Reporting quality and risk of bias of randomized controlled trials of Chinese herbal medicine for multiple sclerosis.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common non-traumatic disabling disease affecting young adults. A definitive curative treatment is currently unavailable. Many randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have reported the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) on MS.

Assessment of triglyceride clearance of haemoperfusion from three cases of hypertriglyceridaemia-induced acute pancreatitis: a case series.

Rapid reduction of plasma triglycerides (TG) is believed to improve the outcome of pancreatitis in the context of hypertriglyceridaemia (HTG)-induced acute pancreatitis (HTG-AP). Previous studies have suggested that haemoperfusion (HP) with the Jafron cartridge series could be effective for reducing TG concentrations in patients with HTG-AP. However, the clearance capacity (CC) for TG removal has not been reported.

Guanxinning tablets improve myocardial hypertrophy by inhibiting the activation of MEK-ERK1/2 signaling pathway.

Myocardial hypertrophy may lead to heart failure and sudden death. As traditional Chinese medicine, Guanxinning tablets (GXN) have significant pharmacological effects in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. However, the anti-cardiac hypertrophy efficacy of GXN and its mechanism of action are still unclear.

Effects of a walking exercise programme on disease activity, sleep quality, and quality of life in systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

Aim: This quasi-experimental study aimed to explore effects of walking exercise on disease activity, sleep quality, and quality of life among individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Methods: After recruiting people with systemic lupus erythematosus from a hospital in Taiwan between October 2020 and June 2021, participants were free to opt to receive one walking exercise programme plus standard care for 3 months or to membership of a control group receiving routine care. Primary outcomes included Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Score, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Scale, and a quality-of-life scale for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, namely, LupusQoL.

Guanxinning tablet inhibits the interaction between leukocyte integrin Mac-1 and platelet GPIbα for antithrombosis without increased bleeding risk.

Recent studies have showed that thrombosis is closely related to leucocytes involved in immunity. Interfering with the binding of leukocyte integrin Mac-1 and platelet GPIbα can inhibit thrombosis without affecting physiological coagulation. Mac-1-GPIbα is proposed as a potential safety target for antithrombotic agents.

Frailty, Health Literacy, and Self-Care in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease in Taiwan.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a chronic and often irreversible disease that requires active self-care to mitigate adverse outcomes. This study aimed to analyze the associations of demographic and disease data, frailty, health literacy (HL), and CKD self-care (CKDSC) in patients with CKD. We conducted a cross-sectional study at two hospitals in Taiwan.

[Analysis of risk factors of healthy side fracture after hip fracture surgery in the elderly].

Objective: To investigate the incidence and related risk factors of healthy side fracture after hip fracture surgery in the elderly, so as to provide basis for the prevention of re-fracture.

Methods: The data of 452 patients over 65 years old with femoral neck fracture or intertrochanteric fracture treated with hip arthroplasty or proximal femoral intramedullary nailing from June 2012 to June 2017 were analyzed, including 168 males and 284 females, the age ranged from 65 to 97(75.5±7.

The Adverse Impact of Incense Smoke on Human Health: From Mechanisms to Implications.

Incense burning is a very popular activity in daily life among many parts all over the world. A growing body of both epidemiological and experimental evidences has reported the negative effects of incense use on human well-being, posing a potential threat at public significance. This work is a comprehensive review that covers the latest findings regarding the adverse impact of incense smoke on our health, providing a panoramic visualization ranging from mechanisms to implications.

Association of the and gene polymorphisms with COPD risk: a meta-analysis.

Introduction: Given the evidence that the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a number of case-control studies have attempted to assess the relationship between genetic polymorphisms in genes and COPD risk. However, reliable measures of these results are lacking.

Material And Methods: We assessed the published evidence for association of the -9 and polymorphisms with COPD risk using meta-analytic techniques.

[Expression of Sirtuin 1 in visceral adipose tissue in Tibetan mini-pigs with obesity and insulin resistance induced by high fat/cholesterol diet].

Objective: To investigate the role of Sirt1 in visceral adipose tissue in Tibetan mini-pigs with obesity and insulin resistance induced by high fat/cholesterol diet.

Methods: Twelve male Tibetan mini-pigs were divided into 2 groups randomly: normal control (NC) group, high-fat/cholesterol (HFC) diet group, 6 in each group. After 16 weeks of modeling, fasting body weight and body mass index (BMI) were measured.

Network Pharmacology-Based Approach Uncovers the Mechanism of GuanXinNing Tablet for Treating Thrombus by MAPKs Signal Pathway.

Background: GuanXinNing tablet (GXNT), a traditional Chinese patent medicine, has been found to have remarkable antithrombotic effects and can effectively inhibit pro-thrombotic factors in previous studies. However, the mechanism of its antithrombotic effects remains little known.

Methods: In this study, we first determined and identified the sources of each main compound in GXNT using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS).

Increased Time Outdoors Is Followed by Reversal of the Long-Term Trend to Reduced Visual Acuity in Taiwan Primary School Students.

Purpose: To investigate the change in the prevalence of reduced visual acuity (VA) in Taiwanese school children after a policy intervention promoting increased time outdoors.

Design: Prospective cohort study based on the Taiwan School Student Visual Acuity Screen (TSVAS) by the Ministry of Education in Taiwan.

Participants: All school children from grades 1 through 6 were enrolled in the TSVAS from 2001 through 2015.

Royal jelly attenuates nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by inhibiting oxidative stress and regulating the expression of circadian genes in ovariectomized rats.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has a high incidence in postmenopausal women and is accompanied by insulin resistance, obesity, and dyslipidemia. Royal jelly (RJ), a natural substance derived from hive, possesses numerous health-beneficial properties. Here, we evaluated the effects of RJ (150, 300, and 450 mg kg  day , 8 weeks) on NAFLD in ovariectomized (OVX) rats.

Ethanol Extract of Chinese Propolis Attenuates Early Diabetic Retinopathy by Protecting the Blood-Retinal Barrier in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats.

Propolis has been shown to reduce the level of blood glucose and suppress the histopathological changes in diabetics. However, it still remains unknown if propolis has a similar effect on diabetic retinopathy (DR). Our study aimed to evaluate the effect of the ethanol extract of Chinese propolis (EECP) on early DR in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats.

Effects of Elastic Band Exercise on Lower Limb Rehabilitation of Elderly Patients Undergoing Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of elastic band exercise activities on lower extremity rehabilitation in elderly patients subjected to an elastic band exercise intervention 2 and 4 weeks after total knee arthroplasty.

Design: A quasiexperimental study was conducted. Participants were recruited from southern Taiwan who were over 65 years old and had a first unilateral total knee arthroplasty for osteoarthritis.

The Impact of Innovative Smoking Reduction Education at Hospital Entrances: A Prospective Pre- and Post-Test Study Design.

Nurses are expected to play an important role in smoking reduction education. Although the smoking ban was enacted in Taiwan in 1997, which included the introduction of smoking-free areas around the entrances of hospitals, many smokers are still found near hospitals. Few smoking reduction programs have been initiated around hospital entrances.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms of IL-13 and CD14 genes in allergic rhinitis: a meta-analysis.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in interleukin-13 (IL-13) and cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14) genes and the risk for allergic rhinitis (AR).

Methods: We screened studies identified through seven databases including Pubmed, Medline, Web of Science, Embase, China Biology Medicine disc, Wanfang, and China Academic Journal Network Publishing Database. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were determined to assess the association under allelic, dominant and recessive models.

Empowering Retailers to Refuse to Sell Tobacco Products to Minors.

Tobacco smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke are major environmental risk factors that negatively influence health. It is recommended that tobacco product manufacturers and retailers receive empowerment counseling programs to achieve adolescent health targets. The present study conducted an empowerment counseling session to counsel tobacco product retailers in refusing to sell tobacco products to minors.

Association of the IL-13 polymorphisms rs1800925 and rs20541 with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease risk: An updated meta-analysis.

The aim of this study was to investigate if 2 common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the interleukin-13 (IL-13) gene, rs1800925 and rs20541 are associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) risk.Case-control association studies were retrieved systematically from PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang databases using standardized subject terms.Eleven studies including 3077 participants (1896 cases and 1181 controls) were analyzed.

Association between the polymorphisms and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a meta-analysis.

It has been hypothesized that polymorphisms in the transforming growth factor-β1 () gene on chromosome 19 modify the risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, results from previous studies are contradictory. We therefore conducted a meta-analysis of published case-control studies on the association between five common polymorphisms (rs1982073, rs1800469, rs2241712, rs6957, and rs2241718) and COPD risk.

Providing a Clean Environment for Adolescents: Evaluation of the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act in Taiwan.

Cigarette smoking not only damages the health of adolescents, but also contributes to air pollution. The Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act in Taiwan stipulates that cigarettes should not be sold to persons younger than 18 years. Therefore, schools should actively educate students and raise awareness of the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act to reduce the level of damage to the health of adolescents and maintain good air quality.

Differential expression of microRNA related to irritable bowel syndrome in a rabbit model.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the differential expressions of microRNAs (miRNAs) in white hair black eye (WHBE) rabbits of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Methods: WHBE and Japanese white (JW) rabbits were divided into the control and IBS groups. The IBS groups were exposed to moist heat, stress and low-dose laxatives.

Influencing Factors of the Body Mass Index of Elementary Students in Southern Taiwan.

The body mass index (BMI) of school children in Taiwan is markedly increasing. According to statistical data from the Taiwan Ministry of Education, the prevalence of obesity in school children from the southern part of the country is the highest in Taiwan. Thus, exploring the factors influencing BMI in elementary school children from southern Taiwan is crucial.

Association Between Paraoxonase 2 Ser311Cys Polymorphism and Coronary Heart Disease Risk: A Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND The relationship between coronary heart disease (CHD) and the paraoxonase 2 (PON2) Ser311Cys polymorphism has received much attention. We conducted a meta-analysis on the results from published case-control studies examining this relation. MATERIAL AND METHODS A literature search was performed using PubMed and ISI Web of Knowledge databases until October 2015.

Association between the MYO9B polymorphisms and celiac disease risk: a meta-analysis.

Background: There is no consensus regarding the association between polymorphisms in the myosin IXB (MYO9B) gene and celiac disease (CD) risk. In this study, we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate genetic variants in MYO9B with CD.

Methods: Four MYO9B polymorphisms (rs1545620, rs1457092, rs2305767 and rs2305764) were assessed.