t-SMILES: a fragment-based molecular representation framework for de novo ligand design.

Effective representation of molecules is a crucial factor affecting the performance of artificial intelligence models. This study introduces a flexible, fragment-based, multiscale molecular representation framework called t-SMILES (tree-based SMILES) with three code algorithms: TSSA (t-SMILES with shared atom), TSDY (t-SMILES with dummy atom but without ID) and TSID (t-SMILES with ID and dummy atom). It describes molecules using SMILES-type strings obtained by performing a breadth-first search on a full binary tree formed from a fragmented molecular graph. Systematic evaluations using JTVAE, BRICS, MMPA, and Scaffold show the feasibility of constructing a multi-code molecular description system, where various descriptions complement each other, enhancing the overall performance. In addition, it can avoid overfitting and achieve higher novelty scores while maintaining reasonable similarity on labeled low-resource datasets, regardless of whether the model is original, data-augmented, or pre-trained then fine-tuned. Furthermore, it significantly outperforms classical SMILES, DeepSMILES, SELFIES and baseline models in goal-directed tasks. And it surpasses state-of-the-art fragment, graph and SMILES based approaches on ChEMBL, Zinc, and QM9.

Rapid detection and quantification of adulteration in saffron by excitation-emission matrix fluorescence combined with multi-way chemometrics.

BACKGROUND: Saffron has gained people's attention and love for its unique flavor and valuable edible value, but the problem of saffron adulteration in the market is serious. It is urgent for us to find a simple and rapid identification and quantitative estimation of adulteration in saffron. Therefore, excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence combined with multi-way chemometrics was proposed for the detection and quantification of adulteration in saffron. RESULTS: The fluorescence composition analysis of saffron and saffron adulterants (safflower, marigold and madder) were accomplished by alternating trilinear decomposition (ATLD) algorithm. ATLD and two-dimensional principal component analysis combined with k-nearest neighbor (ATLD-kNN and 2DPCA-kNN) and ATLD combined with data-driven soft independent modeling of class analogies (ATLD-DD-SIMCA) were applied to rapid detection of adulteration in saffron. 2DPCA-kNN and ATLD-DD-SIMCA methods were adopted for the classification of chemical EEM data, first with 100% correct classification rate. The content of adulteration of adulterated saffron was predicted by the N-way partial least squares regression (N-PLS) algorithm. In addition, new samples were correctly classified and the adulteration level in adulterated saffron was estimated semi-quantitatively, which verifies the reliability of these models. CONCLUSION: ATLD-DD-SIMCA and 2DPCA-kNN are recommended methods for the classification of pure saffron and adulterated saffron. The N-PLS algorithm shows potential in prediction of adulteration levels. These methods are expected to solve more complex problems in food authenticity. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Naringin Inhibits Colorectal Carcinogenesis by Inhibiting Viability of Colorectal Cancer Cells.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the therapeutic effect of naringin on colorectal cancer (CRC) and the related mechanism. METHODS: Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and annexin V-FITC/PI assay were used to detect the effect of naringin (50-400 µg/mL) on cell proliferation and apoptosis of CRC cells, respectively. The scratch wound assay and transwell migration assay were used to assess the effect of naringin on CRC cell migration. Four-week-old male nude mice were injected with HCT116 cells subcutaneously to establish the tumor xenograft model. Naringin was injected intraperitoneally at 50 mg/(kg·d), with solvent and 5-fluorouracil treatment as control. The width and length of the tumors were measured and recorded every 6 days, and tumor tissues were photographed and weighed on the last day of the 24-d observation period. Immunohistochemical staining for caspase-3, proliferating cell nuclear antigen and TUNEL assay were used to evaluate the effect of naringin on cell proliferation and apoptosis in tumor tissues. The body weight, food and water intake of mice were recorded, and the major organs in different treatment groups were weighed on the last day and stained with hematoxylin and eosin for histological analysis. Meanwhile, the routine blood indicators were recorded. RESULTS: CCK-8 and annexin V-FITC/PI results confirmed that naringin (100, 200, and 400 µg/mL) could inhibit proliferation and promote apoptosis. The scratch wound assay and transwell migration assay results confirmed the inhibitory activity of naringin against CRC cells migration. In vivo results demonstrated the inhibitory effect of naringin on tumor growth with good bio-compatibility. CONCLUSION: Naringin inhibited colorectal carcinogenesis by inhibiting viability of CRC cells.

Effects of Curcumin and Soy Isoflavones on Genomic Instability of Human Colon Cells NCM460 and SW620.

Curcumin (CUR) and soy isoflavones (SIs) are two plant-based polyphenols that have attracted much attention, because of their extensive anticancer and health maintenance effects. However, the relevant molecular mechanisms are still uncertain. Genomic instability (GIN) refers to a combination of gene abnormal amplification, sequence deletion, ectopic, and other types of gene damage in cells, and it is one of the main factors causing cells to lose normal physiological functions. Therefore, we used the cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome (CBMN-Cyt) assay as the main research method to analyze the effects of CUR and SIs on the GIN of human normal colon cells NCM460 and colon cancer cells SW620. Results show that CUR (12.5 µM) could reduce the apoptosis of NCM460 and maintain its genomic stability while inhibiting the proliferation of SW620 and promoting its apoptosis. There was no difference in the promoting effect of GIN between SW620 and NCM460 using SIs (3.125-50 µM). When the two polyphenols (v/v = 1/1, 1.5625-6.25 µM) were mixed, they could promote the proliferation and GIN of the NCM460 and SW620 cells, but we did not find that combining the two produced a better effect on the cells. In conclusion, CUR has more prominent health and anticancer effects, and it may become a dietary recommendation for daily health maintenance and a potential adjuvant drug for cancer treatment.

Analysis of clinical features between active and inactive patients of Takayasu's arteritis with pulmonary arteries involvement.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics of patients between active and inactive Takayasu's arteritis with pulmonary artery involvement (PTA) and to identify better markers of disease activity in these patients. METHODS: Sixty-four PTA patients in Beijing Chao-yang hospital (2011 to 2021) were included. According to National Institutes of Health criteria, 29 patients were in active stage and 35 were in inactive stage. Their medical records were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with inactive group, patients in active group were younger. More patients in active stage presented fever (41.38% vs 5.71%), chest pain (55.17% vs 20%), increased C-reactive protein (2.91 vs 0.46 mg/L), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (35.0 vs 9 mm/h), and platelet count (291 vs 221 × 109/L). Pulmonary artery wall thickening was more common in active group (51.72% vs 11.43%). These parameters were restored after treatment. The incidence of pulmonary hypertension was comparable between groups (34.48% vs 51.43%), but patients in active group had lower pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) (361.0 vs 891.0 dyn·s·cm-5) and higher cardiac index (2.76 ± 0.72 vs 2.01 ± 0.58 L/min/m2). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, chest pain [odds ratio (OR) 9.37, 95%CI (1.98-44.38), P = 0.005], increased platelet count (>242.5 × 109/L) [OR 9.03, 95%CI (2.10-38.87), P = 0.003] and pulmonary artery wall thickening [OR 7.08, 95%CI (1.44-34.89), P = 0.016] were independently associated with disease activity. CONCLUSION: Chest pain, increased platelet count, and pulmonary artery wall thickening are potential new indicators of disease activity in PTA. Patients in active stage may have lower PVR and better right heart function.

Pulmonary artery imaging with 68 Ga-FAPI-04 in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

BACKGROUND: The feasibility and significance of imaging pulmonary artery (PA) remodeling with 68 Ga-fibroblast activating protein inhibitor (FAPI) in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) have not yet been addressed. METHODS: 68 Ga-FAPI-04 uptake in the PA and ascending artery was evaluated in 13 patients with CTEPH and 13 matched non-CTEPH controls. The correlations of PA 68 Ga-FAPI-04 uptake and remodeling parameters derived from right heart catheterization (RHC) were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 13 patients with CTEPH, nine (69%) showed visually enhanced 68 Ga-FAPI-04 uptake, whereas none of the control subjects had increased 68 Ga-FAPI-04 uptake in the PA. The prevalence of enhanced uptake in the main, lobar, and segmental PAs was 45% (17/38), 33% (16/48), and 28% (44/159), respectively. 68 Ga-FAPI-04 activity in the PA was positively correlated with pulmonary arterial diastolic pressure (r = 0.571, P = 0.041). CONCLUSION: 68 Ga-FAPI-04 has the potential for imaging fibroblast activation in the PA wall, and 68 Ga-FAPI-04 activity in PA is positively correlated with pulmonary arterial diastolic pressure.

Potential components and mechanism of Liangxue Tuezi Mixture in treating Henoch-Schönlein purpura based on network pharmacology and metabolomics / 中国中药杂志

Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of fight/mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) and UNIFI were employed to rapidly determine the content of the components in Liangxue Tuizi Mixture. The targets of the active components and Henoch-Schönlein purpura(HSP) were obtained from SwissTargetPrediction, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man(OMIM), and GeneCards. A "component-target-disease" network and a protein-protein interaction(PPI) network were constructed. Gene Ontology(GO) functional annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed for the targets by Omishare. The interactions between the potential active components and the core targets were verified by molecular docking. Furthermore, rats were randomly assigned into a normal group, a model group, and low-, medium-, and high-dose Liangxue Tuizi Mixture groups. Non-targeted metabolomics was employed to screen the differential metabolites in the serum, analyze possible metabolic pathways, and construct the "component-target-differential metabolite" network. A total of 45 components of Liangxue Tuizi Mixture were identified, and 145 potential targets for the treatment of HSP were predicted. The main signaling pathways enriched included resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B(PI3K-AKT), and T cell receptor. The results of molecular docking showed that the active components in Liangxue Tuizi Mixture had strong binding ability with the key target proteins. A total of 13 differential metabolites in the serum were screened out, which shared 27 common targets with active components. The progression of HSP was related to metabolic abnormalities of glycerophospholipid and sphingolipid. The results indicate that the components in Liangxue Tuizi Mixture mainly treats HSP by regulating inflammation and immunity, providing a scientific basis for rational drug use in clinical practice.

Treatment and prognosis analysis of 488 patients with FIGO 2018 stage Ⅲc squamous cervical cancer / 中华妇产科杂志

Objective: To analyze the treatment and prognosis of patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) 2018 stage Ⅲc cervical squamous cell carcinoma. Methods: A total of 488 patients at Zhejiang Cancer Hospital between May, 2013 to May, 2015 were enrolled. The clinical characteristics and prognosis were compared according to the treatment mode (surgery combined with postoperative chemoradiotherapy vs radical concurrent chemoradiotherapy). The median follow-up time was (96±12) months ( range time from 84 to 108 months). Results: (1) The data were divided into surgery combined with chemoradiotherapy group (surgery group) and concurrent chemoradiotherapy group (radiotherapy group), including 324 cases in the surgery group and 164 cases in the radiotherapy group. There were significant differences in Eastern Cooperation Oncology Group (ECOG) score, FIGO 2018 stage, large tumors (≥4 cm), total treatment time and total treatment cost between the two groups (all P<0.01). (2) Prognosis: ① for stage Ⅲc1 patients, there were 299 patients in the surgery group with 250 patients survived (83.6%). In the radiotherapy group, 74 patients survived (52.9%). The difference of survival rates between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.001). For stage Ⅲc2 patients, there were 25 patients in surgery group with 12 patients survived (48.0%). In the radiotherapy group, there were 24 cases, 8 cases survived, the survival rate was 33.3%. There was no significant difference between the two groups (P=0.296). ② For patients with large tumors (≥4 cm) in the surgery group, there were 138 patients in the Ⅲc1 group with 112 patients survived (81.2%); in the radiotherapy group, there were 108 cases with 56 cases survived (51.9%). The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.001). Large tumors accounted for 46.2% (138/299) vs 77.1% (108/140) in the surgery group and radiotherapy group. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.001). Further stratified analysis, a total of 46 patients with large tumors of FIGO 2009 stage Ⅱb in the radiotherapy group were extracted, and the survival rate was 67.4%, there was no significant difference compared with the surgery group (81.2%; P=0.052). ③ Of 126 patients with common iliac lymph node, 83 patients survived, with a survival rate of 65.9% (83/126). In the surgery group, 48 patients survived and 17 died, with a survival rate of 73.8%. In the radiotherapy group, 35 patients survived and 26 died, with a survival rate of 57.4%. There were no significant difference between the two groups (P=0.051). (3) Side effects: the incidence of lymphocysts and intestinal obstruction in the surgery group were higher than those in the radiotherapy group, and the incidence of ureteral obstruction and acute and chronic radiation enteritis were lower than those in the radiotherapy group, and there were statistically significant differences (all P<0.01). Conclusions: For stage Ⅲc1 patients who meet the conditions for surgery, surgery combined with postoperative adjuvant chemoradiotherapy and radical chemoradiotherapy are acceptable treatment methods regardless of pelvic lymph node metastasis (excluding common iliac lymph node metastasis), even if the maximum diameter of the tumor is ≥4 cm. For patients with common iliac lymph node metastasis and stage Ⅲc2, there is no significant difference in the survival rate between the two treatment methods. Based on the duration of treatment and economic considerations, concurrent chemoradiotherapy is recommended for the patients.

Naringin Inhibits Colorectal Carcinogenesis by Inhibiting Viability of Colorectal Cancer Cells / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the therapeutic effect of naringin on colorectal cancer (CRC) and the related mechanism.@*METHODS@#Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and annexin V-FITC/PI assay were used to detect the effect of naringin (50-400 µg/mL) on cell proliferation and apoptosis of CRC cells, respectively. The scratch wound assay and transwell migration assay were used to assess the effect of naringin on CRC cell migration. Four-week-old male nude mice were injected with HCT116 cells subcutaneously to establish the tumor xenograft model. Naringin was injected intraperitoneally at 50 mg/(kg·d), with solvent and 5-fluorouracil treatment as control. The width and length of the tumors were measured and recorded every 6 days, and tumor tissues were photographed and weighed on the last day of the 24-d observation period. Immunohistochemical staining for caspase-3, proliferating cell nuclear antigen and TUNEL assay were used to evaluate the effect of naringin on cell proliferation and apoptosis in tumor tissues. The body weight, food and water intake of mice were recorded, and the major organs in different treatment groups were weighed on the last day and stained with hematoxylin and eosin for histological analysis. Meanwhile, the routine blood indicators were recorded.@*RESULTS@#CCK-8 and annexin V-FITC/PI results confirmed that naringin (100, 200, and 400 µg/mL) could inhibit proliferation and promote apoptosis. The scratch wound assay and transwell migration assay results confirmed the inhibitory activity of naringin against CRC cells migration. In vivo results demonstrated the inhibitory effect of naringin on tumor growth with good bio-compatibility.@*CONCLUSION@#Naringin inhibited colorectal carcinogenesis by inhibiting viability of CRC cells.

Long-term Outcomes and Predictors of Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension After Pulmonary Endarterectomy.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) is the preferred treatment for CTEPH patients which can significantly improve symptoms and pulmonary hemodynamics. Therefore, this retrospective study evaluated the long-term outcomes after pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) and analyze the predictors of long-term outcomes for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). METHODS: From 2002-2020, 76 CTEPH patients successfully discharged after PEA in Beijing Chaoyang Hospital were followed-up by scheduled clinical visits or telephone interviews. The follow-up time lasted for 18 years and median time was 7.29 years. RESULTS: The survival rate at 1,3,5,10,15 years postoperatively was 100.00%, 97.10%, 95.40%, 89.80% and 82.90%, respectively. Multivariate logistics regression analysis showed that postoperative mPAP (hazard ratio: 1.144; 95%confidence interval: 1.018-1.285; P = 0.023) was associated with a higher risk of late death, right atrium right and left diameters (hazard ratio: 1.113; 95%confidence interval, 1.006-1.231; P = 0.038) were associated with a higher risk of major adverse events. CONCLUSION: Pulmonary endarterectomy is an effective way to treat CTEPH. Long-term outcome is excellent for patients who undergoing pulmonary endarterectomy who survived from peri-operation time. Postoperative mPAP is a significant prognostic factor for long-term death and right atrium right and left diameters is a significant prognostic factor for major adverse events. That shows patients with high postoperative mPAP and right atrium right and left diameter should be followed up closely.

Increased risk of colorectal neoplasia in inflammatory bowel disease patients with post-inflammatory polyps: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients with post-inflammatory polyps (PIPs) may carry an increased risk of colorectal neoplasia (CRN) including dysplasia and cancer. Current guidelines recommend active colonoscopy follow-up for these patients. However, the evidence for guidelines is still poor. In addition, some recent high-quality reports present a different view, which challenges the current guidelines. We hypothesize that IBD patients with PIPs are at increased risk of CRN. AIM: To evaluate the risk of CRN in IBD patients with and without PIPs. METHODS: A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science was performed to identify studies that compared the risk of CRN in IBD patients with and without PIPs. In addition, we screened the reference lists and citation indices of the included studies. Quality assessment was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Pooled odds ratio (OR) was calculated using the random-effects model to explore the final pooled effect size of the included studies and determine whether PIPs increase the risk of CRN. Sensitivity analysis, subgroup analysis, and assessment of publication bias were performed to examine the sources of heterogeneity. RESULTS: Twelve studies with 5819 IBD patients, including 1281 (22.01%) with PIPs, were considered eligible for this meta-analysis. We found that IBD patients with PIPs were at an increased risk of CRN as compared to those without PIPs [OR 2.01; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.43-2.83]. The results were similar when colorectal cancer was used as the study endpoint (OR 2.57; 95%CI: 1.69-3.91). Furthermore, the risk of CRN was still increased (OR 1.80; 95%CI: 1.12-2.91) when restricted to ulcerative colitis patients. Heterogeneity was high among the included studies (I² = 75%). Subgroup analysis revealed that the high heterogeneity was due to the study design. Sensitivity analysis showed that the main statistical outcomes did not essentially change after excluding any one of the included studies. No significant publication bias was found in the funnel plots. CONCLUSION: IBD patients with PIPs have an increased risk of CRN as compared with those without PIPs, which support the current guidelines. However, a high-quality randomized controlled trial is warranted.

Imaging of cardiac fibroblast activation in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to explore the association of cardiac fibroblast activation with clinical parameters and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging parameters in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). METHODS: Thirteen CTEPH patients were prospectively enrolled. All of the patients underwent cardiac 68Gallium-labelled fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (68 Ga-FAPI-04)-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), right heart catheterisation, and echocardiography, and 11 of them additionally underwent CMR. Thirteen control subjects were selected to establish the normal range of cardiac 68 Ga-FAPI-04 uptake. Cardiac 68 Ga-FAPI-04 uptake higher than that in the blood pool was defined as abnormal. The global and segmental maximum standardised uptake values (SUVmax) of the right ventricle (RV) were measured and further expressed as target-to-background ratio (TBRRV) with left ventricular lateral wall activity as background. Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) was visually evaluated, and native-T1 times, enhanced-T1 times, and extracellular volume (ECV) were quantitatively measured. RESULTS: Ten CTEPH patients (77%) had abnormal 68 Ga-FAPI-04 uptake in RV, mainly located in the free wall, which was significantly higher than that in controls (TBRRV: 2.4 ± 0.9 vs 1.0 ± 0.1, P < 0.001). The TBRRV correlated positively with the thickness of RV wall (r = 0.815, P = 0.001) and inversely with RV fraction area change (RVFAC) (r = - 0.804, P = 0.001) and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) (r = - 0.678, P = 0.011). No correlation was found between 68 Ga-FAPI-04 activity and CMR imaging parameters. CONCLUSION: Fibroblast activation in CTEPH, measured by 68 Ga-FAPI-04 imaging, is mainly localised in the RV free wall. Enhanced fibroblast activation reflects the thickening of the RV wall and decreased RV contractile function.

Platelet count trends and response to fondaparinux in a cohort of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia suspected patients after pulmonary endarterectomy.

A definitive diagnosis of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is difficult to make, especially in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. In this retrospective cohort study, we assessed the platelet count trends and the response to fondaparinux in a population of patients of suspected HIT after pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA). Patients enrolled in this study were over the age of 18 years, and survived longer than 7 days after PEA between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2015. HIT likelihood was assessed by the 4 T's score and interpreted by our institutional algorithm. 54 patients were operated, and 49 patients met the inclusion criteria. Six patients met the criteria for suspected HIT and were treated with fondaparinux until the platelet recovered. No significant difference was observed of clinical characteristics between intermediate to high HIT likelihood patients (HIT SUSPECTED) and low HIT likelihood patients (NO HIT SUSPECTED). HIT SUSPECTED patients reached platelet count lowest later (about 5.5 days after PEA), while NO HIT SUSPECTED patients is about 4.0 days after PEA. Percentage of platelet counts decrease (> 50%) was larger than NO HIT SUSPECTED patients (< 50%). There was no difference in mortality or residual pulmonary hypertension between HIT SUSPECTED and NO HIT SUSPECTED patients. Two HIT SUSPECTED patients who used heparin after PEA died, the other four survived by replacing heparin or low molecular weight heparin with fondaparinux. Suspected HIT patients should be surveilled carefully. Platelet counts trends may have some hints in the prevention of HIT. Fondaparinux may be effective for patients with suspected HIT.

Value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography in the evaluation of pulmonary artery activity in patients with Takayasu's arteritis.

AIMS: To explore the value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in the detection of active pulmonary artery (PA) lesions in patients with Takayasu's arteritis (TA). METHODS AND RESULTS: Consecutive TA patients with PA involvement were prospectively recruited. Clinical activity was assessed according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) criteria. CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) or magnetic resonance pulmonary angiography was performed for evaluation of vascular structural characteristics, and mural thickening was considered as radiologically active. A vascular segment with 18F-FDG uptake ≥ liver was considered as PET-active. A total of 38 18F-FDG PET/CT scans were performed in 29 patients. In terms of disease activity, the sensitivity of 18F-FDG PET/CT did not significantly differ from radiological imaging (71.4% vs. 92.9%, P = 0.250), but 18F-FDG PET/CT had higher specificity (91.7% vs. 37.5%, P = 0.001) and accuracy (84.2% vs. 57.9%, P = 0.022). Although the majority of PET-active PA segments (54.9%) showed mural thickening, 14 PA segments with normal structure were also PET-active. 18F-FDG activity did not significantly differ between the PA and aorta in clinically active patients. In addition, 18F-FDG activity of the PA was positively correlated with inflammatory markers. Changes in 18F-FDG activity in PA during follow-up reflected therapeutic effects. CONCLUSION: 18F-FDG PET/CT can effectively evaluate PA activity in TA patients, and its diagnostic performance is superior to radiological imaging. The 18F-FDG activity of PA shows a good correlation with clinical disease status and inflammatory markers and can be used to monitor therapeutic effects.

Efficacy of drug coated balloon versus conventional balloon in the treatment of coronary de novo bifurcation lesions: a meta-analysis / 中华心血管病杂志

Objective: To systematically evaluate the efficacy of drug coated balloon (DCB) versus conventional balloon in the treatment of coronary de novo bifurcation lesions. Methods: The databases of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of science, CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure), Wanfang database, VIP, China Biology Medicine disc, Chinese clinical trial registry, American clinical trial registry and cardiovascular related websites until September 2020 were retrieved for collecting the randomized controlled trials (RCT) comparing DCB versus conventional balloon in the treatment of coronary de novo bifurcation lesions. The risk of bias of included studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk assessment tool. The meta-analysis was performed by using Revman 5.3 and Stata 14.0 software. Results: Seven RCTs with a total of 613 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Among the included studies, 4 articles reached the low risk of bias, and the other 3 articles reached the medium risk of bias. The results of meta-analysis showed that there was no significant difference in the major adverse cardiac events (RR=0.65, 95%CI 0.39-1.08, P=0.10), myocardial infarction (RR=0.68, 95%CI 0.25-1.80, P=0.43), target lesion revascularization (RR=0.94, 95%CI 0.53-1.67, P=0.83) between DCB group and conventional balloon group. Late lumen loss of side branch was less in the DCB group than that in the conventional balloon group (WMD=-0.25, 95%CI -0.41--0.09, P<0.01) and the risk of side branch restenosis was also lower in the DCB group than that in the conventional balloon group (RR=0.47, 95%CI 0.22-0.98, P<0.05). However, subgroup analysis showed that the conclusions of domestic studies and foreign studies on late lumen loss and side branch restenosis were inconsistent. The meta-analysis based on domestic literature showed that the risk of side branch restenosis after DCB treatment was lower compared with conventional balloon group (RR=0.29, 95%CI 0.15-0.57, P<0.05), while this parameter derived from foreign literatures remained unchanged between two groups (P=0.53). The meta-analysis results of domestic literature showed that late lumen loss in DCB group was less than that in conventional balloon group (WMD=-0.32, 95%CI -0.51--0.13, P<0.05), but this phenomenon was not observed in foreign literatures (P=0.30). Conclusions: The use of DCB in the treatment of coronary de novo bifurcation lesions has the potential to reduce the rate of restenosis and late lumen loss of side branch compared with conventional balloon group. However, due to the limitation on quantity, quality and results of published studies, more high-quality and large scale RCTs are still needed to confirm these findings.

Effect of Danggui-Chuanxiong herb pair on JAK-STAT signaling pathway in rats with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore the regulatory effect of Danggui-chuanxiong herb pair (GX) on JAK-STAT signaling pathway in rats with cerebral ischemia/reper-fusion injury (I/R). Methods The I/R injury rat model was constructed by modified suture occlusion method. After 24 hours of perfusion, Zea Longa scoring method was used to score the neurological function, TTC staining to detect the cerebral infarct volume of rats, HE staining to observe the pathological changes of brain tissues, the biochemical method to determine the MDA, SOD, GSH-Px expression, ELISA to detect the expression of NF-κB, VEGF, ICAM-1 and PAH in brain tissues, and immunohistochemical method to detect JAK2, p-STAT3, AKT And ERK1/2 expression of the brain tissue ischemic penumbra area. Results Compared with sham group, model rats had severe neurological damage, larger cerebral infarction, necrosis, edema, inflammation, disorder of nerve cell arrangement, abnormal cell enlargement, vacuole-like changes, neuron reduction and other pathologies in brain tissues. The expression JeveJs of MDA, NF-κB, VEGF, PAI-1 and ICAM-1 in brain tissues of model group significantly increased, and the expression levels of GSH-Px and SOD were significantly reduced. Compared with model group, the neurological scores of rats in GX

Study on effect of Schisandra Chinensis Fructus-Glycyrrhizae Radix Et Rhizoma containing serum on lipid accumulation in hepatocytes andits mechanism / 中国药理学通报

Aim To study the effect of drug-containing serum of Schisandra Chinensis Fructus and compatible with Glycyrrhizae Radix Et Rhizoma -on lipid accumulation in hepatocytes and explore the related mechanism. Methods SD rats were given Schisandra Chinensis Fructus (SF, 3.9 g • kg"1), Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus-Glycyrrhizae Radix Et Rhizoma (SG, 1 : 1, 1 '• 1. 5, the extract 3. 9 g • kg"1 in crud of Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus), once per day, the drug-containing serum was prepared after seven days of continuous administration. Conventional cultivation of human normal hepatocytes (L02 cells) in vitro, cells were divided into blank control group, SF group, and SG(1 : 1 and 1 : 1.5) group. After 48 hours' treatment , lactate dehydrogenase ( LDH) release was detected by the kit, the levels of intracellular triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) were detected by biochemical method. The mRNA expression levels of PPAR-a, PPAR-7, Fabpl/2, SREBPlc, ACCa and FAS were detected by the real-time reverse tran scrip- tion polymerase chain reaction ( RT-PCR ). Results The biochemical results showed that compared with the blank group, the content of TG and TC in SF group increased significantly (P < 0. 05 ) , the mRNA expres sion of PPAR-a and PPAR-7 in SF group was significantly reduced, and the mRNA expression of SREBPlc and ACCa markedly increased ( P < 0.05, P < 0.01). When compared with SF group, the levels of TG and TC in SG (1 : 1) group were significantly reduced (P <0. 05) , the mRNA expressions of Fabpl/2 and FAS in SG (1 : 1) group were significantly reduced, while the mRNA expression of SREBPlc significantly increased ( P < 0. 05, P < 0. 01 ). TC content in SG (1 : 1.5) group significantly decreased (P < 0.05 ) and the mRNA expression of PPAR-7, SREBP1 c in SG (1 : 1.5) significantly increased, but the Fabpl/2 and FAS markedly decreased (P <0. 05, P < 0. 01). Conclusions SF containing serum can significantly increase the content of TG and TC in hepatocytes , and the SG containing serum can significantly improve the elevated TG and TC contents and reduce lipid accumulation. The mechanism may be related to the regulation of mRNA expression of PPAR-a, PPAR- 7, Fabpl/2, SREBPlc, ACCa and FAS.

Effect of lychee biochar on the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soil using sunflower: A field experiment.

Heavy metal contamination of soils is a serious issue with various consequences in Hunan Province. Here, we aimed to determine the effect and action mechanisms of lychee biochar on the remediation of Pb, Cd, As, and Zn from soil using sunflower (Helianthus annuus). Different amounts of lychee biochar (2.5, 5, and 10%) were added to heavy metal-contaminated soil in the Shuikoushan mining area, Hunan Province. The effects of biochar on the biomass of sunflower plants, and the accumulation and distribution of Pb, Cd, As, and Zn in sunflower plants, and changes in Pb, Cd, As, and Zn concentrations in the rhizosphere soil were studied. The application of biochar stimulated the growth of the sunflower plants, with the maximum biomass recorded in the 5% biochar treatment; however, above this level, biochar inhibited plant growth. Pb, Cd, As, and Zn in sunflower plants were redistributed with biochar addition. The concentration of Pb, Cd, As, and Zn in the leaves and receptacles of sunflower plants increased with biochar application, but their concentration in the roots, stems, and seeds significantly decreased compared with the control. The total amount of accumulated Pb, Cd, and As in sunflower plants increased by 22.9-58.9%, 15.8-42.3%, and 67.9-110%, respectively, compared with that in the control. In the biochar treatments, the total amount of accumulated Zn in sunflowers decreased by 13.8-37.2%, compared with that in the control. The accumulated Pb, Cd, and As in sunflower plants have an antagonistic effect on Zn required by sunflowers. The sunflower plants significantly reduced the concentration of Pb, Cd, As, and Zn in contaminated soil (P < 0.05), which decreased by 12.4, 11.0, 4.35, and 8.17%, respectively, compared with that before planting sunflower. The addition of biochar in heavy metal-contaminated soil significantly enhanced the heavy metal-remediation effect of sunflower. Compared with the control (0% biochar), 10% biochar application decreased the Pb, Cd, As, and Zn concentrations in the rhizosphere of sunflower plants, by 40.6, 31.6, 35.4, and 30.8%, respectively. In conclusion, lychee biochar enhanced the remediation of heavy metals in contaminated soil.