Preservative Effects of Curcumin on Semen of Hu Sheep.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are important factors that lead to a decline in sperm quality during semen preservation. Excessive ROS accumulation disrupts the balance of the antioxidant system in sperm and causes lipid oxidative damage, destroying its structure and function. Curcumin is a natural plant extract that neutralizes ROS and enhances the function of endogenous antioxidant enzymes. The effect of curcumin on the preservation of sheep semen has not been reported. This study aims to determine the effects of curcumin on refrigerated sperm (4 °C) and analyze the effects of curcumin on sperm metabolism from a Chinese native sheep (Hu sheep). The results showed that adding curcumin significantly improved (p < 0.05) the viability of refrigerated sperm at an optimal concentration of 20 µmol/L, and the plasma membrane and acrosome integrity in semen were significantly improved (p < 0.05). Adding curcumin to refrigerated semen significantly increased (p < 0.05) the levels of antioxidant enzymes (T-AOC, CAT, and SOD) and significantly decreased (p < 0.05) ROS production. A total of 13,796 metabolites in sperm and 20,581 metabolites in negative groups and curcumin-supplemented groups were identified using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The proportion of lipids and lipid-like molecules among all metabolites in the sperm was the highest, regardless of treatment. We identified 50 differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) in sperm between the negative control and curcumin-treated groups. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis revealed that DEMs were mainly enriched in the calcium signaling pathway, phospholipase D signaling pathway, sphingolipid metabolism, steroid hormone biosynthesis, 2-oxocarboxylic acid metabolism, and other metabolic pathways. The findings indicate that the addition of an appropriate concentration (20 µm/L) of curcumin to sheep semen can effectively suppress reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and extend the duration of cryopreservation (4 °C) by modulating the expression of sphingosine-1-phosphate, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, phytosphingosine, and other metabolites of semen. This discovery offers a novel approach to enhancing the cryogenic preservation of sheep semen.

Self-rated Health and HIV Outcomes Among Adults with Diagnosed HIV - Medical Monitoring Project, United States, 2020-21.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate associations between self-rated health (SRH) and care outcomes among United States adults with diagnosed HIV infection. DESIGN: We analyzed interview and medical record data collected during June 2020-May 2021 from the Medical Monitoring Project, a complex, nationally representative sample of 3,692 people with HIV (PWH). Respondents reported SRH on a 5-point Likert type scale (poor to excellent), which we dichotomized into "good or better" and "poor or fair". We computed weighted percentages with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and age-adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) to investigate associations between SRH and HIV outcomes and demographic, psychosocial, and behavioral characteristics. RESULTS: Nationally, 72% of PWH reported "good or better" SRH. PWH with the following characteristics had a lower prevalence of "good or better" SRH, compared with those without: any missed HIV care appointment in the last 12 months (aPR 0.86, 95% CI:0.81-0.91), symptoms of moderate or severe depression (aPR 0.51, 95% CI:0.43-0.59) and anxiety (aPR 0.60, 95% CI:0.54-0.68), unstable housing or homelessness (aPR 0.77, 95% CI:0.71-0.82), and hunger or food insecurity (aPR 0.74, 95% CI:0.69-0.80), as well as having a mean CD4 count <200 cells/mm3 vs. CD4 >500 cells/mm3 (aPR 0.70, 95% CI:0.57-0.86). CONCLUSIONS: Though SRH is a holistic measure reflective of HIV outcomes, integrated approaches addressing needs beyond physical health are necessary to improve SRH among PWH in the U.S. Modifiable factors like mental health, unstable housing or homelessness, and food insecurity warrant further study as potential high-yield targets for clinical and policy interventions to improve SRH among PWH.

Effect assessment of traditional Chinese medicine, Guilu Erxian Jiao, in patients with osteoporosis: A case-control study of the Chang gung memorial hospital.

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis is a chronic skeletal disease characterized by low bone mass and increased risk of fracture. In Taiwan, Guilu Erxian Jiao (GEJ) is the commonly used formula of Chinese herbal medicines for patients with osteoporosis. However, the effect of GEJ on subsequent fractures in the long term is unclear. This is the first long-term case-control study of the effects of GEJ on the rates of fracture in patients with osteoporosis. METHODS: We collected data from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2019 from the Chang Gung Research Database. We interpreted from the reports of DXA to confirm whether the patients met the criteria for osteoporosis (T score ≤ -2.5). Eighty-five patients were enrolled in the GEJ group. After two propensity score matchings, 425 patients were identified as the non-GEJ group. We assessed four outcomes to confirm the effects of GEJ in patients with osteoporosis, including the change in the T-score, new occurrences of fractures, cumulative rate of fracture, and how many doses of GEJ need to be administered to effectively reduce fractures RESULTS: There was no significant difference in either the improvement in the T score or the 5-year overall fracture (p = 0.335) between these two groups. At the fracture-prone sites, the fracture in lumbar vertebrae was less in the GEJ group (p = 0.034). A total of 600 GEJ pills are required to effectively reduce the incidence of fractures (p value= 0.0039). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who take at least 600 GEJ pills would have a decreased fracture risk at fracture-prone sites.

Chemical approaches for the stereocontrolled synthesis of 1,2-cis-ß-D-rhamnosides.

In carbohydrate chemistry, the stereoselective synthesis of 1,2-cis-glycosides remains a formidable challenge. This complexity is comparable to the synthesis of 1,2-cis-ß-D-mannosides, primarily due to the adverse anomeric and Δ-2 effects. Over the past decades, to attain ß-stereoselectivity in D-rhamnosylation, researchers have devised numerous direct and indirect methodologies, including the hydrogen-bond-mediated aglycone delivery (HAD) method, the synthesis of ß-D-mannoside paired with C6 deoxygenation, and the combined approach of 1,2-trans-glycosylation and C2 epimerization. This review elaborates on the advancements in ß-D-rhamnosylation and its implications for the total synthesis of tiacumicin B and other physiologically relevant glycans.

Managing depression with complementary and alternative medicine therapies: a scientometric analysis and visualization of research activities.

Background: Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) interventions may prove to be an attractive option for the treatment of depression. The aim of this scientometric analysis is to determine the global scientific output of research regarding managing depression with CAM and identify the hotspots and frontiers within this theme. Methods: Publications regarding the utilization of CAM for treating depression were collected from the Web of Science Core Collection from 1993 to 2022, and analyzed and visualized by Bibliometrix R-package, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace. Results: A total of 1,710 publications were acquired. The number of annual publications showed an overall rapid upward trend, with the figure peaking at 179 in 2021. The USA was the leading research center. Totally 2,323 distinct institutions involving 7,638 scholars contributed to the research theme. However, most of the cooperation was limited to within the same country, institution or research team. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine was the most productive periodical. The CAM therapies of most interest to researchers were acupuncture and body-mind techniques, such as yoga, meditation and mindfulness. Systematic review and meta-analysis are commonly used methods. "Inflammation," "rating scale" and "psychological stress" were identified as the most studied trend topics recently. Conclusion: Managing depression with evidence-based CAM treatment is gaining attention globally. Body-mind techniques and acupuncture are growing research hotspots or emerging trending topics. Future studies are predicted to potentially investigate the possible mechanisms of action underlying CAM treatments in reducing depression in terms of modulation of psychological stress and inflammation levels. Cross-countries/institutes/team research collaborations should be encouraged and further enhanced.

An umbrella review of the evidence to guide decision-making in acupuncture therapies for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture therapy is believed to have therapeutic potential for patients suffering from chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). This umbrella review aims to summarize and evaluate the evidence from current systematic reviews/meta-analyses (SRs/MAs) on the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment for CIPN. METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive search in eight electronic databases for SRs/MAs that included RCTs on acupuncture treatment for CIPN. Two separate researchers independently evaluated the methodological quality, reporting quality, and evidence quality of the SRs/MAs that were included in the study. Additionally, we examined the extent of overlap among the included RCTs by calculating the corrected covered area (CCA). Furthermore, we assessed the dependability of the effect sizes by conducting excess significance tests. We conducted a quantitative synthesis of all RCTs included in the SRs/MAs to obtain objective and updated conclusions. Furthermore, we also conducted an analysis of the acupuncture points used in RCTs. RESULTS: This umbrella review includes 9 SRs/MAs, and their methodological quality, risk of bias, reporting quality, and evidence quality were all deemed unsatisfactory. Out of the 9 SRs/MAs, 28 RCTs were included, with a total CCA of 25.4%, indicating a high degree of overlap. The test of super-significance did not yield any significant results. Our updated meta-analysis suggests that CIPN patients can benefit from acupuncture therapy, as indicated by effectiveness in measures including BPI-SF, VAS, FACT-NTX, NRS, SCV, and NCI-CTCAE. Egger's test and sensitivity analysis demonstrate the reliability and stability of this conclusion. The commonly used acupuncture points in the current RCTs include ST36, LI11, LI4, LR3, and SP6. CONCLUSION: Based on the existing evidence, acupuncture is effective and safe for patients with CIPN, as it can significantly improve effective rate, pain symptoms, quality of life, and nerve conduction velocity. However, given the low quality of current evidence, we should be cautious in interpreting this conclusion.

Screening and Identification of Garlic Leaf Blight (Pleospora herbarum)-Resistant Mutants Induced by Ethyl Methane Sulphonate.

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is a popular condiment used as both medicine and food. Garlic production in China is severely affected by continuous cropping and is especially affected by leaf blight disease. Garlic is sterile, so it is very important to develop specialized genotypes, such as those for disease resistance, nutritional quality, and plant architecture, through genetic modification and innovation. In this experiment, we applied the induction method using EMS to mutate garlic cloves of cultivar G024. From the mutations, 5000 M0 mutants were generated and planted in the field. Then, 199 M1 mutant lines were screened according to growth potential and resistance to leaf blight. From M2 to M3, 169 generational lines were selected that grew well and were resistant to leaf blight in the field. Thereafter, their resistance to leaf blight was further analyzed in the lab; 21 lines resistant to leaf blight that had good growth potential were identified, among which 3 mutants were significantly different, and these were further screened. Also, transcriptome analysis of two mutants infected with Pleospora herbarum, A150 and G024, was performed, and the results revealed 2026 and 4678 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), respectively. These DEGs were highly enriched in hormone signaling pathway, plant-pathogen interaction, and MAPK signaling pathway. Therefore, the results provide a theoretical and technical basis for the creation of garlic germplasm resistant to leaf blight.

The influence of childhood maltreatment on trait depression in patients with major depressive disorder: A moderated mediation model of rumination and mindful attention awareness.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders. Individuals who were exposed to childhood maltreatment might be an especially vulnerable group and were more likely to meet the diagnostic criteria for depression than those who were not. Trait depression refers to a personality trait predisposition to depression, expressed as the frequency of symptoms rather than a transient depressive mood state. Clarifying the relationship between childhood maltreatment and trait depression in patients with MDD has therefore become an important field of research. Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF), Ruminative Responses Scale (RRS), State-Trait Depression Scale (ST-DEP), and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) were used as research instruments. SPSS 23.0 statistical software was used for statistical analysis and examined the moderated mediation models. A total of 288 patients with MDD were included in this study. After standardization of the variables, the model revealed childhood maltreatment was positively associated with trait depression (ß = 0.215, p < 0.001) and that rumination partially mediated the effect between childhood trauma and trait depression. Mindfulness moderated the association between rumination and trait depression in depressed patients (ß = 0.171, p < 0.001). Simple slope tests showed that rumination significantly predicted trait depression in patients with high levels of mindfulness (bsimple = 0.460, p < 0.001, 95%CI = [0.339, 0.581]), while this predictive effect was not significant in patients with low levels (bsimple = 0.119, p = 0.097, 95%CI = [-0.022, 0.261]). After adding mediating variables, we found that the negative impact of childhood maltreatment on trait depression was both directly and indirectly through the patients' own ruminative levels. However, mindfulness performed a critical moderating role in the overall mediating model, aggravating the negative impact of childhood maltreatment on trait depression. There are several limitations in this study: the history of childhood maltreatment was reviewed and reported; the MAAS was a single-dimensional questionnaire that fails to measure the content of other mindfulness factors; cross-sectional data could not be used to infer the causal relationship between variables.

A thalamic-primary auditory cortex circuit mediates resilience to stress.

Resilience enables mental elasticity in individuals when rebounding from adversity. In this study, we identified a microcircuit and relevant molecular adaptations that play a role in natural resilience. We found that activation of parvalbumin (PV) interneurons in the primary auditory cortex (A1) by thalamic inputs from the ipsilateral medial geniculate body (MG) is essential for resilience in mice exposed to chronic social defeat stress. Early attacks during chronic social defeat stress induced short-term hyperpolarizations of MG neurons projecting to the A1 (MGA1 neurons) in resilient mice. In addition, this temporal neural plasticity of MGA1 neurons initiated synaptogenesis onto thalamic PV neurons via presynaptic BDNF-TrkB signaling in subsequent stress responses. Moreover, optogenetic mimicking of the short-term hyperpolarization of MGA1 neurons, rather than merely activating MGA1 neurons, elicited innate resilience mechanisms in response to stress and achieved sustained antidepressant-like effects in multiple animal models, representing a new strategy for targeted neuromodulation.

Efficacy of Tai Chi on lower limb function of Parkinson's disease patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: At present, the effect of Tai Chi (TC) on lower limb function in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) is controversial. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis on the influence of TC on lower limb function in PD patients. Methods: According to the PRISMA guidelines, seven databases were searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCTS) were selected and screened according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. We assessed the quality of the studies using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and then extracted the characteristics of the included studies. The random effect model was adopted, and heterogeneity was measured by I 2 statistic. Results: A total of 441 articles were screened, and 10 high-quality RCTs were with a total of 532 patients with PD met Our inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis showed that compared To control groups TC improved several outcomes. TC significantly improved motor function (SMD = -0.70; 95% CI = -0.95, -0.45; p < 0.001; I 2 = 35%), although The results were not statistically significant for The subgroup analysis of TC duration (SMD = -0.70; 95% CI = -0.95, -0.45; p = 0.88; I 2 = 0%;). TC significantly improved balance function (SMD = 0.89; 95% CI = 0.51, 1.27; p < 0.001; I 2 = 54%), functional walking capacity (SMD = -1.24; 95% CI = -2.40, -0.09; p = 0.04; I 2 = 95%), and gait velocity (SMD = 0.48; 95% CI = -0.02, 0.94; p = 0.04; I 2 = 78%), But Did Not improve endurance (SMD = 0.31; 95% CI = -0.12, 0.75; p = 0.16; I 2 = 0%), step length (SMD = 0.01; 95% CI = -0.34, 0.37; p = 0.94; I 2 = 29%), and cadence (SMD = 0.06; 95% CI = -0.25, 0.36; p = 0.70; I 2 = 0%). Conclusion: TC has beneficial effects on motor function, balance function, functional walking ability, and gait velocity, but does not improve walking endurance, stride length, and cadence.

Mechanism of anti-hyperuricemia of isobavachin based on network pharmacology and molecular docking.

BACKGROUND: Hyperuricemia is a more popular metabolic disease caused by a disorder of purine metabolism. Our previous study firstly screened out a natural product Isobavachin as anti-hyperuricemia targeted hURAT1 from a Chinese medicine Haitongpi (Cortex Erythrinae). In view of Isobavachin's diverse pharmacological activities, similar to the Tranilast (as another hURAT1 inhibitor), our study focused on its potential targets and molecular mechanisms of Isobavachin anti-hyperuricemia based on network pharmacology and molecular docking. METHODS: First of all, the putative target genes of compounds were screen out based on the public databases with different methods, such as SwissTargetPerdiction, PharmMapper and TargetNet,etc. Then the compound-pathways were obtained by the compounds' targets gene from David database for Gene Ontology (GO) function enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways enrichment analysis. The cross pathways of compound-pathways and the diseases pathways of hyperuricemia from Comparative Toxicogenomics Database were be considered as the compound-disease pathways. Next, based on the compound-disease pathways and the PPI network, the core targets were identified based on the retrieved disease-genes. Finally, the compound-target-pathway-disease network was constructed by Cytoscape and the mechanism of isobavachin anti-hyperuricemia was discussed based on the network analysis. RESULTS: Our study demonstrated that there were five pathways involved in Isobavachin against hyperuricemia, including Drug metabolism-other enzymes, Metabolic pathways, Bile secretion, Renin-angiotensin system and Renin secretion. Among the proteins involved in these pathways, HPRT1, REN and ABCG2 were identified as the core targets associated with hyperuricemia, which regulated the five pathways mentioned above. It is quite different from that of Tranilast, which involved in the same pathways except Bile secretion instead of purine metabolism. CONCLUSION: This study revealed Isobavachin could regulate the pathways including Drug metabolism-other enzymes, Metabolic pathways, Bile secretion, Renin-angiotensin system, Renin secretion by core targets HPRT1, REN and ABCG2, in the treatment of hyperuricemia effect. Among them, the Bile secretion regulated by ABCG2 probably would be a novel pathway. Our work provided a theoretical basis for the pharmacological study of Isobavachin in lowering uric acid and further basic research.

Investigating the effect of Shenmai injection on cardiac electrophysiology and calcium signaling using human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes.

Traditional Chinese medicine injection (TCMI) refers to the use of modern technology to make Chinese patent medicines in injectable forms, which shorten the onset time of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Although there have been clinical cases in which Shenmai injection (SMI) was used to treat cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), there are no pharmacological experiments that investigate the efficacy of the drug in vitro or the underlying mechanisms. Aim of the study: We aimed to systemically evaluate the efficacy and investigate the mechanisms of SMI in modulating electrophysiology and calcium (Ca2+) signaling using a microelectrode array (MEA) and a genetically encoded Ca2+ indicator, GCaMP6s, respectively, in human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs). Materials and methods: A MEA system was employed to record field potentials (FPs) in hiPSC-CMs. The QT interval is corrected by the RR interval, the reciprocal of the beating rate. GCaMP6s was used to measure Ca2+ signaling in hiPSC-CMs. Meanwhile, the transcriptome changes in hiPSC-CMs treated with 2% SMI were examined using RNAseq. In addition, the ingredients of SMI were investigated using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Results: It was found that 0.5%, 1%, and 2% (v/v) SMIs could increase corrected QT (QTc) but did not change other FP parameters. GCaMP6s was successfully applied to measure the chronic function of SMI. The full width at half maximum (FWHM), rise time, and decay time significantly decreased after treatment with SMI for 1 h and 24 h, whereas an increased Ca2+ transient frequency was observed. Conclusions: We first used the Ca2+ indicator to measure the chronic effects of TCM. We found that SMI treatment can modulate electrophysiology and calcium signaling and regulate oxidative phosphorylation, cardiac muscle contraction, and the cell cycle pathway in hiPSC-CMs.

Mindfulness on Rumination in Patients with Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Objective: To systematically evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on rumination among patients with depression and their efficacy across countries and year of publication and control conditions. Methods: Web of Science Core Collection, Medline, BIOSIS Citation Index, KCI-Korean Journal Database, SciELO Citation Index, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase were searched to include randomized controlled trials of MBIs for depressive rumination that met the criteria. The Rumination Scale was used as the primary outcome indicator; Depression, mindfulness, and anxiety indexes were selected as the secondary outcome indicators. An evaluation of bias risk was conducted to identify possible sources of bias based on methodological and clinical factors. RevMan5.3 software was used to perform a meta-analysis of the extracted data. Results: Nineteen studies with 1138 patients were included. Meta-analysis showed that MBIs could significantly reduce rumination levels in patients with depression (standardized mean difference (SMD) = −0.46; 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.58, −0.34; p < 0.001), notably improve depression (SMD = −0.58; 95% CI: −0.83, −0.32; p < 0.001), enhance mindfulness ability (SMD = 0.95; 95% CI: 0.57, 1.32; p < 0.001), and reduce the anxiety of patients with depression (SMD = −0.45, 95% CI: −0.62, −0.27; p < 0.001). MBIs conducted in Asia improved rumination better than studies in Europe and North America (SMD = −2.05 95% CI: −4.08, −0.01; p < 0.001) but had no greater effect than behavior activation on depression. The interventions carried out in the past 5 years were significantly better than earlier studies in improving mindfulness levels (SMD = 2.74; 95% CI: 0.81, 4.66; p = 0.005). Conclusions: MBIs are effective in the treatment of depression as they produce pleasant improvement in rumination and depression, decrease the degree of anxiety, and enhance mindfulness levels compared to controls. In newer forms of MBIs, regional differences need to be considered when designing the intervention program. More large, high-quality randomized controlled studies are needed to confirm the conclusion that the effectiveness of MBIs has differences in terms of the trial area and year of publication.

[Effects of Land-use Conversion on Soil Nitrification and NO & N2O Emissions in Tropical China Under Different Moisture Conditions].

Rain and heat conditions are abundant in tropical areas, and rubber and tea are widely planted in this region; the nitrification process produces nitrate content, which is not conducive to the maintenance of nitrogen nutrients, and has negative environmental effects (nitrogen oxide emissions). The characteristics of soil nitrification rate and nitrogen oxide emission under different land use patterns remain unclear. An incubation experiment was conducted under the 5 a (T5) and 15 a (T15) tea plantation soils and the nearby typical rubber plantation (XJ) soils in Baisha county of Hainan province under two moisture contents (50% WFPS-L and 80% WFPS-H) for 71 d at 25℃. The results showed that:① after the rubber plantation was converted to a tea plantation, the net nitrification and soil NO and N2O emissions were significantly reduced under high moisture content. The overall trend was in the order of XJH>T15H>T5H, and the values of soil net nitrification and NO and N2O emissions were as high as 4.2 mg·(kg·d)-1, 1.4 mg·kg-1, and 14.3 mg·kg-1 in the XJH treatment, respectively. Under the low moisture content, soil NO emissions in tea field soil were significantly reduced relative to those in rubber plantation soil, N2O emissions had no significant difference among different treatments, and net nitrification had no significant difference between the XJ and T15 treatments. There was a significant positive correlation between NO emissions and net nitrification rate (P<0.01). ② The net nitrification of XJH was higher than that of XJL, but the net nitrification values under different moisture contents in tea field soil was in contrast to that in rubber plantation soil. The NO emissions of XJ and T15 under different moisture contents were consistent with the trend of net nitrification, and the high nitrification promoted NO emissions, whereas NO emissions of T5 were not significantly affected by moisture content. The high moisture content treatment significantly promoted N2O emissions relative to those under the low moisture content treatment. The results showed that SOM, TN, pH, and moisture content were the key factors affecting soil net nitrification rate, NO, and N2O emissions. The conversion of the rubber plantation to a tea plantation significantly reduced the net nitrification rate and negative impact on the environment under high moisture content.

Effect of Auricular Acupoint Bloodletting plus Auricular Acupressure on Sleep Quality and Neuroendocrine Level in College Students with Primary Insomnia: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of auricular acupoint bloodletting (AB) and auricular acupressure (AA) on sleep quality and the levels of melatonin (MT), glutamic acid (Glu), and γ -aminobutyric acid (GABA) in college students with primary insomnia, and to explore the possible mechanism. METHODS: Totally 74 college students at Hebei University of Chinese Medicine with primary insomnia were selected from October 2019 to October 2020. All patients were assigned to AB+AA group (37 cases, received combination of AB and AA) and AA group (37 cases, received only AA on the same acupoints) by a random number table. Each group was treated twice a week for 4 weeks. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score, Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome score, total effective rate, serum concentrations of MT, Glu, and GABA, and Glu/GABA ratio were compared between the two groups after treatment and at follow-up. The safety of therapy was also evaluated. RESULTS: After 4-week treatment, the total scores of PSQI, each PSQI component score, and the CM syndrome scores in both groups all decreased (P<0.05); the serum MT concentrations in both groups all increased (P<0.05). The concentrations of Glu and GABA in the AB+AA group were significantly higher than those in the AA group after treatment (P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the ratio of Glu/GABA in both groups before and after treatment (P>0.05). At follow-up, the CM syndrome score in the AB+AA group was significantly lower than that in the AA group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups in total effective rates and adverse events (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Both AB+AA and AA can relieve insomnia symptoms, but a stronger long-term effect were observed for AB+AA. AB+AA can promote the secretion of MT, increase the levels of Glu and GABA more effective than AA, and regulate their imbalance, and thus it may be benificial for treating insomnia.

Mechanism of Danhong Injection in the Treatment of Arrhythmia Based on Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking, and In Vitro Experiments.

Background: Danhong injection (DHI) is widely used in the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and its safety and effectiveness have been widely recognized and applied in China. However, the potential molecular mechanism of action for the treatment of arrhythmia is not fully understood. Aim: In this study, through network pharmacology and in vitro cell experiments, we explored the active compounds of DHI for the treatment of arrhythmia and predicted the potential targets of the drug to investigate its mechanism of action. Materials and Methods: First, the potential therapeutic effect of DHI on arrhythmia was investigated in an in vitro arrhythmia model using human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs), in which calcium transients were recorded to evaluate the status of arrhythmia. Next, the active compounds and key targets in the treatment of arrhythmia were identified through network pharmacology and molecular docking, and the key signaling pathways related to the treatment of arrhythmia were analyzed. Furthermore, we used real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) to verify the expression levels of key genes. Results: Early afterdepolarizations (EADs) were observed during aconitine treatment in hiPSC-CMs, and the proarrhythmic effect of aconitine was partially rescued by DHI, indicating that the antiarrhythmic role of DHI was verified in an in vitro human cardiomyocyte model. To further dissect the underlying molecular basis of this observation, network pharmacology analysis was performed, and the results showed that there were 108 crosstargets between DHI and arrhythmia. Moreover, 30 of these targets, such as AKT1 and HMOX1, were key genes. In addition, the mRNA expression of AKT1 and HMOX1 could be regulated by DHI. Conclusion: DHI can alleviate aconitine-induced arrhythmia in an in vitro model, presumably because of its multitarget regulatory mechanism. Key genes, such as AKT1 and HMOX1, may contribute to the antiarrhythmic role of DHI in the heart.

The health risk for consumers under heavy metal scenarios: Reduce bioaccumulation of Cd in estuary mud crab (Scylla paramamosain) through the antagonism of Se.

Heavy metal pollution has gained increasing attention over past years, and notably, cadmium (Cd) is a non-essential heavy metal that can be toxic to human and wildlife. Furthermore, selenium (Se) is a component of the selenoproteins and influences the toxicity of Cd in different organisms, and protect organisms as a kind of heavy metal antagonist. This study exposed mud crab to 5.0 mg/L Cd for 28 days, and investigated whether different concentrations (0.1, 0.2, 0.3 mg/kg) of selenite (Na2SeO3) or selenomethionine (SeMet) affect the bioaccumulation of Cd, serum biochemical index, antioxidant and stress-response genes of S. paramamosain. The results showed that the Cd concentration in Cd group was significantly higher than the organic or inorganic Se group. Serum biochemical index demonstrated that Se might relieve the damage or dysfunction of hepatopancreas caused by both Cd accumulation and toxicity. Furthermore, Se improved CAT, GPx T-AOC and SOD activity, and decreased MDA concentrations and the lipid peroxidation levels, antagonistic to Cd. Then, this study analyzed the expression of 26 stress-related genes, the results indicated that the inorganic and organic Se might reduce the damage of cell and the toxicity of heavy metals in the hepatopancreas after Cd exposure. Therefore, this study indicated that Se might alleviate Cd toxicity via the different antioxidative mechanisms, and increased the understanding of environmental toxins on estuary crustaceans.

Echinacoside Alleviates Cognitive Impairment in Cerebral Ischemia Rats through α 7nAChR-Induced Autophagy.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of echinacoside (ECH) on cognitive dysfunction in post cerebral stroke model rats. METHODS: The post stroke cognitive impairment rat model was created by occlusion of the transient middle cerebral artery (MCAO). The rats were randomly divided into 3 groups by a random number table: the sham group (sham operation), the MCAO group (received operation for focal cerebral ischemia), and the ECH group (received operation for focal cerebral ischemia and ECH 50 mg/kg per day), with 6 rats in each group. The infarct volume and spatial learning were evaluated by triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining and Morris water maze. The expression of α7nAChR in the hippocampus was detected by immunohistochemistry. The contents of acetylcholine (ACh), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), activities of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and catalase (CAT) were evaluated by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The neural apoptosis and autophagy were determined by TUNEL staining and LC3 staining, respectively. RESULTS: ECH significantly lessened the brain infarct volume and ameliorated neurological deficit in infarct volume and water content (both P<0.01). Compared with MCAO rats, administration of ECH revealed shorter escape latency and long retention time at 7, 14 and 28 days (all P<0.01), increased the α7nAChR protein expression, ACh content, and ChAT activity, and decreased AChE activity in MCAO rats (all P<0.01). ECH significantly decreased MDA content and increased the GSH content, SOD, and CAT activities compared with MCAO rats (all P<0.05). ECH suppressed neuronal apoptosis by reducing TUNEL-positive cells and also enhanced autophagy in MCAO rats (all P<0.01). CONCLUSION: ECH treatment helped improve cognitive impairment by attenuating neurological damage and enhancing autophagy in MCAO rats.

Efficacy and safety of Zicuiyin decoction on diabetic kidney disease: A multicenter, randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUD: Zicuiyin (ZCY) decoction created by Xichun Zhang in the Qing dynasty has been used on diabetes mellitus and complications for more than two centuries in China. Huangkui capsule (HKC) is a listed Chinese patent medicine to treat diabetic kidney disease (DKD). To determine whether ZCY is non-inferior to HKC in the treatment of DKD, a multicenter, parallel-control, open-label, randomized clinical trial was conducted. METHODS: In this clinical trial, 88 DKD patients were recruited at three centers in Tianjin from January 2018 to December 2019. They were randomized to receive HKC (2.5 g, TID) or ZCY (crude drug amount 75 g, 150 ml, BID) for eight weeks based on routine treatment. The primary outcome was the change of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The secondary outcomes included change of serum creatinine (SCr), urinary albumin excretion rate, 24 h urinary protein, urinary albumin-creatinine ratio, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c, symptom scores, and microbiota compositions profiles. RESULTS: The change of eGFR in HKC and ZCY groups were -7.08 ± 24.65 and 2.57 ± 18.49 ml/min/1.73 m2, respectively (p < 0.05). The 95% lower confidence limit for the difference between the estimated means was 1.93 ml/min/1.73 m2, establishing the superiority of ZCY. Compared to HKC, ZCY could significantly decrease SCr and symptom scores (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in other outcomes between the two groups (p > 0.05). ZCY ameliorated gut microbiota dysbiosis, including increased Prevotellaceae and Lactobacillaceae and decreased Enterobacteriales, Clostridiaceae and Micrococcaceae. No severe adverse events were reported in any group. CONCLUSIONS: ZCY had better efficacy in improving and protecting kidney function. It would be an alternative option to treat DKD, especially those who decline eGFR and gut microbiota dysbiosis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR-OON-17012076. Registered July 21, 2017.

[Effects of nutrient and water addition on soil inorganic phosphorus fractions in an old-field grassland]. / å »åˆ†å’Œæ°´æ·»åŠ å¯¹å¼ƒè€•è‰åœ°åœŸå£¤æ— æœºç£·ç»„åˆ†çš„å½±å“.

Reasonable nutrient and water management is effective ways to improve productivity and biodiversity of degraded grasslands. However, little is known about the effects of nutrient and water addition on soil inorganic phosphorus (P) fractions in old-field grasslands. Based on a field experiment with nutrient addition (N: 10 g·m-2·a-1, P: 10 g·m-2·a -1) and water addition (180 mm water irrigated during plant growing season) in Duolun County, Inner Mongolia in 2005, we examined the changes of inorganic P fractions and Olsen-P contents in the topsoil (0-10 cm). Results showed that 11-year P addition significantly increased total inorganic P (TIP) content, and that exogenous P was mostly transformed into calcium phosphate (Ca-P: 62.6%-69.2%), and then into aluminium phosphate (Al-P: 19.9%-25.1%), ferric phosphate (Fe-P) and occluded P (O-P). Phosphorus incorporated with nitrogen (N) addition significantly increased Fe-P and Al-P contents by declining soil pH and activating Fe3+ and Al3+ in soil. Water addition alone significantly increased Fe-P, Al-P, and decalcium phosphate (Ca10-P) fractions, and the contents of Fe-P, Al-P, octacalcium phosphate (Ca8-P), and Ca10-P were greater in P incorporated with water treatment than in P addition alone. There was no difference of each inorganic P fraction between P incorporated with N and water treatment and P incorporated with N treatment. Phosphorus and P incorporated with N additions significantly increased soil Olsen-P content, while water addition significantly decreased soil Olsen-P content under P addition alone and P incorporated with N treatment. In the calcareous soils, calcium superphosphate addition could enhance soil inorganic P pool through increasing Ca-P fraction.