Analysis of clinical effect of blood purification on acute benzene-based thinner poisoning / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

Objective: To investigate the clinical significance of blood purification on changes in serum toxicant concentration and prognosis of acute benzene-based thinner poisoning. Methods: A total of 44 patients with acute benzene-based thinner poisoning admitted to the emergency department of Characteristic Medical Center of Armed Police from August 2013 to August 2020 were collected and divided into a blood purification group (24 cases) and a conventional treatment group (20 cases) , the general data, toxicant concentrations and prognosis of the two groups of patients were analyzed, and logistic regression analysis was performed on the influencing factors of the prognosis to explore the clinical effect of blood purification. Results: The concentration of poisons in the blood purification group at 24 hours after treatment was significantly lower than that in the conventional treatment group (t=6.76, P<0.001) , and the reduction in the concentration of poisons was significantly higher than that in the conventional treatment group (t=3.33, P=0.002) . The overall improvement rate in the blood purification group was 91.7% (22/24) , which was higher than that in the conventional treatment group (60.0%, 12/20) . Logisitic regression analysis showed that blood purification treatment method was the main factor affecting the prognosis of patients (OR=7.605×10(-5), 95%CI: 6.604×10(-8)-0.087, P=0.008) , and the toxic dose was a synergistic effect on the prognosis of patients factor (OR=1.038, 95%CI: 1.008-1.068, P=0.011) . Conclusion: Early blood purification treatment in patients with acute benzene-based thinner poisoning can rapidly reduce blood toxin concentration, avoid disease progression, and ultimately improve patient prognosis.

Analysis of nicotine-induced metabolic changes in Blakeslea trispora by GC-MS / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Blakeslea trispora is a natural source of carotenoids, including β-carotene and lycopene, which have industrial applications. Therefore, classical selective breeding techniques have been applied to generate strains with increased productivity, and microencapsulated β-carotene preparation has been used in food industry (Li et al., 2019). In B. trispora, lycopene is synthesized via the mevalonate pathway (Venkateshwaran et al., 2015). Lycopene cyclase, which is one of the key enzymes in this pathway, is a bifunctional enzyme that can catalyze the cyclization of lycopene to produce β-carotene and exhibit phytoene synthase activity (He et al., 2017).

Microencapsulated β-carotene preparation using different drying treatments / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

β-Carotene is one of the most abundant natural pigments in foods; however, usage of β-carotene is limited because of its instability. Microencapsulation techniques are usually applied to protect microencapsulated β-carotene from oxidization. In this study, β-carotene was microencapsulated using different drying processes: spray-drying, spray freeze-drying, coating, and spray granulation. The properties of morphology, particle size, water content, thermal characteristic, and chemical stability have been explored and compared. Scanning electron microscopy measurements showed that the coated powder had a dense surface surrounded by starch and suggested that the coating process gave a microencapsulated powder with the smallest bulk density and the best compressibility among the prepared powders. The chemical stabilities of microcapsules were evaluated during six months of storage at different temperatures. The coated powder had the highest mass fraction of β-carotene, which indicated that the coating process was superior to the three other drying processes.

The target sites and structural characteristic of bispecific antibodies in cancer therapy / 医学研究生学报

Bispecific antibodies, that are the second generation of new type of antibodies with two specific antigens or epitopes binding sites, can combine with target cells and effector cells (or molecules) at the same time. The recent studies demonstrated that Bispecific antibodies possess the immense therapeutic potential for cancer, ASID and autoimmune diseases. In this review, the various targets and function, the underlying mechanisms, and the application progress of Bispecific antibodies in cancer therapy were discussed.

Improving ability of married women to prevent reproductive tract infections in rural western China

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>The purposes of this study are to investigate and analyze the status of reproductive tract infections (RTIs) in married women in rural western China, and to develop effective strategies for improving the ability of married women to prevent RTIs in this region.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We conducted in-depth interviews of 142 married women from four villages in three townships. Two questionnaires were used to gather data on married women's health care status, family income, knowledge about RTIs, relevant behaviors, and attitudes toward RTIs. Descriptive, parallel, and logistic regression analyses and the Chi-square test were applied to analyze the relationships between basic conditions and several influential factors.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Over 80% of the respondents were of limited income and had with poor knowledge of and a lack of experience in preventing RTIs. Some 83.3% of the married women had experienced menstrual irregularities; 70.3% of those interviewed had experienced malodorous vaginal discharge with or without perineal itching. It was found that 80.7% of the interviewees did not have good personal hygiene habits in daily living regarding RTIs. It was found that the prevalence of RTIs was lower in women who had accurate information about RTIs. Most married women lacked basic knowledge of ways to prevent RTIs, and this, together with the limited support of the health care system and the absence of medical insurance schemes, was responsible for the observed high prevalence of RTIs.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>There is an urgent need to improve the capability of married women in rural China to prevent RTIs, and it is important to find effective ways to prevent these diseases. Three health promotion strategies are presently being implemented to prevent RTIs and to build capacity for disease prevention among married women in rural western China.</p>

Optimization of technological conditions for one-pot synthesis of (S)-alpha-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl acetate in organic media / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Optically active form of alpha-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl (CPB) alcohol, building block of pyrethroid insecticides, was synthesized as its acetate by the combination of anion-exchange resin (D301)-catalyzed transcyanation between m-phenoxybenzaldehyde (m-PBA) and acetone cyanohydrin (AC), and lipase (from Alcaligenes sp.)-catalyzed enantioselective transesterification of the resulting cyanohydrin with vinyl acetate. Through optimizing technological conditions, the catalyzing efficiency was improved considerably compared to methods previously reported. Concentrations of CPB acetate were determined by gas chromatograph. The enantio excess (e.e.) values of CPB acetate were measured by NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) method. Effects of solvents and temperatures on this reaction were studied. Cyclohexane was shown to be the best solvent among the three tested solvents. 55 degrees C was the optimal temperature for higher degree of conversion. External diffusion limitation was excluded by raising the rotational speed to 220 r/min. However, internal diffusion could not be ignored, since the catalyst (lipase) was an immobilized enzyme and its particle dimension was not made small enough. The reaction rate was substantially accelerated when the reactant (m-PBA) concentration was as high as 249 mmol/L, but decreased when the initial concentration of m-PBA reached to 277 mmol/L. It was also found that the catalyzing capability of recovered lipase was high enough to use several batches. Study of the mole ratio of AC to m-PBA showed that 2:1 was the best choice. The strategy of adding base catalyst D301 was found to be an important factor in improving the degree of conversion of the reaction from 20% to 80%. The highest degree of conversion of the reaction has reached up to 80%.

Taohong Siwu decoction II inhibits the angiogenesis and the expressions of VEGF and KDR/FLK-1 in C57BL/6J mice bearing B16 melanoma / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of Taohong Siwu decoction II on B16 melanoma in mice and the underlying mechanism.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>C57BL/6J mice bearing B16 melanoma were used in this study. The experimental groups were treated respectively with Taohong Siwu decoction II at doses of 2.5, 5 and 10 g x kg(-1) and cyclophosphamide at 0.05 g x kg(-1), Taohong Siwu decoction II at 10 g x kg(-1) plus cyclophosphamide at 0.025 mg x kg(-1). The tumor volume and weight, the expression of VEGF and KDR/FLK-1 and the amount of MVD were measured.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The tumor volume and weight, the expression of VEGF and KDR/FLK-1 and the amount of MVD were reduced significantly after treatment with Taohong Siwu decoction II at the doses of 5 and 10 g x kg(-1) and Taohong Siwu decoction II combined with cyclophosphamide as compared with normal saline-treated group (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Taohong Siwu decoction II can inhibit the growth of B16 melanoma in mice and attenuate the expressions of VEGF and KDR/FLK-1, suggesting that Taohong Siwu decoction II produces the antitumor effect via a possible antiagiogenisis mechanism.</p>

Saccharomyces cerevisiae B5 efficiently and stereoselectively reduces 2'-chloroacetophenone to R-2'-chloro-1-phenylethanol in the presence of 5% ethanol / 生物工程学报

(R)-chlorprenaline, a selective activator of beta2 receptor and an effective drug for bronchitis and asthma, is industrially prepared from (R)-2'-chloro-1-phenyl-ethanol. In this communication, we describe (1) the identification of Saccharomyces cerevisiae B5 as an effective host for stereoselective reduction of 2'-chloroacetophenone to (R)-2'-chloro-1-phenyl-ethanol; (2) the presence of ethanol enhances the conversion; and (3) the biochemical factors that effect the yield of the product. Among the four yeast strains capable of reduction 2'-chloroacetophenone to (R)-2'-chloro-1-phenyl-ethanol we screened, Saccharomyces cerevisiae B5 showed the highest activity and stereoselectivity, and was used for the subsequent study. The effect of the presence of methanol, ethanol, 2-propanol, 1-butanol, glucose, glycerol and lactic acid was first investigated, as it was previously reported that they increased the yield and stereoselectivity of the reaction. The addition of the co-substrate methanol, ethanol, 2-propanol, 1-butanol, glucose and glycerol favored the formation of the 2'-chloroacetophenone to (R)-2'-chloro-1-phenyl-ethanol. Lactic acid inhibited the enzyme activity. Ethanol is the best co-substrate among the seven co-substrates and under the optimum concentration of 5% , the yield of (R)-2'-chloro-1-phenyl-ethanol was increased from 17% to 74%. The oxidation of ethanol regenerates NADH required for the reduction. The effects of the reaction time, pH, cell concentration, substrate concentration and temperature on the reduction were investigated next. The enantiometric excess of (R)-2'-chloro-1-phenyl-ethanol reached 100% under the optimal condition: pH8.0, 25 degrees C and 5% ethanol. The product yield went up with the increasing Saccharomyces cerevisiae B5 concentration and reached 100% when the cell dry weight was 10.75 mg/mL and 2'-chloroacetophenone was 6.47 mmol/L. The yield of (R)-2'-chloro-1-phenyl-ethanol decreased sharply with the increase of substrate concentration, as the high concentration of substrates is toxic to the cell and inhibits the activity of reductases. The aerobic cultivation of the yeast and shaking during the reaction increased the yield of (R)-2'-chloro-1-phenyl-ethanol. The yeast can be reused up to 15 times. This research paves the way for economical preparation of chiral 2'-chloroacetophenone to R-2'-chloro-1-phenylethanol.