ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the role of suPAR in the pathogenesis of podocyte injury in FSGS. Methods① The sera of primary FSGS patients （17 cases） were collected. Healthy volunteers （10 cases） and patients with other types of primary nephrotic syndrome （10 cases） were set as normal and disease controls. SuPAR levels were detected by ELISA； ② Podocytes were stimulated by suPAR in vitro， and cells were collected to analyze apoptosis by flow cytometry and for RNAseq analysis； ③ Differentially expressed genes （DEGs） were screened from RNAseq data. Both up-regulated and down-regulated genes were analyzed by KEGG and GO enrichment analysis. Heat map was used to show expression of genes related to podocyte focal adhesion， slit diaphragm and actin dynamics and endocytosis. Differentially expressed genes were verified by qPCR. Results① The level of suPAR in FSGS patients was significantly increased， and that in other nephrotic syndrome（NS） patients was also significantly increased； ② suPAR stimulation significantly altered the transcriptome pattern of human podocytes. A total of 272 up-regulated genes and 288 down-regulated genes were screened； ③ KEGG and GO enrichment analysis of up-regulated and down-regulated genes showed that Focal adhesion and DNA replication and DNA repair related pathways were significantly down-regulated； ④ suPAR did not increase podocyte apoptosis. ConclusionThe level of suPAR is significantly increased in patients with primary FSGS. SuPAR may promote podocyte injury by interfering with genomic homeostasis and disrupting focal adhesion， slit diaphragm， actin dynamics and endocytosis-related functional molecules of podocytes.

Background::To date, there is no effective medicine to treat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and the antiviral efficacy of arbidol in the treatment for COVID-19 remained equivocal and controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of arbidol tablets in the treatment of COVID-19.Methods::This was a prospective, open-label, controlled and multicenter investigator-initiated trial involving adult patients with confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Patients were stratified 1:2 to either standard-of-care (SOC) or SOC plus arbidol tablets (oral administration of 200 mg per time, three times a day for 14 days). The primary endpoint was negative conversion of SARS-CoV-2 within the first week. The rates and 95% confidential intervals were calculated for each variable.Results::A total of 99 patients with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection were enrolled; 66 were assigned to the SOC plus arbidol tablets group, and 33 to the SOC group. The negative conversion rate of SARS-CoV-2 within the first week in patients receiving arbidol tablets was significantly higher than that of the SOC group (70.3% [45/64] vs. 42.4% [14/33]; difference of conversion rate 27.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 7.7%-48.1%; P = 0.008). Compared to those in the SOC group, patients receiving arbidol tablets had a shorter duration of clinical recovery (median 7.0 days vs. 12.0 days; hazard ratio [HR]: 1.877, 95% CI: 1.151-3.060, P = 0.006), symptom of fever (median 3.0 days vs. 12.0 days; HR: 18.990, 95% CI: 5.350-67.410, P < 0.001), as well as hospitalization (median 12.5 days vs. 20.0 days; P < 0.001). Moreover, the addition of arbidol tablets to SOC led to more rapid normalization of declined blood lymphocytes (median 10.0 days vs. 14.5 days; P > 0.05). The most common adverse event in the arbidol tablets group was the elevation of transaminase (5/200, 2.5%), and no one withdrew from the study due to adverse events or disease progression. Conclusions::SOC plus arbidol tablets significantly increase the negative conversion rate of SARS-CoV-2 within the first week and accelerate the recovery of COVID-19 patients. During the treatment with arbidol tablets, we find no significant serious adverse events.Trial registration::Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, NCT04260594, www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04260594?term= NCT04260594&draw=2&rank=1

BACKGROUND: Shenyankangfu Tablet (SYKFT) is a Chinese patent medicine that has been used widely to decrease proteinuria and the progression of chronic kidney disease. OBJECTIVE: This trial compared the efficacy and safety of SYKFT, for the control of proteinuria in primary glomerulonephritis patients, against the standard drug, losartan potassium. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTION: This was a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial. Primary glomerulonephritis patients, aged 18-70 years, with blood pressure ≤ 140/90 mmHg, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥ 45 mL/min per 1.73 m MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was change in the 24-hour proteinuria level, after 48 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: A total of 735 participants were enrolled. The percent decline of urine protein quantification in the SYKFT group after 48 weeks was 8.78% ± 2.56% (P = 0.006) more than that in the losartan 50 mg group, which was 0.51% ± 2.54% (P = 1.000) less than that in the losartan 100 mg group. Compared with the losartan potassium 50 mg group, the SYKFT plus losartan potassium 50 mg group had a 13.39% ± 2.49% (P < 0.001) greater reduction in urine protein level. Compared with the losartan potassium 100 mg group, the SYKFT plus losartan potassium 100 mg group had a 9.77% ± 2.52% (P = 0.001) greater reduction in urine protein. With a superiority threshold of 15%, neither was statistically significant. eGFR, serum creatinine and serum albumin from the baseline did not change statistically significant. The average change in TCM syndrome score between the patients who took SYKFT (-3.00 [-6.00, -2.00]) and who did not take SYKFT (-2.00 [-5.00, 0]) was statistically significant (P = 0.003). No obvious adverse reactions were observed in any group. CONCLUSION: SYKFT decreased the proteinuria and improved the TCM syndrome scores of primary glomerulonephritis patients, with no change in the rate of decrease in the eGFR. SYKFT plus losartan potassium therapy decreased proteinuria more than losartan potassium therapy alone. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT02063100 on ClinicalTrials.gov.

Background: Automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) can cater to individual needs, provide treatment while asleep, take into account the adequacy of dialysis, and improve the quality of life. Currently, independent research and development of APD machines made in China are more conducive to patients. A randomized, multicenter, crossover study was conducted by comparing an APD machine made in China with an imported machine. The safety, effectiveness, and manipulability of the two machines were compared. Methods: Two hundred and sixty patients who underwent peritoneal dialysis (PD) on a regular basis in 18 centers between August 2015 and February 2016 were included. The inclusion criteria include age ≥18 years and PD ≥30 days. The exclusion criteria were as follows: hemodialysis; exit site or tunnel infection; and peritonitis ≤30 days. The patients were randomly divided into Group A, who were first treated with a FM machine made in China, then changed to an imported machine; and Group B, who were treated using the reverse sequence. APD treatment was performed with 10 L/10 h and 5 cycles of exchange. After 72 h, the daily peritoneal Kt/V, the accuracy of the injection rate, accuracy of the injection temperature, safety, and manipulability of the machine were assessed. Noninferiority test was conducted between the two groups. Results: The daily peritoneal Kt/V in the APD machine made in China and the imported APD machine were 0.17 (0.14, 0.25) and 0.16 (0.13, 0.23), respectively. There was no significant difference between the groups (Z = 0.15, P = 0.703). The lower limit of the daily Kt/V difference between the two groups was 0.0069, which was greater than the noninferiority value of -0.07 in this study. The accuracy of the injection rate and injection temperature was 89.7% and 91.5%, respectively, in the domestic APD machine, which were both slightly better than the accuracy rates of 84.0% and 86.8% in the imported APD machine (89.7% vs. 84.0%, P = 0.2466; 91.5% vs. 86.8%, P = 0.0954). Therefore, the APD machine made in China was not inferior to the imported APD machine. The fuselage of the imported APD machine was space-saving, while the APD machine made in China was superior with respect to body mobility, man-machine dialog operation, alarm control, and patient information recognition. Conclusions: The FM machine made in China was not inferior to the imported APD machine. In addition, the FM machine made in China had better operability. Trial Registration Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02525497; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?cond=&term=NCT02525497&cntry=& state=&city=&dist=.
Adult ; China ; Cross-Over Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multicenter Studies as Topic ; Peritoneal Dialysis ; adverse effects ; instrumentation ; methods ; Quality of Life ; Temperature

Background:Functional dyspepsia (FD)with anxiety and gastric hypersensitivity is still one of the therapeutic difficulties in clinic. Gastrodin (Gas)may have dual effects of modulating gastric sensitivity and anxiety. Aims:To investigate the effect of Gas on gastric sensitivity and anxiety-like behavior in FD with anxiety-like gastric hypersensitivity in rats. Methods:Forty rats were randomly divided into control group,model group,buspirone group,low-dose Gas group and high-dose Gas group. Maternal separation,acute gastric irritation and restraint stress were sequentially performed to induce FD model with anxiety-like gastric hypersensitivity. At the 8th week,rats in control group and model group were intraperitoneally injected with 0. 9% NaCl solution 2. 0 mL/ kg,rats in buspirone group were given buspirone 3. 125 mg/kg,and rats in low- and high-dose Gas groups were given 62. 5,125. 0 mg/ kg Gas,respectively. The course was 7 days. Then elevated plus maze (EPM),open field test,abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR)and electromyography (EMG) were performed. Results:Compared with control group,EPM test showed that proportions of open arms entries and duration were significantly decreased (P < 0. 01);open field test showed that virtual central grids duration (P < 0. 05),number of virtual grids climbed and times of lifting were significantly decreased (P < 0. 01);when gastric balloon dilatation pressure was equal or greater than 40 mm Hg,AWR score,area under ROC curve (AUC)of EMG was significantly increased in model group (P < 0. 05). Compared with model group,above-mentioned indices in low- and high-dose Gas groups were significantly ameliorated (P < 0. 05). Conclusions:Gas could influence the gastric sensitivity and anxiety-like behavior of the brain-stomach axis regulated anxiety-like gastric hypersensitivity in FD rat model.

Objective To establish an anxiety-like gastric hypersensitivity ( GHS) rat model of functional dyspep-sia induced by new sequential stress. Methods Twenty-six male 1-day-old Sprague-Dawley rat pups were randomly di-vided into control and model groups ( n=13 in each group) . The model rats received sequential stress from postnatal day 2:neonatal maternal separation (NMS), acute gastric irritation (AGI) and restraint stress (RS). The control rats were reared freely with their mothers without undergoing the sequential stress. From postnatal 8th week all rats started to receive elevated plus maze ( EPM ) , open field test ( OF ) , abdominal withdrawal reflex ( AWR ) and electromyographic test ( EMG) . Results EPM and OF experiments depicted that the model rats showed obvious anxiety-like behavior ( P<0. 05 or P<0. 01). AWR and EMG tests exhibited that the model rats had elevated gastric hypersensitivity to gastric distention (P<0. 05 or P<0. 01). Conclusions An anxiety-like GHS rat model of functional dyspepsia can be successfully estab-lished with our new method of sequential stress.

China ; Heart Transplantation ; methods ; Humans

Objective To investigate distribution and antimicrobial resistance among nosocomial pathogens from 13 teaching hospitals in China in 2009. Methods Non-repetitive pathogens from nosocomial BSI, HAP and IAI were collected and sent to the central lab for MIC determination by agar dilution method.WHONET5.6 software was used to analyze the data. Results A total of 2 502 clinical isolates were collected. The top three pathogens of BSI were Escherichia coli [27. 1% (285/1 052 )] , coagulase-negutive staphylococcus [12. 6% ( 133/1 052)] and Klebsiella pneumoniae [10. 8% ( 114/1 052)]. The top three pathogens of HAP were Acinetobacter baumannii [28. 8% (226/785)], Pseudomonas aeruginosa [16. 1% (126/785)] and Klebsiella pneumoniae [14.6% (115/785 )] . The top three pathogens of IAI were Escherichia coli[31.0% ( 206/665 )], Klebsiella pneumonia [11.3% ( 75/665 )] and Enterococcus faecium [10. 8% (72/665)]. Against Escherichia coil and Klebsiella spp. , the antimicrobial agents with higher than 80% susceptibility rate included imipenem and meropenem (98. 1%-100% ), tigecycline (95.3%-100% ), piperacillin-tazobactam ( 88.6% -97. 1% ) and amikacin ( 88. 3% -92. 5% ). Against Enterobacter spp. , Citrobacter spp. and Serratia spp. , the susceptibility rates of tigecycline were 93.5% -100% whereas the value of imipenem and meropenem were 92.9% -100%. Other antimicrobial agents with high activity included amikacin ( 85.2% -96. 7% ), pipcracillin-tazobactam ( 82.4% -96.4% ), cefepime ( 79. 6% -96. 7% ) and cefoperazonc-sulbactam (78. 7%-90. 0% ). Polymyxin B showed the highest susceptibility rateagainst Pseudomonas aeruginosa ( 100% ), followed by amikacin ( 81.9% ) and piperacillin-tazobactam (80.1% ). Polymyxin B also showed the highest susceptibility rate against Acinetobacter baumannii (98. 8% ), followed by tigecycline (90. 1% ) and minocycline (72. 0% ). The incidence of carbapenemresistant Acinetobacter baumannii was 60. 1%. The MRSA rate was 60. 2% and the MRSCoN rate was 84. 2%. All Staphylococcus strains were susceptible to tigecycline, vancomycin, teicoplanin and linezolid except for one isolate of Staphylococcus haemolysis with intermediate to teicoplanin. Two Enterococcus faecalis isolates which were intermediate to linezolid and one Enterococcus faecium isolate which was resistant to vancomycin and teicoplanin was found in this surveillance, while the MICs of tigecycline against these three isolates were 0. 032-0. 064 μg/ml. Conclusions Tigecycline, carbapenems, piperacillin-tazobactam,amikacin and cefepime remain relatively high activity against nosocomial Enterobacteriaceae. Pseudomonas aeruginosa exhibite high susceptibility to polymyxin B, while Acinetobacter baumanni shows high susceptibility to polymyxin B and tigecycline. Tigecycline, vancomycin, teicoplanin and linezolid remain high activity against nosocomial gram-positive cocci.

ObjectiveTo identify the early predictors of refractory epilepsy (RE). MethodsAll 173 epileptic patients with correct diagnosis and reasonable treatment were enrolled. The 106 patients were classified as drug non-responsive epilepsy (DNR-EP). The remaining 63 patients were classified as drugresponsive epilepsy (DR-EP). With multiple logistic regression, the clinical characteristics between the two groups were compared to identify the early predictors of RE. ResultsMultiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated that more than 10 seizures before treatment (OR =4. 46, 95％ CI 1.60-12. 40, P =0. 004),mental retardation at early time ( OR =19. 87, 95％ CI 3. 60-109. 78, P =0. 001 ) and abnormal electroencephalogram(EEG) with epileptiform wave after treatment ( OR =7.57, 95％ CI 2. 54-22. 56,P ＜0. 01 ) were independent predictors of RE.Response to initial therapy was a protective factor of RE (OR=0.05, 95％ CI 0.018-0. 139, P＜0.01). ConclusionPatients who have many seizures before treatment, mental retardation at the early time, epileptiform abnormality in EEG after treatment and who are resistant to initial therapy are likely to develop into refractory epilepsy.

To investigate the profile of gene expression in American ginseng (Panax quinquefolium L.) and discover its functional genes, for the first time, expressed sequence tags (EST) library of four-year-old American ginseng roots has been established. According to BLAST and Gene Ontology analysis, eleven genes, encoding cytochrome P450, glucosyltransferase, farnesyltransferase and cyclase family protein, are found to be associated with ginsenosides biosynthesis. Six other genes are obtained encoding auxin-regulated protein, auxin response factor 4 and auxin-repressed protein in the roots of American ginseng. In addition, thirteen expressed transcripts are stress-connected proteins and twelve expressed other transcripts are closely related to plant defense in four-year-old American ginseng roots. Furthermore, 62 genes no hit in BLAST and in Interproscan may be new genes. These results indicate EST is an useful tool for research on functional genomics of P. quinquefolium and it can be applied to the molecular modification of the ginsenosides biosynthetic pathway ultimately for improving the quality of American ginseng germplasm.
DNA, Plant ; genetics ; Expressed Sequence Tags ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Library ; Genes, Plant ; Ginsenosides ; biosynthesis ; Panax ; genetics ; Plant Roots ; genetics ; Plants, Medicinal ; genetics