The chemical constituents were systematically separated from the roots of Berberis polyantha by various chromatographic methods, including silica gel column chromatography, HP20 column chromatography, polyamide column chromatography, reversed-phase C_(18) column chromatography, and preparative high-performance liquid chromatography. The structures of the compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectroscopic techniques(1D NMR, 2D NMR, UV, MS, and CD). Four phenylpropanoids were isolated from the methanol extract of the roots of B. polyantha, and they were identified as(2R)-1-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-propanone-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(1), methyl 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzoate(2),(+)-syringaresinol(3), and syringaresinol-4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(4). Compound 1 was a new compound, and other compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time. The anti-inflammatory activity of these compounds was evaluated based on the release of nitric oxide(NO) in the culture of lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. At a concentration of 10 μmol·L~(-1), all the four compounds inhibited the LPS-induced release of NO in RAW264.7 cells, demonstrating potential anti-inflammatory properties.
Plant Roots/chemistry* ; Animals ; Mice ; Berberis/chemistry* ; RAW 264.7 Cells ; Macrophages/immunology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/isolation & purification* ; Nitric Oxide/metabolism* ; Molecular Structure ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/isolation & purification*

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 investigate the effects of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy(LSG)on the cardiac structure and function in obese patients with heart failure(HF)and compare the efficacy of LSG across obese patients with different HF types.Methods This study included 33 obese patients with HF who underwent LSG.The clinical indicators were compared between before operation and 12 months after operation.Repeated measures analysis of variance was employed to evaluate the changes in echocardiographic parameters before operation and 3,6,and 12 months after operation.Patients were allocated into a HF with preserved ejection fraction group(n=17),a HF with mildly reduced ejection fraction group(n=5)and a HF with reduced ejection fraction(HFrEF)group(n=11)based on left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)before operation for subgroup analyses of the effects of LSG on the cardiac structure and function of obese patients with HF.The paired samples t-test was conducted to assess the degree of cardiac structural and functional alterations after LSG.Results The 33 patients included 69.7% males,with an average age of(35.3±9.9)years,and a body mass index(BMI)of(51.2±9.8)kg/m².The median follow-up was 9.0(5.0,13.3)months.Compared with the preoperative values,the postoperative BMI(P=0.002),body surface area(BSA)(P=0.009),waist circumference(P=0.010),hip circumference(P=0.031),body fat content(P=0.007),and percentage of patients with cardiac function grades Ⅲ-IV(P<0.001)decreased.At the 12-month follow-up left atrial diameter(P=0.006),right atrial long-axis inner diameter(RAD1)(P<0.001),right atrial short-axis inner diameter(RAD2)(P<0.001),right ventricular inner diameter(P=0.002),interventricular septal thickness at end-diastolic(P=0.002),and left ventricular end-diastolic volumes(P=0.004)and left ventricular end-systolic volumes(P=0.003) all significantly reduced compared with preoperative values.Additionally,left ventricular fractional shortening and LVEF improved(both P<0.001).Subgroup analyses revealed that cardiac structural parameters significantly decreased in the HF with preserved ejection fraction,HF with mildly reduced ejection fraction,and HFrEF subgroups compared with preoperative values.Notably,the HFrEF group demonstrated the best performance in terms of left atrial diameter(P=0.003),left ventricular inner diameter at end-diastole(P=0.008),RAD1(P<0.001),RAD2(P=0.004),right ventricular inner diameter(P=0.019),left ventricular end-diastolic volume(P=0.004)and left ventricular end-systolic volume(P=0.001),cardiac output(P=0.006),tricuspid regurgitation velocity(P=0.002),and pulmonary artery systolic pressure(P=0.001) compared to preoperatively.Postoperative left ventricular fractional shortening(P<0.001,P=0.003,P<0.001)and LVEF(P<0.001,P=0.011,P=0.001)became higher in all the three subgroups than the preoperative values.Conclusions LSG decreased the body weight,BMI,and BSA,improved the cardiac function grade,reversed the enlargement of the left atrium and left ventricle,reduced the right atrium and right ventricle,and enhanced the left ventricular systolic function.It was effective across obese patients with different HF types.Particularly,LSG demonstrates the best performance in improving the structures of both atria and ventricles in obese patients with HFrEF.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Gastrectomy/methods* ; Heart Failure/complications* ; Adult ; Obesity/physiopathology* ; Laparoscopy ; Middle Aged ; Heart/physiopathology* ; Stroke Volume

The Wnt signaling pathway includes both classical and non classical pathways,Wnt5a-Frizzled-2 pathway participates in the Wnt/Ca2+signaling pathway in the non-classical pathway,which is activated by the Wnt-related protein Wnt5a and its ligand Frizzled-2.It can regulate some key sites in cells to affect cell signal transduction,and is closely related to cell growth process.Activation of Wnt5a-Fizzled-2 pathway occurs in some tissues with abundant blood supply,such as heart and brain tissues,during ischemia-reperfusion.Activation of the Wnt5a-Frizzled-2 pathway causes these intracellular calcium overload,ultimately promoting apoptosis.This article reviews the abnormal activation of Wnt5a-Frizzled-2 signaling pathway in ischemia-reperfusion injury diseases and the induced calcium overload leading to apoptosis,in order to provide reference for the study of physiological mechanisms of ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are nanoscale vesicles secreted by Gram-negative bacteria. As a unique bacterial secretion, OMV secretion can help bacteria maintain the outer membrane stability or remove harmful substances. Studies have shown that local separation of outer membrane and peptidoglycan layers led by abnormalities in outer membrane protein function, abnormal structure or excessive accumulation of LPS, and erroneous accumulation of phospholipids in the outer leaflet, which can all lead to bacterial outer membrane protrusion and eventually bud formation of OMVs. Since OMVs are mainly composed of bacterial outer membrane and periplasmic components, the pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) on their surface can trigger strong immune responses. For example, OMVs can recruit and activate neutrophils, polarize macrophages to secrete large amounts of inflammatory factors. More importantly, OMVs can act as adjuvants to induce dendritic cell (DC) maturation to enhance adaptive immune response in the body. At the same time, OMVs are derived from bacteria, which make it easy to modify. The methods by genetic engineering and others can improve their tumor targeting, give them new functions, or reduce their immunotoxicity, which is conducive to their application in tumor therapy. OMVs not only induce apoptosis or pyroptosis of tumor cells, but also regulate the host immune system, which makes OMVs themselves have a certain killing effect on tumors. In addition, the tendency of neutrophils to inflammatory tumor sites and the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps enable OMVs to target tumor sites, and the suitable size and the characteristic that they are easily taken up by DCs give OMVs a certain lymphatic targeting ability. Therefore, OMVs are often employed as excellent drug or vaccine carriers in tumor therapy. This review mainly discusses the biological mechanism of OMVs, the regulatory effects of OMVs on immune cells, the functional modification strategies of OMVs, and their research progress in tumor therapy.

Objective To analyse the acupoint selection rules of acupuncture in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer,and to provide reference for clinical application.Methods The clinical research,practitioner's experience and academic thought of acupuncture treatment for non-small cell lung cancer were retrieved to obtain the acupuncture prescriptions of modern practitioners for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.Based on the statistical methods of acupoint frequency,prescription rules,acupoint clustering and core combination,the core theoretical system and acupoint selection rules of acupuncture treatment of non-small cell lung cancer by modern practitioner were analyzed.Results According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria,94 acupuncture prescriptions were finally included.There were eight acupoints used more than 20 times,which were Zusanli(ST36),Neiguan(PC6),Feishu(BL13),Sanyinjiao(SP6),Qihai(RN6),Guanyuan(RN4),Hegu(LI4)and Zhongwan(RN12).The top three high-frequency acupoint combinations were Zusanli-Neiguan,Zusanli-Sanyinjiao and Qihai-Zusanli;correlation analysis showed that the correlation strength of Zusanli-Neiguan was the highest,followed by Zusanli-Sanyinjiao and Zusanli-Hegu.The cluster analysis showed that the acupoints with frequency＞10 times could be divided into three categories.Category 1 includes:Zusanli,Neiguan,Sanyinjiao,Hegu;category 2 includes Guanyuan,Qihai,Zhongwan,Xuehai(SP10),Taichong(LR3);category 3 consists of two parts,one is Danzhong(RN17),Tiantu(RN22),Fenglong(ST40),Taiyuan(LU9);the second is Feishu(BL13),Lieque(LU7),Chize(LU5),Zhongfu(LU1),Xinshu(BL15),Gaohuang(BL43),Fengmen(BL12).Conclusion The core acupoints for acupuncture treatment of non-small cell lung cancer include four categories:① invigorating the spleen and benefiting qi:Zusanli,Sanyinjiao,Zhongwan and Fenglong;②replenishing and supplementing original qi:Guanyuan,Qihai and Gaohuang;③regulating qi and broadening the chest:Danzhong,Neiguan,Tiantu and Fengmen;④ diffusing the lung and ventilating qi:Feishu,Hegu,Chize and Lieque.The three treatment methods of replenishing qi,regulating qi and venting pathogen are the basis of acupuncture treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer.The core idea of acupuncture treatment of non-small cell lung cancer focuses on supplementation,supplemented by dredging,and to dredge and supplement simultaneously.

Objective To investigate the dynamic expression with the time change of N6-methyladenosine(m6A)methylation-related factors in the repair process of skeletal muscle injury and its mechanism in the inflammatory response of macrophage in the injure process.Methods In vivo mice models of BaCl2 injury in the gastrocnemius were established.Four mice per group in the control group and injury group.Gastrocnemius tissues were harvested at day 1,3,5,7,and 9 after injury for experiments.Primary gastrocnemius muscle tissue cells,muscle satellite cells,muscle cells,and cell line C2C12 cells were treated with dexamethasone(DEX,50 μmol/L)to mimic injury.Lipopolysaccharide(LPS,100 μg/L)induced RAW264.7 cell lines to mimic the inflammatory response after skeletal muscle injury,and STM2457(30 μmol/L)was added to inhibit the effect of methyltransferase 3(Mettl3)before LPS treatment.The expression of m6A methylation-related factors(Writers,Erasers,Readers)and inflammation factors were detected by Real-time PCR and Western blotting.Results The muscle fibers were dissolved and then gradually repaired with the extension of injury time,the number of monocytes/macrophages increased first and then decreased,and the Pax7 mRNA level increased first and then decreased with the change of injury time.Compared with the control group,the mRNA and protein levels of m6A methylation-related factors in gastrocnemius did not change significantly on the injury-1 day.However,they were significantly increased on the injury-3 days compared with the control group(P＜0.05),and then obviously decreased on the injury-5 days group compared with the injury-3 days group(P＜0.05).Compared with the control group,they were no significant differences on the injury-7 days group and-9 days group.In vitro DEX decreased the mRNA levels of m6A methyltransferase factors in primary muscle satellite cells and C2C12 cells and increased the mRNA expression level of methylation-recognition enzyme factors(P＜0.05).The mRNA levels of m6A methylation-related factors increased significantly in skeletal muscle tissue cells and myocytes after DEX treatment(P＜0.05).After LPS treatment,the mRNA and protein expression levels of m6A methylation-related factors and the mRNA expression levels of inflammatory factors interleukin(IL)-6 and IL-1β in macrophages increased significantly(P＜0.05),while the levels of IL-6 and IL-1β mRNA in macrophages decreased significantly when the Mettl3 was inhibited(P＜0.05).Conclusion m6A methylation-related factors primarily is activated in the damaged muscle cells and inflammation response of macrophages.Inhibition of m6A methyltransferase can reduce the inflammatory response of macrophages.

Objective:To investigate the effects of early postoperative nutritional management under enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) guidelines on nutritional biochemical indicators and length of hospital stay in patients undergoing lumbar fusion surgery. Method:Ninety-four patients who underwent lumbar posterior internal fixation + intervertebral fusion surgery in Department of Orthopedics Ⅲ of Ningxia Medical University General Hospital from January 2020 to March 2021 were randomly divided into an intervention group (n=47) and a control group (n=47). The intervention group received nutritional intervention by a clinical nutritionist at 2 hours after anesthesia recovery, and the control group started to eat liquid diet at 6 hours after anesthesia recovery. The protein-calorie intake, blood glucose, total protein, albumin, hemoglobin, postoperative hospitalization time and total hospitalization time of the two groups were observed. Results:The protein-calorie intake of the intervention group was higher than that of the control group on the day of surgery and the first 3 days after surgery, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). The blood glucose level of the intervention group was lower than that of the control group on the first day after surgery, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). The total protein level of the intervention group was higher than that of the control group on the third day after surgery, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). The albumin and hemoglobin levels of the intervention group were higher than those of the control group on the first and third days after surgery, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). The incidence of abdominal distension and the length of hospital stay in the intervention group were lower than those in the control group, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). Conclusion:Early postoperative nutritional management has a certain effect on improving nutritional and biochemical indicators and shortening the length of hospital stay in patients undergoing lumbar fusion surgery.

The aim of this paper is to explore the key anti-fatigue active components in the saponin-like composition of American ginseng. The anti-fatigue activity of western ginseng samples was evaluated using a zebrafish model; metabolomics techniques were used to identify the main saponins in western ginseng from different origins; the active substances and relevant targets of the anti-fatigue effect of western ginseng were initially screened by constructing a PPI protein interaction network between western ginseng saponins and disease targets, and the key active ingredients were screened using a molecular docking method; finally, the anti-fatigue activity of the key active ingredients was evaluated using a zebrafish, animal experiment was approved by the Ethics Committee of Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences (SYXK20220005). The anti-fatigue activity of the key active ingredients was evaluated using a zebrafish model. The results of the zebrafish activity evaluation showed that there were significant differences in the activities of the western ginseng samples from the two origins, and a total of 10 different saponins were identified as possibly related to the anti-fatigue activity after further metabolomic testing and pattern discrimination. The core anti-fatigue targets were screened with the help of component-disease target PPI, combined with pharmacophore-like parameters and molecular docking techniques, and pseudoginsenoside F11 was found to have good binding activity to five of the targets. Finally, the zebrafish model revealed that pseudoginsenoside F11 exhibited significant anti-fatigue activity. This study used metabolomics and zebrafish model to screen the key active substances of pseudoginsenoside F11 for its anti-fatigue activity, which will provide a reference for further research on the anti-fatigue of pseudoginsenosides.

The efficacy on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at stable stage treated with different methods of acupuncture and moxibustion was evaluated using network Meta-analysis method. The articles of the randomized controlled trial (RCT) on stable COPD treated with acupuncture and moxibustion were searched electronically in CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science and Cochrane library. The search was conducted from the inception of the databases to March 20th, 2022. Data analysis was performed using R4.1.1, Stata16.0 and RevMan5.3 softwares. A total of 48 RCTs were included, involving 15 kinds of acupuncture and moxibustion interventions and a sample size of 3 900 cases. The results of network Meta-analysis showed that: ① For the forced expiratory volume in one second predicted (FEV₁%), both the governor vessel moxibustion combined with conventional treatment (G+C therapy) and the yang-supplementing moxibustion combined with conventional treatment (Y+C therapy) obtained the better effect than that of the conventional treatment (P<0.05), and the G+C therapy was more effective compared with the thread-embedding therapy combined with conventional treatment (E+C therapy) and warm needling (P<0.05). ② Concerning to COPD assessment test (CAT) score, the results indicated that the Y+C therapy, and the mild moxibustion combined with conventional treatment (M+C therapy) were more effective when compared with the conventional treatment (P<0.05), and the effect of the Y+C therapy was better than that of the E+C therapy (P<0.05). ③ Regarding six-minute walking distance (6MWD), the effect of acupuncture combined with conventional treatment (A+C therapy) was better than that of either the E+C therapy or the conventional treatment (P<0.05). The effect of the G+C therapy was optimal for improving FEV₁%, the Y+C therapy obtained the best effect for improving CAT score, and A+C therapy was the most effective for improving 6MWD. Due to the limitation of the quality and quantity of included studies, this conclusion needs to be further verified through high-quality RCT.
Humans ; Moxibustion ; Network Meta-Analysis ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Databases, Factual ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/therapy*