Establishment of a high-throughput screening platform based on drug repurposing targeting alpha-1-acid glycoprotein and discovery of potential weight loss drugs / 药学实践杂志

Objective Alpha-1-acid glycoprotein （ORM） was a new target for the development of weight loss drugs. To search for potential weight loss drugs that could target ORM from the compound library of already marketed drugs based on drug repurposing. Methods The pGL4.20-ORM1 promoter recombinant plasmid was contructed and validated, and then a lentiviral vector was utilized to establish stable AML12 cell lines expressing ORM1 promoter-LUC-PURO. This cell line was employed for high-throughput screening of compounds from the marketed drug library, and the luminescence value of the cells was characterized by enzyme marker. Results Primary screening and secondary screening of 1 470 compounds identified 42 compounds that increased ORM1 promoter expression and could be used for further weight loss effect assessment. Conclusion This study successfully constructed LV-AML12-ORM1 promoter-LUC-PURO stable expression cell lines using lentiviral vectors, laying a foundation for efficient and stable screening of weight loss drugs targeting ORM.

Concentration improvement test for athletes in archery training / Teste de melhoria de concentração para atletas em treino de tiro com arco / Prueba de mejora de la concentración para deportistas en el entrenamiento de tiro con arco

ABSTRACT Introduction: There is a correlation between competition performance with a concentration in competitive archery athletes. It is an essential theme in academia to improve the performance of archers, the belief that this goal can be achieved by increasing their concentration. Studies on concentration and relaxation in archery training have shown effective indicators to evaluate training intensity and athlete cognition, but there is still no scientific consensus. Objective: This study aims to analyze the impact of concentration on traditional archery and athlete performance during competition. Methods: Twenty traditional archers were selected as research volunteers. They underwent a battery of biometric tests, including an EEG system to perform group tests. A chi-square test was performed on concentration and relaxation data. The results were analyzed according to the influence of the above two factors on the athletes' performance. In parallel, this paper analyzed the relationship between the degree of relaxation and the archers' performance. Results: There was a positive correlation between concentration and performance. More focused athletes perform better. The data were statistically significant (P<0.05). There is a positive correlation between relaxation and performance. The data were statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: The results of this article provide evidence that both concentration and relaxation can help improve archer performance. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment outcomes.

RESUMO Introdução: Há uma correlação entre o desempenho na competição com a concentração nos atletas arqueiros competidores. É um tema essencial na academia para melhorar o desempenho dos arqueiros a crença de que esse objetivo pode ser alcançado aumentando a sua concentração. Estudos sobre a concentração e o relaxamento no treinamento de arco e flecha mostraram indicadores eficazes para avaliar a intensidade do treinamento e a cognição do atleta, porém ainda não há um consenso científico. Objetivo: Este estudo tem como objetivo analisar o impacto da concentração sobre o esporte de arco e flecha tradicional e o desempenho do atleta durante a competição. Métodos: Foram selecionados 20 arqueiros tradicionais como voluntários de pesquisa. Estes foram submetidos a uma bateria de testes biométricos, incluindo um sistema EEG para realizar testes em grupo. Realizou-se um teste qui-quadrado sobre os dados de concentração e relaxamento. Os resultados foram analisados segundo a influência dos dois fatores acima no desempenho dos atletas. Paralelamente, este artigo analisou a relação entre o grau de relaxamento e o desempenho dos arqueiros. Resultados: Houve correlação positiva entre a concentração e o desempenho. Atletas mais focados realmente têm melhor desempenho. Os dados foram estatisticamente significativos (P<0,05). Há uma correlação positiva entre relaxamento e desempenho. Os dados foram estatisticamente significativos (P<0,05). Conclusão: Os resultados deste artigo evidenciam que tanto a concentração quanto o relaxamento podem ajudar a melhorar o desempenho dos arqueiros. Nível de evidência II; Estudos terapêuticos - investigação dos resultados do tratamento.

RESUMEN Introducción: Existe una correlación entre el rendimiento en la competición y la concentración en los atletas de tiro con arco de competición. Es un tema esencial en la academia para mejorar el rendimiento de los arqueros la creencia de que este objetivo se puede lograr mediante el aumento de su concentración. Los estudios sobre la concentración y la relajación en el entrenamiento de tiro con arco han mostrado indicadores eficaces para evaluar la intensidad del entrenamiento y la cognición del deportista, pero aún no hay consenso científico. Objetivo: Este estudio pretende analizar el impacto de la concentración en el deporte del tiro con arco tradicional y el rendimiento del atleta durante la competición. Métodos: Se seleccionaron veinte arqueros tradicionales como voluntarios para la investigación. Estos fueron sometidos a una batería de pruebas biométricas, incluyendo un sistema de EEG para realizar pruebas de grupo. Se realizó una prueba de chi-cuadrado con los datos de concentración y relajación. Los resultados se analizaron en función de la influencia de los dos factores mencionados en el rendimiento de los atletas. Paralelamente, este artículo analizó la relación entre el grado de relajación y el rendimiento de los arqueros. Resultados: Hubo una correlación positiva entre la concentración y el rendimiento. Los atletas más concentrados rinden más. Los datos fueron estadísticamente significativos (P<0,05). Existe una correlación positiva entre la relajación y el rendimiento. Los datos fueron estadísticamente significativos (P<0,05). Conclusión: Los resultados de este artículo demuestran que tanto la concentración como la relajación pueden ayudar a mejorar el rendimiento de los arqueros. Nivel de evidencia II; Estudios terapéuticos - investigación de los resultados del tratamiento.

Preparation of silk fibroin/hyaluronic acid composite hydrogel based on thiol-ene click chemistry / 浙江大学学报·医学版

OBJECTIVES@#To design and prepare silk fibroin/hyaluronic acid composite hydrogel.@*METHODS@#The thiol modified silk fibroin and the double-bond modified hyaluronic acid were rapidly cured into gels through thiol-ene click polymerization under ultraviolet light condition. The grafting rate of modified silk fibroin and hyaluronic acid was characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy; the gel point and the internal microstructure of hydrogels were characterized by rheological test and scanning electron microscopy; the mechanical properties were characterized by compression test; the swelling rate and degradation rate were determined by mass method. The hydrogel was co-cultured with the cells, the cytotoxicity was measured by the lactate dehydrogenase method, the cell adhesion was measured by the float count method, and the cell growth and differentiation on the surface of the gel were observed by scanning electron microscope and fluorescence microscope.@*RESULTS@#The functional group substitution degrees of modified silk fibroin and hyaluronic acid were 17.99% and 48.03%, respectively. The prepared silk fibroin/hyaluronic acid composite hydrogel had a gel point of 40-60 s and had a porous structure inside the gel. The compressive strength was as high as 450 kPa and it would not break after ten cycles. The water absorption capacity of the composite hydrogel was 4-10 times of its own weight. Degradation experiments showed that the hydrogel was biodegradable, and the degradation rate reached 28%-42% after 35 d. The cell biology experiments showed that the cytotoxicity of the composite gel was low, the cell adhesion was good, and the growth and differentiation of the cells on the surface of the gel were good.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The photocurable silk fibroin/hyaluronic acid composite hydrogel can form a gel quickly, and has excellent mechanical properties, adjustable swelling rate and degradation degree, good biocompatibility, so it has promising application prospects in biomedicine.

Sex Estimation of Medial Aspect of the Ischiopubic Ramus in Adults Based on Deep Learning / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To investigate the reliability and accuracy of deep learning technology in automatic sex estimation using the 3D reconstructed images of the computed tomography (CT) from the Chinese Han population.@*METHODS@#The pelvic CT images of 700 individuals (350 males and 350 females) of the Chinese Han population aged 20 to 85 years were collected and reconstructed into 3D virtual skeletal models. The feature region images of the medial aspect of the ischiopubic ramus (MIPR) were intercepted. The Inception v4 was adopted as the image recognition model, and two methods of initial learning and transfer learning were used for training. Eighty percent of the individuals' images were randomly selected as the training and validation dataset, and the remaining were used as the test dataset. The left and right sides of the MIPR images were trained separately and combinedly. Subsequently, the models' performance was evaluated by overall accuracy, female accuracy, male accuracy, etc.@*RESULTS@#When both sides of the MIPR images were trained separately with initial learning, the overall accuracy of the right model was 95.7%, the female accuracy and male accuracy were both 95.7%; the overall accuracy of the left model was 92.1%, the female accuracy was 88.6% and the male accuracy was 95.7%. When the left and right MIPR images were combined to train with initial learning, the overall accuracy of the model was 94.6%, the female accuracy was 92.1% and the male accuracy was 97.1%. When the left and right MIPR images were combined to train with transfer learning, the model achieved an overall accuracy of 95.7%, and the female and male accuracies were both 95.7%.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The use of deep learning model of Inception v4 and transfer learning algorithm to construct a sex estimation model for pelvic MIPR images of Chinese Han population has high accuracy and well generalizability in human remains, which can effectively estimate the sex in adults.

Clinical Significance of Thrombospondin Type 1 Domain-Containing 7A and Neural Epidermal Growth Factor-Like 1 Protein in M-Type Phospholipase A2 Receptor-Negative Membranous Nephropathy / 中国医学科学院学报

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of thrombospondin type 1 domain-containing 7A (THSD7A) and neural epidermal growth factor-like 1 protein (NELL1) in phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R)-negative membranous nephropathy (MN). Methods A total of 116 PLA2R-negative MN patients treated in Hangzhou TCM Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University from 2014 to 2021 were enrolled in this study.Immunohistochemistry was employed to detect THSD7A and NELL1 in the renal tissue.The pathological characteristics,treatment,and prognosis were compared between positive and negative groups. Results The 116 PLA2R-negative MN patients included 23 THSD7A-positive patients and 9 NELL1-positive patients.One patient was tested positive for both proteins.The THSD7A-positive group showed higher positive rate of IgG4 (P=0.010),more obvious glomerular basement membrane (GBM) thickening (P=0.034),and higher proportion of stage Ⅱ MN and lower proportion of stage I MN (P=0.002) than the THSD7A-negative group.The NELL1-positive group had lower positive rates of C1q and IgG2 (P=0.029,P=0.001),less obvious GBM thickening (P<0.001),more extensive inflammatory cell infiltration (P=0.033),lower proportion of deposits on multi-locations (P=0.001),and lower proportion of atypical MN (P=0.010) than the NELL1-negative group.One patient with THSD7A-positive MN was diagnosed with colon cancer,while none of the NELL1-positive patients had malignancy.Survival analysis suggested that THSD7A-positive MN had worse composite remission (either complete remission or partial remission) of nephrotic syndrome than the negative group (P=0.016),whereas NELL1-positive MN exhibited better composite remission of nephrotic syndrome than the negative group (P=0.015).The MN patients only positive for NELL1 showed better composite remission of nephrotic syndrome than the MN patients only positive for THSD7A (P<0.001). Conclusions THSD7A- and NELL1-positive MN is more likely to be primary MN,and there is no significant malignancy indication.However,it might have a predictive value for the prognosis of MN.

Advances in potential drugs for improvement of energy metabolism in heart failure / 药学实践杂志

Heart failure (HF) is a global public health problem with high morbidity and mortality. Numerous studies have shown that HF is caused by severe disturbance of energy metabolism, resulting in insufficient cardiac energy supply. This lack of energy could lead to a failure of the heart to pump blood and a failure of energy metabolism in other organs throughout the body. Currently, therapeutics of HF work by reducing heart rate and cardiac preload and afterload, symptomatic treatment, or delaying the progression of the disease. However, drugs targeting heart energy metabolism have not been developed. the main characteristics of cardiac energy metabolism, metabolic changes during HF were summarized and drugs that improve cardiac function through energy metabolism were discussed, which could provide a new research direction for the development and application of drugs in treatment of heart failure.

Effect of co-morbid chronic kidney disease on the accuracy of cardiac troponin levels for diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the accuracy of cardiac troponin (cTn) levels in the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and explore a potential strategy for improving the diagnostic accuracy.@*METHODS@#We retrospectively analyzed the data from patients with high-risk chest pain admitted in Zhujiang Hospital from January, 2018 to December, 2020, including 126 patients with and 272 patients without CKD, and 122 patients diagnosed to have AMI and 276 patients without AMI. The baseline clinical data of the patients and blood test results within 12 h after admission were collected.@*RESULTS@#In patients without AMI, cTnT level was significantly higher in those with co-morbid CKD than in those without CKD (P < 0.001), and showed a moderate negative correlation with eGFR (rs=- 0.501, P < 0.001), while cTnI level did not differ significantly between the two groups (P=0.72). In patients with CKD, the optimal cutoff level was 0.177 μg/L for cTnT and 0.415 ng/mL for cTnI for diagnosis of AMI, for which cTnI had a higher specificity than cTnT. The diagnostic model combining both cTnT and cTnI levels [P=eY/(1+ eY), Y=6.928 (cTnT)-0.5 (cTnI)-1.491] had a higher AUC value than cTn level alone.@*CONCLUSION@#In CKD patients, the cutoff level of cTn is increased for diagnosing AMI, and cTnI has a higher diagnostic specificity than cTnT. The combination of cTnT and cTnI levels may further improve diagnostic efficacy for AMI.

A precision medication study of atomoxetine in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: CYP2D6 genetic testing and therapeutic drug monitoring / 中国当代儿科杂志

Atomoxetine is the first non-stimulant drug for the treatment of children and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and its safety and efficacy show significant differences in the pediatric population. This article reviews the genetic factors influencing the pharmacokinetic differences of atomoxetine from the aspect of the gene polymorphisms of the major metabolizing enzyme CYP2D6 of atomoxetine, and then from the perspective of therapeutic drug monitoring, this article summarizes the reference ranges of the effective concentration of atomoxetine in children with ADHD proposed by several studies. In general, there is an association between the peak plasma concentration of atomoxetine and clinical efficacy, but with a lack of data from the Chinese pediatric population. Therefore, it is necessary to establish related clinical indicators for atomoxetine exposure, define the therapeutic exposure range of children with ADHD in China, and combine CYP2D6 genotyping to provide support for the precision medication of atomoxetine.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in acute leukemia patients with the SET-NUP214 fusion gene: Efficacy and survival analysis / 中华内科杂志

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) for patients with acute leukemia who are positive for the SET-NUP214 fusion gene (SET-NUP214+AL). Methods: This was a retrospective case series study. Clinical data of 18 patients with SET-NUP214+AL who received allo-HSCT in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University and Soochow Hongci Hematology Hospital from December 2014 to October 2021 were retrospectively analyzed to investigate treatment efficacy and prognosis. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis. Results: Of the 18 patients, 12 were male and 6 were female, and the median age was 29 years (range, 13-55 years). There were six cases of mixed phenotype acute leukemia (three cases of myeloid/T, two cases of B/T, one case of myeloid/B/T), nine cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (one case of B-ALL and eight cases of T-ALL), and three cases of acute myeloid leukemia. All patients received induction chemotherapy after diagnosis, and 17 patients achieved complete remission (CR) after chemotherapy. All patients subsequently received allo-HSCT. Pre-transplantation status: 15 patients were in the first CR, 1 patient was in the second CR, 1 was in partial remission, and 1 patient did not reach CR. All patients were successfully implanted with stem cells. The median time of granulocyte and platelet reconstitution was +12 and +13 days, respectively. With a median follow-up of 23 (4-80) months, 15 patients survived, while 3 patients died. The cause of death was recurrence of SET-NUP214+AL after transplantation. After allo-HSCT, 5 patients relapsed. The estimated 3-year overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) rates were 83.3%±15.2% and 55.4%±20.7%, respectively. Among the 15 patients who achieved CR before transplantation, there was no significant difference in OS and RFS between haploidentical HSCT and matched sibling donor HSCT (all P>0.05). Conclusions: Allo-HSCT can improve the prognosis and long-term survival rate of patients with SET-NUP214+AL. Disease recurrence is the most important factor affecting long-term survival.

Statistical methods of unmeasured confounder control based on negative control theory / 中华流行病学杂志

Controlling unmeasured confounders in non-randomized controlled studies is challenging. Negative control theory is based on the theoretical concept that the test result of negative controls must be negative. Setting appropriate negative control incorporates the specificity of association into population studies for the identification and control of unmeasured confounders. This paper explains the principles to control unmeasured confounders using negative control theory from a statistical perspective. A detailed introduction of derived methods based on negative control theory is also introduced, including adjusted standardized mortality ratio method, calibrating P-value method, generalized difference-in-difference model and double negative control method. The reasonable application of those derived methods is also comprehensively summarized based on representative case studies. Negative control is an important statistical design to identify, revise and control unmeasured confounders and a valuable method for comparative effectiveness research based on real-world data.

HbA1c comparison and diagnostic efficacy analysis of multi center different glycosylated hemoglobin detection systems / 中华预防医学杂志

Objective: Compare and analyze the results of the domestic Lanyi AH600 glycated hemoglobin analyzer and other different detection systems to understand the comparability of the detection results of different detectors, and establish the best cut point of Lanyi AH600 determination of haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in the diagnosis of diabetes. Methods: Multi center cohort study was adopted. The clinical laboratory departments of 18 medical institutions independently collected test samples from their respective hospitals from March to April 2022, and independently completed comparative analysis of the evaluated instrument (Lanyi AH600) and the reference instrument HbA1c. The reference instruments include four different brands of glycosylated hemoglobin meters, including Arkray, Bio-Rad, DOSOH, and Huizhong. Scatter plot was used to calculate the correlation between the results of different detection systems, and the regression equation was calculated. The consistency analysis between the results of different detection systems was evaluated by Bland Altman method. Consistency judgment principles: (1) When the 95% limits of agreement (95% LoA) of the measurement difference was within 0.4% HbA1c and the measurement score was≥80 points, the comparison consistency was good; (2) When the measurement difference of 95% LoA exceeded 0.4% HbA1c, and the measurement score was≥80 points, the comparison consistency was relatively good; (3) The measurement score was less than 80 points, the comparison consistency was poor. The difference between the results of different detection systems was tested by paired sample T test or Wilcoxon paired sign rank sum test; The best cut-off point of diabetes was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). Results: The correlation coefficient R2 of results between Lanyi AH600 and the reference instrument in 16 hospitals is≥0.99; The Bland Altman consistency analysis showed that the difference of 95% LoA in Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital in Jiangsu Province (reference instrument: Arkray HA8180) was -0.486%-0.325%, and the measurement score was 94.6 points (473/500); The difference of 95% LoA in the Tibetan Traditional Medical Hospital of TAR (reference instrument: Bio-Rad Variant II) was -0.727%-0.612%, and the measurement score was 89.8 points; The difference of 95% LoA in the People's Hospital of Chongqing Liang Jiang New Area (reference instrument: Huizhong MQ-2000PT) was -0.231%-0.461%, and the measurement score was 96.6 points; The difference of 95% LoA in the Taihe Hospital of traditional Chinese Medicine in Anhui Province (reference instrument: Huizhong MQ-2000PT) was -0.469%-0.479%, and the measurement score was 91.9 points. The other 14 hospitals, Lanyi AH600, were compared with 4 reference instrument brands, the difference of 95% LoA was less than 0.4% HbA1c, and the scores were all greater than 95 points. The results of paired sample T test or Wilcoxon paired sign rank sum test showed that there was no statistically significant difference between Lanyi AH600 and the reference instrument Arkray HA8180 (Z=1.665,P=0.096), with no statistical difference. The mean difference between the measured values of the two instruments was 0.004%. The comparison data of Lanyi AH600 and the reference instrument of all other institutions had significant differences (all P<0.001), however, it was necessary to consider whether it was within the clinical acceptable range in combination with the results of the Bland-Altman consistency analysis. The ROC curve of HbA1c detected by Lanyi AH600 in 985 patients with diabetes and 3 423 patients with non-diabetes was analyzed, the area under curve (AUC) was 0.877, the standard error was 0.007, and the 95% confidence interval 95%CI was (0.864, 0.891), which was statistically significant (P<0.001). The maximum value of Youden index was 0.634, and the corresponding HbA1c cut point was 6.235%. The sensitivity and specificity of diabetes diagnosis were 76.2% and 87.2%, respectively. Conclusion: Among the hospitals and instruments currently included in this study, among these four hospitals included Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital in Jiangsu Province (reference instrument: Arkray HA8180), Tibetan Traditional Medical Hospital of TAR (reference instrument: Bio-Rad Variant Ⅱ), the People's Hospital of Chongqing Liang Jiang New Area (reference instrument: Huizhong MQ-2000PT), and the Taihe Hospital of traditional Chinese Medicine in Anhui Province (reference instrument: Huizhong MQ-2000PT), the comparison between Lanyi AH600 and the reference instruments showed relatively good consistency, while the other 14 hospitals involved four different brands of reference instruments: Arkray, Bio-Rad, DOSOH, and Huizhong, Lanyi AH600 had good consistency with its comparison. The best cut point of the domestic Lanyi AH600 for detecting HbA1c in the diagnosis of diabetes is 6.235%.

Report on Cardiac Gross Pathologic Measurements of Sudden Cardiac Death in Adults / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To analyze the gross pathological data of sudden cardiac death (SCD) with different causes, to provide data support for the identification of sudden cardiac death with unknown causes.@*METHODS@#A total of 167 adult SCD cases in the archive of the Forensic Expertise Institute of Nanjing Medical University from 2010 to 2020 were collected. The gross pathological data of SCD cases were summarized and the characteristics of different causes of death were statistically analyzed.@*RESULTS@#The ratio of male to female SCD cases was 3.4∶1. Coronary heart disease was the leading cause of SCD, and mainly distributed in people over 40 years old. SCD caused by myocarditis was mainly distributed in young people and the mean age of death was (34.00±9.55) years. By analyzing the differences in cardiac pathological parameters of SCD with different causes, it was found that the aortic valve circumference was significantly dilated in the SCD caused by aortic aneurysm or dissection (P<0.05). The heart weight of SCD caused by aortic aneurysm or dissection and combined factors was greater, and both pulmonary and tricuspid valvular rings were dilated in the SCD caused by combined factors in adult males (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Various gross pathological measures of SCD with different causes are different, which has reference value in the cause of death identification of SCD.

Structural repurposing of SGLT2 inhibitor empagliflozin for strengthening anti-heart failure activity with lower glycosuria

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have been reapproved for heart failure (HF) therapy in patients with and without diabetes. However, the initial glucose-lowering indication of SGLT2i has impeded their uses in cardiovascular clinical practice. A challenge of SGLT2i then becomes how to separate their anti-HF activity from glucose-lowering side-effect. To address this issue, we conducted structural repurposing of EMPA, a representative SGLT2 inhibitor, to strengthen anti-HF activity and reduce the SGLT2-inhibitory activity according to structural basis of inhibition of SGLT2. Compared to EMPA, the optimal derivative JX01, which was produced by methylation of C2-OH of the glucose ring, exhibited weaker SGLT2-inhibitory activity (IC50 > 100 nmol/L), and lower glycosuria and glucose-lowering side-effect, better NHE1-inhibitory activity and cardioprotective effect in HF mice. Furthermore, JX01 showed good safety profiles in respect of single-dose/repeat-dose toxicity and hERG activity, and good pharmacokinetic properties in both mouse and rat species. Collectively, the present study provided a paradigm of drug repurposing to discover novel anti-HF drugs, and indirectly demonstrated that SGLT2-independent molecular mechanisms play an important role in cardioprotective effects of SGLT2 inhibitors.

Study on the fingerprint of total saponins from Mussaenda pubescens and the spectrum-effect relationship of its hepatoprotective activity / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To establish the fingerprint of total saponins from Mussaenda pubescens， and to study the spectrum- effect relationship of its hepatoprotective activity. METHODS Ten batches of total saponins from M. pubescens from different origins were prepared using 75% ethanol as solvent. High-performance liquid chromatography （HPLC） and the Similarity Evaluation System for Traditional Chinese Medicine Chromatographic Fingerprints （2012 edition） were used to draw the fingerprints of 10 batches of total saponins from M. pubescens. The similarity evaluation and identification of common peaks were conducted. The same HPLC method was adopted to determine the contents of five triterpenoid saponins （mussaendoside H， mussaendoside U， mussaglaoside C， mussaendoside G and mussaendoside O）. The hepatoprotective effect of total saponins from M. pubescens was investigated by establishing carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver injury model mice， and the spectrum-effect relationship was studied by using grey correlation analysis. RESULTS There were 11 common peaks in 10 batches of total saponins from M. pubescens， 5 of which were identified， i.e. mussaendoside H （peak 3）， mussaendoside U （peak 7）， mussaglaoside C （peak 8）， mussaendoside G （peak 9） and mussaendoside O （peak 11）； the similarities of 10 batches of samples ranged 0.940- 0.991. Average contents of mussaendoside H， mussaendoside U， mussaglaoside C， mussaendoside G， mussaendoside O were 0.01- 0.05， 0.10-0.21， 0.10-0.18， 0.03-0.08， 0.20-0.40 mg/g， respectively. Ten batches of total saponins from M. pubescens could generally reduce the contents of alanine aminotransferase （ALT） and aspartate aminotransferase （AST） in serum， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-6 （IL-6） and IL-1β in liver tissue of model mice （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. The E-mail：13878195336@139.com correlation between the common peak areas and the contents of ALT， AST， TNF-α， IL-6 and IL-1β were 0.602-0.757， 0.585-0.833， 0.593-0.795， 0.618-0.820， 0.607-0.804， respectively； the peaks with high correlation were peaks 11， 9 and 8 in order. CONCLUSIONS Ten batches of total saponins from M. pubescens have similar components， and the average contents of mussaendoside H， mussaendoside U， mussaglaoside C， mussaendoside G and mussaendoside O are different. The batches of samples have a certain degree of hepatoprotective effect； mussaendoside O， mussaendoside G and mussaglaoside C may be its main active components.

Effect of dexmedetomidine on TXNIP/ASK1 signaling pathway in a mouse model of intestinal ischemia-reperfusion / 中华麻醉学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the effect of dexmedetomidine on the thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP)/apoptosis signal-regulated kinase 1 (ASK1) signaling pathway in a mouse model of intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R).Methods:Thirty-two SPF healthy adult male C57BL/6J mice, aged 8-10 weeks, weighing 18-22 g, were divided into 4 groups ( n=8 each) using a random number table method: sham operation group (Sham group), intestinal I/R group (I/R group), TXNIP inhibitor resveratrol group (Res group) and dexmedetomidine group (Dex group). The mouse model of intestinal I/R injury was developed by clamping the superior mesenteric artery for 45 min followed by 120-min reperfusion in anesthetized animals. Resveratrol 30 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected before developing the model in Res group, and dexmedetomidine 25 μg/kg was intraperitoneally injected at 30 min before ischemia in Dex group. Blood samples were collected by cardiac puncture at the end of 120-min reperfusion, then the mice were sacrificed, and the small intestine tissues were removed for microscopic examination and for determination of the serum diamine oxidase (DAO) concentration (by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and expression of TXNIP, ASK1 and cleaved-caspase-3 in small intestinal tissues (by Western blot). The apoptosis rate of intestinal epithelial cells was calculated. The intestinal damage was assessed and scored according to Chiu. Results:Compared with group Sham, the Chiu′s score, serum DAO concentrations and apoptosis rate of intestinal epithelial cells were significantly increased, and the expression of TXNIP, ASK-1 and cleaved-caspase-3 was up-regulated in group I/R ( P<0.05). Compared with group I/R, the Chiu′s score, serum DAO concentration and apoptosis rate of intestinal epithelial cells were significantly decreased, and the expression of TXNIP, ASK-1 and cleaved-caspase-3 was down-regulated in group Res ( P<0.05). Compared with I/R group, the Chiu′s score, serum DAO concentration and apoptosis rate of intestinal epithelial cells were significantly decreased, and the expression of TXNIP, ASK-1 and cleaved-caspase-3 was down-regulated in Dex group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The mechanism by which dexmedetomidine alleviates intestinal I/R injury may be related to inhibition of the TXNIP/ASK1 signaling pathway and reduction of cell apoptosis in mice.

A robust luminescent assay for screening alkyladenine DNA glycosylase inhibitors to overcome DNA repair and temozolomide drug resistance / 药物分析学报

Temozolomide(TMZ)is an anticancer agent used to treat glioblastoma,typically following radiation therapy and/or surgical resection.However,despite its effectiveness,at least 50％of patients do not respond to TMZ,which is associated with repair and/or tolerance of TMZ-induced DNA lesions.Studies have demonstrated that alkyladenine DNA glycosylase(AAG),an enzyme that triggers the base excision repair(BER)pathway by excising TMZ-induced N3-methyladenine(3meA)and N7-methylguanine le-sions,is overexpressed in glioblastoma tissues compared to normal tissues.Therefore,it is essential to develop a rapid and efficient screening method for AAG inhibitors to overcome TMZ resistance in glio-blastomas.Herein,we report a robust time-resolved photoluminescence platform for identifying AAG inhibitors with improved sensitivity compared to conventional steady-state spectroscopic methods.As a proof-of-concept,this assay was used to screen 1440 food and drug administration-approved drugs against AAG,resulting in the repurposing of sunitinib as a potential AAG inhibitor.Sunitinib restored glioblastoma(GBM)cancer cell sensitivity to TMZ,inhibited GBM cell proliferation and stem cell char-acteristics,and induced GBM cell cycle arrest.Overall,this strategy offers a new method for the rapid identification of small-molecule inhibitors of BER enzyme activities that can prevent false negatives due to a fluorescent background.

Effect of hemopurification on acute chlorfenapyr poisoning / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the therapeutic effect of hemopurification on acute chlorfenapyr poisoning according to the blood concentration of chlorfenapyr and to provide experience for clinical treatment.Methods:Two patients who presented to our Emergency Department following an ingestion of chlorfenapyr and then were treated with hemopurification in 2022 were included. The concentrations of chlorfenapyr and its highly toxic metabolite tralopyril were dynamically monitored, and the clinical data of the patients were collected.Results:Case 1 was given hemoperfusion for the first time 13 hours after ingestion. During l hour hemoperfusion, the tralopyril decreased by 28.82%. The concentration increased and exceeded the pre-perfusion level after 2 hours of hemoperfusion. After three times of hemoperfusion, the concentrations of chlorfenapyr and tralopyril were still higher than those before the first time, reaching 248 ng/mL and 1 307 ng/mL respectively. The concentration of chlorfenapyr showed a downward trend after 130 h, and the tralopyril in blood reached the peak 3 164 ng/mL at 130 h and decreased to 2 707 ng/mL at 178 h. In case 2, the blood chlorfenapyr and tralopyril concentration was 392 ng/mL and 7 598 ng/mL respectively 150 hours after ingestion. The blood chlorfenapyr concentration decreased by 37.75% respectively after first hemoperfusion, and the tralopyril concentration decreased by 38.02% respectively. During 85 hours of continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF), the concentration of tralopyril was maintained at 4 234~6 410 ng/mL. Case 1 was followed up to 12 days and lost follow-up. Case 2 died and the survival time was 247 hours.Conclusions:Hemoperfusion can scavenge tralopyril, but CVVHDF has poor scavenging ability for tralopyril. And the apparent volume of distribution (Vd) of chlorfenapyr and tralopyril are large. After ingestion, chlorfenapyr spreads to various tissues quickly, and it is easy to accumulate in the adipose tissue. The chlorfenapyr in the tissue slowly is released back to the blood and stays in the blood for a long time. The peak concentration of chlorfenapyr appeared earlier than that of tralopyril. Clinicians should pay attention to the early removal of toxins from the digestive tract.

Analysis of epidemiology and clinical characteristics of patients with poisons purchase online / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective:To explore the clinical characteristics of poisoned patients with poisons purchase online.Methods:A retrospective case-control study was conducted on poisoned patients purchased poisons online from 1st January 2021 to 31th May 2022 in the Emergency Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. The clinical data including sex, age, way of medical treatment, cause of poisoning, exposure routes, category of toxic drugs, gastric lavage, toxic detection and prognosis of patients were collected and compared with those patients obtained poisons at stores as the control group.Results:Totally 318 poisoned patients were included in this study, of which 44 (13.8%) were obtained poisons online. Compared with the patients obtained poisons at stores, the patients obtained poisons online were younger ( P<0.001), and had higher proportion of suicide intention ( P=0.006), more oral route exposure ( P=0.029), and more proportions of receiving gastric lavage before transfer to the hospital ( P=0.001). Pesticides and fertilizers with organic heterocycles were the main types of poisons in the online group, and there was no statistical difference in the distribution of poisons compared with the control group. Mixed drug poisoning was the leading cause in both online group (27.8%) and control group (38.8%) in drug overdose poisoned types, followed by dextromethorphan (16.7%) and estazolam (15.5%) in the online group. Conclusions:Young people are the main group getting poisons through the Internet. Health education should be strengthened for this group, and online shopping platforms should pay attention to the poisoning risk of potential overdose drugs or poisons transactions.

Clinical value of sodium dithionite reduction method in the diagnosis and treatment of diquat poisoning / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective:To explore the clinical value of urine semi-quantitative colorimetry by sodium dithionite reduction method in the diagnosis and treatment of diquat poisoning.Methods:The data of 49 patients with acute diquat poisoning treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from December 3, 2020 to November 23, 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, the correlation between urine colorimetric results and plasma diquat concentration was observed, and the predictive value of urine colorimetric results for target organ damage and prognosis were evaluated.Results:There was a significant correlation between urine colorimetric results and plasma diquat concentration, the correlation coefficient was r=0.89, P <0.01. The cut-off value of urine colorimetry for the predicting the damage of gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidney, and central nervous system injury were 2.5, 3.5, 3.5, 5.5, respectively; in which the urine colorimetric results showed the highest sensitivity in predicting digestive tract injury [ AUC 0.93 (95% CI:0.89-1.00)]. The cut-off value of urine colorimetry for the prognosis of death was 4.5, the positive predictive value was 64.2%, and the negative predictive value was 95.2%. Conclusions:The urine semi-quantitative method can be used for rapid prediction of the plasma diquat concentration range on admission. The urine colorimetry results can also effectively predict the occurrence of organ injury and clinical outcome related to diquat poisoning, which provides evidence for the clinical diagnosis and therapy.

Application of toxicant and drug detection in 895 patients with clinical poisoning diseases / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective:To explore the diagnostic value of the toxicant and drug detection in clinical poisoning diseases and analyze the clinical characteristics of patients with positive poison test.Methods:This study was a multicenter retrospective cohort study. Sampling and clinical information data were collected between October 1, 2020 and September 30, 2022 from 41 tertiary hospitals in and around Jiangsu province. The clinical characteristics of patients with positive toxicology tests were analyzed, and the correlation between the drug sampling situation and the test results was analyzed..Results:A total of 895 patients with clinical diagnosis or suspected poisoning were enrolled in this study. Among them, 652 patients had positive results, accounting for 72.85%. Among all positive patients, 506 patients were exposed to a single poison and 147 patients were exposed to multiple poisons. The top three poisons were pesticide herbicides (202 cases, 30.98%), sedative and psychotropic drugs (151 cases, 23.16%), and pesticide insecticides (97 cases, 14.88%). Among 541 patients with clear exposure history, the positive rate was 78.19%, and among 354 patients with unclear exposure history, the positive rate was 64.69%. The top three poisons (drugs) of patients with unclear exposure history were sedative and psychotropic (82, 12.58%), herbicide (26, 3.99%), and rodenticide (22, 3.37%). Patients who admitted to hospital for unexplained consciousness disorder, abnormal blood coagulation function and multiple organ dysfunction were more likely to obtain positive poison test results.Conclusions:There is uncertainty in the exposure history of poisoning diseases, so it is necessary to improve the detection of toxic substances as soon as possible. Toxicant testing should be considered when patients have impaired consciousness, abnormal coagulation function and multiple organ dysfunction.