Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a central neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive cognitive decline and memory impairment in clinical. Currently, there are no effective treatments for AD. In recent years, a variety of therapeutic approaches from different perspectives have been explored to treat AD. Although the drug therapies targeted at the clearance of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) had made a breakthrough in clinical trials, there were associated with adverse events. Neuroinflammation plays a crucial role in the onset and progression of AD. Continuous neuroinflammatory was considered to be the third major pathological feature of AD, which could promote the formation of extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. At the same time, these toxic substances could accelerate the development of neuroinflammation, form a vicious cycle, and exacerbate disease progression. Reducing neuroinflammation could break the feedback loop pattern between neuroinflammation, Aβ plaque deposition and Tau tangles, which might be an effective therapeutic strategy for treating AD. Traditional Chinese herbs such as Polygonum multiflorum and Curcuma were utilized in the treatment of AD due to their ability to mitigate neuroinflammation. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and indomethacin had been shown to reduce the level of inflammasomes in the body, and taking these drugs was associated with a low incidence of AD. Biosynthetic nanomaterials loaded with oxytocin were demonstrated to have the capability to anti-inflammatory and penetrate the blood-brain barrier effectively, and they played an anti-inflammatory role via sustained-releasing oxytocin in the brain. Transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells could reduce neuroinflammation and inhibit the activation of microglia. The secretion of mesenchymal stem cells could not only improve neuroinflammation, but also exert a multi-target comprehensive therapeutic effect, making it potentially more suitable for the treatment of AD. Enhancing the level of TREM2 in microglial cells using gene editing technologies, or application of TREM2 antibodies such as Ab-T1, hT2AB could improve microglial cell function and reduce the level of neuroinflammation, which might be a potential treatment for AD. Probiotic therapy, fecal flora transplantation, antibiotic therapy, and dietary intervention could reshape the composition of the gut microbiota and alleviate neuroinflammation through the gut-brain axis. However, the drugs of sodium oligomannose remain controversial. Both exercise intervention and electromagnetic intervention had the potential to attenuate neuroinflammation, thereby delaying AD process. This article focuses on the role of drug therapy, gene therapy, stem cell therapy, gut microbiota therapy, exercise intervention, and brain stimulation in improving neuroinflammation in recent years, aiming to provide a novel insight for the treatment of AD by intervening neuroinflammation in the future.

This study investigated the functions and regulatory mechanism of Portulacae Herba and its chemical components on the Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/myeloid differentiation primary response 88(MyD88)/nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB) inflammatory signaling pathway in the colon tissue of mice with dextran sodium sulfate(DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis(UC). A total of 35 mice were randomly divided into groups, including a blank group, a model group, a mesalazine group(0. 5 g·kg~(-1)), and low, medium,and high dose alkaloids from Portulacae Herba groups(9, 18, 36 mg·kg~(-1)), and a combination treatment group, with 5 mice in each group. The blank group was given purified water, while the other groups were continuously given a 3% DSS solution for 7 days to induce the UC model. From day 8 onwards, the treatment group received oral gavage according to the prescribed doses for 14 days. The overall condition, body weight, stool characteristics, and presence of blood in the stool were recorded daily. After the experiment, the disease activity index(DAI) was assessed for each group, and colon length was measured. Histopathological changes in colon tissue were examined using hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining. The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),and interleukin-1β( IL-1β) in serum were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay( ELISA). The protein and m RNA expression of TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB in colon tissue were measured using Western blot and quantitative real-time PCR(qPCR).Compared to the blank group, the model group showed a significant decrease in body weight, a notable increase in DAI scores, a significant shortening of colon length, and evident histopathological damage. The levels of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β in the serum were significantly elevated, and the protein and m RNA expression of TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB in colon tissue were significantly up-regulated. In contrast, the alkaloids from Portulacae Herba treatment groups significantly improved symptoms and reduced body weight loss in mice, decreased DAI scores, alleviated colon shortening, lowered serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1β,significantly down-regulated the expression levels of TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB proteins and genes in colon tissue, as well as reduced histopathological damage. Therefore, the study suggests that alkaloids from Portulacae Herba can alleviate intestinal inflammation damage in DSS-induced UC mice, with its mechanism involving the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway.
Animals ; Colitis, Ulcerative/immunology* ; Toll-Like Receptor 4/immunology* ; Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88/metabolism* ; Mice ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Male ; Alkaloids/administration & dosage* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Humans ; Female ; Colon/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal

BACKGROUND: Quantitative flow ratio (QFR) holds significant value in guiding drug-coated balloon (DCB) treatment and enhancing outcomes. However, the predictive capability of post-angioplasty QFR for long-term clinical events in patients with de novo lesions who receive DCB treatment remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to explore the potential significance of post-angioplasty QFR measurements in predicting clinical outcomes in patients underwent DCB treatment for de novo lesions. METHODS: Patients who underwent DCB-only intervention for de novo lesions were enrolled. QFR was conducted after DCB treatment. The patients were then categorized based on post-angioplasty QFR. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac events (MACE), encompassing all-cause death, cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke, and target vessel revascularization. RESULTS: A total of 553 patients with 561 lesions were included. The median follow-up period was 505 days, during which 66 (11.8%) MACEs occurred. Based on post-procedural QFR grouping, there were 259 cases in the high QFR group (QFR > 0.93) and 302 cases in the low QFR group (QFR ≤ 0.93). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a significantly higher cumulative incidence of MACE in the low QFR group (log-rank P = 0.004). The multivariate Cox proportional hazards model demonstrated a significant inverse correlation between QFR and the occurrence of MACEs (HR = 0.522, 95%CI: 0.289-0.942, P = 0.031). Landmark analysis indicated that high QFR had a significant reducing effect on the cumulative incidence of MACEs within 1 year (log-rank P = 0.016) and 1-5 years (log-rank P = 0.026). CONCLUSIONS In patients who underwent DCB-only treatment for de novo lesions, higher post-procedural QFR values (> 0.93) were identified as an independent protective factor against adverse prognosis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: To explore and quantify the association of hot night exposure during the sperm development period (0-90 lag days) with semen quality. METHODS: A total of 6,640 male sperm donors from 6 human sperm banks in China during 2014-2020 were recruited in this multicenter study. Two indices (i.e., hot night excess [HNE] and hot night duration [HND]) were used to estimate the heat intensity and duration during nighttime. Linear mixed models were used to examine the association between hot nights and semen quality parameters. RESULTS: The exposure-response relationship revealed that HNE and HND during 0-90 days before semen collection had a significantly inverse association with sperm motility. Specifically, a 1 °C increase in HNE was associated with decreased sperm progressive motility of 0.0090 (95% confidence interval [ CI]: -0.0147, -0.0033) and decreased total motility of 0.0094 (95% CI: -0.0160, -0.0029). HND was significantly associated with reduced sperm progressive motility and total motility of 0.0021 (95% CI: -0.0040, -0.0003) and 0.0023 (95% CI: -0.0043, -0.0002), respectively. Consistent results were observed at different temperature thresholds on hot nights. CONCLUSION Our findings highlight the need to mitigate nocturnal heat exposure during spermatogenesis to maintain optimal semen quality.
Humans ; Male ; Semen Analysis ; Adult ; Sperm Motility ; Hot Temperature/adverse effects* ; China ; Middle Aged ; Spermatozoa/physiology* ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can result in fatigue and post-exertional malaise; however, whether severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection exacerbates lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) is unclear. This study investigated the association between prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection and postpartum LUTS. METHODS: A multicenter, retrospective cohort study was conducted at two tertiary hospitals in China from November 1, 2022, to November 1, 2023. Participants were classified into infected and uninfected groups based on SARS-CoV-2 antigen results. LUTS prevalence and severity were assessed using self-reported symptoms and the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire-Short Form (IIQ-7). Pelvic floor muscle activity was measured using electromyography following the Glazer protocol. Group comparisons were performed to evaluate the association of SARS-CoV-2 infection with LUTS and electromyography parameters, with stratified analyses conducted using SPSS version 26.0. RESULTS: Among 3,652 participants (681 infected, 2,971 uninfected), no significant differences in LUTS prevalence or IIQ-7 scores were observed. However, SARS-CoV-2 infection was an independent factor influencing the electromyographic activity of the pelvic floor muscles (mean tonic contraction amplitudes), regardless of delivery mode ( P = 0.001). CONCLUSION Prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection was not significantly associated with an increased risk of postpartum LUTS but independently altered pelvic floor muscle electromyographic activity, suggesting potential neuromuscular effects.
Humans ; Female ; COVID-19/epidemiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Adult ; Pregnancy ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms/virology* ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/virology* ; China/epidemiology* ; Electromyography ; SARS-CoV-2/physiology* ; Pelvic Floor/physiopathology* ; Prevalence

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a central neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive cognitive dysfunction and behavioral impairment, and there is a lack of effective drugs to treat AD clinically. Existing medications for the treatment of AD, such as Tacrine, Donepezil, Rivastigmine, and Aducanumab, only serve to delay symptoms and but not cure disease. To add insult to injury, these medications are associated with very serious adverse effects. Therefore, it is urgent to explore effective therapeutic drugs for AD. Recently, studies have shown that a variety of enzyme inhibitors, such as cholinesterase inhibitors, monoamine oxidase (MAO)inhibitors, secretase inhibitors, can ameliorate cholinergic system dysfunction, Aβ production and deposition, Tau protein hyperphosphorylation, oxidative stress damage, and the decline of synaptic plasticity, thereby improving AD symptoms and cognitive function. Some plant extracts from natural sources, such as Umbelliferone, Aaptamine, Medha Plus, have the ability to inhibit cholinesterase activity and act to improve learning and cognition. Isochromanone derivatives incorporating the donepezil pharmacophore bind to the catalytic active site (CAS) and peripheral anionic site (PAS) sites of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which can inhibit AChE activity and ameliorate cholinergic system disorders. A compound called Rosmarinic acid which is found in the Lamiaceae can inhibit monoamine oxidase, increase monoamine levels in the brain, and reduce Aβ deposition. Compounds obtained by hybridization of coumarin derivatives and hydroxypyridinones can inhibit MAO-B activity and attenuate oxidative stress damage. Quinoline derivatives which inhibit the activation of AChE and MAO-B can reduce Aβ burden and promote learning and memory of mice. The compound derived from the combination of propargyl and tacrine retains the inhibitory capacity of tacrine towards cholinesterase, and also inhibits the activity of MAO by binding to the FAD cofactor of monoamine oxidase. A series of hybrids, obtained by an amide linker of chromone in combine with the benzylpiperidine moieties of donepezil, have a favorable safety profile of both cholinesterase and monoamine oxidase inhibitory activity. Single domain antibodies (such as AAV-VHH) targeted the inhibition of BACE1 can reduce Aβ production and deposition as well as the levels of inflammatory cells, which ultimately improve synaptic plasticity. 3-O-trans-p-coumaroyl maslinic acid from the extract of Ligustrum lucidum can specifically inhibit the activity of γ-secretase, thereby rescuing the long-term potentiation and enhancing synaptic plasticity in APP/PS1 mice. Inhibiting γ-secretase activity which leads to the decline of inflammatory factors (such as IFN-γ, IL-8) not only directly improves the pathology of AD, but also reduces Aβ production. Melatonin reduces the transcriptional expression of GSK-3β mRNA, thereby decreasing the levels of GSK-3β and reducing the phosphorylation induced by GSK-3β. Hydrogen sulfide can inhibitGSK-3β activity via sulfhydration of the Cys218 site of GSK-3β, resulting in the suppression of Tau protein hyperphosphorylation, which ameliorate the motor deficits and cognitive impairment in mice with AD. This article reviews enzyme inhibitors and conformational optimization of enzyme inhibitors targeting the regulation of cholinesterase, monoamine oxidase, secretase, and GSK-3β. We are hoping to provide a comprehensive overview of drug development in the enzyme inhibitors, which may be useful in treating AD.

Objective To study the change of lipidomics in chronic cadmium-exposed mice,thereby screening out lipid subclasses,lipid molecules and enriched metabolic pathways with significant differences.Methods Twelve SPF male C57BL/6J mice(8 weeks old)were randomly divided into the control group(normal water feeding)and the experimental group[cadmium water(0.6 mg/L of CdCl2)feeding],with 6 mice in each group.Mice were sacrificed after 6 months of cadmium exposure,and fresh liver tissues were collected immediately.Lipid oil red O staining and lipidomics analysis were performed on liver tissue.Results Compared with the control group,the liver tissue of mice in the experimental group did not appear red after lipid oil red O staining.Seventeen lipid subclasses with significant differences and 144 lipid molecules with significant differences were screened out by lipidomics.These lipid molecules with significant differences were enriched in glycerophospholipid metabolism,linoleic acid metabolism,alpha-linolenic acid metabolism,glycosylphosphati-dylinositol biosynthesis,glycerolipid metabolism and arachidonic acid metabolism by KEGG.Conclusion This study reveals that chronic cadmium exposure can induce the disorder of lipid subclasses and lipid metabolites in the liver of mice,which provides a basis for understanding the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease caused by chronic cadmium exposure.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between nutritional status and quality of life in inpatients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma and to analyze the factors affecting nutritional status,so as to provide evidence for clinical nutritional support treatment.Methods:In this study,we retrospectively collected data from patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria in the Head and Neck Oncology Department of Zunyi Medical University Affiliated Hospital from 2014 to 2019.The NRS 2002 scale was used for nutritional risk screening,the PG-SGA scale for nutritional status assessment and the EORTCQLQ-C30 V3.0 scale for quality of life assessment.To further explore the correlation between nutritional status and quality of life,as well as the factors affecting nutritional status.Results:A total of 216 patients were collected,including 168 male(77.78%);average age(50.5±10.58)years;26.85%were at nutritional risk(NRS 2002 score≥3);28.70%were moderate malnutrition(PG-SGA score 4-8),and 23.15%were severe malnutrition(PG-SGA score≥9).There were significant differences in several physical examinations(such as body weight,body mass index,muscle circumference at the midpoint of the upper arm,etc.)and blood biochemical indexes(such as prealbumin,neutrophils,urea nitrogen,etc.)of patients with different nutritional status were differed between groups(P<0.05).Univariate analysis showed that age≥65 years was a risk factor for the development of severe malnutrition(OR:3.429,95%CI:1.467 to 8.014,P=0.004),whereas a high level of education(senior high school and above)was a protective factor(OR:0.027,95%CI:0.011 to 0.064,P=0.000).The poorer the nutritional status of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients,the lower the quality of life.Conclusion:Nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients have a high incidence of malnutrition;the poorer the nutritional status of the patient,the lower the quality of life;routine nutritional diagnosis and treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients after admission to the hospital is recommended to improve clinical outcomes.

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of Guiyuan Shujin Mixture in the treatment of patients with lumbar disc herniation(LDH)and to explore its possible therapeutic mechanism.Methods Sixty-eight patients with LDH of qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome were randomly divided into trial group and control group,with 34 cases in each group.The control group was treated with Celecoxib Tablets and Mecobalamin Tablets orally,and the trial group was treated with Guiyuan Shujin Mixture on the basis of treatment for the control group.The course of treatment lasted for 4 weeks.Before and after treatment,the two groups were observed in the changes of the Visual Analogue Scale(VAS)score of low back pain and lower limb pain,Oswestry Disability Index(ODI)score,modified Japanese Orthopedic Association(JOA)score,serum levels of inflammatory factors of tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α),interleukin 6(IL-6)and interleukin 1β(IL-1β),and serum nuclear factor-κB p65(NF-κB p65)level.After treatment,the clinical efficacy and safety of the two groups were evaluated.Results(1)During the trial,one case fell off in the trial group and 3 cases fell off in the control group.Eventually,33 cases in the trial group and 31 cases in the control group were included for the efficacy statistics.(2)After 4 weeks of treatment,the total effective rate of the trial group was 96.97%(32/33),and that of the control group was 87.10%(27/31).The intergroup comparison(tested by rank sum test)showed that the curative effect of the trial group was significantly superior to that of the control group(P＜0.05).(3)After treatment,the VAS score and ODI score of low back pain and lower limb pain in the two groups were lower than those before treatment(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),and the modified JOA score was higher than that before treatment(P＜0.01).The decrease of VAS score and ODI score of low back pain and lower limb pain and the increase of modified JOA score in the trial group were significantly superior to those in the control group(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).(4)After treatment,the serum levels of inflammation-related indicators of TNF-α,IL-6,IL-1β and NF-κB p65 in the two groups were lower than those before treatment(P＜0.01),and the decrease in the trial group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P＜0.01).(5)During the treatment,the incidence of adverse events in the trial group was 2.94%(1/34)and that in the control group was 8.82%(3/34),and the difference between the two groups was not significant(P＞0.05).Conclusion Guiyuan Shujin Mixture exerts certain effect in the treatment of LDH patients with qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome.It can effectively relieve the pain symptoms of patients,improve the lumbar function of patients,and reduce the expression levels of serum inflammatory factors and NF-κB p65.The mechanism may be related with the decrease of the level of inflammatory factors and with the inhibition of the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway.