Aromatherapy refers to the method of using the aromatic components of plants in appropriate forms to act on the entire body or a specific area to prevent and treat diseases. Essential oils used in aromatherapy are hydrophobic liquids containing volatile aromatic molecules， such as limonene， linalool， linalool acetate， geraniol， and citronellol. These chemicals have been extensively studied and shown to have a variety of functions， including reducing anxiety， relieving depression， promoting sleep， and providing pain relief. Terpenoids are a class of organic molecules with relatively low lipid solubility. After being inhaled， they can pass through the nasal mucosa for transfer or penetrate the skin and enter the bloodstream upon local application. Some of these substances also have the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier， thereby exerting effects on the central nervous system. Currently， the academic community generally agrees that products such as essential oils and aromatherapy from aromatic plants have certain health benefits. However， the process of extracting a single component from it and successfully developing it into a drug still faces many challenges. Its safety and efficacy still need to be further verified through more rigorous and systematic experiments. This article systematically elaborated on the efficacy of aromatic substances， including plant extracts and natural small molecule compounds， in antibacterial and antiviral fields and the regulation of nervous system activity. As a result， a deeper understanding of aromatherapy was achieved. At the same time， the potential of these aromatic substances for drug development was thoroughly explored， providing important references and insights for possible future drug research and application.

Objective To investigate the effect of osteoblast-derived exosome(Exo)mediating microRNA(miR)-494 on bone metabolism and bone remodeling balance in osteoporosis(OP)rats and its mechanism.Methods Exosomes was isolated and identified from MC3T3-E1 osteoblast cell line and transferred to Exo by electrical transfer.Forty SD rats were randomly divided into control,model,miR-494 mimic(miR-494),and miR-494 inhibitor group,10 rats in each group.The ovaries were removed to construct the OP model except the control group.After modeling,the miR-494 group and miR-494 inhibitor group received tail vein injections of exosomes containing the corresponding miRNA,at a dose of 3×109 particles.Four weeks later,bone parameters were detected in each group of rats by Micro-CT,serum bone markers were measured by ELISA,pathological changes in bone tissue were observed by HE staining,osteoclast numbers were detected by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase(TRACP)staining,and the expression levels of bone remodeling-related proteins and toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)pathway-related proteins were determined by Western blotting.Results Typical cup-shaped or round exosomes were successfully isolated with a diameter of about 100 nm from MC3T3-E1 cells,which contained CD63,CD9,tumor susceptibility gene 101(TSG101),heat shock protein 70(HSP70)proteins and can be taken up by MC3T3-E1 cells.Compared with the model group,the bone parameters of the rats in the miR-494 mimic group decreased,serum bone markers bone Gla protein(BGP),TRACP,C-terminal telopeptide of type Ⅰ collagen(CTX-Ⅰ)increased,osteoprotegerin(OPG),procollagen type Ⅰ N-terminal propeptide(PⅠNP)decreased,bone trabeculae structure was disordered,osteoclasts increased,bone morphogenetic protein 2(BMP-2),Runt related transcription factor 2(RUNX2)in bone tissue downregulated,receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand(RANKL)upregulated,TLR4,nuclear factor kappa-B p65(NF-κB p65)and myeloid differentiation primary response 88(MyD88)upregulated(all P＜0.05).In contrast,the situation of the miR-494 inhibitor group was opposite,bone parameters and OPG,PⅠNP increased,BGP,TRACP,CTX-Ⅰdecreased,bone structure returned to normal,osteoclasts decreased,BMP-2,RUNX2 in bone tissue upregulated,RANKL downregulated,TLR4,NF-κB p65 and MyD88 downregulated(all P＜0.05).Conclusion The transfer of miRNA-494 by Exo aggravates abnormal bone metabolism in OP rats and inhibits bone remodeling balance,suggesting that the mechanism of action may be related to the regulation of TLR4 pathway.

Objective: To investigate the association of the levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) with frailty and its components among the elderly over 65 years old in 9 longevity areas of China. Methods: Cross-sectional data from the Health Ageing and Biomarkers Cohort Study (HABCS, 2017-2018) were used and the elderly over 65 years old were included in this study. Through questionnaire interview and physical examination, the information including demographic characteristics, behavior, diet, daily activity, cognitive function, and health status was collected. The association between hs-CRP and frailty and its components in the participants was analyzed by multivariate logistic regression model and restrictive cubic spline. Results: A total of 2 453 participants were finally included, the age was (84.8±19.8) years old. The median hs-CRP level was 1.13 mg/L and the prevalence of frailty was 24.4%. Compared with the low-level group (hs-CRP<1.0 mg/L), the OR (95%CI) value of the high-level group (hs-CRP>3.0 mg/L) was 1.79 (1.35-2.36) mg/L. As for the components, the hs-CRP level was also positively associated with ADL disability, IADL disability, functional limitation and multimorbidity. After adjusting for confounding factors, compared with the low-level group, the OR (95%CI) values of the high-level group for the four components were 1.68 (1.25-2.27), 1.88 (1.42-2.50), 1.68 (1.31-2.14) and 1.39 (1.12-1.72), respectively. Conclusion: There is a positive association between the levels of hs-CRP and the risk of frailty among the elderly over 65 years old in 9 longevity areas of China. The higher hs-CRP level may increase the risk of frailty by elevating the risk of four physical functional disabilities, namely ADL disability, IADL disability, functional limitation and multimorbidity.
Humans ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; C-Reactive Protein/analysis* ; Frailty/epidemiology* ; Cohort Studies ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; China/epidemiology*

In situ and real-time monitoring of responsive drug release is critical for the assessment of pharmacodynamics in chemotherapy. In this study, a novel pH-responsive nanosystem is proposed for real-time monitoring of drug release and chemo-phototherapy by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The Fe₃O₄@Au@Ag nanoparticles (NPs) deposited graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposites with a high SERS activity and stability are synthesized and labeled with a Raman reporter 4-mercaptophenylboronic acid (4-MPBA) to form SERS probes (GO-Fe₃O₄@Au@Ag-MPBA). Furthermore, doxorubicin (DOX) is attached to SERS probes through a pH-responsive linker boronic ester (GO-Fe₃O₄@Au@Ag-MPBA-DOX), accompanying the 4-MPBA signal change in SERS. After the entry into tumor, the breakage of boronic ester in the acidic environment gives rise to the release of DOX and the recovery of 4-MPBA SERS signal. Thus, the DOX dynamic release can be monitored by the real-time changes of 4-MPBA SERS spectra. Additionally, the strong T₂ magnetic resonance (MR) signal and NIR photothermal transduction efficiency of the nanocomposites make it available for MR imaging and photothermal therapy (PTT). Altogether, this GO-Fe₃O₄@Au@Ag-MPBA-DOX can simultaneously fulfill the synergistic combination of cancer cell targeting, pH-sensitive drug release, SERS-traceable detection and MR imaging, endowing it great potential for SERS/MR imaging-guided efficient chemo-phototherapy on cancer treatment.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.08.024.].

ObjectiveTo observe the efficacy and safety of Fuzheng Huayu tablets （FHT） for treating pulmonary inflammation in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 （COVID-19）. MethodA total of 70（4 cases were lost to follow-up, and 66 cases were finally completed） COVID-19 patients were recruited from February 1 to April 15 in 2020. They were assigned to a control group （35 patients） and a FHT group （31 patients）. The patients in the control group received routine treatment alone and those in the FHT group received FHT in addition to routine treatment. The primary outcome was the ratio of patients showing improvement in chest computed tomographic manifestations after 14 days. The secondary outcome measures included remission rate or progression rate of critical illness， clinical remission rate of respiratory symptoms， routine blood examination， C-reactive protein （CPR） level， procalcitonin （PCT） level， and blood oxygen saturation （SPO₂）. The safety was assessed based on liver and kidney functions and adverse events. ResultAfter the 14-day treatment， the ratio of patients showing improvement in the FHT group （100%） was higher than that in the control group （77.1%） （χ²=8.063，P<0.01）. The ratio of disease stages after treatment showed no significant difference between two groups. In the FHT group， the symptoms including cough， dyspnea， and fatigue were alleviated after treatment （P<0.01）. In the control group， the symptoms including fever， cough， and dyspnea were alleviated （P<0.01）， while the fatigue was not relieved after treatment. No significant difference was observed in the clinical symptoms between the two groups after treatment. After treatment， the FHT group showed decreased white blood cell （WBC） count and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio （NLR） （P<0.01）， elevated platelet （PLT） level （P<0.05）， lowered CRP level （P<0.05）， and no significant difference in lymphocyte （LYM）， hemoglobin （Hb）， SPO₂ or PCT level. The control group showed decreased NLR （P<0.05） and WBC count （P<0.01）， elevated PCT level （P<0.05）， and no significant change in LYM， Hb， PLT， SPO₂ or CRP level after treatment. Furthermore， the FHT group had higher PLT level than the control group （P<0.05） after treatment， and other indicators had no significant differences between the two groups. The liver and kidney functions had no significant difference between the two groups after treatment. ConclusionFHT can safely promote the absorption of acute pulmonary inflammation in COVID-19 patients.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze characteristics and related factors of the plantar pressure during the level walking and single leg standing in the chronic ankle instability (CAI) individuals. METHODS: From April 2019, 75 CAI individuals and 40 healthy individuals were enrolled in this study. Both of the static and dynamic plantar pressure were measured during six times level walking and three times single leg standing testing. The data including peak force, time to peak force in various foot contact areas and the time to boundary (TTB) and velocity of center of pressure (COP) were measured and compared between the affected side and the unaffected side and between the CAI cases and the healthy individuals. The correlations between the plantar pressure and the gender, Beighton score, affected side and body mass index (BMI) were analyzed. RESULTS: The characteristics of plantar pressure distribution in the CAI individuals included: (1) During the level walking, the affected side showed the similar pressure contribution as the unaffected side (P>0.05). While compared with healthy individuals, there was a significantly higher peak force in the 5th metatarsal area (t=-3.86, P=0.03) of the affected side, lower peak force in the 1st (t=2.99, P=0.02), 2nd metatarsal head areas (t=2.09, P=0.01) of the affected side, medial hindfoot areas of both sides (affected, t=2.33, P=0.01; unaffected, t=3.74, P=0.02) and toes areass of both sides (affected, t=2.23, P=0.01; unaffected, t=3.28, P=0.02) and a delay to peak force in the 4th metatarsal head area (t=3.33, P=0.01) of the affected side. (2) During the single leg standing, the CAI individuals showed significantly worse balance control in the anterior/posterior direction (P < 0.05) and lateral/medial direction (P < 0.05) compared with the healthy controls, and the affected side had more severe balance control deficit in the lateral/medial direction (P < 0.05). (3) The women (P < 0.05) and the individuals with higher Beighton scores (P < 0.05) showed worse balance control deficit in the lateral/medial direction. CONCLUSION CAI individuals showed significantly a more lateral shifted plantar distribution during the level walking compared with the healthy individuals and the tendency was worse on the affected sides, and showed worse balance control in the anterior/posterior direction and lateral/medial direction during the single leg standing. The women and those with generalized ligament laxity showed significantly worse balance control.
Ankle ; Ankle Joint ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Foot ; Humans ; Joint Instability

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA) and dynamic hip screw (DHS) for unstable intertrochanteric fractures using meta-analysis. METHODS: The PubMed, Embase, Cocharane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Google Scholar, China Science and Technology Papers and Citation Database (CSTPCD) and China Journal Full-text Database (CNKI) were searched for published randomized controlled trials before January 1, 2019. Two researchers independently screened the literature in the light of the inclusion and exclusion criteria, evaluated the quality of the studies and extracted the data which were consisted of clinical efficacy indexes, such as incision length, operation time,intraoperative blood loss, weight-bearing time,fracture-healing time, Harris hip score and safety indicators like complications. Meta-analysis was performed with the Revman 5.3 software provided by Cochrane Community in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) standard. RESULTS: Nine randomized controlled trials met the requirement with a total of 779 patients, of whom 383 were fixed with PFNA and 396 with DHS. Meta-analysis demonstrated that PFNA was associated with smaller surgical incision length [MD=-7.43, 95%CI (-9.31, -5.55), P<0.05], shorter operation time [MD=-22.76, 95%CI (-29.57, -11.95), P<0.05], less intraoperative blood loss [MD=-216.34, 95%CI (-275.18, - 157.49), P<0.05], earlier weight bearing after surgery [MD=-12.34, 95%CI (-17.71, -6.97), P<0.05], shorter fracture healing time [MD=-5.00, 95%CI (-7.73, -2.26), P<0.05], higher postoperative Harris hip score [MD=12.22, 95%CI (3.88, 20.55), P<0.05], higher rate of excellent Harris hip score [OR=3.56, 95%CI (1.44, 8.81), P<0.05] and lower incidence rate of postoperative complications [OR=0.48, 95%CI (0.33, 0.70), P<0.05], such as hip varus, wound infection, urinary tract infection, pulmonary infection, pressure sore, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, heart failure and cerebral infraction when compared with DHS. No statistical difference was shown between the groups when it came to subgroup analysis by age. However, there was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the duration of hospitalization and the complications resulting in the occurrences of internal fixation loosening, such as femoral shaft fracture (during or post operation), internal fixation fracture, cut-out, displacement or retraction. CONCLUSION Current published evidence supports the superiority of PFNA to DHS for unstable intertrochanteric fractures in terms of clinical efficacy. The conclusion was limited because of the relatively low quality of evidence with low strength of confidence. Large scale and high-quality randomized controlled trials are required to validate the safety of PFNA and DHS for unstable intertrochanteric fractures.
Bone Nails ; Bone Screws ; China ; Femoral Fractures ; Femur ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Hip Fractures ; Humans

Bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) were cultured with high glucose (33 mmol/L), 4 mg/L green tea polyphenols (GTPs) or 4 mg/L GTPs co-treatment with high glucose for 24 h in the presence or absence of Bafilomycin-A1 (BAF). We observed that high glucose increased the accumulation of LC3-II. Treatment with BAF did not further increase the accumulation of LC3-II. Results also showed an increased level of p62 and decreased Beclin-1. However, GTPs showed inversed trends of those proteins. Furthermore, GTPs co-treatment with high glucose decreased the level of LC3-II and a much higher accumulation of LC3-II was observed in the presence of BAF in comparison with high glucose alone. Results also showed a decreased p62 and increased Beclin-1. The results demonstrated that GTPs alleviated autophagy inhibition induced by high glucose, which may be involved in the endothelial protective effects of green tea against hyperglycemia.
Animals ; Autophagy ; drug effects ; Cattle ; Cells, Cultured ; Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Glucose ; toxicity ; Macrolides ; pharmacology ; Polyphenols ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Tea ; chemistry