Puerarin prevents LPS-induced acute lung injury via inhibiting inflammatory response.

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a critical illness syndrome with high morbidity and mortality in patients. Inflammation has been known to be involved in the development of ALI. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of puerarin on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI in mice. The pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1ß were determined by ELISA. Western blot analysis was used for detecting the expression of NF-κB, IκBα, and LXRα. And myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, lung wet/dry (W/D) ratio, and histopathological examination were also detected in lung tissues. The results showed that puerarin significantly inhibited LPS-stimulated MPO activity in lung tissues. Meanwhile, puerarin attenuated lung histopathological changes and lung wet/dry (W/D) ratio. We also found that the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1ß were inhibited by puerarin. Puerarin also inhibited LPS-induced TNF-α in RAW264.7 cells and IL-8 in A549 cells. From the results of western blotting, puerarin significantly suppressed LPS-stimulated NF-κB activation. And the expression of LXRα was dose-dependently increased by treatment of puerarin. The inhibition of puerarin on TNF-α production in RAW264.7 cells and IL-8 production in A549 cells were blocked by LXRα inhibitor geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP). These results suggested that puerarin attenuated ALI by activating LXRα, which subsequently inhibited LPS-induced inflammatory response.

Clinical Efficacy of Psychotherapy Combined with Acupoint Herbal Application on Elderly Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis: An Exploratory Study.

Background: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of psychotherapy combined with acupoint herbal application on elderly patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. Methods: From January 2019 to January 2021, sixty elderly patients with pulmonary tuberculosis treated in our hospital were assessed for eligibility and recruited. They were concurrently assigned (1:1) via the random envelope method to receive either psychotherapy plus acupoint herbal application (observation group) or conventional treatment (conventional group) acupoint herbal application. Results: Psychotherapy plus acupoint herbal application was associated with significantly higher levels of pulmonary functions indices and immune function indices versus conventional treatment. Psychotherapy plus acupoint herbal application resulted in lower SAS and SDS scores versus conventional treatment. The combined treatment showed a better clinical efficacy and sputum negative rate versus conventional treatment. Conclusion: Psychotherapy plus acupoint herbal application improves the lung function and immune function of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and relieves their negative emotions, which contributes to better treatment efficacy and merits clinical promotion.

The intervening efficacy of health management based on family and organization on elderly diabetic patients.

OBJECTIVE: To study the nursing efficacy of health management based on family and organization on elderly diabetic patients. METHODS: We collected clinical data from 126 elderly diabetic patients treated in our hospital from March 2018 to March 2019. The patients were divided into a control group and a study group by random number table method, with 63 cases in each group. The control group adopted routine nursing intervention, while the study group adopted the family and organization health education model. We compared the nursing intervention effects of the two groups and evaluated psychological states, blood glucose and quality of life. RESULTS: After nursing intervention, the study group's nursing efficacy and blood glucose volatility indexes were significantly better than those of the control group (P<0.05). There were significant differences between the SAS and SDS scores of the two groups before and after treatment (P<0.05). Both groups' life quality scores were significantly higher after nursing intervention (P<0.05), and the study group's score was much higher (P<0.05). After nursing intervention, the study group's blood glucose level was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The family and organization health education model is satisfactory in elderly diabetic patients. It can effectively improve patients' medication compliance, reduce the incidence of hypoglycemia, boost patients' quality of life and psychological states, and stabilize blood glucose.

Helicobacter pylori with East Asian-type cagPAI genes is more virulent than strains with Western-type in some cagPAI genes.

The severity of Helicobacter pylori-related disease is correlated with the presence and integrity of a cag pathogenicity island (cagPAI). cagPAI genotype may have a modifying effect on the pathogenic potential of the infecting strain. After analyzing the sequences of cagPAI genes, some strains with the East Asian-type cagPAI genes were selected for further analysis to examine the association between the diversity of the cagPAI genes and the virulence of H. pylori. The results showed that gastric mucosal inflammatory cell infiltration was significantly higher in patients with East Asian-type cagPAI genes H. pylori strain compared with mosaicism cagPAI genes H. pylori strain (p<0.05). H. pylori strains with the East Asian-type cagPAI genes were closely associated with IL-8 secretion in vitro and in vivo compared with H. pylori strains with the mosaicism cagPAI genes (p<0.01). H. pylori strains with East Asian-type cagPAI genes are able to strongly translocate CagA to host cells. These results suggest that H. pylori strains with East Asian-type cagPAI genes are more virulent than the strains of cagPAI gene/genes that are Western type.

Helicobacter pylori with East Asian-type cagPAI genes is more virulent than strains with Western-type in some cagPAI genes

Abstract The severity of Helicobacter pylori-related disease is correlated with the presence and integrity of a cag pathogenicity island (cagPAI). cagPAI genotype may have a modifying effect on the pathogenic potential of the infecting strain. After analyzing the sequences of cagPAI genes, some strains with the East Asian-type cagPAI genes were selected for further analysis to examine the association between the diversity of the cagPAI genes and the virulence of H. pylori. The results showed that gastric mucosal inflammatory cell infiltration was significantly higher in patients with East Asian-type cagPAI genes H. pylori strain compared with mosaicism cagPAI genes H. pylori strain (p < 0.05). H. pylori strains with the East Asian-type cagPAI genes were closely associated with IL-8 secretion in vitro and in vivo compared with H. pylori strains with the mosaicism cagPAI genes (p < 0.01). H. pylori strains with East Asian-type cagPAI genes are able to strongly translocate CagA to host cells. These results suggest that H. pylori strains with East Asian-type cagPAI genes are more virulent than the strains of cagPAI gene/genes that are Western type.