Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are immature endothelial cells that can proliferate and differentiate into mature endothelial cells. After vascular injury, EPCs migrate from the bone marrow to the ischemic area, participating in damaged endothelial repair and neovascularization, providing a new potential therapeutic approach for vascular diseases including ischemic stroke. This article reviews the feasibility and limitations of EPCs as potential therapeutic targets for ischemic stroke.

Rapid development of high-throughput technologies has permitted the identification of an increasing number of disease-associated genes (DAGs), which are important for understanding disease initiation and developing precision therapeutics. However, DAGs often contain large amounts of redundant or false positive information, leading to difficulties in quantifying and prioritizing potential relationships between these DAGs and human diseases. In this study, a network-oriented gene entropy approach (NOGEA) is proposed for accurately inferring master genes that contribute to specific diseases by quantitatively calculating their perturbation abilities on directed disease-specific gene networks. In addition, we confirmed that the master genes identified by NOGEA have a high reliability for predicting disease-specific initiation events and progression risk. Master genes may also be used to extract the underlying information of different diseases, thus revealing mechanisms of disease comorbidity. More importantly, approved therapeutic targets are topologically localized in a small neighborhood of master genes in the interactome network, which provides a new way for predicting drug-disease associations. Through this method, 11 old drugs were newly identified and predicted to be effective for treating pancreatic cancer and then validated by in vitro experiments. Collectively, the NOGEA was useful for identifying master genes that control disease initiation and co-occurrence, thus providing a valuable strategy for drug efficacy screening and re-positioning. NOGEA codes are publicly available at https://github.com/guozihuaa/NOGEA.

Objective:To investigate the influence of the prevalence and co-prevalence of risk factors for metabolic syndrome on the scores of different levels of metabolic syndrome in people receiving physical examination in Urumqi.Methods:Using the 2017 Xinjiang Health Examination Database, a total of 175 927 people from 7 districts and 1 county in Urumqi were selected as subjects. Face-to-face survey and body measurements were used to collect cardiovascular risk factors and metabolic syndrome scores. Metabolic syndrome scores were used. For the 0-5 points at 6 levels, χ2, χ2 trend test, correlation analysis of ordered variable Kendall’s tau-b, and logistic regression analysis of ordered results were used to analyze the influence of prevalence and co-prevalence of behavioral risk factors on the MS scores. Results:The percentages of 6 metabolic syndrome scores in the sample population were 23.82 %, 27.87 %, 22.41 %, 16.03 %, 8.02 %, and 1.85 %, respectively. The scores of metabolic syndrome were different in different age groups, ethnic groups, groups with different drinking rates, and groups with different dietary types, with the differences all significant ( P<0.05).The MS score in men increased with the increase of oil/salt rate and excessive drinking rate ( P<0.01). The score in women increased with the increase of the current smoking rate, oil/salt rate, and increased with the decrease of physical activity ( P≤0.01). There was no significant difference in the distribution of regular drinking rates between different score groups ( P>0.05). The scores of metabolic syndrome increased with the increase of risk factors ( P<0.05). Ordered results logistic analysis found that in the men with ≥3 risk factors and the metabolic syndrome score was 1.15 (1.06-1.26) times higher than that in the men without risk factor, as well as in women with 2 risk factors and≥3 risk factors. The metabolic syndrome scores were 1.38 (1.22-1.55), 2.02 (1.53-2.66) times higher than those in the women without risk factors. Conclusions:The physical examination group in Urumqi, the more the metabolic syndrome disease behavior risk factors clustered, the higher the metabolic syndrome score was. Therefore, comprehensive intervention measures should be taken to control the different forms of metabolic syndrome to prevent the occurrence and progress of the disease.

Inorganic arsenic (iAs) is a metalloid element that exists widely in the environment. Chronic iAs exposure may result in various types of cancer and chronic diseases. Although the mechanism of iAs toxicity is complicated, oxidative stress is the most crucial one that has been verified. Accumulating domestic and foreign epidemiological evidence shows that chronic iAs exposure through drinking water is strongly correlated with the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Mechanistic studies display that iAs exposure causes pancreaticβ-cell dysfunction and insulin resistance. The dynamic balance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and antioxidant response is one of the key factors maintaining normal physiological function. ROS plays a significant role in regulating glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and insulin signal transduction. This paper reviews the role of adaptive antioxidant response mediated by nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 ( Nrf2 ) in ROS signaling disorder resulted from chronic iAs exposure, and ROS signaling in the physiological function of pancreatic β-cell.

OBJECTIVE:To establish a method for the simultaneous determination of loganic acid and isoscoparin in Sanwei longdanhua tablets. METHODS:HPLC method was adopted. The determination was performed on Inertsil ODS-3 column with mobile phase consisted of methanol-0.2% phosphoric acid (gradient elution) at the flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The detection wavelength was set at 240 nm,and column temperature was 30 ℃. The sample size was 10 μL. RESULTS:The linear range were 0.040 08-4.008 0 μg(r＝0.999 9)for loganic acid and 0.021 96-2.196 0 μg(r＝0.999 9)for isoscoparin. The quantitative limits were 0.160 32 and 0.087 8 ng/mL,and detection limits were 0.080 16 and 0.043 92 ng/mL. RSDs of precision,stability and reproducibility tests were all lower than 2%. The recoveries were 103.07%-104.26%(RSD＝0.52%,n＝6) and 95.57%-99.61%(RSD＝1.55%,n＝6). CONCLUSIONS:The method is simple,accurate and suitable for simultaneous determination of loganic acid and isoscoparin in Sanwei longdanhua tablets.

Objective To study the distribution characteristics of intraperitoneal free gas and the location value of the site of gastrointestinal perforation using multi-slice CT (MSCT).Methods 60 cases of gastrointestinal perforation were retrospectively collected.The distribution of the intraperitoneal free gas in CT image was analyzed and observed.The digestive tract were divided to the upper digestive tract and the lower digestive tract by Treitz ligament.The distribution of the intraperitoneal free gas was analyzed using χ2 test.The distribution of the intraperitoneal free gas between each different perforational site was analyzed.Results 38 cases of the site of gastrointestinal perforation located in upper gastrointestinal tract and 22 cases located in lower gastrointestinal tract,there was statistically significant difference between the upper digestive tract and the lower digestive tract about the distribution of the intraperitoneal free gas(χ2=22.33,P<0.001).In the cases of upper gastrointestinal tract perforation,13 cases of the site located in stomach and 25 cases located in doudenum,there was no statistically significant difference between stomach and duodenum(χ2=1.97,P>0.05).In the cases of lower gastrointestinal tract perforation,11 cases of the site located in bowel and 11 cases located in colon,there was statistically significant difference between bowel and colon(χ2=8.98,P<0.05).Conclusion The MSCT distribution of the intraperitoneal free gas has important value in localization diagnosis of gastrointestinal perforation.

Objective To explore the effect of preventing skin tears with prevention protocol based on guideline. Methods According to International Guideline of Prevention Skin Tears to discuss and make prevention protocol, including prediction risk people, prevention fall and fall from bed with auxiliary means, wearing long sleeves clothes, using emollient on skin twice a day, providing nutrients and water, prevention friction and shear force with movement skills, totally six comprehensive measures. Wound care team trained backbone nurses the measures and backbone nurses trained clinical nurses. Before and after intervention 5 month and 17 month, every patient with age more than 18 years and hospitalized more than 24 hours was checked skin from head to toes in order to observe and compare skin tears incidence and practicable rate of prevention measures by cross-sectional survey.Results Before intervention, skin tears incidence was 0.77%(12/1 558), and skin tears incidence after intervention 5 month and 17 month was 0.16%(3/1 777) and 0.22%(4/1 825) ( P<0.05) . Practicable rate of 6 measures in patients with risk and with skin tears after intervention 5 month and 17 month was increased than that before intervention which was unsatisfactory (P>0.05).Conclusions Preven-tion skin tears protocol can reduce skin tears incidence, but practicable rate need be improved. In future nurses training, guidance and management bedside should be strengthened in order to enhance practicable rate of prevention measures.

Objective To explore the relationship between blood pressure variability and worsening functional outcomes of patients upon discharge from the hospitals.Methods The study cohort consisted of 404 patients who presented to Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University with ischemic stroke during March 2012-March 2013.Systolic BP and diastolic BP were measured for each patient from admission to the fifth day and coefficient of variation blood pressure calculated.Disability at discharge was measured by the modified Rankin score(mRs).Chi-square test,t-test and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed.Results After adjustment for potential confounding factors including age,sex,activity,smoking,alcohol intake,BMI,heart rate,hypertension,diabetes mellitus,stroke history,lipid parameters,homocysteine and FPG,results from the multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that when DBP variability was greater than 9,it was associated with a significantly worse functional outcome at hospital discharge compared with those less than 9,with the odds ratio as 1.70(95％CI:1.02-2.84).When comparing the ones that DBP variability more than 10 with the ones less than 10,the odds ratio was 1.86 (95％CI:1.11-3.13).However,there was no significant association seen between SBP variability and the worse functional outcome at hospital discharge.Conclusion Blood pressure variability might be associated with ischemic stroke outcome at hospital discharge but needed more evidence to approve.

Objective To explore the application and effect of case-based learning(CBL)in vas-cular surgery clinical teaching. Methods Totally 37 resident doctors were randomly divided into 2 groups respectively: CBL teaching group (n=21)and traditional teaching group (n=16). CBL teaching was con-ducted through the following procedures:selecting typical cases-establishing and applying typical case library-autonomous learning-holding regular seminars. Traditional teaching was conducted through the following procedures: basic theory studying-participating in clinical practice-participating in case discus-sion. Evaluation was conducted based on test socre (written test and clinical operational skill test)and res-idents' feedback of teaching effect. Data were statistically described and independent sample t test was performed. Results Theoretical exam score and clinical skill test score were high in CBL group than in traditional group ((thoretical score:(85.53 ±1.75) vs. (79.94 ±2.29);clinical skill test score:(85.10±1.64)vs.(80.31±1.82)). CBL teaching group had advantages in improving learning efficiency, cultivat-ing clinical thinking,promoting mastery and application of knowledge,broadening knowledge, promoting communication and expression ability and improving study enthusiasm ,et al . Conclusion CBL teaching can effectively improve the teaching quality and obtain higher evaluation. Typical case li-brary should be constantly improved and education of vascular surgical basic theory should be strength-ened to promote CBL.

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical changes of salvianolic acid B and lithospermic acid of Salvia miltiorrhiza under the conditions of high temperature and high pressure and explore the reaction mechanism.

METHODS. miltiorrhiza extracts, salvianolic acid B and lithospermic acid were put in the reactor under the conditions of high temperature and high pressure (120 degrees C, 0.2 MPa), and the chemical changes and stability was studied.

RESULTSalvianolic acid A was the primary product in salvianolic acid B and lithospermic acid's conversion process, and lithospermic acid was an intermediate in the conversion process of salvianolic acid B. Compared with salvianolic acid B, lithospermic acid could convert into more salvianolic acid A and fewer other products in the same conditions. Salvianolic acid A was not stable under the conditions of high temperature and high pressure, and could sequentially convert into other small molecules.

CONCLUSIONReferring to the chemical conversion of salvianolic acid B and lithospermic acid, a method of large-scale preparation of salvianolic acid A can be developed.

Benzofurans ; analysis ; Caffeic Acids ; analysis ; Depsides ; analysis ; Hot Temperature ; Lactates ; analysis ; Pressure ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry