Extraction of eutrophic and green ponds from segmentation of high-resolution imagery based on the EAF-Unet algorithm.

Inland ponds exhibit remarkable ubiquity across the globe, playing a vital role in the sustainability of global continental freshwater resources and contributing significantly to their biodiversity. Numerous ponds are eutrophic and experience recurrent seasonal or year-round algal blooms or persistent duckweed cover, conferring a characteristic green hue. Here, we denote these eutrophic and green ponds as EGPs. The excessive proliferation of algal blooms and duckweed within these EGPs poses a significant threat to the ecological functioning of these aquatic systems, which can lead to hypoxia or the release of microcystins. To identify these EGPs automatically, we constructed an Efficient Attention Fusion Unet (EAF-Unet) algorithm using Gaofen-2 (GF2) panchromatic and multispectral imagery. The attention mechanism was incorporated in Unet to help better detect EGPs. Using the first EGP labeled dataset, we determined the best input feature combination (RGB, NIR, NDVI, and Bright) and the most effective encoding (Rasnet50) for EAF-Unet for distinguishing EGPs from other ground cover types. The evaluation indices - Precision (0.81), Recall (0.79), F1-Score (0.80), and Intersection over Union (IoU, 0.67) - indicate that EAF-Unet can accurately and robustly extract EGPs from GF2 images without relying on pond water masks. Remote-sensing EGP products can assist in identifying ponds with severe eutrophication. Moreover, these products can serve as references for identifying high-risk areas prone to improper sewage discharge or inadequate sewer construction.

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.

Development and internal validation of a non-invasive clinical tool to predict sufficient omega-3 levels in early pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Complications from preterm birth (PTB) are the leading cause of death and disability in those under five years. Whilst the role of omega-3 (n-3) supplementation in reducing PTB is well-established, growing evidence suggests supplementation use in those replete may increase the risk of early PTB. AIM: To develop a non-invasive tool to identify individuals with total n-3 serum levels above 4.3% of total fatty acids in early pregnancy. METHODS: We conducted a prospective observational study recruiting 331 participants from three clinical sites in Newcastle, Australia. Eligible participants (n = 307) had a singleton pregnancy between 8 and 20 weeks' gestation at recruitment. Data on factors associated with n-3 serum levels were collected using an electronic questionnaire; these included estimated intake of n-3 (including food type, portion size, frequency of consumption), n-3 supplementation, and sociodemographic factors. The optimal cut-point of estimated n-3 intake that predicted mothers with total serum n-3 levels likely above 4.3% was developed using multivariate logistic regression, adjusting for maternal age, body mass index, socioeconomic status, and n-3 supplementation use. Total serum n-3 levels above 4.3% was selected as previous research has demonstrated that mothers with these levels are at increased risk of early PTB if they take additional n-3 supplementation during pregnancy. Models were evaluated using various performance metrics including sensitivity, specificity, area under receiver operator characteristic (AUROC) curve, true positive rate (TPR) at 10% false positive rate (FPR), Youden Index, Closest to (0,1) Criteria, Concordance Probability, and Index of Union. Internal validation was performed using 1000-bootstraps to generate 95% confidence intervals for performance metrics generated. RESULTS: Of 307 eligible participants included for analysis, 58.6% had total n-3 serum levels above 4.3%. The optimal model had a moderate discriminative ability (AUROC 0.744, 95% CI 0.742-0.746) with 84.7% sensitivity, 54.7% specificity and 37.6% TPR at 10% FPR. CONCLUSIONS: Our non-invasive tool was a moderate predictor of pregnant women with total serum n-3 levels above 4.3%; however, its performance is not yet adequate for clinical use. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was approved by the Hunter New England Human Research Ethics Committee of the Hunter New England Local Health District (Reference 2020/ETH00498 on 07/05/2020 and 2020/ETH02881 on 08/12/2020).

Mediating a host cell signaling pathway linked to overwinter mortality offers a promising therapeutic approach for improving bee health.

INTRODUCTION: Honey bees provides valuable pollination services for world food crops and wild flowering plants which are habitats of many animal species and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, a powerful tool in the fight against climate change. Nevertheless, the honey bee population has been declining and the majority of colony losses occur during the winter. OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to understand the mechanisms underlying overwinter colony losses and develop novel therapeutic strategies for improving bee health. METHODS: First, pathogen prevalence in overwintering bees were screened between 2015 and 2018. Second, RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) for transcriptional profiling of overwintering honey bees was conducted and qRT-PCR was performed to confirm the results of the differential expression of selected genes. Lastly, laboratory bioassays were conducted to measure the effects of cold challenges on bee survivorship and stress responses and to assess the effect of a novel medication for alleviating cold stress in honey bees. RESULTS: We identified that sirtuin signaling pathway is the most significantly enriched pathway among the down-regulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in overwintering diseased bees. Moreover, we showed that the expression of SIRT1 gene, a major sirtuin that regulates energy and immune metabolism, was significantly downregulated in bees merely exposed to cold challenges, linking cold stress with altered gene expression of SIRT1. Furthermore, we demonstrated that activation of SIRT1 gene expression by SRT1720, an activator of SIRT1 expression, could improve the physiology and extend the lifespan of cold-stressed bees. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that increased energy consumption of overwintering bees for maintaining hive temperature reduces the allocation of energy toward immune functions, thus making the overwintering bees more susceptible to disease infections and leading to high winter colony losses. The novel information gained from this study provides a promising avenue for the development of therapeutic strategies for mitigating colony losses, both overwinter and annually.

Randomized controlled trial of early arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid enteral supplementation in very preterm infants.

Objective: To evaluate changes in blood long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) and oxylipin concentrations in very preterm infants from birth to 36 weeks' postmenstrual age (WPA) after providing an emulsified arachidonic acid (ARA):docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplement at two different concentrations. Study design: This prospective, randomized trial assigned infants to receive a supplement (1) 80:40 group (80 mg/kg/day ARA and 40 mg/kg/day DHA, n = 9) or (2) 120:60 group (120 mg/kg/day ARA and 60 mg/kg/day DHA, n = 9). Infants received supplement daily from birth until 36 WPA. At baseline, 21 days of life and 36 WPA, the LCPUFAs were measured in plasma by gas chromatography/mass spectrophotometry. Additionally, LCPUFAs and oxylipins were analyzed in whole blood by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Furthermore, a sample of oral mucosa was obtained to analyze single-nucleotide polymorphism located in the FADS1 gene by PCR. Results: Gestational age was similar between groups (80:40 = 28+6 [27+3; 30+3] completed weeks+days ; 120:60 = 29+6 [27+3; 30+5] completed weeks+days , p = 0.83). At 36 WPA, the change in plasma ARA was significantly different between groups (80:40 group = 0.15 [-0.67; 0.69] %nmol, 120:60 = 1.68 [1.38; 3.16] %nmol, p = 0.031). In whole blood, the levels of ARA-derived oxylipins (5-, 8-, 9-, 11-, 15-HETE and 8,9-EET) and EPA-derived oxylipins (18-HEPE) significantly increase from baseline to 36 WPA in the 120:60 group than the 80:40 group. Conclusion: Supplementation at high doses (120:60 mg/kg/day) increased levels of ARA, and EPA- and ARA-derived oxylipins compared to low doses (80:40 mg/kg/day). Differences were detected in EPA metabolites without a significant increase in plasma DHA.

Translating n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid status from whole blood to plasma and red blood cells during pregnancy: Translating n-3 status across blood fractions in pregnancy.

Women with low n-3 (omega-3) status in pregnancy can reduce their risk of early preterm birth (<34 weeks' gestation) through n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) supplementation. As investigators measure fatty acid status in different blood fractions, equations are needed to compare results across studies. Similarly, derived cut-points for defining low and replete n-3 status are needed to assist clinical interpretation during early pregnancy. Our aims were to develop equations to convert the percentage of total n-3 fatty acids, EPA+DHA and DHA between whole blood, plasma and red blood cells (RBC), and to derive cut-points for defining low and replete total n-3 fatty acid status in plasma and RBC from those already established in whole blood. Using blood samples from 457 pregnant women in a multicentre randomised controlled trial, equations for these interconversions were developed using simple linear regression models. Measures of n-3 fatty acid status in whole blood and plasma were strongly related (R2 > 0.85), while more moderate relationships were observed between measures in whole blood and RBC (R2 0.55 - 0.71), or plasma and RBC (R2 0.55 - 0.63). Using the conversion equations, established cut-points for low and replete n-3 status in whole blood (<4.2% and >4.9% of total fatty acids) converted to <3.7% and >4.3% of plasma total fatty acids, and to <7.3% and >8.1% of RBC total fatty acids. Agreement to define low and replete n-3 status was better between whole blood and plasma, rather than between whole blood and RBC. Our data also show that total n-3 fatty acids in plasma and serum are interchangeable. We conclude that either whole blood or plasma total n-3 fatty acids can be used to define low status in pregnancy and identify women who will most benefit from n-3 LCPUFA supplementation to reduce their risk of early birth. Further research is needed to determine the clinical utility of other fatty acid measures in various blood lipid fractions.

Therapeutic potential of Moringa oleifera seed polysaccharide embedded silver nanoparticles in wound healing.

Wound healing is a complicated process that influences patient's life quality. Plant-based polysaccharide has recently gained interest in its use in wound dressing materials because of its biological compatibility, natural abundance, and ideal physiochemical properties. The present study reveals the potential of polysaccharide isolated from Moringa oleifera seed (MOS-PS) and its nanocomposite with silver (MOS-PS-AgNPs) as alternative materials for wound dressing. First, MOS-PS was isolated and structurally characterized by TLC, HPLC, FTIR, NMR, and GPC analyses. A green and simple method was used to synthesize AgNPs using MOS-PS as a stabilizing and reducing agent. The size, morphology, and structure of the MOS-PS-AgNPs were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and zeta potential analysis. The results showed that the MOS-PS-AgNPs were spherically shaped, having no cytotoxicity toward mouse fibroblasts cells and promoting their in-vitro migration. Moreover, the MOS-PS-AgNPs displayed strong anti-microbial activity against wound infectious pathogenic bacteria. Finally, the MOS-PS-AgNPs were used for dressing animal wounds and its preliminary mechanism was studied by RT-PCR and histological analysis. The results showed that the MOS-PS-AgNPs can promote wound contraction and internal tissue growth well. Overall, our results indicated that the MOS-PS-AgNPs might be an excellent candidate for use as an optimal wound dressing material.

Circulating fatty acids and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: prospective analyses in China.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to examine prospective associations between circulating fatty acids in early pregnancy and incident gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) among Chinese pregnant women. METHODS: Analyses were based on two prospective nested case-control studies conducted in western China (336 GDM cases and 672 matched controls) and central China (305 cases and 305 matched controls). Fasting plasma fatty acids in early pregnancy (gestational age at enrollment: 10.4 weeks(s.d., 2.0)) and 13.2 weeks (1.0), respectively) were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and GDM was diagnosed based on the International Association of Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Groups criteria during 24-28 weeks of gestation. Multiple metabolic biomarkers (HOMA-IR (homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance), HbA1c, c-peptide, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, adiponectin, leptin, and blood lipids) were additionally measured among 672 non-GDM controls at enrollment. RESULTS: Higher levels of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) 14:0 (pooled odds ratio, 1.41 for each 1-s.d. increase; 95% CI: 1.25, 1.59) and 16:0 (1.19; 1.05, 1.35) were associated with higher odds of GDM. Higher levels of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) 18:2n-6 were strongly associated with lower odds of GDM (0.69; 0.60, 0.80). In non-GDM pregnant women, higher SFAs 14:0 and 16:0 but lower n-6 PUFA 18:2n-6 were generally correlated with unfavorable metabolic profiles. CONCLUSIONS: We documented adverse associations of 14:0 and 16:0 but a protective association of 18:2n-6 with GDM among Chinese pregnant women. Our findings highlight the distinct roles of specific fatty acids in the onset of GDM.

Omega-3 fatty acids ameliorate vascular inflammation: A rationale for their atheroprotective effects.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Clinical trials have demonstrated reductions in major adverse cardiovascular events with purified high-dose eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), independent of effects on lipids. We aimed to investigate whether omega-3 fatty acids reduce vascular inflammation, a critical mediator of atherosclerosis, and hypothesised that EPA is superior to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). METHODS: In a double-blind randomised controlled trial and cell-culture study, 40 healthy volunteers were supplemented with 4 g daily of either EPA, DHA, fish oil (2:1 EPA:DHA), or placebo for 30 days. Serum was incubated with TNF-stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and markers of acute vascular inflammation (AVI) were measured. The effects of EPA, DHA (600 mg/kg/day), olive oil, or no treatment were also measured in preclinical models of [1] AVI using a periarterial collar (C57Bl/6J; n = 40 mice) and [2] atherosclerosis where ApoE-/- mice (n = 40) were fed a 16-week atherogenic diet. RESULTS: EPA supplementation reduced expression of C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) by 25% compared to placebo (p = 0.03). In the AVI model, EPA reduced vascular expression of VCAM1 by 43% (p = 0.02) and CCL2 by 41% (p = 0.03). Significant inverse correlations were observed between EPA levels and vascular expression of VCAM1 (r = -0.56, p = 0.001) and CCL2 (r = -0.56, p = 0.001). In ApoE-/- mice, EPA reduced aortic expression of Il1b by 44% (p = 0.04) and Tnf by 49% (p = 0.04), with similar inverse correlations between EPA levels and both Il1b (r = -0.63, p = 0.009) and Tnf (r = -0.50, p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation with EPA, more so than DHA, ameliorates acute and chronic vascular inflammation, providing a rationale for the cardiovascular benefit observed with high dose omega-3 fatty acid administration.

Human pluripotent stem cell-based cardiovascular disease modeling and drug discovery.

Heart diseases are prevalent worldwide and account for the highest mortality than any other illness. Although investment in drug discovery and development has increased, the amount of drug approvals has seen a progressive decline. Moreover, adverse side effects to the heart have become the most common reasons for preclinical project cessation, partly due to the lack of suitable humanized preclinical models. Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) have emerged as a powerful non-animal platform to model heart disease, to screen for novel drugs, and to test drug cardiotoxicity in a high-throughput and cost-effective manner. Here, we review and discuss recent breakthroughs in the development of cardiovascular modeling and their current and future applications of hPSC-based drug discovery and testing.

Calcium protects bacteria against cadmium stress via reducing nitric oxide production and increasing iron acquisition.

Cadmium (Cd) is a common toxic heavy metal in the environment, and bacteria have evolved different strategies against Cd-toxicity. Here, we found that marine bacterium Bacillus sp. 98 could significantly alleviate Cd-toxicity by recruiting calcium (Ca) for reducing excessive intracellular nitric oxide (NO) and enhancing iron acquisition. To investigate the underlying mechanisms, mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis was applied to Bacillus sp. 98 after treated with Cd supplemented with or without Ca. Compared with bacterial cells treated with Cd only, the proteomic results showed that the expression level of NO synthase was markedly down-regulated, while the expression levels of NO dioxygenase, which is responsible for converting NO to nitrate, and proteins associated with iron uptake were profoundly enhanced when Ca was supplemented. Consistently, bacterial intracellular NO amount was dramatically increased after Bacillus sp. 98 was treated with Cd, and reversed to a normal level when Ca or iron was supplemented. Notably, Ca also protected bacteria against stresses from other heavy metals including Cu, Cr, Mn, Ni and Zn, and this self-protection strategy was adopted as well in zebrafish, which encourages us to develop Ca-associated products against heavy metals toxicity in the future.

Effect of parenteral lipid emulsion on preterm infant PUFAs and their downstream metabolites.

OBJECTIVE: Oxylipins synthesized by oxidation of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) are bioactive downstream lipid mediators. The aim of this study was to describe oxylipin levels in preterm infants born 30 to 33 weeks' gestation who were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial in which peripheral parenteral nutrition (P-PN), including lipid emulsion (containing soy, medium chain triglyceride, olive and fish oil), was compared with 10% glucose on growth during the transition to enteral feeds. METHODS: Of the 92 infants randomized to the P-PN study, the first 72 (P-PN n = 34, control n = 38) had blood taken for fatty acid analyses. P-PN infants received parenteral nutrition including 3% protein, 8% glucose and 17% SMOFlipid® lipid (containing soy, medium chain triglyceride, olive and fish oil), and control infants 10% glucose. Both groups commenced enteral feeds when clinically stable. 32 oxylipins and 5 free fatty acids were screened (using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry), and 5 total LCPUFA were measured (using gas chromatography), on study days 1 (baseline), 2, 4, 7, 14 and 21. RESULTS: Both total and free LA, ALA and EPA were significantly higher in the P-PN group compared with control over the first week of life. Whereas total AA was significantly lower and free DHA significantly higher over the same time period. All LA, ALA, EPA and four DHA derived oxylipins detected were significantly higher in the P-PN group compared with the control group during the first week of life, with three AA derived oxylipins significantly lower and one significantly higher. CONCLUSIONS: Parenteral lipid emulsion resulted in a change in total and free fatty acids and related oxylipins with the profiles suggesting increased omega-6 driven inflammation. Further studies to investigate the association between the oxylipin levels and nutrition and to determine whether the oxylipin profiles influence the clinical outcome in preterm infants are warranted.

The complete chloroplast genome of Hemerocallis citrina (Asphodelaceae), an ornamental and medicinal plant.

Hemerocallis citrina (Asphodelaceae) has been wildly cultivated as ornamental and medicinal plant. Here, we reported the first chloroplast genome sequence of H. citrina. The chloroplast genome size is 156,088 bp with GC content of 37.3%, including a large single-copy (LSC) of 84,843 bp, a small single-copy (SSC) of 18,507 bp, and a pair of 26,369 bp IR(inverted repeat) regions. A total of 133 genes were annotated including 87 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that H. citrina belongs to the Hemerocallis genus in Asphodelaceae family.

Variability of chlorophyll and the influence factors during winter in seasonally ice-covered lakes.

Lake ice is an essential and integral part of the cryosphere and freshwater systems. The formation of lake ice affects the physical, hydrological, and biological conditions of ecological systems. Global warming may contribute to even shorter periods of ice cover in the lakes of the Frigid Zone, which adversely affects the growth of phytoplankton and primary productivity. This study was conducted for the purpose of evaluating the growth of phytoplankton and factors involved, in 28 ice-covered lakes across the Songnen Plain, in the Northeast of China, to understand how they take part in the whole-ecosystem functioning. A total of 1026 water samples were collected in April, September, and January during the period 2014-2018. In the frozen period, the concentration levels of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) were all comparable with the spring and autumn. Despite the limited light availability and low temperature, the phytoplankton survived in sub-ice waters during winter with a low concentration of chlorophyll a (Chla). Its average concentration was positively correlated with the concentration observed in the previous autumn (rp = 0.563, p < 0.01). According to the regression tree analysis, during the winter period, Chla was mainly related to the concentration of TN in sub-ice water (TNwater) and with the difference of concentration of TP between water and ice (TPcd). Furthermore, either in ice or in sub-ice water, the concentration of Chla was also significantly affected by total suspended matter (TSM) (p < 0.05). The levels of TNwater, TPcd, and TSM could explain the 77.8% of the variance in the concentration of Chla during winter with contributions in the ranges of 25.5%-35.0%, 9.2%-11.3%, and 21.5%-34.0%, respectively (p < 0.05). This research substantially contributes to comprehending how the existing conditions under-ice affect the whole ecosystem when the ice cover is reduced lakes or rivers.

Total glucosides of paeony (TGP) alleviates constipation and intestinal inflammation in mice induced by Sjögren's syndrome.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disease and can cause gastrointestinal disorders such as constipation and intestinal inflammation. As a kind of medicinal material, Paeonia lactiflora Pall has a variety of pharmacological effects, and it is also an indispensable component in many pharmaceutical preparations, which has been widely concerned by the medical and pharmaceutical circles. Total glucosides of paeony (TGP) is a mixture of biologically active compounds extracted from the root of Paeonia lactiflora Pall and has therapeutic effects on a variety of autoimmune diseases. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the therapeutic effect of TGP on constipation and intestinal inflammation in mice modeled by SS, and to provide a basis for clinical research. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The SS model was set up by submandibular gland (SMG) immune induction method and then treated with TGP for 24 weeks. The fecal characteristics were observed and the fecal number and moisture content were measured. Colonic pathology was observed by H&E staining. The levels of serum P substance (SP), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), interleukin (IL)-1ß, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, nuclear factor (NF)-κB, nitric oxide (NO), and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and microplate method, respectively. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was employed to analyze the mRNA expression of c-kit and stem cell factor (SCF) in colon. RESULTS: Compared with the model group, the dry and rough condition of the feces was improved, and the fecal gloss, number and moisture content significantly increased after the administration of TGP capsules. Meanwhile, TGP treatment improved colonic pathological damage, inhibited the serum concentrations of NO, NOS, IL-1ß, TNF-α, NF-κB and SP, increased serum VIP concentration, and up-regulated mRNA expression of SCF and c-kit in colon. CONCLUSIONS: TGP could obviously attenuate SS-mediated constipation and intestinal inflammation in mice by acting on some intestinal motility related factors and inflammatory factors.

Total glucosides of paeony (TGP) alleviates Sjogren's syndrome through inhibiting inflammatory responses in mice.

BACKGROUND: Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease whose etiology is complicated. Total glucosides of paeony (TGP) has a variety of pharmacological effects. PURPOSE: To evaluate the therapeutic effects of TGP on SS in mice and anti-inflammatory mechanism. STUDY DESIGN: SS animal model was developed from C57BL/6J mice through immunological induction (SS mice) and NOD/ShiltJNju (NOD) mice. Inflammatory cytokines and other related indicators were measured. METHODS: TGP (720, 360, 180 mg/kg) was intragastrically administered for 6 or 16 weeks for SS mice and NOD mice, respectively. Average food and water intake, average body weight, saliva flow, submandibular gland (SMG) and spleen index, and SMG pathology were measured. ELISA was used to evaluate serum inflammatory cytokines in SS mice and autoantigens in NOD mice. Real-time PCR, Western blot and Luminex liquid suspension chip assay were applied to analyze SMG inflammatory cytokines mRNA and protein expression of NOD mice. RESULTS: Compared with SS mice, TGP treatment improved SMG pathological damage. TGP (720 mg/kg) treatment increased saliva flow, and reduced organ indexes and serum IL-6 and IFN-γ concentration. TGP (360 mg/kg) treatment decreased serum IFN-γ concentration. TGP (180 mg/kg) treatment for 6 weeks decreased average body weight. Compared with NOD mice, TGP treatment increased saliva flow from 9 to 15 weeks, decreased body weight, and alleviated pathological damage of SMG after 2 and 16 weeks. After 2 weeks of administration, TGP treatment inhibited serum concentration of SSB/La, SSA/Ro and α-fodrin, decreased TNF-α, IL-1ß and IFN-γ in SMG, and down-regulated protein expressions of BAFF and IL-17A and mRNA expressions of BAFF, TNF-α, IL-17A, CXCL9 and CXCL13 in SMG. After 8 weeks of administration, TGP treatment decreased the concentration of α-fodrin in serum, TNF-α and IL-6 in SMG, and down-regulated mRNA expressions of IL-17A, TNF-α, CXCL9, CXCL13 and BAFF and protein expressions of IL-17A and BAFF in SMG. After 16 weeks of administration, TGP treatment reduced serum SSA/Ro, SSB/La and α-fodrin concentration, and decreased BAFF protein expression and TNF-α, CXCL9, CXCL13, IL-17A, and BAFF mRNA expressions. CONCLUSION: TGP has a certain therapeutic effect on SS mice and NOD mice through inhibiting inflammatory responses.

Ethanol Extract of Caesalpinia decapetala Inhibits Influenza Virus Infection In Vitro and In Vivo.

Influenza virus infections can lead to viral pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome in severe cases, causing significant morbidity and mortality and posing a great threat to human health. Because of the diversity of influenza virus strains and drug resistance to the current direct antiviral agents, there have been no effective drugs as yet to cure all patients infected by influenza viruses. Natural products from plants contain compounds with diverse structures that have the potential to interact with multiple host and virus factors. In this study, we identified the ethanol extract of Caesalpinia decapetala (Roth) Alston (EEC) as an inhibitor against the replication of a panel of influenza A and B viruses both on human pulmonary epithelial A549 and human monocytic U937 cells. The animal study revealed that EEC administration reduces the weight loss and improves the survival rate of mice infected with lethal influenza virus. Also, EEC treatment attenuated lung injury and reduced virus titer significantly. In conclusion, we showed that EEC has antiviral activity both in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that the plant C. decapetala has the potential to be further developed as a resource of new anti-influenza drugs.

Qingyi decoction protects against myocardial injuries induced by severe acute pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND: We studied the protective effects of Qingyi decoction (QYD) (a Traditional Chinese Medicine) against severe acute pancreatitis (SAP)-induced myocardial infarction (MI). AIM: To study the function and mechanism of QYD in the treatment of myocardial injuries induced by SAP. METHODS: Ultrasonic cardiography, hematoxylin and eosin staining, immunohistochemistry, qRT-PCR, western blot, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and apoptosis staining techniques were used to determine the effects of QYD following SAP-induced MI in Sprague-Dawley rats. RESULTS: Our SAP model showed severe myocardial histological abnormalities and marked differences in the symptoms, mortality rate, and ultrasonic cardiography outputs among the different groups compared to the control. The expression of serum cytokines [interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, amyloid ß, and tumor necrosis factor-α] were significantly higher in the SAP versus QYD treated group (P < 0.05 for all). STIM1 and Orai1 expression in myocardial tissue extracts were significantly decreased post QYD gavage (P < 0.001). There was no significant histological difference between the 2-aminoethyl diphenylborinate inhibitor and QYD groups. The SAP group had a significantly higher apoptosis index score compared to the QYD group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: QYD conferred cardio-protection against SAP-induced MI by regulating myocardial-associated protein expression (STIM1 and Orai1).

Pure omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (EPA, DPA or DHA) are associated with increased plasma levels of 3-carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropanoic acid (CMPF) in a short-term study in women.

3-Carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropanoic acid (CMPF) is a metabolite of furan fatty acids found in plasma and urine of humans after consumption of foods containing these fatty acids. Recently, CMPF has been identified as a prominent metabolite following the consumption of either fish oil, fish oil fatty acid-ethyl esters or diets rich in fish. As furan fatty acids are known to occur in fish and fish oils (at a low level), it is possible that in these studies the CMPF in plasma originated from furan fatty acids. We report the plasma CMPF levels in 10 healthy women who consumed 1 gram of pure eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), or docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), or olive oil daily for 6 days, in a cross-over study. The supplemented omega 3 fatty acids contained no detectable levels of furan fatty acids. The plasma CMPF and omega 3 fatty acid levels were measured by LC-MS/MS. Consumption of pure omega 3 fatty acids led to a significant increase in the plasma CMPF levels, but not with olive oil (from 1.6 to 2.5-fold compared with baseline). The plasma free fatty acid levels of EPA, DPA and DHA also increased significantly when they were supplemented (p < 0.05). Significant positive correlations existed between the plasma free fatty acid DPA and DHA levels (p < 0.05 and r = +0.49 to +0.81), but not between the EPA and CMPF levels. These data suggest that purified long chain omega 3 fatty acids may be precursors of CMPF; however the metabolic pathway(s) from omega 3 fatty acids to CMPF remain to be elucidated.

Identification and quantification of Meiguihua oral solution using liquid chromatography combined with hybrid quadrupole-orbitrap and triple quadrupole mass spectrometers.

Meiguihua oral solution (MOS), a classical Chinese medicinal formula, was approved by the China Food and Drug Administration for production. However, the quality evaluation of MOS has not been reported. In this present study, qualitative and quantitative analysis of MOS were conducted by ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole-orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-orbitrap-HRMS) and high performance liquid chromatography-tri-quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometry (HPLC-tri-Q-LIT-MS). Totally 46 phenolic compounds (21 flavonoids and 25 tannins) were identified in the MOS, among them 14 polyphenols were not reported in raw plant materials of MOS. The simultaneous quantification of ten compounds including gallic acid, quercetin-3-O-sophoroside, ellagic acid, sophoraflavonoloside, hyperoside, isoquercitrin, avicularin, astragalin, quercitrin and juglanin, which were completed in 16 min in the negative electrospray ionization (ESI) mode under multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) method. Linearity was reached fine determination coefficient (r2 > 0.9995). Precisions, repeatability, stability (inter-day and intra-day), and recovery were validated and the relative standard deviations (RSD) were less than 2.9%, 4.7%, 3.6% and 1.79%, respectively. This result proved the high sensitivity and efficiency of the method. The quantitative and qualitative analysis of MOS would provide the substantial basis for further quality control and medicinal values.