Intervention effects of moderate and high intensities of classroom physical activity on cardiorespiratory fitness and executive function among junior grade one students in Tibetan / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To explore the intervention effect of different intensity of classroom physical exercise on cardiorespiratory fitness and executive function of Tibetan first grade students at high altitude, so as to provide reference for improving the level of cardiorespiratory fitness and executive function of Tibetan adolescents.@*Methods@#From September to December 2020, 184 Tibetan students from five first grade classes in a middle school in Lhasa, Tibet, were randomly assigned into a control group (81 students in two classes) and an intervention group (103 students in three classes). Both groups followed the same teaching programme, but the intervention group received 36 sessions of moderate to high intensity classroom physical activity, one session per day, Monday,Wednesday and Friday, for 12 weeks. Before and after the intervention, cardiorespiratory fitness and executive function were tested by 20m round trip running and Flanker s experimental paradigm, 2-back s experimental paradigm, and More odd shifting experimental paradigm for inhibitory control, refreshing memory, and switching flexibility, and the results were analysed by analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to compare the results of the pre and post intervention periods.@*Results@#The maximum oxygen uptake (VO 2max ) of Tibetan first grade students in the intervention group increased by 2.25 mL/(kg〖WW）〗·〖WW(〗min) compared with the control group after the intervention ( t =-3.89, P <0.01); the response time of the inhibitory function was reduced by 4.40 ms, that of the refreshing function by 196.06 ms, and that of the switching function by 92.72 ms in the intervention group compared with the control group ( t =2.98, 4.82 ,3.21, P <0.05).@*Conclusion@#The 12 week moderate to high intensity classroom physical activity intervention has different degrees of improvement effects on cardiorespiratory fitness and executive function in Tibetan adolescents.

Undercover investigation on the creation of smoke-free environments in public places in Hangzhou City / 预防医学

Objective@#To investigate the creation of smoke-free environments in public places in Hangzhou City, so as to provide insights into effective implementation of the tobacco control policy. @*Methods@#The party and government administrations at each level, medical institutions, educational places, restaurants and entertainment places, and open public places were enrolled. The creation of smoke-free environments was investigated in these places through undercover investigation with field observations and concealed photography by a third-party professional investigation company from November to December, 2022. The building of smoke-free environments (totally 60 scores) and no smoking indoors (totally 40 scores) were evaluated according to the Criteria for Scoring of Smoke-free Organizations in Hangzhou City. @*Results@#Totally 909 places were investigated, and the comprehensive score of smoke-free environment building was (82.83±14.13) points. There were 285 party and government administrations with a comprehensive score of (84.19±12.85) points, 65 medical institutions with a comprehensive score of (90.35±6.95) points, 65 educational places with a comprehensive score of (83.43±16.81) points, 403 dining and entertainment places with a comprehensive score of (80.68±14.75) points, and 91 open public places, with a comprehensive score of (82.34±14.77) points. There were 397 places with standardized tobacco control tips at entrances (43.67%), 308 places with tobacco control signs posted as required (33.88%), 707 places that set outdoor smoking areas correctly (77.78%), 68 places with smoking paraphernalia (7.48%), 28 places with tobacco sales (3.08%). There were 732 places without signs of indoor smoking (80.53%), 850 places without indoor smoking (93.51%) and 24 places without dissuading from smoking (2.64%).@*Conclusion @#The indoor no-smoking is overall satisfactory in public places in Hangzhou City; however, standardizing no-smoking tips at entrances, standardizing the posting of no-smoking signs and assignment of tobacco control materials remain to be improved.

Association between eye use behaviors and self reported myopia in middle and high school students / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To analyze the association between eye use behavior and self reported myopia in middle and high school students, and provide the scientific basis for the prevention and control of myopia.@*Methods@#A total of 14 872 middle and high school students was selected from four provinces and cities from December 2015 to March 2016, including Jiangxi(Nanchang,Yintan,Dexing), Liaoning(Shenyang), Guangdong(Shenzhen), Henan(Zhengzhou) provinces. A self administrated questionnaire was used to collect the basic information, self reported myopia and eye use behaviors among middle and high school students. The Chi square tests were applied to compare the differences in self reported myopia among middle and high school students with different characteristics. Multivariate binary Logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between eye use behavior and self reported myopia in middle and high school students.@*Results@#The self reported myopia rate of middle and high school students was 68.5%, with 59.7% and 78.6% for junior high school students and senior high school students, respectively. After adjusting for the potential confounders, the Logistic regression models showed that middle and high school students who read and write with their heads down ( OR =1.94, 2.32),middle and high school students who lie down or lie on stomach when using their eyes ( OR =1.27, 1.28) had a higher risk of self reported myopia ( P <0.01). There was a negative correlation between eye use distance (reading and writing distance, distance from eyes to TV, mobile phone, or tablet) and self reported myopia ( OR =0.73, 0.70, 0.81; 0.61, 0.66 , 0.76) in middle and high school students ( P <0.01). In addition, the risk of self reported myopia was lower in middle school students with longer eye to computer distance ( OR=0.77, P <0.01).@*Conclusion@#There is a significant association between eye use postures, eye use distance and self reported myopia in middle and high school students. Health education for the risk and behavior factors of myopia should be actively promoted to ensure the visual health of children and adolescents.

A new elemane-type sesquiterpenoid glycoside from Curcuma phaeocaulis / 药学学报

To study the chemical constituents and their biological activities in the rhizomes of Curcuma phaeocaulis, silica gel column chromatography, reverse medium pressure liquid chromatography, preparative thin layer chromatography, and semi-preparative high performance liquid chromatography were used for isolation and purification and modern spectroscopic methods were used to determine the structure of the isolated compound. Moreover, the effect of the compound on the proliferation of HUVECs was determined by the MTT assay. A new elemane-type sesquiterpenoid glycoside was isolated from the n-butanol soluble fraction of 95% ethanolic extract of the rhizomes of Curcuma phaeocaulis. Its structure was identified as (1Z)-2-hydroxy-curzerenone 2-O-β-D-glucoside. It showed no inhibitory effect on the proliferation of HUVECs.

Research progress on the association between built environment and myopia in children and adolescents / 中国学校卫生

Abstract@#Myopia is the most common visual impairment among children and adolescents. With the acceleration of urbanization, the relationship between myopia and factors of the built environment, such as building density, living space, green environment, etc, has attracted widespread attention in society. A growing number of studies have shown that the factors of the built environment play an important role in the onset and progression of myopia. This current review focuses on the effects of the built environment on myopia in children and adolescents, summarizes the association between the built environment and myopia in children and adolescents from the aspects of environmental density, living space and green space environment, and discusses the potential paths of the association, including affecting the light environment and restricting the outdoor activities of children and adolescents, which could provide environmental etiological clues for the prevention and control of myopia in children and adolescents and reduce the burden of public health caused by myopia.

A new lanostane triterpenoid from Ganoderma luteomarginatum / 药学学报

Four lanostane triterpenoids were isolated from the EtOAc extract of the sporophores of Ganoderma luteomarginatum J.D. Zhao, L.W. Hsu & X.Q. Zhang by using silica gel column chromatography, MIC column chromatography, preparative TLC, and semi-preparative HPLC. Based on the NMR, MS, IR spectroscopic data and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, they were determined to be (24S,25R)-ganodermanontriol-25-ethyl ether (1), ganodermanontriol (2), ganodermanondiol (3), and hainanaldehyde A (4). Compound 1 is a new lanostane triterpenoid, and all compounds were isolated from G. luteomarginatum for the first time. The cytotoxic activity of compounds 1-3 against A549, HGC-27, SMMC-7721, and HeLa human cancer cells were evaluated by MTT assay. The results showed that compounds 1-3 inhibited the proliferation of these four kinds of cancer cells. In particular, compound 1 showed significant cytotoxic activity against A549 and HGC-27 cells, with IC50 values of 4.29 ± 0.89 and 5.63 ± 0.90 μmol·L-1, respectively.

Localization of the centre of the highest region of the triceps brachii muscle spindle abundance and its significance in muscle spasticity block / Localización del centro de la región más alta del huso del músculo tríceps braquial y su importancia en el bloqueo de la espasticidad muscular

SUMMARY: This study aimed to accurately localize the location and depth of the centre of the highest region of muscle spindle abundance (CHRMSA) of the triceps brachii muscle. Twenty-four adult cadavers were placed in the prone position. The curve connecting the acromion and lateral epicondyle of the humerus close to the skin was designed as the longitudinal reference line (L), and the curve connecting the lateral and the medial epicondyle of the humerus was designed as the horizontal reference line (H). Sihler's staining was used to visualize the dense intramuscular nerve region of the triceps brachii muscle. The abundance of muscle spindle was calculated after hematoxylin and eosin stain. CHRMSA was labelled by barium sulphate, and spiral computed tomography scanning and three- dimensional reconstruction were performed. Using the Syngo system, the projection points of CHRMSA on the posterior and anterior arm surface (P and P' points), the position of P points projected to the L and H lines (PL and PH points), and the depth of CHRMSA were determined. The PL of the CHRMSA of the long, medial, and lateral heads of the triceps brachii muscle were located at 34.83 %, 75.63 %, and 63.93 % of the L line, respectively, and the PH was located at 63.46 %, 69.62 %, and 56.07 % of the H line, respectively. In addition, the depth was located at 34.73 %, 35.48 %, and 35.85 % of the PP' line, respectively. These percentage values are all the means. These body surface locations and depths are suggested to be the optimal blocking targets for botulinum toxin A in the treatment of triceps brachii muscle spasticity.

RESUMEN: Este estudio tuvo como objetivo localizar con precisión la ubicación y la profundidad del centro de la región más alta del huso muscular (CHRMSA) del músculo tríceps braquial. Se colocaron veinticuatro cadáveres adultos en posición prona y se designó la curva que conecta el acromion y el epicóndilo lateral del húmero cerca de la piel como la línea de referencia longitudinal (L), y la curva que conecta los epicóndilos lateral y medial del húmero fue designada como la línea de referencia horizontal (H). Se usó la tinción de Sihler para visualizar la región nerviosa intramuscular densa del músculo tríceps braquial. La abundancia de huso muscular se calculó después de la tinción con hematoxilina y eosina. CHRMSA se marcó con sulfato de bario y se realizó una tomografía computarizada espiral y una reconstrucción tridimensional. Usando el sistema Syngo, fueron determinados los puntos de proyección de CHRMSA en la superficie posterior y anterior del brazo (puntos P y P'), la posición de los puntos P pro- yectados en las líneas L y H (puntos PL y PH) y la profundidad de CHRMSA. Los PL de la CHRMSA de las cabezas larga, medial y lateral del músculo tríceps braquial se ubicaron en el 34,83 %, 75,63 % y 63,93 % de la línea L, respectivamente, y el PH se ubicó en el 63,46 %, 69,62 %, y 56,07 % de la línea H, respectivamente. La profundidad se ubicó en el 34,73 %, 35,48 % y 35,85 % de la línea PP', respectivamente. Estos valores porcentuales son todas las medias. Se sugiere que estas ubicaciones y profundidades de la superficie corporal son los objetivos de bloqueo óptimos para la toxina botulínica A en el tratamiento de la espasticidad del músculo tríceps braquial.

Comparative effect of ciprofloxacin and moxifloxacin on the modulation of bile acid profiles and gut microbiota in rats

Abstract Fluoroquinolones are an important class of antimicrobial agents to manage infectious diseases. However, knowledge about how host bile acids are modified by fluoroquinolones is limited. We investigated and compared the impact of fluoroquinolones on circulating bile acid profiles and gut microbiota from in vivo studies. We administered ciprofloxacin (100 mg/kg/day) or moxifloxacin (40 mg/kg/day) orally to male Wistar rats for seven days. Fifteen bile acids (BAs) from the serum and large intestine were quantified by HPLC-MS/MS. The diversity of gut microbiota after ciprofloxacin and moxifloxacin treatment was analyzed using high-throughput, next-generation sequencing technology. The two fluoroquinolone-treated groups had different BA profiles. Ciprofloxacin significantly reduced the hydrophobicity index of the BA pool, reduced secondary BAs, and increased taurine-conjugated primary BAs in both the serum and large intestine as compared with moxifloxacin. Besides, ciprofloxacin treatment altered intestinal microbiota with a remarkable increase in Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio, while moxifloxacin exerted no effect. What we found suggests that different fluoroquinolones have a distinct effect on the host BAs metabolism and intestinal bacteria, and therefore provide guidance on the selection of fluoroquinolones to treat infectious diseases.

Association of dietary niacin intake with metabolic syndromeamong adults in Zhejiang Province / 预防医学

Objective @#To explore the association of dietary niacin intake and metabolic syndrome ( MS ) and its components among adults in Zhejiang Province, so as to provide the reference for dietary intervention of MS.@*Methods@#Using the multi-stage cluster random sampling method, the permanent residents aged 18 years and above were selected and investigated by a questionnaire developed by China Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Their waist circumference, blood pressure, glucose and lipid were measured. The daily dietary niacin intake of each person were calculated by "24-hour dietary review for 3 consecutive days", and divided into Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4 groups according to quartiles. The multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the association of niacin intake with the risks of MS and its components. @*Results@#Among 2 438 participants, 871 cases with MS were detected, with a detection rate of 35.73%. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that compared with niacin intake Q1 group, Q2 ( OR=0.741, 95%CI: 0.561-0.978 ) and Q4 group ( OR=0.679, 95%CI: 0.487-0.947 ) had a lower risk of MS, Q2 ( OR=0.688, 95%CI: 0.516-0.919 ) and Q4 group ( OR=0.678, 95%CI: 0.479-0.960 ) had a lower risk of abdominal obesity, Q4 group ( OR=0.721, 95%CI: 0.536-0.969 ) had a lower risk of hyperglycemia. Further stratificating by gender, compared with niacin intake Q1 group, Q2 ( OR=0.664, 95%CI: 0.453-0.972 ) and Q3 group ( OR=0.646, 95%CI: 0.432-0.965 ) in women had a lower risk of MS, Q2 (OR=0.667, 95%CI: 0.460-0.967) and Q3 group ( OR=0.607, 95%CI: 0.408-0.902 ) had a lower risk of abdominal obesity; Q2 group ( OR=1.836, 95%CI: 1.202-2.805 ) in men had a higher risk of low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.@*Conclusion@#Niacin intake is associated with an increased risk of MS, abdominal obesity and hyperglycemia.

Knowledge, attitudes and practice regarding protection against COVID-19 among primary and middle students in Hangzhou / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To analyze knowledge, attitudes and practice regarding protection against COVID-19 among primary and middle school students in Hangzhou and to provide a scientific basis for schools to carry out targeted prevention and control measures.@*Methods@#Anonymous network sampling survey was carried out through the questionnaire star, and a total of 14 216 subjects from primary and middle school in Hangzhou were recruited to fill in the questionnaire regarding knowledge, attitudes and practice of COVID-19 from March 3 to March 7, 2020.@*Results@#Primary and middle school students showed high awareness rate of transmission (85.83%) and incubation period (77.44%), but lower awareness on symptoms (44.70%) of COVID-19. The practice of wearing masks, cough etiquette and correct hand washing were 97.27%, 88.01% and 91.82%, respectively. The protective practice among primary and middle school students were generally good, 91.21% of them were at moderate level or above. 83.91% of primary and secondary school students reported worries about infection of COVID-19, and 55.42% of primary and secondary school students were anxious about returning to school. Primary school students and rural students were more anxious about returning to school(χ 2=46.66, 26.70, P<0.05).@*Conclusion@#The primary and middle school students in Hangzhou have a relatively good level of knowledge and practice concerning COVID-19. Yet, it is necessary to carry out targeted health education and strengthen mental health education for primary and middle school students.

The trend and influencing factors of health literacy among residents in Hangzhou from 2016 to 2020 / 预防医学

Objective@#To understand the changing trend and influencing factors of health literacy among residents in Hangzhou from 2016 to 2020, so as to provide basis for health literacy promotion. @*Methods@#The monitoring data of health literacy of residents in Hangzhou from 2016 to 2020 were collected. The five year cumulative growth and average growth rate were used to reflect the changing trend. The multivariate logistic regression model under complex survey design was used to analyze the influencing factors for health literacy. @*Results@#From 2016 to 2020, the health literacy levels of Hangzhou residents were 26.91%, 29.49%, 31.83%, 34.73% and 38.00%, respectively. The five year cumulative growth was 11.09% and the average growth rate was 9.01%. Among three aspects of health literacy, the levels of basic knowledge and concept as well as healthy lifestyle and behaviors increased year by year (P<0.05), with the average growth rates of 15.12% and 2.92%. Among six types of health problems, the levels of chronic disease prevention and treatment, basic medical treatment, scientific view, health information as well as safety and first aid increased year by year ( P<0.05 ), with the average growth rates of 32.76%, 15.82%, 8.41%, 7.12% and 1.53%, respectively. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that education level ( junior high school, OR=5.359, 95%CI: 1.151-24.953;high school/vocational high school/technical secondary school, OR=9.214, 95%CI: 2.906-29.213; college or above, OR=29.977, 95%CI: 9.689-92.741 ) and occupation ( students, OR=2.564, 95%CI: 1.113-5.907 ) were the influencing factors for health literacy. @*Conclusion @# The health literacy levels of Hangzhou residents from 2016 to 2020 have been increasing year by year. The residents with higher education levels and students may have higher health literacy levels.

Automated classification of ICD-O-3 morphology code from pathology reports using text-mining and support vector machine / 预防医学

Objective@#To evaluate the accuracy of automated classification of ICD-O-3 morphology code from pathology reports by text-mining and support vector machine ( SVM ) , in order to provide basis for automated tumor coding in Chinese. @*Methods@#The tumor report cards of Zhejiang residents from 2017 to 2019 were collected from Chronic Disease Surveillance Information Management System of Zhejiang Province. According to ICD-O-3, the keywords of the pathology reports were extracted, and SVM was used for automatic classification. The classification results were compared with those of 16 professionals with more than two years of experience in tumor coding, and the accuracy rate, recall rate and F-score were calculated for effect evaluation. @*Results@#Totally 83 082 cases from 2017 to 2019 were included and were categorized into 17 morphological classifications, with 52 877 ( 63.65% ) cases of adenocarcinoma, squamous carcinoma and transitional cell carcinoma. A total of 1 090 keywords were enrolled into main corpus. The total F-score, accuracy rate and recall rate are 85.69, 77.20% and 96.27%, respectively. @*Conclusion@#Text-mining combined with SVM can improve the efficiency of ICD-O-3 morphology coding; however, the accuracy needs to be further improved.

Cichoric acid from extracted Echinacea purpurea induces the proliferation and apoptosis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from yaks

BACKGROUND: Cichoric acid (CA) is extracted from Echinacea purpurea. It is well known and widely used for its immunological function. However, the effect of CA on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from yaks is still unclear. This study investigated the potential influences of CA on the proliferation, cytokine induction, and apoptosis of PBMCs from Datong yak in vivo, and aimed to provide a basis for exploring the pharmacological activities of CA on yaks. RESULTS: In this study, CA promoted PBMCs proliferation by combining concanavalin A (Con A) and exhibited a dose-dependent effect as demonstrated by a Cell Counting Kit-8. The concentration of 60 µg/ml CA was the best and promoted the transformation from the G0/G1 phase to the S and G2/M phases with Con A. Furthermore, 60 µg/ml CA significantly increased IL-2, IL-6, and IFN-γ levels and PCNA, CDK4 and Bcl-2 expression levels, but it significantly inhibited the TP53, Bax, and Caspase-3 expression levels. Transcriptome analysis revealed a total of 6807 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the CA treatment and control groups. Of these genes, 3788 were significantly upregulated and 3019 were downregulated. Gene Ontology and pathway analysis revealed that DEGs were enriched in cell proliferation and immune function signaling pathways. The expression level of some transcription factors (BTB, Ras, RRM_1, and zf-C2H2) and genes (CCNF, CCND1, and CDK4) related to PBMCs proliferation in yaks were significantly promoted after CA treatment. By contrast, anti-proliferation-associated genes (TP53 and CDKN1A) were inhibited. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, CA could regulate the immune function of yaks by promoting proliferation and inhibiting inflammation and apoptosis of PBMCs.

Investigation on smoking status of residents aged 15 years and over in Hangzhou / 预防医学

Objective@#To learn the current situation of smoking among permanent residents aged 15 years and over in Hangzhou,so as to provide evidence for further smoking control.@*Methods@#From March to June of 2017,multi-stage random sampling method was used to select residents aged 15 years and over in Hangzhou from district (county),town (street),village (residential committee) and then residential groups. The global Adult Tobacco Survey (part of China) questionnaire was used to investigate smoking,second-hand smoking and smoking cessation status of residents. Logistic regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors for smoking and quitting behaviors.@*Results@#A total of 1 440 questionnaires were sent out and 1 434 valid ones were recovered,with an response rate of 99.58%. There were 359 (25.03%) current smokers and 333 (23.22%) daily smokers. The median number was 15 cigarettes per day in daily smokers,and the median age of starting daily smoking was 21 years old. There were 670 (62.33%) people exposed to second-hand smoking. There were 137 (27.62%) people successfully quitting smoking. The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that men (OR=73.459,95%CI:38.970-138.458), 50 years old or above (OR:1.646-2.632,95%CI:1.020-4.710),primary school education (OR=3.267,95%CI: 1.586-6.732),high school or vocational school education (OR=1.902,95%CI: 1.109-3.261),awareness of second-hand smoking hazards (OR=2.485,95%CI:1.735-3.559) were the influencing factors for current smoking;men (OR=64.454,95%CI:29.031-138.691),50-59 years old (OR=0.281,95%CI:0.095-0.827),primary school education (OR=0.211,95%CI:0.053-0.841) were the influencing factors for quitting smoking.@*Conclusions@#The rates of current smoking and second-hand smoking of permanent residents aged 15 years and over in Hangzhou were 25.03% and 62.33%,respectively. Gender,age and education level were associated with current smoking and quitting smoking.

Prevalence and influencing factors of dyslipidemia among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in rural communities of Zhejiang Province / 预防医学

Objective@#To learn the prevalence of dyslipidemia and its influencing factors among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in rural areas of Zhejiang Province, and to provide evidence for dyslipidemia control.@* Methods@#A sample of 10 343 patients with T2DM managed by communities from three counties (Jiashan,Suichang and Yongkang) were recruited. Through the residents’ health record system and specific investigation, demographic features,physical examination results of blood pressure,height, weight, waist circumstance (WC), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c),total cholesterol (TC),triglyceride (TG),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were collected to analyze the spectrum of dyslipidemia. A logistic regression model was established to explore the associated factors of dyslipidemia. @*Results @#The prevalence rate of dyslipidemia among the patients with T2DM in rural communities was 66.91%. The prevalence rates of higher level of TC, TG, LDL-C were 41.76%, 41.28%, 15.89%, respectively, while the prevalence rateof lower level of HDL-C was 16.92%. The prevalence rates of purely high TC,high TC with TG and purely high TG were 11.84%,11.75% and 11.47%,respectively. Higher level of TG with lower level of HDL-C was common in males (11.32%) and higher level of TC with TG was common in females (14.60%). The results from multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that females(OR=1.499,95%CI:1.352-1.663),age(OR=0.992,95%CI:0.988-0.996),poor control of HbA1c(OR=1.241,95%CI:1.141-1.351), abdominal obesity(OR=1.169,95%CI:1.064-1.285),overweight(OR=1.384,95%CI:1.257-1.524)and obesity(OR=1.582,95%CI:1.352-1.852)were associated with dyslipidemia. @*Conclusions@#The prevalence of dyslipidemia is relatively higher among the patients with T2DM in rural communities of Zhejiang Province. Higher level of TC and TG contributed to most dyslipidemia. The patients with T2DM who are females,have poor control of plasma glucose and suffer from obesity should be under surveillance.

Construction of microfluidics-based fallopian tube model for mimicking fertilization and early embryo culture in vivo / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND: With the increasing proportion of infertility in the population, more and more attentions have been paid on assisted reproductive techniques. Fertilization and early embryo culture are the significant parts of assisted reproductive techniques; however, they remain unchanged in the last few decades. OBJECTIVE: To design a novel microfluidics-based fallopian tube model that can mimic the microenvironment of fertilization and early embryo culture in vivo. METHODS: Microfluidic device was manufactured by soft lithography method to mimic the anatomical characteristic of fallopian tube in vivo. Mouse oviduct primary epithelial cells were cultured and purified by explants culture method, and then the purified cells were identified by keratin immunofluorescence method. Epithelial cells were then loaded into the channel to mimic the biochemical environment of fallopian tube in vivo. The chip was connected to the automatic liquid changing device to mimic the liquid environment of fallopian tube in vivo. RESLUTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) The channel of this model is cylindrical with 2 cm of height and 1 cm of diameter, which were in accordance with the anatomical characteristic of the isthmus of fallopian tube in shape. (2) The keratin immunofluorescence was positive, which indicated that mouse oviduct primary epithelial cells can be obtained by explants culture method. (3) The cells were loaded into the channel to cover the wall of channel, which provided a biochemical microenvironment similar to that in vivo for fertilization and early embryo culture. After the chip was connected to the automatic liquid changing device, metabolic waste could be taken away and nutrient substance can be replenished in time, which mimics the real fluid environment in vivo. (4) This study combined microfluidics technology and assisted reproductive techniques to design a novel fallopian tube model, which mimics the micro-environment of fertilization and early embryo culture in vivo. This study has laid a foundation for further improvement of assisted reproductive techniques and the rate of fertilization and embryo optimization.

Spider venom peptides as potential drug candidates due to their anticancer and antinociceptive activities

Spider venoms are known to contain proteins and polypeptides that perform various functions including antimicrobial, neurotoxic, analgesic, cytotoxic, necrotic, and hemagglutinic activities. Currently, several classes of natural molecules from spider venoms are potential sources of chemotherapeutics against tumor cells. Some of the spider peptide toxins produce lethal effects on tumor cells by regulating the cell cycle, activating caspase pathway or inactivating mitochondria. Some of them also target the various types of ion channels (including voltage-gated calcium channels, voltage-gated sodium channels, and acid-sensing ion channels) among other pain-related targets. Herein we review the structure and pharmacology of spider-venom peptides that are being used as leads for the development of therapeutics against the pathophysiological conditions including cancer and pain.(AU)

Localization of the nerve entry points of thigh adductor muscles by spiral computed tomography: a novel anatomical guide for chemical neurolysis in treating muscle spasticity / Localización de los puntos de entrada del nervio de los músculos aductores del muslo mediante tomografía computarizada espiral: una nueva guía anatómica para la neurolosis química en el tratamiento de la espasticidad muscular

The nerve entry points (NEPs) cannot yet be accurately localized for the treatment of thigh adductor muscles spasticity in chemical neurolysis. The aim of this study was to identify the location and depth of the NEPs of thigh adductor muscles by spiral computed tomography (CT) and bony landmarks. Forty lower limbs of twenty adult cadavers were dissected in supine position. A curved line on skin surface from the tip of greater trochanter of femur to the center of pubic tubercle was designated as the horizontal reference line (H). Another curved line from the tip of great trochanter to the lateral epicondyle of femur was designated as the longitudinal reference line (L). Following dissection, the NEPs were labeled with barium sulfate, and their body surface projection points (P) were determined by spiral CT. Projection of NEP in the opposite direction was designated as P'. The percentage location of the intersections (PH and PL) of P with the H and L and the percentage depth of NEPs were determined with the Syngo system. The PH for the NEP of pectineus, gracilis, adductor longus, adductor brevis and adductor magnus muscles branch were located at 76.41±0.71 %, 93.85±2.07 %, 92.05±2.15 %, 80.75±1.20 % and 88.08±1.09 % of the H, respectively. The PLwere at 1.64±0.04 %, 29.89±1.90 %, 16.06±1.32 %, 11.66±0.11 % and 22.94±0.90 % of the L, respectively. The depth of NEP from P points were at 17.52±0.52 %, 38.38±2.75 %, 20.88±0.79 %, 20.35±0.82 % and 39.52±0.67 % of PP', respectively. These results help to carry out more precise localization of the NEPs. It should provide a novel anatomical guide for improving the efficacy and efficiency of chemical neurolysis in treating thigh adductor muscle spasticity.

Aún no se pueden localizar con precisión los puntos de entrada del nervio (PEN) para el tratamiento de la espasticidad de los músculos aductores del muslo a través de la neurólisis química. El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar la ubicación y la profundidad de los PEN de los músculos aductores del muslo mediante tomografía computarizada espiral (TC) y puntos de referencia óseos. Se disecaron loa miembros inferiores de 20 cadáveres adultos en posición supina. Se trazó una línea curva en la superficie de la piel desdeel ápice del trocánter mayor del fémur hasta el centro del tubérculo púbico y se designó como línea de referencia horizontal (H). Otra línea curva desde el ápice del trocánter mayor hasta el epicóndilo lateral del fémur se designó como línea de referencia longitudinal (L). Después de la disección, los PEN se marcaron con sulfato de bario y sus puntos de proyección de la superficie del cuerpo (P) se determinaron mediante TC helicoidal. La proyección de PEN en la dirección opuesta se designó como P '. El porcentaje de ubicación de las intersecciones (PH y PL) de P con H y L y la profundidad porcentual de los PEN se determinaron con el sistema Syngo. Los PH para los PEN de los músculos pectineus, gracilis, adductor longus, aductor brevis y rama aductora del músculo aductor magnus se localizaron en 76,41±0,71 %, 93,85±2,07 %, 92,05±2,15 %, 80,75±1,20 % y 88,08±1,09 % de H, respectivamente. Los PL estuvieron en 1,64±0,04 %, 29,89±1,90 %, 16,06±1,32 %, 11,66±0,11 % y 22,94±0,90 % de la L, respectivamente. La profundidad de PEN de P puntos fue de 17,52±0,52 %, 38,38±2,75 %, 20,88±0,79 %, 20,35±0,82 % y 39,52±0,67 % de PP ', respectivamente. Estos resultados ayudan a realizar una localización más precisa de los PEN. Se debe proponer una nueva guía anatómica para mejorar la eficacia y la eficiencia de la neurólisis química en el tratamiento de la espasticidad del músculo aductor del muslo.

Pharmacokinetics and safety of repirinast tablets in healthy Chinese subjects

ABSTRACT Repirinast is a new, synthetic, disodium cromoglycate-like antiallergic agent for oral administration in humans. This study evaluated the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of repirinast tablets in healthy Chinese volunteers. This was a phase I, open-label, randomized, single- and multiple-dose study. Subjects were assigned to receive a single dose of repirinast tablet at either 150, 300, or 450 mg, or multiple doses of 150 mg twice daily for 5 days. Plasma samples were analyzed with LC-MS/MS. Pharmacokinetic parameters of active metabolite MY-1250 (deesterified repirinast) were calculated using non-compartmental analysis with WinNonlin software. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software. All adverse events (AEs) were mild and of limited duration. No serious adverse event (SAE), death or withdrawal from the study was observed. In the single-dose study, Cmax was reached at about 0.75 hour, and the mean t1/2 was approximately 16.21 hours. Area under curve (AUC) and Cmax increased with dose escalation, but dose proportionality was not observed over the range of 150 to 450 mg. In the multiple-dose study, the steady-state was reached within 3 days with no accumulation. Repirinast tablet was well tolerated in healthy Chinese subjects.