Traditional Chinese Medicine and Its Effective Components in Treating Alzheimer's Disease： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Alzheimer's disease is a common central neurodegenerative disease， mainly manifested by cognitive impairment and non-cognitive neuropsychiatric symptoms that severely affect patients' daily life and behavioral functioning. The pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease is still unclear， and the western medicine currently used to treat Alzheimer's disease is only symptomatic， with a single pathway， limited efficacy， and many side effects. In recent years， with the deepening of research on Alzheimer's disease， the study and application of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease have gradually increased. Several studies have shown that TCM and its effective components can exert anti-Alzheimer's disease effects by regulating molecular mechanisms such as pathological protein production and aggregation， oxidative stress， neuroinflammation， ferroptosis， mitochondrial dysfunction， neurogenesis and neurotransmission， and brain-gut axis. This paper summarized the research progress of TCM in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease in recent years， so as to provide a reference for further study of the specific mechanism of TCM in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease and the discovery of effective components of TCM.

Use of central neuromodulators in chronic cough / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

Chronic cough is a common condition that imposes significant physical, psychological, and social burdens on patients. Although chronic cough is often associated with underlying conditions such as asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and eosinophilic bronchitis, some patients experience uncontrollable coughing that is difficult to attribute to a specific cause. Many of these patients exhibit clinical features of cough hypersensitivity syndrome, providing new directions for research into the treatment of chronic cough. As the pathophysiological mechanisms of chronic cough are further elucidated, treatment approaches for chronic cough are entering a new stage of development. This article summarizes and discusses the mechanisms and clinical evidence of central neuromodulators used in the treatment of chronic cough, suggesting promising clinical applications for these drugs in the future.

Targeted biotherapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the most common chronic airway disease. The current status of treatment based mainly on bronchodilators and ICS is not sufficient for all of COPD patients. Various studies have attempted to use biologics targeting specific cytokines and their receptors in COPD patients to alleviate respiratory symptoms or reduce the risk of acute exacerbations. However, they failed to bring significant clinical benefits. More studies are needed to further determine the efficacy of targeted biotherapy for COPD.

Moderating effect of salidroside on intestinal microbiota in mice exposed to PM2.5 / 环境与职业医学

Background Salidroside (SAL) has a protective effect on multiple organ systems. Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the atmosphere may lead to disruptions in gut microbiota and impact intestinal health. The regulatory effect of SAL on the gut microbiota of mice exposed to PM2.5 requires further investigation. Objective To evaluate gut microbiota disruption in mice after being exposed to PM2.5 and the potential effect of SAL. Methods Forty male C57BL/6 mice, aged 6 to 8 weeks, were randomly divided into four groups: a control group, an SAL group, a PM2.5 group, and an SAL+PM2.5 group, each containing 10 mice. In the SAL group and the SAL+PM2.5 group, the mice were administered SAL (60 mg·kg−1) by gavage, while in the control group and the PM2.5 group, sterile saline (10 mL·kg−1) was administered by gavage. In the PM2.5 group and the SAL+PM2.5 group, PM2.5 suspension (8 mg·kg−1) was intratracheally instilled, and in the control group and SAL group, sterile saline (1.5 mL·kg−1) was intratracheally administered. Each experiment cycle spanned 2 d, with a total of 10 cycles conducted over 20 d. Histopathological changes in the ileum tissue of the mice were observed after HE staining. Colon contents were collected for gut microbiota sequencing and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) measurements. Results The PM2.5 group showed infiltration of inflammatory cells in the ileum tissue, while the SAL+PM2.5 group exhibited only a small amount of inflammatory cell infiltration. Compared to the control group, the PM2.5 group showed decreased Shannon index (P<0.05) and increased Simpson index (P<0.05), indicating that the diversity of gut microbiota in this group was decreased; the SAL+PM2.5 group showed increased Shannon index compared to the PM2.5 group (P<0.05) and decreased Simpson index (P<0.05), indicating that the diversity of gut microbiota in mice intervened with SAL was increased. The principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) revealed a significant separation between the PM2.5 group and the control group, while the separation trend was less evident among the control group, the SAL group, and the SAL+PM2.5 group. The unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic means (UPGMA) clustering tree results showed that the control group and the SAL group clustered together first, followed by clustering with the SAL+PM2.5 group, and finally, the three groups clustered with the PM2.5 group. The PCoA and UPGMA clustering results indicated that the uniformity and similarity of the microbiota in the PM2.5 group were significantly decreased. Compared to the control group, the PM2.5 group showed decreased abundance of phylum Bacteroidetes and Candidatus_Saccharimonas (P<0.05) and increased abundance of phylum Proteobacteria, genus Escherichia, genus Bacteroides, genus Prevotella, genus Enterococcus, and genus Proteus (P<0.05). Compared to the PM2.5 group, the SAL+PM2.5 group showed decreased abundance of phylum Proteobacteria, phylum Actinobacteria, genus Prevotella, and genus Proteus (P<0.05), and increased abundance of Candidatus_Saccharimonas (P<0.05). The PM2.5 group showed reduced levels of propionic acid, valeric acid, and hexanoic acid compared to the control group (P<0.05), while the SAL+PM2.5 group showed increased levels of propionic acid, isobutyric acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, and hexanoic acid compared to the PM2.5 group (P<0.05). Conclusion Exposure to PM2.5 can cause pathological alterations, microbial dysbiosis, and disturbing production of SCFAs in intestinal tissue in mice. However, SAL can provide a certain degree of protective effect against these changes.

Clinical and genetic characteristics of 9 rare cases with coexistence of dual genetic diagnoses / 中华儿科杂志

Objective: To analyze the clinical and genetic characteristics of pediatric patients with dual genetic diagnoses (DGD). Methods: Clinical and genetic data of pediatric patients with DGD from January 2021 to February 2022 in Peking University First Hospital were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Results: Among the 9 children, 6 were boys and 3 were girls. The age of last visit or follow-up was 5.0 (2.7,6.8) years. The main clinical manifestations included motor retardation, mental retardation, multiple malformations, and skeletal deformity. Cases 1-4 were all all boys, showed myopathic gait, poor running and jumping, and significantly increased level of serum creatine kinase. Disease-causing variations in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) gene were confirmed by genetic testing. The 4 children were diagnosed with DMD or Becker muscular dystrophy combined with a second genetic disease, including hypertrophic osteoarthropathy, spinal muscular atrophy, fragile X syndrome, and cerebral cavernous malformations type 3, respectively. Cases 5-9 were clinically and genetically diagnosed as COL9A1 gene-related multiple epiphyseal dysplasia type 6 combined with NF1 gene-related neurofibromatosis type 1, COL6A3 gene-related Bethlem myopathy with WNT1 gene-related osteogenesis imperfecta type XV, Turner syndrome (45, X0/46, XX chimera) with TH gene-related Segawa syndrome, Chromosome 22q11.2 microduplication syndrome with DYNC1H1 gene-related autosomal dominant lower extremity-predominant spinal muscular atrophy-1, and ANKRD11 gene-related KBG syndrome combined with IRF2BPL gene-related neurodevelopmental disorder with regression, abnormal movement, language loss and epilepsy. DMD was the most common, and there were 6 autosomal dominant diseases caused by de novo heterozygous pathogenic variations. Conclusions: Pediatric patients with coexistence of double genetic diagnoses show complex phenotypes. When the clinical manifestations and progression are not fully consistent with the diagnosed rare genetic disease, a second rare genetic disease should be considered, and autosomal dominant diseases caused by de novo heterozygous pathogenic variation should be paid attention to. Trio-based whole-exome sequencing combining a variety of molecular genetic tests would be helpful for precise diagnosis.

Objective Assessment of Visual Field Defects Caused by Optic Chiasm and Its Posterior Visual Pathway Injury / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To investigate the characteristics and objective assessment method of visual field defects caused by optic chiasm and its posterior visual pathway injury.@*METHODS@#Typical cases of visual field defects caused by injuries to the optic chiasm, optic tracts, optic radiations, and visual cortex were selected. Visual field examinations, visual evoked potential (VEP) and multifocal visual evolved potential (mfVEP) measurements, craniocerebral CT/MRI, and retinal optical coherence tomography (OCT) were performed, respectively, and the aforementioned visual electrophysiological and neuroimaging indicators were analyzed comprehensively.@*RESULTS@#The electrophysiological manifestations of visual field defects caused by optic chiasm injuries were bitemporal hemianopsia mfVEP abnormalities. The visual field defects caused by optic tract, optic radiation, and visual cortex injuries were all manifested homonymous hemianopsia mfVEP abnormalities contralateral to the lesion. Mild relative afferent pupil disorder (RAPD) and characteristic optic nerve atrophy were observed in hemianopsia patients with optic tract injuries, but not in patients with optic radiation or visual cortex injuries. Neuroimaging could provide morphological evidence of damages to the optic chiasm and its posterior visual pathway.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Visual field defects caused by optic chiasm, optic tract, optic radiation, and visual cortex injuries have their respective characteristics. The combined application of mfVEP and static visual field measurements, in combination with neuroimaging, can maximize the assessment of the location and degree of visual pathway damage, providing an effective scheme for the identification of such injuries.

Recent advances of pharmaceutical 3D printing extrusion molding technology / 药学学报

3D printing is an additive manufacturing technology with the help of digital control. Since FDA approved the first 3D printing drug in 2015, its research enthusiasm in the pharmaceutical field has been increasing year by year. In printing technology, fused deposition molding (FDM) and semi-solid extrusion (SSE) are the two most widely used extrusion molding technologies. In this review, recent advances of pharmaceutical 3D printing extrusion molding technology are reviewed from six aspects: mechanism, equipment, pharmaceutical excipients, applications, design and industrialization prospects of extrusion molding technology.

Multimedia visual physiological stimulation combined with stereoscopic system training for the treatment of ametropic amblyopia / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To analyze the efficacy of multimedia visual physiological stimulation combined with stereoscopic system training in the treatment of ametropic amblyopia in children.METHODS: A total of 102 patients(102 eyes)with ametropic amblyopia admitted to our hospital from June 2021 to June 2022 were randomly divided into two groups. The control group consisted of 51 patients(51 eyes)who received multimedia visual physiological stimulation on the basis of conventional treatment, while the observation group consisted of 51 patients(51 eyes)who received stereoscopic training on the basis of the control group. The binocular fusion function, binocular stereopsis and binocular disparity of the two groups of children were evaluated at 3mo after treatment, and the clinical efficacy was assessed based on the improvement of vision.RESULTS: After 3mo of treatment, the normal rates of binocular fusion function, binocular stereopsis, and binocular disparity in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group(all P&#x003C;0.05). The total effective rate of the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group(94.1% vs. 60.8%, P&#x003C;0.05), and the total effective rate of treatment in children of different ages in the observation group was higher than that in the control group(P&#x003C;0.05), with children aged 6-8 having the highest effective rate of treatment; The total effective rate of treatment for children with mild to moderate amblyopia in the observation group was higher than that in the control group(94.0% vs. 61.2%, P&#x003C;0.05).CONCLUSION: The combination of multimedia visual physiological stimulation and stereoscopic system training has a good therapeutic effect on ametropic amblyopia, which can promote visual recovery, help reconstruct binocular stereopsis, and has a better effect on children aged 6-8 years or children with mild to moderate amblyopia.

A Retrospective Study on the Characteristics of Traditional Chinese Medical Syndromes in 3088 Cases of Atherosclerotic Cerebral Infarction / 中医杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome and the evolution of pathogenesis in different stages of atherosclerotic thrombotic cerebral infarction （ATCI）. MethodsClinical data of 3088 ATCI patients from 8 hospitals in 6 provinces and cities were collected from the hospital information system during January 1， 2015 to December 31， 2019. After staging and counting clinical symptoms， common factors were extracted using the principal component analysis method in factor analysis. Cluster analysis was then carried out on the basis of the factor analysis. The results of the combination of the evidence element identification， cluster analysis and expert discussion were used to discuss the evidence of the different disease stages of atherosclerotic cerebral infarction. ResultsOf the 3088 ATCI patients included， 2290 cases were in the acute phase and 798 in the non-acute phase. Excluding the main symptoms of ischaemic stroke， such as numbness and weakness of limbs， unfavourable movement， unfavourable speech and dizziness， we identified 84 indicators with a frequency ≥5% of the four diagnostic information variables. Of these， 36 indicators were observed in the acute phase and 35 in the non-acute phase. Factor analysis extracted 14 common factors from each phase. We selected factors with a loading coefficient ＞0.3 for evidence determination. These 14 groups of common factors were used as variables for clustering. After clustering， the acute， non-acute phase were each divided into 5 categories. Based on a combination of clinical practice and expert opinion， the symptoms identified in the acute period were syndrome of deficiency of both qi and yin， syndrome of blockade of wind-phlegm-static blood （36.07%）， syndrome of qi deficiency and blood stasis （20.74%）， syndrome of upward disturbance of wind-fire （15.15%）， syndrome of stirring wind due to yin deficiency （9.43%）， and syndrome of spleen deficiency and liver hyperactivity （3.80%）. In the non-acute phase， the symptoms were qi and yin deficiency with syndrome of qi stagnation and blood stasis （45.49%）， syndrome of deficiency of both qi and yin （20.05%）， syndrome of qi stagnation and blood stasis （16.42%）， spleen-kidney deficiency syndrome （8.52%）， and syndrome of hyperactivity of liver yang （4.89%）. ConclusionThe acute phase of AICI is mainly characterized by blood stasis， fire， internal wind， hyperactivity of yang， qi deficiency and yin deficiency， while the non-acute phase is characterized by yin deficiency， qi deficiency， blood stasis and qi stagnation. The main pathomechanism of ATCI involves deficiency of qi and yin， as well as obstruction of the channels by phlegm and blood stasis， and the fundamental pathomechanism is deficiency of qi and yin.

Incision scar recovery assessment of patients with transaxillary dual-plane breast augmentation assisted with endoscopy / 中华医学美学美容杂志

Objective:To evaluate incision scars of transaxillary breast augmentation by different methods of scar assessment.Methods:A retrospective study was carried out on 30 patients (age range 20 to 50 years, with mean age of 32 years) who underwent endoscopic assisted transaxillary type Ⅰ dual plane breast implant augmentation by a same surgeon from August 2014 to November 2016. Scars were estimated by 3 methods which included Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS), Visual Assessment Scale (VAS) and patients' questionnaire.Results:VAS score for left side scars ranged from 0 to 8 and the median was 1. VAS score for right side scars ranged from 0 to 8.3 and the median was 1. A total of 48 scars were scored in the 0-2 point range, representing 80% of the 60 total. VSS score for left side scars ranged from 0 to 11.6 and the median was 0.8. VSS score for right side scars ranged from 0 to 11.3 and the median was 1.2. A total of 46 scars were scored in the 0-2 point range, representing 76.7% of the total 60 breats. The scores between VSS and VAS had significant statistical differences ( P<0.001). 80.0% of our patients regarded scars as unconspicuous or basically invisible in our questionnaire. Conclusions:The majority of transaxillary incision scars recover in favorable status with high patients satisfactory rate. VAS is a practical tool for evaluating transaxillary incision scars. The VSS score is not equivalent to the VAS score when grading scars only by photos.

Analysis of the current situation of research ability, cognition, and needs of medical staff in a grade A tertiary hospital in Xinjiang / 中华医学科研管理杂志

Objective:To understand the research ability, cognition, and training needs of clinical medical staff in a grade A tertiary hospital in Xinjiang and to analyze the influencing factors.Methods:A convenience sampling method was applied to survey the clinical medical staff of our hospital with a questionnaire including general information, a self-assessment scale of research ability, and a survey of research cognition and training needs. A total of 618 questionnaires were collected with 609 valid returned responses, resulting in an effective return rate of 98.54%. Univariate and multiple linear regression analysis were applied to analyze the influencing factors of the total score of clinical medical staff's research ability.Results:The total score of research ability of 609 clinical medical personnel was 60.73±13.59. The results of multiple linear regression showed that participation in scientific research conferences, enthusiasm for scientific research activities, and the need for scientific research training all had positive effects on the self-assessment of scientific research ability, which together explained 52% of the total variance (adjusted R2=0.520, P<0.001). The top three " very important" options for medical staff research training were data analysis, research design, and research topic selection. Conclusions:Medical staff research skills need to be improved and there is a strong need for research training. Managers should refine scientific research management initiatives and provide hierarchical and targeted scientific research training to improve the overall medical staff's scientific research literacy and research ability, thereby promoting the progress of medical care in hospitals.

Regulatory effect of CCCTC binding factor on Bcl-2 gene in pterygium and its mechanism / 中华实验眼科杂志

Objective:To investigate the regulation of transcription factor CCCTC binding factor (CTCF) on the expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 ( Bcl-2) gene in pterygium and its molecular mechanism. Methods:Pterygium tissue samples from 22 primary pterygium patients who underwent pterygium excision combined with autologous limbal stem cell transplantation in The First Hospital of Changsha from June 2017 to February 2019 were collected during the operation as pterygium group.Normal conjunctival tissue from 20 patients with ocular trauma due to conjunctiva rupture, eyeball rupture or eyeball perforation in the same period were collected during the repair of ocular trauma as control group.Real-time PCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression levels of CTCF and Bcl-2 in the two groups.The DNA methylation level of the Bcl-2 promoter in the samples of the two groups was detected by bisulfite sequencing PCR (BSP). Pterygium fibroblasts were isolated and cultured.Fibroblasts were identified by immunohistochemistry using vimentin antibody.The cultured pterygium fibroblasts were divided into a CTCF interference group transfected with CTCF interference plasmid, and a control group transfected with control plasmid.The expression levels of CTCF and Bcl-2 in pterygium fibroblasts in CTCF interference and control groups were detected by real-time PCR and Western blot.The cell vitality was detected with cell counting kit-8 at 12, 24, and 48 hours after transfection.The DNA methylation level of the Bcl-2 promoter in the cells of the CTCF interference and control groups after transfection was determined by BSP.Differences of the indexes among groups were analyzed.Correlation between Bcl-2 mRNA and Bcl-2 gene promoter methylation level of CTCF protein in pterygium tissue was analyzed by Pearson linear correlation analysis.This study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of The First Hospital of Changsha (No.KL-2017021). Written informed consent was obtained from the patients from whom the specimens were collected.Results:The relative expression levels of CTCF mRNA and protein in pterygium group were 7.23±3.34 and 0.92±0.21, respectively, which were significantly higher than 1.10±0.44 and 0.28±0.07 in normal conjunctiva group ( t=-8.136, -13.025; both at P<0.01). The relative expression levels of Bcl-2 mRNA and protein in pterygium group were 10.27±4.64 and 0.95±0.27, which were higher than 1.10±0.41 and 0.32±0.14 in normal conjunctiva group, showing statistically significant differences ( t=-8.789, -10.782; both at P<0.01). The CTCF protein expression was significantly positively correlated with the Bcl-2 mRNA expression in pterygium group ( r=0.746, P<0.01). The DNA methylation level of the Bcl-2 promoter in pterygium group was 0.65±0.09, which was lower than 0.83±0.06 in normal conjunctiva group, with a statistically significant difference ( t=7.408, P<0.01). The DNA methylation level was significantly negatively correlated with the Bcl-2 mRNA expression in pterygium group ( r=-0.635, P<0.01). After the interference of CTCF expression in pterygium fibroblasts, the relative expression levels of CTCF and Bcl-2 mRNA in CTCF interference group were 0.37±0.03 and 0.53±0.06, which were significantly lower than 1.02±0.06 and 0.99±0.07 in control group ( t=20.035, 9.029; both at P<0.01). The relative expression levels of CTCF and Bcl-2 proteins in CTCF interference group were 0.23±0.06 and 0.56±0.07, which were lower than 0.52±0.05 and 0.92±0.12 in control group, showing statistically significant differences ( t=6.914, 4.719; both at P<0.01). The cell viability of pterygium fibroblasts in CTCF interference group was 0.10±0.01, 0.17±0.01, 0.38±0.04 at 12, 24, and 48 hours after interference, respectively, which were lower than 0.12±0.01, 0.29±0.01 and 0.85±0.06 in control group, and the differences were statistically significant ( t=3.718, 18.350, 15.621; all at P<0.01). The DNA methylation level of Bcl-2 promoter in CTCF interference group was 0.75±0.04, which was significantly higher than 0.61±0.03 in control group ( t=-4.472, P<0.05). Conclusions:CTCF is excessively expressed in pterygium, which may mediate the overexpression of Bcl-2 through down-regulating DNA methylation level.

A cross sectional validation study of sonographic findings of the first metatarsophalangeal Joint in gout and asymptomatic hyperuricemia

Objective@#Musculoskeletal ultrasound has gained recognition in early identification of crystal deposits in the joints and soft tissues. This study aims to validate the sonographic features of 1st metatarsophalangeal joints (MTPJs) in gout and asymptomatic hyperuricemia (AH).@*Methods@#Patients with gout (n=20) and AH (n=16) underwent a gray-scale ultrasound assessment of both 1st MTPJs on 3 positions (dorsal, medial, plantar) in longitudinal view. The static images were read by 2 blinded trained sonologists for the presence of double contour sign (DCS), erosions, and tophi.

Body characteristics of adults from 17 minorities of the Tibeto-Burman language group in China / 解剖学报

Objective To understand the body characteristics of adults from the Tibeto-Burman language group. Methods Totally 14 837 adults (6578 males and 8259 females) from 17 minorities were selected for investigation during 2015 to 2019 and these surveys were carried out in regions including Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan and Tibet Autonomous Region. Eight physical parameters (stature, sitting height, etc.) along with 4 corresponding indexes (stature-sitting index and the like) were carefully analyzed. The body characteristics of the Tibeto-Burman language group were then compared to those of certain minorities as well as Han in both northern and southern part of China based on our collected data. Results Among 17 minorities of the Tibeto-Burman language group, people from Pumi and Tibet were relatively tall and have longer trunk and limbs. The presence of wider trunk and thicker limbs appeared to be common in Tibetan individuals. Subjects from Lahu, Jino and Derung were in possession of shorter stature and limbs while the trunk of Naxi, Lisu and Achang people seemed wider. Compared with other ethnic groups in China, individuals from the Tibeto-Burman language group tended to own shorter stature accompanied by medium trunk width, probably sharing similar physical characteristics with those minorities in southern China, especially She and Li. Conclusion Among ethnic groups dotting in southern China, individuals from the Tibeto-Burman language group generally have medium stature, medium trunk height, and wide trunk whereas those from 3 Mon-Khmer groups, Va, Khmus and Blang, are shorter and smaller in width and height of the trunk.

Nutritional physical indexes, obesity status and their warning effect on hypertension among Blang, Deang and Va ethnic groups in Yunnan / 解剖学报

Objective To analyze the nutritional level, obesity status and the prevalence of frypertension in Blang, Deang and Va ethnic groups in Yunnan, to explore the relationship among nutritional physical index, obesity indicators and blood pressure, and use the cutoff value of related indicators to warn frypertension. Methods This paper was based on a statistical analysis of the 7 nutritional pfrysical indexes, 5 types of obesity status and frypertension status of 766 Blang, 570 Deang and 565 Va. Results We found that the nutritional pfrysique index of man)' items (4 items for men and 4 items for women) of Blang was significantly higher than that of Deang and Va (P Blang > Deang and the difference was statistically significant (P<0. 05). Conclusion Pelidisi' s index, WHR, and PBF all have good early warning effects on frypertension in all three ethnic groups.

Gabapentin effectively alleviates pain sensitization and regulates CACNA2D1 expression in postherpetic neuralgia rats / 中国药理学通报

Aim To identify the molecular target of gabapentin in the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia(PHN). Methods The molecular target of gabapentin for PHN was analyzed by network pharmacology and molecular docking and confirmed by coprecipitation test. Rats were randomly divided into control group, model group, model+50 mg·kg-1 gabapentin group, model+100 mg·kg-1 gabapentin group, and model+200 mg·kg-1 gabapentin group, with nine rats in each group. The pain-related behaviors of the rats were measured at different time points. The mRNA and protein expressions of CACNA2D1, Bax, and Bcl-2 in rat spinal cord were determined by immunofluorescence, Western blot, and qPCR. Results CACNA2D1 was the target gene of gabapentin that determined via network pharmacology, molecular docking, and co-precipitation tests. After modeling, mechanical pain threshold and thermal pain threshold significantly decreased, and the number of apoptotic GABA cells significantly increased. However, after intraperitoneal injection of 50, 100, and 200 mg·kg-1 gabapentin, mechanical pain threshold and thermal pain threshold significantly increased(P<0.05), and the number of apoptotic GABA cells significantly decreased(P<0.01). Immunofluorescence and Western blot results showed that compared with the model group, with the increase of gabapentin concentration, the positive expression rate of Bax significantly decreased, and the positive expression rate of Bcl-2 and CACNA2D1 significantly increased. The mRNA expression levels of Bax, Bcl-2 and CACNA2D1 detected by qPCR were consistent with the results of immunofluorescence and Western blot. Conclusions Gabapentin up-regulates the expression of target protein CACNA2D1, inhibits the proapoptotic protein Bax, and promotes the expression of apoptotic inhibitor Bcl-2.

Mechanism of Zhishi Xiebai Guizhi Decoction on myocardial infarction based on network pharmacology and experimental validation / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore the effects of Zhishi Xiebai Guizhi Decoction (ZXGD) in the treatment of myocardial infarction (MI) using the network pharmacology method and verifying by in vivo experiments and to reveal the underlying mechanism. Methods The chemical components of ZXGD and related targets were retrieved from the TCMSP database. The targets of MI were searched from the GeneCards, OMIM and DisGeNET databases, with the keywords " myocardial infarction" and "MI", and removing duplicates. The intersection of ZXGD and MI targets were obtained, and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network based on the intersection of active ingredients and disease targets was constructed. The DAVID database was used to conduct GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis on the intersection targets. Combined with STRING database and Cytoscape 3.7.2 software, the intersection targets were visualized as a " medicine-component-target-disease" network. The MI mouse model was established by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery of the heart. ZXGD was given once a day for 14 days. The cardioprotective effects of ZXGD were examined by ultrasound cardiogram and Western blot. Results The results of network pharmacology analysis showed that the pharmacological components of ZXGD such as quercetin, naringenin, β-sitosterol, and luteolin maybe work on the targets like TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, VEGFA, and IL-10. Animal experiments found that compared with the model group, ZXGD significantly increased the left ventricular cardiac function, outflow tract blood flow, and other ultrasound indexes of the mice (P < 0.05). Moreover, the expression levels of IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6 in myocardial infarction tissue were significantly down-regulated by ZXGD (P < 0.05), while the expression level of IL-10 was significantly up-regulated (P < 0.05). Conclusion ZXGD protects against MI and improves heart function by regulating inflammatory factors including TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10.

Novel Mutation of SLC26A3 Gene Observed in Congenital Chloride Diarrhea

Congenital chloride diarrhea (CLD) is a rare autosomal recessive disease caused by mutations in the solute carrier family 26 member 3 (SLC26A3) gene on chromosome 7q31. Affected neonates are vulnerable to dehydration, electrolyte imbalance in the form of hyponatremia, metabolic alkalosis, failure to thrive, or even death if left untreated. Genetic testing for mutations should be considered if the clinical diagnosis remains uncertain because early diagnosis and appropriate management are critical to the disease course in CLD. Several mutations have been reported in Korean patients with CLD, with the most common being the c.2063-1G>T mutation. Here, we report the case of a neonate with prenatally suspected CLD with confirmed novel mutations in the SLC26A3 gene (c.2147C>G; p.Ala716Gly).

Pharmacodynamics of human interferon α1b against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Omicron strain in vitro / 中国生物制品学杂志

@#Objective To evaluate the pharmacodynamics of human interferon(IFN)α1b against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)Omicron strain in vitro.Methods Total four drugs human IFNα1b bulk,human IFNα1b eye drops,human IFNα1b spray and Remdesivir were detected for cytotoxicity by CCK-8 assay.The inhibitory effect of human IFNα1b on SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strains(BA.5/BA.2/BA.1)was determined by qPCR.Results Human IFNα1b bulk of the maximum concentration(1 × 107IU/mL)and Remdesivir of the maximum concentration(150 μmol/L)did not achieve half cytotoxicity to Vero cells;The median cytotoxicity concentrations(CC_(50))of human IFNα1b eye drops and human IFNα1b sprays were 29 958 and 37 550 IU/mL,respectively,showing toxicity to Vero cells.The median effective concentrations(EC_(50))of human IFNα1b against virus strains BA.1,BA.2 and BA.5 after incubation for 2 h in advance were 9.30,13.38 and 12.33 IU/mL and those of Remdesivir were 0.314 7,0.291 0 and0.300 3 μmol/L.When incubation with virus simultaneously,the EC_(50)of human IFNα1b to BA.1,BA.2 and BA.5 were19.68,10.91 and 18.84 IU/mL and those of the control drug Remdesivir were 0.320 5,0.274 4 and 0.304 1 μmol/L,respectively.Conclusion At the cell level in vitro,human IFNα1b of very low activity showed a good inhibitory effect on SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain,which was expected to be a clinical specific drug for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain infection.

Screening of active components and preliminary mechanism exploration of Lycii Fructus for improving osteoporosis based on the zebrafish model / 药学学报

Juvenile zebrafish were used to screen the active components of Lycii Fructus for improving osteoporosis. The screening results were further verified by zebrafish adult osteoporosis model and the action mechanism was explored. Prednisolone was used as the inducer to build osteoporosis models of juvenile and adult zebrafish, and 9 groups of samples of different extracts and chemical parts of Lycii Fructus were given. Alizarin red staining was applied for observing the scale matrix mineralization and bone resorption. The activities of osteoblasts and osteoclasts were detected using alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP/TRACP) staining. The expressions of bone metabolism-related genes alp, osteoprotectin (opn), osteoblast specific transcription factor (sp7), cathepsin K (ctsk), tracp, and Runt family transcription factor 2b (runx2b) in each group were determined using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The results showed that all components of Lycii Fructus improved the formation area of the first vertebrae, the staining light density value, and the number of vertebrae joints in juvenile zebrafish and the Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) treatment group exerted the best effect. In addition, LBP prevented the formation of bone resorption lacunae in zebrafish scales, increased ALP activity, decreased TRAP activity, up-regulated the alp, sp7, and opn genes, and lowered the expressions of ctsk and tracp genes. In conclusion, LBP regulated the activity of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, reduced bone resorption, promoted bone formation and enhanced bone density, which might be the main anti-osteoporosis active fraction of Lycii Fructus. This study provided modern scientific evidence for the scientific connotation of the traditional effect of "strengthening bones and muscles" of Lycii Fructus, provided the reference for the evaluation of the anti-osteoporosis activity of traditional Chinese medicine based on zebrafish adult model, and provided beneficial enlightenment for the bone health needs of the aging society population.