Differential gene expression and immune cell infiltration in maedi-visna virus-infected lung tissues.

BACKGROUND: Maedi-visna virus (MVV) is a lentivirus that infects monocyte/macrophage lineage cells in sheep, goats, and wild ruminants and causes pneumonia, mastitis, arthritis, and encephalitis. The immune response to MVV infection is complex, and a complete understanding of its infection and pathogenesis is lacking. This study investigated the in vivo transcriptomic patterns of lung tissues in sheep exposed to MVV using the RNA sequencing technology. RESULT: The results indicated that 2,739 genes were significantly differentially expressed, with 1,643 downregulated genes and 1,096 upregulated genes. Many variables that could be unique to MVV infections were discovered. Gene Ontology analysis revealed that a significant proportion of genes was enriched in terms directly related to the immune system and biological responses to viral infections. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis revealed that the most enriched pathways were related to virus-host cell interactions and inflammatory responses. Numerous immune-related genes, including those encoding several cytokines and interferon regulatory factors, were identified in the protein-protein interaction network of differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The expression of DEGs was evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. CXCL13, CXCL6, CXCL11, CCR1, CXCL8, CXCL9, CXCL10, TNFSF8, TNFRSF8, IL7R, IFN-γ, CCL2, and MMP9 were upregulated. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed to identify the types of immune cells that infiltrated MVV-infected tissues. B cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and macrophages were the most prevalent immune cells correlated with MVV infection in the lungs. CONCLUSION: Overall, the findings of this study provide a comprehensive understanding of the in vivo host response to MVV infection and offer new perspectives on the gene regulatory networks that underlie pathogenesis in natural hosts.

Recent application of direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry in plant materials analysis with emphasis on traditional Chinese herbal medicine.

Direct analysis in real time (DART) represents a new generation of ionization techniques that are used to rapidly ionize small molecules under ambient environments. The combination of DART with various mass spectrometry (MS) instruments allows analyzing multiple plant materials, including traditional Chinese herbal medicines (TCHMs), under simple or no sample treatment conditions. This review discussed the DART principles, including devices, ionization mechanisms, and operation parameters. Typical spectra detected by DART-MS were exhibited and discussed. Numerous applications of DART-MS in the fields of plant material and TCHM analysis were reviewed, including compound identification, biomarker discovery, fingerprinting analysis, and quantification analysis. Besides, modifications and improvements of DART-MS, such as hyphenated application with other separation methods, laser-based desorption techniques, and online sampling configuration, were summarized as well.

Striatal and Extrastriatal Monoaminergic Disruption in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy.

BACKGROUND: As a biomarker targeting vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2), 18F-9-fluoropropyldihydrotetrabenazine (18F-FP-DTBZ) positron emission tomography (PET) is highly accurate in diagnosing Parkinson's disease (PD) and assessing its severity. However, evidence is insufficient in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the striatal and extrastriatal monoaminergic disruption of PSP and differences in patterns between patients with PSP, PD, and healthy controls (HCs) using 18F-FP-DTBZ PET, as well as its correlations with the clinical characteristics of PSP. METHODS: We recruited 58 patients with PSP, 23 age- and duration-matched patients with PD, as well as 17 HCs. Patients were scanned using 18F-FP-DTBZ PET/computed tomography, and images were spatially normalized and analyzed based on the volume of interest. RESULTS: VMAT2 binding differed significantly in the striatum and substantia nigra among the groups (P < 0.001). A more severe disruption in the caudate was noted in the PSP group (P < 0.001) than in the PD group. However, no differences were found in the nucleus accumbens, hippocampus, amygdala, or raphe between the PD and PSP groups. Within the PSP group, striatal VMAT2 binding was significantly associated with the fall/postural stability subscore of the PSP Rating Scale, especially in the putamen. Furthermore, VMAT2 binding was correlated with Mini-Mental State Examination or Montreal Cognitive Assessment in the hippocampus. CONCLUSIONS: Caudate disruptions showed prominent differences among the groups. VAMT2 binding in the striatum and hippocampus reflects the severity of fall/postural stability and cognition, respectively. © 2024 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Targeting CXCR4 abrogates resistance to trastuzumab by blocking cell cycle progression and synergizes with docetaxel in breast cancer treatment.

BACKGROUND: Although trastuzumab and other HER2-targeted therapies have significantly improved survival in patients with HER2 overexpressed or amplified (HER2+) breast cancer, a significant proportion of patients do not respond or eventually develop clinical resistance. Strategies to reverse trastuzumab resistance remain a high clinical priority. We were the first to report the role of CXCR4 in trastuzumab resistance. The present study aims to explore the therapeutic potential of targeting CXCR4 and better understand the associated mechanisms. METHODS: Immunofluorescent staining, confocal microscopy analysis, and immunoblotting were used to analyze CXCR4 expression. BrdU incorporation assays and flow cytometry were used to analyze dynamic CXCR4 expression. Three-dimensional co-culture (tumor cells/breast cancer-associated fibroblasts/human peripheral blood mononuclear cells) or antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity assay was used to mimic human tumor microenvironment, which is necessary for testing therapeutic effects of CXCR4 inhibitor or trastuzumab. The FDA-approved CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100, trastuzumab, and docetaxel chemotherapy were used to evaluate therapeutic efficacy in vitro and in vivo. Reverse phase protein array and immunoblotting were used to discern the associated molecular mechanisms. RESULTS: Using a panel of cell lines and patient breast cancer samples, we confirmed CXCR4 drives trastuzumab resistance in HER2+ breast cancer and further demonstrated the increased CXCR4 expression in trastuzumab-resistant cells is associated with cell cycle progression with a peak in the G2/M phases. Blocking CXCR4 with AMD3100 inhibits cell proliferation by downregulating mediators of G2-M transition, leading to G2/M arrest and abnormal mitosis. Using a panel of trastuzumab-resistant cell lines and an in vivo established trastuzumab-resistant xenograft mouse model, we demonstrated that targeting CXCR4 with AMD3100 suppresses tumor growth in vitro and in vivo, and synergizes with docetaxel. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support CXCR4 as a novel therapeutic target and a predictive biomarker for trastuzumab resistance in HER2+ breast cancer.

MADS-Box Subfamily Gene GmAP3 from Glycine max Regulates Early Flowering and Flower Development.

AP3 has been studied and is reported to affect structural changes in floral organs in various plants. However, the function of the soybean AP3 genes in flower development is unknown. Here, the full-length cDNA sequence of GmAP3 was obtained by RACE and it was verified that it belongs to the MADS-box subfamily by a bioinformatics analysis. The expression of GmAP3 is closely related to the expression of essential enzyme genes related to flower development. Yeast two-hybrid assays demonstrated that GmAP3 interacts with AP1 to determine the identity of flower organ development. A follow-up analysis showed that overexpression of the GmAP3 gene advanced flowering time and resulted in changes in floral organ morphology. The average flowering time of overexpressed soybean and tobacco plants was 6-8 days earlier than that of wild-type plants, and the average flowering time of gene-edited soybean and tobacco plants was 6-11 days later than that of wild-type plants. In conclusion, GmAP3 may directly or indirectly affect the flower development of soybean. The results of this study lay the foundation for further research on the biological functions of MADS transcriptional factors in soybeans.

Quantitative and Differential Analysis between Bupleurum chinense DC. and Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd. Using HPLC-MS and GC-MS Coupled with Multivariate Statistical Analysis.

Bupleurum chinense DC. and Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd. have different clinical efficacies, with the former typically used to treat typhoid fever and the latter mainly used to clear liver heat. The differences in their clinical efficacy are closely related to their complex chemical composition, especially the active components. In this study, the saponins and volatile oils in two varieties of Radix Bupleuri grown in different regions were extracted and analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (MS), and the absolute contents of five saikosaponins were accurately quantified using an established HPLC-MS method in the multiple reaction monitoring mode. Multivariate statistical analysis was performed to reveal the difference in the active components between the two varieties. The saikosaponin content was significantly affected by variety and growing region, with all five saikosaponins being significantly higher in Bupleurum chinense DC. than in Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd. The results of principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis show a clear distinction between the two varieties in terms of both saponins and volatile oils. Twenty-one saponins, including saikosaponin b2 and b1, and fifty-two volatile oils, including 2-tetradecyloxirane and chloromethyl cyanide, were screened and identified as differential compounds contributing to the significant difference between the two varieties. These compounds may also be responsible for the difference in clinical efficacy between Bupleurum chinense DC. and Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd. All the results suggest that the accumulation and diversity of active components in Radix Bupleuri are significantly affected by the variety. In contrast to previous reports, this study provides the absolute contents of five saikosaponins in Radix Bupleuri of different varieties and reduces the influence of the growing region on the analytical results by collecting samples from different regions. The results of this study may provide a reference for the identification and quality evaluation of different varieties of Radix Bupleuri.

Brain microglia activation and peripheral adaptive immunity in Parkinson's disease: a multimodal PET study.

BACKGROUND: Abnormal activation of immune system is an important pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease, but the relationship between peripheral inflammation, central microglia activation and dopaminergic degeneration remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the brain regional microglia activation and its relationship with clinical severity, dopaminergic presynaptic function, and peripheral inflammatory biomarkers related to adaptive immunity. METHODS: In this case-control study, we recruited 23 healthy participants and 24 participants with early-stage Parkinson's disease. 18F-PBR06 PET/MR for microglia activation, 18F-FP-DTBZ for dopaminergic denervation, total account of T cells and subpopulations of T helper (Th1/Th2/Th17) cells, and the levels of serum inflammatory cytokines were assessed. Sanger sequencing was used to exclude the mix-affinity binders of 18F-PBR06-PET. RESULTS: Compared to healthy controls, patients with Parkinson's disease had an increased 18F-PBR06-PET standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) in the putamen, particularly in the ipsilateral side of the motor onset. 18F-PBR06-PET SUVR was positively associated with 18F-FP-DTBZ-PET SUVR in the brainstem and not associated with disease severity measured by Hoehn and Yahr stage, MDS-UPDRS III scores. Patients with Parkinson's disease had elevated frequencies of Th1 cells and serum levels of IL10 and IL17A as compared to healthy controls. No significant association between peripheral inflammation markers and microglia activation in the brain of PD was observed. CONCLUSION: Parkinson's disease is associated with early putaminal microglial activation and peripheral phenotypic Th1 bias. Peripheral adaptive immunity might be involved in microglia activation in the process of neurodegeneration in PD indirectly, which may be a potential biomarker for the early detection and the target for immunomodulating therapy.

The targets of aspirin in bladder cancer: bioinformatics analysis.

BACKGROUND: The anti-carcinogenic properties of aspirin have been observed in some solid tumors. However, the molecular mechanism of therapeutic effects of aspirin on bladder cancer is still indistinct. We introduced a bioinformatics analysis approach, to explore the targets of aspirin in bladder cancer (BC). METHODS: To find out the potential targets of aspirin in BC, we analyzed direct protein targets (DPTs) of aspirin in Drug Bank 5.0. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and signaling pathway of aspirin DPTs were then analyzed subsequently. A detailed analysis of the KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathway has shown that aspirin is linked to BC. We identified overexpressed genes in BC comparing with normal samples by Oncomine and genes that interlinked with aspirin target genes in BC by STRING. RESULTS: Firstly, we explored 16 direct protein targets (DPT) of aspirin. We analyzed the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and signaling pathways of aspirin DPT. We found that aspirin is closely associated with a variety of cancers, including BC. Then, we classified mutations in 3 aspirin DPTs (CCND1, MYC and TP53) in BC using the cBio Portal database. In addition, we extracted the top 50 overexpressed genes in bladder cancer by Oncomine and predicted the genes associated with the 3 aspirin DPTs (CCND1, MYC and TP53) in BC by STRING. Finally, 5 exact genes were identified as potential therapeutic targets of aspirin in bladder cancer. CONCLUSION: The analysis of relevant databases will improve our mechanistic understanding of the role of aspirin in bladder cancer. This will guide the direction of our next drug-disease interaction studies.

4sc-202 and Ink-128 cooperate to reverse the epithelial to mesenchymal transition in OSCC.

Treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma remains a challenge due to a high incidence of treatment resistance, which is followed by tumor recrudescence and metastasis to the lymph nodes. Thus, it is important to explore novel inhibitors of OSCC. Here, we aimed to identify drugs that may cooperate with histone deacetylase inhibitors to reverse the EMT, inhibit EMT and cell migration and invasion, and contribute to therapeutic efficacy. We found that treatment with 4sc-202 potently reversed the EMT and thereby inhibited cell migration and invasion in vitro, in part by inducing expression of the FoxO1 tumor-suppressor gene. Furthermore, 4sc-202 also synergized with Ink-128 to inhibit tumor migration and invasion in vitro. Mechanistically, 4sc-202 induced FoxO1 expression, whereas Ink-128 promoted nuclear translocation of FoxO1. Our findings indicated that FoxO1 might reverse the EMT by interacting with Twist1 in OSCC. In conclusion, we identified an effective combination therapy involving class I histone deacetylase and mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1/2 inhibition that effectively blocked the EMT of tumor cells by upregulating FoxO1 expression to inhibit Twist1 transcription. These data have implications for developing new targets for early diagnosis and treatment of OSCC.

Effects of Tai Chi Exercise on Balance Function in Stroke Patients: An Overview of Systematic Review.

Background: Tai chi (TC) has received increased attention in stroke rehabilitation, yet services are greatly underutilized. An increasing number of systematic reviews and meta-analyses (SRs/MAs) have begun to investigate the effects of TC on balance function in stroke patients. The aim of this current study was to systematically collate, appraise, and synthesize the results of these SRs/MAs using a systematic overview. Methods: Eight databases were searched: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, CNKI, SinoMed, Chongqing VIP, and Wanfang Data. SRs/MAs of TC on balance function in stroke patients were included. Literature selection, data extraction, and assessment of the review quality were performed by two independent reviewers. Methodological quality was assessed by the Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR-2), reporting quality by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), and evidence quality by Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE). Results: Nine SRs/MAs were included in this study. For methodological quality, what resulted in unsatisfactory methodological quality was noncompliance with critical item 4 (using a comprehensive literature search strategy) and critical item 7 (providing the list of excluded research literature). For reporting quality, what resulted in unsatisfactory reporting quality was inadequate reporting of Q1 (protocol and registration), Q8 (search), Q15 (risk of bias across studies), Q16 (additional analyses), Q22 (risk of bias across studies), Q23 (additional analysis), and Q27 (funding). For GRADE, the evidence quality was high in 0, moderate in 3, low in 11, and very low in 6. Risk of bias was the most common factor leading to downgrading of evidence, followed by inconsistency, imprecision, publication bias, and indirectness. Conclusions: TC may have beneficial effects on balance function in stroke survivors; however, this finding is limited by the generally low methodology, reporting quality, and evidence quality for published SRs/MAs.

Exploring the Therapeutic Effects of Black Ginseng on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease by Using Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking.

This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of black ginseng (BG) on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) using network pharmacology combined with the molecular docking strategy. The saponin composition of BG was analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS) instrument. Then the network pharmacology was applied to explore the potential targets and related mechanisms of BG in the treatment of NAFLD. After screening out key targets, molecular docking was used to predict the binding modes between ginsenoside and target. Finally, a methionine and choline deficiency (MCD) diet-induced NAFLD mice model was established to further confirm the therapeutic effect of BG on NAFLD. Twenty-four ginsenosides were annotated based on the MS and tandem MS information. Ten proteins were screened out as key targets closely related to BG treatment of NAFLD. The molecular docking showed that most of the ginsenosides had good binding affinities with AKT1. The validation experiment revealed that BG administration could reduce serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels and improve the MCD diet-induced histological changes in liver tissue. Moreover, BG could upregulate the phosphorylation level of AKT in the liver of NAFLD mice, thereby exerting the therapeutic effect on NAFLD. Further studies on the active ginsenosides as well as their synergistic action on NAFLD will be required to reveal the underlying mechanisms in-depth. This study demonstrates that network pharmacological prediction in conjunction with molecular docking is a viable technique for screening the active chemicals and related targets of BG, which can be applied to other herbal medicines.

Quantitative Analysis and Differential Evaluation of Radix Bupleuri Cultivated in Different Regions Based on HPLC-MS and GC-MS Combined with Multivariate Statistical Analysis.

The quality of Radix Bupleuri is greatly affected by its growing environment. In this study, Radix Bupleuri samples that were harvested from seven different regions across northwest China were examined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) to reveal significant differences in quality contributed by the cultivation region. An HPLC-MS method was firstly established and used in the multiple reaction monitoring mode for the quantitative analysis of five saikosaponins in Radix Bupleuri so as to evaluate the difference in the absolute content of saikosaponins attributable to the cultivation region. The effect on the components of Radix Bupleuri was further investigated based on the profiles of the representative saponins and volatile compounds, which were extracted from the Radix Bupleuri samples and analyzed by HPLC-MS and GC-MS. Multivariate statistical analysis was employed to differentiate the Radix Bupleuri samples cultivated in different regions and to discover the differential compositions. The developed quantitative method was validated to be accurate, stable, sensitive, and repeatable for the determination of five saikosaponins. Further statistical tests revealed that the collected Radix Bupleuri samples were distinctly different from each other in terms of both saponins and volatile compounds, based on the provinces where they were grown. In addition, twenty-eight saponins and fifty-eight volatile compounds were identified as the differentially accumulated compositions that contributed to the discrimination of the Radix Bupleuri samples. The Radix Bupleuri samples grown in Shouyang county showed the highest content of saikosaponins. All of the results indicated that the cultivation region significantly affected the accumulation and diversity of the main chemical components of Radix Bupleuri. The findings of this research provide insights into the effect of the cultivation region on the quality of Radix Bupleuri and the differentiation of Radix Bupleuri cultivated in different regions based on the use of HPLC-MS and GC-MS combined with multivariate statistical analysis.

Ultralong and Color-Tunable Room-Temperature Phosphorescence Based on Commercial Melamine for Anticounterfeiting and Information Recognition.

Advances have been made in the research on color-tunable organic ultralong room-temperature phosphorescence (OURTP) materials. Due to the high cost of raw materials, complex and strict synthesis conditions, and low yields, it is hard to obtain cheap commercial OURTP materials within a short time. Therefore, it is of practical significance to research and develop new OURTP functions based on commercialized organic materials. In this study, the OURTP characteristics of melamine (MEL), a kind of commercially available, cheap, and pure organic material, were investigated and explored. MEL was found with color-tunable and excellent OURTP, the average lifetime can reach 0.74 s, and the phosphorescence quantum yield can reach 17%. Since the ratio of molecular phosphorescence of MEL to the ultralong phosphorescence mediated by H-aggregation differs with the excitation wavelength and their luminescence life spans are also different, the color of OURTP materials is dependent on both excitation wavelength and time. Moreover, the OURTP characteristics of MEL can be utilized in anticounterfeiting and information identification.

Effect of chlorophyll biosynthesis-related genes on the leaf color in Hosta (Hosta plantaginea Aschers) and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.).

BACKGROUND: 'Regal Splendour' (Hosta variety) is famous for its multi-color leaves, which are useful resources for exploring chloroplast development and color changes. The expressions of chlorophyll biosynthesis-related genes (HrHEMA, HrPOR and HrCAO) in Hosta have been demonstrated to be associated with leaf color. Herein, we isolated, sequenced, and analyzed HrHEMA, HrPOR and HrCAO genes. Subcellular localization was also performed to determine the location of the corresponding enzymes. After plasmid construction, virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) was carried out to reduce the expressions of those genes. In addition, HrHEMA-, HrPOR- and HrCAO-overexpressing tobacco plants were made to verify the genes function. Changes of transgenic tobacco were recorded under 2000 lx, 6000 lx and 10,000 lx light intensity. Additionally, the contents of enzyme 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), porphobilinogen (PBG), chlorophyll a and b (Chla and Chlb), carotenoid (Cxc), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), malondialdehyde (MDA), proline (Pro) and catalase (CAT) under different light intensities were evaluated. RESULTS: The silencing of HrHEMA, HrPOR and HrCAO genes can induce leaf yellowing and chloroplast structure changes in Hosta. Specifically, leaves of Hosta with HrCAO silencing were the most affected, while those with HrPOR silencing were the least affected. Moreover, all three genes in tobacco were highly expressed, whereas no expression was detected in wild-type (WT). However, the sensitivities of the three genes to different light intensities were different. The highest expression level of HrHEMA and HrPOR was detected under 10,000 lx of illumination, while HrCAO showed the highest expression level under 6000 lx. Lastly, the 5-ALA, Chla, Cxc, SOD, POD, MDA, Pro and CAT contents in different transgenic tobaccos changed significantly under different light intensities. CONCLUSION: The overexpression of these three genes in tobacco enhanced photosynthesis by accumulating chlorophyll content, but the influential level varied under different light intensities. Furthermore, HrHEMA-, HrPOR- and HrCAO- overexpressing in tobacco can enhance the antioxidant capacity of plants to cope with stress under higher light intensity. However, under lower light intensity, the antioxidant capacity was declined in HrHEMA-, HrPOR- and HrCAO- overexpressing tobaccos.

Cabbage defense response provoked by Trichoderma Th-LAAO.

To investigate the molecular mechanism of Trichoderma L-amino acid oxidase (Th-LAAO) in protecting and in promoting growth of cabbage infected with Botrytis cinerea, a three-way interaction system was established. Cabbage leaves treated with purified Th-LAAO significantly constrained damaged leaf area caused by B. cinerea infection. In response to Th-LAAO treatment, the expression levels of genes involved in photosynthesis, such as ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase, Rubisco activase, and ATP synthase increased 2.54, 2.18, and 1.41 folds, respectively. The transcription levels of sucrose transport protein 1 increased 7.6 fold. As to the expression of defense-related genes, the transcription level of ascorbate peroxidase increased 1.46 fold. On the contrary, pathogenesis-related protein 1, chitinase, ß-1,3 glucanase, and glutathione S-transferase decreased significantly. Overall, the results indicated that Th-LAAO may stimulate CO2 fixation and sucrose transport and elicit host defense responses in cabbage against B. cinerea, and this elicitation of defense response is likely to contribute to induced systemic resistance of host plant.

Non-targeted metabonomics to investigate the differences in the properties of ginseng and American ginseng based on rapid resolution liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

The basic properties of herbal medicines are cold, hot, warm, and cool. The differentiation of these properties is important for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Ginseng and American ginseng possess opposite properties of warm and cool, respectively. At present, the mechanisms and the influence of steaming leading to the differences in their properties are not clear and require further investigation. Therefore, nontargeted metabonomics based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was applied to investigate the effects of ginseng, American ginseng, and their variants on the changes in endogenous metabolites in rat urine. A total of 19 potential biomarkers were screened out and identified, of which 17, 7, and 5, were respectively related to warm, cool, and both warm and cool properties with opposite effects. The metabolic pathways corresponded to fatty acids, lipids, glycolysis, and energy metabolisms. The warm and tonic effects of red ginseng are stronger than those of ginseng and consistent with the theory of traditional Chinese medicine. The red American ginseng has cool property; however, the degree of coolness is less than that of American ginseng. This study provides a reference methodology to understand the effects of processing and mechanisms associated with the differences in the properties of herbal medicines.

Pharmacological Treatment of Osteoporosis in Elderly People: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The evidence supporting the use of antiresorptive and anabolic agents for fracture prevention in elderly patients is still inconclusive. Whether it is too late to alter the course of the disease in this age-group has remained uncertain. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety of antiresorptive and anabolic agents in elderly patients. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and post hoc analyses of RCTs reporting efficacy outcomes or adverse events of antiresorptive and anabolic agents in elderly patients. Statistical heterogeneity was assessed with the Cochran Q χ2 test and I2 statistic. All results were expressed as relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: The meta-analysis included 1 RCT and 11 post hoc analyses of data from 10 double-blind placebo-controlled RCTs. Antiresorptive therapy significantly reduced the pooled incidence of vertebral fractures (RR = 0.43; 95% CI = 0.35-0.53; and p < 0.001). It was also associated with lower risk of nonvertebral and hip fractures (RR = 0.84; 95% CI = 0.74-0.96; and p = 0.009 and RR = 0.75; 95% CI = 0.58-0.97; and p = 0.028, respectively). For any adverse events, no difference was observed between antiresorptive agents and placebo groups (RR = 1.01; 95% CI = 1.00-1.02; and p = 0.23). CONCLUSIONS: Both antiresorptive and anabolic agents represented potentially important osteoporosis treatments, showing significant effects on reducing vertebral, nonvertebral, or hip fracture risk, and were well-tolerated by elderly patients. Even in the elderly, maybe it is not too late to alter the course of the disease.

The Value of Historical Height Loss for Detecting Vertebral Fractures in Postmenopausal Women in China.

OBJECTIVES: The diagnosis and management of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures are challenging in rural and underdeveloped areas of China because medical resources are inaccessible; thus, a simple and accurate method is essential for the detection of vertebral fractures. We aimed to examine the relationship between historical height loss (HHL) and vertebral fractures in postmenopausal Chinese women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 255 postmenopausal women aged 50 years or older was conducted in September 2017. Demographic data, including self-reported tallest historical height and current height were analyzed. Vertebral fractures were assessed using X-ray radiography and HHL thresholds were examined using specificity and sensitivity testing. RESULTS: The average age of the 255 participants was 66.3 ± 9.0 years and their mean HHL was 3.5 ± 2.8 cm. The 24 women who were found to have vertebral fractures were older, had more years since menopause (YSM), and a larger HHL compared to those without vertebral fractures. Logistic regression analysis showed that age was a better predictor of vertebral fractures than HHL was, and the cutoff age for detecting vertebral fractures was 71 years, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.750. CONCLUSIONS: Although the women in this study with vertebral fractures had a greater height loss than those without fractures, it was apparent that age, rather than HHL, is the best way to determine who is most likely to develop vertebral fractures.

[Application of UPLC-QTOF-MS non-targeted metabonomics in mechanism study of property differences of ginseng and American ginseng].

This study adopted ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-QTOF-MS)-based untargeted metabolomic approaches for exploring the changes in endogenous metabolites of rat serum related to property differences between ginseng and American ginseng. Then the action mechanisms of them with warm and cool properties and the effects of processing on their property changes were investigated. Based on principal component analysis(PCA), the differences in metabolite profiles between ginseng, red ginseng, American ginseng, and red American ginseng were compared. After that, 16 potential differential endogenous biomarkers were identified by orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) and online database searching. And the related metabolic pathways were systematically analyzed. By comparing content variations of these 16 potential differential endogenous biomarkers, we have found that 10 potential differential biomarkers were responsible for the warm property of ginseng and red ginseng, and 9 were related to the cool property of American ginseng and red American ginseng. As demonstrated by in-depth analysis of related metabolic pathways of differential biomarkers, ginseng and American ginseng mainly played a role in regulating the energy metabolism of amino acid, glycolysis, and fatty acids, during which they exhibited differences in property. The comparison of content variations of these differential endogenous between groups revealed that the energy metabolism of red ginseng group was stronger than that of ginseng group, consistent with the traditional processing theory that the warming and tonifying effects of ginseng could be enhanced after processing. The property of red American ginseng was similar to that of American ginseng, both cool in property, but American ginseng was cooler than red American ginseng. It can be seen that non-targeted metabolomic approaches can be utilized to study mechanisms underlying property differences of Chinese medicines and the effects of processing on their property changes.

Clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of Paget's disease of bone in mainland China: A systematic review.

Paget's disease of bone (PDB) is a metabolic bone disease with distinct geographical and ethnic differences in its pathogenesis. In this study, we aimed to retrospectively analyze the clinical features and the status of diagnosis and treatment of PDB in mainland China to improve the clinician's understanding of this disease. For this purpose, we conducted a systematic review of 118 articles, including a total of 332 patients with PDB. The results showed that the onset age of PDB in mainland China was 46-60 years. The number of male patients in most age groups was slightly higher than that of female patients, but there was no statistical difference (p > 0.05). The gender ratio (male to female) of PDB in mainland China was significantly different from that in Japan (p < 0.05), but not from that in the USA (p > 0.05). The clinical manifestations of PDB patients in mainland China mainly included ostealgia, bone malformation, hearing loss, and fracture, and bisphosphonate was used as the main treatment drug. These findings were similar to those in Japan, UK, and USA. Total alkaline phosphatase (TALP) level was elevated in about 89.7% of patients, and no correlation between TALP level and ostealgia was observed (p > 0.05). In addition, no difference in TALP level between males and females in each group was observed (p > 0.05).