Fabrication and characterization of polymer optical waveguide Bragg grating for pulse signal sensing.

Polymer materials have the advantages of a low Young's modulus and low-cost preparation process. In this paper, a polymer-based optical waveguide pressure sensor based on a Bragg structure is proposed. The change in the Bragg wavelength in the output spectrum of the waveguide Bragg grating (WBG) is used to linearly characterize the change in pressure acting on the device. The polymer-based WBG was developed through a polymer film preparation process, and the experimental results show that the output signal of the device has a sensitivity of 1.275 nm/kPa with a measurement range of 0-12 kPa and an accuracy of 1 kPa. The experimental results indicate that the device already perfectly responds to a pulse signal. It has significant potential application value in medical diagnostics and health testing, such as blood pressure monitoring, sleep quality monitoring, and tactile sensing.

The efficacy and safety of Niaoduqing granules in the treatment of diabetic kidney disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the main cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal failure (ESRF), and the control of disease progression and adverse events during treatment needs to be improved. Objective: This study aimed to systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Niaoduqing granules (NDQG) in the treatment of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Method: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of NDQG for DKD from Chinese and English databases up to 31 August 2022 were included. The quality of the literature was assessed using the risk of bias tool of the Cochrane Handbook. At a 95% confidence interval (CI), relative risk (RR) and Cohen's d were used for the categorical and continuous variables, respectively, and Stata 16.0 software was used for statistical analysis. A funnel plot and Egger's tests were used to assess publication bias. Result: A total of 4,006 patients were included in 52 RCTs, including 1,987 cases in the control group and 2,019 cases in the treatment group. Compared with conventional treatment (CT), combined NDQG therapy is more effective in improving clinical efficiency [RR = 1.23, 95% confidence interval (1.17, 1.29), p < 0.001, I 2 = 53.17%], kidney function (urinary albumin excretion rate [SMD = -0.90, 95% CI (-1.14, -0.66), p < 0.001, I 2 = 78.19%], 24hUTP levels [SMD = -0.81, 95% CI (-1.08, -0.55), p < 0.001, I 2 = 87.08%], blood urea nitrogen [SMD = -0.54, 95% CI (-0.69, -0.39), p < 0.01, I 2 = 77.01%], SCr [SMD = -0.68, 95% CI (-0.90, -0.45), p < 0.001, I 2 = 89.97%], CCr [SMD = 0.76, 95% CI (0.10,1.42), p = 0.02, I 2 = 95.97%], and Cys-C [SMD = -1.32, 95% CI (-2.25, -0.40), p = 0.01, I 2 = 93.44%]), the level of glucose metabolism (fasting blood glucose [SMD = -0.18, 95% CI (-0.38, 0.03), p = 0.10, I 2 = 71.18%] and HbA1c [SMD = -0.42, 95% CI (-0.86, -0.02), p = 0.06, I 2 = 81.64%]), the level of lipid metabolism (total cholesterol [SMD = -0.70, 95% CI (-1.01, -0.39), p < 0.001, I 2 = 86.74%] and triglyceride [SMD = -0.61, 95% CI (-0.87,-0.36), p < 0.001, I 2 = 80.64%]), inflammatory factors (Hs-CRP [SMD = -1.00, 95% CI (-1.54, -0.46), p < 0.001, I 2 = 86.81%], IL-18 [SMD = -1.25, 95% CI (-1.58, -0.92), p < 0.001, I 2 = 0], and TNF-α [SMD = -1.28, 95% CI (-1.64, -0.91), p < 0.001, I 2 = 75.73%]), and indicators of oxidative stress (malondialdehyde [SMD = -0.88, 95% CI (-1.22, -0.54), p < 0.001, I 2 = 66.01%] and advanced oxidation protein products [SMD = -0.92, 95% CI (-1.85, 0.00), p < 0.001, I 2 = 90.68%]). In terms of improving uric acid [SMD = -1.59, 95% CI (-3.45, 0.27), p = 0.09, I 2 = 94.67%], 2hPG [SMD = -0.04, 95% CI (-0.61, 0.53), p = 0.89, I 2 = 84.33%], HDL-C [SMD = 0.71, 95% CI (0.02, 1.40), p = 0.04, I 2 = 87.43%], Hb [SMD = 0.11, 95% CI (-0.10, 0.32), p = 0.32, I 2 = 0.00]), and superoxide dismutase [SMD = 1.32, 95% CI (0.44, 2.20), p < 0.001, I 2 = 93.48%], the effect is not obvious. Adjuvant treatment with NDQG did not increase the incidence of adverse reactions in the control group [SMD = 0.98, 95% CI (0.71, 1.34), p = 0.89, I 2 = 1.59%]. Obvious publication bias was detected by funnel plot and Egger's test. Conclusion: Our meta-analysis showed that adjuvant treatment with NDQG has more advantages than conventional treatment alone in the DKD treatment, which could improve clinical efficiency, kidney function, the level of glucose metabolism, the level of lipid metabolism, inflammatory factors, and oxidative stress indicators. At the same time, it also showed that NDQG are relatively safe. However, more high-quality studies are needed to provide more reliable evidence for clinical use. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022373726, identifier CRD42022373726.

Invigorating spleen, replenishing qi and tonifying kidney method treatment of traditional Chinese medicine for myasthenia gravis: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease related to the production of autoantibodies. It is mediated by antibodies against acetylcholine receptor (AChR), muscle specific kinase (MuSK) or other AChR related proteins in the postsynaptic muscle membrane, which interfere with the transmission of signals at the neuromuscular junction, resulting in clinical symptoms of skeletal muscle weakness and fatigue, leading to the occurrence and development of MG. At present, the incidence rate of Mg is increasing year by year. At present, the method of invigorating spleen, replenishing qi and tonifying kidney in traditional Chinese medicine has been widely used in the clinical treatment of MG, and the effect is good. The purpose of this study was to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of the method of invigorating the spleen, supplementing qi and tonifying the kidney in the treatment of MG. METHODS: We will search from the following eight databases: PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science, CNKI, Sinomed, Wanfang, and Vip. All randomized controlled trial (RCT) literature has been searched and classified since the establishment of the database to date. In this study, two researchers independently screened and evaluated the quality of the retrieved literature. Cochrane risk bias assessment tool was used to evaluate the risk of bias. The meta-analysis uses RevMan 5.3 software provided by Cochrane Collaboration Network for meta analysis. RESULTS: This study compared the main outcome indicators: clinical response rate, recurrence rate, incidence of adverse reactions, quantitative myasthenia gravis score (QMG). Secondary outcomes were clinical absolute score, quality of life score (QOL), levels of inflammatory factors such as IL-6, IL-10, and serum acetylcholine receptor antibody (AChR-Ab) levels. CONCLUSION: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the method of invigorating the spleen, supplementing qi and tonifying the kidney in treating MG, and to provide evidence based medicine.

Silicon-photonics-based waveguide Bragg grating sensor for blood glucose monitoring.

We demonstrated the design of two different structures, a two-sided structure and a top-surface structure, of glucose waveguide Bragg grating (WBG) sensors in a single-mode silicon-on-insulator (SOI) chip. A two-sided WBG structure was fabricated, and chip preparation was realized by lithography and other processes. A photonic platform for testing the two-sided WBG using glucose was built and completed. When the blood glucose concentration changed by 1 mg/mL, the two-sided WBG had a wavelength offset of 78 pm. The experimental results show that the two structures can achieve the sensing of different blood glucose concentrations. The two-sided WBG had better sensing performance and thus has a wide range of application prospects.

Clinical efficacy and safety of astragalus injection combined with ACEI/ARB in the treatment of diabetic kidney disease: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Kidney disease is a common complication of diabetes and the main cause of end-stage renal disease. Astragalus (Huangqi) injection in combination with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (ACEI/ARBs) have been widely used for the treatment of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in China. However, no supporting evidence yet exists with regard to the safety and effectiveness of this approach. Here a protocol is outlined for use in systematic evaluation of the safety and effectiveness of astragalus injection combined with ACEI/ARB for the treatment of DKD. METHODS: Randomised controlled trials will be retrieved from 8 scientific databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE database, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, China Biomedical Literature CD-ROM Database and China Science Journal Database. Ongoing clinical trial databases will also be searched for studies published from the time of establishment of each database to September 1, 2022. that will include the Chinese Clinical Trial Registration Centre (www.chictr.org.cn/), the World Health Organisation International Trial Registration Platform (https://www.who.int/clinical-trials-registry-platform), Google Scholar (https://scholar.google.com/), Baidu Scholar (https://xueshu.baidu.com), etc. The main outcome indicators included urinary albumin excretion rate or 24-hour urinary albumin excretion rate, and renal function (blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine concentration). The secondary outcome indicators mainly include the following 4 aspects: blood sugar, blood pressure, blood lipid levels and adverse events. Two researchers will independently select and extract data from randomized controlled trials and determine risks of bias. Meta-analysis will be performed using Revman5.4 then the quality of evidence from randomized clinical trials will be assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) System tool. RESULTS: This review will be the first to summarize meta-analysis results regarding the efficacy and safety of Huangqi injection combined with ACEI/ARB when administered during any stage of diabetic nephropathy rather than during only a single stage of the disease. DISCUSSION: It will provide high-quality guidance for the treatment of diabetic kidney disease and provide patients with more treatment options.

Clinical efficacy and safety of Xuefu Zhuyu decoction in the treatment of diabetic kidney disease: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is one of the common complications of diabetes, the most crucial cause of end-stage renal disease, and a significant cause of death in diabetes patients. In recent years, Xuefu Zhuyu decoction has also been widely used in treating diabetic nephropathy. However, there need to be more systematic reviews that comprehensively describe the effectiveness and safety of Xuefu Zhuyu decoction in treating DKD. Therefore, we will conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the indicators of Xuefu Zhuyu decoction in the treatment of DKD to provide evidence-based support. METHODS: Eligible published randomized controlled trials from January 2005 to October 2022 will be obtained by searching PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP in Chinese and English. The Cochrane Collaboration Risk of bias tool will be used for methodological quality assessment and risk of bias. The meta-analysis will be performed using Cochrane RevMan 5.4 software. RESULTS: This study will compare the following indicators: the primary outcomes: urinary albumin excretion rate and urea nitrogen. Secondary outcomes: blood creatinine; 24 hours urine protein quantification; glycosylated hemoglobin; fasting blood glucose; 2-hour postprandial blood glucose; total cholesterol; triglycerides; total effective rate; incidence of adverse events. CONCLUSION: The results of this systematic review will provide an objective, evidence-based basis for judging the efficacy and safety of Xuefu Zhuyu decoction in treating DKD.

Polymeric Scaffolds for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Regenerative Medicine.

Dental, oral, and craniofacial (DOC) regenerative medicine aims to repair or regenerate DOC tissues including teeth, dental pulp, periodontal tissues, salivary gland, temporomandibular joint (TMJ), hard (bone, cartilage), and soft (muscle, nerve, skin) tissues of the craniofacial complex. Polymeric materials have a broad range of applications in biomedical engineering and regenerative medicine functioning as tissue engineering scaffolds, carriers for cell-based therapies, and biomedical devices for delivery of drugs and biologics. The focus of this review is to discuss the properties and clinical indications of polymeric scaffold materials and extracellular matrix technologies for DOC regenerative medicine. More specifically, this review outlines the key properties, advantages and drawbacks of natural polymers including alginate, cellulose, chitosan, silk, collagen, gelatin, fibrin, laminin, decellularized extracellular matrix, and hyaluronic acid, as well as synthetic polymers including polylactic acid (PLA), polyglycolic acid (PGA), polycaprolactone (PCL), poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG), and Zwitterionic polymers. This review highlights key clinical applications of polymeric scaffolding materials to repair and/or regenerate various DOC tissues. Particularly, polymeric materials used in clinical procedures are discussed including alveolar ridge preservation, vertical and horizontal ridge augmentation, maxillary sinus augmentation, TMJ reconstruction, periodontal regeneration, periodontal/peri-implant plastic surgery, regenerative endodontics. In addition, polymeric scaffolds application in whole tooth and salivary gland regeneration are discussed.

Yuquan pill enhance the effect of Western medicine in treatment diabetic nephropathy: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic nephropathy is glomerular sclerosis caused by diabetic microvascular disease, which is one of the most serious complications of diabetes. At present, the traditional treatment of diabetic nephropathy is mainly based on the control of blood pressure, blood sugar, blood lipids, and other basic treatments using angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker, the clinical reports of relying solely on angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor/ angiotensin receptor blocker to delay the course of diabetic nephropathy are not optimistic. Yuquan pill (YQP), a classic traditional Chinese medicine prescription, has clinical reports that it can effectively assist in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy with minimal side effects. However, there has been no systematic review of the YQP in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy. This article systematically evaluated the effectiveness and safety of YQP clinical applications. METHODS: The database search include seven databases, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, and Wanfang database. The search date was set as a randomized controlled trial from the establishment of the database to April 21, 2021. The main outcome indicators include urinealbumin excretion rate, serum creatinine, urea nitrogen, Total effective rate. The analysis software uses Stata 15. RESULTS: This study will analyze multiple outcome indicators such as clinical efficacy, urinary albumin excretion rate, blood creatinine value, urea nitrogen, and symptom scores. Provides a the latest evidence for YQP in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy (DN). CONCLUSION: The results of this study will provide evidence for the efficacy of YQP in the treatment of DN. INPLASY REGISTRATION NUMBER: INPLASY202150030.

Efficacy and safety of acupuncture combined with Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus: A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes has become a global public health problem and danger to human health. Diabetes is the main cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, and lower limb amputation. According to the latest epidemiological survey and research, the overall prevalence of diabetes in mainland China is 11.2%, of which type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) accounts for more than 90% acupuncture combined with Chinese herbal medicine have been widely used in the treatment of T2DM. However, we have not found a meta-analysis of their synergistic effects. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture combined with Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment of T2DM. METHOD: From inception up to September 20, 2021, the PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, AMED, Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP, CBM, and Wanfang databases will be searched. The publication date or language will not be limited. We will apply a combination of medical keywords, including "acupuncture", "Chinese herbal medicine", and "type 2 diabetes mellitus". We will also check other ongoing and unpublished studies in the clinical trial registry. At the same time, we will manually search all reference lists from relevant systematic reviews to find other eligible studies. We will use Review Manager software (REVMAN v5.3 Cochrane Collaboration) to meta-analyze the selected literature. The study for acupuncture combined with Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment of T2DM was a randomized controlled study. Two researchers will independently review the research selection, data extraction, and research quality assessments. Finally, we will observe the outcome measures. RESULTS: This study will generate evidence-based data on the treatment of T2DM with acupuncture combined with Chinese herbal medicine and will provide new ideas and treatment modalities to investigate in future research.

Effect of first-dimension column film thickness on comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatographic separation.

In comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC), samples experience two-dimensional separation implemented by a modulator which helps preserve the first-dimension separation and facilitates the second-dimension separation by periodically collecting, focusing and launching the material from the primary column onto the secondary column with a different stationary phase. Column overloading in GC x GC is a considerable problem, aggravated by the fact that two columns are involved. Broad first-dimension peaks of an analyte help produce smaller fractions of the analyte in the second-dimension, reducing the chance of secondary column overloading. One of the means to generate broad peaks in the first-dimension is to use thick film primary columns. A series of primary columns of various film thickness were tested in the study, and the results indicate that when other conditions are kept constant, 1 microm film columns often provide better resolution in both first and second-dimension but at the expense of a much longer separation time; 0.1 microm is clearly inadequate for GC x GC separation; 0.5 and 0.25 microm film columns seem to be the best compromises.