Clinical significance of benign liver function abnormality / 临床肝胆病杂志

Biochemical liver function tests are important methods to determine liver function in clinical practice， but abnormal liver biochemical parameters are not completely equivalent to liver damage. Some genetic and immune factors can also cause abnormal liver biochemical parameters， but with good prognosis in most cases. This article summarizes the causes of some benign abnormal liver biochemical parameters， so as to help clinicians to broaden their thinking of diagnosis and treatment， take into account genetic and immune factors， and avoid misdiagnosis and mistreatment.

Analysis of phenotype formation mechanism of a new variety of Lonicera japonica Flos "Huajin 6" at long bud stage / 药学学报

Based on the long bud stage phenotype of a new Lonicera japonica Flos variety "Huajin 6", using "Huajin 6" and "Da Mao Hua" as materials, probing the mechanism of its phenotype formation. Detection of endogenous Jasmonic acid hormones (JAs) content; the genes related to jasmonic acid (JA) synthesis were identified by transcriptome analysis of Lonicera japonica; flower buds and flowers of "Huajin 6" and "Da Mao Hua" were collected at different periods, and the qRT-PCR (quantitative real-time PCR) technique was used to analyze the trend of the expression of synthesis-related enzyme genes in Lonicera japonica Flos during the bud stage. The study found that the content of JAs in "Huajin 6" Lonicera japonica Flos was significantly lower than that in "Da Mao Hua"; applying exogenous methyl-jasmonate (MeJA) to "Huajin 6" can restore its flowering phenotype, making it close to wild type Lonicera japonica Flos; there are significant differences in the expression of two allene oxide synthase genes (AOS), three lipoxygenase genes (LOX), and two allene oxide cyclase genes (AOC) in the flowers and buds of "Huajin 6" and "Da Mao Hua" at different periods. It is hypothesized that the low expression of JA synthesis-related enzyme genes in " Huajin 6" leads to the blockage of JA synthesis, which causes the formation of the long bud phenotype. This study laid a certain foundation for the genetic breeding of Lonicera japonica, provided a new idea for the improvement of Lonicera japonica varieties, and provided a reference for the study of JAs in plant flower organs.

Melatonin-Mediated Inhibitory Effect on Hyperimmune Status of Acquired Aplastic Anemia / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the expression level of melatonin and its effects on immune function in aplastic anemia (AA) patients.@*METHODS@#The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the plasma levels of melatonin in AA patients, and the correlation between melatonin levels and laboratory indexs was analyzed. The activation, proliferation, and apoptosis of T cells from AA patients were analyzed by flow cytometry with or without melatonin in vitro.@*RESULTS@#The plasma levels of melatonin in AA patients were significantly lower compared with healthy controls (HC) (12.23 pg/ml vs 20.04 pg/ml, P < 0.01), while the plasma melatonin levels of AA patients in remission group after immunosuppressive therapy (IST) were significantly higher than those in non-remission group (29.16 pg/ml vs 11.73 pg/ml, P =0.04). Moreover, the melatonin levels were positively correlated with platelets (r =0.49), the absolute reticulocyte count (r =0.45), and the percentage of neutrophils (r =0.43). Meanwhile, there was a negative correlation between melatonin levels and the percentages of lymphocytes (r =-0.45). The expressions of CD25 and CD69 in both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from AA patients were remarkably inhibited by melatonin in vitro (all P < 0.05). When cultured with melatonin, the proliferation rates of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from AA patients were markedly suppressed (P =0.01 andP < 0.01).@*CONCLUSION@#The plasma levels of melatonin were decreased in AA patients, which might play an important role in the mechanism of immunological abnormalities. The hyperimmune status of AA patients could be partially ameliorated by melatonin in vitro.

Functional characterization and enzymatic properties of flavonoid glycosyltransferase gene CtUGT49 in Carthamus tinctorius / 中国中药杂志

Carthami Flos, as a traditional blood-activating and stasis-resolving drug, possesses anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory pharmacological activities. Flavonoid glycosides are the main bioactive components in Carthamus tinctorius. Glycosyltransferase deserves to be studied in depth as a downstream modification enzyme in the biosynthesis of active glycoside compounds. This study reported a flavonoid glycosyltransferase CtUGT49 from C. tinctorius based on the transcriptome data, followed by bioinformatic analysis and the investigation of enzymatic properties. The open reading frame(ORF) of the gene was 1 416 bp, encoding 471 amino acid residues with the molecular weight of about 52 kDa. Phylogenetic analysis showed that CtUGT49 belonged to the UGT73 family. According to in vitro enzymatic results, CtUGT49 could catalyze naringenin chalcone to the prunin and choerospondin, and catalyze phloretin to phlorizin and trilobatin, exhibiting good substrate versatility. After the recombinant protein CtUGT49 was obtained by hetero-logous expression and purification, the enzymatic properties of CtUGT49 catalyzing the formation of prunin from naringenin chalcone were investigated. The results showed that the optimal pH value for CtUGT49 catalysis was 7.0, the optimal temperature was 37 ℃, and the highest substrate conversion rate was achieved after 8 h of reaction. The results of enzymatic kinetic parameters showed that the K_m value was 209.90 μmol·L~(-1) and k_(cat) was 48.36 s~(-1) calculated with the method of Michaelis-Menten plot. The discovery of the novel glycosyltransferase CtUGT49 is important for enriching the library of glycosylation tool enzymes and provides a basis for analyzing the glycosylation process of flavonoid glycosides in C. tinctorius.

Advances in mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine in inhibiting angiogenesis in ovarian cancer / 中国中药杂志

Ovarian cancer is one of the three major cancers in gynecology. Ovarian cancer has insidious symptoms in its early stages and mostly has progressed to advanced stages when detected. Surgical treatment combined with chemotherapy is currently the main treatment, but the 5-year survival rate is still less than 45%. Angiogenesis is a key step in the growth and metastasis of ovarian cancer. The inhibition of ovarian cancer angiogenesis has become a new hotspot in anti-tumor targeted therapy, which has many advantages such as less drug resistance, high specificity, few side effects, and broad anti-tumor spectrum. Modern research has confirmed that traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) can inhibit tumor angiogenesis by inhibiting the expression of pro-angiogenic factors, up-regulating the expression of anti-angiogenic factors, inhibiting the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells, reducing the density of tumor microvessels, and regulating related signaling pathways, with unique advantages in the treatment of ovarian cancer. This paper presented a review of the role of TCM in inhibiting ovarian cancer angiogenesis in order to provide references for the optimization of clinical ovarian cancer treatment strategies.

Circadian rhythm and health: dialogue between traditional Chinese medicine and modern medicine / 中国中药杂志

Circadian rhythm refers to the daily rhythmic variations in an organism. The irregular lifestyles of modern humans have led to a high incidence of chronic diseases, highlighting an inseparable relationship between disrupted circadian rhythm and disease development. TCM has long discussed rhythmic variations, with records dating back to the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon(Huang Di Nei Jing), which laid a rich theoretical foundation for the research on circadian rhythm. Modern medical research has provided a more comprehensive explanation of its molecular mechanisms. This article integrated the current understanding of circadian rhythm in both Chinese and western medicine, emphasizing the crucial relationship between rhythm regulation and disease treatment. By highlighting the interdisciplinary nature of the two fields, it offers new directions for exploring the field of chronomedicine.

The Psychosomatic Traits of "People with the Five Elements in Traditional Chinese Medicine": A Qualitative Study / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

OBJECTIVE@#To identify the representative attributes of the five elements of a person with a qualitative methodology and provide the basis for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of "people with the five elements in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)."@*METHODS@#Data collected from the literature review, two sessions of brainstorming of experts with related experience in "people with the five elements in TCM" from October 2020 to December 2020, and six rounds of in-depth interviews with 30 participants who had various attributes of the five elements from March 2021 to October 2021 were analyzed. Triangulation was used in this study, and theming and synthesizing were used to analyze the data.@*RESULTS@#A total of 31 experts and 30 interviewees participated in this study. The median age of the experts and interviewees were 48.0 and 38.5 years, respectively; 51.66% and 54.8% of experts and interviewees, respectively, were men. The descriptors of facial diagrams of "people with the five elements in TCM" were complexion, shape, distribution state of facial bones, convergence trend of facial muscles, and facial expression. A theoretical model of "people with the five elements in TCM" was shaped based on these findings.@*CONCLUSION@#The study suggests a possibility for bridging the gap between personality and bodily state, identifying an avenue for personality research from the perspective of TCM.

Exercise promotes healthy cardiovascular aging / 生理学报

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an important factor threatening the health of the elderly. Aging leads to changes in the structure and function of the cardiovascular system, which increases the risk of CVD in the elderly. Cardiac aging is characterized by increased left ventricular wall thickness, increased degree of myocardial fibrosis, increased cardiac hardness, and decreased cardiac function, while vascular aging is characterized by enlarged lumen, thickened wall, and endothelial dysfunction. Promoting healthy cardiovascular aging means reducing the age-related cardiovascular dysfunction and the risks of CVD. Exercise is a crucial means for the treatment and rehabilitation of CVD. Exercise reduces the risk factors of CVD, remodels the cardiovascular structure, and increases the resistance of heart to detrimental stimulus, which promotes healthy cardiovascular aging. The improved mitochondrial function via exercise plays a key role in the health effects of exercise. In addition, exercise promotes the secretion of exerkines in various tissues and organs, which plays a role in reducing inflammation, improving metabolism, inhibiting apoptosis, etc., thus benefiting cardiovascular health. This review discusses the mechanism and potential application of exercise in promoting healthy cardiovascular aging. Exploring the specific mechanisms underlying exercise-induced cardiovascular health and formulating accurate exercise prescriptions for different populations is an important direction to promote healthy cardiovascular aging and prevent CVD.

Evaluation of the lower urinary tract function using voiding spot assay in mice / 生理学报

The objective of present study was to develop a simple and reliable voiding spot assay (VSA) system to evaluate the lower urinary tract function of mice, and to establish it as a standardized protocol. Ultraviolet (UV) light was used to screen out the filter paper without autofluorescence and with optimal urine diffusion properties. Next, the appropriate wavelength of UV was determined based on the quality of the photographic image of urine spots on the filter paper. To confirm that the urine stain area on the filter paper was correlated with the amount of urine, a volume-area standard curve was constructed. The utility of this VSA system was validated using female wild-type C57BL/6J mice aged 12-13 weeks, and the data generated under identical procedural settings were compared among laboratories. Furthermore, this VSA system was employed to analyze the changes in voiding patterns in mice with urinary tract infections or transportation stress. No. 4 filter paper with a thickness of 0.7 mm was identified as the most suitable material for VSA, exhibiting no autofluorescence and facilitating optimal urine diffusion. The filter paper retained its integrity during the assay, and there was a linear correlation between urine volume and stained area under 365 nm UV light. Utilizing this VSA system, we determined that female wild-type C57BL/6J mice produced approximately 695.8 μL total urine and 5.5 primary voiding spots (PVS) with an average size of 126.4 μL/spot within 4-h period. Over 84% of PVS volumes ranged from 20 to 200 μL. Notably, PVS volumes of mice were similar across different laboratories. Mice with urinary tract infections or transportation stress exhibited significant changes in VSA parameters, including increased voiding frequency, PVS number, and decreased PVS volume. Therefore, this VSA system can be used to evaluate the urinary function of normal mice, as well as those with urinary tract infection or transportation stress.

Effects of moxibustion of "biaoben acupoint combination" on heart rate variability, atrial natriuretic peptide in the model rats of IBS-D complicated with anxiety / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the effects on the heart rate variability (HRV) and the expression of the atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in the model rats of irritable bowel syndrome with predominant diarrhea (IBS-D) rats complicated with anxiety between moxibustion of "biaoben acupoint combination" and that of "conventional acupoint combination".@*METHODS@#Of 50 healthy SPF female SD rats, aged 3 months, 8 rats were selected randomly as a blank group, and the rest rats were prepared to be the model of IBS-D complicated with anxiety. Twenty-four rats after successfully modeled were randomized into a model group, a conventional acupoint combination group (convention group) and a biaoben acupoint combination group (biaoben group), 8 rats in each one. In the convention group, moxibustion was delivered at "Tianshu" (ST 25), "Zusanli"(ST 36) and "Shangjuxu"(ST 37); and in the biaoben group, moxibustion was applied to "Neiguan" (PC 6), "Zusanli" (ST 36), and "Guanyuan" (CV 4). One session of moxibustion took 20 min, once daily, for 14 days in total. Before and after intervention, the body mass and fecal moisture content were compared in the rats of each group; using abdominal wall withdrawal reflex, the visceral hypersensitivity was evaluated; with elevated plus maze (EPM) and light-dark box (LDB), the anxiety conditions were assessed. After intervention, HRV was compared among groups, the ultrastructure of intestinal mucosa was observed under the transmission electron microscope in the rats of each group, and ANP expression in the myocardial tissue was detected using Western blot method and immunofluorescence.@*RESULTS@#Before the intervention, compared with the blank group, the body mass and visceral pain threshold of rats were reduced in the model group, the convention group and the biaoben group (P<0.05), fecal moisture content and AWR scores (at the dilatation pressure of 40, 60 and 80 mm Hg, 1 mm Hg ≈ 0.133 kPa) were elevated (P<0.05); and time in the open arm, the open arm entry number and the total movement distance (EPM), the time spent in the light compartment, the number of dark to light transitions and the total transition distance (LDB) were decreased (P<0.05). After the intervention, compared with the blank group, in the model group, the body mass, visceral pain threshold, standard diviation of NN intervals (SDNN) and root mean square of successive RR interval differences (RMSSD) were dropped (P<0.05), fecal moisture content, AWR scores (the dilation pressures of 40, 60 and 80 mm Hg), LF/HF and ANP expression were increased (P<0.05), the time in open arm, the open arm entry number and the total movement distance (EPM), the time spent in the light compartment, the number of dark to light transitions and the total transition distance (LDB) were decreased (P<0.05). When compared with the model group, in the convention group and the biaoben group, the body mass, visceral pain threshold, SDNN and RMSSD were increased (P<0.05), fecal moisture content, AWR scores (the dilation pressures of 60 and 80 mm Hg), LF/HF and ANP expression were dropped (P<0.05), the time in open arm, the open arm entry number and the total movement distance (EPM), the time spent in the light compartment, the number of dark to light transitions and the total transition distance (LDB) were increased (P<0.05). In the biaoben group, compared with the convention group, the body mass, visceral pain threshold, SDNN and RMSSD were elevated (P<0.05), fecal moisture content, AWR score (the dilation pressure of 80 mm Hg), LF/HF and ANP expression were decreased (P<0.05), the time in open arm, the open arm entry number and the total movement distance (EPM), the time spent in the light compartment, the number of dark to light transitions and the total transition distance (LDB) were increased (P<0.05). The epithelial cells of the intestinal mucosa showed a normal morphology in the blank group, the tight junction of the cells was disrupted and the junction was loose in the model group; the tight junction was imperfect in the convention group, but it was intact in the biaoben group.@*CONCLUSION@#Compared with the conventional acupoint combination, moxibustion of biaoben acupoint combination is more effective on the symptoms of IBS-D complicated with anxiety in the model rats. The effect mechanism may be related to attenuating anxiety-like negative emotions, positively regulating HRV, stabilizing IBS-D intestinal mucosal barrier and down-regulating the expression of ANP in myocardium.

Electroacupuncture at acupoints of yangming meridians for sarcopenia: a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the clinical effect of electroacupuncture at acupoints of yangming meridians for sarcopenia.@*METHODS@#A total of 60 patients with sarcopenia were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each group. In the control group, conventional nutrition intervention for sarcopenia was adopted. In the observation group, on the basis of the treatment in the control group, acupuncture was applied at bilateral Binao (LI 14), Quchi (LI 11), Zusanli (ST 36), Yanglingquan (GB 34), etc.,ipsilateral Quchi (LI 11) and Zusanli (ST 36) were connected to electroacupuncture, with discontinuous wave, 2 Hz in frequency, 1-10 mA in intensity, 2 times a week, with a interval of 3 days. A total of 12-week treatment was required in the two groups. Before and after treatment, the appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI), grip strength, 6 m-walking time, body fat percentage and body moisture percentage were observed in the two groups.@*RESULTS@#Compared with those before treatment, after treatment, ASMI and grip strength were increased while 6 m-walking time was shortened in the two groups (P<0.05); body fat percentage was decreased while body moisture percentage was increased in the observation group (P<0.05). After treatment, in the observation group, ASMI, grip strength and body moisture percentage were increased (P<0.05), 6 m-walking time was shortened and body fat percentage was decreased (P<0.05) compared with those in the control group.@*CONCLUSION@#Electroacupuncture at acupoints of yangming meridians can effectively improve the skeletal muscle mass, muscle function, body fat percentage and body moisture percentage in patients with sarcopenia, and make the distribution of muscle and fat more reasonable.

Mathieu combined with tongue-shaped flap covering in distal hypospadias with micropenis head deformity / 现代泌尿外科杂志

【Objective】 To explore the efficacy of Mathieu combined with tongue-shaped flap covering in children with distal hypospadias and micropenis head deformity. 【Methods】 The clinical data of 72 patients with distal hypospadias complicated with micropenis treated during Jan.2018 and Jun.2021 were retrospectively analyzed, including 35 patients who underwent modified Mathieu combined with tongue-shaped flap and external urethral orificium (study group), and 37 patients who underwent traditional Mathieu (control group). Urethral stricture, urethral fistula, urethral diverticulum and penile head cleft were compared between the two groups. 【Results】 Urinary fistula occurred in 2 cases (5.27%) and 9 cases (24.32%) in the study group and control group, respectively, the incidence being much lower in the study group (P=0.028). Urethral stricture occurred in 1 case (2.86%) and 1 case (2.70%) in the study group and control group, respectively; penile head dehiscence in 1 case (2.86%) and 3 cases (8.11%); urethral diverticulum in 0 case (0%) and 2 cases (5.41%). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the incidence of urethral stricture, urethral dehiscence and urethral diverticulum (P>0.05). 【Conclusion】 Mathieu combined with tongue-shaped flap covering to treat children with distal hypospadias with micropenis head deformity can reduce the incidence of postoperative complications, achieve high surgical satisfaction and appearance satisfaction in the first phase, reduce harm caused by surgery, and promote patients’ psychological health.

Clinical diagnosis and genetic analysis of 46,XY complete gonadal dysplasia caused by a new mutation of NR5A1 gene / 现代泌尿外科杂志

【Objective】 To investigate the clinical characteristics and molecular genetic mechanism of 46,XY complete gonadal dysplasia (46,XY CGD) caused by a new mutation of NR5A1 gene. 【Methods】 The clinical data of a female patient with 46 XY karyotype were retrospectively analyzed, and the whole exon group and mitochondrial group genes were detected. 【Results】 The clitoris was hypertrophic. The patient had both urethral orifice and vaginal orifice, and there was no common passage between them. Ultrasonography showed an unclear primordial uterus and bilateral ovaries. The gonad biopsy showed poorly developed testicular tissue. Karyotype was 46,XY. The detection of whole exon group and mitochondrial group genes indicated a new heterozygous missense mutation in NR5A1 gene on chromosome 9, and the variation information was c.205C>T:p. Arg69Cys. The mother did not carry the gene mutation. 【Conclusion】 The clinical manifestations of 46,XY CGD are diverse. NR5A1 gene mutation is one of the important causes, which provides a basis for the clinical diagnosis and pathogenesis of the disease.

In vitro cytological comparison of osseointegration properties between biomimetic bone trabecular and regular porous structure / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

【Objective】 To investigate the effects of biomimetic bone trabecular with the same porosity and pore size and regular porous structure on the adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation of osteoblasts, so as to provide theoretical basis for the improvement of osseointegration performance of titanium alloy implants. 【Methods】 The biomimetic bone trabecular and regular porous structures with the same porosity and pore size were generated by computer-aided software, and then processed into disc-shaped Ti6Al4V scaffolds with a diameter of 10 mm and a height of 3 mm by selective laser melting technology. MC3T3-E1 cells, the precursor cells of mouse osteoblasts in the logarithmic growth phase, were seeded on two kinds of scaffolds and divided into biomimetic bone trabecular group and regular porous structure group. After 3 hours of culture, acridine orange staining and phalloidin /DAPI staining were used to evaluate the number of cell adhesion. After 3 days of culture, the scaffolds were examined by scanning electron microscopy to evaluate the adhesion state of cells. After 1, 3, and 5 days of culture, the scaffolds were taken for CCK8 detection to observe the proliferation of cells. After 7 and 14 days of differentiation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was detected. After 14 days of differentiation, the expressions of osteogenesis-related genes (ALP, OCN, RUNX2) were detected by RT-PCR. After 30 days of differentiation, the scaffolds were stained with alizarin red and 100 g/L cetylpyridinium chloride was used to dissolve mineralized nodules. Calcium salt deposition was qualitatively and quantitatively detected to evaluate cell differentiation. 【Results】 The results of acridine orange and phalloidin /DAPI staining showed that the biomimetic trabecular Ti6Al4V scaffold adhered to more MC3T3-E1 cells than the regular porous structure, and the cytoskeleton of the former scaffold was more densely distributed. The results of scanning electron microscopy showed that the pseudopodia of MC3T3-E1 cells on the biomimetic bone trabecular Ti6Al4V scaffold were longer and the extension state was better than that of the regular porous structure. CCK8 test showed that the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells on the biomimetic trabecular bone titanium alloy scaffold was significantly higher than that on the regular porous structure on the 3rd and 5th day, and the difference gradually increased with the increase of time, with statistical significance (P<0.05). The results of cell differentiation test showed that ALP activity on the bionic trabecular scaffold was higher than that on the regular porous structure (P<0.05). The expressions of osteogenic genes (ALP, OCN, RUNX2) in MC3T3-E1 cells on the biomimetic bone trabecular titanium alloy scaffold were significantly higher than those on the regular porous structure (P<0.05). After 30 days of induction, the amount of calcium salt deposited in the bionic trabecular titanium alloy scaffold was significantly larger than that in the regular porous structure (P<0.05). 【Conclusion】 The biomimetic bone trabecular with a porosity of 65% and an equivalent pore size of 600 μm is more conducive to the adhesion, proliferation and differentiation of mouse osteoblast precursor cells MC3T3-E1 on the titanium alloy scaffold than the regular porous structure with the same porosity and pore size. It is theoretically more conducive to improving the osseointegration performance of titanium alloy implants.

Epidemiological characteristics and prediction of varicella trends in Yangpu District， Shanghai， from 2005 to 2022 / 上海预防医学

ObjectiveTo analyze the epidemiological characteristics of varicella in Yangpu District， Shanghai from 2005 to 2022， predict the trend of varicella in Yangpu District in 2023， and provide evidence for prevention and control of varicella outbreaks. MethodsInformation of varicella cases reported in Yangpu District from 2005 to 2022 was obtained from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention. Descriptive statistics was used to characterize the varicella epidemiology. An autoregressive integrated moving average （ARIMA） model was established by using the number of cases per month from 2005 to2022 to predict the trend of varicella epidemics in Yangpu District in 2023. The varicella incidence in 2022 was used to evaluate the fitness of the ARIMA model. ResultsFrom January 2005 to December 2021， a total of 11 527 cases of varicella were reported in Yangpu District， Shanghai. After excluding duplicates and clinical diagnoses， 11 413 cases were included into the analysis. The annual average incidence rate was 51.87/105， the age of onset was mainly under 20 years old （66.5%）， and the occupation was mainly students （49.7%）. The ARIMA （1，1，0）×（0，1，1）12 model was constructed and showed a good fitness while using monthly reported varicella cases in 2022 for model fitting. It was predicted that 1 089 cases of varicella would be reported in Yangpu District in 2023. ConclusionIt is predicted that varicella cases in Yangpu District will increase in 2023. It is recommended to continue promoting delayed varicella vaccination to maintain a high level of vaccination rate. Before the peak of the epidemic， health education regarding varicella should be strengthened， and measures for epidemic prevention and control should be reinforced to prevent varicella outbreaks.

Diagnostic value of novel hepatic fibrosis markers in assessing cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C / 中华肝脏病杂志

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1) and Golgi protein 73 (GP73) in the diagnosis of cirrhosis and the dynamic changes of CHI3L1 and GP73 after HCV clearance in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) treated with direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAAs). The comparison of continuous variables of normal distribution were statistically analyzed by ANOVA and t-test. The comparison of continuous variables of non-normal distribution were statistically analyzed by rank sum test. The categorical variables were statistically analyzed by Fisher's exact test and χ(2) test. Correlation analysis was performed using Spearman correlation analysis. Methods: Data of 105 patients with CHC diagnosed from January 2017 to December 2019 were collected. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) was plotted to study the efficacy of serum CHI3L1 and GP73 for the diagnosis of cirrhosis. Friedman test was used to compare CHI3L1 and GP73 change characteristics. Results: The areas under the ROC curve for CHI3L1 and GP73 in the diagnosis of cirrhosis at baseline were 0.939 and 0.839, respectively. Serum levels of CHI3L1 and GP73 in the DAAs group decreased significantly at the end of treatment compared with baseline [123.79 (60.25, 178.80) ng/ml vs. 118.20 (47.68, 151.36) ng/ml, P = 0.001; 105.73 (85.05, 130.69) ng/ml vs. 95.52 (69.52, 118.97) ng/ml, P = 0.001]. Serum CHI3L1 and GP73 in the pegylated interferon combined with ribavirin (PR) group were significantly lower at the end of 24 weeks of treatment than the baseline [89.15 (39.15, 149.74) ng/ml vs. 69.98 (20.52, 71.96) ng/ml, P < 0.05; 85.07 (60.07, 121) ng/ml vs. 54.17 (29.17, 78.65) ng/ml, P < 0.05]. Conclusion: CHI3L1 and GP73 are sensitive serological markers that can be used to monitor the fibrosis prognosis in CHC patients during treatment and after obtaining a sustained virological response. Serum CHI3L1 and GP73 levels in the DAAs group decreased earlier than those in the PR group, and the serum CHI3L1 levels in the untreated group increased compared with the baseline at about two years of follow-up.

Clinical and genetic analysis of an infant with permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus due to novel variant of insulin gene / 中华医学遗传学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the genetic basis for an infant with permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus (PNDM).@*METHODS@#Clinical data of the child was collected. Targeted capture-next generation sequencing was carried out to identify the potential variants. Candidate variant was verified by Sanger sequencing of her family members.@*RESULTS@#The child was a 4-month-and-26-day female featuring onset of ketoacidosis accompanied with fasting blood glucose of 24.4 mmol/L, positive urine glucose, decreased serum C-peptide, HbA1c of 9.58%, and negative diabetes autoantibody. Genetic testing revealed that she has carried a heterozygous c.314T>G (p.L105R) variant of the INS gene. Sanger sequencing verified that neither of her parents has carried the same variant, which was also unreported in the literature. The variant was classified as likely pathogenic based on the ACMG guidelines.@*CONCLUSION@#The c.314T>G (P.L105R) variant of the INS gene probably underlay the genetic etiology in this child. Genetic testing should be conducted for children with suspected PNDM for early diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Mechanism of Cistanches Herba in treatment of cancer-related fatigue based on network pharmacology and experimental verification / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to explore the mechanism of Cistanches Herba in the treatment of cancer-induced fatigue(CRF) by network pharmacology combined with in vivo and in vitro experiments to provide a theoretical basis for the clinical medication. The chemical constituents and targets of Cistanches Herba were searched from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform(TCMSP). The targets of CRF were screened out by GeneCards and NCBI. The common targets of traditional Chinese medicine and disease were selected to construct a protein-protein interaction(PPI) network, followed by Gene Ontology(GO) functional and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses. A visual signal pathway rela-ted to Chinese medicine and disease targets was constructed. The CRF model was induced by paclitaxel(PTX) in mice. Mice were divided into a control group, a PTX model group, and low-and high-dose Cistanches Herba extract groups(250 and 500 mg·kg~(-1)). The anti-CRF effect in mice was evaluated by open field test, tail suspension test, and exhaustive swimming time, and the pathological morphology of skeletal muscle was evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining. The cancer cachexia model in C2C12 muscle cells was induced by C26 co-culture, and the cells were divided into a control group, a conditioned medium model group, and low-, medium-, and high-dose Cistanches Herba extract groups(62.5, 125, and 250 μg·mL~(-1)). The reactive oxygen species(ROS) content in each group was detected by flow cytometry, and the intracellular mitochondrial status was evaluated by transmission electron microscopy. The protein expression levels of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α), BNIP3L, and Beclin-1 were detected by Western blot. Six effective constituents were screened out from Cistanches Herba. The core genes of Cistanches Herba in treating CRF were AKT1, IL-6, VEGFA, CASP3, JUN, EGFR, MYC, EGF, MAPK1, PTGS2, MMP9, IL-1B, FOS, and IL10, and the pathways related to CRF were AGE-RAGE and HIF-1α. Through GO enrichment analysis, it was found that the main biological functions involved were lipid peroxidation, nutrient deficiency, chemical stress, oxidative stress, oxygen content, and other biological processes. The results of the in vivo experiment showed that Cistanches Herba extract could significantly improve skeletal muscle atrophy in mice to relieve CRF. The in vitro experiment showed that Cistanches Herba extract could significantly reduce the content of intracellular ROS, the percentage of mitochondrial fragmentation, and the protein expression of Beclin-1 and increase the number of autophagosomes and the protein expression of HIF-1α and BNIP3L. Cistanches Herba showed a good anti-CRF effect, and its mechanism may be related to the key target proteins in the HIF-1α signaling pathway.

Role of brown adipose tissue in phlegm-dampness metabolic syndrome based on infrared thermal imaging / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to explore the infrared manifestation and role of brown adipose tissue(BAT) in phlegm-dampness me-tabolic syndrome(MS), and to provide objective basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment of phlegm-dampness MS. Subjects were selected from the department of endocrinology and ward in the South District of Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences from August 2021 to April 2022, including 20 in healthy control group, 40 in non phlegm-dampness MS group and 40 in phlegm-dampness MS group. General information, height and weight of the subjects were collected and body mass index(BMI) was calculated. Waist circumference(WC), systolic blood pressure(SBP) and diastolic blood pressure(DBP) was measured. Triglyceride(TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C), fasting blood glucose(FBG), fasting insulin(FINS), leptin(LP), adiponectin(ADP) and fibroblast growth factor-21(FGF-21) were detected. The infrared thermal image of the supraclavicular region(SCR) of the subjects before and after cold stimulation test was collected by infrared thermal imager and the changes of infrared thermal image in the three groups were observed. In addition, the differences in the average body surface temperature of SCR among the three groups were compared, and the changes of BAT in SCR were analyzed. The results showed compared with the conditions in healthy control group, the levels of WC, SBP, DBP, TG and FPG in MS groups were increased(P<0.01), and the HDL-C level was decreased(P<0.01). Compared with non phlegm-dampness MS group, phlegm-dampness MS group had higher conversion score of phlegm dampness physique(P<0.01). According to the infrared heat map, there was no difference in the average body surface temperature of SCR among the three groups before cold stimulation. while after cold stimulation, the average body surface temperature of SCR in MS groups was lower than that in healthy control group(P<0.05). After cold stimulation, the maximum temperature of SCR and its arrival time in the three groups were as follows: healthy control group(3 min)>non phlegm-dampness MS group(4 min)>phlegm-dampness MS group(5 min). The thermal deviation of SCR was increased and the average body surface temperature of left and right sides were higher(P<0.01) in healthy control group and non phlegm-dampness MS group, while the thermal deviation of SCR did not change significantly in the phlegm-dampness MS group. Compared with that in healthy control group, the elevated temperature between left and right sides was lower(P<0.01, P<0.05), and compared with that in non phlegm-dampness MS group, the elevated temperature of left side was lower(P<0.05). The changes of the average body surface temperature of SCR in the three groups were in the order of healthy control group>non phlegm-dampness MS group>phlegm-dampness MS group. Compared with the conditions in healthy control group and non phlegm-dampness MS group, FINS, BMI and FGF-21 levels were increased(P<0.01,P<0.05), while ADP level was decreased(P<0.01, P<0.05) in phlegm-dampness MS group. Moreover, the LP level in phlegm-dampness MS group was higher than that in non phlegm-dampness MS group(P<0.01). It was observed in clinical trials that after cold stimulation, the average body surface temperature of SCR in MS patients was lower than that of the healthy people; the thermal deviation of SCR did not change significantly in the phlegm-dampness MS patients, and the difference in their elevated temperature was lower than that in the other two groups. These characteristics provided objective basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment of phlegm-dampness MS. With abnormal BAT related indicators, it was inferred that the content or activity of BAT in SCR of phlegm-dampness MS patients were reduced. There was a high correlation between BAT and phlegm-dampness MS, and thus BAT might become an important potential target for the intervention in phlegm-dampness MS.