Buyang Huanwu Decoction(BYHWD), as one of the classic formulas in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) for the treatment of cerebral ischemic stroke(CIS), has demonstrated definite effects in clinical practice. However, the material basis and mechanism of treatment have not been systematically elucidated. This study employed network pharmacology and molecular docking to analyze the potential targets and mechanisms of blood-and brain-penetrating active components of BYHWD in reducing cell apoptosis in CIS. Cell experiments were then carried out to validate the prediction results. In the experiments, five active components including hydroxysafflor yellow A( HSYA), tetramethylpyrazine( TMP), astragaloside Ⅳ( AS-Ⅳ), amygdalin( AMY), and paeoniflorin(PF) were selected to explore the pharmacological effects of BYHWD. HT22 cells were treated with BYHWD, and the cell counting kit-8(CCK-8) method was employed to examine the toxic and side effects of BYHWD. A cell model of oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation( OGD/R) was constructed, with apoptosis and pyroptosis as the main screening indicators. The levels of lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) and glutathione(GSH) were measured to assess the cell membrane integrity. Flow cytometry was employed to detect apoptosis, and the activities of caspase-3 and caspase-1 were measured to clarify the status of apoptosis and pyroptosis. ELISA was employed to determine the levels of interleukin(IL)-1β and IL-18 to confirm pyroptosis. HSYA and AMY were identified in this study as the active components regulating apoptosis and pyroptosis. TUNEL was employed to detect the apoptosis rate, and Western blot was employed to determine the expression levels of apoptosis-related proteins B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax), and caspase-3, which confirmed that the anti-apoptotic effect of the combined component group was superior to that of the single component groups. The molecular docking results revealed strong binding affinity of HSYA and AMY with SDF-1α and CXCR4.AMD3100, a selective antagonist of CXCR4, was then used for intervention. The results of Western blot showed alterations in the expression levels of apoptosis-associated proteins, SDF-1α, and CXCR4. In conclusion, HSYA and AMY influence cellular apoptosis by modulating the SDF-1α/CXCR4 signaling cascade.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Animals ; Neurons/cytology* ; Mice ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Cell Line ; Glucose/metabolism* ; Humans ; Neuroprotective Agents/pharmacology*

Given that ovarian stimulation is vital for assisted reproductive technology (ART) and results in elevated serum estrogen levels, exploring the impact of elevated estrogen exposure on oocytes and embryos is necessary. We investigated the effects of various ovarian stimulation treatments on oocyte and embryo morphology and gene expression using a mouse model and estrogen-treated mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). Female C57BL/6J mice were subjected to two types of conventional ovarian stimulation and ovarian hyperstimulation; mice treated with only normal saline served as controls. Hyperstimulation resulted in high serum estrogen levels, enlarged ovaries, an increased number of aberrant oocytes, and decreased embryo formation. The messenger RNA (mRNA)‍-sequencing of oocytes revealed the dysregulated expression of lysine-specific demethylase 6b (Kdm6b), which may be a key factor indicating hyperstimulation-induced aberrant oocytes and embryos. In vitro, Kdm6b expression was downregulated in mESCs treated with high-dose estrogen; treatment with an estrogen receptor antagonist could reverse this downregulated expression level. Furthermore, treatment with high-dose estrogen resulted in the upregulated expression of histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) and phosphorylated H2A histone family member X (γ-H2AX). Notably, knockdown of Kdm6b and high estrogen levels hindered the formation of embryoid bodies, with a concomitant increase in the expression of H3K27me3 and γ-H2AX. Collectively, our findings revealed that hyperstimulation-induced high-dose estrogen could impair the demethylation of H3K27me3 by reducing Kdm6b expression. Accordingly, Kdm6b could be a promising marker for clinically predicting ART outcomes in patients with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.
Female ; Mice ; Demethylation/drug effects* ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; Estrogens/administration & dosage* ; Gene Expression/drug effects* ; Histones/metabolism* ; Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Oocytes ; Ovary/drug effects* ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Animals

Objective:We conducted a real-world multi-center clinical study with a large sample size to comprehensively evaluate the performance of three commercial hepatitis C virus (HCV) core antigen assays. The study aimed to evaluate the performance for their use in HCV infection screening, and to provide clues for further improving the sensitivity and specificity of the assays.Methods:Key performance indicators including the lower limit of detection (LOD), diagnostic sensitivity, and specificity of three HCV antigen assays (the Architect, Laibo, and ChemClin HCV core antigen assays) were evaluated using commercial seroconversion panels reflecting early HCV infection and clinical routine serum samples of outpatients and inpatients from 3 tertiary hospitals from January 2018 to April 2022. Factors that affect the performance indicators were further investigated.Results:The window period for detecting HCV infection with the three antigen assays was equal to or slightly longer than that of the RNA assay, but all are shorter than that of the anti-HCV assay. There was a good linear positive correlation between HCV core antigen and HCV RNA levels in treatment naive patients with hepatitis C ( r=0.90, P<0.01). For the most common genotype 1b strain in China, the LOD of the three HCV assays were equivalent to 531 IU/ml (Architect), 3,698 IU/mL (Laibo), and 4,624 IU/mL (ChemClin) HCV RNA, respectively. Due to the skewed distribution of HCV RNA levels in treatment-naive hepatitis C patients, more than 95% of the patients had viral loads higher than 6 166 IU/ml. Therefore, the three HCV antigens assays still maintained a satisfactory diagnostic sensitivity (94.33%-99.40%). Among 54 immunodeficient patients (leukemia patients) with HCV infection, 9% (5/54) had negative anti-HCV results, while the HCV antigen assays found all these infectors. Through further experiments, we revealed the amino acid polymorphism in the core region of genotype 3 strain impaired the sensitivity of all three HCV antigen assays. In addition, the sensitivity of the two domestic assays was impaired by anti-HCV antibodies in the serum. The specificity of HCV antigen assays for diagnosing hepatitis C is 99.94% to 99.98%. The rheumatoid factors, autoantibodies, and other unknown interference substances can lead to a small number of low level, "false positive" antigen results. Conclusions:HCV core antigen assay may be used as a satisfactory approach of infection screening, especially for the immunodeficient patents. However, the sensitivity and specificity of the assays are influenced by multiple factors, which should be further improved.

Objective:To identify the risk factors for simple congenital ptosis.Methods:A case-control study was performed.A total of 106 children diagnosed with simple congenital ptosis at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine from October 2018 to January 2021 were recruited as a case group, and 106 sex-matched children without congenital abnormalities were enrolled as a control group at the same period.Ophthalmic examinations, including interpalpebral fissure height and margin reex distance 1, were performed on all participants.A questionnaire survey was administered to their mothers.The questionnaire included demographic information, prenatal maternal diseases, medical treatments and environmental exposures during pregnancy.Univariate analysis was used to compare the differences in variables between the case and control groups.Variables with P<0.20 were retained for multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify the risk factors for simple congenital ptosis.The goodness of fit of the model was evaluated by the Hosmer-Lemeshow test, and collinearity was assessed by the variance inflation factor (VIF). This study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki.The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine (No.2019-136). The method and purpose of the study were fully explained to the children's guardians and written informed consent was obtained. Results:Comparisons of gestational age <37 weeks, birth order ≥2, maternal age, antibiotic use in the first trimester, paternal smoking ≥half a pack per day, and prenatal maternal passive smoking between the two groups were all with P<0.20.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that gestational age <37 weeks (odds ratio [ OR]=4.58; 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.24-16.85), paternal smoking ≥half a pack per day ( OR=2.28; 95% CI: 1.22-4.28) and prenatal maternal passive smoking ( OR=3.13; 95% CI: 1.16-8.41) were risk factors for simple congenital ptosis.No significant collinearity was found among these identified factors (all VIF<5). Conclusions:Preterm birth, paternal smoking, and prenatal maternal passive smoking are risk factors for simple congenital ptosis.

Objective: To analyze the treatment and prognosis of patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) 2018 stage Ⅲc cervical squamous cell carcinoma. Methods: A total of 488 patients at Zhejiang Cancer Hospital between May, 2013 to May, 2015 were enrolled. The clinical characteristics and prognosis were compared according to the treatment mode (surgery combined with postoperative chemoradiotherapy vs radical concurrent chemoradiotherapy). The median follow-up time was (96±12) months ( range time from 84 to 108 months). Results: (1) The data were divided into surgery combined with chemoradiotherapy group (surgery group) and concurrent chemoradiotherapy group (radiotherapy group), including 324 cases in the surgery group and 164 cases in the radiotherapy group. There were significant differences in Eastern Cooperation Oncology Group (ECOG) score, FIGO 2018 stage, large tumors (≥4 cm), total treatment time and total treatment cost between the two groups (all P<0.01). (2) Prognosis: ① for stage Ⅲc1 patients, there were 299 patients in the surgery group with 250 patients survived (83.6%). In the radiotherapy group, 74 patients survived (52.9%). The difference of survival rates between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.001). For stage Ⅲc2 patients, there were 25 patients in surgery group with 12 patients survived (48.0%). In the radiotherapy group, there were 24 cases, 8 cases survived, the survival rate was 33.3%. There was no significant difference between the two groups (P=0.296). ② For patients with large tumors (≥4 cm) in the surgery group, there were 138 patients in the Ⅲc1 group with 112 patients survived (81.2%); in the radiotherapy group, there were 108 cases with 56 cases survived (51.9%). The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.001). Large tumors accounted for 46.2% (138/299) vs 77.1% (108/140) in the surgery group and radiotherapy group. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.001). Further stratified analysis, a total of 46 patients with large tumors of FIGO 2009 stage Ⅱb in the radiotherapy group were extracted, and the survival rate was 67.4%, there was no significant difference compared with the surgery group (81.2%; P=0.052). ③ Of 126 patients with common iliac lymph node, 83 patients survived, with a survival rate of 65.9% (83/126). In the surgery group, 48 patients survived and 17 died, with a survival rate of 73.8%. In the radiotherapy group, 35 patients survived and 26 died, with a survival rate of 57.4%. There were no significant difference between the two groups (P=0.051). (3) Side effects: the incidence of lymphocysts and intestinal obstruction in the surgery group were higher than those in the radiotherapy group, and the incidence of ureteral obstruction and acute and chronic radiation enteritis were lower than those in the radiotherapy group, and there were statistically significant differences (all P<0.01). Conclusions: For stage Ⅲc1 patients who meet the conditions for surgery, surgery combined with postoperative adjuvant chemoradiotherapy and radical chemoradiotherapy are acceptable treatment methods regardless of pelvic lymph node metastasis (excluding common iliac lymph node metastasis), even if the maximum diameter of the tumor is ≥4 cm. For patients with common iliac lymph node metastasis and stage Ⅲc2, there is no significant difference in the survival rate between the two treatment methods. Based on the duration of treatment and economic considerations, concurrent chemoradiotherapy is recommended for the patients.
Female ; Humans ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/pathology* ; Neoplasm Staging ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Lymph Node Excision ; Retrospective Studies ; Prognosis ; Chemoradiotherapy/methods* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/pathology*

Humans ; Consensus ; Hypersensitivity ; Desensitization, Immunologic/adverse effects* ; Immunotherapy/adverse effects* ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Allergens

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of hemoglobin (Hb) on the efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy (CAR-T) in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). METHODS: From June 2017 to December 2020, 76 MM patients who received CAR-T therapy in the Department of Hematology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, with complete clinical data and evaluable efficacy, were selected as the research objects. According to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the best cut-off value was obtained. The patients were divided into groups on the basis of Hb 105.5 g/L as the cut-off value. The age, sex, serum calcium, β₂-microglobulin, serum creatinine, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and the influencing factors of CAR-T treatment efficacy in MM patients were analyzed. RESULTS: Hb was an influencing factor of efficacy. Univariate analysis showed that Hb, LDH, and albumin affected the efficacy of CAR-T therapy. Multivariate analysis showed that Hb ( OR=1.039, 95% CI: 1.002-1.078) and LDH ( OR=1.014, 95% CI: 1.000-1.027) were the influencing factors for the efficacy of CAR-T therapy. CONCLUSION The efficacy of CAR-T therapy in MM patients with low Hb is poor, and Hb is a factor affecting the efficacy of CAR-T therapy.
Humans ; Multiple Myeloma/drug therapy* ; Receptors, Chimeric Antigen ; Immunotherapy, Adoptive ; Treatment Outcome ; Hematologic Diseases

Objective:To determine the effect of community management based on the Roy′s adaptation model (RAM) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Methods:This study was a cluster randomized controlled study, with the community as the cluster unit, and selected 805 COPD patients from 8 communities in Xuzhou City who had completed community registration before June 2019. A total of 735 patients actually completed follow-up and participated in intervention evaluation. They were randomly divided into control group (362 cases) and intervention group (373 cases) by random number table method. The control group received routine follow-up, while the intervention group received RAM intervention for 6 months. The forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)/forced volume vital capacity (FVC) ratio (FEV 1/FVC) and the modified British medical research council (mMRC) were used to assess the pulmonary function. The hospital anxiety and depression scales (HADS) were used to evaluate the mental health. The Chinese version of the Short Form Coping and Adaption Processing Scale (CAP-15) was used to assess the adaptive capacity. And the St. George′s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) was used to evaluate the quality of life in COPD patients. The t test or χ 2 test was used for pre-intervention comparisons between groups, and the repetitive measure analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for post-intervention comparisons between groups. Results:After 6 months intervention, there were no significant differences in FEV 1/FVC radio between the two groups [(0.61±0.11) vs (0.62±0.12)] ( P=0.172). The scores of mMRC [(2.04±0.33) vs (2.77±0.31) points], HAD-A [(5.28±4.28) vs (6.99±4.41) points], HAD-D [(5.82±5.12) vs (7.27±4.93) points] and SGRQ [(40.17±9.30) vs (53.69±9.77) points] were all lower in the intervention group than those in the control group (all P<0.001). The CAPS-15 score was higher in the intervention group than that in the control group [(35.87±3.62) vs (26.1±3.47)] ( P<0.001). Conclusion:RAM could be used in community management of COPD patients, which could improve their dyspnea symptoms and psychological and physiological functions, also improve their adaptability and quality of life.

Objective:To understand the characteristics of serological detection indicators of patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in three hospitals in Beijing from 2018 to 2021.Methods:The five markers of hepatitis B, liver function tests, HBV DNA load, AFP and PT test results and basic clinical information of HBsAg positive HBV infected patients in three hospitals in Beijing from 2018 to 2021 were collected. Then the diagnosis of HBV infection, the positive patterns of serological indicators for five markers of hepatitis B and the clinical characteristics of hepatitis B patients were analyzed by SAS 9.4 statistical software.Results:Among the 1 026 604 patients who were tested for the five markers of hepatitis B or hepatitis B surface antigen quantification (HBsAg-QN) in three hospitals in Beijing from 2018 to 2021, the positive detection rate of HBsAg was 53.50%. The annual positive detection rate of HBsAg was 57.22%, 55.05%, 53.64% and 47.69% successively, showing a downward trend year by year. 111 709 hepatitis B patients were divided into 1-30, 31-60 and>60 years old groups according to their age. The main diseases of the three groups of HBV infected patients was chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and the proportion of patients with acute hepatitis B (AHB) and CHB decreased with age, while the proportion of patients with HBV-related liver cirrhosis, HBV-related liver cancer, liver cancer surgery and liver transplantation increased with age, the difference of which was statistically significant (all P<0.05). In this research, a total of 24 positive patterns of the five markers of hepatitis B were detected, including 7 common patterns (the main pattern was 145), 14 rare patterns (the main pattern was 1345), and 3 unusual patterns (the main pattern was 12345). The age, male ratio, HBeAg positive detection rate, HBV DNA positive detection rate and load, TBIL, ALT, AFP and PT results in the HBsAg positive group (90 011cases) were higher than those in the HBsAg negative group (21 698 cases), and the above results of the two groups of hepatitis B patients were higher than those of the healthy control group (20 623 cases). The albumin (ALB) results were the lowest in the HBsAg positive group and the highest in the healthy control group. And the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Conclusions:From 2018 to 2021, the positive rate of HBsAg among the patients who received the five markers of hepatitis B or HBsAg-QN test in three hospitals in Beijing decreased year by year. Age was associated with disease progression in patients with hepatitis B. The positive patterns of five markers of hepatitis B in HBV infected people showed diversity.

Objective : To explore the expression of chemokine CXCL1 in proliferative infantile hemangioma (IH) , and to study the effect of exogenous CXCL1 on hemangioma stem cells (HemSCs) . Methods : Immunohistochemistry was used to explore the expression of CXCL1 in proliferative IH specimens.Primary HemSCs were isolated from IH tissues by CD133 magnetic beads.5 groups of CXCL1 with different concentrations(0,10,20,50 and 100 ng/ml) were co-cultured with HemSCs, and the effects of exogenous CXCL1 on HemSCs were studied by cell viability and migration experiments. Results : CXCL1 was expressed in the interstitial tissues of proliferative IH.The overall expression of CXCL1 in proliferative IH was low, but the expression of CXCL1 in the proliferative IH interstitial tissues was higher than that of the adjacent interstitial tissues.The CXCL1 positive area rate was(0.773±0.101)% in the tumor compared with(0.268±0.081)% in the adjacent tumor, and the difference was statistically significant(t=7.843,P<0.001).Exogenous CXCL1 promoted the proliferation of HemSCs, and there were statistical differences after adding different concentrations of CXCL1 to HemSCs for 24,48,and 72 h(F=14.610,P<0.001;F=14.430,P<0.001;F=5.388,P<0.01).But the exogenous CXCL1 did not affect the migration ability of HemSCs. Conclusion The expression of CXCL1 in proliferative IH interstitial tissues is higher than that in adjacent interstitial tissues, and exogenous CXCL1 promotes the proliferation of HemSCs.