Microbial detection and control of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) decoction pieces are crucial for the quality control of TCM preparations. It is also a key area of research in the measurement technology and equipment development for TCM manufacturing. Guided by TCM manufacturing measurement methodologies, this study presented a design of a novel portable microbial detection device, using Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma decoction pieces as a demonstration. Immunomagnetic separation technology was employed for specific isolation and labeling of target microorganisms. Enzymatic signal amplification was utilized to convert weak biological signals into colorimetric signals, constructing an optical biosensor. A self-developed smartphone APP was further applied to analyze the colorimetric signals and quantify target concentrations. A portable and automated detection system based on Arduino microcontroller was developed to automatically perform target microbial separation/extraction, as well as mimetic enzyme labeling and catalytic reactions. The developed equipment specifically focuses on the rapid and quantitative microbial analysis of TCM active pharmaceutical ingredients, intermediates in TCM manufacturing, and final TCM products. Experimental results demonstrate that the equipment could detect Salmonella in samples within 2 h, with a detection limit as low as 5.1 × 10~3 CFU·mL~(-1). The equipment enables the rapid detection of microorganisms in TCM decoction pieces, providing a potential technical solution for on-site rapid screening of microbial contamination indicators in TCM. It has broad application prospects in measurement technology for TCM manufacturing and offers strong technical support for the modernization, industrialization, and intelligent development of TCM.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/analysis* ; Atractylodes/microbiology* ; Rhizome/microbiology* ; Biosensing Techniques/methods* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Colorimetry/instrumentation* ; Quality Control

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of natural borneol on the permeability of blood tumor barrier (BTB) model and the expression and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPKs) signal transduction pathway related protein kinase in vitro.

METHODSC6 rat glioma cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were co-cultured to establish BTB model. Then 4 groups were set up, the blank control group, low, middle, and high dose borneol groups (25, 50, 100 µg/mL), 3 samples collected at 7 time points (0, 10, 30, 60, 120, 180, 240 min, respectively). Blank culture medium was exchanged in the blank control group while medication. Different doses of natural borneol were administered to the 3 borneol groups. Cells were collected at different time points. BTB permeability was determined using horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Expression levels of extracellular signal regulated protein kinase (ERK), phosphorylation extracellular signal regulated protein kinase (P-ERK), P38MAPK, phosphor-P38MAPK, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and phosphorylation c-Jun N-terminal kinase (P-JNK) were detected using Western blot.

RESULTSCompared with the same group at min 0, the permeation rate obviously increased (P < 0.01) in the 3 borneol groups at the rest time points. P-ERK expression was elevated first, reached the peak at 30 min, and gradually recovered to the initial level (P > 0.05). Compared with the blank control group, HRP permeation rate increased from 10 min to 240 min (P < 0.01), and expression of P-ERK protein increased at 30 min and 60 min (P < 0.05) in the low dose borneol group; expression of P-JNK protein decreased in the 3 borneol groups at 180 min and 240 min (P < 0.05). Compared with the low dose borneol group, expression of P-ERK protein increased from 10 min to 180 min (P < 0.05), HRP permeation rate increased from 30 min to 180 min (P < 0.05), expression of P-JNK protein decreased at 180 and 240 min (P < 0.05) in the middle dose borneol group. Compared with the middle dose borneol group, HRP permeation rate increased from 10 min to 180 min (P < 0.05), expression of P-ERK protein increased from 10 min to 180 min (P < 0.05), expression of P-JNK protein increased at 180 min and decreased at 240 min (both P < 0.05) in the high dose borneol group.

CONCLUSIONNatural borneol arrived at the effect of regulating reversible BTB patency possibly through activating phosphorylation of ERK in MAPKs signal transduction pathway, and further reversibly down-regulating expression of associated proteins.

Animals ; Bornanes ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; drug effects ; Coculture Techniques ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases ; metabolism ; Glioma ; pathology ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; Humans ; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; Neoplasms ; pathology ; Permeability ; Phosphorylation ; Rats ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the occupational stress level of radiation exposed workers in Guangdong Province and explore the factors that influence occupational stress. METHODS: By random sampling method,306 radiation workers of Guangdong Province were selected in this study. The simplified Chinese version of Effort-Reward Imbalance( ERI)questionnaire was used to assess occupational stress levels. The scores of 3 dimensions including external effort,reward and internal commitment and their differences were analyzed. RESULTS: The scores of external effort,reward and internal commitment of 306 radiation workers in this study were( 15. 83 ± 5. 18),( 46. 63 ± 9. 06) and( 14. 97 ± 2. 23),respectively. There were 42 workers( 13. 73%) who had self-detected the occupational stress resulted from effort-reward imbalance; 62 workers( 20. 26%) were at high-risk of occupational stress. Compared with the industrial radiation workers,the scores of external effort and detection rate of occupational stress of hospital radiation workers were higher( P < 0. 05),while the high risk detection rate of occupational stress was lower( P < 0. 05). Compared with the female radiation workers, male workers had higher scores of external effort, effort / reward ratio and the detection rate of occupational stress( P < 0. 05) and lower scores of the reward score( P < 0. 05). The scores of external effort of radiation workers with junior college educational level or above were higher than those with senior high school educational level or below( P < 0. 05). CONCLUSION: The occupational stress level of radiation exposed workers has multiple influencing factors.It is recommended to strengthen the social support to improve their social and working environment,in order to reduce their occupational stress level.