KLF5 governs sphingolipid metabolism and barrier function of the skin.

Stem cells are fundamental units of tissue remodeling whose functions are dictated by lineage-specific transcription factors. Home to epidermal stem cells and their upward-stratifying progenies, skin relies on its secretory functions to form the outermost protective barrier, of which a transcriptional orchestrator has been elusive. KLF5 is a Krüppel-like transcription factor broadly involved in development and regeneration whose lineage specificity, if any, remains unclear. Here we report KLF5 specifically marks the epidermis, and its deletion leads to skin barrier dysfunction in vivo. Lipid envelopes and secretory lamellar bodies are defective in KLF5-deficient skin, accompanied by preferential loss of complex sphingolipids. KLF5 binds to and transcriptionally regulates genes encoding rate-limiting sphingolipid metabolism enzymes. Remarkably, skin barrier defects elicited by KLF5 ablation can be rescued by dietary interventions. Finally, we found that KLF5 is widely suppressed in human diseases with disrupted epidermal secretion, and its regulation of sphingolipid metabolism is conserved in human skin. Altogether, we established KLF5 as a disease-relevant transcription factor governing sphingolipid metabolism and barrier function in the skin, likely representing a long-sought secretory lineage-defining factor across tissue types.

Risk of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a disease frequently occurring in children. The immune response is characterized by T-helper (Th)-2-dependent inflammation. Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is an autoimmune disease that destroys pancreatic islet beta cells. In contrast, it is mainly mediated by a Th-1-dependent response. An inverted association has been hypothesized between T1DM and AD since Th1 and Th2 responses are mutually inhibitory. METHODS: Data was retrieved from a nationwide healthcare database in Taiwan. A logistic regression model was used to evaluate the association of T1DM in patients with AD within a year. A Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to evaluate the subsequent risk of developing T1DM 1 year after AD diagnosis. RESULTS: We identified 396,461 patients with AD and 1,585,844 age- and sex-matched controls. During the first year of follow-up, after adjusting variates, the association between T1DM and AD showed no statistical differences (odds ratio: 1.40; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.83-2.38, p = 0.207). After excluding those T1DM cases within 1 year of AD diagnosis and those with a follow-up duration of less than 1 year, AD did not significantly increase the risk of T1DM (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.02; 95% CI, 0.83-1.25, p = 0.843). CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed that there was no significant association between AD and T1DM in the first year after AD diagnosis, and there was no increased risk of T1DM in AD patients in the average 5-year follow-up in our study.

The development of a novel zeolite-based assay for efficient and deep plasma proteomic profiling.

Plasma proteins are considered the most informative source of biomarkers for disease diagnosis and monitoring. Mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics has been applied to identify biomarkers in plasma, but the complexity of the plasma proteome and the extremely large dynamic range of protein abundances in plasma make the clinical application of plasma proteomics highly challenging. We designed and synthesized zeolite-based nanoparticles to deplete high-abundance plasma proteins. The resulting novel plasma proteomic assay can measure approximately 3000 plasma proteins in a 45 min chromatographic gradient. Compared to those in neat and depleted plasma, the plasma proteins identified by our assay exhibited distinct biological profiles, as validated in several public datasets. A pilot investigation of the proteomic profile of a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cohort identified 15 promising protein features, highlighting the diagnostic value of the plasma proteome in distinguishing individuals with and without HCC. Furthermore, this assay can be easily integrated with all current downstream protein profiling methods and potentially extended to other biofluids. In conclusion, we established a robust and efficient plasma proteomic assay with unprecedented identification depth, paving the way for the translation of plasma proteomics into clinical applications.

[Research on mechanism of hypolipidemic effect of Massa Medicata Fermentata based on metabolomics].

This paper aims to study the therapeutic effect of Massa Medicata Fermentata on hyperlipidemia model rats and investigate its mechanism of hypolipidemic effect with the help of non-targeted metabolomics. The mixed hyperlipidemia model rats were constructed by giving high-fat chow. After successful modeling, the rats were divided into the model group, pravastatin sodium group(4.4 mg·kg~(-1)), lipotropic group(0.1 g·kg~(-1)), high-dose group(2.4 g·kg~(-1)), medium-dose group(1.2 g·kg~(-1)), and low-dose group(0.6 g·kg~(-1)) of Massa Medicata Fermentata, and they were administered for four weeks once daily. An equal volume of ultrapure water was given to the blank group and model group. Serum lipid level and liver hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining were used as indicators to estimate the intervention effect of Massa Medicata Fermentata on mixed hyperlipidemia, and the changes in metabolites in plasma of mixed hyperlipidemia model rats were analyzed by non-targeted metabolomics. The mechanism of the hypolipidemic effect of Massa Medicata Fermentata was analyzed through metabolite pathway enrichment. The results showed that compared with the model group, the Massa Medicata Fermentata administration group, especially the high-dose group, could significantly reduce the content of total cholesterol(TC), triglyceride(TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-c)(P<0.05 or P<0.01), and liver HE staining revealed that the number of adipocytes in the high-dose group was reduced to some extent. The potential biomarkers obtained by non-targeted metabolomics screening included glycerol 3-phosphate, sphingomyelin, sphingosine 1-phosphate, and deoxyuridine, which were mainly involved in the sphingolipid metabolism process, glycerophospholipid metabolism process, glycerol ester metabolism pathway, and pyrimidine metabolism pathway, totaling four possible metabolic pathways related to lipid metabolism. This study provides a reference for an in-depth investigation of the hypolipidemic mechanism of Massa Medicata Fermentata, which is of great significance for further promoting the clinical application of Massa Medicata Fermentata and increasing the indications.

The Interaction between Tegument Proteins ORF33 and ORF45 Plays an Essential Role in Cytoplasmic Virion Maturation of a Gammaherpesvirus.

Tegument, which occupies the space between the nucleocapsid and the envelope, is a unique structure of a herpesvirion. Tegument proteins are major components of tegument and play critical roles in virus life cycle. Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68), a member of the gammaherpesvirus subfamily, is closely related to two human herpesviruses, Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). We have previously shown that MHV-68 ORF33, conserved among all herpesviruses, encodes a tegument protein that is associated with intranuclear capsids and is essential for virion morphogenesis and egress. Another tegument protein ORF45, which is conserved only among gammaherpesviruses, also plays an essential role in virion morphogenesis of MHV-68. In this study, we investigated the underlying mechanism and showed that these two proteins colocalize and interact with each other during virus infection. We mapped the ORF33-interacting domain to the conserved carboxyl-terminal 23 amino acids (C23) of ORF45. Deletion of the C23 coding sequence in the context of viral genome abolished the production of infectious virions. Transmission electron microscopy results demonstrated that C23 of ORF45 are essential for virion tegumentation in the cytoplasm. We further mapped the ORF45-interacting domain to the N-terminal 17 amino acids (N17) of ORF33. Deletion of the N17 coding sequence in the context of viral genome also abolished production of infectious virions, and N17 of ORF33 are also essential for virion tegumentation in the cytoplasm. Taken together, our data strongly indicate that the interaction between ORF45 and ORF33 plays an essential role in cytoplasmic maturation of MHV-68 virions. IMPORTANCE A critical step in viral lytic replication is the assembly of progeny viral particles. Herpesviruses are important pathogens. A herpesvirus particle comprises, from inside to outside, four layers: DNA core, capsid, tegument, and envelope. The tegument layer contains dozens of virally encoded tegument proteins, which play critical roles in virus assembly. Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) is a tumor-associated herpesvirus and is closely related to Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus and Epstein-Barr virus. We previously found that the absence of either tegument protein ORF33 or ORF45 inhibits the translocation of nucleocapsids to the cytoplasm and blocks virion maturation, but the underlying mechanism remained unclear. Here, we showed that ORF33 interacts with ORF45. We mapped their interaction domains and constructed viral mutants with defects in ORF33-ORF45 interaction. Transmission electron microscopy data demonstrated that the assembly of these viral mutants in the cytoplasm is blocked. Our results indicate that ORF33-ORF45 interaction is essential for gammaherpesvirus replication.

Risk of Serious Infections in Patients with Bullous Pemphigoid: A Population-based Cohort Study.

Patients with bullous pemphigoid are susceptible to serious infections, which are the leading cause of death in these patients. The aims of this population-based cohort study were to investigate the incidence and spectrum of serious infections in patients with bullous pemphigoid and to identify associated risk factors. The outcome measure was any infection requiring hospitalization. Hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals were estimated using subdistribution hazard models. In total, 12,300 patients with bullous pemphigoid and 49,200 matched controls were identified through the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. Within 2 years of bullous pemphigoid diagnosis, 5,006 (40.7%) patients developed serious infections, with an incidence of 385.5/1,000 person-years. Patients with bullous pemphigoid were twice as likely to develop serious infections as controls (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.01; 95% confidence interval 1.92-2.10). Systemic corticosteroid use was the strongest risk factor, resulting in a 2-fold increase in the risk for serious infections. Other independent risk factors were advanced age, female sex, low income, and certain comorbidities. In conclusion, this study demonstrated an increased risk of serious infections following a diagnosis of bullous pemphigoid. Prophylaxis of serious infections through active intervention with the risk factors may be essential in reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with bullous pemphigoid.

[Inhibitory effect and molecular mechanism of sinomenine on human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 and SK-HEP-1 cells].

This study aimed to investigate the effect and molecular mechanism of sinomenine on proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, and combination with inhibitors in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells and SK-HEP-1 cells. The effect of sinomenine on the growth ability of HepG2 and SK-HEP-1 cells were investigated by CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, and BeyoClick~(TM) EdU-488 staining. The effect of sinomenine on DNA damage was detected by immunofluorescence assay, and the effect of sinomenine on apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells was clarified by Hoechst 33258 staining and CellEvent~(TM) Cystein-3/7Green ReadyProbes~(TM) reagent assay. Cell invasion assay and 3D tumor cell spheroid invasion assay were performed to investigate the effect of sinomenine on the invasion ability of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro. The effect of sinomenine on the regulation of protein expression related to the protein kinase B(Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3) signaling pathway in HepG2 and SK-HEP-1 cells was examined by Western blot. Molecular docking was used to evaluate the strength of affinity of sinomenine to the target cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-3(caspase-3) and STAT3, and combined with CCK-8 assay to detect the changes in cell viability after combination with STAT3 inhibitor JSI-124 in combination with CCK-8 assay. The results showed that sinomenine could significantly reduce the cell viability of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in a concentration-and time-dependent manner, significantly inhibit the clonogenic ability of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells, and weaken the invasive ability of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro. In addition, sinomenine could up-regulate the cleaved level of poly ADP-ribose polymerase(PARP), a marker of apoptosis, and down-regulate the protein levels of p-Akt, p-mTOR, and p-STAT3 in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Molecular docking results showed that sinomenine had good affinity with the targets caspase-3 and STAT3, and the sensitivity of sinomenine to hepatocellular carcinoma cells was diminished after STAT3 was inhibited. Therefore, sinomenine can inhibit the proliferation and invasion of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells and induce apoptosis, and the mechanism may be attributed to the activation of caspase-3 signaling and inhibition of the Akt/mTOR/STAT3 pathway. This study can provide a new reference for the in-depth research and clinical application of sinomenine and is of great significance to further promote the scientific development and utilization of sinomenine.

[Morin induces autophagy and apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells through Akt/mTOR/STAT3 pathway].

This study investigated the effect and mechanism of morin in inducing autophagy and apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells through the protein kinase B(Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)/signal transducer and activator of transcription protein 3(STAT3) pathway. Human hepatocellular carcinoma SK-HEP-1 cells were stimulated with different concentrations of morin(0, 50, 100, 125, 200, and 250 µmol·L~(-1)). The effect of morin on the viability of SK-HEP-1 cells was detected by Cell Counting Kit-8(CCK-8). The effect of morin on the proliferation and apoptosis of SK-HEP-1 cells was investigated using colony formation assay, flow cytometry, and BeyoClick~(TM) EdU-488 with different concentrations of morin(0, 125, and 250 µmol·L~(-1)). The changes in the autophagy level of cells treated with morin were examined by transmission electron microscopy and autophagy inhibitors. The impact of morin on the expression levels of proteins related to the Akt/mTOR/STAT3 pathway was verified by Western blot. Compared with the control group, the morin groups showed decreased viability of SK-HEP-1 cells in a time-and concentration-dependent manner, increased number of apoptotic cells, up-regulated expression level of apoptosis marker PARP, up-regulated phosphorylation level of apoptosis-regulating protein H2AX, decreased number of positive cells and the colony formation rate, an upward trend of expression levels of autophagy-related proteins LC3-Ⅱ, Atg5, and Atg7, and decreased phosphorylation levels of Akt, mTOR, and STAT3. These results suggest that morin can promote apoptosis, inhibit proliferation, and induce autophagy in hepatocellular carcinoma cells, and its mechanism of action may be related to the Akt/mTOR/STAT3 pathway.

Prevalence Trends and Influencing Factors of Post-Stroke Depression: A Study Based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

BACKGROUND We aimed to investigate the prevalence trends and explore the influencing factors of post-stroke depression based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database, including data from 2005 to 2018. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 1298 patients with stroke were included in this study. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to select influencing factors. Subgroup analysis was conducted based on different populations. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. RESULTS The prevalence of post-stroke depression was 16.35% in 2005 and 23.29% in 2018, and presented a linear upward trend by year (F=195.00, P<0.001) from 2005 to 2018. Age (≥60 years vs <60 years; OR=0.40; 95% CI, 0.30-0.54), sex (female vs male; OR=1.37; 95% CI, 1.02-1.84), education level (junior middle school or below vs college or above; OR=0.64; 95% CI, 0.46-0.90), annual household income (≥$20,000 vs <$20,000; OR=0.60; 95% CI, 0.45-0.80), and sleep disorders (sleep disorders vs no sleep disorders; OR=4.07; 95% CI, 3.01-5.49) were associated with the risk of post-stroke depression. The age-based subgroup analysis showed that sex and education level were not influencing factors of post-stroke depression in patients ≥60 years, and education level was not related to the risk of post-stroke depression among men in the sex-based analysis. CONCLUSIONS Stroke patients with sleep disorders, age <60 years, and female sex may have an increased risk of post-stroke depression.

Association between sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors and risk of psoriasis in patients with diabetes mellitus: a nationwide population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) treatment may exert anti-inflammatory effects by modulating the NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 inflammasome and interleukin-17/23 inflammatory axis, which are both involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. However, the relationship between SGLT2i treatment and psoriasis remains unclear. AIM: To investigate the association between SGLT2i treatment and incident psoriasis. METHODS: Using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database for the period 2007-2018, we matched 103 745 patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) receiving SGLT2i with a control group of patients with T2DM who did not use SGLT2i, matching them in a 1 : 2 ratio by age, sex, diabetes duration, insulin use and comorbidities, and evaluating the psoriasis risk in both groups. RESULTS: The incident psoriasis risk did not significantly differ between the SGLT2i and control groups [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.24, 95% CI 0.95-1.64] after adjustment for potential confounders. Insulin use (HR = 1.65, 95% CI 1.24-2.19) and chronic liver disease and cirrhosis (HR = 1.34, 95% CI 1.01-1.77) were significantly associated with increased psoriasis risk. A slightly increased psoriasis risk was also detected in certain SGLT2i user subgroups, especially those with renal disease (HR = 2.73, 95% CI 1.45-5.13). CONCLUSION: SGLT2i-mediated protective effects in psoriasis could not be established. SGLT2i treatment increased psoriasis risk by 2.7-fold in patients with T2DM exhibiting renal diseases.

One-step synthesis of fluorescence-enhanced carbon dots for Fe (III) on-off-on sensing, bioimaging and light-emitting devices.

Carbon quantum dots (CDs), as one of the most potential fluorescent sensing materials, have attracted lots of attention in recent years. However, the low quantum yields, complicated separation and purification procedures have limited its application and large-scale production. In this paper, a facile and universal method was successfully developed to synthesize CDs-silica (SiO2) spheres composites (CS composites), which not only demonstrates 10-fold fluorescence enhancement compared with single CDs but also enables the purification with a simple centrifugation step. Meanwhile, fabricated composites also presented superior photoluminescence (PL) stability and high PL intensity, even in some tough environments such as acid/alkali aqueous solution, high/low temperature, and high ion concentration aqueous solution. This simple, fast, low-cost, and efficient synthesis method would potentially expand the application of CDs for clinical analysis, optical sensing (ferric ion (Fe3+) and pyrophosphate), bioimaging and light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

Water-stable perovskite-on-polymer fluorescent microspheres for simultaneous monitoring of pH, urea, and urease.

Perovskite materials have attracted attention due to their excellent optical and electrical properties; however, their unsatisfactory stability limits their application in biochemical detection. In this paper, CsPbBr3 perovskite quantum dots were successfully encapsulated in poly(styrene/acrylamide) microspheres, using a swelling-shrinking method. The manufactured perovskite microspheres (PDPS composites) not only maintained strong photoluminescence (PL) stability but also demonstrated great water solubility. Additionally, a real-time pH monitoring platform was constructed based on the prepared PDPS composites and dopamine, and the system showed a good linear relationship in a pH range of 4-12. Furthermore, urea could be hydrolyzed to produce hydroxyl groups, thereby increasing the pH of the solution. Therefore, this system was then extended for urea and urease detection. As a result, the detection limits of urea and urease were recorded as 1.67 µM and 2.1 mU/mL, respectively. This development provides an interesting demonstration of the expanding list of applications of perovskite materials.

Efficient Degradation of Iopromide by Using Sulfite Activated with Mackinawite.

Iopromide (IOP), an iodinated X-ray contrast medium (ICM), is identified as a precursor to iodide disinfection byproducts that have high genotoxicity and cytotoxicity to mammals. ICM remains persistent through typical wastewater treatment processes and even through some hydroxyl radical-based advanced oxidation processes. The development of new technologies to remove ICMs is needed. In this work, mackinawite (FeS)-activated sulfite autoxidation was employed for the degradation of IOP-containing water. The experiment was performed in a 500 mL self-made temperature-controlled reactor with online monitoring pH and dissolved oxygen in the laboratory. The effects of various parameters, such as initial pH values, sulfite dosages, FeS dosages, dissolved oxygen, and inorganic anions on the performance of the treatment process have been investigated. Eighty percent of IOP could be degraded in 15 min with 1 g L-1 FeS, 400 µmol L-1 sulfite at pH 8, and high efficiency on the removal of total organic carbon (TOC) was achieved, which is 71.8% via a reaction for 1 h. The generated hydroxyl and oxysulfur radicals, which contributed to the oxidation process, were identified through radical quenching experiments. The dissolved oxygen was essential for the degradation of IOP. The presence of Cl- could facilitate IOP degradation, while NO3- and CO32- could inhibit the degradation process. The reaction pathway involving H-abstraction and oxidative decarboxylation was proposed, based on product identification. The current system shows good applicability for the degradation of IOP and may help in developing a new approach for the treatment of ICM-containing water.

Discoloration investigations of freeze-dried carrot cylinders from physical structure and color-related chemical compositions.

BACKGROUND: High carotenoid content always lead to a yellower/redder color in carrots, while a puzzling phenomenon still exists that freeze-dried carrots (FDC) have a higher carotenoid content but a lighter color compared with thermal-dried carrots. It seems that carotenoid is not the only main factor affecting sample color. Hence the discoloration characteristics of freeze-dried carrots were comprehensively analyzed from physical structure and color-related chemical composition profile. RESULTS: Outcomes of low-field nuclear magnetic resonance and scanning electron microscopy showed that sublimation of immobilized water preserved the intact porous structure of FDC, which kept the volume shrinkage below 30% and led to less accumulations of color-related compositions. Besides, results of correlation and principal component analysis-X model proved that lutein and caffeic acid mainly affected a* value (r = 0.917) and b* value (r = 0.836) of FDC, respectively. Moreover, lipoxygenase indirectly affected sample color by degrading carotenoids, and the lutein content loss for fresh and blanching FDC was 41.56% and 47.14%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The discoloration of FDC was significantly affected by both physical structure and color-related chemical compositions. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Development of a Transgenic Flammulina velutipes Oral Vaccine for Hepatitis B.

Orally administered fungal vaccines show promise for the prevention of infectious diseases. Edible mushrooms are deemed appropriate hosts to produce oral vaccines due to their low production cost and low risk of gene contamination. However, their low expression level of antigens has limited the potential development of oral vaccines using mushrooms. The low expression level might result from impurity of the transgenic mycelia since dikaryotic mycelia are commonly used as transformation materials. In this study, stable transgenic hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) in Flammulina velutipes transformants was obtained by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, followed by fruiting and basidiospore mating. The formation of HBsAg was detected by western blot analysis. The expression levels of HBsAg in transgenic F. velutipes fruiting bodies were (129.3±15.1), (110.9±1.7) and (161.1±8.5) ng/g total soluble protein. However, the values may be underestimated due to incomplete protein extraction. Two of the four pigs in the experimental group produced positive anti-HBsAg-specific IgG after being fed the HBsAg transgenic F. velutipes fruiting bodies for 20 weeks, while no anti-HBsAg antibody was detected in the control group. One of the positive pigs had HBsAg titres of 5.36 and 14.9 mIU/mL in weeks 10 and 14, respectively, but expression faded thereafter. The other positive pig displayed HBsAg titres of 9.75, 17.86 and 39.87 mIU/mL in weeks 14, 18 and 20, respectively. The successful immunogenicity in pigs fed transgenic F. velutipes fruiting bodies demonstrated the potential of using the fungus as an oral vaccine.

[Inheritance and development of traditional Mongolian medicine processing].

The processing of Mongolian medicine,which is called " mort harl" in Mongolian language,refers to a traditional processing technology to " tame" some toxic,aggressive,ineffective or inconvenient Mongolian medicines,so as to make it " compliant" to clinical needs. It is the summary of long-term experience in drug preparation by Mongolian medicine experts,one of the bridges for the dialectical unity of Mongolian medicine,the essential content in evaluation of the clinical efficacy of Mongolian medicine and the study of Mongolian medicine modernization,and also the important soft power carrier of " intangible cultural heritage" and " grassland culture" in Inner Mongolia autonomous region. In this study,the processing history,purpose,crafts,mechanism,processing standards and quality standards of Mongolian medicine were explained,and some suggestions were proposed for the problems of the Mongolian medicine processing and development: focus on the basic theory of Mongolian medicine and the clinical experience of Mongolian medicine in the development of traditional Mongolian medicine processing; strengthen the literature research on the processing method of Mongolian medicine; establish comprehensive and systematic Mongolian medicine concocts standards and quality standards; enhance the research and development of special processing equipment and process quality control instruments for Mongolian medicine; and strengthen the training of professional technicians,the protection of copyright in Mongolian medicine processing,and scientific research on Mongolian medicine processing. In the inheritance of the tradition,the latest achievements of modern scientific development can be also absorbed to provide reference for the further development of traditional Mongolian medicine processing technology.

[Effects of Shengmai Jianghuang San on intestinal flora in nude mice with radio resistant cells of nasopharyngeal carcinoma].

Modern pharmacological studies have shown that Shengmai San has the effects of enhancing immunity and improving blood circulation, and Curcumae Longae Rhizoma(Jianghuang) has anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-oxidation and other functions. Shengmai San combined with Jianghuang is a new research direction in the study of anti-tumor of traditional Chinese medicines. The main treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma is radiation therapy, but radiation therapy can cause a variety of side effects, and it also changes the composition of the intestinal flora. In this study, the 16 s rDNA sequencing platform was used to perform macro-sequence sequencing of the intestinal flora samples of nude mice bearing the veins of Shengmai Jianghuang San, and then the results of intestinal flora data were analyzed to investigate the effect of Shengmai Jianghuang San on tumors. The results showed that Shengmai Jianghuang San combined with irradiation could enhance the therapeutic effect of tumor treatment. Radiation therapy would reduce the total number and diversity of intestinal flora in nude mice, and also change the structure of the flora. Shengmai Jianghuang San could protect the diversity of colonies, and also partially restore the colony imbalance caused by irradiation. This study provides a research idea for Shengmai Jianghuang San as a sensitizing adjuvant for radiotherapy of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Spontaneous development of hepatosteatosis in perilipin-1 null mice with adipose tissue dysfunction.

Fatty liver features triglyceride accumulation in hepatocytes and often occurs with obesity and lipodystrophy in humans. Here, we investigated the mechanism of maladaptive hepatosteatosis with adipose-tissue dysfunction. Perilipin 1 (Plin1) did not exist in hepatocytes but was expressed exclusively in adipocytes as a dual modulator for regulating two principal adipose-tissue functions, triglyceride storage and breakdown. Plin1-/- mice showed decreased fat storage but increased lipolysis and efflux of fatty acids from adipose tissue, and hepatosteatosis spontaneously developed without altered circulating inflammatory adipocytokine levels. Plin1-/- adipose dysfunction impaired insulin sensitivity and hepatic glucose metabolism, which might inhibit gluconeogenesis to produce more intermediates for hepatic lipid synthesis. Indeed, the livers of Plin1-/- mice exhibited upregulated mRNA and protein expression of key enzymes and transcriptional factors for the uptake and transport of fatty acids and for de novo synthesis of triglycerides, but the expression of key enzymes and transcriptional factors for fatty-acid oxidation was downregulated. Biochemical assays in Plin1-/- mice confirmed increased fatty acid synthase activity but decreased activity of mitochondrial carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 and [3H]-palmitate oxidation in the liver. We concluded that dysregulation of two principal functions, adipose storage and hydrolysis, had deleterious consequences on the hepatic lipid metabolism and thereby caused maladaptive hepatosteatosis. This mouse model might mimic and explain the pathogenesis of hepatosteatosis occurring in two typical disorders of adipose tissue dysfunction, obesity and lipodystrophy, particularly in lipodystrophic patients with Plin1 mutation.

Methyl phenlactonoates are efficient strigolactone analogs with simple structure.

Strigolactones (SLs) are a new class of phytohormones that also act as germination stimulants for root parasitic plants, such as Striga spp., and as branching factors for symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Sources for natural SLs are very limited. Hence, efficient and simple SL analogs are needed for elucidating SL-related biological processes as well as for agricultural applications. Based on the structure of the non-canonical SL methyl carlactonoate, we developed a new, easy to synthesize series of analogs, termed methyl phenlactonoates (MPs), evaluated their efficacy in exerting different SL functions, and determined their affinity for SL receptors from rice and Striga hermonthica. Most of the MPs showed considerable activity in regulating plant architecture, triggering leaf senescence, and inducing parasitic seed germination. Moreover, some MPs outperformed GR24, a widely used SL analog with a complex structure, in exerting particular SL functions, such as modulating Arabidopsis roots architecture and inhibiting rice tillering. Thus, MPs will help in elucidating the functions of SLs and are promising candidates for agricultural applications. Moreover, MPs demonstrate that slight structural modifications clearly impact the efficiency in exerting particular SL functions, indicating that structural diversity of natural SLs may mirror a functional specificity.

Adsorption of PFOA at the Air-Water Interface during Transport in Unsaturated Porous Media.

Miscible-displacement experiments are conducted with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) to determine the contribution of adsorption at the air-water interface to retention during transport in water-unsaturated porous media. Column experiments were conducted with two sands of different diameter at different PFOA input concentrations, water saturations, and pore-water velocities to evaluate the impact of system variables on retardation. The breakthrough curves for unsaturated conditions exhibited greater retardation than those obtained for saturated conditions, demonstrating the significant impact of air-water interfacial adsorption on PFOA retention. Retardation was greater for lower water saturations and smaller grain diameter, consistent with the impact of system conditions on the magnitude of air-water interfacial area in porous media. Retardation was greater for lower input concentrations of PFOA for a given water saturation, consistent with the nonlinear nature of surfactant fluid-fluid interfacial adsorption. Retardation factors predicted using independently determined parameter values compared very well to the measured values. The results showed that adsorption at the air-water interface is a significant source of retention for PFOA, contributing approximately 50-75% of total retention, for the test systems. The significant magnitude of air-water interfacial adsorption measured in this work has ramifications for accurate determination of PFAS migration potential in vadose zones.