Objective: To evaluated the efficacy and safety of noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) combined with antidepressants in patients with poststroke depression (PSD).Methods: Seven databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials of NIBS combined with antidepressants in the treatment of PSD based on the international classification of diseases (ICD-10) criteria and exclusion criteria. The retrieval time was from the database establishment to 31 October 2021. Two researchers independently screened the identified studies through the search strategy, extracted their characteristics, and evaluated the quality of the included literature. Cochrane Collaboration’s tool was used to assess risk of bias. RevMan 5.3 software was applied for meta-analysis.Results: A total of 34 randomized controlled trials were included, involving 2,711 patients with PSD. Meta-analysis showed that the total effective rate was higher in the combined therapy than the antidepressant alone [odds ratio (OR): 4.33; 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.07 to 6.11; p < 0.00001]. The Hamilton depressive scale (HAMD) score was significantly lower in repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) (≤10 Hz) combined with antidepressant than in antidepressant alone [standard mean difference (SMD): −1.44; 95% CI: −1.86 to −1.03; p < 0.00001]. No significant difference was seen in rTMS (>10 Hz) combined with antidepressant versus antidepressant alone (SMD: −4.02; 95% CI: −10.43 to 2.39; p = 0.22). In addition, combination therapy more strongly improved the modified Barthel index (MBI) scale than antidepressants [mean difference (MD): 8.29; 95% CI: 5.23–11.35; p < 0.00001]. Adverse effects were not significantly different between two therapies (OR: 1.33; 95% CI: 0.87 to 2.04; p = 0.18).Conclusion: Low-frequency rTMS (≤10 Hz) combined with antidepressants tends to be more effective than antidepressants alone in patients with PSD, and there are no significant adverse effects. In addition, combined therapy may enhance quality of life after stroke. Combination therapy with high-frequency rTMS (>10 Hz) showed no advantage in treating PSD. The transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) combined with antidepressants might be more effective than antidepressants alone, which are needed to confirm by more clinical trials since the.

With the evolution of society, an increasing number of people have realized the importance of sports on human health. However, participation in sports is a double-edged sword as improperly exercising can lead to injury. Many athletes and patients with sports injuries choose traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) when modern medicine fails to relieve their musculoskeletal symptoms. TCM is a splendid legacy of Chinese civilization whose therapies are effective, economical, and convenient, with some administration by trained patients at home. This review analyzes the literature on the application of acupuncture, moxibustion, massage, and cupping in sports injuries to provide novel ideas for the application of TCM in sports medicine.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) play a critical role in the development of vascular diseases in diabetes. Although stem cell therapies often involve exposure to AGEs, the impact of this environment on extracellular vesicles (EVs) and endothelial cell metabolism remains unclear. Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were treated with either 0 ng/ml or 100 ng/ml AGEs in a serum-free medium for 48 hours, after which MSC-EVs were isolated. The EVs were characterized by morphology, particle size, and protein markers of MSC-EVs, and microRNA (miRNA) sequencing was performed to identify differentially expressed miRNAs. MSC-EVs were cocultured with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) to assess effects on cell viability, metabolic activity, oxidative stress, and antioxidant capacity. Tube formation and glucose transporter protein analyses were conducted to evaluate the angiogenic ability and glucose metabolism capacity. MSC-EVs ranged from 30 to 150 nm, which is consistent with exosomal properties. AGEs treatment reduced MSC viability but had minimal effect on EV morphology and protein markers. miRNA sequencing showed downregulation of hsa-miR-223-3p and hsa-miR-126-3p_R-1, with upregulation of hsa-miR-574-5p, implicating changes in glycolytic and oxidative phosphorylation pathways. MSC-EVs treated with AGEs decreased HUVEC viability (P < 0.05), pH (P < 0.05), adenosine triphosphate (ATP) metabolism (P < 0.05), glucose metabolism (P < 0.05), while enhancing glycolysis processes, including glycolytic activity, capacity, and reserve (P < 0.05). This likely resulted from impaired mitochondrial function, including reduced ATP production, maximal respiration, basal respiration, and spare respiratory capacity (P < 0.05), or increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) (P < 0.05) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity (P < 0.05). In addition, AGEs reduced glucose transporter types 1, 3, and 4 (GLUT1, GLUT3, GLUT4), and synthesis of cytochrome c oxidase 2 expression (P < 0.05), along with angiogenic capacity (P < 0.05) in HUVECs. Exposure to AGEs diminishes the therapeutic potential of MSC-derived EVs by disrupting energy metabolism and promoting metabolic reprogramming in endothelial cells. These findings suggest that adjusting the dosage or frequency of MSC-EVs may enhance their efficacy for treating diabetes-related vascular conditions. Further research is warranted to evaluate AGEs' broader impact on various cell types and metabolic pathways for improved exosome-based therapies.

Objective. This work aimed to study the compounds, targets, and pathways of turmeric and corn silk for gout and to explore the mechanism of the same disease with different treatments based on network pharmacology and molecular docking. Methods. We used the TCMSP, PubChem, and SEA databases to screen the compounds and targets of turmeric and corn silk, gout-related proteins through TTD, Drugbank, DisGeNET, GeneCards, OMIM, and PharmGkb, and used Cytoscape to construct a compound-target-disease network. Then, we constructed a protein-protein interaction network (PPI) and used Metascape to perform GO and KEGG analysis. Finally, molecular docking (SYBYL) was used to verify the degree of binding between key targets and compounds. Results. We found bisacumol, campesterol, and stigmasterol to be the main turmeric compounds that exerted a marked effect on gout treatment by targeting protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum through the HSPA1B, HSP90AB1, and STUB1 proteins. The main corn silk compound, Mandenol, treated gout by targeting the Hippo signaling pathway through the CTNNB1, YWHAG, and YWHAZ proteins. Conclusion. Turmeric and corn silk can treat the same disease, gout, through different pathways and targets. The scientific connotation of same disease with different treatments can be preliminarily clarified by analyzing targets and pathways.

In light of recent advances in sports medicine and neurorehabilitation, non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS)—including techniques such as transcrani

Background: Neurotransmitter imbalance is a key mechanism contributing to the heightened negative emotions and anhedonia associated with anxiety disorders. However, whether acupuncture exerts its anxiolytic effects by modulating neurotransmitter imbalance remains unclear. Methods: Seventy generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) patients were recruited and randomly assigned to acupuncture or wait‐list groups. The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA) and fMRI scans were used before and after treatment to assess anxiety levels and brain activity. In parallel, male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into four groups: control, chronic unpredictable stress model (CUS), electroacupuncture (EA), and sham acupuncture (SA). The EA group received stimulation at specific acupuncture points over 21 days, while the CUS group experienced chronic unpredictable stress to induce anxiety. Behavioral assessments and molecular analyses, including qRT‐PCR, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence, measured neurotransmitter levels. Results: Clinically, the acupuncture group exhibited a significant reduction in HAMA scores compared to baseline ( p < 0.001), unlike the wait‐list group. fMRI results indicated decreased ReHo in brain regions such as the amygdala, hippocampus, anterior and posterior cingulate cortices, putamen, and precuneus following acupuncture (GRF‐corrected p ‐cluster < 0.05). These reductions showed overlap in the anterior and posterior cingulate cortices between both groups. A positive correlation was found between reduced ReHo in the amygdala and the decrease in HAMA scores (rs = 0.390, p = 0.023), while a negative correlation was observed between reduced ReHo in the hippocampus and illness duration (rs = −0.385, p = 0.025). In the animal model, EA improved body weight and reduced anxiety‐like behaviors ( p < 0.05). EA increased IGF‐1 expression in the mPFC and amygdala, and decreased NR2B, GluR2 in the amygdala ( p < 0.05). Conclusion: Acupuncture shows potential in treating anxiety disorders by modulating IGF‐1 and NR2B expression, thus restoring neurotransmitter balance in the mPFC‐amygdala pathway. In both animal models and clinical settings, acupuncture effectively reduced anxiety symptoms and induced positive changes in brain regions such as the amygdala and hippocampus. These findings provide preliminary evidence for using acupuncture in the treatment of GAD. Clinical Trial Number: MR‐46‐23‐043956.