Caries prevention mechanism of the Xinjiang Mori Cortex based on network pharmacology and its effect on the main cariogenic bacteria / 口腔疾病防治

Objective@#To investigate the potential caries prevention mechanism of the Xinjiang Mori cortex and to analyze its effect on the main cariogenic bacteria.@*Methods@#The active components of the Xinjiang Mori cortex and the main targets were predicted and screened using the TCMSP database. The GeneCards, DisGENET and TTD databases were used to obtain caries-related targets. The common targets were derived, and core genes were screened. The enrichment analysis was performed using the DAVID data platform. Molecular docking was performed using AutoDock software. In in vitro antibacterial experiments, first, the 50% minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC50) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the Xinjiang Mori Cortex extract against Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguis and Actinomyces viscosus were determined and the growth curves were measured. The effects of the Xinjiang Mori Cortex extract on acid production, polysaccharide production and adhesion ability of Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguis and Actinomyces viscosus in the planktonic state were determined. The 50% minimum biofilm inhibition concentration (MBIC50) and 50% minimum biofilm reduction concentration (MBRC50) were determined by crystal violet staining, and biofilm morphology was visualized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).@*Results@#The main active components of the Xinjiang Mori cortex included quercetin, kaempferol, and β-sitosterol. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) could be the most important targets of the Xinjiang Mori cortex for the prevention of dental caries. The enrichment analysis results showed that Mori cortex extract may have effects on the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway, and TNF signaling pathway. The antibacterial experiment results showed that the MIC50 values of Xinjiang Mori Cortex extract against Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguis and Actinomyces viscosus were 0.5, 0.5 and 0.25 mg/mL, respectively, and the MBCs were 4.0, 2.0 and 1.0 mg/mL, respectively. The inhibitory effect of Xinjiang Mori Cortex extract on the acid production, polysaccharide production and adhesion ability of three major cariogenic bacteria in the planktonic state was stronger than that of the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The MBIC50 was 1.0, 1.0, and 0.5 mg/mL, and the MBRC50 was 4.0, 4.0, and 2.0 mg/mL. SEM observation showed that the amount of biofilm formation decreased with the drug concentration compared with the control group.@*Conclusion@#Xinjiang Mori cortex extract can prevent caries through quercetin, kaempferol, and β-sitosterol active ingredients, TNF、IL-6、IL-1β key targets and multiple pathways and inhibit the growth, acid production, polysaccharide production, and adhesion ability of three major cariogenic bacteria in the planktonic state and has some inhibitory effect on corticogenic biofilm formation.

Principal component analysis of dental caries related factors among 3- to 5-year-old children in Urumqi City / 口腔疾病防治

Objective @#To explore dental caries-related factors among children aged 3-5 years in Urumqi City and to provide evidence for the etiological study and primary prevention of caries among local children. @*Methods @# A multistage stratified cluster sampling method was used to randomly select children aged 3-5 years in Urumqi City for oral examination, physical examination and questionnaire survey. Data were collected and analyzed by principal component logistic regression using SPSS 23.0 software.@*Results@#Principal component analysis showed that there were seven risk factors whose characteristic root value was greater than 1: oral hygiene habits, family education level, sugar intake, bedtime eating habits, age, gestational age, feeding mode, and cumulative contribution were 66.486% of the total variance. Principal component logistic regression analysis indicated that five factors, namely, oral hygiene habits (OR = 0.795, P = 0.044), family education level (OR = 0.667, P = 0.019), sugar intake (OR = 1.260, P = 0.006), bedtime eating habits (OR = 5.432, P<0.001) and age (OR = 0.676, P = 0.015), were closely related to early childhood caries, and they were statistically significant (P<0.05). @*Conclusion@#According to the principal component analysis, oral hygiene habits factor, family education level factor, sugar intake factor, bedtime eating habits factor and age factor were dental caries related factors among 3- to 5-year-old children in Urumqi City.

Progress in the research of COVID-19 effects on Alzheimer's disease / 中国热带医学

@#Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). More than one-third of patients with COVID-19 experience neurological symptoms, including confusion, headaches, and decreased/disordered taste. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a slowly progressive neurodegenerative disease and the most common type of dementia. Alzheimer's disease patients are at high risk and susceptible to infection with COVID-19, which may cause severe illness and even death. There appears to be an interaction between AD and COVID-19, and on the one hand, patients with COVID-19 seem to be more likely to develop AD. AD patients, on the other hand, may be more susceptible to severe COVID-19. Therefore, understanding the common link between COVID-19 and AD may help to develop treatment strategies. Risk factors common to AD and COVID-19 are aging, ApoE ε4 allele, β-amyloid (Aβ) deposition, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), neuroinflammation, oxidative stress. Here, this article focuses on the relationship between COVID-19 and AD, explores common risk factors and potential pathogenesis, and provides help for early prevention, treatment and recovery.

Identification of the antidepressant fraction and its major chemical constituents of Radix Paeoniae Alba / 药学学报

The goal of this work was to investigate the antidepressant fraction from Radix Paeoniae Alba and identify its major chemical constituents. Corticosterone injured rat phaeochromocytoma (PC12) cells and behavioral despair depression models of mice were used to evaluate the antidepressant effects of Radix Paeoniae Alba (Bai-Shao) ethanol extract (BS-E) and its three fractions (BS-10E, BS-60E, BS-95E) isolated by macroporous resin column chromatography. Animal experimental procedures were approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of the Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (approval No.: SLXD-20210618051). The results showed that BS-E, BS-10E and BS-60E had protective effects against PC12 cells injury induced by corticosterone, among which BS-60E had the strongest protective effect. BS-60E could significantly shorten the time of forced swimming and tail suspension in despair depression models of mice, and was identified as the antidepressant fraction of Radix Paeoniae Alba. The major chemical constituents in the antidepressant fraction were identified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS), and their proposed fragmentation pathways in MS spectra were deduced. A total of 79 chemical constituents were identified from BS-60E, including 36 monoterpenes, 34 polyphenols, 6 oligosaccharides, and 3 other constituents, and monoterpenes and polyphenols may be major effective constituents of BS-60E.

Association of blood lead and blood selenium with serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein among Chinese adults aged 19 to 79 years / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective: To investigate the association of blood lead and blood selenium with serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) among Chinese adults aged 19 to 79 years. Methods: The participants were enrolled from the first wave of China National Human Biomonitoring (CNHBM) conducted from 2017 to 2018. 10 153 participants aged 19 to 79 years were included in this study. Fasting blood samples were obtained from participants. Lead and selenium in whole blood and hs-CRP in serum were measured. Individuals with hs-CRP levels above 3.0 mg/L were defined as elevated hs-CRP. Generalized linear mixed models and restricted cubic spline models were used to analyze the association of blood lead and blood selenium with elevated hs-CRP. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the multiplicative scale and additive scale interaction between blood lead and blood selenium on elevated hs-CRP. Results: The age of participants was (48.91±15.38) years, of which 5 054 (61.47%) were male. 1 181 (11.29%) participants were defined as elevated hs-CRP. After multivariable adjustment, results from generalized linear models showed that compared with participants with the lowest quartile of blood lead, the OR (95%CI) of elevated hs-CRP for participants with the second, third, and highest quartiles were 1.14 (0.94-1.37), 1.25 (1.04-1.52) and 1.38 (1.13-1.68), respectively. When compared with participants with the lowest quartile of blood selenium, the OR (95%CI) of elevated hs-CRP for participants with the second, third and highest quartiles were 0.86 (0.72-1.04), 0.91 (0.76-1.11), and 0.75 (0.61-0.92), respectively. Results from the interaction analysis showed no significant interaction between lead and selenium on elevated hs-CRP. Conclusion: Blood concentration of lead was positively associated with elevated serum hs-CRP, and blood concentration of selenium was inversely related to elevated hs-CRP, while blood lead and selenium did not present interaction on elevated hs-CRP.

Exploration of medication rules and mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of periodontal disease based on data mining, network pharmacology, and molecular docking / 口腔疾病防治

Objective @#To explore the medication law and mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine compounds in the treatment of periodontal disease through data mining, network pharmacology, and molecular docking. @* Methods@#First, data mining was used to search single medicinal materials for the treatment of periodontal disease, and the active components and their action targets were screened. Second, the disease target database was employed to download the targets related to the pathogenesis of periodontal disease, map them with the action targets of traditional Chinese medicine, and obtain the targets that are considered potential targets of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of periodontal disease. Potential targets were analyzed for gene ontology function and signaling pathway. They were then screened to obtain the key targets for the treatment of periodontal disease. Finally, the active components were docked with key targets.@* Results@# Among the traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions for the treatment of periodontal disease, Shudihuang, Mudanpi, Danggui, Fuling, Jinyinhua, Shanyao and Zhimu had the highest frequencies. Forty-three active components and 118 action targets were screened, and 52 potential targets were obtained by intersection with 856 disease targets. The molecular functions and biological processes in which potential targets may participate mainly focus on vitamin D biosynthesis and RNA polymerase Ⅱ regulation and involve 96 signaling pathways. Through the analysis of network topology parameters, 11 key targets were obtained. The results of molecular docking showed that the active components and RAC-alpha serine/threonine-protein kinase (AKT1), cellular tumor antigen p53 (TP53), and mitogen-activated protein kinase-1 (MAPK-1) have good binding activity. @* Conclusion @#Traditional Chinese medicine compounds may play a role in the treatment of periodontal disease by inhibiting alveolar bone absorption, have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, and promote tissue repair. The effective treatment of periodontal disease by traditional Chinese medicine compounds provides a more scientific reference to the sustainable development of traditional Chinese medicine.

Representations of object animacy and real-world size in the ventral visual pathway / 生理学报

How the brain perceives objects and classifies perceived objects is one of the important goals of visual cognitive neuroscience. Previous research has shown that when we see objects, the brain's ventral visual pathway recognizes and classifies them, leading to different ways of interacting with them. In this paper, we summarize the latest research progress of the ventral visual pathway related to the visual classification of objects. From the perspective of the neural representation of objects and its underlying mechanisms in the visual cortex, we summarize the current research status of the two important organizational dimensions of object animacy and real-world size, provide new insights, and point out the direction of further research.

Prediction of the pharmacological characteristics and therapeutic mechanism of Tripterygium wilfordii in treating oral lichen planus based on network pharmacology / 口腔疾病防治

Objective@#To explore the potential mechanism of the main active component Tripterygium wilfordii in the treatment of oral lichen planus based on network pharmacology.@*Methods@#The components of Tripterygium wilfordii and targets were searched through the Traditional Chinese Medicine system pharmacology database and analysis platform (TCMSP) and the Traditional Chinese Medicine integrated database (TCMID) databases. The related targets of oral lichen planus (OLP) were obtained through databases such as Gene Cards. The OLP targets were mapped by Venn analysis to the targets of Tripterygium wilfordii to screen out the common targets as the treatment of OLP targets of Tripterygium wilfordii. The Cytoscape software and STRING were used to construct a chemical component-target network and protein-protein interaction network, a network analyzer was used to compute the network topology properties, a cluster profiler software was used to analyze the GO classification enrichment analysis and KEGG signal path analysis, and a Tripterygium wilfordii chemical components-targets-pathway network diagram was constructed. @*Results@#Twenty-three components and 44 OLP treatmenttargets of Tripterygium wilfordii were obtained. The key active ingredients of Tripterygium wilfordii in the treatment of OLP are triptolide, kaempferol, and tangerine peel. The key targets include TNF and AKT1. The GO classification enrichment analysis obtained 63 GO terms, which are mainly involved in the leukocyte differentiation and reaction to lipopolysaccharides. The KEGG analysis identified 111 signaling pathways, which are mainly related to the TNF signaling pathway and IL17 signaling pathway. @*Conclusion@#Tripterygium wilfordii in the treatment of OLP. This study can provide a theoretical basis for further research to explore drugs with high activity and low toxicity to treat OLP from Tripterygium wilfordii.

Research progress on the correlation between interleukin-18 and chronic periodontitis / 口腔疾病防治

@#Chronic periodontitis is an infectious disease caused by plaque as the initiating factor. Clinically, it manifests as irreversible loss of hard tissue, leading to the destruction of surrounding periodontal tissue, including the deep periodontal pocket, loss of attachment, and finally, tooth loss. Interleukin-18 (IL-18) can promote inflammation and regulate immune function and plays an important role in mediating the host immune response and inflammatory response. An increase in IL-18 in vivo can induce the production of interferon and inflammatory factors, such as interleukin, tumor necrosis factor and matrix metalloproteinase, thus mediating the dual reaction of immunity and inflammation. These inflammatory factors are involved in the occurrence and development of chronic periodontitis. Many clinical studies have shown that the levels of IL-18 in serum, saliva, gingival crevicular fluid and gingival tissue samples of patients with chronic periodontitis may be positively correlated with the severity of periodontitis; however, as a candidate gene, IL-18 is involved in the susceptibility polymorphism of periodontitis. Understanding how to quantify the level of IL-18 in clinical studies and apply it to diagnostic tools and new sites identified by new methods (genome-wide association studies and omics research) will also deepen our understanding of the pathogenesis of IL-18 in chronic periodontitis and provide new ideas for future precision medicine and the formulation of personalized programs. In this paper, the structure, biological function and association between IL-18 and periodontitis are reviewed.

Associations of Sarcopenia, Handgrip Strength and Calf Circumference with Cognitive Impairment among Chinese Older Adults / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

Objective@#To evaluate the associations of sarcopenia, handgrip strength and calf circumference with cognitive impairment among Chinese older adults.@*Methods@#Totally 2,525 older adults were recruited from the Healthy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study. Cognitive impairment was assessed by the Chinese Mini-Mental State Examination. Handgrip strength was calculated from the means of the right and left hand values. Calf circumference was measured at the site of maximum circumference of the non-dominant leg. The formula developed by Ishii was used to define sarcopenia. Multiple logistic regression was performed to evaluate the associations of sarcopenia, handgrip strength, and calf circumference with cognitive impairment.@*Results@#The prevalence of cognitive impairment was 34.36%. The adjusted odds ratio ( @*Conclusion@#Sarcopenia, identified by low handgrip strength and low calf circumference, was positively associated with cognitive impairment.

Effects of Pharmaceutical Management Intervention on Clinical Use of TCM Injection in Primary Medical Insti- tutions / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE：To investigate the effects of pharmaceutical management intervention on the use of TCM injection in primary medical institutions. METHODS ：Twenty grass-roots health centers in Yichun city ，Jiangxi province were randomly selected. Relying on Department of Pharmacy and Health Services of the Municipal Health Committee and the Quality Control Center for Pharmacy Affairs of the City ，Yichun People ’s Hospital took the lead in establishing the prescription evaluation criteria for TCM injection ，training pharmaceutical service skills ，conducting special reviews on prescriptions/medical orders ，improving control measures ，obtaining relevant data of drug use in primary health centers by issuing questionnaires on the use of TCM injection and randomly selecting prescriptions/medical orders for comments. The relevant data without drug administration （before intervention）from Jan. to Jun. 2018 were taken as the non-intervention group ，and the relevant data with drug administration （after intervention）from Jan. to Jun. 2019 were taken as the intervention group. The use of TCM medicine injection ，DDDs，DDC and sequencing ratio were compared before and after intervention. At the same time ，the prescriptions/medical orders of TCM injections before（1 222 copies）and after （1005 copies）intervention were randomly selected for comment and the reasonable situations of the prescriptions/medical orders were compared before and after the intervention. RESULTS ：After intervention ，total amount ， consumption sum and DDDs of top 10 TCM injections in the list of amount were significantly decreased. The reasonable rate of prescriptions and medical orders was 48.04％ before intervention ， but increased to 70.65％ after intervention. Besides ， unreasonable situations before and after intervention all manifested as inappropriate indications. After the intervention ，the unreasonable rates of Xuesaitong powder for injection （lyophilized），Xueshuantong injection ，Xingnaojing injection （two specifications），Shengmai injection ，Xueshuantong for injection （lyophilized）and Qingkailing injection were significantly lower than before intevention （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS ：Pharmaceutical administration intervention can reduce the total amount and the consumption sun of TCM injection in primary medical institutions ，and promote rational drug use in the clinic.

Effect of oxycodone hydrochloride injection on focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of oxycodone hydrochloride injection pretreatment on focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.Methods:Seventy-two male SD rats weighing 200-250 g were randomly divided into 3 groups( n=24 each group): sham operation group (sham group), focal cerebral I/R group (I/R group), and oxycodone hydrochloride injection group (Oxy group). Focal cerebral I/R was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion for 2 h followed by reperfusion. In the Oxy group, oxycodone hydrochloride 0.5 mg/kg was injected iv at 5 min before ischemia. While the same volume of saline (1 mL) was injected in the sham group and I/R group. The neurological deficit score (NDS) was assessed at 24 h of reperfusion, the rats were then sacrificed, and their brains were immediately removed for determination of brain water content and the infarct volume, and the histopathological changes were observed after HE staining. The levels of cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-10) in the ischemia cortex were quantified by ELISA. MPO activity in the ischemia cortex was assessed. Western blot was used to detect the expression of NF-κB in the ischemia cortex. The data were analyzed using SPSS 20.0 software, multiple-group comparisons were performed using one-way ANOVA, and LSD- t test was used for pairwise comparison between groups. A P<0.05 was considered statistically significant different. Results:Compared with the sham group, NDS, brain water content, relative infarction volume and rate of nerve cell necrosis were significantly increased in the I/R and Oxy groups (all P<0.05). Levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-10, NF-κB and the activities of MPO were increased in the ischemia cortex (all P<0.05). Compared the Oxy group with the I/R group, NDS, brain water content, relative infarction volume and rate of nerve cell necrosis were significantly decreased [(1.7±0.9) vs (2.6±1.1);(79.2±2.4)% vs (84.7±4.2)%; (23.0±5.4)% vs (34.8±6.0)%; (25.2±12.4)% vs (54.8±14.8)%, all P<0.05]. The levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, relative expression of NF-κB, and the activities of MPO were significantly decreased in the ischemia cortex [(4.4±1.2) pg/mg vs (6.5±1.2) pg/mg; (5.4±0.7) pg/mg vs (7.8±0.8) pg/mg; (0.83±0.11) vs (1.23±0.33); (0.27±0.09) U/g vs (0.36±0.14) U/g, all P<0.05] , while the concentration of IL-10 was significantly increased [(20.9±4.5) pg/mg vs (9.2±1.6) pg/mg, t=6.036, P=0.000 1]. Conclusions:Oxycodone hydrochloride can attenuate focal cerebral I/R injury through inhibiting NF-κB activity.

Influencing factors for depressive symptoms in the elderly aged 65 years and older in 8 longevity areas in China / 中华流行病学杂志

To analyze influencing factors for depressive symptoms in the elderly aged 65 years and older in 8 longevity areas in China. We recruited 2 180 participants aged 65 years and older in 8 longevity areas from Healthy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study, a sub-cohort of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey in 2017. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the relationships of socio-demographic characteristics, behavioral lifestyle, chronic disease prevalence, functional status, family and social support with depressive symptoms in the elderly. The detection rate of depression symptoms was 15.0 in the elderly aged 65 years and older in 8 longevity areas of China, and the detection rate of depression symptoms was 11.5 in men and 18.5 in women. Multivariate logistic regression analysis results showed that the detection rate of depressive symptoms was lower in the elderly who had regular physical exercises (=0.44, 95: 0.26-0.74), frequent fish intakes (=0.57, 95: 0.39-0.83), recreational activities (=0.65, 95: 0.44-0.96), social activities (=0.28, 95: 0.11-0.73) and community services (=0.68, 95: 0.50-0.93). The elderly who were lack of sleep (=2.04, 95: 1.49-2.80), had visual impairment (=1.54, 95: 1.08-2.18), had gastrointestinal ulcer (=2.97, 95: 1.53-5.77), had arthritis (=2.63, 95: 1.61-4.32), had higher family expenditure than income (=1.80, 95: 1.17-2.78) and were in poor economic condition (=4.58, 95: 2.48-8.47) had higher detection rate of depressive symptoms. The status of doing physical exercise, fish intake in diet, social activity participation, sleep quality or vision, and the prevalence of gastrointestinal ulcers and arthritis were associated with the detection rate of depressive symptoms in the elderly.

Current status of body mass index and related influencing factors in the elderly aged 65 years and older in 8 longevity areas in China / 中华流行病学杂志

To understand the current status of BMI of the elderly and related factors in longevity areas in China, and provide scientific evidence for the control of BMI level in elderly population. Data used in this study were obtained from Healthy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study, a sub-cohort of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. A total of 2 825 elderly in 8 longevity areas in China were surveyed and measured in 2017. The BMI levels of 2 217 elderly aged 65 years and older were calculated and in follow up. The ordered classification logistic regression model was used to analyze the influencd factors for the BMI in the elderly. The BMI of the elderly in 8 longevity areas in China was (22.36±3.87) kg/m(2), and it was (22.76±3.58) kg/m(2) for males and (21.75±3.98) kg/m(2) for females. The BMI levels were normal in 1 165 elderly persons. The prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity were 15.8, 24.0 and 7.7, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that the main factors affecting the BMI of people under 100- years old were age (65-: =2.78, 95: 1.87-4.15; 80-: =1.47, 95: 1.00-2.17), smoking status (=0.46, 95: 0.32-0.66), annual household income (<30 000 Yuan: =1.26, 95: 1.07-1.47; 30 000-70 000 Yuan: =1.52, 95: 1.12-1.86), and frequency of tea intake(=1.36, 95: 1.01-1.71), while the factor in people aged ≥100 years was gender (=3.68, 95: 1.32-10.36). The prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity were high in the elderly from longevity areas in China. It is necessary to pay attention to the trend of overweight and obesity due to smoking, higher annual household income and regular tea drinking in the elderly men.

Influence of visual impairment on mortality in the elderly aged 65 years and older in 8 longevity areas in China / 中华流行病学杂志

To understand the relationship between visual impairment and risk of all-cause mortality in the elderly aged 65 years and older in 8 longevity areas in China. The data of the elderly aged 65 years and older in the project in 2012 were obtained from Healthy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study, a sub-cohort of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, including physical measurement and survival status, and a follow-up for survival outcomes were conducted in 2014 and 2017 respectively. Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to analyze the influence of visual impairment on mortality. Gender and age specific analysis was conducted. A total of 1 736 elderly adults were included. A total of 943 deaths occurred during the 5-year follow-up period with a 5-year mortality rate of 54.3. The 5-year mortality rate was 76.7 in the group with visual impairment, and 47.6 in the group without visual impairment (<0.001). After adjusting for demographic information, life style and some disease factors, the risk of 5-year mortality in the group with visual impairment group was 1.30 times higher than that in the group without visual impairment (=1.30, 95: 1.09-1.55). In the females, the risk for mortality in the group with visual impairment was 1.48 times higher than that in the group without visual impairment (=1.48, 95:1.20-1.84). However, vision status was not associated with the risk for mortality in males (=1.02, 95: 0.72-1.43). The risk for mortality in the group with visual impairment was 1.39 times higher than that in the group without visual impairment in the elderly aged over 90 years (=1.39, 95: 1.13-1.70). Vision status was not associated with mortality risk in the elderly aged 65-79 years and 80-89 years (=1.37, 95: 0.61-3.07; =0.95, 95: 0.61-1.48). In the elderly people in China, visual impairment is a risk factor for mortality.

Effects of estimated glomerular filtration rate on all-cause mortality in the elderly aged 65 years and older in 8 longevity areas in China / 中华流行病学杂志

To investigate the association between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and all-cause mortality in the elderly aged 65 years and older in longevity areas in China. Data used in this study were obtained from Healthy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study, a sub-cohort of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, 1 802 elderly adults were collected in the study during 2012-2017/2018. In this study, the elderly were classified into 4 groups, moderate-to-severe group [<45 ml·min(-1)·(1.73 m(2))(-1)], mild-to-moderate group [45- ml·min(-1)·(1.73 m(2))(-1)], mild group [60- ml·min(-1)·(1.73 m(2))(-1)] and normal group [≥90 ml·min(-1)·(1.73 m(2))(-1)] according to their eGFR levels. After 6 years of follow-up, 852 participants died, with a mortality rate of 47.3. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the levels of eGFR were negatively correlated with all-cause mortality risk in the elderly (the of elderly was 0.993 and the 95 was 0.989-0.997 for every unit of eGFR increased, =0.001), while compared with the group with normal eGFR, the (95) of the elderly in the moderate-to-severe group, mild-to-moderate group, and mild group were 1.690 (1.224-2.332, =0.001), 1.312 (0.978-1.758, =0.070), 1.349 (1.047-1.737, =0.020) respectively [trend test <0.001]. The decrease in eGFR was associated with higher mortality risk among the elderly in longevity areas in China.

Prediction of 6-year incidence risk of chronic kidney disease in the elderly aged 65 years and older in 8 longevity areas in China / 中华流行病学杂志

To establish a prediction model for 6-year incidence risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the elderly aged 65 years and older in China. In this prospective cohort study, we used the data of 3 742 participants collected during 2008/2009-2014 and during 2012-2017/2018 from Healthy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study, a sub-cohort of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. Two follow up surveys for renal function were successfully conducted for 1 055 participants without CKD in baseline survey. Lasso method was used for the selection of risk factors. The risk prediction model of CKD was established by using Cox proportional hazards regression models and visualized through nomogram tool. Bootstrap method (1 000 resample) was used for internal validation, and the performance of the model was assessed by C-index and calibration curve. The mean age of participants was (80.8±11.4) years. In 4 797 person years of follow up, CKD was found in 262 participants (24.8). Age, BMI, sex, education level, marital status, having retirement pension or insurance, hypertension prevalence, blood uric acid, blood urea nitrogen and total cholesterol levels and estimated glomerular filtration rate in baseline survey were used in the model to predict the 6-year incidence risk of CKD in the elderly. The corrected C-index was 0.766, the calibration curve showed good consistence between predicted probability and observed probability in high risk group, but relatively poor consistence in low risk group. The incidence risk prediction model of CKD established in this study has a good performance, and the nomogram can be used as visualization tool to predict the 6-year risk of CKD in the elderly aged 65 years and older in China.

Transcriptional profiling of uterine leiomyoma rats treated by a traditional herb pair, Curcumae rhizoma and Sparganii rhizoma

The aim of this study was to elucidate the concise effects of a traditional herb pair, Curcumae rhizoma-Sparganii rhizoma (CRSR), on uterine leiomyoma (UL) by analyzing transcriptional profiling. The UL rat model was made by intramuscular injection of progesterone and gavage administration of diethylstilbestrol. From 11 weeks of the establishment of the model, rats of the UL+CRSR group were gavaged daily with CRSR (6.67 g/kg). The serum concentrations of progesterone (P) and estradiol (E2) were determined by radioimmunoassay, the uterine index was measured by caliper measurement, and the pathological status was observed by hematoxylin and eosin stain. Gene expression profiling was checked by NimbleGen Rat Gene Expression Microarrays. The results indicated that the uterine mass of UL+CRSR rats was significantly shrunk and serum P and E2 levels significantly reduced compared to UL animals and nearly to the level of normal rats. Results of microarrays displayed the extensive inhibition of CRSR upon the expression of proliferation and deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM)-related genes, and significantly regulated a wide range of metabolism disorders. Furthermore, CRSR extensively regulated key pathways of the UL process, such as MAPK, PPAR, Notch, and TGF-β/Smad. Regulation of the crucial pathways for the UL process and ECM metabolism may be the underlying mechanisms of CRSR treatment. Further studies will provide clear clues for effectively treating UL with CRSR.

Predictive value of plasma microRNA-126 for treatment response of psoriasis patients to combined treatment with acitretin, methotrexate and ultraviolet phototherapy / 第二军医大学学报

Objective: To investigate the plasma microRNA-126 (miRNA-126) level in psoriasis patients before and after acitretin, methotrexate and ultraviolet phototherapy-combined treatment, and to assess its value in predicting the treatment outcomes. Methods: A total of 196 patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis were consecutively enrolled and received combined treatment with acitretin, methotrexate and ultraviolet phototherapy, and 200 volunteers were recruited as healthy controls. Plasma samples of psoriasis patients were collected and miRNA-126 level was detected at baseline and after treatment for 1 month, 3 months and 6 months. Psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) were used to assess the disease severity. Treatment response was determined by PASI 50 response (PASI decreased by 50% compared with the baseline) and PASI 75 response (PASI decreased by 75% compared with the baseline). Spearman correlation test was used to analyze the correlation between the expression level of plasma miRNA-126 and PASI. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of relative expression of miRNA-126 in psoriasis patients. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyze the influencing factors of PASI 50 and PASI 75 responses. Results: Baseline miRNA-126 expression was significantly lower in psoriasis patients compared with healthy controls and was negatively correlated with PASI score (r= - 0.222, P=0.002). ROC curve displayed that miRNA-126 had a good diagnostic value for psoriasis (area under curve: 0.700). After treatment for 1 month, 3 months and 6 months, miRNA-126 levels were significantly elevated compared with the baseline (P<0.01). The response rates of PASI 50 were 7.1% (14/196), 37.2% (73/196) and 64.8% (127/196) after treatment for 1 month, 3 months and 6 months, and those of PASI 75 were 1.5% (3/196), 14.3% (28/196) and 35.7% (70/196), respectively. PASI 50 and PASI 75 responders presented lower baseline miRNA-126 level (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that baseline miRNA-126 level was negatively associated with PASI 50 and PASI 75 responses. Conclusion: Plasma miRNA-126 level gradually increases in psoriasis patients after acitretin, methotrexate and ultraviolet phototherapy-combined treatment, and the baseline miRNA-126 level is negatively correlated with treatment response.

Relationship between sleep disorders and cognitive impairment in patients with Alzheimer's Disease / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective@#To investigate the clinical characteristics of sleep disorders(SD)in patients with Alzheimer's disease(AD), and the relationship between SD and cognitive impairment.@*Methods@#According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria of AD, 89 consecutive AD patients admitted to Beijing Tiantan Hospital from January 2016 to January 2017 were included.The Pittsburgh sleep quality index(PSQI)scale was used to evaluate the overall sleep status.The patients were randomized into the AD with SD(AD-SD)group(PSQI>7)and the AD without SD(AD-NSD)group(PSQI<7). The cognitive function of AD patients was evaluated by the Montreal cognitive assessment(MoCA)scale, and the overall cognitive function and cognitive domains were compared between the AD-SD and AD-NSD groups.@*Results@#Of the 89 AD patients, 71 cases(79.78%)had SD.There was no significant difference in gender, age, age of onset, education level and disease duration between the AD-SD and AD-NSD groups(P>0.05). The factors in the PSQI scale had significant differences between AD-SD和AD-NSD groups, including sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, sleep disturbance, administration of sleeping medication and daytime dysfunction(P<0.05). Compared with the AD-NSD group, the AD-SD group showed that the total score of MoCA scale was significantly reduced(P<0.05), and the scores of delayed recall and language were significantly decreased(P<0.05). There was a negative correlation of the sleep time with the total score of MoCA scale and the score of delayed recall in the AD-SD group(r=-0.245 and -0.249, P=0.041 and 0.039). Night SD was negative correlated with the total score of MoCA scale and the score of delayed recall(r=-0.248 and -0.283, P=0.038 and 0.018).@*Conclusions@#The incidence of AD-SD is up to 79.78%.AD-SD patients have a worse subjective sleep quality, longer time to fall asleep, shorter sleep time, lower sleep efficiency, higher night SD, more use of sleep drugs and more daytime dysfunction.General cognitive dysfunction, delayed recall and language impairment are more obvious in AD-SD patients.In AD-SD group, longer time to fall asleep and night SD are related to the general cognitive function and delayed recall.