老年冠心病患者血清Lp-PLA2、hs-CRP、IL-27及MMP-9水平与Gensini积分的相关性研究*

目的:探讨老年冠心病患者血清脂蛋白相关磷脂酶A2(Lp-PLA2)、高敏C反应蛋白(hs-CRP)、白细胞介素-27(IL-27)及基质金属蛋白酶-9(MMP-9)水平与Gensini积分的相关性。方法:选取2015年10月至2018年2月我院收治的冠心病患者142例为研究对象,将所有患者按照不同的冠心病类型分为不稳定型心绞痛(UAP)组54例、稳定型心绞痛(SAP)组40例和急性心肌梗死(AMI)组48例。同时根据患者Gensini积分将其分为轻度47例、中度51例和重度44例。比较不同冠心病类型、不同严重程度的Lp-PLA2、hs-CRP、IL-27、MMP-9水平及Gensini积分,并分析冠心病患者上述指标水平与Gensini积分的相关性。结果:AMI组患者Lp-PLA2、hs-CRP、IL-27、MMP-9水平及Gensini积分均高于UAP组和SAP组,且UAP组高于SAP组(P0.05)。重度患者Lp-PLA2、hs-CRP、IL-27、MMP-9水平及Gensini积分均高于中度和轻度患者,且中度患者高于轻度患者(P0.05)。经Spearman相关性分析结果显示,冠心病患者Lp-PLA2、hs-CRP、IL-27、MMP-9水平与Gensini积分均呈正相关(P0.05)。结论:老年冠心病患者Lp-PLA2、hs-CRP、IL-27及MMP-9水平与患者冠状动脉病变Gensini积分均呈正相关。临床根据Lp-PLA2、hs-CRP、IL-27及MMP-9水平的变化,有助于评估老年冠心病患者的病情严重程度。     

肺脏超声对新生儿呼吸窘迫综合征的诊断价值及肺超声评分的评估价值分析

目的:探讨肺脏超声对新生儿呼吸窘迫综合征(NRDS)的诊断价值,并分析肺超声评分的临床应用价值。方法:本研究选择2017年5月至2018年5月于我院确诊的NRDS患儿45例作为观察组,选择同期于我院就诊的非肺病患儿45例作为对照组,所有患儿均行肺脏超声检查。分析NRDS患儿肺脏超声特征性征象,比较肺脏超声对两组患儿各种征象的检出率,分析肺脏超声对NRDS的诊断价值,比较两组肺超声评分。结果:NRDS患儿全部存在肺实质征象,超声下肺组织回声呈肝样伴支气管充气征,轻度的NRDS患儿于肺脏超声下表现为局灶性的肺实质,且支气管充气征不明显;重度的NRDS患儿于肺脏超声下表现为肺实质范围的进一步扩大,且支气管充气征随病情的加重而愈发明显。观察组肺实质、胸膜线异常、A线消失、弥漫性肺水肿、支气管充气征等征象的检出率显著高于对照组(P0.05),两组B线存在征象的检出率比较无统计学差异(P0.05)。肺实质、胸膜线异常和A线消失三种特征征象同时存在时对NRDS诊断的灵敏度和特异性均为100.00%,肺实质、胸膜线异常和支气管充气征三种特征征象同时存在时对NRDS诊断的灵敏度为80.00%,特异性为100.00%。观察组双肺、左肺、右肺、双侧肺、双肺底肺超声评分均高于对照组(P0.05)。结论:肺脏超声对NRDS的诊断价值较高,且肺超声评分可以评估NRDS患儿的病情严重程度,有助于指导患儿的治疗。     

血府逐瘀汤联合四联疗法治疗Hp阳性慢性萎缩性胃炎的临床观察

目的:探究血府逐瘀汤联合四联疗法治疗幽门螺旋杆菌(Hp)阳性慢性萎缩性胃炎的效果。方法:回顾性分析2014年5月-2017年12月在我院进行诊治的80例Hp阳性慢性萎缩性胃炎患者的临床资料,按照其入院顺序经随机数字表分为研究组和对照组,每组各40例患者。其中,对照组患者采用四联疗法,研究组患者在对照组基础上联合血府逐瘀汤进行治疗,对比两组患者的Hp转阴率、治疗前后胃黏膜病理积分的变化情况、临床症状积分的变化情况和不良反应发生率。结果:治疗后,研究组患者的Hp转阴率[85.0%(34/40)]显著高于对照组[62.5%(25/40)](P0.05)。两组上腹痛、纳差、上腹胀、反酸、嗳气等临床症状积分以及胃黏膜萎缩、肠化、不典型增生等病理积分均显著低于治疗前(P0.05),且研究组以上指标均明显低于对照组(P0.05)。研究组患者的不良反应发生率[5.0%(2/40)]与对照组[12.5%(5/40)]无显著性差异(P0.05)。结论:血府逐瘀汤联合四联疗法治疗Hp阳性慢性萎缩性胃炎的效果显著优于单用四联疗法,其可有效改善患者的病变程度和临床症状,且无明显不良反应产生。     

The Meat Standards Australia Index indicates beef carcass quality

A simple index that reflects the potential eating quality of beef carcasses is very important for producer feedback. The Meat Standards Australia (MSA) Index reflects variation in carcass quality due to factors that are influenced by producers (hot carcass weight, rib fat depth, hump height, marbling and ossification scores along with milk fed veal category, direct or saleyard consignment, hormonal growth promotant status and sex). In addition, processor impacts on meat quality are standardised so that the MSA Index could be compared across time, breed and geographical regions. Hence, the MSA Index was calculated using achilles hung carcasses, aged for 5 days postmortem. Muscle pH can be impacted by production, transport, lairage or processing factors, hence the MSA Index assumes a constant pH of 5.6 and loin temperature of 7^oC for all carcasses. To quantify the cut weight distribution of the 39 MSA cuts in the carcass, 40 Angus steers were sourced from the low (n=13), high (n=15) and myostatin (n=12) muscling selection lines. The left side of each carcass was processed down to the 39 trimmed MSA cuts. There was no difference in MSA cut distribution between the low and high muscling lines (P>0.05), although there were differences with nine cuts from the myostatin line (P<0.05). There was no difference in the MSA Index calculated using actual muscle percentages and using the average from the low and high muscling lines (R²=0.99). Different cooking methods impacted via a constant offset between eating quality and carcass input traits (R²=1). The MSA Index calculated for the four most commercially important cuts was highly related to the index calculated using all 39 MSA cuts (R²=0.98), whilst the accuracy was lower for an index calculated using the striploin (R²=0.82). Therefore, the MSA Index was calculated as the sum of the 39 eating quality scores predicted at 5 days ageing, based on their most common cooking method, weighted by the proportions of the individual cut relative to total weight of all cuts. The MSA Index provides producers with a tool to assess the impact of management and genetic changes on the predicted eating quality of the carcass. The MSA Index could also be utilised for benchmarking and to track eating quality trends at farm, supply chain, regional, state or national levels.     

Incidence and predictors of left atrial thrombus in patients with atrial fibrillation prior to ablation in the real world of China

BackgroundThe present study was to evaluate the value of CHADS2 and CHA2DS2VASC scores on predicting left atrial (LA) or left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombus in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients prior to ablation in the real world of China.Methods and resultsA total of 397 patients with non-valvular AF were analyzed to determine the relationship between CHADS2 and CHA2DS2VASC scores and LA/LAA thrombus identified on transesophageal echocardiography prior to radiofrequency ablation(RFA). LA/LAA thrombus was present in 38 patients (9.6%). There was a strong association between higher CHADS2 score or CHA2DS2VASC score and LA/LAA thrombus. No thrombus was identified in patients with CHA2DS2VASC score of 0 regardless of anticoagulation status. However, LA/LAA thrombus was detected in 2.9% patients with CHADS2 score of 0 without adequate anticoagulation, while no thrombus was present in the patients with CHADS2 score of 0 with adequate anticoagulation. Univariate analysis showed that heart failure (LVEF＜50%), LA≥40 mm, diabetes mellitus, previous stroke or TIA, CAD, hypertension, inadequate anticoagulation therapy, CHADS2 score of ≥2 and CHA2DS2VASC score of ≥2 were significantly associated with LA/LAA thrombus. Multivariable Cox regression analysis demonstrated that CHA2DS2VASC score of ≥2 (p = 0.02) and previous stroke or TIA (p = 0.04) were independently associated with LA/LAA thrombus regardless of anticoagulation status. ROC curve analysis showed that higher CHADS2 score and CHA2DS2VASC score could be similarly used to predict the presence of LA thrombus.ConclusionsBoth higher CHA2DS2VASC and CHADS2 scores were associated with LA/LAA thrombus in non-valvular AF patients prior to ablation. Although CHA2DS2VASC score and CHADS2 score had similar value to predict LA/LAA thrombus, CHA2DS2VASc score was better to identify low-risk patients for LA/LAA thrombus than CHADS2 score without anticoagulation. There will be a possibility of performing AF ablation or cardioversion in patients with a CHA2DS2VASC of 0 without TEE or anticoagulation therapy. The safety need to be verified by more multicentre randomized controlled clinical trails.     

Development of a new grading system to assess the foster performance of lactating sows

Increasing litter size has created the need for more sophisticated, accurate, and welfare-oriented systems for assessing the foster performance of lactating sows. The estimation of milk yield alone is not sufficient for meeting these requirements. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to develop a grading system for assessing the foster performance of lactating sows that can be easily applied in commercial farm practice. Data were collected in two German conventional farrow-to-feeder farms with a total sample size of 639 sows (4.05 ± 2.86 parities) and 1 728 litters. Besides general performance data, the piglets were weighed individually within the first 24 hours after birth and at the peak of lactation (day 18.22 ± 2.48). Based on these data, we proposed a new score referring to the milk score (MS). This score was compared with the commonly used formula for estimating milk yield (est. MY), which solely involves litter weight gain and litter size. The improvement of the developed MS allowed us to distinguish between the birth and foster performances of the lactating sows through considering cross-fostering, litter size, individual piglet weights, and piglet mortality during lactation. Both scores showed a similar progression across parities. It was found that litter size had a significant impact on the performance of lactating sows. A high est. MY was found to be associated with a significantly higher number of piglets per litter (15.79 ± 2.20), lower weight gain per piglet, and increased piglet mortality during lactation compared with sows with high MS, which showed a smaller litter size (13.51 ± 2.18) (P < 0.05). The focus on smaller litter size indicates a performance limitation, which seems to be related to the average teat number of 13–15 teats per sow. We recommend the consideration of the number of functional teats, because a litter size above it will not result in a sow having higher foster performance. In conclusion, as an extension of the common est. MY calculation, the MS considers cross-fostering as current farm-management practice when dealing with larger litters. Our recommendations emphasise the importance of an MS which indicates smaller litter size, higher piglet weight gain, and lower piglet mortality during lactation; these factors are related to an improvement in animal welfare for sows and piglets. Moreover, the presented MS could be used to develop a management tool for farmers to assess the foster performance of lactating sows, considering individual farm-management practices.     

冠状动脉粥样硬化性心脏病患者血清SFRP5、FGF21、IGF-I水平与血脂和冠状动脉病变严重程度的相关性研究

目的:探讨冠状动脉粥样硬化性心脏病(CHD)患者血清分泌型卷曲蛋白5(SFRP5)、成纤维细胞生长因子21(FGF21)、胰岛素样生长因子-1(IGF-I)水平与血脂和冠状动脉病变严重程度的相关性。方法:选择2018年6月至2021年6月我院收治的109例CHD患者(CHD组),根据冠心病类型分为稳定型心绞痛组(SAP组,32例),不稳定型心绞痛组(UA组,42例)、急性心肌梗死组(AMI组,35例),根据Gensini积分分为轻度病变组(≤20分,42例)、中度病变组(21~40分,44例)和重度病变组(>40分,23例),另选择同期在我院行冠脉造影检查结果为正常的53例患者为对照组。检测并比较各组血清SFRP5、FGF21、IGF-I、血脂水平,分析血清SFRP5、FGF21、IGF-I与血脂和Gensini积分的相关性。结果:不同类型、不同冠脉病变程度CHD患者的血清SFRP5、FGF21、IGF-I、HDL-C水平均低于对照组,血清TC、TG、LDL-C水平均高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);血清SFRP5、FGF21、IGF-I水平的差异比较中,UA组低于SAP组,AMI组又低于UA组,中度病变组低于轻度病变组,重度病变组又低于中度病变组,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05);血清TC、LDL-C水平的差异比较中,UA组高于SAP组,AMI组又高于UA组,中度病变组高于轻度病变组,重度病变组又高于中度病变组,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05);而SAP组、UA组、AMI组之间两两比较以及轻度病变组、中度病变组、重度病变组之间两两比较的血清TG、HDL-C水平差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。Pearson相关性分析结果显示:血清SFRP5、FGF21、IGF-I水平与TC、LDL-C、Gensini积分呈负相关(P<0.05)。结论:CHD患者血清SFRP5、FGF21、IGF-I水平均降低,且与血脂水平增高以及CHD病变程度加重均有关。     

The overexpression of GRASP might inhibit cell proliferation and invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma

This study aimed to validate the methylation of key genes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) screened by bioinformatics analysis and explore whether they affected HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, HCC-related differentially methylated positions (DMPs) were screened, genes corresponding to DMPs were selected, and prognosis-related genes were identified. A representative DMP was used to divide the DMPs into hyper- and hypomethylated groups. Expression of key genes in cell lines was detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. After treatment of HepG2 cells with 5-Aza-2′-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-DC), gene expression was observed. Bisulfite sequencing PCR assay was used to detect methylation frequency. Overexpressed GRASP lentiviral vectors were constructed to analyze their influence on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion using cell counting kit-8 and transwell assays. Forty-three HCC prognosis-related genes were screened using the TCGA database. cg00249511 (SCT) was used to divide the DMPs into hyper- and hypomethylated groups, distinguishing between high- and low-risk samples. The prognosis survival model constructed using 12 genes revealed the prognosis type. GRASP messenger RNA was downregulated in HepG2 and upregulated after 5-Aza-DC treatment. In HCC tissues, methylation frequency of GRASP was upregulated. GRASP overexpression inhibited HepG2 cell proliferation, invasion, and G-CSFR expression. Thus, GRASP might be a prognosis-related gene controlled by methylation.     

Recent advancement in the discovery and development of COX-2 inhibitors: Insight into biological activities and SAR studies (2008–2019)

Cyclooxygenase-2 is a very important physiological enzyme playing key roles in various biological functions especially in the mechanism of pain and inflammation, among other roles, making it a molecule of high interest to the pharmaceutical community as a target. COX 2 enzyme is induced only during inflammatory processes or cancer and reflects no role in the guarding stomach lining. Thus, selective COX-2 inhibition can significantly reduce the adverse effects including GI tract damage and hepatotoxic effects of traditional NSAIDs like aspirin, ibuprofen, etc. Recent developments on COX-2 inhibitors is primarily focused on improving the selectivity index of the drug towards COX-2 along with enhancing the potency of the drug by modifying the scaffolds of Coxibs currently in the market like Celecoxib, Indomethacin, Oxaprozin, etc. We have reported the progress on new COX-2 inhibitors in the last decade (2008–2019) focussing on five heterocyclic rings- Pyrazole, Indole, Oxazole, Pyridine and Pyrrole. The addition of various moieties to these core rings and their structure-activity relationship along with their molecular modelling data have been explored in the article. This review aims to aid medicinal chemists in the design and discovery of better COX-2 inhibitors constructed on these five heterocyclic pharmacophores.