Therapeutic Actions of the Chinese Herbal Formulae with Cold and Heat Properties and Their Effects on Ultrastructures of Synoviocytes in Rats of the Collagen-Induced Arthritis

The therapeutic actions of Qing Luo Yin (QLY清络饮) with heat property and Wen Luo Yin (WLY温络饮) with cold property on pain, swelling of the ankle, arthritis index and ultrastructures of synoviocytes were compared in rats of type II collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), with tripterygium glycosidorum (TG) used as control. The results indicated that both QLY and WLY could reduce pain, swelling of the ankle and the arthritis index of CIA, and QLY had better effects in reducing the swelling of the ankle and controlling the secondary pathological lesions as compared with WLY. Investigation on the ultrastructures of synoviocytes indicated that both QLY and WLY could reduce the number of Golgi apparatus, rough surface endoplasmic reticulum, dense bodies, matrix filaments and vacuoles so as to suppress the excessive secretion of synoviocytes in rats of CIA.

Effects of sustained cold and heat stress on energy intake, growth and mitochondrial function of broiler chickens

To study the correlation of broiler chickens with energy intake, growth and mitochondrial function which exposed to sustained cold and heat stress and to find out the comfortable temperature, 288 broiler chickens（21-day with（748±26） g, 144 males and 144 females） were divided randomly into six temperature-controlled chambers. Each chamber contained six cages including eight AA broilers per cage, each cage as a repeat. After acclimation for one week（temperature, 21℃; relative humidity, 60%）, the temperature of each chamber was adjusted（finished within 1 h） respectively to 10, 14, 18, 22, 26, or 30℃（RH, 60%） for a 14-day experimental period. After treatment, gross energy intake（GEI）, metabolizable energy intake（MEI）, the ratio of MEI/BW, metabolizability, average daily gain（ADG）, the concentration of liver mitochondria protein and cytochrome c oxidase（CCO） were measured respectively. Our results confirmed that when the temperature over 26℃ for 14 days, GEI, MEI and CCO activities were decreased significantly（P〈0.05）, but the concentration of liver mitochondria protein was increased and metabolizability of broilers was not influenced（P〉0.05）. Compared with treatment for 14 days, the ratio of MEI/body weight（BW） were also decreased when the temperature over 26℃ after temperature stress for 7 days（P〈0.05）, meanwhile mitochondrial protein concentration was increased at 10℃ and CCO activity was not affected（P〉0.05）. Additionally at 22℃, the ADG reached the maximal value. When kept in uncomfortable temperatures for a long time, the ADG and CCO activities of broiler were reduced, which was accompanied by mitochondrial hyperplasia. In summary, our study focused on the performance of broilers during sustained cold and heat environmental temperatures ranging from 10 to 30℃. From the point of view of energy utilization, moreover, 22 to 26℃ is comfortable for 28–42 day s broilers. And these could provide the theoretical basis on the high efficient production.

Prediction of Cold and Heat Patterns Using Anthropometric Measures Based on Machine Learning

Objective： To examine the association of body shape with cold and heat patterns, to determine which anthropometric measure is the best indicator for discriminating between the two patterns, and to investigate whether using a combination of measures can improve the predictive power to diagnose these patterns. Methods： Based on a total of 4,859 subjects （3,000 women and 1,859 men）, statistical analyses using binary logistic regression were performed to assess the significance of the difference and the predictive power of each anthropometric measure, and binary logistic regression and Naive Bayes with the variable selection technique were used to assess the improvement in the predictive power of the patterns using the combined measures. Results： In women, the strongest indicators for determining the cold and heat patterns among anthropometric measures were body mass index （BMI） and rib circumference; in men, the best indicator was BMI. In experiments using a combination of measures, the values of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve in women were 0.776 by Naive Bayes and 0.772 by logistic regression, and the values in men were 0.788 by Naive Bayes and 0.779 by logistic regression. Conclusions： Individuals with a higher BMI have a tendency toward a heat pattern in both women and men. The use of a combination of anthropometric measures can slightly improve the diagnostic accuracy. Our findings can provide fundamental information for the diagnosis of cold and heat patterns based on body shape for personalized medicine.

Molecular characterization of three Hsp90 from Pieris and expression patterns in response to cold and thermal stress in summer and winter diapause of Pieris melete

Heat shock proteins （Hsps） have been linked to stresses and winter diapause in insects, but whether they are components of summer diapause is still unknown. In this study, complementary DNAs of lisp90 from Pieris melete, Pieris rapae and Pieris canidia named PmHsp90, PrHsp90 and PcHsp90, respectively, were cloned and sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequence consisted of 718 amino acid residues with a putative molecular mass of 82.6, 82.6 and 82.7 kDa, respectively. The amino acid sequences contained all of the five conserved signature motifs in the Hsp90 family and a bHLH protein folding activity region. The differential expression pattern of PmHsp90 in response to summer diapause and winter diapause, which are related to heat/cold stress, was investigated. Cold stress induced Hsp90 up-regulation in summer and winter diapause pupae, but not in non-diapause individuals. Heat shock up-regulated PmHsp90 gradually with an increase in temperature in summer diapause, and PmHsp90 was rapidly up-regulated in winter diapause. After 30 min heat shock at 39℃, substantial up-regulation of PmHsp90 transcript levels were observed both in summer and winter diapause. However, in non-diapause a relatively stable expression was found under different durations of 39℃ heat shock. Compared to the optimal treatment of 18℃ for diapause development, a high temperature acclimation of 31 ℃ induced PmHsp90 up-regulation in summer diapause, whereas a low temperature acclimation of 4℃ induced up-regulation in winter diapause. The current results indicate that Hsp90 may play an important role in response to heat/cold stress both in summer and winter diapause.