Objective To investigate the mental states of the community-dwelling elderly in Beijing ,and to explore their relationship with depression using multivariate analysis ,in order to provide evidence for strategies to prevent depression in the elderly. Methods A total of 400 community elderly residents in Chaoyang District of Beijing were recruited in this cross-sectional study. The mental states of older adults were assessed by using the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale(SDS) ,the Medical Outcomes Study(Mos)36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) ,and the Social Support Rating Scale(SSRS).The correlations of the mental state with demographic data ,quality of life and social support were examined via multivariate analysis. Results Of 400 questionnaires ,364 were valid.Depression occurred in 64 older adults ,and the detection rate was 17.6% (64/364).Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that depression was closely correlated with age ( P = 0.049 ) , physiological function(P=0.009) ,vitality(P=0.028) ,mental health(P＜0.001) ,self-reported health transition(P=0.003) ,objective support(P=0.001)and subjective support(P=0.001)in community-dwelling elderly residents in Beijing.Bivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that five factors , including vitality (OR = 0.595 ,P= 0.036 ) ,mental health (OR = 0.548 ,P = 0.021 ) ,self-reported health transition(OR=1.597 ,P= 0.048) ,objective support (OR= 0.524 ,P= 0.018)and subjective support(OR=1.787 ,P=0.027) ,were influencing factors for depression in the elderly.Self-reported health transition and subjective support had the greatest impact on depression in the elderly . Conclusions Critical approaches to preventing depression in the elderly include a focus on the mental health and social needs as well as measures to enhance self-confidence in the health of these individuals.

Objective To study the correlation between serum prealbumin level before liver resection and prognosis of patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods The clinical data of patients with HCC who underwent liver resection at the Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from August 2007 to October 2016 were retrospectively analyzed.The previous albumin of 200 mg/L and the pre-albumin as predicted by the maximum selection rank statistic method were used as the bounding group,and reduced groups and the correlation between pre-operative serum pre-albumin levels and clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed.The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the overall survival rate of patients with the different cutoff levels.The Cox proportional regression model was used to analyze,and cirrhosis,alpha-fetoprotein levels and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging were used to adjust the relationship between serum prealbumin and prognosis of liver resection for HCC patients.Analysis of stratified variables was performed and their interactions with serum prealbumin were analyzed.Results Of the 2 022 patients included in this study,there were 1 739 males and 283 females.Their age was 49.5 ± 11.2 years.The median follow-up was 37.4 months.The optimal cutoff value of prealbumin predicted by the maximum selection rank statistic method was 166 mg/L.Regardless of the cutoff values of previous albumin 200 mg/L or prealbumin 166 mg/L,multivariate analysis showed that preoperative serum prealbumin level was an independent prognostic risk factor for patients (P ＜0.05).The prognosis of patients with ＞200 mg/L (＞ 166 mg/L) serum prealbumin before surgery was significantly better than that of patients with ≤200 mg/L (≤166 mg/L) prealbumin,the differences were significant (all P ＜ 0.05).After adjusting for confounding factors,the prealbumin level correlated with prognosis of patients with HCC [cutoff value 200 mg/L:HR (95％ CI) was 1.59 (1.35-1.86),cutoff value 166 mg/L:HR (95％ CI) was 1.69 (1.44-1.98),all P ＜ 0.05].The results of stratified analysis showed that the relationship between prealbumin levels and the prognosis of HCC patients became more robust.Conclusions Preoperative serum prealbumin was an independent risk factor for prognosis of HCC patients,and it had predictive value on prognosis of HCC patients.

OBJECTI VE To optimize the extraction technology of the leaves of Dimocarpus longan according to flavonoids and phenolic acids. METHODS The contents of gallic acid ，protocatechuic acid ，ethyl gallate ，quercetin，luteolin and kaempferol in the leaves of D. longan were determined by HPLC. Based on single factor test ，with the ethanol volume fraction ，solid-liquid ratio and extraction time as factors ，using comprehensive scores of the contents of above six components as indexes ，the extraction technology of the leaves of D. longan was optimized by Box-Behnken response surface methodology. RESULTS The optimal extraction technology included ethanol volume fraction of 100％，solid-liquid ratio of l ∶ 7（g/mL），extraction time of 90 min， extraction temperature of 80 ℃. After 3 times of validation tests ，the average comprehensive score was 97.54（RSD＝0.33％，n＝ 3），relative error of which with predicted score （99.05）was 1.55％. CONCLUSIONS Box-Behnken response surface methodology combined with multi-index comprehensive score can be used for the extraction technology of the leaves of D. longan ，and the optimized extraction technology is stable and feasible.

OBJECTIVE To study the anti-inflammatory effect and mechanism of the ethanol extract and the drug-containing serum of Zhuang medicine Stahlianthus involucratus on lipopolysaccharide （LPS）-induced RAW264.7 cell inflammation. METHODS The drug-containing serum or blank serum was obtained by intragastrical administration of ethanol extract of S. involucratus （75.35 g/kg） or purified water. Using RAW264.7 cells as objects， RAW264.7 cells were divided into normal control group， LPS group （1 μg/mL）， S. involucratus ethanol extract high-dose， medium-dose and low-dose groups （50， 25， 12.5 μg/mL）， 4% or 15% blank serum groups， 4% or 15% blank serum+LPS groups， 4% or 15% drug-containing serum groups， 4% or 15% drug-containing serum+LPS groups. After culturing for 24 h， cell viability， the contents of nitric oxide tumor necrosis factor α （TNF-α）， interleukinand IL-6 as well as mRNA expressions of Toll-like eceptor 4 （TLR4） and nuclear factor κB （NF- κB） and protein expressions of nitric oxide synthase （NOS） and cyclooxygenase 2 （COX-2） were all detected in each group. 0771-4953513。E-mail：zhuhuagx@163.com RESULTS After culturing for 24 h， there was no statisticalsignificance in the difference of cell viability. Compared with normal control group， the contents of NO， TNF-α， IL-1β and IL-6， mRNA expressions of TLR4 and NF-κB， and protein expressions of NOS and COX-2 were increased significantly in LPS group （P＜0.05）. Compared with 4% or 15% blank serum groups， the levels of above indexes were increased significantly in 4% or 15% blank serum+LPS groups （P＜0.05）. Compared with LPS group， the levels of above indexes were decreased significantly in S. involucratus ethanol extract groups （P＜0.05）. Compared with 4% or 15% blank serum+LPS groups， the levels of above indexes were decreased significantly in 4% or 15% drug-containing serum+LPS groups （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS The ethanol extract and the drug-containing serum of S. involucratus can significantly alleviate LPS-induced inflammatory reaction， the mechanism of which may be associated with inhibiting the activity of TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway， down-regulating the protein expressions of COX-2 and NOS， and reducing the release of inflammatory factors.

Candida albicans is the most abundant fungal species in oral cavity. As a smart opportunistic pathogen, it increases the virulence by switching its forms from yeasts to hyphae and becomes the major pathogenic agent for oral candidiasis. However, the overuse of current clinical antifungals and lack of new types of drugs highlight the challenges in the antifungal treatments because of the drug resistance and side effects. Anti-virulence strategy is proved as a practical way to develop new types of anti-infective drugs. Here, seven artemisinins, including artemisinin, dihydroartemisinin, artemisinic acid, dihydroartemisinic acid, artesunate, artemether and arteether, were employed to target at the hyphal development, the most important virulence factor of C. albicans. Artemisinins failed to affect the growth, but significantly inhibited the hyphal development of C. albicans, including the clinical azole resistant isolates, and reduced their damage to oral epithelial cells, while arteether showed the strongest activities. The transcriptome suggested that arteether could affect the energy metabolism of C. albicans. Seven artemisinins were then proved to significantly inhibit the productions of ATP and cAMP, while reduced the hyphal inhibition on RAS1 overexpression strain indicating that artemisinins regulated the Ras1-cAMP-Efg1 pathway to inhibit the hyphal development. Importantly, arteether significantly inhibited the fungal burden and infections with no systemic toxicity in the murine oropharyngeal candidiasis models in vivo caused by both fluconazole sensitive and resistant strains. Our results for the first time indicated that artemisinins can be potential antifungal compounds against C. albicans infections by targeting at its hyphal development.
Animals ; Mice ; Candida albicans ; Candidiasis, Oral/drug therapy* ; Antifungal Agents/pharmacology* ; Hyphae ; Artemisinins/pharmacology*