Retracted Article: Chrysin attenuates myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury by inhibiting myocardial inflammation

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of chrysin (CH) on myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury. Cytokines were reduced by CH in coronary artery occlusion-induced rats and also in H9C2 cells. The ST segment was also restored by CH. Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining and pathological analysis showed that CH could alleviate myocardial injury. Results in H9C2 cells showed that CH improved heart injury in hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) of H9C2 cells. In addition, the expressions of the HMGB1-related inflammation pathway in rats and H9C2 cells were significantly decreased by CH. The present study shows the protective effects of CH on myocardial injury via inflammation.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of chrysin (CH) on myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury.     

Comparison of a Web-Based Dietary Assessment Tool with Software for the Evaluation of Dietary Records

Background

Dietary assessment in clinical practice is performed by means of computer support, either in the form of a web-based tool or software. The aim of the paper is to present the results of the comparison of a Slovenian web-based tool with German software for the evaluation of four-day weighted paper-and-pencil-based dietary records (paper-DRs) in pregnant women.

Methods

A volunteer group of pregnant women (n=63) completed paper-DRs. These records were entered by an experienced research dietitian into a web-based application (Open Platform for Clinical Nutrition, OPEN, http://opkp.si/en, Ljubljana, Slovenia) and software application (Prodi 5.7 Expert plus, Nutri-Science, Stuttgart, Germany, 2011). The results for calculated energy intake, as well as 45 macro- and micronutrient intakes, were statistically compared by using the non-parametric Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. The cut-off for Spearman’s rho was set at >0.600.

Results

12 nutritional parameters (energy, carbohydrates, fat, protein, water, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, dietary fiber, vitamin C, folic acid, and stearic acid) were in high correlation (>0.800), 18 in moderate (0.600–0.799), 11 in weak correlation (0.400–0.599), while 5 (arachidonic acid, niacin, alpha-linolenic acid, fluoride, total sugars) did not show any statistical correlation.

Conclusion

Comparison of the results of the evaluation of dietary records using a web-based dietary assessment tool with those using software shows that there is a high correlation for energy and macronutrient content.     

时序教学法在医用化学双语教学中的探索

本文针对医学院校医用化学课程中的教学要求和教学现状,提出完全采用时间顺序优化知识框架,突出讲授内容内在联系的时序法授课模式,并结合物质结构的讲授介绍近几年的在教学中的改革实践。     

Evidence for Dry Needling in the Management of Myofascial Trigger Points Associated With Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective

To evaluate the current evidence of the effectiveness of dry needling of myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) associated with low back pain (LBP).

Point-of-Care Ultrasound Diagnosis of Proximal Hamstring Rupture

Background

Acute proximal hamstring ruptures can be a diagnostic challenge in the emergency department. The revealing sign of large posterior thigh ecchymosis is typically not yet present; the physical examination is limited due to pain, radiographs can be unremarkable, and definitive testing with magnetic resonance imaging is not practical. These avulsions are often misdiagnosed as hamstring strains and treated conservatively. The diagnosis is made after failed treatment, often months after the injury. Surgical repair at that time can be technically challenging and higher risk due to tendon retraction and adhesion of the tendon stump to the sciatic nerve.

Cost-Effectiveness of Primary Prevention with Statin Treatment for Chinese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Introduction

Statins can reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with diabetes. The objective of this analysis was to evaluate whether primary prevention with statin treatment is cost-effective for newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients in the Chinese context.

Methods

An economic analysis of primary prevention with statin treatment was conducted using the Chinese Outcomes Model for T2DM with a time horizon of a lifetime, which was developed and validated based on the Chinese population. Clinical costs and utility inputs were gathered from published sources. Lifetime discounted quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), costs, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) were measured. The uncertainty was evaluated by one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses.

Results

Statin treatment with atorvastatin 10 mg could add 0.08 QALYs with an additional $1676 compared with that of no statin management (control strategy) over a lifetime horizon, which led to an ICER of $21,924 per QALY gained. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of $27,351 per QALY gained, there was an approximately 80% probability of statin treatment being cost-effective compared with the control strategy. The model outcomes were most sensitive to the length of the expected life and age at the T2DM diagnosis.

Conclusions

Statin treatment with atorvastatin is most likely cost-effective for primary prevention in Chinese patients newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Funding

Partially funded by Pfizer Inc.

     

Effects of perioperative statins on patient outcomes after noncardiac surgery: a meta-analysis

Background: Cardiovascular complications are strongly correlated with a higher risk of mortality during follow-up after noncardiac surgery. However, controversy remains regarding whether perioperative administration of hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) has a beneficial effect on patient outcomes.

Objective: We performed a meta-analysis to validate the hypothesis that perioperative statins improve patient outcomes after noncardiac surgery.

Methods: Electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library) were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published up to 10 November 2017. RCTs were eligible for inclusion if they compared perioperative statin treatment with control treatment in patients scheduled for noncardiac surgery and reported data pertaining to clinical outcomes.

Results: Twelve RCTs involving 4707 patients (2371 in the perioperative statin group and 2336 in the control group) were ultimately included in this meta-analysis. The incidences of postoperative myocardial infarction, composite of death/myocardial infarction/stroke and new cases of atrial fibrillation were all lower in patients treated with statins than in control group patients, as shown by the fixed-effects model (odds ratio (OR)?=?0.460, 95% confidence interval (CI)?=?0.324–0.653, p?=?0 for myocardial infarction; OR?=?0.617, 95% CI?=?0.476–0.801, p?=?0 for composite of death/myocardial infarction/stroke; OR?=?0.406, 95% CI?=?0.247–0.666, p?=?0 for new atrial fibrillation). No significant differences in the incidences of stroke or transient ischemic attack, all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality were observed between the statin and control arms.

Conclusions: This meta-analysis supports the hypothesis that perioperative statins effectively reduce the incidences of postoperative myocardial infarction, composite of death/myocardial infarction/stroke and new cases of atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery.

• Key Messages

• Cardiovascular complications are strongly correlated with a higher risk of mortality during follow-up after noncardiac surgery.

• We performed a meta-analysis to confirm the hypothesis that perioperative statins improve patient outcomes after noncardiac surgery.

     

Design,synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of novel 2-chloro-3-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)quinoline derivatives as antitumor agents: in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity,cell cycle arrest and apoptotic response

A series of novel 2-chloro-3-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)quinoline derivatives (3a₁−3d₆) were designed and synthesized as antitumor agents. In vitro antitumor assay results showed that some compounds exhibited moderate to high inhibitory activities against HepG2, SK-OV-3, NCI-H460 and BEL-7404 tumor cell lines, and most compounds exhibited much lower cytotoxicities against HL-7702 normal cell line compared to 5-FU and cisplatin. In vivo antitumor assay results showed that the representative compound 3a₁ exhibited effective inhibition on tumor growth in the HepG2 xenograft mouse model. Mechanistic studies suggested that 3a₁ may exert antitumor activity by the up-regulation of Bax, intracellular Ca²⁺ release, ROS generation, p21, p27 and p53, downregulation of Bcl-2, activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3 and subsequent cleavage of PARP, and inhibition of CDK activity.

A series of novel 2-chloro-3-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)quinoline derivatives were designed and synthesized as antitumor agents under the combination principle. The antitumor activity and mechanisms were then evaluated.