Comparison of Back Tuina and Oral Astragalus Methods to Enhance Immunosuppression in Rabbits and Prediction of Astragalus Targets for Immune Function Improvement.

Back tuina massage and oral administration of astragalus are two methods used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to improve immune function. The aim of this study is to analyze the effects of tuina and orally administered astragalus on immunosuppressed rabbits using proteomics technology. Additionally, we investigate the potential mechanism of action of astragalus components on immunosuppression using an integration of network pharmacology and molecular docking technology.

Association between vitamin A intake and depression among patients with heart failure.

Aims: We aim to investigate the association between vitamin A intake and depression among patients with heart failure (HF).

Methods And Results: In this cross-sectional study, data of HF patients were extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2020. The independent variable was vitamin A intake, and the dependent variable was depression.

Establishment and preliminary application of duplex fluorescence quantitative PCR for porcine circoviruses type 2 and type 3.

Porcine circovirus types 2 (PCV2) and 3 (PCV3) are the two most prevalent porcine circoviruses in China, all of which can infect swine herds and cause serious diseases. To detect coinfection with PCV2 and PCV3, primers and probes for duplex PCV2 and PCV3 real-time PCR were designed to target their cap genes based on the constructed plasmids pUC57-PCV2 and pUC57-PCV3. The established duplex PCV2 and PCV3 real-time PCRs were specific to PCV2 and PCV3 and showed no cross-reactions with other porcine viral pathogens.

Electroacupuncture Improves Insulin Resistance in Type 2 Diabetes Mice by Regulating Intestinal Flora and Bile Acid.

Introduction: Adjusting internal organs and dredging channel electroacupuncture has a definite effect on type 2 diabetes, but the specific mechanism still needs to be further clarified. This study aims to investigate the effects of electroacupuncture on the gut microbiota and bile acids in db/db mice after the intervention of "adjusting internal organs and dredging channel" and further explore its mechanism of action in treating T2DM.

Methods: We used db/db mice as the animal model and db/m mice from the same litter as the blank control group, a total of 4 weeks of intervention were conducted.

Tangeretin attenuates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis by inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition via the PI3K/Akt pathway.

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a terminal pathological change in a variety of lung diseases characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix, for which effective treatment is lacking. Tangeretin (Tan), a flavonoid derived from citrus, has been shown to have a wide range of pharmacological effects. This study aimed to investigate the role and potential mechanisms of Tan on pulmonary fibrosis.

Flavonoid Extract from Propolis Provides Cardioprotection following Myocardial Infarction by Activating PPAR-.

We have previously reported that flavonoid extract from propolis (FP) can improve cardiac function in rats following myocardial infarction (MI). However, the mechanisms responsible for the cardioprotective effects of FP have not been fully elucidated. In the current study, we explored whether FP can reduce inflammatory cytokines and attenuate sympathetic nerve system activity and antiendoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and whether the cardioprotective effects are related to peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-) activation.

Xuan Bi Tong Yu Fang Promotes Angiogenesis via VEGF-Notch1/Dll4 Pathway in Myocardial Ischemic Rats.

Objective: To investigate the effect of Xuan Bi Tong Yu Fang (XBTYF) on angiogenesis via the vascular endothelial growth factor- (VEGF-) Notch1/delta-like 4 (Dll4) pathway. . Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups: control, sham-operated, myocardial ischemia model, and XBTYF treatment at 3.