Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) reduces intestinal fatty acid uptake and chylomicron formation in HFD-fed mice associated with the inhibition of DHHC7-mediated CD36 palmitoylation and the downstream ERK pathway.

The anti-obesity effect of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been well elucidated, but whether CLA affects fat deposition by regulating intestinal dietary fat absorption remains largely unknown. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effects of CLA on intestinal fatty acid uptake and chylomicron formation and explore the possible underlying mechanisms. We found that CLA supplementation reduced the intestinal fat absorption in HFD (high fat diet)-fed mice accompanied by the decreased serum TG level, increased fecal lipids and decreased intestinal expression of ApoB48 and MTTP. Correspondingly, c9, t11-CLA, but not t10, c12-CLA induced the reduction of fatty acid uptake and TG content in PA (palmitic acid)-treated MODE-K cells. In the mechanism of fatty acid uptake, c9, t11-CLA inhibited the binding of CD36 with palmitoyltransferase DHHC7, thus leading to the decreases of CD36 palmitoylation level and localization on the cell membrane of the PA-treated MODE-K cells. In the mechanism of chylomicron formation, c9, t11-CLA inhibited the formation of the CD36/FYN/LYN complex and the activation of the ERK pathway in the PA-treated MODE-K cells. In in vivo verification, CLA supplementation reduced the DHHC7-mediated total and cell membrane CD36 palmitoylation and suppressed the formation of the CD36/FYN/LYN complex and the activation of the ERK pathway in the jejunum of HFD-fed mice. Altogether, these data showed that CLA reduced intestinal fatty acid uptake and chylomicron formation in HFD-fed mice associated with the inhibition of DHHC7-mediated CD36 palmitoylation and the downstream ERK pathway.

Effects of lavender essential oil inhalation aromatherapy on depression and sleep quality in stroke patients: A single-blind randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Post-stroke depression (PSD) has major implications for rehabilitation, motor recovery, activities of daily living, social and interpersonal functioning, and mortality. In view of the side effects of antidepressants, aromatherapy, a widely used non-pharmacological therapy, has received growing attention in recent years for its benefits of reduced complications, accessibility, and effectiveness. This study was designed to assess the effects of inhalation aromatherapy with lavender essential oil on depression and sleep quality in patients with PSD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty patients with PSD were enrolled and randomized into experimental and placebo groups. Experimental-group patients inhaled microencapsulated lavender essential oil every night at bedtime over a period of 4 weeks. A nonwoven bag containing 2.3 g of microcapsules with about 1.5 g of lavender essential oil was placed on or under the patient's pillow, depending on the patient's scent sensitivity. Placebo-group patients used the empty nonwoven bags for the same period as the experimental group. The 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-17), the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were used to measure outcomes. RESULTS: The HAMD-17 score, SDS score, and PSQI score showed statistically significant differences between both groups before and after intervention (P ≤ 0.01). The improvement in the experimental group was more marked than in the placebo group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Lavender essential oil inhalation aromatherapy may help reduce depression and improve sleep quality in patients with PSD.

Browning of Mammary Fat Suppresses Pubertal Mammary Gland Development of Mice via Elevation of Serum Phosphatidylcholine and Inhibition of PI3K/Akt Pathway.

Mammary fat plays a profound role in the postnatal development of mammary glands. However, the specific types (white, brown, or beige) of adipocytes in mammary fat and their potential regulatory effects on modulating mammary gland development remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the role of the browning of mammary fat on pubertal mammary gland development and explore the underlying mechanisms. Thus, the mammary gland development and the serum lipid profile were evaluated in mice treated with CL316243, a ß3-adrenoceptor agonist, to induce mammary fat browning. In addition, the proliferation of HC11 cells co-cultured with brown adipocytes or treated with the altered serum lipid metabolite was determined. Our results showed that the browning of mammary fat by injection of CL316243 suppressed the pubertal development of mice mammary glands, accompanied by the significant elevation of serum dioleoylphosphocholine (DOPC). In addition, the proliferation of HC11 was repressed when co-cultured with brown adipocytes or treated with DOPC. Furthermore, DOPC suppressed the activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway, while the DOPC-inhibited HC11 proliferation was reversed by SC79, an Akt activator, suggesting the involvement of the PI3K/Akt pathway in the DOPC-inhibited proliferation of HC11. Together, the browning of mammary fat suppressed the development of the pubertal mammary gland, which was associated with the elevated serum DOPC and the inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway.

Discovery and Optimization of Novel hDHODH Inhibitors for the Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

As a key rate-limiting enzyme in the de novo synthesis of pyrimidine nucleotides, human dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (hDHODH) is considered a known target for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Herein, BAY 41-2272 with a 1H-pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine scaffold was identified as an hDHODH inhibitor by screening an active compound library containing 5091 molecules. Further optimization led to 2-(1-(2-chloro-6-fluorobenzyl)-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridin-3-yl)-5-cyclopropylpyrimidin-4-amine (w2), which was found to be the most promising and drug-like compound with potent inhibitory activity against hDHODH (IC50 = 173.4 nM). Compound w2 demonstrated acceptable pharmacokinetic characteristics and alleviated the severity of acute ulcerative colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium in a dose-dependent manner. Notably, w2 exerted better therapeutic effects on ulcerative colitis than hDHODH inhibitor vidofludimus and Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor tofacitinib. Taken together, w2 is a promising hDHODH inhibitor for the treatment of IBD and deserves to be developed as a preclinical candidate.

Clinical benefits of FOLFOXIRI combined with bevacizumab for advanced-stage primary signet ring cell carcinoma of the appendix: A case report.

RATIONALE: Signet-ring cell carcinoma, which is an infrequent type of colorectal cancer. Abdominal pain is the primary presenting complaint of patients with acute appendicitis. It is difficult to diagnose patients with appendiceal carcinomas accompanying with symptoms of acute appendicitis. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 33-year-old female patient was admitted to our hospital, with chief complaints of "bilateral pelvic space-occupying lesions for 1 month, aggravated abdominal distension, and she accompanied with diarrhea for 3 days." DIAGNOSIS: The patient was with primary signet ring cell carcinoma of the appendix, presented with acute appendicitis, as well as bilateral ovarian metastasis and peritoneal implantation metastasis. INTERVENTIONS: She was then treated with irinotecan, oxaliplatin, calcium folinate, 5-FU combined with bevacizumab, surgical treatment, and postoperative adjuvant treatment with oxaliplatin, capecitabine regimen to consolidate the efficacy. OUTCOMES: The patient is in good conditions, and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy is in progress as well. CONCLUSION: The outcomes highlighted the importance of strict histopathologic assessment for appendiceal adenocarcinoma, and provided new ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of advanced-stage signet ring cell carcinoma of the appendix.

The impact of acupuncture combined with acupoint catgut embedding on simple obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a widespread chronic metabolic disease that significantly impairs quality of life. Studies have demonstrated the efficacy of both acupuncture and acupoint catgut embedding (ACE) in the management of obesity. However, the superiority of acupuncture combined with ACE over acupuncture alone remains a subject of controversy. This study aims to elucidate this controversy and provide robust clinical evidence. METHODS: A comprehensive search of relevant literature from the initiation to July 2022 was carried out in 8 databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane database, Web of Science, CBM Database, CNKI, Wan-fang Database, and VIP Database). We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the treatment of simple obesity using acupuncture paired with ACE, with acupuncture alone as the control group. The pooled outcomes included body mass index (BMI), body weight (BW), %BF, waist circumference (WC), hip circumferences (HC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), therapeutic effective rate (TER), and adverse events. Two independent reviewers performed screening (using EndNote X9) and quality assessment (using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool) for the included studies. with the software RevMan 5.3 was used to perform pooling of effect sizes. The certainty of the evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE). RESULTS: A total of 20 trials involving 15 datasets (1616 participants) were included. The findings demonstrated significant improvements in outcome measures when acupuncture was combined with ACE, compared with acupuncture alone (BMI: MD = -1.49 kg/m2, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -1.93 to -1.04, P < .01; BW: MD = -2.38, 95% CI = -3.86 to -0.89, P < .01; %BF: MD = -2.19, 95% CI = -3.23 to -1.15, P < .01; WC: MD = -2.01, 95% CI = -3.66 to -0.35, P < .05; HC: MD = -0.83, 95% CI = -1.64 to -0.02, P < .05; WHR: MD = -0.02, 95% CI = -0.03 to -0.01, P < .01; TER: OR = 2.68, 95% CI = 1.93-3.74, P < .01). Adverse effects were reported in 4 studies. CONCLUSION SUBSECTIONS: The results of this meta-analysis indicate that acupuncture combined with ACE is superior to acupuncture alone in the treatment of obesity, which is supported by the subgroup analysis. The assessment of efficacy may have been influenced by variations in study quality, potentially amplifying the observed effects. RCTs with larger sample sizes and improved methodological quality are needed to enhance the validity of the findings.

Effects of Si-Miao-Yong-An decoction on myocardial I/R rats by regulating gut microbiota to inhibit LPS-induced TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is primarily caused by inflammation which is closely linked to the gut microbiota. Si-Miao-Yong-An (SMYA) decoction is a traditional Chinese herbal formula with anti-inflammatory properties that found to be effective against CAD. However, it is still unclear whether SMYA can modulate gut microbiota and whether it contributes to the improvement of CAD by reducing inflammation and regulating the gut microbiota. METHODS: The identification of components in the SMYA extract was conducted using the HPLC method. A total of four groups of SD rats were orally administered with SMYA for 28 days. The levels of inflammatory biomarkers and myocardial damage biomarkers were measured through ELISA, while echocardiography was used to assess heart function. Histological alterations in the myocardial and colonic tissues were examined following H&E staining. Western blotting was performed to evaluate protein expression, whereas alterations in gut microbiota were determined by 16 s rDNA sequencing. RESULTS: SMYA was found to enhance cardiac function and decrease the expression of serum CK-MB and LDH. SMYA was also observed to inhibit the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway by downregulating the protein expression of myocardial TLR4, MyD88, and p-P65, leading to a reduction in serum pro-inflammatory factors. SMYA modified the composition of gut microbiota by decreasing the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, modulating Prevotellaceae_Ga6A1 and Prevotellaceae_NK3B3 linked to the LPS/TLR4/NF-κB pathway, and increasing beneficial microbiota such as Bacteroidetes, Alloprevotella, and other bacterial species. Moreover, SMYA was found to safeguard the intestinal mucosal and villi structures, elevate the expression of tight junction protein (ZO-1, occludin), and reduce intestinal permeability and inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that SMYA has the potential to modulate the gut microbiota and protect the intestinal barrier, thereby reducing the translocation of LPS into circulation. SMYA was also found to inhibit the LPS-induced TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway, leading to a decrease in the release of inflammatory factors, which ultimately mitigated myocardial injury. Hence, SMYA holds promise as a therapeutic agent for the management of CAD.

Identifying 2PHDO as a SOCE inhibitor from Chinese herbal extracts.

BACKGROUND: STIM- and Orai-mediated store operated calcium entry (SOCE) is a ubiquitous Ca2+ signaling process, crucial for the proper function of immune, muscle and neuronal systems. To treat SOCE-related disorder or diseases of these systems, and to mechanistically dissect activation and function of SOCE, specific SOCE inhibitors are needed. However, strategies for developing new SOCE modifiers are still limited.

Methodology: In this study, we identified a novel SOCE inhibitor named 2PHDO from a small pool of Chinese herbal extracts used for treating psoriasis. It could block SOCE and SOCE-mediated NFAT translocation in multiple types of cells with a half inhibitory concentration around 1 µM. At this concentration, 2PHDO was specific for SOCE. Mechanistically, 2PHDO didn't affect the activation of STIM1 or its physical coupling with Orai1. Rather, 2PHDO inhibited SOCE via its actions on Orai1.

Results: 2PHDO may serve as a good template for developing new medicines aiming to treat SOCE related diseases.

Conclusion: Overall, we proved the feasibility of screening and identification of novel SOCE inhibitors from active monomers of Chinese herbal medicine.

Network pharmacology-based approach to research the effect and mechanism of Si-Miao-Yong-An decoction against thromboangiitis obliterans.

BACKGROUND: Si-Miao-Yong-An decoction (SMYAD) is a conventional therapeutic formula for treat thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO), consisting of four Chinese herbs: Lonicerae japonicae Thunb. (Jinyinhua), Scrophularia ningpoensis Hemsl. (Xuanshen), Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels (Danggui) and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. (Gancao). However, the mechanism of SMYAD in TAO treatment remains unclear. METHODS: Components, as well as potential targets of SMYAD in TAO therapy, were downloaded from Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP). Subsequently, with the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) server, the gene ontology (GO) biological processes and the Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) signalling pathways of the targets enrichment were performed. Next, based on STRING online database, the protein interaction network of vital targets was built and analysed. Molecular docking and calculation of the binding affinity were performed using AutoDock. The PyMOL software was employed to observe docking outcomes of active compounds and protein targets. Based on the predicted outcomes of network pharmacology, in vivo and in vitro tests were performed for validation. In vivo experiment, the TAO rats model was established using sodium laurate injection into the femoral artery. The symptoms as well as pathological changes of the femoral artery were observed. Besides, the predicted targets were verified by the RT-qPCR, in vitro experiment. The cell viability in LPS-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was detected using CCK-8 kit, and the predicted targets were also verified by the RT-qPCR. RESULTS: In the network pharmacology analysis, we obtained 105 chemical components in SMYAD and 24 therapeutic targets. We found that the mechanism SMYAD in TAO therapy was primarily associated with inflammation and angiogenesis by constructing multiple networks. Quercetin, vestitol and beta-sitosterol were important compounds, and interleukin-6 (IL6), MMP9, and VEGFA were key targets. According to molecular docking, active compounds (quercetin, vestitol and beta-sitosterol) and targets (IL6, MMP9 and VEGFA) showed good binding interactions. In in vivo experiment, SMYAD ameliorated the physical signs and pathological changes, inhibited the expression of IL6 and MMP9, and enhanced the expression of VEGFA. In an in vitro experiment, SMYAD increased the cell viability of LPS-induced HUVECs and the expression of VEGFA, and reduced the expression of IL6 and MMP9. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that SMYAD improves TAO symptoms and inhibits the development of TAO. The mechanism could be associated with anti-inflammatory and therapeutic angiogenesis.

HJ11 decoction restrains development of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats by suppressing ACSL4-mediated ferroptosis.

HJ11 is a novel traditional Chinese medicine developed from the appropriate addition and reduction of Si-Miao-Yong-An decoction, which has been commonly used to treat ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in the clinical setting. However, the mechanism of action of HJ11 components remains unclear. Ferroptosis is a critical factor that promotes myocardial I/R injury, and the pathophysiological ferroptosis-mediated lipid peroxidation causes I/R injury. Therefore, this study explored whether HJ11 decoction ameliorates myocardial I/R injury by attenuating ACSL4-mediated ferroptosis. This study also explored the effect of ACSL4 expression on iron-dependent programmed cell death by preparing a rat model of myocardial I/R injury and oxygen glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R)-induced H9c2 cells. The results showed that HJ11 decoction improved cardiac function; attenuated I/R injury, apoptosis, oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, and iron accumulation; and reduced infarct size in the myocardial I/R injury rat model. Additionally, HJ11 decoction suppressed the expression of ferroptosis-promoting proteins [Acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2)] but promoted the expression of ferroptosis-inhibiting proteins [ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1) and glutathione-dependent lipid hydroperoxidase glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4)] in the myocardial tissues of the I/R injury rat model. Similar results were found with the OGD/R-induced H9c2 cells. Interestingly, ACSL4 knockdown attenuated iron accumulation, oxidative stress, and ferroptosis in the OGD/R-treated H9c2 cells. However, ACSL4 overexpression counteracted the inhibitory effect of the HJ11 decoction on OGD/R-triggered oxidative stress and ferroptosis in H9c2 cells. These findings suggest that HJ11 decoction restrained the development of myocardial I/R injury by regulating ACSL4-mediated ferroptosis. Thus, HJ11 decoction may be an effective medication to treat myocardial I/R injury.

First Report of Leaf Spot and Blight on Crown Daisy Caused by Cercospora apii in China.

Crown daisy (Glebionis coronaria L.), also known as chrysanthemum greens, is a popular vegetable in Asia, especially in China. The leaves have been used in folk medicine as a tonic for the liver, blood, intestines and to control anemia and high blood pressure. In November 2020, severe leaf spot and blight was observed with 80% to 95% incidence on crown daisy growing in greenhouses in Fengxian, Shanghai, China (121°22'E, 30°53'N). Irregular rounded spots appeared with a light gray center and water-soaked margins. Round lesions enlarged and merged with age, followed by the development of a necrotic area resulting in the typical "frog-eye" and causing a continuous deterioration of crown daisy. Diseased leaves were washed in running water for 30 min. Small fragments (5 × 5 mm) taken from the margin of lesions were disinfected with 1% NaClO for 3 min, rinsed three times with sterile water, cultured on potato sucrose agar (PSA) augmented with 50 mg streptomycin/liter at 26 oC,and incubated in the dark. Colonies had identical morphology, and TH11290202 was selected and deposited in the plant pathology lab of Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Mycelium was initially cottony and white and became appressed to the medium and dark brown with time. Conidia did not form on any media, including PSA, PDA, V8 agar (V8A), maize leaf carbonate agar (MLPCA), pepper leaf carbonate agar (PLPCA), etc. To confirm the identity of the pathogen, genomic DNA was extracted from TH11290202 with the cetyltrimethylammonium ammonium bromide (CTAB) method from the mycelia. Five loci were PCR amplified, namely, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), translation elongation factor (TEF), calmodulin (cmdA), histone (H3) and actin (ACT), using primers ITS1/ITS4 (White et al. 1990), EF1-728F/EF1-986R (Jaklitsch et al. 2005), CAL-F/CAL-R (O'Donnell et al. 2000), cylh3f/cylh3r (Glass and Donaldson 1995), and ACT-512F/ACT-783R (Carbone and Kohn 1999), respectively. The resulting sequences were deposited in GenBank (MW819910, MW981277, MW981278, ON798723, and MW981279). Analysis of the ITS, TEF, cmdA, H3 and ACT gene sequences of isolate TH11290202 revealed that it was a member of the genus Cercospora, sharing 99.79%, 99.66%, 98.10% 99.74% and 100% sequence similarity with type strain of Cercospora apii CBS 116455. A multilocus phylogenetic analysis was performed using sequences from other closely related taxa obtained from GenBank. Based on morphological and molecular characteristics, TH11290202 was identified as C. apii (Crous and Braun 2003; Groenewald et al. 2006; Milosavljevic et al. 2014). To confirm pathogenicity, Koch's postulates were fulfilled on 30 mature plants, which were maintained in a growth chamber (at 26 °C, relative humidity 90%, 12/12 h light/dark). Surface-sterilized leaves were sprayed with a mycelial suspension. Brown lesions were formed 7 days after inoculation on 15 plants, whereas the noninoculated controls remained asymptomatic on the other 15 plants. To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. apii causing leaf spot and blight on G. coronaria in China and will provide useful information for developing effective control strategies.

Effect of Cryotherapy plus Flurbiprofen Axetil for Pain Management in Children Undergoing Tonsillectomy.

Objective: To investigate the effect of cryotherapy using ice pops for physical analgesia and preventive analgesia using flurbiprofen axetil for pain management in children undergoing tonsillectomy. Methods: A total of 120 children scheduled for tonsillectomy were recruited after assessment for eligibility and assigned to a control group (group C), flurbiprofen axetil group (group F), cryotherapy group (group I), and cryotherapy plus flurbiprofen axetil group (Group FI) via the random number table method. Groups F and FI were given 1 mg/kg of flurbiprofen axetil through intravenous injection 30 min before surgery, while group C received an equal amount of saline at the same time point. Groups I and FI received sweet ice pops for pain relief after recovery from anesthesia. The modified Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale (mCHEOPS) scores and pediatric anesthesia emergence delirium (PAED) scores at 5 minutes (T1), 30 minutes (T2), 60 minutes (T3), 4 hours (T4), and 24 hours (T5) postoperatively, and the incidence of postoperative complications in the children were recorded by investigators who were masked to the grouping results. Results: From T1 to T4, significantly lower mCHEOPS scores and PAED scores were observed in group F, group I, and group FI versus those in group C (P < 0.05). At T2, group FI showed significantly lower mCHEOPS scores and PAED scores versus groups F and I (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the mCHEOPS scores and PAED scores between the four groups at 24 h postoperatively (P > 0.05). The differences in the documented postoperative complications between the four groups did not come up to the statistical standard (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Cryotherapy plus flurbiprofen axetil for pain management significantly mitigates post-tonsillectomy pain and delirium in children and facilitates recovery, with no significant adverse events.

Influence of fermented feed additive on gut morphology, immune status, and microbiota in broilers.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the effects of a solid-state fermented feed additive (FFA) on the small intestine histology/morphology, immunity and microbiota of broilers. Two hundred eighty-eight day-old Arbor Acre chicks, were randomly assigned to one of four groups (each group has 6 replicates, with each replicate containing 12 chickens). The negative control (NC; basal diet), the positive control (PC; basal diet +antibiotic 15 ppm), the fermented feed additive low dose (FFL; basal diet + 0.3 kg/t FFA), and the fermented feed additive high dose (FFH; 3 kg/t FFA) with Lactobacillus casei (L.casei). RESULTS: The study found that the FFH and FFL groups gained more weight (1-21d) and the FFL and PC diets had better feed conversion ratio (P < 0.05) than the NC from 0-42d. The FFH group had higher villus height (P < 0.05) in the duodenum than the PC and villus height to crypt depth ratio VH/CD compared to PC and FFL groups. The FFL chickens had greater (P < 0.05) jejunal and ileal villus height than PC and NC groups respectively. The FFL group had a higher ileal VH/CD ratio (P < 0.05). Jejunum VH/CD was higher in FFL and FFH (P < 0.05) than PC (P < 0.05). FFH had a smaller thymus than NC (P < 0.05). FFA diets also increased IL-10 expression (P < 0.05). While IL-1 and TLR4 mRNA expression decreased (P < 0.05) compared to NC. The microbiota analysis showed that the microorganisms that have pathogenic properties such as phylum Delsulfobacterota and class Desulfovibriona and Negativicutes was also significantly reduced in the group treated with FFH and PC while microorganisms having beneficial properties like Lactobacillaceae family, Lactobacillus aviarus genus and Lactobacillus spp were also tended to increase in the FFH and FFL fermented feed groups compared to the PC and NC groups. CONCLUSION: These findings suggested that the FFA diet may modulate cecal microbiota by reducing pathogenic microorganisms such as phylum Delsulfobacterota and class Desulfovibriona and Negativicutes improve beneficial microorganisms like Lactobacillaceae family, Lactobacillus aviarus genus and Lactobacillus spp. While FFA diet also affect immunity, and gene expression related to immunity.

Chemical profile and miscarriage prevention evaluation of Jiao-Ai Decoction, a classical traditional Chinese formula.

Jiao-Ai Decoction (JAD), a classical traditional Chinese formula composed of seven Chinese herbs, has been widely used in clinical practice for the treatment of abortion for a long time. However, the material basis and pharmacological mechanism remain unclear. An integrative method combining ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) analysis and therapeutic effect evaluation based on the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian axis (HPOA) was employed to elaborate these problems. Firstly, the chemical profile of JAD was identified by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS. Secondly, the main target ingredients from JAD were determined by UPLC-T-Q-MS. Finally, the miscarriage prevention of JAD on threatened abortion pregnant rats induced by mifepristone was investigated. Threatened abortion model in rats were replicated, uterine bleeding quantity (UBQ) and histopathological sections were measured, the contents of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicular stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) were determined by ELISA, related genes and protein expression levels were detected by RT-PCR and western blotting. As a result, a total of 101 compounds were identified and 27 ingredients were determined to evaluate the quality of JAD. In the model rats, JAD could effectively regulate the HPOA to achieve miscarriage prevention, and the mechanism might be related to the regulation of gene and protein expression on the HPOA. This work could provide a novel and valuable approach for the quality evaluation of JAD and were expected to provide ideas and methods for the basic research on the scientific application of similar traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions.

Effects of auricular acupressure on depression in stroke patients: A single-blind randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Post-stroke depression (PSD) has an important impact on rehabilitation, motor recovery, daily activities, social and interpersonal life, and mortality. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of auricular acupressure (AurPrs) on depression in PSD patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-six PSD patients were recruited and randomly assigned to the AurPrs group (receiving AurPrs treatment) or the sham group (receiving sham AurPrs treatment). The outcome was measured by the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-17), Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF). RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference in HAMD-17 score, SDS score and WHOQOL-BREF score between both groups before and after treatment (P < 0.01). The improvement of the AurPrs group was more obvious than that of the sham group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: AurPrs could help to reduce depression levels and improve the quality of life in patients with PSD.

Biomedical applications of 2D monoelemental materials formed by group VA and VIA: a concise review.

The development of two-dimensional (2D) monoelemental nanomaterials (Xenes) for biomedical applications has generated intensive interest over these years. In this paper, the biomedical applications using Xene-based 2D nanomaterials formed by group VA (e.g., BP, As, Sb, Bi) and VIA (e.g., Se, Te) are elaborated. These 2D Xene-based theranostic nanoplatforms confer some advantages over conventional nanoparticle-based systems, including better photothermal conversion, excellent electrical conductivity, and large surface area. Their versatile and remarkable features allow their implementation for bioimaging and theranostic purposes. This concise review is focused on the current developments in 2D Xenes formed by Group VA and VIA, covering the synthetic methods and various biomedical applications. Lastly, the challenges and future perspectives of 2D Xenes are provided to help us better exploit their excellent performance and use them in practice.

Circ-LAMP1 contributes to the growth and metastasis of cholangiocarcinoma via miR-556-5p and miR-567 mediated YY1 activation.

Dysregulation of circular RNAs (circRNAs) executes important regulatory roles in carcinogenesis. Nonetheless, few studies focused on the mechanisms of circRNAs in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). qRT-PCR was applied to verify the dysregulated circRNAs in CCA. Fisher's exact test, Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression model were utilized to investigate the clinical implications of circ-LAMP1 in the patients with CCA. The viability, apoptosis, migration and invasion of CCA cells were detected after silencing/overexpression of circ-LAMP1. Xenograft and lung metastasis assays were performed to verify the in vitro results. The regulatory networks of circ-LAMP1 were unveiled by bioinformatic analysis, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), RNA pulldown and luciferase reporter assays. Up-regulation of circ-LAMP1 was found in CCA tissue samples and cell lines. Enhanced level of circ-LAMP1 was linked to clinical severity, high post-operative recurrence and poor prognosis for the patients with CCA. Gain/loss-of-function assays confirmed the oncogenic role of circ-LAMP1 in mediating cell growth, apoptosis, migration and invasion. Nevertheless, the level of circ-LAMP1 had no effect on normal biliary epithelium proliferation and apoptosis. Animal study further verified the in vitro data. Mechanistically, circ-LAMP1 directly sponged miR-556-5p and miR-567, thereby releasing their suppression on YY1 at post-transcriptional level. Rescue assay indicated that the oncogenic role of circ-LAMP1 is partially dependent on its modulation of YY1 in CCA. In summary, this study suggested that circ-LAMP1 might be used as a promising biomarker/therapeutic target for CCA.

Extreme-Angle Silicon Infrared Optics Enabled by Streamlined Surfaces.

Infrared optical systems are indispensable in almost all domains of society, but their performances are often restricted by bulky size, small field of view, large thermal sensitivity, high fabrication cost, etc. Here, based on the concept of catenary optics, a novel isophase streamline optimization approach is leveraged to design silicon complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible metasurfaces with broadband, wide-angle, and high-efficiency performances, which breaks through the glass ceiling of traditional optical technologies. By using the truly local geometric phase, a maximum diffraction efficiency approaching 100% is obtained in ultrawide spectral and angular ranges. Somewhat surprising results are shown in that wide-angle diffraction-limited imaging and laser beam steering can be realized with a record field of view up to 178°. This methodology is scalable to the entire optical band and other materials, enabling unprecedented compact infrared systems for surveillance, unmanned vehicles, medical science, etc.

Dietary Supplementation of Lauric Acid Alleviates the Irregular Estrous Cycle and the Impaired Metabolism and Thermogenesis in Female Mice Fed with High-Fat Diet (HFD).

Lauric acid (LA) has been implicated in the prevention/treatment of obesity. However, the role of LA in modulating an obesity-related female reproductive disorder remains largely unknown. Here, female mice were fed a control diet, high-fat diet (HFD), or HFD supplemented with 1% LA. The results demonstrated that the HFD-induced estrous cycle irregularity and the reduction of serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were alleviated by LA supplementation. In possible mechanisms, LA supplementation led to significant increase in serum lipid metabolites such as sphingomyelin and lysophosphatidylcholine containing LA (C12:0) and the improvement of glucose metabolism in mice fed HFD. Moreover, impaired body energy metabolism and weakened brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis of HFD-fed mice were improved by LA supplementation. Together, these findings showed that LA supplementation alleviated HFD-induced estrous cycle irregularity, possibly associated with altered serum lipid metabolites, improved glucose metabolism, body energy metabolism, and BAT thermogenesis. These findings suggested the potential application of LA in alleviating obesity and its related reproductive disorders.

Coronavirus disease 2019 in children: Characteristics, antimicrobial treatment, and outcomes.

BACKGROUND: At present, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread in many countries. We conducted this study to help pediatricians understand the conditions of COVID-19 in children. METHODS: We retrospectively summarized the characteristics, treatment and outcomes of pediatric cases in Wuhan Children's Hospital which was the only designated hospital for children with COVID-19 in Hubei Province. A Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to evaluate factors associated with clinical outcomes. RESULTS: As of February 29, 75 children had been discharged, of which only one was has severe pneumonia and one was critical cases. Children younger than 2 years were more susceptible to COVID-19. All patients have received interferon-α nebulization, and eight cases including the severe and critical cases were co-administrated ribavirin. Five patients with mild pneumonia were given arbidol. Twenty-three patients were given traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The average length of stay (LOS) and the time of SARS-CoV-2 clearance were 10.57 and 6.39 days, respectively. None of the factors was associated with LOS or time of SARS-CoV-2 clearance. CONCLUSIONS: The severity of COVID-19 in pediatric cases were milder than adults. The efficacy of the antiviral therapy in children with COVID-19 remains to be evaluated.