Assessment of lisdexamfetamine on executive function in rats: A translational cognitive research.

Executive function, including working memory, attention and inhibitory control, is crucial for decision making, thinking and planning. Lisdexamfetamine, the prodrug of d-amphetamine, has been approved for treating attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and binge eating disorder, but whether it improves executive function under non-disease condition, as well as the underlying pharmacokinetic and neurochemical properties, remains unclear. Here, using trial unique non-matching to location task and five-choice serial reaction time task of rats, we found lisdexamfetamine (p.o) enhanced spatial working memory and sustained attention under various cognitive load conditions, while d-amphetamine (i.p) only improved these cognitive performances under certain high cognitive load condition. Additionally, lisdexamfetamine evoked less impulsivity than d-amphetamine, indicating lower adverse effect on inhibitory control. In vivo pharmacokinetics showed lisdexamfetamine produced a relative stable and lasting release of amphetamine base both in plasma and in brain tissue, whereas d-amphetamine injection elicited rapid increase and dramatical decrease in amphetamine base levels. Microdialysis revealed lisdexamfetamine caused lasting release of dopamine within the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), whereas d-amphetamine produced rapid increase followed by decline to dopamine level. Moreover, lisdexamfetamine elicited more obvious efflux of noradrenaline than that of d-amphetamine. The distinct neurochemical profiles may be partly attributed to the different action of two drugs to membranous catecholamine transporters level within mPFC, detecting by Western Blotting. Taken together, due to its certain pharmacokinetic and catecholamine releasing profiles, lisdexamfetamine produced better pharmacological action to improving executive function. Our finding provided valuable evidence on the ideal pharmacokinetic and neurochemical characteristics of amphetamine-type psychostimulants in cognition enhancement.

Estimation of natural methane emissions from the largest oil sand deposits on earth.

Worldwide methane emission by various industrial sources is one of the important human concerns due to its serious climate and air-quality implications. This study investigates less-considered diffusive natural methane emissions from the world's largest oil sand deposits. An analytical model, considering the first-order methane degradation, in combination with Monte Carlo simulations, is used to quantitatively characterize diffusive methane emissions from Alberta's oil sands formations. The results show that the average diffusive methane emissions from Alberta's oil sands formations is 1.56 × 10-4 kg/m2/year at the 90th percentile of cumulative probability. The results also indicate an annual diffusive methane emissions rate of 0.857 ± 0.013 Million tons of CO2e/year (MtCO2e/year) from Alberta's oil sands formations. This finding suggests that natural diffusive leakages from the oil sands contribute an additional 1.659 ± 0.025 and 5.194 ± 0.079% to recent Canada's 2019 and Alberta's 2020 methane emission estimates from the upstream oil and gas sector, respectively. The developed model combined with Monte Carlo simulations can be used as a tool for assessing methane emissions and current inventories.

Electroencephalographic microstates in vestibular schwannoma patients with tinnitus / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the biomarkers of tinnitus in vestibular schwannoma patients using electroencephalographic (EEG) microstate technology.@*METHODS@#The EEG and clinical data of 41 patients with vestibular schwannoma were collected. All the patients were evaluated by SAS, SDS, THI and VAS scales. The EEG acquisition time was 10-15 min, and the EEG data were preprocessed and analyzed using MATLAB and EEGLAB software package.@*RESULTS@#Of the 41 patients with vestibular schwannoma, 29 patients had tinnitus and 12 did not have tinnitus, and their clinical parameters were comparable. The average global explanation variances of the non-tinnitus and tinnitus groups were 78.8% and 80.1%, respectively. The results of EEG microstate analysis showed that compared with those without tinnitus, the patients with tinnitus had an increased frequency (P=0.033) and contribution (P=0.028) of microstate C. Correlation analysis showed that THI scale scores of the patients were negatively correlated with the duration of microstate A (R=-0.435, P=0.018) and positively with the frequencies of microstate B (R=0.456, P=0.013) and microstate C (R=0.412, P=0.026). Syntax analysis showed that the probability of transition from microstate C to microstate B increased significantly in vestibular schwannoma patients with tinnitus (P=0.031).@*CONCLUSION@#EEG microstate features differ significantly between vestibular schwannoma patients with and without tinnitus. This abnormality in patients with tinnitus may reflect the potential abnormality in the allocation of neural resources and the transition of brain functional activity.

Incidence and prognosis of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to infection of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain: a national multi-center survey of 35 566 population / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

Objective: This cross-sectional investigation aimed to determine the incidence, clinical characteristics, prognosis, and related risk factors of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain in mainland China. Methods: Data of patients with SARS-CoV-2 from December 28, 2022, to February 21, 2023, were collected through online and offline questionnaires from 45 tertiary hospitals and one center for disease control and prevention in mainland China. The questionnaire included demographic information, previous health history, smoking and alcohol drinking, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, olfactory and gustatory function before and after infection, other symptoms after infection, as well as the duration and improvement of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction. The self-reported olfactory and gustatory functions of patients were evaluated using the Olfactory VAS scale and Gustatory VAS scale. Results: A total of 35 566 valid questionnaires were obtained, revealing a high incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain (67.75%). Females(χ2=367.013, P<0.001) and young people(χ2=120.210, P<0.001) were more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Gender(OR=1.564, 95%CI: 1.487-1.645), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), oral health status (OR=0.881, 95%CI: 0.839-0.926), smoking history (OR=1.152, 95%CI=1.080-1.229), and drinking history (OR=0.854, 95%CI: 0.785-0.928) were correlated with the occurrence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2(above P<0.001). 44.62% (4 391/9 840) of the patients who had not recovered their sense of smell and taste also suffered from nasal congestion, runny nose, and 32.62% (3 210/9 840) suffered from dry mouth and sore throat. The improvement of olfactory and taste functions was correlated with the persistence of accompanying symptoms(χ2=10.873, P=0.001). The average score of olfactory and taste VAS scale was 8.41 and 8.51 respectively before SARS-CoV-2 infection, but decreased to3.69 and 4.29 respectively after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and recovered to 5.83and 6.55 respectively at the time of the survey. The median duration of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions was 15 days and 12 days, respectively, with 0.5% (121/24 096) of patients experiencing these dysfunctions for more than 28 days. The overall self-reported improvement rate of smell and taste dysfunctions was 59.16% (14 256/24 096). Gender(OR=0.893, 95%CI: 0.839-0.951), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), history of head and facial trauma(OR=1.180, 95%CI: 1.036-1.344, P=0.013), nose (OR=1.104, 95%CI: 1.042-1.171, P=0.001) and oral (OR=1.162, 95%CI: 1.096-1.233) health status, smoking history(OR=0.765, 95%CI: 0.709-0.825), and the persistence of accompanying symptoms (OR=0.359, 95%CI: 0.332-0.388) were correlated with the recovery of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2 (above P<0.001 except for the indicated values). Conclusion: The incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain is high in mainland China, with females and young people more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Active and effective intervention measures may be required for cases that persist for a long time. The recovery of olfactory and taste functions is influenced by several factors, including gender, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status, history of head and facial trauma, nasal and oral health status, smoking history, and persistence of accompanying symptoms.

Acupuncture for Patients with Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria: A Randomized, Sham-Controlled Pilot Trial / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To determine the feasibility of conducting a full-scale randomized controlled trial (RCT) and investigate the basic information and safety of acupuncture for patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU).@*METHODS@#A total of 80 participants with CSU from July 2018 to July 2019 were randomly assigned to receive active acupuncture (n=41) on a fixed prescription of acupoints or sham acupuncture (n=39) with superficial acupuncture on non-acupuncture points through the completely randomized design. Patients in both groups received 5 sessions per week for 2 weeks, and participants were followed for a further 2 weeks. Feasibility was assessed by recruitment and randomization rates, retention of participants, treatment protocol adherence, and the incidence of adverse events (AEs). The clinical primary outcome was the changes from baseline weekly urticaria activity scores (UAS7) after treatment at 2 weeks. Secondary outcomes included the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score of itching intensity, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA).@*RESULTS@#A total of 80 participants were enrolled. The recruitment rate of 24.02%, randomization rate of 100%, a loss rate of 6.25%, and no obvious AEs were observed in either group. The decrease from baseline in the mean UAS7 total score at week 2 in the active acupuncture group was -8.63 (95%CI, -11.78 to -5.49) and -6.21 (95%CI, -9.43 to -2.98) in the sham acupuncture group for a between-group difference of -2.42 (95% CI, -6.93 to 2.07). The change in the DLQI, VAS of itching intensity, HAMA, and HAMD were a slightly better improvement trend in the active acupuncture group than the sham acupuncture group, but the between-group difference was not significant.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Active acupuncture had a better improvement trend in alleviating symptoms, improving quality of life and regulating the mood of anxiety and depression in patients with CSU than sham acupuncture. (Registration Nos. AMCTR-ICR-18000190 and ChiCTR2100054776).

Impact of individual and combined assessment of age- and sex-specific brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity and pulse pressure on all-cause mortality / 中华心血管病杂志

Objective: To evaluate the impact of individual and combined assessment of age- and sex-specific brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and pulse pressure (PP) on all-cause mortality. Methods: This study is a prospective cohort study. Individuals participated in the Kailuan Study and completed baPWV measurements between 2010 and 2016 were included in this study. After stratifying by sex, 75th percentile baPWV and PP values for different age group were calculated at five years interval. BaPWV and PP values below the 75th percentile were defined as normal, and those above or equal to the 75th percentile were defined as increased. The participants were allocated to four groups according to their PP and baPWV status: normal baPWV/PP group, high baPWV/normal PP group, normal baPWV/high PP group and high baPWV/PP group. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality during the follow-up period. Cox proportional hazards models were used to explore the impact of individual and combined assessment of baPWV and PP on all-cause mortality events. Results: A total of 39 339 participants were enrolled in this study, aged (49.3±12.8) years, of which 28 731 (73.03%) were males. There were 23 268, 6 025, 6 210 and 3 836 cases in the normal baPWV/PP group, high baPWV/normal PP group, normal baPWV/high PP group and high baPWV/PP group, respectively. The average follow-up duration was (4.98±2.53) years. During the follow-up period, all-cause mortality occurred in 998 individuals. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed increased risk of all-cause mortality in the high baPWV/normal PP group (HR=1.27, 95%CI 1.07-1.50), and in the high baPWV/PP group (HR=1.33, 95%CI 1.08-1.65) compared to the normal baPWV/PP group. Increased pulse pressure alone had no impcat on all-cause death (HR=1.06, 95%CI 0.87-1.29). Conclusions: The risk of all-cause mortality significantly increases with increased age-and sex-specific baPWV and PP values. BaPWV may be a better predictor of all-cause mortality than PP in this cohort.

Research progress of bio-metal organic frameworks in drug delivery system / 中国药科大学学报

@#In recent years, bio-metal organic frameworks (Bio-MOFs) synthesized with biocompatible ligands have been widely investigated as a potential drug delivery carrier due to their large specific surface area and porosity, rich host-guest intermolecular interactions, and good biocompatibility.In this review, we summarized the design methods of Bio-MOFs including structural and toxic factors, as well as a variety of drug loading methods including click chemistry, with particular focus on recent research advances in Bio-MOFs for pulmonary drug delivery systems, improving pharmaceutical properties of drugs, sustained and controlled drug release, stimulation response and targeted drug delivery systems.Finally, we summarized the bottlenecks that constrain the development of Bio-MOFs in clinical studies of actual pharmaceutical formulations and their future directions for approved formulations, aiming to provide some theoretical reference for promoting the application of Bio-MOFs in drug delivery systems.

Effects and mechanisms of total flavones of Abelmoschus manihot in attenuating diabetic tubulopathy by targeting endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced cell apoptosis / 中国中药杂志

Renal tubular injury in patients with diabetic kidney disease(DKD) may be accompanied by glomerular and microvascular diseases. It plays a critical role in the progression of renal damage in DKD, and is now known as diabetic tubulopathy(DT). To explore the multi-targeted therapeutic effects and pharmacological mechanisms in vivo of total flavones of Abelmoschus manihot(TFA), an extract from traditional Chinese medicine for treating kidney disease, in attenuating DT, the authors randomly divided all rats into four groups: a normal control group(normal group), a DT model group(model group), a DT model+TFA-treated group(TFA group) and a DT model+rosiglitazone(ROS)-treated group(ROS group). The DT rat model was established based on the DKD rat model by means of integrated measures. After successful modeling, the rats in the four groups were continuously given double-distilled water, TFA suspension, and ROS suspension, respectively by gavage every day. After 6 weeks of treatment, all rats were sacrificed, and the samples of their urine, blood, and kidneys were collected. The effects of TFA and ROS on various indicators related to urine and blood biochemistry, renal tubular injury, renal tubular epithelial cell apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress(ERS), as well as the activation of the protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase(PERK)-eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α(eIF2α)-activating transcription factor 4(ATF4)-C/EBP homologous protein(CHOP) signaling pathway in the kidney of the DT model rats were investigated. The results indicated that hypertrophy of renal tubular epithelial cells, renal tubular hyperplasia and occlusion, as well as interstitial extracellular matrix and collagen deposition occurred in the DT model rats. Moreover, significant changes were found in the expression degree and the protein expression level of renal tubular injury markers. In addition, there was an abnormal increase in tubular urine proteins. After TFA or ROS treatment, urine protein, the characteristics of renal tubular injury, renal tubular epithelial cell apoptosis and ERS, as well as the activation of the PERK-eIF2α-ATF4-CHOP signaling pathway in the kidney of the DT model rats were improved to varying degrees. Therein, TFA was superior to ROS in affecting the pathological changes in renal tubule/interstitium. In short, with the DT model rats, this study demonstrated that TFA could attenuate DT by multiple targets through inhibiting renal tubular ERS-induced cell apoptosis in vivo, and its effect and mechanism were related to suppressing the activation of the PERK-eIF2α-ATF4-CHOP signaling pathway in the kidney. These findings provided preliminary pharmacological evidence for the application of TFA in the clinical treatment of DT.

Effects and mechanisms of total flavones of Abelmoschus manihot in improving insulin resistance and podocyte epithelial-mesenchymal transition in diabetic kidney disease based on IRS1/PI3K/Akt pathway / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to explore the effects and mechanisms of total flavones of Abelmoschus manihot(TFA), the extracts from traditional Chinese medicine indicated for kidney diseases, on insulin resistance(IR) and podocyte epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT) in diabetic kidney disease(DKD), and further to reveal the scientific connotation. Thirty-two rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, a TFA group, and a rosiglitazone(ROS) group. The modified DKD model was induced in rats by methods including high-fat diet feeding, unilateral nephrectomy, and streptozotocin(STZ) intraperitoneal injection. After modeling, the rats in the four groups were given double-distilled water, TFA suspension, and ROS suspension correspondingly by gavage every day. At the end of the 8th week of drug administration, all rats were sacrificed, and the samples of urine, blood, and kidney tissues were collected. The parameters and indicators related to IR and podocyte EMT in the DKD model rats were examined and observed, including the general condition, body weight(BW) and kidney weight(KW), the biochemical parameters and IR indicators, the protein expression levels of the key signaling molecules and structural molecules of slit diaphragm in the renal insulin receptor substrate(IRS) 1/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)/serine-threonine kinase(Akt) pathway, foot process form and glomerular basement membrane(GBM) thickness, the expression of the marked molecules and structural molecules of slit diaphragm in podocyte EMT, and glomerular histomorphological characteristics. The results showed that for the DKD model rats, both TFA and ROS could improve the general condition, some biochemical parameters, renal appearance, and KW. The ameliorative effects of TFA and ROS were equivalent on BW, urinary albumin(UAlb)/urinary creatinine(UCr), serum creatinine(Scr), triglyceride(TG), and KW. Secondly, they could both improve IR indicators, and ROS was superior to TFA in improving fast insulin(FIN) and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance(HOMA-IR). Thirdly, they could both improve the protein expression levels of the key signaling molecules in the IRS1/PI3K/Akt pathway and glomerulosclerosis in varying degrees, and their ameliorative effects were similar. Finally, both could improve podocyte injury and EMT, and TFA was superior to ROS. In conclusion, this study suggested that podocyte EMT and glomerulosclerosis could be induced by IR and the decreased activation of the IRS1/PI3K/Akt pathway in the kidney in DKD. Similar to ROS, the effects of TFA in inhibiting podocyte EMT in DKD were related to inducing the activation of the IRS1/PI3K/Akt pathway and improving IR, which could be one of the scientific connotations of TFA against DKD. This study provides preliminary pharmacological evidence for the development and application of TFA in the field of diabetic complications.

Thoughts on the timing of targeted therapy initiation for thyroid cancer / 中华核医学与分子影像杂志

The treatment of persistent/recurrent and metastatic thyroid cancer and medullary thyroid cancer has made significant progress through the use of molecule-targeted therapy. While this approach has shown promise in improving patient outcomes and clinical symptoms, it also carries potential risks. The primary focus and challenge of targeted therapy is to optimize benefits while managing risks within predetermined thresholds. This review examines current targeted treatment practices in thyroid cancer and investigates the correlation between the timing of targeted therapy initiation and the patient benefits, aiming to lay the groundwork for subsequent research.

Predictive values of 18F-FDG PET/CT image feature and metabolic parameters for the malignant potential of gastrointestinal stromal tumor / 中华核医学与分子影像杂志

Objective:To investigate the predictive values of 18F-FDG PET/CT image feature and metabolic parameters for the malignant potential of gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). Methods:From March 2014 to June 2020, the 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging and surgical pathological data of 35 patients with GIST (27 males, 8 females; age 44-84 years) from Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology and Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University were analyzed retrospectively. Patients were divided into ring-shaped uptake group and other uptake patterns group according to 18F-FDG PET/CT image feature. Fisher′s exact test was used to analyze the differences of tumor necrosis and National Institutes of Health (NIH) risk classification (short for NIH classification) between different image feature groups. Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze the differences of SUV max , metabolic parameters at different thresholds (2.5, 40%, 50%) of SUV max (metabolic tumor volume (MTV; MTV 2.5, MTV 40%, MTV 50%) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG; TLG 2.5, TLG 40%, TLG 50%)) between different clinicopathological features (lesion location, tumor diameter, mitotic count, Ki-67, necrosis, image feature, NIH classification) groups. Spearman rank correlation analysis was used to explore the correlation between clinicopathological features and metabolic parameters. ROC curve analysis was used to distinguish NIH classification of different metabolic parameters. Delong test was used to compared differences between different AUCs. Results:Of 35 GIST patients, 11(31.4%) were ring-shaped uptake and 24(68.6%) were other uptake patterns, and the differences of necrosis (7/11 vs 12.5%(3/24); P=0.004) and NIH classification (11/11 vs 25.0%(6/24); P<0.001) between the two groups were significant. There were significant differences of metabolic parameters between different groups of tumor diameter, mitotic count, necrosis, image feature, NIH classification ( z values: from -4.70 to -2.09, all P<0.05), while there were no significant differences of Ki-67 ( z values: from -0.83 to -0.71, all P>0.05). Metabolic parameters were correlated with mitotic count, tumor diameter, necrosis, image feature and NIH classification ( rs values: 0.36-0.81, all P<0.05), while was not correlated with Ki-67 ( rs values: 0.12-0.14, all P>0.05). The differences of AUCs between SUV max and MTV 2.5, TLG 2.5, TLG 40%, TLG 50%were significant (0.752, 0.856, 0.856, 0.882, 0.886; z values: 1.96-2.12, all P<0.05). Conclusions:The NIH classification of GIST with ring-shaped uptake on 18F-FDG PET/CT is higher and more prone to necrosis. The 18F-FDG PET/CT metabolic parameters based on different thresholds of SUV max have certain significance for the prediction of NIH classification of GIST, and may be superior to SUV max.

Clinical application of non-invasive myocardial work imaging in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients with left ventricular remodeling after percutaneous coronary intervention / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To explore the application value of non-invasive myocardial work imaging in evaluating the cardiac function of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with left ventricular remodeling (LVR) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Methods:One hundred and twenty-six patients with STEMI undergoing PCI in General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University from December 2021 to September 2022 were prospectively collected and divided into left ventricular remodeling group (LVR group, 34 cases) and non left ventricular remodeling group (NLVR group, 92 cases) according to whether there was left ventricular remodeling 3 months after surgery. General data were collected. Routine echocardiography and noninvasive myocardial work imaging were performed before, 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after surgery, the differences in the above parameters between the two groups were compared. Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between the indicators.Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent risk factors of left ventricular remodeling after STEMI, and a predictive model was obtained. The diagnostic value of the model was judged by ROC curve.Results:①General information comparison: There were statistically significant differences between the two groups in BMI, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, average number of stents implanted, and history of hyperlipidemia (all P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in other data (all P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (2D-TTE) parameters and non-invasive myocardial work (MW) parameters between the two groups before and 1 week after operation (both P>0.05). ②2D-TTE parameter comparison: LVESV and LVEDV at 3 months after PCI in the LVR group were significantly higher than those in the NLVR group, and LVEF and E/A were significantly lower than those in the NLVR group (all P<0.05); There were no significant differences in other indexes between the two groups by conventional echocardiography at 3 months after PCI(all P>0.05). ③Comparisons of noninvasive myocardial work parameters: GLS, GWE, GWI, GCW at 1 month and 3 months after PCI in the LVR group were significantly lower than those in the NLVR group, and GWW were significantly higher than those in the NLVR group ( P<0.001). ④Correlation analysis: GLS, GWE, GCW, GWI and LVEDV were negatively correlated at 1 month after operation ( r=-0.42, -0.38, -0.50, -0.53, all P<0.001), GWW was positively correlated with LVEDV ( r=0.45, P<0.001). ⑤Logistic regression analysis: GLS<17%, GCW<1 900 mmHg%, GWW>105 mmHg%, and GWE<90 mmHg% at 1 month after PCI were independent predictors for LVR in STEMI patients after PCI (all P<0.05). The predictive model was Logit (P)=0.692GLS+ 0.804GCW+ 0.972GWW+ 0.880GWE. The AUC of this model was 0.886, 95% CI=0.845-0.926, which was significantly higher than single index, the sensitivity was 0.86, and the specificity was 0.79. Conclusions:GLS, GWE, GWI, GCW are positively correlated with LVR, while GWW is negatively correlated with left ventricular remodeling. Noninvasive myocardial work parameters are independent risk factors for left ventricular remodeling in patients with STEMI after PCI surgery. This technique can be used to evaluate LVR and has great clinical application value.

Value of bedside high-flow continuous blood purificationcombined with Xuebijing in the treatment of severe sepsis / 中国医师进修杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of bedside high-flow continuous blood purification (CBP) combined with Xuebijing in the treatment of severe sepsis (SS) and the influence on the patient′s coagulation-fibrinolysis index, immunity index and expression of peripheral blood Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4).Methods:Ninety-three patients with SS who were admitted and treated in the Lianyungang First People′s Hospitalfrom January 2017 to October 2019 were selected. They were divided into the combined group (51 cases, treatment with bedside high-flow CBP and Xuebijing injection based on bundle therapy) and the control group (42 cases, treatment with Xuebijing injection based on bundle therapy). The changes in coagulation and fibrinolysis index, immunity index, biochemical index such as TLR4 before treatment and after 1 week of treatment were compared between the two groups. The incidences of complications in both groups were statistically analyzed, and the discharge time from ICU, mechanical ventilation time and 28-day mortality were recorded.Results:After 1 week of treatment, the levels of prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) in the two groups were shortened, D-dimer (D-D) and fibrinogen (FIB) were decreased ( P<0.05); and the levels of PT and APTT in the combined group were shorter than those in the control group, the levels of DD and FIB were lower than those in the control group, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). After 1 week of treatment, the levels of CD 4+ and CD 4+/CD 8+ ratio in both groups were increased ( P<0.05), and the levels of CD 4+ and CD 4+/CD 8+ ratio in the combined group were higher than those in the control group ( P<0.05). After 1 week of treatment, the levels of TLR4, C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), white blood cell count (WBC), blood lactate (Lac), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (Scr) in both groups were decreased ( P<0.05), meanwhile, the above indexes in the combined group were lower than those in the control group ( P<0.05). The incidence of multiple organ failure and the 28-day mortality rate in the combined group were lower than those in the control group: 3.92%(2/51) vs. 19.05%(8/42), 13.73%(7/51) vs. 30.95%(13/42), there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). The discharge time from ICU and mechanical ventilation time in the combined group were shorter than those in the control group: (12.35 ± 2.14) d vs. (14.17 ± 3.36) d, (7.12 ± 2.23) d vs. (8.51 ± 2.39) d, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Bedside high-flow CBP combined with Xuebijing injection in the treatment of SS can improve the patient′s condition, regulate the balance of coagulation and fibrinolysis, avoide the activation of coagulation, inhibite inflammatory response, reduce the expression of TLR4 in peripheral blood, improve immune function, protecte kidney function and promotethe patient′s recovery.

Effect of arteriosclerotic intracranial arterial vessel wall enhancement on downstream collateral flow / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#The effect of arteriosclerotic intracranial arterial vessel wall enhancement (IAVWE) on downstream collateral flow found in vessel wall imaging (VWI) is not clear. Regardless of the mechanism underlying IAVWE on VWI, damage to the patient's nervous system caused by IAVWE is likely achieved by affecting downstream cerebral blood flow. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of arteriosclerotic IAVWE on downstream collateral flow.@*METHODS@#The present study recruited 63 consecutive patients at the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2021 to November 2021 with underlying atherosclerotic diseases and unilateral middle cerebral artery (MCA) M1-segment stenosis who underwent an magnetic resonance scan within 3 days of symptom onset. The patients were divided into 4 groups according to IAVWE and the stenosis ratio (Group 1, n = 17; Group 2, n = 19; Group 3, n = 13; Group 4, n = 14), and downstream collateral flow was analyzed using three-dimensional pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling (3D-pCASL) and RAPID software. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores of the patients were also recorded. Two-factor multivariate analysis of variance using Pillai's trace was used as the main statistical method.@*RESULTS@#No statistically significant difference was found in baseline demographic characteristics among the groups. IAVWE, but not the stenosis ratio, had a statistically significant significance on the late-arriving retrograde flow proportion (LARFP), hypoperfusion intensity ratio (HIR), and NIHSS scores ( F = 20.941, P <0.001, Pillai's trace statistic = 0.567). The between-subject effects test showed that IAVWE had a significant effect on the three dependent variables: LARFP ( R2 = 0.088, F = 10.899, P = 0.002), HIR ( R2 = 0.234, F = 29.354, P <0.001), and NIHSS ( R2 = 114.339, F = 33.338, P <0.001).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Arteriosclerotic IAVWE significantly reduced downstream collateral flow and affected relevant neurological deficits. It was an independent factor affecting downstream collateral flow and NIHSS scores, which should be a focus of future studies.@*TRIAL REGISTRATION@#ChiCTR.org.cn, ChiCTR2100053661.

Long noncoding RNA MRAK088388 is involved in the progression of childhood allergic asthma via miR-30a/ATG5 axis / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

【Objective】 To investigate the association between the long-stranded non-coding ribonucleic acid (lncRNA) MRAK088388 and allergic asthma in children. 【Methods】 A total of 15 healthy children and 15 children with asthma were monitored for disease progression over a 2-year period. Blood samples were collected from patients during the chronic phase of the disease for lncRNA/mRNA expression microarray analysis. Competing endogenous RNA networks (MRAK088388/miR-30a/ATG5) were identified by bioinformatics analysis. In vitro cultured bronchial epithelial (16HBE) cells were used to quantify gene and associated protein expression levels by real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and protein blotting, respectively. Cell Counting Kit-8 and transwell assays were used to assess the proliferation and migration of 16HBE cells and verify the effects of MRAK088388, miR-30a and ATG5 on asthma. 【Results】 Six lncRNA-miRNA-mRNAs were identified by correlation analysis. By qRT-PCR analysis, MRAK088388/miR-30a/ATG5 was selected to construct the ceRNA network in this study. mRAK088388 and ATG5 expressions were high in the peripheral blood of children with asthma, while the expression of miR-30a was low (P<0.05). The expression level of E-cadherin was significantly higher in 16HBE cells after si-MRAK088388+TGF-β1 group, while the expression levels of Vimentin and α-SMA were significantly lower (P<0.05), indicating that knockdown of MRAK088388 inhibited the epithelial mesenchymal transition in 16HBE cells. Compared with si-NC+ TGF-β1 group, the cell morphology of si-MRAK088388+TGF-β1 group was similar to that of the control group, indicating that MRAK088388 knockdown attenuated TGF-β1-induced cell morphological changes; in addition, MRAK088388 knockdown inhibited TGF-β1-induced proliferation and migration of 16HBE cells. MRAK088388 was confirmed by qPCR and protein blotting to promote the progression of childhood asthma by targeting the miR-30a/ATG5 axis. 【Conclusion】 Childhood asthma is associated with the MRAK088388/miR-30a/ATG5 axis, and MRAK088388 is involved in the process of childhood allergic asthma by negatively regulating miR-30a expression and regulating elevated ATG5 expression levels to affect bronchial epithelial cell mesenchymal transition, proliferation, and migration.

Inhibition of M2 macrophage polarization and reduction of airway inflammation in asthmatic mice with lncRNA MRAK088388 knockout / 细胞与分子免疫学杂志

Objective To investigate the long non-coding RNA(lncRNA) MRAK08838 regulates macrophage function to influence the development of asthmatic airway inflammation. Methods MRAK088388 gene knockout (MRAK088388-/-) mouse model was prepared and allergic asthma was induced by dust mite protein Dermatophagoides farinae 1 (Der f1). The mice were sacrificed after 28 days of modeling, and serum was collected to measure IgE and IgG. The FinePointe RC system was used to measure airway hyperresponsiveness and evaluate lung function in mice. Lung tissue was taken for HE staining, and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining was used to evaluate inflammatory infiltration and mucus secretion in mouse lungs. Fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression level of lncRNA MRAK08838 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cells and lung tissue of asthmatic mice. ELISA was used to detect the levels of inflammatory cytokines IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-10 and IL-17A. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate the phenotype of macrophages in BALF and lung tissue, as well as the proportion of neutrophils, eosinophils, and alveolar macrophages. The changes of the above indicators were detected in mice by adoptive transfer of bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM). Results Under the challengle of Der f1, MRAK088388-/- mice showed reduced allergic airway inflammation, including reduced eosinophils in BALF and reduced production of IgE and IgG1. In addition, Der f1-treated MRAK088388-/- mice had fewer M2 macrophages than wild-type asthmatic mice. Wild-type mouse BMDM (M0) and Der f1-treated MRAK088388-/- mice also showed mild inflammatory response. Conclusion Knockout of MRAK088388 alleviates airway inflammation in asthmatic mice by inhibiting M2 polarization of airway macrophages.

Correlation Analysis of Molecularly-Defined Cortical Interneuron Populations with Morpho-Electric Properties in Layer V of Mouse Neocortex / 神经科学通报·英文版

Cortical interneurons can be categorized into distinct populations based on multiple modalities, including molecular signatures and morpho-electrical (M/E) properties. Recently, many transcriptomic signatures based on single-cell RNA-seq have been identified in cortical interneurons. However, whether different interneuron populations defined by transcriptomic signature expressions correspond to distinct M/E subtypes is still unknown. Here, we applied the Patch-PCR approach to simultaneously obtain the M/E properties and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of >600 interneurons in layer V of the mouse somatosensory cortex (S1). Subsequently, we identified 11 M/E subtypes, 9 neurochemical cell populations (NCs), and 20 transcriptomic cell populations (TCs) in this cortical lamina. Further analysis revealed that cells in many NCs and TCs comprised several M/E types and were difficult to clearly distinguish morpho-electrically. A similar analysis of layer V interneurons of mouse primary visual cortex (V1) and motor cortex (M1) gave results largely comparable to S1. Comparison between S1, V1, and M1 suggested that, compared to V1, S1 interneurons were morpho-electrically more similar to M1. Our study reveals the presence of substantial M/E variations in cortical interneuron populations defined by molecular expression.

Electroacupuncture Alleviates Functional Constipation in Mice by Activating Enteric Glial Cell Autophagy via PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate autophagy-related mechanisms of electroacupuncture (EA) action in improving gastrointestinal motility in mice with functional constipation (FC).@*METHODS@#According to a random number table, the Kunming mice were divided into the normal control, FC and EA groups in Experiment I. The autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) was used to observe whether it antagonized the effects of EA in Experiment II. An FC model was established by diphenoxylate gavage. Then the mice were treated with EA stimulation at Tianshu (ST 25) and Shangjuxu (ST 37) acupoints. The first black stool defecation time, the number, weight, and water content of 8-h feces, and intestinal transit rate were used to assess intestinal transit. Colonic tissues underwent histopathological assessment, and the expressions of autophagy markers microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) and Beclin-1 were detected by immunohistochemical staining. The expressions of phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K)-protein kinase B (AKT)-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway members were investigated by Western blot and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, respectively. The relationship between enteric glial cells (EGCs) and autophagy was observed by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy, localization analysis, and electron microscopy.@*RESULTS@#EA treatment shortened the first black stool defecation time, increased the number, weight, and water content of 8-h feces, and improved the intestinal transit rate in FC mice (P<0.01). In terms of a putative autophagy mechanism, EA treatment promoted the expressions of LC3 and Beclin-1 proteins in the colonic tissue of FC mice (P<0.05), with glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and LC3 significantly colocalized. Furthermore, EA promoted colonic autophagy in FC mice by inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The positive effect of EA on intestinal motility in FC mice was blocked by 3-MA.@*CONCLUSION@#EA treatment can inhibit PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling in the colonic tissues of FC mice, thereby promoting EGCs autophagy to improve intestinal motility.

Feedback-AVPGAN: Feedback-guided generative adversarial network for generating antiviral peptides.

In this study, we propose Feedback-AVPGAN, a system that aims to computationally generate novel antiviral peptides (AVPs). This system relies on the key premise of the Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) model and the Feedback method. GAN, a generative modeling approach that uses deep learning methods, comprises a generator and a discriminator. The generator is used to generate peptides; the generated proteins are fed to the discriminator to distinguish between the AVPs and non-AVPs. The original GAN design uses actual data to train the discriminator. However, not many AVPs have been experimentally obtained. To solve this problem, we used the Feedback method to allow the discriminator to learn from the existing as well as generated synthetic data. We implemented this method using a classifier module that classifies each peptide sequence generated by the GAN generator as AVP or non-AVP. The classifier uses the transformer network and achieves high classification accuracy. This mechanism enables the efficient generation of peptides with a high probability of exhibiting antiviral activity. Using the Feedback method, we evaluated various algorithms and their performance. Moreover, we modeled the structure of the generated peptides using AlphaFold2 and determined the peptides having similar physicochemical properties and structures to those of known AVPs, although with different sequences.

Study on the mechanisms of action of berberine combined with fluconazole against fluconazole-resistant strains of Talaromyces marneffei.

Talaromyces (Penicillium) marneffei (T. marneffei) is a thermally dimorphic fungus that can cause opportunistic systemic mycoses. Our previous study demonstrated that concomitant use of berberine (BBR) and fluconazole (FLC) showed a synergistic action against FLC-resistant T. marneffei (B4) in vitro. In this paper, we tried to figure out the antifungal mechanisms of BBR and FLC in T. marneffei FLC-resistant. In the microdilution test, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of FLC was 256 µg/ml before FLC and BBR combination, and was 8 µg/ml after combination, the partial inhibitory concentration index (FICI) of B4 was 0.28. After the treatments of BBR and FLC, the studies revealed that (i) increase reactive oxygen species (ROS), (ii) reduce ergosterol content, (iii) destroy the integrity of cell wall and membrane, (iv) decrease the expression of genes AtrF, MDR1, PMFCZ, and Cyp51B however ABC1 and MFS change are not obvious. These results confirmed that BBR has antifungal effect on T. marneffei, and the combination with FLC can restore the susceptibility of FLC-resistant strains to FLC, and the reduction of ergosterol content and the down-regulation of gene expression of AtrF, Mdr1, PMFCZ, and Cyp51B are the mechanisms of the antifungal effect after the combination, which provides a theoretical basis for the application of BBR in the treatment of Talaromycosis and opens up new ideas for treatment of Talaromycosis.