Nutritional therapy of older osteoporotic people with supplemental calcium and vitamin D: side effects, fracture rates, and survival - an internationalised meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Recent controversy over the bone benefits of calcium and vitamin D supplementation, and the potential detrimental effects of excess calcium supplementation, has confused clinicians. To systematically evaluate the effectiveness and safety of vitamin D combined with calcium in preventing and treating osteoporotic symptoms in the elderly. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: Databases were searched to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on vitamin D combined with calcium in the prevention and treatment of osteoporotic fractures in the elderly. After screening the literature, extracting data, and assessing the risk of bias in the included studies, the Meta-analysis was performed. RESULTS: 19 RCTs were included, including 69,234 patients. Meta-analysis results showed that the mortality rate of the vitamin D combined with calcium group was not statistically significant compared with the control group; the calcium combined with vitamin D significantly reduced the incidence of fractures compared with the control group，Density and serum 25-hydroxyl concentration, adverse reactions of calcium combined with vitamin D were higher than those in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of vitamin D and calcium has no difference in mortality rate, and it can prevent fractures in the elderly, and enhance bone density and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration, but still need to pay attention to adverse reactions in the gastrointestinal tract.

The effect of Jiegeng decoction on lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury in mice based on metabolomics / 药学学报

One of the traditional prescriptions for treating lung diseases, Jiegeng decoction (JGT), is still unknown in terms of its chemical makeup and mechanism. In this study, Q-Exactive-Orbitrap MS technology was used to identify the chemical constituents of JGT, and metabolomics was used to examine the effect of JGT on metabolites in the lung tissue of mice with acute lung injury (ALI) model. The potential biomarkers were screened by fold change (FC) > 1.5 or FC < 0.67 and P < 0.05, and enriched for metabolic pathways. A total of 40 compounds, including triterpenoid saponins, flavonoids and glycosides, were identified by mass spectrometry analysis of JGT. All animal experiments were approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (No. TCM-LAEC2021106). The results showed that JGT improved the lung coefficient, and lung tissue morphology of mice with ALI, lowered the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and reduced myeloperoxidase (MPO) content in lung tissue. The metabolomic results showed that JGT could regulate 22 metabolites associated with ALI, among which leukotriene D4, docosapentaenoic acid, hypoxanthine, L-5-oxoproline, and other metabolites were mainly associated with the body′s inflammatory response and oxidative stress, and were enriched in the pathways of glutathione metabolism, purine metabolism, and primary bile acid biosynthesis. This study analyzed the potential mechanism of JGT in the treatment of ALI through metabolomics, providing an important theoretical basis for the clinical application of JGT.

Laboratory testing strategies for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in blood donors / 细胞与分子免疫学杂志

Objective To propose the blood detection strategies for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among blood donors, and provide reference for the detection, early diagnosis and transmission blocking of HIV. Methods A total of 117 987 blood samples from blood donors were screened using the third- and fourth-generation ELISA HIV detection reagents. Western blot analysis was used to verify the reactive results of the third-generation reagent alone, or both the third-generation and fourth-generation reagents. HIV nucleic acid test was carried out for those with negative test results of the third- and fourth-generation reagents. For those with positive results of the fourth-generation reagent only, nucleic acid test followed by a confirmatory test by Western blot analysis was carried out. Results 117 987 blood samples from blood donors were tested by different reagents. Among them, 55 were tested positive by both the third- and fourth-generation HIV detection reagents at the same time, accounting for 0.047% and 54 cases were confirmed HIV-positive by Western blot analysis, and 1 case was indeterminate, then turned positive during follow-up testing. 26 cases were positive by the third-generation reagent test alone, among which 24 cases were negative and 2 were indeterminate by Western blot analysis. The band types were p24 and gp160 respectively detected by Western blot analysis, and were confirmed to be HIV negative in follow-up testing. 31 cases were positive by the fourth-generation HIV reagent alone, among which 29 were negative by nucleic acid test, and 2 were positive according to the nucleic acid test.Western blot analysis was used to verify that the two cases were negative. However, after 2~4 weeks, the results turned positive when the blood sample was retested by Western blot analysis during the follow-up of these two cases. All the specimens that were tested negative by both the third- and fourth-generation HIV reagents were validated negative by HIV nucleic acid test. Conclusion A combined strategy with both third- and fourth-generation HIV detection reagents can play a complementary role in blood screening among blood donors. The application of complementary tests, such as nucleic acid test and Western blot analysis, can further improve the safety of blood supply, thus contributing to the early diagnosis, prevention, transmission and treatment of blood donors potentially infected by HIV.

Pangenomic analysis of Chinese gastric cancer.

Pangenomic study might improve the completeness of human reference genome (GRCh38) and promote precision medicine. Here, we use an automated pipeline of human pangenomic analysis to build gastric cancer pan-genome for 185 paired deep sequencing data (370 samples), and characterize the gene presence-absence variations (PAVs) at whole genome level. Genes ACOT1, GSTM1, SIGLEC14 and UGT2B17 are identified as highly absent genes in gastric cancer population. A set of genes from unaligned sequences with GRCh38 are predicted. We successfully locate one of predicted genes GC0643 on chromosome 9q34.2. Overexpression of GC0643 significantly inhibits cell growth, cell migration and invasion, cell cycle progression, and induces cell apoptosis in cancer cells. The tumor suppressor functions can be reversed by shGC0643 knockdown. The GC0643 is approved by NCBI database (GenBank: MW194843.1). Collectively, the robust pan-genome strategy provides a deeper understanding of the gene PAVs in the human cancer genome.

Gene Presence/Absence Variation analysis of coronavirus family displays its pan-genomic diversity.

SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the coronavirus family. Comparing genomic features of viral genomes of coronavirus family can improve our understanding about SARS-CoV-2. Here we present the first pan-genome analysis of 3,932 whole genomes of 101 species out of 4 genera from the coronavirus family. We found that a total of 181 genes in the pan-genome of coronavirus family, among which only 3 genes, the S gene, M gene and N gene, are highly conserved. We also constructed a pan-genome from 23,539 whole genomes of SARS-CoV-2. There are 13 genes in total in the SARS-CoV-2 pan-genome. All of the 13 genes are core genes for SARS-CoV-2. The pan-genome of coronaviruses shows a lower level of diversity than the pan-genomes of other RNA viruses, which contain no core gene. The three highly conserved genes in coronavirus family, which are also core genes in SARS-CoV-2 pan-genome, could be potential targets in developing nucleic acid diagnostic reagents with a decreased possibility of cross-reaction with other coronavirus species.

Co-expression of lignocellulase from termite and their endosymbionts / 生物工程学报

Natural lignocellulosic materials contain cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Cellulose hydrolysis to glucose requires a series of lignocellulases. Recently, the research on the synergistic effect of lignocellulases has become a new research focus. Here, four lignocellulase genes encoding β-glucosidase, endo-1,4-β-glucanase, xylanase and laccase from termite and their endosymbionts were cloned into pETDuet-1 and pRSFDuet-1 and expressed in Escherichia coli. After SDS-PAGE analysis, the corresponding protein bands consistent with the theoretical values were observed and all the proteins showed enzyme activities. We used phosphoric acid swollen cellulose (PASC) as substrate to measure the synergistic effect of crude extracts of co-expressing enzymes and the mixture of single enzyme. The co-expressed enzymes increased the degradation efficiency of PASC by 44% compared with the single enzyme mixture; while the degradation rate increased by 34% and 20%, respectively when using filter paper and corn cob pretreated with phosphoric acid as substrates. The degradation efficiency of the co-expressed enzymes was higher than the total efficiency of the single enzyme mixture.

Clinical and pathological features of cutaneous Merkel cell carcinoma: a retrospective analysis of 171 cases / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective To investigate clinicopathological features,diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC).Methods CNKI,Wanfang,Vip databases were searched for reported domestic cases of MCC from January 1,1986 to October 1,2017,and clinical data were collected,and retrospectively analyzed and summarized.Results During 31 years between 1986 and 2017,a total of 171 domestic cases of MCC were reported.There were 78 males and 93 females,and the ratio of male to female was 1:1.19.Of the 171 patients,136 (79.5％) were aged more than 50 years,and lesions mostly occurred on the head and face or extremities in 139 (81.3％) patients.Clinically,149 (87.1％) patients were misdiagnosed as tumor of unknown origin (89 cases,52％),malignant lymphoma (34 cases,19.9％),benign tumors (15 cases,8.8％) or non-tumor diseases (11 cases,6.4％).As for clinical stage,84 (49.1％) patients had stage Ⅰ MCC,and 49 (28.6％)had stage Ⅱ MCC.One patient received immunotherapy,and 165 patients underwent surgical resection,including 91 patients receiving surgery alone,24 patients treated with postoperative radiotherapy,19 patients treated with postoperative chemotherapy,and 31 patients receiving postoperative chemoradiotherapy.Five patients did not describe the treatment.Among 74 patients who were followed up after the surgery,one-year survival rate and five-year survival rate were 52.7％ and 6.8％ respectively.The five-year survival rate was 6.1％ in the patients with stage Ⅰ MCC,5.6％ in those with stage Ⅱ MCC,and 0 in those with stage Ⅲ and Ⅳ MCC.Conclusions In China,cutaneous MCC mostly occurs on the head,face,neck and extremities of the middle-aged or elderly,with a high misdiagnosis rate.Surgical excision combined with radiotherapy or chemotherapy is a frequently used treatment protocol in China,but the prognosis is always poor.

The research progress of self efficacy and quality of life in patients after percutaneous coronary intervention / 中国基层医药

Percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI) is widely used in the treatment of coronary heart disease because of its tiny trauma,short treatment,rapid effect.However,if the patients after PCI can not effectively control the risk factors,their quality of life will be affected.In this paper,we review the study of self efficacy and quality of life in patients after PCI in recent years,thus to lay the foundation for the subsequent clinical care.

Influence of several excipients on damp-proof performance of pharmaceutical materials of traditional Chinese medicine / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the influence of several excipients on damp-proof performance of pharmaceutical materials of traditional Chinese medicine.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The moisture absorption rate and parameters of hydroscopicity were used as the evaluation index of the damp-proof property of the complex Chinese medicine and preparation 1 and 2.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The moisture rate of complex Chinese medicine 1 was 62.54%, the critical relative humidity (CRH) was 38%. The moisture rate of complex Chinese medicine 2 was 16.36%, the CRH was 53%. Excipients had different effect on lower the hyproscopic property of complex Chinese medicine 1 and 2. The initial moisture adsorption velocity of excipients of complex Chinese medicine 1 in a ascending order were dextrin < calcium hydrogen phosphate < micro crystalline cellulose < lactose < ethyl cellulose < mannitol < hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose. The moisture adsorption acceleration of excipients in a ascending order were dextrin = calcium hydrogen phosphate = micro crystalline cellulose < mannitol = ethyl cellulose = lactose < hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose. The moisture adsorption rate of excipients in a ascending order were dextrin < lactose < calcium hydrogen phosphate < ethyl cellulose < micro crystalline cellulose < mannitol < hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose. The initial moisture adsorption velocity of excipients of complex Chinese medicine 2 in a ascending order were mannitol < dextrin < calcium hydrogen phosphate < lactose < ethyl cellulose < micro crystalline cellulose < hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose . The moisture adsorption acceleration of excipients in a ascending order were mannitol = dextrin = calcium hydrogen phosphate < lactose < ethyl celluloselactose < micro crystalline cellulose < hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose. The moisture adsorption rate of excipients in a ascending order were mannitol < dextrin < calcium hydrogen phosphate < lactose < ethyl cellulose < micro crystalline cellulose < hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The choosing of damp-proof excipients of preparation based on the property of the complex traditional Chinese medicine. The study provided experimental evidences for the research and development of the pharmaceutical materials of traditional Chinese medicine.</p>

Application in life quality study in eye diseases / 第二军医大学学报

Measuring changes in visual function alone is not enough to assess neither the impact of eye diseases on patients nor the effectiveness of treatments. The quality of life is a parameter demonstrating all kinds of behavior capabilities, covering the human body function, psychological and mental state and social activities. It has recently become a popular parameter to evaluate the therapeutic effect for diseases. The paper introduces the current application (methods and results) of life quality study in eye diseases, hoping to provide evidence for future clinical practice.

Potential value of Mycobacterium tuberculosis RD1 region-encoded proteins in the diagnosis of tuberculosis / 中国医学科学院学报

Nine proteins encoded by Mycobacterium tuberculosis RD1 region are important protective antigens that become absent in long passaging of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. They only exist in pathogenic Mycobacteria and are absent in Bacille Calmette-Guerin and environmental Mycobacteria. With good immunogenicities, they may play an important role in the diagnosis and prevention of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This article reviews recent studies on using RD1-encoded proteins as antigens in the diagnosis of active tuberculosis and tuberculous pleurisy.