Glucosamine delays the progression of osteoporosis in senile mice by promoting osteoblast autophagy.

BACKGROUND: Senile osteoporosis (SOP) is one of the most prevalent diseases that afflict the elderly population, which characterized by decreased osteogenic ability. Glucosamine (GlcN) is an over-the-counter dietary supplement. Our previous study reported that GlcN promotes osteoblast proliferation by activating autophagy in vitro. The purpose of this study is to determine the effects and mechanisms of GlcN on senile osteoporosis and osteogenic differentiation in vivo. METHODS: Aging was induced by subcutaneous injection of D-Galactose (D-Gal), and treated with GlcN or vehicle. The anti-senile-osteoporosis effect of GlcN was explored by examining changes in micro-CT, serum indicators, body weight, protein and gene expression of aging and apoptosis. Additionally, the effects of GlcN on protein and gene expression of osteogenesis and autophagy were observed by inhibiting autophagy with 3-methyladenine (3-MA). RESULTS: GlcN significantly improved bone mineral density (BMD) and bone micro-architecture, decreased skeletal senescence and apoptosis and increased osteogenesis in D-Gal induced osteoporotic mice. While all effect was reversed with 3-MA. CONCLUSION: GlcN effectively delayed the progression of osteoporosis in senile osteoporotic mice by promoting osteoblast autophagy. This study suggested that GlcN may be a prospective candidate drug for the treatment of SOP.

The role of selenium in severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome: an integrative analysis of surveillance data and clinical data.

OBJECTIVES: Selenium deficiency can be associated with increased susceptibility to some viral infections and even more severe diseases. In this study, we aimed to examine whether this association applies to severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS). METHOD: An observational study was conducted based on the data of 13,305 human SFTS cases reported in mainland China from 2010 to 2020. The associations among incidence, case fatality rate of SFTS, and crop selenium concentration at the county level were explored. The selenium level in a cohort of patients with SFTS was tested, and its relationship with clinical outcomes was evaluated. RESULTS: The association between selenium-deficient crops and the incidence rate of SFTS was confirmed by multivariate Poisson analysis, with an estimated incidence rate ratio (IRR, 95% confidence interval [CI]) of 4.549 (4.215-4.916) for moderate selenium-deficient counties and 16.002 (14.706-17.431) for severe selenium-deficient counties. In addition, a higher mortality rate was also observed in severe selenium-deficient counties with an IRR of 1.409 (95% CI: 1.061-1.909). A clinical study on 120 patients with SFTS showed an association between serum selenium deficiency and severe SFTS (odds ratio, OR: 2.94; 95% CI: 1.00-8.67) or fatal SFTS (OR: 7.55; 95% CI: 1.14-50.16). CONCLUSION: Selenium deficiency is associated with increased susceptibility to SFTS and poor clinical outcomes.

Enhanced production of seed oil with improved fatty acid composition by overexpressing NAD+ -dependent glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in soybean.

There is growing interest in expanding the production of soybean oils (mainly triacylglycerol, or TAG) to meet rising feed demand and address global energy concerns. We report that a plastid-localized glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH), encoded by GmGPDHp1 gene, catalyzes the formation of glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P), an obligate substrate required for TAG biosynthesis. Overexpression of GmGPDHp1 increases soybean seed oil content with high levels of unsaturated fatty acids (FAs), especially oleic acid (C18:1), without detectably affecting growth or seed protein content or seed weight. Based on the lipidomic analyses, we found that the increase in G3P content led to an elevated diacylglycerol (DAG) pool, in which the Kennedy pathway-derived DAG was mostly increased, followed by PC-derived DAG, thereby promoting the synthesis of TAG containing relatively high proportion of C18:1. The increased G3P levels induced several transcriptional alterations of genes involved in the glycerolipid pathways. In particular, genes encoding the enzymes responsible for de novo glycerolipid synthesis were largely upregulated in the transgenic lines, in-line with the identified biochemical phenotype. These results reveal a key role for GmGPDHp1-mediated G3P metabolism in enhancing TAG synthesis and demonstrate a strategy to modify the FA compositions of soybean oils for improved nutrition and biofuel.

Role of AURKA in the hypothalamus-pituitary-testicular axis in Tibetan sheep from Tianzhu.

The mitosis-associated protein aurora kinase A (AURKA) regulates the maturation of germ cells. We have previously reported using transcriptome analysis that AURKA is expressed in yak testes. Although Tibetan sheep possess an immense economic value, their reproductive rate is low. Herein, the expression and functions of AURKA in the hypothalamus-pituitary-testicular (HPT) axis in Tibetan sheep from Tianzhu were investigated. The cDNA sequence of sheep AURKA was cloned and bioinformatics techniques were used to predict its structure. Tissue expression of AURKA was determined by qPCR, immunoblotting, immunostaining, and immunohistochemistry. The AURKA coding sequence was found to be 1218 bp in length, encoding a 405-amino acid polypeptide chain. Furthermore, the highest sequence similarity of AURKA with the corresponding sequence in other species was seen in goat and cattle; the least degree of similarity was seen in the domestic cat. In addition, AURKA expression was elevated in the testes compared to that in the hypothalamus and pituitary (p < 0.01). Moreover, AURKA was mainly localized in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (magnocellular), chromophobe cells of the pituitary, and spermatogenic cells of the testis. These results indicated that AURKA might participate in sheep reproductive regulation, thus providing a reference for the study of AURKA function in the reproductive process of Tibetan sheep from Tianzhu.

Quantification of Chinese yam processing methods based on pyrolysis characteristics and its relation to Maillard reaction.

Objective: Chinese yam (Shanyao in Chinese, SY) as one of the representatives for Chinese medicines can be used as both of medicine and food with rich nutritional and medicinal value. Most of Chinese herbal medicines need to be processed prior to be used in clinical practice. SY was divided into Maoshanyao (Hairy Shanyao, MSY) and Guangshanyao (Smooth Shanyao, GSY) based on different processing methods at the place of origin, and it also could be processed as stir-fried SY and bran stir-fried SY to meet the different clinical use. Moreover, during the processing of Chinese herbal medicines, more complicated Maillard reaction occurs compared to food processing. Therefore, the objective of this research is to quantify the firepower of SY processing, and combined this with the relevant parameters of Maillard reaction. Methods: The MSY and GSY produced in Shanxi and Henan Provinces were chosen as the research objects. By using thermal analysis technology, we first established the correlation between pyrolysis and processing of SY and its mixtures. We also quantified the firepower of Shaoyao processing, and combined this with the relevant parameters of Maillard reaction (pH value, amino acid, and 5-HMF) and the changes in medicinal ingredients (allantoin). Results: The SY was mainly fried with moderate-fire (190 °C-200 °C), and the starting temperatures of different SY-ingredient mixtures were (176.3 ± 5.33) °C for (honey) bran, and (205.9 ± 8.05) °C for rice. The upper limits of processing temperature were (289.9 ± 6.47) °C for (honey) bran and (298.9 ± 1.15) °C for rice. The cooking time was (10.80 ± 1.76) min for soil stir-fry, (10.31 ± 1.06) min for bran stir-fry, and (8.43 ± 0.68) min for rice stir-fry. Moreover, the pH values and the content of 5-HMF were increased (P < 0.001), while the content of glycine was decreased significantly (P < 0.001) after processing. Conclusion: The results verified and quantified the firepower of traditional processing of SY, and also provided scientific reference for other studies related to SY processing.

Synergistic interaction between total glucosides and total flavonoids on chronic constriction injury induced neuropathic pain in rats.

CONTEXT: Shaoyao Gancao Decoction (SGD), a famous herbal medicine, consists of two herbs (Paeoniae Radix and Glycyrrhizae Radix) and is traditionally used for the treatment of pain. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the synergistic potential of total glucosides of Paeoniae Radix (TGP) and total flavonoids of Glycyrrhizae Radix (TFL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Oral administration of TGP and TFL alone at the doses of 60,120 and 240 mg/kg or in combination were given only one time to the neuropathic pain rat induced by chronic constriction injury. Paw pressure and heat immersion tests were performed to assess degrees of mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia, respectively. Synergistic interactions between TGP and TFL were characterized using isobolographic analysis. Expressions of Sirt1 protein were detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: On day 14 after surgery, single oral administration of TGP and TFL both produced significant anti-allodynic and anti-hyperalgesic effects in dose-dependent and time-dependent manners. The ED(50) value of TGP was 249.4 ± 10.8 mg/kg while TFL was 871.4 ± 30.5 mg/kg. Isobolographic analysis revealed that the combination of TGP with TFL at the fixed ratios of 3:1 exerted the highest sub-additive (synergistic) interaction, of which the experimental ED(50) value was 95.1 ± 9.0 mg/kg. SGD could also downregulate Sirt1 protein expression, which was 4.2-fold higher than that of model rats in dorsal root ganglion. CONCLUSION: Analgesic effects of SGD may contribute to simultaneous inhibition of Sirt1 overexpression and could warrant further evaluation as a possible agent for the treatment of neuropathic pain.

Pharmacokinetics and blood-brain barrier penetration of (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin in rats by microdialysis sampling coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography with chemiluminescence detection.

(+)-Catechin (C) and (-)-epicatechin (EC), as the basic monomer units of flavanols, can be widely found in natural products or medicinal herbs. Recent pharmacological studies have revealed that C and EC exhibit good neuroprotective effects. However, there is little information about pharmacokinetic profiles in the brain and in vivo BBB penetration of C and EC. In this paper, an ultrasensitive method using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with chemiluminescence (CL) detection was developed for the analysis of microdialysis samples. The detection limits for C and EC in Ringer's solution were 1.0 and 1.2 ng/mL, respectively. The intraday and interday accuracies for C and EC in Ringer's solution ranged from -3.0 to 4.4%, and the intraday and interday precisions were below 5.2%. The mean in vivo recoveries of C and EC in microdialysis probes were 33.7% and 26.5% in blood while 38.3% and 29.1% in brain. Pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated using the statistical moment method after iv administration (C and EC, 20 mg/kg of body weight) in rats. Brain-to-blood (AUC(brain)/AUC(blood)) distribution ratios were 0.0726 ± 0.0376 for C and 0.1065 ± 0.0531 for EC, indicating that C and EC could pass through the BBB, which is further evidence of their neuroprotective effects.

Successful penile replantation with adjuvant hyperbaric oxygen treatment.

Penile amputation and successful replantation is very uncommon, and routine standardized procedures for dealing with this medical condition do not exist. A case of a penile amputation and successful replantation is presented. This report presents the microsurgical procedure and postoperative care that led to successful engraftment and function. Of particular interest was the use of hyperbaric oxygen to accelerate the healing process. A review of the published data and future methods of increasing success of such surgical procedures is provided.