Search

Objective. To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab (PD-1/PD-L inhibitor) and adjuvant chemotherapy to treat NSCLC and provide evidence-based reference for clinical use. Methods. By searching the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science, according to the inclusion criteria, literature selection, data extraction, and quality evaluation were carried out for the included literature. The I2 test was used to evaluate heterogeneity between studies, and the meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software provided by Cochrane. Results. Finally, 14 relevant documents meeting the standards were included. It is a statistical difference in one-year survival rate [ OR = 1.50 , 95% CI (1.28, 1.76), P < 0.00001 , I 2 = 0 %, Z = 4.99 ]; overall response rate[OR =1.57, 95% CI (1.29, 1.90), P < 0.00001 , I 2 = 0 %, Z = 4.58 ]; progression-free survival [ OR = 2.99 , 95% CI (2.29, 3.91), P < 0.00001 , I 2 = 26 %, Z = 8.00 ]; and overall survival [ OR = 1.38 , 95% CI (1.07, 1.78), P = 0.01 , I 2 = 46 %, Z = 2.50 ] and reduces the incidence of adverse drug reactions [ OR = 2.54 , 95% CI (1.99, 3.25), P < 0.00001 , I 2 = 69 %, Z = 7.43 ]. Conclusion. Pembrolizumab adjuvant chemotherapy is effective in the treatment of advanced NSCLC, but attention should be paid to the occurrence of adverse reactions in clinical. Due to the limitations of the methodology included in the study, this conclusion required more validation of large-sample RCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. A retrospective case-control study was performed to observe the effect and clinical significance of early electroacupuncture combined with enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) on pain perception and dysfunction after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Methods. About 100 patients who diagnosed with TKA from February 2019 to April 2021 were enrolled in our hospital. The patients were arbitrarily assigned into control group and study group. The former group was cured with electroacupuncture in the early stage, and the latter group was intervened on the basis of early electroacupuncture combined with the concept of ERAS. The curative effect, the time of getting out of bed for the first time after operation, the time of postoperative rehabilitation, postoperative rehabilitation cost, pain score and knee joint function score, range of motion (ROM) of knee joint, low shear of whole blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, fibrinogen level, and postoperative complications were compared. Results. There exhibited no statistical difference in clinical data. In terms of the treatment effects, there were 27 cases of markedly effective, 22 cases of effective, and 1 case of ineffective in the study group, and the total effective rate was 98.00%; in the control group, 15 cases were markedly effective, 28 cases were effective, and 13 cases were ineffective, and the total effective rate was 86.00%. Compared to the control group, the total effective rate of the study group was higher (P < 0.05). And the first time to get out of bed and the postoperative rehabilitation time in the study group were lower. Compared to the control group (10113.42 ± 524.83) yuan, the postoperative rehabilitation cost in the study group (12401.71 ± 530.77) yuan was higher. In terms of the scores of VAS and HSS, there exhibited no remarkable difference before treatment (P > 0.05). After treatment, the VAS score lessened and the HSS score augmented the study group VAS score (1.76 ± 0.28); the score in the control group was lower compared to the control group (3.45 ± 0.36), and HSS scoring (83.48 ± 11.23) points higher compared to the control group (65.82 ± 10.44) points (P < 0.05). The ROM of knee joint augmented successively at the 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 8th week after treatment comparison between groups, the ROM of the knee joint in the study group at the 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 8th week was (49.47 ± 3.60)°, (64.38 ± 5.32)°, (86.93 ± 6.72)°, and (104.20 ± 9.11)°, is higher compared to the control group (46.53 ± 3.41)°, (61.52 ± 5.20)°, (78.42 ± 6.45)°, and (98.77 ± 8.67)° (P < 0.05). One day after operation, there exhibited no remarkable difference in whole blood viscosity low shear, plasma viscosity, and fibrinogen level (P > 0.05). However, there exhibited no remarkable difference in plasma viscosity and fibrinogen level at 1 day and 7 days after operation (P > 0.05). Seven days after operation, the whole blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, and fibrinogen in the study group were lower (P < 0.05). The probability of postoperative complications was compared. In the study group, there were 2 cases of limb swelling and pain, 1 case of joint stiffness, and no swelling and pain complicated with deep venous thrombosis, and the total incidence was 6.00%. In the control group, there were 5 cases of limb swelling and pain, 3 cases of joint stiffness, and 3 cases of swelling and pain complicated with deep venous thrombosis, with a total incidence of 22.00%. The incidence of adverse reactions in the study group was lower ( χ 2 = 5.317 P < 0.05). Conclusion. Early electroacupuncture combined with ERAS is of positive significance to the patients after TKA, which can reduce the pain, enhance the function of the knee joint, and promote the ROM of the knee joint, and can effectively shorten the first time out of bed and postoperative rehabilitation time and reduce whole blood viscosity low shear, plasma viscosity, and fibrinogen level, but the overall rehabilitation cost is high, and clinical application should be combined with the actual situation of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Recently, increasing studies have revealed that leptin is involved in the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study is aimed at exploring the association of leptin gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with susceptibility to RA in a Chinese population. Methods. We recruited 600 RA patients and 600 healthy controls from a Chinese population and analyzed their three leptin SNPs (rs10244329, rs2071045, and rs2167270) using the improved Multiplex Ligase Detection Reaction (iMLDR) assays. The associations of these SNPs with clinical manifestations of RA were also analyzed. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed for plasma leptin determination. Results. No significant difference in either allele or genotype frequencies of these three SNPs between RA patients and healthy controls was observed (all P > 0.05). Association between the genotype effects of dominant, recessive models was also not found (all P > 0.05). No significant difference in plasma leptin levels was detected between RA patients and controls (P > 0.05). Conclusion. Leptin gene (rs10244329, rs2071045, and rs2167270) polymorphisms are not associated with RA genetic susceptibility and its clinical features in the Chinese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. To identify and analyze factors that influence administration, recognition, and compliance of medicine among community residents in Jilin Province, China. Methods. A survey was carried out among 2417 community residents in Jilin Province, China, to study their administration (CRA), recognition (CRR), and compliance (CRC) of medicine. Multivariate logistic regression analyses and chi-squared tests were performed to assess factors influencing CRA, CRR, and CRC. Results. Logistic analyses showed that gender, educational level, and occupation were influencing factors on CRA; age, educational level, smoking status, and health condition were influencing factors on CRR; and gender, age, occupation, and health condition were influencing factors on CRC. Conclusions. CRA, CRR, and CRC are associated with specific lifestyles and social economic statuses of community residents. Attention should be paid to influencing factors in order to facilitate community pharmaceutical care, promote the rational use of drugs, and ensure the safe use of medications. This study explores the type and extent of professional services provided through community pharmacies in Jilin Province, China, and provides evidence for optimizing the quality of community pharmacy services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. We studied bone marrow plasma (BMP) cytokines in severe aplastic anemia (SAA) patients and healthy volunteers to investigate differences in the cytokine profiles between them and propose a cytokine signature of SAA. Methods. A Bio-Plex suspension array system was used to measure 27 analytes in BMP samples from 47 SAA patients and 30 healthy donors. Results. Compared to healthy people, SAA patients had higher levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-2 (IL-2), monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). They also had lower levels of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), interleukin-9 (IL-9), regulated upon activation normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) factor, platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), and macrophage inflammatory protein 1β (MIP-1β). Levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-1ra, macrophage inflammatory protein 1α (MIP-1α), and eotaxin were significantly higher in recovering SAA (RSAA) patients. Levels of IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-15, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were undetectable. There were no significant differences in the levels of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-7, IL-8, IL-17, basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-β), and IFN inducible protein-10 (IP-10) between patients and healthy controls (HCs). Eotaxin, IL-1ra, MCP-1, MIP-1β, and RANTES levels increased after IST, whereas IFN-γ, G-CSF, IL-2, IL-7, and TNF-α levels decreased after IST. Conclusions. The current study demonstrated distinct cytokine profiles among untreated SAA patients, recovering SAA (RSAA) patients, and healthy people. The cytokines of RSAA patients showed similar characteristics to those of untreated SAA patients and healthy people, respectively, which may reflect that the immune status of RSAA patients is in different stages of recovery after IST; thus, it may provide an important tool in diagnosing and evaluating or predicting curative effects in clinics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several previous studies have demonstrated the excellent antioxidant activity of fucoxanthin against oxidative stress which is closely related to the pathogenesis of liver diseases. The present work was to investigate whether fucoxanthin could protect human hepatic L02 cells against hydrogen peroxide- (H2O2-) induced oxidative damage. Its effects on H2O2-induced cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage, intracellular reduced glutathione, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) contents, along with mRNA and protein relative levels of the cytoprotective genes including Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1, were investigated. The results showed that fucoxanthin could upregulate the mRNA and protein levels of the cytoprotective genes and promote the nuclear translocation of Nrf2, which could be inhibited by the PI3K inhibitor of LY294002. Pretreatment of fucoxanthin resulted in decreased LDH leakage and intracellular ROS content but enhanced intracellular reduced glutathione. Interestingly, pretreatment using fucoxanthin protected against the oxidative damage in a nonconcentration-dependent manner, with fucoxanthin of 5 μM demonstrating the optimal effects. The results suggest that fucoxanthin exerts cytoprotective effects against H2O2-induced oxidative damage in L02 cells, which may be through the PI3K-dependent activation of Nrf2 signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe aplastic anemia (SAA) is characterized by pancytopenia and failure of hematopoietic function and is caused by excessive functioning of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). EBNA-1, a nucleoprotein of the Epstein Barr virus (EBV), can influence the proliferation and function of lymphocytes. We therefore tested the number of EBV copies in the CD8+ T cells of 27 patients with SAA and 10 healthy control subjects and observed the influences of EBNA-1 upon the CD8+ T cells of patients with SAA. The results showed that more EBV copies were found in the CD8+ T cells of patients with untreated SAA than in patients with SAA in remission or in the healthy control subjects. Their copy number was positively correlated with the expression of granzyme B and perforin, the secretion level of interferon-γ in CD8+ T cells, and the viability of CD8+ T cells, whereas no correlation was seen between the copy number and the interleukin 4 secretion level or the apoptosis rate. Meanwhile, the expression of granzyme B and perforin was reduced after EBNA-1 gene knockdown, whereas the interferon-γ secretion level and cell viability declined. Therefore, we infer that EBV infection may be a factor in the activation of CTLs and in damaging the bone marrow hematopoietic function of patients with SAA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic periodontitis (CP) is one of the most common chronic inflammatory diseases and cytokines play a pivotal role in the regulation of immune response. Interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-13 (IL-13) are anti-inflammatory cytokines and several polymorphisms of them have been proved involved in periodontal disease. This study aimed to evaluate whether three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs2070874 and rs2243248 from IL4 and rs1800925 from IL13, are associated with CP in a Han Chinese population consisting of 440 moderate or severe CP patients and 324 healthy controls. Genomic DNA extracted from buccal epithelial cells of the included participants were genotyped using a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry method. No significant association between rs2070874 or rs1800925 and CP was found, while the frequencies of rs2243248 and two haplotypes C-G-T and C-T-T showed significant differences between the two groups. The results suggest that the polymorphism rs2243248 and haplotypes C-G-T and C-T-T may be associated with CP susceptibility in the present Han Chinese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In female, inadequate iron supply is a highly prevalent problem that often leads to iron-deficiency anemia. This study aimed to understand the effects of pregnancy and lactation on iron metabolism. Rats with different days of gestation and lactation were used to determine the variations in iron stores and serum iron level and the changes in expression of iron metabolism-related proteins, including ferritin, ferroportin 1 (FPN1), ceruloplasmin (Cp), divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1), transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1), and the major iron-regulatory molecule—hepcidin. We found that iron stores decline dramatically at late-pregnancy period, and the low iron store status persists throughout the lactation period. The significantly increased FPN1 level in small intestine facilitates digestive iron absorption, which maintains the serum iron concentration at a near-normal level to meet the increase of iron requirements. Moreover, a significant decrease of hepcidin expression is observed during late-pregnancy and early-lactation stages, suggesting the important regulatory role that hepcidin plays in iron metabolism during pregnancy and lactation. These results are fundamental to the understanding of iron homeostasis during pregnancy and lactation and may provide experimental bases for future studies to identify key molecules expressed during these special periods that regulate the expression of hepcidin, to eventually improve the iron-deficiency status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebrovascular accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides in Alzheimer's disease (AD) may contribute to disease progression through Aβ-induced microvascular endothelial pathogenesis. Pinocembrin has been shown to have therapeutic effects in AD models. These effects correlate with preservation of microvascular function, but the effect on endothelial cells under Aβ-damaged conditions is unclear. The present study focuses on the in vitro protective effect of pinocembrin on fibrillar Aβ(1-40) (fAβ(1-40)) injured human brain microvascular endothelial cells (hBMECs) and explores potential mechanisms. The results demonstrate that fAβ(1-40)-induced cytotoxicity in hBMECs can be rescued by pinocembrin treatment. Pinocembrin increases cell viability, reduces the release of LDH, and relieves nuclear condensation. The mechanisms of this reversal from Aβ may be associated with the inhibition of inflammatory response, involving inhibition of MAPK activation, downregulation of phosphor-IKK level, relief of IκBα degradation, blockage of NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation, and reduction of the release of proinflammatory cytokines. Pinocembrin does not show obvious effects on regulating the redox imbalance after exposure to fAβ(1-40). Together, the suppression of MAPK and the NF-κB signaling pathways play a significant role in the anti-inflammation of pinocembrin in hBMECs subjected to fAβ(1-40). This may serve as a therapeutic agent for BMEC protection in Alzheimer's-related deficits.

The impairment of wound healing in diabetic patients is an important clinical problem affecting millions of patients worldwide. Various clinical and basic science studies show that stem cell therapy, as a regenerative medical therapy, can be a good solution. In this paper, we begin with an introduction of the cellular mechanism of the diabetic ulcer. We will then discuss the advantages and limitations of various stem cell therapies that have been under extensive recent study.