Based on the interaction between supramolecules of traditional Chinese medicine and enterobacteria to explore the material basis of combination of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma - Coptidis Rhizoma / 药学学报

Based on the interaction between supramolecule of traditional Chinese medicine and enterobacteria, the material basis of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma and Coptidis Rhizoma was explored. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) were used to characterize the morphological differences of Rhubarb single decoction, Coptis single decoction and Rhubarb and Coptis co-decoction. An in vitro antibacterial model (E. coli, E. faecium and B. subtilis) was established to evaluate the damage effect of the combination of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma and Coptidis Rhizoma on enterobacteria. Ultra high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was used to analyze the changes of chemical components of single decoctions and co-decoctions. The co-decoction of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma and Coptidis Rhizoma was turbid after decocting. The spherical particles of 300-400 nm were observed under SEM, and the co-decoction was more uniform and stable than that of single decoction. The interaction between supramolecules formed after the combination of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma and Coptidis Rhizoma and enterobacteria was significantly different from that of single decoction. In the process of interaction between supramolecules and enterobacteria, the spherical state was maintained, and the medicinal ingredients in Coptidis Rhizoma or Rhei Radix et Rhizoma were blocked, which could effectively alleviate the damage to enterobacteria. This study provided a reference for subsequent studies on the regulation of intestinal flora homeostasis by the combination of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma and Coptidis Rhizoma.

The effects of natural polysaccharide supramolecular hydrogel on bacteriostatic activity and biofilm clearance of berberine / 药学学报

Taking berberine (BBR) as an example, to study whether the supramolecular hydrogel formed by berberine and lotus root starch (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn; LRS), a natural polysaccharide, affects the inhibition to Staphylococcus aureus and the ability of biofilm clearance. The chemical structure and rheological properties of BBR@LRS gel were characterized by infrared spectroscopy and rheometer. The in vitro release of supramolecular hydrogel was observed at pH = 1.2 and pH = 7.4. Broth dilution method and biofilm clearence experiment were used to observe the bacteriostasis and biofilm clearance respectively. Cytotoxicity test and in vitro hemolysis test were used to evaluate the biosafety preliminarily. The results showed that the LRS polysaccharide hydrogel could encapsulate BBR, and there was an interaction between them. The BBR@LRS gel had good rheological properties and biosafety, and played a role in solubility enhancement and slow release of BBR, which was stronger than BBR in inhibiting the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and clearing biofilm. This study provides reference for the effect of natural polysaccharide supramolecular hydrogels on biological functions of active components of traditional Chinese medicine.

Left Ventricle Longitudinal Strain Parameters Are Effective for Differentiating Cardiac Amyloidosis from Primary Hypertensive Left Ventricular Hypertrophy / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

ObjectiveTo clarify the value of the left ventricular longitudinal strain（LVLS）parameters in patients with cardiac amyloidosis （CA） and primary hypertension with left ventricular hypertrophy （HLVH）. MethodsForty-one patients confirmed with CA were selected and assigned to CA with hypertension group （n =14） and pure CA group （n=27） based on the initial diagnosis with or without hypertension. Twenty patients with primary hypertension-induced left ventricular hypertrophy （HLVH group） and twenty healthy controls were also selected， matching for gender， age， and body surface area. Clinical data， conventional echocardiography parameters were collected and LVLS parameters were measured. Within-group variations were compared among the four groups， and pairwise comparisons were conducted between groups. The sensitivity and specificity of each parameter in predicting CA were judged by the receiver operator characteristic （ROC） curvy in CA and HLVH patients with left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF） preserved. ResultsAmong the conventional echocardiography parameters， LVEF and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter （LVEDD） were lower in the CA with hypertension group and pure CA group compared with the higher values in the HLVH group and control group. Whereas， left ventricular posterior wall thickness （LVPWT）， relative wall thickness （RWT）， and average E/e' were higher in the two CA groups compared with the HLVH group （all P＜0.05）.Among the LVLS parameters， Global longitudinal strain （GLS） was the worst in the CA with hypertension group so as pure CA group， modest in the HLVH group， and highest in the control group. On the contrary， relative longitudinal strain and ejection fraction strain ratio （EFSR） were the highest in the CA with hypertension group so as to pure CA group， modest in the HLVH group， and lowest in the control group （all P＜0.05）. ROC analysis showed that when LVEF was preserved， the absolute value of GLS less than 14.35% and EFSR higher than 4.28 could effectively distinguish CA from HLVH （all AUCs＞0.9，all P＜0.05）； meanwhile GLS showed high sensitivity（100%） and EFSR showed great specificity（95%）. There were not statistically significance in any parameter between CA with hypertension group and pure CA group（all P＞0.05）. ConclusionWhether CA was complicated with hypertension or not， there were statistically significance among routine echocardiography and LVLS parameters compared with HLVH. In particular， GLS and EFSR are accurate in predicting CA in patients with myocardial hypertrophy and preserved LVEF.

CD44-HA Mediate Adhesion of MDA-MB-231 Cells and HL60 Cells under Fluid Shear Flow / 医用生物力学

Objective To explore how hyaluronic acid ( HA) in extracellular matrix regulates the adhesion ofCD44+tumor cells. Methods MDA-MB-231 cells or HL60 cells were perfused in a parallel plate chamber. Themovement of cells over immobilized HA was observed and analyzed to obtain the characteristics of cell adhesionand rolling. Results The adhesion number of MDA-MB-231 cells on HA substrate was positively regulated by HAconcentration, but not by HA molecular weight. Compared with physically adsorbed HA, immobilized HA byavidin-biotin could significantly improve the cell adhesion ratio. With the increase of shear stress in the range of30-50 mPa, the rolling velocity of cells increased and the adhesion ratio decreased, but the tether lifetime of cellswas not affected. In the same flow field, compared with MDA-MB-231 cells, HL60 cells with low expression ofCD44 rolled more quickly on immobilized HA, with shorter tether lifetime and much lower adhesion ratio(<1. 5% ). Conclusions Fluid shear stress might mediate the rolling velocity of MDA-MB-231 cells by regulatingthe CD44-HA association rate rather than their dissociation rate. The interaction between CD44 and HA is involved in the initial adhesion of HL60 cells, but it does not play a major role. This study will provide references for the design of anti-tumor drugs.

Study on the effects of 17-hydroxy-jolkinolide B on the proliferation and apoptosis of human triple-negative breast cancer cells / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To study the effects of the active component 17-hydroxy-jolkinolide B （HJB） of Euphorbia fischeriana on the proliferation and apoptosis of human triple-negative breast cancers （TNBC） MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells. METHODS MTT assay was adopted to detect the inhibitory rate of MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells proliferation after treated with 0 （blank control），5，10，20，40，80 μmol/L HJB for 24， 48 and 72 h. Laser confocal microscope and flow cytometry were adopted to detect the apoptosis， mitochondrial membrane potential（MMP） and reactive oxygen species （ROS） of above 2 kinds of cells after treated with 0 （blank control）， 10，20，40 μmol/L HJB for 24 h. Western blot assay was used to detect the expressions of B cell lymphoma-2（ Bcl-2）， Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）， cytochrome-C （Cyt-C）， caspase-3， cleaved caspase- 3， caspase-9 and cleaved caspase-9. RESULTS Compared with blank control group， 5，10，20，40，80 μmol/L HJB could significantly increase the inhibitory rate of MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells proliferation （P＜0.05）， in dose- and time- dependent trend. After 24 h treatment of HJB （10，20，40 μmol/L）， the apoptosis of above 2 kinds of cells increased， and the total apoptotic rate increased significantly （P＜0.05）； the mitochondrial membrane potential decreased significantly （P＜0.05）； the level of ROS increased significantly （P＜0.05）； the protein expressions of Bcl-2， caspase-3 and caspase-9 were decreased significantly （P＜ 0.05）， while the protein expressions of Cyt-C， Bax， cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-9 were increased significantly （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS HJB can inhibit the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells， and induce their apoptosis.

Research advances in contact lens associated bacterial keratitis / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

Contact lens(CL)is currently one of the most common methods of vision correction, with more than 140 million users worldwide and the demand is rising yearly as constantly development of materials and features. Wearing CL can lead to a variety of complications such as dry eye, corneal abrasions, giant papillary conjunctivitis, and infectious keratitis is one of the most severe complications. According to research, bacteria account for 80%～95% of the pathogens that cause CL-associated infective keratitis, it may have been related to the bacterial composition, virulence mechanism, biofilm formation and the combined effect of the lens itself and the process of use, which is prone to introducing pathogens, reducing antimicrobial capacity of the cornea and tears and causing ocular surface hypoxia and ocular surface inflammation. Overnight and prolonged lens wear, irregular lens purchase, use and care procedures can also be risk factors for bacterial infections. This article reviews the studies on the pathogenesis, risk factors, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of CL-related bacterial keratitis.

Current status and trend of acupuncture-moxibustion for myofascial pain syndrome: a visual analysis of knowledge graph based on CiteSpace and VOSviewer / 中国针灸

Bibliometric and scientific knowledge graph methods were used to analyze the research status and hot spots of acupuncture-moxibustion in treatment of myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) and explore its development trend. The articles of both Chinese and English versions relevant to MPS treated by acupuncture-moxibustion were searched in CNKI, VIP, Wanfang, SinoMed and WOS from the database inception to March 20, 2023. Using Excel2016, CiteSpace6.2.R2 and VOSviewer1.6.18, the visual analysis was conducted by means of the cooperative network, keyword co-occurrence, keyword timeline, keyword emergence, etc. From Chinese databases and WOS database, 910 Chinese articles and 300 English articles were included, respectively. The annual publication volume showed an overall rising trend. Literature output of English articles was concentrated in Spain, China, and the United States, of which, there was less cross-regional cooperation. In the keyword analysis, regarding acupuncture-moxibustion therapy, Chinese articles focused on "acupuncture", "electroacupuncture" and "acupotomy"; while, "dry needling" and "injection" were dominated for English one. Clinical study was the current hot spot in Chinese databases, in comparison, the randomized controlled double-blind clinical trial was predominant in WOS. Both Chinese and English articles were limited in the report of mechanism research. The cooperation among research teams should be strengthened to conduct comparative research, dose-effect research and effect mechanism research with different methods of acupuncture-moxibustion involved so that the evidences can be provided for deeper exploration.

Role of TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway in pulmonary fibrosis after rheumatoid arthritis in mice / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the role of TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) - associated postinterstitial pulmonary fibrosis in mice. Methods The mouse model of RA was constructed by subcutaneous administration of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) and chicken II collagen (Col-II) to the tail root of mice. The blank group was given the same amount of distilled water, and the control group was given the same amount of glacial acetic acid (solvent). The degree of toe swelling (joint swelling degree and arthritis index) was monitored to evaluate the mouse modeling. The pathological changes of mouse lung tissues were observed by HE and Masson staining. The expression of TGF-β in lung tissues were observed by immunohistochemical staining. The level of hydroxyproline in lung tissues was measured by chemiluminescence method. The expressions of Smad2, Smad3 and phosphorylated p-Smad2 and phosphorylated p-Smad3 in lung tissues were detected by Western blot. Results Compared with blank group and solvent group, the joint swelling and arthritis index of model group significantly increased. Twenty-one days after administration, HE staining showed inflammatory changes in lung interstitium of the model group, Masson staining showed collagen fiber deposition and obvious fibrosis in lung interstitium of the model group, and immunohistochemical staining showed that the expression of TGF-β in cytoplasm of lung interstitial cells of the model group increased, which was brown and yellow. Meanwhile, hydroxyproline was significantly raised in lung tissue homogenate of the model group. Further WB analysis showed that compared with blank group and solvent group, the expression of p-Smad2 and pSmad3 in lung tissues of the model group was significantly up-regulated (P < 0. 05, P < 0. 01). Conclusions RA can give rise to pulmonary fibrosis, and the expressions of p-Smad2 and p-Smad3 are up-regulated, which is be pivotal in pulmonary fibrosis and RA-related post-interstitial pulmonary fibrosis.

Effects of astragalus polysaccharides on improvement of liver and kidney injury and regulation of intestinal flora structure in cadmium-exposed rats / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the effects of astragalus polysaccharides on the improvement of liver and kidney injury and the regulation of intestinal flora structure in cadmium exposed rats. Methods Rats exposed to cadmium were established by intraperitoneal injection of CdCl2. After continuous intragastric administration of astragalus polysaccharides for five weeks, urine, liver, kidney and feces were collected. The cadmium residues in urine, liver and kidney were detected by Graphite Furnace Atomic absorption spectrometry, the pathological changes of liver and kidney were observed by HE staining, and Illumina PE250 sequencing and bioinformatics software were used to analyze the structure of intestinal flora. Results After intraperitoneal injection of CdCl2, the accumulation of cadmium in urine, liver and kidney increased significantly, some liver and kidney cells showed pathological damage such as swelling, necrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration. Chao, ace and shannon indexes decreased significantly, while simpson index increased significantly. The number of OTU decreased. And the abundance of Ruminococcus, Bacteroides, Flavonifractor, Roseburia and Elusmicrobium decreased significantly, but Lactobacillus, that of Lachnospiracea_incertae_sedis, Parasutterella, Clostridium XlVb, Clostridium XI, Integinimonas and Fusobacterium increased significantly. Compared with the normal control group, the differences was statistically significant(P<0.05 or P<0.01). After intragastric administration of astragalus polysaccharides, cadmium accumulation in urine, liver and kidney decreased significantly, liver and kidney cell damage alleviated, and inflammatory cell infiltration reduced. Chao, ace and shannon index increased markedly, and simpson index decreased significantly. OTU number increased. And the bundance of Prevotella, Bacteroides, Parasutterella, Elismicrobium and Barnesiella raised significantly, that of Ruminococcus, Oscillibacter, Flavonifractor, Clostridium XlVa, Roseburia, Lactobacillus, Ruminococcus2, Lachnospiracea_incertae_sedis, Clostridium IV, Clostridium XlVb, Clostridium XI and integinimonas decreased significantly, which was statistically significant compared with the group exposed to cadmium alone(P<0.05 or P<0.01). Conclusions Astragalus polysaccharides may improve liver and kidney injury by reducing cadmium accumulation and regulating the structure of intestinal flora in cadmium exposed rats.

Review of research progress on neurotransmitter function and depression / 中国药理学通报

Depression is one of the most common psychiatric disorders with high prevalence, disability and relapse rates, and its etiology and pathogenesis are complex and still not fully understood. Neurotransmitters play a key role in maintaining chemical homeostasis in brain, and many studies have shown a strong link between neurotransmitters and the development and treatment of depression in recent years. Therefore, studying the neurotransmitters associated with depression has the potential to provide research targets and ideas for the pathogenesis and treatment strategies of depression. This paper reviews the recent domestic and foreign research results on neurotransmitter function and the pathogenesis of depression, aiming to analyze the in-depth relationship between neurotransmitter function and the pathogenesis of depression, and provide research ideas for the follow-up ex-ploration of the pathogenesis and diagnosis and treatment strategies of depression.

Research progress on chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of Ajania plants / 中国中药杂志

Ajania belonging to the subtribe Artemisiinae of Anthemideae(Asteraceae) is a genus of semi-shrubs closely related to Chrysanthemum. There are 24 species of Ajania in northwestern China, most of which are folk herbal medicines with strong stress tolerance. Modern medical studies have demonstrated that the chemical constituents of Ajania mainly include terpenoids, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, alkynes, and essential oils. These compounds endow the plants with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antimalarial, antioxidant, and insecticide effects. In this study, we reviewed the research progress in the chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of Ajania, aiming to provide reference for the further research and development of Ajania.

Anemoside B4 regulates fatty acid metabolism reprogramming in mice with colitis-associated cancer / 中国中药杂志

The study aimed to investigate the effect of anemoside B4(B4) on fatty acid metabolism in mice with colitis-associated cancer(CAC). The CAC model was established by azoxymethane(AOM)/dextran sodium sulfate(DSS) in mice. Mice were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, and low-, medium-, and high-dose anemoside B4 groups. After the experiment, the length of the mouse colon and the size of the tumor were measured, and the pathological alterations in the mouse colon were observed using hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining. The slices of the colon tumor were obtained for spatial metabolome analysis to analyze the distribution of fatty acid metabolism-related substances in the tumor. The mRNA levels of SREBP-1, FAS, ACCα, SCD-1, PPARα, ACOX, UCP-2, and CPT-1 were determined by real-time quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR). The results revealed that the model group showed decreased body weight(P<0.05) and colon length(P<0.001), increased number of tumors, and increased pathological score(P<0.01). Spatial metabolome analysis revealed that the content of fatty acids and their derivatives, carnitine, and phospholipid in the colon tumor was increased. RT-qPCR results indicated that fatty acid de novo synthesis and β-oxidation-related genes, such as SREBP-1, FASN, ACCα, SCD-1, ACOX, UCP-2, and CPT-1 mRNA expression levels increased considerably(P<0.05, P<0.001). After anemoside B4 administration, the colon length increased(P<0.01), and the number of tumors decreased in the high-dose anemoside B4 group(P<0.05). Additionally, spatial metabolome analysis showed that anemoside B4 could decrease the content of fatty acids and their derivatives, carnitine, and phospholipids in colon tumors. Meanwhile, anemoside B4 could also down-regulate the expression of FASN, ACCα, SCD-1, PPARα, ACOX, UCP-2, and CPT-1 in the colon(P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.001). The findings of this study show that anemoside B4 may inhibit CAC via regulating fatty acid metabolism reprogramming.

Impact of Smoke-Free Legislation on Acute Myocardial Infarction and Subtypes of Stroke Incidence in Shenzhen, China, 2012-2016: An Interrupted Time Series Analysis / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

OBJECTIVE@#This study assesses the impact of smoke-free legislation on the incidence rate for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and stroke in Shenzhen.@*METHODS@#Data on ischemic ( n = 72,945) and hemorrhagic ( n = 18,659) stroke and AMI ( n = 17,431) incidence covering about 12 million people in Shenzhen from 2012 to 2016 were used. Immediate and gradual changes in incidence rates were analyzed using segmented Poisson regression.@*RESULTS@#Following the smoke-free legislation, a 9% (95% CI: 3%-15%) immediate reduction was observed in AMI incidence, especially in men (8%, 95% CI: 1%-14%) and in those aged 65 years and older (17%, 95% CI: 9%-25%). The gradual annual benefits were observed only in hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke incidence, with a 7% (95% CI: 2%-11%) and 6% (95% CI: 4%-8%) decrease per year, respectively. This health effect extended gradually to the 50-64 age group. In addition, neither the immediate nor gradual decrease in stroke and AMI incidence rates did not show statistical significance among the 35-49 age group ( P > 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Smoke-free legislation was enforced well in Shenzhen, which would generate good experiences for other cities to enact and enforce smoke-free laws. This study also provided more evidence of the health benefits of smoke-free laws on stroke and AMI.

Comparison of mouse models of depression induced by different modeling methods / 生理学报

The present article was aimed to compare the effectiveness of different induction methods for depression models. Kunming mice were randomly divided into chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) group, corticosterone (CORT) group, and CUMS+CORT (CC) group. The CUMS group received CUMS stimulation for 4 weeks, and the CORT group received subcutaneous injection of 20 mg/kg CORT into the groin every day for 3 weeks. The CC group received both CUMS stimulation and CORT administration. Each group was assigned a control group. After modeling, forced swimming test (FST), tail suspension test (TST) and sucrose preference test (SPT) were used to detect the behavioral changes of mice, and the serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and CORT were detected with ELISA kits. Attenuated total refraction (ATR) spectra of mouse serum were collected and analyzed. HE staining was used to detect morphological changes in mouse brain tissue. The results showed that the weight of model mice from the CUMS and CC groups decreased significantly. There was no significant change in immobility time of model mice from the three groups in FST and TST, while the glucose preference of model mice from the CUMS and CC groups was significantly reduced (P < 0.05). The serum 5-HT levels of model mice from the CORT and CC groups were significantly reduced, while the serum BDNF and CORT levels of model mice from the CUMS, CORT, and CC groups showed no significant changes. Compared with their respective control groups, the three groups showed no significant difference in the one-dimensional spectrum of serum ATR. The difference spectrum analysis results of the first derivative of the spectrogram showed that the CORT group had the greatest difference from its respective control group, followed by the CUMS group. The structures of hippocampus in the model mice from the three groups were all destroyed. These results suggest that both CORT and CC treatments can successfully construct a depression model, and the CORT model is more effective than the CC model. Therefore, CORT induction can be used to establish a depression model in Kunming mice.

Risk Factors for in-Hospital Mortality in Patients with Takotsubo Syndrome / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

ObjectiveTo analyze the risk factors for in-hospital mortality in patients with Takotsubo Syndrome （TTS）. MethodsHospitalization data of consecutive patients with TTS from February 2009 to January 2022 were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Patients were divided into survival group and death group according to outcomes. The basic clinical information， triggering factors， laboratory examinations， electrocardiogram， echocardiography， complications and treatments of the two groups were compared. Univariable logistic regression analysis was used to screen the possible risk factors for in-hospital mortality in TTS patients， and multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality in TTS patients. ResultsA total of 62 TTS patients were included in our study， including 21 males （33.9%）， 41 females （66.1%） and 26 postmenopausal women （41.9%）， with the mean age of （55.6±16.2） years， and physical triggers were found in 50 patients （80.6%）. 17 patients （27.4%） died while 45 patients （72.6%） survived during hospitalization. The death group had lower systolic blood pressure and left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF）， higher incidence rate of syncope， higher level of N-terminal pro-B natriuretic peptide （NT-proBNP） and hypersensitive troponin T （hs TnT） when compared with survival group （all P value <0.05）. As for the triggering factors， the proportion of TTS induced by neurologic disorders in the death group was higher than that in the survival group （P<0.05）. The death group had higher rates of cardiogenic shock， malignant ventricular arrhythmia， atrial fibrillation， and respiratory failure （all P value <0.05）. Compared with the survival group， therapeutic dopamine， therapeutic norepinephrine， hemodialysis and mechanical ventilation were higher in the death group （all P value <0.05）. Univariable logistic regression analysis suggested that syncope， NT-proBNP， LVEF， neurologic disorders， cardiogenic shock， malignant ventricular arrhythmia， atrial fibrillation， respiratory failure， therapeutic dopamine， therapeutic norepinephrine， hemodialysis and mechanical ventilation were potential risk factors for in-hospital mortality in TTS patients （all P value <0.05）. Multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that neurologic disorders ［OR（95%CI）=5.651（1.195，26.715），P=0.029］， atrial fibrillation ［OR（95%CI）=6.217（1.276，30.298）， P=0.024）］ and therapeutic norepinephrin ［OR（95%CI）=8.847（1.912，40.949）， P=0.005］ were independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality in TTS patients. ConclusionsNeurologic disorders， atrial fibrillation and therapeutic norepinephrin are independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality in patients with Takotsubo Syndrome. Clinically， attention should be paid to the prevention and treatment of neurologic disorders and atrial fibrillation； norepinephrine should be carefully used in patients with diagnosed TTS complicated with hemodynamic instability.

Plastic and reconstruction surgery for non-healing wound after posterior spinal surgery / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the clinical significance of different plastic surgeries in the treatment of poor healing wound after posterior spinal internal fixation.@*METHODS@#In this study, 16 patients with poor incision healing after posterior spinal internal fixation were retrospectively included, and dif-ferent plastic surgery treatment plans were determined according to the wound characteristics and defect condition. The measures included debridement, vacuum sealing drainage (VSD), and different tissue flaps according to the location and extent of the defect.@*RESULTS@#A total of 16 patients meeting the criteria were included, of whom 3 were treated with debridement combined with VSD and wound suture directly, 6 were treated with debridement combined with Z-flap for wound repair, 1 was treated with bilateral sacrospinous muscle flap for dural defect repair combined with Z-flap for skin wound repair, 1 was treated with lectus dorsi flap for wound repair, 3 were treated with the fourth lumbar artery perforator flap for wound repair. The wound was repaired with local rotating flap in 1 case and gluteus maximus musculocutaneous flap in 1 case. Among the 16 patients, 7 cases were positive for wound culture, including 3 cases of Staphylococcus aureus, 1 case of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 1 case of Staphylococcus epidermidis, 1 case of Escherichia coli, 1 case of Klebsiella pneumoniae, and the other 9 cases were negative. After surgery, there were 7 patients with different degrees of poor wound healing, including 3 patients undergoing dressing change, 2 patients undergoing secondary debridement and suture, 1 patient undergoing free scalp skin graft, and 1 patient undergoing local effusion suction treatment. All the above 7 patients were discharged from hospital after improvement, and the remaining 9 patients had good first-stage wound hea-ling after surgery. None of the 16 patients underwent internal fixation.@*CONCLUSION@#Multiple factors could lead to poor wound healing after posterior spinal internal fixation. Early intervention, thorough debridement, removal of necrotic/infected tissue, and selection of suitable skin flap for effective wound fil-ling and covering were important means to ensure wound healing after spinal surgery and reduce removal of internal fixation.

Research progress on the effects of childhood obstructive sleep apnea syndrome on cognition and brain functions / 生理学报

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), a prevalent sleep disorder in children, is characterized by recurring upper airway obstruction during sleep. OSAS in children can cause intermittent hypoxia and sleep fragmentation, ultimately affect brain development and further lead to cognitive impairment if lack of timely effective intervention. In recent years, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electroencephalogram (EEG) have been employed to investigate brain structure and function abnormalities in children with OSAS. Previous studies have indicated that children with OSAS showed extensive gray and white matter damage, abnormal brain function in regions such as the frontal lobe and hippocampus, as well as a significant decline in general cognitive function and executive function. However, the existing studies mainly focused on the regional activity, and the mechanism of pediatric OSAS affecting brain networks remains unknown. Moreover, it's unclear whether the alterations in brain structure and function are associated with their cognitive impairment. In this review article, we proposed two future research directions: 1) future studies should utilize the multimodal neuroimaging techniques to reveal the alterations of brain networks organization underlying pediatric OSAS; 2) further investigation is necessary to explore the relationship between brain network alteration and cognitive dysfunction in children with OSAS. With these efforts, it will be promising to identify the neuroimaging biomarkers for monitoring the brain development of children with OSAS as well as aiding its clinical diagnosis, and ultimately develop more effective strategies for intervention, diagnosis, and treatment.

Changes of intestinal wall barrier function and its correlation with susceptibility to infection in patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension / 中华肝脏病杂志

Objective: To investigate the changes of intestinal wall barrier function and its correlation with infection occurrence in patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension. Methods: 263 patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension were split into: the clinically evident portal hypertension (CEPH) combined with infection group (n = 74); CEPH group (n = 104); and Non-CEPH group (n = 85). Among them, 20 CEPH patients and 12 non-CEPH patients in non-infection status were subjected to sigmoidoscopy. Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression of trigger receptor-1 (TREM-1), CD68, CD14, the inducible nitric oxide synthase molecule, and Escherichia coli (E.coli) in the medullary cells of the colon mucosa. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the levels of soluble myeloid cell trigger receptor-1 (sTREM-1), soluble leukocyte differentiation antigen-14 subtype (sCD14-ST) and intestinal wall permeability index enteric fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP). Fisher's exact probability method, one-way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis-H test, Bonferroni method, and Spearman correlation analysis were used for statistical analysis. Results: The serum sTREM-1 and I-FABP levels were higher in CEPH patients than those of non-CEPH patients in the non-infectious state (P < 0.05), but the difference in blood sCD14-ST levels was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Serum levels of sTREM-1, sCD14-ST, and I-FABP in infected patients were higher than those in patients without a concurrent infection (P < 0.05). Serum sCD14-ST levels were positively correlated with serum sTREM-1, C-reactive protein (CRP), and procalcitonin (PCT), and sTREM-1 levels were also positively correlated with CRP and PCT (r > 0.5, P < 0.001). The rates of CD68, inducible nitric oxide synthase, CD14-positive cells, and E.coli-positive glands were higher in the intestinal mucosa of the CEPH group than those of the control group (P < 0.05). Spearman's correlation analysis showed that the rate of E.coli-positive glands in CEPH patients was positively correlated with the expression of molecular markers CD68 and CD14 in the lamina propria macrophages. Conclusion: Patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension have increased intestinal permeability and inflammatory cells, accompanied by bacterial translocation. Serum sCD14-ST and sTREM-1 can be used as indicators to predict and evaluate the occurrence of infection in patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension.

Discrete element simulation study of mixing process of Guizhi Fuling Capsules: parameter calibration / 中国中药杂志

The mixing process is a critical link in the formation of oral solid preparations of traditional Chinese medicine. This paper took the extract powder of Guizhi Fuling Capsules and Paeonol powder as research objects. The angle of repose, loose packing density, and particle size of the two powders were measured to calibrate discrete element simulation parameters for the mixing process. The discrete element method was used to calibrate the simulated solid density of Paeonol powder and extract powder of Guizhi Fuling Capsules based on the Hertz-Mindlin with JKR V2 contact model and particle scaling. The Plackett-Burman experimental design was used to screen out the critical contact parameters that had a significant effect on the simulation of the angle of repose. The regression model between the critical contact parameters and the simulated angle of repose was established by the Box-Behnken experimental design, and the critical contact parameters of each powder were optimized based on the regression model. The best combination of critical contact parameters of the extract powder of Guizhi Fuling Capsules was found to be 0.51 for particle-particle static friction coefficient, 0.31 for particle-particle rolling friction coefficient, and 0.64 for particle-stainless steel static friction coefficient. For Paeonol powder, the best combination of critical contact parameters was 0.4 for particle-particle static friction coefficient and 0.19 for particle-particle rolling friction coefficient. The best combination of contact parameters between Paeonol powder and extract powder of Guizhi Fuling Capsules was 0.27 for collision recovery coefficient, 0.49 for static friction coefficient, and 0.38 for rolling friction coefficient. The verification results show that the relative error between the simulated value and the measured value of the angle of repose of the two single powders is less than 1%, while the relative error between the simulated value and the measured value of the angle of repose of the mixed powder with a mass ratio of 1∶1 is less than 4%. These research results provide reliable physical property simulation data for the mixed simulation experiment of extract powder of Guizhi Fuling Capsules and Paeonol powder.

Manufacturing classification system for oral solid dosage forms of traditional Chinese medicines(Ⅳ): classification of hygroscopicity behaviors of capsules / 中国中药杂志

Hard capsules of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) have different degrees of hygroscopicity, which affects the stability and efficacy of drugs. In this paper, 30 kinds of commercially available TCM capsules were used as the research object. The hygroscopicity curves of capsule contents, capsule shells, and capsules were tested respectively, and the first-order kinetic equation was used for fitting. The results show that during the 24 h hygroscopicity process, the capsule shell can reduce the weight gain caused by the hygroscopicity of the contents by 0.80%-53.0% and the hygroscopicity rate of the capsule contents by 1.74%-91.3%, indicating that the capsule shell has a strong delay effect on the hygroscopicity of the contents of the TCM capsules. Seven physical parameters of the contents of 30 kinds of TCM capsules were determined, and 14 prescription process-related parameters were sorted out. A partial least squares model for predicting the hygroscopicity rate of the contents of TCM capsules(with shell) for 24 h was established. It is found that the hygroscopicity rate of the capsule shell is positively correlated with the hygroscopicity of the contents of TCM capsules(with shell), suggesting that the capsule shell with a low hygroscopicity rate is helpful for moisture prevention. In addition, the pre-treatment process route of the preparation and the type of molding raw materials affect the hygroscopicity. A larger proportion of the extract in the capsule content and a smaller proportion of the fine powder of the decoction pieces indicate stronger hygroscopicity of the capsule content. The 24 h hygroscopicity rate of 15% was used as the classification node of hygroscopicity strength, and the hygroscopicity rate constant of 0.58 was used as the classification node of hygroscopicity speed. The classification system of hygroscopicity behaviors of TCM capsules was established: the varieties with strong and fast hygroscopicity accounted for about 6.67%, while those with strong and slow hygroscopicity accounted for about 33.3%; the varieties with weak and fast hygroscopicity accounted for about 26.7%, while those with weak and slow hygroscopicity accounted for about 33.3%. The classification system is helpful to quantify and compare the hygroscopicity behavior of different TCM capsules and provides a reference for the quality improvement, moisture prevention technologies, and material research of TCM capsules.