Acupuncture for generalized anxiety disorder: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

During the COVID-19 outbreak, there was a sharp increase in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Acupuncture therapy has the advantages of accurate clinical efficacy, safety and reliability, few adverse reactions, and no dependence, and is gradually becoming one of the emerging therapies for treating GAD. We present a study protocol for a randomized clinical trial with the aim of exploring the mechanism of brain plasticity in patients with GAD and evaluate the effectiveness and reliability of acupuncture treatment. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) will be used to assess cortical excitability in GAD patients and healthy people. Sixty-six GAD patients meeting the inclusion criteria will be randomly divided into two groups: TA group, (treatment with acupuncture and basic western medicine treatment) and SA group (sham acupuncture and basic western medicine treatment). Twenty healthy people will be recruited as the control group (HC). The parameters that will be evaluated are amplitude of motor evoked potentials (MEPs), cortical resting period (CSP), resting motor threshold (RMT), and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) score. Secondary results will include blood analysis of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate (Glu), glutamine (Gln), serotonin (5-HT), and brain-derived nerve growth factor (BDNF). Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and after the intervention (week 8). This study protocol is the first clinical trial designed to detect differences in cerebral cortical excitability between healthy subjects and patients with GAD, and the comparison of clinical efficacy and reliability before and after acupuncture intervention is also one of the main contents of the protocol. We hope to find a suitable non-pharmacological alternative treatment for patients with GAD.

Pseudogene CSPG4P12 inhibits colorectal cancer progression by attenuating epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common malignant cancers. Pseudogenes have been identified as oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes in the development of various cancers. However, the function of pseudogene CSPG4P12 in colorectal cancer remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the potential role of CSPG4P12 in colorectal cancer and explore the possible underlying mechanism. The difference of CSPG4P12 expression between colorectal cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues was analyzed using the online Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2 (GEPIA2) database. Cell viability and colony formation assays were conducted to evaluate cell viability. Transwell and wound healing assays were performed to assess cell migration and invasion capacities. Western blot was used to measure the expression levels of epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related proteins. Colorectal cancer tissues had lower CSPG4P12 expression than adjacent normal tissues. The overexpression of CSPG4P12 inhibited cell proliferation, invasion, and migration in colorectal cancer cells. Overexpressed CSPG4P12 promoted the expression of E-cadherin, whereas it inhibited the expression of vimentin, N-cadherin, and MMP9. These findings suggested that CSPG4P12 inhibits colorectal cancer development and may serve as a new potential target for colorectal cancer.

No Incidence of Liver Cancer Was Observed in A Retrospective Study of Patients with Aristolochic Acid Nephropathy / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To assess the risk of aristolochic acid (AA)-associated cancer in patients with AA nephropathy (AAN).@*METHODS@#A retrospective study was conducted on patients diagnosed with AAN at Peking University First Hospital from January 1997 to December 2014. Long-term surveillance and follow-up data were analyzed to investigate the influence of different factors on the prevalence of cancer. The primary endpoint was the incidence of liver cancer, and the secondary endpoint was the incidence of urinary cancer during 1 year after taking AA-containing medication to 2014.@*RESULTS@#A total of 337 patients diagnosed with AAN were included in this study. From the initiation of taking AA to the termination of follow-up, 39 patients were diagnosed with cancer. No cases of liver cancer were observed throughout the entire follow-up period, with urinary cancer being the predominant type (34/39, 87.17%). Logistic regression analysis showed that age, follow-up period, and diabetes were potential risk factors, however, the dosage of the drug was not significantly associated with urinary cancer.@*CONCLUSIONS@#No cases of liver cancer were observed at the end of follow-up. However, a high prevalence of urinary cancer was observed in AAN patients. Establishing a direct causality between AA and HCC is challenging.

Monotropein Induced Apoptosis and Suppressed Cell Cycle Progression in Colorectal Cancer Cells / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To determine whether monotropein has an anticancer effect and explore its potential mechanisms against colorectal cancer (CRC) through network pharmacology and molecular docking combined with experimental verification.@*METHODS@#Network pharmacology and molecular docking were used to predict potential targets of monotropein against CRC. Cell counting kit assay, plate monoclonal assay and microscopic observation were used to investigate the antiproliferative effects of monotropein on CRC cells HCT116, HT29 and LoVo. Flow cytometry and scratch assay were used to analyze apoptosis and cell cycle, as well as cell migration, respectively in HCT116, HT29, and LoVo cells. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of proteins related to apoptosis, cell cycle, and cell migration, and the expression of proteins key to the Akt pathway.@*RESULTS@#The Gene Ontology and Reactome enrichment analyses indicated that the anticancer potential of monotropein against CRC might be involved in multiple cancer-related signaling pathways. Among these pathways, RAC-beta serine/threonine-protein kinase (Akt1, Akt2), cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), cell division control protein 42 homolog (CDC42) were shown as the potential anticancer targets of monotropein against CRC. Molecular docking suggested that monotropein may interact with the 6 targets (Akt1, Akt2, CDK6, MMP9, EGFR, CDC42). Subsequently, cell activity of HCT116, HT29 and LoVo cell lines were significantly suppressed by monotropein (P<0.05). Furthermore, our research revealed that monotropein induced cell apoptosis by inhibiting Bcl-2 and increasing Bax, induced G1-S cycle arrest in colorectal cancer by decreasing the expressions of CyclinD1, CDK4 and CDK6, inhibited cell migration by suppressing the expressions of CDC42 and MMP9 (P<0.05), and might play an anticancer role through Akt signaling pathway.@*CONCLUSION@#Monotropein exerts its antitumor effects primarily by arresting the cell cycle, causing cell apoptosis, and inhibiting cell migration. This indicates a high potential for developing novel medication for treating CRC.

Mutational Signatures Analysis of Micropapillary Components and Exploration of ZNF469 Gene in Early-stage Lung Adenocarcinoma with Ground-glass Opacities / 中国肺癌杂志

BACKGROUND@#In China, lung cancer remains the cancer with the highest incidence and mortality rate. Among early-stage lung adenocarcinomas (LUAD), the micropapillary (MPP) component is prevalent and typically exhibits high aggressiveness, significantly correlating with early metastasis, lymphatic infiltration, and reduced five-year survival rates. Therefore, the study is to explore the similarities and differences between MPP and non-micropapillary (non-MPP) components in malignant pulmonary nodules characterized by GGOs in early-stage LUAD, identify unique mutational features of the MPP component and analyze the relationship between the ZNF469 gene, a member of the zinc-finger protein family, and the prognosis of early-stage LUAD, as well as its correlation with immune infiltration.@*METHODS@#A total of 31 malignant pulmonary nodules of LUAD were collected and dissected into paired MPP and non-MPP components using microdissection. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed on the components of early-stage malignant pulmonary nodules. Mutational signatures analysis was conducted using R packages such as maftools, Nonnegative Matrix Factorization (NMF), and Sigminer to unveil the genomic mutational characteristics unique to MPP components in invasive LUAD compared to other tumor tissues. Furthermore, we explored the expression of the ZNF469 gene in LUAD using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to investigate its potential association with the prognosis. We also investigated gene interaction networks and signaling pathways related to ZNF469 in LUAD using the GeneMANIA database and conducted Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. Lastly, we analyzed the correlation between ZNF469 gene expression and levels of immune cell infiltration in LUAD using the TIMER and TISIDB databases.@*RESULTS@#MPP components exhibited a higher number of genomic variations, particularly the 13th COSMIC (Catalogue of Somatic Mutations in Cancer) mutational signature characterized by the activity of the cytidine deaminase APOBEC family, which was unique to MPP components compared to non-MPP components in tumor tissues. This suggests the potential involvement of APOBEC in the progression of MPP components in early-stage LUAD. Additionally, MPP samples with high similarity to APOBEC signature displayed a higher tumor mutational burden (TMB), indicating that these patients may be more likely to benefit from immunotherapy. The expression of ZNF469 was significantly upregulated in LUAD compared to normal tissue, and was associated with poor prognosis in LUAD patients (P<0.05). Gene interaction network analysis and GO/KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that COL6A1, COL1A1, COL1A2, TGFB2, MMP2, COL8A2 and C2CD4C interacted with ZNF469 and were mainly involved in encoding collagen proteins and participating in the constitution of extracellular matrix. ZNF469 expression was positively correlated with immune cell infiltration in LUAD (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#The study has unveiled distinctive mutational signatures in the MPP components of early-stage invasive LUAD in the Asian population. Furthermore, we have identified that the elevated expression of mutated ZNF469 impacts the prognosis and immune infiltration in LUAD, suggesting its potential as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in LUAD.

The role of iron-uptake factor PiuB in pathogenicity of soybean pathogen Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. glycines / 生物工程学报

Iron is an essential element for living organisms that plays critical roles in the process of bacterial growth and metabolism. However, it remains to be elucidated whether piuB encoding iron-uptake factor is involved in iron uptake and pathogenicity of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. glycines (Xag). To investigate the function of piuB, we firstly generated a piuB deletion mutant (ΔpiuB) by homologous recombination. Compared with the wild-type, the piuB mutant exhibited significantly reduced growth and virulence in host soybean. The mutant displayed markedly increased siderophore secretory volume, and its sensitivity to Fe3+, Cu2+, Zn2+ and Mn2+ was significantly enhanced. Additionally, the H2O2 resistance, exopolysaccharide yield, biofilm formation, and cell mobility of ΔpiuB were significantly diminished compared to that of the wild-type. The addition of exogenous Fe3+ cannot effectively restore the above characteristics of ΔpiuB. However, expressing piuB in trans rescued the properties lost by ΔpiuB to the levels in the wild-type. Taken together, our results demonstrated that PiuB is a potential factor for Xag to assimilate Fe3+, and is necessary for Xag to be pathogenic in host soybean.

The Effect and Mechanism of Fructus lycii on Improvement of Exercise Fatigue Using a Network Pharmacological Approach with in vitro Experimental Verification / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

OBJECTIVE@#This study aimed to investigate the effect and underlying mechanism of Fructus lycii in improving exercise fatigue.@*METHODS@#A network pharmacological approach was used to explore potential mechanisms of action of Fructus lycii. Skeletal muscle C2C12 cells and immunofluorescence were employed to verify the effect and mechanism of the representative components in Fructus lycii predicted by network pharmacological analysis.@*RESULTS@#Six potential active components, namely quercetin, β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, 7-O-methylluteolin-6-C-beta-glucoside_qt, atropine, and glycitein, were identified to have potency in improving exercise fatigue via multiple pathways, such as the PI3K-Akt, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, IL-17, TNF, and MAPK signaling pathways. The immunofluorescence results indicated that quercetin, a significant active component in Fructus lycii, increased the mean staining area of 2-NBDG, TMRM, and MitoTracker, and decreased the area of CellRox compared to the control. Furthermore, the protein expression levels of p-38 MAPK, p-MAPK, p-JNK, p-PI3K, and p-AKT markedly increased after quercetin treatment.@*CONCLUSION@#Fructus lycii might alleviate exercise fatigue through multiple components and pathways. Among these, quercetin appears to improve exercise fatigue by enhancing energy metabolism and reducing oxidative stress. The PI3K-AKT and MAPK signaling pathways also appear to play a role in this process.

A Case Report of Multidisciplinary Diagnosis and Treatment of a Patient with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex and Multi-Organ Involvement / 罕见病研究

Tuberous sclerosis complex(TSC)is a rare genetic disease that can lead to benign dysplasia in multiple organs such as the skin, brain, eyes, oral cavity, heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, and bones. Its main symptoms include epilepsy, intellectual disabilities, skin depigmentation, and facial angiofibromas, whilst incidence is approximately 1 in 10 000 to 1 in 6000 newborns. This case presents a middle-aged woman who initially manifested with epilepsy and nodular depigmentation. Later, she developed a lower abdominal mass, elevated creatinine, and severe anemia. Based on clinical features and whole exome sequencing, the primary diagnosis was confirmed as TSC. Laboratory and imaging examinations revealed that the lower abdominal mass originated from the uterus. CT-guided biopsy pathology and surgical pathology suggested a combination of leiomyoma and abscess. With the involvement of multiple organs and various complications beyond the main diagnosis, the diagnostic and therapeutic process for this patient highlights the importance of rigorous clinical thinking and multidisciplinary collaboration in the diagnosis and treatment of rare and challenging diseases.

Optimization of ethanol extraction process for Yihuang powder by orthogonal experiment combined with AHP and GA-BP neural network / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To optimize ethanol extraction process of Yihuang powder. METHODS An orthogonal experiment was designed by reflux extraction with ethanol volume fraction， liquid-to-material ratio， and extraction time as investigation factors. The parameters used were the contents of hesperidin， nobiletin， tangeretin， gallic acid， chebulagic acid， chebulinic acid， liquiritin， glycyrrhizin， eugenol， and the paste-forming rate. The analytic hierarchy process （AHP） was used to calculate the comprehensive score. The optimal ethanol extraction process parameters of Yihuang powder were determined by verifying the results predicted by orthogonal experiment and genetic algorithm （GA）-back propagation neural network （BP neural network）. RESULTS The optimal ethanol extraction process parameters， as optimized by orthogonal experiment， were as follows: ethanol volume fraction of 60%， liquid-solid ratio of 14∶1 （mL/g)， extraction time of 90 min， and extraction for 2 times. The comprehensive score obtained by verification was 79.19. Meanwhile， the optimal ethanol extraction process parameters， optimized by GA-BP neural network， were ethanol volume fraction of 65%， liquid-solid ratio of 14∶1 （mL/g )， extraction time of 60 min， and extraction for 2 times. The comprehensive score obtained by verification was 85.30， higher than the results obtained from orthogonal experiment. CONCLUSIONS The optimization method of orthogonal experiment combined with GA-BP neural network is superior to the traditional orthogonal experiment optimization method. The optimized ethanol extraction process of Yihuang powder is stable and reliable.

Effect and mechanism of berberine-induced ferroptosis in osteosarcoma cells / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of berberine on ferroptosis in MG63 osteosarcoma cells and its mechanism. METHODS Using cells without drug treatment as control， the cell viability， proliferation， the related indexes of ferroptosis [nuclear proliferation associated-antigen （Ki67）， mitochondrial ultrastructure， ferric ion （Fe2+）， reactive oxygen species （ROS）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， and glutathione （GSH）]， the protein expression of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3）， tumor protein 53 （p53）， and solute carrier family 7 member 11 （SLC7A11） were detected after being treated with different concentrations of berberine. Cells were transfected with p53 siRNA and then assigned to the control group， p53 siRNA group， berberine group， and p53 siRNA+berberine group to explore the role of p53 in berberine-induced ferroptosis. After 24 h incubation with 10.0 μmol/L berberine， the protein expressions of p53 and SLC7A11， the levels of mitochondrial membrane potential， GSH， and MDA content were determined. Cells were transfected with STAT3 overexpressed plasmid and then assigned to the control group， berberine group， STAT3 group， and STAT3+berberine group to explore the effect of STAT3 on the regulation of the p53/SLC7A11 pathway. After 24 h incubation with 10 μmol/L berberine， the protein expressions of p-STAT3， STAT3， p53， and SLC7A11 were detected. RESULTS Compared with the control cell， the concentrations of 2.5， 5.0 and 10.0 μmol/L berberine could reduce the cell viability and expression of Ki67， and induce the morphological changes in ferroptosis-related mitochondria， increase the levels of Fe2+， ROS and MDA， and the protein expression of p53， reduce the level of GSH， the binding activity of STAT3 with DNA， and the protein expressions of p-STAT3 and SLC7A11； the above differences were statistically significant （P＜ 0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with the berberine group，significantly down-regulated p53 protein expression and MDA level， up-regulated SLC7A11 protein expression， and increased mitochondrial membrane potential and GSH level were observed in the p53 siRNA+berberine group （P＜0.01）. Compared with the berberine group， the protein expressions of p-STAT3， STAT3， and SLC7A11 in the STAT3+berberine group were significantly increased （P＜0.01）， while the protein expression of p53 was significantly decreased （P＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS Berberine can induce the ferroptosis of MG63 cells by mediating STAT3/p53/SLC7A11 signaling pathway.

A predictive model of lymph node metastasis after thoracoscopic surgery for lung adenocarcinoma with a diameter≤3 cm / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To predict the probability of lymph node metastasis after thoracoscopic surgery in patients with lung adenocarcinoma based on nomogram. Methods    We analyzed the clinical data of the patients with lung adenocarcinoma treated in the department of thoracic surgery of our hospital from June 2018 to May 2021. The patients were randomly divided into a training group and a validation group. The variables that may affect the lymph node metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma were screened out by univariate logistic regression, and then the clinical prediction model was constructed by multivariate logistic regression. The nomogram was used to show the model visually, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration curve and clinical decision curve to evaluate the calibration degree and practicability of the model. Results    Finally 249 patients were collected, including 117 males aged 53.15±13.95 years and 132 females aged 47.36±13.10 years. There were 180 patients in the training group, and 69 patients in the validation group. There was a significant correlation between the 6 clinicopathological characteristics and lymph node metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma in the univariate logistic regression. The area under the ROC curve in the training group was 0.863, suggesting the ability to distinguish lymph node metastasis, which was confirmed in the validation group (area under the ROC curve was 0.847). The nomogram and clinical decision curve also performed well in the follow-up analysis, which proved its potential clinical value. Conclusion    This study provides a nomogram combined with clinicopathological characteristics, which can be used to predict the risk of lymph node metastasis in patients with lung adenocarcinoma with a diameter≤3 cm.

Characteristics and influencing factors of hearing loss among noise-exposed workers in a large machinery maintenance enterprise / 环境与职业医学

Background The current increasing trend of new cases of occupational noise-induced deafness indicates that the hearing loss of occupational population has not been effectively controlled in China. It is of great significance to study the characteristics of hearing loss among noise-exposed workers and its related factors. Objective To investigate characteristics and influencing factors of hearing loss among occupational noise-exposed workers in a large machinery maintenance enterprise, and to provide a scientific basis to prevent and control noise-induced hearing loss. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted to investigate male Han occupational noise-exposed workers in a large mechanical maintenance enterprise. We acquired demographic characteristics, occupational exposure history, and individual life behavior characteristics of the workers through questionnaires, collected occupational exposure level data from annual occupational disease hazard factor surveillance reports, obtained pure tone hearing threshold test data through occupational health examinations, and estimated individual noise exposure levels using cumulative noise exposure (CNE). According to the results of pure tone air conduction hearing threshold test, the workers were divided into a hearing loss group and a normal hearing group. The chi-square test was employed to compare the occupational exposure characteristics and individual life behavior characteristics between the two groups. Additionally, the trend chi-square test was utilized to analyze the changing trends of age, length of service, CNE, and hearing loss rate within the two groups. The relationship between high-frequency hearing loss in both ears and its related influencing factors was assessed by a multiple logistic regression model. Results The M (P25, P75) of CNE for the 2531 occupational noise-exposed workers was 97.51 (95.39, 99.96) dB(A)·year. The incidence of hearing anomaly, binaural high-frequency hearing anomaly, random ear high-frequency hearing anomaly, binaural low-frequency hearing anomaly, and random ear low-frequency hearing anomaly were 22.48%, 16.59%, 22.13%, 2.77%, and 3.52%, respectively. High-frequency hearing threshold increase was the main reason for hearing anomaly (98.42%). In comparison to the CNE ≤ 97 dB(A)·year group, the 97 dB(A)·year<CNE≤ 100 dB(A)·year group and the CNE>100 dB(A)·year group experienced a 36.4% and 52.3% increase in the risk of bilateral high-frequency hearing loss, respectively. The smoking group exhibited a 43.5% elevated risk of bilateral high-frequency hearing loss when compared to the non-smoking group. Conversely, the group frequently wearing hearing protection equipment demonstrated a 23.6% lower risk of bilateral high-frequency hearing loss in comparison to the group occasionally wearing protective equipment. The data suggested that CNE＞97 dB(A)·year and smoking might be independent risk factors for bilateral high-frequency hearing loss, and frequently wearing hearing protection equipment might be an important protective factor. Conclusion Increased CNE and smoking can elevate the risk of high-frequency hearing loss, while personal hearing protection can effectively reduce the risk of hearing loss.

Establishment of Comprehensive Protection System for Intellectual Property of Single Herbs by Taking Callicarpa nudiflora of Jiuzhitang as An Example / 中国实验方剂学杂志

The development of single Chinese materia medica is an important direction of technological innovation in the field of Chinese materia medica at present， and the study of its comprehensive intellectual property protection system is of great significance to the intellectual property protection of the whole chain of innovative enterprises of single Chinese materia medica. Based on this， this paper takes the comprehensive protection system of intellectual property of Callicarpa nudiflora constructed by Jiuzhitang Pharmaceutical as a model to conduct empirical research， analyzes the protection forms applicable to intellectual property of Chinese materia medica， such as patents， administrative protection， trademarks， designs and intangible cultural heritages， and discusses the valuable and insufficient aspects of the protection system currently constructed by Jiuzhitang Pharmaceutical and puts forward the following suggestions：①paying attention to patent applications for planting/processing methods of raw medicinal materials， ②emphasizing the protection of geographical indications， authentic medicinal herbs， and new plant varieties， ③actively promoting product and technology upgrades， ④applying for data protection during product iteration， ⑤emphasizing the layout timing of patent and administrative protection， ⑥focusing on improving goodwill， ⑦enhancing awareness of intellectual property protection and promoting deep integration of industry， academia， and research. We hope that innovative enterprises engaged in the development of single Chinese materia medica can learn from the experience of the case， and optimize the strategy to better protect related products.

Epidemiological characteristics of new pneumoconiosis in Zigong City in 2018 - 2022 / 公共卫生与预防医学

Objective To understand the epidemiological characteristics of new occupational pneumoconiosis in Zigong City from 2018 to 2022, and to provide the basis for further prevention and treatment of local pneumoconiosis. Methods The information of newly diagnosed and reported cases of pneumoconiosis in Zigong City from 2018 to 2022 was collected through the occupational disease and occupational health information monitoring system, and the characteristics of the distribution of pneumoconiosis in three regions, the composition of diseases and the length of service of exposure to dust were analyzed. Results From 2018 to 2022, the top 3 newly diagnosed pneumoconiosis diseases in Zigong City were silicosis, coal workers' pneumoconiosis and asbestosis. Silicosis cases were mainly distributed in small and medium-sized employers, accounting for 81.41%. Coal workers' pneumoconiosis was mainly distributed in large and medium-sized employers, accounting for 97.24%. Asbestosis mainly distributed in large scale employers, accounting for 96.36%. There was significant difference in dust handling age of different scale employers (H=11.453, P<0.05). The median ages of silicosis, coal workers' pneumoconiosis and other pneumoconiosis were 47.0 years, 52.0 years and 48.2 years, respectively. The median age of dust handling was 3.3 years, 22.0 years and 23.2 years, respectively. The age of onset of coal workers' pneumoconiosis was higher than that of silicosis and other pneumoconiosis (H=72.547, P<0.05), and the age of dust exposure of silicosis was shorter than that of coal workers' pneumoconiosis and other pneumoconiosis (H=10.453, P<0.05). Conclusion The current situation of pneumoconiosis in Zigong City is still severe, with obvious clustering in disease types and industries. Prevention and treatment of pneumoconiosis in key industries should be further strengthened to protect the health rights and interests of workers.

Melatonin inhibits arrhythmias induced by increased late sodium currents in ventricular myocytes / 药学学报

Melatonin (Mel) has been shown to have cardioprotective effects, but its action on ion channels is unclear. In this experiment, we investigated the inhibitory effect of Mel on late sodium currents (INa.L) in mouse ventricular myocytes and the anti-arrhythmic effect at the organ level as well as its mechanism. The whole-cell patch clamp technique was applied to record the ionic currents and action potential (AP) in mouse ventricular myocytes while the electrocardiogram (ECG) and monophasic action potential (MAP) were recorded simultaneously in mouse hearts using a multichannel acquisition and analysis system. The results demonstrated that the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of Mel on transient sodium current (INa.T) and specific INa.L opener 2 nmol·L-1 sea anemone toxins II (ATX II) increased INa.L were 686.615 and 7.37 μmol·L-1, respectively. Mel did not affect L-type calcium current (ICa.L), transient outward current (Ito), and AP. In addition, 16 μmol·L-1 Mel shortened ATX II-prolonged action potential duration (APD), suppressed ATX II-induced early afterdepolarizations (EADs), and significantly reduced the incidence of ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) in Langendorff-perfused mouse hearts. In conclusion, Mel exerted its antiarrhythmic effects principally by blocking INa.L, thus providing a significant theoretical basis for new clinical applications of Mel. Animal welfare and experimental process are in accordance with the regulations of the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Wuhan University of Science and Technology (2023130).

Recent advances in small-molecule inhibitors targeting influenza virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase / 药学学报

Influenza virus causes serious threat to human life and health. Due to the inherent high variability of influenza virus, clinically resistant mutant strains of currently approved anti-influenza virus drugs have emerged. Therefore, it is urgent to develop antiviral drugs with new targets or mechanisms of action. RNA-dependent RNA polymerase is directly responsible for viral RNA transcription and replication, and plays key roles in the viral life cycle, which is considered an important target of anti-influenza drug design. From the point of view of medicinal chemistry, this review summarizes current advances in diverse small-molecule inhibitors targeting influenza virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, hoping to provide valuable reference for development of novel antiviral drugs.

Mechanism of oxymatrine promoting the apoptosis of osteosarcoma MG63 cell line through mitophagy mediated by COX-2/PINK1/Parkin signaling pathway / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To study the mechanism of oxymatrine inducing apoptosis of osteosarcoma MG63 cell line based on mitophagy mediated by cyclooxygenase-2 （COX-2）/PTEN-induced putative kinase-1 （PINK1）/Parkinson disease protein-2 （Parkin） signaling pathway. METHODS MG63 cells were treated with 2.0， 4.0， 8.0 mg/mL oxymatrine and 6 μmol/L 5-fluorouracil， then the apoptotic rate， the expression of apoptosis-related proteins [B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）， Bcl-2 related X protein （Bax）]， the proportion of decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential， the level of mitophagy as well as the protein expressions of PINK1， Parkin， and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain-3Ⅱ （LC3-Ⅱ） were detected. PINK1 small interfering RNA （siRNA） was adopted to intervene in the expression of PINK1， the cells were divided into control group， PINK1 siRNA group， oxymatrine group， and PINK1 siRNA+oxymatrine group； the protein expressions of PINK1， Parkin， and LC3-Ⅱ， the proportion of decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential （MMP） as well as apoptotic rate were detected. The lentivirus infection technique was used to overexpress COX-2， the cells were divided into control group， oxymatrine group， COX-2 group， and COX-2+oxymatrine group. The protein expressions of COX-2， PINK1， and Parkin， as well as the proportion of decrease in MMP were detected. RESULTS After being treated with oxymatrine， the apoptotic rate， the protein expressions of Bax， PINK1， Parkin， and LC3-Ⅱ， the level of mitophagy as well as the proportion of decrease in MMP were significantly increased （P＜0.05）， while the protein expression of Bcl-2 was significantly decreased （P＜0.05）. Compared with the oxymatrine group， the protein expressions of PINK1， Parkin， and LC3-Ⅱ， apoptotic rate and the proportion of decrease in MMP were significantly decreased in PINK1 siRNA+oxymatrine group （P＜0.05）. Compared with the oxymatrine group， the protein expression of COX-2 in the COX-2+oxymatrine group was increased significantly （P＜0.05）， while the protein expressions of PINK1 and Parkin as well as the proportion of 526087266@qq.com decrease in MMP were decreased significantly （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Oxymatrine can mediate the overactivity of mitophagy based on the PINK1/Parkin signaling pathway by inhibiting COX-2 expression， thus promoting the apoptosis of the MG63 osteosarcoma cell line.

Optimization of water extraction technology of Xiangqin jiere granules by orthogonal design based on G1-entropy weight compared with BP neural network / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE Optimizing the water extraction technology of Xiangqin jiere granules. METHODS The orthogonal test of 3 factors and 3 levels was designed， and comprehensive scoring was conducted for the above indexes by using G1-entropy weight to obtain the optimized water extraction technology of Xiangqin jiere granules with water addition ratio， extraction time and extraction times as factors， using the contents of forsythoside A， baicalin， phillyrin， oroxylin A-7-O-β-D-glycoside， wogonoside， baicalein and wogonin， and extraction rate as evaluation indexes. BP neural network modeling was used to optimize the network model and water extraction process using the results of 9 groups of orthogonal tests as test and training data， the water addition multiple， decocting time and extraction times as input nodes， and the comprehensive score as output nodes. Then the two analysis methods were compared by verification test to find the best water extraction process parameters. RESULTS The water extraction technology optimized by the orthogonal test was 8-fold water， extracting 3 times， extracting for 1 h each time. Comprehensive score was 96.84 （RSD＝0.90%）. The optimal water extraction technology obtained by BP neural network modeling included 12-fold water， extracting 4 times， extracting for 0.5 h each time. The comprehensive score was 92.72 （RSD＝0.77%）， which was slightly lower than that of the orthogonal test. CONCLUSIONS The water extraction technology of Xiangqin jiere granules is optimized successfully in the study， which includes adding 8-fold water， extracting 3 times， and extracting for 1 hour each time.

Effect of Acupuncture at “Zhibian （BL 54）-to-Shuidao （ST 28）” on Key Factors of Endogenous Exogenous Apoptotic Pathways in Asthenospermia Model Mice / 中医杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of acupuncture “Zhibian （BL 54）-to-Shuidao （ST 28）” on the reproductive function of asthenospermia model mice and to explore the possible mechanism. MethodsForty-two male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into blank group， model group， and acupuncture group， with 14 mice in each group. Cyclophosphamide 30 mg/（kg·d） was injected intraperitoneally for 7 days to establish model of asthenospermia for the model group and the acupuncture group， while 0.9% sodium chloride solution 10 ml/（kg·d） was injected intraperitoneally for 7 days in the blank group. After successful modeling， mice in the acupuncture group received acupuncture at “Zhibian （BL 54）-to-Shuidao （ST 28）” once a day for 20 minutes， 6 times a week for 3 weeks； the remaining two groups were fixed without acupuncture. Daily observations were made on the general conditions of mice in all groups， and changes in body weight after intervention were recorded. On the next day after completing the treatment， 6 male mice selected randomly from each group to test the sperm quality as well as testicular and epididymal weights， and calculate the corresponding indices； ELISA was used to test the levels of testosterone （T）， follicle-stimulating hormone （FSH）， and luteinizing hormone （LH） in serum； HE staining and TUNEL staining were performed to observe the pathological morphology and apoptosis of testicular and epididymal tissues； fluorescence quantitative PCR and western blot were used to detect changes in the expression of apoptosis-related factors （Fas）， Fas-associated death domain protein （FADD）， B-cell lymphoma 2 （Bcl-2）， Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）， and cysteine-aspartic acid protease （caspase）-3 mRNA and protein in testicular tissue. The remaining 8 male mice in each group were housed with estrus-cycling mice of the same strain at 1∶1 ratio， and the pregnancy rate and number of embryos per litter in each group were determined after mating. ResultsIn comparison with the blank group， mice in the model group exhibited reduced body weight， decreased testicular mass， testicular index， epididymal mass， and epididymal index. Additionally， there was a decrease in total sperm count， sperm motility， and sperm viability. Serum levels of T， FSH， and LH were reduced. The apoptosis rate increased， and the expression levels of Fas， FADD， Bax， and Caspase-3 mRNA and proteins were elevated， while Bcl-2 mRNA and protein expression levels decreased （P＜0.01）. Pathological abnormalities were observed in testicular and epididymal tissues， with disrupted arrangement of seminiferous tubules and a decreased number of spermatogenic cells within the tubular lumen. Furthermore， the pregnancy rate and the number of embryos per litter decreased significantly after mating （P＜0.01）. In comparison with the model group， mice in the acupuncture group showed improvements in testicular mass， testicular index， epididymal mass， epididymal index， total sperm count， sperm motility， and sperm viability. Serum levels of T， FSH， and LH increased. The apoptosis rate decreased， and the expression levels of Fas， FADD， Bax， and Caspase-3 mRNA and proteins decreased， while Bcl-2 mRNA and protein expression levels increased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Morphological improvements were observed in testicular and epididymal tissues， with a compact arrangement of seminiferous tubules and an increased number of spermatogenic cells within the tubular lumen. Furthermore， the pregnancy rate and the number of embryos per litter increased significantly after mating （P＜0.01）. ConclusionAcupuncture “Zhibian （BL 54）-to-Shuidao （ST 28）” can improve testicular tissue apoptosis and enhance reproductive function in a mouse model of asthenospermia. Its mechanism may be associated with the modulation of key factors in the extrinsic membrane receptor pathway （Fas-mediated pathway） and the intrinsic mitochondrial pathway （Bcl-2/Bax-regulated pathway） in testicular tissue.

Clinical Efficacy of Modified Banxia Xiexintang Combined with Vedolizumab in Treatment of Crohn's Disease with Syndrome of Cold and Heat in Complexity / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy of modified Banxia Xiexintang combined with vedolizumab （VDZ） in the treatment of active moderate to severe Crohn's disease （CD） with the syndrome of cold and heat in complexity and the effect of the therapy on intestinal flora. MethodEighty patients were randomized based on the random number table method into a control group （40 cases） and an observation group （40 cases）. The control group was treated with VDZ， and the observation group was treated with modified Banxia Xiexintang （1 bag per day） combined with VDZ. The treatment in both groups lasted for 14 weeks and the follow-up lasted until the 52th weeks. The CD activity index （CDAI）， CD simplified endoscopic score （SES-CD）， inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire （IBDQ） score， and syndrome score of cold and heat in complexity were assessed before treatment， after treatment， and at the end of follow-up. The levels of hemoglobin （HGB）， hematocrit （HCT）， albumin （ALB）， C-reactive protein （CRP）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-17 （IL-17）， and fecal calprotectin （FC） were measured before and after treatment. Intestinal flora was examined before and after treatment. The safety of the therapy was evaluated. ResultCompared with those before treatment， the scores of CDAI， SES-CD， and the syndrome of cold and heat in complexity decreased （P<0.05） and the IBDQ score increased after treatment （P<0.05）. Compared with those before treatment， the scores of CDAI， SES-CD， and the syndrome of cold and heat in complexity increased （P<0.05） and the IBDQ score decreased （P<0.05） at the end of follow-up. After treatment and at the end of follow-up， the observation group had lower scores of CDAI， SES-CD， and syndrome of cold and heat （P<0.05） and higher IBDQ score （P<0.05） than the control group. Moreover， the observation group had higher clinical remission rate（χ2=4.381，3.962） and response rate（χ2=5.541，4.306） and lower non-response rate（χ2=6.646，4.306） than the control group at the two time points （P<0.05）. The endoscopic remission rate（χ2=4.072，3.985） and response rate（χ2=4.528，5.161） in the observation group were higher than those in the control group （P<0.05）. After treatment， the HGB， HCT， and ALB levels in both groups elevated， and the observation group had higher levels than the control group （P<0.05）. The treatment in both groups lowered the levels of CRP， IL-6， TNF-α， IL-17， and FC （P<0.05）， and the observation group had lower levels of CRP， IL-6， TNF-α， IL-17， and FC than the control group after treatment （P<0.05）. The relative abundance of Bifidobacterium， Lactobacillus， and Prevotella increased （P<0.05）， while that of Proteus， Klebsiella， and Enterococcus decreased （P<0.05） in the two groups after treatment. Moreover， the changes in the relative abundance of these bacteria in the observation group were more obvious than those in the control group （P<0.05）. No adverse reactions related to the modified Modified Banxia Xiexintang were observed during the study period. ConclusionModified Banxia Xiexintang combined with VDZ can play a synergistic role and has good short-term and long-term efficacy. This therapy can improve the nutritional status， regulate intestinal flora， and reduce inflammatory injury in the treatment of moderate to severe active CD patients with the syndrome of cold and heat in complexity without causing severe adverse reactions.