Using Haemocoagulase Agkistrodon in Patients Undergoing Transurethral Plasmakinetic Resection of the Prostate: A Pilot, Real-World, and Propensity Score-Matched Study.

Objectives: To compare the clinical outcomes of using different hemostatic agents after transurethral plasmakinetic resection of the prostate (TUPKP) in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients. Methods: The patients were divided into 5 groups according to the hemostatic agents used after TUPKP, including the haemocoagulase agkistrodon for injection (HCA), hemocoagulase for injection (HC), hemocoagulase bothrops atrox for injection (HCB), ethylenediamine diaceturate injection (EDD), and tranexamic acid (TXA). Propensity score matching was performed based on age, body mass index, prostate volume, hypertension status, fasting blood glucose, smoking, and drinking history. The hospitalization time, bladder irrigation time, indwelling catheterization time, the patency of urine flow, and blood transfusion records were used as outcome indicators to compare the clinical effects of these five agents. Results: We finally matched 65 pairs receiving HCA or HC, 71 pairs receiving HCA or HCB, 38 pairs receiving HCA or TXA, and 29 pairs receiving HCA or EDD. Compared with HC, HCA given during the perioperative period significantly reduced the median hospitalization time [7.00 days (5.00, 8.00) vs. 9.00 days (8.00, 10.00); p < 0.001] and median catheterization time (109.00 hours [88.00, 129.00] vs. 164.00 hours [114.00, 189.00], p < 0.001). Compared with EDD, the median hospitalization time (7.00 days [6.00, 8.00] vs. 10.00 days [8.00, 11.00]; p < 0.001) and median catheterization time (113.00 hours [95.00, 143.00] vs. 160.00 hours [139.00, 168.00]; p < 0.001) were also significant shorter in HCA group. Compared with HCB, median bladder irrigation time (45.00 hours [27.00, 71.00] vs. 49.00 hours [45.00, 72.00]; p = 0.04) was shorter in the HCA group. However, there were no statistical differences in outcomes between HCA and TXA. Conclusions: HCA probably has an advantage over HC, HCB, and EDD in reducing the hospitalization time, catheterization time, and bladder irrigation time among BPH patients undergoing TUPKP.

Chemoprophylaxis, diagnosis, treatments, and discharge management of COVID-19: An evidence-based clinical practice guideline (updated version).

The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of a rapidly spreading illness, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), affecting more than seventeen million people around the world. Diagnosis and treatment guidelines for clinicians caring for patients are needed. In the early stage, we have issued "A rapid advice guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infected pneumonia (standard version)"; now there are many direct evidences emerged and may change some of previous recommendations and it is ripe for develop an evidence-based guideline. We formed a working group of clinical experts and methodologists. The steering group members proposed 29 questions that are relevant to the management of COVID-19 covering the following areas: chemoprophylaxis, diagnosis, treatments, and discharge management. We searched the literature for direct evidence on the management of COVID-19, and assessed its certainty generated recommendations using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Recommendations were either strong or weak, or in the form of ungraded consensus-based statement. Finally, we issued 34 statements. Among them, 6 were strong recommendations for, 14 were weak recommendations for, 3 were weak recommendations against and 11 were ungraded consensus-based statement. They covered topics of chemoprophylaxis (including agents and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) agents), diagnosis (including clinical manifestations, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respiratory tract specimens, IgM and IgG antibody tests, chest computed tomography, chest x-ray, and CT features of asymptomatic infections), treatments (including lopinavir-ritonavir, umifenovir, favipiravir, interferon, remdesivir, combination of antiviral drugs, hydroxychloroquine/chloroquine, interleukin-6 inhibitors, interleukin-1 inhibitors, glucocorticoid, qingfei paidu decoction, lianhua qingwen granules/capsules, convalescent plasma, lung transplantation, invasive or noninvasive ventilation, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)), and discharge management (including discharge criteria and management plan in patients whose RT-PCR retesting shows SARS-CoV-2 positive after discharge). We also created two figures of these recommendations for the implementation purpose. We hope these recommendations can help support healthcare workers caring for COVID-19 patients.

Chemoprophylaxis, diagnosis, treatments, and discharge management of COVID-19: an evidence-based clinical practice guideline (updated version)

The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of a rapidly spreading illness, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), affecting more than seventeen million people around the world. Diagnosis and treatment guidelines for clinicians caring for patients are needed. In the early stage, we have issued "A rapid advice guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infected pneumonia (standard version)"; now there are many direct evidences emerged and may change some of previous recommendations and it is ripe for develop an evidence-based guideline. We formed a working group of clinical experts and methodologists. The steering group members proposed 29 questions that are relevant to the management of COVID-19 covering the following areas: chemoprophylaxis, diagnosis, treatments, and discharge management. We searched the literature for direct evidence on the management of COVID-19, and assessed its certainty generated recommendations using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Recommendations were either strong or weak, or in the form of ungraded consensus-based statement. Finally, we issued 34 statements. Among them, 6 were strong recommendations for, 14 were weak recommendations for, 3 were weak recommendations against and 11 were ungraded consensus-based statement. They covered topics of chemoprophylaxis (including agents and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) agents), diagnosis (including clinical manifestations, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respiratory tract specimens, IgM and IgG antibody tests, chest computed tomography, chest x-ray, and CT features of asymptomatic infections), treatments (including lopinavir-ritonavir, umifenovir, favipiravir, interferon, remdesivir, combination of antiviral drugs, hydroxychloroquine/chloroquine, interleukin-6 inhibitors, interleukin-1 inhibitors, glucocorticoid, qingfei paidu decoction, lianhua qingwen granules/capsules, convalescent plasma, lung transplantation, invasive or noninvasive ventilation, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)), and discharge management (including discharge criteria and management plan in patients whose RT-PCR retesting shows SARS-CoV-2 positive after discharge). We also created two figures of these recommendations for the implementation purpose. We hope these recommendations can help support healthcare workers caring for COVID19 patients

A rapid advice guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infected pneumonia (standard version).

In December 2019, a new type viral pneumonia cases occurred in Wuhan, Hubei Province; and then named "2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)" by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 12 January 2020. For it is a never been experienced respiratory disease before and with infection ability widely and quickly, it attracted the world's attention but without treatment and control manual. For the request from frontline clinicians and public health professionals of 2019-nCoV infected pneumonia management, an evidence-based guideline urgently needs to be developed. Therefore, we drafted this guideline according to the rapid advice guidelines methodology and general rules of WHO guideline development; we also added the first-hand management data of Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University. This guideline includes the guideline methodology, epidemiological characteristics, disease screening and population prevention, diagnosis, treatment and control (including traditional Chinese Medicine), nosocomial infection prevention and control, and disease nursing of the 2019-nCoV. Moreover, we also provide a whole process of a successful treatment case of the severe 2019-nCoV infected pneumonia and experience and lessons of hospital rescue for 2019-nCoV infections. This rapid advice guideline is suitable for the first frontline doctors and nurses, managers of hospitals and healthcare sections, community residents, public health persons, relevant researchers, and all person who are interested in the 2019-nCoV.

Acetylbritannilactone suppresses growth via upregulation of krüppel-like transcription factor 4 expression in HT-29 colorectal cancer cells.

Acetylbritannilactone (ABL) is a new active compound isolated from Inula Britannica L, a traditional Chinese medicinal herb. It has been reported that ABL can inhibit the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and neointima formation after balloon injury in rats. ABL also shows chemopreventive properties by inducing cell apoptosis in breast and ovarian cancers, but the antitumor activity and the molecular targets of ABL in colon cancer cells have not been determined. In this study, we showed that ABL inhibits the growth in dose- and time-dependent manners by inducing cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase of HT-29 human colon cancer cells. This suppression was accompanied by a strong decrease of cyclin E and CDK4 protein levels, and an increase in p21 protein expression in HT-29 cells. We also show that ABL-induced growth inhibition is associated with the upregulation of KLF4 expression. The overexpression of KLF4 by infection with pAd-KLF4 resulted in growth inhibition, with decrease in the protein levels of cyclin E and CDK4, and increase in the expression of p21, similarly to the effects of ABL. Conversely, knockdown of KLF4 using a specific siRNA impaired the ABL-induced growth inhibition in HT-29 cells. These results suggest that KLF4 as an important cellular target of ABL mediates the growth inhibition of HT-29 cells induced by ABL via upregulation of p21 expression.

Presence of fatty acid synthase inhibitors in the rhizome of Alpinia officinarum hance.

The galangal (the rhizome of Alpinia officinarum, Hance) is popular in Asia as a traditional herbal medicine. The present study reports that the galangal extract (GE) can potently inhibit fatty-acid synthase (FAS, E.C.2.3.1.85). The inhibition consists of both reversible inhibition with an IC50 value of 1.73 microg dried GE/ml, and biphasic slow-binding inactivation. Subsequently the reversible inhibition and slow-binding inactivation to FAS were further studied. The inhibition of FAS by galangin, quercetin and kaempferol, which are the main flavonoids existing in the galangal, showed that quercetin and kaempferol had potent reversible inhibitory activity, but all three flavonoids had no obvious slow-binding inactivation. Analysis of the kinetic results led to the conclusion that the inhibitory mechanism of GE is totally different from that of some other previously reported inhibitors of FAS, such as cerulenin, EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) and C75.