RESUMO
@#Abstract: Objective This article summarizes the clinical characteristics and diagnosis and treatment experience of an elderly patient infected with Omicron variant BA.5.1.3 of COVID-19 in Hainan Province. Methods The clinical data and treatment of an elderly patient infected with Omicron variant BA.5.1.3 of COVID-19 admitted to Haikou designated hospital on August 15, 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Results A 107-year-old female patient was admitted to the hospital with "fever and cough for 1 day". Two of her family members have infected with COVID-19. The patient initially developed fever, accompanied by cough, expectoration, a little white sticky sputum, accompanied by sore throat, muscle pain, fatigue. Nucleic acid test was positive in throat swab, indicating Omicron variant BA.5.1.3 infection. The patient was diagnosed as mild COVID-19 and treated with antiviral therapy, Chinese medicine conditioning, anticoagulation, electrolyte disorder regulation and symptomatic treatment for 9 days. The patient's clinical symptoms were relieved, and she was cured and discharged after two negative nucleic acid tests. One week later, the patient recovered well. Conclusions Omicron variant BA.5.1.3 is highly infectious, and comprehensive treatment such as antiviral treatment and traditional Chinese medicine treatment has achieved good efficacy. For elderly patients, attention should be paid to maintaining the stability of organ function and internal environment, which is helpful to improve the prognosis of patients.
RESUMO
@# Objective: To investigate the effects and the underlying mechanisms of betulinic acid (BEA) on sensitizing pancreatic cancer cell lines Panc-1 and Miapaca-2 to gefitinib. Methods: After the cell culture was completed, Panc-1 and Miapaca-2 cells were randomly divided into 4 groups: control group (without treatment), BEAgroup, gefitinib group and BEAcombined with gefitinib group, respectively.The sensitization effect of BEAon gefitinib-insensitive pancreatic cancer cells was detected by MTS assay. The treatment effects of combined treatment of gefitinib and BEA against Panc-1 and Miapaca-2 cells were evaluated by colony formation assay. Flow cytometry was used to examine the effect of BEAon apoptosis of Panc-1 cells while WB was applied to determine the effect of BEAonapoptosis-related proteins. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) experiment was used to detect the direct combination between signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3) and BEA; Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation experiments were adopted topredict the combining mode between STAT3 and BEA. Results: BEA synergistically enhanced the gefitinib-sensitivity of pancreatic cancer Panc-1 and Miapaca-2 cells (P<0.05), and IC50 of gefitinib on two cells were reduced by over 50%. Compared with single treatment, the combined treatment of BEA and gefitinib promoted the apoptosis and up-regulated the expressions of apoptosis-relatedproteins (cleaved-PARP and Bax), but reduced the apoptosis-inhibitory protein Bcl-2 (all P<0.05 or P<0.01). Moreover, the inhibitory effect of BEA on STAT3 activation in Panc-1 cells was in a dose-dependent mannar (P<0.01). BEA stabilizes its binding to STAT3 by forming hydrogen bonds with Lys-591 and Ser-613 of STAT3; in the meanwhile, BEA stabilized inthebinding site of STAT3, there by blocking STAT3 dimerization to enhance the drug sensitivity. Conclusion: Combined use of BEA and gefitinib could significantly inhibit the proliferation and induce apoptosis of Panc-1 and Miapaca-2 cells, which might be mediated by the inhibition of BEA on STST3.