Objective To study the correlation among property, efficacy and target of herbal Chinese materia medica; To analyze the molecular mechanism of cold and heat property of Chinese materia medica; To provide references for explaination of microcosmic mechanism and scientific connotation of property of Chinese materia medica. Methods Recordings about property and efficacy of single medicine in 2015 edition of Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China were sorted out. According to Pharmacological Research of New Ideas and New Targets and Pharmacology, 509 kinds of herbal Chinese materia medica were selected. Relevant articles about property, efficacy, pharmacologic action, and target in CNKI and Chinese Academic Journal Database (Wanfang Data) were searched by computers. The target information was screened and standardized, and the database was constructed by using MySQL5.7.13. The correlation between the property, efficacy and the target of the herbal Chinese materia medica was studied by using the frequency analysis and correlation rule algorithm of R software platform 3.3.1. Results 509 kinds of herbal Chinese materia medica were selected, including 227 kinds of cold-property medicine, 106 kinds of neutural-property medicine and 176 kinds of hot-property medicine. According to the result of data mining, efficacy of cold-roperty medicine was quenching thirst, clearing liver and treating stranguriaetc. The target was transforming growth factor β2 and liver microsome, etc. The efficacy of hot-property medicine was warming the middle, releasing cold and dissolving lumps. The target was bone morphology protein 2, rheumatoid factor, etc. The efficacy of neutural-property medicine was clearing lungs, diminishing distension and increasing energy. The target was β-amyloid and prostaglandin E2 receptors. Conclusion There is certain correlation in property, efficacy and target in Chinese materia medica.

Background/Aims: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease characterized by the demyelination of primarily the central nervous system. Diffuse esophageal spasm (DES) and achalasia are disorders of esophageal peristalsis and esophagogastric junction outflow, respectively, which cause clinical symptoms of dysphagia. Mechanisms involving dysfunction of the pre- and post-ganglionic nerve fibers of the myenteric plexus have been proposed. We sought to determine whether MS confers an increased risk of developing achalasia or DES. Methods: Cohort analysis was done using the Explorys database. Univariate logistic regression was performed to determine the odds MS confers to each motility disorder studied. Comparison of proportions of dysautonomia comorbidities was performed among the cohorts.Patients with a prior diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, chronic Chagas’ disease, opioid use, or CREST syndrome were excluded from the study. Results: Odds of MS patients developing achalasia or DES were (OR, 2.09; 95% CI, 1.73-2.52; P < 0.001) and (OR, 3.15; 95% CI, 2.89-3.42; P < 0.001), respectively. In the MS/achalasia cohort, 27.27%, 18.18%, 9.09%, and 45.45% patients had urinary incontinence, gastroparesis, impotence, and insomnia, respectively. In the MS/DES cohort, 35.19%, 11.11%, 3.70%, and 55.56% had these symptoms. In MS patients without motility disorders, 12.64%, 0.79%, 2.21%, and 21.85% had these symptoms. Conclusions Patients with MS have higher odds of developing achalasia or DES compared to patients without MS. MS patients with achalasia or DES have higher rates of dysautonomia comorbidities. This suggests that these patients have a more severe disease phenotype in regards to the extent of neuronal degradation and demyelination causing the autonomic dysfunction.

Objective: To understand current situation of e cigarette use and associated factors in primary and secondary school students in Beijing, in order to promote the construction of smoke free schools. Methods: During April to June in 2019, PPS sampling was used to select primary schools, secondary schools and trade schools. In each selected school, randomly sampling method was conducted until the sample size was reached. There were 18 312 students included in the analysis. Surveillance information mainly included the current situation of electronic cigarette use and associated factors. Results: Among primary and secondary school students who have known about e cigarettes, female students were less likely to use e cigarettes than male students ( OR = 0.47 , 95% CI =0.42- 0.54 ). After entering the second year of junior high school, the possibility of using e cigarettes increased. Smoke free home was associated less e cigarettes usage ( OR =0.78, 95% CI =0.69-0.88). Primary and secondary school students with average daily allowance of 30~<150 yuan and no less than 150 yuan were 1.43 (95% CI =1.22-1.67) times and 2.24 (95% CI =1.79-2.79) times more likely to use e cigarettes than those with 0-10 yuan allowance, respectively. The probability of using e cigarettes among primary and secondary school students who have not tried using cigarettes was only 16.4% compared with those who have tried cigarettes ( OR =0.16, 95% CI =0.14-0.19). Conclusion It is necessary to curb the prevalence of e cigarettes among primary and secondary school students. Actions need to be taken urgently to fill in the gaps or correct the mistakes in children and adolescents cognition of e cigarettes, and to adopt more innovative methods to scientifically guide children and adolescents to stay away from e cigarettes.

Objective:To explore the relationship between insomnia and osteoporosis.Methods:Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis were used in this study. The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) related to insomnia from genome-wide association analysis research data were selected as the instrumental variables by using inverse variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger regression, weighted median method, maximum likelihood, penalized weighted median estimator, and Mendelian randomization robust adjusted profile score (MR-RAPS) to determine the causal relationship between insomnia and osteoporosis. Odds ratio ( OR) and 95% confidence interval ( CI) values were used to evaluate the association between insomnia and osteoporosis. Cochran′s Q-test was used to detect heterogeneity of SNPs, MR-Egger regression was used to test for level pleiotropy, and the leave-one-out method was used to test sensitivity, MR pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO) method and radial MR were used to detect erroneous outliers. Results:The screening criteria were set based on the three major assumptions of MR; finally, 31 SNPs were included in the MR analysis. The results of MR causal effect analysis using the IVW method showed that insomnia increased the risk of osteoporosis by about 0.7% ( OR=1.007, 95% CI 1.001-1.014, P=0.044); heterogeneity testing showed heterogeneity between SNPs ( Q=57.91, P<0.001); and the MR- Egger intercept test did not indicate horizontal pleiotropy in this study (intercept value=3.807×10 -5, P=0.888). Leave-one-out method showed that no single SNP had a significant impact on the overall results. No abnormal SNP was detected according to the MR-PRESSO results ( P=0.059), and radial MR did not detect any outliers. Conclusion:Mendelian randomization analysis showed that insomnia can increase the risk of osteoporosis.

Objective:To investigate the role and mechanism of splenic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in sepsis-induced adrenal injury (SAI).Methods:Thirty male C57 mice aged 6-8 weeks were randomly divided into normal control group ( n = 5), sham operation group (Sham group, n = 5), sepsis model group [cecal ligation and perforation (CLP) group, n = 10] and sepsis+splenectomy group (CLPS group, n = 10). The sepsis model of mice was reproduced by CLP method. In Sham group, only the cecum was opened and separated, then closed, without CLP. In CLPS group, the spleen was removed before CLP. In normal control group, no challenge was given. After 24 hours, the rats were sacrificed by anesthesia, and peripheral blood, spleen, bone marrow, and bilateral adrenal glands were harvested. The pathological of adrenal gland was assessed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining under optical microscope. The ratio of MDSCs in peripheral blood, spleen and bone marrow was determined by flow cytometry. The expressions of MDSCs surface antigen CD11b, Gr-1 and interleukins (IL-6, IL-1β) mRNA in adrenal tissue were measured by real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Western Blot was used to detect the expressions of mammalian rapamycin target protein (mTOR) pathway related proteins including total mTOR (T-mTOR), phosphorylation of mTOR (p-mTOR) and caspase-3. Results:The adrenal cortex and medulla of the normal control group and Sham group were intact and the structure was clear under optical microscope, while in the CLP group, the adrenal gland showed edema, cortical hemorrhage and cell edema. Compared with the CLP group, the adrenal tissue injury was significantly reduced in the CLPS group. Compared with the normal control group and Sham group, MDSCs ratio in the peripheral blood was significantly increased and significantly reduced in the spleen in the CLP group, but there was no significant difference in bone marrow, the expression levels of CD11b, Gr-1, IL-6, IL-1β mRNA and caspase-3 protein were increased significantly and p-mTOR protein expression was significantly decreased in adrenal tissue, there was no significant difference in the expression of T-mTOR protein. Compared with the CLP group, in the CLPS group, the MDSCs ratio in the peripheral blood was significantly decreased (0.143±0.011 vs. 0.324±0.023, P < 0.01), the expression levels of CD11b, Gr-1, IL-6 , IL-1β mRNA and caspase-3 protein in adrenal gland were significantly decreased [CD11b mRNA (2 -ΔΔCt): 2.90±0.56 vs. 5.74±0.13, Gr-1 mRNA (2 -ΔΔCt): 2.71±0.14 vs. 4.59±0.46, IL-6 mRNA (2 -ΔΔCt): 2.44±0.64 vs. 5.17±1.04, IL-1β mRNA (2 -ΔΔCt): 3.58±0.52 vs. 4.44±0.26, caspase-3 protein (caspase-3/GAPDH): 0.05±0.01 vs. 0.13±0.02, all P < 0.01], the p-mTOR protein expression was significantly increased (p-mTOR/GAPDH: 0.61±0.11 vs. 0.27±0.04, P < 0.01). Conclusions:The spleen is the major source of MDSCs in SAI. Splenectomy can attenuate SAI by reducing mobilization of MDSCs and activating the mTOR signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE Designing and synthesizing ursolic acid prodrugs to improve the water solubility and anti-multiple sclerosis(MS) activity of ursolic acid. METHODS succinic acid, dipeptide amino acid and the amino acids segments of side chains of isavuconazole wers selected according to the prodrug strategy, combined with 3-position hydroxyl of ursolic acid via condensation and esterification reaction. Using ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry to determine the water solubility of prodrugs, and establish the experimental allergic encephalomyelitis mice model for its anti-MS efficacy evaluation. RESULTS Three prodrugs were synthesized and their structures were confirmed by 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and LCMS(ESI). The water solubility of prodrugs 1 and 2 was over 110 times higher than ursolic acid, and that of prodrug 3 was over 200 times higher than ursolic acid. The in vivo anti-MS activity results showed that the three prodrugs showed significant anti-MS activity, among which prodrug 1 showed significantly better anti-MS activity than ursolic acid group. The mechanism might be through inhibition of peripheral inflammatory cell infiltration into the center and anti-demyelination, so as to exert the anti-MS activity. The metabolism of prodrug 1 in vivo showed that the exposure of prodrug 1 in vivo was 6 times that of ursolic acid, indicating that prodrug 1 might exert anti-MS activity mainly as sodium prototype. CONCLUSION Prodrug 1 has great anti-MS potential, which is worthy of further study. This study provides some basis and useful guidance for the development of ursolic acid prodrugs with anti-MS activity.

During a radiological or nuclear emergency, iodine thyroid blocking is an urgent protection action to prevent or reduce the absorption of radioactive iodine by thyroid. Although potassium iodide (KI) administration is recommended by WHO guidelines for iodine prophylaxis following nuclear accidents and is also widely implemented in most national guidelines, the scientific evidence for the guidelines lacks as the guidelines are mostly based on expert opinions and recommendations. This paper introduces the development and revision of WHO guidelines for iodine thyroid blocking published in 1989 and 1999, as well as the revision methods and main recommendations of the guidelines published in 2017, which supports the use of iodine thyroid blocking during a radiological or nuclear emergency.

Osteoarthritis is a prevalent global joint disease, which is characterized by inflammatory reaction and cartilage degradation. Cyasterone, a sterone derived from the roots of Cyathula officinalis Kuan, exerts protective effect against several inflammation-related diseases. However, its effect on osteoarthritis remains unclear. The current study was designed to investigate the potential anti-osteoarthritis activity of cyasterone. Primary chondrocytes isolated from rats induced by interleukin (IL)-1β and a rat model stimulated by monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) were used for in vitro and in vivo experiments, respectively. The results of in vitro experiments showed that cyasterone apparently counteracted chondrocyte apoptosis, increased the expression of collagen II and aggrecan, and restrained the production of the inflammatory factors inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs-5 (ADAMTS-5), metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3), and metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) induced by IL-1β in chondrocytes. Furthermore, cyasterone ameliorated the inflammation and degenerative progression of osteoarthritis potentially by regulating the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. For in vivo experiments, cyasterone significantly alleviated the inflammatory response and cartilage destruction of rats induced by monosodium iodoacetate, where dexamethasone was used as the positive control. Overall, this study laid a theoretical foundation for developing cyasterone as an effective agent for the alleviation of osteoarthritis.
Animals ; Rats ; Chondrocytes ; NF-kappa B ; Iodoacetic Acid ; Inflammation ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Apoptosis