Int J Med Sci
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Mulberry leaves (Morus alba L.), which are traditional Chinese herbs, exert several biological functions, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammation, antidiabetic, and antitumor. Alcohol intake increases inflammation and oxidative stress, and this increase causes liver injury and leads to liver steatosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, which are major health problems worldwide. Previous report indicated that mulberry leaf extract (MLE) exited hepatoprotection effects against chronic alcohol-induced liver damages. ⋯ MLE also recovered alcohol-induced apoptosis in cultured Hep G2 cells. Overall, our findings indicated that MLE ameliorated acute alcohol-induced liver damages by reducing ACE toxicity and inhibiting apoptosis caused by oxidative stress signals. Our results implied that MLE might be a potential agent for treating alcohol liver disease.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Comparison of short- and long-axis nerve hydrodissection for carpal tunnel syndrome: A prospective randomized, single-blind trial.
Background: This study is to compare the efficacy of short-axis hydrodissection with long-axis hydrodissection for patients with mild-to-moderate carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Methods: Forty-seven patients with mild-to-moderate CTS were enrolled in a prospective, randomized, single-blinded, controlled trial (6 months follow-up). With ultrasound guidance, patients in both groups (short-axis or long-axis groups) were injected with normal saline (5 mL per session). ⋯ The short-axis group was not more effective except significant improvements in BCTQ-severity and BCTQ-function 1 month post-injection compared to the long-axis group (p = 0.031 and p = 0.023, respectively). Conclusions: Both short- and long-axis hydrodissection were effective for patients with mild-to-moderate CTS and the short-axis approach was not more effective than long-axis injection. Further studies with larger sample sizes, multiple injections, and larger injection volume are encouraged in the future.
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Objective: The aim of this study was to observe the liver function recovery of COVID-19 patients after discharge. Patients and Methods: A total of 253 discharged COVID-19 patients in Shenzhen city, China were selected. The clinical characteristics of these patients were assessed. ⋯ However, the outlier ratio of A/G, AST/ALT and ALP remained high during the follow-up period. Conclusions: Abnormal liver function might indicate worse recovery of COVID-19 patients. Changes in liver function should be emphasized during long-term follow-up of COVID-19 patients after hospital discharge; the necessity of employing appropriate interventions for liver function repair should be emphasized.
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As the world is racing to develop perpetual immunity to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The emergence of new viral strains, together with vaccination and reinfections, are all contributing to a long-term immunity against the deadly virus that has taken over the world since its introduction to humans in late December 2019. The discovery that more than 95 percent of people who recovered from COVID-19 had long-lasting immunity and that asymptomatic people have a different immune response to SARS-CoV-2 than symptomatic people has shifted attention to how our immune system initiates such diverse responses. ⋯ Hundreds of research papers have been published on the causes of long-lasting immune responses and variations in the numbers of different immune cell types in COVID 19 survivors, but the main reason of these differences has still not been adequately identified. In this article, we focus on the activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID), which initiates molecular processes that allow our immune system to generate antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. To establish lasting immunity to SARS-CoV-2, we suggest that AID could be the key to unlocking it.
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Rationale: Previous studies of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were mainly focused on cross-sectional analysis. In this study, we sought to evaluate the dynamic changes of immunological and radiographic features, and the association with the outcome of pulmonary lesions in COVID-19 patients. Methods: Peripheral blood samples and radiographic data were collected longitudinally for up to 8 weeks from 158 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients. ⋯ More importantly, the peak expression of IL-6 prior to the aggravated lung injury was mainly found in patients with persistent lesions, and multivariate analysis showed that IL-6 level upon admission was an independent factor associated with the persistent pulmonary injury. Conclusion: Prolonged elevation of IL-6 is associated with persistent pulmonary lesions in COVID-19 patients. Sequential monitoring and timely intervention of IL-6 may favor the clinical management of COVID-19.