Improving gut functions and egg nutrition with stevia residue in laying hens.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of stevia residue (STER) on the production performance, egg quality and nutrition, antioxidant ability, immune responses, gut morphology and microbiota of laying hens during the peak laying period. A total of 270 Yikoujingfen NO. 8 laying hens (35 wk of age) were randomly divided into 5 treatments. The control group fed a basal diet and groups supplemented with 2, 4, 6, and 8% STER. The results showed that STER significantly increased egg production, the content of amino acids (alanine, proline, valine, ornithine, asparagine, aspartic acid, and cysteine) in egg whites, and decreased the yolk color (P < 0.05). Additionally, STER significantly increased acetate, HOMOγ linolenic acid and cis-13, 16-docosadienoic acid levels in egg yolk (P < 0.05). IL-2, IL-4, and IL-10 levels in serum significantly increased by STER (P < 0.05), while IL-1ß significantly decreased (P < 0.05). STER also increased total antioxidant activity (T-AOC) in the liver and estradiol level in the oviduct (P < 0.05), but decreased the cortisol level in the oviduct (P < 0.05). For the intestinal morphology, the jejunal villus height and crypt-to-villus (V:C) significantly increased by STER (P < 0.05). STER increased the relative abundance of Actinobacteriota (P < 0.05), while deceased Proteobacteria, Desulfobacterota, and Synergistota (P < 0.05). In conclusion, STER improved egg production, quality and nutrition, improved the immune responses, antioxidant capabilities, estrogen level, gut morphology, and increased the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria while decreased the harmful bacteria. Among all treatments, 4 and 6% STER supplementation yielded the most favorable results in terms of enhancing production performance, egg nutrition, gut health, and immune capabilities in laying hens.

Effect of non-pharmacological interventions on the prevention of sarcopenia in menopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia is a chronic disease marked by gradual muscle system and functional decline. Prior research indicates its prevalence in those under 60 varies from 8 to 36%. There is limited evidence on the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions for sarcopenia prevention in menopausal women aged 40-60. This study examines the influence of such interventions for sarcopenia prevention on these women. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, Medline, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, PEDro, and Airiti Library were searched from inception until May 5, 2023. Randomized controlled trials that examined exercise, vitamin D and protein supplementation effects on muscle mass, strength, and physical function. Quality assessment used the Cochrane risk of bias tool, and analysis employed Comprehensive Meta-Analysis version 2.0. RESULTS: A total of 27 randomized controlled trials, involving 1,989 participants were identified. Meta-analysis results showed exercise improved lean body mass (SMD = 0.232, 95% CI: 0.097, 0.366), handgrip strength (SMD = 0.901, 95% CI: 0.362, 1.441), knee extension strength (SMD = 0.698, 95% CI: 0.384, 1.013). Resistance training had a small effect on lean body mass, longer exercise duration (> 12 weeks) and higher frequency (60-90 min, 3 sessions/week) showed small to moderate effects on lean body mass. Vitamin D supplementation improved handgrip strength (SMD = 0.303, 95% CI: 0.130, 0.476), but not knee extension strength. There was insufficient data to assess the impact of protein supplementation on muscle strength. CONCLUSIONS: Exercise effectively improves muscle mass, and strength in menopausal women. Resistance training with 3 sessions per week, lasting 20-90 min for at least 6 weeks, is most effective. Vitamin D supplementation enhances small muscle group strength. Further trials are needed to assess the effects of vitamin D and protein supplementation on sarcopenia prevention. REGISTRATION NUMBER: This review was registered on PROSPERO CRD42022329273.

Nanomedicine-based multimodal therapies: Recent progress and perspectives in colon cancer.

Colon cancer has attracted much attention due to its annually increasing incidence. Conventional chemotherapeutic drugs are unsatisfactory in clinical application because of their lack of targeting and severe toxic side effects. In the past decade, nanomedicines with multimodal therapeutic strategies have shown potential for colon cancer because of their enhanced permeability and retention, high accumulation at tumor sites, co-loading with different drugs, and comb-ination of various therapies. This review summarizes the advances in research on various nanomedicine-based therapeutic strategies including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, phototherapy (photothermal therapy and photodynamic therapy), chemodynamic therapy, gas therapy, and immunotherapy. Additionally, the therapeutic mechanisms, limitations, improvements, and future of the above therapies are discussed.

Laser acupuncture combined with auricular acupressure improves low-back pain and quality of life in nurses: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Low-back pain (LBP) in nurses is a major health concern that affects their quality of life and ability to work, with consequences for their economic status. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the effect of low-level laser acupuncture combined with auricular acupressure (LAA) on pain intensity, pain interference and quality of life in nurses with LBP. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: This randomized controlled trial recruited a convenience sample of hospital-based nurses from one teaching hospital in Taiwan, China. Participants were randomly assigned to the LAA group (n = 38) receiving low-level laser acupuncture and auricular acupressure for 4 weeks, and the control group (n = 38) receiving only sham laser acupuncture treatment without laser energy output. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Data were collected for the primary pain outcome using the Short Form of the Brief Pain Inventory, while the secondary outcome, quality of life, was evaluated using the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire. Both primary and secondary outcomes were scored before the intervention, and after 2-week and 4-week intervention. The rate of LBP recurrence was evaluated at the 4th week and 8th week after the end of intervention. RESULTS: After controlling for prior pain, the result of linear mixed model analysis showed trends in significant between-group differences in the level of current pain occurring in week 4 (P < 0.001), worst pain in week 2 (P < 0.001) and week 4 (P < 0.001), least pain in week 2 (P = 0.032) and week 4 (P < 0.001), pain interference in week 2 (P = 0.009) and week 4 (P < 0.001), and in the life dysfunction in week 2 (P < 0.001) and week 4 (P < 0.001). Recurrence rates of LBP at the 4th and 8th weeks after the end of intervention were 0% and 36.89% in the LAA group, and 69.44% and 36.11% in the control group. CONCLUSION: This study shows that 4-week LAA intervention reduced pain intensity and pain interference, and improved quality of life for hospital-based nurses with LBP. These effects were maintained continuously for at least 4 weeks after the intervention. The nonpharmacological intervention, LAA, may be another efficacious, feasible, noninvasive, analgesic intervention for LBP. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study is registered at Clinicaltrials.gov (registration number NCT04423445).

Laser acupuncture combined with auricular acupressure improves low-back pain and quality of life in nurses: A randomized controlled trial / 中西医结合学报

BACKGROUND@#Low-back pain (LBP) in nurses is a major health concern that affects their quality of life and ability to work, with consequences for their economic status.@*OBJECTIVE@#This study evaluates the effect of low-level laser acupuncture combined with auricular acupressure (LAA) on pain intensity, pain interference and quality of life in nurses with LBP.@*DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS@#This randomized controlled trial recruited a convenience sample of hospital-based nurses from one teaching hospital in Taiwan, China. Participants were randomly assigned to the LAA group (n = 38) receiving low-level laser acupuncture and auricular acupressure for 4 weeks, and the control group (n = 38) receiving only sham laser acupuncture treatment without laser energy output.@*MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES@#Data were collected for the primary pain outcome using the Short Form of the Brief Pain Inventory, while the secondary outcome, quality of life, was evaluated using the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire. Both primary and secondary outcomes were scored before the intervention, and after 2-week and 4-week intervention. The rate of LBP recurrence was evaluated at the 4th week and 8th week after the end of intervention.@*RESULTS@#After controlling for prior pain, the result of linear mixed model analysis showed trends in significant between-group differences in the level of current pain occurring in week 4 (P < 0.001), worst pain in week 2 (P < 0.001) and week 4 (P < 0.001), least pain in week 2 (P = 0.032) and week 4 (P < 0.001), pain interference in week 2 (P = 0.009) and week 4 (P < 0.001), and in the life dysfunction in week 2 (P < 0.001) and week 4 (P < 0.001). Recurrence rates of LBP at the 4th and 8th weeks after the end of intervention were 0% and 36.89% in the LAA group, and 69.44% and 36.11% in the control group.@*CONCLUSION@#This study shows that 4-week LAA intervention reduced pain intensity and pain interference, and improved quality of life for hospital-based nurses with LBP. These effects were maintained continuously for at least 4 weeks after the intervention. The nonpharmacological intervention, LAA, may be another efficacious, feasible, noninvasive, analgesic intervention for LBP.@*TRIAL REGISTRATION@#This study is registered at Clinicaltrials.gov (registration number NCT04423445).

Web-Based Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Well-being: Randomized Comparative Effectiveness Trial.

BACKGROUND: Mindfulness can improve overall well-being by training individuals to focus on the present moment without judging their thoughts. However, it is unknown how much mindfulness practice and training are necessary to improve well-being. OBJECTIVE: The primary aim of this study was to determine whether a standard 8-session web-based mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) program, compared with a brief 3-session mindfulness intervention, improved overall participant well-being. In addition, we sought to explore whether the treatment effects differed based on the baseline characteristics of the participants (ie, moderators). METHODS: Participants were recruited from 17 patient-powered research networks, web-based communities of stakeholders interested in a common research area. Participants were randomized to either a standard 8-session MBCT or a brief 3-session mindfulness training intervention accessed on the web. The participants were followed for 12 weeks. The primary outcome of the study was well-being, as measured by the World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index. We hypothesized that MBCT would be superior to a brief mindfulness training. RESULTS: We randomized 4411 participants, 3873 (87.80%) of whom were White and 3547 (80.41%) of female sex assigned at birth. The mean baseline World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index score was 50.3 (SD 20.7). The average self-reported well-being in each group increased over the intervention period (baseline to 8 weeks; model-based slope for the MBCT group: 0.78, 95% CI 0.63-0.93, and brief mindfulness group: 0.76, 95% CI 0.60-0.91) as well as the full study period (ie, intervention plus follow-up; baseline to 20 weeks; model-based slope for MBCT group: 0.41, 95% CI 0.34-0.48; and brief mindfulness group: 0.33, 95% CI 0.26-0.40). Changes in self-reported well-being were not significantly different between MBCT and brief mindfulness during the intervention period (model-based difference in slopes: -0.02, 95% CI -0.24 to 0.19; P=.80) or during the intervention period plus 12-week follow-up (-0.08, 95% CI -0.18 to 0.02; P=.10). During the intervention period, younger participants (P=.05) and participants who completed a higher percentage of intervention sessions (P=.005) experienced greater improvements in well-being across both interventions, with effects that were stronger for participants in the MBCT condition. Attrition was high (ie, 2142/4411, 48.56%), which is an important limitation of this study. CONCLUSIONS: Standard MBCT improved well-being but was not superior to a brief mindfulness intervention. This finding suggests that shorter mindfulness programs could yield important benefits across the general population of individuals with various medical conditions. Younger people and participants who completed more intervention sessions reported greater improvements in well-being, an effect that was more pronounced for participants in the MBCT condition. This finding suggests that standard MBCT may be a better choice for younger people as well as treatment-adherent individuals. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03844321; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03844321.

Acupuncture-related treatments improve cognitive and physical functions in Alzheimer's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: To determine acupuncture-related treatments' effects and duration on improving cognitive function, physical function, and quality of life in patients with Alzheimer's disease. DATA SOURCES: Eight electronic databases were searched for eligible randomized controlled trials from database inception to January 2021, including Medline, PubMed, EBSCO, Embase, Cochrane, Airiti Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and China Journal Full-text Database. REVIEW METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted on acupuncture types, cognitive function, activity of daily life, muscle strength and quality of life. RESULTS: Sixty-six studies in total with 4191 participants, the overall risk of bias was classified 60% as low and 24% as high. Acupuncture-related treatments for cognitive function and self-care ability revealed a moderate effect size, with a significant difference in noninvasive and invasive remedies (p < 0.001). Cognitive function showed significant differences in 6, 8, 12, and 24 weeks while self-care ability in the latter two weeks (p < 0.001). Meta-regression analysis showed cognitive function increased by 0.05 points (p = 0.002) and self-care ability decreased by 0.02 points (p = 0.04) after weekly treatment. There was a significant difference in muscle strength (p = 0.0003). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture-related treatments effectively improved cognitive function with the treatment lasted 6 weeks at least, but self-care ability started showing effects after 12 weeks of treatment. The improvement of muscle strength was also confirmed. Acupuncture-related treatments, particularly noninvasive ones, have few complications and high safety, perhaps providing patients and caregivers diversified choices and clinical care guidelines for reference.

Antimicrobial and Immunomodulatory Activity of Herb Extracts Used in Burn Wound Healing: "San Huang Powder".

"San Huang Powder," a nonsterile milled herb powder, is frequently used to treat burn wounds in traditional Chinese herbal medicine. However, treating a wound with a nonsterile dressing or reagent is not compatible with the current guidelines in modern medicine. Therefore, we investigated the bactericidal and anti-inflammatory activities of four herb extracts used in "San Huang Powder" in vitro. Meanwhile, an in vivo porcine model with superficial second-degree burns was used for the experiments since the size and skin composition of pigs are the closest to that of the human body. The minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the herb extracts was determined. The in vitro assay indicated that Rhubarb and Phellodendron bark extracts decreased the levels of inflammatory cytokines, IL-8, and GM-CSF on LPS-induced HMEC-1 cells. In accordance with this result, the histopathological evaluation results showed that the efficacy of "San Huang Powder" containing both herb materials was much better than the group without Rhubarb. Our results not only provide a basis to understand why "San Huang Powder" has been used to clinically treat wounds without sterilization directly since ancient times but also show the advantages of using multiple herb materials simultaneously on wound sites to prevent infection during treatment. Rhubarb is the recommended ingredient involved in the preparation of "San Huang Powder" to ensure the healing efficacy of burn wounds.

Alleviative Effect of Ruellia tuberosa L. on Insulin Resistance and Abnormal Lipid Accumulation in TNF-α-Treated FL83B Mouse Hepatocytes.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disease, and most patients with T2DM develop nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Both diseases are closely linked to insulin resistance (IR). Our previous studies demonstrated that Ruellia tuberosa L. (RTL) extract significantly enhanced glucose uptake in the skeletal muscles and ameliorated hyperglycemia and IR in T2DM rats. We proposed that RTL might be via enhancing hepatic antioxidant capacity. However, the potent RTL bioactivity remains unidentified. In this study, we investigated the effects of RTL on glucose uptake, IR, and lipid accumulation in vitro to mimic the T2DM accompanied by the NAFLD paradigm. FL83B mouse hepatocytes were treated with tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) to induce IR, coincubated with oleic acid (OA) to induce lipid accumulation, and then, treated with RTL fractions, fractionated with n-hexane or ethyl acetate (EA), from column chromatography, and analyzed by thin-layer chromatography. Our results showed that the ethyl acetate fraction (EAf2) from RTL significantly increased glucose uptake and suppressed lipid accumulation in TNF-α plus OA-treated FL83B cells. Western blot analysis showed that EAf2 from RTL ameliorated IR by upregulating the expression of insulin-signaling-related proteins, including protein kinase B, glucose transporter-2, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha in TNF-α plus OA-treated FL83B cells. The results of this study suggest that EAf2 from RTL may improve hepatic glucose uptake and alleviate lipid accumulation by ameliorating and suppressing the hepatic insulin signaling and lipogenesis pathways, respectively, in hepatocytes.

Prenatal ultrasound diagnosis of neural tube defects in the era of intrauterine repair - Eleven years' experiences.

OBJECTIVE: To modify the current neural tube defect (NTD) classification for fetal medicine specialists, and to investigate the impact of prenatal ultrasound conus medullaris position screening on the detection rate of closed spinal dysraphism and pregnancy outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical data of 112 patients prenatally diagnosed with neural tube defects in Taiji clinic from 2008 to 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. All cases were classified following the modified classification. We compared the detection rate before and after introducing the conus medullaris screening and pregnancy outcomes for NTD types. RESULTS: Closed spinal dysraphism type prevailed in our sample (43.8%). The median gestational age at the time of detection for cranial dysraphism was 13.3 weeks, open spinal dysraphism was 22.0 weeks, and closed spinal dysraphism was 22.6 weeks. All cranial dysraphism (n = 43) and open spinal dysraphism cases (n = 20) had pregnancies terminated. For closed spinal dysraphism Class 1, the live-birth rate was 100.0% in the cases without other anomalies and 33.3% in the cases with other anomalies, respectively (X2 = 17.25, p < 0.001). Similarly, for Class 2, pregnancy continuation rate was 50.0% in cases without other anomalies and 20.0% in cases with other anomalies, yet it failed to reach statistical significance (X2 = 0.9, p = 0.524). CONCLUSION: Our case series may help to improve early screening and prenatal diagnosis of NTDs. Modified classification is adjusted for use in ultrasound fetal care facilities, which could be used for predicting pregnancy outcome. We suggest promoting first-trimester anatomical screening in order to make an earlier diagnosis and therefore provide better prenatal care for open spinal dysraphism cases in the era of intrauterine repair. Our findings imply that the use of fetal conus medullaris position as a marker for closed spinal dysraphism improves the detection rate and would unlikely lead to a higher termination rate.

[Effect of Aromatherapy on Menopausal Symptoms, Heart Rate Variability, and Sleep Quality in Women].

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that aromatherapy improve health problems related to anxiety, depression, heart rate variability (HRV), and sleep. However, the effect of aromatherapy in women who suffer from menopausal syndrome and its specific effects on HRV and sleep quality are unknown. PURPOSE: This study designed an aromatherapy intervention and evaluated its effect on menopausal syndrome, HRV, and sleep quality in women. METHODS: This double-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted at a medical center hospital. A total of 84 participants who met the study criteria were randomly assigned using permuted block randomization. The experimental group received a 20-min inhalation of essential oil and the control group received a 20-min inhalation of sweet almond oil every night for 4 weeks. Posttest data was collected at 2 weeks after completion of the intervention. Data were collected using the Green Menopausal Symptom Scale, HRV device, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. RESULTS: After adjusting for age, the results of the generalized estimation equations (GEE) showed that all outcomes were significantly different in both the experimental group and the control group (p < .05) for the interaction effect of group and time, and that the outcome of sleep quality on the 2nd week in the control group was not significantly different (p < .066). CONCLUSIONS / IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: This study supports that the 4-week aromatherapy intervention improves menopausal symptoms, the activity of autonomic nervous systems, and sleep quality in women with no adverse side effects. In the future, this intervention may be applied in outpatient departments to promote the health of menopausal women.

Mindful Learning Experience Facilitates Mastery Experience Through Heightened Flow and Self-Efficacy in Game-Based Creativity Learning.

This study was performed within the limited framework of computer-game-based educational programs designed to enhance creativity. Furthermore, the utilization of mindful learning and moderators such as flow, mastery experience, and self-efficacy, brings this research to the forefront of modern educational practices. The present researchers developed a comprehensive game-based creativity learning program for fifth and sixth grade pupils. Further analyses presented relationship trends between mindful learning experience, flow experience, self-efficacy, and mastery experience. Eighty-three 5th and 6th grade participants undertook the six-week game-based creativity learning program. Upon completion of the experimental instruction, self-evaluation revealed that participants with higher scores on the concerned variables improved more in both creative ability and confidence than their counterparts. Additionally, path model analysis revealed that mindful learning experience was a powerful predictor of both mastery experience and flow experience; it also influenced mastery experience through flow experience and self-efficacy. The findings support the effectiveness of the game-based learning program developed in this study. Moreover, this study contributes to the theoretical construction of how game-based learning can be designed to facilitate mindful learning experience, flow experience, self-efficacy, and mastery experience during creativity. Some additional enhancement mechanisms utilized in the program were: rewards for high-quality performance, challenging tasks, a variety of design components, immediate feedback, and idea sharing. The theoretical design of this study provides support for the ongoing scientific investigation of new applications of mindful learning in educational programs concerning the learning of creativity.

Mind-body interactive qigong improves physical and mental aspects of quality of life in inpatients with stroke: A randomized control study.

BACKGROUND: Stroke, a medical condition that causes physical disability and mental health problems, impacts negatively on quality of life. Post-stroke rehabilitation is critical to restoring quality of life in these patients. OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of a mind-body interactive qigong intervention on the physical and mental aspects of quality of life, considering bio-physiological and mental covariates in subacute stroke inpatients. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial with repeated measures design was used. A total of 68 participants were recruited from the medical and rehabilitation wards at a teaching hospital in northern Taiwan and then randomly assigned either to the Chan-Chuang qigong group, which received standard care plus a 10-day mind-body interactive exercise program, or to the control group, which received standard care only. Data were collected using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Short Form-12, stroke-related neurologic deficit, muscular strength, heart rate variability and fatigue at three time points: pre-intervention, halfway through the intervention (day 5) and on the final day of the intervention (day 10). RESULTS: The results of the mixed-effect model analysis showed that the qigong group had a significantly higher quality of life score at day 10 (p<0.05) than the control group. Among the covariates, neurologic deficit (p=0.04), muscle strength (p=0.04), low frequency to high frequency ratio (p=0.02) and anxiety (p=0.04) were significantly associated with changes in quality of life. Conversely, heart rate, heart rate variability (standard deviation of normal-to-normal intervals, low frequency and high frequency), fatigue and depression were not significantly associated with change in quality of life (p >0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the potential benefits of a 10-day mind-body interactive exercise (Chan-Chuang qigong) program for subacute stroke inpatients and provides information that may be useful in planning adjunctive rehabilitative care for stroke inpatients.

[Application of affinity chromatography and its mathematical model in study of active components of traditional Chinese medicine].

Affinity chromatography is characterized by its high specificity,high recovery rate and sensitivity,and it has been widely used in the selection of active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine,separation and enrichment of low molecular weight sugars and protein peptides,research on mechanism of action and discovery of targets.This paper reviewed the application of affinity chromatography and its adsorption isotherm model,kinetic model and adsorption thermodynamic mechanism in the field of traditional Chinese medicine.This summarizes and provides thinking for comprehensive applications of affinity chromatography theory in the field of active ingredient screening,purification and medicine interaction.

Application of affinity chromatography and its mathematical model in study of active components of traditional Chinese medicine / 中国中药杂志

Affinity chromatography is characterized by its high specificity,high recovery rate and sensitivity,and it has been widely used in the selection of active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine,separation and enrichment of low molecular weight sugars and protein peptides,research on mechanism of action and discovery of targets.This paper reviewed the application of affinity chromatography and its adsorption isotherm model,kinetic model and adsorption thermodynamic mechanism in the field of traditional Chinese medicine.This summarizes and provides thinking for comprehensive applications of affinity chromatography theory in the field of active ingredient screening,purification and medicine interaction.

Metabolomic profiling of rat urine after oral administration of the prescription antipyretic Hao Jia Xu Re Qing Granules by UPLC/Q-TOF-MS.

Hao Jia Xu Re Qing Granules (HJ), is an effective clinically used antipyretic based on traditional Chinese medicine. Although its antipyretic therapeutic effectiveness is obvious, its therapeutic mechanism has not been comprehensively explored yet. In this research, we first identified potential biomarkers which may be relevant for the antipyretic effect of HJ based on urine metabolomics using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). A rat model of fever was established using the yeast-induced febrile response. Total-ion-current metabolic profiles of different groups were acquired and the data were processed by multivariate statistical analysis-partial least-squares discriminant analysis. As envisioned, the results revealed changes of urine metabolites related to the antipyretic effect. Fourteen potential biomarkers were selected from the urine samples based on the results of Student's t-test, "shrinkage t", variable importance in projection and partial least-squares discriminant analysis. N-Acetylleucine, kynurenic acid, indole-3-ethanol, nicotinuric acid, pantothenic acid and tryptophan were the most significant biomarkers found in the urine samples, and may be crucially related to the antipyretic effect of HJ. Consequently, we propose the hypothesis that the significant antipyretic effect the HJ may be related to the inhibition of tryptophan metabolism. This research thus provides strong theoretical support and further direction to explain the antipyretic mechanism of HJ, laying the foundation for future studies.

Effect of Transcutaneous Acupoint Electrical Stimulation on Post-Hemorrhoidectomy-Associated Pain, Anxiety, and Heart Rate Variability: A Randomized-Controlled Study.

Hemorrhoidectomy is the current best treatment for severe hemorrhoids, but it causes significant postoperative pain and anxiety, which is associated with heart rate variability (HRV). Transcutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation (TAES) was assumed to alleviate pain and anxiety, and modify the autonomic nervous system. This study aimed to examine the effects of TAES intervention on postoperative pain, anxiety, and HRV in patients who received a hemorrhoidectomy. A randomized-controlled trial with five repeated measures was conducted. The TAES group ( n = 39) received four 20-min sessions of electrical stimulation at chengshan (BL57) and erbai (EX-UE2) after hemorrhoidectomy, whereas the control group ( n = 41) did not. Data were collected using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), State Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and HRV physiological signal monitor. TAES resulted in a significant group difference in pain scores, anxiety levels, and some HRV parameters. The findings indicate that TAES can help reduce pain and anxiety associated with hemorrhoidectomy. TAES is a noninvasive, simple, and convenient modality for post-hemorrhoidectomy-associated pain control and anxiety reduction.

Evodiamine Exerts an Anti-Hepatocellular Carcinoma Activity through a WWOX-Dependent Pathway.

Evodiamine is one of the main components isolated from Evodia rutaecarpa, and it has been reported to exert inhibitory effects on cancers by anti-proliferative and apoptosis-inducing activities. Although the anti-cancer activity of evodiamine has been identified, the precise mechanisms of this action remain obscure. While previous studies indicated that evodiamine exerts anti-tumor effects through inhibiting ß-catenin activity, and WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) regulates ß-catenin accumulation in cytoplasm, the effects of evodiamine on the expression of WWOX are still unknown. In this study, we provide evidence that evodiamine dose- and time-dependently inhibits both Mus musculus and Homo sapiens hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, as well as Hepa1-6 and HepG2 cell proliferation. We further tested the therapeutic effects of evodiamine in Hepa1-6 hepatoma-bearing mice, and we found that treatment of evodiamine by oral gavage significantly decreased the tumor size of the mice. Moreover, the expressions of WWOX were dose-dependently increased in HCC cell lines as well as in Hepa1-6 hepatoma-bearing mice after the treatment with evodiamine. Knockdown of WWOX in HepG2 and Hepa1-6 cells diminished the effects of evodiamine on the inhibitory effect of cancer cell growth, indicating that evodiamine induced anti-cancer activity through a WWOX-dependent pathway. As such, evodiamine activated WWOX to exert an anti-HCC activity, and might be a potential therapeutic or preventive candidate for HCC treatment.

Acupuncture-Related Techniques for Psoriasis: A Systematic Review with Pairwise and Network Meta-Analyses of Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVE: There has be a large body of evidence on the pharmacological treatments for psoriasis, but whether nonpharmacological interventions are effective in managing psoriasis remains largely unclear. This systematic review conducted pairwise and network meta-analyses to determine the effects of acupuncture-related techniques on acupoint stimulation for the treatment of psoriasis and to determine the order of effectiveness of these remedies. METHODS: This study searched the following databases from inception to March 15, 2016: Medline, PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EBSCO (including Academic Search Premier, American Doctoral Dissertations, and CINAHL), Airiti Library, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effects of acupuncture-related techniques on acupoint stimulation as intervention for psoriasis were independently reviewed by two researchers. RESULTS: A total of 13 RCTs with 1,060 participants were included. The methodological quality of included studies was not rigorous. Acupoint stimulation, compared with nonacupoint stimulation, had a significant treatment for psoriasis. However, the most common adverse events were thirst and dry mouth. Subgroup analysis was further done to confirm that the short-term treatment effect was superior to that of the long-term effect in treating psoriasis. Network meta-analysis identified acupressure or acupoint catgut embedding, compared with medication, and had a significant effect for improving psoriasis. It was noted that acupressure was the most effective treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture-related techniques could be considered as an alternative or adjuvant therapy for psoriasis in short term, especially of acupressure and acupoint catgut embedding. This study recommends further well-designed, methodologically rigorous, and more head-to-head randomized trials to explore the effects of acupuncture-related techniques for treating psoriasis.

Effects of ginsenoside Rg1-loaded alginate-chitosan microspheres on human bone marrow stromal cells.

The ginsenoside Rg1 is the most abundant compound in ginseng. Recent studies showed that Rg1 had neuroprotective effects on neuronal cells. The present study was to prepare Rg1-loaded alginate-chitosan microspheres and research the effects of microspheres on human bone marrow (BM) stromal cells (hBMSC). The alginate-chitosan microspheres were prepared by mechanical emulsification technique in combination with ion (Ca2+) and chitosan solidification. Subsequently, the microspheres were employed to load Rg1 ginseng extracts. The microspheres had a smooth surface and were spherical in shape. The average diameter of the microspheres was 3.95 µm. The loading efficiency was approximately 2.12%. The purity of isolated hBMSC was over 98.8%. Rg1-loaded microspheres could promote hBMSC proliferation and differentiation. Meanwhile, Rg1-loaded microspheres could also suppress hBMSC apoptosis induced by hypoxia-reoxygenation. In conclusion, these loaded microspheres may be used in the research of neuroprotective effects of Rg1.