The improving effect and mechanisms of Anshen Dingzhi Prescription on Alzheimer's disease-like behavior induced by D-galactose combined with AβO in mice / 药学学报

The purpose of this study was to explore the improving effect of Anshen Dingzhi Prescription (ADP) on Alzheimer's disease (AD)-like behavior in mice and its mechanisms. The main chemical components of ADP were identified by ultra performance liquid chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). The AD-like mouse model was induced by D-galactose (D-gal) combined with Aβ1-42 oligomer (AβO). The effect of ADP on AD-like behavior in mice was assessed using various behavioral experiments; pathomorphological changes in mouse hippocampal tissue were observed by Nissl staining and transmission electron microscopy; ELISA was used in the assessment of oxidative stress factors and inflammation-related factor levels; Western blot was performed to detect the expression of Aβ, Tau and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) proteins. The active components of ADP were screened according to TCMSP and HERB database, and the action targets of active components were predicted by Swiss Target Prediction platform. In addition, the targets of AD were predicted through DisGeNET database. Further, GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of common targets was carried out by Metascape database. Combined with the results of GO and KEGG analysis, in vivo experiments were carried out to explore the potential mechanism of ADP improving AD-like behavior in mice from the PI3K/Akt, calcium signal pathway and synaptic function. Finally, the core components of ADP were molecularly docked to the validated targets using Autodock Vina. Animal experiments were approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine (approval number: AHUCM-mouse-2021080). The results showed that the five chemical components, including ginsenoside Rg1, ginsenoside Rb1, tenuifolin, poricoic acid B and α-asarone were found in the ADP. ADP significantly improved the anxiety-like behavior and memory impairment, protected hippocampal neurons, decreased the levels of oxidative stress and inflammation, and inhibited the expression of Aβ and p-Tau induced by D-galactose combined with AβO in mice. The results of network pharmacology suggested that PI3K/Akt, calcium signal pathway and cell components related to postsynaptic membrane might be the key factors for ADP to improve AD. Animal experiments revealed that ADP up-regulated N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 2A (GluN2A), postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95), calpain-1, phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-Akt), phosphorylated cAMP response element binding protein (p-CREB), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression and inhibited p-GluN2B and calpain-2 expression in the hippocampus of AD-like mice. The molecular docking results demonstrated that the core components of ADP, such as panaxacol, dehydroeburicoic acid, deoxyharringtonine, etc. had a high binding ability with the validated targets GRIN2A, GRIN2B, PSD95, etc. In summary, our results indicate ADP improves AD-like pathological and behavioral changes induced by D-galactose combined with AβO in mice, and the mechanism might be related to the NMDAR/calpain axis and Akt/CREB/BDNF pathway.

Special application of stone extractor balloon catheter in ERCP for anastomotic biliary stenosis after liver transplantation / 中国内镜杂志

Objective To discuss the application effect of using a stone extractor balloon catheter to assist in crossing the anastomotic stenosis in treatment of anastomotic biliary stenosis after liver transplantation using endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP).Methods Clinical data of 48 patients who developed anastomotic biliary stenosis after liver transplantation and underwent ERCP treatment were collected.Upon unsuccessful use of a dilation catheter to cross the stricture,attempts were made to cross the anastomotic biliary stenosis by using a stone extractor balloon catheter.The success rate of the procedure was recorded,intraoperative conditions were observed,treatment outcomes and complications were analyzed.Results The main presenting symptoms in the 48 patients on admission were abdominal discomfort(32 patients),fever(7 patients),pruritus(4 patients),jaundice(3 patients),and no obvious symptoms(2 patients).Preoperative magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography(MRCP)examination revealed isolated stricture of the anastomotic site in 35 cases,and stricture associated with stones in 13 cases.Using the stone extractor balloon catheter as a guide,guidewire crossing of the anastomotic stenosis was successful in 26 cases,resulting in a success rate of 54.17%(26/48).Through statistical analysis of the successful group and the failed group,there was a significant difference in whether the distal biliary dilatation between the two groups,and the difference was statistically significant(χ2 = 8.39,P = 0.004).In the 26 successfully treated cases,alanine transaminase(ALT),aspartate transaminase(AST),γ-glutamyl transpeptidase(γ-GT),alkaline phosphatase(ALP),and total bilirubin(TBiL)levels decreased significantly 48 hours after the procedure(P<0.05),and no serious complications occurred.Conclusion The use of a stone extractor balloon catheter significantly increases the success rate of crossing anastomotic stenosis in the treatment of anastomotic biliary stenosis after liver transplantation,especially in cases with distal dilatation of the common bile duct.This approach is safe and worth promoting.

Characterization of the physiochemical properties, microstructure, and molecular interactions of a novel rice-pea protein gel.

The application of rice and pea proteins in food production is limited due to their undesirable processing performance. The objective of this research was to develop a novel rice-pea protein gel using alkali-heat treatment. This gel had a higher solubility, stronger gel strength, better water retention capacity, and denser bilayer network. This is due to the alkali-heat induced modifications for the secondary structures of proteins (i.e., a decrease in the α-helix, and an increase in the ß-sheets) and the interactions between protein molecules. The network structure of gel was more compact by adding 2% and 4% alkali-heat rice protein (AH-RP). This resulted in a stable double-layer network structure of gel. Adding 4% AH-RP significantly improved the hardness and elasticity of gel. This gel will have a good potential use for being the ingredient to produce the functional foods and meat analogs.

Development and validation of a prognostic model for patients with sepsis in intensive care unit / 中华危重病急救医学

Objective:To analyze the risk factors related to the prognosis of patients with sepsis in intensive care unit (ICU), construct a nomogram model, and verify its predictive efficacy.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-Ⅳ 0.4 [MIMIC-Ⅳ (version 2.0)]. The information of 6 500 patients with sepsis who meet the diagnostic criteria of Sepsis-3 were collected, including demography characteristics, complications, laboratory indicators within 24 hours after ICU admission, and final outcome. Using a simple random sampling method, the patients were divided into a training set and a validation set at a ratio of 7∶3. The restricted cubic spline (RCS) was used to explore whether there was a linear relationship between each variable and the prognosis, and the nonlinear variables were truncated into categorical variables. All variables were screened by LASSO regression and included in multivariate Cox regression analysis to analyze the death risk factors in ICU patients with sepsis, and construct a nomograph. The consistency index, calibration curve and receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve) were used to evaluate the prediction efficiency of nomogram model. The decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to validate the clinical value of the model and its impact on actual decision-making.Results:Among 6 500 patients with sepsis, 4 551 were in the training set and 1 949 were in the validation set. The 28-day, 90-day and 1-year mortality in the training set were 27.73% (1?262/4?551), 34.76% (1?582/4?551), and 42.98% (1?956/4?551), respectively, those in the validation set were 27.24% (531/1?949), 33.91% (661/1?949), and 42.23% (823/1?949), respectively. Both in training set and the validation set, compared with the final survival patients, the death patients were older, and had higher sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score and simplified acute physiology scoreⅡ (SAPSⅡ), more comorbidities, less urine output, and more use of vasoactive drugs, kidney replacement therapy, and mechanical ventilation. By RCS analysis, the variables with potential nonlinear correlation with the prognosis risk of septic patients were transformed into categorical variable. The variables screened by LASSO regression were enrolled in the multivariate Cox regression model. The results showed that age [hazard ratio ( HR) = 1.021, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was 1.018-1.024], SOFA score ( HR = 1.020, 95% CI was 1.000-1.040), SAPSⅡ score > 44 ( HR = 1.480, 95% CI was 1.340-1.634), mean arterial pressure (MAP) ≤ 75 mmHg (1 mmHg ≈ 0.133 kPa; HR = 1.120, 95% CI was 1.026-1.222), respiratory rate (RR; HR = 1.044, 95% CI was 1.034-1.055), cerebrovascular disease ( HR = 1.620, 95% CI was 1.443-1.818), malignant tumor ( HR = 1.604, 95% CI was 1.447-1.778), severe liver disease ( HR = 1.330, 95% CI was 1.157-1.530), use of vasoactive drugs within 24 hours ( HR = 1.213, 95% CI was 1.101-1.336), arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO 2; HR = 0.999, 95% CI was 0.998-1.000), blood lactic acid (Lac; HR = 1.066, 95% CI was 1.053-1.079), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) > 8.9 mmol/L ( HR = 1.257, 95% CI was 1.144-1.381), total bilirubin (TBil; HR = 1.023, 95% CI was 1.015-1.031), and prothrombin time (PT) > 14.5 s ( HR = 1.232, 95% CI was 1.127-1.347) were associated with the death of ICU patients with sepsis (all P < 0.05). Based on the above factors, a nomogram model was constructed, and the model validation results showed that the consistency index was 0.730. The calibration curve showed a good consistency between the predicted results of the nomogram model and observed results in the training and validation sets. ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the ROC curve (AUC) predicted by the nomogram model in the training set and the validation set for 28-day, 90-day and 1-year death risk was 0.771 (95% CI was 0.756-0.786) and 0.761 (95% CI was 0.738-0.784), 0.777 (95% CI was 0.763-0.791) and 0.765 (95% CI was 0.744-0.787), 0.677 (95% CI was 0.648-0.707) and 0.685 (95% CI was 0.641-0.728), respectively. DCA analysis showed that the nomogram model had significant net benefits in predicting 28-day, 90-day, and 1-year death risk, verifying the clinical value of the model and its good impact on actual decision-making. Conclusions:The death risk factors related to ICU patients with sepsis include age, SOFA score, SAPSⅡ score > 44, MAP ≤ 75 mmHg, RR, cerebrovascular disease, malignant tumors, severe liver disease, use of vasoactive drugs within 24 hours, PaO 2, Lac, BUN, TBil, PT > 14.5 s. The nomogram model constructed based on this can predict the death risk of ICU patients with sepsis.

The Risk and Survival Analysis of Multiple Malignancies in Hematologic Malignancy Patients: A Single Chinese Center Retrospective Study, 2009 through 2017 / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the risk and location of multiple malignancies in patients with hematologic malignancies who were followed up for 9 years in Jiangsu Province Hospital and to evaluate the impact of the second primary malignancy on survival of patients.@*METHODS@#The incidence and survival of multiple malignancies in 7 921 patients with hematologic malignancies from 2009 to 2017 were analyzed retrospectively.@*RESULTS@#A total of 180 (2.3%, 180/7 921) patients developed second malignancy, of whom 58 patients were diagnosed with hematologic malignancies as the first primary malignancy, and 98 patients developed hematologic malignancies as second primary malignancy, and the other 24 cases were diagnosed with the second malignancy within 6 months after the first primary malignancy was diagnosed, which was difined as multiple malignancies occurring simultaneously. In 180 patients, 18 cases developed two hematologic malignancies successively, and 11 patients developed more than 3 primary cancers (among them, 2 female patients were diagnosed with 4 primary cancers). Patients with lymphoma and multiple myeloma (MM) as the second primary malignancy had poorer survival than patients with lymphoma and MM as the first primary malignancy. Patients with chronic myeloid leukemia as the second primary malignancy were also associated with inferior overall survival.@*CONCLUSION@#In this study, 2.3% of hematologic malignancy patients had multiple mali-gnancies, lymphoma and MM as the second primary malignancy had poor survival.

Effects of interleukin-17A on liver and kidney injury and prognosis in septic mice / 中华危重病急救医学

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the effect of interleukin-17A (IL-17A) on liver and kidney injury and prognosis in septic mice.@*METHODS@#A total of 84 SPF male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into sham operation group (Sham group), cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) induced sepsis model group (CLP group), and IL-17A intervention group. IL-17A intervention group were then divided into five subgroups according to the dose of IL-17A (0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4 μg). Mice in the IL-17A intervention group were intraperitoneally injected with the corresponding dose of IL-17A 100 μL immediately after surgery. The other groups were intraperitoneally injected with 100 μL phosphate buffer solution (PBS). The survival rate of mice was observed at 7 days, and peripheral blood and liver, kidney and spleen tissues were collected. According to the 7-day survival, another 18 mice were randomly divided into Sham group, CLP group, and 1 μg IL-17A intervention group. Peripheral blood samples were collected at 12 hours and 24 hours after CLP, and the mice were sacrificed to obtain liver, kidney, and spleen tissues. The behavior and abdominal cavity of each group were observed. The levels of peripheral blood liver and kidney function indexes and inflammatory factors were detected. The histopathological changes of liver and kidney were observed under light microscope. The peripheral blood and spleen tissues were inoculated in the medium, the number of bacterial colonies was calculated, and the bacterial migration of each group was evaluated in vitro.@*RESULTS@#Except for the Sham group, the 7-day survival rate of mice in the 1 μg IL-17A intervention group was the highest (75.0%), so this condition was selected as the intervention condition for the subsequent study. Compared with Sham group, the liver and kidney functions of CLP group were significantly damaged at each time point after operation. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (SCr) reached the peak at 24 hours after operation, and the liver and kidney pathological scores reached the peak at 7 days after operation, the levels of inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL-17A, IL-6, IL-10) reached the peak at 12 hours after operation, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) reached the peak at 24 hours after operation. In addition, a large number of bacteria proliferated in the peripheral blood and spleen, which reached the peak on day 7. Compared with the CLP group, exogenous administration of 1 μg IL-17A significantly delayed the rising trend of each index in the early stage of sepsis [24-hour ALT (U/L): 166.95±5.20 vs. 271.30±6.11, 24-hour AST (U/L): 599.42±7.25 vs. 1 013.27±3.37, 24-hour BUN (mg/L): 815.4±26.3 vs. 1 191.2±39.4, 24-hour SCr (μmol/L): 29.34±0.87 vs. 60.75±3.83, 7-day liver pathological score: 2.50 (2.00, 3.00) vs. 9.00 (8.50, 9.00), 7-day kidney pathological score: 1.00 (1.00, 2.00) vs. 5.00 (4.50, 5.00), 12-hour IL-17A (ng/L): 105.21±0.31 vs. 111.28±1.37, 12-hour IL-6 (ng/L): 83.22±1.01 vs. 108.88±0.99, 12-hour IL-10 (ng/L): 731.54±3.04 vs. 790.25±2.54, 24-hour TNF-α (μg/L): 454.67±0.66 vs. 576.18±0.76, 7-day peripheral blood colony count (CFU/mL): 600 (400, 600) vs. 4 200 (4 200, 4 300), 7-day spleen tissue colony count (CFU/g): 4 600 (4 400, 4 600) vs. 23 400 (23 200, 23 500), all P < 0.05].@*CONCLUSIONS@#Appropriate dose (1 μg) of exogenous IL-17A can reduce the lethal inflammatory response induced by CLP and improve the ability of bacterial clearance, thereby alleviating liver and kidney injury and improving the 7-day survival rate of septic mice.

A Modified Technique to Harvest Integrated Zygomatic Arch-Temporal Bone Flap: Clinical Experience.

Background: In skull base surgery, zygomaticectomy is an effective method to increase surgical exposure and reduce brain retraction. However, the traditional zygomaticectomy methods are complicated and more invasive. Objective: To improve the procedure of zygomaticectomy, we introduced a modified technique to harvest integrated zygomatic arch-temporal bone flap. Subjects and Methods: A modified technique to section the zygomatic arch integrated with the temporal bone flap was described in the present work. This technique was applied in eight skull base lesion patients. The improved surgical angle was measured using Osirix software. Results: The surgical exposure is satisfied and no temporal lobe contusion or severe complications occurred in the patients. An increased surgical angle was obtained by zygomatic arch removing, with a mean value of 13.31°. Conclusions: This integrated zygomatic arch-temporal bone flap technique achieved increased exposure, decreased temporal lobe retraction, and minimal bone loss, leading to better cosmetics and functional reconstructions.

Effect of CXC chemokine receptor 7 on cell cycle of neuronal cells in ischemic stroke / 中华危重病急救医学

Objective:To investigate the function and mechanism of CXC chemokine receptor 7 (CXCR7) in neuronal cells of ischemic stroke.Methods:The expression of CXCR7 in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells was interfered by small interfering RNA (si-RNA) technique. Oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) injury model was constructed in SH-SY5Y cells. CXCR7 protein expression and cell cycle were detected by flow cytometry (FCM). The protein expression of CXCR7 and Akt signaling pathway was detected by Western blotting.Results:After 6 hours of OGD/R, the expression of CXCR7 was significantly decreased compared with OGD/R 0 hour (CXCR7/GAPDH: 0.483±0.098 vs. 1.000±0.000 by Western blotting and 0.686±0.0524 vs. 1.000±0.000 by FCM, both P < 0.01), cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase (1.190±0.040 vs. 1.000±0.000, P < 0.01). After CXCR7 si-RNA interference with SH-SY5Y cells, OGD/R was constructed again for 6 hours. Compared with negative control group (si-NC group) under the same environment, the expression of CXCR7 and phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt) was significantly decreased (CXCR7/GAPDH: 0.471±0.051 vs. 1.000±0.000, p-Akt/GAPDH: 0.616±0.027 vs. 1.000±0.000, both P < 0.001) and cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase (1.105±0.033 vs. 1.000±0.000, P < 0.05). Conclusion:The CXCR7 could regulate the cycle of neuronal cells in ischemic stroke through Akt signaling pathway, which has a protective effect on neuronal cells.

Application of information-motivation-behavior skill model in functional exercise after after autologous arteriovenous fistula plasty in hemodialysis patients / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective:Health education program based on information-motivation-behavioral skills model (IMB model) was developed, and its application effect in functional exercise after autogenous arteriovenous fistula (AVF) in hemodialysis patients was explored.Methods:Using the convenient sampling method, 100 patients undergoing AVF surgery in hemodialysis center of Qingdao Municipal Hospital from June 2020 to June 2021 were selected as the study objects. The patients were numbered according to the order of visit. The single number was the observation group, and the double number was the control group. There were 50 patients in each group. The control group was given routine AVF function exercise education, and the observation group was given AVF function exercise education based on the IMB model. Patients′ compliance with functional exercise, cephalic vein diameter, fistula maturation time, and the incidence of complications were compared between the two groups.Results:Finally, 49 cases in the control group and 50 cases in the observation group finished the research. The compliance of function exercise of the observation group was 94.0%(47/50), which was higher than 73.5%(36/49) in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=7.70, P<0.05). The maturation time of plasty in the observation group was (5.18 ± 1.14) weeks, shorter than that in the control group (5.94 ± 1.39) weeks, and the difference was statistically significant ( t=2.98, P<0.05). The cephalic vein diameter and blood flow controlled by hemodialysis pump in the observation group were (5.19 ± 0.28) mm and (218.40 ± 24.19) ml/min, respectively, higher than those in the control group (4.99 ± 0.34) mm and (200.41 ± 23.89) ml/min, the differences were statistically significant ( t=-3.21, -3.72, both P<0.05). The incidence of fistula complications in the observation group was 6.0%(3/50), lower than 22.4%(11/49) in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=5.52, P<0.05). Conclusions:The application of IMB model in hemodialysis patients with functional exercise after AVF plasty can effectively improve patients′ compliance, increase the diameter of cephalic vein and the blood flow controlled by dialysis pump, shorten the maturation time of internal fistula, and reduce the incidence of complications of AVF.

Critical coronavirus disease 2019 caused by Delta variant: a case report with literature review / 中华危重病急救医学

Objective:To investigate the curative efficacy and application value of convalescent plasma (CP)in severe and critical coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by Delta variant.Methods:The treatment process and results of CP therapy for a patient with critical COVID-19 caused by Delta variant were reported. The clinical application value of CP for COVID-19 caused by Delta variant was analyzed along with the literature review.Results:Our case was a 50-year-old male, who was imported from abroad and had not been vaccinated against COVID-19. The novel coronavirus nucleic acid test was negative before entry. On the second day after entry, fever occurred, novel coronavirus nucleic acid test was positive. Chest CT images showed bilateral multiple mottling and ground-glass opacity with symptoms of nausea, headache, loss of appetite, diarrhea, but no running nose, nasal obstruction, dyspnea, abnormal smell and taste. The infection rapidly developed from medium to critical. On the basis of standard treatment, Delta variant CP was intravenous dripped on the 10th day of hospital admission (the 6th day after becoming severe). The patient's condition improved rapidly.Conclusion:The curative efficacy evaluation of this patient proved that CP therapy is of great value in the treatment of severe and critical COVID-19.