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Isoliquiritigenin (ISL) is an active chalcone compound isolated from licorice. It possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative activities. In our previous study, we uncovered a great potential of ISL in treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Therefore, this study aims to reveal the mechanism underlying the alleviatory effects of ISL on T2DM-induced glycolipid metabolism disorder. High-fat-high-sugar diet (HFD) combined with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) were used to establish T2DM mice model. All animal experiments were carried out with approval of the Committee of Ethics at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. HepG2 cells were used in in vitro experiments, and sodium palmitate (SP) was applied to establish insulin resistance (IR) model cells. The effects of ISL on body weight, fasting blood glucose levels, and pathological changes in the livers of mice were examined. Enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) were applied to detect the regulatory effects of ISL on key targets involved in glucolipid metabolism. Additionally, molecular docking and analytical dynamics simulation methods were used to analyze the interaction between ISL and key target protein. The results indicate that ISL significantly downregulates the transcriptional levels and inhibits the activities of key enzymes involved in gluconeogenesis, including pyruvate carboxylase (PC), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), and fructose-1, 6-bisphosphatase (FBP). It also downregulates the transcriptional and protein levels of hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α) and cAMP response element binding protein (CREB), the two transcriptional factors involved in gluconeogenesis. Thus, ISL inhibits hepatic gluconeogenesis in T2DM mice. In addition, ISL reduces total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) levels in the livers of T2DM mice. Moreover, ISL downregulates the mRNA levels of lipogenesis genes and upregulates those of genes involved in fatty acid oxidation, lipid uptake, and lipid export. In conclusion, ISL suppresses hepatic gluconeogenesis, promotes lipolysis, and restrains lipogenesis in T2DM mice, thereby improving the abnormal glycolipid metabolism caused by T2DM.
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Berberine (BBR) is the main pharmacological active ingredient of Coptidis, which has hypoglycemic effect, but its clinical application is limited due to its poor oral bioavailability. Polyphenols, derived from cinnamon, are beneficial for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The combination of both may have an additive effect. The aim of this study was to investigate the hypoglycemic effect and mechanism of combined medication in diabetic rats. The modeling rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (berberine group, cinnamon group, combined group, metformin group, diabetic control group) and normal control group. The animal experiments were approved by the Animal Ethics Committee (approval number: HMUIRB2022003). The subjects were given orally, and the control group was given equal volume solvent and body weight was measured weekly. Thirty days after administration, oral glucose tolerance test and insulin sensitivity test were performed, and fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycated serum protein (GSP), and serum insulin (INS) levels were detected; high-throughput sequencing technology was used to detect intestinal microbiota structure; real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blot were used to detect G protein-coupled receptor 5 (TGR5) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) expression levels. The results showed that, compared with the diabetic control group, the levels of FBG (P < 0.01) and GSP (P < 0.01) in the combined group were lower, and the insulin resistance was improved, which was better than that in the berberine group. Combined treatment increased the relative abundance of Bacteroides, Prevotella and Lactobacillus, reversed the decrease in Lactobacillus in the berberine alone induction group, and the combination of the two could promote the expression of TGR5 and GLP-1. In summary, the combined application of cinnamon and berberine can regulate glucose metabolism better than the application of berberine alone. Berberine combined with cinnamon can improve the function of pancreatic islet β cells in diabetes mellitus type 2 rats by changing the intestinal microbiota, increasing the expression of TGR5 and GLP-1 proteins, and thereby better regulating glucose metabolism.
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AIM: To compare the clinical efficacy, vault, and rotational stability of horizontal, oblique, and vertical implantation of Toric implantable collamer lens(TICL).METHODS: Retrospective cohort study. A total of 92 cases(120 eyes)who underwent TICL implantation from July 2018 to March 2022 and had regular follow-up for at least 1 a postoperatively(1 d, 1 wk, 1, 3, 6 mo, and 1 a)at Wuhan Bright Eye Hospital were collected. The patients were divided into three groups, with 34 cases(45 eyes)in horizontal implantation group, 25 cases(29 eyes)in oblique implantation group(29 cases), and 33 cases(46 eyes)in vertical implantation group. Uncorrected distance visual acuity(UDVA), corrected distance visual acuity(CDVA), diopters, vault, and rotation angle(deviation of the actual axis of TICL from the expected axis).RESULTS: All surgeries were uneventful, and there were no complications such as infection, secondary glaucoma, or cataract opacity. Safety and efficacy of the surgery: the CDVA of the three groups of patients was better than or equal to the preoperative CDVA at 1 a postoperatively, and there was no statistically significant differences in postoperative UDVA and CDVA of the three groups(P&#x003E;0.05). The safety index at 1a postoperatively was 1.34±0.21, 1.34±0.17, and 1.31±0.18 for the horizontal, oblique, and vertical groups, respectively. The efficacy index was 1.26±0.21, 1.33±0.18, and 1.27±0.16 for the three groups, respectively, both with no statistically significant differences(P&#x003E;0.05). Vault: there was a significant difference in postoperative vault among the three groups(P=0.003), with the vertical group having the lowest vault, followed by the horizontal group and the oblique group. The vaults at different follow-up time points within each group showed significant differences(P&#x003C;0.001), and all decreased over time. Residual astigmatism: there was no significant difference in residual astigmatism among the three groups(P=0.130), but there were differences at different follow-up time points within each group(P&#x003C;0.001). Rotation angle: no significant differences in rotation angle were observed among the three groups(P=0.135), but there were differences at different follow-up time points within each group(P&#x003C;0.001).CONCLUSION: The implantation of TICL in different orientations has good safety and efficacy, the postoperative rotational stability is good, and the appropriate angle can be selected to implant TICL according to the clinical situation.
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Objective To analyze three-dimensional imaging characteristics and advantages for severe portal vein stenosis after liver transplantation, and to evaluate clinical efficacy of portal vein stent implantation. Methods Clinical data of 10 patients who received portal vein stent implantation for severe portal vein stenosis after liver transplantation were retrospectively analyzed. Imaging characteristics of severe portal vein stenosis, and advantages of three-dimensional reconstruction imaging and interventional treatment efficacy for severe portal vein stenosis were analyzed. Results Among 10 patients, 3 cases were diagnosed with centripetal stenosis, tortuosity angulation-induced stenosis in 2 cases, compression-induced stenosis in 2 cases, long-segment stenosis and/or vascular occlusion in 3 cases. Three-dimensional reconstruction images possessed advantages in accurate identification of stenosis, identification of stenosis types and measurement of stenosis length. All patients were successfully implanted with portal vein stents. After stent implantation, the diameter of the minimum diameter of portal vein was increased [(6.2±0.9) mm vs. (2.6±1.7) mm, P<0.05], the flow velocity at anastomotic site was decreased [(57±19) cm/s vs. (128±27) cm/s, P<0.05], and the flow velocity at the portal vein adjacent to the liver was increased [(41±6) cm/s vs. (18±6) cm/s, P<0.05]. One patient suffered from intrahepatic hematoma caused by interventional puncture, which was mitigated after conservative observation and treatment. The remaining patients did not experience relevant complications. Conclusions Three-dimensional visualization technique may visually display the location, characteristics and severity of stenosis, which is beneficial for clinicians to make treatment decisions and assist interventional procedures. Timely implantation of portal vein stent may effectively reverse pathological process and improve portal vein blood flow.
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Objective To understand the distribution and drug resistance of pathogenic bacteria in sputum culture of pneumonia, and to provide evidence for the rational application of clinical antibacterial drugs . Methods The clinical data of 475 patients with positive sputum bacterial culture admitted to department of respiratory medicine of Neijiang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from May 2020 to May 2023 were collected. The types and drug resistance of pathogenic bacteria isolated from sputum culture were statistically analyzed . Results A total of 539 strains of pathogenic bacteria were isolated from the sputum culture of 475 patients with pneumonia, including 344 strains (63.82%) of Gram-negative bacteria [mainly Klebsiella pneumoniae (79 strains, 14.66%)] and 195 strains (36.18%) of Gram-positive bacteria [mainly Streptococcus pneumoniae (70 strains, 12.99%)]. Klebsiella pneumoniae was highly sensitive to aztreonam, levofloxacin, amikacin, imipenem, and ertapenem, with the sensitivity rates of 94.67%, 92.41%, 94.87%, 96.00% and 98.67% respectively. Streptococcus pneumoniae was absolutely sensitive to teicoplanin, vancomycin and linezolid, and was highly sensitive to cefpirome, levofloxacin, imipenem and ertapenem, with the sensitivity rates of 94.29%, 91.43%, 97.14% and 98.48%. Conclusions The common pathogenic bacteria of patients with pneumonia in Neijiang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine include Klebsiella pneumoniae and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Various pathogenic bacteria have different degrees of resistance to common antibacterial drugs. It is necessary to combine with the types and drug susceptibility results of pathogenic bacteria for the rational application of antibacterial drugs.
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ObjectiveTo provide a reference for the establishment of an ideal corneal neovascularization （CNV） animal model by summarizing the modeling characteristics of CNV animal models. MethodWith "CVN" as the theme word， this paper searched the China National Knowledge Infrastructure （CNKI）， Wanfang， Chinese medical journals full-text database， and PubMed database and screened out relevant literature on CNV animal experiments from 2013 to 2023. The database was established by Excel 2021， and the experimental animal strain， gender， modeling method， detection index， and application category were sorted out. The characteristics of the CNV animal model were analyzed. ResultAfter comparative analysis， it was found that the animal strains were Sprague-Dawley rats （87 times， 29.49%） and New Zealand white rabbits （52 times， 17.63%）. Male animals were recommended. Most modeling methods for efficacy verification and mechanism studies were the alkali burn method. Index detection methods included apparent index observation， histopathological detection， immunohistochemistry （IHC）， Western blot， and various polymerase chain reaction （PCR） tests. Detection indexes included apparent indication， corneal histopathology， CNV regulation， etc. ConclusionThe CNV model of SD rats induced by the alkali burn method is recommended for model replication， and the indexes are mainly selected from the growth of CNV， corneal histopathological test， and vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）-related test. In addition， according to the demand， the corneal apparent indication and the basic indexes related to the regulation of CNV， such as vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 （VEGFR2）， basic fibroblast growth factor （bFGF）， and secretogranin Ⅲ （Scg3） are also selected. Clinical treatment of CNV relies on anti-inflammatory drugs and anti-VEGF drugs， and there is a lack of application of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， so the model needs to be improved by adding elements of TCM syndromes.
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ObjectiveTo discriminate the age of Arisaema Cum Bile， the combination of headspace solid-phase microextraction （HS-SPME） with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry （GC-MS） was applied to explore the differences of volatile components of unfermented， 1-year fermented， 2-year fermented， and 3-year fermented Arisaema Cum Bile. MethodSamples with different fermentation durations were collected and HS-SPME-GC-MS technology was employed to detect the volatile components of each sample. The relative contents of detected volatile components were processed and analyzed by chemometrics methods such as principal component analysis （PCA）， hierarchical cluster analysis （HCA）， and partial least squares discriminant analysis （PLS-DA）. ResultThe results showed that 145 volatile components were identified. Among these volatile components， the relative contents of heterocyclic， alcohols， aldehydes and aromatics were high. PCA， HCA， and PLS-DA can effectively separate Arisaema Cum Bile with four different ages. Based on variable importance in projection （VIP） value > 1， 73 markers of differential volatile components were identified. The content of 2，6，11-trimethyldodecane and m-xylene in unfermented samples was the highest， and the content difference between them and those in fermented samples was significant （P<0.05）. 2，3-butanediol was detected only in 1-year samples， octane was detected only in 2-year samples， and ethyl heptanoate was detected only in 3-year samples. These components can be used as odor markers for Arisaema Cum Bile with different fermentation years. ConclusionThe identification method of volatile components of Arisaema Cum Bile was established by HS-SPME-GC-MS technology， which can realize the rapid identification of unfermented， 1-year fermented， 2-year fermented， and 3-year fermented samples， and provide a scientific basis for the standardization of processing technology and quality standards of Arisaema Cum Bile.
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Screening and evaluating the diseases responding specifically to traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） will help to highlight the advantages of TCM treatment， and the evaluation method should be standardized with consideration to the unique characteristics of the diseases. The incidence of Sjögren's Syndrome （SS） is increasing year by year， while the pathogenesis of this disease remains unclear. Modern therapies for this disease include biological agents and immunosuppressants， which generally have unsatisfactory efficacy. The TCM treatment of SS focuses on the harmony of the physical and mental health. The Rheumatology Branch of the China Association of Chinese Medicine organizes experts in TCM， Western medicine， and evidence-based medicine to form working groups. Delphi method and bibliometric method were used for analysis， and SS was selected as a disease responding specifically to TCM. Furthermore， the evaluation system was established for this disease， and the consensus regarding this disease was reached after seminar discussion. This paper summarized the whole process of the evaluation of the advantages of TCM treatment of SS. First， because TCM atomization is widely used in clinical practice and enriches TCM administration methods， this therapy is included after other non-drug therapies were taken as characteristic therapies. Second， the evaluation indicators of therapeutic effect should be determined with consideration to international acceptance and the current research status. Third， the expression method should be accurate， standardized， and objective， highlight the natural advantages of TCM， and avoid arbitrary extension. This paper provides a reference for clinicians to explore other diseases responding specifically to TCM.
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Objective To investigate the infection and genotypes of Wolbachia in common mosquito species in Henan Province, so as to provide insights into management of mosquito-borne diseases. Methods Aedes, Culex and Anopheles samples were collected from cowsheds, sheepfolds and human houses in Puyang, Nanyang City and Xuchang cities of Henan Province from July to September, 2022, and the infection of Wolbachia was detected. The 16S rDNA and wsp genes of Wolbachia were amplified and sequenced. Sequence alignment was performed using the BLAST software, and the obtained 16S rDNA gene sequence was compared with the sequence of the 16S rDNA gene in GenBank database. In addition, the phylogenetic trees were created based on 16S rDNA and wsp gene sequences using the software MEGA 11.0. Results A total 506 female adult mosquitoes were collected from three sampling sites in Nanyang, Xuchang City and Puyang cities from July to September, 2022. The overall detection of Wolbachia was 45.1% (228/506) in mosquitoes, with a higher detection rate in A. albopictus than in Cx. pipiens pallens [97.9% (143/146) vs. 50.6% (85/168); χ2 = 88.064, P < 0.01]. The detection of Wolbachia in Cx. pipiens pallens was higher in Xuchang City (96.8%, 62/64) than in Nanyang (15.6%, 7/45) and Puyang cities (27.1%, 16/59) (χ2 = 89.950, P < 0.01). The homologies of obtained Wolbachia 16S rDNA and wsp gene sequences were 95.3% to 100.0% and 81.7% to 99.8%. Phylogenetic analysis based on wsp gene sequences showed Wolbachia supergroups A and B in mosquito samples, with wAlbA and wMors strains in supergroup A and wPip and wAlbB strains in supergroup B. Wolbachia strain wAlbB infection was detected in A. albopictus in Puyang and Nanyang Cities, while Wolbachia strain wPip infection was identified in A. albopictus in Xuchang City. Wolbachia strain wAlbA infection was detected in Cx. pipiens pallens sampled from three cities, and one Cx. pipiens pallens was found to be infected with Wolbachia strain wMors in Nanyang City. Conclusions Wolbachia infection is commonly prevalent in Ae. albopictus and Cx. pipiens pallens from Henan Province, and Wolbachia strains wAlbB and wAlbA are predominant in Ae. albopictus, while wPip strain is predominant in Cx. pipiens pallens. This is the first report to present Wolbachia wMors strain infection in Cx. pipiens pallens in Henan Province.
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Objective To examine the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the epidemic status of imported malaria and national malaria control program in China, so as to provide insights into post-elimination malaria surveillance. Methods All data pertaining to imported malaria cases were collected from Anhui Province, Hubei Province, Henan Province, Zhejiang Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region during the period from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2021. The number of malaria cases, species of malaria parasites, country where malaria parasite were infected, diagnosis and treatment after returning to China, and response were compared before (from January 1, 2018 to January 22, 2020) and after the COVID-19 pandemic (from January 23, 2020 to December 31, 2021). Results A total of 2 054 imported malaria cases were reported in Anhui Province, Hubei Province, Henan Province, Zhejiang Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region during the period from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2021, and there were 1 722 cases and 332 cases reported before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, respectively. All cases were reported within one day after definitive diagnosis. The annual mean number of reported malaria cases reduced by 79.30% in Anhui Province, Hubei Province, Henan Province, Zhejiang Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region after the COVID-19 pandemic (171 cases) than before the pandemic (826 cases), and the number of monthly reported malaria cases significantly reduced in Anhui Province, Hubei Province, Henan Province, Zhejiang Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region since February 2020. There was a significant difference in the constituent ratio of species of malaria parasites among the imported malaria cases in Anhui Province, Hubei Province, Henan Province, Zhejiang Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region before and after the COVID-19 pandemic (χ2 = 146.70, P < 0.05), and P. falciparum malaria was predominant before the COVID-19 pandemic (72.30%), while P. ovale malaria (44.28%) was predominant after the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by P. falciparum malaria (37.65%). There was a significant difference in the constituent ratio of country where malaria parasites were infected among imported malaria cases in Anhui Province, Hubei Province, Henan Province, Zhejiang Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region before and after the COVID-19 pandemic (χ2 = 13.83, P < 0.05), and the proportion of malaria cases that acquired Plasmodium infections in western Africa reduced after the COVID-19 pandemic that before the pandemic (44.13% vs. 37.95%; χ2 = 4.34, P < 0.05), while the proportion of malaria cases that acquired Plasmodium infections in eastern Africa increased after the COVID-19 pandemic that before the pandemic (9.58% vs. 15.36%; χ2 = 9.88, P = 0.02). The proportion of completing case investigation within 3 days was significantly lower after the COVID-19 pandemic than before the pandemic (96.69% vs. 98.32%; χ2= 3.87, P < 0.05), while the proportion of finishing foci investigation and response within 7 days was significantly higher after the COVID-19 pandemic than before the pandemic (100.00% vs. 98.43%; χ2 = 3.95, P < 0.05). Conclusions The number of imported malaria cases remarkably reduced in Anhui Province, Hubei Province, Henan Province, Zhejiang Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a decreased proportion of completing case investigations within 3 days. The sensitivity of the malaria surveillance-response system requires to be improved to prevent the risk of secondary transmission of malaria due to the sharp increase in the number of imported malaria cases following the change of the COVID-19 containment policy.
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ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects and mechanism of ginsenoside Rh2 on the proliferation and apoptosis in human glioma U87 and U251 cells. METHODS Using human glioma U87 and U251 cells as subjects， the proliferation and apoptosis， as well as the expression of histone deacetylase 1（HDAC1） protein and apoptosis-related proteins [B cell lymphoma-2（Bcl-2）， Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax） and cleaved caspase-3] were detected after being treated with different concentrations of ginsenoside Rh2. RESULTS The concentrations of 10，20，30，40，50，60，70，80 μmol/L ginsenoside Rh2 could generally significantly increase the proliferation inhibition rate of U87 and U251 cells （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）， and the half inhibitory concentrations of this component after 48 hours of action were 51.34 and 55.84 μmol/L， respectively；30，50 μmol/L ginsenoside Rh2 could increase the total apoptotic rate of both types of cells， reduced the protein expressions of HDAC1 and Bcl-2， and increased the protein expressions of Bax and cleaved caspase-3 significantly （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS Ginsenoside Rh2 has a significant inhibitory effect on the proliferation of glioma cells and promotes the apoptosis of cells， which may be through reducing the expression of HDAC1 protein and activating the Bcl-2 family protein-mediated apoptosis pathway.
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AIM: To investigate the efficacy of micropulse laser combined with intravitreal injection of ranibizumab in the treatment of macular edema(ME)secondary to non-ischemic branch retinal vein occlusion(BRVO).METHODS: A total of 200 cases(200 eyes)of non-ischemic BRVO secondary to ME who were treated in our hospital from January 2020 to March 2022 were selected and divided into the control group(100 cases, 100 eyes)and the observation group(100 cases, 100 eyes)by random number table. The control group was given intravitreal injection of ranibizumab, and the observation group was given micropulse laser combined with intravitreal injection of ranibizumab. The best corrected visual acuity(BCVA), central macular thickness(CMT), subfoveal choroidal thickness(SFCT), total number of injections, macular leakage and complications were compared between two groups.RESULTS: After treatment, the BCVA of the two groups were improved, and the BCVA of the observation group was better than those in the control group at 1, 3, 6 and 12mo after treatment(all P&#x003C;0.05). After treatment, the CMT and SFCT of the two groups decreased, and the CMT and SFCT of the observation group was lower than those in the control group at 1, 3, 6 and 12mo after treatment(all P&#x003C;0.05). The total number of injections in the observation group during the treatment period was less than that in the control group [(4.06±1.12)times vs.(5.32±1.15)times](t=5.852, P&#x003C;0.001). The leakage rates of the control group and the observation group after 12mo of treatment were 69.0% and 27.0% respectively, with statistical significance between the two groups(χ2=35.337, P&#x003C;0.001). The incidence of complications in the control group and observation group were 11.0% and 5.0% respectively, with no statistical significance between the two groups(χ2=2.446, P=0.118).CONCLUSION: Micropulse laser combined with intravitreal injection of ranibizumab has a significant clinical efficacy in the treatment of ME secondary to non-ischemic BRVO, which is safe and can improve patients' vision and ME, reduce the total doses of ranibizumab without increasing the incidence of complications.
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Glaucoma is a chronic optic neuropathy that affects the retinal ganglion cells, characterized by optic disc atrophy, visual field defects, and visual acuity loss. Since glaucoma is a chronic disease, long-term use of topical intraocular pressure-lowering medications often leads to ocular surface diseases, thus reducing medication adherence and ultimately affecting treatment efficacy. Currently, topical intraocular pressure-lowering medications include prostaglandin derivatives, β-adrenergic blockers, α-adrenergic agonists, topical carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, and cholinergic drugs. This article provides a comprehensive review of the effects and related mechanisms of these five antiglaucoma medications on the ocular surface of glaucoma patients and offers preventative measures for the protection of ocular surface in glaucoma patients.
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Objective:To investigate the diagnostic accuracy of serological indicators and evaluate the diagnostic value of a new established combined serological model on identifying the minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) in patients with compensated cirrhosis.Methods:This prospective multicenter study enrolled 263 compensated cirrhotic patients from 23 hospitals in 15 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities of China between October 2021 and August 2022. Clinical data and laboratory test results were collected, and the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score was calculated. Ammonia level was corrected to the upper limit of normal (AMM-ULN) by the baseline blood ammonia measurements/upper limit of the normal reference value. MHE was diagnosed by combined abnormal number connection test-A and abnormal digit symbol test as suggested by Guidelines on the management of hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhosis. The patients were randomly divided (7∶3) into training set ( n=185) and validation set ( n=78) based on caret package of R language. Logistic regression was used to establish a combined model of MHE diagnosis. The diagnostic performance was evaluated by the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic curve, Hosmer-Lemeshow test and calibration curve. The internal verification was carried out by the Bootstrap method ( n=200). AUC comparisons were achieved using the Delong test. Results:In the training set, prevalence of MHE was 37.8% (70/185). There were statistically significant differences in AMM-ULN, albumin, platelet, alkaline phosphatase, international normalized ratio, MELD score and education between non-MHE group and MHE group (all P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that AMM-ULN [odds ratio ( OR)=1.78, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 1.05-3.14, P=0.038] and MELD score ( OR=1.11, 95% CI 1.04-1.20, P=0.002) were independent risk factors for MHE, and the AUC for predicting MHE were 0.663, 0.625, respectively. Compared with the use of blood AMM-ULN and MELD score alone, the AUC of the combined model of AMM-ULN, MELD score and education exhibited better predictive performance in determining the presence of MHE was 0.755, the specificity and sensitivity was 85.2% and 55.7%, respectively. Hosmer-Lemeshow test and calibration curve showed that the model had good calibration ( P=0.733). The AUC for internal validation of the combined model for diagnosing MHE was 0.752. In the validation set, the AUC of the combined model for diagnosing MHE was 0.794, and Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed good calibration ( P=0.841). Conclusion:Use of the combined model including AMM-ULN, MELD score and education could improve the predictive efficiency of MHE among patients with compensated cirrhosis.
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Objective:To provide data reference for using Chinese rhesus macaques as research model by studying the immunophenotype and function of peripheral blood lymphocytes in Chinese rhesus macaques.Methods:By optimizing antibody clones and fluorescent colors, the lymphocyte subset assay and T cell function assay panels were determined. Then the panels were used to analyze the proportion of T, B, NK and other cell subsets in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in 15 healthy Chinese rhesus monkeys, and the ability of T cells to secrete cytokines after non-specific stimulation.Results:Two multi-color flow cytometry analytic panels were established. Panel 1 could simultaneously detect a variety of lymphocyte subsets, including cytotoxic T lymphocytes, follicular helper T cells, regulatory T cells, B cells and NK cells. Panel 2 could detect the functions of multiple T cell subsets and the expression of immune checkpoint moleculars. The mean percentages of T, B, NK, Tfh, Treg, CD16 + NK and CD56 + NK cells in PBMCs of the Chinese rhesus macaques were (75.32±7.73)%, (13.22±7.50)%, (0.88±0.48)%, (0.73±0.27)%, (0.75±0.43)%, (47.87±22.35)% and (10.69±12.41)%. After non-specific stimulation, the proportion of CD4 + T cells secreting IL-2 and TNF-α was higher than that of CD8 + T cells, and the proportion of CD8 + T cells secreting CD107a and IFN-γ was higher than that of CD4 + T cells, while the proportion of CD4 + and CD8 + T cells secreting IL-17A was low. Conclusions:This study established a multi-color flow detection scheme that could simultaneously detect multiple cellular surface molecules and cytokines at the single cell level and could accurately and comprehensively analyze the immune cell subsets, functions and the immune checkpoint molecules in peripheral blood of Chinese rhesus macaques, providing a new experimental method and basic data for the development of vaccines and drugs against infectious diseases.
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Objective:To analyze the effects of pelvic floor muscle biofeedback electrical stimulation (PEMS) combined with pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) and PFMT alone on mild to moderate stress urinary incontinence (SUI) after delivery.Methods:This retrospective study involved 1 087 postpartum women with mild or moderate SUI who were admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University from January 2017 to January 2021. According to the treatment approaches, they were divided into two groups: the PMES+PFMT group ( n=504) and the PFMT group ( n=583). Chi-square test, independent sample t-test and rank sum test were used to compare the objective indicators (pelvic floor muscle strength test, vaginal dynamic pressure value test, 1-h pad test) and subjective indicators [incontinence impact questionnaire short form (IIQ-7), incontinence questionnaire-urinary incontinence short form (ICI-Q-SF), pelvic organ prolapse/urinary incontinence sexual function questionnaire (PISQ-12)] before, immediate and three months after treatment between the two groups. Results:There was no significant difference between the two groups in the values of vaginal dynamic pressure before treatment, 1-h pad test results and subjective indicators (all P>0.05). Comparison within groups: Indicators were improved in both groups immediate and three months after treatment compared with before treatment, including strength of type Ⅰ muscle [PMES+PFMT group: grade 4 and 5 (normal): 43.5% (219/504) and 42.1% (212/504) vs 1.2% (6/504), χ 2=864.27 and 861.46; PFMT group: grade 4 and 5:19.2% (112/583) and 20.1% (117/583) vs 1.5% (9/583), χ 2=1 148.26 and 1 038.29] and class Ⅱ muscle strength [PMES+PFMT group: 48.4% (244/504) and 50.8% (256/504) vs 4.8% (24/504), χ 2=862.96 and 819.24; PFMT group: 37.4% (218/583) and 38.9% (227/583) vs 5.0% (29/583), χ 2=1 029.47 and 998.54; all P < 0.05].Vaginal dynamic pressure increased [PMES+PFMT group: (89.3±5.4) and (82.2±4.6) vs (67.5±12.7) cmH 2O (1 cmH 2O=0.098 kPa), t=802.13 and 845.54; PFMT group:(80.2±4.3) and (78.6±4.5) vs (66.9±14.2) cmH 2O, t=288.37 and 244.94], and 1-hour urine leakage reduced [PMES+PFMT group: 2.0 g (2.0-3.0 g) and 2.0 g (1.0-3.0 g) vs 6.0 g (5.0-6.0 g), Z=825.39 and 802.13; PFMT group: 4.0 g (3.0-5.0 g) and 3.0 g (3.0-4.0 g) vs 5.0 g (4.0-6.0 g), Z=836.34 and 811.25], and IIQ-7 scores [PMES+PFMT group: scores of 3 (2-4) and 4 (3-4) vs 8 (7-9), Z=959.52 and 825.87; PFMT group: 5 (4-5) and 5 (4-6) vs 8 (7-10), Z=916.27 and 903.18], and ICI-Q-SF score [PMES+PFMT group: 3.5 (3-4) and 4 (3-5) vs 10 (9-12), Z=952.79 and 924.94; PFMT group: 6 (4-7) and 6 (5-7) vs 11 (10-12), Z=1 049.89 and 998.15], and PISQ-12 score [PMES+PFMT group: 10 (7-12) and 9 (7-12) vs 21 (17-24), Z=862.55 and 887.17; PFMT group: 13 (11-16) and 14 (12-16) vs 22 (18-25), Z=1 026.73 and 934.86, all P<0.05) decreased. Compared with the PFMT group, the above indexes were all better in the PMES+PFMT group (all P<0.05). Conclusion:PFMT alone or in combination with PMES can both enhance pelvic floor muscle strength, increase vaginal dynamic pressure, alleviate urine leakage and improve the quality of life and PMES+PFMT is better and more effective.
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Objective:To explore the views of general practitioners (GPs) on developing special interests in the context of the county medical community.Methods:A survey was conducted using self-designed questionnaire from November and December 2019, among 49 general practice residents trained in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine. Meanwhile, structured interviews were undertaken with 14 general practice residents.Results:Forty-nine valid questionnaires were collected with a response rate of 100.0%. All participants were from the county medical community units. The survey showed that 91.8% (45/49) of respondents were willing to develop special interests and 79.6% (39/45) chose one subject, and the top three subjects were endocrinology, gastroenterology and cardiology. The structured interviews demonstrated that most participants did not understand meaning of general practitioners with special interests (GPwSIs) clearly and were unable to distinguish GPwSIs from specialists; they were confused about the status, training mode, and assessment standards of GPwSIs. The interviews also showed that the demand for developing special interests for them was derived from the needs of patients for diagnosis and treatment, the target population of health care services, peer advice and personal interests.Conclusions:Most general practice residents are willing to develop special interests, and internal medicine is the first choice; however, their understanding of the GPwSIs is insufficient. The survey suggests that the position, training model, assessment and certification of GPwSI need to be further clarified.
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Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics and prognostic value of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) dynamic features in patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) received abiraterone acetate (AA) therapy.Methods:The data of 89 patients with mCRPC who received AA therapy from January 2017 to June 2021 in Shanghai Tongji Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. The age of patients was (75.7 ± 8.3) years old, median PSA before AA was 56.88 (19.31, 143.75) ng/ml. The PSA dynamic features included PSA nadir (PSAN) and PSAN time. PSAN was defined as the lowest value of PSA after treatment, and PSAN time was defined as time to PSAN after AA treatment. PSAN was divided into 3 groups: PSAN1 (<0.1 ng/ml), PSAN2 (0.1- 4.0 ng/ml) and PSAN3 (>4.0 ng/ml) groups. PSA response was defined as a maximum PSA decline rate ≥50%, and no PSA decline after treatment was defined as primary resistance. Cox regressions adjusted to clinical factors were performed to evaluate the influence of PSA dynamic features on patients' radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS) and overall survival (OS). Log-rank test was used to evaluate the survival time of patients in different PSAN groups. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve and area under the curve (AUC) were performed to analyze the predictive value of PSA dynamic features on survival outcomes of patients.Results:The follow-up time was 17 (12, 23) months, and 75 (84.3%) patients showed PSA responses. The median PSAN was 1.82 (0.01, 11.70) ng/ml, median PSAN time was 5.0(3.0, 9.5)months. Multivariate Cox regression indicated that PSAN was an independent risk factor for rPFS ( PSAN2: HR=5.308, P=0.017; PSAN3: HR=13.209, P<0.001), and PSAN time ≥ 5 months( HR=0.309, P<0.001)was an independent protective factor for rPFS. Also, the PSAN3 was an independent risk factor for OS( HR=9.459, P=0.048). Log-rank test indicated that the rPFS of PSAN1 group (median not reached) was significantly longer than PSAN2 [median 13.0(95% CI 8.2-17.8) months, P=0.001] and PSAN3 [8.0 (95% CI 4.1-11.9) months, P<0.001] groups. ROC curve and AUC showed that PSAN had a higher predictive value in rPFS outcomes compared with T stage, metastatic disease volume, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score (0.82 vs. 0.69, 0.68, 0.53, P<0.05). PSAN had a higher predictive value in OS outcomes than metastatic disease volume and ECOG(0.83 vs. 0.63, 0.58, P<0.05). Conclusions:Lower PSAN needs longer PSAN time. PSAN is an independent risk factor for rPFS and OS, and PSAN time is an independent protective factor for rPFS.
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Objective:To evaluate the minimally invasive fixation with a locking plate via the tarsal sinus approach in the surgical treatment of Sanders Ⅱ and Ⅲ calcaneal fractures.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the 65 patients who had been surgically treated for Sanders Ⅱ and Ⅲ calcaneal fractures at Department of Foot and Ankle Surgery, Binzhou Medical College Hospital from April, 2019 to September, 2020. There are 44 males and 21 females with an age of (42.5±10.4) years, and 46 Sanders type Ⅱ fractures and 19 Sanders type Ⅲ ones. The patients were divided into group L and group S according to surgical methods. Group S of 35 cases was fixated with a minimally invasive locking plate through the tarsal sinus incision while group L of 30 cases fixated with a locking plate through the L-shaped incision. The 2 groups were compared in terms of waiting time before surgery, surgical time, hospital stay, intraoperative bleeding, visual analogue scale (VAS) at 3 days after surgery, American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score at 1 year after surgery, excellent and good rate by the Maryland foot function score, B?hler angle, Gissane angle, varus angle, and complications.Results:There was no significant difference in the general data before surgery between the 2 groups, showing comparability ( P>0.05). All patients were followed up for (13.3±1.6) months after surgery. The waiting time before surgery [(2.8±1.8) d], surgical time [(80.7±9.9) min], hospital stay [(6.7±1.9) d], intraoperative bleeding [(54.3±14.2) mL], and VAS at 3 days after surgery [6 (5, 7) points] in group S were all significantly less or lower than those in group L [(8.2±2.8) d, (105.0±15.7) min, (14.6±3.4) d, (74.3±12.8) mL, and 7 (6, 8) points] (all P<0.05). At one year after surgery, the AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score [(90.1±3.5) points] in group S was significantly higher than that in group L [(83.5±6.7) points] ( P<0.05), but there was no statistically significant difference in the excellent and good rate by the Maryland foot function score between the 2 groups [91.4% (32/35) versus 86.7% (26/30)] ( P=0.695). The B?hler angle, Gissane angle, and varus angle were significantly improved in all patients one year after surgery compared with the values before surgery ( P<0.05), but there were no statistically significant differences within either group or between the 2 groups at 3 days or 1 year after surgery ( P>0.05). Peroneal muscle pain was reported in 1 case in group S; there were 2 cases of skin necrosis, 1 case of incision hematoma and 1 case of sural nerve injury in group L. Conclusion:The minimally invasive fixation with a locking plate via the tarsal sinus approach is an effective treatment for Sanders Ⅱ and Ⅲ calcaneal fractures.
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Objective:To study the distribution and antibiotics resistance of the main pathogens of neonatal purulent meningitis in different regions of China.Methods:A retrospective descriptive clinical epidemiological study was conducted in children with neonatal purulent meningitis which admitted to 18 tertiary hospitals in different regions of China between January 2015 to December 2019. The test results of blood and cerebrospinal fluid, and drug sensitivity test results of the main pathogens were collected. The distributions of pathogenic bacteria in children with neonatal purulent meningitis in preterm and term infants, early and late onset infants, in Zhejiang Province and other regions outside Zhejiang Province, and in Wenzhou region and other regions of Zhejiang Province were analyzed. The chi-square test was used for statistical analysis.Results:A total of 210 neonatal purulent meningitis cases were collected. The common pathogens were Escherichia coli ( E. coli)(41.4%(87/210)) and Streptococcus agalactiae ( S. agalactiae)(27.1%(57/210)). The proportion of Gram-negative bacteria in preterm infants (77.6%(45/58)) with neonatal purulent meningitis was higher than that in term infants (47.4%(72/152)), and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=15.54, P=0.001). There were no significant differences in the constituent ratios of E. coli (36.5%(31/85) vs 44.8%(56/125)) and S. agalactiae (24.7%(21/85) vs 28.8%(36/125)) between early onset and late onset cases (both P>0.05). The most common pathogen was E. coli in different regions, with 46.7%(64/137) in Zhejiang Province and 31.5%(23/73) in other regions outside Zhejiang Province. In Zhejiang Province, S. agalactiae was detected in 49 out of 137 cases (35.8%), which was significantly higher than other regions outside Zhejiang Province (11.0%(8/73)). The proportions of Klebsiella pneumoniae, and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus in other regions outside Zhejiang Province (17.8%(13/73) and 16.4%(12/73)) were both higher than those in Zhejiang Province (2.9%(4/137) and 5.1%(7/137)). The differences were all statistically significant ( χ2=14.82, 12.26 and 7.43, respectively, all P<0.05). The proportion of Gram-positive bacteria in Wenzhou City (60.8%(31/51)) was higher than that in other regions in Zhejiang Province (38.4%(33/86)), and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=6.46, P=0.011). E. coli was sensitive to meropenem (0/45), and 74.4%(32/43) of them were resistant to ampicillin. E. coli had different degrees of resistance to other common cephalosporins, among which, cefotaxime had the highest resistance rate of 41.8%(23/55), followed by ceftriaxone (32.4%(23/71)). S. agalactiae was sensitive to penicillin, vancomycin and linezolid. Conclusions:The composition ratios of pathogenic bacteria of neonatal purulent meningitis are different in different regions of China. The most common pathogen is E. coli, which is sensitive to meropenem, while it has different degrees of resistance to other common cephalosporins, especially to cefotaxime.