Five commonly used traditional Chinese medicine formulas in the treatment of ulcerative colitis:A network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Currently,traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)formulas are commonly being used as adjunctive therapy for ulcerative colitis in China.Network meta-analysis,a quantitative and comprehensive analytical method,can systematically compare the effects of different adjunctive treatment options for ulcerative colitis,providing scientific evidence for clinical decision-making.AIM To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of commonly used TCM for the treatment of ulcerative colitis(UC)in clinical practice through a network metaanalysis.METHODS Clinical randomized controlled trials of these TCM formulas used for the adjuvant treatment of UC were searched from the establishment of the databases to July 1,2022.Studies that met the inclusion criteria were screened and evaluated for literature quality and risk of bias according to the Cochrane 5.1 standard.The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using ReviewManager(RevMan)5.4,and a funnel plot was constructed to test for publication bias.ADDIS 1.16 statistical software was used to perform statistical analysis of the treatment measures and derive the network relationship and ranking diagrams of the various intervention measures.RESULTS A total of 64 randomized controlled trials involving 5456 patients with UC were included in this study.The adjuvant treatment of UC using five TCM formulations was able to improve the clinical outcome of the patients.Adjuvant treatment with Baitouweng decoction(BTWT)showed a significant effect[mean difference=36.22,95%confidence interval(CI):7.63 to 65.76].For the reduction of tumor necrosis factor in patients with UC,adjunctive therapy with BTWT(mean difference=−9.55,95%CI:−17.89 to−1.41),Shenlingbaizhu powder[SLBZS;odds ratio(OR)=0.19,95%CI:0.08 to 0.39],and Shaoyao decoction(OR=−23.02,95%CI:−33.64 to−13.14)was effective.Shaoyao decoction was more effective than BTWT(OR=0.12,95%CI:0.03 to 0.39),SLBZS(OR=0.19,95%CI:0.08 to 0.39),and Xi Lei powder(OR=0.34,95%CI:0.13 to 0.81)in reducing tumor necrosis factor and the recurrence rate of UC.CONCLUSION TCM combined with mesalazine is more effective than mesalazine alone in the treatment of UC.

Regression of East Tethys resulted in a center of biodiversity: A study of Mysmenidae spiders from the Gaoligong Mountains, China

DEAR EDITOR,This research involved the study of 31 species from the spider family Mysmenidae Petrunkevitch,1928,found in the Gaoligong Mountains of China,including one new genus and 13 new species.Our results suggested that regression of East Tethys contributed to the appearance of a center of biodiversity.The Tethys,a classical and hot topic in geology.It has undergone a succession of significant geodynamic transformations,transitioning from an ancient ocean to the current Alpine-Himalayan orogenic belt.Notably,the East Tethys,serving as an invaluable lens through which to study continental geology and geodynamics,has played a pivotal role in triggering the major geological reconstructions of the entire Tethys(Pan et al.,1997).

抑癌基因miR-302b在恶性肿瘤中的调控机制

微小RNA是一类具有调控蛋白翻译功能的细胞内源性非编码RNA分子,对生物的生长、发育、衰老,以及细胞的增殖、分化、凋亡,甚至癌症等疾病的发生起到重要的调控作用.miR-302b可参与多种基因的表达调控,在恶性肿瘤的发生发展侵袭转移等过程中发挥抑癌基因功能.本文就miR-302b在恶性肿瘤中的表达形式、所发挥的生物学功能及其分子机制进行述评.

Inhibitory effect of Polo-like kinase 1 depletion on mitosis and apoptosis of gastric cancer cells

AIM： Polo-like kinase 1 （PLK1） serine/threonine kinase plays a vital role in multiple phases of mitosis in gastric cancer cells. To investigate the effect of PLK1 depletion on mitosis and apoptosis of gastric cancer cells. METHODS： PLK1 expression was blocked by small RNA interference（siRNA）. The expression levels of PLK1, cdc2, cyclin B and caspase 3 were detected by Western blotting. Then, PLK1 depletion, cdc2 activity, cell proliferation, cell cycle phase distribution, mitotic spindle structure, and the rate of apoptosis of the PLK1 knockdown cells were observed. RESULTS： PLK1 gene knockdown was associated with increased cyclin B expression, increased cdc2 activity （but not with the expression levels）, accumulation of gastric cancer cells at G2/M, improper mitotic spindle formation, delayed chromosome separation and delayed or arrested cytokinesis. Moreover, PLK1 depletion in gastric cancer cells was associated with decreased proliferation, attenuated pro-caspase 3 levels and increased apoptosis. CONCLUSION： Blockage of to decreased mitosis or even PLK1 expression may lead apoptosis in gastric cancer cells, indicating that PLK1 may be a valuable therapeutic target for gastric cancer.

Wake Vortex Structure Characteristics of a Flexible Oscillating Fin

We compute the wake of a two-dimensional and three-dimensional flexible fin in an unsteady flow field with heaving and pitching motions using FLUENT. Deflexion mode is used for a non-uniform cantilever beam with non-uniformly distributed load. The effect of chordwise deflexion length on the characteristics of propulsion is discussed for two-dimensional flexible fin. The thrust coefficient decreases, propulsive efficiency increases and the intensity of turbulence attenuates gradually as the deflexion length increases. For a three-dimensional flexible fin, the intensity of the vortex in the plane of symmetry is higher than that in the plane at 3/4 span length of the caudal fin. But the propulsive perform.ance achieved is not what we expected with the given deflexion mode.

Unknown species from China:The case of phrurolithid spiders(Araneae,Phrurolithidae)

DEAR EDITOR,Three new genera and 46 new species of phrurolithid spiders(Araneae,Phrurolithidae)are described from Jiangxi Province,southern China.These results support our hypothesis that a large percentage of China’s species remain unknown(Li,2020).Some 250 years after Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus devised a formal system for classifying the diversity of nature.

个体化减重干预对肥胖合并T2DM患者体质量指数、糖脂代谢的影响

目的探讨个体化减重干预对肥胖合并2型糖尿病(T2DM)患者体质量指数(BMI)、糖脂代谢的影响。方法选取2019年1月—2019年12月连云港第一人民医院收治的90例肥胖合并T2DM患者,随机分为对照组和观察组,每组45例。均予以常规降糖药物治疗,对照组同时予以基础饮食、运动干预,观察组同时予以个体化减重干预,均持续3个月。比较两组利拉鲁肽用药剂量;检测并比较治疗前、治疗1个月后、治疗2个月后、治疗3个月后的BMI、糖脂代谢指标;比较两组治疗期间不良事件发生率。结果两组利拉鲁肽用药剂量比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);观察组与对照组治疗前、治疗1个月后、治疗2个月后、治疗3个月后的BMI、空腹血糖(FBG)、餐后2小时血糖(2 hPG)、糖化血红蛋白(HbA1c)、胰岛素抵抗指数(HOMA-IR)、胆固醇(TC)、甘油三酯(TG)、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL-C)、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(HDL-C)比较,采用重复测量设计的方差分析,结果:①不同时间点的BMI、FBG、2 hPG、HbA1c、HOMA-IR、TC、TG、LDL-C、HDL-C有差异(P<0.05);②两组的BMI、FBG、2 hPG、HbA1c、HOMA-IR、TC、TG、LDL-C、HDL-C有差异(P<0.05),观察组BMI、FBG、2 hPG、HbA1c、HOMA-IR、TC、TG、LDL-C均低于对照组,观察组HDL-C高于对照组;③两组的BMI、FBG、2 hPG、HbA1c、HOMA-IR、TC、TG、LDL-C、HDL-C变化趋势有差异(P<0.05)。两组治疗期间不良事件发生率比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论个体化减重干预可降低肥胖合并T2DM患者的BMI,调节糖脂代谢,且不良事件不会显著增多,相较于常规干预作用更大。

Europe vs.China:Pholcus(Araneae,Pholcidae)from Yanshan-Taihang Mountains confirms uneven distribution of spiders in Eurasia

DEAR EDITOR,Morphological and molecular data were used to study 35 species of the Pholcus phungiformes species group from the Yanshan-Taihang Mountains in China.The uneven distribution pattern of spiders in Eurasia is discussed,with a focus on Europe and China.Europe covers approximately 10.18 million km2 in western Eurasia,while China covers about 9.6 million km2 in the east.Due to their relative positions to each other and similar land areas,spider species richness in Europe and China is comparable(Li,2020).

CTL Responses to Regulatory Proteins Tat and Rev in HIV-1 B’/C Virus-Infected Individuals

Objective To characterize HIV-1 specific CTL responses to regulatory proteins Tat and Rev in HIV-B＇/C virus-infected ART-naive individuals. Methods HIV-1-specific CTL responses were analyzed by IFN-7 ELISPOT assay using overlapping peptides spanning the consensus sequences of HIV-1 clade C Tat and Rev proteins. Statistical analysis and graphical presentation were performed using SIGMAPLOT 10.0 and SIGMASTAT 3.5. For samples with a positive response, the magnitude of CTL responses was compared between HIV-1 C proteins by Wilcoxon rank sum test, and the significance threshold was P〈0.05. Results Tat and Rev were frequently recognized, with 23% and 52% of the tested individuals having detectable responses to these proteins, respectively. Several immunodominant regions were detected in Rev. No significant correlation was observed between the magnitude and breadth of CTL responses to regulatory proteins and the control of virus replication in this study. Conclusion Tat and Rev can serve as targets for HIV-l-specific CTL, and several immunodominant regions are detectable in Rev. Further characterization of epitopes and their role in virus control may shed light on pathogenesis of HIV- 1 natural infection and also be useful for the design and testing of candidate vaccines.

SNP芯片检测胎儿额外小标记染色体的研究

目的总结应用SNP芯片技术对胎儿额外小标记染色体(sSMC)进行鉴定的经验,为产前遗传咨询提供参考。方法应用传统G显带技术对2例胎儿羊水细胞及其父母外周血进行染色体核型分析,进一步用SNP芯片技术明确胎儿sSMC的来源。结果 1号胎儿羊水染色体核型为45,X[74]/46,X,+mar[31],芯片扫描结果为Xp22.33～p11.22和Xq27.3～q28区域均缺失,缺失大小分别为52.7和8.6 Mb。2号胎儿羊水染色体核型为47,XX,+mar,芯片结果为46,XX,其父亲外周血染色体核型为47,XY,+mar,临床表型正常。结论 SNP芯片可以确定s SMC的来源,可作为传统核型分析的补充,为产前诊断和遗传咨询提供帮助。

Dysregulated RUNX1 Predicts Poor Prognosis by Mediating Epithelialmesenchymal Transition in Cervical Cancer

Objective Runt-related transcription factor 1(RUNX1)has been proven to be over-expressed and vital in many malignancies.However,its role in cervical cancer is still unclear.Methods Some online databases(Oncomine,GEPIA,UALCAN,LinkedOmics,and others)were used to explore the expression level,prognostic significance,and gene mutation characteristics of RUNX1 in cervical cancer.The protein levels of RUNX1 in cervical cancer were measured by immunohistochemistry(IHC).The functional changes of cervical cancer cells were measured in vitro after decreasing RUNX1.Results Bioinformatic results revealed that RUNX1 was upregulated in cervical cancer compared to normal tissues.Moreover,over-expression of RUNX1 was significantly correlated with cervical cancer patients’clinical parameters(e.g.,individual cancer stages,patients’age,nodal metastasis status,and others).Meanwhile,functional enrichment analysis of RUNX1-related genes indicated that RUNX1 was mainly involved in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)process in cervical cancer.Furthermore,RUNX1 may be upregulated by hsamiR-616-5p and hsa-miR-766 identified by miRDB,TargetScan,and miRWalk.Finally,RUNX1 was upregulated in cervical cancer compared to normal tissues by IHC in collected cervical cancer samples.The invasion and migration abilities of cervical cancer cells were significantly reduced by repressing EMT after knocking down RUNX1 in vitro.Conclusion RUNX1 was highly expressed in cervical cancer,and upregulated RUNX1 could significantly promote the invasive abilities of cervical cancer cells by inducing EMT.Therefore,RUNX1 may be a potential biomarker for early diagnosis and targeted therapy of cervical cancer.

Establishing a Quality Control System of Hedyotis corymbosa

Objective Hedyotis corymbosa(Shui Xian Cao,水线草,HC)is the main antitumor medicine in China and other southeast Asian countries.A comprehensive quality control system of HC was established in this study,as the current system was ineffective.Methods Microscopy was used to observe the characteristics of the powder and cross-sectional tissue.Thin layer chromatography(TLC)was employed to separate HC from Hedyotis diffusa(Bai Hua She She Cao,白花蛇舌草,HD).Simultaneously,high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)was used to establish the characteristic spectrum of HC and determine the concentrations of hedyotiscone A.Regarding the issue of systematicness,concentrations of water,total ash,acid-insoluble ash,heavy metals(including lead,arsenic,mercury,cadmium and copper)and pesticide residue were measured by the methods described in the 2015 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia.Results Calcium oxalate needle crystal bundles and oil drops were observed in the cross-sectional tissue.Three characteristic blue fluorescent spots were observed in the HC samples by TLC.There were five distinct characteristic peaks in HC but not in HD,and hedyotiscone A was the sharpest characteristic peak.The generated linear equation of hedyotiscone A was Y=3.15×108X+312.04(r2=1.000)between 0.00005270 and 0.002108 mg/mL,and the average recovery was 100.42%.Precision[relative standard deviation(RSD)0.92%],repeatability(RSD 0.14%),and recovery(RSD 0.85%)met the requirements for quantitative analysis.Hedyotiscone A concentrations ranged from 0.00017%~0.00113%across different habitats.Concentrations of water,ash and acid-insoluble ash were 8.80%~11.2%,7.00%~15.3%and 0.440%~7.70%,respectively.Concentrations of Pb,As,Hg,Cd and Cu were 1.60~4.60,0.650~1.60,0.0300~0.100,0.240~0.690 and 10.1~16.6μg/g,respectively.Pesticide residues were less than 0.00100 ppm.Conclusion The quality control system can effectively distinguish HC from HD,so as to comprehensively control the quality of HC,to provide references for the clinical use of HC.

Study on treatment and nursing of elderly patients with gastric cancer complicated with diabetes

Objective To study and analyze the treatment and nursing of elderly patients with gastric cancer complicated with diabetes.Methods:different data were analyzed and summarized.Conclusion:the elderly patients with gastric cancer and diabetes can cooperate with the control of blood glucose during the surgical treatment,and strengthen the nursing before and after the operation.

气候因子调节荒漠土壤中丰富和稀有微生物群落的聚集过程

土壤微生物由少数的丰富类群和大量的稀有类群组成,它们对生态系统的功能和服务有不同的贡献。本研究采用高通量测序技术对荒漠土壤样品的物种组成进行DNA测序分析,揭示土壤微生物丰富类群和稀有类群的组成结构。采用相关性分析和随机森林方法进一步分析环境因子对丰富和稀有类群群落的影响。最后,利用基于零模型的β-最近类群指数(βNTI)解析土壤微生物的群落构建机制。研究结果表明,在荒漠土壤中,稀有细菌的群落构建几乎完全由确定性的同质选择过程支配;相比之下,随机过程对丰富细菌的影响更为明显。然而,无论是丰富真菌还是稀有真菌都表现出相似的群落构建模式,即确定性过程和随机过程共同决定了真菌的群落构建过程。这些结果表明,随着平均年降水量(MAP)和平均年气温(MAT)的增加,丰富细菌的群落构建过程从随机性转变为确定性。而对稀有真菌来说,随着MAT的增加,群落构建过程从确定性向随机性转变。该研究提供了MAT和MAP调节荒漠土壤中丰富和稀有微生物群落构建过程的明确证据。这些发现为进一步研究土壤微生物群落结构和生态功能奠定了理论基础。

An optimized grey wolf optimizer based on a mutation operator and eliminating-reconstructing mechanism and its apphcation

Due to its simplicity and ease of use, the standard grey wolf optimizer （GWO） is attracting much attention. However, due to its imperfect search structure and possible risk of being trapped in local optima, its application has been limited. To perfect the performance of the algorithm, an optimized GWO is proposed based on a mutation operator and eliminating-reconstructing mechanism （MR-GWO）. By analyzing GWO, it is found that it conducts search with only three leading wolves at the core, and balances the exploration and exploitation abilities by adjusting only the parameter a, which means the wolves lose some diversity to some extent. Therefore, a mutation operator is introduced to facilitate better searching wolves, and an eliminating- reconstructing mechanism is used for the poor search wolves, which not only effectively expands the stochastic search, but also accelerates its convergence, and these two operations complement each other well. To verify its validity, MR-GWO is applied to the global optimization experiment of 13 standard continuous functions and a radial basis function （RBF） network approximation experiment. Through a comparison with other algorithms, it is proven that MR-GWO has a strong advantage.

Evaluating Anti-SmDl-amino-acid 83-119 Peptide Reactivity in Children with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Other Immunological Diseases

Background： SmD1-amino-acid 83-119 peptide （SmD183-119） is the major epitope of Smith （Sm） antigen, which is specific for adult systemic lupus erythematosus （SLE）. The anti-SmD183-119 antibody has exhibited higher sensitivity and specificity than anti-Sm antibody in diagnosing adult SLE. However, the utility of anti-SmD183-119 antibodies remains unclear in children with SLE （cSLE）. This study aimed to assess the characteristics of anti-StuD 183-119 antibody in the diagnosis of cSLE. Methods： Samples from 242 children with different rheumatological and immunological disorders, including autoimmune diseases （SLE [n = 46] and ankylosing spondylitis [AS, n = 11]）, nonautoimmune diseases （Henoch-Schonlein purpura [HSP, n = 60], idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura [n = 27], hematuria [n = 59], and arthralgia [n = 39]） were collected from Shanghai Children＇s Medical Center from March 6, 2012 to February 27, 2014. Seventy age- and sex-matched patients were enrolled in this study as the negative controls. All the patients＇ sera were analyzed for the anti-SmD 183-119, anti-Sm, anti-U 1-nRNP, anti-double-stranded DNA （dsDNA）, anti-nucleosome, anti-SSA/Ro60, anti-SSA/Ro52, anti-SSB, anti-Scl-70, and anti-histone antibodies using the immunoblotting assay. The differences in sensitivity and specificity between anti-SmD183-119 and anti-Sm antibodies were compared by Chi-square test. The correlations between anti-SmD183-119 and other auto-antibodies were analyzed using the Spearman＇s correlation analysis. A value of P 〈 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results： Thirty-six out of 46 patients with cSLE were found to be positive for anti-SmD183-119, while 12 patients from the cSLE cohort were found to be positive for anti-Sm. Compared to cSLE, it has been shown that anti-SmD183-119 was only detected in 27.3% of patients with AS and 16.7% of patients with HSP. In comparison with anti-Sm, it has been demonstrated that anti-StuD 183-119 had a higher sensitivity （78.3% vs. 26.1%, 2＇2 = 25.1, P 〈 0.05） and a lower specificity （90.8% vs. 100%, x^2 = 13.6, P 〈 0.05） in the diagnosis of cSLE. Further analysis revealed that anti-StuD 183-119 antibodies were positively correlated with anti-dsDNA, anti-nucleosome, and anti-histone antibodies in cSLE. Moreover, it has been clearly shown that anti-SmD183-119was more sensitive than anti-Sm in discriminating autoimmune diseases from nonautoimmune disorders in patients with arthralgia or hematuria. Conclusions： Measurement of anti-SmD183-119 in patients with cSLE has a higher sensitivity and a marginally lower specificity than anti-Sin. It has been suggested that inclusion of anti-SmD183-119 testing in the integrated laboratory diagnosis ofcSLE may significantly improve the overall sensitivity in child populations.

Machine Learning for Cataract Classification/Grading on Ophthalmic Imaging Modalities:A Survey

Cataracts are the leading cause of visual impairment and blindness globally.Over the years,researchers have achieved significant progress in developing state-of-the-art machine learning techniques for automatic cataract classification and grading,aiming to prevent cataracts early and improve clinicians′diagnosis efficiency.This survey provides a comprehensive survey of recent advances in machine learning techniques for cataract classification/grading based on ophthalmic images.We summarize existing literature from two research directions:conventional machine learning methods and deep learning methods.This survey also provides insights into existing works of both merits and limitations.In addition,we discuss several challenges of automatic cataract classification/grading based on machine learning techniques and present possible solutions to these challenges for future research.

Preparation of Cassava Starch-based Superabsorbent Polymer Using a Twin-roll Mixer as Reactor

Cassava starch-based superabsorbent polymer was successfully synthesized using a new technology that based on modification of a Haake twin-roll mixer as reactor. The cassava starch was first gelatinized then modified by grafting under external shear stress in the reactor. The torque and temperature curves as a function of time can reflect the variations in the reactor and also offer some information about the copolymerization reaction. The advantages of this system include starch modification can be carried out （l） with high starch concentration, （2） under controlled ticne and （3） smaller amount of sample （60 g） required. The technology provides useful guides for reactive extrusion. The starch grafted composites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy （FTIR）, nuclear magnetic resonance （NMR） and thermal gravimetric analysis （TGA）. The TGA was also used for determining the percentage of grafting ratio. The results show that the cassava starch has been successfully grafted with acrylamide then crosslinked by N,N＇-methylene-bisacrylamide using this reactor. The ultimate water absorbent capacity of the cassava-based superabsorbent polymer impacted by various pH values illustrated that the acid and basic solutions inhibit the ability of imbibing water. Additionally, gel properties of the cassava-based superabsorbent polymer were investigated. It can be concluded that the structure of cassava gel is stable, while the three dimensional network of cassava-based superabsorbent polymer is rigid but its structure could not resist external force effectively and everlastingly since G＇ was decreased with increasing amplitude.