Image 1.

ObjectiveTo develop traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） formulae for the treatment of nonsevere coronavirus disease 2019 （COVID-19） and to explore its anti-inflammatory mechanism. MethodsThe dysregulated signaling pathways were determined in macrophages from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of COVID-19 patients and in lung epithelial cells infected with SARS-CoV-2 in vitro based on transcriptome analysis. A total of 102 TCM formulae for the clinical treatment of nonsevere COVID-19 were collected through literature. The pathway-reversing rates of these formulae in macrophages and lung epithelial cells were evaluated based on signature signaling pathways， and the basic formula was determined in conjunction with TCM theory. The commonly used Chinese materia medica for nonsevere COVID-19 were summarized from the 102 TCM formulae as abovementioned. And together with the screening results from the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China， a “Chinese materia medica pool” was esta-blished for the development of TCM formulae for COVID-19. The regulatory effects of each herb on signaling pathways were obtained based on targeted transcriptome analysis. Oriented at reversing dysregulated signaling pathways of COVID-19， the calculation was carried out， and the artificial intelligent methods for compositing formulae， that are exhaustive method and parallel computing， were used to obtain candidate compound formulas. Finally， with reference to professional experience， an innovative formula for the treatment of nonsevere COVID-19 was developed. The ethanol extract of the formula was evaluated for its anti-inflammatory effects by detecting the mRNA expression of interleukin 1b （Il1b）， C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 2 （Cxcl2）， C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 （Cxcl10）， C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 （Ccl2）， nitric oxide synthase 2 （Nos2）， and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 （Ptgs2） using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction （RT-qPCR） in RAW264.7 cells treated with lipopolysaccharide （LPS）. ResultsIn macrophages and lung epithelial cells， 34 dysregulated signaling pathways associated with COVID-19 were identified respectively. The effects of the 102 formulae for clinical treatment of nonsevere COVID-19 were evaluated based on the dysregulated signaling pathways and targeted transcriptome， and the result showed that Yinqiao Powder and Pingwei Powder （银翘散合平胃散， YQPWP） ranked first， reversing 91.18% of the dysregulated signaling pathways in macrophages and 100% of the dysregulated signaling pathways in lung epithelial cells. Additionally， YQPWP had the function of scattering wind and clearing heat， resolving toxins and removing dampness in accordance with the pathogenesis of wind-heat with dampness in COVID-19. It was selected as the basic formula， and was further modified and optimized to develop an innovative fomula Qiaobang Zhupi Yin （翘蒡术皮饮， QBZPY） based on expert experience and artificial intelligence in composing formulae. QBZPY can reverse all the dysregulated signaling pathways associated with COVID-19 in macrophages and lung epithelial cells， with the reversing rates of 100%. The chief medicinal of QBZPY， including Lianqiao （Fructus Forsythiae）， Xixiancao （Herba Siegesbeckiae） and Niubangzi （Fructus Arctii）， can down-regulate multiple signaling pathways related with virus infection， immune response， and epithelial damage. RT-qPCR results indicated that compared with the model group， the QBZPY group down-regulated the mRNA expression of Il1b， tumor necrosis factor （Tnf）， Cxcl2， Cxcl10， Ccl2， Nos2 and Ptgs2 induced by LPS in RAW264.7 cells （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. ConclusionBased on targeted transcriptome analysis， expert experience in TCM and artificial intelligence， QBZPY has been developed for the treatment of nonsevere COVID-19. The ethanol extract of QBZPY has been found to inhibit mRNA expression of several pro-inflammatory genes in a cellular inflammation model.

OBJECTIVE: A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted to investigate the early postoperative analgesic effectiveness of using liposomal bupivacaine (LB) for local infiltration anesthesia (LIA) in unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA). METHODS: Between January 2024 and July 2024, a total of 80 patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) who met the selection criteria were enrolled in the study. Patients were randomly assigned to either the LB group or the "cocktail" group in a 1∶1 ratio using a random number table, with 40 patients in each group. Baseline characteristics, including gender, age, body mass index, operated side, Kellgren-Lawrence grade, and preoperative American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score, and knee joint range of motion, showed no significant difference between the two groups ( P>0.05). Both groups received LIA and comprehensive pain management. The surgical duration, incision length, pain-related indicators [resting and activity visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, total dosage of oral morphine, WOMAC scores], knee joint range of motion, first ambulation time after operation, length of hospital stay, and postoperative adverse events. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the two groups in surgical duration, incision length, first ambulation time after operation, length of hospital stay, total dosage of oral morphine, and pre-discharge satisfaction with surgery and WOMAC scores ( P>0.05). At 4, 12, and 24 hours after operation, the resting and activity VAS scores in the "cocktail" group were lower than those in the LB group; at 60 and 72 hours postoperatively, the resting VAS scores in the LB group were lower than those in the "cocktail" group, with the activity VAS scores also being lower at 60 hours; all showing significant differences ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the above indicators between the two groups at other time points ( P>0.05). On the second postoperative day, the sleep scores of the LB group were significantly higher than those of the "cocktail" group ( P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in sleep scores on the day of surgery and the first postoperative day ( P>0.05). Additionally, the incidence of complications showed no significant difference between the two groups ( P>0.05). CONCLUSION The use of LB for LIA in UKA can provide prolonged postoperative pain relief; however, it does not demonstrate a significant advantage over the "cocktail" method in terms of short-term analgesic effects or reducing opioid consumption and early functional recovery after UKA. Nevertheless, LB may help reduce postoperative sleep disturbances, making it a recommended option for UKA patients with cardiovascular diseases and insomnia or other mental health issues.
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Anesthesia, Local/methods* ; Anesthetics, Local/administration & dosage* ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee/methods* ; Bupivacaine/administration & dosage* ; Liposomes ; Osteoarthritis, Knee/surgery* ; Pain Measurement ; Pain, Postoperative/prevention & control* ; Prospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

The potential medicinal value of Ma bamboo (Dendrocalamus latiflorus), one of the most popular and economically important bamboo species in China, has been underestimated. In the present study, we found that D. latiflorus leaf extract (DLE) reduced fasting blood glucose levels, body weight, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol with low liver toxicity in db/db mice. In addition, gene expression profiling was performed and pathway enrichment analysis showed that DLE affected metabolic pathways. Importantly, DLE activated the AKT signaling pathway and reduced glucose production by downregulating glucose-6-phosphatase (G6PC) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 (PCK1) expression. Moreover, network pharmacology analysis identified rutin as an active component in DLE through targeting insulin growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R), an upstream signaling transducer of AKT. Due to its hypoglycemic effects and low toxicity, DLE may be considered an adjuvant treatment option for type 2 diabetes patients.

Autophagy plays an important role in the occurrence,progression and treatment of cancer,neurodegenerative,autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.Recent years,autophagy has become a new hot spot in tumor area.Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a common hematopoietic malignancy;while autophagy is involved in its development,as well as targeting drug tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance mechanisms,regulating autophagy provide a new direction for the treatment of CML.The intensive study of the relation between cell autophagy and cancer will help to overcome cancer.This article offers an up-to-date comprehensive review of autophagy and CML.

OBJECTIVE To explore the condition of the cellular immune function of children with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome(OSAHS) and its change after operation METHODS Eighty children diagnosed as OSAHS were included in this study. T lymphocyte subsets and NK cells of the blood were measured before operation and one month after operation respectively. Children without the related disorders or systemic disease were recruited as control group.RESULTS Before operation, CD4+T cell percentage, CD4+/CD8+ ratio and NK cell percentage in OSAHS children were significantly lower than that in the control group[(26.19±3.38)%vs (5.10±4.09)%, (0.90±0.19)%vs (1.61±0.52)%, (11.45±4.35)%vs (13.73±3.78)%,P<0.05], CD8+T cell percentage was significantly higher than that in the control group[(30.02±5.50)%vs (22.31±3.42) %,P<0.05]. The difference, between the two groups, in CD3+T cells was not statistically significant. After operation, the CD4+T cells, CD8+T cells, CD4+/CD8+ ratio, the percentage of NK cells and CD3+T cells showed no significance difference compared with that before operation (P>0.05). CONCLUSION OSAHS may damage the cellular immune function. The operation does not reduce the cellular immune function in the short term.

This study was aimed to detect the expression of miR-665 in the hippocampal of depression rat model treated with Kai-Xin Jie-Yu (KXJY) decoction and bioinformatic analysis of target genes of miR-665,in order to investigate the role of miR-665 in the pathogenesis of depression and the antidepressant mechanism of KXJY decoction.The rat model of chronic stress depression was established and then treated with KXJY decoction for 42 days.The total RNA from hippocampus tissues was extracted.And the relative expression of miR-665 in hippocampus of rats in each group was detected by RT-qPCR.TargetScan and microRNAorg databases were used to predict target genes for miR-665.DAVID database was used to classify GO function and to analyze KEGG signaling pathway of target genes.The results showed that compared with the normal group,the expression level of miR-665 in hippocampus of the model group was significantly higher with significant difference (P ＜ 0.01).Compared with the model group,the expression level of miR-665 in hippocampus of Chinese medicine group and western medicine group decreased significantly with significant difference (P ＜ 0.01).The biological functions of miR-665 target genes were mainly concentrated in the response to organic substance.The signal pathway was mainly concentrated in N-Glycan biosynthesis.It was concluded that miR-665 may be involved in the pathological process of depression,by correcting the abnormal expression of miR-665,which may be one of the antidepressant mechanisms of KXJY decoction.Through the analysis and prediction of the target genes,it provided a certain direction and theoretical basis for further study on the specific mechanism of KXJY decoction intervention on miR-665.

OBJECTIVETo explore the association of a functional polymorphism Val158Met of COMT gene and attention and executive function in first-episode treatment-naive patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls.

METHODSTrail making test (TMT) and clinical performances were evaluated in 103 first-episode treatment-naive patients with schizophrenia and 99 healthy controls. Polymorphism of COMT Val158Met was analyzed using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. A general linear model was used to investigate the effect of genotype subgroups on the attention and executive function.

RESULTSThere was a significant difference between control subjects and patients with schizophrenia on the TMT-A and B. However, no significant difference among Val/Val, Val/Met and Met/Met on the TMT-A and B in control subjects and patients with schizophrenia was detected.

CONCLUSIONThe association among COMT Met variant and trail making testing (attention and executive function) has been replicated. However, no association of COMT Met variant with disruption of dopaminergic influence on neurocognitive function was detected. This may be due to the heterogeneity of population.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Amino Acid Substitution ; Attention ; physiology ; Catechol O-Methyltransferase ; genetics ; Executive Function ; physiology ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Schizophrenia ; genetics ; physiopathology ; Schizophrenic Psychology ; Trail Making Test ; Young Adult

Objective To examine the relationship between alcohol consumption and the incidence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in Chinese adults.Methods A total of 27020 Chinese adults aged 35 to 74years were enrolled in this prospective cohort study.Frequency or type of alcohol consunption was assessed in 1998 and 2000.Follow-up study on MS was conducted during 2007 and 2008.Results Over an average 8years' follow-up,2362 MS patients were identified among 14 572 individuals who did not have MS at baseline.After adjustment for age,location,education level,physical activity,cigarette smoking,body mass index and the number of MS components,compared with non-drinkers,relative risk ( RR ( 95％ confidence interval (CI))) and the Population Attributable Risk Percent (PARP) of MS of male drinkers was 1.24( 1.06 to 1.45 ) and 10.13％,respectively.RR (95 ％ CI) of MS was 1.36 ( 1.02 to 1.82 ),1.34 ( 1.03 to 1.74) and 1.41 (1.13 to 1.77) for male drinkers consuming alcohol 10.1 -20 g/d,20.1 -40 g/d,and ＞40 g/d.RR(95％ CI) of MS was 1.25 ( 1.01 to 1.55) for males drinking 2 -5 times/week and 1.26(1.04 to 1.52) for males drinking ≥6 times/week.RR (95％ CI) of MS was 1.60 ( 1.05 to 2.45),1.30(1.02 to 1.65) and 1.27 (1.06 to 1.52) for beer,liquor and the beer + liquor male consumers.The corresponding RR(95％ CI) was 2.67(1.26 to 5.65) and 3.38 (1.35 to 4.22) for female drinkers consuming alcohol 10.1 -20 g/d and ＞20 g/d.Conclusions Drinking alcohol more than 10 g/d may be associated with an increasing risk of MS,especially for women.Drinking more than twice per week,beer and/or liquor consumption can significantly increase the risk of MS in men.

To observe the effects of salvianolate on cardiomyocytes apoptosis and heart function in a swine model of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).