[Characteristics of Epiphytic Bacterial Community on Submerged Macrophytes in Water Environment Supplemented with Reclaimed Water].

Biofilms attached to submerged macrophytes play an important role in improving the water quality of the water environment supplemented with reclaimed water. In order to explore the effects of reclaimed water quality and submerged macrophyte species on the characteristics of an epiphytic bacterial community, different types of submerged macrophytes were selected as research objects in this study. 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing technology was used on the epiphytic bacteria and the surrounding environmental samples to analyze the bacterial community structure and functional genes. The results showed that approximately 20%-35% of the nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients were absorbed and utilized in the water environment supplemented with reclaimed water. However, the COD, turbidity, and chroma of the downstream water were significantly increased. The bacterial community of the biofilms attached to submerged macrophytes was significantly different from that in the surrounding environment (soil, sediment, and water body) and in the activated sludge that was treated by reclaimed water. In terms of bacterial community diversity, the richness and diversity were significantly lower than those of soil and sediment but higher than those of plankton bacteria in water. In terms of bacterial community composition, dominant genera and corresponding abundances were also different from those of other samples. The main dominant bacterial genera were Sphingomonas, Aeromonas, Pseudomonas, and Acinetobacter, accounting for 7%-40%, respectively. Both macrophyte species and the quality of reclaimed water (BOD5, TN, NH4+-N, and TP) could affect the bacterial community. However, the effect of water quality of the bacterial community was greater than that of macrophytes species. Additionally, the quality of reclaimed water also affected the abundance of functional genes in the bacterial community, and the relative abundance of nitrogen and phosphorus cycling functional genes was higher in areas with higher nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations.

Auricular acupressure for constipation in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Auricular acupressure (AA) has been widely utilized in the management of constipation, with several studies suggesting its efficacy in treating constipation patients. However, the safety and effectiveness of AA in constipation remain uncertain. Hence, the aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of AA for constipation. Methods and analysis: A total of eight electronic databases and three clinical trial registration platforms were searched from their inception to April 2023 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of AA for constipation. The included studies were appraised for quality using the Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias Assessment tool. The quality of evidence was assessed by two independent reviewers employing the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation System (GRADE) evaluation tool. Meta-analysis of data and assessment of publication bias were performed using RevMan 5.4 and STATA 13.0 software, respectively. Results: This review included 34 randomized controlled trials conducted between 2007 and 2023, involving 2,465 participants. The findings of the study indicate that overall, AA is significantly associated with improved CSBMs (MD = 1.22, 95% CI [0.68, 1.77], p < 0.0001, I2 = 0%), BSF (MD = 0.72, 95%CI: [0.15,1.28], p = 0.01, I2 = 82%), CAS (MD = -3.28, 95%CI: [-5.95, -0.60], p = 0.02, I2 = 80%), responder rate (RR = 1.27, 95%CI: [1.16, 1.38], p < 0.00001, I2 = 79%), cure rate (RR = 1.84, 95% CI [1.56, 2.15], p < 0.00001, I2 = 0%), and PAC-QOL (MD = -2.73, 95% CI: [-3.41, -2.04], p < 0.00001, I2 = 98%) compared to the control group. However, no difference in PAC-SYM (MD = -0.15, 95%CI: [-0.38,0.07], p = 0.19, I2 = 67%) was found between the two groups. Additionally, there was no significant difference in adverse events (RR = 0.53, 95% CI: [0.24, 1.21], p = 0.13, I2 = 38%). Conclusion: Based on the available evidence, auricular acupressure appears to be a potentially safe and effective intervention for managing constipation in adults. Nonetheless, the overall quality of evidence for the identified outcomes was assessed as low to very low, highlighting the need for additional high-quality randomized controlled trials to further validate these findings. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero, identifier CRD42023425033.

Inhibition of APE1 Expression Enhances the Antitumor Activity of Olaparib in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive subtype of breast cancer that is prone to recurrence and metastasis. Because of the lack of expression of estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) in TNBC, treatment methods are greatly limited. In this study, the proliferation inhibition and apoptosis-inducing effects of PARP1 inhibitors in TNBC breast cancer cells and in vivo xenograft animal models were examined to investigate the molecular role of APE1 in PARP1-targeted therapy. In TNBC patients, the expression of APE1 and PARP1 were positively correlated, and high expression of APE1 and PARP1 was associated with poor survival of TNBC. Our results indicated that knockdown APE1 could increase the sensitivity of olaparib in the treatment of TNBC. In conclusion, the results of this study will not only clarify the molecular role of APE1 in PARP1-targeted therapy for TNBC but also provide a theoretical basis for the future clinical application of targeting APE1 and PARP1 in the treatment of refractory TNBC.

Qi-Regulating and Blood Circulation-Promoting Therapy Improves Health Status of Stable Angina Pectoris Patients with Depressive Symptoms.

Depressive symptoms have been found to be highly prevalent among patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and seriously affect the patients' quality of life. However, most psychotropic drugs have warnings about potential side effects. Accordingly, safer effective alternatives are urgently demanded. Angina pectoris of CHD is considered as "chest stuffiness and heartache syndrome" in traditional Chinese medicine, with the major syndrome type named Qi stagnation and blood stasis. Qi-regulating and blood circulation-promoting therapy has increasingly shown unique advantages in CHD patients. This study investigated the efficacy of Xuefu Zhuyu decoction, a representative prescription of Qi-regulating and blood circulation-promoting therapy, on angina pectoris patients with depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms were stratified at baseline in 30 patients with stable angina pectoris who participated in both baseline and 12-week follow-up studies. After performing a stratified analysis, the angina pectoris-specific health status and traditional Chinese medicine "chest stuffiness and heartache syndrome" were evaluated by self-reports using the associated questionnaire scales, respectively. We measured serum concentrations of serotonin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and ATP, which are associated with the development of depression. We found that the Xuefu Zhuyu granule significantly improved the angina pectoris-specific health status in patients after 12 weeks of treatment; specifically, it had a better curative effect on patients with depressive symptoms. Xuefu Zhuyu granule also significantly improved the chest stuffiness and heartache syndrome in patients with depressive symptoms (efficacy index is 61.24%, P < 0.05 versus baseline). Interestingly, Xuefu Zhuyu granule has been found to be more susceptible to improving ATP levels in patients with depressive symptoms, indicating that the improvement in serum ATP levels might account for the better efficacy of Xuefu Zhuyu granule in patients with depressive symptoms. Our data provide prospective evidence that Xuefu Zhuyu granule improves angina pectoris-specific health status through regulating Qi and promoting blood circulation. This trial is registered with ChiCTR-IOR-15006989.

Effects of Chinese Medicine on Symptoms, Syndrome Evolution, and Lung Inflammation Absorption in COVID-19 Convalescent Patients during 84-Day Follow-up after Hospital Discharge: A Prospective Cohort and Nested Case-Control Study.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the changes of symptoms, Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome, and lung inflammation absorption during convalescence in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who had not totally recovered after hospital discharge and whether CM could promote the improvement process. METHODS: This study was designed as a prospective cohort and nested case-control study. A total of 96 eligible patients with COVID-19 in convalescence were enrolled from Beijing Youan Hospital and Beijing Huimin Hospital and followed up from the hospital discharged day. Patients were divided into the CM (64 cases) and the control groups (32 cases) based on the treatment with or without CM and followed up at 14, 28, 56, and 84 days after discharge. In the CM group, patients received the 28-day CM treatment according to two types of CM syndrome. Improvements in clinical symptoms, CM syndrome, and absorption of lung inflammation were observed. RESULTS: All the 96 patients completed the 84-day follow-up from January 21 to March 28, 2020. By the 84th day of follow-up, respiratory symptoms were less than 5%. There was no significant difference in the improvement rates of symptoms, including fatigue, sputum, cough, dry throat, thirst, and upset, between the two groups (P>0.05). Totally 82 patients (85.42%) showed complete lung inflammation absorption at the 84-day follow-up. On day 14, the CM group had a significantly higher absorption rate than the control group (P<0.05) and the relative risk of absorption for CM vs. control group was 3.029 (95% confidence interval: 1.026-8.940). The proportions of CM syndrome types changed with time prolonging: the proportion of the pathogen residue syndrome gradually decreased, and the proportion of both qi and yin deficiency syndrome gradually increased. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with COVID-19 in convalescence had symptoms and lung inflammation after hospital discharge and recovered with time prolonging. CM could improve lung inflammation for early recovery. The types of CM syndrome can be transformed with time prolonging. (Registration No. ChiCTR2000029430).

Simultaneous Qualitative and Quantitative Evaluation of the Coptidis Rhizoma and Euodiae Fructus Herbal Pair by Using UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS and UHPLC-DAD.

The herbal pair of Coptidis Rhizoma (CR) and Euodiae Fructus (EF) is a classical traditional Chinese medicine formula used for treating gastro-intestinal disorders. In this study, we established a systematic method for chemical profiling and quantification analysis of the major constituents in the CR-EF herbal pair. A method of ultra high performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS) for qualitative analysis was developed. Sixty-five compounds, including alkaloids, phenolics, and limonoids, were identified or tentatively assigned by comparison with reference standards or literature data. The UHPLC fingerprints of 19 batches of the CR-EF herbal pair samples were obtained and the reference fingerprint chromatograms were established. Furthermore, nine compounds among 24 common peaks of fingerprints were considered as marker components, which either had high contents or significant bioactivities, were applied to quality control of the CR-EF herbal pair by quantitative analysis. This UHPLC-DAD analysis method was validated by precision, linearity, repeatability, stability, recovery, and so on. The method was simple and sensitive, and thus reliable for quantitative and chemical fingerprint analysis for the quality evaluation and control of the CR-EF herbal pair and related traditional Chinese medicines.

[A new antiviral isoquinoline alkaloid from Thalictrum glandulosissimum].

A new isoquinoline alkaloid(1) has been isolated from the whole plant of Thalictrum glandulosissimum by using various chromatographic techniques, including silica gel, sephadex, MCI-gel resin, and RP-HPLC, and its structure was determined as 1-(6-hydroxy-7-methylisoquinolin-1-yl) ethantone by physicochemical properties and spectroscopic data. This compound was evaluated for anti-tobacco mosaic virus(TMV) activity. The results showed that it had prominent anti-TMV activity with inhibition rates of 28.4%. This rate was closed to that of positive control.

[A new antimicrobial isobenzoisofuran compound from Cassia pumila].

A new isobenzoisofuran(1) has been isolated from the whole plant of Cassia pumila using various chromatographic techniques, including silica gel, Sephadex, MCI-gel resin, and RP-HPLC, and its structure was determined as 9-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2,2-dimethyl-2H-furo[3,4-g]chromen-6(8H)-one. This compound was also evaluated for its antibacterial activity. The results showed that it had prominent antibacterial activity with MIC_(90) value of(45.2±4.2) µg·mL~(-1) for methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) strain. This value was closed to that of levofloxacin [with MIC_(90) value(48.5±4.3) µg·mL~(-1)].

[A new cytotoxic flavone from Cassia nomame].

A new flavone( 1) has been isolated from the whole plant of Cassia nomame by using various chromatographic techniques,including silica gel,Sephadex,MCI-gel resin,and RP-HPLC,and its structure was determined as 8,4'-dimethoxy-7-( 2-oxopropyl)-flavone based on spectroscopic data. The biological activity test showed that this compound displayed potent cytotoxicity against NB4,SH-SY5 Y,PC3,A549 and MCF-7 cell lines with IC50 values 2. 2,1. 8,3. 4,4. 5 and 1. 6 µmol·L-1,respectively.

Efficacy and Safety of Berberine Alone or Combined with Statins for the Treatment of Hyperlipidemia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials.

To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of berberine for the treatment of hyperlipidemia, six electronic literature databases including SinoMed, CNKI, WanFang Data, PubMed, Embase and The Cochrane Library were searched to collect clinical randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of berberine alone or combined with statins for the treatment of hyperlipidemia from the inception to 8 March 2018. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included RCTs. Then, meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan 5.3 software. A total of 11 RCTs involving 1386 patients were finally included. The results of meta-analysis showed that compared with the placebo group, berberine could significantly reduce the total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels and elevate the high density lipoprotein level ( P<0.05 ). Compared with the simvastatin group, berberine was effective only in reducing the level of triglyceride ( MD=-0.37 , 95% CI: - 0.66, - 0.07, P=0.02 ). There, however, was no statistical significance between the BBR group and simvastatin group in the low density lipoprotein and high density lipoprotein levels. Compared with the simvastatin group, berberine plus simvastatin was more effective in reducing the level of triglyceride ( MD=-0.33 , 95% CI: - 0.46, - 0.20, P<0.00001 ) and total cholesterol ( MD=-0.36 , 95% CI: - 0.60, - 0.12, P=0.003 ). In terms of adverse reactions, the incidence of adverse reactions including transaminase elevation and muscle aches was lower in the berberine alone or combined with simvastatin group than that in the control group, while the instance of constipation was higher. This study suggests that berberine is effective for hyperlipidemia. The quality and quantity of included studies, however, were dissatisfactory, which might decrease the reliability of the results. Higher quality studies are needed to provide more high quality evidence.

[Chinese patent medicines with function of resolving hard lump for cyclomastopathy: network Meta-analysis].

This systematic review aims to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of Chinese patent medicines with resolving hard lump function for the treatment of cyclomastopathy. We searched CNKI, WanFang, SinoMed, PubMed, EMbase, and The Cochrane Library from the inception to January 3 2018, to collect the randomized controlled trials（RCTs）on Chinese patent medicines with resolving hard lump function in treating cyclomastopathy. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the methodological quality of included studies. Then, statistical analysis was performed by using Stata 12.0 and WinBUGS 1.4.3 software. A total of 52 RCTs involving 9 605 patients were finally included. The inventions included 11 commercial Chinese patent medicines with functions of resolving hard lump, such as Rupi Sanjie Capsules, Xiaoru Sanjie Capsules, Ruhe Sanjie Pills, and Hongjin Xiaojie Capsules. The result of direct Meta-analysis showed that: as compared with the simple western medicine group, the Chinese patent medicines such as Hongjin Xiaojie Capsules, Ruhe Sanjie Pills, Rupi Sanjie Capsules, Xiaoru Sanjie Capsules and Xiakucao Oral Liquid could significantly improve the clinical efficacy. In addition, the incidence of adverse reactions of Chinese patent medicines with resolving hard lump function was lower than that in Western medicine group in gastrointestinal reactions, menstrual disorders, leucorrhea abnormalities, liver dysfunction and estrogen-like effect. The network Meta-analysis showed that: Xiaoru Sanjie Capsules, Ruhe Sanjie Pills, Yanlu Rukang Capsules, Quyu Sanjie Capsules, and Hongjin Xiaojie Capsules were the top five in terms of treatment effect. Chinese patent medicines with resolving hard lump function had better clinical efficacy. Due to the low quality of included studies， more high quality RCTs are needed to verify the above conclusion.

[A new isoflavone derivative from Rosa Damascena and its antibacterial activity].

A new isoflavone derivative was isolated from Rosa damascena by using various chromatographic techniques including silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and preparative RP-HPLC separation. Its structure was identified as 4'-hydroxy-7-(3-hydroxypropanoyl)-6-methoxy-isoflavone using combined examinations of their UV, IR, MS, and NMR spectroscopic data. Biological activity test showed that this compound showed prominent antibacterial activity with MIC90 value of (46±4) mg·L⁻¹ for methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) strain. This value is close to that of levofloxacin [with MIC90 value (53±5) mg·L⁻¹].

[A new naphthalene derivative from Aloe vera and its antibacterial activity].

A new naphthalene derivative has been isolated from Aloe vera by using various chromatographic techniques, including silica gel, sephadex, MCI-gel resin, and RP-HPLC. The new compound was determined as 3-hydroxy-1-(1,7-dihydroxy-3,6-dimethoxynaphthalen-2-yl)propan-1-one (1). In the biological activity assay, compound 1 disglayed prominent antibacterial activity with a MIC90 value of (48±4) mg•L⁻¹ for methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain which was stronger than that of the positive control levofloxacin with a MIC90 value (58±5) mg•L⁻¹.

Efficacy of intraorbital electroacupuncture for diabetic abducens nerve palsy: study protocol for a prospective single-center randomized controlled trial.

Abducens nerve palsy (ANP) is commonly seen in patients with diabetes mellitus. The validity of acupuncture as a traditional Chinese medicine method in peripheral nerve repair is well established. However, its efficacy in randomized controlled trials remains unclear. Herein, we designed a protocol for a prospective, single-center, randomized controlled trial to investigate the effect of intraorbital electroacupuncture on diabetic ANP. We plan to recruit 60 patients with diabetic ANP, and randomly divide them into treatment and control groups. Patients in both groups will continue their glucose-lowering therapy. A neural nutrition drug will be given to both groups for six weeks. The treatment group will also receive intraorbital electroacupuncture therapy. We will assess efficacy of treatment, eyeball movement, diplopia deviation and the levels of fasting blood-glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin before treatment at 2, 4, and 6 weeks after treatment. The efficacy and recurrence will be investigated during follow-up (1 month after intervention). This protocol was registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry on 16 January 2015 (ChiCTR-IPR-15005836). This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University of China (approval number: 201452). All protocols will be in accordance with Declaration of Helsinki, formulated by the World Medical Association. Written informed consent will be provided by participants. We envisage that the results of this clinical trial will provide evidence for promoting clinical use of this new therapy for management of ANP.

Three new anthraquinones from the twigs of Cassia fistula and their bioactivities.

Three previously unreported anthraquinones, fistulaquinones A-C (1-3), together with three known ones (4-6) were isolated from the twigs of Cassia fistula. Their structures were determined by means of extensive NMR and MS spectroscopic analyses. All the isolated compounds were tested for their anti-tobacco mosaic virus (anti-TMV) activity, and compound 3 showed significant activity with inhibition rate of 34.5% at 20 µM concentration, even more potent than positive control. Additionally, compounds 1-6 exhibited moderate cytotoxicity with IC50 values ranging from 2.8 to 9.4 µM for some tested human tumor cell lines.

Three new alkaloids from the seeds of Nigella glandulifera.

Three new alkaloids namely 8-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-6-methoxy-3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-1(2H)-one (1), 4-aminonigellidine (2), and N-[(4-hydroxy-2-isopropyl-5-methyl)]phenylurea (3), along with six known ones (4-9), were isolated from the seeds of Nigella glandulifera. The structures of 1-3 were determined through spectroscopic analyses (HRESIMS, 1D/2D NMR). Compound 1 was a rare isoquinolinone alkaloid with phenyl substituted at C-8.

Anti-neuroinflammatory effect of Sophoraflavanone G from Sophora alopecuroides in LPS-activated BV2 microglia by MAPK, JAK/STAT and Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways.

BACKGROUND: Neuroinflammation plays a vital role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative conditions. Sophora alopecuroides is widely used in traditional Uighur's medicine for the treatment of inflammation. Sophoraflavanone G (SG), a major flavonoid found in the S. alopecuroides, has also been reported to exhibit anti-inflammatory activity both in vitro and in vivo. However, the effect of S. alopecuroides and SG on microglia-mediated neuroinflammation has not been investigated. PURPOSE: The present study was designed to evaluate the anti-neuroinflammatory effect of S. alopecuroides and SG against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated BV2 microglial cells and to explore the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: We measured the production of pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines, and analyzed relevant mRNA and protein expressions by qRT-PCR and Western Blot. RESULTS: S. alopecuroides extract (SAE) and SG inhibited the LPS-induced release of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß). Additionally, SG reduced gene expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1ß, and further decreased the protein expressions of iNOS and COX-2. Mechanism studies found that SG down-regulated phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT and Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT), and up-regulated heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression via nuclear translocation of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). In addition, SG inhibited the cytotoxicity of conditioned medium prepared by LPS-activated BV2 microglia to neuronal PC12 cells and improved cell viability. CONCLUSION: S. alopecuroides and SG displayed anti-neuroinflammatory activity in LPS-activated BV2 microglia. SG was able to inhibit the neuroinflammation by MAPKs, PI3K/AKT, JAK/STAT and Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways and might act as a natural therapeutic agent to be further developed for the treatment of various neuroinflammatory conditions.