Objective To investigate the effect of Xiao Chaihu Decoction and Xiangsha Liujunzi Decoction on the changes of gastric mucosal pathological score and gastrointestinal hormones in patients with chronic atrophic gastritis(CAG)of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency type.Methods A total of 156 cases of CAG patients with liver stagnation and spleen deficiency syndrome were randomly divided into a control group and an observation group,78 cases in each group.The control group was treated with conventional western medicine,and the observation group was treated with Xiao Chaihu Decoction and Xiangsha Liujunzi Decoction on the basis of treatment for the control group.The course of treatment covered four weeks.The changes in the scores of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)symptoms such as epigastric distention and pain,poor appetite,loose stools,limb weakness,belching and acid regurgitation,gastric mucosal pathological scores and serum levels of gastrointestinal hormones of motilin(MTL)and gastrin(GAS)in the two groups were observed before and after treatment.The negative conversion rate of Helicobacter pylori(Hp)in the two groups was compared,and the clinical efficacy and safety of the two groups were evaluated.Results(1)After four weeks of treatment,the total effective rate of the observation group was 93.59％(73/78),which was significantly higher than 82.05％(64/78)of the control group,and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant(P＜0.05).(2)After treatment,the scores of TCM symptoms such as epigastric distention and pain,poor appetite,loose stool,limb weakness,belching and acid regurgitation in the two groups were significantly decreased compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the decrease in the observation group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P＜0.05).(3)After treatment,the pathological scores of gastric mucosa in the two groups were significantly decreased when compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the decrease in the observation group was more significant than that in the control group(P＜0.01).(4)After four weeks of treatment,the negative conversion rate of Hp in the observation group was 91.03％(71/78),which was significantly higher than that in the control group(75.64％,59/78),and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant(P＜0.05).(5)After treatment,the level of serum GAS in the two groups was significantly decreased(P＜0.05)and the serum MTL level was significantly increased compared with that before treatment(P＜0.05);the decrease of serum GAS level and the increase of serum MTL level in the observation group were significantly superior to those in the control group(P＜0.05).(6)There were no obvious abnormalities in the routine test of blood,urine,stool,kidney function,and liver function,electrocardiograph and other safety indicators during the treatment of the two groups of patients,no adverse reactions such as dizziness,rash and chest distress occurred either,with high safety.Conclusion Xiao Chaihu Decoction combined with Xiangsha Liujunzi Decoction exerts a significant therapeutic effect on GAS of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency type,which can effectively relieve the clinical symptoms,improve the pathological changes of gastric mucosa and promote Hp negative conversion.The therapeutic mechanism may be related to the regulation of gastrointestinal hormone levels.

ObjectiveTo explore whether miR-375 regulates the malignant characteristics of osteosarcoma (OS) by influencing the expression of MMP13. MethodsPlasmid DNAs and miRNAs were transfected into OS cells and HEK293 cells using Lipofectamine 3000 reagent. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to measure the expression of miR-375 and MMP13 in OS patients and OS cells. Western blot was performed to analyze the MMP13 protein in the patients with OS and OS cells. The targeting relationship between miR-375 and MMP13 was analyzed by luciferase assay. Migration and invasion were analysed by heal wound and transwell assays, respectively. ResultsmiR-375 expression in OS tissues was lower than that in normal tissues. The expression of MMP13 was upregulated in OS tissues. MMP13 expression was negatively correlated withmiR-375 expression in patients with OS. Migration and invasion were significantly inhibited in OS cells with the miR-375 mimic compared with OS cells with the miRNA control. MMP13 partially reversed the inhibition of migration and invasion induced by miR-375 in the OS cells. ConclusionmiR-375 attenuates migration and invasion by downregulating the expression of MMP13 in OS cells.

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is currently one of the most widely used plasticizers, widely found in all kinds of items, such as children’s toys and food packaging materials, but also added to wallpaper, cable protective agents and other building decoration materials. DEHP is toxic and absorbed by the human body through respiratory tract, digestive tract and skin contact, which can cause damage to multiple systems, especially the male reproductive system, and testis is an important target organ. Oxidative stress injury is the core mechanism of spermatogenesis disorder caused by DEHP. DEHP exposure can cause oxidative stress or reactive oxygen species (ROS) increase in germ cells, and on this basis, promote cell apoptosis or cause excessive autophagy. The toxicity of DEHP to Leydig cells is mainly to interfere with the synthesis of steroid hormones. For Sertoli cells, ferroptosis and destruction of the blood-testis barrier are common injury mechanisms. In addition, gene methylation caused by DEHP not only affects the spermatogenic process, but also has epigenetic effects on offspring. In this paper, we reviewed the pathological damage, germ cell toxicity and epigenetic effects of DEHP on testis, and focused on the damage and molecular mechanism on testicular spermatogenic cells, Leydig cells and Sertoli cells. Future research is required to elucidate the body’s clearance mechanism and treatment plan after exposure to DEHP and whether DEHP will damage the function of myoid cells. It is hoped that this can provide new ideas for prevention and treatment of male reproductive disorders resulting from long-term exposure to plastic products.

20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid(20-HETE)and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids(EETs)are products of enzyme metabolism of arachidonic acid(AA)by cytochrome P450(CYP).20-HETE is mainly produced by CYP4A,CYP4F metabolism of AA,which has a certain toxic effect on the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular system.EETS is mainly produced by CYP2J,CYP2C metabolizes AA,which has a certain protective effect on the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular system.This article reviews the effects and mechanisms of drugs related to AA-CYP-HETE/EETs metabolic pathway on cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial hypertrophy,hypertension,heart failure,and myocardial infarction,in order to provide a reference for the clinical use of cardiovascular diseases and provide ideas and directions for the basic research and development of cardiovascular disease treatment drugs.

Aim To investigate the mechanisms of Ke-chuanting granules(KCT)inhibiting the IL-33/ILC2s pathway and pathogenic T cells to intervene in allergic airway inflammation.Methods Network pharmacolo-gy was utilized to analyze the potential targets and mechanisms of KCT-treated asthma.Allergic asthma models were induced in mice using OVA.Lung histo-pathology was conducted to observe injury changes.ELISA and quantitative PCR were utilized to measure key inflammatory factors and their mRNA expression levels in Th2-type asthma.Western blot was used to detect the phosphorylation levels of relevant proteins in the MAPK pathway.Flow cytometry was performed to evaluate the proportions of ILC2s,Th1,Th 17,Th2 and Treg cells.Results Network pharmacology iden-tified 227 main active components and 143 key targets of KCT in treating asthma,primarily enriched in signa-ling pathways such as MAPK and IL-17.Further vali-dation experiments demonstrated that KCT significantly alleviated lung inflammatory injury in asthmatic mice,reduced the number of B cells,production of I L-4,TNF-α and TGF-β,downregulated JNK phosphoryla-tion levels in lung tissue,as well as mRNA levels of Il-33,Bcl11b,Rorα,Tcf-7,Jun,Mapk3 and Mapk14.KCT intervention reduced the numbers of ILC2s and Th 17 cells in lungs and spleens of mice,and inhibited Th2 cell infiltration in lungs.Conclusions KCT ex-hibits therapeutic effects on allergic airway inflamma-tion in asthma,closely associated with the inhibition of the IL-33/ILC2s pathway,pathogenic T cell subsets,and JNK-MAPK signaling pathway.

Aim To evaluate the effects of puerarin (PR) on pancreatic islet MIN6 cell injury and apopto- sis induced by palmitic acirl ( PA).Methods MIN6 cells pretreated with 2 h different concentrations of PR were then co-cultured with 120 (xmol • L"1 PA for 24 h to establish the cell injury and apoptosis model.MTT, LDH,MDA and GSH were used to determine the dam¬age of MIN6 cells.AOEB fluorescence staining was used to detect the apoptosis of MIN6 cells.Western blot was used to detect the expressions of inflammation- related protein NF-kB , apoptosis-related factors Bcl-2 and Bax.Results Compared with model group, cell viability and GSH activity of puerarin administration groups increased, LDH and MDA contents decreased.the protein expressions of p-NF-KB and Bax were down-regulated, and the protein expressions of Bcl-2 were up-regulated (P <0.05).Conclusions Puerar- in ean improve the function of pancreatic islet cells by inhibiting apoptosis and inflammation, and ameliorate pancreatic islet MIN6 cell injury and apoptosis induced by palmitic acid-induced, alleviate MIN6 cell injury in¬duced by inflammatory factors, which may be achieved by down-regulating the expression of p-NF-KB and Bax proteins,and up-regulating the expression of Bcl-2 pro¬tein.

Objective: To investigate the effects of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β)/eukaryotic extension factor kinase 2 (eEF2K) signaling pathway on the process of pulmonary fibrosis through in vivo experiments, and find new ideas for clinical treatment of pulmonary fibrosis. Methods: The pulmonary fibrosis model of C57BL/6 male mice was induced by bleomycin with intratracheal injection at the dose of 2 mg/kg. After 14 days of modeling, animals were divided into model group, negative inhibition group and inhibition group (n=5 for each group), and control group was not processed. The inhibition group was treated with TDZD-8 (4 mg/kg) after modeling, the negative inhibition group was given DMSO solution after modeling, and the samples were collected after 28 days. Hematoxylin-eosin staining method was used to detect lung fibrosis in mice and scored according to Ashcroft scale. Expression levels of GSK3β, p-GSK3β, eEF2K, p-eEF2K (Ser70, Ser392, Ser470), precursor protein of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (pro-MMP-2), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), collagen I (Col I), collagen Ⅲ (Col Ⅲ) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were detected by Western blot. Results: Compared with control group, the fibrosis score was up-regulated, the expression levels of GSK3β, p-GSK3β, p-eEF2K (Ser70, Ser392, Ser470), pro-MMP-2, MMP-2, Col I, Col Ⅲ and α-SMA were increased, while that of eEF2K was decreased in model group (P＜0.05). Compared with model group, the fibrosis score, expression levels of GSK3β, p-GSK3β, p-eEF2K (Ser70, Ser392, Ser470), pro-MMP-2, MMP-2, Col I, Col Ⅲ and α-SMA were decreased, but the expression level of eEF2K was increased in inhibition group (P＜0.05). Conclusion: GSK3β can activate eEF2K by phosphorylation at the sites of Ser70, Ser392 and Ser470, increase the contents of fibrosis indicators, promote the formation of pulmonary fibrosis, and aggravate lung tissue lesions.
Animals ; Collagen ; Collagen Type I ; Elongation Factor 2 Kinase/metabolism* ; Eukaryota/metabolism* ; Fibrosis ; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2/metabolism* ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Pulmonary Fibrosis/chemically induced* ; Signal Transduction

China Association of Chinese Medicine organized specialists in andrology of Chinese and western medicine to explore the population and treatment stage of benign prostatic hyperplasia （BPH） with Chinese medicine as the leading therapy. Chinese medicine has great advantages in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. However， it is necessary to make clear the stage when Chinese medicine or modern medical treatment can be used as the leading therapy， and the conditions under which Chinese and western medicine can be combined to achieve the best treatment efficacy. The specialists agreed Chinese medicine as the leading therapy for the treatment of BPH in the following populations or conditions： the elderly and weak patients with basic diseases， BPH symptoms， and cannot tolerate anesthesia and surgery， the patients with BPH symptoms and cannot tolerate the adverse reactions or the possible adverse reactions of western medicine； the patients with mild ［international prostatic symptom score （IPSS） ≤ 7］ or moderate lower urinary tract symptoms （IPSS ≥ 8） and the quality of life not significantly affected， the patients with bladder detrusor hypofunction， bladder dysfunction and cannot be treated surgically， or with incomplete bladder emptying after surgical treatment； the BPH patients with prostatitis as the main clinical manifestation， the patients with non-acute complications after operation. BPH is one of the dominant diseases in urology and andrology of Chinese medicine， and the symptoms， complications， and prognosis of BPH patients need to be fully considered during the clinical treatment. When Chinese medicine is taken as the leading therapy， it is essential to regularly review the serum level of prostate-specific antigen to exclude the possibility of prostate cancer， and apply Chinese medicine for full treatment course and cycle. At the same time， Chinese and western medicine can be combined to achieve the most effective， convenient， economical， and satisfactory treatment， which can carry forward the advantages of Chinese medicine in treating this disease.

Objective: To analyze the course of disease and epidemiological parameters of COVID-19 and provide evidence for making prevention and control strategies. Methods: To display the distribution of course of disease of the infectors who had close contacts with COVID-19 cases from January 1 to March 15, 2020 in Guangdong Provincial, the models of Lognormal, Weibull and gamma distribution were applied. A descriptive analysis was conducted on the basic characteristics and epidemiological parameters of course of disease. Results: In total, 515 of 11 580 close contacts were infected, with an attack rate about 4.4%, including 449 confirmed cases and 66 asymptomatic cases. Lognormal distribution was fitting best for latent period, incubation period, pre-symptomatic infection period of confirmed cases and infection period of asymptomatic cases; Gamma distribution was fitting best for infectious period and clinical symptom period of confirmed cases; Weibull distribution was fitting best for latent period of asymptomatic cases. The latent period, incubation period, pre-symptomatic infection period, infectious period and clinical symptoms period of confirmed cases were 4.50 (95%CI:3.86-5.13) days, 5.12 (95%CI:4.63-5.62) days, 0.87 (95%CI:0.67-1.07) days, 11.89 (95%CI:9.81-13.98) days and 22.00 (95%CI:21.24-22.77) days, respectively. The latent period and infectious period of asymptomatic cases were 8.88 (95%CI:6.89-10.86) days and 6.18 (95%CI:1.89-10.47) days, respectively. Conclusion: The estimated course of COVID-19 and related epidemiological parameters are similar to the existing data.
COVID-19 ; Cohort Studies ; Contact Tracing ; Humans ; Incidence ; Prospective Studies

Objective: To investigate the effect of adenovirus-mediated shRNA down-regulating phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) expression on vinculin, filamin A, and cortactin in activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Methods: Activated rats hepatic stellate cell line (HSC-T6) was cultured in vitro. Recombinant adenovirus Ad-shRNA/PTEN carrying PTEN targeted RNA interference sequence [short hairpin RNA (shRNA)] and empty control virus Ad-GFP were transfected into HSCs. The PTEN mRNA and protein expression of HSCs in each group were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot. The expressional change of vinculin, filamin A and cortactin in HSCs of each group were detected by confocal laser scanning immunofluorescence microscope. Image-pro plus 6.0 software was used for image analysis and processing. The integrated optical density (IOD) of the fluorescence protein expression was measured. The experiment was divided into three groups: control group (DMEM instead of adenovirus solution in the adenovirus transfection step), Ad-GFP group (transfected with empty virus Ad-GFP only expressing green fluorescent protein), and Ad-shRNA/PTEN group (recombinant adenovirus Ad-shRNA/PTEN carrying shRNA targeting PTEN and expressing green fluorescent protein). One-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of mean value among the three groups, and LSD-test was used for comparison between the groups. Results: shRNA targeted PTEN was successfully transfected and the expression of PTEN mRNA and protein in HSC (P < 0.05) was significantly down-regulated. HSCs vinculin was mainly expressed in the cytoplasm. HSCs vinculin fluorescence IOD in the Ad-shRNA/PTEN group (19 758.83 ± 1 520.60) was higher than control (7 737.16 ± 279.93) and Ad-GFP group (7 725.50 ± 373.03) (P < 0.05), but there was no statistically significant difference between control group and Ad-GFP group (P > 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the fluorescence IOD of Filamin A among the three groups (P > 0.05), but the subcellular distribution of Filamin A among the three groups were changed. Filamin A in the Ad-shrNA /PTEN HSC group was mainly distributed in the cytoplasm. Filamin A HSC was mainly located in the nucleus.The filamin A HSC in the control group and Ad-GFP group was mainly located in the nucleus. The nucleocytoplasmic ratio of Filamin A in the AD-shrNA /PTEN group (0.60 ± 0.15) was significantly lower than control group (1.20 ± 0.15) and Ad-GFP group (1.08 ± 0.23), P < 0.05. but there was no statistically significant difference in filamin A nucleocytoplasmic ratio of HSC between the control group and the Ad-GFP group (P > 0.05). Cortactin HSCs in the three groups was mainly distributed in the cytoplasm. The cortactin fluorescence IOD of HSCs in the Ad-shRNA/PTEN group was significantly higher than control group (22 959.94 ± 1 710.42) and the Ad-GFP group (22 547.11 ± 1 588.72 ) (P < 0.05), while there was no statistically significant difference in the IOD of cortactin fluorescence in HSCs between the control group and the Ad-GFP group (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The down-regulation of PTEN expression raises the expression of microfilament-binding protein vinculin and cortactin, and changes the subcellular distribution of another microfilament binding protein filamin A, that is, translocation from nucleus to the cytoplasm in activated HSC in vitro.
Adenoviridae/metabolism* ; Animals ; Carrier Proteins ; Cell Proliferation ; Cortactin ; Filamins/genetics* ; Hepatic Stellate Cells/metabolism* ; PTEN Phosphohydrolase/metabolism* ; RNA, Small Interfering/genetics* ; Rats ; Vinculin/genetics*