Review of the pharmacological effects of astragaloside IV and its autophagic mechanism in association with inflammation

Astragalus membranaceus Bunge, known as Huangqi, has been used to treat various diseases for a long time. Astragaloside IV (AS-IV) is one of the primary active ingredients of the aqueous Huangqi extract. Many experimental models have shown that AS-IV exerts broad beneficial effects on cardiovascular disease, nervous system diseases, lung disease, diabetes, organ injury, kidney disease, and gynaecological diseases. This review demonstrates and summarizes the structure, solubility, pharmacokinetics, toxicity, pharmacological effects, and autophagic mechanism of AS-IV. The autophagic effects are associated with multiple signalling pathways in experimental models, including the PI3KI/Akt/mTOR, PI3K III/Beclin-1/Bcl-2, PI3K/Akt, AMPK/mTOR, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, SIRT1–NF-κB, PI3K/AKT/AS160, and TGF-β/Smad signalling pathways. Based on this evidence, AS-IV could be used as a replacement therapy for treating the multiple diseases referenced above.     

Characterization of viral genomic mutations in novel influenza A (H7N9)-infected patients: the association between oseltamivir-resistant variants and viral shedding duration

Since February 2013, human infections with the novel influenza A H7N9 virus have occurred in eastern China. It is important to detect mutations in viral genes and analyze the clinical features of patients and viral shedding duration related to neuraminidase inhibitor (NAI) resistance. We collected clinical specimens from 31 hospitalized H7N9 patients and sequenced NA, PB2, HA, and M gene fragments. Of the 31 identified patients, 7 (22.6%) carried the R292K substitution in NA, 30 (96.8%), 3 (9.7%), and 5 (16.1%) carried E627K, Q591K, and D701N mutations in PB2, respectively, and 2 (6.5%) carried both E627K and D701N mutations in PB2. All 26 identified patients harbored Q226L mutations and possessed only a single arginine (R) at cleavage sites in the HA and a S31N mutation in M2. Among 7 NA-R292K mutated patients, 3 died and 4 were discharged. There was no significant difference in the days that patients started oseltamivir treatment after symptom onset between NA-R292K mutant and NA-R292 wild-type patients (median days, 7 vs 6, P?=?0.374). NA-R292K mutant patients had a significantly longer duration of viral shedding than NA-R292 wild-type patients after oseltamivir treatment (median days, 10 vs 5, P?=?0.022). The mutation of R292K in NA conferring the potential ability of oseltamivir resistance resulted in prolonged viral duration and poor outcome and should be taken into consideration in the clinical management of infected patients.

     

耐多药结核病患者抑郁倾向相关因素研究进展

抑郁倾向是耐多药结核病患者现存的主要问题之一,对患者的治疗依从性、生命质量、精神和经济均有影响。严重的抑郁倾向会促使患者产生极端行为甚至走向自杀。作者对耐多药结核病患者抑郁倾向的相关因素及干预措施进行综述,从患者个人、家庭、社区、医院和国家多方面考虑,提出缓解患者心理负担、降低抑郁倾向的发展方向和建议。     

超声引导下甲状腺结节细针穿刺术的个人学习曲线初步研究

目的探讨超声引导下无负压甲状腺细针穿刺细胞学（US-FNAC）的学习曲线规律及其影响因素。 方法收集分析2017年6月至2018年月6月西安交通大学医学院附属陕西省肿瘤医院由同一医师完成的135例US-FNAC患者的操作耗时及临床病例资料，将患者按手术先后分9组（A~I组），每组15例定为一手术阶段后进行两两对比分析，比较各阶段的操作耗时、并发症及操作无效率。根据得出结果将135例患者分为前、中、后（X、Y、Z）3组，比较组间差异，进一步验证结果。 结果在A组至I组进行两两对比统计学分析得出，在A~D组间操作耗时均存在统计学差异（均P<0.05），在D组与E组间出现转折即两组比较差异无统计学意义（P=0.561），而E~I组间差异均无统计学意义（均P>0.05）。X、Y、Z 3组比较中，X组操作耗时明显长于Y组和Z组［分别为（6.23±1.38）min、（3.47±0.45）min、（3.21±0.45）min］，X组与Y组和Z组差异均有统计学意义（t=18.07、23.15，均P<0.05），Y、Z两组对比无显著差异（t=1.92，P=0.067）。随着操作例数的增加，并发症及无效操作的发生率逐渐降低。 结论对于期望熟练掌握US-FNAC技术的超声医师，遵循对操作的全面认知和科学操作步骤，在指导下开展45例左右的US-FNAC后，可望快速安全越过学习曲线转折点。     

Small nucleolar RNA host gene 3 functions as a novel biomarker in liver cancer and other tumour progression

Cancer has become the most life-threatening disease in the world. Mutations in and aberrant expression of genes encoding proteins and mutations in noncoding RNAs, especially long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), have significant effects in human cancers. LncRNAs have no protein-coding ability but function extensively in numerous physiological and pathological processes. Small nucleolar RNA host gene 3 (SNHG3) is a novel lncRNA and has been reported to be differentially expressed in various tumors, such as liver cancer, gastric cancer, and glioma. However, the interaction mechanisms for the regulation between SNHG3 and tumor progression are poorly understood. In this review, we summarize the results of SNHG3 studies in humans, animal models, and cells to underline the expression and role of SNHG3 in cancer. SNHG3 expression is upregulated in most tumors and is detrimental to patient prognosis. SNHG3 expression in lung adenocarcinoma remains controversial. Concurrently, SNHG3 affects oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes through various mechanisms, including competing endogenous RNA effects. A deeper understanding of the contribution of SNHG3 in clinical applications and tumor development may provide a new target for cancer diagnosis and treatment.     

Acquisition of Streptococcus pneumoniae in South African children vaccinated with 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine at 6, 14 and 40 weeks of age

BackgroundSeven-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) was introduced into the South African immunization program using 6, 14 and 40 weeks dosing schedule (2 + 1), with no catch-up in older children since April 2009. We investigated pneumococcal colonization acquisition in children who received this schedule and also compared it to historical cohorts of PCV-naïve children (n = 123 in 2007) and children who received a 3 + 1 PCV7 schedule (n = 124 in 2005/06).MethodsTwo hundred and fifty children aged 6–12 weeks were enrolled from December 2009 to April 2010. Participants had nasopharyngeal swabs collected on eight occasions between enrolment and 2-years of age. Standard methods were undertaken for bacterial culture and Streptococcus pneumoniae were serotyped using the Quellung method. Pneumococcal and Staphylococcus aureus colonization in the present study was compared to colonization in two historical longitudinal cohorts.ResultsS. pneumoniae was identified in 1081 (61.4%) of 1761 swabs collected in the current cohort. Pneumococcal colonization peaked at 41-weeks of age (76.8%) and decreased to 62.8% by 2-years of age (p = 0.002); PCV7-serotype colonization decreased during the same period from 28.6% to 15.6% (p = 0.001). Children from the current cohort compared to PCV-naïve children were less likely to be colonized by PCV7-serotypes from 40-weeks to 2-years of age and acquired PCV7-serotypes less frequently. No differences in overall pneumococcal, PCV7-serotype and non-PCV7-serotype colonization or new serotype acquisitions were detected comparing the current cohort to the historical cohort who received the 3 + 1 PCV7 schedule. Staphylococcus aureus colonization was similar in all three cohorts.ConclusionA 2 + 1 PCV7 schedule implemented in South Africa was temporally associated with reduced risk of vaccine-serotype colonization compared to historically unvaccinated children. Also, vaccine-serotype acquisition rate using the 2 + 1 schedule was similar to that in the 3 + 1 dosing cohort, suggesting that similar indirect protection against pneumococcal disease could be derived from either schedule in South Africa.