Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease by Targeting M1/M2 Macrophage Polarization Balance with Traditional Chinese Medicine and Active Components： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Inflammatory bowel disease （IBD）， consisting of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease， is a chronic relapsing inflammatory gastrointestinal disease closely associated with immune dysfunction. The pathogenesis of IBD is closely related to genetic susceptibility， immune system dysfunction， environmental change， and intestinal microbial dysbiosis. Modern research has found that macrophage polarization plays an important role in the development of IBD and can affect the level of inflammatory response， intestinal mucosal repair， and intestinal microbial balance， making it a potential target for IBD treatment. Increasing evidence suggests that traditional Chinese medicine and its active components can regulate macrophage polarization through multiple pathways and balance the M1/M2 macrophage ratio， thus inhibiting inflammatory response， promoting intestinal mucosal repair， and slowing down the progression of IBD. This article summarized the biological processes and targets involved in macrophage polarization and discussed its impact on IBD. It also provided a brief overview of the latest research on how traditional Chinese medicine and its active components can improve IBD by regulating macrophage polarization， so as to provide new directions and strategies for the clinical application of traditional Chinese medicine in IBD treatment.

The Prevention and Treatment of Pulmonary Nodules “Nodule-cancer Transformation” Based on the View of “Disease with Latent Pathogen Induced by a New Pathogen” / 中医杂志

As one of the pathogenic mechanisms contained in The Inner Canon of Yellow Emperor （《黄帝内经》）， “disease with latent pathogen induced by a new pathogen” means that the induced new pathogen resulted to a combination of the latent previous pathogen and the new pathogen， which caused the disease. Based on this， it is believed that the change of “nodule-cancer transformation” of pulmonary nodules is actually based on the deficiency of original qi， and the new pathogen induces the latent pathogens like phlegm coagulation， qi stagnation， blood stasis， toxicity， so healthy qi can not drive the pathogens out， and the long-time detention generated into cancerous turbidity， and deve-loped into cancerous tumour at the end. Therefore， based on the three-stage treatment of unformed cancer， dense cancerous toxin， and developed cancer， the clinical practice applied six methods of clearing， expelling， dissipating， tonifying， harmonizing， and transforming， taking into account both the manifestation and root cause， moving the treatment window of pulmonary nodules forward， attacking the pathogens when the toxin was not yet overbearing， supporting the healthy qi before declining， delaying the process of nodules-cancer transformation， and providing ideas for the prevention and treatment of pulmonary nodules “nodule-cancer transformation” in traditional Chinese medicine.

Effects of intrinsic foot muscle strengthening on the medial longitudinal arch mobility and function: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To Investigate the effects of intrinsic foot muscle (IFM) strengthening on foot's medial longitudinal arch (MLA) mobility and function in healthy individuals. We also identified exercise type and resistance training characteristics (series and repetitions). METHODS: Eight databases were searched, between October 2020 and February 2021 and updated in May 2021. We included randomized controlled trials involving IFM strengthening exercises compared with controls (no exercise or exercises not involving isolated intrinsic foot muscle strengthening). Methodological quality of the studies was assessed using PEDro scale and Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Quality of evidence was evaluated using GRADE model (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations). RESULTS: Four randomized controlled trials (RCT) were included. IFM strengthening did not change MLA mobility in the short-term (4 weeks); however, it promoted medium-term effects (8 weeks - low quality of evidence). IFM exercises improved function in the short and medium-term (low quality of evidence). Most studies used the short-foot exercise and the toe-towel curl exercise with contractions of 5 s and load progression from sitting to standing. CONCLUSION: IFM strengthening exercises change MLA mobility in the medium-term (8 weeks) and improve the dynamic balance of healthy individuals in short- (4 weeks) and medium-terms.

Comprehensive Clinical Evaluation of Xueshuantong for Injection（Lyophilized） in Treatment of Acute Cerebral Infarction / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo systematically review the existing studies on Xueshuantong for injection（lyophilized） in the treatment of acute cerebral infarction（ACI）， and to clarify the clinical value of Xueshuantong for injection（lyophilized） through comprehensive clinical evaluation， so as to promote clinical rational drug use and relevant policy transformation. MethodEvidence of Xueshuantong for injection（lyophilized） in terms of safety， effectiveness， economy， innovation， suitability， accessibility， traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） characteristics（6+1 dimensions） and information service was comprehensively collected. Evidence-based medicine， questionnaire survey， health technology assessment， pharmacoeconomic evaluation and other research methods were used， and the multi-criteria decision analysis model was used to measure each dimension， in order to comprehensively evaluate the clinical value of Xueshuantong for injection（lyophilized）. ResultSpontaneous reporting system， Meta-analysis of adverse reactions， and active safety monitoring study showed that the main adverse reactions of Xueshuantong for injection（lyophilized） were rash， pruritus， chest tightness， headache， dizziness and other general adverse reactions， the incidence of serious adverse reactions was judged to be rare， the known risk was small， the evidence was sufficient， and the safety evaluation was grade A. The results of Meta-analysis showed that Xueshuantong for injection（lyophilized） combined with conventional treatment for ACI was superior to conventional treatment in terms of improving neurological deficit score， improving daily activity score and clinical efficacy， and the effectiveness evaluation was grade B. The results of pharmacoeconomic evaluation showed that Xueshuantong for injection（lyophilized） combined with conventional treatment was relatively economic compared with conventional treatment alone， with the total clinical effective rate as the effect parameter， but the incremental effect was not significant， the economic evaluation was grade B. In addition to ACI and unstable angina of coronary heart disease， the drug also had good clinical efficacy in central retinal vein occlusion， and had a wider range of indications and awarded 16 patents， and its innovation evaluation was grade B. The suitability of medical personnel and patients was good without special technical and management requirements， and the suitability was evaluated as grade B. Xueshuantong for injection（lyophilized） had reasonable price， good affordability， certain prescription restrictions and general availability， the accessibility evaluation was grade B. Since the drug is an injection of effective parts of TCM， no grade evaluation of its TCM characteristics is conducted. The legal and non-legal information evaluation results of Xueshuantong for injection（lyophilized） showed that all the information was complete and in accordance with the requirements of national standards. Based on the grade scores of the 6 dimensions， the clinical comprehensive evaluation of Xueshuantong for injection（lyophilized） in the treatment of ACI was calculated as category B by CSC 2.0. ConclusionThe clinical value of Xueshuantong for injection（lyophilized） is good， and it is suggested that it can be directly translated into relevant policy outcomes for basic clinical medication management.

Pathogenesis of Metabolic Remodeling of Energy Substrate Based on Theory of Deficient Qi Stagnation and Progress of Chinese Medicine Intervention / 中国实验方剂学杂志

In the case of cardiac dysfunction， energy metabolism changes and the metabolism of myocardial substrates is reconstructed， as manifested by variation in the selection and utilization of energy substrates such as fatty acids and glucose. Persistent metabolic disorders of substrates will decrease energy supply， thus resulting in the occurrence and development of heart failure. Metabolic remodeling of substrate is resulted from the decline of visceral function and the accumulation of pathological products. Deficient Qi stagnation is the core pathogenesis. Deficient Qi （heart Qi deficiency， insufficient energy） is the root cause， which exists in the whole disease course. Stagnation （phlegm， blood stasis， fluid， lipid toxic products， lactic acid， etc.） is the symptom， which evidences the aggravation of the disease. Deficient Qi and stagnation are intertwined and causal， which form a spiral vicious circle. The typical syndrome is excess resulted from deficiency and deficiency-excess in complexity. The treatment principle is reinforcing healthy Qi and tonifying deficiency， dredging and removing pathogen. At the early stage， the method of reinforcing healthy Qi and tonifying deficiency （benefiting Qi） should be used， and the method of dredging and removing pathogen （activating blood） can be applied according to the conditions of patients. At the middle and late stages， both reinforcing healthy Qi and tonifying deficiency （benefiting Qi and warming Yang） and dredging and removing pathogen （activating blood， resolving stasis， and excreting water） should be emphasized. Chinese medicine can be applied according to the pathogenesis， thereby promoting the utilization of fatty acids， glucose， and other substrates and reducing the accumulation of toxic products derived from metabolic remodeling of substrate. Thus， both the root cause and symptoms can be alleviated， further improving cardiac energy metabolism and heart function.

Clinical Efficacy of Niaoxue No.1 Prescription in Treatment of Henoch-Schönlein Purpura Nephritis with Blood Heat and Stasis Syndrome in Children / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical efficacy of Niaoxue No.1 Prescription in treating Henoch-Schönlein purpura （HSP） nephritis with blood heat and stasis syndrome and its effect on urine erythrocyte， urine protein， blood neutrophils， and blood routine-derived indicators. MethodA multicenter， randomized controlled trial （RCT） was conducted involving 108 HSP nephritis patients from three hospitals. The patients were randomly divided into a control group （54 cases） and a treatment group （54 cases）. The treatment group received Niaoxue No.1 prescription once daily， while the control group was treated with captopril and ferulic acid tablets. Both groups underwent a 4-week course of treatment. The urine erythrocyte， urine microalbumin （mAlb）， urine sediment red blood cell count， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome score， 24-hour urine protein， blood neutrophil count， neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio （NLR）， platelet to lymphocyte ratio （PLR）， lymphocyte to monocyte ratio （LMR）， D-dimer， and immunoglobulin A were detected. The recurrence rate of HSP nephritis was followed up for 6 months. ResultThe total effective rates were 88.9% （48/54） in the treatment group and 70.4% （38/54） in the control group， and the treatment group was superior to the control group （χ2=5.708， P<0.05）. Compared with the results before treatment， after 14 days of treatment， the TCM syndrome total score， urine erythrocyte， urine mAlb， and 24-hour urine protein in both groups significantly decreased （P<0.05，P<0.01）， and the improvement was more significant in the treatment group than the control group （P<0.05）. After 28 days of treatment， compared with the results before treatment， the TCM syndrome total score， urine erythrocyte， urine mAlb， urine sediment red blood cell count， D-dimer， and 24-hour urine protein in both groups significantly decreased （P<0.05，P<0.01）， with the treatment group showing a more significant reduction in urine mAlb than the control group （P<0.05）. On the 14th and 28th days of treatment， the neutrophil percentage and NLR were lower in the treatment group than in the control group （P<0.05）， while there was no statistically significant difference in PLR and LMR. The recurrence rate of nephritis in both groups showed no statistically significant difference after a 6-month follow-up. ConclusionNiaoxue No.1 Prescription in the treatment of HSP nephritis with blood heat and stasis syndrome can significantly improve clinical symptoms， shorten the course of the disease， and reduce urine erythrocyte， urine mAlb， 24-hour urine protein， blood neutrophils， and NLR， thereby effectively alleviating the inflammatory state and reducing kidney damage in children with HSP nephritis.

Effects of acupuncture on hemorrhagic transformation and motor function in stroke patients after intravenous thrombolysis with rt-PA: a prospective cohort study / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effects of the Xingnao Kaiqiao (regaining consciousness and opening orifices) acupuncture on hemorrhagic transformation and limb motor function after intravenous thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) in stroke patients.@*METHODS@#A total of 130 stroke patients after rt-PA thrombolytic were divided into an acupuncture group (58 cases, 1 case dropped off) and a non-acupuncture group (72 cases, 7 cases dropped off) according to whether they received acupuncture treatment. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to match each group, with 38 patients in each group. The patients in the non-acupuncture group received rt-PA thrombolytic therapy and western medical basic treatment. In addition to the basic treatment, the patients in the acupuncture group received Xingnao Kaiqiao acupuncture at Shuigou (GV 26), bilateral Neiguan (PC 6), and ipsilateral Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Chize (LU 5), once a day for 14 days. The incidence of hemorrhagic transformation within 30 days after onset was compared between the two groups. The Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) score and activities of daily living (ADL) score were observed at baseline and 30 days, 6 months, 1 year after onset in the two groups. The disability rate at 6 months and 1 year after onset was recorded, and safety was evaluated in both groups.@*RESULTS@#The incidence of hemorrhagic transformation in the acupuncture group was 5.3% (2/38), which was lower than 21.1% (8/38) in the non-acupuncture group (P<0.05). At 30 days, 6 month, and 1 year after onset, the FMA and ADL scores of both groups were higher than those at baseline (P<0.01), and the scores in the acupuncture group were higher than those in the non-acupuncture group (P<0.01). The disability rate in the acupuncture group at 1 year after onset was 10.5% (4/38), which was lower than 28.9% (11/38) in the non-acupuncture group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between the two groups (P>0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The Xingnao Kaiqiao acupuncture method could reduce the incidence of hemorrhagic transformation in stroke patients after intravenous thrombolysis with rt-PA, improve their motor function and daily living ability, and reduce the long-term disability rate.

Effects and mechanisms of total flavones of Abelmoschus manihot in attenuating diabetic tubulopathy by targeting endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced cell apoptosis / 中国中药杂志

Renal tubular injury in patients with diabetic kidney disease(DKD) may be accompanied by glomerular and microvascular diseases. It plays a critical role in the progression of renal damage in DKD, and is now known as diabetic tubulopathy(DT). To explore the multi-targeted therapeutic effects and pharmacological mechanisms in vivo of total flavones of Abelmoschus manihot(TFA), an extract from traditional Chinese medicine for treating kidney disease, in attenuating DT, the authors randomly divided all rats into four groups: a normal control group(normal group), a DT model group(model group), a DT model+TFA-treated group(TFA group) and a DT model+rosiglitazone(ROS)-treated group(ROS group). The DT rat model was established based on the DKD rat model by means of integrated measures. After successful modeling, the rats in the four groups were continuously given double-distilled water, TFA suspension, and ROS suspension, respectively by gavage every day. After 6 weeks of treatment, all rats were sacrificed, and the samples of their urine, blood, and kidneys were collected. The effects of TFA and ROS on various indicators related to urine and blood biochemistry, renal tubular injury, renal tubular epithelial cell apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress(ERS), as well as the activation of the protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase(PERK)-eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α(eIF2α)-activating transcription factor 4(ATF4)-C/EBP homologous protein(CHOP) signaling pathway in the kidney of the DT model rats were investigated. The results indicated that hypertrophy of renal tubular epithelial cells, renal tubular hyperplasia and occlusion, as well as interstitial extracellular matrix and collagen deposition occurred in the DT model rats. Moreover, significant changes were found in the expression degree and the protein expression level of renal tubular injury markers. In addition, there was an abnormal increase in tubular urine proteins. After TFA or ROS treatment, urine protein, the characteristics of renal tubular injury, renal tubular epithelial cell apoptosis and ERS, as well as the activation of the PERK-eIF2α-ATF4-CHOP signaling pathway in the kidney of the DT model rats were improved to varying degrees. Therein, TFA was superior to ROS in affecting the pathological changes in renal tubule/interstitium. In short, with the DT model rats, this study demonstrated that TFA could attenuate DT by multiple targets through inhibiting renal tubular ERS-induced cell apoptosis in vivo, and its effect and mechanism were related to suppressing the activation of the PERK-eIF2α-ATF4-CHOP signaling pathway in the kidney. These findings provided preliminary pharmacological evidence for the application of TFA in the clinical treatment of DT.

Ginsenoside Rg_3 based liposomes target delivery of dihydroartemisinin and paclitaxel for treatment of triple-negative breast cancer / 中国中药杂志

Ginsenoside Rg_3, an active component of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), was used as the substitute for cholesterol as the membrane material to prepare the ginsenoside Rg_3-based liposomes loaded with dihydroartemisinin and paclitaxel. The effect of the prepared drug-loading liposomes on triple-negative breast cancer in vitro was evaluated. Liposomes were prepared with the thin film hydration method, and the preparation process was optimized by single factor experiments. The physicochemical properties(e.g., particle size, Zeta potential, and stability) of the liposomes were characterized. The release behaviors of drugs in different media(pH 5.0 and pH 7.4) were evaluated. The antitumor activities of the liposomes were determined by CCK-8 on MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 cells. The cell scratch test was carried out to evaluate the effect of the liposomes on the migration of MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 cells. Further, the targeting ability of liposomes and the mechanism of lysosome escape were investigated. Finally, H9c2 cells were used to evaluate the potential cardiotoxicity of the preparation. The liposomes prepared were spheroid, with uniform particle size distribution, the ave-rage particle size of(107.81±0.01) nm, and the Zeta potential of(2.78±0.66) mV. The encapsulation efficiency of dihydroartemisinin and paclitaxel was 57.76%±1.38% and 99.66%±0.07%, respectively, and the total drug loading was 4.46%±0.71%. The accumulated release of dihydroartemisinin and paclitaxel from the liposomes at pH 5.0 was better than that at pH 7.4, and the liposomes could be stored at low temperature for seven days with good stability. Twenty-four hours after administration, the inhibition rates of the ginsenoside Rg_3-based liposomes loaded with dihydroartemisinin(70 μmol·L~(-1)) and paclitaxel on MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 cells were higher than those of the positive control(adriamycin) and free drugs(P<0.01). Compared with free drugs, liposomes inhibited the migration of MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 cells(P<0.05). Liposomes demonstrated active targeting and lysosome escape. In particular, liposomes showed lower toxicity to H9c2 cells than free drugs(P<0.05), which indicated that the preparation had the potential to reduce cardiotoxicity. The findings prove that ginsenoside Rg_3 characterized by the combination of drug and excipient is an ideal substitute for lipids in liposomes and promoted the development of innovative TCM drugs for treating cancer.

Association between periconceptional supplementation of folic acid or multiple-micronutrients containing folic acid and preterm delivery in women / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the association between periconceptional supplementation of folic acid or multiple-micronutrients containing folic acid(MMFA) and risk of preterm delivery in women with natural conception, singleton pregnancy and vaginal delivery.@*METHODS@#A retrospective cohort study was performed based on the prenatal health care system and hospital information system of Tongzhou Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Beijing and the women who had their prenatal care in the hospital from January 2015 to December 2018 were included. The information of 16 332 women who conceived naturally, had a singleton pregnancy, and delivered vaginally was collected. Compliance scores were constructed based on the time of initiation and the frequency of taking nutritional supplements. The association between maternal periconceptional micronutrient supplementation, including pure folic acid (FA) pills or MMFA and the rate of preterm delivery was evaluated using Logistic regression models.@*RESULTS@#The preterm delivery rate (gestational week < 37 weeks) of the study population was 3.8%, and the mean (standard deviation) of gestational age was (38.98±1.37) weeks. A total of 6 174 (37.8%) women took FA during the periconceptional period, 8 646 (52.9%) women took MMFA, and 1 512 (9.3%) women did not take any nutritional supplements. The association between periconceptional supplementation of FA or MMFA and risk of preterm delivery in women was not statistically significant [adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=1.01, 95%CI: 0.74-1.37]. The associations with preterm birth were not statistically significant in further analysis by the type of nutritional supplements, time of initiation, and the frequency of supplementation. In addition, the association between the compliance score of taking supplements and the rate of preterm delivery was not statistically significant, either.@*CONCLUSION@#This study did not find an association between the risk of preterm delivery and the use of FA or MMFA during the periconcep-tional period in women with natural conception, singleton pregnancy, and vaginal delivery. In the future, multicenter studies with large-scale prospective cohort or population-based randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm the association between taking FA or MMFA during the periconceptional period and preterm delivery among women.

Exploration in the medication law and core TCM prescriptions of Jia Yuejin in the treatment of coronary heart disease complicated with depression based on the "target-component-Chinese materia medica" and clinical data / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective:To explore the medication law and core TCM prescriptions of Jia Yuejin in the treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD) complicated with depressive disorder (DD) by analyzing target-based network and mining clinical data.Methods:The targets of CHD complicated with DD were obtained by GeneCards, OMIM, TTD and other databases, and then the protein-protein interaction network of the two disease targets was constructed and then screened out the core targets. The Metascape platform was used to perform GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis on the intersection targets respectively to analyze the mechanism of action of CHD complicated with DD. Then TCMSP was used to query the active components acting on the targets and the Chinese materia medica containing these active components, and the data were imported into Cytoscape 3.9.0 to construct the core target-active component-Chinese materia medica network for network topology analysis. The outpatient clinical data of Jia Yuejin from January 1, 2015 to January 1, 2021 were collected, and data mining was conducted by using the Ancient and Modern Medical Case Cloud Platform (V2.3.5) to obtain his commonly used prescriptions. The results were fitted with the core TCM prescriptions obtained by target network analysis, and the drugs in the core prescriptions were analyzed.Results:Totally 1 501 intersection targets were obtained by protein interaction network analysis of CHD complicated with DD, which could be divided into 4 core target clusters, including inflammation cause, subclass tumor cause, subclass lipid metabolism factor, and fibrosis factor; a total of 480 active components were obtained by TCMSP, which belonged to 181 types of Chinese materia medica, including 8 core components: quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin, carotene, beta-carotene, acacetin, formononetin and ellagic acid. GO enrichment analysis yielded 61 results, mainly including positive regulation of protein phosphorylation, signal receptor agonist activity, side of membrane , etc.; KEGG pathway enrichment analysis yielded a total of 20 results, mainly including cancer pathways, lipid and atherosclerosis, JAK-STAT signaling pathway, etc. Clinical data mining included 120 cases and 148 prescriptions, including 135 types of Chinese materia medica; the properties were mainly mild, warm, slightly cold and cold; the tastes were mainly sweet, bitter and light, and the medicine mainly belongs to the lung, spleen, liver, heart, stomach, kidney and other meridians; drug association analysis, cluster analysis and complex network analysis were used to synthesize common prescriptions. The core TCM prescriptions obtained from common prescription and target network analysis were fitted: Pinelliae Rhizoma, Glycyrrhizae Radixet Rhizoma, Bupleuri Radix, Cyperi Rhizoma, Salviea Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Corydalis Rhizoma, Codonopsis Radix, Astragali Radix, Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma. Conclusion:The medication law of Jia Yuejin in the treatment of CHD complicated with DD is in accordance with core TCM prescriptions. This study can provide guidance for clinical treatment and further research of CHD complicated with DD.

Accuracy and stability of a smart wearable device for quantitative analysis of environmental risks related to myopia / 中华实验眼科杂志

Objective:To evaluate the accuracy and stability of Eye-Monitor, a smart wearable device, in quantifying environmental risks related to myopia.Methods:A diagnostic test study was conducted.Forty-two subjects aged 18-25 years old were recruited from Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in December 2021.Forty-two Eye-Monitors were selected from 80 devices using the simple random sampling method.Static and dynamic tests were carried out to compare environmental risks related to myopia.The static tests included measurements under different working distances, different head tilt angles when sitting, and different light intensities.The dynamic tests included measurements under different near-work time, different outdoor activity time, different time watching computers, and different phone viewing time.Eye-Monitor with the largest sum of absolute values of total relative error was selected, Spearman rank correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between the set values and Eye-Monitor measurements, and the accuracy of the objectively measured values was evaluated by Bland-Altman consistency analysis.The stability of the objectively measured values from Eye-Monitor was evaluated by the coefficient of variation.This study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki.The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Affiliated Eye Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (No.HEC-KS-2021005KY). Written informed consent was obtained from each subject.Results:There were significant correlations between the measured values and setting values in the working distance, head tilt angle when sitting, indoor light intensity, total near-work time, average continuous near-work time, outdoor activity time, time watching computers, and time viewing phones ( rs=0.999, 0.998, 0.999, 0.998, 0.976, 0.959, 0.992, 0.997; all at P<0.001), with the 95% limits of agreement (LoA) of-1.23-2.32 cm, -1.49-4.24°, -13.90-26.90 lx, -6.46-0.11 minutes, -4.50-1.20 minutes, -4.01-1.34 minutes, -2.54-1.94 minutes and-2.15-0.45 minutes, respectively.More than 95% of dots were within the clinically acceptable LoA.The coefficients of variation of the measured values ranged from 1.23%-2.99%, 2.39%-8.25%, 0.87%-8.03%, 1.49%-12.52%, 6.63%-13.59%, 0.00%-14.15%, 1.20%-8.33 and 1.49%-12.51%, respectively, showing good stability.Eye-Monitor had good accuracy in measuring outdoor light intensity (95% LoA: -336.50-130.00 lx). Conclusions:The smart wearable device Eye-Monitor can be used to objectively monitor working distance, head tilt angle when sitting, indoor light intensity, total near-work time, average continuous near-work time, outdoor activity time, time watching computers, and time watching phones, which are with good accuracy and stability.

Intervention of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine in NLRP3 Inflammasome-mediated Digestive System Diseases： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

The aberrant activation of the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 （NLRP3） inflammasome as an essential component of the innate system is implicated in the pathogenesis of several human inflammatory diseases. Studies have confirmed its association with digestive system diseases such as ulcerative colitis， Crohn's disease， and acute pancreatitis， suggesting that the NLRP3 inflammasome plays a role in the initiation and progression of these diseases. Based on the mechanism of NLRP3 inflammasome activation and the pathways that mediate the inflammatory response， this article introduced the relationship between the NLRP3 inflammasome and the pathogenesis of multiple digestive system diseases and the Chinese and western medical therapies. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has demonstrated definite effects on the NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated digestive system diseases. Some single Chinese medicines or TCM prescriptions can treat digestive system diseases by activating or inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation. NLRP3 inflammasome can receive a variety of endogenous and exogenous stimulatory signals， which can initiate， activate， and mediate inflammatory responses. The inflammasome formation and downstream inflammatory cytokines are involved in not only the inflammatory responses but also the development and progression of multiple digestive system diseases. Therefore， the NLRP3 inflammasome can serve as an ideal target for disease treatment. The future rediscovery and in-depth studies of multiple inflammasomes will shed new light on the treatment of multiple digestive system diseases.

Efficacy of phospholipid complex of flavonoids from persimmon leaves on atherosclerosis, and possible mechanism.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of phospholipid complex of flavonoids from persimmon leaves (PLF-PC) on atherosclerosis, and to study its mechanism behind the action. METHODS: To clarify the constituents of the flavonoids from persimmon leaves (PLF), an ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry method was established. To enhance the anti-atherosclerotic effect of PLF, a newly emerging approach based on the combination of phospholipid complexation technique was employed. PLF-PC was prepared by the solvent-evaporation method then characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Powder X-Ray Diffractometry and Scanning electron microscopy. A model of oxidized low-density lipoprotein-induced injury on human umbilical vein endothelial cells was established to investigate the anti-atherosclerotic effect of PLF-PC versus PLF. The levels of nitric oxide, endothelial nitric oxide synthase, intracellular adhesion molecule-1, reactive oxygen species, superoxide dismutase, tumor necrosis factor-αand nuclear factor-κB were observed assay kits. RESULTS: A total of 31 compounds were identified in PLF. PLF-PC showed better anti-atherosclerotic power compared with PLF, moreover, enzyme linked immune-osorbent assay analysis showed that the PLF-PC may effect on endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis antioxidant-related mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings elucidated that PLF-PC significantly enhanced the PLF's efficacy on atherosclerosis.

Some thoughts on treating sepsis with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine / 中国医师杂志

Sepsis is a hot and difficult research topic in the field of acute and critical care all over the world. Sepsis mortality remains high despite ongoing guideline updates. This situation has prompted the research thinking of Western medicine to change from one-sided pursuit of killing pathogenic microorganisms to regulating the body′s immune response, and change from focusing on local pathological changes to focusing on the internal connection of systemic organs. They put forward theories such as liver-renal syndrome, cardio-renal syndrome, and lung-gut axis, which are consistent with the overall concept of traditional Chinese medicine. The research fields, goals, and treatment objects of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine are the same, so Integrative traditional Chinese and Western medicine in the treatment of sepsis has important application value and broad development space. In the process of sepsis treatment, we must make full use of modern technology, and at the same time give full play to the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine, to reduce the fatality rate. Only in this way can we contribute to the protection of human health.

Metabolomic characteristics of spontaneously hypertensive rats under chronic stress and the treatment effect of Danzhi Xiaoyao Powder, a traditional Chinese medicine formula / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE@#Numerous studies have demonstrated the close relationship between chronic stress and blood pressure (BP). Hypertensive subjects exhibit exaggerated reactions to stress, especially higher BP. The mechanisms by which stress affects pre-existing hypertension still need to be explored. Danzhi Xiaoyao Powder (DP), a historical traditional Chinese medicine formula, is a promising treatment for BP control in hypertensive patients under stress. The present study investigated the metabolomic disruption caused by chronic stress and the treatment effect and mechanism of DP.@*METHODS@#Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were subjected to chronic restraint stress (CRS) for 4 weeks. BP was measured via the tail-cuff method, and anxiety-like behavior was quantified using the elevated-plus-maze test. Meanwhile, DP was administered intragastrically, and its effects were observed. Global metabolomic analysis was performed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry, followed by multivariate statistical analysis to detect differential metabolites and pathways.@*RESULTS@#DP alleviated the CRS-induced increase in BP and anxiety-like behavior. Systematic metabolic differences were found among the three study groups. A total of 29 differential plasma metabolites were identified in both positive- and negative-ion modes. These metabolites were involved in triglyceride metabolism, amino acid (phenylalanine, tryptophan, and glycine) metabolism, and steroid hormone pathways.@*CONCLUSION@#These findings expose the metabolomic disturbances induced by chronic stress in SHRs and suggest an innovative treatment for this disorder.

Treatment of diabetic foot with antibiotic bone cement combined with delayed lateral supramolleolar perforator fascial flap / 中华显微外科杂志

Objective:To explore the clinical effect of antibiotic bone cement combined with delayed lateral supramolleolar perforator fascial flap in the treatment of diabetic foot(DF).Methods:From April 2020 to July 2021, a total of 6 patients with DF were treated with antibiotic bone cement combined with delayed lateral supramolleolar perforator fascial flap. The patients were 5 males and 1 female, aged from 45 to 67 years old with an average of 56.2 years old. The wounds were all located in dorsal foot, 4 in right foot and 2 in the left. The wound area was 2.4 cm×5.0 cm-6.5 cm×10.0 cm. The depth of wound were: 3 cases up to tendon layer, and 3 cases up to metatarsal bone. Two of the wound were complicated with metatarsal osteomyelitis. The wounds at Wagner grade 3 in 4 patients and grade 4 in 2 patients. The flap size was 3.0 cm×6.0 cm-8.0 cm×11.0 cm. All of the wounds were repaired with delayed supramolleolar perforator fascia flap after debridement, application of antibiotic bone cement and fumigation with Sanhuang decoction(a traditional Chinese medicine). The affected limbs were externally fixed with plaster and raised after surgery, and the colour, temperature, tension and capillary reaction of the flaps were closely observed. Stitches were removed 2 weeks after surgery and rehabilitation of the affected limb was performed. Regular follow-up was made postoperatively. The appearance of flaps and the scar of donor and recipient sites were observed. The foot and ankle function were evaluated by the American Orthopaedic Association foot and Ankle Surgery(AOFAS) score scale.Results:Six cases of DF had no recurrence of wound infection. All flaps survived well. The average follow-up time was 6(3-14) months. The postoperative follow-up revealed satisfactory appearance of the flap, only linear scars remained in the donor and recipient sites. The function of foot and ankle recovered well with full weight-bearing and normal walk. AOFAS scores ranged from 81 to 95.Conclusion:It is an effective method to treat DF by applying antibiotic bone cement combined with delayed superior lateral malleolus perforator fascial flap. The operation is simple, safe and can cut down the time of treatment, quickly control the wound infection. It deserves further trials.

Relationship between micronutrients supplementation during periconceptional period and serum concentration of vitamin E in the 1st trimester of gestational period / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the association of maternal periconceptional folic acid or multiple micronutrients supplementation during periconceptional period and the serum vitamin E (Vit.E) concentration in the 1st trimester of gestational period.@*METHODS@#A retrospective cohort study was conducted based on the prenatal health care system and clinical laboratory information system. Totally, 22 171 pregnant women who had their prenatal health care and gave birth in Tongzhou Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Beijing from Jan. 2016 to Dec. 2018 were recruited. The usage patterns of nutritional supplements [folic acid (FA) or multiple micronutrients (MM)] during periconceptional period were independent variables, and serum Vit.E concentration and serum Vit.E concentration≥11.2 mg/L in the 1st trimester of gestational period were outcome variables for generalized linear regression model and Logistic regression model, respectively, to analyze the relationships between the independent and outcome variables.@*RESULTS@#The range of the serum Vit.E concentration in the 1st trimester of gestational period was 5.2-24.0 mg/L, and the median concentration was 10.1 (8.8-11.6) mg/L; the excess rate of the serum Vit.E of those who took MM supplementation was 0.3%, and the rates for the groups of FA only or no nutritional supplements used were both 0.1%. Compared with women without nutritional supplement or the women taking FA, the women who took MM had higher serum Vit.E levels in the 1st trimester of gestational period (both P < 0.05). The women taking FA or MM initiated before the conception showed that the serum Vit.E concentration in the 1st trimester of gestational period was higher than that after the conception (P < 0.05), and the serum Vit.E concentration of women who took regularly was higher than that of irregular taking (P < 0.05); with taking compliance elevated, the serum Vit.E concentration of the two groups of women taking FA or MM increased (P < 0.05). The risk of serum Vit.E concentration≥11.2 mg/L among the women taking MM was higher than that of the women without nutritional supplements or taking FA only [odds ratio (OR)=1.36, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 1.21-1.53; OR=1.39, 95%CI: 1.31-1.48)]; women who took FA or MM showed a lower risk for serum Vit.E concentration≥11.2 mg/L of taking it after the conception than before, the ORs (95%CI) were 0.86 (95%CI: 0.77-0.96) and 0.88 (95%CI: 0.81-0.95), respectively; the women taking the two supplements regularly had higher risk for serum Vit.E concentration≥11.2 mg/L than irregular taking, the ORs (95%CI) were 1.16 (95%CI: 1.05-1.29) and 1.13 (95%CI: 1.04-1.22) for FA and MM users, respectively; with the compliance increasing, the women taking MM had a higher risk of serum Vit.E levels≥11.2 mg/L in the 1st trimester [OR (95%CI) was 1.10 (1.07-1.14)], but for FA users, the OR (95%CI) was 1.04(1.00-1.08).@*CONCLUSION@#Vit.E nutritional status in women in early gestational period in Beijing was generally good, and the excess rate of serum Vit.E was higher in women who took MM during periconceptional period than those without nutritional supplement or taking FA only, suggesting that women need to consider their own Vit.E nutritional status to choose the type of nutritional supplements during periconceptional period, so as to avoid related health hazards.

Research progress on chemical constituents and biological activities of Arisaematis Rhizoma / 中国中药杂志

Arisaematis Rhizoma included in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia is the dried tuber of Arisaema erubescens, A. heterophyllum or A. amurense in the family Araceae. This paper mainly focuses on the classification and summary of the chemical components and structures reported in recent years in the above three varieties of this medicinal material included in the pharmacopoeia, including alkaloids, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, lignans and benzene ring derivatives, steroids and terpenes, glycosides and esters, etc. Then we reviewed the reported biological activities of these chemical components, including cytotoxicity, antitumor activity, antibacterial activity, nematicidal activity, etc. Although there have been reports on the review of the chemical composition of the medicinal material, the structure and classification of the chemical composition in these reviews are not clear enough. This review provides a basis for the later study of the chemical composition of this medicinal material, especially the identification of the chemical structures. And most of the current reviews on the biological activity of this medicinal material are mainly for the crude extract. This paper mainly summarized the biological activity of related monomer compounds and expected to lay a foundation for the development of novel high-efficiency and low-toxicity active leading compounds from Arisaematis Rhizoma.

Research progress in synthetic biology of active compounds in Chinese medicinal plants / 中国中药杂志

Mecicinal plants boast abundant natural compounds with significant pharmacological activity, and such compounds, featuring diversified and complex structures, can be used for research and development of drugs. At present, these natural compounds are directly extracted from herbs which, however, suffer from damaged wild resources and shortage of planting resources attributing to the increasing demand. Moreover, the low content in medicinal plants and complex structures are another challenge to the research and development of drugs. Heterologous synthesis with synthetic biology methods is a solution that has attracted wide attention. Synthetic bio-logy for the production of natural active compounds in Chinese medicinal plants involves the exploration of key enzymes in compound bio-synthetic pathways from plants, analysis of enzyme functions and mechanisms, and reconstruction and optimization of biosynthetic pathways in microorganisms for efficient synthesis of compounds. This study briefed the development process of synthetic biology and the biosynthetic pathways of terpenoids, alkaloids, and flavonoids, and summarized the related strategies of synthetic biology such as the reconstruction and optimization of metabolic pathways, regulation of fermentation process, and strain improvement, and the latest applications of heterogeneous synthetic biology in the production of natural compounds from Chinese medicinals. This study is expected to serve as a reference for the efficient production of terpenoids, alkaloids, flavonoids, and other active compounds from Chinese medicinal plants with strategies of synthetic biology.