Attempts to obtain clean biochar from hyperaccumulator through pyrolysis: Removal of heavy metals and transformation of phosphorus.

The sound disposal of the ensuing heavy metal-rich plants can address the aftermath of phytoremediation. In this study, the first attempt was made to obtain heavy metals-free and phosphorus-rich biochar from phytoremediation residue (PR) by pyrolysis, and the effects of chlorinating agent type, chlorine dosage, and pyrolysis residence time on heavy metal removal, phosphorus (P) transformation, and biochar properties were investigated. The results showed that as chlorine dosage and pyrolysis residence time increased, added polyvinyl chloride (PVC) reduced the concentration of Zn in biochar to one-tenth of that in PR by intensified chlorination, where both Zn concentration (2727.50 mg/kg) and its leaching concentration (29.13 mg/L) met the utilization requirements, in which the acid-base property of biochar plays a key role in heavy metal leaching. Meanwhile, more than 90% of P in PR remained in biochar and the bioavailability of P in biochar enhanced with the decomposition of organic P to inorganic P, where the concentration of plant-availability P (Pnac) expanded from 1878.40 mg/kg in PR to 8454.00 mg/kg in biochar. This study demonstrated that heavy metal hyperaccumulator can be converted into heavy metal-free and phosphorus-rich biochar with promising applications, which provides new perspectives for the treatment of such hazardous wastes.

Horsfielenigans A and B, Two Rearranged Lignans with Anti-Inflammatory Effects from Horsfieldia kingii.

Seven lignans were isolated from 70 % aqueous acetone extracts of the twigs and leaves of Horsfieldia kingii. Among these, new compounds 1-3 were identified by spectroscopic techniques, with horsfielenigans A and B (1 and 2) being particularly noteworthy for their rare ß-benzylnaphthalene skeleton, where compound 1 contains an oxabicyclo[3,2,1]octane moiety. In vitro evaluation of bioactivity against nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-activated RAW264.7 macrophages revealed inhibitory effects by 1 (IC50 =7.3 µM) and 2 (IC50 =9.7 µM).

Research progress of Astragalus membranaceus in treating peritoneal metastatic cancer.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Peritoneal metastasis is a manifestation of advanced cancer often associated with a poor prognosis and poor response to treatment. Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge is a commonly used medicinal material in traditional Chinese medicine with various biological activities. In patients with cancer, Astragalus membranaceus has demonstrated anti-tumor effects, immune regulation, postoperative recurrence and metastasis prevention, and survival prolongation. AIM OF THE STUDY: Peritoneal metastasis results from tumor cell and peritoneal microenvironment co-evolution. We aimed to introduce and discuss the specific mechanism of action of Astragalus membranaceus in peritoneal metastasis treatment to provide a new perspective for treatment and further research. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We consulted reports on the anti-peritoneal metastases effects of Astragalus membranaceus from PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang databases, as well as Google Scholar. Meanwhile, we also obtained data from published medical works and doctoral and master's theses. Then, we focused on the research progress of Astragalus membranaceus in peritoneal metastatic cancer treatment. Plant names are provided in accordance with "The Plant List" (www.theplantlist.org). RESULTS: To date, more than 200 compounds have been isolated from Astragalus membranaceus. Among them, Astragalus polysaccharides, saponins, and flavonoids are the main bioactive components, and their effects on cancer have been extensively studied. In this review, we systematically summarize the effects of Astragalus membranaceus on the peritoneal metastasis microenvironment and related mechanisms, including maintaining the integrity of peritoneal mesothelial cells, restoring the peritoneal immune microenvironment, and inhibiting the formation of tumor blood vessels, matrix metalloproteinase, and dense tumor spheroids. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis demonstrates that Astragalus membranaceus could be a potential therapeutic for preventing the occurrence of peritoneal metastasis. However, it might be too early to recommend its use owing to the paucity of reliable in vivo experiment, clinical data, and evidence of clinical efficacy. In addition, previous studies of Astragalus membranaceus report inconsistent and contradictory findings. Therefore, detailed in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies on the mechanism of Astragalus membranaceus in peritoneal metastatic cancer treatment are warranted.

Moderate-to-Severe Malnutrition Identified by the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) Score Is Significantly Associated with Treatment Failure of Periprosthetic Joint Infection.

The prevalence and role of malnutrition in periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) remain unclear. This study aimed to use measurable nutritional screening tools to assess the prevalence of malnutrition in PJI patients during two-stage exchange arthroplasty and to explore the association between malnutrition and treatment failure. Our study retrospectively included 183 PJI cases who underwent 1st stage exchange arthroplasty and had available nutritional parameters, of which 167 proceeded with 2nd stage reimplantation. The recently proposed Musculoskeletal Infection Society (MSIS) Outcome Reporting Tool was used to determine clinical outcomes. The Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT), Nutritional Risk Index (NRI), and Naples Prognostic Score (NPS) were used to identify malnutrition at 1st and 2nd stage exchange, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the association between malnutrition and treatment failure. Restricted cubic spline models were further used to explore the dose−response association. Additionally, risk factors for moderate-to-severe malnutrition were evaluated. Malnourished patients identified by CONUT, NPS, and NRI accounted for 48.1% (88/183), 98.9% (181/183), and 55.7% (102/183) of patients at 1st stage, and 9.0% (15/167), 41.9% (70/167), and 43.1% (72/167) at 2nd stage, indicating a significant improvement in nutritional status. We found that poorer nutritional status was a predictor of treatment failure, with CONUT performing best as a predictive tool. Moderate-to-severe malnutrition at 1st stage identified by CONUT was significantly related to treatment failure directly caused by PJI (odds ratio [OR] = 5.86), while the OR was raised to 12.15 at 2nd stage (OR = 12.15). The linear dose−response associations between them were also confirmed (P for nonlinearity at both 1st and 2nd stage > 0.05). As for total treatment failure, moderate-to-severe malnutrition as determined by CONUT was associated with a 1.96-fold and 8.99-fold elevated risk at the 1st and 2nd stages, respectively. Age ≥ 68 years (OR = 5.35) and an increased number of previous surgeries (OR = 2.04) may be risk factors for moderate-to-severe malnutrition. Overall, the prevalence of malnutrition in PJI patients is very high. Given the strong association between moderate-to-severe malnutrition identified by CONUT and PJI treatment failure, COUNT could be a promising tool to evaluate the nutritional status of PJI patients to optimize treatment outcomes.

Effects of Dietary Supplementation with Aurantiochytrium sp. on Zebrafish Growth as Determined by Transcriptomics.

The marine protist Aurantiochytrium produces several bioactive chemicals, including EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), and other critical fish fatty acids. It has the potential to improve growth and fatty acid profiles in aquatic taxa. This study evaluated zebrafish growth performance in response to diets containing 1% to 3% Aurantiochytrium sp. crude extract (TE) and single extract for 56 days. Growth performance was best in the 1% TE group, and therefore, this concentration was used for further analyses of the influence of Aurantiochytrium sp. Levels of hepatic lipase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, acetyl-CoA oxidase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase increased significantly in response to 1% TE, while malic enzyme activity, carnitine lipid acylase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase, and malondialdehyde levels decreased. These findings suggest that Aurantiochytrium sp. extract can modulate lipase activity, improve lipid synthesis, and decrease oxidative damage caused by lipid peroxidation. Transcriptome analysis revealed 310 genes that were differentially expressed between the 1% TE group and the control group, including 185 up-regulated genes and 125 down-regulated genes. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) pathway analyses of the differentially expressed genes revealed that Aurantiochytrium sp. extracts may influence liver metabolism, cell proliferation, motility, and signal transduction in zebrafish.

Insight into Isolation and Characterization of Phenolic Compounds from Hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida Bge.) with Antioxidant, Anti-Acetylcholinesterase, and Neuroprotective Activities.

Recent epidemiologic studies have demonstrated a link between the consumption of daily functional fruits rich in phenols and the prevention of disease for neurodegenerative disorders. Hawthorn products are derived from the functional fruit hawthorn, which is rich in phenols and has been used around the world for centuries. In order to explore the phenolic components in hawthorn, the investigation of the ethanol extract led to the separation of five new phenol compounds (1a/1b, 2-4), including one pair of enantiomers (1a/1b), along with seven disclosed analogs (5-11). Their structures were elucidated based on extensive spectroscopic analyses and electronic circular dichroism (ECD). The compounds (1-11) were tested for antioxidant activities by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonicacid) (ABTS), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) methods. Apart from that, monomeric compounds 2, 4, and 6 exhibited more potent protective capabilities against H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide)-induced SH-SY5Y cells. Meanwhile, electronic analyses were performed using the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO), and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) to analyze compounds 2, 4, and 6. Furthermore, compounds (1-11) measured acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activities, and 2, 4, and 6 possessed greater AChE inhibitory activity than donepezil. At the same time, molecular docking was used to investigate the possible mechanism of the interaction between active compounds (2, 4, and 6) and AChE.

The effect of magnesium alone or its combination with other supplements on the markers of inflammation, OS and metabolism in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS): A systematic review.

The objective of this systematic review is to synthesize the available evidence on the effectiveness of magnesium supplements on the markers of inflammation, oxidative stress (OS), and metabolism in PCOS patients and to provide a basis for its clinical treatment. Electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library databases, Embase, Web of science, CMB, CNKI, VIP, Wan Fang and ClinicalTrials.gov) were searched from their inception until January 2022. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for PCOS undergoing therapy with magnesium supplementation alone or in combination with other agents. The primary outcomes were the markers of blood glucose and OS.363 patients from nine RCTs were included in the current systematic review. Four of the nine studies reported the effects of magnesium supplementation alone on OS or metabolic markers in women with PCOS. Whilemagnesium supplementation alone did not show any significant improvement in the markers of inflammation, OS or metabolism in PCOS, seven of the nine articles reported the effect of magnesium co-supplementation on OS or metabolic markers in PCOS patients. Magnesium combined with vitamin E or zinc-calcium-vitamin D significantly improved glucose and lipid metabolism in PCOS patients. Magnesium intake alone did not lead to a significant improvement in the markers of OS, blood glucose, or serum lipids in PCOS. However, magnesium combined with other supplements (vitamin E, zinc, zinc-calcium-vitamin D) significantly improved serum hs-CRP, insulin, HOMA-IR, TG, TC levels, and the improvement in OS markers was inconclusive. The effect of magnesium and melatonin supplementation on the markers of metabolism needs to be further verified. System Review Registration: PROSPERO https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/#myprospero, CRD42022303410.

Carbon and nitrogen metabolism under nitrogen variation affects flavonoid accumulation in the leaves of Coreopsis tinctoria.

Flavonoids are phytochemicals present in medicinal plants and contribute to human health. Coreopsis tinctoria, a species rich in flavonoids, has long been used in traditional medicine and as a food resource. N (nitrogen) fertilization can reduce flavonoid accumulation in C. tinctoria. However, there is limited knowledge regarding N regulatory mechanisms. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of N availability on flavonoid biosynthesis in C. tinctoria and to investigate the relationship between C (carbon) and N metabolism coupled with flavonoid synthesis under controlled conditions. C. tinctoria seedlings were grown hydroponically under five different N levels (0, 0.625, 1.250, 2.500 and 5.000 mM). The related indexes of C, N and flavonoid metabolism of C. tinctoria under N variation were measured and analysed. N availability (low and moderate N levels) regulates enzyme activities related to C and N metabolism, promotes the accumulation of carbohydrates, reduces N metabolite levels, and enhances the internal C/N balance. The flavonoid content in roots and stalks remained relatively stable, while that in leaves peaked at low or intermediate N levels. Flavonoids are closely related to phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), cinnamate 4-hydroxylase (C4H), 4-coumarate: coenzyme A ligase (4CL), and chalcone-thioase (CHS) activity, significantly positively correlated with carbohydrates and negatively correlated with N metabolites. Thus, C and N metabolism can not only control the distribution of C in amino acid and carbohydrate biosynthesis pathways but also change the distribution in flavonoid biosynthesis pathways, which also provides meaningful information for maintaining high yields while ensuring the nutritional value of crop plants.

Treatment of bilateral granulomatous lobular mastitis during lactation with traditional Chinese medicine: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM) is a type of benign chronic inflammatory disease that poses therapeutic challenges to healthcare providers. The diagnosis of GLM relies on tissue biopsy, and incorrect treatment may lead to delayed diagnosis, considerable aesthetic damage, and even mastectomy. CASE SUMMARY: We report the case of a 37-year-old Chinese woman who was lactating and had GLM in both breasts. At the time of treatment, the right breast had a mass of approximately 15 cm × 11 cm, which was hard and had poor mobility. Multiple skin ulcerations and pus spills were also observed on the surface of the breast. The left breast had a mass of about 13 cm × 9 cm, which was hard and had poor mobility. CONCLUSION: Herein, we report a case of bilateral GLM in a lactating woman that was successfully treated with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), without the requirement for surgery or other treatments. Therefore, TCM may have advantages in the nonsurgical treatment of GLM.

Boosting Antitumor Sonodynamic Therapy Efficacy of Black Phosphorus via Covalent Functionalization.

Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) triggered by ultrasound represents an emerging tumor therapy approach with minimally invasive treatment featuring nontoxicity and deep tissue-penetration, and its efficacy sensitively depends on the sonosensitizer which determines the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Herein, for the first time covalently functionalized few-layer black phosphorus nanosheets (BPNSs) are applied as novel sonosensitizers in SDT, achieving not only boosted SDT efficacy but also inhibited cytotoxicity relative to the pristine BPNSs. Three different covalently functionalized-BPNSs are synthesized, including the first fullerene-functionalized BPNSs with C60 covalently bonded onto the surface of BPNSs (abbreviated as C60 -s-BP), surface-functionalized BPNSs by benzoic acid (abbreviated as BA-s-BP), and edge-functionalized BPNSs by C60 (abbreviated as C60 -e-BP), and the role of covalent functionalization pattern of BPNSs on its SDT efficacy is systematically investigated. Except C60 -e-BP, both surface-functionalized BPNSs (C60 -s-BP, BA-s-BP) exhibit higher SDT efficacies than the pristine BPNSs, while the highest SDT efficacy is achieved for BA-s-BP due to its strongest capability of generating the hydroxyl (·OH) radicals, which act as the dominant ROS to kill the tumor cells.

Potato NAC Transcription Factor StNAC053 Enhances Salt and Drought Tolerance in Transgenic Arabidopsis.

The NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2, and CUC2) transcription factors comprise one of the largest transcription factor families in plants and play important roles in stress responses. However, little is known about the functions of potato NAC family members. Here we report the cloning of a potato NAC transcription factor gene StNAC053, which was significantly upregulated after salt, drought, and abscisic acid treatments. Furthermore, the StNAC053-GFP fusion protein was found to be located in the nucleus and had a C-terminal transactivation domain, implying that StNAC053 may function as a transcriptional activator in potato. Notably, Arabidopsis plants overexpressing StNAC053 displayed lower seed germination rates compared to wild-type under exogenous ABA treatment. In addition, the StNAC053 overexpression Arabidopsis lines displayed significantly increased tolerance to salt and drought stress treatments. Moreover, the StNAC053-OE lines were found to have higher activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD) under multiple stress treatments. Interestingly, the expression levels of several stress-related genes including COR15A,DREB1A, ERD11, RAB18, ERF5, and KAT2, were significantly upregulated in these StNAC053-overexpressing lines. Taken together, overexpression of the stress-inducible StNAC053 gene could enhance the tolerances to both salt and drought stress treatments in Arabidopsis, likely by upregulating stress-related genes.

[Correlation study on non-volatile ingredients of Menthae Haplocalycis Herba formula granules and traditional herbal pieces by UPLC-MS/MS].

To establish the method for determining non-volatile ingredients of neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, isochlorogenic acid A, rosmarinic acid, ferulic acid, rutin, luteoloside, isoquercitrin, hesperidin, diosmin, diosmetin, luteolin, acacetin and linarin in Menthae Haplocalycis Herba formula granules and traditional herbal pieces by UPLC-MS/MS, and analyze the correlation of non-volatile ingredients in Menthae Haplocalycis Herba formula granules and traditional herbal pieces. Shim-pack GIST C_(18) column(2.1 mm×100 mm, 2 µm) was adopted with acetonitrile-0.1% formic acid aqueous solution as the mobile phase for gradient elution at the flow rate of 0.4 mL·min~(-1). The column temperature was set at 35 ℃. The quantitative analysis was performed using the electrospray ionization source and the multiple reaction monitoring. The linear relationship, resolution, repeatability and recovery of the 16 chemical components all met the requirements. The 16 non-volatile ingredients in traditional herbal pieces of Menthae Haplocalycis Herba could be tracked in formula granules. There were certain differences of the 16 chemical components among Menthae Haplocalycis Herba formula granules of different manufacturers and traditional herbal pieces of different producing areas. The UPLC-MS/MS method was simple, rapid and accurate, and could be used for the quality control of non-volatile ingredients in Menthae Haplocalycis Herba formula granules and traditional herbal pieces.

Altered metabolic profiles and biomarkers associated with astragaloside IV-mediated protection against cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury in rats: An HPLC-TOF/MS-based untargeted metabolomics study.

Cisplatin (CDDP)-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) limits the therapeutic use of CDDP, which urgently needs to be addressed. Our previous study demonstrated that astragaloside IV (AS IV), an active compound of the traditional Chinese herb Astragalus membranaceus, alleviated CDDP-induced AKI. To explore the mechanism, we performed a metabolomics study to explore the altered metabolic pathways and screen for sensitive biomarkers. Twenty-four rats were randomly divided into three groups, which were treated with vehicle solutions (Control), intraperitoneally injected CDDP, and intraperitoneally injected CDDP plus oral AS IV, respectively. Metabolic profiles of serum, urine, and kidney samples were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry. There were 38 key metabolites in the urine samples, 20 in the serum samples, and 16 in the kidney samples that were significantly altered due to AS IV-mediated protection against CDDP-induced AKI relative to CDDP-only treatment. CDDP + AS IV co-treatment significantly altered two pathways in the blood (biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids and alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism), five pathways in the urine (phenylalanine metabolism; phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis; arginine biosynthesis; arginine and proline metabolism; and histidine metabolism), and five pathways in the kidneys (glutathione metabolism; alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism; glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism; arginine and proline metabolism; and D-glutamine and D-glutamate metabolism). The metabolic pathways were mainly associated with improvements in inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, and energy metabolism. Adrenic acid in serum and L-histidine and L-methionine in urine were identified as sensitive biomarkers. This study provides new insights to understand the mechanism of AS IV-mediated protection against CDDP-induced AKI and has identified three candidate biomarkers to evaluate preventative treatment and assess therapeutic effectiveness.

Identification, functional characterization, and estrogen regulation on gonadotropin-releasing hormone in the spotted scat, Scatophagus argus.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is a key neuropeptide of the reproductive system. However, little is known about the role of GnRH in the spotted scat (Scatophagus argus). Here, three GnRH subtypes (cGnRH-II, sGnRH, and sbGnRH) were identified in the spotted scat. cGnRH-II and sGnRH were only expressed in the brains and gonads of both male and female fish, exhibiting a tissue-specific expression pattern, while sbGnRH was expressed at different transcription levels in all examined tissues. During ovarian maturation, hypothalamus-associated sbGnRH was upregulated, while the expression of sGnRH was variable and cGnRH-II first increased and then decreased. In vivo experiments showed that sbGnRH significantly promoted the expression of fsh and lh genes in a dose-dependent manner and exhibited a desensitization effect on lh expression at high concentrations. For sGnRH and cGnRH-II, only high concentrations could induce fsh and lh expression. Furthermore, treatment with highly concentrated sbGnRH peptide also induced fsh and lh expression, whereas the sGnRH and cGnRH-II peptides only induced fsh expression in vitro. 17ß-Estradiol (E2) significantly inhibited the expression of sbGnRH mRNA in a dose-dependent manner and did not impact sGnRH and cGnRH-II mRNA levels in vivo or in vitro. The inhibitory effect of E2 on sbGnRH expression was attenuated by the estrogen receptor (ER) broad-spectrum antagonist (fulvestrant) and the ERα-specific antagonist (methyl-piperidinopyrazole), respectively, implying that the feedback regulation on sbGnRH is mediated via ERα. This study provides a theoretical basis for the reproductive endocrinology of the spotted scat by studying GnRH.

Piezoelectric Materials as Sonodynamic Sensitizers to Safely Ablate Tumors: A Case Study Using Black Phosphorus.

Sonodynamic therapy eliminates cancer cells with reactive oxygen species (ROS) triggered by ultrasound whose energy is spatiotemporally controllable, is safe to human tissues and organs, and penetrates deeply through tissues. Its application, however, is hindered by the scarcity of sonodynamic sensitizers. We herein demonstrate piezoelectric materials as a new source of sonodynamic sensitizers, using few-layer black phosphorus (BP) nanosheet as a model. BP nanosheet exhibited ultrasound-excited cytotoxicity to cancer cells via ROS generation, thereby suppressing tumor growth and metastasis without causing off-target toxicity in tumor-bearing mouse models. The ultrasonic wave introduces mechanical strain to the BP nanosheet, leading to piezoelectric polarization which shifts the conduction band of BP more negative than O2/·O2- while its valence band more positive than H2O/·OH, thereby accelerating the ROS production. This work identifies a new mechanism for discovering sonodynamic sensitizers and suggests BP nanosheet as an excellent sensitizer for tumor sonodynamic therapy.

Moxibustion Eases Chronic Inflammatory Visceral Pain In Rats Via MAPK Signaling Pathway In The Spinal Cord.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the central analgesia mechanism of moxibustion for chronic inflammatory visceral pain (CIVP). METHODS: A CIVP rat model was established by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) plus 50% ethanol via enema. The analgesic effect of moxibustion was evaluated using the abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR), mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT), and thermal withdrawal latency (TWL). The expression profile of phosphorylated proteins of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway in the spinal cord was assayed by protein microarray. The differentially expressed proteins were examined by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) for functional clusters and corresponding signaling pathways. RESULTS: Moxibustion exerted a significant analgesic effect for CIVP rats, mainly presenting as a decrease in the AWR score (all P<0.01) under different levels of distending pressure and an increase in MWT and TWL thresholds (all P<0.05). Compared with the normal group, 76 proteins were upregulated while 15 were downregulated, and MAPK signaling pathway was activated in the model group. Compared with the model group, there were 53 downregulated and 38 upregulated proteins in the moxibustion group, and MAPK signaling pathway was inhibited. Fold change (FC)>1.3 or <0.77 was taken as the screening standard to define the differentially expressed proteins. Fifteen differentially expressed proteins upregulated in the model group were downregulated in the moxibustion group. GO analysis showed that the differentially expressed proteins mainly controlled cellular metabolism regulation, transportation, and stress reactions. KEGG analysis revealed that these differentially expressed proteins were mostly involved in the ERK, JNK, and p38 pathways, and the ERK pathway was predominant. CONCLUSION: Moxibustion mitigates CIVP in rats and inhibits the phosphorylation of proteins in the spinal MAPK signaling pathway. The analgesic effect of moxibustion may be associated with the regulation of the spinal MAPK signaling pathway.

Qishen capsule safely boosts cardiac function and angiogenesis via the MEK/ERK pathway in a rat myocardial infarction model.

BACKGROUND: Qishen (QS) capsules, a Traditional Chinese Medicine, has been widely used to treat coronary heart disease in China. However, evidence of its effectiveness remains unclear. METHODS: To explore whether QS has cardioprotective efficacy and/or promotes angiogenesis after myocardial infarction (MI), we performed experiments in a preclinical rat MI model. One month after left anterior descending coronary artery ligation, the rats received either QS solution (0.4 g/kg/day) or the same volume of saline by intragastric injection for four weeks. RESULTS: Echocardiographic and hemodynamic analyses demonstrated relatively preserved cardiac function in MI rats administered QS. Indeed, QS treatment was associated with reduced infarct scar size and heart weight index, and these beneficial effects were responsible for enhancing angiogenesis. Mechanistically, QS treatment increased phosphorylation of protein kinase B (Akt) and downregulated phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular-regulated kinase (MEK/ERK). CONCLUSIONS: QS therapy can improve the cardiac function of rats after MI by an underlying mechanism involving increased angiogenesis, at least partially via activation of the Akt signaling pathway and inhibition of MEK/ERK phosphorylation.

Antitumor Effects of Ruyiping on Cell Growth and Metastasis in Breast Cancer.

Background: Ruyiping is an effective traditional Chinese herbal medicine formula for preventing postoperative recurrence and metastasis of breast cancer. However, the exact function and underlying mechanism of Ruyiping in breast cancer remain unclear. Materials and Methods: After breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 were treated with Ruyiping, the CCK8, colony formation, wound-healing, and transwell invasion assays were used to examine cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, respectively. Flow cytometry was performed to examine the effect of Ruyiping on cell cycle distribution. Western blot was performed to examine the expression of related proteins, and the activity of MMP9 was detected using Gelatin zymography assay. Results: Ruyiping treatment significantly inhibited cell proliferation and viability of MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells. Ruyiping was also revealed to trigger cell cycle arrest at the G2 phase in MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells. Moreover, Ruyiping suppressed the migration and invasion abilities of MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells in vitro. Furthermore, Ruyiping blocked the activity of MMP9 in MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells. Additionally, western blotting showed that Ruyiping attenuated epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of breast cancer through downregulation of N-cadherin, Vimentin, Snail1, and Snail2 and upregulation of E-cadherin. The authors observed that the components of Ruyiping Pseudobulbus Cremastra seu pleiones polysaccharide and curcumol showed significant suppression in the growth and invasion of breast cancer cell. Conclusions: The observations of this study suggest the antitumor properties of Ruyiping in cell growth and invasion of breast cancer, which are modulated by induction of cell cycle arrest and reduction of MMP9 and EMT.

Escherichia coli translation strategies differ across carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus limitation conditions.

For cells to grow faster they must increase their protein production rate. Microorganisms have traditionally been thought to accomplish this increase by producing more ribosomes to enhance protein synthesis capacity, leading to the linear relationship between ribosome level and growth rate observed under most growth conditions previously examined. Past studies have suggested that this linear relationship represents an optimal resource allocation strategy for each growth rate, independent of any specific nutrient state. Here we investigate protein production strategies in continuous cultures limited for carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, which differentially impact substrate supply for protein versus nucleic acid metabolism. Unexpectedly, we find that at slow growth rates, Escherichia coli achieves the same protein production rate using three different strategies under the three different nutrient limitations. Under phosphorus (P) limitation, translation is slow due to a particularly low abundance of ribosomes, which are RNA-rich and thus particularly costly for phosphorous-limited cells. Under nitrogen (N) limitation, translation elongation is slowed by processes including ribosome stalling at glutamine codons. Under carbon (C) limitation, translation is slowed by accumulation of inactive ribosomes not bound to messenger RNA. These extra ribosomes enable rapid growth acceleration during nutrient upshift. Thus, bacteria tune ribosome usage across different limiting nutrients to enable balanced nutrient-limited growth while also preparing for future nutrient upshifts.

Cellular ATP levels are affected by moderate and strong static magnetic fields.

Mitochondrion is the major cellular energy producing organelle that is at the boundary between chemical reactions and physical processes. Although mitochondria have been shown to be affected by physical methods such as nonthermal plasma, whether static magnetic field (SMF) could also affect them is still unclear. Here we used rat adrenal PC12 cells to compare SMFs of different intensities for their effects on ATP (adenosine-5'-triphosphate), the major energy source produced by mitochondria, which is essential for various cellular processes. Our results show that although 0.26 or 0.50 T SMFs did not affect ATP, 1 T and 9 T SMFs affected ATP level differently and time-dependently. Moreover, SMF-induced ATP level fluctuations are correlated with mitochondrial membrane potential changes. Our study provides insights not only into understanding various cellular effects of SMFs, but also the potential clinical applications of SMFs. Bioelectromagnetics. 39:352-360, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.