Low-Voltage Solution-Processed Zinc-Doped CuI Thin Film Transistors with NOR Logic and Artificial Synaptic Function.

Low-voltage Zn-doped CuI thin film transistors (TFTs) gated by chitosan dielectric were fabricated at a low temperature. The Zn-doped CuI TFT exhibited a more superior on/off current ratio than CuI TFT due to the substitution or supplementation of copper vacancies by Zn ions. The Zn-doped CuI films were characterized by scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The Zn-doped CuI TFTs exhibited an on/off current ratio of 1.58 × 104, a subthreshold swing of 70 mV/decade, and a field effect mobility of 0.40 cm2V-1s-1, demonstrating good operational stability. Due to the electric-double-layer (EDL) effect and high specific capacitance (17.3 µF/cm2) of chitosan gate dielectric, Zn-doped CuI TFT operates at a voltage below -2 V. The threshold voltage is -0.2 V. In particular, we have prepared Zn-doped CuI TFTs with two in-plane gates and NOR logic operation is implemented on such TFTs. In addition, using the ion relaxation effect and EDL effect of chitosan film, a simple pain neuron simulation is realized on such a p-type TFTs for the first time through the bottom gate to regulate the carrier transport of the channel. This p-type device has promising applications in low-cost electronic devices, complementary electronic circuit, and biosensors.

Research on the Effect of MT+FES Training on Sensorimotor Cortex.

Purpose: Aiming at the motor recovery of patients with unilateral upper limb motor dysfunction after stroke, we propose a mirror therapy (MT) training method, which uses surface electromyography (sEMG) to identify movements on one side and control the other side to perform functional electrical stimulation (FES) while mirror therapy is used. And we verify the effect of this training method by analyzing the activity changes of the sensorimotor cortex. Method: Ten subjects (6 men and 4 women) were randomly divided into two groups according to 3 men and 2 women in each group: the experimental group (n = 5) received FES+MT training, and the control group (n = 5) received MT training. Both groups were trained at a fixed time at 9 : 00 am every day, each time lasting 20 minutes, once a day, 5 days a week, continuous training for 4 weeks, and the training action was elbow flexion training. During the training of the elbow flexion exercise, the experimental group applied FES with a frequency of 30 Hz, a pulse width of 100 µs, and a current of 10 mA to the muscles corresponding to the elbow flexion exercise, and rested for 10 s after 10-s stimulation. We collect the EEG of the elbow flexion motor imagery of all subjects before and after training, and calculate the eigenvalue E, and analyze the effect of FES+MT training on the activity of the cerebral sensorimotor cortex. Results: After repeated measure (RM) two-way ANOVA of the two groups, comparing the subjects' µ rhythm elbow flexion motor imagery eigenvalue E, the experimental group (after training) > the control group (after training) > before training. Conclusion: The FES+MT training method has obvious activation effect on the cerebral sensorimotor cortex.

Study on the mechanism of Huangqin Decoction on rats with ulcerative colitis of damp-heat type base on mtDNA, TLR4, p-PI3K, p-Akt protein expression and microbiota.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Huangqin decoction (HQD), composed of Scutellaria(Huangqin), Peony(Shaoyao), Liquorice(Gancao) and Jujube(Dazao), is a traditional Chinese medicine prescription, originated from treatise on Febrile Diseases, has the functions of clearing heat, stopping benefits and relieving pain. It is the original prescription for treating heat and relieving dysentery, and is commonly used in clinic for diarrhea and other diseases. In ulcerative colitis, damp-heat syndrome is the most common. However, its mechanism of action is not completely clear. AIMS OF THE REVIEW: The purpose of the research is to investigate the protective effect of HQD on ulcerative colitis rats and the regulation effect of mitochondrial DNA, TLR4, p-Akt, p-PI3K protein and microbiota. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effects of HQD anti-UC were investigated by fluorescence quantitative PCR, cytokine level and histopathological analysis in DSS-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) rats. The content of mtDNA in colon epithelial cells of rats in each group was detected by fluorescence quantitative PCR, p-PI3K, p-Akt and TLR4 protein expressions in colon tissues of rats in each group were detected by Western blotting. IL-6, IL-17 and IL-23 inflammatory factors were detected by ELISA. The effect of HQD on intestinal microbiota of rats with ulcerative colitis was studied by high-throughput sequencing technology, and the correlation between mtDNA level and inflammatory factors as well as protein expression in colonic epithelium of rats with ulcerative colitis was analyzed by SPSS23.0. RESULTS: HQD significantly alleviated UC symptoms by improving the mucosal intestinal epithelial cell structure, mental state, hair gloss, fecal occult blood, lamina propria intestinal glands and inflammatory cell infiltration. And HQD reduced the pro-inflammatory cytokines in the colonic epithelium of UC rats Production of IL-6, IL-17 and IL-23. The HE stained section of colon tissue showed a complete intestinal epithelial mucosal layer structure. The structure of epithelial cells was more normal and abundant. There were more goblet cells in lamina propria adenoma, which improved the infiltration of inflammatory cells. HQD significantly inhibited the mtDNA content in rat colonic epithelial tissue, and significantly inhibited the expression of TLR4, p-PI3K and p-Akt inflammatory signaling pathways. The results of the microbiota experiment showed that the abundance of HQD in the phylum Firmicutes increased, and the number of Bacteroides phylum decreased (p < 0.05). At the genus level, HQD significantly increased Lactobacillus and Firmicutes Bacteroides, while Treponema and Bacteroides were significantly reduced (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: HQD has a certain protective effect on rats with damp heat ulcerative colitis. Its mechanism may be related to regulating the expression of p-PI3K, p-Akt and TLR4 proteins, mitochondrial DNA as well as microbiota.

Development of a metal-free black phosphorus/graphitic carbon nitride heterostructure for visible-light-driven degradation of indomethacin.

The development of affordable and efficient technologies for the removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) from water has recently been the subject of extensive attention. In this study, a black phosphorus/graphitic carbon nitride (BP-g-C3N4) heterostructure is fabricated as an extremely active metal-free photocatalyst via a newly-developed exfoliation strategy. The BP-g-C3N4 shows an 11 times better decomposition rate of a representative PPCPs-type pollutant, indomethacin (IDM), compared to the widely-used P25 TiO2 under real-sunlight illumination. Also, its visible-light activity is even better than that of the best photocatalysts previously developed, but only consumes 1/10-1/4 of the catalyst. The results show that BP performs a cocatalyst-like behavior to catalyze the generation of reactive oxygen species, thus speeding up the decomposition of IDM. In addition, the BP-g-C3N4 photocatalyst also exhibits excellent IDM removal efficiency in authentic water matrices (tap water, surface water, and secondarily treated sewage effluent). Large-scale application demonstration under natural sunlight further reveals the practicality of BP-g-C3N4 for real-world water treatment operations. Our work will open up new possibilities in the development of purely metal-free photocatalysts for "green" environmental remediation applications.

The Volatile Oil of Zanthoxylum bungeanum Pericarp Improved the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis and Gut Microbiota to Attenuate Chronic Unpredictable Stress-Induced Anxiety Behavior in Rats.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety disorders (ADs) are the most prevalent mental disorders worldwide. Stress-induced activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and dysbiosis of gut microbiota seem to contribute to the onset of ADs. This study was designed to investigate the ameliorative effect of volatile oil of Zanthoxylum bungeanum (VOZB) on chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) induced anxiety behavior, as well as the altered HPA axis and gut microbiota. METHODS: Experimental rats were exposed to the CUS for 14 consecutive days. Meanwhile, VOZB was administered at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg/day for 14 days. The anxiety behavior was evaluated by elevated plus-maze (EPM) and open field (OF). The protein expressions and mRNA levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in hypothalamus was determined, as well the hormone levels of HPA axis in serum. Furthermore, gut microbiota was detected by16S rRNA gene sequencing. The chemical constituents of VOZB were identified by GC-MS analysis. RESULTS: VOZB treatment (100 and 200 mg/kg/day) increased the ratio of open-arm entries and time in EPM test, as well as the central zone entries and time in OF test. Moreover, VOZB treatment reduced the protein expressions and mRNA levels of CRH, but elevated those of GR in hypothalamus. Similarly, the hormone levels of the HPA axis in serum were decreased by VOZB treatment. Besides, VOZB treatment restored the CUS-induced dysbiosis of gut microbiota, raising the Sobs and Chao indexes, inhibiting Lachnospiraceae, but facilitating Bacteroidales_S24-7_group, Lactobacillaceae, and Prevotellaceae. Additionally, Sobs and Chao indexes were negatively correlated to the serum corticosterone and CRH levels. CONCLUSION: VOZB showed an ameliorative effect on CUS-induced anxiety behavior, potentially via inhibiting activation of the HPA axis and restoring the dysbiosis of gut microbiota, thus improving the stress-induced abnormality of the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

Treatment of pulmonary fibrosis in one convalescent patient with corona virus disease 2019 by oral traditional Chinese medicine decoction: A case report / 中西医结合学报

After one-month of oral treatment with traditional Chinese medicine decoction, without using other drugs, the lung inflammatory exudate, pulmonary fibrosis and quality of life of a 61-year-old female patient with corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were significantly improved. No recurrence or deterioration of the patient's condition was found within seven weeks of treatment and follow-up, and no adverse events occurred, indicating that oral Chinese medicine decoction was able to improve the pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis in a patient recovering from COVID-19, but further research is still needed.

Treatment of pulmonary fibrosis in one convalescent patient with corona virus disease 2019 by oral traditional Chinese medicine decoction: A case report.

After one-month of oral treatment with traditional Chinese medicine decoction, without using other drugs, the lung inflammatory exudate, pulmonary fibrosis and quality of life of a 61-year-old female patient with corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were significantly improved. No recurrence or deterioration of the patient's condition was found within seven weeks of treatment and follow-up, and no adverse events occurred, indicating that oral Chinese medicine decoction was able to improve the pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis in a patient recovering from COVID-19, but further research is still needed.

Fungichromin production by Streptomyces sp. WP-1, an endophyte from Pinus dabeshanensis, and its antifungal activity against Fusarium oxysporum.

In this study, we isolated an endophytic Streptomyces sp. strain, WP-1, from surface-sterilized barks of Pinus dabeshanensis, an endangered Chinese plant. WP-1 showed strong antifungal activity against diverse pathogenic fungi, such as Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizoctonia solani, Phytophthora infestan, and Candida albicans. Based on phylogenetic analyses, preliminary identification suggested that the WP-1 strain belonged to the genus Streptomyces. Column chromatogram and HPLC were employed to isolate the primary antifungal component from the culture medium of WP-1, and it was identified as the methylpentaene macrolide antibiotic, fungichromin (FC). In this study, for the first time, using in vitro bioassay studies, we revealed that FC strongly inhibited mycelial growth and conidia germination in Fusarium oxysporum. The median inhibitory concentration of FC was found to be 3.80 mg/L. The fermentation conditions of the WP-1 strain were further investigated to improve FC production. We found that supplementation of the synthetic medium with oils (soybean oil, oleic acid, and so on), particularly during the initial stage of fermentation, significantly increased the FC yield. Ammonium-trapping agent (magnesium phosphate) was used as an additive to increase FC yield to 5741.7 mg/L. It was 2.9-fold more as compared to the highest FC yield reported so far where Streptomyces padanus PMS-702 was used for FC production. KEY POINTS: • Isolation and identification of a fungichromin-producing endophytic actinomycete WP-1 strain. • Fungichromin production was significantly improved via oils and ammonium-trapping agents addition. • Discovery of the antifungal activity of fungichromin against Fusarium oxysporum.

Melochia corchorifolia extract inhibits melanogenesis in B16F10 mouse melanoma cells via activation of the ERK signaling.

BACKGROUND: Numerous researches have focused on discovering available inhibitors of melanogenesis from natural medicinal plants with stable efficacy and safety to resolve cutaneous hyperpigmentary problems. Melochia corchorifolia Linn. (MC) has been used as folk medicine to treat various diseases. However, the effect of MC on melanogenesis remains unknown. AIM: In this study, we investigated the effect of MC extract on melanogenesis and its underlying mechanisms in B16F10 mouse melanoma cells. METHODS: B16F10 cells were treated with MC extract, and then, cell viability, melanin content, and tyrosinase activity were analyzed. The mRNA and protein expression of tyrosinase and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) were evaluated using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western blotting, respectively. Phosphorylated or total protein levels in MC extract-induced signaling pathways were analyzed by Western blotting. RESULTS: Treatment of B16F10 cells with MC extract inhibited melanin synthesis and intracellular tyrosinase activity in a dose-dependent manner with no cytotoxicity. Protein and mRNA expressions of tyrosinase and MITF were also significantly decreased by MC extract treatment. In addition, phosphorylated level of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) was obviously increased by MC extract, but AKT pathway was not activated. Inhibited ERK phosphorylation by pretreatment with a selective ERK inhibitor PD98059 significantly reversed the decreased melanin content induced by treatment with MC extract in B16F10 cells. CONCLUSION: MC extract inhibits melanogenesis in B16F10 mouse melanoma cells through suppression of MITF-tyrosinase signaling pathway by ERK activation.

Bilobetin induces kidney injury by influencing cGMP-mediated AQP-2 trafficking and podocyte cell cycle arrest.

BACKGROUND: Ginkgo biloba (Gb) extracts have been used as a traditional Chinese medicine. Gb contains flavonoids, which are considered to be its active ingredients and have been used in the treatment of a variety of diseases. However, few scientific research studies on the side effects of flavonoid in Gb have been reported. PURPOSE: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of bilobetin on the kidney of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. STUDY DESIGN AND RESULT: In this study, rats were injected with 50 mg/kg of bilobetin, a biflavone isolated from Gb, for 7 days and aristolochic acid was used as positive controls. The results showed that the body weight and urine output of the rats were dramatically decreased, and urinary protein increased after the intraperitoneal injection of bilobetin compared with the control group. Bilobetin treatment showed vacuolar degeneration in the renal tubular epithelium, glomerular atrophy by histostaining, and podocyte fusion by electron microscopy. This study further showed that bilobetin promoted the trafficking of aquaporin 2 (AQP-2) onto the plasma membrane to achieve the function of urine concentration by in vivo study in rats and in vitro study in IMCD-3 cells. The redistribution of AQP-2 is due to increased expression of cGMP in IMCD-3 cells, which in turn promoted the phosphorylation of AQP-2 at site Ser-256. The proteinuria caused by bilobetin may be attributed to podocyte cell cycle arrest at G2/M transition, which is may associated with AKT and MAPK signaling. CONCLUSIONS: The current study showed that bilobetin has some side effects on kidneys at a dose of 50 mg/kg in SD rats and provides insight into the potential detrimental effects of monomeric ingredients in Gb.

Antiepileptic Effects of Protein-Rich Extract from Bombyx batryticatus on Mice and Its Protective Effects against H2O2-Induced Oxidative Damage in PC12 Cells via Regulating PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathways.

Bombyx batryticatus is a known traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) utilized to treat convulsions, epilepsy, cough, asthma, headaches, and purpura in China for thousands of years. This study is aimed at investigating the antiepileptic effects of protein-rich extracts from Bombyx batryticatus (BBPs) on seizure in mice and exploring the protective effects of BBPs against H2O2-induced oxidative stress in PC12 cells and their underlying mechanisms. Maximal electroshock-induced seizure (MES) and pentylenetetrazole- (PTZ-) induced seizure in mice and the histological analysis were carried out to evaluate the antiepileptic effects of BBPs. The cell viability of PC12 cells stimulated by H2O2 was determined by MTT assay. The apoptosis and ROS levels of H2O2-stimulated PC12 cells were determined by flow cytometry analysis. Furthermore, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and glutathione (GSH) in PC12 cells were assayed by ELISA and expressions of caspase-3, caspase-9, Bax, Bcl-2, PI3K, Akt, and p-Akt were evaluated by Western blotting and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assays. The results revealed that BBPs exerted significant antiepileptic effects on mice. In addition, BBPs increased the cell viability of H2O2-stimulated PC12 cells and reduced apoptotic cells and ROS levels in H2O2-stimulated PC12 cells. By BBPs treatments, the levels of MDA and LDH were reduced and the levels of SOD and GSH-Px were increased in H2O2-stimulated PC12 cells. Moreover, BBPs upregulated the expressions of PI3K, Akt, p-Akt, and Bcl-2, whereas they downregulated the expressions of caspase-9, caspase-3, and Bax in H2O2-stimulated PC12 cells. These findings suggested that BBPs possessed potential antiepileptic effects on MES and PTZ-induced seizure in mice and protective effects on H2O2-induced oxidative stress in PC12 cells by exerting antioxidative and antiapoptotic effects via PI3K/Akt signaling pathways.

Review of traditional uses, botany, chemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and toxicology of Radix Cyathulae.

Cyathulae Radix (CR), also known as "Chuanniux" is a well-known traditional Chinese herbal medicine that has been used in China for thousands of years. The present work reviewed advances in traditional uses, origin, chemical constituents, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and toxicity studies of CR. This work aims to provide more up-to-date references for modern study and application of this plant. Furthermore, the possible trends and perspectives for future research of this plant are also discussed. In China, the roots of CR have been widely used in clinical practice to treat orthopedic, gynecological, and urologic diseases. Currently, over 59 compounds have been isolated and identified from CR, including alkaloids and flavonoids. The extracts and compounds from CR have many pharmacological activities both in vivo and in vitro. They provide beneficial effects on the hematological system and anti-inflammatory properties. However, few studies have investigated the pharmacokinetics and toxicity of CR. Further studies should be undertaken to investigate the clinical effects, toxic constituents, and pharmacokinetics of CR; perform quality evaluation; and establish quality criteria for processed C. officinalis. Furthermore, studying the changes of raw and processed CR and the variety of this plant between different cultivated areas and cultivars will be interesting.

Synthesis of graphene/black phosphorus hybrid with highly stable P-C bond towards the enhancement of photocatalytic activity.

Black phosphorus (BP), a superior two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor, has attracted much attention due to its unique properties. The graphene (GR)-BP hybrid was synthesized through one pot chemical vapor transport (CVT) approach. The characterization results indicated that P atom was successfully incorporated into GR by the formation of P-C bond. Remarkably, the newly-synthesized GR-BP represented high photocatalytic activity towards 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) degradation, due to the high efficiency of charge separation and transformation caused by the direct band gap of BP and carrier mobility of GR. The removal efficiency for 2-CP reached up to 87.08% within visible light irradiation for 180 min (λ > 420 nm). The degradation rate of GR-BP hybrid for 2-CP was approximately 7.29-fold than that of BP within 30 min. In addition, the little increasing of the peak for P-O bond in GR-BP hybrid was observed after being exposed in air for 15 days, meant that the stability of BP was significantly enhanced. It was caused by the decreasing of the oxidation sites in BP due to the formation of P-C bond in hybrid. In brief, our synthetic method for GR-BP not only provides a novel route for the improvement of the stability of BP, but also constitutes an insight into the promising practical application of BP in the photocatalysis field.

Two new triterpenoids with antimicrobial activity from the leaves and twigs of Orophea yunnanensis.

Two new triterpenoids, 3-O-(4',5'-dihydroxybenzoyl)-lup-20(29)-en (1) and 3-O-(6'-desmethysyringyl)-13α-methyl-27-norolean-14-en-3ß-ol (2), were isolated from the leaves and twigs of Orophea yunnanensis. Their structures were identified by extensive spectroscopic experiments (NMR and MS) and comparison with literature data. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited the moderate inhibitory activity against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Ceratocystis fimbriata and Verticillium dahliae Kleb with MIC values from 50 to 25 µg/mL, and also displayed the weak activity selectively against tested bacteria strains with MIC values from 100 to 50 µg/mL.

Efficient Approach for the Extraction and Identification of Red Pigment from Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim and Its Antioxidant Activity.

Red pigment (RP) was extracted from the peels of Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim (PZB) by ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) in this work. Box⁻Behnken design⁻response surface methodology (BBD-RSM) was employed to research the efficiency of the RP extraction. Based on the optimization of RSM, results showed that the optimal extraction conditions were as follows: liquid⁻solid ratio of 31 mL/g, extraction time of 41 min, and extraction temperature of 27 °C, and under these conditions, the actual absorbance value was 0.615 ± 0.13%, highly agreeing with the predicted value by the model. Furthermore, ultra-performance liquid chromatography⁻mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) was used to separate and analyze RP. The compounds of RP were mainly flavonoids, and there were five compounds detected for the first time in PZB. In addition, RP showed significant antioxidant activities in vitro, which could be developed for anti-aging candidate drugs and functional foods. In conclusion, ultrasound-assisted extraction with BBD-RSM and chromatographic separation technology with UPLC-MS are efficient strategies for the isolation and identification of RP from PZB.

The antitumor natural product tanshinone IIA inhibits protein kinase C and acts synergistically with 17-AAG.

Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA), the primary bioactive compound derived from the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, has been reported to possess antitumor activity. However, its antitumor mechanisms are not fully understood. To resolve the potential antitumor mechanism(s) of Tan IIA, its gene expression profiles from our database was analyzed by connectivity map (CMAP) and the CMAP-based mechanistic predictions were confirmed/validated in further studies. Specifically, Tan IIA inhibited total protein kinase C (PKC) activity and selectively suppressed the expression of cytosolic and plasma membrane PKC isoforms ζ and ε. The Ras/MAPK pathway that is closely regulated by the PKC signaling is also inhibited by Tan IIA. While Tan IIA did not inhibit heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90), it synergistically enhanced the antitumor efficacy of the Hsp90 inhibitors 17-AAG and ganetespib in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells. In addition, Tan IIA significantly inhibited PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling, and induced both cell cycle arrest and autophagy. Collectively, these studies provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms responsible for antitumor activity of Tan IIA.

Clinical Study on Middle-late Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Treated with Therapy of Strengthening Qi, Resolving Phlegm and Dissipating Mass / 广州中医药大学学报

Objective To observe the clinical effect of therapy of strengthening Qi, resolving phlegm and dissipating mass for middle-late non-small cell lung cancer. Methods Sixty patients with middle-late non-small cell lung cancer were randomly divided into 3 groups according to the results of intention-to-treat and genetic test. All of the 3 groups were given fundamental supportive and asymptomatic treatment, and additionally Group Ⅰ was mainly given oral use of Jinfuan Decoction with the actions of strengthening Qi, resolving phlegm and dissipating mass based on syndrome differentiation, group Ⅱ was treated with molecular targeted therapy with Gefitinib Tablets and /or Erlotinib Hydrochloride Tablets, and groupⅢ was only given the fundamental supportive and asymptomatic treatment. The 3 groups were treated for 3 cycles(84 days), and then we compared the tumor size, clinical symptoms, quality of life, distant metastasis, and the toxic and adverse effect in each group. Results (1) GroupⅠand group Ⅱhad stronger effect on relieving cough, shortness of breath and lassitude than groupⅢ(P<0.05); groupⅡand groupⅢwere more effective on relieving bloody sputum and chest pain than groupⅠ(P<0.05); groupⅠand groupⅢwere more effective on relieving fever than groupⅡ(P < 0.05). (2) In aspect of quality of life, KPS scores of groupⅠand group Ⅱwere much increased after treatment (P < 0.05), but the scores of group Ⅲ showed no obvious increase (P > 0.05). The improvement of KPS scores in groupⅠand groupⅡwas superior to that in groupⅢ(P<0.05). (3) GroupⅡhad a higher effective rate on stabilizing tumor size, the rate arrived to 65.0％, and was superior to that in groupⅠand groupⅢ(P <0.05) , and the effective rate in group Ⅰ was superior to that in group Ⅲ(P < 0.05). Group Ⅰ and group Ⅱhad a higher stabilizing rate than group Ⅲ(P < 0.05) , but the difference between group Ⅰ and group Ⅱ was insignificant (P>0.05). (4) GroupⅠhad less adverse reaction and higher safety. (5) The distant metastasis rate in groupⅠand groupⅡwas obviously lower than that in groupⅢ(P<0.05), but the difference of distant metastasis rate beetween group Ⅰ and group Ⅱ was insignificant (P > 0.05). Conclusion Therapy of strengthening Qi , resolving phlegm and dissipating mass is effective on relieving tumor-related symptoms , improving the quality of life, stabilizing the tumor, and controlling the distant metastasis in middle-late non-small cell lung cancer patients.

Protective effect of cinnamaldehyde against glutamate-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in PC12 cells.

Cinnamaldehyde is a main ingredient of cinnamon oils from the stem bark of Cinnamomum cassia, which has been widely used in food and traditional herbal medicine in Asia. In the present study, the neuroprotective effects and the potential mechanisms of cinnamaldehyde against glutamate-induced oxidative stress in PC12 cells were investigated. Exposure to 4mM glutamate altered the GSH, MDA levels and SOD activity, caused the generation of reactive oxygen species, resulted in the induction of oxidative stress in PC12 cell, ultimately induced cell death. However, pretreatment with cinnamaldehyde at 5, 10 and 20µM significantly attenuated cell viability loss, reduced the generation of reactive oxygen species, stabilised mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), decreased the release of cytochrome c and limited the activities of caspase-9 and -3. In addition, cinnamaldehyde also markedly increased Bcl-2 while inhibiting Bax expression，and decreased the LC3-II/LC3-I ratio. These results indicate that cinnamaldehyde exists a potential protective effect against glutamate-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in PC12 cells.

Influence of carbon sources on nutrient removal in A2/O-MBRs: Availability assessment of internal carbon source.

Both internal carbon source and some external carbon sources were used to improve the nutrient removal in Anaerobic-Anoxic-Oxic-Membrane Bioreactor (A2/O-MBRs), and their technical and cost analysis was investigated. The experimental results showed that the nutrient removals were improved by all the carbon source additions. The total nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiency were higher in the experiments with external carbon source additions than that with internal carbon source addition. It was found that pathways of nitrogen and phosphorus transform were different dependent on different carbon source additions by the mass balance analysis. With external carbon source addition, the simultaneous nitrification and denitrification occurred in aerobic zone, and the P-uptake in aerobic phase was evident. Therefore, with addition of C-MHP (internal carbon source produced from sludge pretreatment by microwave-H2O2 process), the denitrification and phosphorus-uptake in anoxic zone was notable. Cost analysis showed that the unit nitrogen removal costs were 57.13CNY/kg N of C-acetate addition and 54.48CNY/kgN of C-MHP addition, respectively. The results indicated that the C-MHP has a good technical and economic feasibility to substitute external carbon sources partially for nutrient removal.

Dissipation rates and residues of fungicide azoxystrobin in ginseng and soil at two different cultivated regions in China.

The maximum residue limit (MRL) for fungicide azoxystrobin in ginseng has not yet been established in China. This is partially due to the lack of its dissipation and residue data at China's main ginseng production areas. In this work, the dissipation rates and residue levels of azoxystrobin in ginseng roots, plant parts (stems and leaves), and soil in Beijing and Jilin Province, China were determined using gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The mean half-life of azoxystrobin in ginseng plant parts was 1.6 days with a dissipation rate of 90 % over 21 days. The mean half-life in soil was 2.8 days with a dissipation rate of 90 % over 30 days. Dissipation rates from two geographically separated experimental fields differed, suggesting that these were affected by local soil characteristics and climate. Maximum final residues of azoxystrobin in ginseng roots, plant parts, and soil were determined to be 0.343, 9.40, and 0.726 mg kg(-1), respectively. Our results, particularly the high residues of azoxystrobin observed in ginseng plant parts, provide a quantitative basis for revising the application of this pesticide to ginseng.