Phosphorylation-dependent deubiquitinase OTUD3 regulates YY1 stability and promotes colorectal cancer progression.

Yin Yang 1 (YY1) is a key transcription factor that has been implicated in the development of several malignancies. The stability of YY1 is regulated by the ubiquitin-proteasome system. The role of deubiquitinases (DUBs) and their impact on YY1 remain to be fully elucidated. In this study, we screened for ubiquitin-specific proteases that interact with YY1, and identified OTUD3 as a DUB for YY1. Over-expressed OTUD3 inhibited YY1 degradation, thereby increasing YY1 protein levels, whereas OTUD3 knockdown or knockout promoted YY1 degradation, thereby decreasing the proliferation of colorectal cancer (CRC). Furthermore, PLK1 mediates OTUD3 S326 phosphorylation, which further enhances OTUD3 binding and deubiquitination of YY1. In CRC tissues, elevated the expression level of OTUD3 and YY1 were significantly associated with poor prognostic outcomes. These findings suggest that the OTUD3-YY1 pathway has therapeutic potential in CRC, and OTUD3 plays a critical role in regulating YY1.

Revisiting the role of Acinetobacter spp. in side-stream enhanced biological phosphorus removal (S2EBPR) systems.

We piloted the incorporation of side-stream enhanced biological phosphorus removal (S2EBPR) with A/B stage short-cut nitrogen removal processes to enable simultaneous carbon-energy-efficient nutrients removal. This unique configuration and system conditions exerted selective force on microbial populations distinct from those in conventional EBPR. Interestingly, effective P removal was achieved with the predominance of Acinetobacter (21.5 ± 0.1 %) with nearly negligible level of known conical PAOs (Ca. Accumulibacter and Tetrasphaera were 0.04 ± 0.10 % and 0.47 ± 0.32 %, respectively). Using a combination of techniques, such as fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) coupled with single cell Raman spectroscopy (SCRS), the metabolic tracing of Acinetobacter-like cells exerted PAO-like phenotypic profiling. In addition, comparative metagenomics analysis of the closely related Acinetobacter spp. revealed the EBPR relevant metabolic pathways. Further oligotyping analysis of 16s rRNA V4 region revealed sub-clusters (microdiversity) of the Acinetobacter and revealed that the sub-group (oligo type 1, identical (100 % alignment identity) hits from Acinetobacter_midas_s_49494, and Acinetobacter_midas_s_55652) correlated with EBPR activities parameters, provided strong evidence that the identified Acinetobacter most likely contributed to the overall P removal in our A/B-shortcut N-S2EBPR system. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to confirm the in situ EBPR activity of Acinetobacter using combined genomics and SCRS Raman techniques. Further research is needed to identify the specific taxon, and phenotype of the Acinetobacter that are responsible for the P-removal.

Effects of dance therapy on cognitive and mental health in adults aged 55 years and older with mild cognitive impairment: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with mild cognitive impairment are at high risk of developing dementia. Dance therapy has promising applications in delaying cognitive decline. However, the effectiveness of dance therapy for older adults with mild cognitive impairment is unclear. The objective of this review was to evaluate the effectiveness of dance therapy on global cognitive function, specific cognitive subdomains, quality of life, and mental health in older adults with mild cognitive impairment to enrich health management strategies for dementia. METHODS: Electronic databases and grey literature were searched from inception up to September 23, 2023. The language was limited to English and Chinese. Relevant studies were screened and assessed for risk of bias. A meta-analysis and subgroup analyses stratified by measurement instrument, dance type, intervention duration, and frequency were conducted using the STATA 16.0 software. This review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS: Ten studies involving 984 participants aged 55 years and over who met the eligibility criteria were included. Dance therapy significantly improved global cognitive function, memory, executive function, attention, language, and mental health (i.e., depression and neuropsychiatric symptoms). However, the effects of dance therapy on processing speed, visuospatial ability, and quality of life in older adults with mild cognitive impairment remain inconclusive. Moreover, dance interventions of longer duration (> 3 months) improved global cognition more than shorter interventions. CONCLUSION: This review reported that dance therapy was effective in improving global cognitive function, memory, executive function, attention, language, and mental health (i.e., depression and neuropsychiatric symptoms). Hence, it may be an effective non-pharmacological complementary treatment for older adults with mild cognitive impairment.

[Melanogenesis of quality markers in Vernonia anthelmintica Injection based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS combined network pharmacology].

This study aimed to evaluate the biological effect and mechanism of Vernonia anthelmintica Injection(VAI) on melanin accumulation. The in vivo depigmentation model was induced by propylthiouracil(PTU) in zebrafish, and the effect of VAI on melanin accumulation was evaluated based on the in vitro B16F10 cell model. The chemical composition of VAI was identified according to the high-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). Network pharmaco-logy was applied to predict potential targets and pathways of VAI. A "VAI component-target-pathway" network was established, and the pharmacodynamic molecules were screened out based on the topological characteristics of the network. The binding of active molecules to key targets was verified by molecular docking. The results showed that VAI promoted tyrosinase activity and melanin production in B16F10 cells in a dose-and time-dependent manner and could restore the melanin in the body of the zebrafish model. Fifty-six compounds were identified from VAI, including flavonoids(15/56), terpenoids(10/56), phenolic acids(9/56), fatty acids(9/56), steroids(6/56), and others(7/56). Network pharmacological analysis screened four potential quality markers, including apigenin, chrysoeriol, syringaresinol, and butein, involving 61 targets and 65 pathways, and molecular docking verified their binding to TYR, NFE2L2, CASP3, MAPK1, MAPK8, and MAPK14. It was found that the mRNA expression of MITF, TYR, TYRP1, and DCT in B16F10 cells was promoted. By UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and network pharmacology, this study determined the material basis of VAI against vitiligo, screened apigenin, chrysoeriol, syringaresinol, and butein as the quality markers of VAI, and verified the efficacy and internal mechanism of melanogenesis, providing a basis for quality control and further clinical research.

Melanogenesis of quality markers in Vernonia anthelmintica Injection based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS combined network pharmacology / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to evaluate the biological effect and mechanism of Vernonia anthelmintica Injection(VAI) on melanin accumulation. The in vivo depigmentation model was induced by propylthiouracil(PTU) in zebrafish, and the effect of VAI on melanin accumulation was evaluated based on the in vitro B16F10 cell model. The chemical composition of VAI was identified according to the high-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). Network pharmaco-logy was applied to predict potential targets and pathways of VAI. A "VAI component-target-pathway" network was established, and the pharmacodynamic molecules were screened out based on the topological characteristics of the network. The binding of active molecules to key targets was verified by molecular docking. The results showed that VAI promoted tyrosinase activity and melanin production in B16F10 cells in a dose-and time-dependent manner and could restore the melanin in the body of the zebrafish model. Fifty-six compounds were identified from VAI, including flavonoids(15/56), terpenoids(10/56), phenolic acids(9/56), fatty acids(9/56), steroids(6/56), and others(7/56). Network pharmacological analysis screened four potential quality markers, including apigenin, chrysoeriol, syringaresinol, and butein, involving 61 targets and 65 pathways, and molecular docking verified their binding to TYR, NFE2L2, CASP3, MAPK1, MAPK8, and MAPK14. It was found that the mRNA expression of MITF, TYR, TYRP1, and DCT in B16F10 cells was promoted. By UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and network pharmacology, this study determined the material basis of VAI against vitiligo, screened apigenin, chrysoeriol, syringaresinol, and butein as the quality markers of VAI, and verified the efficacy and internal mechanism of melanogenesis, providing a basis for quality control and further clinical research.

Prolonging the time of progesterone supplementation to improve the pregnancy outcomes of single day 6 blastocyst transfer in frozen-thawed cycles: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Infertility is one of the most important and underappreciated reproductive health problems in developing countries. Currently, in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer is the most effective treatment strategy for infertility. In a frozen-thawed cycle, single-blastocyst transfer can not only ensure relatively higher pregnancy and live birth rates but also effectively reduce the risk of maternal and neonatal complications. In frozen-thawed cycles, progesterone is initiated to promote the final phase of endometrial preparation prior to embryo transfer. However, the optimal duration of exposure to progesterone has remained inconclusive. Therefore, we designed a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to compare the effects of different prolonged progesterone transformation times (P+6 and P+7) on the pregnancy outcomes of D6 single blastocyst transfer in a frozen-thawed cycle. METHODS: This is a single-center, prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial involving 900 patients with single blastocyst transfer in the frozen-thawed cycle, aged from 20 to 38 years, with less than three transfers, and with HRT-cycle single D6 blastocyst transfer in the current cycle. Participants will be randomly assigned (1:1) into two parallel groups: the transfer of day 6 blastocysts on the 7th day of progesterone supplementation and the transfer of day 6 blastocysts on the 6th day of progesterone supplementation. The primary outcome measure is the clinical pregnancy rate. Secondary outcome measures include the miscarriage rate and live birth rate. DISCUSSION: This is the first randomized controlled trial to compare the transfer of day 6 blastocysts on the 6th and 7th day of progesterone supplementation. The results of this study will provide evidence for whether to prolong the duration of exposure to progesterone prior to embryo transfer. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT04938011. Registered on 19 June 2021.

Effects of mindfulness in patients with mild cognitive impairment with insomnia: A double-blind randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Current research on the effects of mindfulness therapy on MCI and insomnia has been inconsistent. It is still a hot topic of research and discussion. This study aimed to improve the sleep quality, cognition, and mental state of patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) with insomnia. METHODS: A double-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted. Seventy-five patients who met the eligibility criteria were randomly assigned to the mindfulness (n = 38) or health education (n = 37) treatment group. The primary outcomes were sleep, measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory, and cognition, measured by The Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Mini-Mental State Examination. Secondary outcomes included insomnia, measured by the Insomnia Severity Index, depression, anxiety, and perceived stress. EEG signals were collected at rest with eyes closed in the mindfulness state. The power spectrum was analyzed from these data. RESULTS: Cognitive function and sleep quality were significantly improved in the mindfulness group (95% confidence interval 0.04 - 0.05, 0.03 - 0.04, -5.58 - -1.55, respectively). Anxiety and perceived stress scores were significantly lower than those in the control group (95% confidence interval 0.002 - 0.004, 0.009 - 0.013, respectively). The power spectrum differences in δ, θ, ß, and γ bands were significant between the rest and mindfulness states (P < .05). Good safety was achieved in both groups with no deaths or serious adverse events. CONCLUSION: Mindfulness improved sleep quality, cognitive function, and mentality of patients. Mindfulness practice caused deep relaxation in the brain and changes in electrical frequency bands associated with attention and cognitive tasks. Mindfulness learning can be performed successfully for individuals with MCI. Additionally, it is suitable for adoption in nursing homes.

Mechanism of Fuzheng Kang'ai Formula Regulating Tumor Microenvironment in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the mechanism of Chinese herbal medicine Fuzheng Kang'ai Formula (, FZKA) on tumor microenvironment (TME).@*METHODS@#CIBERSORTx was used for analysis of TME. Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology and Analysis Platform was applied to identify compounds-targets network and the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was employed to identify the differential expression genes (DEGs) between tumor and paracancerous tissues in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) from TCGA-LUAD. Additionally, DEGs with prognosis in LUAD was calculated by univariable and multivariate Cox regression. The core targets of FZKA were analyzed in lung adenocarcinoma TME. Protein-protein interaction database was employed to predict down-stream of target. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was employed for biological experiment in A549, H1299 and PC9 cell lines.@*RESULTS@#The active and resting mast cells were significantly associated with prognosis of LUAD (P<0.05). Of the targets, CCNA2 as an important target of FZKA (hazard ratio=1.41, 95% confidential interval: 1.01-2.01, P<0.05) was a prognostic target and significantly associated with mast cells. CCNA2 was positively correlated with mast cell activation and negatively correlated with mast cell resting state. BCL1L2, ACTL6A and ITGAV were down-stream of CCNA2, which were validated by qRT-PCR in A549 cell.@*CONCLUSION@#FZKA could directly bind to CCNA2 and inhibit tumor growth by regulating CCNA2 downstream genes and TME of NSCLC closely related to CCNA2.

Effects of expressive arts therapy in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: A pilot study.

Expressive arts therapy (EAT) can potentially improve cognition and mental health in patients with dementia. However, limited studies have been conducted for older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The aim of this study was to examine the effects of EAT in older adults with MCI. A total of 48 participants with MCI were assigned to the EAT intervention (n = 24) or waiting list control (n = 24) group. The former received 60-90 min of EAT twice a week for 6 weeks. The findings showed that the EAT program had a high retention and attendance rate and a high level of general satisfaction. Moreover, the intervention group showed significant improvements in general cognitive function, language function, anxiety, depression, and the psychological and social relationship domains of quality of life. The results provide preliminary evidence for the feasibility and efficacy of EAT intervention in older adults with MCI.

Suppression of FAK by nexrutine inhibits gastric cancer progression.

AIM: Nexrutine, an herbal extract of Phellodendron amurense, has been found to play a tumor-suppressive role in many cancers. However, its role in the pathogenesis of gastric cancer remains unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Gastric cancer cells (SGC-7901 and MGC-803) were treated with nexrutine, and cell proliferation, invasion and apoptosis were analyzed. And the MGC-803 cells-derived xenograft mouse models were fed pelleted diet containing 600 mg/kg nexrutine for 21 days after inoculation. Mechanically, we focused on the influences of nexrutine on the levels and activation of STAT3 and NF-κB as well as their upstream regulator FAK. Additionally, we further verified whether nexrutine affected the proliferation, invasion and apoptosis of gastric cancer cells via FAK by upregulating FAK expression before nexrutine treatment. KEY FINDINGS: We found nexrutine inhibited the viability, invasion, and expression levels of PCNA, CyclinD1 and Bcl-2, promoted the apoptosis and Bax expression, decreased levels of STAT3, phospho-STAT3, NF-κB p65, phospho-p65, FAK and phospho-FAK in gastric cancer cells. Overexpression of FAK reversed the impacts of nexrutine on the levels of STAT3, phospho-STAT3, NF-κB p65, phospho-p65, as well as the malignant characteristics of gastric cancer cells. Moreover, nexrutine suppressed tumor volumes and weights, and decreased expression and phosphorylation of FAK, STAT3 and NF-κB p65 in vivo. SIGNIFICANCE: Nexrutine inhibited the malignant progression of gastric cancer via negatively regulating STAT3/NF-κB signaling pathway by suppressing FAK expression and activation.

Analysis of imaging-guided thermal ablation puncture routes for tumors of the hepatic caudate lobe.

AIMS: The goal of this study was to analyze the puncture routes of imaging-guided thermal ablation for tumors of the hepatic caudate lobe. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The imaging-guided thermal ablation puncture routes of 12 cases of hepatic caudate lobe tumors were collected in our hospital from January 2013 to February 2019. The puncture routes were retrospectively analyzed, and the experience of thermal ablation therapy for hepatic caudate lobe tumors was summarized. RESULTS: Among the 12 cases of hepatic caudate lobe tumors, puncture routes were divided into the anterior (through the left lobe of the liver) approach (six cases), the right hepatic approach (five cases), and the transthoracic approach (one case). Different ablation electrodes were selected according to the puncture route and method of guiding. No serious postoperative complications were noted. CONCLUSION: The hepatic caudate lobe is surrounded by the inferior vena cava, hepatic vein, and hepatic hilum, leading to great difficulties and risks in performing minimally invasive treatment of hepatic caudate lobe malignancies. Therefore, selecting an appropriate puncture route is an important factor in the success of the treatment.

Effects of various oil extraction methods on the gelatinization and retrogradation properties of starches isolated from tigernut (Cyperus esculentus) tuber meals.

Gelatinization and retrogradation characteristics of starches from tigernut (Cyperus esculentus) tuber before and after various oil extraction processes were studied in this investigation. The results indicated that starches isolated from tigernut tuber after the various oil extraction processes varied significantly in gelatinization and retrogradation properties. The starches isolated from the cakes of tigernut tuber after hot press extraction exhibited higher retrogradation tendency and relatively less shear-thinning than other starch samples. The results of FT-IR, XRD, and NMR analysis indicated that oil extraction had an unfavorable influence on starch retrogradation, which may be due to structural changes caused by oil extraction processes. In particular, oil extraction led to more efficient packing of double helices in the crystalline lamella of the starches during storage. Retrogradation of the starch gels also reduced the water holding capacities of the starches. The starch sample isolated from the cake after cold press extraction exhibited the highest water absorption capacity among the five samples for all storage times. This investigation provides valuable novel information for the industrial utilization of tigernut tuber starches isolated from meals and cakes after oil extraction.

[Spray drying process of extract of Wenjing Zhitong Prescription based on mixture design experiment].

To improve the spray drying effect of extract of Wenjing Zhitong Prescription, this study takes the yield, hygroscopic property and the fluidity of dry powder as indexes to screen out auxiliary materials, and the proportion of the auxiliary materials was optimized based on the mixing design experiment; based on that, HPLC method was established for the determination of glycyrrhizin and 6-gingerol in spray powder, the yield of spray powder and the retention rate of the two index components were taken as indexes to further optimize the spray drying parameters. The finally selected auxiliary materials were light magnesium oxide, maltodextrin and silica, and regression equations of dry powder yield, moisture absorption rate, angle of rest with proportion of auxiliary materials were established, and the optimized proportion of auxiliary materials was dry paste-light magnesium oxide-maltodextrin-silica=0.5∶0.305∶0.145∶0.05; according to the optimized drying process parameters of Wenjing Zhitong Prescription, initial temperature was 60 ℃, air inlet temperature was 130 ℃, air flow rate was 35 m~3·h~(-1), atomizing pressure was 40 mm, and liquid inlet speed was 4.5 mL·min~(-1). Under these conditions, the dry powder yield was 90.28%, the retention rate of glycyrrhizin was 74.51%, and the retention rate of 6-gingerol was 72.10%. In this study, optimized auxiliary materials can improve the yield of spray drying and the property of spray powder, and the optimized processing conditions were good for retaining the unstable gingerol components, which can lay a foundation for the further preparation research of meridian warming and pain relieving prescriptions, and provide reference for extract of other traditional Chinese medicine extracts that are difficult to spray drying.

Distribution, health risk assessment, and anthropogenic sources of fluoride in farmland soils in phosphate industrial area, southwest China.

The high concentration of fluoride (F) in soils has become a rising concern for its toxicity to microbes, plants, animals and human health. In the present study, the spatial and vertical distribution, health risk assessment and anthropogenic sources of F in farmland soils in an industrial area dominated by phosphate chemical plants were studied. Concentrations of total fluoride (TF) and water soluble fluoride (WSF) in the surface soils decreased with distance within the range of 2500 m at the prevailing downwind of the industrial area. The soil TF and WSF concentrations in 0-40 cm profiles were higher than those in 40-100 cm layers in the industrial area. At the prevailing downwind of the industrial area within 700 m, the hazard quotient values of human exposure to surface soils were higher than 1, indicating that a potential risk may exist for human health in this area. The main exposure pathway for children and adults was oral ingestion and particulate inhalation, respectively. The source apportionment model of soil F was modified based on years' historical data and experimental data. The results showed that the proportion of anthropogenic sources of soil F was dustfalls (69%) > irrigation water (23%) > air (5%) > chemical fertilizers (3%) in the industrial area. The high F concentration of dustfalls was mainly due to the phosphate rock, phosphogypsum, and surface soils with high F contents from the factories. In order to safeguard human health and alleviate hazards of F to surroundings, the control of pollutants emission from factories was a basic and vital step to reduce F in the soils in industrial areas.

Comparison of short-term dosing ferrous ion and nanoscale zero-valent iron for rapid recovery of anammox activity from dissolved oxygen inhibition.

As obligate anaerobes, anammox bacteria are sensitive to oxygen, which might hinder the maximization of anammox activity. However, there are very few effective strategies to rapidly recover anammox activity after its deterioration under exposure of oxygen. In this study, the activity recovery of anammox bacteria encountering dissolved oxygen (DO) exposure (0.2 and 2.0 mg L-1) were compared by three strategies in short-term experiments, nZVI, Fe(II) dosing, and N2 purging. nZVI is more effective in recovering anammox activity with a high DO exposure (2 mg L-1), compared to a low DO exposure (0.2 mg L-1). After inhibiting by 2.0 mg L-1 DO, anammox activity recovery (normalized to the control) was ranked in the order of nZVI (5 mg L-1) addition (63 ±â€¯8.2%) > Fe(II) (5 mg L-1) addition (41 ±â€¯8.0%) >N2 purging (39 ±â€¯4.0%). In contrast to Fe(II) ion additions, the shell structure of nZVI combined with the buffering effect of biomass-extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) prevented the sharp pH variation and excessive dissolved Fe(II)/Fe(III) in solution. Under such circumstances, nZVI addition (5 and 25 mg L-1) increased the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) to a moderate level (<200%), which might be responsible for the better activity recovery of anammox than that of Fe(II) addition and N2 purging. Specifically, 5 mg L-1 nZVI dosage moderately enhanced the intracellular O2- production (∼150% of the control) after scavenging 2.0 mg L-1 DO, and the anammox activity recovered better than that of both 5 and 25 mg L-1 Fe(II) ions additions. However, high dosage nZVI (75 mg L-1) inhibited anammox activity in spite of low or high DO exposure. Our findings elucidate that appropriate amount of nZVI (short-term dosing) can rapidly recover anammox activity when anammox bacteria encountering oxygen exposure accidentally and could be useful in facilitating the robust operation of anammox-based processes.

Vertical distribution of fluorine in farmland soil profiles around phosphorous chemical industry factories.

High concentration of fluorine (F) in agricultural soils has got significant attention considering its impacts on human health, but little information was available about F distribution in farmland soil profiles around phosphorous chemical industry factories. In present study, farmland soil profiles and relevant medium samples were collected from farmlands around a main phosphorous chemical base in southwest China. At 0-100-cm profiles, concentrations of soil total F (Ft, 400.9-1612.0 mg kg-1) and water soluble F (Fw, 3.4-26.0 mg kg-1) decreased with profile depth in industrial areas. Industrial activities enhanced F concentration in soil mainly at 0-40-cm profiles. No disparity for both Ft and Fw distributions in paddy-dry land rotation field and dry land indicates short-term land utilization could not affect the F distribution in soil profiles. Correlation analysis showed soil organic matter and wind direction were important factors influencing the distribution of F in soil profiles. The shutdown of factory and government control of industrial emissions effectively decreased the ambient air F (Fa) concentrations in industrial areas. In where Fa and dustfall F concentrations were high, high soil Ft, Fw, and crop edible part F concentrations were found.

Sesquiterpenes and diterpenes with cytotoxic activities from the aerial parts of Carpesium humile.

Carpesium humile Winkl is an endemic Chinese species and no previous phytochemical studies have been reported for this species. Two new germacranolides (1 and 2) and a new phytane diterpene (5), together with five known compounds (two sesquiterpenoids and three diterpenoids), were isolated from the aerial parts of C. humile. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis. The conformations and absolute configurations of 1 and 2 were established by combinative analysis of NMR, CD exciton chirality, and X-ray crystallography data. Four germacranolides (1-4) showed strong cytotoxic activities, with broad spectrum activities against six human cancer (HepG2, HeLa, HL60, SGC7901, Lewis, and MDA231) cell lines in vitro using MTT assay, with IC50 values from 3.09 to 7.71 µg/mL. Diterpenes (5, 6, and 8) also displayed good cytotoxic activities for selected cancer cell lines, with IC50 values in the range 5.46-8.08 µg/mL.

Evaluation of a modified rat model for functional dyspepsia.

Background/Aim: The purpose of this study was to establish a modified rat model with functional dyspepsia (FD) and analyze the changes in gastrointestinal motility and brain-gut peptide levels in serum and brain-gut axis. Materials and Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into control group (Con) and FD model group. FD model was established by stimulating semi-starvation rats via tail damping, provocation, and forced exercise fatigue until gastrointestinal motility disorder appeared, and then levels of motilin, leptin, cholecystokinin (CCK), and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) were detected in serum by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and in duodenum, antrum, and hypothalamus by immunohistochemistry, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot. Results: The results showed rates of intestinal propulsion and gastric emptying slowed down markedly compared to Con (P < 0.05), the gastrointestinal electric activity attenuated, and migrating motor complex (MMC) interrupted in the model group. The levels of leptin and VIP markedly increased, but motilin decreased as compared to the Con (P < 0.05) in serum and in the above tissues. It is interesting that the level of CCK decreased in the antrum and duodenum but increased in the hypothalamus as compared to Con (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The modified rat model meets the diagnostic criteria of FD and can be used as a method for studying FD in animals.

Mori Cortex extract ameliorates nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and insulin resistance in high-fat-diet/streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetes in rats / 中国天然药物

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) are highly prevalent diseases and are closely associated, with NAFLD being present in the majority of T2DM patients. In Asian traditional medicine, Mori Cortex is widely used for the treatment of diabetes and hyperlipidemia. However, whether it has a therapeutic effect on T2DM associated with NAFLD is still unknown. The present study showed that the oral treatment with Mori Cortex extract (MCE; 10 g·kg·d) lowered the blood lipid levels and reversed insulin resistance (IR) in high fat-diet/streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetes in rats. The expression levels of sterol receptor element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) and carbohydrate-responsive element binding protein (ChREBP), which are involved in steatosis in NAFLD rats, were measured in the liver samples. MCE decreased the protein and mRNA expression levels of SREBP-1c and ChREBP. In conclusion, down-regulation of SREBP-1c and ChREBP might contribute to the protective effect of MCE on hepatic injury and IR in the rats with T2DM associated with NAFLD.

Mori Cortex extract ameliorates nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and insulin resistance in high-fat-diet/streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetes in rats / 中国天然药物

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) are highly prevalent diseases and are closely associated, with NAFLD being present in the majority of T2DM patients. In Asian traditional medicine, Mori Cortex is widely used for the treatment of diabetes and hyperlipidemia. However, whether it has a therapeutic effect on T2DM associated with NAFLD is still unknown. The present study showed that the oral treatment with Mori Cortex extract (MCE; 10 g·kg·d) lowered the blood lipid levels and reversed insulin resistance (IR) in high fat-diet/streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetes in rats. The expression levels of sterol receptor element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) and carbohydrate-responsive element binding protein (ChREBP), which are involved in steatosis in NAFLD rats, were measured in the liver samples. MCE decreased the protein and mRNA expression levels of SREBP-1c and ChREBP. In conclusion, down-regulation of SREBP-1c and ChREBP might contribute to the protective effect of MCE on hepatic injury and IR in the rats with T2DM associated with NAFLD.