Hyodeoxycholic acid protects the neurovascular unit against oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation-induced injury in vitro

Calculus bovis is commonly used for the treatment of stroke in traditional Chinese medicine. Hyodeoxycholic acid(HDCA) is a bioactive compound extracted from calculus bovis. When combined with cholic acid, baicalin and jas-minoidin, HDCA prevents hypoxia-reoxygenation-induced brain injury by suppressing endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptotic signaling. However, the effects of HDCA in ischemic stroke injury have not yet been studied. Neurovascular unit(NVU) dysfunction occurs in ischemic stroke. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effects of HDCA on the NVU under ischemic conditions in vitro. We co-cultured primary brain microvascular endothelial cells, neurons and astrocytes using a transwell chamber co-culture system. The NVU was pre-treated with 10.16 or 2.54 μg/mL HDCA for 24 hours before exposure to oxygen-glucose deprivation for 1 hour. The cell counting kit-8 assay was used to detect cell activity. Flow cytometry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling were used to assess apoptosis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-1β, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α, and neurotrophic factors, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor. Oxidative stress-related factors, such as superoxide dismutase, nitric oxide, malondialdehyde and γ-glutamyltransferase, were measured using kits. Pretreatment with HDCA significantly decreased blood-brain barrier permeability and neuronal apoptosis, significantly increased transendothelial electrical resistance and γ-glutamyltransferase activity, attenuated oxidative stress damage and the release of inflammatory cytokines, and increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor expression. Our findings suggest that HDCA maintains NVU morphological integrity and function by modulating inflammation, oxidation stress, apoptosis, and the expression of neurotrophic factors. Therefore, HDCA may have therapeutic potential in the clinical management of ischemic stroke. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Experimental Animals of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine(approval No. BUCM-3-2016040201-2003) in April 2016.     

Cardiac Denervation for Arrhythmia Treatment with Transesophageal Ultrasonic Strategy in Canine Models

Stellate ganglion (SG) modification has been investigated for arrhythmia treatment. In this study, transesophageal SG imaging and intervention were explored using a homemade 30F integrated focused ultrasonic catheter in healthy mongrel canines in vivo. Anatomic details of SGs were ultrasonically imaged and evaluated. SG had a heterogeneous echoic structure and characteristic profiles sketched by hyper-echoic outlines in an ultrasonogram. Left SGs in the experimental group were successfully ablated through the esophagus under ultrasonic guidance provided by the catheter itself. Two weeks after the ablation, the QT and QTc of the experimental group decreased compared with those of the sham group and at baseline (both p values < 0.001). Histologic examination revealed that left SGs were destroyed. No major complications were observed. This approach may be further explored as a method for ganglia remodeling evaluation and as a strategy of ganglia modification for arrhythmia and for other diseases.     

Chalcone hybrids and their antimalarial activity

Malaria, one of the most striking, re-emerging infectious diseases caused by the genus Plasmodium, places a huge burden on global healthcare systems. A major challenge in the control and eradication of malaria is the continuous emergence of increasingly widespread drug-resistant malaria, creating an urgent need to develop novel antimalarial agents. Chalcone derivatives are ubiquitous in nature and have become indispensable units in medicinal chemistry applications due to their diverse biological profiles. Many chalcone derivatives demonstrate potential in vitro and in vivo antimalarial activity, so chalcone could be a useful template for the development of novel antimalarial agents. This review covers the recent development of chalcone hybrids as antimalarial agents. The critical aspects of the design and structure–activity relationship of these compounds are also discussed.     

Hypertension is a risk factor for adverse outcomes in patients with coronavirus disease 2019: a cohort study

Abstract

Background

Comorbidities are commonly seen in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but the clinical implication is not yet well-delineated. We aim to characterize the prevalence and clinical implications of comorbidities in patients with COVID-19.     

Safety and efficacy of different anesthetic regimens for parturients with COVID-19 undergoing Cesarean delivery: a case series of 17 patients

Canadian Journal of Anesthesia/Journal canadien d'anesthésie - To assess the management and safety of epidural or general anesthesia for Cesarean delivery in parturients with coronavirus...     

沙利度胺联合TACE治疗原发性肝癌疗效与安全性的系统评价

目的:系统评价沙利度胺(thalidomide,TLD)联合肝动脉化疗栓塞术(transcatheter arterial chemoembolization,TACE)治疗原发性肝癌(primary hepatic carcinomas,PHC)的疗效和安全性.方法:计算机检索Cochrane Library(2014年第3期)、Web of Science(1986/2014-03)、Pub Med(1966/2014-03)、CNKI(1917/2014-03)、维普(1989/2014-03)、万方数据库(1998/2014-03),收集所有TLD联合TACE治疗PHC的随机对照试验.由两名评价员严格按照纳入标准选择文献,提取资料,并参照Cochrane系统评价的要求,对选择纳入的随机对照试验进行方法学质量评估后,采用Cochrane协作网提供的Rev Man 5.2软件对总有效率、疾病控制率、生活质量KPS评分、不同年限生存率、甲胎蛋白的变化、血管内皮生长因子(vascular endothelial growth factor,VEGF)的变化及不良反应发生率进行Meta分析.结果:最终纳入22项随机对照试验,包括1590例PHC患者,Meta分析结果显示,TLD联合TA C E组治疗P H C的总有效率(R R合并=1.29,95%C I:1.15-1.44)、疾病控制率(R R合并=1.27,95%CI:1.16-1.39)、生活质量KPS评分(MD合并=9.23,95%CI:6.90-11.55)、半年生存率(RR合并=1.10,95%C I:1.01-1.20)、1年生存率(RR合并=1.25,95%C I:1.13-1.39)、2年生存率(RR合并=1.45,95%CI:1.18-1.78)、3年生存率(R R合并=1.7 0,9 5%C I:1.1 6-2.5 0)、V E G F水平的变化(M D合并=-123.64,95%C I:-143.72--103.55)优于单纯TACE组,差异有统计学意义(均P0.05);不良反应发生率:在药物性皮疹发生率方面,TLD联合TACE组明显高于单纯TACE组,差异有统计学意义(RR=4.50,95%CI:2.34-8.64,P0.00001);在减少消化系应发生率(RR=1.08,95%CI:0.93-1.25)、降低骨髓抑制发生率(RR=1.12,95%CI:0.82-1.52)、降低肝功能异常发生率方面(R R=1.00,95%C I:0.72-1.39),T L D联合TA C E组与单纯TA C E组相近似,差异无统计学意义(均P0.05).结论:目前研究显示,与单纯TACE疗法相比,TLD联合TACE治疗PHC在总有效率、疾病控制率、生活质量KPS评分、半年生存率、1、2、3年生存率、降低V E G F方面具有明显的优势,但在安全性方面,TLD联合TACE组在药物性皮疹发生率方面明显高于单纯TACE组,而在消化系反应、骨髓抑制率、肝功能异常方面与单纯TACE组相似.