Background and aims:Studies indicate that the gut microbiota and its metabolites are involved in the progression of cardiovascular diseases,and enterohepatic circulation plays an important role in this progression.This study aims to identify potential probiotics for the treatment of unstable angina(UA)and elucidate their mechanisms of action.Methods:Initially,the gut microbiota from patients with UA and control was analyzed.To directly assess the effects of Bifidobacterium supplementation,10 patients with UA were enrolled and administered Bifidobacterium(630 mg per intake twice a day for 1 month).The fecal metagenome,serum trimethyl-amine N-oxide(TMAO)levels,and other laboratory parameters were evaluated before and after Bifido-bacterium supplementation.Results:After supplementing with Bifidobacterium for 1 month,there were statistically significant dif-ferences(P＜0.05)in TMAO,aspartate aminotransferase,total cholesterol,and low-density lipoprotein compared to before.Additionally,the abundance of Bifidobacterium longum increased significantly,although the overall abundance of Bifidobacterium did not reach statistical significance.The gut micro-biota,metabolites,and gut-liver axis are involved in the progression of UA,and potential mechanisms should be further studied.Conclusions:Metagenomic analysis demonstrated a reduced abundance of Bifidobacterium in patients with UA.Supplementation with Bifidobacterium restored gut dysbiosis and decreased circulating TMAO levels in patients with UA.This study provides evidence that Bifidobacterium may exert cardiovascular-protective effects through the gut-liver-heart axis.

Objective To investigate the temporal properties of dynamic functional connectivity of brain networks and the variability of network topology in patients with end-stage renal disease(ESRD).Methods Data of 30 ESRD patients(ESRD group)and 33 healthy subjects(control group)were retrospectively analyzed.Based on cranial resting-state functional MRI(rs-fMRI),dynamic functional connectivity(dFC)and graph theory analysis were employed,and the abnormalities in network topology and dFC in ESRD patients were assessed through comparison of groups.Pearson correlation analysis was used to observe the correlation between abnormal dFC indicators and clinical variables.Results Compared with control group,temporal scores and the mean residence time in ESRD group were significantly higher under state Ⅱ but significantly lower under state Ⅲ(both P＜0.05).The abnormal functional connectivity in ESRD patients under states Ⅱ and Ⅲ distributed mainly within and between default mode network,sensorimotor network,subcortical nuclei,execution and attention network,visual network and cerebellum networks.Network density and bilateral superior temporal gyrus nodal degrees in ESRD group were all significantly lower than those in control group(all P＜0.05).No significant correlation was found between the abnormal parameters of functional connectivity and graph theory attributes in ESRD group and clinical indicators under states Ⅱ nor Ⅲ(all P＞0.05).Conclusion ESRD patients had abnormal temporal attributes and network topology of brain dynamic networks related to cognitive impairments.

Polymer nanoparticles generally refer to hydrophobic polymers-based nanoparticles, which have been extensively studied in the nanomedicine field due to their good biocompatibility, efficient long-circulation characteristics, and superior metabolic discharge patterns over other nanoparticles. Existing studies have proved that polymer nanoparticles possess unique advantages in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, and have been transformed from basic researches to clinical applications, especially in the diagnosis and treatment of atherosclerosis (AS). However, the inflammatory reaction induced by polymer nanoparticles would induce the formation of foam cells and autophagy of macrophages. In addition, the variations in the mechanical microenvironment of cardiovascular diseases may cause the enrichment of polymer nanoparticles. These could possibly promote the occurrence and development of AS. Herein, this review summarized the recent application of polymer nanoparticles in the diagnosis and treatment of AS, as well as the relationship between polymer nanoparticles and AS and the associated mechanism, with the aim to facilitate the development of novel nanodrugs for the treatment of AS.
Humans ; Polymers/chemistry* ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Nanoparticles/chemistry* ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Atherosclerosis/pathology*

Here we reported a research project based on Black-board to integrate medical curriculum .The key points of this research is application of clinical cases as teaching data and facilitate learning of knowledge following the principle of learning by doing and , input the concept of precision medicine and informatics in learning process with an individually designed framework of learning .The learning outcome is evaluated with big data tech-nology and thus creates a student-centered pathway of medical education .

BACKGROUND: The mechanisms of spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury are the result of the combined effects of multiple factors, but there is no effective treatment.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of lipoxin receptor agonist BML-111 on inflammatory factor and apoptosis in rats with spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury.
METHODS: A total of 72 healthy adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham surgery group, ischemia-reperfusion group and BML-111 group. Rat models of spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury were established by clamping the abdominal aorta in the later two groups. Rats in the ischemia-reperfusion group and BML-111 group were injected with 0.1 mL of saline and 1 mg/kg BML-111 through caudal vein at 30 minutes after model establishment.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with ischemia-reperfusion group, BBB scores were significantly improved, pathological injury of spinal cord tissue significantly reduced, the number of apoptotic cel s, tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin-1β expression, myeloperoxidase oxide activity and malondialdehyde content decreased in the BML-111 group. These findings indicate that lipoxin receptor agonist BML-111 can inhibit neuronal apoptosis and inflammation so as to reduce spinal cord injury.

Objective To clarify the relationship between tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and leptin in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.Methods The real-time quantitative PCR (q-PCR) and enzymelinked immunosorbent adsorption experiment(ELISA) were used to detect the expression and correlation of TNFα and leptin in blood cells and serum from the normal group, non-alcoholic simple fatty liver(NAFL) group, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) group and cirrhosis group.Results At the level of mRNA, the transcription of TNF-α in cirrhosis group was 14.03 times, 12.07 times and 11.05 times of the normal group, NAFL group and NASH group,and the difference was significant(P＜0.05).Leptin transcription of cirrhosis group was 1.95 times,0.79 times and 1.45 times of normal group, NAFL group and of NASH group(P＞0.05).And in the cirrhosis group, the expression of TNF-α was 7.52 times higher than Leptin (P＜ 0.01).In expression level of protein,TNF-α and leptin in cirrhosis group was 1.98 times and 2.39 times higher than the normal group, 1.24 times and 1.30 times higher than the NAFL group, 1.27 times and 1.37 times higher than NASH, and the difference was significant(P＜0.05).Moreover the expression of TNF-α was significantly higher than that of Leptinin groups above(P＜0.01).Conclusion TNF-α and Leptin are less expression in lymphocytes, but more expression in serum.And TNF-α and Leptin affect the evolution of NAFLD, and present a positive correlation, which lead to the occurrence of NAFLD.Comparing the two methods, detection of serum is more sensitive and more suitable for clinical study than lymphocyte.

In this study, we explored the rationality of processing methods and mechanism of Aconiti Lateralis Radix (Fuzi) through comparing the chemical contents of diester alkaloids (DAs) and monoester alkaloids (MAs) in the raw material of Fuzi and its processed products. The results showed that the toxicity potency of MAs is at least lower than 1/64 to 1/180 of the toxicity potency of DAs. The contents of DAs in processed Fuzi decreased to 1/76.5 to 1/38.3 of the value of raw Fuzi. The contents of MAs in processed Fuzi significantly increased by 4.6 to 5.2 fold or basically the same as that of the raw Fuzi. The values of MAs/DAs of processed Fuzi were enhanced by 30 to 390 fold of the raw Fuzi. It was found that the contents of DAs were insignificantly different between "Wu dan fu pian" (steaming or stir-frying without Danba) and "Dan fu pian" (steaming or stir-frying with Danba). The result suggested that the abilities of "eliminating toxicity" of different processing methods were equivalent at all. In contrast, the contents of MAs contained in "Wu dan fu pian" were of 5.3 to 8.7 fold higher than the values in "Dan fu pian". This result suggested the processing method by steaming or stir-frying without Danba might have better effect for "conserving property" than the method processed with Danba stipulated by China Pharmacopoeia. We believe that the new processing method without Danba can be recommended in further application due to it offers a simple procedure and it will not introduce inorganic impurities in the products.

The prepared slices of Chinese crude drugs are growing important in recent years, and faced with new developments and opportunities. The author analyzed the importance of formulate national processing procedures of prepared slices of Chinese crude drugs combined actual work, proposed the overall objectives and tasks for the formulation, and emphasized to need to correctly deal with several important factors during the process of formulate "National processing procedures of prepared slices of Chinese crude drugs", unified the national standards of prepared slices, solved the real problems that the prepared slices of Chinese crude drugs industry faced.
Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; standards ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; standards

To obtain bovine adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), bovine ADSCs were digested in collagenase type I solution. The growth curve of ADSCs was checked by cell counting. Chromosome analysis was checked. The molecular markers of ADSCs were detected with immunofluorescence staining. The morphology of ADSCs was identical to fibroblast like and the cells showed active proliferative ability. Vimentin, CD49d and CD13 antigens were detected, but CD34 antigen was negative. Alkaline phosphatase activity was greater in ADSCs during calcification, and Alizarin Red staining was positive. Lipid droplets were apparent around cells during adipogenesis, and Oil Red-O staining was positive. The results demonstrated that ADSCs could be used as seed cells for tissue engineering due to the simple isolation, differentiation and stable and active growth.
Adipose Tissue ; cytology ; Animals ; Cattle ; Cell Differentiation ; physiology ; Cell Separation ; Cells, Cultured ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; Tissue Engineering ; methods

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of huperzine A for patients with mild and moderate Alzheimer disease(AD). METHODS: The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing huperzine A with placebo retrieved from Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Library, CBMdisc and CNKI were enrolled. The methodology quality of the included studies was evaluated and a Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan4.2 software. RESULTS: A total of five RCTs were included. The Meta-analysis results showed that as compared with placebo, huperzine A treatment significantly increased the scores of MMSE, decreased the scores of ADL(activities of daily living), moreover, the associated therapeutic effect increased gradually with the prolonging of the treatment time yet with small publication bias; huperzine A treatment significantly increased the scores of MQ(memory quotient), but some publication bias might be existed because of the small number of RCTs included. The sensitivity analysis on the comparison of HDS score changes showed that the influence of the quality of the RCTs could reverse the results. The comparison on effective rate showed that huperzine A was more effective than placebo. The comparison on safety showed that huperzine A was more likely to induced side effects than placebo, but the publication bias was big because there was only a few literature included. CONCLUSION: According to the Meta-analysis’s results, we think huperzine A is effective in improving memory and cognitive function of AD patients, and there is significant difference in clinical efficacy as compared with placebo, and there is small publication bias. In terms of safety, huperzine A has higher incidence of side effects than placebo, but the side effects are mostly mild and have little impact on the treatment. The above conclusion may serve as reference for clinical medication.