Quercetin plays a neuroprotective role in inhibiting mitochondrial apoptosis by mediating JNK signaling pathway / 中国药理学通报

Aim To study the mechanism of quereetin (Que) inhibiting mitochondrial damage induced by Aβ

Granzyme B: A novel therapeutic target for treatment of atopic dermatitis

Granzyme B is a serine protease that can play multiple roles in intracellular and extracellular perforin-dependent or non-perforin-dependent mechanisms. Granzyme B has been found to be an important factor involved in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis and is increased in both skin lesions and peripheral blood of atopic dermatitis patients. In this article, we review the correlation between granzyme B and atopic dermatitis to provide a novel therapeutic targeting option for clinical treatment of the latter.

Experimental study of cardioprotective effects of Cinnamomi Ramulus and Cinnamomi Cortex formula granules on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats based on efficacy of "warming and coordinating heart Yang" / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to parallelly investigate the cardioprotective activity of Cinnamomi Ramulus formula granules(CRFG) and Cinnamomi Cortex formula granules(CCFG) against acute myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury(MI/RI) and the underlying mechanism based on the efficacy of "warming and coordinating the heart Yang". Ninety male SD rats were randomly divided into a sham group, a model group, CRFG low and high-dose(0.5 and 1.0 g·kg~(-1)) groups, and CCFG low and high-dose(0.5 and 1.0 g·kg~(-1)) groups, with 15 rats in each group. The sham group and the model group were given equal volumes of normal saline by gavage. Before modeling, the drug was given by gavage once a day for 7 consecutive days. One hour after the last administration, the MI/RI rat model was established by ligating the left anterior descending artery(LAD) for 30 min ischemia followed by 2 h reperfusion except the sham group. The sham group underwent the same procedures without LAD ligation. Heart function, cardiac infarct size, cardiac patho-logy, cardiomyocyte apoptosis, cardiac injury enzymes, and inflammatory cytokines were determined to assess the protective effects of CRFG and CCFG against MI/RI. The gene expression levels of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain protein 3(NLRP3) inflammasome, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD(ASC), cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-1(caspase-1), Gasdermin-D(GSDMD), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), and interleukin-18(IL-18) were determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR). The protein expression levels of NLRP3, caspase-1, GSDMD, and N-GSDMD were determined by Western blot. The results showed that both CRFG and CCFG pretreatments significantly improved cardiac function, decreased the cardiac infarct size, inhibited cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and reduced the content of lactic dehydrogenase(LDH), creatine kinase MB isoenzyme(CK-MB), aspartate transaminase(AST), and cardiac troponin Ⅰ(cTnⅠ). In addition, CRFG and CCFG pretreatments significantly decreased the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) in serum. RT-PCR results showed that CRFG and CCFG pretreatment down-regulated the mRNA expression levels of NLRP3, caspase-1, ASC, and downstream pyroptosis-related effector substances including GSDMD, IL-18, and IL-1β in cardiac tissues. Western blot revealed that CRFG and CCFG pretreatments significantly decreased the protein expression levels of NLRP3, caspase-1, GSDMD, and N-GSDMD in cardiac tissues. In conclusion, CRFG and CCFG pretreatments have obvious cardioprotective effects on MI/RI in rats, and the under-lying mechanism may be related to the inhibition of NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD signaling pathway to reduce the cardiac inflammatory response.

Mechanism of blood-activating and mass-dissipating Chinese patent medicine against hyperplasia of mammary glands and use with other medicine: a review / 中国中药杂志

Caused by endocrine disorder, hyperplasia of mammary glands(HMG) tends to occur in the young with increasing incidence, putting patients at the risk of cancer and threatening the health of women. Therefore, the prevention and treatment of HMG is attracting more and more attention. Amid the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), many scholars have found that Chinese patent medicine has unique advantages and huge potential in treatment of endocrine disorder. Particularly, Chinese patent medicine with the function of blood-activating and mass-dissipating, such as Xiaojin Pills and Xiaozheng Pills, has been commonly used in clinical treatment of HMG, which features multiple targets, obvious efficacy, small side effect, and ease of taking and carrying around. Clinical studies have found that the combination of Chinese patent medicine with other medicine can not only improve the efficacy and relieve symptoms such as hyperplasia and pain but also reduce the toxic and side effects of western medicine. Therefore, based on precious pharmacological research and clinical research, this study reviewed the mechanisms of blood-activating mass-dissipating Chinese patent medicine alone and in combination with other medicine, such as regulating levels of in vivo hormones and receptors, promoting apoptosis, inhibiting angiogenesis, improving hemorheology indexes, enhancing immunity, and boosting antioxidant ability. In addition, limitations and problems were summarized. Thereby, this study is expected to lay a theoretical basis for the further study and clinical application of blood-activating mass-dissipating Chinese patent medicine alone or in combination with other medicine against HMG.

Acupuncture-Neuroimaging Research Trends over Past Two Decades: A Bibliometric Analysis / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To identify topics attracting growing research attention as well as frontier trends of acupuncture-neuroimaging research over the past two decades.@*METHODS@#This paper reviewed data in the published literature on acupuncture neuroimaging from 2000 to 2020, which was retrieved from the Web of Science database. CiteSpace was used to analyze the publication years, countries, institutions, authors, keywords, co-citation of authors, journals, and references.@*RESULTS@#A total of 981 publications were included in the final review. The number of publications has increased in the recent 20 years accompanied by some fluctuations. Notably, the most productive country was China, while Harvard University ranked first among institutions in this field. The most productive author was Tian J with the highest number of articles (50), whereas the most co-cited author was Hui KKS (325). Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (92) was the most prolific journal, while Neuroimage was the most co-cited journal (538). An article written by Hui KKS (2005) exhibited the highest co-citation number (112). The keywords "acupuncture" (475) and "electroacupuncture" (0.10) had the highest frequency and centrality, respectively. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) ranked first with the highest citation burst (6.76).@*CONCLUSION@#The most active research topics in the field of acupuncture-neuroimaging over the past two decades included research type, acupoint specificity, neuroimaging methods, brain regions, acupuncture modality, acupoint specificity, diseases and symptoms treated, and research type. Whilst research frontier topics were "nerve regeneration", "functional connectivity", "neural regeneration", "brain network", "fMRI" and "manual acupuncture".

Effect of Erxian Decoction-containing serum on H_2O_2-induced proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells via BK channels / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to investigate the effects of Erxian Decoction(EXD)-containing serum on the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells under oxidative stress through BK channels. The oxidative stress model was induced in MC3T3-E1 cells by H_2O_2, and 3 mmol·L~(-1) tetraethylammonium(TEA) chloride was used to block the BK channels in MC3T3-E1 cells. MC3T3-E1 cells were divided into a control group, a model group, an EXD group, a TEA group, and a TEA+EXD group. After MC3T3-E1 cells were treated with corresponding drugs for 2 days, 700 μmol·L~(-1) H_2O_2 was added for treatment for another 2 hours. CCK-8 assay was used to detect cell proliferation activity. The alkaline phosphatase(ALP) assay kit was used to detect the ALP activity of cells. Western blot and real-time fluorescence-based quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR) were used to detect protein and mRNA expression, respectively. Alizarin red staining was used to detect the mineralization area of osteoblasts. The results showed that compared with the control group, the model group showed significantly blunted cell proliferation activity and ALP activity, reduced expression of BK channel α subunit(BKα), collagen Ⅰ(COL1), bone morphogenetic protein 2(BMP2), osteoprotegerin(OPG), and phosphorylated Akt, decreased mRNA expression levels of Runt-related transcription factor 2(RUNX2), BMP2, and OPG, and declining area of calcium nodules. EXD-containing serum could significantly potentiate the cell proliferation activity and ALP activity, up-regulate the protein expression of BKα, COL1, BMP2, OPG, and phosphorylated Akt, and forkhead box protein O1(FoxO1), promote the mRNA expression of RUNX2, BMP2, and OPG, and enlarge the area of calcium nodules. However, BK channel blockage by TEA reversed the effects of EXD-containing serum in promoting the protein expression of BKα, COL1, BMP2, OPG, and phosphorylated Akt and FoxO1, increasing the mRNA expression of RUNX2, BMP2, and OPG, and enlarging the area of calcium nodules. EXD-containing serum could improve the proliferation activity, osteogenic differentiation, and mineralization ability of MC3T3-E1 cells under oxidative stress, which might be related to the regulation of BK channels and downstream Akt/FoxO1 signaling pathway.

Comparison of HPLC fingerprints and determination of main components of Viticis Fructus from different species / 中国中药杂志

In order to comprehensively evaluate the quality of Viticis Fructus, this study established HPLC fingerprints and evaluated the quality of 24 batches of Viticis Fructus samples from different species by similarity evaluation and multivariate statistical analysis(PCA, HCA, PLS-DA). On this basis, an HPLC method was established to compare the content differences of the main components, including casticin, agnuside, homoorientin, and p-hydroxybenzoic acid. The analysis was performed on the chromatographic column(Waters Symmetry C_(18)) with a gradient mobile phase of acetonitrile(A)-0.05% phosphoric acid solution(B) at the flow rate of 1 mL·min~(-1) and detection wavelength of 258 nm. The column temperature was 30 ℃ and the injection volume was 10 μL. The HPLC fingerprint of 24 batches of Viticis Fructus samples was established with 21 common peaks, and nine peaks were identified. Similarity analysis was carried out based on chromatographic data of 24 batches of chromatographic data of Viticis Fructus, and the results showed that except for DYMJ-16, the similarity of Vitex trifolia var. simplicifolia was ≥0.900, while that of V. trifolia was ≤0.864. In addition, the similarity analysis of two different species showed that the similarity of 16 batches of V. trifolia var. simplicifolia was 0.894-0.997 and that of the eight batches of V. trifolia was between 0.990 and 0.997. The results showed that the similarity of fingerprints of these two species was different, but the similarity between the same species was good. The results of the three multivariate statistical analyses were consistent, which could distinguish the two different species. The VIP analysis results of PLS-DA showed that casticin and agnuside contributed the most to the distinction. The content determination results showed that there was no significant difference in the content of homoorientin and p-hydroxybenzoic acid in Viticis Fructus from different species, but the content of casticin and agnuside was significantly different in different species(P<0.01). The content of casticin was higher in V. trifolia var. simplicifolia, while agnuside was higher in V. trifolia. The findings of this study show that there are differences in fingerprint similarity and component content of Viticis Fructus from different species, which can provide references for the in-depth study of the quality and clinical application of Viticis Fructus.

Acteoside promotes autophagy and apoptosis of hepatoma cells by regulating JNK signaling pathway / 中国中药杂志

This study explored the molecular mechanism of acteoside against hepatoma 22(H22) tumor in mice through c-Jun N-terminal kinase(JNK) signaling pathway. H22 cells were subcutaneously inoculated in 50 male BALB/c mice, and then the model mice were classified into model group, low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose acteoside groups, and cisplatin group. The administration lasted 2 weeks for each group(5 consecutive days/week). The general conditions of mice in each group, such as mental status, diet intake, water intake, activity, and fur were observed. The body weight, tumor volume, tumor weight, and tumor-inhibiting rate were compared before and after administration. Morphological changes of liver cancer tissues were observed based on hematoxylin and eosin(HE) staining, and the expression of phosphorylated(p)-JNK, JNK, B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2), Beclin-1, and light chain 3(LC3) in each tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. qRT-PCR was performed to detect the mRNA expression of JNK, Bcl-2, Beclin-1, and LC3. The general conditions of mice in model and low-dose acteoside groups were poor, while the general conditions of mice in the remaining three groups were improved. The body weight of mice in medium-dose acteoside group, high-dose acteoside group, and cisplatin group was smaller than that in model group(P<0.01). The tumor volume in model group was insignificantly different from that in low-dose acteoside group, and the volume in cisplatin group showed no significant difference from that in high-dose acteoside group. Tumor volume and weight in medium-dose and high-dose acteoside groups and cisplatin group were lower than those in the model group(P<0.001). The tumor-inhibiting rates were 10.72%, 40.32%, 53.79%, and 56.44% in the low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose acteoside groups and cisplatin group, respectively. HE staining showed gradual decrease in the count of hepatoma cells and increasing sign of cell necrosis in the acteoside and cisplatin groups, and the necrosis was particularly obvious in the high-dose acteoside group and cisplatin group. Immunohistochemical results suggested that the expression of Beclin-1, LC3, p-JNK, and JNK was up-regulated in acteoside and cisplatin groups(P<0.05). The results of immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and qRT-PCR indicated that the expression of Bcl-2 was down-regulated in the medium-dose and high-dose acteoside groups and cisplatin group(P<0.01). Western blot showed that the expression of Beclin-1, LC3, and p-JNK was up-regulated in acteoside and cisplatin groups(P<0.01), and there was no difference in the expression of JNK among groups. qRT-PCR results showed that the levels of Beclin-1 and LC3 mRNA were up-regulated in the acteoside and cisplatin groups(P<0.05), and the level of JNK mRNA was up-regulated in medium-dose and high-dose acteoside groups and cisplatin group(P<0.001). Acteoside promotes apoptosis and autophagy of H22 cells in mice hepatoma cells by up-regulating the JNK signaling pathway, thus inhibiting tumor growth.

Effect of contracted endodontic access cavity and root canal preparation by One Curve on danger zone of mesial root canal in mandibular first molars / 口腔疾病防治

Objective @#To explore the influence of a contracted endodontic access cavity on the risk of canal transportation in the danger zone of the mesial root canal of mandibular first molars (MFMs) using a one-curve preparation system, and to provide an experimental basis for the clinical selection of a better pulp approach.@*Methods@#Twenty MFMs extracted for severe periodontal disease that met the inclusion criteria, including intact coronal roots, mesial roots with two separate root canals, mesiobuccal canal (MB) and mesiolingual canal (ML), and a curvature of 0° to 20°, were selected. Subsequently, these MFMs were randomly divided into two groups based on the endodontic access design, including the traditional endodontic access cavity (TEC) group and the contracted endodontic access cavity (CEC) group. In the TEC group, the pulp chamber roof of the tooth was completely removed, while in the CEC group, the pulp chamber roof and peri-cervical dentin were preserved as much as possible. Then, the One Curve single file was adopted to conduct root canal preparation. Next, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) was performed on extracted teeth before and after preparation, and the measurement sections were located at 0-7.0 mm below the root bifurcation of the mesial root canal at 1 mm intervals. The minimum wall thickness on the mesial and distal aspect of the root canal was measured in each section.@* Results @# ① Prepreparation CT measurements of 20 MFMs showed that the danger zone in the range 0-4 mm under root bifurcation, a mean thickness of 1.18 mm on the mesial aspect of the MB root canal and 1.08 mm on the distal aspect. The mean thickness of the ML root canal was 1.28 mm on the mesial aspect and 1.07 mm on the distal aspect. ② Compared with that of the traditional endodontic access cavity, no significant difference in the decrease of wall thickness was observed in the danger zone of mesial root canal of MFMs in the contracted endodontic access cavity (t = 1.319，P = 0.19). ③ In the mesiobuccal canal, compared with the apical transportation of the traditional endodontic access cavity, which tends to be more mesial side, the apical transportation of contracted endodontic access cavity tends to the distal side. In the mesiolingual canal, both apical transportation groups tended to be on the distal side. @*Conclusion @# When using the One Curve file, compared with traditional endodontic access, the contracted endodontic access cavity based on the minimally invasive concept does not increase the risk that the mesial root canal of mandibular first molars is transported.

Expert consensus on late stage of critical care management / 中华内科杂志

We wished to establish an expert consensus on late stage of critical care (CC) management. The panel comprised 13 experts in CC medicine. Each statement was assessed based on the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) principle. Then, the Delphi method was adopted by 17 experts to reassess the following 28 statements. (1) ESCAPE has evolved from a strategy of delirium management to a strategy of late stage of CC management. (2) The new version of ESCAPE is a strategy for optimizing treatment and comprehensive care of critically ill patients (CIPs) after the rescue period, including early mobilization, early rehabilitation, nutritional support, sleep management, mental assessment, cognitive-function training, emotional support, and optimizing sedation and analgesia. (3) Disease assessment to determine the starting point of early mobilization, early rehabilitation, and early enteral nutrition. (4) Early mobilization has synergistic effects upon the recovery of organ function. (5) Early functional exercise and rehabilitation are important means to promote CIP recovery, and gives them a sense of future prospects. (6) Timely start of enteral nutrition is conducive to early mobilization and early rehabilitation. (7) The spontaneous breathing test should be started as soon as possible, and a weaning plan should be selected step-by-step. (8) The waking process of CIPs should be realized in a planned and purposeful way. (9) Establishment of a sleep-wake rhythm is the key to sleep management in post-CC management. (10) The spontaneous awakening trial, spontaneous breathing trial, and sleep management should be carried out together. (11) The depth of sedation should be adjusted dynamically in the late stage of CC period. (12) Standardized sedation assessment is the premise of rational sedation. (13) Appropriate sedative drugs should be selected according to the objectives of sedation and drug characteristics. (14) A goal-directed minimization strategy for sedation should be implemented. (15) The principle of analgesia must be mastered first. (16) Subjective assessment is preferred for analgesia assessment. (17) Opioid-based analgesic strategies should be selected step-by-step according to the characteristics of different drugs. (18) There must be rational use of non-opioid analgesics and non-drug-based analgesic measures. (19) Pay attention to evaluation of the psychological status of CIPs. (20) Cognitive function in CIPs cannot be ignored. (21) Delirium management should be based on non-drug-based measures and rational use of drugs. (22) Reset treatment can be considered for severe delirium. (23) Psychological assessment should be conducted as early as possible to screen-out high-risk groups with post-traumatic stress disorder. (24) Emotional support, flexible visiting, and environment management are important components of humanistic management in the intensive care unit (ICU). (25) Emotional support from medical teams and families should be promoted through"ICU diaries"and other forms. (26) Environmental management should be carried out by enriching environmental content, limiting environmental interference, and optimizing the environmental atmosphere. (27) Reasonable promotion of flexible visitation should be done on the basis of prevention of nosocomial infection. (28) ESCAPE is an excellent project for late stage of CC management.

Mechanism of anti-hyperplasia of mammary glands of Xihuang Pills blood-entering component based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and network pharmacology / 中国中药杂志

In this study, based on network pharmacology and molecular docking method, the mechanism of anti-hyperplasia of mammary glands of Xihuang Pills blood-entering components was explored, and the efficacy and key targets of Xihuang Pills blood-entering components were experimentally verified by MCF-10A proliferation model of human mammary epithelial cells. In order to clarify the material basis and mechanism of Xihuang Pills in realizing anti-hyperplasia of mammary glands, the blood-entering components of Xihuang Pills were qualitatively analyzed by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS, and 22 blood-entering components were identified. By taking the blood-entering components as the research object, the network pharmacology prediction and molecular docking verification were carried out, and finally, three key targets were screened out, namely JAK1, SRC, and CDK1. In vitro experiments show that Xihuang Pills can inhibit the proliferation of MCF-10A cells, promote the apoptosis of MCF-10A cells, and reduce the expression of JAK1, SRC, and CDK1 targets in cells. To sum up, Xihuang Pills can promote the apoptosis of mammary epithelial cells by regulating the expression of JAK1, SRC, and CDK1 and then play an anti-hyperplasia role, which provides an experimental basis for clarifying the material basis of Xihuang Pills for anti-hyperplasia effect.

Effects of mycorrhizal planting on small molecular chemical components of Dendrobium officinale / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to provide a scientific basis for the application of the mycorrhizal planting technology of Dendrobium officinale by investigating the effects of mycorrhizal planting on the fingerprints of D. officinale and the content of six chemical components. Seventeen samples of D. officinale under mycorrhizal and conventional planting were collected from four regions, such as Jinhua of Zhejiang. The HPLC fingerprints were established to evaluate the similarity of the samples. The content of six chemical components of the samples was determined by HPLC. There were 15 common peaks in the fingerprints, and five of them were identified by marker compounds, which were naringenin, 4,4'-dihydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybibenzyl, 3,4'-dihydroxy-5-methoxybibenzyl, 3',4-dihydroxy-3,5'-dimethoxybibenzyl(gigantol), and 3,4-dihydroxy-4',5-dimethoxybibenzyl(DDB-2). The similarities of the fingerprints of mycorrhizal and conventional planting samples and the control fingerprint were in the ranges of 0.733-0.936 and 0.834-0.942, respectively. The influences of mycorrhizal planting on fingerprints were related to planting regions, the germplasm of D. officianle, and the amount of fungal agent. The content of six chemical components in the samples varied greatly, and the content of DDB-2 was the highest, ranging from 69.83 to 488.47 μg·g~(-1). The mycorrhizal planting samples from Chongming of Shanghai and Taizhou of Jiangsu showed an increase in the content of 5-6 components, while samples from Zhangzhou of Fujian and Jinhua of Zhejiang showed an increase in the content of 1-2 components. The results showed that mycorrhizal planting technology did not change the chemical profile of small molecular chemical components of D. officinale, but affected the content of chemical components such as bibenzyls, which has a good application prospect.

Effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 on male reproductive function / 中华内分泌代谢杂志

With the younger onset of diabetes, the reproductive dysfunction caused by diabetes has received widespread attention. Hyperglycemia and insulin resistance, the main features of diabetes, are high-risk factors for male reproductive dysfunction. Obesity, the common co-morbidity of diabetes, may aggravate the progression of reproductive dysfunction. Glucagon-like peptide-1(GLP-1) and its receptor agonists improve the overall health status by lowering blood glucose, reducing body weight, and inhibiting inflammatory response, which indirectly exerts protective effects on the reproductive system. GLP-1 also protects reproductive function by regulating the neuroendocrine function, and directly acting on the supporting cells and interstitial cells of the testis. However, some studies did not find the protective effects. High-quality clinical studies are needed. GLP-1 receptor agonists may be a therapeutic option to improve reproductive dysfunction in diabetic men.

Reflection on the standardized training of geriatric specialists under the background of "the aging of population" / 中华医学教育探索杂志

With the intensive aging of the population, it's imperative and important to train a number of geriatric specialists. Essential clinical knowledge and skills as well as accomplishment of medical humanistic spirit are core competences of an eligible geriatrician. The standardized training of geriatric specialists is facing a few challenges such as incomplete comprehension of the training program and trainees, a lack of enough trainees, and a lack of standardized management for the program. An efficient social support system, a normative educational training system, an effective supervision and evaluation system, first-class teaching staff, and qualified trainees are important guarantees for the standardized training program.

Clinical efficacy of fire needling combined with cupping therapy on herpes zoster of acute stage and the effect on Th17/Treg cellular immune balance / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the clinical efficacy between the combined therapy of fire needling and cupping, and western medication on herpes zoster of acute stage, as well as the effects on Th17 and Treg cells and inflammatory factors, i.e. IL-10 and IL-17 in the peripheral blood.@*METHODS@#Eighty patients with herpes zoster of acute stage were randomly divided into a combined therapy (fire needling plus cupping) group and a western medication group, 40 cases in each one. In the combined therapy group, the pricking and scattering techniques with fire needle were used at ashi points and Jiaji (EX-B 2) corresponding to the affected spinal segments; afterwards, cupping therapy was delivered. The combined treatment was given once daily. In the western medication group, valaciclovir hydrochloride tablet and vitamin B1 tablet were administered orally. The duration of treatment in each group was 10 days. Before each treatment from day 1 to day 10 and on day 11 , the score of symptoms and physical signs was observed in the two groups separately. Before each treatment from day 1 to day 10 and on day 11, 30, 60, the score of visual analogue scale (VAS) and skin lesion indexes were observed in the two groups. On day 60, the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia was recorded in the two groups. The levels of Th17 and Treg cells, Th17/Treg ratio in the peripheral blood, as well as serum levels of IL-10 and IL-17 were detected before and after treatment in the two groups. The clinical efficacy was compared between the two groups.@*RESULTS@#From day 6 to day 10 during treatment and on day 11, the scores of symptoms and physical signs in the combined therapy group were lower than those of the western medication group (P<0.05, P<0.01). On day 3, day 6 to day 10 during treatment and day 11, day 30, VAS scores in the combined therapy group were lower than those of the western medication group (P<0.05, P<0.01). On day 60, the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia in the combined therapy group was lower compared with that in the western medication group (P<0.05). The blister arresting time and scabbing time in the combined therapy group were shorter than those of the western medication group (P<0.05). After treatment, the level of Th17, and Th17/Treg ratio in the peripheral blood, as well as the serum levels of IL-10 and IL-17 were all lower in comparison with those in the western medication group (P<0.05). The curative and remarkably effective rate was 82.5% (33/40) in the combined therapy group, higher than 62.5% (25/40) in the western medication group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The early application of fire needling combined with cupping therapy can effectively treat herpes zoster of acute stage, relieve pain, and reduce the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia, which may be related to reducing the levels of Th17 and Treg cells, and Th17/Treg ratio in the peripheral blood, as well as the serum levels of IL-10 and IL-17 so that the cellular immune balance is modulated.

Association Between Antibiotic Overexposure and Adverse Outcomes in Very-Low-Birth-Weight Infants Without Culture-Proven Sepsis or Necrotizing Enterocolitis: A Multicenter Prospective Study

Objectives To explore the associations between higher antibiotic use rates (AURs) and adverse outcomes in very-low-birthweight (VLBW) infants without culture-proven sepsis or necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in a multicenter of China. Methods A prospective cohort study was performed on VLBW infants admitted to 24 neonatal intensive care units from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2018. AUR was calculated as calendar days of antibiotic therapy divided by total hospital days. The composite primary outcome was defned as mortality or severe morbidity, including any of the following: severe neurologic injury, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), and stage 3 or higher retinopathy of prematurity. Results A total of 1,034 VLBW infants who received antibiotics without culture-proven sepsis or NEC were included in this study. The overall AUR of eligible VLBW infants was 55%, and the AUR of each eligible VLBW infant ranged from 3 to 100%, with a median of 56% (IQR 33%, 86%). After generalized propensity score and logistic regression analysis of 4 groups of VLBW infants with diferent AUR range, infants in the higher quartile AUR, (Q3, 0.57~0.86) and (Q4, 0.87~1.00), had higher odds of composite primary outcome (adjusted OR: 1.81; 95% CI: 1.23–2.67; adjusted OR 2.37; 95% CI: 1.59–3.54, respectively) and BPD (adjusted OR: 3.09; 95% CI: 1.52–6.57; adjusted OR 3.17; 95% CI: 1.56–6.57, respectively) than those in the lowest AUR (Q1). Conclusions Antibiotic overexposure in VLBW infants without culture-proven sepsis or NEC was associated with increased risk of composite primary outcome and BPD. Rational empirical antibiotic use in VLBW infants is urgently needed in China.

Effect of Danggui Niantongtang on Autophagy and Apoptosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis Fibroblast-like Synoviocyte / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of Danggui Niantongtang （DGNTT） on cell apoptosis and autophagy in rheumatoid arthritis （RA） fibroblast-like synoviocytes （FLS）. MethodRA-FLS were isolated and cultured from the synovial tissue of RA patients. The cells were treated with 10% blank serum （blank control group）， 10% sera containing low， medium and high doses of DGNTT. Wound healing assa and cell invasion test were applied to observe the effect of RA-FLS invasion technique. The apoptosis and autophagy level of RA-FLS cells was detected by Hoechst33342 method and monodansylcadaverine （MDC） staining. The mRNA and protein expression levels of B cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）， Bcl-2 associated X protein （Bax）， microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 （LC3）， autophagy key molecular yeast Atg6 homolog 1 （Beclin1） were detected by Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR）and Western blot. ResultCompared with the blank control group，each dose of serum could slow down the wound healing and significantly Reduce the number of RA-FLS cells invading the lower chamber（P<0.01），the mRNA and protein expression levels of Bcl-2，LC3，Beclin1 were significantly decreased（P<0.01）， and Bax were significantly increased（P<0.01）. Hoechst33342 results showed that low， medium and high doses DGNTT could promote RA-FLS cell apoptosis. After MDC staining，autophagosome in low， medium and high doses DGNTT decreased significantly（P<0.01）. ConclusionDanggui Niantongtang can effectively inhibit the proliferation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes. Its mechanism may be related to promote apoptosis and inhibit autophagy of fibroblast-like synoviocytes.

Effect of Danggui Niantongtang on Expression of Autophagy-related Proteins LC3， Beclin1 and p62 in Rats with Adjuvant Arthritis Differentiated into Wind-damp-heat Impediment / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the preventive and control effects of Danggui Niantongtang against adjuvant arthritis differentiated into wind-damp-heat impediment in rats and its influences on the expression of autophagy-related proteins microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 （LC3）， homolog of yeast Atg6 （Beclin1） and p62. MethodThe six-week-old male SD rats were randomly divided into the normal group， wind-damp-heat impediment model group， low-， medium-， and high-dose Danggui Niantongtang （5.67， 11.34， 22.68 g·kg-1） groups， and methotrexate （MTX， 1.35 mg·kg-1） group， with 10 rats in each group. A rat model of adjuvant arthritis was established by subcutaneous injection of inactivated Mycobacterium tuberculosis into the tail root， followed by exposure to the manual climatic box for 16 d for inducing the wind-damp-heat impediment. The drugs were administered intragastrically on the day of immunization for 28 d. The general conditions of rats were observed and the swelling degree of toes and arthritis index （AI） were detected. The pathological changes in the synovial tissues of the knee joints were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. The mRNA expression levels of LC3， Beclin1， and p62 in the synovial tissues were measured by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）， followed by the assay of their protein expression by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. ResultCompared with the normal group， the wind-damp-heat impediment model group exhibited significantly increased swelling degree of toes （P<0.01）， increased AI （P<0.01）， proliferated synovial cells （P<0.01）， up-regulated LC3 and Beclin1 protein and mRNA expression （P<0.01）， and down-regulated p62 protein and mRNA expression （P<0.01） after 16， 20， 24， 28-d medication. Compared with the wind-damp-heat impediment model group， each medication group displayed alleviated toe swelling and synovial hyperplasia to different degrees， decreased mRNA and protein expression levels of LC3 and Beclin1 （P<0.01）， and increased p62 mRNA and protein expression （P<0.05，P<0.01）， with the best outcomes observed in the medium-dose Danggui Niantongtang group. ConclusionDanggui Niantongtang effectively relieves adjuvant arthritis due to wind-damp-heat impediment in rats， which may be related to its regulation of the expression of autophagy-related proteins LC3， Beclin1， and p62 and the inhibition of autophagy.

Effect of Anti-Oxidative of Ethyl Pyruvate and Taurine on the Red Blood Cell Storage at 4 ℃ / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the anti-oxidative effect of ethyl pyruvate (EP) and taurine (TAU) on the quality of red blood cells stored at 4±2 ℃, hemolysis, energy metabolism and lipid peroxidation of the red blood cells in the preservation solution were studied at different intervals.@*METHODS@#At 4±2 ℃, the deleukocyte red blood cells were stored in the citrate-phosphate-dextrosesaline-adenine-1 (CPDA-1) preservation (control group), preservation solution with EP (EP-AS), and TAU (TAU-AS) for long-term preservation. The enzyme-linked immunoassay and automatic blood cell analyzer were used to detect hemolysis and erythrocyte parameters. Adenine nucleoside triphosphate (ATP), glycerol 2,3-diphosphate (2,3-DPG) and malondialdehyde (MDA) kits were used to test the ATP, 2,3-DPG and MDA concentration.@*RESULTS@#During the preservation, the rate of red blood cell hemolysis in EP-AS and TAU-AS groups were significantly lower than that in CPDA-1 group (P<0.01). The MCV of EP-AS group was increased with the preservation time (r=0.71), while the MCV of the TAU-AS group was significantly lower than that in the other two groups (P<0.05). The concentration of ATP and MDA in EP-AS and TAU-AS groups were significantly higher than that in CPDA-1 group at the 14th day (P<0.01). The concentrations of 2,3-DPG in the EP-AS and TAU-AS groups were significantly higher than that in the CPDA-1 group from the 7th day (P<0.01).@*CONCLUSION@#EP and TAU can significantly reduce the red blood cell hemolysis rate, inhibit the lipid peroxidation level of red blood cells, and improve the energy metabolism of red blood cells during storage. The mechanism of EP and TAU may be related to their antioxidation and membrane protection effect, so as to improve the red blood cell quality and extend the preservation time.

Oxidative Damage to BV2 Cells by Trichloroacetic Acid: Protective Role of Boron via the p53 Pathway / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

This study aimed to investigate the neurotoxicity induced by trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and the possible protective mechanisms of boron (B). Mouse BV2 cells were treated with TCA (0, 0.39, 0.78, 1.56, 3.12, 6.25, or 12.5 mmol/L) and B (0, 7.8, 15.6, 31.25, 62.5, 125, 500, or 1,000 mmol/L) for 3 h and 24 h, respectively. Then, reactive oxygen species, and supernatant proinflammatory cytokine and protein levels were analyzed after 24 h of combined exposure. Beyond the dose-dependent decrease in the cellular viability, it clearly increased after B supplementation ( P < 0.05). Moreover, B decreased oxidative damage, and significantly down-regulated IL-6 levels and up-regulated TNF-β production ( P < 0.05). B also decreased apoptosis via the p53 pathway. The present findings indicated that TCA may induce oxidative damage, whereas B mitigates these adverse effects by decreasing cell apoptosis.