Protocol for the development of consensus-based clinical case reporting guideline extension: CARE for acupuncture

BackgroundHealth research reporting guidelines for case reports (CARE - CAse REport) published in 2013 and 2017 have become a generally accepted standard for publishing case reports. The CARE guidelines represent an architectural framework for writing an evidence-based case report that can be customized as need for a specialty (or disease) if needed. We aim to develop a CARE guideline extension for acupuncture following the EQUATOR Network (Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research) and the 2010″Guidance for Developers of Health Research Reporting". We have established a group of international experts including; clinicians, researchers and methodologists. We performed a needs assessment based on a review of acupuncture case reports published in the indexed medical literature. The needs assessment will be followed by (1) a series of expert interviews to establish a draft, (2) a modified Delphi process, and (3) a consensus meeting. Following the consensus meeting we will pilot test the CARE draft before publishing the CARE extension for acupuncture.MethodsWe will develop the CARE extensions for acupuncture following recommendations of the EQUATOR Network and the 2010 "Guidance for Developers of Health Research Reporting". We will establish an international multidisciplinary group including clinical practitioners, acupuncturists, researchers of reporting guidelines on acupuncture, clinical epidemiologists and statisticians.We performed a needs assessment, reviewing published case reports using acupuncture as a therapeutic intervention from indexed medical journals (PubMed-PMC and Medline, Scopus, Embase, the Allied and Complementary Medicine Database (AMED), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Wan Fang database, Chinese BioMedicine database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and VIP). In consultations with advisors we will develop a draft of potential items to be included in the CARE extension for acupuncture. Then we will conduct a modified Delphi process of at least three rounds, hold a face-to-face consensus meeting, pilot test and submit the CARE extension for acupuncture for publication.ConclusionThe development of a widely accepted CARE extension for acupuncture for case reports published in indexed medical journals. These guidelines will follow the EQUATOR Network recommendations and the 2010 "Guidance for Developers of Health Research Reporting".     

Prognostic and clinicopathological utility of programmed death-ligand 1 in malignant pleural mesothelioma: A meta-analysis

ObjectiveProgrammed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) has been reported to be connected to prognosis in individuals with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), although there is no consensus based on data from previous studies. Accordingly, this quantitative meta-analysis investigated prognostic and clinicopathological utility of PD-L1 in patients with MPM.MethodsA comprehensive search of the PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases for articles published up to October 4, 2019 was performed. Studies using immunohistochemical techniques to detect/quantify the expression of PD-L1 in MPM tissue were enrolled in the analysis. The combined hazard ratio (HR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) was applied to assess the association between PD-L1 expression and overall survival (OS).ResultsA total of 11 studies comprising 1606 patients was included in the present meta-analysis. For OS, pooled data revealed an HR of 1.50 (95% CI 1.32–1.70; p < 0.001), suggesting that patients with PD-L1 overexpression experience inferior OS. Subgroup analysis revealed that elevated PD-L1 remained a significant prognostic indicator for worse OS, irrespective of sample size, cut-off value, ethnicity, and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale score. Moreover, PD-L1 overexpression was associated with non-epithelioid histology (odds ratio 4.30 [95% CI 1.89–9.74]; p < 0.001).ConclusionsResults of this meta-analysis show that elevated expression of PD-L1 could be a factor predicting poorer survival in patients with MPM.     

m6A结合蛋白IGF2BP1在肝细胞癌中的基因调控网络分析

目的 分析m6A阅读器胰岛素样生长因子2-mRNA结合蛋白1（insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 1，IGF2BP1）在肝细胞癌（hepatocellular carcinoma，HCC）中的表达水平及其对HCC患者预后的影响，并探讨IGF2BP1在HCC发生发展中的作用及其潜在机制。方法 基于5对HCC癌及相应癌旁组织mRNA-seq数据和TCGA数据库LIHC的mRNA-seq数据综合分析IGF2BP1在HCC中的表达情况，同时利用TCGA数据库中343例HCC患者的临床随访资料分析IGF2BP1表达水平对HCC患者总生存期的影响。基于TCGA数据库筛选IGF2BP1的共表达mRNA，并利用m6Avar在线网站预测mRNA的m6A位点及其RNA结合蛋白等信息，最终构建IGF2BP1的基因调控网络。结果 IGF2BP1基因在HCC中表达上调（log2FC HCC转录组数据=10.684，P<0.001；log2FC TCGA-LIHC数据集=7.032，P<0.001）。生存分析显示IGF2BP1低表达的HCC患者中位生存时间为5.84年，IGF2BP1高表达患者为4.44年，高表达患者总生存期缩短（P=0.011）。22个差异表达的mRNA与IGF2BP1存在靶向结合关系，并与其表达水平呈正相关。其中，HMGA2等15个高表达mRNA的HCC患者总生存期缩短。HMGA2、PEG10、CEP55、RHO、CDC6和KIF23基因中的潜在m6A甲基化位点位于mRNA 3'UTR端的miRNA结合区域。结论 IGF2BP1在HCC中高表达且导致患者总生存期缩短。IGF2BP1可能通过m6A甲基化及miRNA抑制作用的方式上调mRNA的表达，促进HCC发生并导致不良预后。     

优化新生脉散方治疗心力衰竭的网络药理学机制分析

[目的] 运用网络药理学方法分析优化新生脉散方治疗慢性心力衰竭（CHF）的作用机制。[方法] 基于中药系统药理数据库和分析平台（TCMSP）、BATMAN-TCM及UniProt数据库查询优化新生脉散方药物的主要活性成分与相应靶点，利用GeneCards数据库检索CHF相关靶点，通过OmicShare网站分析并结合Cytoscape-v3.6.0软件构建优化新生脉散方中药-化合物-靶点-疾病网络图，使用DAVID数据库对潜在靶点进行基因功能（GO）及京都基因和基因组百科全书（KEGG）通路富集分析。[结果] 根据类药性（DL）、口服吸收利用度（OB）、参数评分（Scorecutoff）筛选出与CHF相关的潜在化合物85种及靶点89个，其中，化合物有quercetin、luteolin、kaempferol等，靶点包括SCN5A、ADRB2、NOS2等。功能富集分析涉及生物过程、分子功能、细胞组分的GO条目共497个，主要参与调控细胞凋亡、增殖及缺氧、炎症反应等方面，KEGG通路富集得到139条，主要与缺氧诱导因子-1（HIF-1）、磷脂酰肌醇3激酶/蛋白激酶B（PI3K-Akt）、肿瘤坏死因子（TNF）信号通路等有关。[结论] 优化新生脉散方治疗CHF具有多成分、多靶点、多途径的作用，为进一步研究优化新生脉散方治疗CHF的潜在复杂机制提供参考方向。     

基于数据挖掘的国医大师治疗心悸用药规律探讨

目的:基于中医传承软件系统探讨国医大师治疗心悸的用药规律。方法:收集整理《国医大师验案良方·心脑卷》中治疗心悸的病案并录入中医传承辅助平台,采用规则分析、改进互信息法、复杂系统熵聚类等数据挖掘方法,统计分析其中的用药规律。结果:分析纳入的83个病案得出149味中药,所用中药性味多为甘温,主要归心、肺、脾三经,包括丹参、黄芪、炙甘草、麦冬等高频次中药。提取置信度为1的丹参,五味子→麦冬组合,可窥见生脉饮的雏形并衍生出10个新方,新方可分为五类,分别为行气化痰类、滋阴养血类、温通心阳类、益气活血类和化痰祛瘀类。结论:国医大师治疗心悸有规律可循,主要以“益气通阳”“养阴补血”“化痰祛瘀”为组方规律,标本并治。     

华细辛和北细辛HPLC特征图谱识别与抗炎靶点及抗炎成分分析

建立华细辛和北细辛HPLC特征图谱并结合聚类分析研究2种来源细辛的识别方法;应用网络药理学方法预测细辛潜在抗炎靶点并寻找潜在抗炎成分。对89批细辛药材(12批华细辛和77批北细辛)的数据进行分析确定了11个特征峰,用对照品、紫外光谱和LC-MS指认了11个特征成分。特征峰面积聚类分析显示华细辛和北细辛被分为2类,且利用特征峰面积比值可实现两者区分,当特征峰9(细辛素)/参照峰S(卡枯醇)峰面积比值大于5时为华细辛,小于2时为北细辛。对119种细辛成分进行网络药理学分析的结果表明细辛抗炎作用可能与COX-2,COX-1,iNOS,MAPK14,LAT4H,NR3C1,PPARG和TNF等8个靶点相关,其中COX-2最为关键,与5种特征成分细辛脂素、芝麻脂素、细辛素、甲基丁香酚和黄樟醚均存在相互作用。此外,细辛脂素、芝麻脂素与iNOS,MAPK14也存在相互作用关系,黄樟醚和细辛素可作用于iNOS,COX-1,LAT4H,甲基丁香酚可作用于COX-1,LAT4H。细辛脂素与芝麻脂素均可作用在COX-2,iNOS和MAPK143个靶点上,提示它们是细辛发挥抗炎作用的活性成分;COX-2分子对接结果和COX-2活性实验结果验证了细辛脂素、芝麻脂素可抑制COX-2活性,为细辛抗炎作用活性成分。基于HPLC特征图谱的华细辛和北细辛识别方法简便易行;预测到的细辛抗炎靶点和抗炎成分为完善细辛质量评价体系奠定了基础。     

缓解视疲劳功能中药复方保健产品配方规律及特点分析

目的通过检索特殊食品信息查询平台公布的具有缓解视疲劳功能的保健食品信息资料,以及药智数据网的中成药处方数据库中眼科中成药中有保健功能的产品信息资料,为具有缓解视疲劳功能的保健产品的组方与产品开发提供依据与参考。方法运用Microsoft Excel2016软件及中医传承辅助平台对检得的产品信息进行统计,分析其配方特点。结果共收集到141个具有缓解视疲劳功能的保健食品,其中64个(45.4%)保健食品配方中含有中药类原料。使用频次≥5的中药原料有6味,累计使用145次(72%),由高到低分别是菊花、枸杞子、决明子、桑椹、熟地黄、茯苓。通过无监督的熵层次聚类得到3个新处方。非中药原料在缓解视疲劳功能的保健食品中应用较为普遍,含有外来天然植物资源的60个产品,含叶黄素及维生素类的17个。统计眼科中成药中有保健功能的产品可知,使用频次≥4的中药原料有7味,累计使用32次(29%),由高到低分别是枸杞子、决明子、菟丝子、熟地黄、菊花、五味子、车前子。通过无监督的熵层次聚类得到1个新处方。结论保健食品在中药原料的选择上与中医药理论治疗视疲劳的原则基本契合,即滋补肝肾、平肝明目。但二者在中药原料选择范围、原料配伍、剂型种类等方面有所不同。此外,还在辨证保健理论指导下,尝试探讨应用文献数据处理统计方法筛选新配方、开发新产品,为中药复方保健产品的研发开辟了新思路、新方法。