OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanism underlying the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis by Keshiling (KSL) in the rats model of FCA-induced arthritis.

METHODThe experimental arthritis was induced by FCA in the rats. The content of PGE2 in the inflammatory swelling toes was evaluated by ultraviolet spectrophotometric method. The ConA and LPS-induced lymphocytes proliferation and the production of interleukin-2 (IL-2) secreted by thymus were determined by MTT assay.

RESULTResults showed that the increases of lymphocyte proliferation and IL-2 production in AIA rats could be inhibited by KSL at the concentrations of 540 and 270 mg x kg(-1) in vivo and vitro. KSL at the same doses decreased the contents of PGE2 in inflammatory swelling toes, and the decreased A values were 25.6,16.1, 10.0 (A x 10(3)), respectively. After administration of KSL in vivo at 540 and 270 mg x kg(-1) the T lymphocyte proliferation were attenuated by 32.1% and 31.0%, and the production of IL-2 was inhibited by 17.5% and 14.0% respectively. While the inhibitory rates of T lymphocyte proliferation were reduced by 39.0% and 22.1% and the production of IL-2 was diminished by 27.3% and 18.2% respectively following the administration of KSL in vitro.

CONCLUSIONKSL possesses the anti-inflammation function.

Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Ants ; chemistry ; Arthritis, Experimental ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Proliferation ; Dinoprostone ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Interleukin-2 ; metabolism ; Male ; Materia Medica ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; T-Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; pathology

BACKGROUND: Although mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from different sources share many similar characteristics, they also exhibit individual properties. OBJECTIVE: To compare the biological characteristics of MSCs derived from umbilical cord and decidua parietalis. METHODS: Growth curve, cell doubling time, clone formation rate, immune phenotype, differentiation capacity and secreted cytokine levels were analyzed in MSCs derived from umbilical cord and decidua parietalis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: MSCs from umbilical cord and the decidua basalis exhibited similar morphology, spiral growth, S-shaped growth curve, immunophenotype, and differentiation potentials to osteogenesis and adipogenesis. For two kinds of MSCs, the positive rates of CD73, CD90 and CD105 were over 95% and the positive rates of CD34 and CD45 were below 1%. The growth rate, cell doubling time and clone formation rate of umbilical cord derived MSCs at passages 2 and 5 were significantly higher than those of decidua parietalis derived MSCs at passages 2 and 5 (P < 0.05). The level of epidermal growth factor secreted from umbilical cord MSCs was significantly higher that that from decidua basalis derived MSCs, while the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and stem cell growth factor from umbilical cord derived MSCs was significantly lower those from decidua basalis derived MSCs (P < 0.05). These findings indicate that MSCs from both sources have similar biological properties, but umbilical cord derived MSCs are deemed to have better application prospects.

A retrospective case review was conducted of 3 cases with umbilical venous catheterization(UVC) related pericardial effusions in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University from December 2020 to April 2022.All 3 cases were preterm infants with gestational ages of 33 + 4, 31 and 27 + 6 weeks, respectively.UVC was inserted routinely in 24 hours after birth.Three neonates developed tachycardia or bradycardia, dyspnea, decreased oxygen saturation and muffled heart sound at the 1 st to 4 th day after catheterization.Echocardiography indicated pericardial effusion, so the 3 neonates underwent pericardiocentesis and drainage.Among the 3 neonates, 2 cases improved and have good prognosis, 1 case died.UVC can cause pericardial effusion, which occurs mostly in the early stage after catheterization.Pericardial effusion and tamponade should be considered when patients show unexplained sudden clinical deterioration after catheterization, such as dyspnea, cyanosis, tachycardia or bradycardia, etc.Once diagnosed, umbilical vein catheter should be removed in time and pericardiocentesis and drainage should be performed for decompression.Early diagnosis and intervention can effectively improve the prognosis.

Objective To compare the role and importance of fibular fixation in tibiofibular fractures by Meta-analysis.Methods The literature related to the comparison of the efficacy of fixation of the fibula with or without fixation on the treatment of tibiofibular fractures was searched through the databases of China Knowledge Network,Wipu,Wanfang,The Cochrane Li-brary,Web of science and Pubmed,and statistical analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software.The rates of malrotation,rotational deformity,internal/external deformity,anterior/posterior deformity,non-union,infection,secondary surgery and op-erative time were compared between the fibula fixation and non-fixation groups.Results A total of 11 publications were includ-ed,six randomised controlled trials and five case-control trials,eight of which were of high quality.A total of 813 cases were in-cluded,of which 383 were treated with fibula fixation and 430 with unfixed fibulae.Meta-analysis results showed that fixation of the fibulae in the treatment of tibiofibular fractures reduced the rates of postoperative rotational deformity[RR=0.22,95％CI(0.10,0.45),P＜0.000 1]and internal/external deformity[RR=0.34,95％CI(0.14,0.84),P=0.02]and promoted fracture heal-ing[RR=0.76,95％CI(0.58,0.99),P=0.04].In contrast,the rates of poor reduction[RR=0.48,95％CI(0.10,2.33),P=0.36],anterior/posterior deformity[RR=1.50,95％CI(0.76,2.96),P=0.24],infection[RR=1.43,95％CI(0.76,2.72),P=0.27],sec-ondary surgery[RR=1.32,95％CI(0.82,2.11),P=0.25],and operative time[MD=10.21,95％CI(-17.79,38.21),P=0.47]were not statistically significant(P＞0.05)for comparison.Conclusion Simultaneous fixation of the tibia and fibula is clinically more effective in the treatment of tibiofibular fractures.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes in serum levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and their value for predicting recurrence of AF after radiofrequency ablation (RFCA). METHODS: Sixty-six patients with paroxysmal AF (PaAF) and 72 with persistent AF (PaAF) admitted in our hospital were recruited as AF group and 80 patients with sinus rhythm as the control group, and in all the participants, serum levels of ET-1 and CTGF were measured using ELISA and Western blotting. From 6 patients with AF and 6 with sinus rhythm undergoing cardiac surgery in our hospital, tissue samples of the right atrial appendage were taken intraoperatively for observation of structural changes of the cardiomyocytes, myocardial fibrosis and expression of ET-1 and CTGF protein. In AF group, the patients receiving RFCA were followed up for 6 months following the procedure for assessment of the outcomes. RESULTS: Compared with the control patients, the patients with AF showed obvious damages of the cardiomyocyte structure and myocardial fibrosis. Serum levels of ET-1 and CTGF levels were significantly higher in PaAF and PeAF groups than in the control group, and were higher in PeAF group than in PaAF group. In the patients with AF, serum ET-1 and CTGF levels were positively correlated with left atrial diameter (LAD) (P < 0.05), and ET-1 was positively correlated with CTGF levels (P < 0.05). In patients with postoperative AF recurrence, the serum levels of ET-1 and CTGF were significantly higher than those in patients without recurrence; serum ET-1 and CTGF levels before and after the operation were positively correlated with the recurrence of PeAF, and elevated serum levels of ET- 1 and CTGF were identified by logistic regression analysis as independent risk factors for postoperative recurrence of PeAF. CONCLUSION Serum levels of ET-1 and CTGF are significantly elevated in AF patients in positive correlation with AF duration. ET-1 and CTGF levels are higher in AF patients with postoperative recurrence, and they both have predictive value for recurrence of PeAF following RFCA.
Humans ; Atrial Fibrillation ; Endothelin-1 ; Connective Tissue Growth Factor ; Chronic Disease ; Atrial Appendage ; Fibrosis

Drug problem is a major social and public security problem in the world. Drug abuse poses a great threat to economic development, social stability and public health. In recent years, synthetic drugs represented by methamphetamine have surpassed traditional drugs such as morphine, heroin, ketamine and become one of the most abused drugs in the world. In order to solve the problem of drug abuse, it is of great theoretical value and practical significance to carry out all-round and multi-level scientific research on drug-related issues. Based on the current situation of drug abuse, this article reviews research progresses on the epidemiology of methamphetamine abuse, the monitoring technology, the basic researches on toxicity damage, the withdrawal drug screening, the related clinical comorbidity and the testing technologies, comprehensively presenting the development trend of methamphetamine abuse related issues.
Amphetamine-Related Disorders/epidemiology* ; Heroin ; Humans ; Illicit Drugs ; Methamphetamine/adverse effects* ; Substance Abuse Detection

Antrodia cinnamomea is extensively used as a traditional medicine to prevention and treatment of liver cancer. However, its comprehensive chemical fingerprint is uncertain, and the mechanisms, especially the potential therapeutic target for anti-hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are still unclear. Using UPLC‒Q-TOF/MS, 139 chemical components were identified in A. cinnamomea dropping pills (ACDPs). Based on these chemical components, network pharmacology demonstrated that the targets of active components were significantly enriched in the pathways in cancer, which were closely related with cell proliferation regulation. Next, HCC data was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus database (GEO). The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and DisGeNET were analyzed by bioinformatics, and 79 biomarkers were obtained. Furtherly, nine targets of ACDP active components were revealed, and they were significantly enriched in PI3K/AKT and cell cycle signaling pathways. The affinity between these targets and their corresponding active ingredients was predicted by molecular docking. Finally, in vivo and in vitro experiments showed that ACDPs could reduce the activity of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and downregulate the expression of cell cycle-related proteins, contributing to the decreased growth of liver cancer. Altogether, PI3K/AKT-cell cycle appears as the significant central node in anti-liver cancer of A. Cinnamomea.