Study on the explicitation of implicit knowledge and the construction of knowledge graph on moxibustion in medical case records of ZHOU Mei-sheng's Jiusheng / 中国针灸

To explore the methods of the explicitation of implicit knowledge and the construction of knowledge graph on moxibustion in medical case records of ZHOU Mei-sheng's Jiusheng. The medical case records data of Jiusheng was collected, the frequency statistic was analyzed based on Python3.8.6, complex network analysis was performed using Gephi9.2 software, community analysis was performed by the ancient and modern medical case cloud platform V2.3.5, and analysis and verification of correlation graph and weight graph were proceed by Neo4j3.5.25 image database. The disease systems with frequency≥10 % were surgery, ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology, locomotor, digestive and respiratory systems. The diseases under the disease system were mainly carbuncle, arthritis, lumbar disc herniation and headache. The commonly used moxibustion methods were fumigating moxibustion, blowing moxibustion, direct moxibustion and warming acupuncture. The core prescription of points obtained by complex network analysis included Yatong point, Zhiyang(GV 9), Sanyinjiao(SP 6), Dazhui(GV 14), Zusanli(ST 36), Lingtai(GV 10), Xinshu(BL 15), Zhijian point and Hegu(LI 4), which were basically consistent with high-frequency points. A total of 6 communities were obtained by community analysis, corresponding to different diseases. Through the analysis of correlation graph, 13 pairs of strong association rule points were obtained. The correlation between Zhiyang(GV 9)-Dazhui(GV 14) and Yatong point-Lingtai(GV 10) was the strongest. The acupoints with high correlation with Yatong point were Zhiyang(GV 9), Lingtai(GV 10), Dazhui(GV 14), Zusanli(ST 36) and Sanyinjiao(SP 6). In the weight graph of the high-frequency disease system, the relationship of the first weight of the surgery system disease was fumigating moxibustion-carbuncle-Yatong point, and the relationship of the first weight of the ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology system disease was blowing moxibustion-laryngitis-Hegu (LI 4). The results of correlation graph and weight graph are consistent with the results of data mining, which can be used as an effective way to study the knowledge base of moxibustion diagnosis and treatment in the future.

Pathological features of early gastric cancer and its background mucosa after eradication of Helicobacter pylori and their implications for biopsy diagnosis / 中华病理学杂志

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological changes of early gastric cancer, especially its background mucosa, after the eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), and to investigate the causes of underdiagnosis in preoperative biopsy pathology. Methods: Ninety cases of early gastric cancer after H. pylori eradication and 120 cases of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) specimens without H. pylori eradication and their corresponding biopsy specimens were collected from Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University during 2016-2021. The clinicopathological data of the patients were analyzed, and the histopathological characteristics and immunophenotypic results compared. Results: Compared with the early gastric cancer without H. pylori eradication history, the histopathological type of early gastric cancer after H. pylori eradication was differentiated adenocarcinoma, with staggered distribution of cancerous and non-cancerous epithelium in the tumor area. The morphologic characteristics of gastric mucosa in the background of early gastric cancer after H. pylori eradication, were distinctive, including widening of the opening of enterosylated glandular ducts, serrated change of luminal margin, eosinophilic and microvesicular cytoplasm of enterosylated epithelium. Low-grade atypia existed in gastric cancer epithelial cells after sterilization, which might lead to underdiagnosis or missed diagnosis in biopsy pathology. Conclusions: Early gastric cancer and its background mucosa after H. pylori eradication have unique morphological characteristics, which can be used as a clue for pathological diagnosis, improve the accuracy of biopsy pathology and reduce the underdiagnosis.

Clinical Characteristics and Prognosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients with inv(16)/t(16;16)(p13.1;q22) and/or CBFβ-MYH11 / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To summarize the clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with inv(16)/t(16;16) (p13.1;q22), and to analyze the risk factors affecting the prognosis of the patients.@*METHODS@#AML patients with inv(16)/t(16;16) (p13.1;q22) and/or CBFβ-MYH11+ admitted to the Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 1, 2008 to October 30, 2019 were retrospective analyzed, the clinical and laboratory indicators, as well as treatment plans and efficacy evaluations of the patients were all recorded. Furthermore, related factors affecting the overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) of the patients were analyzed.@*RESULTS@#Among 151 AML patients with inv(16)/t(16;16) (p13.1;q22) and/or CBFβ-MYH11+, the percentage of additional chromosomal abnormalities was about 27.8%, and the most common additional chromosomal abnormality was +22 (33/151, 21.8%), followed by +8 (11/151, 7.3%). There were 112 patients with perfect NGS examination, and the result showed the most common accompanying gene mutations were KIT mutation (34/112, 30.4%) and FLT3 mutation (23/112, 20.5%). Univariate analysis showed that factors affecting EFS included: NE≤0.5×109/L (P=0.006) and combined K-RAS mutation (P=0.002); Factors affecting OS included: Age≥50 years old (P<0.001) and NE≤0.5×109/L (P=0.016). Multivariate analysis showed that NE≤0.5×109/L (P=0.019) was the risk factors affecting OS. The proportion of bone marrow eosinophilia (BME)≥10.00% (P=0.029) was the risk factors affecting EFS.@*CONCLUSION@#The prognosis for those newly diagnosed AML patients who were of advanced age, the high proportion of bone marrow eosinophils, K-RAS mutations, and agranulocytosis is poor. The treatment plans can be adjusted in the early stage to improve the prognosis of such patients.

Trichostatin A improves the inflammatory response and liver injury in septic mice through the FoxO3a/autophagy signaling pathway / 世界急诊医学杂志（英文）

@#BACKGROUND: Sepsis-induced liver injury is a fatal complication of sepsis. Trichostatin A (TSA) regulates inflammation and autophagy in some human diseases, and forkhead box O3a (FoxO3a) has been shown to regulate autophagy. The present study aims to investigate whether TSA exerts its effects on septic liver injury through the FoxO3a/autophagy signaling pathway. METHODS: A sepsis mouse model was constructed by the cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) method, and AML12 cells were pretreated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (1 μg/mL) to establish a sepsis cell model. Forty mice were divided into four groups, namely control group, TSA group, CLP group, and CLP+TSA group, with 10 mice in each group. Cells were divided into control group, TSA group, LPS group, and LPS+TSA group. Hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining and biochemical methods were used to evaluate liver tissue injury. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was applied to detect the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, and Western blotting and immunofluorescence were used to measure autophagy-related protein expression. RESULTS: Compared with the CLP group (mice), the proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin-β [IL-β] 2,665.27±324.90 pg/mL to 2,080.26±373.66 pg/mL; interleukin-6 [IL-6] 399.01±60.98 pg/mL to 221.90±46.89 pg/mL) and the hepatocyte injury markers (aspartate transaminase [AST] from 198.18±27.07 U/L to 128.42±20.55 U/L; alanine aminotransferase [ALT] from 634.98±74.10 U/L to 478.60±32.56 U/L) were notably decreased after TSA intervention. Moreover, LC3 II and FoxO3a showed an obvious increase and P62 showed an obvious decrease in the CLP+TSA group. Cell experiment results showed the similar trend. After FoxO3a gene was knocked down in AML12 cells, the promotion of autophagy and the improvement of liver enzyme index and inflammation by TSA were weakened. CONCLUSION: TSA may improve the inflammatory response and liver injury in septic mice through FoxO3a/autophagy.

Research on antitumor effects of small molecule inhibitors of deubiquitinases: new progress and new ideas / 药学学报

The abnormality of ubiquitin proteasome pathway is an important factor leading to the imbalance of protein homeostasis. In this process, the deubiquitinase responsible for removing the ubiquitin chain of protein substrate is very important. Its abnormal activity or expression can cause the functional changes of key oncogenic/tumor suppressor proteins, which directly or indirectly lead to the occurrence, development and malignant evolution of tumors. Based on this, the discovery and research of small molecule inhibitors targeting deubiquitinases have become a hot field of anti-tumor candidate drugs. This review will focus on the regulatory effect and mechanism of ubiquitin proteasome pathway, especially deubiquitinase on tumor, introduce the application of deubiquitinase small molecule inhibitors in tumor treatment, and discuss the research status and latest progress of small molecule inhibitors, so as to provide ideas for the research of new anti-tumor strategies based on deubiquitinase.

Isobavachalcone induces cell death through multiple pathways in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the effects of isobavachalcone (IBC) on cell death of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells and explore the possible mechanism.@*METHODS@#MCF-7 cells were treated with different concentrations of IBC, and the changes in cell proliferation were assessed using MTT assay. Apoptosis of MCF-7 cells following treatment with 10, 20, and 40 μmol/L IBC was analyzed using flow cytometry with annexin V-FITC/PI double staining and fluorescence microscopy, and the expressions of apoptosis- and autophagy-related proteins (Bax, Bcl-2, Akt, p-Akt, p62, and LC3) were detected with Western blotting. Electron microscopy was used to observe the changes in submicrostructure of the cells following treatment with 40 μmol/L IBC. JC-1 assay kit, ATP assay kit, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) kit were used to determine the effect of IBC on mitochondrial function of the cells.@*RESULTS@#MTT assay showed that IBC significantly inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, with IC50 values of 38.46, 31.31, and 28.26 μmol/L at 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. IBC also concentration-dependently induced apoptosis of MCF-7 cells. IBC-induced cell death was inhibited by z-VAD-fmk, a caspase inhibitor (P < 0.05), but not by the necroptosis inhibitor necrostatin-1 (Nec-1). Western blotting showed that IBC-induced MCF-7 cell apoptosis by increasing Bax expression and down-regulating the expressions of Bcl-2, Akt and p-Akt-473 (all P < 0.05). With the increase of IBC concentration, the expression of autophagy-related protein p62 and the LC3-II/I ratio increased progressively. Electron microscopy revealed the presence of autophagic bodies in IBC-treated MCF-7 cells. IBC treatment also resulted in decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and intracellular ATP level and increased ROS accumulation in MCF-7 cells (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#IBC is capable of inducing both apoptosis and autophagy in MCF-7 cells, suggesting the potential value of IBC as a lead compound in the development of anti-breast cancer agents.

Using 16S rDNA Sequencing Technology to Preliminarily Analyze Intestinal Flora in Children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae Pneumonia / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

Objective@#We investigated changes in the intestinal flora of children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP).@*Methods@#Between September 2019 and November 2019, stool samples from 14 children with MPP from The Fourth Hospital of Baotou city, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, were collected and divided into general treatment (AF) and probiotic (AFY) groups, according to the treatment of "combined Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, and Bacillus cereus tablets live". High-throughput 16S rDNA sequencing was used to identify intestinal flora.@*Results@#Intestinal flora abundance and diversity in children with MPP were decreased. Both Shannon and Simpson indices were lower in the AF group when compared with healthy controls ( P < 0.05). When compared with healthy controls, the proportion of Enterorhabdus was lower in the AF group, while the proportion of Lachnoclostridium was higher ( P < 0.05). The proportion of Bifidobacteria and Akkermansia was lower in the AFY group but Enterococcus, Lachnoclostridium, Roseburia, and Erysipelatoclostridium proportions were higher. The proportion of Escherichia coli- Shigella in the AFY group after treatment was decreased ( P < 0.05).@*Conclusions@#The intestinal flora of children with MPP is disturbed, manifested as decreased abundance and diversity, and decreased Bifidobacteria. Our probiotic mixture partly improved intestinal flora disorders.

The Liver Injury and Coagulation Dysfunction in the Patients with Severe/Critical COVID-19 / 中国实验血液学杂志

METHODS@#The clinical data of 53 COVID-19 patients were collected from a single center in Wuhan from February 8, 2020 to March 25, 2020. The patients were divided into severe type group (38 patients) and critical type group (15 patients). The clinical characteristics, indexes of liver function, coagulation function and inflammatory markers were analyzed retrospectively. According to the degree of abnormal liver function in the process of diagnosis and treatment, the patients were divided into three groups: combined liver injury, mild abnormal liver function and normal liver function group. Statistical analysis was performed by using Student t test, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test and Chi-square test.@*RESULTS@#Among the 53 patients, 29 were male (54.7%) and 24 were female (45.3%), the median age was 57(27－80) years old. The time from onset to admission was (11.5±7.7) days. The levels of AST, TBIL, DBIL, ALP, GGT, LDH, D-dimer, PCT and hsCRP in critical patients were higher than those in severe patients (P<0.05). The levels of Alb in critical patients was lower than those in severe patients (P<0.05). Among the 53 patients, 34 (64%) patients showed abnormal elevation of ALT, AST or TBIL, while 4 (7.5%) patients showed the criteria of COVID-19 with liver injury. After the patients were grouping according to the degree of liver dysfunction, the levels of ALP, GGT and D-dimer of the patients in the liver injury group were significantly higher than those in the normal liver function group, D-dimer levels of the patients in the liver injury group was significantly higher than those in the mild abnormal liver function group, while the levels of ALP and GGT in the mild abnormal liver function group were significantly higher than those in the normal liver function group, and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#In this group, the patients with COVID-19 severe/critical type have a certain proportion of liver injury accompanied by significantly increased D-dimer levels, critical type patients have more severe liver function and coagulation dysfunction, which may promote the progression of COVID-19.

Key Genes of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Effective Chinese Herbs： A Bioinformatics Analysis and Systematic Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To explore the key gens of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in hepatocellular carcinoma（HCC-PBMC） and potentially effective Chinese herbs based on bioinformatics， and to verify the clinical efficacy of these Chinese herbs via a systematic review. Method:The chips GSE58208 and GSE36076 of HCC-PBMC were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus （GEO）， followed by the identification of differentially expressed genes （DEGs） using RStudio. After protein-protein interaction （PPI） analysis by STRING， the DAVID was employed for gene ontology （GO） and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） enrichment analysis. The DEGs of HCC-PBMC were visualized by Cytoscape. The key genes of HCC-PBMC were calculated by CytoHubba plug-in and mapped with those in Coremine Medical for screening out the potential Chinese herbs for the treatment of HCC， which were then included for subsequent systematic review. Result:A total of 203 DEGs were obtained （194 up-regulated and nine down-regulated）. As revealed by DAVID analysis， the DEGs were mainly enriched in such biological processes and signaling pathways as transcriptional regulation of DNA template， hydrolysis of ribonucleic acid phosphodiester bond， positive regulation of intranuclear mitosis and division， skeletal muscle fiber development， activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase（MAPK）activity， Fanconi anemia pathway， and metabolic pathway. The key genes of HCC-PBMC were calculated by Cytoscape to be<italic> </italic>GTPase IMAP family member 1 （GIMAP1）， GTPase IMAP family member 4 （GIMAP4）， GTPase IMAP family member 6 （GIMAP6）， GTPase IMAP family member 7 （GIMAP7）， GTPase IMAP family member 8 （GIMAP8）， interleukin-1<italic>β </italic>（IL-1<italic>β）</italic>， CX3C chemokine receptor 1 （CX3CR1）， C-C chemokine receptor type 2 （CCR2）， Toll-like receptor 7（TLR7）， and epidermal growth factor（EGF）. Through Coremine Medical analysis， it was concluded that Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma， Curcumae Longae Rhizoma， Centellae Herba， and Hedyotidis Herba were closely related to the key genes. Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma has the effects of tonifying and benefiting lung and spleen and enhancing strength， suitable for the liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome or Qi-Yin deficiency syndrome of HCC. Hence， Si Junzitang with Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma as the sovereign medicinal was included for systematic review. It has been confirmed that Ginseng Radix Et Rhizoma was superior to western medicine alone in improving the overall clinical efficacy， alleviating TCM syndrome， elevating serum CD4⁺and CD4⁺/CD8⁺levels， and reducing the serum CD8⁺and TBIL levels （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， with high safety. Conclusion:This study conducted at the gene level has provided new ideas for clinical diagnosis and treatment of HCC. The systematic review of Ginseng Radix Et Rhizoma against HCC provides a basis for the clinical prevention and treatment of HCC with TCM.

Corrigendum to “Effects of Raphani Semen on anti-fatigue and pharmacokinetics of Panax ginseng ” Chinese Herbal Medicines 11 2019 308–313 (Chinese Herbal Medicines (2019) 11(3) (308–313), (S1674638419300413), (10.1016/j.chmed.2019.05.001)) / 中草药·英文版

When this paper was first published the following ethical statement was omitted in error: The research was approved by the Ethics Committee of Experimental Animal Management of Institute of Special Wild Economic Animals and Plants, Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences (No. 201807024). All animals were treated in strict accordance with animal ethics procedures and norms. The authors would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Glycyrrhizic acid: a potential drug against COVID-19 / 药学学报

Pneumonia caused by SARS-CoV-2 has seriously threatened human life and health worldwide and caused a large number of deaths. Viral infection and acute inflammation are important causes of death, so it is particularly important to combine antiviral therapy with anti-inflammatory therapy. Glycyrrhizic acid, the main component of the glycyrrhizic root extract, has a wide range of pharmacological effects as well as high efficiency and low toxicity, its preparation has been widely used in the treatment of chronic hepatitis and other diseases. Glycyrrhizic acid can regulate the expression and release of a variety of cytokines and play a significant anti-inflammatory effect. At the same time, glycyrrhizic acid also showed significant inhibition towards a variety types of viruses. Therefore, the potential application of glycyrrhizic acid as COVID-19 treatment should be explored.

Pharmacokinetics of FGF21-164 fusion protein in mice using UHPLC-MS/MS method / 药学学报

FGF21-164 is a fusion protein obtained by structural modification and coupling of endogenous FGF21. It is a candidate drug used in the treatment of glucose and lipid metabolic disorders caused by obesity. In this study, the candidate peptide mass spectrometry information of the protein hydrolyzed by trypsin was predicted by Skyline software and verified by high resolution mass spectrometry. The specific surrogate peptide (YLYTDDAQQTEAHLEIR) with the best mass response was selected after optimizing ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). Under ESI positive ion mode, the parent ion m/z 689.3 with 3 charge and the product ion m/z 738.4 with single charge can be monitored. After dilution by PBS, the serum samples were denatured under 60 ℃ and alkylated to reduce the matrix effect, then incubated with trypsin at 37 ℃ for 2 h, to obtain the surrogate peptide. The chromatographic separation was carried out on an EclipsePlus C18 column (2.1 mm×50 mm, 1.8 μm) using aqueous solution containing 0.1% formic acid (phase A) and acetonitrile solution containing 0.1% formic acid (phase B). Finally, the concentration of FGF21-164 fusion protein in mouse serum was quantitatively analyzed by external standard method by monitoring the above ion pairs using triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. This method showed a good linearity in the range of 2.50-500 μg·mL-1 (r = 0.998 8), and was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study of FGF21-164 fusion protein in mice. This experiment was approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences (batch number: 20180004040450). Compared with the endogenous FGF21, the t1/2 of FGF21-164 fusion protein was prolonged from 0.5 h to 2.6 h, which is expected to prolong the therapeutic efficacy of this protein.

Study of the correlations between left ventricular twist and morphology and global systolic function by three-dimensional speckle tracking imaging in adult patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the changes of left ventricular (LV) myocardial systolic strain and twist motion including global longitudinal strain(GLS), global circumferential strain(GCS), global radial strain(GRS), global area strain(GAS), LV basal segment rotation angle (Rotation-basal), LV apical segment rotation angle (Rotation-apical), LV twist angle (Twist), LV torsion(Torsion) by three-dimensional speckle tracking imaging(3D-STI) in adult patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), and further to analyze the correlations between LV twist and its morphology and global systolic function.Methods:A total of 45 patients with HCM from the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University from September 2017 to June 2019 were enrolled. In addition, 50 healthy subjects were recruited as a control group. Left atrial dimension(LAD), interventricular septal end-diastole dimension(IVSD), LV posterior wall end-diastole dimension (LVPWD), LV mass index(LVMI) and other parameters were respectively measured by conventional two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography. LV end-diastole volume(EDV), LV end-systole volume(ESV), calculated stroke volume(SV) and LV ejection fraction (LVEF) were respectively measured by 3D transthoracic echocardiography. Full-volume 3D dynamic images were performed using matrix transducer X5-1. LV Rotation-basal, Rotation-apical, Twist and Torsion, GLS, GCS, GRS and GAS were respectively analyzed by off-line TomTec software. The differences of those parameters between the two groups were compared. The correlations between 3D-Torsion parameters and those parameters by two-dimensional echocardiography was further analyzed.Results:Compared with control group, LAD, IVSD, LVPWD and LVMI of HCM group were increased(all P<0.01), EDV, ESV, SV, LVEF and E/A were decreased(all P<0.01). Compared with control group, GLS, GCS and GRS of HCM group were decreased(all P<0.01). Rotation-basal, Rotation-apical, Twist and Torsion were increased(all P<0.01), and there was no significant difference of GAS between the two groups( P>0.05). In HCM group, IVSD was not correlated with Rotation-basal ( P>0.05), but negatively correlated with Rotation-apical, Twist and Torsion ( r=-0.327, -0.439, -0.374; all P<0.05); LVEF and LVMI were not correlated with Rotation-basal, Rotation-apical, Twist and Torsion (all P>0.05). Conclusions:①3D-STI can detect the earlier subtle changes of left ventricular three-dimensional systolic strain in HCM patients; ②LV three-dimensional Twist inereases considerably in HCM patients; ③LV Twist, Torsion and Rotation-apical are significantly decreased with the increase of IVSD in HCM patients; However, LVEF and LVMI are not significantly correlated with Rotation-basal, Rotation-apical, Twist and Torsion.

Research on Natural Boundary of Traditional Geo-authentic Origin of Ligusticum chuanxiong via Soil Elements Characteristics Along Same Longitude / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To find the natural environmental boundary of the origin of the authentic Ligusticum chuanxiong by analyzing the distribution characteristics of soil elements in the traditional geo-authentic area and the southern continuous expanding areas along the same longitude. Method:The contents of 24 elements both in soil and plant L. chuanxiong samples were determined by using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry （XRF） and ICP-MS，etc. Spearman correlation test was used to evaluate the correlations of rhizosphere soil and each portion of L. chuanxiong，to screen out “characteristic elements”. Bray-Curtis similarity indexes based on all elements and "characteristic elements" were used for hierarchical cluster analysis of soil samples, to identify the sample range with similar soil element charateristics to the traditional geo-authentic area of L. chuanxiong. Result:K，Mg，Mn and Rb elements were significantly correlated in rhizosphere soil and plant L. chuanxiong. Geographical differentiation of all elements and four characteristic elements showed that there was a highest similarity between geo-authentic area and its neighbor plots S1-S6 (except plot S4) in soil elements distribution, followed by plots S14-S16. The middle section plots S7-S13 in the expansion areas were quite different from the traditional geo-authentic production areas. Conclusion:The soil element characteristics in the study areas were not completely controlled by geographical distance，but demonstrated the "fault" variation in the areas along longitude. This study provides a theoretical basis for the detrrmination of suitable cultivation area for Ligusticum Chuanxiong, and the natural boundary of its geo-authentic area may be extended an additional 60 km southward along longitude beyond the traditional origin. Additionally， K，Mg，Mn and Rb characteristic elements may be the potential markers to evaluate the suitable soil environment for cultivating L. chuanxiong.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of characteristic chemical constituents in wine-processed Corni Fructus by chemometric and UPLC-PDA / 中草药

Objective: To screen the differential ingredients between crude and wine-processed Corni Fructus and determin their content. Methods: An integrated strategy using ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem quadrupole time-of- flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS) and the chemometric approach was applied to compare the global chemical profile of crude and wine-processed Corni Fructus. Then, the main differential ingredients were quantified by UPLC-PDA. Results: The chemical profiling of wine-processed Corni Fructus was significantly different. Ten compounds could be considered as characteristic chemical markers for distinguishing crude and wine-processed Corni Fructus, including 5-hydroxymethyl furfuraldehyde (5-HMF), gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, morroniside, loganic acid, sweroside, cornin, dihydroquercetin, loganin and cornoside. A new UPLC-PDA quantitative method for analyzing simultaneously the above ten compounds in wine-processed Corni Fructus was established. The results of methodology investigation showed that the ten components were well linear within the investigation range (r ≥ 0.999 7). Compared with the crude Corni Fructus, the content of seven components were increased, including gallic acid, 5-HMF, loganin, morroniside, cornin, sweroside and dihydroquercetin, and the other three components in wine-processed Corni Fructus were decreased. Conclusion: The differential ingredients obtained by chemometric-based approach can be used to distinguish crude and wine-processed Corni Fructus. The determination method of wine-processed Corni Fructus established is accurate and reliable, which can be used for the quality control of Corni Fructus.

Investigation on Demodex infections among university students in Kunming City / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To investigate the prevalence of Demodex infection among students in Kunming Medical University, and identify the factors affecting Demodex infections, so as to provide the evidence for the development of the strategy for the prevention of Demodex infections. Methods A total of 1 463 students from Grade 2014 who studied Medical Parasitology in Kunming Medical University were included in the survey. Demodex was examined in students’facial skin using the cellophane tape method, and the species was identified using microscopy. The students’gender, ethnicity, place of origin and skin type were captured using a questionnaire survey. Results The overall prevalence of Demodex infections was 19.07% (279/1 463) on the facial skin among the university students, and a higher prevalence was seen in girls (21.16%, 183/865) than in boys (16.05%, 96/598) (χ2 =5.965,P <0.05).TheprevalenceofDemodex infectionswas18.33%(66/360)amongminorethnicstudents,andnoethnicity-specific prevalence was seen (P > 0.05). Demodex folliculorum was the predominant species, with a prevalence of 50.54% (141/279), and mild infections were predominant among all infections (96.77%, 270/279), without severe infections seen. Multivariate nonconditional logistic regression analysis revealed that gender and roommates with Demodex infections were risk factors of Demodex infections, and the infection was not associated with ethnicity, place of origin or skin type. There were only 2.53% (37/1 463) of the subjects understanding the knowledge pertaining to the prevention and control of Demodex infection. Conclusions A relatively low prevalence of Demodex infection is detected in the facial skin of students from Kunming Medical University, and Demodex infection is associated with gender and roommates with Demodex infections. Health education pertaining to the prevention of Demodex infections is suggested to be intensified among university students.

Research progress of HOXB7 gene in hepatocellular carcinoma / 医学研究生学报

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the major histological subtype of primary liver cancer, with a high degree of invasiveness and metastatic potential. HOXB7 is a transcriptional regulator in the homeobox genes (HOX) family, which plays a significant role in the process of DNA synthesis and transcription. HOXB7 can promote the proliferation and invasion of liver cancer cells and other biological processes through a variety of mechanisms. HOXB7 expresses highly in HCC tissues and is closely related to disease progression and poor prognosis. HOXB7 is highly expressed in HCC tissues, and its high expression is closely related to disease progression and poor prognosis. This paper reviews the structure and function of HOXB7 gene, its role in the development of HCC and its prognostic value.

Progress of researches on Fasciola and fascioliasis in Yunnan Province / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Fascioliasis is a zoonotic parasitic disease that seriously endangers human health and hinders socioeconomic development. Fasciola mainly infects ruminants, such as cattle and sheep. However, there has recently been a rise in the number of human cases with fascioliasis with the improvements of diagnostic techniques. During the past decades, sporadic cases of fascioliasis were predominantly identified; however, there were outbreaks of fascioliasis in Yunnan Province, which has been paid much attention. The review summarizes the advances in the distribution of Fasciola species and the progress of researches on fascioliasis in Yunnan Province.

Diagnostic accuracy of cone beam computed tomography with different resolution settings for external root resorption / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) with different resolution settings in detecting the simulated external root resorption defects.@*METHODS@#External root resorption defects were simulated in 51 human single rooted premolar teeth. Cavities simulating root resorption defects of 1 mm in diameter and 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, and 0.3 mm in depth were drilled in the cervical, middle and apical thirds of lingual surfaces of the teeth. In addition to the 51 locations as controls, a total of 102 cavities were obtained in the present study. Specimens were placed in a human dry mandible and scanned by ProMax 3D and DCT PRO CBCT with different resolution settings, respectively. The three-dimensional CBCT images were evaluated by two experienced observers. The data were analyzed with receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis. ROC curves were generated and the area under ROC curve (Az) was employed to express the diagnostic accuracy.@*RESULTS@#The diagnostic accuracy (Az value) of ProMax 3D CBCT with high, normal and low resolution settings were 0.867, 0.703 and 0.665 (P < 0.05), respectively. Defects with depths of 0.2 mm and 0.3 mm were easier to be detected than those with depths of 0.1 mm (P < 0.05). The images obtained by high resolution mode scanning had obvious advantages in detecting smaller defects (depth 0.1 mm and 0.2 mm). The DCT PRO CBCT provided 4 resolution settings including normal quality + normal resolution, normal quality + high resolution, high quality + normal resolution and high quality + high resolution. The Az values for those 4 resolution settings were 0.527, 0.725, 0.743, and 0.794 (P < 0.05), respectively. Similar to ProMax 3D CBCT, the scanning mode with high resolution played a better role in detecting the defects with depth of 0.1 mm. Except for the scanning setting mode with normal quality + normal resolution, the other three modes could well be evaluated for the defects with depth of 0.2 mm and 0.3 mm.@*CONCLUSION@#It is concluded that the diagnostic ability for external root resorption of CBCT could be affected by resolution settings. Computer-aid imaging method can improve the CBCT diagnostic accuracy for external root resorption without increasing the radiation dose level during CBCT scanning.

Anti-inflammatory Active Ingredient of Chinese Herb Polygoni Cuspidati Rhizoma et Radix Based on Spectrum-effect Relationship / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective: To study the potential anti-inflammatory active ingredient of Chinese herbal Polygoni Cuspidati Rhizoma et Radix. Method: The inflammatory model of peritoneal macrophages (RAW264.7 cells) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mice was used to screen out the anti-inflammatory activity of 95% ethanol extract of Polygoni Cuspidati Rhizoma et Radix and its macroporous resin elution site (30%, 60%, 95% ethanol eluting site). The characteristic fingerprints were established by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS) technology, and then partial least squares method (partial least squares, PLS) was used to study the spectrum-effect relationship between the peak area of the characteristic components and the inhibition rate of nitric oxide (NO), and potential anti-inflammatory active ingredients were identified according to variable important in projection (VIP). Result: The ethanol extract macroporous resin 60% ethanol elution site of Polygoni Cuspidati Rhizoma et Radix had the strongest inhibition ability of nitric oxide formation, with a certain dose-dependent relationship. The study of spectrum-effect relationship showed that 3 components had potential anti-inflammatory activity, namely Emodin-8-O-β-D-glucoside (E-8-G), Emodin-1-O-β-D-giucoside, and Emodin-8-O-(6'-O-malonyl)-glucoside. In addition, the anti-inflammatory activity of E-8-G was further validated at the cell level through molecular docking analysis. Conclusion: Three potential anti-inflammatory active ingredients were found base on the spectrum-effect relationship. This study strategy is helpful to find the active ingredients (group) of traditional Chinese medicine, and provides new research ideas and methods for studying the material basis of Chinese herbal medicine.