Herbal Textual Research on Polygonati Rhizoma and Ethnic Usage / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Polygonati Rhizoma was first recorded in Mingyi Bielu（《名医别录》） as both medicine and food due to its high edible and medicinal values.However，there is no systematic textual research on its use as medicine and food. Polygonati Rhizoma and Polygonati Odorati Rhizoma show similar morphology，so they are often confused.Clematis apiifolia and Polygonatum odoratum are often regarded as the original plants of Polygonati Odorati Rhizoma. By reviewing the related records in Chinese herbal books of the past dynasties，this paper aimed to clarify the relationship between Polygonati Rhizoma，C.apiifolia and P.odoratum，trace the historical evolution of Polygonati Rhizoma as medicine and food from the name，harvesting and processing，property，flavor and meridian tropism，efficacy and indications，edible and medicinal records，and contraindications，and summarize its application in ethnic medicine，in order to inherit and develop the ethnic medicine. The findings demonstrated that the name of Polygonati Rhizoma and its synonyms were derived from its pictogram，function，and place of origin，containing a wealth of myth implication and Taoism thought.Polygonati Rhizoma，C.apiifolia and P.odoratum are three species，different from the conclusions in previous textual research. The seedlings，flowers，seeds，and rhizomes of Polygonati Rhizoma all could be used for edible and medicinal purposes，with its edible records exceeding the medicinal records. There were 22 medical books from the ethnic minority groups such as The Annals of National Medicine in Yunnan，Zhongguo Minzu Yaozhi Yao，and Dictionary of Chinese Ethnic Medicine recording the knowledge and application of 12 species in Polygonatum by 26 ethnic minorities.Due to their different living environments，lifestyles，and cultural customs，ethnic minorities have formed their unique medical cultures.

Synergistic Mechanism of Interferon alpha-1b, Interleukin-2 and Thalidomide for Immune Regulation in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the synergistic immunomodulatory mechanism of interferon alpha-1b, interleukin-2 and thalidomide (ITI) regimen on patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).@*METHODS@#Sixty eight untreated de novo or relapsed or refractory or maintenance therapy patients with AML admitted in the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University and the other 11 medical units from March 2016 to May 2019 were treated with ITI regimen. Peripheral blood specimen per patient was collected into EDTA-K3 anticoagulation vacuum tube before the administration of ITI and 3 months after the treatment; peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets and perforin and Granzyme B expression were analyzed by using flow cytometry; the levels of VEGF, IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-6 in the plasma were detected by using a cytometric bead array. Thirty-five healthy subjects from the hospital physical examination centre were selected as normal controls.@*RESULTS@#The ratio of CD4@*CONCLUSION@#The ITI regimen can raise the ratio of CD4

Effect of partial liquid ventilation on lung function in oleic acid-induced lung injury model of piglets / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Pediatric patients are susceptible to lung injury that does not respond to traditional therapies. Partial liquid ventilation (PLV) has been developed as an alternative ventilatory strategy for treating severe lung injury. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of PLV on lung function in immature piglets.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Acute lung injury was induced in 12 Chinese immature piglets by oleic acid (OA). The animals were randomly assigned to two groups (n = 6 each group): (1) conventional mechanical ventilation (MV) group and (2) PLV with FC-77 (10 ml/kg) group. Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), mean pulmonary arterial pressure (MPAP), central venous pressure (CVP), left atrial pressure (LAP), systemic vascular resistance (SVR), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), cardiac output (CO), mean pressure of airway (Paw), dynamic lung compliance (Cydn), and arterial blood gases were measured during the observation period.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>No piglet died in either group with severe lung injury. After four hours of ventilation, pH in the MV group gradually decreased to lower than 7.20, while in the PLV group, pH also gradually decreased but remained higher than 7.20 (P < 0.05). Partial pressure of oxygen in artery (PaO2) decreased in both groups, but with a significant difference between the PLV group and MV group (P < 0.05). Partial pressure of carbon dioxide in artery (PaCO2) increased in both groups, but with a significant difference between the PLV group and MV group (P < 0.05). Paw increased in both groups, but was not significantly different (P > 0.05). Cydn decreased in both groups, but without a significant difference (P > 0.05). At four hours, heart rate (HR) and MAP in both groups decreased. MPAP in both groups increased, and there was a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). CVP was stable in both groups. At four hours, PVR and LAP were increased in both groups. CO was decreased in both groups (P < 0.05). SVR was stable during the observation time.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>PLV did not improve outcome in changes of lung function.</p>

Surgical closure of apical multiple muscular septal defects via right ventriculotomy using a single patch with intermediate fixings / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Multiple apical muscular ventricular septal defects (VSDs) remain a challenge for surgeons because of their anatomical features. We used single patch with intermediate fixations to repair multiple apical muscular VSDs through right ventriculotomy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We analysed the data of 16 children (median age 8 months, range 2 months to 144 months) with multiple apical muscular VSDs who underwent a single patch technique via apical right ventriculotomy. Perioperative data were collected and analysed, and the patients were followed up for three months to 66 months (median, 46 months) to investigate the outcomes.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All patients recovered from cardiopulmonary bypass easily with median of cardiopulmonary bypass time 87 minutes and of aortic crossclamp time 53 minutes. No surgically related death occurred and no patient required reoperation. One patient died of pseudomonas pyocyanea infection on day 11 postoperatively. Residual shunt happened in one patient with a diameter of 2 mm and spontaneously closed in 12 months after operation. Two patients presented slightly reduced right ventricular volume and apical hypokinesia postoperatively and recovered 24 and 36 months later respectively. No other complication was found during the three months to 66 months follow-up.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Our experiences using a single patch technique with intermediate fixations via right ventriculotomy in the management of multiple muscular VSDs had favourable outcomes.</p>

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 activation protects against pulmonary arterial hypertension through improving early endothelial function and mediating cytokines levels / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Increasing evidences indicate that an activated renin-angiotensin system (RAS) causes an imbalance between the vasoconstrictive and vasodilator mechanisms involving the pulmonary circulation leading to the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a primary component of the vasoprotective axis in RAS, is recently identified that it has regulatory actions in lung pathophysiology, but the mechanism in these processes is uncertain yet.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Severe PAH was induced by monocrotaline injection one week following pneumonectomy in rats. The activation of ACE2 by continuous injection of resorcinolnaphthalein was studied by real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blotting and fluorogenic peptide assay. Endothelial functions were evaluated by the response to acetylcholine and cytokines were measured by RT-PCR seven days after monocrotaline injection. The PAH-related hemodynamics and pathological changes were examined at day 21 when severe PAH was completely established.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Resorcinolnaphthalein caused significant activation of ACE2 in both normal and diseased rats in 7 days after treatment. The pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) started to increase at least 7 days after monocrotaline injection, and the rats developed severe PAH in 21 days with high PAP, right ventricular hypertrophy and neointimal formation. Treatment with resorcinolnaphthalein prevented these features. Resorcinolnaphthalein caused an improved endothelia-dependent vasorelaxation and decrease in proinflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukin (IL)-6) and increase in anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in the early stage of the pathogenesis.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>These results demonstrated that activation of ACE2 by continuous injection of resorcinolnaphthalein prevented the development of PAH through improving early endothelial dysfunction and mediating the level of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines.</p>

Intravenous transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells attenuates oleic acid induced acute lung injury in rats / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Acute lung injury (ALI) and end-stage acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) were among the most common causes of death in intensive care units. The activation of an inflammatory response and the damage of pulmonary epithelium and endotheliumwerethe hallmark of ALI/ARDS. Recent studies had demonstrated the importance of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in maintaining the normal pulmonary endothelial and epithelial function as well as participating in modulating the inflammatory response and they are involved in epithelial and endothelial repair after injury. Here, our study demonstrates MSCs therapeutic potential in a rat model of ALI/ARDS.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Bone marrow derived MSCs were obtained from Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and their differential potential was verified. ALI was induced in rats byoleic acid (OA), and MSCs were transplanted intravenously. The lung injury and the concentration of cytokines in plasma and lung tissue extracts were assessed at 8 hours, 24 hours and 48 hours after OA-injection.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The histological appearance and water content in rat lung tissue were significantly improved at different time points in rats treated with MSCs. The concentration of tumor necrosis factor-a and intercellular adhesion molecular-1 in rats plasma and lung tissue extracts were significantly inhibited after intravenous transplantation of MSCs, whereas interleukin-10 was significantly higher after MSCs transplantation at 8 hours, 24 hours and 48 hours after OA-challenge.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Intravenous transplantation of MSCs could maintain the integrity of the pulmonary alveolar-capillary barrier and modulate the inflammatory response to attenuate the experimental ALI/ARDS. Transplantation of MSCs could be a novel cell-based therapeutic strategy for prevention and treatment of ALI/ARDS.</p>

Expression of ghrelin and insulin-like growth factor-1 in immature piglet model of chronic cyanotic congenital heart defects with decreased pulmonary blood flow / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Cyanotic patients have potential growth retardation and malnutrition due to hypoxemia and other reasons. Ghrelin is a novel endogenous growth hormone secretagogue that has effects on growth and cardiovascular activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the plasma level and myocardial expression of ghrelin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) using an immature piglet model of chronic cyanotic congenital heart defects with decreased pulmonary blood flow.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twelve weanling Chinese piglets underwent procedures of main pulmonary artery-left atrium shunt with pulmonary artery banding or sham operation as control. Four weeks later, hemodynamic parameters were measured. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for plasma ghrelin and IGF-1 level measurement were performed. Ventricular ghrelin and IGF-1 mRNA expressions were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Four weeks after surgical procedure, the cyanotic model produced lower arterial oxygen tension ((68.73 ± 15.09) mmHg), arterial oxygen saturation ((82.35 ± 8.63)%), and higher arterial carbon dioxide tension ((51.83 ± 6.12) mmHg), hematocrit ((42.67 ± 3.83)%) and hemoglobin concentration ((138.17 ± 16.73) g/L) than the control piglets ((194.08 ± 98.79) mmHg, (96.43 ± 7.91)%, (36.9 ± 4.73) mmHg, (31.17 ± 3.71)%, (109.83 ± 13.75) g/L) (all P < 0.05). Plasma ghrelin level was significantly higher in the cyanotic model group in comparison to the control (P = 0.004), and the plasma IGF-1 level was significantly lower than control (P = 0.030). Compared with control animals, the expression of ghrelin mRNAs in the ventricular myocardium was significantly decreased in the cyanotic model group (P = 0.000), and the expression of IGF-1 mRNAs was elevated (P = 0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Chronic cyanotic congenital heart defects model was successfully established. Plasma ghrelin level and myocardial IGF-1 mRNA expression were significantly up-regulated, while plasma IGF-1 level and myocardial ghrelin mRNA expression were down-regulated in the chronic cyanotic immature piglets. The ghrelin system may be an important part of the network regulating cardiac performance.</p>

Ex vivo expansion and pluripotential differentiation of cryopreserved human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

This study is aimed at investigating the potentials of ex vivo expansion and pluri-differentiation of cryopreservation of adult human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) into chondrocytes, adipocytes and neurocytes. Cryopreserved hMSCs were resuscitated and cultured for 15 passages, and then induced into chondrocytes, adipocytes and neurocytes with corresponding induction medium. The induced cells were observed for morphological properties and detected for expressions of type II collagen, triglyceride or neuron-specific enolase and nestin. The result showed that the resuscitated cells could differentiate into chondrocytes after exposure to transforming growth factor beta(1) (TGF-beta(1)), insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and vitamin C (V(C)), and uniformly changed morphologically from a spindle-like fibroblastic appearance to a polygonal shape in three weeks. The induced cells were heterochromatic to safranin O and expressed cartilage matrix-procollagenal (II) mRNA. The resuscitated cells cultured in induction medium consisting of dexamethasone, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, indomethacin and IGF-I showed adipogenesis, and lipid vacuoles accumulation was detectable after 21 d. The resuscitated hMSCs were also induced into neurocytes and expressed nestin and neuron specific endolase (NSE) that were special surface markers associated with neural cells at different stage. This study suggested that the resuscitated hMSCs should be still a population of pluripotential cells and that it could be used for establishing an abundant hMSC reservoir for further experiment and treatment of various clinical diseases.