Aneurinibacillus uraniidurans sp. nov., a uranium-resistant bacterium isolated from uranium-contaminated soil.

A novel Gram-positive strain, B1T, was isolated from uranium-contaminated soil. The strain was aerobic, rod-shaped, spore-forming, and motile. The strain was able to grow at 20-45 °C, at pH 6.0-9.0, and in the presence of 0-3 % (w/v) NaCl. The complete genome size of the novel strain was 3 853 322 bp. The genomic DNA G+C content was 45.5 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain B1T has the highest similarity to Aneurinibacillus soli CB4T (96. 71 %). However, the novel strain showed an average nucleotide identity value of 89.02 % and a digital DNA-DNA hybridization value of 37.40 % with strain CB4T based on the genome sequences. The major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0 and C16 : 0. The predominate respiratory quinone was MK7. Diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, unidentified phospholipids, an unidentified aminolipid and an unidentified lipid were identified as the major polar lipids. The phylogenetic, phenotypic, and chemotaxonomic analyses showed that strain B1T represents a novel species of the genus Aneurinibacillus, for which the name Aneurinibacillus uraniidurans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is B1T (=GDMCC 1.4080T=JCM 36228T). Experiments have shown that strain B1T demonstrates uranium tolerance.

The effects of a plate model on the remission and need for hypoglycemic drugs of newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes in China: A randomized trial.

To assess the effect of the plate model on the remission of diabetes and the demand for hypoglycemic drugs in China. We selected 456 participants with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes and not required to take hypoglycemic drugs at baseline. The plate education model consists of three parts: a colored leaflet suitable for low literacy reading, regular medical visits and health education sessions. The primary outcomes were remission of diabetes and the time to first use of hypoglycemic drugs. The study was ended after 8.1 years of follow-up. The incidence of the using hypoglycemic drugs was 36.15 % in the plate model, and 75.54 % in the low-fat model (P < 0.001). The prevalence of any remission in plate model was 27.1 % (95 % CI 16.8-37.4 %) during the first 2 years, decreasing to 14.5 % (95 % CI 6.3-22.7 %) during year 4, to 10.1 % (95 % CI 4.4-15.8 %) during year 6, and to 9.6 % (95 % CI 5.3-13.9 %) during year 8, compared with 12.2 % (95 % CI 5.2-19.2 %) at year 2, 6.1 % (95 % CI 2.1-10.1 %) at year 4, 4.7 %(95 % CI 2.2-7.2 %) at year 6, and 2.6 % (95 % CI 1.1-4.2 %) at year 8 in the low-fat group. The HbA1c of plate group was significantly decreased at the endpoint (7.74 ± 0.45 % vs. 6.70 ± 0.46 %, P < 0.001). The plate model may significantly improve the remission rate of diabetes, delay the demand for diabetes drugs, more suitable for patients with low educational level, and reduce the long-term level of HbA1c. Clinical trials registry: The study was registered at ChiCTR (www.chictr.org.cn) (ChiCTR1900027097).

γ And ß Band Oscillation in Working Memory Given Sequential or Concurrent Multiple Items: A Spiking Network Model.

Working memory (WM) can maintain sequential and concurrent information, and the load enhances the γ band oscillation during the delay period. To provide a unified account for these phenomena in working memory, we investigated a continuous network model consisting of pyramidal cells, high-threshold fast-spiking interneurons (FS), and low-threshold nonfast-spiking interneurons (nFS) for working memory of sequential and concurrent directional cues. Our model exhibits the γ (30-100 Hz) and ß (10-30 Hz) band oscillation during the retention of both concurrent cues and sequential cues. We found that the ß oscillation results from the interaction between pyramidal cells and nFS, whereas the γ oscillation emerges from the interaction between pyramidal cells and FS because of the strong excitation elicited by cue presentation, shedding light on the mechanism underlying the enhancement of γ power in many cognitive executions.

Statistical significance of PM2.5 and O3 trends in China under long-term memory effects.

Over the past decade, the Chinese government has implemented the "Clean Air Action" measures to enhance the atmospheric environmental quality, primarily focusing on curbing PM2.5 and O3 concentrations. The efficacy of these strategies and the underlying causes (human factors or natural variability) of any observed increases or decreases in PM2.5 and O3 concentrations are of great importance. Examining the hourly PM2.5 and O3 concentration time series from six representative regions in China between 2015 and 2021 revealed an overall downward trend in PM2.5 concentrations. However, the O3 concentration time series indicated upward trends in some regions, except for the Northeast area (NE) and Sichuan Basin (SCB). In the context of conventional significance tests, the assumption is typically that the time series' samples are independent and therefore memoryless. However, in situations where the time series exhibits strong autocorrelation and limited sample size, this assumption can lead to an overestimation of the statistical significance of the linear trend. To account for this, we utilized a long-term memory model that can reproduce the long-term persistence of pollutant records to improve the accuracy of significance tests. By comparing the P-values of real and surrogate data generated by the long-term memory model, we found that only PM2.5 concentrations in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) were slightly insignificant. For the remaining five regions, the P-values of PM2.5 concentrations were smaller than the significant level of 0.05, suggesting that the observed downward trends in PM2.5 concentrations are not due to natural variability, thereby confirming the effectiveness of the government's policies aimed at curbing atmospheric particulate matter in recent years. Our results show that O3 pollution is significantly increasing only in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region, beyond natural variability. In contrast, the trends of O3 pollution in many regions of China are markedly impacted by natural and climate variability.

Association of mobile phone usage time with incidence of diabetic retinopathy in type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study.

We prospectively analyzed the association between mobile phone usage time and the incidence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in type 2 diabetes (T2D) among participants.We included a total of 4,371 patients with T2D among the participants. Mobile phone usage time was quantified at baseline by summing up the hours spent on mobile phone use. The types of mobile phone usage time in our study include game time, TikTok time, WeChat time, watching movies or reading time, and online shopping time. We categorized patients into four groups according to different mobile phone usage time: ≤1.5 h/day (n = 1,101), 1.6-3.5 h/day (n = 1,098), 3.6-7.5 h/day (n = 1,095), and >7.6 h/day (n = 1,077). Fundus photography was performed every year from January 2012 to January 2020. During a follow-up of 8 years, 1,119 were affected by DR, resulting in an overall incidence of 25.6%. The incidences of mild nonproliferative DR (NPDR), moderate NPDR, severe NPDR, and proliferative DR (PDR) were 10.1%, 5.1%, 5.1%, and 5.2%, respectively. In comparisons with participants in the lowest category (≤1.5 h/day), the hazard ratios (HRs) of DR were 1.19 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07, 1.31, p = 0.040) for 1.6-3.5 h/day, 1.60 (95% CI 1.40, 1.81, p < 0.001) for 3.6-7.5 h/day, and 1.85 (95% CI 1.61, 2.09, p < 0.001) for >7.6 h/day, respectively. Our results provide the general population with a feasible and practical alternative for the reduction of mobile phone use behavior time and new measures to prevent the occurrence of DR.

[Reflections on supervision strategies of new Tibetan drug registration].

Tibetan medicine is an essential part of Chinese medicine and has unique theoretical experience and therapeutic advantages. According to the development principle of inheriting the essence, sticking to the truth, and keeping innovative, the supervision department should give clear and reasonable guidance considering the characteristics of Tibetan medicine, establish a standard system for quality control, clinical verification and evaluation, and accelerate the research and commercialization of new drugs. In view of the needs of drug supply-side reform and the current situation of Tibetan medicine and new pharmaceutical research, we ponder and provide suggestions on the confusion faced by the current supervision of Tibetan drug registration, hoping to contribute to the supervision strategy of Tibetan drug registration and the high-quality development of Tibetan medicine industry.

Effectiveness of restricted diet with a plate in patients with type 2 diabetes: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: In view of the complexity of dietary and nutritional education for most patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), a simplified approach called the "restricted diet with a plate" or "plate model" is recommended. PURPOSE: To evaluate whether the plate model can effectively improve glycemic control and cardiovascular risk markers in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), while reducing the time devoted to education and avoiding weight gain. METHODS: The study was a randomized, multicenter, controlled study, conducted between October 2018 and October 2019, among patients with T2DM living in Nanjing. The study included 419 participants who were randomly divided into a plate group and a counting group. The plate model included three components: a low-literacy, color leaflet containing the explanation and composition of the plate model, health education, and medical visits. Patients in the counting group received health education, group medical visits, and a paper booklet containing traditional carbohydrate counting education. Primary outcomes were glycemic control and weight. RESULTS: Participants in the plate model reduced HbA1c by 0.7% in the first three months, and reduced to a greater extent at six months (1.44%), but this was not sustained, and HbA1c increased slightly over the following six months. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and 2-h postprandial glucose (2hPG) values were significantly reduced at the endpoint in the plate model (9.25 ± 1.72% vs. 7.44 ± 0.88%, P = 0.008; 12.07 ± 2.94 vs. 8.35 ± 1.99%; P = 0.004); however, the 2hPG values decreased most significantly. Total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels decreased significantly in the plate group, which occurred at six months and lasted for 12 months. In the first three months, the average weight loss in the plate group was 1.2 kg/month (95% CI 0.92-1.48), and in the fourth to twelfth months, the average weight gain was 0.21 kg/month (95% CI 0.08-0.34). There was significant difference in education time between the groups (17.3 ± 4.42 vs. 38.6 ± 12.63; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The plate model is at least as effective as the counting model over the short term for glycemic control and perhaps even better for weight and lipid control. Plate model has the potential to improve education of those with low health literacy by reducing reading demands.

[Category of Chinese medicine registration:historical evolution,current status,and problems].

The development of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has always been highly valued and supported since 1949. However, Chinese medicine industry still faces great challenges in view of the current status of the industry and registration and approval of new products in recent years. Related policies also directly influence the development of the industry. The latest version of the Provisions for Drug Registration and Requirement on Registration Classification and Application Information of Traditional Chinese Medicines have been put into practice since 2020. Registration classification is the core content of the Chinese medicine registration management system, as it is closely related to the research, development, and registration of Chinese medicine and the innovative development of the industry. This article aims to systematically review the historical evolution of the category of Chinese medicine registration and analyze the current status and problems, which is expected to provide a reference for the formulation of supporting documents according to related laws and regulations.

Eigen microstates and their evolution of global ozone at different geopotential heights.

Studies on stratospheric ozone have attracted much attention due to its serious impacts on climate changes and its important role as a tracer of Earth's global circulation. Tropospheric ozone as a main atmospheric pollutant damages human health as well as the growth of vegetation. Yet, there is still a lack of a theoretical framework to fully describe the variation of ozone. To understand ozone's spatiotemporal variance, we introduce the eigen microstate method to analyze the global ozone mass mixing ratio between January 1, 1979 and June 30, 2020 at 37 pressure layers. We find that eigen microstates at different geopotential heights can capture different climate phenomena and modes. Without deseasonalization, the first eigen microstates capture the seasonal effect and reveal that the phase of the intra-annual cycle moves with the geopotential heights. After deseasonalization, by contrast, the collective patterns from the overall trend, El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), quasi-biennial oscillation, and tropopause pressure are identified by the first few significant eigen microstates. The theoretical framework proposed here can also be applied to other complex Earth systems.

A study on nursing effect of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine management mode on COVID-19.

AIM: This study aims to explore the effect of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine management mode on nursing care of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: The study included 142 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in Huoshenshan Hospital from February to March 2020. Nursing measures in the treatment (n = 111) and control (n = 31) groups included integrated management care and usual care. The integrated management model had eight components: WeChat group management, early Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatment, emotional nursing, music therapy, observation of tongue coating and pulse, vital Qi strengthening, preventing recurrence after recovery, and an individualized follow-up scheme. The endpoints included clinical outcome, recovery time of clinical symptoms and signs, days of hospital stay, and survival without intensive care unit (ICU) admission. RESULTS: Recovery time from clinical symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, muscle aches, and fatigue in the treatment group was shorter than that in the control group. Less time was required to show negative chest computed tomography findings in the treatment group than in the control group (13.0 ± 2.8 vs. 16.7 ± 3.9, p < .025). The lengths of hospital stay in the two groups were 16.4 ± 7.3 days (treatment group) and 24.4 ± 4.8 days (control group) (p < .001). Kaplan-Meier curves for survival without ICU transfer showed statistical difference between the two groups (χ2 = 5.427, p = .020). CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that the integrated management mode can relieve the symptoms of patients faster, shorten hospital stay and disease course, and reduce the rate of ICU transfers.

Characterization and Pathogenicity of Colletotrichum Species on Philodendron tatei cv. Congo in Gansu Province, China.

In recent years in China, leaf spot caused by Colletotrichum species has been an emerging disease of Philodendron tatei cv. Congo. From 2016 to 2019, typical symptoms, appearing as circular or ovoid, sunken, and brown lesions with a yellow halo, were commonly observed on P. tatei cv. Congo in and around Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China. Conidiomata were often visible on infected leaf surfaces. Leaf disease incidence was approximately 5 to 20%. A total of 126 single-spored Colletotrichum isolates were obtained from leaf lesions. Multilocus phylogenetic relationships were analyzed based on seven genomic loci (ITS, ACT, GAPDH, HIS3, CAL, CHS-1, and TUB2) and the morphological characters of the isolates determined. These isolates were identified as three Colletotrichum species in this study. A further 93 isolates, accounting for 74% of all Colletotrichum isolates, were described as new species and named as Colletotrichum philodendricola sp. nov. after the host plant genus name, Philodendron; another two isolates were named as C. pseudoboninense sp. nov. based on phylogenetic and morphological relativeness to C. boninense; the other 31 isolates, belonging to the C. orchidearum species complex, were identified as a known species-C. orchidearum. Both novel species C. philodendricola and C. pseudoboninense belong to the C. boninense species complex. Pathogenicity tests by both spray and point inoculations confirmed that all three species could infect leaves of P. tatei cv. Congo. For spray inoculation, the mean infection rate of leaves on the three species was only 4.7% (0 to 12%), and the size on lesions was mostly 1 to 2 mm in length. For point inoculation, 30 days after nonwounding inoculation, the infection rate on leaves was 0 to 35%; in wounding inoculation, the infection rate of leaves was 35 to 65%; wounding in healthy leaves greatly enhanced the pathogenicity of these three species to P. tatei cv. Congo; however, the sizes of lesions among the three species were not significantly different. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Colletotrichum species associated with anthracnose diseases on P. tatei cv. Congo. Results obtained in this study will assist the disease prevention and appropriate management strategies.

[Bioavailability and Influencing Factors of Soil Cd in the Major Farming Areas of Chongqing].

One-hundred and fifty five large-scale crop rice and root soil samples were collected in Nanchuan District of Chongqing, and some samples of corn, potato, tomato, rapeseed, plum and kiwifruit, and root soil were collected for testing and analysis. The bioavailability of the elements was characterized by bioconcentration factors. The effects of soil physical and chemical properties, soil composition, geological background, and crop types on the bioavailability of Cd were analyzed. The results showed that there was a certain degree of Cd exceeding the standard in rice and root soil in Nanchuan District, and the bioavailability of Cd was relatively low. Soil pH was the main controlling factor of Cd bioavailability, and the bioavailability was higher under acidic conditions. Plum, kiwi, and kiwifruit have weaker ability to enrich Cd. Therefore, it is possible to prevent heavy metal pollution in the soil and improve the quality of agricultural products by artificially regulating the pH of the field or adjusting the planting structure. The method can also be applied to the research of other soil heavy metals or health elements such as Se and provides a scientific basis for the safe use of land and the production of high-quality agricultural products.

Neuropsychiatric Lupus Erythematosus: Future Directions and Challenges; a Systematic Review and Survey.

This study aimed to systematically review neuropsychiatric lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) and establish a simplified diagnostic criterion for NPSLE. Publications from 1994 to 2018 in the database (Wanfang data (http://www.wanfangdata.com.cn/index.html) and China National Knowledge Internet (http://www.cnki.net)) were included. In total, 284 original case reports and 24 unpublished cases were collected, and clinical parameters were analyzed. An attempt was made to develop a set of simplified diagnostic criteria for NPSLE based on cases described in the survey and literature; moreover, and pathophysiology and management guidelines were studied. The incidence rate of NPSLE was estimated to be 12.4% of SLE patients in China. A total of 408 NPSLE patients had 652 NP events, of which 91.2% affected the central nervous system and 8.8% affected the peripheral nervous system. Five signs (manifestations, disease activity, antibodies, thrombosis, and skin lesions) showed that negative and positive predictive values were more than 70%, included in the diagnostic criteria. The specificity, accuracy, and positive predictive value (PPV) of the revised diagnostic criteria were significantly higher than those of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria (χ2=13.642, 15.591, 65.010, p<0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) for revised diagnostic criteria was 0.962 (standard error=0.015, 95% confidence intervals [CI] =0.933-0.990), while the AUC for the ACR criteria was 0.900 (standard error=0.024, 95% CI=0.853-0.946). The AUC for the revised diagnostic criteria was different from that for the ACR criteria (Z=2.19, p<0.05). Understanding the pathophysiologic mechanisms leading to NPSLE is essential for the evaluation and design of effective interventions. The set of diagnostic criteria proposed here represents a simplified, reliable, and cost-effective approach used to diagnose NPSLE. The revised diagnostic criteria may improve the accuracy rate for diagnosing NPSLE compared to the ACR criteria.

Neuropsychiatric lupus erythematosus: future directions and challenges; a systematic review and survey

This study aimed to systematically review neuropsychiatric lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) and establish a simplified diagnostic criterion for NPSLE. Publications from 1994 to 2018 in the database (Wanfang data (http://www.wanfangdata.com.cn/index.html) and China National Knowledge Internet (http://www.cnki.net)) were included. In total, 284 original case reports and 24 unpublished cases were collected, and clinical parameters were analyzed. An attempt was made to develop a set of simplified diagnostic criteria for NPSLE based on cases described in the survey and literature; moreover, and pathophysiology and management guidelines were studied. The incidence rate of NPSLE was estimated to be 12.4% of SLE patients in China. A total of 408 NPSLE patients had 652 NP events, of which 91.2% affected the central nervous system and 8.8% affected the peripheral nervous system. Five signs (manifestations, disease activity, antibodies, thrombosis, and skin lesions) showed that negative and positive predictive values were more than 70%, included in the diagnostic criteria. The specificity, accuracy, and positive predictive value (PPV) of the revised diagnostic criteria were significantly higher than those of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria (χ2=13.642, 15.591, 65.010, p<0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) for revised diagnostic criteria was 0.962 (standard error=0.015, 95% confidence intervals [CI] =0.933-0.990), while the AUC for the ACR criteria was 0.900 (standard error=0.024, 95% CI=0.853-0.946). The AUC for the revised diagnostic criteria was different from that for the ACR criteria (Z=2.19, p<0.05). Understanding the pathophysiologic mechanisms leading to NPSLE is essential for the evaluation and design of effective interventions. The set of diagnostic criteria proposed here represents a simplified, reliable, and cost-effective approach used to diagnose NPSLE. The revised diagnostic criteria may improve the accuracy rate for diagnosing NPSLE compared to the ACR criteria.

[Method of Dividing the Value of Soil Heavy Metal Pollution Risk Screening: Using Cd as an Example].

The Soil Environmental Quality Risk Control Standard for Soil Contamination of Agricultural Land (GB 15618-2018) provides the risk screening value of soil environmental quality in China; however, because of differences in soil composition, and physical and chemical properties in different regions, this value has limitations for certain regions. Based on the limits of pollutants in crops given in the National Food Safety Standards Limits of Pollutants for Foods (GB 2762-2017), and using Cd in the soil of the main farming areas in southeastern Chongqing as an example, the content of the elemental biological effective state was determined for the suggested screening value. This method can provide a reference and method for improving the heavy metal and healthy element thresholds of soils with high or low bioavailability, and that are rich in Se content, among other factors.

Effectiveness of Systematic Health Education Model for Type 2 Diabetes Patients.

BACKGROUND: Health education is considered to be essential in the overall care of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); systematic health education integrates individual education not only during hospitalization but also extended care outside of a hospital. To test effectiveness of the systematic health education model for T2DM, we conducted a randomized study with a control group among patients with T2DM living in Nanjing, China. METHODS: 998 eligible patients completed the enrollment and were randomized to systematic health education model and conventional model groups (498 and 500 patients, resp.). The systematic health education model was based on the following aspects: image education, visitation of the exhibition hall, dissemination of educational materials, individualized medical nutrition therapy and exercise programs, WeChat group and regular health lectures, evaluation of complications, lifestyle modification, systematic treatment scheme, self-monitoring of glycemic control, monthly evaluation of the therapeutic effect, proposed improvement measures, and individualized follow-up scheme. The main outcome measures were glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and lipids during the 2-year follow-up. RESULTS: The systematic health education model led to a favorable variation in HbA1c, LDL cholesterol, and systolic blood pressure (SBP) (P < 0.05). After adjusted analysis, the HbA1c decreased by 0.67% (P < 0.01) in the systematic health education model, SBP decreased by 10.83 mmHg (P < 0.01), and the level of diastolic blood pressure (DBP), HDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol decreased slightly and was not significant. The BMI did not change significantly during the study in either of the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The systematic health education model is a useful method in the treatment of T2DM because it contributes to decrease in HbA1c, LDL cholesterol, and SBP levels, as well as helps in increasing the compliance with the control criteria, except for DBP and BMI.

A Risk Score Model for Evaluation and Management of Patients with Thyroid Nodules.

The study is aimed to establish a simplified and practical tool for analyzing thyroid nodules. A novel risk score model was designed, risk factors including patient history, patient characteristics, physical examination, symptoms of compression, thyroid function, ultrasonography (US) of thyroid and cervical lymph nodes were evaluated and classified into high risk factors, intermediate risk factors, and low risk factors. A total of 243 thyroid nodules in 162 patients were assessed with risk score system and Thyroid Imaging-Reporting and Data System (TI-RADS). The diagnostic performance of risk score system and TI-RADS was compared. The accuracy in the diagnosis of thyroid nodules was 89.3% for risk score system, 74.9% for TI-RADS respectively. The specificity, accuracy and positive predictive value (PPV) of risk score system were significantly higher than the TI-RADS system (χ2=26.287, 17.151, 11.983; p <0.05), statistically significant differences were not observed in the sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) between the risk score system and TI-RADS (χ2=1.276, 0.290; p>0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) for risk score diagnosis system was 0.963, standard error 0.014, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.934-0.991, the AUC for TI-RADS diagnosis system was 0.912 with standard error 0.021, 95% CI=0.871-0.953, the AUC for risk score system was significantly different from that of TI-RADS (Z=2.02; p <0.05). Risk score model is a reliable, simplified and cost-effective diagnostic tool used in diagnosis of thyroid cancer. The higher the score is, the higher the risk of malignancy will be.

Finite-size scaling of clique percolation on two-dimensional Moore lattices.

Clique percolation has attracted much attention due to its significance in understanding topological overlap among communities and dynamical instability of structured systems. Rich critical behavior has been observed in clique percolation on Erdos-Rényi (ER) random graphs, but few works have discussed clique percolation on finite dimensional systems. In this paper, we have defined a series of characteristic events, i.e., the historically largest size jumps of the clusters, in the percolating process of adding bonds and developed a new finite-size scaling scheme based on the interval of the characteristic events. Through the finite-size scaling analysis, we have found, interestingly, that, in contrast to the clique percolation on an ER graph where the critical exponents are parameter dependent, the two-dimensional (2D) clique percolation simply shares the same critical exponents with traditional site or bond percolation, independent of the clique percolation parameters. This has been corroborated by bridging two special types of clique percolation to site percolation on 2D lattices. Mechanisms for the difference of the critical behaviors between clique percolation on ER graphs and on 2D lattices are also discussed.

[Comparison and review on specifications of fermented Cordyceps sinensis products].

There are five kinds of fermented Cordyceps crude drug and their preparations that have been approved as medicine on the market. Since the initial strains of the crude drug were all isolated from natural Cordyceps sinensis， they have similar names， chemical components and even clinical applications. However， because of the different strain species and fermentation processes， there was significant difference in quality. As a result， they should be clearly distinguished in clinical use. Most of the products were researched and developed during the 1980s and 1990s， so there was difference in quality standards for different products， and their quality control levels of some products were not perfect. At present， some of the products are approved as Chinese medicine， others are approved as chemical drugs， with a confusion in products name， management and clinical application. In this paper， the approval numbers， quality standards and clinical applications， and current problems of these products were summarized and compared; some suggestions were put forward， such as standardizing the product name， unifying the management of approval number category， and increasing the specific quality control attributes， in order to provide reference for standard implementation， quality control and drug regulation for fermented Cordyceps crude drugs and their preparations.

Artesunate enhances γδ T-cell-mediated antitumor activity through augmenting γδ T-cell function and reversing immune escape of HepG2 cells.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect and mechanism of artesunate on γδ T cell-mediated antitumor immune responses against hepatoma carcinoma cells (HepG2) in vitro. METHODS: Human γδ T cells or HepG2 were respectively treated with artesunate, subjected to co-culture as appropriate, and the following assays were subsequently conducted: CCK8 to examine cell viability; LDH release assay to detect the killing effect of γδ T cells on HepG2 cells; flow cytometry to examine the expression of perforin (PFP) and granzyme B (GraB) of γδ T cells; ELISA to evaluate the levels of TGF-ß1 and IL-10 in the collected supernatant of HepG2 cells pretreated with artesunate; and Western blot analysis to examine Fas, FasL, STAT3, p-STAT3 expression of HepG2 cells induced by artesunate. Results: The results showed that the cytotoxicity effect of γδ T cells pretreated with artesunate on HepG2 cells was augmented via elevating the expression of GraB in γδ T cells. Furthermore, treatment with artesunate reversed the inhibition of HepG2 cells on γδ T cells by reducing the secretion of TGF-ß1 in HepG2 cells supernatant and enhanced the antitumor effect of γδ T cells against HepG2 cells through increasing the expression of Fas on HepG2 cells, which may be attributed to the inhibition of STAT3 signaling protein. CONCLUSION: Artesunate has several mechanisms for augmenting the antitumor immune responses mediated by γδ T cells. These results suggested artesunate may be an efficacious agent in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.