Neurotherapeutic effects of novel HO-1 inhibitors in vitro and in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) encoded by the HMOX1 gene is a 32-kDa stress protein that catabolizes heme to biliverdin, free iron, and carbon monoxide (CO). Glial HO-1 is over-expressed in the CNS of subjects with Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and multiple sclerosis (MS). The HMOX1 gene is exquisitely sensitive to oxidative stress and is induced in brain and other tissues in various models of disease and trauma. Induction of the glial HMOX1 gene may lead to pathological brain iron deposition, intracellular oxidative damage, and bioenergetic failure in AD and other human CNS disorders such as PD and MS. Therefore, targeted suppression of glial HO-1 hyperactivity may prove to be a rational and effective therapeutic intervention in AD and related neurodegenerative disorders. In this study, we report the effects of QC-47, QC-56, and OB-28, novel azole-based competitive and reversible inhibitors of HO-1, on oxidative damage to whole-cell and mitochondrial compartments in rat astrocytes transfected with the HMOX1 gene. We also report the effect of OB-28 on the behavior and neuropathology of APP(swe)/PS1(∆E9) mice. OB-28 was found to reduce oxidative damage to whole-cell and mitochondrial compartments in rat astrocytes transfected with the HMOX1 gene. Moreover, OB-28 was found to significantly counter behavioral deficits and neuropathological alterations in APP(swe)/PS1(∆E9) mice. Attenuation of AD-associated behavioral deficits and neuropathological changes suggests that HO-1 may be a promising target for neuroprotective intervention in AD and other neurodegenerative diseases. We propose that the targeted suppression of glial heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) hyperactivity may prove to be a rational and effective therapeutic intervention in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related neurodegenerative disorders. We report attenuation by a selective HO-1 inhibitor of oxidative damage to whole-cell and mitochondrial compartments in astrocytes in vitro and amelioration of behavioral anomalies in a transgenic mouse model of AD.

The rhizomes of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz improve gastrointestinal health and pregnancy outcomes in pregnant mice via modulating intestinal barrier and water-fluid metabolism.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Baizhu (BZ) is the dried rhizome of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz (Compositae), which invigorates the spleen, improves vital energy, stabilizes the fetus, and is widely used for treating spleen deficiency syndrome. However, the impact of BZ on gastrointestinal function during pregnancy remains unexplored. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study elucidated the ameliorative effects of BZ on gastrointestinal health and pregnancy outcomes in pregnant mice with spleen deficiency diarrhea (SDD). METHODS: To simulate an irregular human diet and overconsumption of cold and bitter foods leading to SDD, a model of pregnant mice with SDD was established using an alternate-day fasting and high-fat diet combined with oral administration of Sennae Folium. During the experiment, general indicators and diarrhea-related parameters were measured. Gastric and intestinal motility (small intestinal propulsion and gastric emptying rates) were evaluated. Serum motilin (MTL), ghrelin, growth hormone (GH), gastrin (Gas), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), chorionic gonadotropin ß (ß-CG), progesterone (P), and estradiol (E2) were quantified using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Pathological changes were examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining (H&E) and alcian blue periodic acid Schiff staining (AB-PAS). Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were used to measure the expression levels of the intestinal barrier and water metabolism-related proteins in colonic tissues. The pregnancy rate, ovarian organ coefficient, uterus with fetus organ coefficient, small size, average fetal weight, and body length of fetal mice were calculated. RESULTS: The results showed that BZ significantly improved general indicators and diarrhea in pregnant mice with SDD, increased gastric emptying rate and small intestinal propulsion rate, elevated the levels of gastrointestinal hormones (AMS, ghrelin, GH, and Gas) in the serum, and reduced lipid levels (TC and LDL-c). It also improved colonic tissue morphology, increased the number of goblet cells, and promoted the mRNA and protein expression of occludin, claudin-1, ZO-1, AQP3, AQP4, and AQP8 in colonic tissues, downregulating the mRNA and protein expression levels of claudin-2, thereby alleviating intestinal barrier damage and regulating the balance of water and fluid metabolism. BZ also held the levels of pregnancy hormones (ß-CG, P, and E2) in the serum of pregnant mice with SDD. Moreover, it increased the pregnancy rate, ovarian organ coefficient, uterus with fetus organ coefficient, litter size, average fetal weight, and body length of fetal mice. These findings indicate that BZ can improve spleen deficiency-related symptoms in pregnant mice before and during pregnancy, regulate pregnancy-related hormones, and improve pregnancy outcomes.

Promoting the denitrification process by heavy metals in Liaohe Estuary sediment.

The impact of heavy metal ions on the biodenitrification process remains unknown, which is the key to understand the nitrogen cycle in estuarine areas. Here, denitrification rate and the abundance of five denitrifying enzyme genes (narG, nirK, napA, norB and nosZ) in Liaohe Estuary sediments were examined, and the community structure of nirK denitrifying bacteria was also analyzed. The results demonstrate a significant positive correlation between heavy metal content (Cu2+, Zn2+, and Cr) and the denitrification rate, and the abundance of napA/norB (periplasmic nitrate reductase and nitric-oxide reductase) in sediments. The dominant narG denitrifiers were Pseudomonas, Hydrogenophaga, and Serratia known to be tolerant to heavy metal pollution. Sediment particle size, NO3-, NO2-, Zn2+, and Cd2+ were the key factors influencing the denitrifying community structure. These findings suggest that heavy metals may enhance the aerobic denitrification process in sediments and mitigate the adverse effects of high dissolved oxygen levels.

Ferroelectric Single-Molecule Magnet with Toroidal Magnetic Moments.

Materials that coexist magnetic and electric properties on the molecular scale in single-molecule magnets (SMMs) with peculiar quantum behaviors have promise in molecular electronics and spintronics. Nevertheless, such molecular materials are limited in potentials because their magnetic signal cannot be transformed into an electrical signal through magnetoresistance or Hall effects for their high insulativity. The discovery of an entirely new material, ferroelectric SMMs (FE SMMs) is reported. This FE SMM also shows single-molecule magnetic behaviors, toroidal magnetic moments, and room-temperature ferroelectricity. The toroidal moment is formed by a vortex distribution of magnetic dipoles in triangular Dy3 clusters. The analysis of ac magnetic susceptibility reveals the coexistence of three distinct magnetic relaxation processes at low temperatures. The ferroelectricity is introduced by incorporating polar alcohol molecules in the structure, which is confirmed by the X-ray diffraction and optical second harmonic generation (SHG) measurements. Moreover, the dielectric measurements reveal a ferroelectric-to-ferroelectric phase transition around 150 K due to the symmetry change from Pc to Pna21 . The coexistence of toroidal moment and ferroelectricity along with quantum magnetism in the rare-earth single-molecule magnets yields a unique class of multiferroics.

Tunable electronic structure and magnetic anisotropy in bilayer ferromagnetic semiconductor Cr2Ge2Te6.

The emergence of ferromagnetism in two-dimensional van der Waals materials has aroused broad interest. However, the ferromagnetic instability has been a problem remained. In this work, by using the first-principles calculations, we identified the critical ranges of strain and doping for the bilayer Cr2Ge2Te6 within which the ferromagnetic stability can be enhanced. Beyond the critical range, the tensile strain can induce the phase transition from the ferromagnetic to the antiferromagnetic, and the direction of magnetic easy axis can be converted from out-of-plane to in-plane due to the increase of compressive strain, or electrostatic doping. We also predicted an electron doping range, within which the ferromagnetism can be enhanced, while the ferromagnetic stability was maintained. Moreover, we found that the compressive strain can reverse the spin polarization of electrons at the conduction band minimum, so that two categories of half-metal can be induced by controlling electrostatic doping in the bilayer Cr2Ge2Te6. These results should shed a light on achieving ferromagnetic stability for low-dimensional materials.

FAK signaling is critical for ErbB-2/ErbB-3 receptor cooperation for oncogenic transformation and invasion.

The overexpression of members of the ErbB tyrosine kinase receptor family has been associated with cancer progression. We demonstrate that focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is essential for oncogenic transformation and cell invasion that is induced by ErbB-2 and -3 receptor signaling. ErbB-2/3 overexpression in FAK-deficient cells fails to promote cell transformation and rescue chemotaxis deficiency. Restoration of FAK rescues both oncogenic transformation and invasion that is induced by ErbB-2/3 in vitro and in vivo. In contrast, the inhibition of FAK in FAK-proficient invasive cancer cells prevented cell invasion and metastasis formation. The activation of ErbB-2/3 regulates FAK phosphorylation at Tyr-397, -861, and -925. ErbB-induced oncogenic transformation correlates with the ability of FAK to restore ErbB-2/3-induced mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation; the inhibition of MAPK prevented oncogenic transformation. In contrast, the inhibition of Src but not MAPK prevented ErbB-FAK-induced chemotaxis. In migratory cells, activated ErbB-2/3 receptors colocalize with activated FAK at cell protrusions. This colocalization requires intact FAK. In summary, distinct FAK signaling has an essential function in ErbB-induced oncogenesis and invasiveness.

Focal adhesion kinase-related proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 and focal adhesion kinase are co-overexpressed in early-stage and invasive ErbB-2-positive breast cancer and cooperate for breast cancer cell tumorigenesis and invasiveness.

Early cancer cell migration and invasion of neighboring tissues are mediated by multiple events, including activation of focal adhesion signaling. Key regulators include the focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and FAK-related proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk2), whose distinct functions in cancer progression remain unclear. Here, we compared Pyk2 and FAK expression in breast cancer and their effects on ErbB-2-induced tumorigenesis and the potential therapeutic utility of targeting Pyk2 compared with FAK in preclinical models of breast cancer. Pyk2 is overexpressed in tissues from early and advanced breast cancers and overexpressed with both FAK and epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (ErbB-2) in a subset of breast cancer cases. Down-regulation of Pyk2 in ErbB-2-positive, FAK-proficient, and FAK-deficient cells reduced cell proliferation, which correlated with reduced mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity. In contrast, Pyk2 silencing had little impact on cell migration and invasion. In vivo, Pyk2 down-regulation reduced primary tumor growth induced by a metastatic variant of ErbB-2-positive MDA 231 breast cancer cells but had little effect on lung metastases in contrast to FAK down-regulation. Dual reduction of Pyk2 and FAK expression resulted in strong inhibition of both primary tumor growth and lung metastases. Together, these data support the cooperative function of Pyk2 and FAK in breast cancer progression and suggest that dual inhibition of FAK and Pyk2 is an efficient therapeutic approach for targeting invasive breast cancer.

Effect of geniposide on high glucose-induced proliferation and angiogenesis of human retinal vascular endothelial cells and its mechanism / 眼科新进展

Objective To study the effect of geniposide(Gen)on the proliferation,migration and angiogenesis of human retinal vascular endothelial cells(hRVECs)induced by high glucose and explore its mechanism.Methods The hRVECs were intervened with different concentrations(0,1,5,10,20,40 and 80 mg·L-1)of Gen for 24 h,and Cell Counting Kit-8(CCK-8)was used to detect the effect of Gen on the proliferation activity of hRVECs.The hRVECs were di-vided into the control group,high glucose(25 mmol·L-1)group,low,middle and high Gen concentration(5,10 and 20 mg·L-1)groups,bevacizumab(BEV,250 μg·L-1)group and high Gen concentration+BEV(250 pg·L-1)group.Cell proliferation activity was detected by CCK-8.The cell migration ability was detected by scratch test.The tube formation ability of cells was detected by the in vitro tube formation assay.The protein expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor-A(VEGF-A),soluble VEGF receptor-1(sFlt-1),matrix metalloproteinase 2(MMP-2)and matrix metallo-proteinase 9(MMP-9)in cells were detected by Western blot.Results Compared with 0 mg·L-1 Gen,there was no sta-tistically significant difference in the effect of Gen with concentrations of 1,5,10,20,40 and 80 mg·L-1 on the prolifera-tion activity of hRVECs(all P＞0.05).Compared with the control group,the proliferation activity and migration ability of hRVECs in the high glucose group were significantly enhanced(both P＜0.05),the cell circular structure increased,the protein expression levels of VEGF-A,MMP-2 and MMP-9 significantly increased(all P＜0.05),and the protein expression level of sFlt-1 significantly decreased(P＜0.05).Compared with the high glucose group,the proliferative activity and mi-gration ability of cells in all Gen concentration groups and BEV group significantly decreased(all P＜0.05),the circular structure of cells was reduced,the protein expression levels of VEGF-A,MMP-2 and MMP-9 significantly decreased(all P＜0.05),and the protein expression level of sFlt-1 significantly increased(P＜0.05).Compared with the high Gen concentra-tion group,the high Gen concentration+BEV group showed a significant decrease in cell proliferation activity(P＜0.05),a decrease in cell circular structure,a significant decrease in VEGF-A,MMP-2 and MMP-9 protein expression levels(all P＜0.05),and a significant increase in sFlt-1 protein expression level(P＜0.05).Conclusion Gen can inhibit the high glucose-induced proliferation,migration and angiogenesis of hRVECs,and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of VEGF/sFlt-1 axis balance.

Clinical study of electroacupuncture improving sleep electroencephalogram and event-related potential in patients with somatoform disorders / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective:To observe the effects of electroacupuncture(EA)on sleep electroencephalogram(EEG)and event-related potential(ERP)in patients with somatoform disorders(SFD). Methods:Seventy-five SFD patients were recruited as an EA group to receive EA at Shenting(GV24)and Baihui(GV20)once daily,30 min each time,with 6 straight days as a treatment course,and 4 courses were conducted at 1-day intervals.Before treatment,patients underwent a survey using a physical symptom checklist on their primary symptoms.Before and after treatment,their sleep EEG was monitored using Quisi,and the ERP mismatch negativity(MMN)and P300 were detected.The Quisi sleep EEG and ERP were also examined among 40 normal volunteers as the normal group data. Results:During the trial,13 cases were removed from the EA group due to incomplete data,and 62 cases were finally included for statistical analyses.Of the 62 SFD patients,the main disturbing symptoms were cognitive impairments,sleep disorders,respiratory symptoms,digestive symptoms,five-sense organ problems,and cardiovascular symptoms in order.Before treatment,the EA group had increased MMN and P300 latencies and decreased amplitudes compared with the normal control group(P<0.01 or P<0.05);according to Quisi,the EA group also had reduced total sleep time(TST),shorter rapid eye movement sleep(REM)latency(RL)and REM time(RT),smaller number of REM period(NRP),extended sleep latency(SL),longer awaking time(AT),lower sleep efficiency(SE),larger percent of non-rapid eye movement sleep(NREM)stage 1(S1)and smaller percent of NREM stage 2(S2),and the percent of slow wave sleep(SWS),i.e.NREM stage 3(S3)plus stage 4(S4),also went down,all presenting significant differences between groups(P<0.01 or P<0.05).After 4 courses of treatment,the MMN and P300 latencies were reduced,and their amplitudes became larger in the EA group compared with the baseline(P<0.05);they had insignificant differences compared with the normal control group(P>0.05).Quisi showed that the TST and RL increased,and the SL and AT decreased in the EA group,and the predominant change in sleep architecture was reduced S1 percent,increased S2,and improved SE,all showing significant intra-group differences(P<0.01 or P<0.05);however,the intra-group difference in the NRP was statistically insignificant(P>0.05).Except the TST,RT,S1 percent,and SWS,there was no statistical significance in comparing the other Quisi parameters(including RL,NRP,SL,AT,SE,and S2 percent)between the two groups(P>0.05). Conclusion:SFD patients have a variety of clinical symptoms,and most of them show abnormal sleep EEG and ERP;EA can correct abnormal sleep EEG parameters and the MMN and P300 of ERP in SFD patients.

Yunkang Oral Liquid Promotes Restoration of Mice from Postpartum Kidney Deficiency via TGF-β/Smads Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Yunkang oral liquid on postpartum kidney deficiency in mice. MethodPostpartum mice were randomized into model and low-dose （6 mL·kg-1）， medium-dose （9 mL·kg-1）， and high-dose （12 mL·kg-1） Yunkang oral liquid groups. The mouse model of postpartum kidney deficiency was established by sleep deprivation combined with forced swimming. Another 9 female ICR mice were selected as the normal control group. The mice were administrated with Yunkang oral liquid during the period of modeling. The levels of estradiol （E2）， progesterone （P）， follicle-stimulating hormone （FSH）， and luteinizing hormone （LH） in the serum were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The morphological changes of ovaries and uterus were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， and the expression of transforming growth factor （TGF）-β and Smad2/3 was determined by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. ResultThe mice in the model group showed prolonged estrous cycle， reduced voluntary activity， dorsal temperature， grip strength， and bone strength， and whitening tongue coating. Compared with the model group， Yunkang oral liquid shortened the estrous cycle， increased the voluntary activity， dorsal temperature， grip strength， and bone strength， and alleviated the whitening of tongue coating. Moreover， it elevated the E2 and P levels and lowered the FSH and LH levels in the serum， decreased ovarian follicular atresia rate， promoted uterine repair， and down-regulated the expression of TGF-β and Smad2/3 in the ovarian and uterine tissues. ConclusionYunkang oral liquid can ameliorate postpartum kidney deficiency in mice by regulating the TGF-β/Smads signaling pathway.

Targeting CDT1 inhibit tumor growth and its mechanism in lung adenocarcinoma / 安徽医科大学学报

Objective To explore the clinical significance and mechanisms of chromatin licensing and DNA repli-cation factor 1(CDT1)in lung adenocarcinoma).Methods The gene expression samples of lung adenocarcinoma tissue and normal lung tissue were downloaded from the TCGA database,and perform differential analysis,GO a-nalysis,independent prognosis analysis,and correlation analysis with immunotherapy using R language.CDT1 ex-pression in lung adenocarcinoma and normal tissues was detected by PCR in clinical samples.The changes of cell proliferation and cycle in si-CDT1 knockdown group and si-NC control group were detected by flow cytometry.The invasive ability of each group was detected by Transwell.The expressions of CDT1,TPX2 and p53 in each group were detected by Western blot.Results The TCGA data analysis revealed CDT1 as a differentially expressed gene.GO analysis indicated that CDT1 was closely associated with the cell cycle.The high expression of CDT1 in lung adenocarcinoma tissues was validated in clinical samples.CDT1 could serve as an independent factor for predicting the prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma and had predictive value for immunotherapy in lung adenocarcinoma.Knock-down of CDT1 resulted in a significant decrease in cell proliferation ability compared to the control group,and cells were noticeably arrested in the G1 phase.Transwell assay results demonstrated a significant reduction in invasive capacity in the CDT1 knockdown group.Knockdown of CDT1 led to a significant decrease in TPX2 expression and a significant increase in p53 expression,while overexpression of CDT1 yielded the opposite effect.Conclusion Re-sults demonstrate the elevated expression of CDT1 in lung adenocarcinoma,its association with prognostic signifi-cance,and its impact on lung adenocarcinoma's occurrence and development by influencing TPX2 and p53.

Oncogenic activity of poly (ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase.

Poly (ADP-ribosylation), known as PARylation, is a post-translational modification catalyzed by poly (ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARP) and primarily removed by the enzyme poly (ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG). While the aberrant removal of post-translation modifications including phosphorylation and methylation has known tumorigenic effects, deregulation of PARylation has not been widely studied. Increased hydrolysis of PARylation chains facilitates cancer growth through enhancing estrogen receptor (ER)-driven proliferation, but oncogenic transformation has not been linked to increased PARG expression. In this study, we find that elevated PARG levels are associated with a poor prognosis in breast cancers, especially in HER2-positive and triple-negative subtypes. Using both in vitro and in vivo models, we demonstrate that heightened expression of catalytically active PARG facilitates cell transformation and invasion of normal mammary epithelial cells. Catalytically inactive PARG mutants did not recapitulate these phenotypes. Consistent with clinical data showing elevated PARG predicts poor outcomes in HER2+ patients, we observed that PARG acts in synergy with HER2 to promote neoplastic growth of immortalized mammary cells. In contrast, PARG depletion significantly impairs the growth and metastasis of triple-negative breast tumors. Mechanistically, we find that PARG interacts with SMAD2/3 and significantly decreases their PARylation in non-transformed cells, leading to enhanced expression of SMAD target genes. Further linking SMAD-mediated transcription to the oncogenicity of PARG, we show that PARG-mediated anchorage-independent growth and invasion are dependent, at least in part, on SMAD expression. Overall, our study underscores the oncogenic impact of aberrant protein PARylation and highlights the therapeutic potential of PARG inhibition in breast cancer.

Establishment of a nomogram model for predicting the risk of postpartum stress urinary incontinence based on pelvic floor ultrasound and clinical data / 现代泌尿外科杂志

【Objective】 To analyze the risk factors of postpartum stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and to establish a nomogram model. 【Methods】 A total of 278 puerpera who gave birth at our hospital during Dec.2018 and Aug.2020 were selected as the modeling group, and 132 puerpera who gave birth during Sep.2020 and Sep.2021 were involved in the verification group. Factors affecting postpartum SUI were identified with univariate and multivariate logistic regression, and a nomogram prediction model was constructed with R software. The predictive effectiveness and discrimination of the model were assessed, and the decision curve analysis (DCA) was drawn to evaluate the clinical application value of the model. 【Results】 A total of 84 cases (30.22%) in the modeling group developed SUI 2 months after delivery. Fetal weight, delivery method, maternal age, mobility (Δhy) and rotation Angle (Δβ) were factors affecting postpartum SUI (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that increased fetal weight, normal delivery, increased Δhy, and increased Δβ were independent risk factors of postpartum SUI (P<0.05). The constructed nomogram fitted well. The H-L fit curve of the modeling group and verification group were (χ2=7.514, P=0.312) and (χ2=6.157, P=0.267), respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the modeling group and verification group were 0.815 and 0.760, respectively, indicating high specificity and consistency. DCA indicated that when the high-risk threshold probability of the model was between 0.06-0.80, the nomogram model had a high clinical value. 【Conclusion】 Increased fetal weight, normal delivery, increased Δhy and elevated Δβ are independent risk factors that affect postpartum SUI. The nomogram model constructed has good predictive effectiveness and discrimination, and high clinical application value.

Mechanisms of Radix Tetrastigma on anti rheumatoid arthritis via regulating the balance of Th17/Treg / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

AIM: To explore the possible mechanism of Radix Tetrastigma (RT) on anti-rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: The rat model of RA was established by intradermal injection of complete Freund]s adjuvant into the right hind foot of SD rats. RT Extract with different dosage was continuous intragastric administration for 3 weeks, then, the degree of foot swelling, arthritis index score, joint heat and grip of each rat was measured respectively. ELISA was used to detect the expression levels of Interleukin (IL) 6, IL-17, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α, and rheumatoid factor. Fully automatic hemorheometer was applied to measure hemorheology indexes. The number of CD4

Effect of superfine powder and aqueous extract of Polygonati Rhizoma on rats with natural perimenopausal syndrome / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to examine the effect of superfine powder and aqueous extract of Polygonati Rhizomaon on natural perimenopausal syndrome in rats and explore the underlying mechanism. To be specific, a total of 60 female SD rats(14-15 months old) with estrous cycle disorder were screened by the vaginal smear and randomized into model control group, β-estradiol 3-benzoate group(0.1 mg·kg~(-1)), superfine powder of Polygonati Rhizoma group(0.25, 0.5 g·kg~(-1)) and aqueous extract of Polygonati Rhizoma group(0.25, 0.5 g·kg~(-1)), and another 10 female SD rats(14-15 months old) were selected as the youth control group. The administration lasted 6 weeks. Then the perimenopausal syndrome-related indexes such as body temperature, microcirculatory blood flow of face and ear, vertigo period, salivary secretion, grip force, and bone strength were determined and open field test was conducted. The immune system-related indexes such as the wet weight and index of thymus and spleen, percentage of T lymphocytes and subgroups in peripheral blood, and hematological indexes were measured. In addition, the ovary-related indexes such as estrous cycle, the wet weight and index of uterus and ovary, ovarian tissue morphology, and cell apoptosis were determined. Moreover, hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary axis(HPO)-related indexes such as serum sex hormone levels, cytochrome P450 family 11 subfamily A member 1(CYP11A1), cytochrome P450 family 19 subfamily A member 1(CYP19A1), and cytochrome P450 family 17 subfamily A member 1(P450 17A1) in ovarian tissue were measured. The results showed that the superfine powder and aqueous extract of Polygonati Rhizoma significantly decreased body temperature(anal, facial and dorsal temperature), microcirculatory blood flow in the ear, and vertigo period, increased salivary secretion, grip force, bone strength, total distance and total speed in the open field test, wet weight and index of thymus and spleen, lymphocyte ratio, CD3~+ level, and CD4~+/CD8~+ ratio, reduced neutrophil number and ratio, estrous cycle disorder ratio, and number of ovarian apoptotic cells, raised wet weight and index of uterus, wet weight of ovary, levels of inhibin B(INHB), estradiol(E_2), anti-müllerian hormone(AMH), and ovarian CYP11A1 and CYP19A1, decreased follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH) and luteinizing hormone(LH) content, and improved ovarian tissue morphology. It is suggested that the superfine powder and aqueous extract of Polygonati Rhizoma can improve the symptoms associated with natural perimenopausal syndrome in rats and enhance ovarian function and immune function. The mechanism is that they regulate HPO axis function by increasing estrogen synthesis.

Transsphenoidal surgery for prolactinomas in male patients: a retrospective study / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

Male patients with prolactinomas usually present with typical hyperprolactinemia symptoms, including sexual dysfunction and infertility. However, clinical factors related to sexual dysfunction and surgical outcomes in these patients remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the outcomes of male patients with prolactinomas after transsphenoidal surgery and the risk factors affecting sexual dysfunction. This study was conducted on 58 male patients who underwent transsphenoidal surgery for prolactinomas between May 2014 and December 2020 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. We evaluated the sexual function of patients before and after surgery through International Index of Erectile Function-5 scores, libido, and frequency of morning erection. Of the 58 patients, 48 (82.8%) patients had sexual intercourse preoperatively. Among those 48 patients, 41 (85.4%) patients presented with erectile dysfunction. The preoperative International Index of Erectile Function-5 scores in patients with macroprolactinomas were significantly higher than those in patients with giant prolactinomas (17.63 ± 0.91 vs 13.28 ± 1.43; P = 0.01). Postoperatively, the incidence of erectile dysfunction was 47.9%, which was significantly lower than that preoperatively (85.4%; P = 0.01). Twenty-eight (68.3%) patients demonstrated an improvement in erectile dysfunction. Tumor size and invasiveness were significantly correlated with the improvement of erectile dysfunction. Preoperative testosterone <2.3 ng ml-1 was an independent predictor of improvement in erectile dysfunction. In conclusion, our results indicated that tumor size and invasiveness were important factors affecting the improvement of sexual dysfunction in male patients with prolactinoma. The preoperative testosterone level was an independent predictor related to the improvement of erectile dysfunction.

Preliminary observation on the clinical application of rehabilitation support for lumbar disc herniation based on 3D printing technology / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the important effect of 3D printing personalized lumbar support on lumbar pain and lumbar function in patients with lumbar disc herniation.@*METHODS@#From October 2018 to May 2021, 60 patients initially diagnosed with lumbar disc herniation were selected and divided into an observation group and a control group, with 30 patients in each group. Among them, there were 18 males and 12 females in the observation group;the age ranged from 24 to 56 years old, with an average of (45.23±6.07) years old. The course of disease ranged from 1 to 24 months, with an average of(6.25±0.82) months, and rehabilitation treatment was carried out by wearing 3D printed personalized lumbar support. There were 19 males and 11 females in the control group;the age ranged from 25 to 57 years old, with an average of (42.78±7.58) years old. The course of disease ranged from 1 to 24 months, with an average of (6.72±1.36) months, and rehabilitation treatment is carried out by wearing traditional lumbar protective equipment. The Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores, lumbar Oswestry dysfunction index (ODI) and visual analogue scale (VAS) were evaluated and compared between the two groups before and 1 course after treatment (3 weeks).@*RESULTS@#There was no statistically significant difference in JOA, ODI, and VAS between two groups before treatment (P>0.05). After one course of treatment (3 weeks), JOA scores of both groups was increased compared to before treatment (P<0.05), while ODI and VAS decreased compared to before treatment (P<0.05). After treatment, JOA score of observation group was higher than that of control group (P<0.05), while ODI and VAS scores were lower than those of control group. No adverse events occurred in both groups.@*CONCLUSION@#The application of 3D printing personalized lumbar support can effectively alleviate the pain of patients with lumbar disc herniation and improve their lumbar function of patients.

Determination of content of matricin extracted from Cichorium glandulosum Boiss et Huet with n-butanol and its protective effect on hepatic fibrosis in rats / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the effects of Cichorium glandulosum N-butanol extraction site (C G E) on hepatic fibrosis (H F) in SD rats and to determine the content of the main effective component matricin. Methods HPLC method was used to determine the content of matricin in CGE. The SD rats were randomly divided into control group, model group, CGE low-dose groups, medium-dose and high-dose, and curcumin group. In addition to control group rats' back subcutaneous injection (s c) normal saline, rats in the other groups were treated with body weight sc 40 % CC1

Effect of Yunkang Oral Solution on pregnant mice with spleen deficiency syndrome / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of Yunkang Oral Solution on the improvement of spleen deficiency and pregnancy outcomes in pregnant mice with spleen deficiency syndrome induced by irregular diet and over consumption of cold and bitter foods. To simulate human irregular diet and over consumption of cold and bitter foods leading to spleen deficiency, the pregnant mice with spleen deficiency syndrome were prepared using an alternate-day fasting and high-fat diet combined with oral administration of Sennae Folium. During the experiment, spleen deficiency-related indicators and diarrhea-related parameters were measured. Gastric and intestinal motility(gastric emptying rate and intestinal propulsion rate) were evaluated. The levels of serum ghrelin, growth hormone(GH), gastrin(Gas), total cholesterol(TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-c), chorionic gonadotropin β(β-CG), progesterone(P), and estradiol(E_2) were measured. Intestinal barrier function in pregnant mice with spleen deficiency syndrome was assessed. Conception rate, ovarian coefficient, litter-bearing uterine coefficient, number of live fetuses, average fetal weight, and fetal length were calculated. The results showed that Yunkang Oral Solution significantly improved spleen deficiency-related indicators and diarrhea in pregnant mice with spleen deficiency syndrome, increased gastric emptying rate and intestinal propulsion rate, elevated the levels of gastrointestinal hormones(ghrelin, GH, and Gas) in the serum, and reduced lipid levels(TC and LDL-c), thereby improving lipid metabolism disorders. It also improved colonic tissue morphology, increased the number of goblet cells, and promoted the mRNA and protein expression of occludin and claudin-1 in colonic tissues, thereby alleviating intestinal barrier damage. Yunkang Oral Solution also regulated the levels of pregnancy hormones(β-CG, P, and E_2) in the serum of pregnant mice with spleen deficiency syndrome. Moreover, it increased the conception rate, ovarian coefficient, litter-bearing uterine coefficient, number of live fetuses, average fetal weight, and fetal length. These findings suggest that Yunkang Oral Solution can improve spleen deficiency-related symptoms in pregnant mice before and during pregnancy, regulate pregnancy-related hormones, and improve pregnancy outcomes.

Development and Evaluation of Healthcare Food Based on "State Adjustment" Strategy / 中国实验方剂学杂志

With the acceleration of aging and the changes of people's lifestyle and environment， the incidence of chronic non-communicable diseases （chronic diseases） in China is increasing， which has become a major public health problem. The number of sub-health people is even more and rising. The thought of treating disease before its onset emphasizes taking precautions against disease and preventing change after disease onset， which is one of the core contents of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） theory. According to the theory of TCM， health as a dynamic balance of yin and yang and diseases can be prevented and treated by maintaining this balance. The "state adjustment" strategy suggests to treat diseases by adjusting the state of exuberance or decline based on recognizing and distinguishing "state"， which has important guiding significance for developing and evaluating the healthcare food produced with Chinese medicinal materials. Healthcare food plays a vital role in health promotion， chronic disease prevention， and quality of life improvement. At present， the healthcare food produced with Chinese medicinal materials in China generally lacks TCM guidance and fails to fully reflect the advantages of TCM. In this study， the development strategy， functional claims， evaluation methods， and existing problems of healthcare food were discussed. Furthermore， with diabetes as an example， the "state adjustment" strategy was introduced into product development and evaluation to provide ideas for promoting the rapid growth of healthcare food with TCM characteristics.