Objective To explore the effects of different test positions on quantitative muscle strength of wrist and finger flexor muscle groups and to establish a standardized muscle strength test protocol for each muscle group.Methods Forty healthy subjects (12 males and 28 females) were recruited.A portable digital quantitative muscle strength tester,Micro FET2TM,was used to measure the flexor muscle strength of each finger and the wrist joint at the 30° extension,0° neutral,and 30° flexion,respectively.Palmar abduction strength of the thumb was measured at 30° and 60°,respectively.Ten subjects were randomly selected from the 40 subjects,and the quantitative muscle strength of each muscle group was tested again by the same operator after an interval of 10 to 15 days.Results Except for the fact that in males,there was no significant difference in flexor muscle strength of thumb and wrist joint between 30° of wrist extension and neutral 0° position,the muscle strength of the other fingers flexion and wrist palmar flexor showed the following characteristics:30° of wrist extension>neutral 0° posi-tion>30° of flexion,and the PAST was 30°>60°;The flexor muscle strength of all the subjects was thumb>index finger>middle finger>ring finger>little finger;All muscle strength values of male were greater than those of female,and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05);There was no significant difference between the left and right side muscle strength values of all subjects (P>0.05).The reliability of muscle strength values measured at different times in 10 subjects was good.Conclu-sion The quantitative muscle strength of each muscle group of the hand and wrist is affected by the test position,and a standardized and uniformed test position should be adopted in the actual identification.Micro FET2TM has good reliability for hand and wrist quantitative muscle strength testing.The 30° ex-tension of the wrist can be used as the best standardized test position for the flexion muscle strength of each finger and wrist joint.The 30° position can be used as the best standardized test position for PAST.

ObjectiveTo establish a simple， fast and accurate method for locating the volatile oil in Angelicae Sinensis Radix based on frozen section and fluorescence imaging technology， and to reveal the distribution and accumulation of volatile oil in the roots of this herbal medicine. MethodAngelicae Sinensis Radix was used as the research material， the best frozen section conditions for the research material were established by comparing the effects of different cryoprotectants on the quality of frozen sections of Angelicae Sinensis Radix. The suitability of Sudan Ⅲ chemical staining and fluorescence localization for positioning the volatile oil were compared according to the loss of volatile oil and the complexity of operation process. ResultA new method for evaluating the quality of frozen sections of Angelicae Sinensis Radix was established. According to the evaluation equation， it was found that the highest score was obtained when the head， body and tail positions of Angelicae Sinensis Radix were treated with 20% glycerol， 15% glycerol and 20% sucrose， respectively. There was yellowish-brown oily substance in the oil chambers of phelloderm and secondary phloem， and oil canal of the secondary xylem of Angelicae Sinensis Radix， which could be stained orange red or orange yellow by Sudan Ⅲ， and there was green spontaneous fluorescence in the same part under the fluorescence microscope. ConclusionThe relatively complete section of Angelicae Sinensis Radix can be obtained after being treated with cryoprotectant. The volatile oil exists in the oil chambers of phelloderm and secondary phloem， and oil canal of the secondary xylem of Angelicae Sinensis Radix. This study can provide reference for observation of the accumulation sites of volatile oil in other plants.

ObjectiveTo investigate inhibitory effect of extracts from Veronica peregrina （EVP） on the osteoclastic bone metastasis induced by breast cancer cells. MethodBone metastasis model was established by injection of MDA-MB-231 cells， a human breast cancer cell line， into the left ventricle of BALB/c nude mice. The expression of human cytokeratin-19 （Ck-19） gene in mouse bone marrow was determined by nested polymerase chain reaction（PCR） to assess the bone metastasis of MDA-MB-231 cells. To assess the effects of EVP on the activation of bone marrow macrophages （BMMs）， we counted the multinuclear cells and measured the secretion of Cathepsin K. Western blot was adopted to assess the effects of EVP on receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB （RANK）， Runt-related transcription factor 2 （ Runx2 ）， phosphorylated Runx2 （p-Runx2）， and matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9） in BMMs. Gelatin zymography was employed to determine the activities of matrix metalloproteinases （MMPs）. ResultCompared with that in the blank group， Ck-19 expression was down-regulated in EVP groups （P<0.05）. The multinucleated cells increased when the BMMs were induced by soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand （sRANKL）， which was inhibited by EVP （P<0.05）. The level of cathepsin K in the supernatant of sRANKL group increased compared with that of the blank group， while EVP groups had lower cathepsin K levels than sRANKL group （P<0.05）. Compared with the blank group， the sRANKL group showed up-regulated RANK expression， Runx2 phosphorylation， and MMP-9 expression （P<0.05）， while the expression levels of RANK， p-Runx2， and MMP-9 were down-regulated when the cells were incubated with EVP （P<0.05）. Furthermore， exposure of BMMs to sRANKL resulted in an increase in gelatin hydrolyzation compared with the blank group （P<0.01）， which， however， was reversed in EVP groups （P<0.05）. ConclusionEVP significantly inhibits bone marrow metastasis of MDA-MB-231 cells， which may be associated with the suppression of osteoclast activation by inhibiting Runx2 phosphorylation.

ObjectiveTo investigate the intervention effect of Danggui Buxuetang on oxidative stress and inflammatory response in diabetic kidney disease （DKD） rats from its improvement of podocyte mitochondrial dysfunction. MethodSD rats were randomly divided into the control group and modeling group， and the ones in the latter group rats were fed a high-glucose and high-fat diet and then intraperitoneally injected with a small dose of streptozotocin （STZ） for inducing type 2 diabetes. The successfully modeled rats were randomized into the model group， high- and low-dose （1.44 and 0.72 g·kg^-1） Danggui Buxuetang groups， and irbesartan （0.017 g·kg^-1）group and gavaged with the corresponding drugs， while those in the normal and model groups with an equal volume of normal saline. After 20 weeks of drug intervention， the urinary microalbumin-to-urine creatinine ratio （UACR） and serum malondialdehyde （MDA） content and manganese superoxide dismutase （MnSOD） activity in each group were measured. The pathological changes in renal tissue were observed by Masson trichrome staining， and periodic acid-silver metheramine （PASM） staining， followed by the observation of ultrastructural changes in podocytes under the transmission electron microscope （TEM）. The expression level of reactive oxygen species （ROS） in rat kidney tissue was detected using a fluorescent probe dihydroethidium （DHE）. The protein expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ -coactivator -1α （PGC-1α）， nucleotide-binding domain like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3）， and Wilms tumor protein-1 （WT-1） were measured by immunohistochemistry （IHC）， and the expression levels of NLRP3， interleukin-1β （IL-1β），and WT-1 in podocytes by immunofluorescence （IF） assay. The mRNA expression levels of PGC-1α and NLRP3 in the renal tissues were determined by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）， and the protein expression levels of PGC-1α， MnSOD， NLRP3， and IL-1β were assayed by Western blot. ResultCompared with the normal group， the model group exhibited elevated UACR and MDA content， weakened MnSOD activity （P<0.01）， glomerular hypertrophy， thickened basement membrane， mesangial hyperplasia， increased extracellular matrix， K-W nodules， podocyte mitochondrial swelling， disordered mitochondrial cristae， foot process fusion or loss， vacuolization， increased ROS （P<0.01）， enhanced NLRP3 and IL-1β but diminished WT-1 expression in podocytes， down-regulated PGC-1α mRNA expression （P<0.01） and PGC-1α and MnSOD protein expression （P<0.01）， and up-regulated NLRP3 mRNA expression and NLRP3 and IL-1β protein expression （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， Danggui Buxuetang high-dose group significantly decreased UACR and MDA， enhanced MnSOD activity （P<0.05， P<0.01）， improved renal histopathology and podocyte mitochondrial ultrastructure， decreased ROS （P<0.05， P<0.01） and NLRP3 and IL-1β expression in podocytes， enhanced WT-1 expression in podocytes， up-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of PGC-1α and MnSOD， and down-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of NLRP3 and IL-1β （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionDanggui Buxuetang alleviates oxidative stress， reduces inflammatory response， protects kidney， and delays the progression of DKD possibly by improving the mitochondrial dysfunction in podocytes of DKD rats.

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Danggui Buxuetang on the podocyte injury and receptor-interacting protein kinase 1/receptor-interacting protein kinase3/mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein （RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL） signaling pathway in diabetic kidney disease （DKD） ratsand to explore its possible mechanism against DKD. MethodEight of the 50 SD rats were randomly classified intoa normal group， and the remaining were fed a high-glucose and high-fat diet for six weeks and then intraperitoneally injected with 0.035 g·kg^-1streptozotocin （STZ） for inducing type 2 diabetes. After successful modeling，they were randomized into the model group，high- and low-dose （1.44，0.72 g·kg^-1） Danggui Buxuetang groups， and irbesartan （0.017 g·kg^-1）group. After 20 weeks of drug intervention， the fasting blood glucose （FBG）， kidney index （KI），and urinary microalbumin-to-urine creatinine ratio （UACR）were detected in each group. The pathological changes in renal tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， followed by the observation of ultrastructural changes in podocytes under the transmission electron microscope. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） and interleukin-6 （IL-6） in renal tissue of rats were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）， and the protein expression levels of RIPK1， RIPK3， and MLKL in rat kidney tissue by immunohistochemistry. The apoptosis rate of podocytes was detected by in situ nick end-labeling （TUNEL） assay. The mRNA expression levels of RIPK1， RIPK3， and MLKL in kidney tissue of rats were measured by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）， and the protein expression levels of RIPK， RIPK3， and MLKL and podocyte marker Wilms tumor protein-1 （WT-1） in rat kidney tissue were assayed by Western blot. ResultCompared with the normal group， the model group exhibited elevated FBG， UACR， and KI （P<0.01）， glomerular hypertrophy， thickened basement membrane， increased extracellular matrix， mesangial hyperplasia， foot process fusion or loss， enhanced apoptosis in renal tissue， up-regulated TNF-α and IL-6 levels （P<0.01） and RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL mRNA and protein expression （P<0.01）， and down-regulated WT-1 protein expression. Compared with the model group， Danggui Buxuetang high-dose group significantly reduced the levels of FBG， UACR， and KI， improved renal histopathology， podocyte loss， and apoptosis in renal tissue， down-regulated TNF-α and IL-6 levels and RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL mRNA and protein expression （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and up-regulated WT-1 protein expression. ConclusionDanggui Buxuetang alleviates podocyte injury and delays the development of DKD possibly by regulating the RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL signaling pathway.

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Danggui Buxuetang on podocyte pyroptosis in diabetic kidney disease （DKD） rats and to explore the possible mechanism of its prevention and treatment of DKD and podocyte pyroptosis. MethodEight of the 50 male SD rats were randomly classified into a normal group， and the remaining 42 were fed a high-glucose and high-fat diet for six weeks and then intraperitoneally injected with 35 mg·kg^-1 streptozotocin （STZ） for inducing type 2 diabetes. After successful modeling， they were randomized into the model group， low- （0.72 g·kg^-1） and high-dose （1.44 g·kg^-1） Danggui Buxuetang group， and irbesartan （0.017 g·kg^-1） group and gavaged with the corresponding drugs， while those in the normal group and model group with an equal volume of normal saline， once per day， for 20 weeks. During the medication， the fasting blood glucose （FBG） and 24 h urine protein （24 h-UTP） were measured regularly. After administration， the pathological changes in renal tissues were observed by periodic acid-silver metheramine （PASM） staining， followed by the observation of ultrastructural changes in podocytes under the transmission electron microscope （TEM）. Serum levels of interleukin-1β （IL-1β） and interleukin-18 （IL-18） were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The DNA damage in renal tissue cells of rats was detected by in situ nick end-labeling （TUNEL） assay. The protein expression levels of thioredoxin interacting protein （TXNIP）， cysteine-dependent aspartate-directed protease-1 （Caspase-1）， and gasdermin D （GSDMD） in renal tissues of rats were detected by immunohistochemistry （IHC）， the expression levels of nucleotide binding domain like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3） and Wilms tumor protein-1 （WT-1） in podocytes by immunofluorescent （IF） staining， and the expression levels of TXNIP/NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD pathway proteins and Synaptopodin in renal podocytes by Western blot. ResultCompared with the normal group， the model group exhibited increased FBG and 24 h UTP， glomerular hypertrophy， mesangial hyperplasia， increased extracellular matrix， thickened basement membrane， K-W nodules， vacuolar degeneration in renal tubular epithelial cells， foot process fusion or loss， elevated serum IL-1β and IL-18 levels and TUNEL-positive cells in renal tissue， enhanced NLRP3 but diminished WT-1 expression in podocytes， down-regulated Synaptopodin protein expression， and up-regulated TXNIP/NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD protein expression （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， Danggui Buxuetang high-dose group remarkably lowered FBG， 24-h UTP， and TUNEL-positive cells in renal tissue， improved renal histopathology and podocyte injury and loss， down-regulated NLRP3 expression in podocytes and TXNIP/NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD protein expression levels， and up-regulated WT-1 expression in podocytes and Synaptopodin protein expression （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionDanggui Buxuetang inhibits podocyte pyroptosis to reduce proteinuria and delays the development of DKD possibly by regulating the TXNIP/NLRP3/GSDMD signaling pathway.

Qing-Fei-Pai-Du decoction (QFPDD) is a Chinese medicine compound formula recommended for combating corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China. The latest clinical study showed that early treatment with QFPDD was associated with favorable outcomes for patient recovery, viral shedding, hospital stay, and course of the disease. However, the effective constituents of QFPDD remain unclear. In this study, an UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS based method was developed to identify the chemical constituents in QFPDD and the absorbed prototypes as well as the metabolites in mice serum and tissues following oral administration of QFPDD. A total of 405 chemicals, including 40 kinds of alkaloids, 162 kinds of flavonoids, 44 kinds of organic acids, 71 kinds of triterpene saponins and 88 kinds of other compounds in the water extract of QFPDD were tentatively identified via comparison with the retention times and MS/MS spectra of the standards or refereed by literature. With the help of the standards and in vitro metabolites, 195 chemical components (including 104 prototypes and 91 metabolites) were identified in mice serum after oral administration of QFPDD. In addition, 165, 177, 112, 120, 44, 53 constituents were identified in the lung, liver, heart, kidney, brain, and spleen of QFPDD-treated mice, respectively. These findings provided key information and guidance for further investigation on the pharmacologically active substances and clinical applications of QFPDD.
Administration, Oral ; Alkaloids/analysis* ; Animals ; COVID-19 ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacokinetics* ; Flavonoids/analysis* ; Mice ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Saponins/analysis* ; Triterpenes/analysis*

Aortic Valve/surgery* ; Aortic Valve Stenosis/surgery* ; China/epidemiology* ; Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation ; Humans ; Severity of Illness Index ; Treatment Outcome

Objective:To investigate the risk factors of dysplasia in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) in China.Methods:From March 1st, 2012 to December 30th, 2013, a total of 154 UC patients were prospectively enrolled from the following 11 hospitals, Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Ruijin Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Renji Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Nanfang Hospital affiliated to Southern Medical University, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, West China Hospital affiliated to Sichuan University, The Seventh Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Zhongshan Hospital affiliated to Xiamen University, and the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University. The patients were followed up till December 1st, 2017. All the UC patients underwent colon endoscopy and histopathological evaluation. T test and Chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. Cox proportional risk model was used for identifying the risk factors of dysplasia in UC patients. Results:Finally, 133 UC patients were enrolled, the age was (50.0±11.9) years, the diagnosis age was (35.5±11.6) years, the course of disease was (14.5±6.7) years, and the number of endoscopic examinations was (3.4±1.6) times. A total of 21 patients were detected with dysplasia. No patients were detected with colorectal cancer. The results of univariate analysis revealed that the diagnosis age (hazard ratio ( HR)=1.05, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 1.01 to 1.10, P=0.009) and extensive colitis ( HR=2.92, 95% CI 0.97 to 8.79, P=0.057) were factors with statistically significant difference. The results of multivariate analysis revealed that the old age at diagnosis ( HR=1.06, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.11, P=0.003) and extensive colitis ( HR=3.68, 95% CI 1.21 to 11.19, P=0.022) were independent risk factors of dysplasia in UC patients. The cumulative incidence of dysplasia of UC patients with extensive colitis was higher than that of patients with left-sided colitis (24.3%, 17/70 vs. 6.3%, 4/63), and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=8.023, P=0.005). Conclusions:Extensive colitis and older age at diagnosis are two independent risk factors of dysplasia in UC patients of our country. The cancer monitoring should be strengthened in UC patients with long course of disease and extensive colitis.