AIM:To study whether glycyrrhizic acid(GL)can resist the ototoxicity of cisplatin(CDDP)in mice and its molecular mechanism.METHODS:Male C57BL/6J mice were divided into 5 groups:control group,DMSO(5%)group,CDDP(4 mg/kg)group,CDDP+low-dose(50 mg/kg)GL group,and CDDP+high-dose(100 mg/kg)GL group(n=14).Auditory brainstem response(ABR)was used to detect hearing changes of mice.HE staining was used to observe the morphological change of cochlear stria vascular in mice.Evans blue(EB)staining was used to observe the per-meability change of the blood-labyrinth barrier(BLB).Immunohistochemical technique was used to detect the expression and distribution of adhesion protein VE-cadherin and tight junction protein ZO-1 on the cochlear stria.ELISA assay and immunofluorescence technology were employed to detect the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and interleu-kin-1β(1L-1β).RESULTS:In CDDP group,ABR waveforms of all frequencies were disturbed,the hearing threshold was significantly increased,and I wave latency was prolonged(P＜0.05).In CDDP+GL group,ABR waveforms of various frequencies were well differentiated,the hearing threshold was significantly decreased,and the latency of I-wave was shortened(P＜0.01).The disordered morphology and more vacuoles in the stria vascularis were observed by HE staining in CDDP group.The GL alleviated CDDP-induced damage in the stria vascularis.In EB staining,CDDP caused an increase in per-meability of BLB(P＜0.01),which was improved by GL treatment(P＜0.01).Immunohistochemical results showed that the expression of VE-cadherin and ZO-1 in CDDP group were decreased(P＜0.01),which was restored in CDDP+GL group(P＜0.01).The ELISA and immunofluorescence results showed that the expression of IL-1β and TNF-α was in-creased after CDDP treatment(P＜0.01),which was restored in CDDP+GL group(P＜0.01).CONCLUSION:The GL alleviates CDDP-induced hearing loss in mice by inhibiting CDDP-induced inflammation and reducing the permeability of BLB.

Myocardial fibrosis is a common pathological feature in various advanced cardiovascular diseases, and progressive fibrosis is the pathological basis for the development and progression of many cardiac arrhythmias and heart failure. There are no effective reversal drugs for myocardial fibrosis, which is related to the lack of understanding of the molecular mechanisms. Noncoding RNAs are a class of RNAs that do not function as coding proteins, and have been found to be intimately involved in the life cycle of cardiomyocyte differentiation, transcription and apoptosis, and are important regulators of cardiovascular diseases. An increasing number of studies have shown that noncoding RNAs regulate the proliferation and transformation of cardiac fibroblasts through related signaling pathways and can be used as potential biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets for cardiac fibrosis. This article reviews the relationship between noncoding RNAs and cardiac fibrosis.

INTRODUCTION: Countries are mandating the use of face masks to stem the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Face mask use has been associated with discomfort due to its effects on thermoregulation, breathing and oxygenation. We evaluated the prevalence and severity of self-reported cardiovascular symptoms before and during face mask use. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of 1,001 participants residing in Singapore, who participated in a self-administered questionnaire between 25 April 2020 and 4 May 2020. Symptom severity before and during mask use, and health-seeking behaviour information were collected. The study outcome was self-reported worsening of cardiovascular symptoms and its association with the type of mask worn, duration of mask worn per day, and intensity of physical activities during mask use. RESULTS: The most common symptom reported during mask use was dyspnoea. Independent predictors for self-reported cardiovascular symptoms during mask use were moderate-high physical activity during mask use (odds ratio [OR] 1.634, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.176-2.270, P = 0.003), duration of mask use for ≥3 h (OR 1.672, 95% CI 1.189-2.352, P = 0.003) and type of mask used, after adjusting for age, sex, healthcare-based worker status and presence of comorbidities. N95 mask was associated with worse symptoms when compared to surgical mask. Participants with ≥3 worsening symptoms or worsening dyspnoea, palpitations, fatigue and dizziness were more likely to seek medical help. CONCLUSION Face mask use has been proven to be an effective way in curbing COVID-19 transmission. However, participants in this study had concerns regarding its use and these concerns should be urgently addressed to enable mask use policies to be enacted.
Humans ; COVID-19/epidemiology* ; Pandemics ; Masks/adverse effects* ; Self Report ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dyspnea/etiology*

Most drugs need to interact with cell membrane to reach the biological target, so that membrane affinity assay is an important early screening step in drug discovery. However, at present, the traditional oil-water distribution method is still used, a new, simple and accurate method for membrane affinity assay is urgently needed. In this study, according to the colorimetric principle, a new assay model based on polydiacetylene vesicles was optimized through a series of experiments including different concentrations of vesicle solution, temperature, or pH reaction environment. On this basis, tetracaine hydrochloride, 2-methylimidazole and histamine were used as model drugs to measure the membrane affinity constants and verify the between-batch precision of the optimized assay model (relative standard deviation less than 5%). In addition, polydiacetylene vesicles were stable for up to 180 days, demonstrating the potential application of the assay model. This strategy is simple, stable, reliable, with high reproducibility, low cost and easy to promote, which provided a new tool and a new direction for the high-throughput assay of membrane affinity.

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of arthroscopic debridement combined with platelet rich plasma(PRP)in treatment of supraspinatus calcified tendinitis.Methods 23 patients in the experimental group were treated with shoulder arthroscopic calcification clearing with PRP injection,while 23 patients in the control group were treated with simple arthroscopic clearing,and the curative effects were observed and compared.Results All the patients were followed up effectively.Of the 23 cases in the experimental group,5 cases were treated with rotator cuff repair(3 cases were diagnosed rotator cuff tear before operation,2 cases were diagnosed with large calcification,and rotator cuff repair was performed after cleaning),and 3 cases were treated with rotator cuff repair(2 cases were diagnosed with rotator cuff tear before operation,1 case was diagnosed with large calcification,and rotator cuff repair was performed after cleaning).The visual analogue scale(VAS)of the two groups one month after surgery was significantly lower than that before surgery,and the American Association of Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons(ASES)score of the two groups one month after surgery was significantly higher than that before surgery,with statistical significance(P＜0.05).The VAS of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group one month after surgery,and the ASES score was significantly higher than that of the control group one month after surgery,with statistically significant differences(t =-5.52,t = 8.73,P = 0.001).Conclusion Arthroscopic debridement combined with PRP is an effective and minimally invasive method for the treatment of supraspinatus calcified tendinitis.The calcium salt can be removed as much as possible under arthroscopy,and the scope of rotator cuff injury can be accurately evaluated.For the obvious rotator cuff injury with large damage,the rotator cuff repair with thread anchor nail can be performed.At the same time,combined with PRP,it can accelerate the repair of rotator cuff injury,relieve pain,and accelerate the functional recovery of shoulder joint.

Objective:To determine the relationship between health self-empowerment level and health self-management skill in older adults.Methods:A household survey was conducted from June 2020 to April 2021, among older adults in two communities each in Zhuzhou and Changsha selected by stratified cluster sampling. Data were collected through a general questionnaire, simplified. Elders Health Empowerment Scale, and Rating Scale of Health Self-Management Skill for Adults. A total of 444 questionnaires were distributed, of which 425 were valid. Pearson correlation and hierarchical regression analyses were used to analyze the relationship between health self-empowerment level and health self-management skill.Results:Final sample included 425 elderly people. Health self-empowerment was at medium to high level (30.9±5.6), whereas health self-management was at medium level (146.2±21.7); and the two factors were significantly correlated (Pearson coefficient was 0.724). After controlling for confounding factors (demographic characteristics), health self-empowerment independently accounted for 34.3% of the variation in health self-management ability.Conclusion:Health self-empowerment positively affects health self-management ability among older adults, which suggests the importance of stimulating health self-empowerment awareness in the process of health self-management.

Humans ; Spinal Diseases/surgery* ; Spine/surgery*

Fifteen compounds(1-15) were isolated from the 95% EtOH extract of the whole herb of Physalis minima by various chromatography techniques including silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, middle chromatogram isolated gel(MCI), octadecyl silica(ODS), and semi-preparative high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). Their structures were elucidated by infrared spectroscopy(IR), ultraviolet spectroscopy(UV), high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry(HR-ESI-MS), nuclear magnetic re-sonance(NMR), and circular dichroism(CD) as(5S)-5,11-dihydroxy-3-methyl-5-pentylfuran-2(5H)-one(1), withaphysalin R(2), withaphysalin Q(3), withaphysanolide A(4), phaseic acid(5), grasshopper ketone(6), 3S,5R-dihydroxy-6S,7-megastigmadien-9-one(7), vanillic acid(8), 2-trans,4-trans-abscisic acid(9), capillasterolide(10), 5,3'-dihydroxy-3,7,4'-trimethoxyflavone(11),(-)-loliolide(12), 4-hydroxyacetophenone(13), acetosyringone(14), and aurantiamide acetate(15). Compound 1 was a new butenolide, and compounds 5-7 and 10-12 were isolated from the Physalis for the first time. Compounds 4, 13, and 15 were isolated for the first time from P. minima. Moreover, their anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated in vitro. Compound 12 was found to possess an inhibitory effect on the transcription of an NF-κB-dependent reporter gene in LPS-induced 293 T/NF-κB-luc cells at 10 μmol·L~(-1), showing an inhibitory rate of 62.31%±4.8%.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; NF-kappa B ; Physalis ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

Multidrug resistance (MDR) mediated by ATP binding cassette subfamily B member 1 (ABCB1) is significantly hindering effective cancer chemotherapy. However, currently, no ABCB1-inhibitory drugs have been approved to treat MDR cancer clinically, mainly due to the inhibitor specificity, toxicity, and drug interactions. Here, we reported that three polyoxypregnanes (POPs) as the most abundant constituents of