Development and global validation of a 1-week-old piglet head finite element model for impact simulations / 中华创伤杂志(英文版)

PURPOSE@#Child head injury under impact scenarios (e.g. falls, vehicle crashes, etc.) is an important topic in the field of injury biomechanics. The head of piglet was commonly used as the surrogate to investigate the biomechanical response and mechanisms of pediatric head injuries because of the similar cellular structures and material properties. However, up to date, piglet head models with accurate geometry and material properties, which have been validated by impact experiments, are seldom. We aim to develop such a model for future research.@*METHODS@#In this study, first, the detailed anatomical structures of the piglet head, including the skull, suture, brain, pia mater, dura mater, cerebrospinal fluid, scalp and soft tissue, were constructed based on CT scans. Then, a structured butterfly method was adopted to mesh the complex geometries of the piglet head to generate high-quality elements and each component was assigned corresponding constitutive material models. Finally, the guided drop tower tests were conducted and the force-time histories were ectracted to validate the piglet head finite element model.@*RESULTS@#Simulations were conducted on the developed finite element model under impact conditions and the simulation results were compared with the experimental data from the guided drop tower tests and the published literature. The average peak force and duration of the guide drop tower test were similar to that of the simulation, with an error below 10%. The inaccuracy was below 20%. The average peak force and duration reported in the literature were comparable to those of the simulation, with the exception of the duration for an impact energy of 11 J. The results showed that the model was capable to capture the response of the pig head.@*CONCLUSION@#This study can provide an effective tool for investigating child head injury mechanisms and protection strategies under impact loading conditions.

Costunolide covalently targets NACHT domain of NLRP3 to inhibit inflammasome activation and alleviate NLRP3-driven inflammatory diseases

The NLRP3 inflammasome's core and most specific protein, NLRP3, has a variety of functions in inflammation-driven diseases. Costunolide (COS) is the major active ingredient of the traditional Chinese medicinal herb Saussurea lappa and has anti-inflammatory activity, but the principal mechanism and molecular target of COS remain unclear. Here, we show that COS covalently binds to cysteine 598 in NACHT domain of NLRP3, altering the ATPase activity and assembly of NLRP3 inflammasome. We declare COS's great anti-inflammasome efficacy in macrophages and disease models of gouty arthritis and ulcerative colitis via inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation. We also reveal that the α-methylene-γ-butyrolactone motif in sesquiterpene lactone is the certain active group in inhibiting NLRP3 activation. Taken together, NLRP3 is identified as a direct target of COS for its anti-inflammasome activity. COS, especially the α-methylene-γ-butyrolactone motif in COS structure, might be used to design and produce novel NLRP3 inhibitors as a lead compound.

Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation Combined with Warm Acupuncture for Breast Cancer Related Upper Limb Lymphedema: A Retrospective Cohort Study / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the clinical efficacy of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) combined with warm acupuncture in treating breast cancer associated with upper limb lymphedema (BCRL).@*METHODS@#This was a retrospective cohort study using a paired control design. Fifty-two BCRL patients were assigned to the control group (27 cases) and the treatment group (25 cases). The patients in the control group were treated with lymphedema comprehensive detumescence treatment (CDT) for 4 weeks, including systematic therapy composed of manual lymphatic drainage, compression bandage, skincare, and functional exercise. The patients in the treatment group were treated with TEAS combined with warm acupuncture based on the control group methods. Each treatment lasted for 30 min and was applied twice a week for 4 weeks. The arm circumference (AC) of different positions of the affected limb and the degree of swelling of the affected limb were evaluated before the first treatment and after the last treatment. The clinical efficacy was evaluated according to the degree of edema before and after treatment. All adverse events during treatment were recorded.@*RESULTS@#The patients' AC and the swelling feeling of the affected limb in the treatment group and the control group were both reduced compared with those before treatment. Compared with the control group, AC of the wrist joint transverse stria, the midpoint between the wrist joint transverse stria and the elbow joint transverse stria in the treatment group were significantly reduced (P<0.05). The decrease in AC diameter at the midpoint between the elbow joint transverse stria and the axillary transverse stria was the most significant (P<0.01). The swelling degree of the affected limbs in the treatment group was significantly lower than before treatment, and was significantly lower compared with the control group after treatment (P<0.01). The total effective rate was 72% in the treatment group, significantly higher than that in the control group (55.56%, P<0.05). No serious adverse events occured in either group.@*CONCLUSIONS@#TEAS combined with warm acupuncture can effectively reduce AC and swelling feeling of the affected limb in patients with BCRL. The effect is better than that of CDT therapy alone. (Registration No. ChiCTR2200062075).

Predictive values of serum 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine on disease progression and prognosis of patients with sepsis / 中华烧伤杂志

Objective: To investigate the values of serum 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in predicting disease progression and prognosis of patients with sepsis. Methods: The prospective observational research methods were used. A total of 124 patients with sepsis who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to the Department of Emergency of the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from April 2015 to July 2016, including 79 males and 45 females, aged (62±15) years. The sepsis-related organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores of all patients on admission and on the second day of admission and their difference (ΔSOFA) were calculated. The patients were divided into non-progression group with ΔSOFA score <2 (n=101) and progression group with ΔSOFA score ≥2 (n=23), and according to the survival during hospitalization, the patients were divided into survival group (n=85) and death group (n=39). Data of patients between non-progression group and progression group, survival group and death group were compared, including the gender, age, days in emergency intensive care unit (ICU), smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, serum white blood cell count, serum C-reactive protein, and serum procalcitonin on admission, and serum 8-OHdG within 24 h of admission. The multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to screen the independent risk factors of disease progression and death during hospitalization in 124 patients with sepsis, the receiver's operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn according to the independent risk factors, and the area under the curve (AUC), the best threshold, and the sensitivity and specificity under the best threshold were calculated. The patients were divided into high 8-OHdG group (n=35) and low 8-OHdG group (n=89) according to the best threshold in ROC curve of death during hospitalization. The data including the gender, age, SOFA score on admission, SOFA score on the second day of admission, and ΔSOFA score of patients in the two groups were compared. The survival rates of patients within 90 d of admission in the two groups were compared by the Kaplan-Meier method. Data were statistically analyzed with independent sample t test, Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test, and Log-rank test. Results: The gender, age, days in emergency ICU, smoking, complicated with hypertension, complicated with diabetes mellitus, serum white blood cell count, serum C-reactive protein, and serum procalcitonin on admission of patients in non-progression group and progression group were similar (P>0.05). The serum 8-OHdG within 24 h of admission of patients in progression group was significantly higher than that in non-progression group (Z=-2.31, P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the serum 8-OHdG within 24 h of admission was the independent risk factor for disease progression of 124 patients with sepsis (odds ratio=1.06, with 95% confidence interval of 1.01-1.11, P<0.05). The AUC under the ROC curve of serum 8-OHdG within 24 h of admission to predict disease progression of 124 patients with sepsis was 0.65 (with 95% confidence interval of 0.52-0.79, P<0.05), the optimal threshold was 32.88 ng/mL, and the sensitivity and specificity under the optimal threshold was 52.2% and 79.2%, respectively. The gender, age, days in emergency ICU, smoking, complicated with hypertension, complicated with diabetes mellitus, and serum white blood cell count, serum C-reactive protein, and serum procalcitonin on admission of patients in survival group and death group were similar (P>0.05). The serum 8-OHdG within 24 h of admission of patients in death group was significantly higher than that in survival group (Z=-2.37, P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the serum 8-OHdG within 24 h of admission was the independent risk factor for death of 124 patients with sepsis (odd ratio=1.04, with 95% confidence interval of 1.00-1.09, P<0.05). The AUC under the ROC curve of serum 8-OHdG within 24 h of admission to predict death of patients during hospitalization was 0.63 (with 95% confidence interval of 0.52-0.75, P<0.05), the optimal threshold was 32.43 ng/mL, the sensitivity and specificity under the optimal threshold was 51.3% and 84.7%, respectively. The gender and age of patients in high 8-OHdG group and low 8-OHdG group were similar (P>0.05). The SOFA score on admission, SOFA score on the second day of admission, and ΔSOFA score of patients in high 8-OHdG group were significantly higher than those in low 8-OHdG group (with Z values of -2.49, -3.01, and -2.64, respectively, P<0.05 or P<0.01). The survival rate within 90 d of admission of patients in low 8-OHdG group was significantly higher than that in high 8-OHdG group (χ2=14.57, P<0.01). Conclusions: Serum 8-OHdG level is an independent risk factor for disease progression and death in sepsis patients with limited ability for predicting disease progression and prognosis of sepsis of patients. The patients with higher serum 8-OHdG level have higher death risk within 90 d of admission.

Nifedipine promotes formation of autophagosomes and enhances expression of Beclinl in hepatoma cell line Huh-7 / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the effect of nifedipine on the formation of autophagosomes in hepatoma cell line Huh-7 and its mechanism.Methods Different concentrations of nifedipine were used to interfere with the proliferation of Huh-7 cells in vitro.The effect of nifedipine on the proliferation of Huh-7 cells was detected by cell proliferation experiment and colony formation experiment.The expressions of Beclin1 and LC3B-Ⅱ were detected by Western blot.The effect of nifedipine on the formation of autophagosomes in Huh-7 cells was observed by laser scanning confocal microscopy.Results Nifedipine significantly inhibited the proliferation of Huh-7 cells in a time-and concentration-dependent manner.The IC50 of nifedipine on day 2 was 22.7 mg·L-1.Nifedipine at the concentration of 25 mg·L-1 significantly reduced the colony formation rate of Huh-7 cells compared with the control group, and the inhibition rate of colony formation was(95.46±0.45)%.Western blot analysis showed that nifedipine significantly up-regulated the protein expression levels of Beclin1 and LC3B-Ⅱ.The amount of autophagosomes in nifedipine group cells were more than that of control group, which was observed by laser scanning confocal microscopy.Conclusions Nifedipine significantly inhibits the proliferation of Huh-7 cells and promotes the formation of autophagosomes, which may be related to the up-regulation of Beclin1 protein expression by nifedipine.

Di'ao Xinxuekang alleviates non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in mice by up-regulating Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway / 中国中药杂志

The present study investigated the therapeutic effect and mechanism of Di'ao Xinxuekang(DXXK) on non-alcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH) in mice. Sixty-five C57 BL/6 J mice were randomly divided into a normal group and an experimental group for model induction with the high-fat diet for 16 weeks. Then the mice in the experimental group were randomly divided into a model group, an atorvastatin group(4 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), and high-(200 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), medium-(60 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), and low-dose(20 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)) DXXK groups, with 10 mice in each group. Drugs were administered by gavage for eight weeks. Serum lipid, liver lipid, serum alanine aminotransferase(ALT), aspartate aminotransferase(AST), malondialdehyde(MDA), superoxide dismutase(SOD), and glutathione reductase(GSH-Px) were determined. Interleukin-1β(IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). The liver index was calculated. The liver pathological change and lipid accumulation were observed by HE and oil red O staining. The liver ultrastructure was observed by the transmission electron microscope. The mRNA and protein expression of nuclear factor-erythroid 2 related factor 2(Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1(HO-1) was detected by real-time fluorescence-based quantitative PCR and Western blot, respectively. The results showed that compared with the normal group, the model group displayed serum lipid and liver lipid metabolism disorders, elevated transaminase, lipid deposition, steatosis, and inflammation, suggesting that the NASH model in mice was properly induced. Compared with the model group, the DXXK groups showed decreased serum lipid, liver lipid, ALT, AST, MDA, IL-1β, and TNF-α, increased SOD and GSH-Px, alleviated hepatic steatosis, ballooning, and inflammation, and up-regulated Nrf2 and HO-1 gene and protein expression. In conclusion, DXXK can significantly alleviate NASH in mice, which is related to the inhibition of oxidative stress and inflammatory damage by up-regulating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.

Investigation on Anti-atherosclerosis Mechanism of Di'ao Xinxuekang Based on NLRP3 Inflammasome / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To investigate the effects of Di'ao Xinxuekang （DXXK） on NLRP3 inflammasome in mouse RAW264.7 macrophages and thoracic aorta of rats with atherosclerosis （AS）， so as to explore its anti-AS mechanism. Method:RAW264.7 cells were stimulated with oxidized low density lipoprotein （ox-LDL） and then intervened with MCC950 and DXXK. The contents of tumor necrosis factor-<italic>α</italic> （TNF-<italic>α</italic>） and interleukin-1<italic>β</italic> （IL-1<italic>β</italic>） were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The mRNA and protein expression levels of Nod-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3）， inflammasome adaptor protein apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing CARD （ASC）， and cysteine-dependent aspartate-directed protease-1 （Caspase-1） were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blotting. Sixty male SD rats were randomly divided into the normal group， model group， atorvastatin group （2.0 mg·kg^-1）， as well as high-， medium-， and low-dose （100， 30， and 10 mg·kg^-1） DXKK groups， with 10 rats in each group. The rats were exposed to the high-fat diet and vitamin D₂ for inducing AS. The blood lipid level was measured using an automatic biochemical analyzer， followed by the calculation of AS index （AI）. The contents of serum TNF-<italic>α</italic> and IL-1<italic>β</italic> were determined by ELISA， and the mRNA and protein expression levels of NLRP3， ASC， and Caspase-1 in thoracic aorta were assayed by Real-time PCR and Western blotting. HE staining and Sirius red staining were conducted to observe the pathomorphological changes in the abdominal aorta and aortic sinus. Result:Compared with the normal group， the model group exhibited significantly increased TNF-<italic>α</italic> and IL-1<italic>β</italic> contents and up-regulated NLRP3， ASC， and Caspase-1 mRNA and protein expression in RAW264.7 cells （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. The above indexes in each drug administration group were significantly reduced in contrast to those in the model group （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）. The comparison with the model group showed that cholesterol （TC）， triglyceride （TG）， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）， and AI in each DXXK group significantly declined， while the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C） was significantly elevated （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）. The levels of serum TNF-<italic>α</italic> and IL-1<italic>β</italic> and the mRNA and protein expression levels of NLRP3， ASC， and Caspase-1 in the thoracic aorta were decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）. Abdominal aortic lesions and fibrous hyperplasia of aortic sinus were significantly improved. Conclusion:DXXK has a significant anti-AS effect， which is possibly related to the inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome.

Animal Models of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease：A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） is a metabolic stress-induced liver injury characterized by excessive lipid accumulation in hepatocytes， which is closely related to insulin resistance and genetic susceptibility. It falls into the category of "liver lump" in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. NAFLD affects about 25% of the population worldwide and has become a major burden of the world health care system. However， its exact pathogenesis remains unclear. Conducting the basic research on NAFLD is of great clinical significance and social value. As an important tool for NAFLD research， animal model plays a particularly important role in clarifying the pathophysiological mechanism of NAFLD. In recent years， the modeling methods for NAFLD in China and abroad have been constantly updated， and in particular， certain progress has been made in the duplication of TCM syndrome models. By consulting and sorting out the relevant literature published in recent years in China and abroad， the author summarized the replication methods of NAFLD animal models. This paper reviewed the advantages and disadvantages of models established via dietary induction （high-fat feed， high-fat and high-fructose feed， high-fat and high-cholesterol feed， and methionine choline-deficient feed）， models with genetic defects ［leptin-deficiency （Lepob/Lepob）， autosomal recessive diabetes gene homozygous deficiency （ob/ob）， Alms1 gene （foz/foz） mutation， and FATZO mice］ and exposure to special diets， and models for TCM syndromes （liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome， phlegm-dampness syndrome， blood stasis syndrome， combined phlegm and stasis syndrome， and qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome）， in order to provide reference for the preparation of more scientific， reasonable， economical， and convenient animal models of NAFLD， thus laying a foundation for in-depth study of the pathogenesis， prevention， and treatment of NAFLD.

Impact of regional differences in stroke symptom awareness and low-income status on seeking emergency medical service in China / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#Unawareness of stroke symptoms and low income are two barriers that affect the seeking of emergency medical service (EMS). This study aimed to assess the effect of unawareness and low income on seeking EMS and to investigate the regional distribution of the unawareness and low-income status and their associations with failing to call EMS in China.@*METHODS@#A total of 187,723 samples from the China National Stroke Screening Survey was interviewed cross-sectionally. Four status of awareness and annual income were identified: unaware and low-income, unaware-only, low-income-only, and aware and regular income. The outcomes were whether they intended to call EMS or not. The regional distribution of each status and their associations with not calling EMS were presented.@*RESULTS@#The status of unaware and low-income, unaware-only, and low-income-only accounted for 6.3% (11,806/187,673), 11.9% (22,241/187,673), and 21.5% (40,289/187,673) of the total sample, respectively. Not calling EMS was significantly associated with the status of unaware and low-income (odds ratio [OR]: 3.21, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.07-3.35), unaware-only (OR: 2.38, 95% CI: 2.31-2.46), and low-income-only (OR: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.63-1.71), compared with the aware and regular income status. The Midwest regions had higher percentages of people in the unaware and low-income status; the East, South, and Central had higher percentages of unaware-only status; the North and Northeast regions had a higher percentage of low-income-only status, compared with other regions.@*CONCLUSION@#The existence of the regional difference in unawareness and low income justifies the specific stroke education strategies for the targeted regions and population.

Intestinal dysfunction of spinal cord injury treated with moxibustion: a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the clinical effect on intestinal dysfunction of spinal cord injury (SCI) between the comprehensive therapy of moxibustion (moxibustion for opening the governor vessel and regulating the spirit) and rehabilitation training and the simple treatment with rehabilitation training.@*METHODS@#A total of 60 patients with intestinal dysfunction of SCI were randomized into a comprehensive therapy group and a rehabilitation group, 30 cases in each one (3 cases were dropped out in each group). On the base of the routine western medicine treatment and rehabilitation training, the bowel training and rectal function training were provided, once a day in the rehabilitation group. In the comprehensive therapy group, on the base of the treatment as the rehabilitation group, the moxibustion was exerted at Yaoyangguan (GV 3), Mingmen (GV 4), Zhiyang (GV 9), Dazhui (GV 14) and Baihui (GV 20), etc, once a day, 30 min each time. In both groups, the treatment for 4 weeks was as one course and 3 courses of treatment were required. Separately, before treatment, after 4, 8 and 12 weeks of treatment, the scores of neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD) and World Health Organization quality of life scale (WHOQOL-BREF) were observed and the clinical effect was evaluated after 12 weeks of treatment.@*RESULTS@#After treatment, the total effective rate was 88.9% (24/27) in the comprehensive therapy group, which was higher than 74.1% (20/27) in the rehabilitation group (<0.05). After 4, 8 and 12 weeks of treatment, NBD scores were all reduced obviously as compared with those before treatment in the two groups (all <0.01). After 8 and 12 weeks of treatment, NBD scores in the comprehensive therapy group were lower than the rehabilitation group (both <0.05). After 4, 8 and 12 weeks of treatment, the scores of all of the domains (psychology, physiology, social relations and environment) in WHOQOL-BREF were higher than those before treatment in the two groups (all <0.01). After 4 weeks of treatment, the scores in the psychology and physiology domains in the comprehensive therapy group were higher than the rehabilitation group (all <0.05). After 8 and 12 weeks of treatment, the scores of all of the domains in the comprehensive therapy group were higher than the rehabilitation group (all <0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The comprehensive treatment of moxibustion and rehabilitation training achieves the better effect on intestinal dysfunction of SCI than the simple rehabilitation training and greatly improves the quality of life in SCI patients.

Effect of Total Saponin of Dioscoreae Collettii Rhizoma on Toll-like Receptor/Nuclear Factor-κB (TLR/NF-κB) Signaling Pathway Induced by Monosodium Urate in THP-1 Cells / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective::To investigate the effect of total saponin of Dioscoreae Collettii Rhizoma (TSD) on Toll-like receptor/nuclear factor-κB (TLR/NF-κB) signaling pathway induced by monosodium urate in THP-1 cells, in order to explore the possible mechanism of anti-gout arthritis. Method::Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced THP-1 cells were differentiated into macrophages, divided into normal group, model group, low, medium and high-concentration TSD groups (1, 3, 10 mg·L-1) and colchicine group (0.2 mg·L-1). Except the normal group, the other groups were stimulated with 400 mg·L-1 monosodium urate to replicate an inflammation model in vitro. Cell viability was measured by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay, the levels of inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α ) and interleukin-1β(IL-1β) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The protein levels of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) and NF-κB were detected by Western blot. The mRNA levels of TLR4, NF-κB and Pro-IL-1β were measured by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (Real-time PCR), and the nuclear shift of NF-κB p65 was detected by immunofluorescence. Result::0~32 mg·L-1 TSD has no effect on cell viability. Compared with the normal group, the secretion levels of inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-1β in the model group were significantly increased (P<0.01), and the expressions of key proteins (TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB) and genes (TLR4, NF-κB and Pro-IL-1β) were increased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, 1-30 mg·L-1 TSD significantly down-regulated the secretion of inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-1β (P<0.01), the expressions of key proteins (TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB) and genes (TLR4, NF-κB and Pro-IL-1β) were decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the NF-κB p65 partially trans-located to the cytosol and the superposition in the nucleus were decreased, inhibiting the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65. Conclusion::TSD may exert an anti-inflammatory effect by down-regulating the expressions of TLR4, NF-κB and Pro-IL-1β mRNA and reducing the secretion of inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-1β.

Methods used for gene manipulation in mammal female germ cells and early embryos / 生理学报

For sexual reproduction, oocytes are mammalian female germ cells that provide the majority of maternal genetic material for early stage embryo production and development. Early stage embryos begin the process of multicellular organism formation through cell differentiation. Studies on mammalian female germ cells (oocytes) not only reveal its unique physiological characteristics, but also help understand the mechanism involved in cell differentiation of other cell types. However, because it is difficult to culture in vitro, our understanding of the function of oocytes and early stage embryos remains very limited. Gene editing or manipulation is one of the most commonly used method, which is also useful in the field of gametes study. In this review, we summarized the principles, advantages and disadvantages of techniques, which include conditional knockout, RNA interference, Morpholino, Trim-Away and antibody-mediated inhibition of protein function, currently used for gene manipulation in oocytes and early stage embryos. We also discuss the issues the investigators need to consider. Finally, we highlight the future directions for gene manipulation or editing in female germ cells and early stage embryos.

Regulatory effect of Di'ao Xinxuekang on TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway in atherosclerotic rats / 中国中药杂志

The aim of this paper was to observe the effect of Di'ao Xinxuekang(DXXK) on TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway in atherosclerotic rats, and to explore its anti-atherosclerotic mechanism. Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into normal group, model group, atorvastatin group(4.0 mg·kg~(-1)), and DXXK groups(100, 30, 10 mg·kg~(-1)), with 10 rats in each group. The atherosclerosis model was induced by high fat diet plus vitamin D_2. Experimental drugs were administered intragastrically once daily for 8 weeks starting from the 9 th week. Biochemical analyzers were used to detect levels of triglyceride(TG), total cholesterol(TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C) in blood lipid. The levels of serum tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α, interleukin(IL)-6 and IL-1β were detected by ELISA. Pathological changes of aortic tissues were observed by using Sudan Ⅳ and HE staining. The mRNA and protein expressions of TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB p65 in aortic tissues were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. As compared with the model group, TC, TG, and LDL-C levels in serum were significantly decreased, HDL-C content was significantly increased, and levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in serum were significantly decreased in atorvastatin group and DXXK high and middle dose groups. Aortic lesions in atorvastatin group and DXXK group were significantly improved, and the mRNA and protein expressions of TLR4, MyD88, NF-κB p65 in the aorta were decreased. DXXK has a preventive and therapeutic effect on atherosclerosis in rats, and its mechanism may be related to inhibiting inflammatory reaction by regulating TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signal transduction, thereby inhibiting the progression of atherosclerosis.

Regional Differences of the Urinary Proteomes in Healthy Chinese Individuals / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

Objective Urine is a promising biomarker source for clinical proteomics studies. Regional physiological differences are common in multi-center clinical studies. In this study, we investigate whether significant differences are present in the urinary proteomes of individuals from different regions in China. Methods In this study, morning urine samples were collected from healthy urban residents in three regions of China (Haikou, Xi'an and Xining) and urinary proteins were preserved using a membrane-based method (Urimem). The urine proteomes of 27 normal samples were analyzed using LC-MS/MS and compared among three regions. Functional annotation of the differential proteins among the three areas was analyzed using the DAVID online database, and pathway enrichment of the differential urinary proteins was analyzed using KEGG. Results We identified 1898 proteins from Urimem samples using label-free proteome quantification, of which 56 urine proteins were differentially expressed among the three regions ( < 0.05). Hierarchical clustering analysis showed that inter-regional differences caused less significant changes in the urine proteome than inter-sex differences. After gender stratification, 16 differential proteins were identified in male samples and 84 differential proteins were identified in female samples. Among these differential proteins, several proteins have been previously reported as urinary disease biomarkers. Conclusions Urimem will facilitate urinary protein storage for large-scale urine sample collection. Regional differences are a confounding factor influencing the urine proteome and should be considered in future multi-center biomarker studies.

Psychometric Evaluation of the Union Physio-Psycho-Social Assessment Questionnaire / 中国医学科学院学报

Objective To validate the Union Physio-Psycho-Social Assessment Questionnaire(UPPSAQ-70)and test its validity and reliability.Methods From April,2013 to July,2018,patients were asked to finish the computer evaluation of UPPSAQ-70 and Symptom Checklist 90(SCL-90)in Peking Union Medical College Hospital(PUMCH).Confirmatory factor analysis(CFA)was conducted on the SPSS 17.0,and the number of fixed factors was 8 factors and 3 factors.Amos 23.0 was used to verify the original 8-factor model,8-factor revision model,3-factor model,3-factor revision model,and single-factor model.Each factor of SCL-90 was used as the calibration standard to calculate the correlation coefficient between factors.The retest reliability was tested by the outpatients in PUMCH in July,2018.Results Exploratory factor analysis indicated that the 8-factor revised model included:depression,anxiety and fatigue,sleep,physical discomfort,sexual function,happiness and satisfaction,hypochondria,and social anxiety.The 3 factors revised model included that:psychological,physiological and social dimension.Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the 8-factor modified model was superior to the 3-factor model and the single-factor model: =10 410.4,=1862,RMSEA=0.07,CFI=0.753,and NFI=0.715.With SCL-90 as the standard criteria,except the low correlation coefficient between emotional scale and depression(=0.600)and anxiety(=0.520),the correlation coefficients of other symptoms were below 0.5.The chronbach's between each factor and total score of UPPSAQ-70 was between 0.823 and 0.904,and the Chronbach's coefficient of the whole scale was between 0.954 and 0.956 after each item was deleted.The retest reliability of the scale of 32 participants Chronbach's was 0.847.Each item of the scale measured between one week was significantly correlated(<0.05). Conclusion UPPSAQ-70 is a good scale for evaluating overall health status and is especially feasible in general hospitals.

Phi-based risk calculators performed better in the prediction of prostate cancer in the Chinese population / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

Risk prediction models including the Prostate Health Index (phi) for prostate cancer have been well established and evaluated in the Western population. The aim of this study is to build phi-based risk calculators in a prostate biopsy population and evaluate their performance in predicting prostate cancer (PCa) and high-grade PCa (Gleason score ≥7) in the Chinese population. We developed risk calculators based on 635 men who underwent initial prostate biopsy. Then, we validated the performance of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), phi, and the risk calculators in an additional observational cohort of 1045 men. We observed that the phi-based risk calculators (risk calculators 2 and 4) outperformed the PSA-based risk calculator for predicting PCa and high-grade PCa in the training cohort. In the validation study, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for risk calculators 2 and 4 reached 0.91 and 0.92, respectively, for predicting PCa and high-grade PCa, respectively; the AUC values were better than those for risk calculator 1 (PSA-based model with an AUC of 0.81 and 0.82, respectively) (all P < 0.001). Such superiority was also observed in the stratified population with PSA ranging from 2.0 ng ml-1to 10.0 ng ml-1. Decision curves confirmed that a considerable proportion of unnecessary biopsies could be avoided while applying phi-based risk calculators. In this study, we showed that, compared to risk calculators without phi, phi-based risk calculators exhibited superior discrimination and calibration for PCa in the Chinese biopsy population. Applying these risk calculators also considerably reduced the number of unnecessary biopsies for PCa.

Characteristics of Pattern Visual Evoked Potential in Two Eyes with Varying Visual Acuity in One Eye and Forensic Application / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

In this study,we aimed to study the pattern visual evoked potentials (P-VEPs) in two eyes with varying visual acuity in one eye and to provide an objective estimation of visual acuity by comparing P-VEPs in one and two eyes.Thirty subjects were chosen,who had one eye with an acuity of 5.0,4.85,4.6,4.0,or scieropia and obstructed vision and the other eye with an acuity of 5.0,respectively.P-VEPs were detected under the large grating stimuli at 3×4 spatial frequency,moderate grating stimuli (12× 16 spatial frequency) and small grating stimuli (48×64 spatial frequency).Under large grating stimuli,there was no significant difference in P100 peak latency between the groups,nor was there a significant difference between the amplitude of two eyes and the amplitude of one normal-vision eye.Under moderate and small grating stimuli,there was a significant difference in P100 peak latency between the group with both eyes having an acuity of 5.0 and the group with visual acuity below 4.0 in one eye.There was a significant difference in P100 amplitude between the group with visual acuity of 5.0 in both eyes and the group with one normal-vision eye.There was no significant difference in the amplitude of two eyes and the amplitude of one normal-vision eye between any other two groups.In forensic identification,characteristics and variability of P-VEPs in one and two eyes can be used to identify malingering or decline in visual acuity.

Characteristics of Pattern Visual Evoked Potential in Two Eyes with Varying Visual Acuity in One Eye and Forensic Application / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

In this study,we aimed to study the pattern visual evoked potentials (P-VEPs) in two eyes with varying visual acuity in one eye and to provide an objective estimation of visual acuity by comparing P-VEPs in one and two eyes.Thirty subjects were chosen,who had one eye with an acuity of 5.0,4.85,4.6,4.0,or scieropia and obstructed vision and the other eye with an acuity of 5.0,respectively.P-VEPs were detected under the large grating stimuli at 3×4 spatial frequency,moderate grating stimuli (12× 16 spatial frequency) and small grating stimuli (48×64 spatial frequency).Under large grating stimuli,there was no significant difference in P100 peak latency between the groups,nor was there a significant difference between the amplitude of two eyes and the amplitude of one normal-vision eye.Under moderate and small grating stimuli,there was a significant difference in P100 peak latency between the group with both eyes having an acuity of 5.0 and the group with visual acuity below 4.0 in one eye.There was a significant difference in P100 amplitude between the group with visual acuity of 5.0 in both eyes and the group with one normal-vision eye.There was no significant difference in the amplitude of two eyes and the amplitude of one normal-vision eye between any other two groups.In forensic identification,characteristics and variability of P-VEPs in one and two eyes can be used to identify malingering or decline in visual acuity.

Echocardiographic Measurements Results in Healthy Han, Tibetan and Yugur Adults / 中国循环杂志

Objectives:The aim of this study was to compare the potential differences on echocardiographic cardiac chambers size and systolic function among the healthy Han, Tibetan and Yugur adults. Methods:A total of 1 820 healthy volunteers aged 20 to 80 years were screened at Qinghai province and Gansu province, including 887 Han (456 men), 506 Tibetan (262 men) and 427 Yugur (187 men) Chinese adults. Standard two-dimensional echocardiography was performed to obtain measurements of the cardiac chambers and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The impacts of nationality, age and gender on all echocardiographic results were analyzed. Results:The values of left ventricular end-diastolic volume was higher in Yugur male adults than in Han and Tibetan male adults ([96.29±21.60]ml vs [93.64±18.30] ml vs [91.16±16.77] ml, P＜0.05).The differences remained after adjusting body surface area ([54.16±11.14]ml/m2 vs [53.92±10.20] ml/m2 vs [52.76±8.94] ml/m2, P＜0.05). There was no significant difference in LVEF among three nationalities (P＞0.05). The values of cardiac chambers dimensions were significantly higher in men than in women (P＜0.05). The anteroposterior dimension of the left atrium increased with age in both genders (P＜0.05). Conclusions:Our results show that the left ventricular end-diastolic volume is related to nationality and some parameters vary with gender and age. Not only the differences in age, gender, body size, but also ethnic differences should be considered when defining the normal values of echocardiographic examination.

Preparation and quality evalution of direct-fill isophenylcyclopentylamine hydrochloride capsules / 国际药学研究杂志

Objective To prepare isophenylcyclopentylamine hydrochloride capsules and evaluate its quality. Methods The suitable excipients were selected by the drug-excipient compatibility test,and after the formulation and preparation process design and screening,the micromeritic property and hygroscopicity of contents of capsules as well as the basic performance and stability of is-ophenylcyclopentylamine hydrochloride capsules were evaluate. Results The selected formulation was composed of isophenylcyclo-pentylamine hydrochloride 10 mg,anhydrous dibasic calcium phosphate 128.7 mg,mannitol 128.7 mg and aerosil 2.7 mg.The angle of repose of intermediate powders was(30.71±1.09)°,aerated and packed bulk densities were(0.76±0.01)and(0.90±0.02)g/ml re-spectively,Hausner value was 1.19±0.01,Carr′s index was(15.86±1.05)%,indicating good flowability and filling property as well as relatively low humidity.The contents,uniformity of contents and dissolution of capsules fulfilled the requirements.The quality of ca-pusles kept well in the 6-month accelerated and long-term stability test.Conclusion The formulation is simple and reasonable,and the preparation process showed a good reproducibility,which might be suitable for industrialization.