Circulating miRNA-1-3p as Biomarker of Accelerated Sarcopenia in Patients Diagnosed with Chronic Heart Failure

ABSTRACT Background: While sarcopenia is an important clinical finding in individuals diagnosed with chronic heart failure (CHF), efforts to identify a reliable biomarker capable of predicting the overall muscular and functional decline in CHF patients have been unsuccessful to date. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to study the diagnostic utility of MicroRNA (miRNA)-1-3p as a predictor of sarcopenia status in individuals diagnosed with CHF. Methods: In total, 80 individuals with heart failure exhibiting a left ventricular ejection fraction < 50% were enrolled in this study. All patients were analyzed to assess miR-1-3p expression levels, with body composition being evaluated through dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and sarcopenia being defined based on the sum of appendicular lean muscle mass (ALM) divided by height in meters squared and handgrip strength (HGS). In addition, the activation of the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway was evaluated in these individuals. Results: In total, 40 of the enrolled patients (50%) exhibited sarcopenia. Sarcopenic patients presented with increased miR-1-3p expression levels as compared to non-sarcopenic individuals (1.69 ± 0.132 vs. 1.22 ± 0.106; p < 0.05). With respect to sarcopenic indices, appendicular skeletal mass index was most strongly correlated with miR-1-3p expression, which was also strongly correlated with HGS. High levels of Akt/mTOR signaling pathway components were expressed in sarcopenic individuals, highlighting a significant relationship between miR-1-3p activity and signaling through this pathway. Moreover, miR-1-3p was identified as a specific marker for sarcopenia in individuals with CHF. Conclusion: These results suggest that circulating miR-1-3p levels are related to Akt/mTOR pathway activation and can offer valuable insight into the overall physical capacity and muscular integrity of CHF patients as a predictor of sarcopenia.

SNP double peak methods through chloroplast genome profiling for identifying Gentiana crassicaulis and two closely related species / 药学学报

italic>Gentiana crassicaulis Duthie ex Burk. is one of the plant sources of Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix (QinJiao). Gentiana tibetica King ex Hook. f. and Gentiana robusta King ex Hook. f. are relative species of G. crassicaulis. Due to the large intraspecific morphological variation, G. crassicaulis showed high morphological similarity with G. tibetica and G. robusta. And the distribution area of the three species overlaps to some extent, which makes it difficult to identify them. On the basis of morphological identification, the method of molecular identification of the three species was constructed in this study based on chloroplast genomes. The chloroplast genome of Gentiana tibetica is 148 765bp long, with LSC, SSC and IR 81 163 bp, 17 070 bp and 25 266 bp, respectively. The structure of the three is consistent. The chloroplast genome sequences of G. tibetica and G. crassicaulis are highly similar, and the number of variable sites is 9 (149 267 bp in total). Diagnostic SNP that could effectively identify the three species was screened and verified, and a dual-peak SNP detection method was established for the effective identification of each species and mixed samples. Our study provides basic data for the molecular identification of G. crassicaulis and its related species, and the arrangement of related Tibetan medicine.

DNA barcoding of Gentiana crassicaulis in Lijiang and evaluation of root processing methods / 药学学报

The key factors for producing the best quality Chinese herbal medicines are high-quality germplasm, suitable cultivation area and the proper processing methods for herbal raw materials. Gentiana crassicaulis in Gentiana (Sect. Cruciata), Gentianaceae is one of the original plants of the Chinese herb Qinjiao (Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix), and its type specimen was collected in Lijiang, Yunnan. There is a long planting history of the herb in this area. In this study a sampling plot was designated in these traditional planting areas. G. crassicaulis was planted and herbal raw materials were harvested from the plot. The raw materials were prepared locally and at a pharmaceutical factory in Shanghai using processing methods such as "sweating" or "no sweating", "slicing" or "no slicing" (whole root), and "stoving" or "no stoving" (air drying). The quality of all processed samples was evaluated. In addition, molecular markers were determined for identifying cultivated and wild samples from Lijiang, Yunnan. The results are as follows: ① Samples from the sampling plot and the field are taxonomically identified as Gentiana crassicaulis. ② A total of 270 sequences of trnC-GCA-petN, atpB-rbcL, psbN, ndhB-rps7 and ycf1 were obtained, and three genotypes were determined from the cultivated samples; the type III was shared by both cultivated and wild plants. Based on the molecular markers, a DNA barcoding method to identify cultivated and wild samples of G. crassicaulis from Lijiang, Yunnan was established. ③ Total content of loganic acid and gentiopicroside in all samples was ≥ 2.5%, and above the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020) limit. ④ In HPLC fingerprinting, 9 common peaks were assigned and similarity between all samples was > 0.999; and ⑤ In a PCA score plot all slice samples were clustered, while whole root samples were scattered. Therefore, our studies could provide basic data for optimizing the processing method, producing best quality Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix, and evaluating the quality of different ecotype varieties and the multiple origin of herbal medicines.

Changes in molecular chaperone-mediated autophagy expression of developmental rats after recurrent-status seizures / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

Objective:To observe the expression of molecular chaperone-mediated autophagy in hippocampal neurons and its relationship with brain injury after recurrent-status seizures.Methods:Seven-day-old SD rats were divided into two groups according to simple randomization: the control group (NS group, 6 rats) and the recurrent-seizure group (RS group, 39 rats). Rats in the RS group were subjected to recurrent seizures after repeated inhalation of flurothyl, with 30 minutes once each day for consecutive 7 days.A total of 30 convulsive models were successfully established (9 rats that failed to establish models were discarded), and they were further divided into 0 h, 1.5 h, 3 h, 12 h and 24 h after the last seizure according to simple randomization, with 6 rats in each group.Western blot and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were adopted for the observation of the expression of molecular chaperone-mediated autophagy markers [heat shock cognate protein 70 (Hsc70), lysosome-associated membrane protein type 2a (LAMP-2a), heat shock protein 40(HSP40) and heat shock protein 90(HSP90)] in hip-pocampal neurons, and apoptosis was detected by TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL).Results:(1) RT-PCR and Western blot showed that, compared with the NS group, the expression of Hsc70, as a molecular chape-rone, started to increase at 1.5 h and continued until 24 h after the last seizure in the RS group ( P<0.05). HSP90 increased immediately after the last seizure and lasted until 24 h after the seizure ( P<0.01); the expression of HSP40 and LAMP-2a also showed high expression after the last seizure episode ( P<0.05). (2) The TUNEL method showed that the number of apoptotic cells in the hippocampal CA1 region increased significantly at 3 h (36.33±5.16)/40 field, 12 h (44.83±4.83)/40 field and 24 h (54.83±7.16)/40 field after the last seizure compared with NS group(15.16±2.48)/40 field ( P<0.01). (3) Pearson correlation analysis showed that the level of apoptosis in hippocampal CA1 region of rats after recurrent seizures was positively correlated with the expression of molecular chaperone marker molecules (Hsc70: r=0.734, P=0.001; LAMP2a: r=0.790, P<0.001). Conclusions:After recurrent seizures in developmental rats, the presence of increased expression of multiple molecular chaperone-mediated autophagy, which may positively correlate with apoptosis, may be involved in the process of brain injury.

Regulation of Naoxin'an Capsule on Glial Cell Activation and Inflammatory Response in Rats with Chronic Cerebral Hypoperfusion-induced Vascular Cognitive Impairment / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To investigate the protective effect of Naoxin'an capsule （NC） against glial cell activation and inflammatory damage in brain of rats with chronic cerebral hypoperfusion-induced vascular cognitive impairment （VCI）. Method:One hundred and fifty rats were randomly divided into a sham operation group （<italic>n</italic>=20） and a modeling group （<italic>n</italic>=130）. Following the modeling with the two vessels occlusion （2-VO） technique， 87 successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into the model group， positive drug group （aricept， 0.5 mg·kg^-1）， and low-， medium-， and high-dose （0.18， 0.36， 0.72 g·kg^-1） NC groups， with 17-18 rats in each group. After intragastric administration of NC for eight weeks， the Morris water maze test and passive avoidance test were conducted to detect the effects of NC on learning and memory ability of VCI rats. Changes in neuronal structure of rat hippocampal CA1 area were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， and the neuronal apoptosis in hippocampus by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase （TdT）-mediated dUTP nick end labeling （TUNEL） staining. Western blot assay was used to detect the expression levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein （GFAP）， ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 （Iba-1）， phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （p38 MAPK）， and phosphorylated nuclear factor <italic>κ</italic>B （NF-<italic>κ</italic>B）， followed by the measurement of interleukin-1<italic>β</italic> （IL-1<italic>β</italic>） and tumor necrosis factor-<italic>α</italic> （TNF-<italic>α</italic>） in the brain by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Result:Compared with the sham operation group， the model group displayed obviously decreased spatial learning and memory ability and memory retention ability （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）， neuronal damage in hippocampal CA1 area， enhanced neuronal apoptosis （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， up-regulated GFAP and Iba-1 （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， elevated phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and NF-<italic>κ</italic>B （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， and increased IL-1<italic>β</italic> and TNF-<italic>α</italic> （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Compared with the model group， NC at each dose significantly improved the spatial learning and memory ability and memory retention ability of VCI rats （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）， ameliorated the neuronal damage in hippocampus CA1 area， reduced the apoptosis rate of nerve cells （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）， down-regulated the expression of GFAP and Iba-1 （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， decreased the phosphorylation levels of p38 MAPK and NF-<italic>κ</italic>B （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）， and lowered TNF-<italic>α</italic> and IL-1<italic>β</italic> levels （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Conclusion:NC alleviates the inflammatory damage of the central nervous system caused by activated p38 MAPK and NF-<italic>κ</italic>B and improves chronic cerebral hypoperfusion-induced VCI in rats by inhibiting the activation of microglia and astrocytes.

Transcriptome analysis and validation of key genes involved in biosynthesis of iridoids in Gentiana lhassica / 中国中药杂志

As the main chemical constituents, iridoids are widely distributed within Gentiana, Gentianaceae, with promising bioactivities. Based on the previous work, the transcriptome of G. lhassica, an original plant of Tibetan herb "Jieji Nabao", was sequenced and analyzed in this study, and the transcriptome databases of roots, stems, leaves, and flowers were constructed so as to explore unigenes that may encode the key enzymes in the biosynthetic pathway of iridoids. Then, qRT-PCR was used to validate the relative expression levels of 11 genes named AACT, DXS, MCS, HDS, IDI, GPPS, GES, G10H, 7-DLNGT, 7-DLGT, and SLS in roots, stems, leaves, and flowers. Also, the total contents of gentiopicroside and loganic acid were determined by HPLC, respectively. The results are as follows:(1)a total of 76 486 unigenes with an average length of 852 bp were obtained;(2)335 unigenes were involved in 19 stan-dard secondary metabolism pathways in KEGG database, with phenylpropanoid biosynthesis having the maximum number(75 unigenes), and no isoflavone biosynthetic pathway was annotated;(3)171 unigenes participatedin 27 key enzymes encoding in the biosynthetic pathway of iridoids, and 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase(DXR) gene was highly expressed;(4)qRT-PCR results were approximately consistent with RNA-Seq data and the relative expression levels of the 11 genes were higher in the aboveground parts(stem, leaf, and flower) than in the underground part(root);(5)the total contents of gentiopicroside and loganic acid were higher in the aboveground parts(stem, leaf, and flower) than in the underground part(root), and the difference was significant. This study provides basic scientific data for accurate species identification, evaluation of germplasm resources, research on secondary pro-duct accumulation of medicinal plants within Gentianaceae, and protection of endangered alpine species.

Transcriptome analysis and exploration of genes involved in the biosynthesis of iridoids in Gentiana crassicaulis (Gentianaceae) / 药学学报

italic>Gentiana crassicaulis Duthie ex Burk. in Gentiana (Sect. Cruciata), Gentianaceae, is one of the original plants of both Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix and Tibetan herb Jie-Ji Na-Bao, which contain such bioactive iridoids as gentiopicroside, loganic acid and others. In this study, based on previous work, the transcriptome of G. crassicaulis was sequenced and analyzed to construct transcriptome databases of roots, stems, leaves and flowers. qRT-PCR verification was conducted for parts of unigenes that may be key enzymes in the pathway of iridoid biosynthesis. The results are as follows: ① a total of 159 534 unigenes were obtained, with an average length of 679 bp. According to the functional classification of GO, unigenes can be divided into 3 categories with 67 branches. The unigenes were aligned in the KOG database and were classified into 25 categories according to function. ② In the KEGG database, 215 unigenes were implicated in 20 standard secondary metabolism pathways. The analysis shows that 305 unigenes encoded 28 key enzymes in the pathway of iridoid biosynthesis, and their expression in different organs is different; and ③ qRT-PCR was approximately consistent with RNA-Seq results. The 7 annotated unigenes identified in this study, HMGS, DXS, MCS, GPPS, G10H, 7-DLNGT and STR, all had higher relative expression levels in the above-ground parts (stem, leaf and flower) than in the underground part (root). Iridoids are common active and index components of such traditional Chinese medicines as Qinjiao, Longdan, Dangyao, and Qingyedan, among others. Therefore, this work provides basic scientific data for further development including obtaining active components or intermediates through biotechnology, exploring the accumulation of effective components, evaluating the quality of different ecotype varieties, and identifying authentic biosynthesis pathways of medicinal materials.

Molecular markers based upon whole chloroplast genomes and identifying alpine Gentiana waltonii and G. lhassica (Gentianaceae) / 药学学报

As two original plants of Tibetan herb Jieji, Gentiana waltonii Burk. and Gentiana lhassica Burk. belong to Section Cruciata of Gentiana, Gentianaceae. Here, we report on whole chloroplast genome sequences in the alpine species, respectively, and the features of plastomes were investigated. The plastome of G. waltonii is 148 705 bp long (148 652 bp in G. lhassica) and encodes 112 genes, including 78 protein-coding genes, 30 transfer RNA genes, and 4 ribosomal RNA genes. Two pseudogenes, namely ψrps16 and ψinfA, were found in plastomes. In addition, two novel loci were detected, and a species-specific polymerase chain reaction assay was developed for differentiating G. waltonii and G. lhassica from 10 alpine species in Section Cruciata. Gentiana. Our study provides basic data for identifying Tibetan herbs, alpine species conservation and molecular phylogenetic studies of Gentiana and Gentianaceae.

Activation of β2-Adrenergic Receptor Promotes Growth and Angiogenesis in Breast Cancer by Down-regulating PPARγ / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

Purpose@#Chronic stress and related hormones are key in cancer progression. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and its agonists was reported that inducing anti-tumor effect. However, the function of PPARγ in pro-tumorigenic effects induced by chronic stress in breast cancer remains unknown. Herein, we have characterized a novel role of PPARγ and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)/fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) signals in breast cancer promoted by chronic stress. @*Materials and Methods@#We performed experiments in vivo and in vitro and used bioinformatics data to evaluate the therapeutic potential of PPARγ in breast cancer promoted by stress. @*Results@#Chronic stress significantly inhibited the PPARγ expression and promoted breast cancer in vivo. VEGF/FGF2-mediated angiogenesis increased in the chronic stress group compared to the control group. PPARγ agonist pioglitazone (PioG) injection offset the pro-tumorigenic effect of chronic stress. Moreover, specific β2-adrenergic receptor (β2R) antagonist ICI11-8551 inhibited the effect of chronic stress. In vitro, norepinephrine (NE) treatment had a similar tendency to chronic stress. The effect of NE was mediated by the β2R/adenylate cyclase signaling pathway and suppressed by PioG. PPARγ suppressed VEGF/FGF2 through reactive oxygen species inhibition. Bioinformatics data confirmed that therewas a lowPPARγ expression in breast invasive carcinoma. Lower PPARγ was associated with a significantly worse survival. @*Conclusion@#β2R activation induced by chronic stress and related hormones promotes growth and VEGF/FGF2-mediated angiogenesis of breast cancer by down-regulating PPARγ. Our findings hint that β receptor and PPARγ as two target molecules and the novel role for their agonists or antagonists as clinical medicine in breast cancer therapy

DNA fingerprinting and genetic diversity in a threatened alpine medicinal plant, Gentiana crassicaulis (Gentianaceae) using AFLP / 药学学报

Jieji Nabao is a common Tibetan herb. According to our ethnobotanical studies, one of its original plants is identified as Gentiana crassicaulis Duthie ex Burk. (Gentianaceae). Endemic to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, this medicinal alpine plant is a threatened species. In this study, 163 individuals from 20 populations of G. crassicaulis were collected throughout its geographical range and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) was used to investigate genetic variation in this species. A cluster analysis was performed on the AFLP data with Halenia elliptica and Gentiana straminea as the outgroups. From 64 pairs of AFLP primer combinations, 12 pairs were selected for amplification and a total of 315 bands were amplified, of which 254 bands were polymorphic, accounting for 80.63%. High genetic differentiation was detected between populations (87%), and low within populations (13%). The UPGMA (unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic means) tree was topologically consistent with the traditional taxonomic treatments at the species level, and the populations of G. crassicaulis were divided into two branches: one from Yunnan and Guizhou, the other from Tibet, Qinghai, Sichuan and Gansu. PCA analysis and the Mantel test showed that there was a positive correlation between genetic distance and geographical distance. In addition, combined with SSR and SNP markers within cpDNA, the genetic differentiation within the Sichuan population S1 was validated.

Loss of GRB2 associated binding protein 1 in arteriosclerosis obliterans promotes host autophagy / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#Arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO) is a major cause of adult limb loss worldwide. Autophagy of vascular endothelial cell (VEC) contributes to the ASO progression. However, the molecular mechanism that controls VEC autophagy remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to explore the role of the GRB2 associated binding protein 1 (GAB1) in regulating VEC autophagy.@*METHODS@#In vivo and in vitro studies were applied to determine the loss of adapt protein GAB1 in association with ASO progression. Histological GAB1 expression was measured in sclerotic vascular intima and normal vascular intima. Gain- and loss-of-function of GAB1 were applied in VEC to determine the effect and potential downstream signaling of GAB1.@*RESULTS@#The autophagy repressor p62 was significantly downregulated in ASO intima as compared to that in healthy donor (0.80 vs. 0.20, t = 6.43, P < 0.05). The expression level of GAB1 mRNA (1.00 vs. 0.24, t = 7.41, P < 0.05) and protein (0.72 vs. 0.21, t = 5.97, P < 0.05) was significantly decreased in ASO group as compared with the control group. Loss of GAB1 led to a remarkable decrease in LC3II (1.19 vs. 0.68, t = 5.99, P < 0.05), whereas overexpression of GAB1 significantly led to a decrease in LC3II level (0.41 vs. 0.93, t = 7.12, P < 0.05). Phosphorylation levels of JNK and p38 were significantly associated with gain- and loss-of-function of GAB1 protein.@*CONCLUSION@#Loss of GAB1 promotes VEC autophagy which is associated with ASO. GAB1 and its downstream signaling might be potential therapeutic targets for ASO treatment.

Association of bone mineral density with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in postmenopausal women

Abstract Background Osteoporosis (OP) is common in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The relationship between OP and COPD has been primarily studied in male patients, and few reports are available in postmenopausal women. Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between bone mineral density (BMD) and COPD in postmenopausal women. Methods This cross-sectional study included 133 clinically stable female ex-smokers with confirmed COPD, and 31 age-matched “ex-smoker” female controls. We analyzed groups according to their airway obstruction category. BMD was measured on dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry images of the left femoral neck. Results Patients with COPD had lower T-scores and higher prevalence of osteopenia/OP than the control group. In the COPD group, the airway obstruction category was significantly associated with the T-score after adjustment for confounders. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed COPD was an independent marker for increased risk of osteopenia/OP in postmenopausal women. Conclusions COPD and airway obstruction category were strongly related to BMD. Postmenopausal women with COPD, especially those with severe airway obstruction, had a higher prevalence rate and a higher risk of osteopenia and OP than female controls without COPD.

Analysis of transcriptomes to explore genes contributing to iridoid biosynthesis in Gentiana waltonii and Gentiana robusta (Gentianaceae) / 药学学报

The roots and flowers of Gentiana waltonii and Gentiana robusta are used as Tibetan herb Jie-Ji in traditional Tibetan medicine, with iridoids as the main active ingredient and index components. To study the pathway of iridoid biosynthesis, roots, stems, leaves and flowers of G. waltonii and G. robusta were subjected to a high-throughput transcriptomic sequencing analysis by Illumina HiseqXTen. After removing insignificant reads and de novo splicing, 79 455 and 78 466 unigenes were obtained from G. waltonii and G. robusta respectively, with average length as 834 bp and 862 bp. The unigene GO functions could be divided into three categories of 65 branches. The unigenes were aligned in KOG database and were classified into 25 classes according to function. In KEGG database, 315 and 340 unigenes of G. waltonii and G. robusta were implicated in 20 standard secondary metabolic pathways, respectively. Furthermore, 80 and 57 unigenes of the two species were analyzed to encode 24 key enzymes in the pathway related to iridoid biosynthesis. There were differences in gene expression among different organs. Based on sequence data, significant amounts of SSRs, SNPs and InDels were detected in each dataset. This study provides a platform for further development of molecular markers, excavation of functional genes, and research into metabolic pathways and their regulatory mechanism within G. waltonii and G. robusta.

The identification of Sect. Cruciata (Gentiana) species using mtDNA nad1/b-c and nad5/d-e fragments / 药学学报

italic>Gentiana section Cruciata (Gentianaceae) is a medicinally important section of herbs, including Chinese traditional medicine Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix and Tibetan herb Jieji. Here, we assess the taxonomic significance using mtDNA nad1/b-c and nad5/d-e sequence data. A total of 144 nad1/b-c and nad5/d-e sequences from 11 species within Gentianaceae were obtained, including 138 sequences from 10 species within Gentiana section Cruciata and 6 sequences from Halenia elliptica (outgroup). The results showed that mtDNA nad1/b-c has species- level resolution within the section of Cruciata, i.e. the variable in the position 45 “C” could be used as a stable marker locus to distinguish G. robusta from other taxa; the variable in the position 352 and 353 “GA” could distinguish G. crassicaulis and G. tibetica from other taxa within the section. Intraspecies genotype variability was detected in nad1/b-c sequences of G. officinalis and G. siphonantha, respectively. These genotypes could be used as potential DNA barcode. In addition, intraspecies genotype variability was detected in nad5/d-e sequences of G. macrophylla, G. officinalis and G. siphonantha, respectively. Based on the stable marker locus, a species-specific PCR protocol was developed using the primer PF to identifying G. robusta in the section. This study could expand the understanding of the diversity of mtDNA nad1/b-c and nad5/d-e in the genus Gentiana, and provide the essence for the species identification within Gentiana section Cruciata.

Trend of disease spectrum of hospitalized children in Anhui provincial children’s hospital from 2013 to 2017 / 中华疾病控制杂志

@# Objective To investigate the composition of the disease spectrum of hospitalized children in Anhui Provincial Children's Hospital, so as to provide scientific basis of the strategy to refine pediatric medical resources and health care. Methods Totally 268809 patients from 2013 to 2017 was analyzed and compared with the 2003-2007 data. Results Compared to 2003-2007, the number of hospitalized children and involved diseases increased significantly in 2013-2017. The proportion of common diseases such as respiratory system (28.73% vs 26.49%), digestive system (12.68% vs 10.78%), and nervous system (6.22% vs 3.72%)) significantly decreased; while the proportion of injury and poisoning (2.13% vs 7.4%), infectious diseases, parasites (7.15% vs 10.69%), tumors (2.65% vs 4.12%), and blood immunity (1.42% vs 3.19%) increased. Respiratory diseases remain the first ranking disease in hospitalized children (26.49%), with pneumonia as the first ranking single disease among it. The top 5 hospitalized children in 2013-2017 were pneumonia, bronchitis, hernia, respiratory infections, and neonatal pneumonia. Conclusions The absolute number and capacity of services have been greatly improved in the hospital. While constantly improving the level of diagnosis and treatment of common diseases, we should pay more attention to the injury poisoning, mental and behavioral diseases and infectious diseases in children.

Application of four-dimensional flow MRI in hemodynamic study of autogenous arteriovenous fistula in renal dialysis patients / 上海交通大学学报（医学版）

Objective · To investigate the feasibility of four-dimensional flow MRI (4D flow MRI) in evaluating the hemodynamics of forearm autologous arteriovenous fistula (AVF) in renal dialysis patients. Methods · Forty-five patients from Renal Division of Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine were included. Patients with forearm AVF underwent ultrasonography and MRI. The consistency of 4D flow MRI hemodynamic parameters measured by two radiologists and hemodynamic parameters at the same plane of AVF by 4D flow MRI and ultrasonography were analyzed by paired t test. The morphological parameters of AVF were acquired from black blood sequence, and they were used for Pearson correlation analysis with the hemodynamic parameters obtained from 4D flow MRI. Results · Forty-two patients completed the forearm AVF ultrasonography and MRI successfully.Paired t test showed that the consistency of 4D flow MRI hemodynamic parameters by two radiologists was good (all P=0.000), and all hemodynamic parameters measured by 4D flow MRI and ultrasonography were in good agreement (r=0.292-0.569, all P＜0.05) except for the peak flow velocity at anastomosis (r=-0.078, P＞0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that the cephalic venous flow volume of AVF was correlated with the diameter ratio of the cephalic venous to radial artery and the anastomosis area (r=-0.671, r=0.482, both P＜0.05), and the wall shear stress (WSS) near the anastomosis was correlated with the anastomosis angle and wall thickness (r=0.530, r=0.462, both P＜0.05). Conclusion · 4D flow MRI can be used to evaluate the hemodynamic parameters of forearm AVF in renal dialysis patients, which can provide a reference for further study of AVF dysfunction.

Association of Severity of Coronary Lesions with Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Women / Associação entre Gravidade das Lesões Coronarianas e Densidade Mineral Óssea em Mulheres Pós-Menopausa

Abstract Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) and osteoporosis (OP) are common diseases in postmenopausal women. In both cross-sectional and longitudinal epidemiologic studies, low bone mass has been related to increased frequency of CAD. However, available data on the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) and severity of coronary lesions is limited. Objective: To investigate association between the BMD and severity of coronary lesions assessed by Gensini score in postmenopausal women. Methods: This study included 122 postmenopausal women who were diagnosed with CAD. These patients were divided into two groups according to the severity of coronary lesions assessed by the Gensini score - patients with mild coronary lesions (Gensini score < 25) and patients with severe coronary lesions (Gensini score ≥ 25). Femoral neck mineral density was measured with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Results: The study included postmenopausal women aged 64.31 ± 4.71 years, 85 of whom (69.7%) exhibited severe coronary lesions. Participants with severe coronary lesions had a significantly higher T score than did those with mild coronary lesions at the femoral neck (p < 0.05). The mean T-score was −0.84 ± 1.01 in mild coronary lesions group, −1.42 ± 1.39 in severe coronary lesions group (p < 0.05). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that osteopenia-osteoporosis at the Femoral neck (odds ratio 2.73; 95% confidence interval 1.06 to 6.13) was associated with an increased risk of developing severe coronary lesions. The multiple regression model showed that T-scores (b = −0.407, SE = 0.151, p=0.007) were the independent predictors of Gensini score. Conclusion: The relationship between severity of coronary lesions and BMD was significant in postmenopausal women. BMD, a low-cost technique involving minimal radiation exposure, widely used for osteoporosis screening, is a promising marker of severity of coronary lesions.

Resumo Fundamento: A doença arterial coronariana (DAC) e a osteoporose são doenças comuns em mulheres pós-menopausa. Tanto em estudos transversais como em estudos epidemiológicos longitudinais, a massa óssea diminuída foi relacionada à frequência aumentada de DAC. No entanto, dados disponíveis sobre a relação entre densidade mineral óssea (DMO) e gravidade das lesões coronarianas são limitados. Objetivo: Investigar a associação entre DMO e gravidade das lesões coronarianas avaliadas pelo escore de Gensini em mulheres pós-menopausa. Métodos: Este estudo incluiu 122 mulheres pós-menopausa diagnosticadas com DAC. As pacientes foram divididas em dois grupos de acordo com a gravidade das lesões coronarianas avaliada pelo escore de Gensini - pacientes com lesões coronarianas leves (escore de Gensini < 25) e pacientes com lesões coronarianas graves (escore de Gensini ≥ 25). A densidade mineral do colo femoral foi medida por absorção de raios-X de dupla energia (DXA). Resultados: O estudo incluiu mulheres pós-menopausa com idade de 64,31 ± 4,71 anos, 85 delas (69,7%) com lesões coronarianas graves. Pacientes com lesões coronarianas graves apresentaram um escore T mais elevado que aquelas com lesões coronarianas leves no colo femoral (p < 0,05). O escore T médio foi -0,84 ± 1,01 no grupo com lesões leves, e -1,42 ± 1,39 no grupo com lesões graves (p < 0,05). A análise de regressão logística multivariada mostrou que a osteopenia-osteoporose no colo femoral (odds ratio 2,73; intervalo de confiança de 95% 1,06 - 6,13) esteve associada com um risco aumentado de se desenvolver lesões coronarianas graves. O modelo de regressão múltipla mostrou que os escores T (b = -0,407; EP= 0,151; p = 0,007) foram preditores independentes do escore de Gensini. Conclusão: Encontrou-se uma relação significativa entre a gravidade das lesões coronarianas e a DMO em mulheres pós-menopausa. DMO, uma técnica de baixo custo que envolve mínima exposição à radiação, e amplamente utilizada no rastreamento de osteoporose, é um marcador promissor da gravidade de lesões coronarianas graves.

Taxonomic identification of Tibetan herb Bawo Sebo and its chloroplast genome structure / 药学学报

As a common Tibetan herb, Bawo Sebo was mainly used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and urarthritis in Traditional Tibetan medicine. Based on our ethnobotanical survey, the origin of the herb was determined as Swertia verticillifolia T. N. Ho et S. W. Liu (Gentianaceae), endemic to the region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The diagnostic characters:perennial; stem leaves in whorls; corolla campanulate, yellow-green, 4-lobed; nectary 1 per corolla lobe, naked. Also, its complete chloroplast (cp) genome was sequenced. It is 151 682 bp in length, including a large single copy (LSC) region of 82 623 bp, a small single copy (SSC) region of 18 335 bp and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 25 362 bp. It contains 129 unique genes, including 84 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNAs and 8 rRNAs. This study provides information for understanding the diversity of Swertia cp genomes, and the alpine species identification, conservation and molecular phylogenetic researches of Swertia and Gentianaceae.

Time lapse between endodontic and periodontal treatments of combined periodontal-endodontic lesion: a systematic review / 华西口腔医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>This study aims to evaluate the time lapse between the endodontic and periodontal treatments of the combined periodontal-endodontic lesion to guide the clinical treatment.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A systemic literature search was performed in articles published from 1980 to March 2017 using the electronic databases, including PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane, Web of Science, CNKI, CBM, and Wanfang Databases.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After screening, two randomized controlled trials, two prospective case series studies, and eight case reports were ultimately included. All clinical studies and case reports were treated with root canal therapy and periodontal nonsurgical or periodontal surgical treatment, with root canal therapy as the initial treatment step. Changes in the periodontal probing depth and attachment loss were reported in all clinical studies and case reports.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>An observational period between the endodontic and periodontal nonsurgical treatments may not be required. However, given that the quality of several included studies was limited, and the number of randomized controlled trials was small, a large number of randomized controlled trials are needed to verify this result.</p>

Effects of long-term physical exercise on learning and memory impairment induced by recurrent seizures in neonatal rats / 中国康复医学杂志

Objective:To explore effects of early long-term exercise training on learning and memory impairment induced by recurrent seizures in neonatal rats.Method:Eighteen Sprague-Dawley rats at postnatal days 8 (P8) were randomly divided into control group (CONT),convulsion group (EXP1),and convulsion plus physical exercise group (EXP2)(Six in each group).Rats were fed for 1 day before the study.From P9,rats in EXP1 and EXP2 were subjected to flurothyl induced recurrent seizures 30min daily for 7 days.The rats of EXP2 were physical exercise from P16 to P57.The rats in control group were placed into the container for an equal amount of time to their counterpart without exposing to flurothyl.On P58-P64,subjects of the three groups were tested with Morris water maze.Result:①Place navigation test:there were significant differences among three groups [F=429.90,P＜0.05],day [F=282.30,P＜0.05],interaction [F=12.71,P＜0.05] by repeated two-way ANOVA analysis.Compared with CONT group,the escape latency in EXP1 was longer (P＜0.05).Compared with EXP1,the escape latency in EXP2 was shorter (P＜ 0.05).②Spatial probe test:Compared with CONT group,the frequency of passing through the platform in EXP1 was much less (P＜0.05).While compared with EXP1,the frequency of passing through the platform in EXP2 was much more (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion:Physical exercise could significantly reduce the escape latency time and increase the number of crossing the platform in the recurrent seizure group,which may be due to the improvement of learning and memory ability of convulsive rats by physical exercise.