Research progress on morphology of macular foveal avascular zone in ocular diseases based on optical coherence tomography angiography measurement / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

The foveal avascular zone(FAZ)is the most sensitive region of the retina, which is interconnected by the macular capillary plexus. Its morphology can indirectly reflect the alterations of macular microcirculation. With strong repeatability and reliability, optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)can non-invasively visualize and quantify the FAZ. The great value of OCTA makes it an important supplemental examination tool in ophthalmology and other professions. The area and perimeter of FAZ have been demonstrated to be an effective clinical diagnostic indicator in high myopia, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and other ocular diseases. In recent years, the geometry of FAZ has also proven to have clinical value. The parameters describing the geometry of FAZ, such as circularity index, acircularity index and axial ratio, provide a new perspective for ocular disease research. The comprehensive investigation of the morphological characteristics of the FAZ is helpful to explore the pathological mechanism of the occurrence and development of ocular diseases, predict preclinical changes, make pathological stages of the disease precise, and provide a theoretical basis for monitoring the disease's progression and assessing patients' visual prognosis.

Application of Sphenoid Sinus Morphological Characteristics in Sex Estimation Based on Magnetic Resonance Imaging Images / Aplicación de las Características Morfológicas del Seno Esfenoidal en la Estimación del Sexo Basada en Imágenes de Resonancia Magnética

SUMMARY: Sex determination of unknown persons plays an important role in forensic science. As most bones used for sex determination are recovered in incomplete state, it is often necessary to use bones that are recovered intact e.g., the sphenoid sinus. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of sphenoid sinuses dimensions for sex determination using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) images in Chinese adults. MRI images of 79 sphenoid sinuses (from 44 men and 35 women) were retrospectively selected. The height, anterior-posterior diameter, area, and perimeter were measured in the midsagittal view of the sphenoid sinuses. All data were subjected to descriptive and discriminative functional analysis with unpaired t-test and canonical discriminant. Comparison between male and female groups showed significant statistical differences regarding the height, anterior-posterior diameter, area, and perimeter of sphenoid sinuses. The predictive accuracy rate of the sphenoid sinus to identify sex was 63.6 % in males and 62.9 % in females with an overall accuracy of 63.3 %. This study proposed the importance of sexual dimorphism of sphenoid sinus dimensions, especially if other methods are not available. It suggested using MRI in forensics science thus obviating the complete dependence on the usage of conventional computed tomography (CT) and facilitating the study of forensic anatomy at the level of soft tissue.

La determinación del sexo de personas desconocidas juega un papel importante en la ciencia forense. Como la mayoría de los huesos utilizados para la determinación del sexo se recuperan en un estado incompleto, a menudo es necesario utilizar huesos recuperados intactos, por ejemplo, el seno esfenoidal. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar el valor diagnóstico de las dimensiones de los senos esfenoidales para la determinación del sexo utilizando imágenes de resonancia magnética en individuos adultos chinos. Se seleccionaron retrospectivamente imágenes de resonancia magnética de 79 senos esfenoidales (de 44 hombres y 35 mujeres). La altura, el diámetro anteroposterior, el área y el perímetro de los senos esfenoidales, se midieron en vista mediana sagital. Todos los datos se sometieron a análisis funcional descriptivo y discriminativo con prueba t no pareada y discriminante canónico. La comparación entre los grupos de hombres y mujeres mostró diferencias estadísticas significativas en cuanto a la altura, el diámetro anteroposterior, el área y el perímetro de los senos esfenoidales. La tasa de precisión predictiva del seno esfenoidal para identificar el sexo fue del 63,6 % en hombres y del 62,9 % en mujeres, con una precisión general del 63,3 %. Este estudio propuso la importancia del dimorfismo sexual de las dimensiones del seno esfenoidal, especialmente si no se dispone de otros métodos. Se sugiere utilizar la resonancia magnética en la ciencia forense, obviando así la dependencia total del uso de la tomografía computarizada convencional y facilitando con esto el estudio de la anatomía forense a nivel de los tejidos blandos.

Application of cardiopulmonary ultrasound in adult acute dyspnea: construction of differential diagnosis model between cardiogenic pulmonary edema and pneumonia / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To analyze the cardio-pulmonary ultrasound features of cardiogenic pulmonary edema (CPE) and pneumonia in adults with acute dyspnea, and to construct a differential diagnosis model.Methods:Seven hundred and forty-three patients with sudden acute dyspnea admitted to Hebei General Hospital from November 2018 to May 2022 were retropectively included. Ultrasonographer A performed lung ultrasound with 12 zone method, and interpreted and recorded the ultrasonic signs (including A-lines area, B-lines area, consolidation area and pleural effusion area) together with ultrasonographer B. According to the ultrasonic characteristics of the whole lung, it was divided into A-profile and B-profile. According to the continuity and symmetry of the distribution of B-lines in bilateral lung fields, it could be divided into bilateral lung continuous and discontinuous B-profile, bilateral lung symmetric and asymmetric B-profile. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular filling pressure (E/e′), right ventricular dilatation, tricuspid annular systolic displacement (TAPSE) and inferior vena cava diameter (IVCD) were evaluated by echocardiography, and all the indexes were transformed into binary variables. According to the final clinical diagnosis and treatment results, the disease was divided into CPE group and pneumonia group. Binary Logistic regression model was used to screen independent influencing factors, and partial regression coefficient β value was used as a weight to assign a score, and a differential diagnosis model was established based on the total score. The predictive value of the model was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and area under curve (AUC). After the model was built, 30 patients with CPE or pneumonia were independently collected by ultrasonographer C as external validation data, which were included in the model to draw ROC curve and evaluate the differential diagnosis efficiency of the model. The consistencies between ultrasonographer A and B, A and C in observing lung ultrasound were explored.Results:A total of 743 patients from 43 clinical departments were included, including 246 cases in CPE group and 497 cases in pneumonia group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that bilateral lung continuous B-profile, bilateral lung symmetric B-profile, ≥1 pleural effusion area, LVEF<50%, E/e′>14 were the risk factors for CPE (all OR>1, P<0.05), and ≥1 consolidation area and ≥1 pleural sliding disappearance area were the protective factors for CPE (all OR>1, P<0.05). The sensitivity, specificity and AUC of combined cardio-pulmonary ultrasound index β value weight score in the differential diagnosis of CPE and pneumonia were 0.939, 0.956 and 0.986, respectively. The AUC of external validation data was 0.904. Ultrasonographer A and B, A and C had good consistency in the interpretation of lung ultrasound signs ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The differential diagnosis model based on combined cardio-pulmonary ultrasound indexes has high differential diagnosis efficiency for CPE and pneumonia, and can be used in bedside cardio-pulmonary ultrasound practice.

Effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with median nerve electrical stimulation on patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness in different age / 中国康复理论与实践

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of combination with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and median nerve electrical stimulation (MNS) on patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness (pDOC) in different age. MethodsFrom January, 2021 to May, 2023, 93 patients with pDOC in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University were divided into young group (≤ 45 years old), middle-aged group (46 to 60 years old) and elderly group (> 60 years old). All the groups were treated with rTMS and MNS for four weeks. The Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R), Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), and Full Outline of Unresponsiveness Scale (FOUR) were used to evaluate the efficiency of awakening after treatment and the awakening ratios were compared among three groups weekly. Four weeks after treatment, regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was measured with CT perfusion imaging. The score of Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended (GOS-E) was compared six months after treatment. ResultsFrom three weeks after treatment, the scores of CRS-R, GCS and FOUR increased in all groups (P < 0.05). After weekly treatment, there was no significant difference in the composition ratio of consciousness level and the awakening ratio among three groups (χ2 < 11.057, P > 0.05). After four weeks of treatment, rCBF improved in three groups (|t| > 2.495, P < 0.05), however, there was no difference among three groups (F < 1.887, P > 0.05). There was no difference in the score of GOS-E at six months after treatment (F = 3.083, P = 0.055). ConclusionrTMS combined with MNS is effective on pDOC patients in different ages, and elderly patients could also benefit from it.

Effect of Polysaccharides and n-Butanol Fractions of Atractylodis Rhizoma Stir-fried with Bran on Metabonomics in Rats with Spleen Deficiency / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the regulatory effect of polysaccharides and n-butanol fractions of Atractylodis Rhizoma stir-fried with bran on the plasma metabolites of spleen-deficient rats， and then to elucidate their mechanisms of spleen-enhancing effects. MethodForty male SD rats were randomly divided into the blank group， model group， polysaccharide group （FD group， 0.075 6 g·mL-1·d-1）， n-butanol fractions group （FZ group， 0.012 1 g·mL-1·d-1）， with 10 rats in each group. Except the blank group， the other three groups used the compound factors of overwork， dietary disorders and intragastric administration of Sennae Folium decoction to replicate the rat model of spleen deficiency. After the end of modeling， the FD group and FZ group were given the corresponding medicinal solution by gavage for 7 d， meanwhile， the blank group and model group were given an equal volume of saline. The plasma samples from rats in the blank， model， FZ and FD groups were analyzed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/electrostatic field orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry （UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS）， multivariate statistical methods were used to process the data and screen differential metabolites， and metabolic pathway enrichment analysis of the screened differential metabolites was performed using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG)）database and MetaboAnalyst 5.0. ResultThe results of multivariate statistical analysis showed that there were significant differences in plasma metabolites between the model group and blank group， FZ group and model group， FD group and model group. There were 380 differential metabolites between the blank group and the model group， of which 78 and 57 were called back by polysaccharides and n-butanol fractions of Atractylodis Rhizoma stir-fried with bran， respectively. Metabolic pathway enrichment results showed that the n-butanol fractions mainly affected glycine， serine and threonine metabolism， alanine， aspartate and glutamate metabolism， D-arginine and D-ornithine metabolism， which were summarized as amino acid metabolism， while the polysaccharides mainly affected glycine， serine and threonine metabolism， alanine， aspartate and glutamate metabolism， tricarboxylic acid cycle， biotin metabolism and thiamine metabolism. ConclusionBoth of polysaccharides and n-butanol fractions of Atractylodis Rhizoma stir-fried with bran have significant regulating effects on the metabolic abnormalities in spleen-deficient rats， in which the n-butanol fractions is mainly involved in amino acid metabolism， and the polysaccharides are involved in energy metabolism and cofactor and vitamin metabolism in addition to regulating amino acid metabolism.

Construction of a core outcome set in clinical research of acupuncture and moxibustion for treatment of adhesive capsulitis / 中国针灸

This study aims to construct the core outcome set for the clinical trials of adhesive capsulitis treated with acupuncture and moxibustion. Using systematic review, semi-structured interview, Delphi questionnaire survey, analytic hierarchy process and expert consensus meeting, the primary outcomes are obtained, i.e. local tenderness, pain degree during movement, range of motion, changes in range of motion, function score, and score of local symptoms of shoulder joint. The secondary outcomes are myofascial thickness, thickness of the inferior wall of the joint capsule, health status, activity of daily living, incidence of adverse events, laboratory indexes, vital signs, cost-effectiveness, total effective rate, and patient satisfaction. It is expected to provide a reference for the outcome selection in clinical trials and the generation of medical evidences in the treatment of adhesive capsulitis with acupuncture and moxibustion.

Down-regulation of the Smad signaling by circZBTB46 via the Smad2-PDLIM5 axis to inhibit type I collagen expression / 老年心脏病学杂志（英文版）

BACKGROUND@#Abnormal type I collagen (COL1) expression is associated with the development of many cardiovascular diseases. The TGF-beta/Smad signaling pathway and circRNAs have been shown to regulate COL1 gene expression, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are still not fully understood.@*METHODS@#Gain- and loss-of-function experiments were prformed to study the effect of circZBTB46 on the expression of alpha 2 chain of type I collagen (COL1A2). Co-immunoprecipitation assay was performed to observe the interaction between two proteins. RNA immunoprecipitation assay and biotin pull-down assay were performed to observe the interaction of circZBTB46 with PDLIM5.@*RESULTS@#In this study, we investigated the role of circZBTB46 in regulating COL1A2 expression in human vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). We found that circZBTB46 is expressed in VSMCs and that TGF-beta inhibits circZBTB46 formation by downregulating KLF4 expression through activation of the Smad signaling pathway. CircZBTB46 inhibits the expression of COL1A2 induced by TGF-beta. Mechanistically, circZBTB46 mediates the interaction between Smad2 and PDLIM5, resulting in the inhibition of Smad signaling and the subsequent downregulation of COL1A2 expression. Furthermore, we found that the expression of TGF-beta and COL1A2 is decreased, while circZBTB46 expression is increased in human abdominal aortic aneurysm tissues, indicating that circZBTB46-mediated regulation of TGF-beta/Smad signaling and COL1A2 synthesis in VSMCs plays a crucial role in vascular homeostasis and aneurysm development.@*CONCLUSIONS@#CircZBTB46 was identified as a novel inhibitor of COL1 synthesis in VSMCs, highlighting the importance of circZBTB46 and PDLIM5 in regulating TGF-beta/Smad signaling and COL1A2 expression.

Research progress on the role of programmed cell death in hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury / 器官移植

Liver transplantation is an effective treatment for the end-stage liver disease. However, hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI) will inevitably occur during liver transplantation, which might lead to early graft dysfunction or aggravate rejection. The underlying protective mechanism remains to be further elucidated. Programmed cell death is an important mechanism of HIRI, and multiple novel types of programmed cell death participate in the pathological process of HIRI. In-depth study of programmed cell death is expected to further improve the therapeutic effect of liver transplantation. In this article, research progresses on apoptosis, autophagy and autophagy-dependent cell death, ferroptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, pathanatos and other common programmed cell death patterns in HIRI were reviewed, aiming to provide reference for enhancing the success rate of liver transplantation and improving clinical prognosis of the recipients.

Anterior Cingulate Cortex Mediates Hyperalgesia and Anxiety Induced by Chronic Pancreatitis in Rats / 神经科学通报·英文版

Central sensitization is essential in maintaining chronic pain induced by chronic pancreatitis (CP), but cortical modulation of painful CP remains elusive. Here, we examined the role of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in the pathogenesis of abdominal hyperalgesia in a rat model of CP induced by intraductal administration of trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS). TNBS treatment resulted in long-term abdominal hyperalgesia and anxiety in rats. Morphological data indicated that painful CP induced a significant increase in FOS-expressing neurons in the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) and ACC, and some FOS-expressing neurons in the NTS projected to the ACC. In addition, a larger portion of ascending fibers from the NTS innervated pyramidal neurons, the neural subpopulation primarily expressing FOS under the condition of painful CP, rather than GABAergic neurons within the ACC. CP rats showed increased expression of vesicular glutamate transporter 1, and increased membrane trafficking and phosphorylation of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) subunit NR2B and the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid receptor (AMPAR) subunit GluR1 within the ACC. Microinjection of NMDAR and AMPAR antagonists into the ACC to block excitatory synaptic transmission significantly attenuated abdominal hyperalgesia in CP rats, which was similar to the analgesic effect of endomorphins injected into the ACC. Specifically inhibiting the excitability of ACC pyramidal cells via chemogenetics reduced both hyperalgesia and comorbid anxiety, whereas activating these neurons via optogenetics failed to aggravate hyperalgesia and anxiety in CP rats. Taken together, these findings provide neurocircuit, biochemical, and behavioral evidence for involvement of the ACC in hyperalgesia and anxiety in CP rats, as well as novel insights into the cortical modulation of painful CP, and highlights the ACC as a potential target for neuromodulatory interventions in the treatment of painful CP.

Predictive value of systemic inflammation response index before treatment for pathological complete response in patients with breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy / 国际肿瘤学杂志

Objective:To investigate the predictive value of systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) before treatment for pathological complete response (pCR) in patients with breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy.Methods:The clinicopathological data of 119 patients with primary breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy and subsequent breast-conserving or modified radical surgery from Cangzhou Central Hospital of Hebei Province between January 2010 to March 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, and patients were divided into pCR group ( n=19) and non-pCR group ( n=100) based on postoperative pathology. The SIRI before treatment between the two groups was compared. The patients were divided into SIRI≤0.25 ( n=10) , 0.26-0.50 ( n=42) , 0.51-0.75 ( n=29) , 0.76-1.00 ( n=19) , and >1.00 ( n=19) groups according the SIRI before treatment, and the pCR ratios of the five groups were compared. Spearman correlation analysis was applied to evaluate the relationship between SIRI before treatment and pCR, logistic regression analysis was used to identify the influencing factors of pCR for neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the predictive value of SIRI before treatment for pCR of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. Results:Tumor size ( Z=2.26, P=0.024) , axillary lymph node metastasis ( χ2=5.73, P=0.017) , human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) ( χ2=8.77, P=0.003) , Ki-67 ( Z=2.68, P=0.007) , cytological nuclear grade ( χ2=5.08, P=0.024) , neutrophil count before treatment ( Z=2.44, P=0.015) , monocyte/lymphocyte ratio before treatment ( Z=3.04, P=0.002) , and SIRI before treatment ( Z=3.29, P=0.001) had statistical differences between the pCR and non-pCR groups. The pCR ratios were 50% (5/10) in the SIRI ≤0.25 group, 21% (9/42) in the 0.26-0.50 group, 10% (3/29) in the 0.51-0.75 group, 11% (2/19) in the 0.76-1.00 group, and 0 (0/19) in the >1.00 group, with a statistic difference ( χ2=14.28, P=0.006) . SIRI before treatment was negatively related with pCR ( r=-0.30, P=0.001) . Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that tumor size ( OR=0.50, 95% CI: 0.28-0.89, P=0.019) , axillary lymph node metastasis ( OR=5.43, 95% CI: 1.19-24.83, P=0.029) , HER-2 ( OR=7.54, 95% CI: 1.65-34.36, P=0.009) , Ki-67 ( OR=1.03, 95% CI: 1.01-1.05, P=0.008) , cytological nuclear grade ( OR=0.20, 95% CI: 0.04-0.92, P=0.038) , neutrophil count before treatment ( OR=0.54, 95% CI: 0.32-0.92, P=0.023) , monocyte/lymphocyte ratio before treatment ( OR=0.00, 95% CI: 0.00-0.01, P=0.007) , and SIRI before treatment ( OR=0.03, 95% CI: 0.00-0.37, P=0.007) were influencing factors for pCR of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed that tumor size ( OR=0.31, 95% CI: 0.14-0.72, P=0.007) , axillary lymph node metastasis ( OR=10.97, 95% CI: 1.35-89.61, P=0.025) , HER-2 ( OR=6.47, 95% CI: 1.18-35.65, P=0.032) , Ki-67 ( OR=1.04, 95% CI: 1.00-1.07, P=0.029) , cytological nuclear grade ( OR=7.87, 95% CI: 1.01-61.35, P=0.049) , and SIRI before treatment ( OR=0.03, 95% CI: 0.00-0.58, P=0.020) were independent influencing factors for pCR of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. The ROC curve showed that the area under the curve of SIRI before treatment for predicting pCR was 0.74 (95% CI: 0.65-0.82) , sensitivity was 68.0%, and specificity was 75.3%. The area under the curve of monocyte/lymphocyte ratio before treatment for predicting pCR was 0.72 (95% CI: 0.63-0.80) , sensitivity was 48.0%, and specificity was 84.2%. The area under the curve of neutrophil count before treatment for predicting pCR was 0.68 (95% CI: 0.59-0.76) , sensitivity was 61.0%, and specificity was 83.7%. Conclusion:SIRI before treatment may serve as a marker for predicting pCR in patients with breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy, patients with low SIRI are more likely to obtain pCR.

Application of transcatheter aortic valve replacement in elderly patients with native pure aortic regurgitation / 中国医师杂志

Objective:This study sought to investigate the feasibility, anatomical indications and operating points of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedure in the treatment of pure aortic regurgitation (AR).Methods:The medical records of 4 elderly patients with pure AR who were treated in the cardiology department, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology from March 2020 to March 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were implanted with self-expandable valve stents via peripheral artery approach for TAVR treatment. The feasibility, anatomical indications and key points of TAVR were analyzed.Results:The 4 patients with pure AR who were carefully screened had an average age of 66 years, and all achieved TAVR treatment success without serious perioperative complications and death. Postoperative examination and follow-up data showed that cardiac functions and cardiac remodeling indexes were significantly improved.Conclusions:This exploratory study shows that TAVR is technically feasible and effective treatment option for selected elderly patients with native pure AR, which is worthy of further study.

Chinese Herbal Prescription Against Esophageal Cancer： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Esophageal cancer is a type of upper gastrointestinal malignant tumor with a high degree of malignancy， strong invasion ability， and poor prognosis， which belongs to the category of "dysphagia" in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. In addition to tumor resistance， Chinese herbal prescription plays a role in sensitization. In light of information in literature， the syndrome elements of esophageal cancer include Qi stagnation， phlegm， Qi deficiency， blood stasis， and Yin deficiency. After clinical differentiation， the syndromes of esophageal cancer are divided into phlegm and Qi obstruction， Qi and Yin deficiency， fluid deficiency and heat accumulation， Qi deficiency and phlegm dampness， combined phlegm and heat， combined phlegm and stasis， combined heat toxin and stasis， healthy Qi deficiency and toxin accumulation， et al. Dabanxiatang， Qigesan， Xuanfu Daizhetang， Liujunzitang， Shashen Maidongtang， and Tongyoutang are the common clinical prescriptions， where Qigesan， Liu Junzitang， and Tongyoutang have been proved by in vitro and in vivo experiments to exert anti-esophageal cancer effect by directly inhibiting tumor cell proliferation， promoting apoptosis， affecting tumor microenvironment， regulating cell energy metabolism， and inhibiting angiogenesis. In addition， an increasing number of studies have been conducted on anti-esophageal cancer effect of Chinese herbal prescription by targeting non-coding single-stranded microRNA. The specific mechanisms of Da Banxiatang， Shenzhe Peiqitang， Xiao Xianxiongtang， Renshen Banxiatang， and Liushenwan have been scarcely reported despite good clinical efficacy. Wuzhuyu Tang and Tongguansan recorded in ancient books have been rarely applied in modern times. Therefore， the present study reviewed the special drugs and prescriptions mentioned in ancient TCM classics， the commonly used Chinese herbal prescriptions in modern clinical practice， and experimental research progress， to promote treatment methods of Chinese herbal prescriptions against esophageal cancer.

Herbal Textual Research on Myrrha in Famous Classical Formulas / 中国实验方剂学杂志

In order to provide the basis for the development of famous classical formulas containing Myrrha， the name， origin， quality evaluation， harvest and processing of Myrrha were systematically researched by consulting the ancient herbal and medical books， combining with the modern related literature. According to textual research， the results showed that Commiphora myrrha was the main base in ancient times， which was produced in Somalia， Ethiopia and northern Kenya. In addition， raw and fried products of Myrrha were the commonly used specifications in ancient herbal medicine， which are still used today. Nowadays， Myrrha， fried Myrrha and vinegar-processed Myrrha were the commonly used specifications. Among the three specifications， Myrrha is the raw products after cleaning， fried Myrrha is a kind of processed products， which has relevant records in ancient materia medica and is still used today. Vinegar-processed Myrrha is a new processing specification in modern times. Based on the research results， it is suggested that Myrrha in Shentong Zhuyutang should be the purified raw Myrrha in accordance with the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia.

Identification of traditional Chinese drugs containing active ingredients for treating myocardial infarction and analysis of their therapeutic mechanisms by network pharmacology and molecular docking / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To identify traditional Chinese drugs that contain active ingredients for treatment of myocardial infarction (MI) and explore their therapeutic mechanisms using network pharmacology and molecular docking technology.@*METHODS@#The TCMSP database was used for screening the traditional Chinese drugs containing active ingredients for treating MI, and the related targets of MI and the candidate drugs were obtained from Genecards, OMIM, PharmGkb and PharmMapper databases. The common target network of the drug targets and disease targets was established using Venny2.1.0 software. GO and KEGG signal pathway enrichment analysis of the common targets was performed, and the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed for the targets. The targets in the PPI network were analyzed to identify the key targets, for which GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses were performed. Molecular docking was performed for the candidate ingredients and the key targets, and a total score ≥6 was used as the criteria for screening the therapeutic ingredients and their docking binding with key targets was verified. A human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) model of oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) was used to validate the candidate ingredients and the key therapeutic targets for MI by Western blotting.@*RESULTS@#Our analysis identified Salvia miltiorrhiza and Dalbergiae odoriferae as the candidate drugs rich in active ingredients for treatment of MI. These ingredients involved 16 key therapeutic targets for MI, which participated in such biological processes as inflammatory response, angiogenesis, energy metabolism and oxidative stress and the pathways including HIF-1, VEGF, and TNF pathways. Sclareol and PTGS2 in Salvia miltiorrhiza and formononetin and KDR in Dalbergiae odoriferae all had high docking total scores. Western blotting showed that at medium and high doses, sclareol significantly inhibited PTGS2 expression and formononetin promoted KDR expressions in the cell models in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Both Salvia miltiorrhiza and Dalbergiae odoriferae have good therapeutic effects on MI. Sclareol in Salvia miltiorrhiza and formononetin in Dalbergiae odoriferae regulate the expressions of KDR and PTGS2, respectively, to modulate the inflammatory response, angiogenesis, oxidative stress and energy metabolism and thus produce myocardial protective effects.

Diagnostic value of prognostic nutritional index and C-reactive protein to albumin ratio in Crohn′s disease complicated with intra-abdominal infection / 中华消化杂志

Objective:To investigate the diagnostic value of prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and C-reactive protein to albumin ratio(CAR) in Crohn′s disease complicated with intra-abdominal infection (CD-IAI).Methods:From January 2016 to December 2021, the clinical data of 61 patients with Crohn′s disease (CD) and 61 patients with CD-IAI diagnosed at Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. Crohn′s disease activity index (CDAI), Crohn′s disease endoscopic index of severity (CDEIS), laboratory parameters(white blood cell count, neutrophil ratio, platelet count, C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), D-dimer, prothrombin time (PT), fibrinogen, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT)), PNI and CAR were compared between CD patients and CD-IAI patients. From January to May in 2022 another 30 patients with CD and 13 patients with CD-IAI diagnosed at Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University were selected to verify the accuracy of PNI and CAR in predicting CD-IAI. The optimal cut-off values of PNI and CAR in predicting CD-IAI, area under the curve (AUC), Youden index, sensitivity and specificity were calculated by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). Spearman correlation was used to analyze the correlation between PNI, CAR, CDAI, and CDEIS, and logistic regression was performed to analyze the influencing factors of CD-IAI. Independent sample t test and Mann-Whitney U test were used for statistical analysis. Results:CDAI and CDEIS were higher in CD-IAI patients than those of CD patients(256.68±8.50 vs.144.87±7.83; 3.80 (1.80, 5.40) vs. 1.20 (0.20, 2.80)), and the differences were statistically significant( t=-9.67, Z=-4.02, both P<0.001). The white blood cell count, neutrophil ratio, platelet count, CRP, PCT, D-dimer, PT, fibrinogen, and APTT of CD-IAI patients were all higher than those of CD patients (7.81×10 9/L (5.98×10 9/L, 11.39×10 9/L) vs. 5.94×10 9/L (4.86×10 9/L, 7.11×10 9/L); (73.43±10.67)% vs. (62.30±11.03)%; 360.00×10 9/L (266.50×10 9/L, 456.00×10 9/L) vs. 294.00×10 9/L (222.50×10 9/L, 356.00×10 9/L); 44.27 mg/L (16.82 mg/L, 82.65 mg/L) vs. 3.42 mg/L (0.59 mg/L, 18.33 mg/L); 0.07 μg/L (0.04 μg/L, 0.22 μg/L) vs. 0.04 μg/L (0.02 μg/L, 0.05 μg/L); 0.75 mg/L (0.32 mg/L, 2.00 mg/L) vs. 0.26 mg/L (0.15 mg/L, 0.46 mg/L); 11.90 s (11.40 s, 12.90 s) vs. 11.20 s (10.45 s, 11.70 s); 4.58 g/L (3.59 g/L, 5.59 g/L) vs. 2.99 g/L (2.17 g/L, 4.23 g/L); 30.40 s (28.30 s, 32.80 s) vs. 28.00 s (25.45 s, 31.10 s)), and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=-4.48; t=-5.66; Z=-2.71, -6.47, -3.78, -4.87, -4.87, -5.44 and -2.74; all P<0.01). The serum albumin level of CD-IAI patients was lower than that of CD patients (34.10 g/L (31.40 g/L, 36.90 g/L) vs. 39.00 g/L (35.10 g/L, 43.20 g/L)), and the difference was statistically significant( Z=-3.91, P<0.001). The PNI of CD-IAI patients was lower than that of CD patients (41.65, (38.58, 44.58) vs. 47.80 (40.45, 52.98)), while CAR was higher than that of CD patients (1.29 (0.48, 2.67) vs. 0.10 (0.01, 0.46)), and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=-3.83 and -6.44, both P<0.001). The results of Spearman correlation analysis showed that PNI was negatively correlated with CAR, CDAI, and CDEIS ( r=-0.64, -0.53 and -0.50, all P<0.001), and CAR was positively correlated with CDAI and CDEIS ( r=0.63 and 0.52, both P<0.001). The results of logistic regression analysis showed that high level of PNI was a protective factor for CD-IAI ( OR= 0.911, 95% confidence interval 0.864 to 0.961), and high level of CAR was a risk factor for CD-IAI ( OR=2.846, 95% confidence interval 1.745 to 4.644). The results of ROC indicated that the AUC value of combined PNI and CAR in the diagnosis of CD-IAI was 0.829 ( P<0.001), Youden index was 0.541, the sensitivity was 0.934, and the specificity was 0.607. The sensitivity and specificity of optimal cut-off value of the combination of PNI and CAR in predicting CD-IAI were 0.692 and 0.967. Conclusions:PNI and CAR have certain diagnostic value in CD-IAI. The risk of CD-IAI is high when PNI <45.550 and CAR >0.466.

Clinical characteristics of 527 patients of Tibetan nationality with vitiligo / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To analyze clinical characteristics of patients of Tibetan nationality with vitiligo in the Tibet autonomous region.Methods:Clinical data were collected from 527 patients of Tibetan nationality with vitiligo, who visited Department of Dermatology, People′s Hospital of Tibet Autonomous Region from January 2018 to December 2019, including age, gender, seasons at onset, involved body sites, classification and stages of vitiligo, concomitant diseases and laboratory test results.Results:Among the 527 patients of Tibetan nationality with vitiligo, the ratio of male to female was 0.97∶1, and vitiligo usually occurred at 10 - 30 years of age. As for clinical staging, 335 (63.6%) patients were diagnosed with progressive vitiligo, and 192 (36.4%) with stable vitiligo; as for clinical classification, there were 97 (18.4%) patients with segmental vitiligo, 293 (55.6%) with vitiligo vulgaris, 79 (15%) with mixed vitiligo and 58 (11%) with unclassified vitiligo; vitiligo lesions were mainly located on the face and neck (253 cases, 48%) , followed by the trunk (148 cases, 28%) , upper limbs (64 cases, 12%) , lower limbs (46 cases, 9%) , and perineal and perianal mucosa (16 cases, 3%) ; vitiligo usually occurred in summer (198 cases, 37.6%) and spring (154 cases, 29.2%) , followed by autumn (98 cases, 18.6%) and winter (77 cases, 14.6%) ; 140 (26.6%) patients suffered from other diseases such as thyroid diseases (85 cases, 16.1%) , and 74 (14.0%) suffered from subclinical thyroid diseases; one or more serological abnormalities were observed in 22 patients, including 18 with progressive vitiligo. Compared with the patients with stable vitiligo, those with progressive vitiligo showed significantly increased thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels ( P = 0.004) . Spearman rank correlation analysis showed that altitude was weakly correlated with the stage of vitiligo ( rs = -0.18, P < 0.001) , the stage of vitiligo was weakly negatively correlated with the TSH level ( rs = -0.12, P = 0.005) and complement C3 level ( rs = -0.09, P = 0.041) , and the classification of vitiligo was weakly correlated with the TSH level ( rs = -0.11, P = 0.011) . Conclusion:In this study, the patients of Tibetan nationality with vitiligo were mostly aged at 10 - 30 years, vitiligo lesions were mainly located on the face and neck, and usually occurred in spring and summer, and the prevalence of comorbid thyroid dysfunction was relatively high.

A practical guide to amplicon and metagenomic analysis of microbiome data

Advances in high-throughput sequencing (HTS) have fostered rapid developments in the field of microbiome research, and massive microbiome datasets are now being generated. However, the diversity of software tools and the complexity of analysis pipelines make it difficult to access this field. Here, we systematically summarize the advantages and limitations of microbiome methods. Then, we recommend specific pipelines for amplicon and metagenomic analyses, and describe commonly-used software and databases, to help researchers select the appropriate tools. Furthermore, we introduce statistical and visualization methods suitable for microbiome analysis, including alpha- and beta-diversity, taxonomic composition, difference comparisons, correlation, networks, machine learning, evolution, source tracing, and common visualization styles to help researchers make informed choices. Finally, a step-by-step reproducible analysis guide is introduced. We hope this review will allow researchers to carry out data analysis more effectively and to quickly select the appropriate tools in order to efficiently mine the biological significance behind the data.

Clinical study on new risk assessment and prediction system for early osteonecrosis of the femoral head / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To establish a risk assessment and prediction system for early osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) in order to predict the collapse risk.@*METHODS@#The risk assessment system for early necrosis and collapse of femoral head was established based on the combination of Steinberg stage, ABC typing and the proportion of the proximal sclerotic rim. Firstly, Steinberg stage system was applied. ABC typing was applied to predict risk in stage I, type C was risk free, type B was low risk, type A and type BC were medium risk, type A-C and type AB were high risk. The classification of proximal sclerotic rim was first applied when the Steinberg stage was Ⅱ-Ⅲ, and type 2 was expected to be low risk. If the classification of proximal sclerotic rimwas type 1, then the ABC typing was applied, type C was risk-free, type B was low risk, type A and type BC were medium risk, type A-C and type AB were high risk. According to this prediction system, the collapse risk of femoral head in 188 cases(301 hips) were predicted by retrospective analysis. All the hips were enrolled at the out-patient department of orthopedic in Guang'anmen Hospital attached to China Academy of Chinese Medical Science. The consistency of the prediction results of three doctors and one doctor at different times were evaluated.@*RESULTS@#Among them, 136 cases were male, 52 were female. 75 cases were single hip, 113 were double hip. The age of the patients wa 19 to 64(42.61±12.07) years. The natural course of disease was 0.33 to 5.00(3.62±1.93) years. 206 hips in 301 hips had collapsed, with a collapse rate of 68.44%. In the risk-free group, none hip had collapsed, with a collapse rate of 0%. In the low-risk group, 9 hip in 91 hips had collapsed, with a collapse rate of 9.89%. In the medium-risk group, 12 hip in 19 hips had collapsed, with a collapse rate of 63.16%. And in the high risk group, 185 hips in 190 hips had collapsed, with a collapse rate of 97.37%. They were significantly differences in their collapse rate (@*CONCLUSION@#The risk assessment and prediction system for early ONFH selects different methods to predict the risk of collapse according to the imaging characteristics of different stages, which is combines with the comprehensive assessment of multiple risk factors. The system is applicable to a wide range, simple operation and convenient for clinical application.

Elemene Emulsion Injection Administration Reduces Neuropathic Pain by Inhibiting Astrocytic NDRG2 Expression within Spinal Dorsal Horn / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the mechanisms underlying elemene-induced analgesia in rats with spared nerve injury (SNI).@*METHODS@#Sixty-five rats were equally divided into 5 groups using a random number table: naive group, sham group, SNI group, SNI + elemene (40 mg·kg@*RESULTS@#The SNI rat model exhibited a significant decrease in paw withdrawal threshold and exploratory behaviour in the EPM (P<0.05). Consecutive administration of elemene alleviated SNI-induced mechanical allodynia and anxiety in rats (P<0.05). Immunohistochemical data showed that elemene decreased SNI-induced upregulation of NDRG2 within the SDH (P<0.05). Double immunofluorescent staining data further showed that elemene decreased SNI-induced upregulation of the number of GFAP immunoreactive (-ir), NDRG-ir, and GFAP/NDRG2 double-labelled cells within the SDH (P<0.05). Immunoblotting data showed that elemene decreased SNI-induced upregulation of GFAP and NDRG2 within the SDH (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Elemene possibly alleviated neuropathic pain by downregulating the expression of NDRG2 in spinal astrocytes in a rat model of SNI.

SNP of AHSA2 gene in three cattle breeds using snapshot technology

Droughtmaster is a tropical breed of beef cattle that can survive in hot climates and easily adapt to torrid environments. These traits are important in livestock breeding. In this study, we genotyped five single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the AHSA2 gene from 190 cattle belonging to three different breeds (Droughtmaster, Angus and Simmental) by using snapshot technology. This work aimed to identify the valuable molecular marker of heat resistance in cattle. Results showed that Droughtmaster exhibited higher expected heterozygosity and polymorphic information content compared with the two other breeds. The AHSA2-1 locus deviated from the Hardy– Weinberg equilibrium in the Droughtmaster breed (P \ 0.05). Two SNPs in Droughtmaster diverged significantly from Angus and Simmental. The SNPs were identified as AHSA2-3 and AHSA2-4, which were closely linked to the three breeds based on pair-wise FST. AHSA2-4 involved a missense mutation. In summary, the GG genotypes in AHSA2-3 and AHSA2-4 may be candidate genotypes associated with heat resistance traits and may serve as valuable genetic markers for breeding of heat-tolerant beef cattle in the future.