Combined Therapies of Traditional Chinese Medicine Treat Low-prognosis Patients Undergoing IVF-ET Again / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo objectively evaluate the clinical efficacy of multiple therapies of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） in low-prognosis patients who received antagonist protocol for in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer （IVF-ET） again. MethodA total of 128 patients with kidney Yin deficiency， liver depression， and blood stasis who planned to receive antagonist protocol for IVF-ET in the West China Second Hospital of Sichuan University were enrolled and assigned into two groups by random number table method. The observation group （64 casces） was treated by oral administration of Chinese medicine decoction + enema of kidney-tonifying and blood-activating method + auricular point sticking + oral administration of dehydroepiandrosterone （DHEA）， while the control group （64 casces） was treated by only oral administration of DHEA. After treatment for three menstrual cycles， both groups received the antagonist protocol for IVF-ET. The TCM syndrome scores， basic sex hormone levels， antral follicle count （AFC）， the usage of gonadotropin （Gn）， endometrial receptivity indicators， embryo quality indicators， and pregnancy outcomes were compared between the two groups. ResultAfter treatment， the observation group showed decreased follicle-stimulating hormone （FSH）/luteinizing hormone （LH） ratio， lowered level of estradiol （E2）， increased AFC， decreased amount and days of Gn usage， improved endometrial receptivity indicators （endometrial thickness on trigger and ET days， proportion of endometrial type A in endometrial types and the level of E2 on trigger day） and embryo quality indicators （the rates of mature follicles， fertilization， normal fertilization， and premium embryos）， and decreased TCM syndrome scores （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Moreover， the observation group had lower FSH/LH ratio， E2 level， and amount of Gn usage， higher AFC， poorer endometrial receptivity and embryo quality indicators， and lower TCM syndrome scores than the control group after treatment （P<0.05， P<0.01）. In addition， except for 3 cases of natural pregnancy， the observation group outperformed the control group in terms of improving the clinical pregnancy rates during initiation cycle and transplantation cycle and clinical pregnancy rate and decreasing biochemical pregnancy rate and early abortion rate （P<0.05）. ConclusionCombined therapies of TCM can alleviate the clinical symptoms， reduce TCM syndrome scores， reduce the Gn usage amount， improve the number and quality of embryos and endometrial receptivity， and coordinate the synchronous development of endometrium and embryo. In this way， they can increase the clinical pregnancy rate and reduce biochemical pregnancy rate and early abortion rate in the low prognosis patients with kidney yin deficiency， liver depression， and blood stasis who are undergoing IVF-ET again.

Transcriptome Sequencing on Treatment of Kidney Deficiency and Blood Stasis-thin Endometrium in Rats with Bushen Huoxue Prescription Through Enema / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism of Bushen Huoxue enema in treating the rat model of kidney deficiency and blood stasis-thin endometrium （KDBS-TE） by transcriptome sequencing. MethodThe rat model of KDBS-TE was established by administration of tripterygium polyglycosides tablets combined with subcutaneous injection of adrenaline. The pathological changes of rat endometrium in each group were then observed. Three uterine tissue specimens from each of the blank group， model group， and Bushen Huoxue enema group were randomly selected for transcriptome sequencing. The differentially expressed circRNAs， lncRNAs， and miRNAs were screened， and the disease-related specific competitive endogenous RNA （ceRNA） regulatory network was constructed. Furthermore， the gene ontology （GO） functional annotation and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） pathway enrichment were performed for the mRNAs in the network. ResultCompared with the blank group， the model group showed endometrial dysplasia， decreased endometrial thickness and endometrial/total uterine wall thickness ratio （P<0.01）， and differential expression of 18 circRNAs， 410 lncRNAs， and 7 miRNAs. Compared with the model group， the enema and estradiol valerate groups showed improved endometrial morphology and increased endometrial thickness and ratio of endometrial to total uterine wall thickness （P<0.05）. In addition， 21 circRNAs， 518 lncRNAs， and 17 miRNAs were differentially expressed in the enema group. The disease-related specific circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network composed of 629 nodes and 664 edges contained 2 circRNAs， 34 miRNAs， and 593 mRNAs. The lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network composed of 180 nodes and 212 edges contained 5 lncRNAs， 10 miRNAs， and 164 mRNAs. The mNRAs were mainly enriched in Hippo signaling pathway， autophagy-animal， axon guidance， etc. ConclusionBushen Huoxue enema can treat KDBS-TE in rats by regulating specific circRNAs， lncRNAs， and miRNAs in the uterus and the ceRNA network.

Clinical Efficacy of TCM Multi-channel Intervention Plus Antagonist Regimen on Ovarian Function，TCM Syndromes and Natural Conception in Poor Ovarian Responders Undergoing IVF-ET / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo objectively analyze the effects of traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） multi-channel intervention on the ovarian function，TCM syndromes and natural conception of poor ovarian responders（kidney-Yin deficiency，liver depression and blood stasis pattern） who planned to receive another in vitro fertilization embryo transfer（IVF-ET）antagonist regimen. MethodThe 128 low-prognosis patients （kidney Yin deficiency，liver depression and blood stasis pattern） who attended the West China Second University Hospital， Sichuan University and the Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from August 2020 to February 2023 and met the inclusion criteria were selected，and then divided into the treatment group and the control group according to the random number table，with 64 patients in each group. The control group was treated with oral dehydroepiandrosterone（DHEA），while the treatment group was treated with multi-channel TCM（oral TCM decoction + auricular point sticking + Bushen Huoxue prescription through retention enema）. After 3 menstrual cycles，the relevant indicators for ovarian function evaluation，TCM syndrome scores and natural conception were collected from both groups. ResultCompared with the situation before treatment，the basal follicle stimulating hormone（bFSH），bFSH/basal luteinizing hormone（bLH），basal estradiol（bE2），antral follicle count（AFC），the number of oocytes obtained，the number of normal fertilization，the number of superior embryos and TCM syndrome scores in the treatment group were improved after treatment（P<0.05，P<0.01）. For the control group， the bFSH/bLH and TCM syndrome scores were increased after treatment（P<0.05）， while the bFSH，bFSH/bLH，bE2，AFC，the number of oocytes obtained，the number of normal fertilization，and the number of superior embryos showed no significant difference after treatment. Compared with the control group after treatment，bFSH，bFSH/bLH，bE2，AFC，the number of normal fertilization，the number of superior embryos and TCM syndrome scores in the treatment group were better （P<0.05，P<0.01），while there was no significant difference in the number of oocytes obtained. After treatment，there were 3 cases of natural conception in the treatment group，while there were no natural conception in the control group. ConclusionFor patients with poor ovarian response and kidney Yin deficiency，liver depression and blood stasis pattern，multi-channel intervention of TCM plus the antagonist regimen can reduce bFSH，bFSH/bLH values，improve the levels of bE2，increase AFC，the number of oocytes obtained，the number of normal fertilization and the number of superior embryos，improve ovarian function，menstruation and TCM syndromes，improve their quality of life，and even enable some patients to get pregnant naturally before re-progression and improve their pregnancy outcome.

Phosphorylation of Oligopeptides: Design of Ultra-Hydrophilic Zwitterionic Peptides for Anti-Fouling Detection of Nucleic Acids in Saliva.

The construction of low-fouling biosensors for assaying biomarkers in complex biological samples remains a challenge, and the key limitation is the lack of effective anti-fouling materials. Inspired by the biomimetic process of protein phosphorylation, we herein designed a new phosphorylated peptide modified with the dihydrogen phosphate (-PO4H2) group, which significantly increased the hydrophilicity and anti-fouling capability of the peptide when compared with natural and normal peptides. Molecular simulation (MS) illustrated that, compared with the -COOH and -NH2 groups, the -PO4H2 group formed the most numbers of hydrogen bonds and stronger hydrogen bonds with water molecules. As a result, the PO4H2-oligopeptide was proved by MS to be able to attract the greatest number of water molecules, so as to form a compact layer of H2O to resist further adsorption of nonspecific biomolecules. The modification of electrodes with the designed PO4H2-oligopeptides, in addition to the adoption of neutral peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) as the sensing probes, ensured the fabrication of anti-fouling electrochemical biosensors capable of detecting nucleic acids in complex saliva. The constructed anti-fouling biosensor was able to detect the nucleic acid of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in undiluted saliva, with a wide linear response range (0.01 pM-0.01 µM) and a low limit of detection (LOD) of 3.4 fM (S/N = 3). The phosphorylation of oligopeptides offers an effective strategy to designing ultra-hydrophilic peptides suitable for the construction of promising anti-biofouling biosensors and bioelectronics.

Niche Filling Dynamics of Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) during Global Invasion.

Determining whether the climatic ecological niche of an invasive alien plant is similar to that of the niche occupied by its native population (ecological niche conservatism) is essential for predicting the plant invasion process. Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) usually poses serious threats to human health, agriculture, and ecosystems within its newly occupied range. We calculated the overlap, stability, unfilling, and expansion of ragweed's climatic ecological niche using principal component analysis and performed ecological niche hypothesis testing. The current and potential distribution of A. artemisiifolia was mapped by ecological niche models to identify areas in China with the highest potential risk of A. artemisiifolia invasion. The high ecological niche stability indicates that A. artemisiifolia is ecologically conservative during the invasion. Ecological niche expansion (expansion = 0.407) occurred only in South America. In addition, the difference between the climatic and native niches of the invasive populations is mainly the result of unpopulated niches. The ecological niche model suggests that southwest China, which has not been invaded by A. artemisiifolia, faces an elevated risk of invasion. Although A. artemisiifolia occupies a climatic niche distinct from native populations, the climatic niche of the invasive population is only a subset of the native niche. The difference in climatic conditions is the main factor leading to the ecological niche expansion of A. artemisiifolia during the invasion. Additionally, human activities play a substantial role in the expansion of A. artemisiifolia. Alterations in the A. artemisiifolia niche would help explain why this species is so invasive in China.

Synthesis of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers Based on a New Monomer "2-(4-Vinylphenyl) Quinoline-4-Carboxylic Acid" for the Selective Solid-Phase Extraction of Lamotrigine.

A new molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have been prepared for the high selective extraction of lamotrigine (LTG), a widely used antiepileptic drug, in human serum. The MIPs were polymerized by bulk polymerization using our synthesized compound, 2-(4-vinylphenyl) quinolin-4-carboxylic acid, as functional monomer, which achieved better adsorption specificity than universal MIPs. Then, the molecularly imprinted solid phase extraction (MISPE) based on this material was coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for the detection of LTG in human serum. The results of method validation showed that the developed method presented a good precision and accuracy, and the linearity was in the range of 1.50-40.00 mg/mL with the limit of quantitation (LOQ) at 0.20 mg/mL. The recovery ranged from 80.8% to 83.8% with RSD ranges from 5.5% to 11.1%. The validated method was successfully used to determine the concentration of LTG in human simulate serum samples.

Triaging patients in the outbreak of COVID-2019 / 中国感染控制杂志

In the outbreak of COVID-19,triage procedures based on epidemiology were implemented in a local hospital in Changsha to control the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and avoid healthcare-associated infection.This re-trospective study analyzed the data collected during the triage period and found that COVID-19 patients were en-riched 7 folds into the Section A designated for patients with obvious epidemiological history.On the other side,nearly triple amounts of visits were received at the Section B for patients without obvious epidemiological history.8 COVID-19 cases were spotted out of 247 suspected patients.More than 50％of the suspected patients were submi-tted to multiple rounds of nucleic acid analysis for SARS-CoV-2 infection.Of the 239 patients who were diagnosed as negative of the virus infection,188 were successfully revisited and none was reported as COVID-19 case.Of the 8 COVID-19 patients,3 were confirmed only after multiple rounds of nucleic acid analysis.Besides comorbidities,delayed sharing of epidemiological history added complexity to the diagnosis in practice.The triaging experience and strategy will be helpful for the control of infectious diseases in the future.

Atomistic Insights into the Effect of Functional Groups on the Adsorption of Water by Activated Carbon for Heat Energy Storage.

Adsorption heat storage holds great promise for solar energy applications. The development of new adsorbent materials is currently the research focus in this area. The present work designs several activated carbon models with different functional groups, including -OH, -NH2, -COOH, and -SO3H, and explores the influence of functional groups' categories and numbers on the water adsorption capacity of the activated carbon using the GCMC method. The adsorption mechanism between functional groups and water molecules is analyzed using density functional theory. The results show that the functional groups could significantly improve the water adsorption capacity of activated carbon due to the hydrogen bond between functional groups and water molecules. In the scope of this paper, under low pressure, the activated carbon with -SO3H exhibits the best adsorption capacity, followed by the activated carbon with -COOH. Under low and medium pressure, increasing the number of -SO3H functional groups could increase the water adsorption capacity; however, when the pressure is high, increasing the functional group numbers might decrease the water adsorption capacity. As the temperature increases, the water adsorption capacity of activated carbons decreases, and the activated carbon with -SO3H is proven to have excellent application prospects in heat energy storage.

Intrathecal methotrexate in combination with systemic chemotherapy in glioblastoma patients with leptomeningeal dissemination: A retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most common and aggressive primary malignant brain tumors with severe symptoms and a poor prognosis. Leptomeningeal dissemination (LMD) is a serious complication of GBM that often results in dire outcomes. There is currently no effective treatment. AIM: To estimate the clinical outcomes of combination therapy in GBM patients with LMD. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted using data collected from GBM patients diagnosed with LMD from January 2012 to December 2019 at our institution. All these patients had received at least one cycle of a combination therapy consisting of intrathecal methotrexate (MTX) and systemic chemotherapy. Clinical and pathological data were analyzed to explore the outcome of GBM patients with LMD and to determine the most effective treatment. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients were enrolled in this study. The median time from GBM diagnosis to LMD development was 9.3 mo (range: 2-59 mo). The median overall survival of LMD patients from diagnosis to after receiving systemic chemotherapy in combination with intrathecal MTX was 10.5 mo (range: 2-59 mo). In the Cox univariate analysis, gross resection of tumor (P = 0.022), Karnofsky performance status (KPS) > 60 (P = 0.002), and Ommaya reservoir implant (P < 0.001) were correlated with survival. Multivariate analysis showed that KPS > 60 (P = 0.037) and Ommaya reservoir implant (P = 0.014) were positive factors correlated with survival. Myelotoxicity and gastrointestinal reactions were the common toxicities of this combination therapy. According to Common Terminology Criteria of Adverse Events 4.03, most of the patients presented with toxicity less than grade 3. CONCLUSION: Intrathecal MTX administration combined with systemic chemotherapy is a potentially effective treatment for patients with GBM and LMD, with mild treatment-related side effects.

Investigation on knowledge, attitude and practice of edema in critically ill patients among ICU nurses / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective:To understand the knowledge, attitude and practice of edema in patients with critically illness of ICU nurses, and to analyze its influencing factors.Methods:After developing the Knowledge-Attitude-Practice Scale of Edema Status in Critically Ill Patients for ICU nurses by Delphi expert consultation method, the level of knowledge, attitude and practice of edema status of ICU nurses in six tertiary hospitals in Shanghai City was investigated by using convenience sampling method.Results:A total of 292 ICU nurses were investigated by questionnaire. The total scores of knowledge dimension, attitude dimension and practice dimension of critical patients with edema in ICU nurses were 38.27 ± 5.52, 58.33 ± 8.34 and 43.04 ± 8.05, respectively. Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that age ( β=0.28, P<0.05) was the main factor affecting ICU nurses′ knowledge about edema state of critically ill patients; age( β=0.20, P<0.05) and education ( β=0.28, P<0.05) were the factors affecting ICU nurses' attitude towards edema state of critically ill patients; and years of nursing work ( β=0.28, P<0.05) was the factor affecting the practice of critically ill patients of ICU nurses. Conclusions:The level of knowledge and attitude towards edema in critically ill patients of ICU nurses is good, but the level of behavior is general. Nursing managers should strengthen the training related to edema for ICU nurses, further to form a standardized prevent-treatment plan and nursing process in order to actively improve the nursing practice of edema in critically ill patients.

Difference in Network Mechanism of Shoutaiwan and Juyuanjian in Reversing Pathology of Decidua of Spontaneous Abortion Patients： Based on "Uterine Collaterals Connecting Kidney" and "Fetal Collaterals Connecting Spleen" Theory / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore difference in the mechanism of Shoutaiwan， a representative kidney-tonifying and abortion-preventing formula， and Juyuanjian， a typical spleen-invigorating and abortion-preventing formula in reversing the pathology of decidua of spontaneous abortion （SA） patients and to expound the connotation of "uterine collaterals connecting kidney" and "fetal collaterals connecting spleen" theory. MethodThe targets of SA were retrieved from GeneCards， followed by gene ontology-biological process （GO-BP） annotation. Based on Cytoscape and previous research， the main processes and core targets were screened out. High-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry （HPLC-MS） was used to identify the potential active components of Shoutaiwan and Juyuanjian and the regulatory networks were constructed. SA was induced in rats and the model rats were treated with Shoutaiwan and Juyuanjian at the same unit. Hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining， transmission electron microscopy （TEM）， enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）， immunohistochemistry （IHC）， immunofluorescence （IF）， and other methods were employed to verify the mechanisms against miscarriage. ResultThe dysregulation of cell adhesion， inflammatory response， cell death， and angiogenesis was the core pathological process of SA. A total of 13 potential specific active components of Shoutaiwan and 14 active components of Juyuanjian were screened out. The regulatory networks showed that the potential active components of the two prescriptions modulated vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）， interleukin （IL）-2， estrogen receptor （ESR）-1， matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9）， and other targets to regulate the pathological process of SA. The two can significantly improve the pregnancy rate and the integrity rate and blood supply of decidua cells， control the apoptosis morphology and the expression of estrogen （E2）， progesterone （P）， and its receptor， and down-regulate the expression of MMP-2， MMP-9， IL-2， and IL-6 in decidua tissue of SA rats. At the same time， they up-regulated the expression of anti-apoptotic protein B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2） and IL-4. Shoutaiwan significantly up-regulated the expression of VEGF， and Juyuanjian significantly down-regulated the expression of E-cadherin （E-Cad）. ConclusionBoth Shoutaiwan and Juyuanjian regulate the core pathological process of SA to prevent miscarriage. At the same unit， Shoutaiwan is overall superior to Juyuanjian. Shoutaiwan is better than Juyuanjian in regulating angiogenesis and Juyuanjian is superior to Shoutaiwan in regulating cell adhesion. This conclusion can partly explain the biological basis of "treating the same disease with different methods"， and provide objective data reference for the identification of quality marker （Q-marker） of anti-miscarriage Chinese medicine and further study of formula-syndrome metabolome.

Retrospective analysis of infliximab in the treatment of Kawasaki disease / 中华儿科杂志

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of infliximab (IFX) therapy for children with Kawasaki disease. Methods: Sixty-eight children with Kawasaki disease who received IFX therapy in Children's Hospital of Fudan University from January 2014 to April 2021 were enrolled. The indications for IFX administration, changes in laboratory parameters before and after IFX administration, response rate, drug adverse events and complications and outcomes of coronary artery aneurysms (CAA) were retrospectively analyzed. Comparisons between groups were performed with unpaired Student t test or Mann-Whitney U test or chi-square test. Results: Among 68 children with Kawasaki disease, 52 (76%) were males and 16 (24%) were females. The age of onset was 2.1 (0.5, 3.8) years. IFX was administered to: (1) 35 children (51%) with persistent fever who did not respond to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) or steroids, 28 of the 35 children (80%) developed CAA before IFX therapy; (2) 32 children (47%) with continuous progression of CAA; (3) 1 child with persistent arthritis. In all cases, IFX was administered as an additional treatment (the time from the onset of illness to IFX therapy was 21 (15, 30) days) which consisted of second line therapy in 20 (29%), third line therapy in 20 (29%), and fourth (or more) line therapy in 28 (41%). C-reactive protein (8 (4, 15) vs. 16 (8, 43) mg/L, Z=-3.38, P=0.001), serum amyloid protein A (17 (10, 42) vs. 88 (11, 327) mg/L, Z=-2.36, P=0.018) and the percentage of neutrophils (0.39±0.20 vs. 0.49±0.21, t=2.63, P=0.010) decreased significantly after IFX administration. Fourteen children (21%) did not respond to IFX and received additional therapies mainly including steroids and cyclophosphamide. There was no significant difference in gender, age at IFX administration, time from the onset of illness to IFX administration, the maximum coronary Z value before IFX administration, and the incidence of systemic aneurysms between IFX-sensitive group and IFX-resistant group (all P>0.05). Infections occurred in 11 cases (16%) after IFX administration, including respiratory tract, digestive tract, urinary tract, skin and oral infections. One case had Calmette-Guérin bacillus-related adverse reactions 2 months after IFX administration. All of these adverse events were cured successfully. One child died of CAA rupture, 6 children were lost to follow up, the remaining 61 children were followed up for 6 (4, 15) months. No CAA occurred in 7 children before and after IFX treatment, while CAA occurred in 54 children before IFX treatment. CAA regressed in 23 (43%) children at the last follow-up, and the diameter of coronary artery recovered to normal in 10 children. Conclusion: IFX is an effective and safe therapeutic choice for children with Kawasaki disease who are refractory to IVIG or steroids therapy or with continuous progression of CAA.

Effect of hirudin on pulmonary fibrosis by regulating p38MAPK/NF-kB signaling pathway and its mechanism / 中国药理学通报

Aim To observe the effect of hirudin on pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis in rats with bleo-myc in-induced pulmonary fibrosis and the underlying mechanism.Methods Sixty male SD rats were ran¬domly divided into control group, model group, hirudin treatment group ( low,medium and high concentration) and prednisone group.The control group received en-dotracheal injection of saline, while the remaining five groups carried out endotracheal one-time injection of blemycin to establish rat pulmonary fibrosis model.From the second day after modeling, hirudin treatment groups were respectively administered different concen¬trations of hirudin subcutaneous injection, while control group was given saline, and prednisone was gavaged with 5 mg • kg~1 prednisone acetate, then all rats were sacrificed on day 28.Lung lesions were observed by HE and Masson staining.The relative expression levels of COL 1 and ot-SMA mRNA were detected by real¬time fluorescence quantitative PCR.The content of hydroxy proline ( HYP) in lung tissues was determined by kit.The expression levels of p38MAPK/NF-KB sig¬naling pathway related proteins in lung tissues were de¬tected by Western blot, and IL-6 and TNF-cx levels were detected by ELISA.Results Compared with model group, the inflammatory response and interstitial fibrosis of lung tissues were improved, the content of hvdroxvproline decreased, the expression of p-p38 MAPK,NF-kB p-p65and p~IkB protein decreased, and the concentration of TNF-cx and IL-6 decreased after hirudin intervention.Conclusions Hirudin can effec¬tively inhibit alveolar inflammation and reduce the de¬velopment of pulmonary fibrosis, which may be related to regulating p38 MAPK/NF-kB signaling pathway,re¬ducing the inflammatory response of lung tissues and reducing the deposition of extracellular matrix.

Network pharmacology-based analysis of effective components and mechanism of Rhizoma coptidis in treating diabetes

Objective: To identify the active ingredients, potential targets, and mechanism of Rhizoma coptidis by bioinformatics method, and to explore the hypoglycemic effect of Rhizoma coptidis by in vitro experiments. Methods: The chemical components of Rhizoma coptidis were collected through database search, and oral bioavailability and drug-likeness were used for preliminary screening. The targets of Rhizoma coptidis and diabetes-related targets were collected by database retrieval and reverse docking techniques, and the biological process of cross-set proteins was analyzed. The inhibitory effects of Rhizoma coptidis on α-glucosidase, α-amylase activity, and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) were determined via in vitro experiments. In addition, the effects of Rhizoma coptidis on pre-adipocyte differentiation, absorption of glucose by adipocytes, and the level of intracellular triglyceride were investigated using the adipocyte differentiation model. Results: There were 11 potentially active ingredients in Rhizoma coptidis. IL-6, caspase-3, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), MYC, and estrogen receptor 1 were considered as the key genes. The bioinformatics analysis showed that Rhizoma coptidis played an anti-diabetic role mainly via biological processes and signaling pathways including hormone receptor activity, glutathione binding, steroid binding, etc. In vitro experiments showed that the extract of Rhizoma coptidis inhibited the activities of α-glucosidase and α-amylase, and the generation of AGEs; meanwhile, the extract promoted the absorption of glucose by adipocytes. In addition, the extract of Rhizoma coptidis decreased triglyceride level. Conclusions: Our network pharmacology and in vitro experiments demonstrate the anti-diabetic effects and possible underlying mechanisms of Rhizoma coptidis extract.

Network pharmacology-based analysis of effective components and mechanism of Rhizoma coptidis in treating diabetes

Objective: To identify the active ingredients, potential targets, and mechanism of Rhizoma coptidis by bioinformatics method, and to explore the hypoglycemic effect of Rhizoma coptidis by in vitro experiments. Methods: The chemical components of Rhizoma coptidis were collected through database search, and oral bioavailability and drug-likeness were used for preliminary screening. The targets of Rhizoma coptidis and diabetes-related targets were collected by database retrieval and reverse docking techniques, and the biological process of cross-set proteins was analyzed. The inhibitory effects of Rhizoma coptidis on α-glucosidase, α-amylase activity, and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) were determined via in vitro experiments. In addition, the effects of Rhizoma coptidis on pre-adipocyte differentiation, absorption of glucose by adipocytes, and the level of intracellular triglyceride were investigated using the adipocyte differentiation model. Results: There were 11 potentially active ingredients in Rhizoma coptidis. IL-6, caspase-3, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), MYC, and estrogen receptor 1 were considered as the key genes. The bioinformatics analysis showed that Rhizoma coptidis played an anti-diabetic role mainly via biological processes and signaling pathways including hormone receptor activity, glutathione binding, steroid binding, etc. In vitro experiments showed that the extract of Rhizoma coptidis inhibited the activities of α-glucosidase and α-amylase, and the generation of AGEs; meanwhile, the extract promoted the absorption of glucose by adipocytes. In addition, the extract of Rhizoma coptidis decreased triglyceride level. Conclusions: Our network pharmacology and in vitro experiments demonstrate the anti-diabetic effects and possible underlying mechanisms of Rhizoma coptidis extract.

The big data diagnosis-intervention packet payment method: experience from Shanghai and Guangzhou / 中华医院管理杂志

Medical insurance payment model is transforming from project-based purchases to service bundle-based strategic purchases. The new form of bundled purchases should found on a scientifically-led design process of such bundles. The core to bundled purchase would be the payment standard, and the key to its success would be process control. Establishment of such a foundation, a core, and a key, would promote the current price standards, and lead service providers to a standardized medical service standard, so as to ensure a precise rewarding system of payment and service. The big data diagnosis-intervention packet(DIP)is able to fulfill mentioned ambitions by integrating insurance payment and supervision into one management. DIP is a full-process payment mode that encompasses pre-service estimation, in-service process control, post-service grading, and resource allocation. It is an innovative practice in line with China′s national conditions for the modern governance of medical security and medical services.

Advances in the TAF1 gene / 中华神经科杂志

TAF1 gene encodes TATA-box binding protein-associated factor-1, which serves as a scaffold for the assembly of the transcription factor ⅡD and participates in the transcription of many genes in eukaryotic cells. Human TAF1 possesses intrinsic protein kinase activity, histone acetyltransferase activity as well as ubiquitin-activating and conjugating activity, and these activities have been mapped to different domains. Currently, TAF1 has been identified as the causative gene of X-linked dystonia-parkinsonism and X-linked mental retardation. What′s more, a series of functional analysis have demonstrated the importance of TAF1 gene in cell cycle and cell growth, and its relationship with neurodevelopment and tumorigenesis has also been reported. This review summarizes the research progress of TAF1 including structure, phenotypes and biological function.

Network pharmacology-based analysis of effective components and mechanism of Rhizoma coptidis in treating diabetes

Objective: To identify the active ingredients, potential targets, and mechanism of Rhizoma coptidis by bioinformatics method, and to explore the hypoglycemic effect of Rhizoma coptidis by in vitro experiments. Methods: The chemical components of Rhizoma coptidis were collected through database search, and oral bioavailability and drug-likeness were used for preliminary screening. The targets of Rhizoma coptidis and diabetes-related targets were collected by database retrieval and reverse docking techniques, and the biological process of cross-set proteins was analyzed. The inhibitory effects of Rhizoma coptidis on α-glucosidase, α-amylase activity, and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) were determined via in vitro experiments. In addition, the effects of Rhizoma coptidis on pre-adipocyte differentiation, absorption of glucose by adipocytes, and the level of intracellular triglyceride were investigated using the adipocyte differentiation model. Results: There were 11 potentially active ingredients in Rhizoma coptidis. IL-6, caspase-3, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), MYC, and estrogen receptor 1 were considered as the key genes. The bioinformatics analysis showed that Rhizoma coptidis played an anti-diabetic role mainly via biological processes and signaling pathways including hormone receptor activity, glutathione binding, steroid binding, etc. In vitro experiments showed that the extract of Rhizoma coptidis inhibited the activities of α-glucosidase and α-amylase, and the generation of AGEs; meanwhile, the extract promoted the absorption of glucose by adipocytes. In addition, the extract of Rhizoma coptidis decreased triglyceride level. Conclusions: Our network pharmacology and in vitro experiments demonstrate the anti-diabetic effects and possible underlying mechanisms of Rhizoma coptidis extract.

The role of IL-1ß in aortic aneurysm.

Interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) is a vital cytokine that plays an important role in regulating immune responses to infectious challenges and sterile insults. In addition, two endogenous inhibitors of functional receptor binding, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), complete the family. To gain biological activity, IL-1ß requires processing by the protease caspase-1 and activation of inflammasomes. Numerous clinical association studies and experimental approaches have implicated members of the IL-1 family, their receptors, or components of the processing machinery in the underlying processes of cardiovascular diseases. Here, we summarize the current state of knowledge regarding the pro-inflammatory and disease-modulating role of the IL-1 family in aneurysm. We discuss clinical evidence, signalling pathway, and mechanism of action and last, lend a perspective on currently developing therapeutic strategies involving IL-1ß in aneurysm.

The TGF-ß pathway plays a key role in aortic aneurysms.

Aortic dissection and aortic aneurysms are currently among the most high-risk cardiovascular diseases due to their rapid onset and high mortality. Although aneurysm research has been extensive, the pathogenesis remains unknown. Studies have found that the TGF-ß/Smad pathway and aneurysm formation appear linked. For example, the TGF-ß signaling pathway was significantly activated in aneurysm development and aortic dissection. Aneurysms are not, however, mitigated following knockdown of TGF-ß signaling pathway-related genes. Incidence and mortality rate of ruptured thoracic aneurysms increase with the down-regulation of the classical TGF-ß signaling pathway. In this review, we summarize recent findings and evaluate the differential role of classical and non-classical TGF-ß pathways on aortic aneurysm. It is postulated that the TGF-ß signaling pathway is necessary to maintain vascular function, but over-activation will promote aneurysms whereas over-inhibition will lead to bypass pathway over-activation and promote aneurysm occurrence.