Longitudinal association of spirituality with depressive symptom trajectories among older adults in mainland China.

OBJECTIVES: The relationship between spirituality and depressive symptoms among the Chinese elderly is not well known. The current study explores this relationship using longitudinal data and trajectory modeling of depressive symptoms. METHODS: A longitudinal study design was used to measure depressive symptoms repeatedly from 2012 to 2021 using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Group-based trajectory modeling analysis was conducted to determine the trajectories of depressive symptoms, and multiple logistic regression was used to explore the association between spirituality and depressive symptom trajectories. RESULTS: A total of 2333 participants completed at least two GDS measures, and these were included in the Group-based trajectory modeling analysis. An optimal model of three trajectories was derived: no depressive symptoms group (75.2%), new-onset depressive symptoms group (14.4%), and persistent depressive symptoms group (10.4%). Logistic regression modeling revealed that higher spirituality was associated with a lower risk of both new-onset depressive symptoms (OR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.49-0.93) and persistent depressive symptoms (OR = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.23-0.45). CONCLUSIONS: Spirituality predicts a lower risk of new-onset depressive symptoms and persistent symptoms among older adults in mainland China.

Traditional Chinese medicine bufalin inhibits infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus infection in vitro and in vivo.

Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) causes infectious hematopoietic necrosis and severe economic losses to salmon and trout aquaculture worldwide. Currently, the only commercial vaccine against IHNV is a DNA vaccine with some biosafety concerns. Hence, more effective vaccines and antiviral drugs are needed to prevent IHNV infection. In this study, 1,483 compounds were screened from a traditional Chinese medicine monomer library, and bufalin showed potential antiviral activity against IHNV. The 50% cytotoxic concentration of bufalin was >20 µM, and the 50% inhibitory concentration was 0.1223 µΜ against IHNV. Bufalin showed the inhibition of diverse IHNV strains in vitro, which confirmed that it had an inhibitory effect against all IHNV strains, rather than random activity against a single strain. The bufalin-mediated block of IHNV infection occurred at the viral attachment and RNA replication stages, but not internalization. Bufalin also inhibited IHNV infection in vivo and significantly increased the survival of rainbow trout compared with the mock drug-treated group, and this was confirmed by in vivo viral load monitoring. Our data showed that the anti-IHNV activity of bufalin was proportional to extracellular Na+ concentration and inversely proportional to extracellular K+ concentration, and bufalin may inhibit IHNV infection by targeting Na+/K+-ATPase. The in vitro and in vivo studies showed that bufalin significantly inhibited IHNV infection and may be a promising candidate drug against the disease in rainbow trout. IMPORTANCE: Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) is the pathogen of infectious hematopoietic necrosis (IHN) which outbreak often causes huge economic losses and hampers the healthy development of salmon and trout farming. Currently, there is only one approved DNA vaccine for IHN worldwide, but it faces some biosafety problems. Hence, more effective vaccines and antiviral drugs are needed to prevent IHNV infection. In this study, we report that bufalin, a traditional Chinese medicine, shows potential antiviral activity against IHNV both in vitro and in vivo. The bufalin-mediated block of IHNV infection occurred at the viral attachment and RNA replication stages, but not internalization, and bufalin inhibited IHNV infection by targeting Na+/K+-ATPase. The in vitro and in vivo studies showed that bufalin significantly inhibited IHNV infection and may be a promising candidate drug against the disease in rainbow trout.

[Establishment of a quantitative method for GC analysis of polyoxyethylene (35) castor oil in microemulsion extracts].

With the continuous exploration of microemulsions as solvents for traditional Chinese medicine extraction, polyoxyethy-lene(35) castor oil(CrEL), a commonly used surfactant, is being utilized by researchers. However, the problem of detecting residues of this surfactant in microemulsion extracts has greatly hampered the further development of microemulsion solvents. Based on the chemical structures of the components in CrEL and the content determination method of castor oil in the 2020 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia(Vol. Ⅳ), this study employed gas chromatography(GC) and single-factor experiments to optimize the preparation method of methyl ricinoleate from CrEL. The conversion coefficient between the two was validated, and the optimal sample preparation method was used to process microemulsion extracts of Zexie Decoction from three batches. The content of methyl ricinoleate generated was determined, and the content of CrEL in the microemulsion extracts of Zexie Decoction was calculated using the above conversion coefficient. The results showed that the optimal preparation method for CrEL was determined. Specifically, 10 mL of 1 mol·L~(-1) KOH-methanol solution was heated at 60 ℃ for 15 min in a water bath. Subsequently, 10 mL of boron trifluoride etherate-methanol(1∶3) solution was heated at 60 ℃ for 15 min in a water bath, followed by extraction with n-hexane twice. CrEL could stably produce 20.84% methyl ricinoleate. According to this conversion coefficient, the average mass concentration of CrEL in the three batches of Zexie Decoction microemulsion extracts was 11.94 mg·mL~(-1), which was not significantly different from the CrEL mass concentration of 11.57 mg·mL~(-1) during microemulsion formulation, indicating that the established content determination method of this study was highly accurate, sensitive, and repeatable. It can be used for subsequent research on microemulsion extracts of Zexie Decoction and provide a reference for quality control of other drug formulations containing CrEL.

Evaluation of Renal Function Recovery After Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease.

Introduction: Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) has become a new surgical gold standard treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). It is known that untreated BPH can lead to bladder outlet obstruction (BOO). A positive correlation exists between BOO and chronic kidney disease (CKD), but stability or recovery of renal function after HoLEP remains unknown. We sought to describe changes in renal function after HoLEP in men with CKD. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted of patients who underwent HoLEP with glomerular filtration rates (GFRs) <60, CKD stages III to V. Pre- and postoperative GFRs were selected within 3 months before the operation and within 1 year postoperatively. The presence of an indwelling catheter, preoperative hydronephrosis, history of kidney stones, and prostate size were also reviewed. Data were analyzed in accordance with preoperative CKD stage. Results: Of the reviewed patients, 138 met inclusion criteria with CKD stages III to V. Each CKD group was without significant postoperative complications. There was a significant increase between pre- and postoperative GFR for patients in CKD stages III (n = 116) and IV (n = 17) (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.010, respectively). The mean increase between pre- and postoperative GFR for the CKD stages III and IV patients were 6.4 and 6.49, respectively. There was no correlation between presence of preoperative hydronephrosis, history of kidney stones, catheter dependency, nor prostate size on change in postoperative GFR (p > 0.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that patients in CKD stages III or IV undergoing HoLEP experience an increase in GFR. It is noteworthy that there appears to be no decline in renal function postoperatively in any group. HoLEP represents an excellent surgical option for patients with preoperative CKD and may prevent further renal decline.

Primary Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection for Stage II Seminoma: Is Surgery the New Path Forward?

PURPOSE: On the basis of National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines, clinical stage (CS) II seminoma is treated with radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Primary retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) demonstrated recent success as first-line therapy for RP-only disease. Our aim was to confirm surgical efficacy and evaluate recurrences after primary RPLND for CS IIA/IIB seminoma to determine if various clinical factors could predict recurrences. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent primary RPLND for seminoma from 2014 to 2021 were identified. All patients had at least 6 months of follow-up. Nineteen patients were part of a clinical trial. Patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy were excluded from Kaplan-Meier recurrence-free survival (RFS) analysis. RESULTS: We identified 67 patients who underwent RPLND for RP-only seminoma. One patient had pN0 disease. Median follow-up time after RPLND was 22.4 months (interquartile range, 12.3-36.1 months) and 11 patients were found to have a recurrence. The 2-year RFS for RPLND-only patients without adjuvant chemotherapy was 80.2%. Patients who developed RP disease for a period > 12 months had the lowest chance of recurrence, with a 2-year RFS of 92.2%. Seven initial CS II patients were on surveillance for 3-12 months before surgery and no patients experienced recurrence. Pathologic nodal stage and high-risk factors such as tumor size > 4 cm or rete testis invasion of the orchiectomy specimen did not affect recurrence. CONCLUSION: CS II seminoma can be treated with surgery to avoid rigors of chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Patients with delayed development of CS II disease (> 12 months) had the best surgical results. Patients may present with borderline CS II disease, and careful surveillance may avoid overtreatment. Further study on patient selection and extent of dissection remains uncertain and warrants further investigation.

Electroacupuncture Ameliorates Acute Myocardial Ischemic Injury and Long QT Interval in Mice through the α 1A-Adrenergic Receptor: Electrophysiological, Morphological, and Molecular Evidence.

Acute myocardial ischemia (AMI) is a condition caused by a decrease in blood flow to the heart that can sometimes predispose to acquired long QT syndrome (LQTS), thereby resulting in sudden cardiac death. Recent evidence indicates that electroacupuncture (EA) can alleviate MI injury, but its specific mechanism remains unclear. This study was aimed at investigating the efficacy of EA, which utilizes α 1A-adrenergic receptors (α 1A-AR) in alleviating MI injury as well as the resulting LQTS. The AMI model was established by ligating the left anterior descending arteries (LAD) of both the wild-type and α 1A gene-knockout mice and treating them with EA for three consecutive days. A PowerLab 16 physiological recorder was used to collect the electrocardiogram (ECG) while the serum creatine kinase isoenzymes (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and norepinephrine (NE) levels in myocardial tissue were determined by using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. Moreover, TTC staining was used to observe the myocardial ischemic area, while H&E and TUNEL staining determined the pathological morphology of the myocardium. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the α 1A mRNA, and Western blot was used to detect the specific proteins, such as α 1A, cleaved caspase-3, Gq, PLC, p-PKCα, and p-hERG. Our results showed that EA could effectively reduce elevated ST-segment, shorten the extended QT interval, and reduce the serum myocardial enzyme content and the degree of pathological injury in wild mice with MI. EA can also decrease the expression of α 1A-AR, PLC, p-PKCα, and NE content in myocardial tissues of wild mice, while those of p-hERG increased in ischemic myocardial tissue. These findings suggested that α 1A-AR is involved in the development of MI as well as LQTS. Additionally, EA treatment improves the cardiac function and ischemic long QT interval and plays an important role in reducing the hERG inhibition through the α 1A-AR-mediated Gq/PLC/PKCα pathway and myocardial apoptosis. Hence, it is suggested that α 1A-AR might become a potential target for EA in treating AMI treatment of myocardial ischemia injury and acquired long QT intervals caused by MI.

[Optimization of extraction process of Congrong Shujing Granules based on AHP-CRITIC analysis].

The index weight coefficients were determined by comparing the analytic hierarchy process(AHP), the criteria importance through inter-criteria correlation(CRITIC), and the AHP-CRITIC mixed weighting method. The comprehensive scores of index components(echinacoside, salvianolic acid B, paeoniflorin, and ointment yield) of each group in the orthogonal test were compared to optimize the extraction process of Congrong Shujing Granules. The results showed that the AHP-CRITIC mixed weighting method scientifically optimized the extraction process. To be specific, the decoction pieces should be added with the 6-fold amount of water and extracted twice, 1 h each time. After three verification tests, the average mass fractions of echinacoside, salvianolic acid B, and paeoniflorin were 0.72, 9.34, and 5.92 mg·g~(-1), respectively, and the average ointment yield was 47.18%. As verified by the AHP-CRITIC mixed weighting method and the orthogonal test, the optimized extraction process of Congrong Shujing Granules was stable and feasible and could be applied to industrial production.

Primary Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection for Patients With Pathologic Stage II Nonseminomatous Germ Cell Tumor-N1, N2, and N3 Disease: Is Adjuvant Chemotherapy Necessary?

PURPOSE: According to National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines, adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) has been advocated after primary retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) to reduce the risk of relapse in pathologic nodal (pN) stage pN2 or pN3, whereas surveillance is preferred for pN1. We sought to explore the oncologic efficacy of primary RPLND alone for pathologic stage II in nonseminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCTs) to reduce overtreatment with chemotherapy. METHODS: Patients with pathologic stage II NSGCT after primary RPLND between 2007 and 2017 were identified. Patients were excluded for elevated preoperative serum tumor markers, receipt of AC, or if pure teratoma or primitive neuroectodermal tumor elements were found in the retroperitoneal pathology. RESULTS: We identified 117 patients with active NSGCT in the retroperitoneum after primary RPLND. We excluded seven patients who lacked meaningful follow-up and 13 patients who received AC. There were 97 patients treated with RPLND alone: 41 pN1, 46 pN2, and 10 pN3. In total, 77 of 97 patients had not recurred after a median follow-up time of 52 months. The 2-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) was 80.3%, and the 5-year RFS was 79%. No differences in RFS were noted among nodal stage-pN1, pN2, and pN3-on Kaplan-Meier analysis. Lymphovascular invasion in the orchiectomy specimen, a high-risk pathologic feature, was also predictive of recurrence after primary RPLND. All 20 patients who recurred were treated with first-line chemotherapy and remained continuously disease free. CONCLUSION: Most men with pathologic stage II disease treated with surgery alone in our series never experienced a recurrence. We did not observe a difference in recurrences between patients with pN1 and pN2. The recommendation for AC for pN2 disease may be overtreatment in most patients.

Near infrared light-responsive and drug-loaded black phosphorus nanosheets for antibacterial applications.

The management of wound infection remain a major global challenge, effectively ablation of bacteria is of significant in fighting wound infectious diseases. Herein, black phosphorus nanosheets (BPNSs) were successfully prepared by liquid phase exfoliation technology, and composite nanosheets (BPNSs@phy) were formed by loading antimicrobial physcion（Phy）via hydrophobic interaction. Studies have shown that BPNSs@phy has good stability and low cytotoxicity under physiological conditions. In addition, BPNSs@phy has excellent photothermal conversion ability. After the irradiation of 808 nm near-infrared light, the light energy is converted into heat to promote the release of physcion. Under the synergistic effect of photothermal therapy (PTT) and antibacterial agents, BPNSs@phy has an excellent bactericidal effect against S.aureus (99.7%) and P.aeruginosa (99.9%). This study is expected to provide a new strategy for the development of BPNSs based antibacterial materials.

Pharmacological effects and safety of Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Nees.

Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Nees (AP) is widely used in most Asian and some Western countries. However, its main effects and underlying pharmacological mechanism have not been thoroughly characterized, and its safety has not been sufficiently investigated. The present study aimed to predict and visualize the potential targets and pathways, clarify the main pharmacological effects, and investigate the toxicological properties of AP extract (APE). First, ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) was performed to directly predict AP's therapeutic targets and pathways; main pharmacological effects of AP were speculated based on IPA results and confirmed by pharmacodynamics experiments. Rodent toxicity studies were then performed through administration of a single dose of 10 g/kg or daily doses of 2, 1, or 0.5 g/kg for 8 weeks to evaluate the safety of APE, and a similar repeated-dose study was performed using dogs with doses equal to half of the above-mentioned doses. Thus, repeated-dose toxicity studies were performed with both rodents and nonrodents. The IPA analysis and confirmatory pharmacodynamics experiments revealed that the main pharmacological effect of APE was anti-inflammation, which might be achieved by influencing various targets (e.g., AR, AKT, and BAX) and pathways (IL-8). In the single-dose toxicity test, no death or abnormal consequences were observed, and maximum tolerated dose of APE was 10 g/kg. Results from the repeated-dose toxicity tests did not reveal any obvious toxic effects from the repeated daily intragastric administration of APE at 1 g/kg for 8 weeks. In conclusion, APE at a dose of 1 g/kg did not exert any adverse effects, and administration of APE could be beneficial for the inflammatory diseases' treatment. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Nees is a plant that exerts clearing and detoxification effects and is widely used around the world, but a comprehensive analysis of its efficacy and safety is needed.

Qisheng Wan formula ameliorates cognitive impairment of Alzheimer's disease rat via inflammation inhibition and intestinal microbiota regulation.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY RELEVANCE: Qisheng Wan formula (QWF) was first described in the book Sheng Ji Zong Lu in 1117. The book states that QWF can cure forgetfulness, improve the mind, and make people smart. Hence, QWF has been widely used to treat patients with forgetfulness or dementia. QWF, a classic Chinese formulation, comprises seven herbal drugs: the sclerotium of Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf, bark of Cinnamomum cassia Presl, root of Polygala tenuifolia Willd., root and rhizome of Panax ginseng C. A. Mey., root of Asparagus cochinchinensis (Lour.) Merr., root and rhizome of Acorus tatarinowii Schott, and root bark of Lycium chinense Mill. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to utilize modern pharmacological methods to evaluate the therapeutic effects and explore the underlying mechanism of QWF action on rats with Alzheimer's disease (AD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The chemical profile of QWF was characterized using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The AD rat model was established via a bilateral intraventricular injection of amyloid-ß (1-42) (Aß1-42). The rats were subsequently treated daily with QWF for 4 weeks. The Morris water maze test was performed to evaluate the cognition processes in the rats, whereas histological changes in the hippocampus were observed using hematoxylin and eosin staining. The expression levels of Aß1-42, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-6 in the hippocampus and colon were assessed. Moreover, the diversity and composition of the intestinal microbiota were analyzed using 16S rDNA gene sequencing. RESULTS: One hundred and fourteen compounds were characterized in QWF. QWF significantly ameliorated the cognition processes and histopathological damages due to AD in rats by decreasing the deposition of Aß1-42 and downregulating the expression of NF-κB, TNF-α, and IL-6. QWF also modulated changes in the diversity and composition of intestinal microbiota to suppress the relative abundance of inflammation-associated microbiota. CONCLUSION: This study showed that QWF can suppress proinflammatory factors and modulate the intestinal microbiota in AD rats.

[Molecular mechanism of locus coeruleus involved in acupuncture anti-myocardial ischemia based on transcriptome sequencing].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the molecular mechanism of locus coeruleus（LC） involved in electroacupuncture (EA) anti myocardial ischemia. METHODS: Twenty-four SD rats were randomly divided into sham-operation, model, EA and EA +lesion groups, with 6 rats in each group. The acute myocardial ischemia (AMI) model was established by ligation of the left anterior descending branch of coronary artery. EA (2 Hz/15 Hz, 1 mA) was applied to bilateral "Shenmen" (HT7) -"Tongli" (HT5) and the middle-point between HT7 and HT5 for 30 min, once daily for 3 days. For rats of the EA +lesion group, the virus (300 nL) was injected into bilateral LC before EA treatment. Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) was detected by ELISA. The gene expression profiles of rat heart were detected by transcriptome sequencing, the differentially expressed genes were screened, and Gene Ontology (GO) functional classification and Kyoto Encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) metabolic pathway enrichment analysis were performed. RESULTS: Compared with the sham-operation group, serum AST content was significantly increased in the model group (P<0.01). Following the intervention, serum AST was significantly reduced in the EA group (P<0.01), while the serum AST in the EA + lesion group was significantly higher compared with the EA group (P<0.05). Differential expression analysis showed that 1 138 differentially expressed genes were screened out between the model group and the sham-operation group, 1 330 differentially expressed genes between model and EA group, and 804 differentially expressed genes between EA and EA + lesion group. Among them, 218 differential genes were involved in the regulation of EA anti-myocardial ischemia in LC. GO functional classification analysis showed that these differentially expressed genes mainly involved in cell processes, metabolic processes and biological regulation in biological processes. KEGG pathway analysis showed that these differentially expressed genes were enriched in sulfur relay system, thiamine metabolism, glutathione metabolism, C5 branch dicarboxylic acid metabolism, cell adhesion molecules and Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation. CONCLUSION: EA intervention has a positive effect in anti-myocardial ischemia, which may be related to the sulfur relay system, thiamine metabolism, glutathione metabolism, C5 branch dicarboxylic acid metabolism, cell adhesion molecules and Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation involved in LC.

[Analysis of "Tianyou (TE 16) and five regions" in the human body].

Focusing on the original text record in Huangdi Neijing (Inner Canon of Yellow Emperor), the relevant theories of "Tianyou (TE 16) and five regions" are explored, e.g. acupoint names, meridians and acupoint features, and the clinical application of these acupoints has been analyzed. It is discovered that "Tianyou (TE 16) and five regions" are mainly used in treatment of the disorders in the nervous system, five sensory organs and motor system. Besides, in terms of the relevant theories, "Tianyou (TE 16) and five regions" has been compared with "root and knot" and "twelve divergent meridians". It is found that "Tianyou (TE 16) and five regions" communicates the externally-internally related meridians and is applicable in treatment of the disorders with both exterior and interior involved. It is the essential acupoint composition of the human body.

[Preparation of paclitaxel-loaded and folic acid-modified poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) nano-micelles and in vitro anticancer effect on cervical cancer HeLa cells].

The paclitaxel-loaded and folic acid-modified poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nano-micelles(PTX@FA-PLGA-NMs) were prepared by the emulsion solvent evaporation method, and the parameters of paclitaxel-loaded nano-micelles were optimized with the particle size and PDI as evaluation indexes. The morphology of the nano-micelles was observed by transmission electron microscopy(TEM), and the stability, drug loading and encapsulation efficiency were systematically investigated. In vitro experiments were performed to study the cytotoxic effects of nano-micelles, apoptosis, and cellular uptake. Under the optimal parameters, the nano-micelles showed the particle size of(125.3±1.2) nm, the PDI of 0.086±0.026, the zeta potential of(-20.0±3.8) mV, the drug loading of 7.2%±0.75%, and the encapsulation efficiency of 50.7%±1.0%. The nano-micelles were in regular spherical shape as observed by TEM. The blank FA-PLGA-NMs exhibited almost no inhibitory effect on the proliferation and growth of tumor cells, while the drug-loaded nano-micelles and free PTX exhibited significant inhibitory effects. The IC_(50) of PTX@FA-PLGA-NMs and PTX was 0.56 µg·mL~(-1) and 0.66 µg·mL~(-1), respectively. The paclitaxel-loaded nano-micelles were potent in inhibiting cell migration as assessed by the scratch assay. PTX@FA-PLGA-NMs had good pro-apoptotic effect on cervical cancer HeLa cells and significantly promoted the uptake of HeLa cells. The results of in vitro experiments suggested that PTX@FA-PLGA-NMs could target and treat cervical cancer HeLa cells. Therefore, as nanodrug carriers, PTX@FA-PLGA-NMs with anti-cancer activity are a promising nano-system for improving the-rapeutic effects on tumors.

The Effects of Early Oropharyngeal Administration of Microdosed Colostrum on Feeding Status in Ventilated Extremely Low-Birth-Weight Infants.

Background: For extremely low-birth-weight infants (ELBWIs), mechanical ventilation and total parenteral nutrition are generally required in the early stages and lose the protective effect of early gastrointestinal nutrition of colostrum. We conducted a prospective randomized controlled trial to explore the effectiveness of early colostrum oropharyngeal administration on the feeding status of ELBWIs on mechanical ventilation. Materials and Methods: We randomly divided mechanically ventilated ELBWIs into an intervention group and a control group. In the intervention group, we provided oropharyngeal administration of colostrum during mechanical ventilation. The first colostrum oropharyngeal administration ended within 24 hours of birth. In the control group, we gave colostrum only for gastrointestinal nutrition, and other interventions were the same as for the intervention group. We collected the 1st and 6th day of life airway secretions and urine specimens from both groups. We recorded feeding status, including corrected gestational age at onset of enteral nutrition, corrected gestational age of no gastric retention during feeding, corrected gestational age of full enteral nutrition, corrected gestational age of sucking began, and corrected gestational age of per oral feeding. We also recorded growth of body mass, the incidence of feeding intolerance, and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Results: On the 6th day of life, concentrations of secretory immunoglobulin A, and lactoferrin in airway secretions and urine of the intervention group were significantly higher than those of the control group (p < 0.05). The intervention group showed younger corrected gestational age of no gastric retention during feeding, corrected gestational age of full enteral nutrition, the corrected gestational age of sucking began and per oral feeding than those in the control group (p < 0.05). The day of recovery to birth weight was earlier than those in the control group (p < 0.05). The rate of feeding intolerance and NEC incidence in the intervention group was significantly lower than in the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Early oropharyngeal administration of colostrum improves immune function of the gastrointestinal tract and the systemic anti-infective capability in ELBWI on mechanical ventilation, promoting the maturity of gastrointestinal function, improving feeding condition, and reducing the risk of feeding intolerance and NEC.

Study on quantitative diagnosis model of TCM syndromes of post-stroke depression based on combination of disease and syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Post-stroke depression (PSD) is one of the most common stroke complications with high morbidity. Researchers have done much clinical research on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatment, but very little research on diagnosis. Based on the thought of combination of disease and syndrome, this study will establish a unified and objective quantitative diagnosis model of TCM syndromes of PSD, so as to improve the clinical diagnosis and treatment of PSD. OBJECTIVE: First: To establish a unified and objective quantitative diagnosis model of TCM syndromes in PSD under different disease courses, and identify the corresponding main, secondary, and concurrent symptoms, which are based on the weighting factor of each TCM symptom. Second: To find out the relationship between different stages of PSD and TCM syndromes. Clarify the main syndrome types of PSD under different stages of disease. Reveal the evolution and progression mechanism of TCM syndromes of PSD. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a retrospective study of PSD TCM diagnosis. Three hundred patients who were hospitalized in the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of TCM with complete cases from January 2014 to January 2019 are planned to be recruited. The study will mainly collect the diagnostic information from the cases, find the related indicators of TCM and Western medicine in PSD, and clarify the relationship between different disease stages and TCM syndromes. Finally, the PSD TCM syndrome quantitative diagnosis model will be established based on the operation principle of Back Propagation (BP) artificial neural network. CONCLUSION: To collect sufficient medical records and establish models to speed up the process of TCM diagnosis.

Research Advances in Multi-Omics on the Traditional Chinese Herb Dendrobium officinale.

Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo is an important epiphytic plant, belonging to the Orchidaceae family. There are various bioactive components in D. officinale plants, mainly including polysaccharides, alkaloids, and phenolic compounds. These compounds have been demonstrated to possess multiple functions, such as anti-oxidation, immune regulation, and anti-cancer. Due to serious shortages of wild resources, deterioration of cultivated germplasm and the unstable quality of D. officinale, the study has been focused on the biosynthetic pathway and regulation mechanisms of bioactive compounds. In recent years, with rapid developments in detection technologies and analysis tools, omics research including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics have all been widely applied in various medicinal plants, including D. officinale. Many important advances have been achieved in D. officinale research, such as chromosome-level reference genome assembly and the identification of key genes involved in the biosynthesis of active components. In this review, we summarize the latest research advances in D. officinale based on multiple omics studies. At the same time, we discuss limitations of the current research. Finally, we put forward prospective topics in need of further study on D. officinale.

Transcriptomic analysis of the orchestrated molecular mechanisms underlying fruiting body initiation in Chinese cordyceps.

Chinese cordyceps, the fruiting body of the Chinese caterpillar fungus (Ophiocordyceps sinensis, syn. Cordyceps sinensis), is among the most valuable traditional Chinese medicine fungi. Transcriptomic analysis of O. sinensis has revealed several aspects of its life cycle and ecological importance. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in fruiting body initiation remain unclear. The developmental transcriptomes were analyzed from three tissues at the fruiting body initiation stage, namely, the mycelium, sclerotium and primordium. Principal component analysis showed that in the three tissues, the gene expression patterns differed from each other. The functional analysis of differentially expressed genes showed that DNA synthesis and cell division were active in the primordium. In addition, the function of the mycelium was to absorb certain substances from the environment and the sclerotium was the metabolism center of O. sinensis. Genes participating in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal pathway were involved in fruiting body initiation. Two environmental sensing genes, including a pheromone receptor gene (OSIN6252) and an amino acid sensing gene (OSIN6398), were highly expressed in the primordium, suggesting their important roles in initiation. These results provided insights into the orchestrated functions and gene profiles of different O. sinensis tissues at the key stage. These findings will aid in revealing the underlying mechanisms of fruiting body initiation, which will further benefit artificial cultivation.

Alteration and prognostic values of collagen gene expression in patients with gastric cancer under different treatments.

Collagen (COL) genes participate in tumor extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interactions and focal adhesion pathways, which play a crucial role in tumor invasion and metastasis. The prognostic value of COL genes has been shown for several malignancies. In the present study, we analyzed multiple microarray datasets using the Oncomine database to identify alterations of COL genes in gastric cancer (GC). Gene expression levels were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in GC tissues and matched adjacent tissues. The prognostic value of differentially expressed COL genes in GC was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis based on the complete mRNA transcriptomics data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We found that seven COL genes (COL1A2, COL4A1, COL4A2, COL6A1, COL6A2, COL6A3, and COL11A1) were elevated in GC. Among them, stepwise multivariate Cox regression was applied, and it was determined that COL4A1 and COL4A2 were signature and independent prognostic biomarkers in GC patients with obviously different overall survival (OS). High expression of COL4A1, COL4A2, COL6A1, COL6A2, and COL6A3 was correlated with poorer prognosis of GC patients treated by surgery only, while higher expression of COL4A1 and COL11A1 correlated with poorer survival of patients treated by 5-fluorouracil-based adjuvant therapy. Our results indicate that overexpression of COL genes might be utilized as novel prognostic markers for GC and assist with therapy selection.