Artemether ameliorates adriamycin induced cardiac atrophy in mice.

Adriamycin is a widely used and effective antitumor drug; however, its application is limited by various side effects, including irreversible cardiotoxicity. The central role of cardiac atrophy in Adriamycin­induced cardiotoxicity has been revealed; however, the underlying mechanism of this process remains unclear. Artemether is a well­known Chinese herbal medicine, and its pharmacological action is related to the regulation of mitochondrial function and redox status. The present study determined the effects of artemether on Adriamycin­induced cardiotoxicity and investigated the underlying mechanisms. After mouse model establishment and artemether intervention, experimental methods including pathological staining, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, immunoblotting, ELISA and reverse transcription­quantitative PCR were used to evaluate the therapeutic effect. The results demonstrated that artemether prevented Adriamycin­induced cardiac atrophy and recovered the intercombination of connexin 43 and N­cadherin at the intercalated discs. Artemether also regulated the autophagy pathway and restored the unbalanced ratio of Bax and Bcl­2 in myocardial cells. In addition, the increased serum H2O2 levels after Adriamycin exposure were significantly decreased by artemether, and the mitochondrial alterations and redox imbalance in myocardial cells were also improved to varying degrees. In summary, the findings of the present study provide reliable evidence that artemether could ameliorate cardiac atrophy induced by Adriamycin. This therapeutic approach may be translated to the clinic for preventing drug­induced heart diseases.

Multidisciplinary Team Led by Joint Surgeons to Rapidly Identify Spondyloarthritis.

Context: Spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a group of chronic, inflammatory, rheumatic diseases of which axial SpA and peripheral SpA are the two main types. Patients that predominantly have manifestations of axSpA may have additional peripheral-arthritis symptoms, and vice versa. For these hard-to-diagnose SpA patients, symptoms can be nonspecific and difficult to identify, making it easy to miss a diagnosis or misdiagnosis patients, resulting in disability. Objective: The study intended to evaluate the value of a multidisciplinary team (MDT) led by the joint surgeons to rapidly identify spondyloarthritis (SpA). Design: The research team designed a controlled study that analyzed the clinical data of patients with spondyloarthritis. Setting: The study was conducted in the Department of Joint Surgery at Shandong Second Provincial General Hospital in Jinan, China. Participants: Participants were 113 SpA patients at the hospital between January 2019 and January 2020. Intervention: he research team divided participants into an intervention group, the MDT group that used that model to diagnose 83 participants and the control group with 30 participants, for whom diagnoses occurred using the conventional diagnostic model. Outcome Measures: The research team collected data on participants' number of visits and number of departments visited as well as determined the amount of time that elapsed before a diagnosis occurred. The team also measured C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and the scores on the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) at baseline and after 3 months and 6 months treatment. Results: In the MDT group, diagnoses included: (1) axial SpA (axSpA)-73 participants, and (2) peripheral SpA-10 participants, including three with reactive arthritis, two with uveitis, and five with psoriatic arthritis. Eight participants in that group were HLA-B27 positive, and 14 had complications from a latent tuberculosis infection. In the control group, diagnoses included: (1) axSpA-25 participants; and (2) peripheral SpA-5 participants, including three with psoriatic arthritis and two with reactive arthritis. Six participants in that group were HLA-B27 positive and four had complications from a latent tuberculosis infection. The number of visits, number of departments visited, and time to diagnosis in the MDT group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < .001). After three and six months of treatment, the MDT group's CRP, ESR, BASDAI, and BASFI were significantly lower than those at baseline (P < .001). Conclusions: The MDT model of spondyloarthritis led by joint surgeons was accurate and efficient, allowing the medical personnel to quickly identify and intervene in SpA and provide effective treatment for patients. It's a diagnosis and treatment model worthy of promotion.

Magnetic resonance imaging assessment of the therapeutic effect of combined electroacupuncture and stem cells in acute peripheral nerve injury.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of a combination of Bone Mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) transplantation and Electroacupuncture (EA) for acute sciatic nerve injury in rats using magnetic resonance. Methods: Ninety-two male adult healthy Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the EA+BMSCs group, EA group, MSCs group, and PBS group (control). Electroacupuncture was performed on a rat receiving EA treatment at Huantiao (GB30) and Zusanli (ST36). T2 values and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) derived from multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), histological assessments, and immunohistochemistry was used to monitor nerve regeneration. Walking track analysis was used to assess nerve functional recovery. Repeated-measures one-way analysis of variance was used to evaluate the significance of T2, DTI, and SFI values among the four groups. One-way analysis of variance was used for comparing the histological characteristics. Bonferroni test was used for multiple pairwise comparisons at each time point. Results: In terms of FA, the EA+BMSCs and EA groups had faster recovery than PBS (control) in all time points after surgery, and the EA+BMSCs group recovered better than the BMSCs group at 3 weeks (P ≤ 0.008). FA values were higher in the EA group than in the BMSCs group at 4 weeks (P ≤ 0.008). In terms of RD, the EA+BMSCs group recovered better than the BMSCs group at 2 and 4 weeks (P ≤ 0.008). Immunofluorescence staining for axon guidance molecule netrin-1 revealed that it was significantly higher in the EA+BMSCs subgroup and EA subgroup than it was in the control (PBS) subgroup at 1-3 weeks (P < 0.001). Immunofluorescence staining for S100 showed the continuity of nerve fibers recovered more quickly in the EA+BMSCs subgroup than in the BMSCs subgroup. Conclusion: Our research revealed that a combination of MSCs and EA can provide both topological and biomolecular guidance to promote axonal extension, myelin regeneration, and functional recovery after PNI. EA not only promotes nerve repair on its own, but also enhanced the beneficial effects of stem cell treatment and the secretion of netrin 1, a guidance regeneration factor, and promotes the orderly growth of nerve fibers. These PNI repairs could be monitored non-invasively and in situ by MRI. The FA and RD values derived from MRI could be sensitive biomarkers to reflect the PNI repair process.

Serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D levels and affecting factors among preconception fertile women.

BACKGROUND: Recent study found that vitamin D before conception was considered as a potential additional determinant for achieving pregnancy and live births. The study aimed to evaluate the serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and its affecting factors among preconception fertile women. METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled 410 women aged 22-44 years who attended a preconception genetic counseling clinic from January 2018 to May 2019. Sociodemographic characteristics and reproductive history of women were collected, and height and weight were measured. Serum 25(OH)D concentration was assayed with chemiluminescence immunoassay. Descriptive statistics were used to examine serum 25(OH)D concentration, and socio-demographic characteristics and reproductive history among preconception women. Determinants of vitamin D deficiency and its affecting factors were assessed using χ2 test and logistic regression. RESULTS: Findings showed 84.4% of women had serum 25(OH)D concentration below 20 ng/mL. Women working indoors as well as without a history of childbirth had significantly lower 25(OH)D levels compared with those non-working individuals and having delivered a previous child (both P < 0.05). The 25(OH)D levels were the lowest in winter among that in spring, summer, and autumn (all P < 0.001). Women in winter have significantly elevated OR of 5.00 (95%CI 1.75-14.25) to develop vitamin D deficiency. Seasonal variation in serum 25(OH)D levels was not present in non-working individuals and women aged 31-44 years. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D deficiency is common among preconception women especially nulliparous women and working women, which propose to screen serum 25(OH)D on preconception evaluation and emphasize need vitamin D supplements and get sunshine exposure.

Vitamin D Deficiency Is Associated With Metabolic Risk Factors in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study in Shaanxi China.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder in women at reproductive age, which is characterized by obesity, hyperandrogenemia, and insulin resistance (IR). This study aimed to investigate the vitamin D status, and analyze the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and metabolic risk factors in PCOS women in Shaanxi China. Methods: A cross-sectional study included 169 women diagnosed with PCOS and 114 control women without PCOS. The serum 25(OH)D and metabolic markers were measured. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as serum 25(OH)D concentration less than 20 ng/mL. The primary outcome was the difference in vitamin D status between the PCOS and control groups, the secondary outcomes were correlations between serum 25(OH)D concentration and metabolic risk factors in women with PCOS. Results: The serum 25(OH)D concentration was significantly lower in women with PCOS than in controls (P < 0.05), and the prevalence rates of 25(OH)D deficiency and insufficiency were significantly higher in women with PCOS than in controls (P < 0.05). The serum 25(OH)D concentration was significantly lower in PCOS women with obesity or IR than in women without obesity or IR (P < 0.05), and the prevalence of 25(OH)D deficiency in PCOS women with obesity or IR was significantly higher than in women without obesity or IR (P < 0.05). Serum 25(OH)D concentration was significantly negatively correlated with body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), fasting insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (P < 0.05). In comparison, serum 25(OH)D concentration was significantly positively correlated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (P < 0.05). Increased BMI and WHR, high levels of fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, total cholesterol, LDL-C and hs-CRP were regarded as risk factors, but high level of HDL-C was considered to be protective factor of vitamin D deficiency in PCOS women. Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in PCOS women in Shaanxi China, especially in those with obesity and IR. The serum 25(OH)D level was correlated with metabolic risk factors in PCOS women. Multi-center randomized controlled trials with large sample sizes are needed to probe the metabolic effect of vitamin D supplementation in PCOS women.

Astragaloside IV ameliorates early diabetic nephropathy by inhibition of MEK1/2-ERK1/2-RSK2 signaling in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice.

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the renoprotective effects and molecular mechanisms of astragaloside IV (AS-IV) in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice. Methods Male C57BL/6 mice were injected intraperitoneally with STZ at 200 mg/kg body weight. AS-IV was administered for 8 consecutive weeks, beginning 1 week after STZ injection. Body weight, 24-hour urinary albumin excretion, and fasting blood glucose were measured. Kidney tissues were examined by histopathological analyses. Total levels and phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase 1/2 (MEK1/2), extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), and ribosomal S6 kinase 2 (RSK2) were determined by Western blotting analysis. Results AS-IV treatment significantly reduced albuminuria and serum creatinine levels, ameliorated mesangial matrix expansion and greater foot process width, and decreased the levels of urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, and transforming growth factor-beta 1 in STZ-induced diabetic mice. AS-IV also inhibited renal cortical phosphorylation of MEK1/2, ERK1/2 and RSK2. Conclusion Our results suggest that AS-IV attenuates renal injury in STZ-induced diabetic mice. This effect might be partially associated with inhibition of the activation of the MEK1/2-ERK1/2-RSK2 signaling pathway.