Acupuncture and moxibustion treatment for myasthenia gravis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a common autoimmune disease that often involves the skeletal muscle of the whole body and seriously affects patients' quality of life. Acupuncture and moxibustion treatment of MG has unique advantages, the aim is to evaluate the clinical effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on MG. METHODS: The literature on acupuncture and moxibustion treating MG in PubMed, CochraneLibrary, EMBASE, SCI, China Academic Journals full-text database, China Biology Medicine disc, VIP and Wanfang database were searched through computers from the establishment of the database to December 2022. RESULTS: A total of 11 studies were included, involving 658 patients, where 330 in the treatment group and 328 in the control group. The results of the meta-analysis showed that the treatment group performed better than the control group in improving the total clinical response rate (OR = 3.26, 95%[2.04,5.21], P < .01). Additionally, the treatment group outperformed the control group in raising the absolute clinical score (MD = -3.48, 95%CI[-5.17, -1.78], P < .01). However, there was no significant difference between the treatment group and the control group in improving the level of serum interleukin-6 receptor (MD = -1.45,95%CI[-6.85,3.95], P > .05) and OMG quantitative score (MD = -2.16,95%CI[-4.85,0.52], P > .05). The total clinical effective rate was tested for publication bias, which showed that the 2 sides of the funnel plot were asymmetrical, suggesting the possible existence of publication bias. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture and moxibustion has a good effect on MG, which is better than conventional Western medicine in improving the total clinical effective rate and absolute clinical score.

Efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors differs in various status of carcinoma: a study based on 29 cohorts with 3255 participants.

BACKGROUND: Pre-clinical data have revealed that viral infection, such as Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV), and Human Papilloma virus (HPV), may lead to the development of "hot" or "immune-sensitive" tumors, which may impact the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICIs). Therefore, This study aimed to investigate the impact of viral status on the efficacy of ICIs. METHODS: Electronic databases were searched to identify relevant trials. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) measured by hazard ratio (HR). Stratified analyses were accomplished based on viral types, treatment regimens, and patient locations. RESULTS: A total of 3255 participants were recruited, including 252 cases of gastric cancer, 156 cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, 1603 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma, and 1244 cases of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Pooled results demonstrated a significant association between viral infection and favorable outcomes in patients receiving ICIs, including improved OS [HR = 0.67, 95%CI (0.57-0.79), P < 0.0001], increased ORR [OR = 1.43, 95%CI (1.14-1.80), P = 0.0018], and a trend toward enhanced PFS [HR = 0.75, 95%CI (0.56-1.00), P = 0.05]. In subgroup analyses, patients treated with ICIs who were exposed to HBV/HCV or HPV infection exhibited an evidently superior OS without heterogeneity, compared to those without infection. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated that the presence of viral infection was evidently associated with improved outcomes in cancer patients undergoing ICIs, particularly in cases of HBV/HCV and HPV infections.

The interaction effect of depressive symptoms and inflammation on the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases.

BACKGROUND: Whether there was an interaction effect between depressive symptoms and inflammation on the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) was unclear. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 3346 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were included. Multivariable regression analysis was performed to explore the associations of depressive symptoms or inflammation with CVDs. The attributable proportion of interaction (API), and synergy index (SI) were applied for evaluating the statistical significance of the interaction effect. RESULTS: Depressive symptoms were associated with 2.31-fold risk of CVDs [odds ratio (OR) = 2.31, 95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.47-3.62). The increased risk of CVDs was observed in people with neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) ≥1.88 group (OR = 1.36, 95%CI: 1.01-1.85) and neutrophil/[white blood cell (WBC)-neutrophil] ≥1.35 (OR = 1.52, 95%CI: 1.12-2.07) after adjusting for confounders. The interaction effect of depressive symptoms and high NLR on the risk of CVDs was statistically significant with an OR value of 2.60 (95%CI: 1.43-4.70) compared to low NLR and no depressive symptoms group after adjusting for confounders. The API was 0.66 (95%CI: 0.44-0.89) and SI was 4.23 (95%CI: 2.08-8.59). The interaction effect of depressive symptoms and high neutrophil/(WBC-neutrophil) was associated with the risk of CVDs compared to low neutrophil/(WBC-neutrophil) and no depressive symptoms group (OR = 3.59, 95%CI: 2.00-6.45). The API was 0.78 (95%CI: 0.63-0.93) and SI was 6.75 (95%CI: 3.55-12.82). CONCLUSION: There was an interaction effect of depressive symptoms and inflammation on the occurrence of CVDs.

Effect of comprehensive nursing on patients with chalazion undergoing intense pulsed light and its influence on postoperative recurrence.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of comprehensive nursing on patients with chalazion undergoing intense pulsed light (IPL) and its influence on postoperative recurrence. METHODS: In this retrospective study, the medical records of 72 patients who received IPL treatment for chalazion from October 2021 to February 2023 were analyzed. Among them, 33 patients treated with comprehensive nursing were included in the research group (RG) and 39 patients treated with routine nursing were included in the control group (CG). The treatment effect, complications and recurrence were compared between the two groups. The psychological state of patients and their satisfaction about the nursing were recorded and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: After nursing, the severity of unhealthy emotion in the RG was obviously better than that in the CG (P=0.033); The overall response rate in the RG was obviously higher than that in the CG (P=0.035). The nursing satisfaction in RG was significantly higher than that in the CG (P=0.035). The incidence of complications in RG was obviously lower than that in the CG (P=0.045). CONCLUSION: Comprehensive nursing is effective in improving the therapeutic effect and reducing the postoperative recurrence rate for patients with chalazion.

IL-23/IL-17 immune axis mediates the imiquimod-induced psoriatic inflammation by activating ACT1/TRAF6/TAK1/NF-κB pathway in macrophages and keratinocytes.

The interleukin-23 (IL-23)/IL-17 immune axis has been linked to the pathology of psoriasis, but how this axis contributes to skin inflammation in this disease remains unclear. We measured inflammatory cytokines associated with the IL-23/IL-17 immune axis in the serum of patients with psoriasis using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Psoriasis was induced in male C57BL/6J mice using imiquimod (IMQ) cream, and animals received intraperitoneal injections of recombinant mouse anti-IL-23A or anti-IL-17A antibodies for 7 days. The potential effects of the IL-23/IL-17 immune axis on skin inflammation were assessed based on pathology scoring, hematoxylin-eosin staining of skin samples, and quantitation of inflammatory cytokines. Western blotting was used to evaluate levels of the following factors in skin: ACT1, TRAF6, TAK1, NF-κB, and pNF-κB. The serum of psoriasis patients showed elevated levels of several cytokines involved in the IL-23/IL-17 immune axis: IL-2, IL-4, IL-8, IL-12, IL-17, IL-22, IL-23, and interferon-γ. Levels of IL-23p19 and IL-17 were increased in serum and skin of IMQ-treated mice, while ACT1, TRAF6, TAK1, NF-κB, and pNF-κB were upregulated in the skin. A large proportion of NF-κB p65 localized in nucleus of involucrin+ cells in the epidermis and in F4/80+ cells of the dermis of psoriatic lesional skin. Treating these animals with anti-IL-23 or anti-IL-17 antibodies improved pathological score and immune imbalance, mitigated skin inflammation and downregulated ACT1, TRAF6, TAK1, NF-κB, and pNF-κB in skin. Our results suggest that skin inflammation mediated by the IL-23/IL-17 immune axis in psoriasis involves activation of the ACT1/TRAF6/TAK1/NF-κB pathway in keratinocytes and macrophage.

Impact of probiotics use on clinical outcomes of immune checkpoint inhibitors therapy in cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota can lead to impaired therapeutic effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). This study aimed to investigate the use of probiotics on the clinical outcomes of cancer patients receiving ICIs therapy. METHOD: PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library database were searched to retrieve relevant studies that exploring the relationship between probiotics and the efficacy of ICIs. The primary endpoints included overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), evaluated by the hazard rations (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), and the secondary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR), evaluated by the odd ratio (OR) with a 95% CI. RESULTS: A total of five studies including 1031 patients were eligible for analysis. Our results indicated that the use of probiotics was associated with a superior OS (HR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.30-0.85, p = 0.01) and PFS (HR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.42-0.61, p < 0.01), but had no relationship with ORR (OR = 2.11, 95%CI: 0.51-8.65, p = 0.30) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Probiotics were positively correlated with OS and PFS in NSCLC patients administrated with ICIs, but had no relationship with ORR.

Efficacy and Safety of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Triple-negative Breast Cancer: A Study Based on 41 Cohorts Incorporating 6558 Participants.

The project was designed to investigate the efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Electronic databases were screened to identify relevant trials. The primary endpoints were prognostic parameters and adverse events (AEs) through pooled rate, odds ratio, and hazard ratio (HR) with 95% CI. Totally, 6558 TNBC patients from 41 cohorts were included. The pooled pathologic complete response rate (odds ratio=2.03, 95% CI: 1.35-3.06, P =0.0007) and event-free survival (HR=0.84, 95% CI: 0.73-0.96, P =0.0100) of ICIs plus chemotherapy was higher than that of chemotherapy-alone in early-stage TNBC. For metastatic TNBC, compared with chemotherapy-alone, the addition of ICIs prolonged the progression-free survival (PFS) (HR=0.92, 95% CI: 0.88-0.96, P <0.0001); the improvement also existed in the following 3 subgroups: programmed cell death-ligand 1 positive, race of White and Asian, and patients without previous neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy; however, the benefit of the combined regimen was not observed in overall survival (OS) (HR=0.95; 95% CI: 0.89-1.03, P =0.2127). In addition, the pooled rates of OS, PFS, and objective response rate of ICIs plus chemotherapy were better than those of ICIs plus targeted therapy or ICIs-alone. In the safety analysis, compared with chemotherapy-alone, ICIs plus chemotherapy increased immune-related AEs and several serious AE. The regimen of ICIs plus chemotherapy is promising in both early-stage and metastatic TNBC, while the increased serious AE should not be neglected. Furthermore, the pooled rates of OS, PFS, and objective response rate of ICIs plus chemotherapy were better than those of ICIs plus targeted therapy or ICIs-alone.

[Study on the effect of alginate impression spray disinfection process on model accuracy].

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of a new cleaning and disinfection process of oral impressions on the accuracy of alginate dental impression. METHODS: Sixteen young volunteers were selected to make alginate oral impression (2 times for each upper and lower jaw) and oral scandata acquisition (1 time for each upper and lower jaw) to obtain STL data. The 2 pairs of alginate impressions of each subject were numbered group 1, group 2, inwhich group 1 was not sterilized and the oral impression film in group 2 was treated with the method and steps of new oral impression cleaning and disinfection. All the oral impressions of the subjects were perfused with plaster models in the same standard way and demoulded. The obtained plaster models were examined and scanned after appropriate trimming and grinding. The plaster model data obtained from each group of each patient after warehouse scanning were compared with the orally scanned model data for alignment analysis, and root mean square(RMS) was used as a parameter to evaluate the deviation between the test model and the standard model. The chromatograms of the deviations were saved for visualization and analysis to observe the differences in model accuracy from several dimensions. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 23.0 software package. RESULTS: The differences in RMS of model accuracy of maxillary dental series of alginate impressions were statistically significant, in which the RMS of the group disinfecting the maxillary oral impression film with a new oral impression cleaning and disinfection process was significantly higher than that of the nonsterilized group (P=0.006), while the difference between model accuracy RMS of the mandibular disinfection group and non-disinfection group was not statistically significant(P=0.874). CONCLUSIONS: The new technical specifications for cleaning and disinfection of dental impressions recommended by the Chinese Stomatological Association have certain effects on the accuracy of dental impressions made of alginate material,and the details in its process should be further improved.

Prognostic Value of Lymphocyte-to-Monocyte Ratio (LMR) in Cancer Patients Undergoing Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors.

Background: There is accumulating evidence that the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) is related to the outcomes of cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). However, the results remain controversial. Method: Electronic databases were searched to retrieve the studies that explore the relationship between LMR and the efficacy of ICIs. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), evaluated by the hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), and the secondary endpoints included disease control rate (DCR) and immune-related adverse events (irAEs), assessed by the odd ratios (ORs) with 95% CI. Results: A total of 27 studies involving 4,322 patients were eligible for analysis. The results indicated that increased LMR at baseline was associated with a superior OS (HR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.39-0.56, p < 0.001), PFS (HR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.49-0.74, p < 0.001), and DCR (OR: 3.16, 95% CI: 1.70-5.87, p < 0.001). Posttreatment LMR was linked to a better PFS (HR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.29-0.71, p = 0.001), but failed to show this correlation in the analysis of OS and DCR. No correlation existed between LMR and irAEs regardless of the testing time (baseline or posttreatment). Subgroup analyses focusing on baseline LMR revealed that higher baseline LMR possessed a better OS in renal cell cancer (RCC) arm, nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) arm, multiple cancer arm, monotherapy arm, LMR <2 arm, LMR ≥2 arm, western countries arm, eastern countries arm, and anti-PD-1 arm. Higher baseline LMR correlated with better PFS in RCC arm, NSCLC arm, gastric cancer (GC) arm, multiple cancer arm, LMR <2 arm, LMR ≥2 arm, western countries arm, and eastern countries arm. Conclusions: Higher LMR at baseline was positively correlated with a superior OS, PFS, and DCR for ICIs, but not with irAEs.

The safety and efficacy of immune-checkpoint inhibitors in patients with cancer and pre-existing autoimmune diseases.

Objective: This study aims at investigating the safety and efficacy of immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in patients with cancer and pre-existing autoimmune disease (AID). Materials & methods: PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library were searched for relevant studies. The primary end points of the study were immunotoxicity and cancer response. Results: At the early use of ICIs, compared with those with active AID, grade 3-4 AID flare occurred more frequently in patients with inactive AID after treatment with ICIs; and the incidence of grade 3-4 immunotoxic effects was significantly lower in patients undergoing immunosuppressive therapy than those without corresponding treatment. In addition, patients with worsening AID generally obtained a better objective response than those without a flare. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the toxic effects induced by immunotherapy are generally manageable in patients with cancer and pre-existing AID, some of whom even achieve satisfactory antitumor effects in clinical practice.

The effect of Xiaobi decoction on minimal erythema dose of irradiation with 308 nm excimer lamp in guinea pigs.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune-mediated inflammatory skin disease. The main clinical manifestation of this complex condition is scaly erythema. Excimer 308-nm light can be used to selectively and safely treat skin lesions. In clinical practice, the combination of Xiaobi decoction combined with 308-nm excimer light therapy has been found to have a beneficial effect on advanced psoriasis vulgaris. However, the effect of Xiaobi decoction on light sensitivity in psoriasis patients has not been explored. Therefore, this study aimed to observe the effect of Xiaobi decoction on the minimal erythema dose (MED) value in guinea pigs. METHODS: Eighty guinea pigs were divided into a Xiaobi decoction group and a control group according to the serial number: guinea pigs with odd numbers were assigned into the Xiaobi decoction group, and those with even numbers were assigned into the control group. The Xiaobi decoction group was administrated Xiaobi decoction by gastric lavage, while the control group was given distilled water by gastric lavage. The back skin of the guinea pigs in the two groups was irradiated with a 308-nm excimer lamp before gavaging, and after 10, 20, and 30 days of gavaging. The MED values 24 hours after irradiation were recorded. RESULTS: The average MED in the Xiaobi decoction group was (800±126.5) mJ/cm2, compared with (780±107.7) mJ/cm2 in the control group, and the difference was not significant (P>0.05). After 10 days, 20 days, and 30 days of gavaging, the MED values of the guinea pigs in the Xiaobi decoction group were significantly lower than those of the control group (P<0.05). Blood tests showed that the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (164.5±25.7 vs. 145.3±27.4, P=0.002) and interleukin-23 (1.8±0.7 vs. 1.5±0.5, P=0.030) were significantly lower in the Xiaobi decoction group than in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Xiaobi decoction can reduce the MED value of guinea pigs, and increase the sensitivity of skin lesions to 308-nm excimer light and the amount of light absorbed by skin lesions. These results may represent the mechanisms of action of Xiaobi decoction in the treatment of psoriasis.

Effects of dendrobium polysaccharides on human brain microvascular endothelial cell injury induced by ox-LDL via regulating the miR-378 expression.

Brain microvascular endothelial cells are a key part of the blood-brain barrier. This experiment was set up to investigate the effect and molecular mechanism of Dendrobium polysaccharide on oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-induced damage to the human brain microvascular endothelial cells. For this purpose, human brain microvascular endothelial cells HBMEC were divided into control group (without any treatment), ox-LDL group (50 µg/mL ox-LDL), Dendrobium polysaccharide low, medium and high concentration group (0.1 µg/L, 0.2 µg/L, 0.4 µg/L Dendrobium polysaccharide+50 µg/mL ox-LDL), ox-LDL+miR-NC group (transfection miR-378 mimic negative control+50 µg/mL ox-LDL), ox-LDL+miR-378 group (transfected miR-378 mimics+50 µg/mL ox-LDL), ox-LDL+DP+anti-miR-NC group (transfected miR-378 inhibitor negative control +0.4 µg/L Dendrobium polysaccharide+50 µg/mL ox-LDL), ox-LDL+DP+anti-miR-378 group (transfected miR-378 inhibitor+0.4 µg/L Dendrobium polysaccharide+50 µg/mL ox-LDL ). The kit was used to detect the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT); flow cytometry to detect apoptosis; and Western blot to detect B-cell lymph tumor/leukemia-2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2 related X (Bax) protein expression; real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to detect the expression of miR-378. Results showed that after treatment with different concentrations of Dendrobium polysaccharides, MDA levels were decreased in ox-LDL-induced human brain microvascular endothelial cells, SOD and CAT activities were increased, apoptosis rate was decreased, Bcl-2 expression was increased, Bax expression was decreased, miR-378 expression was increased, in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05). Overexpression of miR-378 inhibits ox-LDL-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in human brain microvascular endothelial cells. Inhibition of miR-378 expression reversed the effect of Dendrobium polysaccharide on ox-LDL-induced damage to human brain microvascular endothelial cells. Then dendrobium polysaccharide may inhibit ox-LDL-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in human brain microvascular endothelial cells by up-regulating the expression of miR-378.

Opposing functions of Fng1 and the Rpd3 HDAC complex in H4 acetylation in Fusarium graminearum.

Histone acetylation, balanced by histone acetyltransferase (HAT) and histone deacetylase (HDAC) complexes, affects dynamic transitions of chromatin structure to regulate transcriptional accessibility. However, little is known about the interplay between HAT and HDAC complexes in Fusarium graminearum, a causal agent of Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) that uniquely contains chromosomal regions enriched for house-keeping or infection-related genes. In this study, we identified the ortholog of the human inhibitor of growth (ING1) gene in F. graminearum (FNG1) and found that it specifically interacts with the FgEsa1 HAT of the NuA4 complex. Deletion of FNG1 led to severe growth defects and blocked conidiation, sexual reproduction, DON production, and plant infection. The fng1 mutant was normal in H3 acetylation but significantly reduced in H4 acetylation. A total of 34 spontaneous suppressors of fng1 with faster growth rate were isolated. Most of them were still defective in sexual reproduction and plant infection. Thirty two of them had mutations in orthologs of yeast RPD3, SIN3, and SDS3, three key components of the yeast Rpd3L HDAC complex. Four mutations in these three genes were verified to suppress the defects of fng1 mutant in growth and H4 acetylation. The rest two suppressor strains had a frameshift or nonsense mutation in a glutamine-rich hypothetical protein that may be a novel component of the FgRpd3 HDAC complex in filamentous fungi. FgRpd3, like Fng1, localized in euchromatin. Deletion of FgRPD3 resulted in severe growth defects and elevated H4 acetylation. In contract, the Fgsds3 deletion mutant had only a minor reduction in growth rate but FgSIN3 appeared to be an essential gene. RNA-seq analysis revealed that 48.1% and 54.2% of the genes with altered expression levels in the fng1 mutant were recovered to normal expression levels in two suppressor strains with mutations in FgRPD3 and FgSDS3, respectively. Taken together, our data showed that Fng1 is important for H4 acetylation as a component of the NuA4 complex and functionally related to the FgRpd3 HDAC complex for transcriptional regulation of genes important for growth, conidiation, sexual reproduction, and plant infection in F. graminearum.

[A comparative study of silicon rubber impression and intraoral scanning impression in oral clinical teaching].

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess and compare patient satisfaction and time required between silicon rubber impression and intraoral scanning impression. METHODS: Six undergraduates participated in this study. silicon rubber impression and intraoral scanning impression were taken, the time required to obtain the impressions and the scores of visual analog scale(VAS) were recorded. SPSS 23.0 software package was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The time and patients satisfaction of silicon rubber impression were better than intraoral scanning impressions, and there were significant differences between the two groups(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Using silicon rubber impression, the patient experience is better. To use intraoral scanning impression technology, dentists should be more skilled. With the role-playing method,dental interns can learn the operation key points and precautions of different impression-taking methods even better.

Acupuncture of the Beishu acupoint participates in regulatory effects of ginsenoside Rg1 on T cell subsets of rats with chronic fatigue syndrome.

BACKGROUND: There are close relationships between the spleen and limb muscles and thoughts. The study aims to test the effects of ginsenoside Rg1 in combination with acupuncture of the Beishu acupoint on T cell subsets of rats with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). METHODS: The model was set up by combining forced cold-water swimming with chronic restraint. The rats were randomly divided into blank control, model, ginsenoside, acupuncture, and ginsenoside plus acupuncture groups (n=10). For the acupuncture group, the Beishu acupoint was acupunctured on the 2nd day after modeling. For the ginsenoside group, the ginsenoside Rg1 solution was injected into the tail vein on the 2nd day after modeling. For the combination group, both processes were conducted. These groups were compared regarding exhausted swimming time, number of struggles, resting time, serum levels of IgA, IgG, IgM, IFN-α, IFN-ß, and IFN-γ, lymphocyte transformation rate, T cell subsets, and skeletal muscle activities of malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidative capacity (T-AOC) and acetylcholinesterase (Ache). RESULTS: The exhausted swimming time, number of struggles, and resting time of combination group surpassed those in the ginsenoside and acupuncture groups significantly (P<0.05). The serum levels of IgA, IgG, IgM, IFN-ß, IFN-γ, T-AOC, and Ache, together with CD3+ and CD8+ T cell percentages of combination groups, were significantly higher than those of ginsenoside and acupuncture groups. However, the IFN-α level, MDA activity, and CD4+ T cell percentage were significantly lower (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratios of acupuncture, ginsenoside, and combination groups decreased significantly (P<0.05). Compared with the combination group, the ratio of the ginsenoside group increased significantly (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Both acupuncture of the Beishu acupoint and intravenous injection of ginsenoside Rg1 have anti-fatigue effects, and their combination works synergistically. This study supplies an experimental basis for joint therapy using acupuncture and drugs to combat fatigue synergistically.

Neogambogic acid induces apoptosis of melanoma B16 cells via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Neogambogic acid, as one of the main components of gamboge, exhibits high activities against various tumors. OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism by which melanoma B16 cell apoptosis was induced by neogambogic acid. METHODS: Melanoma B16 cells were treated with different concentrations of neogambogic acid solutions (0, 1.5, 3.0, 6.0 µM). The proliferation inhibition rate was measured by MTT assay. Cell morphology was observed by inverted microscope. Cell migration and invasion were tested by Transwell assay. Flow cytometry was performed to detect the apoptosis rate and cell cycle of B16 cells. The expressions of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway-related proteins were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: The proliferation inhibition rate of B16 cells significantly increased with rising neogambogic acid concentration (P<0.05). The invasive and migration capacities of B16 cells decreased significantly after treatment with neogambogic acid (P<0.05). The apoptosis rate also increased with rising concentration of neogambogic acid. After 24 h of treatment, the percentage of G0/G1 phase cells increased gradually as the neogambogic acid concentration rose, whereas those of S phase and G2/M phase cells decreased. With increasing concentration of neogambogic acid, the expressions of p-PI3K, p-Akt and p-mTOR proteins reduced in a time-dependent manner, but those of PI3K and Akt proteins remained basically unchanged. CONCLUSION: Neogambogic acid can inhibit the proliferation, invasion and migration of melanoma B16 cells and induce their apoptosis, which may be regulated via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.

Electrochemical generation of liquid and solid sulfur on two-dimensional layered materials with distinct areal capacities.

It has recently been shown that sulfur, a solid material in its elementary form S8, can stay in a supercooled state as liquid sulfur in an electrochemical cell. We establish that this newly discovered state could have implications for lithium-sulfur batteries. Here, through in situ studies of electrochemical sulfur generation, we show that liquid (supercooled) and solid elementary sulfur possess very different areal capacities over the same charging period. To control the physical state of sulfur, we studied its growth on two-dimensional layered materials. We found that on the basal plane, only liquid sulfur accumulates; by contrast, at the edge sites, liquid sulfur accumulates if the thickness of the two-dimensional material is small, whereas solid sulfur nucleates if the thickness is large (tens of nanometres). Correlating the sulfur states with their respective areal capacities, as well as controlling the growth of sulfur on two-dimensional materials, could provide insights for the design of future lithium-sulfur batteries.

Cone-beam computed tomography for evaluating root length of maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth in open bite patients. / 锥形束CT评估前牙开 æ‚£è€ ä¸Šä¸‹é¢Œå‰ç‰™æ ¹é•¿.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the root length of maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth between open bite patients and normal overbite patients via cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) as well as the root length of anterior teeth in different degree of open bite patients, and to analyze the correlation between the degree of open bite and root length. METHODS: A total of 106 untreated patients were enrolled retrospectively (53 anterior open bite patients and 53 normal overbite patients).Three-dimensional position of the CBCT image for the patient's teeth was performed using Dolphin software. The median sagittal plane of the tooth was used as the measurement plane, and the line connecting the apical point and the midpoint between the labial and lingual cementoenamel junctions was defined as the root length. Independent t-test was used to compare the difference of anterior root length between the open bite group and normal overbite group, mild open bite group and moderate-severe open bite group. Pearson correlation analysis was used to explore the correlation between the degree of open bite and the root length of anterior teeth. RESULTS: Significant differences were found in the root length of maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth between the open bite group and the normal overbite group (P<0.001), and there was significant difference in root length of mandibular central incisor between mild open bite group and moderate-severe open bite group (P=0.039). Pearson correlation analysis showed that maxillary anterior teeth were correlated with root length of anterior teeth (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The root length of maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth in the open bite patients is shorter than that in the normal overbite patients, and the severer the degree of open bite, the shorter the root length of the mandibular central incisor tends to be. There is a certain relationship between maxillary anterior teeth and the root length of anterior teeth.

The influence of Tongqiao Huashuan Decoction on the expression of VEGF and EphB2 in MCAO model rats.

BACKGROUND: To observe the effect of Miao medicine and Tongqiao Huashuan Decoction on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and ephrin-B2 (EphB2) in the frontal lobe of the involved side and the cerebellum of rat models of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and to reveal the pharmacological mechanism of Tongqiao Huashuan Decoction in treating acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: Seventy healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation, model, salvia miltiorrhiza (S. miltiorrhiza), and Miao medicine groups. Modified Longa's method was used to prepare a cerebral ischemia reperfusion model. After the operation, the rats in the sham operation group and model group were intragastrically administered with saline, those in the Miao medicine group were intragastrically administered with Tongqiao Huashuan Decoction, and those in the S. miltiorrhiza group were intraperitoneally injected with S. miltiorrhiza. After 14 days of administration, the neurological deficit scores of the rats in each group were compared before and after treatment. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the pathological changes of the brain tissues in the right infarcted areas of the rats. VEGF expression in the frontal lobe and cerebellum was observed through immunohistochemistry, and in situ hybridization to detect EphB2 expression in the frontal lobe and cerebellum. RESULTS: The neurological deficit scores were significantly improved in the Miao medicine and S. miltiorrhiza groups aftertreatment compared with those of the model group (P<0.05) and was higher in the Miao medicine group than in the S. miltiorrhiza group. The VEGF expression in the right frontal lobe and cerebellum was significantly increased in the Miao medicine and S. miltiorrhiza groups (P<0.05) with the former having higher levels than the latter (P<0.05). EphB2 expression was significantly increased in the frontal lobe and cerebellum in the Miao medicine and S. miltiorrhiza groups (P<0.05) and was higher in the frontal lobe of the Miao medicine group than that of the S. miltiorrhiza group (P<0.05) but was not significantly different in the cerebellum in the S. miltiorrhiza and Miao medicine groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Tongqiao Huashuan Decoction can improve the neurological function score and promote the VEGF expression in the frontal lobe and cerebellum and the EphB2 expression in the frontal lobe of the involved side of MCAO rats. The pharmacological mechanism of Tongqiao Huashuan Decoction in treating acute ischemic stroke may be related to its regulation of VEDF and EphB2 expression in the distal part of the involved side.

Comparative acetylome analysis reveals the potential roles of lysine acetylation for DON biosynthesis in Fusarium graminearum.

BACKGROUND: Fusarium graminearum is a destructive fungal pathogen of wheat, barley and other small grain cereals. During plant infection, the pathogen produces trichothecene mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON), which is harmful to human and livestock. FgGCN5 encodes a GCN5 acetyltransferase. The gene deletion mutant Fggcn5 failed to produce DON. We assumed that lysine acetylation might play a key regulatory role in DON biosynthesis in the fungus. RESULTS: In this study, the acetylome comparison between Fggcn5 mutant and wild-type strain PH-1 was performed by using affinity enrichment and high resolution LC-MS/MS analysis. Totally, 1875 acetylated proteins were identified in Fggcn5 mutant and PH-1. Among them, 224 and 267 acetylated proteins were identified exclusively in Fggcn5 mutant and PH-1, respectively. Moreover, 95 differentially acetylated proteins were detected at a significantly different level in the gene deletion mutant:43 were up-regulated and 52 were down-regulated. GO enrichment and KEGG-pathways enrichment analyses revealed that acetylation plays a key role in metabolism process in F. graminearum. CONCLUSIONS: Seeing that the gens playing critical roles in DON biosynthesis either in Fggcn5 mutant or PH-1. Therefore, we can draw the conclusion that the regulatory roles of lysine acetylation in DON biosynthesis in F. graminearum results from the positive and negative regulation of the related genes. The study would be a foundation to insight into the regulatory mechanism of lysine acetylation on DON biosynthesis.