Regulation mechanism of macrophage transition in renal fibrosis / 器官移植

Renal fibrosis is a common pathological change from development to end-stage renal diseases in all progressive chronic kidney diseases. Renal fibrosis after kidney transplantation will severely affect the renal graft function. Macrophages are characterized with high heterogeneity and plasticity. During the process of kidney injury, macrophages are recruited, activated and polarized by local microenvironment, and participate in the process of renal tissue injury, repair and fibrosis through multiple mechanisms. Recent studies have shown that macrophages may transit into myofibroblasts and directly participate in the formation of renal fibrosis. This process is known as macrophage-myofibroblast transition. Nevertheless, the regulatory mechanism remains elusive. In this article, the role of macrophages in renal fibrosis, the characteristics of macrophage-myofibroblast transition and the possible regulatory mechanism were reviewed, aiming to provide reference for relevant research of renal fibrosis.

Celastrol targeting Nedd4 reduces Nrf2-mediated oxidative stress in astrocytes after ischemic stroke / 药物分析学报

Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide,and oxidative stress plays a crucial role.Celastrol exhibits strong antioxidant properties in several diseases;however,whether it can affect oxidation in cerebral ischemic-reperfusion injury(CIRI)remains unclear.This study aimed to determine whether celastrol could reduce oxidative damage during CIRI and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.Here,we found that celastrol attenuated oxidative injury in CIRI by upregulating nuclear factor E2-related factor 2(Nrf2).Using alkynyl-tagged celastrol and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry,we showed that celastrol directly bound to neuronally expressed developmentally downregulated 4(Nedd4)and then released Nrf2 from Nedd4 in astrocytes.Nedd4 promoted the degradation of Nrf2 through K48-linked ubiquitination and thus contributed to astrocytic reactive oxygen species production in CIRI,which was significantly blocked by celastrol.Furthermore,by inhibiting oxidative stress and astrocyte activation,celastrol effectively rescued neurons from axon damage and apoptosis.Our study uncovered Nedd4 as a direct target of celastrol,and that celastrol exerts an antioxidative effect on as-trocytes by inhibiting the interaction between Nedd4 and Nrf2 and reducing Nrf2 degradation in CIRI.

Cardiovascular health status of Chinese adults based on "Life's Essential 8" score / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective: To assess the cardiovascular health status of adults in China by using the "Life's Essential 8" score, and provide reference for the development and improvement of cardiovascular disease prevention and control policies and measures. Methods: Chronic Disease and Nutrition Surveillance was conducted in 298 counties/districts in 2015 in 31 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) across China, multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling was used to select 45 households in each village or neighborhood, and 20 households were further selected to conduct dietary surveys. In this study, a total of 70 093 adults aged ≥20 years who completed the dietary survey and had complete information were included, their cardiovascular health status were assessed by using the "Life's Essential 8" score, a cardiovascular health scoring standard released by the American Heart Association in 2022. All results were adjusted using complex design-based sampling weights to achieve a better estimate of the population. Results: In 2015, the overall cardiovascular health score of Chinese adults aged ≥20 years was 73.3±12.6, the score was significantly higher in women (77.9±11.6) than in men (68.7±11.8), and higher in urban area (74.5±12.8) than in rural area (71.9±12.2), the differences were significant (P<0.001). It was estimated that about 0.25% (95%CI: 0.16%-0.33%) of adults in China had cardiovascular health score of 100, and 33.0% (95%CI: 31.6%-34.3%), 63.2% (95%CI: 62.1%-64.3%), and 3.9% (95%CI: 3.5%-4.2%) of adults had high, moderate and low cardiovascular health scores, respectively. The proportion of those with high cardiovascular health scores was relatively low in men, those with low education level, those with low income, those living in rural areas, and those living in southwest China (P<0.001). Of the eight factors, diet had the lowest mean score (46.0, 95%CI: 44.7-47.3), followed by blood pressure (59.4, 95%CI: 58.2-60.6) and tobacco exposure (61.4, 95%CI: 60.6-62.2). Conclusions: The cardiovascular health status of two-thirds of adult population in China needs to be improved. Diet, tobacco exposure, and blood pressure are the factors affecting the cardiovascular health of Chinese population, to which close attention needs to be paid, and men, rural residents, and those with lower socioeconomic status are key groups in cardiovascular health promotion.

Integrated management during the perinatal period for total anomalous pulmonary venous connection / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of integrated management during the perinatal period for fetuses diagnosed with total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) by prenatal echocardiography.@*METHODS@#Clinical data of 64 cases of TAPVC fetuses diagnosed by prenatal echocardiography and managed with integrated perinatal care in Qingdao Women and Children's Hospital from January 2017 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Integrated perinatal care included multidisciplinary collaboration among obstetrics, fetal medicine, ultrasound, pediatric cardiology, pediatric anesthesia, and neonatology.@*RESULTS@#Among the 64 TAPVC fetuses, there were 29 cases of supracardiac type, 27 cases of intracardiac type, 2 cases of infracardiac type, and 6 cases of mixed type. Chromosomal analysis was performed in 42 cases, and no obvious abnormalities were found. Among the 64 TAPVC fetuses, 37 were induced labor, and 27 were followed up until term birth. Among the 27 TAPVC cases, 2 cases accepted palliative care, 2 cases were referred to another hospital for treatment and lost to follow-up, while the remaining 23 cases underwent primary repair surgery. One case died within 6 months after the operation due to low cardiac output syndrome, while the other 22 cases were followed up for (2.1±0.3) years with good outcomes (2 cases underwent a second surgery within 1 year after the first operation due to anastomotic stenosis or pulmonary vein stenosis).@*CONCLUSIONS@#TAPVC fetuses can achieve good outcomes with integrated management during the perinatal period.

Advances on pentraxin 3 in osteoporosis and fracture healing / 中国骨伤

Pentaxin 3 (PTX3), as a multifunctional glycoprotein, plays an important role in regulating inflammatory response, promoting tissue repair, inducing ectopic calcification and maintaining bone homeostasis. The effect of PTX3 on bone mineral density (BMD) may be affected by many factors. In PTX3 knockout mice and osteoporosis (OP) patients, the deletion of PTX3 will lead to decrease of BMD. In Korean community "Dong-gu study", it was found that plasma PTX3 was negatively correlated with BMD of femoral neck in male elderly patients. In terms of bone related cells, PTX3 plays an important role in maintaining the phenotype and function of osteoblasts (OB) in OP state;for osteoclast (OC), PTX3 in inflammatory state could stimulate nuclear factor κ receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) production and its combination with TNF-stimulated gene 6(TSG-6) could improve activity of osteoclasts and promote bone resorption;for mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), PTX3 could promote osteogenic differentiation of MSCs through PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. In recent years, the role of PTX3 as a new bone metabolism regulator in OP and fracture healing has been gradually concerned by scholars. In OP patients, PTX3 regulates bone mass mainly by promoting bone regeneration. In the process of fracture healing, PTX3 promotes fracture healing by coordinating bone regeneration and bone resorption to maintain bone homeostasis. In view of the above biological characteristics, PTX3 is expected to become a new target for the diagnosis and treatment of OP and other age-related bone diseases and fracture healing.

Clinical characteristics of tracheotomy patients with difficulty in decannulation in a neurological intensive care unit / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

Objective:To study the clinical characteristics of patients with difficulty in decannulation after a tracheotomy in a neurological intensive care unit.Methods:A total of 122 patients undergoing tracheotomy were divided into a decannulation success group ( n=73) and a difficult decannulation group ( n=49). The Full Outline of Unresponsiveness (FOUR) and the revised version of the Coma Recovery Scale (CRS-R) were used to assess the consciousness of those in both groups. Their swallowing ability, airway anatomy, secretion retention and aspiration were documented using the Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS), fiberoptic endoscopic examination, Marianjoy′s 5-point secretion severity scale and the penetration-aspiration scale (PAS). Univariate analysis and multiva-riate logistic regression analysis were conducted to isolate risk factors. Results:The univariate analysis showed that age, status of consciousness, swallowing ability, secretion retention, aspiration and opening of the glottis may be indicators of difficult decannulation after a tracheotomy among those with severe neurological diseases. The logistic regression analysis found that too much retention of pharyngeal secretions and insufficient opening of the glottis should also be treated as risk factors for difficult decannulation with such patients.Conclusions:Too much retention of pharyngeal secretions and poor opening of the glottis are independent risk factors for difficult decannulation after a tracheotomy. Endoscopic examination can play an important role in the prediction and treatment of difficult decannulation.

The effect of sports in colleges and universities on relieving hypertension / Efeito de esportes na redução da hipertensão em escolas secundárias e universidades / Efectos de los deportes en la reducción de la hipertensión en escuelas secundarias y universidades

ABSTRACT Introduction: Studies have shown that different forms of aerobic exercise can lower blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension. Appropriate resistance exercises can also effectively lower blood pressure. Objective: To study the impact of sports on hypertension in colleges and universities. Methods: Several hypertension patients in colleges and universities were selected and randomly divided into two groups. One group (drug-only group) used conventional antihypertensive drugs (nifedipine), while the other (physical exercise group) supplemented drug therapy with physical exercise. There was a comparative analysis of the blood pressure of the two groups of patients. Results: The was a clear effect of sports on the hypertensive patients, with significant differences in the blood pressure reduction of the two groups. Conclusion: Sports can help treat high blood pressure. This method is viable for clinical application. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment results.

RESUMO Introdução: Estudos mostram que diferentes tipos de exercício aeróbico podem diminuir a pressão sanguínea de pacientes com hipertensão essencial; o mesmo é verdade para exercícios de resistência adequados. Objetivo: Estudar o impacto dos esportes na hipertensão em escolas secundárias e universidades. Métodos: Selecionou-se diversos pacientes com hipertensão em escolas secundárias e universidades, que foram aleatoriamente divididos em dois grupos. Um grupo (grupo terapia medicamentosa exclusiva) usou medicamentos anti-hipertensivos convencionais (nifedipino), enquanto o outro (grupo atividade física) utilizou atividades físicas como complemento à medicação. Realizou-se uma análise comparativa da pressão dos dois grupos de pacientes. Resultados: O esporte teve efeito evidente sobre os pacientes hipertensos, gerando diferenças significativas na pressão sanguínea entre os dois grupos. Conclusão: O esporte pode ajudar a tratar a hipertensão. O método utilizado é viável para aplicação clínica. Nível de evidência II; Estudos terapêuticos - investigação de resultados de tratamento.

RESUMEN Introducción: Estudios muestran que diferentes tipos de ejercicio aeróbico pueden disminuir la presión sanguínea de pacientes con hipertensión esencial; lo mismo es verdad para ejercicios de resistencia adecuados. Objetivo: Estudiar el impacto de los deportes en la hipertensión en escuelas secundarias y universidades. Métodos: Se seleccionaron diversos pacientes con hipertensión en escuelas secundarias y universidades, que fueron aleatoriamente dividididos en dos grupos. Un grupo (grupo de terapia medicamentosa exclusiva) usó medicamentos anti-hipertensivos convencionales (nifedipino), mientras que el otro (grupo actividad física) utilizó actividades físicas como complemento a la medicación. Se realizó un análisis comparativo de la presión de los dos grupos de pacientes. Resultados: El deporte tuvo efecto evidente sobre los pacientes hipertensos, generando diferencias significativas en la presión sanguínea entre los dos grupos. Conclusión: El deporte puede ayudar a tratar la hipertensión. El método utilizado es viable para aplicación clínica. Nivel de evidencia II; Estudiantes terapéuticos - investigación de resultados de tratamiento.

A case of AQP4-IgG-negative neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders with initial clinical manifestation of painful trigeminal neuropathy and literature review / 中国医师杂志

Objective:To explore the clinical manifestations and imaging of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) with negative aquaporin-4 immunoglobulin G antibody (AQP4-IgG) with initial clinical manifestation of painful trigeminal neuropathy.Methods:The symptoms, signs, imaging examinations, diagnosis and treatment of a case of AQP4-IgG-negative NMOSD in neurology department of Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University were reported and the relevant literatures were reviewed.Results:In the first episode, the patient started with right-sided facial pain with segmental paresthesia in the left limb. And In the second episode, the patient started with intractable hiccups and vomiting with weakness and paresthesia in the left limb. Magnetic resonance imaging of the skull and spinal cord revealed that the lesion involved the medulla oblongata and cervical medulla. AQP4 antibody, myelin oligodendrocytes glycoprotein (MOG) antibody, myelin basic protein (MBP) antibody and oligoclonal bands(OCB) of serum and cerebrospinal fluid were negative. The clinical diagnosis was AQP4-IgG-negative NMOSD. After treatments with hormonal anti-inflammatory and analgesic therapy, the patient′s facial pain, sensory abnormalities, hiccups, vomiting and limb weakness improved significantly.Conclusions:Painful trigeminal neuropathy may be the initial clinical manifestation of AQP4-IgG-negative NMOSD. NMOSD of presenting solely with painful trigeminal neuropathy is easy to be misdiagnosed and missed. Magnetic resonance examination is helpful for the early diagnosis of NMOSD.

The pulmonary pharmacokinetics and anti-inflammatory effect of anemoside B4 after intratracheal and intravenous administration / 药学学报

Anemoside B4 (B4), a main triterpenoid saponin from a traditional Chinese medicine plant, Pulsatilla chinensis, is a novel anti-inflammatory agent for protection from acute lung injury. We investigated the pulmonary availability and anti-inflammatory efficacy of B4 after intratracheal and intravenous dosing with a view to evaluating the suitability of inhalation delivery. All animal studies were performed under the guidelines approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee of Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (Approval No: SLXD-20181113046). In vitro evaluation of the aerodynamic characteristics and droplet size distribution showed that the aerosols generated by a commercially available nebulizer were well deposited in the respiratory tract. Following intratracheal administration, B4 underwent pulmonary absorption into the bloodstream, rendering an absolute bioavailability of 103%. Compared to intravenous delivery, intratracheal administration dramatically increased the drug availability in lung tissue of rats by more than 1 000-fold, leading to improved and prolonged concentrations of B4 in lung tissue up to 48 h. In addition, the intratracheal administration of B4 resulted in dose-dependent and prolonged anti-inflammatory efficacy in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced lung injury model in mice. The present results demonstrate that inhalation delivery of B4 is a promising approach to treat pulmonary inflammation with once-daily dosing.

Effective Components of Periploca forrestii Against Rheumatoid Arthritis by Targeting TNF-α / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo analyze the effective components of Periploca forrestii against rheumatoid arthritis（RA）by targeting tumor necrosis factor （TNF）-α based on network pharmacology and experimental verification. MethodThe preliminary research of the research group found that the alcohol extracts of P. forrestii （CDLF and CQAF） had significant anti-RA activities，and 10 monomers with such activities were identified. The anti-RA activities of active monomers，CDLF， and CQAF were compared by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）with interleukin（IL）-6，nitric oxide （NO），IL-1β， and prostaglandin E2（PGE2）as indicators. Network pharmacology was employed to analyze the possible molecular mechanism of P. forrestii against RA. The targeting ability of P. forrestii chemical monomers to TNF-α was verified by TNF-α molecular docking，surface plasmon resonance （SPR）， and TNF-α-induced L929 injury model. ResultELISA showed that the anti-RA activities of CDLF and CQAF were significantly stronger than those of identified 10 active monomers. Network pharmacology analysis showed that the core targets of P. forrestii against RA were signal transducer and activator of transcription protein 3 （STAT3），TNF， and IL-6. Gene Ontology（GO） analysis revealed collagen catabolism，inflammatory response，positive regulation of nuclear factor kappa-B（NF-κB） transcription factor activity，and positive regulation of B cell proliferation. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （EKGG） pathway enrichment analysis demonstrated TNF signaling pathway，phosphoinositide 3-kinase（PI3K）/protein kinase B（Akt） signaling pathway，NF-κB signaling pathway，Toll-like receptor signaling pathway，mitogen-activated protein kinase（MAPK） signaling pathway， etc. Verification experiments by TNF-α molecular docking，SPR， and TNF-α-induced L929 injury model found that CDLF and CQAF had good binding activities and could manifestly antagonize TNF-α. However， the active components separated and identified from CDLF and CQAF did not show the same anti-TNF-α activity. ConclusionThe CDLF and CQAF of P. forrestii may treat RA by targeting TNF-α. The experiments found that the isolated chemical components had weaker binding activity to TNF-α than CDLF and CQAF. Meanwhile，the research group isolated chemical components with a minimum mass fraction of 0.25 ng·g-1 from P. forrestii， which suggested that the active components generated by binding to TNF-α with anti-RA activities were presumedly trace components .

Discussion on Treatment of Recurrent Genital Herpes with Zhulingtang： Based on Thought of "Lower Energizer Resembling Drainage" / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Recurrent genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease induced by herpes simplex virus（HSV）， mainly manifested as erythema， papules， vesicles， erosion， and exudation on the skin and mucosal membranes of the genital and anal area， accompanied by burning pain， or tingling. Factors leading to its recurrence are overworking， fever， alcohol consumption， infection， sexual activity， etc. At least 1 in 10 of the 15-49-year-old population are infected with herpes simplex virus-2. There is currently no available method to completely remove the herpes simplex virus and prevent its recurrence， and recurrence seriously affects the quality of life and psychological health of patients. According to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， the recurrence of genital herpes is mostly related to wind， dampness， heat， yin deficiency of liver and kidney， internal injuries due to emotional disorder， and dietary preference. TCM has advantages in reducing its recurrence rate. The lower energizer is closely related to skin diseases， and "lower energizer resembles drainage". Thus， the lower energizer is closely related to water and damp metabolism. Recurrent genital herpes occurs in the lower energizer and belongs to lower energizer diseases， and the fluid metabolism and qi movement in lower energizer are closely related to the occurrence of the disease. Based on thought of "lower energizer resembling drainage" and the clinical characteristics of recurrent genital herpes， this paper considered malfunction of lower energizer as its pathogenesis. Thus， smoothing the lower energizer according to the prevailing circumstances is particularly important and the treatment principle should be dispersing the pathogen from lower energizer without damaging yin. Zhulingtang （Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases） cures the difficulty in urination and thirst with desire to drink by smoothing the lower energizer. Thus， Zhulingtang was selected to treat recurrent genital herpes. This study is expected to provide a new idea for its clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Effect of Wei's triple nine needling on eye regulation in patients with presbyopia complicated with visual fatigue of liver depression and spleen deficiency / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the clinical efficacy between Wei's triple nine needling combined with esculin and digitalis glycosides eye drops and esculin and digitalis glycosides eye drops alone for presbyopia complicated with visual fatigue of liver depression and spleen deficiency.@*METHODS@#Forty-six cases (92 eyes) with presbyopia complicated with visual fatigue of liver depression and spleen deficiency were randomly divided into an observation group (23 cases) and a control group (23 cases, 2 cases dropped off). The cases in the observation group were treated with Wei's triple nine needling and esculin and digitalis glycosides eye drops. The acupoints included Shangming (Extra), Chengqi (ST 1), Cuanzhu (BL 2) to Jingming (BL 1), Sizhukong (TE 23) to Taiyang (EX-HN 5), etc; the needling was given once every other day, three times a week, and the eye drops were given one drop each time, three times a day. The cases in the control group were only treated with the eye drops. Both groups were treated for 7 days as one course of treatment, and 2 courses of treatment were given. The visual fatigue core symptoms score, adjustment amplitude, adjustment lag and best average corrected visual acuity were observed in the two groups before treatment, 1 week and 2 weeks into treatment, respectively.@*RESULTS@#Compared before treatment, the visual fatigue core symptoms scores in the two groups were decreased after 1-week and 2-week treatment (P<0.05); in the observation group, the adjustment amplitude was increased after 2-week treatment (P<0.05), while in the control group, the adjustment amplitude was increased after 1-week and 2-week treatment (P<0.05); in the observation group, the adjustment lag was decreased after 1-week and 2-week treatment (P<0.05). After 2-week treatment, the visual fatigue core symptoms score in the observation group was lower than that in the control group, and the adjustment amplitude was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in adjustment lag and best average corrected visual acuity between the two groups after 1-week and 2-week treatment (P>0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Wei's triple nine needling combined with esculin and digitalis glycosides eye drops could improve the visual fatigue and eye regulation ability in patients with presbyopia complicated with visual fatigue of liver depression and spleen deficiency, and the effect is better than esculin and digitalis glycosides eye drops alone.

Pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence study of efavirenz tablets in healthy Chinese subjects under fasting administration / 药学学报

A randomized, open, fasting, single dose, two sequence, two cycle and double cross administration trial design was adopted. Took the test or reference efavirenz tablets of 200 mg orally in a single time. The plasma concentration of efavirenz in healthy subjects was determined by LC-MS/MS. WinNonLin8.1 software was used to calculate the main pharmacokinetic parameters of efavirenz and to evaluate the bioequivalence. The main pharmacokinetic parameters within 72 h: tmax were 2.574 ± 0.871 and 2.808 ± 0.912 h; Cmax were 1 586.732 ± 424.538 and 1 549.518 ± 366.086 ng·mL-1; AUC0-72 h were 28 464.672 ± 5 682.518 and 27 828.826 ± 5 082.487 h·ng·mL-1; t1/2 were 63.524 ± 26.037 and 58.748 ± 20.950 h; λz were 0.013 ± 0.006 and 0.013 ± 0.005 h-1. The main bioequivalence indicators were as follows: The 90% confidence interval of Cmax was 95.62%-107.15%, and the geometric mean ratio was 101.22%; The 90% confidence interval of AUC0-72 h was 100.43%-104.38%, and the geometric mean ratio was 102.38%. The results showed that the main pharmacokinetic parameters of the test drug and the reference drug were similar, and the two preparations had bioequivalence. This human bioequivalence clinical study was approved by the drug clinical trials ethics committee of the Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University (ethics approval No.: YW2021-110).

Research progress of extracellular vesicles in the treatment of renal disease / 生理学报

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid bilayer-enclosed structures containing diverse bioactive cargoes that play a major role in intercellular communication in both physiological and pathological conditions. Currently, the field of EV-based therapy has been rapidly growing, and two main therapeutic uses of EVs can be surmised: (i) exploiting stem cell-derived EVs as therapeutic agents; and (ii) employing EVs as natural therapeutic vectors for drug delivery. This review will discuss the recent advances in EV-based therapy in the treatment of renal disease.

Effect of moxibustion at "oppositely-located points" on neurogenic bladder after spinal cord injury and endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway in rats / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of moxibustion at oppositely-located points "Mingmen" (GV 4) and "Shenque" (CV 8) on the motor function of the hind limbs and bladder function in rats with neurogenic bladder after suprasacral spinal cord injury (SCI), so as to explore the effect of this therapy on bladder tissue apoptosis mediated by endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway.@*METHODS@#Twenty-eight female Wistar rats were randomly divided into a sham-operation group (8 rats) and a model establishment group (20 rats). Using the modified Allen's method, the spinal cord of T10 segment was injured to establish a neurogenic bladder model in the model establishment group. Sixteen rats were modeled successfully and then divided into a model group (8 rats) and a moxibustion group (8 rats). In the moxibustion group, 2 h after consciousness regaining from modeling anesthesia, moxibustion was exerted at "Shenque" (CV 8) and "Mingmen" (GV 4), 2 cones at each acupoint in one intervention. The intervention was administered once every two days and 5-time intervention was required totally. After intervention, Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan locomotor rating scale (BBB) score for the motor function of the hind limbs, and the urodynamics indexes (maximum bladder capacity, urine leakage pressure and bladder compliance) were compared among groups. HE staining method was adopted to observe the morphological changes of bladder tissue. With Western blot method and real-time PCR assay, the protein and mRNA expressions of the endoplasmic reticulum stress-related genes (glucose- regulated protein 78 [GRP78], activating transcription factor 4 [ATF4] and cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-12 [Caspase-12]) were determined.@*RESULTS@#The transitional epithelial cells were arranged irregularly, the bladder wall was getting thinner, and the cellular vacuolar degeneration and neutrophil infiltration were found in the model group. Whereas, compared with the model group, in the moxibustion group, the arrangement of transitional epithelial cells was clear and continuous in layers, the cellular vacuolar degeneration was mild and the infiltration presented in a small amount of neutrophil granulocytes. Compared with the sham-operation group, in the model group, the BBB score was reduced (P<0.01), the maximum bladder capacity and bladder compliance were increased (P<0.01), and the protein expression levels of GRP78, ATF4 and Caspase-12, as well as mRNA expressions were all increased (P<0.01). In comparison with the model group, in the moxibustion group, BBB score was increased (P<0.01), the maximum bladder capacity and bladder compliance were decreased (P<0.01), and the protein and mRNA expression levels of GRP78, ATF4 and Caspase-12 were all decreased (P<0.01).@*CONCLUSION@#Moxibustion at the "oppositely-located points" improves the urination function, alleviate urine retention in neurogenic bladder rats after spinal cord injury. The underlying mechanism may be related to the down-regulation of the expressions of GRP78, ATF4 and Caspase-12 in the endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway of the bladder tissues, and thus to alleviate the apoptosis of bladder tissue.

Identification of Prognostic Related Hub Genes in Clear-Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

Objective To identify new genes that correlate with prognosis of clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC)

Effect of sanguinarine combined with cisplatin on the apoptosis of bladder cancer EJ cells / 中国药科大学学报

@#To investigate the effects of sanguinarine (Sang) combined with cisplatin (Cis) in accelerating the apoptosis of bladder cancer EJ cells, CCK-8 method was used to detect the proliferation of bladder cancer EJ cells treated with different concentrations of Sang with the IC50 values calculated. Annexin V FITC/PI method was used to detect cell apoptosis in the control group, Sang group, Cis group and the combination group. Flow cytometer was used to detect cell cycle arrested. Western blot was used to detect the influence of Bcl-2 expression in the control group, Sang group, Cis group and the combination group. Nude mouse subcutaneous tumor model was constructed to verify that the combination group could accelerate the apoptosis of bladder cancer EJ cells and reduce the side-effects on mice. The safety of the Sang was evaluated by HE staining of vital organs in mice. In vitro, Sang could significantly inhibit the proliferation of EJ cells. Compared with the control group, the number of apoptosis EJ cells in the combination group was significantly increased (P < 0.05), and more cells were arrested in G2/M phase. The expression of Bcl-2 was significantly down-regulated in the combination group (P <0.001). In vivo, compared with the control group, the tumor growth was significantly slower, and a large number of apoptotic cells were inspected (P < 0.05) of the combination group. The side effects of cisplatin were reduced in the combination group. Sang has high biosafety and little side effect. Combined Sang and Cis can increase cell cycle G2/M block, down-regulate Bcl-2 expression, promote cell apoptosis and inhibit tumor growth.

Preliminary research of / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the impacts on weight reduction effect treated with acupoint thread embedding therapy at different tissue levels under ultrasonic guidance.@*METHODS@#A total of 70 patients with overweight or obesity were randomized into a shallow-tissue thread embedding group (35 cases, 5 cases dropped off) and a deep-tissue thread embedding group (35 cases, 4 cases dropped off). Under ultrasonic guidance, the thread was embedded in the shallow tissue level and the deep tissue level respectively. The acupoints were Zhongwan (CV 12), Xiawan (CV 10), Shuifen (CV 9), Zhongji (CV 3), etc. The thread embedding therapy was exerted once every 2 weeks, totally for 3 times. Before and 2 weeks after treatment, body mass, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and hip circumference were recorded in the patients of the two groups separately. After each treatment, the number and the property of blood vessels under each acupoint were detected by ultrasound. Besides, the needling sensation and the intensity were scored and the adverse events were observed after thread embedding therapy.@*RESULTS@#After treatment, the reduction range of body mass, BMI and waist circumference in the deep-tissue thread embedding group were larger than those in the shallow-tissue thread embedding group successively (@*CONCLUSION@#The deep-tissue thread embedding therapy achieves the stronger

Effect of Different Extracts of Thlaspi Herba on Gut Microbiota of Hyperuricemia Mice / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To explore the effect of different extracts of Thlaspi Herba on the gut microbiota of hyperuricemia mice， and to reveal the substance basis and mechanism of its hypouricemic activity. Method:Eighty-eight male Kunming mice were divided into 11 groups， including blank group， model group， allopurinol group， high and low dose groups of petroleum ether extract， high and low dose groups of ethyl acetate extract， high and low dose groups of <italic>n</italic>-butanol extract， high and low dose groups of total flavonoids extract. Mice in the blank group were given 0.5% sodium carboxymethylcellulose by gavage， and the other groups were given oteracil potassium （500 mg·kg^-1） by gavage to duplicate the hyperuricemia model. After modeling for several hours， the blank group and the model group were given distilled water by gavage， while mice in the allopurinol group were given allopurinol suspension （50 mg·kg^-1）， and mice in each treatment group were given high and low doses of corresponding extract （5， 2.5 g·kg^-1）. The serum uric acid （SUA） level and xanthine oxidase （XOD） activity were measured after 14 days. Fresh feces were collected for 16S rDNA sequencing. Result:Compared with the blank group， SUA level and XOD activity of model group were significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Compared with the model group， SUA level and XOD activity of the allopurinol group were significantly decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. After intervention， SUA level were significantly decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）， except for high dose and low dose groups of petroleum ether extract and low dose group of total flavonoids extract， XOD activity was significantly inhibited in low dose group of petroleum ether extract， high dose group of total flavonoids extract， and high and low dose groups of <italic>n</italic>-butanol extract （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）. The high dose group of total flavonoids extract was the most significant. The results of flora sequencing showed that <italic>α</italic> diversity and abundance of the model group changed significantly， and Bacteroidetes， Firmicutes and Lactobacillaceae were significantly correlated with XOD activity. After intervention， the operational taxonomic unit （OTU）， ACE， Chao1 and Shannon indexes of the high and low dose groups of total flavonoids extract were significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）. Relative abundance of Bacteroidetes in low dose group of ethyl acetate extract， high dose group of total flavonoids extract， and high and low dose groups of <italic>n</italic>-butanol extract was significantly decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， and the relative abundance of Firmicutes was significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. The relative abundance of Lactobacillaceae in low dose group of <italic>n</italic>-butanol extract and high dose group of total flavonoids extract was significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Conclusion:The effective part of Thlaspi Herba for reducing uric acid is mainly flavonoids， the improvement of SUA level and XOD activity by affecting gut microbiota such as Lactobacillaceae， Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes， may be one of its mechanisms.

Effects of Enriched Environment on Neurological Function and Glucose Metabolism in Ischemic Penumbra in Cerebral Ischemia-reperfusion Injury Rats / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective:To explore the effects of enriched environment on neurological function in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury rats and the glucose metabolism in ischemic penumbra. Methods:A total of 72 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham group (n = 24), model group (n = 24) and enriched environment group (n = 24). The latter two groups suffered cerebral ischemia 60 minutes and reperfused with modified Longa's method. The enriched environment group was fed in enriched environment after operation. All the rats were assessed with modified Neurological Severity Score (mNSS) before, and one, seven, 14, 21 and 28 days after operation. One and 28 days after operation, twelve rats from each groups were sacrificed after mNSS assessment, respectively. The histopathology was observed with HE staining. The expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) and 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2-bisphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3) in ischemic penumbra were determined with reverse transcription real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western blotting. The levels of ATP, ADP and AMP in ischemic penumbra were measured with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the energy charge (EC) was calculated. Results:Compared with the model group, the scores of mNSS decreased in the enriched environment group since 14 days after operation (P < 0.05). The cells in the penumbra presented edema, nuclear pyknosis marginalization, vacuolar arrangement and other pathological changes in the model group and the riched environment group one day after operation; while compared with the model group, the levels of ATP and EC decreased and the mRNAs and protein expression of HIF-1α, GLUT1 and PFKFB3 increased in the enriched environment group (P < 0.05). The pathology improved in the riched environment group compared with that in the model group 28 days after operation; while the mRNAs and protein expression of HIF-1α, GLUT1 and PFKFB3 increased, as well as the levels of ATP and EC (P < 0.05). Conclusion:Enriched environment can promote the recovery of neurological function in rats after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion, which may associate with promoting expression of HIF-1α and downstream GLUT1 and PFKFB3, and improving glucose metabolism.