Objective To investigate the protection of agmatine on blood brain barrier (BBB) permeability and the effect on the expression of aquaporin 4 (AQP4) and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) in ischemic reperfusion injury rats.Methods Sixty healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal control group (NC),model group and agmatine group,and there were 20 rats in each group.Normal control group was treated with intraperitoneal injection of saline in 2 hours after incision and suture of skin.Model group was treated with intraperitoneal injection of saline in 2 hours after the establishment of middle cerebral artery occulation (MCAO) model.Agmatine group was treated with intraperitoneal injection of agmatine (AGM) in 2 hours after the establishment of MCAO model.The damage of blood brain barrier was detected by measuring the permeability of blood brain barrier.The infarct size of brain was observed with TTC staining.The morphological changes of neurons were observed with electron microscope.The expressions of AQP4 and MMP9 were detected using immunohistochemical method.Results The permeability of BBB of agmatine treatment group (0.31±0.10) decreased significantly compared with the model group (0.46±0.09) (P＜0.05),but was still significantly higher than the normal control group (0.24±0.12) (P＜0.05).There was no infarction area in normal control group and the infarction areas of agmatine group decreased obviously compared with the model group.Compared with model group,the number of neurons with morphological changes reduced significantly and the degree of pathological changes of neurons was obviously improved in agmatine group.Compared with normal control group,the expression of AQP4 and MMP9 in ischemic penumbra of left cerebral hemisphere parietal cortex in the rats of model group and agmatine group increased significantly(P＜0.05).And the expression of AQP4 and MMP9 in model group was significantly higher than that of agmatine group(P＜0.05).Conclusion Agmatine has a protective effect on BBB with ischemia-reperfusion injury due to its down-regulation the expression of AQP-4 and MMP-9.

Objective:Investigator Initiated Trials (IIT) play a key role in promoting comprehensively the development and homogeneity of clinical diagnosis and treatment, thus, this article aims to explore a set of recommendations for the construction and management of clinical research institutes that support IIT.Methods:Through the combination of literature review and institutional construction practice cases, based on the experience of domestic and foreign universities and well-functioning medical institutions in building clinical research centers, as well as summarizing the construction cases of the clinical research institute of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, to discuss the construction and management plan of such centers.Results:Propose recommendations for the construction and management standards of clinical research centers that support IIT, covering the principles of center construction, basic settings, organizational structure, functional departments, basic platforms, staffing, document management and institutional evaluation.Conclusions:We hope this study can provide reference to universities and medical institutions for the construction of the clinical research institute.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with epithelioid glioblastoma (ep-GBM) and their influencing factors for survival.Methods:Sixteen ep-GBM patients admitted to Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from August 2015 to March 2022 were chosen. Clinical data such as age, gender, maximum tumor diameter, degrees of tumor resection, treatments, and immunohistochemical staining-related indexes were obtained. Survival curves of the patients were plotted by Kaplan-Meier method, and differences of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) among patients with different clinical characteristics were compared. Log-rank test was used to compare the survival rates, and Cox proportional risk regression model was constructed to analyze the influencing factors for PFS and OS.Results:In these 16 patients, median OS was 11.8 months and median PFS was 7.0 months. Significant differences in PFS and OS were noted between groups of age<32 years and age≥32 years, between groups of maximum tumor diameter<4.8 cm and diameter≥4.8 cm, and between groups of positive p53 expression and negative p53 expression ( P<0.05). Log-rank test indicated that OS and PFS ratios were significantly different between groups of age<32 years and age≥32 years, between groups of maximum tumor diameter<4.8 cm and diameter≥4.8 cm, between S100 positive group and S100 negative group, between Olig-2 positive group and Olig-2 negative group, and between groups of positive p53 expression and negative p53 expression ( P<0.05). Cox proportional hazard regression model showed that age ( HR=1.070, 95% CI: 1.013-1.134, P=0.016), preoperative maximum tumor diameter ( HR=2.150, 95% CI: 1.142-4.055, P=0.018) and Olig-2 expression ( HR=0.040, 95% CI: 0.003-0.498, P=0.013) had influences in PFS; preoperative maximum tumor diameter ( HR=2.350, 95%CI: 1.149-4.798, P=0.019) and Olig-2 expression ( HR=0.080, 95% CI: 0.007-0.972, P=0.047) had influences in OS. Conclusion:Older ep-GBM patients are prone to progress after surgery; ep-GBM patients with larger tumor diameter and negative Olig-2 expression likely progress and have poor prognosis after surgery.

Effective supervision of the clinical research management department can guarantee and improve the quality of the investigator initiated trials(IIT). The authors analyzed relevant clinical research regulations and literature and summarized the current situation of risk-based IIT project process quality management. On such basis, they determined the risk-based IIT project process quality management method in combination with the previous research of the research group.From 2021 to 2022, this method was used to implement process quality management for 353 IIT projects in Shanghai′s tertiary hospitals. More than 3 000 risk points were identified through centralized supervision, and then on-site supervision was carried out to correct the problems found. As proven by the results, the method could find existing problems in time and define the risk level of the project, and also formulate an individualized risk supervision plan accordingly, so as to effectively ensure the data reliability and scientific results. It is suggested that the clinical research management department implement risk based management for the whole process of IIT projects, increase funding and staffing, and implement hierarchical management for the projects by research types, so as to promote the sustainable development of IITs.

Objective:To investigate the role and possible pathogenesis of high mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS).Methods:① In vivo, 24 SPFC57BL/6 male mice were randomly divided into normal control group, ALI/ARDS model group, ethyl pyruvate (EP) treatment group and EP control group, with 6 mice in each group. The ALI/ARDS model was established by intraperitoneal injection of 20 mg/kg LPS. Mice in normal control group and EP control group were intraperitoneally injected with the same amount of sterile normal saline. Then, mice in the EP treatment group and EP control group were intraperitoneally injected with 40 mg/kg HMGB1 inhibitor EP. After 6 hours, the mice were sacrificed and lung tissues were collected. The expressions of heparan sulfate (HS), syndecans-1 (SDC-1), heparanase (HPA) and matrix metalloproteinases-9 (MMP-9) in lung tissues were detected by immunofluorescence technique. Orbital blood of mice was collected and serum was extracted to detect the content of HMGB1 by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). ② In vitro, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were randomly divided into 6 groups: normal control group, HUVECs damage group (treated with 1 mg/L LPS for 6 hours), HMGB1 group (treated with 1 μmol/L recombinant HMGB1 for 6 hours), HMGB1+EP group (treated with recombinant HMGB1 for 1 hour and then added 1 μmol/L EP for 6 hours), LPS+EP group (treated with LPS for 1 hour and then added 1 μmol/L EP for 6 hours), EP group (treated with 1 μmol/L EP for 6 hours). The expressions of HS, SDC-1, HPA and MMP-9 in endothelial cells were detected by immunofluorescence technique. Results:① In vivo, light microscopy showed that the alveolar space was thickened after LPS stimulation, and there were a large number of inflammatory cells infiltrating in the alveolar space. Compared with ALI/ARDS model group, the expressions of HS and SDC-1 in lung tissue of EP treatment group were significantly increased [HS (fluorescence intensity): 0.80±0.20 vs. 0.53±0.02, SDC-1 (fluorescence intensity): 0.72±0.02 vs. 0.51±0.01, both P < 0.05], and the expressions of HPA and MMP-9 were significantly decreased [HPA (fluorescence intensity): 2.36±0.05 vs. 3.00±0.04, MMP-9 (fluorescence intensity): 2.55±0.13 vs. 3.26±0.05, both P < 0.05]; there were no significant changes of the above indexes in EP control group. Compared with ALI/ARDS model group, the content of serum HMGB1 in EP treatment group decreased significantly (μg/L: 131.88±16.67 vs. 341.13±22.47, P < 0.05); there was no significant change in the EP control group. ② In vitro, compared with HMGB1 group, the expressions of HS and SDC-1 in HMGB1+EP group were significantly higher [HS (fluorescence intensity): 0.83±0.07 vs. 0.56±0.03, SDC-1 (fluorescence intensity): 0.80±0.01 vs. 0.61±0.01, both P < 0.05], and the expressions of HPA and MMP-9 were significantly lower [HPA (fluorescence intensity): 1.30±0.02 vs. 2.29±0.05, MMP-9 (fluorescence intensity): 1.55±0.04 vs. 2.50±0.06, both P < 0.05]; the expression of HS, SDC-1, HPA and MMP-9 had no significant changes in EP group. Conclusion:HMGB1 participates in LPS-induced injury of endothelial cell glycocalyx, leading to increased lung permeability, and inhibition of HMGB1 can alleviate lung injury.

Objective:To assess possible risk factors and their respective levels in the whole process of investigator initiated trial(IIT)projects proposed in the proposal stage, for reference in formulation of risk management plans.Methods:Through literature analysis and research group discussions, the risk factors of IIT projects and risk level assessment criteria were preliminarily identified, and a consultation questionnaire was developed as a result. Delphi method was used to further optimize the risk factors and determine their risk levels. Data obtained from the consulfation were analysied by descriptive.Results:The recovery rates of two rounds of expert consultation were both 100%, and the degree of expert authority was 0.942. The survey finalized 38 risk factors, including extremely high risk, high risk, medium risk, low risk and very low risk factors of 17(44.7%), 15(39.5%), 3(7.9%), 2(5.3%) and 1(2.6%) respectively.Conclusions:This study determined a risk evaluation system of IIT projects in the proposal stage. This system can identify risks of IIT projects at an early stage, facilitating early intervention of problems existing in such projects, and minimize risks to the rights and safety of patients.

This article analyzed the specific path of iron overload affecting EMT "blood countercurrent cell survival/adhesion/invasion/angiogenesis ectopic lesions" from the three aspects of mediating NF-κB and inflammatory reaction, stimulation of abnormal activation of macrophages, and induction of oxidative stress injury; introduced the theoretical connotation of the pathogenesis of "cold coagulation and blood stasis", and briefly described the progress of the pathogenesis of EMT from the perspective of "blood out of menstruation - injury caused by cold pathogenic factors - cold coagulation and blood stasis - long-term accumulation syndrome"; based on the mutual confirmation of "menstruation countercurrent - iron overload microenvironment - cell survival/adhesion/invasion/angiogenesis - ectopic focus" and "blood out of menstruation - cold pathogen injury - cold coagulation and blood stasis - chronic accumulation syndrome", it was believed that starting from iron overload could tap the scientific connotation and microscopic materials of the pathogenesis of "cold coagulation and blood stasis" in EMT, so as to provide new directions and theoretical references for the research of the pathogenesis of EMT and the mechanism of drugs.