In Utero Ultrafine Particulate Exposure Yields Sex- and Dose-Specific Responses to Neonatal Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection.

Exposure to particulate matter (PM) is associated with lower respiratory tract infections. The role of ultrafine particles (UFPs, ≤0.1 µm) in respiratory disease is not fully elucidated, especially in models of immunologically immature populations. To characterize the effects of maternal UFP exposure on neonatal infection, we exposed time-mated C57Bl/6n mice to filtered air or UFPs at a low dose (LD, ∼55 µg/m3) and high dose (HD, ∼275 µg/m3) throughout gestation. At 5 days of age, offspring were infected with a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) strain known to mimic infant infection or sham control. Offspring body weights were significantly reduced in response to infection in the LD RSV group, particularly females. Pulmonary gene expression analysis demonstrated significantly increased levels of oxidative stress- and inflammation-related genes in HD-exposed male offspring in sham and RSV-infected groups. In males, the highest grade of inflammation was observed in the HD RSV group, whereas in females, the LD RSV group showed the most marked inflammation. Overall, findings highlight neonatal responses are dependent on offspring sex and maternal UFP dose. Importantly, infant RSV pathology may be enhanced following even low dose UFP exposure signifying the importance of preventing maternal exposure.

Persistent sulfate formation from London Fog to Chinese haze.

Sulfate aerosols exert profound impacts on human and ecosystem health, weather, and climate, but their formation mechanism remains uncertain. Atmospheric models consistently underpredict sulfate levels under diverse environmental conditions. From atmospheric measurements in two Chinese megacities and complementary laboratory experiments, we show that the aqueous oxidation of SO2 by NO2 is key to efficient sulfate formation but is only feasible under two atmospheric conditions: on fine aerosols with high relative humidity and NH3 neutralization or under cloud conditions. Under polluted environments, this SO2 oxidation process leads to large sulfate production rates and promotes formation of nitrate and organic matter on aqueous particles, exacerbating severe haze development. Effective haze mitigation is achievable by intervening in the sulfate formation process with enforced NH3 and NO2 control measures. In addition to explaining the polluted episodes currently occurring in China and during the 1952 London Fog, this sulfate production mechanism is widespread, and our results suggest a way to tackle this growing problem in China and much of the developing world.

[Rheumatoid arthritis treated with acupoint application of huiyao tongluo dingtong san:a rando-mized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy differences on rheumatoid arthritis treated with acupoint application of huiyao tongluo dingtong san (preparation of Hui medicine), tender point herbal application and leflunomide. METHODS: Ninety-six patients were randomized into an acupoint herbal application group, a tender point herbal application group and a leflunomide group, 32 cases in each one. In the acupoint herbal application group, huiyao tongluo dingtong san paste was used at Dazhui (GV 14), Mingmen (GV 4), Zusanli (ST 36) and the local points on the yang meridians around the knee joint. In the tender point herbal application group, the self-prepared Hui medicine was used at tender points, 4 to 6 h each time, at the interval of 7 days. In the leflunomide group, leflunomide was applied for oral administration, 50 mg on each of the first 3 days, once a day; 20 mg each time 3 days later, once a day. The treatment for 1 month made one session in the three groups, and continuous three sessions of treatment were required. The clinical symptoms, laboratory indices such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), rheumatoid factor (RF) and the total score of symptoms were observed before and after treatment in the patients of three groups. The efficacy was evaluated in the 3 groups. RESULTS: The total effective rate was 87.5% (28/32) in the acupoint herbal application group and was 90.6% (29/32) in the leflunomide group, better than 68.8% (22/32) in the tender point herbal application group (both P<0.05). After treatment, the clinical symptoms, laboratory indices and the total score of symptoms were all improved as compared with those before treatment in the three groups (all P<0.05). Among the three groups, the results of pain, swelling, tenderness and the total score of symptoms as well as ESR and RF in the acupoint herbal application group and the leflunomide group were all better than those in the tender point herbal application group (P<0.05, P<0.01). Blister and pruritus occurred in 2 cases in each of the acupoint herbal application group and the tender point herbal application group. Nausea and poor appetites in 2 cases, dizziness and lassitude in 1 case and skin rashes in 1 case occurred in the leflunomide group. CONCLUSIONS: The improvements in the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and laboratory indices in the acupoint herbal application of huiyao tongluo dingtong san are better than those in the treatment with tender point herbal application. The efficacy of it is similar to that of leflunomide, without adverse reactions such as nausea, poor appetite, dizziness and lassitude.

[Plant N status in the alpine grassland of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: base on the N: P stoichiometry].

Plants from different functional groups show distinct response to nitrogen (N) addition, however, the patterns and underlying mechanisms across the natural N availability gradient remain unexplored. In present studies, effects of soil N fertility on aboveground N pools and production were examined, and the N: P stoichiometry was compared among forbs, graminoids, and legumes on an alpine grassland located in northeast of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Mean N: P ratios of the whole community in 2008 and 2009 were 9. 83 and 11.57, respectively, indicating that the sub-alpine grassland was mainly N-limited. The partial redundancy analysis (partial RDA) showed that the biomass percentage of forbs increased, while those of legumes and graminoids decreased with the soil N availability. It suggested that legumes and graminoids were more competitive than forbs in the natural N-limited grassland, which may be due to the N2-fixation ability and high nutrient use efficiency, respectively. Under the projected increasing N deposition, the vegetation tended to shift from graminoids and legumes to forbs. Significant relationships were found between the percentage of legumes biomass and N: P (phosphorus) ratio for the whole community and non-legumes, indicating that legumes could improve the community N status as well as non-legumes N status on the alpine grassland.

[Clinical observation on treatment of cerebral infarction by combined therapy of acupuncture with extremities tissue separating manipulation].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the curative effect of combined treatment of extremities tissue separating manipulation (ETSM) and acupuncture on cerebral infarction (CI). METHODS: CI patients were randomly divided into 3 groups. Group A was treated with drug-therapy only, Group B was treated with drug-therapy plus acupuncture and Group C was treated with drug-therapy plus ETSM and acupuncture. All patients were treated for 15 successive days for evaluating curative effect. RESULTS: The cured-markedly effective rate, total effective rate and nerve function deficit score after treatment was 28.6% , 71.4% and 17.57 +/- 1.51 scores in Group A, 48.4%, 80.6% and 13.97 +/- 1.38 scores in Group B, and 81.3%, 93.7% and 11.00 +/- 1.51 scores in Group C, respectively. Significant difference was shown in comparison of Group A with Group B, also in comparison of Group C with Group A and B (All P <0.05). CONCLUSION: ETSM combined acupuncture has a good therapeutic effect on CI.