Assessment of the upper motor neuron degeneration by detailed motor homunculus cortex thickness in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

【Objective】 The involvement of upper motor neuron (UMN) degeneration is crucial to the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This study aimed to determine objective and sensitive UMN degeneration markers for an accurate and early diagnosis. 【Methods】 A total of 108 ALS patients and 90 age- and gender-matched control subjects were recruited from ALS Clinic of The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University. The motor homunculus cortex thickness data in MRI were collected from all the participants. The clinical characteristics and UMN clinical examination of bulbar, cervical, thoracic and lumbosacral regions were collected from the ALS patients. 【Results】 Cortical thickness was significantly thinner in the ALS group than in the control group in bilateral head-face-bulbar and upper-limb areas (P<0.05). The cortical thickness of the global UMN positive group was significantly thinner than that of control groups in bilateral head-face-bulbar and upper-limb areas (P<0.05). The cortical thickness of the UMN positive group in the corresponding region was significantly thinner than that of control groups in bilateral head-face-bulbar and upper-limb areas (P<0.05). 【Conclusion】 The thinning of the motor homunculus cortex can be used as an objective marker of UMN involvement in ALS patients in clinical practice.

MRI cortical thickness of bulbar region and impacts on survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

【Objective】 To investigate cortical thickness changes in the face-head region of the primary motor cortex (PMC) and its effect on survival in amyotrophy lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. 【Methods】 A retrospective analysis was performed on 105 ALS patients who underwent head MRI scan at the same time. The A4hf (face-head) region of PMC was used as the region of interest (ROI). According to clinical symptoms, patients were divided into two groups: bulbar involvement and non-bulbar involvement. The differences of clinical features and cortical thickness in ROI were analyzed. According to the symptoms of bulbar palsy, physical examination of nervous system and EMG of tongue muscle, the patients with bulbar palsy were divided into lower motor neuron (LMN), upper motor neuron (UMN) and LMN+UMN groups. The differences of bulbar subgroup score and ROI of cortical thickness were analyzed. Age at onset, body mass index, delayed time of diagnosis, bulbar subgroup score, and ROI cortical thickness were included in survival analysis. 【Results】 ① The ROI cortical thickness was significantly lower in bulbar involvement group than non-bulbar involvement group (-0.198±0.87 vs. 0.235±0.95, P=0.017). ② There were no significant differences in the bulbar subgroup scores or cortical thickness of ROI between LMN, UMN and LMN+UMN groups (P>0.05). ③ Survival analysis showed age of onset (HR=3.296, 95% CI:1.63-6.664, P=0.001), delayed time of diagnosis (HR=0.361, 95% CI:0.184-0.705, P=0.003), bulbar subgroup score (HR 0.389, 95% CI:0.174-0.868, P=0.021), and ZRE_ROI cortical thickness (HR=2.309, 95% CI:1.046-5.096, P=0.038) were independent influencing factors of ALS survival. 【Conclusion】 Cortical thickness in A4hf (face-head) region can more objectively reflect UMN signs of region bulbar. In addition to age of onset and delayed time of diagnosis, bulbar subgroup score and cortical thickness of face-head region are also independent influencing factors, and cortical thinning in face-head region is a protective factor for survival of ALS patients.

Factors affecting Babinski sign in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

【Objective】 To explore the factors affecting Babinski sign in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). 【Methods】 We enrolled 262 patients diagnosed with ALS with adequate data in Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University from 2015 to 2020. The relationship between the clinical characteristics of patients with positive and negative Babinski sign was analyzed for both sides, respectively. Furthermore, for patients with left or right lower limb weakness complaint, the relationship between Babinski sign and the lower limb involvement characteristics was analyzed. 【Results】 Positive Babinski sign was positively correlated with higher diagnostic category (left correlation coefficient 0.297, P<0.001; right correlation coefficient 0.292, P<0.001). Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R) score was lower in patients with positive Babinski sign (left P=0.001, right P=0.001); the proportion of complaints of ipsilateral lower limb weakness was higher (left P=0.008, right P=0.038); the positive rate of ipsilateral upper limb Hoffmann sign was higher (left P=0.004, right P=0.002). In patients with complaints of lower limb weakness, positive Babinski sign was positively correlated with better foot dorsiflexor muscle strength (left correlation coefficient 0.207, P=0.021; right correlation coefficient 0.264, P=0.003), and the proportion of ipsilateral tibialis anterior atrophy was lower in positive Babinski sign group (left P<0.001, right P=0.008); the ratio of ipsilateral common peroneal nerve compound muscle action potential (CMAP)/tibial nerve CMAP was different in positive Babinski sign and negative groups (left P=0.008, right P=0.015), which were positively correlated (left correlation coefficient 0.246, P=0.007; right correlation coefficient 0.223, P=0.015). 【Conclusion】 Patients with positive Babinski sign usually have a higher diagnostic category and more extensive clinical involvement. In ALS patients with complaints of lower limb weakness, Babinski sign is more likely to be elicited when the degree of weakness and atrophy of the anterior calf muscles is relatively low.

Epidemiological characteristics and antimicrobial resistance of 151 cases of melioidosis in Hainan Province / 中国热带医学

@#Abstract: Objective　To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of 151 cases of melioidosis and the drug resistance of Burkholderia pseudomallei (BP), in order to provide the basis for diagnosis, treatment and reasonable prevention of melioidosis. Methods　A total of 151 inpatients and outpatients from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University from January 1, 2013 to August 31, 2022 were collected, and clinical specimens were submitted for examination to isolate and identify BP strains. The clinical data of 151cases of melioidosis and the drug resistance characteristics of pathogenic bacteria were retrospectively analyzed, and using SPSS26.0 software for statistical analysis. Results　Among 151 cases with BP infection, there were 138 males (91.4%) and 13 females (8.6%); the most patients were aged from 45-<60 years old, accounting for 74 cases (49.0%); melioidosis incidence was concentrated in October (19.2%), November (19.2%), August (9.9%) and July (8.6%), and; the number of confirmed cases showed an increasing trend and the time for confirmation was <10 d; Internal medicine system (31.1%), surgery system (26.5%) and intensive care department (20.5%) were the common departments for treating melioidosis; blood (49.0%), sputum (9.9%) and wound secretion (8.6%) were the main clinical specimens for detecting BP; pulmonary infection (68.2%), sepsis (35.1%) and local suppurative infection (23.8%) were the top clinical manifestations in patients with BP infection; the effective rate of treating melioidosis was 74.8%; abnormal liver function was a risk factor for the curative effect of melioidosis (χ2=5.010, P<0.05); the sensitivity rates of BP strains to sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (SXT), doxycycline (DOX), imipenem(IPM), ceftazidime (CAZ), amoxicillin/clavulanate (AMC) and tetracycline (TCY) were generally more than 90%, with sensitivities of 98.7%, 97.2%, 96.7%, 94.0%, 93.2% and 90.7%, respectively. Conclusions　It can be concluded that misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis of melioidosis is easy to occur, and the understanding of the epidemiological characteristics and risk factors in this area should be strengthened. The sensitivity of BP to commonly used antibiotics has shown a certain downward trend, clinical use should be standardized, and drug resistance monitoring should be strengthened to improve the efficacy of melioidosis treatment.

Research Progress on Compatibility Mechanism of Coptidis Rhizoma-Euodiae Fructus： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Herb pair， a common form of compounding in Chinese medicinal prescriptions， reflects the experience of pharmacists in clinical medication in the past. It is characterized by simple composition while has the basic characteristics of Chinese medicine compounding. The combination of two medicinal herbs can enhance effect or reduce toxicity. Coptidis Rhizoma （CR） has the effects of clearing heat， drying dampness， purging fire， and removing toxin. Euodiae Fructus （EF） is acrid， bitter， and hot-natured， which can not only warm the Yang Qi in spleen and stomach to dissipate cold and relieve pain， but also descend stomach Qi and prevent vomiting. Furthermore， it can warm the liver and kidney. CR and EF form a typical cold-heat herb pair， which oppose and yet also complement each other. Specifically， their cold and heat natures interact with each other to clear liver fire， harmonize stomach for descending adverse Qi， relieve depression， and dissipate mass. CR clears the intestine and stops dysentery， while EF warms the middle and promotes the circulation of Qi. The combination of them can thus clear heat， dry dampness， and relieve pain. Modern pharmacological studies have demonstrated that CR-EF has not only significant efficacy against digestive system diseases but also good anti-cancer， anti-inflammatory， anti-ulcer， and lipid-lowering activities. Therefore， the article summarized the effect enhancement and toxicity reduction of the herb pair at the levels of cellular molecule， isolated organ， and whole animal， and clarified the mechanism of its pharmacological action. It will provide a theoretical basis for further development and clinical use of the herb pair.

Application of nanomaterial-based biosensors in airborne pathogen surveillance / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

COVID-19 is a novel respiratory infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The continuous emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants poses a serious threat to the public health. A bedside device with high specificity and sensitivity for real-time and rapid detection is of great value for the prevention and control of COVID-19. Moreover, understanding the transmission behavior of airborne pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2 is also vital for scientific disease prevention. Biosensors are devices that can convert biomolecular reaction signals into detectable physical or chemical signals and have been increasingly used for the detection and analysis of pathogenic microorganisms. Biosensors bases on the conventional detection methods such as colony counting, immunoassays and molecular techniques are often time-consuming, labor-intensive and complicated. Nanomaterial-based biosensors are more portable and can be used for rapid on-site detection. This review summarized the progress in biosensors for pathogen detection and the application of nanomaterial based-biosensors in the surveillance of airborne pathogens.

Research on early identification indicators for anterior cruciate ligament injury based on knee gait analysis / 中华创伤骨科杂志

Objective:To characterize the knee gait maps of ordinary people, athletes and patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury when walking on a level ground in order to identify potential kinematic indicators for early identification of ACL injury.Methods:From December 2021 to March 2022, 39 ordinary college students (normal group) and 39 college athletes (athlete group) were recruited in Southern Medical University, and 26 patients with ACL injury (patient group) were recruited at the Department of Orthopedics, Guangdong Provincial People＇s Hospital. The normal group consisted of 20 males and 19 females with a median age of 19 (18, 21) years; the athlete group consisted of 22 males and 17 females with a median age of 19 (18, 20) years; the patient group consisted of 23 males and 3 females with a median age of 20 (19, 20) years. A portable knee joint motion capture system was used to collect the knee gait maps of the subjects walking at a speed of 3 km/h on a treadmill. The knee varus and valgus angles, internal and external rotation angles, flexion and extension angles during the movement, and anteroposterior, medial-lateral superior-inferior displacements of the tibia relative to the femur were compared between the 3 groups.Results:There was no significant difference in the general data among the 3 groups except for gender, showing they were comparable ( P>0.05). There were significant differences in the varus and valgus angles during the whole gait cycle (1% to 100%), internal and external rotation angles during the weight-bearing response period (9% to 10%), flexion and extension angles during the stance phase and swing phase (1% to 27%, 29% to 100%), anteroposterior displacements during the weight-bearing reaction phase (1% to 3%) and at the end of the swing phase (96% to 98%), superior-inferior displacements at the middle support phase (15% to 19%), the end of the support phase (29% to 33%, 36% to 43%) and the swing phase (68% to 94%), and medial-lateral displacements at the middle stance phase and the middle swing phase (12% to 82%) among the 3 groups ( P<0.05). The maximum varus and valgus angles (-10.89°±4.55°, -12.20°±4.38°) of the subjects in the normal group and the athlete group were significantly greater than those in the patient group (-5.44°±3.72°) ( P<0.05). The medial-lateral displacement at the middle support phase [3.69 (0.13, 7.25) mm] of the subjects in the normal group was significantly larger than those in the athlete group and the patient group [-0.59 (-6.65, 5.24) mm, 0.96 (-1.54, 3.89) mm] ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The gait of college athletes is significantly different from that of ordinary college students and that of patients with ACL injury. Indexes like the varus and valgus angles and the medial-lateral displacement may be used as potential indictors for early identification of ACL injury.

Modern research thoughts and methods on bio-active components of TCM formulae / 中国天然药物

TCM formulae are the important guidances for clinical application of traditional Chinese medicines, which follow the principles of diagnosis and treatment in TCM. Elucidating the bio-active components of TCM formulae is the key to the modernization and internationalization of traditional Chinese medicines. With the rapid development of modern instruments and technology, many new theories, methods and strategies are emerging, which upgrade the research of TCM formulae into a higher level. Only when the medicinal efficacy, bio-active components, function mechanism of TCM formulae are understood, we can guarantee TCM safety and quality control. In this paper, we summarized the latest modern research thoughts and methods on bio-active components of TCM formulae including formula decomposition study, serum pharmacology and serum pharmacochemistry, association analysis, biochromatography, network pharmacology, metabolomics and proteomics, so as to provide reference for the research and development of TCM in the future.

Research on Q-markers of Polygoni Perfoliati Herba based on analytic hierarchy process-entropy weight method and fingerprints / 中国中药杂志

The potential quality markers(Q-markers) of Polygoni Perfoliati Herba were studied based on analytic hierarchy process(AHP)-entropy weight method(EWM), network pharmacology, and spectrum-effect relationship analysis. The AHP-EWM was used for quantitative identification of the Q-markers. To be specific, AHP was applied for the weight analysis of the validity, testability, and specificity of the first-level indexes, and EWM for the analysis of the second-level indexes supported by literature and experimental data. Based on literature and network pharmacology, the validity analysis was to study the component-target-disease-efficacy network, and select the components with the strongest correlation with the efficacy of clearing heat and removing toxin, diuresis and alleviating edema, and relieving cough. For the testability analysis, the high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) and literature research were used to determine the 10 components in Polygoni Perfoliati Herba, and the fingerprints of Polygoni Perfoliati Herba were established at the same time. The specificity analysis was based on the statistics of the number of plants in which the components existed. Thereby, the 11 compounds: quercetin, oleanolic acid, ellagic acid, gallic acid, kaempferol, rutin, esculetin, quercetin-3-O-glucuronide, ursolic acid, protocatechuic acid, and ferulic acid, were identified as potential Q-markers. The 11 compounds were identified to have high anti-inflammatory activity, indicating that the 11 Q-markers may be the functional material basis. The result in this study is expected to serve as a reference for the quality control of Polygoni Perfoliati Herba.

Identification of quality markers of Qixuehe Capsules based on analytic hierarchy process and entropy weight methods / 中国中药杂志

Qixuehe Capsules is a compound Chinese patent medicine developed for treating the disorder of Qi and blood(a common etiology of gynecological disease), which has remarkable effects on smoothing liver and regulating Qi, activating blood circulation, and relieving pain. However, due to its complex prescriptions(15 herbs) and multiple effects, the quality control of Qixuehe Capsules has always been a bottleneck problem limiting its sustainable development. Therefore, this study adopted the traditional Chinese medicine Q-markers quantitative identification system established previously by our research group based on the combination of analytic hierarchy process and entropy weight methods. With the different effects of Qixuehe Capsules as the entry point, the comprehensive scores of chemical ingre-dients in Qixuehe Capsules under the items of effectiveness(smoothing liver and regulating qi, activating blood circulation, and relieving pain), testability and specificity were calculated and integrated, respectively. Subsequently, through the analysis of compatibility relationship of Qixuehe Capsules, 15 active ingredients with high comprehensive scores were found to be the top Q-mar-kers of Qixuehe Capsules, including ferulic acid, quercetin, caffeic acid, kaempferol, rutin, Z-ligustilide, senkyunolide Ⅰ, vanillic acid, protocatechuic acid, chlorogenic acid, rosmarinic acid, senkyunolide A, gallic acid, tetrahydropalmatine and eugenol. Collectively, this study not only provided scientific evidence for further research on the improvement and standardization of quality standards of Qixuehe Capsules but also provided methodological references for the quantitative identification of Q-markers of multi-effect traditional Chinese medicine formulae.

Quantitative identification of TCM Q-markers based on analytical hierarchy and the entropy weight comprehensive method by taking Shaoyao Gancao decoction as an example / 药学学报

The quality markers (Q-markers) of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have become a topic of interest in TCM research in recent years. Nonetheless, there is still no consensus on how to scientifically characterize TCM Q-markers. Our study establishes an identification method for TCM Q-markers based on the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and the entropy weight comprehensive method. By constructing an evaluation system encompassing the target layer, the factor layer and the control layer, AHP can be used to analyze the weight of three core TCM quality attributes, including effectiveness, testability and specificity. Following that, the entropy weight method is employed to analyze the specific indicators for each attribute based on the literature and experimental data. Finally, the comprehensive weight of each index is obtained by combining the two weights, and the comprehensive weight and the specific value of each component is multiplied and summed to obtain the integrated score ranking, and thereby identify the TCM Q-markers. Taking Shaoyao Gancao decoction as an example, the analysis revealed that the top 8 components are as follows: paeoniflorin > quercetin > albiflorin > glycyrrhizic acid > naringenin > liquiritin > oxypaeoniflorin > benzoylpaeoniflorin, and can be identified as Q-markers of Shaoyao Gancao decoction. This study not only provides support for the establishment of quality standards and process quality control of TCM formulae, but also provides innovative ideas and methods for quantitative evaluation and accurate identification of TCM Q-markers.

Research on Q-markers of Eupatorium lindleyanum based on analytic hierarchy process-entropy weight method and network pharmacology / 中国中药杂志

The potential quality markers( Q-markers) of Eupatorium lindleyanum were studied with analytic hierarchy process(AHP)-entropy weight method(EWM) and network pharmacological method. Based on the concept of Q-markers of traditional Chinese medicine, AHP-EWM was employed to quantitatively identify the Q-markers of E. lindleyanum. AHP method was applied to the weight analysis of the validity, testability, and specificity of the first-level indexes, and EWM method was used to analyze the secondlevel indexes supported by literature and experimental data. At the same time, based on the theory and method of network pharmacology, the component-target-disease-efficacy network of E. lindleyanum was built, and the components most closely related to the efficacy of resolving phlegm and relieving cough and asthma were screened out. Through the integrated analysis of the results obtained with AHP-EWM and network pharmacological method, 13 compounds including rutin, quercetin, nepetin, cirsiliol, luteolin, hyperoside,isoquercitrin, kaempferol, caffeic acid, eupalinolide K, eupalinolide A, eupalinolide B, and eupalinolide C were comprehensively identified as the potential Q-markers of E. lindleyanum. The results provide a basis for the quality control of E. lindleyanum.

Analysis of urine creatinine level in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

Objective: To analyze the level of urine creatinine of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to explore its clinical value. Methods: We included ALS (ALS group), other neurological diseases(OND) patients and healthy controls (CTRL). We collected all the participants' fresh urine in the morning, measured and analyzed the level of urine creatinine. Results: There were 196 ALS patients, and 108 OND and 90 CTRL subjects in our study. The levels of urine creatinine and serum creatinine were remarkably lower in ALS patients than in OND and CTRL (P<0.01) subjects. The level of urine creatinine was positively associated with the level of serum creatinine (r=0.2786, P=0.0029); the urine creatinine level and BMI on baseline of ALS patients had positive correlation (r=0.1989, P=0.0052). The level of urine creatinine was higher in male ALS patients than in female ALS patients (P=0.0013). The level of urine creatinine in fast-progression ALS group was significantly higher than that in slow-progression (P=0.016). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that BMI and serum creatinine were factors influencing the level of urine creatinine of ALS patients (P<0.05). Conclusion: The levels of urine and serum creatinine in ALS patients became significantly lower synchronously than those in OND and CTRL subjects. BMI and serum creatinine were the factors influencing the level of urine creatinine of ALS patients. Urine creatinine may be a potential marker for evaluating muscle mass in ALS patients.

Advances in the research and applications of orange fluorescent protein / 生物工程学报

Fluorescent proteins can be used as probes to investigate intercellular molecular interactions and trace the pathway of specific metabolites, thus providing a detailed and accurate description of various metabolic processes and cellular pathways in living cells. Nowadays, the existing fluorescent proteins cover almost all spectral bands from ultraviolet to far-red. These fluorescent proteins have been applied in many fields of bioscience with the help of high-resolution microscopy, making great contributions to the development of biology. It is generally agreed that orange fluorescent proteins refer to the fluorescent proteins at the spectral range of 540-570 nm. In recent years, researches on orange fluorescent proteins have made great progress, and they have been widely applied in the field of biology and medicine as reporter protein and fluorescence resonance energy transfer as fluorescent receptor. This paper reviews the studies in the field of orange fluorescent proteins over the last 15 years, with the special focus on the development and application of orange fluorescent proteins to provide the basis for the future studies.

Analysis of the visual acuity characteristics of Chinese minority primary and middle school students / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To analyze the current situation and characteristics of poor vision of students aged 7-18 in 26 ethnic minorities in China, and to provide scientific basis for the vision prevention and treatment measures for minority students.@*Methods@#The 2014 national survey report on student physique and health was used to collect the data of 80 766 primary and secondary school students of poor vision selected from 26 ethnic minorities, The Chi-square test was used to compare and analyze the visual acuity of Han and Chinese students.@*Results@#The rate of poor eyesight among primary and secondary school students of ethnic minorities was 39.17%. The girls were reported with higher rates of visual impairment than boys, and the difference was highly significant(χ2=1 127.28, P<0.01). High school girls (16-18 years old ) had the highest rate of visual impairment, reaching 63.13%. The rate of vision failure was the lowest among boys in the lower grades of primary school (7 to 12 years old), amounting to 20.50%. The detection rate of poor vision in all ethnic groups ranged from 14.68% to 62.94%. Among them, the top five groups with the highest detection rate of poor vision were Tibetan(62.94%), Zhuang(62.39%), Korean(57.92%), Hui(56.48%) and Naxi(51.35%). The five lowest ethnic groups were the aquarium(14.68%), Wa(17.96%), Kyrgyz(18.30%), Li(19.22%) and Hhani(22.30%). The differences among most ethnic groups were highly significant(χ2=7 910.34, P<0.01).@*Conclusion@#The vision level of 26 minority students in China is lower than that of the Han. But there are significant ethnic differences. While intervening in Tibet，Zhuang and other key ethnic students, we should pay attention to gender differences and strengthen the prevention and control of vision of students from all ethnic groups.

Connexin43 Modulates X-Ray-Induced Pyroptosis in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

OBJECTIVE@#Pyroptosis is an inflammatory form of programmed cell death. This phenomenon has been recently reported to play an important role in radiation-induced normal tissue injury. Connexin43 (Cx43) is a gap junction protein that regulates cell growth and apoptosis. In this study, we investigated the effect of Cx43 on X-ray-induced pyroptosis in the human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).@*METHODS@#HUVECs, Cx43 overexpression, and Cx43 knockdown strains were irradiated with 10 Gy. Proteins were detected using western blot analysis. Cell pyroptosis was evaluated using the fluorescence-labeled inhibitor of caspase assay (FLICA) and propidium iodide staining through flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. Cell morphology and cytotoxicity were detected by scanning electron microscopy and lactate dehydrogenase release assay, respectively.@*RESULTS@#Irradiation with 10 Gy X-ray induced pyroptosis in the HUVECs and reduced Cx43 expression. The pyroptosis in the HUVECs was significantly attenuated by overexpression of Cx43 as it decreased the level of active caspase-1. However, interference of Cx43 expression with siRNA significantly promoted pyroptosis by increasing the active caspase-1 level. Pannexin1 (Panx1), a gap junction protein regulates pyroptosis, and its cleaved form is used to evaluate channel opening and active state. The level of cleaved Panx1 in the HUVECs and Cx43 knockdown strains increased in the presence of X-ray, but decreased in the Cx43 overexpression strains. Furthermore, interference of Panx1 with siRNA alleviated the upregulation of pyroptosis caused by Cx43 knockdown.@*CONCLUSION@#Results suggest that single high-dose X-ray irradiation induces pyroptosis in the HUVECs. In addition, Cx43 regulates pyroptosis directly by activating caspase-1 or indirectly by cleaving Panx1.

Application of a Self-management Mobile Platform in Rehabilitation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective:To design a mobile health platform with the features of continuity, interactivity and involvement, which is suitable for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); and to test the effect of this platform which is expected to prolong the effect of pulmonary rehabilitation for patients with COPD. Methods:From March to June, 2016, 67 patients with COPD from department of respiration in our hospital were enrolled. They were divided into control group (n = 33) and intervention group (n = 34). The control group received the routine self-management intervention and the intervention group received the mobile health platform to carry out the dynamic, continuous and targeted pulmonary rehabilitation therapy and self-management intervention. They were assessed with forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1%), COPD Assessment Test (CAT), modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale (mMRC) and Self-management Scale. Results:No statistical differences was found on all the indexes between two groups before intervention (t < 0.945, χ2 = 2.044, P > 0.05). One month after intervention, the score of CAT decreased (t = 4.921, P < 0.001), and was lower in the intervention group than in the control group (t = 3.508, P = 0.001); the score of mMRC improved (χ2 = 7.937, P < 0.05), but no difference was found between two groups (χ2 =1.018, P > 0.05); the score of Self-management Scale significantly increased (t = -5.650, P < 0.001), and was significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (t = 4.812, P < 0.001). Conclusion:The continuous, interactive and participatory mobile health platform designed in this study could effectively improve the quality of life and self-management ability of COPD patients, and prolong the effect of pulmonary rehabilitation.

Status of healthcare-associated infection management in 42 Chinesemedi-cine hospitals in Fujian Province / 中国感染控制杂志

Objective To understand the status of healthcare-associated infection(HAI)management in traditional Chinese medicine hospitals as well as integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine hospitals in Fujian Pro-vince,analyze the existing problems and weak links,and put forward corresponding improvement measures.Methods A questionnaire was designed through literature and expert consultation,from March to April 2016,42 secondary and above traditional Chinese medicine hospitals as well as integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine hos-pitals in 8 cities of Fujian Province were conducted on-site investigation,data were analyzed.Results A total of 42 hospitals participated in the investigation,92.86% were traditional Chinese medicine hospitals,7.14% were inte-grated traditional Chinese and Western medicine hospitals;all hospitals set up HAI management committees and HAI management groups of clinical departments,there were 100 HAI management professionals(66 were full-time,34 were part-time),nursing staff accounted for 63.00%,junior college and undergraduate personnel accoun-ted for 84.00%,staff with intermediate and senior professional titles accounted for 79.00%.There were significant differences in academic disciplines and education levels among administrators in secondary and tertiary hospitals(P<0.05). All hospitals carried out HAI case surveillance,only 2.38% achieved HAI informational software monito-ring,83.33% carried out comprehensive and targeted monitoring,42.86%,71.43%,and 80.95% of hospitals car-ried out targeted monitoring on multidrug-resistant organisms,surgical site infection,and intensive care unit respec-tively.Conclusion The environment of majority of Chinese medicine hospitals in Fujian Province improved signifi-cantly,organizations of HAI management is rational,staffing and quality of HAI management personnel is imbal-anced,HAI monitoring is still at preliminary stage,lack information management,HAI management in key depart-ments is not optimistic.

Correlation of DR with ametropia and ocular biological parameters / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

·Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the major diseases that causing blindness and low vision in the world. A series of systemic ( hyperglycemia, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, etc.) and ocular factors can effect its occurrence and progression. Therefore, understanding these risk factors may help us to predict the prognosis and stratify the risk. Some studies have found that myopia may have a protective effect on the occurrence and progression of DR, but the results are different. Furthermore, it is also unclear which factor in myopia, the axial length,or the other refractive components is the main cause of this protective effect. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the association between myopia, axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD) and refractive components (lens biometry and corneal curvature) with DR.

The self-powered and implantable stimulator driven by infrared ray / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

Objective To explore the feasibility of fabricating a self-powered and implantable stimulator . Methods Based on pyroelectric effect and high penetrability of infrared ray , an implantable stimulator was designed and fabricated .The electrical performance of stimulator was measured under infrared ray illumination .We conducted the animal experiments in vitro and in vivo to observe the response of gastrocnemius contraction under stimulation .Results The stimulator could output the electrical signal under the periodical infrared ray illumination .The output voltage and current were proportional to the intensity of infrared ray ,which could reach up to 1 .2 V . A real-time electrical stimulation of frog gastrocnemius was conducted and obvious contraction was observed .The tension values increased with the increase of infrared intensity .We further carried out the in vivo experiment with a frog in order to evaluate the performance of the stimulator after being implanted into the body . The gastrocnemius would also be made to contract even though the infrared intensity decayed when through the skin .Conclusion The proposed pyroelectric stimulator can be self-powered and controlled through near-infrared illumination .This study can provide some guidance for solving the problems of implantable power .