[Rapid analysis on phenolic compounds in Rheum palmatum based on UPLC-Q-TOF/MSE combined with diagnostic ions filter].

Diagnostic ions filter method was used to rapidly detect and identify the phenolic compounds in Rheum palmatum based on ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MSE). The representative authentic standards of phenolic compounds, including gallic acid, (+)-catechin, (－)-epicatechin, (－)-epicatechin-3-O-gallate and procyanidin B2, were subjected to analysis by UPLC-Q-TOF/MSE system with negative ion mode. Fragmentation patterns of each standard were summarized based on assigned fragment ions. The prominent product ions were selected as diagnostic ions. Subsequently, diagnostic ions filter was employed to rapidly recognize analogous skeletons. Combined with retention time, accurate mass, characteristic fragments and previous literature data, the structures of the filtered compounds were identified or tentatively characterized. A total 63 phenolic compounds (36 phenolic acid derivatives, 8 flavonoid derivatives and 19 tennis derivatives) in R. palmatum were identified, including 6 potential new compounds. The method of diagnostic ions filter could rapidly detect and identify phenolic compounds in R. palmatum This study provides a method for rapid detection of phenolic compounds in R. palmatum and is expected to complete the material basis of rhubarb.

Effects of traditional Chinese medicine-assisted intervention on improving postpartum lactation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Importance: Breast milk is the safest food for infants and has many psychological and physical benefits for infants and mothers. However, problems encountered during the breastfeeding process can reduce postpartum women's willingness to breastfeed. Lactation and engorgement may be improved through Traditional Chinese Medicine auxiliary therapy. However, the overall efficacy of various Traditional Chinese Medicine auxiliary therapies and the relevant meridians and acupuncture points for treating breast milk deficiency remain unclear. Objective: To investigate Traditional Chinese Medicine auxiliary therapy's effectiveness and acupoints for postpartum women who experience problems during the breastfeeding process. Methods: Data were sourced from Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, Cochrane, CNKI, PubMed, and the Airiti Library Central Register of Controlled Trials and Clinical Trials from the database inception to October 2022. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. Main outcome measures: The primary outcomes were overall efficiency, prolactin level, milk volume, and breast engorgement in postpartum women with lactation deficiency after-assisted therapies and the correlation between meridian points and milk secretion. Results: A total of 1,516 studies were initially identified, and 357 articles were assessed. In the final analysis, 20 studies were included, covering various Traditional Chinese Medicine therapies (acupuncture, acupressure, scrapping, moxibustion cupping, etc.) to stimulate relative acupoints without any acupoint stimulation. The overall efficiency (odds ratio [OR] = 14.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 6.49 to 30.92), prolactin level (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.074 to 0.64), improvement of milk volume (SMD = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.59 to 1.29), reduction of engorgement level (OR= 18, 95% CI = 8.34 to 38.82) demonstrated that Traditional Chinese Medicine therapies can effectively improve lactation and breast fullness, thereby helping patients with breast milk deficiency. The most common acupuncture points used to treat agalactia were classified as the Stomach Meridian, Small Intestine Meridian, and Conception Vessel, with the common acupoints CV17: Danzhong, ST18: Rugen, SI1: Shaoze, ST36: Zusanli, and ST16: Yingchuang. Conclusion: Adjuvant Traditional Chinese Medicine therapy can improve lactation and breast engorgement, thereby increasing the willingness to breastfeed. Clinical Finding: 1. The best time for Traditional Chinese Medicine acupoint intervention for breast deficiency treatment is within 24 h 2. The most effective acupuncture points for improving milk deficiency and bloating pain are ST18: Rugen, ST16: Yingchuang, ST36: Zusanli, SI1: Shaoze, CV17: Danzhong. 3. Traditional Chinese Medicine is non-invasive and effective techniques such as scraping, cupping, acupressure and ear peas. 4. Traditional Chinese Medicine can be combined with other different acupuncture points according to the different constitutions of post-partum women. Breast acupressure, ear acupuncture, scrapping, cupping, and moxibustion are noninvasive treatments that can effectively help patients during lactation, and their clinical practice should be considered and widely promoted.

Functionality and Usability of mHealth Apps in Patients with Peritoneal Dialysis: A Systematic Review.

mHealth has been utilized in the care of patients with chronic kidney disease, allowing the collection of patient health-related data, offering disease-related information, enabling the tracking and recording of biochemical parameters, and enabling communication with healthcare providers in real time through applications. mHealth may improve the health outcomes in patients with peritoneal dialysis. This systematic review aimed to summarize evidence regarding the functionality and usability of mHealth apps in patients with peritoneal dialysis. We conducted a comprehensive literature review, searching in five databases, including CINAHL, Cochrane, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science, to retrieve titles and abstracts related to peritoneal dialysis and mHealth applications for PRISMA recommendations from January 2013 to December 2023. Overall, 11 studies met all the inclusion criteria. The functionality of mHealth apps included inform, instruct, record, display, guide, remind/alert, and communicate. Most of the apps have multifunctionality. The usability was categorized into three aspects: efficiency (self-efficacy and usability), satisfaction, and effectiveness (underwent kidney transplantation and switched to hemodialysis, rehospitalization, peritonitis rate, infection rates at exit sites, mortality, fluid overload, inadequate solute clearance, biochemical values, quality of life, consumer quality index, and technology readiness). Generally, outcomes in the intervention group had better effects compared to those in the control group. Multifunctional mHealth apps show a good potential in improving the efficiency, satisfaction, and effectiveness for patients compared to traditional care. Future research should include more studies and participants to explore and verify the long-term effectiveness of mHealth apps.

Mobile Apps for Patients with Peritoneal Dialysis: Systematic App Search and Evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is one type of renal replacement therapy. If patients have problems during the dialysis process, healthcare providers may not be able assist the patients immediately. mHealth can provide patients with information and help them to solve problems in real-time, potentially increasing their willingness to choose PD. OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to conduct a comprehensive review of free mobile applications for patients with PD on the Internet and to recommend suitable mobile applications to facilitate patient self-management and health. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search for PD mobile applications on Google Play and the Apple iTunes Store from 3 to 16 June 2023. RESULTS: A total of 828 identifiable mobile applications were initially identified, and ultimately, 21 met the inclusion criteria. The Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) assessment of the applications revealed the highest score in the functionality domain, followed by the aesthetics, information, app-specific, subjective quality, and engagement domains, respectively. In the comprehensive self-management of PD, the highest percentage was related to disease-related information. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that some applications, with the highest quality, can be recommended to patients for use in English or traditional Chinese.

Recent progress on anti-Candida natural products.

Candida is an intractable life-threatening pathogen. Candida infection is extremely difficult to eradicate, and thus is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised individuals. Morevover, the rapid spread of drug-resistant fungi has led to significant decreases in the therapeutic effects of clinical drugs. New anti-Candida agents are urgently needed to solve the complicated medical problem. Natural products with intricate structures have attracted great attention of researchers who make every endeavor to discover leading compounds for antifungal agents. Their novel mechanisms and diverse modes of action expand the variety of fungistatic agents and reduce the emergence of drug resistance. In recent decades, considerable effort has been devoted to finding unique antifungal agents from nature and revealing their unusual mechanisms, which results in important progress on the development of new antifungals, such as the novel cell wall inhibitors YW3548 and SCY-078 which are being tested in clinical trials. This review will present a brief summary on the landscape of anti-Candida natural products within the last decade. We will also discuss in-depth the research progress on diverse natural fungistatic agents along with their novel mechanisms.

[Endoscopic trans-ethmoid medial orbital wall decompression combined with intraconal fat decompression for Graves' ophthalmopathy].

OBJECTIVE: To present a new mini-invasive surgery for compressive optic neuropathy (CON) in Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO) by adequately decompressing the orbital apex and correcting proptosis, and to analyze its results. METHODS: A retrospective chart was reviewed in 29 patients receiving orbital decompression for the treatment of CON secondary to GO from October 2006 to May 2011. All patients diagnosed CON were in stable and inactive phase of GO at least for 6 months. All patients received endoscopic transethmoid medial orbital wall decompression to reduce the compression on the orbital apex. In the meanwhile, an endoscopic transethmoid intraconal fat-removal orbital decompression was performed to remove parts of intraconal fat with a special aspiration/cutting instrument to further reduce the proptosis. All patients were followed up periodically. RESULTS: of improvement of visual acuity (VA), color vision, and amount of proptosis reduction and incidence of induced diplopia 9 months after surgery was recorded for analysis its feasibility. RESULTS: Forty-five orbits of 29 patients were included in the study. At the 9 months review, 44 of 45 eyes (97.8%) improved their VA from -0.65±0.30 (x±s) preoperatively to -0.24±0.22, with a mean improvement of 0.55±0.17 (t=-13.012, P<0.001), 23 of 29 eyes (79.3%) had improved color vision (P<0.001), and the mean reduction in proptosis was (7.07±1.59) mm (range 4-11 mm). Postoperative symmetry to within 2 mm were achieved in all patients. Except 1 patient complaining of deterioration in diplopia following surgery, no patients presented new on-set diplopia postoperatively. CONCLUSION: The endoscopic transethmoid medial orbital wall decompression combined with the endoscopic transethmoid intraconal fat-removal orbital decompression is an effective treatment with minimal morbidity for both visional recovery and improvement of proptosis for CON in GO.

[Application of a new catheter to be determining cardiac output through cor sinistrum with thermodilution].

AIM: To introduce a new device and catheter to be determining cardiac output through cor sinistrum with thermodilution. METHODS: Own control was introduced in eight dogs. A pulmonary thermodilution catheter was used through the cor dextrum of the dogs; The new-design catheter was used through artery, and there were two situs to fix:its ahead in left atrium and the ahead near to aortic root. Determine cardiac output (CO) under four circumstances: controlled respiration, apnoea, in controlled hypotension, after controlled hypotension. RESULTS: There was no significant difference among the parameters (CO and cardiac index) of all circumstances. The CO determined by the pulmonary thermodilution catheter and those by the new-design catheter in two situs were positive correlation, and the gamma were 0.986, 0.989; likewise, the cardiac index (CI) was positive correlation, and the gamma were 0.983, 0.985. The CO and CI by the new-design catheter between two situs were positive, and the gamma were 0.992, 0.988. CONCLUSION: The parameters by the new-design catheter and those by the pulmonary thermodilution catheter were concordant. In comparison with the pulmonary thermodilution catheter, the new-design catheter had simple device and could be easily operated.