Investigation of polyhydroxyalkanoates （PHAs） biosynthesis from mixed culture enriched by valerate-dominant hydrolysate

The production of polyhydroxyalkanoates （PHAs） with a high fraction of 3-hydroxyvalerate （3HV） and 3-hydroxy-2-methylvalerate （3H2/MV） from mixed culture enriched by valerate-dominant hydrolysate was evaluated in this study. After long-term enrichment, the culture showed strong ability to synthesize 3HV and 3H2MV, even with acetate-dominant substrate. The ultilization of single or mixed iso-/n-valerate by the enriched culture showed that the mixture of iso-valerate and n-valerate was more efficient substrate than any single in tenaas of balancing microbial growth and PHAs synthesis. Besides, through comparing the kinetics and stoichiometry of the tests supplying valerate and propionate, the enriched culture with equivalent valerate and propionate （1 ： 1 molar ratio） exhibited superior PHAs production performances to pure valerate or propionate, attaining more than 70 tool% of 3HVand 3H2MV. The above findings reveal that valerate-dominant hydrolysate is a kind of suitable substrate to enrich PHAs producing culture with great capability to synthesize 3HV and 3H2MV monomers, thus improving product properties than pure poly（3-hydroxybutyrate） （P3HB）; also 3HV and 3H2MV production behaviors can be regulated by the type of odd-carbon VFAs in the substrate.

Clinical observation of endometrial prescription combined with TAM on FET of thin endometrial patients with kidney deficiency and blood stasis

Objective:To explore the best endometrial preparation scheme of freeze-thawed embryo transfer(FET)for patients with thin endometrium with kidney deficiency and blood stasis by comparing the clinical outcomes of three endometrial preparation schemes of estradiol valerate tablets Hormone Replacement(HRT),Tamoxifen(TAM)and Endometrial Prescription combined with TAM(EP-TAM group).Method:Retrospective analysis of 318 patients with thin endometrium with kidney deficiency and blood stasis who underwent FET in Changle People's Hospital of Shandong Province,Shandong Maternal and Child Health Hospital,and Shenzhen Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine from September 2018 to March 2023,including 101 patients in HRT group(estradiol valerate tablets);108 patients in TAM group;109 patients in EP-TAM group.The cycle cancellation rate,intimal thickness,clinical pregnancy rate,embryo implantation rate,early abortion rate and ectopic pregnancy rate were compared among the three groups.Result:Cycle cancellation rates of TAM group and EP-TAM group were significantly lower than HRT group(8.3%,9.2%vs 17.8%,P<0.05).The intimal thickness of TAM group[(8.11±0.36)mm]and EP-TAM group[(8.21±0.40)mm]was significantly thicker than HRT group[(7.11±0.43)mm](P<0.05).The clinical pregnancy rate and implantation rate of TAM group and EP-TAM group were higher than HRT group,the early abortion rate and ectopic pregnancy rate were lower than HRT group,and EP-TAM group was more significant(P<0.05).Conclusion:Patients with thin endometrium underwent FET can try Endometrium Prescription combined with TAM(EP-TAM)to prepare the endometrium.

Estrogenic activity of hydroalcoholic extract of Clitoria ternatea Linn. leaves on rats

Objective:To assess the estrogenic activity of hydroalcoholic extract of Clitoria(C.)ternatea leaves in female Wistar rats.Methods:Hydroalcoholic extract of C.ternatea leaves prepared by using cold maceration method was tested for estrogenic activity.An acute toxicity study was conducted to estimate the safe dose using OECD 423 guidelines.For estrogenic activity,ovariectomized female rats were divided into four groups,with 6 rats in each group.The control and standard groups were administered with 1%carboxymethyl cellulose orally and estradiol valerate at 1μg/rat/day subcutaneously,respectively.The third group was administered with hydroalcoholic extract of C.ternatea at the dose 500 mg/kg body weight orally and the fourth group was administered with hydroalcoholic extract of C.ternatea at the dose 500 mg/kg body weight orally along with estradiol valerate at dose 1μg/rat/day subcutaneously.All treatments lasted for 7 consecutive days and estrogenic activity was assessed by observing vaginal cornfication.On day 8,all animals were sacrificed and uterine horns were dissected out.Utrine weight was measured and blood serum was further processed for the estimation of biochemical parameters like cholesterol,total proteins,alkaline phosphatase and estrogen by autoanylser.Histological studies of uterus were also carried out.Results:Acute toxicity studies indicated the hydroalcoholic extract of C.ternatea leave was found to be safe up to the dose level of 2000 mg/kg.Oral administration of C.ternatea extract at the dose 500 mg/kg body weight and and estradiol valerate(1μg/rat/day)caused morphological changes i.e.increase in uterine weight,vaginal opening and cornification of cells;biochemical changes i.e.increase in cholesterol,total protein,alkaline phosphatase and estrogen contents;histological changes i.e.increase in uterine diameter,thickness and height of endometrium.Simultaneous administration of C.ternatea extract with estradiol valerate showed a synergistic effect.Histological investigations further confirmed the strong estrogenic nature of C.ternatea extract.Conclusions:C.ternatea extract(500 mg/kg)showed a significant estrogenic activity which is also supported by biochemical and histological studies.So,on the basis of these findings,it can be concluded that C.ternatea can be used as an alternative to synthetic oral contraceptives.

A Comparative Study on the Effects of Vaginal Misoprostol and Vaginal Misoprostol Plus Estradiol on Labor Induction

Background:Cervical ripening is an important factor in predicting successful labor induction.In an unfavorable cervix,ripening should be done before induction.In this study,the effect of misoprostol and that of misoprostol plus estradiol on cervical ripening were compared.Methods:This randomized,double-blinded study included a total of 190 pregnant women who were identified for pregnancy termination due to maternal or fetal cause at 37 weeks with Bishop score of less than 4.The patients were assessed between April 2015 to April 2016 in two university hospitals at northeast Iran(Omol-Banin Hospital and Emam Reza Hospital,Mashhad).The patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to two groups:the intervention group(Group A),who received 25 micrograms of vaginal misoprostol plus 50 micrograms of estradiol,and the control group(Group B),who received 25 micrograms of vaginal misoprostol only.Misoprostol was administered at 4-hour intervals until cervical ripening(Bishop score≥8)or upon initiation of active phase in both the groups.The maximum dosage of misoprostol was three doses,whereas estradiol was administered only once.Results:In this study,the main causes of pregnancy termination were ROM and post-term.There was no significant statistical difference in the Bishop score between the two groups(P=0.13).In addition,no significant difference was observed in the duration of time for cervical ripening(Bishop≥8)between the two groups(P=0.7).The duration between drug administration to the initiation of active phase and also from active phase to delivery showed no significant differences between the two groups(P=0.49 and 0.24,respectively).There was also no significant difference in the delivery route(operative vaginal delivery or Cesarean section)(P=0.2 and P=0.91,respectively).Conclusion:From this study,the use of misoprostol plus estradiol did not improve cervical ripening or decrease the induction time.Further studies are recommended to investigate complementary results.

PALLADIUM－CATALYZED CARBONYLATION OF TERT－BUTYL ALCOHOL TO ESTERS OF ISO－VALERIC ACID

tert-Butyl alcohol was carbonylated into iso-valeric esters in 37.0-83.6% yield with 42.4-95.0%selectivity using tile Pd(OAc)2-PPh3-P- toluenesulfonic acid catalyst system without any halogenpromoter or other extreme conditions.

温和灸联合西药治疗脾肾阳虚型卵巢早衰的临床研究

Objective To explore the clinical therapeutic effect on premature ovarian failure(POF)treated with the combination of mild moxibustion and western medication.Methods A total of 66 patients were divided into a control group and an observation group according to random number table,33 cases in each one.In the control group,the conventional western medication was administered.In the observation group,besides the treatment as the control group,mild moxibustion was supplemented at Guānyuán(关元CV4),Qìhăi(气海CV6),Píshū(脾俞BL20)(bilateral)and Shènshū(肾俞BL23)(bilateral).The duration of treatment was 3 menstrual cycles in either group.Before treatment and on the 9th day of menstruation after 3-menstrual cycle treatment,the number of antral follicles and ovarian volume were detected by color Doppler ultrasound respectively.Before treatment and on day 2 to 4 of menstruation after 3-menstrual cycle treatment,the levels of serum estrogen(E_(2)),follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH),interleukin-21(IL-21)and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)were determined separately and the therapeutic effect was evaluated in two groups separately.Results The effective rate was 93.94%in the observation group and was 72.73%in the control group(P<0.05).After treatment,the number of antral follicles and ovarian volume were increased as compared with those before treatment in the patients of two groups(both P<0.05).After treatment,the number of antral follicles and ovarian volume in the observation group were higher than the control group(both P<0.05).After treatment,the levels of serum E_(2) and FSH were improved as compared with those before treatment in the two groups(both P<0.05).The levels of serum E_(2) and FSH in the observation group were better than the control group after treatment(both P<0.05).The levels of serum IL-21 and VEGF after treatment did not change obviously as compared with those before treatment in the control group(both P>0.05).But in the observation group,the levels of serum IL-21 and VEGF after treatment changed apparently as compared with those before treatment(both P<0.05)and the levels of these two indicators after treatment were better than the control group(both P<0.05).Conclusion The combined treatment of mild moxibustion with western medication achieves the definite therapeutic effect on POF and it increases the number of antral follicles and ovarian volume and regulates sex hormone level,which is probably related to the regulation of serum IL-21 and VEGF.

Effectiveness of nourishing Yin and tonifying Yang sequential therapy in combination with Climen on diminished ovarian reserve: a retrospective study

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of nourishing Yin and tonifying Yang sequential therapy(NYTYST)in combination with the Western Medicine Climen in treating diminished ovarian reserve(DOR).METHODS:From September 2014 to September2016,46 patients with DOR who received NYTYST and Climen(treatment group)and 51 patients who received Climen only(control group)at the Jiangsu Provincial Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital(Nanjing,China)were retrospectively reviewed.Before and at 3 months after treatment,serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH),FSH/luteinizing hormone(LH),estradiol(E2),and anti-Mullerian hormone(AMH),the antral follicle count(AFC),stromal peak systolic velocity(PSV),symptom scores,and the clinical effectiveness rate were measured and compared between the two groups.RESULTS:After treatment,serum levels of FSH,FSH/LH and E2,and symptom scores were significantly decreased compared with before treatment(all P<0.05)in the two groups.AMH levels,AFC,and PSV were significantly increased after treatment compared with before treatment in both groups(all P<0.05).Serum levels of FSH,FSH/LH,and E2 after treatment were significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group(all P<0.05).However,AMH levels and the AFC were significantly higher after treatment in the treatment group than in the control group(both P<0.05).The clinical effectiveness rate was significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group(87%vs 68.6%,P<0.05).CONCLUSION:NYTYST combined with Climen may be more effective in treating DOR than Climen alone.

EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ON THE LATE EFFECTS OF FEMALE SEX HORMONES

Inj. Hydroxyprogesterone Co. (EP) was injected i.m. into female Wistar rats, different strains of mice of both sex and Syrian golden hamsters with doses of 5--100 times the human contraceptive dose once or twice a month for 10--32 times. In some experiments EP was combined with whole-body 3 Gy gamma ray radiation once or twice. Results show that EP has obvious carcinogenicity and can enhance the gamma ray carcinogenicity, thereby increasing the tumor incidence or the ratio of malignant to benign turnouts. Carcinogenic mechanisms of EP have also been studied.