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Objective To investigate the risk factors of liver injury in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSDs) after intravenous methylprednisolone (IVMP). Methods A total of 195 patients with NMOSDs who received IVMP in Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2017 to December 2021 were enrolled. The causal relationship between IVMP and liver injury was evaluated according to Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method (RUCAM). Univariate and multivariate stepwise Logistic regression analysis were used to screen the risk factors of IVMP related liver injury. Results Within 14 d after IVMP therapy, 32.31% (63/195) patients developed liver injury [serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT)＞40 U/L, RUCAM score≥3]. Severe injury (ALT＞120 U/L) accounted for 15.87% (10/63) and mild injury 84.13% (53/63). Logistic regression analysis showed age≥50 years old (OR=0.969, 95%CI: 0.945-0.993; P=0.011), previous use of immunosuppressants (OR=3.543, 95%CI: 1.579-7.949; P=0.002) and history of IVMP related liver injury (OR=17.043, 95%CI: 3.400-85.423; P=0.000) were the main risk factors for IVMP related liver injury. Conclusions The main IVMP related liver injury is mild injury. NMOSDs patients aged≥50 years old, previous use of immunosuppressants and history of IVMP related liver injury are more prone to liver injury when treated with IVMP again.

Background: The Phellodendri amurensis cortex is a traditional Chinese medicine with multiple pharmacodymic uses (antibacterial, anti-inflammation, antitumor, etc). It is often processed by saltwater to strengthen its effects in terms of nourishing yin to reduce pathogenic fire and reducing asthenic fever. To clarify the principle of saltwater processing, an experiment of pharmacokinetic comparison after oral administration from crude P. amurensis cortex and its saltwater processed product was carried out. Materials and Methods: A validated and sensitive ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method was established for simultaneous quantification of five alkaloids and one triterpene in rat. An UPLC C18column was used for chromatograph separation by an elution program with the mobile phase consisting of 0.1% formic acid and acetonitrile. Each analytes and internal standard, nimodipine, was detected using positive ion scan mode via multiple reaction monitoring mode. All of the validation parameters investigated involving selectivity, precision, accuracy, extraction recovery, matrix effects, and stability shown this approach was suitable to the pharmacokinetic study. Results: Pharmacokinetic profiles showed these parameters of maximum of drug concentration and AUC0-tof alkaloids analytes elevated remarkably after oral administration of P. amurensis cortex processed with the saltwater. Conclusion: The results suggested that the absorption effect from the saltwater processed product was better than those from crude product, which could explain that saltwater processing may enhance the activity of clearing heat and removing toxicity from P. amurensis cortex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method of condition monitoring and on-wing life prediction for civil aviation aircraft engine is proposed in this study. The dynamic linear model is used to describe the dynamics of the condition monitoring parameters and the Bayes factors are calculated to detect the abnormal of the parameter sequences. Case study on the simulation data set shows the feasibility of the proposed method for fault detection and a timely warning can be given once a fault occurs. The dynamic linear model can be utilized to describe the process of the engine performance deterioration, and further future evolution trend can be predicted within the Bayesian framework. The advantage of the proposed method is that the dynamic linear model can incorporate sudden changes in the performance introduced by the on-line maintenance, washing and fault. The case study on a real data set shows that the proposed method for performance prognostics can give a more reasonable prediction of the engine on-wing life since it takes the real operating conditions into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc molybdate (ZMO) is a safe and effective grafting material for anticorrosion. Herein, we reported the synthesis of ZMO/ h -BN with the labyrinth of capillary pores owing to the in situ growth of ZMO on flake hexagonal boron nitride ( h -BN) using the hydrothermal method. The special morphological structure provided a tortuous path for aggressive species to the steel substrate, which extended and blocked the transmission of aggressive species, enhancing the physical corrosion barrier performance. In addition, the capillary pores of ZMO contributed to the competitive adsorption of Cl - in an electrolyte and reduced the diffusion of aggressive species, thus further delaying the corrosion process. Moreover, the capture of oxygen by forming a B-O bond with h -BN and the formation of a molybdate passive film are beneficial for the inhibition of cathodic and anodic reactions. As verified by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), the anticorrosion performance of ZMO/ h -BN coating increased by 49.58% and 130.72% compared with ZMO and epoxy resin (EP) coatings after immersing in a NaCl aqueous solution (3.50 wt%) for 72 h. This coating matrix provides an avenue for molybdate-based corrosion remediation.

To establish an UPLC-MS method for the simultaneous content determination of 4 saponins and 8 flavonoids, in order to analyze the effect of Astragali Radix directionally processed with organic acid on the content of glycosides and aglycones. The separation was carried out on ACQUITY UPLC HSS T_3(2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.8 μm), the mobile phase was eluted with the mixture of 0.1 mol·L~(-1) formic acid water solution and 0.1 mol·L~(-1) formic acid acetonitril in a gradient mode. The detection wavelength was 260 nm, the flow rate was 0.5 mL·min~(-1), the column temperature was 30 ℃, and the injection volume was 2 μL. Mass spectrometry analysis was performed with an electrospray ionization(ESI) source in a positive ion mode. The 12 constituents showed good linear relations within their own ranges(R~2≥0.999 2),with good average recoveries. The results showed no significant change in saponins but both qualitative and quantitative changes in flavonoids after directional processing of Astragali Radix with organic acid. The established method can provide methodological reference for analyzing the effect of Astragali Radix directionally processed with organic acid on glycosides and aglycones.

Aim: To determine the epidemiological characteristics, clinical signs, laboratory findings, and outcomes in patients with corneal infection in Shandong peninsula of China., Methods: The medical records of 578 inpatients (578 eyes) with corneal infection were reviewed retrospectively for demographic characteristics, risk factors, seasonal variation, clinical signs, laboratory findings, and treatment strategy. Patient history, ocular examination findings using slit-lamp biomicroscopy, laboratory findings resulted from microbiological cultures, and treatment., Results: Fungal keratitis constituted 58.48% of cases of infectious keratitis among the inpatients, followed by herpes simplex keratitis (20.76%), bacterial keratitis (19.03%) and acanthamoeba keratitis (1.73%). The most common risk factor was corneal trauma (71.80%). The direct microscopic examination (338 cases) using potassium hydroxide (KOH) wet mounts was positive in 296 cases (87.57%). Among the 298 fungal culture-positive cases, Fusarium species were the most common isolates (70.47%). A total of 517 cases (89.45%) received surgical intervention, including 255 (44.12%) cases of penetrating keratoplasty, 74 (12.80%) cases of lamellar keratoplasty which has become increasingly popular, and 77 cases (13.32%) of evisceration or enucleation., Conclusion: At present, infectious keratitis is a primary corneal disease causing blindness in China. With Fusarium species being the most commonly identified pathogens, fungal keratitis is the leading cause of severe infectious corneal ulcers in Shandong peninsula of China.

Objective: To research and compare the influences of raw and processed Phellodendri Cortex on the cytochrome P450 four isoforms by Cocktail probe drugs, and to explore the processing principle of Phellodendri Cortex., Methods: SD rats were randomly divided into raw group,processed with rice-wine group, processed with salt-water group and blank control group, which were given raw decoction, processed with rice-wine decoction, processed with salt-water decoction (3.24 g/kg) and normal saline respectively for one week, then given the mixture of four probe drugs on the 8th day, and soon after the blood samples were obtained through the orbits at a series of time-points. HPLC method was used to determine the concentrations of probe drugs in rat plasma, and pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated by DAS3.0. The effect of raw and processed Phellodendri Cortex on cytochrome P450 were judged indirectly by the pharmacokinetic parameters., Results: Compared with the blank control group, the t½ significantly increased of theophylline in raw and processed with salt-water group. The CL/F significantly decreased and AUC(0-t) AUC(0-∞). significantly increased of theophylline in raw and processed with rice-wine groups. The t(½) AUC(0-∞) and AUC(0-∞) significantly decreased and CL/F significantly increased of dapsone in raw, processed with rice-wine and processed with salt-water group. The AUC(0-t) significantly increased of chlorzoxazone in raw and processed with salt-water group. The t(½), AUC(0-∞). and AUC(0-t) significantly decreased and CL/F significantly increased of chlorzoxazone in processed with rice-wine group. The AUC(0-t), significantly decreased of tolbutamide in raw, processed with rice-wine and processed with salt-water groups., Conclusion: The raw Phellodendri Cortex can inhibit CYP1A2, induce CYP3 A4 and also is need to make a further research work on CYP2C9 and CYP2E1. Meanwhile, it also can change the activities of cytochrome P450 after processed with rice-wine and salt-water. The Phellodendri Cortex processed with rice-wine can reduce the inhibitory effect of CYP1A2 and enhance induction of CYP3A4, it provides reference and basis to make an interpretation about Phellodendri Cortex processed with rice-wine.

Objective: To compare the pharmacodynamic indicators of Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex with its processed products, in order to study the processing mechanism., Methods: The effects of raw Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex and its processed products on 17 kinds of indicators in rats were compared, such as the biological characteristics (weight and rectal temperature), material metabolism (lactic acid, acetone acid and triglyceride), energy metabolism (Na+ - K+ -ATPase, Ca2+ -Mg2+ -ATPase, LDH, SDH and liver glyco- gen), thyroid function axis (T3, T4, TSH and TRH), cyclic nucleotide ( cAMP, cGMP and cAMP/cGMP value)., Results: Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex and its salt processing product changed the indicators including weight, rectal temperature, material metabolism, energy metabolism, thyroid function shaft and cyclic nucleotide in rats. The effect of salt processing product was better than that of the raw one, but wine processing product had little effects., Conclusion: The "cold" influence of Philodendri Chinensis Cortex is enhanced after pro- cessing with salt,but induced after processing with wine.

In this study, efforts were made to screen out the drug concentration of Sijunzi decoction (red ginseng) for in vitro intervention of H9c2 cardiomyocytes, select high, medium and low groups for subsequent experiments, establish the H2O2-induced myocardial cell apoptosis to investigate the protective effect of Sijunzi decoction (white/red ginseng), provide reference ginseng ingredients in Sijunzi decoction used to treat ischemic heart disease and reflect its curative effect, and observe its impacts on SOD, MAD, LDH and other indexes to preliminarily define the action mechanism. According to the results, red ginseng in Sijunzi decoction showed a better protective effect on H2O2-induced myocardial cell injury than that of white ginseng. Both of them could enhance SOD activity and reduce MDA production and LDH release, so as to significantly reduce the amount of apoptotic myocardial cells and play protective role.

Objective: To investigate the antimicrobial resistance of community respiratory pathogens isolated in China., Methods: The strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, S. pyogenes were isolated from patients with community-acquired respiratory tract infections at 14 Chinese hospitals from 2005 to 2007. Etest and disk diffusion methods were used to survey the susceptibility of 14 antibiotics against these strains. These antibiotics included penicillin G, ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, cefaclor, cefprozil, ceftriaxone, cefepime, levofloxacin, gatifloxacin, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, clindamycin, erythromycin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (SXT)., Results: A total of 1870 strains were collected including S. pneumoniae (n = 997), S. pyogenes (n = 176), H. influenzae (n = 499) and M. catarrhalis (n = 198). The 2005 - 2007 prevalence of penicillin-susceptible S. pneumoniae (PSSP) were 92.6%, 73.9%, 74.1% and penicillin-intermediate S. pneumoniae (PISP) 4.5%, 9.5%, 14.3% and penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae (PRSP) 2.9%, 16.6%, 11.6% respectively. 36.9% of S. pneumoniae strains isolated from or= 92.9%., Conclusions: Antimicrobial resistance in S. pneumoniae is rising. The prevalence of PNSSP isolated from children < or = 6 years old is higher than other age groups. Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ceftriaxone, cefepime, gatifloxacin and levofloxacin remain highly active against common community respiratory pathogens.

Objective: To investigate the antimicrobial resistance among the nosocomial gram-negative pathogens from 15 teaching hospitals located in different areas in China in 2005., Methods: A total of 1927 non-repetitive nosocomial gram-negative pathogens were collected from 15 teaching hospitals in different areas in China and sent to the central lab for reidentification and susceptibility testing. The levels of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 18 antimicrobial agents were determined by agar dilution method. WHONET 5.4 software was used to analyze the data., Results: The strains of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteous mirabilis isolates that did not produce extended spectrum beta lactamases (ESBLs) showed high sensitivity to beta-lactams. The antibiotics with a susceptibility rates over 80% against the strains of Entorobacter cloacae, Enterobacter aerogene, Citrobacter spp, Serratia spp, and Proteous vulgaris producing AmpC enzyme included meropenem, imipenem, and piperacillin-tazobactam, and these 3 drugs showed a susceptibility rate of more than 80% against the ESBL-producing strains of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Other antimicrobial agents showing a relatively high activity against Enterobacter spp, Citrobacter spp, Serratia spp and Proteous vulgaris included cefepime (67.3% - 100%), amikacin (67.3% - 95.2%), ceftazidime (52.9% - 100%) and cefoperazone-sulbactam (51.9% - 100%). The susceptibility rate of fluoroquinolones was 34.8% - 36.1% against non-ESBL-producing Escherichia coli and was 13.4% - 17.1% against ESBL-producing isolates. The most active agent against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was polymyxin B (95.6%). The agents with the activity rates of 70% - 80% included meropenem, imipenem, amikacin, and piperacillin-tazobactam. The antibiotic with a high susceptible rate against Acinetobacter baumannii was polymyxin B (98.3%), followed by imipenem (80.8%), meropenem (76.2%), and minocycline (67.4%). The susceptible rates of other agents were all below 60%. The agents with relatively high activity against Stenotrophomonas maltophilia included minocycline (85%), levofloxacin (82.5%), and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (77.5%). The agents with a relatively high activity against Burkholderia cepacia included minocycline (77.2%) and meropenem (61.4%)., Conclusion: Carbapenem, piperacillin-tazobactam, amikacin and cefepime remained relatively high activity against nosocomial Enterobacteriaceae, Non-fermenting pathogens have lower susceptibility to the antimicrobial agents than before.

Objective: To obtain ROS17/2.8 cell lines which were stably expressing EGFP reporter gene drived by COL1A1 promoter., Method: A 3.6 Kb COL1A1 promoter from rat was cloned into pMD-18-T vector by PCR. This amplified promoter vector was digested to get several different length fragments which were then fused with EGFP reporter gene to construct eukaryotic expression vectors. ROS17/2.8 cell was stably transfected with these vectors by LipofectAMINE(TM) and selected by G418., Result: The COL1A1-EGFP stably transfected cell lines were established., Conclusion: The cell lines will be useful for studying the effects of microgravity on the activity of COL1A1 promoter and expression of gene related with bone form.