OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of compound preparation of Cordyceps sinensis and Tripterygium hypoglaucum (CSTHC) on survival time of grafted pigskin after allogeneic transplantation and its mechanism. METHODS: The pigskin was treated with CSTHC solution before allogeneic transplantation, and CSTHC ointment was applied for external use on the grafted pigskin after skin transplantation. Cyclosporine A (CsA) and normal saline were served as control. The survival time, the appearance and the histomorphological changes of the grafted pigskin were observed. The histomorphological changes of testicles in pigs were also examined. The CD4 and CD8 expressions in the grafted pigskins were measured by immunohistochemical method. The white blood cell count in peripheral blood and the liver and renal functions were also examined. RESULTS: The survival time of the grafted pigskin in the CSTHC-treated group was (28.50+/-3.26)d, which was much longer as compared with (10.60+/-1.52)d in the untreated group (P<0.01). The survival time of the grafted pigskin in the CsA-treated group was (28.33+/-3.50)d, and there was no remarkable difference in the survival time of the grafted pigskin between the CsA-treated group and the CSTHC-treated group. The expressions of CD4 and CD8 were lower in the CSTHC-treated group than those in the untreated group on the 7th and 14th day after skin graft (P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in the indices between the CSTHC-treated group and the CsA-treated group. The WBC count was higher in the untreated group than that in the CSTHC-treated group or CsA-treated group on the 7th day after skin graft (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: CSTHC can prolong the survival time of allogeneic grafted pigskin. Its mechanism of inhibiting the immunological rejection may relate to decreasing the expressions of CD4(+) and CD8(+) in the grafted pigskin and reducing the local inflammatory reaction.

Objective: To investigate the correlation between takeaway food consumption and poor sleep status of college students in Jiangxi Province, to provide a theoretical basis for poor sleep prevention and intervention among college students. Methods: A total of 2 610 college students were selected from a university in Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province by cluster stratified random sampling in May of 2018. The frequency and type of takeaway food consumption, sleep quality and drowsiness were investigated. Results: The detection rate of takeaway food consumption behavior(≥4 times in a week) for college students was 74.8%. The detection rates of poor sleep quality and drowsiness were 17.0% and 18.3%, respectively. The difference of sleep quality was statistically significant with sex, college, different self rated family conditions, study burden, physical activity level, depression and daily smoking ( χ 2=4.33，8.67，23.14，39.03，12.89，313.37，15.23， P <0.05). There were statistically significant differences between drowsiness and college, grade, learning burden, physical activity and depression ( χ 2=12.81，6.57，20.61，8.42，228.06， P <0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that takeaway consumption (≥4 times in a week) had statistical significance with poor sleep quality and drowsiness ( P <0.05). Conclusion College students takeaway consumption (≥4 times in a week) of rice noodles, malatang, fragrant pot hot pot increase the risk of poor sleep. It is suggested that schools should strengthen nutrition and health education for college students.

BACKGROUND:Intervertebral disc degeneration is the basis of spinal degenerative diseases;however,there is no effective treatment. OBJECTIVE:To investigate whether sinomenine can inhibit interleukin-1β-induced apoptosis in nucleus pulposus cells and its molecular mechanism. METHODS:Rat nucleus pulposus cells were cultured in vitro by trypsin combined with type II collagenase digestion,and the cell growth curve was plotted.An appropriate sinomenine concentration was determined using the cell counting kit-8 kit.Nucleus pulposus cells were divided into control group,sinomenine group,interleukin-1β group,sinomenine+interleukin-1β group,zinc protoporphyrin group,zinc protoporphyrin+sinomenine group,zinc protoporphyrin+interleukin-1β group,and sinomenine+zinc protoporphyrin+interleukin-1β group.Proliferative activity,reactive oxygen species content,apoptosis rate,and heme oxygenase-1 expression in nucleus pulposus cells were detected. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The rat nucleus pulposus cells cultured in vitro were polygonal,triangular,and short wedge-shaped,and the cell growth showed an"S"curve.The cells grew slowly in the first 3 days of culture,rapidly in 4-6 days,and slowly again in 7-8 days.The cells then entered the"platform stage"where the number of cells no longer increased.The proliferative activity of myeloid cells showed no significant changes when the concentration of sinomenine was≤80 μmol/L(P>0.05).Interleukin-1β significantly reduced the proliferative activity of nucleus pulposus cells,increased the content of reactive oxygen species and led to apoptosis(P<0.01).Sinomenine intervention not only promoted heme oxygenase-1 expression(P<0.05)but also inhibited interleukin-1β-induced decrease in proliferative activity and increase in reactive oxygen species content and apoptosis rate in nucleus pulposus cells(P<0.05).These effects could be reversed by zinc protoporphyrin(P<0.01).

BACKGROUND:Intervertebral disc degeneration is caused by damage and degeneration of the nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus tissues inside the intervertebral disc,resulting in structural and functional changes of the intervertebral disc.However,there is yet no effective drug treatment for intervertebral disc degeneration. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the inhibitory effect of syringin on intervertebral disc degeneration. METHODS:A total of 10 male Sprague-Dawley rats were selected,and the coccygeal intervertebral disc(Co4/Co5)of each rat was set as model group,Co5/Co6 intervertebral disc as syringin group,and Co6/Co7 intervertebral disc as control group.The control group did not receive any treatment.In the model group and syringin group,a miniature puncture needle was used to puncture the annulus fibrosus to establish an intervertebral disc degeneration model.Immediately after modeling,2.5 μL of normal saline and syringin solution(5 μmol/L)were given in the model and syringin groups,respectively.Four weeks after injection,the samples were taken.The degree of intervertebral disc degeneration in rats was observed by hematoxylin-eosin and safranine O-fast green staining.The expressions of type Ⅱ collagen,aggrecan and matrix metalloproteinases 3 and 13 in intervertebral disc tissue were analyzed by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that in the model group,the height of intervertebral disc decreased,the cartilage endplate became thinner and cracked,the fibrous ring structure was disordered and cracked,and the nucleus pulposus disappeared;in the syringin group,the height of intervertebral disc was normal or slightly lower than that in the control group,the degree of cartilage endplate degeneration was lighter than that in the model group,the fiber circle permutation was relatively regular with no cracks,and the nucleus pulposus was partially shrunk.Safranine O-fast green staining showed that in the model group,the cartilage endplate of the intervertebral disc was defective and the calcified layer of cartilage became thinner,showing obvious degeneration.The structure and morphology of intervertebral disc cartilage endplate in the syringin group recovered to some extent.Immunohistochemical staining showed that,compared with the control group,the expressions of type Ⅱ collagen and aggrecan in the intervertebral disc cartilage were decreased in the model group(P<0.000 1),while the expressions of matrix metalloproteinases 3 and 13 increased(P<0.000 1).Compared with the model group,the expressions of type Ⅱ collagen and aggrecan in the intervertebral disc cartilage tissue were increased in the syringin group(P<0.001,P<0.000 1),while the expressions of matrix metalloproteinases 3 and 13 decreased(P<0.001,P<0.000 1).These results showed that syringin could improve the structure and function of intervertebral disc by inhibiting the expression of matrix metalloproteinases 3 and 13 and increasing the expression of type Ⅱ collagen and aggrecan,thus preventing and slowing down the procession of intervertebral disc degeneration.

Nucleotide binding oligomeric dome-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3） inflammasome is an intracellular sensing protein complex， and it is an important player in the innate immune system， capable of sensing foreign pathogens and endogenous danger signals. After tissue injury， the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome induces the release of the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin （IL）-1β and IL-18， while promoting gasdermin D-mediated pyroptosis. Existing studies have shown that NLRP3 inflammasome plays a key role in the occurrence and development of common bone and joint diseases such as osteoporosis， osteoarthritis， rheumatoid arthritis， and gouty arthritis by inducing inflammatory cascade reaction and accelerating bone resorption and cartilage destruction. Therefore， blocking the NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway may be an effective strategy to treat or prevent bone and joint diseases. Currently， researchers have developed and tested several drugs that selectively target the NLRP3 inflammasome in animal and clinical studies， but the progress has been poor due to obvious side effects and high prices. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has been widely recognized in the treatment of bone and joint diseases due to its unique advantages of multi-target， multi-pathway， multi-mechanism synergism， low price， and low side effects. With the deepening of research， the targeted intervention of NLRP3 inflammasome by TCM in the treatment of bone and joint diseases has attracted wide attention. In this paper， the mechanism of NLRP3 inflammasome in osteoarthritis was summarized by analyzing relevant literature in China and abroad in recent years， and the progress of targeted intervention of NLRP3 inflammasome by TCM in the treatment of bone and joint diseases was systematically reviewed， so as to provide new ideas and theoretical basis for the treatment of bone and joint diseases.