Meta-analysis on the effect of combining Lianhua Qingwen with Western medicine to treat coronavirus disease 2019 / 中西医结合学报

BACKGROUND@#Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a worldwide life-threatening pandemic. Lianhua Qingwen is believed to possess the ability to treat or significantly improve the symptoms of COVID-19. These claims make it important to systematically evaluate the effects of using Lianhua Qingwen with Western medicine to treat COVID-19.@*OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the safety and efficacy of combination therapy, employing Lianhua Qingwen with Western medicine, to treat COVID-19, using a meta-analysis approach.@*SEARCH STRATEGY@#China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, VIP Database, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for studies evaluating the effect of Lianhua Qingwen-Western medicine combination therapy in the treatment of COVID-19.@*INCLUSION CRITERIA@#(1) Research object: hospitalized patients meeting the diagnostic criteria of COVID-19 were included. (2) Intervention measures: patients in the treatment group received Lianhua Qingwen treatment combined with Western medicine, while the control group received either Western medicine or Chinese medicine treatment. (3) Research type: randomized controlled trials and retrospective study were included.@*DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS@#Two researchers extracted the first author, the proportion of males and females, age, body temperature, course of treatment, rate of disappearance of main symptoms, duration of fever, adverse reactions, and total effectiveness from the literature. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used as the effect value for count data, and mean difference (MD) and 95% CI were used as the effect value for measurement data.@*RESULTS@#Six articles met the inclusion criteria, including a total of 856 COVID-19 patients. The meta-analysis showed that Lianhua Qingwen combination therapy achieved higher rates of fever reduction (OR = 3.43, 95% CI [1.78, 6.59], P = 0.0002), cough reduction (OR = 3.39, 95% CI [1.85, 6.23], P < 0.0001), recovery from shortness of breath (OR = 10.62, 95% CI [3.71, 30.40], P < 0.0001) and recovery from fatigue (OR = 2.82, 95% CI [1.44, 5.53], P = 0.003), higher total effectiveness rate (OR = 2.51, 95% CI [1.73, 3.64], P < 0.00001), and shorter time to recovery from fever (MD = -1.00, 95% CI [-1.04, 0.96], P < 0.00001), and did not increase the adverse reaction rate (OR = 0.65, 95% CI [0.42, 1.01], P = 0.06), compared to the single medication control.@*CONCLUSION@#The Lianhua Qingwen and Western medicine combination therapy is highly effective for COVID-19 patients and has good clinical safety. As only a small number of studies and patients were included in this review, more high-quality, multicenter, large-sample-size, randomized, double-blind, controlled trials are still needed for verification.

Morphology of intervertebral disc in Chinese adults evaluated using computer tomography three-dimensional imaging / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND: The artificial disc requires a height, a width, and a shape as much as possible to be similar to the original intervertebral disc in order to perfectly distribute the load. At present, most of the data are from foreign countries or measured using X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging, but there are some shortcomings. OBJECTIVE: To diagnose the spinal disease and provide data for the design of a native lumbar disc device by measuring the normal lumbar intervertebral disc using computer tomography (CT). METHODS: A total of 2 235 patients who underwent lumbar CT examination in Liuzhou Worker's Hospital from January 2012 to May 2017 were collected and analyzed. There were 62 cases, including 45 males and 17 females, after being strictly met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. From the age of 20, they were divided into four groups: 20-30, 31-40, 41-50 and more than 50 years old. The range was from L1to S1. The measurement index include intervertebral disc anteroposterior diameter, transerverse diameter, disc volume, sagittal anterior, middle and posterior height, coronal left and right height, and interverterbral angle. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) In terms of age, there was a statistically significant difference in measurement indexes between L1/2, L2/3 and L3/4(P < 0.05). Therefore, the factor of age should be taken into account. However, there was no statistically significant difference between L4/5and L5/S1segments (P > 0.05). (2) There was a statistical difference between the anterior and middle height of the sagittal position in L4/5and L5/S1(P < 0.05). (3) There were statistical differences between the angles of L2/3, L3/4, L4/5, L5/S1intervertebral space (P <0.05), but the difference of angle between L4/5and L5/S1was the most. (4) There was no statistical difference in the height between the left and right sides of the coronal position (P > 0.05). (5) There was statistical difference between the anteroposterior and transverse diameters of the disc on the adjacent cross section (P < 0.05). (6) The results showed that the lower the segment, the smaller the statistical difference between each group. It is indicated that the age difference should be considered on the L1/2, L2/3, and L3/4segments in the design of lumbar disc or interbody fusion. The lumbar artificial intervertebral disc can be placed in the middle or side. The artificial disc should be designed into the wedge shape instead of a rectangle. These will provide a good anatomical basis for the design of domestic lumbar artificial intervertebral discs.

Effects of FK866 on migration of A549 cells and related mechanism / 浙江大学学报·医学版

OBJECTIVE@#: To investigate the effect of nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) inhibitor FK866 on the migration of human non-small cell cancer A549 cells and related mechanism.@*METHODS@#: The inhibition effect of FK866 on A549 cells was tested by MTT assay. A549 cells were treated with 1.0 and 10.0 nmol/L FK866, and the cell migration was evaluated by modified wound scratch assay. The mRNA expression of E-cadherin and vimentin was detected by real-time RT-PCR, and the expression of ERK1/2 and pERK1/2 was determined by Western blotting.@*RESULTS@#: FK866 inhibited the proliferation of A549 cells in a time-and concentration-dependent manner; after treatment for 72 h, the IC of FK866 was 9.55 nmol/L. When 1.0 nmol/L or 10.0 nmol/L FK866 was continuously applied 48 h before and 48 h after a scratch was made in wound scratch assay, the migration of A549 cells was significantly inhibited. However, when the FK866 was applied only 48 h after the scratch, the migration of A549 cells was inhibited by 10.0 nmol/L but not by 1.0 nmol/L FK866. The mRNA expression of E-cadherin and vimentin, and the activated ERK1/2 were significantly increased after 1.0 nmol/L FK866 treatment for 72 h. The pretreatment with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) precursor nicotinamide mononucleotide(1.0 mmol/L) or ERK1/2 inhibitor U0126 (10.0 μmol/L) reversed the up-regulation of E-cadherin and vimentin expression induced by FK866.@*CONCLUSIONS@#s: Low concentration of FK866 decreases the migration of A549 cells through the inhibition of NAD level, activation of ERK1/2 and up-regulation of E-cadherin expression. However, it also up-regulates the expression of vimentin, indicating that it may have dual effects on the migration of tumor cells.

Effect of acid etching of retropreparation cavities on seal of retrofill materials / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the effect of acid etching of retropreps on seal of different retrofill materials.@*METHODS@#In the study, 80 freshly extracted lower molar teeth were used. They were examined under 3.5× magnifying glass to rull out fractures. They were cleaned and stored in distilled water before use. The distal roots were sectioned off and underwent root canal treatment. Rotary nickel-titanium instruments were used during instrumentation and the roots were obturated using lateral condensation technique. The apical portion (3 mm in length) was removed with a fine grit diamond bur, the root tip was retroprepared with a ultrasonic tip (3 mm in depth). The retroprepared roots were randomly assigned to 4 groups and retrofilled with amalgam, intermediate restorative material (IRM), iRoot BP Plus and mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA). The groups were further divided into subgroups according to treatment of the root end cavity (etch and non-etch). The root tips were covered with alginate impression material and were left to set in PBS solution for a week and stained with methylene blue for a week. The roots were removed from the dye solution, thoroughly rinsed and dried, split in halves along the long axis with a diamond disk and observed under a stereoscope. The linear dye leakage was measured and analyzed. One way ANOVA and Tamhane's T2 method were used to analyze the data. The significance level was set at 0.05.@*RESULTS@#The dye leakage results (mean±standard deviation) according to the treatment groups were: amalgam etch (2.80±0.72) mm, amalgam non-etch (2.07±0.86) mm, IRM etch (1.54±0.19) mm, IRM non-etch (1.12±0.28) mm , iRoot BP Plus etch (0.20±0.20) mm, iRoot BP Plus non-etch (0.11±0.08) mm, MTA etch (0.19±0.19) mm, and MTA non-etch (0.17±0.14) mm. One way ANOVA showed significant differences between the groups. Comparison between the groups using Tamhane's T2 method showed roots retrofilled with iRoot BP Plus and MTA had significant less leakage than those retrofilled with amalgam and IRM (P<0.05); There was no significant difference in terms of leakage between iRoot BP Plus and MTA; Acid etching increased leakage of IRM but did not affect MTA, iRoot BP Plus or amalgam retrofillings.@*CONCLUSION@#Acid etching is not shown to benefit apical sealing of retrofill materials.

Perinatal complications and neonatal outcomes of twin pregnancies conceived by assisted reproductive techniques and those conceived spontaneously: A retrospective analysis of 811 cases / 解放军医学杂志

Objective To investigate the general situations of gravida,pregnancy complications,childbirth and neonatal outcomes of twin pregnancies conceived by assisted reproductive techniques (ART) and those conceived spontaneously.Methods A retrospective analysis was carried out on the basic information,perinatal complications,delivery information and neonatal outcomes of twin pregnancies received by ART (ART group,n=518) and those conceived spontaneously (SC group,n=293).Results Gravida age was older in ART group than in SC group (P＜0.05),while the gravidity and parity in ART group was more than that in SC group (P＜0.05).There were more embryos and high proportion of diamniotic cyst in ART group than in SC group (P＜0.05).The gestational incidence of diabetes,abnormal placenta (placental adherence,placenta accrete,placenta previa) and postpartum hemorrhage were higher in ART group than in SC group (P＜0.05),while no statistically significant differences existed between the two groups in the incidence of gestational complications (such as gestational hypertension disease,cholestasis and amniotic fluid volume abnormality) and in neonatal outcomes including neonatal weight,incidence of asphyxia and congenital malformation and neonatal death (P＞0.05).Conclusion Twin pregnancy conceived by ART may lead to higher incidences of gestational diabetes mellitus and abnormal placenta and more postpartum hemorrhage,but no significant difference existed in the neonatal outcomes between twin pregnancies conceived by ART and those conceived spontaneously.

Informationization System Construction for Ethical Review of Medical Research / 中国医学伦理学

The application of information management for ethical review work help improve the quality of audit work quality and efficiency in our country , further standardize the ethical review work , also helps to protect the pri-vacy of the subjects in medical research , and establish the medical research ethics review information system in our country has certain feasibility .Therefore , can be based on the experience of the informatization construction of drug clinical trials , through the establishment of ethical review information and tracking system , to set up the electronic signature of information rights management system , building the continuing education training , establish a commu-nication platform with the principal investigator , to build and perfect the medical research ethics review information system.

Pharmacology research on PXR as a potential target in screening bioactive components of Chinese material medica / 中国中药杂志

Pregnane X receptor (PXR) is key transcription factors which mainly regulate the expression of CYP3A genes. At the molecular level, PXR has been revealed the protection mechanism of the body against xenochemicals and a major mode of the drug-drug interactions. Besides playing an important role in drug metabolism and interactions, PXR and its target genes also play an important role in maintaining normal physiological function and homeostasis. Therefore, it is necessary to study the regulation of PXR and its related pharmacological effects of TCM and natural products, and to provide new clues for the new pharmacological pathway.

Screening active components in compound danshen based on PXR-CYP3A4: an experimental study / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To screen active components in Compound Danshen (CD) based on pregnane X receptor-cytochrome P450 3A4 (PXR-CYP3A4).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>By using PXR-CYP3A stable transfection human hepatoblastoma G2 (HepG2) cell lines engineering cell strain combined reporter genes technology, active components that induce or inhibit PXR-CYP3A4 paths in CD were screened, and confirmed at the level of enzymic activities. The experiment was divided into the positive control group (RIF 10 micro mol/L), the DMSO group (DMSO 0.1%), each dose of treatment groups (ginsenoside Rc, Rf, Rb2, Rg2, F2, F1, tanshinone I , isoborneol 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, and 200 micro mol/L; each with six duplicates). Cells medium was removed 36, 48, and 60 h after treatment. The activity of CYP3A4 was then determined in the supernant and the fold induction was calculated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the DMSO group, the fold induction increased when ginsenoside Rc, Rf, Rb2, Rg2, F2, F1, tanshinone I , and isoborneol 50 and 100 micro mol/L was respectively intervened for 36, 48, and 60 h (P <0.05). When cells were treated with isoborneol 200 micro mol/L for 48 and 60 h,the fold induction of ginsenoside Rb2, Rg2, and F1 was significantly higher than that of the RIF group (P <0.05). Enzymic activity results showed that ginsenoside Rc, Rf, Rb2, F2, and F1 could increase the enzyme activity of CYP3A4 at 48 h (P <0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Ginsenoside Rc, Rf, Rb2, F2, F1, tanshinone I, and isoborneol in DC could induce CYP3A4 enzymes.</p>

Performance evaluation of TP antibody detection by CLIA kits made (in China) domestically / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the clinical performance of TP antibody detection by CLIA kits and evaluate whether the CLIA kits made in China is suitable for clinical use.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>1200 samples were collected from Beijing Hospital including 300 samples with confirmed TP infection and 900 healthy control samples. To detect the TP antibody of the 1200 sanples separately by the CLIA kits and the ELISA kits at the same time. The test results were analyzed with statistical methods.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The sensitivity and specificity of the CLIA kits were 99.3% and 99.9% respectively, and positive predictive value of 99.7%, negative predictive value of 100%. With the ELISA method, the positive coincidence rate was 98.7%, the negative coincidence rate was 99.8%, and the total coincidence rate was 99.5%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The CLIA kits showed good clinical performance and the agreement rate with the ELISA kits was. The CLIA kits are suitable for clinical use.</p>

Screening of pregnane X receptor activation from ginsenosides / 药学学报

In order to study effects of ginseng on the metabolism of drug belong to CYP3A4 substrate, screening of pregnane X receptor activation from ginsenosides was performed by reporter assay. Based on PXR-CYP3A stable translation cell lines, 13 ginsenosides were screened for pregnane X receptor activation by reporter assays, and RIF as the positive control. The effect of ginsenosides Rg1 onCYP3A4 mRNA expression was also investigated by RT-PCR. The PXR-CYP3A stable translation cell lines had good response to RIF, and the EC50 is 2.51 micro mol x L(-1). When the condition of final concentration was 10 micromol x L(-1), ginsenoside F2 and protopanaxatriol had moderate inductive effects on PXR. Panaxotriol, Rg2, pseudoginsenoside F11, Rg1, ginsenoside and Rb3 had inhibitory effects on PXR. Ginsenoside Rf1, Rg3, Rh2 and protopanaxdiol had no obvious effects on PXR. Rg1 down-regulated CYP3A4 mRNA expression in a concentration-dependent manner. Activation of pregnane X receptor by ginsenosides may influence the metabolism of drug belong to CYP3A4 substrate, and cause ginseng-drug interactions.

Comparison and analysis of two methods for serum free prostate-specific antigen (PSA) detection / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the clinical performance of free prostate-specific antigen (fPSA) detection by ECLIA method, and evaluate whether ECLIA is suitable for clinical use.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>341 samples were collected and tested prostate-specific antibodies with CMIA and ECLIA methods. These samples contain: 97 samples with abnormal high PSA value tested by CMIA method, and 244 normal PSA samples. Use CMIA as the reference method, and detect fPSA, tPSA levels, and the ratio of fPSA/tPSA. Analyze the testing results with statistical methods.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with CMIA, correlation coefficent of ECLIA fPSA detection is 0.99; correlation coefficent of f/tPSA ratio detection is 0.96; the sensitivity, specificity of ECLIA f/tPSA ratio detection are 85.71%, 92.6% respectively, the agreement rate with ECLIA is 87.4%. No cross reaction with bilirubin, lipohemia, hemolysis, RF, CEA, AFP, CA125, CA153, CA199 were found in the tests.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The ECLIA method for free prostate-specific antigen detection showed good clinical performance; and is suitable for clinical use.</p>

Computer simulation of projectile injuries to pig mandibular angle / 中华口腔医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the feasibility of computer simulation in maxillofacial firearm injury.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The three-dimensional finite element models and simulations of 7.62 mm, 5.56 mm standard bullets projectile injuries to pig mandibular angle were established by using MIMICS, ANSA, LS-DYNA and LS-POST software. Based on the simulation results, the bullet hole diameters, energy loss values, energy loss rates, von Mises stress, effective strain, effective strain rate dynamic contours at different time points were used for biomechanical analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The damage processe of 7.62 mm, 5.56 mm standard bullets projectile injury to pig mandibular angle were simulated successfully. The injury rate of 7.62 mm standard bullet and injury severity of the mandible were higher than that of 5.56 mm standard bullet.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Computer simulation can simulate maxillofacial firearm injuries effectively and may become an important method for oral and maxillofacial firearm injuries analysis.</p>

A correlation analysis between the rate of vertical transmission of HBV and HBsAg-positive father to infant and the rate of neonatal cord blood HBV-DNA / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective To study the influence of HBV-DNA with different load levels of HBsAg-positive among fathers on the rate of neonatal cord blood HBV-DNA.Methods Using HBsAg and HBV-DNA as screening indicators for pregnant women and their husbands from an obstetric clinic.161 pregnant women whose HBsAg and HBV-DNA were negative,but HBsAg was positive among their husbands and their newborns,were selected.Blood samples from those pregnant women,their husbands and their newborns were collected to detect the related indicators.Using ELISA to detect hepatitis B virus markers(HBVM),and FQ-PCR to detect the levels of HBV-DNA load.According to neonatal cord blood HBV-DNA detection guideline,newborns with cord blood HBV-DNA positive were selected as cases,others as controls.Results(1)Result of the study showed that there was a dose-response relationship between paternal serum HBV-DNA load levels and neonatal cord blood HBV-DNA positive rates in newborns(trend χ~2=64.117,P=0.000).The rate of vertical transmission of HBV from HBsAg-positive father to infant in the paternal serum HBV-DNA＞1.0×107 copies/ml group was significantly higher than HBV-DNA＜1.0×107 copies/ml group(χ~2=71.539,P=0.000).(2)There was a positive rank correlation between semen positive HBeAg and vertical transmission of HBV from HBsAg-positive father to infant(χ~2=6.892,P=0.009).Conclusion There was a dose-response relationship between paternal serum HBV-DNA load levels and neonatal cord blood HBV-DNA positive in newborns.Paternal serum HBV-DNA≥1.0×107 copies/ml and with HBeAg positive status were risk factors of vertical transmission of HBV from HBsAg-positive father to infant.

Effects of Calotes versicolor on adenohypophysis androgen receptor level in mature castrated male rats / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of C. versicolor petroleum ether extracts (CVPE) on the adenohypophysis androgen receptor level in mature castrated male rats.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>All the rats in experiment were anesthetized for bilateral testicular and epididymis removal under sterile condition. The rats were randomized into four groups on the 14 th day after operation. The first group was intragastric physiological saline for castratered control group. The second group was intragastric CVPE 2 g x kg(-1) for low-dose group. The third group was high-dose group by giving CVPE 4 g x kg(-1). The fourth group was injected hypodermic testosterone propionate for positive-effect drug treatment group. The drug was given orally to animals one time a day successively for 21 days. The androgen receptor (AR) in adenohypophysis of mature castrated male rats was determined by the immunohistochemistry method and the level of serum testosterone (T) were determined by the radio-immunoassay after ig CVPE for 21 days.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The immunohistochemistry results showed that positive cell numbers of androgen receptor in positive control and each CVPE groups were more than those in the castrated control group. The serum T level was increased greatly in mature castrated male rats treated with CVPE compared with the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The results show that CVPE can increase the adenohypophysis androgen receptor and serum T level in mature castrated male rats. It is indicated that CVPE has the effects on the hypophysis function.</p>

Performance evaluation of HCV antibody detection by bi-directional lateral flow method / 中华检验医学杂志

Objective To analyze the clinical performance of hepatitis C virus antibody detection by bi-direetional lateral flow method and evaluate whether the bi-directional lateral flow method is suitable for clinical use.Methods Four hurdred and nineteen samples were collected and tested anti-HCV antibodies with hi-directional lateral flow and CMIA kits.These samples contain:107 patients with confirmed hepatitis C virus infection,162 patients with other diseases than hepatitis C virus infection and 150 healthy controls.Two positive reference materials for ELISA were tested at the same time.The testing results were analyzed with statistical methods.Results Compared with RIBA,the sensitivity and specificity of bi- directional lateral flow method were 98.1% and 99.7% respectively,the agreement rate with CMIA was 99.0%.The reproducibility percentage of the+/-20% at the cutoff concentration were 97% and 99% respectively.No crossing reaction with hepatitis A/B/D/E virus infection and HIV-1/2 positive individuals were found in the tests.Conclusion The hi-directional lateral flow method for HCV detection shows good clinical performance and is suitable for clinical use.

Cloning, Sequence Analysis and Expression of Glutamate Dehydrogenase in Brevibacterium flavum GDK-9 / 微生物学通报

The glutamate dehydrogenase (EC.1.4.1.4) gene which amplified from the genome of Brevibacterium flavum GDK-9 by polymerase chain reaction was linked with pUCm-T for sequence alignment. Analysis of gdh sequences revealed that the whole sequence is 1927 bp, only one ORF existed, which used ATG as the initiation codon and coded a peptide of 448 amino acids with a calculated molecular weight of 48 kD. The comparability between the cloned gdh sequence to the reported sequence is high to 99.55%. Only the 1190th base mutation (C→A) lead to the change of amino acid sequence (Thr→Asn), the others are not. The recombinant plasmid pXG was then transformed into E. coli XL-Blue and Brevibacterium flavum GDK-9 which was induced by IPTG. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed that there was a clear induced protein band with molecular mass of 48.7 kD on expected position. Standard glutamate fermentations indicated that although the level of GDH increases the intracellular glutamate pool, the level of GDH has no influence on glutamate secretion.