Background: China, with its large agricultural sector, faces a significant public health challenge due to high annual incidence of pesticide poisoning from intentional self-harm and accidental ingestion. Establishing an Advanced Poisoning Treatment Center is critical to address this issue, improve clinical outcomes, and reduce mortality.
Aims: This study aims to develop a comprehensive workflow and operational model for an advanced poisoning treatment center integrated with therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) to optimize clinical management and enhance treatment outcomes for poisoning patients.
Methods: The center is equipped with advanced analytical instruments (HPLC and LC-MS/MS) and a specialized mass spectral library for rapid, accurate identification of toxins. An integrated clinical workflow coordinates emergency response between the toxicology unit and the pharmacology laboratory. Upon admission, biological specimens are collected and analyzed while emergency physicians provide life support and symptomatic treatment.
Results: In 2024, the center managed 67 cases of acute pesticide poisoning, with paraquat (38.8%), organophosphorus pesticides (34.3%), and diquat (14.9%) as the main agents. The overall treatment success rate was 67.1%. TDM enabled rapid toxin identification (median time: 28 minutes) and significantly earlier intervention in survivors compared to non-survivors (mean time-to-treatment: 1.8 vs. 3.4 hours, p<0.01).
Conclusions: The TDM-enhanced center optimizes clinical pathways through rapid toxicological identification and enhanced monitoring protocols. This system improves patient prognosis by precisely characterizing toxins and implementing evidence-based interventions.
Key Words:TDM;Chinese Experience;Poisoning Treatment;Clinical Pharmacy

Background: Alpha-amanitin, a toxin from Amanita fungi, causes severe liver damage. Early detection improves survival rates, however detection in urine is challenging due to matrix variability. Accurate identification and quantification at low concentrations requires LC-MS.

Aims: This study focuses on the development of a reproducible and sensitive method for detecting alpha-amanitin in human urine samples.

Methods: Sample preparation was performed using solid-phase extraction (SPE) with DAU sorbent (200 mg/10 mL, UCT Inc). Urine sample was diluted with phosphate buffer (pH 6.0) before loading onto the SPE column, which was conditioned with methanol, water, and phosphate buffer. After sample application, the matrix was washed with water, 0.1% acetic acid, and methylene chloride-methanol. Alpha-amanitin was eluted with methanol, evaporated under nitrogen, and reconstituted in an injection-ready solvent. Data acquisition was done using a QTRAP 6500+ mass spectrometer (SCIEX) with LC-40XR (Shimadzu), and processed with SciexOS software. LC-MS/MS analysis was performed in positive ionization MRM mode.

Results: The development of a sensitive method development was challenged by the lack of stable isotope-labeled analogs and suitable internal standards. The focus was placed on optimizing the solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure to achieve sensitivity, specificity, linearity, and reproducibility without internal standards. The method met performance criteria with an LLOQ below 0.25 ng/ml, linearity from 0.25–100 ng/ml (R = 0.998), reproducibility below 5% RSD, and no interference at the analyte’s retention time.

Conclusion: Preliminary data confirm the method's effectiveness in detecting alpha-amanitin, surpassing ELISA limitations.

Key Words: Alpha-amanitin, Poisoning detection, LC-MS.

Background: There have been few research reports on the analysis of bacterial communities and the distribution characteristics of ARGs in the Lhasa River.

Aims: To study the distribution characteristics of the resident bacterial communities and the pollution status of ARGs in the Lhasa River, and to provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of drinking water safety for the regional population.

Methods: Samples were collected from 5 sampling points in the Lhasa River Basin, and the distribution characteristics of bacterial communities were analyzed by 16sRNA sequencing technology. The contents of 19 kinds of ARGs were detected and analyzed by fluorescence quantitative PCR technology. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS 22.0.

Results: Proteobacteria was the predominant resident bacterial phyla, among which Acinetobacter, Aeromonas and Pseudomonas were the three dominant genera. All 19 kinds of ARGs were detected at a relatively high level. Among them, the concentration of aadA was the highest. Among the 8 kinds of last resort antibiotic resistance genes (LARGs), the concentration of blaOXA-48 was the highest. Overall, concentrations of LARGs were lower than those of "conventional" ARGs, and there was a statistically significant difference between the two.

Conclusion: The results of this study expand people's understanding of the distribution of bacterial communities and ARGs in the water of the Lhasa River. Given the potentially serious adverse effects of ARGs, especially LARGs, the pollution of ARGs in the Lhasa River should be given due attention.

Key words: The Lhasa River; Bacterial community; Antibiotic resistance genes

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) involves progressive dopaminergic cell loss in the substantia nigra with associated oxidative stress. Boerhavia diffusa is consumed as a tea for its general health benefits.

Aim:This study aimed to assess the neuroprotective potential and safety profile of a proprietary Boerhavia diffusa extract in cellular (SH-SY5Y) and larval zebrafish models of PD.

Methods: The proprietary extract was assessed for cytotoxicity and neuroprotection against 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced damage in neuroblastoma cells. The Amplex® Red Monoamine Oxidase Assay Kit was used to determine monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity. Antioxidant activity was measured using the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. Behavioural analysis and determination of protein expression levels of the neurodegeneration markers, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and neuronal differentiation 1 (neuroD1), were employed to evaluate neuroprotective potential of the extract in zebrafish.

Results: The extract exhibited cytotoxicity, without apparent protection from 6-OHDA. Low antioxidant activity was observed. All extract concentrations exhibited MAO inhibition; ≥80%, ≥79% and ≥55% for MAO-A, MAO-B and non-specific inhibition, respectively. Zebrafish larvae exposed to 6-OHDA, exhibited significant (p<0.001) hypo-locomotion. Treatment with the extract did not reinstate 6-OHDA-induced decreases in brain TH or NeuroD1 protein expression. Independent of 6-OHDA, significant toxicity (lack of swim bladder, edema) was observed for 2.5, 5 and 10 µg/mL of the extract.

Conclusion: The plant extract did not exhibit benefit in the context of PD. Future research should focus on subjecting isolated compounds to the battery of tests.

Keywords: Parkinson’s disease, cytotoxicity, neuroprotection, zebrafish, SH-SY5Y cells

Background
As highlighted in the SDGs, plastic waste leakage is a critical issue, with concerns over microplastics (MPs, <5 mm) and nanoplastics (NPs, <1 µm) affecting human health. These MPs/NPs (MNPs) have been detected in human tissues such as lung, blood, and placenta, indicating inevitable exposure. Environmental MNPs vary in polymer type, size, shape, and surface characteristics, yet most safety assessments rely on spherical particles with smooth surface, which do not reflect real conditions. To address this, we developed MNPs library considering environmental physicochemical properties.

Aims
This study aimed to characterize our MNPs library including PE, PS, PP, PVC, and PET as model polymers and assess its similarity to environmental samples. Additionally, we tried to evaluate the cellular response especially focusing on Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) among MNPs library samples.

Methods
Spherical, fragmented, fiber and surface-oxidized MNPs were prepared to mimic environmental conditions. ATR-IR analysis and SEM confirmed their properties. MTT assay was used to measure cell viability.

Results
Surface oxidation was induced via vacuum UV exposure (172 nm), forming hydroxy and carbonyl groups. NPs were produced using a precipitation-based method referring to previous study. Our MNPs exhibited morphology and surface characteristics similar to environmental samples. Additionally, surface oxidized PVC-MNPs exhibited cytotoxicity compared to non-degraded PVC-MNPs.

Conclusions
We developed MNPs library considering environmental condition. This library facilitates comprehensive safety evaluations, including oral and inhalation exposure tests, and is available for collaboration. For inquiries, please contact Yuya Haga at haga-y@phs.osaka-u.ac.jp.

Keywords
Microplastics, Nanoplastics, Environment relevance, Physicochemical properties, Cytotoxicity, Polyvinyl Chloride