A complex intervention to reduce antibiotic prescribing in rural China: a cluster randomised controlled trial.

Background: Excessive use of antibiotics is a widespread problem. We aim to evaluate the efficacy of a multifaceted intervention for reducing antibiotic use in patients with respiratory tract infections (RTIs).

Methods: In this two-arm cluster randomized controlled trial, we enrolled patients aged 18+ with symptomatic RTIs at 40 township health centers (THCs) selected from 10 counties in Anhui, China.

Antibiotic prescribing and bacterial infection in COVID-19 inpatients in Southeast Asia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The prescribing of antibiotics to treat COVID-19 patients has been observed to occur frequently, often without clear justification. This trend raises concerns that it may have exacerbated antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Despite longstanding concerns over AMR in Southeast Asian countries, data on this issue are notably lacking.

Prevalence of antibiotic prescribing in COVID-19 patients in China and other low- and middle-income countries during the pandemic (December 2019-March 2021): a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are particularly vulnerable to the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Use of antibiotics to treat COVID-19 patients during the pandemic may have contributed to increasing the AMR burden, but systematic evidence is lacking.

Methods: We searched Web of Science, EMBASE, PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and VIP databases from 1 December 2019 to 31 March 2021.

Assessment of community-wide antimicrobials usage in Eastern China using wastewater-based epidemiology.

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has potential to identify the epidemiological links between people, animals, and the environment, as part of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance. In this study, we investigated six wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) serving six communities located in two regions in Eastern China: Site A in Zhejiang and site B in Jiangsu province to assess the public use of antimicrobial agents (AA). Fifty antimicrobials and 24 of their metabolites were quantified using ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS).

Antibiotic Use and Bacterial Infection in COVID-19 Patients in the Second Phase of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: A Scoping Review.

This scoping review aimed to explore the prevalence and patterns of global antibiotic use and bacterial infection in COVID-19 patients from studies published between June 2020 and March 2021. This review was reported in line with the Preferred Reporting of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) extension for Scoping Reviews, and the protocol is registered with the Open Science Framework. Compared with our previously-published review of the period (December 2019-June 2020), the antibiotic prescribing rate for COVID-19 patients (June 2020-March 2021) was found to have declined overall (82.

Cluster randomised controlled trial to assess a tailored intervention to reduce antibiotic prescribing in rural China: study protocol.

Introduction: Up to 80% of patients with respiratory tract infections (RTI) attending healthcare facilities in rural areas of China are prescribed antibiotics, many of which are unnecessary. Since 2009, China has implemented several policies to try to reduce inappropriate antibiotic use; however, antibiotic prescribing remains high in rural health facilities.

Methods And Analysis: A cluster randomised controlled trial will be carried out to estimate the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of a complex intervention in reducing antibiotic prescribing at township health centres in Anhui Province, China.

RBD-homodimer, a COVID-19 subunit vaccine candidate, elicits immunogenicity and protection in rodents and nonhuman primates.

The pandemic of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 has raised a new challenges to the scientific and industrious fields after over 1-year spread across different countries. The ultimate approach to end the pandemic is the timely application of vaccines to achieve herd immunity. Here, a novel SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) homodimer was developed as a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate.

Antimicrobial Use in COVID-19 Patients in the First Phase of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: A Scoping Review.

This scoping review provides new evidence on the prevalence and patterns of global antimicrobial use in the treatment of COVID-19 patients; identifies the most commonly used antibiotics and clinical scenarios associated with antibiotic prescribing in the first phase of the pandemic; and explores the impact of documented antibiotic prescribing on treatment outcomes in COVID-19 patients. The review complies with PRISMA guidelines for Scoping Reviews and the protocol is registered with the Open Science Framework. In the first six months of the pandemic, there was a similar mean antibiotic prescribing rate between patients with severe or critical illness (75.

[Electroacupuncture Improves Pulmonary Function of Rats with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease by Down-regulating Inflammatory Reaction and Expression of Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor/CD 74-CD 44/p 38 MAPK Signaling in Lung Tissues].

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Zusanli" (ST 36) and "Feishu" (BL 13) on pulmonary function, inflammatory reaction and expression of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and its receptor complex CD 74-CD 44, etc. in rats with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), so as to explore its mechanism underlying improvement of COPD.

Methods: Thirty male SD rats were randomly divided into normal, model and EA groups (＝10 in each group).

Electro-acupuncture regulates the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway in a rat model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Objective: Acupuncture has a definite therapeutic effect on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP) has been shown to be involved in regulation of inflammation. In this study, we investigated whether electro-acupuncture (EA) affects the CAP in COPD.

Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were induced into COPD through exposure to cigarette smoke combined with lipopolysaccharide.

Identification of fukinolic acid from Cimicifuga heracleifolia and its derivatives as novel antiviral compounds against enterovirus A71 infection.

Human enterovirus 71 (EV-A71) infections cause a wide array of diseases ranging from diarrhoea and rashes to hand-foot-and-mouth disease and, in rare cases, severe neurological disorders. No specific antiviral drug therapy is currently available. Extracts from 75 Chinese medicinal plants selected for antiviral activity based on the Chinese pharmacopeia and advice from traditional Chinese medicine clinicians were tested for activity against EV-A71.

Monoclonal antibodies directed against VP7 protein of human group B rotavirus.

The aim of this study was to prepare and identify a monoclonal antibody that binds the viral proteins 7 (VP7 protein) of human group B rotavirus (GBRV) and to describe its immunologic characterization. Human group B rotavirus vp7 gene was successfully ligated into pGEX-KG vector and transformed into Escherichia coli TOP10 cells. The glutathione S-transferases (GST)-fusion protein GST-VP7 was induced by Isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) and immediately purified to immunize BALB/c mice.

Fecal metabonomic study of a polysaccharide, MDG-1 from Ophiopogon japonicus on diabetic mice based on gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC TOF/MS).

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder with systemic complications and has been a worldwide epidemic. Ophiopogon japonicus is a traditional Chinese medicine used to treat diabetes for thousands of years. From our previous work, we know that MDG-1, a water-soluble β-D-fructan polysaccharide from O.

Synergistic Effect and Mechanism of Cineole and Terpineol on In-vitro Transdermal Delivery of Huperzine A from Microemulsions.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence and the mechanisms of cineole and terpineol on the in-vitro transdermal delivery of huperzine A from microemulsions, and their potential synergistic effect on the permeation enhancement. The transdermal delivery of huperzine A from microemulsions with different concentrations of cineole and terpineol through the rat abdominal skin was determined by Franz-type diffusion cells. The partition coefficient of huperzine A between the full thickness skin and microemulsion was determined.

Effect of metformin on the urinary metabolites of diet-induced-obese mice studied by ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-TOF/MS).

Obesity is becoming a health concern worldwide and metformin, a first line anti-diabetic drug, was associated with weight loss under different backgrounds. However, most researches focused on the anti-diabetic mechanism and less attention has been paid on the mechanism of weight loss of metformin. Therefore, we established a metabonomic method to evaluate metformin action in preventing obesity in a high fat diet-induced-obesity (DIO) mice model.

Metabolite discovery of helicidum in rat urine with XCMS based on the data of ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

The present study demonstrates the use of XCMS (various forms (X) of chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry), an open-source software tool primarily used in bioinformatics, on the data of ultra-performance liquid chromatography connected online with a mass spectrometer (UPLC/MS) for the discovery of the metabolites of helicidum in urine after oral single dosage to rats. Helicidum (formaldehydephenyl-O-β-D-pyranosyl alloside) is the major active component of the fruits of Helicid hilagirica Beed. In China, it is often used in the clinic to treat neurasthenic syndromes, vascular headache, and trigeminal neuralgia with high efficacy and low side effect and toxicity.

Characterization using LC/MS of the absorption compounds and metabolites in rat plasma after oral administration of a single or mixed decoction of Shaoyao and Gancao.

Shaoyao-Gancao decoction (SGD), a traditional Chinese formulation containing Paeoniae Radix (SY) and Glycyrrhizae Radix (GC), is commonly used to relieve abdominal pain. However, the absorption and metabolites of the characteristic constituents of the two herbs in vivo have been reported rarely. The purpose of this study was to investigate the compatibility rationality and the mechanism of the enhanced efficiency of SGD.

Metabonomic study on the cumulative cardiotoxicity of a pirarubicin liposome powder.

Pirarubicin (THP) is an anthracycline frequently used in the chemotherapy against acute leukemia, malignant lymphoma and several solid tumors. However, its clinical use is severely limited by the development of a progressive dose-dependent cardiomyopathy that results in irreversible congestive heart failure. To provide a strategy for constraining or minimizing the cumulative cardiotoxicity of THP, a pirarubicin liposome powder (L-THP) was appropriately prepared, and the cumulative cardiotoxicity of L-THP and free THP (F-THP) were investigated on Sprague-Dawley rats after 3 successive doses.

Microemulsion-based patch for transdermal delivery of huperzine A and ligustrazine phosphate in treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

The aim of the present study was to construct an innovative microemulsion-based patch for simultaneously transdermal delivery of huperzine A (HA) and ligustrazine phosphate (LP). The pseudo-ternary phase diagrams for microemulsion region were developed using oleic acid as oil, Cremophor RH40 as a surfactant, and ethanol as a cosurfactant. 1,8-cineole was added to the microemulsion as a penetration enhancer.

Pharmacokinetics of characteristic effective ingredients from individual and combination Shaoyao and Gancao treatment in rats using HPLC fingerprinting.

Shaoyao-Gancao decoction, a traditional Chinese formulation composed of Paeoniae Radix and Glycyrrhizae Radix, is commonly used to relieve abdominal pain. In this paper, the compatibility rationality of this decoction was investigated. Shaoyao-Gancao decoction, Shaoyao decoction and Gancao decoction were orally administered to rats, respectively.

Characterization and pharmacokinetics of a novel pirarubicin liposome powder.

Background: Pirarubicin (THP), an analogue of doxorubicin, has exhibited promising activities against acute leukemia, malignant lymphoma, and several solid tumors. However, the cumulative cardiotoxicity limits its wide application in chemotherapy.

Method: To provide an alternative strategy for reducing the cardiotoxicity, a novel THP liposome powder (L-THP), comprising distearoylphosphatidylcholine, distearoylphosphatidylglycerol, cholesterol, and lactose was appropriately prepared based on the physicochemical properties of THP.

Metabolism profile of scutellarin in urine following oral administration to rats by ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Scutellarin, a flavone glucuronide of 5,6,4'-trihydroxyflavone-7-O-glucoronide, is the main active component of the traditional Chinese botanic drug Erigeron breviscapus (Vant.) Hand.-Mazz.