Protective eff ect and mechanism of nanoantimicrobial peptide ND-C14 against Streptococcus pneumoniae infection

BACKGROUND:Streptococcus pneumoniae(S.pneumoniae)is a common pathogen that causes bacterial pneumonia.However,with increasing bacterial resistance,there is an urgent need to develop new drugs to treat S.pneumoniae infections.Nanodefensin with a 14-carbon saturated fatty acid(ND-C14)is a novel nanoantimicrobial peptide designed by modifying myristic acid at the C-terminus of humanα-defensin 5(HD5)via an amide bond.However,it is unclear whether ND-C14 is effective against lung infections caused by S.pneumoniae.METHODS:In vitro,three groups were established,including the control group,and the HD5 and ND-C14 treatment groups.A virtual colony-count assay was used to evaluate the antibacterial activity of HD5 and ND-C14 against S.pneumoniae.The morphological changes of S.pneumoniae treated with HD5 or ND-C14 were observed by scanning electron microscopy.In vivo,mice were divided into sham,vehicle,and ND-C14 treatment groups.Mice in the sham group were treated with 25μL of phosphate-buffered saline(PBS).Mice in the vehicle and ND-C14 treatment groups were treated with intratracheal instillation of 25μL of bacterial suspension with 2×108 CFU/mL(total bacterial count:5×10^(6) CFU),and then the mice were given 25μL PBS or intratracheally injected with 25μL of ND-C14(including 20μg or 50μg),respectively.Survival rates were evaluated in the vehicle and ND-C14 treatment groups.Bacterial burden in the blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were counted.The lung histology of the mice was assessed.A propidium iodide uptake assay was used to clarify the destructive eff ect of ND-C14 against S.pneumoniae.RESULTS:Compared with HD5,ND-C14 had a better bactericidal eff ect against S.pneumoniae because of its stronger ability to destroy the membrane structure of S.pneumoniae in vitro.In vivo,ND-C14 significantly delayed the death time and improved the survival rate of mice infected with S.pneumoniae.ND-C14 reduced bacterial burden and lung tissue injury.Moreover,ND-C14 had a membrane permeation eff ect on S.pneumoniae,and its destructive ability increased with increasing ND-C14 concentration.CONCLUSION:The ND-C14 may improve bactericidal eff ects on S.pneumoniae both in vitro and in vivo.

Rule of Chinese Medicine Syndrome Differentiation in the Patients with Thoracic Diseases at Perioperation Stage

Objective： To study the rule of syndrome differentiation in the patients with thoracic diseases at perioperation stage. Methods： A standard was created referring to the related literature, and it was applied to differentiate the Chinese medicine syndrome in 150 patients before and three days after thoracic operation. Results： Before operation, Chinese medicine syndromes were as differentiated as phlegm type in 45.3%, blood stasis type in 17.3%, and qi-stagnancy type in 16.0%. The patients with asthenia syndrome markedly increased after operation, accounting for 34.0% （51 patients, including qi-, yin-, and blood-deficiency syndromes）. The most frequently seen intermixed syndromes were qi-deficiency with phlegm-stasis syndrome and Pi （脾）-deficiency with phlegm-dampness syndrome. The intermixed syndromes revealed in 37.5% and 42.0% of the patients before and after operation, respectively. Conclusion： The syndrome in the patients with thoracic disease before operation was mostly the excessive syndrome, mainly the phlegm syndrome type; at postoperation stage, Chinese medicine syndrome in patients become asthenia in essence with excessive superficiality, which is mostly revealed as Pi-deficiency with phlegm-dampness.

Macular density alterations in myopic choroidal neovascularization and the effect of anti-VEGF on it

AIM:To analyse macular microvascular alterations in myopic choroidal neovascularization(m CNV)and the efficiency of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor(antiVEGF)therapy for m CNV by optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA).METHODS:A total of 123 patients were included in this retrospective study,divided into m CNV group,high myopia(HM)group,and normal group at the Affiliated Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from January 2017 to January 2019.Superficial vessel density,deep capillary density,foveal avascular zone(FAZ)area,A-circularity index(AI)and vessel density around the 300μm width of the FAZ region density(FD)and the area of choroidal neovascularization(CNV)lesion(only for m CNV group)were measured on 3×3 mm2 OCTA images.FAZ area was corrected for axial length.Central macular thickness(CMT)was measured on OCT in m CNV group.Compared the parameters on OCTA of 3 groups and pre-anti-VEGF and post-anti-VEGF at 1,2,3,and 6 mo follow-up in m CNV group.RESULTS:There were significant differences among 3 groups in superficial vessel density,deep capillary density and FD(P<0.05).FAZ area in HM group was smaller than normal group(P<0.05),but there was no significant difference between m CNV group and the other two group.AI increased in m CNV group(P<0.05).The mean CMT,area and flow area of CNV lesion decreased after treatment(P<0.05),while vessel density and FAZ didn’t change.The mean CMT,area and flow area of CNV lesion statistically decreased after anti-VEGF treatment in m CNV group(P<0.05),while superficial vessel density,deep capillary density and FAZ area,AI and FD didn’t change.The mean reduction ratio of lesions was 50.32%(7.07%to 100%).Lesion regression 100%was observed in 2 cases(4.88%).There was a negative correlation between the CNV lesion area and reduction ratio(r=-0.380,P=0.042)and the flow lesion area and reduction ratio(r=-0.402,P=0.030).CONCLUSION:Macular vessel density decreases,FAZ turns smaller and more irregular in m CNV eyes.AntiVEGF therapy is efficient for m CNV without affecting vessel density and FAZ,but it is unable to completely eliminate CNV lesions in most cases.The bigger m CNV lesions have lower reduction ratio.

Effects of Aromatherapy on Physical and Mental Health of Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy and/or Chemotherapy: A Meta-Analysis

Backgroup:Currently,aromatherapy is being increasingly utilized in clinical practice,particularly in managing the side effects associated with radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy.However,it remains to be established whether aromatherapy can effectively alleviate these symptoms.Objective:To investigate the effects of aromatherapy on the physical and mental health of patients with cancer undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy.Methods:Seven databases were researched from inception until September 29,2023,including PubMed,Scopus,and Web of Science,Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure,Wanfang database,China Biology Medicine disc and VIP Chinese Medical Journal Database.Review Manager version 5.3 was utilized for data analysis.The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool RoB2 was employed to evaluate the quality of the literature included in the study.Evidence quality rating was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment,Development,and Evaluation(GRADE) approach through the GRADEpro GDT online tool.Results:Nineteen studies involving 1,541 patients were included.Aromatherapy can alleviate nausea [relative risk(RR)=0.64,95% confidence interval(CI):0.53 to 0.78,P<0.05,I^(2)=46%;standardized mean difference(SMD)=-0.86,95% CI:-1.21 to-0.51,P<0.05,I^(2)=64%] and vomiting(RR=0.54,95% CI:0.42 to 0.69,P<0.05,I^(2)=35%;SMD=-1.28,95% CI:-1.52 to-1.03,P<0.05,I^(2)=92%),improve sleep disorders [mean difference(MD)=-3.39,95% CI:-3.95 to-2.84,P<0.05,I^(2)=0%],relieve pain(SMD=-1.58,95% CI:-1.96 to-1.21,P<0.05,I^(2)=0%),mitigate fatigue(SMD=-1.28,95% CI:-2.44 to-0.11,P<0.05,I^(2)=93%) and enhance quality of life(SMD=0.50,95% CI:0.22 to 0.79,P<0.05,I^(2)=0%) in cancer patients after radiotherapy and chemotherapy,but it may not have a significant effect on anxiety.The risk of bias was high in the included studies using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool RoB2,and no studies were considered to be of high grade according to the GRADE system.Conclusions:Aromatherapy is an efficacious,safe and economic adjunctive therapy for cancer patients,which can mend the physical symptoms and mental health of cancer patients.However,more high-quality studies are needed to verify it.(PROSPERO registration No.CRD42023390171)

Chinese Herbal Foot Bath plus Acupoint Massage Beneficial to the Improvement of Grade 0 Diabetic Foot

Objective: To observe the clinical effect of foot bath with Tao Hong Si Wu Tang plus massage on acupoints at the sole for grade 0 diabetic foot. Methods: One hundred and sixty eligible cases were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 80 cases in each group. The two groups were treated with routine basic medications to control blood sugar. The patients in the observation group were given foot bath with Tao Hong Si Wu Tang plus massage on acupoints at the sole, once every day. At the same time, the patients were instructed to understand the knowledge of diabetes, accept the education on foot care and to know the self-management for diabetes. The patients in the control group only accepted the education on foot care and studied the self-management for diabetes. The patients in the two groups were followed up once every week by phone. The local examination was intensified for the patients in their clinical visit every month. The therapeutic effects were assessed after three months of continuous treatment. Results: The total effective rate was 92.5% in the observation group, remarkably higher than 65.0% in the control group. The difference in comparison of the general therapeutic effect was statistically significant(P<0.01). Conclusion: Foot bath with Tao Hong Si Wu Tang plus massage on acupoints at the sole was beneficial to the improvement of clinical symptoms of grade 0 diabetic foot.

Review of Anemone Raddeana Rhizome and Its Pharmacological Effects

The chemical compositions of Anemone raddeana Rhizome, a kind of traditional Chinese medicine, were reviewed, along with its bioactivity and pharmacological properties and method improvements of extracting and detecting triterpenoid saponins. A. raddeana Rhizome is used to treat neuralgia and rheumatism, and is rich in triterpenoid saponins, most of which are pentacyclic, with oleanane as the nucleus. So far, 37 triterpenoid saponins have been determined from the herb. Its reported bioactivity and pharmacological properties have been described as anticancerous, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic, anticonvulsive, antihistaminic, and sedative. It has also been used for the induction of the humoral immune response and treatment of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis. However, the herb also has hemolytic effects and can be toxic, which limits its clinical application. Further studies are needed on the pharmaceutical functions, mechanisms, and immunological responses to contribute to the herb＇s clinical applications.

Clinical Observation on Treatment of Osteoarthritis of Knee by Needle-Warming Method and Functional Training

Purpose： To observe the long-term method plus functional training in the treatment and recent clinical effect of needle-warming of osteoarthritis of the knee joint. Methods： After 106 cases of the patients were divided into the needle-warming group and comprehensive group by the order of their first visit, the needle-warming group was treated by the needle-warming method and the comprehensive group was treated by the needle-warming method plus functional training. After ten treatments, the clinical data in the two groups were evaluated upon Lequesne scale before and after the treatments. Three months later, follow-up survey was given to process the statistic management of the reoccurrence rate of the symptoms. Results： In the two groups after the treatment, the symptoms of the knee joint and daily life ability were obviously improved than the respective Conditions before the treatment, and the integral decreased （P〈0.05）, with no significant difference （P〉0.05） between the two groups. In the follow-up survey, there was a difference （P〈0.05） between the two groups in the positive rate of the recurrent symptoms. Conclusion： Certain therapeutic effect exists in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joint by the needle-warming method. If functional training is combined, the therapeutic effect would be more stable, without easy reoccurrence.