Soil ecological effect of attapulgite and its application prospect in ecological planting of Chinese materia medica / 中国中药杂志

The long-term and extensive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in the cultivation of Chinese materia medica has resulted in serious soil ecological and environmental problems such as secondary salinization, soil consolidation, soil acidification, continuous cropping obstacles, micro-ecological imbalance, and serious soil pests and diseases in the production areas of Chinese materia medica. Therefore, promoting the ecological planting of Chinese materia medica is the only way for the production of Chinese materia medica. Attapulgite(ATP) is a kind of water-rich magnesium-rich aluminosilicate clay mineral with layered and chain structure. It has abundant reserves in China, possesses nano-material properties, strong adsorption and ion exchange properties, and has huge high value utilization space. ATP and its functional products have the potential of water and fertilizer conservation, regulating soil structure and micro-ecology, and are widely used in ecological planting of Chinese materia medica. This paper reviews the resource distribution, structural characteristics, the research and application progress in soil ecological effects of ATP, and prospects the application prospects of it in the ecological planting of Chinese materia medica.

Association Between Serum Cotinine Level and Serological Markers of Epstein-Barr Virus in Healthy Subjects in South China Where Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Is Endemic.

Introduction: Self-reported smoking has been associated with higher seropositivity for the IgA response to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) viral capsid antigen (VCA-IgA) and transcription activator protein (Zta) in healthy men in southern China where nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is endemic. Results on the association of biochemically verified smoking status with EBV reactivation are scarce. We aimed to investigate the relations of serum cotinine level with serological markers of EBV in healthy women, in addition to men. Methods: We collected information on demographic, lifestyle, environmental factors, and EBV serological markers in a cross-sectional study on 2,275 healthy subjects who were recruited from physical examination centers in Guangdong Province, China. In the present analysis, 901 subjects' serum cotinine levels have been measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Odds ratios (seropositivity of four EBV serological markers vs. seronegativity) for categorical serum cotinine levels were calculated by unconditional logistic regression with a group-specific confidence interval (CI). Results: In women, compared with lower serum cotinine level (0-0.71 ng/ml), higher cotinine level (>0.71-1.20 ng/ml; >1.20-228.40 ng/ml) was associated but non-significantly with higher seropositivity for EBV VCA-IgA (age- and education-adjusted OR = 1.18, 95% CIs = 0.84-1.64, 1.06, 0.75-1.50). These associations remained but still non-significant after adjusting for 5-year age group, education, family history of cancer, consumption of tea, Chinese herbal tea, salted fish at childhood, and exposure to occupational dust, chemical, fume, and radiation (multivariable adjusted OR = 1.21, 95% CIs = 0.85-1.71, 1.09, 0.76-1.55). In men, compared with lower serum cotinine level (0-2.15 ng/ml), higher cotinine level (>2.15-103.6 ng/ml; >103.6-419.4 ng/ml) was significantly associated with higher seropositivity for EBV VCA-IgA and Zta-IgA (age- and education-adjusted OR = 2.16, 95% CIs = 1.37-3.41, 1.79, 1.11-2.90; 1.98, 1.17-3.34, 1.95, 1.14-3.34). The association remained significant after adjusting for potential confounders for Zta-IgA (OR = 2.32, 95% CI = 1.37-3.93 for >2.15-103.6, and 2.50, 1.43-4.38 for >103.6-419.4 ng/ml), but not for VCA-IgA (2.06, 1.29-3.27, and 1.61, 0.96-2.71). Conclusions: Higher serum cotinine level is associated with higher seropositivity for EBV serological markers in healthy men in southern China. Such positive association was also observed in women but became non-significant. If confirmed to be causal, this finding has important implications for tobacco control and prevention of EBV-related disease, particularly for NPC.

Associations between environmental factors and serological Epstein-Barr virus antibodies in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma in South China.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation, reflected by aberrantly increased levels of various serological antibodies, has been suggested to be an early indicator of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) onset and progression. We have previously suggested that certain lifestyle and dietary factors were associated with elevated serological levels of the antibody against various EBV antigens namely VCA, Zta, EBNA1, and oral EBV DNA loads among healthy population. It remains unclear whether these potential environmental factors would also influence EBV serological antibodies in NPC patients. We conducted an epidemiological study to evaluate the associations between such environmental factors and EBV antibody levels among 1701 NPC patients in South China. Pretreatment serums were collected and examined for VCA-IgA and EA-IgA by immunoenzymatic assays and antienzyme rate (AER) of EBV DNase-specific neutralizing antibody. We found that consumption of Canton-style herbal tea was significantly correlated with increased serological antibody levels of VCA-IgA and EA-IgA, with adjusted ORs of 1.35 (95% CI: 1.03-1.76) and 1.32 (95% CI: 1.01-1.73), respectively, in the weekly intake frequency stratum, while not related to AER of EBV DNase-specific neutralizing antibody. Smoking was found to be not only an apparent risk factor for higher antibody levels of AER in stage III-IV patients (OR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.11-2.30), but also associated closely with NPC stage at diagnosis (OR = 2.17, 95% CI: 1.47-3.22), with dose-response effects. In conclusion, we found consumption of Canton-style herbal tea and cigarette smoking were in positive associations with elevated EBV antibodies in NPC patients, which may be of public health significance for the primary prevention of EBV-associated diseases especially NPC.