Amino acid metabolism characteristics of Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction in realizing drug withdrawal based on transcriptomic analysis / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to demonstrate the effect of Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction(BBTD) on realizing withdrawal of anti-epileptic drugs and explore the relationship between BBTD and the amino acid metabolism by transcriptomic analysis in the rat model of epilepsy induced by lithium chloride-pilocarpine. The rats with epilepsy were divided into a control group(Ctrl), an epilepsy group(Ep), a BBTD & antiepileptic drug integrative group(BADIG), and an antiepileptic drug withdrawal group(ADWG). The Ctrl and Ep were given ultrapure water by gavage for 12 weeks. The BADIG was given BBTD extract and carbamazepine solution by gavage for 12 weeks. The ADWG was given carbamazepine solution and BBTD extract by gavage for the former 6 weeks, and then only given BBTD extract for the latter 6 weeks. The therapeutic effect was evaluated by behavioral observation, electroencephalogram(EEG), and hippocampal neuronal morphological changes. High-throughput sequencing was used to obtain amino acid metabolism-related differen-tial genes in the hippocampus, and the mRNA expression in the hippocampus of each group was verified by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR). The hub genes were screened out through protein-protein interaction(PPI) network, and Gene Ontology(GO) functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed. Two ceRNA networks, namely circRNA-miRNA-mRNA and lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA, were constructed for ADWG vs BADIG. The experimental results showed that compared with those in Ep, rats in ADWG were significantly improved in the behavioral observation, EEG, and hippocampal neuronal impairment. Thirty-four amino acid metabolism-related differential genes were obtained by transcriptomic analysis, and the sequencing results were confirmed by RT-qPCR. Eight hub genes were obtained through PPI network, involving several biological processes, molecular functions, and signal pathways related to amino acid metabolism. Finally, the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA ternary transcription network of 17 circRNA, 5 miRNA, and 2 mRNA, and a lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ternary network of 10 lncRNA, 5 miRNA, and 2 mRNA were constructed in ADWG vs BADIG. In conclusion, BBTD can effectively achieve the withdrawal of antiepileptic drugs, which may be related to the transcriptomic regulation of amino acid metabolism.

A Core Genome Multilocus Sequence Typing Scheme for Proteus mirabilis / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

OBJECTIVE@#A core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) scheme to genotype and identify potential risk clonal groups (CGs) in Proteus mirabilis.@*METHODS@#In this work, we propose a publicly available cgMLST scheme for P. mirabilis using chewBBACA. In total 72 complete P. mirabilis genomes, representing the diversity of this species, were used to set up a cgMLST scheme targeting 1,842 genes, 635 unfinished (contig, chromosome, and scaffold) genomes were used for its validation.@*RESULTS@#We identified a total of 205 CGs from 695 P. mirabilis strains with regional distribution characteristics. Of these, 159 unique CGs were distributed in 16 countries. CG20 and CG3 carried large numbers of shared and unique antibiotic resistance genes. Nine virulence genes ( papC, papD, papE, papF, papG, papH, papI, papJ, and papK) related to the P fimbrial operon that cause severe urinary tract infections were only found in CG20. These CGs require attention due to potential risks.@*CONCLUSION@#This research innovatively performs high-resolution molecular typing of P. mirabilis using whole-genome sequencing technology combined with a bioinformatics pipeline (chewBBACA). We found that the CGs of P. mirabilis showed regional distribution differences. We expect that our research will contribute to the establishment of cgMLST for P. mirabilis.

Effect and safety of 10-day decitabine-containing conditioning regimen for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in 31 patients with acute myeloid leukemia/myelodysplastic syndrome / 中华血液学杂志

Objective: To investigate the early effect and safety of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) with a 10-day decitabine-containing conditioning regimen in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) /myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) . Methods: From April 2021 to May 2022, 31 AML/MDS patients who received allo-HSCT with a 10-day decitabine-containing conditioning regimen were analyzed. Results: AML (n=10), MDS-AML (n=6), CMML-AML (n=1), and MDS (n=14) were identified in 31 patients, 16 males, and 15 females, with a median age of 41 (20-55) yr. Neutrophils and platelets were successfully implanted in 31 patients (100%), with a median implantation duration of 12 (9-30) and 14 (9-42) days, respectively. During the preconditioning period, 16 patients (51.6%) developed oral mucositis, with 15 cases of Ⅰ/Ⅱ grade (48.4%) and one case of Ⅲ grade (3.2%). After transplantation, 13 patients (41.9%) developed CMV viremia, six patients (19.4%) developed hemorrhagic cystitis, and four patients (12.9%) developed a local infection. The median time of acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD) following transplantation was 33 (12-111) days. The cumulative incidence of aGVHD and Ⅲ/Ⅳ grade aGVHD was 41.9% (95% CI 26.9%-61.0%) and 22.9% (95% CI 13.5%-47.5%), respectively. There was no severe cGVHD, and mild and moderate chronic GVHD (cGVHD) incidence was 23.5% (95% CI 12.1%-43.6%). As of November 30, 2022, only one of the 31 patients had relapsed, with a 1-yr cumulative relapse rate (CIR) of 3.2% (95% CI 0.5%-20.7%). There was only one relapse patient death and no non-relapse deaths. The 1-yr overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 92.9% (95% CI 80.3%-100%) and 96.8% (95% CI 90.8%-100%), respectively. Conclusions: A 10-day decitabine-containing conditioning regimen for allo-HSCT reduced relapse and was safe and feasible in treating AML/MDS.

Correlation between collateral circulation and cerebral hemodynamics in moyamoya disease and moyamoya syndrome based on 4-dimensional CT angiography-CT perfusion / 中华放射学杂志

Objective:To explore the significance of four-dimensional CT angiography(4D CTA) and CT perfusion (CTP) imaging in evaluating collateral circulation grades in patients with moyamoya disease and moyamoya syndrome and their relationship with cerebral hemodynamics.Methods:The clinical and imaging data of 32 patients with moyamoya disease and moyamoya syndrome in Beijing Hospital from January 2017 to January 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent 4D CTA-CTP imaging. Collateral circulation was scored on CTA images by using Alberta stroke program early CT score system, and on digital subtraction angiography (DSA) images by using American society of interventional and therapeutic neuroradiology/Society of interventional radiology score system, respectively. The patients were divided into Ⅰ-Ⅲ circulation compensation grades based on collateral circulation score. Regions of interest were delineated at basal ganglia on perfusion maps and the perfusion parameters were obtained including cerebral blood volume (CBV), cerebral blood flow (CBF), mean transit time (MTT), mean transit time (TTP) and delay time (DLY). The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the perfusion parameters in different collateral circulation grades, and pairwise comparison was performed with Bonferroni correction. Kappa and Spearman tests were used to analyze the consistency and correlation of 4D CTA and DSA in the classification of collateral circulation.Results:4D CTA and DSA had a moderate consistency (Kappa=0.693, P<0.001) and a strong correlation ( r=0.805, P<0.001) in evaluating collateral grades. There were statistically significant differences in CBF, MTT and TTP among collateral compensation grade Ⅰ, grade Ⅱ and grade Ⅲ ( H values were 7.91, 11.69, 8.93; P values were 0.019, 0.003 and 0.012, respectively). Further pairwise comparison showed that the CBF of collateral compensation grade Ⅰ was lower than that of grade Ⅲ ( P=0.015), MTT of grade Ⅱ was higher than that of grade Ⅲ ( P=0.005), and TTP of grade Ⅰ was higher than that of grade Ⅲ ( P=0.015). There was no statistical significance of other indicators in pairwise comparison. There were no significant differences in CBV and DLY among collateral compensation grade Ⅰ, grade Ⅱ and grade Ⅲ ( P>0.05). Conclusions:4D CTA-CTP is equivalent to DSA in evaluating collateral circulation in patients with moyamoya disease and moyamoya syndrome. It can also evaluate the cerebral hemodynamics comprehensively, which has high clinical significance for disease monitoring.

Determination of iodine in workplace air by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry / 中国职业医学

Objective To establish a solvent desorption inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) method for determination of iodine in workplace air. Methods Iodine in workplace air was collected with alkaline activated carbon tube and desorbed with 10.0 mL pure water or 20 mmol/L sodium bicarbonate solution. Rhenium-185 was used as an internal standard for quantification. The sample was determined in standard mode and kinetic energy discrimination collision (KED) mode by ICP-MS. Results In standard mode, iodine showed a good linear range in the concentration of 9.0 to 1 100.0 μg/L, with a correlation coefficient of 0.999 3 and a detection limit of 2.7 μg/L. In KED mode, iodine showed a good linear range in the concentration of 24.3 to 800.0 μg/L, with a correlation coefficient of 0.999 1 and a detection limit of 7.3 μg/L. The average desorption efficiency using pure water ranged from 99.1% to 106.7%, with within-run relative standard deviation (RSD) of 3.1% to 8.0% and between-run RSD of 4.9% to 9.3%. The average desorption efficiency using sodium bicarbonate solution ranged from 96.5% to 105.3%, with within-run RSD of 4.9% to 8.6% and between-run RSD of 2.5% to 9.9%. There were no statistical significant differences in the main effects of desorption solution, ICP-MS detection mode, their interaction on average desorption efficiency and within-run RSD (all P>0.05). Samples could be stored at room temperature for at least 7 days. Conclusion This method is highly sensitive, accurate, and suitable for the determination of iodine in workplace air. The sample pretreatment is simple and rapid.

Treatment of Chronic Cough of Phlegm-Dampness Syndrome Based on the Theory of “Removing the Earth Stagnation” / 中医杂志

This paper discussed the treatment of chronic cough of phlegm-dampness type based on the theory of “removing the earth stagnation”. It is believed that stagnation of qi in the middle energizer caused malfunction of water metabolism in the human body， which is the key pathogenetic mechanism leading to phlegm-dampness cough. Pathogenesis like cold and dampness attacking the spleen， dampness-heat obstruction， weakness of the middle energizer， failure to ascend clear yang， and internal blazing of yin fire may lead to “earth stagnation”， which triggered phlegm-dampness cough. The treatment advocated “removing the stagnation” to improve qi transformation in the middle energizer， eliminate stagnation， and use different treatment methods such as warming the middle， circulating qi， transforming phlegm and dampness based on different disease cause and mechanism to calm cough. As for prescriptions， Jiangling Banxia Decoction （姜苓半夏汤） could be used for cold-dampness syndrome， Banxia Xiexin Decoction （半夏泻心汤） plus Xiangsu Powder （香苏散） used for damp-heat syndrome， and Buzhong Yiqi Decoction （补中益气汤）， Tiaozhong Yiqi Decoction （调中益气汤）， Shengyang Yiwei Decoction （升阳益胃汤） and Bupiwei Xieyinhuo Shengyang Decoction （补脾胃泻阴火升阳汤） could be selected for spleen-stomach weakness syndrome according to different characteristics and pathogenesis.

Pathogenesis of T2DM with cognitive impairment in Baotou area and the improvement effect of GLP-1 receptor agonists / 公共卫生与预防医学

Objective To analyze the onset characteristics of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with cognitive impairment in Baotou area, and study the improvement effect of GLP-1 receptor agonists. Methods A total of 320 patients with T2DM admitted between September 2021 and September 2022 were selected and divided into the observation group with T2DM and cognitive dysfunction and the negative control group without cognitive dysfunction according to their cognitive function status , Among the 160 cases in each group; Patients with type 2 diabetes and cognitive impairment were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group, 80 cases in each group; the control group was treated with conventional treatment, and the treatment group was additionally treated with semaglutide; Logistics multiple regression model was used to analyze T2DM The related risk factors of cognitive impairment in patients were assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score to evaluate the cognitive function of the patients. Results Multivariate regression model showed that course of disease, age, vitamin D, HbA1c, LDL-C, BMI, Hcy, Lp-PLA2, TNF-α, IL-6 and folic acid levels were also independent risk factors for cognitive impairment in T2DM patients (P<0.05); There was a significant positive correlation between GLP-1 receptor agonists and cognitive function recovery in T2DM patients with cognitive impairment (P<0.05). Conclusion The onset of T2DM with cognitive impairment in Baotou area is often accompanied by a long course of disease, older age, abnormal levels of vitamin D, HbA1c, LDL-C, BMI, Hcy, Lp-PLA2, TNF-α, IL-6 and folic acid, and GLP -1 receptor agonists have a clear role in improving the cognitive function of patients.

Early Enteral Nutrition and Sepsis-Associated Acute Kidney Injury: A Propensity Score Matched Cohort Study Based on the MIMIC-III Database

Purpose@#We aimed to analyze the optimal timing of enteral nutrition (EN) in the treatment of sepsis and its effect on sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI.) Materials and Methods: The MIMIC-III database was employed to identify patients with sepsis who had received EN. With AKI as the primary outcome variable, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were utilized to calculate the optimal cut-off time of early EN (EEN). Propensity score matching (PSM) was employed to control confounding effects. Logistic regressions and propensity score-based inverse probability of treatment weighting were utilized to assess the robustness of our findings. Comparisons within the EEN group were performed. @*Results@#2364 patients were included in our study. With 53 hours after intensive care units (ICU) admission as the cut-off time of EEN according to the ROC curve, 1212 patients were assigned to the EEN group and the other 1152 to the delayed EN group. The risk of SA-AKI was reduced in the EEN group (odds ratio 0.319, 95% confidence interval 0.245–0.413, p<0.001). The EEN patients received fewer volumes (mL) of intravenous fluid (IVF) during their ICU stay (3750 mL vs. 5513.23 mL, p<0.001). The mediating effect of IVF was significant (p<0.001 for the average causal mediation effect). No significant differences were found within the EEN group (0–48 hours vs. 48–53 hours), except that patients initiating EN within 48 hours spent fewer days in ICU and hospital. @*Conclusion@#EEN is associated with decreased risk of SA-AKI, and this beneficial effect may be proportionally mediated by IVF volume.

Research progress on the diagnosis and treatment of demodex blepharitis / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

Demodex is one of the most common parasites in the human body. It can be classified into demodex folliculorum and demodex brevis based on the parasitic sites. It is an opportunistic pathogenic microorganism, and clinical symptoms may not appear in part of infected people, but the parasite can cause multiple common ocular diseases represented by blepharitis. Its typical symptoms include dry eyes, foreign body sensation in eyes, secretion attached to eyelashes, and ocular surface irritation. The diagnosis of demodex blepharitis should be based on the clinical manifestations and the results of etiological tests. The treatment is related to many kinds of drugs including plant essential oil and physical therapy. At present, diagnosing and treating demodex blepharitis is increasingly sophisticated, but the relationship between demodex infection and its pathogenicity remains unclear. This paper summarizes the current characteristics of demodex and the clinical manifestation, diagnosis, treatment, and existing issues of demodex blepharitis, hoping to provide a reference for future studies in demodex.

Determination of six arsenic species in human urine by HPLC-ICP-MS / 上海预防医学

ObjectiveTo establish an High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry （HPLC-ICP-MS） method for determination of six arsenic species in human urine，including arseniccholine （AsC）， arsenobetaine （AsB）， arsenite （As3+）， dimethylarsinic acid （DMA5+）， monomethylarsonic acid （MMA5+）， and arsenate （As5+）. MethodsThe pH value of mobile phase and the content of anhydrous ethanol were optimized. Ammonium carbonate （50 mmol·L-1， containing 2% anhydrous ethanol， pH-8.5） mobile phase was selected. Cl- interference was eliminated by He mode. The arsenic species in 10-fold diluted human urine samples were separated by an Hamilton PRP X-100 anionic column. A method for the determination of six arsenic species was established. ResultsSix arsenic species could be separated in 13 minutes. The linear correlation coefficients were above 0.999. The limits of detection were 0.10‒0.20 μg·L-1， and the limits of quantification were 0.30‒0.50 μg·L-1. Precision experiments showed that RSD ranged from 5.96% to 9.07% when adding concentration 0.20 μg·L-1； from 2.48% to 6.38% when adding concentration 2.00 μg·L-1； and from 1.41% to 2.57% when adding concentration 5.00 μg·L-1. Accuracy test showed that the recoveries were 80%‒125%. ConclusionThe established HPLC-ICP-MS method for determination of six arsenic species in human urine is rapid， accurate and sensitive. It can be applied to the determination of arsenic species in human urine.

Short-term clinical outcomes of different courses of antenatal corticosteroids for preterm twins / 中国新生儿科杂志

Objective:To study the short-term clinical outcomes of different courses of antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) for preterm twins.Methods:From January 2017 to December 2021, preterm twins with gestational age (GA) 24-34 weeks admitted to the neonatal ward of our hospital and received ACS were retrospectively studied. The infants were assigned into single-course group, partial-course group and multiple-course group according to ACS courses. The short-term clinical outcomes were compared among the groups. SPSS software version 25.0 was used for statistical analysis.Results:A total of 286 infants were enrolled in this study, including 128 in single-course group, 89 in partial-course group and 69 in multiple-course group. Compared with single-course group, the risks of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in both partial-course group ( OR=2.332, 95% CI 1.028-5.293, P=0.043) and multiple-course group ( OR=3.872, 95% CI 1.104-13.584, P=0.034) were higher. The birth length in multiple-course group ( β=-0.016, 95% CI -0.029 - -0.002, P=0.024) was lower than single-course group. Conclusions:The risks of neonatal RDS in preterm twins are higher in partial-course and multiple-course of ACS. A full course of ACS should be used to prevent neonatal RDS until further evidence of effectiveness is available.

Application of different puncture techniques to inject bone cement in osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To study the application of different puncture techniques to inject bone cement in osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs).@*METHODS@#The clinical data of 282 patients with OVCFs treated from January 2017 to December 2019 were collected for a retrospective study. According to the surgical plan the patients were divided into group A and B, with 141 cases in each group. In group A, extreme lateral puncture was used to inject bone cement through unilateral puncture and bilateral puncture. In group B, bone cement was injected through unilateral pedicle puncture through pedicle approach. The operation status(operation time, radiation exposure time, bone cement injection volume, hospital stay) and complications were observed between two groups. Before operation and 6, 12 months after operation, the pain mediators such as serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), prostaglandin E2(PGE2), substance P(SP) were compared, bone mineral density, anatomical parameters of the injured vertebrae (height of the anterior edge of the vertebral body, height of the posterior edge of the vertebral body, Cobb angle), visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were evaluated between two groups.@*RESULTS@#There were no significant difference in operation time, radiation exposure time, hospital stay between two groups (P>0.05). The amount of bone cement injected in group A was greater than that in group B (P<0.05). The serum 5-HT, SP and PGE2 levels of group A were lower than those of group B at 12 months after operation (P<0.05). The height of anterior edge and height of the posterior edge of vertebral body in group A were greater than those of group B at 12 months after operation, Cobb angle of group A was smaller than that of group B, VAS and ODI were lower than those of group B(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in bone mineral density between two groups at 6 and 12 months postoperatively(P<0.05). There was no significant difference between two groups in postoperative complications (P>0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Compared with unilateral puncture of the pedicle approach, unilateral puncture and bilateral cement injection technique is more conducive to the recovery of the injured vertebral anatomy and function, and do not prolong operation time, radiation exposure time, hospital stay, nor do increase the risk of nerve damage and bone cement leakage, and postoperative bone metabolism and bone mineral density are improved well, which is a safe and reliable surgical method for the treatment of OVCFs.

Traditional Chinese medicine therapy for rheumatoid arthritis: a review / 中国中药杂志

Rheumatoid arthritis(RA) is an autoimmune disease that seriously affects the physical and mental health of patients, but its pathogenesis is still unclear. At present, clinical treatment drugs include conventional synthetic disease modifing anti-rheumatic drugs(csDMARDs), nonsteroid anti-inflammtory drugs(NSAIDs), hormones, small molecule targeted drugs, biological agents, etc. These drugs can relieve the clinical symptoms of most patients with RA to a certain extent, but there are still many limitations, such as drug adverse reactions and individual differences in drug efficacy. Therefore, the research on drug treatment targets and the development of low-toxicity drugs helps further improve the precise prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of RA. There is an urgent need for efficient and low-toxic treatments to delay the clinical progress of RA. As a treasure of Chinese culture, traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) is widely used as an alternative therapy in the treatment of various diseases, and has a significant clinical efficacy. TCM therapy(including monomer traditional Chinese medicine, classical compounds, and non-drug therapies) has a significant curative effect on RA. Based on the literature research in recent years, this paper reviewed the clinical and mechanism research of TCM therapy in the treatment of RA, and provided more in-depth thinking for the wide application of TCM therapy in clinical practice.

Deciphering chemical and metabolite profiling of Chang-Kang-Fang by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS and its potential active components identification / 中国天然药物

Chang-Kang-Fang (CKF) formula, a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) prescription, has been widely used for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, its potential material basis and underlying mechanism remain elusive. Therefore, this study employed an integrated approach that combined ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF-MS) with network pharmacology to systematically characterize the phytochemical components and metabolites of CKF, as well as elucidating its underlying mechanism. Through this comprehensive analysis, a total of 150 components were identified or tentatively characterized within the CKF formula. Notably, six N-acetyldopamine oligomers from CicadaePeriostracum and eight resin glycosides from Cuscutae Semen were characterized in this formula for the first time. Meanwhile, 149 xenobiotics (58 prototypes and 91 metabolites) were detected in plasma, urine, feces, brain, and intestinal contents, and the in vivo metabolic pathways of resin glycosides were elaborated for the first time. Furthermore, network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses revealed that alkaloids, flavonoids, chromones, monoterpenes, N-acetyldopamine dimers, p-hydroxycinnamic acid, and Cus-3/isomer might be responsible for the beneficial effects of CKF in treating IBS, and CASP8, MARK14, PIK3C, PIK3R1, TLR4, and TNF may be its potential targets. These discoveries offer a comprehensive understanding of the potential material basis and clarify the underlying mechanism of the CKF formula in treating IBS, facilitating the broader application of CKF in the field of medicine.

Neutrophil extracellular traps activates focal adhesion kinase by upregulating MMP9 expression to promote proliferation and migration of mouse colorectal cancer cells / 细胞与分子免疫学杂志

Objective To investigate how the neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) affect the proliferation and migration of mouse MC38 colorectal cancer cells and its mechanism. Methods Spleen neutrophils were extracted in mouse, followed by collection of NETs after ionomycin stimulation in vitro. The proliferation of MC38 cell was detected by CCK-8 assay, and migration ability were detected by TranswellTM and cell scratch assay, after co-incubation with MC38 cells. The mRNA expression of cellular matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) and MMP9 were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, and the expression of MMP2, MMP9 and focal adhesion kinase (FAK), phosphorylated FAK protein were detected by Western blot. After silencing MMP9 using small interfering RNA (siRNA), the effect of NETs on the proliferation and migration ability of MC38 cells and the altered expression of related molecules were examined by previous approach. Results NETs promoted the proliferation and migration of MC38 cells and up-regulated the MMP9 expression and FAK phosphorylation. Silencing MMP9 inhibited the promotion of MC38 proliferation and migration by NETs and suppressed FAK phosphorylation. Conclusion NETs up-regulates MMP9 expression in MC38 cells, activates FAK signaling pathway and promotes tumor cell proliferation and migration.

Carbohydrate-based quality consistency evaluation of Saposhnikoviae Radix / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to evaluate the quality consistency of Saposhnikoviae Radix based on carbohydrates, and explore the potential of carbohydrates as the internal quality control indicators of Saposhnikoviae Radix. The total polysaccharides were quantified by UV-Vis spectrophotometry and the molecular weight range of the polysaccharides was determined by high performance gel-permeation chromatography-evaporative light scattering detection(HPGPC-ELSD). The monosaccharides in polysaccharides and the free monosaccharides were quantified by high performance liquid chromatography-UV detection(HPLC-UV), and the oligosaccharides and fructose were quantified by high performance liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detection(HPLC-ELSD). The carbohydrate-based quality of Saposhnikoviae Radix was compared among 45 batches of commercial samples and 13 batches of self-collected samples. The results showed that the molecular weight distribution, monosaccharide composition, oligosaccharide, and free monosaccharide composition were similar in the 58 batches of samples. The average content of total polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, and total free monosaccharides in commercial samples were 39.66, 148.79, and 68.62 mg·g~(-1), respectively. The content showed significant differences among batches, with the highest differences of 3.51, 1.75, and 2.58 times, respectively. The RSD of the relative ratios of monosaccharides in the polysaccharides in commercial samples reached 28%-45%. The average content of total polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, and total free monosaccharides in self-collected samples were 68.07, 145.76, and 42.04 mg·g~(-1), respectively, with the inter-region differences of 2.88, 1.88, and 1.07 times, respectively. The RSD of the relative ratios of monosaccharides in polysaccharides in self-collected samples ranged from 8.2% to 59%. The total polysaccharides and total free monosaccharides in self-collected samples were 1.72 times higher and 1.63 times lower, respectively, than those in commercial samples. The content of oligosaccharides was similar between self-collected samples and commercial samples. To sum up, carbohydrates are one of the material bases for the internal quality consistency of Saposhnikoviae Radix. The qualitative characteristics of polysaccharides and the quantitative characteristics of polysaccharides and oligosaccharides are related to the origin of medicinal materials. Moreover, the quantitative characteristics of polysaccharides and free monosaccharides may be related to the storage conditions. Carbohydrates are potential indicators for the quality control of Saposhnikoviae Radix and deserve attention.

Leptin relieves ischemia/reperfusion induced acute kidney injury through inhibiting apoptosis and autophagy / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVES@#Acute kidney injury (AKI) can be caused by ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), nephrotoxin, and sepsis, with poor prognosis and high mortality. Leptin is a protein molecule that regulates the body's energy metabolism and reproductive activities via binding to its specific receptor. Leptin can inhibit cardiomyocyte apoptosis caused by I/R, but its effect on I/R kidney injury and the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. This study aims to investigate the effect and mechanisms of leptin on renal function, renal histopathology, apoptosis, and autophagy during acute I/R kidney injury.@*METHODS@#Healthy adult male mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: a sham+wild-type mice (ob/+) group, a sham+leptin gene-deficient mice (ob/ob) group, an I/R+ob/+ group, and an I/R+ob/ob group (n=8 per group). For sham operation, a longitudinal incision was made on the back of the mice to expose and separate the bilateral kidneys and renal arteries, and no subsequent treatment was performed. I/R treatment was ischemia for 30 min and reperfusion for 48 h. The levels of BUN and SCr were detected to evaluate renal function; HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of renal tissue; TUNEL staining was used to observe cell apoptosis, and apoptosis-positive cells were counted; Western blotting was used to detect levels of apoptosis-related proteins (caspase 3, caspase 9), autophagy-related proteins [mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), phosphorylated mTOR (p-mTOR), LC3 I, LC3 II], mTOR-dependent signaling pathway proteins [phosphate and tension homology (PTEN), adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), protein kinase B (AKT), extracellular regulated protein kinase (ERK), phosphorylated PTEN (p-PTEN), phosphorylated AMPK (p-AMPK), phosphorylated AKT (p-AKT), phosphorylated ERK (p-ERK)].@*RESULTS@#There was no significant difference in the levels of BUN and SCr between the sham+ob/+ group and the sham+ob/ob group (both P>0.05). The levels of BUN and SCr in the I/R+ob/+ group were significantly higher than those in the sham+ob/+ group (both P<0.05). Compared with the mice in the sham+ob/ob group or the I/R+ob/+ group, the levels of BUN and SCr in the I/R+ob/ob group were significantly increased (all P<0.05). There was no obvious damage to the renal tubules in the sham+ob/+ group and the sham+ob/ob group. Compared with sham+ob/+ group and sham+ob/ob group, both the I/R+ob/+ group and the I/R+ob/ob group had cell damage such as brush border shedding, vacuolar degeneration, and cast formation. Compared with the I/R+ob/+ group, the renal tubules of the mice in the I/R+ob/ob group were more severely damaged. The pathological score of renal tubular injury showed that the renal tubular injury was the most serious in the I/R+ob/ob group (P<0.05). Compared with the sham+ob/+ group, the protein levels of caspase 3, caspase 9, PTEN, and LC3 II were significantly up-regulated, the ratio of LC3 II to LC3 I was significantly increased, and the protein levels of p-mTOR, p-PTEN, p-AMPK, p-AKT, and p-ERK were significantly down-regulated in the I/R+ob/+ group (all P<0.05). Compared with the sham+ob/ob group, the protein levels of caspase 3, caspase 9, PTEN, and LC3 II were significantly up-regulated, and the ratio of LC3 II to LC3 I was significantly increased, while the protein levels of p-mTOR, p-PTEN, p-AMPK, p-AKT, and p-ERK were significantly down-regulated in the I/R+ob/ob group (all P<0.05). Compared with the I/R+ob/+ group, the levels of p-mTOR, p-PTEN, p-AMPK, p-AKT were more significantly down-regulated, while the levels of caspase 3, caspase 9, PTEN, and LC3 II were more significantly up-regulated, and the ratio of LC3 II to LC3 I was more significantly increase in the I/R+ob/ob group (all P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Renal function and tubular damage, and elevated levels of apoptosis and autophagy are observed in mice kidneys after acute I/R. Leptin might relieve I/R induced AKI by inhibiting apoptosis and autophagy that through a complex network of interactions between mTOR-dependent signaling pathways.

Serum uric acid levels among physical examination populations in Balikun County / 预防医学

Objective@#To investigate the serum uric acid levels among residents living in Balikun County, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from 2018 to 2021, so as to provide insights into local hyperuricemia control.@*Methods@#The residents at ages of 20 to 69 years undergoing physical examinations in Balikun County Hospital during the period from 2018 to 2021 were enrolled. Their age, gender, and history of medication and disease were collected, and serum uric acid levels were measured. The gender- and age-specific prevalence of hyperuricemia and hypouricemia was descriptively analyzed.@*Results@#A total of 3 097 subjects were enrolled, which included 1 210 males ( 39.07% ) and 1 887 females ( 60.93% ) and had a mean age of ( 46.12±12.84 ) years. The overall mean serum uric acid was ( 260.41±71.99 ) μmol/L, and the mean serum uric acid was ( 298.22±69.57 ) μmol/L in men and ( 236.17±62.44 ) μmol/L in women. The serum uric acid level appeared a tendency towards a rise with ages both in whole study subjects and in women ( P<0.05 ). The overall prevalence of hyperuricemia was 4.26%, with 4.63% prevalence in men and 4.03% in women. The prevalence of hyperuricemia appeared a tendency towards a rise with ages both in whole study subjects and in women ( P<0.05 ). The overall prevalence of hypouricemia was 0.71%, with 0.25% prevalence in men and 1.01% in women; the prevalence of moderate hypouricemia was 11.11%, with 2.56% prevalence in men and 16.59% in women.@*Conclusions@#Low level of serum uric acid and prevalence of hyperuricemia is detected among residents living in Balikun County. Monitoring of serum uric acid is recommended to be intensified among men.

Analysis on the surveillance of infectious disease related public health bud-events in Shanghai from 2017 to 2020 / 上海预防医学

ObjectiveTo determine the epidemiological characteristics of infectious disease related public health bud-events in Shanghai and assess the effects of bud-event surveillance， so as to provide scientific evidence for improving the surveillance system. MethodsSurveillance data of infectious disease related public health bud-events were collected from 16 districts of Shanghai from 2017 through 2020. Then the data were analyzed and compared with infectious disease related public health emergencies during the same period. ResultsA total of 6 376 infectious disease related public health bud-events were documented in Shanghai in 2017‒2020， which involved 29 792 cases. There were two seasonal peaks， April through June and November through December. Clustered events accounted for 38.85%， mainly caused by chickenpox （14.10%）， hand，foot and mouth disease （11.17%） and norovirus-associated infectious diarrhea （6.54%）. The 36.73% of the bud-events occurred in school settings， which involved 24 718 cases （accounting for 83.00% of all cases）. Median time duration between onset date of the first cases and report date of the events was 4 days， and median duration of the events was 14 days， demonstrating positive correlation. In addition， all the infectious disease related public health emergencies（n=77） from 2017 through 2020 were classified as common events or unclassified. The proportion of infectious disease related public health emergencies in the bud-events during the same period was 1.21%， and that of infectious disease related public health emergencies in the bud-events in school settings was 2.48%. ConclusionTwo peaks of infectious disease related public health bud-events are observed in spring as well as autumn and winter in Shanghai from 2017 through 2020. Schools should be prioritized for control and prevention of infectious diseases. Bud-event surveillance system has been contributable to the prevention and control of public health emergencies， especially in the early detection， reporting and control of clustered events in schools. Bud-event surveillance system should be further improved and assessed comprehensively.

Effect of thermophilic bacterium HB27 manganese superoxide dismutase in a rat model of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

We investigated the therapeutic effects of superoxide dismutase (SOD) from thermophilic bacterium HB27 on chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) and its underlying mechanisms. A Sprague-Dawley rat model of CP/CPPS was prepared and then administered saline or Thermus thermophilic (Tt)-SOD intragastrically for 4 weeks. Prostate inflammation and fibrosis were analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin staining, and Masson staining. Alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), serum creatinine (CR), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels were assayed for all animals. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were performed to analyze serum cytokine concentrations and tissue levels of malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, SOD, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. Reactive oxygen species levels were detected using dichlorofluorescein diacetate. The messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression of tissue cytokines was analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and infiltrating inflammatory cells were examined using immunohistochemistry. Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) P65, P38, and inhibitor of nuclear factor-κBα (I-κBα) protein levels were determined using western blot. Tt-SOD significantly improved histopathological changes in CP/CPPS, reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrosis, increased pain threshold, and reduced the prostate index. Tt-SOD treatment showed no significant effect on ALT, AST, CR, or BUN levels. Furthermore, Tt-SOD reduced inflammatory cytokine expression in prostate tissue and increased antioxidant capacity. This anti-inflammatory activity correlated with decreases in the abundance of cluster of differentiation 3 (CD3), cluster of differentiation 45 (CD45), and macrophage inflammatory protein 1α (MIP1α) cells. Tt-SOD alleviated inflammation and oxidative stress by reducing NF-κB P65 and P38 protein levels and increasing I-κBα protein levels. These findings support Tt-SOD as a potential drug for CP/CPPS.