Osteoporosis is a prevalent skeletal condition characterized by reduced bone mass and strength, leading to increased fragility. Buqi-Tongluo (BQTL) decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription, has yet to be fully evaluated for its potential in treating bone diseases such as osteoporosis. To investigate the mechanism by which BQTL decoction inhibits osteoclast differentiation in vitro and validate these findings through in vivo experiments. We employed MTS assays to assess the potential proliferative or toxic effects of BQTL on bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) at various concentrations. TRAcP experiments were conducted to examine BQTL's impact on osteoclast differentiation. RT-PCR and Western blot analyses were utilized to evaluate the relative expression levels of osteoclast-specific genes and proteins under BQTL stimulation. Finally, in vivo experiments were performed using an osteoporosis model to further validate the in vitro findings. This study revealed that BQTL suppressed receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis and osteoclast resorption activity in vitro in a dose-dependent manner without observable cytotoxicity. The inhibitory effects of BQTL on osteoclast formation and function were attributed to the downregulation of NFATc1 and c-fos activity, primarily through attenuation of the MAPK, NF-κB, and Calcineurin signaling pathways. BQTL's inhibitory capacity was further examined in vivo using an ovariectomized (OVX) rat model, demonstrating a strong protective effect against bone loss. BQTL may serve as an effective therapeutic TCM for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis and the alleviation of bone loss induced by estrogen deficiency and related conditions.
Animals ; NFATC Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Ovariectomy ; Osteoclasts/metabolism* ; Female ; Osteogenesis/drug effects* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; NF-kappa B/genetics* ; Osteoporosis/genetics* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Bone Resorption/genetics* ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects* ; Humans ; RANK Ligand/metabolism* ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/genetics* ; Transcription Factors

Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) has become an important means in the treatment of end-stage heart failure.The incidence of RVF in LVAD recipientsis as high as 10% to 40%, and the mortality rate is as high as 50%.Therefore, it is important to reduce right ventricular dysfunction and improve prognosis if all relevant factors can be monitored and evaluated before operation and timely intervention and perioperative management can be strengthened. This article will review the predictive factors, management strategies and application of devices for RVF after LVAD operation.

In this study, we presented the isolation and characterization of eight novel seco-guaianolide sesquiterpenoids (1-8) and two known guaianolide derivatives (9 and 10), from the aerial part of Achillea alpina L.. Compounds 1-3 were identified as guaianolides bearing an oxygen insertion at the 2, 3 position, while compounds 4-8 belonged to a group of special 3-nor guaianolide sesquiterpenoids. The structural elucidation of 1-8, including their absolute configurations, were accomplished by a combination of spectroscopic data analysis and quantum electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. To evaluate the potential antidiabetic activity of compounds 1-10, we investigated their effects on glucose consumption in palmitic acid (PA)-mediated HepG2-insulin resistance (IR) cells. Among the tested compounds, compound 7 demonstrated the most pronounced ability to reverse IR. Moreover, a mechanistic investigation revealed that compound 7 exerted its antidiabetic effect by reducing the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β, which was achieved through the suppression of the NLRP3 pathway.
Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents/pharmacology* ; Circular Dichroism ; Cytokines ; Glucose ; Hep G2 Cells ; Insulin Resistance

Objective To analyze the prediction efficiency of scoring models at home and abroad on delayed graft function (DGF) after renal transplantation in China. Methods The clinical data of 112 donors and 220 recipients undergoing renal transplantation were prospectively analyzed. The DGF predicted by KDRI model, Jeldres model, and model of our center was compared with actual DGF incidence of renal transplant recipients. The prediction efficiency of each model was analyzed. The predictive accuracy was compared by the area under curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results The DGF incidence of 220 renal transplant recipients was 14.1% (31/220). DGF prediction using KDRI model showed that 41 cases were high risk donors, the AUC was 0.57, the sensitivity was 0.37, the specificity was 0.66, and the positive predictive value was 22%. DGF prediction using Jedres model showed that 22 cases were high risk recipients, the AUC was 0.56, the sensitivity was 0.13, the specificity was 0.92 and the positive predictive value was 20%. DGF prediction using the model of our center showed that 25 cases were high risk donors, the AUC was 0.80, the sensitivity was 0.53, the specificity was 0.84, the positive predictive value was 40%. Conclusions Compared with the KDRI and Jedres models, the prediction model of our center has higher AUC and sensitivity with a better prediction efficiency on DGF. Therefore, it is a suitable evaluation system of donors from donation after citizen's death in Chinese.

Objective To study long term renal function of Donation after citizen's deceased transplantation.Methods We compared the data of 38 subjects who got Delayed Graft Function(DGF) with 80 Immediate Graft Function (IGF) subjects underwent DCD transplantation in our hospital before June 2016.Evaluated the renal function by detecting the serum creatinine (sCr),the estimating glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) calculated with MDRD formula and urine protein at the 1,2,3 year post transplantation.Results Analyzed the serum eGFR of two groups,there was no significant differences at 1 and 2 year post transplantation,sCr of two groups showed no significant differences at 3 year (P =0.053)post transplantation,eGFR of two groups showed significant differences at 3 year (P =0.042)post transplantation and positive incidence of urine protein showed significant differences at 2 year (P =0.028)and 3 year (P =0.037)post transplantation.Conclusion DGFoccuring after DCD transplantation had an effect on long term renal function,.mainly on reducing of eGFR and increasing of urine protein positive rate 2 or 3 years after transplant.

Objective:To evaluate the relationship betweenparacardial adipose tissue (PAT) volume, body mass index (BMI) and severe coronary artery stenosis in young people by quantitative measurement of 256-slice spiral CT.
Methods: A total of 150 patients younger than 45 years and received coronary angiography (CAG) in our hospital were divided into 2 groups:Lesion group, the patients with severe main coronary branch stenosis and Control group, patients with normal coronary artery. n=75 in each group. The height, body weight and BMI were recorded in all patients;imaging data was uploaded to the workstation to calculate the volumes ofepicardiumadipose tissue (EAT) volume,pericardial outsideadipose tissue volume and PAT volume, the correlation among 3 parameters were analyzed respectively.
Results:Compared with Control group, Lesion group had increased BMI (28.169±2.203) kg/m2 vs (24.960±3.041) kg/m2 and PAT volume (178.676±3.041) ml vs (99.0616±3.041) ml, all P<0.05. Compared with Control group,no matter male or female, Lesion group had larger PAT volume, P<0.01.EAT volume was related to pericardial outside adipose tissue volume (r=0.837, P<0.001) and PAT volume (r=0.971, P<0.001);pericardial outside adipose tissue volume was related to PAT volume (r=0.944, P<0.001).
Conclusion:PAT volume and BMI were obviously correlated to severe coronary artery stenosis in young people.

Aim To explore the influence of metformin(a first-line drug for type 2 diabetes) on ATP-induced inflammasome activation and the release of interleukin-1β(IL-1β) by LPS-activated peritoneal macrophages, a commonly-used inflammatory cell model.Methods Peritoneal macrophages were elicited by intraperitoneal injection of 30 g·L-1 thioglycollate into C57BL/6 mice.Inflammasome was activated and cell pyroptosis was induced by LPS plus ATP treatment, and the pyroptotic cells were calculated after propidium iodide(PI) staining.The protein levels of IL-1β and caspase-1 expressed in the cells and released from them into the supernatant were evaluated by Western blot.Immunofluorescent microscopy was recruited to detect the subcellular distribution and fluorescent intensity of the purinergic P2X7 receptor(P2X7R).Results Metformin per se did not induce pyroptosis in LPS-activated peritoneal macrophages, but it significantly and dose-dependently increased cell pyroptosis induced by ATP treatment.At protein levels, maturated IL-1β(17 ku) could not be released from the cells upon single LPS or LPS plus metformin stimulation;but after ATP was added, maturated IL-1β was released into the supernatants of the cells.Moreover, metformin dose-dependently increased the protein levels of both maturated IL-1β and active caspase-1 released by the LPS-activated peritoneal macrophages upon ATP stimulation.Conclusion Metformin intensifies the activation of inflammasome and increases the release of active caspase-1 and maturated IL-1β upon ATP stimulation in the LPS-activated peritoneal macrophages, which should promote inflammatory responses.

Objective To evaluate short-term clinical efficacy of renal transplantation from the donation of pediatric donors.Methods Clinical data of 1 5 pediatric donors and 28 recipients (including 2 cases of bilateral renal transplantation)undergoing renal transplantation in the Department of Renal Transplantation of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from November 201 3 to December 201 5 were retrospectively analyzed. Results Renal transplantation was successfully performed in 28 recipients.The median warm ischemia time of transplant kidney was 1 2.5 min (range:0-1 7.0 min)and 4.3 h (range:1 .5-7.7 h)for the median cold ischemia time.After operation,4 cases developed with delayed graft function (DGF),1 required dialysis,2 died from pulmonary infection,2 underwent renal resection due to renal anastomosis stenosis and renal thrombosis.Postoperative follow-up lasted for 1 -24 months.Twenty-six (93%)recipients survived after renal transplantation and 24 (86%)recipients survived with restored normal renal function.Conclusions Unilateral and bilateral renal transplantation from pediatric donors has relatively favorable short-term clinical efficacy.

Objective To investigate prevalence of nutritional status of children and adolescents of school age in the poor region with many ethnic groups of Western regions of China. Methods In September 2006, we performed a health check?up for 2 475 students of a primary school and a middle school from many ethnic groups in Rongshui, Guangxi; 1 163 boys (46.99%) and 1 362 girls (53.01%) participated in this study, including 4 main ethnic groups: Han (848 participants, 34.26%), Miao (736 participants, 29.74%), Zhuang (415 participants, 16.77%) and Dong (341 participants, 13.78%), and prevalence of obesity and malnutrition for the population were surveyed. Results The prevalence rates of overweight among male and female children/adolescents of school age were 3.01%and 3.66%, respectively;and the prevalence rates of obesity were 1.55%and 0.76%, respectively. In 4 main ethnic groups of Han, Miao, Zhuang and Dong, the prevalence rates of overweight were 2.59%, 4.76%, 2.89% and 2.93%, respectively; while the prevalence rates of obesity were 1.89%, 0.27%, 0.96%and 1.17%, respectively. The prevalence rates of malnutrition among male and female children/adolescents of school age were 5.59%and 3.35%, respectively;while the prevalence rates of malnutrition in 4 main ethnic groups of Han, Miao, Zhuang and Dong were 6.96%, 2.17%, 5.54% and 2.64%, respectively. Conclusion The prevalence rates of overweight and obesity of children and adolescents of school age in Rongshui were relatively low, while the prevalence rates of malnutrition is similar to the average level of China.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of donations after cardiac death (DCD) kidney transplant performed in northwest China and the measures for management of delayed graft function (DGF).

METHODSIn the period of 2011-2013, a total of 51 families of DCD donor gave their consent to organ donation by signing the informed consent with the help by a Red Cross Organization (ROC) coordinator, and 102 kidneys were retrieved by organ procurement organization (OPO) teams. Ninety-four operations of renal transplantation were carried out in our hospital. All the patients were followed-up and based on the occurrence of DGF after transplantation, they were divided into DGF group and non-DGF group for comparative studies.

RESULTSThe success rate of donation after cardiac death was 29.3%, and the incidence of post-transplantation DGF was 27.7%. The 1-year human/kidney survival rate was 98.9%/95.7%. Within six months after the transplant, the values of eGFR in DGF group were significantly lower and serum creatinine significantly higher than those in non-DGF group (P<0.05), but no significant differences were found between the two groups thereafter (P>0.05). The occurrence of DGF in LifePort mechanical perfusion cohorts was significantly lower than that in the simple cold preservation group (21.5% vs. 41.4%, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe overall effect of DCD kidney transplant is good despite a high incidence of early DGF, and we recommend the use of low-temperature mechanical perfusion for storage and transportation of DCD donor kidney.

Adult ; China ; Death ; Delayed Graft Function ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Transplantation ; Male ; Tissue and Organ Procurement ; statistics & numerical data ; Young Adult