Moxibustion ameliorated age-related alterations in neurological behavior and gut microbiota in mice.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the anti-aging effects of moxibustion on age-related alterations in middle-aged mice. METHODS: Thirty, 9-month-old, male ICR mice were randomly divided into the moxibustion and control groups (N = 15). Mice in the moxibustion group were given mild moxibustion at the Guanyuan acupoint for 20 minutes every other day. After 30 treatments, neurobehavior tests, lifespan, gut microbiota composition and splenic gene expression were observed in the mice. RESULTS: Moxibustion improved the locomotor activity as well as motor function, activated the SIRT1-PPARα signaling pathway, ameliorated age-related alterations in gut microbiota, and affected the expression of genes related to energy metabolism in spleen. CONCLUSION: Moxibustion ameliorated age-related alterations in neurobehavior and gut microbiota in middle-aged mice.

Efficacy and Safety of a Novel Plum Blossom Needling with Mild Moxibustion Device for Upper Limb Pain Disorder and Motor Dysfunction in Patients with Stage 1 Post-Stroke Shoulder-Hand Syndrome: Study Protocol for a Multi-Center, Single-Blind, Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial.

Background: Post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome (PS-SHS), a common neurological comorbidity after stroke episodes, poses a grave threat on patients' functional recovery. Preliminary trials have demonstrated that the acupuncture and moxibustion treatment, including a dermal acupuncture tapping method known as plum blossom needling (PBN) can improve pain and motor dysfunctions in patients with PS-SHS. However, there are few reports describing simultaneous moxibustion treatment in combination with PBN. Hence, a novel plum blossom needle device with mild moxibustion (PBNMM) was developed to evaluate its potential efficacy and safety in patients with stage 1 PS-SHS. Materials and Methods: This multicenter, sham-controlled, randomized controlled trial (RCT) will recruit 102 eligible patients with stage 1 PS-SHS from three clinical centers, randomly allocated in a ratio of 1:1:1 to the PBNMM group, PBNMM with no moxa smoke (PBNMM-NMS) group and sham control group. Patients in each group will receive a 30-minute treatment once per day for 4 weeks, with 5 consecutive sessions per week, for a total of 20 sessions. The primary outcome measure will be defined as the decreased scores from baseline in the visual analog scale (VAS) assessment at week 4. Secondary outcome measures will include scores on the Fugl-Meyer Assessment of the Upper Extremity Scale (FMA-UE), the Modified Barthel Index (MBI), and the somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) records. All outcomes will be evaluated at baseline and weeks 4, 5, 6 and 10, and the intention-to-treat analysis will be applied. Conclusion: This study aims to provide robust evidence for the efficacy and safety of the PBNMM for PS-SHS treatment, as well as the specific impact of moxibustion smoke itself in dealing with PS-SHS. Clinical Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry No. ChiCTR2200062441. Registered on 7 August 2022.

Effect of moxa smoke on sperm parameters and oxidative stress in rats with asthenozoospermia.

Asthenozoospermia is a leading cause of male infertility, characterized by reduced sperm motility. In this study, we determined sperm motility and the activities of antioxidant enzymes and oxidation products in the testis of rats with ornidazole (ORN)-induced asthenozoospermia and further examined and compared the differential effects of moxa smoke (MS) and cigarette smoke (CS) on sperm motility and oxidative stress (OS) of asthenozoospermic rats. The smoke intervention was initiated 11 days after intragastric administration of ORN, followed by the examination of testis index, sperm parameters, OS-related gene levels, and testicular histopathology. Sperm motility and antioxidant enzyme activities, as well as oxidation products significantly decreased in ORN-induced rats compared with MS-treated rats (p < .05-.001). MS treatment restored the reduced sperm motility and activities of glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase, but increased the malondialdehyde and nitric oxide synthetase levels in ORN-induced rats (p < .05-.001). Also, the histopathological changes in the testis of ORN-induced rats were improved by MS treatment. The study highlighted that MS was an effective factor in moxibustion therapy, which notably improved the sperm motility of asthenozoospermic rats by inhibiting OS in the reproductive system.

JiangShi(): a widely distributed Mucin-like protein essential for Drosophila development.

Epithelia exposed to elements of the environment are protected by a mucus barrier in mammals. This barrier also serves to lubricate during organ movements and to mediate substance exchanges between the environmental milieu and internal organs. A major component of the mucus barrier is a class of glycosylated proteins called Mucin. Mucin and mucin-related proteins are widely present in the animal kingdom. Mucin mis-regulation has been reported in many diseases such as cancers and ones involving the digestive and respiratory tracts. Although the biophysical properties of isolated Mucins have been extensively studied, in vivo models remain scarce for the study of their functions and regulations. Here, we characterize the Mucin-like JiangShi protein and its mutations in the fruit fly Drosophila. JiangShi is an extracellular glycoprotein with domain features reminiscent of mammalian nonmembranous Mucins, and one of the most widely distributed Mucin-like proteins studied in Drosophila. Both loss and over-production of JiangShi lead to terminal defects in adult structures and organismal death. Although the physiological function of JiangShi remains poorly defined, we present a genetically tractable model system for the in vivo studies of Mucin-like molecules.

A case with no administration of protamine to neutralize heparin in aortic valve replacement with cardiopulmonary bypass.

Systemic heparinization is necessary before cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in cardiac surgery, and protamine administration to neutralize heparin for hemostasis is required at the end of CPB. Because protamine is an allogeneic protein extracted from the sperm of specific fish, serious adverse reactions can occur during clinical application, with potentially catastrophic outcomes. A male patient received aortic valve replacement with CPB. Severe allergic reactions occurred postoperatively after protamine administration for neutralization. Emergency heparinization and CPB re-establishment were conducted with no further hemostatic treatment with protamine. However, the patient suffered a massive hemorrhage and was treated symptomatically with blood transfusion and rehydration. Following two thoracotomies for hemostasis, the patient healed and was eventually discharged. Protamine is irreplaceable as the only hemostatic that neutralizes heparin for cardiac CPB at present. However, because it is an alloprotein, it can cause serious allergic reactions after entering the human body, and caution should be exercised during the process of its clinical application.

Moxibustion may delay the aging process of Wistar rats by regulating intestinal microbiota.

As one of the important treatments of health care and anti-aging in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), moxibustion has been proved to have the effects of scavenging free radicals, anti-oxidation, reducing inflammatory reaction, regulating immunity and so on. Recent studies have shown that intestinal microbiota affect the process of aging. The relationship between aging, moxibustion and intestinal microbiota is still unclear. In this study, we explored the effects of moxibustion at Guanyuan (RN4) acupoint on intestinal microbiota, short-chain fatty acids and immunological characteristics of young and elder female Wistar rats to explore the relationship between aging, moxibustion and intestinal microbiota. Six 12-week-old female Wistar rats were young group (Y), and twelve 36-week-old female Wistar rats were randomly divided into elder group (C) and moxibustion group (M). The rats in M group were received mild moxibustion at Guanyuan (RN4) acupoint, 20 min/d for 40 days. The rats in Y group and C group were not given any therapeutic intervention. The results showed that moxibustion increased the abundance of intestinal probiotics (mainly Lactobacillus) and the level of short chain fatty acids, the microcirculation blood flow around Guanyuan (RN4) acupoint was also significantly improved in elder rats. In addition, the expression of MyD88, MAPK, TRAF6, NF-κB in intestinal tissue was down-regulated, and the levels of inflammatory cytokines in intestinal were decreased.

Circular RNA circ_0002984 Promotes Cell Proliferation and Migration by Regulating miR-181b-5p/Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Axis and PI3K-AKT Signaling Pathway in Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein-Treated Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells.

ABSTRACT: RNAs (circRNAs) play critical roles in many diseases, including atherosclerosis (AS). However, the role and underlying mechanism of circ_0002984 in AS remain unclear. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) treated with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) were used as a AS cell model. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was conducted to detect the expression of circ_0002984, miR-181b-5p and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA). Cell proliferation was evaluated by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide assay and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assays. Cell migration was assessed using wound healing assay and transwell assay. All protein levels were analyzed by western blot assay. The interaction between miR-181b-5p and circ_0002984 or VEGFA was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter, RNA Immunoprecipitation, and RNA pull-down assays. Circ_0002984 and VEGFA were overexpressed, and miR-181b-5p was downregulated in serum of AS patients and ox-LDL-stimulated VSMCs. Circ_0002984 silencing inhibited ox-LDL-induced proliferation and migration in VSMCs. MiR-181b-5p was a target of circ_0002984, and miR-181b-5p inhibition counteracted the suppressing effects of circ_0002984 downregulation on proliferation and migration in ox-LDL-stimulated VSMCs. Additionally, VEGFA was a downstream target of miR-181b-5p and VEGFA upregulation abolished the suppressive influence of miR-181b-5p on proliferation and migration in ox-LDL-exposed VSMCs. Furthermore, circ_0002984 depletion blocked phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase-AKT signaling pathway by regulating miR-181b-5p and VEGFA. Circ_0002984 downregulation suppressed cell proliferation and migration by regulating miR-181b-5p/VEGFA axis and phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase-AKT pathway in ox-LDL-stimulated VEGFA, providing a new mechanism for AS pathogenesis.

Effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation on bone metabolism in patients with immobilisation after foot and ankle fracture surgery: a randomised controlled trial study protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Fracture is a disease with a high incidence worldwide. Foot and ankle fractures are common among fractures of the lower extremities. Foot and ankle fractures usually require surgical fixation and a period of fixed treatment, which can lead to decreased bone density. Although transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) is widely used for movement system diseases, there is minimal evidence to show the effectiveness of TEAS on patients after surgical fixation of ankle and foot fractures. This trial aims to evaluate whether TEAS can reduce bone loss in patients with immobilisation after ankle and foot fractures. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A randomised controlled trial will be conducted in which 60 patients will be randomly divided into two groups: (a) the control group will be treated according to the routine procedures of basic orthopaedics treatment; (b) in the treatment group, bilateral SP36, BL23 and ST36 will be performed on the basis of the control group, and the test will be performed for 30 min every other day for a total of 8 weeks. Bone turnover markers will be used as primary outcome. Secondary outcomes are composed of blood phosphorus, blood calcium and bone mineral density. Treatment safety will be monitored and recorded. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This trial is approved by the Ethics Committee of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (2020BZYLL0611) and the Ethics Committee of Beijing Luhe Hospital (2020-LHKY-055-02), and inpatients who meet the following diagnostic and inclusion criteria are eligible to participate in this study. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR 2000039944.

Depression and APOEε4 Status in Individuals with Subjective Cognitive Decline: A Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the associative role of depression and apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 allele (APOEε4) in subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and its progression to objective cognitive decline. METHODS: After literature search in electronic databases, studies were selected by following precise eligibility criteria. Meta-analyses were performed to examine the role of APOEε4 and depression in SCD or its progression to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia. RESULTS: APOEε4 positivity was not different between SCD and normal individuals but was significantly higher in individuals with SCD plus than in normal individuals [odds ratio: 2.39 (95% CI: 1.87, 3.05); p<0.00001] and in SCD converters than in non-converters [odds ratio: 5.19 (95% CI: 2.36, 11.42); p<0.00001]. Depression was significantly higher in individuals with SCD [standardized mean difference: 0.63 (0.45, 0.82); p<0.00001] and SCD plus [standardized mean difference: 0.83 (0.43, 1.22); p<0.0001] than in normal individuals. However, depression was not different between SCD and MCI or between SCD converters and non-converters. Age of SCD converters was higher than non-converters [mean difference: 2.95 years (0.58, 5.31)]. CONCLUSION: Whereas APOEε4 positivity was higher in SCD plus and SCD converters, depression was higher in SCD and SCD plus but was not different between SCD and MCI.

Acupuncture treatment for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) make many patients have negative adherence of treatment. Acupuncture has been widely applied in treatment of CINV, but its efficacy has not been evaluated scientifically and systematically in recent years. Hence, evaluating the safety and effectiveness of acupuncture treatment in patients with CINV is the main purpose of this review. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will search the following electronic databases from inception to Mar 2020: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, PubMed, the Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), Wan-Fang Database and Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP database). All published academic data about clinical randomized controlled trials in English or Chinese related to acupuncture for treating CINV will be obtained. The primary outcomes are defined as frequency and severity of CINV during chemotherapy. The secondary outcomes are defined as any adverse events and quality of life of CINV during chemotherapy. The study selection, data extraction, and assessment of study quality will be conducted by 2 researchers independently. Review Manager Software (RevMan) V.5.3 will be performed for meta-analysis. RESULTS: The results of this review will provide a high-quality synthesis of current available evidence to evaluate acupuncture is an effective and safe treatment for CINV. CONCLUSION: The conclusion of this review will provide the highest level of evidence to judge whether acupuncture is an effective and safe treatment for patients suffered from CINV. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020153993.

Moxibustion for treating patients with hyperlipidemia: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

BACKGROUND: Hyperlipidemia has been a root cause of atherosclerosis, which leads to a high risk to serious cardio-cerebrovascular disease. Many trials have reported that moxibustion therapy is effective in lowering blood lipid levels when treating hyperlipidemia. The aim of this systematic review is to assess the effectiveness and safety of moxibustion therapy for hyperlipidemia. METHODS: Two reviewers will electronically search the following databases: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL); PubMed; EMBASE; China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI); Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM); Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP database); and Wan-Fang Database from the inception, without restriction of publication status and languages. Additional searching including researches in progress, the reference lists and the citation lists of identified publications. Study selection, data extraction, and assessment of study quality will be performed independently by 2 reviewers. Changes of blood lipid levels from baseline to the end of the treatment, including low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level, total cholesterol (TC) level, triglycerides (TG) level and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level will be assessed as the primary outcomes. Quality of life, long-term effect and safety will be evaluated as secondary outcomes. If it is appropriate for a meta-analysis, RevMan 5.3 statistical software will be used; otherwise, a descriptive analysis will be conducted. Data will be synthesized by either the fixed-effects or random-effects model according to a heterogeneity test. The results will be presented as risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for dichotomous data and weight mean difference (WMD) or standard mean difference (SMD) 95% CIs for continuous data. RESULTS: This study will provide a comprehensive review of the available evidence for the treatment of moxibustion with hyperlipidemia. CONCLUSIONS: The conclusions of our study will provide an evidence to judge whether moxibustion is an effective and safe intervention for patients with hyperlipidemia. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This systematic review will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal or presented at relevant conferences. It is not necessary for a formal ethical approval because the data are not individualized. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: PROSPERO CRD42019130545.

TRIM14 inhibits hepatitis C virus infection by SPRY domain-dependent targeted degradation of the viral NS5A protein.

Tripartite motif 14 (TRIM14) was reported to function as a mitochondrial signaling adaptor in mediating innate immune responses. However, the involvement of TRIM14 in host defense against viral infection and molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we demonstrated that enforced expression of TRIM14 could potently inhibit the infection and replication of HCV in hepatocytes, whereas TRIM14 knockout cells became more susceptible to HCV infection. Interestingly, further experiments revealed that such anti-HCV activity was independent of activating the NF-κB or interferon pathways but required the C-terminal SPRY domain of no signaling capacity. In searching for mechanisms how TRIM14 exerts its antiviral function we found that TRIM14 interacted with HCV encoded non-structural protein NS5A and could strongly induce its degradation dependent on the NS5A1 subdomain. Interestingly extensive domain mapping analyses revealed that NS5A degradation was mediated by the highly conserved SPRY domain of TRIM14, which might involve the K48 ubiquitination pathway. Collectively, our work uncovered a new mechanism responsible for host defense against HCV infection, and could potentially aid the development of novel anti-HCV therapeutics.

Genome Editing: From Drosophila to Non-Model Insects and Beyond.

Insect is the largest group of animals on land. Many insect species inflict economical and health losses to humans. Yet many more benefit us by helping to maintain balances in our ecosystem. The benefits that insects offer remain largely untapped, justifying our continuing efforts to develop tools to better understand their biology and to better manage their activities. Here we focus on reviewing the progresses made in the development of genome engineering tools for model insects. Instead of detailed descriptions of the molecular mechanisms underlying each technical advance, we focus our discussion on the logistics for implementing similar tools in non-model insects. Since none of the tools were developed specific for insects, similar approaches can be applied to other non-model organisms.

Elevated Serum Homocysteine (Hcy) Levels May Contribute to the Pathogenesis of Cerebral Infarction.

The purpose of this meta-analysis was to investigate the correlation between serum homocysteine (Hcy) levels and the pathogenesis of cerebral infarction (CI). Relevant studies involving serum Hcy levels and the pathogenesis of CI were identified using electronic database search supplemented with manual search. The search result studies were screened in accordance with our strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. Statistical analyses were conducted with Comprehensive Meta Analysis 2.0 (CMA 2.0) software. A total of 13 studies were eligible for our meta-analysis and included 1206 patients with CI and 1202 healthy controls. Our meta-analysis revealed that the serum Hcy levels in CI patients were significantly higher than those in healthy controls. Subgroup analysis based on ethnicity showed that Caucasians and Asians had significantly higher serum Hcy levels in CI patients compared to healthy controls and Africans showed no significant differences in serum Hcy levels between CI patients and controls. In conclusion, our meta-analysis reveals a strong correlation between elevated serum Hcy levels and the pathogenesis of CI, suggesting that serum Hcy levels may be an important biomarker for the early diagnosis and treatment assessment of CI.

[Expression of IMP3 in osteosarcoma and its clinical significance].

AIM: To analyze the expressional variability of IMP3 between osteosarcoma and osteochondroma and explore its clinical significance. METHODS: Paraffin sections from 68 patients with osteosarcoma and 20 patients with osteochondroma were examined for the expression of IMP3 by SP immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The negative, weak positive, moderate positive and strong positive expression rates of IMP3 in 68 patients with osteosarcoma were 4.41% (3/68), 22.06% (15/68), 22.74% (19/68), 45.59% (31/68), respectively, which were significantly higher than those in 20 cases of osteochondroma tissues (P<0.01). The positive expression of IMP3 in osteosarcoma was negative correlation with the 3-year survival rate of osteosarcoma patients after the operation (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that IMP3 plays important roles in the tumorigenesis, progress and prognosis of osteosarcoma, and the expression of IMP3 may be an important feature of osteosarcoma.

Functional gene-mining for salt-tolerance genes with the power of Arabidopsis.

Here we report on a functional gene-mining method developed to isolate stress tolerance genes without any prior knowledge of the genome or genetic mapping of the source germplasms. The feasibility of this approach was demonstrated by isolating novel salt stress tolerance genes from salt cress (Thellungiella halophila), an extremophile that is adapted to a harsh saline environment and a close relative of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. This gene-mining method is based on the expression of salt cress cDNA libraries in Arabidopsis. A cDNA expression library of the source germplasm, salt cress, was constructed and used to transform Arabidopsis via Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer. A transgenic seed library consisting of >125,000 independent lines was generated and screened for salt-tolerant lines via a high-throughput genetic screen. A number of salt-tolerant lines were isolated, and the salt cress cDNAs were identified by PCR amplification and sequencing. Among the genes isolated, several novel small protein-encoding genes were discovered. The homologs of these genes in Arabidopsis have not been experimentally analyzed, and their functions remain unknown. The function of two genes isolated by this method, ST6-66 and ST225, and their Arabidopsis homologs, were investigated in Arabidopsis using gain- and loss-of-function analyses, and their importance in salt tolerance was demonstrated. Thus, our functional gene-mining method was validated by these results. Our method should be applicable for the functional mining of stress tolerance genes from various germplasms. Future improvements of the method are also discussed.