Polyamine-mediated ferroptosis amplification acts as a targetable vulnerability in cancer.

Targeting ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death triggered by the lethal overload of lipid peroxides, in cancer therapy is impeded by our limited understanding of the intersection of tumour's metabolic feature and ferroptosis vulnerability. In the present study, arginine is identified as a ferroptotic promoter using a metabolites library. This effect is mainly achieved through arginine's conversion to polyamines, which exerts their potent ferroptosis-promoting property in an H2O2-dependent manner. Notably, the expression of ornithine decarboxylase 1 (ODC1), the critical enzyme catalysing polyamine synthesis, is significantly activated by the ferroptosis signal--iron overload--through WNT/MYC signalling, as well as the subsequent elevated polyamine synthesis, thus forming a ferroptosis-iron overload-WNT/MYC-ODC1-polyamine-H2O2 positive feedback loop that amplifies ferroptosis. Meanwhile, we notice that ferroptotic cells release enhanced polyamine-containing extracellular vesicles into the microenvironment, thereby further sensitizing neighbouring cells to ferroptosis and accelerating the "spread" of ferroptosis in the tumour region. Besides, polyamine supplementation also sensitizes cancer cells or xenograft tumours to radiotherapy or chemotherapy through inducing ferroptosis. Considering that cancer cells are often characterized by elevated intracellular polyamine pools, our results indicate that polyamine metabolism exposes a targetable vulnerability to ferroptosis and represents an exciting opportunity for therapeutic strategies for cancer.

[Systematic review and Meta-analysis of efficacy and safety of Bidouyan Oral Liquid in treatment of rhinosinusitis].

This study aimed to systematically review the efficacy and safety of Bidouyan Oral Liquid in the treatment of rhinosinu-sitis(RS). CNKI, Wanfang, SinoMed, VIP, Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, and Ovid were searched for the randomized controlled trial(RCT) of Bidouyan Oral Liquid for the treatment of RS patients. Moreover, the reference lists and the grey literature were searched manually. Two researchers independently screened the literature and extracted data. The Cochrane collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias(RoB 2.0) in randomized trial was used to assess the methodological quality of the included stu-dies. Meta-analysis was performed in RevMan 5.3 and Stata 12.0, and the grades of recommendation, assessment, development and evaluation(GRADE) was employed to evaluate the quality of evidence. A total of 54 RCTs(35 with drug combinations and 19 with single drugs) comprising 7 511 patients(3 973 in the observation group and 3 538 in the control group) were included. Meta-analysis showed that Bidouyan Oral Liquid + conventional treatment was superior to conventional treatment alone in increasing the total response rate(RR=1.19, 95%CI[1.15, 1.24], P<0.000 01) and decreasing the Lund-Kennedy scores(MD=-1.94, 95%CI[-2.61,-1.26], P<0.000 01), Lund-Mackay scores(MD=-2.14, 95%CI[-2.98,-1.31], P<0.000 01), and visual analogue scale(VAS) scores(MD_(total VAS scores)=-1.28, 95%CI[-1.56,-1.01], P<0.000 01; MD_(nasal congestion VAS scores)=-0.58, 95%CI[-0.89,-0.27], P=0.000 2; MD_(runny nose VAS scores)=-0.61, 95%CI[-0.93,-0.29], P=0.000 2; MD_(olfactory dysfunction VAS scores)=-0.43, 95%CI[-0.52,-0.34], P<0.000 01; MD_(head and facial pain VAS scores)=-0.41, 95%CI[-0.57,-0.26], P<0.000 01). Furthermore, the combined treatment outperformed conventional treatment alone in improving the mucociliary transport rate(MTR)(MD=1.64, 95%CI[1.08, 2.20], P<0.000 01) and lowering the levels of inflammatory cytokines{tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)(SMD=-1.95, 95%CI[-2.57,-1.33], P<0.000 01), interleukin-6(IL-6)(SMD=-2.64, 95%CI[-4.08,-1.21], P=0.000 3)} in RS patients. In addition, the combined treatment did not increase the incidence of adverse reactions(RR=0.83, 95%CI[0.44, 1.57], P=0.57). Bidouyan Oral Liquid was superior to conventional treatment in increasing total response rate(RR=1.25, 95%CI[1.18, 1.32], P<0.000 01), decreasing the Lund-Kennedy(P<0.01) and Lund-Mackay scores(P<0.05), alleviating major symptoms(P_(total VAS scores)<0.01; P_(nasal congestion VAS scores)<0.01; P_(runny nose VAS scores)<0.01; P_(olfactory dysfunction VAS scores)<0.05; P_(head and facial pain VAS scores)<0.01), and decreasing adverse reactions(P=0.03). The results showed that either Bidouyan Oral Liquid or Bidouyan Oral Liquid + conventional treatment can increase the total response rate, decrease the Lund-Kennedy and Lund-Mackay scores, and mitigate major symptoms. In addition, Bidouyan Oral Liquid + conventional treatment improved MTR and reduced the expression of TNF-α and IL-6 without causing serious adverse events. However, due to the limited methodological quality of the included studies, large-sample and high-quality RCTs are needed to provide evidence support.

Retinol Saturase Mediates Retinoid Metabolism to Impair a Ferroptosis Defense System in Cancer Cells.

Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death induced by the lethal overload of lipid peroxides in cellular membranes. In recent years, modulating ferroptosis has gained attention as a potential therapeutic approach for tumor suppression. In the current study, retinol saturase (RETSAT) was identified as a significant ferroptosis mediator using a publicly accessible CRISPR/Cas9 screening dataset. RETSAT depletion protected tumor cells from lipid peroxidation and subsequent cell death triggered by various ferroptosis inducers. Furthermore, exogenous supplementation with retinoids, including retinol (the substrate of RETSAT) and its derivatives retinal and retinoic acid, also suppressed ferroptosis, whereas the product of RETSAT, 13, 14-dihydroretinol, failed to do so. As effective radical-trapping antioxidant, retinoids protected the lipid membrane from autoxidation and subsequent fragmentation, thus terminating the cascade of ferroptosis. Pseudotargeted lipidomic analysis identified an association between retinoid regulation of ferroptosis and lipid metabolism. Retinoic acid, but not 13, 14-dihydroretinoic acid, interacted with its nuclear receptor and activated transcription of stearoyl-CoA desaturase, which introduces the first double bond into saturated fatty acid and thus catalyzes the generation of monounsaturated fatty acid, a known ferroptosis suppressor. Therefore, RETSAT promotes ferroptosis by transforming retinol to 13, 14-dihydroretinol, thereby turning a strong anti-ferroptosis regulator into a relatively weak one. SIGNIFICANCE: Retinoids have ferroptosis-protective properties and can be metabolized by RETSAT to promote ferroptosis, suggesting the possibility of targeting retinoid metabolism in cancer as a treatment strategy to trigger ferroptosis.

Two new meroterpenoids from the bark of Cinnamomum cassia and their antioxidant activity.

Two new (1 and 2) meroterpenoids were isolated from the bark of Cinnamomum cassia. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analyses and chemical methods. Antioxidant activities of 1 and 2 were evaluated by the ORAC and DPPH radical scavenging assays, and the results revealed that compound 2 displayed oxygen radical absorbance capacity. The discovery of compounds 1 and 2 added new members of this kind of natural product.

Disseminated Staphylococcus aureus infection after scarification wet cupping therapy: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Cupping therapy is a complementary and alternative medical therapy used especially in pain management. It is generally considered a safe procedure, but complications, including life-threatening infection, may still occur. Understanding these complications is essential to safe and evidence-based use of cupping in practice. CASE PRESENTATION: Here we report a rare case of disseminated Staphylococcus aureus infection after cupping therapy. After wet cupping, a 33-year-old immunocompetent woman developed fever, myalgia, and a productive cough accompanied by acute liver and kidney injury, iliopsoas abscess, and gastrointestinal bleeding. The patient was treated successfully with cefmetazole plus levofloxacin after microbiological and antimicrobial sensitivity testing. CONCLUSIONS: Though rarely reported, clinicians, practitioners of cupping therapy, and patients should be aware of the risk of infection after cupping therapy. High hygiene standards are recommended for cupping therapy, even in immunocompetent individuals.

Characteristics and result reporting of registered COVID-19 clinical trials of Chinese and Indian traditional medicine: A comparative analysis.

Objective: To assess the main characteristics and result reporting of registered COVID-19 interventional trials of traditional Chinese medicine and traditional Indian medicine. Materials and methods: We assessed design quality and result reporting of COVID-19 trials of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and traditional Indian medicine (TIM) registered before 10 February 2021, respectively, on Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) and Clinical Trial Registry-India (CTRI). Comparison groups included registered COVID-19 trials of conventional medicine conducted in China (WMC), India (WMI), and in other countries (WMO). Cox regression analysis was used to assess the association between time from trial onset to result reporting and trial characteristics. Results: The proportion of COVID-19 trials investigating traditional medicine was 33.7% (130/386) among trials registered on ChiCTR, and 58.6% (266/454) on CTRI. Planned sample sizes were mostly small in all COVID-19 trials (median 100, IQR: 50-200). The proportion of trials that were randomized was 75.4 and 64.8%, respectively, for the TCM and TIM trials. Blinding measures were used in 6.2% of the TCM trials, and 23.6% of the TIM trials. Cox regression analysis revealed that planned COVID-19 clinical trials of traditional medicine were less likely to have results reported than trials of conventional medicine (hazard ratio 0.713, 95% confidence interval: 0.541-0.939; p = 0.0162). Conclusion: There were considerable between-country and within-country differences in design quality, target sample size, trial participants, and reporting of trial results. Registered COVID-19 clinical trials of traditional medicine were less likely to report results than trials of conventional medicine.

Stink bean (Parkia speciosa) empty pod: a potent natural antidiabetic agent for the prevention of pancreatic and hepatorenal dysfunction in high fat diet/streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetes in rats.

The present study investigated the effect of polyphenol-rich extract of Parkia speciosa (PPS) against pancreatic and hepatorenal dysfunction in high-fat diet (HFD)/streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes. Diabetic rats were treated with PPS (100 and 400 mg/kg) and glibenclamide. The results revealed that diabetic rats displayed marked hyperglycaemia, hyperlipidaemia, hypoinsulinemia as well as alterations in serum renal and kidney function markers. Furthermore, diabetic rats showed significant increase in hepatorenal level of malonaldehyde as well as suppression of antioxidant enzyme activities. Whereas, diabetic rats that received PPS displayed marked attenuation in most of the aforementioned parameters compared to the untreated diabetic rats. Additionally, histological examination revealed restoration of histopathological alterations of the pancreas, liver, and kidney of PPS treated diabetic rats. In conclusion, the results demonstrated that PPS could decrease serum lipids and blood glucose level, enhance insulin level and hepatorenal antioxidant capacity, as well as ameliorate hepatorenal dysfunction in rats.

[Material basis of stench of animal medicine: a review].

Despite the distinctive characteristics and remarkable efficacy, animal medicine is stenchy, which decreases the comp-liance of patients. At the moment, the research on the method for deodorizing animal medicines lags behind. To be specific, the components related to the odor and the basic properties transformation of the components are unclear and there is a lack of specific deodorizing method. This study aims to clarify the main components related to the stench of animal medicine, such as aldehydes, amines, trimethylamines and sulfur compounds, and their basic properties, and to explore their metabolism and transformation in vivo and in vitro, which is expected to serve as a reference for the research on deodorization of animal medicine and development of new techniques.

Dendrobium Nobile Lindl. Alkaloid Suppresses NLRP3-Mediated Pyroptosis to Alleviate LPS-Induced Neurotoxicity.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder recognized as a global public health priority. Although available treatments temporarily relieve the symptoms, they could not prevent the progression of cognitive decline. Natural compounds have been rich sources for drug discovery. Dendrobium nobile Lindl. alkaloid (DNLA) is the main active compound in Dendrobium nobile Lindl, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine. Recent studies indicated that DNLA produced neuroprotection. However, the mechanisms underlying DNLA-generated neuroprotection remain unknown. To investigate neuroprotection and the underlying mechanisms of DNLA, mouse hippocampus injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuronal damage was performed. DNLA protected hippocampus neurons and working memory disorder against LPS-induced neurotoxicity. In addition, DNLA suppressed cell undergoing membrane lysis and cell swelling and inhibited the essential mediator of pyroptosis GSDMD-N expressions. Furthermore, DNLA-mediated neuroprotection was dependent on the inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome activation, as evidenced by the fact that DNLA reduced pro-inflammatory factor (IL-18 and IL-1ß) production and inhibited the expression of related proteins. DNLA-exerted neuroprotection against LPS-induced neuronal damage, and cognitive impairment was not observed in NLRP3 knockout mice. Together, this study suggested that DNLA attenuated NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis to generate neuroprotection against LPS-induced neuronal damage and cognitive impairment.

Effect of Flavonoids in Hawthorn and Vitamin C Prevents Hypertension in Rats Induced by Heat Exposure.

BACKGROUND: Excessive oxidative stress is associated with hypertension in professional high-temperature working conditions. Polyphenols exhibit a cardioprotective effect. Hawthorn contains high amounts of flavonoids, though its effect on hypertension protection has yet to be studied. This study aims to investigate this effect of extract of hawthorn (EH) or its combination with vitamin C (Vit. C) in rats induced by working under a hot environment. METHODS: Forty-two male rats were randomly divided into a control group under normal temperature and six treatment groups exposed at 33 ± 1 °C along with 1 h of daily treadmill running. They were orally provided with water, Vit. C (14mg/kg), EH (125, 250, and 500 mg/kg), and EH500 + Vit. C, once a day for four weeks. RESULTS: Both EH and Vit. C alone reduced the systolic and diastolic blood pressure of rats exposed to the heat environment; however, their joint supplementation completely maintained their blood pressure to the normal level throughout the experimental period. No morphological changes were found on the intima of aorta. Moreover, the co-supplementation of EH and Vit. C prevented the changes of heat exposure in inducing oxidative stress markers, such as glutathione peroxidase, catalase, total antioxidant capacity, and nitric oxide; the synergistic action was more effective than either individual treatment of EH and Vit. C. Furthermore, the administration of EH had more potent effects on increasing superoxide dismutase, IL-2, the 70 kilodalton heat shock proteins and high sensitivity C reactive protein, and decreasing serum malondialdehyde and lipofuscin in vascular tissue than those in Vit. C group. CONCLUSIONS: A strong synergistic effect of EH and Vit. C on the prevention of hypertension under heat exposure was established, as they inhibited the oxidative stress state. This study also sets up a novel intervention strategy in animal models for investigation on the early phases of hypertension induced by heat exposure.

The inhibitory effect of Periplaneta americana L. on hepatocellular carcinoma: Explore the anti-hepatocellular carcinoma active site and its mechanism of action.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The American cockroach (Periplaneta americana L.) belongs to the family Blattidae, order Blattodea, and class Insecta. Its medicinal history in China spans thousands of years. In recent years, the anti-tumour activity of American cockroach has gradually attracted the attention of researchers and has a good application prospect in the treatment of tumours. Periplaneta americana has been found to contain proteins, peptides, amino acids and nucleosides. Pharmacological studies have shown that P. americana has anti-tumour, tissue repair, immunoregulatory and other activities. In this study, we investigated the chemical composition and mechanism of action of its active site against hepatocellular carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We adopted ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS), measuring the accurate relative molecular mass, fragment ion peak, chromatographic retention time and reference substance information of the compound obtained by HRMS, to identify the chemical components of the anti-hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) active site of P. americana based on data from relevant literature. We used western blotting (WB) to detect the expression levels of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-Akt) and Akt in the PI3K/Akt pathway and further study the molecular mechanism of the active site of P. americana against HCC. RESULTS: UPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS identified 35 compounds from the active site of P. americana. Of these, 10 were amino acids, 1 was an alkaloid, 6 were nucleosides and their bases, 4 were dipeptides and cyclic dipeptides, 8 were organic acids, 2 were isoflavones and 4 were other compounds; 8 of these compounds were confirmed by comparison with the reference substance. The WB results showed that the relative expression levels of PI3K and p-Akt protein in the active site of P. americana in the medium-dose (concentration, 0.15624 mg⋅mL-1) and high-dose (concentration, 0.31250 mg⋅mL-1) experimental groups were significantly reduced compared with the blank control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), whereas the expression level of Akt protein did not significantly change amongst the groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study found that the anti-HCC active site of P. americana is composed of multiple components that can reduce the relative expression of PI3K and p-Akt protein. It exerts its anti-HCC effect by regulating the PI3K/Akt pathway.

Evaluating nitric oxide produced by rat inflamed microglial cell Lline, CHME-5, under the effect of IMOD.

Nitric oxide (NO), as a free radical, is produced by inflamed microglia cells and is one of the destructive factors of the immune system and a factor in myelin degradation. Therefore, inhibition of microglia activity is a chief strategy in reducing neurotoxic damage to the central nervous system. In this study, an herbal Immunomodulatory Drug (IMOD) was used to evaluate the effects of this drug in controlling the amount of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide induction was performed by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in rat inflamed microglial cell line, CHME-5. ELISA test was used to measure the produced nitric oxide at 24, 48, and 72 hours. The results showed that the high concentrations of IMOD (1.2, and 4% V/V) had anti-inflammatory effects on microglial cells and were able to reduce the amount of nitric oxide in these cells but the effective dose of IMOD was in the range of 1.2% V/V. Therefore, the safest dose and the best time for the effect of IMOD on inflammatory cell groups are 1.2% V/V and 72h, respectively. Hence, with further studies, IMOD can be considered as an herbal anti-inflammatory drug that is effective in controlling neurodegenerative diseases.

Esculetin protects against early sepsis via attenuating inflammation by inhibiting NF-κB and STAT1/STAT3 signaling.

Esculetin, a natural derivative from the traditional and widely-used Chinese medicinal herb Cortex Fraxini, has a variety of pharmacological effects, especially in anti-inflammation. However, it is not clear whether esculetin has a therapeutic effect on sepsis. This study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory and protective effects of esculetin on early sepsis. The results showed that the lung injury was significantly relieved with the treatment of esculetin, accompanied with the restrained production of inflammatory factors including IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, CCL2 and iNOS during the early phase of E.coli-induced sepsis. Of note, activation of NF-κB and STAT1/STAT3 signals, the main upstream signals of many inflammatory factors, were attenuated by esculetin in both lung tissues from septic mice and LPS-stimulated macrophage. These findings suggested that the protection of esculetin against early sepsis should be related to its anti-inflammatory effect, which was at least partly due to its inhibition on NF-κB and STAT1/STAT3 signaling pathway in macrophage. Thus, esculetin could serve as a potential therapeutic agent by rebalancing innate immune response in macrophage for the treatment of early sepsis.

Anti-tumor effects of Solanum nigrum L. extraction on C6 high-grade glioma.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Solanum nigrum L. (SN) is a traditional Chinese medicine with anti-tumor effects, has been used in cancer for centuries, but the role on high-grade gliomas (HGG) is not clear. AIM OF THE STUDY: This work was to investigate the anti-tumor effects of SN extract on rat C6 glioma in vitro and in vivo, providing a new medium for the treatment of HGG. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After identification and quality inspection of SN medicinal materials by HPLC-MS/MS and HPLC, CCK8 and colony formation assay were conducted to study the effects of SN on vitality and proliferation of C6 cells. Cell morphology was evaluated by HE staining, and flow cytometry was used for apoptosis analysis. The effects on cell migration and invasion were determined by transwell and wound healing assay. Western blot was used to further investigate the influence of SN on migration, invasion and apoptosis of tumor cells. In addition, the rat intracranial transplanted tumor model was used to evaluate the effects of SN on growth and infiltration of tumor and proliferation of transplanted tumor cells. RESULTS: SN extract suppressed the viability of C6 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The extract attenuated cell cloning, migration and invasion, and induced cell Annexin V+ PI+ late-stage apoptosis. Besides, SN induced the expression of apoptotic proteins including Bax and Cleaved Caspase-3, downregulated anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, and decreased the level of migratory proteins MMP-2 and MMP-9. Moreover, SN reduced the growth and infiltration of C6 glioma tissue and suppressed the proliferation of tumor cells in rat brain. CONCLUSIONS: SN extract has significant inhibitory activity on the growth and invasion of C6 HGG in vivo and in vitro.

Investigation on the early evolution of "heart dominating pericardium meridian of hand- / 中国针灸

The evolution from "vessel dominated by heart" of "heart dominating pericardium meridian of hand-

Choroid Plexus Enlargement and Allostatic Load in Schizophrenia.

Although schizophrenia is a brain disorder, increasing evidence suggests that there may be body-wide involvement in this illness. However, direct evidence of brain structures involved in the presumed peripheral-central interaction in schizophrenia is still unclear. Seventy-nine previously treatment-naïve first-episode schizophrenia patients who were within 2-week antipsychotics initial stabilization, and 41 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Group differences in subcortical brain regional structures measured by MRI and the subclinical cardiovascular, metabolic, immune, and neuroendocrine biomarkers as indexed by allostatic load, and their associations were explored. Compared with controls, patients with schizophrenia had significantly higher allostatic load (P = .001). Lateral ventricle (P < .001), choroid plexus (P < .001), and thalamus volumes (P < .001) were significantly larger, whereas amygdala volume (P = .001) was significantly smaller in patients. The choroid plexus alone was significantly correlated with higher allostatic load after age, sex, education level, and the total intracranial volume were taken into account (t = 3.60, P < .001). Allostatic load was also significantly correlated with PANSS positive (r = 0.28, P = .016) and negative (r = -0.31, P = .008) symptoms, but in opposite directions. The peripheral multisystemic and central nervous system abnormalities in schizophrenia may interact through the choroid plexus during the early stage of the illness. The choroid plexus might provide a sensitive structural biomarker to study the treatment and prevention of brain-periphery interaction abnormalities in schizophrenia.

Peak bone mass in Chinese adolescents: the importance of adequate calcium intake / 中华内分泌代谢杂志

Attaining higher peak bone mass and strength in early life stage is critical for reducing risk of osteoporosis or lower bone mass later in life. Genetic factors such as race and gender are mostly responsible for the variability and timing of reaching peak bone mass. In general, Asians have lower areal bone mineral density and would reach peak bone mass earlier when they are compared to Caucasians. Among different lifestyle factors, strong evidence is only available for positive effects of dietary calcium and physical exercise on bone accretion. Studies showed that the calcium intake of Chinese population at all ages is well below the recommended intake levels. To develop peak bone mass and strength to reach their genetic potentials, achieving adequate calcium and vitamin D intake through promoting dietary intake and/or supplementation, are strongly recommended, especially in Chinese adolescents.

Near-infrared and metal-free tetra(butylamino)phthalocyanine nanoparticles for dual modal cancer phototherapy.

Synergistic phototherapy combining photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT) based on near-infrared (NIR) dyes using a single light source offers the opportunity to treat diseases at deep locations. In this study, we reported human serum albumin (HSA)-involving tetra(butylamino)phthalocyanine (Pc)-based nanomaterials of HSA-α-Pc and HSA-ß-Pc as highly efficient dual-phototherapy agents, namely 1(4),8(11),15(18),22(25)-tetra(butylamino)phthalocyanine (α-Pc) and 2(3),9(10),16(17),23(24)-tetra(butylamino)phthalocyanine (ß-Pc). Both HSA-α-Pc and HSA-ß-Pc showed excellent photothermal effects under a single NIR (808 nm) laser irradiation due to the S 1 fluorescence emission quenching of Pcs. Compared to HSA-ß-Pc, HSA-α-Pc exhibited better singlet oxygen generation ability and its highly efficient PDT/PTT dual-phototherapy was also well evidenced via in vitro and vivo experiments under a single 808 nm laser irradiation. Overall, this approach would be viable for the fabrication of more new Pc-based metal-free nano agents for PDT/PTT synergistic phototherapy upon a single NIR light source.

[Observation on the curative effect of articular needling at Sifeng (EX-UE 10) on finger spastic paralysis after stroke].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the improved effects of articular needling at Sifeng (EX-UE 10) on finger spastic paralysis after stroke on the basis of conventional treatment. METHODS: Sixty-four patients were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 32 cases in each group. Both groups were treated with conventional drugs, and in the control group, conventional acupuncture was treated. On the basis of the treatment in the control group, articular needling at Sifeng (EX-UE 10) was applied in the observation group. The treatment was given once everyday for 6 days with one day interval, and a total of two weeks were needed. The finger scores in the Fugl-Meyer evaluation scale (FMA), the Brunnstrom motor function rating, and the modified Ashworth spasm rating were observed before and after treatment. RESULTS: After treatment, the Fugl-Meyer scores in the two groups were higher than those before treatment (P<0.01). The Fugl-Meyer score in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.01). The results of Brunnstrom motor function rating and the modified Ashworth spasm rating were improved in the two groups (P<0.01, P<0.05), and the observation group was superior to the control group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The articular needling at Sifeng (EX-UE 10) can effectively improve the condition of finger spastic paralysis.

Melatonin appears to protect against steroidogenic collapse in both mice fed with high-fat diet and H2 O2 -treated TM3 cells.

High-fat diets (HFDs) are detrimental to steroidogenesis and male fertility. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of melatonin (MT) treatment on testicular dysfunction in mice fed with HFD. C57BL/6J male mice were randomly divided into three groups: CTRL, HFD and HFD + MT. MT treatment mitigated the increase in body weight and adipose tissue in HFD-fed mice. Serum levels of sex hormones were improved upon MT supplementation, and the expression of the testosterone synthesis proteins, StAR and P450scc was rescued as well. MT treatment significantly up-regulated the expression of SIRT1, SOD2, and GPx4 and down-regulated the expression of GRP78 and CHOP, indicating an attenuation of oxidative stress (OS) and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. In TM3 cells, MT treatment protected against H2 O2 -induced steroidogenic collapse by improving mitochondrial function and attenuating OS and ER stress. These results indicate that MT treatment can improve steroidogenesis in mice fed with HFD and may have therapeutic value in the treatment of obesity-associated hypogonadism.