Fertility regulating agents from traditional Chinese medicines

Chinese scientists have capitalized on the rich flora and the ethnomedical experience in China, in their pursuit of fertility regulating agents from natural products. Discoveries range from anti-implantation agents to abortifacient and pregnancy-terminating compounds, as well as a male contraceptive. Chemistry and bioactivity of these compounds and materials are reviewed in this paper, with the hope that further research and collaboration will take place to help solve the problem of population explosion.     

平调饮对原发性肝癌AFP mRNA、GPC-3 mRNA影响的研究

目的探讨平调饮对原发性肝癌患者AFP mRNA、GPC-3 mRNA表达的影响。方法抽取60例肝癌患者的抗凝血液,配对法随机分为试验组和对照组各30例。采用Tr-Izol一步法提取总RNA,用逆转录巢式聚合酶链反应(RT-nested PCR)技术检测治疗前后试验组及对照组患者AFP mRNA、GPC-3 mRNA的表达情况。结果治疗后试验组及对照组AFP mRNA、GPC-3 mRNA表达均显著下降,在降低AFP mRNA表达方面试验组与对照组无显著性差异,降低GPC-3 mRNA表达方面试验组明显优于对照组(P0.05)。结论平调饮能有效抑制人血液中AFP mRNA、GPC-3 mRNA的高表达,在降低GPC-3 mRNA表达方面效果优于华蟾素。其治疗原发性肝癌机制与临床应用价值值得进一步研究。     

Clinical trial on the role of tuina in rehabilitation therapy following total hip replacement

目的：观察推拿在全髋关节置换术后康复治疗中的临床疗效。方法：将60例患者随机分成治疗组和对照组。治疗组30例进行推拿结合康复治疗,对照组30例进行单纯康复治疗。两组均治疗2星期。分别观察两组患者术后7天、术后2星期、术后6星期的改良人工髋关节Harris量表及汉密尔顿焦虑量表（Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale,HAMA）。结果：Harris量表评分总分,两组组内患者不同时间点多重比较差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;术后1天、术后7天及术后6星期两组间比较,差畀均无统计学意义（A,0．05）;术后2星期两组间比较差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。HAMA量表两组组内患者不同时间点多重比较差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;术后1天两纽间评分无显著性差异（P〉0．05）;术后7天、术后2星期、术后6星期两组间评分均有显著性差异（P〈0．05）。结论：单位时间内,推拿结合康复治疗对全髋关节置换术后患者的疼痛、关节活动范围及焦虑等方面的改善作用优于单纯康复治疗。     

丹参酮提取物物理化学质量属性相关性分析

目的：探寻丹参酮提取物化学成分的含量与物理性质之间的相关性。方法：HPLC测定50批丹参酮提取物中隐丹参酮、丹参酮IIA的含量,经典方法测定物理性质,将成分含量与物理性质进行相关性分析。结果：两变量组组内的隐丹参酮与丹参酮IIA含量,D10、D50、D90 之间,松装密度与振实密度,豪斯纳比率与压缩度指数均具有较强的相关性,休止角与均齐度、豪斯纳比率、压缩度指数具有一定的相关性,但相关性不强。两变量组的原始变量组间相关性系数最大不超过0.400,相关性不强。经过典型相关分析,3对典型变量的相关性显著,相关系数分别为0.851,0.674,0.565。结论：对于丹参酮提取物的化学、物理质量属性,原始变量组内具有较好的相关性,但组间相关性较差。相比原始变量,典型变量呈现出了较好的组间相关性,表明丹参酮提取物的物理化学属性之间具有一定的相关性。     

Silencing of Nesprin‐2 inhibits the differentiation of myofibroblasts from fibroblasts induced by mechanical stretch

Mechanical force plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of hypertrophic scar (HTS). Dermal fibroblasts and myofibroblasts are the key cells involved in HTS. Myofibroblasts in HTS possess different biochemical and biophysical characteristics by which myofibroblasts are often distinguished from fibroblasts. The role of mechanotransducers outside the nucleus in the pathogenesis of HTS has been reported in many studies. However, the role of Nesprin‐2 in HTS is not clear. Hence, we aim to construct a cell model of HTS and explore the role of Nesprin‐2 in this process. Myofibroblasts and fibroblasts were isolated from HTS and healthy skin tissues of the same patient. Fibroblasts were exposed to cyclic stretch with 10% magnitude and a frequency of 0.1 Hz for 3 days, 5 days, and 7 days, respectively. After the cell model was confirmed, fibroblasts transfected with siRNA targeting human Nesprin‐2 were exposed to cyclic stretch. The mechanical behaviour and biochemical reaction of the dermal fibroblasts were analysed. The stretched fibroblasts at day 5 showed the same mechanotransductive and biochemical features as unstretched myofibroblasts. Mechanical strain could induce the myofibroblasts differentiation and a cell model of HTS was established successfully at day 5. The expressions of lamin A/C, alpha‐smooth muscle actin, transforming growth factor beta 1, and collagen type I in fibroblasts were reduced by the silencing of Nesprin‐2. Mechanical strain could induce the myofibroblasts differentiation and silencing of Nesprin‐2 could block the mechanical stimulation of terminal myofibroblasts differentiation. Nesprin‐2 might be a potential target to treat the HTS.     

Risk factors of wound infection after lung transplantation: a narrative review

Background and ObjectiveThe incidence of incision infection after lung transplantation is prominently high which affect the prognosis. Summarizing the risk factors related to incision infection after lung transplantation contribute to the control of incision infection by pre-controlling the risk factors. The objective is to summarize risk factors related to wound infection after lung transplantation.MethodsPubMed was used to research the literature relating to the risk factors to incision infection after lung transplantation through 1990 to 2022. The retrieval strategy were Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms combined entry terms. Two researchers conducted the literature retrieval independently. Two researchers independently evaluate the quality of the literature and summarize the indicators.Key Content and FindingsA total of 98 researches were collected from PubMed and 8 articles described the related risk factors of incision infection after lung transplantation. All of the 8 articles were retrospective studies, of which 4 articles were grouped by the delayed chest closure (DCC) execution and the other 4 articles were grouped by the surgical site infection (SSI) occurred. Two articles performed multivariate regression analysis to determine the independent risk factors of SSI after lung transplantation and the other 6 articles compared the SSI rate in different patients population. The integrated results showed that bronchoalveolar lavages (BALs), smoking status, body mass index (BMI), diabetes, operation duration, thoracic drainage tube placement time and DCC were related to the SSI after lung transplantation.ConclusionsBALs, smoking status, BMI, diabetes, operation duration, thoracic drainage tube placement time and DCC were related to the SSI after lung transplantation.     

Association between Excessive Dietary Branched-Chain Amino Acids Intake and Hypertension Risk in Chinese Population

The dietary intake of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) has been reported to be associated with both elevated blood pressure (BP) and hypertension risk, while published findings were inconsistent, and the causality has never been well disclosed. We performed this prospective study aiming to find out the relationship between dietary BCAAs intake and hypertension risk in the Chinese population. A total of 8491 participants (40,285 person-years) were selected. The levels of dietary BCAAs intake were estimated using the 24-h Food Frequency Questionnaire. Associations of both BP values and hypertension risk with per standard deviation increase of BCAAs were estimated using linear and COX regression analysis, respectively. The hazard ratios and 95% confidence interval were given. Restricted cubic spline analysis (RCS) was used to estimate the nonlinearity. Both systolic and diastolic BP values at the end points of follow-up were positively associated with dietary BCAAs intake. Positive associations between BCAAs intake and hypertension risk were shown in both men and women. By performing a RCS analysis, the nonlinear relationship between BCAAs intake and hypertension was shown. As the intake levels of Ile, Leu, and Val, respectively, exceeded 2.49 g/day, 4.91 g/day, and 2.88 g/day in men (2.16 g/day, 3.84 g/day, and 2.56 g/day in women), the hypertension risk increased. Our findings could provide some concrete evidence in the primary prevention of hypertension based on dietary interventions.     

A Novel Preparation of Special-Shaped Phosphors-in-Glass by Gel Casting with Isobam for High-Power WLEDs Lighting

Phosphors-in-glass (PiGs) regarded as a promising phosphor-converter for white light emitting diodes (WLEDs) is being researched widely. However, there are few reports on the effect of changing the shape of PiGs on the color rendering index (CRI) and heat dissipation of WLEDs. In this paper, gel casting with Isobam was first attempted in preparing special-shaped PiGs successfully. It exhibited that 76 wt.% was the optimum solid content based on the rheological properties of slurry and the shrinkage of green bodies. The sintering rate should be kept at a low speed and glass transition temperature (Tg) of glass powders must be higher than sublimation temperatures (Ts) of APS and Isobam. The CRI of PiGs was increased by about 27% after changing the shape of PiGs from cylinder to dome. Most importantly, operating temperature also reduced effectively the increase of the surface area of PiGs. Therefore, changing the shape of PiGs by gel casting with Isobam is a creative way for high-power WLEDs lighting.