Three taraxerane nortriterpenoids were isolated from mastic by using various modern chromatographic separation techniques. They were identified as(5R,8R,9R,10S,11S,12R,13S,17R,18R)-28-norlupa-11,12-epoxy-14-taraxerene-3,16-dione(1),(5R,8R,9R,10S,11S,12R,13S,17S,18S)-17-hydroxy-28-norlupa-11,12-epoxy-14-taraxerene-3-one(2), and(5R,8R,9R,10R,11S,12R,13R,14S,17S,18S)-14,17-epoxy-28-norlupa-11,12-oxidotaraxerone(3) through the high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry(HR-ESI-MS), infrared(IR), ultraviolet(UV), nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR), and single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques as well as comparison with literature data. Compounds 1-3 were C-28 nortriterpenoids and isolated from mastic for the first time, and compounds 1-2 were new ones. In the model for RAW264.7 cell anti-inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS), compound 1 demonstrates an inhibitory effect on nitric oxide(NO) [IC_(50)=(13.38±0.68) μmol·L~(-1)], comparable to the activity of the positive control dexamethasone [IC_(50)=(14.59±1.49) μmol·L~(-1)]. Compounds 2 and 3 exhibit weaker inhibitory effects, with IC_(50) values of(24.17±2.56) and(22.25±2.84) μmol·L~(-1), respectively.
Animals ; Mice ; Triterpenes/isolation & purification* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/isolation & purification* ; Mastic Resin/chemistry* ; Nitric Oxide ; Molecular Structure ; Macrophages/immunology* ; RAW 264.7 Cells

OBJECTIVE: To compare the short-term clinical efficacy and safety of closed reduction with Kirschner wire fixation versus open reduction with plate fixation for treating osteoporotic Colles' fractures in middle-aged and elderly patients. METHODS: Between January 2018 and January 2023, 119 patients with Colles fractures were retrospectively analyzed, including 39 males and 80 females, aged from 48 to 74 years old with an average of(60.58±6.71) years old. The time from injury to operation ranged 1 to 13 days with an average of (5.29±2.52) days. According to the surgical method, they were divided into Kirschner wire fixation group (Kirschner wire group) and plate internal fixation group (plate group). In Kirschner wire group, there were a total of 68 patients, comprising 21 males and 47 females. The average age was (61.15±6.24) years old, ranged from 49 to 74 years old. Among them, 41 cases involved the left side while 27 cases involved the right side. In the plate group, there were a total of 51 patients, including 18 males and 33 females. The average age was (59.78±5.71) years old ranged from 48 to 72 years old. Among them, there were 31 cases on the left side and 20 cases on the right side. The following parameters were recorded before and after the operation:operation time, intraoperative blood loss, hospitalization days, hospitalization expenses, postoperative complications, and radiographic parameters of distal radius (distal radius height, ulnar deviation angle, palmar tilt angle). The clinical efficacy was evaluated at 3 and 12 months after the operation using Gartland-Werley and disabilites of the arm shoulder and hand (DASH) scores. RESULTS: The patients in both groups were followed up for a duration from 12 to 19 months with an average of(13.32±2.02) months. The Kirschner wire group exhibited significantly shorter operation time compared to the plate group 27.91(13.00, 42.00) min vs 67.52(29.72, 105.32) min, Z=-8.74, P=0.00. Intraoperative blood loss was also significantly lower in the Kirschner wire group than in the plate group 3.24(1.08, 5.40) ml vs 21.91(17.38, 26.44) ml, Z=-9.31, P=0.00. Furthermore, patients in the Kirschner wire group had a shorter length of hospital stay compared to those in the plate group (8.38±2.63) days vs (11.40±2.78) days, t=-3.12, P=0.00. Additionally, hospitalization cost was significantly lower in the Kirschner wire group than in the plate group 10 111.29(6 738.98, 13 483.60) yuan vs 15 871.11(11 690.40, 20 051.82) yuan, Z=-5.62, P=0.00. The incidence of complications was 2 cases in the Kirschner wire group and 1 case in the plate group, with no statistically significant difference(P>0.05). At 3 months postoprative, the radial height of the Kirschner wire group was found to be significantly smaller than that of the plate group, with measurements of (11.45±1.69) mm and (12.11±1.78) mm respectively (t=-2.06, P=0.04). However, there were no statistically significant differences observed in ulnar deviation angle and palmar tilt angle between the two groups (P>0.05). The DASH score and Gartland-Werley score in the Kirschner group were significantly higher than those in the plate group at 3 months post-operation (19.10±9.89) vs (13.47±3.51), t=4.34, P=0.00;(11.15±3.61) vs (6.41±2.75), t=8.13, P=0.00). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups at 12 months post-operation (P>0.05). CONCLUSION Compared to plate internal fixation, closed reduction with Kirschner wire support fixation yields a slightly inferior recovery of radial height;however, there is no significant disparity in the functional score of the affected limb at 12 months post-operation. Nonetheless, this technique offers advantages such as shorter operation time, reduced intraoperative blood loss, decreased hospitalization duration, and lower cost.
Humans ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Fracture Fixation, Internal/instrumentation* ; Bone Wires ; Bone Plates ; Retrospective Studies ; Colles' Fracture/surgery* ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures/methods* ; Open Fracture Reduction/methods* ; Osteoporotic Fractures/surgery*

Alzheimer's disease(AD)is a multifactorial condi-tion characterized by the accumulation of toxic proteins and asso-ciated neurodegeneration.AD is distinguished by the pathologi-cal aggregation of amyloid beta(Aβ)and Tau proteins.The in-teraction between Aβ and Tau can further induce neuroinflamma-tion,mitochondrial autophagy dysfunction,and endoplasmic retic-ulum stress,exacerbating synaptic damage and neuronal death.Neuronal cells are particularly susceptible to protein misfolding due to an imbalance between protein production and degrada-tion.The ubiquitin/26S proteasome system(UPS),a major pathway for protein degradation in eukaryotic cells,plays a cruci-al role in recognizing misfolded or damaged proteins within the nervous system.In UPS,the levels of ubiquitin are tightly regu-lated by both ubiquitin ligases(E3s)and deubiquitylases(DUBs).This article reviews the involvement and mechanisms of E3s and DUBs in the pathogenesis of AD,aiming to provide novel research strategies for its treatment.

Alzheimer's disease(AD)is a multifactorial condi-tion characterized by the accumulation of toxic proteins and asso-ciated neurodegeneration.AD is distinguished by the pathologi-cal aggregation of amyloid beta(Aβ)and Tau proteins.The in-teraction between Aβ and Tau can further induce neuroinflamma-tion,mitochondrial autophagy dysfunction,and endoplasmic retic-ulum stress,exacerbating synaptic damage and neuronal death.Neuronal cells are particularly susceptible to protein misfolding due to an imbalance between protein production and degrada-tion.The ubiquitin/26S proteasome system(UPS),a major pathway for protein degradation in eukaryotic cells,plays a cruci-al role in recognizing misfolded or damaged proteins within the nervous system.In UPS,the levels of ubiquitin are tightly regu-lated by both ubiquitin ligases(E3s)and deubiquitylases(DUBs).This article reviews the involvement and mechanisms of E3s and DUBs in the pathogenesis of AD,aiming to provide novel research strategies for its treatment.

Endodontic diseases are a kind of chronic infectious oral disease.Common endodontic treatment concepts are based on the removal of inflamed or necrotic pulp tissue and the replacement by gutta-percha.However,it is very essential for endodontic treatment to debride the root canal system and prevent the root canal system from bacterial reinfection after root canal therapy(RCT).Recent research,encompassing bacterial etiology and advanced imaging techniques,contributes to our understanding of the root canal system's anatomy intricacies and the technique sensitivity of RCT.Success in RCT hinges on factors like patients,infection severity,root canal anatomy,and treatment techniques.Therefore,improving disease management is a key issue to combat endodontic diseases and cure periapical lesions.The clinical difficulty assessment system of RCT is established based on patient conditions,tooth conditions,root canal configuration,and root canal needing retreatment,and emphasizes pre-treatment risk assessment for optimal outcomes.The findings suggest that the presence of risk factors may correlate with the challenge of achieving the high standard required for RCT.These insights contribute not only to improve education but also aid practitioners in treatment planning and referral decision-making within the field of endodontics.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effect of CD56 expression on the prognosis of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM) patients and explore the relationship between CD56 with clinical characteristics. METHODS: In this retrospective study, the clinical data and laboratory parameters of 175 newly diagnosed MM patients from February 2015 to December 2020 in the Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University were collected. The patients were divided into CD56⁺ and CD56^- groups based on the expression of CD56, and the general data and laboratory parameters of the two groups were compared. The patients were followed up to June 30, 2021, and progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were recorded. PFS and OS curves of the two groups were plotted respectively, and the survival differences were compared. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to analyze the effect of CD56 on the prognosis of newly diagnosed MM patients. RESULTS: In 175 newly diagnosed MM patients, 57(32.6%) cases were in the CD56^-group and 118 (67.4%) cases in the CD56⁺ group. There was significant correlation between CD56 expression and ISS stage, ECOG score, platelets, β₂-microglobulin, creatinine, and extramedullary disease (all P <0.05). The incidence of extramedullary disease in the CD56^- group was significantly higher than that in the CD56⁺ group (29.8% vs 12.7%, P =0.006). The median follow-up time of the whole cohort was 23.6 (1.0-78.6) months. The median PFS of patients in CD56⁺ group and CD56^- group were 18.6 (1.2-77.6) and 12.2 (1.0-49.0) months, respectively, and the median OS of the two groups were 27.6 (1.4-77.7) and 19.7 (1.0-78.6) months, respectively. The 2-year PFS rate in the CD56⁺ group was significantly higher than that in the CD56^- group (57.6% vs 36.8%, P =0.010), and the 2-year OS rate in the CD56⁺ group was higher than that in the CD56^- group, but it didn't reach statistical significance (74.6% vs 64.9%, P =0.158). The results of univariate Cox regression analysis showed that the PFS was significantly shorter in newly diagnosed MM patients with advanced age, type IgG, high ECOG score, decreased platelet count, increased lactate dehydrogenase level, extramedullary disease, and CD56^- (all P <0.05), the OS was significantly shorter in patients with high ECOG score, decreased platelet count, increased lactate dehydrogenase level, extramedullary disease, and CD56^- (all P <0.05). The results of multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that advanced age, type IgG, elevated lactate dehydrogenase level, extramedullary disease, and CD56^- were independent prognostic factors for poor PFS (all P <0.05); and decreased platelet count, elevated lactate dehydrogenase level, and extramedullary disease were independent adverse prognostic factors for OS (all P <0.05), while there was no significant independent correlation between CD56 and OS (P >0.05). CONCLUSION Most of the newly diagnosed MM patients have positive expression of CD56. Loss of CD56 expression was associated with unfavorable biological and clinical parameters and poor prognosis, suggesting that CD56 has important clinical value in the prognosis of newly diagnosed MM patients.
Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Lactate Dehydrogenases ; Multiple Myeloma/diagnosis* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies

AIM:To observe the toxic effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles(ZnO NPs)on cornea by constructing intoxicated model in vivo and in vitro.METHODS:Human corneal epithelial cells(HCEpiC)were cultured in vitro and exposed to different concentrations(0.5, 5, 12.5, 25, 50, 100, 250 μg/mL)of ZnO NPs for 24h. The cell culture medium without nano-solution was used as the blank control group. The viability of the cells was assessed by MTT assay. Three different concentrations(25, 50 and 100 μg/mL)of ZnONPs dispersions were exposed to the conjunctival sac of anesthetized mice three times a day for 7d consecutively. The phosphate buffered saline(PBS)eye group was the PBS control group. Corneal morphology was observed on 1, 3, 5 and 7d, and the eyes were removed on 8d for various laboratory examinations, including corneal pathological changes and expression levels of inflammatory factors(TNF-α, IL-6).RESULTS:After treatment of HCEpiC cells with different concentrations of ZnO NPs for 24h, the MTT results showed that Zno NPs cause damage to cells at 0.5 μg/mL, and the cell survival rate was about 80%(P<0.05). Half of the cells were killed at a dose of 5 μg/mL, the damaging effect on cells in the concentration range of 5～250 μg/mL was concentration-dependent(P<0.0001). After 7d of conjunctival capsule spotting in mice, dot-like staining of fluorescein was seen in the 25 μg/mL ZnO NPs and 50 μg/mL ZnO NPs groups. Localized circular fluorescein stained areas were seen in the corneas of the 100 μg/mL ZnO NPs group. HE staining showed that the corneal epithelial layer, stromal layer thickness and stromal layer immune cell number did not change significantly in the 25 μg/mL and 50 μg/mL ZnO NPs groups(all P>0.05), while the corneal epithelial layer thinned, the corneal stromal layer thickened and the stromal layer immune cells increased significantly in the 100 μg/mL ZnO NPs group(all P<0.05). Immunohistochemical staining showed that the number of corneal stromal immune cells producing TNF-α and IL-6 and the mean integral optical density(IOD)values of TNF-α and IL-6 were significantly higher in the 100 μg/mL ZnO NPs group than in the PBS control group(P<0.05), and the degree of inflammation response was concentration-dependent. Compared with the PBS control group, no significant increase in immune cell count and IOD values in the 25 μg/mL ZnO NPs and 50 μg/mL ZnO NPs groups(P>0.05).CONCLUSION:The toxic damaging effect of ZnO NPs on the cornea was confirmed from both in vitro and in vivo, which provided a theoretical basis for the ocular safety evaluation of ZnO NPs.

Uric acid (UA) is the final product of purine metabolism in human body,and its metabolic disorder will induce hyperuricemia (HUA).The occurrence and development of HUA are associated with a variety of pathological mechanisms such as oxidative stress injury,activation of inflammatory cytokines,and activation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.These mechanisms directly or indirectly affect the bioavailability of endogenous nitric oxide (NO).The decrease in NO bioavailability is common in the diseases with high concentration of UA as an independent risk factor.In this review,we summarize the mechanisms by which high concentrations of UA affect the endogenous NO bioavailability,with a focus on the mechanisms of high-concentration UA in decreasing the synthesis and/or increasing the consumption of NO.This review aims to provide references for alleviating the multisystem symptoms and improving the prognosis of HUA,and lay a theoretical foundation for in-depth study of the correlations between HUA and other metabolic diseases.
Humans ; Nitric Oxide ; Uric Acid ; Hyperuricemia ; Biological Availability ; Cytokines

Yiyi Fuzi Baijiang Powder(YFBP), originating from Synopsis of the Golden Chamber, is a classic prescription composed of Coicis Semen, Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata, and Patriniae Herba for the treatment of abscesses and pus discharge. This article presented a systematic analysis of the clinical application of YFBP, including the indicated diseases, the number of cases, efficacy, dosage, administration methods, and compatibility with other drugs. The analysis reveals that YFBP has a wide range of clinical applications. It is commonly used, often with modifications or in combination with western medicine, for diseases in the fields of gastroente-rology, gynecology, urology, dermatology, and others. And most of the Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) evidence involved in these diseases are damp-heat evudence. The prescription shows rich variations in clinical administration methods, and most of which are the treatment of aqueous decoction of it. The therapeutic effect is also significant, and the total effective rate of clinical treatment is re-latively high. Additionally, this article summarized the pharmacological research on YFBP and found that it possessed various pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, and immune-modulating properties. Finally, correlation analysis was conducted on the main diseases, TCM types, prescription doses, pharmacological effects and action targets of YFBP, which to show the relationship between these five aspects in a visual form, reflecting the relationship between its clinical application and modern pharmacological effects. These findings provide a reference basis for further development and research on YFBP.
Powders ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Diterpenes ; Aconitum