Hepatotoxicity of cantharidin is associated with the altered bile acid metabolism

Cantharidin (CTD) is an effective antitumor agent. However, it exhibits significant hepatotoxicity, the mechanism of which remains unclear. In this study, biochemical and histopathological analyses complemented with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS)-based targeted metabolomic analysis of bile acids (BAs) were employed to investigate CTD-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Sixteen male and female Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups: control and CTD (1.0 mg/kg) groups. Serum and liver samples were collected after 28 days of intervention. Biochemical, histopathological, and BA metabolomic analyses were performed for all samples. Further, the key biomarkers of CTD-induced hepatotoxicity were identified via multivariate and metabolic pathway analyses. In addition, metabolite–gene–enzyme network and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses were used to identify the signaling pathways related to CTD-induced hepatotoxicity. The results revealed significantly increased levels of biochemical indices (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and total bile acid). Histopathological analysis revealed that the hepatocytes were damaged. Further, 20 endogenous BAs were quantitated via UHPLC-MS/MS, and multivariate and metabolic pathway analyses of BAs revealed that hyocholic acid, cholic acid, and chenodeoxycholic acid were the key biomarkers of CTD-induced hepatotoxicity. Meanwhile, primary and secondary BA biosynthesis and taurine and hypotaurine metabolism were found to be associated with the mechanism by which CTD induced hepatotoxicity in rats. This study provides useful insights for research on the mechanism of CTD-induced hepatotoxicity.     

三阴性乳腺癌治疗的研究进展

三阴性乳腺癌（triple negative breast cancer，TNBC）是雌激素受体(estrogen receptor，ER)、孕激素受体（progesterone receptor，PR）及人类表皮生长因子受体（human epidermal growth factor-2,HER-2）均不表达的乳腺癌。按其功能特征可归纳为5类分子分型:以DNA修复缺陷或生长因子为途径的基底细胞样三阴性乳腺癌；以上皮-间充质转化和肿瘤干细胞为特征的间质样三阴性乳腺癌；免疫调节型三阴性乳腺癌；雄激素受体过表达的管腔／分泌型三阴性乳腺癌；HER-2富集型三阴性乳腺癌。三阴性乳腺癌恶性程度高且异型性较大，其治疗困难且预后较差，内分泌治疗及靶向治疗不敏感。目前很多学者对于三阴性乳腺癌的治疗各有研究，并有临床试验证实下述治疗有效。     

疏血通脉汤联合傍针刺对中风后肩手综合征患者肢体痉挛、血液流变学及活动能力的影响

目的:探讨疏血通脉汤联合傍针刺治疗中风后肩手综合征(shoulder-hand syndrome after stroke,SHSAS)的临床疗效,并观察其对患者上肢肢体痉挛程度、血液流变学以及上肢活动能力的影响。方法:110例痰瘀阻络型SHSAS患者按照随机数字表法分为对照组与联合组,每组55例。两组患者均给予神经内科常规药物和肢体功能康复训练治疗。对照组联合傍针刺法治疗,联合组在对照组治疗基础上给予疏血通脉汤。两组患者均以4周为1个疗程,治疗1个疗程。记录比较两组患者治疗前后上肢肢体痉挛程度(Ashworth)、上肢活动能力(FMA)、肩手综合征量表(shoulder hand syndrome scale,SHSS)、视觉模拟评分(visual simulation scoring,VAS)、中医证候评分,高切全血黏度、低切全血黏度、血浆黏度和血小板聚集率等血液流变学指标,并比较治疗效果。结果:联合组有效率为96.36%,对照组有效率为83.64%,两组患者有效率比较,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。治疗后,联合组高切全血黏度、低切全血黏度、血浆黏度与血小板聚集率水平均低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);联合组Ashworth评分低于对照组、上肢FMA评分高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);联合组SHSS评分和中医证候评分均低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);联合组VAS评分低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:疏血通脉汤联合傍针刺治疗SHSAS患者疗效显著,能有效改善患者血液流变学,缓解疼痛程度和上肢痉挛,提高上肢活动能力。     

论当前疾病预防控制体系面临的主要问题

对当前的疾病预防控制体系和机构面临的体系不健全、政府投入不充分、事业发展不平衡、人才缺失和能力不足、缺乏系统的理论指导、体系的碎片化严重、与社会经济发展的战略衔接不力、机构内部内生动力和活力不足以及体系治理能力不足等问题做了讨论分析,以期进一步分析在健康中国战略和事业单位机构改革等宏观环境变化所带来的机遇以及疾控体系的发展策略和具体措施,促进疾病预防控制事业在改革中谋发展。     

Estimation of phase signal change in neuronal current MRI for evoke response of tactile detection with realistic somatosensory laminar network model

Magnetic field generated by neuronal activity could alter magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signals but detection of such signal is under debate. Previous researches proposed that magnitude signal change is below current detectable level, but phase signal change (PSC) may be measurable with current MRI systems. Optimal imaging parameters like echo time, voxel size and external field direction, could increase the probability of detection of this small signal change. We simulate a voxel of cortical column to determine effect of such parameters on PSC signal. We extended a laminar network model for somatosensory cortex to find neuronal current in each segment of pyramidal neurons (PN). 60,000 PNs of simulated network were positioned randomly in a voxel. Biot–savart law applied to calculate neuronal magnetic field and additional phase. The procedure repeated for eleven neuronal arrangements in the voxel. PSC signal variation with the echo time and voxel size was assessed. The simulated results show that PSC signal increases with echo time, especially 100/80 ms after stimulus for gradient echo/spin echo sequence. It can be up to 0.1 mrad for echo time = 175 ms and voxel size = 1.48 × 1.48 × 2.18 mm³. With echo time less than 25 ms after stimulus, it was just acquired effects of physiological noise on PSC signal. The absolute value of the signal increased with decrease of voxel size, but its components had complex variation. External field orthogonal to local surface of cortex maximizes the signal. Expected PSC signal for tactile detection in the somatosensory cortex increase with echo time and have no oscillation.     

Patient preferences and predicted relative uptake for targeted therapies in metastatic colorectal cancer: a discrete choice experiment

Abstract

Objective

Ras wild-type metastatic colorectal cancers (mCRC) may be treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) agents. We aim to estimate patients’ preferences for mCRC treatment and relative importance of cost, efficacy improvement, avoidance of side effects and therapy convenience, and relative uptake between profiles that resemble Bevacizumab (anti-VEGF) and Cetuximab (anti-EGFR), two commonly prescribed mCRC targeted therapies.