Antioxidant Minerals Modified the Association between Iron and Type 2 Diabetes in a Chinese Population.

Inconsistent findings exist regarding the relationship between heme iron intake and type 2 diabetes (T2D) among Western and Eastern populations. Easterners tend to consume a plant-based diet which is abundant in antioxidant minerals. To examine the hypothesis that antioxidant mineral may modify the relationship between iron and T2D, we performed a case-control study by measuring the serum mineral levels in 2198 Chinese subjects. A total of 2113 T2D patients and 2458 controls were invited; 502 T2D patients and 1696 controls were finally analyzed. In the total population, high serum iron showed a positive association with T2D odds (odds ratio [OR] = 1.27 [1.04, 1.55]); high magnesium (OR = 0.18 [0.14, 0.22]), copper (OR = 0.27 [0.21, 0.33]), zinc (OR = 0.37 [0.30, 0.46]), chromium (OR = 0.61 [0.50, 0.74]), or selenium concentrations (OR = 0.39 [0.31, 0.48]) were inversely associated with T2D odds. In contrast, in individuals with higher magnesium (>2673.2 µg/dL), zinc (>136.7 µg/dL), copper (>132.1 µg/dL), chromium (>14.0 µg/dL), or selenium concentrations (>16.8 µg/dL), serum iron displayed no association with T2D (p > 0.05). Serum copper and magnesium were significant modifiers of the association between iron and T2D in individuals with different physiological status (p < 0.05). Our findings support the idea that consuming a diet rich in antioxidant minerals is an effective approach for preventing T2D.

Micronutrient Supplementation to Reduce Cardiovascular Risk.

BACKGROUND: Healthy dietary patterns are rich in micronutrients, but their influence on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risks has not been systematically quantified. OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to provide a comprehensive and most up-to-date evidence-based map that systematically quantifies the impact of micronutrients on CVD outcomes. METHODS: This study comprised a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled intervention trials of micronutrients on CVD risk factors and clinical events. RESULTS: A total of 884 randomized controlled intervention trials evaluating 27 types of micronutrients among 883,627 participants (4,895,544 person-years) were identified. Supplementation with n-3 fatty acid, n-6 fatty acid, l-arginine, l-citrulline, folic acid, vitamin D, magnesium, zinc, α-lipoic acid, coenzyme Q10, melatonin, catechin, curcumin, flavanol, genistein, and quercetin showed moderate- to high-quality evidence for reducing CVD risk factors. Specifically, n-3 fatty acid supplementation decreased CVD mortality (relative risk [RR]: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.88-0.97), myocardial infarction (RR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.78-0.92), and coronary heart disease events (RR: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.80-0.93). Folic acid supplementation decreased stroke risk (RR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.72-0.97), and coenzyme Q10 supplementation decreased all-cause mortality events (RR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.49-0.94). Vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, and selenium showed no effect on CVD or type 2 diabetes risk. ß-carotene supplementation increased all-cause mortality (RR: 1.10; 95% CI: 1.05-1.15), CVD mortality events (RR: 1.12; 95% CI: 1.06-1.18), and stroke risk (RR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.01-1.17). CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation of some but not all micronutrients may benefit cardiometabolic health. This study highlights the importance of micronutrient diversity and the balance of benefits and risks to promote and maintain cardiovascular health in diverse populations. (Antioxidant Supplementation in the Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases; CRD42022315165).

[Mechanism of Panlongqi Tablets intervening in vertebral artery type of cervical spondylosis in rats through PI3K/AKT signaling pathway based on network pharmacology and experimental verification].

This study aimed to further explore the relevant mechanism of action by network pharmacology integrated with animal experimental verification based on previous proven effective treatment of vertebral artery type of cervical spondylosis(CSA) by Panlongqi Tablets. Bionetwork analysis was performed to establish drug-disease interaction network, and it was found that the key candidate targets of Panlongqi Tablets were enriched in multiple signaling pathways related to CSA pathological links, among which phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3 K)/serine-threonine kinase(AKT/PKB) signaling pathway was the most significant. Further, mixed modeling method was used to build the CSA rat model, and the rats were divided into normal, model, Panlongqi Tablets low-, medium-and high-dose(0.16, 0.32, 0.64 g·kg~(-1)) and Jingfukang Granules(positive drug, 1.35 g·kg~(-1)) groups. After successful modeling, the rats were administered for 8 consecutive weeks. Pathological changes of rat cervical muscle tissues were detected by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining, and the content of interleukin-1ß(IL-1ß), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), vascular endothelial cell growth factor(VEGF) and chemokine(C-C motif) ligand 2(CCL2) in rat serum and/or cervical tissues was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Western blot was employed to detect the protein expression levels of chemokine(C-C motif) receptor 2(CCR2), PI3 K, AKT, phosphorylated AKT(p-AKT), I-kappa-B-kinase beta(IKK-beta/IKKß), nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB P65) and phosphorylated nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB p-P65) in rat cervical tissues, and positive expression of p-NF-κB P65 in rat cervical muscle tissues was detected by immunofluorescence. The results showed that Panlongqi Tablets at different doses improved the degree of muscle fibrosis and inflammation in cervical muscle tissues of CSA rats, and reduced the content of inflammatory factors IL-1ß, TNF-α, VEGF, CCL2 and CCR2 in serum and/or cervical tissues. The protein expression levels of PI3 K, p-AKT, IKKß and p-NF-κB P65 as well as the nuclear entry of p-NF-κB P65 in cervical tissues were down-regulated. These findings suggest that Panlongqi Tablets can significantly inhibit the inflammatory response of CSA rats, and the mechanism of action may be related to the down-regulation of the activation of PI3 K/AKT signaling pathway.

Comparative Effects between Oral Lactoferrin and Ferrous Sulfate Supplementation on Iron-Deficiency Anemia: A Comprehensive Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials.

Ferrous sulfate is a commonly used iron supplement for the correction of iron-deficiency anemia but with frequent gastrointestinal side effects. Milk-derived iron-binding glycoprotein lactoferrin possesses well gastrointestinal tolerance and fewer side effects caused by the intake of high-dose iron. However, the underlying mechanism of the iron-enhancing effect of lactoferrin remains unclear. In addition, the comparative efficacies between lactoferrin and ferrous sulfate are also remained to be determined. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on published intervention studies to investigate how lactoferrin modulate iron metabolism and evaluate the comparative effects between lactoferrin and ferrous sulfate supplementation on iron absorption, iron storage, erythropoiesis and inflammation. Lactoferrin supplementation had better effects on serum iron (WMD: 41.44 ug/dL; p < 0.00001), ferritin (WMD: 13.60 ng/mL; p = 0.003) and hemoglobin concentration (11.80 g/dL; p < 0.00001), but a reducing effect on fractional iron absorption (WMD: −2.08%; p = 0.02) and IL-6 levels (WMD: −45.59 pg/mL; p < 0.00001) compared with ferrous sulfate. In conclusion, this study supports lactoferrin as a superior supplement to ferrous sulfate regarding the improvement in serum iron parameters and hemoglobin levels. Considering the weak influence of lactoferrin on iron absorption, the anti-inflammation effect of lactoferrin may be the potential mechanism to explain its efficacy on iron status and erythropoiesis.

[Effect of Jianpi Huogu Formula on function damage of vascular endothelial cells induced by glucocorticoid].

This study aimed to observe the intervention effect of Jianpi Huogu Formula(JPHGF) on the functional damage of vascular endothelial cells caused by glucocorticoid, and explore its action mechanism from the PI3 K/Akt and mitogen activated protein kinase(MAPK) signaling pathways. The extracted thoracic aorta ring of normal SD rats were intervened first with vascularendothelial growth factor(VEGF, 20 µg·L-1) and/or sodium succinate(MPS, 0. 04 g·L-1) in vitro and then with JPHGF(8, 16, and 32 µg·L-1) for five mcontinuous ethylpdays, rednisolofollowed nebythe statistics of the number, length, and area of microvessels budding fromvascular rings. In addition, the human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs) induced by VEGF(20 µg·L-1) were added with MPS(0. 04 g·L-1) and then with JPHGF(8, 16, and 32 µg·L-1) for observing the migration, invasion, and luminal formation abilities of HUVECs in the migration, invasion and luminal formation experiments. The protein expression levels of PI3 K, p-Akt, p-JN K, and p-ERK in HUVECs were assayed by Western blot. The results showed that JPHGF dose-dependently improved the num-ber,length, and area of microvessels in MPS-induced rat thoracic aortic ring, reversed the migration, invasion and lumen formation abiliti es of HUVECs reduced by MPS, and up-regulated the protein expression levels of PI3 K, p-Akt, and p-JNK in HUVECs. All thesehave suggested that JPHGF exerts the protective effect against hormone-induced damage to the angiogenesis of vascular endothelial cells by activating the PI3 K/Akt and MAPK signaling pathways, which has provided reference for exploring the mechanism of JPHGF in treating s teroid-induced avascular necrosis of femoral head(SANFH) and also the experimental evidence for enriching the scientific connotationof spleen-invigorating and blood-activating therapy.

Effects of dietary polyphenol supplementation on iron status and erythropoiesis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: The iron-chelating activities of polyphenols raise concern whether there is a risk of iron deficiency or anemia induced by polyphenol supplementation. Results from clinical trials regarding the effects of polyphenol supplementation on iron status and erythropoiesis are inconclusive. OBJECTIVE: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to determine the effects of polyphenol supplementation on iron status and erythropoiesis. METHODS: Published articles were searched between May 1988 and 7 December, 2020. Finally, we identified 34 randomized controlled trials. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed to obtain the weighted mean difference of serum iron (SI), transferrin saturation (TS), ferritin, and hemoglobin concentration. Funnel plots and Egger's test were used to determine the risk of bias. The robustness of the effect sizes was examined by sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Polyphenol supplementation had an inhibitory effect on the SI concentration (-13.72 µg/dL; 95% CI: -20.74, -6.71) and TS (-3.10%; 95% CI: -4.93, -1.27), with no effect on ferritin (-9.34 ng/mL; 95% CI: -28.55, 9.87). Polyphenols increased the hemoglobin concentration (8.53 g/L; 95% CI: 3.33, 13.73). In healthy participants, polyphenol reduced the TS (-3.83%; 95% CI: -7.47, -0.19) and increased the hemoglobin concentration (12.87 g/L; 95% CI: 1.61, 24.14). Similarly, polyphenol reduced the SI concentration (-8.60 µg/dL; 95% CI: -16.10, -1.10) and increased the hemoglobin concentration (8.50 g/L; 95% CI: 0.86, 16.15) in patients with metabolic diseases. In patients with ß-thalassemia, polyphenol decreased the SI concentration (-23.19 µg/dL; 95% CI: -35.84, -10.55), TS (-3.23%; 95% CI: -5.54, -0.91), and ferritin concentration (-223.62 ng/mL; 95% CI: -359.32, -87.91), but had no effect on the hemoglobin concentration. CONCLUSION: Healthy individuals and patients with metabolic diseases may benefit from the positive impact of polyphenols on erythropoiesis. Patients with ß-thalassemia may benefit from the effect of polyphenols on reducing SI. This trial was registered at PROSPERO (International prospective register of systematic reviews) as CRD42020161983.

Wilson Disease With Novel Compound Heterozygote Mutations in the ATP7B Gene Presenting With Severe Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between ATP7B mutations and diabetes in Wilson disease (WD). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 21 exons and exon-intron boundaries of ATP7B were identified by Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: Two novel compound heterozygous mutations (c.525 dupA/ Val176Serfs*28 and c.2930 C>T/ p.Thr977Met) were detected in ATP7B. After d-penicillamine (D-PCA) therapy, serum aminotransferase and ceruloplasmin levels in this patient were normalized and levels of HbA1c decreased. However, when the patient ceased to use D-PCA due to an itchy skin, serum levels of fasting blood glucose increased. Dimercaptosuccinic acid capsules were prescribed and memory recovered to some extent, which was accompanied by decreased insulin dosage for glucose control by 5 units. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of diabetes caused by WD.

[Comparative study on chronic multiple organ injury in normal rats caused by high dose of Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets from 6 different manufacturers].

The aim of this paper was to compare different effects of Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets from 6 different manufacturers on multiple organ injuries in rats and to explore mechanism of hepatotoxicity preliminarily from the perspective of apoptosis and oxidative stress. Rats were randomly divided into the groups normal, Zhejiang, Hunan, Hubei, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Fujian(7 groups with 16 rats in each group, sex in half). Rats were given Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets at 144 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)(16 times the clinical equivalent dose) once a day according to its corresponding group like rats in Zhejiang group was given Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets from Zhejiang manufactures continuously for 20 days with the life and death situation of mice to be observed, then rats were executed to detect various indicators. RESULTS:: showed that 8 female rats in Zhejiang group died after 15 days of administration, the serum NEUT of rats in Hubei, Fujian and Shanghai groups was significantly lower than that of normal rats. The serum AST, ALT and/or TBiL levels were increased in all rats, and serum BUN and/or CRE levels of rats were also increased in Hunan, Hubei, Fujian and Shanghai groups. In dosage groups, testicular and ovarian coefficients of rats were reduced, the number of sperm were significant decreased while the rate of sperm malformation increased and sperm dynamics parameters of normal, especially in Jiangsu and Zhejiang groups. Liver histopathology and apoptosis of liver cells were observed in dosage groups, especially in Jiangsu and Hubei groups. In liver, Nrf2, HO-1 and Bcl-2 were inhibited and the protein expression level of Bax were increased simultaneously in dosage groups. These results showed that all Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets from 6 manufacturers could lead to chronic multiple organ injuries with disparate specialties in rats, and Jiangsu and Zhejiang groups were more toxic. It could be the mechanism promoting mitochondrial mediated Bax/Bcl-2 cell apoptosis signaling pathway and negatively regulating Nrf2/HO-1 oxidative stress signaling pathway that Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets from 6 different manufacturers resulted in chronic liver injury, the results above were for reference only in subsequent study.

[Meta-analysis on safety of Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis].

To systematically evaluate the adverse drug reaction(ADR) of Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets(TGT) in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis(RA). Four Chinese databases(CNKI, VIP, WanFang, SinoMed) and three English databases(Cochrane Library, EMbase, PubMed), from the time of database establishing to August 2019, were systematically retrieved to collect literature on the treatment of all types of RA with TG. Screening literature and extracting data according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. All studies were assessed by using internationally recognized methodological quality assessment tools or reporting quality evaluation criteria, with data being extracted and Meta-analyzed. There were 79 studies included, randomized controlled trials(RCT) containing TGT in the treatment group, non-randomized controlled trials(non-RCT), case series, case reports, and RCT containing TGT only in the control group were covered. There were in the control group; 765 ADR of 2 214 patients in 30 RCT(treatment group given TGT), 11 non-RCT and 7 case reports. The results of Meta-analysis of these 48 literatures showed that the overall incidence of ADRs was 0.23(95%CI[0.22,0.24]); ADR mainly occured in the reproductive, gastrointestinal, skin and accessories, blood, hepatobiliary system damage and the incidence of ADR in systems mentioned about respectively were 0.14(95%CI[0.12,0.17]),0.07(95%CI[0.06,0.08]),0.06(95%CI[0.04,0.07]),0.04(95%CI[0.03,0.05]),0.04(95%CI[0.03,0.05]). Further subgroup analysis results showed that the incidence of total ADR, especially the gastrointestinal, reproductive and cutaneous ADR of patients with treatment alone was higher than that in those paients with MTX or MTX+LEF therapy; The incidence of ADR, especially the gastrointestinal ADR, was also positively correlated with daily dose and course of treatment, while the incidence of different systems ADR was also correlated with different drug manufacturers, for instance, damage on the female reproductive system occurs most frequently in Hunan manufacture TGT administration, same as the damage on skin and accessories induced by TGT from Jiangsu manufacture. Above all, The clinical treatment of TGT for RA will cause multi-system ADR, with the highest incidence in the reproductive system, followed by the gastrointestinal system, which is closely related to the way of medication(monotherapy), daily dose, course of medication and drug manufacturer. Therefore, it is recommended that, in the treatment of RA, using TGT in combination, low dose or short-course medication, take measures to protect the reproductive system, stomach and liver, and paying attention to the drug manufacturer as well response of patients during administration should be valued to avoid ADRs to the maximum possibility.

Extraction, isolation, immunoregulatory activity, and characterization of Alpiniae oxyphyllae fructus polysaccharides.

For further applications of Alpiniae oxyphyllae fructus in modern clinical medicine, Alpiniae oxyphyllae fructus polysaccharide (AOFP) was studied in the present work. The extraction conditions of AOFP were optimized by the response surface method with a Box-Behnken design. The maximum extraction rate of AOFP was 3.18%. An anion-exchange DEAE-52 cellulose column and a Sephadex G-100 gel column were used to isolate the AOFP, and three polysaccharides (AOFP1, AOFP2, AOFP3) were obtained. All three polysaccharides possessed immunoregulatory activity, but the effects of AOFP1 were greater than the other two polysaccharides. AOFP1 significantly stimulated Th1- and Th2-type immune responses and specific immune responses. Meanwhile, the characterization of AOFP1 was studied. AOFP1 was composed of arabinose, galactose, glucose, xylose, mannose, galacturonic acid, and glucuronic acid at a molar ratio of 16.46:12.7:4.9:17.11:4.35:6.52:6 with an average molecular weight of 43.4 kDa. These results suggest that AOFP1 can be developed as a natural immunomodulatory drug.

Discuss on the innovation of core concepts in the teaching of physiology / 中华医学教育探索杂志

Medical education reform mainly focused on the reform of the form and method of teaching but neglected the reform of the teaching concept that has truly penetrated into all aspects of teaching. With reference to the reflection on the teaching goal of physiology and the need of the cultivation of "post competency", the core concepts of physiological teaching are summarized into the following four aspects: "Three Outlooks" must be positive to help students establish a balanced view, a dialectical view, and a holistic view; "Three Fundamentals" should be solid to help students master basic knowledge structure system, cultivate basic knowledge acquisition ability, and improve basic operation skills; students should attach importance to learning and use; humanistic quality should be strengthened. The above core concepts have been widely recognized by students in teaching practice , and clinical medical students have significantly better evaluation of the core concepts than nursing students . Future direction of the subsequent teaching reform should be how to refine the contents of lectures under the guidance of the teaching concepts to adapt to the increasingly detailed specialities.

Discuss on the innovation of core concepts in the teaching of physiology / 中华医学教育探索杂志

Medical education reform mainly focused on the reform of the form and method of teaching but neglected the reform of the teaching concept that has truly penetrated into all aspects of teaching. With reference to the reflection on the teaching goal of physiology and the need of the cultivation of "post competency", the core concepts of physiological teaching are summarized into the following four aspects: "Three Outlooks" must be positive to help students establish a balanced view, a dialectical view, and a holistic view; "Three Fundamentals" should be solid to help students master basic knowledge structure system, cultivate basic knowledge acquisition ability, and improve basic operation skills; students should attach importance to learning and use; humanistic quality should be strengthened. The above core concepts have been widely recognized by students in teaching practice, and clinical medical students have significantly better evaluation of the core concepts than nursing students. Future direction of the subsequent teaching reform should be how to refine the contents of lectures under the guidance of the teaching concepts to adapt to the increasingly detailed specialities.

Ginseng oligopeptides protect against irradiation-induced immune dysfunction and intestinal injury.

Intestinal injury and immune dysfunction are commonly encountered after irradiation therapy. While the curative abilities of ginseng root have been reported in prior studies, there is little known regarding its role in immunoregulation of intestinal repairability in cancer patients treated with irradiation. Our current study aims to closely examine the protective effects of ginseng-derived small molecule oligopeptides (Panax ginseng C. A. Mey.) (GOP) against irradiation-induced immune dysfunction and subsequent intestinal injury, using in vitro and in vivo models. Expectedly, irradiation treatment resulted in increased intestinal permeability along with mucosal injury in both Caco-2 cells and mice, probably due to disruption of the intestinal epithelial barrier, leading to high plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and pro-inflammatory cytokines levels. However, when the cells were treated with GOP, this led to diminished concentration of plasma LPS and cytokines (IL-1 and TNF-α), suggesting its dampening effect on inflammatory and oxidative stress, and potential role in restoring normal baseline intestinal permeability. Moreover, the Caco-2 cells treated with GOP showed high trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and low FITC-dextran paracellular permeability when compared to the control group. This could be explained by the higher levels of tight junction proteins (ZO-1 and Occludin) expression along with reduced expression of the apoptosis-related proteins (Bax and Caspase-3) noticed in the GOP-treated cells, highlighting its role in preserving intestinal permeability, through prevention of their degradation while maintaining normal levels of expression. Further confirmatory in vivo data showed that GOP-treated mice exhibited high concentrations of lymphocytes (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+) in the intestine, to rescue the irradiation-induced damage and restore baseline intestinal integrity. Therefore, we propose that GOP can be used as an adjuvant therapy to attenuate irradiation-induced immune dysfunction and intestinal injury in cancer patients.

Suppression of TNF-α and free radicals reduces systematic inflammatory and metabolic disorders: Radioprotective effects of ginseng oligopeptides on intestinal barrier function and antioxidant defense.

Irradiation therapy is markedly associated with intestinal injure and oxidant stress. This study aimed to investigate the effects of ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Mey.) oligopeptides (GOP) on irradiation-induced intestinal injury and antioxidant defense in mice. BALB/c mice (8 weeks old) were randomly divided into six groups: vehicle control, irradiation control (IR), IR+whey protein [0.30 g/kg body weight (BW)], IR+GOP 0.15 g/kg BW, IR+GOP 0.30 g/kg BW and IR+GOP 0.60 g/kg BW. Postirradiation 30-day survival trial, white blood cells count and bone marrow hematopoietic system damage were performed to identify the injury degree induced by irradiation. Then, histopathology analysis was observed and intestinal permeability in vivo was quantified with fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine antioxidant ability, plasma inflammatory cytokines, diamine oxidase (DAO) and endotoxin (LPS) levels. The immunohistochemistry assay was used to analyze the expression levels of tight junction proteins. We found that GOP-treated mice exhibited lower concentrations of plasma LPS and DAO and decreased instructors of inflammatory and oxidative stress which were linked to the lower intestinal permeability and higher tight junction proteins expression. The blockage of GOP was linked with the reduction of TNF-α and free radicals. The 15-day pretreatment of GOP could exhibit radioprotective effects, and another 15-day posttreatment benefited the quick repair of irradiation-induced injury. We confirm that GOP would exhibit effective therapeutic value on attenuating irradiation-induced hematopoietic, gastrointestinal and oxidative injury in cancer patients.

Transcriptional network in ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3 treated with Pinellia pedatisecta Schott extract.

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal disease among the malignant tumors of female reproductive organs. Few successful therapeutic options exist for patients with ovarian cancer. The common therapeutic methods are surgical operation, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and combination of these treatments. In recent years, studies have indicated that Pinellia pedatisecta Schott (PPS), a traditional Chinese medicine, could inhibit tumor growth. In this study, we demonstrated that PPS extract could induce apoptosis in SKOV3 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. We further conducted transcriptome sequencing on PPS extract-treated SKOV3 cells along with controls, and identified 1,754 transcripts whose expression differs at least 3-fold over the controls. These differentially expressed transcripts include the apoptosis-related genes such as the caspase family members, and were significantly enriched in steroid biosynthesis in the KEGG pathway database compared with the transcriptome background. Most of the differentially expressed transcripts from this pathway were upregulated in PPS extract-treated cell line, indicating that PPS extract-induced apoptosis was accompanied by increased steroid biosynthesis (e.g. zymosterol). These results suggest that PPS extract could be a new cytostatic therapeutic agent for ovarian cancer.

Melatonin treatment of pre-veraison grape berries to increase size and synchronicity of berries and modify wine aroma components.

A comprehensive investigation was carried out to determine the effect of exogenous melatonin treatment of pre-veraison grapes on grape berries and its wines. Two melatonin treatments of pre-veraison grape berries increased the weight of the berries by approximately 6.6%. Meanwhile, this melatonin treatment could be beneficial in the reduction of underripe and overripe fruits and in enhancing the synchronicity of the berries. In addition, there were significant differences in the volatile compound composition between the wine produced from the melatonin-treated berries and the wines made from untreated berries. The wine from melatonin-treated pre-veraison grape berries had stronger fruity, spicy, and sweet sensory properties, compared to the wines made from untreated berries. Prolonging the treatment through repeated applications can enhance these effects and under different seasonal conditions, more pronounced effects on the grape quality and wine properties can be observed.

Electroacupuncture inhibits annulus fibrosis cell apoptosis in vivo via TNF-α-TNFR1-caspase-8 and integrin ß1/Akt signaling pathways.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether electroacupuncture (EA) treatment inhibited cell apoptosis of intervertebral annulus fibrosis (AF) via tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1)-caspase-8 and integrin ß1/Akt signaling pathways in a rat model of cervical intervertebral disc degeneration caused by unbalanced dynamic and static forces. METHODS: Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were included in this study, of which 24 rats underwent surgery to induce cervical intervertebral disc degeneration, while eight rats received EA treatment at Dazhui (GV 14). Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect TNF-α, TNFR1, and caspase-8. Apoptosis of AF cells was examined with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. The mRNA and protein expression levels of integrin ß1 and Akt were evaluated with real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis, respectively. RESULTS: Treatment with EA decreased TUNEL-positive AF cells and lowered TNF-α, TNFR1 and caspase-8 positive cells compared with control groups. EA treatment also increased integrin ß1 and Akt mRNA and protein levels compared with controls. CONCLUSION: Treatment with EA inhibits AF cell apoptosis through suppression of the TNF-α-TNFR1-caspase-8 signal pathway and increases the expression of integrin ß1 and Akt. EA may be a good alternative therapy for treating cervical spondylosis.

[Effect of electroacupuncture intervention on expression of extracellular matrix collagen and metabolic enzymes].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Dazhui" (GV 14) on the contents of extracellular matrix (ECM), collagen type II (COL-II), collagen type V (COL-V), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 in rats with cervicovertebral disc degeneration so as to explore its mechanism underlying relief of intervertebral disc degeneration. METHODS: A total of 28 SD rats were randomly divided into sham group (n = 7), model group (n = 7), EA group (n = 7) and medication group (n = 7). The model of cervical intervertebral disc degeneration was established by trans-section of the deep neck splenius, the longest muscles of head, neck costocervicalis, head semi-spinatus muscle, supraspinous ligament and interspinal ligaments of cervical 2-7 segments, etc. to produce imbalance between the dynamic and static force. EA was applied to "Dazhui" (GV 14) for 30 min, once daily for 28 days, with a 2 days' interval between two courses. Animals of the medication group were treated by oral administration of meloxicam tablets (0.75 mg/kg) once daily for 28 days, with a 2 days' interval between two courses. Immunohistochemistry was used to measure the expression of ECM, COL- II, COL-V, MMP-13 and TIMP-1 in the cervicovertebral disc tissue. RESULTS: Compared with the sham group, the expression levels of ECM and COL-II proteins in the cervicovertebral disc tissue were significantly decreased in the model group (P < 0.01), while COL-V and MMP-13 expression levels in the model group were significantly increased (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, both ECM and COL-Il expression levels were considerably increased in the EA group and medication group (P < 0.01), while COL-V and MMP-13 expression levels were considerably down-regulated (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). No significant differences were found among the four groups in TIMP-1 expression levels (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: EA of "Dazhui" (GV 14) can effectively regulate extracellular matrix system in rats with cervical intervertebral disc degeneration, which is possibly related to its effect in relieving cervical spondylosis.

Electroacupuncture inhibits apoptosis in annulus fibrosis cells through suppression of the mitochondria-dependent pathway in a rat model of cervical intervertebral disc degradation.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether treatment with electroacupuncture (EA) inhibited mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in annulus fibrosis (AF) cells in a rat model of cervical intervertebral disc degradation induced by unbalanced dynamic and static forces. Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study, of which 30 underwent surgery to induce cervical intervertebral disc degradation, 10 rats received EA at acupoints Dazhui (DU 14) and Shousanli (LI 10). TUNEL staining was measured to assess apoptosis in AF cells, immunohistochemistry was used to examine Bcl-2 and Bax expression, colorimetric assays were used to determine caspase 9 and caspase 3 activities and RT-PCR and western blotting were used to assess the mRNA and protein expression of Crk and ERK2. Treatment with EA reduced the number of AF-positive cells in TUNEL staining, increased Bcl-2-positive cells and decreased Bax-positive cells in immunohistochemical staining, significantly inhibited the activation of caspases-9 and -3, and enhanced the mRNA and protein expression of Crk and ERK2. Our data show that EA inhibits AF cell apoptosis via the mitochondria-dependent pathway and up-regulates Crk and ERK2 expression. These results suggest that treatment with may be a good alternative therapy for preventing cervical spondylosis.

Comparison and analysis on therapeutic effects of acupuncture plus massage therapy and drug on infantile diarrhea / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare therapeutic effects of acupuncture plus massage therapy and western medicine on infantile diarrhea.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 120 cases of infantile diarrhea were randomly divided into a treatment group of 80 cases and a control group of 40 cases. The treatment group were treated by acupuncture and massage therapy, and the control group by smecta.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The cured rate of 55.0% in the treatment group was better than 35.0% in the control group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Acupuncture plus massage therapy has obvious therapeutic effect on infantile diarrhea.</p>