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Acanthopanacis Cortex (A.-C) with a long history of more than1000 years, has been used to treat rheumatism effectively. Nineteen diterpenoids have been isolated from A.-C, including six new compounds (1-6). Among them, compounds 7, 9-11, 13, and 17 were discovered from A.-C for the first time. The structures of 1-6 were determined by analyzing their NMR data and comparing their experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism spectra. Moreover, the single-crystal X-ray diffraction data of 1, 2, 8, and 14 were provided. The anti-inflammatory activity of 1-5 and 7-18 on neutrophil elastase, cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) has been studied in vitro, and the results showed that 15 had almost no inhibitory effects on COX-1 at 200 μM but a significant activity against COX-2 with an IC 50 of 0.73 ± 0.006 μΜ. It indicated that compound 15 can provide valuable information for the design of selective COX-2 inhibitors., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the value of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), pediatric sequential organ failure assessment (pSOFA) and pediatric critical illness score (PCIS) in predicting mortality of pediatric sepsis in pediatric intensive care units (PICU) from Southwest China. Methods: This was a prospective multicenter observational study. A total of 447 children with sepsis admitted to 12 PICU in Southwest China from April 2022 to March 2023 were enrolled. Based on the prognosis, the patients were divided into survival group and non-survival group. The physiological parameters of SIRS, pSOFA and PCIS were recorded and scored within 24 h after PICU admission. The general clinical data and some laboratory results were recorded. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve was used to compare the predictive value of SIRS, pSOFA and PCIS in mortality of pediatric sepsis. Results: Amongst 447 children with sepsis, 260 patients were male and 187 patients were female, aged 2.5 (0.8, 7.0) years, 405 patients were in the survival group and 42 patients were in the non-survival group. 418 patients (93.5%) met the criteria of SIRS, and 440 patients (98.4%) met the criteria of pSOFA≥2. There was no significant difference in the number of items meeting the SIRS criteria between the survival group and the non-survival group (3(2, 4) vs. 3(3, 4) points, Z= 1.30, P= 0.192). The pSOFA score of the non-survival group was significantly higher than that of the survival group (9(6, 12) vs . 4(3, 7) points, Z= 6.56, P< 0.001), and the PCIS score was significantly lower than that of the survival group (72(68, 81) vs . 82(76, 88) points, Z= 5.90, P< 0.001). The predictive value of pSOFA (AUC=0.82) and PCIS (AUC=0.78) for sepsis mortality was significantly higher than that of SIRS (AUC=0.56) ( Z= 6.59, 4.23, both P< 0.001). There was no significant difference between pSOFA and PCIS ( Z= 1.35, P= 0.176). Platelet count, procalcitonin, lactic acid, albumin, creatinine, total bilirubin, activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time and international normalized ratio were all able to predict mortality of sepsis to a certain degree (AUC=0.64, 0.68, 0.80, 0.64, 0.68, 0.60, 0.77, 0.75, 0.76, all P< 0.05). Conclusion: Compared with SIRS, both pSOFA and PCIS had better predictive value in the mortality of pediatric sepsis in PICU.

Tick fauna and zoogeographic distribution of Jiangxi Province remain largely unknown due to the lack of data on distribution, occurrence, and host associations of ticks. Considering this, we collected 1,817 individual samples from natural hosts, humans, and vegetation in 18 counties/districts throughout Jiangxi Province, China, from 2015 to 2021. These 1,817 individuals were found to 13 tick species, 4 genera, and 1 family. In addition, the tick sample data from 8 sampling localities (counties and districts) reported in previous studies were also included in our data. A total of 4,021 individuals, including our sample collection and the previously reported data, were assigned to at least 18 species, 6 genera, and 2 families. One newly recorded species Dermacentor sp. (near D. steini Schulze) was found; three misidentified species (Ixodes acuminatus, Haemaphysalis spinigera, and Haemaphysalis verticalis) reported previously were deleted; and one misidentified species Dermacentor auratus Supino was revised as Dermacentor steini Schulze. In addition, we divided the tick fauna in Jiangxi Province into 5 zoogeographic areas and assigned the 18 tick species collected from 26 localities to these 5 zoogeographic areas. To summarize, our findings provide valuable information on the distribution, tick-host associations, and zoogeographic division of ticks in Jiangxi Province, China. Their molecular characterizations, phylogenetic relationships, and tick-borne pathogens that they may transmit should be further explored., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Purpose: The popularization of the internet has promoted the implementation of China's national fitness strategy and created conditions for Chinese residents to participate in sports. The internet is an essential medium for disseminating sports knowledge, and the use of the internet can change sport participation behaviors. Therefore, the internet can be used to popularize sports knowledge and promote the participation of all people in sports and thus improve the health of the entire population. This study attempts to empirically analyse how the use of the internet changes sport participation behavior., Method: Utilizing data from the 2017 China General Social Survey, a probit model, ivprobit model, and bias-corrected non-parametric percentile bootstrap test were used to analyse the impact of internet use on sport participation behavior., Results: The empirical results show that internet use significantly increased the probability of participation in sports by Chinese residents. Heterogeneity test results showed that internet use was more effective in promoting sport participation in middle-aged groups, groups of older persons, unmarried groups, and groups with a high school education or above. The mediating effect test results showed that internet use influenced residents' participation in sports by promoting social interaction, leisure and entertainment, and learning and recharging., Conclusions: The internet has changed participation in sports; specifically, the use of the internet promotes sport participation. Additionally, internet use has a more obvious impact on improving the sport participation behavior of middle-aged, older, unmarried, and middle- and higher-educated individuals. Internet social interaction, internet entertainment and internet learning are effective channels to encourage Chinese residents to participate in sports and improve their health., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Zhong, Xu, Guo, Li and Wang.)

To identify natural products as new prototypes for 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX), 12 traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) were selected for screening their 5-LOX inhibition activities. The results showed that the methanol extracts of all selected TCMs (n = 12) possessed inhibitory activities against 5-LOX at 200 μg/mL, of which six extracts of the TCMs showed significant inhibitory effects with IC 50 values in the range from 33.2 ± 1.4 μg/mL to 153.5 ± 1.7 μg/mL, and the extract of Polygoni Cuspidati Rhizoma (RPC) was the most active sample. An on-line ultra-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array-MS n -5-LOX-fluorescence detector (UPLC-PDA-MS n -5-LOX-FLD) method was applied to further identify the potential 5-LOX inhibitory constituents in RPC extracts, which resulted in the identification of seven components with 5-LOX-binding activities. Finally, four compounds (polydatin, resveratrol, emodin-8-O-glucoside, and emodin) were successfully purified from RPC extracts. The 5-LOX inhibition action was assayed in vitro, and the results showed that these compounds possessed potent inhibitory effects against 5-LOX with IC 50 values of 15.3 ± 2.1, 4.5 ± 1.2, 23.8 ± 0.4, and 11.8 ± 1.5 μg/mL, respectively. This was the first study to reveal the 5-LOX inhibitory constituents of RPC, and the present investigation might provide a valuable approach for the rapid discovery of natural inhibitors from TCMs., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

We examined the response of 11 functional traits of Cleistogenes squarrosa , including plant height and clump width, to the grazing of different intensity (no grazing; twice grazing in May and July; five grazing in the whole growing season). After five-year treatments, the number of reproductive branches, plant height, stem quality, specific leaf area and total leaf area were significantly reduced. Such reduction was significantly increased with the increases of grazing intensity. Under the treatments of grazing in May and July, the declines of each index were 61.7%, 21.5%, 33.3%, 21.6% and 26.7%, respectively; and the declines in the treatment of whole growing season grazing were 75.7%, 24.7%, 46.7%, 28.5% and 43.7%, respectively. The number of vegetative branches, number of leaf, total leaf area, stem quality, total leaf quality and clump width of the C. squarrosa had a synergistic relationship with aboveground biomass of the whole clump under different grazing intensities. The number of vegetative branches was significantly positively correlated with stem quality and total leaf quality. C. squarrosa had a dwarf-dense branching strategy to avoid grazing. The reduction of grazing intensity would be conducive to maintaining the stability of functional traits.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer worldwide. LncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 14 (SNHG14) functions as an oncogene in a variety of cancers. However, the role of SNHG14 in HCC remains elusive. The aim of this study is to unravel the functional role and regulatory mechanism of SNHG14 in HCC. A cohort of 40 HCC tumor tissues and paired adjacent normal tissues were collected. Histopathological changes were analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemistry. qRT-PCR and western blotting were performed to determine the levels of SNHG14, PABPC1, and PTEN signaling molecules. CCK-8, immunofluorescence, and colony formation assays were conducted to monitor cell proliferation. Wound healing and tube formation assays were employed to determine cell migration and angiogenesis. ChIP assay was performed to investigate the enrichment of H3K27 acetylation in PABPC1 promoter. Xenograft mice model was constructed to further verify the SNHG14/PABPC1 axis in vivo. SNHG14 was highly expressed in HCC tissues and cells, which promoted cell proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis in Hep3B and HepG2 cells. PABPC1 functioned as a downstream effector of SNHG14. SNHG14 dramatically induced upregulation of PABPC1 via H3K27 acetylation. In addition, SNHG14/PABPC1 promoted cell proliferation and angiogenesis via PTEN signaling pathway in vitro and in vivo. SNHG14 promoted cell proliferation and angiogenesis via upregulating PABPC1 through H3K27 acetylation and modulating PTEN signaling in the tumorigenesis of HCC.

BACKGROUND Artemisia annua exerts powerful effects in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Some studies have shown that Artemisia annua possesses the characteristics of new therapeutic drugs for NSCLC patients. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of Artemisia annua anti-NSCLC is not yet fully elucidated because Artemisia annua contains hundreds of ingredients. This study aimed to conduct network pharmacological analysis on the mechanism of action of Artemisia annua against NSCLC. MATERIAL AND METHODS The active ingredients and corresponding potential targets of Artemisia annua were searched and screened in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP). Then through The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) databases to establish NSCLC related targets. Based on the matching results of Artemisia annua potential targets and NSCLC targets, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed to analyze the interactions between these targets and topologically screen the central targets. Furthermore, Gene Ontology (GO) biological functions analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) signal pathways enrichment were carried out. RESULTS There were 19 main active ingredients of Artemisia annua screened for target prediction; 40 NSCLC-related common targets were identified via multiple NSCLC databases. The node area and corresponding degree value of AKT1, MYC, CCND1, VEGFA, JUN, MAPK1, EGFR, and ESR1 were large and could be easily found in the PPI network. The aforementioned results were further verified by the analysis of GO biological function and KEGG enrichment analysis. CONCLUSIONS The network pharmacology analysis reveals the molecular biological mechanism of Artemisia annua anti-NSCLC via multiple active components, multi-channels, and multi-targets. This suggests that Artemisia annua might be developed as a promising anti-NSCLC drug.

Objective: To explore the correlation between the rs4705342 gene mutation in the promoter region of the miR-143/ miR-145 cluster and the risk of PCa in the Chinese Han population., Methods: We enrolled in this study 156 cases of PCa and 188 cancer-free controls. Using TaqMan SNP genotyping assay, we detected the polymorphism of rs4705342 in the promoter region of the miR-143/ miR-145 gene, and performed a stratified analysis on the family history of cancer, body mass index (BMI), age, smoking status, and alcohol consumption of the subjects., Results: The proportion of family history of cancer was significantly higher in the case group than in the control (P = 0.01). No statistically significant differences, however, were found between the two groups in age (P = 0.32), BMI (P = 0.79), smoking status (P = 0.47), and alcohol consumption (P = 0.34), nor in the distribution of the TT, CT and CC genotypes (P = 0.07) except in that of the CC and TT/CT combined genotypes (P = 0.01). There were statistically significant differences in the distribution of CC and TT/CT combined genotypes between the non-smoking subgroups, (P = 0.02) and alcohol drinking subgroups (P = 0.03), but not between the clinical stages of PCa (P = 0.81) or the levels of PSA (P = 0.39)., Conclusions: The rs4705342 gene mutation in the promoter region of the miR-143/ miR-145 cluster is significantly associated with the pathogenesis of PCa in the Chinese Han population.

Objective: To investigate the aluminium content in unprocessed grains from different areas of China. Methods: From June 2013 to December 2014, nine provinces (Jilin, Shandong, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Henan, Anhui and Jiangsu) were selected as sampling areas using stratified random sampling method. Three cities, counties or townships were randomly selected from each sampling area. Grain stations, grain depots, planting areas or farmers' markets located in non-aluminium mining areas or non-aluminium-involved industrial pollution areas were selected from each sampling area using a purposive sampling method. A total of 470 unprocessed grain samples (500 g per sample) including wheat, rice, corn, millet and soybean were collected from local grain stations, grain depots, planting areas and farmers' markets. The dried grains samples were analysed for aluminium content by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Bootstrap resampling method was applied to calculate the upper bound values of 95 %CI of P (99) of aluminium contents for each kind of grain, which could be regarded as levels of concern for corresponding categories. Results: A total of 454 grain samples, including 109 wheat samples, 111 rice samples, 78 corn samples, 69 millet samples and 87 soybean samples, were used for analysis after excluding outlier values. There were 420 positive samples with detected aluminium and the overall detection rate was 92.5%. Among them, the aluminium contents were high in wheat and soybean with median values about 9.59 and 7.12 mg/kg, and maximum values about 31.55 and 28.80 mg/kg, respectively. The median and maximum values of aluminium contents in corn were about 4.65 and 26.79 mg/kg. Aluminium contents were low in rice and millet, with median values about 1.49 and 2.21 mg/kg, and maximum values about 7.56 and 8.07 mg/kg, respectively. Based on Bootstrap resampling method, the upper bound values of 95 %CI of P (99) of aluminium contents in wheat, soybean, corn, rice and millet were 29.86, 28.80, 26.79, 7.56 and 8.07 mg/kg, respectively, which could be regarded as levels of concern for corresponding grains. Conclusion: Aluminium has been detected in most unprocessed grains. The accumulation of aluminium varies in different grains species.

Objective: To evaluate the dietary exposure to deoxynivalenol (DON) from cereals and health risk in Chinese residents in different regions. Methods: The data of DON concentration in cereals was derived from the national food safety risk surveillance from 2010 to 2017, with 15 422 samples of cereals included. China was roughly divided into north part and south part, along with the Qinling Mountains-Huaihe River line. Sample size of each type of cereals, i.e. wheat flour, maize meal, oats and rice was 4 948, 696, 626, 1 006 in the north, while 5 648, 1 068, 266, 1 164 in the south. The data of cereals consumption was derived from China National Nutrition and Health Survey in 2002 and 68 335 respondents aged 3 and above, with 34 234 from the north and 34 101 from the south, were included. Simple distribution model was applied for calculation and comparison of the dietary exposure to DON from cereals in northern and southern residents based on individual consumption of cereals, body weight and average DON concentration in each type of cereals. Results: Average DON concentration in wheat flour, maize meal, oats, and rice sampled in northern China were 235.4, 121.6, 7.0 and 4.6 μg/kg, respectively, while 239.1, 124.3, 29.0 and 15.5 μg/kg in cereals sampled in southern China. The average DON exposure from cereals in surveyed Chinese inhabitants was 0.78 μg/(kg·d). Among them, the DON exposure of northern residents was higher than that of southern residents ( P< 0.001), and the average exposures were 1.15 and 0.41 μg/(kg·d), respectively. A total of 49.2% of northern residents exceeded provisional maximum tolerable daily intake for DON exposure from cereals, which was much higher than that of southern residents (8.6%) ( P< 0.001). Wheat-based food products were the main source of DON exposure, with a contribution rate of 96.5% in the north and 68.3% in the south. Average DON exposure was the highest in the 3-6 years [2.12 μg/(kg·d) for children in north and 0.73 μg/(kg·d) in south]. Conclusion: Exposure to DON from cereals in northern residents of China was considerably high, with a certain health risk. Northern children aged 3 to 6 exposed even more DON and needed significant attention.

Morpholine is a common chemical used as emulsifier in the preparation of wax coatings for some fruit to help them remain fresh and protect against insects and fungal contamination. It has been reported that morpholine has acute toxic effects on rodents. In the present study, morpholine concentrations were analysed in fruits (citrus fruits, apples, strawberries and grapes) and juices (apple juice and orange juice) in order to determine dietary exposure among the Chinese population. A total of 732 fruit and juice samples were collected during 2015-2016, which covered major foods in China. Fruit and juice consumption data were taken from China National Nutrient and Health Survey (2002) and include data from 16,407 fruit or juice consumers. It was found that mean dietary exposure to morpholine residues from fruits and/or juices for general Chinese consumers and children 2-6 years old were 0.42 and 1.24 µg/kg bw/day, respectively. The 97.5% intake in general Chinese consumers and children 2-6 years old were 2.25 and 6.90 µg/kg bw/day, respectively. The primary food sources of the morpholine dietary intake of general Chinese consumers were citrus fruits (57.4%) and apples (40.8%). These findings suggested that dietary exposure to morpholine in the Chinese population was lower than the acceptable daily intake of morpholine, and there are no health concerns.

What Is Known and Objective: In this study, the effectiveness of pharmaceutical care on treatment outcomes for patients with first-time pulmonary tuberculosis in China was assessed., Methods: In this study, patients were randomized either to the usual care (UC) group (n = 72) where patients received routine medical and nursing care or to the pharmaceutical care (PC) group (n = 59) where patients were simultaneously provided with pharmaceutical care. The primary objectives were to evaluate whether treatment outcomes and patient adherence improved more in the PC group than in the UC group. In addition, in PC group, outcomes included the number of patient-reported pharmaceutical care issues and pharmacists' interventions., Results and Discussion: As compared to the UC group, treatment success rate was improved in the PC group, but the difference was not statistically significant (71% vs 54%; P = 0.137). However, as compared to the UC group, the number of patients who attended all of the scheduled visits was higher in the PC group; the difference was statistically significant (81% vs 60%, P = 0.018). Furthermore, the number of patients who had positive test results for all of the isoniazid tests was higher in the PC group than in the UC group; the difference was also statistically significant (80% vs 50%, P = 0.002). The consumed medication rate was improved in the PC group, but no significant difference was found between the two groups. The patient-reported pharmaceutical care issues mainly included dermatological, gastrointestinal, hepatic, metabolic, sensory, central nervous system and haematological problems. On the basis of clinical examination, laboratory parameters and drug information database, the pharmacists addressed most of these pharmaceutical care issues., What Is New and Conclusion: Pharmaceutical care might improve patient adherence for patients with first-time pulmonary tuberculosis in China, and further, rigorously controlled trials are required., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Bifidobacterium preparations are increasingly used for pediatric antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) in China. The aim of this study was to review existing evidence on the efficacy of Bifidobacterium preparations for the prevention and treatment of pediatric AAD in China. Searches were performed with Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CNKI, and CBM databases. Thirty trials met the inclusion criteria. Of the 30 trials, five Bifidobacterium preparations were included. The preparations were all Bifidobacterium based, in combined with Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Bacillus, Streptococcus or Clostridium strains. The pooled results of the 30 trials, which included 7225 participants, indicated a statistically significant association of Bifidobacterium preparations administration with reduction in pediatric AAD (odds ratio [OR], 0.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.29-0.39; P<0.01). When the meta-analysis was re-performed according to the trials explicitly aiming to prevent or treat pediatric AAD, respectively, the pooled results were similar (Bifidobacterium preparations use for preventing pediatric AAD (n=21): pooled OR, 0.34, 95% CI, 0.28-0.41, P<0.01; Bifidobacterium preparations use for treating pediatric AAD (n=9): pooled OR, 0.32, 95% CI, 0.23-0.43, P<0.01). Subgroup analyses which based on Bifidobacterium preparations variety, clinical condition, or participant's age also showed statistically significant benefit of adjunct Bifidobacterium preparations for the prevention and treatment of pediatric AAD in China. The pooled evidence suggested that Bifidobacterium preparations might be efficacious for the prevention and treatment of pediatric AAD in China., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Clofazimine has shown activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, including multidrug-resistant strains in vitro and in animal studies. However, clinical experience with clofazimine in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is scarce. We reported our clinical experience with 39 MDR-TB patients treated with combination regimens that included clofazimine. From January 2008 to March 2011, 39 patients received clofazimine for the treatment of MDR-TB in Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital. Patients had isolates resistant to a median of six drugs (range, 2-11 drugs). Of the 39 cases, 36 had cavitary changes noted on initial chest radiograph or chest computed tomography, and positive sputum-smear microscopy results at the time of MDR-TB diagnosis. At data censure, 15 of the 39 patients had successful therapy, with at least five consistently negative cultures documented for the final 12 months of treatment. Eleven continued to receive treatment. There were no deaths. Thirteen patients had a poor outcome, including four defaults and nine treatment failures. Culture conversion occurred in 22 cases at a median of 12 weeks. Side-effects occurred in 34 patients, mainly including skin discolouration, ichthyosis and gastrointestinal adverse events. No patients reported significant toxicity likely to be attributable to clofazimine therapy. Adverse events were managed by combinations of dose adjustment and symptom management. In our experience, clofazimine was well tolerated and may have efficacy in the treatment of MDR-TB., (© 2011 The Authors. Clinical Microbiology and Infection © 2011 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.)

Background: There is limited information on Chinese patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) treated with a linezolid-containing regimen., Objective: To examine treatment outcomes among MDR-TB patients who were treated with linezolid at the Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, China., Design: We retrospectively reviewed 151 patients who were treated for MDR-TB from 2007 to 2010., Results: Eighteen MDR-TB patients, including 15 with extensively drug-resistant TB, received linezolid as part of their individualised treatment regimens. Patients had isolates resistant to a median of 7 drugs (range 5-11). Of the 18 cases, 17 had cavitary changes and positive sputum smear microscopy results at the time of MDR-TB diagnosis. Culture conversion occurred in all cases at a median of 7 weeks. At data censure, 9 of the 18 patients had achieved treatment success. Three continued to receive treatment. There were no deaths. Six patients had a poor outcome, including 1 default, 2 treatment failures and 3 relapses. Side effects occurred in 17 patients, including myelosuppression, neurotoxicity and gastrointestinal adverse events. Adverse events were managed by combinations of temporary suspension of linezolid in 1 patient, dose adjustment in 17 patients and symptom management in 13 patients., Conclusions: Linezolid may have efficacy in the treatment of MDR-TB, although treatment was complicated by adverse events.

Background: Acute hepatic failure (AHF) is a devastating clinical syndrome with a high mortality rate. The outcome of AHF varies with etiology, but liver transplantation (LT) can significantly improve the prognosis and survival rate of such patients. This study aimed to detect the role of LT and artificial liver support systems (ALSS) for AHF patients and to analyze the etiology and outcome of patients with this disease., Methods: A retrospective analysis was made of 48 consecutive patients with AHF who fulfilled the Kings College Criteria for LT at our center. We analyzed and compared the etiology, outcome, prognosis, and survival rates of patients between the transplantation (LT) group and the non-transplantation (N-LT) group., Results: AHF was due to viral hepatitis in 25 patients (52.1%; hepatitis B virus in 22), drug or toxic reactions in 14 (29.2%; acetaminophen in 6), Wilson disease in 4 (8.3%), unknown reasons in 3 (6.3%), and miscellaneous conditions in 2 (4.2%). In the LT group, 36 patients (7 underwent living donor LT, and 29 cadaveric LT) had an average model for end-stage liver disease score (MELD) of 35.7. Twenty-eight patients survived with good graft function after a follow-up of 27.3+/-4.5 months. During the waiting time, 6 patients were treated with ALSS and 2 of them died during hospitalization. The 30-day, 12-month, and 18-month survival rates were 77.8%, 72.2%, and 66.7%, respectively. In the N-LT group, 12 patients had an average MELD score of 34.5. Four patients were treated with ALSS and all died during hospitalization. The 90-day and 1-year survival rates were only 16.7% and 8.3%, respectively., Conclusions: Hepatitis is the most prominent cause of AHF at our center. Most patients with AHF, who fulfill the Kings College Criteria for LT, did not survive longer without LT. ALSS did not improve the prognosis of AHF patients, but may extend the waiting time for a donor. Currently, LT is still the most effective way to improve the prognosis of AHF patients.

Objective: To evaluate the researcher's productivity by analyzing the citation statue of articles published in Chinese Journal of Ophthalmology (CJO)., Method: Using the database of Chinese Medical citation Index (CMCI), the citations from the CJO were collected and analyzed with the bibliometric methods., Result: 1513 papers were published in CJO by 990 authors from 2001-2006 (6 years). 2611 citations by all different journals were found from 705 CJO papers by 479 authors. 748 authors (75.6% of total first authors) published only one paper, while 50 core authors published over 4 papers during 6 years. Beijing was ranked the first with 412 papers and 666 citations, Guangdong Province the second with 235 papers and 632 citations according to the distribution. 851 papers (55.6%) and 1611 (61.7%) citations were from 17 well-respected institutions. The top of rank was Zhongshan Ophthalmic center of SUN Yat-sen University with 198 papers and 526 citations, followed by Beijing Tongren Ophthalmic Center of Capital University of Medical Sciences with 140 papers and 237 citations., Conclusions: The results indicate that the published papers from CJO in recent 6 years are extensively cited, suggesting that the core authors are active and publish most important papers. Beijing, Guangdong and shanghai are most productive in publication of article in CJO even though the authors are widely distributed in the nation.

In this study, high-resolution 600-MHz 1H-NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) spectroscopies were used to compare the urinary metabolic profiles of healthy humans and humans in a high-selenium area of China. NMR biomarkers for renal and liver lesions were observed by comparing the urine 1H-NMR spectra. In urinary excretion, the concentrations in human urine samples of formate, lactate, acetate, hippurate, and alanine in overexposure to selenium were increased, whereas citrate, creatine, and TMAO excretion were decreased compared with that of the healthy human--some of them even disappeared. An interesting result was the appearance of formate in urine, which has previously been shown to lead to acidosis and chronic renal failure and interfere with the lumen and proximal tubular cells. The level of creatine was associated with the seminal activity. The changes of acetate and citrate may explain the disorder of the cellular energy metabolism caused by selenium, and the changes of other amino acids were a result of the reuptake of these compounds that had been blocked in the glomerulus and proximal tubule. The results elucidate the renal/liver lesion in humans in high-selenium area by 1H-NMR spectroscopy and offer the molecular basic of selenium toxicity.

Objective: To study the Mitochondrial DNA 7445A-->G mutation in nonsyndromic deafness patients in Chinese population., Method: Polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) were used to screen the mitochondrial DNA 7445A-->G mutation among 128 nonsyndromic deafness individuals from 32 pedigrees, 135 sporadic nonsyndromic deafness patients and 100 normal subjects., Result: The 7445A-->G mutation did not appear in the experiment., Conclusion: Incidence of the mitochondrial 7445A-->G mutation was lower than that of mtDNA 1555A-->G mutation in nonsyndromic deafness patients in China.