Effectiveness and safety of Jiawei Xiaoyao pill in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome (liver depression, spleen deficiency, and blood-heat syndrome): a multi-center, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness and safety of Jiawei Xiaoyao pill (，JXP) in the treatment of symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS). METHODS: A total of 144 regularly menstruating women with PMS were recruited at 8 sites in China from August 2017 to December 2018, and randomized to receive either a JXP or a matching placebo (12 g/d, 6 g twice a day) for 3 menstrual cycles. The primary indicator was the reduced Daily Record of Severity of Problems (DRSP) scores in the luteal phase after 3 months of treatment. The safety outcomes included clinical adverse events (AEs), adverse reactions (ARs), changes in vital signs, and laboratory tests. RESULTS: JXP surpassed the placebo in reducing DRSP scores (psychological/somatic dysfunction) in the luteal phase over 3 menstrual cycles of treatment (PFAS = 0.002, PPPS = 0.001). Additionally, there were no significant differences in the incidence of AEs, severe AEs, withdrawal due to AEs and ARs between the two groups (all P > 0.05), and no clinically significant adverse medical events related to the test drug observed. CONCLUSIONS: JXP was superior to the placebo in relieving the symptoms associated with PMS, which signified that JXP may be effective, safe, and well-tolerated as an alternative therapy.

"Still on the Fence": A Mixed Methods Investigation of COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence Among Health Care Providers.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence of disparities in COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among health care providers. The purpose of this study was to examine confidence receiving and recommending COVID-19 vaccines by health care provider type and race/ethnicity. METHODS: This mixed methods study involved a cross-sectional survey and qualitative, semi-structured interviews from March to May 2021 among a sample of physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, and pharmacists. These workers were recruited through voluntary response sampling from an integrated health system in Southern California. The primary dependent variables were (a) confidence in vaccine safety, (b) confidence in vaccine effectiveness, and (c) intent to recommend the vaccine to others. The primary independent variables were health care provider type and race/ethnicity. FINDINGS: A total of 2,948 providers completed the survey. Nurses relative to physicians were 15% less likely to perceive the COVID-19 vaccine to be safe (risk ratio [RR] = 0.85; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.83-0.87); 27% less likely to perceive the vaccine to prevent COVID-19 (RR = 0.73; 95% CI = 0.69-0.76); and 11% less likely to recommend the vaccine to others (RR = 0.89; 95% CI = 0.87-0.91). Hispanic/Latinx providers were 10% less likely to perceive the vaccine to prevent COVID-19 (RR = 0.90; 95% CI = 0.83-0.98) relative to White providers. Qualitative themes included: No need for vaccine; distrusting vaccine research and roll-out; caretaking barriers; uncertainty and potential to change one's mind; framing vaccine decisions around personal beliefs. CONCLUSIONS & APPLICATION TO PRACTICE: Health care workplaces should consider interventions to increase COVID-19 vaccination among their workers, including education and mandatory vaccination policies.

[Comparison between charged aerosol detector and evaporative light scattering detector for analysis of sugar in Zhusheyong Yiqi Fumai and study on accuracy of methods].

Evaporative light scattering detector(ELSD) and charged aerosol detector(CAD) methods were established in this study for the content determination of four kinds of sugars in Zhusheyong Yiqi Fumai(YQFM), and the factors affecting the accuracy of CAD methods were discussed. HPLC-ELSD chromatographic separation was performed on a Shodex Asahipak NH2 P-50 column with acetonitrile-water(75∶25)as the mobile phase, with a flow rate of 0.8 mL·min~(-1), drift tube temperature of 80 ℃. The analysis by HPLC-CAD was performed on the same column with acetonitrile-water as mobile phase for gradient elution, with a flow rate of 0.8 mL·min~(-1), a neb temperature of 45 ℃, and power function(PF) of 1.3. The samples of YQFM were detected by ELSD and CAD respectively. It was found that YQFM was composed of fructose, glucose, sucrose and maltose. The linear relationship of the two methods was good, and the recoveries, reproducibility and stability of these four kinds of sugars measured by the two methods satisfied the requirements of methodology. Both CAD and ELSD detectors were accurate and reliable in detecting saccharides components in YQFM. In addition, it was revealed in this study for the first time that the PF parameter of CAD had an important influence on the accuracy of sugar determination and acted as the key parameter of CAD method. It was also found that for CAD, a non-linear detector, there was no significant difference between the results of linear regression and logarithmic regression.

[Development of enzyme linked immunosorbent assay of aflatoxin of Chinese herbal medicines].

The enzyme linked immunosorbent assay of aflatoxin has been adopted in Chinese Pharmacopoeia(2020 edition). Based on high-throughput screening of monoclonal antibodies technology, monoclonal antibodies that can specifically recognize the aflatoxin B_1 and the total amount of aflatoxin B_1, B_2, G_1, and G_2 in Chinese herbal medicines were prepared. By optimizing the concentration of coating antibody, enzyme-labeled antigen, and the reaction system of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) were developed for detection of aflatoxins in Chinese herbal medicines, decoction pieces, and preparation of Chinese medicine. In this method, the recovery test of actual samples is 60%-120%, and the relative standard deviation is less than 15%. In addition, in view of the complicated and expensive pretreatment methods for the determination of aflatoxin in Chinese herbal medicine, we developed a highly efficient pretreatment method of liquid-liquid extraction of aflatoxin in Chinese herbal medicine without immunoaffinity column. As an effective method for the detection of aflatoxin, the ELISA can effectively reduce the aflatoxins testing cost of traditional Chinese medicine, and promote the detection ability at earlier stages of production, and strengthen the quality supervision of traditional Chinese medicine.

Cardiocerebral protective effects of dexmedetomidine as anesthetic in colorectal cancer surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the cardiocerebral protective effect of dexmedetomidine as an anesthetic in colorectal cancer surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 246 colorectal cancer patients were enrolled in this retrospective analysis. Those patients were admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University and underwent surgery from July 2014 to July 2016. The patients were divided into observation group and control group according to the anesthetic used in surgery. The conventional anesthetic was administered to patients in control group, whereas conventional anesthetic supplemented with dexmedetomidine was administered to patients in the observation group. The heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), jugular venous oxygen saturation (Sj-vO2), cerebral oxygen extraction ratio (ERO2), and cerebral arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) were recorded before dexmedetomidine administration (T0), 30 min after start of surgery (T1), and 2 h after surgery (T2). Central venous blood (4 ml) was withdrawn 6 hours and 24 hours after surgery. Following centrifugation, the serum was collected and stored at -70°C. After collection of all the blood samples, concentrations of creatine kinase (CK-MB), troponin I (cTnI), TNF-α and S100ß in serum were measured using ELISA, and differences between the two groups were compared. RESULTS: Differences of the parameters measured at T0 were not statistically significant between observation group and control group (p>0.05), whereas the parameters measured at T1 and T2 were significantly better in the observation group than those in the control group (p<0.05). The post-surgery blood test showed that indicators of cardiocerebral hemodynamics were better in the observation group than those in the control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Administration of dexmedetomidine in colorectal cancer surgery can provide effective cardiocerebral protection and it is worth popularizing in clinical practice.

A functional single-nucleotide polymorphism in the ERCC1 gene alters the efficacy of narrowband ultraviolet B therapy in patients with active vitiligo in a Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: T lymphocytes have been shown to cause the destruction of melanocytes in vitiligo pathogenesis. Narrowband ultraviolet B (NB-UVB), as an effective therapeutic strategy in vitiligo, can lead to the formation of DNA photoproducts such as cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) in perilesional lymphocytes and thus induce skin immunosuppression. The repair of DNA photoproducts is performed mainly through the nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway. We hypothesized that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in NER genes might influence the repair capacity of CPDs and thus contribute to variations in phototherapy efficiency. OBJECTIVES: To detect genetic polymorphisms in NER genes and their relationship with the efficacy of NB-UVB therapy in patients with active vitiligo. METHODS: We investigated the association of NER SNPs (XPA A23G, XPC Ci11A, XPC C2919A and ERCC1 C118T) with phototherapy efficacy in 86 patients with vitiligo who received NB-UVB treatment. Furthermore, we examined the impact of ERCC1 C118T on the apoptosis of T lymphocytes and CPD accumulation after NB-UVB irradiation. RESULTS: We found that patients with vitiligo with the ERCC1 codon 118 CC genotype showed better efficacy after NB-UVB irradiation than those with the ERCC1 118 TT and CT genotypes, whereas no such association was documented among the genotypes of XPA A23G, XPC Ci11A or XPC C2919A. Additionally, the apoptosis rates and CPD levels of lymphocytes after NB-UVB irradiation in patients with the ERCC1 118 CC genotype were significantly higher than those in patients with the ERCC1 118 TT and CT genotypes. CONCLUSIONS: The ERCC1 118 CC genotype confers better efficacy of NB-UVB therapy in patients with active vitiligo.

Separation of oil/water emulsion using nano-particle (TiO(2)/Al(2)O(3)) modified PVDF ultrafiltration membranes and evaluation of fouling mechanism.

In the present study, nano-sized TiO(2)/Al(2)O(3) modified polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes (MM) were fabricated and then utilized for oil/water emulsion separation. The results showed that, compared with PVDF membrane (OM), the contact angle of MM decreased and hydrophilicity increased. The ultrafiltration (UF) of oil in water emulsions with transmembrane pressure (TMP) increasing results in a sharp fall in relative flux with time. The cake filtration models did not always predict the performance over the complete range of filtration times very well. In the initial 30 min, all the four cake models can simulate this UF process to a certain extent, and the suitability was: cake filtration > intermediate pore blocking > standard pore blocking > complete pore blocking models. However, they were no longer adapted well with UF time extent to 60 min, but only cake filtration (R(2) = 0.9535) maintained a high adaptability. Surface and cross-sectional morphology of the membrane was investigated by SEM to make an advanced certificate of this UF mechanism.

Optimization of complex conditions by response surface methodology for APAM-oil/water emulsion removal from aqua solutions using nano-sized TiO2/Al2O3 PVDF ultrafiltration membrane.

This paper studies the cumulative effect of various parameters, namely anionic polyacrylamide (APAM) concentration, oil concentration, pH, trans-membrane pressure (TMP), and total dissolved solid (TDS), and obtains optimal parameters for the minimum relative flux (J/J(0)) declining in aqueous solutions with response surface methodology (RSM). In order to analyze the mutual interaction and optimal values of parameters affecting ultrafiltration, a central composite rotatable design (CCRD), one method of RSM, was employed. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the cubic polynomial model demonstrated that this model was highly significant and reliable. The results show that the effect of APAM and oil on J/J(0) has an inverse trend with pH value increasing. Moreover, the mutual interaction of initial APAM (oil) concentration (C(APAM(oil))) and pH (TMP) were negligible, while the mutual interaction of C(APAM) and C(oil) has an obvious effect, i.e. the effect of initial feed C(APAM) became more important at higher values of initial feed C(oil), and the J/J(0) was only about 4%. The favorable operate conditions in this ultrafiltration process were at low C(APAM), C(oil), pH, and TMP, which agreed with the conclusions of many authors, while considering water production, C(APAM) and C(oil) < 50 mg/L, pH < 4, and TMP < 0.075 MPa could be accepted.

Characterization of 236 novel alleles at the HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, -DQB1 and -DPB1 loci from China Marrow Donor Program.

Two hundred and thirty-six novel human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles are described from volunteer donors of the China Marrow Donor Program: 71 HLA-A alleles, 79 HLA-B alleles, 43 HLA-C, 16 HLA-DRB1 alleles, 26 HLA-DQB1 and 1 HLA-DPB1. Two hundred and thirteen (90.3%) of the 236 novel alleles are single nucleotide substitution variants when compared with their most homologous allele. Seventy-eight of these single nucleotide variants are silent substitutions. The remaining novel alleles differ from their most similar allele by two to four nucleotide substitutions. Some of the novel alleles encode amino acid changes at positions not previously reported to be polymorphic, such as codons 57, 62, 67, 41 and 52 in HLA-A alleles; codons 133, 156, 201 and 215 in HLA-B alleles; codons 74, 208 and 225 in HLA-C; codons 25, 32 and 72 in HLA-DRB1; codons 20, 39 and 77 in HLA-DQB1.

Construction of an artificial microalgal-bacterial consortium that efficiently degrades crude oil.

Four oil component-degrading bacteria and one oil-tolerant microalgae, Scenedesmus obliquus GH2, were used to construct an artificial microalgal-bacterial consortium for crude-oil degradation. The bacterial strains included Sphingomonas GY2B and Burkholderia cepacia GS3C, along with a mixed culture, named GP3, containing Pseudomonas GP3A and Pandoraea pnomenusa GP3B. GY2B could only degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, GS3C was able to degrade aliphatic chain hydrocarbons, and GP3 could utilize both saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons. In combination with unialgal or axenic algae, the bacteria showed different effects on oil degradation. Unialgal GH2 was not suitable for the consortium construction, as it could not cooperate well with GS3C and GP3. The axenic GH2 exhibited no oil-degrading ability; however, it significantly promoted the degradation ability of the oil component-degrading bacteria, especially for degrading biorefractory polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Axenic S. obliquus GH2, combined with the four bacteria mentioned above, formed an optimal algal-bacterial consortium. The artificial consortium demonstrated an elevated efficiency in degrading both aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons of crude oil.

Free radical scavenging activity of Lactobacillus fermentum in vitro and its antioxidative effect on growing-finishing pigs.

AIMS: To evaluate the free radical-scavenging capacity of Lactobacillus fermentum and its effects on antioxidant enzyme levels in finishing pigs. METHODS AND RESULTS: The free radical-scavenging activity of Lact. fermentum was analysed in vitro. The tested Lactobacillus showed a high scavenging ability against DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl), superoxide and hydroxyl radicals which was dose dependent. Subsequently, 108 crossbred pigs weighing 20.67 BW, were allotted to dietary treatments including a basal diet or the basal diet supplemented with either aureomycin or 10.2 x 10(7) Lact. fermentum CFU g(-1) diet. Supplementation of Lact. fermentum increased total antioxidant capacity (P < 0.01) in serum from 50 kg pigs, while serum superoxide dismutase (P = 0.01) and glutathione peroxidase (P < 0.01) increased, and malondialdehyde levels decreased (P < 0.01) in 90 kg pigs. Hepatic catalase (P = 0.04), muscle superoxide dismutase (P < 0.01) and copper-zinc-superoxide dismutase were enhanced (P = 0.01), whereas malondialdehyde levels were reduced (P = 0.05) by Lact. fermentum. CONCLUSIONS: The free radical-scavenging capacity of Lact. fermentum was dose dependent and its supplementation improved the antioxidant status of pigs. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Lactobacillus fermentum could be used to alleviate oxidative stress and increase pig performance and improve pork quality.

cDNA cloning and promoter analysis of rat caspase-9.

Caspase-9 is the apex caspase of the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis, which plays a critical role in apoptotic initiation and progression. However, gene regulation of caspase-9 is largely unknown. This is in part due to the lack of information on the gene promoter. Here we have cloned the full-length cDNA of rat caspase-9 and have isolated promoter regions of this gene. The rat caspase-9 cDNA of 2058 bp predicts a protein of 454 amino acids, which contains a caspase-recruitment domain ('CARD') at the N-terminus and enzymic domains at the C-terminus. The enzyme's active site, with a characteristic motif of QACGG, was also identified. Overall, rat and human caspase-9 have 71% identity. With the cDNA sequence, we subsequently isolated the proximal 5'-flanking regions of rat caspase-9 by the procedure of genomic walking. The 2270 bp genomic segment is 'TATA-less', but contains several GC boxes. Elements binding known transcription factors such as Sp-1, Pit-1, CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP), glucocorticoid receptor and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) were also identified. When cloned into reporter gene vectors, the genomic segment showed significant promoter activity, indicating that the 5'-flanking regions isolated by genomic walking contain the gene promoter of rat caspase-9. Of significance is that the cloned promoter segments were activated by severe hypoxia, conditions inducing caspase-9 transcription. Thus, the genomic sequences reported here contain not only the basal promoter of rat caspase-9 but also regulatory elements responsive to pathophysiological stimuli including hypoxia.

B-cell epitopes recognized by Chinese water buffaloes (Bos buffelus) on the 22 kDa tegumental membrane-associated antigen (Sj-22) of the Asiatic bloodfluke, Schistosoma japonicum.

The 22.6 kDa tegumental membrane-associated antigen of schistosomes is of recognized importance in immunity to schistosomiasis. In China, bovines are known to play an important role in the transmission of Schistosoma japonicum. Ten buffaloes (Bos buffelus) were vaccinated with a recombinant form (reSj-22) of the S. japonicum 22.6 kDa tegumental antigen (Sj-22) and the sera were used to identify and map possible linear B-cell epitopes on this molecule using a series of 18 overlapping synthetic peptides (P1-P18). Sera from all of the ten vaccinated buffaloes reacted strongly with Sj-22 in western blots and in ELISA, while sera from a further ten adjuvant (Quil A) control buffaloes did not. Four peptides (P3, P8, P9 and P10) were predominantly recognized by at least 90% of the buffalo sera. This pattern of recognition is similar to that obtained in a previous study we undertook in mice immunized with the same antigen whereby peptides 3, 8, 9 and 10 were recognized by over 80% of CBA strain mice. The peptide most frequently recognized by mice (peptide 6), and mapping to an EF-hand calcium binding domain, was recognized by six of the ten vaccinated buffaloes. The major difference between buffaloes and mice occurred with peptide 1 which was recognized very frequently by all three strains of mice tested but was only weakly recognized by three of the ten buffaloes. This study provides a valuable reference for further study on the immunity stimulated by the 22.6 kDa tegumental antigen in the murine model and a natural bovine host of Schistosomiasis japonica.

Isolation and structure elucidation of alkaloids from the bulb of Fritillaria wabuensis.

Eight alkaloids were isolated from the bulb of Fritillaria wabuensis S. Y. Tang et S. C. Yueh (Liliaceae), which is efficacious against cough. Five of them are known and identified as imperialine ( 1), peimisine ( 2), ebeinone ( 3), isoverticine ( 4), and imperialine beta- N-oxide ( 5), respectively. Alkaloid 5 is however, controversial. All the signals for both (1)H- and (13)C-NMR spectra of 5 were assigned unambigously by 2D NMR experiments, and (13)C-NMR assignments previously described in the literature were revised. An X-ray structure of alkaloid 5 is presented.

[Effects of saponins from stems and leaves of Panax quinquefolium L. on the contraction of rabbit aortic strips].

It has been found out that the saponins from stems and leaves of Panax quinquefolium (PQS) can non-competitively antagonize the dose-response curves of norepinephrine (NE), potassium chloride and calcium chloride on the isolated aortic strips of rabbits, and obviously inhibit intracellular and extracellular Ca2(+)-dependent contraction of the aortic strips induced by NE. These effects of PQS are similar to verapamil.

[Isolation and structure flucidation of alkaloids from the bulb of Fritillaria Wabuensis S.Y. Tang et S.C. Yueh].

Eight alkaloids were isolated from the bulb of Fritillaria Wabuensis S.Y. Tang et S.C. Yueh the best "Chuan Bei" cultivated in Sichuan province, which is efficacious against cough. Five of them are known, identified as imperialine (I), peimisine (II), ebeinone (III), isoverticine (IV), and imperialine-beta-N-oxide (V). All the signals for both 1H and 12C-NMR spectra of base (V) were assigned by 2D NMR experiments, and an X-ray structural data of alkaloid (V) was obtained for the first time.

[The sensitization of acoustic stapedius reflex].

The acoustic stapedius reflex, which normally occurs at a hearing level of about 85 dB, can be detected at lower levels by means of sensitization. The technique is to apply reflex-eliciting tone and the facilitating tone stimulation. The high-frequency acoustic stapedius reflex can then be detected in this procedure under low-frequency facilitating. When hearing is normal, significant difference can be demonstrated between conventional and facilitated reflex threshold. There is a great amount of reflex threshold improvement with sensitization. Sensorineural hearing loss allowed small or no reflex threshold change with sensitization.

The production and assessment of a plastic rod for the Chinese Reference Preparation for Opacity.

A reference preparation for opacity consisting of a plastic rod was introduced by Perkins et al. in 1973. It was adopted as the International Reference Preparation for Opacity in 1975. This plastic rod opacity reference preparation has been used to standardize the Chinese National Bacterial Opacity Standard. The material was prepared from plastic sheet by a water-bath method and by a dry-heat method; the sheet was then machined into the plastic rods. We have studied the technical processes and set up methods for the examination of the sheets and rods. The water-bath method was found to be better than the dry-heat method in our tests. Collaborative assays in research institutes of biological products have shown that the plastic rod can replace the glass-powder suspension. The duration of validity of the plastic rod opacity reference preparation and that of the glass-powder suspension used for the Chinese National Bacterial Opacity Standard were studied and found to be similar. For this reason the plastic rod opacity reference preparation has not been widely used in China.