As a kind of heavy metal, cadmium has the toxicity to multiple organs and tissues. Much progress has been made in the toxicological research, especially in the toxicity to the reproductive system. The recent researches on the toxicity on Cd, the toxicological mechanism and the preventive methods of cadmium poisoning were reviewed in the present paper.

Background Some occupational asthma patients have a high risk of poor prognosis, and early assessment and screening of the high-risk groups with poor prognosis are crucial. Objective To evaluate the prognostic value of serum histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) and soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) in occupational asthma patients. Methods An occupational asthma group containing 100 occupational asthma patients admitted to Baodi District People's Hospital of Tianjin between March 2020 and March 2023 were divided into a mild group of 38 cases, a moderate group of 40 cases, and a severe group of 22 cases, and re-divided into a good prognosis group of 66 cases and a poor prognosis group of 34 cases. During the same period, 98 ordinary asthma patients were recruited as the ordinary asthma group and 98 healthy individuals as the healthy control group. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the relationships of prognosis with HDAC2, sST2, patients separated from allergen after diagnosis, age, body mass index (BMI), gender, smoking history, years of work, family history of asthma, allergy history, good medication adherence, regular follow-up visits. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate potential predictive value of serum HDAC2 and sST2, and Z-test was used to compare the area under the curve (AUC). Results The serum HDAC2 concentration [(11.13±2.26) ng·L⁻¹] in the occupational asthma group was lower than that in the ordinary asthma group and the healthy control group [(16.72±3.15), (22.75±4.92) ng·L⁻¹], while the sST2 concentration [(16.64±3.47) ng·L⁻¹] in the occupational asthma group was lower than that in the ordinary asthma group and the healthy control group [(12.49±2.31), (9.04±1.98) ng·L⁻¹] (F=256.623, 201.091; P<0.05). The serum HDAC2 concentration [(7.60±1.67) ng·L⁻¹] in the severe group was lower than that in the moderate and the mild groups [(10.02±2.35), (14.34±3.88) ng·L⁻¹], while the sST2 concentration [(24.65±6.31) ng·L⁻¹] in the severe group was lower than that in the moderate and the mild groups [(16.88±3.50), (11.75±3.09) ng·L⁻¹](F=41.731, 67.564; P<0.05). The serum HDAC2 and the proportion of patients separated from allergen after diagnosis in the poor prognosis group were lower than those in the good prognosis group [(8.19±1.94) vs (12.64±3.29) ng·L⁻¹, 64.71% vs 93.94%], and the serum sST2 in the poor prognosis group was higher than that in the good prognosis group [(21.67±5.86) vs (14.05±3.62) ng·L⁻¹] (t/χ²=7.253, 12.177, 8.020; P<0.05). HDAC2 and sST2 were associated with poor 6-month prognosis in the occupational asthma patients (P<0.05). The AUCs for predicting poor prognosis in the occupational asthma patients by serum HDAC2 and sST2 concentrations alone and in combination were 0.826, 0.838, and 0.902, respectively. Conclusion The serum HDAC2 concentration decreases and the sST2 concentration increases in patients with occupational asthma, and these two indicators may have important predictive value for poor disease prognosis.

Objective:To investigate and analyze the effect of ubiquitin-editing protein A20 on monocytes activity in patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).Methods:Twenty-four VAP patients (VAP group) and twelve healthy controls (control group) were included from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University between February 2019 and September 2019. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and bronchial alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) (both infection site and non-infection site) were collected from VAP patients, while PBMCs were collected from healthy controls. A20 level in CD14 + monocytes were measured. CD14 + monocytes and CD4 + T cells were purified from VAP patients. CD14 + monocytes were transfected by A20 siRNA. Transfected CD14 + monocytes were directly/indirectly co-cultured with autologous CD4 + T cells. The secretion of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-17 (IL-17) by CD4 + T cells was investigated. Transfected CD14 + monocytes were directly/indirectly co-cultured with NCI-H889 cells. Cytotoxicity, and cytokines/granzyme B level, and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL)/Fas ligand (FasL) level was assessed. Student t test or SNK-q test was used for comparison. Results:VAP group had elevated percentage of circulating CD14 +A20 + cells than control group [(66.14±19.62)% vs. (52.52±13.71)%, P<0.05], and also had increased A20 mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) than control group [(268.0±72.56) vs. (197.4±60.01), P<0.05]. The percentage of CD14 +A20 + cells in BALF from infection site was higher than from non-infection site in VAP group [(66.14±19.62)% vs. (52.52±13.71)%, P<0.05], while A20 MFI in infection site was also up-regulated compared with non-infection site [(268.0±72.56) vs. (197.4±60.01), P<0.05]. In direct contact co-culture, A20 siRNA transfected CD14 + monocytes, which were purified from peripheral blood and BALF of VAP patients, induced elevated percentage of IFN-γ and IL-17 secreting CD4 + T cells than un-transfection or control siRNA transfection ( P<0.05). However, there were no significant differences of CD4 +IFN-γ + or CD4 +IL-17 + percentages among un-transfection, control siRNA transfection, and A20 siRNA transfection ( P>0.05). A20 siRNA transfected CD14 + monocytes, which were purified from peripheral blood and BALF of VAP patients, induced increased target cell death in both direct and indirect contact co-culture than un-transfection or control siRNA transfection ( P<0.05). Tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-6, granzyme B level and TRAIL MFI was also up-regulated ( P<0.05). There was no remarkable difference of target cell death between direct and indirect contact co-culture ( P>0.05). Conclusions:A20 was increasingly expressed in monocytes of VAP patients, and might dampen the activity of monocytes.

Objective To summarize the clinical experiences in partial splenectomy for the treatment of splenic injuries Methods The indications, surgical procedures and surgical outcomes of a total of 105 cases undergoing partial splenectomy for splenic injuries in Southwest Hospital in the past 16 years were analyzed retrospectively Results Sixty seven cases(63 8%) suffered from isolated splenic injury According to splenic injury scale, grade Ⅰ (13, 11 4%), grade Ⅱ (56, 53 3%), gradeⅢ (28, 26 7%) and grade Ⅳ(8, 7 6%) were found in 105 cases of splenic injuries Surgical procedures included segmental splenectomy in 41 cases, hemi splenectomy in 35 cases, subtotal splenectomy in 29 cases and autotransplantation of splenic tissue in 21 cases of splenic injury in children There was no in hospital death in all cases Severe complications of subdiaphragmatic fluid collection and infection occurred in 3 cases, but the patients were cured by conservative treatment Conclusion Partial splenectomy is a safe and reasonable choice for selected patients with splenic injury

AIM: To investigate the inhibitory effect of L-carnitine on high glucose-induced apoptosis of human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) and the molecular mechanisms.METHODS: The apoptosis of HAECs was induced by high-glucose incubation.HAECs were treated with L-carnitine at different concentrations (50, 100 and 200 μmol/L).The cell viability was measured by MTT assay.The cell apoptosis was assessed by Hoechst 33258 staining and flow cytometry.Colorimetric method was employed to detect the caspase-3 activity in the HAECs.The protein expression and phosphorylation levels were determined by Western blot.RESULTS: High-glucose incubation dramatically decreased the cell viability and induced apoptosis.The protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK), inositol-requiring enzyme-1 (IRE1) and activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6) signaling pathways of endoplasmic reticulum stress were activated to induce cell apoptosis via down-stream caspase-4/3 cascade.However, L-carnitine treatment significantly attenuated the cell apoptosis and increased the cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner.L-carnitine also significantly suppressed endoplasmic reticulum stress and ATF6 signaling in high glucose-incubated HAECs without attenuating PERK and IRE1 signaling.The expression of site-1 protease (S1P) and site-2 protease (S2P) was inhibited by L-carnitine treatment, thus decreasing pro-apoptotic factor ATF6 p50 produced by ATF6 cleavage.CONCLUSION: L-carnitine inhibits high glucose-induced apoptosis of HAECs by inhibiting ATF6 signaling.

Several key problems were analysed for the transdermal noninvasive glucose monitoring. A modified calibration equation was proposed for the high-sensitivity glucose biosensor due to its narrow linear range. The new equation has increased the sensors' linear range by 20 times. A new diffuse model was constructed for the electrode system of glucose sensor,aiming at the unique "finite space" electrochemical problem in trans-dermal technique. In addition,electrode masks were utilized to solve the problem of electrode loss in longtime glucose monitoring. In animal in-vivo experiments,70.1 % of the noninvasive glucose data points were clinically accurate,while the remains were clinically acceptable. All solutions mentioned above were based on both theoretical analysis and experimental validation,promoting the realization and optimization of transdermal noninvasive glucose monitoring techniques.

Aliquat 336 functionalized chelating adsorbent derived from chitosan for enrichment and separation of Y(Ⅲ) were investigated by static adsorption method. The adsorption of Y(Ⅲ) was greatly influenced by the pH of solution, and reached maximum at 20 ℃ using 90 mg/L Y(Ⅲ) at pH 4. 9, and the adsorption of Y(Ⅲ) followed a pseudo-second-order kinetics model and the Langmuir isotherm model. The reduction of Y(Ⅲ) adsorption with the increasing of temperature meant that the adsorption process was exothermic. XPS analysis demonstrated that both cations and anions of the adsorbent were involved in adsorption process, thereby resulting in an improved adsorption of Y(Ⅲ). The adsorbent was thus efficient for enrichment and separation of rare earths from waste rare earth phosphor.

Rhizobium leguminosarum biov.trifolii H954 has been fermented for eight days on the GMS medium.Culture supernatant is extracted by ethanol precipitation,sample is purified by Sephadex G\|50,Sephadex G\|10 and DEAE\|Cellulose chromatoraphy.Gas chromatography(GC), 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy(NMR)and mass spectrometry(MS) analysis indicated that the sample is cyclic,neutral glucan,and composes of glucose linked solely by 1→2 glucosidic bonds.Cyclic glucan has degrees of polymerization ranging form 17 to 22,with a degree of ploymerization of 19 as the major glucan cycles.

Objective To investigate the effect of early low-glucocorticoid on hemodynamics and prognosis in the patients with septic shock.Methods Sixty patients with septic shock failing in active fluid resuscitation and vasoactive drugs in our hospital from June 2013 to August 2015 were selected and divided into the control group,early-hormone group and late-hormone group.MAP,HR,PO2/FIO2 and serum lactic acid levels were monitored in all selected patients before treatment and at 12,24,48 h after treatment.Apache Ⅱ,SOFA scores were assessed before treatment and on 1,3,7 d after treatment.The ventilation time,ICU stay time,hospital stay time and intravenous use time of vasoactive agents(VDNT) were recorded.Results The Apache Ⅱ scores and SOFA scores on 3,7 d after treatment in the early-hormone group were significantly decreased compared with the late-hormone group and control group (P＜0.05).MAP and HR at 24,48 h after treatment in the early-hormone group were significantly improved compared with the late-hormone group and control group (P＜0.05).The level of serum lactic acid at 12,24 h after treatment in the early-hormone group and late-hormone group were obviously lower than that in the control group,the levels of serum lactic acid at 12,24 h after treatment in the early-hormone group were obviously lower than those in the late-hormone group (P＜ 0.05).PO2/FIO2 at 12 h after treatment in the early-hormone group and late-hormone group were obviously better than that in the control group,and PO2/FIO2 at 12 h after treatment in the early-hormone group was obviously better than that in the late-hormone group(P＜0.05).The ventilation time,ICU stay time,hospital stay time and VDUT in the early-hormone group were significantly shortened compared with the late-hormone group and control group.The ventilation times,ICU stay time and VDUT in the latehormone group were significantly shortened compared with the control group (P＜0.05).Conclusion Early using low-dose glucocorticoid may restore hemodynamics more quickly,protects the organ function and improves the prognosis in the patients with septic shock.

Objective:To establish an HPLC method for the determination of gallic acid and berberine hydrochloride in Dihuang sprays. Methods:A ZORBAX SB-C18 column (250 mm × 4. 6 mm,5 μm) was used, the mobile phase was acetonitrile-0. 1% phos-phoric acid with gradient elution. The flow rate was 1. 0 ml·min-1 , the column temperature was 30℃, and the detection wavelength wassetat270nm.Results:Thelinearrangeofgallicacidandberberinehydrochloridewas20.36-305.40 μg·ml-1(r=0.9996) and 20.08-301.20 μg·ml-1(r=0.999 8), respectively. The average recovery was 98.9%(RSD =1.3%) and 98.5%(RSD =1. 5%) , respectively. Conclusion:The method is simple, reliable and accurate, which can be used in the determination of gallic acid and berberine hydrochloride of Dihuang sprays.