Development and characteristics of auricular fumigation moxibustion combined with heat-sensitive moxibustion device. / è€³ç†ç¸è”åˆçƒ­æ•ç¸è£ ç½®çš„ç ”åˆ¶ä¸Žç‰¹ç‚¹.

A moxibustion device with the functions of auricular fumigation moxibustion and heat-sensitive moxibustion is designed. The smoke of the ignited moxa stick is used for the fumigation moxibustion at the external auditory canal, while the heat generated works on Dazhui (GV 14) for heat-sensitive moxibustion. The device consists of five parts, i.e. combustion chamber, smoke pipe, smoke processing chamber, power module and connector. It solves the limitations such as unpleasant experience in treatment, unfavorable temperature control, easy scalding and excessive manual dependence induced by usual fumigation moxibustion and during heat-sensitive moxibustion. This moxibustion device may improve the safety and convenience when delivering the treatment with fumigation moxibustion and heat-sensitive moxibustion, as well as the work efficiency of medical staff.

An exploration of biomarkers for noise exposure: mitochondrial DNA copy number and micronucleus frequencies in Chinese workers.

Few studies have been conducted that use biomarkers as early warning signals for noise-associated health hazards. To explore potentially effective biomarkers for noise-exposed populations, we recruited 218 noise-exposed male workers in China. We calculated cumulative noise exposure (CNE) through noise intensity and noise-exposed duration. When the model was fully adjusted, ln-transformed relative mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) decreased by 0.014 (95% confidence interval (CI): -0.026, -0.003) units with each 1 dB(A)∙year increase in CNE levels. CNE was further included in the model as a grouping variable, and the results showed a negative dose-effect relationship between relative mtDNAcn and CNE (P-trend = 0.045). However, we did not find a correlation between CNE and micronucleus (MN) frequencies. Our findings suggest that CNE in workers was associated with a decrease in relative mtDNAcn which may provide a potential biomarker for noise and for certain health risk but not with MN frequencies.

[Development and characteristics of automatic ash-removal heat-sensitive moxibustion device].

An automatic ash-removal heat-sensitive moxibustion device was developed, which could keep relatively constant temperature of heat-sensitive moxibustion, and realize the automatic ignition and automatic ash removal of moxa sticks during heat-sensitive moxibustion. The automatic ash-removal heat-sensitive moxibustion device comprises a bracket and a moxibustion box fixed on the top of the bracket; the bracket is composed of a base and a movable telescopic arm. This device can solve the problems of temperature instability, moxa ash blocking heat transfer and moxa ash falling during heat-sensitive moxibustion, avoiding the scalding caused by moxa ash falling, and reduce the workload of medical staff.

[Synthesis of seleno-polysaccharides from Lonicerae Japonicae Flos via microwave and its immunological activity].

In this study, the microwave-assisted method was used to synthesize seleno-polysaccharides from Lonicerae Japonicae Flos, and the optimal process conditions were optimized.Meanwhile, the immunological activity of seleno-polysaccharides from Lonicerae Japonicae Flos was investigated.The results showed that under the conditions of nitric acid concentration of 0.512%, reaction temperature of 70.0 ℃, microwave power of 600 W, reaction time of 44.0 min, and m(Na_2SeO_3)∶m(polysaccharides)=1.0, the selenium content of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos seleno-polysaccharides was 3.89 mg·g~(-1).The results of in vitro immunoassay showed that polysaccharides and seleno-polysaccharides from Lonicerae Japonicae Flos could promote the proliferation of mouse RAW264.7 macrophages as compared with the conditions in the normal group.Compared with Lonicerae Japonicae Flos polysaccharides, Lonicerae Japonicae Flos seleno-polysaccharides could significantly facilitate the proliferation of mouse RAW264.7 macrophages and promote the production of IL-1ß and TNF-α at the concentration of 20-160 µg·mL~(-1).This study provided references for broadening the application of polysaccharides from Lonicerae Japonicae Flos.

KLF3 promotes the 8-cell-like transcriptional state in pluripotent stem cells.

OBJECTIVES: Mouse embryonic stem cell (mESC) culture contains various heterogeneous populations, which serve as excellent models to study gene regulation in early embryo development. The heterogeneity is typically defined by transcriptional activities, for example, the expression of Nanog or Rex1 mRNA. Our objectives were to identify mESC heterogeneity that are caused by mechanisms other than transcriptional control. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Klf3 mRNA and protein were analysed by RT-qPCR, Western blotting or immunofluorescence in mESCs, C2C12 cells, early mouse embryos and various mouse tissues. An ESC reporter line expressing KLF3-GFP fusion protein was made to study heterogeneity of KLF3 protein expression in ESCs. GFP-positive mESCs were sorted for further analysis including RT-qPCR and RNA-seq. RESULTS: In the majority of mESCs, KLF3 protein is actively degraded due to its proline-rich sequence and highly disordered structure. Interestingly, KLF3 protein is stabilized in a small subset of mESCs. Transcriptome analysis indicates that KLF3-positive mESCs upregulate genes that are initially activated in 8-cell embryos. Consistently, KLF3 protein but not mRNA is dramatically increased in 8-cell embryos. Forced expression of KLF3 protein in mESCs promotes the expression of 8-cell-embryo activated genes. CONCLUSIONS: Our study identifies previously unrecognized heterogeneity due to KLF3 protein expression in mESCs.

Does asymmetric persistence in convergence of the air quality index (AQI) exist in China?

In recent years, China's air pollution has caused significant concern in the academia. China is the hub of business and financial activities, with the most populous cities. It is important to determine the convergence and asymmetric persistence of air quality index (AQI hereafter) in China to achieve sustainable development goals, especially the ones related to the environment. This paper uses the Fourier quantile unit root test to check for inter-regional convergence of monthly AQI for 74 cities across China from January 2013 to July 2019. For a comparative baseline analysis, five conventional univariate and quantile unit root tests are also conducted. The empirical outcomes show that the Fourier quantile unit test exhibits a significant advantage in detecting smooth breaks and evaluating the asymmetric behavior and mean-reverting properties of AQI. Moreover, the monthly AQI in 70 out of 74 C0hinese cities are stationary processes. These findings not only focus on the appropriate use of relevant modeling techniques of smooth breaks and asymmetries in the AQI series of the 74 Chinese cities but also provide crucial environmental sustainability and economic implications for AQI regulation policies.

[Changes in activities of SOD and GSH-Px in induced sputum and their significance among silicosis patients].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the changes in activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxide (GSH-Px) in the induced sputum of silicosis patients, and to investigate the roles of SOD and GSH-Px in the development and progression of silicosis and the significance of measuring activities of SOD and GSH-Px in induced sputum among silicosis patients. METHODS: Fifty hotel attendants were chosen as control group, 50 workers with more than one year of silica dust exposure as dust exposure group, 32 silica dust-exposed workers as observation subject group, and 52 silicosis patients as silicosis group. The activities of SOD and GSH-Px in their induced sputum were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the observation subject group and silicosis group had significantly decreased SOD activity (68.16 ± 30.17 and 66.38 ± 47.32 U/ml vs 75.81 ± 11.92 U/ml, P < 0.05); compared with the dust exposure group, the silicosis group had significantly decreased SOD activity (66.38 ± 47.32 U/ml vs 70.12 ± 14.31 U/ml, P < 0.05). Compared with the control group and dust exposure group, the observation subject group and silicosis group had significantly increased GSH-Px activity (268.21 ± 15.45 and 279.34 ± 29.26 U/ml vs 224.22 ± 12.64 and 236.41 ± 14.54 U/ml, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The SOD activity in dust exposure group and silicosis group decreased, but there were no significant differences between patients with different stages of silicosis. The GSH-Px activity in dust exposure group and silicosis group was significantly higher than that in control group, and there were significant differences between patients with different stages of silicosis. These suggest that the imbalance of oxidative/antioxidant systems is associated with the development and progression of silicosis.

Classical swine fever virus suppresses maturation and modulates functions of monocyte-derived dendritic cells without activating nuclear factor kappa B.

Classical swine fever virus (CSFV) compromises the host immune system, causing the severe disease of pigs. Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent inducers of immune responses. In the present study, we investigated the functional properties of porcine monocyte-derived DCs (Mo-DCs) affected by CSFV. Results showed that the expression of surface markers of DCs such as major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II), CD80, CD83 and CD86 were unimpaired, but an obviously increased expression of CD172a in DCs was noticed 48 h after CSFV infection. The expression profiles of cytokines were detected in cultured Mo-DCs after various treatments for 48 h by Q-RT-PCR. The findings suggested that CSFV infection significantly increased the mRNA expression of IL-10 and TNF-α, and inhibited IL-12 expression, with little effect on IFN-α and IFN-γ expression. We further demonstrated that CSFV was incapable of activating the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) in infected DCs, which was characterized by an unvaried DNA binding activity of NF-κB, the lack of translocation of p65/RelA from the cytoplasm to the nucleus and the stabilization of p65/RelA expression. Furthermore, Western blot analysis indicated that the inactivation of NF-κB was due to the failure of IκBα degradation. The data demonstrated that CSFV could be replicated in DCs and CSFV infection could modulate the secretion of crucial co-stimulatory molecules and cytokines which down-regulated maturation of DCs, without activating NF-κB in DCs. Thus, the results suggested a possible mechanism for CSFV evasion of innate host defenses, providing the basis for understanding molecular pathways in CSFV pathogenesis.

[Application of the national diagnostic criteria of occupational mercury poisoning].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical manifestation of patients with renal injury induced by chronic mercury intoxication and the application of the diagnostic criteria of occupational mercury poisoning. METHODS: The clinical data of 8 patients with chronic occupational mercury intoxication were analysed and evaluated. RESULTS: All the observed clinical signs of chronic mercury intoxication correspond with the items of the diagnostic criteria of occupational mercury poisoning. The increasing beta2-MG was one of the clinical manifestations of renal injury induced by chronical mercury intoxication. The renal injury obviously was dose-dependent and reversible. CONCLUSIONS: The national diagnostic criteria of occupational mercury poisoning is practically valuable. The renal injury induced by chronic mercury intoxication should not be neglected.

[Effects of oxidative stress and NF-kappaB levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells on development of silicosis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the change of indicators of oxidative stress in serum and NF-kappaB in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with silicosis, and explore the mechanism of the development of silicosis. METHODS: The subjects were divided into (1) 200 workers exposed to SiO2 for at least 1 years in a foundry served as the dust-exposure group; (2) 130 cases with silicosis (I phase silicosis 64 cases, II phase 46 cases III phase 20 cases) served as the silicosis group; (3) 32 cases with 0+ phase silicosis in the foundry served as the observed group,(4)100 subjects from a hotel served as the control group. The serum including superoxide dismutase (SOD), nitric oxide (NO), serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), lipid malondialdehyde (MDA) and NF-kappaB protein levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were determined, respectively. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, NO levels in dust-exposed group and silicosis group significantly increased, and SOD decreased significantly (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Compared with the control group and dust-exposed group, T-AOC, NOS, MDA levels in silicosis group significantly increased (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). GSH-Px in dust-exposed group and silicosis group were (231.164 +/- 36.484) and (270.469 +/- 39.228)U/ml, respectively which were significantly than that [(223.360 +/- 46.838) U/ml] in control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and there was significant difference of GSHPx between the silicosis group and the dust-exposed group significantly (P < 0.01) . GSH-Px level [(290.750 +/- 39.129) U/ml] in III phase silicosis group were significantly higher than those [(256.906 +/- 21.41) and (259.594 +/- 34.79) U/ml] in observation group and I phase silicosis group (P < 0.05). NF-kappaB levels [(72.06 +/- 9.12) and (85.25 +/- 11.64) ng/L] in dust-exposed group and silicosis group were significantly higher than that [(59.71 +/- 9.27) ng/L] in control group (P < 0.01), and there was significant difference of between the silicosis group and the dust-exposed group (P < 0.01). There was a positive correlation between serum GSH-Px level and the silicosis stages (r = 0.507, P < 0.01). Also there was a positive correlation between NF-kappaB level and silicosis stages, age, GSH-Px or NO levels (r = 0.376, 0.243, 0.233, 0.221, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The imbalance of oxidative and anti-oxidation system and the activation of NF-kappaB are related with the occurrence and development of silicosis. The monitoring of oxidative stress indicators and NF-kappaB is beneficial to the prediction and prognosis assessment of silicosis.

[Change of serum TGF-beta1 and TNF-alpha in silicosis patients].

OBJECTIVE: To observe serum TGF-beta1 and TNF-alpha in silicosis patients and workers exposed to silica dust to study the role of TGF-beta1 and TNF-alpha in the development of silicosis. METHODS: One hundred non-exposed workers were selected as control group, 200 workers exposed to silica dust for more than 1 year as exposed group, 32 suspected silicosis patients (originally diagnosed as 0+) as observing group, 130 silicosis patients were as silicosis group. Serum TGF-beta1 and TNF-alpha in each group were determined with ELISA. RESULTS: Serum TNF-alpha in exposed group [(47.86 +/- 16.52) pg/ml], observing group [(109.11 +/- 31.08) pg/ml], silicosis group [(216.35 +/- 51.03) pg/ml] were significantly higher than that in control group [(6.90 +/- 2.24) pg/ml] (P < 0.01); Silicosis group and observing group were also higher than exposed group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Compared with control group [(23.28 +/- 12.24) pg/ml] and exposed group [(29.31 +/- 14.52) pg/ml], serum TGF-beta1 in silicosis group was much higher (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: TGF-beta1, and TNF-alpha were essential in the development of silicosis, so the detection of TGF-beta1 and TNF-alpha in peripheral blood was very useful for occupational health surveillance and early diagnosis of silicosis.

Characterization of an anti-human ovarian carcinomaxanti-human CD3 bispecific single-chain antibody with an albumin-original interlinker.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the properties of a single-chain bispecific antibody (scBsAb) against human ovarian carcinoma and to develop this agent for potential use in human ovarian cancer. METHODS: ELISA and FACS were performed to determine the antigen-binding properties of the scBsAb. Its abilities to retarget the pre-activated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to human ovarian carcinoma cell line SKOV3 cells and mediate their lysis in vitro were performed by a colorimetric MTT-based assay. Nude mice bearing human SKOV3 tumor xenografts were used to study the distribution and imaging of the scBsAb. Its pharmacokinetics in vivo was also studied in naive BALB/c mice. RESULTS: The scBsAb showed nearly identical ligand binding properties at each site relative to the individual monovalent single-chain antibody prototype molecules and could bridge SKOV3 and human T cell line Jurkat, which expresses CD3 antigens on the surface of cells together. It can also retarget the pre-activated PBMCs to SKOV3 cells and mediated their lysis in vitro effectively. Imaging and distribution study demonstrated that the antibody could target the tumor. Its elimination in vivo corresponded to second-order kinetics with a terminal half-life time (t(1/2)beta) of 7.7 h. CONCLUSION: This scBsAb with easy production and reasonable blood retention time should be developed for potential use in human ovarian cancer.