Olecranon osteotomy approach for Dubberley type Ⅲ coronal fractures of the distal humerus / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To retrospectively analyze the clinical efficacy of olecranon osteotomy approach in the treatment of Dubberley type Ⅲ coronal fractures of the distal humerus and summarize the treatment experience.@*METHODS@#From January 2016 to June 2020, 17 patients (5 males and 12 females) with Dubberley type Ⅲ coronal fractures of the distal humerus were treated by olecranon osteotomy approach. The age ranged from 37 to78 years old with an average of (58.5±12.9) years old. According to Dubberley classification, there were 5 cases of type Ⅲ A and 12 cases of type Ⅲ B. The curative effect was evaluated using the Borberg-Morrey elbow function score. The flexion, extension and rotation range of motion of the elbow joint, complications and postoperative imaging evaluation were recorded.@*RESULTS@#All the 17 patients got bony union. The follow-up time ranged from 12 to 33 months with an average of (15.6±5.6) months. There was 1 case of ischemic necrosis of capitulum humeri, 2 cases of traumatic arthritis and 1 case of heterotopic ossification, 1 case of malunion of fracture. The range of motion was (114.80±19.50) °. The Broberg-Morrey score was 85.3±8.2, excellent in 5 cases, good in 9 cases, fair in 3 cases and poor in 0 case.@*CONCLUSION@#Through olecranon osteotomy approach, the articular surface of distal humerus could be fully exposed, and the operation is convenient. Anatomical reduction and rigid fixation of the articular surface of distal humerus are the key factors for the succesful outcome.

Regulatory effect of eight Chinese herbal medicines on glucose and lipid metabolism and their potential active components based on HCBP6 target / 中国中药杂志

With the improvement of living standards and changes in working style, the prevalence of abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism in humans is increasing in modern society. Clinically, the related indicators are often improved by changing the lifestyle and/or taking hypoglycemic and lipid-lowering drugs, but there are no therapeutic drugs for disorders of glucose and lipid metabolism at present. Hepatitis C virus core protein binding protein 6(HCBP6) is a newly discovered target that can regulate triglyceride and cholesterol content according to level oscillations in the body, thereby regulating abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism. Relevant studies have shown that ginsenoside Rh_2 can significantly up-regulate the expression of HCBP6, but there are few studies on the effect of Chinese herbal medicines on HCBP6. Moreover, the three-dimensional structural information of HCBP6 has not been determined and the discovery of potential active components acting on HCBP6 is not rapidly advanced. Therefore, the total saponins of eight Chinese herbal medicines commonly used to regulate abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism were selected as the research objects to observe their effect on the expression of HCBP6. Then, the three-dimensional structure of HCBP6 was predicted, followed by molecular docking with saponins in eight Chinese herbal medicines to quickly find potential active components. The results showed that all total saponins tended to up-regulate HCBP6 mRNA and protein expression, where gypenosides showed the optimum effect on up-regulating HCBP6 mRNA and ginsenosides showed the optimum effect on up-regulating HCBP6 protein expression. Reliable protein structures were obtained after the prediction of protein structures using the Robetta website and the evaluation of the predicted structures by SAVES. The saponins from the website and literature were also collected and docked with the predicted protein, and the saponin components were found to have good binding activity to the HCBP6 protein. The results of the study are expected to provide ideas and methods for the discovery of new drugs from Chinese herbal medicines to regulate glucose and lipid metabolism.

Quality evaluation methods of Poria based on yield and content of alkali extracted polysaccharide / 中国中药杂志

To improve the quality control methods of Poria and develop and utilize its resources fully, alkaline extraction was used in this study to determine the yield and content of alkali-soluble polysaccharides of Poria. The alkali-soluble extracts of Poria were obtained according to the optimum extraction conditions on the basis of single-factor test, and 30 batches of samples were determined. The structure and chemical composition of the alkali-soluble extracts was characterized by high-performance gel permeation chromatography(HPGPC), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry(FT-IR), nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) with 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone(PMP-HPLC). The results showed that the content of the alkali-soluble extracts was in the range of 46.98%-73.86%. The main component was β-(1→3)-glucan, and its molecular mass was about 1.093×10~5. Further, the content of alkali-soluble polysaccharides of Poria was measured by UV-Vis spectrophotometry and HPLC coupled with the evaporative light scattering detector(HPLC-ELSD), and 30 batches of samples were measured. The results indicated that the content of alkali-soluble polysaccharides determined by UV-Vis spectrophotometry was in the range of 73.70%-92.57%, and the content of samples from Hubei province was slightly higher than that from Yunnan province, Anhui province and Hunan province. The content of alkali-soluble polysaccharides determined by HPLC-ELSD was in the range of 51.42%-76.69%, and the samples from Hunan province had slightly higher content than that from the other three provinces. The content determined by UV-Vis spectrophotometry was higher than that by HPLC-ELSD. However, the content determined by HPLC-ELSD was close to that of alkali-soluble extract, which could accurately characterize the content of alkali-soluble polysaccharides in Poria, and the method was simple and repeatable. Therefore, it is recommended that the quantitative analysis method for alkali-soluble extract and alkali-soluble polysaccharides by HPLC-ELSD be used in the quality standards of Poria in Chinese Pharmacopeia.

Mibefradil improves skeletal muscle mass, function and structure in obese mice / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of mibefradil on skeletal muscle mass, function and structure in obese mice.@*METHODS@#Fifteen 6-week-old C57BL/6 mice were randomized equally into normal diet group (control group), high-fat diet (HFD) group and high-fat diet +mibefradil intervention group (HFD +Mibe group). The grip strength of the mice was measured using an electronic grip strength meter, and the muscle content of the hindlimb was analyzed by X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) levels of the mice were measured with GPO-PAP method. The cross-sectional area of the muscle fibers was observed with HE staining. The changes in the level of autophagy in the muscles were detected by Western blotting and immunofluorescence assay, and the activation of the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway was detected with Western blotting.@*RESULTS@#Compared with those in the control group, the mice in HFD group had a significantly greater body weight, lower relative grip strength, smaller average cross sectional area of the muscle fibers, and a lower hindlimb muscle ratio (P < 0.05). Immunofluorescence assay revealed a homogenous distribution of LC3 emitting light red fluorescence in the cytoplasm in the muscle cells in HFD group and HFD+Mibe group, while bright spots of red fluorescence were detected in HFD group. In HFD group, the muscular tissues of the mice showed an increased expression level of LC3 II protein with lowered expressions of p62 protein and phosphorylated AKT and mTOR (P < 0.05). Mibefradil treatment significantly reduced body weight of the mice, lowered the expression level of p62 protein, and increased forelimb grip strength, hindlimb muscle ratio, cross-sectional area of the muscle fibers, and the expression levels of LC3 II protein and phosphorylated AKT and mTOR (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Mibefradil treatment can moderate high-fat diet-induced weight gain and improve muscle mass and function in obese mice possibly by activating AKT/mTOR signal pathway to improve lipid metabolism and inhibit obesityinduced autophagy.

Overexpression of NAT10 induced platinum drugs resistance in breast cancer cell / 中华肿瘤杂志

Objective: To observe the platinum drugs resistance effect of N-acetyltransferase 10 (NAT10) overexpression in breast cancer cell line and elucidate the underlining mechanisms. Methods: The experiment was divided into wild-type (MCF-7 wild-type cells without any treatment) group, NAT10 overexpression group (H-NAT10 plasmid transfected into MCF-7 cells) and NAT10 knockdown group (SH-NAT10 plasmid transfected into MCF-7 cells). The invasion was detected by Transwell array, the interaction between NAT10 and PARP1 was detected by co-immunoprecipitation. The impact of NAT10 overexpression or knockdown on the acetylation level of PARP1 and its half-life was also determined. Immunostaining and IP array were used to detect the recruitment of DNA damage repair protein by acetylated PARP1. Flow cytometry was used to detect the cell apoptosis. Results: Transwell invasion assay showed that the number of cell invasion was 483.00±46.90 in the NAT10 overexpression group, 469.00±40.50 in the NAT10 knockdown group, and 445.00±35.50 in the MCF-7 wild-type cells, and the differences were not statistically significant (P>0.05). In the presence of 10 μmol/L oxaliplatin, the number of cell invasion was 502.00±45.60 in the NAT10 overexpression group and 105.00±20.50 in the NAT10 knockdown group, both statistically significant (P<0.05) compared with 219.00±31.50 in wild-type cells. In the presence of 10 μmol/L oxaliplatin, NAT10 overexpression enhanced the binding of PARP1 to NAT10 compared with wild-type cells, whereas the use of the NAT10 inhibitor Remodelin inhibited the mutual binding of the two. Overexpression of NAT10 induced PARP1 acetylation followed by increased PARP1 binding to XRCC1, and knockdown of NAT10 expression reduced PARP1 binding to XRCC1. Overexpression of NAT10 enhanced PARP1 binding to LIG3, while knockdown of NAT10 expression decreased PARP1 binding to LIG3. In 10 μmol/L oxaliplatin-treated cells, the γH2AX expression level was 0.38±0.02 in NAT10 overexpressing cells and 1.36±0.15 in NAT10 knockdown cells, both statistically significant (P<0.05) compared with 1.00±0.00 in wild-type cells. In 10 μmol/L oxaliplatin treated cells, the apoptosis rate was (6.54±0.68)% in the NAT10 overexpression group and (12.98±2.54)% in the NAT10 knockdown group, both of which were statistically significant (P<0.05) compared with (9.67±0.37)% in wild-type cells. Conclusion: NAT10 overexpression enhances the binding of NAT10 to PARP1 and promotes the acetylation of PARP1, which in turn prolongs the half-life of PARP1, thus enhancing PARP1 recruitment of DNA damage repair related proteins to the damage sites, promoting DNA damage repair and ultimately the survival of breast cancer cells.

Mechanism of Fuzi Lizhongwan Improving Injury in Cisplatin-induced CIPN Mice by Regulating MAPK Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism of Fuzi Lizhongwan alleviating the damage of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy （CIPN） mice caused by cisplatin based on mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK） signaling pathway. MethodA total of 40 female KM mice were randomized into blank group （distilled water， ig）， model group （distilled water， ig）， Fuzi Lizhongwan group （3.5 g·kg-1， ig）， and aspirin group （0.026 g·kg-1， ig）. Cisplatin （3 mg·kg-1， ip， 5 days） was used to induce CIPN in mice. Administration began while modeling and lasted 12 days. The general conditions and behaviors of mice were observed. After the last administration， samples were collected. Pathological changes of the soles were observed based on hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. Biochemical assay was employed to determine the levels of serum superoxide dismutase （SOD）， hydrogen peroxide （H2O2）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， and nitric oxide （NO）， enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） the content of interleukin-6 （IL-6）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， and glutathione peroxidase-3 （GPX-3） in kidney tissue， and Western blotting the expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 （ERK1/2）， phosphorylated-ERK1/2 （p-ERK1/2）， p38 MAPK， and phosphorylated-p38 MAPK （p-p38 MAPK） in kidney tissue. ResultCompared with the blank group， model group demonstrated obvious pathological damage on the soles， hyperkeratosis of the epidermis with a basketweave pattern， atrophy of stratum spinosum， reduction of cells， and intracellular edema. Compared with the model group， Fuzi Lizhongwan significantly alleviated the pathological damage of the skin tissue of the soles. The model group showed lower body weight， mechanical pain threshold， thermal pain threshold （P<0.01）， and SOD activity （P<0.05）， higher content of H2O2， MDA， and NO （P<0.01）， and higher expression of IL-6， IL-1β， and TNF-α （P<0.01） than the blank group. Fuzi Lizhongwan group demonstrated higher body weight， mechanical pain threshold， thermal pain threshold （P<0.01）， and SOD activity （P<0.05）， lower content of H2O2， MDA， and NO （P<0.05）， and lower expression of IL-6， IL-1β， and TNF-α （P<0.01） than the model group. The expression of ERK1/2， p-ERK1/2， p38 MAPK， and p-p38 MAPK increased significantly （P<0.01） in the model group compared with that in the blank group， while the expression decreased significantly （P<0.01） in the Fuzi Lizhongwan group compared with that in the model group. ConclusionFuzi Lizhongwan can relieve the neurological injury of cisplatin-induced CIPN mice and increase the pain threshold of mice， possibly by regulating the MAPK signaling pathway and inhibiting inflammatory response and oxidative stress.

Help-seeking efficacy and the intention of social assistance among medical care personnel during the major public health events / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

Objective: To explore the help seeking efficacy and social assistance willingness of medical staff during major public health events, so as to provide basis for improving the psychological resources and service quality of medical staff and further optimizing the prevention and treatment policies. Methods: In February 2020, a convenient sampling method was used to conduct an online questionnaire survey on medical staff in Henan Province, and a total of 2136 questionnaires were collected. Among them, there were 1940 valid questionnaires, and the effective recovery rate was 90.82%. The questionnaire of help seeking efficacy and willingness to social assistance under epidemic situation was used to investigate the help seeking efficacy and willingness of medical staff. The frequency and rate (%) were used to analyze the overall situation of medical staff's help seeking efficacy and social assistance willingness. The differences among different demographic variables were tested by χ(2) test. Results: Among the 1940 medical and nursing staff, 18.81% (365/1940) did not know how to obtain appropriate psychological assistance. Compared with the low age group, the medical staff in the high age group had the ability of information query, the ability to occupy knowledge resources, the ability to distinguish rumors and facts and the sense of efficacy of obtaining appropriate medical help, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05) . The willingness of medical and nursing staff to actively cooperate with the government, maintain social stability and volunteer work were 99.43% (1929/1940) , 98.81% (1917/1940) and 97.11% (1884/1940) . Conclusion: The medical staff had a higher sense of help seeking efficacy and willingness to social assistance. It is necessary to further strengthen the resource support of psychological, social and humanistic care for medical staff.

Comparison of chemical components between aerial and underground parts of Coptis chinensis based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS~E technology / 中国中药杂志

The ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS~E) technology was employed to compare the chemical components between the aerial and underground parts of Coptis chinensis samples from different batches. According to the retention time, molecular ion peak, and LC-MS~E fragment information of the reference substances and available literature, we identified a total of 40 components. Thirty-three and 31 compounds were respectively identified in the underground part(taproots) and the aerial part(stems and leaves) of C. chinensis. Among them, 24 compounds, including alkaloids(e.g., berberine and jatrorrhizine) and phenolic acids(e.g., chlorogenic acid, quinic acid, and tanshinol), were common in the two parts. In addition, differential components were also identified, such as magnoline glucoside in the underground part and(±) lariciresionol-4-β-D-glucopyranoside in the aerial part. The analysis of fragmentation pathways based on spectra of reference substances indicated the differences among samples of different batches. Furthermore, we performed the principal component analysis(PCA) for the peak areas of C. chinensis in different batches. The results showed that the underground part and the aerial part were clearly clustered into two groups, indicating that the chemical components contained in the two parts were different. Furthermore, the results of partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA) identified 31 differential compounds(VIP value>1) between the underground part and the aerial part, mainly including alkaloids, phenolic acids, lignans, and flavonoids. This study proves that C. chinensis possesses great development potential with multiple available compounds in stems and leaves. Moreover, it sheds light on for the development and utilization of non-medicinal organs of C. chinensis and other Chinese medicinal herbs.

A practical guide to amplicon and metagenomic analysis of microbiome data

Advances in high-throughput sequencing (HTS) have fostered rapid developments in the field of microbiome research, and massive microbiome datasets are now being generated. However, the diversity of software tools and the complexity of analysis pipelines make it difficult to access this field. Here, we systematically summarize the advantages and limitations of microbiome methods. Then, we recommend specific pipelines for amplicon and metagenomic analyses, and describe commonly-used software and databases, to help researchers select the appropriate tools. Furthermore, we introduce statistical and visualization methods suitable for microbiome analysis, including alpha- and beta-diversity, taxonomic composition, difference comparisons, correlation, networks, machine learning, evolution, source tracing, and common visualization styles to help researchers make informed choices. Finally, a step-by-step reproducible analysis guide is introduced. We hope this review will allow researchers to carry out data analysis more effectively and to quickly select the appropriate tools in order to efficiently mine the biological significance behind the data.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of nucleosides and nucleobases in Phylloporia ribis by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and HPLC / 中国中药杂志

The dried fruit body of Phylloporia ribis(Hymenochaetaceae), which prefers to live on the stumps of Lonicera japonica(Caprifoliaceae), has a variety of activities, whereas its pharmacodynamic material basis is not completely clear and there are few reports on its quality control and evaluation. In this study, an UPLC-Q-TOF-MS method was used to analyze the nucleosides and nucleobases in P. ribis and a HPLC method was established for simultaneous determination of 10 nucleosides and nucleobases. MS and MS/MS data were acquired in positive ion mode. Based on the data comparison of the sample and the reference substance, the literature data and the compound databases of ChemSpider and PubChem, 18 nucleosides and nucleobases were identified qualitatively from the water extract of P. ribis for the first time. After optimization, the HPLC was performed using a Welch Ultimate AQ C_(18) column(4.6 mm×250 mm, 5 μm) by gradient elution with acetonitrile and water as mobile phase, the flow rate of 1.0 mL·min~(-1), the detection wavelength of 260 nm, and the column temperature of 30 ℃. Through the investigation of the extraction method, solvent and time, it was determined that the test solution should be obtained by cold water extraction for 18 h. At the present HPLC conditions, 10 components of uracil, cytidine, hypoxanthine, uridine, thymine, inosine, guanosine, 2'-deoxyinosine, 2'-deoxyguanosine and thymidine could be well separated(R > 1.5) and showed good linearity(r > 0.999 9) in the concentration ranges of 0.247-24.7, 0.283-28.3, 0.273-27.3, 0.256-25.6, 0.257-25.7, 0.318-31.8, 0.245-24.5, 0.267-26.7, 0.250-25.0 and 0.267-26.7 mg·L~(-1), respectively. The average reco-veries of 10 components were 95.78%-104.5%, and the RSDs were 2.2%-5.2%(n=6). The contents of 10 nucleosides and nucleobases in different samples of P. ribis varied greatly, which were 0.021-0.122, 0.004-0.029, 0.014-0.226, 0.009-0.442, 0.003-0.014, 0.002-0.146, 0.007-0.098, 0-0.054, 0.005-0.069, 0.004-0.081 and 0.072-1.28 mg·g~(-1) for uracil, cytidine, hypoxanthine, uridine, thymine, inosine, guanosine, 2'-deoxyinosine, 2'-deoxyguanosine, thymidine and total 10 components, respectively. These results demonstrated that the components had significant differences in the internal quality, and good quality control was needed to ensure the medical efficacy. This study provides a scientific basis for the discovery of pharmacodynamic ingredients, quality control and evaluation of P. ribis.

Research progress of pesticide residues in Chrysanthemum / 中国中药杂志

Chrysanthemum is widely used as a type of edible flower and also considered as the important materials of many beverages in China. Due to the occurrence of diseases and pests, and the lack of regulations for species, frequency, dose of pesticides in Chrysanthemum, pesticides have become one of the main pollutants in Chrysanthemum. The pesticide residues in Chrysanthemum were detected frequently and worth noting. This paper focused on the types of pesticides, pesticide residue detection techniques, and risk assessment methods for Chrysanthemums on the basis of relevant literatures. The pesticide residues of traditional Chinese medicine are mainly organochlorines, organophosphorus and pyrethroids, and the detection techniques include gas chromatography(GC), liquid chromatography(LC) or both combined with mass spectrometry(MS). With the increasing use of traditional Chinese medicine, Chrysanthemum is widely circulated in the market. Therefore, it is important to understand the current situation of pesticide residues in different varieties of Chrysanthemum, so as to provide theoretical reference for the control of quality and safety of Chrysanthemum and the formulation of the maximum residue limit.

Occupational Health Risk Assessment of Benzene, Toluene, and Xylene in Shanghai / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

Objective@#This study was designed to conduct a retrospective and systematic occupational health risk assessment (OHRA) of enterprises that used benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) in Shanghai, China.@*Methods@#All data for the study were obtained from 1,705 occupational health examination and evaluation reports from 2013 to 2017, and a semiquantitative model following Chinese OHRA guidelines (GBZ/T 298-2017) was applied for the assessment.@*Results@#The selected enterprises using BTX were mainly involved in manufacturing of products. Using the exposure level method, health risk levels associated with exposure to BTX were classified as medium, negligible, or low. However, the risk levels associated with benzene and toluene were significantly different according to job types, with gluers and inkers exhibiting greater health risks. For the same job type, the health risk levels assessed using the comprehensive index method were higher than those using the exposure level method.@*Conclusion@#Our OHRA reveals that workers who are exposed to BTX still face excessive health risk. Additionally, the risk level varied depending on job categories and exposure to specific chemicals. Therefore, additional control measures recommended by OHRA guidelines are essential to reduce worker exposure levels.

Scientificity of traditional commodity grade of Chinese medicinal materials--taking Lonicerae Japonicae Flos as example / 中国中药杂志

Taking Lonicerae Japonicae Flos as an example, the method of "expert consensus of different regions" was used to screen the representative samples and evaluate their commodity grades. The correlation analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA) of "commodity grade-appearance characteristic-component content" were carried out to reveal the scientificity of traditional commodity grade of Chinese medicinal material. By referring to the existing literature and the grade investigation from the sample collection regions, 78 "initial grade" samples were screened out from 118 collected samples. Authoritative experts from four regions(n=4) including Linyi(Shangdong province), Bozhou(Anhui province), Anguo(Hebei province) and Beijing were organized to evaluate their commodity grades, separately. Based on the grade consistency rate(R_i≥70%), 69 "local grade" samples were screened out from the "initial grade" samples. Based on the average grade consistency rate ■ "authoritative grade" samples were screened out from the "local grade" samples, including15 first-grade samples, 9 second-grade samples, 11 third-grade samples and 17 fourth-grade samples. For these "authoritative grade" samples, the main appea-rance characteristics were quantified and the contents of 13 components were determined by ultra performance liquid chromatography(UPLC). Furthermore, the total contents of 6 phenolic acids, 4 flavonoids and 3 iridoids were calculated, respectively. The results of correlation analysis showed that 4 appearance characteristics indices were correlated with the commodity grades: color, rate of yellow bars(including blooming flowers), rate of black heads(including black bars), and rate of stems and leaves(including bud debris). Five component content indices were correlated with the commodity grades: chlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid C, sweroside, loganin and the total contents of six phenolic acids. Furthermore, chlorogenic acid, loganin and the total contents of six phenolic acids showed significantly negative correlation with the main appearance characteristics, indicating that the appearance characteristics of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos can reflect its internal quality, and these 3 indices can be used as quality markers(Q-markers). The results of hierarchical cluster analysis showed that the samples of four grades were classified into four categories, and the samples with the same grades and the same categories accounted for 80.8% of the total samples, while the samples with the different grades were obviously classified into different categories. The results of PLS-DA analysis showed that the samples of different grades showed obvious intragroup aggregation and intergroup dispersion. The above results indicated that it was feasible to evaluate the traditional commodity grade of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos by the method of "expert consensus of different regions". For the evaluation of traditional commodity grade of Chinese medicinal material, the samples should be representative, expert conclusions should have enough consensuses, and grade determination should be authoritative. As the crystallization of clinical experience, traditional commodity grade can scientifically reflect the internal quality of Chinese medicinal material.

A guide to human microbiome research: study design, sample collection, and bioinformatics analysis / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

The purpose of this review is to provide medical researchers, especially those without a bioinformatics background, with an easy-to-understand summary of the concepts and technologies used in microbiome research. First, we define primary concepts such as microbiota, microbiome, and metagenome. Then, we discuss study design schemes, the methods of sample size calculation, and the methods for improving the reliability of research. We emphasize the importance of negative and positive controls in this section. Next, we discuss statistical analysis methods used in microbiome research, focusing on problems with multiple comparisons and ways to compare β-diversity between groups. Finally, we provide step-by-step pipelines for bioinformatics analysis. In summary, the meticulous study design is a key step to obtaining meaningful results, and appropriate statistical methods are important for accurate interpretation of microbiome data. The step-by-step pipelines provide researchers with insights into newly developed bioinformatics analysis methods.

Long-term analysis of safety and efficacy of standard percutaneous nephrolithotomy in patients with solitary kidneys / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in the treatment of patients with solitary kidney stones.@*METHODS@#The clinical data of 22 patients with solitary kidney stones treated with PCNL in Peking University People's Hospital from September 2008 to June 2014, with the follow-up data of more than 5 years were analyzed retrospectively. Perioperative indicators, postoperative stone free rate (SFR) and incidence of complications were recorded. Ultrasonography was used to evaluate the long-term stones recurrence rate. Serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were used to assess the long-term renal function.@*RESULTS@#In this group of 22 patients, the average age was (50.3±11.8) years, with 10 cases of anatomic solitary kidneys, 12 functional solitary kidneys, and the median stone diameter was 1.65 (1.1-3.9) cm. All the patients had multiple stones, including 7 cases of staghorn stones. The median pre-operative serum creatinine was 104.5 (60.0-460.0) μmol/L, and the mean eGFR was (60.3±29.4) mL/min, showing no statistically significant difference compared with that before surgery. The mean operative time was (88.2±42.0) min, and there were 11 cases of single-channel and double-channel PCNL. The median serum creatinine on the first day after surgery was 102.0 (63.0-364.0) μmol/L, and the mean eGFR was (58.0±25.1) mL/min. The mean postoperative hospital stay was (8.7±5.2) days. In this group, 5 patients (22.7%) presented short-term complications, among which 4 patients presented postoperative infection and massive hemorrhage at the same time, which improved after conservative treatment, and 1 patient presented pleural injury and improved after closed thoracic drainage. Two patients (9.1%) developed long-term complications, and ureteral stricture occurred 3 months after operation, which improved after balloon dilatation. The median follow-up time was 6.2 (4.7-11.1) years. The median serum creatinine at the last follow-up was 104.0 (72.4-377.0) μmol/L, and the mean eGFR was (60.1±23.7) mL/min, showing no statistically significant difference compared with that before surgery. Renal function decreased in 6 patients (27.3%). Initial and final SFR were 72.7% and 100%, respectively. During the 6.2-year follow-up, 9 patients (40.9%) experienced recurrence of kidney stone. After stone recurrence, 13 lithotomy surgeries were performed, and the SFR by the latest follow-up was 63.6%.@*CONCLUSION@#This study had the longest follow-up time for patients with solitary kidney stones after PCNL reported at home and abroad. Ultrasound-guided standard PCNL was safe and effective in the treatment of solitary kidney stones. Long-term follow-up results showed that the recurrence rate of kidney stones was still high, but the long-term renal function was stable after operation, and some patients showed mild renal function decline.

Analysis of standard decoction of salt-processed Psoraleae Fructus / 中国中药杂志

The traditional Chinese medicine standard decoction is prepared on the basis of the theory of traditional Chinese medicine and clinical application. With reference to the modern extraction method,the single decoction of traditional Chinese medicine is prepared by the standardized process,and the establishment of its quality standards is conducive to standardizing clinical medication. This research is to set an evaluation standard for the quality of salt-processed Psoraleae Fructus standard decoction. Twelve batches of salt-processed Psoraleae Fructus standard decoctions were prepared. The contents of psoralen and isopsoralen were determined,the transfer and extract rates were calculated,and the pH value was measured; HPLC fingerprint method was established for analysis. The results of the 12 batches of samples revealed that the transfer rates of psoralen and isopsoralen were 17. 10%-26. 40%,14. 70%-22. 70%,respectively; the extract rate was between 14. 7%-27. 0%,and the pH value was between 5. 4-6. 9. Moreover,7 common chromatographic peaks were determined based on fingerprint by using similarity evaluation system for chromatographic fingerprint of traditional Chinese medicine( 2012 A).The similarities of the 12 batches of samples were analyzed and compared,and the results showed that the similarities were all higher than0. 9. In this study,the preparation method for salt-processed Psoraleae Fructus decoction was standard,with high similarities in fingerprint. This study build a convenient and reliable method of comprehensive quality evaluation,with a high precision,stability and repeatability,which can provide a reference for the quality control of salt-processed Psoraleae Fructus dispensing granules.

Long-term follow-up of auditory performance and speech perception and effects of age on cochlear implantation in children with pre-lingual deafness / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

Background@#The development of auditory and speech perception ability of children with hearing loss is affected by many factors after they undergo cochlear implantation (CI). Age at CI (CI age) appears to play an important role among these factors. This study aimed to evaluate the development of auditory and speech perception ability and explore the impact of CI age on children with prelingual deafness present before 3 years of age.@*Methods@#Two hundred and seventy-eight children with pre-lingual deafness (176 boys and 102 girls) were included in this study, and the CI age ranged from 6 to 36 months (mean age, 19 months). Categorical auditory performance (CAP) was assessed to evaluate auditory ability, and the speech intelligibility rating was used to evaluate speech intelligibility. The evaluations were performed before CI and 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months after CI.@*Results@#The auditory ability of the pre-lingually hearing-impaired children showed the fastest development within 6 months after CI (k = 0.524, t = 30.992, P < 0.05); then, the progress started to decelerate (k = 0.14, t = 3.704, P < 0.05) and entered a plateau at the 24th month (k = 0.03, t = 1.908, P < 0.05). Speech intelligibility showed the fastest improvement between the 12th and 24th months after CI (k = 0.138, t = 5.365, P < 0.05); then, the progress started to decelerate (k = 0.026, t = 1.465, P < 0.05) and entered a plateau at the 48th month (k = 0.012, t = 1.542, P < 0.05). The CI age had no statistical significant effect on the auditory and speech abilities starting at 2 years after CI (P < 0.05). The optimal cutoff age for CI was 15 months.@*Conclusions@#Within 5 years after CI, the auditory and speech ability of young hearing-impaired children continuously improved, although speech development lagged behind that of hearing. An earlier CI age is recommended; the optimal cutoff age for CI is at 15 months.

Clinical Effect of Shugan Granule on Depression of Liver Qi Stagnation Type in Perimenopausal Period / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of Shugan granule on perimenopausal depressive disorder (stagnation of liver Qi and Qi stagnation) and its effect on sex hormone and inflammatory factors. Method:One hundred and twenty patients were randomly divided into control group (60 cases) and observation group (60 cases) by random number table. Both groups got Tibolone tablets, 2.5 mg/time, 1 time/day. Patients in control group got flupentixol and melitracen tablets once every morning and noon, 1 tablet/time. In addition to the therapy of control group, patients in observation group got Shugan granule, 1 pack/time, 2 times/days. And a course of treatment was 8 weeks. Main indexes were graded by Hamilton depression scale (HAMD-17), self-rating depression scale (SDS) and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ). And secondary indexes were scored by self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), stagnation of liver Qi and Qi stagnation, improved kupperman (KI), levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), 5-serotonin (5-HT), brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) before and after treatment. Result:By rank sum test, the clinical efficacy on depressed and perimenopausal syndrome in observation groups was better than that in control group (Z=2.038, PZ=2.316, PPPβ, IL-6 and TNF-α were lower than those in control groups (P2, BDNF and 5-HT were higher than those in control groups (PConclusion:Shugan granule can relieve depression, inquietude and symptoms caused by perimenopausal syndrome, regulate sex hormone, 5-HT, BDNF and inflammatory reaction, with a better clinical effect than pure western medicine treatment.

Long-term follow-up of auditory performance and speech perception and effects of age on cochlear implantation in children with pre-lingual deafness / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#The development of auditory and speech perception ability of children with hearing loss is affected by many factors after they undergo cochlear implantation (CI). Age at CI (CI age) appears to play an important role among these factors. This study aimed to evaluate the development of auditory and speech perception ability and explore the impact of CI age on children with pre-lingual deafness present before 3 years of age.@*METHODS@#Two hundred and seventy-eight children with pre-lingual deafness (176 boys and 102 girls) were included in this study, and the CI age ranged from 6 to 36 months (mean age, 19 months). Categorical auditory performance (CAP) was assessed to evaluate auditory ability, and the speech intelligibility rating was used to evaluate speech intelligibility. The evaluations were performed before CI and 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months after CI.@*RESULTS@#The auditory ability of the pre-lingually hearing-impaired children showed the fastest development within 6 months after CI (k = 0.524, t = 30.992, P  0.05). The optimal cutoff age for CI was 15 months.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Within 5 years after CI, the auditory and speech ability of young hearing-impaired children continuously improved, although speech development lagged behind that of hearing. An earlier CI age is recommended; the optimal cutoff age for CI is at 15 months.

Application of Mycobacterium marinum infected zebrafish for evaluation of anti-tuberculosis drugs / 药学学报

Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium. tuberculosis. In recent years, with the emergence of drug-resistant forms, the development of new anti-tuberculosis drugs is urgently needed. In this study, we used Mycobacterium marinum (M. marinum), which is highly similar to M. tuberculosis, to establish a M. marinum infected-zebrafish model and quantitative PCR (qPCR) method for bacterial count analysis. The results showed that injecting M. marinum into the yolk sac is an efficient and convenient way to infect zebrafish embryos. By counting the survival rate of infected zebrafish and the number of bacteria in zebrafish by Ziehl-Neelsen staining, we analyzed the efficacy of isoniazid and rifampicin as anti-tuberculosis drugs and the synergistic effect of drugs. The results suggested that three evaluation methods exhibit good consistency. This study demonstrated that zebrafish-M. marinum infection model combined with qPCR analysis is a simple and efficient method for in vivo screening and evaluation of anti-tuberculosis drugs. Animal experiments were carried out in accordance with the provisions for animal ethics in the Regulations on Laboratory Animals of Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.