Aim To systematically investigate the ac-tive components,targets,and regulatory pathways of Po-lygonum capitatum in intervening atherosclerosis(AS)through network pharmacology,molecular docking and animal experiments.Methods Active components of Polygonum capitatum and AS-related targets were screened and identified through database searches.Protein-protein interaction(PPI)network analysis was performed using the STRING database,followed by GO and KEGG enrichment analyses via the David plat-form.Molecular docking validation was conducted with AutoDock.An AS model was established in Syrian golden hamsters fed a high-fat diet.Predicted pathways and targets were validated using qPCR,ELISA,and histopathological assessment of aortic and hepatic tis-sues via HE staining.Results Network pharmacology identified 27 potential active components of Polygonum capitatum(primarily flavonoids such as quercetin and luteolin)and 110 drug-disease intersection targets,in-cluding core targets MMP-9,ALB,and AKT1.GO and KEGG analyses enriched 593 and 125 pathways,re-spectively,with the NF-κB inflammatory pathway,TNF signaling pathway and lipid metabolism/atherosclerosis pathways highlighted as key mechanisms.Animal ex-periments demonstrated that Polygonum capitatum im-proved serum lipid profiles(reduced TC,TG,LDL-C)in AS hamsters,suppressed the MMP-9/NF-κB signa-ling pathway(downregulated MMP-9,p65 phosphoryla-tion,TNF-α,and IL-6),and inhibited VSMC synthetic phenotypic transformation(upregulated α-SMA and myocardin)by downregulating MCPIP1.Additionally,Polygonum capitatum ameliorated aortic lesions and he-patic lipid deposition in AS hamsters.Conclusions Polygonum capitatum alleviates AS by synergistically regulating the MMP-9/NF-κB/MCPIP1 axis through flavonoid components,suppressing vascular inflammato-ry cascades and maintaining VSMC contractile pheno-types.This reflects Polygonum capitatum's multi-com-ponent,multi-pathway,and multi-target characteristics in combating AS.

This study predicts the quality markers(Q-markers) for the cough-relieving and phlegm-expelling effects of Kening Granules based on pharmacodynamics, plasma drug chemistry, network pharmacology, and pharmacokinetics. Strong ammonia solution spray and phenol red secretion assays were employed to evaluate the cough-relieving and phlegm-expelling effects of Kening Granules. Twentysix absorbed prototype components of Kening Granules were identified by ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with QExactive Plus quadrupole/Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q-Exactive Plus Orbitrap HRMS). Through network pharmacology, 11 potential active components were screened out for the cough-relieving and phlegm-expelling effects of Kening Granules. The 11 components acted on 40 common targets such as IL6, TLR4, and STAT3, which mainly participated in PI3K/Akt, HIF-1, and EGFR signaling pathways. Pharmacokinetic quantitative analysis was performed for 7 prototype components. Three compounds including azelaic acid, caffeic acid, and vanillin were identified as Q-markers for the cough-relieving and phlegm-expelling effects of Kening Granules based on their effectiveness, transmissibility, and measurability. The results of this study are of great significance for clarifying the pharmacological substance basis, optimizing the quality standards, and promoting the clinical application of Kening Granules.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Network Pharmacology ; Cough/blood* ; Male ; Humans ; Animals ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Biomarkers/blood* ; Quality Control ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Antitussive Agents/chemistry*

Aim To systematically investigate the ac-tive components,targets,and regulatory pathways of Po-lygonum capitatum in intervening atherosclerosis(AS)through network pharmacology,molecular docking and animal experiments.Methods Active components of Polygonum capitatum and AS-related targets were screened and identified through database searches.Protein-protein interaction(PPI)network analysis was performed using the STRING database,followed by GO and KEGG enrichment analyses via the David plat-form.Molecular docking validation was conducted with AutoDock.An AS model was established in Syrian golden hamsters fed a high-fat diet.Predicted pathways and targets were validated using qPCR,ELISA,and histopathological assessment of aortic and hepatic tis-sues via HE staining.Results Network pharmacology identified 27 potential active components of Polygonum capitatum(primarily flavonoids such as quercetin and luteolin)and 110 drug-disease intersection targets,in-cluding core targets MMP-9,ALB,and AKT1.GO and KEGG analyses enriched 593 and 125 pathways,re-spectively,with the NF-κB inflammatory pathway,TNF signaling pathway and lipid metabolism/atherosclerosis pathways highlighted as key mechanisms.Animal ex-periments demonstrated that Polygonum capitatum im-proved serum lipid profiles(reduced TC,TG,LDL-C)in AS hamsters,suppressed the MMP-9/NF-κB signa-ling pathway(downregulated MMP-9,p65 phosphoryla-tion,TNF-α,and IL-6),and inhibited VSMC synthetic phenotypic transformation(upregulated α-SMA and myocardin)by downregulating MCPIP1.Additionally,Polygonum capitatum ameliorated aortic lesions and he-patic lipid deposition in AS hamsters.Conclusions Polygonum capitatum alleviates AS by synergistically regulating the MMP-9/NF-κB/MCPIP1 axis through flavonoid components,suppressing vascular inflammato-ry cascades and maintaining VSMC contractile pheno-types.This reflects Polygonum capitatum's multi-com-ponent,multi-pathway,and multi-target characteristics in combating AS.

Objective To evaluate the effect of delayed cleaning on the cleaning and disinfection quality of gastro-scopes after pre-treatment with different solutions.Methods According to the factorial design table,combination of the pre-treatment cleaning solutions(factor A)(including multi-enzyme cleaning solution[A1],clean water[A2])and delayed cleaning durations(factor B)(including 0 minutes after pre-treatment[B1],30 minutes after pre-treat-ment[B2],1 hour after pre-treatment[B3],and 3 hours after pre-treatment[B4])yielded eight groups(A1B1,A1B2,A1B3,A1B4,A2B1,A2B2,A2B3,A2B4).According to the usage order of gastroscopes,96 gastroscopes used in the digestive endoscopy center of a tertiary first-class hospital from May to September,2023 were randomly assigned to each group by random number table method,with 12 gastroscopes in each group.Specimens were taken at four time points:after pre-treatment,before cleaning,after cleaning,and after disinfection.Due to instant clea-ning,no specimen before cleaning were taken from A1B1 and A2B1 groups,thus only 3 specimens were taken from these two groups each.Four specimens were taken from gastroscopes in the rest groups,resulting in 360 specimens in total.The internal condition of the biopsy cavity was observed through a cavity detector during each delayed cleaning period after pre-treatment,and specimens were taken at the subsequent reprocessing processes of the gas-troscopes.The microbial conditions of the gastroscopes after pre-treatment,before cleaning,after cleaning,and af-ter disinfection were compared.Results After pre-treatment with multi-enzyme cleaning solution and clean water,there was no statistically significant difference in microbiological detection result(P＞0.05).The biopsy cavity re-mained moist during the delayed cleaning period.There was no statistically significant difference in the microbial de-tection results of factors A and B before and after delayed cleaning as well as after disinfection(all P＞0.05).There was no interaction effect between factor A and B.The distribution of bacterial colonies and disinfection qualified rate of gastroscopes after pre-treatment with two cleaning solutions were also not statistically different(both P＞0.05).Conclusion Delayed cleaning for 30 minutes,1 hour,and 3 hours after pre-treatment does not affect the cleaning and disinfection quality of gastroscopes.When clinical demand is urgent,immediate cleaning should be carried out.However,a certain buffering time(no longer than 3 hours)before cleaning is acceptable,when cleaning and disin-fection workload is heavy and timely cleaning cannot be carried out.

Objective To observe the therapeutic effect and mechanism of regulating conception vessel and unblocking governor vessel acupuncture in rats with polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS).Methods Female SD rats were randomly divided into normal group,model group,metformin group,acupuncture group and acupuncture+Nigericin[NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing protein 3(NLRP3)activator]group,with 10 rats in each group.Except for the normal group,the PCOS model was constructed by subcutaneous injection of dehydroepiandrosterone(DHEA)in rats of all groups.After the intervention,the structural morphology of ovary and uterus was observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining,the levels of serum total testosterone(T),luteinizing hormone(LH),sex hormone-binding protein(SHBG),follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH)and fasting insulin(FINS)were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),the level of free plasma glucose(FPG)was detected by colorimetry,and the insulin resistance index(HOMA-IR)and free testosterone(FAI)were calculated,the mRNA expressions of insulin receptor substrate 1(IRS-1),NLRP3,apoptosis-associated speck-like protein(ASC),caspase-1,interleukin(IL)-1β and IL-18 in ovarian tissues were detected by using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR).And protein immunoblotting(Western Blot)was used to detect protein expressions of IRS-1,NLRP3,ASC,caspase-1 precursor(pro-caspase-1),cleaved caspase-1,IL-1β and IL-18 in ovarian tissues.Results(1)Compared with the normal group,the number of corpus luteum and endometrial thickness were significantly decreased,and the number of cystic follicles was significantly increased in the model group(P＜0.05);compared with the model group,the number of corpus luteum and endometrial thickness were significantly increased,and the number of cystic follicles was significantly decreased in the metformin group and the acupuncture group(P＜0.05).(2)Compared with the normal group,the levels of FSH,LH,T,FAI,FINS,FPG,and HOMA-IR in rats in the model group were significantly increased,while the level of SHGB was significantly decreased(P＜0.05);compared with the model group,the levels of serum FSH,LH,T,FAI,FINS,FPG,and HOMA-IR were all significantly decreased in the metformin group and the acupuncture group,while SHGB level was significantly increased(P＜0.05).(3)Compared with the normal group,the mRNA and protein expression levels of IRS-1,NLRP3,ASC,caspase-1,IL-1β and IL-18 in the ovarian tissues were significantly reduced in the model group(P＜0.05);compared with the model group,the mRNA and protein expression levels of IRS-1,NLRP3,ASC,caspase-1,IL-1β,and IL-18 in the ovarian tissues were significantly reduced in the metformin group and the acupuncture group(P＜0.05).(4)The effects of regulating conception vessel and unblocking governor vessel acupuncture on ovarian function,endometrial receptivity,sex hormone secretion,IR and NLRP3 signaling pathway-related above indexes in PCOS rats were eliminated by Nigericin.Conclusion Regulating conception vessel and unblocking governor vessel acupuncture can improve ovarian morphology and function,increase endometrial thickness,regulate sex hormone metabolism disorders and insulin resistance in PCOS rats,and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate a family with congenital dysfibrinogenemia, and analyze the risk of hemorrhage and thrombosis and blood transfusion strategies. METHODS: Prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and thrombin time (TT) of the proband and her family members were detected by automatic coagulometer, fibrinogen (Fg) activity and antigen were detected by Clauss method and PT algorithm respectively. Meanwhile, thromboelastometry was analyzed for proband and her family members. Then, peripheral blood samples of the proband and her family members were collected, and all exons of FGA, FGB and FGG and their flanks were amplified by PCR and sequenced to search for gene mutations. RESULTS: The proband had normal APTT and PT, slightly prolonged TT, reduced level of Fg activity (Clauss method). The Fg of the proband's aunt, son and daughter all decreased to varying degrees. The results of thromboelastogram indicated that Fg function of the proband and her family members (except her son) was basically normal. Gene analysis showed that there were 6233 G/A (p.AαArg35His) heterozygous mutations in exon 2 of FGA gene in the proband, her children and aunt. In addition, 2 polymorphic loci were found in the family, they were FGA gene g.9308A/G (p.AαThr331Ala) and FGB gene g.12628G/A (p.BβArg478Iys) polymorphism, respectively. The proband was injected with 10 units of cryoprecipitate 2 hours before delivery to prevent bleeding, and no obvious bleeding occurred during and after delivery. CONCLUSION Heterozygous mutation of 6233G/A (p.AαArg35His) of FGA gene is the biogenetic basis of the disease in this family with congenital dysfibrinogenemia.
Humans ; Child ; Female ; Fibrinogen/genetics* ; Pedigree ; Afibrinogenemia/genetics* ; Mutation ; Blood Transfusion

Studies have investigated the effects of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) use on the incidence and clinical outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); however, the results have been inconsistent. We searched the PubMed, Medline, Cochrane, Scopus, and Web of Science databases from inception to March 2022; 13 studies covering 84 003 prostate cancer (PCa) patients with or without ADT met the eligibility criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. We calculated the pooled risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to explore the association between ADT use and the infection risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and severity of COVID-19. After synthesizing the evidence, the pooled RR in the SARS-CoV-2 positive group was equal to 1.17, and the SARS-CoV-2 positive risk in PCa patients using ADT was not significantly different from that in those not using ADT (P = 0.544). Moreover, no significant results concerning the beneficial effect of ADT on the rate of intensive care unit admission (RR = 1.04, P = 0.872) or death risk (RR = 1.23, P = 0.53) were found. However, PCa patients with a history of ADT use had a markedly higher COVID-19 hospitalization rate (RR = 1.31, P = 0.015) than those with no history of ADT use. These findings indicate that ADT use by PCa patients is associated with a high risk of hospitalization during infection with SARS-CoV-2. A large number of high quality studies are needed to confirm these results.
Male ; Humans ; Prostatic Neoplasms/chemically induced* ; Androgen Antagonists/adverse effects* ; COVID-19 ; Androgens/therapeutic use* ; SARS-CoV-2

BACKGROUND: Butylphthalide (NBP) and edaravone (EDV) injection are common acute ischemic stroke medications in China, but there is a lack of large real-world safety studies on them. This study aimed to determine the incidence of adverse events, detect relevant safety signals, and assess the risk factors associated with these medications in real-world populations. METHODS: In this study, data of acute ischemic stroke patients were extracted from the electronic medical record database of six tertiary hospitals between January 2019 and August 2021. Baseline confounders were eliminated using propensity score matching. The drugs' safety was estimated by comparing the results of 24 laboratory tests standards on liver function, kidney function, lipid level, and coagulation function. The drugs' relative risk was estimated by logistic regression. A third group with patients who did not receive NBP or EDV was constructed as a reference. Prescription sequence symmetry analysis was used to evaluate the associations between adverse events and NBP and EDV, respectively. RESULTS: 81,292 patients were included in this study. After propensity score matching, the NBP, EDV, and third groups with 727 patients in each group. Among the 15 test items, the incidence of adverse events was lower in the NBP group than in the EDV group, and the differences were statistically significant. The multivariate logistic regression equation revealed that NBP injection was not a promoting factor for abnormal laboratory test results, whereas EDV had statistically significant effects on aspartate transaminase, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol. Prescription sequence symmetry analysis showed that NBP had a weak correlation with abnormal platelet count. EDV had a positive signal associated with abnormal results in gamma-glutamyl transferase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, prothrombin time, and platelet count. CONCLUSIONS In a large real-world population, NBP has a lower incidence of adverse events and a better safety profile than EDV or other usual medications.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to analyze the difference in setup error before and after correction of systematic error. To determine the most appropriate image-guided strategy during HT treatment， we use different scanning ranges and image-guidance frequencies in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma （NPC） treated with helical tomotherapy （HT）. MethodsFifteen patients with NPC who received HT treatment in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from October 2019 to February 2020 were selected. Megavoltage computed tomography （MVCT） scanning was performed before each treatment. After five times of radiotherapy， system-error correction was performed to adjust the setup center. The setup errors before and after the correction of systematic errors， as well as the setup errors of different scanning ranges and different scanning frequencies， were collected for analysis and comparison. ResultsWhen comparing the setup errors before and after the correction of systematic error， the differences in setup errors in the left–right （LR）， superior–inferior （SI）， and anterior–posterior （AP） directions were statistically significant （P<0.05）.The different scanning ranges of "nasopharynx + neck" and "nasopharynx" were compared， and a statistically significant difference was found in yaw rotational errors （P<0.05）. In the comparison of daily and weekly scan frequency after system-error correction， a significant difference was found in AP direction （P<0.05）. ConclusionDuring radiotherapy for NPC， the systematic error can be corrected according to the first five setup errors， and then small-scale scanning was selected for image-guided radiotherapy every day.

Applying Chinese medicine (CM) is an important strategy for malignant tumor treatment in China. One of the significant characteristics of CM is to treat diseases based on syndrome differentiation. For Western medicine, it is of important clinical significance to formulate guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients based on the characteristics of disease differentiation. In Chinese clinical practice, the combination of disease differentiation and syndrome differentiation is an important feature for cancer treatment in the past. Currently, molecular profiling and genomic analysis-based precision medicine optimizes the anticancer drug design and holds the greatest success in treating cancer patients. Therefore, we want to know which populations of cancer patients can benefit more from CM treatment if the theory of precision medicine is applied to CM clinical practice. So, we developed a novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategy "disease-syndrome differentiation-genomic profiling-prescriptions" for cancer patients by CM syndrome differentiation and precision medicine. As a result, this strategy has greatly enhanced the anti-tumor efficacy of CM and improved clinical outcomes for cancer patients with some gene mutations. Our idea will hopefully establish a novel approach for the inheritance and innovation of CM.
Antineoplastic Agents ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Neoplasms/therapy* ; Precision Medicine ; Syndrome