The study aims to elucidate the existence forms(original constituents and metabolites) of Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma in rats and reveal its metabolic pathways. After Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma was administered orally once a day for seven consecutive days to rats, all urine and feces samples were collected for seven days, while the blood samples were obtained 6 h after the last administration. Using the ultra high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) technique, this study identified 6, 73, and 156 existence forms of Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma in the rat plasma, urine, and feces samples, respectively. Among them, 101 compounds were identified as new existence forms, and 13 original constituents were identified by comparing with reference compounds. The metabolic reactions of constituents from Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma were mainly deglycosylation, dehydration, hydroxylation, hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, acetylation, and amino acid conjugation. Furthermore, the possible in vivo metabolic pathways of protopanaxatriol(PPT) in rats were proposed. Through comprehensive analysis of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(LC-MS) data, isomeric compounds were discriminated, and the planar chemical structures of 32 metabolites were clearly identified. According to the literature, 48 original constituents possess antitumor and cardiovascular protective bioactivities. Additionally, 32 metabolites were predicted to have similar bioactivities by SuperPred. This research lays the foundation for further exploring the in vivo effective forms of Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma.
Animals ; Rats ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacokinetics* ; Rhizome/metabolism* ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Panax notoginseng/chemistry* ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Feces/chemistry*

Metabonomics and proteomics were employed to investigate the mechanism of Yuzhi Zhixue Granules in treating polycystic ovary syndrome with insulin resistance(PCOS-IR). The disease model was established by feeding a high-fat diet and gavage of letrozole solution and it was then treated with different doses of Yuzhi Zhixue Granules. The therapeutic effect of Yuzhi Zhixue Granules was evaluated based on the body mass, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance and insulin sensitivity index, serum levels of adipokines, and histopathological changes of rats. Metabolomics and proteomics were employed to find the action pathways of Yuzhi Zhixue Granules. The results showed that Yuzhi Zhixue Granules reduced the body mass, improved the insulin sensitivity and aromatase activity, improved the levels of leptin, adiponectin and other adipokines, and alleviated insulin resistance, histopathological changes, and metabolic disorders in PCOS-IR rats. Metabolomics results revealed 14 metabolites with altered levels in the ovarian tissue, which were closely related to glutathione metabolism and pyruvate metabolism. Proteomics results showed that the therapeutic effect of Yuzhi Zhixue Granules was mainly related to the adipokine, adenosine 5'-monophosphate(AMP)-activated protein kinase(AMPK), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B(PI3K/Akt), forkhead box protein O(FoxO), and mechanistic target of rapamycin(mTOR) signaling pathways. Western blot results showed that compared with the model group, Yuzhi Zhixue Granules treatment decreased the p-AMPK/AMPK and p-FoxO1/FoxO1 levels, increased the p-mTOR/mTOR level, and up-regulated the expression level of recombinant glucose transporter 4(GLUT4). Yuzhi Zhixue Granules can balance amino acid metabolism and pyruvate metabolism by regulating the AMPK/mTOR/FoxO/GLUT pathway to maintain the homeostasis of the ovarian environment and alleviate insulin resistance, thus treating PCOS-IR.
Animals ; Female ; Insulin Resistance ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Rats ; Metabolomics ; Proteomics ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Humans ; Ovary/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects*

PURPOSE: To investigate the protective effect of sub-hypothermic mechanical perfusion combined with membrane lung oxygenation on ischemic hypoxic injury of yorkshire brain tissue caused by traumatic blood loss. METHODS: This article performed a random controlled trial. Brain tissue of 7 yorkshire was selected and divided into the sub-low temperature anterograde machine perfusion group (n = 4) and the blank control group (n = 3) using the random number table method. A yorkshire model of brain tissue injury induced by traumatic blood loss was established. Firstly, the perfusion temperature and blood oxygen saturation were monitored in real-time during the perfusion process. The number of red blood cells, hemoglobin content, NA⁺, K⁺, and Ca²⁺ ions concentrations and pH of the perfusate were detected. Following perfusion, we specifically examined the parietal lobe to assess its water content. The prefrontal cortex and hippocampus were then dissected for histological evaluation, allowing us to investigate potential regional differences in tissue injury. The blank control group was sampled directly before perfusion. All statistical analyses and graphs were performed using GraphPad Prism 8.0 Student t-test. All tests were two-sided, and p value of less than 0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance. RESULTS: The contents of red blood cells and hemoglobin during perfusion were maintained at normal levels but more red blood cells were destroyed 3 h after the perfusion. The blood oxygen saturation of the perfusion group was maintained at 95% - 98%. NA⁺ and K⁺ concentrations were normal most of the time during perfusion but increased significantly at about 4 h. The Ca²⁺ concentration remained within the normal range at each period. Glucose levels were slightly higher than the baseline level. The pH of the perfusion solution was slightly lower at the beginning of perfusion, and then gradually increased to the normal level. The water content of brain tissue in the sub-low and docile perfusion group was 78.95% ± 0.39%, which was significantly higher than that in the control group (75.27% ± 0.55%, t = 10.49, p < 0.001), and the difference was statistically significant. Compared with the blank control group, the structure and morphology of pyramidal neurons in the prefrontal cortex and CA1 region of the hippocampal gyrus were similar, and their integrity was better. The structural integrity of granulosa neurons was destroyed and cell edema increased in the perfusion group compared with the blank control group. Immunofluorescence staining for glail fibrillary acidic protein and Iba1, markers of glial cells, revealed well-preserved cell structures in the perfusion group. While there were indications of abnormal cellular activity, the analysis showed no significant difference in axon thickness or integrity compared to the 1-h blank control group. CONCLUSIONS Mild hypothermic machine perfusion can improve ischemia and hypoxia injury of yorkshire brain tissue caused by traumatic blood loss and delay the necrosis and apoptosis of yorkshire brain tissue by continuous oxygen supply, maintaining ion homeostasis and reducing tissue metabolism level.
Animals ; Perfusion/methods* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Brain Injuries/etiology* ; Swine ; Male ; Hypothermia, Induced/methods*

OBJECTIVES: To explore the mediating role of sleep duration in the relationship between depression symptoms and myopia among middle school students. METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional research conducted using a stratified cluster random sampling method. A total of 1 728 middle school students were selected from two junior high schools and two senior high schools in certain urban areas and farms of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. Questionnaire surveys and vision tests were conducted among the students. Spearman analysis was used to analyze the correlation between depression symptoms, sleep duration, and myopia. The Bootstrap method was employed to investigate the mediating effect of sleep duration between depression symptoms and myopia. RESULTS: The prevalence of myopia in the overall population was 74.02% (1 279/1 728), with an average sleep duration of (7.6±1.0) hours. The rate of insufficient sleep was 83.62% (1 445/1 728), and the proportion of students exhibiting depression symptoms was 25.29% (437/1 728). Correlation analysis showed significant negative correlations between visual acuity in both eyes and sleep duration with depressive emotions as measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (with correlation coefficients of -0.064, -0.084, and -0.199 respectively; P<0.01), as well as with somatic symptoms and activities (with correlation coefficients of -0.104, -0.124, and -0.233 respectively; P<0.01) and interpersonal relationships (with correlation coefficients of -0.052, -0.059, and -0.071 respectively; P<0.05). The correlation coefficients for left and right eye visual acuity and sleep duration were 0.206 and 0.211 respectively (P<0.001). Sleep duration exhibited a mediating effect between depression symptoms and myopia (indirect effect=0.056, 95%CI: 0.029-0.088), with the mediating effect value for females (indirect effect=0.066, 95%CI: 0.024-0.119) being higher than that for males (indirect effect=0.042, 95%CI: 0.011-0.081). CONCLUSIONS Sleep duration serves as a partial mediator between depression symptoms and myopia in middle school students.
Humans ; Myopia/etiology* ; Male ; Female ; Depression/physiopathology* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Sleep ; Adolescent ; Students ; Child ; Time Factors ; Sleep Duration

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects and underlying mechanism of ionizing radiation on the adipogenic of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). METHODS: Mouse MSCs were cultured in vitro and treated with 2 Gy and 6 Gy radiation with ⁶⁰Co, and the radiation dose rate was 0.98 Gy/min. Bulk RNA-seq was performed on control and irradiated MSCs. The changes of adipogenic differentiation and oxidative stress pathways of MSC were revealed by bioinformatics analysis. Oil Red O staining was used to detect the adipogenic differentiation ability of MSCs in vitro, and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used to detect the expression differences of key regulatory factors Cebpa, Lpl and Pparg after radiation treatment. At the same time, qPCR and Western blot were used to detect the effect of inhibition of Nrf2, a key factor of antioxidant stress pathway, on the expression of key regulatory factors of adipogenesis. Moreover, the species conservation of the irradiation response of human bone marrow MSCs and mouse MSC was determined by qPCR. RESULTS: Bulk RNA-seq suggested that ionizing radiation promotes adipogenic differentiation of MSCs and up-regulation of oxidative stress-related genes and pathways. The results of Oil Red O staining and qPCR showed that ionizing radiation promoted the adipogenesis of MSCs, with high expression of Cebpa, Lpl and Pparg, as well as oxidative stress-related gene Nrf2. Nrf2 pathway inhibitors could further enhance the adipogenesis of MSCs in bone marrow after radiation. Notably, the similar regulation of oxidative pathways and enhanced adipogenesis post irradiation were observed in human bone marrow MSCs. In addition, irradiation exposure led to up-regulated mRNA expression of interleukin-6 and down-regulated mRNA expression of colony stimulating factor 2 in human bone marrow MSCs. CONCLUSION Ionizing radiation promotes adipogenesis of MSCs in mice, and oxidative stress pathway participates in this effect, blocking Nrf2 further promotes the adipogenesis of MSCs. Additionally, irradiation activates oxidative pathways and promotes adipogenic differentiation of human bone marrow MSCs.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells/cytology* ; Oxidative Stress/radiation effects* ; Animals ; Adipogenesis/radiation effects* ; Mice ; Radiation, Ionizing ; Cell Differentiation/radiation effects* ; Humans ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/metabolism* ; PPAR gamma ; Cells, Cultured

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical effect and safety of acupuncture manipulation on treatment of intractable facial paralysis (IFP), and verify the practicality and precision of the Anzhong Facial Paralysis Precision Scale (Eyelid Closure Grading Scale, AFPPS-ECGS). METHODS: A multicentre, single-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted from October 2022 to June 2024. Eighty-nine IFP participants were randomly assigned to an ordinary acupuncture group (OAG, 45 cases) and a characteristic acupuncture group (CAG, 44 cases) using a random number table method. The main acupoints selected included Yangbai (GB 14), Quanliao (SI 18), Yingxiang (LI 20), Shuigou (GV 26), Dicang (ST 4), Chengjiang (CV 24), Taiyang (EX-HN 5), Jiache (ST 6), Fengchi (GB 20), and Hegu (LI 4). The OAG patients received ordinary acupuncture manipulation, while the CAG received characteristic acupuncture manipulation. Both groups received acupuncture treatment 3 times a week, with 10 times per course, lasting for 10 weeks. Facial recovery was assessed at baseline and after the 1st, 2nd and 3rd treatment course by AFPPS-ECGS and the House-Brackmann (H-B) Grading Scale. Infrared thermography technology was used to observe the temperature difference between healthy and affected sides in various facial regions. Adverse events and laboratory test abnormalities were recorded. The correlation between the scores of the two scales was analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient. RESULTS: After the 2nd treatment course, the two groups showed statistically significant differences in AFPPS-ECGS scores (P<0.05), with even greater significance after the 3rd course (P<0.01). Similarly, H-B Grading Scale scores demonstrated significant differences between groups following the 3rd treatment course (P<0.05). Regarding temperature measurements, significant differences in temperatures of frontal and ocular areas were observed after the 2nd course (P<0.05), becoming more pronounced after the 3rd course (P<0.01). Additionally, mouth corner temperature differences reached statistical significance by the 3rd course (P<0.05). No safety-related incidents were observed during the study. Correlation analysis revealed that the AFPPS-ECGS and the H-B Grading Scale were strongly correlated (r=0.86, 0.91, 0.93, and 0.91 at baseline, and after 1st, 2nd, and 3rd treatment course, respectively, all P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Acupuncture is an effective treatment for IFP, and the characteristic acupuncture manipulation enhances the therapeutic effect. The use of the AFPPS-ECGS can more accurately reflect the recovery status of patients with IFP. (Trial registration No. ChiCTR2200065442).
Humans ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Facial Paralysis/therapy* ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Acupuncture Points ; Aged

The adulteration and counterfeiting of herbal ingredients in medicinal and food homology (MFH) have a serious impact on the quality of herbal materials, thereby endangering human health. Compared to pharmaceutical drugs, health products derived from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are more easily accessible and closely integrated into consumers' daily life. However, the authentication of the authenticity of TCM ingredients in MFH has not received sufficient attention. The lack of clear standards emphasizes the necessity of conducting systematic research in this area. This study utilized DNA barcoding technology, combining ITS2, psbA-trnH, matK as universal barcode sequences, and DX, HH, JYH as specific barcode sequences, to identify the authenticity of commercial medicinal and food homology scented herbal teas. The aim was to investigate the authenticity of scented herbal tea products circulating in the market. The research results revealed that among 180 scented herbal tea samples, DNA barcodes were successfully obtained from 164 samples, while the remaining samples either lacked the target components or suffered severe DNA degradation, resulting in failed amplification. Combined with morphological identification studies, it was found that out of the 180 samples, 141 were authentic, accounting for 78.33% of the total samples, while 31 samples showed adulteration and 8 samples lacked the target components, accounting for 21.67% of the total samples. Additionally, water testing revealed that 5 samples of Carthamus tinctorius herbal tea exhibited the phenomenon of weight adulteration. This study exposed the presence of adulteration and weight adulteration in scented herbal tea products, highlighting the need for regulatory authorities to expedite the establishment of quality standards in scented herbal tea industry. These findings provide valuable insights for the rapid development of the scented herbal tea industry.

BACKGROUND: The effects of acupuncture have varied in different randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and there are many factors that influence treatment effect of acupuncture in different outcomes, with conflicting results. OBJECTIVE: To identify factors and their impact on the treatment effect of acupuncture in different outcomes. METHODS: Acupuncture RCTs were searched from 7 databases including Medline (PubMed), Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, VIP Database, and China Biology Medicine disc between January 1st, 2015 and December 31st, 2019. Eligible studies must compare acupuncture to no acupuncture, sham acupuncture, or waiting lists, and report at least 1 patient-important outcome. A multi-level meta-regression was conducted using a 3-level robust mixed model and univariate analyses were performed for all independent variables, even those excluded from the multivariable model due to collinearities. We used thresholds of 0.2 and 0.4 for the difference of standardized mean differences (SMDs), categorising them as small (<0.2), moderate (0.2-0.4), or large (>0.4) effects. RESULTS: The pain construct analysis involved 211 effect estimates from 153 studies and 14 independent variables. High-frequency acupuncture treatment sessions produced larger effects compared to low-frequency sessions [large magnitude, the difference of adjusted SMDs 0.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.07 to 0.84; P=0.02]. The non-pain symptoms construct analysis comprised 323 effect estimates from 231 studies and 15 independent variables. Penetrating acupuncture showed moderately larger effects when compared to non-penetrating acupuncture (0.30, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.53; P=0.01). The function construct analysis included 495 effect estimates from 274 studies and 14 independent variables. Penetrating acupuncture and the flexible acupuncture regimen showed moderately larger effects, compared to non-penetrating acupuncture and fixed regimen, respectively (0.40, 95% CI 0 to 0.80; P=0.05; 0.29, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.53; P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS High-frequency acupuncture sessions appear to be a more effective approach to managing painful symptoms. Penetrating acupuncture demonstrated greater effect in relieving non-painful symptoms. Both penetrating acupuncture type and flexible acupuncture regimen were linked to significant treatment effects in function outcomes. Future studies should consider the factors that are significantly associated with the effects of acupuncture in patient-important outcomes.
Humans ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Pain ; Pain Management ; China

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement(TAVR)has become one of the effective methods for treating patients with aortic valve disease.With the continuous maturity of technology,innovation of instruments and increasing experience,the indications for TAVR has been expanded.Following international trends,the number of TAVR in China has steadily increased with each passing year.In 2023,the long-term follow-up results of TAVR in low-risk AS patients further confirm the long-term benefits of TAVR.The relevant research on TAVR for patients with aortic regurgitation and patients with bicuspid aortic stenosis provide evidence support for the expansion of TAVR indications.At the same time,the development of valve devices and new technological innovations are emerging in an endless stream,and the new concept of full life cycle management is increasingly being valued.Especially in China,the development of local devices is progressing rapidly,and multiple devices have entered the clinical research stage.The clinical manifestations and research results are worth pursuing.

Objective To investigate the effects of methionine restriction(MR)on macrophages in lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced acute lung injury(ALI)and to explore the underlying mechanism.Methods According to the random number table method,36 male C57BL/6J mice(6～8 weeks old,23±2 g)were divided into 3 groups with 12 mice in each group:the sham group,the LPS group and the LPS+MR group.HE staining and pathological scoring of lung injury were performed in lung tissues.The expression of LPS-binding protein(LBP)and Toll-like receptor-4(TLR4)was detected by RT-qPCR and Western blotting.Macrophage-colony stimulating factor(M-CSF),granulocyte-macrophage-colony stimulating factor(GM-CSF)and chemokine C-C motif ligand 3(CCL3)which are all macrophage-associated chemokines were analyzed by immunohistochemistry.Results Compared with the sham group,the pathological score of lung injury in the LPS group was significantly increased(P＜0.01);The mRNA and protein expression levels of LBP and TLR4 were significantly increased;The number of positive cells of CD11b,F4/80,M-CSF,GM-CSF and CCL3 were significantly increased(P＜0.01).MR significantly improved LPS-induced ALI,and decreased the pathological score of lung injury(P＜0.01);The mRNA and protein expression levels of LBP and TLR4 were decreased;Compared with the LPS group,the number of positive cells of CD11 b,F4/80,M-CSF,GM-CSF and CCL3 were reduced in the LPS+MR group(P＜0.01).Conclusion MR could attenuate LPS-induced ALI by inhibiting the expression of macrophage chemokines and preventing infiltration and activation of macrophage to lungs.