Grounded in the theory of "all marrows dominated by brain", this study explored the therapeutic mechanism of Zuogui Pills in modulating the oxytocin(OXT)/oxytocin receptor(OXTR) feed-forward loop in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis(PMOP). A PMOP rat model was established using ovariectomy, and 70 Sprague-Dawley female rats were randomly divided into the following groups: sham operation group, model group, estradiol group(17β-estradiol, 0.05 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), Zuogui Pills low, medium, and high dose groups(0.2, 0.4, 0.8 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1), respectively), and an antagonist group(atosiban 0.9 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1) + 17β-estradiol 0.05 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1) + Zuogui Pills 0.4 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)). After 12 weeks of model establishment, treatment was administered by gavage once daily for another 12 weeks, followed by sample collection. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to measure serum levels of estrogen(E_2), OXT, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase(TRACP-5b), and bone alkaline phosphatase(BALP). Histopathological changes in the left distal femur were observed through hematoxylin and eosin(HE) staining. Micro-computed tomography(micro-CT) was used to analyze the microstructure of the right distal femur. Western blot was employed to detect the expression levels of OXTR, small GTP-binding protein Ras, Raf1 proto-oncogene(Raf1), mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1/2(MEK1/2), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2(ERK1/2), and their phosphorylated forms in tibial tissues. Compared with the model group, the Zuogui Pills medium and high dose groups showed significantly increased levels of E_2, OXT, and BALP, with a notable decrease in TRACP-5b levels. Morphologically, the trabeculae in the left distal femur were more tightly arranged. The fibrous structure in the right distal femur was significantly improved in the Zuogui Pills high dose group. Additionally, the expression of OXTR, Ras, p-Raf1, p-MEK1/2, and p-ERK1/2 proteins in tibial tissues was significantly increased. The therapeutic effect of the Zuogui Pills high dose group was partially inhibited when an OXTR antagonist was administered. These findings suggest that Zuogui Pills can regulate the OXT/OXTR feed-forward loop, activate the phosphorylation of the downstream Ras/Raf1/MEK/ERK signaling pathway, and ultimately improve bone mineral density, thereby exerting therapeutic effects in PMOP.
Animals ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; Female ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Oxytocin/genetics* ; Receptors, Oxytocin/genetics* ; Humans ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal/genetics* ; Bone and Bones/drug effects* ; Brain/drug effects* ; Bone Marrow/drug effects*

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical symptoms and MRI outcomes of patients with ruptured lumbar disc herniation(LDH) through a multicenter randomized controlled study, and to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Yiqi Huoxue formula() in the treatment of this disease. METHODS: A total of 160 outpatients and inpatients with ruptured LDH admitted to 4 medical centers from January 2023 to June 2023 were selected and randomly divided into the Yiqi Huoxue formula group and the control group, with 80 patients in each group. In the Yiqi Huoxue formula group, there were 43 males and 37 females, with an age of (41.03±9.56) years and a disease duration of (10.45±25.37) days, and the patients were treated with Yiqi Huoxue formula. In the control group, there were 34 males and 46 females, with an age of (42.14±8.73) years and a disease duration of (11.31±21.14) days;during the acute phase, patients in this group could take celecoxib capsules orally, and methylcobalamin orally at the same time. The Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, Oswestry disability index (ODI), changes in the volume of herniated disc tissue on MRI, herniation rate, and absorption rate were recorded at the time of enrollment and during follow-ups at the 3rd, 6th, and 12th month after treatment. RESULTS: A total of 156 patients completed the clinical follow-up, and 4 patients withdrew midway. The clinical symptoms of all patients who completed the study were relieved to varying degrees, and reabsorption of herniated disc tissue was observed in all patients in the Yiqi Huoxue formula group after treatment. For the JOA score:in the Yiqi Huoxue formula group, it was (10.73±2.76) points before treatment and (24.65±2.19) points at the 12th month after treatment;in the control group, it was (11.01±1.20) points before treatment and (17.07±3.26) points at the 12th month after treatment. For the ODI score:in the Yiqi Huoxue formula group, it was (26.21±3.55) points before treatment and (5.65±2.19) points at the 12th month after treatment;in the control group, it was (27.92±2.51) points before treatment and (9.09±2.15) points at the 12th month after treatment. At the 12th month after treatment, the JOA and ODI scores of both groups were better than those before treatment, and the scores of the Yiqi Huoxue formula group were better than those of the control group, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). In terms of the herniated disc volume and herniation rate on MRI, the Yiqi Huoxue formula group was superior to the control group, with statistically significant differences(P<0.05). Reabsorption occurred in 56.96%(45/79) of patients in the Yiqi Huoxue formula group, which was significantly higher than the 37.66%(29/77) in the control group. CONCLUSION After treatment with Yiqi Huoxue formula, patients with ruptured LDH show significant improvement in clinical symptoms and a marked reduction in the volume of herniated discs. During the follow-up period, no obvious adverse drug reactions are observed in patients, and no recurrence of symptoms is found at the last follow-up, indicating that the formula has safe and reliable efficacy.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement/drug therapy* ; Adult ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Middle Aged ; Lumbar Vertebrae

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical efficacy of moxibustion (Mox) combined with low-dose tadalafil (TAD) in the treatment of diabetes mellitus-induced erectile dysfunction (DMED) with the syndrome of Qi deficiency and blood stasis. METHODS: According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, we selected 90 patients with DMED for this trial and equally randomized them into a Mox, a TAD, and a Mox combined with TAD (Mox+TAD) group to be treated by mild Mox applied to the acupoints Zusanli, Sanyinjiao and Yinlingquan qd alt, oral medication with low-dose TAD at 5 mg per dose qd, and combination of the above two therapies, respectively, all for 4 weeks. We obtained from the patients their IIEF-5 scores, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptoms scores, Erectile Hardness Scale (EHS) scores, corpus cavernosal hemodynamic indexes, and the peak systolic velocity (PSV), end diastolic velocity (EDV) and resistance index (RI) of the corpus cavernosal arteries before and after treatment, and compared them among the three groups. RESULTS: The total effectiveness rate was significantly higher in the Mox+TAD (90.0%) than in the Mox (46.7%) and TAD groups (60.0%) (P< 0.05). Compared with the baseline, the IIEF-5 and EHS scores were increased, while the TCM symptoms scores decreased in all the three groups after treatment, more significantly in the Mox+TAD group than in the other two (P< 0.05). And the PSV and RI were remarkably increased, while the EDV decreased (P< 0.05) in all the three groups (P< 0.05) after treatment, with PSV even higher in the Mox+TAD than in the Mox and TAD groups (P< 0.05). CONCLUSION Moxibustion combined with tadalafil has a definite efficacy and safety for the treatment of DMED, which can effectively improve the erectile function of the patients by increasing penile blood supply, benefiting qi and activating blood circulation.
Humans ; Male ; Tadalafil ; Erectile Dysfunction/etiology* ; Moxibustion ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Adult ; Carbolines/administration & dosage* ; Diabetes Complications/therapy* ; Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Combined Modality Therapy

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality based on the 10-year population-based multicenter prospective study. METHODS: A general population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted at four sites in rural China between 2013 and 2023. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the association between BMI and mortality. Stratified analyses were performed based on the individual characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: Overall, 19,107 participants with a sum of 163,095 person-years were included and 1,910 participants died. The underweight (< 18.5 kg/m ²) presented an increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [ aHR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.66-2.41), while overweight (≥ 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m ²) and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m ²) presented a decrease with an aHR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.52-0.73) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37-0.70), respectively. Overweight ( aHR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86) and mild obesity ( aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.87) had a positive impact on mortality in people older than 60 years. All-cause mortality decreased rapidly until reaching a BMI of 25.7 kg/m ² ( aHR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98) and increased slightly above that value, indicating a U-shaped association. The beneficial impact of being overweight on mortality was robust in most subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION This study provides additional evidence that overweight and mild obesity may be inversely related to the risk of death in individuals older than 60 years. Therefore, it is essential to consider age differences when formulating health and weight management strategies.
Humans ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Adult ; Mortality ; Cause of Death ; Obesity/mortality* ; Overweight/mortality*

Objective To construct a discharge preparation program for patients after total laryn-gectomy led by specialist nurses and explore its application effects.Methods A multidisciplinary team was established to construct a discharge preparation program for patients after total laryngectomy led by specialist nurses based on Meleis's transition theory.A total of 120 patients who underwent to-tal laryngectomy from April 2023 to October 2024 were selected as the study subjects.A total of 60 patients admitted from April to December 2023 were set as control group,and 60 patients admitted from January to October 2024 were set as intervention group.The intervention group implemented the discharge preparation program for patients after total laryngectomy led by specialist nurses,while the control group received conventional perioperative management after total laryngectomy.The discharge readiness,quality of discharge instruction,and incidence of complications during hospitalization on the day of discharge were compared between the two groups.Additionally,the scores of home health care experience at 1 and 3 months after discharge were compared between the two groups.Results On the day of discharge,the scores of each dimension and the total score of the discharge readinessscale in the intervention group were higher than those in the control group.The scores of the dimensions("Actually received content"and"Discharge instruction skills and effects")and the total score of the Quality of Discharge Instruction Scale in the intervention group were higher than those in the control group,with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).The total incidence of complications during hospitalization in the intervention group was lower than that in the control group,with a sta-tistically significant difference(P＜0.05).At 1 and 3 months after discharge,the scores of the home health care experience scale in the intervention group were higher than those in the control group,with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).Conclusion The construction of a dis-charge preparation service program for patients after total laryngectomy led by specialist nurses based on Meleis's transition theory can effectively improve the discharge readiness and quality of discharge instruction of patients undergoing total laryngectomy,reduce the incidence of complications,and im-prove the prognosis and early home health care level.

Diabetic kidney disease(DKD)is one of the most important complications of diabetes.In recent years,domestic and foreign studies have found that mammalian target protein of rapamycin(mTOR)related signaling pathway is a classic pathway involved in the regulation of autophagy,which can achieve the therapeutic effect of DKD by targeting the autophagy pathway,and plays a crucial role in the prevention and treatment of DKD.In this paper,we reviewed the mechanism of mTOR-related signaling pathway targeted autophagy in the prevention and treatment of DKD,in order to provide a new reference and basis for clinical prevention and treatment of DKD.

Objective To investigate the inhibitory effect of Ginsenosides Rg1(GS-Rg1)on the proliferation and metastasis of tongue squamous cell carcinoma(TSCC),and its related mechanisms of action.Methods TSCC cells were treated with GS-Rg1 at concentrations of 1.25,2.5,5.0 and 10.0 μmol·L-1 for 48 hours.The proliferation ability of cells at different concentrations was measured by cell counting kit-8(CCK-8)experiment,and the IC5ovalue of GS-Rg1 at CAL-27 for 48 hours was calculated.TSCC cells CAL-27 were divided into control group and GS-Rg1 group.The control group and GS-Rg1 group were treated with 0.9％NaCl and IC50concentration of GS-Rg1 for 48 hours,respectively.The cell cycle distribution of each group was detected by flow cytometry,and the cell metastasis ability of each group was detected by Transwell experiment.Construct TOP/FOP Flash plasmid,transfect control group and GS-Rg1 group,and detect the effect of GS-Rg1 effect on wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway activity in TSCC cell CAL-27 using luciferase assay.Using wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibitor XAV939 treated GS-Rg1 group cells(XAV939+GS-Rg1 group),and wnt/β-catenin pathway activator HLY78 was used to treat GS-Rg1 group cells(HLY78+GS-Rg1 group)and detect changes of wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway activity,the cell proliferation ability,cell cycle distribution,and metastasis ability in XAV939+GS-Rg1 group,HLY78+GS-Rg1 group and GS-Rg1 group.The expression of wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway related proteins β-catenin,and its downstream cell cycle related proteins cellular myelocytomatosis oncogene(cMYC),Cyclin dependent kinase 4(CDK4),andcyclinD1,as well as metastasis related proteins E-cadherin,N-cadherin and matrix metalloproteinase 2(MMP-2)were detected by Western blotting in each group of cells.Results GS-Rg1 significantly inhibited the proliferation ability of TSCC cells CAL-27(P＜0.05),and the IC50value of GS-Rg1 on CAL-27 was(5.46±1.58)μmol·L-1.The ratio of GO/G1 phase cells in the control group and GS-Rg1 group were(60.65±2.16)％and(71.20±2.38)％,respectively;the number of cell transmembrane penetration were 87.33±7.51 and 50.67±3.21,respectively;the luciferase activity were 1.00±0.02 and 0.35±0.06,respectively.Compared with the control group,the GS-Rg1 group showed cell cycle arrest in GO/G1 phase,decreased cell metastasis ability,and the activity of wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway decreased(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Compared with the GS-Rg1 group,the activity of the wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was decreased,cell proliferation ability and metastasis ability was decreased(P＜0.05),while the number of GO/G1 phase cells was increased(P＜0.05),the expression of β-catenin,cMYC,CDK4,cyclinD1,E-cadherin and MMP-2 proteins were decreased(P＜0.05),while the expression of N-cadherin protein increased in XAV939+GS-Rg1 group cells.However,the result were opposite in the HLY78+GS-Rg1 group of cells.Conclusion GS-Rg1 downregulates wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway inhibits the proliferation and metastasis ability of TSCC cells.

Humans ; Aged ; Lung Diseases ; Pneumonia/drug therapy* ; Adrenal Cortex Hormones/therapeutic use* ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/drug therapy* ; Administration, Inhalation ; Community-Acquired Infections/drug therapy*

Aim To investigate whether alisol A (AA) could improve the blood brain barrier (BBB) mediated cortex cerebral ischemia-repeifusion injury (CIRI) by inhibiting matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9). Methods The global cerebral ischemia- reperfusion (GCI/R) model in mice was established, and the AA was intragastric injected subsequently for seven days. The modified neurological severity scores (mNSS), open field test and Y-maze test were applied to detect neurological function. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) was used to detect relevant neu- rosubstance metabolism in cortex of mice. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) was employed to observe the ultrastructure of BBB in cortex. Western blot and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the MMP-9 level in cortex. The binding possibility of A A and MMP-9 was determined by molecular docking. Results Compared with Sham group, mice in GCI/R group have an increased mNSS score but decreased at total distance and center distance to total distance ratio in open field test as well as alternation rate in Y-maze test (P<0.01). While mice in GCI/R + AA group have a decreased mNSS score but increased at total distance and center distance to total distance ratio in open field test as well as alternation rate in Y-maze test (P<0.01) compared with GCI/R group. MRS results found that in cortex of GCI/R group mice, the level of GABA and NAA significantly decreased while the Cho, mI and Tau level increased (P<0.01). Whereas in GCI/R + AA group mice, the GABA and NAA level increased and the Cho, ml and Tau decreased significantly (P<0.01). By TEM we observed that the basilemma of cerebral microvessels collapsed, the lumen narrowed, the endothelial cells were active and plasma membranes ruffled, gaps between cells were enlarged and tight junctions were damaged and the end feet of astrocytes were swollen in GCI/R group mice. While in GCI/R + AA group mice, the lumen was filled, plasma membranes of endothelial cells were smooth, tight junctions were complete and end feet of astrocytes were in normal condition. Western blot and immunohistochemistry both found that the MMP-9 level increased in GCI/R group mice (P < 0.01) and decreased in GCI/R + AA group mice (P < 0.05). Molecular docking proved the binding between aliso A and MMP9 through TYR-50 and ARG-106, and the binding energy was calculated as -6.24 kcal · mol