Comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of Tibetan Schizothoracinae fish Gymnocypris przewalskii reveals how it adapts to a high altitude aquatic life.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the genetic basis of adaptation to high altitude life is of paramount importance for preserving and managing genetic diversity in highland animals. This objective has been addressed mainly in terrestrial fauna but rarely in aquatic animals. Tibetan Schizothoracinae fish is the ideal model system in evolutionary biology, carrying key insights into evolutionary genetics of speciation and adaptation at high altitude. Gymnocypris przewalskii is the newly formed Schizothoracinae fish species in the Tibetan Plateau, inhabits chronic cold, extreme saline and alkaline aquatic environment in Lake Qinghai, thus evolving the unique genomic signatures to adapt extremely severe environments. RESULTS: To characterize its genomic features, we assembled de novo transcriptome of G. przewalskii from Lake Qinghai. Intriguingly, by comparative genomic analyses of G. przewalskii and 8 other fish species, we identified potential expansions in gene families related to energy metabolism, transport and developmental functions, possibly underlying the adaptation to these environmental stresses. Through comprehensive molecular evolution analyses, we found that sets of genes controlling mitochondrion, ion homoeostasis, acid-base balance and innate immunity show significant signals of positive selection. Compared to previous studies on highland fishes, we failed to identify any positively selected genes related to hypoxia response. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide comprehensive insights into the genetic basis of teleost fish that underlie their adaptation to extreme high altitude aquatic life on the Tibetan Plateau.

[Analysis of clinicopathological features and prognosis between alpha-fetoprotein negative and positive hepatocellular carcinoma patients after R0 radical hepatectomy].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the differences between clinicopathological features and prognosis of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) negative (AFP < 20 ng/ml) and positive (AFP ≥ 20 ng/ml) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. METHODS: Clinicopathological data of 142 AFP-negative and 109 AFP-positive HCC patients who underwent RO radical hepatectomy in the Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences between January 2006 and December 2011 were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed in this study. RESULTS: Compared with the AFP-negative patients, a higher female to male sex ratio, the later Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer ( BCLC) stage, more liver capsule invasion and poorer Edmondson-Steiner grade were in the AFP-positive cases (P < 0.05 for all). Furthermore, the 1-, 3-, and 5- year overall survival rates were 94.4%, 82.4% and 61.0% in the AFP-negative group and 87.2%, 61.1% and 40.2%, respectively, in the AFP-positive group (P < 0.001). The multivariate analysis with Cox's proportional hazards model showed that AFP status, tumor size and Edmondson-Steiner grade are independent risk factors for survival of all the patients (P < 0.05) , and large tumor and Edmondson-Steiner grades III/IV are independent risk factors for worse survival in AFP-negative patients (P < 0.05). However, large tumor diameter was proved to be an independent risk factor leading to poor prognosis of AFP-positive cases (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: High levels of AFP indicate that the tumors are more malignant and with unfavorable prognosis.

[Peripheral nervous impairment in a patient with methylmalonic aciduria combined with hyperhomocysteinemia].

Methylmalonic aciduria combined homocysteinemia can cause multisystemic damages, mainly involving central nervous system, while the peripheral nerves are rarely impaired. A 10-year-old boy complained of weakness of both lower extremities for 1 month. His past history showed mildly delay of intelligence as well as motor development. He had proteinuria when he was 3 years old and was diagnosed as epilepsy, which was controlled by sodium valproate when he was 8 years 6 months old. His physical examination showed attenuated bilateral knee jerk reflex, while the bilateral achilles tendon reflex was absent; the examination of sensation was normal and the bilateral Babinski sign was positive. The electromyography indicated injury of peripheral nerves. The elevated levels of urine methylmalonic aciduria and plasma homocysteinemia were consistent with the diagnosis of methylmalonic aciduria combined homocysteinemia. The pathogenic gene was confirmed as MMACHC, on which two pathogenic mutations (c.365A>T and c.609G>A) were detected. cblC defect was confirmed. He was treated by vitamin B12, calcium folinate, L-carnitine and betaine supplementation, and significant improvement was observed after 6 months. According to this case, we suggest that urinary organic acid analysis and plasma homocysteine should be performed in patients with unknown peripheral neuropathy, especially combined with multisystemic damages.Early diagnosis and treatment are important to improve the prognosis.

Whole-brain monosynaptic outputs and presynaptic inputs of GABAergic neurons in the vestibular nuclei complex of mice.

GABAergic neurons in the vestibular nuclei (VN) participate in multiple vital vestibular sensory processing allowing for the maintenance and rehabilitation of vestibular functions. However, although the important role of GABA in the central vestibular system has been widely reported, the underlying neural circuits between VN GABAergic neurons and other brain functional regions remain elusive, which limits the further study of the underlying mechanism. Hence, it is necessary to elucidate neural connectivity based on outputs and inputs of GABAergic neurons in the VN. This study employed a modified rabies virus retrograde tracing vector and cre-dependent adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) anterograde tracing vector, combined with a transgenic VGAT-IRES-Cre mice, to map the inputs and outputs of VN GABAergic neurons in the whole brain. We found that 51 discrete brain regions received projections from VN GABAergic neurons in the whole brain, and there were 77 upstream nuclei innervating GABAergic neurons in the VN. These nuclei were mainly located in four brain regions, including the medulla, pons, midbrain, and cerebellum. Among them, VN GABAergic neurons established neural circuits with some functional nuclei in the whole brain, especially regulating balance maintenance, emotion control, pain processing, sleep and circadian rhythm regulation, and fluid homeostasis. Therefore, this study deepens a comprehensive understanding of the whole-brain neural connectivity of VN, providing the neuroanatomical information for further research on the neural mechanism of the co-morbidities with vestibular dysfunction.

Predictive value of serum PLGF/sFlt-1 combined with placental 3D-PDI in preeclampsia / 中国医科大学学报

Objective To investigate the predictive value of serum placental growth factor(PLGF)/soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1(sFlt-1),combined with the placental three-dimensional energy Doppler index(3D-PDI)in preeclampsia(PE).Methods From January 2021 to December 2022,120 pregnant women with PE risk factors were selected and followed up until 1 week after delivery.Serum PLGF and sFlt-1 levels were measured at routine prenatal check-ups at 14 to 20 weeks gestation.The PLGF/sFlt-1 ratio was calculated,and placental 3D-PDI was detected by ultrasound,including the vascularization index(VI),blood flow index(FI),and vascularization-blood flow index(VFI).Based on whether PE occurred after 20 weeks of pregnancy,cases were divided into PE(55 cases)and control groups(65 cases).The PE group was further divided into mild PE(35 cases)and severe PE groups(20 cases)based on the severity of the di-sease.The differences in PLGF/sFlt-1 and 3D-PDI between the groups were compared in terms of a statistical analysis of the correlation between PLGF,sFlt-1,and 3D-PDI.The receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC)was plotted,and the predictive value of each index on PE alone or in combination was analyzed.Results The systolic blood pressure(SBP),diastolic blood pressure(DBP),24 h protein-uria level,preterm birth rate,NICU admission rate,and preconception BMI in the PE group were higher than those in the control group(P＜0.05).The two groups had no differences in age,gestational age,pregnancy history,and fertility history(P＞0.05).The serum PLGF/sFlt-1 of the PE group was lower than that of the control group,and the serum PLGF/sFlt-1 of the severe group was lower than that of the mild group(P＜0.05).The 3D-PDI index of the PE group was lower than that of the control group,and the 3D-PDI index of the severe group was lower than that of the mild group(P＜0.05).Pearson's correlation analysis indicated that PLGF and VFI were signifi-cantly positively correlated(P＜0.01),and sFlt-1 was significantly negatively correlated with VFI(P＜0.01).ROC curve analysis showed that PLGF/sFlt-1,VI,FI,and VFI all had predictive value for PE and the value of VI,FI,and VFI jointly predicted PE,and was higher than that of various parameters(AUC = 0.951).Serum PLGF/sFlt-1,VI,FI,and VFI combined predicted the highest value(AUC=0.987).Conclusion In patients with PE,serum PLGF,sFlt-1,and placental VFI are significantly correlated.Serum PLGF/sFlt-1,placenta VI,FI,and VFI are reduced in early pregnancy,and the combined application of the four indicators has the highest efficacy in predicting PE,providing a possible reference for the early clinical screening or prediction of PE.

Assessment of fetal lung maturity in severe preeclampsia using main pulmonary artery accelerated systolic time/ejection time ratio / 中国医科大学学报

Objective To investigate the assessment of fetal lung maturity using main pulmonary artery accelerated systolic time(AT)/ejection time(ET)ratio in patients with severe preeclampsia.Methods A total of 65 pregnant women who were hospitalized in our hos-pital due to severe preeclampsia,from January 2021 to December 2022,and voluntarily underwent ultrasound examination were enrolled in this study.The patients were divided into early-onset(20 to 33+6 weeks gestation)severe preeclampsia group(group A,n= 30)and late-onset(34 to 40 weeks)severe preeclampsia group(group B,n= 35).Healthy pregnant women with gestational age-matched to groups A and B via ultrasound examination were selected as controls(n= 30 andn= 35,respectively).Fetal main pulmonary artery blood flow parameters were measured using ultrasound Doppler:AT,ET,AT/ET,and peak systolic flow rate(PSV).Amniotic fluid(approximately 15 mL)was collected immediately after delivery,and the lecithin/sphingomyelin(L/S)values were measured.The blood flow parameters of the main pulmonary artery of the fetuses in groups A and B were compared,and whether there was any difference between them and the control group was analyzed.The correlation between the blood flow parameters and amniotic fluid L/S was also analyzed.Results There were statistically significant differences in AT,ET,AT/ET,and PSV in the fetal main pulmonary artery between groups A and group B(P＜0.05),and all of them were smaller than those in the control group(P＜0.05).The AT/ET ratio of the fetal main pulmonary artery in groups A and B was positively correlated with amniotic fluid L/S(r= 0.821 and 0.383,respectively,P＜0.05).Receiver operating charac-teristic curve analysis showed that the area under the curve of AT/ET in the diagnosis of early-onset and late-onset preeclampsia was 0.839 and 0.833,respectively,and the sensitivity was 0.853 and 0.912,the specificity was 0.583 and 0.611,and the cut-off values were 0.185 and 0.255,respectively.The false positive rate was 5%.Conclusion The AT/ET value of the fetal main pulmonary artery can be used to make a preliminary diagnosis of severe preeclampsia and quantitatively assess fetal lung maturity,which can provide a new,simple,non-invasive,and reproducible assessment method for clinical practice.

Association between Metabolically Healthy Status and Risk of Gastrointestinal Cancer / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

Purpose@#Although obesity is associated with numerous diseases, the risks of disease may depend on metabolically healthy status. Nevertheless, it is unclear to whether metabolically healthy status affects risk of gastrointestinal (GI) cancer in general Chinese population. @*Materials and Methods@#A total of 114,995 participants who met the criteria were included from the Kailuan Study. The study participants were divided into four groups according to body mass index (BMI)/waist circumference (WC) and metabolic status. Incident of GI cancer (esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, liver cancer, biliary cancer, pancreatic cancer, and colorectal cancer) during 2006-2020 were confirmed by review of medical records. The Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to assess the association metabolically healthy status with the risk of GI cancer by calculating the hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). @*Results@#During a mean 13.76 years of follow-up, we documented 2,311 GI cancers. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that compared with the metabolically healthy normal-weight group, metabolically healthy obese (MHO) participants demonstrated an increased risk of developing GI cancer (HR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.11 to 2.13) by BMI categories. However, such associations were not found for WC category. These associations were moderated by age, sex, and anatomical site of the tumor. Individuals with metabolic unhealthy normal-weight or metabolic unhealthy obesity phenotype also have an increased risk of GI cancer. @*Conclusion@#MHO phenotype was associated with increased risk of GI cancer. Moreover, individuals who complicated by metabolic unhealthy status have an increased risk of developing GI cancer. Hence, clinicians should consider the risk of incident GI cancer in people with abnormal metabolically healthy status and counsel them about metabolic fitness and weight control.

Iodine nutrition status of 8 - 10 years old children in Tongren City, Guizhou Province from 2020 to 2022 / 中华地方病学杂志

Objective:To analyze the iodine nutritional status of children aged 8 - 10 in Tongren City, Guizhou Province, and provide a basis for scientific iodine supplementation for children.Methods:From 2020 to 2022, a systematic sampling method was adopted in 10 districts and counties of Tongren City. Each year, each district and county was divided into 5 districts based on east, west, south, north, and center. One township (street) was selected from each district, and 40 non boarding students aged 8 to 10 were selected from each township (street) to measure the iodine content of household salt and urine samples. The content of salt iodine in children of different yesas as well as the distribution of urine iodine in children of different districts and counties and different genders were analyzed and compared. Additionally, B-ultrasound was used to measure the thyroid volume of some children and the situation of thyroid enlargement was analyzed.Results:From 2020 to 2022, a total of 6 000 salt samples were collected and monitored from children's households, and 5 989 samples of iodized salt were detected, the coverage rate of iodized salt was 99.8%; and 5 750 samples of qualified iodized salt were found, the qualified rate of iodized salt was 96.0%, the consumption rate of qualified iodized salt was 95.8%; and the median salt iodine was 27.3 mg/kg, the difference in the median salt iodine among children between different years was statistically significant ( H = 10.04, P < 0.001). A total of 6 000 urine samples from children were tested, the median urinary iodine was 225.2 μg/L, the median urinary iodine among children in different districts and counties were statistically significantly different ( H = 85.73, P < 0.001); 3 077 male and 2 923 female urine samples were tested, and the median urinary iodine between different genders was statistically significant different ( Z = - 67.10, P < 0.001). The median urinary iodine of male samples were higher than those of female samples(227.8 vs 222.9 μg/L). The thyroid gland of 2 000 children was examined, and the rate of goiter was 1.0% (21/2 000). Conclusions:From 2020 to 2022, the consumption rate of qualified iodized salt, urinary iodine content and goiter rate of children in Tongren City have all met the national standard for eliminating iodine deficiency disorders. The overall iodine nutrition level exceeds the appropriate amount (urinary iodine of 200 - 299 μg/L).

Practical Research on the Teaching of "Medical Interpersonal Communication" Integrate into the Red Doctor’s Spirit for Students Majoring in Public Health Management / 中国医学伦理学

The red doctor’s spirit is an important spiritual guidance for the cultivation of medical talents during the development of medical and health services in China. The teaching reform, which is oriented towards position competence, requires that students majoring in public health management should not only master solid medical knowledge and professional skills, but also possess an ability to handle medical public relations, such as shaping an excellent image of the organization, improving the medical interpersonal communication, and managing public relations crisis. Under the guidance of inheriting the red gene and innovating the medical education, the driving force of learning should be "serving the people to improve their health" led by "political firmness" , the learning goal "striving for perfection" inspired by "excellent technology" , and the working criterion "respecting patients, involving full participation and shouldering public responsibility" embodied in "making selfless dedication and helping the wounded and dying" . The article based on the characteristic culture of red medicine in the Air Force Medical University, applied the teaching method of role-playing case simulations to explore the teaching practice road of "theory-experience-practice-reflection" .

Influence of triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio on the onset of primary liver cancer / 临床肝胆病杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the influence of triglyceride （TG）/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C） ratio on the onset of primary liver cancer. MethodsA prospective cohort study was conducted. Physical examination data were collected from 99 750 cases of on-the-job and retired employees of Kailuan Group who participated health examination from July 2006 to December 2007， and they were followed up till December 31， 2021 to observe the onset of primary liver cancer. A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between multiple groups， and the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison of continuous data with skewed distribution between multiple groups； the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. According to the tertiles of TG/HDL-C ratio， the subjects were divided into Q1， Q2， and Q3 groups， and the incidence density of primary liver cancer was calculated for each group. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the cumulative incidence rate of primary liver cancer in each group， and the log-rank test was used to compare the difference in cumulative incidence rate between groups. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze the influence of TG/HDL-C ratio on the onset of primary liver cancer. ResultsThere were significant differences between the three groups in age， proportion of male subjects， waist circumference， body mass index， fasting blood glucose， systolic pressure， diastolic pressure， triglyceride， total cholesterol， HDL-C， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol， alanine aminotransferase， high-sensitivity C-reactive protein， chronic liver diseases， hypertension， diabetes， the family history of malignant tumor， drinking， smoking， physical exercise， and educational level （P<0.05）. During the mean follow-up time of 14.06±2.71 years， there were 484 cases of new-onset liver cancer， among whom there were 446 male subjects and 38 female subjects. The incidence density of primary liver cancer was 0.39/1 000 person-years in the Q1 group， 0.35/1 000 person-years in the Q2 group， and 0.30/1 000 person-years in the Q3 group， and the cumulative incidence rates of primary liver cancer in the three groups were 6.03‰， 5.28‰， and 4.49‰， respectively， with a significant difference between the three groups based on the long-rank test （χ2=6.06， P=0.048）. After adjustment for the confounding factors considered， the Cox proportional hazards model showed that compared with the Q3 group， the Q1 group had a hazard ratio of 2.04 （95% confidence interval ［CI］： 1.61‍ ‍—‍ ‍2.58， Pfor trend<0.05）， and the Q2 group had a hazard ratio of 1.53 （95%CI： 1.21‍ ‍—‍ ‍1.92， Pfor trend<0.05）. ConclusionThe reduction in TG/HDL-C ratio is associated with an increase in the rask of primary liver cancer， especially in people with chronic liver diseases.

Effects of intravascular hypothermia combined with early post-pyloric feeding on neurological function and prognosis in patients with first severe ischemic stroke / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective:To investigate the effects of intravascular hypothermia combined with early post-pyloric feeding on the neurological function and prognosis in patients with severe ischemic stroke, and to provide a theoretical basis for clinical decision-making on the optimal nutritional support strategy for patients with severe ischemic stroke during intravascular hypothermia treatment.Methods:This was a retrospective, non-randomized, controlled study. A total of 78 patients with first severe ischemic stroke who were admitted to the ICU of Neurology Department, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2018 to December 2021 were selected. General information and clinical data of the patients were collected and grouped according to intrvascular hypothermia combined with nutritional support. Patients were divided into early post-pyloric feeding group of 52 cases and early parenteral nutrition group of 26 cases. The neurological prognosis, disease prognosis, nutritional status and complications related to nutritional support of the two groups were retrospectively analyzed.Results:The Glasgow score at 30th day after intravascular hypothermia in the early postpyloric feeding group was (11.25 ± 4.92) points, which was higher than that in the early parenteral nutrition group (8.40 ± 5.53), and the difference was statistically significant ( t=-2.45, P<0.05). After treatment, the serum total protein and hemoglobin of early postpyloric feeding group were (59.56 ± 5.09) g/L and (131.06 ± 19.58) g/L, respectively, which were higher than those of early parenteral nutrition group (56.52 ± 7.94) g/L and (122.07 ± 17.72) g/L. The difference was statistically significant ( t=-2.03, -1.91, P<0.05). The clinical pulmonary infection score of the early postpyloric feeding group was (7.33 ± 0.96) points, which was lower than that of the early parenteral nutrition group (9.42 ± 2.11). The mechanical ventilation time and ICU stay time were (17.46 ± 10.47) days and (28.89 ± 12.59) days, respectively. Compared with the early parenteral nutrition group (25.77 ± 15.20) days and (37.07 ± 17.15) days, the differences were statistically significant ( t=3.28, 2.83, 2.52, all P<0.05). There were no significant differences in catheter-associated bloodstream infection and ICU hospitalization mortality between the two groups (both P>0.05). Conclusions:Intravascular hypothermia combined with early post-pyloric feeding can improve the nutritional status of patients with severe ischemic stroke, effectively control pulmonary infection, shorten mechanical ventilation and hospital stay, and promote neurological repair.

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis with gastrointestinal bleeding as the main symptom: a case report and literature review / 中华危重病急救医学

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV) has a wide range of symptoms, and it is difficult for clinicians to make a quick and correct diagnosis. On November 11, 2021, a 36-year-old male patient with AAV was admitted to the emergency and critical care department of Yichang Central People's Hospital. He was admitted to the emergency intensive care unit (EICU) with gastrointestinal symptoms (abdominal pain, black stool) as the main physical signs, and was initially diagnosed as AAV with gastrointestinal hemorrhage (GIH). No bleeding point was found after repeated gastroscopy and colonoscopy. Abdominal emission CT (ECT) showed diffuse hemorrhage in the ileum, ascending colon and transverse colon. Multi-disciplinary consultation in the whole hospital considered the diffuse hemorrhage caused by small vascular lesions in the digestive tract caused by AAV. Pulse therapy with methylprednisolone 1 000 mg/d and immunosuppressive therapy with cyclophosphamide (CTX) 0.2 g/d were administered. The patient's symptoms quickly relieved and transferred out of the EICU. After 17 days of treatment, the patient finally died of massive gastrointestinal bleeding. A systematic review of relevant literatures combined with the case diagnosis and treatment process found that only a minority of AAV patients present with gastrointestinal symptoms as their first symptoms, and patients with GIH were very rare. Such patients had a poor prognosis. This patient delayed the use of induced remission and immunosuppressive agents due to the treatment of gastrointestinal bleeding, which may be the main cause of life-threatening GIH secondary to AAV. Gastrointestinal bleeding is a rare and fatal complication of vasculitis. Timely and effective induction and remission treatment is the key to survival. Whether patients should receive maintenance therapy, the duration of maintenance therapy, and the search for markers of disease diagnosis and treatment response are directions and challenges for further research.

Efficacy and safety of Xuefu Zhuyu decoction in patients with advanced cervical cancer / 中国药师

Objective To explore the clinical efficacy and safety of Xuefu Zhuyu decoction as an adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with advanced cervical cancer.Methods This study recruited advanced cervical cancer patients who underwent TP regimen(paclitaxel+cisplatin)chemotherapy in Luzhou District People's Hospital in Changzhi City from January 2019 to January 2021.According to the random number table method,patients with advanced cervical cancer were divided into a control group(treated with TP regimen)and an test group(treated with TP regimen combined with Xuefu Zhuyu decoction).The serum tumor marker levels(carcinoembryonic antigen,squamous cell carcinoma antigen and carbohydrate antigen 125),traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores and clinical efficacy[objective response rate,disease control rate and overall survival time]between two groups of patients were observed and compared.The occurrence of adverse drug reactions was assessed according to the Common Terminology Standard for Adverse Events(CTCAE 4.03).Results A total of 92 cases of advanced cervical cancer were included in this study,with 46 cases in each group.Before treatment,there was no significant statistical difference in the serum tumor marker levels and traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores between the control group and the test group with advanced cervical cancer(P>0.05).After treatment,the serum tumor marker levels and traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores in the test group and the control group significantly decreased compared to before(P<0.05),and they were significantly lower in the test group than those in the control group(P<0.05).In terms of clinical efficacy,there was no significant difference in objective response rate between two groups(P>0.05),while the disease control rate and median overall survival time of the test group were significantly higher than those of the control group(P<0.05).In terms of safety,no fatal adverse events were observed,and most adverse events were mild and controllable.In addition,there was no significant difference in the incidence of nausea and vomiting,anemia,thrombocytopenia and renal dysfunction between two groups(P>0.05),while the incidence of leukopenia and liver function injury in the test group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion Xuefu Zhuyu decoction can significantly improve the efficacy of chemotherapy patients with advanced cervical cancer,reduce serum tumor marker expression levels,improve traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores,increase disease control rate,prolong overall survival,and has high safety.

Effects of Xihuang Pills on proliferation and apoptosis of prostate cancer LNCaP cells based on AR/m TOR signaling pathway / 中国中药杂志

Based on the androgen receptor(AR)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)signaling pathway, the effects of Xihuang Pills-medicated serum on the proliferation and apoptosis of prostate cancer LNCaP cells were investigated. The drug-containing serum of SD rats was prepared by intragastric administration of Xihuang Pills suspension. The effects of low-, medium-, and high-dose Xihuang Pills-containing serum on the in vitro proliferation of LNCaP cells were detected by cell counting kit-8(CCK-8). Flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis level of LNCaP cells after intervention with different concentrations of Xihuang Pills. Protein expression of cleaved cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase caspase-3(cleaved caspase-3), B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2), and AR as well as the phosphorylation level of mTOR protein were detected by Western blot. The results showed that compared with the blank serum, the drug-medicated serum could blunt the activity of LNCaP cells. Low-, medium-, and high-dose Xihuang Pills-containing serum could significantly increase the cell apoptosis rate, increase the expression of cleaved caspase-3 protein, decrease the expression of Bcl-2 protein, reduce the expression of AR protein, and down-regulate the level of phosphorylated mTOR(p-mTOR). To study the effect of Xihuang Pills on the growth of LNCaP cells in vivo, different doses of Xihuang Pills were used to intervene in the subcutaneous graft model in nude mice inoculated with LNCaP cells. The expression levels of AR, mTOR, p-mTOR, Bcl-2, and cleaved caspase-3 were detected by Western blot. The results showed that the volumes of subcutaneous graft tumor in the low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose Xihuang Pills groups significantly decreased compared with that in the model group. The weight of subcutaneous transplanted tumor in each group with drug intervention was significantly lower than that in the model group. Compared with the model group, the low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose Xihuang Pills groups showed increased cleaved caspase-3 protein expression, decreased Bcl-2 and AR protein expression, and reduced p-mTOR protein expression. Further experiments showed that AR agonist R1881 could block the anti-proliferation and pro-apoptotic effects of Xihuang Pills. The mechanism of Xihuang Pills against prostate cancer is related to the inhibition of the AR/mTOR signaling pathway, inhibition of LNCaP cell proliferation, and induction of apoptosis in cancer cells.

Effect of Gupi Xiaoji Decoction on mitochondrial structure and function of human hepatoma cell line HepG2 / 中国药理学通报

Aim To observe the effect of Gupi Xiaoji Decoction (GPXJY) on the structure and function of mitochondria of human hepatoma cell HepG2 cells and explore its possible mechanism. Methods CCK8 was used to detect cell proliferation, Mito-Tracker Green fluorescence staining was used to observe the mitochondrial structure, flow cytometry was used to detect the membrane potential, Elisa was used to detect the ATP content, fluoroscopic electron microscopy was used to observe the microstructure changes, and high-content screening(HCS) was used to detect the related proteins. Results Fluorescence staining showed that GPXJY damaged the mitochondria of HepG2 cells and decreased the content of ATP. The results of flow cytometry showed that GPXJY could reduce the mitochondrial membrane potential of HepG2 cells. The results of electron microscope showed that GPXJY made the mitochondria of cancer cells swell and so on. HCS found that GPXJY significantly reduced the average fluorescence intensity of Bcl-2 in HepG2 cells, and significantly increased the average fluorescence intensity of apoptosis promoting proteins Bax, cytochrome-c, caspase-3 and cleaved-caspase-3, which was statistically significant. Conclusion GPXJY can regulate the structure and function of mitochondria in HepG2 cells.

Expert consensus on implementation strategy of awake prone positioning for non-intubated patients in China (2023) / 中华危重病急救医学

The awake prone position plays an important role in the treatment of hypoxemia and the improvement of respiratory distress symptoms in non-intubated patients. It is widely used in clinical practice because of its simple operation, safety, and economy. To enable clinical medical staff to scientifically and normatively implement prone position for awake patients without intubation, the committees of consensus formulation, guided by evidence-based methodology and Delphi method, conducted literature search, literature quality evaluation and evidence synthesis around seven topics, including indications and contraindications, evaluation, implementation, monitoring and safety management, termination time, complication prevention and health education of awake prone position. After two rounds of expert letter consultation, Expert consensus on implementation strategy of awake prone positioning for non-intubated patients in China (2023) was formulated, and provide guidance for clinical medical staff.

Research advances on functional training robots in burn rehabilitation / 中华烧伤杂志

Patients with deep burns are prone to suffer cicatrix hyperplasia or contracture, leading to problems including dysfunction in limbs, which impacts patients' life quality and makes it difficult for them to return to society. Thereby, the rehabilitation treatment after deep burns is particularly important. Currently, exercise therapy plays an important role in burn rehabilitation, which is mainly based on therapies such as continuous manual assistance training and manual stretching practice to provide patients with physical exercise to limbs and to correct the functional dysfunction of limbs in patients. With the continuous progress in technology, functional training robots have been developed to meet the needs. The emergence of functional training robots saves manpower and provides patients refined and standardized functional exercise treatment. From the aspects of production technology and multi-technology integration, this paper mainly introduces the recent innovation and development of functional training robots and the advantages of the application of functional training robots in the field of burn rehabilitation.

Research progress of protein post-translational modification in hepatocellular carcinoma / 中国药理学通报

Liver cancer has the characteristics of high incidence rate, high malignancy and hidden disease.At present, the treat¬ment of liver cancer mainly includes surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, but the prognosis is poor.Therefore, it is very important to explore the pathogenesis of liver cancer and find ef¬fective drugs on this basis.Protein post-translational modifica¬tion is a hot topic in epigenetics.Recent studies have found that the occurrence and development of liver cancer is related to the abnormality of post-translational modification, and can be used as a target for the diagnosis and treatment of liver cancer.This article reviews the relationship between the major protein post- translational modifications discovered in recent years and liver cancer, and provides clues for the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of liver cancer.

Data Mining and Systems Pharmacology to Elucidate Effectiveness and Mechanisms of Chinese Medicine in Treating Primary Liver Cancer / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To identify specific Chinese medicines (CM) that may benefit patients with primary liver cancer (PLC), and to explore the mechanism of action of these medicines.@*METHODS@#In this retrospective, singlecenter study, prescription information from PLC patients was used in combination with Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance Supports System to identify the specific core drugs. A system pharmacology approach was employed to explore the mechanism of action of these medicines.@*RESULTS@#Taking CM more than 6 months was significantly associated with improved survival outcomes. In total, 77 putative targets and 116 bioactive ingredients of the core drugs were identified and included in the analysis (P<0.05). A total of 1,036 gene ontology terms were found to be enriched in PLC. A total of 75 pathways identified from Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes were also enriched in this disease, including fluid shear stress, interleukin-17 signaling, signaling between advanced glycan end products and their receptors, cellular senescence, tumor necrosis factor signaling, p53 signaling, cell cycle signaling, steroid hormone biosynthesis, T-helper 17 cell differentiation, and metabolism of xenobiotics by cytochrome. Docking studies suggested that the ingredients in the core drugs exert therapeutic effects in PLC by modulating c-Jun and interleukin-6.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Receiving CM for 6 months or more improves survival for the patients with PLC. The core drugs that really benefit for PLC patients likely regulates the tumor microenvironment and tumor itself.

Textual Research on Trionycis Carapax / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Trionycis Carapax is a commonly used Chinese medicine in clinical practice. Modern research on Trionycis Carapax mainly focuses on experimental research and clinical observation， which has been rarely reported in the literature. Based on the literature on medicinal herbs， medical books， prescriptions of all dynasties， this study carried out systematic textual research on the historical evolution and changes of the name， origin， producing areas， quality， efficacy， indications， processing methods， and contraindications of the Trionycis Carapax. As revealed by the textual analysis， the origin of Trionycis Carapax is Trionyx sinensis， and the carapace of T. steindachneri is not suitable for the preparation of Trionycis Carapax. The genuine producing areas of Trionycis Carapax include Yueyang， Jingzhou， southeast Anhui， and western Jiangsu in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze river. Regarding the quality， the number of ribs of Trionycis Carapax， such as seven ribs and nine ribs， is often used as the quality evaluation standard in ancient Chinese herbal books. However， through literature research and field inspections on the medicinal material markets， it is not advisable to take rib number as a quality evaluation criterion in modern times. With the change of the times， the efficacy and indications of Trionycis Carapax have gradually expanded on the basis of Shennong’s Classic of Materia Medica （Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing）， and later generations widely apply it in internal medicine， surgery， gynecology， pediatrics， etc. It should be noted that the treatment of labor heat and bone steaming by Trionycis Carapax is derived from Shennong’s Classic of Materia Medica， not Treatise on the Nature of Medicinal Herbs （Yao Xing Lun） mentioned in ancient books such as Amplification on Materia Medica （Ben Cao Yan Yi）. The processing methods of Trionycis Carapax are diverse， which are dominated by traditional vinegar processing. In terms of contraindications， Trionycis Carapax should not be compatible with bauxite and marble and is contraindicated in pregnant women. Those with spleen deficiency， weak stomach， and liver deficiency without heat should use it with caution. This study is expected to provide the basis for radical reform and further development and clinical utilization of Trionycis Carapax.