No causal association between allergic rhinitis and migraine: a Mendelian randomization study.

PURPOSE: Allergic rhinitis (AR) and migraine are among the most common public health problems worldwide. Observational studies on the correlation between AR and migraine have reported inconsistent results. This study aimed to investigate the causal relationship of AR with migraine and its subtypes, including migraine with aura (MA) and migraine without aura (MO). METHODS: Bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed with publicly available summary-level statistics of large genome-wide association studies to estimate the possible causal effects. The inverse variance-weighted method was selected for primary analysis and was supplemented with the weighted median, weighted mode, and MR-Egger methods. The causal analysis using summary effect estimates (CAUSE) were further performed to verify the causality. Several sensitivity tests, including the leave-one-out, Cochran's Q, MR-Egger intercept, and MR-PRESSO tests, were performed to assess the robustness of the results. RESULTS: AR did not exhibit a significant causal correlation with the elevated risk of any migraine (odd ratio (OR), 0.816; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.511-1.302; P = 0.394), MA (OR, 0.690; 95% CI 0.298-1.593; P = 0.384), or MO (OR, 1.022; 95% CI 0.490-2.131; P = 0.954). Consistently, reverse MR analysis did not reveal causal effects of any migraine or its subtypes on AR. Almost all sensitivity analyses supported the robustness of the results. CONCLUSIONS: This MR study did not reveal a clear causal association between AR and migraine risk. More research is warranted to reveal the complex association between AR and migraine.

Effects of dietary oat supplementation on carcass traits, muscle metabolites, amino acid profiles, and its association with meat quality of Small-tail Han sheep.

Oat supplementation of the ruminant diet can improve growth performance and meat quality traits, but the role of muscle metabolites has not been evaluated. This study aimed to establish whether oat grass supplementation (OS) of Small-tail Han sheep improved growth performance and muscle tissue metabolites that are associated with better meat quality and flavor. After 90-day, OS fed sheep had higher live-weight and carcass-weight, and lower carcass fat. Muscle metabolomics analysis showed that OS fed sheep had higher levels of taurine, l-carnitine, inosine-5'-monophospgate, cholic acid, and taurocholic acid, which are primarily involved in taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, purine metabolism, and bile acid biosynthesis and secretion, decreased fat accumulation and they promote functional or flavor metabolites. OS also increased muscle levels of amino acids that are attributed to better quality and flavorsome mutton. These findings provided further evidence for supplementing sheep with oat grass to improve growth performance and meat quality.

Effectiveness of a Brief Mindfulness-Based Intervention of "STOP touching your face" During the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objectives: Avoiding touching the eyes, nose, and mouth (T-zone) is a strategy to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a brief mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) named "STOP (Stop, Take a Breath, Observe, Proceed) touching your face" for reducing face-touching behavior. Methods: In this online-based, two-arm, wait-list, randomized controlled trial, eligible participants were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 545) or control group (n = 545). The results of 60-min self-monitoring of face-touching behavior were reported before and after the intervention. Reduction of the percentage of T-zone touching was the primary outcome, and reduction of face-touching frequency was a key secondary outcome. Outcomes were analyzed on an intention-to-treat (ITT) basis with a complete case analysis (CCA). Results: ITT analysis revealed that the percentage of T-zone touching was significantly reduced by 8.1% in the intervention group (from 81.1 to 73.0%, RR = 0.901, OR = 0.631, RD = - 0.081, p = 0.002), and insignificantly reduced by 0.6% in the control group (from 80.0 to 79.4%, p = 0.821). Fewer participants performed T-zone touching in the intervention group than in the control group (73.0% vs. 79.4%, RR = 0.919, OR = 0.700, RD = - 0.064, p = 0.015) after the intervention, and there was a greater reduction of T-zone touching frequency in the intervention group than in the control group [mean ± SD: 1.7 ± 5.13 vs. 0.7 ± 3.98, mean difference (95% CI): 1.03 (0.48 to 1.58), p < 0.001, Cohen's d = - 0.218]. The above results were further confirmed by CCA. Conclusions: This brief mindfulness-based intervention was potentially effective at reducing the spread of COVID-19 and could be further investigated as an intervention for preventing other infectious diseases spread by hand-to-face touching. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04330352. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12671-022-02019-x.

Neuronal STAT3/HIF-1α/PTRF axis-mediated bioenergetic disturbance exacerbates cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury via PLA2G4A.

Ischemic stroke is an acute and severe neurological disease with high mortality and disability rates worldwide. Polymerase I and transcript release factor (PTRF) plays a pivotal role in regulating cellular senescence, glucose intolerance, lipid metabolism, and mitochondrial bioenergetics, but its mechanism, characteristics, and functions in neuronal cells following the cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury remain to be determined. Methods: Transcription factor motif analysis, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), luciferase and co-Immunoprecipitation (co-IP) assays were performed to investigate the mechanisms of PTRF in neuronal cells after I/R injury. Lentiviral-sgRNA against PTRF gene was introduced to HT22 cells, and adeno-associated virus (AAV) encoding a human synapsin (hSyn) promoter-driven construct was transduced a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) against PTRF mRNA in primary neuronal cells and the cortex of the cerebral I/R mice for investigating the role of PTRF in neuronal damage and PLA2G4A change induced by the cerebral I/R injury. Results: Here, we reported that neuronal PTRF was remarkably increased in the cerebral penumbra after I/R injury, and HIF-1α and STAT3 regulated the I/R-dependent expression of PTRF via binding to its promoter in neuronal cells. Moreover, overexpression of neuronal PTRF enhanced the activity and stability of PLA2G4A by decreasing its proteasome-mediated degradation pathway. Subsequently, PTRF promoted reprogramming of lipid metabolism and altered mitochondrial bioenergetics, which could lead to oxidative damage, involving autophagy, lipid peroxidation, and ferroptosis via PLA2G4A in neuronal cells. Furthermore, inhibition of neuronal PTRF/PLA2G4A-axis markedly reduced the neurological deficits, cerebral infarct volumes, and mortality rates in the mice following cerebral I/R injury. Conclusion: Our results thus identify that the STAT3/HIF-1α/PTRF-axis in neurons, aggravating cerebral I/R injury by regulating the activity and stability of PLA2G4A, might be a novel therapeutic target for ischemic stroke.

[A new monoterpene ester from Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens].

Five monoterpenoid compounds(1-5) were isolated and purified from the acetone fraction of the aqueous extract of Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens by MCI, Sephadex LH-20, silica gel, semi-preparative HPLC, and TLC. Their structures were identified with multiple spectroscopical methods including 1 D-NMR, 2 D-NMR, and MS. The five compounds were identified as(2E,6Z)-8-hydroxy-2,6-dimethylocta-2,6-dien-1-yl-(E)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) acrylate(1),(2E,6E)-8-hydroxy-3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-die-noic acid(2),(E)-1,8-dihydroxy-3,7-dimethyl-2-octenoic acid(3), linalyl-ß-D-glucopyranoside(4), and ß-D-glucopyranoside-(2E)-3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadien-1-yl(5), respectively.Compound 1 was a new monoterpene ester, and compounds 4-5 were isolated from this plant for the first time.

Rapid design and development of CRISPR-Cas13a targeting SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a worldwide epidemic of the lethal respiratory coronavirus disease (COVID-19), necessitating urgent development of specific and effective therapeutic tools. Among several therapeutic targets of coronaviruses, the spike protein is of great significance due to its key role in host invasion. Here, we report a potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 strategy based on the CRISPR-Cas13a system. Methods: A comprehensive set of bioinformatics methods, including sequence alignment, structural comparison, and molecular docking, was utilized to identify a SARS-CoV-2-spike(S)-specific segment. A tiling crRNA library targeting this specific RNA segment was designed, and optimal crRNA candidates were selected using in-silico methods. The efficiencies of the crRNA candidates were tested in human HepG2 and AT2 cells. Results: The most effective crRNA sequence inducing a robust cleavage effect on S and a potent collateral cleavage effect were identified. Conclusions: This study provides a rapid design pipeline for a CRISPR-Cas13a-based antiviral tool against SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, it offers a novel approach for anti-virus study even if the precise structures of viral proteins are indeterminate.

Brief mindfulness-based intervention of 'STOP (Stop, Take a Breath, Observe, Proceed) touching your face': a study protocol of a randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Face-touching behaviour often happens frequently and automatically, and poses potential risk for spreading infectious disease. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have shown its efficacy in the treatment of behaviour disorders. This study aims to evaluate an online mindfulness-based brief intervention skill named 'STOP (Stop, Take a Breath, Observe, Proceed) touching your face' in reducing face-touching behaviour. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This will be an online-based, randomised, controlled, trial. We will recruit 1000 participants, and will randomise and allocate participants 1:1 to the 'STOP touching your face' (both 750-word text and 5 min audio description by online) intervention group (n=500) and the wait-list control group (n=500). All participants will be asked to monitor and record their face-touching behaviour during a 60 min period before and after the intervention. Primary outcome will be the efficacy of short-term mindfulness-based 'STOP touching your face' intervention for reducing the frequency of face-touching. The secondary outcomes will be percentage of participants touching their faces; the correlation between the psychological traits of mindfulness and face-touching behaviour; and the differences of face-touching behaviour between left-handers and right-handers. Analysis of covariance, regression analysis, χ2 test, t-test, Pearson's correlations will be applied in data analysis. We will recruit 1000 participants from April to July 2020 or until the recruitment process is complete. The follow-up will be completed in July 2020. We expect all trial results to be available by the end of July 2020. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study protocol has been approved by the Ethics Committee of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, an affiliate of Zhejiang University, Medical College (No. 20200401-32). Study results will be disseminated via social media and peer-reviewed publications. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04330352.

Interaction of Coumarin Phytoestrogens with ERα and ERß: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study.

Coumarin phytoestrogens, as one of the important classes of phytoestrogens, have been proved to play an important role in various fields of human life. In this study, molecular simulation method including molecular docking and molecular dynamics methods were performed to explore the various effects between four classical coumarin phytoestrogens (coumestrol, 4-methoxycoumestrol, psoralen and isopsoralen), and estrogen receptors (ERα, ERß), respectively. The calculated results not only proved that the four coumarin phytoestrogens have weaker affinity than 17ß-estradiol to both ERα, and ERß, but also pointed out that the selective affinity for ERß is greater than ERα. In addition, the binding mode indicated that the formation of hydrogen bond and hydrophobic interaction have an important effect on the stability of the complexes. Further, the calculation and decomposition of binding free energy explored the main contribution interactions to the total free energy.

The risk of higenamine adverse analytical findings following oral administration of plumula nelumbinis capsules.

Higenamine is a ß2-agonist that has been included in the Prohibited List of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) since 2017. Meanwhile, it exists in plumula nelumbinis, a part of the lotus seed, and is commonly used as an ingredient in cuisines, herbal medicines, and nutritional supplements in China and other countries in East Asia. Therefore, an evaluation of the risk of an adverse analytical finding (AAF) of higenamine caused by plumula nelumbinis products is necessary in doping control. In this study, 14 volunteers took plumula nelumbinis capsules orally (0.34 g/caplet, 6 caplets/day, 7 days), and another 11 volunteers ingested higenamine tablets (three 5 mg tablets/day for 7 days). Urine samples were collected over a period of 14 days. All urine samples were subjected to quantitative dilute-and-shoot analysis using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The analytical results showed that urinary higenamine concentrations exceeded the WADA reporting limit (10 ng/mL) during the drug period in most sample groups. The maximum higenamine concentration observed in the plumula nelumbinis capsule group was 500 ng/mL. Based on confidence interval theory, appropriate data were used to establish mathematical models. The models reflected that the higenamine concentration in urine can exceed the WADA reporting limit with a high probability after taking plumula nelumbinis capsules. In conclusion, oral administration of plumula nelumbinis capsules showed a high risk of an AAF due to higenamine.

Qingre Baidu mixture-induced effect of AI-2 on Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms in chronic and refractory wounds.

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of the traditional Chinese medicine Qingre Baidu mixture (QBM) on the regulation of various parameters, including the morphology of bacterial biofilms, the bacterial density sensing system, the self-induction of the molecule autoinducer (AI)-2 and the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling pathway. For that purpose, Sprague Dawley rats were administered the QBM, the Wu Wei Xiao Du Wan drink (WXD) and cefoperazone (Cef) prior to drug isolation from serum. Vibrio harveyi BB170 was employed as a reporter strain to detect the AI-2 signaling pathway in Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The expression of HIF-1α and VEGF expression was examined by immunohistochemistry. ELISAs were used to measure the expression of HIF-1α, HIF-2α, HIF-3α and VEGF. The level of inflammation was evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Biofilm formation and the number of macrophages were detected by immunofluorescence. The results revealed that the QBM could reduce the concentration of AI-2 derived from Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and markedly increase the levels of HIF-1α, HIF-2α and VEGF in chronic and refractory wounds. The QBM strongly inhibited the formation of bacterial biofilms and the number of macrophages, therefore promoting wound healing. In conclusion, the QBM could inhibit the biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa through decreasing the levels of AI-2 while upregulating the expression of HIF-1α, HIF-2α and HIF-3α, which increased the levels of VEGF, thereby promoting angiogenesis and wound healing in chronic and refractory wounds.

Influence of dietary supplementation with Bacillus licheniformis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae as alternatives to monensin on growth performance, antioxidant, immunity, ruminal fermentation and microbial diversity of fattening lambs.

Alternatives to antibiotics for improving productivity and maintaining the health of livestock health are urgently needed. The scope of this research was conducted to investigate the effects of two alternatives (Bacillus licheniformis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae) to monensin on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immunity, ruminal fermentation and microbial diversity of fattening lambs. One hundred and sixty Dorper × Thin-tailed Han sheep (32 ± 3.45 kg BW) were randomly assigned into 5 treatments of n = 32 lambs/group. Lambs in the control group were fed a basal diet (NC) while the other four treatments were fed basal diets supplemented with monensin (PC), Bacillus licheniformis (BL), Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC), and the combination of Bacillus licheniformis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae with protease (BS), respectively. The experiment lasted for 66 d. Feed intake was recorded every 2 d and lambs were weighed every 20 d. Ten lambs from each group were slaughtered at the end of the trial, and samples of serum and rumen fluid were collected. The results indicated that the dietary regimen did not affect the dry matter intake (DMI). The average daily gain (ADG) of BS treatment was significantly higher than NC group (P < 0.05). Compared with the NC treatment, the other four supplementation treatments increased the concentration of growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and insulin (INS) (P < 0.05). The malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAOC) showed no significant difference among the 5 treatments while the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) of BS group was significantly increased (P < 0.05). The supplementation regimen decreased the concentration of ammonia Nitrogen (NH3-N) and increased the content of microbial crude proteins (MCP) (P < 0.05). The supplementation of antibiotics and probiotics reduced the concentrations of acetate and increased the concentrations of propionate (P < 0.05). The supplementation treatments increased the relative abundance of Lentisphaerae, Fibrobacteres and Tenericutes at the phylum level, whereas at the genus level, they increased the relative abundance of Fibrobacter (P < 0.05). Overall, this study confirmed the facilitating effect of B. licheniformis, S. cerevisiae and their compounds on growth performance, improve the antioxidant capacity and immune function, and beneficially manipulate ruminal fermentation and microbial diversity of fatting lambs.

Thermal stability of ginkgolic acids from Ginkgo biloba and the effects of ginkgol C17:1 on the apoptosis and migration of SMMC7721 cells.

Ginkgolic acids are alkylsalicylic acid derivatives with a thermolabile carboxylic group from Ginkgo biloba L., and they exhibit anticancer activity. Their anticancer effects are closely associated with their thermal stability. In this study, the thermal decomposition of ginkgolic acids was analyzed at temperatures of 30, 50, 70 and 250°C. The results clearly showed that an obvious slow decarboxylation of the ginkgolic acids was detected at 70°C. When the temperature increased to 250°C, the decarboxylation reaction was rapidly completed. The ginkgolic acids were decarboxylated to yield ginkgols. The ginkgols C13:0, C15:1 and C17:1 were separated and definitively identified by IR, NMR and GC-MS. The cytotoxic effects of ginkgols C13:0, C15:1 and C17:1 were tested and compared with those of the corresponding ginkgolic acids. An MTT assay showed that ginkgol C17:1 (48-h IC50=8.5 µg·ml(-1)) has the strongest inhibition on SMMC-7721 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The anticancer action may occur via the induction of apoptosis by the activation of caspases-3, the upregulation of Bax expression, and the inhibition migration of SMMC7721 cells. The results indicated that ginkgol C17:1 might be useful for the further development of a hepatocellular carcinoma preventive agent.

A multicentre randomized clinical trial on efficacy and safety of huxin formula in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is widely used in clinical treatment of coronary artery disease. However, the effects of PCI on preventing restenosis after revascularization and improving the quality of life were not satisfying. Huxin Formula is formulated by modifying an experienced Chinese medicine formula and has been widely used in clinical practice due to its marked effects on coronary heart disease. A multicentre double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial was designed to evaluate the effects and safety of Huxin Formula in patients undergoing PCI. Our results showed that there was no significant difference between the two groups in main outcomes. For patients with ejection fraction (EF) >50%, score of the quality of life scale was higher in treatment group compared with control group. For patients with unstable angina, score of the quality of life scale in 360 days was significantly higher in treatment group compared with control group (P < 0.05). No obvious adverse reaction was found in the use of Huxin Formula. In conclusion, Huxin Formula, believed to be a safe treatment for patients after PCI, has benefits in improving the quality of life in patients with unstable angina though it failed to show superiority in primary and secondary outcomes.

Acaricidal activity of 9-oxo-10,11-dehydroageraphorone extracted from Eupatorium adenophorum in vitro.

The acaricidal activity of the 9-oxo-10,11-dehydroageraphorone (euptox A), a cadenine sesquiterpene from Eupatorium adenophorum (E. adenophorum) against Sarcoptes scabiei and Psoroptes cuniculi was tested in vitro. A complementary log-log (CLL) model was used to analyze the data of the toxicity tests in vitro. The results showed euptox A had strong toxicity against mites, killing all S. scabiei at 3 and 4 mg/ml (m/v) concentration, while 4 mg/ml euptox A was also found to kill all P. cuniculi within a 4 h period. Similarly, 2, 3 and 4 mg/ml concentration of euptox A had strong toxicity against S. scabiei, with median lethal time (LT50) values at 0.687, 0.526, 0.326 h, respectively. 3 mg/ml and 4 mg/ml showed strong acaricidal action against P. cuniculi; the LT50 values were 0.693 and 0.493 h, respectively. The median lethal concentration (LC50) values were 1.068 mg/ml for Scabies mite and 0.902 mg/ml for P. cuniculi in 2 h. The results indicate that euptox A has strong acaricidal activity and may exploit as novel drugs for the effective control of animal acariasis.

Specific cell targeting with APRPG conjugated PEG-PLGA nanoparticles for treating ovarian cancer.

Good biocompatibility, specific tumor targeting, effective drug loading capacity and persistence in the circulation in vivo are imperative prerequisites for the antitumor efficiency of nanoparticles and their further clinical application. In this study, APRPG (Ala-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly) peptide-modified poly (ethylene glycol)-poly (lactic acid) (PEG-PLA) nanoparticles (NP-APRPG) encapsulating inhibitors of angiogenesis (TNP-470) (TNP-470-NP-APRPG) were fabricated. TNP-470-NP-APRPG was designed to feature maleimide-PEG-PLA and mPEG-PLA as carrier materials, the APRPG peptide for targeting angiogenesis, PEG for prolonging circulation in vivo and PLA for loading TNP-470. TNP-470-NP-APRPG was confirmed to be approximately 130 nm in size with negative ζ-potential (-14.3 mV), narrow distribution (PDI = 0.27) and spherical morphology according to dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses. In addition, X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) analyses confirmed 7.73% APRPG grafting on the TNP-470-NP. In vitro, TNP-470-NP-APRPG exhibited effective inhibition of proliferation, migration and tube formation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Similar findings were observed for the retardation of tumor growth in SKOV3 ovarian cancer-bearing mice, suggesting the significant inhibition of angiogenesis and antitumor efficiency of TNP-470-NP-APRPG. Moreover, no obvious toxic drug responses were observed. Further evidence obtained from the immunohistochemical examination demonstrated that the tumor growth inhibition was closely correlated with the high rate of apoptosis among endothelial cells and the effective blockade of endothelial cell proliferation. These results demonstrate that NP-APRPG is a promising carrier for delivering TNP-470 to treat ovarian cancer and that this approach has the potential to achieve broad tumor coverage in the clinic.

Efficacy and safety of Huxin formula in patients after CABG: a multicenter, double-blind, randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is widely used in the treatment of coronary artery disease. A multicenter, double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Huxin Formula post CABG. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 270 inpatients with coronary heart disease participated in this study. CABG patients in the control group were treated with placebo, while patients in the experimental group were treated with Huxin Formula 1 week after the surgery. All patients were treated for 6 months and followed up for another 6 months. The main outcomes (death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, repeat revascularization, and readmission) were assessed 360 days after treatment, and secondary outcomes (frequency and scores of angina pectoris, etc.) were assessed 0, 90, 180, 270, and 360 days after treatment. RESULTS: Our results showed no significant difference between the 2 groups for the primary endpoints. In patients with cardiac function class II (New York Heart Association), the score of angina pectoris was significantly lower (3.88 ± 3.86 vs. 5.45 ± 3.59) and the frequency of angina pectoris attacks was less (0.96 ± 1.01 vs. 1.36 ± 0.94) after 90 days of treatment with Huxin Formula compared to placebo (p < 0.05). In patients with 3 coronary vessel lesions, the cardiac function class (1.14 ± 0.35 vs. 1.05 ± 0.21) after 360 days was significantly higher in the control group compared to the treatment group (p < 0.05). There were no obvious adverse reactions. CONCLUSION: Huxin Formula may improve cardiac function of patients with 3 coronary vessel lesions and relieve symptoms of patients with cardiac function class II but failed to show superiority in primary outcomes.

Auraptenol attenuates vincristine-induced mechanical hyperalgesia through serotonin 5-HT1A receptors.

Common chemotherapeutic agents such as vincristine often cause neuropathic pain during cancer treatment in patients. Such neuropathic pain is refractory to common analgesics and represents a challenging clinical issue. Angelicae dahuricae radix is an old traditional Chinese medicine with demonstrated analgesic efficacy in humans. However, the active component(s) that attribute to the analgesic action have not been identified. This work described the anti-hyperalgesic effect of one coumarin component, auraptenol, in a mouse model of chemotherapeutic agent vincristine-induced neuropathic pain. We reported that auraptenol dose-dependently reverted the mechanical hyperalgesia in mice within the dose range of 0.05-0.8 mg/kg. In addition, the anti-hyperalgesic effect of auraptenol was significantly blocked by a selective serotonin 5-HT1A receptor antagonist WAY100635 (1 mg/kg). Within the dose range studied, auraptenol did not significantly alter the general locomotor activity in mice. Taken together, this study for the first time identified an active component from the herbal medicine angelicae dahuricae radix that possesses robust analgesic efficacy in mice. These data support further studies to assess the potential of auraptenol as a novel analgesic for the management of neuropathic pain.

Endonasal endoscopic treatment of recurrent dacryocystitis.

This report assessed clinical conditions leading to recurrent dacryocystitis and success rates of its treatment by endonasal endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy. Forty-eight patients with recurrent dacryocystitis underwent endonasal endoscopic surgery and were followed up for at least 6 months. High bone windows, small bone window openings, small lacrimal sac stomas, scar tissues, and organic diseases of the nasal cavity led to fistula closure. Out of 48 patients, 45 (93.8%) patients were cured by endonasal endoscopic surgery. Endonasal endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy is beneficial for recurrent dacryocystitis.

Acupuncture for depression: a review of clinical applications.

While increasing numbers of patients are seeking acupuncture treatment for depression in recent years, there is limited evidence of the antidepressant (AD) effectiveness of acupuncture. Given the unsatisfactory response rates of many Food and Drug Administration-approved ADs, research on acupuncture remains of potential value. Therefore, we sought to review the efficacy and safety of acupuncture treatment for depression in clinical applications. We conducted a PubMed search for publications through 2011. We assessed the adequacy of each report and abstracted information on reported effectiveness or efficacy of acupuncture as monotherapy for major depressive disorder (MDD) and as augmentation of ADs. We also examined adverse events associated with acupuncture, and evidence for acupuncture as a means of reducing side effects of ADs. Published data suggest that acupuncture, including manual-, electrical-, and laser-based, is a generally beneficial, well-tolerated, and safe monotherapy for depression. However, acupuncture augmentation in AD partial responders and nonresponders is not as well studied as monotherapy; and available studies have only investigated MDD, but not other depressive spectrum disorders. Manual acupuncture reduced side effects of ADs in MDD. We found no data on depressive recurrence rates after recovery with acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture is a potential effective monotherapy for depression, and a safe, well-tolerated augmentation in AD partial responders and nonresponders. However, the body of evidence based on well-designed studies is limited, and further investigation is called for.