The prediction of influenza-like illness using national influenza surveillance data and Baidu query data.

BACKGROUND: Seasonal influenza and other respiratory tract infections are serious public health problems that need to be further addressed and investigated. Internet search data are recognized as a valuable source for forecasting influenza or other respiratory tract infection epidemics. However, the selection of internet search data and the application of forecasting methods are important for improving forecasting accuracy. The aim of the present study was to forecast influenza epidemics based on the long short-term memory neural network (LSTM) method, Baidu search index data, and the influenza-like-illness (ILI) rate. METHODS: The official weekly ILI% data for northern and southern mainland China were obtained from the Chinese Influenza Center from 2018 to 2021. Based on the Baidu Index, search indices related to influenza infection over the corresponding time period were obtained. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to explore the association between influenza-related search queries and the ILI% of southern and northern mainland China. The LSTM model was used to forecast the influenza epidemic within the same week and at lags of 1-4 weeks. The model performance was assessed by evaluation metrics, including the mean square error (MSE), root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE). RESULTS: In total, 24 search queries in northern mainland China and 7 search queries in southern mainland China were found to be correlated and were used to construct the LSTM model, which included the same week and a lag of 1-4 weeks. The LSTM model showed that ILI% + mask with one lag week and ILI% + influenza name were good prediction modules, with reduced RMSE predictions of 16.75% and 4.20%, respectively, compared with the estimated ILI% for northern and southern mainland China. CONCLUSIONS: The results illuminate the feasibility of using an internet search index as a complementary data source for influenza forecasting and the efficiency of using the LSTM model to forecast influenza epidemics.

Efficacy of Daoyin combined with lower limb robot as a comprehensive rehabilitation intervention for stroke patients: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of a comprehensive rehabilitation approach combining Traditional Chinese Medicine Daoyin with lower limb robotics during the recovery phase of stroke patients. METHODS: Stroke patients meeting the specified criteria were randomly assigned to one of four groups using a random number table: Control group, Daoyin group, lower limb robot group (LLR group), and Daoyin and lower limb robot group (DLLR group). Each group received distinct treatments based on conventional rehabilitation training. The treatment duration spanned two weeks with two days of rest per week. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included various scales: Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), Berg balance scale (BBS), Barthel index (BI), Fatigue Scale-14 (FS-14), Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD). RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were observed in the lower limb function measured by FAM between the Control group (15 ± 5) and the DLLR group (18 ± 5) (P = 0.049). In the Barthel index, a statistically significant difference was noted between the Control group (54 ± 18) and the DLLR group (64 ± 11) (P = 0.041). Additionally, significant differences were found in the Berg balance scale between the Control group (21 ± 10) and the DLLR group (27 ± 8) (P = 0.024), as well as between the Control group (21 ± 10) and the LLR group (26 ± 10) (P = 0.048). CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that the combined use of Daoyin and robotics not only enhances motor function in stroke patients but also has a positive impact on fatigue, sleep quality, and mood. This approach may offer a more effective rehabilitation strategy for stroke patients.

Efficacy of ketamine versus esketamine in the treatment of perioperative depression: A review.

Depression is a significant factor contributing to postoperative occurrences, and patients diagnosed with depression have a higher risk for postoperative complications. Studies on cardiovascular surgery extensively addresses this concern. Several studies report that people who undergo coronary artery bypass graft surgery have a 20% chance of developing postoperative depression. A retrospective analysis of medical records spanning 21 years, involving 817 patients, revealed that approximately 40% of individuals undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) were at risk of perioperative depression. Patients endure prolonged suffering from illness because each attempt with standard antidepressants requires several weeks to be effective. In addition, multi-drug combination adjuvants or combination medication therapy may alleviate symptoms for some individuals, but they also increase the risk of side effects. Conventional antidepressants primarily modulate the monoamine system, whereas different therapies target the serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine systems. Esketamine is a fast-acting antidepressant with high efficacy. Esketamine is the S-enantiomer of ketamine, a derivative of phencyclidine developed in 1956. Esketamine exerts its effect by targeting the glutaminergic system the glutaminergic system. In this paper, we discuss the current depression treatment strategies with a focus on the pharmacology and mechanism of action of esketamine. In addition, studies reporting use of esketamine to treat perioperative depressive symptoms are reviwed, and the potential future applications of the drug are presented.

Effects of long-term subculture on biological characteristics of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:There is still controversy whether human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can maintain their biological characteristics,energy metabolism patterns,and multidirectional differentiation potential after long-term expression in vitro.Further comprehensive and systematic research is needed. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the effects of long-term expansion in vitro on the biological characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells. METHODS:Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells cultured to passage 5,10,and 15 in vitro.MTT assay was used to detect cell proliferation ability.Flow cytometry was used to detect cell cycle.The multi-differentiation potential of mesenchymal stem cells was detected by inducing to adipogenic,osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation.Cell migration and invasion abilities were detected by scratch test and Transwell assay.The mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis function were analyzed using energy metabolism analyzer.The cell senescence was detected by senescence-associated β-galactosidase staining.The expression levels of p21,p16,and p53 proteins were detected by western blot assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells at passages 5,10,and 15 grew adherently;the volume of passage 15 mesenchymal stem cells increased and its proliferation ability decreased;the percentage of S-phase cells decreased(P<0.05).With the increase of culture passages,the migration and invasion abilities decreased gradually(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in the differentiation potential,demonstrated by adipogenic,osteogenic and chondrogenesis induction.The ability of oxidative phosphorylation of mitochondria and glycolysis decreased gradually(P<0.05).The number of senescence-associated β-galactosidase-positive cells increased with the increase of passages(P<0.05),and the expression of senescence protein p21,p16,and p53 increased gradually(P<0.05).The results indicated that the biological characterization of mesenchymal stem cells changed after long-term in vitro expansion.Mesenchymal stem cells cultured over 10 passages may have a reduced activity due to increasing senescence.Therefore,bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells cultured less than 10 passages are suitable for clinical research/therapy.

Study on the Inhibitory of Pyruvate-Ferredoxin Oxidoreductase by Luteolin and Its Anti-Clostridium Difficile Effect / 中药新药与临床药理

Objective To investigate the inhibitory effects of pyruvate-ferredoxin oxidoreductase(PFOR)by luteolin and its anti-Clostridium difficile effect.Methods The PFOR encoding sequence of Clostridium difficile was cloned into the expression vector pET-2a and transformed into competent Escherichia coli.The crude enzyme was prepared after induction with IPTG(Isopropyl β-D-Thiogalactoside).The inhibitory rate of the test compounds on PFOR was determined after an 8-hour anaerobic reaction between PFOR and 40 μmol·L-1 of test compounds at 25℃.The minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC)of PFOR inhibitors against C.difficile strains(ATCC BAA 1382 and ATCC BAA 1870)was determined by monitoring the OD600 of the bacterial culture.Molecular docking was performed to investigate the possible interaction mechanisms between PFOR and inhibitors.Results Among the tested compounds,the luteolin showed the strongest inhibitory activity against PFOR,with a single-point inhibition rate of approximately 33%,which is comparable to that observed with the positive inhibitor nitazoxanide(40%).Molecular docking revealed that luteolin could form hydrogen bonds with Asp428,Val431,Gly429,Asp456,Lys458,Lys459,and other residues in the PFOR domain.The MIC of luteolin against C.difficile was approximately 32 μg·mL-1.Conclusion Luteolin exhibits good activity against C.difficile,and PFOR may be a target for its antibacterial action.

Kinetics and molecular mechanism of vitamin K3 as xanthine oxidase activator / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

OBJECTIVE To investigate the activation of xanthine oxidase(XO)from the human liver by vitamin K3 and the mechanism.METHODS Using human liver S9(0.1 g·L-1)as the source,XO was incubated with substrate xanthine of 0,2,4,8,and 16 μmol·L-1 at 37℃ for 90 min.The Michaelis constant(Km)of the reaction of xanthine oxidation was determined using the liquid chromatography diode array method.At the concentration of Km,the three-point method(1,10 and 100 μmol·L-1)was used to detect the activity of vitamin K3 activators.The multi-point method(vitamin K3 1,2,5,10,20,50,100,200 and 400 μmol·L-1)was adopted to determine the half effective concentration(EC50)of activated XO.Kinetic parameters(Km and Vmax)and the fit of double reciprocal curves were determined via vitamin K3 of 1/2EC50,EC50 and 2EC50.The changes in kinetic behavior at different concentrations of vitamin K3 were observed and their types of activation were analyzed.The interactions between XO and activator vitamin K3 were explored via molecular docking.RESULTS The Km of XO-mediated xanthine oxidation reac-tion was 4.71 μmol·L-1.As an activator of this reaction,vitamin K3 activated XO in a concentration-dependent manner(according to the logistic fitting formula y=A2+(A1-A2)/(1+(x/x0)

Very-long chain acyl-coA dehydrogenase deficiency: report of a Chinese pedigree and a literature review / 中华医学遗传学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the correlation between clinical classification and genotype and prognosis among Chinese children with Very-long chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (VLCADD).@*METHODS@#A Chinese pedigree affected with VLCADD admitted at the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province in February 2019 was selected as the study subject. The characteristics of disease onset, diagnosis and treatment and prognosis were retrospectively analyzed. Relevant literature was also systematically searched and reviewed.@*RESULTS@#The proband, a 1-year-old boy, had the clinical manifestations of frequently vomiting, hypoglycemia, abnormal liver function and myocardial enzymes. Tandem mass spectrometry screening showed significantly elevated C14, C14:1, C16:1, C16:2, C18 and C14/C8. Genetic testing revealed that he has harbored compound heterozygous variants of the ACADVL gene, namely c.664G>A (p.G222R) and c.1345G>A (p.E449K), which were respectively derived from his father and mother. The child was diagnosed with VLCADD cardiomyopathy type and deceased 2 weeks later. Literature review has identified 60 Chinese children with VLCADD. The clinical classifications were mainly cardiomyopathy type and liver disease type, which accounted for 73.3% (43/60). The combination of ACADVL gene variants were correlated with the clinical classifications of VLCAD. Children with one or two loss-of-function (LOF) mutations showed more severe clinical manifestation and a higher mortality. Cardiomyopathy type had the poorest prognosis, with a mortality rate of 76.9% (20/26). C14:1 may be used as an indicator for the diagnosis of VLCADD, but cannot be used for clinical subtyping and prognosis evaluation. The c.1349G>A (p.R450H) variant had the highest frequency among the Chinese patients, accounting for 10.8% (13/120).@*CONCLUSION@#The clinical classifications of VLCADD are strongly correlated with the prognosis, and LOF mutations are more common in those with severe clinical manifestations. c.1349G>A (p.R450H) may be the most common variant among the Chinese patients, and early screening and diagnosis can greatly improve the prognosis of patients.

Common incidence of catheter-related venous thrombosis between midline catheter and peripherally inserted central catheter:a Meta-analysis / 中华护理杂志

Objective To compare the incidence of catheter-related venous thrombosis between midline catheters and peripherally inserted central catheters.Methods Randomized controlled trials and cohort studies on the incidence of venous thrombosis associated with midline catheters and PICC catheters were searched from CNKI,Wanfang database,VIP database,Web of Science,PubMed,Embase and Cochrane Library from inception to December 31,2022.Review Manager 5.4 software and Stata 14.0 software were used to analyse and describe the outcome indicators.Results A total of 16 studies were included,including 12 cohort studies and 4 randomized controlled studies,with 21853 subjects.The results of the Meta-analysis showed that the incidence of catheter-related venous thrombosis per thousand catheter days of midline catheters was statistically significant compared with PICC[RR=2.74,95％CI(1.21,6.21),P=0.016].There was no significant difference in the incidence of catheter-related venous thrombosis compared with PICC[RR=0.85,95％CI=(0.70,1.03),P=0.101].In the subgroups,the incidence of superficial vein thrombosis in the midline catheter was significantly different from that in the PICC[RR=2.36,95％C/=(1.56,3.58),P＜0.001].Conclusion The current evidence shows that the incidence rate of catheter-related venous thrombosis per thousand catheter days and superficial vein thrombosis was higher for midline catheters than PICCs.Therefore,in clinical practice,vascular access devices should be selected reasonably,and the occurrence and development of catheter-related superficial venous thrombosis should be paid attention to,and clinical screening should be effectively carried out on the basis of a full evaluation.

Study on the law of syndrome differentiation and treatment about TCM for the treatment of type 2 diabetic kidney disease stage Ⅳ based on literature study / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective:To analyze the law of TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment for type 2 diabetic kidney disease (T2DKD) stage Ⅳ based on literature research.Methods:Literature on type 2 diabetic kidney disease stage Ⅳ was retrieved from CNKI, WanFang data, VIP and SinoMed database. The retrieval time was from the establishment of the databases to December 31, 2020. Data screening was conducted based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria prior to data entry in Microsoft Office Excel 365. Data mining and statistical analysis were performed by SPSS Statistics 23.0 and SPSS Modeler 18.1.Results:A total of 110 articles with 3 969 T2DKD stage Ⅳ cases, 111 prescriptions and 206 kinds of Chinese materia medica were included. Kidney and spleen were the main location of T2DKD stage Ⅳ. T2DKD stage Ⅳ based on TCM deficiency in nature syndrome was mainly based on qi and yin deficiency, and the most common excess in superficiality syndrome was blood stasis. The prescriptions commonly used included Liuwei Dihuang Decoction, Zhenwu Decoction, Buyang Huanwu Decoction, and Shenqi Dihuang Decoction etc. The classification of medication efficacy with the highest frequency was qi-tonifying herb, followed by blood-activating and stasis-resolving herb. Among them, Astragali Radix was the core Chinese materia medica in the prescription. The results of association rule obtained 54 association rules. Conclusions:The disease characteristics of T2DKD stage Ⅳ is simultaneous occurrence of deficiency and excess syndromes. The deficiency in nature is mainly characterized by deficiency of qi and yin, deficiency of spleen and kidney, deficiency of spleen-kidney yang, and excess in superficiality is mainly characterized by blood stasis, dampness and toxin. Tonifying qi and nourishing yin, activating blood circulation and dredging collaterals are the basic treatment methods, while strengthening spleen and kidney, dampness and detoxification should be emphasized. Astragali Radix, Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Poria, Dioscoreae Rhizoma, Corni Fructus, Rhei Radix et Rhizoma and Alismatis Rhizoma were the basic Chinese materia medica in this period, which reflects the idea of "treating qi, blood and water together".

Scientific unknown-base in medical field: Supporting problem-oriented priority setting in basic research / 中华医学科研管理杂志

Objective:The present study delves into the realm of scientific unknowns, which serve as the primary representation of major scientific challenges and often give rise to subversive, non-consensus, and high-risk scientific problems. Addressing this pivotal aspect, we focus on the development of scientific unknown identification methods and tool platforms to provide essential data support for priority setting of basic research through a problem-oriented approach. Such efforts are imperative for managing the scientific and technological innovation system within the context of demands and problem-solving.Methods:While numerous knowledge bases have been established in the medical field, there remains a notable lack of focus on the unknown base. The paper synthesizes relevant literature and existing research, amalgamating the methodological paradigm of scientific big data research with text mining. This integration facilitates comprehensive interpretations and enlightening insights concerning the concept, identification methods, and construction of an unknown-base.Results:By systematically analyzing the concept of scientific unknowns, we present a recognition method based on cognitive state and logical rules. Furthermore, we discuss a classification framework and realization path for scientific unknowns from the dimensions of attribute, relationship, and disease, thereby providing foundational insights for the construction of a medical unknown database.Conclusions:Notably, the research on unknowns in medical science transcends disciplinary boundaries, encompassing the confluence of information science, data science, medical informatics, and science and technology management. As such, this paper seeks to expound upon the significance and application scenarios of unknown research in science, furnishing valuable ideas and references for scholars in the field.

Relationship between preoperative sarcopenia and severe pulmonary complications after cardiac surgery in elderly patients / 中华麻醉学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the relationship between preoperative sarcopenia and severe pulmonary complications after cardiac surgery in elderly patients.Methods:Elderly patients undergoing elective open heart surgery in our hospital were collected and divided into non-sarcopenia group and sarcopenia group, according to the diagnostic criteria updated and revised by the Asian Sarcopenia Working Group in 2019. The outcome measure was the development of severe postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs). The general information of patients and various indexes of surgical conditions were recorded. Risk factors for severe PPCs were identified by multivariate logistic regression analysis. The accuracy of sarcopenia score, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Physical Status classification, and combination of ASA Physical Status classification and sarcopenia score in predicting severe PPCs was assessed using the receiver operating characteristic curve.Results:A total of 158 patients were finally enrolled, including 36 patients with sarcopenia (22.7%), and the incidence of severe PPCs was 22.2%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that ASA classification, sarcopenia, and duration of surgery were independent risk factors for severe PPCs after cardiac surgery in elderly patients ( P<0.05), and the risk of severe PPCs was approximately 3.21 times higher in sarcopenic patients than in non-sarcopenic patients. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of sarcopenia score, ASA Physical Status classification, and ASA Physical Status classification combined with sarcopenia score in predicting severe PPCs were 0.686 (95% confidence interval [ CI] 0.607-0.757), 0.603 (95% CI 0.522-0.680), and 0.714 (95% CI 0.637-0.783), respectively. Conclusions:Preoperative sarcopenia is an independent risk factor for severe PPCs after cardiac surgery in elderly patients, and the preoperative sarcopenia in combination with ASA Physical Status classification in predicting severe PPCs has a certain accuracy.

Role of gut microbiota in the pathogenesis and treatment of chronic kidney disease / 中华肾脏病杂志

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a serious health problem worldwide, whereas there is still no efficient cure. The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in maintaining human health and disease resistance, and multiple studies have confirmed that the gut microbiota is closely related to the occurrence and development of CKD. Starting from the "gut-kidney axis" theory, this article provides a systematic review of the changes in gut microbiota composition and function in patients with CKD, such as a decrease in the abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria Roseburia and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii. Besides that, the article explores the mechanisms by which the gut microbiota affects CKD progression, such as inflammation and immunity, and also describes the application methods of using the gut microbiota as a therapeutic target for CKD, such as fecal microbiota transplantation, microecologics, and dietary therapy, in order to provide microbial- based targets for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of CKD.

Predictive value of preoperative frailty for pulmonary complications after cardiac surgery in elderly patients / 临床麻醉学杂志

Objective To investigate the predictive value of preoperative frailty for pulmonary com-plications(PPCs)after cardiac surgery in elderly patients.Methods A total of 162 elderly patients,109 males and 53 females,aged 65-83 years,BMI 18-36 kg/m2,ASA physical status Ⅱ-Ⅳ,underwent elec-tive open heart surgery from July 2022 to January 2023 were collected.The patients were divided into two groups according to the occurrence of PPCs:the PPCs group(n=57)and the non-PPCs group(n=105).General information,smoking history,alcohol consumption history,EuroSCORE Ⅱ,frailty,chronic comorbidities(hypertension,diabetes mellitus,myocardial infarction,pulmonary hypertension,chronic ob-structive pulmonary disease,sleep apnea syndrome,etc.),Hb,creatinine,albumin,pulmonary function indices,left ventricular ejection fraction,type of surgery,duration of surgery,aortic clamping time,and cardiopulmonary bypass time were collected.Factors with P＜0.2 and clinically significant in the univariate regression analysis were included in the multivariate logistic regression analysis,and the predictive efficacy of the Fried frailty scale and EuroSCORE Ⅱ for PPCs were compared by the area under the ROC curve(AUC).Results PPCs occurred in 57 patients(35.2％).Multifactorial Logistic regression analysis showed that frailty(OR=3.14,95％CI 1.05-9.37,P＜0.05)and EuroSCORE Ⅱ(OR=2.16,95％CI 1.01-4.60,P＜0.05)were risk factors for the development of PPCs.The predictive power of Fried frailty scale(AUC=0.76,95％CI 0.68-0.82)was significantly higher than that of EuroSCORE Ⅱ(AUC=0.65,95％CI 0.57-0.72)(P＜0.05).Conclusion Preoperative frailty is the independent risk factors for pulmonary complications after cardiac surgery in elderly patients,and the Fried frailty scale has a better predictive efficacy compared to EuroSCORE Ⅱ,a traditional risk predictor.

Material Basis and Pharmacological Action of Tongxie Yaofang： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Tongxie Yaofang， also known as Baizhu Shaoyaosan， was first recorded in Danxi's Experiential Therapy （《丹溪心法》） by ZHU Danxi in the Yuan dynasty. It is composed of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma， Paeoniae Radix Alba， Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium， and Saposhnikoviae Radix， and serves as the representative prescription for the treatment of painful diarrhea. It has the functions of tonifying the spleen， emolliating the liver， relieving pain， and checking diarrhea， and is mainly used in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome （IBS） and ulcerative colitis （UC）. In addition， it is effective in treating gastrointestinal disorders with mental and psychological abnormalities， as well as obstinate anorexia in children， depression syndrome， and respiratory diseases. Experimental research and clinical practice have shown that Tongxie Yaofang has multi-component， multi-pathway， and multi-target characteristics in the treatment of diseases. The mechanism of Tongxie Yaofang in treating diseases is mainly attributed to anti-inflammation， immune function regulation， intestinal hypersensitivity improvement， emotion regulation， etc. Monoterpene glycosides， flavonoids， chromones， lactones， and other components contained play an important therapeutic role. The research on the systems biology of Tongxie Yaofang， such as metabolomics， proteomics， and network pharmacology， provides a scientific basis for clarifying its mechanism of action and expanding its clinical application. However， there are still some problems to be solved， such as difficulty in combining diseases and syndromes and lack of in-depth systematic research. Through the retrieval and collation of relevant literature， this paper systematically reviewed the material basis， pharmacological effects， and systems biology research of Tongxie Yaofang， aiming to lay a foundation for in-depth research on its mechanism in treating diseases and rational application in clinical practice.

Applications of QSAR in Toxicological Risk Assessment of Medical Devices / 中国医疗器械杂志

The chemical characterization analysis of a medical device often results in chemical substances with unknown toxicities. While identification of each individual toxicity could result in a time-consuming hurdle with tremendous labor and financial burden, quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) is of great significance for toxicity risk assessment of such chemical substances. By establishing quantitative relationship between the molecular structures or active groups of similar chemical compounds with their biological activities, QSAR can be utilized to predict the toxicity of such target compounds with significantly reduced cost and time. In this article, the authors generally summarized the mechanisms of QSAR approaches, current applications of QSAR modeling in the field of medical device, an introduction of the characteristics of publicly and commercially-available QSAR software, and briefly explored future trends of QSAR modeling in medical device toxicological risk assessment. The utilization of QSAR would undoubtedly further advance the toxicological risk assessment of medical devices.

Research status of molecular mechanisms of reactive astrocytes in progress and treatment of Alzheimer's disease / 中华神经医学杂志

In recent years, it has been found that reactive astrocytes (RAS) can affect the pathological process of AD through various mechanisms, such as increasing the production and deposition of β-amyloid (Aβ), aggravating the neurotoxicity of Aβ and disturbance of neurotransmitter release. Currently, the mechanism of drug treatment for AD is mainly targeted at clearance of Aβ, but the efficacy is still uncertain. Recent studies have shown that most AD-related genes are obviously expressed in RAS. Therefore, regulating the morphology and function of RAS through drug intervention may provide new ideas for treatment of AD. The authors review the research status in the molecular mechanism of RAS in the progress and treatment of AD, in order to provide more references for RAS as a target in the prevention and treatment of AD.

Taxifolin attenuates inflammation via suppressing MAPK signal pathway in vitro and in silico analysis / 中草药·英文版

Objective: Taxifolin is a natural flavonoid compound that can be isolated from onions, grapes, oranges and grapefruit. It also acts as a medicine food homology with extraordinary antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. This study aims to explain the protective effects and potential mechanisms of taxifolin against inflammatory reaction. Methods: Levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were assessed in different time after the treatment of taxifolin in RAW264.7 cells induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Subsequently, the mRNA and protein levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and the phosphorylation expression levels of the MAPK signal pathway were also evaluated. A silico analysis was used to explain the binding situation for the investigation of taxifolin and MAPK signal pathway. And then MAPK inhibitors were used to reveal the expression level of iNOS, VEGF, COX-2 and TNF-α in RAW264.7 cells. Results: It was demonstrated that cell inflammatory damage induced by LPS was significantly alleviated after the treatment of taxifolin. Then, the mRNA and protein levels of iNOS, VEGF, COX-2 and TNF-α were reduced and the phosphorylation expression levels of the MAPK signal pathway were down-regulated remarkably as well. In silico analysis, taxifolin could form a relatively stable combination with MAPK signal pathway. MAPK inhibitors showed increasing or decreasing effect in the mRNA levels of iNOS, VEGF, COX-2 and TNF-α, which suggesting that taxifolin down-regulated iNOS, VEGF, COX-2 and TNF-α expressions were not entirely through the MAPK pathway. Conclusion: This finding demonstrated that taxifolin improved the inflammatory responses that partly involved in the phosphorylation expression level of MAPK signal pathway in RAW264.7 cells exposed to acute stress.

The microbiome in inflammatory bowel diseases: from pathogenesis to therapy

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has become a global disease with accelerating incidence worldwide in the 21st century while its accurate etiology remains unclear. In the past decade, gut microbiota dysbiosis has consistently been associated with IBD. Although many IBD-associated dysbiosis have not been proven to be a cause or an effect of IBD, it is often hypothesized that at least some of alteration in microbiome is protective or causative. In this article, we selectively reviewed the hypothesis supported by both association studies in human and pathogenesis studies in biological models. Specifically, we reviewed the potential protective bacterial pathways and species against IBD, as well as the potential causative bacterial pathways and species of IBD. We also reviewed the potential roles of some members of mycobiome and virome in IBD. Lastly, we covered the current status of therapeutic approaches targeting microbiome, which is a promising strategy to alleviate and cure this inflammatory disease.

The predictive value of vasoactive-inotropic score at different time points in the risk of death in patients with septic shock / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the value of vasoactive-inotropic Score (VIS) at different time points in predicting the 28-day mortality of patients with septic shock, so as to reduce the risk of death and improve the prognosis of patients.Methods:This experiment was a single-center retrospective cohort study. The clinical data of 275 adult patients with septic shock who were treated with vasoactive drugs in the intensive care unit of the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from February 2016 to February 2020 were collected. According to the 28-day survival condition, all recruited patients were divided into the death group and the survival group, and the maximum vasoactive-inotropic score of all patients at the first 24 h and the second 24 h were calculated, which were expressed as VIS max24 and VIS max48. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to find the independent risk factors that influencing the prognosis. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to analyze the predictive value of VIS. Results:There was no significant difference between the death group and the survival group in the characteristics including age, sex, weight, infection sites, blood culture results, cardiac arrest, hormone use, and 24 h rehydration volume ( P>0.05). APACHE II score, basic lactic acid, and lactic acid after 24 h of treatment were increased significantly in the death group ( P<0.05). VIS max24 could accurately predict the 28-day mortality (AUC=0.953, 95% CI: 0.924-0.982), which were more efficent compared to VIS max48 (AUC=0.919, 95% CI: 0.881-0.957), basic lactic acid (AUC=0.937, 95% CI: 0.900-0.966) and APACHEⅡ score (AUC=0.865, 95% CI: 0.818-0.913). Conclusion:VIS max24 can more accurate predict the 28-day mortality in patients with septic shock.

Application of immune checkpoint targets in the anti-tumor novel drugs and traditional Chinese medicine development

Immune checkpoints are the crucial regulators of immune system and play essential roles in maintaining self-tolerance, preventing autoimmune responses, and minimizing tissue damage by regulating the duration and intensity of the immune response. Furthermore, immune checkpoints are usually overexpressed in cancer cells or noninvasive cells in tumor tissues and are capable of suppressing the antitumor response. Based on substantial physiological analyses as well as preclinical and clinical studies, checkpoint molecules have been evaluated as potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of multiple types of cancers. In the last few years, extensive evidence has supported the immunoregulatory effects of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). The main advantage of TCMs and natural medicine is that they usually contain multiple active components, which can act on multiple targets at the same time, resulting in additive or synergistic effects. The strong immune regulation function of traditional Chinese medicine on immune checkpoints has also been of great interest. For example,