Objective To study the method of extraction,purification,and analysis of total flavonoids of Radix Glycyrrhizae(TFG).Methods The extracting effects of three different ways(ultrasonic wave,heating recirculation,and maceration)for TFG were compared.TFG was refined with resin absorption and the effects of different parameters on yield and purity were observed.Naringin scanning method was used to analyze TFG.Results TFG extracting percentage is 5.46 %by ultrasonic wave method,6.12 %by heating recirculation,and 5.04 %by maceration,the effect of heating recirculation being the best.In the test of resin absorption of TFG,the heating recirculation composition is mainly located in 40 %～60 %ethanol elution parts.Conclusion The best method for extracting TFG is heating recirculation in above three methods,Elution with 80%ethanol continuously after water elution is the the optimal resin purification method for TFG.

Objective To investigate the prognostic factors for patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure,and to provide a basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment.Methods A total of 172 patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related acute-on-chronic liver failure who were admitted to The First Hospital of Jilin University from January 1,2006 to January 1,2016 and had complete medical records and follow-up data were enrolled,and a retrospective analysis was performed for their clinical data and laboratory markers to determine prognostic factors.The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of continuous data between groups,the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups,and a multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed for the indices determined to be statistically significant by the univariate analysis to screen out independent risk factors for the prognosis of patients with HBV-related acute-on-chronic liver failure.Results The multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed for the indices determined to be statistically significant by the univariate analysis,and the results showed that the prognostic factors were total bilirubin (TBil),prothrombin time activity (PTA),Na +,total cholesterol (TC),Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score,age ≥50 years,the presence of liver cirrhosis,bilirubin-enzyme separation,and complications.The multivariate regression analysis was performed for the complications determined to affect prognosis by the univariate analysis,and the results showed that the complications as risk factors were hepatic encephalopathy,hepatorenal syndrome,and infection.Conclusion TBil,PTA,Na +,TC,CTP score,age ≥50 years,the presence of liver cirrhosis,bilirubin-enzyme separation,and complications are independent risk factors for the prognosis of patients with HBV-related acute -on-chronic liver failure.Liver failure patients with hepatic encephalopathy,hepatorenal syndrome,and infection tend to have poorer prognosis.Therefore,early judgment of the prognosis of patients with liver failure is of great importance in the prevention and treatment of related complications.

Objective: To investigate the plasma levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer (D-D) and fibrinogen (Fib) among patients with pneumoconiosis, so as to provide insights into the prevention of thrombosis among patients with pneumoconiosis. Methods: Ninety-six male coal workers with stable-stage pneumoconiosis admitted to China Pingmei Shenma Group Occupational Disease Prevention and Control Hospital from February 2019 to February 2021 were included in the pneumoconiosis group, and 43 male healthy volunteers in the hospital during the same period were selected as the control group. The plasma D-D, Fib, IL-6 and CRP levels were detected from subjects in the two groups. The associations of plasma D-D and Fib levels with IL-6 and CRP levels were examined using Pearson correlation analysis among pneumoconiosis patients. Results: Participants in the pneumoconiosis group and the control group had a mean age of (52.91±3.89) and (52.64±4.12) years, D-D of (1.28±0.91) and (0.44±0.11) mg/L, Fib of (4.41±0.98) and (2.88±0.61) g/L, IL-6 of (0.63±0.19) and (0.42±0.06) ng/L and CRP of (3.30±1.65) and (1.35±0.12) mg/L, respectively. Higher plasma D-D, Fib, IL-6 and CRP levels were detected in the pneumoconiosis group than in the control group (all P<0.05). The plasma D-D level correlated positively with IL-6 level among pneumoconiosis patients (r=0.347, P<0.001). Conclusion High plasma IL-6, CRP, D-D and Fib levels are detected among patients with pneumoconiosis, and the plasma D-D level correlates positively with IL-6 level among patients with pneumoconiosis.

Objective To observe the effects of Baizhu Huangqi Decoction and its effective-part prescription on mice ulcerative colitis(UC).Methods The mice UC model was induced by clyster with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid(TNBS)and the effects were comprehensively evaluated by disease activity index,the macroscopic and histological assessment of colon mucosa damage and the activity of myeloperoxidase(MPO).Results Both Baizhu Huangqi Decoction and its effective-part prescription had effects on disease activity index(DAI),inflammation index and MPO activity.The effect of effective-part prescription was better than that of UC model group(P

To adapt the requirement of Chinese education development, and to abandon the defects of two semester system, such as too-long semester, inflexible curriculum, and restricting personality devel-opment of students, Xi'an Jiaotong University has performed semester reform for reforming the contents and methods of the teaching, promoting the innovation ability of students, and improving the quality of the scholastic education since 2013. In the current study, we have attempted to demonstrate the benefits of the semester reform for promoting the innovation ability of students, and to reveal the active role of the semester reform through comparing the presentation of medical undergraduate students in the national competition of innovation training for medical undergraduate students. Overall, the results of our analysis have supported the semester reform, and provided the reference information for the semester reforms of Chinese universities.

Background and purpose: The previous work of this study has showed that the treatment of liver cancer cells with emodin could induce endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and apoptosis. Given the cross-talk between ER stress and autophagy, this study aimed to investigate whether blockage of autophagy, a defense mechanism against environmental stress, could improve the killing effect of emodin on liver cancer cells. Methods: The CYTO-ID auto-phagy detection kit and Western blot were used to determine autophagy in liver cancer cells. After combined treatment with chloroquine (CQ) and emodin, cancer cell survival was analyzed by ATPlite assay and clonogenic assay. Apoptosis was detected by both flow cytometry analysis and Western blot. Results: Autophagy could be induced in liver cancer cells after treatment with emodin. Inhibition of autophagy significantly increased growth-inhibitory effect of emodin on both HepG2 and Huh7 cancer cells. The combination treatment with CQ and emodin promoted remarkable apoptosis in liver cancer cells, evidenced by the increase in the percentage of cells in sub-G1 phase and the higher expression lever of cleaved caspase-3. Conclusion: Therapeutically targeting autophagy is capable of enhancing cytotoxicity of emodin in liver cancer cell lines.

BACKGROUND: Existing cell experiments, animal experiments and clinical experiments have found that Yougui Yin can play a positive role in steroid-induced femoral head necrosis, but the specific pharmacological mechanism of Yougui Yin is not described. OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of Yougui Yin in the treatment of steroid-induced femoral head necrosis based on network pharmacology, and to provide a theoretical basis for the clinical application of Yougui Yin in the treatment of steroid-induced femoral head necrosis. METHODS: The Chinese Medicine Computing System Pharmacology Analysis Platform (TCMSP) was used, with oral bioavailability and drug-like properties as the limiting conditions, to retrieve the main active ingredients of six kinds of traditional Chinese medicines including Monkshood, Cinnamon, Rehmannia glutinosa, Cornus officinalis, stir-baked rhizoma dioscoreae, wolfberry in Yougui Yin and predict key target genes. Target genes related to steroid-induced femoral head necrosis were searched in OMIM and GeneCards databases, and the intersection target genes of Yougui Yin and steroid-induced femoral head necrosis were obtained through R language, followed by drawing the Wayne diagram. Using Cytoscape 3.6.1 software, we drew a “component-disease-target” Chinese medicine regulatory network, and then established a protein-protein interaction network with the help of the STRING platform. Finally, the R language and Bioconductor platform were used to perform gene ontology enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis on the intersection genes. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There were 43 main effective components in Yougui Yin, including quercetin, glycotein, diosgenin, karanjin, stigmasterol, etc. and 102 key target genes, including ESR1, AKT1, NCOA1, PTGS1, JUN, etc. Gene ontology enrichment analysis revealed 137 molecular functions, 2 119 biological processes and 41 cell components. KEGG pathway analysis yielded 153 signal pathways. To conclude, Yougui Yin may play an anti-osteoporosis and anti-inflammatory role by regulating steroid hormone receptor, phosphatase binding and other molecular functions, participating in biological processes such as active oxygen metabolism and steroid hormone response, affecting cell composition such as membrane raft and RNA polymerase II transcription factor complex, so as to treat steroid-induced femoral head necrosis with the help of endocrine resistance and other signal pathways.

Objective To assess the significance of the right paraesophageal node(Ⅵb area) dissection in cN0 stage papillary thyroid microcarcinoma(PTMC)central lymph node dissection.Methods The clinical data of three hundred and five cN0 PTMC patients who underwent radical thyroidectomy from 2010 to 2015 was retrospectively analyzed.The metastasis rate of central compartment(Ⅵa area.Ⅵb area)and the clinical data were collected and analyzed.Results 305 cN0 stage PTMC patients underwent total thyroidectomy and bilateral central compartment dissection or right lobectomy combined with ipsilateral central compartment dissection,the mean diameter of the tumors was 6.75 mm.The incidence rate of central compartment metastasis was 35%.The incidence rate ofⅥb area metastasis was 11.1%.The status ofⅥb area metastasis was correlated with major clinicopathologic parameters such as sex,age<45,tumor diameter≥0.8 cm,bilateral multiple lesions, capsule invasion,VI a lymph node metastasis≥3 were all related risk factors of PTMC VIb area metastasis(χ2=6.913,4.241,4.517,5.185,12.400,34.745,P<0.05).Conclusion Because of the high rate of central lymph node metastasis in patients with PTMC and the poor efficiency in the evaluation for central lymph node metastasis before operation,the right paraesophageal lymph nodes(Ⅵb area)dissection is needed to be done in cN0 stage PTMC patients with tumor size≥0.8 cm,multifocal lesions,membrane invasion,Ⅵa area metastasis≥3,especially male patients.

Mouse double minute 2 (Mdm2) gene was isolated from a cDNA library derived from transformed mouse 3T3 cells, and was classified as an oncogene as it confers 3T3 and Rat2 cells tumorigenicity when overexpressed. It encodes a nucleocytoplasmic shuttling ubiquitin E3 ligase, with its main target being tumor suppressor p53, which is mutated in more than 50% of human primary tumors. Mdm2's oncogenic activity is mainly mediated by p53, which is activated by various stresses, especially genotoxic stress, via Atm (ataxia telangiectasia mutated) and Atr (Atm and Rad3-related). Activated p53 inhibits cell proliferation, induces apoptosis or senescence, and maintains genome integrity. Mdm2 is also a target gene of p53 transcription factor. Thus, Mdm2 and p53 form a feedback regulatory loop. External and internal cues, through multiple signaling pathways, can act on Mdm2 to regulate p53 levels and cell proliferation, death, and senescence. This review will focus on how Mdm2 is regulated under genotoxic stress, and by the Akt1-mTOR-S6K1 pathway that is activated by insulin, growth factors, amino acids, or energy status.
3T3 Cells ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cell Proliferation ; Cellular Senescence ; DNA Damage ; Energy Metabolism ; Feedback, Physiological ; Gene Library ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; metabolism ; Mice ; Molecular Targeted Therapy ; Mutation ; Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 90-kDa ; genetics ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; genetics ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases ; genetics ; metabolism

Lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-based drug delivery systems have become the most clinically advanced non-viral delivery technology. LNPs can encapsulate and deliver a wide variety of bioactive agents, including the small molecule drugs, proteins and peptides, and nucleic acids. However, as the physicochemical properties of small- and macromolecular cargos can vary drastically, every LNP carrier system needs to be carefully tailored in order to deliver the cargo molecules in a safe and efficient manner. Our group applied the combinatorial library synthesis approach and in vitro and in vivo screening strategy for the development of LNP delivery systems for drug delivery. In this Review, we highlight our recent progress in the design, synthesis, characterization, evaluation, and optimization of combinatorial LNPs with novel structures and properties for the delivery of small- and macromolecular therapeutics both in vitro and in vivo. These delivery systems have enormous potentials for cancer therapy, antimicrobial applications, gene silencing, genome editing, and more. We also discuss the key challenges to the mechanistic study and clinical translation of new LNP-enabled therapeutics.