Diterpenoid tanshinones inhibit gastric cancer angiogenesis through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge is a kind of Chinese herbal medicine known for activating blood circulation and removing blood stasis, with the effect of cooling blood and eliminating carbuncles, and has been proven to have the effect of treating tumors. However, the inhibitory effect of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge extracts (Diterpenoid tanshinones) on tumors by inhibiting angiogenesis has not been studied in detail. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to investigate the anti-gastric cancer effect of diterpenoid tanshinones (DT) on angiogenesis, including the therapeutic effects and pathways. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This experiment utilized network pharmacology was used to identify relevant targets and pathways of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge-related components in the treatment of gastric cancer. The effects of DT on the proliferation and migration of human gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901 and human umbilical vein endothelial cell line HUVECs were evaluated, and changes in the expression of angiogenesis-related factors were measured. In vivo, experiments were conducted on nude mice to determine tumor activity, size, immunohistochemistry, and related proteins. RESULTS: The findings showed that DT could inhibit the development of gastric cancer by suppressing the proliferation of gastric cancer cells, inducing apoptosis, and inhibiting invasion and metastasis. In addition, the content of angiogenesis-related factors and proteins was significantly altered in DT-affected cells and animals. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that DT has potential as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of gastric cancer, as it can inhibit tumor growth and angiogenesis. It was also found that DT may affect the expression of the angiogenic factor VEGF through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, leading to the regulation of tumor angiogenesis. This study provides a new approach to the development of anti-tumor agents and has significant theoretical and clinical implications for the treatment of gastric cancer.

Vitamin C facilitates direct cardiac reprogramming by inhibiting reactive oxygen species.

BACKGROUND: After myocardial infarction, the lost myocardium is replaced by fibrotic tissue, eventually progressively leading to myocardial dysfunction. Direct reprogramming of fibroblasts into cardiomyocytes via the forced overexpression of cardiac transcription factors Gata4, Mef2c, and Tbx5 (GMT) offers a promising strategy for cardiac repair. The limited reprogramming efficiency of this approach, however, remains a significant challenge. METHODS: We screened seven factors capable of improving direct cardiac reprogramming of both mice and human fibroblasts by evaluating small molecules known to be involved in cardiomyocyte differentiation or promoting human-induced pluripotent stem cell reprogramming. RESULTS: We found that vitamin C (VitC) significantly increased cardiac reprogramming efficiency when added to GMT-overexpressing fibroblasts from human and mice in 2D and 3D model. We observed a significant increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in human and mice fibroblasts upon Doxy induction, and ROS generation was subsequently reduced upon VitC treatment, associated with increased reprogramming efficiency. However, upon treatment with dehydroascorbic acid, a structural analog of VitC but lacking antioxidant properties, no difference in reprogramming efficiency was observed, suggesting that the effect of VitC in enhancing cardiac reprogramming is partly dependent of its antioxidant properties. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that VitC supplementation significantly enhances the efficiency of cardiac reprogramming, partially by suppressing ROS production in the presence of GMT.

Topsoil selenium (Se) under Se-rich farming in China: Current status, cropping impacts and ecological risk assessment.

Selenium (Se), as an essential microelement, can be supplied through Se-biofortified food from Se-rich soils and associated farming practices for human health, while it can also cause eco-risks if overapplied. In this study, a multi-scale spatiotemporal meta-analysis was conducted to guide sustainable Se-rich farming in China by combining a long-term survey with a reviewed database. The weighted mean concentration, spatial distribution of soil Se, nationwide topsoil Se variation from cropping impacts and its bioavailability-based ecological risks were assessed and quantified. The results showed that the weighted mean content (0.3 mg kg-1) of China was slightly higher than that of previous nationwide topsoil Se surveys, as more Se-rich areas were found in recent high-density sampling surveys. Cropping has overall reduced Se content by 9.5% from farmland across China and deprived more with the increase in farming rotation driven by geo-climatic conditions. Long-term cropping removed Se from Se-rich areas but accumulated it in Se-deficient areas. Additionally, the bioavailable Se content of topsoil in China ranged from 0 to 332 µg kg-1, and the bioavailability-based eco-risks indicated that high eco-risks only existed in overfertilized and extremely high-Se soils, such as in Enshi, Ziyang and some coalfield areas. This work provides evidence for the development of sustainable Se-rich farming with proper utilization of soil Se resources, simultaneously protecting the soil eco-environment.

Lipid Microparticles Show Similar Efficacy With Lipid Nanoparticles in Delivering mRNA and Preventing Cancer.

PURPOSE: Messenger RNA (mRNA) has shown great promise for vaccine against both infectious diseases and cancer. However, mRNA is unstable and requires a delivery vehicle for efficient cellular uptake and degradation protection. So far, lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) represent the most advanced delivery platform for mRNA delivery. However, no published studies have compared lipid microparticles (LMPs) with lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) in delivering mRNA systematically, therefore, we compared the impact of particle size on delivery efficacy of mRNA vaccine and subsequent immune responses. METHODS: Herein, we prepared 3 different size lipid particles, from nano-sized to micro-sized, and they loaded similar amounts of mRNA. These lipid particles were investigated both in vitro and in vivo, followed by evaluating the impact of particle size on inducing cellular and humoral immune responses. RESULTS: In this study, all mRNA vaccines showed a robust immune response and lipid microparticles (LMPs) show similar efficacy with lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) in delivering mRNA and preventing cancer. In addition, immune adjuvants, either toll like receptors or active molecules from traditional Chinese medicine, can improve the efficacy of mRNA vaccines. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the efficiency of delivery and endocytosis, besides lipid nanoparticles with size smaller than 150 nm, lipid microparticles (LMPs) also have the potential to be an alternative and promising delivery system for mRNA vaccines.

The rules of acupoint selection of acupuncture and moxibustion for scrofula in ancient times / 中国针灸

Based on data mining technology, the rules of acupoint selection of acupuncture-moxibustion for scrofula in ancient times were analyzed. The relevant articles of acupuncture and moxibustion for scrofula were searched in the Chinese Medical Code, and the original article, acupoint name, acupoint characteristic, and acupoint meridian tropism, etc. were screened and extracted. The Microsoft Excel 2019 was used to establish a acupoint prescription database, and the frequency of acupoints as well as their meridian tropism and characteristics were analyzed. The SPSS21.0 was applied to perform cluster analysis of acupuncture prescriptions; the SPSS Modeler 18.0 was used to perform the association rules analysis of the neck and the chest-armpit acupoints, respectively. As a result, 314 acupuncture prescriptions were extracted, including 236 single-acupoint prescriptions and 78 multiple-acupoints prescriptions (53 for neck and 25 for chest-armpit). A total of 54 acupoints were involved, with a total frequency of 530. The top 3 commonly-used acupoints were Tianjing (TE 10), Zulinqi (GB 41) and Taichong (LR 3); the most commonly-used meridians were hand shaoyang meridian, foot shaoyang meridian, hand yangming meridian and foot yangming meridian; the most commonly-used special acupoints were he-sea points and shu-stream points. The cluster analysis obtained 6 clusters, and the association rule analysis obtained that the core prescriptions of the neck were Quchi (LI 11), Jianyu (LI 15), Tianjing (TE 10) and Jianjing (GB 21), while the core prescriptions of the chest-armpit were Daling (PC 7), Yanglingquan (GB 34), Danzhong (CV 17), Jianjing (GB 21), Waiguan (TE 5), Zhigou (TE 6), Yuanye (GB 22) and Zhangmen (LR 13). The core prescriptions obtained from association rule analysis by difference areas were basically consistent with those by cluster analysis of total prescriptions.

Intervention effects and mechanism of Toddalia asiatica on cardiovascular damage in rats with collagen-induced arthritis / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To investigate the intervention effects and potential mechanism of Miao medicine Toddalia asiatica on cardiovascular damage in rats with collagen-induced arthritis （CIA） based on vitamin D （VD） and neutrophil extracellular traps （NETs）. METHODS SD rats were randomly divided into the normal group （9 rats） and the modeling group （61 rats）. CIA model was prepared by multi-point injection of type Ⅱ bovine collagen+Fisher’s incomplete adjuvant； the model rats were randomly divided into the model group， methotrexate group （positive control， 1.5 mg/kg， twice a week）， vitamin D group [pathway validation， 1 000 IU/（kg·d）， once a day]， T. asiatica low-dose， medium-dose and high-dose groups [0.54， 1.08， 2.16 g/（kg·d）， calculated by crude drug， once a day]， with 9 rats in each group； they were given relevant medicine intragastrically for 4 consecutive weeks. Arthritis index scoring was performed after modeling and before administration， and plantar thickness was measured before and after the last administration； the histopathological changes of ankle joint， heart and abdominal aorta were observed in rats； the serum contents of myeloperoxidase （MPO）， interleukin-6 （IL-6） and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25（OH）D3] were detected； the expressions of peptidylarginine deiminase 4 （PAD4）， NETs markers [citrullinated histone H3（CitH3）， MPO]， VD-related indicators [vitamin D receptor （VDR）， 25-hydroxyvitamin D-1α-hydroxylase （CYP27B1）] and IL-6 were determined in cardiac tissue. RESULTS Compared with the normal group， the plantar thickness of the arthritis index increased significantly in the model group （P＜0.01）. The obvious inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrous tissue hyperplasia were found in the ankle joint， the obvious myocardial fiber （No.2019YFC171250101） vacuoles and thickening of some surrounding blood vessel walls were found in the heart tissue， and the endothelial detachment was found in the abdominal aorta. The contents of MPO and IL-6 in serum increased significantly（P＜0.01），while the level of 25（OH）D3 decreased significantly （P＜0.01）； the protein expressions of PAD4， CitH3， MPO and IL-6 in myocardial tissue up-regulated significantly （P＜0.01）， while protein expression of VDR and CYP27B1 changed to acertain extent without significance （P＞0.05）. Compared with the model group， the pathological changes of ankle joints and cardiac tissue in rats were significantly improved in administration groups， and the above indicators were generally reversed （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS T. asiatica can improve rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and cardiovascular damage by inhibiting the formation of NETs and inflammatory response， the mechanism of which may be associated with the regulation of VD expression.

Study on the Relationship between the Use of Bisphosphonates for Antiosteoporosis and Vertebral Re-Fracture after Vertebroplasty.

Objective: To explore the effect of bisphosphonates after vertebroplasty in patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF), and to analyze the relationship between the use of bisphosphonates and vertebral refracture. Methods: A total of 150 patients with OVCF were selected from the pain department of our hospital from January 2018 to May 2020. All patients received vertebroplasty after admission, and were divided into the surgery group (62 cases) and combined with the bisphosphonates group (combined group, 88 cases) according to whether patients had used bisphosphonates after surgery. Before surgery, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after surgery, visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), vertebral body and femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD), and Cobb Angle were collected, and the differences among groups were compared to analyze the treatment effect. After the follow-up, patients were divided into two groups according to whether vertebral refracture occurred during the follow-up period. Clinical characteristics, general information, and surgical indicators of patients in the two groups were collected, and related factors of postoperative vertebral refracture were analyzed. Results: There were no significant differences in preoperative VAS score, ODI index, BMD value, and Cobb angle between the two groups (P > 0.05). At 12 months after surgery, VAS score, ODI index, and Cobb angle decreased, while BMD value increased in both groups. The VAS score, ODI index, and Cobb angle in the combined group were lower than those in the operation group, while the BMD value was higher than that in the operation group, and the difference was significant (P < 0.05). The results of multivariate regression analysis showed that in BMD, no postoperative antiosteoporosis treatment, bone cement leakage, and poor cement diffusion were independent risk factors for vertebral refracture after vertebroplasty in patients with vertebral compression fractures. Conclusion: In order to avoid recurrent fractures in OVCF patients, attention should be paid to BMD, whether patients take antiosteoporosis drugs, whether bone cement permeation occurs and the diffusion of bone cement, etc. The above factors are the main influencing factors leading to recurrent fractures after PKP and PVP in the clinic.

DHA-enriched phosphatidylserine ameliorates high-fat diet-induced kidney injury in mice possibly by regulating TLR4/NF-κB and AMPK pathways.

The present study sought to investigate the amelioration effects of enzymatically synthesized docosahexaenoic acid-enriched phosphatidylserine (DHA-PS) on the high-fat diet (HFD)-induced kidney injury in mice. After 6 weeks of DHA-PS intervention, the mice's body weight in the 20 and 40 mg/kg DHA-PS groups decreased by 7.09% and 9.71%, respectively, compared to the HFD group. Especially, compared to the HFD group, 40 mg/kg DHA-PS treatment effectively reduced the levels of serum urea nitrogen by 68.48%, creatinine by 38.98%, kidney lipid accumulation (total cholesterol, triglycerides, and nonesterified fatty acids levels by 26.19%, 51.00%, and 26.11%), kidney or serum proinflammatory cytokines and enhanced the levels of kidney or serum oxidative stress parameters, except for malondialdehyde (MDA). Moreover, 40 mg/kg DHA-PS treatment decreased the expression levels of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) by 18.63%, IKKα by 31.81%, and p-p65 by 40.73% in the nuclear factor kappa-B pathway, thereby upregulating the expression levels of p-AMPKα by 64.93%, HSL by 99.60%, ATGL by 344.50%, PPARα by 162.02%, CPT1 by 167.95%, p-ACC1 by 144.92%, and p-SREBP1 by 1172.95%, and downregulating the expression levels of SREBP1 by 38.80%, ACC1 by 18.10%, and FAS by 82.28% in the AMPK pathway. Furthermore, our results also suggested that improving serum or kidney parameters and regulating intestinal microbial could affect each other after DHA-PS treatment. These results elucidated that DHA-PS could be a potential dietary supplement to alleviate HFD-induced kidney injury. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Our results elucidated that DHA-PS could be a potential dietary supplement to alleviate HFD-induced kidney injury.

Research on Gut Microbiota-Derived Secondary Bile Acids in Cancer Progression.

The interaction between gut microbiota-derived metabolites and the body plays a significant role in the occurrence and development of cancer. Secondary bile acids (BAs) are the important products produced from gut microbial fermentation of primary BAs, mainly deoxycholic acid (DCA) and lithocholic acid (LCA). In the gut, they can influence the structure of the microbial communities. Several studies have demonstrated that secondary BAs, as signaling molecules, can activate a variety of signaling pathways. They can inhibit the apoptosis of cancer cells, induce the progression of cancer cell cycles, enhance the ability of metastasis and invasion of cancer cells, and promote the transformation of cells into cancer stem cells (CSCs). Moreover, secondary BAs promote cancer by regulating the function of immune cells. Therefore, targeted manipulation of gut microbial and secondary BAs has the potential to be developed as for treatment and prevention of various cancers.

[A clinical study of thunder-fire moxibustion combined with meibomian gland massage in treatment of meibomian gand dysfunction].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of thunder-fire moxibustion combined with meibomian gland massage in improving meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) and explore its mechanism. METHODS: Seventy-two MGD patients with 144 eyes in the Jinhua Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from February 2019 to January 2021 were selected and randomly divided into an experimental group (n=36,72 eyes) and a control group (n=36, 72 eyes). Patients in the control group received 0.1% fluo-rometholone eye drops and 0.1% sodium hyaluronate eye drops, 1-2 drops per time, four times per day, and the meibomian glands were massaged once per day. Patients in the experimental group received additional thunder-fire moxibustion on the basis of the treatment of the control group, 10 cones per time, once per day. One month after treatment, meibomian gland function was assessed, and the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and prostaglandin E2(PGE2) in tears were detected. RESULTS: After treatment, the scores of Ocular Surface Disease Index, meibomian hyperemia, meibomian gland opening, meibomian gland loss, and meibomian gland secretion function were lower than those before treatment in the two groups, and the scores of the experimental group were lower than those of the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the tear break-up time and tear meniscus height were higher than those before treatment in the two groups, which were higher in the experimental group than those in the control group (P<0.05). The post-treatment levels of IL-6 and PGE2 were lower than those before treatment in the two groups, and the levels in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Thunder-fire moxibustion combined with meibomian gland massage can significantly improve the function of the meibomian glands and lower the levels of IL-6 and PGE2 in tears.

Is selenium beneficial or detrimental to earthworm? Growth and metabolism responses of Eisenia Fetida to Na2SeO3 exposure.

Se unevenly distributed in soils due to variations of geology and anthropogenic input, which results in different effects on earthworms. The effects of Se were characterized by analyzing the growth and metabolism responses of earthworms after exposure to three different concentrations of Na2SeO3. The results showed that except the possible growth promotion at 5 mg/kg, low and middle-level exposure to Na2SeO3 (0.3-10 mg/kg) did not significantly affect the growth of earthworms. While a significant inhibition effect on growth was observed in the high-level exposure group (30-70 mg/kg). There was an inflection point for Se performing promotion to inhibition effects on earthworm growth. To investigate the metabolic response of earthworms, a novel HPLC-ESI-MS (High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Electrospray Ionization-Mass Spectrometry) method was used to determine sensitive biomarkers. Selenium exposure significantly altered the metabolism of seven essential amino acids, namely tyrosine, leucine, phenylalanine, valine, alanine, glycine, and lysine, and two selenoamino acids, namely selenomethionine and methylselenocysteine. The overall metabolism level of earthworms was not affected at low exposure concentrations, but was affected at medium and high exposure concentrations. The metabolic pathways that integrated the selenocompound metabolism and the tricarboxylic acid cycle from the perspective of energy supply and demand were affected by Na2SeO3 exposure. The derived reactive oxygen species at high exposure concentrations were probably the reason for the growth inhibition effect of Se on earthworms. This study provides biochemical insights into the effects of Na2SeO3 on earthworms and suggests that an Se concentration of about 2.3 mg/kg is appropriate for soil organism health.

Natural exosome-like nanovesicles from edible tea flowers suppress metastatic breast cancer via ROS generation and microbiota modulation

Although several artificial nanotherapeutics have been approved for practical treatment of metastatic breast cancer, their inefficient therapeutic outcomes, serious adverse effects, and high cost of mass production remain crucial challenges. Herein, we developed an alternative strategy to specifically trigger apoptosis of breast tumors and inhibit their lung metastasis by using natural nanovehicles from tea flowers (TFENs). These nanovehicles had desirable particle sizes (131 nm), exosome-like morphology, and negative zeta potentials. Furthermore, TFENs were found to contain large amounts of polyphenols, flavonoids, functional proteins, and lipids. Cell experiments revealed that TFENs showed strong cytotoxicities against cancer cells due to the stimulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) amplification. The increased intracellular ROS amounts could not only trigger mitochondrial damage, but also arrest cell cycle, resulting in the in vitro anti-proliferation, anti-migration, and anti-invasion activities against breast cancer cells. Further mice investigations demonstrated that TFENs after intravenous (i.v.) injection or oral administration could accumulate in breast tumors and lung metastatic sites, inhibit the growth and metastasis of breast cancer, and modulate gut microbiota. This study brings new insights to the green production of natural exosome-like nanoplatform for the inhibition of breast cancer and its lung metastasis via i.v. and oral routes.

A study on the rapidly non-destructive detection method of Huoxiang Zhengqi oral liquid using near infrared spectroscopy / 药学学报

Based on near infrared spectroscopy and high performance liquid chromatography, this paper established the regression relationship between near infrared spectroscopy and index component content of Huoxiang Zhengqi oral liquid, so as to realize the rapid detection of index component content based on near infrared spectroscopy. Magnolol, honokiol and hesperidin were used as the quality indexes of Huoxiang Zhengqi oral liquid. After using the first derivative and normalization pretreatment method, characteristic variables were screened by CARS, and the correction model was finally established by partial least-squares regression (PLSR) method. The method accuracy was evaluated with the external validation, and the prediction results were tested for significance. The results indicated that when the near infrared spectrum was scanned through the bottle, the model's correlation coefficients of prediction (Rp) were higher than 0.99, the root mean square errors of the prediction models (RMSEP) were all less than 0.008 4, and the relative standard errors of prediction set (RSEP) were all less than 2.83%. There was no significant difference in the predicted results between these two kinds of model. The models established in the non-destructive way have good performance and high prediction accuracy. The rapid and nondestructive way has application value in the quality control of Huoxiang Zhengqi oral liquid.

Location Analysis of Volatile Oil in Angelicae Sinensis Radix by Frozen Section and Fluorescence Imaging / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo establish a simple， fast and accurate method for locating the volatile oil in Angelicae Sinensis Radix based on frozen section and fluorescence imaging technology， and to reveal the distribution and accumulation of volatile oil in the roots of this herbal medicine. MethodAngelicae Sinensis Radix was used as the research material， the best frozen section conditions for the research material were established by comparing the effects of different cryoprotectants on the quality of frozen sections of Angelicae Sinensis Radix. The suitability of Sudan Ⅲ chemical staining and fluorescence localization for positioning the volatile oil were compared according to the loss of volatile oil and the complexity of operation process. ResultA new method for evaluating the quality of frozen sections of Angelicae Sinensis Radix was established. According to the evaluation equation， it was found that the highest score was obtained when the head， body and tail positions of Angelicae Sinensis Radix were treated with 20% glycerol， 15% glycerol and 20% sucrose， respectively. There was yellowish-brown oily substance in the oil chambers of phelloderm and secondary phloem， and oil canal of the secondary xylem of Angelicae Sinensis Radix， which could be stained orange red or orange yellow by Sudan Ⅲ， and there was green spontaneous fluorescence in the same part under the fluorescence microscope. ConclusionThe relatively complete section of Angelicae Sinensis Radix can be obtained after being treated with cryoprotectant. The volatile oil exists in the oil chambers of phelloderm and secondary phloem， and oil canal of the secondary xylem of Angelicae Sinensis Radix. This study can provide reference for observation of the accumulation sites of volatile oil in other plants.

DHA-enriched phosphatidylserine ameliorates non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and intestinal dysbacteriosis in mice induced by a high-fat diet.

Docosahexaenoic acid-enriched phosphatidylserine (DHA-PS) has attracted increasing attention because of its unique health benefits. In this study, DHA-PS was biosynthesized from DHA-enriched phosphatidylcholine (DHA-PC), which was extracted from herring roe, Clupea harengus. The ameliorating effect of DHA-PS on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) was investigated using a mouse model. The DHA-PS treatment ameliorated NAFLD and effectively decreased the serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, non-esterified fatty acid, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and considerably increased the serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Moreover, the DHA-PS treatment reduced the levels of liver-function enzymes and pro-inflammatory cytokines and also the oxidative stress indices. Furthermore, DHA-PS increased the diversity and richness of the beneficial intestinal microorganisms, suggesting its potential as a dietary supplement and functional food to combat HFD-induced NAFLD.

Combined Analysis of Volatile Terpenoid Metabolism and Transcriptome Reveals Transcription Factors Related to Terpene Synthase in Two Cultivars of Dendrobium officinale Flowers.

Dendrobium officinale is a kind of traditional Chinese herbal medicine. Its flowers could be used as health care tea for its aroma flavor and medicinal value. Most recent studies demonstrated that terpenoids are the main components of the aromatic compounds in the flowers, but the biosynthesis of terpenoids is poorly understood in D. officinale. In the experiment, the flowers from two cultivars of D. officinale with different smells were collected. The transcriptome analysis and combined volatile terpenoids determination were performed to identify the genes related to the biosynthesis of the terpenoids. The results showed that the different products of volatile terpenoids are α-thujene, linalool, α-terpineol, α-phellandrene, γ-muurolene, α-patchoulene, and δ-elemene in two cultivar flowers. The transcriptome analysis detected 25,484 genes in the flowers. And 18,650 differentially expressed genes were identified between the two cultivars. Of these genes, 253 genes were mapped to the terpenoid metabolism pathway. Among these genes, 13 terpene synthase (TPS) genes may have correlations with AP2/ERF, WRKY, MYB, bHLH, and bZIP transcription factors by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). The transcription factors have regulatory effects on TPS genes. These results may provide ideas for the terpenoid biosynthesis and regulatory network of D. officinale flowers.

Effect of Tai Chi on depression symptoms and sleep quality among older adult women after exercise cessation.

This study investigated the effects of Tai Chi exercise on the psychological health and sleep quality of older adult women after exercise cessation. Nineteen Tai Chi practitioners and 20 controls completed the final tests. All participants completed the Profile of Mood States (POMS) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) at 0, 24 and 28 weeks (4 weeks after Tai Chi cessation). Compared with baseline, the fatigue, depression, total mood disturbance and PSQI scores in the Tai Chi group decreased at week 24 by 18.8%, 24.7%, 5.7% and 24.6%, and the vigour score increased by 18.3%. At week 28, depression and PSQI scores in the Tai Chi group decreased by 24.0% and 20.4%, respectively. Practicing Tai Chi for 24 weeks positively affected fatigue, depression, vigour and sleep quality among older adult women. The effect on reducing depression and improving sleep quality was sustained 4 weeks after Tai Chi was stopped.

Electroacupuncture promotes recovery from disuse muscular atrophy through the miR-133a/SIRT1 pathway / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

Objective:To explore the role of microRNA-133a (miR-133a) and silent mating information regulation 2 homolog 1 (SIRT1) in the effects of electroacupuncture on persons with disuse muscular atrophy.Methods:Thirty C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into a control group, an experimental control group and an experimental group, each of 10. Disuse muscular atrophy was induced in the mice of the experimental and experimental control groups using tail suspension. The mice in the electroacupuncture group were given 15 minutes of electroacupuncture over the Yanglingquan and Zusanli points every day for 14 days. Wet weight ratio and the cross-sectional area of the gastrocnemius and soleus were tracked, and the structure of the mitochondria in the skeletal muscles was observed using a transmission electron microscope. The protein expressions of SIRT1, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1a (PGC-1a), nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase (NAMPT), adenosine 5-monophosphate-activated protein kinase-a (AMPK-a) and phospho-AMPK-a (P-AMPK-a) were detected using western blotting. The expressions of the muscle atrophy F-box (Atrogin-1), muscle ring finger1 (MuRF1), miR-133a, SIRT1, paired box gene 7 (Pax7), myogenic determination (MyoD) and myogenin (MyoG) genes were detected through polymerase chain reactions. The concentration of Niacylamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+ ) and the ratio of NAD+ to reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide were also measured.Results:Compared with the experimental control group, the average wet weight increased by 21% and the cross-sectional area of the soleus increased by 30% in the experimental group. The average wet weight of the gastrocnemius increased by 5% and the area by 17%. The average expressions of Atrogin-1, MuRF1, SIRT1, PGC-1a and NAMPT, the concentration of NAD+ , as well as the average value of P-AMPK-a/AMPK-a and NAD+ /NADH were significantly lower in the experimental group than in the experimental control group, while the average expression of miR-133a in the experimental group was significantly (163%) higher. The average expressions of Pax7 and MyoD were significantly up-regulated in the experimental control group compared with the other two groups, while MyoG was highly expressed in the experimental group compared with the other 2 groups.Conclusions:The SIRT1 pathway is one of the reflexive protective mechanisms that mediate in the natural recovery of skeletal muscles. Electroacupuncture enhances myoblast differentiation, improves energy metabolism in the mitochondria, and thus promotes recovery from disuse muscular atrophy.

Long-term Effect of Sling-massage Exercise on Cervical Spondylopathy / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective:To explore the effect of sling-massage exercise on neck type cervical spondylopathy (NTCS). Methods:From June, 2020 to February, 2021, 68 patients with NTCS from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were randomly divided into control group (n = 34) and observation group (n = 34). The control group accepted routine massage, while the observation group accepted sling exercise and massage based on weak link test, for four weeks. They were assessed with McGill Pain Qusetionnaire (MPQ) and Neck Disability Index (NDI) before and after treatment, and measured median frequency (MF) of the upper trapezius muscle on the affected side with electromyography biofeedback before treatment, after treatment, two weeks after treatment and 4 weeks after treatment. Results:Four cases in the control group and three cases in the observation group dropped down. The scores of MPQ and NDI decreased in both groups after treatment (|Z| > 4.879, P < 0.001), while MF increased (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in scores of MPQ and NDI between the two groups after treatment (|Z| < 1.100, P > 0.05), while MF was less in the control group than in the observation group (t = 2.184, P < 0.05). MF decreased more in the control group than in the observation group, and was continually less in the control group than in the observation group after treatment (t > 3.770, P < 0.001). Conclusion:Sling-massage exercise is as effective as massage on NTCS immediately, and for more time.

Mechanism of Chinese Medicine Against Angiogenesis in Lung Cancer： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Lung cancer is a malignant tumor with high incidence and high mortality， posing a great threat to human health. Neovascularization may be one of the important mechanisms of lung cancer. The growing lung cancer cells can obtain necessary nutrients from the newly formed blood vessels， thereby causing the spread and metastasis of lung cancer. Nowadays， anti-angiogenic drugs are commonly used in western medicine in addition to surgery，radiotherapy， chemotherapy， and immunotherapy. However， the resulting adverse reactions such as thrombosis， hypertension， diarrhea， and cardiotoxicity have seriously affected the quality of life of patients. As the recognition of angiogenesis deepens， the selection of lung cancer treatment options has become a research hotspot and difficulty in the field of lung cancer treatment. In traditional Chinese medicine（TCM）， angiogenesis is believed to fall into the category of “collateral disease”. The invasion of external pathogens and deficiency of healthy Qi will cause visceral dysfunction， which can be gradually followed by Qi obstruction and blood stasis and phlegm-turbidity congesting the collaterals. As a result， the collateral function will be damaged， providing favorable conditions for the occurrence of lung cancer. More and more modern studies have confirmed that TCM is able to inhibit angiogenesis in the lung cancer， thereby resisting the tumor. In addition， by virtue of the unique advantages， TCM effectively reduces adverse reactions， enhances the efficacy， and improves the living conditions of patients. Moreover， it can synergize with other western medicine therapies in the treatment of lung cancer， exhibiting a wide application prospect. This paper summarizes the mechanisms of TCM in inhibiting angiogenesis of lung cancer reported in relevant experimental research， hoping to provide reference for the optimization of clinical treatment strategies for lung cancer.