OBJECTIVETo investigate the seasonal characteristics and the sources of elements and ions with different sizes in the aerosols in Beijing.

METHODSSamples of particulate matters (PM2.5), PM10, and total suspended particle (TSP) aerosols were collected simultaneously in Beijing from July 2001 to April 2003. The aerosol was chemically characterized by measuring 23 elements and 18 water-soluble ions by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and ion chromatography (IC), respectively.

RESULTSThe samples were divided into four categories: spring non-dust, spring dust, summer dust, and winter dust. TSP, PM10, and PM2.5 were most abundant in the spring dust, and the least in summer dust. The average mass ratios of PM > 10, PM2.5-10, and PM2.5 to TSP confirmed that in the spring dust both the large coarse (PM > 10) and fine particles (PM2.5) contributed significantly in summer PM2.5, PM2.5-10, and PM > 10 contributed similar fractions to TSP, and in winter much PM2.5. The seasonal variation characteristics of the elements and ions were used to divide them into four groups: crustal, pollutant, mixed, and secondary. The highest levels of crustal elements, such as Al, Fe, and Ca, were found in the dust season, the highest levels of pollutant elements and ions, such as As, F-, and Cl-, were observed in winter, and the highest levels of secondary ions (SO4(2-), NO3-, and NH4+) were seen both in summer and in winter. The mixed group (Eu, Ni, and Cu) showed the characteristics of both crustal and pollutant elements. The mineral aerosol from outside Beijing contributed more than that from the local part in all the reasons but summer, estimated using a newly developed element tracer technique.

Aerosols ; China ; Chromatography, Ion Exchange ; Environmental Monitoring ; Particle Size ; Particulate Matter ; analysis ; chemistry ; Seasons ; Spectrophotometry, Atomic

Objective To observe the expression of cellular Fas-associated death domain-like interleukin-1β converting enzyme inhibit protein (c-FLIP) in sepsis mice with acute kidney injury (SAKI) and explore its significance. Methods Thirty male ICR mice were divided into the normal control group (Normal group), sham operation group (Sham group) and SAKI group by random number table method, with 10 mice in each group. The SAKI model of mice was established by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP); the Sham group was not ligated and the cecum was not punctured, and other surgical procedures were the same as the SAKI group; the Normal group did not experience any treatment. The serum and renal tissues of mice in each group were harvested 24 hours after CLP model establishment. The levels of serum creatinine (SCr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The renal tissues were stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE), and the pathological changes of renal tissues were observed under light microscope and the severity of injury was determined. The expression of c-FLIP in renal tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry. The expression of c-FLIP, Bax and caspase-3 protein in renal tissue was detected by Western Blot. The correlation between c-FLIP expression and Bax, caspase-3 protein expressions in renal tissues were analyzed by Pearson test. Results In the Normal group and the Sham group, the renal tubular epithelial cells were regular and intact, and no interstitial inflammatory cell infiltration was observed; the renal injury score was both 1.30±0.48; immunohistochemistry showed a large amount of c-FLIP positive expression in renal tubular epithelial cells (IA: 120.20±3.87, 116.70±3.46); Western Blot showed high expression of c-FLIP in renal tissues (c-FLIP/GAPDH: 0.99±0.01, 0.98±0.02), and low expressions of Bax and caspase-3 (Bax/GAPDH: 0.16±0.04, 0.19±0.03, caspase-3/GAPDH: 0.24±0.04, 0.23±0.05). Compared with the Sham group, in the SAKI group, renal tubular epithelial cells were degenerated and necrosis, and a large number of interstitial inflammatory cells infiltrated, the renal injury score was significantly increased (4.60±0.52 vs. 1.30±0.48, P < 0.01); the levels of SCr and BUN were significantly increased [SCr (μmol/L): 193.90±13.54 vs. 24.50±3.78, BUN (mmol/L): 81.60±7.26 vs. 5.20±0.92, both P < 0.01]; the c-FLIP positive cells in renal tissues was significantly reduced (IA: 17.11±0.82 vs. 116.70±3.46, P < 0.01); the expression of c-FLIP protein in renal tissues was significantly decreased (c-FLIP/GAPDH: 0.29±0.03 vs. 0.98±0.02, P < 0.01), while the expressions of Bax and caspase-3 protein were significantly increased (Bax/GAPDH: 0.87±0.06 vs. 0.19±0.03, caspase-3/GAPDH: 0.88±0.07 vs. 0.23±0.05, both P < 0.01]. The correlation analysis showed that the c-FLIP protein was significantly negatively correlated with Bax (r = -0.468, P = 0.029) and caspase-3 protein expressions (r = -0.663, P = 0.004). Conclusions The expression level of c-FLIP protein was significantly down-regulated in renal tissue of SAKI, and its down-regulation mechanism was associated with increased apoptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells, which could be an effective target for the treatment of SAKI.

ObjectiveTo test the effect of human tremor detector in clinic based on the principle of photoelectrical transformation.MethodsFifty-five subjects including normal youth and elderly persons, patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), hyperthyroidism and cerebellor ataxia were tested with human tremor detector. The displacement, frequency spectrograph, velocity and acceleration of both hands in four kinds of postures and action were involved.ResultsThe physiological tremor and pathological tremor in different kinds of patients were significantly different (P<0.05). Especially in PD, both quantitive and qualitative data had a significant difference.ConclusionHuman tremor detector can provide the evidence for early diagnosis of PD.

Objective:To explore the relationship between workplace procrastination and illegitimate tasks in-kindergarten teachersand the role of work disengagement and coworker support in their relationship.Methods:A to-tal of 245 kindergarten teachers were selected from 3 cities in Zhejiang Province.They were assessed with the Workplace Procrastination Scale(WPS),Bern Illegitimate Tasks Scale(BITS),Work Disengagement Scale(WDS),Colleague Support Scale(CSS).The models were tested by using Process macro for SPSS,and non-para-metric percentile bootstrap method was used to analyze the mediating effect and moderating effect.Results:There were significant differences in the total scores of workplace procrastination among kindergarten teachers in different marital status,age,teaching age,education level,teaching gradeand kindergarten level(Ps＜0.05).Work disengage-ment played a significant mediating role between workplace procrastination and illegitimate tasks(indirect effect=0.26,95％CI:0.16-0.37).Coworker support played a significant moderating role in the impact of illegitimate tasks on work disengagement(simple slope=0.72,0.39;P＜0.001).Conclusion:It suggests that workplace pro-crastination is related to illegitimate tasksin kindergarten teachers.Work disengagement plays a mediating role in their relationship,and coworker support plays a moderating role in the first half of this mediating role.

Objective:To evaluate the association between the efficacy and safety of metformin and the influence of variants in SLC47A1 rs2289669 G>A polymorphism in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Methods:A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted. Patients were consented at enrollment for blood donation for genotyping, and their peripheral blood were used to detect the distribution frequency of SLC47A1 mutations. The major or mild/moderate flares defined by modified safety lupus erythematosus national assessment (SELENA)-systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI) Flare Index (SFI) and adverse events were recorded at 12 months of follow-up. The correlation between efficacy/safety and genotype was analyzed. Student's t test and χ2 test was used to assess the continuous variables and categorical variables. Results:Between May 24, 2016, and Dec 13, 2017, a total of 31 patients in the metformin group and 35 in the placebo group were detected. There were no statistical significant differences in the clinical manifestations, SELENA-SLEDAI scores, and therapy of the participants at baseline. There was no significant difference in the frequency of AA genotype, GA genotype, and GG genotype of SLC47A1 rs2289669 distribution between the metformin group and the placebo group. In the metformin group, patients who flared had a lower frequency of A alleles than those non-flared [25%(4/16) vs 61%(28/46), χ2=6.116, P=0.019 8]; the flare rate was significantly lower in patients with AA genotype than in GG genotype [0%(0/8) vs 57%(4/7), χ2=6.234, P=0.012 5]. The infection rate was lower in the metformin group than that in the placebo group [38%(12/31) vs 69%(24/35), χ2=5.913, P=0.015 0], but there was no significant difference among different genotypes in the metformin group. Compared to GG geno-type, AA genotype showed a trend of decrease in infection rate[38%(3/8) vs 72%(5/7), χ2=1.727, P=0.188 8]. Conclusion:Metformin has a favorable safety profile and may reduce the frequency of flares in SLE patients with low-grade lupus disease activity. The metformin therapeutic efficacy in SLE is relevant to the SLC47A1 gene polymorphism. Patients of the AA genotype may benefit most from metformin than those of the GG and GA genotypes.

Objective: To analyze the hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) enterovirus 71 (EV-A71) infection epidemic characteristics of Guangdong Province from 2011 to 2015. Methods: We colleted data on common cases of hand-foot-mouth disease infected with EV-A71 reported from eight sentinel hospitals in Guangdong Province from January 2011 to December 2015, through the "Guangdong Province Acute Infectious Disease Surveillance Information Platform System" , including the age and incidence of cases. Time and etiological data, etc.We also collected data on the number of reported cases of HFMD disease and the number of laboratory-confirmed cases, through the "China Disease Prevention and Control Information System" , including data on common cases of HFMD disease, data on epidemics of severe cases and deaths, and the age, onset time, and pathogens of cases. Learning data, etc.The data from two sources were used to estimate the incidence of HFMD in EV-A71 and describe its distribution characteristics.Chi-square test was used to compare the positive rate of HF-A71 infection in hand-foot-mouth disease and the difference in estimated incidence among different age groups and months. Results: Eight sentinel hospitals from 2011 to 2015 reported a total of 1 855 common cases of EV-A71 infection, of which the highest was in 2014 (31.6%, 605/1 916) and the lowest was in 2015 (6.8%, 134/1 971) (χ²=521.85, P<0.001).According to the Disease Surveillance Reporting Information System, 1 772 516 cases of HFMD disease were reported from 2011 to 2015 in Guangdong Province, and 1 902 cases of severe and fatal cases of EV-A71 infection.The composition ratio of EV-A71 infected was 72.6% (1 775/2 444) and 97.0% (127/131) of severe HFMD disease in Guangdong province during 2011-2015.The average annual incidence of HF-A71 infection in all age groups showed a decreasing trend with age (χ^2trend=990 273.20, P<0.001), and it was the highest in the 1-year-old group, which was 1 697.67/100 000, and the lowest in the 4-year-old group, which was 705.46/100 000. The difference of monthly average incidence of EV-A71 infection in HF-A71 in each month was statistically significant (χ²=401.23, P<0.001), the highest in May at 15.51 per 100 000, and the lowest in July at 9.42 per 100 000. Conclusion EV-A71 infection rate of ordinary HFMD varies in different years. The most severe and death cases of HFMD were EV-A71 infected. 1 year old children were the high-risk group of infected with EV-A71 HFMD. April was the epidemic months of EV-A71 HFMD infection.

Objective:To study the effect and mechanism of mitochondria-targeted antioxidant peptide SS-31 on sepsis-induced acute kidney injury (AKI).Methods:Sixty adult male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups according to the random number table method: sham group (10 mice), positive control group (10 mice), sepsis model group (20 mice), and SS-31 peptide group (20 mice). The sepsis-induced AKI mouse model was reproduced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). The sham group only received laparotomy. SS-31 peptide (5 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected in SS-31 peptide group and positive control group 30 minutes after the operation, while an equivalent amount of normal saline was given in sham group and sepsis model group for 7 days. The blood samples were collected 24 hours after the operation from orbit, and the serum was collected to test the serum creatinine (SCr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). The mice were sacrificed 7 days after surgery. The kidney tissues were collected to observe the pathologic structure changes under the hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining by light microscope. And the mitochondrial ultrastructure was checked under the transmission electron microscope. Cell apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling method (TUNEL). The expression level of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptorγ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and cleaved caspase-3 protein were tested by Western blotting.Results:Compared with sham group, the levels of SCr and BUN were significantly increased in sepsis model group [SCr (μmol/L): 93.12±11.80 vs. 32.94±3.37, BUN (mmol/L): 41.36±6.48 vs. 9.49±3.58, both P<0.05]. The expression levels of AMPK, PGC-1α and cleaved caspase-3 protein increased (AMPK/β-actin: 0.30±0.02 vs. 0.12±0.01, PGC-1α/β-actin: 0.38±0.03 vs. 0.16±0.02, cleaved caspase-3/β-actin: 0.20±0.01 vs. 0.11±0.02, all P<0.05). HE staining showed that inflammatory cell was infiltrated, glomerular basement membrane was exposed and vacuole-like transparent casts were found in the lumen. Mitochondria were damaged under electron microscope with swelling, ridge disappearance and ruptured membranes, with increasing of apoptotic cells [cells: 24.00 (18.75, 31.00) vs. 2.00 (0.72, 3.25) , P<0.05]. Meanwhile, compared with sepsis model group, the levels of SCr, BUN and the expressions of AMPK, PGC-1α, cleaved caspase-3 protein were significantly decreased in the SS-31 peptide group [SCr (μmol/L): 71.33±10.14 vs. 93.12±11.80, BUN (mmol/L): 27.00±5.52 vs. 41.36±6.48, AMPK/β-actin: 0.23±0.01 vs. 0.30±0.02, PGC-1α/β-actin: 0.27±0.02 vs. 0.38±0.03, cleaved caspase-3/β-actin: 0.13±0.01 vs. 0.20±0.01, all P < 0.05]. HE staining showed that cell swelling reduced, the mitochondrial structure was intact, the ridge swelling was also reduced, and the membrane structure was relatively intact, the number of apoptotic cells was significantly reduced [cells: 13.00 (9.00, 16.50) vs. 24.00 (18.75, 31.00) , P<0.05]. Conclusion:The protective effect of SS-31 peptide on organ dysfunction induced by sepsis-induced AKI is related to maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis and inhibiting cell apoptosis.

Objective: “Same treatment for different diseases” is a unique treatment strategy in traditional Chinese medicine. Two kinds of malignant respiratory diseases endanger human health-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. Citrus Grandis Exocarpium (Huajuhong in Chinese, HJH), a famous herbal, is always applied by Chinese medicine practitioners to dispersion the lung to resolve phlegm based on “syndrome differentiation and treatment” theory. However, the common mechanism for HJH's treatment of COPD and lung cancer is not clear. Methods: In this study, based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technology, the common mechanism of HJH in the treatment of COPD and lung cancer was studied. The active ingredients and related targets of HJH were integrated from TCMSP, BATMAN-TAM, STP, and Pubchem databases. The standard names of these targets were united by UniProt database. Targets of COPD and lung cancer were enriched through GeneCards, NCBI (Gene), Therapeutic Target Database, and DisGeNET (v7.0) databases. Then the intersection targets of HJH and diseases were obtained. The STRING network and the Cytoscape 3.7.2 were used to construct PPI network, the DAVID database was used to perform GO and KEGG analysis. Then Cytoscape 3.6.1 was used to build “ingredient-target-signal pathway” network. Finally, AutoDock 1.5.6 software was used to perform molecular docking of key proteins and molecules. Results: Eleven active ingredients in HJH were obtained by searching the database, corresponding to 184 HJH-COPD-lung cancer targets intersection. The results of biological network analysis showed that naringenin, the active component in HJH, could mainly act on target proteins such as AKT1, EGFR. Then through positive regulation of vasoconstriction and other biological processes, naringenin could regulate estrogen signaling pathway, VEGF signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, ErbB signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway to play an important role in the treatment of both COPD and lung cancer. Conclusion: Network pharmacology was employed to systematically investigate the active ingredients and targets of HJH in treatment of COPD and lung cancer. And then, the common pharmacodynamic network of HJH for the two malignant respiratory diseases was firstly described. Furthermore, naringenin was proved to strongly bind with AKT1 and EGFR. It may provide the scientific basis for understanding the “Same treatment for different diseases” strategy in traditional Chinese medicine and inspirit subsequent drug discovery for COPD, lung cancer and other malignant lung diseases.

Sennoside A (SA) is a bioactive component of Chinese herbal medicines with an activity of irritant laxative, which is often used in the treatment of constipation and obesity. However, its activity remains unknown in the regulation of insulin sensitivity. In this study, the impact of SA on insulin sensitivity was tested in high fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice through dietary supplementation. At a dosage of 30 mg/kg/day, SA improved insulin sensitivity in the mice after 8-week treatment as indicated by HOMA-IR (homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance) and glucose tolerance test (GTT). SA restored plasma level of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1) by 90% and mRNA expression of by 80% in the large intestine of HFD mice. In the mechanism, SA restored the gut microbiota profile, short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and mucosal structure in the colon. A mitochondrial stress was observed in the enterocytes of HFD mice with ATP elevation, structural damage, and complex dysfunction. The mitochondrial response was induced in enterocytes by the dietary fat as the same responses were induced by palmitic acid in the cell culture. The mitochondrial response was inhibited in HFD mice by SA treatment. These data suggest that SA may restore the function of microbiota-GLP1 axis to improve glucose metabolism in the obese mice.

To study the biopharmaceutics characteristics of paris saponin VII (PSVII). The solubility of PSVII was evaluated by measurement of the equilibrium solubility in different solvents and media. The permeability of PSVII was evaluated by measuring the oil/water partition coefficient (lgP) and determining the apparent permeability coefficient (PC) on a mono-layer Caco-2 cell model. The effects of p-glycoprotein and multidrug resistance related protein 2 on PSVII transport in mono-layer Caco-2 cell model were further investigated. Finally, the small intestinal absorption of PSVII was investigated in rat. In solvents of different pH, the equilibrium solubility of PSVII was quite low, and the dose number of PSVII was larger than 1. The lgP of PSVII was less than 0. The apparent permeability coefficient [PC] of PSVII in mono-layer Caco-2 cell model was less than 14.96 × 10 cm·s, and the efflux ratio of PSVII in mono-layer Caco-2 cell model was less than 1. The transport rate of PSVII in mono-layer Caco-2 cell model was not affected by the inhibitors of p-glycoprotein and multidrug resistance related protein 2. After oral administration, PSVII could be detected in rat intestinal contents, but could not be detected in the small intestinal mucosa. PSVII showed low solubility and permeability, which would result in low oral bioavailability in clinic. PSVII belonged to Class IV compound in biopharmaceutics classification system.