Objective: To explore the effect of curcumin on proliferation and apoptosis of TK6 human diploid lymphoblastoid cells.Methods: MTT colorometric assay, 3H-TdR incorporation, cell cycle analysis were used to evaluate the effect on proliferation, and morphology microstructure. Flow cytometry was used to detect the effect on apoptosis induction on TK6 cell.Results: Curcumin could inhibit proliferation by blocking transition from G0/G1 to S phase, induce apoptosis in TK6 cells. The effective dose for proliferation inhibition and apoptosis induction is 20 ?mol/L.Conclusion: Apoptosis induction is one of important mechanisms for anti-mutagenic, anti-tumor action of curcumin.

The effects of high erucic acid rapeseed oil (HER) on fatty acid oxidation in rat livers compared with low erucic acid rapeseed oil (LER) were studied. Weanling male SD rats were fed on 20% (% by weight, similarly hereinbelow) HER or LER diet for a week or 4 weeks, or 5% HER diet for 4 weeks. The hepatic capacity for oxidation of butyric acid and palmitic acid was determined by titrating the acetone produced by the fatty acid oxidation. The results showed that feeding HER to rats led to an increse in weight of liver and the extent of this increase was positively correlated to the intake of erucic acid (C22:1, n-9 cis). Feeding HER reduced the hepatic oxidation capacity for palmitic acid, notably in 20% HER (1 wk) group. Feeding LER had not shown this effect,indicating that erucic acid plays an important role in the toxicity of rapeseed oil. In the present study it was not found that the hepatic oxidation capacity for butyric acid was influenced by the intake of HER. Therefore, we considered that the inhibitory effect of HER on oxidation of long-chain fatty acids probably resulted from that the incorporation of erucic acid into mitocho-ndrial membranes interfered with the fatty acyl-CoA transfering system on the membranes, leading the fatty acyl-CoA to be unable to enter the mitochondria and to be oxidized there, but not from that the B-oxidation system in mitochondria was directly inhibited.

Objective To study the determination method of total flavonoids in Gansu Astragali Radix and Hedysarum Polybotrys. Methods Calycosin glycosides etc. was selected as reference substances, comparison on the difference of absorption curves was done by ultraviolet spectroscopy and colorimetric method (NaNO2-Al(NO3)3-NaOH, AlCl3, Mg(Ac)2, NaOH, phosphomolybdic acid, HCl-Mg power). Results With colorimetric method, the maximum absorption wavelength of referrence and the test was inconsistent. The absorption peak shape was also different. With UV method, Calycosin glycosides in band Ⅱ (260 nm) showed a shoulder absorption. Astragali Radix and Hedysarum Polybotrys also showed characteristic shoulder absorptions in band Ⅱ with absorption wavelength at 263 nm and 265 nm. So the sample absorption wavelength is basically the same as that of the control sample. Conclusion Colorimetries usually used for determination of total flavonoids are not suitable for the comparison determination of Gansu Astragali Radix and Hedysarum Polybotrys. It is suitable for determining the contents of total flavonoids in samples by UV spectrophotometry at the band Ⅱ, which is the characteristic absorption band of isoflavone compound.

This paper reports a study regarding the verity of the hypocholestero-lemic effect of konjac-polysaccharide. The konnyaku powder (KP) used in this study was prepared and refined from the tubers of Amorphophallus ko-njac K. Koch and contained 84.8% of glucomannan. Male and female Spra-ue-Dawley rats aged 5 weeks were divided into 5 groups and fed on normal basal diet, hypercholesterolemic diet (control diet) and 3 test diets (i.e. KP was added to the control diet at a dosage of 2.5%, 5% or 10%) respe- ctively, for 12 weeks.The results obtained from this study showed that KP could markedly lower the level of the cholesterol in sera and livers of rats feeding hyper-cholesterolemic diets. At the end of the 4th week of the feeding experiment, the serum cholesterol level of the 5% and the 10% KP groups, and the liver cholesterol level of the 10% KP group were shown to be significantly lower than those of the control group. At the end of the 12th week, serum cholesterol levels of all the 3 KP groups were found to be lowered to the level of the normal group and so did the liver cholesterol level of the 10% KP group. The lipotropic (anticholesteatosis) effect of KP was also confirmed by the hepatic histopathological examination. Besides the hypocholest-eroletmic eftect, KP diets can also increase the bulk of stool. Finally, there were not any harmful effects on the absorption and utilization of Ca, Fe, Zn and Cu being found.

An ultrasensitive electrochemical sensor based on polydopamine/carboxylic multi-walled carbon nano-tubes (MWCNTs-COOH) nanocomposites modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was presented in this work, which has been developed for highly selective and highly sensitive determination of an anti-microbial drug, metronidazole. The preparation of polydopamine/MWCNTs―COOH nanocomposites/GCE sensor is simple and possesses high reproducible, where polydopamine can be coated on the surface of MWCNTs―COOH via a simple electropolymerization process. Under optimized conditions, the proposed sensor showed ultrasensitive determination for metronidazole with a wide linear detection range from 5 to 5000μmol/dm3 and a low detection limit of 0.25μmol/dm3 (S/N = 3). Moreover, the proposed sensor has been successfully applied for the quantitative determination of metronidazole in real drug samples. This work may provide a novel and effective analytical platform for determination of me-tronidazole in application of real pharmaceutical and biological samples analysis.

The simultaneous electrochemical determination of myricetin and rutin remains a challenge due to their indistinguishable potentials. To solve this problem, we constructed a ternary platinum nanoparticle, reduced graphene oxide, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (Pt@r-GO@MWCNTs) nanocomposite via a facile one-pot synthetic method. Under the optimized conditions, the ternary Pt@r-GO@MWCNTs nanocomposite exhibited good electrocatalytic activity toward myricetin and rutin via solid phase extraction and excellent performance for the simultaneous determination of myricetin and rutin. The oxidation peak current of myricetin was proportional to its concentrations in the range of 0.05-50μM with a detection limit of 0.01μM (S/N = 3). The linear range for rutin was 0.05-50μM with a detection limit of 0.005μM (S/N = 3). The ternary nanocomposite sensor also exhibited good reproducibility and stability, and was successfully used for the simultaneous determination of myricetin and rutin in real orange juice samples with recoveries ranging between 100.57％and 108.46％.

Objective:To observe the differences in clinical efficacy of Jieyu Anshen Decoction combined with auricular points and oral tibolone in the treatment of patients with perimenopausal sleep disorders, and provide effective treatment for patients with contraindications to hormone supplement therapy in clinicalMethods:Using a randomized trial design, from July 2018 to August 2020,102 perimenopausal insomnia patients in International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital of China Welfare Institutewith kidney deficiency and liver depression who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group with 51 cases each. The treatment group took Jieyu Anshen Recipe. At the same time, unilateral auricular point pressing treatment was given, and the opposite ear was changed in 5 d. The control group was treated with tiburon for a period of 3 months. The changes in the scores of each scale were observed in the two groups after 1 month and 3 months treatment. The scale included Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), modified Kupperman score (KMI), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire Depression Screening Scale (PHQ-9). Its effectiveness and differences were evaluated and analyzed comprehensively through the above scale.Results:PSQI, KMI, GAD-7, PHQ-9 scores decreased significantly in the control and treatment groups after 1 month and 3 months of treatment, and the difference were statistically significant: PSQI: (8.58 ± 1.94) and (5.81 ± 1.93) scores vs. (13.10 ± 2.53), (9.15 ± 2.59) and (6.33 ± 1.98) scores vs.(13.52 ± 2.27) scores; KMI: (19.92 ± 2.16) and (14.67 ± 4.11) scores vs. (28.54 ± 7.65) scores, (19.02 ± 5.92) and(14.10 ± 4.37) scores vs. (27.42 ± 7.34) scores; GAD-7: (4.54 ± 2.03) and (3.81 ± 1.63) scores vs. (5.69 ± 2.95) scores, (3.71 ± 2.48) and (3.32 ± 1.73) scores vs. (4.90 ± 3.17) scores; PHQ-9:(6.90 ± 2.52) and (4.98 ± 1.96) scores vs. (9.83 ± 3.71) scores, (6.15 ± 2.62) and (4.44 ± 1.81) scores vs. (9.02 ± 3.73) scores ( P<0.01). PSQI, KMI, PHQ-9, and GAD-7 scores declined between the two groups, but there were no significant differences between the two groups ( P>0.05). After 1 month and 3 months of treatment, using PSQI scale and KMI score, the total efficiency of patients in the control group was slightly higher than that of the treatment group, but the difference was not statistically significant ( P>0.05); after 1 month and 3 months of treatment, using PHQ-9 score and GAD-7 score, the total efficiency of patients in the treatment group was slightly higher than that of the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Traditional Chinese medicine combined with ear acupoint pressing has similar effects to tibolone in treating perimenopausal insomnia with kidney deficiency and liver depression. It can significantly improve the quality of sleep and quality of life of patients, and has good safety. For patients who are not suitable for hormone, Chinese medicine can be used as an alternative. The therapies are worthy of clinical application.

OBJECTIVETo assess the quantitative risk of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) dietary exposure from edible fats and oils in China.

METHODSOne hundred samples of edible fats and oils were collected from the supermarkets and the farmers markets in 11 provinces of China from December in 2013 to May in 2014. Then they were tested for EU15+1 PAHs (16 PAHs were controlled in priority by European Food Safety Authority) by two test methods which were QuECHERS-GC-MS-MS and GPC-HPLC-FLD. Data of PAHs concentration and edible fats and oils consumption which were from Chinese National Nutrition and Health Survey in 2002 were combined to evaluate carcinogenic risk of PAHs in edible fats and oils by the method of margin of exposure (MOE). In this process, we divided the population into 6 groups, namely male adults (older than 18 years old), female adults (older than 18), male youths (13-17), female youths (13-17), school-agers (6-12) and preschoolers (2-5), and thought carcinogenicity as the critical toxicity end point of PAHs. Two quantitative risk assessment methods, i.e. point assessment and probability assessment, were used to evaluate the dietary exposure and MOEs.

RESULTSEU15+1 PAHs in one of 100 samples were not detected, other samples were polluted in different degrees; the detection rates were 3%-98% and the average contents were 0.26-3.26 μg/kg. The results of PAHs dietary exposure from both of point assessment and probability assessment were the same. The average exposures of PAH8 were as the following: male adults were 10.03 and (9.34 ± 12.61) ng·kg(-1)·d(-1)(The former was from point assessment and the latter from probability assessment, the same below), female adults were 9.95 and (9.60 ± 15.04) ng · kg(-1)·d (-1), male youths were 11.09 and (10.84 ± 16.54) ng·kg(-1)·d(-1), female youths were 10.06 and (9.58 ± 12.87) ng·kg(-1)·d(-1),school-agers were 15.29 and (15.62 ± 25.54) ng·kg(-1)·d(-1), preschoolers were 19.27 and (19.22 ± 28.91) ng·kg(-1)·d(-1). MOEs of mean and 50% exposure levels in different group of people were more than 10,000, while MOEs of 95% exposure levels in school-agers and preschoolers were less than 10,000.

CONCLUSIONFor general consumers, the health risk of PAHs exposure is very low. However, for high-end consumers (95% exposure level) from the sensitive groups (school-ager and preschooler) has a potential health risk.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Diet ; Environmental Exposure ; Fats ; chemistry ; Female ; Food Safety ; Humans ; Male ; Plant Oils ; chemistry ; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ; analysis ; Risk Assessment ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the association of tumor necrosis factor-ot (TNF-α) gene promoter polymorphisms with generalized pustular psoriasis.Methods Totally,91 patients of Han nationality with generalized pustular psoriasis (generalized pustular psoriasis group) and 102 health checkup examinees (healthy control group) were enrolled into this study.PCR and direct sequencing were performed to analyze the-238,-308 and-857 polymorphic sites of the TNF-α promoter.Results The frequency of the A allele at TNF-α-238 site was significantly higher in the generalized pustular psoriasis group than in the healthy control group (P =0.003,OR =4.819,95％ CI:1.581-14.694),so was the frequency of GA/AA genotype (P =0.006,OR =4.455,95％ CI:1.410-14.077).However,no significant differences were observed in the frequencies of G/A alleles (P =0.794) and GG/GA/AA genotypes (P =0.786) at TNF-o-308 site,or in the frequencies of C/T alleles (P =0.474) and CC/CT/TT genotypes (P =0.453) at TNF-α-857 site,between the generalized pustular psoriasis group and healthy control group.Conclusion TNF-α-238G ＞ A polymorphisms may be associated with the occur-rence of generalized pustular psoriasis.

OBJECTIVETo make an open label prospective trial for comparing the therapeutic effects of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) vs cyclophosphamide (CYC) pulse therapy on patients with diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis (DPLN).

METHODSForty-six patients with biopsy proven active DPLN were enrolled in this study. Twenty-three patients were given MMF orally at a dosage of 1.0 - 1.5 g/d (MMF Group). Another 23 cases received conventional intermittent CYC pulse therapy (CYC Group). Supplemental steroid treatment was offered in the same manner to both groups. The age, sex distribution and severity of renal damage were matched in two groups. Therapeutic effects were evaluated at the end of six-month treatment. Fifteen patients in the MMF Group and 12 patients in the CYC Group had repeated renal biopsy at that time.

RESULTSMMF therapy was more effective in reducing proteinuria and hematuria. A 50% reduction of urinary protein and urinary red blood cell excretion from baseline value in 69.6% and 91.3% patients in the MMF Group, while only 47.8% and 65.2% in the CYC Group. MMF was more effective in inhibiting autoantibody production (especially anti-dsDNA antibody) and in decreasing serum cryoglobulin levels. Pathologically, the MMF group showed more markedly reduction in glomerular immune deposits with less glomerular necrosis, and less microthrombi, less crescent formation and vascular changes in the repeated renal biopsy as compared with the CYC group. Adverse reactions related to the treatment included gastrointestinal symptoms 26.1% and 43.5% in the MMF and CYC Groups respectively, infection 17.4% in the MMF group and 30.4% in the CYC group.

CONCLUSIONMMF was more effective in controlling the clinical activity of DPLN and renal vascular lesions as compared with CYC pulse therapy in a 6 month follow-up study.

Adult ; Cyclophosphamide ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; chemically induced ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Infection ; chemically induced ; Kidney ; drug effects ; pathology ; Lupus Nephritis ; drug therapy ; Male ; Mycophenolic Acid ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Pneumonia ; chemically induced ; Prospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome