Cryptotanshinone ameliorates renal ischaemia–reperfusion injury by inhibiting apoptosis and inflammatory response

Cryptotanshinone (CTS) is a natural compound from the Chinese herb Salvia miltiorrhiza. Previous studies demonstrated that CTS possesses anti‐apoptotic and anti‐inflammatory properties. However, its effects and underlying mechanism on renal ischaemia reperfusion (IR) injury remain unknown. In the present study, we investigated the effects of CTS on renal IR injury and its potential underlying mechanisms. Mice were randomized into four groups as follows: (a) sham operation + vehicle, (b) sham operation + CTS, (c) IR + vehicle, (d) IR + CTS. The CTS‐treated group were injected intraperitoneally with CTS (10 mg/kg/d) for 7 days prior to IR operation. Renal IR injury was induced by clamping the bilateral renal artery for 30 minutes followed by 24 hours of reperfusion. The mice were then killed to collect the serum and the kidneys for analysis. The results of the present study showed that CTS pretreatment significantly attenuates IR‐induced renal functional and morphological injuries, which was accompanied with inhibition of cell apoptosis and inflammatory response. Moreover, the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) and the activation of nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) signalling were inhibited by CTS. Therefore, CTS could be a useful therapeutic agent in the fight against renal IR injury.     

Trends and risk factors of elderly-onset Crohn's disease: A nationwide cohort study

BACKGROUND The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)is increasing in Asia.Numerous risk factors associated with IBD development have been investigated.AIM To investigate trends and environmental risk factors of Crohn’s disease(CD)diagnosed in persons aged≥40 years in South Korea.METHODS Using the National Health Insurance Service database,a total of 14060821 persons aged>40 years who underwent national health screening in 2009 were followed up until December 2017.Patients with newly diagnosed CD were enrolled and compared with non-CD cohort.CD was identified according to the International Classification of Diseases 10th revision and the rare/intractable disease registration program codes from the National Health Insurance Service database.The mean follow-up periods was 7.39 years.Age,sex,diabetes,hypertension,smoking,alcohol consumption,regular exercise,body mass index,anemia,chronic kidney disease(CKD)and dyslipidemia were adjusted for in the multivariate analysis model.RESULTS During the follow-up,1337(1.33/100000)patients developed CD.Men in the middle-aged group(40-64 years)had a higher risk than women[adjusted hazard ratio(aHR)1.46,95%confidence interval(CI):1.29-1.66];however,this difference tended to disappear as the age of onset increases.In the middle-aged group,patients with a history of smoking[(aHR 1.46,95%CI:1.19-1.79)and anemia(aHR 1.85,95%CI:1.55-2.20)]had a significantly higher CD risk.In the elderly group(age,≥65 years),ex-smoking and anemia also increased the CD risk(aHR 1.68,95%CI:1.22-2.30)and 1.84(95%CI:1.47-2.30,respectively).Especially in the middle-aged group,those with CKD had a statistically elevated CD risk(aHR 1.37,95%CI:1.05-1.79).Alcohol consumption and higher body mass index showed negative association trend with CD incidence in both of the age groups.[Middle-aged:aHR 0.77(95%CI:0.66-0.89)and aHR 0.73(95% CI:0.63-0.84),respectively][Elderly-group:aHR 0.57(95% CI:0.42-0.78)and aHR 0.84(95%CI 0.67-1.04),respectively].For regular physical activity and dyslipidemia,negative correlation between CD incidences was proved only in the middle-aged group[aHR 0.88(95%CI:0.77-0.89)and aHR 0.81(95%CI:0.68-0.96),respectively].CONCLUSION History of cigarette smoking,anemia,underweight and CKD are possible risk factors for CD in Asians aged>40 years.     

紧密型医联体内社区卫生服务中心全科医生医疗能力培训教学需求分析

背景　目前医联体内社区卫生服务中心全科医生医疗能力培训教学安排缺乏需求证据支持。目的　为紧密型医联体模式下社区卫生服务中心全科医生培训制定以需求为导向的培训计划。方法　2019年11-12月,采用整群抽样法,对四川大学华西医院紧密型医联体模式中9家社区卫生服务中心的65名全科医生进行全科培训需求内容的问卷调查,问卷内容包括全科医学基本理论知识、全科医学基本技能、全科医学其他技能、全科医学临床操作4部分37个条目,每个条目均采用Likert 10级评分法,并根据条目需求评分设置优先等级。结果　按条目评分≥9分的全科医生人数占比从高到低排序,在全科医学基本理论知识部分,需求最高的是全科医生的临床诊疗策略〔47.7%（31/65）〕;在全科医学基本技能部分,需求最高的是呼吸系统常见疾病的全科处理〔55.4%（36/65）〕;在全科医学其他技能部分,培训需求最高的是社区营养指导〔36.9%（24/65）〕;在全科医学临床操作部分,需求最高的是氧气疗法、呼吸疾病常用吸入器和喷雾器使用方法〔46.2%（30/65）〕。根据评分优先等级标准,筛选出全科医生的临床诊疗策略、心脑血管常见疾病的全科处理、呼吸系统常见疾病的全科处理、社区常见症状和急症的全科医学处理、急救技术、常见实验室检查结果解读、常见影像识别解读（放射、B超）、十二导联及动态心电图判读8项作为首选培训内容,以及消化系统常见疾病的全科处理等13项主要备选培训内容。结论　本研究提出了紧密型医联体社区卫生服务中心系统性培训方案中的8项首选培训内容和13项主要备选培训内容,可为医疗机构根据其自身资源定制培训方案提供参考。     

Gemcitabine-Induced Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome in Pancreatic Cancer: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is a rare thrombotic complication characterized by a triad of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and acute renal failure. HUS may be caused by several different conditions, including infection, malignancy, and chemotherapeutic agents, such as mitomycin, cisplatin, and most recently, gemcitabine. The outcome of gemcitabine-induced HUS is poor, and the disease has a high mortality rate. This study reports a case of gemcitabine-induced HUS in a patient with pancreatic cancer in Korea.     

Anti-listerial synergism of leaf essential oil of Metasequoia glyptostroboides with nisin in whole,low and skim milks

Objective:To examine the individual and synergistic anti-listcrial effect of nisin and leaf essential oil of Metasequoia glyptostroboides(M.glyptostroboides) against one of the leading foodhorne pathogens Listeria monocytogenes(L.monocytogenes) ATCC 19116 in milk samples.Methods:The whole(8%),low(1%) and skim(no fat content) milk samples were inoculated with L.monocytogenes ATCC 19116 along with leaf essential oil of M.glyptostroboides or nisin alone as well in eomhinations.Results:In this study,the leaf essential oil at the concentrations of 2% and 5% revealed strong anti-listerial effect against L.monocytogenes ATCC 19116 in all categories of milk samples.Nisin at the concentrations of 250 and 500 IU/mL displayed a strong inhibitory effect against ATCC 19116 as compared to the control group.Additionally,synergistic combinations of leaf essential oil(1%) and nisin(62.5,125.250 and 500 IU/mL) also had a remarkable anti-listerial synergism in all the tested milk samples including whole,low and skim milk after 14 days.Conclusions:As a major finding,the leaf essential oil of M.glyptostroboides might he a useful candidate for using in food industry to control the growth of foodhorne pathogenic bacteria as confirmed by its potent anti-listerial Synergistic effect with nisin against L.monocytogenes ATCC 19116 in different milk samples.     

R-HPDC Process with Forced Convection Mixing Device for Automotive Part of A380 Aluminum Alloy

The continuing quest for cost-effective and complex shaped aluminum castings with fewer defects for applications in the automotive industries has aroused the interest in rheological high pressure die casting (R-HPDC). A new machine, forced convection mixing (FCM) device, based on the mechanical stirring and convection mixing theory for the preparation of semisolid slurry in convenience and functionality was proposed to produce the automotive shock absorber part by R-HPDC process. The effect of barrel temperature and rotational speed of the device on the grain size and morphology of semi-solid slurry were extensively studied. In addition, flow behavior and temperature field of the melt in the FCM process was investigated combining computational fluid dynamics simulation. The results indicate that the microstructure and pore defects at different locations of R-HPDC casting have been greatly improved. The vigorous fluid convection in FCM process has changed the temperature field and composition distribution of conventional solidification. Appropriately increasing the rotational speed can lead to a uniform temperature filed sooner. The lower barrel temperature leads to a larger uniform degree of supercooling of the melt that benefits the promotion of nucleation rate. Both of them contribute to the decrease of the grain size and the roundness of grain morphology.