Search

The evolution of the microstructural and mechanical properties of alloy 617B during long-term service on a key-component test platform at 700 °C was systematically investigated. The precipitation behavior and size changes of the M23C6 and γ′ phases were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that carbide M23C6 precipitated in the form of discontinuous particles, plates, or needles at grain boundaries and within grains, while the γ′ phase had a spherical shape and was distributed in a dispersed manner. With prolonged service time, both the M23C6 and γ′ phases gradually coarsened. After 24,000 h of service, the yield strength, tensile strength, and Brinell hardness of alloy 617B significantly increased; however, the impact toughness decreased, accompanied by intergranular embrittlement. The increase in precipitate volume fraction and its contribution to the strength of the alloy were evaluated by a precipitation strengthening model. The coarsening of M23C6 was identified as the main cause of embrittlement. The findings of this study provide important experimental data and theoretical support for the stability of 617B alloys under long-term high-temperature service conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the mechanical properties and microstructure evolution of P92 steel during long-term service, the operated P92 main steam pipes from the first ultra-supercritical units in China were sectioned into samples representing various service durations and stresses (0# (as-received state, 1# (82,000 h, 67.3 MPa), 2# (85,000 h, 78.0 MPa), and 3# (100,000 h, 80.3 MPa)). Thereafter, a comprehensive assessment of their mechanical properties, including tensile strength, impact, hardness, and creep resistance, as well as a detailed microstructure analysis, was carried out. The effect of stress on the aging of material properties during operation is discussed. The results show that the circumferential stress caused by the increase in the internal steam pressure can significantly promote the creep life consumption of P92 steel, resulting in the degradation of mechanical properties and the expedited aging of the microstructure. The Rp0.2 and Rm of the P92 main steam pipe at room temperature and 605 °C decreased with the service time increase, reflecting the influence of stress in operation, which is expected to be used for the residual life evaluation of P92 steel. The relationship between the impact absorption energy (FATT50), Brinell hardness, and the operating time of P92 operating pipes is non-monotonic, indicating that these parameters are not sensitive indicators of material aging due to stress. The evaluation of performance degradation in P92 operating pipes due to stress-induced aging is not reliably discernible through optical metallography alone. To achieve a thorough assessment, the use of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

P92 steel is widely used in ultra-supercritical units due to its excellent high-temperature performance. This paper studies the microstructure of P92 steel steam pipes in three conditions: as-supplied, after 80,000 h of service at 67.06 MPa stress, and after 100,000 h of service at 80.28 MPa stress. After prolonged service, the P92 steel retains its martensitic structure, but the lath width increases and the dislocation density decreases. In addition to M23C6, MX, and Laves phases, Z phase was also observed among the precipitates. The results indicate that the sizes of M23C6 and Laves phases increase with the progression of creep life consumption, with the coarsening rate of Laves phase being significantly higher than that of M23C6. However, the coarsening of MX phase is not evident. Compared to the Laves phase, the formation of the Z phase requires a longer period of time. The precipitation of the Z phase consumes MX carbonitrides, and it has been observed that the Z phase precipitates from the MX phase, with the two phases exhibiting a coexisting state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics (PIDA) has a significant effect on well-being and quality of life. This study aimed to explore the latent heterogeneous classes of the PIDA among adolescents and investigate the relationships among identified subtypes and sociodemographic variables, the status of left-behind children, and the clinical manifestations of malocclusion. Methods: A cross-sectional study on the PIDA among 1451 adolescents aged 11 to 12 years in elementary schools in a rural area in Guangxi, China, was conducted. The PIDA on adolescents was also investigated via latent profile analysis; each predictor was tested via ordinal logistic regression. Results: Three latent classes for the PIDA were identified: low-risk (48.2%), medium-risk (39.8%), and high-risk (11.9%) groups. There were significant differences among the three latent classes. The results revealed that being female, The duration of maternal employment outside the hometown, the largest anterior maxillary irregularity, the largest anterior mandibular irregularity, and the antero-posterior molar relationship (ORs of 1.737, 1.138, 1.117, 1.157, and OR = 1.242; P < 0.001, < 0.01, < 0.01, < 0.01 and < 0.05, respectively) had significant effects on the PIDA on adolescents. Conclusions: The occlusal features, being female and the duration of maternal employment outside the hometown are risk factors that influence the PIDA on adolescents. This provides an evidence for improving the PIDA status among rural adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lanbuzheng (Geum japonicum Thunb. var. chinense Bolle), a plant found in Southwest China, is a traditional Chinese medicine that promotes hematopoiesis and antioxidant functions. Many of its chemical constituents remain unknown, posing challenges both to understanding its pharmacological mechanisms and to conducting quality control research. In this work, ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole Exactive Orbitrap high‐resolution mass spectroscopy was used for profiling the composition of Lanbuzheng. Using positive ion mass spectrometry data enriched from Lanbuzheng extract, feature‐based molecular networking (FBMN) was constructed and associated with Mass2Motifs substructures using MS2LDA. Prediction and validation of unknown constituents of Lanbuzheng using a custom‐built compound library, SIRIUS, and network annotation propagation, achieved a semi‐automated annotation of the molecular network. Based on the custom‐built library comprising 206 compounds and the FBMN clustering results, the constituents in Lanbuzheng primarily include tannins, triterpenes, flavonoids, and phenolics. Using only 65 pre‐identified compounds as references, 210 unknown compounds were annotated in various polarity regions of Lanbuzheng. Results of the current work indicate that molecular networks enable the efficient annotation of compounds in complex systems, laying the groundwork for the preliminary identification of pharmacologically active constituents of Lanbuzheng. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit of fluoride varnish (FV) interventions for preventing caries in the first permanent molars (FPMs) among children in rural areas in Guangxi, China. Methods: This study constituted a secondary analysis of data from a randomised controlled trial, analysed from a social perspective. A total of 1,335 children aged 6–8 years in remote rural areas of Guangxi were enrolled in this three-year follow-up controlled study. Children in the experimental group (EG) and the control group (CG) received oral health education and were provided with a toothbrush and toothpaste once every six months. Additionally, FV was applied in the EG. A decision tree model was developed, and single-factor and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted. Results: After three years of intervention, the prevalence of caries in the EG was 50.85%, with an average decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index score of 1.12, and that in the CG was 59.04%, with a DMFT index score of 1.36. The total cost of caries intervention and postcaries treatment was 42,719.55 USD for the EG and 46,622.13 USD for the CG. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of the EG was 25.36 USD per caries prevented, and the cost–benefit ratio (CBR) was 1.74 USD benefits per 1 USD cost. The results of the sensitivity analyses showed that the increase in the average DMFT index score was the largest variable affecting the ICER and CBR. Conclusions: Compared to oral health education alone, a comprehensive intervention combining FV application with oral health education is more cost-effective and beneficial for preventing caries in the FPMs of children living in economically disadvantaged rural areas. These findings could provide a basis for policy-making and clinical choices to improve children's oral health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In traditional Chinese medicine, the two commodity forms of Cassiae Semen Raw and Prepared Cassiae Semen, exert different clinical applications, in which Prepared Cassiae Semen is commonly used to treat liver and eye diseases. However, the material basis of Raw and Prepared Cassiae Semen remains unclear due to the limited studies on their overall composition and metabolism in vivo. In this study, an integrated analysis strategy based on ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole‐Orbitrap high‐resolution mass spectrometry was established to systematically screen the prototype and metabolite constituents of Raw and Prepared Cassiae Semen. Automatic matching analysis of metabolites was performed on Compound Discoverer software based on the function of predicting metabolites. Using this strategy, a total of 77 compounds in Raw Cassiae Semen and 71 compounds in Prepared Cassiae Semen were identified. Furthermore, in vivo study, 46 prototype components and 104 metabolites from the Raw Cassiae Semen group and 41 prototype components and 87 metabolites from the Prepared Cassiae Semen group were unambiguously or preliminarily identified in mice (plasma, urine, feces, eye, and liver). This is the first study of chemical component analysis and in vivo metabolite profiling of Raw and Prepared Cassiae Semen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Laves phase formed during the long-term creep of 9% Cr heat-resistant steels plays an important role in their high-temperature mechanical properties. Detecting and quantifying the Laves phase is one of the main problems in predicting the creep residual life. This study detects and quantifies the Laves phase in various 9% Cr heat-resistant steel samples by anodic polarization. Both T92/P92 samples after creep and 9Cr ferritic martensitic samples after thermal ageing precipitate Laves phase particles, and the content of the Laves phase increases with the service time. Comparing the results obtained by the electrochemical method with those obtained by the traditional SEM observation method, it can be found that there is a similar two-stage linear relationship between the two results in all materials, which is related to the diameter change of Laves phase particles during service. According to the correlation between the Laves phase content and creep time, an extrapolation method for the prediction of the residual creep life is proposed. The results show that the creep life of P92 can be predicted by using the dissolved charge density of the Laves phase with high prediction accuracy. This method has the potential to evaluate the service states of materials and predict the long-term creep life in the industrial field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Metabolic reprogramming is one of the important mechanisms of cell differentiation, and different cells have different preferences for energy sources. During the differentiation of naive CD4 + T cells into Th17 and Treg cells, these cells show specific energy metabolism characteristics. Th17 cells depend on enhanced glycolysis, fatty acid synthesis, and glutaminolysis. In contrast, Treg cells are dependent on oxidative phosphorylation, fatty acid oxidation, and amino acid depletion. As a potent antimalarial drug, artesunate has been shown to modulate the Th17/Treg imbalance and regulate cell metabolism. Methodology: Relevant literatures on ART, cellular metabolism, glycolysis, lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, CD4 + T cells, Th17 cells, and Treg cells published from January 1, 2010 to now were searched in PubMed database. Conclusion: In this review, we will highlight recent advances in which artesunate can restore the Th17/Treg imbalance in disease states by altering T-cell metabolism to influence differentiation and lineage selection. Data from the current study show that few studies have focused on the effect of ART on cellular metabolism. ART can affect the metabolic characteristics of T cells (glycolysis, lipid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism) and interfere with their differentiation lineage, thereby regulating the balance of Th17/Treg and alleviating the symptoms of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence and infectious intensity of schistosomiasis japonica has decreased significantly in China in the past few decades. However, more accurate and sensitive diagnostic methods are urgently required for the further control, surveillance, and final elimination of the disease. In this study, we assessed the diagnostic efficacy of a real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qPCR) method and recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) combined with a lateral-flow dipstick (LFD) assay for detecting early infections of Schistosoma japonicum and different infection intensities. The sensitivity of the qPCR at 40 days post-infection (dpi) was 100% (8/8) in mice infected with 40 cercariae, which was higher than in mice infected with 10 cercariae (90%, 9/10) or five cercariae (77.8%, 7/9). The results of the RPA–LFD assays were similar, with sensitivities of 55.6% (5/9), 80% (8/10), and 100% (8/8) in mice infected with 5, 10, and 40 cercariae, respectively. In goats, both the qPCR and RPA–LFD assays showed 100% (8/8) sensitivity at 56 dpi. In the early detection of S. japonicum infection in mice and goats with qPCR, the first peak in positivity appeared at 3–4 dpi, when the positivity rate exceeded 40%, even in the low infection, intensity mice. In the RPA–LFD assays, positive results first peaked at 4–5 dpi in the mice, and the positivity rate was 37.5% in the goats at 1 dpi. In conclusion, neither of the molecular methods produced exceptional results for the early diagnosis of S. japonicum infection. However, they were useful methods for the regular diagnosis of schistosomiasis in mice and goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bus priority signal control can reduce bus delay at intersections and improve bus operation efficiency. The existing research focus mainly on bus priority control methods at isolated intersections, as well as urban arterial corridors. Rarely existing works consider a network-level bus priority control. Treating regional-wide intersections can be challenging, given that more traffic directions and large multi-modal traffic volume should be considered. The conventional transit signal priority (TSP) research focus on the delay of buses and social vehicles and neglect the delay of pedestrians. To fill these gaps, this paper proposes a regional coordinated bus priority signal control (RCBPSC) method, which is a network-level bus priority control method considering pedestrian and passenger delays. This method is divided into two stages. The first stage is the regional coordinated signal control to obtain the basic signal timing schemes. The second stage is the bus priority signal control. At this stage, the timing schemes at each intersection will be adjusted according to the bus arrival time and the delays. In order to verify the effectiveness of this method, we choose four intersections in Chengdu to study. The results show that the total delay of the proposed method at the first stage (control case 1) can be reduced by 602s (2.3%) and 606s (3.7%) comparing with the conventional timing method in the peak and non-peak period. At the second stage, the proposed method can reduce more pedestrian delay than the conventional TSP method in both and. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To systematically evaluate the effect of nursing intervention on children with type 2 diabetes. Methods. The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on nursing intervention in children with type 2 diabetes in CNKI, VIP, WanFang, Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM), PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Embase, and Science were searched by the computer until July 2022. Two evaluators reviewed the articles, selected the information, and assessed their quality according to the inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria and then carried out meta-analysis with RevMan 5.3. Results. A total of 5 RCT studies were kept, including 319 patients with type 2 diabetes (≤21 years old), where 162 patients were in the nursing group and 157 patients were in the control group. Meta-analysis revealed that, compared with routine nursing, nursing intervention could effectively control children's fasting blood glucose (FBG) (MD = − 1.68 , 95% CI (-2.19, -1.17), P < 0.00001), 2 h postprandial blood glucose (2hPG) (MD = − 4.01 , 95% CI (-4.70, -3.33), P < 0.00001), fasting insulin (FINS) (MD = − 7.42 , 95% CI (-10.63, -4.20), P < 0.00001), 2 h postprandial insulin (2hINS) (MD = − 58.18 , 95% CI (-103.24, -13.11), P = 0.01), triglycerides (TG) (MD = − 0.41 , 95% CI (-0.56, -0.25), P < 0.00001), and systolic blood pressure (SBP) (MD = − 8.85 , 95% CI (-14.67, -3.03), P = 0.003) and effectively maintain patients' blood glucose at a normal level (MD = − 8.85 , 95% CI (-14.67, -3.03), P = 0.003), where all the differences were statistically significant. Conclusion. The existing evidence showed that nursing intervention has a significant effect in controlling normal blood glucose and improving insulin utilization in children with type 2 diabetes, which can effectively improve the therapeutic effect on children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boron is one of the highest energy density materials. The heat of boron is difficult to carry out due to its poor combustion performance. Magnesium (10 wt.%), acting as combustion adjuvant, is added into boron powder to improve the combustion performance. In this study, two kinds of boron powder were used as raw material, boron powder with an average size of 40 μm is named B1, and B2 has an average powder size of 3 μm. Mg/B composite powder was prepared though a cryomilling method. Two compound mechanisms for Mg/B composite powder were applied. For Mg/B1 composite powder, an Mg-coating structure on the surface of B was generated. For Mg/B2, a structure that small particles were agglomerated with Mg in the interior or on the surface of B was generated. Compared with either B powder or blended Mg/B powder, the reactivity of Mg/B composite powder by cryomilling is enhanced. In addition, the atomic ratio of Mg to B and activity content of Mg on the surface of Mg/B composite powder have great impacts on the improvement of reactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stemonae Radix (dried roots of Stemona japonica (Bl.) Miq., Stemona sessilifolia (Miq.) Miq., and Stemona tuberosa Lour.), a widely used traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), is also known as "Baibu" (Chinese: 百部). Stemonae Radix has a wide range of pharmacological effects, mainly used to treat respiratory diseases and as an insecticide. In this review, with the help of both published materials (such as ancient and modern books, monographs on medicinal plants, and the pharmacopoeia of different countries) and electronic databases (such as PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar), we have summarized the up-to-date research progress in botany, traditional application, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicity, and quality control, and discussed the research prospects and development direction of Stemonae Radix and its origin plants. Up to now, more than 170 compounds were isolated and identified from the three official species of Stemonae Radix, mainly including Stemona alkaloids, Stemona stilbenoids and other components. This medicine has also exhibited pharmacological activities, including antitussive, antiviral, insecticidal, antitumor, antioxidant, and therapeutic effects on lung diseases. However, pharmacological reports most often attribute activities to various extracts, rather than specific compounds. This hampers the establishment of a connection between chemical constituents and pharmacological activities, resulting in a difficulty to identify the major active compounds. Therefore, in the future, it is necessary to design experiments to deeply understand the development and clinical use of Stemonae Radix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The underlying mechanisms of complement activation in Stargardt disease type 1 (STGD1) and age‐related macular degeneration (AMD) are not fully understood. Overaccumulation of all‐trans‐retinal (atRAL) has been proposed as the pathogenic factor in both diseases. By incubating retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells with atRAL, we showed that C5b‐9 membrane attack complexes (MACs) were generated mainly through complement alternative pathway. An increase in complement factor B (CFB) expression as well as downregulation of complement regulatory proteins CD46, CD55, CD59, and CFH were observed in RPE cells after atRAL treatment. Furthermore, interleukin‐1β production was provoked in both atRAL‐treated RPE cells and microglia/macrophages. Coincubation of RPE cells with interleukin‐1 receptor antagonist (IL1Ra) and atRAL ameliorated complement activation and downregulated CFB expression by attenuating both p38 and c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathways. Our findings demonstrate that atRAL induces an autocrine/paracrine IL‐1/IL‐1R signaling to promote complement alternative pathway activation in RPE cells and provide a novel perspective on the pathomechanism of macular degeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The incidence of Alzheimer's disease is on the rise, early detection of cognitive impairment of the elderly is very important. In traditional Chinese medicine, constitution is related to the susceptibility of the human body to diseases. Based on the theory of constitution of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the human population can be classified into 9 constitutions. However, little is known about the characteristics of medical constitution and related biomarkers in subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: We measured the TCM Constitution of 214 subjects by using the Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire (CCMQ). MMSE and MoCA were used to assess cognitive function. The subjects were divided into mild cognitive impairment group (MCI, n = 152) and normal control group (NC, n = 62). The levels of serum Hcy and serum/urine 8-iso-PGF 2α were determined. Results: 1) It was found that there was a significant difference in constitution types between MCI and NC. There were significant differences in MMSE and MoCA score, serum Hcy and serum/urine 8-iso-PGF 2a levels between the two groups. 2) In logistic regression analysis, the variables with statistical significance were TCM Constitution of Yang-Deficient, Phlegm-Dampness, Blood-Stasis and abnormal increase of Hcy (OR> 1). 3) The MoCA scores had a positive correlation with the MMSE. A statistically significant inverse association was found between serum Hcy, blood and urine 8-iso-PGF 2a and scores of cognitive assessment in MCI. Conclusion: Constitution types (Yang-Deficient, Phlegm-Dampness and Blood-Stasis) and abnormal serum Hcy elevation can be used as risk factors for MCI. MoCA scores can serve to detect MCI at early stage. Serum/urine 8-iso-PGF 2α has a certain relationship with MCI. Higher levels of serum/urine 8-iso–PGF 2α are more likely to be associated with MCI risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Casein kinase 2-interacting protein-1 (CKIP-1) has been proved to be associated with complications of diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy is a main diabetic complication which usually leads to blindness. The current study aims to investigate the role of CKIP-1 in high glucose-treated retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells which is a component of blood-retinal barriers. Methods. The RPE cells, ARPE-19, are treated with high glucose to mimic the diabetic stimulation. CKIP-1 was overexpressed in ARPE-19 cells to evaluate its effects on autophagy, oxidative stress, and apoptosis induced by high glucose treatment, using Western blot, immunofluorescence, and flow cytometry assays, respectively. Results. CKIP-1 was expressed at a lower level in high glucose-treated cells than in normal glucose cells. Overexpression of CKIP-1 enhanced the Nrf2 translocation to the nucleus. Furthermore, high glucose-induced autophagy, oxidative stress, and apoptosis were inhibited after overexpression of CKIP-1. Also, CKIP-1 regulates the p62/Keap1/Nrf2 signaling, which might be the potential mechanism in this model. Conclusion. In conclusion, CKIP-1 may be a potential therapeutic target that protects RPE cells from injury and subsequent diabetic retinopathy induced by high glucose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a major pathogenic factor in patients with cardiovascular diseases, and endothelial dysfunction (ED) plays a primary role in the occurrence and development of AS. In our study, we attempted to evaluate the role of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) in endothelial cell apoptosis under oxidized low‐density lipoprotein (ox‐LDL) stimulation and identify the associated mechanisms. The results of our study demonstrated that ox‐LDL induced human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) death via mitochondrial apoptosis, as evidenced by reduced mitochondrial potential, increased mitochondria permeability transition pore opening, cellular calcium overload, and caspase‐9/‐3 activation. In addition, ox‐LDL also suppressed cellular energy production via downregulating the mitochondrial respiratory complex. Moreover, ox‐LDL impaired HUVECs migration. Western blot analysis showed that PTEN expression was upregulated after exposure to ox‐LDL and knockdown of PTEN could attenuate ox‐LDL‐mediated endothelial cell damage. Furthermore, we found that ox‐LDL impaired mitophagy activity, whereas PTEN deletion could improve mitophagic flux and this effect relied on the activity of the AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK)–cAMP‐response element‐binding protein (CREB)–Mitofusin‐2 (Mfn2) axis. When the AMPK–CREB–Mfn2 pathway was inhibited, PTEN deletion‐associated HUVECs protection was significantly reduced, suggesting that the AMPK–CREB–Mfn2‐mitophagy axis is required for PTEN deletion‐mediated endothelial cell survival under ox‐LDL. Taken together, our results indicate that ox‐LDL‐induced endothelial cell damage is associated with PTEN overexpression, and inhibition of PTEN could promote endothelial survival via activating the AMPK–CREB–Mfn2‐mitophagy signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angelicae Pubescentis Radix (APR) is a widely used antirheumatic Chinese medicinal herb known as "Duhuo" in China. It has the effects of dispelling wind and removing dampness, diffusing impediment, and relieving pain, and is mainly indicated for rheumatic arthritis with pain in the lower back and knees, and headache. To the best of our knowledge, an attempt is made to provide an up-to-date review on these aspects based on published materials, including ancient and modern books; Master's and doctoral theses; monographs on medicinal plants; the pharmacopoeia of different countries, websites for publication of patent and electronic databases, such as SCI finder, PubMed, Web of Science, ACS, Science Direct, Wiley, Springer, Taylor, CNKI, and Google Scholar. APR, which has a good clinical effect, has been used for traditional Chinese medicine more than 2000 years. Since 1957, a variety of chemical constituents have been reported from the medicinal plants of this herb, mostly coumarins and volatile oil. In the past 30 years, numerous studies have shown that the extracts and compounds isolated from APR showed effective analgesic and anti-inflammatory actions, also showing well effects on central nervous system, effects on cardiovascular system and deworming activity. In addition, we also present and discuss the botany, traditional medicinal use, pharmacokinetics, toxicity, quality control, future trends and prospects of APR. All this information suggest that future research of APR should be supplemented in the area of pharmacology and toxicology to provide further insight on the clinical use and quality control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]