Association between predicted fat mass, predicted lean mass, predicted percent fat and type 2 diabetes mellitus in Japanese adults: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is known to have obesity as a risk factor. Body mass index cannot distinguish between lean mass and fat mass. We aimed to examine the association between predicted fat mass, predicted lean mass, predicted percent fat and risk of T2DM in Japanese adults. We also explored whether these three new parameters could predict T2DM better than other obesity markers. METHODS: This present study is a secondary data analysis. The study enrolled 20,944 Japanese individuals who participated in the NAGALA medical assessment program between 2004 and 2015. 15,453 participants who are eligible and have complete information were included to our analysis. Through the use of Kaplan-Meier curve, restricted cubic spline and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis, the relationship between predicted fat mass, predicted lean mass, predicted percent fat and T2DM risk was examined. The area under the curve method was used to assess the differences between these markers of obesity. RESULTS: A total of 373 cases of T2DM occurred over a median time of 5.4 years. In the male group, we found a U-shaped connection between predicted fat mass, predicted lean mass, and T2DM onset (p value, non-linearity < 0.05). A linear relationship was found between predicted percent fat and T2DM onset. The linear relationship was also found in the female group for predicted fat mass, and predicted percent fat. And for women, predicted lean mass was not an independent predictor. The area under the curve (AUC) for predicted fat mass, predicted lean mass, predicted percent fat in men was 0.673 (95%CI: 0.639 ~ 0.707), 0.598 (95%CI: 0.561 ~ 0.635), 0.715 (95%CI: 0.684 ~ 0.745), respectively. In males, WHtR was the strongest predictor (AUC 0.7151, 95%CI: 0.684 ~ 0.746), followed by predicted percent fat (AUC 0.7150, 95%CI: 0.684 ~ 0.745). In the females, WHtR was also the strongest predictor (AUC 0.758, 95%CI: 0.703 ~ 0.813), followed by body mass index (AUC 0.757, 95%CI: 0.704 ~ 0.811) and predicted percent fat (AUC 0.742, 95%CI: 0.687 ~ 0.798). CONCLUSION: Predicted fat mass, predicted lean mass, predicted percent fat were strongly connected with an increased risk for developing T2DM in Japanese, particularly in males. WHtR and predicted percent fat had a slightly better discrimination than other common obesity indicators in males. In the females, predicted fat mass and predicted percent fat were associated with T2DM risk, WHtR and body mass index had the slightly higher predictive power.

Polyphyllin D punctures hypertrophic lysosomes to reverse drug resistance of hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting acid sphingomyelinase.

Hypertrophic lysosomes are critical for tumor progression and drug resistance; however, effective and specific lysosome-targeting compounds for cancer therapy are lacking. Here we conducted a lysosomotropic pharmacophore-based in silico screen in a natural product library (2,212 compounds), and identified polyphyllin D (PD) as a novel lysosome-targeted compound. PD treatment was found to cause lysosomal damage, as evidenced by the blockade of autophagic flux, loss of lysophagy, and the release of lysosomal contents, thus exhibiting anticancer effects on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell both in vitro and in vivo. Closer mechanistic examination revealed that PD suppressed the activity of acid sphingomyelinase (SMPD1), a lysosomal phosphodieserase that catalyzes the hydrolysis of sphingomyelin to produce ceramide and phosphocholine, by directly occupying its surface groove, with Trp148 in SMPD1 acting as a major binding residue; this suppression of SMPD1 activity irreversibly triggers lysosomal injury and initiates lysosome-dependent cell death. Furthermore, PD-enhanced lysosomal membrane permeabilization to release sorafenib, augmenting the anticancer effect of sorafenib both in vivo and in vitro. Overall, our study suggests that PD can potentially be further developed as a novel autophagy inhibitor, and a combination of PD with classical chemotherapeutic anticancer drugs could represent a novel therapeutic strategy for HCC intervention.

Risk factors and renal outcomes of AKI in children with secondary steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is increasingly prevalent in children with nephrotic syndrome (NS). It is associated with adverse outcomes in NS, especially steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS). The incidence, risk factors and outcomes of AKI in secondary SRNS remain undefined. The main objectives of this study were to determine the risk factors and prognosis of AKI in hospitalized children with secondary SRNS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted from January 2014 to December 2019, involving 172 hospitalizations with secondary SRNS admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. AKI was defined and classified in accordance with the 2012 Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines. RESULTS: AKI was found in 67 (39.0%) of 172 hospitalizations with secondary SRNS. Average age of onset in our group is 4.4 (3.1, 6.7) years with AKI and 3.7 (1.8, 5.6) years without AKI. Urea nitrogen level is 5.9 (4.1, 10.0) mmol/L with AKI and 5.1 (3.7, 7.0) mmol/L. Uric acid level is 446.0 (340.0, 567.0) umol/L with AKI and 401.0 (303.0, 496.0) umol/L. 24-h urinary protein level is 4.14 (2.9, 6.5) g with AKI and 2.5 (1.3, 5.3) without AKI. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that infection (OR = 5.287; 95% confidence interval, 2.349 to 11.899; p < 0.001), age at onset (OR = 1.180; 95% confidence interval, 1.032 to 1.349; p = 0.015) and uric acid level (OR = 1.003; 95% confidence interval, 1.000 to 1.006; p = 0.031) were significantly associated with the development of AKI in children with secondary SRNS. Among 72 children with secondary SRNS, six went to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Children in the AKI group were more likely to progress to ESKD compared with children in the non-AKI group (p = 0.017) with a median follow-up of 48.5months. CONCLUSION: AKI occurred in 39.0% of total hospitalizations associated with secondary SRNS. Risk factors including infection, age of onset, and uric acid level are associated with AKI in children with secondary SRNS. Furthermore, AKI was identified as a risk factor for the progression of secondary SRNS to ESKD.

Peroxiredoxin II regulates exosome secretion from dermal mesenchymal stem cells through the ISGylation signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles that play important roles in intercellular communication and have potential therapeutic applications in regenerative medicine. Dermal mesenchymal stem cells (DMSCs) are a promising source of exosomes due to their regenerative and immunomodulatory properties. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating exosome secretion from DMSCs are not fully understood. RESULTS: In this study, the role of peroxiredoxin II (Prx II) in regulating exosome secretion from DMSCs and the underlying molecular mechanisms were investigated. It was discovered that depletion of Prx II led to a significant reduction in exosome secretion from DMSCs and an increase in the number of intracellular multivesicular bodies (MVBs), which serve as precursors of exosomes. Mechanistically, Prx II regulates the ISGylation switch that controls MVB degradation and impairs exosome secretion. Specifically, Prx II depletion decreased JNK activity, reduced the expression of the transcription inhibitor Foxo1, and promoted miR-221 expression. Increased miR-221 expression inhibited the STAT signaling pathway, thus downregulating the expression of ISGylation-related genes involved in MVB degradation. Together, these results identify Prx II as a critical regulator of exosome secretion from DMSCs through the ISGylation signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide important insights into the molecular mechanisms regulating exosome secretion from DMSCs and highlight the critical role of Prx II in controlling the ISGylation switch that regulates DMSC-exosome secretion. This study has significant implications for developing new therapeutic strategies in regenerative medicine. Video Abstract.

Serum levels and significance of soluble B-cell maturation antigen in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus with renal involvement.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate serum levels of soluble B-cell maturation antigen (sBCMA) in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematous (cSLE) patients with renal involvement, and to elucidate their association with clinical characteristics. METHODS: 116 cases of cSLE patients with renal involvement (84 females and 32 males; median age 11.6 (10.1, 12.9) years) hospitalized in Department of Pediatric Nephrology and Rheumatology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University and 31 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled. Serum concentrations of sBCMA were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Clinical and laboratory information of cSLE patients were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Serum sBCMA levels were significantly increased in primary cSLE when compared with treated cSLE patients and HCs, whereas there was no significant difference between treated cSLE patients and HCs. Patients with high disease activity displayed higher serum sBCMA levels compared with those with no or mild to moderate disease activity. Positive correlation was observed between serum sBCMA levels and systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index-2K (SLEDAI-2K), antinuclear antibody titers, anti-double-stranded DNA titers, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and immunoglobulin G levels, while sBCMA levels were negatively correlated with blood white blood cell count, hemoglobin, platelet count, complement C3 and C4 levels. Serum sBCMA levels decreased as disease ameliorated after treatments among 11 cases with follow-up examinations. CONCLUSIONS: In cSLE patients with renal involvement, serum sBCMA levels correlated significantly with disease activity, immunological, and hematological parameters, but not with renal parameters. Our results suggest the potential and significance of serum sBCMA as a biomarker in cSLE patients.

Incidence of relapse and frequently relapsing/steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome in Chinese children with steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome: A cohort study.

AIM: This study aimed to investigate the incidence of relapse and FR/SDNS in Chinese children with SSNS and to develop clinical prediction models for relapse and FR/SDNS. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study involved 339 newly onset SSNS patients between 2006 and 2016. The incidence of relapse and FR/SDNS were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Prediction models were constructed based on Cox proportional-hazards regression. RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 8.7 years. The cumulative incidence of relapse at 1-, 2-, and 5-year was 51.0%, 62.5%, and 66.6%. The cumulative incidence of FR/SDNS at 1-, 2-, and 5-year was 18.4%, 29.0%, and 32.9%. The final prediction model for first relapse included four variables (serum albumin, triglycerides, IgM, and time to first remission). The model's discriminative ability was low (Harrell's C index = 0.62). The final prediction model for FR/SDNS included four variables (serum albumin, lipoprotein(a), time to first remission, and time to first relapse). The discrimination and calibration of the prediction model for FR/SDNS were acceptable (Harrell's C index = 0.73, Brier score at 1- and 2-year were 0.11 and 0.17). CONCLUSION: The first relapse and FR/SDNS mainly occurred in the first 2 years after initial SSNS onset. The prediction model for relapse developed using common clinical parameters performed poorly, while the prediction model for FR/SDNS might be useful.

Preoperative cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers may be associated with postoperative delirium in patients undergoing knee/hip arthroplasty: the PNDABLE study.

BACKGROUND: In the global aging population, the incidence of postoperative delirium (POD) is increasing. Therefore, finding its effective predictive tools becomes crucial. We aimed to identify potential Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)biomarkers for POD. METHODS: A total of 825 patients undergoing knee/hip arthroplasty under combined spinal-epidural anesthesia were selected. The patients were aged 40 to 90 years with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I~II. The Mini-Mental State Examination was completed 1 day before the operation. CSF was extracted after successful spinal-epidural combined puncture, and α-synuclein (α-syn), amyloid beta40 (Aß40), amyloid beta42 (Aß42), t-Tau, phosphorylated Tau (p-Tau), progranulin (PGRN) and soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (sTREM2) in the CSF were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). The patient's operation time, anesthesia time, intraoperative blood loss and fluid input were also recorded. After the operation, the occurrence rate and severity of POD were determined by the Confusion Assessment Method and the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS), respectively. Patients were categorized into POD group and non-POD group. Logistic regression analysis was performed on the indicators with statistically significant differences, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was used to estimate the predictive accuracy of the biomarkers for POD. RESULTS: A total of 92 patients developed POD and the incidence of POD was 11.15%. The results of the multivariable logistic regression showed that CSF t-Tau (P = 0.004, OR = 1.006, 95%CI 1.002~1.009) and α-syn (P = 0.004, OR = 1.001, 95%CI 1.000~1.001) were positively associated with the occurrence rate of POD, while Aß42 (P < 0.001, OR = 0.989, 95%CI 0.986~0.993), CSF PGRN (P = 0.002, OR = 0.999, 95%CI 0.999~1.000), Aß42/ t-Tau (P < 0.001, OR = 0.181, 95%CI 0.102~0.319) and Aß42/p-Tau (P < 0.001, OR = 0.617, 95%CI 0.526~0.725) were inversely proportional to the occurrence of POD. ROC curve analysis indicated that Aß42/t-Tau (AUC = 0.823), CSF Aß42 (AUC = 0.813), Aß42/p-Tau (AUC = 0.810), α-syn (AUC = 0.644) and PGRN (AUC = 0.638) could predict the occurrence rate of POD. The combination of all these biomarkers showed a greater AUC(0.896) than using any of them alone. CONCLUSIONS: CSF Aß42, PGRN, α-syn, Aß42/t-Tau and Aß42/p-Tau might be associated with the occurrence rate of POD in patients undergoing knee/hip arthroplasty. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Registration No. ChiCTR2000033439.

Intracellular Nitric Oxide and cAMP Are Involved in Cellulolytic Enzyme Production in Neurospora crassa.

Although molecular regulation of cellulolytic enzyme production in filamentous fungi has been actively explored, the underlying signaling processes in fungal cells are still not clearly understood. In this study, the molecular signaling mechanism regulating cellulase production in Neurospora crassa was investigated. We found that the transcription and extracellular cellulolytic activity of four cellulolytic enzymes (cbh1, gh6-2, gh5-1, and gh3-4) increased in Avicel (microcrystalline cellulose) medium. Intracellular nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) detected by fluorescent dyes were observed in larger areas of fungal hyphae grown in Avicel medium compared to those grown in glucose medium. The transcription of the four cellulolytic enzyme genes in fungal hyphae grown in Avicel medium was significantly decreased and increased after NO was intracellularly removed and extracellularly added, respectively. Furthermore, we found that the cyclic AMP (cAMP) level in fungal cells was significantly decreased after intracellular NO removal, and the addition of cAMP could enhance cellulolytic enzyme activity. Taken together, our data suggest that the increase in intracellular NO in response to cellulose in media may have promoted the transcription of cellulolytic enzymes and participated in the elevation of intracellular cAMP, eventually leading to improved extracellular cellulolytic enzyme activity.

Harnessing ADAR-Mediated Site-Specific RNA Editing in Immune-Related Disease: Prediction and Therapeutic Implications.

ADAR (Adenosine Deaminases Acting on RNA) proteins are a group of enzymes that play a vital role in RNA editing by converting adenosine to inosine in RNAs. This process is a frequent post-transcriptional event observed in metazoan transcripts. Recent studies indicate widespread dysregulation of ADAR-mediated RNA editing across many immune-related diseases, such as human cancer. We comprehensively review ADARs' function as pattern recognizers and their capability to contribute to mediating immune-related pathways. We also highlight the potential role of site-specific RNA editing in maintaining homeostasis and its relationship to various diseases, such as human cancers. More importantly, we summarize the latest cutting-edge computational approaches and data resources for predicting and analyzing RNA editing sites. Lastly, we cover the recent advancement in site-directed ADAR editing tool development. This review presents an up-to-date overview of ADAR-mediated RNA editing, how site-specific RNA editing could potentially impact disease pathology, and how they could be harnessed for therapeutic applications.

A Robust Deep Learning Segmentation Method for Hematoma Volumetric Detection in Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Hematoma volume (HV) is a significant diagnosis for determining the clinical stage and therapeutic approach for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). The aim of this study is to develop a robust deep learning segmentation method for the fast and accurate HV analysis using computed tomography. METHODS: A novel dimension reduction UNet (DR-UNet) model was developed for computed tomography image segmentation and HV measurement. Two data sets, 512 ICH patients with 12 568 computed tomography slices in the retrospective data set and 50 ICH patients with 1257 slices in the prospective data set, were used for network training, validation, and internal and external testing. Moreover, 13 irregular hematoma cases, 11 subdural and epidural hematoma cases, and 50 different HV cases into 3 groups (<30, 30-60, and >60 mL) were selected to further evaluate the robustness of DR-UNet. The image segmentation performance of DR-UNet was compared with those of UNet, the fuzzy clustering method, and the active contour method. The HV measurement performance was compared using DR-UNet, UNet, and the Coniglobus formula method. RESULTS: Using DR-UNet, the segmentation model achieved a performance similar to that of expert clinicians in 2 independent test data sets containing internal testing data (Dice of 0.861±0.139) and external testing data (Dice of 0.874±0.130). The HV measurement derived from DR-UNet was strongly correlated with that from manual segmentation (R2=0.9979; P<0.0001). In the irregularly shaped hematoma group and the subdural and epidural hematoma group, DR-UNet was more robust than UNet in both hematoma segmentation and HV measurement. There is no statistical significance in segmentation accuracy among 3 different HV groups. CONCLUSIONS: DR-UNet can segment hematomas from the computed tomography scans of ICH patients and quantify the HV with better accuracy and greater efficiency than the main existing methods and with similar performance to expert clinicians. Due to robust performance and stable segmentation on different ICHs, DR-UNet could facilitate the development of deep learning systems for a variety of clinical applications.

Plasma Promotes Fungal Cellulase Production by Regulating the Levels of Intracellular NO and Ca2.

For the industrial-scale production of useful enzymes by microorganisms, technological development is required for overcoming a technical bottleneck represented by poor efficiency in the induction of enzyme gene expression and secretion. In this study, we evaluated the potential of a non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet to improve the production efficiency of cellulolytic enzymes in Neurospora crassa, a filamentous fungus. The total activity of cellulolytic enzymes and protein concentration were significantly increased (1.1~1.2 times) in media containing Avicel 24-72 h after 2 and 5 min of plasma treatment. The mRNA levels of four cellulolytic enzymes in fungal hyphae grown in media with Avicel were significantly increased (1.3~17 times) 2-4 h after a 5 min of plasma treatment. The levels of intracellular NO and Ca2+ were increased in plasma-treated fungal hyphae grown in Avicel media after 48 h, and the removal of intracellular NO decreased the activity of cellulolytic enzymes in media and the level of vesicles in fungal hyphae. Our data suggest that plasma treatment can promote the transcription and secretion of cellulolytic enzymes into the culture media in the presence of Avicel (induction condition) by enhancing the intracellular level of NO and Ca2+.

Analysis of chemosensory genes in Semiothisa cinerearia reveals sex-specific contributions for type-II sex pheromone chemosensation.

Insects employ a sensitive chemosensory system to accurately recognize external odorants, which help them to make a behavioral response quickly. Semiothisa cinerearia has caused serious damages to Sophora japonica L. in recent years, and there is still a lack of effective strategy to control the pest. Although the two type-II sex pheromones of S. cinerearia, 6Z,9Z-cis-3,4-epoxy-17:H and 3Z,6Z,9Z-17:H, have been identified for 30 years, the molecular mechanisms underlying the chemosensation of the two sex pheromones are still unknown. Here, we found that there are differences in the types of antennae sensilla between sexes, and revealed 146 putative chemosensory genes in the antennal transcriptome. Among these genes, 11 and 40 of them displayed male-biased and female-biased expression, respectively. Our findings greatly improve the chemosensory gene resources for S. cinerearia and provide a foundation for functional studies of these sex-biased genes on the chemosensation of sex pheromones and on other sex-related behaviors.

Histidine protects human lens epithelial cells against H2 O2 -induced oxidative stress injury through the NF-кB pathway.

Histidine, an amino acid that is essential to humans, exerts favorable cytoprotective effects against oxidative stress in vivo and in vitro, but the effect of histidine on human lens epithelial cells (HLECs) and its regulatory mechanism have not previously been reported. The oxidative stress induced by H2 O2 plays an important role in the pathology of cataract. We know that HLECs are important for maintaining the transparency and integrity of the lens. In the present study, we investigated the possible molecular mechanisms underlying the cytoprotective effects of histidine against H2 O2 -induced oxidative stress in HLECs. The results showed that histidine reduced H2 O2 -induced cell apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, protected HLECs from H2 O2 -induced oxidative damage, increased the expression levels of dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH), and decreased the expression level of malondialdehyde (MDA), and the protective effect of histidine depended on the NF-кB pathway. Together, these data suggest that histidine could be helpful in inhibiting oxidative stress in the lens and thus attenuating cataract formation.

Identification of Telosma mosaic virus infection in Passiflora edulis and its impact on phytochemical contents.

BACKGROUND: Viral disease has become the most severe constraint for the cultivation and production of Passiflora edulis in China. The infection of Telosma mosaic virus (TeMV), a potyvirus, and its effects on the phytochemical components of P. edulis remain largely unknown in China. METHODS: P. edulis plants showing distorted leaves and severe mosaic skin on green fruit were identified with TeMV infection through traditional transmission electron microscopy, RT-PCR and modern small RNA sequencing (sRNA-seq) platform. The contents of phytochemical components and the activities of antioxidative enzymes were compared between virus-infected and virus-free P. edulis to confirm the effects of TeMV infection on host plant. RESULTS: Firstly, approximately 700 nm linear virus particles, representing TeMV, were detected in infected P. edulis fruits and leaves with Electron microscopy. Partial coat protein genes of TeMV were successfully amplified by RT-PCR in infected P. edulis leaves and fruits but not in healthy plants. Abundant small interference RNAs (siRNAs) sequences, showing several characterizations, were specifically generated from the TeMV genome in infected plant fruits by sRNA-seq platform. Furthermore, fruit length, fruit thickness (wideness) and fruit weight decreased significantly due to TeMV infection. The levels of total protein and total sugar increased significantly; however, the level of total fat, total acid and vitamin C decreased obviously after TeMV infection. The level of total phenols, a secondary metabolite, was obviously higher in TeMV-infected than TeMV-free P. edulis fruit. The activities of superoxide dismutases (SOD) and catalases (CAT) obviously increased in TeMV-infected in comparison with healthy P. edulis fruit. CONCLUSIONS: TeMV infection adversely affected the development of P. edulis fruits, differently and selectively modulated the phytochemical components of P. edulis fruits. In turn, P. edulis plants enhanced their tolerance to the stress of TeMV infection by increasing the secondary metabolite level and the antioxidative capacity. This is of significant importance to understand the effects of TeMV infection on the biochemical changes and the antioxidant defense mechanism in P. edulis.

Synthesis and Characterization of PEGylated Trityl Radicals: Effect of PEGylation on Physicochemical Properties.

Tetrathiatriarylmethyl (TAM, trityl) radicals have attracted considerable attention as spin probes for biological electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and imaging owing to their sharp EPR singlet signals and high biostability. However, their in vivo applications were limited by the short blood circulation lifetimes and strong binding with albumins. Our previous results showed that PEGylation is a feasible method to overcome the issues facing in vivo applications of TAM radicals. In the present study, we synthesized a series of new PEGylated TAM radicals (TTP1, TPP2, TNP1, TNP2, d-TNP1, and d-TNP3) containing various lengths and numbers of mPEG chains. Our results found that the pattern of PEGylation exerts an important effect on physicochemical properties of the resulting TAM radicals. Dendritic PEGylated TAM radicals, TNP1 and TNP2, have higher water solubility and lower susceptibility for self-aggregation than their linear analogues TPP1 and TPP2. Furthermore, dendritic PEGylated TAM radicals exhibit extremely high stability toward various biological oxidoreductants as well as in rat whole blood, liver homogenate, and following in vivo intravenous administration in mice. Importantly, the deuterated derivatives, especially d-TNP3, exhibit excellent properties including the sharp and O2-sensitive EPR singlet signal, good biocompatibility, and prolonged kinetics with half-life time of ≥10 h in mice. These PEGylated TAM radicals should be suitable for a wide range of applications in in vivo EPR spectroscopy and imaging.

The ameliorative effect of bloodletting puncture at hand twelve Jing-well points on cerebral edema induced by permanent middle cerebral ischemia via protecting the tight junctions of the blood-brain barrier.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral edema, erupting simultaneously with severe ischemic stroke, might lead to increased intracranial pressure, cerebral herniation, and ultimately death. Studies conducted previously by our team have demonstrated the fact that bloodletting puncture at hand twelve Jing-well points (HTWP) could alleviate cerebral edema, which mainly results from the disruption of blood-brain barrier (BBB). The study, therefore, was first designed to demonstrate whether BBB-protection serves an important role in the edema-relief effect of HTWP bloodletting, based on which to research the molecular mechanism underlying. METHODS: The rats were made into model suffering from permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO) and then bloodletting puncture were treated at HTWP once a day. Wet and dry weight method was adopted to evaluate the degree of brain edema, evans blue extravasation and electron microscopy were used to evaluate the integrity of the BBB, and RT-qPCR was carried out to analyze the expression level of occludin, claudin-5, ICAM-1, and VEGF. RESULTS: Results revealed that bloodletting puncture treatment could reduce water content of brain and the permeability of BBB caused by ischemic stroke. In bloodletting puncture group, ameliorated tight junctions could be observed under electron microscopy. It was demonstrated in further study that, in bloodletting group, compared with pMCAO one, the expression levels of occludin and claudin-5 were up-regulated, while ICAM-1 and VEGF were down-regulated. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, bloodletting puncture at HTWP might play a significant role in protecting the tight junctions of BBB, thus alleviating cerebral edema induced by ischemic stroke. Therefore, the therapy of bloodletting puncture at HTWP may be a promising strategy for acute ischemic stroke in the future.

[Prevalence of blindness and moderate and severe visual impairment among adults aged 50 years or above in Shuangcheng City of Heilongjiang Province: the China Nine-Province Survey].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of blindness and moderate and severe visual impairment among adults aged 50 years or above in Shuangcheng City of Heilongjiang Province, China. METHODS: It was a population-based cross-section study. Geographically defined cluster sampling was used in randomly selecting 5 841 individuals aged 50 years or above in 28 basic sample units in Shuangcheng City from September to December 2006. The survey was preceded by a pilot study where operational methods were refined and quality assurance evaluation was carried out. All participants were enumerated through village registers followed door-to-door visits.Eligible individuals were invited to receive visual acuity measurement and eye examination. Statistical analyses were performed using Stata/SE Statistical Software, release 9.0. Chi-square test was used to investigate the association of age, gender and education with presenting and best corrected visual acuity. RESULTS: Five thousands four hundreds and eighty-one individuals were enumerated and 5 047 persons were examined, the response rate was 92.08%. Based on the criteria of World Health Organization visual impairment classification in 1973, the prevalence of blindness and moderate and severe visual impairment defined as best corrected visual acuity was 1.72% (87/5 047) and 4.69% (237/5 047) respectively. The prevalence of blindness and moderate and severe visual impairment defined as presenting visual acuity was 1.90% (96/5 047) and 7.23% (365/5 047) respectively. The prevalence of blindness and moderate and severe visual impairment was higher in aged (trend χ(2)=674.44, P < 0.01), female (χ(2)=39.61, P < 0.01) and illiterate (trend χ(2)=142.82, P < 0.01) persons. Cataract (52.70%) was still the first leading cause of blindness and visual impairment. The percentage of the retinal diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, high myopic retinopathy and diabetic retinopathy was 11.31% among the eyes with blindness and moderate and severe visual impairment. Un-corrected refractive error(13.38%) also was the main cause of visual impairment. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of blindness and moderate and severe visual impairment in Shuangcheng City is relatively higher in China Nine Province Survey. Cataract, retinal diseases and un-corrected refractive error are the main causes of the blindness and moderate and severe visual impairment.

Nitric Oxide in Fungi: Production and Function.

Nitric oxide (NO) is synthesized in all kingdoms of life, where it plays a role in the regulation of various physiological and developmental processes. In terms of endogenous NO biology, fungi have been less well researched than mammals, plants, and bacteria. In this review, we summarize and discuss the studies to date on intracellular NO biosynthesis and function in fungi. Two mechanisms for NO biosynthesis, NO synthase (NOS)-mediated arginine oxidation and nitrate- and nitrite-reductase-mediated nitrite reduction, are the most frequently reported. Furthermore, we summarize the multifaceted functions of NO in fungi as well as its role as a signaling molecule in fungal growth regulation, development, abiotic stress, virulence regulation, and metabolism. Finally, we present potential directions for future research on fungal NO biology.

The Preservation Effect of Chitosan-hawthorn Leaf Extract Coating on Strawberries.

Strawberries rapidly deteriorate postharvest, necessitating effective measures to extend their shelf life. This study focused on developing an eco-friendly chitosan-based protective film for strawberry preservation. Strawberries were treated with a coating solution containing varying concentrations of hawthorn leaf extract (HLE) (0.4%, 0.7%, and 1.0%), 1.5% chitosan (CH), and 1% acetic acid. The results demonstrated that coating strawberry fruit with 1% CH-HLE notably delayed fruit spoilage. In-depth analysis revealed that, compared with the uncoated strawberry fruits, the 1% CH-HLE coating effectively reduced weight loss, the respiration intensity, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and superoxide anion (O2·-) production. Additionally, the coated strawberries exhibited improved firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), vitamin C (Vc) content, titratable acidity (TA), and total phenolic compound (TPC) content. The enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in the CH-HLE-coated strawberries were greater than those in their uncoated counterparts. The application of a 1% CH-HLE coating successfully delayed spoilage and extend the shelf life of the strawberries by approximately 4-5 days. These findings suggest that CH-HLE has significant potential as a resource for protecting fruits and vegetables, offering an environmentally sustainable solution for postharvest preservation.

Preventive effect of danshensu on selenite-induced cataractogenesis in cultured rat lens.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the preventive effect of danshensu on the selenite-induced opacification of cultured rat lenses. METHODS: Isolated lens were divided into three groups with eight lenses in each group. Group I: lenses were incubated with M199 medium alone; Group II: incubated in M199 containing 200 µmol/L sodium selenite; Group III: incubated in M199 containing 200 µmol/L sodium selenite and 500 µmol/L danshensu. Selenite was administered on the third day, and danshensu treatment was from the second to the fifth day. Cataracts development was observed using an inverted microscope, and the lenses were analysed for total anti-oxidative capabilities, mean activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and glutathione S-transferase; levels of reduced glutathione; malondialdehyde; and total sulfhydryl content. RESULTS: All lenses in Group I were clear, whereas all lenses in Group II developed dense vacuolization and opacification. In Group III, 25% lenses revealed minimal vacuolization, and 75% showed no opacification or vacuolization. Total anti-oxidative capabilities and the mean activities of anti-oxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and glutathione S-transferase; levels of glutathione; and total sulfhydryl content were elevated, and the level of malondialdehyde was decreased following treatment with danshensu compared with Group II. CONCLUSION: The anti-oxidative properties of danshensu may play a major role in its contribution to the anticataract effect.