Qishen Taohong Granule () as Adjuvant Therapy for Improving Cardiac Function and Quality of Life in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure: A Randomized Controlled Trial / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To confirm the improvement of cardiac function and quality of life (QOL) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) via Chinese medicine (CM) Qishen Taohong Granule (, QTG).@*METHODS@#This study was a single-center, prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial. Seventy-six patients from 27 to 84 years old diagnosed with CHF New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II or III in stage C were enrolled and randomly assigned at a 1:1 ratio to receive QTG or trimetazidine (TMZ), in addition to their standard medications for the treatment of CHF. The study period was 4 weeks. The primary outcomes included cardiac function evaluated by NYHA classification and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), as well as QOL evaluated by CHF Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Survival Scale (CHFQLS). The secondary outcomes included 6-min walking test (6MWT), CM syndrome score, symptom and sign scores and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). All indices were measured at baseline and the end of the trial.@*RESULTS@#At the 4-week follow-up period, the effective rate according to NYHA classification in the QTG group was better than that in the TMZ group (74.29% vs. 54.29%, P<0.05). But there was no significant difference in post-treatment level of LVEF between the two groups (P>0.05). The CHFQLS scores improved by 13.82±6.04 vs. 7.49±2.28 in the QTG and TMZ groups, respectively (P<0.05). Subgroup analysis of the CHFQLS results showed that physiological function, role limitation and vitality were significantly higher in the QTG group than in the TMZ group (15.76±7.85 vs. 7.40±3.36, P<0.05; 16.00±8.35 vs. 10.53±4.64, P<0.05; 15.31±8.09 vs. 7.89±4.60, P<0.05). Compared with TMZ group, treatment with QTG also demonstrated superior performance with respect to 6MWT, CM syndrome, shortness of breath, fatigue, gasping, general edema and NT-proBNP level. No significant adverse reactions or adverse cardiac events occurred during treatment in either group.@*CONCLUSION@#In addition to conventional treatments, the use of QTG as an adjuvant therapy significantly improved cardiac function and QOL in patients with CHF class II or III in stage C. [Registration No. ChiCTR1900022036 (retrospectively registered)].

Effect of C21 steroidal glycoside of Cynanchum auriculatum on liver and kidney fibrosis through TLR4 pathway / 中国中药杂志

The liver and kidney fibrosis model was established by thioacetamide(TAA) and unilateral ureteral obstruction(UUO) in SD rats. The rats were randomly divided into three groups: model group, low and high-dose groups of C21 steroidal glycosides of Cynanchum auriculatum. Another blank control group was set. Four weeks later, serum was taken to detect the biochemical indexes of liver and kidney function. Urine protein and urine creatinine were detected by kits. Liver and kidney tissue samples were stained with HE and Masson staining, and hydroxyproline content was detected. Western blot was used to detect expressions of fibrotic proteins, inflammatory factors and TLR4 signaling pathways, so as to observe the preventive and therapeutic effects of C21 steroidal glycosides from C. auriculatum on hepatic and renal fibrosis and explore its molecular mechanism. Four weeks later, serum biochemical results showed that liver and kidney functions were seriously damaged, and pathological sections showed that inflammatory cell infiltration, decrease of parenchymal cells, and increase of interstitial fibrosis in liver and kidney tissues. The results showed that low and high doses(150, 300 mg·kg~(-1)) of C21 steroidal glycosides could significantly reduce the collagen deposition and the pathological changes of liver and kidney fibrosis compared with the model group. At the same time, we found that the expression levels of TLR4 and MyD88 signaling pathway proteins were significantly increased in the liver and kidney tissues of the model group, and a large number of NF-κB signaling pathway proteins migrated into the nucleus. On the contrary, the expression levels of TLR4, MyD88 signaling pathway proteins and the nuclear migration of NF-κB were significantly inhibited in the low and high dose groups of C21 steroidal glycosides from C. auriculatum. Therefore, it was speculated that the mechanism of C21 steroidal glycoside for preventive and therapeutic effect on hepatic and renal fibrosis was related to inhibit TLR4/MYD88/NF-κB inflammatory pathway, thus preventing hepatic and renal fibrosis.

Progress in understanding hepatic fibrosis and renal fibrosis based on the gut-liver-kidney axis / 药学学报

Fibrosis is a pathological process of abnormal hyperplasia and excessive deposition of extracellular matrix during the process of repair after tissue and organ damage. Injury/inflammation caused by variously chronic diseases is a major trigger for fibrogenesis. Fibrosis of the liver and kidney is a common organ fibrosis. Recently, the intestinal microbiota has been shown to be extensively involved in the development of liver and kidney diseases, which may follow from changes in the intestinal microbial composition and intestinal integrity. This promotes the development of liver and/or kidney fibrosis through endocrine, cell signaling and other pathways. This paper reviews the research progress in understanding liver fibrosis and kidney fibrosis based on the gut-liver-kidney axis, which may be helpful for providing new strategies and theoretical basis for the diagnosis and treatment of hepatic and renal fibrosis.

Influences of platelet distribution width on the prognosis of patients with nasopharyngeal cancer / 国际肿瘤学杂志

Objective To investigate the influences of platelet distribution width (PDW) on the prognosis of nasopharyngeal cancer patients.Methods A total of 186 patients with nasopharyngeal cancer from January 2009 to December 2013 in our hospital were selected.The patients were aged from 48 to 79 years old,with an average age (61.8 +8.2) years old.The age,gender,lung function,liver function,body mass index (BMI),smoking,drinking,histological type and staging of patients were recorded.The patients were followed up after discharge,and the mean follow up period was 28 months (12-36 months).The terminal event was nasopharyngeal cancer related death or the end of follow up.The best threshold of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for the overall survival rate of PDW was tested,and the patients were divided into ≥ best threshold group and ＜ best threshold group.The prognostic factors were analyzed by single factor analysis and Cox multiple regression analysis.Results The best threshold of ROC curve for the overall survival rate of PDW was 16.4％.The patients were divided into PDW≥ 16.4％ group and PDW ＜ 16.4％ group.There were no statistically significant differences in age (t =0.712,P =0.478),gender (x2=0.044,P =0.834),BMI (t =0.593,P =0.554),smoking (x2 =0.063,P =0.802),drinking (x2 =0.555,P =0.456),forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC,t =1.711,P =0.089),alanine transaminase (ALT,t =1.756,P =0.081),histological type (x2 =0.259,P =0.879) and staging (Z =2.443,P =0.486) between the two groups.Results of single factor analysis showed that there were statistically significant differences in age (x2 =4.611,P =0.032),gender (x2 =3.952,P =0.047),smoking (x2 =5.564,P =0.018),FEV1/FVC (x2 =4.321,P=0.038),staging (x2 =6.021,P =0.014) and PDW (x2 =4.511,P =0.034) between the two groups.Cox risk model of multifactor analysis showed that the elderly (≥60 years,x2 =5.429,P =0.020),male patients (x2 =4.648,P =0.031),smoking (x2 =18.453,P ＜0.001),Ⅲ-Ⅳ staging (x2 =9.612,P =0.002) and PDW ≥ 16.4％ (x2 =6.008,P =0.014) were independent prognostic factors in patients with nasopharyngeal cancer.Conclusion The degree of PDW in patients with nasopharyngeal cancer affects the prognosis of patients,and the patients with PDW ≥ 16.4％ have the better prognosis.

Techniques and methods evaluation on pharmaceutical stability of liposomes / 药学学报

Liposomes as a drug carrier is easy to form aggregation and cause drug leakage in vitro. In addition, the degradation and elimination in vivo happens frequently to reduce its delivery activity. Development and application of liposomes are restricted by the instability. The appropriate techniques and methods are great important in the study of pharmaceutical stability of liposomes. In this paper, the techniques and methods are reviewed on pharmaceutical stability evaluation of liposomes, which was done from physical, chemical and biological stability for the difference in stability of liposomes. The research strategies for establishing the stability evaluation system and improving the value of liposomes have been discussed to make full therapeutic advantage of it.

Progress of application of ionic liquid in extraction and separation of biological samples / 中国药学杂志

OBJECTIVE: To review the recent application of ionic liquid in extraction and separation of biological samples.

Correlation study between Mycobacterium tuberculosis PhoPR two-component system and pathogenicity of different virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis / 中国免疫学杂志

Objective:To explore the correlation between Mycobacterium tuberculosis PhoPR two-component system and the pathogenicity of different virulent MTB by analysing the expression levels difference of PhoP gene and PhoR gene in BCG ,H37Ra, H37Rv and XJ-MTB respectively.Methods:Total RNA extracted from four different virulent MTB strains and the integrity of total RNA were identified by using agarose gel electrophoresis.The expression of PhoP gene and PhoR gene were quantified by using SYBR Green I FQ-PCR.The expression levels difference of these genes were compared in different virulent MTB strains .Results: The relative expression levels of PhoP gene in between four different virulent MTB strains from high to low were XJ -MTB(9.05),H37Rv(1.00), H37Ra(0.25),BCG(0.08) respectively ,and the expression levels difference of PhoP gene were statistically significant in different virulent MTB strains ( P＜0.05 );the relative expression levels of PhoR gene in four different virulent MTB strains from high to low were XJ-MTB(5.72),H37Rv(1.00),H37Ra(0.18),BCG(0.07) respectively,and the expression levels difference of PhoR gene were sta-tistically significant in different virulent MTB strains ( P＜0.05 ).The expression levels of PhoP gene and PhoR gene at XJ-MTB were statistically significant difference compared with BCG ,H37Rv,H37Ra respectively (P＜0.05);the expression levels of PhoP gene and PhoR gene at H37Rv were statistically significant difference compared with BCG ,H37Ra respectively (P＜0.05);the expression levels of PhoP and PhoR gene at BCG were not statistically significant difference compared with H 37Ra (P>0.05).Conclusion:Significant expression levels difference of PhoP gene and PhoR gene are confirmed in different virulent MTB strains .Therefore,the Mycobacterium tuberculosis PhoPR two-component system is correlated with the pathogenicity in different virulent MTB strains.

Correlation study between prokaryotic ubiquitin-like protein (Pup)-proteasome and drug resistance of clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis / 中国免疫学杂志

Objective:To study the correlation different drug-resistant mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates of prokaryotic ubiquitin-like protein ( Pup )-proteasome of Pup, Dop, PafA, Mpa gene expression level and mycobacterium tuberculosis Pup-proteasome system with Xinjiang region widely popular drug-resistant mycobacterium tuberculosis in clinical isolates resistance.Methods:Total RNA of Mtb was extracted from cultured Mtb during the logarithmic phase in drug-susceptible strains in Xinjiang region,the clinical strains drug sensitive to INH,RFP,SM and EB respectively,and multidrug-resistant(MDR) strains.And then the purity of total RNA was identified.The expressing of Pup-proteasome relevant gene( Pup,Dop,Mpa,PafA) were quantified using SYBR GreenⅠqRT-PCR which aimed at finding the correlation between Mtb Pup-proteasome system and drug resistance of Mtb clinical isolates widespread in Xingjiang region by analyzing the expression of Pup, Dop, PafA, Mpa gene among different isolates.Results:Compared with the drug-senstive clinical isolates, mRNA expression level of Pup, Mpa gene was down-regulated in resistant M.tuberculosis clinical isolates INH ( INH-MTB) ,RFP ( RFP-MTB) ,SM ( SM-MTB) and EB ( EB-MTB) ,mRNA expression levels of genes in Dop and PafA was higher in resistant M.tuberculosis clinical isolates,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).Compared with MDR strain, the expression of Pup, Dop, Mpa gene were up-regulated different in the resistant M.tuberculosis clinical isolates isolates ,the expression of PafA gene was down-regulated different,the difference was statistically significant( P<0.05).Conclusion:The differentially expressed gene of Pup、Dop、PafA、Mpa gene in sensitive strains,INH-MTB,RFP-MTB,SM-MTB,EB-MTB and MDR strains.The Mycobacterium tuberculosis Pup-proteasome system.Therefore,the Pup-proteasome system have association with the drug resistance of Mtb strains widespread in Xinjiang region.

Effect on expression of macrophages ferroportin and ferritin in mouse alveolar macrophages by mycobacterium tuberculosis / 中国免疫学杂志

Objective:To discuss the change of ferritin ( Fn) and ferroportin expression quantity and time-related feature in the alveolar macrophages of mice , infected with different virulence of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis infected .Methods:The prepared bacte-ria of H37Rv or BCG were injected intravenously into the mice tails .On the day 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 15, the lavage fluids were collected and the alveolar macrophages were obtained from each group of mice .The expression of FPN and Fn were detected with ELISA and /or Western blot analysis .Results:The expression of Fn in the group of either H 37Rv or BCG infected mice was decreased on the day 7, 9 and 11, and was lowest on the day 7, which showed significantly statistical difference compared to that on the other days (P<0.05).The expression of FNP in the infected mouse macrophage was decreased gradually , which was obvious on the day 5. The expression levels reached to the lowest on the day 7 and 9.The expression was much lower than that in the negative control group (P<0.05).Conclusion:The expression of Fn and FPN in macrophages isolated from lungs of mice infected with Mycobacterium tu -berculosis H37Rv or BCG become decreased , and there is no difference between these two infected mouse groups .

Correlation study between Mycobacterium tuberculosis PhoPR two-component system and drug resist-ance of widespread clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

Objective To explore the correlation between Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( MTB ) PhoPR two-component system and drug resistance of MTB clinical isolates widespread in Xinjiang region by analyzing the expression of PhoP gene and PhoR gene among different isolates .Methods Total RNA of MTB was extracted from drug-susceptible strains , the strains only resistant to a single first-line anti-TB drugs (INH, RFP, SM and EB) and multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains, respectively.The purity of total RNA was checked by agarose gel electrophoresis .The expressions of PhoP gene and PhoR gene were quantified by using SYBR Green I qRT-PCR and the differences of their gene expression in different isolates were ana-lyzed.Results Compared with the drug-susceptible strains of MTB, the expression of PhoP gene was up-regulated for about 1.48 times in MTB strains resistant to RFP (RFP-MTB) and 2.74 times in MDR strain (P<0.05).Compared with MDR strain, the expressions of PhoP gene in the isolates resistant to INH (IN-HMTB), RFP (RFP-MTB), SM (SM-MTB) and EB (EB-MTB) were down-regulated for 0.70, 0.50, 0.25 and 0.21 times respectively.The expressions of PhoR gene were down-regulated for 0.36, 0.54, 0.35 and 0.19 times, respectively (P<0.05).The expressions of PhoR gene in the isolates of INH-MTB, RFP-MTB, SM-MTB and EB-MTB were up-regulated for 6.33, 4.56, 2.34, 1.85 and 9.06 times, respectively as compared with the drug-susceptible strains (P<0.05).Conclusion Significant differences of PhoR gene and PhoP gene expressions were observed among drug-susceptible strains , INH-MTB, RFP-MTB, SM-MTB, EB-MTB and MDR strains.Therefore, the Mycobacterium tuberculosis PhoPR two-component system is asso-ciated with the drug resistance of MTB strains prevalent in Xinjiang region .

Effects of culture medium of amniotic cells on NO and NOS in retina tissues in vitro / 中华眼底病杂志

Objective To observe the effects of culture medium of a mn iotic cells on NO and NOS in retinal tissues of rabbits in vitro in order to pro vide a protective method for antioxidation in retina transplantation. M ethods Thirty adult healthy rabbits (30 right eyes) were divided into 3 groups. Group Ⅰ: fresh retinal tissue; group Ⅱ: routine culture medium; group Ⅲ: culture medium of amniotic cells. The retinal tissues in group Ⅱ and Ⅲ we re cultured in the corresponding culture medium for 1 week. The content of NO an d NOS in retinal tissues in the 3 groups were determined. Results Compared with group I, the content of NO and NOS of group Ⅱ increased obvio usly (t=3.821, 3.854; P0.05) . Conclusion Culture medium of amniotic cells may remove free r adicals and enhance the ability of antioxidation.