Melatonin inhibits arrhythmias induced by increased late sodium currents in ventricular myocytes / 药学学报

Melatonin (Mel) has been shown to have cardioprotective effects, but its action on ion channels is unclear. In this experiment, we investigated the inhibitory effect of Mel on late sodium currents (INa.L) in mouse ventricular myocytes and the anti-arrhythmic effect at the organ level as well as its mechanism. The whole-cell patch clamp technique was applied to record the ionic currents and action potential (AP) in mouse ventricular myocytes while the electrocardiogram (ECG) and monophasic action potential (MAP) were recorded simultaneously in mouse hearts using a multichannel acquisition and analysis system. The results demonstrated that the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of Mel on transient sodium current (INa.T) and specific INa.L opener 2 nmol·L-1 sea anemone toxins II (ATX II) increased INa.L were 686.615 and 7.37 μmol·L-1, respectively. Mel did not affect L-type calcium current (ICa.L), transient outward current (Ito), and AP. In addition, 16 μmol·L-1 Mel shortened ATX II-prolonged action potential duration (APD), suppressed ATX II-induced early afterdepolarizations (EADs), and significantly reduced the incidence of ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) in Langendorff-perfused mouse hearts. In conclusion, Mel exerted its antiarrhythmic effects principally by blocking INa.L, thus providing a significant theoretical basis for new clinical applications of Mel. Animal welfare and experimental process are in accordance with the regulations of the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Wuhan University of Science and Technology (2023130).

A Clinical and Anatomical Study on the Localization of the Temporal Branch of the Facial Nerve Crossing the Zygomatic Arch / Estudio Clínico y Anatómico sobre la Localización del Ramo Temporal del Nervio Facial que Cruza el Arco Cigomático

SUMMARY: To clarify the path of the temporal branch of facial nerve (TB) crossing the zygomatic arch (ZA). Eighteen fresh adult heads specimens were carefully dissected in the zygomatic region, with the location of TB as well as its number documented. The hierarchical relationship between the temporal branch and the soft tissue in this region was observed on 64 P45 plastinated slices. 1. TB crosses the ZA as type I (21.8 %), type II (50.0 %,), and type III (28.1 %) twigs. 2. At the level of the superior edge of the ZA, the average distance between the anterior trunk of TB and the anterior part of the auricle is 36.36±6.56 mm, for the posterior trunk is 25.59±5.29 mm. At the level of the inferior edge of the ZA, the average distance between the anterior trunk of TB and the anterior part of the auricle is 25.77±6.19 mm, for the posterior trunk is 19.16±4.71 mm. 3. The average length of ZA is 62.06±5.36 mm. TB crosses the inferior edge of the ZA at an average of 14.67±6.45 mm. TB crosses the superior edge of the ZA at an average of 9.08±4.54 mm. 4. At the level of the ZA, TB passes on the surface of the pericranium while below the SMAS. The TB obliquely crosses the middle 1/3 part of the superior margin of the ZA and the junction of the middle 1/3 part and the posterior 1/3 part of the inferior margin of the ZA below the SMAS while beyond the periosteum. It is suggested that this area should be avoided in clinical operation to avoid the injury of TB.

El objetivo de estudio fue esclarecer el trayecto del ramo temporal del nervio facial (RT) que cruza el arco cigomático (AC). Se disecaron la región cigomática de 18 especímenes de cabezas sin fijar de individuos adultas y se documentó la ubicación del RT y su número de ramos. La relación jerárquica entre el ramo temporal y el tejido blando en esta región se observó en 64 cortes plastinados o P45. 1º El RT cruza el AC como tipo I (21,8 %), tipo II (50,0 %) y tipo III (28,1 %). 2º A nivel del margen superior del AC, la distancia promedio entre el tronco anterior de RT y la parte anterior de la aurícula fue de 36,36±6,56 mm, para el tronco posterior fue de 25,59±5,29 mm. A nivel del margen inferior del AC, la distancia promedio entre el tronco anterior del RT y la parte anterior de la aurícula era de 25,77±6,19 mm, para el tronco posterior era de 19,16±4,71 mm. 3º La longitud media de RT fue de 62,06±5,36 mm. EL RT cruzaba el margen inferior del AC a una distancia media de 14,67±6,45 mm. El RT cruzaba el margen superior del AC a una distancia media de 9,08±4,54 mm. 4º Anivel del AC, el RT pasaba por la superficie del pericráneo mientras se encuentra por debajo del SMAS. El RT cruza oblicuamente el tercio medio del margen superior del AC y la unión del tercio medio y el tercio posterior del margen inferior del AC por debajo del SMAS, más allá del periostio. Se sugiere que esta área debe evitarse en la operación clínica para evitar la lesión de la RT.

Investigation and molecular identification of Anisakis infection in marine fish sold in Fuxin, Liaoning Province / 中国热带医学

@#Abstract: Objective　To investigate the infection of Anisakis in marine fish sold in Fuxin, and conduct molecular identification and evolutionary tracing of third-stage larvae to determine Anisakis species. Methods　From 2018 to 2021, marine fish sold in the market were collected randomly, and the third stage larvae of Anisakis were detected in marine fish sold in the market by direct dissection, and the morphological characteristics were used to preliminarily identify species by microscopy; the total DNA was extracted, the internal transcribed spacer sequence of the ribosomal DNA of Anisakis was amplified, and the sequence alignment and evolution analysis were carried out. Results　A total of 289 market-sold sea fish samples of marine fish sold in the market were dissected and 84 samples of Anisakis were detected with a detection rate of 29.1%, of which the infection rates of hairtail and small yellow croaker were higher, at 41.4% and 41.2%, respectively. BLAST comparison of 28 sequences revealed eight species of anisakids, including Anisakis pegreffii, Anisakis simplex, Anisakis typical, Raphidascaris trichiurid, Contracaecum muraenesoxi, Hysterothylcaium zhoushanensis, Hysterothylacium amoyense and Hysterothylcaium fabri,belonging to the genera Anisakis and Hysterothylacium. The phylogenetic tree constructed from 28 sequences generally formed two topological branches, with Anisakis pegreffii, Anisakis simplex, and Anisakis typical forming three separate clusters as the topology branch of Anisakis genus. However, meanwhile, Hysterothylacium, Contracaecum, and Raphidascaris formed a separate topological branch. Conclusions　The marine fish sold in Fuxin City have severe anisakid infection, with a wide variety of anisakid species, the dominant species being Anisakis pegreffii.

Spatial epidemiological analysis of severe hand, foot and mouth disease in Guangxi, 2014-2018 / 中国热带医学

@#Abstract: Objective　To explore the spatial epidemiological characteristics of severe cases hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in Guangxi, China, from 2014 to 2018, and to provide a basis for identifying the high-risk regions as well as the prevention and control of severe cases of HFMD in Guangxi. Methods　Spatial-temporal scanning analysis, global and local spatial autocorrelation analysis were used to analyze the spatial clustering of HFMD. The trend surface analysis was used to evaluate the spatial distribution trend of HFMD. Results　From 2014 to 2018, the incidence and severe case fatality rates of HFMD were 3.89/100 000 and 4.23%, respectively. Monte Carlo scanning analysis showed that the first cluster region was Cenxi City, the second cluster was mainly concentrated in northwest of Guangxi, and the aggregation time was mainly concentrated in April to May and August to October. The global spatial autocorrelation analysis showed that the severe HFMD was significant clustering distribution, and the Moran's I coefficients of the sever cases, severe morbidity and severe case fatality rate were 0.088, 0.118, 0.197, respectively (P<0.05). Local spatial autocorrelation analysis showed that hotspots of severe HFMD cases were concentrated in the southern Guangxi, mainly in Lingshan County. Anselin local Moran's I clustering and outlier analysis indicated that 5 high-high (H-H) clustering regions for fatality were Lingshan, Pubei, Zhongshan, Zhaoping and Pinggui County. There were 6 high-high (H-H) clustering regions for severe incidence rate, namely Lingshan, Qinnan, Lingyun, Youjiang, Bama Yao Autonomous and Pinggui County, and 1 high-low (H-L) clustering region, Cenxi County. The trend surface analysis showed that the overall number of severe cases of death decreased from east or west to the middle, and increased from north to middle, and then decreased to south. Conclusions　Severe HFMD cases in Guangxi have obvious spatial-temporal clustering, and the hop spots are mainly concentrated in southern Guangxi. The prevention and control of HFMD in areas with high incidence of severe cases should be strengthened to reduce the burden of HFMD cases.

Yishen Yanggan Mingmu formula combined with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To observe the clinical efficacy of Yishen Yanggan Mingmu formula combined with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)in the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration(wARMD).METHODS: A total of 58 patients(58 eyes)with wARMD who were treated in Ningbo Eye Hospital from September 2020 to November 2022 were collected. They were divided into two groups according to randomized digital table: 29 patients(29 eyes)for the combination group and the other 29 patients(29 eyes)for the injection group. The injection group was only given intravitreal injection of conbercept; the combination group was orally administrated with Yishen Yanggan Mingmu formula combined with intravitreal injection of conbercept. The best corrected visual acuity(BCVA), central macular thickness(CMT)and the improvement of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndromes after 3mo of treatment were observed and the clinical efficacy was evaluated.RESULTS: After 3mo of treatment, the total improved effective rate of the combination group(76%)was higher than the rate of the injection group(66%). After the treatment, the BCVA of the two groups was both higher than that before treatment(P&#x003C;0.05), the CMT in both groups was lower than that before the treatment(P&#x003C;0.05), and the improvement of CMT of the combination group was better than the injection group(-155.93±143.79μm vs. -95.36±56.81μm, P&#x003C;0.05). After 3mo of treatment, each kinds of TCM syndrome in the combination group were significantly improved compared with those syndromes before the treatment(P&#x003C;0.001). In the injection group, only blurred vision was improved(P&#x003C;0.05). After the treatment, the scores of dizziness and insomnia, soreness and weakness of waist and knees, paleness and cold limbs, dry eyes and fatigue in the combination group were significantly lower than the injection group(P&#x003C;0.001).CONCLUSIONS: The Yishen Yanggan Mingmu formula combined with intravitreal anti-VEGF drug injection is effective in the treatment of wARMD.

Relationships of Low Serum Levels of Interleukin-10 With Poststroke Anxiety and Cognitive Impairment in Patients With Clinical Acute Stroke

Background@#and Purpose The relationships among interleukin (IL)-10 levels, anxiety, and cognitive status after stroke remain controversial. We aimed to determine the associations of serum IL-10 levels with poststroke anxiety (PSA) and poststroke cognitive impairment (PSCI). @*Methods@#We recruited 350 patients with stroke, of whom only 151 completed a 1-month follow-up assessment. The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) were used to assess the cognitive status and anxiety, respectively. Serum IL-10 levels were measured within 24 hours of admission. @*Results@#IL-10 levels were significantly lower in the PSA group than in the non-PSA group, and they were negatively associated with HAMA scores (r=-0.371, p<0.001). After adjusting for all potential confounders, IL-10 levels remained an independent predictor of PSA (odds ratio=0.471, 95% confidence interval=0.237–0.936, p=0.032). IL-10 levels were strongly correlated with behavior during interviews, psychic anxiety, and somatic anxiety. Patients without PSCI had higher IL-10 levels were higher in non-PSCI patients than in PSCI patients, and they were positively associated with MMSE scores in the bivariate correlation analysis (r=0.169, p=0.038), and also with memory capacity, naming ability, and copying capacity.However, IL-10 did not predict PSCI in the univariable or multivariable logistic regression. @*Conclusions@#Low IL-10 levels were associated with increased risks of PSA and PSCI at a 1-month follow-up after stroke. Serum IL-10 levels may therefore be helpful in predicting PSA.

Diagnosis and treatment strategies of 56 cases of middle ear myoclonus / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics and treatment of middle ear myoclonus. Methods: Fifty-six cases of middle ear myoclonus were enrolled in Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University from September 2019 to August 2021, including 23 males and 33 females. The age ranged from 6 to 75 years, with a median age of 35 years; Forty-seven cases were unilateral tinnitus, nine cases were bilateral tinnitus. The time of tinnitus ranged from 20 days to 8 years. The voice characteristics, inducing factors, nature (frequency) of tinnitus, tympanic membrane conditions during tinnitus, audiological related tests, including long-term acoustic tympanogram, stapedius acoustic reflex, pure tone auditory threshold, short increment sensitivity test, alternate binaural loudness balance test, loudness discomfort threshold, vestibular function examination, facial electromyography, and imaging examination were recorded. Oral carbamazepine and/or surgical treatment were used. The patients were followed up for 6-24 months and the tinnitus changes were observed. Results: Tinnitus was diverse, including stepping on snow liking sound, rhythmic drumming, white noise, and so on. The inducing factors included external sound, body position change, touching the skin around the face and ears, speaking, chewing and blinking, etc. Forty-four cases were induced by single factor and 9 cases were induced by two or more factors. There was no definite inducing factor in 1 case. One patient had tinnitus with epilepsy. One case of traumatic facial paralysis after facial nerve decompression could induce tinnitus on the affected side when the auricle moved. Tympanic membrane flutter with the same frequency as tinnitus was found in 12 cases by otoscopy, and the waveform with the same frequency as tinnitus was found by long-term tympanogram examination. There were 7 patients with no tympanic membrane activity by otoscopy, the 7 cases also with the same frequency of tinnitus by long-term tympanogram examination, but the change rate of the waveform was faster than that of the patients with tympanic membrane flutter. All patients with tinnitus had no change in hearing. One case of tinnitus complicated with epilepsy (a 6-year-old child) was treated with antiepileptic drug (topiramate) and tinnitus subsided. One case suffered from tinnitus after facial nerve decompression for traumatic facial paralysis was not given special treatment. Fifty-four cases were treated with oral drug (carbamazepine), of which 10 cases were completely controlled and 23 cases were relieved; 21 cases were invalid. Among the 21 patients with no effect of carbamazepine treatment, 8 patients were treated by surgery, 7 patients had no tinnitus after surgery, 1 patient received three times of operation, and the third operation was followed up for 6 months, no tinnitus occurred again. The other 13 cases refused the surgical treatment due to personal reasons. Conclusions: Middle ear myoclonus tinnitus and the inducing factors manifestate diversity. Oral carbamazepine and other sedative drugs are effective for some patients, and surgical treatment is feasible for those who are ineffective for medication.

Agreement of corneal high-order aberrations measured by three wavefront aberrometers in myopic adults / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM:To evaluate the agreement of corneal high-order aberrations from Topcon KR-1W, i.Profiler and OPD-Scan Ⅲ wavefront aberrometers in myopic adults.METHODS:A prospective clinical study. A total of 92 adult patients(92 eyes)with myopia in the department of optometry, the People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from June to August 2022 were enrolled. The third-order and fourth-order corneal aberrations at the pupil diameter of 4 and 6mm were measured by Topcon KR-1W, i.Profiler, and OPD-Scan Ⅲ, respectively. The difference and agreement of the three aberrometers were evaluated.RESULTS: The measurements at 6mm pupil diameter were all greater than those at 4mm pupil diameter. Although there were no statistical differences in the measurements of Z-44、Z-24 by the three aberrometers at 4 pupil diameter(P&#x003E;0.05), there were statistical differences in other measurements(P&#x003C;0.05). The aberration results measured by the three aberrometers were statistically different at the 6mm pupil diameter(P&#x003C;0.05). The 95% limit of agreement(95%LoA)of the measurements of higher-order aberration, including the third-order aberrations at 4mm pupil diameter and the third-order and fourth-order aberrations at 6mm pupil diameter(except for the Z-24)were greater than 0.1μm. The concordance correlation coefficient(Pc)was lower than 0.90, indicating a poor consistency. The correlation coefficients of corneal higher-order aberrations were significantly different among the three aberrometers at 4 and 6mm pupil diameter(r4mm=0.215～0.805, P4mm&#x003C;0.05; r6mm=0.561～0.916, P6mm&#x003C;0.001).CONCLUSION:There were significant differences in the measurements of the third- and fourth-order corneal aberrations at 4 and 6mm pupil diameter among Topcon KR-1W, i.Profiler, and OPD-Scan Ⅲ, and the agreements were poor, so they are not interchangeably in clinical applications.

Progress in imaging and functional assessment of myopic fundus tessellation changes / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

Myopia has become a serious global burden of visual impairment and blindness, and the World Health Organization has included the prevention and treatment of myopia in its global blindness prevention program. Many ocular pathological alterations that follow from advanced myopia could cause visual impairment and even blindness in severe situations. Myopia is becoming more prevalent and has a greater impact on young people. Myopia's social repercussions are becoming more widely known. One of the several fundus alterations linked to myopia is tessellated fundus, which is the earliest lesion in the natural course of myopic fundus lesions and an important clinical marker for the development of retinopathy. Currently, there are several different methods of grading fundus tessellation, all of which are graded subjectively by fundus color photography. One can investigate the morphological characteristics and functional status of the tessellated fundus with ophthalmoscope, fundus photography, optical coherence tomography, electroretinogram, microperimetry and other modal images. In this study, the imaging properties and common applications of the tessellated fundus are reviewed to provide appropriate resources for clinical ophthalmology.

Research progress on cirrhosis reversal and recompensation / 中华肝脏病杂志

Previously, liver lesions in cirrhosis were considered irreversible, especially because the condition aggravated gradually after entering the decompensated phase, thus making it difficult to return to the compensated phase. At present, more and more evidence shows that some patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis can be recompensated after the cause is controlled and complications are managed. This article explores the research progress related to LC reversal and recompensation from three aspects: liver histopathology, liver function, and clinical complications.

Three cases of occupational acute trimethyltin chloride poisoning / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

Trimethyltin chloride is a highly toxic substance, which is absorbed through respiratory tract, skin and digestive tract, with central nervous system injury as the main clinical manifestations, and can be accompanied by damage to various organs. In this paper, the treatment process of 3 patients with acute trimethyltin chloride poisoning was reviewed, and their clinical manifestations, auxiliary examination, diagnosis and treatment were analyzed. Three patients were misdiagnosed as mental abnormality, encephalitis, and hepatic encephalopathy in different hospitals in the early stage of medical treatment, suggesting that clinicians should pay attention to the occupational contact history of poisoned patients and conduct toxicant detection in time to avoid misdiagnosis and mistreatment.

Correlation between contrast-enhanced ultrasound parameters and Crohn's disease activity / 中华内科杂志

Objective: By investigating the correlation between quantitative parameters of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and commonly used activity assessment indicators of Crohn's disease (CD), and comparing the predictive power of laboratory inflammatory indicators with CEUS on Crohn's disease (CD), the significance of CEUS was evaluated. Methods: A case-control study. From October 2019 to December 2021, the clinical data of 67 patients with CD who were diagnosed by endoscopy and underwent contrast-enhanced ultrasonography were retrospectively analyzed in the First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, and their routine ultrasound and CEUS parameters, C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), fecal calprotectin (FC), Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI) and simplified endoscopic score for Crohn's disease (SES-CD) were collected. Using SES-CD as the standard, the patients were divided into a remission group and an active group, and the correlation of laboratory inflammatory indexes and contrast-enhanced ultrasound parameters with CDAI and SES-CD were evaluated. Besides, the ROC curve was used to analyze the predictive efficacy of each index on CD endoscopic activity. Results: A total of 67 patients were included in this study. According to the SES-CD score, there were 17 patients in the remission group and 50 patients in the active group. Except for the coefficient of the enhancement wash in slope and time to peak (TTP), the peak intensity (PI), area under the angiography curve, and laboratory inflammatory indexes were significantly different between the two groups (P<0.05), which also showed a moderate positive correlation with CDAI and SES-CD (P<0.05). ROC analysis showed that among the non-invasive indicators, PI and area under the angiography curve had the highest AUCs for predicting CD endoscopic activity, which were 0.912 and 0.891, respectively; with SES-CD taking >3 as the cut-off value, the corresponding sensitivities were 78.0% and 72.0%, with specificities of 100.0% and 94.1%, respectively. Conclusion: CEUS can objectively and repeatedly evaluate the disease activity of CD patients, and has great clinical application value, which can be used as a reliable imaging method for diagnosis and follow-up of patients with Crohn's disease.

A case of combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency 32 caused by MRPS34 gene variation and literature review / 中华儿科杂志

Objective: To investigate the clinical features and genetic features of combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency 32 (COXPD32) caused by MRPS34 gene variation. Methods: The clinical data and genetic test of a child with COXPD32 hospitalized in the Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital, Capital Institute of Pediatrics in March 2021 were extracted and analyzed. A literature search was implemented using Wanfang, China biology medicine disc, China national knowledge infrastructure, ClinVar, human gene mutation database (HGMD) and Pubmed databases with the key words "MRPS34" "MRPS34 gene" and "combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency 32" (up to February 2023). Clinical and genetic features of COXPD32 were summarized. Results: A boy aged 1 year and 9 months was admitted due to developmental delay. He showed mental and motor retardation, and was below the 3rd percentile for height, weight, and head circumference of children of the same age and gender. He had poor eye contact, esotropia, flat nasal bridge, limbs hypotonia, holding instability and tremors. In addition, Grade Ⅲ/6 systolic murmur were heard at left sternal border. Arterial blood gases suggested that severe metabolic acidosis with lactic acidosis. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed multiple symmetrical abnormal signals in the bilateral thalamus, midbrain, pons and medulla oblongata. Echocardiography showed atrial septal defect. Genetic testing identified the patient as a compound heterozygous variation of MRPS34 gene, c.580C>T (p.Gln194Ter) and c.94C>T (p.Gln32Ter), with c.580C>T being the first report and a diagnosis of COXPD32. His parents carried a heterozygous variant, respectively. The child improved after treatment with energy support, acidosis correction, and "cocktail" therapy (vitaminB1, vitaminB2, vitaminB6, vitaminC and coenzyme Q10). A total of 8 cases with COXPD32 were collected through 2 English literature reviews and this study. Among the 8 patients, 7 cases had onset during infancy and 1 was unknown, all had developmental delay or regression, 7 cases had feeding difficulty or dysphagia, followed by dystonia, lactic acidosis, ocular symptoms, microcephaly, constipation and dysmorphic facies(mild coarsening of facial features, small forehead, anterior hairline extending onto forehead,high and narrow palate, thick gums, short columella, and synophrys), 2 cases died of respiratory and circulatory failure, and 6 were still alive at the time of reporting, with an age range of 2 to 34 years. Blood and (or) cerebrospinal fluid lactate were elevated in all 8 patients. MRI in 7 cases manifested symmetrical abnormal signals in the brainstem, thalamus, and (or) basal ganglia. Urine organic acid test were all normal but 1 patient had alanine elevation. Five patients underwent respiratory chain enzyme activity testing, and all had varying degrees of enzyme activity reduction. Six variants were identified, 6 patients were homozygous variants, with c.322-10G>A was present in 4 patients from 2 families and 2 compound heterozygous variants. Conclusions: The clinical phenotype of COXPD32 is highly heterogenous and the severity of the disease varies from development delay, feeding difficulty, dystonia, high lactic acid, ocular symptoms and reduced mitochondrial respiratory chain enzyme activity in mild cases, which may survive into adulthood, to rapid death due to respiratory and circulatory failure in severe cases. COXPD32 needs to be considered in cases of unexplained acidosis, hyperlactatemia, feeding difficulties, development delay or regression, ocular symptoms, respiratory and circulatory failure, and symmetrical abnormal signals in the brainstem, thalamus, and (or) basal ganglia, and genetic testing can clarify the diagnosis.

Cardiac amyloidosis: pathological classification and clinical analysis of 48 cases / 中华病理学杂志

Objective: To investigate the histological features and clinical manifestations in different types of cardiac amyloidosis to improve diagnostic accuracy. Methods: The histopathological features and clinical manifestations of 48 patients diagnosed with cardiac amyloidosis by Congo red stain and electron microscopy through endomyocardial biopsy were collected in West China Hospital of Sichuan University from January 2018 to December 2021. Immunohistochemical stains for immunoglobulin light chains (κ and λ) and transthyretin protein were carried out, and a review of literature was made. Results: The patients age ranged from 42 to 79 years (mean 56 years) and the male to female ratio was 1.1 to 1.0. The positive rate of endomyocardial biopsy was 97.9% (47/48), which was significantly higher than that of the abdominal wall fat (7/17). Congo red staining and electron microscopy were positive in 97.9% (47/48) and 93.5% (43/46), respectively. Immunohistochemical stains showed 32 cases (68.1%) were light chain type (AL-CA), including 31 cases of AL-λ type and 1 case of AL-κ type; 9 cases (19.1%) were transthyretin protein type (ATTR-CA); and 6 cases (12.8%) were not classified. There was no significant difference in the deposition pattern of amyloid between different types (P>0.05). Clinical data showed that ATTR-CA patients had less involvement of 2 or more organs and lower N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) than the other type patients (P<0.05). The left ventricular stroke volume and right ventricular ejection fraction of ATTR-CA patients were better than the other patients (P<0.05). Follow-up data of 45 patients was obtained, and the overall mean survival time was 15.6±2.0 months. Univariate survival analysis showed that ATTR-CA patients had a better prognosis, while cardiac amyloidosis patients with higher cardiac function grade, NT-proBNP >6 000 ng/L, and troponin T >70 ng/L had a worse prognosis (P<0.05). Multivariate survival analysis showed that NT-proBNP and cardiac function grade were independent prognostic factors for cardiac amyloidosis patients. Conclusions: AL-λ is the most common type of cardiac amyloidosis in this group. Congo red staining combined with electron microscopy can significantly improve the diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis. The clinical manifestations and prognosis of each type are different and can be classified based on immunostaining profile. However, there are still a few cases that cannot be typed; hence mass spectrometry is recommended if feasible.

Establishment of a recombined mannose-binding lectin protein-magnetic beads-enriched binding recombinant enzyme-assisted polymerase chain reaction assay for Candida in blood samples / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective: To establish a nested recombinant enzyme-assisted polymerase chain reaction (RAP) technique combined with recombined mannose-binding lectin protein (M1 protein)-magnetic beads enrichment for the detection of Candida albicans (C. albicans) and Candida tropicalis (C. tropicalis) in blood samples for the early diagnosis of candidemia albicans and candidiemia tropicalis. Methods: The primer probes for highly conserved regions of the internal transcribed spacerregions of C. albicans and C. tropicalis were deigned to establish RAP assays for the detections of C. albicans and C. tropicalis; The sensitivity and reproducibility of nucleic acid tests with gradient dilutions of standard strains and specificity of nucleic acid tests with common clinical pathogens causing bloodstream infection were condcuted. M1 protein-magnetic bead enriched plasma C. albicans and C. tropicalis were used for RAP and PCR in with simulated samples and the results were compared. Results: The sensitivity of the established dual RAP assay was 2.4-2.8 copies/reaction, with higher reproducibility and specificity. M1 protein-magnetic bead enrichment of pathogen combined with the dual RAP assay could complete the detections of C. albicans and C. tropicalis in plasma within 4 hours. Fie the pathogen samples at concentration <10 CFU/ml, the number of the samples tested by RAP was higher than that tested by PCR after enrichment. Conclusion: In this study, a dual RAP assay for the detections of C. albicans and C. tropicalis in blood sample was developed, which has the advantages of accuracy, rapidity, and less contaminants and has great potential for rapid detection of Candidemia.

Effect of health management service for hypertension patients under framework of Basic Public Health Service Project: a regression discontinuity design / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective: To evaluate the effect of health management service on hypertension patients (HMSFHP) under the framework of the Basic Public Health Service Project by using regression discontinuity design. Methods: The participants were enrolled from an observational cohort survey in 2015 and followed up was conducted in 2019. The participants with SBP 130-150 mmHg and/or DBP 80-100 mmHg in the baseline survey of the cohort in 2015 were included in the present study. Additionally, we obtained the dates of participants receiving HMSFHP and their blood pressure data from follow-up records, physical examination records and telephone interview. The participants were divided into intervention group and control group based on the cutoff points, i.e. SBP ≥140 mmHg and/or DBP ≥90 mmHg. The local linear regression model were used to estimate the effect of HMSFHP on reducing blood pressure of the participants. Results: After adjusting for age, sex and time length of receiving HMSFHP, the results of the model including participants with 80-100 mmHg for DBP in 2015 indicated that, for the participants who received HMSFHP, the DBP decreased by 6.66 mmHg from 2015 to 2019. For the participants with SBP 130-150 mmHg in 2015, the reduction estimate of the model was -6.17 mmHg, the difference was not significant (P=0.178), suggesting that receiving HMSFHP did not cause change in SBP for the participants who received HMSFHP. Conclusion: Receiving HMSFHP had effect to reduce DBP, and HMSFHP had a positive effect on the control of blood pressure in patients with hypertension.

Advances in basic research on choline and central nervous system development and related disorders / 中华预防医学杂志

Choline is an essential nutrient that plays an integral role in all stages of the life cycle, with increasing interest in the relationship between choline and neurodevelopment. Choline is a major component in the synthesis of phospholipids, phosphatidylcholine and sphingolipids, and is an essential nutrient for methyl metabolism, acetylcholine synthesis and cell signaling. Choline plays an important role in neurogenesis and neural migration during fetal development, potentially influencing the development and prognosis of neurological disorders, but its mechanism of action is not yet clear. This article reviews the source and metabolism of choline, the effects and mechanism of choline on neurodevelopment and central nervous system related disorders.

Clinical application value of Huanglian Jiedu Pills in improving syndrome of excess heat and fire toxin based on phase Ⅱ clinical trial study on plasma ATP, 4-HNE, and ACTH levels / 中国中药杂志

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center phase Ⅱ clinical trial design was used in this study to recruit subjects who were in line with the syndrome of excess heat and fire toxin, and were diagnosed as recurrent oral ulcers, gingivitis, and acute pharyngitis. A total of 240 cases were included and randomly divided into a placebo group and a Huanglian Jiedu Pills group. The clinical efficacy of Huanglian Jiedu Pills in treating the syndrome of excess heat and fire toxin was evaluated by using the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) syndrome scale. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to determine and evaluate the levels of adenosine triphosphate(ATP), 4-hydroxynonenal(4-HNE), and adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH) in plasma of the two groups before and after administration and to predict their application value as clinical biomarkers. The results showed that the disappearance rate of main symptoms in the Huanglian Jiedu Pills group was 69.17%, and that in the placebo group was 50.83%. The comparison between the Huanglian Jiedu Pills group and the placebo group showed that 4-HNE before and after administration was statistically significant(P<0.05). The content of 4-HNE in the Huanglian Jiedu Pills group decreased significantly after administration(P<0.05), but that in the placebo group had no statistical significance and showed an upward trend. After administration, the content of ATP in both Huanglian Jiedu Pills group and placebo group decreased significantly(P<0.05), indicating that the energy metabolism disorder was significantly improved after administration of Huanglian Jiedu Pills and the body's self-healing ability also alleviated the increase in ATP level caused by the syndrome of excess heat and fire toxin to a certain extent. ACTH in both Huanglian Jiedu Pills group and placebo group decreased significantly after administration(P<0.05). It is concluded that Huanglian Jiedu Pills has a significant clinical effect, and can significantly improve the abnormal levels of ATP and 4-HNE in plasma caused by the syndrome of excess heat and fire toxin, which are speculated to be the effective clinical biomarkers for Huanglian Jiedu Pills to treat the syndrome of excess heat and fire toxin.

Mechanism of Xiaoer Chiqiao Qingre Granules in clearing heat and removing food stagnation in suckling rats with fever and food accumulation based on metabolomics / 中国中药杂志

Children's fever is often accompanied by food accumulation. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that removing food stagnation while clearing heat of children can effectively avoid heat damage. To systematically evaluate the efficacy of Xiaoer Chiqiao Qingre Granules(XRCQ) in clearing heat and removing food accumulation and explore its potential mechanism, this study combined suckling SD rats fed with high-sugar and high-fat diet with injection of carrageenan to induce rat model of fever and food accumulation. This study provided references for the study on the pharmacodynamics and mechanism of XRCQ. The results showed that XRCQ effectively reduced the rectal temperature of suckling rats, improved the inflammatory environment such as the content of interleukin-1β(IL-1β), interleukin-2(IL-2), interferon-γ(IFN-γ), white blood cells, and monocytes. XRCQ also effectively repaired intestinal injury and enhanced intestinal propulsion function. According to the confirmation of its efficacy of clearing heat, the thermolytic mechanism of XRCQ was further explored by non-targeted and targeted metabolomics methods based on LTQ-Orbitrap MS/MS and UPLC-QQQ-MS/MS. Non-target metabolomics analysis of brain tissue samples was performed by QI software combined with SIMCA-P software, and 22 endogenous metabolites that could be significantly regulated were screened out. MetaboAnalyst pathway enrichment results showed that the intervention mechanism was mainly focused on tyrosine metabolism, tricarboxylic acid cycle, inositol phosphate metabolism, and other pathways. At the same time, the results of targeted metabolomics of brain tissue samples showed that XRCQ changed the vitality of digestive system, and inhibited abnormal energy metabolism and inflammatory response, playing a role in clearing heat and removing food stagnation from multiple levels.

PDCD6 Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Proliferation and Metastasis through the AKT/GSK3β/β-catenin Pathway / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

OBJECTIVE@#Programmed cell death 6 (PDCD6), a Ca 2+-binding protein, has been reported to be aberrantly expressed in all kinds of tumors. The aim of this study was to explore the role and mechanism of PDCD6 in hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs).@*METHODS@#The expression levels of PDCD6 in liver cancer patients and HCC cell lines were analyzed using bioinformatics and Western blotting. Cell viability and metastasis were determined by methylthiazol tetrazolium (MTT) and transwell assays, respectively. And Western blotting was used to test related biomarkers and molecular pathway factors in HCC cell lines. LY294002, a PI3K inhibitor inhibiting AKT, was used to suppress the AKT/GSK3β/β-catenin pathway to help evaluate the role of this pathway in the HCC carcinogenesis associated with PDCD6.@*RESULTS@#The analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas Database suggested that high PDCD6 expression levels were relevant to liver cancer progression. This was consistent with our finding of higher levels of PDCD6 expression in HCC cell lines than in normal hepatocyte cell lines. The results of MTT, transwell migration, and Western blotting assays revealed that overexpression of PDCD6 positively regulated HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Conversely, the upregulation of PDCD6 expression in the presence of an AKT inhibitor inhibited HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. In addition, PDCD6 promoted HCC cell migration and invasion by epithelial-mesenchymal transition. The mechanistic investigation proved that PDCD6 acted as a tumor promoter in HCC through the AKT/GSK3β/β-catenin pathway, increasing the expression of transcription factors and cellular proliferation and metastasis.@*CONCLUSION@#PDCD6 has a tumor stimulative role in HCC mediated by AKT/GSK3β/β-catenin signaling and might be a potential target for HCC progression.