The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) released the "2024 ESC guidelines for the management of elevated blood pressure and hypertension" on August 30, 2024. This guideline updates the 2018 "Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension." One notable update is the introduction of the concept of "elevated blood pressure" (120-139/70-89 mm Hg). Additionally, a new systolic blood pressure target range of 120-129 mm Hg has been proposed for most patients receiving antihypertensive treatment. The guideline also includes numerous additions or revisions in areas such as non-pharmacological interventions and device-based treatments for hypertension. This article interprets the guideline's recommendations on definition and classification of elevated blood pressure and hypertension, and cardiovascular disease risk assessment, diagnosing hypertension and investigating underlying causes, preventing and treating elevated blood pressure and hypertension. We provide a comparison interpretation with the 2018 "Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension" and the "2017 ACC/AHA guideline on the prevention, detection, evaluation, and management of high blood pressure in adults."

OBJECTIVE To investigate the pharmaceutical affairs management in healthcare institutions from Haidian district of Beijing， and propose countermeasures and suggestions for improving the related work. METHODS The current status of pharmaceutical affairs management in 66 healthcare institutions from Haidian district of Beijing was surveyed through on-site inspections， and the results were statistically analyzed. The inspection items included six special projects： pharmaceutical affairs management and organizational structure of pharmacy departments； drug quality management and control， prescription review， clinical application management of antimicrobial drugs， management of adverse drug events， and management of special drugs. These areas were further divided into a total of 27 specific inspection sub-items. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS The total proportion of healthcare institutions that fully complied or basically complied with each special project was 90.9%， 97.0%， 86.3%， 90.9%， 90.9%， and 96.9%， respectively. The overall comparison among healthcare institutions that fully or substantially met the standards across medical institutions at different levels showed that the performance of tertiary healthcare institutions was better than that of secondary and primary healthcare institutions. The pharmaceutical affairs management in healthcare institutions within the jurisdiction was proceeding in an orderly manner. There is still room for improvement in further establishing and perfecting the functions of the pharmaceutical affairs management committee， implementing the 2021 Edition of Management Regulations for β -lactam Antimicrobial Skin Tests， enforcing the adverse drug reaction management system， and strengthening the refined management of narcotics and psychotropic drugs.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of sodium valproate (VPA) in inhibiting Erastin-induced ferroptosis in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and its underlying mechanisms. METHODS: BMSCs were isolated from bone marrow of 8-week-old Spragur Dawley rats and identified [cell surface antigens CD90, CD44, and CD45 were analyzed by flow cytometry, and osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation abilities were assessed by alizarin red S (ARS) and oil red O staining, respectively]. Cells of passage 3 were used for the Erastin-induced ferroptosis model, with different concentrations of VPA for intervention. The optimal drug concentration was determined using the cell counting kit 8 assay. The experiment was divided into 4 groups: group A, cells were cultured in osteogenic induction medium for 24 hours; group B, cells were cultured in osteogenic induction medium containing optimal concentration Erastin for 24 hours; group C, cells were cultured in osteogenic induction medium containing optimal concentration Erastin and VPA for 24 hours; group D, cells were cultured in osteogenic induction medium containing optimal concentration Erastin and VPA, and 8 μmol/L EX527 for 24 hours. The mitochondrial state of the cells was evaluated, including the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Osteogenic capacity was assessed by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and ARS staining. Western blot analysis was performed to detect the expressions of osteogenic-related proteins [Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) and osteopontin (OPN)], ferroptosis-related proteins [glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1), and solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11)], and pathway-related proteins [adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1)]. RESULTS: The cultured cells were identified as BMSCs. VPA inhibited Erastin-induced ferroptosis and the decline of osteogenic ability in BMSCs, acting through the activation of the AMPK/SIRT1 pathway. VPA significantly reduced the levels of ROS and MDA in Erastin-treated BMSCs and significantly increased GSH levels. Additionally, the expression levels of ferroptosis-related proteins (GPX4, FTH1, and SLC7A11) significantly decreased. VPA also upregulated the expressions of osteogenic-related proteins (RUNX2 and OPN), enhanced mineralization and osteogenic differentiation, and increased the expressions of pathway-related proteins (AMPK and SIRT1). These effects could be reversed by the SIRT1 inhibitor EX527. CONCLUSION VPA inhibits ferroptosis in BMSCs through the AMPK/SIRT1 axis and promotes osteogenesis.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells/metabolism* ; Ferroptosis/drug effects* ; Animals ; Valproic Acid/pharmacology* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sirtuin 1/metabolism* ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects* ; Cells, Cultured ; AMP-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism* ; Osteogenesis/drug effects* ; Piperazines/pharmacology* ; Bone Marrow Cells/cytology* ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects*

Objective To investigate the role and possible mechanism of celastrol(Cel)in sodium oxalate(NaOx)-induced acute kidney injury(AKI)and crystal deposition in the kidney tissues in mice.Methods Male C57BL/6 mice(aged 8～12 weeks,weighing 22～24 g)were randomly divided into 3 groups.Saline group(control group,intraperitoneal injection with normal saline and drinking water freely),NaOx group(injured group,intraperitoneal injection of 75 mg/kg NaOx,and drinking water containing 50 μmol/L NaOx),and NaOx+Cel group(treatment group,intraperitoneal injection of 1 mg/kg Cel firstly and then 75 mg/kg NaOx in 24 h later,drinking water containing 50 μmol/L NaOx).All specimens were collected in 24 h after NaOx injection.HK-2 cells were randomly divided into 4 groups:Medium group(no treatment),NaOx group(500 μmol/L NaOx),NaOx+Cel group(400 nmol/L Cel pre-treatment for 2 h followed by 500 μmol/L NaOx treatment),and NaOx+Cel+BA group[8 μmol/L betulinic acid(BA,NF-κB agonist)after the interventions as the NaOx+Cel group].Cells of each group were collected in 24 h after corresponding treatments.Von Koosa and cell adhesion assays were used to observe crystal deposition.HE staining was employed to observe renal histopathology and score the damage.CCK-8 assay was utilized to detect cell viability to obtain the optimal concentrations of NaOx and Cel.Serum urea and creatinine levels were detected.Immunohisotochemical assay was conducted to detect the expression of OPN,CD44,KIM-1,NGAL,p65,IL-1β,BAX,and Caspase-3,and Western blotting was performed for protein levels of OPN,CD44,KIM-1,p65,P-p65 and IL-1β.Results The mice in the NaOx+Cel group showed reduced crystal deposition(P<0.0001),attenuated renal tubular damage(P<0.01),decreased serum urea and creatinine levels(P<0.05),and declined expression levels of the renal adhesion molecules OPN and CD44,the kidney injury molecules KIM-1 and NGAL,the inflammation-associated molecules p65 and IL-1β,and the apoptosis related molecules BAX and Caspase-3 when compared with the NaOx group(P<0.05).In in vitro study,the NaOx+Cel group showed reduced crystal adhesion(P<0.0001),decreased expression of the adhesion molecules OPN and CD44(P<0.05),down-regulation of the inflammatory molecule IL-1β and P-p65/p65 ratio(P<0.05),and down-regulation of the renal injury molecule KIM-1(P<0.05)when compared with the NaOx group.In the NaOx+Cel+BA group,crystal adhesion was significantly increased(P<0.0001),the inflammatory molecule IL-1β and the ratio of P-p65/p65 were increased(P<0.05),and the kidney injury molecule KIM-1 was increased when compared with the NaOx+Cel group(P<0.05).Conclusion Cel may reduce NaOx-induced crystal deposition and AKI by inhibiting NF-κB activation.

Objective To analyze the predictive value of serum levels of procalcitonin(PCT)and cytokines on the prognosis of patients with COVID-19 at admission.Methods From November 2022 to February 2023,patients diagnosed with COVID-19 who were admitted to Beijing Chest Hospital were enrolled.Chemiluminescence was used to detect serum PCT levels,and flow microsphere array was used to detect serum cytokines IL-1β,IL-2,IL-4,IL-5,IL-6,IL-8,IL-10,IL-12p70,IL-17A,IL-17F,IL-22,TNF-α,TNF-β,IFN-γ level.ICU admission,mechanical ventilation and in-hospital death were defined as poor prognosis.After excluding patients with bacterial infection,the relationship between serum PCT and cytokine levels at admission and the prognosis of COVID-19 patients was analyzed.After excluding patients with bacterial infection,the relationship between serum PCT and cytokine levels at admission and the prognosis of COVID-19 patients was analyzed.Results A total of 176 patients with complete data were included,including 134 in the PCT-normal group and 42 in the PCT-elevated group,with a median age of 71.50 years and 71.59%males.Patients in the PCT elevated-group had significantly higher rates of ICU admission(38.41%vs.13.11%,P<0.05),mechanical ventilation(76.92%vs.24.59%,P<0.001)and in-hospital mortality(38.46%vs.6.56%,P<0.001)were significantly higher than those in the PCT-normal group.Serum levels of cytokines IL-6(7.40 pg/mL vs.4.78 pg/mL,P = 0.033 4)and IL-8(10.97 pg/mL vs.5.92 pg/mL,P<0.001)were significantly higher in patients with poor prognosis than in those with good prognosis.The area under the curve for PCT,IL-6,and IL-8 to predict poor prognosis in COVID-19 patients was 0.687,0.660,and 0.746,respectively;sensitivity was 52.78%,55.17%,and 72.41%,respectively;and specificity was 81.58%,74.19%,and 74.19%,respectively,as calculated from the ROC curve.When PCT,IL-6 and IL-8 jointly predict the prognosis of COVID-19 patients,the area under the curve is 0.764,the sensitivity is 70.00%,and the specificity is 80.00%.Conclusion Serum PCT and cytokines IL-6 and IL-8 could be used as predictive markers for poor prognosis in patients with COVID-19.

BACKGROUND:Bone defects are caused by many factors,such as inflammation,tumor,trauma or bone diseases.Erythropoietin can promote the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into osteoblasts and osteoclasts and act on vascular endothelial cells to induce angiogenesis and accelerate the repair of bone and cartilage defects.Erythropoietin is a growth factor with potential application in bone tissue engineering construction. OBJECTIVE:To expound the application and potential mechanism of erythropoietin in bone tissue engineering. METHODS:The first author searched the related articles published in CNKI,WanFang,VIP,and PubMed databases from 2004 to 2022 by computer.Search terms were"erythropoietin,bone defect,bone regeneration,angiogenesis,osteogenesis,osteoblast,osteoclast,bone tissue engineering"in Chinese and English.Finally,64 articles were included for review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Erythropoietin can directly act on osteoblasts and osteoclasts in the bone marrow microenvironment by promoting the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into osteoblasts,osteoclasts,adipocytes,nerve cells and stromal cells.The activation of Wnt/β-catenin,hypoxia-inducible factor 1α/vascular endothelial growth factor,p38 MAPK and EphrinB2/EphB4 signaling pathways mediates the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells.(2)Erythropoietin can not only regulate the production of erythrocytes to alter the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood but also stimulate vascular endothelial cells to promote angiogenesis.The new blood vessels can carry oxygen,nutrients,growth factors,and bone progenitor cells necessary for osteogenesis to the osteogenic site,thereby promoting bone formation and fracture healing.(3)Currently,erythropoietin is being used as a growth factor with osteogenic and angiogenic effects in various types of scaffold materials such as chitosan,polycaprolactone,bioceramics,and nanofibers through various drug delivery methods.Erythropoietin,along with other growth factors such as bone morphogenetic protein-2 and bone morphogenetic protein-9,has been applied to the surface of scaffold materials to participate in the repair of bone defects.Erythropoietin has demonstrated excellent practicality in the construction of new tissue-engineered bone and has potential clinical application value.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of combined face and neck injections of botulinum toxin type A to improve face and neck aging.Methods:From January 2020 to January 2023, 30 female patients with age of 29-66 years, average (42.2±8.8) years, underwent face and neck combined injection of A-type botulinum toxin in the Department of Dermatology, Henan Provincial People′s Hospital. The injection sites included the forehead, between the eyebrows, around the eyes, the dorsum of the nose, and the mandibular margin, etc. The efficacy was assessed by the wrinkle severity scale (FWS) and the AB value of the distance from the lowest point of the mandibular margin on the midline of the hemiface to the level of the medial canthus at 4 and 24 weeks after the injection, as well as the subjective degree of improvement by the Global Aesthetic Improvement of the Face Scale (GAIS) and the Self-perception of Age (SPA), and the satisfaction of the patients and post-injection adverse reactions.Results:At 4 weeks after the injection, the total effective rate of improvement of wrinkles in all parts of the upper face was 100% (30/30), and there was a statistically significant difference in the improvement of AB ( t=28.35, P<0.05). At 24 weeks after the injection, the total effective rate of improvement of wrinkles in all parts of the upper face ranged from 16.7% (5/30) to 36.7% (11/30), and the improvement of AB still showed a statistically significant difference ( t=3.98, P<0.05). 100% (30/30) and 66.7% (20/30) of patients assessed their facial status as improved on GAIS at 4 and 24 weeks after the injection, respectively, and 100% (30/30) and 63.3% (19/30) of patients perceived themselves as younger. Patient satisfaction was 100% (30/30). After injection, there were 5 cases of slight ecchymosis at the injection site and 1 case of weakness in eyebrow elevation in the 30 patients, which disappeared on their own within 1 to 2 weeks. Conclusions:The therapeutic effect of face and neck combined injection of botulinum toxin type A on facial rejuvenation is obvious, with high patient′s satisfaction and no serious adverse reactions.

The small G-protein Rac1 is the main regulatory factor of the actin cytoskeleton. Rac1 cycles between the inactive GDP-bound form and the active GTP-bound form. Rac1 not only promotes viral replication and infection, but also regulates the actin cytoskeleton rearrangement, adhesion, and invasion of glioma cells. In addition, Rac1 is implicated in human diseases such as tumors and epilepsy. This article reviews the latest research on the small G-protein Rac1 in virology, cell biology, and human pathology. It is found that the existence of Rac1 is closely related to the replication and infection of viruses, that is, inhibiting the existence of Rac1 can effectively reduce the replication and transportation of viruses, providing new ideas for the development of various therapeutic drugs targeting Rac1.
Humans ; rac1 GTP-Binding Protein/genetics* ; Virus Replication ; Glioma/pathology* ; Actin Cytoskeleton/metabolism* ; Animals

OBJECTIVE To provide a reference for establishing an automatic checking mode and improving the checking efficiency of the unit dose dispensing system of oral drugs in hospital. METHODS The automatic checking process reengineering team was established in our hospital. ECRSI method was adopted to sort out the verification process and mode of drug bags for the unit dose formula of our hospital through five principles of eliminating， combining， rearranging， simplifying and increasing， and the hardware series problem and the problem of excessive system false-positive proportion were optimized. The drug bags for the unit dose formula were randomly selected from 10 wards， the efficiency and external error rates of manual check and automatic checking mode before and after optimization were compared， and the false-positive reporting failure in automatic checking mode was also compared before and after optimization. RESULTS After the establishment of the automatic checking mode of the unit dose formula for oral drugs， the average checking time of drug bags was significantly shorter than that of manual checking mode in the other 8 wards except for cardiovascular and renal departments （P＜0.05）. After the optimization of the automatic checking mode， the average checking time of drug bags in all wards was significantly shorter than that in manual checking mode （P＜0.05）. Compared with before optimization of the automatic checking mode， the average checking time of drug bags was shortened by 0.43 s， and the average checking time of drug bags in half of the wards was shortened significantly （P＜0.05）. At the same time， the false-positive proportion decreased from 96.83% before optimization to 92.76% after optimization （P＜0.05）. The external error rate dropped from 0.039‰ in manual checking mode to 0.019‰ before optimization and 0.015‰ after optimization （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Based on ECRSI method， the automatic checking mode for the unit dose dispensing system of oral drugs can effectively reduce the average checking time of drug bags， reduce external error and improve the work efficiency of pharmacists.

Platelets buoy up cancer metastasis via arresting cancer cells, enhancing their adhesion, and facilitating their extravasation through the vasculature. When deprived of intracellular and granular contents, platelet decoys could prevent metastatic tumor formation. Inspired by these, we developed nanoplatesomes by fusing platelet membranes with lipid membranes (P-Lipo) to restrain metastatic tumor formation more efficiently. It was shown nanoplateletsomes bound with circulating tumor cells (CTC) efficiently, interfered with CTC arrest by vessel endothelial cells, CTC extravasation through endothelial layers, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of tumor cells as nanodecoys. More importantly, in the mouse breast tumor metastasis model, nanoplateletsomes could decrease CTC survival in the blood and counteract metastatic tumor growth efficiently by inhibiting the inflammation and suppressing CTC escape. Therefore, nanoplatelesomes might usher in a new avenue to suppress lung metastasis.