Xiao-Chai-Hu Decoction Ameliorates Poly (I:C)-Induced Viral Pneumonia through Inhibiting Inflammatory Response and Modulating Serum Metabolism.

Viral pneumonia is widespread, progresses rapidly, and has a high mortality rate. Developing safe and effective therapies to treat viral pneumonia can minimize risks to public health and alleviate pressures on the associated health systems. Xiao-Chai-Hu (XCH) decoction can be used in the treatment of viral pneumonia. However, the mechanisms of XCH on viral pneumonia remain unclear. In this study, poly (I:C) was used to establish a mouse model of viral pneumonia, and the therapeutic effects of XCH on viral pneumonia were assessed. Furthermore, we evaluated the effects of XCH on inflammatory response. Lastly, untargeted metabolomics were used to study the metabolic regulatory mechanisms of XCH on viral pneumonia model mice. Our results showed that XCH treatment decreased the wet/dry ratio in lung tissue, total protein concentration, and total cell count in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). H&E staining indicated that XCH treatment alleviated the pathological changes in lung. Moreover, XCH treatment decreased the levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α) and lowered the ratio of CD86+/CD206+ macrophages and CD11b+LY6G+ neutrophils in BALF. XCH treatment also decreased the myeloperoxidase (MPO) and reduced the phosphorylations of PI3K, AKT, and NF-κB p65 in lung. Serum untargeted metabolomics analysis showed that XCH treatment could affect 18 metabolites in serum such as creatine, hydroxyproline, cortisone, hydrocortisone, corticosterone, hypotaurine, and taurine. These metabolites were associated with arginine and proline metabolism, steroid hormone biosynthesis, and taurine and hypotaurine metabolism processes. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that treatment with XCH can ameliorate viral pneumonia and reduce inflammatory response in viral pneumonia. The mechanism of action of XCH in the treatment of viral pneumonia may be associated with inhibiting the activation of PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway in lung and regulating arginine and proline metabolism, steroid hormone biosynthesis, and taurine and hypotaurine metabolism in serum.

Life cycle thinking-based eco-compensation for gold ingot production: a case study in China.

Unearthing mineral resources has brought about serious impacts on the natural ecosystem. Eco-compensation of mineral resources has been proposed; however, the lack of a systematic method for evaluating eco-compensation criteria has limited its implementation and progress. Life cycle thinking is proposed for evaluating eco-compensation criteria because it provides a holistic view for stakeholders through all the stages of production. In this study, the economic loss caused by resource exhaustion and environmental externalities is both studied to evaluate the eco-compensation criteria by integrating life cycle assessment, emergy accounting, and equivalent factor of ecosystem services. Gold production is used as an application for the explanation of this integrated framework. Results show that the life cycle eco-compensation of gold ingot per gram is 4.87 $, including both the economic loss of the gold itself (2.00 $) and the loss in terms of environmental externalities damage (2.87 $). Environmental costs include damage to ecosystem services because of land occupation (75.68%), damage to human health (12.28%), and the costs associated with climate change (12.04%). The results of this study can enrich the theory and future researches of eco-compensation criteria. Finally, suggestions and helpful insights are provided for policy-makers to enhance decision-making regarding eco-compensation criteria.

Serum Levels of Vitamin A and Vitamin D and Their Association With Symptoms in Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Objective: To measure levels of vitamin A (VA) and vitamin D (VD) and the symptomatic association of their co-deficiencies on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Chinese children (6-9 years). Methods: Eighty-two children (69 boys and 13 girls; mean age = 7.1 ± 0.9 years at the time of the diagnosis) with ADHD were recruited as ADHD group. A total of 106 healthy children were recruited as the healthy control (HC) group. Serum levels of retinol and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) of all children were evaluated using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry. The Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham IV Rating Scale (SNAP-IV) was employed to assess the clinical symptoms of ADHD. Results: Children suffering from ADHD had significantly reduced serum levels of retinol and 25(OH)D compared with those of HCs, and the prevalence of VA deficiency and VD deficiency were higher in children suffering from ADHD. Serum concentrations of 25(OH)D and retinol were linked closely with the presence or absence of ADHD after adjustment for age, body mass index, season of blood sampling, and sun exposure. Serum concentrations of 25(OH)D and retinol showed a negative correlation with the total scores of SNAP-IV. Children with ADHD as well as VA and VD co-deficiency had increased SNAP-IV total scores and ADHD inattention subscale scores. Conclusion: VA deficiency and VD deficiency in children with ADHD were increased in comparison with that in HCs. VA and VD co-deficiency associated with ADHD symptom severity. Attention should be paid to regular testing of VA levels and VD levels. However, the mechanism of VA and VD in ADHD needs to be further studied. Interventional studies on VA and VD supplementation are recommended to further verify the relationship between VA and VD co-deficiency and ADHD.

Supercritical CO2 Fluid Extraction of Elaeagnus mollis Diels Seed Oil and Its Antioxidant Ability.

Supercritical fluid carbon dioxide (SF-CO2) was used to extract oil from Elaeagnus mollis Diels (E. mollis Diels) seed and its antioxidant ability was also investigated. The effect of extraction pressure (20⁻35 MPa), extraction temperature (35⁻65 C), extraction time (90⁻180 min) and seed particle size (40⁻100 mesh) on the oil yield were studied. An orthogonal experiment was conducted to determine the best operating conditions for the maximum extraction oil yield. Based on the optimum conditions, the maximum yield reached 29.35% at 30 MPa, 50 C, 150 min, 80 mesh seed particle size and 40 g/min SF-CO2 flow rate. The E. mollis Diels seed (EDS) oil obtained under optimal SF-CO2 extraction conditions had higher unsaturated fatty acid content (91.89%), higher vitamin E content (96.24 ± 3.01 mg/100 g) and higher total phytosterols content (364.34 ± 4.86 mg/100 g) than that extracted by Soxhlet extraction (SE) and cold pressing (CP) methods. The antioxidant activity of the EDS oil was measured by DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging test. EDS oil extracted by different methods exhibited a dose-dependent antioxidant ability, with IC50 values of no significant differences. Based on the results of correlation between bioactive compounds, lupeol and -tocopherol was the most important antioxidant in EDS oil.

Comparative study of the effect of Shugan Shuru Granule on pathology and p53 gene expression in patients with hyperplastic disease of breast.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of Shugan Shuru Granule (SSG) on the p53 gene expression in patients with hyperplastic disease of breast (HDB) to indirectly explore the mechanism of SSG's effect on HDB on the molecular pathological level. METHODS: Sixty-six patients with HDB were allocated in the treated group and the control group, with the former treated with SSG and the latter not. All patients underwent breast operation and their diseased mammary tissues were cut out, sectioned, and observed under microscopy with HE staining and immunohistochemical staining, with ABC method adopted to estimate the degree of hyperplasia and p53 gene expression. The severity of HDB was classified into normal, mild, moderate and severe grades (marked as 0 to III), according to the degree of hyperplasia in the mammary gland. RESULTS: Hyperplasia in the control group mostly belonged to grade I-III before treatment, showing overgrowth of gland and proliferation of glandular epithelial cells, which were high columnar shaped, more stratified, with papillary or substantive dysplasia. While in the treated group, most belonged to grade 0-I after SSG treatment, with proliferated gland and dysplasia recovered to normal or disappeared. The positive rate of p53 gene expression in the treated group was 9.09%, and in the control group 39.39%, comparison between the two groups showing significant difference (P < 0.01), the intensity in the former was significantly weaker than that in the latter. CONCLUSION: SSG could not only inhibit the proliferation of mammary duct epithelia and lobuli, but also inhibit the over-expression of P53. Therefore, it could be regarded as an effective remedy for treatment of HDB and prevention of mammary cancer genesis.