The protective effect of vitamin A palmitate eye gel on the ocular surface during general anaesthesia surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: To investigate the change in tear production associated with general anesthesia and the protective effect of vitamin A palmitate eye gel on the ocular surface during general anesthesia. METHODS: This double-blind, randomized clinical trial included patients undergoing non-ophthalmic surgery under general anesthesia who randomly received vitamin A palmitate eye gel and taping for one eye (Group A, n = 60) or taping alone for the other eye (Group B, n = 60). Symptom assessment in dry eye (SANDE) score, tear film break-up time (TBUT), corneal fluorescein staining (CFS) score, and Schirmer tear test I (STT-1) were analyzed under a hand-held slit lamp before anesthesia (T0), 0.5 h postoperatively (T1), and 24 h postoperatively (T2). RESULTS: At 0.5 h postoperatively, an increase in CFS score was observed in both groups (P < 0.05 in Group A and P < 0.01 in Group B), and the participants in Group A had less corneal abrasions than those in Group B. STT-1 significantly increased in Group A (P < 0.05), while it significantly decreased in Group B (P < 0.001). The changes between the two groups were statistically significant (P < 0.001). At 24 h postoperatively, both CFS score and STT-1 almost returned to baseline levels in the two groups. In both groups, the SANDE score and TBUT showed little change at 0.5 h and 24 h postoperatively (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Vitamin A palmitate eye gel effectively protected the ocular surface and aqueous supplementation during general anesthesia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2100052140) on 20/10/2021.

Fangji Huangqi Decoction alleviates rheumatoid arthritis through regulating HIF-1α mediated the angiogenesis and the balance between autophagy and apoptosis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Fangji Huangqi Decoction (FHD) is frequently prescribed for the clinical treatment of wind-cold and wind-dampness pathogenic superficial deficiency syndrome. It also has a notable curative effect on rheumatoid arthritis (RA). AIM OF THE STUDY: The study aimed to explore the possible mechanism of FHD against RA and provided a theoretical basis for alternative therapies for RA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used UPLC-Q-TOF-MS to analysis the ingredients and absorbed blood components of FHD. At the same time, the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rat model was established to estimate the therapeutic effects on FHD by considering body weight, arthritis score, paw swelling, autonomous movement ability, and synovial microvessel counts. Subsequently, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, and Western blot were employed to detect the anti-angiogenic capacity of FHD in vivo, as well as the levels of apoptosis and autophagy in the synovial tissue. In addition, flow cytometry and Western blot were used to assess the effects of FHD on apoptosis and autophagy in MH7A cells. The effects of FHD on the proliferation and migration of MH7A cells were measured by CCK8 assay, cell migration and, invasion experiments. Finally, a tube formation assay was performed to evaluate the angiogenic capacity of FHD in co-cultures of MH7A cells and HUVEC cells. RESULTS: Through testing of FHD's original formula, a total of 26 active ingredients have been identified, with 17 of them being absorbed into the bloodstream. FHD significantly improved the pathological symptoms and synovial hyperplasia of CIA rats. FHD could suppress the expression of HIF-1α, promote apoptosis in CIA rat synovial tissue, and suppress autophagy and angiogenesis. In vitro experiments showed that serum containing FHD inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of MH7A cells, and also suppressed the expression of autophagy-related proteins while promoting apoptosis. FHD markedly repressed the expression of HIF-1α protein in TNF-α-stimulated MH7A cells and inhibited the tube formation capacity induced by MH7A cells in HUVEC cells. CONCLUSIONS: The study had proven that FHD played an excellent anti-RA role, which may be attributed to its potential mechanism of regulating the balance between autophagy and apoptosis in RA FLS by suppressing the HIF-1α, thus contributing to its anti-angiogenic activities.

Hederasaponin C inhibits LPS-induced acute kidney injury in mice by targeting TLR4 and regulating the PIP2/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common clinical condition associated with increased incidence and mortality rates. Hederasaponin C (HSC) is one of the main active components of Pulsatilla chinensis (Bunge) Regel. HSC possesses various pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory activity. However, the protective effect of HSC against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced AKI in mice remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the protective effect of HSC against LPS-induced renal inflammation and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Herein, using MTT and LDH assays to assess both cell viability and LDH activity; using dual staining techniques to identify different cell death patterns; conducting immunoblotting, QRT-PCR, and immunofluorescence analyses to evaluate levels of protein and mRNA expression; employing immunoblotting, molecular docking, SPR experiments, and CETSA to investigate the interaction between HSC and TLR4; and studying the anti-inflammatory effects of HSC in the LPS-induced AKI. The results indicate that HSC inhibits the expression of TLR4 and the activation of NF-κB and PIP2 signaling pathways, while simultaneously suppressing the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. In animal models, HSC ameliorated LPS-induced AKI and diminished inflammatory response and the level of renal injury markers. These findings suggest that HSC has potential as a therapeutic agent to mitigate sepsis-related AKI.

Cultivation of Spirulina platensis for nutrient removal from piggery wastewater.

The discharge of livestock wastewater without appropriate treatment causes severe harm to the environment and human health. In the pursuit of finding solutions to this problem, the cultivation of microalgae as feedstock for biodiesel and animal feed additive using livestock wastewater coupled with the removal of nutrients from wastewater has become a hot research topic. In this study, the cultivation of Spirulina platensis using piggery wastewater for the production of biomass and the removal of nutrients were studied. The results of single factor experiments confirmed that Cu2+ seriously inhibit the growth of Spirulina platensis, while the influences of nitrogen, phosphorous, and zinc on the growth of Spirulina platensis can all be described as "low promotes high inhibits." Spirulina platensis grew well in the 4-fold dilution of piggery wastewater supplemented with moderate sodium bicarbonate, which indicated that it is the limiting nutrients for Spirulina platensis growth in piggery wastewater. The biomass concentration of Spirulina platensis reached 0.56 g/L after 8 days of culture at the optimal conditions proposed by the response surface method, which were as follows: 4-fold dilution of piggery wastewater, 7 g/L sodium bicarbonate, pH of 10.5, initial OD560 of 0.63, light intensity of 3030 lx, and light time/dark time of 16 h/8 h. Spirulina platensis cultured in the diluted piggery wastewater contained 43.89% protein, 9.4% crude lipid, 6.41 mg/g chlorophyll a, 4.18% total sugar, 27.7 mg/kg Cu, and 246.2 mg/kg Zn. The removal efficiency for TN, TP, COD, Zn, and Cu from the wastewater by Spirulina platensis was 76%, 72%, 93.1%, 93.5%, and 82.5%, respectively. These results demonstrated the feasibility of piggery wastewater treatment by the cultivation of Spirulina platensis.

Pedunculoside inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition and overcomes Gefitinib-resistant non-small cell lung cancer through regulating MAPK and Nrf2 pathways.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the primary cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide owing to its strong metastatic ability. EGFR-TKI (Gefitinib) has demonstrated efficacy in metastatic lung cancer therapy, but most patients ultimately develop resistance to Gefitinib, leading to a poor prognosis. Pedunculoside (PE), a triterpene saponin extracted from Ilex rotunda Thunb., has shown anti-inflammatory, lipid-lowering and anti-tumor effects. Nevertheless, the therapeutic effect and potential mechanisms of PE on NSCLC treatment are unclear. PURPOSE: To investigate the inhibitory effect and prospective mechanisms of PE on NSCLC metastases and Gefitinib-resistant NSCLC. METHODS: In vitro, A549/GR cells were established by Gefitinib persistent induction of A549 cells with a low dose and shock with a high dose. The cell migratory ability was measured using wound healing and Transwell assays. Additionally, EMT-related Markers or ROS production were assessed by RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence, Western blotting, and flow cytometry assays in A549/GR and TGF-ß1-induced A549 cells. In vivo, B16-F10 cells were intravenously injected into mice, and the effect of PE on tumor metastases were determined using hematoxylin-eosin staining, Caliper IVIS Lumina, DCFH2-DA staining, and western blotting assays. RESULTS: PE reversed TGF-ß1-induced EMT by downregulating EMT-related protein expression through MAPK and Nrf2 pathways, decreasing ROS production, and inhibiting cell migration and invasion ability. Moreover, PE treatment enabled A549/GR cells to retrieve the sensitivity to Gefitinib and mitigate the biological characteristics of EMT. PE also significantly inhibited lung metastasis in mice by reversing EMT proteins expression, decreasing ROS production, and inhibiting MAPK and Nrf2 pathways. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, this research presents a novel finding that PE can reverse NSCLC metastasis and improve Gefitinib sensitivity in Gefitinib-resistant NSCLC through the MAPK and Nrf2 pathways, subsequently suppressing lung metastasis in B16-F10 lung metastatic mice model. Our findings indicate that PE is a potential agent for inhibiting metastasis and improving Gefitinib resistance in NSCLC.

Protective effect of rutin on spinal motor neuron in rats exposed to acrylamide and the underlying mechanism.

The present study aimed to investigate the protective effect of rutin on the injury of spinal motor neuron in rats exposed to acrylamide (ACR) the underlying mechanism. Fifty male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 7-8 weeks, were randomly divided into control group, ACR group (20 mg/kg), low dose(100 mg/kg), medium dose (200 mg/kg) and high dose(400 mg/kg) rutin groups, ten rats in each group. The rats were given intragastric administration for 21 days. Every week, a neurobehavioral test was conducted. Nissl staining was used to observe the morphological changes in motor neurons in the L4-L6 segment of the spinal cord. Immunohistochemistry was used to identify AChE and ChAT in the rat spinal cord. Western blot was used to identify the expression of AChE, ChAT, P-ERK, ERK, and Nrf2 proteins in the rat spinal cord. The commercial kits were used to detect the presence of SOD, GSH, and LDH in the rat spinal cord. At the start of the second week, the medium and high dosage rutin group's rats' gait scores significantly decreased as compared to those of the ACR group. When rutin dosage was increased, the Nissl staining revealed that Nissl bodies was staining intensified compared to the ACR group. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis revealed that AChE and ChAT expression changed when rutin dose was raised, but P-ERK and Nrf2 expression steadily increased in the spinal cord of rats in the medium and high dose groups compared to the ACR group. In the spinal cord of rats in each dosage group compared to the ACR group, the findings of the oxidative stress indices demonstrated that the expression levels of SOD and GSH rose with the increase of rutin dose, while the expression of LDH reduced with the rise of rutin dose. Rutin has an anti-oxidative impact through up-regulating the expression of P-ERK and Nrf2 proteins in the ERK/Nrf2 pathway, which may be connected to its protective action on motor neurons in the spinal cord of rats exposed to ACR.

Prinsepia utilis Royle leaf extract: Ameliorative effects on allergic inflammation and skin lesions in allergic contact dermatitis and polyphenolic profiling through UPLC-MS/MS coupled to chemometric analysis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is a common allergic inflammatory disease that is concomitant with skin swelling, redness, dry itching, and relapses. Prinsepia utilis Royle, a Chinese and Indian folk medicine, is rich in polyphenols with potential anti-inflammatory and skin-protective activities. However, the underlying mechanism of P. utilis leaf (PUL) in the treatment of ACD and its functional basis remains unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study is aimed to explore and reveal the active substances and mechanism of PUL against ACD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hyaluronidase inhibitory assay and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-induced ACD mouse model were performed to assess the antiallergic effects of PUL in vitro and in vivo. Different solvents were applied to obtain multiple PUL extracts. The extracts were further tested for total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) by using spectrophotometric assays. Polyphenolic profiles were analyzed by using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS), and a simultaneous quantification method was established using UPLC-QTrap-MS/MS through multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) and applied to analyze the pharmacokinetics of the multiple major polyphenols of PUL in mice. RESULTS: The water extract of PUL with the highest TPC/TFC exhibited the strongest antihyaluronidase effect (IC50 = 231.93 µg/mL). In vivo assays indicated that the oral administration of PUL water extract dose-dependently attenuated ACD-like symptoms by decreased interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-33, thymic stromal lymphopoietin, and IgE production, suppressed eosinophil and basophil secretion, and increasing the expression of tight junction (TJ) proteins (claudin-1 [CLDN-1] and occludin). Concomitantly, UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS analysis enabled the identification of 60 polyphenols and the pharmacokinetic parameters of seven quantified constituents of PUL were characterized. Four compounds, trans-p-coumaric acid 4-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (11), vicenin-2 (21), isoschaftoside (31), and kaempferol 3-O-(2″,6″-di-O-α-L-rhamnopyransoyl)-ß-D-glucopyranoside (38) which displayed satisfactory pharmacokinetic features, were considered as potential effective substances in PUL. CONCLUSIONS: PUL water extract ameliorated the allergic inflammation of ACD by repairing the epithelial barrier and alleviating Th2-type allergic inflammation. The anti-allergic effect of PUL is closely related to its phenolic substances, and compounds 11, 21, 31, and 38 were the active substances of PUL. It revealed that P. utilis could be developed as a new source of antiallergic agents for ACD therapy.

Development of Zein/tannic acid nanoparticles as antioxidants for oxidation inhibition of blackberry seed oil emulsions.

The zein-tannic acid nanoparticles (ZTNPs) were developed as antioxidants for oxidation inhibition of blackberry seed oils. These particles were spherical with an average diameter below 200 nm. The results of structural characterization indicated that tannic acid was bound to zein by electrostatic, hydrophobic, and hydrogen bonding interactions, resulting in the conformational changes of zein. The antioxidant capacity of zein was significantly improved by binding of tannic acid, which suggested ZTNPs had a 2-Phenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl 3-Oxide (PTIO) radical scavenging rate as high as 77.5 % at pH 4. Moreover, ZTNPs at pH 7 exhibited a higher thermal stability and better resistance to emulsion lipid oxidation. They inhibited the formation of ROOH and TBARS of blackberry seed oil emulsions during storage by covering at the oil-water interface with an adsorption rate of approximately 100 %, forming a dense particle film to reduce the oxygen content and prevent the continuation of the oxidation process.

Conserved Residues Lys64 and Glu78 at the Subunit Surface of Tau Glutathione Transferase in Rice Affect Structure and Enzymatic Properties.

Glutathione transferases (GSTs) are a superfamily of dimeric proteins associated with the detoxification of various reactive electrophiles and responsive to a multitude of stressors. We individually substituted Lys64 and Glu78 with Ala using site-directed mutagenesis to understand the role of subunit interactions in the structure and enzymatic properties of a rice GST (OsGSTU17). The wild-type OsGSTU17 lost the conserved hydrogen bond between subunits in tau class GSTs due to conserved Tyr92 replaced with Phe92, but still exhibited high substrate activities, and thermal stability remained in its dimeric structure. The significant decrease in thermal stability and obvious changes in the structure of mutant K64A implied that conserved Lys64 might play an essential role in the structural stability of tau class GSTs. The mutant E78A, supposed to be deprived of hydrogen and salt bonds between subunits, appeared in the soluble form of dimers, even though its tertiary structure altered and stability declined dramatically. These results suggest that the hydrogen and ionic bonds provided by conserved residues are not as important for OsGSTU17 dimerization and enzymatic properties. These results further supplement our understanding of the relationship between the structure and function of GSTs and provide a theoretical basis for improving crop resistance through targeted modification of GSTs.

Comprehensive sequence and expression profile analysis of the phosphate transporter gene family in soybean.

The family of phosphate transporters (PHTs) mediates the uptake and translocation of Pi inside the plants. However, little is known about transporters in soybean. Therefore, Searched the Genome Database for Soybean, 57 GmPHTs family members were identified in soybean, Phylogenetic analysis suggested that members of the PHTs gene family can be divided into six clades. Collinearity analysis revealed that most of the GmPHT genes shared syntenic relationships with PHTs members in Arabidopsis thaliana and that large segment duplication played a major driving force for GmPHTs evolution in addition to tandem duplication. Further analysis of the promoter revealed that light-responsive elements and abiotic stress-responsive elements were widely distributed within the promoter regions of GmPHT genes. Based on RNA-seq data, GmPHTs showed different expression patterns in roots and leaves of soybean treated with long-term low phosphorus and short-term low phosphorus, in addition, the expression levels of GmPHT genes can be regulated by drought stresses, it was implied that the induced expression of GmPHTs could promote phosphorus uptake and transport in soybean and thus adapt to low phosphorus and drought stress, which is the first step dissection of Pi transport system and probably refers to new roles of PHTs genes in soybean.

Evolution patterns of NBS genes in the genus Dendrobium and NBS-LRR gene expression in D. officinale by salicylic acid treatment.

BACKGROUND: Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo, which contains rich polysaccharides, flavonoids and alkaloids, is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with important economic benefits, while various pathogens have brought huge losses to its industrialization. NBS gene family is the largest class of plant disease resistance (R) genes, proteins of which are widely distributed in the upstream and downstream of the plant immune systems and are responsible for receiving infection signals and regulating gene expression respectively. It is of great significance for the subsequent disease resistance breeding of D. officinale to identify NBS genes by using the newly published high-quality chromosome-level D. officinale genome. RESULTS: In this study, a total of 655 NBS genes were uncovered from the genomes of D. officinale, D. nobile, D. chrysotoxum, V. planifolia, A. shenzhenica, P. equestris and A. thaliana. The phylogenetic results of CNL-type protein sequences showed that orchid NBS-LRR genes have significantly degenerated on branches a and b. The Dendrobium NBS gene homology analysis showed that the Dendrobium NBS genes have two obvious characteristics: type changing and NB-ARC domain degeneration. Because the NBS-LRR genes have both NB-ARC and LRR domains, 22 D. officinale NBS-LRR genes were used for subsequent analyses, such as gene structures, conserved motifs, cis-elements and functional annotation analyses. All these results suggested that D. officinale NBS-LRR genes take part in the ETI system, plant hormone signal transduction pathway and Ras signaling pathway. Finally, there were 1,677 DEGs identified from the salicylic acid (SA) treatment transcriptome data of D. officinale. Among them, six NBS-LRR genes (Dof013264, Dof020566, Dof019188, Dof019191, Dof020138 and Dof020707) were significantly up-regulated. However, only Dof020138 was closely related to other pathways from the results of WGCNA, such as pathogen identification pathways, MAPK signaling pathways, plant hormone signal transduction pathways, biosynthetic pathways and energy metabolism pathways. CONCLUSION: Our results revealed that the NBS gene degenerations are common in the genus Dendrobium, which is the main reason for the diversity of NBS genes, and the NBS-LRR genes generally take part in D. officinale ETI system and signal transduction pathways. In addition, the D. officinale NBS-LRR gene Dof020138, which may have an important breeding value, is indirectly activated by SA in the ETI system.

Scutellarin ameliorates high glucose-induced vascular endothelial cells injury by activating PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Scutellarin (Scu) is one of the main active ingredients of Erigeron breviscapus (Vant.) Hand.-Mazz which has been used to treat cardiovascular disease including vascular dysfunction caused by diabetes. Scu also has a protective effect on vascular endothelial cells against hyperglycemia. However, molecular mechanisms underlying this effect are not clear. AIM OF THE STUDY: This aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Scu on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) injury induced by high glucose (HG), especially the regulation of PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1)/Parkin-mediated mitophagy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HUVECs were exposed to HG to induce vascular endothelial cells injury in vitro. Cell viability was assessed by MTT assay. The extent of cell apoptosis was measured by Hoechst staining and flow cytometry. Mitophagy was assayed by fluorescent immunostaining, transmission electron microscope and immunoblot. Besides, virtual docking was conducted to validate the interaction of PINK1 protein and Scu. RESULTS: We found that Scu significantly increased cell viability in HG-treated HUVECs. Scu reduces the expression of Bcl-2, Bax and cytochrome C (Cyt.c) to inhibit apoptosis through a mitochondria-dependent pathway. Meanwhile, Scu improved the overload of reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and SOD2 protein expression, and reversed the collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential. Besides, Scu increased autophagic flux, improved the expression of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 Ⅱ (LC3 II), Beclin 1 and autophagy-related gene 5 (Atg 5) and decreased the expression of Sequestosome1/P62 in HG-treated HUVECs. Furthermore, Scu improved the expressions of PINK1, Parkin, and Mitofusin2, which revealed the enhancement of mitophagy. Moreover, the beneficial effects of Scu on HG-induced low expression of Parkin, overproduction of ROS, and over expressions of P62, Cyt.c and Cleaved caspase-3 were weakened by PINK1 gene knockdown. Molecular docking suggested good interaction of Scu and PINK1 protein. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that Scu may protect vascular endothelial cells against hyperglycemia-induced injury by up-regulating mitophagy via PINK1/Parkin signal pathway.

Quantitative Proteomic Analysis Reveals Antiviral and Anti-inflammatory Effects of Puerarin in Piglets Infected With Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) has caused enormous economic losses to the swine industry worldwide in recent years. Puerarin (PR), a major isoflavonoid isolated from the Chinese herb Gegen, possesses many pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, and anti-viral activities. This study was conducted with both PEDV-infected African green monkey kidney cells (Vero) and neonatal pigs to determine the effect of PR on PEDV infection and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms by using proteomic analyses. Twenty-four piglets fed a milk replacer were randomly allocated into one of three groups (Control, PEDV, and PEDV + PR). After a 5-day period of adaption, piglets (n = 8/group) in the PEDV + PR were orally administered with PR (0.5 mg/kg body weight) between days 5 and 9, whereas piglets in the other two groups received the same volume of liquid milk replacer. On day 9, piglets were orally administered with either sterile saline or PEDV (Yunnan province strain) at 104.5 TCID50 (50% tissue culture infectious dose) per pig. On day 12 of the trial, jugular vein blood and intestinal samples were collected. In addition, Vero cells were assigned randomly into three groups (Control, PEDV, PEDV + PR). Cells in the PEDV and PEDV + PR groups were infected with PEDV at a multiplicity of infection of 0.01, while cells in the control group were treated with the same volume of sterile saline. One hour later, cells in the Control and PEDV groups were cultured in serum-free DMEM, while cells in the PEDV + PR group were supplemented with PR. After 36 h of culture, cells were harvested. PR attenuated the reductions in cell proliferation in vitro and growth performance in PEDV-infected piglets, and inhibited PEDV replication and the expression of several cytokines (including IL-8) both in vitro and in vivo. Proteomic analyses identified that the abundances of 29 proteins in the ileum were altered by PEDV infection and restored to the control level by PR. Pathway analyses revealed that PR restored the expression of several interferon-stimulated genes and selectively upregulated the expression of guanylate-binding proteins. Western blot analyses showed that PR supplementation inhibited the PEDV-induced NF-κB activation. Collectively, these results indicate that PR could exert antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects in piglets infected with PEDV and have the potential to be an effective antiviral feed additive.

Oral Chinese Herbal Medicine for Depressive Disorder in Patients after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of oral Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) on post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) patients with depressive disorder in coronary heart disease (CHD). METHODS: A literature search was conducted through databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Databases (CNKI), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (SinoMed), Chongqing VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (VIP) and Wanfang Database up to August 2018. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing CHMs with placebo or no additional treatments on the basis of standard conventional pharmacological therapies were included. Data extraction, analyses and quality assessment were performed according to the Cochrane standards. RevMan 5.3 software was used to synthesize the results. RESULTS: A total of 16 RCTs enrolling 1,443 participants were included in this systematic review. When compared with antidepressants alone, CHMs showed similar benefits with less side effects [risk ratio=0.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.43 to 0.69, 582 patients]; meanwhile, the combination therapy may have more advantages than antidepressants alone [mean difference (MD)=-1.03, 95%CI-1.81 to-0.25, 267 patients). When identified with placebo, CHMs seem to have more advantages in relieving depressive symptoms (MD=-19.00, 95%CI-20.02 to-17.98, 189 patients). However, when compared with basic treatment of post- PCI, CHMs showed different results in two trials. In terms of post-PCI related clinical symptoms, CHMs seem to have more advantages in relieving chest pain and other general clinical symptoms. However, the heterogeneity in this review was generally high, it may be caused by different interventions used in each trial and the low quality of the trials. CONCLUSIONS: In total, CHMs showed potentially beneficial effects on depressive symptoms and post-PCI related clinical symptoms. However, because of small sample size and potential bias of most trials, this result should be interpreted with caution. More rigorous trials with larger sample size and higher quality are warranted to give high quality of evidence to support the use of CHMs for CHD complicated with depression.

Effects of yoga on patients with chronic nonspecific neck pain: A PRISMA systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Chronic nonspecific neck pain (CNNP) has a high prevalence and is more common among younger people. Clinical practice suggests that yoga is effective in relieving chronic pain. OBJECTIVES: This meta-analysis aimed to quantitatively summarize the efficacy of yoga for treating CNNP. DATA SOURCES: We searched for trials in the electronic databases from their inception to January 2019. English databases including PubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Embase, Scopus, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Ind Med; Chinese databases including China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WanFang Database, and VIP Information. We also conducted a manual search of key journals and the reference lists of eligible papers to identify any potentially relevant studies we may have missed. We placed no limitations on language or date of publication. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: We included only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and q-RCTs evaluating the effects of yoga on patients with CNNP. The primary outcomes for this review were pain and disability, and the secondary outcomes were cervical range of motion (CROM), quality of life (QoL), and mood. PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: Trails that examined the clinical outcomes of yoga intervention in adults with CNNP compared with those of other therapies except yoga (e.g., exercise, pilates, usual care, et al) were included. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS: Cochrane risk-of-bias criteria were used to assess the methodological quality, and RevMan 5.3 software was used to conduct the meta-analysis. RESULTS: A total of 10 trials (n = 686) comparing yoga and interventions other than yoga were included in the meta-analysis. The results show that yoga had a positive effects on neck pain intensity (total effect: SMD = -1.13, 95% CI [-1.60, -0.66], Z = 4.75, P < .00001), neck pain-related functional disability (total effect: SMD = -0.92, 95% CI [-1.38, -0.47], Z = 3.95, P < .0001), CROM (total effect: SMD = 1.22, 95% CI [0.87, 1.57], Z = 6.83, P < .00001), QoL (total effect: MD = 3.46, 95% CI [0.75, 6.16], Z = 2.51, P = .01), and mood (total effect: SMD = -0.61, 95% CI [-0.95, -0.27], Z = 3.53, P = .0004). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS OF KEY FINDINGS: It was difficult to make a comprehensive summary of all the evidence due to the different session and duration of the yoga interventions, and the different outcome measurement tools in the study, we draw a very cautious conclusion that yoga can relieve neck pain intensity, improve pain-related function disability, increase CROM, improve QoL, and boost mood. This suggests that yoga might be an important alternative in the treatment of CNNP. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER: Details of the protocol for this systematic review and meta-analysis were registered on PROSPERO and can be accessed at www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.asp?ID=CRD42018108992.

Protective effects of taurine against inflammation, apoptosis, and oxidative stress in brain injury.

The protective effect of taurine against inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative stress in traumatic brain injury was investigated in the present study. Taurine is a non­proteogenic and essential amino acid in animals. It plays a critical nutritional role in brain cell growth, differentiation, and development. Taurine is involved in regeneration and neuroprotection in the injured nervous system, and is an effective antioxidant against lead­, cadmium­, and exercise­induced oxidative stress. Astrocytes and neuron cells were co­cultured and cells were treated with different concentrations of taurine (100, 200 and 300 mg/l) for 72 h, and the levels of reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, reduced glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, acetylcholinesterase, tumor necrosis factor­α, interleukin­6, caspase­3, p53, B­cell lymphoma 2 and Bcl­2­associated X protein were determined. These inflammatory, apoptotic, and oxidative stress markers were substantially increased in injured cells, and returned to normal levels following taurine supplementation. Thus, taurine supplementation may be effective against oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammation in injured brain cells.

Efficacy of Chinese eye exercises on reducing accommodative lag in school-aged children: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of Chinese eye exercises on reducing accommodative lag in children by a randomized, double-blinded controlled trial. METHODS: A total of 190 children aged 10 to 14 years with emmetropia to moderate myopia were included. They were randomly allocated to three groups: standard Chinese eye exercises group (trained for eye exercises by doctors of traditional Chinese medicine); sham point eye exercises group (instructed to massage on non-acupoints); and eyes closed group (asked to close their eyes without massage). Primary outcome was change in accommodative lag immediately after intervention. Secondary outcomes included changes in corrected near and distant visual acuity, and visual discomfort score. RESULTS: Children in the standard Chinese eye exercises group had significantly greater alleviation of accommodative lag (-0.10 D) than those in sham point eye exercises group (-0.03 D) and eyes closed group (0.07 D) (P = 0.04). The proportion of children with alleviation of accommodative lag was significantly higher in the standard Chinese eye exercises group (54.0%) than in the sham point eye exercises group (32.8%) and the eyes closed group (34.9%) (P = 0.03). No significant differences were found in secondary outcomes. CONCLUSION: Chinese eye exercises as performed daily in primary and middle schools in China have statistically but probably clinically insignificant effect in reducing accommodative lag of school-aged children in the short-term. Considering the higher amounts of near work load of Chinese children, the efficacy of eye exercises may be insufficient in preventing myopia progression in the long-term. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01756287.

Baicalein reduces the invasion of glioma cells via reducing the activity of p38 signaling pathway.

Baicalein, one of the major flavonids in Scutellaria baicalensis, has historically been used in anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer therapies. However, the anti-metastatic effect and related mechanism(s) in glioma are still unclear. In this study, we thus utilized glioma cell lines U87MG and U251MG to explore the effect of baicalein. We found that administration of baicalein significantly inhibited migration and invasion of glioma cells. In addition, after treating with baicalein for 24 h, there was a decrease in the levels of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 expression as well as proteinase activity in glioma cells. Conversely, the expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) and TIMP-2 was increased in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, baicalein treatment significantly decreased the phosphorylated level of p38, but not ERK1/2, JNK1/2 and PI3K/Akt. Combined treatment with a p38 inhibitor (SB203580) and baicalein resulted in the synergistic reduction of MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression and then increase of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 expression; and the invasive capabilities of U87MG cells were also inhibited. However, p38 chemical activator (anisomycin) could block these effects produced by baicalein, suggesting baicalein directly downregulate the p38 signaling pathway. In conclusion, baicalein inhibits glioma cells invasion and metastasis by reducing cell motility and migration via suppression of p38 signaling pathway, suggesting that baicalein is a potential therapeutic agent for glioma.

Increased levels of IL-6, IL-1ß, and TNF-α in Kashin-Beck disease and rats induced by T-2 toxin and selenium deficiency.

The objective of this study is to investigate the possible role of inflammatory mediators such as IL-6, IL-1ß, and TNF-α in Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) children and rats fed with T-2 toxin under a selenium-deficient nutrition status in order to determine possible mechanism underlying KBD. Sprague-Dawley rats were administered a selenium-deficient diet for 4 weeks prior to their exposure to T-2 toxin for 4 weeks. The morphology of joint cartilages of KBD children and rats was examined by light microscopy, and the expression of proteoglycans was determined by histochemical staining. The serum levels of IL-6, IL-1ß, and TNF-α were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. IL-6, IL-1ß and TNF-α were localized by immunohistochemistry, and their mRNA levels were detected by real-time RT-PCR. The serum levels of IL-6 were significantly elevated in rats fed with selenium-deficient, T-2 toxin, and T-2 toxin plus selenium-deficient diets compared to those in the normal diet, while the serum levels of IL-1ß and TNF-α were significantly increased only in the T-2 toxin plus selenium-deficient diet group. IL-6, IL-1ß and TNF-α protein and mRNA levels in cartilage were significantly higher in rats with diets of T-2 toxin and T-2 toxin plus selenium deficiency than in rats fed normal or selenium-deficient diet. While staining for the cytokines in cartilages of KBD children was significantly higher than that in controls. T-2 toxin under a selenium-deficient nutritional status induces increased levels of IL-6, IL-1ß, and TNF-α in serum and cartilages, which may account for the pathological mechanism underlying the cartilage damage in KBD.

Histopathology of chondronecrosis development in knee articular cartilage in a rat model of Kashin-Beck disease using T-2 toxin and selenium deficiency conditions.

The objective of this study is to observe pathogenic lesions of joint cartilages in rats fed with T-2 toxin under a selenium deficiency nutrition status in order to determine possible etiological factors causing Kashin-Beck disease (KBD). Sprague-Dawley rats were fed selenium-deficient or control diets for 4 weeks prior to their being exposed to T-2 toxin. Six dietary groups were formed and studied 4 weeks later, i.e., controls, selenium-deficient, low T-2 toxin, high T-2 toxin, selenium-deficient diet plus low T-2 toxin, and selenium-deficient diet plus high T-2 toxin. Selenium deficiencies were confirmed by the determination of glutathione peroxidase activity and selenium levels in serum. The morphology and pathology (chondronecrosis) of knee joint cartilage of experimental rats were observed using light microscopy and the expression of proteoglycans was determined by histochemical staining. Chondronecrosis in deep zone of articular cartilage of knee joints was seen in both the low and high T-2 toxin plus selenium-deficient diet groups, these chondronecrotic lesions being very similar to chondronecrosis observed in human KBD. However, the chondronecrosis observed in the rat epiphyseal growth plates of animals treated with T-2 toxin alone or T-2 toxin plus selenium-deficient diets were not similar to that found in human KBD. Our results indicate that the rat can be used as a suitable animal model for studying etiological factors contributing to the pathogenesis (chondronecrosis) observed in human KBD. However, those changes seen in epiphyseal growth plate differ from those seen in human KBD probably because of the absence of growth plate closure in the rat.