Advancements in research on the association between the biological CLOCK and type 2 diabetes.

Due to the Earth's rotation, the natural environment exhibits a light-dark diurnal cycle close to 24 hours. To adapt to this energy intake pattern, organisms have developed a 24-hour rhythmic diurnal cycle over long periods, known as the circadian rhythm, or biological clock. With the gradual advancement of research on the biological clock, it has become increasingly evident that disruptions in the circadian rhythm are closely associated with the occurrence of type 2 diabetes (T2D). To further understand the progress of research on T2D and the biological clock, this paper reviews the correlation between the biological clock and glucose metabolism and analyzes its potential mechanisms. Based on this, we discuss the potential factors contributing to circadian rhythm disruption and their impact on the risk of developing T2D, aiming to explore new possible intervention measures for the prevention and treatment of T2D in the future. Under the light-dark circadian rhythm, in order to adapt to this change, the human body forms an internal biological clock involving a variety of genes, proteins and other molecules. The main mechanism is the transcription-translation feedback loop centered on the CLOCK/BMAL1 heterodimer. The expression of important circadian clock genes that constitute this loop can regulate T2DM-related blood glucose traits such as glucose uptake, fat metabolism, insulin secretion/glucagon secretion and sensitivity in various peripheral tissues and organs. In addition, sleep, light, and dietary factors under circadian rhythms also affect the occurrence of T2DM.

Advances in pathogenic mechanisms, diagnostic methods, surgical and non-surgical treatment, and potential recurrence factors of Chronic Subdural Hematoma: A review.

Chronic Subdural Hematoma (CSDH) is a common hemorrhagic disease in neurosurgery, and with the intensification of global aging, its incidence is gradually increasing. With the advancement of scientific technology, the etiological concepts and surgical treatments for CSDH have continually evolved over time. Currently, neuroscientists' understanding of CSDH is no longer confined to bridging vein rupture; exploration of various mechanisms such as angiogenesis, maturation of blood vessels, and inflammation is also underway. In-depth exploration and discovery of pathogenic mechanisms guide the updating of clinical treatment strategies and methods. For different types of CSDH, there is now a clear guidance for the targeted selection of treatment methods. However, the current treatment of CSDH cannot completely solve all problems, and the updating of treatment methods as well as the development and validation of new effective drugs remain challenges for the future. In addition, the recurrence of CSDH is a significant issue that needs to be addressed. Although we have reviewed potential recurrent factors that may be associated, the strength of this evidence is insufficient. Future research should gradually focus on validating these recurrent factors and exploring new ones, in order to optimize the existing understanding and treatment of CSDH.

Application of Mendelian randomization in the discovery of risk factors for coronary heart disease from 2009 to 2023: A bibliometric review.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a life-threatening condition that poses a significant risk to individuals. Mendelian randomization (MR) is an emerging epidemiological research method that offers substantial advantages in identifying risk factors for diseases. Currently, there are ongoing CHD-related MR studies. To gain comprehensive insights into the focal areas and trends of CHD-related MR research, this study utilizes bibliometrics to conduct an in-depth analysis of CHD-related MR articles published in the core database of Web of Science (WOS) from 2009 to 2023. A search was performed to identify CHD-related MR articles published between 2009 and 2023 in WOS. The data, including publication countries, research institutions, journals, citations, and keywords, were analyzed using the Bibliometrix R-4.0 software package. A total of 111 articles published in 71 journals were included in the analysis. The journal with the highest impact factor (IF) was the New England Journal of Medicine. The articles were distributed across 24 categories within the 71 journals, with the highest number of publications falling under Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems, Medicine, General & Internal, and Genetics & Heredity. Among the articles, 57 were published in Q1 journals, 42 in Q2 journals, 9 in Q3 journals, and 2 in Q4 journals. The most frequently published journals on CHD-related MR were Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, Frontiers in Genetics, and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. A total of 963 authors participated in the 111 articles, with the majority affiliated with institutions in the United Kingdom, the US, and China. The national cooperation network revealed close collaborations between the UK and the US, as well as between the UK and China. The publication of the 111 articles involved 453 research institutions, with Oxford University, Bristol University, and Cambridge University being the most frequently involved institutions. Out of the 111 articles, only 62 were directly related to CHD and MR, with CHD being the outcome factor in 61 of them. These 61 articles investigated 47 exposure factors across eight categories. Among these factors, 10 had been studied in more than 2 articles. The findings concerning the impact of serum uric acid and omega-6 fatty acids on CHD risk were not entirely consistent. Research in MR related to CHD has been gradually gaining recognition, with an increase in both its academic credibility and collaborative efforts within this field. Indeed, MR has facilitated the identification of risk factors associated with CHD. However, the relationship between these disease risk factors and CHD requires further investigation for clarification. Future MR studies on CHD could prioritize the elucidation and validation of contentious disease risk factors, thereby paving the way for a more comprehensive exploration of additional factors contributing to the onset of CHD.

Bibliometric analysis of Traditional Chinese Medicine nanoparticles research from 2005 to 2023.

To gain a deeper understanding of the current status of research on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and nanoparticles, we conducted a bibliometric study. We conducted a literature search in the Web of Science (WOS) for publications related to TCM and nanoparticles from 1992 to 2023. The data, including countries of publication, research institutions, journals, citations, and keywords, were analyzed using the Bibliometrix R-4.0 software package. We performed an analysis to identify the co-occurrence of keywords in the documents including their titles and abstracts. From 2005 to 2023, a total of 309 publications were included, with an average annual growth rate of 4.25%. The majority of these publications were published in Q1 journals (72, 47.06%) and Q2 journals (45, 29.41%). Among the 309 publications, 22 articles (7.12%) had an impact factor greater than 10, while 78 articles (25.24%) had an impact factor greater than 5. The analysis of international collaboration networks revealed limited international cooperation, with most collaborations occurring between institutions in China, the United States, and Australia. These 309 publications involved a total of 438 research institutions, with Chinese research institutions being the most prolific contributors. In this study, a total of 309 publications were included, comprising 1142 author keywords and 1175 keywords plus. Factor analysis of the 1175 keywords plus revealed that they could be grouped into five categories: one category included terms such as "oxide" and "zinc," another category included terms like "lipid" and "acid," a third category included terms such as "improve" and "enhance," a fourth category included terms like "silica" and "mesoporous," and the fifth category included terms like "PLGA" and "immune." Research on nanoparticles in TCM has been gradually gaining popularity. Currently, most of the research in this field is conducted in China, with limited international collaboration. The majority of TCM nanoparticle research focuses on individual herbal compounds, while research on nanoparticle formulations of traditional herbal prescriptions is relatively scarce.

Qi Fu Yin ameliorates neuroinflammation through inhibiting RAGE and TLR4/NF-κB pathway in AD model rats.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the therapeutic effect of Qi Fu Yin (QFY) on Alzheimer's disease (AD) both computationally and experimentally. Network pharmacology analysis and molecular docking were conducted to identify potential targets and signaling pathways involved in QFY treating AD. Streptozotocin-induced AD rat model was used to verify important targets and predicted pathways. The components of QFY were identified using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The results indicate that the potential targets of QFY are highly enriched for anti-inflammatory pathways. Molecular docking analysis revealed stable structures formed between QFY's active compounds, including stigmasterol, ß-sitosterol, and isorhamnetin, and the identified targets. In vivo, QFY improved cognitive memory in AD rats and reduced the mRNA expression levels of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), the receptor for advanced glycation end products (AGER), and the inflammatory factors interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the brains of AD rats. Furthermore, QFY effectively reduced nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and inhibited NF-κB and microglia activation. In conclusion, QFY can ameliorate neuroinflammation in AD model rats, partly via the inhibition of TLR4 and RAGE/NF-κB pathway and microglia activation, thereby enhancing learning and memory in AD model rats.

Efficacy of scalp acupuncture combined with conventional therapy in the intervention of post-stroke depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Post-stroke depression (PSD) is a common complication following a stroke, significantly impacting patients' quality of life and mental well-being. Currently, two primary approaches are employed to treat PSD: drug therapy and non-drug therapy. Among these, acupuncture, specifically scalp acupuncture (SA), has gained attention due to its cost-effectiveness and broad social benefits. SA is a precise and direct form of acupuncture that has been utilized in the treatment of PSD. Although several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have demonstrated the efficacy of SA in treating PSD, there is a lack of comprehensive systematic reviews. Given the limitations of existing evidence, we conducted a systematic evaluation to assess the effectiveness of SA in combination with conventional therapy (CT) for intervening in PSD. METHODS: We systematically searched five databases for articles published up until May 31, 2023, pertaining to SA treatment of PSD. A team of researchers meticulously screened and assessed these articles to identify the final included studies. After extracting relevant information and outcome indicators from the selected articles, we employed RevMan5.3 software to evaluate their quality and perform statistical analysis. Throughout our research, we strictly adhered to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. RESULTS: A total of 11 articles were included, and a meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of SA combined with CT for treating PSD. The results revealed that SA combined with CT can effectively improve the treatment's success rate for PSD and reduce the severity of depressive symptoms measured by the Self-Rating Depression Scale. However, SA combined with CT did not show significant reductions in depressive symptoms assessed by the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, which may be related to the inclusion of high heterogeneity articles. Importantly, the combination treatment did not lead to an increase in adverse reactions among PSD patients. CONCLUSION: While the effectiveness of SA combined with CT in treating PSD still requires further validation through rigorous randomized double-blind trials, this study provides a comprehensive collection of studies that meet the criteria for SA combined with CT in PSD treatment. It objectively and systematically evaluated the impact of SA combined with CT on PSD. Consequently, the findings of this study hold certain clinical significance.

Knowledge mapping of nano drug delivery systems across blood - Brain barrier from 1996 to 2022: A bibliometric analysis.

Background: The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a natural physiological barrier that protects the central nervous system from foreign substances and limits the delivery of drugs to the brain. Nanotechnology has opened up new possibilities for drug delivery in the brain. Over several decades, various Nanoparticle Drug Delivery Systems (NDDS) that can cross the BBB have been developed for targeted delivery in the brain. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the current research hotspots and trends of NDDS across the BBB, this paper employs bibliometric analysis of articles published in the core database of Web of Science (WOS) from 1996 to 2022. Method: A search for relevant research literature on NDDS that can cross the BBB was conducted in the Web of Science database, covering the period from 1996 to 2022. The Bibliometrix R-4.0 software package was used to analyze data related to the countries of publication, research institutions, journals, citations, and keywords. The analysis aimed to identify the co-occurrence of keywords in the documents, including their titles and abstracts. Additionally, cooperative network analyses of authors, institutions, and countries of publication were conducted. Results: A total of 436 articles were analyzed, originating from 174 journals and 13 books, with the majority published in Q1 and Q2 journals. Contributors from 53 countries or regions participated in the publication of these articles, with China, the United States, and India having the highest number of articles by correspondent authors, and China, the United States, and Germany being the most cited countries. Fudan University, Hacettepe University, and Sichuan University were the top three institutions with the most publications. Among the 436 articles analyzed, 1337 keywords and 1450 keywords plus were identified. Factor analysis grouped the keywords plus into two categories: drug delivery systems, polymeric nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles, transferrin, and others, and drug, delivery, efficiency, expression, and mechanism. Conclusion: The research on NDDS that can cross the BBB is gradually receiving attention, and the recognition and cooperation in this field have increased.

A bibliometric analysis of acupuncture for neurodevelopmental disorders: A Call for increased output and future research priorities.

Objective: To perform a bibliometric analysis of published research on acupuncture for neurodevelopmental disorders and to provide new insights for future studies. Methods: Web of Science Core Collection was used to search for articles on acupuncture for neurodevelopmental disorders in children, from inception to Dec 4, 2022. VOSviewer and CiteSpace software were used for bibliometric analyses. VOSviewer was used to analyze and visualize the knowledge maps of the articles' countries, authors, and institutions of origin, the journals and keywords. CiteSpace was used to visualize the dual-map overlay of the journals in which the articles were published and those publishing the articles they cited. Results: A total of 119 papers were retrieved. The highest number of publications came from China, followed by the United States and South Korea. The most frequently cited article was from the United States, followed by China. The most publications were from KyungHee University, followed by Sichuan University. Author Cho, Seung-hun from KyungHee University published the most articles. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medicine published the most articles. The top three most frequently used keywords were "acupuncture", "children", and "complementary". Conclusion: Research intensity and recognition, as well as collaboration within the field of acupuncture for treating neurodevelopmental disorders in children has increased. Research is generally diverse and comprehensive, and the neuro-endocrine-immune mechanism should be a new direction for further development. More basic research is also needed, to elucidate the therapeutic mechanisms, to standardize and validate the use of acupuncture for neurodevelopmental disorders.

Acupuncture against the metabolic risk factors for stroke: A systematic review of systematic reviews.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review (SR) of SRs aims aimed to evaluate the current evidence of rehabilitation interventions in stroke patients after acupuncture treatment. METHODS: Full-text SRs published in Chinese and English up to December 15, 2021 were searched in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang databases. The PRISMA statement and the assessment of multiple systematic reviews 2 (AMSTAR 2) scale were used to evaluate the quality of the included articles. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system was employed to assess the outcome indicators for evidence quality evaluation. RESULTS: A number of 42 publications were identified in this study. According to these articles, 4 metabolic areas were identified: systolic blood pressure, weight loss, glycemic index and cholesterol. The acupuncture is beneficial to improve the systolic blood pressure of patients, and the effect of acupuncture on diastolic blood pressure is better than that of sham acupuncture. The weight loss effect of acupuncture is better than that of lifestyle and western medicine. The improvement effect of acupuncture on body mass index (BMI) is also better than that of sham acupuncture. In the study of glycemic index of stroke patients, acupuncture significantly improved glycosylated hemoglobin and insulin sensitivity index compared with western medicine. In cholesterol-related research, acupuncture can effectively improve the content of triglycerides. However, studies on HDL and LDL show that acupuncture can significantly improve HDL, but has no significant effect on LDL. CONCLUSION: This review summarizes the available evidence and underpins findings of the acupuncture exhibited the therapeutic role in eliminating metabolic risk factors for stroke, including systolic blood pressure, weight loss, glycemic index and cholesterol. Acupuncture could have positive effects on a specific symptom, and the effects depend not only on intervention type but also on how and when the intervention is provided. And more prioritizing high-quality research in this field in the future is conducive to guiding clinical practice.

Systematic evaluation and re-evaluation of buyang huanwu decoction in treating ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: The Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BYHWD) originated from Wang Qingren's "Yi Lin Gai Cuo". It has the effect of tonifying qi and activating blood circulation and dredging collaterals which is recommended for the treatment of Ischemic stroke in China. In recent years, there have been many systematic reviews of Ischemic stroke treated by BYHWD assessing the efficacy of BYHWD in the treatment of Ischemic stroke in the acute, convalescent and sequelae stages. Because of the different methods of analysis, the quality and quality of the evidence obtained in these systematic reviews is different, so a systematic re-evaluation was needed to comprehensively evaluate the strength of these studies. METHODS: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of Ischemic stroke treated by BYHWD were identified through the Web of Science, PubMed, CNKI, Weipu, and Wanfang databases. The included studies were selected for literature screening, methodological quality evaluation, and evidence level evaluation by two investigators. The methodological quality was evaluated by the 2020 PRISMA guidelines, Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) scale, and the evidence quality was evaluated by the GRADE criteria. RESULTS: Overall, 12 studies involving 28,594 patients between 2006-2021 were included in this analysis. The methodological quality evaluation based on 2020 PRISMA guidelines results showed that there were many weaknesses in registration and protocol, support, competing interests, competing interests and availability of data, code and other materials. The AMSTAR scale evaluation results showed that the 12 studies were very low quality. The results of the GRADE criteria evaluation showed that the quality of the evidence was scattered, with mainly low-quality evidence. CONCLUSION: The methodological quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of BYHWD in treating Ischemic stroke was generally poor, and the quality of evidence was generally low.

The Effect of Probiotics in Stroke Treatment.

OBJECTIVE: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the curative effect of probiotics combined with enteral nutrition (EN) in patients with stroke. METHODS: We retrieved randomized controlled trials and case-controlled trials on the use of probiotics for stroke treatment from PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, and Weipu databases. Retrieval times were from the databases' inception to November 6, 2020. Two researchers conducted a strict evaluation of the literature quality and extracted the data, which were then entered into RevMan 5.3 for meta-analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-three articles were included, including 1,816 patients. The meta-analysis revealed that probiotics combined with EN did not reduce NIHSS scores of patients with stroke (P > 0.05). However, it did shorten hospital stays and bedrest periods (P < 0.05). Probiotics combined with EN also improved patients' nutritional status and increased hemoglobin, albumin, serum total protein, and physical and chemical properties of prealbumin (P < 0.05). In terms of relieving inflammation, we found that probiotics combined with EN reduced neither high-sensitivity C-reactive protein nor procalcitonin (P > 0.05). However, it did cause a significant reduction in TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10. Probiotics combined with EN significantly reduced esophageal reflux, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, gastric retention, and gastrointestinal bleeding. It relieved intestinal stress and reduced the occurrence of adverse reactions such as esophageal reflux, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, gastric retention, and gastrointestinal bleeding (P < 0.05). In terms of reducing stroke complications, probiotics combined with EN reduced the incidence of lung, gastrointestinal, and urinary tract infections (P < 0.05). It also reduced fatality rates and intestinal flora imbalance rates (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The probiotics combined with EN group's therapeutic effects were superior to those of the EN alone. Thus, probiotics combined with EN is worthy of both clinical application and promotion in stroke treatment.

Effect of Tongqiao Huoxue Decoction Combined with Western Medicine on Ischemic Stroke: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to systematically evaluate the curative effect of Tongqiao Huoxue Decoction (TQHXD) combined with Western medicine treatment (WMT) on Ischemic Stroke (IS). METHODS: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of TQHXD in the treatment of IS by computer retrieval of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Chinese Biomedical Literature Service System, CNKI, Wanfang Database, and Weipu Database. The retrieval time was taken from the establishment of the database to July 30, 2020. Two researchers, respectively, conducted a strict evaluation of the quality of the literature and extracted the data which were then entered in the RevMan5.3 software for meta-analysis. RESULTS: 40 articles were listed, which involved 3260 patients. Meta-analysis results show that TQHXD combined with WMT can significantly reduce patients' NIHSS score, serum hypersensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), plasma viscosity, serum fibrinogen, serum total cholesterol, and serum triglycerides and improve patients' ADL-Barthel scoring and treatment efficiency. However, there is no evidence that TQHXD combined with the WMT group can significantly decrease the incidence of adverse events. CONCLUSION: The therapeutic effect of TQHXD combined with the WMT group was significantly better than that of the WMT alone group. For the treatment of patients with IS, TQHXD combined with WMT is worthy of application and promotion.