Maternal anaemia prevention and control in China: A policy review.

Maternal anaemia is a major public health problem. Developing maternal anaemia prevention and control policies is an important prerequisite for carrying out evidence-based interventions. This article reviews maternal anaemia prevention and control policies in China, identifies gaps, and provides references for other countries. We examined policies concerning maternal nutrition and other related literature in China, identified through key databases and government websites, and conducted a narrative review of the relevant documentations guided by the Smith Policy-Implementing-Process framework. A total of 65 articles and documents were identified for analysis. We found that Chinese government has committed to reducing maternal anaemia at the policy level, with established objectives and a clear time frame. However, most of policies were not accompanied by operational guidelines, standardized interventions, and vigorous monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and 85% of the policies don't have quantifiable objectives on anaemia. Maternal anaemia prevention and control services offered in clinical settings were primarily nutrition education and anaemia screening. Population-based interventions such as iron fortification have yet to be scaled up. Furthermore, medical insurance schemes in some regions do not cover anaemia prevention and treatment, and in other regions that offer coverage, the reimbursement rate is low. The number and capacity of health professionals is also limited. Policy changes should focus on the integration of evidence-based interventions into routine antenatal care services and public health service packages, standardization of dosages and provision of iron supplementation, streamline of reimbursement for outpatient expenses, and capacity building of health professionals.

Traditional Chinese medicine (Xielikang) reduces diarrhea symptoms in acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients by regulating the intestinal microbiota.

Diarrheal acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) seriously affects the quality of life of patients. In this study, we analyzed the differences in the intestinal microbiota among healthy individuals, AIDS patients without diarrhea and AIDS patients with diarrhea through high-throughput sequencing. The microbial diversity in the intestines of patients in the AIDS diarrhea group was significantly increased, and after treatment with Xielikang, the intestinal microbial diversity returned to the baseline level. At the phylum level, compared those in to the healthy (ZC) and AIDS non diarrhea (FN) groups, the relative abundances of Bacteroidetes and Verrucomirobia in the AIDS diarrhea (FA) group before treatment were significantly increased, while the relative abundance of Firmicutes was significantly decreased. Similarly, compared with those in the FA group, the relative abundances of Bacteroidea and Firmicutes in the AIDS diarrhea (FB) group after treatment were significantly increased, while the relative abundance of Firmicutes was significantly decreased after treatment. Additionally, there was no significant difference between the ZC and FN groups. At the genus level, compared with those in the ZC group, the relative abundance of Prevotella and Escherichia_Shigella in the FA group was significantly increased, while the relative abundances of Megamonas and Bifidobacterium was significantly decreased compared to that in the ZC group. After treatment with Xielikang, the relative abundance of Prevotella and Escherichia_Shigella in the FB group were significantly decreased, while the relative abundances of Megamonas and Bifidobacteria were significantly increased than those in the FA group; moreover, there was no significant difference between the ZC and FN groups. The functional prediction results showed that the ketodeoxyoctonate (Kdo) transfer to lipid IVA III and the superpathway of N-acetylglucosamine pathways in the AIDS diarrhea group were significantly altered. The correlation analysis results showed that Dorea was positively correlated with inflammatory factors, while Streptococcus and Lactobacillus were negatively correlated with inflammatory factors. The composition and function of the intestinal microbiota changed significantly in AIDS diarrhea patients, which affected the immune function of the host. The Xielikang capsule modulated the composition of the intestinal microbiota in AIDS diarrhea patients and thus improved immune function and reduced diarrheal symptoms.

Multi-scale response relationship between water quality of rivers entering lakes from different pollution source areas and land use intensity: a case study of the three lakes in central Yunnan.

As the main supply source of lakes, the water quality of the rivers entering the lakes directly determines the water safety and sustainable development of the lakes. Human activities are the direct cause of changes in the water quality of rivers entering lakes, and land use intensity is the direct manifestation of human activities on the land surface. Although significant progress has been made in studying the relationship between land use changes and water quality in lakes, there is still a lack of research on exploring the relationship between land use intensity and water quality at multiple scales, especially in comparative studies of different pollution source areas. To address this problem, this study used Pearson's correlation analysis and land use intensity index method to explore the response relationship between river water quality and land use intensity at different spatial and temporal scales and different pollution source areas using three lakes in central Yunnan as examples. The results showed that land use intensity was generally positively correlated with water quality, but the response relationship between land use intensity and different water quality indicators was significantly different at different scales and for different pollution source areas. Compared to non-urban areas, the impact of land use intensity on water quality is more significant in urban areas. Compared to the rainy season, the correlation between CODNa, TP, and NH3-N values and land use intensity is stronger during the dry season, while the correlation between COD, TN, and land use intensity is weaker during the dry season. When viewed at different scales, different water quality indicators have different scale effects, but overall, the larger the scale, the stronger the correlation. Therefore, in the work of lake water environmental governance, it is necessary to consider comprehensively from multiple scales and perspectives and adopt measures that are more suitable for regional water pollution prevention and control.

Potential Effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine on COVID-19 and Cardiac Injury: Mechanisms and Clinical Evidence.

Coronavirus disease 2019 is a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern" from 30 January 2020 to 5 May 2023. While battling Coronavirus disease 2019, the Chinese government has actively promoted the collaborative treatment model of Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine, and clinical and scientific research has applied appropriate and rigorous methodology. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection may damage the cardiovascular system via an unclarified pathogenic mechanism. The National Health Commission of China recommends 'three formulas and three medicines' for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019, which have been shown to be most effective in the treatments. Data from randomized controlled trials of 'three formulas and three medicines' suggested that the traditional Chinese medicine is safe and can alleviate the symptoms of cardiac injury. Therefore, we further evaluate the benefits and safety of traditional Chinese medicine treatment for Coronavirus disease 2019 patients with cardiac injury across the care continuum.

Activation of estrogen receptor α inhibits TLR4 signaling in macrophages and alleviates the instability of atherosclerotic plaques in the postmenopausal stage.

Acute cardiovascular events increase significantly in postmenopausal women. The relationship between estrogen receptor (ER) and plaque stability in the postmenopausal stage remains to be elucidated. We aimed to explore whether ERα activation improves plaque instability in the postmenopausal stage. Here, we report that postmenopausal women showed increased macrophage activation and plaque instability with increased MCP-1, MMP9, TLR4, MYD88 and NF-κB p65 and decreased ERα and TIMP1 expression in the vascular endothelium. Moreover, ovariectomy in LDLR-/- mice resulted in a significant increase in plaque area and necrotic core area, as well as a significant decrease in collagen content and an increase in macrophage accumulation in the artery. Ovariectomy also reduced serum estrogen levels and ERα expression and upregulated TLR4 and MMP9 expression in arteries in LDLR-/- mice. Estrogen or phytoestrogen therapy upregulated the expression level of ERα in ovariectomized mice and increased plaque stability by inhibiting macrophage accumulation and TLR4 signaling. In vitro, LPS incubation of RAW264.7 cells resulted in a significant decrease in ERα and TIMP1 expression and an increase in TLR4 activation, and estrogen or phytoestrogen treatment increased ERα and TIMP1 expression and inhibited TLR4 activation and MMP9 expression in LPS-treated RAW264.7 cells. Compared to control siRNA transfected RAW264.7 cells, TLR4 siRNA promoted TIMP1 expression in RAW264.7 cells with LPS incubation, but did not affect ERα expression in RAW264.7 cells with or without LPS treatment. The ERα inhibitor MPP abolished the regulatory effect of estrogen or phytoestrogen on LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that decreased ERα expression promotes macrophage infiltration and plaque instability in the postmenopausal stage, and activation of ERα in the postmenopausal stage alleviates atherosclerotic plaque instability by inhibiting TLR4 signaling and macrophage-related inflammation.

Treatment Progress in Diminished Ovarian Reserve: Western and Chinese Medicine.

Diminished ovarian reserve (DOR), generally defined as a decreased number or quality of oocytes, has a significant impact on quality of life and fertility in women. In recent years, the incidence of DOR has been increasing and the ages of patients are younger. The search for an effective DOR treatment has emerged as one of the preeminent research topics in reproductive health. An effective DOR therapy would improve ovarian function, fertility, and quality of life in patients. In this review we evaluated DOR treatment progress both in Western medicine and Chinese medicine, and elucidated the characteristics of each treatment.

The impact of lactating Hu sheep's dietary protein levels on lactation performance, progeny growth and rumen development.

This study aimed to investigate whether lactating Hu sheep's dietary protein levels could generate dynamic effects on the performance of their offspring. Twelve ewes with similar parity were fed iso-energy diets which contained different protein levels (P1: 9.82%, P2: 10.99%) (n = 6), and the corresponding offspring were divided into SP1 and SP2 (n = 12). At 60 days, half of the lambs were harvested for further study: the carcass weight (p = 0.043) and dressing percentage (p = 0.004) in the SP2 group were significantly higher than SP1. The acetic acid (p = 0.007), propionic acid (p = 0.003), butyric acid (p < 0.001) and volatile fatty acids (p < 0.001) in rumen fluid of SP2 were significantly lower than SP1. The expression of MCT2 (p = 0.024), ACSS1 (p = 0.039) and NHE3 (p = 0.006) in the rumen of SP2 was lower than SP1, while the HMGCS1 (p = 0.026), HMGCR (p = 0.024) and Na+/K+-ATPase (p = 0.020) was higher than SP1. The three dominant phyla in the rumen are Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria and Firmicutes. The membrane transport, amino acid metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism of SP1 were relatively enhanced, the replication and repair function of SP2 was relatively enhanced. To sum up, the increase of dietary protein level significantly increased the carcass weight and dressing percentage of offspring and had significant effects on rumen volatile fatty acids, acetic acid activation and cholesterol synthesis related genes. HIGHLIGHTSIn the early feeding period, the difference in ADG of lambs was mainly caused by the sucking effect.The increase in dietary protein level of ewes significantly increased the carcass weight and dressing percentage of offspring.The dietary protein level of ewes significantly affected the volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and genes related to acetic acid activation and cholesterol synthesis in the rumen of their offspring.The membrane transport, amino acid metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism of the offspring of ewes fed with a low protein diet were relatively enhanced.The replication and repair function of the offspring of ewes fed with a high protein diet was relatively strengthened.

Traditional Chinese Medicine in Treatment of COVID-19 and Viral Disease: Efficacies and Clinical Evidence.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains an uncontained, worldwide pandemic. While battling the disease in China, the Chinese government has actively promoted the use of traditional Chinese medicine, and many studies have been conducted to determine the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine for treating COVID-19. The present review discusses the effectiveness and safety of traditional Chinese medicine in curing COVID-19 and provides clinical evidence from all confirmed cases in China. Applications of traditional Chinese medicine and specific recipes for treating other viral infections, such as those caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and influenza A viruses (including H1N1), are also discussed. Studies have reported that traditional Chinese medicine treatment plays a significant role in improving clinical symptoms. Therefore, further investigation may be of high translational value in revealing novel targeted therapies for COVID-19.

[Visual analysis of exosomes in traditional Chinese medicine research and application status based on CiteSpace knowledge map].

In this study, CiteSpace was used to conduct bibliometric statistics and visualization of the research papers on the exosomes in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and application status in CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and Web of Science. The authors, research institutions, and keywords of the relevant papers were analyzed to summarize the research status, hotspots, and development trends of TCM application of exosomes, thereby providing references for future research. A total of 340 Chinese papers and 9 English papers were included. In Chinese papers, GUO Hai-dong is the author with the largest amount of research papers, and his research interest is the mechanism of electroacupuncture in promoting functional recovery after sciatic nerve injury by regulating the release of exosomes. Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine is the research institution with the largest amount of papers, followed by Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine and Hunan University of Chinese Medicine. There was less cooperation among these research institutions, and cooperation between teams and agencies should be strengthened. The overall volume of publications in English was comparatively small, and the connections between the authors were weak. The publishing organizations were mostly distributed in medical schools, hospitals, comprehensive universities, and the cooperation between institutions was scattered. The main keywords in Chinese papers include microRNA, mesenchymal stem cells, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, mechanism of action, and extracellular vesicles. The research of exosomes in TCM is increasing in recent years. The research hotspot is that exosomes can both serve as biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of certain diseases in TCM and drug carriers of Chinese medicine for targeted treatment of diseases. Keyword prominence suggested that exosomes derived from osteoblasts and macrophages in the treatment of diseases might still be a future research trend.

Integrated traditional Chinese medicine intervention for delaying HIV morbidity: study protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome is caused by humans and is high worldwide. Active antiretroviral therapy emerged in the late 1990s and is effective against AIDS. However, despite the extensive research on AIDS, there is still no vaccine or cure. The benefits of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for AIDS are increasingly recognised, especially by patients with asymptomatic HIV infection. METHODS/DESIGN: The proposed trial will enrol 216 eligible patients who will be randomised into treatment and control groups. After 72 weeks of intervention, the efficacy and safety of TCM for patients with AIDS will be assessed. The variables that will be measured include clinical symptoms, TCM syndromes, viral load, immunological indicators, inflammatory factors, quality of life, patient-reported outcomes and safety assessment. DISCUSSION: The study aim to compare the effectiveness and safety of TCM for asymptomatic AIDS and explore its potential underlying mechanism. Additionally, the findings will provide a reference for the use of TCM to delay the onset and control the progression of HIV/AIDS. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR1800018365. Registered on 13 September 2018.

An integrated study of Shenling Baizhu San against hyperuricemia: Efficacy evaluation, core target identification and active component discovery.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Shenling Baizhu San (SLBZ) is a famous Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formula that strengthens the spleen for replenishing qi, removing dampness, and inducing diuresis to relieve diarrhea. Combining the TCM interpretation that dampness is a vital pathogenesis factor in hyperuricemia occurrence and development, SLBZ has excellent potential against hyperuricemia from the perspective of TCM theories. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of SLBZ against hyperuricemia and its possible mechanism with emphasis on the active components and the core targets. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present study, we employed meta-analysis and a hyperuricemia quail model to evaluate the uric acid-lowering effect of SLBZ. Bodyweight, serum uric acid, and excreta uric acid levels in quails were assessed. Subsequently, we analyzed the potential active components and core targets of SLBZ against hyperuricemia by network pharmacology and calculated their interaction using molecular docking. Furthermore, the hyperuricemia rats treated with interfering agents of core targets were established to determine the central role of selected targets in hyperuricemia progression. Besides, we isolated and characterized the primary renal tubular epithelial cells of quails to verify the active components and core targets of SLBZ against hyperuricemia. Western blotting was used to observe the expression of core targets treated with active components under the stimulation of interfering agents. RESULTS: Data from meta-analysis and animal experiments showed that SLBZ could work effectively against hyperuricemia. Hyperuricemia quails treated with SLBZ displayed significantly reduced serum uric acid levels accompanied by increased excretion of uric acid. According to network pharmacology and molecular docking results, 34 potential active components and the core target peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) for SLBZ against hyperuricemia were identified. The decreased serum uric acid levels in hyperuricemia rats treated with rosiglitazone, an agonist of PPARγ, confirms the essential role of PPARγ in the pathological process of hyperuricemia. Moreover, we first successfully isolated and characterized the primary renal tubular epithelial cells of quails and observed enhanced phosphorylation of PPARγ at Ser273 in cells handled with high-level uric acid. Whereas, the enhanced expression of p-PPARγ Ser273 could be down-regulated by luteolin and naringenin, two active components of SLBZ against hyperuricemia. CONCLUSION: In summary, SLBZ is a promising anti-hyperuricemia agent, and luteolin and naringenin are the active components for SLBZ against hyperuricemia by down-regulating phosphorylation of PPARγ at Ser273.

Alisol B 23-acetate adjusts bile acid metabolisim via hepatic FXR-BSEP signaling activation to alleviate atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Postmenopausal women have a high incidence of atherosclerosis. Phytosterols have been shown to have cholesterol-lowering properties. Alisa B 23-acetate (AB23A) is a biologically active plant sterol isolated from Chinese herbal medicine Alisma. However, the atherosclerosis effect of AB23A after menopause and its possible mechanism have not been reported yet. PURPOSE: To explore whether AB23A can prevent atherosclerosis by regulating farnesoid X receptor and subsequently increasing fecal bile acid and cholesterol excretion to reduce plasma cholesterol levels. METHODS: Aortic samples from premenopausal and postmenopausal women with ascending aortic arteriosclerosis were analyzed, and bilateral ovariectomized (OVX) female LDLR-/- mice and free fatty acid (FFA)-treated L02 cells were used to analyze the effect of AB23A supplementation therapy. RESULTS: AB23A increased fecal cholesterol and bile acids (BAs) excretion dependent on activation of hepatic farnesoid X receptor (FXR) in ovariectomized mice. AB23A inhibited hepatic cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) and sterol 12α-hydroxylase (CYP8B1) via inducing small heterodimer partner (SHP) expression. On the other hand, AB23A increased the level of hepatic chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), and activated the hepatic BSEP signaling. The activation of hepatic FXR-BSEP signaling by AB23A in ovariectomized mice was accompanied by the reduction of liver cholesterol, hepatic lipolysis, and bile acids efflux, and reduced the damage of atherosclerosis. In vitro, AB23A fixed abnormal lipid metabolism in L02 cells and increased the expression of FXR, BSEP and SHP. Moreover, the inhibition and silencing of FXR canceled the regulation of BSEP by AB23A in L02 cells. CONCLUSION: Our results shed light into the mechanisms behind the cholesterol-lowering of AB23A, and increasing FXR-BSEP signaling by AB23A may be a potential postmenopausal atherosclerosis therapy.

Corrigendum to "Yiqi Huayu Jiedu Decoction Inhibits the Invasion and Metastasis of Gastric Cancer Cells through TGF-ß/Smad Pathway".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2017/1871298.].

Effects and safety of tanreqing injection on viral pneumonia: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Viral pneumonia is a common respiratory disease that leads to high mortality around the world. Tanreqing (TRQ) injection has been widely used to treat viral pneumonia in China. However, the efficiency and safety of TRQ injection for viral pneumonia have not been scientifically and methodically evaluated up to now. Thus, this protocol describes a plan of performing a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TRQ injection on patients with viral pneumonia. METHODS: Only randomized controlled trials will be enrolled in our study, and we will search eligible studies in the following electronic databases: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Clinical Trials, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Wanfang database, the Chinese Scientific Journal Database, and the Sinomed. The total effective rate of clinical efficacy will be used as primary outcome. Time to relieve symptoms, incidence of adverse reactions, and the laboratory parameters will be used as secondary outcomes. Any side effects and adverse events will be recorded and assessed as safety outcomes. Study inclusion, data extraction, and quality assessment will be performed independently by 2 reviewers, and any disagreement will be resolved by a third reviewer. After that, data synthesis and subgroup analysis will be conducted with the Review Manager V.5.3.3 software. RESULTS: This review will provide a high-quality synthesis to assess the effectiveness and safety of TRQ injection for viral pneumonia patients. CONCLUSION: Our study will provide comprehensive evidence to decide whether TRQ injection is effective and safe for viral pneumonia patients. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: PROSPERO CRD42020164164.

[Professor FANG Jian-qiao's clinical experiences in the identification and treatment of cranial tinnitus].

On the base of the relevant theories on disease identification of western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine, professor FANG Jian-qiao has made the differentiation of cranial tinnitus and proposes the intervention measures. The location of disease is identified firstly. Secondly, the deficiency is distinguished from the excess, and the involved zangfu organs are determined as well. In view of the holistic idea and in combination of meridian differentiation of acupuncture-moxibustion, the principle of treatment is proposed, named "regulating qi, harmonizing blood circulation, clearing office and tranquilizing the mind". In treatment, the disease is treated individually. According to the involved location of onset and the related meridian running course, acupuncture-moxibustion therapy is exerted, in which, the local acupoints are combined with the distal ones. Additionally, electroacupuncture is used flexibly. The appropriate electric wave and frequency are selected in consideration of the syndromes/patterns of disease so as to optimize the regimen of acupuncture-moxibustion therapy. All of the approaches aforementioned provide the reference to clinical treatment of traditional Chinese medicine.

Study on Medication Rules of TCM Master LIU Shang-yi for Treatment of Hepatocarcinoma / 中国中医药信息杂志

Objective To explore the medication features of Professor LIU Shang-yi for the treatment of hepatocarcinoma; To provide references for the clinic. Methods Medical cases about hepatocarcinoma treated by Professor LIU Shang-yi in National Medical Center Clinic of Guizhou Provincial TCM Hospital from March 2014 to August 2016 were collected. TCM inheritance support platform software V2.5 was used to analyze properties and flavors, frequency, compatibility law and core medicine combinations. Results Totally 318 prescriptions were included in the study, involving 137 kinds of Chinese materia medica and frequency of 2931 times. The medicines with high frequency were Curcumae Rhizoma, vinegar Trionycis Carapax, Rabdosiae Rubescentis Herba, Ranunculi Ternati Radix and Hypericum Japonicum Thunb; cold and warm were used in the prescriptions, and there were a lot of medicines with flavors of spicy, bitter and sweet. 68 groups of two medicines, 100 groups of three medicines and 72 groups of four medicines with high frequency were obtained by data mining. High frequency association rules were"Curcumae Rhizoma - vinegar Trionycis Carapax", "Curcumae Rhizoma - Rabdosiae Rubescentis Herba", "vinegar Trionycis Carapax - Rabdosiae Rubescentis Herba". Conclusion The prescriptions for the treatment of hepatocarcinoma by Professor LIU Shang-yi have the efficacy of tonifying yin, and resolving masses, clearing heat and detoxifying, which shows the treatment principles of strengthening body resistance and eliminating evil, and adjusting yin and yang.

Inference of a Geminivirus-Host Protein-Protein Interaction Network through Affinity Purification and Mass Spectrometry Analysis.

Viruses reshape the intracellular environment of their hosts, largely through protein-protein interactions, to co-opt processes necessary for viral infection and interference with antiviral defences. Due to genome size constraints and the concomitant limited coding capacity of viruses, viral proteins are generally multifunctional and have evolved to target diverse host proteins. Inference of the virus-host interaction network can be instrumental for understanding how viruses manipulate the host machinery and how re-wiring of specific pathways can contribute to disease. Here, we use affinity purification and mass spectrometry analysis (AP-MS) to define the global landscape of interactions between the geminivirus Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) and its host Nicotiana benthamiana. For this purpose, we expressed tagged versions of each of TYLCV-encoded proteins (C1/Rep, C2/TrAP, C3/REn, C4, V2, and CP) in planta in the presence of the virus. Using a quantitative scoring system, 728 high-confidence plant interactors were identified, and the interaction network of each viral protein was inferred; TYLCV-targeted proteins are more connected than average, and connect with other proteins through shorter paths, which would allow the virus to exert large effects with few interactions. Comparative analyses of divergence patterns between N. benthamiana and potato, a non-host Solanaceae, showed evolutionary constraints on TYLCV-targeted proteins. Our results provide a comprehensive overview of plant proteins targeted by TYLCV during the viral infection, which may contribute to uncovering the underlying molecular mechanisms of plant viral diseases and provide novel potential targets for anti-viral strategies and crop engineering. Interestingly, some of the TYLCV-interacting proteins appear to be convergently targeted by other pathogen effectors, which suggests a central role for these proteins in plant-pathogen interactions, and pinpoints them as potential targets to engineer broad-spectrum resistance to biotic stresses.

Yiqi Huayu Jiedu Decoction Inhibits the Invasion and Metastasis of Gastric Cancer Cells through TGF-ß/Smad Pathway.

Background. Yiqi Huayu Jiedu Decoction (YHJD) can obviously improve the quality of life of those patients with gastric cancer and prolong their survival. Methods. In vitro experiments, we observe YHJD's effect on the cells' proliferation by MTT assay. Cell adhesion assay, wound-healing assay, and Transwell invasion assay serve to detect its influence on cells' adhesion, migration, and invasion, respectively. Inhibitor (10 µM/L of SB431542) and activator (10 ng/mL of TGF-ß) of TGF-ß/Smad pathway were used to estimate whether YHJD's impact on the biological behavior of gastric cancer cells was related to TGF-ß/Smad pathway. In in vivo studies, YHJD was administered to the nude mice transplanted with gastric cancer to observe its effect on the tumor. Western blotting and immunohistochemical assay were used to test relevant cytokines of TGF-ß/Smad pathway and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in MGC-803 cells and the tumor bearing nude mice. Results. YHJD inhibited proliferation, adhesion, migration, and invasion of MGC-803 gastric cancer cells in vitro. In in vivo studies, YHJD reduced the volume of the transplanted tumors. It also enhanced the expression of E-cadherin and decreased the levels of N-cadherin, TGF-ß, Snail, and Slug in both MGC-803 cells and the transplanted tumor by western blot assay. The immunohistochemical assay revealed that YHJD raised E-cadherin in the tumors of the mice; on the contrary, the expression of N-cadherin, Twist, vimentin, TGF-ßR I, p-Smad2, p-Smad3, Snail, and Slug reduced. Conclusion. YHJD can effectively inhibit the invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer cells. The mechanism may be related to TGF-ß/Smad pathway.

Compound Wumei Powder Inhibits the Invasion and Metastasis of Gastric Cancer via Cox-2/PGE2-PI3K/AKT/GSK3ß/ß-Catenin Signaling Pathway.

To explore the role of CWP in invasion and migration of gastric cancer cells and its underlying molecular mechanism, we performed the experiment in SGC-7901 cells both in vitro and in vivo. In the cell experiment, we evaluated cell proliferation by MTT assay. The results showed that CWP can inhibit the growth of SGC-7901 cells. The influence on cell migration and invasion was detected by wound-healing and Transwell invasion assays. The results showed that the abilities of invasion and migration are restrained in CWP group. Western blot showed that CWP can decrease the expression of Cox-2 and inhibit the PI3K/AKT/GSK3ß/ß-catenin signaling pathway. In the animal experiment, we observed that CWP had an inhibitory effect on the growth of xenograft tumors of nude mice. IHC assay, ELISA, RT-PCR assay, and Western blot assay were used to test relevant cytokines of Cox-2/PGE2-PI3K/AKT/GSK3ß/ß-catenin pathway. The results showed that CWP can suppress relevant cytokines of Cox-2/PGE2-PI3K/AKT/GSK3ß/ß-catenin pathway. In conclusion, we suggest that CWP inhibits the invasion and metastasis of SGC-7901 cells via Cox-2/PGE2-PI3K/AKT/GSK3ß/ß-catenin signaling pathway.

Effect of prostate volume on the peripheral nerve block anesthesia in the prostate biopsy: A strobe-compliant study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the anesthetic efficacy of periprostatic nerve block (PNB) in transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided biopsy on different prostate volume. METHODS: A total of 568 patients received prostate biopsy in our hospital from May 2013 to September 2015 and were retrospectively studied. All patients were divided into local anesthesia group (LAG) and nerve block group (NBG). Then each group was subdivided into 4 subgroups (20-40, 40-60, 60-100, and >100 mL groups) according to different prostate volume range. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and visual numeric scale (VNS) were used to assess the patient's pain and quantify their satisfaction. The scores and complications were compared between the groups. RESULTS: The age and serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level before biopsy had no significant differences at intergroup or intragroup level. The VAS scores were significantly lower in the NBG than those in the LAG in terms of prostate volume (1 (1-2) versus 2 (1-3), 2 (1-3) versus 2 (2-4), 2 (2-3) versus 3 (2-5), 4 (3-5) versus 5 (4-7), all P < 0.05). Conversely, the VNS scores were higher in the NBG (4 (3-4) versus 3.5 (3-4), 3 (3-4) versus 3 (3-3), 3 (2-4) versus 3 (2-3), 2 (2-2) versus 1 (1-2), all P < 0.05). Patients with smaller prostate volume undergoing PNB or local anesthesia experienced significantly lower pain and higher satisfaction scores than those with large prostate. Whether in PNB or local anesthesia group, patients with large prostate volume had more chance to have hematuria, hemospermia, urinary retention than smaller one except infection (P < 0.05). Those complications had no significant differences between LAG and NBG (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Compared with local anesthesia, ultrasound-guided PNB has superior analgesic effect and equal safety, but for patients with a large prostate volume, the analgesic effect is inefficient.