Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a central neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive cognitive dysfunction and behavioral impairment, and there is a lack of effective drugs to treat AD clinically. Existing medications for the treatment of AD, such as Tacrine, Donepezil, Rivastigmine, and Aducanumab, only serve to delay symptoms and but not cure disease. To add insult to injury, these medications are associated with very serious adverse effects. Therefore, it is urgent to explore effective therapeutic drugs for AD. Recently, studies have shown that a variety of enzyme inhibitors, such as cholinesterase inhibitors, monoamine oxidase (MAO)inhibitors, secretase inhibitors, can ameliorate cholinergic system dysfunction, Aβ production and deposition, Tau protein hyperphosphorylation, oxidative stress damage, and the decline of synaptic plasticity, thereby improving AD symptoms and cognitive function. Some plant extracts from natural sources, such as Umbelliferone, Aaptamine, Medha Plus, have the ability to inhibit cholinesterase activity and act to improve learning and cognition. Isochromanone derivatives incorporating the donepezil pharmacophore bind to the catalytic active site (CAS) and peripheral anionic site (PAS) sites of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which can inhibit AChE activity and ameliorate cholinergic system disorders. A compound called Rosmarinic acid which is found in the Lamiaceae can inhibit monoamine oxidase, increase monoamine levels in the brain, and reduce Aβ deposition. Compounds obtained by hybridization of coumarin derivatives and hydroxypyridinones can inhibit MAO-B activity and attenuate oxidative stress damage. Quinoline derivatives which inhibit the activation of AChE and MAO-B can reduce Aβ burden and promote learning and memory of mice. The compound derived from the combination of propargyl and tacrine retains the inhibitory capacity of tacrine towards cholinesterase, and also inhibits the activity of MAO by binding to the FAD cofactor of monoamine oxidase. A series of hybrids, obtained by an amide linker of chromone in combine with the benzylpiperidine moieties of donepezil, have a favorable safety profile of both cholinesterase and monoamine oxidase inhibitory activity. Single domain antibodies (such as AAV-VHH) targeted the inhibition of BACE1 can reduce Aβ production and deposition as well as the levels of inflammatory cells, which ultimately improve synaptic plasticity. 3-O-trans-p-coumaroyl maslinic acid from the extract of Ligustrum lucidum can specifically inhibit the activity of γ-secretase, thereby rescuing the long-term potentiation and enhancing synaptic plasticity in APP/PS1 mice. Inhibiting γ-secretase activity which leads to the decline of inflammatory factors (such as IFN-γ, IL-8) not only directly improves the pathology of AD, but also reduces Aβ production. Melatonin reduces the transcriptional expression of GSK-3β mRNA, thereby decreasing the levels of GSK-3β and reducing the phosphorylation induced by GSK-3β. Hydrogen sulfide can inhibitGSK-3β activity via sulfhydration of the Cys218 site of GSK-3β, resulting in the suppression of Tau protein hyperphosphorylation, which ameliorate the motor deficits and cognitive impairment in mice with AD. This article reviews enzyme inhibitors and conformational optimization of enzyme inhibitors targeting the regulation of cholinesterase, monoamine oxidase, secretase, and GSK-3β. We are hoping to provide a comprehensive overview of drug development in the enzyme inhibitors, which may be useful in treating AD.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) combined with lower cervical fracture is often categorized into unstable fracture, with a high incidence of neurological injury and a high rate of disability and morbidity. As factors such as shoulder occlusion may affect the accuracy of X-ray imaging diagnosis, it is often easily misdiagnosed at the primary diagnosis. Non-operative treatment has complications such as bone nonunion and the possibility of secondary neurological damage, while the timing, access and choice of surgical treatment are still controversial. Currently, there are no clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of AS combined with lower cervical fracture with or without dislocation. To this end, the Spinal Trauma Group of Orthopedics Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized experts to formulate Clinical guidelines for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis combined with lower cervical fracture in adults ( version 2024) in accordance with the principles of evidence-based medicine, scientificity and practicality, in which 11 recommendations were put forward in terms of the diagnosis, imaging evaluation, typing and treatment, etc, to provide guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of AS combined with lower cervical fracture.

Ferroptosis is a new type of programmed cell death different from apoptosis and necrosis.Its mechanism involves iron overload,lipid peroxidation,and reactive oxygen species(ROS)generation caused by disordered iron metabolism.Ferroptosis is associated with primary osteoporosis as well as the secondary osteoporosis such as steroid-induced osteoporosis,diabetic osteoporosis and postmenopausal osteoporosis.The Chinese medicines for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis through the mechanism of ferroptosis mainly involve Chinese herbal compounds such as herbal pair of Eucommiae Cortex-Dipsaci Radix,Jintiange Capsules,and Bugu Shengsui Prescription,the single Chinese herbal medicine of Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix,and the active ingredients of herbal medicines such as icariin,gastrodin,quercetin,and artesunate.The prevention and treatment of osteoporosis by Chinese medicine monomer and Chinese herbal compound can inhibit ferroptosis through multiple targets and multiple pathways.At present,Chinese medicine has advantages in the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.The prevention and treatment of osteoporosis by regulating the mechanism of ferroptosis can provide a direction for the future research on the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis by Chinese medicine.

Objective To investigate the acupoint selection rules of obesity complicated with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)through R language data mining technology.Methods CNKI,Wanfang,VIP,CBM,PubMed,Embase,Cochrane Library,web of science and other major databases were searched by computer.From the establishment of the database to January 2024,the clinical research literature on acupuncture and moxibustion for the treatment of obesity with T2DM was included.Microsoft Excel 2021 was used to establish a database of acupoint prescriptions.R 4.3.2 and Rstudio software were used to analyze the frequency,meridian tropism,specific acupoints,correlation analysis,association rules and cluster analysis of acupoints.Results A total of 81 articles were included,and 117 prescriptions were extracted.It involves 82 acupoints,and the total frequency of acupoint usage is 1 072 times.The top five acupoints with the highest frequency were Zusanli(ST36),Zhongwan(RN12),Weiwanxiashu(EX-B3),Pishu(BL20),Tianshu(ST25).The meridian selection is mainly based on the stomach meridian of foot yangming,ren meridian,foot taiyang bladder meridian and foot taiyin spleen meridian.The five-shu points are the specific points with the highest frequency of use.Correlation analysis showed that there were three groups of strongly related acupoint groups.The core acupoints were obtained by association rule analysis.Cluster analysis and machine voting were performed on acupoints with frequency ≥ 10 by function,and a total of four cluster acupoint groups were obtained.Conclusion Through R language data analysis,the principle of acupoint selection for acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of obesity complicated with T2DM is mainly based on abdominal local acupoints,combined with visceral syndrome differentiation and empirical point selection,which provides effective treatment ideas for acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of obesity complicated with T2DM.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) combined with spinal fractures with thoracic and lumbar fracture as the most common type shows characteristics of unstable fracture, high incidence of nerve injury, high mortality and high disability rate. The diagnosis may be missed because it is mostly caused by low-energy injury, when spinal rigidity and osteoporosis have a great impact on the accuracy of imaging examination. At the same time, the treatment choices are controversial, with no relevant specifications. Non-operative treatments can easily lead to bone nonunion, pseudoarthrosis and delayed nerve injury, while surgeries may be failed due to internal fixation failure. At present, there are no evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of AS combined with thoracic and lumbar fracture. In this context, the Spinal Trauma Academic Group of Orthopedics Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized experts to formulate the Clinical guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of adult ankylosing spondylitis combined with thoracolumbar fracture ( version 2023) by following the principles of evidence-based medicine and systematically review related literatures. Ten recommendations on the diagnosis, imaging evaluation, classification and treatment of AS combined with thoracic and lumbar fracture were put forward, aiming to standardize the clinical diagnosis and treatment of such disorder.

The acute combination fractures of the atlas and axis in adults have a higher rate of neurological injury and early death compared with atlas or axial fractures alone. Currently, the diagnosis and treatment choices of acute combination fractures of the atlas and axis in adults are controversial because of the lack of standards for implementation. Non-operative treatments have a high incidence of bone nonunion and complications, while surgeries may easily lead to the injury of the vertebral artery, spinal cord and nerve root. At present, there are no evidence-based Chinese guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute combination fractures of the atlas and axis in adults. To provide orthopedic surgeons with the most up-to-date and effective information in treating acute combination fractures of the atlas and axis in adults, the Spinal Trauma Group of Orthopedic Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized experts in the field of spinal trauma to develop the Evidence-based guideline for clinical diagnosis and treatment of acute combination fractures of the atlas and axis in adults ( version 2023) by referring to the "Management of acute combination fractures of the atlas and axis in adults" published by American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS)/Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) in 2013 and the relevant Chinese and English literatures. Ten recommendations were made concerning the radiological diagnosis, stability judgment, treatment rules, treatment options and complications based on medical evidence, aiming to provide a reference for the diagnosis and treatment of acute combination fractures of the atlas and axis in adults.

OBJECTIVES: To study the protective effect of melatonin (Mel) against oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) in neonatal mice and the role of the HMGB1/NF-κB/NLRP3 axis. METHODS: Neonatal C57BL/6J mice, aged 7 days, were randomly divided into a control group, a model group (OIR group), and a Mel treatment group (OIR+Mel group), with 9 mice in each group. The hyperoxia induction method was used to establish a model of OIR. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and retinal flat-mount preparation were used to observe retinal structure and neovascularization. Immunofluorescent staining was used to measure the expression of proteins and inflammatory factors associated with the HMGB1/NF-κB/NLRP3 axis and lymphocyte antigen 6G. Colorimetry was used to measure the activity of myeloperoxidase. RESULTS: The OIR group had destruction of retinal structure with a large perfusion-free area and neovascularization, while the OIR+Mel group had improvement in destruction of retinal structure with reductions in neovascularization and perfusion-free area. Compared with the control group, the OIR group had significant increases in the expression of proteins and inflammatory factors associated with the HMGB1/NF-κB/NLRP3 axis, the expression of lymphocyte antigen 6G, and the activity of myeloperoxidase (P<0.05). Compared with the OIR group, the OIR+Mel group had significant reductions in the above indices (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the OIR group had significant reductions in the expression of melatonin receptors in the retina (P<0.05). Compared with the OIR group, the OIR+Mel group had significant increases in the expression of melatonin receptors (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Mel can alleviate OIR-induced retinal damage in neonatal mice by inhibiting the HMGB1/NF-κB/NLRP3 axis and may exert an effect through the melatonin receptor pathway.
Animals ; Mice ; HMGB1 Protein ; Melatonin/therapeutic use* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; NF-kappa B ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein ; Oxygen/adverse effects* ; Peroxidase ; Receptors, Melatonin ; Retinal Diseases/drug therapy*

AIM:To investigate the mechanism of curcumin inhibiting the choroidal neovascularization(CNV)of brown Norway(BN)rats.METHODS: CNV model of 36 BN rats was established through laser photocoagulation induction, and they were divided into 6 groups with 6 rats in each group. Normal group was fed normally with no intervention, while 532nm laser photocoagulation was used to establish a experimental CNV model in BN rats. Rats after modeling were respectively intervened for 14d and divided into model group, ranibizumab group, curcumin low [100mg/(kg·d)], medium [200mg/(kg·d)], and high [400mg/(kg·d)] dose group. The model group was given intragastric administration of saline for 14d, ranibizumab(10mg/mL, 0.2mL/dose)was injected at 2d after photocoagulation with 5μL once for rats in ranibizumab group, and different concentrations of curcumin were intragastrically administrated to the rats in low, medium and high groups for 14d. Fundus photography, fundus fluorescein angiography(FFA)and indocyanine green angiography(ICGA)examination were performed at 14d after photocoagulation. Ocular histopathological specimens of rats with CNV were made, and the central thickness of CNV were observed by HE staining. Ocular histopathological specimens were made, and the expressions of AKT/p-AKT/HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathway-related proteins were observed by immunohistochemistry. The mRNA relative expressions of AKT/HIF-1α/VEGF factor in CNV tissues were detected by RT-qPCR, and the protein expressions of AKT/p-AKT/HIF-1α/VEGF factor in CNV tissues were detected by Western-blot.RESULTS: CNV generation rates in the model group, the ranibizumab group, and the low, medium and high-dose curcumin groups were 78.18%, 73.21%, 77.19%, 75.86%, 74.55%, respectively, which were higher than 70%. The average absorbance were 182.12±6.59, 119.22±8.03, 166.45±8.33, 164.34±5.69, 149.22±6.45, respectively; the ranibizumab group was significantly lower than the model group(P<0.05); the low-dose, medium-dose and high-dose groups were significantly higher than the ranibizumab group(P<0.05), and the curcumin high-dose group was significantly lower than the model group(P<0.05). HE staining showed that the retinal tissue structure of BN rats in normal group was clear and neatly arranged. The central thickness of CNV in the ranibizumab group was significantly reduced at 14d after photocoagulation compared with the model group(P<0.05); While the curcumin high-dose group was significantly reduced compared with the model group(P<0.05), but increased when compared with ranibizumab group(P<0.05). Immunohistochemistry results showed that AKT, p-AKT, HIF-1α, and VEGF factors were negatively expressed in the retinal tissue structure of BN rats in the normal group, and no brown-yellow reactants were found. The expression of AKT, p-AKT, HIF-1α, and VEGF factors in the model group were higher than that in the normal group at 14d after photocoagulation(P<0.05); the ranibizumab group was lower than the model group(P<0.05). While the expression of the curcumin high-dose group was significantly decreased compared with the model group(P<0.05), but significantly increased when compared with ranibizumab group(P<0.05). The mRNA results showed that the relative expression levels of AKT, HIF-1α and VEGF mRNA in the model group at 14d after photocoagulation were higher than those of the normal group(P<0.05); the ranibizumab group was lower than the model group(P<0.05). While curcumin high-dose group was significantly decreased compared with the model group(P<0.05), but significantly increased when compared with ranibizumab group(P<0.05). Western-blot results showed that there was no significant difference in the relative expression of AKT protein among each experimental groups at 14d after photocoagulation. The relative expression of p-AKT protein in the model group was significantly higher than that in the normal group(P<0.05); the ranibizumab group was significantly lower than the model group(P<0.05); the curcumin high-dose group was significantly lower than the model group(P<0.05). The relative expression levels of HIF-1α protein were significantly higher in the model group than in the normal group(P<0.05), and the ranibizumab group was lower than in the model group(P<0.05). The relative expression levels of HIF-1α protein was lower in the curcumin high-dose group than in the model group(P<0.05)but higher than ranibizumab group(P<0.05). The relative expression level of VEGF protein was significantly lower in the curcumin medium/high-dose group than in the model group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION: Curcumin at 400mg/(kg·d)has an inhibitory effect on CNV in BN rats. The mechanism may be closely related to inhibiting the activation of AKT/p-AKT/HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathways.

There is growing evidence that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is associated with increased risks of psychiatric sequelae. Depression, anxiety, cognitive impairments, sleep disturbance, and fatigue during and after the acute phase of COVID-19 are prevalent, long-lasting, and exerting negative consequences on well-being and imposing a huge burden on healthcare systems and society. This current review presented timely updates of clinical research findings, particularly focusing on the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying the neuropsychiatric sequelae, and identified potential key targets for developing effective treatment strategies for long COVID. In addition, we introduced the Formosa Long COVID Multicenter Study (FOCuS), which aims to apply the inflammation theory to the pathogenesis and the psychosocial and nutrition treatments of post-COVID depression and anxiety.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical efficacy of minimally invasive technology with trajectory screw fixation for fragility fractures of pelvic(FFP). METHODS: A retrospective case control study was performed to analyze the clinical data of 35 patients with FFP who were treated and followed up between January 2016 and December 2019. There were 12 males and 23 females, aged from 65 to 99 years with an average of(75.4±7.8) years old. There were 13 cases of type Ⅱb, 7 cases of type Ⅱc, 8 cases of type Ⅲa, 2 cases of type Ⅲb, 2 cases of type Ⅲc, 1 case of type Ⅳb, and 2 cases of type Ⅳc according to Rommens FFP comprehensive classification. All patients received the treatment of minimally invasive technology with trajectory screws fixation. According to the different methods of anterior pelvic ring fixation, FFP patients were divided into two groups:12 cases were fixed with the pedicle screw rod system in the anterior pelvic subcutaneous internal fixator (INFIX) group;23 cases were fixed with hollow screws of the pubic symphysis, superior ramus of pubis or acetabular anterior column in the screw group. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative fluoroscopy times, length of hospital stay, cost of internal fixation, pre- and post-operative visual analogue scale(VAS) were compared between the two groups. The fracture reduction quality was evaluated according to the Matta criteria, and the clinical function was evaluated by the Majeed functional scoring system respectively. RESULTS: All patients were followed up for 12 to 39(16.5±5.4) months after surgery. There was no statistically significant difference in the operation time, intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative fluoroscopy time, and length of hospital stay between the two groups(P>0.05). As for the cost of internal fixation, the cost of internal fixation in the screw group [2 914 (2 914, 4 371) yuan] was significantly lower than that of the INFIX group [6 205 (6 205, 6 205) yuan] (P<0.05). No significant difference was observed in the incidence of postoperative complications between the two groups (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in VAS assessment at admission, 1 week, and 3 months after surgery between the two groups(P>0.05). However, the VAS assessment at 1 week and 3 months after surgery of the two groups were significantly better than those at admission(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the quality of fracture reduction after the operation and the efficacy evaluation at the last follow-up between the two groups(P>0.05). CONCLUSION For the treatment of fragility fractures, minimally invasive technology with trajectory screw fixation can achieve good clinical efficacy. It has the advantages of being relatively minimally invasive, less bleeding, relieving the pain. It deserves clinical application.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Blood Loss, Surgical ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Fractures, Bone/surgery* ; Humans ; Male ; Pelvic Bones/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies