Electroconvulsive therapy plays an irreplaceable role in treatment of major depressive disorder

Major depressive disorder is a serious and common neuropsychiatric disorder that affects more than 350 million people worldwide. Electroconvulsive therapy is the oldest and most effective treatment available for the treatment of severe major depressive disorder. Electroconvulsive therapy modifies structural network changes in patients with major depressive disorder and schizophrenia. And it can also affect neuroinflammatory responses and may have neuroprotective effects. Electroconvulsive therapy plays an irreplaceable role in the treatment of major depressive disorder.     

Methodological advances in the design of peptide-based vaccines

The tremendous advances in genomics, recombinant DNA technology, bioengineering and nanotechnology, in conjunction with the development of high-end computations, have been instrumental in the process of rational design of peptide-based vaccines. The use of peptide vaccines was limited owing to their inherent instability when systemically administered; however, advanced formulation techniques have been developed for their systemic delivery, thereby overcoming their degradation, clearance, cellular uptake and off-target effects. With the rise of sophisticated immunological predictors and experimental techniques, several methodological advances have occurred in this field. This review examines contemporary methods to identify and optimize epitopes, engineer their immunogenic properties and develop their safe and efficient delivery into the host.     

Impact of drug-eluting stent-associated coronary artery spasm on 3-year clinical outcomes: A propensity score matching analysis

BackgroundIt has been reported that significant endothelial dysfunction or clinically evident vasospasm can be associated with drug-eluting stents (DESs). However, the impact of DES associated coronary artery spasm (CAS) on long-term clinical outcomes has not been fully elucidated as compared with those of patients with vasospastic angina.MethodsA total of 2797 consecutive patients without significant coronary artery lesion (<70%), who underwent the Acetylcholine (Ach) provocation test, were enrolled between Nov 2004 and Oct 2010. DES-associated spasm was defined as significant CAS in proximal or distal to previously implanted DES site at follow-up angiography with Ach test. Patients were divided into two groups (DES-CAS; n = 108, CAS; n = 1878). For adjustment, propensity score matching (PSM) was done (C-statistics = 0.766, DES-CAS; n = 102, CAS; n = 102). SPSS 20 (Inc., Chicago, Illinois) was used to analyze this data.ResultsBaseline characteristics were worse in the DES-CAS group. After PSM, both baseline characteristics and the Ach test results were balanced except higher incidence of diffuse CAS and ECG change in the DES-CAS group. During Ach test, the incidence of diffuse spasm (93.1% vs. 81.3%, p = 0.012) and ST-T change (10.7% vs. 1.9%, p = 0.010) were higher in the DES-CAS group. At 3-year, before and after adjustment, the DES-CAS group showed a higher incidence of coronary revascularization (9.8% vs. 0.0%, p = 0.001), recurrent chest pain requiring follow up coronary angiography (CAG, 24.5% vs. 7.8%, p = 0.001) and major adverse cardiac events (MACEs, 9.8% vs. 0.9%, p < 0.005).ConclusionIn this study, DES associated CAS was associated with higher incidence of diffuse spasm, ST-T change and adverse 3-year clinical outcomes. Special caution should be exercised in this particular subset of patients.     

Are risk factors necessary for pretest probability assessment of coronary artery disease? A patient similarity network analysis of the PROMISE trial

BackgroundPretest probability (PTP) calculators utilize epidemiological-level findings to provide patient-level risk assessment of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). However, their limited accuracies question whether dissimilarities in risk factors necessarily result in differences in CAD. Using patient similarity network (PSN) analyses, we wished to assess the accuracy of risk factors and imaging markers to identify ≥50% luminal narrowing on coronary CT angiography (CCTA) in stable chest-pain patients.MethodsWe created four PSNs representing: patient characteristics, risk factors, non-coronary imaging markers and calcium score. We used spectral clustering to group individuals with similar risk profiles. We compared PSNs to a contemporary PTP score incorporating calcium score and risk factors to identify ≥50% luminal narrowing on CCTA in the CT-arm of the PROMISE trial. We also conducted subanalyses in different age and sex groups.ResultsIn 3556 individuals, the calcium score PSN significantly outperformed patient characteristic, risk factor, and non-coronary imaging marker PSNs (AUC: 0.81 vs. 0.57, 0.55, 0.54; respectively, p ?< ?0.001 for all). The calcium score PSN significantly outperformed the contemporary PTP score (AUC: 0.81 vs. 0.78, p ?< ?0.001), and using 0, 1–100 and ?> ?100 cut-offs provided comparable results (AUC: 0.81 vs. 0.81, p ?= ?0.06). Similar results were found in all subanalyses.ConclusionCalcium score on its own provides better individualized obstructive CAD prediction than contemporary PTP scores incorporating calcium score and risk factors. Risk factors may not be able to improve the diagnostic accuracy of calcium score to predict ≥50% luminal narrowing on CCTA.     

产学研合作模式下长三角生物医药产业一体化协同创新发展研究——基于专利合作及基金项目合作

长三角一体化上升并发展为国家战略后，国内鲜有探讨长三角地区生物医药产业一体化协同发展的研究，长三角作为我国生物医药产业的重要地区，已初步形成产业集群的发展模式。本研究基于专利及基金项目合作的产学研模式，利用社会网络分析方法（SNA）对长三角地区生物医药产业中专利和国家自然科学基金重大项目合作进行分析研究。研究表明，长三角地区生物医药领域的产学研合作还处于发展阶段，一体化程度也有待提高；高校及科研院所更倾向于与企业合作开展发明专利，与高校合作开展基金项目研究。长三角地区三省一市间的生物医药产业发展也存在一定差距，建议长三角地区采取产学研深度融合模式，相关龙头科研机构建立开放式创新平台，医药类高校借助学科优势培养创新型人才，采取“揭榜挂帅”等方式进行关键核心技术攻关。     

大柴胡汤加味联合西药治疗肥胖型2型糖尿病的临床疗效及对患者胰岛素抵抗的影响

目的:观察大柴胡汤加味联合西药治疗肥胖型2型糖尿病(type 2 diabetes mellitus,T2DM)的临床疗效及对患者胰岛素抵抗的影响。方法:选取2018年3月至2019年3月本院治疗的肥胖型T2DM患者104例,依据随机对照原则分为对照组和试验组,每组52例。对照组给予常规西药治疗,试验组在对照组治疗的基础上加用大柴胡汤加味治疗。结果:试验组总改善率为88.46%,对照组总改善率为73.08%,试验组高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);试验组治疗后胃脘胀满、胸肋胀闷、心烦易怒、口干口苦、体型肥胖、大便秘结等中医证候积分均显著低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);试验组患者治疗后空腹血糖、餐后2 h血糖、糖化血红蛋白、体质量指数均显著低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);试验组治疗后胰岛素抵抗指数低于对照组,胰岛素敏感指数、β-细胞功能指数均高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:大柴胡汤加味联合西药治疗肥胖型T2DM,可明显改善患者血糖控制效果和胰岛功能。     

越鞠丸联合盐酸氟西汀胶囊治疗抑郁症临床研究

目的:观察越鞠丸联合盐酸氟西汀胶囊治疗抑郁症的临床效果及对血清脑源性神经营养因子(BDNF)水平的影响。方法:纳入因抑郁症就诊的64例患者,随机分为对照组与治疗组各32例。对照组给予盐酸氟西汀胶囊抗5-羟色胺(5-HT)治疗,治疗组在对照组基础上联合越鞠丸治疗。比较2组治疗前后汉密尔顿抑郁量表(HAMD-24)评分、抑郁症状学快速自评量表(QIDS-SR16)、血清BDNF水平及总体疗效。结果:治疗前后比较,2组HAMD-24评分、QIDS-SR16评分均下降,血清BDNF水平升高(P<0.05),组间比较,治疗组2项评分下降更多,血清BDNF水平升高更多(P<0.05)。治疗后,治疗组总体疗效为90.63%,优于对照组的68.75%,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:越鞠丸联合盐酸氟西汀胶囊治疗抑郁症,可更加有效减缓患者抑郁症状,升高血清BDNF水平,增加临床疗效,有效保护患者脑功能,值得临床推广。     

Score du risque échocardiographique après un syndrome coronaire aigu

AimsIdentify the predective echocardiographic parameters of major cardiovascular events (death, ischemic recurrence, heart failure and rehospitalization) in-hospital and after six months of follow-up and to establish an echocardiographic prognostic score and to evaluate its prognostic value alone or in association with clinical risk scores.MethodsWe recruited 302 patients in intensive care unit of cardiology for ACS consecutively on admission, patients were assessed by clinical risk scores (GRACE, TIMI, CRUSADE) and resting doppler echocardiography, a follow-up of six months.ResultsThe echocardiographic risk score has four variables: LV-EF (RR = 0.931; 95%CI = 0.885–0.979, P < 0.01), RV-AF (RR = 0.951; 95%CI = 0.903–0.999, P < 0.05), iMAE-M-strain (RR = 1.226; 95%CI = 1.081–1.390, P < 0.01) and ULCs (RR = 1.151; 95%CI = 1.081–1.224, P < 0.01). Its discrimination capacity (AUC = 0.85), greater than that of the clinical risk scores, (GRACE: AUC = 0.72, TIMI: AUC = 0.71 and CRUSADE: AUC = 0.76).DiscussionThe risk stratification can be achieved using echocardiographic score easy to acquire and interpret in the clinical setting, with a stratification power higher than the clinical risk scores. The iconoclinical model makes it possible to select a group of heterogeneous patients by their clinical presentations and iconographic data at high risk but with an echoscore or clinical score weak or intermediate.ConclusionThe developed echocardiographic model could prove very useful in the decision-making process and optimization of the therapeutic strategy in some high-risk patients with acute coronary syndromes following an invasive strategy. It is appropriate for expert interpretation, yet relatively simple because it contains only four simple echocardiographic variables as predictors.     

Review of the renal endpoints used in cardiovascular safety clinical trials in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients and their importance in primary care

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the most common complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Furthermore, CKD confers a considerable increase in the risk of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality. In line with the need to improve knowledge in this field, this article aims to describe the renal endpoints used in the different cardiovascular outcome trials (CVOTs). The objective is to better know the renal variables used in the different CVOTs in order to optimize the implementation of advances in the prevention of progressive diabetic kidney disease in patients with T2DM in clinical practice.