Research on the dynamic changes of neurological dysfunction and cognitive function impairment in traumatic brain injury / 解剖学报

Objective To explore the dynamic changes and mechanisms of neurological and cognitive functions in mice with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods Totally 60 12⁃month⁃old Balb/ c mice were divided into control group (10 in group) and TBI group (50 in group). TBT model mice were divided into 5 subgroups according to the time of model construction, including model 1 day, model 1 day, model 3 day, model 7 day, model 14 days and model 28 days group with 10 in each group. At the 29th day of the experiment, neurological scores and step down tests were carried out. After the test, the mice were sacrificed for brains which were detected by immunohistochemistry staining, inflammatory cytokine tests and Western blotting. Results Compared with the control group, the neurological scores of mice in TBI group increased, and then decreased after the 7th day when the scores reached the peak. However, the latency of step down errors was lower than control group, and the number of step down errors was higher than control group which had no changes. Compared with the control group, the expression of lonized calcium⁃binding adapter molecule 1(IBA1), chemokine C⁃X3⁃C⁃motif ligand1 (CX3CL1), C⁃X3⁃C chemokine receptor 1(CX3CR1), NOD⁃like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3), and phosphorylation nuclear factor(p⁃NF)⁃κB in TBI group increased and reached to the peak at the 7th day, and then started to decrease. At the same time, the levels of inflammatory cytokines interleukin⁃6(IL⁃6) and tumor necrosis factor⁃α(TNF⁃α) first increased to the peak, and then began to decrease. However, compared with the control group, the expression of amyloid β(Aβ) protein and p⁃Tau protein in the model group continued to increase at all time. Conclusion The TBI model caused continuous activation of microglia along with inflammatory response, which first increased and then decreased, resultsing in neurological scores changes. In addition, the inflammatory response may act as a promoter of Aβ protein deposition and Tau protein phosphorylation, leading to cognitive impairment in mice.

Using Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry in Detecting Plasma Lyso-GL3 Levels in Patients with Fabry Disease and the Association Analysis of Phenotype-Genotype of the Disease / 罕见病研究

ObjectiveUsing the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to determine the plasma level of Lyso-GL3 in patients with Fabry disease and to analyze the clinical application of the method.MethodsThirty-nine patients with a genetic diagnosis of Fabry disease were included, and plasma levels of Lyso-GL3 were measured by LC-MS/MS analysis, and detailed clinical information of the patients was obtained including: α-galactosidase A activity, genetic variants, quantification of urine protein, mean arterial pressure, and estimation of glomerular filtration rate, and the differences in the levels of Lyso-GL3 in different clinical phenotypes and genotypes were statistically analyzed, as well as the association with clinical indicators.ResultsLyso-GL3 showed good linearity within 0.7856-400 ng/mL(r=0.9992).Further analysis of 39 Fabry disease patients diagnosed in Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine showed a median Lyso-GL3 concentration of 23.6 ng/mL(4.3-92.9 ng/mL); Lyso-GL3 levels were significantly higher in patients with both the frameshift and the splicing mutations, as well as in patients with the nonsense mutations, than in patients with the missense mutations (median value 119.7 ng/mL vs. 11.9 ng/mL, P=0.006, and median value 97.0 ng/mL vs. 11.9 ng/mL, P=0.015, respectively). Whereas, association analysis revealed that Lyso-GL3 was not significantly associated with urinary protein, mean arterial pressure and estimated glomerular filtration rate.ConclusionsThe using of LC-MS/MS to quantify plasma Lyso-GL showed significant differences in Lyso-GL3 concentrations between classical and atypical phenotypes, suggesting that plasma Lyso-GL3 may help with clinical phenotypes. However, Lyso-GL3 levels is found to be overlapped between genotypes. No significant linear correlation was found between Lyso-GL3 and renal clinical indicators, suggesting the urgent need in finding a more accurate tool to assess renal involvement and prognosis in patients with Fabry disease.

Prognostic Analysis of Socioeconomic Factors in Multiple Myeloma Patients and Construction of A Myeloma-specific Survival Prediction Model / 肿瘤防治研究

Objective To investigate the effects of socioeconomic factors on the prognosis of multiple myeloma (MM) patients and construct a prediction model for evaluating myeloma-specific survival (MSS) rates. Methods A total of 32625 patients diagnosed with MM between January 2007 and December 2016 were included through the SEER database. Cox regression model was used to analyze the predictive indicators of MSS. The results of the multivariate subgroup analysis were presented as forest plots. The significant factors identified in the multivariate Cox analysis were used to construct a nomogram. The predictive performance of the nomogram was assessed using the AUC and calibration plots. A nomogram score-based risk stratification system was constructed using a restricted cubic spline. Results Patients were divided into five groups according to their socioeconomic status (SES). Groups with higher SES had relatively higher proportions of those part of the White, insured, married, and urban populations. Age, gender, race, marital status, insurance status, and SES were independent prognostic factors of MSS (all P < 0.001). The linear trend of increased MSS risk with decreasing SES was most pronounced among the White, married, insured, and urban patients (all P < 0.001). The nomogram exhibited good discrimination and accuracy in both training and validation sets, showing AUC values of 0.701, 0.709, and 0.722 for predicting 3-, 5-, and 8-year MSS, respectively. A risk stratification model was established based on the nomogram total points and the HR, which then divided patients into three different risk levels with substantial survival disparities (all P < 0.001). Conclusion Socioeconomic factors, such as marital status, insurance status, and SES, have a significant impact on the survival outcomes of MM patients. The nomogram and the risk stratification model based on these factors can accurately and reliably predict MSS.

Genome-wide analysis of AP2/ERF superfamily in Isatis indigotica / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE@#AP2/ERF (APETALA2/ethylene-responsive factor) superfamily is one of the largest gene families in plants and has been reported to participate in various biological processes, such as the regulation of biosynthesis of active lignan. However, few studies have investigated the genome-wide role of the AP2/ERF superfamily in Isatis indigotica. This study establishes a complete picture of the AP2/ERF superfamily in I. indigotica and contributes valuable information for further functional characterization of IiAP2/ERF genes and supports further metabolic engineering.@*METHODS@#To identify the IiAP2/ERF superfamily genes, the AP2/ERF sequences from Arabidopsis thaliana and Brassica rapa were used as query sequences in the basic local alignment search tool. Bioinformatic analyses were conducted to investigate the protein structure, motif composition, chromosome location, phylogenetic relationship, and interaction network of the IiAP2/ERF superfamily genes. The accuracy of omics data was verified by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and heatmap analyses.@*RESULTS@#One hundred and twenty-six putative IiAP2/ERF genes in total were identified from the I. indigotica genome database in this study. By sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis, the IiAP2/ERF genes were classified into 5 groups including AP2, ERF, DREB (dehydration-responsive element-binding factor), Soloist and RAV (related to abscisic acid insensitive 3/viviparous 1) subfamilies. Among which, 122 members were unevenly distributed across seven chromosomes. Sequence alignment showed that I. indigotica and A. thaliana had 30 pairs of orthologous genes, and we constructed their interaction network. The comprehensive analysis of gene expression pattern in different tissues suggested that these genes may play a significant role in organ growth and development of I. indigotica. Members that may regulate lignan biosynthesis in roots were also preliminarily identified. Ribonucleic acid sequencing analysis revealed that the expression of 76 IiAP2/ERF genes were up- or down-regulated under salt or drought treatment, among which, 33 IiAP2/ERF genes were regulated by both stresses.@*CONCLUSION@#This study undertook a genome-wide characterization of the AP2/ERF superfamily in I. indigotica, providing valuable information for further functional characterization of IiAP2/ERF genes and discovery of genetic targets for metabolic engineering.

Effect of ligustrazine on hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in neonatal rats by regulating autophagy through the PINK1/Parkin pathway / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To study the effect of ligustrazine injection on mitophagy in neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and its molecular mechanism.@*METHODS@#Neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 7 days, were randomly divided into a sham-operation group with 8 rats, a model group with 12 rats, and a ligustrazine group with 12 rats. The rats in the model group and the ligustrazine group were used to establish a neonatal rat model of HIE by ligation of the left common carotid artery followed by hypoxia treatment, and blood vessels were exposed without any other treatment for the rats in the sham-operation group. The rats in the ligustrazine group were intraperitoneally injected with ligustrazine (20 mg/kg) daily after hypoxia-ischemia, and those in the sham-operation group and the model group were intraperitoneally injected with an equal volume of normal saline daily. Samples were collected after 7 days of treatment. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and Nissl staining were used to observe the pathological changes of neurons in brain tissue; immunohistochemical staining was used to observe the positive expression of PINK1 and Parkin in the hippocampus and cortex; TUNEL staining was used to measure neuronal apoptosis; Western blotting was used to measure the expression levels of the mitophagy pathway proteins PINK1 and Parkin and the autophagy-related proteins Beclin-1, microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3), and ubiquitin-binding protein (P62).@*RESULTS@#Compared with the sham-operation group, the model group had a significant reduction in the number of neurons, an increase in intercellular space, loose arrangement, lipid vacuolization, and a reduction in Nissl bodies. The increased positive expression of PINK1 and Parkin, apoptosis rate of neurons, and protein expression levels of PINK1, Parkin, Beclin1 and LC3 (P<0.05) and the decreased protein expression level of P62 in the hippocampus were also observed in the model group (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the ligustrazine group had a significant increase in the number of neurons with ordered arrangement and an increase in Nissl bodies, significant reductions in the positive expression of PINK1 and Parkin, the apoptosis rate of neurons, and the protein expression levels of PINK1, Parkin, Beclin1, and LC3 (P<0.05), and a significant increase in the protein expression level of P62 (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Ligustrazine can alleviate hypoxic-ischemic brain damage and inhibit neuronal apoptosis in neonatal rats to a certain extent, possibly by inhibiting PINK1/Parkin-mediated autophagy.

Altered microRNA expression profiles of human spermatozoa in normal fertile men of different ages / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are mediators of the aging process. The purpose of this work was to analyze the miRNA expression profiles of spermatozoa from men of different ages with normal fertility. Twenty-seven donors were divided into three groups by age (Group A, n = 8, age: 20-30 years; Group B, n = 10, age: 31-40 years; and Group C, n = 9, age: 41-55 years) for high-throughput sequencing analysis. Samples from 65 individuals (22, 22, and 21 in Groups A, B, and C, respectively) were used for validation by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). A total of 2160 miRNAs were detected: 1223 were known, 937 were newly discovered and unnamed, of which 191 were expressed in all donors. A total of 7, 5, and 17 differentially expressed microRNAs (DEMs) were found in Group A vs B, Group B vs C, and Group A vs C comparisons, respectively. Twenty-two miRNAs were statistically correlated with age. Twelve miRNAs were identified as age-associated miRNAs, including hsa-miR-127-3p, mmu-miR-5100_L+2R-1, efu-miR-9226_L-2_1ss22GA, cgr-miR-1260_L+1, hsa-miR-652-3p_R+1, pal-miR-9993a-3p_L+2R-1, hsa-miR-7977_1ss6AG, hsa-miR-106b-3p_R-1, hsa-miR-186-5p, PC-3p-59611_111, hsa-miR-93-3p_R+1, and aeca-mir-8986a-p5_1ss1GA. There were 9165 target genes of age-associated miRNAs. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis of the target genes identified revealed enrichment of protein binding, membrane, cell cycle, and so on. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis of age-related miRNAs for target genes revealed 139 enriched pathways, such as signaling pathways regulating stem cell pluripotency, metabolic pathways, and the Hippo signaling pathway. This suggests that miRNAs play a key role in male fertility changes with increasing age and provides new evidence for the study of the mechanism of age-related male fertility decline.

Analysis of the effects of low/intermediate dose of coagulation factor Ⅷ on 30 adult patients with severe hemophilia A in a single center / 中华血液学杂志

Objective: To evaluate the clinical effects of low- and intermediate-dose factor Ⅷ (F Ⅷ) prophylaxis in Chinese adult patients with severe hemophilia A. Methods: Thirty adult patients with severe hemophilia A who received low- (n=20) /intermediate-dose (n=10) F Ⅷ prophylaxis at Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital affiliated with Nanjing University Medical College were included in the study. The annual bleeding rate (ABR), annual joint bleeding rate (AJBR), number of target joints, functional independence score of hemophilia (FISH), quality of life score, and health status score (SF-36) before and after preventive treatment were retrospectively analyzed and compared. Results: The median follow-up was 48 months. Compared with on-demand treatment, low- and intermediate-dose prophylaxis significantly reduced ABR, AJBR, and the number of target joints (P<0.05) ; the improvement in the intermediate-dose prophylaxis group was better than that in the low-dose prophylaxis group (P<0.05). Compared with on-demand treatment, the FISH score, quality of life score, and SF-36 score significantly improved in both groups (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05) . Conclusion: In Chinese adults with severe hemophilia A, low- and intermediate-dose prophylaxis can significantly reduce bleeding frequency, delay the progression of joint lesions, and improve the quality of life of patients as compared with on-demand treatment. The improvement in clinical bleeding was better with intermediate-dose prophylaxis than low-dose prophylaxis.

A novel mesenchymal stem cell-based regimen for acute myeloid leukemia differentiation therapy

Currently the main treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is chemotherapy combining hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. However, the unbearable side effect of chemotherapy and the high risk of life-threatening infections and disease relapse following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation restrict its application in clinical practice. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop alternative therapeutic tactics with significant efficacy and attenuated adverse effects. Here, we revealed that umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSC) efficiently induced AML cell differentiation by shuttling the neutrophil elastase (NE)-packaged extracellular vesicles (EVs) into AML cells. Interestingly, the generation and release of NE-packaged EVs could be dramatically increased by vitamin D receptor (VDR) activation in UC-MSC. Chemical activation of VDR by using its agonist 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 efficiently enhanced the pro-differentiation capacity of UC-MSC and then alleviated malignant burden in AML mouse model. Based on these discoveries, to evade the risk of hypercalcemia, we synthetized and identified sw-22, a novel non-steroidal VDR agonist, which exerted a synergistic pro-differentiation function with UC-MSC on mitigating the progress of AML. Collectively, our findings provided a non-gene editing MSC-based therapeutic regimen to overcome the differentiation blockade in AML.

Effects of hospital elderly life program to prevent the ICU-acquired delirium and weakness in patients after cardiac surgery / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective:To explore the applications value of hospital elderly life program in cardiac surgery patients in intensive care unit, and provide reference for improving the prognosis of patients.Methods:This was a prospective study. A total of 84 cardiac surgery patients in intensive care unit from April 2020 to February 2022 in the People′s Hospital of Leshan by convenient sampling method, they were enrolled and divided into the observation group and the control group according to the admission time, each group was 42 cases. Routine nursing care was carried out in both groups, the control group implemented delirium and debility prevention nursing, the observation group adopted hospital elderly life program. The incidence of ICU-acquired delirium and weakness, mechanical ventilation time, duration of ICU stay, the total length of stay and intensive care experience were assessed between the two groups.Results:The 42 cases were included in the final control group and 39 cases in the observation group. The incidence of ICU-acquired delirium and weakness were 17.95% (7/39) and 7.69% (3/39) in the observation group, lower than in the control group 38.10%(16/42) and 23.81%(10/42), the differences were statistically significant ( χ2 = 4.04, 3.90, both P<0.05); the duration of ICU delirium were (1.71 ± 0.95) d in the observation group, shorter than in the control group (2.81 ± 1.05) d, the difference was statistically significant ( t = 2.38, P<0.05); the mechanical ventilation time, duration of ICU stay, the total length of stay, the total score of intensive care experience in hospital in the observation group were (193.54 ± 21.67) h, (9.49 ± 2.11) d, (18.10 ± 3.12) d, (2.72 ± 0.26) points, lower than those in the control group (214.50 ± 27.25) h, (10.90 ± 1.97) d, (20.59 ± 4.07) d, (3.15 ± 0.35) points, the differences were statistically significant ( t values were 3.11-6.35, all P<0.05). Conclusions:Hospital elderly life program can decrease the incidence of ICU-acquired delirium and weakness of cardiac surgery patients in intensive care unit, shorten mechanical ventilation time and hospitalization time, alleviate discomfort in the intensive care experience.

Effect of T helper 1 to T helper 2 ratio on the prognosis of patients with multiple myeloma / 白血病·淋巴瘤

Objective:To investigate the effect of T helper 1 (Th1) to T helper 2 (Th2) ratio (Th1/Th2) on the prognosis of patients with multiple myeloma (MM).Methods:The clinical data of 168 MM patients who were newly diagnosed in the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School from January 2016 to January 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Disease staging was defined according to the Chinese guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of MM (2020 edition). Risk stratification was based on the Mayo stratification of myeloma and risk-adapted therapy (mSMART) 3.0. The levels of Th1 and Th2 in peripheral blood of patients were detected by flow cytometry. Th1/Th2 was compared among patients with different disease staging and risk stratification. Using mSMART 3.0 risk stratification as the gold standard, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine the optimal cut-off value of Th1/Th2 for determining high-risk MM. According to the optimal cut-off value, patients were divided into high Th1/Th2 group (≥ optimal cut-off value) and low Th1/Th2 group (< optimal cut-off value). The progression-free survival (PFS) of the two groups was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze the influencing factors of PFS.Results:There were 40, 62 and 66 patients with international staging system (ISS) stages Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ, respectively, with Th1/Th2 [ M ( IQR)] of 19.20 (18.98), 15.93 (14.40) and 14.47 (12.01), respectively ( H = 6.68, P = 0.036). There were 31,102 and 35 patients with revised international staging system (R-ISS) stages Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ, respectively, with Th1/Th2 of 19.67 (21.92), 14.87 (11.36) and 13.50 (12.80), respectively ( H = 7.26, P = 0.027). There were 99 and 69 patients with mSMART 3.0 high-risk and standard-risk, respectively, and the Th1/Th2 of high-risk patients was lower than that of the standard-risk patients [14.70 (11.93) vs. 17.72 (16.80), U = 2 612.00, P = 0.009]. ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve for Th1/Th2 to determine high-risk MM was 0.618 (95% CI 0.531-0.705, P = 0.010), and the optimal cut-off value was 16.55 and there were 81 and 87 cases in the high Th1/Th2 group and low Th1/Th2 group. With a median follow-up of 28 months (1-70 months), the median PFS time for all patients was 36 months (95% CI 29-43 months); PFS in high Th1/Th2 group was better than that in low Th1/Th2 group [median PFS time: 39 months (95% CI 26-51 months) vs. 28 months (95% CI 21-34 months), P = 0.040]. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that renal impairment (with vs. without: HR = 2.340, 95% CI 1.350-4.053, P = 0.002) and low Th1/Th2 (high vs. low: HR = 0.551, 95% CI 0.344-0.882, P = 0.013) were independent risk factors for PFS in MM patients. Conclusions:The imbalance between Th1 and Th2 is associated with the prognosis of MM patients, and patients with low Th1/Th2 are at high risk of progression. Th1/Th2 can be used as a prognostic indicator for MM.

Effects of dexmedetomidine on pulmonary function in patients receiving one-lung ventilation: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trial / 대한마취과학회지

Background@#Mechanical ventilation, particularly one-lung ventilation (OLV), can cause pulmonary dysfunction. This meta-analysis assessed the effects of dexmedetomidine on the pulmonary function of patients receiving OLV. @*Methods@#The Embase, PubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Chinese Clinical Trial Registry databases were systematically searched. The primary outcome was oxygenation index (OI). Other outcomes including the incidence of postoperative complications were assessed. @*Results@#Fourteen randomized controlled trials involving 845 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Dexmedetomidine improved the OI at 30 (mean difference [MD]: 40.49, 95% CI [10.21, 70.78]), 60 (MD: 60.86, 95% CI [35.81, 85.92]), and 90 min (MD: 55, 95% CI [34.89, 75.11]) after OLV and after surgery (MD: 28.98, 95% CI [17.94, 40.0]) and improved lung compliance 90 min after OLV (MD: 3.62, 95% CI [1.7, 5.53]). Additionally, dexmedetomidine reduced the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications (odds ratio: 0.44, 95% CI [0.24, 0.82]) and length of hospital stay (MD: −0.99, 95% CI [−1.25, −0.73]); decreased tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and malondialdehyde levels; and increased superoxide dismutase levels. However, only the results for the OI and IL-6 levels were confirmed by the sensitivity and trial sequential analyses. @*Conclusions@#Dexmedetomidine improves oxygenation in patients receiving OLV and may additionally decrease the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications and shorten the length of hospital stay, which may be related to associated improvements in lung compliance, anti-inflammatory effects, and regulation of oxidative stress reactions. However, robust evidence is required to confirm these conclusions.

Huanglian Jiedutang Treats Acute Gouty Arthritis via NLRP3 Inflammasome and TLR4/NF-κB Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Huanglian Jiedutang on the inflammatory injury in the mouse model of acute gouty arthritis （AGA） and to explore the mechanism of Huanglian Jiedutang in treating AGA. MethodForty male C57BL/6J mice were randomized into blank， model， colchicine （0.83 mg·kg-1）， and Huanglian Jiedutang （5 g·kg-1） groups. The mouse model of AGA was established by injecting monosodium urate （MSU） crystals into the ankle joint. The swelling degree of the right ankle joint of each mouse was measured every day for 7 days， and the pathological changes of the ankle joint were detected by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining after 7 days. The other 40 C57BL/6J mice were grouped as above. After 18 hours of modeling， the right ankle joint was collected， and real-time polymerase chain reaction was employed to measure the mRNA levels of interleukin （IL）-1β， tumor necrosis factor （TNF）-α， IL-6， NOD-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3）， apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD （ASC）， and Caspase-1. The expression levels of IL-1β， TNF-α， and IL-6 were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of NLRP3 inflammasome， Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）， and nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）. ResultCompared with the blank group， the model group showed swelling right ankle joint （P<0.01）， obvious foreign body granuloma in the ankle joint with inflammatory cell infiltration. After the treatment with Huanglian Jiedutang， the ankle joint swelling was relieved （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the size of foreign body granuloma was reduced. Compared with the blank group， the model group showed up-regulated mRNA levels of IL-1β， TNF-α， and IL-6 in the ankle joint tissue （P<0.01）， up-regulated mRNA levels of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 in the NLRP3 inflammasome （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and up-regulated protein levels of NLRP3， Caspase-1， TLR4， and NF-κB （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Huanglian Jiedutang down-regulated the mRNA levels of IL-1β， TNF-α， IL-6， NLRP3， and Caspase-1 （P<0.05， P<0.01） and the protein levels of IL-1β， TNF-α， IL-6， NLRP3， Caspase-1， TLR4， and NF-κB （P<0.05 or P<0.01）. ConclusionInjecting MSU crystal resulted in local inflammatory injury of the joints in the mouse model of AGA. The treatment with Huanglian Jiedutang may alleviate the inflammatory injury by regulating the NLRP3 inflammasome and TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

The therapeutic effect of Balanophora polysaccharide on acetic acid gastric ulcer in rats and its mechanism / 中国药理学通报

Aim To study the therapeutic effect of Balanophora polysaccharide(BPS)on gastric ulcer(GU)induced by acetic acid in rats and to investigateits mechanisms. Methods Sixty male SD rats were randomly divided into sham-operated group, GU model group, omeprazole positive group(3.6 mg·kg-1), and low, medium and high dose of BPS treatment groups(100, 200 and 400 mg·kg-1). The GU model group was prepared by acetic acid cautery method, and the morphology and pathological changes of ulcers were observed by visual observation combined with HE staining, and the ulcer area and inhibition rate were measured and calculated; superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity, malondialdehyde(MDA)content and glutathione peroxidase(GSH-PX)activity were measured by enzymatic assay; tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and interleukin-6(IL-6)content were detected by ELISA. The expression levels of epidermal growth factor(EGF)and epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR)were measured by immunohistochemistry staining and Western blot. Results Compared with the sham-operated group, obvious ulcer damage was seen in the model group. Compared with the model group, the BPS-treated group showed a significant reduction in ulcer area, an increase in SOD and GSH-PX activity and EGF and EGFR expression levels, and a significant decrease in MDA, TNF-α and IL-6 content. Conclusions BPS has a therapeutic effect on GU in rats, and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of oxidative stress, suppression of inflammatory stimuli and promotion of regenerative repair of gastric mucosa.

Effects of total saponins from Trillium tschonoskii maxim on cognition impairment and mitochondrial autophagy in aging rats induced by D-Gal / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the effects of total saponins from Trillium tschonoskii maxim(TST)on cognitive impairment and mitochondrial autophagy in aging rats induced by D-galactose(D-gal). Methods Male SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group,model group(D-gal,subcutaneous injection),intervention group(TST,low,medium and high dose groups by intragastric administration),with 10 rats in each group,and administered for 6 weeks. Morris water maze was used to evaluate the cognitive function. HE and Nissl staining were used to test the hippocampal and brain cortex morphology. Immunohistochemistry staining was applied to detect the localization expression of Pink1 and Parkin. Western blot was employed to detect the expressions of Pink1,Parkin,LC3-Ⅱ,p62 and Beclin1. Results Compared with the normal control group,the escape latency time was prolonged and the number of crossing platform decreased in D-gal model group(P<0.05). The number of neurons in hippocampus significantly decreased. The positive cells labeled by Pink1 and Parkin staining in hippocampus significantly decreased. The expressions of Pink1,Parkin,LC3-Ⅱ and Beclin1 were markedly reduced,while the expression of p62 was significantly raised(P<0.05). Compared with D-gal model group,the escape latency time of TST dose groups was shortened,the Times of crossing the platform was more,and the time of staying in the platform quadrant increased(P<0.05). The number of neurons in hippocampus significantly increased. The positive cells labeled by Pink1 and Parkin staining in hippocampus significantly increased. The expressions of Pink1,Parkin,LC3-Ⅱ and Beclin1 in hippocampus were apparently up-regulated,while the protein expression of p62 was evidently down-regulated(P<0.05). Conclusions TST has neuroprotective effects on the learning and memory capacities in aging rats induced by D-gal,which may be related to the increasing levels of Pink1,Parkin,LC3-Ⅱ and Beclin1 proteins and the activation of mitochondrial autophagy.

Dacryocystorhinostomy through nasal endoscope with extended bone window and high ostomy in the treatment of chronic dacryocystitis / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To investigate the efficacy and safety of dacryocystorhinostomy(DCR)through nasal endoscope with extended bone window and high ostomy in the treatment of chronic dacryocystitis.METHODS: Retrospective clinical study. A total of 50 patients(59 eyes)diagnosed with chronic dacryocystitis in our hospital from January 2018 to January 2020 were selected. They were divided into two groups according to the operation method, with 23 cases(29 eyes)in the simple stoma group and 27 cases(30 eyes)in the improved group. Patients in the simple stoma group were treated with transnasal endoscopic flat middle turbinate axillary DCR(simple stoma), and patients in the improved group were treated with transnasal endoscopic extended bone window with high-level stoma DCR. The total clinical efficiency, postoperative complication rate and satisfaction of the two groups were compared.RESULTS: The effective rate of the simple stoma group was 79% at 12mo after surgery, while that of the improved group was 97%(P=0.039). The total incidence of complications in the simple stoma group was 28%, while that in the improved group was 7%(P=0.042). The satisfaction rate of the simple stoma group was 65%, while that of the improved group was 93%(P=0.030).CONCLUSION: The treatment of chronic dacryocystitis with transnasal endoscopic extended bone window and high-level ostomy DCR further improved the efficiency of surgery and reduced the incidence of complications.

Identifying and Validating a Novel miRNA-mRNA Regulatory Network Associated with Prognosis in Lung Adenocarcinoma / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

Objective Many studies have revealed the crucial roles of miRNA in multiple human cancers, including lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). In this study, we sought to explore new miRNA-mRNA pairs that are associated with LUAD prognosis. Methods A novel miRNA-mRNA regulatory network associated with prognosis in LUAD was identified and validated using the bioinformatic tools including OncomiR database, StarBase, miRnet, GEPIA2, UALCAN. Results Twenty key miRNAs were compiled after the analysis of the expression and prognostic value in OncomiR and StarBase. Targeted mRNAs of these key miRNAs were predicted in miRnet, and the resulting mRNAs were also analyzed for their prognostic values and expression patterns in GEPIA2 and UALCAN, respectively. Further expression correlation analysis was performed in StarBase. Subsequently, a new miRNA-mRNA network was built, of which each RNA pair showed negative expression correlation, opposite expression pattern, and prognostic value. Protein-protein interaction network was under construction for the mRNAs, and 19 hub genes were determined. Enrichment analysis showed that "Cell Cycle, Mitotic" was the most significantly enriched term. Then, a miRNA-hub gene sub-network was built. We selected and validated the regulatory relationship of some miRNA-hub pairs, including hsa-miR-1976/RFC2, hsa-let-7c-5p/RFC2, hsa-let-7c-5p/ESPL1, hsa-let-7c-5p/CDC25A, and hsa-miR-101-3p/KIF2C. Moreover, over-expression of hsa-miR-1976 and hsa-let-7c-5p resulted in significant cell cycle arrest. Conclusions Our results determined new prognosis-associated miRNA-mRNA pairs and might shed further light on the mechanism via which miRNA-mRNA network influences prognosis in LUAD.

Identification of chemical constituents of Xiaochengqi Decoction by UPLC-Q-TOF/Fast DDA combined with UNIFI software / 中国中药杂志

Based on the combination of ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF) and Waters UNIFI software, the chemical constituents of the classic prescription Xiaochengqi Decoction were qualitatively analyzed and identified. The UPLC conditions are as follows: Acquity HSS T3 reverse phase column(2.1 mm ×100 mm, 1.8 μm), column temperature of 30 ℃, mobile phase of 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution(A)-acetonitrile(B), and flow rate of 0.3 mL·min~(-1). High-resolution MS data of Xiaochengqi Decoction were collected in ESI~(+/-) modes by Fast DDA. The structures of the chemical constituents were tentatively characterized or identified by UNIFI software according to the retention time of reference standards and characteristic fragment ions in MS profile, and literature data. A total of 233 components in Xiaochengqi Decoction were identified, with 93 from wine-processed Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, 104 from bran-processed Aurantii Fructus Immaturus, and 36 from ginger-processed Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex. These 233 components included anthraquinones, flavonoids, lignans, alkaloids, coumarins, and phenylethanoid glycosides. The result provided experimental evidence for the further study on establishment of quality standard and product development of the formula.

Analysis of chemical constituents in classical prescription Danggui Buxue Decoction based on RP-Q-TOF-MS and HILIC-Q-TOF-MS / 中国中药杂志

The chemical constituents of classical prescription Danggui Buxue Decoction were analyzed by reversed-phase(RP) chromatography and hydrophilic interaction chromatography(HILIC) coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. RP separation of Danggui Buxue Decoction was performed on ACQUITY UPLC HSS T3(2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.8 μm), while HILIC separation was on Waters BEH Amide(2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.7 μm). Mass spectrometry(MS) data were acquired in both negative and positive ion modes. Chemical constituents of Astragali Radix and Angelicae Sinensis Radix were searched from Reaxys and thus the in-house library was established. MS data were further analyzed by MassLynx 4.1 combined with in-house library, HMDB, Reaxys, and comparison with reference substances. In conclusion, a total of 154 compounds were identified and characterized: 16 saponins, 44 flavonoids, 10 phthalides, 7 phenylpropanoids, 15 bases and the corresponding nucleosides, 30 oligosaccharides, and 32 other compounds. Among them, 65 compounds were detected by HILIC-MS/MS. This study provides experimental evidences for the material basis research, quality control, and preparation development of Danggui Buxue Decoction and a reference method for comprehensive characterization of Chinese medicine decoctions typified by classical prescriptions.

A case report of ligamentum flavum cyst in the lumbar vertebral canal and literature review / 中华老年医学杂志

Ligamentum flavum cysts in the spinal canal are rare space-occupying lesions.They usually occur in the middle-aged and people over 50 years old, without obvious sex or regional differences, and mostly involve the cervical, thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, especially the lumbar vertebrae(L4/5 and L5/S1). There are no characteristic manifestations for ligamentum flavum cysts.They can cause neurological symptoms due to compression of nerve roots or the dural sac.For example, patients with lumbar ligamentum flavum cysts may complain of symptoms of lumbar disc herniation-related sciatica, which can easily lead to misdiagnosis.Surgical excision of the cyst is the most effective method.Recently, one patient with this disease was admitted to our department.After surgical fenestration, the ligamentum flavum cyst in the lumbar canal was resected and its diagnosis was eventually confirmed histologically.After 17 months of follow-up, the patient recovered well.

The optimal anti-phospholipase A2 receptor cutoff for the diagnosis of idiopathic membranous nephropathy: a single-center retrospective study

Background/Aims@#Anti-phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) autoantibody is the main biomarker of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). We aimed to find a new cutoff value of anti-PLA2R for patients with IMN and to explore the relevance between this antibody and baseline clinical parameters. @*Methods@#A total of 670 subjects including 374 IMN cases and 296 non-IMN controls were included between January 2017 and January 2020. All clinical parameters were collected at the time of renal biopsy. The levels of anti-PLA2R were detected by a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. The optimal cutoff value was calculated by a receiver operating characteristic curve and compared in diagnostic efficiency. @*Results@#The optimal cutoff value of anti-PLA2R for IMN was 7.45 RU/mL with the highest Youden index, and the corresponding sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 80.75%, 97.97%, 98.05% and 80.11%, respectively. Anti-PLA2R levels in IMN patients demonstrated a significant positive correlation with serum creatinine and 24-hour urinary protein, while they showed a negative correlation with serum albumin and estimated glomerular filtration rate. @*Conclusions@#The recommended cutoff value of anti-PLA2R is 7.45 RU/mL using ELISA detection for distinguishing IMN from non-IMN nephropathy. The level of anti-PLA2R is related to baseline renal function in IMN. This new threshold can improve the diagnostic efficiency and facilitate early diagnosis of IMN.