Effectiveness of Mindful Self-Compassion Training Supported by Online Peer Groups in China: A Pilot Study.

Context: Self-compassion training involves the cultivation of feelings of warmth and safety, presence, and interconnectedness. Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) training in a group setting has been found to increase self-compassion, mindfulness, and emotional well-being. Objective: The current study intended to examine the outcomes of live, online, videoconference-based MSC training with online peer-support for nonclinical populations in different cities in China. Design: The research team designed a pre-post pilot study. Setting: The study took place at Renmin University in Beijing, China. Participants: Participants were 253 Chinese individuals who were recruited from different regions in China through online advertisements. Intervention: Participants took part in online MSC training in a two-hour, group class each week for eight weeks and received support from online peer groups and through a half-day in-person retreat. Outcome Measures: Self-report outcomes were obtained at baseline and postintervention, using the Self Compassion Scale (SCS) and the Compassion for Others Scale (CS) for primary outcomes, and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), the Fear of Compassion Scale (FOCS), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), and the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale (CAMS-R), for secondary outcomes. A fixed effects model was used to test for within-group changes in the scales. Results: The online MSC program yielded a high retention rate. Of the 206 first-time participants, 179 (86.9%) attended six or more of the eight MSC sessions, and 183 (88.8%) completed the assessments at both baseline and postintervention. Of the 183 retained participants, 97.8% were female, with an average age of 37.8 ± 7.9; 94% had college or higher education. For all scales, the within-person changes occurred in the expected direction; positive attributes and experiences increased, while negative attributes and experiences decreased. Conclusions: The study showed that first-time participants in China in an online MSC training that was supported by online peer groups had high attendance rates, high assessment completion, and favorable results. These preliminary outcomes suggest that future studies with more rigorous designs are warranted to further investigate online training with peer support as an effective and efficient approach to disseminate MSC training in China.

Scrophulariae Radix-Atractylodes sinensis pair and metformin inhibit inflammation by modulating gut microbiota of high-fat diet/streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats.

Introduction: Type 2 mellitus (T2DM), a chronic metabolic disorder, causes severe impairment of patients' quality of life and has attracted global attention. Many studies have suggested the importance of the gut microbiota in the occurrence of T2DM. The Scrophulariae Radix and Atractylodes sinensis (XC) pair, recommended in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), have been used for treating diabetes for many years. However, research on the role of the XC pair in modulating gut microbial communities is lacking, but it is important to elucidate the underlying mechanism. Methods: In this study, we detected bacterial communities by high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results: The results showed that XC + MET reduced postprandial hyperglycemia and inflammatory response in diabetic rats more effectively than metformin (MET) alone. The XC + MET treatment reshaped the intestinal microbial composition of diabetic rats. XC can help MET regulate carbohydrate, amino acid, and lipid metabolism, particularly the insulin signaling pathway. Discussion: This research would help elucidate potential mechanisms and the treatment methods.

Xuebijing Administration Alleviates Pulmonary Endothelial Inflammation and Coagulation Dysregulation in the Early Phase of Sepsis in Rats.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Xuebijing injection is a Chinese herbal-derived drug composed of radix paeoniaerubra, rhizomachuanxiong, Salvia miltiorrhiza, floscarthami, and Angelica sinensis. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Xuebijing administration on pulmonary endothelial injury and coagulation dysfunction in a cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A CLP-induced sepsis rat model was established. The CLP rats were treated with a vehicle or Xuebijing via intravenous infusion and sacrificed at 2, 4, 6, 8, or 12 h after CLP for lung tissue and blood sample collection. The mean arterial pressure (MAP) was monitored. Transmission microscopy examination and H&E staining were performed to observe pulmonary structural alterations. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to measure the plasma levels of epithelial markers, proinflammatory cytokines, and coagulation-related proteins. RESULTS: Compared with vehicle treatment, Xuebijing administration maintained the MAP in the normal range until 11 h after CLP. Transmission microscopy and H&E staining revealed that Xuebijing administration alleviated alveolar-capillary barrier impairments and lung inflammation in CLP rats. ELISA showed that Xuebijing administration effectively reversed CLP-induced elevations in the plasma levels of epithelial markers endothelin-1 and von Willebrand factor, starting 6 and 8 h after CLP, respectively. Xuebijing administration also significantly abolished CLP-induced rises in circulating proinflammatory cytokines interleukin 6 (IL-6) at 6 h after CLP, IL-1ß at 2 and 12 h after CLP, and TNF-α at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12 h after CLP. In addition, Xuebijing administration strongly reversed CLP-induced alterations in circulating active protein C and tissue-type plasminogen activator, starting 4 h and 2 h after CLP, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Xuebijing ameliorates pulmonary endothelial injury, systemic inflammation, and coagulation dysfunction in early sepsis.

Probing changes in humus chemical characteristics in response to biochar addition and varying bulking agents during composting: A holistic multi-evidence-based approach.

Despite the various benefits of humus, the changes in its chemical characteristics during composting in response to biochar addition and varying bulking agents remain to be further explored. In this study, three treatments were conducted, in which swine manure, bulking agent, and biochar were mixed at ratios of 4:1:0, 8:1:0, and 8:1:1. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), carbon nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (13C-NMR), three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy (3D-EEM), and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) were employed to characterize the chemical and structural properties of humus from multiple perspectives. The 3D-EEM spectra in this study showed a larger increase in humic acids (HAs) content (56%) and HAs to fulvic acids ratio (128%) during composting, indicating stronger humification in biochar-amended treatment. FTIR, 13C-NMR, and NEXAFS all confirmed the essential properties of HA as the core agronomic functional substance with rich aromatic and carboxyl groups, and that its aromaticity increased gradually during composting. In addition, 13C-NMR demonstrated that biochar addition and a relatively higher bulking agent ratio aided an increase in the carboxyl C proportion in HA after composting. In particular, NEXAFS revealed that biochar addition promoted the diversification of C, N, and O species in HA, with the emergence of quinone C and O-alkyl C as the main representatives. This work suggests that biochar addition and a relatively high bulking agent ratio could enhance humification and improve the agronomic function of humus.

Atomic force microscopy technique used for assessment of the anti-arthritic effect of licochalcone A via suppressing NF-κB activation.

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is appropriately applied to the examination of hard surfaces and soft samples with extremely high resolution and ultrasensitive force, which cannot be obtained by other imaging techniques, including optical and electron microscopy. In the current study, AFM was employed to evaluate the anti-arthritic effect of licochalcone A (LCA), a flavonoid isolated from the root of Chinese medicinal herb Glycyrrhiza inflate, on rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts (RASFs) at the nanoscale for the first time. The morphology, ultrastructure and stiffness of RASFs was modified by LCA as determined by AFM, suggesting that LCA most likely exerts an anti-arthritic effect based on the key role of RASFs in the progression of RA. Further studies showed that the inhibitory effect of LCA on IκBα phosphorylation and degradation as well as on p65 nuclear translocation and phosphorylation contributed to altering the morphology, ultrastructure and stiffness of the RASF membrane. Interestingly, IKKß phosphorylation was not detectable in RASFs, indicating that LCA altered the morphology, ultrastructure and stiffness of the RASF membrane by inhibiting NF-κB activation independent of IKKß phosphorylation. Antigen-induced arthritis (AIA) was established in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats to validate the anti-arthritic effect of LCA, and LCA significantly decreased both the arthritis scores and paw swelling in the AIA rats, suggesting that LCA inhibits the progression and development of arthritis in vivo. Collectively, AFM provides evidence at the nanoscale to predict the anti-arthritic effect of drugs on RASFs, and LCA should be further investigated as a candidate agent for the treatment of arthritis.

[Analyze prescription rules of Professor Jiang Liangduo treatment for abdominal mass based on traditional Chinese medicine inheritance platform].

To investigate the herbal prescription rules of Professor Jiang Liangduo in the treatment of abdominal mass based on the traditional Chinese medicine inheritance support system software (TCMISS) of version 2.5, find out new herbal formulas for the treatment of abdominal mass, and then provide new reference to its traditional Chinese medicine therapy. By the method of retrospective study, one hundred and thirty-two outpatient prescriptions of Professor Jiang for the treatment of abdominal mass were collected to establish a typical database with TCMISS. Four properties, five tastes, channel tropism, frequency count, Chinese herbal prescriptions rules and the new prescriptions were analyzed so as to dig out the prescription rules. There were 57 herbs with a frequency>=15, and then 91 core combinations of 2-5 herbs were evolved and 9 new prescriptions were created. It was found out that these drugs mainly had the effects of liver nourishing and soothing, soft-moist and dredging-tonifying, supporting right and dispeling evil, cooperating with the method of calming the liver and resolving hard lump according to the actual situation. It reflected the thought of treatment based on syndrome differentiation in TCM, and provided a new reference for its clinical treatment and research.

Design, synthesis, and structure-activity relationship exploration of 1-substituted 4-aroyl-3-hydroxy-5-phenyl-1H-pyrrol-2(5H)-one analogues as inhibitors of the annexin A2-S100A10 protein interaction.

S100 proteins are small adaptors that regulate the activity of partner proteins by virtue of direct protein interactions. Here, we describe the first small molecule blockers of the interaction between S100A10 and annexin A2. Molecular docking yielded candidate blockers that were screened for competition of the binding of an annexin A2 peptide to S100A10. Several inhibitory clusters were identified with some containing compounds with potency in the lower micromolar range. We chose 3-hydroxy-1-(2-hydroxypropyl)-5-(4-isopropylphenyl)-4-(4-methylbenzoyl)-1H-pyrrol-2(5H)-one (1a) as a starting point for structure-activity studies. These confirmed the hypothetical binding mode from the virtual screen for this series of molecules. Selected compounds disrupted the physiological complex of annexin A2 and S100A10, both in a broken cell preparation and inside MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Thus, this class of compounds has promising properties as inhibitors of the interaction between annexin A2 and S100A10 and may help to elucidate the cellular function of this protein interaction.