Chinese herbal medicines and its active ingredient wogonin can improve immune inflammation in psoriatic arthritis.

Objective: In China, Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) have been widely used in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis (PsA), showing great therapeutic effects in clinical practice. However, due to the great heterogeneity of PsA and the diversity of CHM combination patterns, there is little high-level evidence-based medical research on the treatment of PsA with CHMs. This study aims to explore the beneficial effects of CHMs on the immune inflammation in PsA and its specific mechanism.

Joint probabilistic modeling approach for harmonic and three-phase unbalanced disturbance sources.

Harmonics and three-phase imbalance are two common disturbances in power systems that interact with and affect each other, leading to more complex impacts on power system performance. To comprehensively and accurately analyze the distribution and interaction mechanisms of harmonics and three-phase imbalance, this study investigated the joint emission level of harmonic and three-phase unbalanced disturbance sources (H-TU-DS). This paper proposes a joint probabilistic emission level modeling approach.

The Efficacy and Safety of Minocycline-Containing Quadruple Therapies Against Infection: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Minocycline, a derivative of tetracycline, has anti- () properties and can be used to treat infection. However, only a few randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have investigated the efficacy of minocycline-containing quadruple therapy (MCQT) in treating infection. This study aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of MCQT and investigate the factors influencing both aspects.

[Correlation between traditional Chinese medicine and reduced risk of readmission in rheumatoid arthritis patients with hypoproteinemia:a retrospective cohort study].

This study aimed to explore the correlation between traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and reduced risk of readmission in patients having rheumatoid arthritis with hypoproteinemia(RA-H). A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 2 437 rheumatoid arthritis patients in the information system database of the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine from 2014 to 2021, and 476 of them were found to have hypoproteinemia. The patients were divided into TCM users and non-TCM users by propensity score matching.

[Traditional medicinal plants for arthropod-borne diseases of five countries in Lancang-Mekong region:a review].

Arthropod-borne diseases, such as malaria and dengue fever, have frequently beset five countries(Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand) in the tropical rainy Lancang-Mekong region, which pose a huge threat to social production and daily life. As a resort to such diseases, chemical drugs risk the resistance in plasmodium, non-availability for dengue virus, and pollution to the environment. Traditional medicinal plants have the multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway characteristics, which are of great potential in drug development.

Cerebral palsy in children born after assisted reproductive technology: a meta-analysis.

Background: Several studies have assessed the association between cerebral palsy (CP) and assisted reproductive technology (ART), but the results remain controversial. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the risk of CP after ART compared with natural conceptions and to examine CP risk separately in ART singletons, multiples and preterm births.

Methods: Web-based databases (PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science) were searched until November 22, 2020.

Polymerase chain reaction-based assays facilitate the breeding and study of mouse models of Klinefelter syndrome.

Klinefelter syndrome (KS) is one of the most frequent genetic abnormalities and the leading genetic cause of nonobstructive azoospermia. The breeding and study of KS mouse models are essential to advancing our knowledge of the underlying pathological mechanism. Karyotyping and fluorescence in situ hybridization are reliable methods for identifying chromosomal contents.

New paraconic acids from the endophytic fungus sp. J4.

Three new paraconic acids, xylariacinics A-C (-), were isolated from the endophyte sp. J4 harbored in the medicinal plant . Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic data including HRMS, and NMR.

Microglia-derived TNF-α mediates endothelial necroptosis aggravating blood brain-barrier disruption after ischemic stroke.

Endothelium (EC) is a key component of blood-brain barrier (BBB), and has an important position in the neurovascular unit. Its dysfunction and death after cerebral ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) injury not only promote evolution of neuroinflammation and brain edema, but also increase the risk of intracerebral hemorrhage of thrombolytic therapies. However, the mechanism and specific interventions of EC death after I/R injury are poorly understood.

Postoperative Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a Neurologic Complication that Must Not Be Overlooked: A Literature Review.

Background: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an uncommon, yet life-threatening postoperative neuropathic complication that is easily neglected, and hence, timely treatment is not provided in the clinics. This review aims to summarize the clinical features of postoperative GBS, and thus, improve the understanding of postoperative GBS.

Methods: We reviewed the literature on postoperative GBS and assessed the demographic information, clinical manifestation, operation, time of onset of postoperative GBS, and prognosis.

NIR Rapid Assessments of Blumea balsamifera (Ai-na-xiang) in China.

() is used as an important plant source of natural borneol, which is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry. The aim of this study was to establish the methods based on near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy for determining the geographical origin of , as well as developing a method for the quantitative rapid analysis of the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). A total of 109 samples were collected from China in 2013 and arbitrarily divided into calibration and prediction sets using the Kennard-Stone algorithm.

Twins methods quantitatively explore the genetic impact on children and adolescents brain gray matter volume.

The gray matter volumes of 58 pairs of twins ranging in age from 12 to 18 were measured by MRI to explore the genetic and environmental impacts on gray matter volume in twin children and adolescents. By means of A/C/E structural equation modeling, it was found that the gray matter volume in children and adolescents was jointly affected by genetic (A: 0.89) and environmental factors while genetic factors play a greater role.

Variations in Essential Oil Yield, Composition, and Antioxidant Activity of Different Plant Organs from Blumea balsamifera (L.) DC. at Different Growth Times.

Blumea balsamifera, also named Ainaxiang, is widely used as an ancient medicinal herb in tropical and subtropical Asia. It is rich in essential oils. In this work the essential oils of B.

MiR-150 Regulates Poststroke Cerebral Angiogenesis via Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Rats.

Aims: Angiogenesis is a harmonized target for poststroke recovery. Therefore, exploring the mechanisms involved in angiogenesis after stroke is vitally significant. In this study, we are reporting a miR-150-based mechanism underlying cerebral poststroke angiogenesis.

MicroRNA-150 regulates blood-brain barrier permeability via Tie-2 after permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats.

The mechanism of blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption, involved in poststroke edema and hemorrhagic transformation, is important but elusive. We investigated microRNA-150 (miR-150)-mediated mechanism in the disruption of BBB after stroke in rats. We found that up-regulation of miR-150 increased permeability of BBB as detected by MRI after permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion in vivo as well as increased permeability of brain microvascular endothelial cells after oxygen-glucose deprivation in vitro.

[Comparative Study on Quality of Volatile Oil of Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma from Two Habitats].

Objective: To compare the quality of volatile oil of Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma from Guangxi and Sichuan.

Methods: The volatile oil was extracted from Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma by using steam distillation method, and analyzed by GC-MS. Peak area normalization method was used for calculating the relative percentage contents of chemical constituents, and hierarchical cluster analysis was used for classifying the 20 batches of samples by their relative contents of the main components that were methyleugenol, cis-methylisoeugenol, γ-asarone, β-asarone and α-asarone.

[Chemical constituents from roots of Rubus parvifolius].

Objective: To investigate the chemical constituents from the roots of Rubus parvifolius.

Methods: The chemical constituents were isolated by silica gel column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20, as well as preparative high performance liquid chromatography. Their structures were identified on the basis of physicochemical properties and NMR analysis.

External application of the volatile oil from Blumea balsamifera may be safe for liver--a study on its chemical composition and hepatotoxicity.

Ainaxiang (Blumea balsamifera), also known as Sambong, is an important ancient medicinal herb in Southeast Asia. It is rich in volatile oil, and still widely used nowadays for skin wound healing and treatment of sore throats. We analyzed the volatile oil from Blumea balsamifera (BB oil) by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

An uncommon plant growth regulator, diethyl aminoethyl hexanoate, is highly effective in tissue cultures of the important medicinal plant purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea L.).

We investigated the effects of various concentrations of diethyl aminoethyl hexanoate (DA-6) on the regeneration and growth of adventitious buds in in vitro purple coneflower cultures. Among the 3 types of explants tested, leaf explants required higher concentrations of DA-6 than petiole and root explants in order to obtain high regeneration rates, while root explants required the lowest concentration of DA-6. Additionally, explants with higher ploidy levels were more sensitive to the addition of DA-6, while explants with lower ploidy levels required higher concentrations of DA-6 to achieve its maximal regeneration rate.

Recurrent bacterial meningitis caused by an occult basilar skull fracture.

Background: We present a rare case of recurrent bacterial meningitis caused by an occult basilar skull fracture.

Methods: A 9-year-old boy presented with acute headache, fever and vomiting. He had recurrent meningitis episode one month earlier and a head trauma 6 months ago.

[Physical training improves spatial learning and memory impairments following hypoxic ischemic brain damage in neonatal rats].

Objective: To investigate the effect of physical training on cerebral structure and spatial learning and memory in neonatal rats submitted to hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD).

Methods: Forty-eight 7-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: a group that was subjected to left carotid ligation followed by 2 hrs hypoxic stress (HIBD); a group that received physical training 2 weeks after the HIBD event; a control group that was subjected to a sham-operation without ligation and hypoxic stress. Following four weeks physical training, motor function test and water maze tasks were performed.

[HLA expression in human fetal bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells].

Objective: To investigate the expression of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) in human fetal bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) after long time culture as well as the changes in response to interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) treatment.

Methods: Human fetal MSCs were collected from 23 to 24-weeks-old fetues with the approval of Ethic Committee of Peking University Health Science Center. The cells of passage 5 and passage 12 were analyzed for HLA expression before and after IFN-gamma (50 microg/L) treatment by flow cytometry at different time points.