OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility and tolerability of metoprolol standard dosing pathway (MSDP) in Chinese patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). METHODS: In this multicenter, prospective, open label, single-arm and interventional study that was conducted from February 2018 to April 2019 in fifteen Chinese hospitals. A total of 998 hospitalized patients aged ≥ 18 years and diagnosed with ACS were included. The MSDP was applied to all eligible ACS patients based on the standard treatment recommended by international guidelines. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients achieving the target dose at discharge (V2). The secondary endpoints included the heart rate and blood pressure at V2 and four weeks after discharge (V4), and percentage of patients experiencing bradycardia (heart rate < 50 beats/min), hypotension (blood pressure < 90/60 mmHg) and transient cardiac dysfunction at V2 and V4. RESULTS: Of the 998 patients, 29.46% of patients achieved the target dose (≥ 95 mg/d) at V2. The total population was divided into two groups: target group (patients achieving the target dose at V2) and non-target group (patients not achieving the target dose at V2). There was significant difference in the reduction of heart rate from baseline to discharge in the two groups (-4.97 ± 11.90 beats/min vs. -2.70 ± 9.47 beats/min, P = 0.034). There was no significant difference in the proportion of bradycardia that occurred in the two groups at V2 (0 vs. 0, P = 1.000) and V4 (0.81% vs. 0.33%, P = 0.715). There was no significant difference in the proportion of hypotension between the two groups at V2 (0.004% vs. 0.004%, P = 1.000) and V4 (0 vs. 0.005%, P = 0.560). No transient cardiac dysfunction occurred in two groups during the study. A total of five adverse events (1.70%) and one serious adverse event (0.34%) were related to the pathway in target group. CONCLUSIONS In Chinese ACS patients, the feasibility and tolerability of the MSDP have been proved to be acceptable.

Purpose: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the pathogen of coronavirus disease 2019. Diagnostic methods based on the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) have been developed to detect SARSCoV-2 rapidly. Therefore, a systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of CRISPR for detecting SARS-CoV-2 infection. Materials and Methods: Studies published before August 2021 were retrieved from four databases, using the keywords “SARS-CoV-2” and “CRISPR.” Data were collected from these publications, and the sensitivity, specificity, negative likelihood ratio (NLR), positive likelihood ratio (PLR), and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) were calculated. The summary receiver operating characteristic curve was plotted for analysis with MetaDiSc 1.4. The Stata 15.0 software was used to draw Deeks’ funnel plots to evaluate publication bias. Results: We performed a pooled analysis of 38 independent studies shown in 30 publications. The reference standard was reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. The results indicated that the sensitivity of CRISPR-based methods for diagnosis was 0.94 (95% CI 0.93–0.95), the specificity was 0.98 (95% CI 0.97–0.99), the PLR was 34.03 (95% CI 20.81–55.66), the NLR was 0.08 (95% CI 0.06– 0.10), and the DOR was 575.74 (95% CI 382.36–866.95). The area under the curve was 0.9894. Conclusion Studies indicate that a diagnostic method based on CRISPR has high sensitivity and specificity. Therefore, this would be a potential diagnostic tool to improve the accuracy of SARS-CoV-2 detection.

Traditional Chinese medicine has unique advantages in the treatment of degenerative bone and joint diseases, and its widely used in clinical practice. In recent years, many scholars have conducted a large number of basic studies on the delay of intervertebral disc degeneration by herbal compound and monomeric components from different perspectives. In order to further elucidate its mechanism of action, this paper summarizes the in vivo and in vitro experimental studies conducted at the level of both herbal compound and single components, respectively, in order to provide references for the basic research on the treatment of lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration by Chinese medicine. A summary shows that commonly used herbal compound prescriptions include both classical prescriptions such as Duhuo Jisheng Decoction, as well as clinical experience prescriptions such as Yiqi Huoxue Recipe. Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Chuanxiong Rhizoma, Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata, Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix, and Eucommiae Cortex were used most frequently. Tonic for deficiency and blood stasis activators were used most frequently. The most utilized monomeric components include icariin, ginsenoside Re, salvianolic acid B and aucubin. The main molecular mechanisms by which herbal compound and monomeric components delay of lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration include improving the intervertebral disc microenvironment, promoting the synthesis of aggregated proteoglycans and type Ⅱ collagen in the intervertebral disc, reducing the degradation of the extracellular matrix, and inhibiting apoptosis in the nucleus pulposus cells, etc. The main signaling pathways involved include Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, MAPK-related signaling pathway, mTOR signaling pathway, Fas/FasL signaling pathway, PI3 K/Akt signaling pathway, NF-κB signaling pathway, JAK/STAT signaling pathway, and hedgehog signaling pathway, etc.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Hedgehog Proteins/metabolism* ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration/metabolism* ; Nucleus Pulposus/metabolism* ; Wnt Signaling Pathway

OBJECTIVE: To confirm the therapeutic effect of recombinant human thrombopoietin (rhTPO) on rhesus monkeys irradiated with 5.0 Gy ⁶⁰Co γ-ray, and provide experimental basis for clinical treatment of similar patients. METHODS: Fourteen adult rhesus monkeys were irradiated with ⁶⁰Co γ-ray on both sides at the dose of 5.0 Gy (dose rate 69.2 cGy/min) to establish the acute radiation sickness model. The monkeys were divided into irradiation group (n=5), rhTPO 5 μg/kg group (n=4) and rhTPO 10 μg/kg group (n=5). Two hours after irradiation, the three groups of monkeys were injected with saline 0.1 ml/kg, rhTPO 5 μg/kg（0.1 ml/kg） and rhTPO 10 μg/kg(0.2 ml/kg), respectively. The general signs, survival, peripheral hemogram and serum biochemistry of rhesus monkeys were observed before and after irradiation, and the differences between rhTPO group and irradiation control group were compared. RESULTS: After total body irradiation with 5.0 Gy⁶⁰Co γ-ray, rhesus monkeys successively showed fever, hemorrhage, sharp decrease of whole blood cell counts in peripheral blood and disorder of serum biochemical indexes. Compared with the irradiated control group, a single intramuscular injection of rhTPO 5 μg/kg or 10 μg/kg 2 hours after irradiation could improve the symptoms of fever and bleeding, increase the nadir of peripheral red blood cells and platelets counts, shorten the duration of hemocytopenia, and advance the time for blood cells to return to the pre-irradiation level. The serum biochemical results showed that rhTPO could improve the abnormality of serum biochemical indexes in rhesus monkeys induced by 5.0 Gy total body irradiation to some extent. Compared with the two administration groups, the therapeutic effect of rhTPO 10 μg/ kg was better. CONCLUSION A single injection of rhTPO 5 μg/ kg or 10 μg/ kg 2 hours after irradiation can alleviate the injury of multilineage hematopoiesis and promote the recovery in monkeys irradiated by 5.0 Gy γ-ray. It also improves animal signs and has obvious therapeutic effect on acute radiation sickness.
Humans ; Animals ; Macaca mulatta ; Radiation Injuries

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of Bushen Huoxue Formula (BSHXF) for the treatment of discogenic low-back pain (DLBP). METHODS: This was a parallel, double-blind, randomized, clinical trial performed between May 2019 and June 2020. Seventy patients were assigned by computerized random number table to the treatment group (lumbar traction and BSHXF, 35 cases) or the control group (lumbar traction and placebo, 35 cases). The patients received intervention for 3 weeks. Assessment was conducted before treatment and at week 1, 2, 3 during treatment. Primary outcome was the self-reported score of Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Secondary outcomes included Visual Analog Scale (VAS), clinical efficacy rate by minimal clinically important difference (MCID) as well as lumbar tenderness, muscle tone and lumbar spine mobility. Adverse reactions were recorded. Follow-up was performed at 1 and 3 months after the end of treatment. RESULTS: In the treatment group, ODI score was significantly decreased compared with baseline (P<0.05) and the control group at 2- and 3- week treatment. Similarly, VAS score decreased compared with the baseline (P<0.05) and was lower than that in the control group at 2- and 3- week treatment (P<0.05). The clinical efficacy rate of the treatment group was higher than that of the control group after treatment [32.35% (11/34) vs. 3.13% (1/32), P<0.05). Moreover, the tenderness, and muscle tone, as well as the back extension and left flexion in lumbar spine mobility in the treatment group at 3-week treatment were significantly improved compared with the control group (P<0.05). Follow-up showed that at 1-month after treatment, the treatment group had better outcomes than the control group with regard to a total score of ODI and VAS scores, as well as clinical efficacy rate (all P<0.05). Moreover, VAS score was still significantly lower than the control group at 3-month follow-up (P<0.05). No adverse reactions were reported during the study. CONCLUSION BSXHF combined with lumbar traction can significantly improve the clinical symptoms including pain intensity, functionality, muscle tone, and lumbar spine mobility in DLBP patients. (Registration No. ChiCTR1900027777).
Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration/therapy* ; Low Back Pain/drug therapy* ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Pain Measurement ; Treatment Outcome

Objective:To investigate the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation rate, mutation characteristics and distribution characteristics of different mutation types in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in Fuyang of Yunnan province, to provide the clinical individualized targeted therapy of NSCLC in this region.Methods:A total of 328 NSCLC patients whose native place were Fuyuan and who underwent EGFR test in Fuyuan County People's Hospital in Yunnan Province from January 2018 to August 2020 were selected, and their clinical data such as gender, age, ethnicity, pathological type and the results of EGFR test were collected for statistical analysis.Results:The EGFR mutation rate of NSCLC patients was 40.55% (133/328). The EGFR mutation rate of female patients was higher than that of males ( P < 0.01). The EGFR mutation rate showed a downward trend with age, the EGFR mutation rate of patients ≤ 60 years old was higher than that of patients > 60 years old ( P = 0.014). The EGFR mutation rate in ethnic minority was not statistically different from Han nationality ( P = 0.789). The EGFR mutation rate of patients without smoking history was higher than that of patients with smoking history ( P<0.01). Patients with adenocarcinoma had a higher EGFR mutation rate than squamous cell carcinoma ( P = 0.002). The EGFR mutation rate in patients with stage Ⅰ-Ⅱwere higher than that in patents with stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ ( P = 0.013). The EGFR mutation rate in tissue samples were higher than that in peripheral blood samples ( P = 0.009). In 328 patients the EGFR single-point mutation rate was 24.70% (81/328), and the compound mutation rate was 15.85% (52/328); the common mutation rate was 17.07% (56/328), and the rare mutation rate was 23.48% (77/328). The top 5 mutation types were L858R (10.06%), G719X+S768I (7.32%), 19-Del (7.01%), G719X+L861Q (6.40%), and G719X (4.21%). In 133 patients with EGFR mutation, the proportion of patients with rare mutation [57.89% (77/133)] was higher than the proportion of patients with common mutation [42.11% (56/133)]. Conclusion:The EGFR mutation rates of female, adenocarcinoma, non-smoking and young NSCLC patients in Fuyuan area are high, and the rare mutation rate is high.

Objective: To investigate the inhibitory effect on Burkholderia pseudomallei (B. pseudomallei) strain HNBP001 of a bacillomycin D-like cyclic lipopeptide compound named bacillomycin DC isolated from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens HAB-2. Methods: The antibacterial effect of bacillomycin DC on B. pseudomallei was determined using the disk diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentrations were evaluated by microdilution assay. In addition, transmission electron microscopy was performed and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay was carried out to determine the expression of MexB, OprD2, and qnrS genes. Results: Bacillomycin DC produced an inhibition zone against B. pseudomallei with minimum inhibitory concentration values of 12.5 μg/mL 24 h after treatment and 50 μg/mL at 48 and 72 h. Transmission electron microscopy showed that bacillomycin DC resulted in roughening cell surface and cell membrane damage. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis showed low expression of MexB, OprD2 and qnrS genes. Conclusions: Bacillomycin DC inhibits the growth of B. pseudomallei and can be a new candidate for antimicrobial agents of B. pseudomallei. Rajaofera Mamy 1 Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education and School of Tropical Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan Kang Xun 2 Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education and School of Tropical Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan Jin Peng-Fei 3 Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control of Tropical Plant Diseases and Pests (Hainan University), Ministry of Education, Haikou 570228, Hainan Chen Xin 4 Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education and School of Tropical Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan Li Chen-Chu 5 Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education and School of Tropical Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan Yin Li 6 Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education and School of Tropical Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan Liu Lin 7 Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education and School of Tropical Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan Sun Qing-Hui 8 Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education and School of Tropical Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan Zhang Nan 9 Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education and School of Tropical Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan Chen Chui-Zhe 10 Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education and School of Tropical Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan He Na 11 Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education and School of Tropical Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan Xia Qian-Feng 12 Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education and School of Tropical Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan Miao Wei-Guo 13 Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control of Tropical Plant Diseases and Pests (Hainan University), Ministry of Education, Haikou 570228, Hainan Kung CT, Lee CH, Li CJ, Lu HI, Ko SF, Liu JW. 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Objective: To explore the changes and benefits of vascular endothelial cell function in rats with qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome, and the effect of Yiqi Huoxue recipe (YQHXF) of such changes. Method: Rats were randomly divided into blank control group, Qi deficiency and blood stasis group, and YQHXF high and low dose groups (5.54,2.77 g·kg^-1). A small platform of water environment was used to make the rats stand for a long-term with irregular and incomplete sleep deprivation, 16 h per day for six weeks, so that both mentality and labor of rats were consumed to establish qi deficiency and blood stasis rat models. From the fifth week, intragastric administration was given for 2 weeks, until end of the experiment. Then levels of endothelin-1(ET-1), von willebrand factor (vWF), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1(VCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1), P-selectin,interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in rat plasma were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and nitric oxide (NO) was detected by nitrate reductase assay. Result:Compared with blank control group, rats in Qi deficiency and blood stasis group showed rough and dark hair, with significantly decreased body weight and pulse amplitude (P<0.01); R, G, B values of the tongue surface were decreased significantly (P<0.01); high and moderate shear values of whole blood viscosity, as well as plasma viscosity were significantly increased (P<0.01), and the indexes of vascular endothelial function such as ET-1, vWF, VCAM-1, ICAM-1, P-selectin, IL-6 and TNF-α were abnormally increased after sleep deprivation (P<0.05,P<0.01). High and low dose YQHXF significantly increased the pulse amplitude and tongue R, G, B values(P<0.01), reduced the high, moderate and low shear values of whole blood viscosity, as well as plasma viscosity (P<0.05,P<0.01); at the same time, the levels of ET-1, IL-6, VCAM-1 and P-selectin in rats were decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01). Conclusion:Sleep deprivation can induce the formation of Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome in rats, and lead to vascular endothelial dysfunction. YQHXF has the function of protecting the vascular endothelium. It can improve the Qi deficiency and blood stasis symptoms in rats with Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome by regulating the secretion of vascular endothelial active substances, reducing cell adhesion and inhibiting inflammation.

Substantial evidence supports the neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia. Meanwhile, progressive neurodegenerative processes have also been reported, leading to the hypothesis that neurodegeneration is a characteristic component in the neuropathology of schizophrenia. However, a major challenge for the neurodegenerative hypothesis is that antipsychotic drugs used by patients have profound impact on brain structures. To clarify this potential confounding factor, we measured the cortical thickness across the whole brain using high-resolution T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in 145 first-episode and treatment-naïve patients with schizophrenia and 147 healthy controls. The results showed that, in the patient group, the frontal, temporal, parietal, and cingulate gyri displayed a significant age-related reduction of cortical thickness. In the control group, age-related cortical thickness reduction was mostly located in the frontal, temporal, and cingulate gyri, albeit to a lesser extent. Importantly, relative to healthy controls, patients exhibited a significantly smaller age-related cortical thickness in the anterior cingulate, inferior temporal, and insular gyri in the right hemisphere. These results provide evidence supporting the existence of neurodegenerative processes in schizophrenia and suggest that these processes already occur in the early stage of the illness.

BACKGROUND: Animal models are critical to study the mechanism, prevention and treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). Therefore, constructing an ideal animal model of IDD is the key to further study IDD. OBJECTIVE: To review the selection and construction methods of the IDD model, so as to select and construct an ideal animal model of IDD. METHODS: A retrieval of CNKI, WanFang, VIP, SinoMed and PubMed databases was performed for the articles published before December 2016. The keywords were "intervertebral disc degeneration, animal model" in English and Chinese, respectively. All the articles were selected from the authoritative magazines, and finally 56 eligible articles were included. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There are many kinds of animals used for constructing the IDD model, including small and large animals. The former has a small volume of intervertebral disc that is beneficial for nutrient and metabolite transport,so it can be used for long-term in vitro culture.The latter has a large volume of intervertebral disc,which is appropriate for biomechanical study.The animal models of IDD include in vivo and in vitro models:the in vivo models include the changed biomechanics,destroyed physical structure,spontaneous and systemic disease models;the in vitro models include in vitro cellular and organ models.However,there is still a lack of an ideal animal model that can fully simulate human IDD. Noticeably, similarity, comparability, economy, feasibility, reliability and controllability should be considered.