Exploring the body surface temperature of the lumbosacral region and relevant back-shu points in patients with lumbar disc herniation induced low back pain based on infrared thermography. / åŸºäºŽçº¢å¤–çƒ­æˆåƒæŠ€æœ¯æŽ¢è®¨è °æ¤Žé—´ç›˜çªå‡ºç—‡è °ç—›æ‚£è€ è °éª¶éƒ¨åŠç›¸å ³èƒŒä¿žç©´è¡¨çš®æ¸©åº¦.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the body surface temperature of the lumbosacral region and relevant back-shu points in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) induced low back pain utilizing infrared thermography, and to explore the functional attribute changes of acupoints under pathological conditions. METHODS: A total of 50 patients with LDH induced low back pain were included as the observation group, and 45 healthy subjects were included as the control group. Using infrared thermography, the body surface temperature of the lumbosacral region and bilateral Sanjiaoshu (BL 22), Shenshu (BL 23), Qihaishu (BL 24), Dachangshu (BL 25), Guanyuanshu (BL 26), Xiaochangshu (BL 27), and Pangguangshu (BL 28) was measured in both groups. The temperature difference values between the bilateral lumbosacral regions and back-shu points of the two groups were calculated. Additionally, the body surface temperature of the affected and healthy sides of the lumbosacral region and relevant back-shu points was compared in the observation group. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the body surface temperature of the lumbosacral region and the bilateral temperature difference values of the lumbosacral regions were increased in the observation group (P<0.001). The body surface temperature difference values of bilateral Shenshu (BL 23), Qihaishu (BL 24), Dachangshu (BL 25), Guanyuanshu (BL 26) and Xiaochangshu (BL 27) in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.001). In the observation group, the body surface temperature of the affected side of the lumbosacral region as well as Shenshu (BL 23) and Dachangshu (BL 25) was elevated compared with that of healthy side (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The patients with LDH induced low back pain have imbalanced and asymmetrical distribution of body surface temperature in the lumbosacral region and related back-shu points, Shenshu (BL 23) and Dachangshu (BL 25) have the relative specificity.

Statins aggravate insulin resistance through reduced blood glucagon-like peptide-1 levels in a microbiota-dependent manner.

Statins are currently the most common cholesterol-lowering drug, but the underlying mechanism of statin-induced hyperglycemia is unclear. To investigate whether the gut microbiome and its metabolites contribute to statin-associated glucose intolerance, we recruited 30 patients with atorvastatin and 10 controls, followed up for 16 weeks, and found a decreased abundance of the genus Clostridium in feces and altered serum and fecal bile acid profiles among patients with atorvastatin therapy. Animal experiments validated that statin could induce glucose intolerance, and transplantation of Clostridium sp. and supplementation of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) could ameliorate statin-induced glucose intolerance. Furthermore, oral UDCA administration in humans alleviated the glucose intolerance without impairing the lipid-lowering effect. Our study demonstrated that the statin-induced hyperglycemic effect was attributed to the Clostridium sp.-bile acids axis and provided important insights into adjuvant therapy of UDCA to lower the adverse risk of statin therapy.

[Chemical constituents and mechanism of Chuanzhi Tongluo Capsules based on UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS and network pharmacology].

The chemical constituents of Chuanzhi Tongluo Capsules were analyzed and identified using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/electrostatic field orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS) to clarify the pharmacological substance basis. In addition, network pharmacology was employed to explore the mechanism of Chuanzhi Tongluo Capsules in the treatment of cerebral infarction. Gradient elution was performed using acetonitrile and 1% acetic acid in water as the mobile phase. Mass spectrometry was performed in positive and negative ion modes. Xcalibur 4.2 software was used for compound analysis, including accurate mass-to-charge ratio and MS/MS fragment information, combined with the comparison of reference standards and literature data. A total of 152 compounds were identified, including 32 organic acids, 35 flavonoids and their glycosides, 33 diterpenes, 13 phthalides, 12 triterpenes and triterpene saponins, 23 nitrogen-containing compounds, and 4 other compounds, and their fragmentation patterns were analyzed. SwissTargetPrediction, GeneCards, DAVID, and other databases were used to predict and analyze the core targets and mechanism of Chuanzhi Tongluo Capsules. Protein-protein interaction(PPI) network topology analysis identified 10 core targets, including TNF, VEGFA, EGFR, IL1B, and CTNNB1. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that Chuanzhi Tongluo Capsules mainly exerted their effects through the regulation of lipid and atherosclerosis, glycoproteins in cancer, MicroRNAs in cancer, fluid shear stress, and atherosclerosis-related pathways. Molecular docking was performed between the key constituents and core targets, and the results demonstrated a strong binding affinity between the key constituents of Chuanzhi Tongluo Capsules and the core targets. This study comprehensively elucidated the chemical constituents of Chuanzhi Tongluo Capsules and explored the core targets and mechanism in the treatment of cerebral infarction based on network pharmacology, providing a scientific reference for the study of the pharmacological substance basis and formulation quality standards of Chuanzhi Tongluo Capsules.

Efficacy and safety of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the management of diabetic foot ulcers: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) represent a major health concern for diabetic patients, often leading to debilitating complications. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has been posited as an adjunctive therapeutic strategy to augment the healing rates of these ulcers. This systematic review and meta-analysis sought to critically evaluate the efficacy and safety of HBOT in the context of DFUs management. A rigorous search, adhering to PRISMA guidelines, was conducted across multiple electronic databases. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the impact of HBOT on DFUs were included. Outcome measures were complete ulcer healing, major and minor amputation rates and adverse reactions. The analysis employed both fixed and random-effects models, contingent on the heterogeneity levels detected. Seven studies met the inclusion criteria. HBOT was found to significantly improve the complete healing rates of DFUs with a risk ratio (RR) of 3.59 (95% CI: 1.56-8.29, p < 0.001). However, HBOT's impact on both major and minor amputation rates did not yield statistically significant results. The sensitivity analysis underscored the robustness of the principal outcomes, and the publication bias assessment suggested the absence of any significant bias. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy stands out as a potent therapeutic tool in promoting the complete healing of diabetic foot ulcers, offering a promising adjunct to standard care protocols, while ensuring patient safety.

Effect of external therapies of traditional Chinese medicine on constipation in patients with CRF: A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the curative effect of external therapies of traditional Chinese medicine on constipation in patients with chronic renal failure and to provide scientific theoretical basis for clinical practice. METHOD: We searched the English database of PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library and the Web of Science and Chinese database of CNKI, Wan fang database, VIP Database and China Biomedical Literature Database up to December 2022. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving constipation in patients with CRF that compared external therapies of traditional Chinese medicine and routine treatment to routine treatment were eligible for the analysis. A meta-analysis of the outcome indicators including total efficiency, weekly defecation times, defecation time, defecation difficulty score, patient-assessment of constipation quality of life and adverse events of treatment were performed. The analysis was performed by using Review Manager version 5.3. RESULT: A total of 23 studies were included, with 1764 patients. Meta-analysis results showed that compared with the control group, the test group could significantly increase weekly defecation times(MD = 0.94, 95%CI(0.70, 1.18), Z = 7.74, P < 0.00001), reduce defecation time(MD = -2.92, 95%CI(-3.69, -2.16), Z = 7.49, P < 0.00001), reduce defecation difficulty score(MD = -1.92, 95%CI(-2.45, -1.39), Z = 7.11, P < 0.00001), improve the quality of life in patients with constipation(MD = -7.57, 95%CI(-10.23, -4.91), Z = 5.58, P < 0.00001) and obtain a higher total effective rate of treatment(OR = 4.53, 95%CI(3.27, 6.29), Z = 9.07, P < 0.00001). In terms of safety, there was no statistical significance in the incidence of adverse events between two groups(OR = 0.35, 95%CI(0.04, 2.95), Z = 0.96, P = 0.34). CONCLUSION: The combination of external therapies of traditional Chinese medicine and routine treatment could achieve an excellent curative effect, and there was no specific adverse event. However because of the limited level of current evidence, more high-quality trials are needed in the future.5.

Does inclusion of bioactive n-3 PUFAs in parenteral nutrition benefit postoperative patients undergoing liver surgery? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised control trials.

OBJECTIVES: This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effect of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) as a part of parenteral nutrition in patients undergoing liver surgery. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Springer link, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and VIP Database. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and evaluated the outcomes of liver function, inflammatory reaction, the influence of certain markers of the immune system, and specific clinical indexes for patients undergoing liver surgery and receiving parenteral nutrition with n-3 PUFAs. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: The Cochrane Collaboration's tool was used to assess the risk of bias for each study. Findings were summarised in Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation evidence profiles and synthesised qualitatively. RESULTS: Eight RCTs, including 748 patients (trial: 374; control: 374), were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with patients in the control group, the patients in the n-3 PUFA group who underwent liver surgery had significantly lower aspartate aminotransferase (mean difference, MD -42.72 (95% CI -71.91 to -13.52); p=0.004), alanine aminotransferase (MD -38.90 (95% CI -65.44 to -12.37); p=0.004), white cell count (MD -0.93 (95% CI -1.60 to -0.26); p=0.007) and IL-6 (MD -11.37 (95% CI -14.62 to -8.13); p<0.00001) levels and a higher albumin level (MD 0.42 (95% CI 0.26 to 0.57); p<0.00001). They also had fewer infection complications (OR 0.44 (95% CI 0.28 to 0.68); p=0.0003) and a shorter duration of hospital stay (MD -2.17 (95% CI -3.04 to -1.3); p<0.00001) than the controls. However, there were no significant differences in terms of total bilirubin, TNF-α, IL-2, IgA, IgG, IgM and CD3, biliary leakage and mortality between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: We found that n-3 PUFAs can benefit patients undergoing liver surgery by improving liver function and certain clinical indexes and decreasing related inflammation factors. However, there are limited RCTs on the application of n-3 PUFAs for patients undergoing liver surgery. Further evidence of the benefit of n-3 PUFAs in these patients warrants further exploration.

Calcitriol attenuates liver fibrosis through hepatitis C virus nonstructural protein 3-transactivated protein 1-mediated TGF ß1/Smad3 and NF-κB signaling pathways.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic fibrosis is a serious condition, and the development of hepatic fibrosis can lead to a series of complications. However, the pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis remains unclear, and effective therapy options are still lacking. Our group identified hepatitis C virus nonstructural protein 3-transactivated protein 1 (NS3TP1) by suppressive subtractive hybridization and bioinformatics analysis, but its role in diseases including hepatic fibrosis remains undefined. Therefore, additional studies on the function of NS3TP1 in hepatic fibrosis are urgently needed to provide new targets for treatment. AIM: To elucidate the mechanism of NS3TP1 in hepatic fibrosis and the regulatory effects of calcitriol on NS3TP1. METHODS: Twenty-four male C57BL/6 mice were randomized and separated into three groups, comprising the normal, fibrosis, and calcitriol treatment groups, and liver fibrosis was modeled by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). To evaluate the level of hepatic fibrosis in every group, serological and pathological examinations of the liver were conducted. TGF-ß1 was administered to boost the in vitro cultivation of LX-2 cells. NS3TP1, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), collagen I, and collagen III in every group were examined using a Western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The activity of the transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFß1)/Smad3 and NF-κB signaling pathways in each group of cells transfected with pcDNA-NS3TP1 or siRNA-NS3TP1 was detected. The statistical analysis of the data was performed using the Student's t test. RESULTS: NS3TP1 promoted the activation, proliferation, and differentiation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and enhanced hepatic fibrosis via the TGFß1/Smad3 and NF-κB signaling pathways, as evidenced by the presence of α-SMA, collagen I, collagen III, p-smad3, and p-p65 in LX-2 cells, which were upregulated after NS3TP1 overexpression and downregulated after NS3TP1 interference. The proliferation of HSCs was lowered after NS3TP1 interference and elevated after NS3TP1 overexpression, as shown by the luciferase assay. NS3TP1 inhibited the apoptosis of HSCs. Moreover, both Smad3 and p65 could bind to NS3TP1, and p65 increased the promoter activity of NS3TP1, while NS3TP1 increased the promoter activity of TGFß1 receptor I, as indicated by coimmunoprecipitation and luciferase assay results. Both in vivo and in vitro, treatment with calcitriol dramatically reduced the expression of NS3TP1. Calcitriol therapy-controlled HSCs activation, proliferation, and differentiation and substantially suppressed CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis in mice. Furthermore, calcitriol modulated the activities of the above signaling pathways via downregulation of NS3TP1. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that calcitriol may be employed as an adjuvant therapy for hepatic fibrosis and that NS3TP1 is a unique, prospective therapeutic target in hepatic fibrosis.

[The specificity of body surface temperature of relevant back-shu points in patients with chronic persistent asthma based on infrared thermal imaging technology].

OBJECTIVE: To detect the body surface temperature of the relevant back-shu points in patients with chronic persistent asthma by infrared thermal imaging technology, and observe the specific changes of the body surface temperature of the relevant back-shu points under the condition of lung disease. METHODS: Forty-five patients with chronic persistent asthma (observation group) and 45 healthy subjects (control group) were selected. The body surface temperature of bilateral Feishu (BL 13), Geshu (BL 17), Pishu (BL 20) and Shenshu (BL 23) were measured by BK-MT02A medical infrared thermography. RESULTS: The body surface temperature of bilateral Feishu (BL 13), Geshu (BL 17), Pishu (BL 20) and Shenshu (BL 23) in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.01, P<0.05). The body surface temperature of bilateral Feishu (BL 13) and Geshu (BL 17) was higher than that of ipsilateral Pishu (BL 20) and Shenshu (BL 23) in the two groups (P<0.01, P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in body surface temperature between ipsilateral Feishu (BL 13) and Geshu (BL 17), between ipsilateral Pishu (BL 20) and Shenshu (BL 23) (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The pathological increase of body surface temperature of Feishu (BL 13), Geshu (BL 17), Pishu (BL 20) and Shenshu (BL 23) in patients with chronic persistent asthma indicates that above acupoints have specificity in reflecting lung diseases. The Feishu (BL 13) and Geshu (BL 17), which have significantly increased body surface temperature, not only provide objective basis for the pathological pathogenesis of "deficiency in origin and excess in symptom" in patients with chronic persistent asthma, but also reflect the different expressions of different acupoints on the same meridian for the lung diseases.

Efficacy and safety of dietary polyphenols in rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 47 randomized controlled trials.

Objective: To evaluate safety and efficacy of dietary polyphenols in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: CNKI, Pubmed, Cochrane library, Embase were searched to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of dietary polyphenols in the treatment of RA. The databases were searched from the time of their establishment to November 8nd, 2022. After 2 reviewers independently screened the literature, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias of the included studies, Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan5.4 software. Results: A total of 49 records (47 RCTs) were finally included, involving 3852 participants and 15 types of dietary polyphenols (Cinnamon extract, Cranberry extract, Crocus sativus L. extract, Curcumin, Garlic extract, Ginger extract, Hesperidin, Olive oil, Pomegranate extract, Puerarin, Quercetin, Resveratrol, Sesamin, Tea polyphenols, Total glucosides of paeony). Pomegranate extract, Resveratrol, Garlic extract, Puerarin, Hesperidin, Ginger extract, Cinnamon extract, Sesamin only involve in 1 RCT. Cranberry extract, Crocus sativus L. extract, Olive oil, Quercetin, Tea polyphenols involve in 2 RCTs. Total glucosides of paeony and Curcumin involve in more than 3 RCTs. These RCTs showed that these dietary polyphenols could improve disease activity score for 28 joints (DAS28), inflammation levels or oxidative stress levels in RA. The addition of dietary polyphenols did not increase adverse events. Conclusion: Dietary polyphenols may improve DAS28, reduce C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and improve oxidative stress, etc. However, more RCTs are needed to verify or modify the efficacy and safety of dietary polyphenols. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42022315645.

[Effective substances and mechanism of Yishen Guluo Mixture in treatment of chronic glomerulonephritis based on metabolomics and serum pharmacochemistry].

This study aimed to investigate the effective substances and mechanism of Yishen Guluo Mixture in the treatment of chronic glomerulonephritis(CGN) based on metabolomics and serum pharmacochemistry. The rat model of CGN was induced by cationic bovine serum albumin(C-BSA). After intragastric administration of Yishen Guluo Mixture, the biochemical indexes related to renal function(24-hour urinary protein, serum urea nitrogen, and creatinine) were determined, and the efficacy evaluations such as histopathological observation were carried out. The serum biomarkers of Yishen Guluo Mixture in the treatment of CGN were screened out by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight/mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) combined with multivariate statistical analysis, and the metabolic pathways were analyzed. According to the mass spectrum ion fragment information and metabolic pathway, the components absorbed into the blood(prototypes and metabolites) from Yishen Guluo Mixture were identified and analyzed by using PeakView 1.2 and MetabolitePilot 2.0.4. By integrating metabolomics and serum pharmacochemistry data, a mathematical model of correlation analysis between serum biomarkers and components absorbed into blood was constructed to screen out the potential effective substances of Yishen Guluo Mixture in the treatment of CGN. Yishen Guluo mixture significantly decreased the levels of 24-hour urinary protein, serum urea nitrogen, and creatinine in rats with CGN, and improved the pathological damage of the kidney tissue. Twenty serum biomarkers of Yishen Guluo Mixture in the treatment of CGN, such as arachidonic acid and lysophosphatidylcholine, were screened out, involving arachidonic acid metabolism, glycerol phosphatide metabolism, and other pathways. Based on the serum pharmacochemistry, 8 prototype components and 20 metabolites in the serum-containing Yishen Guluo Mixture were identified. According to the metabolomics and correlation analysis of serum pharmacochemistry, 12 compounds such as genistein absorbed into the blood from Yishen Guluo Mixture were selected as the potential effective substances for the treatment of CGN. Based on metabolomics and serum pharmacochemistry, the effective substances and mechanism of Yishen Guluo Mixture in the treatment of CGN are analyzed and explained in this study, which provides a new idea for the development of innovative traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of CGN.

Phosphorus limitation induced by nitrogen addition changed soil microbial community structure in a subtropical Pinus taiwanensis forest.

Soil microorganisms play an important role in the biogeochemical cycles of terrestrial ecosystems. How-ever, it is still unclear how the amount and duration of nitrogen (N) addition affect soil microbial community structure and whether there is a correlation between the changes in microbial community structure and their nutrient limi-tation status. In this study, we conducted an N addition experiment in a subtropical Pinus taiwanensis forest to simulate N deposition with three treatments: control (CK, 0 kg N·hm-2·a-1), low N (LN, 40 kg N·hm-2·a-1), and high N (HN, 80 kg N·hm-2·a-1). Basic soil physicochemical properties, phospholipid fatty acids content, and carbon (C), N and phosphorus (P) acquisition enzyme activities were measured after one and three years of N addition. The relative nutrient limitation status of soil microorganisms was analyzed using ecological enzyme stoichiometry. The results showed that one-year N addition did not affect soil microbial community structure. Three-year LN treatment significantly increased the contents of Gram-positive bacteria (G+), Gram-negative bacteria (G-), actinomycetes (ACT), and total phospholipid fatty acids (TPLFA), whereas three-year HN treatment did not significantly affect soil microbial community, indicating that bacteria and ACT might be more sensitive to N addition. Nitrogen addition exacerbated soil C and P limitation. Phosphorus limitation was the optimal explanatory factor for the changes in soil microbial community structure. It suggested that P limitation induced by N addition might be more beneficial for the growth of certain oligotrophic bacteria (e.g. G+) and the microorganisms participating in the P cycling (e.g. ACT), with consequences on soil microbial community structure of subtropical Pinus taiwanensis forest.

Traditional Chinese medicine Pingchan granule for motor symptoms and functions in Parkinson's disease: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Pingchan granule (PCG) is a traditional Chinese medicine for Parkinson's disease (PD). HYPOTHESIS/PURPOSE: This was the first study aiming to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PCG for motor symptoms, gait impairments and quality of life in PD. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In this multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 292 participants were included and followed for 9 months, randomly assigned at a 1:1 ratio to receive PCG or placebo. The primary outcome was the severity of motor symptoms assessed by Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Rating Scale III (MDS-UPDRS-III) motor score. Secondary outcomes included timed up and go test (TUG), functional gait assessment (FGA), freezing of gait (FOG), and quality of life assessed by Parkinson's disease questionnaire (PDQ-39). Assessments were done at baseline (T0), 3 months (T1), 6 months (T2) and 9 months (T3). TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Register, ChiCTR-INR-1,701,194. RESULTS: Generalized estimating equation analyses revealed that PCG group had significantly better improvement in MDS-UPDRS-III motor score than placebo group, as well as its domain scores of axial symptoms, bradykinesia, rigidity, and tremor. Improvements of TUG time, FGA, FOG questionnaire (FOGQ), and PDQ39 scores were also observed. CONCLUSION: PCG had a long-lasting efficacy for motor symptoms and function in PD with good tolerance, supporting that PCG might be a viable alternative in the management of PD.

[Clinical observation of transurethral holmium laser enucleation of prostate by two-way rendezvous and trenching].

OBJECTIVE: Exploring the clinical efficacy, safety, and surgical techniques of two-way rendezvous and trenching method for transurethral holmium laser prostatectomy in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of clinical data on preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative follow-up of 326 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia who underwent two-way rendezvous and trenching method of transurethral holmium laser prostatectomy at the Urology Department of Wujin People's Hospital in Changzhou City from January 2020 to January 2023. RESULTS: Compared with preoperative measures, IPSS symptom score, quality of life (QoL) score, maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), and residual urine volume (PVR) were significantly improved at 1, 6, and 12 months postoperatively (P<0.05). Thirty two patients with normal and regular sexual life pre-operation were observed. There were no significant changes in their IIEF-5 score and Erectile Hardness Scale (EHGS) score after surgery compared with pre-operation (P<0.05). There were 9 patients (28.12%) with retrograde ejaculation after surgery. CONCLUSION: The two-way rendezvous and trenching method of transurethral holmium laser prostatectomy is a safe and effective method for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia, with precise results, high safety, minimal trauma, and fast postoperative recovery.

[Comparison of therapeutic effects between holmium laser and plasma transurethral enucleation in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia].

OBJECTIVE: Comparison of clinical efficacy between transurethral holmium laser prostate enucleation (two-way rendezvous and trenching method) and transurethral plasma enucleation. METHODS: A total of 483 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia who were admitted to our hospital from December 2019 to December 2022 were randomly divided into an observation group (245 cases) and a control group (238 cases) using a random number table method. The observation group underwent transurethral holmium laser prostatectomy, while the control group underwent transurethral plasma prostatectomy,evaluate the efficacy of two surgical methods. RESULT: The IPSS symptom score, quality of life (QOL) score, maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), residual urine volume (PVR) and other indicators were significantly improved in both groups after 6 months of surgery compared to before (P<0.05), and there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). The incidence of postoperative complications in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in sexual function and retrograde ejaculation between the two groups of patients(P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Both surgical methods have good surgical efficacy, but compared with prostate plasma resection, holmium laser prostatectomy can reduce intraoperative bleeding in patients with BPH, effectively shorten catheter retention time, patient hospitalization time, and postoperative bladder flushing time, resulting in higher quality of life and safety.

Integrating network pharmacology, UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and molecular docking to investigate the effect and mechanism of Chuanxiong Renshen decoction against Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Chuanxiong Renshen decoction (CRD) is a traditional Chinese medicine compound used to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the effects and active ingredients of CRD and its mechanism have not been clarified. We aimed to determine the neuroprotective effects of CRD in a triple-transgenic mouse model of AD (3 × Tg-AD) and investigate the possible active ingredients and their mechanisms. METHODS: Morris water maze (MWM) tests were used to determine the protective effect of CRD on learning and memory ability. Afterward, we used brain tissue staining, immunofluorescent staining and western blotting to detect the neuroprotective effects of CRD. Ultraperformance liquid-chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) was applied to determine the ingredients of CRD, and the potential AD targets were obtained from DisGeNET and the GeneCards database. The protein‒protein interaction (PPI) network was built with the additional use of STRING 11.0. Metascape was used in the pathway enrichment analysis. Discovery Studio 2016 (DS) software was used to analyze the binding ability of CRD and AD-related genes. Finally, we verified the regulatory effect of CRD on the predicted core targets EGFR and CASP3 by western blotting. RESULTS: Our study indicated that CRD can significantly improve learning and memory, reduce the expression of Aß and protect neurons. A total of 95 ingredients were identified in the CRD. Then, 25 ingredients were identified in serum, and 5 ingredients were identified in the brain tissue homogenate. PPI network analysis identified CASP3, EGFR, APP, CNR1, HIF1A, PTGS2 and MTOR as hub targets. KEGG and GO analyses revealed that the TNF signaling pathway and MAPK signaling pathway were enriched in multiple targets. The results of molecular docking proved that the binding of the ingredients with potential key targets was excellent. The western blotting results showed that CRD could significantly reduce the expression of CASP3 and EGFR in the hippocampus of 3 × Tg-AD mice. Combined with literature analysis, we assumed the neuroprotective effect of CRD on AD may occur through regulation of the MAPK signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: CRD significantly alleviated injury in 3 × Tg-AD mice. The possible active ingredients are ferulic acid, rutin, ginsenoside Rg1 and panaxydol. The therapeutic effect of CRD on AD is achieved through the downregulation of CASP3 and EGFR. The neuroprotective effect of CRD on AD may occur through regulation of the MAPK signaling pathway.

[Effect of administration of acupuncture stimulation combined with Gushen Zhuyu Decoction on lumbar function in patients with disc herniation].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the therapeutic effect of acupuncture stimulation combined with administration of"Gushen Zhuyu Tang"(decoction for consolidating kidney to eliminate blood stasis, DCKEBS) in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation (LDH) patients. METHODS: A total of 147 patients with LDH were randomly divided into DCKEBS, acupuncture and DCKEBS+acupuncture groups (n= 49 cases in each group). The patients of the acupuncture group received a) acupuncture stimulation of Dazhui (GV14), Ganshu (BL18), Shenshu (BL23), Tianshu (ST25), Yanglingquan (GB34), etc., b) fire needle pricking of the topical tendons, cord-like points, tender-points, c) row-needles stimulation of the attachment sites of muscles of the sacroiliac joint or crista iliaca, and d) acupotomy-debonding of the topical high-tension muscles, twice a week for 4 weeks. Those patients of the DCKEBS group were ordered to take DCKEBS [containing fried Yiyiren (Semen Coicis), Shanzhuyu (Fructus Corni), fried Baizhu (Rhizoma Astractylodis), Sangjisheng (Ramulus Loranthi), Duzhong (Cortex Eucommiae), Buguzhi (Fructus Psoraieae), etc.] 150 mL, twice daily, continuously for 4 weeks, and those of the DCKEBS+acupuncture group received the combined treatment mentioned above in the acupuncture and DCKEBS groups. The pain severity was assessed by using visual ana-logue scale (VAS, 0-10 points) and the modified Japan Orthopaedic Association questionnaire (M-JOA) score (0-30 points), separately, and the lumbar range of motion (ROM) and lumbar muscle strength were tested to evaluate the lumbar motor function. The levels of serum tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), and apoptosis related factors Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 were assayed using ELISA. The total effective rates of the three groups were compared. RESULTS: After the treatment, the VAS and M-JOA scores, contents of serum TNF-α, MMP-2, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 were significantly decreased (P<0.01), and the myodynamia of lumbar muscular flexor and extensor was considerably increased (P<0.01) in the three groups, and the ROM angles of lumbar extending and buckling were increased (P<0.01) in the DCKEBS+acupuncture group compared with pretreatment. Comparison among the 3 groups showed that the VAS and M-JOA scores, and serum TNF-α, MMP-2, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 contents of the DCKEBS+acupuncture group were significantly lower than those of both DCKEBS and acupuncture groups (P<0.01), while the ROM angles of lumbar extending and buckling, and the myodynamia of lumbar muscular flexor and extensor were obviously higher in the DCKEBS+acupuncture group than those of the DCKEBS and acupuncture groups (P<0.01). The total effective rate was 93.88%(46/49) in the DCKEBS+acupuncture group, higher than 75.51%(37/49) in the DCKEBS group and 71.43%(35/49) in the acupuncture group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture combined with DCKEBS can relieve pain, improve lumbar muscle strength and lumbar movement function, and reduce serum TNF-α, MMP-2, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 levels in LDH patients.

Efficacy and safety of dietary polyphenol supplementation in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Dietary polyphenol treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a novel direction, and the existing clinical studies have little effective evidence for its therapeutic effect, and some studies have inconsistent results. The effectiveness of dietary polyphenols in the treatment of NAFLD is still controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of oral dietary polyphenols in patients with NAFLD. Methods: The literature (both Chinese and English) published before 30 April 2022 in PubMed, Cochrane, Medline, CNKI, and other databases on the treatment of NAFLD with dietary polyphenols was searched. Manual screening, quality assessment, and data extraction of search results were conducted strictly according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. RevMan 5.3 software was used to perform the meta-analysis. Results: The RCTs included in this study involved dietary supplementation with eight polyphenols (curcumin, resveratrol, naringenin, anthocyanin, hesperidin, catechin, silymarin, and genistein) and 2,173 participants. This systematic review and meta-analysis found that 1) curcumin may decrease body mass index (BMI), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Triglycerides (TG) total cholesterol (TC), and Homeostasis Model Assessment-Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) compared to placebo; and curcumin does not increase the occurrence of adverse events. 2) Although the meta-analysis results of all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) did not reveal significant positive changes, individual RCTs showed meaningful results. 3) Naringenin significantly decreased the percentage of NAFLD grade, TG, TC, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) but had no significant effect on AST and ALT, and it is a safe supplementation. 4) Only one team presents a protocol about anthocyanin (from Cornus mas L. fruit extract) in the treatment of NAFLD. 5) Hesperidin may decrease BMI, AST, ALT, TG, TC, HOMA-IR, and so on. 6) Catechin may decrease BMI, HOMA-IR, and TG level, and it was well tolerated by the patients. 7) Silymarin was effective in improving ALT and AST and reducing hepatic fat accumulation and liver stiffness in NAFLD patients. Conclusion: Based on current evidence, curcumin can reduce BMI, TG, TC, liver enzymes, and insulin resistance; catechin can reduce BMI, insulin resistance, and TG effectively; silymarin can reduce liver enzymes. For resveratrol, naringenin, anthocyanin, hesperidin, and catechin, more RCTs are needed to further evaluate their efficacy and safety.

Scutellarin Loaded on Ultradeformable Nanoliposome Scutellarin EDTMP (S-UNL-E) Promotes Osteogenesis in Osteoporotic Rats.

Scutellarin is known as a safe, effective, and low-cost traditional Chinese medicine and has a variety of biological activities. Studies reported that the scutellarin loaded on ultradeformable nanoliposome scutellarin EDTMP (S-UNL-E) could promote osteoblast differentiation and bone formation in vitro. However, its effect on promoting osteogenesis in vivo is still unclear. In this study, pharmacology network and transcriptome sequencing were used to screen the potential targets and pathways of scutellarin in treating osteoporosis. The female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were operated on with bilateral oophorectomy and femoral defect to establish an osteoporosis model and then treated separately with bone dust, single scutellarin, 40 mg/kg ultradeformable nanoliposome scutellarin (S-UNL), and the optimal concentration of 40 mg/kg S-UNL-E for a total of 56 d to detect the parameters of trabecular bones. And qRT-PCR and western blot were performed to determine the expression of prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), transcription factor 4 (TCF4), and ß-catenin. Results of microscopic computed tomography (Micro-CT) of trabecular bones showed that single scutellarin, S-UNL, and S-UNL-E all promoted the bone formation of osteoporotic rats, in which S-UNL-E manifested the most remarkable therapeutic effect. And it is found that 40 mg/kg of S-UNL-E increased the expression of PTGS2, ALP, TCF4, and ß-catenin, which indicated that S-UNL-E stimulated the secretion of ALP in bone defect areas to promote bone healing, and increased PTGS2 expression thereby enhancing the transcription and translation of key gene ß-catenin and TCF4 in the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway to treat osteoporotic rats.

[Effects of nitrogen addition on the kinetic parameters of soil acid phosphomonoesterase in a Moso bamboo forest]. / æ°®æ·»åŠ å¯¹æ¯›ç«¹æž—åœŸå£¤é ¸æ€§ç£·é ¸å•é ¯é ¶åŠ¨åŠ›å­¦å‚æ•°çš„å½±å“.

Soil phosphatases are important in the mineralization of organophosphates and in the phosphorus (P) cycle. The kinetic mechanisms of phosphatases in response to nitrogen (N) deposition remain unclear. We carried out a field experiment with four different concentrations of N: 0 g N·hm-2·a-1(control), 20 g N·hm-2·a-1(low N), 40 g N·hm-2·a-1(medium N), and 80 g N·hm-2·a-1(high N) in a subtropical Moso bamboo forest. Soil samples were then collected from 0 to 15 cm depth, after 3, 5 and 7 years of N addition. We analyzed soil chemical properties and microbial biomass. Acid phosphatase (ACP) was investigated on the basis of maximum reaction velocity (Vm), Michaelis constant (Km), and catalytic efficiency (Ka). Results showed that N addition significantly decreased soil dissolved organic carbon (DOC), available phosphorus, and organophosphate content, but significantly increased soil ammonium, nitrate-N content, and Vm. There was a significant relationship between Vm and the concentrations of available phosphorus, organophosphate, and soil DOC. In general, N addition substantially increased Ka, but did not affect Km. The Km value in the high N treatment group was higher than that in the control group after five years of N addition. Km was significantly negatively associated with both available phosphorus and organophosphate. Medium and high N treatments had stronger effects on the kinetic parameters of ACP than low N treatment. Results of variation partition analysis showed that changes in soil chemical properties, rather than microbial biomass, dominated changes in Vm(47%) and Km(33%). In summary, N addition significantly affected substrate availability in Moso bamboo forest soil and modulated soil P cycle by regulating ACP kinetic parameters (especially Vm). The study would improve the understanding of the mechanisms underlying soil microorganisms-regulated soil P cycle under N enrichment. These mechanisms would identify the important parameters for improving soil P cycling models under global change scenarios.

Vitamin E and selenium partially prevent cytotoxicity, oxidative stress and DNA damage induced by T-2 toxin in bovine Leydig cells.

The objective of this study was to explore the protective mechanism of Vitamin E (VE) and selenium (Se) against T-2 toxin-induced oxidative damage of bovine Leydig cells. Leydig cells were isolated, cultured and divided into five treatment groups such as: control, T-2, Se + T-2, VE + T-2 and VE + Se + T-2. After treatment for 24 h, the cells and supernatants were harvested to examine the cell viability, the activities and mRNA expression of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and DNA damage. Results showed that T-2 toxin exposure significantly reduced the cell viability, increased the MDA level, reduced GSH-Px, SOD and CAT activities and increased DNA damage (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, T-2 toxin was attributed to the down-regulation of the mRNA expression of GSH-Px, SOD and CAT (P < 0.05). However, VE and Se reduced T-2 toxin-induced oxidative damage and tended to maintain normal levels (P < 0.05). Furthermore, VE and Se substantially up-regulated the activities and mRNA expressions of the GSH-Px, SOD and CAT. In conclusion, VE and Se, due to its anti-oxidative ability, could ameliorate T-2 toxin-induced cytotoxicities by regulating oxidative stress in bovine Leydig cells.