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Obesity and overweight have posed a severe threat to humanity, needing urgent efforts for the development of safe and effective therapeutic interventions. In this research work, we have developed two polyherbal formulations A and B basically consisting of Helianthus tuberosus root powder (also called inulin of synanthrin) along with other herbs for the treatment of obesity. Evaluation of the antioxidant activity of both formulations using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2 ′ -azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) free radical scavenging assays showed good antioxidant potentials. Both formulations A and B showed good antiobesity activity on a diet-induced obesity (DIO) model of mice by effectively lowering the body weight of mice compared to the high-fat diet (HFD) control mice, mainly by reducing the food efficiency ratio (FER). Furthermore, both formulations ameliorated lipoprotein misbalances induced by obesity and thus decreased the atherogenic index. Treatment with both formulations significantly decreased the liver and epididymal white adipose tissue (WAT) weight. This was supported by the improvement in steatosis of the liver and reduced hypertrophy in WAT on histological examination. In addition, formulations A and B have been seen as effective in controlling fasting blood glucose levels probably by alleviating HFD-induced insulin resistance. All of these results collectively suggest that formulations A and B serve as potentially safe and effective herbal interventions to control obesity and its comorbidities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Threatened abortion (TA) is a common complication with high incidence in the first trimester of pregnancy, which will end in miscarriage if not treated properly. The Chinese herbs Cuscutae Semen (Tusizi in Chinese) and Herba Taxilli (Sangjisheng in Chinese) first recorded in the ancient classic medical book Shennong Bencao Jing are effective and widely used as an herb pair for the treatment of TA, while the active ingredients and the functional mechanism of Tusizi-Sangjisheng herb pair treating TA are still unknown. In order to exploit the relationship between those two herbs and TA, systems pharmacology analysis was carried out in this study. A total of 75 ingredients of Tusizi-Sangjisheng were collected from Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP). 12 bioactive compounds were screened, and 153 directly related targets were predicted by systematic models. Besides, Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were used to systematically explore the potential mechanisms of Tusizi-Sangjisheng treating TA. Meanwhile, Compound-Target (C-T), Target-Disease (T-D), and Target-Pathway (T-P) networks were constructed to further quest the underlying functional mechanisms of Tusizi-Sangjisheng. As a result, 31 targets and 3 key pathways were found to be directly related to TA that includes mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K-Akt), and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathways. The results in this study may provide some valuable clues about the molecular mechanisms of the efficient Chinese herb pair Tusizi-Sangjisheng in the treatment of TA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allergic asthma is an inflammatory disease involving the Th1/Th2 cell imbalance in the peripheral blood. Repeated herbal acupoint sticking (RHAS) has been used for hundreds of years in China to relieve the recurrence of allergic asthma, and it is still practiced today. Thus, we explored the effect on allergic asthma relapse and the underlying immunoregulatory mechanism in this study. Here, we enrolled 50 allergic asthma participants, and 38 of them completed the treatment and follow-up (the allergic asthma group). In addition, 13 healthy participants (the control group) were enrolled. The recurrence number of allergic asthma participants and asthma control test (ACT) were used to evaluate the effect of treatment on relieving allergic asthma recurrence. Flow cytometry was performed to analyze the levels of Th1 and Th2 cells in the peripheral blood. The serum levels of IgE, IFN-γ, and IL-4 were detected by ELISA. (1) In the allergic asthma group, compared to before the first treatment, the recurrence number of allergic asthma participants decreased and the ACT score increased at end of the last treatment, 18 and 30 weeks of the trial (P < 0.05). At 18 and 30 weeks of the trial, the recurrence number of allergic asthma participants was less and the ACT score was higher than the ones from the same period last year in the allergic asthma group (P < 0.05). Compared to before the first treatment, the percentage of Th1 cell did not change significantly, the percentage of Th2 cell decreased, and the Th1/Th2 cell ratio increased in the allergic asthma group by the end of the last treatment (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the release of IgE and IL-4 reduced (P < 0.05), and the release of IFN-γ did not significantly change in the allergic asthma group. (2) Compared with the control group, the serum levels of IgE and IL-4 and the percentage of Th2 cell were higher, and the Th1/Th2 cell ratio was lower in the allergic asthma group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between Th1 cell and IFN-γ before the first treatment. (3) Compared with the control group, the IgE levels and the percentage of Th2 cell were higher in the allergic asthma group (P < 0.01). Simultaneously, there was no significant difference between Th1 cell, the Th1/Th2 cell ratio, and the serum levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 by the end of the last treatment. The data suggested that RHAS reduced the amount of Th2 cell and elevated the Th1/Th2 cell ratio, thereby alleviating the inflammatory responses in the allergic asthma participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Lung cancer is one of the major causes of cancer deaths worldwide, and the five-year survival still remains low despite the improvement of screening, prevention, and treatment methods. Chinese herbal medicines have been widely used for tumor prevention and treatment. Miao-Yi-Ai-Tang (Miao) is a novel herbal formulation and shows a potential anticancer effect. Materials and Methods. Human Small Cell Lung Cancer Cell was used for study in vitro. After treatments by Miao and Cisplatin (DDP), the invasion, migration, proliferation, and apoptosis of cells were detected by transwell, wound healing, CCK-8, and flow cytometry, respectively. The expression of β-catenin, AXIN, and c-myc was detected by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry staining. Western blotting was applied for measuring the protein expression of β-catenin. Subcutaneously transplanted tumor model of lung cancer NCI-H446 was established to investigate the influence of Miao on tumor growth. Results. We found that Miao could inhibit invasion, migration, and proliferation and promote apoptosis of human lung cancer cells. Meanwhile, Miao and DDP presented synergy regulating the proliferation and apoptosis of lung cancer cells. The percentage of lung cancer cells in S and G2 stages was increased markedly by Miao. Besides, the expression of c-myc, AXIN, and β-catenin was markedly inhibited by Miao. Tumor growth in vivo was markedly inhibited by Miao. Conclusions. Chinese herbal formulas Miao could suppress lung cancer through targeting the β-catenin/AXIN signaling pathway. Therefore, our findings may provide a novel strategy for the prevention and treatment of lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of antibiotics as growth promoters in feed has been fully or partially banned in several countries. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of benzoic acid (A), bacillus coagulans (B) and oregano oil (O) combined supplementation on growth performance and intestinal barrier in piglets challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). Thirty piglets were randomly assigned to 6 treatments: (1) nonchallenged control (CON); (2) ETEC-challenged control (ETEC); (3) antibiotics + ETEC (AT); (4) A + B + ETEC (AB); (5) A + O + ETEC (AO); (6) A + B + O + ETEC (ABO). On day 22, piglets were orally challenged with ETEC or saline. The trial lasted 26 days. Dietary AO and ABO inhibited the reduction of growth performance and the elevation of diarrhoea incidence in piglets induced by ETEC (P<0.05). AB, AO, and ABO prevented the elevation of serum TNF-α and LPS concentrations in piglets induced by ETEC (P<0.05). ABO alleviated the elevation of TNF-α and IL-1β concentrations and the reduction of sIgA level in jejunal mucosa induced by ETEC (P<0.05). Furthermore, ABO upregulated mRNA expressions of Claudin-1 and Mucin2 (P<0.05), downregulated mRNA abundances of TLR4 and NOD2 signaling pathways related genes in jejunal mucosa (P<0.05), and improved the microbiota in jejunal and cecal digesta (P<0.05) compared with ETEC group. These results indicated that benzoic acid, bacillus coagulans, and oregano oil combined supplementation could improve growth performance and alleviate diarrhoea of piglets challenged with ETEC via improving intestinal mucosal barrier integrity, which was possibly associated with the improvement of intestinal microbiota and immune status. The combination of 3000 g/t benzoic acid + 400 g/t bacillus coagulans + 400 g/t oregano oil showed better effects than other treatments in improving growth performance and intestinal health of piglets, which could be used as a viable substitute for antibiotic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The potential advantages of Jiedu granule (a compound Chinese herbal medicine) combined therapeutic strategies compared with non-Jiedu granule therapeutic strategies for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) remain unclear. Thus, the purpose of the study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of Jiedu granule for HCC with PVTT. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 190 patients (94 for non-Jiedu and 96 for Jiedu) with HCC and PVTT from March 2012 to October 2016. Patients were followed up by outpatient examination and telephone till November 2018. Results. It was statistically insignificant between the two groups in baseline characteristics. Procedure-related adverse events (AEs) were observed and compared and most of them were not serious which were easily controlled or subsided naturally. No AE-induced death happened. The median overall survival (OS) rates in the single TACE plus GKR and Jiedu granule combined group were 11.3 months (95% CI: 9.168-13.435) and 15.8 months (95% CI: 13.244-18.339), respectively (p = 0.00047). Conclusions. Jiedu granule combined with TACE plus GKR is safe in HCC patients with PVTT and this Chinese herbal medicine is worthy to be promoted because of better prognosis which needs further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. There has been significant research on the genetic and environmental factors of congenital heart defects (CHDs), but few causes of teratogenicity, especially teratogenic mechanisms, can be clearly identified. Metabolomics has a potential advantage in researching the relationship between external factors and CHD. Objective. To find and identify the urinary potential biomarkers of pregnancy (including in the second and third trimesters) for fetuses with CHD based on modified gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS), which could reveal the possibility of high-risk factors for CHD and lay the foundation for early intervention, treatment, and prevention. Methods. Using a case-control design, we measured the urinary potential biomarkers of maternal urine metabolomics based on GC-MS in a population-based sample of women whose infants were diagnosed with CHD (70 case subjects) or were healthy (70 control subjects). SIMCA-P 13.0 software, principal component analysis (PCA), orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test, and logistics regression were used to find significant potential biomarkers. Result. The 3D score graph of the OPLS-DA showed that the CHD and control groups were fully separated. The fitting parameters were R2x=0.78 and R2y=0.69, and the forecast rate was Q2=0.61, indicating a high forecast ability. According to the ranking of VIPs from the OPLS-DA models, we found 34 potential metabolic markers with a VIP > 1, and after two pairwise rank sum tests, we found 20 significant potential biomarkers, which were further used in multifactor logistic regressions. Significant substances, including 4-hydroxybenzeneacetic acid (OR=4.74, 95% CI: 1.06-21.06), 5-trimethylsilyloxy-n-valeric acid (OR=15.78, 95% CI: 2.33-106.67), propanedioic acid (OR=5.37, 95% CI: 1.87-15.45), hydracrylic acid (OR=6.23, 95% CI: 1.07-36.21), and uric acid (OR=5.23, 95% CI: 1.23-22.32), were associated with CHD. Conclusion. The major potential biomarkers in maternal urine associated with CHD were 4-hydroxybenzeneacetic acid, 5-trimethylsilyloxy-n-valeric acid, propanedioic acid, hydracrylic acid, and uric acid, respectively. These results indicated that the short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and aromatic amino acid metabolism may be relevant with CHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Inconsistent data have been reported for the effectiveness of intramuscular botulinum toxin type A (BTXA) in patients with limb spasticity after stroke. This meta-analysis of available randomized controlled trials (RCTs) aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of BTXA in adult patients with upper and lower limb spasticity after stroke. Methods. An electronic search was performed to select eligible RCTs in PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane library through December 2018. Summary standard mean differences (SMDs) and relative risk (RR) values with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were employed to assess effectiveness and safety outcomes, respectively. Results. Twenty-seven RCTs involving a total of 2,793 patients met the inclusion criteria, including 16 and 9 trials assessing upper and lower limb spasticity cases, respectively. For upper limb spasticity, BTXA therapy significantly improved the levels of muscle tone (SMD=-0.76; 95% CI -0.97 to -0.55; P<0.001), physician global assessment (SMD=0.51; 95% CI 0.35-0.67; P<0.001), and disability assessment scale (SMD=-0.30; 95% CI -0.40 to -0.20; P<0.001), with no significant effects on active upper limb function (SMD=0.49; 95% CI -0.08 to 1.07; P=0.093) and adverse events (RR=1.18; 95% CI 0.72-1.93; P=0.509). For lower limb spasticity, BTXA therapy was associated with higher Fugl-Meyer score (SMD=5.09; 95%CI 2.16-8.01; P=0.001), but had no significant effects on muscle tone (SMD=-0.12; 95% CI -0.83 to 0.59; P=0.736), gait speed (SMD=0.06; 95% CI -0.02 to 0.15; P=0.116), and adverse events (RR=1.01; 95% CI 0.71-1.45; P=0.949). Conclusions. BTXA improves muscle tone, physician global assessment, and disability assessment scale in upper limb spasticity and increases the Fugl-Meyer score in lower limb spasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells (pMSCs) are considered a good source for cell therapy. The purpose of this study was to observe whether the transplantation of human pMSCs would affect the treatment of lupus nephritis (LN)-prone MRL/lpr mice. Multiple injections (at the 16th, 18th, and 20th week of age) of 1 × 106 pMSCs were administered. Urine was collected to evaluate proteinuria and urine creatinine levels. Blood was collected for the measurement of serum antinuclear antibody (ANA) and anti-double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) antibody levels. Renal tissues were collected for histological staining and examination by light and electron microscopy quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western Blot. The results confirmed that pMSC treatment reduced the severity of 24-h proteinuria, decreased the production of anti-dsDNA antibodies, and ameliorated renal pathological changes in MRL/lpr mice. Furthermore, pMSCs reduced renal inflammation by inhibiting the expression of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and then downregulating the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). Therefore, our present study demonstrated a protective effect of pMSCs against renal injury and inflammation in MRL/lpr mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyphyllin has been reported to exhibit anticancer effects against various types of cancer via the proapoptotic signaling pathway. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of the endoplasmic reticulum stress and death receptor signaling pathways in PPI-induced apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells. Analysis demonstrated that PPI could significantly inhibit the proliferation and induce apoptosis of HepG2 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Investigation into the molecular mechanism of PPI indicated that PPI notably mediated ER stress activation via IRE-1 overexpression and activation of the caspase-12 to protect HepG2 cells against apoptosis. In addition, PPI markedly induced the expression of death receptors signaling pathways-associated factors, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor 1/TNF-α and FAS/FASL. Additionally, suppression of the death receptor signaling pathways with a caspase-8 inhibitor, Z-IETD-FMK, revealed an increase in the death rate and apoptotic rate of HepG2 cells. Collectively, the findings of the present study suggested that the ER stress and death receptor signaling pathways were associated with PPI-induced HepG2 cell apoptosis; however, endoplasmic reticulum stress may serve a protective role in this process. The combination of PPI and Z-IETD-FMK may activate necroptosis, which enhances apoptosis. Therefore, the results of the present study may improve understanding regarding the roles of signaling pathways in PPI regulated apoptosis and contribute to the development of novel therapies for the treatment of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Internal fixation with volar locking plate (VLP) was widely adopted as a first-line choice in treatment of distal radius fracture (DRF). Methods. Total 315 patients with distal radius fracture receiving VLP fixation were included for analysis in this study. The rehabilitation protocol was started immediately after surgery for all patients. During the initial two weeks after surgery, 149 patients received 200 mg celecoxib twice per day, 89 received buprenorphine transdermal patch at 5 μg/h, and 77 received 13 mg codeine plus 200 mg ibuprofen twice per day for pain management. Visual analog scale (VAS) scores of pain at rest, daily activity, and rehabilitative exercise were measured, respectively, every week according to the experiences of the past week in the initial six weeks after surgery. Functional outcomes including range of motion (ROM) for extension, flexion, pronation, supination, ulnar and radial abduction, the disabilities of arm, shoulder, and hand (DASH) score and the validated patient rated wrist evaluation (PRWE), and grip strength were collected at one, three, and six months after surgery. Results. We showed that patients receiving transdermal buprenorphine and codeine/ibuprofen had decreased VAS scores during rehabilitative exercise, better compliance to the rehabilitation program, and thus faster functional recovery. Conclusions. We recommend transdermal buprenorphine or codeine/ibuprofen for pain management during rehabilitation after distal radius fracture stabilized with VLP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Rhubarb, a traditional Chinese medicine, promotes viscera and remove blood stasis. Rhubarb is skilled in smoothening meridians, improving blood circulation which exhibits better efficacy on cerebral ischemic stroke. In this study, we aimed to analyze the underlying mechanisms of rhubarb which treated rats of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model according to an iTRAQ-based proteomics and bioinformatics analysis. 30 rats were randomly allocated into three groups including sham group (SG), model group (MG), and rhubarb group (RG). Rhubarb group was given a gavage of rhubarb decoction at dose of 3 g/kg and the remaining groups were prepared with normal saline by gavage. Rats from MG and RG were induced into MCAO model. The effects of rhubarb were estimated by Modified Neurological Severity Score (mNSS) and cerebral infarct volume. The brain tissues were measured via the quantitative proteomic approach of iTRAQ coupled to liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Furthermore, the bioinformatics analysis of overlapping differentially expression proteins (DEPs) was conducted by DAVID, KEGG, and Cytoscape. Specific selective DEPs were validated by Western blotting. Rats treated with rhubarb after MCAO showed a significant reduction on mNSS and cerebral infarct volume compared with MG. In MG versus SG and RG versus MG, we identified a total of 4578 proteins, of which 287 were DEPs. There were 76 overlapping DEPs between MG versus SG and RG versus MG. Through bioinformatics analysis, 14 associated pathways were searched including cGMP-PKG signaling pathway, tuberculosis, synaptic vesicle cycle, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, long-term potentiation, and so on. 76 overlapping DEPs mainly involved synaptic vesicle cycling biological processes based on GO annotation. Further, the selective overlapping DEPs were verified at the protein level by using Western blotting. Our present study reveals that rhubarb highlights promising neuroprotective effect. Rhubarb exerts novel therapeutic action via modulating multiple proteins, targets, and pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of three treatment approaches to applying Botulinum Toxin Type A (BoNTA) for crow’s Feet. Methods. Thirty female subjects with moderate-to-severe crow’s feet were included in this comparative in vivo study. They were randomly divided into three groups, including the local intramuscular, intradermal microdroplet injection, and nanomicroneedle delivered with BoNTA therapy group. After one session, evaluations were done at the time points of weeks one, four, and twelve after the treatment. The assessments included subjective satisfaction, blinded clinical assessment, and the biophysical parameters (skin collagen content, elasticity, hydration, and sebum contents). Results. For dynamic wrinkles, intramuscular injection and intradermal microdroplets injection were more effective than nanomicroneedles. For static wrinkles, nanomicroneedles and intradermal microdroplets injection were more effective. However, the intramuscular injection had no significant effect on static wrinkles. At one week and four weeks after the treatment, the skin elasticity, collagen content, and hydration of nanomicroneedle group and intradermal microdroplet group increased more significantly than those of the intramuscular injection group; at twelve weeks after the treatment, the skin elasticity, collagen content, and hydration of intradermal microdroplet group were higher than those of other two groups. However we observed no statistically significant difference in sebum content between the three groups before and after the treatment. Conclusion. BoNTA delivered through nanomicroneedles and intradermal microdroplets injection can effectively treat crow’s feet. This trial is registered with [2016]KY018-01, registered 16 Feb 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive dysfunction is characterized as the gradual loss of learning ability and cognitive function, as well as memory impairment. Jiao-tai-wan (JTW), a Chinese medicine prescription including Coptis chinensis and cinnamon, is mainly used for the treatment of insomnia, while the effect of JTW in improving cognitive function has not been reported. In this study, we employed a scopolamine- (SCOP-) treated learning and memory deficit model to explore whether JTW could alleviate cognitive dysfunction. In behavioral experiments, Morris water maze, Y-maze, fearing condition test, and novel object discrimination test were conducted. Results showed that oral administration of JTW (2.1 g/kg, 4.2 g/kg, and 8.4 g/kg) can effectively promote the ability of spatial recognition, learning and memory, and the memory ability of fresh things of SCOP-treated mice. In addition, the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was effectively decreased; the activity of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and concentration of acetylcholine (Ach) were improved after JTW treatment in both hippocampus and cortex of SCOP-treated mice. JTW effectively ameliorated oxidative stress because of decreased the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in hippocampus and cortex. Furthermore, JTW promotes the expressions of neurotrophic factors including postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) and synaptophysin (SYN) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in both hippocampus and cortex. Nissl’s staining shows that the neuroprotective effect of JTW was very effective. To sum up, JTW might be a promising candidate for the treatment of cognitive dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We retrospectively identified 89 consecutive patients from January 2004 to January 2012 to investigate efficacy of direct intrahepatic portocaval shunt (DIPS) combined with inferior vena cava (IVC) stenting for sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) associated with hepatotoxicity of pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Indications for treatment were variceal hemorrhage and/or refractory ascites. Patients were treated with DIPS plus IVC stenting (group A, n=68) or DIPS alone (group B, n=21). A technical success rate of 100% was obtained in all 89 patients, and there were no early procedure-related adverse events or 30-day mortality. Mean portosystemic gradient decreased in both groups. Changes in aspartate and alanine aminotransferases and total bilirubin did not differ between the groups. Ascites disappeared in group A but was not obvious in group B until IVC stenting. During follow-up, recurrent bleeding and ascites and incidence of hepatic encephalopathy did not differ between the groups. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rate was 98, 89.59, and 80%, respectively. Satisfactory clinical results were obtained for combined DIPS and IVC stenting for SOS associated with pyrrolizidine-alkaloid-related decompensated cirrhosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Up to 62% of perimenopausal women have depression symptoms. However, there is no efficacy treatment. The aim of this study is to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of EA therapy and escitalopram on perimenopause women with mild-moderate depressive symptom. Method. A multicenter, randomized, positive-controlled clinical trial was conducted at 6 hospitals in China. 242 perimenopause women with mild-moderate depressive symptom were recruited and randomly assigned to receive 36 sessions of EA treatment or escitalopram treatment. The primary outcome measure was the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17). The secondary outcome measures include menopause-specific quality of life (MENQOL) and serum sexual hormones which include estrogen, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone. Results. 221 (91.3%) completed the study, including 116 in the EA group and 105 in the escitalopram group. The baseline levels of demographic and outcome measurements were similar in the two groups. In the intervention period, there was no difference between two groups. However, in the follow-up, both HAMD-17 and MENQOL were significantly decreased, and at week 24 the mean differences were −2.23 and −8.97, respectively. There were no significant differences in the change of serum sexual hormones between the two groups. No serious adverse events occurred. Conclusion. EA treatment is effective and safe in relieving depression symptom and improving the quality of life in the perimenopausal depression. Further research is needed to understand long-term efficacy and explore the mechanism of this intervention. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02423694. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a consensus that cardiorenal syndromes (CRS) are defined as the disorders of heart and kidney where acute or chronic dysfunction in one organ may induce acute or chronic dysfunction in another. Patients with CRS have increased hospitalization and mortality rates, and thus their identification is of great implication. Biomarkers are not only predictive in heart failure or renal diseases, but also useful in identifying cardiac dysfunction in renal diseases and renal injury in heart failure. Thus, they may be applied in order to identify patients with CRS and even assess prognosis and guide therapy in these patients. However, studies on biomarkers have just begun in CRS. Future studies are essential to observe current biomarkers and find novel biomarkers in CRS so as to improve diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis of CRS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical artery dissection (CAD) is an important cause of stroke for young patients, accounting for 5–22% of strokes in patients <45 years of age, which presents not only a great burden to the stroke victims but also a financial burden to the family and society. Because CAD can lead to different clinical lesions, including neuropathy, acute ischemic stroke, and subarachnoid hemorrhage, and is an arterial dissection with a self-healing tendency, the treatment options depend on the clinical manifestations. The main purpose of the treatment is to control CAD-induced neuronal damage and to restore blood flow. The treatment programs include drug treatment and endovascular treatment. However, antithrombotic treatment is crucial. Both antiplatelet drugs and anticoagulant drugs are used to reduce the risk of stroke, but whether one treatment strategy is more effective than the other is unknown. The efficacy and timing of the endovascular treatment of CAD remain controversial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrocephalus (HCP) is a common complication in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage. In this review, we summarize the advanced research on HCP and discuss the understanding of the molecular originators of HCP and the development of diagnoses and remedies of HCP after SAH. It has been reported that inflammation, apoptosis, autophagy, and oxidative stress are the important causes of HCP, and well-known molecules including transforming growth factor, matrix metalloproteinases, and iron terminally lead to fibrosis and blockage of HCP. Potential medicines for HCP are still in preclinical status, and surgery is the most prevalent and efficient therapy, despite respective risks of different surgical methods, including lamina terminalis fenestration, ventricle-peritoneal shunting, and lumbar-peritoneal shunting. HCP remains an ailment that cannot be ignored and even with various solutions the medical community is still trying to understand and settle why and how it develops and accordingly improve the prognosis of these patients with HCP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study was aimed at analyzing the expressions of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in Botulinum Toxin Type A (BoNTA) treated human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) in vitro. Methods. We used RNA sequencing to characterize the lncRNAs and mRNAs transcriptome in the control and BoNTA treated group, in conjunction with application of GO (gene ontology) analysis and KEGG (kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes) analysis to delineate the alterations in gene expression. We also obtained quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) to confirm some differentially expressed genes. Results. Numerous differentially expressed genes were observed by microarrays between the two groups. qRT-PCR confirmed the changes of six lncRNAs (RP11-517C16.2-001, FR271872, LOC283352, RP11-401E9.3, FGFR3P, and XXbac-BPG16N22.5) and nine mRNAs (NOS2, C13orf15, FOS, FCN2, SPINT1, PLAC8, BIRC5, NOS2, and COL19A1). Farther studies indicated that the downregulating effect of BoNTA on the expression of FGFR3P was time-related and the dosage of BoNTA at a range from 2.5 U/106 cells to 7.5 U/106 cells increased the expression of FGFR3P and COL19A1 in HDFs as well. Conclusion. The expression profiling of lncRNAs was visibly changed in BoNTA treated HDFs. Further studies should focus on several lncRNAs to investigate their functions in BoNTA treated HDFs and the underlying mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the effects of estrogen in combination with aspirin and intrauterine balloon on the uterine endometrial repair and reproductive prognosis in patients after surgery for severe intrauterine adhesion (sIUA). We prospectively recruited 114 patients with sIUA. Intrauterine device (IUD) was placed and oral estrogen was administered after surgery. Patients were divided into control group and aspirin group. In addition, patients in aspirin group were subdivided into nonballoon group and balloon group. Results showed that, after therapy, the increase in endometrial thickness of aspirin groups was superior to control group (P<0.05). The scores of intrauterine adhesion and menstruation were significantly improved in balloon group as compared to nonballoon group and control group, and significant differences were also observed between nonballoon group and control group (P<0.05). Of 97 patients, 44.3% became pregnant after surgery, the live birth rate was 27.8%, and the miscarriage rate was 37.2%, but there were no significant differences among three groups (P>0.05). Thus, aspirin may promote the uterine endometrial growth and repair after surgery for sIUA, and IUD in combination with intrauterine balloon may reduce the recurrence of intrauterine adhesion, but their effect on the reproductive prognosis is required to be further studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sevoflurane exposures were demonstrated to induce neurotoxicity in the developing brain in both human and animal studies. However, there is no effective approach to reverse it. The present study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of utilizing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to prevent sevoflurane-induced neurotoxicity. P6 (postnatal 6 days) mice were administrated DHA after exposure to 3% sevoflurane for two hours daily in three consecutive days. Molecular expressions of synaptic makers (PSD95, synaptophysin) and synaptic morphological changes were investigated by Western blot analysis and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. Meanwhile, Morris water maze test was used to assess spatial memory of mice at P31 (postnatal 31 days). DHA restored sevoflurane-induced decreased level of PSD95 and synaptophysin expressions and increased PSD areas and also improved long-term spatial memory. These results suggest that DHA could rescue synaptogenesis impairment and long-term memory deficits in postnatal caused by multiple sevoflurane exposures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copy number variations (CNVs) have attracted increasing evidences to represent their roles as cancer susceptibility regulators. However, little is known about the role of CNV in epithelia ovarian cancer (EOC). Recently, the CNV-67048 of WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) was reported to alter cancer risks. Considering that WWOX also plays a role in EOC, we hypothesized that the CNV-67048 was associated with EOC risk. In a case-control study of 549 EOC patients and 571 age (±5 years) matched cancer-free controls, we found that the low copy number of CNV-67048 (1-copy and 0-copy) conferred a significantly increased risk of EOC (OR = 1.346, 95% CI = 1.037–1.747) and it determined the risk by means of copy number-dependent dosage effect (P=0.009). Data from TCGA also confirmed the abovementioned association as the frequency of low copies in EOC group was 3.68 times more than that in healthy group (P=0.023). The CNV also negatively interacted with oral contraceptive use on EOC risk (P=0.042). Functional analyses further showed a lower mRNA level of WWOX in tissues with the 0-copy or 1-copy than that in those with the 2-copy (P=0.045). Our data suggested the CNV-67048 to be a risk factor of EOC in Chinese women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) is one of the most common complications of most types of antibiotics. Our aim was to determine the efficacy of Clostridium butyricum, Bifidobacterium infantis, and their mixture for AAD treatment in mice. AAD models were administered with single probiotic strain and probiotic mixture for short term and long term to evaluate the changes of the composition and diversity of intestinal microbiota, histopathology of the colon, and the systemic inflammation. Our data indicated that long-term probiotic therapy, but not short-term course, exerted beneficial effects on the restoration of the intestinal microbiota, the recovery of the tissue architecture, and attenuation of systemic inflammation. All predominant fecal bacteria reached normal level after the long-term probiotic mixture treatment, while IL-10, IFN-γ, and TNF-α also returned to normal level. However, the efficacy for AAD was time dependent and probiotic strain specific. Short-term administration of probiotic strains or mixture showed no apparent positive effects for AAD. In addition, the beneficial effects of C. butyricum combined with B. infantis probiotic mixture were superior to their single strain. This research showed that supplementation with C. butyricum combined with B. infantis probiotic mixture may be a simple and effective method for AAD treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]