Objective To investigate and compare the action of curcuminoids on the causal pathogens of Candida albicans growth.Methods The effects of curcumin (CUR) and demethoxycurcumin (DMC) on C.albicans growth were first investigated and compared by microcalorimetry coupled with multiple analytical methods.The quantitative thermo-kinetic parameters obtained from these curves were analyzed to show difference of the actions.Results By analyzing the main parameters screened from principal component analysis together with 50％ inhibiting concentration values,it was demonstrated that both CUR and DMC showed good antifungal activities and CUR was stronger.It was further concluded from structure-activity relationship that the existence of methoxy group might enhance lipophilicity of the mother nucleus,which made it easier for the molecular to enter into the cell membrane of fungi to inhibit its growth.Conclusion This study provides a new method for screening new antifungal agents with high efficacy and low toxicity.Meanwhile,it contributes to the application of curcuminoids as food additive,colorant,and drug.Microcalorimetry is real-time,online,and dynamic,and it could be used to characterize the subtle difference among the effects of synthetic and natural products on the vital process of fungi.

Bioassay, which construct the characteristics consistents with Chinese medical science, is the core mode and methods for the quality control of Chinese materia medica. Taking the bioassay of Radix Isatidis as an example, the contribution, status and application of bioassay in the quality control of Chinese materia medica were introduced in this article, and two key issue (the selection of reference and measurement methods) in the process of establishing bioassay were also explained. This article expects to provide a reference for the development and improvement of the bioassay of Chinese materia medica in a practical manipulation level.
Aconitum ; Materia Medica ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; utilization ; Quality Control

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of alternative donor (AD) in the treatment of aplastic anemia (AA) in children. Methods: The clinical data of AA children who received AD HSCT in our center from Apr. 2010 to Dec. 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. The overall survival (OS) rate, implant success rate, incidence of acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) were statistically analyzed. Results: A total of 109 children with acquired AA, including 64 severe AA (SAA) , 32 very severe AA (VSAA) and 13 transfusion dependent non-severe AA (NSAA) , were recruited in this retrospective AD HSCT study, the median age was 6 (0.8-18) years old. Of them, 44 patients with 10/10 matched unrelated donor (MUD) , 44 patients with mismatched unrelated donor (MMUD) and 21 patients with mismatched related donor (MMRD) . All patients did not receive ATG before HSCT and the active infection was excluded. Except 3 patients suffered from a second graft failure (2 of them rescued by second HSCT) , 106/109 (97.2%) were engrafted with neutrophil and platelet recovery occurring at a median of 13 days (range, 9-19) and 16 days (range, 10-81) post-transplant. Until day 100 post transplantation, the incidence was 74.3% (81/109) for acute GVHD (aGVHD) and 39.4% (43/109) for grade Ⅱ-Ⅳ aGVHD, 30.7% (31/101) and 9.9% (10/101) for overall chronic GVHD (cGVHD) and moderate cGVHD, respectively, and nobody developed an extend cGVHD. After median follow up of 39 (0.7-103) months for all patients, 13 of 109 patients died. The estimated 5-year overall survival (OS) of the entire cohort was 88.1% (95%CI 81.1%-91.4%) with no difference among the MUD, MMUD and MMRD cohort (93.2%, 84.1% and 85.7%, respectively, P=0.361) . Conclusion These excellent outcomes suggest that unmanipulated AD PBSC is a good HSCT source for children with SAA. It’s reasonable to consider AD HSCT as first line therapy for SAA children without matched sibling donor. Better strategies are required to prevent GVHD.

Objective:The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between monocyte to high density lipoprotein-cholesterol ratio (MHR) and the infection, severity, and prognosis of diabetic foot ulcer.Methods:A retrospective cohort study of 194 patients with diabetic foot ulcer between September 2016 and August 2018 was conducted at the First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China. The clinical data, glucose and lipids metabolism, renal function, nutritional status, coagulation function, and severity of infection, severity, ischemic, and diagnosis were recorded. The rates of healed ulcer, amputation, and mortality were followed for six months.Results:The higher MHR levels of diabetic foot ulcer patients were accompanied with the higher Wagner grade, infection grade, severity of lower extremity ischemia, and proportion of adverse outcomes ( P trend<0.05). MHR and many traditional risk factors of diabetic foot ulcer (white blood cell count, C-reactive protein, albumin, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and ankle brachial index) were significantly correlated (all P<0.05). After adjustment for potential confounders, multivariate logistics regression analysis showed that MHR levels were positively associated with the occurrence of adverse outcomes [odds ratio ( OR) for the highest quartile vs lowest quartile, 1.52 (95% CI 1.08-3.08), P<0.05]. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that area under the curve (AUC) of high MHR, high C-reactive protein, and low albumin for predicting the occurrence of adverse outcomes in diabetic foot ulcer patients were 0.674 (95% CI 0.581-0.747), 0.703(95% CI 0.615-0.772), and 0.667(95% CI 0.569-0.734), respectively. Conclusion:Elevation of MHR in diabetic foot ulcer patients are positively correlated with the grading of Wagner classification, and the severity of infection and ischemia, and seriously affects the prognosis of patients, suggesting that more attention should be paid to the MHR.

Zearalenone(ZEN)is a mycotoxin that extensively contaminates food and feed,posing a significant threat to public health.However,the mechanisms behind ZEN-induced intestinal immunotoxicity remain unclear.In this study,Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats were exposed to ZEN at a dosage of 5 mg/kg/day b.w.for a duration of 14 days.The results demonstrated that ZEN exposure led to notable pathological alterations and immunosup-pression within the intestine.Furthermore,ZEN exposure caused a significant reduction in the levels of apolipoprotein E(ApoE)and liver X receptor(LXR)(P＜0.05).Conversely,it upregulated the levels of myeloid-derived suppressor cells(MDSCs)markers(P＜0.05)and decreased the presence of 27-hydroxycholesterol(27-HC)in the intestine(P＜0.05).It was observed that ApoE or LXR agonists were able to mitigate the immunosuppressive effects induced by ZEN.Additionally,a bioinformatics analysis highlighted that the downregulation of ApoE might elevate the susceptibility to colorectal,breast,and lung cancers.These find-ings underscore the crucial role of the 27-HC/LXR/ApoE axis disruption in ZEN-induced MDSCs proliferation and subsequent inhibition of T lymphocyte activation within the rat intestine.Notably,ApoE may emerge as a pivotal target linking ZEN exposure to cancer development.

Objective:To investigate the association of serum fibroblast growth factor 23(FGF23) level with insulin resistance(IR) and sex hormone levels in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS).Methods:A retrospective study was performed in eighty-seven patients with PCOS, fifty-seven patients with simple IR, and sixty-one healthy women who were admitted to Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University during October 2021 and November 2022. According to the homeostasis model assessment-IR index, all subjects were divided into normal control group( n=61), IR group( n=57), PCOS without IR group(PCOS group, n=15), and PCOS+ IR group( n=72). The levels of serum FGF23, adiponectin, and sex hormones in all groups were compared, and their correlations with glucose and lipid metabolism indicators were analyzed. Results:The FGF23 level was significantly elevated in the IR group, while markedly reduced in the PCOS group and PCOS+ IR group, with the PCOS group showing a significantly lower concentration. The adiponectin levels were significantly decreased in the IR group, PCOS group, and PCOS+ IR group(all P<0.05). The correlation analysis showed that FGF23 level was positively correlated with adiponectin and sex hormone binding globulin, and negatively correlated with luteinizing hormone, luteinizing hormone/follicle stimulating hormone, and free testosterone index(all P<0.05). Logistic regression results indicated that both FGF23 and adiponectin could be used as good indicators for the diagnosis of PCOS and PCOS with IR(all P<0.05). Conclusion:FGF23 is closely related to IR and androgen as well, and under certain conditions, it can reflect the severity of IR and hyperandrogenemia in PCOS patients. The cutoff value of FGF23 obtained in this study can provide a good reference for the diagnosis of PCOS diseases.