Research progress in targeting autophagy of traditional Chinese medicine and natural compounds to regulate atherosclerosis / 中国中药杂志

Atherosclerosis(AS) is the common pathological basis of many ischemic cardiovascular diseases, and its formation process involves various aspects such as vascular endothelial injury and platelet activation. Vascular endothelial injury is the initiating factor of AS plaque. Monocytes are recruited to differentiate into macrophages at the damaged endothelial cells, which absorb oxidized low-density lipoprotein(ox-LDL) and slowly transform into foam cells. Smooth muscle cells(SMCs) proliferate and migrate continuously. As the only cell producing interstitial collagen fibers in the fibrous cap, SMCs largely determine whether the plaque ruptured or not. The amplifying inflammatory response during the formation of AS recruits platelets to adhere to the damaged area of vascular endothelium and stimulates excessive platelet aggregation. Autophagy activity is associated with vascular lesions and abnormal platelet activation, and excessive autophagy is considered to be a negative factor for plaque stability. Therefore, precise regulation of different types of vascular autophagy and platelet autophagy to treat AS may provide a new therapeutic perspective for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerotic ischemic cardiovascular disease. Currently, treatment strategies for AS still focus on lowering lipid levels with high-intensity statins, which often cause significant side effects. Therefore, the development of safer and more effective drugs and treatment modes is the focus of current research. Traditional Chinese medicine and natural compounds have the potential to treat AS by targeted autophagy, and have been playing an increasingly important role in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases in China. This paper summarizes the experimental studies on different vascular cell types and platelet autophagy in AS, and sums up the published research results on targeted autophagy of traditional Chinese medicine and natural plant compounds to regulate AS, providing new ideas for further research.

Efficacy of partial nephrectomy in patients with localized renal carcinoma: a 20-year experience of 2 046 patients in a single center / 中华外科杂志

Objectives: To analyze the long-term survival of patients with localized renal cell carcinoma after partical nephrectomy. Methods: The clinicopathological records and survival follow-up data of 2 046 patients with localized renal cell carcinoma, who were treated with partial nephrectomy from August 2001 to February 2021 in the Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, were retrospectively analyzed. There were 1 402 males and 644 females, aged (M(IQR)) 51 (19) years (range: 6 to 86 years). The primary end point of this study was cancer-specific survival. Survival curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the difference test was performed by Log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate Cox analysis were fitted to determine factors associated with cancer-specific survival. Results: The follow-up time was 49.2 (48.0) months (range: 1 to 229 months), with 1 974 patients surviving and 72 dying. The median cancer-specific survival time has not yet been reached. The 5- and 10-year cancer specific survival rates were 97.0% and 91.2%, respectively. The 10-year cancer-specific survival rates for stage pT1a (n=1 447), pT1b (n=523) and pT2 (n=58) were 95.3%, 81.8%, and 81.7%, respectively. The 10-year cancer-specific survival rates of patients with nuclear grade 1 (n=226), 2 (n=1 244) and 3 to 4 (n=278) were 96.6%, 89.4%, and 85.5%, respectively. There were no significant differences in 5-year cancer-specific survival rates among patients underwent open, laparoscopic, or robotic surgery (96.7% vs. 97.1% vs. 97.5%, P=0.600). Multivariate analysis showed that age≥50 years (HR=3.93, 95%CI: 1.82 to 8.47, P<0.01), T stage (T1b vs. T1a: HR=3.31, 95%CI: 1.83 to 5.99, P<0.01; T2+T3 vs. T1a: HR=2.88, 95%CI: 1.00 to 8.28, P=0.049) and nuclear grade (G3 to 4 vs. G1: HR=2.81, 95%CI: 1.01 to 7.82, P=0.048) were independent prognostic factors of localized renal cell carcinoma after partial nephrectomy. Conclusions: The long-term cancer-specific survival rates of patients with localized renal cancer after partial nephrectomy are satisfactory. The type of operation (open, laparoscopic, or robotic) has no significant effect on survival. However, patients with older age, higher nuclear grade, and higher T stage have a lower cancer-specific survival rate. Grasping surgical indications, attaching importance to preoperative evaluation, perioperative management, and postoperative follow-up, could benefit achieving satisfactory long-term survival.

Retrospective analysis of associated factors and adverse pregnancy outcomes of postpartum hemorrhage in the caesarean section of different types of placenta previa / 中华预防医学杂志

Objective: To analyze associated factors and adverse pregnancy outcomes of postpartum hemorrhage in the caesarean section of puerperae with different types of placenta previa. Methods: This retrospective research was a case-control study. Puerperae with cesarean section of placenta previa from January 2019 to December 2020 in Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University were collected and divided into the<1 000 ml control group or ≥1 000 ml postpartum hemorrhage group according to the amount of blood loss during cesarean section. Differences in continuous variables were analyzed by t-test and categorical variables were analyzed by χ2 test. The risk factors of postpartum hemorrhage were analyzed by logistic multivariate regression. Results: A total of 962 puerperae were enrolled with 773 cases in the control group and 189 cases in the postpartum hemorrhage group. The incidence of gestational weeks, gravidity, parity, induced abortion, placental accreta and preoperative hemoglobin<110 g/L was significantly different between two groups in different types of placenta previa (P<0.001). Logistic multivariate regression model analysis showed that the independent risk factors of postpartum hemorrhage in the caesarean section of low-lying placenta included placental accreta (OR=12.713, 95%CI: 4.296-37.625), preoperative hemoglobin<110 g/L (OR=2.377, 95%CI: 1.062-5.321), and prenatal vaginal bleeding (OR=4.244, 95%CI: 1.865-9.656). The independent risk factors of postpartum hemorrhage in the caesarean section of placenta previa included once induced abortion (OR=2.789, 95%CI:1.189-6.544), induced abortion≥2 (OR=2.843, 95%CI:1.101-7.339), placental accreta (OR=6.079, 95%CI:3.697-9.996), HBsAg positive (OR=3.891, 95%CI:1.385-10.929), and placental attachment to the anterior uterine wall (OR=2.307, 95%CI:1.285-4.142). The rate of postpartum hemorrhage and premature delivery in puerperae with placenta previa was higher than that in puerperae with low-lying placenta (P<0.001). Conclusions: The associated factors of postpartum hemorrhage in puerperae with different types of placenta previa are different. Placenta accreta is the common risk factor of postpartum hemorrhage in puerperae with low-lying placenta and placenta previa.

Rapid prediction of G protein-coupled receptor structures using nanoluciferase assay / 药学学报

Using beta-2 adrenergic receptor, 5-hydroxytryptamine and angiotensin II type 1 receptor as control, we here established a method for rapid prediction of the initial position amino acids of N-terminal, C-terminal, intracellular loops, extracellular loops and transmembrane (TM) regions in G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), and successfully predicted the structure of Mas-related G protein-coupled receptors X3 (MRGPRX3). To achieve this purpose, nanoluciferase (Nluc) was inserted into the different sites of these GPCRs′ sequence by sequence and ligation-independent cloning (SLIC) method, and the luminescence value were measured to distinguish the different parts of GPCRs. The results showed that luminescence values of NLuc luciferase at TM region were less than 100 000, and the values were higher than 1 000 000 at N terminal, C terminal, or extracellular loops and intracellular loops, and the values were between 100 000 and 500 000 at junction. The predicted MRGPRX3 structure was analyzed in detail and was compared with AlphaFold predicted structure. In conclusion, this method could provide useful information of GPCR structure model for the ligand virtual screening, and could provide certain experimental basis for structural pharmacology.

Effect of Flavanomarein from Coreopsis tinctoria Ethanol Extract in Small Intestinal Organoids in Insulin-resistant Mice Based on Transcriptome Sequencing / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of flavanomarein on the transcriptome of small intestinal organoids in insulin-resistant mice. MethodFirstly， small intestinal organoids of C57BL/6J and db/db mice were established. Ki-67 and E-cadherin expression was determined by immunofluorescence. Small intestinal organoids were divided into the following three groups： C57BL/6J mouse small intestinal organoids as the normal control group， db/db mouse small intestinal organoids as the model group （IR group）， and db/db mouse small intestinal organoids treated with flavanomarein as the administration group （FM group）. Western blot was used to detect the expression of glucagon-like peptide-1（GLP-1） protein on the small intestinal organoids of the three groups. Finally， transcriptome sequencing was performed on samples from the three groups. ResultOn the 6th day of small intestine organoids culture， a cyclic structure was formed around the lumen， and a small intestine organoids culture model was preliminarily established. Immunofluorescence detection showed that ki-67 and E-cadherin were expressed in small intestinal organoids. Western blot results showed that the expression of GLP-1 protein was increased by flavanomarein. In the results of differential expressed gene （DEG） screening， there were 1 862 DEGs in the IR group as compared with the normal control group， and 2 282 DEGs in the FM group as compared with the IR group. Through protein-protein interaction（PPI） network analysis of the DEGs of the two groups， 10 Hub genes， including Nr1i3， Cyp2c44， Ugt2b1， Gsta1， Gstm2， Ptgs1， Gstm4， Cyp2c38， Cyp4a32， and Gpx3， were obtained. These genes were highly expressed in the normal control group， and their expression was reduced in the IR group. After the intervention of flavanomarein， the expression of the above genes was reversed. ConclusionFlavanomarein may play its role in improving insulin resistance by reversing the expression levels of 10 Hub genes， including Nr1i3， Cyp2c44， Ugt2b1， Gsta1， Gstm2， Ptgs1， Gstm4， Cyp2c38， Cyp4a32， and Gpx3.

Diagnostic efficacy of serum NT-proBNP and D-dimer for cardiogenic cerebral embolism based on population in southern Sichuan / 中国医师杂志

Objective:To investigate the diagnostic efficacy of serum N-terminal B-type brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and D-dimer for cardiogenic cerebral embolism (CE) based on population in southern Sichuan.Methods:We selected the clinical data of 313 patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI) for the first time, 34 patients with simple atrial fibrillation (AF) and 30 healthy people who were admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University from June 2019 to April 2021. The patients with ACI were divided into four subgroups according to the Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) typing: large artery atherosclerosis (LAA), CE, small artery occlusion (SAO), and indeterminate subtype (UT). The differences in clinical data in the groups were compared. At the same time, the differences of NT-proBNP and D-dimer in serum in CE group, AF group and healthy group were compared; The risk factors of CE were analyzed by binary logistic regression, and the diagnostic efficacy of serum NT-proBNP and D-dimer for CE was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.Results:The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) at admission, prothrombin time (PT), international normalized ratio (INR), fibrinogen (FIB), D-dimer, fibrinogen degradation products (FDP), National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score at admission, NT-proBNP and AF rate were significantly different among ACI subgroups (all P<0.05); There was no significant difference in PT and NIHSS score at admission between LAA group and CE group (all P>0.05). The prevalence of D-dimer, NT-proBNP and AF rate in CE group was significantly higher than those in other three groups (all P<0.05). The D-dimer, NT-proBNP, FDP and SBP level in CE group were significantly higher than those in AF group and healthy group (all P<0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that D-dimer and NT-proBNP were independent risk factors for CE (both P<0.05). When the optimal cut-off value of serum D-dimer was 1.015 mg/L, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.896 (95% CI: 0.856-0.935, P<0.01); the sensitivity and specificity were 0.878 and 0.833, respectively; the positive predictive value and the negative predictive value were 0.705 and 0.953, respectively. When the best cut-off value of serum NT-proBNP was 657.145 ng/L, the AUC was 0.987 (95% CI: 0.977-0.998, P<0.01); the sensitivity and specificity were 0.959 and 0.963, respectively; the positive predictive value and the negative predictive value were 0.922 and 0.981, respectively. The accuracy of the combined detection of serum D-dimer and NT-proBNP in the diagnosis of CE was higher, and the AUC was 0.988 (95% CI: 0.978-0.998, P<0.01), sensitivity of 0.960, specificity of 0.977, positive predictive value of 0.950, negative predictive value of 0.982. Conclusions:The serum levels of NT-proBNP and D-dimer in CE patients increased significantly; NT-proBNP and D-dimer are important predictors of CE and have higher diagnostic efficacy for CE. The combination of them has a higher specificity for diagnosis.

Paradoxical brain embolism and pulmonary embolism due to a deep femoral venous aneurysm and patent foramen ovale: a case report / 中华神经科杂志

The cases of paradoxical brain embolism (PBE) due to venous aneurysms and patent foramen ovale (PFO) are extremely scarce, with only 5 cases caused by popliteal venous aneurysm reported in the literature to date, while PBE caused by deep femoral venous aneurysm (DFVA) and PFO has not been reported. Herein, an unusual case of PBE in a 15-year-old girl with PFO who still had cerebral infarction and pulmonary embolism after transcatheter closure was present. She was finally diagnosed as PFO with DFVA by angiography. Furthermore, clinical characteristics of 6 cases were summarized to improve the clinicians′ recognition of the rare risk factor of stroke-venous aneurysms of the lower extremity deep veins.

Interoceptive sensitivity and anxiety disorders / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental health condition.More and more studies have found that interoceptive sensitivity, such as the sensitivity of the body to a series of physiological activities such as heart rate, respiration, blood pressure and so on, is closely related to the susceptibility to anxiety disorders.So, understanding the role of interoception in the occurrence of anxiety disorders plays an important role in understanding the pathogenesis of the disease and guiding treatment.This article reviewed the pathogenesis of anxiety disorders, the interaction between increased interoceptive sensitivity and abnormal activation of the amygdala, which results in pathological anxiety, the insula also regulates emotional responses by regulating interoception.It is also associated with genes and neurotransmitters, which may be important biomarkers of anxiety disorders.At the same time, interoception is also associated with genes and neurotransmitters, which may also be important biomarkers of anxiety disorders.In terms of treatment, we can use respiratory therapy to regulate respiratory perception, apply rTMS to stimulate the relevant network of interoception, and use electroencephalography to reflect interoception biofeedback and other treatment methods to improve interoception, to alleviate anxiety symptoms.In conclusion, the abnormal sensitivity of interoception plays an important role in the occurrence of anxiety disorders.Currently, there are many therapeutic methods for the treatment of anxiety disorders based on interoception, but the relevant therapeutic mechanism is unclear.Therefore, future research needs to explore the mechanism of interoception in anxiety and explore the mechanism of related treatment.

Research progress on the regulation and mechanism of reactive oxygen species on tumor immune checkpoints / 药学学报

Immune checkpoints (ICs) are immunosuppressive molecules expressed on immune cells, which can regulate immune cells' activation. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) which can block the interaction of immune checkpoints and their ligands, improve the cytotoxic effect of the immune system on tumor cells. Immunotherapy such as employing ICIs has gradually become a conventional therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment. However, the low response rate and the emergence of drug resistance have seriously affected the clinical efficacy of ICIs. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are electronic reduction products of active oxygen, as well as natural by-products of cell metabolism, which can be used as regulators of intercellular signals. Tumor microenvironment (TME) is often in the state of oxidative stress (OS), which is the imbalance between oxidative system and antioxidant system. ROS can affect the interaction with its ligands by regulating the expression and activity of immune checkpoints in TME, thus affecting the anti-tumor effect of immune cells. Accumulating studies have shown that ROS could regulate tumor immune checkpoints through several pathways. Due to different types and stages of tumor, it would be clinical beneficial to understand the mechanistic link of ROS on tumor immune checkpoint, and choose appropriate ROS regulators combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors to maximize anti-tumor effects. This article reviews the common metabolic sources and characteristics of ROS, the regulatory effect and mechanism of ROS on tumor immune checkpoints and its therapeutic application.

Palmitic acid suppresses autophagy in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes via the cGAS-STING-IRF3 pathway / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effect of palmitic acid (PA) on autophagy in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs) and explore the underlying mechanism.@*METHODS@#NRCMs were isolated and cultured for 24 h before exposure to 10% BSA and 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, or 0.7 mmol/L PA for 24 h. After the treatments, the expressions of Parkin, PINK1, p62, LC3Ⅱ/ LC3Ⅰ, cGAS, STING and p-IRF3/IRF3 were detected using Western blotting and the cell viability was assessed with CCK8 assay, based on which 0.7 mmol/L was selected as the optimal concentration in subsequent experiments. The effects of cGAS knockdown mediated by cGAS siRNA in the presence of PA on autophagy-related proteins in the NRCMs were determined using Western blotting, and the expressions of P62 and LC3 in the treated cells were examined using immunofluorescence assay.@*RESULTS@#PA at different concentrations significantly lowered the expressions of Parkin, PINK1, LC3 Ⅱ/LC3 Ⅰ and LC3 Ⅱ/LC3 Ⅰ+Ⅱ (P < 0.05), increased the expression of p62 (P < 0.05), and inhibited the viability of NRCMs (P < 0.05). Knockdown of cGAS obviously blocked the autophagy-suppressing effect of PA and improved the viability of NRCMs (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#PA inhibits autophagy by activating the cGAS-STING-IRF3 pathway to reduce the viability of NRCMs.

A comparative study of artificial intelligence nasal polyp classification based on whole-slide imaging and JESREC diagnostic criteria / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

Objective: To explore the types and clinical characteristics of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) based on artificial intelligence and whole-slide imaging (WSI), and to explore the consistency of the diagnostic criteria of the Japanese epidemiological survey of refractory eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis (JESREC) in Chinese CRSwNP patients. Methods: The data of 136 patients with CRSwNP (101 males and 35 females, aging 14 to 70 years) who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery from 2018 to 2019 in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University were analysed retrospectively. The preoperative clinical characteristics of patients were collected, such as visual analogue scale (VAS) of nasal symptoms, peripheral blood inflammatory cell count, total immunoglobulin E (IgE), Lund-Kennedy score and Lund-Mackay score. The proportion of inflammatory cells such as eosinophils, lymphocytes, plasma cells and neutrophils were calculated on the WSI of each patient through artificial intelligence chronic rhinosinusitis evaluation platform 2.0 (AICEP 2.0), and the specific type of nasal polyps was then obtained as eosinophilic CRSwNP (eCRSwNP) or non-eosinophilic CRSwNP (non-eCRSwNP). In addition, the JESREC diagnostic criteria was used to classify the nasal polyps, and the classification results were compared with the current gold standard for nasal polyps diagnosis (pathological diagnosis based on WSI). The accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of the diagnostic criteria of JESREC were evaluated. The data were expressed in M (Q1, Q3) and statistically analyzed by SPSS 17.0. Results: There was no significant difference between eCRSwNP and non-eCRSwNP in age distribution, gender, time of onset, total VAS score, Lund-Kennedy score or Lund-Mackay score. However, there was a significant difference in the ratio of nasal polyp inflammatory cells (eosinophils 40.5% (22.8%, 54.7%) vs 2.5% (1.0%, 5.3%), neutrophils 0.3% (0.1%, 0.7%) vs 1.3% (0.5%, 3.6%), lymphocytes 49.9% (39.3%, 65.9%) vs 82.0% (72.8%, 87.5%), plasma cells 5.1% (3.6%, 10.5%) vs 13.0% (7.4%, 16.3%), χ2 value was 9.91, 4.66, 8.28, 5.06, respectively, all P<0.05). In addition, eCRSwNP had a significantly higher level of proportion of allergic symptoms (nasal itching and sneezing), asthma, peripheral blood eosinophil and total IgE (all P<0.05). The overall accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of the JESREC diagnostic criteria was 74.3%, 81.3% and 64.3%, respectively. Conclusions: The eCRSwNP based on artificial intelligence and WSI has significant high level of allergic symptoms, asthma, peripheral blood eosinophils and total IgE, and the percentages of inflammatory cells in nasal polyps are different from that of non-eCRSwNP. The JESREC diagnostic criteria has good consistency in our research.

Research Advances in the Monitoring of New Psychoactive Substances in Municipal Wastewater / 法医学杂志

In recent years, as the third-generation of drugs, new psychoactive substances （NPS） have expanded rapidly and become a serious concern for China's anti-drug prevention and control system. As a new drug monitoring technology in the current anti-drug field, wastewater analysis is an objective, real-time, accurate, convenient and effective drug monitoring method. In recent years, it has gradually been applied to the monitoring of NPS. This study summarizes wastewater sample collection, target stability research, wastewater sample pretreatment, wastewater sample analysis methods, target NPS consumption calculations and actual monitoring applications, with a view to the construction of a monitoring system for NPS in wastewater, real-time and accurate grasp of information on the use of NPS in cities, the reflection of the actual consumption of different types of NPS and consumption trends in a short period of time, and prediction of the development trend of abused use, which is of great significance for combating NPS crimes, serving and guaranteeing the personal safety of the people, and maintaining social stability.

Clinical analysis of 1 057 patients with critical illnesses in a dermatological ward / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To summarize clinical characteristics of and treatment experience with patients with critical illnesses in a dermatological ward.Methods:All patients with serious or life-threatening conditions, who were hospitalized at the dermatological ward of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from July 9, 2011 to December 31, 2020, were collected, and their clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic characteristics, disease types and proportions, main complications, causes of serious or life-threatening conditions, important treatment measures and outcomes were summarized, and causes of death were also analyzed and discussed.Results:A total of 1 057 patients with critical illnesses were collected, with a male-to-female ratio of 1∶1.11, and 64.81% of them aged 18 to 65 years. The types of diseases mainly included drug eruptions (332 cases) , connective tissue diseases (226 cases) , bullous skin diseases (104 cases) , psoriasis (57 cases) , erythroderma (45 cases) , infectious skin diseases (67 cases) , etc. Among them, psoriasis (39 cases) and erythroderma (32 cases) mostly occurred in males, and connective tissue diseases (168 cases) mostly occurred in females. Common complications mainly involved infections, important organ damage or dysfunction, hypoalbuminemia, and fluid, electrolyte and acid-base imbalances. A total of 94 patients were diagnosed with life-threatening conditions, which were found to be mainly caused by primary skin diseases, hematologic abnormalities, respiratory failure, nervous system abnormalities, renal failure, sepsis, fluid, electrolyte and acid-base imbalances, etc. During the management of critical illnesses, 43 patients were treated with high-dose glucocorticoid pulse therapy, 264 were treated with gamma-globulin pulse therapy, 355 were transfused with other blood products, and 34 received special therapies such as hemoperfusion/immunoadsorption therapy, plasma exchange, dialysis, artificial liver support therapy; 42 patients were transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) , 12 were transferred to the department of surgery for operations, and 12 were transferred to the department of obstetrics and gynecology for delivery or induction of labor. After treatment, 989 patients (93.57%) achieved improvement and were discharged. A total of 14 patients (1.32%) died, of whom 7 died of secondary sepsis, 2 died of severe pulmonary infections, 2 died of asphyxia caused by respiratory mucosa shedding-induced airway obstruction, the other 3 died of gastrointestinal hemorrhage, cerebral hemorrhage and neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus, respectively.Conclusions:Critical cases in the dermatological ward mainly suffered from serious skin diseases such as severe drug eruptions, connective tissue diseases and bullous skin diseases, as well as complications such as severe underlying diseases, severe organ dysfunction, sepsis or severe fluid, electrolyte and acid-base imbalances. In terms of treatment, it is of critical significance to make a clear diagnosis and assess the severity of disease as early as possible, monitor and prevent possible complications, and to consult with specialists in relevant disciplines in time.

Exploration and analysis of the specific acupuncture treatment method for posttraumatic stress disorder in the era of post epidemic situation / 国际中医中药杂志

By summarizing and analizing the relevant literature of modern special acupuncture method in clinic treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), this paper aims to provide a reference for acupuncture and moxibustion in the era of post epidemic situation. At present, there are four major specific acupuncture treatments which include: Anshen- Xingnao- Tiaoshen Method, Tongdu- Tiaoshen Method, Shugan- Tiaoshen Method, Wentong Method. Although there are some differences in diagnosis, treatment ideas, meridian and acupoint selection and operation methods, the diagnosis and treatment ideas are mainly focusing on regulating the spirit and soothing the liver. The rules of selecting meridians and acupoints are Nao-acupoints, soothing Liver-qi, regulating mind and strengthening the spleen and kidney. Electric acupuncture is used more offen, but pure acupuncture treatment is used more less.

Progress on the specific acupuncture treatment for depressive disorder / 国际中医中药杂志

At present, there are five major specific acupuncture treatments mainly including Shugan-Tiaoshen acupuncture therapy, Lingping’s Tongdu-Tiaoshen acupuncture therapy, Zhuang’s Tiaoshen acupuncture therapy, Tong Yuan acupuncture therapy, and Dong ' s Tiaoshen-Jieyu acupuncture therapy. Although there are subtle differences, three commons arefoundthrough comparing and analyzing, including ' Shen’ regared as the core treatment of depression, regulating qi duringtreatment, and Du channel points mainly used.

Application of diffusion weighted imaging with background suppression in evaluating the injury of lower limb nerves in patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome / 中华放射学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the value of DWI with background suppression (DWIBS) in evaluating the injury of the low limb nerves in patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS).Methods:The clinical and imaging data of 30 patients with GBS and 30 healthy volunteers matched with their age and gender in Zibo Central Hospital from January 2018 to December 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. All patients received lower limb nerve electrophysiological examination and all subjects received lower limb nerve DWIBS examination one week later. The display of tibial nerve and common peroneal nerve after DWIBS image reconstruction in normal volunteers and GBS patients was scored by two senior radiologists. Kappa consistency test was used to analyze the consistency of the two senior radiologists′ scores. One-way ANOVA was used to compare the motor nerve conduction velocity (MCV) and motor nerve conduction amplitudes of tibial nerve and common peroneal nerve in patients with GBS among different DWIBS scores. Spearman correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between DWIBS tibial nerve and common peroneal nerve scores and electrophysiological parameters in patients with GBS.Results:In the DWIBS images of 30 healthy volunteers, 60 tibial nerves and common peroneal nerves showed clear, sharp edges, good signal intensity, uniformity, and the scores were 4. The consistency between the two radiologists was good (Kappa value=1.0). In the 60 tibial nerves and common peroneal nerves of 30 GBS patients, 53 tibial nerves and 52 common peroneal nerves showed abnormal changes in varying degrees, including blurred edges, distortions, difficulty in recognition, and weakened signal strength, etc. The consistency between the two readers was good (Kappa value=0.879,0.863,respectively.).With the decrease of DWIBS score, the MCV and motor nerve conduction amplitude values of tibial nerves and common peroneal nervesin GBS patients decreased, and the differences between the score groups were statistically significant ( P<0.01). The scores of tibial nerves and common peroneal nerves in DWIBS were positively correlated with MCV ( r=0.83, 0.84, respectively, P<0.05) and motor nerve conduction amplitude ( r=0.81, 0.79, respectively, P<0.05). Conclusion:DWIBS could provide a three dimensional visualization of tibial nerves and common peroneal nerves, and evaluate the disorders of peripheral nerves in patients with GBS. There has correlation between the scores of tibial nerves and common peroneal nerves in DWIBS with electrophysiology parameters.

Mitochondrial Dynamics Mediates Myocardial Energy Metabolism in Coronary Heart Disease due to Blood Stasis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To explore the mechanism of energy changes in the three stages of the formation of coronary heart disease due to blood stasis in rat model from the perspective of mitochondrial fusion-fission dynamic changes. Method:Thirty healthy male rats were divided into the blank control group （<italic>n</italic>=6） and model group （<italic>n</italic>=24） using SPSS 21.0 simple random sampling method. The rats in the blank control group were fed an ordinary diet， while those in the model group a high-fat diet. After seven days of adaptive feeding， the rats were treated with intragastric administration of vitamin D₃ （VitD₃） at 300 000 U·kg^-1 and then at 200 000 U·kg^-1 14 d later. The high-fat diet continued for 21 d， and six rats were randomly selected as samples for the pre-stage blood stasis syndrome group， followed by model verification and sampling. The remaining rats continued to receive the high-fat diet for 30 d， and six were randomly selected and categorized into the sub-stage blood stasis syndrome group， followed by model verification and sampling. The rest of rats were classified into the heart blood stasis syndrome group. While continuing the high-fat diet， they were also treated with multipoint subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol （ISO，5 mg·kg^-1） for three consecutive days. One week later， the electrocardiogram （ECG） was recorded for determining whether the modeling was successful and the samples were taken at the same time. The changes in mitochondrial morphology and quantity were observed under a transmission electron microscope. The expression of mitochondrial dynamics-related proteins was measured by Western blot and the cellular localization of related proteins by immunofluorescence assay. Result:The levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the pre-stage and sub-stage blood stasis syndrome groups were significantly increased as compared with those in the blank control group （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. The blood rheology index in the pre-stage blood stasis syndrome group was significantly elevated in contrast to that in the blank control group （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. The three-layered membrane of the aorta in the blank group was intact. However， the tunica media of the pre-stage blood stasis syndrome group began to show obvious calcification， with a small number of inflammatory cells adhering to the intima. The subintima and media smooth muscles in the sub-stage blood stasis syndrome group exhibited cavity structures. The three-layered structure of the arterial wall in the heart blood stasis syndrome group was severely damaged. The ECG of the blank control group revealed the regular appearance of P wave，regular QRS waveform （no broadening or deformity）， and no obvious ST-segment depression or elevation. The ECG of the pre-stage blood stasis syndrome group showed no obvious abnormalities as compared with that of the blank control group. In the sub-stage blood stasis syndrome group， the ECG showed an upward trend of the J point and slight ST-segment elevation， with the elevation≤0.1 mV. The ECG in the heart blood stasis syndrome group displayed significant ST-segment depression （>0.1 mV） and J point depression >0.1 mV. The mitochondria in the blank control group were normal in size and morphology， with clear and dense cristae， whereas those in the pre-stage blood stasis syndrome group were fusiform with sparse cristae. Some mitochondria in the sub-stage blood stasis syndrome group were significantly elongated， and even vacuole-like changes were present. In the heart blood stasis syndrome group， the mitochondria were ruptured. As demonstrated by comparison with the blank control group， the expression levels of mitofusin 2 （Mfn2）， dynamin-related protein 1 （Drp1）， and fission protein 1 （Fis1） in the model group were significantly up-regulated （<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Compared with the pre-stage blood stasis syndrome group， the heart blood stasis syndrome group exhibited down-regulated Mfn2 （<italic>P<</italic>0.05）. Compared with the blank control group and the pre-stage blood stasis syndrome group， the sub-stage blood stasis syndrome group and the heart blood stasis syndrome group displayed down-regulated optic atrophy 1（OPA1） （<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）. The Drp1 and Fis1 protein expression declined significantly in the sub-stage blood stasis syndrome group in comparison with that in the pre-stage blood stasis syndrome group （<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）. The expression levels of Mfn2 and Drp1 in the heart blood stasis syndrome group were lower than those in the sub-stage blood stasis syndrome group （<italic>P<</italic>0.01）. The comparison with the blank control group showed that Mfn2 and OPA1 were extensively accumulated in mitochondria of both the pre-stage and sub-stage blood stasis syndrome groups， while the red-stained Mfn2 was significantly reduced in the heart blood stasis syndrome group. The Drp1/Fis1 fluorescence was weak in the blank group and the pre-stage blood stasis syndrome group but strong in the sub-stage blood stasis syndrome group and heart blood stasis syndrome group. Conclusion:The cardiomyocyte mitochondria dynamics changes with the change in energy demand of cardiomyocytes. Mfn2 is dominated by fusion effect in the early stage of the formation of coronary heart disease due to blood stasis. With the gradual development of this disease， Mfn2 begins to mediate mitochondrial autophagy. OPA1 plays a role in intimal fusion and cristae integrity. The decreased OPA1 expression is closely related to the accelerated progression of coronary heart disease differentiated into blood stasis syndrome. The process by which Drp1 and Fis1 separate damaged mitochondria to prepare for mitochondrial autophagy contributes to alleviating the imbalance between the energy demand and supply of human body.

LC-MS-Based Metabonomics Study of Yangxin Tongmaifang Against Coronary Heart Disease Differentiated into Blood Stasis Syndrome / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To observe the effect of Yangxin Tongmaifang （YXTM） on endogenous metabolites in the myocardial tissue of rats with coronary heart disease due to blood stasis based on the metabolomics approach， and to explore its mechanism in the treatment of heart blood stasis syndrome. Method:A rat model of chronic myocardial ischemia due to heart blood stasis was established via the high-fat diet combined with intragastric administration of vitamin D₃ and subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol （ISO）， followed by the intervention with YXTM. The metabolites in the myocardial tissues of rats in the normal group （<italic>n</italic>=8）， model group （<italic>n</italic>=8）， and YXTM group （<italic>n</italic>=8） were detected by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry. The high-throughput metabolomics data were then subjected to multivariate statistical analysis using SIMCA 14.1， and the related metabolic pathways were analyzed with MetaboAnalyst. Result:The myocardial sample points of rats in the three groups were located in different areas of the elliptical confidence interval. The normal group and the model group were completely separated. There existed some crossovers and overlaps between the YXTM group and the normal group. The heart blood stasis syndrome model was proved successfully replicated from the perspective of metabolic profiling， and YXTM had the potential to promote the body to return to a normal state. After the intervention with YXTM， six differential metabolites changed significantly. Such metabolic pathways as valine， leucine， and isoleucine biosynthesis， pantothenate and coenzyme A （CoA） biosynthesis， valine， leucine， and isoleucine degradation， biosynthesis of aminoacyl-transfer RNA synthetases， and purine metabolism were involved. Conclusion:The therapeutic effect of YXTM on heart blood stasis syndrome in rats is related to the improved levels of myocardial endogenous metabolites， and its mechanism involves phospholipid metabolism， amino acid metabolism， energy metabolism， inflammatory response， and platelet activation and aggregation.

A retrospective analysis of single preterm birth incidence and high-risk factors based on maternal age stratification / 中华妇产科杂志

Objective:To compare the preterm birth rate among different age groups and analyze relative high-risk factors of preterm birth.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data of single pregnant women ≥28 gestational weeks from January 2013 to May 2019 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical Hospital. All involved women were divided into three groups according to age, Group 1 (aged<35 years), Group 2 (aged 35-39 years), and Group 3 (aged ≥40 years). The preterm birth rate among 3 groups was compared and their high-risk factors were analyzed.Results:There were 48 288 singleton pregnancies during the study period, of which 3 351 were preterm births， preterm birth rate was 6.94% (3 351/48 288). In Group 1, there were 42 020 women, of which 2 699 were preterm births (6.42%, 2 699/42 020); in Group 2, there were 5 061 women, of which 491 were preterm births (9.70%, 491/5 061); and in Group 3, there were 1 207 women, of which 161 were preterm births (13.34%, 161/1 207). Comparing the spontaneous preterm birth rates among the three groups, Group 1 was the lowest one and Group 3 was the highest one (3.72% vs 4.51% vs 5.88%); comparing the medical preterm birth rates among the three groups, Group 1 also was the lowest one and Group 3 also was the highest one (2.70% vs 5.20% vs 7.46%); the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The incidence of spontaneous and medical preterm birth according gestational weeks were compared among three groups and there were no significant differences ( P>0.05). Comparing and analyzing the high-risk factors of medical preterm birth, the incidence of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy and fetal distress in Group 1 were higher than those in Group 2 and 3; the incidence of placenta praevia were significantly higher in Group 2 and 3 than that in Group 1; the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Maternal age is a significant high-risk factor of both spontaneous preterm birth and medical preterm birth, and the risk of preterm birth increases with age. For medical preterm birth, compared with right-age pregnant women, placenta praevia is the high-risk factor for women in advanced maternal age(AMA), which have great effect on medical preterm birth rate of AMA.

CXCL-13 Regulates Resistance to 5-Fluorouracil in Colorectal Cancer / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

Purpose@#5-Fluorouracil (5-Fu) is used as a conventional chemotherapy drug in chemotherapy forpatients with advanced colorectal cancer, but many patients still suffer from treatment failuredue to 5-Fu resistance. Emerging observations revealed the important role of chemokine(C-X-C motif) ligand 13 (CXCL-13) in tumor microenvironment and its relationship with prognosisin patients with colorectal cancer. This study is designed to reveal the important roleof CXCL-13 in causing colorectal cancer resistance to 5-Fu. @*Materials and Methods@#CXCL-13 levels of patient's serum or cell culture supernatants were measured separatelyby enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In cell assays, cell viability is detected by Cell CountingKit-8. Therefore, the recombinant human CXCL-13 was used to simulate its high expressionin cells while its antibody and siRNA were used to reduce CXCL-13 expression in cells. @*Results@#In this study, we demonstrated that CXCL-13 is associated with 5-Fu resistance by culturemedium exchange experiments and cytokine arrays of colorectal cancer resistant and nonresistantcells. Clinical studies showed that CXCL-13 is highly expressed in the serum of5-Fu–resistant patients. High levels of serum CXCL-13 also predict a worse clinical outcome.The addition of recombinant CXCL-13 cytokine resulted in 5-Fu resistance, while its antibodyovercame 5-Fu resistance, and knockdown of CXCL-13 expression by siRNA also reduced5-Fu resistance, which can be saved by added recombination CXCL-13. @*Conclusion@#These results not only identify a CXCL-13 mediated 5-Fu resistance mechanism but alsoprovide a novel target for 5-Fu–resistant colorectal cancer in prevention and treatmentstrategies.