Perimenopausal syndrome （MPS）， a common endocrine system disease， is one of the diseases responding specifically to traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. The China Association of Chinese Medicine organized experts in endocrinology， gynecology， and interdisciplinary fields of both Western and Chinese medicine to discuss the advantages and challenges of diagnosing and treating MPS with Western medicine， TCM， and integrative medicine. Experts at the conference believe that MPS is initiated by estrogen decline and rooted in deficiency， with the pathogenesis being imbalance between Yin and Yang in the kidney. The hormone replacement therapy in Western medicine for menopause can rapidly alleviate related symptoms by quickly restoring the estrogen level and timely detect and delay complications of menopause， whereas such a therapy has certain risks， necessitating close monitoring of adverse reactions. Moreover， the various contraindications and precautions limit the clinical application of the hormone replacement therapy. TCM has advantages in synergistically alleviating symptoms such as hot flashes， sweating， sleep disorders， and emotional abnormalities of MPS without causing obvious adverse reactions. However， its efficacy is slower than the hormone replacement therapy， and the TCM evidence for preventing and treating complications of menopause remains unclear. Three suggestions were proposed for the future development of both Western and TCM for ameliorating MPS. First， an integrated diagnosis and treatment system for MPS with both Western and Chinese medicine should be established. Second， high-quality evidence-based interventions for MPS should be developed with TCM alone or in combination with Western medicine. Third， efforts should be made to promote the new TCM drug development and the interdisciplinary cooperation for treating MPS.

Objective:To establish an in vitro capsular bag model and compare the inhibitory effects of different 360° square-edge intraocular lens (IOL) on lens epithelial cells (LECs) migration. Methods:In vitro capsular bag model with posterior capsule opacification (PCO) was established using Transwell compartment, cell climbing slices, human collagen type Ⅳ, and IOL.The models were divided into Plate-loop HydroSmart group, C-loop HydroSmart group, and C-compensation-loop Hydrophobic group according to the different square-edge IOL implanted.A blank control group was set using the Transwell compartment without IOL.The early PCO pathological manifestations in lens epithelial cell line SRA01/04 cultured in the Transwell compartment were observed with an inverted microscope.The cell morphology in different groups was observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining.The cell counting and cell migration inhibition rate of anterior capsule and posterior capsule were calculated by Transwell assay and cell-exclusion zone assay, respectively. Results:The early pathological characteristics of PCO, such as early Soemmering ring and small Elschnig pearl, could be found in cells in the in vitro capsular bag model after 48-hour culture.The migrating cells in model groups were fibrous.No changes mentioned above were found in blank control group.The number of migrating cells in the anterior capsule of Plate-loop HydroSmart group, C-loop HydroSmart group, C-compensation-loop Hydrophobic group was 18.80±5.53, 24.67±9.80, and 34.47±10.80, respectively, and the number of migrating cells in the optical area of the posterior capsule of the three groups was 56.43±9.00, 162.20±16.38, and 121.30±12.01, respectively.The cell migration inhibition rate in the anterior capsule of Plate-loop HydroSmart group, C-loop HydroSmart group, C-compensation-loop Hydrophobic group was (92.02±1.94)%, (89.76±3.10)%, (86.27±4.54)%, respectively, and the cell migration inhibition rate in optical area of the posterior capsule of the three groups was (91.60±3.65)%, (70.14±5.35)%, (78.43±3.48)%, respectively.The number of migrating cells in the anterior capsule was lower and the cell migration rate inhibition was higher in Plate-loop HydroSmart group than C-compensation-loop Hydrophobic group, with significant differences (both at P<0.05). The number of migrating cells in the optical area of the posterior capsule and the cell migration inhibition rate was greater than those of C-loop HydroSmart group and C-compensation-loop Hydrophobic group, showing statistically significant differences (all at P<0.001). Conclusions:The in vitro capsular bag model can be used in PCO research.Compared with C-loop HydroSmart IOL and C-compensation-loop Hydrophobic IOL, Plate-loop HydroSmart IOL can more effectively inhibit the migration of LECs to the optical area of the posterior capsule.

OBJECTIVES: Primary tumor treatment through surgical resection and adjuvant therapy has been extensively studied, but there is a lack of effective strategies and drugs for the treatment of tumor metastases. Here, we describe a functional product based on a combination of compounds, which can be used as an adjuvant therapy and has well-known mechanisms for inhibiting cancer metastases, improving anti-cancer treatment, and enhancing immunity and antioxidant capacity. Our designed combination, named MVBL, consists of four inexpensive compounds: L-selenium-methylselenocysteine (MSC), D-‍α‍-tocopheryl succinic acid (VES), β‍-carotene (β‍-Ca), and L-lysine (Lys). METHODS: The effects of MVBL on cell viability, cell cycle, cell apoptosis, cell migration, cell invasion, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and paclitaxel (PTX)-combined treatment were studied in vitro. The inhibition of tumor metastasis, antioxidation, and immune enhancement capacity of MVBL were determined in vivo. RESULTS: MVBL exhibited higher toxicity to tumor cells than to normal cells. It did not significantly affect the cell cycle of cancer cells, but increased their apoptosis. Wound healing, adhesion, and transwell assays showed that MVBL significantly inhibited tumor cell migration, adhesion, and invasion. MVBL sensitized MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells to PTX, indicating that it can be used as an adjuvant to enhance the therapeutic effect of chemotherapy drugs. In mice, experimental data showed that MVBL inhibited tumor metastasis, prolonged their survival time, and enhanced their antioxidant capacity and immune function. CONCLUSIONS This study revealed the roles of MVBL in improving immunity and antioxidation, preventing tumor growth, and inhibiting metastasis in vitro and in vivo. MVBL may be used as an adjuvant drug in cancer therapy for improving the survival and quality of life of cancer patients.
Mice ; Animals ; beta Carotene ; Lysine/pharmacology* ; Antioxidants/pharmacology* ; Quality of Life ; Paclitaxel/pharmacology* ; Apoptosis ; alpha-Tocopherol ; Succinates/pharmacology* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Neoplasms

Objective: To investigate the correlation between changes in intestinal mucosal permeability and prognosis of patients with liver cirrhosis. Methods: Data of 89 cases with liver cirrhosis who were hospitalized in the Hepatology Department of Shanxi Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2017 to August 2017 were collected as the liver cirrhosis experimental group, and 40 healthy subjects were randomly selected as the healthy control group. JY-DLT, the Intestinal Mucosal Barrier Biochemical Index Analysis System was used to measure the levels of serum diamine oxidase (DAO), D-lactic acid, and endotoxin (ETX) in two groups to evaluate intestinal mucosal barrier function. Spearman’s rank correlation test was used to evaluate the correlation between liver cirrhosis prognosis and intestinal mucosal permeability. The results of the two groups were compared by Mann-Whitney H test of two independent samples. One-way Anova was used for intergroup comparison. The pairwise comparison between groups was performed using the LSD or SNK test. Results: The level of ETX in patients with decompensated cirrhosis was significantly higher than that in the compensated phase, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The levels of DAO, D-lactic acid and ETX in the liver cirrhosis group were significantly higher than those in the healthy control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.01). The plasma levels of DAO, D-lactic acid and ETX in the Child-Pugh grade groups of patients with liver cirrhosis were significantly higher than those in the healthy control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The results of intergroup comparison showed that there were statistically significant differences in DAO, D-lactic acid and ETX levels between Child-Pugh grade A and grade B groups (t = -4.255, 2.527, -2.179, P < 0.05). Furthermore, there were statistically significant differences in the levels of D-lactic acid and ETX between the Child-Pugh grade A and grade C groups (t = -2.693, -4.248, P < 0.01).The plasma levels of DAO, D-lactic acid and ETX levels were positively correlated (r = 0.205, 0.372, 0.342, P < 0.01). D-lactic acid and ETX levels were positively correlated with CTP score, Forns’ index, RPR index, APRI score, FIB-4 index and FibroScan score(P < 0.01). Conclusion The three indices (plasma DAO, D-lactic acid, and ETX) can accurately detect the changes in intestinal mucosal permeability. Moreover, the higher index of intestinal mucosal permeability causes the more severe degree of liver cirrhosis and the correlation between the intestinal mucosal permeability and the prognosis score of liver cirrhosis provides a reference for a new evaluation system and new ideas for the treatment of liver cirrhosis.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors are able to reactivate the immune system therefore enhance the anti-tumor effects. However, over-activated T cells may induce immune related adverse events (irAEs). Hematological irAEs are rarely reported, which mainly represent as mono-lineage cytopenia or pancytopenia, including autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA), immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), neutropenia and aplastic anemia, sometimes even lethal, such as hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. The clinical manifestations of hematological irAEs will be summarized and recommendations of diagnosis and treatment are proposed.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have made remarkable breakthroughs in cancer treatment. However, the widely use of ICIs is associated with a spectrum of immune-related adverse events (irAEs). These adverse events can affect any organ system. In this article, we have made a systemic review about the clinical characteristics of rheumatic irAEs, and also summarized irAEs in patients with pre-exsiting rheumatic disease. We also focus on the management of rheumatic irAEs.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been widely used in management of malignant tumor. Programmed death ligand 1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors have been introduced to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in recent years. Currently, PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors are considered to have minor side effects and do not independently increase the risk of infection. However, they may cause immune-related adverse events (irAEs) that can require immunosuppressive therapy with corticosteroids and/or immunosuppressants, leading to opportunistic infections. Furthermore, there were reports about reactivation of chronic/latent infections without irAEs. Thus, immune checkpoint inhibitor related infections have drawn more and more attention in the world. In this paper, we described the potential mechanism, available clinical data and recommendation of diagnosis and management for PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor related infections.

Immunotherapy for malignant tumors is a hot spot in current research and treatment of cancer. The activation of programmed cell death receptor-1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA)-4 relevant signaling pathway can inhibit the activation of T lymphocytes. Tumor cells can achieve immune escape by activating this signaling pathway. By inhibiting this signaling pathway, immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) activate T lymphocytes to clear the tumor cells. Therefore, the adverse effects of ICIs are mainly immune-related adverse events (irAEs). The digestive system, including gastrointestinal tract and liver are vital organs of digestion and absorption, metabolism and detoxification, as well as important immune related organs, which are the commonly affected system of irAEs. This review separately explains the incidence, clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of liver and gastrointestinal adverse events in ICIs.

The increasing use of target therapy and immunocheckpoint inhibitors in cancers has brought new hope of survival to patients with advanced tumors. However, more and more adverse side-effects and toxicities of these medications had been reported, affect almost all human organs including the eye. These adverse effects may affect the entire ocular tissues, like eyelid, eye lashes, conjunctiva, cornea, uvea, retina, optic nerve and so on, which are always been ignored by patients and doctors. In this paper we will summarize the characteristics of the related ocular diseases and give our advice on how to diagnose and manage these diseases.

As a new type of anti-cancer drugs, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have shown remarkable therapeutic effects in many malignant tumors. By virtue of their targets and mechanisms of action, ICIs can cause autoimmune and inflammatory effects, termed immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Unlike traditional therapies, irAEs are latent and unstable. Severe adverse reactions will force patients to discontinue treatment and even affect their survival. Therefore, with the wide application of ICIs in clinical practice, clinicians need to fully understand the possible adverse reactions of such drugs and appropriate treatment strategies, in order to improve the survival rate and treatment effect of patients receiving ICIs. In this article, we review the incidence, clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of immune-related endocrine events that may occur with administration of ICIs.