The efficacy of Da Chaihu decoction combined with metformin tablets for type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of Da Chaihu decoction combined with metformin tablets on patients with type 2 diabetes compared with metformin alone. METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis is written based on 2020 PRISMA Extension for Chinese Herbal Medicines 2020 (PRISMA-CHM 2020) reporting guidelines. We reviewed all the relevant studies from a search of the following databases from inception to February 2022 without any language restriction: Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE), Google Scholar, PubMed, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP Information, Wanfang Data, and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database(CBM). Data were extracted and the quality was independently evaluated by two reviewers, based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were analyzed using the Cochrane software RevMan 5.3. RESULTS: Six randomized controlled trials comprising 516 participants were included. The meta-analysis revealed the Da Chaihu decoction combined with metformin tablets group was significantly superior to the metformin tablets group in terms of fasting blood glucose(FPG) (-0.66 mmol/L; 95 % CI (confidence intervals) [- 1.28, - 0.04]), plasma glucose 2 h after meal (2-h PG) (-1.18 mmol/L; 95 % CI [-1.94, -0.42]) in six RCTs, body mass index (BMI) (-3.07 mmol/L; 95 % CI [-6.89, 0.75]) in three RCTs, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbAlc) (-0.36 mmol/L; 95 % CI [-1.04, 0.31]) in three RCTs, and triglycerides (TG) (-0.76 mmol/L; 95 % CI [-1.37, -0.15]) in two RCTs. In two RCTs, there were significant differences in terms of total cholesterol (TC) (-0.97 mmol/L; 95 % CI [-1.18, -0.76]). CONCLUSIONS: Very low-quality research shows that Da Chaihu decoction combined with metformin tablets exert a certain level of efficacy on patients with type 2 diabetes compared with metformin alone. However, random sequence generation methodology was reported in five studies leading to the low quality of the included studies. None of the six studies depicted the blinding method, allocation concealment, selective reporting, and assessed the purity and potency of the product. This observation requires verification through high-quality, multi-center, double-blinded randomized controlled trials, and assesses the purity and potency of the product.

Betel quid chewing and oral potential malignant disorders and the impact of smoking and drinking: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Oral potential malignant disorders (OPMDs) are a precancerous condition of oral disease. Several studies have found that betel quid chewing, smoking and alcohol drinking might be the risk factors of OPMDs. But the relationships of them, especially their interaction are still inconclusive. AIM: To evaluate the relationship between betel quid chewing and OPMDs and to explore the interaction of smoking and alcohol drinking on the relationship. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and the Cochrane Library databases with items complete until January 2021 for relevant studies. The research data were extracted according to the inclusion criteria. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate the effect size. Subgroup analysis was performed to assess interactions between exposures and OPMDs. Relative excess risk of interaction (RERI) was used to estimate the size of interaction. RESULTS: Nine articles were selected in the final meta-analysis. The results showed that betel quid chewing (pooled OR: 8.70, 95%CI: 5.18-14.61), alcohol consumption (pooled OR: 1.95, 95%CI: 1.5-2.55), and smoking (pooled OR:4.35, 95%CI: 3.06-6.2) could significantly increase the risk of OPMDs compared to individuals without these behaviors. Smoking and alcohol drinking synergistically increased the association between betel quid chewing and OPMDs (pooled OR(BQ+SM):14.38, 95%CI: 7.14-28.95; pooled OR(BQ+DK): 11.12, 95%CI: 8.00-15.45, respectively). The RERI(BQ+SM) and RERI(BQ+DK) were 2.33 and 1.47, respectively. CONCLUSION: The synergistic effects between smoking/drinking and betel quid highlights the importance of focusing on individuals with multiple exposures. Further study should be conducted to confirm these interactions.

[Plant species diversity of Carex peat mire in Changbai Mountains, China]. / é•¿ç™½å±±åŒºè‹”è‰æ³¥ç‚­æ²¼æ³½æ¤ç‰©ç‰©ç§å¤šæ ·æ€§.

We investigated the plant species richness both in cespitose Carex mires (C. schmidtii, C. meyeriana) and non-cespitose Carex mire (C. lasiocarpa) in Changbai Mountain. A total of 83 species (36 families, 59 genuses) was recorded in three sites. Among which, 71 species occurred in the C. meyeriana site, 61 species in the C. schmidtii site, and 26 species in the C. lasiocarpa site. The total species number and species richness in the two cespitose Carex mires were much higher than that in the non-cespitose Carex mire, while those on tussocks were much higher than between tussocks in the two cespitose Carex mires. Plant species richness on tussocks was positively related to the height, basal circumference and surface area of the tussocks, suggesting that tussocks were important for plant species diversity in Carex mires. Results of the canonical correspondence analysis indicated that the differences in soil water content, nutrient (soil organic carbon, total N, total P and C/N), and litter layer depth were the main factors influencing the differences of plant community composition on tussocks and between-tussocks. In the cespitose Carex mires, the hummock-hollow microtopography could foster high diversity by increasing surface area and creating multiple micro-habitats. Given its function in maintaining high species diversity, cespitose Carex could be a preferred species for vegetation restoration in degraded peat mires.

Integrative transcriptome, proteome, phosphoproteome and genetic mapping reveals new aspects in a fiberless mutant of cotton.

To investigate the molecular mechanisms of fiber initiation in cotton (Gossypium spp.), an integrated approach combining transcriptome, iTRAQ-based proteome and genetic mapping was taken to compare the ovules of the Xuzhou 142 wild type (WT) with its fuzzless-lintless (fl) mutant at -3 and 0 day post-anthesis. A total of 1,953 mRNAs, 187 proteins, and 131 phosphoproteins were differentially expressed (DE) between WT and fl, and the levels of transcripts and their encoded proteins and phosphoproteins were highly congruent. A functional analysis suggested that the abundance of proteins were mainly involved in amino sugar, nucleotide sugar and fatty acid metabolism, one carbon pool for folate metabolism and flavonoid biosynthesis. qRT-PCR, Western blotting, and enzymatic assays were performed to confirm the regulation of these transcripts and proteins. A molecular mapping located the lintless gene li3 in the fl mutant on chromosome 26 for the first time. A further in-silico physical mapping of DE genes with sequence variations between fl and WT identified one and four candidate genes in the li3 and n2 regions, respectively. Taken together, the transcript abundance, phosphorylation status of proteins at the fiber initiation stage and candidate genes have provided insights into regulatory processes underlying cotton fiber initiation.

[Genome-wide analysis of the LPAAT gene family in Gossypium raimondii and G. arboreum, and expression analysis of its orthologs in G. hirsutum].

Lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase (LPAAT) which converts lysophosphatidic acid into phosphatidic acid is a key enzyme in biosynthesis pathway of lipid in plants. In this study, we identified 17 members of the LPAAT gene family from genomic data of G. raimondii-D5 and G. arboreum-A2. Analysis of gene structure, chromosome distribution and phylogenetic evolution of LPAAT genes in diploid Gossypium using bioinformatics approaches showed that these genes can be divided into distinct subfamilies based on the distance of their genetic relationship. Moreover, the gene structures were similar within LPAAT subfamily members. The amino acid sequences encoded by LPAAT family genes contained three conserved motifs, including ΦFPEGTR-G binding site and Φ-NHQS- ΦDΦΦ catalytic site. Phylogenetic analysis of LPAAT gene family demonstrated significant differences in evolution of LPAAT in different species. Finally, expression analysis of G. hirsutum ovules in different stages from RNA-seq and qRT-PCR data indicated that LPAAT gene may play a positive role in oil accumulation. Our studies facilitate understanding of the function of LPAAT gene family in Gossypium and selecting better LPAAT genes for further functional validation.

[Study on the time of retention and related influencing factors of patients receiving methadone maintenance treatment in Hunan province].

OBJECTIVE: to explore the current situation and related influencing factors on the retention time of patients receiving methadone maintenance treatment (MMT). METHODS: Information on basic situation and daily treatment of the patients were collected from the 7 MMT clinics opened in the pro-two batch in Hunan province. Retention rate and influencing factors were analyzed. RESULTS: (1) The retention rates after 6 and 12 months of MMT became 72.06% and 49.65% respectively. (2) The retention rates of high-dosage group and low-dosage group were 85.03% and 68.03% after 6 months on MMT program while became 60.48% and 46.28% after 12 months of MMT respectively. (3) The mean retention time of HIV+ patients and HIV patients were 9.46 months and 8.62 months respectively during the 12 months follow-up observation, showing a significant difference. (4) Patients who took large dose methadone, did not share needles, at older age or HIV+, were prone to keep MMT at a long period. CONCLUSION: The retention rates for 6 months and 12 months in the MMT program in Hunan province were similar to the national data. Dose, type of drug abuse, age and HIV status were related to the period of retention.

[Quality of life for drug abusers accepting methadone maintenance treatment].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the change and influence factors of quality of life QOL for drug abusers who accepted methadone maintenance treatment (MMT). METHODS: The questionnaire of QOL-BRIEF was used to measure the level of QQL when patients just entered the study and 6 months after the treatment respectively. The effect of therapy and characteristic of patients on change of QOL was analyzed. RESULTS: The scores in physiological domain, psychological domain, and the total score obviously increased after the treatment. There was no significant difference in the change of QOL between the patients of different dose groups. The QOLs of males and patients with long-time drug use improved significantly after the treatment. CONCLUSION: MMT can raise the QOL of drug abusers. Gender and time of drug use may be the risk factors of QOL improvement.

[Years of potential life of residents among different flood areas in Hunan province].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the damage of different types of floods on the residents health. METHODS: The methods of standard mortality rate (SMR) and years of potential life lost (YPLL) were used to analyze the death of sample residents from flood areas in Dongting Lake in Hunan province. RESULTS: The order of death causes in the soaked area, the collapsed area and the non-flood area was the same. But the mortality rates of residents injury, poisoning and malignant neoplasm diseases in the soaked area and the collapsed area were higher than those of non-flood area. The resident standard rates of years of potential life lost (SYPLL) in the soaked area and the collapsed area were higher than that of the controls, especially in the age group of 30 to 45. The flood-attributed SYPLL in the male was higher than that of the female. CONCLUSION: Flood actually affected the health of residents. The more serious the flood is, the worse the effect is. It is very important to decrease the resident mortality rate of the injury, poisoning and malignant neoplasm, and to pay attention to protect people of 30 to 45 years old in flood areas.

A functional single nucleotide polymorphism site detected in nasopharyngeal carcinoma-associated transforming gene Tx.

Tx is a transforming gene cloned from a nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cell line CNE2. Sequence analysis revealed that Tx encoded an aberrant immunoglobulin kappa light chain, which is abnormally expressed in epithelial tumor cells and plays an important role in nasopharyngeal carcinogenesis. Bioinformatic analysis confirmed the presence of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) site in the Tx gene as matched to the Cancer Genome Anatomy Project SNP clusters database, which predicted 8 candidate SNP sites. Distribution of the confirmed SNP site in the genomes of healthy individuals and NPC patients was analyzed by denaturing high performance liquid chromatography. Heteroduplex genotype (GC/CG) occurred in NPC patients with a frequency significantly higher (52.44%) than that detected in healthy individuals (33.75%). In contrast, homoduplex genotype (GG) was less frequent in NPC patients (31.70%) than in normal individuals (56.25%), suggesting that heteroduplex genotype of Tx gene might be a risk factor for NPC.

[A study on the health status of residents affected by flood disasters].

OBJECTIVE: To study the immediate and long-term effects of disasters caused by floods on residents health status. METHODS: Stratified sampling by ranks of flood disaster occurred in 1996 and 1998, flood disaster areas and control areas were carried out. A retrospective study was also carried out to study all diseases involved during 1996 - 1999. RESULTS: The incident rates of acute infectious disease in flooding areas in 1996 and 1998 were both higher than those of non-flooding areas (863.181/100 000 and 736.591/100 000, respectively). But there was no different between the incident rate of the first years in flooding areas and that of non-flooding areas. The prevalence rates of 8 kinds of chronic diseases related to circulatory system, nervous system, digestive system, injury and poisonous diseases in flooding areas were also higher than that in the non-flooding areas. The highest incidence rates of most diseases were in the mountainous flooding areas, followed by areas collapsed by flooding, and the lowest were seen in soakedareas by floods. The incidence rates of intestinal infectious diseases and respiratory infectious diseases were lower in areas where prevention and control measures were weak. CONCLUSION: Flood could lead to the increase of incidence rates both on acute infectious diseases and non-infectious diseases. Interventions on non-infectious diseases should also be enforced to stop the epidemics when preventing and controlling acute infectious disease.