Sulfur Fumigation Processing of Traditional Chinese Medicinal Herbs: Beneficial or Detrimental?

Majority of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) herbs need to undergo post-harvesting processing to convert raw material into the form readily used for prescription. In general, processing procedures are either according to China Pharmacopeia or based on traditional methods. Recently sulfur fumigation is increasingly used to replace traditional sun-drying for its pesticidal and anti-bacterial properties in a cheap and convenient manner. However, to date information on effects of sulfur fumigation on herbal safety and efficacy are limited. This article addresses potential destructive effects of sulfur fumigation on herbal efficacy and safety through reviewing currently available information. Since recently increased numbers of studies have demonstrated that sulfur fumigation-induced dramatic changes in chemical profiles of various sulfur-fumigated herbs, consequent alteration of efficacy, and/or potential incidence of toxicity are suspected. Therefore comprehensive investigations on effects of sulfur fumigation on toxicity, chemical profiles, pharmacokinetics, and bioactivities of TCM herbs are timely to provide scientific basis for standardization and regulation of this currently common but potentially harmful processing method

Dual Mechanism of Interleukin-3 Receptor Blockade by an Anti-Cancer Antibody

SummaryInterleukin-3 (IL-3) is an activated T cell product that bridges innate and adaptive immunity and contributes to several immunopathologies. Here, we report the crystal structure of the IL-3 receptor α chain (IL3Rα) in complex with the anti-leukemia antibody CSL362 that reveals the N-terminal domain (NTD), a domain also present in the granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), IL-5, and IL-13 receptors, adopting unique “open” and classical “closed” conformations. Although extensive mutational analyses of the NTD epitope of CSL362 show minor overlap with the IL-3 binding site, CSL362 only inhibits IL-3 binding to the closed conformation, indicating alternative mechanisms for blocking IL-3 signaling. Significantly, whereas “open-like” IL3Rα mutants can simultaneously bind IL-3 and CSL362, CSL362 still prevents the assembly of a higher-order IL-3 receptor-signaling complex. The discovery of open forms of cytokine receptors provides the framework for development of potent antibodies that can achieve a “double hit” cytokine receptor blockade

The path to healthy ageing in China: a Peking University–Lancet Commission

Key messages • China has the world's largest older population; achieving healthy ageing is necessary for China to reap positive benefits from increased longevity and to reduce potential economic and social burdens that could accompany rapid population ageing // • As non-communicable diseases become a greater concern, it is important for policy to promote the adoption of healthy lifestyles and behaviours to improve health status at older ages // • China's health-care delivery system needs to notably strengthen primary health care and move towards integrated delivery to improve access and quality of care for older patients // • China has successfully reduced old-age dependency by pushing for age-friendly communities and home environments; however, more improvements are necessary to prevent a substantial increase in the number of people needing care // • China's social and demographic changes necessitate finding substitutes to family-based care and helping families take care of their older members; to that end, China needs to train and retain a new cadre of home care workers, nurses, social workers, and geriatricians // • China's public health insurance and long-term care insurance should move towards national-level risk pooling to reduce inequality in benefits and facilitate the mobility of older peopl

Die Jochbeinfraktur – typische klinische und radiologische Befunde

status: publishe

The zygomatic fracture – Typical clinical and radiological findings

Frakturen des Mittelgesichts erfassen anatomi- sche Strukturen und Schädelöffnungen wie die Apertura piriformis (Le Fort I), das Foramen infraorbitale (Le Fort II) oder auch das Jochbein (Le Fort III). Laterale Mittelgesichtsfrakturen gehören zu den häufigsten Verletzungen des Gesichtsschädels und betreffen in der Regel den zygomatikoorbitalen Komplex.Fractures of the midface involve anatomical structures and skull openings such as the piriform aperture (Le Fort I), the infraorbital foramen (Le Fort II) or the zygomatic bone (Le Fort III). Lateral midface fractures are among the most common injuries to the facial skull and usually affect the zygomaticoorbital complex

Temporal changes in immune blood cell parameters in COVID-19 infection and recovery from severe infection

10.1111/bjh.16847BRITISH JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY190133-3

Neurobehavioral Impairment in Pediatric Brain Tumor Survivors: A Meta-Analysis

Purpose: The neurocognitive outcomes of pediatric brain tumor survivors have been extensively studied but the risk and predictors for neurobehavioral impairment are less clearly defined. We systematically analyzed the rates of emotional, psychosocial, and attention problems in pediatric brain tumor survivors. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane were searched for articles published between January 2012 to April 2022. Eligible studies reported neurobehavioral outcomes for PBTS aged 2 to <23 years with a brain tumor diagnosis before 18 years of age. A random-effect meta-analysis was performed in R. Results: The search yielded 1187 unique publications, of which 50 were included in the quantitative analysis. The estimated risk of having emotional, psychosocial, and attention problems were 15% (95%CI 10–20%), 12% (95%CI 9–16%), and 12% (95%CI 9–16%), respectively. PBTS were more likely to have emotional difficulties (Hedge’s g = 0.43 [95%CI 0.34–0.52]), psychosocial problems (Hedge’s g = 0.46 [95%CI 0.33–0.58]), and attention problems (Hedge’s g = 0.48 [95%CI 0.34–0.63]) compared to normal/healthy control subjects. There was no significant difference in the rates of neurobehavioral impairment between children with and without history of cranial radiotherapy. Conclusions: PBTS are at elevated risk of neurobehavioral impairment. Neurobehavioral monitoring should be considered as the standard of care for PBTS

Signalling by the βc family of cytokines

The GM-CSF, IL-3 and IL-5 family of cytokines, also known as the βc family due to their receptors sharing the signalling subunit βc, regulates multiple biological processes such as native and adaptive immunity, inflammation, normal and malignant hemopoieis, and autoimmunity. Australian scientists played a major role in the discovery and biological characterisation of the βc cytokines and their recent work is revealing unique features of cytokine receptor assembly and signalling. Furthermore, specific antibodies have been generated to modulate their function. Characterisation of the structural and dynamic requirements for the activation of the βc receptor family and the molecular definition of downstream signalling pathways are providing new insights into cytokine receptor signalling as well as new therapeutic opportunities.