Ti3C2(OH)x-assisted LDI-TOF-MS for the rapid analysis of natural small molecules.

The inhomogeneous distribution of co-crystallized analytes and the traditional organic matrices as well as the intensive background interference in the low molecular weight range hinder the application of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) in the analysis of small-molecular compounds. New two-dimensional material MXene (e.g., Ti3C2) exerts better hydrophilicity, homogeneity and repeatability, and higher laser desorption efficiency, as well as less background interference than traditional organic matrices and other nanomaterial matrices such as titanium oxide, graphene, and gold nanostructures. This study was aimed to design Ti3C2 matrix with abundant hydroxyls on its surface, enhance the stability of this hydroxyl-rich Ti3C2 (Ti3C2(OH)x), and evaluate the analytical performances of Ti3C2(OH)x-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LDI-TOF-MS) for small-molecular natural compounds in complex samples. The developed Ti3C2(OH)x showed the distinct advantages such as minimum background interference, high peak intensity (~105), high salt (0.6 M) and protein (0.5 mg/mL) tolerance, good repeatability (relative standard deviation<20%), and good stability after eight months of storage. Ti3C2(OH)x-assisted LDI-TOF-MS analysis could be used to rapidly identify Artemisia annua (a world-famous traditional Chinese medicine) and quantify the contents of the main chemical ingredients (oxymatrine (OXY) and matrine) of Compound Kushen Injection (CKI). Interestingly, the content of OXY in CKI could be accurately quantified by Ti3C2(OH)x-assisted LDI-TOF-MS, and there was a good linear relationship (R2 -0.9929), a low limit of detection (400 pg), and a low limit of quantification (600 pg) of OXY. Taken together, the rapid and accurate analysis of small-molecular natural compounds in complicated samples could be achieved by the Ti3C2(OH)x-assisted LDI-TOF-MS analysis.

Development a multi-immunoaffinity column LC-MS-MS method for comprehensive investigation of mycotoxins contamination and co-occurrence in traditional Chinese medicinal materials.

Mycotoxins are poisonous secondary fungal toxic metabolites and harmful to human health. Traditional Chinese medicinal materials (TCMs), including more than two hundred functional foods, are vulnerably bred fungi, causing spoilage and multi-mycotoxins contamination. This study established a simultaneous analytical method by using multi-mycotoxins immunoaffinity column (multi-IAC) and HPLC-MS/MS to evaluate mycotoxins' contamination levels and natural incidence in TCMs. Aflatoxins (AFs, including AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2), ochratoxin A (OTA), fumonisins (FB1 and FB2), zearalenone (ZEN), deoxynivalenol (DON) and T-2 toxins in three TCMs or functional foods of Polygalae Radix (PR), Coicis Semen (CS) and Eupolyphaga Steleophaga (ES) were detected. The systematically investigated results of 30 batch AFB1 positive samples revealed co-occurrence and correlation of multi-mycotoxins are significant differences in various matrices. All the samples in this study contain more than 5 mycotoxins. AFB1-AFs, AFB1-FBs, AFB1-DON, and AFB1-T-2 are the most observed co-occurrence, AFB1-OTA is also of concern due to its synergistic toxicity. This study's results can be used to establish guidelines for screening mycotoxin contaminants and limitations on acceptable levels in TCMs. Simultaneously, mycotoxin's correlation results in different matrices can also provide a reference for the standardization of TCM production and processing.

Assessing the effects of the percentage of chronic disease in households on health payment-induced poverty in Shaanxi Province, China.

BACKGROUND: Chronic disease has become one of the leading causes of poverty in China, which posed heavy economic burden on individuals, households and society, and accounts for an estimated 80% of deaths and 70% of disability-adjusted life-years lost now in China. This study aims to assess the effect of chronic diseases on health payment-induced poverty in Shaanxi Province, China. METHODS: The data was from the 5th National Health Survey of Shaanxi Province, which was part of China's National Health Service Survey (NHSS) conducted in 2013. Totally, 20,700 households were selected for analysis. We used poverty headcount, poverty gap and mean positive poverty gap to assess the incidence, depth and intensity of poverty before and after health payment, respectively. Logistic regression models were further undertaken to evaluate the influence of percentage of chronic patients in households on the health payment-induced poverty with the control of other covariates. RESULTS: In rural areas, the incidence of poverty increased 31.90% before and after health payment in the household group when the percentage of chronic patients in the households was 0, and the poverty gap rose from 932.77 CNY to 1253.85 CNY (50.56% increased). In the group when the percentage of chronic patients in the households was 1-40% and 41-50%, the poverty gap increased 76.78 and 89.29%, respectively. In the group when the percentage of chronic patients in the households was 51~ 100%, the increase of poverty headcount and poverty gap was 49.89 and 46.24%. In the logistic model, we found that the proportion of chronic patients in the households was closely related with the health payment-induced poverty. The percentage of chronic disease in the households increased by 1 %, the incidence of poverty increased by 1.01 times. On the other hand, the male household head and the household's head with higher educational lever were seen as protective factors for impoverishment. CONCLUSIONS: With the percentage of chronic patients in the households growing, the health payment-induced poverty increases sharply. Furthermore, the households members with more chronic diseases in rural areas were more likely to suffer poverty than those in urban areas. Our analysis emphasizes the need to protect households from the impoverishment of chronic diseases, and our findings will provide suggestions for further healthcare reforms in China and guidance for vulnerable groups.

[Effect of Chinese drugs for Pi strengthening Shen benefiting on the immunity function of HIV patients' specific T cells].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of Chinese drugs for Pi strengthening Shen benefiting (CDPSSB) on the immunity function of HIV/AIDS patients' specific T cells. METHODS: Totally 20 patients were randomly recruited from the treated group [treated by CDPSSB combined highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART)] and 23 patients were randomly recruited from the control group (treated by HAART alone). All patients were follow-up infected persons form You'an Hospital between from June 2010 to June 2012. CD4+ T absolute counts and HIV viral load were detected. Meanwhile, HIV whole gene overlapping peptides were used as stimulating antigen. The response intensity of HIV specific T cells was detected in the two groups. RESULTS: There was no statistical difference in CD4 T absolute counts or HIV viral load between the two groups (P > 0.05). The response intensity of HIV specific T cells was significantly enhanced in the treated group, when compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Along with elongation of treatment time (6, 12, 18, and 24 months) in the treated group, the response intensity of HIV specific T cells showed enhancing tendency, but there was no statistical difference among these time points (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: CDPSSB could enhance improve the immunity function of HIV specific T cells, which might be one of its mechanisms.