Objective To investigate the protective effect and mechanism of acellular nerve allografts(ANA)combined with electroacupuncture on spinal ganglia in rats with sciatic nerve injury(SNI).Methods Totally 50 male adult SD rats were randomly selected for this experiment.Ten rats were prepared for the ANA.Forty male SD rats were randomly divided into normal group,model group,ANA group and combinational group,with 10 rats in each group.The SNI model was established by cutting off the nerves 10 mm at the 5 mm on the inferior border of piriformis after separating the right sciatic nerves.The rats in the ANA group were bridged with ANA to the two broken ends of injured nerves.The rats in the combinational group were treated with electroacupuncture 2 days after ANA bridging,Huantiao(GB30)and Yanglingquan(GB34)were performed as the acupuncture points,each electroacupuncture lasted 15 minutes and 7 days as a course of treatment,4 courses in all.Sciatic nerve conduction velocity was measured by electrophysiology to evaluate the regeneration of damaged axons.Morphology of spinal ganglia was observed by Nissl staining.The expression of nerve growth factor(NGF)and brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF)were detected by Western blotting and immunofluorescent staining.Results Compared with the normal group,the sciatic nerve conduction velocity in model group decreased significantly(P<0.01),Nissl bodies in neurons of spinal ganglia were swollen and dissolved,with incomplete structure and the number decreased dramatically(P<0.01),while the level of NGF and BDNF also decreased significantly(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the sciatic nerve conduction velocity in ANA and combinational groups strongly increased(P<0.01),the damage of Nissl bodies in neurons of spinal ganglia reduced and the number obviously increased(P<0.01),the level of NGF and BDNF increased considerably(P<0.01).Compared with the ANA group,the sciatic nerve conduction velocity in combinational group increased significantly(P<0.01),the morphology of Nissl bodies in neurons of spinal ganglia were more regular and the number increased(P<0.01),moreover,the level of NGF also increased significantly(P<0.01).Conclusion ANA combined with electroacupuncture can enhance the sciatic nerve conduction velocity,improve the morphology of neurons in spinal ganglia and play a protective effect on spinal ganglia.The mechanism can be related to the higher expression of NGF and BDNF proteins,especially the expression of NGF protein.

Objective To observe the efficacy and safety of Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides in the continuation treatment of mild and moderate depression.Methods An open,single-arm,multi-center design was adopted in our study.Adult patients with mild and moderate depression who had received acute treatment of Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides were enrolled and continue to receive Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides capsules for 24 weeks,the dose remained unchanged during continuation treatment.The remission rate,recurrence rate,recurrence time,and the change from baseline to endpoint of Hamilton Depression Scale(HAMD),Hamilton Anxiety Scale(HAMA),Clinical Global Impression-Severity(CGI-S)and Arizona Sexual Experience Scale(ASEX)were evaluated.The incidence of treatment-related adverse events was reported.Results The scores of HAMD-17 at baseline and after treatment were 6.60±1.87 and 5.85±4.18,scores of HAMA were 6.36±3.02 and 4.93±3.09,scores of CGI-S were 1.49±0.56 and 1.29±0.81,scores of ASEX were 15.92±4.72 and 15.57±5.26,with significant difference(P＜0.05).After continuation treatment,the remission rate was 54.59％(202 cases/370 cases),and the recurrence rate was 6.49％(24 cases/370 cases),the recurrence time was(64.67±42.47)days.The incidence of treatment-related adverse events was 15.35％(64 cases/417 cases).Conclusion Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides capsules can be effectively used for the continuation treatment of mild and moderate depression,and are well tolerated and safe.

In this work,a new pyrylium derivatization-assisted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(LC-MS)method was developed for metabolite profiling of the glutathione anabolic pathway(GAP)in cancer tissues and cells.The pyrylium salt of 6,7-dimethoxy-3-methyl isochromenylium tetrafluoroborate(DMMIC)was used to label the amino group of metabolites,and a reductant of dithiothreitol(DTT)was employed to stabilize the thiol group.By combining DMMIC derivatization with LC-MS,it was feasible to quantify the 13 main metabolites on the GAP in complex biological samples,which had good linearity(R2=0.9981-0.9999),precision(interday precision of 1.6％-19.0％and intraday precision of 1.4％-19.8％)and accuracy(83.4％-115.7％).Moreover,the recovery assessments in tissues(82.5％-107.3％)and in cells(98.1％-118.9％)with GSH-13C2,15N,and Cys-15N demonstrated the reliability of the method in detecting tissues and cells.Following a methodological evaluation,the method was applied successfully to investigate difference in the GAP between the carcinoma and para-carcinoma tissues of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)and the effect of p-hydroxycinnamaldehyde(CMSP)on the GAP in KYSE-150 esophageal cancer cells.The results demonstrate that the developed method provides a promising new tool to elucidate the roles of GAP in physiological and pathological processes,which can contribute to research on drugs and diseases.

Solid dispersion, a dispersion system in which drug molecules are highly dispersed in carrier materials, has been commonly used to improve the solubility and dissolution rate of poorly soluble drugs. The miscibility between drug and carrier is crucial to improve the dissolution performance and stability of solid dispersion. Therefore, the selection of carrier types and the optimization of drug loading are very important. In the current study, the solubility parameter method and Flory-Huggins theory were used to predict the miscibility between olaparib (OLP) and different carriers (VA64, Soluplus, Plasdone S630 and Kollidon K29/32). Besides, the carrier material with good miscibility was experimentally screened by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The optimum of drug-carrier ratio was further performed based on the miscibility phase diagram of drug and carrier. Theoretical calculation and experimental evaluation showed that the miscibility of OLP and VA64 was the best, and the drug loading of 30% could meet the requirements of large drug loading and physical stability. Polarizing light microscope, X-ray powder diffraction, DSC and laser confocal Raman spectroscopy exhibited that OLP was amorphous form in the solid dispersion system. Powder dissolution test demonstrated that the solid dispersion showed significantly enhanced dissolution rate in comparison to crystalline OLP. In this study, theoretical calculation and experimental evaluation were used to screen the types of carriers and optimize the drug loading, which provides an efficient strategy for the selection of carrier and the amount used in solid dispersion.

OBJECTIVE: To overview the methodological quality, report quality and evidence quality of the systematic review (SR) of acupuncture for vascular cognitive impairment ( VCI ). METHODS: The SRs regarding acupuncture for VCI were searched in PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMbase, CNKI, SinoMed, Wanfang and VIP databases. The retrieval period was from the establishment of the database to September 24, 2020. The report quality, methodological quality and evidence quality of the included SRs were evaluated by PRISMA statement, the AMSTAR 2 tool and the GRADE system. RESULTS: A total of 22 SRs were included, including 102 outcome indexes. The methodological quality was generally low, with low scores on items 2, 5, 7, 10, 14, 15 and 16. The report quality was good, with scores ranging from 19 points to 24.5 points. The problems of report quality were mainly reflected in the aspects of structural abstract, program and registration, other analysis and funding sources. The level of outcome indexes of SRs was mostly low or very low, and the main leading factor was limitation, followed by inconsistency and inaccuracy. CONCLUSION Acupuncture for VCI is supported by low quality evidence of evidence-based medicine, but the methodological quality and evidence body quality of relevant SRs are poor, and the standardization is needed to be improved.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Cognitive Dysfunction/therapy* ; Databases, Factual ; Humans ; Research Report ; Systematic Reviews as Topic

The existing problems in the outcomes of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture for vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) during recent five years are analyzed and suggestions are proposed. The RCTs of acupuncture for VCI were selected in PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane Library, Clinical Trials, CNKI database, Wanfang database, VIP database, SinoMed database and Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) from January 1, 2015 to September 14, 2020. The outcomes were extracted and analyzed. As a result, 21 RCTs were included and the outcomes used were divided into 9 categories: clinical symptom/sign indexes, quality of life indexes, neuroimaging indexes, neuroelectrophysiology indexes, blood biochemical indexes, hemorheology indexes, TCM syndrome score indexes, clinical efficacy indexes, and safety indexes. Among them, the top three of the most used outcomes were clinical symptoms/signs indexes (21, 100.0%), clinical efficacy indexes (14, 66.7%) and quality of life indexes (12, 57.1%). In the RCTs of acupuncture for VCI, attention should be paid to distinguish the primary outcomes and secondary outcomes, adopt objective and standardized efficacy evaluation, and give consideration to report the outcomes of safety, health economic and TCM characteristic indexes.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Cognitive Dysfunction/therapy* ; Humans ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical treatment outcomes and the changes of the outcomes over time in extremely preterm twins in Guangdong Province, China. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for 269 pairs of extremely preterm twins with a gestational age of <28 weeks who were admitted to the department of neonatology in 26 grade A tertiary hospitals in Guangdong Province from January 2008 to December 2017. According to the admission time, they were divided into two groups: 2008-2012 and 2013-2017. Besides, each pair of twins was divided into the heavier infant and the lighter infant subgroups according to birth weight. The perinatal data of mothers and hospitalization data of neonates were collected. The survival rate of twins and the incidence rate of complications were compared between the 2008-2012 and 2013-2017 groups. RESULTS: Compared with the 2008-2012 group, the 2013-2017 group (both the heavier infant and lighter infant subgroups) had lower incidence rates of severe asphyxia and smaller head circumference at birth (P<0.05). The mortality rates of both of the twins, the heavier infant of the twins, and the lighter infant of the twins were lower in the 2013-2017 group compared with the 2008-2012 group (P<0.05). Compared with the 2008-2012 group, the 2013-2017 group (both the heavier infant and lighter infant subgroups) had lower incidence rates of pulmonary hemorrhage, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage (P-IVH), and neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS) and a higher incidence rate of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS There is a significant increase in the survival rate over time in extremely preterm twins with a gestational age of <28 weeks in the 26 grade A tertiary hospitals in Guangdong Province. The incidences of severe asphyxia, pulmonary hemorrhage, PDA, P-IVH, and NRDS decrease in both the heavier and lighter infants of the twins, but the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia increases. With the improvement of diagnosis and treatment, the multidisciplinary collaboration between different fields of fetal medicine including prenatal diagnosis, obstetrics, and neonatology is needed in the future to jointly develop management strategies for twin pregnancy.
Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia/epidemiology* ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Extremely Premature ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn/epidemiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

Objective: Autologous peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) derived from bone marrow can promote liver regeneration and improve the liver function of patients, but there are few studies on its effect on the long-term outcomes in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Based on previous work, this study observed the clinical outcomes of PBSC treatment in patients with decompensated cirrhosis for 10 years, in order to provide more data support for the safety and efficacy of stem cells in clinical applications. Methods: Data of patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis who completed PBSC treatment in the Department of Gastroenterology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University from August 2005 to February 2012 were included. The follow-up endpoint was death or liver transplantation, and patients who did not reach the follow-up endpoint were followed-up for at least 10 years. The patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis who met the conditions for PBSC treatment but did not receive PBSC treatment in our hospital during the same period were used as controls. Results: A total of 287 cases with decompensated liver cirrhosis had completed PBSC treatment, and 90 cases were lost to follow-up within 10 years after surgery. A total of 151 cases with complete survival follow-up data were included in the control group. There were no statistically significant differences in baseline information such as gender, age, etiological composition and liver function score between the two groups. The 10-year survival rate was higher in PBSC than control group (37.56% vs. 26.49%, P<0.05). Cholinesterase, albumin, international normalized ratio, Child-Turcotte-Pugh score, model for end-stage liver disease score, and other indicators were gradually recovered within 3 months to 1 year after PBSC treatment, and stabilized at a more desirable level in the long-term after follow-up for up to 10 years. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of liver cancer between the two groups (25.22% vs.31.85%, P=0.267). The age of onset of hepatocellular carcinoma was later in PBSC than control group [(56.66±7.21) years vs. (52.69±8.42) years, P<0.05]. Conclusions: This long-term observational follow-up study of more than ten years confirms that PBSC treatment can bring long-term benefits to patients with decompensated cirrhosis, with good long-term safety, thus providing more data support on the safety and efficacy of stem cells for clinical applications.
End Stage Liver Disease ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis/drug therapy* ; Middle Aged ; Peripheral Blood Stem Cells ; Severity of Illness Index ; Treatment Outcome

Based on the ancient literature of all dynasties， this article makes a systematic textual research on the name， origin， producing area， quality， harvesting and processing of Zisu （Perillae） in the famous classical formulas， so as to clarify the information of the drug in different historical periods and provide a reference for the development and utilization of the related formulas. The main origin of Perillae in the ancient literature was Perilla frutescens var. frutescens （purple leaf type）， followed by P. frutescens var. acuta （purple leaf type）， but not Baisu. Modern chemical composition studies also show that there are obvious differences between Perillae and Baisu， which provides a scientific basis for distinguishing them. Although they are often treated as a species in plant classification， P. frutescens var. frutescens （purple leaf type） is recommended in the development of famous classical formulas， and Baisu should be avoided. Perillae is widely distributed， but its producing area did not record in most of the literature in the past dynasties， or the producing area is described as everywhere today. In the period of the Southern and Northern dynasties， the medicinal parts of Perillae included stems， leaves and seeds， and doctors in the Ming dynasty began to pay attention to the differentiation of different medicinal parts. The harvesting and processing methods of Perillae in the past dynasties are close to that of today. Perillae Fructus is mostly stir-fried and ground into medicine， Perillae Folium and Perillae Caulis are mainly simple cleansing. In production， we can refer to the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia.

This paper made a systematic textual research on the historical evolution and changes of the name， origin， producing area， harvesting and processing methods of Jujubae Fructus used in famous classical formulas by referring to the ancient literature， so as to provide a basis for the sampling and research of the formulas containing the medicinal materials. According to textual research， there are many names of Jujubae Fructus， most of which are named by characters or producing areas， which are called Dazao. Ziziphus jujuba has always been the mainstream variety in all dynasties， and Z. jujuba var. inemmis has also been used. Considering that the differences between the two are not obvious， we can use Z. jujuba and Z. jujuba var. inemmis as the origins of Dazao. The germplasm resources of Jujubae Fructus are rich， which are distributed all over the country. Qingzhou （now Shandong）， Jinzhou （now Shanxi） Jiangzhou （now Shanxi）， Puzhou （now Shanxi） have been recorded as authentic producing areas of Jujubae Fructus in the past dynasties， especially in Shandong. At the beginning of the 21^st century， the planting of Jujubae Fructus in Xinjiang gradually developed， and now has a high market recognition， becoming an emerging production area of high-quality samples. Harvest period of Jujubae Fructus is mostly August in the past dynasties， and this is basically the same as today. The main processing method is simple cleansing and drying. Through textual research， it is suggested that Jujubae Fructus in famous classical formulas should be mainly from Shandong， Shanxi and other traditional high-quality producing areas， the processing method should follow the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia for simple cleansing and drying.