Efficacy of Chinese Medicine Treatment Based on Syndrome Differentiation for Primary Insomnia: A Randomized Placebo Controlled Triple-Blinded Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To assess efficacy of Chinese medicine (CM) on insomnia considering characteristics of treatment based on syndrome differentiation. METHODS: A total of 116 participants aged 18 to 65 years with moderate and severe primary insomnia were randomized to the placebo (n=20) or the CM group (n=96) for a 4-week treatment and a 4-week follow-up. Three CM clinicians independently prescribed treatments for each patient based on syndromes differentiation. The primary outcome was change in total sleep time (TST) from baseline. Secondary endpoints included sleep onset latency (SOL), wake time after sleep onset (WASO), sleep efficiency, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and CM symptoms. RESULTS: The CM group had an average 0.6 h more (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.3-0.9, P<0.001) TST and 34.1% (10.3%-58.0%, P=0.005) more patients beyond 0.5 h TST increment than that of the placebo group. PSQI was changed -3.3 (-3.8 to -2.7) in the CM group, a -2.0 (-3.2 to -0.8, P<0.001) difference from the placebo group. The CM symptom score in the CM group decreased -2.0 (-3.3 to -0.7, P=0.003) more than the placebo group. SOL and WASO changes were not significantly different between groups. The analysis of prescriptions by these clinicians revealed blood deficiency and Liver stagnation as the most common syndromes. Prescriptions for these clinicians displayed relative stability, while the herbs varied. All adverse events were mild and were not related to study treatment. CONCLUSION: CM treatment based on syndrome differentiation can increase TST and improve sleep quality of primary insomnia. It is effective and safe for primary insomnia. In future studies, the long-term efficacy validation and the exploratory of eutherapeutic clinicians' fixed herb formulas should be addressed (Registration No. NCT01613183).

[Study on mechanism of inhibiting proliferation of head and neck cancer cells by citral, active ingredient of lemon essential oil].

To explore the active substances exerting anti-tumour effect in lemon essential oil and the molecular mechanism inhibiting the proliferation of head and neck cancer cells SCC15 and CAL33, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay(MTT) was utilized to identify the active component inhibiting the proliferation of head and neck cancer cells, namely citral. The IC_(50) of citral inhibiting the proliferation of head and neck cancer cells and normal cells were also determined. In addition, a 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine(EdU) staining assay was used to detect the effect of citral on the proliferation rate of head and neck cancer cells, and a colony formation assay was used to detect the effect of citral on tumor sphere formation of head and neck cancer cells in vitro. The cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction of head and neck cancer cells by citral were evaluated by flow cytometry, and Western blot was used to detect the effect of citral on the expression levels of cell cycle-and apoptosis-related proteins in head and neck cancer cells. The findings indicated that citral could effectively inhibit the proliferation and growth of head and neck cancer cells, with anti-tumor activity, and its half inhibitory concentrations for CAL33 and SCC15 were 54.78 and 25.23 µg·mL~(-1), respectively. Furthermore, citral arrested cell cycle at G_2/M phase by down-regulating cell cycle-related proteins such as S-phase kinase associated protein 2(SKP2), C-MYC, cyclin dependent kinase 1(CDK1), and cyclin B. Moreover, citral increased the cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-3(caspase-3), cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-9(caspase-9), and cleaved poly ADP-ribose polymerase(PARP). It up-regulated the level of autophagy-related proteins including microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3B(LC3B), sequestosome 1(P62/SQSTM1), autophagy effector protein Beclin1(Beclin1), and lysosome-associate membrane protein 1(LAMP1), suggesting that citral could effectively trigger cell apoptosis and cell autophagy in head and neck cancer cells. Furthermore, the dual-tagged plasmid system mCherry-GFP-LC3 was used, and it was found that citral impeded the fusion of autophagosomes and lysosomes, leading to autophagic flux blockage. Collectively, our findings reveal that the main active anti-proliferation component of lemon essential oil is citral, and this component has a significant inhibitory effect on head and neck cancer cells. Its underlying molecular mechanism is that citral induces apoptosis and autophagy by cell cycle arrest and ultimately inhibits cell proliferation.

Common Pathophysiological Mechanisms and Treatment of Diabetic Gastroparesis.

Diabetic gastroparesis (DGP) is a common complication of diabetes mellitus, marked by gastrointestinal motility disorder, a delayed gastric emptying present in the absence of mechanical obstruction. Clinical manifestations include postprandial fullness and epigastric discomfort, bloating, nausea, and vomiting. DGP may significantly affect the quality of life and productivity of patients. Research on the relationship between gastrointestinal dynamics and DGP has received much attention because of the increasing prevalence of DGP. Gastrointestinal motility disorders are closely related to a variety of factors including the absence and destruction of interstitial cells of Cajal, abnormalities in the neuro-endocrine system and hormone levels. Therefore, this study will review recent literature on the mechanisms of DGP and gastrointestinal motility disorders as well as the development of prokinetic treatment of gastrointestinal motility disorders in order to give future research directions and identify treatment strategies for DGP.

Effects of increasing sensitizing doses of ovalbumin on airway hyperresponsiveness in asthmatic mice.

BACKGROUND: The dosage of ovalbumin (OVA) during the sensitization stage is considered a crucial factor in the development of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). However, the inconsistent dosages of sensitizing OVA used in current studies and the lack of research on their impact on AHR are notable limitations. METHODS: We examined the impact of increasing sensitizing doses of OVA in a murine asthma model, which entailed initial sensitization with OVA followed by repeated exposure to OVA aerosols. BALB/c mice were primed with doses of OVA (0, 10, 20, 50, and 100 µg) plus 1 mg Alum on Days 0 and 7, and were challenged with OVA aerosols (10 mg/mL for 30 min) between Days 14 and 17. Antigen-induced AHR to methacholine (MCh), as well as histological changes, eosinophilic infiltration, and epithelial injury were assessed. RESULTS: The result indicated that there are striking OVA dose-related differences in antigen-induced AHR to MCh. The most intense antigen-induced AHR to MCh was observed with sensitization at 50 µg, while weaker responses were seen at 10, 20, and 100 µg. Meanwhile, there was a significant increase in eosinophil count with sensitization at 50 µg. The changes of AHR were correlated with total cells count, lymphocytes count, eosinophils count, and basophils count in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid; however, it did not correlate with histological changes such as cellular infiltration into bronchovascular bundles and goblet cell hyperplasia of the bronchial epithelium. CONCLUSION: Overall, this study demonstrated that sensitization with 50 µg of OVA resulted in the most significant AHR compared to other dosages. These findings may offer valuable insights for future research on mouse asthma modeling protocols.

Association between macro- and microvascular damage and sarcopenia index in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Sarcopenia was recently reported to be relevant to an increased macro-and microvascular disease risk. Sarcopenia index (SI) has been identified as a surrogate marker for sarcopenia. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between macro- and microvascular disease and SI in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). A total of 783 patients with T2DM were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. The SI was calculated by (serum creatinine [mg/dL]/cystatin C [mg/L]) × 100. The subjects were divided into three groups according to SI tertiles: T1 (41.27-81.37), T2 (81.38- 99.55), and T3 (99.56-192.31). Parameters of macro- and microvascular complications, including diabetic retinopathy (DR), micro- and macroalbuminuria (MAU), diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), and lower extremity peripheral artery disease (LEAD) were evaluated. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that when taking the top tertile of SI as a reference, an increasing trend of the prevalence of DR, MAU, DPN, and LEAD were presented (all P for trend  < 0.05), where the OR (95% CI) for DR prevalence was 1.967 (1.252-3.090) in T2, 2.195 (1.278-3.769) in T1, for MAU was 1.805 (1.149-2.837) in T2, 2.537 (1.490-4.320) in T1, for DPN was 2.244 (1.485-3.391) in T2, 3.172 (1.884-5.341) in T1, and for LEAD was 2.017 (1.002-4.057) in T2, 2.405 (1.107-5.225) in T1 (all P < 0.05). Patients with lower SI were more inclined to have an increased risk of macro- and microvascular damage in T2DM population, which may be related to sarcopenia.

Mesoscale size-promoted targeted therapy for acute kidney injury through combined RONS scavenging and inflammation alleviation strategy.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a heterogeneous, high-mortality clinical syndrome with diverse pathogenesis and prognosis, but it lacks the effective therapy clinically. Its pathogenesis is associated with production of reactive oxygen/nitrogen species and infiltration of inflammatory cells. To overcome these pathogenic factors and improve the therapeutic efficiency, we synthesized triptolide-loaded mesoscale polydopamine melanin-mimetic nanoparticles (MeNP4TP) as the antioxidant plus anti-inflammatory therapeutic platform to synergistically scavenge reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (RONS), inhibit the activity of macrophages and dendritic cells, and generate Treg cells for AKI therapy. It was demonstrated that mesoscale size was beneficial for MeNP4TP to specifically accumulate at renal tubule cells, and MeNP4TP could significantly attenuate oxidative stress, reduce proinflammatory immune cells in renal, and repair renal function in cisplatin-induced AKI mouse model. MeNP4TP might be a potential candidate to inhibit oxidative damages and inflammatory events in AKI.

Use of Machine Learning for the Identification and Validation of Immunogenic Cell Death Biomarkers and Immunophenotypes in Coronary Artery Disease.

Objective: Immunogenic cell death (ICD) is part of the immune system's response to coronary artery disease (CAD). In this study, we bioinformatically evaluated the diagnostic and therapeutic utility of immunogenic cell death-related genes (IRGs) and their relationship with immune infiltration features in CAD. Methods: We acquired the CAD-related datasets GSE12288, GSE71226, and GSE120521 from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and the IRGs from the GeneCards database. After identifying the immune cell death-related differentially expressed genes (IRDEGs), we developed a risk model and detected immune subtypes in CAD. IRDEGs were identified using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analysis. Using a nomogram, we confirmed that both the LASSO model and ICD signature genes had good diagnostic performance. Results: There was a high degree of coincidence and immune representativeness between two CAD groups based on characteristic genes and hub genes. Hub genes were associated with the interaction of neuroactive ligands with receptors and cell adhesion receptors. The two groups differed in terms of adipogenesis, allograft rejection, and apoptosis, as well as the ICD signature and hub gene expression levels. The two CAD-ICD subtypes differed in terms of immune infiltration. Conclusion: Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) correlated CAD with the expression of OAS3, ITGAV, and PIBF1. The ICD signature genes are candidate biomarkers and reference standards for immune grouping in CAD and can be beneficial in precise immune-targeted therapy.

Ten-Day Vonoprazan-Amoxicillin Dual Therapy vs Standard 14-Day Bismuth-Based Quadruple Therapy for First-Line Helicobacter pylori Eradication: A Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Whether 10-day short-course vonoprazan-amoxicillin dual therapy (VA-dual) is noninferior to the standard 14-day bismuth-based quadruple therapy (B-quadruple) against Helicobacter pylori eradication has not been determined. This trial aimed to compare the eradication rate, adverse events, and compliance of 10-day VA-dual regimen with standard 14-day B-quadruple regimen as first-line H. pylori treatment. METHODS: This prospective randomized clinical trial was performed at 3 institutions in eastern China. A total of 314 treatment-naive, H. pylori -infected patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either 10-day VA-dual group or 14-day B-quadruple group. Eradication success was determined by 13 C-urea breath test at least 4 weeks after treatment. Eradication rates, adverse events, and compliance were compared between groups. RESULTS: Eradication rates of VA-dual and B-quadruple groups were 86.0% and 89.2% ( P = 0.389), respectively, by intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis; 88.2% and 91.5% ( P = 0.338), respectively, by modified ITT analysis; and 90.8% and 91.3% ( P = 0.884), respectively, by per-protocol (PP) analysis. The efficacy of the VA-dual remained noninferior to B-quadruple therapy in all ITT, modified ITT, and PP analyses. The incidence of adverse events in the VA-dual group was significantly lower compared with that in the B-quadruple group ( P < 0.001). Poor compliance contributed to eradication failure in the VA-dual group ( P < 0.001), while not in the B-quadruple group ( P = 0.110). DISCUSSION: The 10-day VA-dual therapy provided satisfactory eradication rates of >90% (PP analysis) and lower rates of adverse events compared with standard 14-day B-quadruple therapy as first-line H. pylori therapy. TRAIL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2300070100.

A rate-limiting step in antidepressants onset: Excitation of glutamatergic pyramidal neurons in medial prefrontal cortex of rodents.

Although clinical antidepressants have varied mechanisms of action, it remains unclear whether they may have a common mechanism underlying their antidepressant effects. We investigated the behavioral effects of five different antidepressants (differing in target, chemical structure, and rate of onset) and their effects on the firing activities of glutamatergic pyramidal neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) using the forced swimming test (FST) and electrophysiological techniques (in vivo). We employed fiber photometry recordings to validate the effects of antidepressants on the firing activity of pyramidal neurons. Additionally, multichannel electrophysiological recordings were conducted in mice exhibiting depressive-like behaviors induced by chronic restraint stress (CRS) to investigate whether antidepressants exert similar effects on pyramidal neurons in depressed mice. Behavioral tests were utilized for evaluating the depression model. We found that fluoxetine, duloxetine, vilazodone, YL-0919, and ketamine all increase the firing activities of glutamatergic pyramidal neurons (at least 57%) while exerting their initial onset of antidepressant effects. Fiber photometry revealed an increase in the calcium activity of pyramidal neurons in the mPFC at the onset of antidepressant effects. Furthermore, a significant reduction was observed in the firing activity of pyramidal neurons in the mPFC of CRS-exposed mice, which was reversed by antidepressants. Taken together, our findings suggested that five pharmacologically distinct classes of antidepressants share the common ability to increase the firing activity of pyramidal neurons, just different time, which might be a rate-limiting step in antidepressants onset. The study contributes to the body of knowledge of the mechanisms underlying antidepressant effects and paves the way for developing rapid-acting antidepressants.

Gamma oscillations in the mPFC: A potential predictive biomarker of depression and antidepressant effects.

Gamma oscillations have attracted much attention in the field of mood disorders, but their role in depression remains poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate whether gamma oscillations in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) could serve as a predictive biomarker of depression. Chronic restraint stress (CRS) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were used to induce depression-like behaviors in mice; local field potentials (LFPs) in the mPFC were recorded by electrophysiological techniques; We found that both CRS and LPS induced significant depression-like behaviors in mice, including increasing immobility durations in the forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST) and increasing the latency to feed in the novelty-suppressed feeding test (NSFT). Electrophysiological results suggested that CRS and LPS significantly reduced low and high gamma oscillations in the mPFC. Furthermore, a single injection of ketamine or scopolamine for 24 h significantly increased gamma oscillations and elicited rapid-acting antidepressant-like effects. In addition, fluoxetine treatment for 21 days significantly increased gamma oscillations and elicited antidepressant-like effects. Taken together, our findings suggest that gamma oscillations are strongly associated with depression, yielding new insights into investigating the predictive biomarkers of depression and the time course of antidepressant effects.

Male vitellogenin regulates gametogenesis through a testis-enriched big protein in Chrysopa pallens.

In insects, vitellogenin (Vg) is generally viewed as a female-specific protein. Its primary function is to supply nutrition to developing embryos. Here, we reported Vg from the male adults of a natural predator, Chrysopa pallens. The male Vg was depleted by RNAi. Mating with Vg-deficient male downregulated female Vg expression, suppressed ovarian development and decreased reproductive output. Whole-organism transcriptome analysis after male Vg knockdown showed no differential expression of the known spermatogenesis-related regulators and seminal fluid protein genes, but a sharp downregulation of an unknown gene, which encodes a testis-enriched big protein (Vcsoo). Separate knockdown of male Vg and Vcsoo disturbed the assembly of spermatid cytoplasmic organelles in males and suppressed the expansion of ovary germarium in mated females. These results demonstrated that C. pallens male Vg signals through the downstream Vcsoo and regulates male and female reproduction.

Solitary Pulmonary Fibroleiomyomatous Hamartoma on 18 F-FDG PET/CT.

ABSTRACT: Solitary pulmonary fibroleiomyomatous hamartoma is a very rare benign tumor. A 57-year-old man presented with dry cough over 1 month. A CT showed an irregular nodule in the left upper lobe of the lung. A malignant tumor was suspected, and further investigation with 18 F-FDG PET/CT showed the pulmonary nodule with slightly increased FDG uptake. Thoracoscopic resection was performed. Subsequent histopathological and immunohistochemical tests confirmed the diagnosis of fibroleiomyomatous hamartoma.

Antibiotic resistance genes and heavy metals in landfill: A review.

Landfill is reservoir containing antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) that pose a threat to human life and health. Heavy metals impose lasting effects on ARGs. This review investigated and analyzed the distribution, composition, and abundance of heavy metals and ARGs in landfill. The abundance ranges of ARGs detected in refuse and leachate were similar. The composition of ARG varied with sampling depth in refuse. ARG in leachate varies with the distribution of ARG in the refuse. The ARG of sulI was associated with 11 metals (Co, Pb, Mn, Zn, Cu, Cr, Ni, Sb, As, Cd, and Al). The effects of the total metal concentration on ARG abundance were masked by many factors. Low heavy metal concentrations showed positive effects on ARG diffusion; conversely, high heavy metal concentrations showed negative effects. Organic matter had a selective pressure effect on microorganisms and could provide energy for the diffusion of ARGs. Complexes of heavy metals and organic matter were common in landfill. Therefore, the hypothesis was proposed that organic matter and heavy metals have combined effects on the horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of ARGs during landfill stabilization. This work provides a new basis to better understand the HGT of ARGs in landfill.

Intravascular ultrasonography assisted carotid artery stenting for treatment of carotid stenosis: Two case reports.

BACKGROUND: Digital subtraction angiography (DSA), the gold standard of cerebrovascular disease diagnosis, is limited in its diagnostic ability to evaluate arterial diameter. Intravascular ultrasonography (IVUS) has advantages in assessing stenosis and plaque nature and improves the evaluation and effectiveness of carotid artery stenting (CAS). CASE SUMMARY: Case 1: A 65-year-old man presented with a five-year history of bilateral lower limb weakness due to stroke. Physical examination showed decreased strength (5-/5) in both lower limbs. Carotid artery ultrasound, magnetic resonance angiography, and computed tomography angiography (CTA) showed a right proximal internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis (70%-99%), acute cerebral infarction, and severe right ICA stenosis, respectively. We performed IVUS-assisted CAS to measure the stenosis and detected a low-risk plaque at the site of stenosis prior to stent implantation. Post-stent balloon dilatation was performed and postoperative IVUS demonstrated successful expansion and adherence. CTA six months postoperatively showed no significant increase in in-stent stenosis. Case 2: A 36-year-old man was admitted with a right common carotid artery (CCA) dissection detected by ultrasound. Physical examination showed no positive neurological signs. Carotid ultrasound and CTA showed lumen dilation in the proximal CCA with an intima-like structure and bulging in the proximal segment of the right CCA with strip-like low-density shadow (dissection or carotid web). IVUS-assisted DSA confirmed right CCA dissection. CAS was performed and intraoperative IVUS suggested a large residual false lumen. Post-stent balloon dilatation was performed reducing the false lumen. DSA three months postoperatively indicated good stent expansion with mild stenosis. CONCLUSION: IVUS aids decision-making during CAS by accurately assessing carotid artery wall lesions and plaque nature preoperatively, dissection and stenosis morphology intraoperatively, and visualizing and confirming CAS postoperatively.

Oxygen-Free Csp3-H Oxidation of Pyridin-2-yl-methanes to Pyridin-2-yl-methanones with Water by Copper Catalysis.

Aromatic ketones are important pharmaceutical intermediates, especially the pyridin-2-yl-methanone motifs. Thus, synthetic methods for these compounds have gained extensive attention in the last few years. Transition metals catalyze the oxidation of Csp3-H for the synthesis of aromatic ketones, which is arresting. Here, we describe an efficient copper-catalyzed synthesis of pyridin-2-yl-methanones from pyridin-2-yl-methanes through a direct Csp3-H oxidation approach with water under mild conditions. Pyridin-2-yl-methanes with aromatic rings, such as substituted benzene, thiophene, thiazole, pyridine, and triazine, undergo the reaction well to obtain the corresponding products in moderate to good yields. Several controlled experiments are operated for the mechanism exploration, indicating that water participates in the oxidation process, and it is the single oxygen source in this transformation. The current work provides new insights for water-involving oxidation reactions.

Case Series and a Literature Review: Two Ovarian Clear Cell Carcinoma Cases with Recurrent Endometriosis.

Introduction: Endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer (EAOC) is rare, occurring approximately in 1% of women with ovarian endometriosis. The main histological types are endometrioid adenocarcinoma and clear cell carcinoma (CCC), with the latter being the least common. Case Presentation: In our hospital, we recently summarized two patients with ovarian clear cell carcinoma with similar characteristics. They all had endometriosis for a long time and had undergone ovarian cyst removal due to a chocolate cyst. Unfortunately, the cyst recurred after surgery, and the histological diagnosis was clear cell carcinoma. In case 1, the expression of P53 was found in the tumor by regular examination, and the stage was IIB. In Case 2, we found it in intraoperative freezing; the stage was IA. Case 1 has been treated with the TP regimen six times, and the survival period has reached one year. Case 2 had a survival period of 6 years after completing six TP regimen treatments. Clinicians should pay attention to patients with a long history of endometriosis and postoperative recurrence of ovarian cysts accompanied by serum CA-125 of more than 200U/mL. Imaging examination has a good prospect in diagnosing malignant transformation of endometriosis, especially PET-CT. Conclusion: This case report highlights the risk factors related to the formation of ovarian clear cell carcinoma and suggests that the follow-up of patients with ovarian endometriosis is essential because of its recurrence characteristics. Radical surgery and postoperative platinum-containing chemotherapy are the primary treatment methods at present.

[Interactive scalp acupuncture for hemiplegic upper extremity motor dysfunction in patients with ischemic stroke: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the curative effect between interactive scalp acupuncture and traditional scalp acupuncture on hemiplegic upper extremity motor dysfunction in the patients with ischemic stroke. METHODS: Seventy cases of hemiplegic upper extremity motor dysfunction of ischemic stroke were randomly divided into an interactive scalp acupuncture group (35 cases, 1 case breaked off) and a traditional scalp acupuncture group (35 cases, 1 case dropped off). The patients of the two groups received the secondary prevention medication and routine rehabilitation therapy. Besides, in the interactive scalp acupuncture group, the upper extremity occupational therapy was operated during the needle retaining of scalp acupuncture; and in the traditional scalp acupuncture group, the upper extremity occupational therapy was delivered after the completion of scalp acupuncture. The same points were selected in the two groups such as Fuxiang head area, Fuxiang upper-limb-shoulder point, Fuxiang upper-limb-elbow point and Fuxiang upper-limb-wrist point. The needles were inserted perpendicularly by flying-needle technique and manipulated by triple technique of gentle twisting, heavy pressure and vibrating. The needles were retained for 30 min. Based on the degree of the upper extremity motor impairment, the regimen of the upper extremity occupational therapy was formulated individually and one treatment took 30 min. In the two groups, the therapies were delivered once daily, 5 times a week, lasting 4 weeks. Before and after treatment, the scores of Fugl-Meyer assessment of upper extremity (FMA-UE), Wolf motor function test (WMFT), the modified Barthel index (MBI) and the modified Ashworth scale (MAS) grade in the two groups were observed before and after treatment. RESULTS: After treatment, the scores of FMA-UE, WMFT and MBI were higher than those before treatment (P<0.01), and MAS grade was improved (P<0.05) in the two groups. The scores of FMA-UE, WMFT and MBI in the interactive scalp acupuncture group were higher than those in the traditional scalp acupuncture group (P<0.01, P<0.05), and there was no statistical significance in the difference of MAS grade between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The interactive scalp acupuncture can effectively improve the motor function of the hemiplegic upper extremities and the activities of daily living in the patients with ischemic stroke and its efficacy is better than traditional scalp acupuncture. But these two types of scalp acupuncture obtain the similar effect on spasticity.

Intratumoral injection of norcantharidin liposome emulsion hybrid delivery system amplifies the cancer-fighting effects of oral sorafenib against hepatocellular carcinoma.

Interventional therapies are increasingly used in clinical trials for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Sorafenib is the front-line remedy for HCC, however, chemoresistance occurs immutably and affects the effectiveness of treatment. In a previous study, a norcantharidin liposome emulsion hybrid (NLEH) delivery system for HCC was developed. This study aims to examine the therapeutic effects of the combination of intratumoral injection of NLEH and sorafenib in treating HCC. Sorafenib combined with NLEH activated the apoptosis pathway by synergistically upregulating caspase-9, promoting cytotoxicity, apoptosis (64.57%), and G2/M cell cycle arrest (48.96%). Norcantharidin could alleviate sorafenib resistance by counteracting sorafenib-induced phosphorylation of Akt. Additionally, intratumoral injection of NLEH exhibited a sustained accumulation in the tumor within 24 h and didn't distribute to other major organs. Intratumoral injection of NLEH in combination with oral sorafenib displayed the most potent tumor growth inhibitory effect (77.91%) in vivo. H&E staining results and the indicators of the renal and liver function tests demonstrated the safety of this combination therapy. Overall, these results showed that intratumoral injection of NLEH in combination with oral sorafenib treatment represented a rational potential therapeutic option for HCC.

Silencing GMPPB Inhibits the Proliferation and Invasion of GBM via Hippo/MMP3 Pathways.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a highly aggressive malignancy and represents the most common brain tumor in adults. To better understand its biology for new and effective therapies, we examined the role of GDP-mannose pyrophosphorylase B (GMPPB), a key unit of the GDP-mannose pyrophosphorylase (GDP-MP) that catalyzes the formation of GDP-mannose. Impaired GMPPB function will reduce the amount of GDP-mannose available for O-mannosylation. Abnormal O-mannosylation of alpha dystroglycan (α-DG) has been reported to be involved in cancer metastasis and arenavirus entry. Here, we found that GMPPB is highly expressed in a panel of GBM cell lines and clinical samples and that expression of GMPPB is positively correlated with the WHO grade of gliomas. Additionally, expression of GMPPB was negatively correlated with the prognosis of GBM patients. We demonstrate that silencing GMPPB inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion of GBM cells both in vitro and in vivo and that overexpression of GMPPB exhibits the opposite effects. Consequently, targeting GMPPB in GBM cells results in impaired GBM tumor growth and invasion. Finally, we identify that the Hippo/MMP3 axis is essential for GMPPB-promoted GBM aggressiveness. These findings indicate that GMPPB represents a potential novel target for GBM treatment.

Preparation of polysaccharide-conjugated selenium nanoparticles from spent mushroom substrates and their growth-promoting effect on rice seedlings.

Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have gained significant attention in the agricultural field due to their favorable bioavailability and low toxicity, making them a highly researched subject. In this study, crude polysaccharides from spent mushroom substrate of Agrocybe aegerita (AaPs) were extracted for preparing the polysaccharide­selenium-nanoparticles (AaPs-SeNPs) by ascorbic acid reduction method. The structure of AaPs-SeNPs was analyzed and their growth-promoting effects on rice seedlings were studied by adopting different application methods. The results revealed that AaPs-SeNPs exhibited improved free radical scavenging ability, with a lower half-maximal inhibitory concentrations compared to AaPs. Rice seedlings treated with AaPs-SeNPs showed significant enhancements in growth characteristics when compared to AaPs treatment, and foliar application exhibited a better growth-promoting effect compared to root application. Moreover, the growth performance and antioxidant enzyme activities of rice seedlings were enhanced by the addition of AaPs-SeNPs, and the absorption efficiency of essential nutrients such as N/P/K and Fe/Zn/Mn was also improved at appropriate concentrations, which could be one of the key factors contributing to the improved growth performance of plants. This study provides new aspects for the utilization of SMS, and also offers new insights from the perspective of nutrient absorption on how polysaccharide-conjugated selenium nanoparticles enhance crop growth.