Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of the Chinese herbal compound GAPT for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease(AD)and to provide current evidence for potential treatment mechanisms.Methods:A comprehensive search of ...Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of the Chinese herbal compound GAPT for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease(AD)and to provide current evidence for potential treatment mechanisms.Methods:A comprehensive search of PubMed,Embase,Web of Science,SinoMed,China Network Knowledge Infrastructure,Wanfang Data,and Chinese Scientific Journals Database was performed to identify GAPT mouse/rat studies published from inception to July 2019.The outcomes extracted were Morris water maze results and molecular biological quantifications.Results:A total of 19 studies were included in this analysis.The analysis indicated that GAPT was able to significantly improve learning and memory abilities compared with model mice/rats,as assessed by Morris water maze,and showed similar efficacy as donepezil.Subgroup analyses showed that low,medium,and high doses resulted in no obvious dose-dependent effects.Additionally,the GAPT group had significantly reduced expression levels of amyloid-beta peptide,presenilin 1,phosphorylated tau,acetylcholinesterase,and glycogen synthase kinase-3b,but increased expression levels of Shank1,and protein phosphatase-2A,and improved synapses structures compared with the model group,and subgroup analyses showed the medium dose of GAPT was superior to the low and high doses.Conclusions:Based on the pooled analysis,GAPT improved the learning and memory abilities and regulated the expression levels of related proteins during the progression of AD in mouse/rat studies.Notably,the medium dose of GAPT exhibited better performance than the other two doses,providing experimental evidence for further applications of GAPT during clinical practice.展开更多
Tropical and subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests(EBFs)and needle-leaved forests(ENFs)in China exhibit complex leaf shedding strategies in responses to soil water availability,vapor pressure deficits(VPDs)and su...Tropical and subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests(EBFs)and needle-leaved forests(ENFs)in China exhibit complex leaf shedding strategies in responses to soil water availability,vapor pressure deficits(VPDs)and sunlight availability.However,the seasonal variations and triggers of litterfall differ significantly in tropical/subtropical forests,and there are still many uncertainties.Herein,we aim to explore the distinct climatic factors of seasonal litterfall in a climate–phenology correlation framework.We collected seasonal litterfall data from 85 sites across tropical/subtropical China and used linear correlation coefficients between sunlight and rainfall to partition synchronous/asynchronous climates.Additional phase analysis and structural equation model analysis were conducted to model the climatic triggers of tropical phenology.Results indicated two types of tropical litterfall phenology under two types of climates.In synchronous climates,where seasonal sunlight and rainfall are positively correlated,the litterfall peak of the unimodal phenology and the first litterfall peak of the bimodal phenology both happen at the end of dry season.The second litterfall peak of the bimodal phenology occurs at the end of rainy season due to water stress.In asynchronous climates,where seasonal sunlight and rainfall are negatively correlated,VPD shows consistent seasonal variations with incoming sunlight.The leaf senescence is accelerated at the end of dry season by higher VPD;while soil water deficit is in anti-phase with sunlight and mainly controls the second litterfall peak of the bimodal phenology in EBF.Our findings provide an important reference for modeling tropical phenology in Earth system models.展开更多
Objective:As estimated in a report of global Alzheimer’s disease published by Alzheimer’s Disease International in 2015,there will be 9.9 million new patients worldwide with Alzheimer’s disease in 2015,with a new A...Objective:As estimated in a report of global Alzheimer’s disease published by Alzheimer’s Disease International in 2015,there will be 9.9 million new patients worldwide with Alzheimer’s disease in 2015,with a new Alzheimer’s patient diagnosed,on average,every 3 seconds.Since Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible disease,the most that can be done for Alzheimer’s patients is to merely delay the onset of disease,which to date cannot be completely cured.Therefore,even though great effort is put into caring for the patient,caregivers should not expect any substantial changes.The caring process is a dynamic process that contains negative and positive experiences.During the caring period,not only do caregivers spend a lot of effort and work very hard to help the patient,but in fact care recipients themselves also give energy to caregivers.This study attempts to take a positive energy viewpoint to explore and design a program that is suitable for Alzheimer’s caregivers.The aims of the study were as follows:(a)to explore the needs and burdens of Alzheimer’s caregivers in the treatment process of patients,(b)to design a program that meets the needs of the caregivers,and(c)to evaluate the effects of implementing a program.Methods:The study is a qualitative study employing in‐depth interviews.Interviews were conducted from September 2015 to December 2015;the interview results were reviewed and a positive energy group program was designed.Pre‐test and post‐test interviews were carried out for the program so as to evaluate the effects of the program.Results:According to the caregiver interview results,we understand the caring needs and caring process of caregivers.From the interview results,we now know that caregivers’continuous care mainly comes from positive energy in psychological,social and relationship aspects.Positive energy seems to have been affecting caregivers’caring ability and willingness.Therefore,a two‐stage group activity program was designed to provide a recollective handmade craft group and an art therapy group.Research results of the study show that when the main caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients took part in group activities,positive energy in social and relationship aspects increased for the caregiver group too.Conclusions:From these intervention programs caregivers could obtain more knowledge of patient care and these activities could effectively lighten caregivers’burdens.展开更多
基金Institutions of Higher Education for Academic Disciplinary Innovations(the“111 Project”)(B08006)Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University(IRT0810)+1 种基金Research Project for Practice Development of National TCM Clinical Research Bases(JDZX2015297)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81573824,81503625,and 81473518).
文摘Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of the Chinese herbal compound GAPT for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease(AD)and to provide current evidence for potential treatment mechanisms.Methods:A comprehensive search of PubMed,Embase,Web of Science,SinoMed,China Network Knowledge Infrastructure,Wanfang Data,and Chinese Scientific Journals Database was performed to identify GAPT mouse/rat studies published from inception to July 2019.The outcomes extracted were Morris water maze results and molecular biological quantifications.Results:A total of 19 studies were included in this analysis.The analysis indicated that GAPT was able to significantly improve learning and memory abilities compared with model mice/rats,as assessed by Morris water maze,and showed similar efficacy as donepezil.Subgroup analyses showed that low,medium,and high doses resulted in no obvious dose-dependent effects.Additionally,the GAPT group had significantly reduced expression levels of amyloid-beta peptide,presenilin 1,phosphorylated tau,acetylcholinesterase,and glycogen synthase kinase-3b,but increased expression levels of Shank1,and protein phosphatase-2A,and improved synapses structures compared with the model group,and subgroup analyses showed the medium dose of GAPT was superior to the low and high doses.Conclusions:Based on the pooled analysis,GAPT improved the learning and memory abilities and regulated the expression levels of related proteins during the progression of AD in mouse/rat studies.Notably,the medium dose of GAPT exhibited better performance than the other two doses,providing experimental evidence for further applications of GAPT during clinical practice.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant numbers 31971458 and 41971275)Special High-Level Plan Project of Guangdong Province(grant number 2016TQ03Z354)+1 种基金Forestry Science and Technology Innovation Project of Guangdong Province(grant number 2021KJCX003)‘GDAS’Project of Science and Technology Development(grant numbers 2020GDASYL-20200302001,2020GDASYL-20200102002).
文摘Tropical and subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests(EBFs)and needle-leaved forests(ENFs)in China exhibit complex leaf shedding strategies in responses to soil water availability,vapor pressure deficits(VPDs)and sunlight availability.However,the seasonal variations and triggers of litterfall differ significantly in tropical/subtropical forests,and there are still many uncertainties.Herein,we aim to explore the distinct climatic factors of seasonal litterfall in a climate–phenology correlation framework.We collected seasonal litterfall data from 85 sites across tropical/subtropical China and used linear correlation coefficients between sunlight and rainfall to partition synchronous/asynchronous climates.Additional phase analysis and structural equation model analysis were conducted to model the climatic triggers of tropical phenology.Results indicated two types of tropical litterfall phenology under two types of climates.In synchronous climates,where seasonal sunlight and rainfall are positively correlated,the litterfall peak of the unimodal phenology and the first litterfall peak of the bimodal phenology both happen at the end of dry season.The second litterfall peak of the bimodal phenology occurs at the end of rainy season due to water stress.In asynchronous climates,where seasonal sunlight and rainfall are negatively correlated,VPD shows consistent seasonal variations with incoming sunlight.The leaf senescence is accelerated at the end of dry season by higher VPD;while soil water deficit is in anti-phase with sunlight and mainly controls the second litterfall peak of the bimodal phenology in EBF.Our findings provide an important reference for modeling tropical phenology in Earth system models.
文摘Objective:As estimated in a report of global Alzheimer’s disease published by Alzheimer’s Disease International in 2015,there will be 9.9 million new patients worldwide with Alzheimer’s disease in 2015,with a new Alzheimer’s patient diagnosed,on average,every 3 seconds.Since Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible disease,the most that can be done for Alzheimer’s patients is to merely delay the onset of disease,which to date cannot be completely cured.Therefore,even though great effort is put into caring for the patient,caregivers should not expect any substantial changes.The caring process is a dynamic process that contains negative and positive experiences.During the caring period,not only do caregivers spend a lot of effort and work very hard to help the patient,but in fact care recipients themselves also give energy to caregivers.This study attempts to take a positive energy viewpoint to explore and design a program that is suitable for Alzheimer’s caregivers.The aims of the study were as follows:(a)to explore the needs and burdens of Alzheimer’s caregivers in the treatment process of patients,(b)to design a program that meets the needs of the caregivers,and(c)to evaluate the effects of implementing a program.Methods:The study is a qualitative study employing in‐depth interviews.Interviews were conducted from September 2015 to December 2015;the interview results were reviewed and a positive energy group program was designed.Pre‐test and post‐test interviews were carried out for the program so as to evaluate the effects of the program.Results:According to the caregiver interview results,we understand the caring needs and caring process of caregivers.From the interview results,we now know that caregivers’continuous care mainly comes from positive energy in psychological,social and relationship aspects.Positive energy seems to have been affecting caregivers’caring ability and willingness.Therefore,a two‐stage group activity program was designed to provide a recollective handmade craft group and an art therapy group.Research results of the study show that when the main caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients took part in group activities,positive energy in social and relationship aspects increased for the caregiver group too.Conclusions:From these intervention programs caregivers could obtain more knowledge of patient care and these activities could effectively lighten caregivers’burdens.
