Impact of adolescent pregnancy on maternal and infant outcomes / 中华健康管理学杂志

Objective:To analyze the impact of adolescent pregnancy on maternal and infant outcomes.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 5 765 parturbirths in Jining Medical College Hospital from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2020. The parturbirths were divided into adolescent group (maternal age<20 years, 280 cases), age group 1 (maternal age 20-24 years, 1 733 cases) and age groups 2 (maternal age 25-34 years, 3 752 cases). All information was collected through the hospital′s electronic case system. General data, pregnancy characteristics and outcomes were compared among the three groups by analysis of variance (ANOVA), χ 2 tests and binary logistics regression analysis was used to analyze the impact of adolescent pregnancy on maternal and infant outcomes. Results:In the adolescent group, the proportion of women with an education of junior high school or below, rural residence, no fixed income, unmarried, and no history of induced abortion were all significantly higher than those in age group 1 and age group 2 (82.50% vs 17.37%, 14.37%; 59.29% vs 42.70%, 43.36%; 80.71% vs 15.52%, 14.71%; 75.71% vs 12.23%, 9.97%; 82.50% vs 71.84%, 71.91%) (all P<0.05); there was no significant differences in age at menarche, body mass index before pregnancy, and weight gain during pregnancy among the three groups (all P>0.05). The proportion of preterm birth, low birth weight infants and transferring to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in the adolescent group were all significantly higher than those in age group 1 and age group 2 (5.36% vs 1.10%, 1.57%; 5.00% vs 0.23%, 0.05%; 21.79% vs 6.12%, 15.17%); the incidence of anemia in pregnancy in the adolescent group was significantly higher than that in age group 1 (15.36% vs 9.75%), and the incidence of postpartum hemorrhage was significantly higher than that in the age group 2 (10.71% vs 6.08%). The incidence of failed vaginal trials leading to cesarean section, amniotic fluid contamination, and episiotomy was significantly lower in the adolescent group than those in age group 2 (8.57% vs 15.22%, 10.71% vs 18.10%, 33.95% vs 40.01%) (all P<0.05). The incidence of failed vaginal trials leading to cesarean section was inversely associated with gestational age (adolescent group, OR=0.252, 95% CI: 0.123-0.515; age group 1, OR=0.673, 95% CI: 0.567-0.799) (both P<0.05); the risks of low birth weight infants (adolescent group, OR=7.440, 95% CI: 3.426-16.156; age group 1, OR=0.103, 95% CI: 0.032-0.330) and transferring to the NICU (adolescent group, OR=1.661, 95% CI: 1.120-2.463; age group 1, OR=0.360, 95% CI: 0.290-0.448) showed a U-shaped distribution in different pregnancy age groups, they were both higher in the adolescent group than those in the age group 2 (both P<0.05); the risk of episiotomy (adolescent group, OR=0.002, 95% CI: 0-0.016; age group 1, OR=1.308, 95% CI: 1.151-1.485) showed an inverted U-shape distribution across the different pregnancy age groups, it was lower in the adolescent group than that in age group 2 (both P<0.05). Conclusion:Adolescent pregnancy is associated with a lower risk of conversion to cesarean section and episiotomy due to failed vaginal delivery, but may increase the risk of low birth weight infants and transferring to NICU.

Lipid metabolomic changes in liver injury in BTBR ob/ob mice with type 2 diabetes mellitus / 安徽医科大学学报

Objective @#To investigate the changes of lipid biomarkers and lipid metabolic pathways related to liver injury in BTBR ob/ob mice with type 2 diabetes mellitus by biochemical and metabolomics methods．@*Methods @# 16 BTBR wild-type (WT) mice (WT group) and 14 BTBR ob/ob obese mice (ob / ob group) at 7 weeks of age were selected and fed in SPF environment until 20 weeks of age．Liver injury was compared between the two groups : The activities of mitochondrial respiratory enzyme complex in liver tissue were detected by high-resolution respirators，and the lipid metabolomic analysis of liver tissue samples in the two groups of mice was performed by ultra-perform- ance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry，mainly detecting endogenous metabolites. Principal component analysis (PCA) ，orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis ( OPLS-DA) and other models were used to screen potential biomarkers，and the metabolic pathway analysis of the identified metabolites was performed by MetaboAnalyst 5. 0 . @*Results @#Compared with the WT group，the ob / ob group had significantly increased body weight，fasting blood glucose ，serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase ( AST) ，alanine amin- otransferase (ALT) ，low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) and cholesterol ( CHO) (P＜0. 01) ．Liver hematoxylin-eo- sin staining (HE) staining showed that the mice in ob / ob group had structural disorder of liver lobules，swelling of liver cells ，a large number of fat vacuoles in cells ，diffuse distribution and loose cytoplasm． Oil red O staining showed that there was a large amount of lipid deposition in the hepatocytes ofob/ob mice．The high resolution spi- rometer showed that the ob/ob mice had mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation disorder and the activity of complex Ⅳ decreased．Lipid metabolomic analysis showed that the lipid metabolic profile of ob/ob mice changed，and the metabolic pathways involved mainly included glycerophospholipid metabolism，glycosylphosphatidylinositol ( GPI) anchor biosynthesis，triglyceride metabolism，linoleic acid metabolism，α-linolenic acid metabolism and arachidon- ic acid metabolism．@*Conclusion @#The liver injury of ob / ob group mice may be related to the disorder of lipid me- tabolism，in which the disorder of glycerophospholipid metabolism is the most critical metabolic pathway.

Hydroxysafflor Yellow A Promotes HaCaT Cell Proliferation and Migration by Regulating HBEGF/EGFR and PI3K/AKT Pathways and Circ_0084443 / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effect and possible mechanism of hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) on human immortalized keratinocyte cell proliferation and migration.@*METHODS@#HaCaT cells were treated with HSYA. Cell proliferation was detected by the cell counting kit-8 assay, and cell migration was measured using wound healing assay and Transwell migration assay. The mRNA and protein expression levels of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like growth factor (HBEGF), EGF receptor (EGFR), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (AKT), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot, respectively. Circ_0084443-overexpressing HaCaT cells and empty plasmid HaCaT cells were constructed using the lentiviral stable transfection and treated with HSYA. The expression of circ_0084443 was detected by qRT-PCR.@*RESULTS@#HSYA (800 µmol/L) significantly promoted HaCaT cell proliferation and migration (P<0.05 or P<0.01). It also increased the mRNA and protein expression levels of HBEGF, EGFR, PI3K, AKT, mTOR and HIF-1α, and increased the phosphorylation levels of PI3K and AKT (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Furthermore, HSYA promoted HaCaT cell proliferation and migration via the HBEGF/EGFR and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways (P<0.01). Circ_0084443 attenuated the mRNA expression levels of HBEGF, EGFR, PI3K, AKT, mTOR and HIF-1α (P<0.05). HSYA inhibited the circ_0084443 expression, further antagonized the inhibition of circ_0084443 on HBEGF, EGFR, PI3K, AKT, mTOR and HIF-1α, and promoted the proliferation of circ_0084443-overexpressing HaCaT cells (P<0.05 or P<0.01). However, HSYA could not influence the inhibitory effect of circ_0084443 on HaCaT cell migration (P>0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#HSYA played an accelerative role in HaCaT cell proliferation and migration, which may be attributable to activating HBEGF/EGFR and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways, and had a particular inhibitory effect on the keratinocyte negative regulator circ_0084443.

The Association between Exposure to Second-Hand Smoke and Disease in the Chinese Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the association between exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) and 23 diseases, categorized into four classifications, among the Chinese population.@*METHODS@#We searched the literature up to June 30, 2021, and eligible studies were identified according to the PECOS format: Participants and Competitors (Chinese population), Exposure (SHS), Outcomes (Disease or Death), and Study design (Case-control or Cohort).@*RESULTS@#In total, 53 studies were selected. The odds ratio (OR) for all types of cancer was 1.79 (1.56-2.05), and for individual cancers was 1.92 (1.42-2.59) for lung cancer, 1.57 (1.40-1.76) for breast cancer, 1.52 (1.12-2.05) for bladder cancer, and 1.37 (1.08-1.73) for liver cancer. The OR for circulatory system diseases was 1.92 (1.29-2.85), with a value of 2.29 (1.26-4.159) for stroke. The OR of respiratory system diseases was 1.76 (1.13-2.74), with a value of 1.82 (1.07-3.11) for childhood asthma. The original ORs were also shown for other diseases. Subgroup analyses were performed for lung and breast cancer. The ORs varied according to time period and were significant during exposure in the household; For lung cancer, the OR was significant in women.@*CONCLUSION@#The effect of SHS exposure in China was similar to that in Western countries, but its definition and characterization require further clarification. Studies on the association between SHS exposure and certain diseases with high incidence rates are insufficient.

A study of the influence of the level of transvaginal birth experience on the timing of postpartum lactation initiation / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective:To investigate the current status of women′s level of birth experience and lactation initiation time and explore the effect of level of birth experience on lactation initiation time.Methods:This was a cross-sectional study. A convenience sampling method was used to select 622 maternal cases attending the Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical College from November, 2020 to January, 2021, and the distribution of their labor experience level and lactation initiation time was investigated by questionnaire and follow-up assessment.Results:There were 622 women with transvaginal deliveries who had lactation initiation times of more than 72 h in 241 cases (38.75%). The scores for each dimension of the Childbirth Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) were (49.63 ± 8.58)points, and the scores for each dimension of CEQ were perceived safety, professional support, involvement and self-efficacy in descending order. The results of the correlation analysis showed that there was a negative correlation between the scores on each dimension of CEQ and the total score and lactation initiation time ( r values were -0.436 to -0.146, all P<0.01). Stratified regression analysis showed that after controlling for age, number of births, gestational weeks of labour, illness during pregnancy and labour analgesia as the underlying variables affecting lactation initiation time, the scores for self-efficacy, involvement, perceived safety and professional support in the CEQ all affected lactation initiation time after delivery ( t values were -6.76 to -2.02, all P<0.05). Conclusions:The birth experience and lactation of women who deliver via vaginal birth need to be taken into account. The more negative the birth experience, the longer the lactation initiation time. The women′s involvement in the birth process, their own competence, perceived safety and level of professional support are all valid influencing indicators of lactation initiation time.

Construction and validation of a risk prediction model of intermediate cesarean section for primiparous women with failed vaginal delivery trial / 中华全科医师杂志

Objective:To construct and validate a prediction model for the risk of intermediate cesarean delivery for primiparous women with failed vaginal trial of labor.Methods:Clinical data of 6 128 pregnant women who gave birth in the Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical College from January 2019 to December 2020 were collected. The puerpera was randomly divided into train set ( n=4 290) and validation set ( n=1 838). The factors influencing the conversion to cesarean section in primiparous women with failed vaginal trial of labor were analyzed with univariate and binary multivariate logistic regression, and a risk prediction model was established based on the influencing factors. The predictive power of the model was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test in train set and validation set. Results:Among 6 128 pregnant women 1 042 cases failed in vaginal trial of labor and were transferred to cesarean section. Univariate analysis showed age, occupation, gestational weight gain, days of gestation, body temperature before delivery, fetal heart condition at delivery, fetal abdominal circumference, Bishop score, premature rupture of membranes, gestational illness, mode of induction of labor, labor analgesia, and fetal orientation were significantly associated with converting to cesarean delivery (all P<0.05). The multivariate binary logistic regression analysis showed that the age, gestational weight gain, body temperature, gestational co-morbidities, days of gestation, premature rupture of membranes, amniotic fluid contamination, induction of labor, and abnormal occipital position were independent risk factors for intermediate cesarean delivery ( OR=1.03-8.06, all P<0.05); while height, occupation, Bishop score, and labor analgesia were protective factors for intermediate cesarean delivery ( OR=0.17-0.96, all P<0.05). A risk prediction model was constructed based on the risk factors and protective factors. In train set, the area under the ROC curve(AUC) of the model was 0.902 (95% CI: 0.89-0.92, P<0.001), with the best cutoff value of 0.138, the sensitivity and specificity were 0.837 and 0.825, respectively; and the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test showed P=0.192. In validation set the AUC of the model was 0.917 (95% CI: 0.90-0.93, P<0.001), and the sensitivity and specificity were 0.826 and 0.851, respectively; the total correct rate of the model was 87.21% (1 603/1 838). Conclusion:The risk prediction model of failed vaginal trial of labor in primiparous women for intermediate cesarean delivery constructed in this study has good clinical prediction efficacy and high correctness rate.

Mechanism of Sophorae tonkinensis radix et rhizome-induced nephrotoxicity in rats based on network toxicology and experimental validation / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the mechanism of Sophorae tonkinensis radix et rhizome (ST) induced nephrotoxicity based on network toxicology and experimental verification. Methods Through network toxicology the target of toxic components of ST was predicted, nephrotoxicity-related target genes were located, the intersection of targets was taken, the STRING platform was imported to map the target protein interactions, MetaScape database was used for GO and KEGG analysis, BioGPS database for screening the key expressed genes in rat nephrotoxicity and the component-target-pathway network was constructed. The mechanism of ST induced nephrotoxicity was verified through animal experiments, and qRT-PCR was applied to detect mRNA expression level of key genes in kidney tissue. Results Twenty toxic components of ST were screened from network toxicology, mainly including matrine, sophoridine, maackiain. A total of 135 targets were involved, and HSP90AA1, SRC, MAPK1, MAPK3, AKT1 were the main targets. A total of 169 related signaling pathways were yielded by KEGG analysis, and the mechanism of nephrotoxicity might be related to cancer pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway. PPARA, RAF1, MAP2K1, SRC, AKT1 and MAPK3 were screened from BioGPS database. The results of animal experiments showed that BUN and SCr level increased (P <0. 01) in rats with high-dose group, and the kidney tissue was significantly damaged. qRT-PCR results indicated that the expression of PPARA, RAF1, MAP2K1, MAPK3 mRNA increased, the expression of AKT1 mRNA decreased in the high-dose group of ST (P <0. 05). Conclusions The mechanism of Sophorae tonkinensis radix et rhizome induced nephrotoxicity is found to be related to the combined action of multiple components, multiple targets and multiple pathways, which also provides a theoretical basis for the in-depth exploration of the toxicology.

Lung Cancer Risk Attributable to Active Smoking in China: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

OBJECTIVE@#No consensus exists on the relative risk ( RR) of lung cancer (LC) attributable to active smoking in China. This study aimed to evaluate the unified RR of LC attributable to active smoking among the Chinese population.@*METHODS@#A systematic literature search of seven databases was conducted to identify studies reporting active smoking among smokers versus nonsmokers in China. Primary articles on LC providing risk estimates with their 95% confidence intervals ( CIs) for "ever" "former" or "current" smokers from China were selected. Meta-analysis was used to estimate the pooled RR of active smoking.@*RESULTS@#Forty-four unique studies were included. Compared with that of nonsmokers, the pooled RR (95% CI) for "ever" "former" and "current" smokers were 3.26 (2.79-3.82), 2.95 (1.71-5.08), and 5.16 (2.58-10.34) among men, 3.18 (2.78-3.63), 2.70 (2.08-3.51), and 4.27 (3.61-5.06) among women, and 2.71 (2.12-3.46), 2.66 (2.45-2.88), and 4.21 (3.25-5.45) in both sexes combined, respectively.@*CONCLUSION@#The RR of LC has remained relatively stable (range, 2-6) over the past four decades in China. Early quitting of smoking could reduce the RR to some extent; however, completely refraining from smoking is the best way to avoid its adverse effects.

Application of bridging study design in preventive vaccine clinical trials / 中华预防医学杂志

Bridging study in vaccine clinical trials means a series of small-scale additional tests on the basis that the original safety and effectiveness of a vaccine have been confirmed in clinical trials, to prove that the characteristics of safety, immunogenicity and effectiveness of a vaccine are similar or consistent after component, population and immunization procedure change to other types which can extrapolate data from existing clinical trials. Compared with traditional vaccine clinical trials, bridging trials can promote the approval of vaccines to the market, accelerate the expansion of vaccine application, and promote the use of vaccines across regions and populations. In recent years, the application of bridge study design in vaccine clinical research has become more and more common. In order to better guide and promote the application of bridging trial design in the field of vaccine clinical research, we reviewed the design characteristics and application examples of bridging study design in vaccine clinical trials, and systematically elaborated the design ideas, key points and statistical evaluation methods of bridging study.

Application of bridging study design in preventive vaccine clinical trials / 中华预防医学杂志

Bridging study in vaccine clinical trials means a series of small-scale additional tests on the basis that the original safety and effectiveness of a vaccine have been confirmed in clinical trials, to prove that the characteristics of safety, immunogenicity and effectiveness of a vaccine are similar or consistent after component, population and immunization procedure change to other types which can extrapolate data from existing clinical trials. Compared with traditional vaccine clinical trials, bridging trials can promote the approval of vaccines to the market, accelerate the expansion of vaccine application, and promote the use of vaccines across regions and populations. In recent years, the application of bridge study design in vaccine clinical research has become more and more common. In order to better guide and promote the application of bridging trial design in the field of vaccine clinical research, we reviewed the design characteristics and application examples of bridging study design in vaccine clinical trials, and systematically elaborated the design ideas, key points and statistical evaluation methods of bridging study.

Current status of unplanned readmission of neonates within 31 days after discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit and risk factors for readmission / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To investigate the current status of unplanned readmission of neonates within 31 days after discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and risk factors for readmission.@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 1 561 infants discharged from the NICU, among whom 52 infants who were readmitted within 31 days were enrolled as the case group, and 104 infants who were not readmitted after discharge during the same period of time were enrolled as the control group. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to identify the risk factors for readmission.@*RESULTS@#Among the 1 561 infants, a total of 63 readmissions occurred in 52 infants, with a readmission rate of 3.33%. hyperbilirubinemia and pneumonia were the main causes for readmission, accounting for 29% (18/63) and 24% (15/63) respectively. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that that gestational age <28 weeks, birth weight <1 500 g, multiple pregnancy, mechanical ventilation, and length of hospital stay <7 days were risk factors for readmission (OR=5.645, 5.750, 3.044, 3.331, and 1.718 respectively, P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Neonates have a relatively high risk of readmission after discharge from the NICU. The medical staff should pay attention to risk factors for readmission and formulate targeted intervention measures, so as to reduce readmission and improve the quality of medical service.

Time-dependent injury of mouse cerebral cortex and hippocampus by acute hypoxia / 生理学报

The aim of this study was to investigate the harmful effects of acute hypoxia on mouse cerebral cortex and hippocampus and the underlying mechanism. Mouse model of acute hypoxia was constructed by using a sealed glass jar. Laser speckle contrast imaging was used to detect the changes of cerebral blood flow after different time duration of hypoxia. Total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) assay kits were used to detect oxidative stress in cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Immunofluorescent staining was used to detect neuroinflammatory response of microglia in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. One-step TUNEL method was used to detect neuronal apoptosis. The results showed that, compared with non-hypoxia (0 min hypoxia) group, 30 min hypoxia group exhibited decreased cerebral blood flow, higher percentage of CD68+/Iba1+ microglia, and increased neural apoptosis in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Compared with 30 min group, 60 min hypoxia group showed significantly decreased cerebral blood flow, increased MDA content in the cortex, as well as greater percentage of CD68+/Iba1+ microglia and neuronal apoptosis in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. These results suggest that acute hypoxia damages brain tissue in a time-dependent manner and the oxidative stress and neuroinflammation are important mechanisms.

Isoflavones from Sojae Semen Praeparatum Regulate Lipid Metabolism in Atherosclerotic Mice Through PPARγ/LXRα/ABCA1 Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo study the effect of isoflavones from Sojae Semen Praeparatum （ISSP） on lipid metabolism in atherosclerotic mice， and decipher the underlying mechanism via the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma/liver X receptor alpha/ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 （PPARγ/LXRα/ABCA1） signaling pathway. MethodFifty ApoE-/- mice were randomly assigned into the model group， western medicine （atorvastatin calcium， 3.03 mg·kg-1） group， and low-， medium-， and high-dose ISSP （2.5， 5， 10 mg·kg-1， respectively） groups， with 10 rats in each group. Atherosclerosis model mice were established by bilateral ovariectomy and feeding high-fat diet. Another 10 ApoE-/- mice receiving ovariectomy and high-fat diet were taken as the sham group. Some mice died of postoperative infection， and finally 6 mice were included in each group. One week after operation， each group was administrated with corresponding drugs or equivalent amount of normal saline. After 12 weeks， the levels of triglyceride （TG）， total cholesterol （TC）， high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C）， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）， and non-esterified fatty acids （NEFAs） in serum and liver tissue were measured. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） and interleukin-6 （IL-6） in serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and oil red O staining were used for observation of aortic plaque formation and liver lipid deposition. The mRNA and protein levels of PPARγ， LXRα， ABCA1， and ATP-binding cassette transporter G1 （ABCG1） in liver were determined by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot. ResultCompared with the sham group， the modeling of atherosclerosis increased the aortic plaque area （P<0.01）， elevated the serum TC， TG， LDL-C， TNF-α， and IL-6 levels （P<0.01）， decreased the level of HDL-C （P<0.01）， increased the liver index （P<0.05） and the levels of TC， TG， and NEFAs in liver （P<0.01）， and caused obvious hepatic fat vacuoles and lipid deposition. In addition， the modeling down-regulated the mRNA levels of PPARγ， LXRα， ABCA1 in liver （P<0.05， P<0.01），and regulated the mRNA and protein levels of ABCG1（P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， atorvastatin calcium and middle-， high-dose ISSP reduced the serum TC， TG， LDL-C， TNF-α， and IL-6 levels （P<0.01）， decreased the liver index （P<0.01）， alleviated the liver fat vacuoles and lipid deposition， and increased the levels of TC， TG， and NEFAs in the liver （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Furthermore， they up-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of PPARγ， LXRα， ABCA1， and ABCG1 in the liver （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionISSP may regulate lipid metabolism through PPARγ/LXRα/ABCA1 signaling pathway to down-regulate the expression of inflammatory cytokines in serum and alleviate liver lipid deposition， thereby suppressing the formation of atherosclerotic plaque.

Identification of Escherichia coli β-glucuronidase inhibitors from Polygonum cuspidatum Siebold & Zucc

Abstract Gut bacterial β-glucuronidase (GUS) can reactivate xenobiotics that exert enterohepatic circulation- triggered gastrointestinal tract toxicity. GUS inhibitors can alleviate drug-induced enteropathy and improve treatment outcomes. We evaluated the inhibitory effect of Polygonum cuspidatum Siebold & Zucc. and its major constituents against Escherichia coli GUS (EcGUS), and characterized the inhibitory mechanism of each of the components. Trans-resveratrol 4'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (HZ-1) and (-)-epicatechin gallate (HZ-2) isolated from P. cuspidatum were identified as the key components and potent inhibitors. These two components displayed strong to moderate inhibitory effects on EcGUS, with Ki values of 9.95 and 1.95 μM, respectively. Results from molecular docking indicated that HZ-1 and HZ-2 could interact with the key residues Asp163, Ser360, Ile 363, Glu413, Glu504, and Lys 568 of EcGUS via hydrogen bonding. Our findings demonstrate the inhibitory effect of P. cuspidatum and its two components on EcGUS, which supported the further evaluation and development of P. cuspidatum and its two active components as novel candidates for alleviating drug-induced damage in the mammalian gut.

Major progress in tumor accumulation and penetration of nanomedicine / 药学学报

Nanomedicine has great potential in cancer therapy, but the complex tumor microenvironment greatly prevents nanomedicine from being effectively delivered into tumor in vivo. It has been widely accepted that the encapsulated drugs in the nanoparticles have to go through five major cascading steps, including blood circulation, accumulation in tumor, penetration into the depth of tumor tissue, internalization by tumor cells and then intracellular drug release, before they can exert the anti-tumor efficacy. Among the five steps, drug accumulation in tumor and penetration in the depth of tumor have been the two major issues undermines the antitumor efficacy of nanomedicine. This paper summarizes the new major progress in improving the tumor accumulation and penetration of nanomedicine, especially the technologies that appeared or developed in the last five years.

Coronavirus disease 2019 vaccines: landscape of global studies and potential risks / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

With the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the importance of vaccines in epidemic prevention and public health has become even more obvious than ever. However, the emergence of multiple severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 variants worldwide has raised concerns about the effectiveness of current COVID-19 vaccines. Here, we review the characteristics of COVID-19 vaccine candidates in five platforms and the latest clinical trial results of them. In addition, we further discuss future directions for the research and development of the next generation of COVID-19 vaccines. We also summarize the serious adverse events reported recently after the large-scale vaccination with the current COVID-19 vaccines, including the thromboembolism caused by the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

The value of acidic mammalian chitinase in early diagnosis of occupational pneumoconiosis / 中国职业医学

OBJECTIVE: To observe the expression of acidic mammalian chitinase(AMCase) in lung tissue of silicosis model rats, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) and serum of patients with occupational pneumoconiosis, and to evaluate the value of AMCase in the early diagnosis of pneumoconiosis. METHODS: i) The specific pathogen free adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group and model group, with 15 rats in each group. The rats in the silicosis model group was exposed to free silica dust with a concentration of 2 000.0 mg/m~3 by dynamic inhalation for three hours a day, while the rats in control group were not exposed to dust. Five rats in the two groups were sacrificed at 4, 12 and 24 weeks after dust exposure. ii) By random number table method, a total of 191 patients with occupational pneumoconiosis who received large capacity lung lavage were selected as the pneumoconiosis group, 12 dust-exposed workers who received large capacity lung lavage were selected as the dust control group, and 200 healthy coal miners exposed to dust were selected as healthy control group. iii) Western blotting was used to detect the relative protein expression of AMCase, type Ⅰ collagen(COLⅠ), α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA) in lung tissues of the rats and the relative protein expression of AMCase in human BALF. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the level of AMCase protein in human serum. Receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve was used to evaluate the value of AMCase protein level in human serum for early diagnosis of pneumoconiosis. RESULTS: The relative expression of AMCase, COLⅠand α-SMA protein in lung tissue of rats in the silicosis model group were higher than that of control group(all P<0.01). The relative expression of AMCase protein in BALF of pneumoconiosis group and pneumoconiosis stage Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ subgroups were higher than that of dust control group(all P<0.05). The level of AMCase protein in serum of pneumoconiosis group and pneumoconiosis stage Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ subgroups were higher than that of healthy control group(all P<0.05). The results of ROC curve analysis showed that the area under ROC curve was 0.78(95% confidence interval: 0.74-0.82).When the cut-off value of serum AMCase protein level was 466.0 ng/L, the sensitivity was 73.8%, and the specificity was 72.6%. CONCLUSION: AMCase protein in human serum has value for early diagnosis of pneumoconiosis and it could be a potential biomarker for early diagnosis of pneumoconiosis.

Protective effects of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos against acute alcoholic liver injury in rats based on network pharmacology / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to explore underlying mechanism of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos(LJF) in protecting rats against acute alcoholic liver injury(ALI) based on mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK) pathway. First, the targets of LJF in preventing ALI were predicted by network pharmacology and the component-target-pathway network was constructed, so that the key targets of LJF components acting on MAPK pathway were screened. Second, male SD rats were randomized into the control(KB) group, model(MX) group, positive(YX) group, and LJF high-(GJ), medium-(ZJ), and low-(DJ) dose groups. Each administration group was given(ig) corresponding drugs for 7 days and KB group and MX group received(ig) equal volume of distilled water every day. Except for KB group, rats were given Chinese spirit(56%, 3 days) for ALI modeling. The levels of aspartate transaminase(AST), alanine transaminase(ALT), interleukin-6(IL6) and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) in serum and malondialdehyde(MDA), glutathione(GSH), superoxide dismutase(SOD) and glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px) in liver tissue of rats in each group were detected. Furthermore, we employed quantitative real-time PCR(qRT-PCR) to probe the effects of LJF on the key targets of MAPK pathway in ALI rats. A total of 28 active components of LJF were screened from TCMSP database, and 317 intersected with ALI-related targets. According to Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis, the 317 targets involved 226 pathways, which were mainly liver disease, inflammation, immunity, apoptosis and other related pathways. According to the MAPK pathway-target-active component network, the key active components of LJF, such as chlorogenic acid, hederagenol, and hyperoside, acted on 25 key targets of MAPK pathway. The results of in vivo experiments showed decreased levels of AST, ALT, and MDA in DJ, ZJ, and GJ groups(P<0.01 or P<0.05), reduced levels of IL6 in DJ and GJ groups(P<0.01 or P<0.05), and improved levels of SOD and GSH in ZJ and GJ groups(P<0.01 or P<0.05). The results of qRT-PCR demonstrated that the expression levels of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4(MAPK2 K4) and mitogen-activated protein kinase 3(MAPK3) were decreased in DJ, ZJ, and GJ groups(P<0.01). The network pharmacology and experimental verification showed that the active components in LJF can reduce the inflammatory factor level and enhance the activities of SOD and GSH-Px by inhibiting the expression of key targets of MAPK pathway, thus alleviating and preventing liver damage caused by alcohol.

Immunogenicity and safety of a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 inactivated vaccine in healthy adults: randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#The significant morbidity and mortality resulted from the infection of a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) call for urgent development of effective and safe vaccines. We report the immunogenicity and safety of an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, KCONVAC, in healthy adults.@*METHODS@#Phase 1 and phase 2 randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trials of KCONVAC were conducted in healthy Chinese adults aged 18 to 59 years. The participants in the phase 1 trial were randomized to receive two doses, one each on Days 0 and 14, of either KCONVAC (5 or 10 μg/dose) or placebo. The participants in the phase 2 trial were randomized to receive either KCONVAC (at 5 or 10 μg/dose) or placebo on Days 0 and 14 (0/14 regimen) or Days 0 and 28 (0/28 regimen). In the phase 1 trial, the primary safety endpoint was the proportion of participants experiencing adverse reactions/events within 28 days following the administration of each dose. In the phase 2 trial, the primary immunogenicity endpoints were neutralization antibody seroconversion and titer and anti-receptor-binding domain immunoglobulin G seroconversion at 28 days after the second dose.@*RESULTS@#In the phase 1 trial, 60 participants were enrolled and received at least one dose of 5-μg vaccine (n = 24), 10-μg vaccine (n = 24), or placebo (n = 12). In the phase 2 trial, 500 participants were enrolled and received at least one dose of 5-μg vaccine (n = 100 for 0/14 or 0/28 regimens), 10-μg vaccine (n = 100 for each regimen), or placebo (n = 50 for each regimen). In the phase 1 trial, 13 (54%), 11 (46%), and seven (7/12) participants reported at least one adverse event (AE) after receiving 5-, 10-μg vaccine, or placebo, respectively. In the phase 2 trial, 16 (16%), 19 (19%), and nine (18%) 0/14-regimen participants reported at least one AE after receiving 5-, 10-μg vaccine, or placebo, respectively. Similar AE incidences were observed in the three 0/28-regimen treatment groups. No AEs with an intensity of grade 3+ were reported, expect for one vaccine-unrelated serious AE (foot fracture) reported in the phase 1 trial. KCONVAC induced significant antibody responses; 0/28 regimen showed a higher immune responses than that did 0/14 regimen after receiving two vaccine doses.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Both doses of KCONVAC are well tolerated and able to induce robust immune responses in healthy adults. These results support testing 5-μg vaccine in the 0/28 regimen in an upcoming phase 3 efficacy trial.@*TRIAL REGISTRATION@#http://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx (No. ChiCTR2000038804, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=62350; No. ChiCTR2000039462, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=63353).

A new lignan from Euscaphis konishii / 中国中药杂志

The chemical constituents from the extract of the twigs of Euscaphis konishii with anti-hepatoma activity were investigated, twelve compounds by repeated chromatography with silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and preparative-HPLC. The structures of the chemical components were elucidated by spectroscopy methods, as konilignan(1),(7R, 8S)-dihydrodehydrodico-niferylalcohol-9-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(2),illiciumlignan B(3),threo-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-[4-(3-hydroxypropyl)-2-methoxyphenoxy]-1,3-panediol(4),erythro-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-[4-(3-hydroxypropyl)-2-methoxyphenoxy]-1,3-panediol(5), matairesinol(6), wikstromol(7), isolariciresinol(8),(+)-lyoniresinol(9), 4-ketopinoresinol(10), syringaresin(11), and vladinol D(12). Among them, compound 1 is a new lignan. Compounds 10 and 12 had moderate inhibitory activity on HepG2 cells, with IC_(50) values of 107.12 μmol·L~(-1) and 183.56 μmol·L~(-1), respectively.