Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Tongxinluo Capsule Therapy for Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Context: An acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a serious, life-threatening disease. Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) commonly use the Tongxinluo (TXL) capsule, a Chinese patent medicine, to treat AMIs. The benefits of TXL capsules for AMIs remain unknown. Objective: The systematic review and meta-analysis intended to investigate the effects of TXL capsules for AMI patients. Design: The research team conducted a comprehensive literature search of the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases from inception to February 2023. The team used the search terms acute myocardial infarction, myocardial infarction, TXL Capsule Therapy, and TXL Capsule. The team also performed a meta-analysis and evaluated the features of the included studies using the Cochrane Collaboration tool for assessing the risk of bias. Setting: The study took place at the Second Affiliated Hospital at Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine in Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province, China. Outcome Measures: The research team: (1) evaluated the studies' quality using the Cochrane Collaboration tool for assessing the risk of bias; (2) analyzed the curative effect of the TXL capsules for AMI; (3) explored the effects of the TXL capsules on left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD), left ventricular end systolic diameter (LVESD), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF); and (4) explored the effects of the TXL capsules on creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB) peak time, CK-MB peak value, and cardiac index. Results: The literature search found ten studies. Compared with routine treatment alone, a combination of routine treatment and TXL capsules significantly improved the curative effects (odds ratio = 3.48; 95% CI: 2.34, 5.17; P < .00001) Compared with the control groups, the TXL capsule groups' LVESD and LVEF were significantly lower, with MD=-0.23; 95% CI: -0.37, -0.10; and P = .0007 and MD=-0.43; 95% CI: -0.61, -0.25; and P < .00001, respectively, and its LVEDD was significantly higher, with MD=5.27; 95% CI: 4.33, 6.21; and P < .00001. For myocardial enzymes, the TXL capsule groups' creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB) peak values and cardiac indexes were significantly lower than those of the control groups, with MD=-53.11; 95% CI: -55.26, -50.97; and P < .00001 and MD=-1.87; 95% CI: -2.03, -1.70; and P < .00001, respectively. Conclusions: The meta-analysis showed that the TXL capsule can bring greater therapeutic benefits for AMI patients in combination with routine treatment. The current study was a meta-analysis, and the field needs more well-designed studies.

Epidemiological Characteristics of Human Rabies - Shandong Province, China, 2010-2020.

Introduction: Rabies is a viral zoonotic disease that causes progressive and fatal inflammation in the brain. Rabies has caused more than 5,000 human deaths in Shandong Province since 1955. This study aimed to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of human rabies in Shandong Province from 2010 to 2020 and to provide a scientific basis for policy changes. Methods: The data of reported human rabies cases from 2010 to 2020 were obtained from China's National Notifiable Disease Reporting System, and data related to exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) of the cases were acquired through case investigation. Results: A total of 414 human rabies cases were reported in Shandong Province from 2010 to 2020. Out of the 414 total cases, 87.20% were primarily farmers; 83.10% were over 40 years old. 70.29% (265/377) belonged to category Ⅲ exposure; and 96.67% (377/390) were exposed to the virus through infected dogs. The vaccine inoculation rate of these cases after exposure was only 8.85%; 1.03% (4/390) had been vaccinated with rabies immunoglobulin, developing the disease 11 to 13 days after category Ⅲ exposure. Conclusions: Dogs were still the primary animal hosts. Most rabies patients died due to no or inadequate post-exposure prophylaxis. Vaccine inoculation rates for dogs should reach the target of 70% as soon as possible. Health departments should improve the accessibility and quality of PEP; and improve the health literacy of the elderly in rural areas.

MiR-145-5p modulates lipid metabolism and M2 macrophage polarization by targeting PAK7 and regulating ß-catenin signaling in hyperlipidemia.

The present study aims to explore the role of microRNA 145-5p (miR-145-5p) in hyperlipidemia. Using bioinformatics tools and a wide range of function and mechanism assays, we attempted to understand the specific function and potential mechanism of miR-145-5p in hyperlipidemia. A cholesterol-enriched diet induced an increase of serum cholesterol and triacylglycerol but a decrease of serum high-density lipoprotein. MiR-145-5p level was decreased in hyperlipidemia rat models. MiR-145-5p regulated lipid metabolism by antagonizing the alteration of high-density lipoprotein, cholesterol, and triacylglycerol in serum mediated by a cholesterol-enriched diet. In mechanism, miR-145-5p directly bound with p21 protein (RAC1)-activated kinase 7 (PAK7) and negatively regulated mRNA and protein levels of PAK7 in THP-1 cells. Furthermore, miR-145-5p level was negatively associated with PAK7 level in rat cardiac tissues. Finally, overexpression of PAK7 reversed the effects of miR-145-5p on ß-catenin activation and M2 macrophages polarization in THP-1 cells. In conclusion, MiR-145-5p modulated lipid metabolism and M2 macrophage polarization by targeting PAK7 and regulating ß-catenin signaling in hyperlipidemia, which may provide a potential biomarker for the treatment of hyperlipidemia-induced cardiovascular diseases.

Imported dengue serotype 1 outbreak in a non-endemic region, China, 2017: A molecular and seroepidemiological study.

OBJECTIVES: Beginning in June 2017, numerous dengue virus (DENV) infections occurred in the Jining City of Shandong Province, formerly a dengue-free region in East China. We sought to describe the clinical and epidemiological features of this outbreak. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical records and epidemiological data regarding a case series of patients diagnosed with DENV in Jining City, from June 30 to September 14, 2017. Diagnosis was confirmed by molecular method, culture, or rapid diagnostic tests. Sequencing of the DENV envelope gene or the whole viral genome was performed for 11 patients. Additionally, neutralizing antibodies against DENV was measured among patients and residents from their same villages. RESULTS: Data from 150 patients were evaluated in this outbreak. None were diagnosed with dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome. The patients' ages ranged between 2-88 years (median 51 years, [IQR=37.5-64.3]), and 100 (66.7%) were female. Epidemiological analyses implicated a man who had visited Saudi Arabia as the likely source of the outbreak. Phylogenetic studies identified DENV serotype 1. Most of the patients demonstrated increases of neutralizing antibody titers one year after infection compared with titers three months after infection. The residents living in dengue-affected villages had a significant higher seroprevalence of 21.2% (95%CI 16.9-25.5) than residents (3.2%, 95%CI-0.36-6.7) living in a non-dengue-affected village. CONCLUSIONS: This report documents the first dengue outbreak in Shandong Province, China, in more than 60 years. It underscores the need for medical providers to record patients' travel histories and to consider dengue in their differential diagnoses.