Comparison of cytokine levels in prostatic secretion between the IIIa and IIIb subtypes of prostatitis / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), also known as National Institutes of Health (NIH) type III prostatitis, is a common disorder with an unclear etiology and no known curative treatments. Based on the presence or absence of leukocytes in expressed prostatic secretion (EPS), CP/CPPS is classified further into IIIa (inflammatory) and IIIb (noninflammatory) subtypes. However, the severity of symptoms is not entirely consistent with the white blood cell (WBC) count. Following the preliminary finding of a link between inflammatory cytokines and CP/CPPS, we performed this clinical study with the aim of identifying cytokines that are differentially expressed according to whether the prostatitis subtype is IIIa or IIIb. We found that granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), interleukin-18 (IL-18), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) levels were significantly elevated and interferon-inducible protein-10 (IP-10) and platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) levels were downregulated in the EPS of patients with type IIIa prostatitis. In a word, it is a meaningful study in which we investigate the levels of various cytokines in EPS according to whether prostatitis is the IIIa or IIIb subtype. The combination of G-CSF, IL-18, MCP-1, IP-10, and PDGF-BB expression levels could form a basis for classification, diagnosis, and therapeutic targets in clinical CP/CPPS.

An epidemiological investigation on vaccine-hypervariable poliovirus in a case with acute flaccid paralysis in Zhejiang Province / 预防医学

Abstract@#Vaccine-hypervariable poliovirus type Ⅲ was detected in an acute flaccid paralysis infant at age of 6 months in Zhejiang Province in June, 2021, and the isolated and incubated virus had six nucleotide variations in the VP1 region as compared to the poliovirus Sabin vaccine strain. The infant had a history of three-dose poliovirus vaccination, and grade 2 muscle strength of the left upper limb upon onset. He was clinically diagnosed with cellulitis of the left shoulder, and recovered to normal following treatment. No abnormality was detected in the nervous system, and the infant was cured and discharged from hospital. No vaccine-hypervariable poliovirus was detected in subsequent infant' clinical samples or in close contacts, and no similar cases were identified during the active case detection by county/district medical institutions and among community populations. Since the infant did not present poliomyelitis-related clinical symptoms caused by vaccine-hypervariable poliovirus, poliomyelitis was excluded. The vaccine-hypervariable poliovirus was not spread because of timely identification and effective responses, suggesting the urgent need to maintain the sensitivity of the acute flaccid paralysis surveillance system and improve the coverage of poliovirus vaccination, so as to inhibit the transmission of poliovirus.

Multiple portions enteral nutrition and chyme reinfusion of a blunt bowel injury patient with hyperbilirubinemia undergoing open abdomen: A case report / 中华创伤杂志(英文版)

Blunt bowel injury (BBI) is relatively rare but life-threatening when delayed in surgical repair or anastomosis. Providing enteral nutrition (EN) in BBI patients with open abdomen after damage control surgery is challenging, especially for those with discontinuity of the bowel. Here, we report a 47-year-old male driver who was involved in a motor vehicle collision and developed ascites on post-trauma day 3. Emergency exploratory laparotomy at a local hospital revealed a complete rupture of the jejunum and then primary anastomosis was performed. Postoperatively, the patient was transferred to our trauma center for septic shock and hyperbilirubinemia. Following salvage resuscitation, damage control laparotomy with open abdomen was performed for abdominal sepsis, and a temporary double enterostomy (TDE) was created where the anastomosis was ruptured. Given the TDE and high risk of malnutrition, multiple portions EN were performed, including a proximal portion EN support through a nasogastric tube and a distal portion EN via a jejunal feeding tube. Besides, chyme delivered from the proximal portion of TDE was injected into the distal portion of TDE via a jejunal feeding tube. Hyperbilirubinemia was alleviated with the increase in chyme reinfusion. After 6 months of home EN and chyme reinfusion, the patient finally underwent TDE reversal and abdominal wall reconstruction and was discharged with a regular diet. For BBI patients with postoperative hyperbilirubinemia who underwent open abdomen, the combination of multiple portions EN and chyme reinfusion may be a feasible and safe option.

Application of metagenomic next-generation sequencing in the detection of pathogenic bacteria in brain abscesses / 中国综合临床

Objective:To analyze the application value of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in the detection of pathogenic bacteria in brain abscesses.Methods:The data of patients with brain abscess in Tianjin Huanhu Hospital from January 2019 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent stereotaxic abscess puncture and drainage. According to the different methods of pathogen detection, they were divided into bacterial culture group (bacterial culture only) and mNGS group (bacterial culture with mNGS). The clinical symptoms, abscess site, bacterial culture and mNGS results, antibiotic application protocol and prognosis of the patients were analyzed. The bacterial detection results of the two groups were analyzed, and the antibiotic application and prognosis were compared. χ 2 test, exact probability method and Mann Whitney test were used to compare the difference between the two groups. Results:A total of 43 patients with brain abscess were enrolled, including 21 cases in bacterial culture group and 22 cases in mNGS group. The positive rate of bacteria culture group was 42.9% (9/21), the positive rate of bacteria culture group was 45.5% (10/22), and the positive rate of mNGS detection was 100% (22/22). Only 3 cases in the bacterial culture group could have a clear bacterial source, while 17 cases in the mNGS group could have a clear bacterial source according to the bacterial results, showing a significant statistical difference between the two groups (χ 2=19.69, P<0.001). The return time of bacterial culture was 7.0 (4.0,7.0) days, and the average return time of mNGS was 1.5 (1.5,1.5) days, the difference of bacterial return time between the two groups was statistically significant ( Z=0.00, P<0.001). The cost of antibiotic use in bacterial culture group was 24.00 (5.60,31.00) thousands yuan, and the cost of antibiotic use in mNGS group was 12.00 (2.10, 20.00) thousands yuan, and there was significant statistical difference between them ( Z=5.22, P=0.026). Conclusions:MNGS can quickly and accurately identify the types and sources of brain abscess pathogens, guide the clinical application of antibiotics more targeted, reduce the cost of antibiotic use, and is an effective method for the detection of brain abscess pathogenic bacteria.

Wnt/b-Catenin Promotes the Osteoblastic Potential of BMP9 Through Down-Regulating Cyp26b1 in Mesenchymal Stem Cells

BACKGROUND@#All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) promotes the osteogenic differentiation induced by bone morphogenetic protein 9 (BMP9), but the intrinsic relationship between BMP9 and ATRA keeps unknown. Herein, we investigated the effect of Cyp26b1, a critical enzyme of ATRA degradation, on the BMP9-induced osteogenic differentiation in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and unveiled possible mechanism through which BMP9 regulates the expression of Cyp26b1. @*METHODS@#ATRA content was detected with ELISA and HPLC–MS/MS. PCR, Western blot, and histochemical staining were used to assay the osteogenic markers. Fetal limbs culture, cranial defect repair model, and micro–computed tomographic were used to evaluate the quality of bone formation. IP and ChIP assay were used to explore possible mechanism. @*RESULTS@#We found that the protein level of Cyp26b1 was increased with age, whereas the ATRA content decreased. The osteogenic markers induced by BMP9 were increased by inhibiting or silencing Cyp26b1 but reduced by exogenous Cyp26b1. The BMP9-induced bone formation was enhanced by inhibiting Cyp26b1. The cranial defect repair was promoted by BMP9, which was strengthened by silencing Cyp26b1 and reduced by exogenous Cyp26b1. Mechanically, Cyp26b1 was reduced by BMP9, which was enhanced by activating Wnt/b-catenin, and reduced by inhibiting this pathway. b-catenin interacts with Smad1/5/9, and both were recruited at the promoter of Cyp26b1. @*CONCLUSIONS@#Our findings suggested the BMP9-induced osteoblastic differentiation was mediated by activating retinoic acid signalling, viadown-regulating Cyp26b1. Meanwhile, Cyp26b1 may be a novel potential therapeutic target for the treatment of bone-related diseases or accelerating bone-tissue engineering.

Enlightening from optimizing post-authorization safety monitoring system of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in major economies worldwide / 中华预防医学杂志

Ongoing global pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has promoted the unprecedented rapid development and large-scale rolling out of different platform-based COVID-19 vaccines worldwide. How to effectively respond to the expected scale increasing adverse events after vaccination campaign of COVID-19 vaccines is a common problem faced by the world. A lot of countries and regions around the world have arranged in advance at different levels, optimizing the original vaccine safety monitoring system from the perspectives of strengthening the foundation and capabilities, promoting internal and external cooperation, upgrading methods, as well as improving transparency and public communication, which has ensured the good and efficient operation of the system and can provide reference for the construction of relevant fields in China.

Immunogenicity and safety of a SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccine (CoronaVac) co-administered with an inactivated quadrivalent influenza vaccine: A randomized, open-label, controlled study in healthy adults aged 18 to 59 years in China.

BACKGROUND: Studies are needed for evidence of inactivated COVID-19 vaccine co-administered with influenza vaccine. METHODS: A randomized, open-label, controlled study was conducted in Zhejiang Province, China. Eligible healthy adults aged 18-59 years underwent randomization at a ratio of 1:1:2 to receive inactivated quadrivalent influenza vaccine (IIV4) either concomitantly with the first (C1 subgroup) or the second (C2 subgroup) dose of CoronaVac, or 14 days after the first dose of CoronaVac (S group). The primary purpose of the study was to prove the non-inferiority in seroconversion rate of antibody against SARS-CoV-2. RESULTS: Overall, 480 participants were enrolled, with 120, 120, and 240 randomly assigned to the C1, C2, and S groups, respectively. As lower bound of the two-sided 95% confidence interval (CI) of the difference for the seroconversion rate of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 was over -10%, the immune response for CoronaVac in the C group (93.1% [89.0, 96.0]) was non-inferior to that in the S group (95.2% [91.5, 97.6]) in the per-protocol set. A lower GMT of antibody against SARS-CoV-2 was observed in the C group as compared to the S group (27.5 vs. 38.1, P = 0.0001). Decrease of immune response to CoronaVac was mainly observed in participants received IIV4 concomitantly with their second dose of CoronaVac (C2 subgroup), with a seroconversion rate of 89.7% (95CI: 82.6%-94.5%) and a GMT of 23.3. The occurrences of vaccine related adverse reactions were no more than 20% and comparable among different groups. Most of the adverse reactions were mild and moderate. CONCLUSION: Co-administration of inactivated COVID-19 vaccine and seasonal influenza vaccine, especially the administration regimen that the seasonal influenza vaccine co-administered with the first dose of the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine, would be feasible.

Evaluating the real-world vaccine effectiveness using a regression discontinuity design / 中华流行病学杂志

Estimating the actual real-world effectiveness of the vaccine is an essential part of the post-marketing evaluation. This regression discontinuity design (RDD) using observational data is designed to quantify the effect of an intervention when eligibility for the intervention is based on a defined cutoff as age, making it suited to estimate vaccine effects. This approach can avoid the high cost and ethical issues; overcome difficulties in the organization and practice process in randomized controlled trials, which leads to a higher level of causal inference evidence and more realistic results. Here, we describe key features of RDD in general, and then specific scenarios, with examples, to illustrate that RDD are an essential tool for advancing our understanding of vaccine effects.

Advances in research of interchangeable immunization with live attenuated Japanese encephalitis vaccines and inactivated vaccines / 中华预防医学杂志

Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus is the leading cause of vaccine-preventable encephalitis in Asia and the Western Pacific, which mainly invades central nervous system. Vaccination is the most important strategy to prevent JE. Currently, both live attenuated Japanese encephalitis vaccines (JE-L) and inactivated vaccines (JE-I) are in use. Due to the supply of vaccines and the personal choice of recipients, there will be a demand for interchangeable immunization of these two vaccines. However, relevant research is limited. By reviewing domestic and foreign research evidence, this article summarizes the current situation of the interchangeable use of JE-L and JE-I, and makes recommendations when the interchangeable immunization is in urgent need, so as to provide reference for practical vaccination and policymaking in China.

Epidemiological characteristics and spatiotemporal clustering of hepatitis A in Zhejiang Province from 2010 to 2019 / 中华预防医学杂志

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological characteristics and spatiotemporal clustering of hepatitis A in Zhejiang Province from 2010 to 2019. Methods: The data of hepatitis A incidence in Zhejiang Province from 2010 to 2019 were collected from the infectious disease surveillance system of China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention. ArcGIS 10.7 software was used for spatial autocorrelation analysis. SaTScan 9.6 software was used for spatiotemporal scanning analysis. SPSS 25.0 software was used for additional analysis. Results: Zhejiang Province has reported 5 465 cases of hepatitis A in 2010-2019 years, with an average annual incidence rate of 1.00/100 000, and periodicity and seasonality are not obvious. The incidence of male was higher than that of female (P=0.023), and the highest incidence rate was 50-59 years old. Spatial autocorrelation analysis showed that there was a positive spatial correlation between the incidence of hepatitis A in Zhejiang Province from 2010 to 2017, with the weakest correlation in 2010 (Moran's I =0.103, Z=1.769, P=0.049), and the strongest correlation in 2016 (Moran's I=0.328, Z=4.979, P=0.001). Spatiotemporal scanning analysis showed that there was spatial aggregation of hepatitis A in Zhejiang Province from 2010 to 2019, with a total of three aggregation areas identified. Among them, the mostly aggregation area was concentrated in Xiangshan county of Ningbo city, which covered 10 counties (cities and districts), including Ninghai county and Yinzhou district, and appeared from January 1 to June 30, 2012. Conclusion: The incidence level of hepatitis A in Zhejiang Province shows a stable fluctuation trend from 2010 to 2019, and the seasonal regularity is not obvious. The population group aged 50-59 years old is the key population. There is spatial aggregation in the epidemic situation of hepatitis A. Targeted prevention and control measures of hepatitis A should be done based on the law of spatiotemporal aggregation and local incidence.

Serum anti-measles antibody levels among residents in Zhejiang Province / 预防医学

Objective@#To investigate the serum levels of anti-measles antibody among residents in Zhejiang Province in 2018, so as to provide insights into measles control.@*Methods@#Permanent residents aged 0 to 59 years were recruited using the stratified multistage random sampling method in Zhejiang Province in 2018, and subjects' demographic features, medical history of measles and history of immunization with measles-containing vaccine (MCV) were collected using a questionnaire survey. The serum level of anti-measles IgG antibody was detected, and the geometric mean concentration (GMC) of anti-measles IgG antibody was estimated. The seroprevalence, protective rate and GMC of anti-measles IgG antibody were compared among residents at different age groups and regions.@*Results@#A total of 4 189 residents were enrolled, including 1 939 males and 2 250 females, with a male to female ratio of 1∶1.16. There were 3 858 residents positive for anti-measles IgG antibody, with seroprevalence of 92.10%, and there were 2 072 residents with protective antibodies against measles, with a protective rate of 49.46%. The median GMC of anti-measles IgG antibody was 798.33 (interquartile range, 1 024.06) mIU/mL, and the protective rate of anti-measles IgG antibody appeared a tendency towards a decline with age ( χ2trend=18.067, P<0.001 ). There were significant differences in the seroprevalence ( χ2=45.090, P<0.001 ), protective rate ( χ2=57.432, P<0.001 ) and GMC of anti-measles IgG antibody (χ2=88.624, P<0.001 ) among residents at different regions, with the lowest seroprevalence of anti-measles IgG antibody in Ningbo City ( 85.19% ), the lowest antibody-protective rate (38.98%) and the lowest GMC [632.89 ( 909.04 ) mIU/mL] in Zhoushan City, the highest seroprevalence ( 95.16% ), antibody-protective rate (58.48%) and GMC [1 035.84 ( 1 301.77 ) mIU/mL] in Huzhou City.@*Conclusions@# The protective rate of anti-measles antibody was low and appeared a tendency towards a decline among residents in Zhejiang Province in 2018. There was a region-specific serum level of anti-measles antibody in Zhejiang Province in 2018.

The Use of Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A2 in a Chinese Population to Predict Cardiovascular Events / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

Objective@#To explore associations between lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) and the risk of cardiovascular events in a Chinese population, with a long-term follow-up.@*Methods@#A random sample of 2,031 participants (73.6% males, mean age = 60.4 years) was derived from the Asymptomatic Polyvascular Abnormalities Community study (APAC) from 2010 to 2011. Serum Lp-PLA2 levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The composite endpoint was a combination of first-ever stroke, myocardial infarction (MI) or all-cause death. Lp-PLA2 associations with outcomes were assessed using Cox models.@*Results@#The median Lp-PLA2 level was 141.0 ng/mL. Over a median follow-up of 9.1 years, we identified 389 events (19.2%), including 137 stroke incidents, 43 MIs, and 244 all-cause deaths. Using multivariate Cox regression, when compared with the lowest Lp-PLA2 quartile, the hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals for developing composite endpoints, stroke, major adverse cardiovascular events, and all-cause death were 1.77 (1.24-2.54), 1.92 (1.03-3.60), 1.69 (1.003-2.84), and 1.94 (1.18-3.18) in the highest quartile, respectively. Composite endpoints in 145 (28.6%) patients occurred in the highest quartile where Lp-PLA2 (159.0 ng/mL) was much lower than the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists recommended cut-off point, 200 ng/mL.@*Conclusion@#Higher Lp-PLA2 levels were associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular event/death in a middle-aged Chinese population. The Lp-PLA2 cut-off point may be lower in the Chinese population when predicting cardiovascular events.

Construction of a path for optimizing the health management of HBV infections among pregnant and lying-in women based on a Delphi method / 预防医学

Objective@#To establish an optimized path for health management of HBV infections among pregnant and lying-in women based on a Delphi method, so as to provide the evidence for intensifying the interruption of the mother-to-child transmission of HBV.@*Methods@#Based on literature review and previous studies, the preliminary framework and contents of the optimized path for health management of HBV infections were constructed. Experts from epidemiology, clinical medicine and maternal and children healthcare were invited to participate in two-round Delphi consultations, and the preliminarily designed indicators were screened and revised. The score for feasibility of each indicator was calculated, and the weight of each indicator was estimated using a proportional distribution method.@*Results@#Sixteen experts participated in the consultation, including 13 women. The participants had a mean age of (45.69±5.71) years, and a mean employment duration of (23.06±7.05) years. All participants had a degree of bachelor and above, and there were 14 experts with vice senior professional titles. The mean positive coefficient was 96.88% and the mean authority coefficient was 0.790 during the two-round expert consultations. There were significant differences in the coordination coefficient of importance, necessity and feasibility of indicators at all levels (P<0.05), and the coefficient of variation of the feasibility was all less than 0.250. The final optimized path for health management of HBV infections among pregnant and lying-in women included 6 primary indicators, 17 secondary indictors and 73 tertiary indicators. Among the primary indicators, delivery management (0.173 4), screening and evaluation (0.172 8) and pregnancy management (0.172 7) had a high weight.@*Conclusion@#A scientific and reliable optimized path is created for health management of HBV infections among pregnant and lying-in women, which has a potential value for improving the interruption of mother-to-child transmission of HBV.

Ancient DNA Damage Analysis of Late Quaternary Mammalian Fossil Samples in Northeast China / 中国生物化学与分子生物学报

The advancement of the next generation sequencing (NGS) technology has promoted the development of ancient DNA research. Ancient DNA has made outstanding contributions in various fields such as human origin, animal evolution, etc. How to effectively extract and mine the genetic information from fossil and sub-fossil remains excavated from specific locations is a prerequisite for optimizing their important roles in many fields. In this study, we correlated the two main indicators of DNA damage (terminal base replacement rate, average fragment length) with the possible factors such as the burial time, geological epochs, tissue types, and sequencing library construction methods. The results show that the end base replacement rate of ancient DNA from Northeastern China is positively correlated with the water content of the environment and the ages of the samples. Among samples of different geological epochs, ancient DNA end base replacement rates have significant differences. On the contrary, different tissue types of the remains have no significant effects on the end base replacement rate of ancient DNA. The average fragment size of the molecules has no obvious correlation with the factors mentioned above. The results provide both solid data for investigating the characteristics of ancient DNA from specimens collected in Northeastern China, and valuable information for collecting appropriate samples from different geographical locations and the downstream storage before wet lab procedures after excavation.

Gene-educational attainment interactions in a multi-ancestry genome-wide meta-analysis identify novel blood pressure loci.

Educational attainment is widely used as a surrogate for socioeconomic status (SES). Low SES is a risk factor for hypertension and high blood pressure (BP). To identify novel BP loci, we performed multi-ancestry meta-analyses accounting for gene-educational attainment interactions using two variables, "Some College" (yes/no) and "Graduated College" (yes/no). Interactions were evaluated using both a 1 degree of freedom (DF) interaction term and a 2DF joint test of genetic and interaction effects. Analyses were performed for systolic BP, diastolic BP, mean arterial pressure, and pulse pressure. We pursued genome-wide interrogation in Stage 1 studies (N = 117 438) and follow-up on promising variants in Stage 2 studies (N = 293 787) in five ancestry groups. Through combined meta-analyses of Stages 1 and 2, we identified 84 known and 18 novel BP loci at genome-wide significance level (P < 5 × 10-8). Two novel loci were identified based on the 1DF test of interaction with educational attainment, while the remaining 16 loci were identified through the 2DF joint test of genetic and interaction effects. Ten novel loci were identified in individuals of African ancestry. Several novel loci show strong biological plausibility since they involve physiologic systems implicated in BP regulation. They include genes involved in the central nervous system-adrenal signaling axis (ZDHHC17, CADPS, PIK3C2G), vascular structure and function (GNB3, CDON), and renal function (HAS2 and HAS2-AS1, SLIT3). Collectively, these findings suggest a role of educational attainment or SES in further dissection of the genetic architecture of BP.

Preparation of hydrophilic Indigo Naturalis based on polyethylene glycol( PEG) surface film-forming method and evaluation / 中国中药杂志

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) surface film-forming method was used to prepare hydrophilic Indigo Naturalis decoction pieces with stable effect.The preparation process of modified Indigo Naturalis was optimized and its microscopic properties,hydrophilicity,antipyretic efficacy,and safety were systematically evaluated.With equilibrium contact angle as assessment index,the influence of modifier type,modifier dosage,dispersant dosage,and co-grinding time on water solubility of Indigo Naturalis was investigated by single factor test.The results showed that the optimal preparation process was as follows.The 6%PEG6000 is dissolved in 10%anhydrous ethanol solution by sonification and then the mixture is ground with Indigo Naturalis for 2 min.The resultant product is dried on a square tray in an oven at 60℃to remove ethanol and thereby the PEG-modified hydrophilic Indigo Naturalis decoction pieces are yielded.The morphological observation under scanning electron microscope (SEM) indicated that the modified Indigo Naturalis had smoother surface than Indigo Naturalis,and energy spectrometer measurement showed that the nitrogen (N),calcium(Ca),oxygen (O),and silicon (Si) on the surface of modified Indigo Naturalis powder were less than those of Indigo Naturalis powder.Modified Indigo Naturalis had the equilibrium contact angle 18.96°smaller,polar component 22.222 m J·m~(-2)more,and nonpolar component 7.277 m J·m~(-2)smaller than the Indigo Naturalis powder.Multiple light scattering technique was employed to evaluate the dispersion in water and the result demonstrated that the transmittance of Indigo Naturalis and modified Indigo Naturalis was about85%and 75%,respectively,suggesting the higher dispersity of modified Indigo Naturalis.The suspension rate of modified Indigo Naturalis in water was determined by reflux treatment.The result showed that 57%of Indigo Naturalis was not wetted after refluxing for1 h,while the modified Indigo Naturalis was all wetted and dispersed into water.The dissolution of indigo and indirubin of modified Indigo Naturalis increased and the process was more stable.Then,rats were randomized into the blank group,model group,acetaminophen group,Indigo Naturalis group,and hydrophilic Indigo Naturalis group.The temperature changes of rats were observed after administration and the concentration of IL-1βand TNF-αin serum and IL-1βand PGE_2in hypothalamus was measured.The results indicated that the temperature of Indigo Naturalis group and hydrophilic Indigo Naturalis group dropped and the IL-1βlevel of the hydrophilic Indigo Naturalis group decreased (P<0.05) as compared with those in the model group.Thus,both Indigo Naturalis and hydrophilic Indigo Naturalis had antipyretic effect,particularly the hydrophilic Indigo Naturalis.The acute toxicity test of hydrophilic Indigo Naturalis verified that it had no toxicity to rats.In this study,the hydrophilic Indigo Naturalis decoction pieces were prepared with the PEG surface film-forming method,and the antipyretic efficacy and safety were evaluated,which expanded the technological means of powder modification for Chinese medicine and provided a method for clinical use of Chinese medicine.

Clinical study on Shaoyao-Bawei Decoction combined with moxibustion in the treatment of spleen stomach weakness syndrome of chronic atrophic gastritis / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Shaoyao-Bawei Decoction combined with moxibustion in the treatment of spleen stomach weakness syndrome of chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG). Methods:The 98 CAG patients admitted to the Zhaoqing Gaoyao District People’s Hospital from January 2019 to January 2021 who met the selection criteria were divided into 2 groups according to the random number table method, with 49 in each group. The control group received conventional western medicine treatment, and the observation group was treated with Shaoyao-Bawei Decoction combined with moxibustion on the basis of the control group. TCM symptom scores were performed before and after treatment, the levels of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α were detected by ELISA, and the levels of serum motilin (MLT), gastrin-17 (G17) and gastrin (gas) were detected by radioimmunoassay, the safety of medication was observed and the clinical efficacy was evaluated. Results:The total effective rate was 93.9% (46/49) in the observation group and 71.4% (35/49) in the control group. There was significant difference between the two groups ( χ2=8.611, P=0.043). After treatment, the scores of epigastric burning, fullness in stomach, dull appetite, dry mouth and bitter mouth, shortness of breath and unwillingness to speak, general lassitude, pale tongue, small and weak pulse in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( t=12.061, 7.331, 6.869, 5.975, 5.208, 10.567, 8.738, 8.631, respectively, all Ps<0.01), and the levels of serum IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α were significantly lower than those in the control group ( t=8.573,13.423,12.099, respectively, all Ps <0.01). After treatment, the level of serum MLT (154.52 ± 26.25 ng/L vs. 180.26 ± 28.13 ng/L, t=4.488) in the observation group was lower than that of the control group ( P<0.01); the levels of G17 (14.28 ± 1.75 pmol/L vs. 10.28 ± 1.06 pmol/L, t=-7.966) and GAS (24.73 ± 3.42 ng/L vs. 19.02 ± 3.38 ng/L, t=-13.115) in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group ( t=-7.966 and -13.115, respectively, all Ps<0.01). During the treatment, the incidence of adverse reactions was 8.16% (4/49) in the observation group and 6.12% (3/49) in the control group, and there was no significant difference between the two groups ( χ2=0.152, P=0.695). Conclusion:Shaoyao-Bawei Decoction combined with moxibustion can alleviate the clinical symptoms of CAG patients with spleen stomach weakness syndrome, regulate the level of inflammatory cytokines, promote the recovery of gastrointestinal function and improve the clinical curative effect.

From natural dye to herbal medicine: a systematic review of chemical constituents, pharmacological effects and clinical applications of indigo naturalis.

BACKGROUND: Indigo naturalis is a blue dye in ancient, as well as an extensive used traditional Chinese medicine. It has a wide spectrum of pharmacological properties and can be used to treat numerous ailments such as leukemia, psoriasis, and ulcerative colitis. This article aims to expand our understanding of indigo naturalis in terms of its chemical constituents, pharmacological action and clinical applications. METHODS: We searched PubMed, web of science, CNKI, Google academic, Elsevier and other databases with the key words of "Indigo naturalis", and reviewed and sorted out the modern research of indigo naturalis based on our research results. RESULTS: We outlined the traditional manufacturing process, chemical composition and quality control of indigo naturalis, systematically reviewed traditional applictions, pharmacological activities and mechanism of indigo naturalis, and summarized its clinical trials about treatment of psoriasis, leukemia and ulcerative colitis. CONCLUSIONS: Indigo naturalis has a variety of pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, immunomodulatory and so on. It has very good clinical effect on psoriasis, leukemia and ulcerative colitis. However, it should be noted that long-term use of indigo naturalis may produce some reversible adverse reactions. In summarize, indigo naturalis is an extremely important drug with great value and potential.

Absorption and interaction mechanisms of uranium & cadmium in purple sweet potato(Ipomoea batatas L.).

The purpose of this study was to reveal the absorption and interaction mechanisms of uranium (U) & cadmium (Cd) in corps. Purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) was selected as the experimental material. The absorption behavior of U and Cd in this crop and the effects on mineral nutrition were analyzed in a pot experiment. The interactions between U and Cd in purple sweet potato were analyzed using UPLC-MS metabolome analysis. The pot experiment confirmed that the root tuber of the purple sweet potato had accumulated U (1.68-5.16 mg kg-1) and Cd (0.78-2.02 mg kg-1) and would pose a health risk if consumed. Both U and Cd significantly interfered with the mineral nutrient of the roots. Metabolomics revealed that a total of 4865 metabolites were identified in roots. 643 (419 up; 224 down), 526 (332 up; 194 down) and 634 (428 up; 214 down) different metabolites (DEMs) were identified in the U, Cd, and U + Cd exposure groups. Metabolic pathway analysis showed that U and Cd induced the expression of plant hormones (the first messengers) and cyclic nucleotides (cAMP and cGMP, second messengers) in cells and regulated the primary/secondary metabolism of roots to induce resistance to U and Cd toxicity.

Mutational profile of myeloproliferative neoplasms detected by a customized NGS-based gene panel / 中华检验医学杂志

Objective By a sequencing panel consisting of 50 targeted genes, aiming at depicting the molecular landscape of ET, PV, and PMF, which are three major subtypes of MPN, to provide valuable information in the diagnosis and prognosis of MPN.Methods A retrospective study was conducted of 53 patients from Huashan hospital and Changhai hospital. All patients were diagnosed in accordance with the 2016 WHO diagnostic criteria for MPN, including 31 cases of ET(11 males, 20 females, median age 55 years), 17 cases of PV(12 males, 5 females, median age 65 years), and 5 cases of PMF(4 males, 1 females, median age 67 years), and underwent next-generation of DNA sequencing of their bone marrow or blood samples. The genetic analyses were performed on bone marrow or peripheral blood. Referring to COSMIC, dbSNP, Clinvar and other public databases, we analyzed the sequencing data, and elucidated the mutation profile of MPN patients, combining with their clinic information. Results In addition to the typical JAK2, CALR, and MPL mutations, pathogenic mutations in other 11 genes were detected, as well as 4 SNPs that confer individual susceptibility to MPNs (rs4858647, rs9376092, rs58270997, rs621940). The average rate of mutated genes was 2.3 genes per patient. In all patients (53 cases), the mutated genes detected were TET2, EZH2, ASXL1, MIR662, SF3B1, BARD1, DNMT3A, KIT, RUNX1, TP53, NRAS according to their mutational frequency. Conclusions Applying next-generation sequencing technology, multi-gene sequencing of a bunch of typical BCR-ABL-negative MPN patients can be performed at one time within 2 working days, and pathogenic mutations other than JAK2, CALR, MPL can be found, which has a bright prospection in clinic.