Specific Recognition of Uranyl Ion Employing a Functionalized Nanochannel Platform for Dealing with Radioactive Contamination.

Radioactive contamination is a highly concerning global environmental issue along with the development of the nuclear industry. On account of sophisticated operations and high cost of instrument detection methods, numerous efforts have been focused on rapid and simple detection of pollution elements and uranium is the most common one. It is an enormous challenge to push the limit of determination as low as possible while carrying out ultrasensitive detection. Here, we report an intelligent platform based on functionalized solid nanochannels to monitor ultratrace uranyl ions. The platform has a detection limit of 1 fM, which is far below the value that traditional instrumental methods can reach. What is more, the system also exhibits uranyl removal property. The mesenchymal stem cells cultivated in media containing uranyl can achieve excellent viability in the presence of the membranes. This work provides a new choice for handling global radioactive contamination of water.

Principles of Allergen Immunotherapy and Its Clinical Application in China: Contrasts and Comparisons with the USA.

Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) for allergic rhinitis (AR), asthma, and other allergic diseases has developed quickly. House dust mite (HDM), Artemisia (wormwood), Humulus japonicus (Japanese hop), Alternaria alternata, and Cladosporium herbarum are the five most common inhalant allergens in China. AIT has been performed in China for over 60 years. With the support of the Chinese Medical Association (CMA) and the Chinese Medical Doctors Association (CMDA), the Chinese College of Allergy and Asthma (CCAA) was established in 2016 as a specialized branch of CDMA and is the main certification authority for AIT. Chinese allergists and scientists have made tremendous progress in the development of AIT. There have been many publications by Chinese allergists and scientists worldwide encompassing original research studies, systematic reviews, case studies, and clinical trials. Currently, conventional subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) is the preferred AIT in China, but sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is beginning to gain recognition. An increasing number of clinical trials have been conducted to investigate the clinical efficacy and side effects of SLIT and SCIT. In China, HDM is the only commercial standardized allergen extracts in clinical use, whereas the others are crude allergen extracts. Besides standardized allergen extracts, other forms of hypoallergenic extracts are still being investigated and developed in China. Immunotherapy in China is similar to that in the USA in which allergen extracts can be mixed for SCIT. However, allergen extracts cannot be mixed for SCIT in Europe.

Characteristics of Anaphylaxis in 907 Chinese Patients Referred to a Tertiary Allergy Center: A Retrospective Study of 1,952 Episodes.

PURPOSE: Comprehensive evaluation of anaphylaxis in China is currently lacking. In this study, we characterized the clinical profiles, anaphylactic triggers, and emergency treatment in pediatric and adult patients. METHODS: Outpatients diagnosed with "anaphylaxis" or "severe allergic reactions" in the Department of Allergy, Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 1, 2000 to June 30, 2014 were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: A total of 1,952 episodes of anaphylaxis in 907 patients were analyzed (78% were adults and 22% were children). Foods are the most common cause (77%), followed by idiopathic etiologies (15%), medications (7%) and insects (0.6%). In food-induced anaphylaxis, 62% (13/21) of anaphylaxis in infants and young children (0-3 years of age) were triggered by milk, 59% (36/61) of anaphylaxis in children (4-9 years of age) were triggered by fruits/vegetables, while wheat was the cause of anaphylaxis in 20% (56/282) of teenagers (10-17 years of age) and 42% (429/1,016) in adults (18-50 years of age). Mugwort pollen sensitization was common in patients with anaphylaxis induced by spices, fruits/vegetables, legume/peanuts, and tree nuts/seeds, with the prevalence rates of 75%, 67%, 61%, and 51%, respectively. Thirty-six percent of drug-induced anaphylaxis was attributed to traditional Chinese Medicine. For patients receiving emergency care, only 25% of patients received epinephrine. CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed that anaphylaxis appeared to occur more often in adults than in infants and children, which were in contrast to those found in other countries. In particular, wheat allergens played a prominent role in triggering food-induced anaphylaxis, followed by fruits/vegetables. Traditional Chinese medicine was a cause of drug-induced anaphylaxis. Furthermore, exercise was the most common factor aggravating anaphylaxis. Education regarding the more aggressive use of epinephrine in the emergency setting is clearly needed.

A Bioinspired Multifunctional Heterogeneous Membrane with Ultrahigh Ionic Rectification and Highly Efficient Selective Ionic Gating.

A bioinspired multifunctional heterogeneous membrane composed of a block copolymer (PS-b-P4VP) membrane and a porous anodic alumina membrane is fabricated. The ionic rectification is so strong that the maximum ratio is ≈489, and the chemical actuation of the anion or cation gate from the "OFF" to the "ON" state promotes a 98.5% increase in the channel conductance.

[Risk factors and management of systemic reactions induced by subcutaneous immunotherapy].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the risk factors (causes or possible causes) of systemic reactions induced by subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) through clinical observations and develop countermeasures for preventing further SCIT-induced systemic reactions. METHODS: Each patient on SCIT at our department from December 1993 to September 2013 was inquired about systemic reactions induced by SCIT. Individuals with systemic reactions immediately after SCIT were included. Clinical history and manifestations were inquired and recorded carefully. Risk factors of systemic reactions were probed and analyzed. SCIT schedule was adjusted according to the risk factors and the patients on continuous SCIT were followed up until the end of SCIT course. RESULTS: A total of 70 reactions were observed in 35 patients during the observation period. A large majority (97.1% (68/70) ) of systemic reactions occurred at a maximal concentration of 10(-2). Risk factor included an injection of maximal dosage (0.6-1.0 ml of 10(-2) vial, 27.2% (28/103) ), a further injection of large dosage (0.1-0.5 ml of 10(-2) vial) during pollen season (20.4% (21/103) ), incremental dose regardless of marked local reaction (12.6% (13/103) ), suspected incorrect injection procedure(12.6% (13/103) ) and an injection with a wrong vial of higher concentration (9.7% (10/103) ). Countermeasures were taken accordingly, include stopping injection of maximal dosage, avoiding SCIT of 10(-2) vial on pollen season, decreasing SCIT dosage on existence of large local reactions, performing SCIT only at medical institutions capable of managing anaphylaxis and implementing normalized injection procedures. Most patients (n = 29) finished the course of SCIT successfully without further systemic reactions. Six patients ceased SCIT for personal reasons or on medical advice. CONCLUSIONS: Probing the risk factors of systemic reactions induced by SCIT and adopting countermeasures accordingly prevent further systemic reactions. It may provide rationales for preventing or minimizing systemic reactions during SCIT.

Tibetan plateau earthquake: altitude challenges to medical rescue work.

BACKGROUND: Rescue efforts for earthquakes in remote plateau regions require large numbers of professional personnel to be transported from various lowland regions for relief work. Unacclimatised rescuers to high-altitude regions commonly suffer acute mountain sickness (AMS), which makes relief efforts inefficient and potentially dangerous. METHODS: In this study, the AMS symptoms of 78 unacclimatised rescue workers for the Yushu earthquake from Beijing were recorded using the Lake Louise AMS self-report questionnaire. Heart rate and blood oxygen were recorded at rest before departure, during rest and during activity. RESULTS: After ascending, resting heart rate increased from mean 75.87 bpm to 87.45 bpm and resting SpO(2) decreased from an average of 98.51% to 90.35% (both p<0.001). The mean Lake Louise AMS Score for participants was 3.1 (95% CI 2.6 to 3.6). 29 members (37.2%) met the diagnosis criteria for AMS. 16 members (20.5%) were evacuated early due to acute AMS (AMS score ≥5). Rhodiola was offered on a voluntary basis as a prophylactic measure but shown to be ineffective. CONCLUSION: Given the ineffectiveness of prophylactic measures and the urgency of such disaster situations, it is unrealistic to mobilise rescue teams from lowland regions for immediate relief efforts. A local disaster plan specific to plateau earthquakes needs to be developed with local personnel for timely and efficient relief.

[Effects of Xianling Gubao capsules for the treatment of bone loss induced by glucocorticoid].

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical effects of Xianling Gubao capsules for the treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis. METHODS: From 2005.6 to 2007.8, 50 patients with primary glomerulonephritis treated with glucocorticoids were divided into two groups randomly. The treatment group were dealed with Xianling Gubao capsules and the control group with calcitriol and Caltrate D 600. TCM Synrdome integral before and after treatment were estimated. And the bone mineral density (BMD) of lumbar spine and femoral neek was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptionm etry (DEXA). Osteo-calcin, intact parathyroidhormone (IPTH), urine excretion of calcium and phosphorus, serum calcium and phosphorus were detected before and after treatment, and adverse effects were investigated too. RESULTS: TCM Synrdome integral in two groups decresed apparently (P<0.05), which decresed more apparently in the treatment group than that in control group (P<0.05). BMD of lumbar spine and femoral neek increased in two groups (P<0.05), but there were no statistical deferences between them (P>0.05). Serum osteocalcin after treatment reduced significantly in two groups (P<0.05) compared with pre-treatment,but there were no statistical deferences between the treatment and the control group (P>0.05). In the control group, serum calcium after treatment increased significantly (P<0.05), but there were no statistical deferences compared with the treatment group (P>0.05). There were no statistical deferences in intact parathyroidhormone, urine excretion of calcium and phosphorus, serum phosphorus in the treatment and the control group before and after therapy. CONCLUSION: Both the treatment group and the control group have clinical effects in prevention and treatment of GC-induced osteoporosis, but the treatment group has more remarkable therapeutic effect and less adverse effects.