Parental, gestational, and early-life exposure to indoor environmental hazardous factors on allergic rhinitis among preschool children in Urumqi City: a case-control study

Abstract Objective Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a disease associated with impaired quality of life and heredity. This study aimed to investigate the association of allergic rhinitis in preschool children with exposure to indoor environment-related factors early in life. Methods In August 2019, the authors implemented a study among 2020 preschool children in Urumqi City using a case-control design. The study included parental reports for the occurrence of AR in children, parental history of respiratory disease, and indoor environmental correlates of maternal exposure from 1 year prior to pregnancy until the child's age of 0-1 year. Results Mode of birth (cesarean section) (OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.02∼1.67), father with AR (OR = 2.67, 95% CI = 2.08∼3.44), mother with AR (OR = 3.70, 95% CI = 2.88∼4.74), mother with asthma (OR = 3.11, 95% CI = 1.18∼8.20), and mother with newly purchased furniture in the parents' residence during pregnancy (OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.03∼2.14) were risk factors for AR in children. Conclusions The focus of allergic rhinitis should be on children with a family history of AR and asthma and cesarean delivery. Primary prevention efforts for AR in preschool children are avoiding exposure of children to indoor environmental hazardous factors early in life.

Spatial heterogeneity and physical structure basis of antibacterial activity of Ma-Xing-Shi-Gan Decoction / 药学学报

Ma-Xing-Shi-Gan Decoction is a classic prescription. However, the interaction among multiple components of the decoction and the change of phase state are not clear. Moreover, the relationship between the physical phase state aggregated by multiple components and the efficacy still needs to be studied. In this study, we monitored the particle size changes of Ma-Xing-Shi-Gan Decoction in real time. Then we isolated different phase states by centrifugation, analyzed their composition distribution and tested their antibacterial activity. We added chemical interference agents to investigate the interaction of multi-component physical phase states accompanied by the observation of particle size change and morphology. We also studied the correlation between antibacterial activity and physical structure of phase states. The results showed during boiling process the degree of hybridization of particles was decreased and the particle size distribution was narrowed and stabilized at 170 nm. The distribution of organic and inorganic components was heterogeneous among different phase states. S-13500, supernatant isolated by 13 500 ×g centrifugation, constituted by ephedrine, amygdalin, glycyrrhizic acid and inorganic components Ca, K, Mg, etc., had the strongest antibacterial activity. The molecular interaction force in the active physical phase state was mainly hydrophobic and hydrogen bond. The destruction of the interaction force will lead to the change of phase structure and the decrease of antibacterial activity in vitro and in vivo. This study confirms that, in the boiling process of the Ma-Xing-Shi-Gan Decoction, the chemical components interweave and interact to form new physical phase states, leading to heterogeneous distribution of components. The antimicrobial activity of the active phase depends on both chemical composition and physical structure, which provides a direct evidence for the physical basis of the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine.

Applications of zebrafish xenotransplantation models for in vivo evaluation of anticancer drug sensitivity test / 中国比较医学杂志

Objective To evaluate the sensitivity to 5 clinically commonly used anticancer drugs in vivo using the zebrafish xenotransplantation models of human lung cancer,stomach cancer,and liver cancer cells,respectively. Methods Zebrafish xenotransplantation models of A549 lung cancer cells,SGC-7901 stomach cancer cells and HepG2 liver cancer cells were established. The xenograft models of A549 cells were treated with three different doses of cis-platinum, paclitaxel, vinorelbine, endostar and bevacizumab, respectively. The SGC-7901 model was treated with three concentrations or doses of paclitaxel, irinotecan, hydroxyurea, cis-platinum and 5-fluorouracil, respectively. And the HepG2 model was treated with three concentrations or doses of adriamycin,gemcitabine,hydroxyurea,cis-platinum and 5-fluorouracil. The tumors were analyzed and quantified in vivo by fluorescence microscopy,and the inhibition rates of tumor growth with each drug were calculated and compared with the model control group for statistical significance. Results All of the tested anticancer drugs showed inhibitory effect on tumor cells in the zebrafish xenograft models with statistical significance in a dose-dependent manner. During the drug sensitivity test,the inhibition rate of bevacizumab on A549 lung cancer cells decreased in the order(65%)> cis-platinum(55%)> vinorelbine(40%)> endostar(39%)>paclitaxel(27%). As for the SGC-7901 stomach cancer cells, the tumor growth inhibition rate decreased in the order hydroxyurea(46%)> 5-FU(31%)= irinotecan(31%)> paclitaxel(26%)> cis-platinum(24%). And the therapeutic effect of cis-platinum on the HepG2 liver cancer cells decreased in the order(64%)> hydroxyurea(56%)>gemcitabine(46%)> adriamycin(45%)> 5-FU(38%). Conclusions Zebrafish xenotransplantation models of cancer cells are suitable for in vivo sensitivity test of anticancer drugs.