[Preparation and quality evaluation of total flavonoids microemulsion of "Pueraria lobata-Hovenia dulcis"].

The effective components of flavonoids in the "Pueraria lobata-Hovenia dulcis" drug pair have low bioavailability in vivo due to their unstable characteristics. This study used microemulsions with amphoteric carrier properties to solve this problem. The study drew pseudo-ternary phase diagrams through titration compatibility experiments of the oil phase with emulsifiers and co-emulsifiers and screened the prescription composition of blank microemulsions. The study used average particle size and PDI as evaluation indicators, and the central composite design-response surface method(CCD-RSM) was used to optimize the prescription; high-dosage drug-loaded microemulsions were obtained, and their physicochemical properties, appearance, and stability were evaluated. The results showed that when ethyl butyrate was used as the oil phase, polysorbate 80(tween 80) as the surfactant, and anhydrous ethanol as the cosurfactant, the maximum microemulsion area was obtained. When the difference in results was small, K_(m )of 1∶4 was chosen to ensure the safety of the prescription. The prescription composition optimized by the CCD-RSM was ethyl butyrate(16.28%), tween 80(9.59%), and anhydrous ethanol(38.34%). When the dosage reached 3% of the system mass, the total flavonoid microemulsion prepared had a clear and transparent appearance, with average particle size, PDI, and potential of(74.25±1.58)nm, 0.277±0.043, and(-0.08±0.07) mV, respectively. The microemulsion was spherical and evenly distributed under transmission electron microscopy. The centrifugal stability and temperature stability were good, and there was no layering or demulsification phenomenon, which significantly improved the in vitro dissolution of total flavonoids.

Molybdenum target mammography-based prediction model for metastasis of axillary sentinel lymph node in early-stage breast cancer.

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) status is closely related to axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer. However, SLN biopsy has certain limitations due to invasiveness and diagnostic efficiency. This study aimed to develop a model to predict the risk of axillary SLN metastasis in early-stage breast cancer based on mammography, a noninvasive, cost-effective, and potential complementary way. Herein, 649 patients with early-stage breast cancer (cT1-T2) who received SLN biopsy were assigned to the training cohort (n = 487) and the validation cohort (n = 162). A prediction model based on specific characteristics of tumor mass in mammography was developed and validated with R software. The performance of model was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve, calibration plot, and decision curve analysis. Tumor margins, spicular structures, calcification, and tumor size were independent predictors of SLN metastasis (all P < .05). A nomogram showed a satisfactory performance with an AUC of 0.829 (95% CI = 0.792-0.865) in the training cohort and an AUC of 0.825 (95% CI = 0.763-0.888) in validation cohort. The consistency between model-predicted results and actual observations showed great Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit (P = .104). Patients could benefit from clinical decisions guided by the present model within the threshold probabilities of 6% to 84%. The prediction model for axillary SLN metastasis showed satisfactory discrimination, calibration abilities, and wide clinical practicability. These findings suggest that our prediction model based on mammography characteristics is a reliable tool for predicting SLN metastasis in patients with early-stage breast cancer.

Investigation on the lubrication component and mechanism for a biolubricant isolated from the agro-waste resource of Codonopsis pilosula.

Waste plant resource provides a new sustainable feedstock for the biolubricant, and purification of the effective components in biomass oil is vital to improve the performance of biolubricant. In this work, the crude extract of the aerial part of Codonopsis pilosula was divided into four different parts by petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water, respectively. Their thermal stability, lubricating performances and mechanisms have been systematically investigated. In the four extracts, the petroleum ether extract displays the best thermal stability and lubricating performance over the entire test conditions, and other three extracts are confronted with lubrication failure at high loads and elevated temperatures. Triterpenoid saponin, typical for n-butanol extract exhibit the best lubricity at room temperature, followed by the fatty acid derivatives as phosphatidylcholine; flavonoid, and sugar exhibit poor lubricity. At high temperature, only the petroleum ether extract retains the good lubricity.

Riboflavin ameliorates pathological cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis through the activation of short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase.

Short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (SCAD), the rate-limiting enzyme for fatty acid ß-oxidation, has a negative regulatory effect on pathological cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. FAD, a coenzyme of SCAD, participates in the electron transfer of SCAD-catalyzed fatty acid ß-oxidation, which plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of myocardial energy metabolism. Insufficient riboflavin intake can lead to symptoms similar to short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (SCAD) deficiency or flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) gene abnormality, which can be alleviated by riboflavin supplementation. However, whether riboflavin can inhibit pathological cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis remains unclear. Therefore, we observed the effect of riboflavin on pathological cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. In vitro experiments, riboflavin increased SCAD expression and the content of ATP, decreased the free fatty acids content and improved PE-induced cardiomyocytes hypertrophy and AngⅡ-induced cardiac fibroblasts proliferation by increasing the content of FAD, which were attenuated by knocking down the expression of SCAD using small interfering RNA. In vivo experiments, riboflavin significantly increased the expression of SCAD and the energy metabolism of the heart to improve TAC induced pathological myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis in mice. The results demonstrate that riboflavin improves pathological cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis by increasing the content of FAD to activate SCAD, which may be a new strategy for treating pathological cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis.

Optimized extraction of polysaccharide from Pinus elliottii: Characterization, antioxidant, and moisture-preserving activities.

The study on the extraction conditions, purification, and biological activity of slash pine (Pinus elliottii.) is important for the development of slash pine resources. The optimal process conditions for the extraction of slash pine polysaccharide (SPP) were determined, resulting in a liquid-solid ratio of 66.94 mL/g, extraction temperature of 83.74 °C and extraction time of 2.56 h by using the response surface methodology, and the yield of SPP was 5.99% under the optimized conditions. Following the purification of SPP, the SPP-2 component was obtained and its physicochemical properties, functional group composition, antioxidant capacity, and moisturizing capacity were determined. Structural analysis suggested that SPP-2 has a molecular weight of 118.407 kDa, and was composed of rhamnose, arabinose, fucose, xylose, mannose, glucose, and galactose in a ratio of 5.98: 14.34: 1: 1.75: 13.50: 3.43: 15.79. The antioxidant activity analysis showed that SPP-2 has good free radical scavenging activity, and it was also found to have in vitro moisturizing activity and low irritation. These results suggest that SPP-2 has the potential for applications in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industries.

Nitidine chloride induces cardiac hypertrophy in mice by targeting autophagy-related 4B cysteine peptidase.

Nitidine chloride (NC) is a standard active component from the traditional Chinese medicine Zanthoxylum nitidum (Roxb.) DC. (ZN). NC has shown a variety of pharmacological activities including anti-tumor activity. As a number of anti-tumor drugs cause cardiotoxicity, herein we investigated whether NC exerted a cardiotoxic effect and the underlying mechanism. Aqueous extract of ZN (ZNE) was intraperitoneally injected into rats, while NC was injected into beagles and mice once daily for 4 weeks. Cardiac function was assessed using echocardiography. We showed that both ZNE administered in rats and NC administered in mice induced dose-dependent cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction, whereas administration of NC at the middle and high dose caused death in Beagles. Consistently, we observed a reduction of cardiac autophagy levels in NC-treated mice and neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, we demonstrated that autophagy-related 4B cysteine peptidase (ATG4B) may be a potential target of NC, since overexpression of ATG4B reversed the cardiac hypertrophy and reduced autophagy levels observed in NC-treated mice. We conclude that NC induces cardiac hypertrophy via ATG4B-mediated downregulation of autophagy in mice. Thus, this study provides guidance for the safe clinical application of ZN and the use of NC as an anti-tumor drug.

Emodin alleviates arthritis pain through reducing spinal inflammation and oxidative stress.

Chronic pain is the predominant problem for rheumatoid arthritis patients, and negatively affects quality of life. Arthritis pain management remains largely inadequate, and developing new treatment strategies are urgently needed. Spinal inflammation and oxidative stress contribute to arthritis pain and represent ideal targets for the treatment of arthritis pain. In the present study, collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mouse model was established by intradermally injection of type II collagen (CII) in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) solution, and exhibited as paw and ankle swelling, pain hypersensitivity and motor disability. In spinal cord, CIA inducement triggered spinal inflammatory reaction presenting with inflammatory cells infiltration, increased Interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) expression, and up-regulated NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) and cleaved caspase-1 levels, elevated spinal oxidative level presenting as decreased nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) expression and Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. To explore potential therapeutic options for arthritis pain, emodin was intraperitoneally injected for 3 days on CIA mice. Emodin treatment statistically elevated mechanical pain sensitivity, suppressed spontaneous pain, recovered motor coordination, decreased spinal inflammation score and IL-1ß expression, increased spinal Nrf2 expression and SOD activity. Further, AutoDock data showed that emodin bind to Adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) through two electrovalent bonds. And emodin treatment increased the phosphorylated AMPK at threonine 172. In summary, emodin treatment activates AMPK, suppresses NLRP3 inflammasome response, elevates antioxidant response, inhibits spinal inflammatory reaction and alleviates arthritis pain.

Visualizing the distribution of curcumin in the root of Curcuma longa via VUV-postionization mass spectrometric imaging.

Curcumin is a dietary spice and coloring agent widely used in food and herbal medicine. Herein, we visualized the distribution of curcumin in fresh Curcuma longa (turmeric) root sections using the state-of-the-art vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV, 118 nm) single photon-postionization mass spectrometric imaging method. Compared with other mass spectrometric imaging methods, the proposed method does not require any sample pre-treatment. The proposed approach could be more conducive to in situ detection of small molecules. The mass spectroscopic imaging (MSI) images of curcumin sections with a lateral resolution of 100 µm indicated that the concentrations of curcumin decreased from the phloem to the xylem of the root. We also show MS imaging of curcumin in the turmeric root at different maturity periods, revealing the transformation of this endogenous species. The result of quantitative analysis indicates that the total curcumin content of the mature turmeric root is estimated to be 3.43%, which is consistent with the previous report that the content of curcumin in the turmeric root is estimated between 3% and 5%. The report indicated that the proposed method of VUV single photon postionization MSI can be used to explore the metabolic process of plants, which is critical for herbal farming, harvest, and its ingredient extraction.

Evaluation for phosphorus accumulation and removal capability of nine species in the Polygonaceae to excavate amphibious superstars used for phosphorus-phytoextraction.

Reducing excessive phosphorus (P) from both soils and eutrophic waters is attractive to achieve environmental P balance, and P-phytoextraction by amphibious plants with great biomass and P uptake is an amazing method, as already reported for P-accumulating plant, Polygonum hydropiper. However, it is still unknown how widespread high P tolerance and great P accumulation is among species in the Polygonaceae, and if there are new amphibious superstars used for P-phytoextraction. We used six Polygonum species and three non-Polygonum species to compare P accumulation and removal capability in hydroponics and soils with different P treatments. In high P hydroponics, all species showed superiority in growth and P accumulation without P toxicity, except for F. multiflora. In high P soils, all species showed much better growth performance with green leaves at 8 weeks, with shoot biomass being 3.60-29.49 g plant-1. At 8 weeks, Polygonum species displayed obviously higher shoot P accumulation (31.32-152.37 mg plant-1), P extraction ratio (3.16%-15.36%), maximum potential P removal (13.89-67.59 kg ha-1), and much lower plant effective number (7-32) than non-Polygonum species under high P soils. Besides, P. lapathifolium, P. divaricatum and P. orientale ranked the top three in growth with P concentration more than 10 mg g-1 dry weight in hydroponics and showed dominant advantage in P accumulation and P removal from high P soils. Through the cluster analysis, P. lapathifolium was always separated into a class, and P. divaricatum and P. orientale more likely clustered together. It is therefore that P. lapathifolium, P. divaricatum and P. orientale are tolerant to high P and attractive in P accumulation and P removal from high P waters and soils, and thus can be used as new amphibious superstars for P-phytoextraction, particularly P. lapathifolium.

Association of Helicobacter pylori enrichment in colorectal adenoma tissue on clinical and pathological features of adenoma.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the enrichment of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) in adenoma tissue of patients with colorectal adenoma, and analyze the correlation between the enrichment and the clinical and pathological characteristics of colorectal adenoma. METHODS: The data of 1,622 patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy in the Endoscopy Center of Wenzhou Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital affiliated to Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2019 to June 2021 were retrospectively collected. The general data, gastric Hp infection, clinical and pathological features of colorectal adenoma, methylene blue staining of adenoma Hp, immunohistochemistry of adenoma Hp and immunofluorescence staining of adenoma TLR5 protein. were compared between the colorectal adenoma group (743 cases) and the control group (879 cases). RESULTS: There were 361 gastric Hp positive cases in the colorectal adenoma group, with a positive rate of 48.59%, and 331 gastric Hp positive cases in the control group, with a positive rate of 37.66%, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Gastric Hp infection significantly correlates with the Hp enrichment in colorectal adenomas (OR: 28.449; 95%CI: 18.188-44.500; P < 0.001). Moreover, we found that Hp enrichment in colorectal adenomas was correlated with the diameter, pathological type, and malignancy of adenoma (OR: 3.536; 3.652; 2.833; all P < 0.001). Expression TLR5 protein was also increased in Hp-enriched adenoma tissue. CONCLUSION: There is a correlation between gastric Hp infection and intestinal Hp enrichment. The intestinal Hp enrichment significantly correlates with the clinical and pathological characteristics of colorectal adenomas, and its tumor-promoting effect may be related to the up-regulation of mucosal TLR5 expression.

Effect of vitamin D supplementation on benign paroxysmal positional vertigo recurrence: A meta-analysis.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is characterized by recurrence, which exposes patients to repeated vertigo attacks. Vitamin D deficiency has been found to be a risk factor in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, although effect of its elimination on recurrence reduction remains unknown. To determine the effect of vitamin D supplementation in preventing recurrence of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo patients with vitamin D deficiency using a meta-analysis study. We searched and retrieved relevant articles from several databases, then used the Cochrane evaluation system or Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) to assess the quality of studies. We adopted risk-ratio (RR) with corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) to determine effect sizes, and further performed statistical analyses under a randomized- or fixed-effects model. Seven studies, comprising 602 and 731 participants in the case and control group respectively, met our inclusion criteria, and were therefore included in the meta-analysis. Assessment based on Cochrane evaluation system or MINORS revealed that most of the studies had high quality. Moreover, the randomized- model revealed that the vitamin D supplementation group had a lower recurrence rate than the control group which did not accepted vitamin D supplementation (RR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.26-0.65, p < 0.01). Overall, these findings indicate that vitamin D supplementation can significantly lower recurrence in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and vitamin D deficiency.

Effect of Acupuncture on Ovary Morphology and Function in DHEA-Induced Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Model Rats.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of acupuncture on ovary morphology and function in dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)-induced polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) model rats. METHODS: A total of 40 adult female Wistar rats were randomly allocated to 4 groups by a random number table, including control, model, metformin and acupuncture groups, 10 rats in each group. PCOS rat model was developed by injecting with DHEA (6 mg/100 g body weight) in 0.2 mL of oil subcutaneously. Electrical stimulation (2 Hz, 3 mA) was applied to Guanyuan (CV 4), Zigong (EX-CA1) and Qihai (CV 6) acupoints for 30 min daily in the acupuncture group, and metformin (200 mg/kg) was given to rats in the metformin group, both once per day for 21 consecutive days, and rats in the normal group was fed with normal saline and fed regularly. After 21 days of administration, the rat blood samples were collected for detecting the reproductive hormonal levels [luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2), progesterone (P), testosterone (T)] and inflammatory factors (visfatin, IL-6) analysis. Ovary tissue was used for histopathological analysis. RESULTS: Compared with the model group, rats in the acupuncture and metformin groups were significantly lower in weight gain, FSH, LH and T levels, and E2 and P levels significantly increased (alll P<0.05). Meanwhile, LH and FSH levels were significantly decreased, and P, T and E2 levels significantly increased in the acupuncture group, compared with the metformin group (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, IL-6 and visfatin levels were significantly decreased in the acupuncture and metformin groups (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in IL-6 and visfatin levels between the acupuncture and metformin groups (P>0.05). Ovarian diameter in the acupuncture and metformin groups were smaller than the model group (P<0.05). However, there were no significant differences in ovarian diameters between the acupuncture and metformin groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture might improve ovary morphology and its function in DHEA-induced PCOS model rats.

Treatments of Peyronie's disease with Scutellaria baicalensis and surgery according to the disease course: a single-center retrospective study of 261 patients.

BACKGROUND: Oral medication therapies are more conventional than other non-surgical therapies in the acute phase of Peyronie's disease (PD). Although the commonly used oral drugs for PD have shown poor or indeterminate outcomes, most patients prefer oral medications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Scutellaria baicalensis extract for treating acute-phase PD patients and examine the practicality of treatment strategies for PD according to the disease course. METHODS: This retrospective study was performed at our institution from 2005 to 2015 and analyzed the data of 261 patients with PD. The acute-phase PD patients received Scutellaria baicalensis extract for 6 months. After oral treatment, the patients with persistent curvature underwent surgical correction during the stable phase. RESULTS: During this study period, 183 patients received oral treatment with Scutellaria baicalensis, and 78 patients did not. Compared to the untreated patients, treatment with Scutellaria baicalensis had a significant effect in improving the symptoms of acute-phase PD. The mean time required for stabilization also showed a significant statistical difference. Treatment with Scutellaria baicalensis was safe and well-tolerated. After the disease stabilized, 70 and 31 patients with significant penile curvature underwent surgical correction by 16- dot plication and great saphenous vein grafting procedures, respectively. At the one-year follow-up, complete penile straightening and penile length shortening were observed in 92.86% and 41.43% of the patients after 16-dot plication and in 87.10% and 25.81% of the patients after grafting procedures, respectively. The postoperative Erectile Function domain of the International Index of Erectile Function scales were maintained in all patients after the 16-dot plication procedure and decreased in 54.84% of the patients after the grafting procedure. Overall, 92.86% and 83.87% of the patients who received 16-dot plication and grafting procedures, respectively, were satisfied with the final surgical results. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with extract of Scutellaria baicalensis seems to be beneficial for improvements in symptoms of acute phase PD and acceleration of the disease stabilization. The 16-dot plication and great saphenous vein grafting procedure seem effective options in the surgical management of the stable phase after Scutellaria baicalensis administration in the acute phase of PD.

Daphnetin triggers ROS-induced cell death and induces cytoprotective autophagy by modulating the AMPK/Akt/mTOR pathway in ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer is one of the most common gynecological malignancies in the world. Daphnetin (Daph) was previously reported to possess antitumor potential, but its potential and molecular mechanisms in ovarian cancer remain poorly understood. PURPOSE: In the current study, we aimed to explore the antitumor effect and detailed mechanisms of Daph in ovarian cancer cells. METHODS: The cytotoxic effect of Daph on ovarian cells was determined in vitro and in vivo. Cell growth, proliferation, apoptosis and ROS generation were measured by CCK8 assays, colony formation assays and flow cytometry. Western blotting was used to evaluate the related signal proteins. Immunofluorescence and transmission electron microscopy were used to evaluate markers of autophagy and autophagic flux. The antitumor effects were observed in the A2780 xenograft model. Moreover, Daph-induced autophagy was observed by enhanced LC3-II accumulation and endogenous LC3 puncta, and an autophagy inhibitor further enhanced the antitumor efficacy of Daph, which indicated that the cytoprotective role of autophagy in ovarian cancer. RESULTS: We found that Daph exhibited antitumor effects by inducing ROS-dependent apoptosis in ovarian cancer, which could be reversed by N-acetyl cysteine (NAC). The AMPK/Akt/mTOR pathway was involved in Daph-mediated cytoprotective autophagy, and when Daph-mediated the expression level of AMPK and autophagy were blocked, there was robust inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis. In addition, in the A2780 xenograft model, combined treatment with Daph and an autophagy inhibitor showed obvious synergetic effects on the inhibition of cell viability and promotion of apoptosis, without any side effects. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that Daph triggers ROS-induced cell apoptosis and induces cytoprotective autophagy by modulating the AMPK/Akt/mTOR pathway. Moreover, the combination of Daph and autophagy inhibitor may be a potential therapeutic strategy for ovarian cancer.

Soluble Pearl Extract provides effective skin lightening by antagonizing endothelin.

BACKGROUND: Incidence of skin pigmentation disorders has been on the rise globally. This calls for safer and more effective topical skin lightening and freckle-removing products. In this study, we hypothesized that Soluble Pearl Extract (SPE) may possess endothelin antagonizing compounds with good skin whitening effects. OBJECTIVES: (a) To determine the effect and mechanisms of SPE on ET-1-treated B16 melanoma cells. (b) To explore the cytotoxic effects of SPE on B16 melanoma cells. METHODS: CCK-8 assay was performed to determine how SPE and ET-1 affect the proliferation rate of B16 melanoma cells, the NaOH lysis assay was conducted to quantify the content of melanin while the tyrosinase activity was determined by DOPA oxidation test. The mRNA and protein expression levels of TYR and TRP-1 were determined by qRT-PCR assay and Western blot assay, respectively. RESULTS: We found that SPE at 0.1 and 1 µg/mL concentrations has no effect on the proliferation of the cells and 10 nmol/L ET-1 promoted B16 melanoma cells proliferation. Notably, B16 melanoma cells treated with 10 nmol/L ET-1 exhibited significantly higher melanin synthesis, tyrosinase activity, TYR, and TRP-1 mRNA expression levels compared with untreated cells. Of note, the effects of 10 nmol/L ET-1 treatment were abolished with SPE in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS: SPE inhibits endothelin thereby safely and effectively lightening lightens the skin by antagonizing endothelin. Moreover, SPE is safe and effective.

Impact of dehydroepianrosterone (DHEA) supplementation on serum levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1): A dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Inconsistencies exist with regard to the influence of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation on insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels. The inconsistencies could be attributed to several factors, such as dosage, gender, and duration of intervention, among others. To address these inconsistencies, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to combine findings from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on this topic. METHODS: Electronic databases (Scopus, PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, Embase and Google Scholar) were searched for relevant literature published up to February 2020. RESULTS: Twenty-four qualified trials were included in this meta-analysis. It was found that serum IGF-1 levels were significantly increased in the DHEA group compared to the control (weighted mean differences (WMD): 16.36 ng/ml, 95% CI: 8.99, 23.74; p = .000). Subgroup analysis revealed that a statistically significant increase in serum IGF-1 levels was found only in women (WMD: 23.30 ng/ml, 95% CI: 13.75, 32.87); in participants who supplemented 50 mg/d DHEA (WMD: 15.75 ng/ml, 95% CI: 7.61, 23.89); in participants undergoing DHEA intervention for >12 weeks (WMD: 17.2 ng/ml, 95% CI: 8.02, 26.22); in participants without an underlying comorbidity (WMD: 19.11 ng/ml, 95% CI: 10.69, 27.53); and in participants over the age of 60 years (WMD: 19.79 ng/ml, 95% CI: 9.86, 29.72). CONCLUSION: DHEA supplementation may increase serum IGF-I levels especially in women and older subjects. However, further studies are warranted before DHEA can be recommended for clinical use.

Protective effects of ß-glucan isolated from highland barley on ethanol-induced gastric damage in rats and its benefits to mice gut conditions.

Gastrointestinal tract disease is a global health problem which affects a major part of the world population. In this study, the gastroprotective effects of ß-glucan isolated from highland barley on ethanol-induced gastric damage in rats and its benefits to mice gut health were investigated. Biochemical and pathological analysis methods were adopted to evaluating the gastrointestinal tract protective of ß-glucan isolated from highland barley. In the ulceration model, it was found that ß-glucan treatment could mitigate the gastric lesions and gastric mucosal damage caused by ethanol, decrease the gastric ulcer index. Furthermore, ß-glucan treatment alleviated the gastric oxidative stress injury in vehicle rats through increasing the activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase, decreasing the level of malondialdehyde. In addition, ß-glucan treatment also could decrease the level of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha and increased level of prostaglandin E2, nitric oxide. In the mouse gut health promoting model, ß-glucan treatment increased the colon length, faces water contents and the concentration of total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) both in mice colon and cecum. Taken together, these results may indicate that ß-glucan isolated from highland barley exert protective effects on the gastrointestinal tract of laboratory rodents.

Effects of electroacupuncture on luteal regression and steroidogenesis in ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome model rat.

AIMS: Electroacupuncture (EA) is an effective and safe therapeutic method widely used for treating clinical diseases. Previously, we found that EA could decrease serum hormones and reduce ovarian size in ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) rat model. Nevertheless, the mechanisms that contribute to these improvements remain unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HE staining was used to count the number of corpora lutea (CL) and follicles. Immunohistochemical and ELISA were applied to examine luteal functional and structural regression. Immunoprecipitation was used for analyzing the interaction between NPY (neuropeptide Y) and COX-2; western blotting and qRT-PCR were used to evaluate the expressions of steroidogenic enzymes and PKA/CREB pathway. KEY FINDINGS: EA treatment significantly reduced the ovarian weight and the number of CL, also decreased ovarian and serum levels of PGE2 and COX-2 expression; increased ovarian PGF2α levels and PGF2α/PGE2 ratio; decreased PCNA expression and distribution; and increased cyclin regulatory inhibitor p27 expression to have further effect on the luteal formation, and promote luteal functional and structural regression. Moreover, expression of COX-2 in ovaries was possessed interactivity increased expression of NPY. Furthermore, EA treatment lowered the serum hormone levels, inhibited PKA/CREB pathway and decreased the expressions of steroidogenic enzymes. Hence, interaction with COX-2, NPY may affect the levels of PGF2α and PGE2 as well as impact the proliferation of granulosa cells in ovaries, thus further reducing the luteal formation, and promoting luteal structural and functional regression, as well as the ovarian steroidogenesis following EA treatment. SIGNIFICANCE: EA treatment could be an option for preventing OHSS in ART.

Scalable Production of iPSC-Derived Human Neurons to Identify Tau-Lowering Compounds by High-Content Screening.

Lowering total tau levels is an attractive therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. High-throughput screening in neurons derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) is a powerful tool to identify tau-targeted therapeutics. However, such screens have been hampered by heterogeneous neuronal production, high cost and low yield, and multi-step differentiation procedures. We engineered an isogenic iPSC line that harbors an inducible neurogenin 2 transgene, a transcription factor that rapidly converts iPSCs to neurons, integrated at the AAVS1 locus. Using a simplified two-step protocol, we differentiated these iPSCs into cortical glutamatergic neurons with minimal well-to-well variability. We developed a robust high-content screening assay to identify tau-lowering compounds in LOPAC and identified adrenergic receptors agonists as a class of compounds that reduce endogenous human tau. These techniques enable the use of human neurons for high-throughput screening of drugs to treat neurodegenerative disease.

Mechanism of Glucose Regulates the Fruiting Body Formation in the Beech Culinary-Medicinal Mushroom, Hypsizygus marmoreus (Agaricomycetes).

To understand the fruiting process of Hypsizygus marmoreus, a synthetic liquid medium (SLM) was optimized to induce fruiting body initiation. Dependent on the SLM, the effect of a monofactor (glucose) on the fruiting bodies of H. marmoreus was studied at different concentrations (10 and 40 g/L). Primordia appeared approximately 10 days earlier in low-glucose media (LGM) than in high-glucose media (HGM), whereas mature fruiting bodies formed on mushrooms approximately 7 days earlier and more primordia developed into mature fruiting bodies when cultured in HGM. In addition, the morphogenesis of the primordia was clustered in HGM, which was different than what was observed in LGM. Furthermore, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that encoded various proteins involved in cell structure, general metabolism, signal transduction, and transcription and translation were analyzed by transcriptome sequencing. Six DEGs were detected by quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, and the results were consistent with the altered patterns of gene expression revealed by the transcriptome. This study not only identifies new candidate genes involved in the development of H. marmoreus but also provides a new research platform for studying the development of other edible mushrooms.