Simultaneous determination of fifteen components in Niuhuang Jiangya Pills by UPLC-Q Exactive-Orbitrap MS / 药学学报

An ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/electrostatic field orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q Exactive-Orbitrap MS) method for the simultaneous determination of 15 compounds (taurocholic acid, 7-keto-3α,12-α-dihydroxycholanic acid, glycocholic acid, 3-oxo-7α,12α-hydroxy-5β-cholanoic acid, taurochenodeoxycholic acid, 3α-hydroxy-7-oxo-5β-cholanic acid, hyocholic acid, sodium taurodeoxycholate, hyodeoxycholic acid, cholic acid, glycochenodeoxycholic acid, glycodeoxycholic acid, taurolithocholic acid sodium salt, chenodeoxycholic acid, deoxycholic acid) in Niuhuang Jiangya Pills was established. The separation was performed on a Thermo Fisher Scientfic Bremen HYPERSIL GOLD C18 column (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.9 μm). Methanol and water (containing 0.1% formic acid)were adopted as the mobile phase by gradient elution．MS detection was performed with multiple reaction monitoring mode．The results showed that fifteen compounds had a good linearity within their respective concentration ranges (r > 0.999 0). The average recovery rates were 93.7%- 105.2% (n = 9). The established method was used to determine the content of 15 batches of samples, and the results showed that the content of cholic acid was quite different. The present study provides an important reference for the overall quality control of Niuhuang Jiangya Pills.

Total flavonoids of Dracocephalum moldavica L. inhibit oxidative stress against H9c2 cell ischemia-reperfusion injury via VEGF-B/AMPK pathway / 药学学报

Total flavonoids of Dracocephalum moldavica L. (TFDM) is an effective component extracted and isolated from the traditional Uighur medicinal herb Cymbidium fragrans. Cymbidium fragrans has the effects of tonifying the heart and brain, promoting blood circulation and resolving blood stasis, and has been widely used in the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases for a long time. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of total flavonoids from Cymbidium fragrans on hypoxia/re-oxygenation (H/R) injury in H9c2 (rat cardiomyocytes) cells and its mechanism. A model (H/R) of hypoxia/re-oxygenation injury in H9c2 cells was established using hypoxia and glucose deprivation for 9 h combined with re-oxygenation and rehydration for 2 h to simulate myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. The effects of total flavonoids from Cymbidium fragrans on cell viability, markers of myocardial cell damage, oxidative stress levels, and reactive oxygen radical (ROS) content were investigated, Western blot was used to detect the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor B (VEGF-B) and adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway related proteins. The results showed that the total flavonoids of Cymbidium fragrans significantly increased the viability of myocardial cells after H/R injury, and decreased the content of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase isozyme (CK-MB) in the cell supernatant. It significantly reduced malondialdehyde (MDA), increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities, and decreased intracellular ROS and nitric oxide (NO) content. Western blot analysis showed that the total flavonoids of Cymbidium fragrans decreased Bax levels in H9c2 cells damaged by H/R and increased Bcl-2 expression. Total flavones of Cymbidium fragrans upregulate VEGF-B/AMPK pathway related proteins VEGF-B, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR-1), neuropilin 1 (NRP-1), peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate activated protein (p-AMPK) and phospho mechanistic target of rapamycin (p-MTOR) levels. The above research results indicate that the total flavonoids of Cymbidium can significantly reduce the H/R injury of myocardial cells, which may be related to the upregulation of VEGF-B/AMPK pathway and inhibition of oxidative stress response.

Research update on DNA methylation in peripheral blood cells as a risk factor for coronary heart disease / 中华检验医学杂志

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a kind of cardiovascular diseases originated from atherosclerosis (AS), and chronic inflammation is one of the pathological characteristics. The peripheral blood leukocytes, especially mononuclear cells, play an important role in the AS processes. Recently, in a series of Epigenome-Wide Association Studies (EWAS), multiple DNA differential methylation sites in peripheral blood cells were found to be statistically associated with CHD, which suggested that these DNA differential methylation sites might serve as new risk factors for CHD. The recognition of the variant of DNA methylation as a common epigenetic nucleic acid modification in the occurrence and development of CHD, is ongoing. DNA methylation has the potential to become warning biomarkers, which might provide new ideas and evidences for mechanistic studies of CHD.

Effect of salidroside on choroidal thickness and expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α, dopamine and its receptor in guinea pigs with myopia / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To examine the effects of salidroside on choroidal thickness, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α), dopamine(DA)and its D1 receptor expression in guinea pigs with lens-induced myopia(LIM).METHODS: A total of 18 two-week-old guinea pigs were randomly divided into the normal control(NC)group, the LIM group, and the LIM + salidroside(LIM+SA)group, with 6 guinea pigs in each group. The guinea pigs in the NC group were fed normally and intragastrically administered with 2 mL/d saline; those in the LIM group wore a -5D lens in front of their right eyes to establish a myopia model, then they were intragastrically administered with 2 mL/d saline. Finally, those in the LIM+SA group wore glasses along with intragastric administration of 2 mL/d salidroside at a dose of 100 mg/kg. The refraction, axial length, and choroidal thickness of guinea pigs in each group were measured 4wk following the establishment of the model. In addition, the relative mRNA expression and protein content of HIF-1α in the choroid and retina of guinea pigs in each group were detected by real-time quantitative PCR(qPCR)and immunohistochemistry(IHC). Finally, the DA concentration and its D1 receptor expression were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)and Western blot.RESULTS: At 4wk after model establishment, guinea pigs of LIM group and LIM+SA group exhibited increased negative refraction of the right eye, prolonged axial length, and decreased choroidal thickness compared to the NC group. The relative mRNA expression and protein content of HIF-1α in the choroid and retina of the guinea pigs increased. The concentration of DA and the expression of its D1 receptor both decreased. Moreover, compared to the LIM group, the diopter of the right eye of guinea pigs in LIM+SA group significantly reduced, the axial length was shorter, the thickness of choroid increased, the relative mRNA expression and protein content of HIF-1α in the choroid and retina decreased and the concentration of DA and the expression of its D1 receptor both increased.CONCLUSION: Salidroside can delay myopia progression in myopic guinea pigs by affecting choroidal thickness and the expression of HIF-1α, DA and its D1 receptor.

Anatomical and histological investigation of the area anterior to the anorectum passing through the levator hiatus / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Objective: To document the anatomical structure of the area anterior to the anorectum passing through the levator hiatus between the levator ani slings bilaterally. Methods: Three male hemipelvises were examined at the Laboratory of Clinical Applied Anatomy, Fujian Medical University. (1) The anatomical assessment was performed in three ways; namely, by abdominal followed by perineal dissection, by examining serial cross-sections, and by examining median sagittal sections. (2) The series was stained with hematoxylin and eosin to enable identification of nerves, vessels, and smooth and striated muscles. Results: (1) It was found that the rectourethralis muscle is closest to the deep transverse perineal muscle where the longitudinal muscle of the rectum extends into the posteroinferior area of the membranous urethra. The communicating branches of the neurovascular bundle (NVB) were identified at the posterior edge of the rectourethralis muscle on both sides. The rectum was found to be fixed to the membranous urethra through the rectourethral muscle, contributing to the anorectal angle of the anterior rectal wall. (2) Serial cross-sections from the anal to the oral side were examined. At the level of the external anal sphincter, the longitudinal muscle of the rectum was found to extend caudally and divide into two muscle bundles on the oral side of the external anal sphincter. One of these muscle bundles angled dorsally and caudally, forming the conjoined longitudinal muscle, which was found to insert into the intersphincteric space (between the internal and external anal sphincters). The other muscle bundle angled ventrally and caudally, filling the gap between the external anal sphincter and the bulbocavernosus muscle, forming the perineal body. At the level of the superficial transverse perineal muscle, this small muscle bundle headed laterally and intertwined with the longitudinal muscle in the region of the perineal body. At the level of the rectourethralis and deep transverse perineal muscle, the external urethral sphincter was found to occupy an almost completely circular space along the membranous part of the urethra. The dorsal part of the external urethral sphincter was found to be thin at the point of attachment of the rectourethralis muscle, the ventral part of the longitudinal muscle of the rectum. We identified a venous plexus from the NVB located close to the oral and ventral side of the deep transverse perineal muscle. Many vascular branches from the NVB were found to be penetrating the longitudinal muscle and the ventral part of rectourethralis muscle at the level of the apex of the prostate. The rectourethral muscle was wrapped ventrally around the membranous urethra and apex of the prostate. The boundary between the longitudinal muscle and prostate gradually became more distinct, being located at the anterior end of the transabdominal dissection plane. (3) Histological examination showed that the dorsal part of the external urethral sphincter (striated muscle) is thin adjacent to the striated muscle fibers from the deep transverse perineal muscle and the NVB dorsally and close by. The rectourethral muscle was found to fill the space created by the internal anal sphincter, deep transverse perineal muscle, and both levator ani muscles. Many tortuous vessels and tiny nerve fibers from the NVB were identified penetrating the muscle fibers of the deep transverse perineal and rectourethral muscles. The structure of the superficial transverse perineal muscle was typical of striated muscle. These findings were reconstructed three-dimensionally. Conclusions: In intersphincteric resection or abdominoperineal resection for very low rectal cancer, the anterior dissection plane behind Denonvilliers' fascia disappears at the level of the apex of the prostate. The prostate and both NVBs should be used as landmarks during transanal dissection of the non-surgical plane. The rectourethralis muscle should be divided near the rectum side unless tumor involvement is suspected. The superficial and deep transverse perineal muscles, as well as their supplied vessels and nerve fibers from the NVB. In addition, the cutting direction should be adjusted according to the anorectal angle to minimize urethral injury.

Age-related changes for the predictors of benign prostatic hyperplasia in Chinese men aged 40 years or older / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

A cross-sectional study was conducted to estimate the age-stratified normal levels and age-related changes in the risk predictors of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) progression. A total of 4706 male participants aged 40 years or older in Zhengzhou (China) were enrolled. The values of the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), prostate-specific antigen (PSA), prostate volume (PV), and postvoid residual urine volume (PVR) significantly increased with age. Nonlinear relationships between age and IPSS scores ≥8 (P for nonlinearity = 0.046), PSA level ≥1.6 ng ml-1, PV ≥31 ml, or PVR ≥39 ml (all P for nonlinearity <0.001) were observed. After the age of 61 years, the risk indicators related to BPH progression were positively correlated with age (odds ratio [OR] >1), regardless of the predictors of the IPSS score, PSA level, PV, or PVR; and the OR values increased gradually. Therefore, after the age of 61 years, the risk predictors related to BPH progression were positively correlated with age.

Analysis of a child with X-linked intellectual disability due to a maternal de novo splicing variant of the PAK3 gene / 中华医学遗传学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the genetic etiology for a child with profound intellectual disabilities and obvious behavioral abnormalities.@*METHODS@#A male child who had presented at the Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University on December 2, 2020 was selected as the study subject. Peripheral blood samples of the child and his parents were collected and subjected to whole exome sequencing (WES). Candidate variant was verified by Sanger sequencing. Short tandem repeat (STR) analysis was carried out to determine its parental origin. The splicing variant was also validated in vitro with a minigene assay.@*RESULTS@#WES results revealed that the child had harbored a novel splicing variant of c.176-2A>G in the PAK3 gene, which was inherited from his mother. The results of minigene assay have confirmed aberrant splicing of exon 2. According to the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, it was classified as a pathogenic variant (PVS1+PM2_Supporting+PP3).@*CONCLUSION@#The novel splicing variant c.176-2A>G of the PAK3 gene probably underlay the disorder in this child. Above finding has expanded the variation spectrum of the PAK3 gene and provided a basis for genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis for this family.

Effect of effective parts of Dracocephalum moldavica on the necroptosis of HBMECs after OGD/R injury / 药学学报

We investigated the ability of Dracocephalum moldavica (EPDM) flavonoids to protect human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) from necroptosis induced by ischemia-reperfusion injury. To mimic the process of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury, a necroptosis model was established by treatment with the pan-cysteine aspartic acid protease (caspase) inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK combined with oxygen-glucose deprivation/re-oxygenation (OGD/R) injury using HBMECs. Cell proliferation and cytotoxicity (cell counting kit-8, CCK-8) was used to measure cell viability. A Hoechst33342/PI fluorescent double-staining method was exploited to determine the rate of cell necroptosis. A commercial kit was used to detect lactate dehydrogenase in the cell culture supernate. DCFH-DA probes, calcein AM and JC-1 probes were used to measure changes in ROS production, mitochondrial membrane permeability transformation pore (MPTP) opening and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), respectively. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits were chosen to detect the release of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Western blotting was used to detect necroptosis-related proteins. The results show that relative to control group, Z-VAD-FMK combined with OGD/R injury reduced cell viability, increased the necroptosis rate and the levels of LDH and ROS in HBMECs. The MPTP of the model group cells opened and the MMP reduced. TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 levels were significantly elevated. Furthermore, the expression of receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIP3) and mitochondrial phosphoglycerate mutase 5 (PGAM5) was significantly increased, accompanied by an increase of phosphorylated mixed-lineage kinase domain-like protein (p-MLKL)/MLKL. EPDM partially reversed the changes of the above-mentioned factors in HBMECs induced by Z-VAD-FMK plus OGD/R injury. These results indicate that EPDM may protect HBMECs from cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury by inhibiting the RIP3/MLKL/PGAM5 pathway and MPTP opening to maintain mitochondrial function, thereby providing a scientific basis for the use of EPDM in the treatment of cerebral ischemia-related diseases.

Anatomical observation and clinical significance of the prostatic part of neurovascular bundle in total mesorectal excision / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Objective: To observe the anatomical architecture of the prostatic part of the neurovascular bundle (NVB) in total mesorectal excision (TME). Methods: A descriptive cohort study and an anatomical observation study were carried out. A total of 38 male patients with rectal cancer who underwent TME in the Department of Colorectal Surgery at the affiliated Union hospital of Fujian Medical University between November 2013 and March 2015 were included. A total of 4 hemipelvis were examined at the Laboratory of Clinical Applied Anatomy, Fujian Medical University. The following outcomes were observed: 1) the clinical significance of bleeding of the prostatic part of NVB: surgical videos were reviewed and the incidence of bleeding was recorded. The urogenital function was assessed using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) score. The correlation between prostatic part bleeding and postoperative urogenital function was evaluated. 2) anatomical observation: the vessels, nerve fibers, as well as their surrounding fatty tissue from the prostatic part were treated as a whole, namely, the fat pad of the prostatic part. The anatomical architecture of the prostatic part in the surgical videos was reviewed and interpreted with the cadaveric findings. Categorical variables were compared between groups using a Fisher exact probability. while continuous variables with skewed distribution were compared between groups using the Mann-Whiteny U test. Results: The median age of the included 38 patients was 57 years (range, 31-75), and the median tumor distance to the anal verge was 6 cm (range, 1-8). Of them, a total number of 21 (55.3%) patients had bleeding of the prostatic part of NVB (bleeding group), while the rest had not (17 cases, 44.7%, non-bleeding group). 1) the clinical significance of bleeding of the prostatic part of NVB. The urinary function significantly decreased in patients in the bleeding group according to IPSS score after the 3rd month and the 6rd month of the surgery [7 (0-16) vs. 2 (0-3), Z=-1.787, P=0.088; 2 (0-15) vs. 0 (0-2), Z=-2.270, P=0.028]. There was no difference regarding the IPSS score between the two groups after 1 year of the surgery (P>0.05). With a total of 23 patients with normal preoperative sexual activity included, 87.5% (7/8) of patients in the non-bleeding group can expect to return to their preoperative baseline, this incidence was significantly higher than that of only 40% (6/15) in the bleeding group (P=0.029). 2) anatomical observation: for cadaveric observation, the prostatic part of NVB was located in the narrow triangular space composed of anterolateral walls of the rectum, the posterolateral surface of the prostate and the medial surface of the levator ani musculature. The tiny vascular branches and nerve fibers from the prostatic part were hard to identify. The cavernosal nerves cannot reliably be distinguished from the neural supply to the prostate, rectum and levator ani. In the cross-section of levels of prostatic base and mid-prostate in cadaveric hemipelvis specimens, the boundary of the prostatic part fat pad was partly overlapped and merged with the boundary of the mesorectum. Intraoperative observation showed that the areas of overlap referred to the rectal branches from the prostatic part piercing the proper fascia to supply the mesorectum, which carried the largest tension and high risk of bleeding during circumferential dissection toward the perirectal plane. The ultrasonic scalpel was required to pre-coagulate the rectal branches at the point close to the proper fascia of the rectum to prevent bleeding. In the cross-section of the prostatic apex level, the prostatic part approached ventrally and its boundary was away from the boundary of the mesorectum. Conclusions: NVB prostatic part injury is one of the causes of urogenital dysfunction after TME. The nerve fibers from the prostatic part were tiny, and its functional zones cannot be distinguished during operation. Therein, the fat pad of the prostatic part should be protected as a whole. Understanding the morphology of the fat pad of the prostatic part provides invaluable surgical guidance to dissect this critical area. When dissecting around the anterolateral rectal wall, appropriate anti-traction tension should be maintained and the rectal branches from the prostatic part should be coagulated with an ultrasonic scalpel to prevent bleeding.

Establishment of Drug-Resistant Cell Lines of Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Correlation of Sirt1 and PGC-1α Expression Levels with Drug Resistance / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To construct cytarabine-resistant acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines, and explore the correlation between Sirt1, PGC-1α expression levels and drug resistance.@*METHODS@#Human acute promyelocytic leukemia Kasumi-1 cells were induced by the method of gradually increasing the concentration of Ara-C drug. The IC50 value of Kasumi-1 cells before and after drug addition was detected by CCK-8 method, so as to construct Ara-C resistant cell lines. The expression levels of Sirt1 and PGC-1α mRNA in Kasumi-1 drug-resistant cell lines and their parental cell lines were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, and the expression levels of Sirt1 and PGC-1α protein in kasumi-1 drug-resistant cell lines and their parental cell lines were detected by Western blot.@*RESULTS@#The constructed Kasumi-1 cell line had common morphological characteristics of drug-resistant cell lines under microscope, and the drug resistance index was greater than 5, indicating that Kasumi-1 drug-resistant cells had good drug resistance after the construction. The RT-qPCR and Western blot assays showed that the expression levels of Sirt1 and PGC-1α mRNA and protein in the drug-resistant cell lines were higher than those of the parental cell lines (P<0.001).@*CONCLUSION@#AML cell lines resistant to Ara-C can be successfully induced by the method of gradually increasing the concentration, and the co-high expression of Sirt1 and PGC-1α may mediate the drug resistance of AML cells.

Impact of the Varian real-time position management respiratory gating system on radiotherapy planning dosimetry / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

Objective:To study the impact of the Varian real-time position management (RPM) respiratory gating system on radiotherapy planning dosimetry.Methods:The radiotherapy plans of 40 cases with thoracic or abdominal tumors were retrospectively selected in this study. The motion phantom for quality control was adopted to generate respiratory gating signals, and the 30%-60% stable phase at the end of expiratory was selected as the respiratory gating window. The dose verification for the abovementioned radiotherapy plans was performed using the Portal Dosimetry (PD) system under RPM respiratory gating mode with the Edge accelerator. Afterwards, dose analysis was performed with different γ passing rate criteria and the distribution characteristics of γ values were analyzed. Finally, the verification results between the non-gating mode and the gating mode were compared.Results:Under the respiratory gating mode, the passing rates of all intensity-modulated radiation therapy/volumetric-modulated arc therapy (IMRT/VMAT) plans with or without flattening filters were over 95.5% by γ criteria of (3%, 3 mm) or (3%, 2 mm) and were over 90% by stricter γ criteria of (2%, 2 mm). All plans met the clinical requirements recommended by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM). The passing rates of dose verification under non-gating mode were slightly better than those under respiratory gating mode, and the differences between the two modes were statistically significant (3%/3 mm, Z =-1.45; 3%/2 mm, Z =-2.86; 2%/2 mm, Z =-3.70; 1%/1 mm, Z =-4.52; P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the minimum and maximum values of γ and the share of γ > 1.5 of plan verification result under the two modes. However, the average value and standard deviation of the γ were generally smaller under the non-gating mode. Conclusions:The impact of the introduction of RPM respiratory gating technology on dose is clinically acceptable, and the execution of these plans in this gating mode is safe and reliable.

Effect of extract of Quzhou Aurantii Fructus on hepatic inflammation and NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome pathway in CCl_4-induced liver fibrosis mice / 中国中药杂志

To study the effect and mechanism of extract of Quzhou Aurantii Fructus(QAF) on liver inflammation in CCl_4-induced liver fibrosis mice. Totally 60 C57 BL/6 male mice were randomly divided into control group(distilled water, oral), model group(distilled water, oral), colchicines group(Col, colchicines 2 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1), oral), low-dose QAF group(QAF-L, QAF 100 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1), oral) and high-dose QAF group(QAF-H, QAF 300 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1), oral) by random number table method. The model group and each administration group were injected with carbon tetrachloride(CCl_4) 1 mL·kg~(-1)(CCl_4-olive oil 1∶4), twice a week, totally 6 weeks. After the last administration, the mice were sacrificed, and serum and liver tissue were collected. Serum ALT and AST levels were measured in each group to observe the liver function of mice. The pathological changes and inflammatory cell infiltration in liver were observed by HE staining and F4/80 immunohistochemical staining. The mRNA expressions of TNF-α, IL-18 and IL-1β were detected by RT-PCR. The protein expressions of IκBα, p-IKKα/β, p-p65, NLRP3, caspase-1 and cleaved caspase-1 were analyzed by Western blot. The results showed that QAF significantly reduced serum ALT and AST levels, and alleviated the degree of liver damage.The results of immunohistochemistry showed that QAF significantly reduced liver inflammatory cell infiltration in liver fibrosis mice. The results of RT-PCR and Western blot showed that QAF significantly inhibited mRNA expressions of TNF-α, IL-18 and IL-1β in liver of fibrosis mice. QAF also suppressed the degradation of IκBα protein and reduced p-IKKα/β, p-p65, NLRP3 and cleaved caspase-1 protein expressions. In conclusion, QAF improves CCl_4-induced liver fibrosis in mice. The mechanism may be related to the inhibition of NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated inflammation signaling pathway.

Epidemiological characteristics and disease spectrum analysis of outpatients in the dermatology department of a hospital in Wuhan during the COVID-19 epidemic / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To investigate epidemiological characteristics of outpatients and disease spectrum in the dermatology department during the COVID-19 epidemicMethods:A retrospective comparison of outpatient visits, gender, age and disease types in the dermatology department of Wuhan No.1 Hospital was performed between COVID-19 epidemic period (from 23th January 2020 to 15th April 2020) and the same period in 2019. Enumeration data were analyzed by Pearson′s chi-square test.Results:During the COVID-19 epidemic, the number of outpatient visits to the dermatology department of the hospital decreased markedly, and the average daily number of outpatient visits (236 visits/day) was only 8.81% of that during the same period in 2019 (2 678 visits/day) ; the ratio of male to female patients was reversed from 1∶1.37 in 2019 to 1.16∶1 in 2020; the proportions of patients aged 0-6, 7-12, 13-17 and 18-45 years significantly decreased compared with those in 2019 (all P < 0.001) , and the proportions of patients aged 46-69 and > 69 years significantly increased (both P < 0.001) . During the COVID-19 epidemic, there were 171 types of skin diseases in the dermatology outpatient department, and the number of disease categories decreased compared with that during the same period in 2019 (442 types) ; the number of patient visits for allergic skin diseases, erythematous papulosquamous skin diseases, viral infectious skin diseases and bacterial infectious skin diseases significantly increased compared with that during the same period in 2019 (all P < 0.001) , while the number of patient visits for sebaceous and sweat gland disorders, pigmented skin diseases and physical skin diseases significantly decreased (all P < 0.001) . Conclusion:Compared with the same period in 2019, the number of outpatient visits, patient sex ratio, age distribution and disease types in the dermatology department have undergone marked changes during the COVID-19 epidemic, and this study provides a reference for healthcare workers in dermatology department to respond to various epidemics and natural disasters in the future.

Study on serum tumor markers in retinoblastoma / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

@#AIM: To investigate the secretion levels of serum tumor markers neuron specific enolase(NSE), glycoprotein antigen CA153 and CA199 in patients with retinoblastoma(RB).<p>METHODS: Data of 42 RB patients who received chemotherapy at Shenzhen People's Hospital between October 2017 and October 2019 were collected. The RB group was regrouped according to early and mid-term/advanced stages, and single/double eye involvement, the levels of serum tumor markers were compared between these subgroups and different genders.<p>RESULTS: The levels of tumor markers NSE, CA153 and CA199 in the advanced group were higher than those in the early and mid-term groups(49.69±18.45ng/mL <i>vs</i> 36.18±14.92ng/mL, 22.38±12.03U/mL <i>vs</i> 15.10±8.32U/mL, 46.44±18.76U/mL <i>vs </i>30.21±24.03U/mL, <i>P</i><0.05), but there was no statistically significant difference in expression between the groups of different genders and single and binocular involvement(<i>P</i>>0.05).<p>CONCLUSION: Serum NSE, CA153 and CA199 are significantly increased in advanced group than early and mid-term group, and they are of great significance in the diagnosis and treatment of RB. The difference between NSE in single and double eyes is worthy of further study.

Development and clinical application of universal screwdriver / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To develop a universal screwdriver for sealing the end of the central hole of the femoral interlocking intramedullary nail, so as to shorten the operation time of the tail cap implantation of the intramedullary nail and improve the accuracy of implantation.@*METHODS@#Total 77 patients with intertrochanteric fractures underwent femoral interlocking intramedullary nail (FIIN) surgery from June 2018 to June 2019. There were 28 males and 49 females, aged 55 to 80 (76.22± 7.32) years old, and course of disease was 20 to 40 h. All patients were divided into universal screwdriver group (39 cases) and ordinary screwdriver group (38 cases) according to whether the self-developed universal screw was applicable during the operation. The blood loss during tail cap implantation, the time of tail cap implantation, the success rate of one-time implantation, and the postoperative curative effect were compared between two groups.@*RESULTS@#All patients were followed up for 12 to 36 months, with an average of(20.00±6.38) months. The bleeding volume and the time of tail cap implantation in the universal screwdriver group were significantly lower thanthose in the ordinary screwdriver group (@*CONCLUSION@#The universal screwdriver is easy to operate during the operation when using the cap of the femoral intramedullary nail, the operation time is shortened, the amount of bleeding is reduced, and the treatment effect is satisfactory.

Metabolism characteristics and pharmacological insights of flavonoids based on the intestinal bacteria / 药学学报

The gut microbiota takes part in many in vivo important physiological activities of host, such as the substance metabolism and energy exchange, etc. The interaction between the host and the intestinal microorganisms has attracted scholars' attention. Flavonoids are a group of polyphenol compounds widely found in natural plants, with the bioactive effect of regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism, anti-inflammation. However, their low bioavailability cause difficulty to clarify the effective substances and the mechanism of flavonoids. Apart from the metabolic effects of liver on flavonoids, recent studies have shown that the gut microbiota can interact with flavonoids. On the one hand, flavonoids can be metabolized by gut microbiota and subsequent metabolites can produce pharmacological activities different from the parent components. On the other hand, flavonoids and their metabolites can in turn regulate the composition and physiological activities of the intestinal flora, which seems to provide a new insight for the research on the effective substances of flavonoids. In this review, we introduced the metabolic characteristics of flavonoids under the actions of intestinal bacteria, and the regulation effects of flavonoids on gut microbiota was also summarized. Meanwhile, the therapeutic effect of flavonoids under the action of intestinal bacteria was discussed.

The mechanism of tilianin against ischemia-reperfusion injury of H9c2 cells / 药学学报

Z-VAD-FMK was combined with hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R) injury to establish a necroptosis model of H9c2 cells to mimic the pathological changes of myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury (MIRI) in vitro and to study the effect and mechanism of tilianin against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. A cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) was used to detect cell viability, and commercial kits were used to detect lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the cell culture supernatant. Hoechst 33342/PI immunofluorescence staining was used to detect cell death. DCFH-DA, BBcellProbeTMM61, and JC-1 probes were used to detect reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP), and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), respectively. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method was used to detect the release of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). The results show that the cell viability, SOD activity, and MMP of the model group induced by H/R injury decreased, as compared with control group, but the necroptosis rate, LDH level, and ROS release increased significantly. Furthermore, mPTP of the model group cells opened, and TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 levels were significantly higher. Molecular docking modeling showed that tilianin can bind to calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), and Western blot results showed that compared with control group, the expression levels of p-CaMKII and phospho-mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein increased in the model group, and tilianin could decrease the expression level of these proteins. The above results indicate that tilianin can protect H9c2 cells by inhibiting the phosphorylation of CaMKⅡ at threonine 287, protecting mitochondrial function, and inhibiting the opening of mPTP to prevent necroptosis. This study has value for research on new methods to treat H/R injury.

Meta-analysis of clinical efficacy of intraocular lens incarceration in the treatment of pediatric cataract / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

@#AIM:To systematically compare and evaluate the clinical efficacy of intraocular lens(IOL)incarceration and non-incarceration in pediatric cataract.<p>METHODS: Literatures were searched from domestic and foreign databases such as PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Wanfang, and CNKI, and the paper editions of relevant journals were consulted as well. The retrieval period of literature was from January 2000 to January 2021. The screened literatures were evaluated and extracted by two experienced researchers. After performing the evaluation guidelines of Cochrane collaboration and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale(NOS), the Rev Man 5.4 software was applicated to complete the Meta-analysis.<p>RESULTS:Seven references(328 eyes)were involved in this analysis. The results of the Meta-analysis showed that the two groups had statistically significant differences in best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)>0.5 eyes(<i>RR</i>=2.00, 95%<i>CI</i>: 1.18-3.37, <i>P</i>=0.01), IOL shift(<i>RR</i>=0.28, 95%<i>CI</i>: 0.17-0.46, <i>P</i><0.00001)and mild or above opacification of the visual axis(<i>RR</i>=0.35, 95%<i>CI</i>: 0.19-0.65, <i>P</i>=0.0007)after surgery. However, there was no significant difference in the occurrence of posterior synechia(<i>RR</i>=0.67, 95%<i>CI</i>: 0.10-4.33, <i>P</i>=0.67)and very mild opacification of the visual axis(<i>RR</i>=1.05, 95%<i>CI</i>: 0.64-1.73, <i>P</i>=0.84).<p>CONCLUSION:IOL incarceration in the treatment of pediatric cataract can significantly improve postoperative BCVA, reduce occurrence of IOL shift and prevent mild or above opacification of the visual axis, which has more advantages in overall clinical efficacy. But more high quality prospective studies should be still required for further analysis.

Effects of intranasal administration of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor on postoperative cognitive dysfunction in aged rats / 中华麻醉学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the effects of intranasal administration of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) on postoperative cognitive dysfunction in aged rats.Methods:Forty healthy Sprague-Dawley rats of both sexes, aged 21-23 months, weighing 480-600 g, were divided into 4 groups ( n=10 each) using a random number table method: sham operation group (group S), operation group (group O), intranasal administration of low-dose GDNF group (group G1) and intranasal administration of high-dose GDNF group (group G2). Rats underwent exploratory laparotomy under anesthesia with chloral hydrate in O, G1 and G2 groups, while the rats in group S only received sham operation.The rats in group G1 and group G2 were intranasally treated with GDNF 25 and 50 μg (in 25 μl of PBS), respectively, and PBS 25 μl was nasally administered in group S and group O every day for 3 consecutive days after operation or sham operation.Morris water maze test was performed on days 3-7 after surgery, and then the rats were sacrificed, and hippocampal tissues were removed for determination of the expression of GDNF, high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), activated caspase-3 and Bax (by Western blot). Results:Compared with group S, the escape latency was significantly prolonged on days 5-7 after operation, the number of crossing the platform was reduced, time spent in the target quadrant was shortened, expression of GDNF was down-regulated, and expression of IL-1β, TNF-α, HMGB1, activated caspase-3 and Bax in hippocampi was up-regulated in group O, and the number of crossing the platform was reduced, time spent in the target quadrant was shortened, and expression of IL-1β and TNF-α was up-regulated in G1 and G2 groups ( P<0.05). Compared with group O, the escape latency was significantly shortened on days 5-7 after operation, the number of crossing the platform was increased, time spent in the target quadrant was prolonged, expression of GDNF was up-regulated, expression of TNF-α, HMGB1, activated caspase-3 and Bax in hippocampi was down-regulated in G1 and G2 groups, and IL-1β in hippocampi was down-regulated in group G1 ( P<0.05). Compared with group G1, the expression of TNF-α in hippocampi was down-regulated ( P<0.05), and no significant change was found in the other parameters mentioned above in group G2 ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Intranasal administration of GDNF can improve postoperative cognitive dysfunction, and the mechanism may be related to inhibiting neuroinflammatory responses and neuroapoptosis in aged rats.

Advances in molecular genetics of electrical status epilepticus during sleep in children / 国际儿科学杂志

Electrical status epilepticus during sleep(ESES)is a special electroencephalography in children.It is involved in a variety of epileptic syndromes and can lead to different degrees of degradation of movement, cognition, behavior, language.At present, the cause of ESES is still unknown.According to literature reports, 8 pathogenic genes have been found to be related to ESES, namely GRIN2A, CNKSR2, SCN2A, KCNA2, KCNQ2, KCNB1, SLC6A1 and WAC genes.In this review, progress of ESES molecular genetics are discussed.