Research progress on the mechanism of TCM regulating intestinal microbiota in the treatment of DM mellitus.

In recent years, with the improvement of people's living standards, the incidence of DM has increased year by year in China. DM is a common metabolic syndrome characterized by hyperglycemia caused by genetic, environmental and other factors. At the same time, long-term suffering from DM will also have an impact on the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves, and associated serious diseases. The human body has a large and complex gut microbiota, which has a significant impact on the body's metabolism. Research shows that the occurrence and development of DM and its complications are closely related to intestinal microbiota. At present, western medicine generally treats DM with drugs. The hypoglycemic effect is fast and strong, but it can have a series of side effects on the human body. Compared with western medicine, Chinese medicine has its unique views and methods in treating DM. TCM can improve symptoms and treat complications by improving the imbalance of microbiota in patients with DM. Its characteristics of health, safety, and reliability are widely accepted by the general public. This article reviews the relationship between intestinal microbiota and DM, as well as the mechanism of TCM intervention in DM by regulating intestinal microbiota.

Factors influencing surgical choice and anxiety in patients with pulmonary nodules smaller than 8 mm.

Background: The detection of pulmonary nodules significantly impacts the lives and mental health of patients. Although the 2020 National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines recommend scheduled surveillance for nodules ≤8 mm, patients often opt to have their nodules surgically removed. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire was administered to patients with small pulmonary nodules who presented to a local grade 3 hospital with small pulmonary nodules and decided to receive surgery versus prescribed monitoring. The questionnaire included four aspects: (I) patient characteristics; (II) nodule-specific knowledge; (III) doctor-patient communication; and (IV) nodular-specific distress. Nodular-specific distress was measured by the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R). Results: A total of 234 (69%) patients responded to the survey and were included in the final analysis. Poor performance in activities of daily living (ADLs), the presence of solid nodules, multifocal disease, and a family history of lung cancer were significantly associated with reported anxiety. Most notably, facilitating patient choice for surgery was the computed tomography (CT) scan results, with reference to lung nodule size and number of nodules, where concerns related to lung nodule, cancer risk, and fear of surgery or death had a significant psychological impact on patients. Conclusions: In this cohort of patients who elected to have their small pulmonary nodules surgically removed, we identified key factors underlying their anxiety toward guideline recommended surveillance. Our findings will be useful for clinicians when discussing treatment options with their patients.

Association of habitually low intake of dietary selenium with new-onset stroke: A retrospective cohort study (2004-2015 China Health and Nutrition Survey).

Background: As an essential trace element in the body, selenium is associated with the development of many diseases. The purpose of this study was to explore the association between dietary selenium intake and new-onset stroke risk in Chinese adults. Methods: Adults aged ≥18 years in the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) from 2004 to 2015 were enrolled. Participants were divided into five groups according to the quintile of dietary selenium intake: Q1 (≤ 29.80 µg/day), Q2 (29.80-38.53 µg/day), Q3 (38.53-47.23 µg/day), Q4 (47.23-60.38 µg/day), Q 5(>60.38 µg/day). Cox proportional-hazards model was used to explore the effect of dietary selenium on new-onset stroke. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) was used to visualize the dose-response relationship between dietary selenium and the risk of morbidity. Results: A total of 11,532 subjects were included, and 271 (2.35%) of them developed stroke during a mean follow-up of 6.78 person-years. Compared with the lowest selenium intake group, the HR and 95%CI of stroke in the participants with selenium intake of Q2, Q3, Q4 and Q5 were: 0.85 (0.59, 1.21), 0.62 (0.42, 0.92), 0.43 (0.28, 0.68), 0.49 (0.30, 0.82), respectively. There was an L-shaped relationship between dietary selenium and stroke (nonlinear P-value = 0.0420). The HR and 95%CI of developing stroke was 0.75 (0.65, 0.87) in participants with selenium intake ≤ 60 µg/day. Conclusions: The L-shaped negative association between dietary selenium and stroke in Chinese adults which indicated that dietary selenium should be improved to a certain level to prevent stroke.

Association Between Vitamin D and Hyperuricemia Among Adults in the United States.

Background: Serum uric acid can act as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and as antioxidant defense. Vitamin D deficiency can activate the parathyroid to induce the release of parathyroid hormone, which was thought to increase serum uric acid level, and low vitamin D status may also be associated with risk of CVD. No known studies have explored the association between serum 25(OH) D, vitamin D intake, and HU for the American population. Methods: We extracted 15,723 US adults aged 20-85 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) in 2007-2014. All dietary intakes were evaluated through 24-h dietary recalls. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the associations after adjustment for confounders. Results: Compared to the lowest quintile (Q1), for males, adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of HU in Q2 to Q4 of serum 25(OH) D levels were 0.78 (95% CI, 0.65-0.93), 0.97 (0.81-1.16), and 0.72 (0.60-0.88); ORs in Q2-Q5 of total vitamin D intake were 0.83 (0.69-0.98), 0.69 (0.58-0.83), 0.66 (0.55-0.79), and 0.59 (0.48-0.71), respectively. In females, OR was 0.80 (0.66-0.97) of serum 25(OH) D for Q3, and ORs in Q5 of total vitamin D intake were 0.80 (0.65-0.98). Conclusions: Our findings indicated that the serum 25(OH) D intakes of dietary vitamin D, supplemental vitamin D, and total vitamin D were inversely associated with HU in males. In females, a lower risk of HU with higher serum 25(OH) D, dietary vitamin D, and total vitamin D intake was found, but with no association between supplemental vitamin D intake and the risk of HU.

Luteolin Protects Pheochromocytoma (PC-12) Cells against Aß 25-35-Induced Cell Apoptosis through the ER/ERK/MAPK Signalling Pathway.

The regulatory effect of luteolin on the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains unclear from the perspective of apoptosis. The present study aimed to investigate the protective effects of luteolin against Aß 25-35-induced cell apoptosis in pheochromocytoma (PC-12) cells. Aß 25-35 was used to induce an in vitro model of AD. Estradiol was used as a positive control. The PC-12 cells were incubated with luteolin alone or in combination with fulvestrant or U0126. The results showed that luteolin treatment significantly prevents Aß 25-35-induced decrease in cell viability and inhibits Aß 25-35-induced cell apoptosis. After the addition of fulvestrant and U0126, the apoptosis rate of PC-12 cells increased significantly. In addition, luteolin treatment significantly upregulated the expression of Bcl-2 and downregulated the expression of Bax and caspase-3, whereas fulvestrant and U0126 partially reversed the effects of luteolin. Moreover, luteolin treatment upregulated the expression of ERß and p-ERK1/2, whereas fulvestrant blocked the expression of p-ERK1/2. The study showed that luteolin could activate the ER/ERK/MAPK signalling pathway to protect PC-12 cells against Aß 25-35-induced cell apoptosis via selectively acting on ERß. Thus, luteolin may be considered as a potential novel therapeutic strategy for AD.

Associated Targets of the Antioxidant Cardioprotection of Ganoderma lucidum in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy by Using Open Targets Platform: A Systematic Review.

Even with substantial advances in cardiovascular therapy, the morbidity and mortality rates of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) continually increase. Hence, a feasible therapeutic approach is urgently needed. Objectives. This work is aimed at systemically reviewing literature and addressing cell targets in DCM through the possible cardioprotection of G. lucidum through its antioxidant effects by using the Open Targets Platform (OTP) website. Methods. The OTP website version of 19.11 was accessed in December 2019 to identify the studies in DCM involving G. lucidum. Results. Among the 157 cell targets associated with DCM, the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) was shared by all evidence, drug, and text mining data with 0.08 score association. mTOR also had the highest score association 0.1 with autophagy in DCM. Among the 1731 studies of indexed PubMed articles on G. lucidum published between 1985 and 2019, 33 addressed the antioxidant effects of G. lucidum and its molecular signal pathways involving oxidative stress and therefore were included in the current work. Conclusion. mTOR is one of the targets by DCM and can be inhibited by the antioxidative properties of G. lucidum directly via scavenging radicals and indirectly via modulating mTOR signal pathways such as Wnt signaling pathway, Erk1/2 signaling, and NF-κB pathways.

Phytoestrogens and risk of prostate cancer: an updated meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies.

This updated meta-analysis was performed to clarify the relationship between phytoestrogens and prostate cancer risk. Twenty one case-control and two cohort studies were finally selected for this meta-analysis, totaling 11,346 cases and 140,177 controls. Analytical results showed that daidzein (OR = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.75-0.96), genistein (OR = 0.87; 95% CI: 0.78-0.98), and glycitein (OR = 0.89; 95% CI: 0.81-0.98) were associated with a reduction of prostate cancer risk, but total isoflavones (OR = 0.93; 95% CI: 0.84-1.04), equol (OR = 0.86; 95% CI: 0.66-1.14), total lignans (OROgna.05; 95% CI: 0.54-2.04), secoisolariciresinol (OR = 1.02; 95% CI: 0.83-1.24), matairesinol (OR = 0.91; 95% CI: 0.75-1.11), enterolactone (OR = 0.94; 95% CI: 0.73-1.20), and coumestrol (OR = 0.89; 95% CI: 0.76-1.06) were not. Sensitivity and publication bias analyses demonstrated that the pooled estimates were stable and reliable. The results support the notion that some phytoestrogens may have a role in decreasing the risk of prostate cancer. Additional large and well-designed cohort studies are needed to confirm these relationships.

Anti-epileptic effect of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides by inhibition of intracellular calcium accumulation and stimulation of expression of CaMKII α in epileptic hippocampal neurons.

PURPOSE: To investigate the mechanism of the anti-epileptic effect of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (GLP), the changes of intracellular calcium and CaMK II α expression in a model of epileptic neurons were investigated. METHOD: Primary hippocampal neurons were divided into: 1) Control group, neurons were cultured with Neurobasal medium, for 3 hours; 2) Model group I: neurons were incubated with Mg(2+) free medium for 3 hours; 3) Model group II: neurons were incubated with Mg(2+) free medium for 3 hours then cultured with the normal medium for a further 3 hours; 4) GLP group I: neurons were incubated with Mg(2+) free medium containing GLP (0.375 mg/ml) for 3 hours; 5) GLP group II: neurons were incubated with Mg(2+) free medium for 3 hours then cultured with a normal culture medium containing GLP for a further 3 hours. The CaMK II α protein expression was assessed by Western-blot. Ca(2+) turnover in neurons was assessed using Fluo-3/AM which was added into the replacement medium and Ca(2+) turnover was observed under a laser scanning confocal microscope. RESULTS: The CaMK II α expression in the model groups was less than in the control groups, however, in the GLP groups, it was higher than that observed in the model group. Ca(2+) fluorescence intensity in GLP group I was significantly lower than that in model group I after 30 seconds, while in GLP group II, it was reduced significantly compared to model group II after 5 minutes. CONCLUSION: GLP may inhibit calcium overload and promote CaMK II α expression to protect epileptic neurons.