Efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine on shortening the negative conversion time of SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleic acid in patients with mild COVID-19: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: The holistic view of the 'The unity of man and nature' promotes the development and application of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Despite the absence of modern pharmacological therapies with robust efficacy against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), TCM has exhibited potential utility for treating the disease in clinical practice.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted to investigate the therapeutic effect of TCM treatment intensity (TCMTI) in patients with mild COVID-19.

Reduced SARS-CoV-2 infection risk is associated with the use of Seven-Flavor Herb Tea: A multi-center observational study in Shanghai, China.

Objective: Omicron, a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant, is responsible for numerous infections in China. This study investigates the association between the use of Seven-Flavor Herb Tea (SFHT) and the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection to develop precise and differentiated strategies for control of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Methods: This case-control study was conducted at shelter hospitals and quarantine hotels in China.

Properties of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) collagen and its degradation by endogenous proteinases during cold storage.

Many factors are responsible for the diminished quality of shrimp during cold storage, while the role of collagen has rarely been studied. This study therefore investigated the relationship between collagen degradation and changes of textural properties of Pacific white shrimp, and its hydrolysis by endogenous proteinases. The textural properties of shrimp decreased gradually along with disruption of shrimp muscle tissues, and the chewiness property of shrimp muscle showed a linear relationship with collagen contents in muscle during 6-day-storage at 4 °C.

Head-to-Tail Cross-Linking to Generate Bicyclic Helical Peptides with Enhanced Helicity and Proteolytic Stability.

We report a new pattern of a bicyclic helical peptide constructed through head-to-tail cross-linking. The described bicyclic helical peptide has a head-to-tail cross-linking arm and a C-terminal , + 4 cross-linking arm. This scaffold will provide a promising scaffold for designing a proteolytically resistant helix-constrained peptide.

Helix-Constrained Peptides Constructed by Head-to-Side Chain Cross-Linking Strategies.

Facile head-to-side chain cross-linking strategies are developed to generate helix-constrained peptides. In our strategies, a covalent cross-linker is incorporated at N, i+7 or N, i+1 positions to lock the peptide into a helical conformation. The described patterns of head-to-side chain cross-linking will provide new frameworks for constrained helical peptide.

Delivery of cell membrane impermeable peptides into living cells by using head-to-tail cyclized mitochondria-penetrating peptides.

A series of cyclic Arg-rich mitochondria-penetrating peptides were prepared with variation in the macrocycle size and the chirality of Arg residues. A cyclic heptapeptide was demonstrated to be an efficient mitochondria-specific delivery vector for delivering membrane impermeable peptides.

Maternal Serum Angiogenic Factor sFlt-1 to PlGF Ratio in Preeclampsia: A Useful Marker for Differential Diagnosis and Prognosis Evaluation in Chinese Women.

The ratio of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 to placental growth factor (sFlt-1/PlGF) is elevated and proved to be useful in preeclampsia (PE) diagnosis. Its value in differential diagnosis with other pregnancy complications and prediction of pregnancy duration has yet to be clarified in Chinese population. We retrospectively analyzed 118 singleton pregnancies with suspected or diagnosed PE at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) in China.

Combination of L-Arginine and L-Norvaline protects against pulmonary fibrosis progression induced by bleomycin in mice.

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) progression may be involved with arginine (Arg) metabolism and immune balance. The present study aimed to explore the effects of L-Arginine (L-Arg) and L-Norvaline (L-Nor) on bleomycin (BLM)-induced PF in mice, meanwhile, and observe dynamic changes of Arg metabolism, immune balance and crosstalk between them in PF progression. Followed intratracheal instillation of BLM or saline, Kunming mice were treated orally with saline, L-Arg, L-Nor and L-Arg + L-Nor three times a day.

Synthesis of Peptide Disulfide-Bond Mimics by Using Fully Orthogonally Protected Diaminodiacids.

A new strategy was developed for the synthesis of peptide disulfide-bond mimics using fully orthogonally protected diaminodiacids. This method overcomes the previous problems of heavy-metal contamination and poor compatibility with Fmoc chemistry and provides a practical avenue for the efficient preparation of peptide disulfide-bond mimics.

Role of canonical transient receptor potential channel-3 in acetylcholine-induced mouse airway smooth muscle cell proliferation.

Aims: Canonical transient receptor potential channel-3 (TRPC3)-encoded Ca-permeable nonselective cation channel (NSCC) has been proven to be an important native constitutively active channel in airway smooth muscle cell (ASMC), which plays significant roles in physiological and pathological conditions by controlling Ca homeostasis in ASMC. Acetylcholine (ACh) is generally accepted as a contractile parasympathetic neurotransmitter in the airway. Recently studies have revealed the pathological role of ACh in airway remodeling, however, the mechanisms remain unclear.

Ultrasound-Guided Regional Anesthesia Simulation Training: A Systematic Review.

Background And Objectives: Ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia (UGRA) has become the criterion standard of regional anesthesia practice. Ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia teaching programs often use simulation, and guidelines have been published to help guide URGA education. This systematic review aimed to examine the effectiveness of simulation-based education for the acquisition and maintenance of competence in UGRA.

TRPC3-mediated Ca(2+) entry contributes to mouse airway smooth muscle cell proliferation induced by lipopolysaccharide.

Airway remodeling is a histopathological hallmark of chronic respiratory diseases that includes airway smooth muscle cell (ASMC) proliferation. Canonical transient receptor potential channel-3 (TRPC3)-encoded nonselective cation channels (NSCCs) are important native constitutively active channels that play significant roles in physiological and pathological conditions in ASMCs. Lipopolysaccharides (LPSs), known as lipoglycans and endotoxin, have been proven to be inducers of airway remodeling, though the mechanisms remain unclear.

Anti-fibrotic effects of neferine on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic fibrosis in mice.

The effects of neferine, a bisbenzylisoquinline alkaloid extracted from the seed embryo of the Chinese traditional medicine Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn, on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatic fibrosis in mice were evaluated. Adult male Kunming mice were administered with CCl4 1 ml/kg via intraperitoneal injection twice a week for 8 weeks. At the beginning of the 9th week, mice were treated with normal saline, colchicine (0.

Comprehensive expression analysis suggests functional overlapping of human FOX transcription factors in cancer.

Forkhead-box (FOX) transcription factors comprise a large gene family that contains more than 50 members in man. Extensive studies have revealed that they not only have functions in control of growth and development, but also play important roles in different diseases, especially in cancer. However, biological functions for most of the members in the FOX family remain unknown.

[Real-time three dimensional echocardiography-based evaluation of left ventricular function in children with Kawasaki disease].

Objective: To evaluate the clinical significance of full volume real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT-3DE) in the assessment of general and local systolic functions of the left ventricle in children with Kawasaki disease (KD).

Methods: A total of 73 KD children (40 with and 33 without coronary artery lesions) and 35 healthy control children were recruited. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was measured by M-mode ultrasound and full volume RT-3DE imaging.

Bromoxynil residues and dissipation rates in maize crops and soil.

A residue analytical method for the determination of bromoxynil in soil and maize was developed using high performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detector (HPLC-DAD) and high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). The residual level and dissipation rate of bromoxynil in the soil and maize crops were determined using the established method. The mean half-life of bromoxynil in soil was 4.