A comparable study were carried out by determination of trace elements on five marine-derived shell traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) (Ostreae Concha, Haliotidis Concha, Margaritifera Concha, Meretricis Concha, and Arcae Concha), which were recorded in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 version). Seven trace elements in 51 batches of this type of shell TCM were analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), combined with principal component analysis (PCA) methods. The content of element Se, which exhibited significant differences among different drugs, could be used as a key element to distinguish this type of drugs. Meanwhile, the contents of elements Co, Cu, Mo, and Ba in Haliotidis Concha, Co and As in Margaritifera Concha, Mo and As in Meretricis Concha, Mo, As, and Ba in Arcae Concha, and Zn in Meretricis Concha were relatively stable. In the PCA plot, Arcae Concha and Meretricis Concha could be efficiently distinguished from Ostreae Concha together with Haliotidis Concha, and Margaritifera Concha. The results also showed a correlation with their medicinal function. In conclusion, trace elements in marine-derived shell TCM could not be neglected for their quality control.
Animal Shells ; chemistry ; Animals ; Aquatic Organisms ; chemistry ; Bivalvia ; chemistry ; Mass Spectrometry ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Trace Elements ; analysis

Objective: To investigate the status of electronic cigarette use among adolescents in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, and to provide evidence for tobacco control in adolescents. Methods: Based on the 2019 National Youth Tobacco Epidemic Monitoring Program, multistage proportional sampling method was used to select middle school students from Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. A questionnaire revised by Chinese CDC was used to collect the general information, the cognition and use of electronic cigarettes, and the access to advertising of electronic cigarettes and related products. Results: Totally 9 019 questionnaires were distributed, 8 401 valid ones were recovered, and the response rate was 93.2%. The rates of electronic cigarette use and attempt among students were 4.3% and 13.4%. The rates of electronic cigarette use and attempt in male students were 7.7% and 22.9%, which were higher than that in female students (0.8% and 3.8%, P<0.05) . The rates of electronic cigarette use and attempt varied in different schools ( P<0.05 ), which were higher in vocational high school students ( 11.5% and 26.8% ). Among 246 students who used electronic cigarettes, 30.1% did not thought electronic cigarettes contained nicotine, while 60.2% did not know whether electronic cigarettes contain nicotine. In the past 30 days, 27.0% of the students had seen the advertisements of electronic cigarettes and related products, mainly through TV, store, supermarket, convenience store, grocery store, electronic cigarette experience store or retail store. Conclusions The rates of electronic cigarette use and attempt among adolescents in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region are 4.3% and 13.4%. Boys and vocational high school students have higher rates. Students generally know electronic cigarette and have more access to it.

Objective: To understand the behavioral characteristics of vaccination of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine based on diffusion of innovation theory, and to put forward suggestions for improving the vaccination willingness. Methods: The women who had made an appointment or received at least one dose of HPV vaccine in two community health service centers with HPV vaccination qualification in Hangzhou were recruited by convenience sampling method. A questionnaire survey was conducted according to cervical cancer risk factors, HPV vaccine knowledge and the time of vaccination. The diffusion of HPV vaccination and the characteristics of vaccinees in different stages was analyzed. Results: A total of 448 women, aged from 18 to 45 years old, with a median of 30.5 years old, were investigated. The spread of HPV vaccine were divided into five stages: April 2017 and before was the initial stage, with 8 leaders, accounting for 1.79%; October 2017 to February 2018 was the slowly rising stage, with 59 early vaccinees, accounting for 13.17%; April 2018 to April 2019 was the rising stage, with 160 most early vaccinees, accounting for 35.71%; May to August 2019 was the rapidly rising stage, with 170 most late vaccinees, accounting for 37.95%; September 2019 to the end of the survey was the standstill stage, with 51 laggards, accounting for 11.38%. All of the leaders had participated in cervical cancer screening, voluntarily vaccinated, and knew the susceptible population of cervical cancer, the targeted HPV types and the suitable population of vaccine. The median age of the first pregnancy was 27 years old. Six of them had three pregnancies. The early vaccinees and the most early vaccinees were recommended by doctors or friends to get HPV vaccine. The median age of first pregnancy was 26 and 28 years old, respectively. Their other characteristics were similar to those of the leaders. The characteristics of most late vaccinees were similar to those of the laggards. They were were mainly students who were recommended by their friends to receive HPV vaccination, did not participate in cervical cancer screening, did not know the susceptible population of cervical cancer, the targeted HPV types and the suitable population of vaccine. Conclusions People with high risk of HPV exposure, awareness of cervical cancer and screening are more likely to receive HPV vaccination at the early stage. It is necessary to strengthen the health education of HPV vaccination, and make full use of the influence of doctors and early vaccinees, which is helpful to promote the early vaccination of HPV vaccine among the right age population.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a national strategy in developed countries. AI has been a great success in many scenarios of medicine and health fields, including virtual assistant, medical imaging, drug mining, nutrition, hospital management, health management, mental illness, wearable devices, risk management, pathology and clinical diagnosis and treatment. Here, we reviewed and commented the recent progresses on the application of AI in the pathological diagnosis, ocular diseases, skin disorders, medical imaging, traditional Chinese medicine, electrocardiographic monitoring, medical robots, oncotherapy and translational researches, and summed up and prospected the problems of AI application in medicine and health fields. With the development of technology, AI will lead to a revolutionary progress in medical treatment.

This project is targeted on exploring some improving approaches to isolate and culture the microorganisms which are difficult to be isolated and cultured through the conventional ways. The results showed that betaine, sodium pyruvate, SOD and catalase are helpful for increasing the total number and variety of isolated strains. A kind of combined method was also used to isolate the micro-colony which can not be seen by naked eyes on the plates. Totally 52 Actinomycetes and 103 bacteria and 17 fungi were obtained from 4 soil samples using the above methods. 4. 325% microorganisms were obtained as positive strains to inhibit the growth of some kinds of test bacteria, which is higher than the percent using generally isolated ones. These microbial natural products may remain an important resource for the drug discovery.

Actins ; analysis ; Antigens, CD34 ; analysis ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; classification ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratin-19 ; analysis ; Keratin-20 ; analysis ; Muscle, Smooth ; chemistry ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; classification ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit ; analysis ; Receptors, Estrogen ; analysis ; Receptors, Progesterone ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo study comparatively the effect of Guanxin II and its constituents, including Salvia, Red Peony root, Chuanxiong, Safflower and Dalbergia wood, in scavenging active oxygen free radical (OFR) to explore their mechanism in overcoming the experimental acute ischemic myocardial injury and protecting myocardial tissue.

METHODSThe experimental acute myocardial ischemic model was established by intraperitoneal injection of pituitrin to rats. OFR level in animal heart tissue was directly measured with low-temperature electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometer.

RESULTSThe pathological examination of HE stained slide of myocardial tissue and electrocardiography of model animal showed that typical changes of acute myocardial ischemia occurred in myocardial tissue, EPR showed that OFR level in myocardial tissue increased abnormally. The ethanol extract of Guanxin II and its constituents could lower the increased OFR level close to normal, thus to alleviate the myocardial damage.

CONCLUSIONOverproduction of OFR could induce damage of heart tissue, its level could be measured directly using low temperature EPR. One of the molecular mechanisms of Guanxin II and its constituents in antagonizing and repairing myocardial damage is to scavenge the abnormal increased active OFR in tissue. This study has provided a basis for further studying the mechanism of Chinese composite recipes and their constituents.

Animals ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy ; Free Radical Scavengers ; pharmacology ; Free Radicals ; metabolism ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Pituitary Hormones, Posterior ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

·AIM: To investigate the preparation of endostatin protein and its biologic activity on vascular endothelial cell.· METHODS: pBlast-hEndostatin and pBlast-Mcs were identified by digesting with Nhe Ⅰ and Sal Ⅰ, by PCR reaction, by sequencing, and by Alignments of PCR products with gene bank using NCBIBLAST software. The identified pBlast-hEndostatin as well as pBlast-Mcs were then purified with QIAGEN Endofree plasmid maxi kit.The purified plasmids transfected human fibroblasts. The expression of endostatin was detected by RT-PCR, Westem-Blot and immunohistochemistry. The endostatin prorein produced by transfected fibroblasts was purified by ultrafiltration and affinity chromatography. The inhibitory action of endostatin on human umbilical vein endothelium was measured by MTT assay.· RESULTS: pBlast-hEndostatin was found to contain human endostatin gene. Endostatin protein was produced by transfected fibroblasts. The inhibitory ratio of 2.5,5,10,20,40,80mg/L endostatin on human umbilical vein endothelium for 48h were 8.5%,13.1%,27.7%,38.1%,56.7%,63.8% respectively. IC50 value was 34.5mg/L.No inhibition action was found on fibroblasts.·CONCLUSIONS: Endostatin protein can be produced by the transfected fibroblasts. The produced endostatin has inhibitory action on human umbilical vein endothelium and has no inhibition action on fibroblasts.

Objective To investigate the changes of C- reactive protein( CRP ) and homocysteine ( Hcy)in the type 2 diabetes with depression,and its clinical significance and potential mechanism. Methods One hundred and twenty-four cases with type 2 diabetes were divided into the depression group(63 cases)and non-depression group( 61 cases ) according to the Self-Rating Depression Scale and verified by Self-Rating Anxiety Scale. The information including age,sex,education degree,body mass index,course of disease and the number of complications were recorded. The levels of CRP,Hcy,fasting plasma glucose( FPG ),glycosylated hemoglobin(HbA1c)and blood lipid were measured. The depression group was divided into mild,medium and heavy group to compared the changes of Hcy and CRP. Results The levels of Hcy,HbA1c and the number of complications in depression group were 11. 5( 8. 6,15. 6 )μmol/L,( 10. 13 ± 2. 17 )%,and 2( 1,3 ) respectively,higher than that of non-depression group(8. 6(7. 4,11. 2)μmol/L,(9. 33 ± 2. 20)%,1(0,2)), while the education degree of depression group((9. 75 ± 3. 36)years)was lower than that of non-depression group((11. 56 ± 3. 73)years),and the differences were significant( t/Z = -3. 537,0. 952,-2. 339,0. 228 respectively;P ﹤0. 05). The levels of Hcy in mild,medium and heavy depression group were(8. 75(7. 45, 10. 45)μmol/L,12. 2(8. 90,14. 40)μmol/L,19. 50(14. 33,28. 03)μmol/L respectively and the difference was significant(F =25. 963,P =0. 000). No significance difference was found in terms of CRP level(2. 35 (1. 10,4. 92)mg/L,3. 25(1. 11,5. 68)mg/L,2. 32(1. 27,5. 41)mg/L;F=0. 194,P=0. 907). There was significant correlation between depression scores and Hcy( r=0. 615,P=0. 000). Conclusion Type 2 diabetes with depression is associated with the level of blood glucose,education degree and the course of disease. Hcy,not CRP is an independent risk factor of type 2 diabetes with depression.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the dose-dependent toxic effect of soybean isoflavone extracts (SIE) on reproductive development in immature rats.

METHODSGrowing male and female rats (n = 50 each, 4 weeks) were divided into five groups fed with a standard cereal-based diet and gastrogavaged daily with 0, 30, 150, 300, and 600 mg SIE/kg body weight, respectively, for 12 weeks. Body weight, organ weights, and serum level of estrogen and testosterone were measured.

RESULTSOral administration of SIE had no effect on food intake but decreased food efficiency ratio (P < 0.01). Suppression on body weight gain by SIE was dose-dependent and the effect was greater on male than on female rats (P < 0.01). SIE at high doses exhibited hepatotoxicity by increasing a relative liver weight, and also caused a smaller uterus but a greater relative ovary in female rats, while leading to larger relative testis and epididymis in male rats. SIE could decrease progesterone concentrations in female rats, whereas in male rats it reduced not only total testosterone level but also sperm count compared with the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSIE at a range of 50-1000 times of human intake level affects not only growth but also development of reproductive system in growing rats.

Animals ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Epididymis ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Estradiol ; blood ; Female ; Isoflavones ; toxicity ; Liver ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Male ; Organ Size ; drug effects ; Ovary ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Progesterone ; blood ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Soybeans ; chemistry ; Sperm Count ; Testis ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Testosterone ; blood ; Uterus ; drug effects ; growth & development