S-ketamine Infusion on Chronic Postoperative Pain Following Breast Cancer Surgery: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Chronic postoperative surgical pain (CPSP) is a frequent complication following breast surgery and poses a challenge in terms of treatment. We hypothesized that the incidence of CPSP would be reduced at 3 months post-breast surgery with the administration of S-ketamine compared to a placebo. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Participants were recruited and randomly assigned to either the S-ketamine group (S) or the control group (C). In group S, S-ketamine was administered as a 1.5 mg kg-1 bolus followed by 2 mg kg-1h-1 infusion, while in group C, a placebo of 0.9% saline was administered in the same volume and rate as S-ketamine. The primary outcome was the incidence of CPSP, measured using a 0-10 numeric rating scale (NRS), at 3 months postsurgery. RESULTS: A total of 72 patients scheduled for mastectomy were enrolled (group S, n = 33; group C, n = 32). The incidence of CPSP at 3 months postsurgery was significantly lower in group S compared to group C (18.2% vs. 48.3%, P < .05). There was no statistical difference between the 2 groups in terms of the incidence of moderate to severe pain. NRS scores for postoperative pain at rest and during movement were significantly lower at 4 h and 24 h post-surgery (P < .05, respectively). Patients in Group S had lower Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores at one week and 3 months post-surgery compared to Group C (P < .05, respectively). CONCLUSION: S-ketamine infusion reduces the incidence of CPSP 3 months after breast surgery.

The effects of Spinosad on zebrafish larvae and THP-1 cells: Associated with immune cell damage and NF-kappa B signaling pathway activation.

Spinosad is a highly effective macrolide insecticide with a wide range of applications. However, few studies have been reported on the effects of Spinosad on immune cells. The immune system is an important line of defense in the human body and plays an important role in maintaining the normal functioning of the organism. Meanwhile, macrophages, neutrophils and Thymic T cells are an important component of the immune system. We studied the immunotoxicity of Spinosad using zebrafish and THP-1 cells. In vivo, Spinosad (0-20 µM) did not cause developmental toxicity in zebrafish, but induced damage to immune cells. In vitro, Spinosad (0-20 µM) inhibited THP-1 cells viability and induced mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress production. In further studies, it impaired phagocytosis of THP-1 cells and interfered with lipid metabolism. In addition, we found that Spinosad can promote the formation of the inflammatory body NLRP3 (NLR family, pyrin domain-containing 3) and activate the NF-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway. These results suggest that Spinosad has a potential risk for inducing immunotoxicity. This study has drawn attention to Spinosad-induced immunotoxicity.

A rare focal atrial tachycardia arising from the proximal middle cardiac vein: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Focal atrial tachycardia (FAT) always originates from atrium specific sites and can be successfully cured by radiofrequency (RF) ablation. However, the middle cardiac vein (MCV) is a rare site of focal atrial tachycardia. Herein, we present a case of a 20-year-old young woman with FAT. Electrophysiological examination showed FAT arising from the proximal middle cardiac vein (pMCV), and successful RF ablation was applied with a low power and short-ablation. CASE PRESENTATION: A 20-year-old woman with no structural heart disease suffered recurrent supraventricular tachycardia for 1 year. Physical examination, laboratory studies and the echocardiography results of this patient were normal. A 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) showed a narrow QRS and long RP tachycardia which was always triggered by a sinus rhythm. The patient underwent an electrophysiological study and found the earliest activation was in the proximal MCV (pMCV). After a low power and short-ablation, AT was terminated and noninducible by programmed pacing with or without isoproterenol infusion. CONCLUSION: This case presented a rare case of FAT arising from the pMCV. We demonstrate that low power and short-ablation are effective in AT arising from specific areas such as the coronary sinus ostium and pMCV.

Synthesis and activity-detection of photoswitchable ligands with fipronil to insect.

BACKGROUND: Ionotropic γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor (GABAR) in an insect is the major inhibitory receptor and is one of the most important targets for insecticides. Due to the high spatiotemporal resolution of GABAR, the photopharmacological ligands acting on it in vertebrates but not insect have been developed. RESULTS: In this study, two types of photochromic ligands (PCLs) including DTFIPs (DTFIP1 and DTFIP2) and ABFIPs (p-, m-, and o-ABFIP) were synthesized by incorporating photoswitch azobenzene or dithienylethene into fipronil (FIP), which is the antagonist of insect GABAR. Their photomodulation was measured by mosquito larval behavior, and their potential action mechanism was explored by the two-electrode voltage clamp (TEVC) technique in vitro. DTFIP1 and m-ABFIP exhibited the most significant difference of insecticidal activity by about 90- and 5-fold to mosquito larvae between non-irradiated and irradiated formation, respectively, and allowed for optical control of mosquito swimming activity. TEVC assay results indicated that m-ABFIP and DTFIP1 enable optical control over the homomeric LsRDL-type GABAR, which is achieved by regulating the chloride channel of resistance to dieldrin (RDL)-type GABAR by photoisomerization. CONCLUSION: Our results suggested that PCLs synthesized from fipronil provide an alternative and precise tool for studying insect ionotropic GABARs and GABA-dependent behavior. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Research on serum metabolic markers of menopausal syndrome based on / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

AIM: To find specific metabolic markers for women entering peri-menopausal period and patients with menopausal syndrome based on

Significance of TERT promoter mutation in differential diagnosis of non-invasive inverted urothelial lesions of bladder / 中华病理学杂志

Objective: To investigate the gene mutation of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter in inverted urothelial lesions of the bladder and its significance in differential diagnosis. Methods: From March 2016 to February 2022, a total of 32 patients with inverted urothelial lesions diagnosed in Department of Pathology at Qingdao Chengyang People's Hospital and 24 patients at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University were collected, including 7 cases of florid glandular cystitis, 13 cases of inverted urothelial papilloma, 8 cases of inverted urothelial neoplasm with low malignant potential, 17 cases of low-grade non-invasive inverted urothelial carcinoma, 5 cases of high-grade non-invasive inverted urothelial carcinoma, and 6 cases of nested subtype of urothelial carcinoma were retrospectively analyzed for their clinical data and histopathological features. TERT promoter mutations were analyzed by Sanger sequencing in all the cases. Results: No mutations in the TERT promoter were found in the florid glandular cystitis and inverted urothelial papilloma. The mutation rates of the TERT promoter in inverted urothelial neoplasm with low malignant potential, low grade non-invasive inverter urothelial carcinoma, high grade non-invasive inverted urothelial carcinoma and nested subtype urothelial carcinoma were 1/8, 8/17, 2/5 and 6/6, respectively. There was no significant difference in the mutation rate of TERT promoter among inverted urothelial neoplasm with low malignant potential, low-grade non-invasive inverted urothelial carcinoma, and high-grade non-invasive inverted urothelial carcinoma (P>0.05). All 6 cases of nested subtype of urothelial carcinoma were found to harbor the mutation, which was significantly different from inverted urothelial neoplasm with low malignant potential and non-invasive inverted urothelial carcinoma (P<0.05). In terms of mutation pattern, 13/17 of TERT promoter mutations were C228T, 4/17 were C250T. Conclusions: The morphology combined with TERT promoter mutation detection is helpful for the differential diagnosis of bladder non-invasive inverted urothelial lesions.

The psychological outcomes of COVID-19 affected the pandemic-after risk perceptions of nurse clinicians: a latent profile analysis.

Background: Risk perception among nurses after the COVID-19 pandemic is a crucial factor affecting their attitudes and willingness to work in clinics. Those with poor psychological status could perceive risks sensitively as fears or threats that are discouraging. This article aimed to determine whether psychological outcomes, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and insomnia, following the COVID-19 pandemic were differentially related to the risk perceptions of nurses working in clinics and increased perceived risk. Method: The participants were 668 nurse clinicians from five local hospitals. Risk perceptions and psychological outcomes were measured by adapted questionnaires via the Internet. Latent profile analysis (LPA) identified subgroups of individuals who showed similar profiles regarding the perceived risks in nursing. Multinomial regression and probit regression were used to examine the extent to which sociodemographic and psychological outcomes predicted class membership. Results: LPA revealed four classes: groups with low-, mild-, moderate-, and high-level risk perceptions. Membership of the high-level risk perception class was predicted by the severity of psychological outcomes. Anxiety significantly accounted for a moderate increase in risk perceptions, while the symptoms of insomnia, depression, and PTSD accelerated the increase to the high level of risk perception class. Conclusions: By classifying groups of nurse clinicians sharing similar profiles regarding risk perceptions and then exploring associated predictors, this study shows the psychological outcomes after COVID-19 significantly impacted pandemic-associated risk perceptions and suggests intervening in nurses' psychological outcomes while simultaneously focusing on work-related worries is important following the outbreak of COVID-19.

[Clinical efficacy of Longjintonglin Capsules on chronic prostatitis with damp-heat stasis syndrome Re-evaluation based on multicenter real-world study].

OBJECTIVE: To re-evaluate the clinical efficacy of Longjintonglin Capsules (LJTL) in the treatment of chronic prostatitis with damp-heat stasis syndrome. METHODS: This multicenter real-world study included 1 352 cases of chronic prostatitis with damp-heat and stagnation syndrome treated with LJTL (3 capsules once, tid, 30 minutes after meals, for 2 four-week courses) in addition to routine treatment. Before and after treatment, we analyzed the NIH-CPSI scores, the scores of Chinese medicine symptom quantitative classification and changes in individual symptom scores, and observed adverse reactions to medication. RESULTS: The total effectiveness rate of LJTL was 93.64%. Compared with the baseline, the NIH-CPSI scores were significantly decreased after treatment (ï¼»24.27 ± 6.04ï¼½ vs ï¼»8.17 ± 4.21ï¼½, P < 0.05), and so were the scores on the pain symptoms (ï¼»9.63 ± 3.65ï¼½ vs ï¼»3.02 ± 2.23ï¼½, P < 0.05), voiding symptoms (ï¼»5.65 ± 2.15ï¼½ vs ï¼»1.62 ± 1.36) and quality of life (ï¼»8.96 ± 2.32ï¼½ vs ï¼»3.16 ± 1.89ï¼½, P < 0.05). The effectiveness rate of LJTL was 95.9% on the Chinese medicine symptom frequent urination, 90.4% on painful urination, and 91.4% scanty dark urine, with a total effectiveness rate of 82.4% － 95.9%, all with statistically significant difference in comparison with the baseline (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Longjintonglin Capsules combined with routine treatment can significantly improve the clinical symptoms of chronic prostatitis with damp-heat stasis syndrome, especially effective on the symptoms of frequent urination, painful urination and scanty dark urine. Besides, it recommendable for its antidepressant and antianxiety effects, and the effect of improving the quality of life of the chronic prostatitis patients with damp-heat stasis.

Exploration of the comparison between different biochemical detection systems based on sigma metrics / 中华检验医学杂志

Objective:To explore the feasibility of using the sigma metrics calculated with the data of internal quality control for the comparison of the analytical performance between different biochemical analyzers.Methods:The internal quality control results of twenty-five biochemical assays in the biochemical analyzers of the department of clinical laboratory in Cancer Hospital from February 1, 2021 to July 31, 2021 were collected. The formula sigma =( TEa- Bias)/ CV was used to calculate the sigma metrics of two different levels of the biochemical assays including albumin, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, calcium, cholesterol, creatine kinase, chlorine, creatinine, γ- glutamyltranspeptidase, blood glucose, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, immunoglobulin A, immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin M, potassium, lactate dehydrogenase, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, sodium, inorganic phosphorus, total bilirubin, triglyceride, total protein, urea, uric acid. The imprecision was obtained by the coefficient of variation of internal quality control. The bias was calculated by the deviation between the mean of internal quality control of the comparison instrument and the target instrument. The allowable total error ( TEa) was based on People's Republic of China Health Industry Standard (WS/T403-2012) or EQA standard of National Center for Clinical Laboratories (NCCL). Compared the sigma values of the comparison instrument relative to the target instrument with the average percentage bias obtained by the traditional comparison method. Quality goal index was used to analyze the causes of poor performance and judge the results of comparison. Results:Compared with the target instrument Beckman AU5800-3, the comparison instrument Beckman AU5800-1 had 10 assays with σ>6, accounting for 40%, 23 assays with σ>3, accounting for 92%, and only albumin and blood glucose showed σ<3. Through statostical analysis, the comparisons of all assays were passed. The comparison instrument Beckman AU5800-2 had 8 assays with σ>6, accounting for 32%, 20 assays with σ>3, accounting for 80%. Only alkaline phosphatase, calcium, lactate dehydrogenase, total protein and urea showed σ<3. Through statostical analysis, the comparisons of GGT and IgM failed. For the traditional comparison method, the percentage bias between the comparison instruments and the target instrument were all within the range of the evaluation standard. But there was no significant correlation between the σ value and the average bias of the traditional comparison method, and the biases were correlated.Conclusions:Using the sigma metrics calculated with the data of internal quality control for the comparison of different detection systems is a convenient and operable method. It can monitor the comparability between different detection systems in the laboratory at any time and be the supplement of the traditional comparison method.

Isobavachalcone induces cell death through multiple pathways in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the effects of isobavachalcone (IBC) on cell death of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells and explore the possible mechanism.@*METHODS@#MCF-7 cells were treated with different concentrations of IBC, and the changes in cell proliferation were assessed using MTT assay. Apoptosis of MCF-7 cells following treatment with 10, 20, and 40 μmol/L IBC was analyzed using flow cytometry with annexin V-FITC/PI double staining and fluorescence microscopy, and the expressions of apoptosis- and autophagy-related proteins (Bax, Bcl-2, Akt, p-Akt, p62, and LC3) were detected with Western blotting. Electron microscopy was used to observe the changes in submicrostructure of the cells following treatment with 40 μmol/L IBC. JC-1 assay kit, ATP assay kit, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) kit were used to determine the effect of IBC on mitochondrial function of the cells.@*RESULTS@#MTT assay showed that IBC significantly inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, with IC50 values of 38.46, 31.31, and 28.26 μmol/L at 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. IBC also concentration-dependently induced apoptosis of MCF-7 cells. IBC-induced cell death was inhibited by z-VAD-fmk, a caspase inhibitor (P < 0.05), but not by the necroptosis inhibitor necrostatin-1 (Nec-1). Western blotting showed that IBC-induced MCF-7 cell apoptosis by increasing Bax expression and down-regulating the expressions of Bcl-2, Akt and p-Akt-473 (all P < 0.05). With the increase of IBC concentration, the expression of autophagy-related protein p62 and the LC3-II/I ratio increased progressively. Electron microscopy revealed the presence of autophagic bodies in IBC-treated MCF-7 cells. IBC treatment also resulted in decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and intracellular ATP level and increased ROS accumulation in MCF-7 cells (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#IBC is capable of inducing both apoptosis and autophagy in MCF-7 cells, suggesting the potential value of IBC as a lead compound in the development of anti-breast cancer agents.

Trends in Coronavirus Disease 2019 Hospitalization and Prognosis: Gender Effect.

We here aimed to investigate the impact of gender on the clinical characteristics and laboratory results of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and provide clues to the pathological mechanisms underlying COVID-19. A retrospective study was performed. Clinical characteristics, severity of lung infection, laboratory results, and prognoses of patients of different gender were analyzed. A total of 242 patients were finally included. The median age was 58 years (IQR: 40-68), including 54 (22.3%) hospital staffs. Ninety-four (38.8%) were male and 148 (61.1%) were female. The proportion of patients with diabetes was significantly higher in the male group than in the female group (P=0.034). Male patients had a significantly larger proportion of severe lung infection, higher leukocyte count, neutrophil count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin than female. Furthermore, male patients had worse liver, cardiac, and coagulation function than their female counterparts. Male patients with COVID-19 showed more severe inflammation reaction and coagulation dysfunction than female patients. In conclusion, gender is associated with host response to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

miR-486 is involved in the pathogenesis of acute myeloid leukemia by regulating JAK-STAT signaling.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a widely prevalent disease worldwide and poses a large threat to public health. Previous studies have shown that AML is associated with cytogenetic heterogeneity, complex subtypes, and different therapeutic approaches. In this study, we found that miR-486 was upregulated in AML using both The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and patient tissues. After knockdown of miR-486 by short hairpin RNA (shRNA), we discovered that miR-486 was required for cell proliferation. Through miRNA profile analysis and a dual-luciferase reporter assay, suppressor of cytokine signaling 2 (SOCS2) was identified as a direct target of miR-486. Therefore, by silencing SOCS2, a negative regulator of the Janus kinase (JAK)-signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway, miR-486 enhanced JAK-STAT3 activity and promoted cell proliferation. The miR-486-SOCS2-STAT3 proliferation axis is therefore involved in the pathogenesis of AML, providing a novel molecular mechanism and diagnostic and therapeutic clues for AML.

Ultrasound-guided minimally invasive mammotomy versus conventional surgery for benign breast tumors / 中国基层医药

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of ultrasound-guided mammotomy versus conventional surgery in the treatment of benign breast tumors. Methods:Sixty patients with benign breast tumors who received treatment in Jiamusi Central Hospital from September 2018 to September 2019 were included in this study. They were randomly assigned to undergo either conventional surgery (control group, n = 30) or ultrasound-guided mammotomy (treatment group, n = 30). Intraoperative blood loss, operative time, incision length, and the incidence of complications were compared between the two groups. Results:Intraoperative blood loss, operative time, and incision length in the treatment group were (4.25 ± 1.23) mL, (15.36 ± 3.21) minutes, (0.41 ± 0.05) cm, respectively, which were significantly lower or shorter than those in the control group [(10.75 ± 2.12) mL, (29.68 ± 7.23) minutes, (2.9 ± 0.8) cm, t = 14.526, 9.915, 17.015, all P < 0.05]. In the treatment group, the incidence of complications was 3.33% (local hematoma n = 1, skin depression n = 0, flap necrosis n = 0, postoperative bleeding n = 0), which was significantly lower that 23.00% in the control group (local hematoma n = 2, skin depression n = 1, flap necrosis n = 1, postoperative bleeding n = 3, χ2 = 5.192, P < 0.05). Conclusion:Compared with the traditional treatment, ultrasound-guided minimally invasive mastectomy is more effective in the treatment of benign breast tumors.

Efficacy of minimally invasive rotary resection versus open surgery in the treatment of benign breast tumor / 中国基层医药

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of minimally invasive rotary resection versus open surgery in the treatment of benign breast tumor. Methods:The clinical data of 112 patients with benign breast tumor who received treatment in Jiamusi Central Hospital, China between April 2018 and October 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. These patients were divided into minimally invasive rotary resection group ( n = 56) and open surgery group ( n = 56) according to different surgical methods. The minimally invasive rotary resection group was treated with an Anke minimally invasive system, and the open surgery group was treated with open surgery. Operation time, pain score, incision length, incidence of complications, and patient satisfaction were compared between the two groups. Results:Operation time, pain score and incision length were (15.39 ± 3.21) minutes, (2.36 ± 0.52) points, (3.0 ± 0.11) mm, respectively, in the minimally invasive rotary resection group and they were (32.55 ± 4.56) minutes, (4.45 ± 1.48) points and (22.65 ± 8.23) mm, respectively in the open surgery group. There were significant differences in these indices between the two groups ( t = 23.027, 9.970, 17.865, all P < 0.05). The incidence of compilations in the minimally invasive rotary resection group was significantly lower than that in the open surgery group [1.78% (1/56) vs. 14.28% (8/56) , χ2 = 5.920, P < 0.05). Patient satisfaction in the minimally invasive rotary resection group was significantly higher than that in the open surgery group [96.42% (54/56) vs. 80.35% (45/56), χ2 = 7.049, P < 0.05). Conclusion:Minimally invasive rotary resection surgery for the treatment of benign breast tumor has an obvious therapeutic effect, a low incidence of complications and high patient satisfaction.

Efficacy of Xiaoer Jinqiao granule combined with interferon α-2b on acute herpangina in children and its effect on immune function and myocardial enzyme level / 中国基层医药

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of Xiaoer Jinqiao granule combined with interferon α-2b on acute herpangina in children and its effect on immune function and myocardial enzyme. Methods:A total of 102 children with acute herpangina who received treatment in Hangzhou Ninth People's Hospital from January 2019 to January 2020 were randomly assigned to receive treatment with either interferon α-2b (control group, n = 51) or Xiaoer Jinqiao granule combined with interferon α-2b (observation group, n = 51) for 5 d. The time to disappearance of main symptoms, changes in humoral immune function, changes in cellular immune function and myocardial enzyme level after treatment relative to before treatment as well as curative effect were compared between the control and observation groups. Results:The time to disappearance of pharyngeal herpes [(3.05 ± 0.74) d], salivation [(2.31 ± 0.68) d], and fever [(1.36 ± 0.39) d] in the observation group were significantly shorter than those in the control group [(4.38 ± 0.98) d, (3.83 ± 1.07) d, (2.54 ± 0.71) d, t = 7.773, 8.562, 10.403, all P < 0.05]. After treatment, serum IgA [(1.49 ± 0.16) g/L], IgG [(10.29 ± 0.89) g/L] and IgM [(1.26 ± 0.14) g/L] levels in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group [(1.13 ± 0.12) g/L, (9.35 ± 0.72) g/L and (0.98 ± 0.13) g/L, t = 12.855, 5.864 and 10.466, all P < 0.05]. After treatment, CD 3+ [(74.29 ± 2.15)%], CD 4+ [(40.85 ± 1.65)%] and CD 4+/CD 8+ expression [(1.87 ± 0.23)] in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group [(67.96 ± 2.43)%, (38.02 ± 1.20)% and (1.49 ± 0.14), t = 13.933, 9.906 and 10.079, all P < 0.05]. After treatment, serum creatine kinase [(147.86 ± 15.42) U/L] and lactate dehydrogenase [(128.64 ± 14.25) U/L] in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group [(176.95 ± 13.15) U/L and (184.32 ± 18.98) U/L, t = 10.251, 16.754, both P < 0.05]. Total effective rate in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group [92.16% (47/51) vs. 74.51% (38/51), χ 2 = 5.718, P < 0.05]. Conclusion:Xiaoer Jinqiao granule combined with interferon α-2b has obvious curative effect on acute herpangina in children because it can improve the humoral and cellular immune function and reduce myocardial damage.

Activation of the RhoA/ROCK pathway contributes to renal fibrosis in offspring rats induced by maternal exposure to di-n-butyl phthalate.

Maternal exposure to di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) can cause renal fibrosis in adult offspring rats. However, its underlying mechanisms have not yet been fully understood. In this study, we investigated whether the RhoA/ROCK pathway plays an important role in offspring renal fibrosis induced by maternal exposure to DBP. Our results showed that maternal exposure to DBP (850 mg/kg/day orally feeding during gestational days 14-18) activated the RhoA/ROCK pathway and induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in kidneys of offspring rats. Compared with the control group treated with normal saline, EMT in the kidneys of offspring rats undergoing 8 weeks of ROCK inhibitor Y-27632 treatment (at a dose of 30 mg/kg) was significantly inhibited, the degree of renal fibrosis was significantly reduced, and the renal function was significantly improved. DBP (10 µmol/L) activated the RhoA/ROCK pathway and induced EMT in NRK-52E cells in vitro. Both 5 µM and 10 µM Y-27632, a ROCK inhibitor, significantly reduced the EMT of NRK-52E cells. Taken together, our findings suggest that the RhoA/ROCK pathway plays an important role in the pathogenesis of renal fibrosis in offspring rats induced by maternal exposure to DBP via promoting EMT of renal tubular epithelial cells.

Repurposing low-molecular-weight drugs against the main protease of SARS-CoV-2

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic caused by infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has affected the global healthcare system. Drug repurposing is a feasible method for emergency treatment. As low-molecular-weight drugs have high potential to completely match interactions with essential SARS-CoV-2 targets, we propose a strategy to identify such drugs using the fragment-based approach. Herein, using ligand- and protein-observed fragment screening approaches, we identified niacin and hit 1 binding to the catalytic pocket of the main protease of the SARS-CoV-2 (Mpro), thereby modestly inhibiting the enzymatic activity of Mpro. Chemical shift perturbations induced by niacin and hit 1 indicate a partial overlap of their binding sites, i.e., the catalytic pocket of Mpro may accommodate derivatives with large molecular sizes. Therefore, we searched for drugs containing niacin or hit 1 pharmacophores and identified carmofur, bendamustine, triclabendazole, and emedastine; these drugs are highly capable of inhibiting protease activity. Our study demonstrates that the fragment-based approach is a feasible strategy for identifying low-molecular-weight drugs against the SARS-CoV-2 and other potential targets lacking specific drugs.

The relationship between hyperuricemia and mild cognitive impairment in non-obese elderly / 中华内分泌代谢杂志

Objective:To determine the relationship between uric acid (UA) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and its potential effect on inflammation.Methods:450 patients with MCI diagnosed by neuropsychological scale and 450 controls with normal cognitive function were included. All subjects were≥60 years old. There were 184 obese subjects in MCI group and 199 obese subjects in control group.Results:A correlation between increased serum UA level and decreased risk of MCI was found in all MCI patients and non-obese MCI patients ( OR: 0.60, 95% CI 0.45-0.78; OR: 0.42, 95% CI 0.29-0.62), but not in obese MCI patients ( OR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.54-1.35). The levels of UA and hypersensitive C reactive protein (hs-CRP) in obese patients with MCI were higher than those in non-obese patients ( P<0.01). There was a linear positive correlation between serum UA and hs-CRP levels in obese patients with MCI ( r=0.505, P<0.01), but not in non-obese MCI patients ( r=0.053, P=0.385). Conclusion:A significant correlation between lower serum uric acid levels and higher risk of MCI in non-obese subjects was found. Inflammation caused by obesity may weaken this relationship.

Clinical efficacy of the folding lateral position fixation frame with adjustable angles in the postural nursing of critically ill patients / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of the folding lateral position fixation frame with adjustable angles.Methods:A total of 60 patients from the Department of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) between January and June in 2019 with consciousness disorder or sedation and no ability to change postures on their own were selected and randomized into treatment group ( n=30) and control group ( n=30). Patients in the treatment group were backed by the fixation fame in lateral position of 80 degrees, while those in the control group were backed by sponge triangle pillow in lateral position of 80 degrees. After 2 hours, the angles of the mattress surface and the body of patients in two groups were measured with a SanNiang digital angle ruler. The efficacy rates of maintaining lateral positions of patients in both groups were calculated. The occurrence rates of skin ulcers in both groups were observed as well. Results:The efficacy rate of maintaining a lateral position was 93.3% (28/30) in the treatment group and 33.3% (10/30) in the control group. The differences between two groups were statistically significant ( χ2 value was 23.25, P=0.000). No skin ulcers were observed in patients in the two groups. Conclusion:The folding lateral position fixation frame with adjustable angles helps to maintain the lateral position efficiently, which can smooth sputum drainage, reduce the imbalance between ventilation and blood flow, increase oxygenation and prevent pulmonary infection. Compared with sponge triangle pillow, the frame can bear more weights, which is suitable for patients with varying weights. Beside, the frame is small in size and foldable, which is convenient for storing and sterilizing. It is highly cost effective and can meet different clinical needs.