The effect and mechanism of metformin on peripheral neuropathy in type 1 diabetic rats / 药学学报

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is one of the most common microvascular complications occurring in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus patients, which often results in patients suffering from severe hyperalgesia and allodynia. Up to now, the clinical therapeutic effect of DPN is still unsatisfactory. Metformin is an anti-diabetic drug that has been safely and widely used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes for decades. Studies have shown that metformin can improve pain caused by DPN, but its effects on the nerve conduction velocity and morphology of the sciatic nerve of DPN, and the mechanism for improving DPN are not clear. Therefore, the STZ-induced model of type 1 DPN in SD rats was used to study the effects of metformin on DPN, and to preliminarily explore its mechanism in this study. All animal experiments were carried out with approval of the Experimental Animal Welfare Ethics Committee of the Institute of Materia Medica (Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College). After the model was established successfully, STZ diabetic rats were randomly divided into a model group and a metformin treatment group, and 10 normal SD rats were selected as the normal control group, and the rats were intragastrically administered for 12 weeks. The results showed that metformin significantly reduced blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, food consumption and water consumption in STZ rats. Metformin markedly increased the motor nerve conduction velocity and mechanical stabbing pain threshold, prolonged the hot plate latency threshold, and improved the pathological morphological abnormalities of the sciatic nerve in STZ rats. In addition, metformin increased the content of glutathione (GSH), enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), and reduced the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum and sciatic nerve of STZ diabetic rats, as well as regulating the expression of genes related to oxidative stress in the sciatic nerve. Metformin obviously reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 in the serum in STZ rats, and inhibited the gene expression of these inflammatory factors in the sciatic nerve. In summary, metformin significantly increased nerve conduction velocity, improved sciatic nerve morphological abnormalities and pain in DPN rats, which may be related to its effect in improving oxidative stress and reducing inflammation.

Clinical observation of polymyxin B in the treatment of CRKP-BSI in patients with hematological malignancies / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To analyze the efficacy and safety of polymyxin B in the treatment of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae （CRKP）-bloodstream infection （BSI） in patients with hematologic malignancies. METHODS The medical records of patients with hematologic malignancies with CRKP-BSI who received polymyxin B for at least 3 days in our hospital from September 2019 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were initially treated with a triple therapy namely polymyxin B+tigecycline+carbapenems for anti-infection therapy. RESULTS A total of 10 patients were enrolled as the study subjects. Eleven strains of CRKP were cultured in blood， including 10 strains of CRKP produced Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase（KPC） and 1 strain of CRKP produced both KPC and metal-beta-lactamase； 9 strains were sensitive to colistin， 7 strains were sensitive to tigecycline， 5 strains were sensitive to amikacin and 2 strains were sensitive to compound sulfamethoxazole. All patients were accompanied by neutropenia， with an average duration of （14.1±6.4） days. They were all characterized by fever， chills and fatigue. After treatment， 6 patients were cured and discharged， 4 patients died of ineffective treatment of septic shock. No serious adverse events related to polymyxin B occurred in all patients. CONCLUSIONS Polymyxin B can be used as a therapeutic drug for CRKP-BSI in patients with hematological malignancies. No serious adverse event related to polymyxin B occurs during the treatment.

Efficacy and safety of radium-223 in the treatment of metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer / 中华泌尿外科杂志

Objective:To analyze the efficacy and safety of radium-223 in the treatment of metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).Methods:The clinical data of 22 patients with mCRPC treated with radium-223 in the Chongqing University Cancer Hospital from January 2021 to January 2022 were analyzed retrospectively. The average age was (70.7±1.3)years old. There were 7 cases with ECOG score of 1 and 15 cases with ECOG score of 2. There were 7 cases with grade 2 and 15 cases with grade 3 bone metastasis. For mCRPC, 1 case (4.6%) received first-line treatment, 4 cases (18.2%) received second-line treatment, 10 cases (45.5%) received third-line treatment, 4 cases (18.2%) received fourth-line treatment, and 3 cases (13.6%) received fifth-line treatment. The median time from the diagnosis of mCRPC to the start of radium-223 treatment was 29 (20, 34) months. Radium-223 (55kbq/kg) was injected intravenously every 4 weeks for up to 6 cycles. Before treatment, the median alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was 147.0 (101.8, 212.5)U/L, the median prostate specific antigen (PSA) was 44.7(20.2, 99.1)ng/ml, and 6 patients (27.3%) were complicated with grade 1-2 anemia. The median hemoglobin was 115.0 (103.8, 122.5) g/L, the average neutrophil was (3.0 ± 0.3)×10 9/L, and the average platelet was (169.8 ± 17.0)×10 9/L. The overall survival (OS), radiographic progression-free survival time (rPFS), time to PSA progression, PSA response rate, pain response rate, and time to pain progression were analyzed. Stratified analysis was carried out according to the number of treatment lines experienced before radium-223 treatment. At the same time, the main adverse reactions during radium-223 treatment were analyzed. Results:The mean number of treatment courses with radium-223 was 2.7(ranging 1 to 6), with 4 patients completing 6 courses, 12 (54.6%) completing ≥ 3 courses, and 10 (45.5%) completing < 3 courses. Thirteen patients (59.1%) were treated with radium-223 alone and 9 (40.9%) in combination with other treatments (1 of docetaxel chemotherapy, 2 of enzalutamide, 3 of olaparib, and 3 of estramustine phosphate). None of the patients in this group were treated with bisphosphonates. Ten patients (45.5%) in this group died, all due to disease progression. The median overall survival time of the 22 cases was 11.0 (2.2, 19.8) months. Three patients (13.6%), 7 patients (31.8%), 3 patients (13.6%), and 1 patient (4.5%) showed radiographic progression at 2, 3, 4, and 10 months after treatment, respectively, while the remaining 8 patients (36.4%) did not show radiographic progression during the follow-up period, and the median radiographic progression free time for the 22 patients was 4.0 (3.1, 4.9) months. There were four cases (18.2%) showed PSA response, of which three cases (13.6%) showed PSA rising again later, and one case (4.5%) showed continuous PSA decline. The median time to PSA progression for the 22 patients was 3.6 (2.2, 5.1) months. Fifteen patients (68.2%) experienced pain response at 1 month of treatment, of whom 5 (22.7%) experienced increased pain later and 10 (45.5%) experienced sustained pain relief. The median time to pain progression was 5.5 (3.5, 7.6) months in 22 patients. No patients received radiotherapy or surgery for pain, and no patients experienced fracture. In this group, 7 patients (31.8%) had a post-treatment ALP decrease ≥30% from baseline. Major adverse events during radium-223 treatment were all grade 1 to 2 events, no grade ≥3 adverse events, and no treatment discontinuers due to adverse events.Conclusions:Radium-223 resulted in high pain response rates and prolonged OS, rPFS and time to PSA progression in patients with mCRPC. Adverse effects were low during treatment. The conclusions need to be validated by further expansion of the sample size and extended follow-up.

The safety and efficacy of trimodality treatment for invasive bladder cancer / 中华泌尿外科杂志

Objective:To evaluate the safety and efficacy of trimodality treatment (TMT) which is complete transurethral resection of bladder tumor with concurrent radiotherapy and chemotherapy for invasive bladder cancer.Methods:From Mar. 2016 to Oct.2021, patients who were indicated of radical cystectomy (RC) but refused were enrolled to TMT treatment prospectively. Inclusive criteria were: ① the patients refused radical surgery; ② male or female, no older than 80 years; ③ no matter the tumor size, the bladder tumor be completely resected by transurethral surgery, and the hydronephrosis be improved after resecting the tumor; ④ the postoperative pathology of urothelial carcinoma; ⑤ recurrent T 1 and high-grade non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) or T 2-4a muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC); ⑥ no definitive metastasis in preoperative chest, abdominal CT or MRI; ⑦ hemoglobin ≥100 g/L, white blood cell count ≥4×10 9/L, platelet count ≥100×10 9/L, and normal liver and renal function. The exclusion criteria were: ① tumor invading bladder neck or anterior or posterior urethra; ② bladder contracture or severe urethral stricture; ③ regional lymph node metastasis or distant metastasis by imaging examination; ④ no improvement of hydronephrosis after resection; ⑤ definitive contraindications of radiotherapy or chemotherapy; ⑥ uncontrolled hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease or other severe diseases. After cTURBT, paclitaxel (50 mg/m 2 on Day 1 of each week) combined with cisplatin(20 mg/m 2 on day 1-2 of each week)was administered with concurrent radiotherapy (2 Gy/fraction/day) for 4 weeks. If cystoscopy and/or radiographic detected no recurrence or metastasis, the patients were treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy for 2 and a half weeks (total dose of 64 Gy). The side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy during TMT were observed, the quality of life(QOL)was evaluated by FACT-P scale, and the bladder recurrence, distant metastasis and survival were assessed with imaging and cystoscopy. From March 2016 to October 2021, 79 patients with RC were enrolled, including 67 males and 12 females, aged 44-86 years. The pathology of RC was urothelial carcinoma of the bladder. There was no definitive lymph node or distant metastasis in preoperative imaging. The progress and survival after TMT and RC treatment were followed up and the survival rates were calculated by Kaplan-Meier method. Results:Of the 30 patients who underwent TMT, including 25 males and 5 females, aged 32-76 years, there were 7 cases of cT 1 (23.3%), 19 cases (63.3%) of cT 2, 2 cases of cT 3 (6.7%)and 2 cases of cT 4(6.7%), respectively. A total of 132 adverse events of all grades of chemoradiotherapy occurred, of which only 4 were grade Ⅳ, with no bowel leakage or death due to complications. The mean scores of negative questions in FACT-P were 3.22±0.67, 1.30±0.63 and 0.87±0.69 before TMT treatment, 6 and 12 months after TMT treatment, respectively. The quality of life was significantly improved( F=129.081, P<0.001), and the rate of bladder preservation was 86.7%(26/30). Two cases underwent salvage RC(6.7%)and 2 cases died of bladder recurrence(6.7%). There were 8, 4 and 2 patients survived 4, 5 and 6 years, respectively. Seven cases (23.3%) had bladder recurrence, 3 cases (10.0%) underwent distant metastasis and 6 patients (20.0%)died after TMT because of the progression. The 1, 2 and 5 year overall survival rates by TMT treatment were 88.89%, 82.96% and 62.77%, respectively. Median follow-up was 19.5(6.8-44.5) months in the TMT group and 35.5(18.8-53.3) months in the RC group ( z=-1.998, P=0.046). Progression-free survival in the TMT and RC group were 66.7% and 80.0%( χ2=1.047, P=0.306), and the overall survival rates were 80.0% and 80.0% ( χ2=0.482, P=0.488) respectively. The difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions:The TMT is a safe and effective alternative for RC, which can improve the quality of life and control the tumor sufficiently.

Research progress of peptide receptor radionuclide therapy combined with other drugs in the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors / 中华核医学与分子影像杂志

Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) is a nuclear medicine method that uses radionuclide-labeled somatostatin analogs (SSAs) to image and treat tumors overexpressing somatostatin receptor (SSTR). For the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), PRRT alone can achieve a high disease control rate (DCR), but with a low disease response rate (DRR). Studies have shown that, PRRT combined with SSAs such as octreotide and lanreotide, PRRT combined with chemotherapy drugs such as 5-fluorouracil, capecitabine and temozolomide, PRRT combined with targeted drugs such as tarazopinib, everolimus and heat shock protein inhibitors, PRRT combined with immune drugs such as navumab, and the combination of 177Lu-1, 4, 7, 10-tetraazacyclododecane-1, 4, 7, 10-tetraacceticacid (DOTA)-Tyr3-octreotide (TOC)/DOTA- D-Phe1-Tyr3-Thr8-octreotide (TATE) and 90Y-DOTATOC/DOTATATE, are promising to improve the efficacy of PRRT in the treatment of NETs with tolerable side effects. These PRRT combinations demonstrate an encouraging potential to improve clinical outcomes in NETs patients, and more prospective randomized clinical trials are needed to further validate current findings.

Clinical features of patients with severe dengue in Guangdong Province from 2013 to 2019 / 中华传染病杂志

Objective:To analyze the clinical features of patients with severe dengue (SD) in Guangdong Province, and to improve the understanding of the diagnosis and treatment of SD in China.Methods:The clinical data, laboratory examination and etiological test results of 257 SD cases from 29 dengue fever designated hospitals in Guangdong Province from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2019 were respectively collected. The relevant indicators of the criteria for severe organ involvement were quantified. Logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the risk factors for the development of multiple organ failure in SD patients.Results:Among the 257 SD patients, age was (64.1±20.1) years old, with 65.4%(168/257) of them ≥60 years old, 142 were male and 115 were female. One hundred and fifty-two (59.1%) patients had underlying conditions, including 115(44.7%) patients with hypertension. The clinical manifestations were mainly fever (98.4%(253/257)), fatigue (70.0%(180/257)), cough or expectoration (44.4%(114/257)), lethargy or irritability (39.3%(101/257)), vomiting (30.4%(78/257)), abdominal pain or tenderness (20.6%(53/257)), hepatomegaly (2.3%(6/257)), bleeding tendency (59.5%(153/257)), and pleural effusion or ascites (43.6%(112/257)). Platelet count levels were decreased in 90.9%(231/254) of the cases, and 97.1%(234/241) of patients had normal or decreased hematocrit. The most common of severe manifestations were severe organ involvement (61.1%(157/257)), followed by severe bleeding (37.0%(95/257)) and severe plasma leakage (30.0%(77/257)). Severe organ involvements were more common in the kidney (27.6%(71/257)) and heart (26.8%(69/257)). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (odds ratio ( OR)=1.051, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 1.004 to 1.100, P=0.035), hypertension ( OR=5.224, 95% CI 1.272 to 21.462, P=0.022), elevated aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level ( OR=1.002, 95% CI 1.001 to 1.003, P=0.001), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) ( OR=1.050, 95% CI 1.005 to 1.098, P=0.030), and international normalized ratio (INR) ( OR=4.604, 95% CI 1.601 to 13.238, P=0.005) were risk factors for the development of multiple organ failure in SD patients. The detection results of serum samples form 113 SD patients in acute phase showed that dengue virus (DENV)-1 accounted for 89.4%(101/113), DENV-2 accounted for 9.7%(11/113), and DENV-3 accounted for 0.9% (1/113). Conclusions:Elderly and those with co-existing conditions such as hypertension in SD patients in Guangdong Province are more common. Severe organ involvement such as kidney and heart is the main cause of SD. DENV-1 infection is predominant. Significant elevated levels of AST, BUN and INR may be related to a poor prognosis.

Prognosis factors for death within 90 days of discharge in patients with acute kidney injury requiring continuous renal replacement therapy after surgery for Stanford type A acute aortic dissection / 中华外科杂志

Objective: To investigate the prognosis factors for death within 90 days after discharge in patients with acute kidney injury(AKI) treated requiring continuous renal replacement therapy(CRRT) undergoing surgery for acute Standford type A aortic dissection. Methods: The clinic data of 126 patients undergoing CRRT for postoperative AKI after acute type A aortic dissection surgery in the Center for Cardiac Intensive Care, Beijing Anzhen Hospital from July 2016 to February 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. There were 83 males and 43 females, aging (52.9±11.2) years(range: 25 to 70 years). The patients' demographic characteristics, disease-related information, perioperative data, laboratory indexes during CRRT, complications, and survival information within 90 days after discharge were recorded. Independent prognosis factors for death within 90 days of discharge were determined by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, univariate and multifactorial Cox regression analysis. Results: Totally 57 of 126 patients(45.2%) died over the first 90 days after discharge. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and univariate Cox regression analysis showed that there were significant differences between the non-survival and survival group including ≥65 years old, high lactate values 12 hours after CRRT, pulmonary infection, liver dysfunction, presence of permanent neurological complications, and postoperative ejection fraction(EF)<45%. Multifactorial Cox regression analysis revealed that ≥65 years old(HR=2.14, 95%CI: 1.09 to 4.21, P=0.03), high lactate values 12 hours after CRRT(HR=1.13, 95%CI: 1.06 to 1.20, P=0.01) and postoperative EF<45%(HR=2.21, 95%CI: 1.09 to 4.51, P=0.03) were independent prognosis factors for patients' death within 90 days after hospital discharge. Conclusions: ≥65 years old, high lactate values 12 hours after CRRT and postoperative EF<45% are independent prognosis factors for death within 90 days after discharge in patients undergoing CRRT for AKI after acute type A aortic dissection surgery. Proper identification and management of prognosis factors could be beneficial to improve patients' outcomes.

Study of incidence and economic burden of herpes zoster based on community investigation among the aged in Laiwu district, Jinan city, Shandong Province of China / 中华预防医学杂志

Objective: To understand the incidence and economic burden of herpes zoster among the aged in Laiwu district, Jinan city. Methods: Retrospective cohort study was conducted in 5 communities in Laiwu District, Jinan City from July to September, 2019. A total of 8 300 residents born before July 1, 1959 and aged ≥60 years old were included in the investigation. At the same time, an economic burden survey was carried out among 220 cases who developed herpes zoster after July 1, 2017. A questionnaire was used to collect information on incidence and economic burden of HZ, and comparisons were carried out about the incidence and economic burden of herpes zoster among older people with different characteristics. Results: The age of 8 300 subjects was (71.46±6.71) years old. Male and female accounted for 44.10% and 55.90%, respectively. The cumulative incidence of disease after the age of 60 was 73.61‰ among population aged ≥60 years old. The cumulative incidence was 28.03‰, 71.26‰, 86.09‰, 93.48‰ and 88.10‰ among population aged 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79 and ≥80 years old,respectively. The average annual incidence of HZ was 9.49‰ and annual incidence was 7.59‰, 7.23‰, 8.43‰, 10.24‰ and 13.98‰ in 2014-2018, respectively. HZ cost was (2 626±667) RMB per patient with a median cost of 715 RMB (interquartile range 303-2 358) on 220 cases who developed disease after July 1, 2017. The cost of outpatient cases was (1 329±1 835) RMB per patient with a median cost of 560 RMB (interquartile range 300-1 320), and the cost of inpatient cases was (14 303±16 571) RMB per patient with a median cost of 8 190 RMB (interquartile range 4 368-15 160). Conclusion: The incidence of HZ is high among population aged≥60 years old, which could cause heavy economic burden for them.

Study on Q-markers of Da Chaihu decoction based on specific chromatogram and network pharmacology / 药学学报

Da Chaihu decoction is a classic prescription for the treatment of cholecystitis that is widely used in clinical practice, and has a definite curative effect. However, due to its diverse components and complex functions, the traditional indexes fail to capture its overall efficacy. Therefore, this study analyzed and predicted the quality markers (Q-markers) of Da Chaihu decoction based on specific chromatogram and network pharmacology to provide a reference for the comprehensive control of the quality. The study obtained 35 potential practical components of Da Chaihu decoction through virtual screening. The specific chromatogram of 15 batches of Da Chaihu decoction was established by HPLC-DAD with neohesperidin as a reference. Compared with the chromatographic peaks and the reference substance, the chemical components were assigned to predict the nine components of albiflorin, paeoniflorin, naringin, hesperidin, neohesperidin, baicalin, wogonoside, saikosaponin b2, saikosaponin b1 as Q-markers of Da Chaihu decoction. Finally, the network of the "components-key targets-signal pathways-biological processes" was constructed by network pharmacology to explore the mechanism of Da Chaihu decoction in treating cholecystitis to clarify the accuracy of Q-markers. The results indicated that potential Q-markers could act on multiple targets to regulate inflammatory and metabolism, and then combine to treat cholecystitis. Q-markers could combine with the pharmacologic action of Da Chaihu decoction, which could elucidate the overall efficacy of Da Chaihu decoction. This study explored the Q-markers of Da Chaihu decoction combined with the specific chromatogram and network pharmacology, which provided a basis for the quality control and evaluation of Da Chaihu decoction.

Characteristics of the chloroplast genome of Glycyrrhiza eurycarpa P.C.Li from Xinjiang with comparison and phylogenetic analysis of the chloroplast genomes of the medicinal plants of Glycyrrhiza / 药学学报

italic>Glycyrrhiza eurycarpa P.C.Li is a medicinal plant resource and is often mixed with traditional licorice herbs. We sequenced the chloroplast genome of Glycyrrhiza eurycarpa P.C.Li using Illumina high-throughput sequencing technology, and physical mapping and genomic characterization was carried out. Comparative genomic analysis was performed with Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch, Glycyrrhiza inflata Bat and Glycyrrhiza glabra L. The Glycyrrhiza eurycarpa P.C.Li chloroplast genome was 127 864 bp long with 34.25% GC content, consisting of a large single copy and a small single copy. The genome was missing the inverted repeat (IR) region. A total of 110 genes were annotated, including 76 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes. The 301 SSRs, rich in A-T repeats, were detected by MISA. The Glycyrrhiza eurycarpa P.C.Li chloroplast genome showed weak codon preference, and the codons were biased to use A and T bases. Three specific gene fragments of Glycyrrhiza eurycarpa P.C.Li were characterized by homology comparison. Based on Pi analysis, six new high mutation regions (psbZ-psbC, trnC-GCA-rpoB, trnR-UCU-trnG-UCC, ycf2, trnN-GUU-ycf1, ndhA) of medicinal licorice species were determined. The results of phylogenetic analysis indicate that Glycyrrhiza eurycarpa P.C.Li from Xinjiang is an interspecific hybrid taxon closely related to the three medicinal licorice species, and Glycyrrhiza inflata Bat, which is distributed in the same domain, is its male parent. Based on this study, the taxonomic identification, herb-specific DNA fingerprint development, genetic diversity, and molecular plant breeding of medicinal plants of the genus Glycyrrhiza can be established.

Association between coagulation function and prognosis in patients with acute pancreatitis / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the correlation of coagulation function with the severity and prognosis of acute pancreatitis (AP) and identify the laboratory markers for early prediction and dynamic monitoring of the prognosis of AP.@*METHODS@#We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of patients with AP admitted less than 72 h after onset to our hospital from December 1, 2017 to November 30, 2018. The correlation of coagulation function-related markers at admission and their changes during hospitalization with the prognosis of the patients was analyzed.@*RESULTS@#We screened the data of a total of 1260 patients with AP against the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and eventually 175 patients were enrolled in this analysis, among whom 52 patients had severe AP (SAP) and 12 patients died. Logistic regression analysis identified vWF: Ag, PT, PC, AT Ⅲ and D-dimer markers at admission as independent risk factors for predicting SAP and death. Dynamic monitoring of the changes in coagulation function-related markers in the disease course had greater predictive value of the patients' prognosis, and the indicators including vWF: Agmax, PTmax, APTTmax, TTmax, FIBmin, D-dimermax, PLTmin, PCmin, PLGmin, AT Ⅲmin, and their variations were all independent risk factors for predicting SAP and death. ROC analysis suggested that dynamic monitoring of the changes in the indicators, especially those of △vWF: Ag, △PT, △APTT, △FIB, △TT, △D-dimer, △PLT, △PC, △AT Ⅲ, △PLG, could effectively predict SAP and death in these patients (with AUC range of 0.63-0.84).@*CONCLUSION@#Patients with AP have vascular endothelial injuries and coagulation disorders. The markers including vWF: Ag, PT, PC, AT Ⅲ and D-dimer at admission are independent risk factors for predicting SAP and death, and dynamic monitoring of the changes in vWF: Ag、PT、APTT、TT、FIB、D-dimer、PLT、PC、AT Ⅲ and PLG can further increase the predictive value.

A pair of transporters controls mitochondrial Zn2+ levels to maintain mitochondrial homeostasis

Zn2+ is required for the activity of many mitochondrial proteins, which regulate mitochondrial dynamics, apoptosis and mitophagy. However, it is not understood how the proper mitochondrial Zn2+ level is achieved to maintain mitochondrial homeostasis. Using Caenorhabditis elegans, we reveal here that a pair of mitochondrion-localized transporters controls the mitochondrial level of Zn2+. We demonstrate that SLC-30A9/ZnT9 is a mitochondrial Zn2+ exporter. Loss of SLC-30A9 leads to mitochondrial Zn2+ accumulation, which damages mitochondria, impairs animal development and shortens the life span. We further identify SLC-25A25/SCaMC-2 as an important regulator of mitochondrial Zn2+ import. Loss of SLC-25A25 suppresses the abnormal mitochondrial Zn2+ accumulation and defective mitochondrial structure and functions caused by loss of SLC-30A9. Moreover, we reveal that the endoplasmic reticulum contains the Zn2+ pool from which mitochondrial Zn2+ is imported. These findings establish the molecular basis for controlling the correct mitochondrial Zn2+ levels for normal mitochondrial structure and functions.

Study on discovery of efficacy markers for Dachaihu Decoction and its action mechanism / 中国中药杂志

Dachaihu Decoction is a classical Chinese herbal prescription that is effective in harmonizing lesser yang and purging internal accumulated heat. At present, it has been widely used in clinical practice, and the resulting outcomes are satisfactory. However, its quality indicators and action mechanism are still not clear. Therefore, this paper explored the efficacy markers of Dachaihu Decoction and its action mechanism based on literature mining, molecular biology, and network pharmacology, so as to better control its quality and ensure its clinical efficacy. The efficacy markers of Dachaihu Decoction were predicted and analyzed according to the "five principles" for Q-markers of Chinese herbs. Then the anti-inflammatory activity of the efficacy markers of Dachaihu Decoction was evaluated with Griess reagent after the establishment of RAW264.7 cell inflammation model in vitro with lipopolysaccharide(LPS). The potential targets of efficacy markers were predicted by Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform(TCMSP), ChEMBL, and SwissTargetPrediction, followed by the construction of the protein-protein interaction(PPI) network of the efficacy markers of Dachaihu Decoction. Topological, GO, and KEGG enrichment analysis was carried out to construct the "key target-signaling pathway-biological process" network, thus elucidating the action mechanism of the efficacy markers of Dachaihu Decoction. Saikosaponin B_2, baicalin, baicalein, wogonoside, neohesperidin, naringin, hesperidin, and paeoniflorin were considered as the potential efficacy markers of Dachaihu Decoction. The anti-inflammatory activity evaluation showed that the potential efficacy markers effectively inhibited the release of NO, exhibiting good anti-inflammatory activities. As demonstrated by network pharmacology, the efficacy markers of Dachaihu Decoction regulated the inflammatory response by acting on MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways, the carbohydrate metabolism by HIF-1 and PI3 K-AKT signaling pathways, and the lipid metabolism by AMPK and PI3 K-AKT signaling pathways. This study discovered the efficacy markers of Dachaihu Decoction based on literature mining combined with molecular biological experiments and explored its action mechanism at the molecular level based on network pharmacology, which would provide reference for the quality control of Dachaihu Decoction and scientific basis for its clinical application.

Meta-analysis of Bailing Capsules in improvement of microinflammation and nutritional status among maintenance hemodialysis patients / 中国中药杂志

This Meta-analysis was designed to evaluate the effects of Bailing Capsules on microinflammation and nutritional status of maintenance hemodialysis patients, and to determine its efficacy and safety. The randomized controlled trials concerning the intervention of microinflammation and nutritional status in maintenance hemodialysis patients with Bailing Capsules were searched from Chinese and English databases including CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, PubMed, EMbase, and Cochrane Library. A total of 16 articles were obtained, involving 1 095 cases. As revealed by Meta-analysis,(1)Bailing Capsules lowered the levels of serum high sensitivity C-reactive protein(SMD=-0.92, 95%CI[-1.05,-0.80], P<0.000 01), interleukin-6(SMD=-1.49, 95%CI[-1.96,-1.02], P<0.000 01), and tumor necrosis factor-α(SMD=-1.48, 95%CI[-1.68,-1.28], P<0.000 01) in patients with maintenance hemodialysis, thus alleviating microinflammation.(2)Bailing Capsules elevated the levels of serum hemoglobin(SMD=1.37, 95%CI[1.21, 1.54], P<0.000 01), albumin(SMD=0.78, 95%CI[0.57, 0.98], P<0.000 01), and triglyceride(SMD=0.29, 95%CI[0.07, 0.50], P=0.01) in patients with hemodialysis to improve their nutritional status.(3)Bailing Capsules reduced the incidence of cardiovascular events(RR=0.45, 95%CI[0.34, 0.59], P<0.000 01).(4)A total of six patients presented with mild gastrointestinal discomfort after receiving Bailing Capsules, and no serious adverse reactions were observed. The sequential analysis showed that the sample size of this Meta-analysis had reached the expected value. Meanwhile, the grade of evidence quality suggested that the outcome indicators were mainly low or extremely low in quality. In conclusion, Bailing Capsules might have potential advantages in alleviating microinflammation, improving nutritional status, and reducing the incidence of cardiovascular events. However, in view of the low quality and evidence of the included literature, high-quality clinical trials are needed to further confirm the efficacy and safety of Bailing Capsules.

Sesquiterpene lactones of Aucklandia lappa: Pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, toxicity, and structure–activity relationship / 中草药·英文版

The medicinal part of Aucklandia lappa (Asteraceae) is its dried root, which is one of the commonly used Chinese medicinal materials. Here we reviewed sesquiterpene lactones isolated from A. lappa over the past ten years in the following aspects of pharmacological activities, pharmacokinetics, toxicology, structure–activity relationship. Pharmacological activities consist of anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory activity, anti-immunity activity, anti-oxidant activity, antimicrobial activity, spasmolytic activity and so on. The extractive, showing similar pharmacokinetics parameters, may exert their various biological activities by the interaction of their α-methylene-γ-butyrolactone moiety with the thiol groups of biomacromolecules through Michael-addition. However, the poor aqueous solubility, non-selective binding as a Michael acceptor at undesired targets limited clinical translation of this class. In order to evaluate the potential effect of the extractive applied in clinical trial, the present review outlines information on pharmacological activities, pharmacokinetics, toxicology, and structure–activity relationship, as well as the future research directions of the extractive for further development and utilization of A. lappa.

Comparison of clinical outcomes of astigmatic correction using Toric intraocular lens / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

@#AIM: To compare the clinical effects of two brands of Toric intraocular lens(IOL)used in surgical correction of cataract with corneal astigmatism.<p>METHODS: Totally 35 patients(50 eyes)with corneal astigmatism who underwent ophthalmic surgery from April 2019 to July 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 25 eyes of 20 patients were implanted with Rayner 623T, while 25 eyes of 15 patients with Alcon AcrySof Toric IOL. Three months after surgery, the uncorrected distance visual acuity(UCDVA), best corrected distance visual acuity(BCDVA), residual astigmatism, rotational degree of intraocular lens, contrast sensitivity, objective visual quality and the National Eye Institute 25-Item Visual Function Questionnaire(NEI VFQ-25)scale score were compared. Vector analysis was performed using the Alpins method.<p>RESULTS: The mean postoperative UCDVA(LogMAR)and BCDVA(LogMAR)in the Rayner group were 0.17±0.20 and 0.08±0.15, respectively(<i>P</i>>0.05), while those in the Alcon group were 0.21±0.16 and 0.10±0.11, respectively(<i>P</i>>0.05). The mean residual astigmatism in the Rayner group was(-0.57±0.24)D while that in the Alcon group was(-0.50±0.28)D(<i>P</i>>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in IOL rotational stability, vector analysis parameters, contrast sensitivity and objective visual quality(<i>P</i>>0.05). The NEI VFQ-25 scale score was 85.16±5.91 in the Rayner group while it was 82.08±6.16 in the Alcon group(<i>P</i>>0.05).<p>CONCLUSION: The two brands of Toric IOL-Rayner 623T and Alcon AcrySof Toric showed no significant difference in their clinical outcomes.

Research progress of in vitro-in vivo correlation of injectable polylactide-polyglycolide microspheres / 药学学报

As a depot drug delivery system, injectable polylactide-polyglycolide (PLGA) sustained-release microspheres have been successfully used to treat many diseases since the first microsphere product Lupron depot was approved for marketing in the United States in 1989. It has the ability of long-term release in the body for several days to several months, which can not only reduce the times of administration, but also reduce the drug blood concentration fluctuations, significantly improve the safety and patient compliance. In vitro-in vivo correlation (IVIVC) makes the development of microspheres more possible. It can describe the dynamic information of drug release in vivo through the in vitro release behavior of microspheres, and can reduce the workload of each stage and shorten the time span while characterizing the performance of microspheres. IVIVC can provide guidance or support for drug development, production changes, supervision and management. This article summarizes the release mechanism of injectable PLGA sustained-release microspheres, common measurement methods and theories of in vitro and in vivo release. And we also focus on the establishment and application of IVIVC, especially A level IVIVC in the field of microsphere preparations, to provide a reference for further study on in vitro-in vivo correlation of microspheres.

Association between socioeconomic status and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Jiangsu province, China: a population-based study / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common public health problem worldwide. Recent studies have reported that socioeconomic status (SES) is related to the incidence of COPD. This study aimed to investigate the association between SES and COPD among adults in Jiangsu province, China, and to determine the possible direct and indirect effects of SES on the morbidity of COPD.@*METHODS@#A cross-sectional study was conducted among adults aged 40 years and above between May and December of 2015 in Jiangsu province, China. Participants were selected using a multistage sampling approach. COPD, the outcome variable, was diagnosed by physicians based on spirometry, respiratory symptoms, and risk factors. Education, occupation, and monthly family average income (FAI) were used to separately indicate SES as the explanatory variable. Mixed-effects logistic regression models were introduced to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for examining the SES-COPD relationship. A pathway analysis was conducted to further explore the pulmonary function impairment of patients with different SES.@*RESULTS@#The mean age of the 2421 participants was 56.63 ± 9.62 years. The prevalence of COPD was 11.8% (95% CI: 10.5%-13.1%) among the overall sample population. After adjustment for age, gender, residence, outdoor and indoor air pollution, body weight status, cigarette smoking, and potential study area-level clustering effects, educational attainment was negatively associated with COPD prevalence in men; white collars were at lower risk (OR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.43-0.83) of experiencing COPD than blue collars; compared with those within the lower FAI subgroup, participants in the upper (OR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.49-0.97) tertiles were less likely to experience COPD. Such negative associations between all these three SES indicators and COPD were significant among men only. Education, FAI, and occupation had direct or indirect effects on pulmonary function including post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC), FEV1, FVC, and FEV1 percentage of predicted. Education, FAI, and occupation had indirect effects on pulmonary function indices of all participants mainly through smoking status, indoor air pollution, and outdoor air pollution. We also found that occupation could affect post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC through body mass index.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Education, occupation, and FAI had an adverse relationship with COPD prevalence in Jiangsu province, China. SES has both direct and indirect associations with pulmonary function impairment. SES is of great significance for COPD morbidity. It is important that population-based COPD prevention strategies should be tailored for people with different SES.

Experience in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of complications after total thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysmrepair / 中华胸心血管外科杂志

Total thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysmrepair is one of the most complex operations in cardiac surgery. Patients may have spinal cord injury, disturbance of consciousness, hypoxemia, arrhythmia, acute renal injury, abdominal organ ischemia and so on after operation. Postoperative complications may occur in patients with neurological, respiratory, circulatory, digestive, urinary and coagulation systems. This paper summarizes the experience of prevention and treatment of postoperative complications based on the medical literature at home and abroad and the experience of diagnosis and therapeutic schedule in our hospital, in order to improve the prognosis.

The effect of rehabilitation training on the expression of neuroglobin in the peri-infarct cortex and its mechanism / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

Objective:To study the effect of rehabilitation training on the expression of neuroglobin (Ngb), oxidative stress and axon regeneration in the cortex and explore possible mechanisms of functional recovery after cerebral infarction.Methods:Thirty-six male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a sham operation group, a model group and a rehabilitation group. Cerebral infarction was modelled in the model and rehabilitation groups using Longa′s middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) technique. The sham operation group received the same procedure except that no thread was inserted to block the middle cerebral artery. The rats in the rehabilitation group began treadmill training 24h after the operation, while the other two groups were left on the treadmill without training. On the 3rd, 7th and 14th days after the operation, all of the rats′ neurological functioning was assessed using modified neurological severity scores (mNSSs). After the last mNSS test, all of the rats were sacrificed and peri-infarct brain tissue was resected to detect the expression of Ngb and oxidative stress indicators including superoxide dismutase (SOD), nitric oxide and malondialdehyde (MDA), as well as neurofilament-200 (NF-200) indicating axon regeneration.Results:On the 3rd day after the surgery there was no significant difference between the average mNSS scores of the rehabilitation and model groups. On the 7th and 14th day the average mNSS score of the rehabilitation group was significantly better than that of the model group. The average expression of Ngb in the model group was significantly higher than in the sham operation group. After the intervention, the average expression of SOD in the rehabilitation group was significantly higher than in the model group, while NO and MDA expression were significantly lower. After the intervention the average expression of NF-200 in the rehabilitation group was also significantly higher than in the model group.Conclusions:Rehabilitation training benefits the recovery of neurological function after cerebral infarction, at least in rats. The mechanism may be related to the upregulation of Ngb, alleviation of oxidative stress and enhancement of axonal regeneration in the peri-infarct cortex.