The regulatory mechanism of physiological sleep-wake / 中国药理学通报

This paper explains the mechanism of the mutual switching between physiological sleep and wakefulness from the aspects of the sleep circadian system and the sleep homeostasis system. In the circadian rhythm system, with the suprachiasmatic nucleus as the core, the anatomical connections between the suprachiasmatic nucleusand various systems that affect sleep are summarized, starting from the suprachiasmatic nucleus, passing through the four pathways of the melatonin system, namely, subventricular area of the hypothalamus, the ventrolateral nucleus of the preoptic area, orexin neurons, and melatonin, then the related mechanisms of their regulation of sleep and wakefulness are expounded. In the sleep homeostasis system, with adenosine and prostaglandin D2 as targets, the role of hypnogen in sleep arousal mechanisms in regulation is also expounded.

Comparison of clinical efficacy between percutaneous endoscopic transforaminal discectomy and coblation nucleoplasty in the treatment of inclusive lumbar disc herniation / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To observe clinical efficacy of percutaneous endoscopic transforaminal discectomy (PETD) and target radioffrequency thermal coblation nucleoplasty(CN) on inclusive lumbar disc herniation(LDH) in different age groups, and provide a basis for clinical formulation of precise and individualized treatments.@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis of 219 patients with lumbar disc herniation treated with PETD and CN between January 2018 and June 2021 was performed, in which 107 patients were treated with PETD and 112 with CN. Patients were stratified by age into young group(≤45 years old), middle-aged group(>45 years old and <60 years old) and older group(≥60 years old). Before treatment, 3 days, 1 month and 6 months after treatment, visual analogue scale (VAS), Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, infrared thermal imaging temperature difference (△T) and lumbar range of motion (ROM) were evaluated and clinical efficacy were compared in the different age groups between two treatment methods.@*RESULTS@#①VAS and JOA score outcomes, in the same age group and the same treatment method, the VAS and JOA scores at different time points postoperatively were obviously improved (P<0.05). For the same age group and the different treatment methods, the older group had lower VAS and higher JOA scores after PETD than after CN (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference between the young group and middle-aged group (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in VAS and JOA scores at the same time between age groups by PETD treatment (P>0.05). The VAS was higher and the JOA score was lower in older group than in young group and middle-aged group at 1, 6 months after CN treatment(P<0.05). ②△T and ROM outcomes, in the same age group and same treatment method, postoperative △T and ROM at different time points were obviously improved(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in △T between two methods of PETD and CN at the same age(P>0.05), there was no significant difference in ROM between young group and middle-aged group(P>0.05), ROM was higher after PETD treatment than after CN treatment(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in △T and ROM at the same time between age groups by PETD treatment(P>0.05). There was no significant difference in △T between age groups by CN treatment, but the ROM was smaller in older group than in young group and middle-aged group after CN treatment(P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Both PETD and CN for inclusive LDH have good efficacy, the curative benefit for older patients receiving PETD within 6 months after surgery more than CN, and CN is more appropriate for young and middle-aged patients.

TLC identification and quantitative determination of Shipi Xiaoshui gel plaster / 药学实践杂志

Objective To establish the method of thin layer chromatography (TLC) for identification and quantitative determination of Shipi Xiaoshui gel plaster. Methods TLC was adopted to qualitatively identify astragalus radix, plantaginis semen, curcumae rhizome, cinnamomi ramulus, polyporus umbellatus and akebia quinata. UPLC-MS was used to determine the content of astragaloside Ⅳ. Results TLC spots were clear and well-separated; RSDs of precision, reproducibility and stability tests were all lower than 3%, the linear range of astragaloside Ⅳ was 2.75-33 μg/ml (r=0.999 9, n=6), and the average recovery was 100.49% (RSD=1.98%, n=6). Conclusion The established method in this study is accurate, reliable and specific, which could be used for the quality control of Shipi Xiaoshui gel plaster.

Neglect and associated factors among children aged 3-6 years in families with non only children in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To analyze the neglect status of children aged 3-6 years old from non-only-child families in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and influencing factors, so as to provide assistance for the healthy growth of preschool children from non-only-child families.@*Methods@#From April to June 2022, 2 882 parents of preschool children from 15 kindergartens were selected in urban areas of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei by randomized cluster sampling method, and were investigated with general information and neglect experiences. The χ 2 test, t-test and ANOVA were used to compare the neglect status of different categories of preschool children, and the binary Logistic regression method was used to analyze the influencing factors of the neglect of preschool children who were not only children.@*Results@#The detection rate of neglect among children aged 3-6 years from non-only-child families in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region was 33.47%, the detection rate of neglect among children from only-child families was 9.24%, and the difference was statistically significant ( χ 2=261.94, P <0.01). The neglect score for children aged 3-6 years in non-only-child families was (42.35±7.52), the neglect score for onechild families was (38.16±6.56), and the difference was also statistically significant ( t=15.95, P <0.01). Binary Logistic regression analysis showed that family income <4 000 yuan/month ( OR= 2.75, 95%CI =1.18-6.32), grandparents or other relatives as the primary guardian ( OR=2.18, 95%CI =1.35-3.52), and poor parental relationship ( OR=2.64, 95%CI =1.42-3.87), average ( OR=2.31, 95%CI =1.32-4.01) non-only-child preschoolers had a higher risk of neglect ( P <0.05).@*Conclusion@#Neglect is prevalent among 3-to 6-year-old children from non-only-child families in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Targeted intervention measures based on influencing factors should be taken to reduce neglect among preschool children.

Development and verification of multiplex fluorescence quantitative PCR (Taqman probe) for detection of telomerase activity / 中国生物制品学杂志

@#Objective To develop and verify a multiplex fluorescence quantitative PCR(Taqman probe) method for the detection of telomerase activity.Methods Specific reverse transcription primers,two pairs of quantitative primers and probes were designed for the CDS sequence of telomerase catalytic subunit telomerase reverse transcriptase(TERT).After optimization of the reverse transcription primers(specific reverse transcription primers and random primers) and quantitative primers(two pairs of quantitative primer probes used alone or in combination) in the reaction system,with the primer probe of internal reference gene GAPDH,multiplex fluorescence quantitative PCR was performed in a single tube.In addition,telomerase positive standard and negative standard were prepared with 293T and MRC-5 cells respectively,and the stability and precision of the method were verified.The telomerase activity in 19 normal mesenchymal cell samples and 32 breast cancer cell samples were detected by the developed method.Results The optimum reaction system was as follows:using cDNA synthesized with specific reverse transcription primers as the template,2 pairs of quantitative primer probes of TERT gene were mixed with internal reference gene GAPDH primer probes for multiplex fluorescence quantitative PCR reaction in a single tube.After optimization,the sensitivity and TERT fluorescence signal quantity of the system were greatly improved,and the ΔRn was enhanced by 3 times.The amplification curve of positive standard TERT gene was normal,and the ΔCt between TERT gene and GAPDH gene remained stable.The amplification curve of GAPDH gene in negative standard was normal,while there was no amplification curve of TERT gene.There was a little difference in ΔCt between TERT and GAPDH genes in the positive standard frozen and thawed for 3 and 5 times repeatedly and the positive standard without freezing and thawing,and the CVs of precision in intra-and inter-groups were all less than 1%.Telomerase activity was negative in 19 normal mesenchymal cell samples and positive in 32 breast cancer cell samples,and significant difference in Ct value of TERT gene between them was observed(t=4.236,P <0.001).Conclusion The developed multiplex fluorescence quantitative PCR(Taqman probe) method for the detection of telomerase activity has good stability and precision,which is expected to be used in early diagnosis and gene therapy of tumors.

Efficacy of external treatment of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine on chloasma / 中华医学美学美容杂志

Objective:To explore the efficacy of external treatment of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine on melanized type complicated with vascularized type of chloasma.Methods:A total of 82 patients (aged 26-50 years, with an average age of 44.5 years) with melanized type complicated with vascularized type of chloasma were selected, and randomly divided into groups: 28 cases in the traditional Chinese medicine control group were treated with traditional Chinese medicine pourmask combined with surrounded facial acupuncture; 26 cases in Western medicine control group underwent wet compress with 0.5% tranexamic acid solution. In the integrated Chinese traditional and Western medicine treatment group, 28 cases were treated with 2 regimens. After 8 weeks, MASI score was carried out, and vascular hyperplasia in skin lesions was observed by polari-light skin scope.Results:After treatment, the MASI scores in the three groups were all decreased, and the decreasing rate of MASI scores from high to low was as follows: Integrated Chinese traditional and Western medicine treatment group (8.60±4.53) > TCM control group (6.26±3.20) > Western medicine control group (4.39±2.11). After treatment, the vascular hyperplasia scores in the three groups were all decreased, and the value of vascular hyperplasia in the integrated Chinese traditional and Western medicine treatment group (2.57±0.63) and Western medicine control group (1.55±0.51) was greater than that in TCM control group (0.96±0.51), but there was no significant difference between the integrated Chinese traditional and Western medicine treatment group and Western medicine control group.Conclusions:External treatment of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine is effective in the treatment of melanized type complicated with vascularized type of chloasma, and wet compress with tranexamic acid solution can inhibit vascular hyperplasia in patients with chloasma.

Prognostic value of serum carbamoyl phosphate synthase 1 in patients with hepatitis E-related acute liver failure / 中华检验医学杂志

Objective:To explore the impact of serum carbamoyl phosphate synthase 1 (CPS1) level on prognosis of patients with hepatitis E-related acute liver failure (HEV-ALF).Methods:This retrospective analysis included 100 HEV-ALF patients, 100 patients with acute hepatitis E (AHE) and 100 healthy controls who admitted or underwent health checkup from December 2018 to June 2019 in six hospitals, including the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine. HEV-ALF patients were divided into non-survial ( n=21) and survival ( n=79) subgroups according to results of 30-day follow-up results. HEV-ALF patients were also divided into the high ( n=50) and low ( n=50) serum CPS1 level groups. HEV-ALF patients were further divided into the improvement ( n=55), fluctuation ( n=32) and deterioration ( n=13) subgroups. The general clinical data from all participants were collected. Serum CPS1 levels were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The survival time in the high and low serum CPS1 level groups were presented in the Kaplan-Meier curve. The correlation between serum CPS1 level and HEV-ALF related conventional parameters was also analyzed by linear regression. The efficacy of serum CPS1 level on predicting the 30-day mortality of HEV-ALF patients was estimated by the receiver operating characteristic curve and area under curve (AUC). Results:Serum CPS1 level was significantly higher in HEV-ALF patients than in AHE patients [958.59 (665.52, 1 105.83) pg/ml vs 549.38 (495.02, 649.08) pg/ml, P<0.001], and serum CPS1 level was significantly higher in AHE patients than in healthy controls [549.38 (495.02, 649.08) pg/ml vs 469.89 (373.32, 564.53) pg/ml, P<0.001]. The level of serum CPS1 was significantly lower in the HEV-ALF survival group than in the HEV-ALF non-survival group [922.6 (652.7, 1, 042.3) pg/ml vs 1 252.8 (933.3, 1 555.8) pg/ml, P<0.001]. In addition, the survival time was shorter in the high serum CPS1 level group than in the low serum CPS1 level group [24.59 (22.11, 27.06) d vs 28.16 (26.25, 30.07) d, P=0.045]. Serum CPS1 levels were increased in the fluctuation and deterioration groups [Fluctuation: 1 328.3 (1 184.3, 1 964.0) pg/ml vs 1 245.7 (1 102.0, 1 937.6) pg/ml, P<0.01; Deterioration: 1 483.6 (1 275.9, 1 656.8) pg/ml vs 1 332.2 (1 197.4, 1 509.8) pg/ml, P<0.01], while decreased in the improvement group [810.3 (599.7, 904.5) pg/ml vs 922.6 (679.5, 1 039.6) pg/ml, P<0.01] over time. Besides, a linear positive correlation was found between serum CPS1 level and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and total bilirubin (TBIL) (ALT: r=0.339, P<0.001; TBIL: r=0.304, P=0.002). The AUC of serum CPS1 level to predict the 30-day mortality of HEV-ALF patients was 0.803 (95% CI 0.666-0.941), the sensitivity and specificity were 66.67% and 97.47%, respectively. Conclusion:Serum CPS1 level was significantly increased in HEV-ALF patients, and closely related to the prognosis of patients with HEV-ALF.

Three cases of obinutuzumab treatment for rituximab-resistant phospholipase A 2 receptor- associated membranous nephropathy / 中华肾脏病杂志

Rituximab is currently used as a first-line therapy for phospholipase A 2 receptor-associated membranous nephropathy due to its good efficacy and safety. Although the remission rate after rituximab treatment is more than 60%, nearly 40% patients still do not respond to treatment. We used obinutuzumab to treat 3 cases of rituximab resistant PLA 2R-associated membranous nephropathy. After the first dose of 1 000 mg with or without additional dose, the amount of anti-PLA 2R antibody and urinary protein decreased significantly and the adverse reactions were mild. The results show that obinutuzumab has a certain therapeutic effect on rituximab resistant PLA 2R-associated membranous nephropathy, but the time of follow-up observation is short and can only be used as individual cases, which needs to be confirmed by a large sample and high-quality prospective cohort study.

LncRNA UNC5B-AS1 promotes proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of cervical cancer cells by regulating Toll-like receptor signaling pathway / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the effects of long non-coding RNA(lncRNA)UNC5B-AS1 on the proliferation and epithelial mesenchymal transformation(EMT)of cervical cancer. Methods GEO and TCGA databases were used to download data sets and differential expression analysis was performed. qRT-PCR was used to verify the differential expression of lncRNA UNC5B-AS1 in normal and cancerous cervical tissues.The interference and overexpression of lncRNA UNC5B-AS1 were transfected into cervical cancer cell lines, and plate cloning, CCK-8 and EdU experiments were used to detect the effect of lncRNA UNC5B-AS1 on the pro-liferation of cervical cancer cells.Transwell assay was used to detect its effect on migration and invasion of cervical cancer cells.The expression levels of EMT-related genes E-Cadherin, N-Cadherin and Vimentin were detected by Western blot. Transcriptome sequencing was used to obtain the signal pathway regulated by lncRNA UNC5B-AS1, and to verify the expression level of related genes. Results RNA microarray and bioinformatics analysis showed that the expression level of lncRNA UNC5B-AS1 in cervical cancer was significantly higher than that in normal cervical tissue, and correlated with the overall survival time of patients.Compared with the negative control group, knockdown lncRNA UNC5B-AS1 could reduce the proliferation, migration and invasion of cervical cancer cells, while overexpression could promote the proliferation, migration and invasion of cervical cancer cells. Western blot showed that lncRNA UNC5B-AS1 could regulate EMT of cervical cancer cells. Transcriptome sequencing showed that lncRNA UNC5B-AS1 could regulate Toll like receptor(TLR)signaling pathway. qRT-PCR and Western blot results showed that the expression levels of TLR-related genes IL-6 and TICAM2 in the knockdown and overexpression lncRNA UNC5B-AS1 group were significantly changed(P<0.05). Conclusions LncRNA UNC5B-AS1 is highly expressed in cervical cancer. Overexpression of lncRNA UNC5B-AS1 may enhance TLR signaling pathway activity, thereby promoting proliferation and EMT of cervical cancer cells.

Influences of intestinal flora metabolites on neonatal diseases / 国际儿科学杂志

The intestinal tract is an essential digestive organ of the human body, which is known as the "second brain". The intestinal flora disorder is closely related to the occurrence of host diseases.It has been found that the dysbiosis of intestinal flora plays an important role in the development of neonatal diseases.Gut microflora metabolites are bioactive, and the key metabolites can regulate or affect the host′s metabolic changes through different metabolic pathways.The metabolites of the neonatal intestine participate in and affect the progression and outcome of the diseases, and determine their short- and long-term quality of life.This review summarizes the effects of gut flora metabolites on neonatal diseases.

Effects of Hydroxycamptothecin Liposomes on Myocardial Fibrosis in Heart Failure Rats by Regulating Sphingosine Kinase 1/Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Signaling Pathway / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of hydroxycamptothecin liposomes （LHCPT） on myocardial fibrosis in rats with heart failure by regulating the sphingosine kinase 1 （SphK1）/sphingosine-1-phosphate （S1P） signaling pathway. MethodsSD rats were divided into control group， model group， hydroxycamptothecin （HCPT） group， LHCPT group， captopril group， and LHCPT+K6PC-5 （SphK1 activator） group， with 12 rats in each group. The heart failure rat models in all groups except the control group were established by intraperitoneal injection of doxorubicin and then the corresponding drugs were given once a day. After four weeks， we applied color Doppler ultrasound to detect left ventricular end systolic diameter （LVESD）， left ventricular end diastolic diameter （LVEDD）， and left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF） in rats； HE and Masson staining for myocardial pathological damage and myocardial fibrosis in rats， respectively； ELISA method for the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） and interleukin-6 （IL-6） in rat myocardial tissues； qRT-PCR for the expression of transforming growth factor-β1 （TGF-β1）， type I collagen （Collagen I）， and type Ⅲ collagen （Collagen Ⅲ） in rat myocardial tissues； Western blot for the expression of SphK1 and S1P proteins in rat myocardial tissues. ResultsCompared with the control group， the model group showed severe myocardial pathological damage and myocardial fibrosis， increased LVESD， LVEDD， levels of TNF-α and IL-6， expression of TGF-β1， Collagen I， Collagen Ⅲ， SphK1， S1P and decreased LVEF （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the HCPT group， LHCPT group and captopril group showed alleviated myocardial pathological damage and myocardial fibrosis， decreased LVESD， LVEDD， levels of TNF-α and IL-6， expression of TGF-β1， Collagen I， Collagen Ⅲ， SphK1， S1P and increased LVEF （P<0.05）. Compared with the LHCPT group， the LHCPT+K6PC-5 group showed aggravated myocardial pathological damage and myocardial fibrosis， increased LVESD， LVEDD， levels of TNF-α and IL-6， expression of TGF-β1， Collagen I， Collagen Ⅲ， SphK1， S1P and decreased LVEF （P<0.05）. ConclusionLHCPT may inhibit myocardial fibrosis in heart failure rats by inhibiting the SphK1/S1P signaling pathway.

Risk Analysis and Study of Post-marketing Adverse Events for Absorbable Sutures / 中国医疗器械杂志

Objective To investigate, analyze, and evaluate the risk data associated with the clinical use of absorbable sutures by retrieving and summarizing information from the databases of the US FDA and CNKI, as well as the adverse event reports related to absorbable sutures from January 2019 to October 2022 within Zhejiang province. The adverse event reports are obtained from both incident locations and monitoring organizations affiliated with the registrant. The aim is to identify the main risk factors associated with the clinical use of absorbable sutures. The key risk factors are potential product quality defects, product design and material selection, clinical selection and application, and postoperative recovery care including patient's self-care. Risk control strategies are further proposed to reduce or minimize the risk of adverse events caused by this product.

Research Progress and Forensic Application of Human Vascular Finite Element Modeling and Biomechanics / 法医学杂志

The finite element method (FEM) is a mathematical method for obtaining approximate solutions to a wide variety of engineering problems. With the development of computer technology, it is gradually applied to the study of biomechanics of human body. The application of the combination of FEM and biomechanics in exploring the relationship between vascular injury and disease, and pathological mechanisms will be a technological innovation for traditional forensic medicine. This paper reviews the construction and development of human vascular FEM modeling, and its research progress on the vascular biomechanics. This paper also looks to the application prospects of FEM modeling in forensic pathology.

Pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and tissue distribution of oral co-loaded puerarin/daidzein mixed micelles in rats / 中国中药杂志

This study investigated the drug delivery performance of oral co-loaded puerarin(PUE) and daidzein(DAZ) mixed micelles(PUE/DAZ-FS/PMMs) from the perspectives of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and tissue distribution. The changes in PUE plasma concentration in rats were evaluated based on PUE suspension, single drug-loaded micelles(PUE-FS/PMMs), and co-loaded micelles(PUE/DAZ-FS/PMMs). Spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHR) were used to monitor systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and mean arterial pressure for 10 weeks after administration by tail volume manometry. The content of PUE in the heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, brain, and testes was determined using LC-MS/MS. The results showed that compared with PUE suspension and PUE-FS/PMMs, PUE/DAZ-FS/PMMs significantly increased C_(max) in rats(P<0.01) and had a relative bioavailability of 122%. The C_(max), AUC_(0-t), AUC_(0-∞), t_(1/2), and MRT of PUE/DAZ-FS/PMMs were 1.77, 1.22, 1.22, 1.17, and 1.13 times higher than those of PUE suspension, and 1.76, 1.16, 1.08, 0.84, and 0.78 times higher than those of PUE-FS/PMMs, respectively. Compared with the model control group, PUE/DAZ-FS/PMMs significantly reduced systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and mean arterial pressure in SHR rats(P<0.05). The antihypertensive effect of PUE/DAZ-FS/PMMs was greater than that of PUE suspension, and even greater than that of PUE-FS/PMMs at high doses. Additionally, the distribution of PMMs in various tissues showed dose dependency. The distribution of PMMs in the kidney and liver, which are metabolically related tissues, was lower than that in the suspension group, while the distribution in the brain was higher than that in the conventional dose group. In conclusion, PUE/DAZ-FS/PMMs not only improved the bioavailability of PUE and synergistically enhanced its therapeutic effect but also prolonged the elimination of the drug to some extent. Furthermore, the micelles facilitated drug penetration through the blood-brain barrier. This study provides a foundation for the development of co-loaded mixed micelles containing homologous components.

Clinical features of acute macular neuroretinopathy induced by Omicron / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To observe the clinical features of acute macular neuroretinopathy(AMN)induced by Omicron.METHODS: A retrospective study. A total of 9 patients(18 eyes)diagnosed with AMN from December 2022 to January 2023 in the Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were included. Patients underwent spectral-domain optical coherence tomography(SD-OCT), fundus fluorescein angiography(FFA), fundus photography, autofluorescence(AF), infrared reflectance(IR), optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)and multicolor, etc. Furthermore, they were followed up for 1～3mo and observed the prognosis.RESULTS: The initial symptom of the Omicron-induced AMN was the sudden onset of central/paracentral scotoma in the eyes with or without impaired vision and metamorphopsia, and the scotoma could persist for at least 3mo. The image features of AMN are as follows. First, the SD-OCT examination showed the rupture of outer retinal layers, scattered hyperreflective lesions, and atrophy of outer retinal layers. In severe cases, hyperreflective lesions were seen in the inner nuclear layer(INL)or with microcystic cavities under the retinal pigment epithelium(RPE). Second, the OCTA examination demonstrated the decreased blood flow density of the deep capillary plexus(DCP)of the macula. Third, the IR examination showed the weak reflection of lesion areas. Fourth, the fundus photography demonstrated the localized brown wedge-shaped lesion.CONCLUSIONS: The Omicron-induced AMN is mostly found in young females, and the characteristic manifestation of fundus is damage to the outer retinal layers. The extent of fundus lesions is related to the systemic inflammatory response and ocular microcirculatory changes after infection. The multimodal fundus image examination and a history of Omicron infection are helpful to diagnose the Omicron-induced AMN.

Huangqi Decoction, a compound Chinese herbal medicine, inhibits the proliferation and activation of hepatic stellate cells by regulating the long noncoding RNA-C18orf26-1/microRNA-663a/transforming growth factor-β axis / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE@#Huangqi Decoction (HQD), a classical traditional Chinese medicine formula, has been used as a valid treatment for alleviating liver fibrosis; however, the underlying molecular mechanism is still unknown. Although our previous studies showed that microRNA-663a (miR-663a) suppresses the proliferation and activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and the transforming growth factor-β/small mothers against decapentaplegic (TGF-β/Smad) pathway, whether long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in HSC activation via the miR-663a/TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway has not yet reported. The present study aimed to investigate the roles of lncRNA lnc-C18orf26-1 in the activation of HSCs and the mechanism by which HQD inhibits hepatic fibrosis.@*METHODS@#The expression levels of lnc-C18orf26-1, miR-663a and related genes were measured by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. HSCs were transfected with the miR-663a mimic or inhibitor and lnc-C18orf26-1 small interfering RNAs. The water-soluble tetrazolium salt-1 assay was used to assess the proliferation rate of HSCs. Changes in lncRNA expression were evaluated in miR-663a-overexpressing HSCs by using microarray to identify miR-663a-regulated lncRNAs. RNA hybrid was used to predict the potential miR-663a binding sites on lncRNAs. Luciferase reporter assays further confirmed the interaction between miR-663a and the lncRNA. The expression levels of collagen α-2(I) chain (COL1A2), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway-related proteins were determined using Western blotting.@*RESULTS@#Lnc-C18orf26-1 was upregulated in TGF-β1-activated HSCs and competitively bound to miR-663a. Knockdown of lnc-C18orf26-1 inhibited HSC proliferation and activation, downregulated TGF-β1-stimulated α-SMA and COL1A2 expression, and inhibited the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway. HQD suppressed the proliferation and activation of HSCs. HQD increased miR-663a expression and decreased lnc-C18orf26-1 expression in HSCs. Further studies showed that HQD inhibited the expression of COL1A2, α-SMA, TGF-β1, TGF-β type I receptor (TGF-βRI) and phosphorylated Smad2 (p-Smad2) in HSCs, and these effects were reversed by miR-663a inhibitor treatment.@*CONCLUSION@#Our study identified lnc-C18orf26-1 and miR-663a as promising therapeutic targets for hepatic fibrosis. HQD inhibits HSC proliferation and activation at least partially by regulating the lnc-C18orf26-1/miR-663a/TGF-β1/TGF-βRI/p-Smad2 axis.

Inducible co-stimulatory molecules participate in mesenteric vascular endothelial-mesenchymal transition and sclerosis of mesenteric vessels in spontaneously hypertensive rats / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the correlation of inducible co-stimulatory molecules (ICOS) with mesenteric vascular endothelial- mesenchymal transition (EndMT) and sclerosis in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).@*METHODS@#Twenty 4-week-old WKY rats and 20 SHRs of the same strain were both randomly divided into 4 groups for observation at 4, 6, 10 and 30 weeks of age. ICOS expression frequency in rat spleen CD4+T cells was analyzed using flow cytometry, and the expressions of ICOS, VE-cad, α-SMA and Col3 mRNA in rat mesentery were detected by RT-PCR. The distributions of ICOS, IL-17A and TGF-β in rat mesentery were detected by immunohistochemistry. The levels of IL-17A and TGF-β in rat plasma were measured using ELISA. The morphological changes of rat mesenteric vessels were observed with Masson staining. Spearman or Pearson correlation analyses were used to evaluate the correlation between ICOS expression and the expressions of the markers of vascular EndMT and sclerosis.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the control WKY rats, the SHRs began to show significantly increased systolic blood pressure and ICOS expression frequency on CD4+T cells at 6 weeks of age (P < 0.05). In the SHRs, the mRNA and protein expressions of ICOS, α-SMA, Col3, IL-17A and TGF-β in the mesentery were significantly higher than those in control group (P < 0.05), while the mRNA and protein expressions of VE-cad started to reduce significantly at 10 weeks of age (P < 0.05). The plasma levels of IL-17A and TGF-β were significantly increased in SHRs since 6 weeks of age (P < 0.05) with progressive worsening of mesenteric vascular sclerosis (P < 0.05). ICOS mRNA and protein expression levels in the mesenteric tissues of SHRs began to show positive correlations with α-SMA and Col3 expression levels and the severity of vascular sclerosis at 6 weeks of age (P < 0.05) and a negative correlation with VE-cad expression level at 10 weeks (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#ICOS play an important pathogenic role in EndMT and sclerosis of mesenteric vessels in essential hypertension by mediating related immune responses.

Role of Mitophagy in Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury and Chinese Medicine Treatment / 中国结合医学杂志

Mitophagy is one of the important targets for the prevention and treatment of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MIRI). Moderate mitophagy can remove damaged mitochondria, inhibit excessive reactive oxygen species accumulation, and protect mitochondria from damage. However, excessive enhancement of mitophagy greatly reduces adenosine triphosphate production and energy supply for cell survival, and aggravates cell death. How dysfunctional mitochondria are selectively recognized and engulfed is related to the interaction of adaptors on the mitochondrial membrane, which mainly include phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN)-induced kinase 1/Parkin, hypoxia-inducible factor-1 α/Bcl-2 and adenovirus e1b19k Da interacting protein 3, FUN-14 domain containing protein 1 receptor-mediated mitophagy pathway and so on. In this review, the authors briefly summarize the main pathways currently studied on mitophagy and the relationship between mitophagy and MIRI, and incorporate and analyze research data on prevention and treatment of MIRI with Chinese medicine, thereby provide relevant theoretical basis and treatment ideas for clinical prevention of MIRI.

Relationship between Dining Place, Iodine Source, and Iodine Nutrition in School-Age Children: A Cross-Sectional Study in China / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

OBJECTIVE@#This study assesses the impact of iodine-rich processed foods and dining places on the iodine nutritional status of children.@*METHODS@#School-aged children (SAC) in seven provinces in China were selected by school-based multi-stage sampling. Urinary iodine, salt iodine, and thyroid volume (TVOL) were determined. Questionnaires were used to investigate dining places and iodine-rich processed foods. The water iodine was from the 2017 national survey. Multi-factor regression analysis was used to find correlations between variables.@*RESULTS@#Children ate 78.7% of their meals at home, 15.1% at school canteens, and 6.1% at other places. The percentage of daily iodine intake from water, iodized salt, iodine-rich processed foods, and cooked food were 1.0%, 79.2%, 1.5%, and 18.4%, respectively. The salt iodine was correlated with the urinary iodine and TVOL, respectively (r = 0.999 and -0.997, P < 0.05). The iodine intake in processed foods was weakly correlated with the TVOL (r = 0.080, P < 0.01). Non-iodized salt used in processed foods or diets when eating out had less effect on children's iodine nutrition status.@*CONCLUSION@#Iodized salt remains the primary source of daily iodine intake of SAC, and processed food has less effect on iodine nutrition. Therefore, for children, iodized salt should be a compulsory supplement in their routine diet.

A nomogram for preoperative prediction of lymph node metastasis in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma based on inflammation-related markers / 中华外科杂志

Objectives: To construct a nomogram for prediction of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) lymph node metastasis based on inflammation-related markers,and to conduct its clinical verification. Methods: Clinical and pathological data of 858 ICC patients who underwent radical resection were retrospectively collected at 10 domestic tertiary hospitals in China from January 2010 to December 2018. Among the 508 patients who underwent lymph node dissection,207 cases had complete variable clinical data for constructing the nomogram,including 84 males,123 females,109 patients≥60 years old,98 patients<60 years old and 69 patients were pathologically diagnosed with positive lymph nodes after surgery. Receiver operating characteristic curve was drawn to calculate the accuracy of preoperative imaging examinations to determine lymph node status,and the difference in overall survival time was compared by Log-rank test. Partial regression squares and statistically significant preoperative variables were screened by backward stepwise regression analysis. R software was applied to construct a nomogram,clinical decision curve and clinical influence curve,and Bootstrap method was used for internal verification. Moreover,retrospectively collecting clinical information of 107 ICC patients with intraoperative lymph node dissection admitted to 9 tertiary hospitals in China from January 2019 to June 2021 was for external verification to verify the accuracy of the nomogram. 80 patients with complete clinical data but without lymph node dissection were divided into lymph node metastasis high-risk group and low-risk group according to the score of the nomogram among the 858 patients. Log-rank test was used to compare the overall survival of patients with or without lymph node metastasis diagnosed by pathology. Results: The area under the curve of preoperative imaging examinations for lymph node status assessment of 440 patients was 0.615,with a false negative rate of 62.8% (113/180) and a false positive rate of 14.2% (37/260). The median survival time of 207 patients used to construct a nomogram with positive or negative postoperative pathological lymph node metastases was 18.5 months and 27.1 months,respectively (P<0.05). Five variables related to lymph node metastasis were screened out by backward stepwise regression analysis,which were combined calculi,neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio,albumin,liver capsule invasion and systemic immune inflammation index,according to which a nomogram was constructed with concordance index(C-index) of 0.737 (95%CI: 0.667 to 0.806). The C-index of external verification was 0.674 (95%CI:0.569 to 0.779). The calibration prediction curve was in good agreement with the reference curve. The results of the clinical decision curve showed that when the risk threshold of high lymph node metastasis in the nomogram was set to about 0.32,the maximum net benefit could be obtained by 0.11,and the cost/benefit ratio was 1∶2. The results of clinical influence curve showed that when the risk threshold of high lymph node metastasis in the nomogram was set to about 0.6,the probability of correctly predicting lymph node metastasis could reach more than 90%. There was no significant difference in overall survival time between patients with high/low risk of lymph node metastasis assessed by the nomogram and those with pathologically confirmed lymph node metastasis or without lymph node metastasis (Log-rank test:P=0.082 and 0.510,respectively). Conclusion: The prediction accuracy of preoperative nomogram for ICC lymph node metastasis based on inflammation-related markers is satisfactory,which can be used as a supplementary method for preoperative diagnosis of lymph node metastasis and is helpful for clinicians to make personalized decision of lymph node dissection for patients with ICC.