stable) and low (unstable) frequency coupling (HFC & LFC, respectively) as a percentage of estimated total sleep time (ETST).
Results
At 12 weeks, those who participated in Tai Chi showed a significant increase in HFC (+0.05±0.10 vs. −0.06±0.09 % ETST, p=0.04) and significant reduction in LFC (−0.09±0.09 vs. +0.13±0.13 % ETST, p<0.01), compared to patients in the control group. Correlations were seen between improved sleep stability and better disease-specific quality of life.
Conclusions
Tai Chi exercise may enhance sleep stability in patients with chronic heart failure. This sleep effect may have a beneficial impact on blood pressure, arrhythmogenesis and quality of life.
Waldheimia glabra is traditionally used as incense and as an anti-influenza drug by Tibetans in China. Here, we collected W. glabra from the Gangs Rinpoche mountain at an altitude of 5200 m, and analyzed its essential oil by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) combined with the retention indices (RI). Twenty-seven compounds, representing 72.4% of the total essential oil, were identified, including α-bisabolol (20.2%), valeranone (11.8%), chamazulene (9.9%), spathulenol (8.2%), β-caryophyllene (6.1%), and caryophyllene oxide (5.2%). Bioactivity evaluation of the essential oil revealed that it exhibited potent anti-influenza effect on viruses H3N2 and anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 macrophages, but no anti-complementary activity.
Waldheimia glabra is traditionally used as incense and as an anti-influenza drug by Tibetans in China. Here, we collected W. glabra from the Gangs Rinpoche mountain at an altitude of 5200 m, and analyzed its essential oil by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) combined with the retention indices (RI). Twenty-seven compounds, representing 72.4% of the total essential oil, were identified, including α-bisabolol (20.2%), valeranone (11.8%), chamazulene (9.9%), spathulenol (8.2%), β-caryophyllene (6.1%), and caryophyllene oxide (5.2%). Bioactivity evaluation of the essential oil revealed that it exhibited potent anti-influenza effect on viruses H3N2 and anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 macrophages, but no anti-complementary activity.
We report extremely prominent heart rate oscillations associated with slow breathing during specific traditional forms of Chinese Chi and Kundalini Yoga meditation techniques in healthy young adults. We applied both spectral analysis and a novel analytic technique based on the Hilbert transform to quantify these heart rate dynamics. The amplitude of these oscillations during meditation was significantly greater than in the pre-meditation control state and also in three non-meditation control groups: i) elite athletes during sleep, ii) healthy young adults during metronomic breathing, and iii) healthy young adults during spontaneous nocturnal breathing. This finding, along with the marked variability of the beat-to-beat heart rate dynamics during such profound meditative states, challenges the notion of meditation as only an autonomically quiescent state.
<p>This experimental study looked at changes in the oscillation of heart rate of individuals doing Chinese Chi or Kundalini Yoga meditations. Heart rate oscillation during meditation was significantly greater than during the pre-meditation control measure as well as compared to three other comparison groups. The authors suggest that the results challenge the assumption of meditation as only an autonomically quiescent state. (Zach Rowinski 2005-03-05)</p>
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