Application of microfluidic assays for cardiovascular disease markers in early warning and rapid diagnosis / 中华预防医学杂志

Cardiovascular disease is a major threat to human health and has become the leading cause of death worldwide; therefore, early diagnosis and treatment are of great value. Due to its miniaturization, integration, and ease of operation, microfluidic technology enables the rapid, multi-target detection of cardiovascular disease markers and significantly facilitates the early and rapid diagnosis of cardiovascular disease. This article reviews the research progress of microfluidics in cardiovascular disease detection, analyzes its advantages and weaknesses in the rapid detection of protein, lipid, and nucleic acid biomarkers, hopes to provide a reference to promote the quick detection technology of cardiovascular disease, and thus proposes new considerations for the early management of cardiovascular disease.

Anthocyanins(C3G)alleviate epileptic seizures through antioxidant inhibition autophagy in the rat / 神经解剖学杂志

Objective:To investigate the feasibility of anthocyanins(C3G)antioxidant inhibition of autophagy to al-leviate epilepsy.Methods:Seventy-five SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups:Control group,pentetrazole(PTZ)group,hydrogen peroxide(H2O2)intervention group,3-methyladenine(3-MA)intervention group,and C3G intervention group.The seizure grade,latency,and frequency were documented.Electroencephalography was employed to detect abnormal electrical discharges in the brain across.Patch clamp technique was utilized to measure action poten-tials in hippocampal neurons for each group.The concentration of 4-hydroxynonenoic(4-HNE)hippocampus was deter-mined using a specific kit.Ultrastructural alterations in hippocampal neurons were examined through electron microsco-pyissl staining was performed to assess neuronal damage within the hippocampus.Immunohistochemical staining and Western Blot were conducted to evaluate expression levels of 15-LOX,GPX4,and LC3 proteins within the hippocampus of rats.Results:Compared with the control group,the PTZ group was completely ignited and the modeling was success-ful.Compared with other epilepsy groups,the seizure grade of C3G group decreased,abnormal discharge decreased,latency increased,hippocampal neuron excitability decreased,nishi content increased,4-HNE content,15-LOX expression and LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ ratio decreased,but GPX4 expression increased(P＜0.05).Conclusion:The oxidative stress induced by epilepsy can induce excessive autophagy of neurons,and C3G can alleviate the occurrence and devel-opment of epilepsy by anti-oxidation and inhibition of autophagy.

Impact of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy for primary liver cancer / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To assess the impact of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on clinical outcomes of patients receiving anti-PD-1 immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.@*METHODS@#We conducted a retrospective study among 215 patients with primary liver cancer receiving immunotherapy between June, 2018 and October, 2020. The patients with balanced baseline characteristics were selected based on propensity matching scores, and among them 33 patients who used NSAIDs were matched at the ratio of 1∶3 with 78 patients who did not use NSAIDs. We compared the overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and disease control rate (DCR) between the two groups.@*RESULTS@#There was no significant difference in OS between the patients using NSAIDs (29.7%) and those who did not use NSAIDs (70.2%). Univariate and multivariate analyses did not show an a correlation of NSAIDs use with DCR (univariate analysis: OR=0.602, 95% CI: 0.299-1.213, P=0.156; multivariate analysis: OR=0.693, 95% CI: 0.330-1.458, P=0.334), PFS (univariate analysis: HR=1.230, 95% CI: 0.789-1.916, P=0.361; multivariate analysis: HR=1.151, 95% CI: 0.732-1.810, P=9.544), or OS (univariate analysis: HR=0.552, 95% CI: 0.208-1.463, P=0.232; multivariate analysis: HR=1.085, 95% CI: 0.685-1.717, P=0.729).@*CONCLUSION@#Our results show no favorable effect of NSAIDs on the efficacy of immunotherapy in patients with advanced primary liver cancer, but this finding still needs to be verified by future prospective studies of large cohorts.

Comparison of invasive dynamic blood pressure between superior mesenteric artery and common carotid artery in rats / 世界急诊医学杂志（英文）

@#BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to identify the consistency of invasive dynamic blood pressure (BP) monitoring between the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and the common carotid artery (CCA). METHODS: Eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were cannulated in SMA and CCA simultaneously for BP monitoring, respectively. The abdominal aorta was prepared for the induction of BP change through clamping/de-clamping by a microvascular clip. The dynamic BP monitoring was performed by a polygraph system. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) values would be recorded during different time periods: the baseline (T1), the increasing period after clamping (T2), the platform period during clamping (T3), the decreasing period after de-clamping (T4), and the final platform period (T5). Three trials were performed on each rat with 15-minute intervals between consecutive monitoring. RESULTS: Systolic BP showed no significant differences between SMA and CCA. However, significant difference was found in diastolic blood pressure except at T5 (P=0.534). Mean arterial pressure of two arteries were signifi cantly different only at T1 (P=0.015). The strength of association was significantly high between BP measurements through SMA and CCA (P<0.001). The Bland- Altman analyses showed that mean bias of MAP changed no more than 5 mmHg and standard deviation less than 8 mmHg during T2 and T4, respectively. CONCLUSION: The study indicates SMA might be an alternative site for invasive BP monitoring during abdominal aorta occlusion and release, especially in cerebrovascular-related research.

Nucleotide-Binding Oligomerization Domain-Like Receptor 3 Inflammasome Inhibition by MCC950 Reduces the Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Interleukin-1β in Cultured Dispersed Nasal Polyp Cells / 대한이비인후과학회지

Background and Objectives@#The nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor (NLRP) 3 is known as a member of the NLR family, and it has been confirmed that the NLRP3 inflammasome is associated with various diseases such as asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, metabolic disorders and multiple sclerosis, as well as other auto-immune and auto-inflammatory diseases. However, the role of NLRP3 in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) has not yet been explored.Subjects and Method Forty-four specimens of nasal polyps and 25 specimens of uncinate processes were collected from patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, and 25 specimens of uncinate tissues were collected from patients who underwent other rhino-surgeries. The western blot assay was employed to analyze the expression of NLRP3; interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-17A were detected using immunohistochemistry and real-time polymerase chain reaction. The production of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced IL-1β and IL-17A with or without the NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor (MCC950) was measured using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay in cultured dispersed nasal polyp cells. @*Results@#NLRP3 showed a high level of expression in nasal polyps than in the control group (p<0.01). The expression of IL-1β and IL-17A was significantly higher in nasal polyps in the CRSwNP group than in the control group (p<0.05). LPS-induced production of IL-1β was significantly suppressed by treatment with the NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor (p<0.05). @*Conclusion@#The NLRP3 inflammasome plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of CRSwNP, and thus MCC950 can be considered a prospective therapeutic for NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated inflammation in nasal polyps. Our data provide new evidence that IL-17A is involved in inflammasome-associated inflammation in nasal polyps.

Genetic Diversity of Toxoplasma gondii Strains from Different Hosts and Geographical Regions by Sequence Analysis of GRA20 Gene

Toxoplasma gondii is a eukaryotic parasite of the phylum Apicomplexa, which infects all warm-blood animals, including humans. In the present study, we examined sequence variation in dense granule 20 (GRA20) genes among T. gondii isolates collected from different hosts and geographical regions worldwide. The complete GRA20 genes were amplified from 16 T. gondii isolates using PCR, sequence were analyzed, and phylogenetic reconstruction was analyzed by maximum parsimony (MP) and maximum likelihood (ML) methods. The results showed that the complete GRA20 gene sequence was 1,586 bp in length among all the isolates used in this study, and the sequence variations in nucleotides were 0-7.9% among all strains. However, removing the type III strains (CTG, VEG), the sequence variations became very low, only 0-0.7%. These results indicated that the GRA20 sequence in type III was more divergence. Phylogenetic analysis of GRA20 sequences using MP and ML methods can differentiate 2 major clonal lineage types (type I and type III) into their respective clusters, indicating the GRA20 gene may represent a novel genetic marker for intraspecific phylogenetic analyses of T. gondii.

Treatment of refractory polycystic ovary syndrome by bushen huoxue method combined with ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the clinical effect of traditional Chinese medicine Bushen Houxue (BSHX) method combined with ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration (MFA) in treating refractory polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-four patients with PCOS were randomly assigned to two groups by randomizing digital table, 20 in the observation group and 24 in the control group. MFA was performed on both groups, and the decoction of BSHX, which consisted of dodder seed 20 g, prepared rehmannia root 10 g, mulberry mistletoe 20 g, epimedium 15 g, psoralea fruit 10 g, solomonseal rhizome 10 g, honeylocust thorn 15 g, peach kernel 10 g, pleione bulbocodioides 10 g, red sage root 20 g, and licorice root 6 g, was given to the observation group one dose every day for 14 days every menstrual cycle. Changes of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and testosterone (T) were determined before and after MFA. The impacts on quantity of HMG used, number of sinus follicle, mature follicle, incidence of ovarian hyperstimulating syndrome (OHSS), luteinized unrupture follicular syndrome (LUFS) and pregnance rate were also observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>MFA had been performed for 42 cycles in the observation group and 56 cycles in the control group. Levels of T, LH and LH/FSH ratio markedly reduced after aspiration, showing significant difference as compared with those of before treatment in both groups (P < 0.01), and difference of LH/FSH between groups was of statistical significance (P <0.01). In the observation group, 18 patients (90.0%) had their sinus follicle decreased to < 10 after MFA, while in the control group, it reached to <10 in 22 patients (91.70%), all were different to those before treatment (P <0.01). In the observation group, the quantity of HMG used for promoting ovulation was (585.0 +/- 195.0) IU, number of mature follicle at the day of HCG injection was 1.1 +/- 0.3, while in the control group, the corresponding data were (1470.0 +/- 532.5) IU and 3.1 +/- 1.4, all with significant difference between groups (P <0.01). None of OHSS and 1 case of LUFS occurred in the former group, while 1 mild OHSS and 2 LUFS in the latter. After ovulation promoting therapy and in the 3-month secutive follow-up period, pregnancy was found in 8 out of the 18 patients in the observation group (one twins and 7 single), with the pregnancy rate of 44.4%; while in the control group, 7 in 22 (2 twins and 5 single) was found, the pregnancy rate being 31.8%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>BSHX method combined with MFA is a safe and effective treatment for refractory PCOS, with few trauma. The combined usage of Chinese herbal medicine could significantly reduce dosage of HMG used for promoting follicle and the production of multiple mature follicles, thus to avoid the risk of OHSS.</p>

Nonsense mutations in the PAX3 gene cause Waardenburg syndrome type I in two Chinese patients / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Waardenburg syndrome type I (WS1) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by sensorineural hearing loss, pigmental abnormalities of the eye, hair and skin, and dystopia canthorum. The gene mainly responsible for WS1 is PAX3 which is involved in melanocytic development and survival. Mutations of PAX3 have been reported in familiar or sporadic patients with WS1 in several populations of the world except Chinese. In order to explore the genetic background of Chinese WS1 patients, a mutation screening of PAX3 gene was carried out in four WS1 pedigrees.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A questionnaire survey and comprehensive clinical examination were conducted in four Chinese pedigrees of WS1. Genomic DNA from each patient and their family members was extracted and exons of PAX3 were amplified by PCR. PCR fragments were ethanol-purified and sequenced in both directions on an ABI_Prism 3100 DNA sequencer with the BigDye Terminator Cycle Sequencing Ready Reaction Kit. The sequences were obtained and aligned to the wild type sequence of PAX3 with the GeneTool program.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Two nonsense PAX3 mutations have been found in the study population. One is heterozygous for a novel nonsense mutation S209X. The other is heterozygous for a previously reported mutation in European population R223X. Both mutations create stop codons leading to truncation of the PAX3 protein.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>This is the first demonstration of PAX3 mutations in Chinese WS1 patients and one of the few examples of an identical mutation of PAX3 occurred in different populations.</p>

Effects of combined therapy of salpingostomy and Bushen Huoxue drugs on fallopian tube obstructive infertility / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the effect of treatment of fallopian tube obstructive infertility by salpingostomy alone and in combination with TCM drugs for Bushen Huoxue (invigorating Shen and promoting blood circulation).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>To all the patients, salpingostomy was performed 3 to 7 days after menstruation and hydrotubation with Xiangdan Injection (XI) was applied once in the next menstrual cycle. Bushen Huoxue Decoction (BHD) was administrated additionally to patients in the treated group, 1 dose every day starting from the 5th day of menstrual cycle for 14 days. Three months' treatment was taken as one therapeutic course and the observation lasted for 4 courses.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The condition of follicular development, thickness of endometrium and level of serum estradiol in the preovulatory phase after treatment were all significantly increased in the two groups (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01); but the improvement in the treated group was significantly superior to that in the control group, showing significant difference. Moreover, the pregnancy rate was also higher in the former than in the latter (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The combined therapy of salpingostomy and TCM drugs for invigorating Shen and promoting blood circulation is an effective therapy for fallopian tube obstructive infertility, it has the effect of enhancing follicular development and increasing thickness of endometrium, and could elevate the pregnancy rate in patients.</p>