Data Mining of Medication Rules of LIU Mao-Cai in Treating Post-stroke Sequelae / 广州中医药大学学报

Based on FangNet platform,the data of the prescriptions for the effective cases of post-stroke sequelae treated by national renowned Chinese medical practitioner LIU Mao-Cai were collected for the analysis of medication frequency of the prescribed drugs as well as their properties,flavors and meridian tropism.The medication rules of LIU Mao-Cai for treating post-stroke sequelae was summarized by analyzing the weight scale,co-occurrence and mutual exclusivity of the prescribed drugs and by drug-symptom association rule analysis and drug clustering analysis.The results showed that a total of 105 prescriptions involving 95 Chinese medicines were obtained.The drugs in the prescriptions were mainly warm in nature,sweet in flavor and had the meridian tropism of liver meridian.There were 17 driver herbs,and they were Astragali Radix,Gastrodiae Rhizoma,Corni Fructus,Codonopsis Radix,Eucommiae Cortex,Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix,Chuanxiong Rhizoma,Polygalae Radix,Curcumae Longae Rhizoma,Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma,Ophiopogonis Radix,Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma,Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,Poria,Uncariae Ramulus cum Uncis,Pinelliae Rhizoma Praeparatum,and Ligustri Lucidi Fructus.The results of drug co-occurrence analysis yielded 12 drug pairs such as Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix-Eucommiae Cortex,drug-symptom association rule analysis yielded 9 groups of drug-symptom association combinations such as Gastrodiae Rhizoma-dizziness,and cluster analysis yielded 4 drug combinations.The results indicated that the drugs for post-stroke sequelae treated by LIU Mao-Cai are mild in nature and mainly have the actions of supporting healthy-qi and replenishing the deficient,and Astragali Radix and Codonopsis Radix are often used to replenish the vital energy,and Corni Fructus,Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix and Eucommiae Cortex are usually used to tonify the liver and kidney.Moreover,simultaneous treatment of phlegm and blood stasis,and simultaneous application of purging and nourishing therapeutics are also stressed.

Clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of young patients with sporadic rectal cancer liver metastasis / 解放军医学杂志

Objective To identify the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of young patients with sporadic rectal cancer liver metastasis(RCLM).Methods The clinical data of young RCLM patients at 45 years or under(n=40,as younger patient group)in Peking University First Hospital from January 2016 to January 2021 were reviewed,meanwhile,elder RCLM patient group were comprised of 82 patients older than 45-year-old in a 1:2 ratio.Proportions of categorical variables were compared between young patients and old patients.The clinicopathologic parameters were analyzed with univariate and multivariate Cox regression models and Kaplan-Meier method for demonstrating survival differences between the maximum diameter of liver metastasis and local therapy.Results One hundred and twenty-two RCLM patients were identified,the 1-,3-and 5-year survival rates of young patient group were 97.5%,47.5%,15.0%,those of elder patient group were 84.1%,26.8%,9.8%,respectively.The differences in BMI(P=0.008),primary tumor with obstruction and bleeding(P=0.006),synchronous rectal cancer liver metastases(P=0.005),the maximum diameter of liver metastasis>3 cm(P=0.019)were statistically significant between the two groups.And univariate and multivariate analyses showed that age(P=0.003),N stage(P=0.007),local therapy for liver metastases(P=0.047)and the maximum diameter of liver metastasis(P=0.030)were independent risk factors for influencing the prognosis of RCLM patients;curative resection or not of primary tumor(P=0.035)and the maximum diameter of liver metastasis(P=0.041)were independent risk factors for influencing the prognosis of young RCLM patients.Kaplan-Maier curve demonstrated survival differences between the maximum diameter of liver metastasis and local therapy for liver metastasis in RCLM patients(log-rank P=0.000).Conclusions Although with later staging of initial tumor station,young RCLM patients may obtain better survival benefit compared with old patients.Higher degree of lymph node metastasis,local therapy for liver metastases and the maximum diameter of liver metastasis>3 cm indicates poor prognosis in RCLM patients,and without curative resection of primary tumor and maximum diameter of liver metastasis are also considered as the independent poor prognostic factors of young RCLM patients.Local therapy for liver metastases appears to play an important role in the treatment strategy of RCLM patients.

Role of PNEC and GABA in pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors / 解放军医学杂志

Objective To investigate the role of pulmonary neuroendocrine cells(PNEC)and γ-aminobutyric acid(GABA)in patients with pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors(PNET).Methods The pathological specimens of 29 cases of PNET treated in the eighth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from October 2018 to January 2022 were collected.The morphological characteristics were observed by HE staining,and the expression levels of synaptophysin(Syn),chromogranin A(CgA),CD56,Ki-67,CD86 and CD163 were observed by immunohistochemical staining.Calcitonin gene-related peptide(CGRP)and glutamic acid decarboxylase(GAD)65/67 in different types of PNETs were detected by double antibody immunofluorescence co-staining,and the correlation between GAD65/67 positive PNEC and macrophage polarization was analyzed.Results The results of HE staining showed that all four types of PNET tissues had neuroendocrine(NE)characteristics:rosette structure and organ nesting or palisade pattern,but they were different,and the proportion of mitotic cells from low to high was typical carcinoid(TC),atypical carcinoid(AC),large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma(LCNEC)and small cell lung cancer(SCLC).The results of immunohistochemical staining showed that the positive expression rate of Syn and CgA and the positive degree of Syn,CgA and CD56 in carcinoid(TC and AC)were significantly higher than those in LCNEC and SCLC(P＜0.05).The Ki-67 indices of the four types of PNET are:TC＜5%,AC 5%-20%,LCNEC and SCLC＞75%respectively.The number of PNEC in carcinoid was significantly higher than that in LCNEC,SCLC and paratumoral tissues(P＜0.05),but there was no significant difference in the number of PNEC between LCNEC and SCLC and para-tumor tissues(P＞0.05).The results of immunofluorescence staining showed that the number of GAD65/67 positive cells co-expressing GAD65/67 in 95%PNEC was significantly higher than that in LCNEC,SCLC and para-tumor tissues(P＜0.05),but there was no significant difference between LCNEC and SCLC GAD65/67 positive cells and para-tumor tissues(P＞0.05).The results of immunohistochemical staining also showed that the number of CD86 positive M1 macrophages was significantly higher than that of CD163 positive M2 macrophages in para-tumor tissues(P＜0.05),while M2 macrophages were significantly more than M1 macrophages in AC,LCNEC and SCLC(P＜0.01).Correlation analysis showed that the number of GAD65/67 positive PNEC cells in PNET was negatively correlated with the number of CD163 positive M2 macrophages in tumor stroma(r=-0.6336,P=0.0174).Conclusions PNEC is the main source of GABA in lung tissue and plays an immunomodulatory role in the lung,which may be involved in the progression of PNET.

Preliminary construction of a measurement tool for atrial fibrillation patient's experience of catheter ablation / 复旦学报（医学版）

Objective To construct a measurement tool for atrial fibrillation(AF)patients'experience of catheter ablation,in order to provide quantifiable basis for improving the patients'perioperative experience.Methods From Jun 2022 to Apr 2023,literature analysis,qualitative research,Delphi expert consultation,and analytic hierarchy process were used to determine the content and weight of various indicators of the measurement tool.Results The enthusiasm of experts in 3 rounds was 100%.The authority coefficient of experts was 0.946,0.961 and 0.976.The Kendal harmony coefficients of the 2 and 3 rounds of expert consultation was 0.130 and 0.370(P＜0.001).The final measurement tool included 46 items and 5 dimensions,including operational and technical quality experience,comfort management experience,information and communication experience,emotional support experience,service process and response experience.Conclusion The preliminary construction of measurement tool for AF patients'experience of catheter ablation,which were based on the features of specialty,could not only evaluate the patients'experience accurately,but also provide a basis for targeted improvement of medical and nursing service quality.

Role and mechanism of noncoding RNA in diabetic peripheral neuropathy / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:Persistent hyperglycemia has been identified as promoting neurovascular dysfunction,leading to irreversible endothelial dysfunction,increased neuronal apoptosis,oxidative stress and inflammation.These changes in combination or alone lead to microvascular and macrovascular lesions as well as progressive neuropathy.Noncoding RNAs may provide a new strategy for understanding the etiology,pathogenesis and treatment of the disease. OBJECTIVE:To review the role and mechanism of noncoding RNAs in the occurrence and development of diabetic peripheral neuropathy by reviewing relevant literature at home and abroad,in order to provide new ideas and approaches for noncoding RNAs in the prevention,diagnosis and treatment of diabetes neuropathy. METHODS:CNKI and PubMed were retrieved for relevant literature published from database inception to 2022.The key words were"noncoding RNA;lncRNA;miRNA;diabetes peripheral neuropathy;expression profile"in Chinese and English,respectively.The retrieved documents were summarized and analyzed,and 61 articles were finally selected for further review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Noncoding RNA plays a key role in the pathophysiological process of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.Among the most widely studied regulatory noncoding RNA species,there are long noncoding RNAs,circular RNAs and microRNAs.(2)Through the regulation of noncoding RNAs,the activation or inhibition of related cell pathways,inflammatory genes and downstream-related cytokines will inhibit cell apoptosis,improve inflammation,and thus change the expression of target genes to participate in the process of diabetic neuralgia.(3)Although many microRNAs and long noncoding RNAs have been found to participate in diabetic peripheral neuropathy,the mechanisms of many noncoding RNAs are unclear,and the same noncoding RNAs may play different roles in different modes.Therefore,it is necessary to further study their action modes in disease etiology and pathology,thereby clarifying their role in the pathogenesis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.However,the criteria for evaluating noncoding RNA activity have not yet been established,and further research is needed on which specific noncoding RNAs play a dominant regulatory role.(4)MicroRNAs,long noncoding RNAs and their target genes can regulate progressive neuropathy,which are expected to become new targets for the clinical prevention and treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy and new biomarkers for the development and prognosis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Retrospective Study on the Qingre Jiedu Decoction in the Treatment of Acute Mastitis During Lactation / 浙江中医药大学学报

[Objective]To explore the clinical efficacy of Qingre Jiedu Decoction in the treatment of acute mastitis during lactation.[Methods]The clinical data of lactating mastitis patients who presented to the Galactophore Department of Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Capital Medical University from January 2019 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.In the treatment group,80 patients received internal decoction;in control group,no decoction was taken.The severity index of mastitis,disease improvement rate,breast pain score,milk patency,nipple cracking condition and traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)systemic symptom score were observed.[Results]There were significant statistic differences in the severity index of mastitis,disease improvement rate,breast pain score,milk patency and TCM systemic symptoms scores(P＜0.05).The therapeutic effect of the treatment group was better than that of the control group.[Conclusion]Qingre Jiedu Decoction can effectively release pain,reduce the size of lumps,release swelling and milk stasis of lactation acute mastitis,and the curative effect is good.

Experience in Professional Resilience for Nurses Caring for Patients with COVID-19: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

Purpose@#During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses have faced many professional and ethical dilemmas and challenges along with bearing physical, mental, and emotional stress resulting from worrying about themselves or their family being infected and stigmatized. This stress can potentially lead to burnout and resignation. Professional resilience is crucial for nurses to cope with these adverse situations. This study aimed to investigate the process by which nurses adapt, change, and overcome challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and ultimately demonstrate professional resilience. @*Methods@#Descriptive phenomenology was applied. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 nurses working in COVID-19 wards and intensive care units to collect data. Giorgi's phenomenological analysis method was employed. @*Results@#Based on the interview responses, four major themes were identified: 1) balancing patient care, self-protection, and passing on experience; 2) providing timely pandemic team resources and social support; 3) nurses' perseverance amid social discourse and constrained lives; and 4) selfless dedication shaping nursing's pinnacle experiences. @*Conclusions@#In the face of a sudden pandemic, frontline nurses play a critical role in maintaining medical capacity. Consequently, they must balance their families, lives, and work while adapting to the impact of the pandemic and changing practices and procedures based on the development of the pandemic and policy demands. The study findings provide insights into the challenges and emotional experiences encountered by nurses during a sudden pandemic outbreak and can serve as a reference for developing strategies to help nurses overcome these challenges and enhance their professional resilience.

Diagnosis and clinical characteristics of atypical severe pneumonia caused by Chlamydia abortus / 中国感染控制杂志

Objective To explore the diagnosis and clinical characteristics of atypical severe pneumonia caused by Chlamydia abortus(C.abortus).Methods Clinical data of 4 patients diagnosed with atypical severe pneumonia caused by C.abortus in a hospital from January 2021 to November 2022 were collected.Clinical characteristics,dia-gnosis and treatment,and precautions of the disease were comprehensively analyzed.Results All 4 patients were male,aged 63-73 years old,with acute onset,high fever,cough and expectoration.Three patients had a history of contact with poultry,one patient had a history of contact with abortion goat.The interval between the emerging of clinical symptoms and the onset of acute respiratory failure in 4 patients was 1-6 days,and the oxygenation index(PaO2/FiO2)at admission was less than 200 mmHg,which gradually decreased with the progression of the disease,active support with a ventilator was necessary.Two patients had an increase in white blood cell count,4 had an in-crease in neutrophil percentage,3 had a mild decrease in platelet count.Among 4 patients,2,2,3 and 4 patients showed elevated levels of aspartate aminotransferase,alanine aminotransferase,creatine kinase,and serum creati-nine respectively,2 patients had mild hyponatremia,4 patients showed significant increase in C-reactive protein,procalcitonin,and interleukin-6 levels.Four patients'chest CT findings showed main involvement of single or mul-tiple lung lobes,with exudation and consolidation,and later involvement of multiple lobes of lung.The metageno-mic next-generation sequencing of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid detected the DNA sequence of C.abortus.Based on the clinical manifestations,contact history,chest CT,and metagenomic next-generation sequencing results of 4 pa-tients,the diagnosis was C.abortus.atypical severe pneumonia.After timely adjustment of the treatment of anti-in-fection regimen based on doxycycline,the patients'condition improved and were discharged.Conclusion C.abor-tus may also cause human pneumonia,which can lead to serious clinical outcome after infection.Patient had a histo-ry of animal contact should be alert to such diseases.Metagenomic next-generation sequencing can detect C.abortus.

The characteristics and implication of WHO Essential Medicines Model List 2023 / 中国卫生政策研究

The present analysis was based on the iteration of the 2023 WHO Essential Medicines Model List(23rd list)and Essential Medicines Model List for Children(9th list).In a methodological fashion,the adjustment procedure of the basic drug list and the materials required to submit the application were sorted out.Subsequently,a comprehensive synthesis of predominant features characterizing the 2023 edition of the EML and EMLc are summarized(offered).Notably,this edition boasts the highest count of medicines ever included featuring extensive inclusion of innovative drugs to fill the gap,select medicines for children carefully,and the emphasizing on clinical benefit evidence and public health affordability.It is suggested that China should update the NEML according to the national conditions and the experience of WHO as soon as possible,pay attention to the difference and connection between the list of essential medicines and the list of medical insurance,and play a meticulous role for establishing effective linkages between two lists.Such measures are envisaged to meet the basic drug needs,and ensure the accessibility and affordability of drugs,thereby optimizing the allocation of health resources.

Element profiles of benzoapyrene malignantly transformed 16HBE cells and joint effects of copper with cisplatin or vinorelbine on cell proliferation / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

OBJECTIVE To assess the profiles of elements in benzo[a]pyrene(BaP)induced carci-nogenesis,and explore the joint effects of copper with cisplatin or vinorelbine on cell proliferation.METHODS Forty-four elements were measured using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer in 16HBE cells and BaP malignantly transformed 16HBE(T-16HBE-C1)cells.Partial least square was used to validate the robustness of cell classification of elements.Cell viability was measured by MTT assay for copper(0,237,340,487,1000 and 1432 μmol·L-1),cisplatin(0,4.4,6.1,8.6,12.0 and 16.8 μmol·L-1),and vinorelbine(0,3.8,9.8,25.0,40.0 and 64.0 μmol·L-1)to acquire their half maximal inhibitory concentra-tion(IC50).Mixtures of copper and chemotherapeutics were prepared according to the ratio of each IC50.Their joint effects on cell viability were assessed by MTT assay and isobolographic analysis.Inhibition effect of copper(0,50,100,200,400 and 800 μmol·L-1)with IC50 of cisplatin or vinorelbine on prolifera-tion of T-16HBE-C1 cells was also assessed.RESULTS A total of 29 elements were quantified in 16HBE and T-16HBE-C1 cells,among which concentrations of copper,zinc,silver,selenium and rubidium decreased(P<0.05,P<0.01),while those of molybdenum,arsenic,lithium,germanium,strontium,nickel,lanthanum,mercury,iron,and cesium increased(P<0.05,P<0.01)in T-16HBE-C1 cells.Element concen-tration could be used to distinguish T-16HBE-C1 cells from 16HBE cells.Copper concentration-dependently inhibited proliferation of both cells,with a statistically significant lower IC50 of(613±16)μmol·L-1 in 16HBE cells than(776±15)μmol·L-1 in T-16HBE-C1 cells(P<0.01).Mixtures of copper and cisplatin(1∶69.5)or vinorelbine(1∶33.4)could inhibit cell proliferation,and copper had additive effects with cisplatin or vinorelbine.When copper concentration was higher than 400 μmol·L-1,copper combined with IC50 of cisplatin or vinorelbine inhibited cell proliferation of T-16HBE-C1 cells compared with IC50 of cisplatin(11.2 μmol·L-1)or vinorelbine(23.2 μmol·L-1)alone.CONCLUSION Element profiles and correlations can change significantly after 16HBE cells are malignantly transformed by BaP.Copper could inhibit the proliferation of T-16HBE-C1 cells and have additive effects with cisplatin or vinorelbine in higher concentration.

Allergy Associated With N-glycans on Glycoprotein Allergens / 生物化学与生物物理进展

Protein as the allergens could lead to allergy. In addition, a widespread class of allergens were known as glycans of N-glycoprotein. N-glycoprotein contained oligosaccharide linked by covalent bonds with protein. Recently,studies implicated that allergy was associated with glycans of heterologous N-glycoprotein found in food, inhalants, insect toxins, etc. The N-glycan structure of N-glycoprotein allergen has exerted an influence on the binding between allergens and IgE, while the recognition and presentation of allergens by antigen-presenting cells (APCs) were also affected. Some researches showed thatN-glycan structure of allergen was remodeled by N-glycosidase, such as cFase I, gpcXylase, as binding of allergen and IgE partly decreased. Thus, allergic problems caused by N-glycoproteins could potentially be solved by modifying or altering the structure ofN-glycoprotein allergens, addressing the root of the issue. Mechanism of N-glycans associated allergy could also be elaborated through glycosylation enzymes, alterations of host glycosylation. This article hopes to provide a separate insight for glycoimmunology perspective, and an alternative strategy for clinical prevention or therapy of allergic diseases.

Prevalence and influencing factors of behavioral problems among adolescents aged 12-16 years in Guizhou Province / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To explore the current status related to behavioral problems among children and adolescents aged 12-16 years old in Guizhou Province, China, and to provide a reference for timely prevention and intervention measures.@*Methods@#To capture different economic development levels, a multistage stratified cluster sampling method was used. A total of 3 217 children and adolescents aged 12-16 years old from six middle schools and six primary schools in Guiyang, Duyun, Kaili City from Guizhou Province participated in this study. The Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and a self designed questionnaire were administered between August and December 2021.@*Results@#The overall detection rate of behavioral problems among the students was 16.60% , and the rate was 14.41% and 18.62% among male and female students, respectively. The results of the Logistic regression analysis showed that good peer relationships ( OR=0.25, 0.16, P <0.05) were associated with a lower risk of behavioral problems in children and adolescents. However, the following factors were associated with an elevated risk of behavioral problems: nonparents as the main caregivers( OR = 1.44 ); children s daily screen time was 1-2 h ( OR =1.47) or more than 2 h( OR =2.75); children who had no sports hobbies( OR = 1.36); father parenting for doting or neglect( OR =1.85, 2.01); maternal parenting for doting( OR = 2.12 ); father had bad life habits( OR =1.69); father and mother were occasionally sick( OR =1.30, 1.38)( P <0.05).@*Conclusion@#Behavioral problems among children and adolescents in Guizhou Province is related to children s unhealthy living habits and various factors in the family environment. It is suggested that families, schools and relevant functional departments give full play to their own advantages and take comprehensive measures to prevent the occurrence of behavioral problems among children and adolescents.

Value of indocyanine green clearance test combined with total bilirubin actual resident rate in evaluating the short-term prognosis of patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure after artificial liver support system therapy / 临床肝胆病杂志

Objective To establish a new model of indocyanine green (ICG) clearance test combined with total bilirubin actual resident rate (TBARR) for predicting the short-term prognosis of patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) treated with artificial liver support system (ALSS) therapy. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 136 patients with HBV-ACLF who underwent ALSS therapy in Department of Infectious Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, from June 2017 to July 2021, and according to the prognosis at 3-month follow-up, they were divided into survival group with 92 patients and death group with 44 patients. Related indicators were measured at the time of the confirmed diagnosis of ACLF, including biochemical parameters, coagulation, indocyanine green retention rate at 15 minutes (ICGR 15 ), and effective hepatic blood flow (EHBF), and related indices were calculated, including Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, MELD difference (ΔMELD), Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score, total bilirubin clearance rate (TBCR), total bilirubin rebound rate (TBRR), and TBARR. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data with skewed distribution between two groups; the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. A binary logistic regression analysis was used to establish a combined predictive model for the prognosis of HBV-ACLF after ALSS therapy. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was used to compare the accuracy of various models in judging the short-term prognosis of patients with HBV-ACLF after ALSS therapy, and the Z test was used for comparison of AUC. Results There were significant differences between the death group and the survival group in MELD score, ΔMELD, CTP score, ICGR 15 , EHBF, TBRR, TBARR, neutrophil count, percentage of neutrophils, lymphocyte count, platelet count, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, total bilirubin, albumin, prothrombin time, international normalized ratio, prothrombin time activity, prealbumin, fibrinogen, serum sodium, age, and the incidence rate of hepatic encephalopathy (all P 80%. Conclusion The combined predictive model established by ICGR 15 and TBARR has a good value for in predicting the short-term prognosis of patients with HBV-ACLF after ALSS therapy, and the combined predictive model has a better accuracy than the single model in judging prognosis.

Prokaryotic expression, subcellular localization and enzymatic activity analysis of DXS gene from Platycodon grandiflorum / 药学学报

1-Deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase (DXS), the first key enzyme in 2-methyl-D-erythritol-4-phosphate (MEP) pathway, catalyzes the condensation of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate with pyruvate to 1-deoxy-xylose-5-phosphate (DXP). In this study, PgDXS1, PgDXS2, and PgDXS3 genes were cloned from the root of Platycodon grandiflorum (P. grandiflorum). The open reading frame (ORF) of PgDXS1, PgDXS2, and PgDXS3 were 2 160, 2 208, and 2 151 bp in full length, encoding 719, 735, and 716 amino acids, respectively. Homologous alignment results showed a high identity of PgDXSs with DXS in Hevea brasiliensis, Datura stramonium and Stevia rebaudiana. The recombinant expression plasmids of pET-28a-PgDXSs were constructed and transformed into Escherichia coli (E. coli) BL21 (DE3) cells, and the induced proteins were successfully expressed. Subcellular localization results showed that PgDXS1 and PgDXS2 were mainly located in chloroplasts, and PgDXS3 was located in chloroplasts, nucleus and cytoplasm. The expression of three DXS genes in different tissues of two producing areas of P. grandiflorum were assayed via real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, and the results showed that all of them were highly expressed in leaves of P. grandiflorum from Taihe. Under methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment, the expression levels of three PgDXS genes showed a trend of first decreasing and then increasing at different time points (3 - 48 h), and the activity of DXS showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing in three tissues of P. grandiflorum. This study provides a reference for further elucidating the biological function of PgDXS in terpenoid synthesis pathway in P. grandiflorum.

Association of Breastfeeding Duration with Body Composition in Children Aged 3-5 Years / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

OBJECTIVE@#This study aimed to assess the relationship between the body composition of children aged 3-5 years and breastfeeding status and duration.@*METHODS@#The study was conducted using data from the National Nutrition and Health Systematic Survey for children 0-17 years of age in China (CNHSC), a nationwide cross-sectional study. Breastfeeding information and potential confounders were collected using standardized questionnaires administered through face-to-face interviews. The body composition of preschool children was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis. A multivariate linear regression model was used to assess the relationship between breastfeeding duration and body composition after adjusting for potential confounders.@*RESULTS@#In total, 2,008 participants were included in the study. Of these, 89.2% were ever breastfed and the median duration of breastfeeding was 12 months (IQR 7-15 months). Among children aged 3 years, the height-for-age Z-score (HAZ) for the ever breastfed group was lower than that for never breastfed group (0.12 vs. 0.42, P = 0.043). In addition, the weight-for-age Z-score (WAZ) of the ever breastfed group was lower than that of the never breastfed group (0.31 vs. 0.65, P = 0.026), and the WAZ was lower in children aged 4 years who breastfed between 12 and 23 months than in those who never breastfed. Compared to the formula-fed children, the fat-free mass of breastfed infants was higher for children aged 3 years (12.84 kg vs. 12.52 kg, P = 0.015) and lower for those aged 4 years (14.31 kg vs. 14.64 kg, P = 0.048), but no difference was detected for children aged 5 years (16.40 kg vs. 16.42 kg, P = 0.910) after adjusting for potential confounders. No significant difference was detected in the weight-for-height Z-score (WHZ), body mass index (BMI)-for-age Z-score (BAZ), fat-free mass index, and body fat indicators in the ever breastfed and never breastfed groups and among various breastfeeding duration groups for children aged 3-5 years.@*CONCLUSION@#No obvious associations were detected between breastfeeding duration, BMI, and fat mass indicators. Future prospective studies should explore the relationship between breastfeeding status and fat-free mass.

Expression, purification and micelle reconstruction of the transmembrane domain of the human amyloid precursor protein for NMR studies / 生物工程学报

The multiple-step cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP) generates amyloid-β peptides (Aβ), highly toxic molecules causing Alzheimer's disease (AD). The nonspecific cleavage between the transmembrane region of APP (APPTM) and γ-secretase is the key step of Aβ generation. Reconstituting APPTM under physiologically-relevant conditions is crucial to investigate how it interacts with γ-secretase and for future AD drug discovery. Although producing recombinant APPTM was reported before, the large scale purification was hindered by the use of biological protease in the presence of membrane protein. Here, we expressed recombinant APPTM in Escherichia coli using the pMM-LR6 vector and recovered the fusion protein from inclusion bodies. By combining Ni-NTA chromatography, cyanogen bromide cleavage, and reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), isotopically-labeled APPTM was obtained in high yield and high purity. The reconstitution of APPTM into dodecylphosphocholine (DPC) micelle generated mono dispersed 2D 15N-1H HSQC spectra in high quality. We successfully established an efficient and reliable method for the expression, purification and reconstruction of APPTM, which may facilitate future investigation of APPTM and its complex in more native like membrane mimetics such as bicelle and nanodiscs.

Quality analysis of Rosae Radix et Rhizoma / 中国中药杂志

Rosae Radix et Rhizoma is a herbal medicine in a variety of famous Chinese patent medicines, while the quality standard for this medicine remains to be developed due to the insufficient research on the quality of Rosae Radix et Rhizoma from different sources. Therefore, this study comprehensively analyzed the components in Rosae Radix et Rhizoma of different sources from the aspects of extract, component category content, identification based on thin-lay chromatography, active component content determination, and fingerprint, so as to improve the quality control. The results showed that the content of chemical components varied in the samples of different sources, while there was little difference in the chemical composition among the samples. The content of components in the roots of Rosa laevigata was higher than that in the other two species, and the content of components in the roots was higher than that in the stems. The fingerprints of triterpenoids and non-triterpenoids were established, and the content of five main triterpenoids including multiflorin, rosamultin, myrianthic acid, rosolic acid, and tormentic acid in Rosae Radix et Rhizoma was determined. The results were consistent with those of major component categories. In conclusion, the quality of Rosae Radix et Rhizoma is associated with the plant species, producing area, and medicinal parts. The method established in this study lays a foundation for improving the quality standard of Rosae Radix et Rhizoma and provides data support for the rational use of the stem.

Effect of diosgenin on mTOR/FASN/HIF-1α/VEGFA expression in rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease / 中国中药杂志

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of diosgenin on mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR), fatty acid synthase(FASN), hypoxia inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α), and vascular endothelial growth factor A(VEGFA) expression in liver tissues of rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) and explore the mechanism of diosgenin on lipogenesis and inflammation in NAFLD. Forty male SD rats were divided into a normal group(n=8) fed on the normal diet and an experimental group(n=32) fed on the high-fat diet(HFD) for the induction of the NAFLD model. After modeling, the rats in the experimental group were randomly divided into an HFD group, a low-dose diosgenin group(150 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), a high-dose diosgenin group(300 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), and a simvastatin group(4 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), with eight rats in each group. The drugs were continuously given by gavage for eight weeks. The levels of triglyceride(TG), total cholesterol(TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), alanine transaminase(ALT), and aspartate transaminase(AST) in the serum were detected by the biochemical method. The content of TG and TC in the liver was detected by the enzyme method. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to measure interleukin 1β(IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α) in the serum. Lipid accumulation in the liver was detected by oil red O staining. Pathological changes of liver tissues were detected by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining. The mRNA and protein expression levels of mTOR, FASN, HIF-1α, and VEGFA in the liver of rats were detected by real-time fluorescence-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction(PCR) and Western blot, respectively. Compared with the normal group, the HFD group showed elevated body weight and levels of TG, TC, LDL-C, ALT, AST, IL-1β, and TNF-α(P<0.01), increased lipid accumulation in the liver(P<0.01), obvious liver steatosis, up-regulated mRNA expression levels of mTOR, FASN, HIF-1α, and VEGFA(P<0.01), and increased protein expression levels of p-mTOR, FASN, HIF-1α, and VEGFA(P<0.01). Compared with the HFD group, the groups with drug treatment showed lowered body weight and levels of TG, TC, LDL-C, ALT, AST, IL-1β, and TNF-α(P<0.05, P<0.01), reduced lipid accumulation in the liver(P<0.01), improved liver steatosis, decreased mRNA expression levels of mTOR, FASN, HIF-1α, and VEGFA(P<0.05, P<0.01), and declining protein expression levels of p-mTOR, FASN, HIF-1α, and VEGFA(P<0.01). The therapeutic effect of the high-dose diosgenin group was superior to that of the low-dose diosgenin group and the simvastatin group. Diosgenin may reduce liver lipid synthesis and inflammation and potentiate by down-regulating the mTOR, FASN, HIF-1α, and VEGFA expression, playing an active role in preventing and treating NAFLD.

Regulatory effect of eight Chinese herbal medicines on glucose and lipid metabolism and their potential active components based on HCBP6 target / 中国中药杂志

With the improvement of living standards and changes in working style, the prevalence of abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism in humans is increasing in modern society. Clinically, the related indicators are often improved by changing the lifestyle and/or taking hypoglycemic and lipid-lowering drugs, but there are no therapeutic drugs for disorders of glucose and lipid metabolism at present. Hepatitis C virus core protein binding protein 6(HCBP6) is a newly discovered target that can regulate triglyceride and cholesterol content according to level oscillations in the body, thereby regulating abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism. Relevant studies have shown that ginsenoside Rh_2 can significantly up-regulate the expression of HCBP6, but there are few studies on the effect of Chinese herbal medicines on HCBP6. Moreover, the three-dimensional structural information of HCBP6 has not been determined and the discovery of potential active components acting on HCBP6 is not rapidly advanced. Therefore, the total saponins of eight Chinese herbal medicines commonly used to regulate abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism were selected as the research objects to observe their effect on the expression of HCBP6. Then, the three-dimensional structure of HCBP6 was predicted, followed by molecular docking with saponins in eight Chinese herbal medicines to quickly find potential active components. The results showed that all total saponins tended to up-regulate HCBP6 mRNA and protein expression, where gypenosides showed the optimum effect on up-regulating HCBP6 mRNA and ginsenosides showed the optimum effect on up-regulating HCBP6 protein expression. Reliable protein structures were obtained after the prediction of protein structures using the Robetta website and the evaluation of the predicted structures by SAVES. The saponins from the website and literature were also collected and docked with the predicted protein, and the saponin components were found to have good binding activity to the HCBP6 protein. The results of the study are expected to provide ideas and methods for the discovery of new drugs from Chinese herbal medicines to regulate glucose and lipid metabolism.

Analysis of TUBB4A gene variant in a patient with adolescent-onset hypomyelinating leukodystrophy with atrophy of basal ganglia and cerebellum / 中华医学遗传学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the clinical characteristics and genetic etiology of a patient with adolescent-onset hypomyelinated leukodystrophy with atrophy of basal ganglia and cerebellum (H-ABC).@*METHODS@#A patient who was diagnosed with H-ABC in March 2018 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University was selected as the study subject. Clinical data was collected. Peripheral venous blood samples of the patient and his parents were collected. The patient was subjected to whole exome sequencing (WES). Candidate variant was verified by Sanger sequencing.@*RESULTS@#The patient, a 31-year-old male, had manifested with developmental retardation, cognitive decline and abnormal gait. WES revealed that he has harbored a heterozygous c.286G>A variant of the TUBB4A gene. Sanger sequencing confirmed that neither of his parents has carried the same variant. Analysis with SIFT online software indicated the amino acid encoded by this variant is highly conserved among various species. This variant has been recorded by the Human Gene Mutation Database (HGMD) with a low population frequency. The 3D structure constructed by PyMOL software showed that the variant has a harmful effect on the structure and function of the protein. According to the guidelines formulated by the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), the variant was rated as likely pathogenic.@*CONCLUSION@#The c.286G>A (p.Gly96Arg) variant of the TUBB4A gene probably underlay the hypomyelinating leukodystrophy with atrophy of basal ganglia and cerebellum in this patient. Above finding has enriched the spectrum of TUBB4A gene variants and enabled early definitive diagnosis of this disorder.