Circulating micronutrient levels and their association with sepsis susceptibility and severity: a Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Sepsis, a global health challenge, necessitates a nuanced understanding of modifiable factors for effective prevention and intervention. The role of trace micronutrients in sepsis pathogenesis remains unclear, and their potential connection, especially with genetic influences, warrants exploration. Methods: We employed Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to assess the causal relationship between genetically predicted blood levels of nine micronutrients (calcium, ß-carotene, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin D, and zinc) and sepsis susceptibility, severity, and subtypes. The instrumental variables for circulating micronutrients were derived from nine published genome-wide association studies (GWAS). In the primary MR analysis, we utilized summary statistics for sepsis from two independent databases (UK Biobank and FinnGen consortium), for initial and replication analyses. Subsequently, a meta-analysis was conducted to merge the results. In secondary MR analyses, we assessed the causal effects of micronutrients on five sepsis-related outcomes (severe sepsis, sepsis-related death within 28 days, severe sepsis-related death within 28 days, streptococcal septicaemia, and puerperal sepsis), incorporating multiple sensitivity analyses and multivariable MR to address potential heterogeneity and pleiotropy. Results: The study revealed a significant causal link between genetically forecasted zinc levels and reduced risk of severe sepsis-related death within 28 days (odds ratio [OR] = 0.450; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.263, 0.770; p = 3.58 × 10-3). Additionally, suggestive associations were found for iron (increased risk of sepsis), ß-carotene (reduced risk of sepsis death) and vitamin C (decreased risk of puerperal sepsis). No significant connections were observed for other micronutrients. Conclusion: Our study highlighted that zinc may emerges as a potential protective factor against severe sepsis-related death within 28 days, providing theoretical support for supplementing zinc in high-risk critically ill sepsis patients. In the future, larger-scale data are needed to validate our findings.

Preventive effects of caffeine on nicotine plus high-fat diet-induced hepatic steatosis and gain weight: a possible explanation for why obese smokers with high coffee consumption tend to be leaner.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a prevalent liver disorder, affecting approximately 25 % of the population. Coffee-drinking obese smokers exhibit lower body weights and decreased NAFLD rates, but the reasons behind this remain unclear. Additionally, the effect of nicotine, the main component of tobacco, on the development of NAFLD is still controversial. Our study aimed to explore the possible reasons that drinking coffee could alleviate NAFLD and gain weight and identify the real role of nicotine in NAFLD of obese smokers. A NAFLD model in mice was induced by administering nicotine and a high-fat diet (HFD). We recorded changes in body weight and daily food intake, measured the weights of the liver and visceral fat, and observed liver and adipose tissue histopathology. Lipid levels, liver function, liver malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), serum inflammatory cytokine levels and the expression of hepatic genes involved in lipid metabolism were determined. Our results demonstrated that nicotine exacerbated the development of NAFLD and caffeine had a hepatoprotective effect on NAFLD. The administration of caffeine could ameliorate nicotine-plus-HFD-induced NAFLD by reducing lipid accumulation, regulating hepatic lipid metabolism, alleviating oxidative stress, attenuating inflammatory response and restoring hepatic functions. These results might explain why obese smokers with high coffee consumption exhibit the lower incidence rate of NAFLD and tend to be leaner. It is essential to emphasise that the detrimental impact of smoking on health is multifaceted. Smoking cessation remains the sole practical and effective strategy for averting the tobacco-related complications and reducing the risk of mortality.

[Prevention and treatment of lung cancer by regulating tumor-associated macrophages with traditional Chinese medicine].

Lung cancer is one of the common malignant tumors in the world, and its incidence and mortality is increasing year by year. Interactions between tumor cells and immune cells in the tumor microenvironment(TME) affect tumor proliferation, infiltration, and metastasis. Tumor-associated macrophages(TAMs) are prominent components of TME, and they have dual regulation effects on malignant progression of lung cancer. The number, activity, and function of M2 macrophages are related to the poor prognosis of lung cancer, and M2 macrophages participate in tumor angiogenesis and immune escape. It has been proved that traditional Chinese medicines(TCMs) and their active ingredients can enhance the antitumor effects, reduce the toxicity of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and prolong the survival rates of patients with cancer. This paper summarized the role of TAMs in the lung cancer initiation and progression, explored the molecular mechanism of TCM in regulating the recruitment, polarization phenotype, activity, and expression of related factors and proteins of TAMs, and discussed related signal pathways in the prevention and treatment of lung cancer based on the TCM theory of "reinforcing healthy qi and eliminating pathogen". This paper is expected to provide new ideas for the immunotherapy of targeted TAMs.

Efficacy of Danggui Buxue decoction on diabetic nephropathy-induced renal fibrosis in rats and possible mechanism.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the efficacy of Danggui Buxue decoction (, DBD) on diabetic nephropathy-induced renal fibrosis in rats, and to study the possible mechanism. METHODS: Sixty male Goto Kakizaki (GK) rats were randomly assigned to the model group, gliquidone group, astragaloside IV group, and high-, medium- and low-doses DBD groups. After 8 weeks, changes in body weight, blood glucose, serum creatinine, serum urea nitrogen, and total cholesterol were observed. Changes in transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1), Smad3, and Smad5 pathways and the expression of the fibrosis-related proteins collagen IV (col IV), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and vimentin were assessed. The degree of renal fibrosis was observed by immunohistochemistry and Mason staining. The expression of interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 10 (IL-10), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), and C-reactive protein (CRP) in the kidneys was assessed using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Our experiments showed that DBD effectively reduced blood glucose, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine levels after 8 weeks of administration, improved renal function in diabetic rats, alleviated renal fibrosis, and reduced the renal tissue levels of IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and CRP. Furthermore, DBD decreased the expression of TGF-ß1, Smad3, col IV, α-SMA, and vimentin in renal tissues and increased the expression of Smad5. CONCLUSIONS: DBD ameliorates diabetic renal interstitial fibrosis by modulating the TGF-ß1/Smads pathway.

Biotransformation and bioaccessibility of active ingredients from Radix Astragali by Poria cocos during solid-state fermentation and in vitro digestion and antioxidant activity evaluation.

Radix Astragali is one of the most famous and frequently used health food supplements and herbal medicines. Among more than 227 components of Radix Astragali, Astragaloside IV (AG IV) is famous functional compound and is commonly used as a quality marker for Radix Astragali. However, the relatively low content of AG IV in Radix Astragali (< 0.04%, w/w) severely limits its application. The purpose of this study is to improve the biotransformation of AG IV and its bioaccessibility during in vitro digestion by Poria cocos solid fermenting Radix Astragali. The optimum fermentation conditions were as follows: Inoculation amount 8 mL; fermentation time 10 d; fermentation humidity 90%. Through fermentation, the content of AG IV was increased from 384.73 to 1986.49 µg/g by 5.16-fold. After in vitro digestion, the contents of genistin, calycosin, formononetin, AG IV, Astragaloside II (AG II) and total flavonoids in fermented Radix Astragali (FRA) of enteric phase II (ENTII) were 34.52 µg/g, 207.32 µg/g, 56.76 µg/g, 2331.46 µg/g, 788.31 µg/g, 3.37 mg/g, which were 2.08-fold, 2.51-fold, 1.05-fold, 8.62-fold, 3.22-fold and 1.50-fold higher than those of control, respectively. The Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of FRA showed rough surface and porous structure. The DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging rate of FRA were higher than those of control. These results showed that the Poria cocos solid fermentation could increase the content of the AG IV in Radix Astragali and improve the bioaccessibility and antioxidant activity of Radix Astragali, which is providing new ideas for future development and utilization of Radix Astragali.

Effects of breast milk intake ratio during hospitalization on antibiotic therapy duration in preterm infants less than 34 gestational weeks: a multicenter retrospective cohort study / 中华围产医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the effects of breast milk to total milk intake ratio during hospitalization on the duration of antibiotic therapy in preterm infants less than 34 weeks of gestation.Methods:Clinical data of preterm infants ( n=1 792) less than 34 gestational weeks were retrospectively collected in 16 hospitals of Jiangsu Province Neonatal-Perinatal Cooperation Network from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2021. The days of therapy (DOT) were used to evaluate the duration of antibiotic administration. The median DOT was 15.0 d (7.0-27.0 d). The patients were divided into four groups based on the quartiles of DOT: Q 1 (DOT≤7.0 d), Q 2 (7.0 d<DOT≤15.0 d), Q 3 (15.0 d<DOT≤27.0 d) and Q 4 (DOT>27.0 d) groups. According to the breast milk intake ratio (breast milk intake to total milk intake during hospitalization×100%), they were also divided into four groups: very-low-ratio breastfeeding group (breast milk intake ratio≤25%), low-ratio breastfeeding group (25%<breast milk intake ratio≤50%), medium-ratio breastfeeding group (50%<breast milk intake ratio≤75%) and high-ratio breastfeeding group (breast milk intake ratio>75%). Univariate analysis ( Chi-square test and Kruskal-Wallis rank-sum test) was used to analyze the factors influencing DOT. Spearman correlation analysis and trend Chi-square test were used to explore the relationship between breast milk intake ratio and DOT. After using multiple imputations to address missing data, two models were constructed after adjusting for different factors, and multinomial logistic regression model was applied to evaluate the effects of the breast milk intake ratio on DOT. Finally, sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the stability of the models. Results:(1) Of the 1 792 preterm infants, there were 507 (28.3%) in the Q 1 group, 422 (23.5%) in the Q 2 group, 438 (24.4%) in the Q 3 group and 425 (23.7%) in the Q 4 group. (2) The median values of DOT in the very-low-ratio, low-ratio, medium-ratio and high-ratio breastfeeding groups were 20.0 d (11.0-31.0 d), 20.0 d (11.0-32.0 d), 13.0 d (6.0-25.8 d) and 10.0 d (4.0-21.0 d), respectively. Compared with the very-low-ratio and low-ratio breastfeeding groups, the medium-ratio and high-ratio breastfeeding groups had shorter DOT (all P<0.05). (3) After adjusting for factors with P<0.1 (prenatal glucocorticoid exposure, antimicrobial use within 24 h before delivery, gestational age at delivery, birth weight, Apgar score≤7 at 1 min, neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, infectious pneumonia and early-onset neonatal sepsis) between the DOT quartile groups, it showed that medium-ratio and high-ratio breastfeeding were protective factors in contrast to very-low-ratio breastfeeding in the Q 2, Q 3 and Q 4 groups as compared with the Q 1 group [Q 2 group: OR=0.50 (95% CI: 0.30-0.85) and OR=0.36 (95% CI: 0.26-0.51); Q 3 group: OR=0.31 (95% CI: 0.18-0.55) and OR=0.20 (95% CI: 0.14-0.29); Q 4 group: OR=0.22 (95% CI: 0.12-0.42) and OR=0.17 (95% CI: 0.12-0.26)]. Conclusion:Breast milk intake accounting for over 50% of total milk intake has a positive impact on reducing DOT in premature infants requiring antibiotics, which suggests that breastfeeding should be actively encouraged.

Toxic Nephropathy Secondary to Chronic Mercury Poisoning: Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes.

Introduction: Kidney disease secondary to mercury poisoning has not been well documented and is often misdiagnosed and mistreated. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with having mercury poisoning over a 6-year period between July 2013 and June 2019. Demographics, clinical measures, renal pathologic examinations, treatments, and outcomes were compared between patients with kidney disease and those without kidney disease. Results: Of the 172 patients with mercury poisoning, 46 (26.74%) had renal damage. Among the 46 patients, 41 (89.13%) presented nephrotic syndrome, and 5 (10.87%) showed proteinuria alone. The pathologic abnormality associated with kidney disease caused by mercury poisoning was mainly membranous nephropathy (18 of 35 patients, 51.43%). Among 41 patients with nephrotic syndrome, 25 were treated with chelation therapy alone and 12 with mercury chelation therapy and glucocorticoids. The remaining 4 patients were treated with chelation therapy, glucocorticoids, and immunosuppressive therapies. The overall effective rate was 97.5% (40 patients). There was no significant difference in complete remission rate among the 3 treatment methods (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The main clinical manifestation of kidney disease secondary to chronic mercury poisoning was nephrotic syndrome, which was reflected in pathologic examinations as membranous nephropathy. Kidney disease to chronic mercury poisoning is prone to misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis. Chelation therapy is the main treatment, and the prognosis is good. Patients with severe condition can be supplemented with glucocorticoid.

Comparative analysis of aroma compounds in French fries and palm oil at three crucial stages by GC/MS-olfactometry, odor activity values, and aroma recombination.

BACKGROUND: Flavor is a key element affecting the popularity of French fries (FFs). When oil is heated, the changes in oil quality can affect the flavor of the food directly. RESULTS: The flavor of FFs showed three crucial stages: the break-in (3.0% to 6.8% of total polar compounds (TPC)), optimum (7.0% to 19% of TPC), and degrading (above 19.5% of TPC) stages. To distinguish the key aroma compounds in the three stages, the FFs, prepared in palm oil (PO) at TPC of 3.0% (FF3), 7.5% (FF8), 19.5% (FF20), and their relevant oils (PO3, PO8, PO20), were selected for molecular sensory science analysis. The results indicated that the concentration of (E, E)-2,4-decadienal linked with the deep-fried odor was low in FF3, which led to a lower sensory score in the FF3 sample. The FF8 sample had a high (E, E)-2,4-decadienal content and received a high sensory score. The FF20 sample possessed high hexanoic acid, heptanoic acid (sweaty odor), benzaldehyde (stale odor), octanoic acid (sweaty odor), (E)-2-undecenal (fatty odor), and trans-4,5-epoxy-(E)-2-decenal (metallic odor) content, thus leading to FFs having an undesirable flavor and PO20 showed high hexanoic acid and heptanoic acid content, contributing to a lower sensory score in PO20. CONCLUSION: The FFs' flavor became undesirable when TPC was above 19.5% due to significant influences of some off-flavor compounds. It is therefore essential to prevent the generation of rancid substances to prolong the optimum stage during frying. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Comparative characterization of key odorants of French fries and oils at the break-in, optimum, and degrading frying stages.

Flavor is a significant factor determining the popularity of French fries (FFs). The frying process of soybean oil (SO) showed three obvious stages-break-in, optimum, and degrading. Further, in order to distinguish the key aroma compounds in each stage, the FFs prepared in SO with total polar compounds (TPC) of 6.5% (FF7), 16.37% (FF16), and 26.5% (FF27), and their corresponding oils (SO7, SO16, SO27) were chosen for sensory-directed analysis. In the break-in stage (6.50-13.50% of TPC), the flavor of the FFs was light and undesirable due to the lower content of (E,E)-2,4-decadienal. Then at the optimum stage (15.43-22.70% of TPC), the FFs obtained a higher sensory score, mainly owing to the increase of (E,E)-2,4-decadienal with a strong, deep-fried odor. However, in the degrading stage (over 22.70% of TPC), high level of four acids (hexanoic, heptanoic, octanoic, and nonanoic acid), benzeneacetaldehyde and trans-4,5-epoxy-(E)-2-decenal resulted in flavor deterioration in FF27.

Preadmission follow-up condition of neonates hospitalized due to severe hyperbilirubinemia after discharge from the department of obstetrics and influencing factors for follow-up compliance: a multicenter investigation / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To investigate the preadmission follow-up condition of neonates hospitalized due to severe hyperbilirubinemia after discharge from the department of obstetrics and the influencing factors for follow-up compliance.@*METHODS@#A multicenter retrospective case-control study was performed for the cases from the multicenter clinical database of 12 units in the Quality Improvement Clinical Research Cooperative Group of Neonatal Severe Hyperbilirubinemia in Jiangsu Province of China from January 2019 to April 2021. According to whether the follow-up of neonatal jaundice was conducted on time after discharge from the department of obstetrics, the neonates were divided into two groups: good follow-up compliance and poor follow-up compliance. The multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify the influencing factors for follow-up compliance of the neonates before admission.@*RESULTS@#A total of 545 neonates with severe hyperbilirubinemia were included in the study, with 156 neonates (28.6%) in the good follow-up compliance group and 389 (71.4%) in the poor follow-up compliance group. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that low gestational age at birth, ≥10% reduction in body weight on admission compared with birth weight, history of phototherapy of siblings, history of exchange transfusion of siblings, Rh(-) blood type of the mother, a higher educational level of the mother, the use of WeChat official account by medical staff to remind of follow-up before discharge from the department of obstetrics, and the method of telephone notification to remind of follow-up after discharge were associated with the increase in follow-up compliance (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Poor follow-up compliance is observed for the neonates with severe hyperbilirubinemia after discharge from the department of obstetrics, which suggests that it is necessary to further strengthen the education of jaundice to parents before discharge and improve the awareness of jaundice follow-up. It is recommended to remind parents to follow up on time by phone or WeChat official account.

Rapid Assessment of Quality Changes in French Fries during Deep-frying Based on FTIR Spectroscopy Combined with Artificial Neural Network.

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy combined with backpropagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN) were utilized for rapid and simultaneous assessment of the lipid oxidation indices in French fries. The conventional indexes (i.e. total polar compounds, oxidized triacylglycerol polymerized products, oxidized triacylglycerol monomers, triacylglycerol hydrolysis products, and acid value), and FTIR absorbance intensity in French fries were determined during the deep-frying process, and the results showed the French fries had better quality in palm oil, followed by sunflower oil, rapeseed oil and soybean oil. The FTIR spectra of oil extracted from French fries were correlated to the reference oxidation indexes determined by AOCS standard methods. The results of BP-ANN prediction showed that the model based on FTIR fitted well (R2 > 0.926, RMSEC < 0.481) compared with partial least-squares model (R2 > 0.876). This facile strategy with excellent performance has great potential for rapid characterization quality of French fries during frying.

Sulfation of Quercitrin, Epicatechin and Rutin by Human Cytosolic Sulfotransferases (SULTs): Differential Effects of SULT Genetic Polymorphisms.

Radix Bupleuri is one of the most widely used herbal medicines in China for the treatment of fever, pain, and/or chronic inflammation. Quercitrin, epicatechin, and rutin, the flavonoids present in Radix Bupleuri, have been reported to display anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and antioxidant biological activities among others. Sulfation has been reported to play an important role in the metabolism of flavonoids. In this study, we aimed to systematically identify the human cytosolic sulfotransferase enzymes that are capable of catalyzing the sulfation of quercitrin, epicatechin, and rutin. Of the thirteen known human cytosolic sulfotransferases, three (cytosolic sulfotransferase 1A1, cytosolic sulfotransferase 1C2, and cytosolic sulfotransferase 1C4) displayed sulfating activity toward quercitrin, three (cytosolic sulfotransferase 1A1, cytosolic sulfotransferase 1A3, and cytosolic sulfotransferase 1C4) displayed sulfating activity toward epicatechin, and six (cytosolic sulfotransferase 1A1, cytosolic sulfotransferase 1A2, cytosolic sulfotransferase 1A3, cytosolic sulfotransferase 1B1, cytosolic sulfotransferase 1C4, and cytosolic sulfotransferase 1E1) displayed sulfating activity toward rutin. The kinetic parameters of the cytosolic sulfotransferases that showed the strongest sulfating activities were determined. To investigate the effects of genetic polymorphisms on the sulfation of quercitrin, epicatechin, and rutin, individual panels of cytosolic sulfotransferase allozymes previously prepared were analyzed and shown to display differential sulfating activities toward each of the three flavonoids. Taken together, these results provided a biochemical basis underlying the metabolism of quercitrin, epicatechin, and rutin through sulfation in humans.

Effect of the polyphenol-rich extract from Allium cepa on hyperlipidemic sprague-dawley rats.

Allium cepa is used for the prevention and treatment of hyperlipidemia-related diseases such as atherosclerosis in the folk. This study was mainly aimed at investigating the effects of A. cepa extract (ACE) enriched in polyphenols on hyperlipidemia Sprague-Dawley (SD) experiment rat models. The levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in serum and liver were measured using ELISA kits. In addition, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) technique was used to observe the liver and the aortic arch pathology. Moreover, western blotting (WB) method was applied to analyze LDL receptor (LDLR) and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl (HMG)-CoA reductase (HMGCR) in liver. As a result, quercetin (2.42 mg/g DW) and isoquercitrin (4.60 mg/g DW) were the main constituents of ACE using HPLC analysis. Furthermore, ACE reduced the levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, and MDA, and increased HDL levels and elevated SOD activity both in serum and liver in hyperlipidemic SD rats (p < .05). HE results showed that liver fat drops of the rats in ACE group were obviously decreased, and the lipid and foam cells of the aortic arch of the rats in ACE group were markedly ameliorated. WB results showed that ACE promoted the degradation of HMGCR and increased LDLR expression in liver (p < .05). In conclusion, ACE alleviated hyperlipidemia with downregulation of HMGCR and upregulation of LDLR. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Atherosclerosis, a major cardiovascular disease, is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the developed countries. Moreover, accumulating data indicate that, during atherosclerosis development, hyperlipidemia is an important risk factor. To date, hyperlipidemia is mainly treated with hyperlipidemic agents including statins, in spite of the side effects and poor tolerance in some patients. In addition, Allium cepa is a medicinal and edible plant. Furthermore, A. cepa is used for the prevention and treatment of hyperlipidemia-related diseases such as atherosclerosis in the folk. But the underlying mechanism is still unclear. In fact, this research showed that A. cepa extract (ACE) alleviated hyperlipidemia with downregulation of HMGCR and upregulation of LDLR, suggesting that ACE might be a potential option for hyperlipidemia as non-statin lipid-lowering agent.

Effect of staging treatment of / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the effect of @*METHODS@#A total of 74 patients with RIF of thin endometrium type undergoing freeze-thaw embryo transfer were randomly divided into an observation group (37 cases) and a control group (37 cases). The patients in the control group were treated with freeze-thaw embryo transfer in hormone replacement cycle, and the estradiol valerate tablets were taken orally from the fifth day of menstruation, 2 mg per day. On the basis of the control group, the observation group was additionally treated with @*RESULTS@#The clinical pregnancy rate was 37.8% (14/37) in the observation group, which was higher than 16.2% (6/37) in the control group (@*CONCLUSION@#On the basis of conventional medication,

Antidiarrheal activity of methanol extract of Sophora tonkinensis in mice and spasmolytic effect on smooth muscle contraction of isolated jejunum in rabbits.

Context: In China, the herb Sophora tonkinensis Gagnep. (Fabaceae, ST) (Committee of National Pharmacopeia. 2015) exhibits anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and antiviral effects. However, to date, there have been few studies on its gastrointestinal effect. Objective: The gastrointestinal effect of the methanol extract of ST rhizome (STR) was evaluated. Materials and methods: Study was conducted from February to December 2018. In vivo, antidiarrheal activity of STR (125, 250 and 500 mg/kg; orally) in castor oil-induced diarrheal mice was studied. In vitro, the effects of STR (0.01-10 mg/mL) on the isolated tissue preparations of rabbit jejunum were also investigated, the rabbit jejunum stripes were pre-contracted with Ach (10-5 M), K+ (60 mM) and tested in the presence of STR, the possible spasmolytic effect was analyzed in the pretreatment of the jejunum preparations with STR or verapamil in Ca2+-free high-K+ (60 mM) solution containing EDTA. Results: STR (125, 250 and 500 mg/kg) exhibited antidiarrheal activity. STR (0.01-10 mg/mL) completely relaxed spontaneously contracting, Ach (10-5 M) and high K+ (60 mM) induced contracted jejunum with an EC50 value of 0.66 (0.49-0.96), 0.39 (0.28-0.44) and 0.17 (0.10-0.21), similar to verapamil. Concentration-response curves of CaCl2 could be significantly moved to the right and down in the presence of STR (0.3, 1 mg/mL). Discussion and conclusions: Results suggest the presence of antidiarrheal activity and spasmolytic effects of STR, possibly mediated through Ca2+ channel blocking activity, providing the pharmacological basis for its traditional uses in gastrointestinal disorders.

Effects of decay level of fallen trees and their formed microsite types on soil physicochemical properties in a spruce-fir forest.

To reveal the effects of decay level of fallen trees and their formed microsite types on soil physicochemical properties, the differences in soil physicochemical properties (bulk density, capillary porosity, total porosity, capillary water holding capacity, saturated moisture capacity, soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorous, available phosphorous, available potassium, and pH) and stoichiometry (C/N, N/P, and C/P) among different decay levels of treefalls and between different microsite types in the formed gaps by fallen trees were analyzed in a spruce-fir fore-st in a valley of Liangshui National Nature Reserve in Xiaoxing' an Mountains. The results showed that the effects of the decay levels of fallen trees on soil physical properties was not significant. In contrast, we found significant effects of the formed microsite types in soil physical properties. Except for saturated soil water holding capacity, the other soil physical properties were the best under the fallen trees and the worst in the pit bottom. Except of available phosphorus, the contents of the other soil nutrients exhibited a significant increase trend with the increasing decay levels of fallen trees. Among three microsites, the contents of soil nutrients were the lowest and pH were highest in the pit. As for the shallow soil layer, C/N, N/P and C/P of three microsites decreased with the increasing decay levels of fallen trees, while C/N in mound top and in pit bottom increased, N/P and C/P decreased, and the variation of C/P was consistent with that of available phosphorus. In conclusion, with the increasing decay levels of fallen trees, the contents of soil nutrients were signifi-cantly increased. There are significant differences of soil nutrients among different microsites, with the lowest values in the pit.

Purified Phlorizin from DocynIa Indica (Wall.) Decne by HSCCC, Compared with Whole Extract, Phlorizin and Non-Phlorizin Fragment Ameliorate Obesity, Insulin Resistance, and Improves Intestinal Barrier Function in High-Fat-Diet-Fed Mice.

Natural products generally contain complex and multiple bioactive compounds that are responsible for the effects on health through complicated synergistic and/or suppressive actions. As an important raw material of local ethnic minority tea, ethnomedicines and food supplements in southwestern areas of China, Docynia indica (Wall.) Decne (DID) mainly consists of phlorizin (PHZ), which is the main active component. In this study, the holistic activities and the interactions of components of PHZ, non-phlorizin (NP) in the DID extract (DIDE) were evaluated. A rapid and effective high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) was performed to knock out PHZ from DIDE and the purity of PHZ was 96.01% determined by HPLC, with a recovery rate of 96.76%. After 13 weeks of treatment course in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice model, the results revealed that the DIDE and PHZ significantly decreased weight gain, blood lipid levels, hyperplasia of adipocytes and alleviated inflammation (p < 0.05). Both DIDE and PHZ improves insulin resistance (p < 0.001). Meanwhile, the intestinal barrier function was improved compared to HFD group, through the determination of serum lipopolysaccharides (LPS), glucagon-likepeptide-2 (GLP-2) and hematoxylin-eosin staining of jejunum. Interestingly, after NP treatment, the metabolic syndrome of the HFD-induced obesity appeared to have a similar improvement. All the experiments showed that there is a synergistic weakening phenomenon when PHZ and NP interact with each other in the mixed state. In conclusion, for the PHZ and NP showing a good effect on anti-obesity, anti-inflammation, and intestinal barrier function, DIDE could be a good source of functional food to prevent obesity.

Ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser combined with intense pulsed light for the treatment of photoaging skin in Chinese population: A split-face study.

Intense pulsed light (IPL) is effective for the treatment of lentigines, telangiectasia, and generalized erythema, but is less effective in the removal of skin wrinkles. Fractional laser is effective on skin wrinkles and textural irregularities, but can induce postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), especially in Asians. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of ablative fractional laser (AFL) in combination with IPL in the treatment of photoaging skin in Asians.This study included 28 Chinese women with Fitzpatrick skin type III and IV. The side of the face to be treated with IPL alone (3 times) or AFL in combination with IPL (2 IPL treatments and 1 AFL treatment) was randomly selected. Skin conditions including hydration, transepidermal water loss, elasticity, spots, ultraviolet spots, brown spots, wrinkle, texture, pore size and red areas, as well as adverse effects were evaluated before the treatment and at 30 days after the treatment.Compared with IPL treatment alone, AFL in combination with IPL significantly increased elasticity, decreased pore size, reduced skin wrinkles, and improved skin texture (P = .004, P = .039, P = .015, and P = .035, respectively). Both treatment protocols produced similar effects in relation to the improvement of photoaging-induced pigmentation. The combined therapy did not impair epidermal barrier function. No postoperative infection, hypopigmentation, or scarring occurred after IPL and AFL treatments. PIH occurred at 1 month after AFL treatment and disappeared at 30 days after completion of the combined therapy.AFL in combination with IPL is safe and effective for photoaging skin in Asians.

Complementary and alternative therapies for restless legs syndrome: An evidence-based systematic review.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is defined as an irresistible urge to move the legs, which is usually accompanied by paresthesias or dysesthesias at least twice weekly, and affects 2%-4% of adults in Europe and North America. This systematic review assesses the current complementary and alternative options for RLS and the potential benefits of those treatments on sleep quality, mood disorder, and quality of life. A systematic search of the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases was conducted. Eighteen studies met the inclusion criterion, which included the use of the international RLS study group criteria. Complementary and alternative therapies have been found to be effective in both primary and secondary RLS. The severity of primary RLS symptoms can be significantly ameliorated by exercise training, transcutaneous spinal direct current stimulation, pneumatic compression devices, light therapy, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, and acupuncture. Pneumatic compression devices and yoga also improve RLS-related disorders. Exercise training is highly efficacious in the reduction of symptom severity in uremic RLS and related effects such as poor quality of life. Endovenous laser ablation may be a good choice for patients with concurrent RLS and superficial venous insufficiency.