Opposite Neurophysiological Findings Induced by Sideritis scardica and Sideritis euboa Extract in the Rat

Psychophysiological effects of Sideritis herba extracts depend on biologically active ingredients, which might be different for several botanical types of this plant. The present investigation aimed at the characterization of extracts from Sideritis scardica and Sideritis euboa in vivo and in vitro. Construction of electropharmacograms on the base of recording of electrical field potentials from four different brain regions was used to compare the possible pharmacological effects to a database of reference drugs with known clinical indications. Whereas Sideritis scardica produced decreases of spectral power in line with stimulatory frequency patterns as observed in the presence of Ginkgo biloba extract, administration of Sideritis euboa produced opposite effects. Electrical stimulation of the Schaffer Collaterals was used to elicit a pyramidal cell response called population spike in vitro. The amplitude of this spike was determined in the presence of single as well as theta burst stimuli. Direct exposure of brain matter to Sideritis scardica extract led to concentration dependent increases of the population spike amplitude under both stimulation patterns in the range from 12.5 to 100 mg/L. On the opposite, extract from Sideritis euboa did not change the electric response up to 50 mg/L. Higher concentrations of this extract attenuated the signal amplitude. A 1:1 blend of both gave intermediate results. The in vitro results are in line with the in vivo EEG recordings, where both extracts induced opposite changes of the electric power with respect to electric frequency patterns. The results from both models suggest a stimulatory and/or memory-enhancing action for the extract from Sideritis scardica but not for Sideritis euboa extract, where a more tranquillizing effect like that observed in the presence of Humulus cone extract may be expected.

Psychophysiological Effects of Sideritis and Bacopa Extract and Three Combinations Thereof—A Quantitative EEG Study in Subjects Suffering from Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is regarded as a transitional stage during the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Diagnosis of MCI can be obtained by the questionnaire “DemTect” in German speaking countries. Quantitative assessment has been successfully performed using psychometric testing concomitantly with quantitative EEG recording. The present investigation aimed at the possible treatment of MCI with two botanicals, namely extracts from Sideritis scardica (500 mg) or Bacopa monnieri (320 mg) and three combinations thereof using this method in order to find a new treatment. The performance of the d2-test, an arithmetic calculation test (CPT) and a memory-test revealed better performance for the d2-test only in the presence of Sideritis extract or the combinations with Bacopa extract. Quantitative EEG assessment during the different experimental conditions showed massive differences between both extracts. Whereas Sideritis extract and its combination with a low amount of Bacopa extract (160 mg) induced increases of spectral power in fronto-temporal brain areas, Bacopa and the combination of Sideritis with high amounts of Bacopa extract produced attenuation of all waves except for delta in fronto-temporal brain areas. These differences were also documented by quantitative EEG maps in comparison to Placebo. A different action of both extracts was confirmed by discriminant analysis, where Sideritis extract and its combination with low Bacopa grouped together quite at distance to Bacopa and the combination of Sideritis with high Bacopa. A combination of Sideritis extract with a low amount of Bacopa should be tested with daily repetitive dosing for at least 4 weeks as a consequence.

Psychophysiological Effects of a Combination of Sideritis and Bacopa Extract (memoLoges®) in 32 Subjects Suffering from Mild Cognitive Impairment. A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, 2-Armed Study with Parallel Design

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) can be regarded as a non-demented transitional stage during the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Early recognition of this stage might increase the chance of prevention by early treatment. Within a pilot study, two plant-derived preparations and mixtures thereof were tested successfully in subjects suffering from MCI. A combination of Sideritis scardica and Bacopa monnieri extract (memoLoges®) was chosen now for a repetitive dosing during 4 weeks. Thirty-two subjects aged 50 to 80 years and suffering from MCI (having a DemTect questionnaire score between 8 and 13) were recruited for intake of 2 capsules of the preparation per day. Quantitative EEG recording during relaxation and concomitant performance of three 5 minutes lasting psychometric tests (d2-concentration test, arithmetic calculation test and memory test) was achieved at the first day and one day after the last repetitive intake. Seventeen channels of EEG and one channel EOG (for artefact rejection) were recorded. After frequency analysis (FFT) current source density was calculated as reported earlier. One, two and three hours after intake of the herbal extract or placebo the whole procedure was repeated. Brain imaging was achieved by conversion of numerical values of spectral EEG power into spectral colors and additive color mixture according to RGB as used in TV settings. Intake of memoLoges® induced a trend of improvement of performance in psychometric testing (all three tests). During relaxation quantitative assessment of EEG data revealed attenuation of delta and theta spectral power in frontal brain as likewise reported in the presence of the Alzheimer drug rivastigmine, bringing the spectrum back to “normality”. During mental work memoLoges® induced statistically significant increases of beta power. Since MCI subjects produce less beta power in comparison to healthy subjects, this increase must likewise be seen as a positive effect pointing to a healthier spectrum.

Ex Vivo Characterization of the Action of Sideritis Extract Using Electrical Activity in the Rat Hippocampus Slice Preparation

A hydroethanolic extract (20% V/V) from Herba Sideritis scardica has been recognized to positively influence cognition. The present investigation aimed at the question if this extract would be able to modify intra-hippocampal communication after oral administration of 100 mg/kg daily for one week. The glutamatergic synapse between Schaffer Collaterals and pyramidal cells can be tested by electric stimulation using single pulses or theta burst stimulation. The resulting population spike is modulated by compounds acting at the central nervous system or other preparations directly or as ex vivo approach. In this case the effect of the special extract was tested in vitro the next day after repetitive in vitro administration. Conventional recording technique in the in vitro hippocampus slice revealed an increase of the population spike in the presence of single stimuli and theta burst stimuli resulting in increased long-term potentiation. This effect was tried to modulate by several glutamate receptor antagonists, among them compounds targeting at the ionic NMDA receptor (CGS19755), AMPA receptor (NBQX), Kainate receptor (UBP301) and targeting at three metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR I (YM298198), mGluRII ((RS)-APICA)) and mGluRIII (MSOP). Only NBQX was able to prevent the action of the Sideritis scardica extract. Since the AMPA receptor has been related to cognition in several reports in the literature, it is concluded from this result that the positive action of Sideritis scardica extract on brain function involves a modulation of AMPA receptor dependent neurotransmission.

经皮穿刺股静脉和股动脉介入治疗动脉导管未闭

目的 :探讨非开胸经皮穿刺股静脉和股动脉治疗动脉导管未闭 (PDA)的疗效和安全性。方法 :对 16例PDA患者 ,应用 Siders纽扣补片和 Amplatzer蘑菇伞堵闭方法进行治疗 ,随访 1～ 5 2个月。结果 :16例堵闭均成功 ,术后心前区杂音消失或明显减轻 ,主动脉弓降部造影 16例完全堵闭 ,无残余分流 ,或少量残余分流 ;临床症状消失 ;X线示肺充血明显减轻和消失 ,心胸比例不同程度减小和恢复正常 ,堵闭装置无移位 ,无再通。结论 :介入治疗 PDA操作安全简便 ,适应证范围广 ,疗效可靠。

英语反训现象初探

一、在古汉语中,有些多义词一身兼有相互对立的两个意义。如,“乱”有紊乱、治理二义,“沽”有买酒、卖酒二义,“离”有分、合二义等等。在训诂学中这类词被称为反训词。英语中也有类似的语言现象。例如:1.terrific 一般作“可怕的”、“

Improvement of instantaneous positioning by spatial stacking and modified sidereal filtering methods with application to the 2008 Ms8.0 Wenchuan earthquake

We obtained several displacement time series from the Sichuan permanent GPS net and processed the 1-Hz data observed during a few days before the 2008 Ms8.0 Wenchuan earthquake by double-difference instantaneous positioning technique. We filtered the data by the spatial stacking and the modified sidereal filte- ring methods to reduce correlation bias in space and time. The results indicate that these methods can improve the precision significantly.

“非常”的另外几种译法

读了胡仲胤同志的《“非常”的几种常见英译法》一文(载本刊80年第二期),感到颇有教益。汉语程度副词“非常”的英语表达形式多样,比较灵活。笔者不揣冒昧,愿就此再列举几种,算是对该文的一点补充。不当,之处,请指正。

The Truth behind the Solar System in the Universe

This research focuses on multiple facts regarding the earth gravity and the space mechanism, mainly on the solar systems including the Sun and the planets belonging to it. Our solar system consists of our star, the Sun, and everything bound to it by gravity based on Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton theories. The planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, dozens of moons, millions of asteroids, Comets and meteoroids [1]. Also, it will discuss about The Geocentric model and how scientifically proofed that the Earth is not orbiting the sun as it has a fixed position in the universe with the rotation around its axis and the sun is orbiting the Earth in one solar year. The output of the Geocentric model led to that the gravity is a feature generated by the planet itself to be measured reference to the weight granted to the matter.

三种器械用于磨牙弯曲根管预备的临床评价

目的:评价不锈钢K锉、机用ProTaper和机用Safe Sider预备磨牙弯曲根管的临床疗效。方法:选取因牙髓炎或根尖周炎需要进行根管治疗的磨牙180颗(413个根管),随机分为K-file组、ProTaper组和Safe Sider组,每组60颗牙。分别用不锈钢K锉、机用ProTaper和机用Safe Sider进行根管预备。三组均采用冷牙胶侧方加压技术充填根管。记录三组病例根管预备时间和术后并发症发生情况,根据治疗前、中、后的X线片评价根管预备和充填效果。结果:机用ProTaper、机用Safe Sider分别与不锈钢K锉在根管预备时间、根管成形以及充填效果方面在统计学上有显著性差异(P﹤0.05),机用ProTaper与机用Safe Sider在上述方面无显著性差异(P﹥0.05)。结论:机用ProTaper和机用Safe Sider预备磨牙弯曲根管时能较好地保持原有根管形态,省时省力,术后反应少。

Haisheng to Strengthen Chemicals Transportation

On December 29th, 2006 China Shipping Haisheng Co., Ltd.(Haisheng, SH: 600896) announces that it has agreed thatits controlling company China Shipping Haisheng (HongKong) Co., Ltd.(Haisheng Hong Kong) and Haisheng HongKong’s subsidiaries purchase four oil tankers, from the sub-