Anti-cancer Mechanism of "Clematis Radix et Rhizoma-Trichosanthis Radix" Based on Network Pharmacology / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To explore the potential targets and mechanism of action of "Clematis Radix et Rhizoma-Trichosanthis Radix" based on network pharmacology. Method:Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology Analysis Platform（TCMSP） was used to screen out active ingredients and corresponding target proteins of Clematis Radix et Rhizoma and Trichosanthis Radix according to oral bioavailability（OB） and drug likeness（DL），cancer disease targets were screened out using GeneCards and OMIM databases，R language software was used to screen out common targets of clematis，trichosanthin and cancer diseases， Cytoscape 3.7.2 software was used to construct a network map of "drug-active ingredient-disease-target"， STRING database was used to draw protein protein interaction（PPI）of common target proteins， R language software was used to perform enrichment analysis of gene ontology（GO） functions and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes（KEGG） channels on effective targets. Result:A total of 9 effective active ingredients were obtained from Clematis Radix et Rhizoma-Trichosanthis Radix powder pair. A total of 31 target genes were searched，and 814 relevant target genes were searched from cancer diseases. The two kinds of relevant target genes were matched to obtain 9 common target genes，which mainly involved endopeptidase，cysteine-type endopeptidase activities involving in the apoptosis process and cancer necrosis factor receptor superfamily binding and other biological processes，and played a role in the treatment of cancers by regulating apoptosis，measles，hepatitis B，kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus infection，p53，interleukin-17（IL-17），tumor necrosis factor（TNF） and many other pathways. Conclusion:The mechanism of Clematis Radix et Rhizoma-Trichosanthis Radix in the treatment of cancer is preliminarily studied. Clematis Radix et Rhizoma-Trichosanthis Radix has multiple active ingredients and can play a role in treating cancer through multiple targets and multiple pathways.

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Treating Late Onset Hyponatremia / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:The Meta-analysis was used to systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine in treating Late onset hyponatremia （late onset hyponatremia，LOH）. Method:Pubmed，Web of Science，China Knowledge Base Database （CNKI），Wanfang Database （WanFang），Weipu Full-text Periodical Database（VIP），Chinese Biomedical Literature Database （CBM）were retrieved to collect randomized controlled trials of traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） for treatment of LOH. Two researchers independently screened out the literatures， extracted the data， conducted quality assessment by Cochrance bias risk assessment tool，and made Meta-analysis by RevMan 5.3.5 software. Result:Nine eligible documents were finally included. Meta-analysis results showed that the test group was superior to the control group in improving patient's physical fitness/cardiovascular score ［mean deviation（MD）=-1.42，95% CI（-2.39，-0.45），<italic>P</italic>=0.004］ and psycho-psychological score［MD=-0.74，95% CI（-1.26，-0.22），<italic>P</italic>=0.005］，with no statistically significant difference between test group and control group in sexual function score ［MD=-0.68，95% CI（-1.38，-0.03），<italic>P</italic>=0.06］，serum testosterone （TT） concentration［MD=-0.68，95% CI（-1.38，-0.03），<italic>P</italic>=0.06］ and effective rate ［odds ratio（OR）=1.57，95% CI（0.64，3.88），<italic>P</italic>=0.33］. Conclusion:TCM is equivalent to western medicine（testosterone undecanoate）in the treatment of late onset hypogonadism， and better than western medicine in improving patients' physical fitness/cardiovascular score and mental and psychological score.

A new eudesmane type sesquiterpene from cultivated Clerodendranthus spicatus in Hainan / 中国中药杂志

Six compounds were isolated from the aerial part of cultivated Clerodendranthus spicatus in Hainan with various chromatographic techniques,and their structures were determined as:1-dehydroxy-1-oxo-rupestrinol(1),N-trans-feruloyltyramine(2),methyl 3,4-dihydroxyphenyllactate(3),caffein acid(4),methyl caffeate(5) and ethyl caffeate(6),via analysis of physicochemical properties and spectroscopic evidence.Compound 1 was a new compound,while compounds 2 and 3 were isolated from C.spicatus for the first time.Biological activity results showed that compounds 2-4 exhibited α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with different inhibition ratio.

[Pollution Characteristic of Ni in Sediments in the Three Gorges Reservoir].

The Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) has achieved the target of water storage of 175 m for eight consecutive years until October 2017. To study the temporal and spatial variation of nickel (Ni) in different water periods under 175 m operating conditions in the TGR area, probe the impact of a large-scale water conservancy project on the Ni enrichment, and establish the pollution evaluation system of Ni in the TGR area, we collected 173 surface sediment samples from the TGR area during four consecutive water periods from December 2015 to June 2017 and measured the Ni concentration by using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The mean values of Ni in the four water periods are higher than the background value of Yangtze sediment and soil. At the spatial scale, the Ni content in the mainstream exhibits a clear upward trend from upstream to downstream and is lower than that of the tributary. The tributaries of the lower reaches shows a notably higher Ni content than the tributaries of the upper and middle reaches. At the temporal scale, the water period exerts an insignificant effect on the Ni content. The Ni content is relatively stable and shows a downward tendency at a 175 m water level. The regional geochemical baseline (RGB) value of Ni was obtained through building a geochemical baseline model in the area. The RGB values of Ni in sediments during four consecutive water periods are 47.0, 44.2, 42.9, and 41.9 mg·kg-1, respectively. The Ni contents in the middle and lower reaches of the mainstream and tributary are significantly affected by human activities. Moreover, the pollution evaluations based on global Ni background values, local background values, and geochemical baseline values as reference values were compared and the geoaccumulation index and potential ecological risk of Ni were determined to comprehensively assess its pollution risk. The assessment data indicate that Ni in the aquatic environment of the TGR area is almost uncontaminated and poses a low ecological risk, except for samples in regions around Fengdu County and Guizhou Town in the Zigui County along the mainstream, which were uncontaminated to moderately contaminated. Relative to global and regional background values, the pollution assessment results obtained using the RGB as a reference value are more scientific and better match the temporal and spatial variation of the study area.

[Pollution Characteristics and Ecological Risk Assessment of Vanadium in Sediments of the Three Gorges Reservoir (Chongqing-Yichang Section)].

In order to investigate the pollution characteristics of vanadium in sediments of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), 67 sediment samples were collected from the section between Chongqing to Yichang in TGR. The concentration and chemical speciation of vanadium were measured and the spatial distribution of vanadium was discussed. Current pollution level of vanadium in TGR sediments was assessed by index of geoaccumulation and Häkanson ecological risk index. The results showed that:1the range of vanadium concentrations in TGR was 89.4-175.2 mg·kg-1 and the average concentration was 123.7 mg·kg-1, which was slightly higher than the background value in sediments of Yangtze River. 2the spatial distribution of vanadium in TGR sediments showed that vanadium concentrations in the mainstream of TGR were higher than those in tributaries and the vanadium contents in the sediments in downstream were higher than those in upstream in term of the mainstream of TGR. 3highest vanadium concentration was found in the sediment in a developed county, indicating that this high level of vanadium concentration was attributed to anthropogenic input. 4chemical forms of vanadium in sediments were mainly in residual state (80%-89%, mass fraction), which had a significant positive correlation with total concentrations in sediments. 5vanadium contamination degree and potential environmental risk in TGR sediments were weak.

[Determination of Platinum Group Elements in City Roadside Dusts by ICP-MS ].

Platinum group elements (PGEs) can be naturally found only at very low concentration in the earth crust. However, the increasing usage of PGEs in vehicle exhaust catalysts, and some other applications cause their anthropogenic emission and spread in the environment. Currently，the accumulation of PGEs in the environment has increased over the time. Catalytic converters of modern vehicles are considered to be the main sources of PGE pollution. In order to survey PGEs contamination at residential districts in the urban areas of Beijing City, roadside dust samples were collected. The roadside dust samples were digested with aqua regia and separated and purified with cation exchange resin (Dowex AG50W-X8), and then the resulting solutions were analyzed with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). PGEs pollution degree in dusts was analyzed using Geoaccumulation Index. The results showed that the concentrations of Pd, Pt and Rh in roadside dusts ranged from 14.20～161.80 ng·g-1 (50.76 ng·g-1), 9.39～70.80 ng·g-1(23.82 ng·g-1), 3.18～17.05 ng·g-1(7.54 ng·g-1), respectively. It indicated that concentrations of PGEs in dusts of residential areas were obviously higher than those values in Beijing soil background. The results of Geoaccumulation Index assessment indicated that the roadside dusts in residential areas were obviously polluted by the PGEs in Beijing city. The order of average pollution level of the PGEs is: Pd＞Pt＞Rh.

Adaptability of Different Nebulizer Systems to Different Silicon Chemical Forms for Gasoline in Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry.

Silicon is not a natural component of gasoline but it can cause silica deposition in vehicle combustion system which may lead to severe engine failure. Silicon is present in gasoline in different chemical forms. The analysis of oil products by directly measuring under organic phase through inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) is becoming a widely accepted approach as it is found to be simple and fast. The work focused on the influence of the sample nebulizer systems to different silicon chemical forms by ICP-OES. For a sample introduction system consisting of micronebulizer coupled to a cyclonic spray chamber, the results indicated that the ICP-OES signals depended strongly on the silicon chemical forms, and the higher emission intensities have been attributed to the compound volatility. The variability of the signals induced by the different silicon compounds was less significant for the same nebulizer system with a temperature control device. Nevertheless, the interferences were not effectively mitigated. Nevertheless, direct injection high efficiency nebulizer (DIHEN) introduced in the present work can effectively mitigate the interferences of different silicon chemical forms, is suitable for the determination of silicon in gasoline. The quantitative method with the potential DIHEN nebulizer system showed good linearity and the recoveries ranged from 92.8%～108.7%, the limit of detection was 0.05 mg·kg-1. The relative standard deviation (RSD) was between 1.05% and 4.63%. Compared with the microwavedigestion method, the proposed method was found to be highly simple, rapid, sensitive and accurate, which has foreseen a promising application for silicon determination in gasoline.

[Determination of chlorine in gasoline by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry].

A new method was studied for the analysis of chlorine in gasoline by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Samples werediluted 1+4(φ) with kerosene. The intense spectral line for chlorine (134.724 nm) was used. In order to eliminate carbon and maintain stable plasma, small amounts of oxygen (0.050 L · min(-1)) were added to the auxiliary gas. The instrumental main condition was optimized in terms of effects of generator power, nebulizer gas flow, auxiliary gas flow, and oxygen flow on SBR for chlorine. Standard addition method was used to compensate matrix effect and signal drift. The recovery for spiking gasoline samples and the limit of detection were in the range of 96.6%~103.9% and 0.27 mg · L(-1) respectively. The relative standard deviation (RSD) was between 1.57% and 4.49%. Compared with microcoulometry, the analysis results of organic chlorine were basically the same. Moreover, chlorine content, including organic chlorine and inorganic chloride was determined by ICP-AES. The proposed method had the advantages of simplicity, speediness and sensitivity, and expanded the ICP-AES application in non-metals especially halogen elements. It can be used for the analysis of chlorine in gasoline and provides technical support for quality evaluation.

[Characterization of biochar by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance].

The wood (willow branch) and grass (rice straw) materials were pyrolyzed at different temperatures (300, 450 and 600 °C) to obtain the biochars used in the present study. The biochars were characterized using elementary analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and solid state 13C cross-polarization and magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (13C NMR) to illuminate the structure and composition of the biochars which were derived from the different thermal temperatures and biomass. The results showed that the H/C, O/C and (O+N)/C ratios of the biochars decreased with the increase in the pyrolysis temperatures. The surface polarity and ash content of the grass-derived biochars were higher than those of the wood-derived biochars. The minerals of the wood-derived biochars were mainly covered by the organic matter; in contrast, parts of the mineral surfaces of the grass-derived biochars were not covered by organic matter? The 13C NMR of the low temperature-derived biochars revealed a large contribution of aromatic carbon, aliphatic carbon, carboxyl and carbonyl carbon, while the high temperature-derived biochars contained a large amount of aromatic carbon. Moreover, the wood-derived biochars produced at low heat treatment temperatures contained more lignin residues than grass-derived ones, probably due to the existence of high lignin content in the feedstock soures of wood-derived biochars. The results of the study would be useful for environmental application of biochars.

[The role of IL-15 in the process of acute rejection in liver and heart transplantation in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To study the real effect of IL-15, a kind of T lymphocyte activators which were derived from lymphocytes, on the acute rejection process in heart and liver transplantation in rats. METHODS: Male (body weight 200 - 250 g) 1A (RT1(a)) and LEW (RT1(l)) rats were selected as donors and recipients, respectively. Heterotopic heart transplantation (in abdomen) and orthotopic liver transplantation were performed as the acute rejection model group (experimental group); LEW (RT1(l))-->LEW (RT1(l)) as donors and recipients to establish isografts transplantation as the control group. Animals were sacrificed on day 1, 3, 5, 7 and graft specimens were collected. Microarray, immunohistochemistry and Western-blotting methods were used to detect the expressions of IL-15, IL-2 and IFN-gamma, etc. 48 rats were divided evenly into two groups and each time-point consisted of 6 rats. RESULTS: Acute rejections which were clarified by pathological findings and animal manifestations were found 3 days after operation in the experimental group. The early expression of IL-15 was found on endothelial cells in allografts 1 day after operation in contrast to IL-2, which expressed lately and only be found on inflammatory cells including lymphocytes and Kupffer cells 3 days after graft implantation. The result of INF-gamma was the same as that of IL-2. CONCLUSIONS: IL-15 appeared earlier in heart and liver allografts than IL-2 and IFN-gamma in rat acute rejection model, and the expression site differed from the later two. IL-15 participated in acute rejection reaction earlier in this process and the pathway may be different from IL-2 and IFN-gamma. Early blocking this pathway combined with other blockade would have a promising result in control of the progression of acute rejection.