Methane flux at the water-gas interface is influenced by complex interactions among phytoplankton, phosphorus inputs and methane-functional bacteria: A microcosm systems study.

Phytoplankton affect carbon cycling and emissions in eutrophic reservoirs dramatically, but our knowledge about carbon emissions response to phytoplankton bloom and phosphorus enrichment is rather limited. Here we performed a microcosm experiment with five treatments to investigate how phytoplankton blooms and phosphorus addition will impact the carbon emissions and the methane-functional bacterial community. During the 43-day incubation, the CH4 and CO2 flux at the water-air interface in the five water columns fluctuated between 7.536 and 16.689 µmol and between 2788.501 and 4142.726 µmol, respectively. The flux of CH4 and CO2 during phytoplankton decay was 1.542 to 10.397 times and 4.203 to 8.622 times higher, respectively, compared to that during phytoplankton growth. Furthermore, exogenous phosphorus increases bloom biomass of phytoplankton and subsequent CH4 production, even with low nitrogen concentrations. The addition of 1 mg KH2PO4 resulted in a conservative increase of 0.0715 µmol in CH4 emission and 11.911 µmol in CO2 emission in the water column, respectively, compared to the in-situ water column. High throughput sequencing determined that hydrogenotrophic Methanoregula dominated methanogens (MPB) and Methylocystaceae dominated methanotrophs (MOB) in the sediment. Phosphorus inhibited the relative abundance of Methanoregula after incubation, resulting in a significant decrease. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction indicated that the absolute abundance of MPB and MOB (i.e., the mcrA gene and the pmoA gene) in the sediments ranged from 5.1354E+06 to 6.3176E+07 copies·g-1 and 1.1656E+06 to 9.5056E+06 copies·g-1, respectively. The mcrA gene showed a preference for sediments with high organic carbon content. The effect of eutrophication on CH4 emissions is closely related to nutrient load and distinct niche of methane-functional bacteria.

Effects of Apple Polyphenols and Taurine on Growth Performance, Tissue Morphology, and Lipid and Glucose Metabolism in Rice Field Eel (Monopterus albus) Fed High Oxidized Fish Oil.

The aim of this trial was to investigate the effects of apple polyphenols (AP) and taurine (TA) on the growth performance, tissue morphology, and lipid and glucose metabolism in rice field eel fed diets with high oxidized fish oil (OFO). A 10-week feeding experiment was conducted using juveniles (initial body weight 16.66 ± 0.02 g) fed five different diets. Three diets were formulated with various levels of OFO at 9.5, 600, and 800 meq·kg-1 and named as Control, POV600, and POV800 diet, respectively. The other two diets were POV600 and POV800 supplemented with 0.5% AP and 0.2% TA, respectively. Compared to the Control group, only the eels fed POV800 exhibited an increase in weight gain and specific growth rate along with a reduction in feed conversion ratio. AP and TA did not affect growth performance; juveniles fed AP, however, showed a decrease in liver weight. Both POV600 and POV800 decreased nuclei number and increased vacuoles size in the liver. POV800 damaged the intestinal structure integrity and reduced goblet cells number. AP repaired the liver damage on nuclei number and vacuoles size in fish fed with POV600 diet, while TA mitigated intestinal histopathological damage on intact structure and goblet cells number. The mRNA expression level of liver ampkα in fish fed AP was upregulated, while dietary TA upregulated the mRNA expression levels of liver ampkα and accα. In the muscle, POV600 downregulated mRNA expression levels of accα, cpt1, and lipin, whereas POV800 upregulated mRNA expression levels of accα, pparα, and lipin. Dietary AP and TA could counteract the effects of POV600 and POV800 diet on muscle lipid metabolism. Both POV600 and POV800 diets upregulated mRNA expression levels of liver pck1 and gsk3α. AP and TA both downregulated mRNA expression level of liver pck1, while only TA downregulated the expression of liver gsk3α. AP increased the mRNA expression level of gsk3α in muscle. In summary, inclusion of AP and TA did not affect growth performance but showed a potential to alleviate liver or intestinal damages induced by a high OFO diet. Dietary AP and TA were also found to regulate mRNA expression of genes related to lipid and glucose metabolism.

Dietary supplementation of ß-1, 3-glucan improves the intestinal health of white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) by modulating intestinal microbiota and inhibiting inflammatory response.

The phenomenon of intestinal dysfunction is widely observed in white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) culture, and ß-1,3-glucan has been confirmed to be beneficial in intestinal health with a lack understanding of its underlying mechanism. Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria served as the predominant phyla inhabiting the intestine of white shrimp, whilst a significant variation in their proportion was recorded in shrimp fed with basal and ß-1,3-glucan supplementation diets in this study. Dietary supplementation of ß-1,3-glucan could dramatically increase the microbial diversity and affect microbial composition, concurrent with a notable reduction in the ratio of opportunistic pathogen Aeromonas, gram-negative microbes, from Gammaproteobacteria compared to the basal diet group. The benefits for microbial diversity and composition by ß-1,3-glucan improved the homeostasis of intestinal microbiota through the increase of specialists' number and inhibition of microbial competition caused by Aeromonas in ecological networks; afterward, the inhibition of Aeromonas by ß-1,3-glucan diet dramatically suppressed microbial metabolism related to lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis, followed by a conspicuous decrease in the intestinal inflammatory response. The improvement of intestinal health referred to the elevation in intestinal immune and antioxidant capacity, ultimately contributing to the growth of shrimp fed ß-1,3-glucan. These results suggested that ß-1,3-glucan supplementation improved the intestinal health of white shrimp through the modulation of intestinal microbiota homeostasis, the suppression of intestinal inflammatory response, and the elevation of immune and antioxidant capacity, and subsequently promoted the growth of white shrimp.

Jieduan-Niwan Formula Ameliorates Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure by Suppressing HMGB1/TLR-4/NF-κB Signaling Pathway: A Study In Vivo and In Vitro.

Jieduan-Niwan (JDNW) formula is a traditional Chinese medicine compound created by the famous Chinese medicine expert Professor Qian Ying, and has been used clinically for decades to treat acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) and exhibits remarkable efficacy. However, the exact mechanism remains to be discovered. As an important hepatocyte damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMP) factor, high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a potential therapeutic target as an accelerator of ACLF in the pathogenesis. Therefore, the present study investigated whether JDNW inhibits the overexpression and cytoplasmic translocation of HMGB1 in ACLF liver tissue and alleviates its mediated oxidative stress and apoptosis. In vivo, an immune-induced ACLF rat model was established, and then treated with JDNW for 5, 10, and 15 d. The results showed that a large number of cytoplasmic translocations of HMGB1 occurred in the ACLF group. And there was an increase in the expression of HMGB1 in the M-5 d group. After the intervention of JDNW, the overexpression and translocation of HMGB1 were inhibited. In vitro, D-GaLN caused an increase in the expression and translocation of HMGB1 in L02 cells. Similar to the inhibitor of HMGB1, JDNW serum alleviated this kind of increase. Further tests showed that JDNW attenuated ACLF-related oxidative stress and apoptosis, and the inhibition was associated with the regulation of TLR-4/NF-κB signaling pathway. In conclusion, our present findings suggest that the therapeutic effect of JDNW on ACLF was associated with the inhibition of high expression and cytoplasmic translocation of HMGB1 during the acute injury phase, thus, attenuating oxidative stress injury and apoptosis induced by HMGB1/TLR-4/NF-κB pathway.

Simultaneous determination of 25 components in Bawei xiaobopi capsules by HPLC-QqQ-MS / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To esta blish the method for simultaneous determination of 25 components （such as berberine ， magnoflorine and hydroxysafflor yellow A ）in Bawei xiaobopi capsules. METHODS High-performance liquid chromatography- tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry （HPLC-QqQ-MS）method was adopted. The determination was performed on WondaSil C18-WR column with mobile phase consisted of 0.1％ formic acid solution-methanol （gradient elution ）at the flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. The column temperature was 25 ℃，and sample size was 5 μL. Electrospray ionization source was scanned in positive and negative ion mode at the same time ，with multiple reaction monitoring. The capillary voltage was 4 000 V（+）and 2 500 V（－）. The drying gas flow rate was 11 L/min with the temperature of 300 ℃. The pressure was 15 psi. RESULTS Totally 25 components of Bawei xiaobopi capsules had good linear relationship within a certain range ，such as magnolflorine ，jatrorrhizine，berberine， palmatine，bufotenine，bufotenidine，piperine，glycyrrhizic acid ，ferulic acid ，ferulic acid 4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside，hydroxysafflor yellow A ，chlorogenic acid ，gallic acid ，chebulagic acid ，corilagin，ellagic acid ，liquiritigenin，liquiritin，rutin，quercetin， glycocholic acid ，cholic acid ，glycochenodeoxycholic acid ，glycodeoxycholic acid ，ursodeoxycholic acid （r≥0.999 0）. The limits of quantitation were 0.62-554.50 ng/mL；the limits of detection were 0.18-166.30 ng/mL.RSDs of precision ，repeatability and stability（24 h）tests were all lower than 3.00％. The recovery rates were 80％-115％（all RSDs lower than 3.00％，n＝6）. The contents of above 25 components were 16.94-20.82，3.78-5.17，9.11-11.43，0.24-0.30，0.20-0.39，0.74-1.16，0.79-0.89，3.26-3.35， 0.48-0.66，11.96-13.35，2.30-3.12，0.19-0.21，6.07-8.83，10.42-10.48，1.43-1.64，4.17-4.76，0.14-0.15，0.46-0.52，0.04，0.01， 0.59-0.63，0.20-0.23，0.02，0.15-0.16，0.01 mg/g，respectively. CONCLUSIONS Established method is simple ，sensitive and stable，and can be used for content determination of 25 components in Bawei xiaobopi capsules simultaneously.

Quercetin Reduces Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis by Inhibiting HMGB1 and Its Translocation, Thereby Alleviating Liver Injury in ACLF Rats.

BACKGROUND: Acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a syndrome of acute liver failure that occurs on the basis of chronic liver disease, which is characterized by a rapid deterioration in a short period and high mortality. High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) may be involved in the pathological process of ACLF; its specific role remains to be further elucidated. Our previous studies have shown that quercetin (Que) exerts anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic effects by inhibiting HMGB1 in vitro. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of Que on liver injury in ACLF rats. METHODS: The contents of ALT, AST, TBiL, and PT time of rats in each group were observed. HE staining was used to detect liver pathology. The levels of oxidative stress indicators such as MDA, GSH, and 4-HNE in the rat liver were detected. TUNEL assay was used to detect apoptosis in rat hepatocytes. Immunofluorescence and western blot analysis were performed to explore the protective effect of Que on ACLF rats and the underlying mechanism. RESULTS: The results showed that Que could reduce the increase of serum biochemical indices, improve liver pathology, and reduce liver damage in ACLF rats. Further results confirmed that Que reduced the occurrence of oxidative stress and apoptosis of hepatocytes, and these reactions may aggravate the progress of ACLF. Meanwhile, the results of immunofluorescence and western blotting also confirmed that the expression of HMGB1 and extranuclear translocation in ACLF rat hepatocytes were significantly increased, which was alleviated by the treatment of Que. In addition, when cotreated with glycyrrhizin (Gly), an inhibitor of HMGB1, the inhibition of Que on HMGB1 and its translocation, apoptosis and oxidative stress, and the related proteins of HMGB1-mediated cellular pathway have been significantly enhanced. CONCLUSION: Thus, Que alleviates liver injury in ACLF rats, and its mechanism may be related to oxidative stress and apoptosis caused by HMGB1 and its translocation.

Network Pharmacology-Based Analysis on the Potential Biological Mechanisms of Sinisan Against Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most prevalent liver disease in China. Sinisan (SNS) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula that has been widely used in treating chronic liver diseases, including NAFLD. However, its underlying biological mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, we employed a network pharmacology approach consisting of overlapped terms- (genes or pathway terms-) based analysis, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network-based analysis, and PPI clusters identification. Unlike the previous network pharmacology study, we used the shortest path length-based network proximity algorithm to evaluate the efficacy of SNS against NAFLD. And we also used random walk with restart (RWR) algorithm and Community Cluster (Glay) algorithm to identify important targets and clusters. The screening results showed that the mean shortest path length between genes of SNS and NAFLD was significantly smaller than degree-matched random ones. Six PPI clusters were identified and ten hub targets were obtained, including STAT3, CTNNB1, MAPK1, MAPK3, AGT, NQO1, TOP2A, FDFT1, ALDH4A1, and KCNH2. The experimental study indicated that SNS reduced hyperlipidemia, liver steatosis, and inflammation. Most importantly, JAK2/STAT3 signal was inhibited by SNS treatment and was recognized as the most important signal considering the network pharmacology part. This study provides a systems perspective to study the relationship between Chinese medicines and diseases and helps to discover potential mechanisms by which SNS ameliorates NAFLD.

The Jieduan-Niwan (JDNW) Formula Ameliorates Hepatocyte Apoptosis: A Study of the Inhibition of E2F1-Mediated Apoptosis Signaling Pathways in Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure (ACLF) Using Rats.

BACKGROUND: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a severe, complicated human disease. E2F1-mediated apoptosis plays an important role in ACLF development. Jieduan-Niwan (JDNW) formula, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has shown remarkable clinical efficacy in ACLF treatment. However, the hepatoprotective mechanisms of the formula are barely understood. PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms of JDNW formula in ACLF treatment by specifically regulating E2F1-mediated apoptotic signaling pathways in rats. METHODS: The JDNW components were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. The ACLF rat model was established using human serum albumin immune-induced liver cirrhosis, followed by D-galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide joint acute attacks. The ACLF rat was treated with JDNW formula. Prothrombin time activity was measured to investigate the coagulation function. Liver pathological injury was observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and reticular fiber staining. The hepatocyte apoptosis index and apoptosis rate were determined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Additionally, the expression of key genes and proteins that regulate E2F1-mediated apoptosis was analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot. RESULTS: Seven major components of JDNW formula were detected. The formula ameliorated the coagulation function, decreased the hepatocyte apoptosis index and apoptosis rate, and alleviated liver pathological damage in ACLF rats. The down-regulation of the expression of genes and proteins from p53-dependent and non-p53-dependent apoptosis pathways and the up-regulation of the expression of genes from blocking anti-apoptotic signaling pathways indicated that JDNW formula inhibited excessive hepatocyte apoptosis in ACLF rats via E2F1-mediated apoptosis signaling pathways. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that JDNW formula protects livers of ACLF rats by inhibiting E2F1-mediated apoptotic signaling pathways, implying that these pathways might be a potential therapeutic target for ACLF treatment.

Current status of prevention and treatment of esophagogastric variceal bleeding in cirrhotic portal hypertension patients in Ningxia region: a multicenter study / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the current status of prevention and treatment of esophagogastric variceal bleeding (EVB) in cirrhotic portal hypertension patients in Ningxia region.Methods:The retrospective and descriptive study was conducted. The clinical data of 820 cirrhotic portal hypertension patients who were admitted to 21 medical centers in Niangxia region from January 2018 to December 2020 were collected, including 85 cases in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region People′s Hospital, 73 cases in the Fifth People′s Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, 59 cases in the Wuzhong People′s Hospital, 52 cases in the Qingtongxia People′s Hospital, 50 cases in the Guyuan People′s Hospital, 47 cases in the Yuanzhou District People′s Hospital of Guyuan City, 47 cases in the Yinchuan Second People′s Hospital, 40 cases in the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, 40 cases in the Tongxin People′s Hospital, 35 cases in the Yinchuan First People′s Hospital, 34 cases in the Third People′s Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, 32 cases in the Zhongwei People′s Hospital, 30 cases in the Lingwu People′s Hospital, 30 cases in the Wuzhong New District Hospital, 30 cases in the Yanchi People′s Hospital, 29 cases in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 28 cases in the Shizuishan Second People′s Hospital, 25 cases in the Shizuishan First People′s Hospital, 21 cases in the Haiyuan People′s Hospital, 20 cases in the Pengyang People′s Hospital, 13 cases in the Longde People′s Hospital. There were 538 males and 282 females, aged (56±13)years. Observation indicators: (1) clinical charac-teristics of cirrhotic portal hypertension patients; (2) overall prevention and treatment of EVB in cirrhotic portal hypertension patients; (3) prevention and treatment of EVB in cirrhotic portal hypertension patients from different grade hospitals. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD. Count data were described as absolute numbers, and comparison between groups was analyzed using the chi-square test. Results:(1) Clinical characteristics of cirrhotic portal hypertension patients: of 820 cirrhotic portal hypertension patients, 271 cases were in compensated stage and 549 cases were in decompensated stage. Of the 271 cases in compensated stage, there were 183 maels and 88 females, aged (53±12)years. There were 185 Han people, 85 Hui people and 1 case of other ethic group. The etiological data of liver cirrhosis showed 211 cases of viral hepatitis B, 4 cases of alcoholic liver disease, 8 cases of viral hepatitis C, and 48 cases of other etiology. There were 235 cases of Child-Pugh grade A and 36 cases lack of data. Of the 549 cases in decompensated stage, there were 355 males and 194 females, aged (57±14) years. There were 373 Han people, 174 Hui people and 2 cases of other ethic group. The etiological data of liver cirrhosis showed 392 cases of viral hepatitis B, 33 cases of alcoholic liver disease, 10 cases of viral hepatitis C, and 114 cases of other etiology. There were 80 cases of Child-Pugh grade A, 289 cases of grade B, 170 cases of grade C and 10 cases lack of data. (2) Overall prevention and treatment of EVB in cirrhotic portal hypertension patients: of 271 patients in compensated stage, 38 cases received non-selective β-blocker (NSBB) therapy, 16 cases received endoscopic treatment, 6 cases received interventional therapy. Of 549 patients in decompensated stage, 68 cases received NSBB therapy, 46 cases received endoscopic treatment, 28 cases received interventional therapy. (3) Prevention and treatment of EVB in cirrhotic portal hypertension patients from different grade hospitals: of 271 patients in compensated stage, 181 cases came from tertiary hospitals, of which 28 cases received NSBB therapy, 15 cases received endoscopic treatment, 6 cases received interventional therapy. Ninety cases came from secondary hospitals, of which 10 cases received NSBB therapy, 1 cases received endoscopic treatment. There was no significant difference in NSBB for prevention of EVB between tertiary and secondary hospitals ( χ2=0.947, P>0.05), while there was a significant difference in endoscopic treatment for prevention of EVB between tertiary and secondary hospitals ( χ2=5.572, P<0.05). Of 549 patients in decompensated stage, 309 cases came from tertiary hospitals, of which 22 cases received NSBB therapy, 29 cases received endoscopic treatment, 22 cases received interventional therapy. Two hundreds and fourty cases came from secondary hospitals, of which 46 cases received NSBB therapy, 17 cases received endoscopic treatment, 6 cases received interven-tional therapy. There were significant differences in NSBB and interventional therapy for prevention of EVB between tertiary and secondary hospitals ( χ2=18.065, 5.956, P<0.05). Conclusions:The proportion of receiving EUB prevention in cirrhotic portal hypertension in Ningxia is relatively low. For patients with compensated liver cirrhosis, the proportion of NSBB therapy and endoscopic treatment in the secondary hospitals was lower than that in tertiary hospitals. For patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis, the proportion of interventional treatment in secondary hospitals is lower than that of tertiary hospitals, but the proportion of NSBB in secondary hospitals taking is higher than that of tertiary hospitals.

Bio-Inspired Algorithms for Optimal Feature Selection in Motor Imagery-Based Brain-Computer Interface.

Recently, there is an increasing recognition that sensory feedback is critical for proper motor control. With the help of BCI, people with motor disabilities can communicate with their environments or control things around them by using signals extracted directly from the brain. The widely used non-invasive EEG based BCI system require that the brain signals are first preprocessed, and then translated into significant features that could be converted into commands for external control. To determine the appropriate information from the acquired brain signals is a major challenge for a reliable classification accuracy due to high data dimensions. The feature selection approach is a feasible technique to solving this problem, however, an effective selection method for determining the best set of features that would yield a significant classification performance has not yet been established for motor imagery (MI) based BCI. This paper explored the effectiveness of bio-inspired algorithms (BIA) such as Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), Genetic Algorithm (GA), Cuckoo Search Algorithm (CSA), and Modified Particle Swarm Optimization (M-PSO) on EEG and ECoG data. The performance of SVM classifier showed that M-PSO is highly efficacious with the least selected feature (SF), and converges at an acceptable speed in low iterations.

Network Pharmacology Approach to Explore the Potential Mechanisms of Jieduan-Niwan Formula Treating Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure.

BACKGROUND: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a clinical syndrome with acute jaundice and coagulation dysfunction caused by various inducements on the basis of chronic liver disease. Western medical treatment is limited. Previous studies have confirmed that Jieduan-Niwan Formula (JDNW Formula), an empirical prescription for the treatment of ACLF, can inhibit inflammation and resist hepatocyte apoptosis. However, potential targets and mechanisms still need to be explored. METHODS: In this study, network pharmacological analysis was performed to investigate the key components and potential mechanisms of JDNW Formula treating ACLF. Firstly, we predicted the potential active ingredients of JDNW Formula and the corresponding potential targets through TCMSP, BATMAN-TCM platform, and literature supplement. Then, the ACLF targets database was built using OMIM, DisGeNET, and GeneCard database. Based on the matching targets between JDNW Formula and ACLF, the PPI network was constructed for MCODE analysis and common targets were enriched by Metascape. Furthermore, the ACLF rat model was used to verify the potential mechanism of JDNW Formula in treating ACLF. RESULTS: 132 potential bioactive components of JDNW Formula and 168 common targets were obtained in this study. The enrichment analysis shows that the AMPK signaling pathway was associated with the treating effects of JDNW Formula. Quercetin was hypothesized to be the key bioactive ingredient in JDNW Formula and has a good binding affinity to AMPK based on molecular docking verification. JDNW Formula and quercetin were verified to treat ACLF by regulating the AMPK/PGC-1α signaling pathway as a prediction. CONCLUSION: The study predicted potential mechanisms of JDNW Formula in the treatment of ACLF, involving downregulation of inflammatory factor expression, antioxidant stress, and inhibition of hepatocyte apoptosis. JDNW Formula may improve mitochondrial quality in ACLF via the AMPK signaling pathway, which serves as a guide for further study.

Preventive effects of Rhizoma Coptidis and Atractylodes on mice with gastric-ulcer / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVES@#To detemine preventive effects of compound formula Rhizoma Coptidis and Atractylodes on mice with gastric-ulcer.@*METHODS@#The mice were randomly divided into a normal group, a gastric ulcer group, a ranitidine positive drug group, a Rhizoma Coptidis group, an Atractylodes group, and a Rhizoma Coptidis plus Atractylodes group (the ratios of Coptidis to Atractylodes were 9꞉1, 8꞉2, 7꞉3, 6꞉4, 5꞉5, or 4꞉6, respectively). Gastric ulcer models were established by intragastric administration of anhydrous ethanol after 6 days of preventive infusion. The mice were killed 6 days after the treatments. The whole stomach was opened to observe gross morphology of gastric mucosa. The pathological changes of gastric tissue were observed under microscope, and serum samples were collected to detect the contents of superoxide dimutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), NO, and endothelin-1 (ET-1).@*RESULTS@#The Rhizoma Coptidis and Atractylodes decoction significantly decreased ulcer area (<0.001), and the effects of compound formula are better than those of Coptidis and Atractylodes alone (<0.05, <0.01, or <0.001). The anti-ulcer effect of compound formula (Coptidis꞉Atractylodes=6꞉4) was the best one, and the anti-gastric ulcer effect of the high-dose group was significantly better than that of the ranitidine-positive group (<0.001). The ranitidine positive drug group, the high-dose group of Rhizoma Coptidis, the high-dose group of Atractylodes, and the high-dose group of Rhizoma Coptidis-Atractylodes (6꞉4) significantly reduced MDA, ET-1 (<0.01 or <0.001), and significantly increased SOD, NO in serum (<0.01 or <0.001).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Rhizoma Coptidis and Atractylodes decoction exerts the effect on preventing ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in mice in a ratio-dependent and dose-dependent manner. The mechanism might be related to anti-oxidation and relaxion of blood vessels. The combination of the two drugs shows a synergistic effect.

Jieduan-Niwan Formula Reduces Liver Apoptosis in a Rat Model of Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure by Regulating the E2F1-Mediated Intrinsic Apoptosis Pathway.

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a serious and complicated disease that threatens human health because its pathogenesis is unclear, and the outcome of the current therapies has been less than satisfactory. A national famous doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, Qian Ying, created the Jieduan-Niwan Formula (JDNW), based on his long-term clinical experience. However, despite the good clinical outcome, the biological mechanism by which it works is unknown. In the current study, we established an ACLF rat model by administering human serum albumin (HSA) combined with D-galactosamine (D-GalN) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to explore the potential mechanism of JDNW in treating ACLF. The rats were treated with JDNW by administration of the model substances and sacrificed after 4, 8, and 12 h. Then we divided the rats into normal group, model at 4 h, model at 8 h, model at 12 h, JDNW at 4 h, JDNW at 8 h, and JDNW at 12 h. Biochemical and histopathological examinations were performed to compare the rats in different groups. Compared with the ACLF model group, expression levels of alanine transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, and TNF-α and IL-6 proteins were reduced in the JDNW group at the corresponding time points, the survival rates of rats were increased, and the pathological condition of the liver was improved. In addition, JDNW treatment improved the ultrastructure of hepatocytes and mitochondria and decreased the hepatocyte apoptosis index. E2F1, P53, P73, Apaf-1, p14ARF, caspase-3, caspase-6, and caspase-7 levels in the JDNW group were distinctly lower than those in the untreated rats. Moreover, Bcl-2 and Mcl-1 levels increased. Thus, JDNW decreases ACLF-induced mortality in rats by modulating the E2F1-mediated intrinsic apoptotic pathway.

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Differentially Expressed Genes and Signaling Pathways Between Male and Female Red-Tail Catfish (Mystus wyckioides).

Sexual dimorphism is widespread in fish species. The red-tail catfish (Mystus wyckioides) is a commercially important catfish in the lower reaches of the Lancang River and the Mekong basin, and it shows a growth advantage in males. Here, RNA-seq was for the first time used to explore the gene expression difference between the sexes in the hypothalamus and pituitary of red-tail catfish, respectively. In the hypothalamus, 5732 and 271 unigenes have significantly higher and lower expressions, respectively, in males compared with females. KEGG analysis showed that 212 DEGs were annotated to 216 signaling pathways, and enrichment analysis suggested different levels of cAMP and glutamatergic synapse signaling between male and female hypothalami and some of the DEGs appear involved in gonad development and growth. In the pituitary, we found only 19 differentially expressed unigenes, which were annotated to 32 signaling pathways, most of which play important roles in gonad development.

Meta analysis of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of dry eye in recent years / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

· AIM:To evaluate the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the treatment of dry eye effect in the past five years by using meta analysis method.· METHODS:According to the Cochrane evaluation system method,we searched Medline (January 2013 to October 2017),EMbase (2013-2017),Cochrane Library (2017),Wanfang database (2013-2017),VIP (2013-2017),and CNKI(2013-2017) for studies published.We included randomized controlled trials conducted the TCM in the treatment of dry eye.RevMan 5.0 statistical software data extraction and Meta analysis were conducted.· RESULTS:A total of 10 studies were identified,nine were from Chinese literature and one was from English literature,of which including 1 229 eyes.Nine of these studies performed BUT measurements at the end of the course of treatment.The results showed a statistically significant difference (P ＜ 0.00001).Nine studies performed tear flow measurements at the end of the course of treatment and the results showed a statistically significant difference (P ＜ 0.0001).Two studies performed FL measurements after the end of the course of treatment;the results showed no statistically significant difference (P=0.25).Three studies performed dry eye symptoms after the end of the course of treatment;the results showed that the differences were statistically significant (P=0.0003);the overall efficacy comparison,the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P＜0.00001).· CONCLUSION:TCM treatment can significantly prolong BUT and increase tear flow,and has more advantages in the treatment of dry eye.

Facile and effective synthesis of adsorbent - utilization of yeast cells immobilized in sodium alginate beads for the adsorption of phosphorus in aqueous solution.

We compared the adsorption efficiency of phosphates onto Ca-alginate immobilized yeast and freely suspended yeast under different conditions of pH and temperature. The results clearly demonstrated that the adsorption efficiency onto Ca-alginate immobilized yeast was better than that of freely suspended yeast, and reached a maximum at pH 9.17 and 35 °C. Scanning electron microscopy was used to characterize the morphology of Ca-alginate immobilized yeast. Fitting the adsorption equilibrium data to existing models showed that the Freundlich isotherm model described the process better than the Langmuir model, and the process of adsorption followed pseudo-first-order kinetics. During the initial period of experiment, external diffusion was a key rate-controlling step, and intraparticle diffusion also contributed to the mass transport. The thermodynamic properties (Gibbs free energy change of -15.143 kJ/mol, enthalpy change of 274.118 kJ/mol, and entropy change of 290 J/(mol K)) indicated that the adsorption process was endothermic.

Ancient Literature Textual Research on Medicinal and Edible History of Cistanches Herba / 中国药学杂志

Cistanches Herba, which mainly grows in the arid or semiarid areas in northwest China, is one of the precious tonic Chinese material medica. It has been traditionally used as a nutritious food in China for thousands of years. Ancient literature with regard to the variety origin, producing areas, property and flavor, traditional effect and toxicity, usage and dosage, and edibility of Cistanches Herba are summarized in this review. The origin plants are Cistanche deserticola Y.C. Ma and Cistanche salsa (C.A. Mey.) G. Beck. The producing areas and present effect of Cistanches Herbaare the same as those in the ancient literature. It is often made into oral pills for various adult consumptive diseases. It is contraindicated in cases of essence deficiency with yang going upward adversely and diarrhea. The dietotherapy history of Cistanches Herba in China can be traced back to the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-589). Cistanches Herba braised with mutton or sheep kidneys is a time-honored dish in China to alleviate fatigue. This work is committed to providing literature evidence for further research on the raw materials of Cistanches Herba as health foods.

EST-SSR identification, markers development of Ligusticum chuanxiong based on Ligusticum chuanxiong transcriptome sequences / 中国中药杂志

Ligusticum chuanxiong is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine plant. The study on its molecular markers development and germplasm resources is very important. In this study, we obtained 24 422 unigenes by assembling transcriptome sequencing reads of L. chuanxiong root. EST-SSR was detected and 4 073 SSR loci were identified. EST-SSR distribution and characteristic analysis results showed that the mono-nucleotide repeats were the main repeat types, accounting for 41.0%. In addition, the sequences containing SSR were functionally annotated in Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway and were assigned to 49 GO categories, 242 KEGG pathways, among them 2 201 sequences were annotated against Nr database. By validating 235 EST-SSRs,74 primer pairs were ultimately proved to have high quality amplification. Subsequently, genetic diversity analysis, UPGMA cluster analysis, PCoA analysis and population structure analysis of 34 L. chuanxiong germplasm resources were carried out with 74 primer pairs. In both UPGMA tree and PCoA results, L. chuanxiong resources were clustered into two groups, which are believed to be partial related to their geographical distribution. In this study, EST-SSRs in L. chuanxiong was firstly identified, and newly developed molecular markers would contribute significantly to further genetic diversity study, the purity detection, gene mapping, and molecular breeding.

Traditional herbal formula Sini Powder extract produces antidepressant-like effects through stress-related mechanisms in rats / 中国天然药物

Sini Powder (SP), a traditional Chinese herbal formula, has long been used to treat depression in patients, although the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In the present study, we found that rats treated with SP extract for 7 days showed a significant increase in swimming time and reduction in immobility time in forced swimming test in a dose-dependent manner, without changes in locomotion. These effects could be attributed to SP's modulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, because a single pretreatment of SP extract could rescue increased serum corticosterone and plasma adrenocorticotropin levels induced by acute elevated platform stress. A single pretreatment of SP extract could also elevate the mRNA expression of hippocampal glucocorticoid receptors. In conclusion, our results suggest that SP extract may act as an anti-stress medication to produce antidepressant-like effects.

Towards determining the afferent sites of perception feedback on residual arms of amputees with transcutaneous electrical stimulation.

The coordination and combination of motion and sensation are critical to realize a natural and precise control of prosthetic hands. Transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TES) is one of possible methods to develop an intuitive perception feedback for limb amputees. However, the perception afferent sites would be a critical issue that is still unexplored in depth. This paper reports a preliminary study on using somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) to determine the proper afferent sites of perceptions on residual arms of transradial amputees. In this study, two transradial amputees with phantom finger perception (PFP) were recruited and SEP for the stimulation of median nerves and ulnar nerves were recorded and analyzed. PFP distribution maps on subjects' stumps were obtained by mechanical stimulations performed manually. Electrical stimulation was then applied to some selected sites on the stumps of their residual arms with surface electrodes to evoke SEP. In the experiments, SEP were successfully recorded, which means that the proposed method might be a suitable approach for localizing the afferent sites of perceptions, and could provide technique support for possible intuitive neural feedback for limb amputees in future work.