Chinese expert consensus on imaging diagnosis of drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the major infectious diseases in the world with a high incidence rate. Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) is a key and difficult challenge in the prevention and treatment of TB. Early, rapid, and accurate diagnosis of DR-TB is essential for selecting appropriate and personalized treatment and is an important means of reducing disease transmission and mortality. In recent years, imaging diagnosis of DR-TB has developed rapidly, but there is a lack of consistent understanding. To this end, the Infectious Disease Imaging Group, Infectious Disease Branch, Chinese Research Hospital Association; Infectious Diseases Group of Chinese Medical Association of Radiology; Digital Health Committee of China Association for the Promotion of Science and Technology Industrialization, and other organizations, formed a group of TB experts across China. The conglomerate then considered the Chinese and international diagnosis and treatment status of DR-TB, China's clinical practice, and evidence-based medicine on the methodological requirements of guidelines and standards. After repeated discussion, the expert consensus of imaging diagnosis of DR-PB was proposed. This consensus includes clinical diagnosis and classification of DR-TB, selection of etiology and imaging examination [mainly X-ray and computed tomography (CT)], imaging manifestations, diagnosis, and differential diagnosis. This expert consensus is expected to improve the understanding of the imaging changes of DR-TB, as a starting point for timely detection of suspected DR-TB patients, and can effectively improve the efficiency of clinical diagnosis and achieve the purpose of early diagnosis and treatment of DR-TB.

Engineering of Peglayted Camptothecin Into Nanomicelles and Supramolecular Hydrogels for Pesticide Combination Control.

As a famous quinoline alkaloid, camptothecin (CPT) presented the significant anti-tumor activity, as well as the interesting insecticidal activities, but the low solubility, poor hydrophobicity and cuticular penetration of CPT have been severely limited the field application. In this study, we conjugated the camptothecin with polyethylene glycol, forming amphiphilic copolymer, mPEG-CPT, which could be self-assembled into micelles, or formed a hydrogel with α-CD by super-cross-linking to combine delivery with acetamiprid or nitenpyram. Results showed that the nitenpyram or acetamiprid loaded hydrogels showed dual phase release behavior, while the micelles displayed a synchronous and fast release profile. Moreover, these four nanopesticides showed potent or superior insecticidal activities and a synergetic effect against Brevicoryne brassicae, Tetranychus cinnabarinus, and Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. This finding indicated that micelles and hydrogels could be used as effective carriers for pesticide combination control.

Anti-parasitic effects of water-soluble alkaloid fractions from ethanolic extracts of Sophora moorcroftiana seeds in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Parasite infections of humans and animals remain a major global health problem, with limited choice of drugs being available to the treatment of parasitosis in the clinic. Sophora moorcroftiana (S. moorcroftiana) is a shrub that grows in Tibet Plateau of China. Decoction of the seeds has been used as a traditional Tibetan medicine to treat parasitosis for years. But the anti-parasitic effects of water-soluble fractions in the seeds need further investigation. In the present study, the water-soluble alkaloid fractions (E2) were obtained from S. moorcroftiana seeds by refluxing extraction with 60% ethanol and low polarity fraction (E2-a) and high polarity fraction (E2-b) were subsequently isolated from E2 using column chromatography. As a parasite model, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) were treated with different fractions and their survivals were recorded. The results showed that that E2-a induced a lower survival rate in C. elegans than E2-b and E2. The protoscoleces of Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus) were cultured in the presence of E2-a. Compared with E2-b and E2, protoscoleces exhibited decreased survival rate following E2-a treatment. Furtherly, the effects of E2-a on the behavior, brood size, and lifespan of the worms were investigated. Body bend frequencies of the worms treated with the high concentration of E2-a were reduced by two-thirds compared with the control group (P < 0.01). Compared with non-E2-a-treated group, exposure of nematodes to E2-a led to a decrease in head thrashes and pharyngeal pumps frequency (P < 0.01). E2-a treatment resulted in a significantly lower brood size (P < 0.01). Additional E2-a treatment induced a significantly shortened lifespan, compared with the control (P < 0.05). These findings indicated that water-soluble fraction E2-a from S. moorcroftiana seeds was a potential helminthic agent.

[Effectiveness of different maintenance methods for codonopsis radix].

OBJECTIVE: To observe different maintenance methods including vacuum-packing, storage together with tobacco, storage together with fennel, ethanol steam and sulfur fumigation for the protection of Codonopsis Radix against mildew and insect damage, and to analyze the content of polysaccharide and flavonoids of Codonopsis Radix tested in this studies, so as to look for the scientific maintenance methods replacing traditional sulfur fumigation. METHODS: Except for the sulfur fumigation, naturally air-dried Codonopsis Radix was used to investigate the maintenance effectiveness of the above methods, respectively. Mildew was observed by visual inspection, and the content of polysaccharide and flavonoids were determined by ultra-violet and visible spectrophotometer. Comprehensive evaluation was given based on the results of the different maintenance methods. RESULTS: Low-temperature vacuum-packing, ambient-temperature vacuum-packing and sulfur fumigation could keep Codonopsis Radix from mildew and insect damage for one year, but ambient-temperature vacuum-packing showed flatulent phenomenon; ethanol steam could keep Codonopsis Radix from mildew and insects for over half a year; storage together with tobacco or fennel did not have maintenance effect. The difference of polysaccharide and flavonoids contents of all tested Codonopsis Radix was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Low temperature vacuum-packing maintenance can replace traditional sulfur fumigation, and it can maintain the quality of Codonopsis Radix to a certain extent.

[Effect of Codonopsis Radix maintained with sulfur fumigation on immune function in mice].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the immune function of mice being given the extract of Codonopsis Radix maintained with sulfur fumigation. METHODS: Mice were divided into five groups. Except the normal control group, the mice were fed with the extract of Codonopsis Radix maintained with sulfur fumigation at the high,medium and low doses, as well as medium dose of Codonopsis Radix maintained with low-temperature vacuum method, respectively. Mice were treated once a day for 10 continuous days. Weight change,organ indexes, blood cell indices, macrophage phagocytic function, and IL-2 and IFN-γ levels were measured. RESULTS: Compared with normal control group, Codonopsis Radix maintained with sulfur fumigation at medium and high doses inhibited body weight increase of mice; white blood cell count of high dose group was significantly increased; significant increase of macrophage phagocytosis were observed for all groups except the normal control group; and spleen index and IFN-γ level of Codonopsis Radix maintained with sulfur fumigation medium dose group were increased significantly. CONCLUSION: Codonopsis Radix maintained with sulfur fumigation can promote mouse immune function to a certain degree. There was no difference in immune effect between Codonopsis Radix maintained with sulfur fumigation and low-temperature vacuum method during experimental period. However,taking the extract of Codonopsis Radix maintained with sulfur fumigation can exert negative effect on appetite and body weight in mice.

Preparation of isoliquiritigenin-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier and the in vivo evaluation in tumor-bearing mice.

Isoliquiritigenin-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier (ISL-NLC) was constructed and characterized. In vivo antitumor efficacy and immuno-modulation effects of ISL-NLC were evaluated in sarcoma 180 (S180)-bearing and murine hepatoma 22 (H22)-bearing mice model through intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration. The ISL-NLC biodistribution was also investigated in H22-bearing mice. Results demonstrated that the ISL-NLC had a spherical shape with a mean size of (160.73 ± 6.08) nm and encapsulation efficiency of (96.74 ± 1.81)%. ISL released from the nanoparticles was in a sustained manner with an initial burst release. ISL-NLC significantly inhibit tumor growth at 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg levels, and inhibition rates were 75.70%, 82.27% and 83.90% in the S180-bearing mice and 71.49%, 81.11% and 85.62% in the H22-bearing mice, respectively. The biodistribution study showed that ISL concentration of ISL-NLC in tumor is higher 2.5-fold than ISL suspension. The elimination half-life (t1/2), area under the curve (AUC) and the mean residence times (MRTs) of the ISL-NLC was much longer than that of the ISL suspension. As a whole, anticancer effect of ISL encapsulated in NLC was superior to ISL in suspension on H22-bearing and S180-bearing mice at the same dose and was a dose-dependent way, and ISL-NLC improved immunity of ISL. It can be inferred that nanostructured lipid carriers are a promising carrier for cancer therapy using ISL.

[Polymorphism of Usp26 correlates with idiopathic male infertility].

OBJECTIVE: To study the correlation of nucleotide polymorphism in the ubiquitin-specific protease 26 (Usp26) gene with idiopathic male infertility and its action mechanism in spermatogenesis. METHODS: Based on the WHO criteria (4th ed.), we selected 41 patients with idiopathic infertility from 150 infertile males, and enlisted 50 normal fertile men as controls. We examined the selected patients for mutations using polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analysis, and determined how and where the mutations occurred by gene sequencing. RESULTS: Low sperm concentration and poor sperm motility were found in the 41 men with idiopathic infertility. Nine (22.0%) of them exhibited changes in the Usp26 gene (P = 0.01), including compound mutations of 364insACA and 460G > A in 8 (19.5%, P = 0.01) and 1 044T > A substitution in 1 (2.4%, P > 0.05). The above three variations led to changes in the coding amino acids. No other changes were found in the remaining patients and normal fertile controls. CONCLUSION: The nucleotide polymorphisms of the Usp26 gene might be closely related with idiopathic male infertility, and exert negative effect on the testis function.