OBJECTIVE:To prepare Compound benzocaine film and optimize the formulation. METHODS:Compound benzo-caine film was prepared with the base materials of polyving akohol-1788 (PVA) and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC-Na). With the factors of amounts of the base materials PVA and CMC-Na and the additives glycerol and polysorbate 80,and the indexes of the average of the cumulative release rates (0.25 h and 2 h) of the main drugs benzocaine (BZ) and dexamethasone acetate (DA),the orthogonal experiment was conducted to optimize the formulation,and then the optimal formulation was verified. HPLC was adopted to determine the contents of BZ and DA in the preparation for the calculation of cumulative release rates. RESULTS:The optimal formulation was as follows as PVA of 1.2 g,CMC-Na of 1.2 g,glycerol of 1.6 g, polysorbate 80 of 1.5 ml. The con-tents of BZ and DA in the single film prepared respectively were 21.607 mg(RSD=0.71%,n=6)and 4.375 mg(RSD=0.55%, n=6);the average cumulative release rates were respectively 32.7%(RSD=2.01%)and 69.25%(RSD=1.43%)at 0.25 h and 2 h. CONCLUSIONS:The method of preparing the above-mentioned film with homogeneous contents is simple.

The purpose of this study was to investigate and analyze the high frequency electrocardiogram (HFECG) for middle-aged and elderly people.138 subjects were chosen in our study.The mean age was 60.38 years.Among them,72.1 per cent were between 50 and 69 years.The results showed that (1) the differences were not significant between male and female groups in the mean number of high frequency notches (HFN).(2) For an increase in high frequency notches in the leads V1 and V2,we should consider the possibility of pathological changes of the anterior medial wall of heart,which was supplied by the dessending rami of the right anterior coronary artery,on the one hand,and it might remind us to pay great attention to posteromedian wall of heart,on the other hand.(3) Looking at all age groups in this study,we preliminarily found that the age peak of ischemic heart disease was between 50 and 70 years,according to the number of high frequency notches in the leads of HFECG.(4) The sensitivity of HFECG for diagnosing ischemic heart disease is 40 per cent higher than that of the conventional ECG.(5) In addition,nine leads were used in this examination,which not only preserved sensitivity of six leads but also could provide a localizing value for the diagnosis of heart disease.

Objective To investigate whether heparin has a beneficial effect on lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced acute lung injury(ALI)in rats,and to explore the possible underlying mechanisms. Methods Thirty-two adult Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats were randomly assigned into the control,heparin control,model,and heparin treatment groups,with 8 in each group. ALI rat model was reproduced by intratracheal instillation of LPS at a dose of 1 mg/kg. The rats in the control and heparin control groups received an equal volume of normal saline at the same times. The rats in the heparin control and heparin treatment groups were intravenously received 50 U/kg heparin every 1 hour after the induction of ALI. Animals were sacrificed 24 hours after LPS challenge. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) and lung tissue samples were collected. Histopathological evaluation,lung wet/dry(W/D)ratio,malondialdehyde (MDA),nitric oxide(NO)and myeloperoxidase(MPO)were analyzed. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to measure the concentration of inflammatory factor in BALF. Expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)mRNA in the lung of rats was measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR). Western Blot was used to determine the expression of transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1)and phosphorylation of Smad in the lung tissues. The expression of iNOS in lung was determined by immunohistochemistry. Results In the control and heparin control groups,lung tissue showed a normal structure and clear pulmonary alveoli under a light microscope. In the model group,ALI characters such as extensive thickening of the alveolar wall,significant infiltration of inflammatory cells,demolished structure of pulmonary alveoli,and hemorrhage were found. In the heparin treatment group,heparin treatment markedly alleviated LPS-induced these pathological changes in lung. Compared with control and heparin control groups,lung W/D ratio,lung MDA,NO and MPO levels,and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and interleukin-6(IL-6)in BALF in the model group were increased significantly. Compared with the model group, lung W/D ratio,lung MDA,NO and MPO levels,and TNF-αand IL-6 in BALF in the heparin treatment group were significantly decreased〔W/D ratio:7.54±0.17 vs. 10.69±0.15,MDA(mmol/mg):2.01±0.30 vs. 2.51±0.25,NO (μmol/L):3.07±0.21 vs. 3.89±0.14,MPO(U/g):1.94±0.09 vs. 2.74±0.20,TNF-α(μg/L):201.80±0.27 vs. 297.53±0.34,IL-6(μg/L):38.41±0.25 vs. 46.31±0.31,all P<0.05〕. RT-PCR showed that the expression of iNOS mRNA in the heparin treatment group was significantly lower than that in the model group(2-ΔΔCt:3.04±0.18 vs. 4.37±0.15,P<0.05). Western Blot showed that compared with control group,the protein expressions of iNOS and TGF-β1,and phosphorylation of Smad2 and Smad3 were significantly increased,and the heparin could inhibit the protein expressions compared with model group. Immunohistochemistry showed that positive expressions of iNOS in alveolar epithelial cell and capillary endothelial cell in the heparin treatment group were significantly lower than those in the model group. Conclusion Heparin significantly ameliorated the lung injury induced by LPS in rats via the inhibition of nitric oxide synthase expression and the TGF-β/Smad pathway.

AIM:The objective of this study was to observe the effects of AP-1 element on endothelin-1(EDN1)gene transcription in homocysteine(Hcy)-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs).METHODS:The redox level in Hcy-induced HUVECs was determined by using the fluorescent product DCF.The influences of Hcy on expressions of EDN1 mRNA and protein of c-jun/AP-1 in HUVECs were measured by the methods of RT-PCR and Western blotting,respectively.The EDN1 secretion level of HUVECs induced by Hcy was determined by enzymatic immunoassay.The transient transfection assay was performed and luciferase activity of transcriptional factor AP-1 reporter gene induced by Hcy was detected.RESULTS:The Hcy significantly increased EDN1 secretion,EDN1 mRNA expression and oxidative stress in HUVECs.Hcy remarkably induced the expression of pGL3-EDN1-AP-1(115/+135)luciferase reporter gene plasmid.However,basic expression of mutation of pGL3-EDN1-AP-1(-115/+135)luciferase reporter gene plasmid was downregulated markedly in HUVECs induced by Hcy.CONCLUSION:Redox-active and release of ROS are changed by Hcy.Activated AP-1 element plays an important role in EDN1gene transcription in HUVECs induced by Hcy.

Objective To compare risk factors and bacterial etiology in patients with early-onset versus late-onset ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in intensive care unit (ICU).Methods This prospective cohort study enrolled mechanically ventilated patients hospitalized for more than 48 hours in the first affiliated hospital,China Medical University from Jan 2012 to Jun 2016.Subjects were classified by ventilator status:early-onset VAP (＜ 5 d ventilation,E-VAP) or late-onset VAP (≥ 5 d ventilation,L-VAP).Potential risk factors and pathogen were evaluated.Results A total of 4 179 patients in adult ICU were screened,3 989 (95.5％) of whom were mechanically ventilated,962 patients with mechanical ventilation time ≥ 48 h.VAP developed in 142 patients.E-VAP and L-VAP had different potential risk factors based on statistical analysis.Independent risk factors for E-VAP included male (OR =1.825,95％ CI 1.006-3.310),chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD;OR =3.746,95％ CI 1.795-7.818),emergency intubation (OR =1.932,95％ CI 1.139-3.276),aspiration (OR =3.324,95％ CI 1.359-8.130).Whereas independent risk factors for L-VAP were coma (OR =2.335,95％ CI 1.300-4.194),renal dysfunction (OR =0.524,95％ CI O.290-O.947),emergency intubation (OR =2.184,95％ CI 1.334-3.574).Mortality in E-VAP and L-VAP group were both higher than the non-VAP group[30.2％(19/63)vs 19.8％ (162/820),P=0.044;29.1％ (23/79) vs 19.8％(162/820),P=0.046].The pathogens isolated from early-onset versus late-onset VAP were not significantly different between groups,which the most common ones were acinetobacter baumannii,pseudomonas aeruginosa and klebsiella pneumoniae.Conclusion E-VAP and L-VAP have different risk factors,however related pathogens are similar.Different specific preventive strategies are suggested based on different onset of VAP.

Objective To explore whether Rho kinase inhibitor protects endotoxemia mice from kidney injury,and to investigate the mechanism underlying this effect. Methods Adult male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into three groups (n = 8 for each group): control,lipopolysaccharide (LPS),and LPS+ Y-27632 (Rho kinase inhibitor). For induction of acute kidney injury,mice were administered 30 mg/kg LPS intraperitoneally. Y-27632 (10 mg/kg body weight) was injected intraperitoneally 18 h and 1 h before injection of LPS,and an equal volume of sterile saline was administered at the corresponding time point in each group. The mice were killed 8 h after LPS administration. Blood samples and kidney tissues were taken and preserved for subsequent analysis. Results Pretreatment with Y-27632 significantly attenuated LPS-induced kidney injury;pretreatment with Y-27632 markedly reduced renal expression of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1β) in endotoxemia mouse,and also significantly inhibited LPS-induced caspase-3 expression in the kidney; and Y-27632 pretreatment dramatically reduced TLR4 protein expression and NF-κBp65 phosphorylation in kidney tissues of endotoxemia mouse. Conclusion Rho kinase inhibitor may inhibit TLR4 and NF-κB signaling pathway to reduce the inflammatory response in the kidneys of endotoxemia mice and alleviate acute renal injury induced by LPS.

Background/Aims: Ubiquitination is widely involved in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by regulating various cellular processes. However, systematic strategies for screening core ubiquitin-related genes, clarifying their functions and mechanisms, and ultimately developing potential therapeutics for patients with HCC are still lacking. Methods: Cox and LASSO regression analyses were performed to construct a ubiquitin-related gene prediction model for HCC. Loss- and gain-of-function studies, transcriptomic and metabolomics analysis were used to explore the function and mechanism of UBE2S on HCC cell glycolysis and growth. Results: Based on 1,423 ubiquitin-related genes, a four-gene signature was successfully constructed to evaluate the prognosis of patients with HCC. UBE2S was identified in this signature with the potential to predict the survival of patients with HCC. E2F2 transcriptionally upregulated UBE2S expression by directly binding to its promoter. UBE2S positively regulated glycolysis in a HIF-1α-dependent manner, thus promoting the proliferation of HCC cells. Mechanistically, UBE2S enhanced K11-linkage polyubiquitination at lysine residues 171 and 196 of VHL independent of E3 ligase, thereby indirectly stabilizing HIF-1α protein levels by mediating the degradation of VHL by the proteasome. In particular, the combination of cephalomannine, a small molecule compound that inhibits the expression of UBE2S, and PX-478, an inhibitor of HIF-1α, significantly improved the anti-tumor efficacy. Conclusions UBE2S is identified as a key biomarker in HCC among the thousands of ubiquitin-related genes and promotes glycolysis by E3 enzyme-independent ubiquitination, thus serving as a therapeutic target for the treatment of HCC.

Schizophrenia is a serious mental disease. The diagnosis of schizophrenia so far relies heavily on subjective evidence, including self-reported experiences by patients, manifestations described by relatives, and abnormal behaviors assessed by psychiatrists. The diagnosis, monitoring of the disease progression and therapy efficacy assessment are challenging due to the lack of established laboratory biomarkers. Based on the current literature, clinical consensus, guidelines, and expert recommendations, this review highlighted evidence-based potential laboratory biomarkers for the diagnosis of schizophrenia, including genetic biomarkers, neurotransmitters, neurodevelopmental-related proteins, and intestinal flora, and discussed the potential future directions for the application of these biomarkers in this field, aiming to provide an objective basis for the use of these biomarkers in the early and accurate diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis and rehabilitation assessment of schizophrenia.

Lung cancer is the most common incident cancer and the leading cause of cancer death. In recent years, the development of tumor immunotherapy especially chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell has shown a promising future. Epidermal growth factor receptor variant III (EGFRvIII) is a tumor-specific mutation expressed in various types of tumors and has been detected in non-small cell lung cancer with a mutation rate of 10%. Thus, EGFRvIII is a potential antigen for targeted lung cancer therapy. In this study, CAR vectors were constructed and transfected into virus-packaging cells. Then, activated T cells were infected with retrovirus harvested from stable virus-producing single clone cell lines. CAR expression on the surfaces of the T cells was detected by flow cytometry and Western blot. The function of CAR-T targeting EGFRvIII was then evaluated. The EGFRvIII-CAR vector was successfully constructed and confirmed by DNA sequencing. A stable virus-producing cell line was produced from a single clone by limited dilution. The culture conditions for the cell line, including cell density, temperature, and culture medium were optimized. After infection with retrovirus, CAR was expressed on more than 90% of the T cells. The proliferation of CAR-T cells were induced by cytokine and specific antigen in vitro. More importantly, EGFRvIII-CART specifically and efficiently recognized and killed A549-EGFRvIII cells with an effector/target ratio of 10:1 by expressing and releasing cytokines, including perforin, granzyme B, IFN-γ, and TNF-α. The in vivo study indicated that the metastasis of A549-EGFRvIII cells in mice were inhibited by EGFRvIII-CART cells, and the survival of the mice was significantly prolonged with no serious side effects. EGFRvIII-CART showed significantly efficient antitumor activity against lung cancer cells expressing EGFRvIII in vivo and in vitro. Therefore, CAR-T targeting EGFRvIII is a potential therapeutic strategy in preventing recurrence and metastasis of lung cancer after surgery.
Animals ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; immunology ; therapy ; Cell Line, Tumor ; ErbB Receptors ; immunology ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Immunotherapy, Adoptive ; methods ; Lung Neoplasms ; immunology ; therapy ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred NOD ; Receptors, Chimeric Antigen ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays