OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of sarcopenia on therapeutic response and prognosis of newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients, and reveal its predictive value for the clinical outcomes of AML patients. METHODS: A total of 122 AML patients who were initially diagnosed and treated with induction chemotherapy at the Department of Hematology in the Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University from January 2017 to December 2020 were included in this study. The sarcopenia was diagnosed by measuring body composition parameters with multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analyzer, and all AML patients were divided into sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia groups. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank test were used to compare the survival difference between the two groups. The relationship between sarcopenia and overall survival (OS) of AML patients was further determined by the univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: Among 122 AML patients, 46 (37.7%) were diagnosed with sarcopenia before induction chemotherapy. The body mass index (BMI) of patients with sarcopenia was significantly lower than that of non-sarcopenia patients ( t =4.258, P <0.001), and the complete response (CR) and partial response (PR) rates of sarcopenia patients after induction chemotherapy were significantly lower than those of nonsarcopenia patients (χ²=6.348, P =0.042). Kaplan-Meier curves showed that sarcopenic patients had a shorter OS than non-sarcopenic patients, and the median OS of the two groups were 20.7 (95%CI : 12.6-27.8) months and 27.8 (95%CI : 22.3-31.9) months, respectively (χ²= 5.659, P =0.017). Subgroup analysis indicated that the median OS of sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic AML patients who received standard induction chemotherapy were 12.2 (95%CI : 5.4-24.7) months and 26.1 (95%CI : 16.7-35.4) months, respectively (χ²=3.949, P =0.047). The multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that sarcopenia (HR=1.671, 95%CI : 1.034-2.701, P =0.036) was an independent predictor for poor prognosis in AML patients. CONCLUSION Sarcopenia is significantly associated with low response rate of induction chemotherapy and poor prognosis in AML patients, and it might be an useful tool for predicting the clinical outcome of AML patients.
Humans ; Sarcopenia/complications* ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/diagnosis* ; Prognosis ; Male ; Female ; Induction Chemotherapy ; Middle Aged ; Body Mass Index ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate

BACKGROUND: Current replacement procedures for stenosis or occluded arteries using prosthetic grafts have serious limitations in clinical applications, particularly, endothelialization of the luminal surface is a long-standing unresolved problem.METHOD: We produced a cell-based hybrid vascular graft using a bioink engulfing adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ADSCs) and a 3D bioprinting process lining the ADSCs on the luminal surface of GORE-Tex grafts. The hybrid graft was implanted as an interposition conduit to replace a 3-cm-long segment of the infrarenal abdominal aorta in Rhesus monkeys. RESULTS: Complete endothelium layer and smooth muscle layer were fully developed within 21 days post-implantation, along with normalized collagen deposition and crosslinking in the regenerated vasculature in all monkeys. The regenerated blood vessels showed normal functionality for the longest observation of more than 1650 days. The same procedure was also conducted in miniature pigs for the interposition replacement of a 10-cm-long right iliac artery and showed the same long-term effective and safe outcome. CONCLUSION This cell-based vascular graft is ready to undergo clinical trials for human patients.

This study aims to acetylate Rehmannia glutinosa polysaccharides by acetic anhydride method, optimize process parameters and evaluate their antioxidant activity. With the degree of substitution(D_s) as a criterion, the effects of reaction time, acetic anhydride-to-polysaccharides ratio and temperature were investigated. Process parameters were optimized by single-factor experiment and response surface methodology. The infrared spectroscopy(IR) and scanning electron microscopy(SEM) proved the successful acetylation and were employed to preliminarily analyze the structural characteristics of acetylated derivatives. The results showed that the D_s was 0.327 under the optimal technological conditions, including m(acetic anhydride):m(R. glutinosa polysaccharides)=2.70, reaction time 3.0 h and temperature 48 ℃. Further, the antioxidant properties of acetylated derivatives were investigated in vitro and acetylation was found effective to improve the antioxidant activity of R. glutinosa polysaccharides. This study provides a reference for the further development and application of R. glutinosa polysaccharides.
Acetylation ; Antioxidants/pharmacology* ; Polysaccharides/pharmacology* ; Rehmannia/chemistry*

OBJECTIVES: To study the clinical and prognostic significance of the preferentially expressed antigen of melanoma (PRAME) gene in the absence of specific fusion gene expression in children with B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). METHODS: A total of 167 children newly diagnosed with B-ALL were enrolled, among whom 70 were positive for the PRAME gene and 97 were negative. None of the children were positive for MLL-r, BCR/ABL, E2A/PBX1, or ETV6/RUNX1. The PRAME positive and negative groups were analyzed in terms of clinical features, prognosis, and related prognostic factors. RESULTS: Compared with the PRAME negative group, the PRAME positive group had a significantly higher proportion of children with the liver extending >6 cm below the costal margin (P<0.05). There was a significant reduction in the PRAME copy number after induction chemotherapy (P<0.05). In the minimal residual disease (MRD) positive group after induction chemotherapy, the PRAME copy number was not correlated with the MRD level (P>0.05). In the MRD negative group, there was also no correlation between them (P>0.05). The PRAME positive group had a significantly higher 4-year event-free survival rate than the PRAME negative group (87.5%±4.6% vs 73.5%±4.6%, P<0.05), while there was no significant difference between the two groups in the 4-year overall survival rate (88.0%±4.4% vs 85.3%±3.8%, P>0.05). The Cox proportional-hazards regression model analysis showed that positive PRAME expression was a protective factor for event-free survival rate in children with B-ALL (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Although the PRAME gene cannot be monitored as MRD, overexpression of PRAME suggests a good prognosis in B-ALL.
Acute Disease ; Antigens, Neoplasm/therapeutic use* ; Child ; Humans ; Neoplasm, Residual/diagnosis* ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/genetics* ; Prognosis

Objective:To explore the efficacy and safety of Ganhai Weikang capsule (GWC) in the treatment of functional dyspepsia (FD).Methods:A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel, multi-center, superiority clinical trial was conducted. From March 2018 to April 2020, totally 324 patients with dyspepsia symptoms, who were diagnosed as chronic non-atrophic gastritis by endoscopy and pathology and met the Rome Ⅳ diagnostic criteria for FD from 7 top hospitals were enrolled, including the First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University (Shanghai Changhai Hospital), Heilongjiang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Capital Medical University and the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University. The patients were randomly divided into the GWC group and the placebo group according to the ratio of 1∶1. The patients of GWC group were given GWC and the patients of placebo group were given GWC capsule simulant. The patients of both groups orally took capsules before meals, 2.4 g each time and 3 times per day, and the course of treatment was 4 weeks. The main efficacy index was the total clinical effective rate after 4 weeks, and the secondary efficacy index was the changes of clinical symptom scores of upper abdominal pain, upper abdominal burning, postprandial fullness and early satiety. The safety index included laboratory tests and adverse events. Chi-square test and Wilcoxon rank sum test were used for statistical analysis.Results:A total of 320 FD patients were enrolled in the full analysis set (FAS), which included 161 cases in GWC group and 159 cases in placebo group. A total of 298 cases were in the per-protocol set (PPS), 149 cases each in GWC group and placebo group. The results of FAS and PPS both showed that the total clinical effective rates of the GWC group were higher than those of the placebo group (84.5%, 136/161 vs. 44.0%, 70/159 and 83.9%, 125/149 vs. 46.3%, 69/149), and the differences were statistically significant ( χ2=57.07 and 46.32, both P<0.001). In addition, the differences of the total score of main symptoms and each symptom (upper abdominal pain, upper abdominal burning, postprandial fullness and early satiety) before and after treatment of GWC group were all higher than those of the placebo group (FAS: 10 (7, 14) vs. 5 (3, 11); 3 (2, 4) vs. 2 (0, 3); 2 (0, 4) vs. 1 (0, 3); 3 (1, 4) vs. 2 (1, 3); 2 (0, 4) vs. 1 (0, 3). PPS: 10 (7, 13) vs. 5 (3, 11); 3 (2, 4) vs. 2 (0, 3); 2 (0, 4) vs. 1 (0, 2); 3 (1, 4) vs. 2 (1, 3); 2 (0, 4) vs.1 (0, 3)), and the differences were statistically significant (FAS: Z=5.80, 5.91, 3.19, 3.72 and 3.30; PPS: Z=5.14, 5.11, 2.86, 3.21 and 2.84; all P<0.01). The results of FAS and PPS indicated that the improvement rates of main symptoms and each symptom (upper abdominal pain, upper abdominal burning, postprandial fullness and early satiety) of GWC group were all higher than those of the placebo group (FAS: 77.8% (54.6%, 91.3%) vs. 42.9% (28.6%, 61.5%); 100.0% (60.0%, 100.0%) vs. 50.0% (25.0%, 60.0%); 100.0% (50.0%, 100.0%) vs. 50.0% (25.0%, 100.0%); 71.4% (33.3%, 100.0%) vs. 41.4% (25.0%, 66.7%); 100.0% (50.0%, 100.0%) vs. 50.0% (20.0%, 100.0%). PPS: 77.8% (54.2%, 89.5%) vs. 44.0% (28.6%, 65.0%); 100.0% (60.0%, 100.0%) vs. 50.0% (25.0%, 100.0%); 100.0% (50.0%, 100.0%) vs. 50.0% (25.0%, 100.0%); 71.4% (33.3%, 100.0%) vs. 46.4% (25.0%, 66.7%); 100.0% (50.0%, 100.0%) vs. 50.0% (20.0%, 100.0%)), and the differences were statistically significant (FAS: Z=8.60, 7.72, 4.98, 4.24 and 5.61; PPS: Z=7.90, 7.03, 4.49, 3.88 and 4.83; all P<0.001). After 2 weeks of treatment, the differences of the total score of main symptoms and score of each symptom (upper abdominal pain, upper abdominal burning and early satiety) before and after treatment of GWC group were all higher than those of the placebo group (5.0 (3.0, 8.0) vs. 4.0 (2.0, 6.0); 2.0 (1.0, 2.0) vs. 2.0 (0.0, 2.0); 1.5 (0.0, 2.0) vs. 1.0 (0.0, 2.0); 1.5 (0.0, 2.0) vs. 1.0 (0.0, 2.0)), and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=2.95, 3.44, 2.43 and 2.79, all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between the GWC group and the placebo group (0.6%, 1/163 vs. 0, 0/159). Conclusion:The clinical total effective rate of GWC in the treatment of FD is superior to that of placebo and it has good safety.

Aim To investigate the protective effect of mGluR5 activated by VU0360172 on germinal matrix hemorrhage in neonatal rats.Methods Seven day- old SD rats were randomly divided into Sham, GMH, and low-, medium-, and high-dose groups.The model was established by intracerebral injection of collagenase W-S.Then three doses of VU0360172 were injected intraperitoneal^ 3 h after surgery.Sham and GMH group were given the same amount of solvent.Neurobe- havioral tests were performed 24 h after surgery.Then the brain tissues were collected for evaluation of brain water content, brain hemoglobin content and HE stai¬ning.The expressions of Bcl-2 and cleaved-caspase-3 were determined by Western blot.Results Compared with Sham, GMH group had pooler behaviors in neuro- functional tests with increased brain water content and brain hemoglobin content (P < 0.01 ).And brain tis¬sues were destroyed significantly.WB results showed the expression level of Bcl-2 decreased ( P < 0.05 ) , while cleaved-caspase-3 being up-regulated ( P < 0.01).However, the administration of VU0360172 improved neurological function and ameliorated brain edema and hemorrhage ( P <0.01 ).Brain pathologi¬cal damage was reduced.Moreover, the stimulation of mGluR5 up-regulated Bcl-2 protein expression ( P < 0.05 ) and decreased the level of cleaved-caspase-3 ( P <0.01 ).Conclusion Activation of mGluR5 by VIJ0360172 protects against germinal matrix hemor¬rhage in neonatal rats.

Ischemic dysfunction is an important global health problem. Vascular endothelial cells(VECs) play a key role in angiogenesis, and insufficient vascular remodeling may lead to chronic nonhealing wounds. Therefore, effective VEC generation strategies of exploration help improve angiogenesisin damaged tissues. Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are widely used in the study of tissueendothelialization, and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are indispensable parts of the development ofVECs. The aims of this study were to find a rapid, easily screened and reproducible method for thederivation of EPCs from mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs), and obtain VECs with high survival ratesand strong functions from the directed differentiation of the EPCs. The results showed that mESCs weredifferentiated into " stepping stone" -like progenitor cells with active proliferative ability by 10 ng / mLVEGF and 5 ng / mL bFGF. At the same time, the method of differential adherence was helpful for theselection of EPCs, and EPCs induced high expression of CD133 and CD34 (The relative expressionlevels were 0. 88 ± 0. 04 and 2. 12 ± 0. 02, respectively) for 3 days. Then EPCs were digested withacctuse enzymes, and induced to differentiate into vascular endothelial-like cells by 50 ng / mL VEGF and25 ng / mL bFGF for 7 days. The endothelial cells not only expressed endothelial marker genes (CD31, CD144, LAMA5, Tek, KDR and vWF),and marker proteins CD31, CD144 and LAMA5 (The relativeexpression levels were 1. 07 ± 0. 03, 0. 60 ± 0. 02 and 0. 70 ± 0. 02, respectively), but also had thegood ability of migration, tubulogenesis and formation of W-P bodies. Moreover, PBS, EPC and VECwere used to treat wounds of the same size. Both EPC and VEC could accelerate the degree of tissuehealing (The relative healing rates were 78. 93 ± 75. 35%, 95. 57 ± 83. 73% and 100. 00 ± 0. 00%, respectively), and VEC significantly enhanced the ability of wound angiogenesis and inflammatoryresponses. In consequence, this study preliminarily confirmed that mESC-derived EPCs coulddifferentiate into VECs after directional induction for 7 days, which had good function of tissue repair. The physiological pathway on stem cells by stimulating angiogenesis is expected to become a new target fortissue remodeling.

Objective To research the monoclonal antibody KMP1 inhibited bladder cancer EJ cell lines growth and metastasis in vivo by bioluminescence imaging. Methods Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the KMP1 binding to EJ and EJ-GFP cell lines. The xenograft tumor cell growth and distribution were measured by vernier calipers and dynamic in vivo fluorescence imaging. Immunohistochemistry and H&E counterstaining researched the feature of the xenograft tumor. Results Cell growth curves of EJ and EJ-GFP cells were similar. EJ-GFP had a green fluorescence. In EJ-GFP nude mouse tumor model, the addition of KMP1 significantly inhibited tumor growth and extended the average life span of nude mice. Both EJ and EJ-GFP cells can bind to KMP1,and the weight of transplanted tumors in the KMP1 treatment group was significantly lower than that of the mIgG control group (P＜0.001).Conclusion KMP1 has a promising antitumor effect in vivo. It might be valuable for development as a promising targeted agent for bladder cancer.

Objective To assess the clinical effect of Percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic spinal surgery for central lumbar spinal stenosis.Methods Total 92 patients (44 males and 48 females with average age of 68.6± 12.4 years) with central lumbar spinal stenosis were enrolled in our study during February 2012 and July 2016.All patients were treated with Percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic spinal surgery.Clinical and Radiographic evaluation were investigated on 1 week,3 months,6 months,12 months postoperatively and final follow-up.Visual analogue scale (VAS) for low back pain and leg pain,Oswestry disability index(ODI) for low back pain were used to evaluate the clinical efficacy of surgery.Pre and postoperative Dural sac cross sectional area(DSCA) was measured.And the correlation between changes of DSCA and clinical efficacy was analyzed.Results The operation time was 45-1 15 min.The mean operation time was 75±15 min.the mean blood loss was 15±5 ml (range 8-50 ml).All patients were followed for 12-46 months (24.5±5.3 months).VAS for low back pain,VAS for leg pain,and OD1 were significantly improved from 6.75± 1.28,7.79± 1.15 and 39.82％ ±5.06％ preoperatively to 2.21± 1.08,2.16± 1.14 and 9.82％ ±3.69％ at the latest follow-up.Dural sac cross sectional area significantly increased from 55.35±12.18 mm2 preoperatively to (102.36±15.38) mm2 at the latest follow-up.Correlation coefficient with DSCA change was-0.480 for ODI change,-0.612 for VAS(low back pain) change,-0.637 for VAS (leg pain)(P ＜ 0.05);obvious positive correlation existed between the change of DSCA and patient's clinical efficacy.It showed that the change of DSCA was positively correlated with the patient's clinical efficacy.The clinical results were excellent in 56 cases.good in 29,fair in 4,and poor in 3 based on the MacNab criteria.92.39％ demonstrated a good-to-excellent outcome.One case occurred cauterizing syndrome,3 cases of recurrence,and 2 cases of Dural tear.There was no severe vascular or nerve injury.Conclusion Percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic spinal surgery provides a new minimally invasive treatment for central lumbar spinal stenosis.It is safe and effective.It is found that the change of DSCA is positively correlated with the clinical efficacy of surgery.

To establish the ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) fingerprint of Dandeng Tongnao Ruanjiaonang and conduct a systemic, comprehensive quality evaluation of the drug by combining with a chemical pattern recognition method. In this study, Waters UPLC ultra-high performance liquid chromatography instrument and ACQUITY UPLCHSS T3 chromatographic colum n were employed to perform the separation with acetonitrile-0.1% formic acid aqueous solution as the mobile phase for gradient elution; and the detection wavelength was set at 256 nm to establish the UPLC fingerprint of 10 batches of Dandeng Tongnao Ruanjiaonang. Then, the further quality assessment of the drug was carried out by similarity evaluation, Cluster Analysis(CA), Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). Finally, 77 peaks were recognised as common peaks in the fingerprint, and 15 peaks of them were identified using standard references. The similarity value of these 10 batches of drugs was all above 0.960, indicating a relatively stable quality. But minor differences were still discovered between the batches of the drug by CA and PCA. Finally, 6 common peaks were recognised as the quality makers using OPLS-DA method. The analysis method established in this study was scientific, accurate, reliable and simple; fingerprint combined with chemical pattern recognition technique can be used to systematically and comprehensively evaluate the drug quality of Dandeng Tongnao Ruanjiaonang; what's more, it could also provide a reference for the quality control of traditional Chinese medicine and its preparations at the same time.