Enhanced Cd(II) biomineralization induced by microalgae after cultivating modification in high-phosphorus culture.

In this study, high-phosphorus beared microalgae was prepared by cultivating modification in high-phosphorus culture, and used for the enhanced Cd(II) biomineralization in soil. Batch experiment results showed that Chlorella sorokiniana FK was modified successfully in highly phosphate culture. Both intracellular P (Poly-P, 29.7 mg/kg) and surface P (phosphoryl based functional groups, 3.7 mol/kg) were greatly enhanced, and the Cd(II) removal capacity surged to 45.98 mg/g at equilibrium in the Langmuir simulation. The EXAFS analysis indicated that Cd tended to form a more stable bidentate complex (RPO4)2Cd when bounding with phosphate groups on the surface of the high-phosphorus microalgae. Moreover, high-phosphorus beared microalgae not only had higher immobilization amount of Cd(II), but also promoted immobilized Cd from adsorbed state to mineralized state. After high-phosphate cultured, increased density of P-related groups provided more adsorption sites, while the decomposition of intracellular Poly-P released phosphate ions into cell surface microenvironment, which combined and promoted the formation of Cd3(PO4)2/Cd(H2PO4)2 on cell surface. Cd-contaminated soil remediation experiments applying high-surface-phosphate beared microalgae further showed that more Cd stabilized as a residue fraction within 49 days. This study proposes that the high-phosphate culture strategy is a good way to improve the immobilization of heavy metals in soil induced by microorganisms.

Paeoniflorin binds to VEGFR2 to restore autophagy and inhibit apoptosis for podocyte protection in diabetic kidney disease through PI3K-AKT signaling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Paeoniflorin (PF) was found to exhibit renal protection from diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in previous trials, but its specific mechanism remains to be elucidated. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study furtherly explored the specific mechanism of PF in protect podocyte injury in DKD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We observed the effects of PF on renal tissue and podocytes in DKD by constructing the vitro and vivo models after measuring the pharmacokinetic characteristics of PF. Target proteins of PF were found through target prediction, and verified by molecular docking, CESTA, and SPR, and then furtherly explored the downstream regulation mechanism related to podocyte autophagy and apoptosis by network prediction and co-immunoprecipitation. Finally, by using the target protein inhibitor in vivo and knocking down the target protein gene in vitro, it was verified that PF played a role in regulating autophagy and apoptosis through the target protein in diabetic nephropathy. RESULTS: This study found that in STZ-induced mice model, PF could improve the renal biochemical and pathological damage and podocyte injure (p < 0.05), upregulate autophagy activity (p < 0.05), but inhibit apoptosis (p < 0.01). Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), predicted as the target of PF, directly bind with PF reflected by molecular docking and surface plasmon resonance detection. Animal studies demonstrated that VEGFR2 inhibitors have a protective effect similar to that of PF on DKD. Network prediction and co-immunoprecipitation further confirmed that VEGFR2 was able to bind PIK3CA to regulate PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. Furthermore, PF downregulated the phosphorylation of PI3K and AKT (p < 0.05). In vitro, similarly to autophagy inhibitors, PF was also found to improve podocyte markers (p < 0.05) and autophagy activity (p < 0.05), decrease caspase 3 protein (p < 0.05) and further inhibited VEGFR2-PI3K-AKT activity (p < 0.05). Finally, the results of VEGFR2 knockdown were similar to the effect of PF in HG-stimulated podocytes. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, PF restores autophagy and inhibits apoptosis by targeting the VEGFR2-mediated PI3K-AKT pathway to improve renal injury in DKD, that provided a theoretical basis for PF treatment in DKD.

Analysis of the Effect of Fast Recovery Surgery Concept on Perioperative Nursing Care of Patients with Radical Resection of Cervical Cancer and Its Influence on Psychological Status.

Objective: To explore the applied effect of fast-track surgery concept in the perioperative nursing of patients undergoing radical cervical cancer surgery and its influence on mental state. Methods: The clinical data of 110 patients undergoing radical cervical cancer surgery in our hospital from May 2015 to May 2017 were retrospectively analyzed, and they were randomly divided into a research group (n = 55) and a reference group (n = 55). The reference group received routine clinical nursing, and the research group received fast-track surgical nursing. Then, we compared their nursing effect and influence on the mental state of patients in the two groups. Results: The Karnofsky performance status (KPS) scores of patients in the two groups after intervention were significantly lower than those before the intervention (P < 0.001), and after intervention, patients in the research group had significantly lower KPS scores as compared to patients in the reference group (P < 0.001). There was a significant decrease in the self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) scores and self-rating depression scale (SDS) scores of patients in the two groups after intervention in comparison with before intervention (P < 0.001), and patients in the research group after intervention had significantly lower SAS and SDS scores compared to the reference group (P < 0.001). Patients in the research group spent short time on expelling gas, eating, and getting out of bed as compared to the reference group (P < 0.001); after intervention, compared to patients in the reference group, patients in the research group had significantly higher scores in cognitive function, emotional function, social function, and physical function (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in IgA, IgM, and IgG levels before intervention (P > 0.05). After intervention, the IgA, IgM, and IgG levels of patients in the two groups were all lower than before intervention, and patients in the research group had significantly higher IgA, IgM, and IgG levels as compared to the reference group (P < 0.001); the complication rate of patients in the research group was significantly lower than that in the reference group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The fast-track surgery concept effectively helps improve the negative emotion of patients, shorten recovery time, improve quality of life, and reduce the impact on immune function in the radical cervical cancer surgery, and it is worthy of promotion and application, with a high safety.

Synergistic effects of trans-p-coumaric acid isolated from the ethanol extract of Gynura procumbens in promoting intestinal absorption of chlorogenic acid and reversing alcoholic fatty liver disease.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Our previous studies found that the ethanol extract of Gynura procumbens (EEGS) reduced hepatic steatosis in alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD). AIM OF THE STUDY: To explore the active ingredients from EEGS and their relevant mechanism of action in alleviating alcoholic liver injuries. AIM OF THE STUDY: To explore the active ingredients from EEGS and their intestinal absorption characteristics as an approach for understanding mechanism of action in alleviating alcoholic liver injuries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Monitored by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and thin-layer chromatography (TLC), chemical constituents from the prepared EEGS were isolated by means of solvent extraction, repeated column chromatography, preparative HPLC and other methods, and their structures were identified based on spectroscopic methods. The in vivo intestinal absorption rate of chlorogenic acid (CA), the active component of the EEGS, both in a single form and in the EEGS were monitored by the single-pass intestinal perfusion (SPIP) method in rats. The protective effect of EEGS and its active components on alcoholic liver injuries was evaluated in the alcoholic liver injury model of C57BL/6J male mice induced by Lieber-DeCarli alcohol liquid feed. RESULTS: Three noncaffeoyl quinic acid components were isolated and identified from the EEGS, namely, 3-trans-p-coumaroyl quinic acid (0.9%), 3-cis-p-coumaroyl quinic acid (2.7%), and trans-p-coumaric acid (0.6%). In vivo intestinal absorption of CA decreased with the increase of pH value of perfusion solution in the range of 5.5-7.8. The maximum absorption percentage of CA alone was 6.7 ± 2.4%, while the maximum absorption percentage of CA in the EEGS was 16.0 ± 2.2%, which was 2.4 times higher than that of CA alone. The results of animal experiments showed that the degree of fatty liver of mice treated with EEGS was significantly lower than that of the CA, trans-p-coumaric acid, and the combination group of CA and trans-p-coumaric acid alone. CONCLUSION: The above results indicated that trans-p-coumaric acid isolated from the dried stems of Gynura procumbens assisted CA being absorbed into the body and worked together with CA to improve the function of liver lipid metabolism, reduce hepatic lipid accumulation in a mouse model of AFLD and effectively counteract alcohol-induced fatty liver disease.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Versus Intratympanic Steroid for Salvage Treatment of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this meta-analysis is to compare the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) and intratympanic steroids (ITS) as salvage treatment for patients with refractory sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). DATA SOURCES: Electronic search was performed in the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, and Wan Fang databases to June 1, 2020. METHODS: For each outcome measure, a forest plot was generated and a pooled relative risk (RR) or mean difference (MD) was calculated. Potential publication bias in the meta-analysis was assessed using funnel plot. RESULTS: The numbers of cases with hearing improvements and pure tone averages (PTA) changes after salvage treatment were entered into the R software to calculate the pooled effect of HBOT compared with ITS. When pooling the results of the studies reporting the proportion of patients with hearing improvement, a fixed-effects model was used. We calculated the RR and found no significant difference when HBOT compared with ITS (RR = 1.09, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.83-1.42, p = 0.55). With respect to the PTA changes, a fixed-effects model was used. The improvement in the PTA (in dB) was calculated in MD and no significant difference was found between the two groups (MD = 0.55, 95% CI: -1.76-2.86, p = 0.64). CONCLUSION: Both HBOT and ITS offer some benefits for refractory SSNHL patients, and there were no significant differences in hearing outcomes between the two modalities. Future RCTs that include large samples are needed to demonstrate superiority of one of the treatments.

Prevalence, correlates, and impact of sleep disturbance in Chinese patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome.

AIM: Sleep disturbances are common in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) patients and may lead to disease aggravation and decreased health-related quality of life (HRQoL). There are currently no known reported studies related to the prevalence, correlates, and impact of sleep disturbance in pSS patients from China. Therefore, this study aims to assess the sleep quality in Chinese pSS patients and evaluate its relationship with the disease activity, quality of life and mood disorders. METHODS: A self-report survey was administered to 221 pSS patients and 198 healthy individuals using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for sleep quality. Disease activity and damage were evaluated with the European League Against Rheumatism Sjögren's syndrome disease activity index (ESSDAI). Independent samples t tests, Chi-square analysis, logistic regression were used to analyze these data. RESULTS: Our results found that the prevalence of poor sleep (PSQI ≥ 6) was 57.5% and the mean global score of PSQI was 6.57 (SD 3.19) in patients, which were significantly higher than the controls (32.3% and 4.93 [SD 2.86], respectively). When trying to fall asleep, patients with pSS had some sleep disturbances, reduced sleep efficiency, increased number of awakenings than controls. There were significant correlations among dryness, ocular surface disease, HRQoL, pain, disease activity, anxiety/depression and sleep quality in pSS patients. Meanwhile, logistic regression models identified depression and Short Form-36 mental composite score as predictors of poor sleep quality. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep disturbances are commonly reported in pSS patients and sleep quality is lower in pSS patients than in healthy controls. The data suggested the need for holistic assessment and management of pSS patients.

Current Treatment Patterns of Aplastic Anemia in China: A Prospective Cohort Registry Study.

Aplastic anemia (AA) is a hematologic disease characterized by pancytopenia and hypocellular bone marrow, potentially leading to chronic anemia, hemorrhage, and infection. The China Aplastic Anemia Committee and British Committee for Standards in Haematology guidelines recommend hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) or immunosuppressive therapy (IST) comprising antithymocyte globulin (ATG) with cyclosporine (CsA) as initial treatment for AA patients. With limited epidemiological data on the clinical management of AA in Asia, a prospective cohort registry study involving 22 AA treatment centers in China was conducted to describe the disease characteristics of newly diagnosed AA patients and investigate real-world treatment patterns and patient outcomes. Of 340 AA patients, 72.9, 12.6, and 3.5% were receiving IST, traditional Chinese medicine, and HSCT, respectively, at baseline; only 22.2% of IST-treated patients received guideline-recommended ATG with CsA initially. Almost all patients received supportive care (95.6%) as blood transfusion (97.8%), antibiotics (63.7%), and/or hematopoietic growth factors (58.2%). Overall, 64.8% achieved a partial or complete response, and 0.9% experienced relapse. No new safety concerns were identified; serious adverse events were largely unrelated to the treatment regimen. These results demonstrate the need to identify and minimize treatment barriers to standardize and align AA management in China with treatment guideline recommendations and further improve patient outcomes.

Anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of active ingredients in the essential oils from Gynura procumbens, a traditional medicine and a new and popular food material.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Gynura procumbens is applied topically for the treatment of traumatic injuries in South China. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted to identify the active ingredients in the essential oils from Gynura procumbens (GPEO) by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS) and to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects in vivo and in vitro. RESULTS: A reduction in dswelling and pain were observed in mice treated with GPEO or its active ingredients (α-pinene, 3-carene, and limonene) compared with mice treated with a solvent control. GPEO or its three active ingredients had potent pharmacological effects on COX-2 overexpression and LPS-induced migration of Raw264.7 macrophages. All three ingredients inhibited nociceptive stimulus-induced inflammatory infiltrates and COX-2 overexpression, which could be responsible for the anti-inflammatory effect of GPEO. However, only 3-carene produced an antinociceptive effect. CONCLUSION: Consistent with the traditional usage in Southern China, GPEO may serve as a promising potent external therapeutic agent for the treatment of chronic pain.

Hepatoprotective effect of peony total glucosides and the underlying mechanisms in diabetic rats.

CONTEXT: Total glucosides of peony (TGP), compounds extracted from the dried roots of Paeonia lactiflora Pall, have been reported to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidative activities. However, the protective effect of TGP on liver injury and the underlying mechanisms remains unknown in diabetic rats. OBJECTIVES: Current study investigates prevention of liver injury by TGP in diabetic rats and its mechanism was related to the inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty adult male rats were randomly divided into: Normal group, diabetic group, TGP (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg/day) treatment groups (n = 10 per group). At the end of the 8th week, the liver was removed for biochemical and histological examinations. RESULTS: Compared with the diabetic group, administration of TGP at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg significantly prevented the increase of hepatic fibrosis score (ED50 139.4 mg/kg). Compared with diabetic group, TGP at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg showed an inhibition on the increased macrophage infiltration. MCP-1 and TNF-α mRNA and protein expression were significantly increased in diabetic group compared with normal group; TGP administration caused significant reduction of high levels of MCP-1 and TNF-α mRNA as well as protein levels. Also, TGP at all doses showed an inhibition on the increased GRP78 levels, p-Perk levels and p-Eif2α levels in liver from diabetic group. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that TGP has potential as a treatment for diabetic liver injury attenuating liver lipid accumulation and inflammation as well as ERS induced by diabetic condition.

Cellular mechanism of cardiac alternans: an unresolved chicken or egg problem.

T-wave alternans, a specific form of cardiac alternans, has been associated with the increased susceptibility to cardiac arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death (SCD). Plenty of evidence has related cardiac alternans at the tissue level to the instability of voltage kinetics or Ca(2+) handling dynamics at the cellular level. However, to date, none of the existing experiments could identify the exact cellular mechanism of cardiac alternans due to the bi-directional coupling between voltage kinetics and Ca(2+) handling dynamics. Either of these systems could be the origin of alternans and the other follows as a secondary change, therefore making the cellular mechanism of alternans a difficult chicken or egg problem. In this context, theoretical analysis combined with experimental techniques provides a possibility to explore this problem. In this review, we will summarize the experimental and theoretical advances in understanding the cellular mechanism of alternans. We focus on the roles of action potential duration (APD) restitution and Ca(2+) handling dynamics in the genesis of alternans and show how the theoretical analysis combined with experimental techniques has provided us a new insight into the cellular mechanism of alternans. We also discuss the possible reasons of increased propensity for alternans in heart failure (HF) and the new possible therapeutic targets. Finally, according to the level of electrophysiological recording techniques and theoretical strategies, we list some critical experimental or theoretical challenges which may help to determine the origin of alternans and to find more effective therapeutic targets in the future.

Evaluation of oil-producing algae as potential biodiesel feedstock.

This study attempted to connect the dots between laboratory research and the outdoors. Chlorella sp. NJ-18 was selected among seven oil-producing algae cultivated in this study because it had the highest lipid productivity. The nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations for cultivating this Chlorella strain were optimized indoors. This strain was incubated outdoors in a 70 L photobioreactor, containing the favorable nitrogen (8.32 mM urea) and phosphorus (0.18 mM monopotassium phosphate) concentrations. Semi-continuous cultivation was performed by harvesting 30 L biomass and replacing it with fresh medium. The maximum biomass and lipid productivity acquired outdoors were 91.84 and 24.05 mg L(-1) d(-1), respectively. Furthermore, biomass productivity could be maintained at a high level throughout the cultivation process when using the semi-continuous mode, whereas it decreased dramatically in batch cultures. More than 95% of the total fatty acids obtained were C16 and C18, which are the main components for biofuel.

An efficient impedance method for induced field evaluation based on a stabilized Bi-conjugate gradient algorithm.

This paper presents a stabilized Bi-conjugate gradient algorithm (BiCGstab) that can significantly improve the performance of the impedance method, which has been widely applied to model low-frequency field induction phenomena in voxel phantoms. The improved impedance method offers remarkable computational advantages in terms of convergence performance and memory consumption over the conventional, successive over-relaxation (SOR)-based algorithm. The scheme has been validated against other numerical/analytical solutions on a lossy, multilayered sphere phantom excited by an ideal coil loop. To demonstrate the computational performance and application capability of the developed algorithm, the induced fields inside a human phantom due to a low-frequency hyperthermia device is evaluated. The simulation results show the numerical accuracy and superior performance of the method.

Prevention of early liver injury by breviscapine in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of breviscapine extracted from the Chinese herb Erigeron breviscapus on liver injury in diabetic rats induced by streptozotocin. Treatment with breviscapine significantly reduced liver weight, liver lipid level, fatty liver and liver fibrosis score in diabetic rats. Treatment with breviscapine also significantly decreased lipid peroxidation malondiadehyde levels and increased the activities of antioxidative enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase in diabetic liver. Immunohistochemical observations revealed that macrophage (ED-1-positive cells) infiltration in diabetic liver was inhibited by treatment with breviscapine. Western blot analysis showed that the expression of transforming growth factor-beta1 in diabetic liver was lowered by breviscapine treatment. In conclusion, our results indicate that breviscapine has potential as a treatment for diabetic liver injury through attenuating liver lipid accumulation and oxidative stress.

[Effect of embedding thread at Shenshu (BL 23) on clinical pain of postmenopausal osteoporosis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of embedding thread at Shenshu (BL 23) on clinical pain of postmenopausal osteoporosis. METHODS: Fifty-six cases were randomly divided into an embedding thread group, an embedding thread plus Leli group and a Leli group. The pain of the patient before treatment, 3 months and 6 months after treatment were assessed. RESULTS: There was significant difference before and after treatment in the score of pain in both the embedding thread group and the embedding thread plus Leli group (P < 0.001), with no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05); there was no significant difference before and after treatment in the score of pain in the Leli group (P > 0.05), but with significant differences as compared with other two groups (both P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Embedding thread at Shenshu (BL 23) has very obvious therapeutic effect on clinical pain of postmenopausal osteoporosis, and oral administration of Leli capsule has no significantly therapeutic effect on clinical pain of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Effect of embedding thread at Shenshu (BL 23) on clinical pain of postmenopausal osteoporosis / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of embedding thread at Shenshu (BL 23) on clinical pain of postmenopausal osteoporosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty-six cases were randomly divided into an embedding thread group, an embedding thread plus Leli group and a Leli group. The pain of the patient before treatment, 3 months and 6 months after treatment were assessed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was significant difference before and after treatment in the score of pain in both the embedding thread group and the embedding thread plus Leli group (P < 0.001), with no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05); there was no significant difference before and after treatment in the score of pain in the Leli group (P > 0.05), but with significant differences as compared with other two groups (both P < 0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Embedding thread at Shenshu (BL 23) has very obvious therapeutic effect on clinical pain of postmenopausal osteoporosis, and oral administration of Leli capsule has no significantly therapeutic effect on clinical pain of postmenopausal osteoporosis.</p>

[Effect of Pinggan Xifeng decoction on hippocampal mitochondrial membrane potential after intracerebral hemorrhage in rat brain].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of Pinggan Xifeng decoction (PGXFD) on the change of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) injury in rat brain and to explore the mechanism of PGXF decoction in the treatment of ICH. METHODS: VII type collagenase was stereotaxically injected into the globas pallidus of rats and spectrofluorometer was used to detect the fluorescence value of mitochondrial suspension. The neurobehavioral scores were used to evaluate the neurological defect. RESULTS: Neurological function defects were seen after ICH in rats and PGXFD decreased the neurological grades. The MMP of rats with ICH was reduced significantly 4 hours after the operation, peaking at 1 d and was higher at 3 d and 7 d than that of the sham group . MMP in the PGXFD group was obviously higher than that in the control group at 1 d, 3 d, and 7 d. CONCLUSION: MMP decreased in rats suffering from ICH. PGXFD can markedly depress the decreation of MMP.

[Effect of bizhongxiao decoction on the expression of VEGF in the synovial membrane of C II-induced rheumatoid arthritis in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of bizhongxiao (BZX) decoction on the expression of VEGF in the synovial membrane of C II-induced arthritis(CIA) in rats and to explore the mechanism of BZX decoction in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis RA. METHODS: Seventy-five SD rats were randomly divided into four groups. The rat experimental arthritis model was established by subcutaneous injection of II collogen. The expression of VEGF was detected with immunohistochemistry in different times. RESULTS: The incidence of arthritis in the rats immunized with C II was approximately 88.57%. The arthritis index of the model group was rising, but that of the BZX decoction group and the methotrexate (MTX) group were decreasing on the 30th day. No expression of VEGF was found in the synovial membrane of the normal group. The expression of VEGF of the model group was notably higher than that of the BZX decoction group and the MTX group in different times (P < 0.01). The expression of VEGF of the model group rose step by step, but that of the BZX decoction group and the MTX group decreased and was significantly lower than that of the model group (P < 0.01). The expression of VEGF of the BZX decoction group was significantly lower than that of the MTX group(P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The expression of VEGF is relative to the synovial pannus formation in RA. BZX decoction and MTX could decrease the expression of VEGF, but the curative effect of BZX decoction is significantly better than that of MTX. BZX decoction could inhibit the formation of the synovial pannus or bone in RA by decreasing the expression of VEGF.