Thoughts on Current Quality Standard of Atractylodis Rhizoma Based on Genuine Advantages of Traditional Chinese Medicine / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Atractylodis Rhizoma is a kind of commonly used clinical Chinese medicine （TCM）， which was first recorded in Shennong Bencaojing （《神农本草经》）. At that time， it was called "Zhu"， which is the general name of Atractylodis Rhizoma and Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma. After Song dynasty， Atractylodis Rhizoma and Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma were separated. Atractylodis Rhizoma can be divided into Atractylodes lancea and A. chinensis. In history， A. lancea as authentic， that its quality is better than A. chinensis. However， the quality of Atractylodis Rhizoma was evaluated by the index component atractylodin in the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia. The general results showed that the content of atractylodin in A. lancea was low， even failed to meet the specified standard， and its content in A. chinensis was significantly higher than that in A. lancea. The results were inconsistent with the records of ancient books and documents， and the quality theory of "genuine medicine is the best". It could not reflect the quality advantage of genuine Atractylodis Rhizoma， and may even affect the clinical application and development momentum of genuine medicine. In short， the quality standard of TCM should not only conform to the historical experience， but also have the connotation of modern science and technology， which can stand the test of practice. Based on this， the author intends to sort out relevant laws and regulations， sort out the literature related to the authenticity， composition and efficacy of Atractylodis Rhizoma， and analyze the rationality of the current standard of Atractylodis Rhizoma by integrating the relevant records of historical classics and modern research results， so as to provide a basis for the improvement of the quality standard of Atractylodis Rhizoma.

Short-term effects and seasonal variation of ozone on daily hospital outpatient visits for childhood asthma in Lanzhou / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the effects of ozone (O3) concentrations measured with different approaches across different seasons on the total number of childhood asthma-related clinical visits, as well as the differentiation of such effects across different groups of patients.@*METHODS@#The outpatient data of three grade A tertiary hospitals in Lanzhou City spanning from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2017, as well as air pollution and meteorological data during the same period were collected. Considering the nonlinear relationship between O3 concentrations and the total number of childhood asthma-related clinical visits and meteorological factors, a generalized additive temporal sequence model was employed to analyze the short-term association between changes in O3 concentrations and the total number of childhood asthma-related clinical visits. Taking into account of the variations in O3 concentrations within 1 day, this study adopted different measurement approaches to address the three types of O3 exposures, namely, the maximum 1 h daily concentration (O3max1h), the maximum 8 h daily concentration (O38h) and the mean 24 h daily concentration (O324h) as the short term exposure indicators to O3, followed by a model-based analysis.@*RESULTS@#The increase in short-term exposure levels to O3 in summer had a significant effect on the increase in the total number of childhood asthma-related clinical visits. With lag0 for the current day, every 10 μg/m3 increase in atmospheric concentration of O3max1h was associated with an increase in the total number of childhood asthma-related clinical visits by 3.351% (95%CI: 1.231%-5.516%); for every 10 μg/m3 increase in O38h concentration, the total number of childhood asthma-related clinical visits increased by 3.320% (95%CI: 0.197%-3.829%); for every 10 μg/m3increase in O324h concentration, the total number of childhood asthma-related clinical visits in summer increased by 6.600% (95%CI: 0.914%-12.607%); moreover, an increase in exposure to O3max1h also led to a significant rise in the total number of childhood asthma-related clinical visits among the males.@*CONCLUSION@#The increase in short-term exposure levels to O3 in summer in Lanzhou City has a significant effect on the increase in the total number of childhood asthma-related clinical visits; O3max1h is more closely correlated with the increase in the total number of childhood asthma-related clinical visits.

Air Temperature Affects the Hospital Admission for Cardiovascular Diseases among Rural Residents in Dingxi City / 中国医学科学院学报

Objective To explore the effect of air temperature on the hospitalization of rural residents with cardiovascular diseases and its lag effect in Dingxi city. Methods The meteorological data and air pollution data of Dingxi city from 2018 to 2019,as well as the daily hospitalization data of rural residents due to cardiovascular diseases,were collected.The distributed lag non-linear models were employed to analyze the relationship between daily mean air temperature and the number of inpatients with cardiovascular diseases.Meanwhile,stratified analysis was carried out according to gender,age,and disease. Results There was a non-linear relationship between air temperature and the number of hospitalized rural residents with cardiovascular diseases in Dingxi city.The exposure-response curve approximated a bell shape.The curves for different cardiovascular diseases appeared similar shapes,with different temperature thresholds.Low temperature(-7 ℃) and moderately low temperature(0 ℃) exhibited a cumulative lag effect on the number of patients hospitalized with cardiovascular diseases.With a cumulative lag of 7 days at -7 ℃ and 14 days at 0 ℃,the RR values peaked,which were 1.121(95% CI=1.002-1.255) and 1.198(95% CI=1.123-1.278),respectively.With a cumulative lag of 14 days at 0 ℃,the RR values were 1.034(95% CI=1.003-1.077) and 1.039(95% CI=1.004-1.066) for the number of hospitalized patients with ischemic heart disease and heart rhythm disorders,respectively.The cumulative lag effects of moderately high temperature(17 ℃) and high temperature(21 ℃) on ischemic heart disease,heart rhythm disorders,and cerebrovascular disease all peaked on that day.Specifically,the RR values at 17 ℃ and 21 ℃ were 1.148(95% CI=1.092-1.206) and 1.176(95% CI=1.096-1.261) for ischemic heart disease,1.071(95% CI=1.001-1.147) and 1.112(95% CI=1.011-1.223) for heart rhythm disorders,and 1.084(95% CI=1.025-1.145) and 1.094(95% CI=1.013-1.182) for cerebrovascular disease,respectively.There was no cumulative lag effect of air temperature on the number of hospitalized patients with heart failure.In addition,stratified analysis showed that low temperature(-7 ℃) and moderately low temperature(0 ℃) affected the number of hospitalized female patients with cardiovascular diseases,and only moderately low temperature(0 ℃) affected males.The cumulative lag effect of high temperature on females was higher than that on males.Air temperature exhibited a stronger impact on female patients than on male patients. Additionally,the population aged<65 years old was more sensitive to low temperature and high temperature than that aged ≥65 years old. Conclusions Air temperature changes increase the hospitalization risk of rural residents with cardiovascular diseases in Dingxi city,which presents a lag effect.The effects of air temperature on patients hospitalized due to cardiovascular diseases varied among different etiologies,genders,and ages.It is necessary to emphasize on the impact of temperature changes on health in residents,especially for key populations such as females,people aged<65 years old,and those with ischemic heart disease.

Effects of Nogo-A and its receptor on the repair of sciatic nerve injury in rats

Regeneration of injured peripheral nerves is an extremely complex process. Nogo-A (neurite outgrowth inhibitor-A) inhibits axonal regeneration by interacting with Nogo receptor in the myelin sheath of the central nervous system (CNS). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Nogo-A and its receptor on the repair of sciatic nerve injury in rats. Sprague-Dawley rats (n=96) were randomly divided into 4 groups: control group (control), sciatic nerve transection group (model), immediate repair group (immediate repair), and delayed repair group (delayed repair). The rats were euthanized 1 week and 6 weeks after operation. The injured end tissues of the spinal cord and sciatic nerve were obtained. The protein expressions of Nogo-A and Nogo-66 receptor (NgR) were detected by immunohistochemistry. The protein expressions of Nogo-A, NgR, and Ras homolog family member A (RhoA) were detected by western blot. At 1 week after operation, the pathological changes in the immediate repaired group were less, and the protein expressions of Nogo-A, NgR, and RhoA in the spinal cord and sciatic nerve tissues were decreased (P<0.05) compared with the model group. After 6 weeks, the pathological changes in the immediate repair group and the delayed repair group were alleviated and the protein expressions decreased (P<0.05). The situation of the immediate repair group was better than that of the delayed repair group. Our data suggest that the expression of Nogo-A and its receptor increased after sciatic nerve injury, indicating that Nogo-A and its receptor play an inhibitory role in the repair process of sciatic nerve injury in rats.

Distal-triangular flap design for impacted mandibular third molars: a randomized controlled trial / 华西口腔医学杂志

OBJECTIVES@#This prospective study was performed to evaluate whether the distal-triangular flap was a practical alternative surgical approach for extracting mandibular third molars.@*METHODS@#Sixty participants with impacted mandibular third molars were randomly divided into three groups: group A, distal-triangular flap; group B, Szmyd flap; and group C, envelope flap. The impacted third molars were extracted by the corresponding flapping method. During a three-month follow-up observation after the extraction, the postoperative pain, swelling, mouth opening, and periodontal status were recorded and analyzed by ANOVA and chi-square tests.@*RESULTS@#The 60 participants had successful extraction and 3-month follow-up observation. No participant suffered from postoperative infections, lower lip disorder, or tongue sensory disorders. No statistical differences were found in the postoperative symptoms and signs of the three flap designs, such as postoperative pain, swelling, mouth opening, and periodontal status (@*CONCLUSIONS@#The distal-triangular flap was as safe and reliable as the Szmyd and envelope flaps but more advantageous because of its convenient operative field exposure and low requirement for the patient's mouth opening. Thus, the distal-triangular flap is one of the alternative flap options for extracting impacted mandibular third molars.

Analysis of Proliferation Characters of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndrome / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the proliferation potential of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).@*METHODS@#The MSC derived from the 24 patients with newly diagnosed MDS (MDS-MSC group) and MSC derived from 15 patients with nutritional anemia (control group) in the Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University were used as the research objects. The proliferation potential of MSC was analyzed by colony-forming unit assay, doubling time, cumulative passaging, cell number after 10 days of culture with equal amount of MSC and MTT experiment. The mechanism of abnormal proliferation was analyzed by cell cycle experiment, apoptosis experiment and p21 gene expression assay.@*RESULTS@#In the colony forming unit assay, the number of MDS-MSC colonies was 4.44±2.51, which was significantly lower than that of the control group (12.44±2.55)(P<0.01); the doubling time of MDS-MSC group was significantly longer than that of the control group (7.80±3.26 vs 3.63±0.85) (P<0.01); the number of MDS-MSC in 5×10@*CONCLUSION@#The proliferative capability of MDS-MSC is significantly reduced, which relates with the arrest of cell cycle in G

Effect of Air Pollution on Emergency Room Visits for Respiratory Diseases in Lanzhou / 中国医学科学院学报

Objective To explore the effect of air pollution on the number of emergency room visits for respiratory diseases in residents at different ages and its seasonal changes in Lanzhou,so as to provide a scientific basis for the early prevention of respiratory diseases in Lanzhou. Methods The daily number of emergency room visits for respiratory diseases in three class A hospitals in Lanzhou from January 1,2013 to December 31,2017,as well as the air pollutants and meteorological data of Lanzhou in the same period,was collected.After controlling the confounding factors including long-term trend of time,meteorological factors and day-of-week effect using a generalized additive model,we analyzed the relationships between air pollutants and the daily number of emergency room visits for respiratory diseases,and explored whether there was a lag effect of air pollutants.Results From 2013 to 2017,the emergency room visits for respiratory diseases in Lanzhou had a total number of 124 871,with an average of 69(1-367)visits per day.The single pollutant model showed that among the six conventional air pollutants monitored in Lanzhou,PM

Spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging: methods and applications / 生理学报

Spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an advanced imaging technique (mainly in the cervical cord) and has been gradually used in basic scientific research such as human sensation and motor function, and clinical applications such as spinal cord injury, myelitis, and chronic pain, etc. The development of spinal cord MRI is still at the early stage compared with brain MRI and limited by the current MRI technology and data analysis methods. This review focuses on the methods and applications of spinal cord MRI technology in the basic research fields of cognitive neuroscience and clinical application. Firstly, we will introduce the imaging principle, methods, measurement standards, and applications of most commonly used multimodal spinal cord MRI techniques, including quantitative spinal cord MRI (such as structural, diffusion, spectroscopy, myelin water, magnetization transfer, and chemical exchange saturation transfer imaging, etc.) and spinal functional MRI (fMRI). Secondly, we will discuss the technical challenges and possible solutions of spinal cord MRI data processing from the three dimensions of denoising, data processing pipeline optimization, and repeatability and reliability. Finally, we will discuss the application status and development prospects of spinal cord MRI.

A review of clinical specifications of Scutellariae Radix pieces in ancient and modern literature / 中国中药杂志

Scutellariae Radix is a commonly used Chinese medicinal first recorded in the Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica. In the ancient books of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), Scutellariae Radix is used in two specifications, solid one(Ziqin) and hollow one(Kuqin). In the current rules and regulations of Chinese medicine, Scutellariae Radix is used without the specific requirements for the specifications applied. To clarify the evolution of Scutellariae Radix specifications and analyze the current specifications of Scutellariae Radix pieces, the present study reviews the Scutellariae Radix from ancient literature, modern rules and regulations, and differences between Ziqin and Kuqin in composition, efficacy, and transformation mechanism. According to the research on ancient books, Kuqin is effective in clearing the fire of the upper energizer, and Ziqin in purging the heat of the lower energizer. Modern studies have revealed that Kuqin and Ziqin are significantly different in chemical components, and Ziqin and Kuqin target the colon and lung, respectively, which are consistent with the relevant records in ancient books. The review study suggests that the two specifications of Scutellariae Radix are reasonable since they can facilitate the precise treatment of Scutellariae Radix.

Mechanism, prevention, and treatment for medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaws / 华西口腔医学杂志

The morbidity rate of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaws (MRONJ) increased rapidly in recent years. Thusfar, the mechanism of MRONJ has no consensus. The possible mechanisms may include bone remodeling inhibition theory, angiogenesis inhibition theory, oral microorganism infection theory, immunosuppression theory, cytotoxicity-targeted oral epithelial cells, microcrack formation of maxillary or mandibular bone, and single nucleotide polymorphism. However, the efficacy of prevention and treatment based on a single mechanism is not ideal. Routine oral examination before MRONJ-related drug treatment, treatment of related dental diseases, and regular oral follow-up during drug treatment are of great significance for the prevention of MRONJ. During the treatment of MRONJ, the stage of MRONJ must be determined accurately, treatment must be standardized in accordance with the guidelines, and personalized adjustments must be made considering the specific conditions of patients. This review aimed to combine the latest research and guidelines for MRONJ and the experiences on the treatment of MRONJ in the Maxillofacial Surgery Department of West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, and discuss the strategies to improve the clinical process.

Clinical study of age-related sensory innervation of the anterior hard palate / 华西口腔医学杂志

OBJECTIVES@#The present study aimed to explore the innervation of the anterior hard palatine and its relationship with individual development stage. Specifically, the effects of anesthesia on patients of different ages were observed, and neurodevelopment in the maxillofacial region was invesitgated. References that are helpful in selecting local anesthesia were provided.@*METHODS@#A total of 182 patients with mixed dentition were randomly divided into the nasopalatine nerve block and greater palatine nerve block groups. Then, 219 patients with permanent dentition were divided into an adolescent group (13-18 years old) and adult group (over 19 years old), all of whom underwent bilateral greater palatine nerve block. Palatal mucosal pain sensation was tested pre- and post-anesthesia with Von Frey hairs.@*RESULTS@#Among the children with mixed dentition, bilateral greater palatine nerve block tended to result in better anesthetic effects than nasopalatine nerve block (@*CONCLUSIONS@#The sensation of the anterior hard palatine seems mainly dominated by the greater palatine nerve until mixed dentition and gradually shifted to the nasopalatine nerve in conjunction with maxillary development and tooth replacement. Hence, the innervation of the anterior hard palatine induce a secondary development during the development of the maxilla.

Expression of long noncoding RNA NBAT1 is associated with the outcome of patients with non-small cell lung cancer

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE Long noncoding RNA neuroblastoma-associated transcript 1 (NBAT1) has been reported to be involved in cancer progression. However, the clinical significance of NBAT1 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is still unclear. Our present research aimed to explore whether NBAT1 serves as a biomarker for NSCLC prognosis. METHODS The expression of NBAT1 was examined by RT-PCR in tissue samples of 162 NSCLC patients and was compared with the adjacent non-tumor lung specimens. Then the association between NBAT1 expression and clinical-pathological parameters was further evaluated. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. The prognostic significance of NBAT1 expression in NSCLC patients was explored by the use of univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS NBAT1 expression was prominently decreased in NSCLC tissues compared with matched normal lung specimens (p < 0.01). Moreover, survival analyses indicated that patients with low expression displayed dramatically decreased 5-year overall survival (p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS NBAT1 expression might contribute to tumor progression and poor prognosis of NSCLC and might be a new therapeutic target in NSCLC.

RESUMO OBJETIVO Há relatos de que o NBAT1 está associado à progressão do câncer. Contudo, o significado clínico do NBAT1 no câncer de pulmão de células não pequenas (NSCLC) ainda não está claro. O objetivo da nossa pesquisa foi explorar se NBAT1 serve como biomarcador para o prognóstico de NSCLC. MÉTODOS A expressão de NBAT1 foi examinada por RT-PCR em amostras de tecido de 162 pacientes com NSCLC e comparada a amostras adjacentes não tumorais de pulmão. Em seguida, a associação entre a expressão do NBAT1 e os parâmetros clínico-patológicos foi avaliada. A análise de sobrevivência foi realizada utilizando o método Kaplan-Meier. A significância prognóstica da expressão do NBAT1 em pacientes com NSCLC foi explorada através de análises univariadas e multivariadas. RESULTADOS A expressão do NBAT1 foi claramente diminuída nos tecidos de NSCLC em comparação aos espécimes normais dos pulmões (p<0,01). Além disso, as análises de sobrevivência indicaram que pacientes com baixa expressão apresentavam uma diminuição drástica da sobrevivência global em cinco anos (p=0,008). CONCLUSÃO A expressão do NBAT1 pode contribuir para a progressão tumoral e um prognóstico negativo do NSCLC e pode ser um novo alvo de terapia no NSCLC.

Autophagy regulates high glucose-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human lens epithelial cells / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

@#AIM: To investigate the regulation of autophagy on high glucose-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)in human lens epithelial cells.<p>METHODS: In order to investigate the changes of EMT and autophagy induced by high glucose, HLE-B3 cells were divided into two groups. In NC group, cells were cultured in DMEM with 5.5mmol/L glucose, and in HG group, cells were treated with DMEM in addition with 30mmol/L glucose for 12h, 24h, and 48h. Western blot was used to detect the expression of EMT-marker proteins(E-cadherin and α-SMA)and autophagy-marker proteins(LC3, Beclin 1 and SQSTM1/p62). Wound healing assay was conducted to observe the migration ability. To investigate the regulation of autophagy on EMT, we employed rapamycin, an agonist of autophagy. HLE-B3 cells were divided into 4 groups. Two of them were mentioned as above, and the other two groups were treated with high glucose combined with DMSO(DMSO)and high glucose combined with 200nmol/L rapamycin(RAPA), respectively. Migration ability of cells was evaluated by Transwell assay. Expressions of proteins, such as EMT marker proteins, molecules in TGF-β signaling pathway(TGF-β2, Smad2/3, p-Smad2/3, Snail), and autophagy markers were detected by Western blot. The intracellular co-localization of SQSTM1/p62 and Smad2/3 was observed by immunofluorescence staining, and their interaction was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation assay. <p>RESULTS: The expression of E-cadherin, LC3 Ⅱ/Ⅰ, and Beclin 1 in HLE-B3 cells of HG group gradually decreased(<i>F</i>=67.52, 163, 206; all <i>P</i><0.0001), the expressions of α-SMA, SQSTM1/p62 increased with time(<i>F</i>=53.37, 302.1; all <i>P</i><0.0001), and cell migration also increased compared with the cells in NC group(all <i>P</i><0.001), indicating that high glucose stimulated EMT and suppressed autophagy. After treatment with rapamycin, the expressions of LC3 Ⅱ/Ⅰ and E-cadherin increased, the expressions of α-SMA, p-Smad2/Smad2, p-Smad3/Smad3 and Snail decreased(all <i>P</i><0.05), and the expressions of TGF-β2 did not change(all <i>P</i>>0.05)in RAPA group compared with HG group and DMSO group, cell migration was also suppressed(all <i>P</i><0.001), indicating that Rapamycin down regulated the expressions of molecules in TGF-βsignaling pathway after activation of autophagy, which resulted in inhibiting EMT. Immunofluorescence staining showed co-localization of SQSTM1/p62 and Smad2/3 in cytoplasm. Co-immunoprecipitation confirmed the combination between SQSTM1/p62 and Smad2/3.<p>CONCLUSION: High glucose stimulates the process of EMT and suppresses the autophagy in HLE-B3 cells. Autophagy regulates EMT by interacting with Smad2/3 via SQSTM1/p62, altering the amount of Smad2/3 which works in the TGF-β signaling pathway.

Effects of temperature and relative humidity on the number of outpatients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and their interaction effect in Lanzhou, China / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To understand the relationships of daily average temperature and relative humidity with outpatient visit frequency of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and whether temperature and relative humidity have a lag effect.@*METHODS@#The effects of daily average temperature, relative humidity, and their interaction in Lanzhou between January 2013 and December 2017 on the outpatient visit frequency of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients were analyzed using Poisson generalized linear regression model combined with distributed lag non-linear model.@*RESULTS@#There was a non-linear relationship between the daily average temperature and the outpatient visit frequency of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. Between -12 °C and -8 °C, the outpatient visit frequency increased gradually with the decrease of the daily average temperature, and the outpatient visit frequency of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients increased by 11.60% per 1 °C of temperature drop. The daily average relative humidity also presented a non-linear effect on the outpatient visit frequency chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. When the daily average relative humidity was in the range of 15%-28%, the outpatient visit frequency increased gradually with the decrease of relative humidity, and the outpatient visit frequency of COPD patients increased by 37.05% for every 1% decrease of relative humidity. A synergistic effect was found between air temperature and relative humidity on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, that is, under different relative humidity, the effect of air temperature was different. When the daily average relative humidity ≤ 50% and the daily average temperature≤11 °C, the effect of air temperature was the most obvious. For every 1 °C drop in temperature, the daily out-patient visit frequency of the whole population increased by 12.68% (5.62% in males and 7.56% in females; 5.24% in population < 65 years and 14.74% in population ≥ 65 years). When the daily average relative humidity > 50% and the daily average temperature ≤ 11 °C, the daily outpatient visit frequency of the whole population increased by 9.00% for every 1 °C drop in temperature (< 65 years, 7.11%; ≥65 years, 10.93%). When the daily average temperature > 11 °C, the temperature had no effect on the daily outpatient visit frequency of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients under different relative humidity.@*CONCLUSION@#The presence of a certain extent of interaction is observed between daily average temperature and relative humidity. Low-temperature and dry environment (relative humidity ≤50%, temperature ≤11 °C) as well as low-temperature and high-humidity environment (relative humidity > 50%, temperature ≤11 °C) can both increase the risk of outpatient visit in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

X-chromosome genetic association test incorporating X-chromosome inactivation and imprinting effects

Studies have shown that many complex diseases are sex-determined. When conducting genetic association studies on Xchromosome, there are two important epigenetic factors which should be considered simultaneously: X-chromosome inactivation and genomic imprinting. Currently, there have been several association tests accounting for the information on X-chromosome inactivation. However, these tests do not take the imprinting effects into account. In this paper, we propose a novel association test simultaneously incorporating X-chromosome inactivation and imprinting effects based on case–parent trios and control–parent trios for female offspring and case–control data for male offspring, denoted by MLRXCII. Extensive simulation studies are carried out to investigate the type I error rate and the test power of the proposed MLRXCII . Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed test controls the type I error rate well andis more powerful than the existing method when imprinting effects exist. The proposed MLRXCII test is valid and powerful in genetic association studies on X-chromosome for qualitative traits and thus is recommended in practice.

Efficacy and peripheral immunity analysis of allogeneic natural killer cells therapy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the safety and efficacy of allogeneic natural killer (NK) cells in the treatment of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to elucidate the mechanism of NK cells therapy.@*METHODS@#Twenty-one patients with primary HCC treated with allogeneic NK cells at the Fifth Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital were followed up for 1 year. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from patient-related donors and cultured in vitro for 15 days and infused to the patients in two consecutive days. Clinical data and laboratory data were collected and analyzed, including survival, clinical features, imaging changes, hematology, immunology, and biochemical indicators to evaluate the safety and efficacy of allogeneic NK cell therapy. The changes of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets after treatment were also analyzed to explore the possible anti-tumor mechanisms.@*RESULTS@#(1) Of the 21 patients with primary HCC, 11 patients were treated once, 5 patients were treated twice, and 5 patients were treated 3 times. After allogeneic NK cells infusion, 10 patients had fever, 1 patient had slight hepatalgia and 1 patient had slight headache, no other adverse events occurred including acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). They resolved spontaneously within 8 hours without other treatment. (2) The total disease control rate was 76.2% during one-year follow-up. Among them, the patients with Barcelona clinic liver cancer (BCLC) stage A had a disease control rate of 100%, stable disease (SD) in 10 cases; BCLC stage B patients had a disease control rate of 60%, partial response (PR) in 1 case, and SD 2 in cases; BCLC stage C patients had a disease control rate of 50%, complete response (CR) in 1 case, and 2 cases of PR. (3) The frequencies of NK cells and CD8+ T cells in peripheral blood were significantly lower than that before at 24 hours after treatment, and the frequencies of CD4+ T cells and CD4/CD8 were significantly higher than the baseline.@*CONCLUSION@#Allogeneic NK cells have good safety and efficacy in the treatment of primary HCC. The anti-tumor effect of the allogeneic NK cells may play an important role in the activation of the patient's natural immune system and delay disease progression, suggesting that allogeneic NK cells combined with sorafenib may be a very effective treatment for advanced HCC, and further large-sample multicenter randomized controlled clinical trials are needed to validate this result.

The measurement of dorsal radial tilt by x-ray and computed tomography

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: We conducted this study to define and measure the dorsal radial tilt, and to guide the reduction of distal radius fractures and the pre-bending of steel plates used in surgery. METHODS: The dorsal radial tilt was measured using both computed tomography (CT) and x-ray from both left and right side. The differences and correlations of the data measured by those two methods and from two sides were analyzed. RESULTS: The tilts measured by x-ray were significantly bigger than those measured by CT from the left side (t=55.51, p < 0.01) and from the right side (t=49.81, p < 0.01). The tilts measured by those two methods from the left and right sides were correlated (r=0.85, p < 0.01; r=0.81, p < 0.01). The dorsal radial tilts measured from the left side were not significantly different from those measured from the right side by CT (t=1.49, p > 0.05) and by x-ray (t=1.51, p > 0.05). The dorsal radial tilts measured from the left side by CT were significantly different from those measured from the right side by x-ray (t=43.07, p < 0.01), and these two sets of data were correlated (r=0.71, p < 0.01). The dorsal radial tilts measured from the left side by x-ray was significantly different from that measured from right side by CT (t=40.43, p < 0.01), and those two sets of data were also correlated (r=0.75, p < 0.01). Conclusions: The dorsal radial tilts measured from one side by one method can be used to estimate the tilts measured from the other side / the same side by the same method / the other method.

RESUMO OBJETIVO: Realizamos este estudo para definir e medir a inclinação radial dorsal, e para orientar a redução das fraturas do raio distal e a pré-flexão das chapas de aço utilizadas na cirurgia. MÉTODOS: A inclinação radial dorsal foi medida usando tomografia computadorizada (TC) e raios X dos lados esquerdo e direito. As diferenças e correlações dos dados medidos por esses dois métodos e de dois lados foram analisadas. RESULTADOS: As inclinações medidas por raios X foram significativamente maiores que as medidas pela TC do lado esquerdo (t=55,51, p<0,01) e do lado direito (t=49,81, p<0,01). As inclinações medidas por esses dois métodos dos lados esquerdo e direito foram correlacionadas (r=0,85, p<0,01; r=0,81, p<0,01). As inclinações radiais dorsais medidas a partir do lado esquerdo não foram significativamente diferentes das medidas do lado direito por CT (t=1,49, p>0,05) e por raios X (t=1,51, p>0,05). As inclinações radiais dorsais medidas a partir do lado esquerdo por TC foram significativamente diferentes das medidas a partir do lado direito por raios X (t=43,07, p<0,01), e esses dois conjuntos de dados foram correlacionados (r=0,71, p<0,01). As inclinações radiais dorsais medidas a partir do lado esquerdo por raios X foram significativamente diferentes das medidas do lado direito por CT (t=40,43, p<0,01), e esses dois conjuntos de dados também foram correlacionados (r=0,75, p<0,01). CONCLUSÕES: As inclinações radiais dorsais medidas de um lado por um método podem ser usadas para estimar as inclinações medidas do outro lado/o mesmo lado pelo mesmo método/o outro método.

The effects of levosimendan on prognosis and circulatory function of sepsis patients: a Meta-analysis / 中国中西医结合急救杂志

Objective To evaluate the effect of levosimendan on prognosis and circulation disorders of sepsis patients. Methods With the guidance of these following Chinese or English key words, such as sepsis, severe sepsis, septic shock, simendan, levosimendan, etc., some of Chinese and foreign published literatures on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) concerning the effects of levosimendan on the prognosis and circulatory function of septic patients were searched through China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) internet, VIP and Wanfang Databases, China Biomedicine Database (CMB), Pubmed in American National library, Holland Medical Abstract Database (Embase), Cochrane Library, etc databases, from the creation of above various databases to May 2017. The quality of the collected RCTs was evaluated by modified Jadad score; Revman 5.3 software was used to carry out Meta analysis; the publication bias was assessed by the funnel plots. Results A total of 18 RCTs, 9 in Chinese and 9 in English, but only half of the literatures were of high quality, and the other 9 of low quality, containing 688 cases in control group and 704 cases in experimental group were ultimately enrolled in this analysis. The Meta analyses showed that there was no statistical significant difference in the mortality between the experimental group and the control group [relative risk (RR) = 0.92, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 0.80 - 1.06, P = 0.27]; compared with control group, the time of stay in ICU was shortened [mean difference (MD) = -2.02, 95%CI = -2.90 to -1.13, P < 0.000 01], cardic output index was increased (MD = 0.63, 95%CI = 0.39 - 0.87, P < 0.000 01), and blood lactate level was decreased (MD = -1.37, 95%CI = -1.51 to-1.23, P < 0.000 01) in the experimental group, being significantly improved after levosimendan therapy. The funnel map evaluation showed that there might be a certain bias in the publication of the literature. Conclusion Levosimendan can improve circulatory disorders and reduce the time of stay in ICU for septic patients, but can not reduce their mortality.

Study on dryness effect of Atractylodis Rhizoma based on theory of dry-dry and dryness-induced Yin deficiency / 中国中药杂志

In order to establish a more perfect evaluation system for dryness effect of Atractylodis Rhizoma, determine the main dry parts of Atractylodis Rhizoma，and further define the mechanism of stir-baked Atractylodis Rhizoma in reducing the dryness. The healthy rats were given with different doses of water extract and volatile oil of raw Atractylodis Rhizoma and stir-baked Atractylodis Rhizoma for 21 days. Based on the theory of the dry-dry and dryness-induced Yin deficiency, the amount of drinking water, tissue morphology of submandibular glands, urine volume and the expression of aquaporin 2 (AQP2) in the kidneys, as well as blood rheology, ratio of cAMP/cGMP in serum and the content of Na⁺-K⁺-ATP enzyme were selected as the evaluation indexes. The results indicated that the rats with high dose volatile oil from raw Atractylodis Rhizoma had a significant increase in the amount of drinking water, urine volume, blood viscosity, ratio of cAMP/cGMP and content of Na⁺-K⁺-ATP enzyme in the serum（<0.05）as compared with the soybean oil group; meanwhile, atrophy of submandibular acinar gland was obvious，and the expression of aquaporin 2 was reduced significantly（<0.05）. There were significant differences between volatile oil high dose group of raw Atractylodis Rhizoma and volatile oil high dose group of stir-baked Atractylodis Rhizoma. There was no significant difference between the water extract groups of raw and stir-baked Atractylodis Rhizoma and the saline group. A comprehensive evaluation system for the dryness effect of Atractylodis Rhizoma was established. It was confirmed that the volatile oil part was the main dry part of Atractylodis Rhizoma. It revealed that the mechanism of dryness effect of Atractylodis Rhizoma was not only related to the decrease of the total content of the volatile oil, but also may be related to the transformation of dryness components in the volatile oil. It provides references for the study of material basis of Atractylodis Rhizoma dryness, provides an experimental basis for the clinical application of Atractylodis Rhizoma, further clarifies the mechanism of stir-baked Atractylodis Rhizoma in reducing the dryness, and provides thoughts for the evaluation of other dry traditional Chinese medicines.

Distributed lag effects on the relationship between daily mean temperature and the incidence of bacillary dysentery in Lanzhou city / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To discuss the lag effects of daily average temperature on the daily cases of bacillary dysentery in Lanzhou city.@*METHODS@#The data of daily cases of bacillary dysentery were collected during 2008 and 2015 in the city, and the meteorological data at the same period was integrated. The distributed lag non-linear model was used to analyze the relevance between daily average temperature and the daily cases of bacillary dysentery.@*RESULTS@#The exposure response relationship between the daily temperature and the incidence of bacillary dysentery was "J" type, the lowest incidence temperature was 17 °C, and the effect of high temperature on different gender and age groups was higher than that of the intermediate effect. The effect of high temperature and intermediate effect on the male and female groups showed an acute effect, the effect of the day was the highest, followed by fluctuations in temperature, and the greater the impact on women. In different age groups, high temperature effect and the intermediate effect of bacterial dysentery in 0-3 years old groups were the biggest; the effects of high and intermediate temperature on people aged 0-3 and 19-64 year all showed acute effects, which were the maximum value at the day, then decreased volatility; and for people aged over 65 years, the day after the onset, decreases and then increases slowly. There were obviously increasing risks of bacillary dysentery both the high temperature (32 °C) and the middle temperature (26 °C) with respect to 17 °C. The accumulative effects were highest at lag14 days, and the RR (95%CI) values of middle temperature was 2.30 (1.53-3.13), 2.45 (1.65-3.30), 2.41 (1.59-3.28), 2.54 (1.40-3.79), 1.82 (0.41-3.43), 1.98 (1.11-2.93), and 1.73 (0.68-2.88) among the males, females, 0-3 years old, 4-11 years old, 12-18 years old, 19-64 years old and over 65 years old people, respectively; while the high temperature was 2.93 (1.38-4.69), 3.08 (1.48- 4.90), 3.26 (1.60-5.16), 3.12 (1.06-5.56), 1.94 (0.73-5.39), 2.31 (0.54-4.36), and 2.06 (0.02-4.51), respectively.@*CONCLUSION@#The high temperature may increase risks of bacillary dysentery, and the females and younger people were the sensitive population. Meteorological factors play an important role in the occurrence and development of bacillary dysentery in Lanzhou. The incidence of bacillary dysentery is affected by multiple meteorological factors, but the primary one is high temperature. The temperature has not a direct effect on the incidence of bacillary dysentery, but an indirect influence in different populations through the impacts of various aspects of the incidence of bacterial dysentery (residents living habits, communication channels and the habits of the susceptible population).