Comprehensive quality evaluation of Guge fengtong tablets / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To establish a method for the content determination of 11 components such as protodioscin in Guge fengtong tablets， and to evaluate the comprehensive quality of Guge fengtong tablets by combining with chemometric analysis and entropy weight-technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution （EW-TOPSIS） method. METHODS HPLC method was adopted. The determination was performed on Agilent Eclipse Plus C18 column with a mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile- 0.2% phosphoric acid solution at the flow rate of 1.0 mL/min by gradient elution. The column temperature was set at 30 ℃ . The detection wavelengths were set at 203 nm （0-28 min， protodioscin， methyl protodioscin， pseudoprotodioscin， dioscin） and 280 nm （28-60 min， catechin， epicatechin， liquiritigenin， medicarpin， 6-gingerol， 8-gingerol， 10-gingerol）； the sample size was 10 μL. Using epicatechin as the internal reference， quantitative analysis of multi-components by single marker （QAMS） method was used to determine the contents of protodioscin， methyl protodioscin， pseudoprotodioscin， dioscin， catechin， liquiritigenin， medicarpin， 6-gingerol， 8-gingerol and 10-gingerol， which were compared with the results of the external standard method. SPSS 26.0 software and SIMCA 14.1 software were used for principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis， with variable importance in projection （VIP） value greater than 1 as the standard， to screen for differential markers that affect the quality； the EW-TOPSIS method was adopted to evaluate the quality of 15 batches of samples comprehensively.RESULTS The contents of protodioscin， methyl protodioscin， pseudoprotodioscin， dioscin， catechin， liquiritigenin， medi-carpin， 6-gingerol， 8-gingerol and 10-gingerol determined by HPLC combined with QAMS were 6.330-10.863， 1.150-2.274， 0.431- 0.740， 2.818-4.823， 0.826-1.510， 0.043-0.094， 0.079-0.231， 0.479-1.020， 0.146-0.288， 0.118-0.318 mg/g， respectively； there were no statistical significances， compared with the external standard method （P＞0.05）. A total of 15 batches of samples were clustered into 3 groups， with S1-S6， S7-S10， and S11-S15 clustered into one group， respectively. The VIP values of protodioscin， epicatechin， dioscin and 6-gingerol were greater than 1. Euclidean closeness values of the optimal solution （C）i for 15 batches of samples were 0.163 5 to 0.703 7， and Ci values of S11-S15 were all higher than 0.6. CONCLUSIONS The established QAMS method is accurate and simple， and can be used for comprehensive quality evaluation of Guge fengtong tablets， by combining with chemometric analysis and EW-TOPSIS method. Protodioscin， epicatechin， dioscin and 6-gingerol are the differential markers that affect the quality of Guge fengtong tablets. Samples S11-S15 have better quality.

The application of MOOC combined with peer mutual assistance in cardiopulmonary resuscitation teaching / 中华医学教育探索杂志

Objective:To explore the application effect of massive open online course (MOOC) combined with peer mutual assistance in cardiopulmonary resuscitation teaching.Methods:A total of 140 students in the same class of Batch 2015 were divided into the experimental group and the control group. In the teaching of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the experimental group was based on the MOOC teaching platform, watched videos and topic tests before class, and used the peer mutual assistance in class. While the control group adopted traditional classroom teaching mode. The teaching effect of the two groups were evaluated by comparing the operation assessment scores and questionnaire survey of students' satisfaction with teaching. SPSS 22.0 was used for t-test and Chi-square test. Results:The operating assessment score of the experimental group was (82.20±2.31), and the operating assessment score of the control group was (75.80±1.72). The difference was statistically significant ( t=3.27, P<0.05). The questionnaire survey showed that the course satisfaction and learning motivation of the experimental group were better than those of the control group. In learning burden, the two groups had similar results ( P=0.739). Conclusion:MOOC combined with peer mutual assistance in cardiopulmonary resuscitation teaching can help students better master skills, improve students' course satisfaction and learning motivation, without increasing their learning burden.

Research progress in quality studies and antiviral effect of Qingyan Dropping Pills / 国际生物医学工程杂志

Qingyan Dropping Pills have the effects of relieving wind and heat, detoxifying, and promoting the pharynx. It is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicines to treat acute and chronic pharyngitis, as well as sore throats and dry throats caused by surgery. Recently, many studies have shown that Qingyan Dropping Pills have certain effects on bacteriostasis, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiviral activities. As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic enters the post-epidemic era, the regular use of drugs for COVID-19 pandemic symptoms has become a new trend. Therefore, there is a good market prospect to explore and develop Chinese patent medicines with antiviral effects. A preliminary study on the herbal formula and material basis of Qingyan Dropping Pills revealed that they have potential for antiviral applications. In this paper, the research on the quality study and antiviral effect of Qingyan Dropping Pills was reviewed, and the research direction of its secondary development was discussed to provide ideas and references for the new use of old traditional Chinese medicines.

Effectiveness of a whole-process health education model among inpatients with ascites type of advanced schistosomiasis / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of a whole-process health education model among inpatients with ascites type of advanced schistosomiasis. Methods A “admission-hospitalization-discharge” whole-process health education model was created, 101 inpatients with ascites type of advanced schistosomiasis were given the whole-process health education. The scores of schistosomiasis control knowledge, attitudes towards schistosomiasis control and healthy behaviors, and awareness of schistosomiasis control knowledge, correct rate of attitudes towards schistosomiasis control and correct rate of healthy behaviors were compared among inpatients with ascites type of advanced schistosomiasis before and after implementation of the whole-process health education. Results The scores of schistosomiasis control knowledge, schistosomiasis control attitudes and healthy behaviors were all significantly higher among inpatients with ascites type of advanced schistosomiasis after implementation of the whole-process health education than before implementation (Z = −7.688, −3.576 and −4.328, all P values < 0.01). In addition, the awareness of schistosomiasis control knowledge increased from 54.3% to 82.7% (χ2 = 188.886, P < 0.01), and the correct rate of attitudes towards schistosomiasis control increased from 88.4% to 98.0% (χ2 = 22.001, P < 0.01), while the correct rate of healthy behaviors increased from 48.2% to 59.7% (χ2 = 11.767, P < 0.01). Conclusions The whole-process health education model may remarkably improve the awareness of schistosomiasis control knowledge and promote the formation of positive attitudes towards schistosomiasis control and correct behaviors among inpatients with ascites type of advanced schistosomiasis, which is of great significance to facilitate patients’ cure.

Incidence and prognosis of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to infection of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain: a national multi-center survey of 35 566 population / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

Objective: This cross-sectional investigation aimed to determine the incidence, clinical characteristics, prognosis, and related risk factors of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain in mainland China. Methods: Data of patients with SARS-CoV-2 from December 28, 2022, to February 21, 2023, were collected through online and offline questionnaires from 45 tertiary hospitals and one center for disease control and prevention in mainland China. The questionnaire included demographic information, previous health history, smoking and alcohol drinking, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, olfactory and gustatory function before and after infection, other symptoms after infection, as well as the duration and improvement of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction. The self-reported olfactory and gustatory functions of patients were evaluated using the Olfactory VAS scale and Gustatory VAS scale. Results: A total of 35 566 valid questionnaires were obtained, revealing a high incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain (67.75%). Females(χ2=367.013, P<0.001) and young people(χ2=120.210, P<0.001) were more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Gender(OR=1.564, 95%CI: 1.487-1.645), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), oral health status (OR=0.881, 95%CI: 0.839-0.926), smoking history (OR=1.152, 95%CI=1.080-1.229), and drinking history (OR=0.854, 95%CI: 0.785-0.928) were correlated with the occurrence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2(above P<0.001). 44.62% (4 391/9 840) of the patients who had not recovered their sense of smell and taste also suffered from nasal congestion, runny nose, and 32.62% (3 210/9 840) suffered from dry mouth and sore throat. The improvement of olfactory and taste functions was correlated with the persistence of accompanying symptoms(χ2=10.873, P=0.001). The average score of olfactory and taste VAS scale was 8.41 and 8.51 respectively before SARS-CoV-2 infection, but decreased to3.69 and 4.29 respectively after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and recovered to 5.83and 6.55 respectively at the time of the survey. The median duration of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions was 15 days and 12 days, respectively, with 0.5% (121/24 096) of patients experiencing these dysfunctions for more than 28 days. The overall self-reported improvement rate of smell and taste dysfunctions was 59.16% (14 256/24 096). Gender(OR=0.893, 95%CI: 0.839-0.951), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), history of head and facial trauma(OR=1.180, 95%CI: 1.036-1.344, P=0.013), nose (OR=1.104, 95%CI: 1.042-1.171, P=0.001) and oral (OR=1.162, 95%CI: 1.096-1.233) health status, smoking history(OR=0.765, 95%CI: 0.709-0.825), and the persistence of accompanying symptoms (OR=0.359, 95%CI: 0.332-0.388) were correlated with the recovery of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2 (above P<0.001 except for the indicated values). Conclusion: The incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain is high in mainland China, with females and young people more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Active and effective intervention measures may be required for cases that persist for a long time. The recovery of olfactory and taste functions is influenced by several factors, including gender, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status, history of head and facial trauma, nasal and oral health status, smoking history, and persistence of accompanying symptoms.

Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of adverse childhood experiences international questionnaire in parents of preschool children / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To test the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of adverse childhood experiences international questionnaire (ACE-IQ) in Chinese parents of preschool children.@*METHODS@#The parents of preschool children in 6 kindergartens in Tongzhou District of Beijing were selected by stratified random cluster sampling, and the Chinese version of ACE-IQ after translation and adaptation was used for survey online. The collected data were randomly divided into two parts. One part of the data (n=602) was used for exploratory factor analysis (EFA), to screen items and evaluate structural validity, and then form the final Chinese version of ACE-IQ. The other part of the data (n=700) was used for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), criterion validity analysis and reliability analysis. At the same time, experts investigation method was used to evaluate the content validity of the final Chinese version of ACE-IQ.@*RESULTS@#After deleting four items of collective violence, the Chinese version of ACE-IQ with twenty-five items indicated good structural, criterion and content validity. Analysis results showed that the Chinese version of ACE-IQ presented a seven-factor model dimension, namely emotional neglect, physical neglect, family dysfunction, family violence, emotional and physical abuse, sexual abuse and violence outside the home, and the total score of the binary version of ACE-IQ Chinese version was positively correlated with the total score of childhood trauma questionaire-28 item short form (CTQ-SF, r=0.354, P < 0.001) and the center for epidemiological studies depression scale (CES-D, r=0.313, P < 0.001) respectively. Results from five experts showed that the item-level content validity index (I-CVI) of 25 items was between 0.80 and 1.00, and the average of all I-CVIs on the scale (S-CVI/Ave) of the scale was 0.984. At the same time, the internal consistency (Cronbach's α coefficient) of the whole scale was 0.818, and the split-half reliability (Spearman-Brown coefficient) was 0.621, which demonstrated good reliability.@*CONCLUSION@#This study has formed a Chinese version of ACE-IQ with 25 items and 7 dimensions, which has good reliability and validity among the parents of preschool children in China. It can be used as an evaluation instrument for measuring the minimum threshold of the adverse childhood experiences in the parents of preschool children in the cultural background of China.

Ethyl Lithospermate Reduces Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation through Inhibiting NF-κB and STAT3 Pathways in RAW 264.7 Cells and Zebrafish / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the anti-inflammatory effects of ethyl lithospermate in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 murine-derived macrophages and zebrafish, and its underlying mechanisms.@*METHODS@#3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide (MTT) assays were performed to investigate the toxicity of ethyl lithospermate at different concentrations (12.5-100 µ mol/L) in RAW 264.7 cells. The cells were stimulated with LPS (100 ng/mL) for 12 h to establish an inflammation model in vitro, the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) were assessed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Western blot was used to ascertain the protein expressions of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65, phospho-STAT3 (p-STAT3, Tyr705), inhibitor of NF-κB (IκB) α, and phospho-I κB α (p-IκB α, Ser32), and confocal imaging was used to identify the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 and p-STAT3 (Tyr705). Additionally, the yolk sacs of zebrafish (3 days post fertilization) were injected with 2 nL LPS (0.5 mg/mL) to induce an inflammation model in vivo. Survival analysis, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, observation of neutrophil migration, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) were used to further study the anti-inflammatory effects of ethyl lithospermate and its probable mechanisms in vivo.@*RESULTS@#The non-toxic concentrations of ethyl lithospermate have been found to range from 12.5 to 100 µ mol/L. Ethyl lithospermate inhibited the release of IL-6 and TNF-α(P<0.05 or P<0.01), decreased IκBα degradation and phosphorylation (P<0.05) as well as the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 and p-STAT3 (Tyr705) in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells (P<0.01). Ethyl lithospermate also decreased inflammatory cells infiltration and neutrophil migration while increasing the survival rate of LPS-stimulated zebrafish (P<0.05 or P<0.01). In addition, ethyl lithospermate also inhibited the mRNA expression levels of of IL-6, TNF-α, IκBα, STAT3, and NF-κB in LPS-stimulated zebrafish (P<0.01).@*CONCLUSION@#Ethyl lithospermate exerts anti-Inflammatory effected by inhibiting the NF-κB and STAT3 signal pathways in RAW 264.7 macrophages and zebrafish.

Molecular mechanism of artesunate attenuates the release of proinflammatory cytokines from macrophages / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

AIM: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the cell membrane of gram negative bacteria is closely related to the occurrence and development of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Local and systemic monocyte / macrophages play an important role in the inflammatory process of SAP. Artesunate (AS) was reported to protect rats with severe acute pancreatitis by reducing the release of proinflammatory cytokines. This study further explored the molecular mechanism of anti-inflammatory effect of AS. METHODS: The release of proinflammatory cytokines in the supernatant were studied by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Then, the mRNA expressions of PI3K-III and its key molecules in signaling pathway were detected by real-time quantitative PCR. Finally, the phosphorylation levels of PI3KIII were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: AS could significantly inhibit the release of proinflammatory cytokines from mouse macrophage induced by LPS. Autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) could significantly inhibit the release of TNF-α from mouse macrophages induced by LPS; LPS significantly increased the mRNA expression of PI3KIII and its key molecules in mouse peritoneal macrophages (PMs). Finally, AS could significantly inhibit the increase of PI3K-III phosphorylation induced by LPS in PMs. CONCLUSION: The anti-inflammatory mechanism of AS is closely related to the inhibition of PI3K-III phosphorylation.

Effect of Buyang Huanwu Decoction on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats by regulating autophagy through PI3K/AKT pathway / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore the effect of Buyang Huanwu Decoction on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats by regulating autophagy through PI3K/AKT pathway. Methods The rats were randomly divided into five groups(n=10): sham operation group(Sham), model group(Model), Buyang Huanwu Decoction group(BYHWD), PI3K inhibitor group(LY294002)and Vehicle group(Vehicle). Except Sham group, the other groups were treated with 2h ischemia and 72 h reperfusion for modeling. The Zea Longa score was used to assess the neurological defects, HE was used to observe brain injury in the ischemic penumbra(IP), immunofluorescence was employed to detect LC3, and Western blot was used to detect pathway and autophagy marker proteins. Results Compared BYHWD group with model group, the neurological score of rats decreased, cerebral infarction volume decreased, the pathological lesions of brain IP were relieved, PI3K and p-AKT/AKT expression increased, and LC3Ⅱ/ decreased and p62 increased(P<0.05). The regulatory effect of BYHWD was weakened by LY294002(P<0.05). Conclusion Buyang Huanwu Decoction alleviates cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats by activating PI3K/AKT pathway to inhibit autophagy.

Research progress on the correlation between choroidal blood flow perfusion and myopia in children / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

Myopia is the most common type of refractive error. At present, the characteristics of the low age and rapid growth of myopia in our country are obvious, and the myopia of adolescents and children has become a public health problem of concern to the whole society. Visual experience guides the development of children's refractive state and emmetropization. The occurrence and development of myopia is accompanied by changes in the structure of the eyeball, and the choroid has a thinning trend. The thickness change of the choroid may be determined by blood flow perfusion. Decreased choroidal blood flow perfusion may lead to scleral ischemia and hypoxia, and hypoxia induces scleral matrix remodeling and axial length growth. This article reviews the relationship between choroidal blood flow and myopia, and suggests the significance of paying attention to choroidal changes in the prevention and control of myopia.

Inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor 3 promotes renal cyst development in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease / 生理学报

The purpose of the present study was to determine the role of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor 3 (IP3R3) in renal cyst development in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). 2-aminoethoxy-diphenyl borate (2-APB) and shRNA were used to suppress the expression of IP3R3. The effect of IP3R3 on cyst growth was investigated in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cyst model, embryonic kidney cyst model and kidney specific Pkd1 knockout (PKD) mouse model. The underlying mechanism of IP3R3 in promoting renal cyst development was investigated by Western blot and immunofluorescence staining. The results showed that the expression level of IP3R3 was significantly increased in the kidneys of PKD mice. Inhibiting IP3R3 by 2-APB or shRNA significantly retarded cyst expansion in MDCK cyst model and embryonic kidney cyst model. Western blot and immunofluorescence staining results showed that hyperactivated cAMP-PKA signaling pathway in the growth process of ADPKD cyst promoted the expression of IP3R3, which was accompanied by a subcellular redistribution process in which IP3R3 was translocated from endoplasmic reticulum to intercellular junction. The abnormal expression and subcellular localization of IP3R3 further promoted cyst epithelial cell proliferation by activating MAPK and mTOR signaling pathways and accelerating cell cycle. These results suggest that the expression and subcellular distribution of IP3R3 are involved in promoting renal cyst development, which implies IP3R3 as a potential therapeutic target of ADPKD.

Analysis of an outbreak of influenza A in a primary school in Jing an District, Shanghai / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To investigate the epidemiological data of an outbreak of influenza A in a primary school in Shanghai, to provide reference for targeted prevention and control measures.@*Methods@#A field epidemiological method was used to investigate and collect the data of influenza A outbreak in a primary school in Jing an District from November 8 to December 6, 2022, through on site follow up and telephone return visit to health teachers and cases. The distribution characteristics of the epidemic were analyzed by descriptive epidemiology.@*Results@#The first case developed symptoms of cough, sore throat, and fever on the morning of November 8th 2022, with a maximum body temperature of 38.6 ℃. Later, the clinical diagnosis was influenza A. The total number of influenza like cases reported in this outbreak is 99, including 92 students and 7 teachers. The total incidence rate was 9.45%. The clinical symptoms of all cases were fever, sore throat, and cough; 27 cases of influenza A were diagnosed by hospital rapid diagnostic reagents. The second grade students had the highest case incidence rate(24.46%), and there was a statistically significant difference in case incidence rates among students of different grades ( χ 2=48.28, P ＜0.01). The case incidence rate on the second floor was the highest (23.47%), and there was a statistically significant difference between the case incidence rates on different floors ( χ 2=52.38, P ＜ 0.01 ). Etiological testing showed that the influenza virus causing this outbreak was type A H3N2 virus.@*Conclusion@#This outbreak is a campus cluster outbreak caused by influenza A (H3N2) virus. The health and education departments should strengthen cooperation to effectively implement prevention and control measures of infectious diseases, and timely identify the source of infection and cut off the transmission route.

Value of a risk assessment model in predicting venous thromboembolism in patients with liver failure after artificial liver support therapy / 临床肝胆病杂志

Objective To investigate the value of a risk assessment model in predicting venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with liver failure after artificial liver support therapy. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 124 patients with liver failure who received artificial liver support therapy in Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School from March 2019 to December 2021, among whom there were 41 patients with VTE (observation group) and 143 patients without VTE (control group). Related clinical data were compared between the two groups, and the Caprini risk assessment model was used for scoring and risk classification of the patients in both groups. The t -test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups; the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups; the Mann-Whitney U rank sum test was used for comparison of ranked data between two groups. The logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the independent risk factors for VTE in patients with liver failure after artificial liver support therapy. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to investigate the value of Caprini score and the multivariate predictive model used alone or in combination in predicting VTE. Results The observation group had a significantly higher Caprini score than the control group (4.39±1.10 vs 3.12±1.04, t =6.805, P < 0.001). There was a significant difference between the two groups in risk classification based on Caprini scale ( P < 0.05), and the patients with high risk or extremely high risk accounted for a higher proportion among the patients with VTE. The univariate analysis showed that there were significant differences between the two groups in age ( t =6.400, P < 0.001), catheterization method ( χ 2 =14.413, P < 0.001), number of times of artificial liver support therapy ( Z =-4.720, P < 0.001), activity ( Z =-6.282, P < 0.001), infection ( χ 2 =33.071, P < 0.001), D-dimer ( t =8.746, P < 0.001), 28-day mortality rate ( χ 2 =5.524, P =0.022). The multivariate analysis showed that number of times of artificial liver support therapy (X 1 ) (odds ratio [ OR ]=0.251, 95% confidence interval [ CI ]: 0.111-0.566, P =0.001), activity (X 2 ) ( OR =0.122, 95% CI : 0.056-0.264, P < 0.001), D-dimer (X 3 ) ( OR =2.921, 95% CI : 1.114-7.662, P =0.029) were independent risk factors for VTE in patients with liver failure after artificial liver support therapy. The equation for individual predicted probability was P =1/[1+e -(7.425-1.384X 1 -2.103X 2 +1.072X 3 ) ]. The ROC curve analysis showed that Caprini score had an area under the ROC curve of 0.802 (95% CI : 0.721-0.882, P < 0.001), and the multivariate model had an area under the ROC curve of 0.768 (95% CI : 0.685-0.851, P < 0.001), while the combination of Caprini score and the multivariate model had an area under the ROC curve of 0.957 (95% CI : 0.930-0.984, P < 0.001). Conclusion The Caprini risk assessment model has a high predictive efficiency for the risk of VTE in patients with liver failure after artificial liver support therapy, and its combination with the multivariate predictive model can significantly improve the prediction of VTE.

Clinical features and microsurgical reconstruction of congenital unilateral absence of the vas deferens with obstructive azoospermia: a tertiary care center experience / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

Patients with congenital unilateral absence of the vas deferens (CUAVD) manifest diverse symptoms from normospermia to azoospermia. Treatment for CUAVD patients with obstructive azoospermia (OA) is complicated, and there is a lack of relevant reports. In this study, we describe the clinical features and evaluate the treatments and outcomes of CUAVD patients with OA. From December 2015 to December 2020, 33 patients were diagnosed as CUAVD with OA in Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai, China). Patient information, ultrasound findings, semen analysis, hormone profiles, and treatment information were collected, and the clinical outcomes were evaluated. Of 33 patients, 29 patients were retrospectively analyzed. Vasoepididymostomy (VE) or cross VE was performed in 12 patients, the patency rate was 41.7% (5/12), and natural pregnancy was achieved in one of the patients. The other 17 patients underwent testicular sperm extraction as the distal vas deferens (contralateral side) was obstructed. These findings showed that VE or cross VE remains an alternative treatment for CUAVD patients with OA, even with a relatively low rate of patency and natural pregnancy.

Preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic/single gene disorders in a family with Molybdenum co-factor deficiency / 中华医学遗传学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To carry out preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic/single gene disorders (PGT-M) for a Chinese family affected with Molybdenum co-factor deficiency due to pathogenic variant of MOCS2 gene.@*METHODS@#A family with molybdenum co-factor deficiency who attended to the Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in April 2020 was selected as the research subject. Trophoblast cells were biopsied from blastocysts fertilized by intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Embryos carrying the MOCS2 gene variant and chromosome copy number variation (CNV) of more than 4 Mb were detected by single-cell whole genome amplification, high-throughput sequencing and single nucleotide polymorphism typing. Embryos without or carrying the heterozygous variant and without abnormal chromosome CNV were transplanted. During mid-pregnancy, amniotic fluid sample was collected for prenatal diagnosis to verify the results of PGT-M.@*RESULTS@#Eleven oocytes were obtained, among which three blastocysts were formed through culturing. Results of genetic testing suggested that one embryo was heterozygous for the maternally derived MOCS2 gene variant and without chromosomal CNV. Following embryo transfer, intrauterine singleton pregnancy was attained. Prenatal diagnosis by amniocentesis at 18 weeks of gestation revealed that the MOCS2 gene variant and chromosomal analysis results were both consistent with that of PGT-M, and a healthy male infant was born at 37+5 weeks of gestation.@*CONCLUSION@#PGT-M has helped the couple carrying the MOCS2 gene variant to have a healthy offspring, and may become an important method for couples carrying other pathogenic genetic variants.

Effects of Rehmanniae Radix and Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata on proteomics and autophagy in mice with type 2 diabetes mellitus induced by high-fat diet coupled with streptozotocin / 中国中药杂志

To compare the pancreatic proteomics and autophagy between Rehmanniae Radix-and Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata-treated mice with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM). The T2DM mouse model was established by high-fat diet coupled with streptozotocin(STZ, intraperitoneal injection, 100 mg·kg~(-1), once a day for three consecutive days). The mice were then randomly assigned into a control group, low-(5 g·kg~(-1)) and high-dose(15 g·kg~(-1)) Rehmanniae Radix groups, low-(150 mg·kg~(-1)) and high-dose(300 mg·kg~(-1)) catalpol groups, low-(5 g·kg~(-1)) and high-dose(15 g·kg~(-1)) Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata groups, low-(150 mg·kg~(-1)) and high-dose(300 mg·kg~(-1)) 5-hydroxymethyl furfuraldehyde(5-HMF) groups, and a metformin(250 mg·kg~(-1)) group. In addition, a normal group was also set and each group included 8 mice. The pancreas was collected after four weeks of administration and proteomics tools were employed to study the effects of Rehmanniae Radix and Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata on protein expression in the pancreas of T2DM mice. The expression levels of proteins involved in autophagy, inflammation, and oxidative stress response in the pancreatic tissues of T2DM mice were determined by western blotting, immunohistochemical assay, and transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that the differential proteins between the model group and Rehmanniae Radix/Rehmanniae Radix Prae-parata group were enriched in 7 KEGG pathways, such as autophagy-animal, which indicated that the 7 pathways may be associated with T2DM. Compared with the control group, drug administration significantly up-regulated the expression levels of beclin1 and phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin(p-mTOR)/mTOR and down-regulated those of the inflammation indicators, Toll-like receptor-4(TLR4) and Nod-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3), in the pancreas of T2DM mice, and Rehmanniae Radix showed better performance. In addition, the expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2), and heine oxygenase-1(HO-1) in the pancreas of T2DM mice were down-regulated after drug administration, and Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata demonstrated better performance. The results indicate that both Rehmanniae Radix and Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata can alleviate the inflammatory symptoms, reduce oxidative stress response, and increase the autophagy level in the pancreas of T2DM mice, while they exert the effect on different autophagy pathways.

Analysis of Chinese Medical Syndrome Features of Ischemic Stroke Based on Similarity of Symptoms Subgroup / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To derive the Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome classification and subgroup syndrome characteristics of ischemic stroke patients.@*METHODS@#By extracting the CM clinical electronic medical records (EMRs) of 7,170 hospitalized patients with ischemic stroke from 2016 to 2018 at Weifang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong Province, China, a patient similarity network (PSN) was constructed based on the symptomatic phenotype of the patients. Thereafter the efficient community detection method BGLL was used to identify subgroups of patients. Finally, subgroups with a large number of cases were selected to analyze the specific manifestations of clinical symptoms and CM syndromes in each subgroup.@*RESULTS@#Seven main subgroups of patients with specific symptom characteristics were identified, including M3, M2, M1, M5, M0, M29 and M4. M3 and M0 subgroups had prominent posterior circulatory symptoms, while M3 was associated with autonomic disorders, and M4 manifested as anxiety; M2 and M4 had motor and motor coordination disorders; M1 had sensory disorders; M5 had more obvious lung infections; M29 had a disorder of consciousness. The specificity of CM syndromes of each subgroup was as follows. M3, M2, M1, M0, M29 and M4 all had the same syndrome as wind phlegm pattern; M3 and M0 both showed hyperactivity of Gan (Liver) yang pattern; M2 and M29 had similar syndromes, which corresponded to intertwined phlegm and blood stasis pattern and phlegm-stasis obstructing meridians pattern, respectively. The manifestations of CM syndromes often appeared in a combination of 2 or more syndrome elements. The most common combination of these 7 subgroups was wind-phlegm. The 7 subgroups of CM syndrome elements were specifically manifested as pathogenic wind, pathogenic phlegm, and deficiency pathogens.@*CONCLUSIONS@#There were 7 main symptom similarity-based subgroups in ischemic stroke patients, and their specific characteristics were obvious. The main syndromes were wind phlegm pattern and hyperactivity of Gan yang pattern.

Clinical significance and risk factors of redundant nerve root in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the clinical significance and screen the risk factors of redundant nerve roots(RNRs) in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.@*METHODS@#The clinical data of 196 patients with lumbar spinal stenosis in the department of Spinal Surgery, Yijishan Hospital, Wannan Medical College from April 1, 2015 to November 30, 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were divided into RNRs positive group and RNRs negative group according to the presence of RNRs. The differences in general clinical data, imaging parameters, visual analogue scale(VAS), Oswestry disability index(ODI), and other indicators between the two groups were compared. The risk factors which are highly correlated with RNRs were screened by binary Logistic regression analysis.@*RESULTS@#There were 59 cases in the RNRs positive group, with an occurrence rate of 29.95% (59/137), and 137 cases in the RNRs negative group. The incidence rate of RNRs in 196 patients with lumbar spinal stenosis was 30.10% (59/196). VAS and ODI scores of patients in the two groups were statistically significant (P<0.05), and clinical symptoms of patients in the RNRs positive group were more severe than those in the RNRs negative group. There were significant differences in age, number of stenosis segments, average area of lumbar dural sac, area of the narrowest segment and the narrowest segment(P<0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that the number of stenosis segments, the average median sagittal diameter of spinal canal, and the average area of dural sac in lumbar intervertebral space were correlated with the generation of RNRs (P<0.05). The regression coefficient of the number of stenosis segments was -1.115, the regression coefficient of the median sagittal diameter of the spinal canal was -1.707, and the regression coefficient of the mean dural sac area of the lumbar intervertebral space was 7.556.@*CONCLUSION@#The clinical symptoms of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis accompanied by RNRs are more severe than those without them. The number of narrow segments, median sagittal diameter of the spinal canal, and the area of the lumbar intervertebral dural sac are the high-risk factors for RNRs, with the area of the lumbar intervertebral dural sac has the highest correlation.

Comparison of two diagnostic criteria for bronchopulmonary dysplasia and their predictive value for respiratory outcomes / 中华围产医学杂志

Objective:To compare the diagnosis and respiratory outcomes of preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) based on two criteria and to analyze the criteria's predictive value for adverse respiratory system outcomes.Methods:Clinical data of preterm infants with gestational age less than 32 weeks admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from January 2014 to September 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The diagnosis and classification of all the subjects were based on two definitions developed by the American National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) in 2001 and 2018. The severity of pulmonary diseases in eligible infants was quantified with pulmonary scores. The incidence of BPD and respiratory outcomes in infants diagnosed with the two criteria were compared. The logistic predictive model was adopted to analyze the predictive value of the two criteria for adverse long-term respiratory outcomes.Results:The study enrolled 240 infants, among which 138 (57.5%) were male. Infants who met the 2001 and 2018 definitions of BPD accounted for 52.9% (127/240) and 24.0% (57/237), respectively. The rate of pneumonia, mechanical ventilation duration, and overall oxygen duration of the infants who met the 2018 definition were significantly higher or longer than those who met the 2001 definition [84.2% (48/57) vs. 63.7%(79/124), χ2=7.84; 24.0 d (7.0-34.5 d) vs. 9.0 d (4.0-26.0 d), Z=－3.01; 66.0 d (49.0-81.5) vs. 47.0 d (38.0-63.8 d), Z=－3.86, P<0.01]. The incidence of adverse respiratory system outcomes and death of the infants who met the 2018 definition were significantly higher than those who met the 2001 definition [38.6% (17/44) vs. 20.9% (19/91), P<0.05]. Of the 180 infants diagnosed with BPD using the 2001 definition, 67 did not meet the 2018 definition and were all discharged before a corrected age of 45 weeks without oxygen requirement. Only 4.3% (2/47) of those with follow-up data were re-hospitalized twice or more due to pulmonary diseases. The predicted value of the 2018 definition for early death or adverse respiratory outcomes in infants was significantly higher than that of 2001, with the areas under the curves of 0.871 and 0.840, respectively. The area difference under the curve was 0.031 ( Z=2.09, P=0.037). Conclusions:Compared with the one in 2001, the 2018 definition of BPD is stricter, which could be able to identify BPD infants with severer pulmonary status and outcomes and is unlikely to miss cases with adverse respiratory outcomes. The 2018 definition performs well in predicting death or adverse respiratory outcomes in early infancy.

Efficacy of a skin care ointment containing oligomeric maltose X in the adjuvant treatment of pruritus in patients with mild to moderate eczema: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind controlled clinical study / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of a skin care ointment containing oligomeric maltose X in the adjuvant treatment of eczema-related pruritus.Methods:A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled clinical study was conducted. From March to September 2021, outpatients with mild to moderate eczema were collected from departments of dermatology of 4 hospitals, including Beijing Friendship Hospital, Hebei Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital, the Third People′s Hospital of Hubei Province, and Taizhou Central Hospital in Zhejiang Province. The patients were randomly divided into two groups by using a random number table: observation group topically treated with a skin care ointment containing oligomeric maltose X, and vehicle control group topically treated with an ointment vehicle. The ointments were applied during the attacks of itching for 14 consecutive days. Visits were scheduled before, 7, and 14 days after the start of the adjuvant treatment. The efficacy was evaluated according to the eczema area and severity index (EASI) and visual analog scale (VAS) , and adverse events were recorded. The efficacy and safety analyses were conducted by using chi-square test and t test. Results:Totally, 232 patients with eczema were enrolled, including 90 males and 142 females, with the age being 40.13 ± 13.36 years; 156 patients were in the observation group, and 76 in the vehicle control group. Before the adjuvant treatment, there were no significant differences in EASI (2.07 ± 2.24 points vs. 2.29 ± 2.28 points) or VAS (6.22 ± 1.78 points vs. 6.20 ± 1.79 points) scores between the observation group and vehicle control group ( t = -0.70, 0.06, P = 0.486, 0.955, respectively) . After one-day treatment, the VAS scores significantly decreased compared with the baseline scores in the two groups ( P < 0.001, P = 0.003, respectively) . After 14-day treatment, the VAS score was significantly lower in the observation group (2.67 points) than in the vehicle control group (3.35 points; t = -2.28, P = 0.024) . After 7- and 14-day treatment, the EASI scores significantly decreased compared with the baseline scores in both the two groups (all P < 0.001) , but there were no significant differences between the two groups ( P = 0.853, 0.731) . No adjuvant treatment-related adverse events were recorded in either of the two groups. Conclusion:The skin care ointment containing oligomeric maltose X is safe and effective in the adjuvant treatment of eczema-related pruritus, and can be applied to clinical practice.