Objective:
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Zhibitai (ZBT) in the treatment of patients with hyperlipidemia (HLP).
Methods:
A search of 8 electronic databases was conducted to find randomized ...controlled trials (RCTs), to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ZBT for the treatment of HLP. The risk of bias in randomized controlled trials was assessed by using the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias tool for randomized controlled trials 2.0 (RoB 2.0). The primary outcomes were the levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). The total effective rate served as the secondary outcome. The incidence of adverse events was considered the safety outcome. Review Manager 5.4 was used to conduct meta-analyses. Data were pooled by random-effects or fixed-effects model to obtain the mean difference (MD), risk ratio (RR), odds ratio (OR), and 95% confidence interval (CI).
Results:
There were 28 eligible RCTs with a total of 2,952 participants. Overall, we verified that ZBT plus conventional therapy (CT) was superior to CT for the treatment of HLP TC: MD = −0.50, 95% CI (−0.80, −0.19); TG: MD = −0.38, 95% CI (−0.49, −0.27); LDL-C: MD = −0.50, 95% CI (−0.69, −0.31); HDL-C: MD = 0.17, 95% CI (0.11, 0.24); total effective rate: OR = 4.26, 95% CI (2.28, 7.95). There were no significant differences in the primary outcomes between ZBT alone vs. CT (
p
> 0.05). For safety, the ZBT group (with CT or alone) outperformed the CT group ZBT alone: RR = 0.51, 95% CI (0.32, 0.81); ZBT plus CT: RR = 0.51, 95% CI (0.30, 0.89). For each outcome, the subgroups and the sensitivity analysis matched the overall results.
Conclusion:
ZBT may be safe and beneficial to HLP patients, especially for serum lipid management. ZBT can be used along with CT for the treatment of HLP. However, it is necessary to conduct more rigorous RCTs to confirm these findings.
Systematic Review Registration
:
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/
, identifier CRD42022316251.
Ginkgo biloba is a traditional Chinese medicine extracted from the Ginkgophyta and is commonly used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases in China. Clinical trials have demonstrated the ...clinical benefits of Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) preparations for patients with unstable angina pectoris (UAP).
The efficacy of different GBE preparations in treating UAP may vary, leading to a lack of guidance for physicians when choosing GBE preparations. How to make choices among different GBE preparations is a topic worthy of investigation. In order to clarify the efficacy differences among different GBE preparations, provide a reference for their optimal use conditions, this study was conducted.
This study included literature from eight databases from inception to November 2023. It included UAP patients, with the control group receiving conventional treatment and the treatment group receiving different GBE preparations in addition to conventional treatment. Angina efficacy, electrocardiogram (ECG) improvement, and frequency of angina were chosen as outcomes. This study employed a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis, and the surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA) curve was used for estimating the efficacy ranking.
A total of 98 studies involving 9513 patients and 9 interventions were included. Compared with conventional treatment, GBE preparations combined with conventional treatment had better efficacy in angina symptoms and ECG improvement. According to the SUCRA ranking, Shuxuening injection was most effective in improving angina symptoms and reducing the frequency of angina. Among oral GBE preparations, Ginkgo tablets had the best performance in improving angina symptoms and ECG manifestations, and reducing the frequency of angina. There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between the treatment group and the control group, and all adverse events were mild and self-limiting. Compared with oral preparations, the incidence of adverse events for injections was higher.
GBE preparations may alleviate angina symptoms and myocardial ischemia in the treatment of UAP with favorable safety. Shuxuening injection may be the most effective among all GBE preparations in improving angina symptoms, while Ginkgo tablets may perform best among oral formulations. The optimal use of GBE injection may be for rapidly alleviating angina symptoms and myocardial ischemia in patients with UAP, and oral formulation of GBE may be more suitable for the long-term treatment of patients with milder symptoms.
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022361487, ID: CRD42022361487.
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Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of honghua injection combined with western medicine in the treatment of coronary heart disease angina pectoris. Methods. Computer extensively searched PubMed, ...Cochrane Library, Embase, China Biomedical Archives (SinoMed), China Knowledge Network (CNKI), Chinese Journal Full-text Database (VIP), Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform (Wanfang), and collected randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of honghua injection combined with western medicine in the treatment of coronary heart disease angina pectoris. Use Review Manager5.3 software for meta-analysis. Results. 21 RCTs were included, involving 1894 participants. Meta-analysis shows that honghua injection combined with western medicine can significantly improve the clinical efficacy (OR = 4.03, 95% CI2.96,5.49), electrocardiographic efficacy (OR = 3.39, 95%CI2.44, 4.70), can significantly reduce total cholesterol (TC) levels (MD = −0.39, 95% CI−0.47, −0.31), triacylglycerol (TG) levels (MD = −0.45, 95% CI−0.51, −0.39), increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels (MD = 0.29,95%CI0.26,0.32), reduce low-density lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL-C) levels (MD = −0.59, 95%CI−0.79, −0.38). Five articles reported adverse reactions. Conclusion. Honghua injection combined with western medicine is more effective than western medicine alone in patients with coronary heart disease angina pectoris. More multicenter, large sample, high-quality RCTs are needed to provide evidence.
A major challenge for organic solar cell (OSC) research is how to minimize the tradeoff between voltage loss and charge generation. In early 2019, we reported a non-fullerene acceptor (named Y6) that ...can simultaneously achieve high external quantum efficiency and low voltage loss for OSC. Here, we use a combination of experimental and theoretical modeling to reveal the structure-property-performance relationships of this state-of-the-art OSC system. We find that the distinctive π-π molecular packing of Y6 not only exists in molecular single crystals but also in thin films. Importantly, such molecular packing leads to (i) the formation of delocalized and emissive excitons that enable small non-radiative voltage loss, and (ii) delocalization of electron wavefunctions at donor/acceptor interfaces that significantly reduces the Coulomb attraction between interfacial electron-hole pairs. These properties are critical in enabling highly efficient charge generation in OSC systems with negligible donor-acceptor energy offset.
The diseases caused by foodborne pathogens have a serious impact on human health and social stability. Conventional detection methods can involve long assay times and complex pretreatment steps, ...making them unsuitable for rapid, large-scale analysis of food samples. We constructed a novel nano-fluorescence sandwich immunosorbent immunoassay (nano-FSIA) to rapidly detect Salmonella Typhimurium in food, based on strong covalent binding between streptavidin and biotin. We used antibodies coupled to large particle-size fluorescent microspheres as fluorescent probes for direct quantitative analysis of S. typhimurium in milk. The optimized parameters were determined, and specificity and sensitivity were validated in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and milk. The results demonstrated a wide dynamic detection range for S. typhimurium (103–108 colony forming units CFU/mL), with the limit of detection in PBS and milk at 234 and 346 CFU/mL, respectively. The results of nano-FSIA were consistent with those of plate counts and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, providing an effective and promising single-bacterium counting method for the rapid detection of Salmonella.
•A particle-based immunofluorescence (IF) method was developed for S. typhimurium.•Immunofluorescence sensors are easy to use and assay time <1 h.•The IF method had higher sensitivity than a parallel sandwich ELISA method.•The IF method is simple and rapid and suitable for use in large-scale screening.
Electrical impedance flow cytometry (EIFC) based on microfluidic chips has be en applied to particle and bacterial cell analysis, but detection of submicron particles is limited by the sensitivity of ...the existing microfluidic systems. Our objective was to increase the sensitivity of a coplanar electrode EIFC system and fulfill the increasing demand of analyzing submicron-organisms such as bacteria, apoptotic bodies, extracellular vesicles, exosomes and viruses. To this end, we optimized a series of parameters, including the width of the electrodes (We) of the microfluidic chip, the width (Wc) and height (Hc) of the channel’s sensing zone, and the buffer conductivity. The results indicated that 10 µm and 5 µm are the optimal We and Wc values, respectively, for microparticle detection. Based on these results, we developed an EIFC chip to test the detection of ⌀ 3.0 µm microspheres and yeast cells suspended in buffers of different conductivity. The optimal conductivities for microsphere and yeast cell detection were approximately 1.6 S/m and 6.4 S/m, respectively. Moreover, submicrospheres of ⌀ 0.2–0.6 µm and bacterial cells of species such as Serratia marcescens (with a cell size of 0.5 × (0.5–1.0) µm) were detected using the optimized EIFC system with a wide channel (Wc = 5 µm). In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the optimized EIFC system can be used to detect almost all types of bacteria in a high-throughput approach, allowing an effective and accurate enumeration of bacteria or other submicron-organisms in liquid samples in the future.
•A series of parameters were optimized to increase the sensitivity of an EIFC system.•Submicrospheres of ⌀ 200 nm and different species of bacterial cells were detected.•Almost all known bacterial cells at the submicron level can be detected.•Optimal buffer conductivities in EIFC test for beads and bacteria cells are different.•The height of the channel can affect the EIFC sensing, especially in event counting.
•73 compounds were detected in Zicao by various scanning modes of UHPLC-MS.•Characteristic chemical profile was used to study the spectrum-effect relationship.•27 compounds were screened as active ...components, three were validated previously.•The profiling for compounds allows for the discovery of trace active components.
Shikonin, shikonofuran and their derivatives are the main bioactive components of Zicao, a traditional Chinese medicine prepared with the dried roots of Lithospermum erythrorhizon, Arnebia euchroma or Arnebia guttata. To establish an efficient and sensitive method for studying material basis of Zicao, different scan modes of ultra-high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time of flight tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS) and UHPLC triple quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometry (QTRAP-MS/MS) were incorporated to make full use of the sensitivity of multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) and overcome its disadvantages. A total of 73 shikonins and shikonofurans compounds were detected in Zicao utilizing various scanning modes. Thereafter the characteristic chemical profile for shikonins and shikonofurans was established based on UHPLC-QTRAP-MS/MS, which was subsequently used to study the spectrum-effect relationship by correlating the relative quantity of compounds and the anti-tumor activity. As a result, 27 compounds were screened as the main active components inhibiting HeLa cells by othogonal partial least square (OPLS). Among them, shikonin, acetylshikonin have been reported to inhibit HeLa cells previously, and β, β-dimethylacrylshikonin has been reported to be active component by other method. Those results showed that chemical characteristic profile combined with chemometric methods was efficient and reliable for discovery of material basis in TCM, especially trace active compounds.
Improving winter wheat yield and resource utilization efficiency (i.e., sustainable intensification) under water-restricted condition is crucial for ensuring food security in arid regions such as the ...North China Plain. Developing more effective cultivation measures is one of the directions to achieve sustainable intensification. This study was a two-year cultivation experiment in the North China Plain, aimed to explore the effects of the combination of water-fertilizer coupling and various planting densities at early (October 10, D10), optimum (October 17, D17), and delayed (October 24, D24) sowing dates. As a consequence, we proposed a limited-irrigation and high-yield cultivation pattern that included 15 m3 ha-1 chicken manure, 192kgha-1 nitrogen (N), 138kgha-1 P2O5, 112.5kgha-1 K2O, and irrigated twice, while the limited-irrigation and low-yield cultivation pattern (similar to regional farmers' average yield) irrigated once. Compared to the limited-irrigation and low-yield treatment, the limited-irrigation and high-yield treatment increased yield, water use efficiency, and partial factor productivity from applied N by about 22.4%, 11.4%, and 23.0%, respectively. The limited-irrigation and high-yield treatment increased the nitrogen distribution in top second to fourth leaves, while decreasing it in glume, top first stem, and top second stem at filling stage, which contributed to higher yield and resource use efficiency. As such, pursuing higher nitrogen distribution in top second to fourth leaves at filling stage is an effective direction for sustainable intensification under water-restricted condition. These results will provide cultivation measures for winter wheat sustainable intensification in arid regions, and found a theoretical basis for elaboration of water-fertilizer coupling effect on the accumulation and distribution of dry matter and nitrogen in wheat plants.
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•Water-fertilizer coupling with various planting densities promoted wheat sustainable intensification.•Limited-irrigation treatments resulted in high yield and efficiency at different sowing dates.•Nitrogen spatial distribution in plant under limited-irrigation treatments was mapped.•Nitrogen distribution in top second to fourth leaves was the key for yield and efficiency formation.
Digital recombinase polymerase amplification (dRPA) aims to quantify the initial amount of nucleic acid by dividing nucleic acid and all reagents required for the RPA reaction evenly into numerous ...individual reaction units, such as chambers or droplets. dRPA turns out to be a prominent technique for quantifying the absolute quantity of target nucleic acid because of its advantages including low equipment requirements, short time consumption, as well as high sensitivity and specificity. dRPA combined with microfluidics are recognized as simple, various, and high-throughput nucleic acid quantization systems. This paper classifies the microfluidic dRPA systems over the last decade. We analyze and summarize the vital technologies of various microfluidic dRPA systems (e.g., chip preparation process, segmentation principle, microfluidic control, and statistical analysis methods), and major efforts to address limitations (e.g., prevention of evaporation and contamination, accurate initiation, and reduction of manual operation). In addition, this paper summarizes key factors and potential constraints to the success of the microfluidic dRPA to help more researchers, and possible strategies to overcome the mentioned challenges. Lastly, actual suggestions and strategies are proposed for the subsequent development of microfluidic dRPA.
Paper-based electrochemical sensors have the characteristics of flexibility, biocompatibility, environmental protection, low cost, wide availability, and hydropathy, which make them very suitable for ...the development and application of biological detection. This work proposes electrospun cellulose acetate nanofiber (CA NF)-decorated paper-based screen-printed (PBSP) electrode electrochemical sensors. The CA NFs were directly collected on the PBSP electrode through an electrospinning technique at an optimized voltage of 16 kV for 10 min. The sensor was functionalized with different bio-sensitive materials for detecting different targets, and its sensing capability was evaluated by CV, DPV, and chronoamperometry methods. The test results demonstrated that the CA NFs enhanced the detection sensitivity of the PBSP electrode, and the sensor showed good stability, repeatability, and specificity (
p
< 0.01,
N
= 3). The electrochemical sensing of the CA NF-decorated PBSP electrode exhibited a short detection duration of ∼5-7 min and detection ranges of 1 nmol mL
−1
-100 μmol mL
−1
, 100 fg mL
−1
-10 μg mL
−1
, and 1.5 × 10
2
-10
6
CFU mL
−1
and limits of detection of 0.71 nmol mL
−1
, 89.1 fg mL
−1
, and 30 CFU mL
−1
for glucose, Ag85B protein, and
E. coli O157:H7
, respectively. These CA NF-decorated PBSP sensors can be used as a general electrochemical tool to detect, for example, organic substances, proteins, and bacteria, which are expected to achieve point-of-care testing of pathogenic microorganisms and have wide application prospects in biomedicine, clinical diagnosis, environmental monitoring, and food safety.
Electrospun CA NF-decorated PBSP electrochemical sensors can quickly and sensitively detect organic substances, proteins, and bacteria.