Unraveling non-radiative decay channels of exciplexes to construct efficient red emitters for organic light-emitting diodes.

Exciplex emitters naturally have thermally activated delayed fluorescence characteristics due to their spatially separated molecular orbitals. However, the intermolecular charge transfer potentially induces diverse non-radiative decay channels, severely hindering the construction of efficient red exciplexes. Thus, a thorough comprehension of this energy loss is of paramount importance. Herein, different factors, including molecular rigidity, donor-acceptor interactions and donor-donor/acceptor-acceptor interactions, that impact the non-radiative decay were systematically investigated using contrasting exciplex emitters. The exciplex with rigid components and intermolecular hydrogen bonds showed a photoluminescence quantum yield of 84.1% and a singlet non-radiative decay rate of 1.98 × 106 s-1 at an optimized mixing ratio, respectively, achieving a 3.3-fold increase and a 70% decrease compared to the comparison group. In the electroluminescent device, a maximum external quantum efficiency of 23.8% was achieved with an emission peak of 608 nm, which represents the state-of-the-art organic light-emitting diodes using exciplex emitters. Accordingly, a new strategy is finally proposed, exploiting system rigidification to construct efficient red exciplex emitters that suppress non-radiative decay.

Covalent Bonding of Salen Metal Complexes with Pyrene Chromophores to Porous Polymers for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution.

The development of low-cost and efficient photocatalysts to achieve water splitting to hydrogen (H2) is highly desirable but remains challenging. Herein, we design and synthesize two porous polymers (Co-Salen-P and Fe-Salen-P) by covalent bonding of salen metal complexes and pyrene chromophores for photocatalytic H2 evolution. The catalytic results demonstrate that the two polymers exhibit excellent catalytic performance for H2 generation in the absence of additional noble-metal photosensitizers and cocatalysts. Particularly, the H2 generation rate of Co-Salen-P reaches as high as 542.5 µmol g-1 h-1, which is not only 6 times higher than that of Fe-Salen-P but also higher than a large amount of reported Pt-assisted photocatalytic systems. Systematic studies show that Co-Salen-P displays faster charge separation and transfer efficiencies, thereby accounting for the significantly improved photocatalytic activity. This study provides a facile and efficient way to fabricate high-performance photocatalysts for H2 production.

[Chemical composition and pharmacological effects of Cinnamomum camphora chvar. borneol essential oil: a review].

Cinnamomum camphora chvar. borneol, a rare camphor tree variant recently identified in China, is distinguished by its high concentration of D-borneol, also known as " plant gold" due to its significant value. The essential oil extracted from this variant,rich in monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, demonstrates a broad spectrum of pharmacological activities, including analgesic, antiinflammatory, antioxidant, cognition-enhancing, anti-bacterial, and insecticidal effects. These properties, underscored by extensive research, highlight the oil's potential in the biomedical, chemical, and food sectors as a valuable commodity. Nonetheless, the safety profile of this valuable oil remains poorly characterized, with its chemical composition and therapeutic efficacy subject to variations in the factors like geographic origin, harvesting timing, part used for extraction, and processing techniques. Such variability poses challenges to its clinical application and hampers the efficient exploitation of this resource. This review synthesizes current studies on C. camphora chvar. borneol essential oil and provides a detailed examination of its chemical and pharmacological profiles. In this study, we discuss existing research gaps and propose strategies for advancing its clinical use and industrial application, aiming to provide a foundational reference for future investigations and the resolution of its commercial and therapeutic challenges.

Clinical efficacy and molecular mechanism of Chinese medicine in the treatment of autoimmune thyroiditis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Autoimmune Thyroiditis (AIT) is a common refractory autoimmune disease of the endocrine system that may eventually lead to complete loss of thyroid function, with subsequent severe effects on the metabolism. Because of the deficiency in current clinical management of AIT, the need for alternative therapies is highlighted. With its multi-component and multi-target characteristics, Chinese medicine has good potential as an alternative therapy for AIT. AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of this study was to systematically summarize the clinical efficacy and safety evaluation of TCM and its active ingredients in the treatment and regulation of AIT. Additionally, we provide an in-depth discussion of the relevant mechanisms and molecular targets to understand the protective effects of traditional Chinese medicine on AIT and explore new ideas for clinical treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The literature related to "Hashimoto", "autoimmune thyroiditis", "traditional Chinese medicine," and "Chinese herbal medicine" was systematically summarized and reviewed from Web of Science Core Collection, PubMed, CNKI, and other databases. Domestic and international literature were analyzed, compared, and reviewed. RESULTS: An increasing number of studies have demonstrated that herbal medicines can intervene in immunomodulation, with pharmacological effects such as antibody lowering, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic thyroid follicular cells, regulation of intestinal flora, and regulation of estrogen and progesterone levels. The signaling pathways and molecular targets of the immunomodulatory effects of Chinese herbal medicine for AIT may include Fas/FasL, Caspase, BCL-2, and TLRs/MyD88/NF-κB et al. CONCLUSIONS: The use of Chinese herbs in the treatment and management of AIT is clinically experienced, satisfactory, and safe. Future studies may evaluate the influence of herbal medicines on the occurrence and development of AIT by modulating the interaction between immune factors and conventional signaling pathways.

A Soybean Sucrose Non-Fermenting Protein Kinase 1 Gene, GmSNF1, Positively Regulates Plant Response to Salt and Salt-Alkali Stress in Transgenic Plants.

Soybean is one of the most widely grown oilseed crops worldwide. Several unfavorable factors, including salt and salt-alkali stress caused by soil salinization, affect soybean yield and quality. Therefore, exploring the molecular basis of salt tolerance in plants and developing genetic resources for genetic breeding is important. Sucrose non-fermentable protein kinase 1 (SnRK1) belongs to a class of Ser/Thr protein kinases that are evolutionarily highly conserved direct homologs of yeast SNF1 and animal AMPKs and are involved in various abiotic stresses in plants. The GmPKS4 gene was experimentally shown to be involved with salinity tolerance. First, using the yeast two-hybrid technique and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) technique, the GmSNF1 protein was shown to interact with the GmPKS4 protein. Second, the GmSNF1 gene responded positively to salt and salt-alkali stress according to qRT-PCR analysis, and the GmSNF1 protein was localized in the nucleus and cytoplasm using subcellular localization assay. The GmSNF1 gene was then heterologously expressed in yeast, and the GmSNF1 gene was tentatively identified as having salt and salt-alkali tolerance function. Finally, the salt-alkali tolerance function of the GmSNF1 gene was demonstrated by transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana, soybean hairy root complex plants overexpressing GmSNF1 and GmSNF1 gene-silenced soybean using VIGS. These results indicated that GmSNF1 might be useful in genetic engineering to improve plant salt and salt-alkali tolerance.

Probiotic Fermentation of Herbal Medicine: Progress, Challenges, and Opportunities.

Fermentation is a processing method used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). However, traditional fermentation methods suffer from poor production control. In contrast, probiotic fermented herbal medicine (PFHM) offers advantages such as the use of pure strains, a controllable process, and the ability to produce a variety of active enzymes during fermentation. As a result, PFHM has become a research hotspot. This review focuses on the progress, challenges, and opportunities in the research of PFHM. The use of probiotic enzymes during fermentation alters the active ingredients of TCM, resulting in positive pharmacological effects such as increased active ingredients, reduced toxicity, new pharmacological effects, and the reuse of herbal residues. PFHM has the potential to transfer the metabolic transformation of the effective components of TCM by intestinal flora outside the body during production and preparation, which has a broad application prospect. However, due to the complexity of the chemical composition of TCM, the mechanism of PFHM requires further investigation. Finally, we discuss the prospects of industrializing PFHM, which is essential for promoting the innovation and modernization of TCM.

Effect of zinc supplementation on blood sugar control in the overweight and obese population: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Although overweight and obese people have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes incidence than normal-weight individuals, the efficacy of zinc supplementation in blood sugar control in overweight and obese people remained unknown. This meta-analysis attempted to address this issue. METHODS: Databases including PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched from inception until May 2022 to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effects of zinc supplementation among participants who were overweight or obese without language restriction. It is a random-effect meta-analysis that analyzed the impact of zinc supplementation on fasting glucose (FG) (i.e., primary outcome) and other variables including fasting insulin (FI), homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and 2-hour postprandial glucose (2 h- PG). RESULTS: Analysis of 12 eligible RCTs involving 651 overweight/obese participants demonstrated that zinc supplementation significantly improves FG (weighted mean difference [WMD]: -8.57 mg/dL; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -14.04 to -3.09 mg/dL, p = 0.002), HOMA-IR (WMD: -0.54; 95% CI: -0.78 to -0.30, p < 0.001), HbA1c (WMD: -0.25%; 95% CI: -0.43% to -0.07%, p = 0.006), and 2 h-PG (WMD: -18.42 mg/dL; 95% CI: -25.04 to -11.79 mg/dL, p < 0.001) compared to those in the control group. After conducting subgroup analyses, we found that the primary outcome, FG, showed more significant results in the subgroups with Asia, Zinc supplementation alone, higher dose (≥30 mg) and patients with diabetes. CONCLUSION: Our meta-analysis indicated that zinc supplementation benefits blood sugar control in overweight and obese populations, with an especially significant reduction in FG.

Increased Risk of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Patients with Hyperlipidemia: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

The coexistence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cardiovascular disease is common and causes poor prognoses. Hyperlipidemia is the most common risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but the association between hyperlipidemia and COPD remains ambiguous. This study aimed to investigate the risk of COPD development in patients with hyperlipidemia. This retrospective cohort study used information from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. We enrolled 21,790 patients with hyperlipidemia and 87,160 control patients without hyperlipidemia for comparison, with a follow-up period of over 10 years. The incidence of new-onset COPD was higher in patients with hyperlipidemia (36.14 per 1000 person-years) than in the controls (22.29 per 1000 person-years). Patients with hyperlipidemia were 1.48 times more likely to develop subsequent COPD than the controls without hyperlipidemia (95% confidence interval 1.44 to 1.53, p < 0.001) following adjustments for age, sex, and comorbidities. In addition, nephropathy, hypertension, congestive heart failure, age, and sex (female) were potential risk factors for developing COPD in patients with hyperlipidemia. Patients with hyperlipidemia may have an increased risk of developing COPD.

Association between Serum Cotinine Levels and Bone Mineral Density: An Analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between serum cotinine and lumbar bone mineral density (BMD) among 7905 participants aged 30 years and over. Method: A total of 3945 men and 3960 women from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2018 were included in this cross-sectional analysis. Independent variable was serum cotinine, which is a biomarker of cigarette exposure. The outcome variable was lumbar BMD. We investigated the associations of serum cotinine levels and lumbar BMD using multivariable linear regression models. Results: Serum cotinine concentration was negatively associated with lumbar BMD after adjustment of relevant covariables (ß = -0.039, 95% CI: -0.078 to -0.014, P = 0.005). However, in the subgroup analysis stratified by gender, this negative association remained only in women (ß = -0.072, 95% CI: -0.132 to -0.012, P = 0.019). Conclusion: Our study suggested that elevated serum cotinine level correlated with decreased lumbar BMD, especially in women. This finding indicated that reducing cigarette exposure and maintaining serum cotinine at a low level may be beneficial to bone health for adults.

A novel orange-red thermally activated delayed fluorescence emitter with high molecular rigidity and planarity realizing 32.5% external quantum efficiency in organic light-emitting diodes.

Simultaneous optimization of photoluminescence quantum yield (ΦPL) and horizontally oriented dipoles (Θ‖) is considerably challenging for orange and red thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters, due to the conflicts between enhancing molecular rigidity and improving molecular planarity. Herein, a novel orange-red TADF emitter 10-(dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazin-11-yl)-10H-spiro[acridine-9,9'-fluorene] (SAF-2NP) was constructed with a donor-acceptor structure. The highly rigid donor and acceptor segments ensure the overall rigidity of the emitter. More importantly, the quasi-coplanar structure between the acceptor and the fluorene moiety in the donor unit enlarges the molecular plane without weakening rigidity. Consequently, SAF-2NP exhibited extremely high ΦPL and Θ‖ of 99% and 85%, respectively. The optimal organic light-emitting diode using SAF-2NP as the emitter and 4,4'-di(9H-carbazol-9-yl)-1,1'-biphenyl (CBP) as the host demonstrated an unparalleled external quantum efficiency of 32.5% and a power efficiency of 85.2 lm W-1 without any extra light extraction structure. This work provides a feasible strategy to establish efficient orange and red TADF emitters with both high rigidity and planarity.

Calcium Scoring at Coronary CT Angiography Using Deep Learning.

Background Separate noncontrast CT to quantify the coronary artery calcium (CAC) score often precedes coronary CT angiography (CTA). Quantifying CAC scores directly at CTA would eliminate the additional radiation produced at CT but remains challenging. Purpose To quantify CAC scores automatically from a single CTA scan. Materials and Methods In this retrospective study, a deep learning method to quantify CAC scores automatically from a single CTA scan was developed on training and validation sets of 292 patients and 73 patients collected from March 2019 to July 2020. Virtual noncontrast scans obtained with a spectral CT scanner were used to develop the algorithm to alleviate tedious manual annotation of calcium regions. The proposed method was validated on an independent test set of 240 CTA scans collected from three different CT scanners from August 2020 to November 2020 using the Pearson correlation coefficient, the coefficient of determination, or r2, and the Bland-Altman plot against the semiautomatic Agatston score at noncontrast CT. The cardiovascular risk categorization performance was evaluated using weighted κ based on the Agatston score (CAC score risk categories: 0-10, 11-100, 101-400, and >400). Results Two hundred forty patients (mean age, 60 years ± 11 [standard deviation]; 146 men) were evaluated. The positive correlation between the automatic deep learning CTA and semiautomatic noncontrast CT CAC score was excellent (Pearson correlation = 0.96; r2 = 0.92). The risk categorization agreement based on deep learning CTA and noncontrast CT CAC scores was excellent (weighted κ = 0.94 [95% CI: 0.91, 0.97]), with 223 of 240 scans (93%) categorized correctly. All patients who were miscategorized were in the direct neighboring risk groups. The proposed method's differences from the noncontrast CT CAC score were not statistically significant with regard to scanner (P = .15), sex (P = .051), and section thickness (P = .67). Conclusion A deep learning automatic calcium scoring method accurately quantified coronary artery calcium from CT angiography images and categorized risk. © RSNA, 2021 See also the editorial by Goldfarb and Cao et al in this issue.

Physiological and transcriptomic analyses reveal novel insights into the cultivar-specific response to alkaline stress in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.).

Soil alkalization severely limits plant growth and development, however, the mechanisms of alkaline response in plants remain largely unknown. In this study, we performed physiological and transcriptomic analyses using two alfalfa cultivars (Medicago sativa L.) with different sensitivities to alkaline conditions. The chlorophyll content and shoot fresh mass drastically declined in the alkaline-sensitive cultivar Algonquin (AG) following alkaline treatment (0-25 mM Na2CO3 solution), while the alkaline-tolerant cultivar Gongnong NO.1 (GN) maintained relatively stable growth and chlorophyll content. Compared with AG, GN had higher contents of Ca2+ and Mg2+; the ratios of Ca2+ and Mg2+ to Na+, proline and soluble sugar, as well as higher enzyme activities of peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) under the alkaline conditions. Furthermore, transcriptomic analysis identified three categories of alkaline-responsive differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the two cultivars: 48 genes commonly induced in both the cultivars (CAR), 574 genes from the tolerant cultivar (TAR), and 493 genes from the sensitive cultivar (SAR). Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses showed that CAR genes were mostly involved in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, lipid metabolism, and DNA replication and repair; TAR genes were significantly enriched in metabolic pathways, such as biosynthesis of amino acids and secondary metabolites including flavonoids, and the MAPK signaling pathway; SAR genes were specifically enriched in vitamin B6 metabolism. Taken together, the results identified candidate pathways associated with genetic variation in response to alkaline stress, providing novel insights into the mechanisms underlying alkaline tolerance in alfalfa.

Mechanism exploration of Gouqi-wentang formula against type 2 diabetes mellitus by phytochemistry and network pharmacology-based analysis and biological validation.

BACKGROUND: The Gouqi-wentang formula (GQWTF) is a herbal formula used by Academician Xiao-lin Tong for the clinical treatment of T2DM. GQWTF is beneficial to qi, nourishes Yin, clears heat, and promotes fluid production, but the effective components and their mechanism of action remain unclear. METHODS: The main components of GQWTF were detected by LC-MS, and the multi-target mechanisms of GQWTF in T2DM were elucidated using network pharmacology analysis, including target prediction, protein-protein interaction network construction and analysis, Gene Ontology (GO) terms, Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway annotation, and other network construction. Finally, the efficacy of the GQWTF was verified using biological experiments. RESULTS: First, the "herb-channel tropism" network suggested that GQWTF focuses more on treating diseases by recuperating the liver, which is considered as an important insulin-sensitive organ. Subsequently, a total of 16 active ingredients in GQWTF were detected and screened, and their biological targets were predicted. Then, "compound-target" network was constructed, where enrichment analysis of GQWTF targets reflected its potential pharmacological activities. After T2DM-related target identification, 39 cross targets of GQWTF and T2DM were obtained, and 30 key targets highly responsible for the beneficial effect of GQWTF on T2DM were identified by PPI analysis. GO analysis of these key targets showed that many biological processes of GQWTF in treating T2DM are key in the occurrence and development of T2DM, including components related to inflammatory/immune response, insulin, and metabolism. KEGG analysis revealed the regulation of multiple signalling pathways, such as insulin resistance, PPAR signalling pathway, FoxO signalling pathway, Fc epsilon RI signalling pathway, and pathways that influence diabetes primarily by regulating metabolism as well as other T2DM directly related pathways. Furthermore, a "formula-compound-pathway-symptom" network was constructed to represent a global view of GQWTF in the treatment of T2DM. CONCLUSIONS: This study explored the mechanism of action of GQWTF in T2DM by multi-component and multi-target multi pathways, which could provide a theoretical basis for the development and clinical application of GQWTF.

Interactions Between Therapeutics for Metabolic Disease, Cardiovascular Risk Factors, and Gut Microbiota.

With improved standards of living, the incidence of multiple metabolic disorders has increased year by year, especially major risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia, continues to increase. Emerging epidemiological data and clinical trials have shown the additional protective effects of some metabolic therapy drugs against cardiovascular diseases. A series of studies have found that these drugs may work by modulating the composition of gut microbiota. In this review, we provide a brief overview of the contribution of the gut microbiota to both metabolic disorders and cardiovascular diseases, as well as the response of gut microbiota to metabolic therapy drugs with cardiovascular benefits. In this manner, we link the recent advances in microbiome studies on metabolic treatment drugs with their cardiovascular protective effects, suggesting that intestinal microorganisms may play a potential role in reducing cardiovascular risk factors. We also discuss the potential of microorganism-targeted therapeutics as treatment strategies for preventing and/or treating cardiovascular disease and highlight the need to establish causal links between therapeutics for metabolic diseases, gut microbiota modulation, and cardiovascular protection.

Potential mechanism prediction of Cold-Damp Plague Formula against COVID-19 via network pharmacology analysis and molecular docking.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new global public health emergency. The therapeutic benefits of Cold‒Damp Plague Formula (CDPF) against COVID-19, which was used to treat "cold‒dampness stagnation in the lung" in Trial Versions 6 and 7 of the "Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for COVID-19", have been demonstrated, but the effective components and their mechanism of action remain unclear. METHODS: In this study, a network pharmacology approach was employed, including drug-likeness evaluation, oral bioavailability prediction, protein‒protein interaction (PPI) network construction and analysis, Gene Ontology (GO) terms, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway annotation, and virtual docking, to predict the bioactive components, potential targets, and molecular mechanism of CDPF for COVID-19 treatment. RESULTS: The active compound of herbs in CDPF and their candidate targets were obtained through database mining, and an herbs-ingredients-targets network was constructed. Subsequently, the candidate targets of the active compounds were compared to those relevant to COVID-19, to identify the potential targets of CDPF for COVID-19 treatment. Subsequently, the PPI network was constructed, which provided a basis for cluster analysis and hub gene screening. The seed targets in the most significant module were selected for further functional annotation. GO enrichment analysis identified four main areas: (1) cellular responses to external stimuli, (2) regulation of blood production and circulation, (3) free radical regulation, (4) immune regulation and anti-inflammatory effects. KEGG pathway analysis also revealed that CDPF could play pharmacological roles against COVID-19 through "multi components‒multi targets‒multi pathways" at the molecular level, mainly involving anti-viral, immune-regulatory, and anti-inflammatory pathways; consequently, a "CDPF-herbs-ingredients-targets-pathways-COVID-19" network was constructed. In hub target analysis, the top hub target IL6, and ACE2, the receptor via which SARS-CoV-2 typically enters host cells, were selected for molecular docking analyses, and revealed good binding activities. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed the active ingredients and potential molecular mechanism by which CDPF treatment is effective against COVID-19, and provides a reference basis for the wider application and further mechanistic investigations of CDPF in the fight against COVID-19.

Comparison of Antibacterial Effect of Cationic Peptide LL-37 and Cefalexin on Clinical Staphylococcus aureus-induced Infection after Femur Fracture Fixation.

OBJECTIVE: Antimicrobial peptides are widely present in nature, with many of the antimicrobial peptides having antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, fungi, parasites, and even coated viruses. Internal fixation of fractures is a reliable technique. However, the fracture is difficult to heal and internal fixation is not easy to maintain after infection. This study aims to verify the antibacterial effect of cationic peptide LL-37 on Staphylococcus aureus, explore the anti-biofilm effects of LL-37, and compare the effects of the cationic peptide LL-37 and Cefalexin in treatment of postoperative infection of femoral fracture in vivo. METHODS: The Staphylococcus aureus was clinically isolated from one patient with clinical infection after the fracture fixation at Wuxi 9th People's Hospital. The cationic peptide LL-37 was synthesized by Shanghai Apeptide Co. Ltd. To compare the effects of the cationic peptide LL-37 and Cefalexin in the treatment of postoperative infection of femoral fracture in vivo, 63 rabbits with internal fixation of femoral fractures were inoculated intravenously with clinically isolated pathogenic bacteria suspensions. Rabbits in the treatment groups were treated with peptide LL-37 and Cefalexin after surgery. Rabbits in the control groups were treated with physiological saline after surgery. The biofilms on internal fixtures were harvested from euthanized rabbits 1 h, 12 h, 1 day, 2 days, and 7 days after injection of LL-37, Cefalexin, or saline and calculated by colony count. The biofilms from treatment and control groups at 7 days were analyzed by fluorescence microscopy. Blood samples were collected at 1 h, 12 h, 1 day, 2 days, and 7 days following peptide LL-37 and Cefalexin injection. RESULTS: The results were compared statistically using Student's t-test or two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Cationic peptide LL-37 showed significant inhibitory effects on clinically isolated Staphylococcus aureus (P < 0.05) compared with Cefalexin and control group at 1 day (P = 0.021), 2 days (P = 0.019), and 7 days (P = 0.025). Fluorescent images of the biofilm reveal that the numbers of cells on biofilms are far less than those in the Cefalexin and control groups at 7 days. The levels of Interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and C-reactive protein (CRP) reached a maximum at 2 days following the operation. After the injection of LL-37, there was an increase in the serum IL-6, TNF-α, and CRP contents in rabbits in both groups, however from 1 day postoperative the level of IL-6 (P = 0.034), TNF-α (P = 0.043), and CRP (P = 0.039) decreased significantly compared to the Cefalexin and control group. At 7 days postoperative, the level of IL-6 (P = 0.029), TNF-α (P = 0.033), and CRP (P = 0.027) had reverted to normal levels in LL-37 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Cationic peptide LL-37 may be a promising agent to control internal femoral fracture fixation infection in vivo.

Role of IL-17 gene polymorphisms in osteoarthritis: A meta-analysis based on observational studies.

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic complex multifactorial joint disease, and a major degenerative form of arthritis. Existing studies on the association between polymorphisms of the IL-17 gene and the risk of OA in different populations have yielded conflicting findings. AIM: To investigate the association between polymorphisms of the IL-17 gene and the risk of OA. METHODS: We conducted a meta-analysis by systematically searching databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar to evaluate this association by calculating pooled odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Moreover, subgroup analyses stratified by ethnicity and OA type were also conducted. RESULTS: In a total of 6 citations involving 8 studies (2131 cases and 2299 controls), 4 single nucleotide polymorphisms were identified. Of these 4 polymorphisms, 2 (rs2275913, rs763780) were common in five case-control studies. Together, the pooled results revealed that the A allele and genotype AA/GA of the rs2275913 polymorphism, and the C allele and genotype CC of the rs763780 polymorphism in the IL-17 gene increased the risk of OA. Furthermore, stratification analyses by ethnicity and OA type showed that the rs2275913 polymorphism increased the risk of OA among Asians and in knee/hip OA, respectively. In addition, stratification analyses also revealed that the rs763780 polymorphism increased OA risk among both Asians and Caucasians in knee/hip OA. CONCLUSION: The rs763780 polymorphism of the IL-17F gene increased the risk of OA, whereas the rs2275913 polymorphism of the IL-17A gene increased the risk of OA only among Asians. Due to the limitations of this study, these findings should be validated in future studies.

A Novel Antidiabetic Monomers Combination Alleviates Insulin Resistance Through Bacteria-Cometabolism-Inflammation Responses.

The present study sought to examine the therapeutic effect of a novel antidiabetic monomer combination (AMC) in treating type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); while also elucidating the potential functional mechanism. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks to establish T2DM. The AMC group showed significant reduction in weight, fasting blood glucose (FBG), serum total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and experienced reduced insulin resistance based on oral glucose tolerance testing (OGTT) and hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp testing ("gold standard" for determining in vivo insulin sensitivity). Further, AMC restored the altered intestinal flora by increasing the abundance of the beneficial bacteria Akkermansia, and decreasing the number of harmful bacteria, including Bacteroides, Odoribacter, Prevotella 9, Alistipes, and Parabacteroides. Components of the host-microbial metabolome were also significantly changed in the AMC group compared to the HFD group, including hydroxyphenyllactic acid, palmitoleic acid, dodecanoic acid, linoleic acid, and erucic acid. Furthermore, AMC was found to inhibit inflammation and suppress signaling pathways related to insulin resistance. Lastly, spearman correlation analysis revealed relationships between altered microbial community and co-metabolite levels, co-metabolites and inflammatory cytokines. Hence, the potential mechanism responsible for AMC-mediated alleviation of insulin resistance was suggested to be involved in modulation of bacteria-cometabolism-inflammation responses.

Efficacy of Modified Qufeng Runmian Powder () on Acne Vulgaris with Syndromes of Dampness and Blood Stasis: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a Chinese medicine (CM) Modified Qufeng Runmian Powder (, MQFRMP) for the treatment of acne vulgaris with CM syndromes of dampness and blood stasis. METHODS: In this multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 220 acne vulgaris patients with CM syndrome of dampness and blood stasis were included and randomly assigned using a central area group random design to receive either MQFRMP or the placebo, with 110 cases in each group. MQFRMP or a placebo at 145 g/bag were administered once daily for 4 weeks, respectively. The primary index of efficacy was the effective rate according to the acne severity score (ASS). The secondary indices of efficacy included the changes in the dermatology life quality index (DLQI) score, VISIA scores (spots, pores, brown spots, porphyrins and red areas) and skin assessment (skin pH, sebum amount and hydration) according to a SOFT skin multianalyzer. RESULTS: (1) Follow-up: a total of 204 patients completed the follow-up, with 103 in the treatment group and 101 in the control group. (2) Effective rate: the total effective rate of the treatment group was significantly higher than the control group [83.5% (86/103) vs. 31.7% (32/101), P<0.01)] with 95% confidence interval of 39.3%-66.4%. (3) DLQI: DLQI scores were significantly decreased the treatment and control groups (both P<0.01), but the treatment group was more obvious than the placebo group (P<0.01). (4) VISIA scores: the scores of spots, brown spots and red areas in the treatment group decreased compared with baseline (P<0.05). In the control group, the scores of brown spots and pores decreased compared with baseline (P<0.05). The improvement was more obvious in the treatment group than in the control group for all items (P<0.05). (5) Skin assessment: the pH and sebum score in the both groups decreased drastically compared with the baseline (all P<0.01), however, the improvement was more obvious in the treatment group than in the control group (P<0.01). The hydration amount in the two groups showed no statistically significant difference compared with the baseline (both P>0.05). (6) Safety: two cases of mild drug allergy were observed in the treatment group. CONCLUSION: MQFRMP was effective and safe for the treatment of acne vulgaris with syndromes of dampness and blood stasis. (No. ChiCTR1900020479).

Whether Fire-needle Therapy Benefits Plaque Psoriasis: A Multicenter, Randomized, and Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effectiveness and safety of fire-needle therapy, an external approach of Chinese medicine in treating plaque psoriasis. METHODS: This study was a two-parallel-arm randomized controlled trial. A total of 151 participants with plaque psoriasis were randomly assigned to the fire-needle therapy group (treatment group, 76 cases) or the control group (75 cases) at a 1:1 allocation ratio using SAS software. All participants received Oral Huoxue Jiedu Decoction (, HXJDD) and applied externally vaseline cream twice a day. Participants in the treatment group received fire-needle therapy once weekly for 4 weeks plus HXJDD and vaseline cream applied the same as the control group. The primary outcome measure was Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score, and the secondary outcomes were Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQL), and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA), as well as Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome score and photos of target lesions. The indices were evaluated before and after treatment. RESULTS: Sixty-eight patients in each group completed the study. The treatment group has not yet achieved significant improvement in PASI score (P>0.05) compared to the control group. However, significant differences were found between the two groups in relieving CM syndrome (P<0.05) and improving quality of life (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Fire-needle appears to be safe and may have benefit for psoriasis, the short-term treatment and small sample size limit the conclusions of this study. Further rigorous randomized controlled trials with longer treatment are recommended.