1.Research progress on impact of compound hot-dry events on incidence of infectious diseases
Di WANG ; Xiaoni CHI ; Zishan HUANG ; Yizhen YAO ; Yi LIN ; Jianxiong HU ; Tao LIU ; Wenjun MA ; Guanhao HE
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2024;41(8):925-933
Climate change has led to an increasing frequency and intensity of extreme climate events such as heat and drought extremes with considerable global public health burden. This systematic review collected 87 domestic and international studies from 2000 to 2023, considering the impacts of heat extremes, drought extremes, and compound hot-dry events on infectious diseases attributable to various transmission pathways such as waterborne, foodborne, insect-borne, airborne, and contact-transmitted diseases. Our results showed that high temperature was associated with increased transmission risks of waterborne and foodborne diseases including infectious diarrheal diseases (cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and paratyphoid) and infectious gastroenteritis; vector-borne diseases including dengue fever, Zika virus (ZIKV) disease, chikungunya fever, malaria, West Nile fever, and Rift Valley fever; airborne diseases including influenza-like diseases, influenza A, measles, and mumps; and contact-transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS, schistosomiasis, and leptospirosis. Additionally, drought conditions also amplified the transmission risks of waterborne and foodborne diseases including cholera, Escherichia coli infection, rotavirus infection, and hepatitis E; vector-borne diseases such as scrub typhus, schistosomiasis, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, and West Nile fever; airborne diseases including meningococcal meningitis, pertussis, measles, and upper respiratory infections; and contact-transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS. Along with global warming, the frequency of compound high temperature and drought events shows a considerably increasing trend, causing more adverse health effects than heat or drought alone. However, there is limited research quantifying their effects on infectious diseases. These associations may be mediated through temperature and precipitation on infectious disease pathogens, transmission vectors, population susceptibility, public health services, and behaviors. In the context of climate change, the increasing occurrence of compound events of high temperatures and droughts raises health concerns, and further studies are needed to enhance our understanding of the impacts of climate change on infectious diseases and improve human adaption to climate change.
2.Vulnerability of medicinal plant Lamiophlomis rotata under future climate changes
Hong-chao WANG ; Zheng-wei XIE ; Qi-ao MA ; Tie-lin WANG ; Guang YANG ; Xiao-ting XU ; Kai SUN ; Xiu-lian CHI
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2024;59(10):2871-2879
italic>Lamiophlomis rotata is an important medicinal plant species endemic to the Tibetan Plateau, which is prone to strong climate change impacts on its habitable range due to the high sensitivity of the Tibetan Plateau to climate change. Accurate quantification of species vulnerability to climate change is essential for assessing species extinction risk and developing effective conservation strategies. Therefore, we carried out the
3.Predicting the potential suitable areas of Platycodon grandiflorum in China using the optimized Maxent model
Yu-jie ZHANG ; Han-wen YU ; Zhao-huan ZHENG ; Chao JIANG ; Juan LIU ; Liang-ping ZHA ; Xiu-lian CHI ; Shuang-ying GUI
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2024;59(9):2625-2633
italic>Platycodon grandiflorum (Jacq.) A. DC is one of the most commonly used bulk medicinal herbs. It has important value in the fields of medicine, food and cosmetics, and its market demand is increasing year by year, and it has a good development prospect. In this study, based on 403 distribution records and 8 environmental variables, we used Maxent model to predict the potential distribution of
4.Key Environment Factors and Regionalization of the Ecological Suitability of the Original Species of Chinese Medicine Cremastrae Pseudobulbus/Pleiones Pseudobulbus
Yujie CHI ; Mingyu ZHU ; Yifei LIU ; Di LIU ; Lin SEN ; Zhigang HU ; Jingjing ZHANG
World Science and Technology-Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;26(5):1254-1260
Objective In order to offer a theoretical foundation for Cremastae Pseudobulbus/Pleiones Pseudobulbus original species scientific introduction and site selection for expansion.Methods We gathered sample distribution information for the original species of Cremastae Pseudobulbus/Pleiones Pseudobulbus nationwide by consulting various databases and conducting field investigations.A total of 257 effective distribution data were gathered.Altitude,temperature,solar radiation,precipitation,and water vapor pressure were among the 68 environment factors that were chosen from 5 categories.The ecological suitability of Cremastae Pseudobulbus/Pleiones Pseudobulbus original species was investigated using Maxent and ArcGIS.Results The investigation revealed that precipitation,solar radiation,and altitude were the core environment factors influencing the ecological suitability of Cremastae Pseudobulbus/Pleiones Pseudobulbus.The most important environment factors varied significantly between diverse original species.The most suitable potential areas for the growth of Cremastra appendicutata,Pleione bulbocodioides,and Pleione yunnanensis were concentrated in Taiwan,South China,and the adjacent areas of Yunnan and Sichuan,respectively.Conclusion Further ecological suitability levels were classified for their potential distribution areas,providing a scientific basis for the rational introduction,cultivation,and artificial stanhbzyydxdardized expansion of the Cremastae Pseudobulbus/Pleiones Pseudobulbus.
5.An improved extraction and nonradioactive thin-layer chromatography detection method of mycolic acid.
Siyue XU ; Yuchang DI ; Mingzhe CHI ; Youwei HU ; Xiao ZHANG ; Xuelian ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Biotechnology 2023;39(9):3827-3837
Mycolic acids (MAs), i.e. 2-alkyl, 3-hydroxy long-chain fatty acids, are the hallmark of the cell envelope of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and are related with antibiotic resistance and host immune escape. Nowadays, they've become hot target of new anti-tuberculosis drugs. There are two main methods to detect MAs, 14C metabolic labeling thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and liquid chromatograph mass spectrometer (LC-MS). However, the user qualification of 14C or the lack of standards for LC-MS hampered the easy use of this method. TLC is a common way to analyze chemical substance and can be used to analyze MAs. In this study, we used tetrabutylammonium hydroxide and methyl iodide to hydrolyze and formylate MAs from mycobacterium cell wall. Subsequently, we used diethyl ether to extract methyl mycolate. By this method, we can easily extract and analyze MA in regular biological labs. The results demonstrated that this method could be used to compare MAs of different mycobacterium in different growth phases, MAs of mycobacteria treated by anti-tuberculosis drugs or MAs of mycobacterium mutants. Therefore, we can use this method as an initial validation for the changes of MAs in researches such as new drug screening without using radioisotope or when the standards are not available.
Mycolic Acids/metabolism*
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Chromatography, Thin Layer
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Mycobacterium tuberculosis
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Fatty Acids
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Antitubercular Agents/pharmacology*
6.Quality of moxa with different leaf-to-moxa ratios based on correlation analysis of thermogravimetric properties, cellulose content, and microscopic characteristics of non-secretory trichomes.
Bing YI ; Li-Ping KANG ; Xin-Yu ZHAO ; Chi ZHANG ; Xin ZOU ; Liu-Jia CHAN ; Hong-Mei LI ; Xian-Zhang HUANG ; Li-Chun ZHAO ; Yuan ZHANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2023;48(18):4950-4958
The quality of moxa is a key factor affecting the efficacy of moxibustion. Traditional moxa grades are evaluated by the leaf-to-moxa ratio, but there is a lack of support from scientific data. Scanning electron microscopy(SEM), Image Pro Plus, Van Soest method, and stimultaneous thermal analysis(TGA/DSC) were used to characterize the scientific implication of the combustion differences between moxa with different leaf-to-moxa ratios(processed by crusher). The results showed that the median lengths from non-secretory trichomes(NSTs) of natural NSTs and moxa with leaf-to-moxa ratios of 3∶1, 5∶1, 10∶1, and 15∶1 were 542.46, 303.24, 291.18, 220.69, and 170.61 μm, respectively. The cellulose content of moxa increased significantly(P<0.05) with the increase in leaf-to-moxa ratio and the combustion parameters(T_i, t_i, D_i, C,-R_p,-R_v, S, D_b, and J_(total)) all showed an increasing trend. The correlation results showed that the burning properties of moxa(T_i,-R_v, t_i, and J_2) were significantly and positively correlated with cellulose content. NSTs with a length of 1-200 μm were significantly and positively correlated with J_2. NSTs with a length of 200-600 μm were significantly and positively correlated with J_1, T_(peak2), T_(peak1), and-R_v, and negatively correlated with J_(total), T_b, and t_b. As the leaf-to-moxa ratio increases, the NSTs in the moxa become shorter and the cellulose content increases, which is more conducive to ignition performance, heat release, and a milder, longer-lasting burn. The "NSTs-cellulose-TGA/DSC" quantitative evaluation method scientifically reveals the scientific connotation of the combustion of moxa with different leaf-to-moxa ratios and provides a scientific basis for the establishment of quality evaluation methods for moxa with different leaf-to-moxa ratios.
Trichomes
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Moxibustion
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Hot Temperature
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Plant Leaves
7.Survivin ( BIRC5 ) regulates bladder fibrosis in a rat model of partial bladder outlet obstruction.
Xingpeng DI ; Xi JIN ; Liyuan XIANG ; Xiaoshuai GAO ; Liao PENG ; Wei WANG ; Kaiwen XIAO ; Yu LIU ; Guo CHEN ; Chi YUAN ; Deyi LUO ; Hong LI ; Kunjie WANG
Chinese Medical Journal 2023;136(1):117-119
8.Construction of EF-G knockdown strain of Mycobacterium smegmatis and drug resistance analysis.
Yuchang DI ; Jiacheng BAI ; Mingzhe CHI ; Weixing FAN ; Xuelian ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Biotechnology 2022;38(3):1050-1060
As the only translational factor that plays a critical role in two translational processes (elongation and ribosome regeneration), GTPase elongation factor G (EF-G) is a potential target for antimicrobial agents. Both Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis have two EF-G homologous coding genes, MsmEFG1 (MSMEG_1400) and MsmEFG2 (MSMEG_6535), fusA1 (Rv0684) and fusA2 (Rv0120c), respectively. MsmEFG1 (MSMEG_1400) and fusA1 (Rv0684) were identified as essential genes for bacterial growth by gene mutation library and bioinformatic analysis. To investigate the biological function and characteristics of EF-G in mycobacterium, two induced EF-G knockdown strains (Msm-ΔEFG1(KD) and Msm-ΔEFG2(KD)) from Mycobacterium smegmatis were constructed by clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats interference (CRISPRi) technique. EF-G2 knockdown had no effect on bacterial growth, while EF-G1 knockdown significantly retarded the growth of mycobacterium, weakened the film-forming ability, changed the colony morphology, and increased the length of mycobacterium. It was speculated that EF-G might be involved in the division of bacteria. Minimal inhibitory concentration assay showed that inhibition of EF-G1 expression enhanced the sensitivity of mycobacterium to rifampicin, isoniazid, erythromycin, fucidic acid, capreomycin and other antibacterial agents, suggesting that EF-G1 might be a potential target for screening anti-tuberculosis drugs in the future.
Antitubercular Agents/pharmacology*
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Bacterial Proteins/metabolism*
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Drug Resistance
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Mycobacterium smegmatis/metabolism*
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Peptide Elongation Factor G/pharmacology*
9.Study on the EEG functional brain connectivity characteristics of college students with depression.
An-Di LIANG ; Yan ZHANG ; Yue ZHANG ; Xiao-Dan NIU ; Ai-Ping CHI
Acta Physiologica Sinica 2022;74(4):574-584
The aim of the present study was to explore the changes in some functional connectivity in the resting-state electroencephalogram (EEG) based functional brain network of depressed college students, and to understand the brain regions involved in the onset of depression and the electrophysiological activity of subcortical nerve cells, hoping to provide additional information for the diagnosis of depression. Twenty female college students with depressive symptoms were selected according to the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and the Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS). The EEG information of 20 female college students under resting-state was collected by using a 32-conduction EEG acquisition system (Neuroscan). Then Pearson correlation analysis, coherence analysis, phase locking value analysis, phase lag index analysis and weighted phase lag index analysis were used to construct the resting-state brain functional network. The results showed that, compared with the normal group, the depression group exhibited significantly increased correlation in θ and β bands of EEG (P < 0.05), and extremely significantly increased in α band (P < 0.01). Among them, the coherence in α and β bands was significantly increased (P < 0.05), mainly concentrated in the left hemisphere frontal lobe and temporal lobe region. The phase locking value in θ, α and β bands was significantly increased (P < 0.05), mainly concentrated in the prefrontal region and the left hemisphere from the frontal region to the temporal region, and the connectivity in α band was the most obvious. Correlation analysis showed a significant positive correlation between indicators of differential functional connectivity (coherence and phase locking value) and BDI-II scores in the depression group, and the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve indicated a high specificity of 85% for the differential indicators. These results suggest that the abnormal brain function of the depressed college students is related to the change of functional connectivity in the left hemisphere, especially α frequency band in the frontal region, which is of great significance for the diagnosis of depression in the future.
Brain/physiology*
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Brain Mapping/methods*
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Depression
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Electroencephalography
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Female
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Humans
;
Students
10.The comparison of survival between active surveillance or watchful waiting and focal laser ablation in patients with low-risk prostate cancer.
Jia-Kun LI ; Chi-Chen ZHANG ; Shi QIU ; Kun JIN ; Bo-Yu CAI ; Qi-Ming YUAN ; Xing-Yu XIONG ; Lian-Sha TANG ; Di JIN ; Xiang-Hong ZHOU ; Yi-Ge BAO ; Lu YANG ; Qiang WEI
Asian Journal of Andrology 2022;24(5):494-499
Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second-most common cancer among men. Both active surveillance or watchful waiting (AS/WW) and focal laser ablation (FLA) can avoid the complications caused by radical treatment. How to make the choice between these options in clinical practice needs further study. Therefore, this study aims to compare and analyze their effects based on overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) to obtain better long-term benefits. We included patients with low-risk PCa from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database of 2010-2016. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard analyses were conducted for OS and CSS in the two groups. To eliminate bias, this study applied a series of sensitivity analyses. Moreover, Kaplan-Meier curves were plotted to obtain survival status. A total of 18 841 patients with low-risk PCa were included, with a median of 36-month follow-up. According to the multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression, the FLA group presented inferior survival benefits in OS than the AS/WW group (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.13, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.37-3.33, P < 0.05). After adjusting for confounders, the result persisted (HR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.02-2.81, P < 0.05). According to the results of the sensitivity analysis, the inverse probability of the treatment weighing model indicated the same result in OS. In conclusion, AS/WW and FLA have the advantage of fewer side effects and the benefit of avoiding overtreatment compared with standard treatment. Our study suggested that AS/WW provides more survival benefits for patients with low-risk PCa. More relevant researches and data will be needed for further clarity.
Humans
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Laser Therapy
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Male
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Proportional Hazards Models
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Prostatectomy
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Prostatic Neoplasms
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Risk
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Watchful Waiting

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