OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of Ching Shum Pills (CSP) for alleviating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and the underlying mechanism. METHODS: In a mouse model of NAFLD, the therapeutic effect of CSP was evaluated by measuring serum glucose, lipid profiles (TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C), and hepatic function markers. Network pharmacology was employed to identify active compounds in CSP and their targets using TCMSP, HERB, SwissTargetPrediction, GeneCards, OMIM, and DisGeNET. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks, Gene Ontology (GO), and KEGG pathway analyses were conducted. Molecular docking (AutoDock Vina) was used to assess the compound-target binding affinities. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to validate the mRNA expressions of the core genes in the liver tissue of the mouse models. RESULTS: In the mouse model of NAFLD, treatment with CSP significantly reduced body weight gain and serum TG levels of the mice, and high-dose CSP treatment resulted in obvious reduction of ALT levels and hepatic fat accumulation. Network pharmacology analysis identified quercetin and 2-monolinolenin as the key bioactives in CSP, which target TNF, AKT1, IL6, TP53, and ALB. Docking simulations suggested strong binding between the two core compounds and their target proteins. The results of qRT-PCR showed that high-fat diet induced significant downregulation of Tp53, Cpt1, and Ppara expressions in mice, which was effectively reversed by CSP treatment. CONCLUSIONS CSP can improve lipid metabolism disorders in NAFLD mice through a regulatory mechanism involving multiple targets and pathways to reduce liver fat accumulation and protect liver function. The key components in CSP such as quercetin and linolenic acid monoacylglycerol may participate in the regulation of such metabolic processes as fatty acid oxidation by targeting TP53.
Animals ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/drug therapy* ; Mice ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Lipid Metabolism/drug effects* ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Disease Models, Animal ; Liver/metabolism* ; Male ; Lipid Metabolism Disorders/drug therapy* ; PPAR alpha/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Network Pharmacology

Background::Although the treatment of peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) has undergone advancements during the past several years, the response rate and long-term effects with respect to patients with PTCL remain unsatisfactory—particularly for relapsed or refractory (R/R) patients. This phase II trial was designed to explore the efficacy and safety of an all-oral regimen of chidamide plus prednisone, cyclophosphamide, and thalidomide (CPCT) for R/R PTCL patients who could not tolerate the standard chemotherapy for a variety of reasons.Methods::We conducted a multicenter phase II clinical trial in which we combined chidamide (30 mg twice weekly) with prednisone (20 mg daily after breakfast), cyclophosphamide (50 mg daily after lunch), and thalidomide (100 mg daily at bedtime) (the CPCT regimen) for a total of fewer than 12 cycles as an induction-combined treatment period, and then applied chidamide as single-drug maintenance. Forty-five patients were ultimately enrolled from August 2016 to April 2021 with respect to Chinese patients at nine centers. Our primary objective was to assess the overall response rate (ORR) after the treatment with CPCT.Results::Of the 45 enrolled patients, the optimal ORR and complete response (CR)/CR unconfirmed (CRu) were 71.1% (32/45) and 28.9% (13/45), respectively, and after a median follow-up period of 56 months, the median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 8.5 months and 17.2 months, respectively. The five-year PFS and OS rates were 21.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.9-34.5%) and 43.8% (95% CI, 28.3-59.3%), respectively. The most common adverse event was neutropenia (20/45, 44.4%), but we observed no treatment-related death.Conclusion::The all-oral CPCT regimen was an effective and safe regimen for R/R PTCL patients who could not tolerate standard chemotherapy for various reasons.Trial Registration::ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02879526.

An increasing number of studies in recent years have focused on the association between female endometrial microbiota and fertility.Once the endometrial microflora microecology is unbalanced,it will cause a series of endometrial lesions,thereby destroying endometrial receptivity,affecting embryo implantation,resulting in embryo implantation or implantation failure.Among them,the most concerned is the positive significance of lactobacillus-led microbiota on reproductive outcome.Although the relationship between endometrial microbiota and reproductive outcome has not reached a consensus,most studies recognize the positive impact of lactobacillus-led microbiota on reproductive outcome.In this review,the relationship between lactobacillus-dominated microbiota and reproductive outcome is reviewed.

Therapies for tumors continue to develop,and tumor immunotherapy has emerged as an effective means of controlling tumor progression.Given the limitations of immunotherapy,only some specific patients can benefit from immunotherapy.Since the complex tumor microenvironment is highly influenced by individual variability,immunotherapy will be subjected to different degrees of immune suppression in different tumor microenvironments and thus cannot exert its full effect.In the tumor microenvironment,regulatory T(Treg)cell plays as an immunosuppressive role.Numerous Treg cells infiltrate in indifferent tumor types,resulting in immune escape of tumor tissues,which will have a negative impact on treatment and prognosis.CC chemokine receptor 8(CCR8)belongs to the CC chemokine receptor family.CCR8 is specifically expressed on Treg cell in the tumor microenvironment and expressed at low level in the surrounding normal tissues and peripheral blood thus it can be a specific marker for Treg cell.CCR8 is a potential therapeutic target and biomarker.This review summarized the research progress of CCR8 in different tumor types in recent years,so as to provide reference for subsequent research.

Objective:To investigate the iodine nutrition level and thyroid function status of pregnant women in Hubei Province.Methods:According to the requirements of "the National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Monitoring Program (2016 Edition)", in 2020, using a cross-sectional survey method, two mountainous counties and two plain areas in Hubei Province were divided into five districts: east, west, south, north, and central. One township (street) was selected from each district, and 20 pregnant women were selected from each township (street) as survey subjects. Urine iodine content and thyroid function indicators [serum free triiodothyronine (FT 3), free thyroxine (FT 4), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb), thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb)] were tested. Abnormal thyroid function rate and antibody positive rate were analyzed, and correlation analysis of thyroid function indicators was conducted (Spearman method). Results:A total of 321 pregnant women were included, including 43, 114, and 164 in early, middle, and late pregnancy, respectively; The median urinary iodine was 164.80 μg/L. The median serum FT 3, FT 4, TSH, TPOAb, TgAb levels were 4.10, 12.83 pmol/L, 1.85 mU/L, 15.84 and 13.35 U/ml, respectively. There were statistically significant differences in FT 3, FT 4, and TSH levels among different trimesters ( P < 0.05). According to Spearman's correlation analysis, FT 3 in early stage of pregnancy was negatively correlated with TSH and TPOAb levels ( r = - 0.46, - 0.33, P < 0.05), while TSH was positively correlated with TPOAb level ( r = 0.33, P = 0.032); there was a positive correlation between FT 4 and TgAb levels in middle stage of pregnancy ( r = 0.21, P = 0.032); there was a negative correlation between FT 3 and TPOAb levels in late stage of pregnancy ( r = - 0.19, P = 0.017); FT 3 and FT 4, TPOAb and TgAb levels were positively correlated throughout pregnancy ( P < 0.05). There was no correlation between urinary iodine content and thyroid function indicators ( P > 0.05). The total abnormal rate of thyroid function was 7.79% (25/321), with 16.28% (7/43), 5.26% (6/114), and 7.32% (12/164) in early, middle, and late pregnancy, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the abnormal rate of thyroid function among different pregnancy periods (χ 2 = 4.83, P = 0.097). The detection rates of hypothyroxinemia, hypothyroidism, subclinical hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, and subclinical hyperthyroidism were 4.36% (14/321), 0.31% (1/321), 2.49% (8/321), 0.31% (1/321), and 0.31% (1/321), respectively. The positive detection rate of autospecific antibodies was 10.28% (33/321), with a TPOAb positive detection rate of 9.97% (32/321) and a TgAb positive detection rate of 5.30% (17/321). Conclusions:The iodine nutrition level of pregnant women in Hubei Province is at a suitable level, and the rates of abnormal thyroid function and thyroid autospecific antibody positive are relatively low. It is necessary to continuously monitor the iodine nutrition and thyroid function indexes of pregnant women, strengthen health education on the hazards of iodine deficiency during pregnancy, and minimize the harm to maternal and infant health caused by iodine deficiency.

OBJECTIVE To assess the profiles of elements in benzo[a]pyrene(BaP)induced carci-nogenesis,and explore the joint effects of copper with cisplatin or vinorelbine on cell proliferation.METHODS Forty-four elements were measured using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer in 16HBE cells and BaP malignantly transformed 16HBE(T-16HBE-C1)cells.Partial least square was used to validate the robustness of cell classification of elements.Cell viability was measured by MTT assay for copper(0,237,340,487,1000 and 1432 μmol·L-1),cisplatin(0,4.4,6.1,8.6,12.0 and 16.8 μmol·L-1),and vinorelbine(0,3.8,9.8,25.0,40.0 and 64.0 μmol·L-1)to acquire their half maximal inhibitory concentra-tion(IC50).Mixtures of copper and chemotherapeutics were prepared according to the ratio of each IC50.Their joint effects on cell viability were assessed by MTT assay and isobolographic analysis.Inhibition effect of copper(0,50,100,200,400 and 800 μmol·L-1)with IC50 of cisplatin or vinorelbine on prolifera-tion of T-16HBE-C1 cells was also assessed.RESULTS A total of 29 elements were quantified in 16HBE and T-16HBE-C1 cells,among which concentrations of copper,zinc,silver,selenium and rubidium decreased(P<0.05,P<0.01),while those of molybdenum,arsenic,lithium,germanium,strontium,nickel,lanthanum,mercury,iron,and cesium increased(P<0.05,P<0.01)in T-16HBE-C1 cells.Element concen-tration could be used to distinguish T-16HBE-C1 cells from 16HBE cells.Copper concentration-dependently inhibited proliferation of both cells,with a statistically significant lower IC50 of(613±16)μmol·L-1 in 16HBE cells than(776±15)μmol·L-1 in T-16HBE-C1 cells(P<0.01).Mixtures of copper and cisplatin(1∶69.5)or vinorelbine(1∶33.4)could inhibit cell proliferation,and copper had additive effects with cisplatin or vinorelbine.When copper concentration was higher than 400 μmol·L-1,copper combined with IC50 of cisplatin or vinorelbine inhibited cell proliferation of T-16HBE-C1 cells compared with IC50 of cisplatin(11.2 μmol·L-1)or vinorelbine(23.2 μmol·L-1)alone.CONCLUSION Element profiles and correlations can change significantly after 16HBE cells are malignantly transformed by BaP.Copper could inhibit the proliferation of T-16HBE-C1 cells and have additive effects with cisplatin or vinorelbine in higher concentration.

Objective:To investigate the influence of maternal autoimmune diseases and anticoagulants, including low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) and aspirin, on the fetal fraction of maternal plasma cell-free DNA of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT).Methods:A prospective cohort study was conducted on women with singleton pregnancies receiving NIPT in the Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from March 2021 to July 2022. NIPT was carried out using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-free amplification platform. In this study, four types of maternal autoimmune diseases, which were antiphospholipid syndrome, undifferentiated connective tissue disease, Sj?gren's syndrome, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and two anticoagulants, LMWH and aspirin, were studied. Univariate and multivariate linear regression models were used to analyze the factors influencing fetal fraction of maternal plasma cell-free DNA.Results:A total of 4 102 singleton pregnant women were enrolled in the prospective cohort, and 3 948 were finally included after excluding the cases with unclear dosing time of LMWH or aspirin, other autoimmune diseases, conceiving through ovulation induction alone, and having true positive or failed NIPT result. There were 96 cases with antiphospholipid syndrome, 35 with undifferentiated connective tissue disease, 34 with Sj?gren's syndrome, and 18 with SLE. A total of 108 patients only received LMWH treatment, 121 only received aspirin treatment, and 113 received both LMWH and aspirin treatment. Univariate linear regression analysis showed that maternal body mass index at blood collection ( B=－0.423), conceived by assisted reproductive technology ( B=－0.803), male fetus ( B=－0.458), undifferentiated connective tissue disease ( B=1.774), and SLE ( B=3.467) had influence on the fetal fraction (all P<0.05). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that maternal body mass index at blood collection ( B=－0.415), conceived by assisted reproductive technology ( B=－0.585), male fetus ( B=－0.322), SLE ( B=3.347) and undifferentiated connective tissue disease ( B=1.336) were factors influencing fetal fraction (all P<0.05). Conclusions:Maternal use of LMWH or aspirin does not affect fetal fraction when performing NIPT on a PCR-free amplification platform, but undifferentiated connective tissue disease and SLE are the influencing factors. Therefore, pregnant women should be informed before the NIPT that the fetal fraction of maternal plasma cell-free DNA may be affected by maternal autoimmune diseases.

Cardio-facio-cutaneous syndrome (CFCS) is a rare genetic syndrome associated with abnormal activation of RAS-mitogen-activated protein kinase(RAS-MAPK)signal transduction pathway.Causative genes are BRAF, MAP2K1, MAP2K2 and KRAS.CFCS is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by dysmorphic craniofacial features, congenital heart disease, dermatologic abnormalities, gastrointestinal dysfunction, failure to thrive, neurocognitive delay and epilepsy, whose phenotype overlaps with many other RASopathies.Final diagnosis of CFCS can be reached by classical presentation and genetic testing.Early diagnosis helps to evaluate risk of severe complications of specific genotype and improve prognosis of CFCS patients.At present, there is no effective treatment of CFCS although inhibitors of MEK may improve partial phenotype of CFCS animal models.Once diagnosed with CFCS, the patients need multidisciplinary assessment and treatment.

OBJECTIVE To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of eltrombopag combined with immunosuppressive therapy （IST） for severe aplastic anemia （SAA）， and to provide evidence-based basis for clinical treatment of SAA. METHODS Retrieved from PubMed， Embase， Cochrane Library， ClinicalTrials.gov， VIP， CNKI and Wanfang data， randomized controlled trials （RCTs） and cohort studies about eltrombopag combined with IST （trial group） versus IST alone （control group） were collected from the inception to May 2023. After data extraction and quality evaluation （Cochrane manual 5.1.0） of included studies， meta-analysis， subgroup analysis， sensitivity analysis and publication bias analysis were performed by using RevMan 5.4 software. RESULTS A total of 12 studies were screened， including 1 344 patients. Compared with control group， objective remission rate （ORR） （RR＝1.34， 95%CI was 1.06-1.69， P＝0.01） and complete response rate （CRR） （RR＝1.88， 95%CI was 1.31-2.71， P＝ 0.000 6） at 3 months， ORR （RR＝1.33，95%CI was 1.23-1.43， P＜0.000 01） and CRR （RR＝1.88，95%CI was 1.57-2.25，P＜0.000 01） at 6 months were significantly increased in trial group. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in ORR （RR＝0.99， 95%CI was 0.82-1.18， P＝0.88） and CRR （RR＝1.02， 95%CI was 0.78-1.34， P＝0.87） at 12 months， two-year overall survival （OS） rate （HR＝0.61， 95%CI was 0.31-1.22， P＝0.17）， two-year event-free survival （EFS） rate （HR＝0.81， 95%CI was 0.61-1.07， P＝0.14）， clone evolution rate（RR＝1.01， 95%CI was 0.51-2.00， P＝ 0.98） or the incidence of adverse drug reactions such as liver/renal insufficiency， rash （P＞0.05）. Results of subgroup analysis showed that ORR and CRR of trial group at 6 months were higher than those of the control group in RCT and the cohort study subgroups （P＜0.05）. There was no statistically significant difference in the two-year OS rate， two-year EFS rate or clone evolution rate between trial group and control group in the two subgroups （P＞0.05）. The results of sensitivity analysis and publication bias analysis showed that the results of this study were robust and the possibility of publication bias was small. CONCLUSIONS The addition of eltrombopag in the IST regimen of SAA can improve the early hematological remission rate of patients， has no significant impact on short-term survival， and will not increase the occurrence of adverse drug reactions and clonal evolution.

Objective:To constructe an evaluation index system for clinical research innovation in medical institutions, for references for enhancing the research and innovation capabilities of medical institutions and formulating policies related to clinical research innovation.Methods:From March 2022 to May 2023, relevant literature and policies on the evaluation system of scientific and technological innovation at home and abroad were analyzed to establish the preliminary screening clinical research innovation indicators. Two rounds of Delphi method were used to construct a clinical research innovation index evaluation system, analytic hierarchy process was used to calculate the weights of each indicator.Results:The effective response rates of the two rounds of consultation questionnaires were both 100.00%, with expert authority coefficients of 0.95 and Kendall coordination coefficients of 0.85 and 0.87, respectively. The clinical research innovation index evaluation system ultimately established 4 primary indicators, 13 secondary indicators, and 42 tertiary indicators. The first level indicators included infrastructure construction, innovation support environment, clinical research activity, and innovation effectiveness, with weight coefficients of 18.00%, 21.00%, 30.00%, and 31.00%, respectively.Conclusions:The clinical research innovation evaluation index system constructed in this study covered the investment, environment, and output aspects of research innovation, and could comprehensively and objectively reflect the clinical research innovation ability of medical institutions.