Chinese Medicine Shenfu Injection for Heart Failure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective. Heart failure (HF) is a global public health problem. Early literature studies manifested that Shenfu injection (SFI) is one of the most commonly used traditional Chinese patent medicine for HF in China. This article intended to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of SFI for HF. Methods. An extensive search was performed within 6 English and Chinese electronic database up to November 2011. Ninety-nine randomized controlled trails (RCTs) were collected, irrespective of languages. Two authors extracted data and assessed the trial quality independently. RevMan 5.0.2 was used for data analysis. Results. Compared with routine treatment and/or device support, SFI combined with routine treatment and/or device support showed better effect on clinical effect rate, mortality, heart rate, NT-proBNP and 6-minute walk distance. Results in ultrasonic cardiography also showed that SFI combined with routine treatment improved heart function of HF patients. There were no significant difference in blood pressure between SFI and routine treatment groups. Adverse events were reported in thirteen trails with thirteen specific symptoms, while no serious adverse effect was reported. Conclusion. SFI appear to be effective for treating HF. However, further rigorously designed RCTs are warranted because of insufficient methodological rigor in the majority of included trials

Electrically Switchable and Permanently Stable Light Scattering Modes by Dynamic Fingerprint Chiral Textures.

Negative dielectric nematic liquid crystals (LCs) doped with two azobenzene materials provide electrically switchable and permanently stable scattering mode light modulators based on dynamic fingerprint chiral textures (DFCT) with inhomogeneously helical axes. These light modulators can be switched between transparent (stable large domains of DFCT) states and scattering (stable small domains of DFCT) states by applying electric fields with different frequencies. The generation of DFCT results from the long flexible side chains of the doped chiral dopant. That is, if the DFCT can be obtained, then the large domains of DFCT reflect an intrinsically stable state. Moreover, the stabilization of the small domains of DFCT are caused by the terminal rigid restricted side chains of the other doped chiral dopant. Experimentally, the required amplitude to switch the light modulator from a scattering (transparent) state to a transparent (scattering) state decreases as the frequency of the applied electric field increases (decreases) within the set limits. This study is the first report on the advantages of the light scattering mode of DFCT, including low operating voltage, permanently stable transmission, wide viewing angle, high contrast, and polarization-independent scattering and transparency.The authors would like to thank the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of Taiwan for financially supporting this research under Grant No. MOST 103-2112-M-008-018-MY3. We are also grateful to Prof. Jy-Shan Hsu (Chung Yuan Christian University, Taiwan) for allowing full equipment usage

Genome Analysis of Cytochrome P450s and Their Expression Profiles in Insecticide Resistant Mosquitoes, Culex quinquefasciatus

Here we report a study of the 204 P450 genes in the whole genome sequence of larvae and adult Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes. The expression profiles of the P450 genes were compared for susceptible (S-Lab) and resistant mosquito populations, two different field populations of mosquitoes (HAmCq and MAmCq), and field parental mosquitoes (HAmCq G0 and MAmCqG0) and their permethrin selected offspring (HAmCq G8 and MAmCqG6). While the majority of the P450 genes were expressed at a similar level between the field parental strains and their permethrin selected offspring, an up- or down-regulation feature in the P450 gene expression was observed following permethrin selection. Compared to their parental strains and the susceptible S-Lab strain, HAmCqG8 and MAmCqG6 were found to up-regulate 11 and 6% of total P450 genes in larvae and 7 and 4% in adults, respectively, while 5 and 11% were down-regulated in larvae and 4 and 2% in adults. Although the majority of these up- and down-regulated P450 genes appeared to be developmentally controlled, a few were either up- or down-regulated in both the larvae and adult stages. Interestingly, a different gene set was found to be up- or down-regulated in the HAmCqG8 and MAmCqG6 mosquito populations in response to insecticide selection. Several genes were identified as being up- or down-regulated in either the larvae or adults for both HAmCqG8 and MAmCqG6; of these, CYP6AA7 and CYP4C52v1 were up-regulated and CYP6BY3 was down-regulated across the life stages and populations of mosquitoes, suggesting a link with the permethrin selection in these mosquitoes. Taken together, the findings from this study indicate that not only are multiple P450 genes involved in insecticide resistance but up- or down-regulation of P450 genes may also be co-responsible for detoxification of insecticides, insecticide selection, and the homeostatic response of mosquitoes to changes in cellular environment

Women with endometriosis have higher comorbidities: Analysis of domestic data in Taiwan

AbstractEndometriosis, defined by the presence of viable extrauterine endometrial glands and stroma, can grow or bleed cyclically, and possesses characteristics including a destructive, invasive, and metastatic nature. Since endometriosis may result in pelvic inflammation, adhesion, chronic pain, and infertility, and can progress to biologically malignant tumors, it is a long-term major health issue in women of reproductive age. In this review, we analyze the Taiwan domestic research addressing associations between endometriosis and other diseases. Concerning malignant tumors, we identified four studies on the links between endometriosis and ovarian cancer, one on breast cancer, two on endometrial cancer, one on colorectal cancer, and one on other malignancies, as well as one on associations between endometriosis and irritable bowel syndrome, one on links with migraine headache, three on links with pelvic inflammatory diseases, four on links with infertility, four on links with obesity, four on links with chronic liver disease, four on links with rheumatoid arthritis, four on links with chronic renal disease, five on links with diabetes mellitus, and five on links with cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, etc.). The data available to date support that women with endometriosis might be at risk of some chronic illnesses and certain malignancies, although we consider the evidence for some comorbidities to be of low quality, for example, the association between colon cancer and adenomyosis/endometriosis. We still believe that the risk of comorbidity might be higher in women with endometriosis than that we supposed before. More research is needed to determine whether women with endometriosis are really at risk of these comorbidities

Genetic Regulation of the Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin (TSLP)/TSLP Receptor (TSLPR) Gene Expression and Influence of Epistatic Interactions Between IL-33 and the TSLP/TSLPR Axis on Risk of Coronary Artery Disease

The thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP)/TSLP receptor (TSLPR) axis is involved in multiple inflammatory immune diseases, including coronary artery disease (CAD). To explore the causal relationship between this axis and CAD, we performed a three-stage case-control association analysis with 3,628 CAD cases and 3,776 controls using common variants in the genes TSLP, interleukin 7 receptor (IL7R), and TSLPR. Three common variants in the TSLP/TSLPR axis were significantly associated with CAD in a Chinese Han population [rs3806933T in TSLP, Padj = 4.35 × 10−5, odds ratio (OR) = 1.18; rs6897932T in IL7R, Padj = 1.13 × 10−7, OR = 1.31; g.19646A>GA in TSLPR, Padj = 2.04 × 10−6, OR = 1.20]. Reporter gene analysis demonstrated that rs3806933 and rs6897932 could influence TSLP and IL7R expression, respectively. Furthermore, the “T” allele of rs3806933 might increase plasma TSLP levels (R2 = 0.175, P < 0.01). In a stepwise procedure, the risk for CAD increased by nearly fivefold compared with the maximum effect of any single variant (Padj = 6.99 × 10−4, OR = 4.85). In addition, the epistatic interaction between TSLP and IL33 produced a nearly threefold increase in the risk of CAD in the combined model of rs3806933TT-rs7025417TT (Padj = 3.67 × 10−4, OR = 2.98). Our study illustrates that the TSLP/TSLPR axis might be involved in the pathogenesis of CAD through upregulation of mRNA or protein expression of the referenced genes and might have additive effects on the CAD risk when combined with IL-33 signaling

Gastrodin Inhibits Allodynia and Hyperalgesia in Painful Diabetic Neuropathy Rats by Decreasing Excitability of Nociceptive Primary Sensory Neurons

Painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) is a common complication of diabetes mellitus and adversely affects the patients’ quality of life. Evidence has accumulated that PDN is associated with hyperexcitability of peripheral nociceptive primary sensory neurons. However, the precise cellular mechanism underlying PDN remains elusive. This may result in the lacking of effective therapies for the treatment of PDN. The phenolic glucoside, gastrodin, which is a main constituent of the Chinese herbal medicine Gastrodia elata Blume, has been widely used as an anticonvulsant, sedative, and analgesic since ancient times. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying its analgesic actions are not well understood. By utilizing a combination of behavioral surveys and electrophysiological recordings, the present study investigated the role of gastrodin in an experimental rat model of STZ-induced PDN and to further explore the underlying cellular mechanisms. Intraperitoneal administration of gastrodin effectively attenuated both the mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia induced by STZ injection. Whole-cell patch clamp recordings were obtained from nociceptive, capsaicin-sensitive small diameter neurons of the intact dorsal root ganglion (DRG). Recordings from diabetic rats revealed that the abnormal hyperexcitability of neurons was greatly abolished by application of GAS. To determine which currents were involved in the antinociceptive action of gastrodin, we examined the effects of gastrodin on transient sodium currents (INaT) and potassium currents in diabetic small DRG neurons. Diabetes caused a prominent enhancement of INaT and a decrease of potassium currents, especially slowly inactivating potassium currents (IAS); these effects were completely reversed by GAS in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, changes in activation and inactivation kinetics of INaT and total potassium current as well as IAS currents induced by STZ were normalized by GAS. This study provides a clear cellular basis for the peripheral analgesic action of gastrodin for the treatment of chronic pain, including PDN

The Cymbidium genome reveals the evolution of unique morphological traits

The marvelously diverse Orchidaceae constitutes the largest family of angiosperms. The genus Cymbidium in Orchidaceae is well known for its unique vegetation, floral morphology, and flower scent traits. Here, a chromosomescale assembly of the genome of Cymbidium ensifolium (Jianlan) is presented. Comparative genomic analysis showed that C. ensifolium has experienced two whole-genome duplication (WGD) events, the most recent of which was shared by all orchids, while the older event was the τ event shared by most monocots. The results of MADS-box genes analysis provided support for establishing a unique gene model of orchid flower development regulation, and flower shape mutations in C. ensifolium were shown to be associated with the abnormal expression of MADS-box genes. The most abundant floral scent components identified included methyl jasmonate, acacia alcohol and linalool, and the genes involved in the floral scent component network of C. ensifolium were determined. Furthermore, the decreased expression of photosynthesis-antennae and photosynthesis metabolic pathway genes in leaves was shown to result in colorful striped leaves, while the increased expression of MADS-box genes in leaves led to perianth-like leaves. Our results provide fundamental insights into orchid evolution and diversification.The National Key Research and Development Program of China, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Outstanding Young Scientific Research Talent Project of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, the Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration for Orchid Conservation and Utilization Construction Funds, and the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program.https://www.nature.com/hortresam2022BiochemistryGeneticsMicrobiology and Plant Patholog

Azimuthal separation in nearly back-to-back jet topologies in inclusive 2-and 3-jet events in pp collisions at root s=13TeV

A measurement for inclusive 2- and 3-jet events of the azimuthal correlation between the two jets with the largest transverse momenta, Delta phi(12), is presented. The measurement considers events where the two leading jets are nearly collinear ("back-to-back") in the transverse plane and is performed for several ranges of the leading jet transverse momentum. Proton-proton collision data collected with the CMS experiment at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb(-1) are used. Predictions based on calculations using matrix elements at leading-order and next-to-leading-order accuracy in perturbative quantum chromodynamics supplemented with leading-log parton showers and hadronization are generally in agreement with themeasurements. Discrepancies between the measurement and theoretical predictions are as large as 15%, mainly in the region 177 degrees <Delta phi(12) <180 degrees. The 2- and 3-jet measurements are not simultaneously described by any of models.Peer reviewe

Measurement of the Splitting Function in &ITpp &ITand Pb-Pb Collisions at root&ITsNN&IT=5.02 TeV

Data from heavy ion collisions suggest that the evolution of a parton shower is modified by interactions with the color charges in the dense partonic medium created in these collisions, but it is not known where in the shower evolution the modifications occur. The momentum ratio of the two leading partons, resolved as subjets, provides information about the parton shower evolution. This substructure observable, known as the splitting function, reflects the process of a parton splitting into two other partons and has been measured for jets with transverse momentum between 140 and 500 GeV, in pp and PbPb collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV per nucleon pair. In central PbPb collisions, the splitting function indicates a more unbalanced momentum ratio, compared to peripheral PbPb and pp collisions.. The measurements are compared to various predictions from event generators and analytical calculations.Peer reviewe