ObjectiveBased on the theory of "gut-prostate" axis， this study explored the effects and mechanisms of Zishen Tongguan formula and Cinnamomi Cortex in the formula in treating rats with chronic non-bacterial prostatitis（CNP） by detecting the levels of inflammatory factors， and the composition and structure of intestinal flora in CNP rats. MethodsEight out of 42 SD rats were randomly selected as the normal group， and the remaining rats were injected with carrageenan to prepare the CNP model. After successful modeling， 32 rats were randomly divided into the model group， Ningmitai capsule group（0.50 g·kg^-1）， Zishen Tongguan formula group（2.00 g·kg^-1）， and the Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex-Anemarrhenae Rhizoma pair group（PCC-AR group， 2.00 g·kg^-1）， with 8 rats in each group. The administered groups were given the corresponding medicinal solution by gavage， and the normal and model groups were intragastrically administered with an equal volume of normal saline， once a day for 14 consecutive days. The prostate tissues of rats were collected and subjected to hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining and Masson staining to observe the pathological changes of the tissues in each group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA） was used to detect the levels of related inflammatory factors in rat serum， and 16S rDNA sequencing was used to analyze the abundance and diversity changes of gut microbiota before and after administration， and species difference analysis was performed. ResultsAll the administered groups could alleviate the inflammatory symptoms of CNP rats， increase the expression levels of anti-inflammatory factors and decrease the expression levels of pro-inflammatory factors， with the most sIgnificant effect observed in the Zishen Tongguan formula group. Compared with the normal group， the expression levels of interleukin（IL）-8， hypersensitive C-reactive protein（hs-CRP）， immunoglobulin（Ig）M， secretory IgA （sIgA）， and inducible nitric oxide synthase（iNOS） were sIgnificantly increased in the model group（P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the expression levels of the above inflammatory factors in all administered groups were significantly reduced（P<0.01）. When compared with the PCC-AR group， the Zishen Tongguan formula group showed a significant decrease in transforming growth factor（TGF）-β₁ expression level（P<0.05） and a significant increase in IgM expression level（P<0.01）. The results of gut microbiota analysis showed that， compared with the PCC-AR group， at the order level， the Zishen Tongguan formula group significantly reduced the relative abundance of conditional pathogens such as Bacteroidales， Acidaminococcales， Rhodospirillales， Clostridiales， and Elusimicrobiales（P<0.01）. And at the genus level， the Zishen Tongguan formula group significantly decreased the relative abundance of pathogenic microbiota such as Lachnospira and Bacteroides（P<0.01） and significantly increased the relative abundances of beneficial microbiota such as Ruminococcus and Lactobacillus（P<0.01）. ConclusionZishen Tongguan formula can reduce the level of harmful intestinal bacteria， increase the level of beneficial intestinal bacteria， down-regulate the expression of serum inflammatory factors， and the small amount of Cinnamomi Cortex in the formula may play a key role in the treatment of CNP with this formula.

ObjectiveBased on the theory of "gut-prostate" axis， this study explored the effects and mechanisms of Zishen Tongguan formula and Cinnamomi Cortex in the formula in treating rats with chronic non-bacterial prostatitis（CNP） by detecting the levels of inflammatory factors， and the composition and structure of intestinal flora in CNP rats. MethodsEight out of 42 SD rats were randomly selected as the normal group， and the remaining rats were injected with carrageenan to prepare the CNP model. After successful modeling， 32 rats were randomly divided into the model group， Ningmitai capsule group（0.50 g·kg^-1）， Zishen Tongguan formula group（2.00 g·kg^-1）， and the Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex-Anemarrhenae Rhizoma pair group（PCC-AR group， 2.00 g·kg^-1）， with 8 rats in each group. The administered groups were given the corresponding medicinal solution by gavage， and the normal and model groups were intragastrically administered with an equal volume of normal saline， once a day for 14 consecutive days. The prostate tissues of rats were collected and subjected to hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining and Masson staining to observe the pathological changes of the tissues in each group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA） was used to detect the levels of related inflammatory factors in rat serum， and 16S rDNA sequencing was used to analyze the abundance and diversity changes of gut microbiota before and after administration， and species difference analysis was performed. ResultsAll the administered groups could alleviate the inflammatory symptoms of CNP rats， increase the expression levels of anti-inflammatory factors and decrease the expression levels of pro-inflammatory factors， with the most sIgnificant effect observed in the Zishen Tongguan formula group. Compared with the normal group， the expression levels of interleukin（IL）-8， hypersensitive C-reactive protein（hs-CRP）， immunoglobulin（Ig）M， secretory IgA （sIgA）， and inducible nitric oxide synthase（iNOS） were sIgnificantly increased in the model group（P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the expression levels of the above inflammatory factors in all administered groups were significantly reduced（P<0.01）. When compared with the PCC-AR group， the Zishen Tongguan formula group showed a significant decrease in transforming growth factor（TGF）-β₁ expression level（P<0.05） and a significant increase in IgM expression level（P<0.01）. The results of gut microbiota analysis showed that， compared with the PCC-AR group， at the order level， the Zishen Tongguan formula group significantly reduced the relative abundance of conditional pathogens such as Bacteroidales， Acidaminococcales， Rhodospirillales， Clostridiales， and Elusimicrobiales（P<0.01）. And at the genus level， the Zishen Tongguan formula group significantly decreased the relative abundance of pathogenic microbiota such as Lachnospira and Bacteroides（P<0.01） and significantly increased the relative abundances of beneficial microbiota such as Ruminococcus and Lactobacillus（P<0.01）. ConclusionZishen Tongguan formula can reduce the level of harmful intestinal bacteria， increase the level of beneficial intestinal bacteria， down-regulate the expression of serum inflammatory factors， and the small amount of Cinnamomi Cortex in the formula may play a key role in the treatment of CNP with this formula.

Background/Aims: Despite the high efficacy of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), approximately 1–3% of hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients fail to achieve a sustained virological response. We conducted a nationwide study to investigate risk factors associated with DAA treatment failure. Machine-learning algorithms have been applied to discriminate subjects who may fail to respond to DAA therapy. Methods: We analyzed the Taiwan HCV Registry Program database to explore predictors of DAA failure in HCV patients. Fifty-five host and virological features were assessed using multivariate logistic regression, decision tree, random forest, eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and artificial neural network. The primary outcome was undetectable HCV RNA at 12 weeks after the end of treatment. Results: The training (n=23,955) and validation (n=10,346) datasets had similar baseline demographics, with an overall DAA failure rate of 1.6% (n=538). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, poor DAA adherence, and higher hemoglobin A1c were significantly associated with virological failure. XGBoost outperformed the other algorithms and logistic regression models, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 1.000 in the training dataset and 0.803 in the validation dataset. The top five predictors of treatment failure were HCV RNA, body mass index, α-fetoprotein, platelets, and FIB-4 index. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the XGBoost model (cutoff value=0.5) were 99.5%, 69.7%, 99.9%, 97.4%, and 99.5%, respectively, for the entire dataset. Conclusions Machine learning algorithms effectively provide risk stratification for DAA failure and additional information on the factors associated with DAA failure.

OBJECTIVE To observe the changes in brain function characteristics of Chaihu Tongbian Decoction in rats with slow transit constipation(STC)and depression using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging(rs-fMRI).METHODS 70 healthy SPF grade male SD rats were randomly divided into the blank group,model group,mosapride group,fluoxetine hydrochloride group,low(11.02 g·kg-1),medium(22.05 g·kg-1),and high(44.1 g·kg-1)dose Chaihu Tongbian Decoction groups.A rat model of STC with depression was constructed using compound diphenylephrine tablets combined with solitary confinement and chronic unpredictable mild stress(CUMS).Drugs were administered after successful modeling.The general condition of the rats was observed;24 h total number of fecal particles,fecal water content and intestinal carbon end advance rate were calculated;HE staining of the co-lon tissue was performed;the depressive-like behavior of the rats was detected.By comparing rs-fMRI amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation(ALFF)values,the differences in neuronal activity in the brains of rats in each group were explored.RESULTS Com-pared with the blank group,the 24 h total number of fecal particles,fecal water content and intestinal carbon end advance rate in the model group were significantly reduced(P<0.01).HE staining showed that the colon tissue lesions in the model group were severe.Open field experiment and sugar water consumption showed that the activity level of rats in the model group decreased(P<0.01),and behavioral changes like anxiety and depression appeared.The rs-fMRI results showed that compared with the blank group,the ALFF value of the right posterolateral hippocampus in the model group decreased and the ALFF value of the left amygdala increased(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,after 4 weeks of treatment,the 24 h total number of fecal particles,fecal water content,and intestinal carbon end advance rate in the mosapride group and each dose group of Chaihu Tongbian Decoction were im-proved(P<0.05);compared with the model group,after 4 weeks of treatment,the fluoxetine hydrochloride group and each dose group of Chaihu Tongbian Decoction could improve the anxiety and depression-like behavior of rats(P<0.05);compared with the model group,after 4 weeks of treatment,the fluoxetine hydrochloride group and the high-dose Chaihu Tongbian Decoction group could in-crease the ALFF value of the right posterolateral hippocampus and decrease the ALFF value of the left amygdala(P<0.05).CON-CLUSION Chaihu Tongbian Decoction can effectively relieve constipation and depressive symptoms in STC rats with depression,and its mechanism may be related to activating the right posterolateral hippocampus and inhibiting amygdala activity.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has rapidly spread throughout the world. In this study, we aimed to identify the risk factors for severe COVID-19 to improve treatment guidelines. METHODS: A multicenter, cross-sectional study was conducted on 313 patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Patients were classified into two groups based on disease severity (nonsevere and severe) according to initial clinical presentation. Laboratory test results and epidemiological and clinical characteristics were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to detect potential risk factors associated with severe COVID-19. RESULTS: A total of 289 patients (197 nonsevere and 92 severe cases) with a median age of 45.0 (33.0, 61.0) years were included in this study, and 53.3% (154/289) were male. Fever (192/286, 67.1%) and cough (170/289, 58.8%) were commonly observed, followed by sore throat (49/289, 17.0%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that patients who were aged ≥ 65 years (OR: 2.725, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.317-5.636; P = 0.007), were male (OR: 1.878, 95% CI: 1.002-3.520, P = 0.049), had comorbid diabetes (OR: 3.314, 95% CI: 1.126-9.758, P = 0.030), cough (OR: 3.427, 95% CI: 1.752-6.706, P < 0.001), and/or diarrhea (OR: 2.629, 95% CI: 1.109-6.231, P = 0.028) on admission had a higher risk of severe disease. Moreover, stratification analysis indicated that male patients with diabetes were more likely to have severe COVID-19 (71.4% vs. 28.6%, χ2 = 8.183, P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS The clinical characteristics of those with severe and nonsevere COVID-19 were significantly different. The elderly, male patients with COVID-19, diabetes, and presenting with cough and/or diarrhea on admission may require close monitoring to prevent deterioration.
Adult ; COVID-19/pathology* ; China/epidemiology* ; Comorbidity ; Cough ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diarrhea ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

Tumors are new organisms formed by uncontrollable cell proliferation of local tissues driven by various oncogenic factors. The cause of tumors is unknown with life-threating outcome. Tumors can be classified into benign tumors， borderline tumors， and malignant tumors according to their pathological properties. Among them， malignant tumor is commonly known as cancer， with no specific medicines or reliable cure means， so this is a hot spot and difficult point in current medical research. In ancient literatures， there are many records about the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine in treating tumor， and modern pharmacological researches have shown that more and more active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） have gradually highlighted their inhibitory effect on various types of tumor. Caulis sinomenii has been used for treatment of rheumatic diseases in TCM for a long history. Sinomenine is a major bioactive alkaloid presented in C. sinomenii， which has demonstrated a wide range of pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammation， immunosuppression， analgesia and sedation， and due to its slightly soluble in water， it is commonly used in clinic in the form of hydrochloride， with its commercial name of Zhengqing Fengtongning. Recent studies show that sinomenine alone or combined with chemoradiotherapy can inhibit growth of several tumors significantly or in a synergistic way， so it is termed as an inhibitor of tumors. Anti-tumor effect of sinomenine involve inhibition of tumor cell proliferation， induction of tumor cell apoptosis， blockade of tumor cell cycle， suppression of tumor invasion and metastasis， induction of autophagy of tumor cells， and reversal of multidrug resistance of tumor cells. Upon combination with nanomaterials， it can enhance efficiency and reduce toxicity. Here we summarized and reviewed recent advances on basic anti-tumor research of sinomenine， and then made a classification and description according to its in vivo and in vitro pharmacological action and mechanism of action， so as to elucidate the great potential of sinomenine as a promising anti-tumor drug， and provide reference for further research on its anti-tumor mechanism.

OBJECTIVE: Increased carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) and carotid plaque as manifestations of carotid atherosclerosis have been used as markers of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The components of metabolic syndrome (MetS) are linked to CVD, but the association between MetS and CVD is controversial. METHODS: A total of 8,933 Chinese adults aged 40 years or older from 2010 to 2014 were selected from the Jidong and Kailuan communities. MetS was defined by the International Diabetes Federation criteria. CIMT and carotid plaque were measured using color Doppler ultrasound. Logistic regression models were used to assess the association of MetS with carotid plaque and CIMT. RESULTS: MetS was found among 3,461 (3,461/8,933) participants. The odds ratio and 95% confidence internal (CI) for carotid plaques in participants with MetS was 1.16 (1.03-1.30). The risk of carotid plaques increased with the number of MetS components. The average CIMT was higher in participants with MetS (β = 0.020, 95% CI, 0.014-0.027) and in participants with more MetS components. CONCLUSION Individuals with MetS are at an increased risk for carotid atherosclerosis compared to those without MetS.

Objective To evaluate the clinical significance of serum Klotho protein levels in the early diagnosis and prognosis of acute kidney injury (AKI) among adult patients in the intensive care units (ICU).Methods The study was prospective and observational.Blood samples and clinical data of AKI patients admitted to the ICU of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University between July 1 and August 31,2016 were collected.ELISA was used for the detection of Klotho and NGAL.Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and the area under the curve (AUC) were used to compare the predictive performance among Klotho,NGAL and serum creatinine,evaluating the sensitivity and specificity of Klotho on the diagnosis of AKI.The correlation between Klotho and prognosis of AKI was investigated by comparing serum Klotho levels and early AKI predictors.Results The patients were divided into AKI group of 52 cases and non-AKI group of 98 cases.The baseline serum Klotho level in AKI group was significantly lower than that in non-AKI group (P ＜ 0.001).The AUC of Klotho predicting for AKI was 0.945(95％ CI:0.892-0.997) and the best cut off value was 1.76 μg/L(sensitivity 92％,specificity 94％).The predictive ability of Klotho was significantly higher than serum creatinine (Scr),and the sensitivity is higher than NGAL (sensitivity 87％,specificity 96％).Serum Klotho combined with Scr predicted better AKI (AUC=0.958,95％ CI:0.915-1.000,sensitivity 96％,sensitivity 92％).The level of Klotho in patients with AKI was significantly different between the renal function recovery group and non-recovery group (P=0.047),while there was no significant difference between the two groups in the level of NGAL and Scr (P ＞ 0.05).There was no significant correlation between the Klotho level at diagnosis of AKI and peak Scr,peak eGFR,Scr at discharge and eGFR at discharge (r=0.026,P=0.853;r=-0.127,P=0.368;r=0.243,P=0.082;r=-0.187,P=0.184).Conclusion Serum Klotho may be a potential biomarker for early diagnosis of AKI,but the association between serum klotho and the prognosis of AKI requires further study.

Objective: To evaluate clinical outcomes of autologous and allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) for aggressive peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). Methods: From June 2007 to June 2017, clinical data of PTCL patients who underwent PBSCT were assessed retrospectively. Results: Among 41 patients, 30 was male, 11 female, and median age was 38(13-57) years old. Seventeen patients with autologous PBSCT (auto-PBSCT) and 24 patients with allogeneic PBSCT (allo-PBSCT) were enrolled in this study. Eight patients (8/17, 47.1%) in auto-PBSCT group were ALK positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), 7 patients (7/24, 29.2%) with NK/T cell lymphoma and 9 patients (9/24, 37.5%) with PTCL-unspecified (PTCL-U) in allo-PBSCT group (P=0.035). There were 58.8% patients (10/17) in complete response (CR) status and 11.8% (2/17) in progression disease (PD) status before transplantation in auto-PBSCT group, and 8.3% (2/24) in CR status and 45.8% (11/24) in PD status before transplantation in allo-PBSCT group (P=0.026). The 2-years cumulative overall survival (OS) were (64.0±10.8)% and (53.5±9.7)% for auto-PBSCT and allo-PBSCT respectively (P=0.543). The 2-years cumulative disease-free survival (DFS) were (57.1±12.4)% and (53.5±10.6)% for auto-PBSCT and allo-PBSCT respectively (P=0.701). In patients with dead outcomes after PBSCT, 83.3% (5/6) of death cause was relapse in auto-PBSCT and 41.7% (5/12) of death cause was relapse in allo-PBSCT. Conclusion: Both auto-PBSCT and allo-PBSCT were effective for PTCL. Allo-PBSCT maybe was better than auto-PBSCT for high-risk PTCL with poor prognosis.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral/therapy* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; Retrospective Studies ; Transplantation, Autologous ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical characteristics, treatment outcomes, prognosis, delayed toxicity of Hodgkin's lymphoma with extranodal Involvement.

METHODSThirty patients newly diagnosed as Hodgkin's lymphoma with extranodal involvement from April 2008 to September 2014 were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSTwenty-seven patients suffered from the advanced-stage diseases, their major pathological changes were nodular sclerosis and mixed cellular type, the most commonly involeved extranodal sites were the lung and bones, followed by the liver, stomach and intestine. The common clinical presentation was assotiated with the involved organs. Multivariate analysis showed that albumin and the international prognostic score (IPS) were independent prognostic factors for 5-year DFS rate, the 5-year OS rate was only associated with IPS. Out of 20 patients received chemotherapy, 10 received the combined modality therapy. At the median follow-up of 51 months, the estimated 5-year OS and PFS rates were 89.3% and 78.9%, respectively. Delayed toxicities were observed in 3 patients, including Ewing's sarcoma of llium, hyperplasia of mammary glands and diabetes millitus. 5 patients kept fertility, no interstitial lung disease, lung cancer and cardiovascular disease occurred. It was not found that patients died from the treatment-related complications.

CONCLUSIONThe therapeutic strategies for the Hodgkin's lymphoma patients with extranodal involvement should be similar to normal Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Hodgkin Disease ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome