Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of p38 on stem cell maintenance of pancreatic cancer. Methods Human pancreatic cancer cells PANC-1 were treated with different concentrations of 5-fluorouracil(5-FU)(0.5×IC₅₀, IC₅₀, and 2×IC₅₀) for 24 hours, and VX-702 (p38 phosphorylation inhibitor) was added, and the cells were inoculated in 6-well culture dishes with ultra-low adhesion to observe the changes of sphere tumors. The expression levels of cyclin-dependent kinase 2(CDK2), cyclin B1 and D1, Octamer-binding transcription factor 4(OCT4), SRY-box transcription factor 2(SOX2), Nanog and p38 were measured by Western blot. The mRNA expression levels of p38, OCT4, Nanog and SOX2 were tested by RT-PCR. Cell cycle, apoptosis, and the proportion of CD44⁺CD133⁺PANC-1 cells were evaluated by flow cytometry. Results The results showed that 5-FU inhibited the formation of tumor spheres in PANC-1 cells, increased CD44⁺CD133⁺cell fragments, down-regulated the expression of OCT4, Nanog and SOX2, and inhibited the stemness maintenance of PANC-1 tumor stem cells. Phosphorylation of PANC-1 cells was inhibited by a highly selective p38 MAPK inhibitor, VX-702(p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor), which had the same effect as 5-FU treatment. When VX-702 combined with 5-FU was used to treat PANC-1 cells, the therapeutic effect was enhanced. Conclusion p38 inhibitors decreased PANC-1 cell activity and increased cell apoptosis. p38 inhibitors inhibit the stemness maintenance of pancreatic cancer stem cells.
Humans ; Phosphorylation/drug effects* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/antagonists & inhibitors* ; Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism* ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/drug effects* ; Fluorouracil/pharmacology* ; Pancreatic Neoplasms/pathology* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; SOXB1 Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Octamer Transcription Factor-3/genetics*

Herb-induced liver injury(HILI)tends to have complex toxic material basis and toxic mechanism,which greatly affects the safety of traditional Chinese medicine.This article summarizes the main toxic components of Chinese herbal medicine causing liver injury and their mechanism of action.The toxic components of Chinese herbal medicine causing liver injury can be classified into two categories of drug-derived and non-drug-derived toxic components.Drug-derived toxic components mainly include alkaloids,terpenoids,anthraquinones,and phenylpropanoids,and their mechanism of action involves oxidative stress,apoptosis and necrosis,CYP450 enzymes,and genotoxicity.Non-drug-derived toxic components mainly include pesticide residues,sulfur dioxide residues,heavy metals,fungi,and plant growth regulators,and their mechanisms involve oxidative stress,apoptosis,metabolic disorders,and CYP450 enzymes.On this basis,this article further proposes the unsolved problems and research difficulties,in order to promote the basic research on the hepatotoxicity of traditional Chinese medicine.

Ischemic colitis is a disease in which local tissue in the intestinal wall dies to varying de-grees due to insufficient blood supply to the colon.Risk factors include cardiovascular disease,diabetes,chronic kidney disease,chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,etc.Typical clinical manifestations of the disease are abdominal pain and hematochezia.The most common locations are the watershed areas of splenic flexure and rectosigmoid junction.The lesions are segmental and clearly demarcated from normal mucosa under endoscopy.The digestive tract is a common extra-pulmonary organ affected by the novel coronavirus,which can be directly damaged by the virus or indirectly caused by virus-mediated inflamma-tion and hypercoagulability.The corona virus disease 2019(COVID-19)associated intestinal injury can be characterized by malabsorption,malnutrition,intestinal flora shift,etc.CT can show intestinal ische-mia,intestinal wall thickening,intestinal wall cystoid gas,intestinal obstruction,ascites,intussusception and other signs.In this study,we reported a case of ischemic colitis in a moderate COVID-19 patient.The affected area was atypical and the endoscope showed diffuse lesions from the cecum to the rectosig-moid junction.No signs of intestinal ischemia were found on imaging and clear thrombosis in small inter-stitial vessels was found in pathological tissue.Combined with the fact that the patient had no special risk factors in his past history,the laboratory tests indicated elevated ferritin and D-dimer,while the autoanti-bodies and fecal etiology results were negative,we speculated that the hypercoagulability caused by novel coronavirus infection was involved in the occurrence and development of the disease in this patient.After prolonged infusion support and prophylactic anti-infection therapy,the patient slowly resumed diet and eventually went into remission.Finally,we hoped to attract clinical attention with the help of this case of moderate COVID-19 complicated with ischemic colitis which had a wide range of lesions and a slow reco-very.For patients with abdominal pain and blood in the stool after being diagnosed as COVID-19,even if they are not severe COVID-19,they should be alert to the possibility of ischemic colitis,so as not to be mistaken for gastrointestinal reactions related to COVID-19.

The basement membrane is a specialized extracellular matrix between the epithelium and the mesenchyme.In stratified epithelium,only the basal cells in contact with the basement membrane exhibit the apical-basal polarity,whereas the epithelial cells do being not in contact with the basement membrane do not exhibit the apical-basal polarity.The basement membrane plays an important role in epithelial cell polarization.It is an important extracellular matrix(ECM)structure in the multicellular organisms,is situated between the epithelium and the mesenchyme,and is produced jointly by the epithelial cells and mesenchymal cells.Its components mainly include Laminin,type Ⅳ collagen(Col-Ⅳ),nidogen(NDG),and heparan sulfate proteoglycans(HSPG),and each component plays the different role in influencing the epithelial cell polarity.The network scaffold formed by Col-Ⅳ and Laminin is the main structure of the basement membrane,and the integrity of the structure affects the epithelial cell polarization.This review summarizes the composition and structure of the basement membrane,focuses on its role in epithelial cell polarization and its mechanism,and compiles the current status of biomimetic basement membrane materials that promotes the epithelial cell polarization,and provides the theoretical foundation for further exploration of the establishment and maintenance of epithelial cell polarity.

Objective We aimed to observe the effect of the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)-based"tertiary hospital-community integrated"treatment program in patients with diabetic kidney disease.Methods A total of 126 patients from the Jiangtai and Cuigezhuang Communities in Chaoyang District were randomly divided into the experimental group and the control group(n=63 patients per group).In the experimental group,the"tertiary hospital-community integrated"treatment program was implemented(including TCM differentiated health preservation,chronic disease management,comprehensive diagnosis and treatment program of integrated Chinese and Western medicine),while in the control group,the existing chronic disease diagnosis,treatment,and management program in the community was implemented(including chronic disease management with regular follow-ups,diagnosis and treatment program of Western medicine).The observation period was 6 months,with 3 months as a course of treatment.The 24 h urine total protein level(24 hUTP),the serum level of creatinine(Scr),and the estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR)were compared between the two groups,as well as the effective rates of 24 hUTP,Scr,and eGFR,the rate of achieving standard glucose levels and normal lipid metabolism,including low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol(LDL-C),triglyceride(TG),and glycosylated hemoglobin(GHB),the level of patients'self-management,and the medical service in utilization.Results There were 120 patients included for analysis(60 in the experimental group and 60 in the control group).The difference in 24 hUTP was significantly different(P＜0.05),while Scr and eGFR were not statistically different between the experimental and control groups after 3 months of treatment.The differences in 24 hUTP,Scr,and eGFR were statistically significant after 6 months(P＜0.05).After 6 months of treatment in both groups,the effective rates of 24 hUTP,Scr,and eGFR were higher in the experimental group than in the control group(78.3％,48.3％,and 50.0％in the experimental group and 35.0％,18.3％,and 15.0％in the control group,respectively)(P＜0.05);after 6 months,the LDL-C,TG,and GHB qualified rates were higher in the experimental group than in the control group(75.0％,83.3％,and 71.7％in the experimental group and 56.7％,63.3％,and 46.7％in the control group,respectively;P＜0.05);comparing the self-management levels of the two groups after 3 and 6 months of treatment,the total self-management score and the total self-efficacy score were both higher in the experimental group than in the control group(P＜0.05);comparing the time of hospitalization and hospitalization costs of the two groups 6 months after enrollment,the time of hospitalization and hospitalization costs were lower in the experimental group(P＜0.05).Conclusion The"tertiary hospital-community integrated"TCM-based treatment program improves renal function,glucose and lipid metabolism,and patients'self-management;it can reduce the economic burden of families,save medical resources,and improve the utilization of medical services.

Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of leptospirosis in China from 2010 to 2022, so as to provide insights into formulation of the leptospirosis control strategy. Methods All data pertaining to clinically diagnosed cases and confirmed cases of leptospirosis reported in China from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2022 was collected from Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information Management System. The spatial, temporal and population distributions, and report and diagnosis institutions of leptospirosis cases were analyzed using a descriptive epidemiological method. Results A total of 4 559 leptospirosis cases were reported in China from 2010 to 2022, with an annual average number of 351 cases, and the number of reported leptospirosis cases reduced from 679 cases in 2010 to 158 cases in 2018. A total of 4 276 leptospirosis cases were reported in Sichuan Province, Yunnan Province, Guangdong Province, Hunan Province, Fujian Province, Zhejiang Province, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Anhui Province, Jiangxi Province and Guizhou Province, accounting for 93.79% of the total number of leptospirosis cases in China. The number of leptospirosis cases had recently appeared a remarkable decline in Yunnan Province, while a significant rise was seen in the number of leptospirosis cases in two provinces of Zhejiang and Guangdong. No leptospirosis cases were reported in Henan Province from 2010 to 2020; however, there were 5 cases and 2 cases reported in 2021 and 2022, respectively. There was only one leptospirosis case reported in Shaanxi Province from 2010 to 2017; however, leptospirosis cases were reported in the province for 5 consecutive years since 2018. Leptospirosis cases were reported throughout the year in China from 2010 to 2022, with the peak of incidence found during the period between August and October, and the peak of leptospirosis incidence varied in provinces. A higher number of leptospirosis cases was seen among men than among women, with a male to female ratio of 2.3:1, and the median age of leptospirosis cases was 50 years (interquartile range, 23 years), with the highest proportion of leptospirosis cases reported at ages of 51 to 60 years (23.21%). Among all reported leptospirosis cases, 53.28% were confirmed cases, and the proportion of confirmed cases increased from 35.05% in 2010 to 61.66% in 2022. In addition, there were 67.22% of leptospirosis cases (2 937 cases) reported by comprehensive hospitals, 20.44% (893 cases) by disease control and prevention institutions, 7.23% (316 cases) by grassroots healthcare institutions and 5.10% (223 cases) by other healthcare and medical institutions, and the mortality of reported leptospirosis cases was 1.07% in China from 2010 to 2022, with a higher mortality seen among men than among women (1.39% vs. 0.36%; χ² = 9.52, P = 0.002). Conclusions The incidence of leptospirosis remained at a low level in China from 2010 to 2022, and southern China was still the main endemic area for leptospirosis. The epidemiological characteristics of leptospirosis cases varied in endemic provinces, and leptospirosis cases had been continued to be reported in Shaanxi and Henan provinces, which should be paid much attention to. Intensified surveillance of leptospirosis, improved diagnosis and treatment capability of leptospirosis cases and leptospirosis control with adaptations to local circumstance are recommended.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal enema combined with fumigation as adjunctive therapy for non-dialysis chronic kidney disease （CKD） patients of stage 3-5 with spleen-kidney yang deficiency and turbid toxin blood stasis pattern. MethodsA total of 120 non-dialysis CKD，patients of stage 3-5 with spleen-kidney yang deficiency and turbid toxin blood stasis pattern were randomly divided into treatment group and control group， with 60 cases in each group. The control group received conventional western medical treatment， while the treatment group additionally received Chinese herbal enema combined with fumigation， with enema and fumigation performed alternately， once every other day， three times a week. The treatment course for both groups was 4 weeks. The levels of serum creatinine （Scr）， estimated glomerular filtration rate （eGFR）， and the total score of traditional Chinese medicine symptoms were compared before and after treatment in both groups. The efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine symptoms and clinical efficacy were compared between the two groups after treatment. Adverse reactions in both groups were observed during the treatment period. ResultsThe total score of traditional Chinese medicine symptoms was significantly reduced after treatment in both groups （P＜0.01）. Compared to the control group after treatment， the treatment group showed significant decreases in Scr and the total score of traditional Chinese medicine symptoms， and a significant increase in eGFR （P＜0.05）. The total effective rate of traditional Chinese medicine symptoms in the treatment group （96.67%） was higher than that in the control group （46.67%， P＜0.01）， as well as the total effective rate of clinical efficacy in the treatment group （75.00%） versus that in the control group （28.33%， P＜0.01）. During the treatment period， the vital signs of patients in both groups remained stable， and there were no significant abnormalities in blood routine， urine routine， stool routine， liver function indicators， and electrocardiogram after treatment. ConclusionChinese herbal enema combined with fumigation as adjunctive therapy can significantly alleviate clinical symptoms， improve renal function， and demonstrate good safety for non-dialysis CKD patients of stage 3-5 with spleen-kidney yang deficiency and turbid toxin blood stasis pattern.

Objective To analyse the health human resource allocation of all tertiary maternal and child healthcare(MCH)hospitals from 2015 to 2022 in China,and to propose basis for further strengthening the talent team construction and management of MCH hospitals.Methods Data were collected through the national MCH institution monitoring system to provide a descriptive analysis of the health human resources of all tertiary MCH hospitals in China.Results From 2015 to 2022,the number of health technicians in tertiary MCH hospitals increased with an average annual growth rate of 10.2%;The proportions of highly educated and professional health technicians increased year by year;The proportion of tertiary MCH hospitals with qualified health technicians has increased to 93.8%;The ratio of doctors to nurses has exceeded 1:1.4.Conclusion The allocation of health human resources in the tertiary MCH hospitals in China shows a good upward trend,which lays a foundation for improving the overall service level and service capacity of MHC hospitals.

Objective:To investigate the value of histological evaluation in predicting endoscopic relapse among patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) who were in endoscopic remission, and to compare the usefulness of various histological scoring systems.Methods:Histological sections from 61 patients with UC who were in endoscopic remission were retrospectively analyzed, at Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China from January 2015 to June 2021. They were subdivided into endoscopic persistent remission group (remission group, n=31, Mayo endoscopic score 0) and endoscopic relapse group (relapse group, n=30, Mayo endoscopic score≥1) according to the results of the first endoscopic reexamination after the biopsy. Histological evaluation was performed using the Geboes score (GS) and its simplified version (SGS), the Nancy index (NI) and the Robarts histopathological index (RHI). The median and maximum histological scores for each case in all biopsies were recorded. Univariate comparisons were performed using chi-squares and multivariate analysis using binary logistic regression. The values of four histological evaluation systems for predicting endoscopic relapse among UC patients in endoscopic remission were analyzed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results:Significant differences were observed between the remission and relapse groups. The differences were more pronounced in the maximum histological scores; the mean and highest results of area under the ROC curve scores (AUC) for GS, SGS, NI, and RHI were 0.657, 0.668, 0.682, 0.691, and 0.866, 0.863, 0.864, 0.869, respectively. The differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The corresponding best cut-offs were GS≥2B.1, SGS≥2B.1, NI≥2, and RHI≥2.5, respectively, which meant mild active inflammation histologically, while there was no statistical difference of AUC among the four histological scoring indices ( P>0.05). Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed statistically significant differences in the number of neutrophils in the epithelium and lamina propria ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Biopsies from UC patients in endoscopic remission may still have histological active inflammation which appears to correlate with endoscopic relapse. Four commonly used histological scoring systems can be used to assess the risk of endoscopic relapse among UC patients in endoscopic remission. The patients who more likely have endoscopic relapse seem to have a histological score greater than the cut-off value (i.e., mild histological activity). The maximum histological scores can accurately predict the risk of endoscopic relapse, while the presence of epithelial and laminar propria neutrophil infiltrates can independently predict the endoscopic relapse in these patients. Considering the utility and convenience in routine practice, NI is recommended for evaluating histological inflammatory activity.

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