Efficient photodegradation of antibiotics by g-C3N4 and 3D flower-like Bi2WO6 perovskite structure: Insights into the preparation, evaluation, and potential mechanism.

Antibiotics are emerging organic pollutants that have attracted huge attention owing to their abundant use and associated ecological threats. The aim of this study is to develop and use photocatalysts to degrade antibiotics, including tetracycline (TC), ciprofloxacin (CIP), and amoxicillin (AMOX). Therefore, a novel Z-scheme heterojunction composite of g-C3N4 (gCN) and 3D flower-like Bi2WO6 (BW) perovskite structure was designed and developed, namely Bi2WO6/g-C3N4 (BW/gCN), which can degrade low-concentration of antibiotics in aquatic environments under visible light. According to the Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculation and the characterization results of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FITR), Scanning electron microscopy - energy spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), this heterojunction was formed in the recombination process. Furthermore, the results of 15 wt%-BW/gCN photocatalytic experiments showed that the photodegradation rates (Rp) of TC, CIP, and AMOX were 92.4%, 90.1% and 82.3%, respectively, with good stability in three-cycle photocatalytic experiments. Finally, the quenching experiment of free radicals showed that the holes (h+) and superoxide radicals (·O2-) play a more important role than the hydroxyl radicals (·OH) in photocatalysis. In addition, a possible antibiotic degradation pathway was hypothesized on the basis of High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. In general, we have developed an effective catalyst for photocatalytic degradation of antibiotic pollutants and analyzed its photocatalytic degradation mechanism, which provides new ideas for follow-up research and expands its application in the field of antibiotic composite pollution prevention and control.

Synthesis and Properties of Semicrystalline Poly(ether nitrile ketone) Copolymers.

As a high-performance engineering plastic, polyarylene ether nitrile (PEN) is widely used in many fields. The presence of cyano groups of PEN ensures its good adhesion to other substrates, but the inherent low crystallinity of PEN limits its application. In this work, the poly(aryl ether ketone) segment was introduced into PEN via copolymerization using both 2,6-Dichlorobenzonitrile and 4,4'-Difluorobenzophenone as the starting reagents to prepare poly (ether nitrile ketone) (BP-PENK). The effect of composition and thermal treatment on the crystallization behavior and properties of poly (ether nitrile ketone) were systematically studied. It was found that when the content of DFBP is 30%, the copolymer BP-PENK30 had the best mechanical properties, with a tensile strength of 109.9 MPa and an elongation at a break value of 45.2%. After thermal treatment at 280 °C for 3 h, BP-PENK30 had the highest crystallinity with a melting point of 306.71 °C, a melting enthalpy of 5.02 J/g, and crystallinity of 11.83%. Moreover, with the increase in crystallinity, the dielectric constant and energy density increased after thermal treatment. Therefore, the introduction of poly(aryl ether ketone) chain segments and thermal treatment can effectively improve the crystallization and the comprehensive properties of PEN.

Effects of Zhuang medicine compound Xiancao Granule on diabetic kidney disease: A multi-omics analysis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) poses a severe threat to human health. Compound Xiancao Granule (CXCG), a classic Zhuang medicinal formula, is reported as highly effective in treating DKD. However, the mechanisms underlying the action of CXCG in DKD remain unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms of action of CXCG against DKD using multi-omics analysis, including 16s rRNA sequencing, metabolomics, and transcriptomics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The chemical compounds of CXCG were identified using ultra-high- performance liquid chromatography quadrupole/electrostatic field orbital trap high-resolution mass spectrometry analysis. A rat model of DKD was established by combining nephrectomy of the left kidney, high-fat diet, and streptozotocin. The therapeutic effects of CXCG on DKD were assessed based on body weight, blood glucose level, renal function, inflammatory cytokine levels, and histological staining. Subsequently, 16s rRNA sequencing, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry untargeted metabolomic profiling, and RNA sequencing analysis were used to investigate the mechanisms of action of CXCG in DKD. Spearman's correlation analysis was performed to elucidate the correlations between efficacy indicators, gut microbiota, metabolites, and inflammation-related genes. RESULTS: A total of 118 compounds were identified in CXCG. CXCG significantly ameliorated glucose metabolism disorders, improved renal function, attenuated inflammation, and delayed renal pathological changes in DKD rats. CXCG modulated gut microbiota dysbiosis, including Alloprevotella, Oscillibacter, Anaeroplasma, Anaerotruncus, and Faecalibacterium. In addition, metabolic disruption in DKD rats was regulated by CXCG, which is involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates and amino acids. Transcriptome analysis showed that CXCG affected DKD mainly by regulating inflammation-related genes and pathways, such as the PI3K/Akt and MAPK signaling pathways. Furthermore, there were significant correlations between efficacy indicators, gut microbiota, metabolites, and genes. CONCLUSION: This multi-omics association study provides novel insights into the effects of CXCG on DKD by remodeling the gut microbiota structure and restoring the metabolic homeostasis through the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and inflammation-related pathways, highlighting a potential therapeutic strategy for DKD.

The Association between Magnesium Depletion Score and Hypertension in US Adults: Evidence from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007-2018).

The magnesium depletion score (MDS) emerges as a new valuable predictor of the body's magnesium status index. This study aims to explore the link between MDS and hypertension (HTN) using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data. A total of 9708 participants from NHANES (2007-2018) were enrolled to investigate MDS's connection with HTN. HTN was defined based on clinical guidelines. MDS classification (low, 0-1; middle, 2; high, 3-5) relied on alcohol consumption, diuretic use, proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) usage, and kidney disease. Multivariable logistic regression assessed MDS-HTN association. Subsequent analyses included interaction tests, subgroups, and sensitivity analysis. Each unit increase in MDS correlated with an 87% higher HTN risk (OR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.64-2.13) after adjusting for confounders. High MDS participants exhibited significantly elevated HTN risk compared to low MDS counterparts (OR, 8.31; 95% CI, 4.81-14.36), with a significant trend across MDS groups (p < 0.001). Subgroup analyses supported a consistent positive correlation. Sensitivity analysis confirmed a robust association. The results indicated a positive correlation between MDS and the risk of developing HTN in US adults.

Efficacy and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of urinary incontinence after prostate surgery: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common complication after prostate surgery. Acupuncture treatment (AT) has been proposed as an alternative therapy for this condition. The purpose of this protocol aims to outline a systematic review and meta-analysis that aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of AT in patients with postprostate surgery UI. METHODS: We will search for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in eight databases including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang database, SinoMed and VIP database. Additionally, we will search two clinical trial registration platforms, namely the WHO's International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry. The search will include articles from the inception of these databases until 30 September 2023. The extracted data will then be imported into the Stata V.15.0 software. Two authors will independently review the literature, collect data and use the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation and the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool to evaluate the risk of bias and the quality of the evidence. Outcomes for RCTs will include at least one of the following: International Consultation Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form, Individualised Care for People with long-term health conditions-Capability measure for Adults, Score of Frequency Incontinence Quality of Life Questionnaire, Patient Global Impression of Improvement, Visual Analogue Scale, Numeric Rating Scale, 1- hour pad test, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, total efficiency and adverse event. We will use random or fixed effect models to analyse data according to heterogeneity. If significant heterogeneity exists along with sufficient data, we will perform subgroup analyses to identify the source of heterogeneity. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval is not required for this study because the data we will extract are from published articles. The results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022382806.

The association between serum uric acid and hypertriglyceridemia: evidence from the national health and nutrition examination survey (2007-2018).

Background: Accumulating evidence suggests that elevated serum uric acid (SUA) may be a risk factor for hypertriglyceridemia (HTG). However, the epidemiological evidence for the association between SUA and HTG is limited. This article aimed to use the data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (2007-2018) database to bridge the research gap. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from 10027 adults involved in NHANES from 2007-2018. We designed the exposure variable as SUA and the outcome variable as HTG. The covariates included demographics, questionnaires, laboratory, and examination information. Weighted logistic regression and subgroup analysis were used to explore the independent association between SUA and HTG. Furthermore, interaction tests were also carried out to evaluate the strata differences. Generalized additive models (GAM), smooth curve fittings, and threshold effect analysis were applied to examine the non-linear relationship. Results: A total of 10027 participants were included, of which 3864 were HTG participants and 6163 were non-HTG participants. After fully adjusting for confounders, weighted multiple logistic regression models revealed a 77% increase in the risk of HTG when each unit of log2-SUA increased. There was also a positive association between elevated log2-SUA and developed risk of HTG in the quartile (Q) groups (Q1 OR: 1.00; Q2 OR: 1.17 [95%CI: 0.95,1.45]; Q3 OR: 1.43 [95%CI: 1.16,1.78]; Q4 OR: 1.68 [95%CI: 1.36,2.08]. The subgroup analysis results remained consistent across strata, with a strong positive correlation between SUA and HTG. Interaction tests showed no dependence on physical activity (PA), gender, BMI, smoking status, alcohol intake, hypertension, and diabetes for this positive association between log2-SUA and HTG (all p for interaction >0.05). The participants' age may impact the strength of the association between SUA and HTG (p for interaction <0.05). Conclusion: There is a positive association between SUA and HTG in US adults. Considering that SUA may be a risk factor for HTG, individuals diagnosed with HTG should prioritize the daily management of SUA as part of their comprehensive care.

Research hotspots and trends on acupuncture therapy on vomiting from 1990 to 2022: A bibliometric analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Acupuncture treatment (AT) is commonly utilized for vomiting; however, limited bibliometric analyses exist in this area. Employing a bibliometric approach, we conducted a comprehensive review spanning three decades to assess the research landscape, advancements, and emerging trends in AT for vomiting. METHODS: We collected the related literature data from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) from 1990 to 2022. VOSviewer and R studio were used to perform the bibliometric analysis of AT on vomiting. The status of authors, countries, affiliations, annual publications, keywords, and journals were analyzed accordingly. RESULTS: The earliest relevant paper was published in 1990. Streitberger, K was the most productive author (7 records) and had significant influence (225 reference times, H-Index = 7). The United States had the highest publication count (224 records) and received the most recognition (9719 reference times, H-Index = 52). MEDICINE had the highest number of outputs (34 records), while ANESTHESIA AND ANALGESIA was the most cited journal (1045 reference times). The institution with the most works was Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (CDUTCM) (13 records), and the University of California, Los Angeles received the most citations (1252 reference times). Recent and future research hotspots included AT for postoperative vomiting and post-chemotherapy vomiting. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses were the predominant study types. CONCLUSIONS: The current status and development prospects of AT for vomiting are shown in this study. In addition, this article provides valuable ideas and potential directions for future research activities.

Exosomes: A novel insight into traditional Chinese medicine.

Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles and play an essential role in the mediation of intercellular communication both in health and disease. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has historically been used to maintain human health and treat various diseases up till today. The interplay between exosomes and TCM has attracted researchers' growing attention. By integrating the available evidence, TCM formulas and compounds isolated from TCM as exosome modulators have beneficial effects on multiple disorders, such as tumors, kidney diseases, and hepatic disease, which may associate with inhibiting cells proliferation, anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, and attenuating fibrosis. Exosomes, a natural delivery system, are essential in delivering compounds isolated from TCM to target cells or tissues. Moreover, exosomes may be the potential biomarkers for TCM syndromes, providing strategies for TCM treatment. These findings may provide a novel insight into TCM from exosomes and serve as evidence for better understanding and development of TCM.

Comparative efficacy of seven Chinese patent medicines for early diabetic kidney disease: A Bayesian network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Bailing Capsule (BLC), Jinshuibao (JSB), Huangkui Capsule (HKC), Uremic Clearance Granule (UCG), Tripterygium glycosides (TG), Compound Xueshuantong Capsule (CXC), and Shenyan Kangfu Tablet (SYKFT) as classic Chinese patent medicines (CPMs), have been widely used and shown beneficial effects on the treatment of early diabetic kidney disease (DKD). However, the comparative efficacy of seven CPMs in the treatment of early DKD remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and compare the efficacy of seven CPMs (BLC, JSB, HKC, UCG, TG, CXC, SYKFT) combined with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) on early DKD by a Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). METHODS: A comprehensive and systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Clinical Trials.gov, China Biology Medicine, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Scientific Journal, and Wanfang databases from inception to March 14, 2021, for full-text RCTs that evaluated the efficacy of seven CPMs combined with ACEI/ARB on patients with early DKD. Two reviewers independently screened studies for eligibility, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias. Agreement between reviewers was measured using kappa statistics. Mean difference (MD) and odds ratio (OR) were calculated to evaluate continuous variables and dichotomous, respectively. The random effect modeling NMA was performed and the ranking probability of interventions in various outcomes was also conducted based on the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA). Begg's and Egger's tests were used to evaluate publication bias. The certainty of the evidence for outcomes was evaluated according to the GRADE system. RESULTS: A total of 62 RCTs with 5362 patients with early DKD were identified. The value of Kappa calculated for the various parameters extracted by the two investigators was 0.821 (P < 0.001). Among these CPMs, UCG + ACEI/ARB showed the best effectiveness for urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER) (MD 32.25, 95% CrI 19.11-45.67, low certainty) with SUCRA 92%. JSB + ACEI/ARB showed the highest effectiveness for 24-h urinary total protein (24-h UTP) (MD 76.92, 95% CrI 53.54-100.58, low certainty) with SUCRA 97%. CXC + ACEI/ARB showed the highest effectiveness for serum creatinine (SCr) (MD 26.02, 95% CrI 6.10-45.95, low certainty) with SUCRA 96%. HKC + ACEI/ARB showed the highest effectiveness for blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (MD 1.46, 95% CrI 0.42-2.54, very low certainty) with SUCRA 86%. BLC + ACEI/ARB showed significant differences in triglyceride (TRIG) (MD - 1.17, 95% CrI - 1.93 to - 0.43, low certainty) with SUCRA 90%, total cholesterol (TC) (MD - 1.17, 95% CrI - 1.97 to - 0.39, very low certainty) with SUCRA 90%, and C-reaction protein (CRP) (MD - 0.90, 95% CrI - 1.51 to - 0.32, very low certainty) with SUCRA 76%. CONCLUSIONS: CPMs + ACEI/ARB might be positive efficacious interventions from which patients with DKD will derive benefit. UCG + ACEI/ARB, JSB + ACEI/ARB, CXC + ACEI/ARB, and HKC + ACEI/ARB might be potentially the preferred intervention for reducing UAER, 24-h UTP, SCr, and BUN levels, respectively. BLC + ACEI/ARB has a better impact on lowing TRIG, TC, and CRP levels in patients with early DKD. However, more high-quality, large-scale, multi-center RCTs and stronger head-to-head trials are required to confirm these findings.

Network Pharmacology Combined with Bioinformatics to Investigate the Mechanisms and Molecular Targets of Astragalus Radix-Panax notoginseng Herb Pair on Treating Diabetic Nephropathy.

BACKGROUND: Astragalus Radix (AR)-Panax notoginseng (PN), a classical herb pair, has shown significant effects in treating diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, the intrinsic mechanism of AR-PN treating DN is still unclear. This study aims to illustrate the mechanism and molecular targets of AR-PN treating DN based on network pharmacology combined with bioinformatics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology database was used to screen bioactive ingredients of AR-PN. Subsequently, putative targets of bioactive ingredients were predicted utilizing the DrugBank database and converted into genes on UniProtKB database. DN-related targets were retrieved via analyzing published microarray data (GSE30528) from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Protein-protein interaction networks of AR-PN putative targets and DN-related targets were established to identify candidate targets using Cytoscape 3.8.0. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses of candidate targets were reflected using a plugin ClueGO of Cytoscape. Molecular docking was performed using AutoDock Vina software, and the results were visualized by Pymol software. The diagnostic capacity of hub genes was verified by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: Twenty-two bioactive ingredients and 189 putative targets of AR-PN were obtained. Eight hundred and fifty differently expressed genes related to DN were screened. The PPI network showed that 115 candidate targets of AR-PN against DN were identified. GO and KEGG analyses revealed that candidate targets of AR-PN against DN were mainly involved in the apoptosis, oxidative stress, cell cycle, and inflammation response, regulating the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, cell cycle, and MAPK signaling pathway. Moreover, MAPK1, AKT1, GSK3B, CDKN1A, TP53, RELA, MYC, GRB2, JUN, and EGFR were considered as the core potential therapeutic targets. Molecular docking demonstrated that these core targets had a great binding affinity with quercetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, and formononetin components. ROC curve analysis showed that AKT1, TP53, RELA, JUN, CDKN1A, and EGFR are effective in discriminating DN from controls. CONCLUSIONS: AR-PN against DN may exert its renoprotective effects via various bioactive chemicals and the related pharmacological pathways, involving multiple molecular targets, which may be a promising herb pair treating DN. Nevertheless, these results should be further validated by experimental evidence.

The role of upregulated miR-375 expression in breast cancer: An in vitro and in silico study.

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer worldwide. However, the expression and potential mechanism of miR-375 in BC are still controversial. We first collected microRNA chips and microRNA sequencing data from multiple databases for analyzing the expression level of miR-375, and further exploring the target genes and underlying molecular mechanism in BC. miR-375 in BC was predominantly overexpressed compared with that in normal breast tissues (pooled standard mean difference [SMD] = 0.49; 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 0.24-0.73, p < 0.0001). Meanwhile, the overall pooled area under the curve (AUC) in the summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) of miR-375 was 0.83 (95 % CI = 0.79-0.86) based on 2928 cases of BC patients and 816 cases of controls, while the diagnostic positive likelihood ratio (DLR) positive and the DLR negative value were 3.90 (95 % CI = 2.46-6.19) and 0.39 (95 % CI = 0.28-0.54), respectively. The hazard ratios (HRs) were 1.29 (95 % CI = 1.04-1.6, P = 0.02) and 1.23 (95 % CI = 0.89-1.7, P = 0.22) for the cohorts of METABRIC and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). In vitro study demonstrated that miR-375 inhibitor could suppress the cell growth and induce apoptosis of BC cells. A total of 107 overlapping genes from microarrays after miR-375 transfection, the TCGA RNA sequencing, the microarrays of Affymetrix platform, and online predicting software were selected as the prospective targets of miR-375 in BC. Based on Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis, the potential targets of miR-375 were notable for their somatic stem cell division, plasma membrane, and proline-rich region binding. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway examination demonstrated that the targets were associated with the pathways of prion diseases, proteoglycans in cancer, and focal adhesion. Then, 107 targets of miR-375 in BC were used to construct a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Finally, EGFR, PRKCA, PPARA, ADIPOQ, and ITSN1 were found to be the hub genes of miR-375. These targets showed negative correlations with miR-375 level. The upregulated miR-375 might play an essential part in the tumorigenesis and progression of BC.

Diversity of Archaea and Its Correlation with Environmental Factors in the Ebinur Lake Wetland.

The diversity and community composition of archaea in soil samples from three wetlands (SP1, SP2, and SP3) of Ebinur Lake were studied by constructing 16S rDNA cloning library. The correlation between the diversity of archaea and soil environmental factors was analyzed by CANOCO software. The aim of this study was to reveal the differences of community structures of archaea in different sample sites, to provide a theoretical basis for further study on degradation and restoration of Ebinur Lake wetland. The results showed that Euryarchaeota accounted for 57.1% was the most dominant phylum observed, followed by Thaumarchaeota and Crenarchaeota for the three wetland soil analyzed. Compared with SP3 site, the proportions of Euryarchaeota were decreased by 16.70% and 31.78%, while Thaumarchaeota increased by 7.26% and 17.64% in the SP1 and SP2, respectively. Crenarchaeota was found only in SP3. Shannon-wiener diversity indices in SP1, SP2, and SP3 sites were 3.44, 3.87, and 3.94, respectively, indicating that the diversity of archaea in three plots was: SP3 > SP2 > SP1. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that electrical conductivity (EC), soil moisture (SM), hydrogen potential (pH), and soil organic matter content (SOM) may affect archaeal communities. Compared to EC and pH, SM and SOM may have a greater impact on the community composition of archaea.

Prospective molecular mechanism of COL5A1 in breast cancer based on a microarray, RNA sequencing and immunohistochemistry.

Breast cancer (BC) has a complex etiology and pathogenesis, and is the most common malignant tumor type in females, in USA in 2018, yet its relevant molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. The collagen type V α­1 chain (COL5A1) gene is differentially expressed in renal and ovarian cancer. Using bioinformatics methods, COL5A1 was determined to also be a significant gene in BC, but its association with BC has not been sufficiently reported. COL5A1 microarray and relevant clinical data were collected from the Gene Expression Omnibus, The Cancer Genome Atlas and other databases to summarize COL5A1 expression in BC and its subtypes at the mRNA and protein levels. All associated information was comprehensively analyzed by various software. The clinical significance of the mutation was obtained via the cBioPortal. Furthermore, Gene Ontology functional annotation and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment were also performed to investigate the mechanism of COL5A1 in BC. Immunohistochemistry was also conducted to detect and confirm COL5A1 expression. It was determined that COL5A1 was highly expressed in BC tissues, compared with normal tissues at the mRNA level [standard mean difference, 0.84; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.60­1.07; P=0.108]. The area under the summary receiver operator characteristic curve for COL5A1 was 0.87 (95% CI, 0.84­0.90). COL5A1 expression was altered in 32/817 (4%) sequenced samples. KEGG analysis confirmed the most notable pathways, including focal adhesion, extracellular matrix­receptor interaction and regulation of the actin cytoskeleton. Immunohistochemical detection was used to verify the expression of COL5A1 in 136 selected cases of invasive BC tissues and 55 cases of adjacent normal tissues, while the rate of high expression of COL5A1 in BC was up to 90.4%. These results indicated that COL5A1 is highly expressed at the mRNA and protein levels in BC, and the prognosis of patients with BC with high COL5A1 expression may be reduced; therefore, COL5A1 may be used independently or combined with other detection factors in BC diagnosis.

[Efficacy and safety of Buyang Huanwu Decoction for early-stage diabetic nephropathy: a Meta-analysis].

Buyang Huanwu Decoction(BHD) has the effect in benefiting Qi and activating blood circulation,and is the representative prescription for benefiting Qi and activating blood. At present,it is used for treatment of early diabetic nephropathy. However,its efficacy and safety remained to be verified. Therefore,this study aims to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of Buyang Huanwu Decoction for early-stage diabetic nephropathy. Data of randomized controlled trials(RCTs) of Buyang Huanwu Decoction for earlystage diabetic nephropathy were collected through the retrieval of electronic databases,including PubMed,EMbase,the Cochrane Library,CBM,CNKI,VIP and Wan Fang Data from inception to September 16,2018. Two reviewers independently screened out literatures,extracted data,and assessed the risk of bias. And then Meta-analysis was conducted by Rev Man 5. 3 software. A total of 15 RCTs involving 1 402 patients were included. The results of Meta-analysis indicated that Buyang Huanwu Decoction and conventional treatment group(combination treatment group) were superior to conventional treatment group in reducing 24 h urinary albumin excretion rates(MD =-40. 23,95% CI[-71. 25,-9. 21],P = 0. 01) and total cholesterol(MD =-0. 75,95% CI[-1. 02,-0. 48],P <0. 000 01). The effects of the two groups in reducing serum creatinine were similar(MD =-1. 48,95%CI[-4. 48,1. 53],P = 0. 34).However,the reduction of triglyceride was affected by the course of treatment. The effects were similar in less than or equal to eight weeks(MD =-0. 33,95%CI[-0. 97,0. 31],P = 0. 31),whereas the combination group was superior to the conventional treatment group in 12 weeks(MD =-0. 30,95%CI[-0. 58,-0. 22],P = 0. 03) and more than or equal to 16 weeks(MD =-0. 49,95% CI[-0. 9,-0. 08],P= 0. 02). There were no significant difference in adverse events between the two groups(OR= 1. 38,95%CI[0. 28,6. 8],P = 0. 69). The results showed that combination treatment group has a significantly higher efficacy on early diabetic nephropathy.The above conclusion shall be verified with more high-quality RCTs because of the low quality of the included studies.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the prostate after transurethral resection of the prostate with negative expression of anaplastic lymphoma kinase: a case report

ABSTRACT CONTEXT: Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors are a rare type of soft-tissue tumor. Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors are characterized by rearrangements involving the anaplastic lymphoma kinase gene locus on 2p23. Case Report: We report the case of a 67-year-old Chinese male who presented with dysuria and fever. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an irregular prostatic mass with an isointense signal and obscure boundary. Histopathological evaluation showed that the mass consisted mainly of spindle-shaped cells. Immunohistochemical evaluation showed that the tumor cells were negative for anaplastic lymphoma kinase. CONCLUSIONS: Inflammatory myofibroblastic prostate tumors are rare lesions with unclear etiology. The pathological diagnosis is very important.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the prostate after transurethral resection of the prostate with negative expression of anaplastic lymphoma kinase: a case report.

CONTEXT: Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors are a rare type of soft-tissue tumor. Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors are characterized by rearrangements involving the anaplastic lymphoma kinase gene locus on 2p23. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a 67-year-old Chinese male who presented with dysuria and fever. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an irregular prostatic mass with an isointense signal and obscure boundary. Histopathological evaluation showed that the mass consisted mainly of spindle-shaped cells. Immunohistochemical evaluation showed that the tumor cells were negative for anaplastic lymphoma kinase. CONCLUSIONS: Inflammatory myofibroblastic prostate tumors are rare lesions with unclear etiology. The pathological diagnosis is very important.

Progression-free survival of up to 8 months of an advanced intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patient treated with apatinib: a case report.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) arises from the biliary epithelium and is a relatively rare and highly fatal neoplasm. The prognosis is poor, and survival is limited to a few months. Here, we report a case of advanced ICC that was successfully treated with apatinib, a new oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor that targets the intracellular domain of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of the successful use of apatinib for advanced ICC; this treatment has demonstrated fewer toxic effects than traditional cytotoxic chemotherapy. The progression-free survival time was 8 months. The only toxicity observed was mild hand-foot syndrome. Therefore, apatinib may be an additional option for the treatment of advanced ICC, but further prospective studies are needed to optimize the treatment.

The clinicopathological significance of UBE2C in breast cancer: a study based on immunohistochemistry, microarray and RNA-sequencing data.

BACKGROUND: Ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2C (UBE2C) has been previously reported to correlate with the malignant progression of various human cancers, however, the exact molecular function of UBE2C in breast carcinoma (BRCA) remained elusive. We aimed to investigate UBE2C expression in BRCA and its clinical significance. METHODS: The expression of UBE2C in 209 BRCA tissue samples and 53 adjacent normal tissue samples was detected using immunohistochemistry. The clinical role of UBE2C was analyzed. Public databases including the human protein atlas and Oncomine were used to assess UBE2C expression in BRCA. Moreover, the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) database was employed to investigate the prognostic value of UBE2C in BRCA. RESULTS: The positive expression rate of UBE2C in BRCA was 70.8% (148/209), and UBE2C expression in the adjacent breast tissue was negative. The expression of UBE2C was positively correlated with tumor size (r = 0.32, P < 0.001), histological grade (r = 0.237, P = 0.001), clinical stage (r = 0.198, P = 0.004), lymph node metastasis (r = 0.155, P = 0.026), HER2 expression level (r = 0.356, P < 0.001), Ki-67 expression level (r = 0.504, P < 0.001), and P53 expression level (r = 0.32, P = 0.001). Negative correlations were found between UBE2C expression and the ER (r = - 0.403, P < 0.001) and PR (r = - 0.468, P < 0.001) status. UBE2C gene expression data from the public databases all proved that UBE2C was overexpressed in BRCA. According to the TCGA data analysis, a higher positive expression of UBE2C was associated with worse survival of BRCA patients (P = 0.0428), and data from cBioPortal indicated that 11% of all sequenced BRCA patients possessed a gene alteration of UBE2C, predominately gene amplification and mRNA regulation. CONCLUSION: Ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2C might pose an oncogenic effect on the progression of BRCA.

Paper-Based MicroRNA Expression Profiling from Plasma and Circulating Tumor Cells.

BACKGROUND: Molecular characterization of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) holds great promise for monitoring metastatic progression and characterizing metastatic disease. However, leukocyte and red blood cell contamination of routinely isolated CTCs makes CTC-specific molecular characterization extremely challenging. METHODS: Here we report the use of a paper-based medium for efficient extraction of microRNAs (miRNAs) from limited amounts of biological samples such as rare CTCs harvested from cancer patient blood. Specifically, we devised a workflow involving the use of Flinders Technology Associates (FTA)® Elute Card with a digital PCR-inspired "partitioning" method to extract and purify miRNAs from plasma and CTCs. RESULTS: We demonstrated the sensitivity of this method to detect miRNA expression from as few as 3 cancer cells spiked into human blood. Using this method, background miRNA expression was excluded from contaminating blood cells, and CTC-specific miRNA expression profiles were derived from breast and colorectal cancer patients. Plasma separated out during purification of CTCs could likewise be processed using the same paper-based method for miRNA detection, thereby maximizing the amount of patient-specific information that can be derived from a single blood draw. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, this paper-based extraction method enables an efficient, cost-effective workflow for maximized recovery of small RNAs from limited biological samples for downstream molecular analyses.