Formulation and technology of oxymatrine-astragaloside IV coloaded liposomes based on quality by design / 药学学报

To optimize the formulation and technology of oxymatrine-astragaloside IV coloaded liposomes (Om-As-Lip) based on quality by design (QbD) principles, and further to verify the feasibility of its amplification process, Om-As-Lip was prepared by ethanol injection combined with pH gradient method. The critical material attributions of Om-As-Lip were evaluated by dual-risk analysis tools and Plackett-Burman design (PBD). The formulation of Om-As-Lip was further optimized with the Box-Behnken design (BBD). The design space was also established based on the contour plots of BBD. In order to further investigate the amplification process of Om-As-Lip, the critical process parameters of high-pressure homogenization (HPH) were optimized by single-factor test, and the quality of the final product was also evaluated. The results of risk analysis and PBD confirmed that the astragaloside concentration, cholesterol concentration, and phospholipid ratio (HSPC∶SPC) were the ctitical material attributes. The model established by BBD had a good predictability, and the optimized mass ratio of As to phospholipids was 1∶40, cholesterol to phospholipids was 1∶10, HSPC to SPC was 51∶9. The design space of Om-As-Lip was as follows: the ratio of cholesterol to phospholipids was 1∶12-1∶5 and HSPC to SPC was 1∶7-17∶3. The optimized high-pressure homogenization pressure was 600 bar, temperature was 4 ℃, and cycle times was 6 times for HPH-Om-As-Lip. The quality of Om-As-Lip prepared based on the QbD concept can meet the expected CQAs, and the formulation and technology established can provide a reliable experimental basis for its future development and applications.

Forsythiaside B inhibits cerebral ischemia/reperfusion-induced oxidative stress injury in mice via the AMPK/DAF-16/FOXO3 pathway / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To study the protective effect of forsythiaside B (FB) against cerebral oxidative stress injury induced by cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) in mice and explore the underlying mechanism.@*METHODS@#Ninety C57BL/6 mice were randomized into sham-operated group, middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model group, and low-, medium and highdose (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg, respectively) FB groups. The expression levels of MDA, ROS, PCO, 8-OHdG, SOD, GSTα4, CAT and GPx in the brain tissue of the mice were detected using commercial kits, and those of AMPK, P-AMPK, DAF-16, FOXO3 and P-FOXO3 were detected with Western blotting. Compound C (CC), an AMPK inhibitor, was used to verify the role of the AMPK pathway in mediating the therapeutic effect of FB. In another 36 C57BL/6 mice randomized into 4 sham-operated group, MCAO model group, FB (40 mg/kg) treatment group, FB+CC (10 mg/kg) treatment group, TTC staining was used to examine the volume of cerebral infarcts, and the levels of ROS and SOD in the brain were detected; the changes in the protein expressions of AMPK, P-AMPK, DAF-16, FOXO3 and P-FOXO3 in the brain tissue were detected using Western blotting.@*RESULTS@#In mice with cerebral IR injury, treatment with FB significantly reduced the levels of ROS, MDA, PCO and 8-OHdG, increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes SOD, GSTα4, CAT and GPx, and enhanced phosphorylation of AMPK and FOXO3 and DAF-16 protein expression in the brain tissue (P < 0.01). Compared with FB treatment alone, the combined treatment with FB and CC significantly reduced phosphorylation of AMPK and FOXO3, lowered expression of DAF-16 and SOD activity, and increased cerebral infarction volume and ROS level in the brain tissue of the mice (P < 0.01).@*CONCLUSION@#FB inhibits oxidative stress injury caused by cerebral I/R in mice possibly by enhancing AMPK phosphorylation, promoting the downstream DAF-16 protein expression and FOXO3 phosphorylation, increasing the expression of antioxidant enzymes, and reducing ROS level in the brain tissue.

A multi-center analysis of thyroid-stimulating hormone level in apparently healthy elderly population in China / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level and its changes with age in apparently healthy Chinese elderly population and analyze the differences between TSH levels detected using Roche and Snibe electrochemiluminescence immunoassay analyzers.@*METHODS@#General clinical data and frozen fasting serum samples were collected from 5451 apparently healthy Chinese elderly individuals (> 60 years) from 10 centers in different geographic regions in China. Thyroid function indexes including TSH level were detected using Roche and Snibe electrochemiluminescence immunoassay analyzer, and the median (2.5% and 97.5% quantiles) TSH level was calculated. The variations of TSH level among the participants with geographic regions, gender, and age (with an interval of 5 years) were analyzed to determine the influence of these factors on TSH level.@*RESULTS@#The reference ranges of serum TSH level established using Roche and Snibe electrochemiluminescence immunoassay analyzers were 0.42-9.47 mU/L and 0.36-7.98 mU/L, respectively, showing significant differences between the two methods (P < 0.001). The TSH levels measured at two centers in Western China were significantly higher than those at the other centers (P < 0.05). In elderly male population, serum TSH level tended to increase with age, which was not observed in elderly female population. At the age of 60-75 years, women generally had higher serum TSH level than men, but this difference was not observed in the population beyond 75 years.@*CONCLUSION@#In elderly population, serum TSH level can vary with geographic region, gender, and age, but there was no need for establishing specific reference ranges for these factors. The differences between different detection methods should be evaluated when interpreting the detection results of TSH level.

Clinical and immunological characteristics of PD-1 associated fulminant type 1 diabetes mellitus / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVES@#Programmed death 1 (PD-1) associated fulminant type 1 diabetes (PFD) is a rare acute and critical in internal medicine, and its clinical characteristics are still unclear. This study aims to analyze the clinical characteristics of PFD patients to improve clinical diagnosis and treatment.@*METHODS@#We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 10 patients with PFD admitted to the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, combined with the data of 66 patients reported in the relevant literature, analyzed and summarized their clinical and immunological characteristics, and compared the patients with PFD with different islet autoantibody status.@*RESULTS@#Combined with our hospital and literature data, a total of 76 patients with PFD were reported, with the age of (60.9±12.1) years old, 60.0% male and body mass index of (22.1±5.2) kg/m2. In 76 patients, the most common tumors were lung cancer (43.4%) and melanoma (22.4%). Among PD-1 inhibitors, the most common drugs are nivolumab (37.5%) and pembrolizumab (38.9%). 82.2% of PFD patients developed diabetes ketoacidosis. The median onset time from PD-1 related inhibitor treatment to hyperglycemia was 95 (36.0, 164.5) d, and the median treatment cycle before the onset of diabetes was 6 (2.3, 8.0) cycles. 26% (19/73) of PFD patients had positive islet autoantibodies, and the proportion of ketoacidosis in the positive group was significantly higher than that in the negative group (100.0% vs 75.0%, P<0.05). The onset time and infusion times of diabetes after PD-1 inhibitor treatment in the autoantibody positive group were significantly lower than those in the autoantibody negative group (28.5 d vs 120.0 d; 2 cycles vs 7 cycles, both P<0.001).@*CONCLUSIONS@#After initiation of tumor immunotherapy, it is necessary to be alert to the occurrence of adverse reactions of PFD, and the onset of PFD with islet autoantibody positive is faster and more serious than that of patients with autoantibodies negative. Detection of islet autoantibodies and blood glucose before and after treatment with PD-1 inhibitors is of great value for early warning and prediction of PFD.

Research Progressin the Application of Creative Arts Therapy to Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia / 中国医学科学院学报

Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are common in the patients with dementia.Creative arts therapies (CAT) are one of the safe and effective non-pharmacological interventions for BPSD.This paper elaborates on the therapeutic effects of four common CAT,including art therapy,music therapy,dance therapy,and drama therapy,on BPSD.Despite the shortcomings,CAT offer a new gateway for the safe and noninvasive treatment of BPSD.

Enzymatic properties and degradation characterization of a bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate hydrolase from Saccharothrix sp / 生物工程学报

The discovery of new enzymes for poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) degradation has been a hot topic of research globally. Bis-(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET) is an intermediate compound in the degradation of PET and competes with PET for the substrate binding site of the PET-degrading enzyme, thereby inhibiting further degradation of PET. Discovery of new BHET degradation enzymes may contribute to improving the degradation efficiency of PET. In this paper, we discovered a hydrolase gene sle (ID: CP064192.1, 5085270-5086049) from Saccharothrix luteola, which can hydrolyze BHET into mono-(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (MHET) and terephthalic acid (TPA). BHET hydrolase (Sle) was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli using a recombinant plasmid, and the highest protein expression was achieved at a final concentration of 0.4 mmol/L of isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactoside (IPTG), an induction duration of 12 h and an induction temperature of 20 ℃. The recombinant Sle was purified by nickel affinity chromatography, anion exchange chromatography, and gel filtration chromatography, and its enzymatic properties were also characterized. The optimum temperature and pH of Sle were 35 ℃ and 8.0, and more than 80% of the enzyme activity could be maintained in the range of 25-35 ℃ and pH 7.0-9.0 and Co2+ could improve the enzyme activity. Sle belongs to the dienelactone hydrolase (DLH) superfamily and possesses the typical catalytic triad of the family, and the predicted catalytic sites are S129, D175, and H207. Finally, the enzyme was identified as a BHET degrading enzyme by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). This study provides a new enzyme resource for the efficient enzymatic degradation of PET plastics.

Efficacy and safefy of Polymyxin B treatment for neutropenic patients suffering from refractory Gram-negative bacterial bloodstream infection / 中华血液学杂志

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of polymyxin B in neutropenic patients with hematologic disorders who had refractory gram-negative bacterial bloodstream infection. Methods: From August 2021 to July 2022, we retrospectively analyzed neutropenic patients with refractory gram-negative bacterial bloodstream infection who were treated with polymyxin B in the Department of Hematology of the First Affiliated Hospital of the Soochow University between August 2021 to July 2022. The cumulative response rate was then computed. Results: The study included 27 neutropenic patients with refractory gram-negative bacterial bloodstream infections. Polymyxin B therapy was effective in 22 of 27 patients. The median time between the onset of fever and the delivery of polymyxin B was 3 days [interquartile range (IQR) : 2-5]. The median duration of polymyxin B treatment was 7 days (IQR: 5-11). Polymyxin B therapy had a median antipyretic time of 37 h (IQR: 32-70). The incidence of acute renal dysfunction was 14.8% (four out of 27 cases), all classified as "injury" according to RIFLE criteria. The incidence of hyperpigmentation was 59.3%. Conclusion: Polymyxin B is a viable treatment option for granulocytopenia patients with refractory gram-negative bacterial bloodstream infections.

The efficacy and safety of intravenous sucrose iron therapy for recurrent iron deficiency anemia / 中华血液学杂志

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravenous iron supplementation in patients with recurrent iron deficiency anemia (IDA) . Methods: This retrospective analysis of 90 patients with recurrent IDA from May 2012 to December 2021 was conducted, comparing the efficacy and safety of the intravenous iron therapy group and the oral iron therapy group. Results: Among the 90 patients with recurrent IDA, 20 were males and 70 were females, with a median age of 40 (range: 14-85) years. A total of 60 patients received intravenous iron supplementation and 30 received oral iron supplementation. The hematologic response rates in the intravenous iron group were significantly higher than those in the oral iron group at 4 and 8 weeks after treatment [80.0% (48/60) vs 3.3% (1/30) and 96.7% (58/60) vs 46.7% (14/30), all P<0.001, respectively]. The median increase in hemoglobin levels was also significantly higher in the intravenous iron group than in the oral iron group [38 (4, 66) g/L vs 7 (1, 22) g/L at week 4 and 44.5 (18, 80) g/L vs 19 (3, 53) g/L at week 8, all P<0.001]. The intravenous iron group had a significantly higher proportion of patients who achieved normal hemoglobin levels than the oral iron group (55.0% vs 0 and 90% vs 43.3%, all P<0.001, respectively). Iron metabolism indicators were tested before and after 8 weeks of treatment in 26 and 7 patients in the intravenous and oral iron groups, respectively. The median increase in serum ferritin (SF) levels in the intravenous iron group 8 weeks after treatment was 113.7 (49.7, 413.5) μg/L, and 54% (14/26) of these patients had SF levels of ≥100 μg/L, which was significantly higher than the median increase in SF levels in the oral iron group [14.0 (5.8, 84.2) μg/L, t=4.760, P<0.001] and the proportion of patients with SF levels of ≥100 μg/L (P=0.013). The incidence of adverse reactions was 3.3% (2/60) in the intravenous iron group, which was significantly lower than that in the oral iron group [20.0% (6/30), P=0.015]. Conclusion: Intravenous iron supplementation is more effective for hematologic response, faster hemoglobin increase, and higher iron storage replenishment rates compared with oral iron supplementation in patients with recurrent IDA, and it is well tolerated by patients.

The impact of flash glucose monitoring on glycemic control, residual islet function, and patient-reported outcomes in children and adolescents with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes / 中国医师杂志

Objective:To assess the effect of flash glucose monitoring (FGM) compared with self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) on glycemic control, residual islet function, and patient-reported outcomes in children and adolescents with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes within 1 year.Methods:133 children and adolescents with newly diagnosed T1DM in the T1D clinic of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from January 2016 to January 2020 were divided into two groups: FGM group ( n=82) and SMBG group ( n=51). The observation indexes included hemoglobin A1c (HbA 1c), fasting and postprandial blood glucose (FBG and 2 h BG), C-peptide (FCP and 2 h CP) during the one-year follow-up, Δ CP (2 h CP-FCP), patient-reported hypoglycemia and questionnaires regarding self-management of diabetes and quality of life. Results:At 6 months, HbA 1c in 2 groups was significantly decreased (all P<0.05); at 6 to 12 months, HbA 1c in FGM group tended to be stable ( P>0.05); at 12 months, HbA 1c in SMBG group was significantly increased compared with 6 months ( P=0.001). At 12 months, HbA 1c in SMBG group was higher than that in FGM group ( P=0.001). At 12 months, FBG in FGM group was equivalent to the baseline level ( P>0.05), while FBG in SMBG group was significantly higher than the baseline level ( P=0.006). 2 h BG only decreased at the 6th and 12th month in FGM group (all P<0.05). The FCP of SMBG group was significantly decreased at 12 months ( P<0.05), and the 2 h CP, Δ CP in the two groups decreased gradually (all P<0.05). FGM group had more hypoglycemic events at 6 and 12 months (all P<0.05). At 6 months, the score of Self-Management of T1D for Adolescents (SMOD-A) in FGM group was significantly improved ( P=0.001). During the follow-up period, the quality of life score of FGM group was stable ( P>0.05), while the quality of life score of SMBG group had a downward trend ( P=0.052). Conclusions:In newly diagnosed children and adolescents with T1DM, early application of FGM for blood glucose management will help to improve HbA 1c and reduce postprandial blood glucose. In addition, the self-management ability of children with FGM was improved after 6 months.

Clinical efficacy of etocoxib combined with low dose colchicine in the treatment of acute gouty arthritis in 37 patients / 中国基层医药

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of etocoxib combined with low-dose colchicine in the treatment of acute gouty arthritis in 37 patients.Methods:A total of 74 patients with acute gouty arthritis who received treatment in The Second People's Hospital of Liaocheng from October 2019 to October 2021 were included in this study. They were randomly assigned to undergo treatment with etocoxib alone (control group, n = 37) or etocoxib combined with low-dose colchicine (observation group, n = 37). All patients were treated for 1 week. Clinical efficacy, Visual Analogue Scale score, laboratory indicators, incidence of adverse reactions, and Quality of Life Comprehensive Assessment Questionnaire-74 score were compared between the two groups. Results:The total response rate in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group [95% (35/37) vs. 65% (24/37)]. At 1, 3, and 6 days after treatment, the Visual Analogue Scale score in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group ( t = 19.77, 15.43, 29.01, all P < 0.001). After treatment, blood uric acid, C-reactive protein, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate in the observation group was (432.26 ± 31.26) μmol/L, (16.25 ± 1.62) mg/L, (31.26 ± 1.25) mm/h, respectively, which was significantly lower than (485.26 ± 39.62) μmol/L, (45.26 ± 3.88) mg/L, (46.52 ± 2.82) mm/h in the control group ( t = 6.39, 41.97, 30.09, all P < 0.001). Quality of Life Comprehensive Assessment Questionnaire-74 score in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group ( t = 13.41, 17.73, 16.09, 11.77, all P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups ( P > 0.05). Conclusion:Etocoxib combined with low-dose colchicine can effectively reduce pain and inflammatory reactions in patients with acute gouty arthritis and improve quality of life, with a low incidence of adverse reactions.

Analysis of the risk factors for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation use after surgical repair in patients with anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery combined with severe left ventricular dysfunction / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To analyze the early outcomes of anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction after surgical repair, and to explore the predictors for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support for these patients. Methods    The clinical data of ALCAPA patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction (left ventricular ejection fraction<40%) who underwent coronary artery reimplantation in the pediatric center of our hospital from 2013 to 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into an ECMO group and a non-ECMO group. Clinical data of the two groups were compared and analyzed. Results    A total of 64 ALCAPA patients were included. There were 7 patients in the ECMO group, including 4 males and 3 females aged 6.58±1.84 months. There were 57 pateints in the non-ECMO group, including 30 males and 27 females aged 4.34±2.56 months. The mortality of the patients was 6.25% (4/64), including 2 patients in the ECMO group, and 2 in the non-ECMO group. The postoperative complications rate was significantly higher in the ECMO group than that in the non-ECMO group (P=0.041). There were statistical differences in the cardiopulmonary bypass time [254 (153, 417) min vs. 106 (51, 192) min, P=0.013], aortic cross-clamping (ACC) time (89.57±13.66 min vs. 61.58± 19.57 min, P=0.039), and preoperative left ventricular end-diastolic diameter/body surface area (132.32±14.71 mm/m2 vs. 108.00±29.64 mm/m2, P=0.040) between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that ACC time was an independent risk factor for postoperative ECMO support (P=0.005). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the area under the ROC curve was 0.757, the sensitivity was 85.70%, specificity was 66.70%, with the cut-off value of 66 min. Conclusion    ACC time is an independent risk factor for postoperative ECMO support. Patients with an ACC time>66 min have a significantly higher risk for ECMO support after the surgery.

Application of the Chinese Expert Consensus on Diabetes Classification in clinical practice / 中华内科杂志

Objective:To evaluate the diagnostic for classification of newly diagnosed diabetes patients and assess the application of the screening tests recommended by the 2022 Chinese Expert Consensus on Diabetes Classification.Methods:Retrospective case series study. The data from the electronic medical record system of patients with new-onset diabetes mellitus (within 1 year of disease onset) who attending the Diabetes Specialist Outpatient Clinic at the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2021 were collected for the analysis. Based on the consensus, patients were categorized according their age of onset, body mass index (BMI), and suspicion of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). The chi-square statistic was used to compare key classifier indicators, including C-peptide, islet autoantibodies, and genetic markers, in the subgroups. The diagnosis in suspected T1DM patients was also evaluated. The screening strategy recommended in the consensus was further assessed using a logistic regression model and the area under the receiver-operating curve (AUC).Results:A total of 3 384 patients with new-onset diabetes were included. The average age of disease onset was (46.3±13.9) years, and 61.0% (2 065/3 384) of the patients were male. The proportions of patients who completed C-peptide and glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody (GADA) tests were 36.6% (1 238/3 384) and 37.5% (1 269/3 384), respectively. There were no significant differences in C-peptide test results among the subgroups (all P>0.05). In contrast, the GADA detection rate was higher in patients with young age of onset (<30 years old), in those who were non-obese (BMI<24 kg/m 2), and in those clinically suspected of T1DM (all P<0.05). According to the diagnostic pathway proposed by the consensus, only 57.4% (1 941/3 384) of patients could be subtyped. For a definitive diagnosis, the remaining patients needed completion of C-peptide, islet autoantibody, genetic testing, or follow-up. Furthermore, among patients with clinical features of suspected T1DM, the antibody positivity rate was higher than in non-suspected T1DM patients [24.5% (154/628) vs. 7.1% (46/646), P<0.001]. When the clinical features of suspected T1DM defined in the consensus were taken as independent variables and antibody positivity was considered the outcome variable in the logistic regression model, young onset, non-obese onset, and ketosis onset could enter the model. Based on AUC analysis, the accuracy of the diagnostic model was 0.77 (95% CI 0.73-0.81), suggesting that the clinical features of suspected T1DM in the consensus have good clinical diagnostic value for this patient subgroup. Conclusions:There was a significant discrepancy between the clinical practice of diabetes classification and the process recommended by the consensus, which was specifically reflected in the low proportions of both subtyping indicator testing and definitively subtyped diabetes patients. Attention should be pay to the classification diagnosis process proposed in the consensus and the clinical detection rate of key diabetes subtyping indicators such as C-peptide and islet autoantibodies for diabetes classification should be improved. Noteworthy, the screening strategy for T1DM proposed by the consensus showed good clinical application value.

Prevalence of psoriatic arthritis in Chinese population with psoriasis: A multicenter study conducted by experienced rheumatologists / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#Reports on the prevalence of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) among Chinese patients with psoriasis are very limited. This study, conducted by rheumatologists, estimated the prevalence of PsA in a large number of Chinese patients with psoriasis.@*METHODS@#Consecutive patients with a confirmed diagnosis of psoriasis attending nine dermatology clinics in five hospitals were recruited. All psoriasis patients were asked to complete a questionnaire comprising 16 questions to identify possible cases of PsA. All patients with one or more positive answers to the questionnaire were evaluated by two experienced rheumatologists.@*RESULTS@#A total of 2434 psoriasis patients, including 1561 males and 873 females, were enrolled. Both the questionnaire and rheumatologists' examinations were completed in the dermatology clinics. The results identified 252 patients with PsA, comprising 168 males and 84 females. The overall prevalence of PsA among psoriasis patients was 10.4% (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 9.1%-11.7%). By sex, the prevalence was 10.8% (95% CI, 9.2%-12.5%) for males and 9.6% (95% CI, 7.7%-11.9%) for females and there was no significant sex difference in the prevalence of PsA (P = 0.38). Of the 252 PsA patients, 125 (49.6%, 95% CI, 41.3%-59.1%) were newly diagnosed by rheumatologists. Consequently, the prevalence of undiagnosed PsA among psoriasis patients was 5.2% (95% CI, 4.4%-6.2%).@*CONCLUSION@#The prevalence of PsA in the Chinese population with psoriasis is about 10.4%, which is almost double that of previous reports in the Chinese population, but lower than that in Caucasians.

Emerging role of miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs in pregnancy-associated diseases / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

Accumulating studies have demonstrated that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), functioning as important regulators of transcription and translation, are involved in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy, especially the maternal immune adaptation process. The endometrial stromal cells (ESCs), trophoblast cells, and decidua immune cells that reside at the maternal-fetal interface are thought to play significant roles in normal pregnancy and pregnancy-associated diseases. Here, we reviewed the up-to-date evidence on how microRNA, long non-coding RNA, and circular RNA regulate ESCs, trophoblast cells, and immune cells and discussed the potential applications of these ncRNAs as diagnostic and therapeutic markers in pregnancy complications.

Study on the objectivity and biological mechanism of Psoralea corylifolia Linn.'s 'Great dryness damages the liver' / 药学学报

According to the theory of 'Xingben Dazao' of Psoralea corylifolia Linn. (BL), the susceptible syndromes and biomarkers of liver injury caused by BL were searched. Rat models of kidney-yin deficiency syndrome (M_yin) and kidney-yang deficiency syndrome (M_yang) were established, and all animal experimental operations and welfare following the provisions of the First Affiliated Experimental Animal Ethics and Animal Welfare Committee of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (No. YFYDW2020017). The results showed that BL significantly decreased the body weight, water intake, and urine weight of M_yin rats and increase the organ indexes of the liver, testis, adrenal gland, and spleen and the expression of alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Meantime, BL significantly increased the urine weight of M_yang rats and decreased the expression of ALT and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining showed that BL could aggravate inflammatory infiltration of hepatocytes in rats with M_yin and alleviate liver injury in rats with M_yang. Metabolomics identified 17 BL co-regulated significant differential metabolic markers in M_yin and M_yang rats. Among them, 8 metabolites such as glutamine, quinolinate, biliverdin, and lactosylceramide showed opposite trends, mainly involving cysteine and methionine metabolism, tyrosine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, purine metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, glycerol phospholipid metabolism, glutamine metabolism, and other pathways. M_yin/M_yang may be the susceptible constitution of BL for liver damage or protection, which may be related to the regulation of amino acid metabolism and sphingolipid metabolism. The study can provide some experimental data support for the safe and accurate use of BL in the clinical practice of traditional Chinese medicine.

Clinical application and pharmacokinetic study of nanocarriers in drug delivery system / 药学学报

Nanotechnology has shown obvious advantages in the field of medical treatment and diagnosis. Through the encapsulation of nano carriers, drugs not only enhance the therapeutic effect and reduce toxic and side effects, but also become intelligent responsive targeted drug systems through the modification on the surface of nano carriers. However, due to the obstacles in relevant basic research, production conditions, cost, clinical trials, and the lack of pharmacokinetic research on various drug loading systems, few nano systems have been used in therapy. In order to solve the above problems, this paper reviewed and analyzed the research progress of nano carriers in drug delivery, including their auxiliary role and characteristics, types and functions, pharmacokinetics, application prospects and challenges.

Literature case analysis of liraglutide-induced pancreatitis / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To analyze the clinical characteristics of liraglutide-induced pancreatitis， and to provide reference for clinical rational drug use. METHODS Retrieved from CNKI， VIP， Wanfang database， PubMed， Web of Science and Medline， case reports about liraglutide-induced pancreatitis were collected from the inception to December 31st， 2022. Demographic characteristics， drug use， clinical manifestations， intervention and outcome were analyzed using descriptive statistical method. RESULTS A total of 17 pieces of literature were collected and 17 patients were involved， including 7 males and 10 females. The patients aged from 25 to 75 years. All 17 patients had drug indications， including 14 cases of type 2 diabetes mellitus， 3 cases of obesity or overweight. Among 17 patients， liraglutide was used alone in 5 cases， and combined with other drugs in 12 cases. Time from liraglutide administration to pancreatitis occurrence ranged from 1 day to 11 months after medication in 17 patients， with 14 cases less than 6 months. The clinical manifestations mainly included abdominal pain， nausea and vomiting， etc. After the diagnosis of pancreatitis， liraglutide discontinuation occurred in 16 patients； 1 case did not receive any other interventions and the other 15 cases were managed with symptomatic supportive treatment； the symptoms of all 16 patients resolved； however， 2 patients suffered from second episode of severe pancreatitis several weeks after liraglutide discontinuation， pancreatitis recurred after liraglutide rechallenge in 1 case. The results of correlation evaluation showed that 1 case was “positive”， 4 cases were “possible”， and the remaining patients were “very likely”. CONCLUSIONS Liraglutide-induced pancreatitis mainly occurred within 6 months after drug administration. The majority of liraglutide-induced pancreatitis cases are mild to moderate， but there are also severe and even fatal cases. It is advisable to periodically monitor the level of pancreatic enzymes and closely observe patients’ clinical mani-festations. In case of suspected liraglutide-induced pancreatitis，drug withdrawal and symptomatic treatment should be taken immediately.

Genetic sequence characteristics of varicella-zoster virus epidemic strains in Changchun City from 2021 to 2022 / 中国生物制品学杂志

@#Objective To identify the genotypes and analyze the molecular characteristics of varicella-zoster virus(VZV)endemic strains in Changchun from 2021 to 2022.Methods A total of 59 patients with varicella or herpes zoster treated in China Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University in Changchun from 2021 to 2022 were selected as the research objects,which were identified for the serum VZV-specific antibodies by fluorescent antibody to membrane antigen(FAMA)method.The viral DNA was extracted from herpetic fluid of the confirmed patients,and multiple open reading frames(ORFs)including ORF1,ORF12,ORF16,ORF17,ORF21,ORF22,ORF37,and ORF54 of VZV were amplified by PCR,which was genotyped according to the single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) of the ORFs.Furthermore,multiple ORFs,ORF38,ORF54 and ORF62 were identified by using restriction fragment length polymorphism(RFLP)to distinguish clinical strains and vaccine strains.Results 59 serum samples were positive,indicating that all the patients were infected with VZV.Among the 59 clinical samples,4 samples were completely matched with Clade 2 genotype,4 samples showed 2 SNPs,including ORF1(SNP790)mutation of C→A and ORF12(SNP18 082)mutation of T→C,and 51 samples showed ORF12(SNP18 082)mutation of T→C.All 59 VZV clinical isolates were PstⅠ+BglⅠ+BglⅠ+SmaⅠ+SmaⅠ-,which was different from the vaccine strain PstⅠ-,which was different from the vaccine strain PstⅠ-BglⅠ-BglⅠ+SmaⅠ+SmaⅠ+.Conclusion All the VZV endemic strains in Changchun from 2021 to 2022 were Clade 2 genotype,and no vaccine strain was found to be pathogenic.

Changes and its influencing factors of procalcitonin in pediatric cardiac surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To explore the natural changes of procalcitonin (PCT) in the early period after pediatric cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Methods    A prospective and observational study was done on patients below 3 years of age, who underwent cardiac surgery involving CPB, with the risk adjustment of congenital heart surgery (RACHS) score of 2 to 5 and free from active preoperative infection or inflammatory disease. Blood samples for measurement of PCT, C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell (WBC) were taken before surgery and daily for 7 days in postoperative period. Infections and complications within 7 days after operation were investigated. According to the presence or absence of infection and complications within 7 days after operation, the enrolled children were divided into an infection+complications group, a simple infection group, a simple complication group, and a normal group. Results     Finally, 429 children with PICU stay≥ 4 days were enrolled, including 268 males and 161 females, with a median age of 8.0 (0.7, 26.0) months. There were 145 children in the simple infection group, 38 children in the simple complication group, 230 children in the normal group and 16 children in the infection+complications group. The levels of PCT, CRP and WBC were significantly higher after CPB. CRP and WBC peaked on the second postoperative day (POD) and remained higher than normal until POD7. PCT peaked on POD1 and would generally decrease to normal on POD5 if without infection and complications. Age, body weight, RACHS scores, the duration of CPB and aortic cross-clamping time were correlated with PCT level. There was a statistical difference in PCT concentration between the simple infection group and the normal group on POD 3-7 (P<0.01) and a statistical difference between the simple complication group and the normal group on POD 1-7 (P<0.01). A statistical difference was found between the simple infection group and the simple complication group in PCT on POD 1-5 (P<0.05). Conclusion    WBC, CRP and PCT significantly increase after CPB in pediatric cardiac surgery patients. The factors influencing PCT concentration include age, weight, RACHS scores, CPB and aortic cross-clamping time, infection and complications.

Application of optical coherence tomography-based angiography in cerebrovascular diseases / 国际脑血管病杂志

Optical coherence tomography-based angiography (OCTA) is a novel non-invasive technique for quantitatively evaluating retinal microvascular perfusion. Due to the similar embryonic origin, anatomical characteristics, and physiological characteristics of the retina and cerebral small vessels, changes in retinal microvasculature may provide a new perspective for studying the mechanisms of cerebral small vessel diseases. This article summarizes the application of OCTA in cerebrovascular diseases, aiming to evaluate whether OCTA can become an effective tool for early prediction of the occurrence of cerebrovascular disease and monitoring disease changes.