Anti-Inflammatory Salicin Derivatives from the Barks of Salix tetrasperma.

The genus Salix L. is traditionally used in folk medicine to alleviate pain caused by various kinds of inflammation. In the present study, 10 undescribed salicin derivatives along with 5 known congeners were isolated from the barks of Salix tetrasperma, and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations, and chemical conversions. Compounds 4-6 significantly inhibited NO production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages, and the most active 4 obviously suppressed the production of IL-1ß and IL-6 and decreased iNOS and COX-2 expression in a dose-dependent manner. Further Western blotting analysis revealed that the anti-inflammatory mechanism of 4 is possibly mediated through the MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways.

Differential microbiota shift on whole romaine lettuce subjected to source or forward processing and on fresh-cut products during cold storage.

Romaine lettuce in the U.S. is primarily grown in California or Arizona and either processed near the growing regions (source processing) or transported long distance for processing in facilities serving distant markets (forward processing). Recurring outbreaks of Escherichia coli O157:H7 implicating romaine lettuce in recent years, which sometimes exhibited patterns of case clustering in Northeast and Midwest, have raised industry concerns over the potential impact of forward processing on romaine lettuce food safety and quality. In this study, freshly harvested romaine lettuce from a commercial field destined for both forward and source processing channels was tracked from farm to processing facility in two separate trials. Whole-head romaine lettuce and packaged fresh-cut products were collected from both forward and source facilities for microbiological and product quality analyses. High-throughput amplicon sequencing targeting16S rRNA gene was performed to describe shifts in lettuce microbiota. Total aerobic bacteria and coliform counts on whole-head lettuce and on fresh-cut lettuce at different storage times were significantly (p < 0.05) higher for those from the forward processing facility than those from the source processing facility. Microbiota on whole-head lettuce and on fresh-cut lettuce showed differential shifting after lettuce being subjected to source or forward processing, and after product storage. Consistent with the length of pre-processing delays between harvest and processing, the lettuce quality scores of source-processed romaine lettuce, especially at late stages of 2-week storage, was significantly higher than of forward-processed product (p < 0.05).

Ginsenoside Rb1 prevents age-related endothelial senescence by modulating SIRT1/caveolin-1/enos signaling pathway.

Background: Advancing age is one of the independent risk factors for cardiovascular disorders. The Compendium of Materia Medica, a classic book on traditional Chinese medicine, states that ginseng "harmonizes the five internal organs, calming the spirit and prolonging the years of life." Considered one of the primary bioactive compounds derived from Panax ginseng, ginsenoside Rb1 (g-Rb1) has been scientifically suggested to possess anti-senescence efficacy. More research is needed to explore the vascular pharmacological activity and potential clinical application value of g-Rb1. Aims of the study: Our previous study demonstrated that g-Rb1 could mitigate cellular senescence via the SIRT1/eNOS pathway. This study was performed to explore the exact mechanisms by which g-Rb1 modulates the SIRT1/eNOS pathway. Materials and methods: We used human primary umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) to establish a replicative ageing model. Real-time (RT‒PCR), western blotting, small interfering RNA (siRNA), and immunoprecipitation were conducted to detect the effect of g-Rb1 on the SIRT1/caveolin-1/eNOS axis. Results: G-Rb1 increased NO production and alleviated replicative senescence of HUVECs. The application of g-Rb1 elevated the mRNA and protein abundance of both SIRT1 and eNOS while concomitantly suppressing the expression of caveolin-1. Inhibition of SIRT1 and eNOS by siRNAs suppressed the anti-senescence function of g-Rb1, while caveolin-1 siRNA could enhance it. G-Rb1 decreased the acetylation level of caveolin-1 and increased NO production, which was suppressed by SIRT1 siRNA. Both g-Rb1 and caveolin-1 siRNA could reduce the acetylation level of eNOS and increase NO production. Conclusion: G-Rb1 prevents age-related endothelial senescence by modulating the SIRT1/caveolin-1/eNOS signaling pathway.

Measurement of Five Emotions Defined by Traditional Chinese Medicine With a Focus on Preventing Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Objectives: This study aimed to develop a novel Measurement of the Five Emotions (MFE) based on traditional Chinese medicine for assessing cognitive impairment in elderly individuals. Methods: Surveys were collected from 184 participants, over 65 years of age, who were residents of Kyoto City, Japan. The surveys included the Measurement of the Five Emotions (MFE) and the Dementia Assessment Sheet for the Community-based Integrated Care System (DASC-21). Item-total reliability and internal consistency reliability were assessed using Spearman's correlation test and Cronbach's alpha coefficient analysis. Factor analysis was conducted to identify the main factors related to the theoretically constructed emotional reaction patterns. Criterion-related validity was examined by investigating the correlation between the scores of the 2 surveys (MFE and DASC-21). Results: The factor analysis revealed that the final version of MFE consisted of 5 factors, which accounted for a cumulative contribution rate of 57.71%. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient reached .71, indicating satisfactory internal consistency. There was a negative correlation between the MFE and DASC-21 scores with a correlation coefficient of -.3149. Furthermore, when comparing participants with lower cognitive function (DASC-21 score >26) to those with higher cognitive function, MFE subscale scores in the emotions of "Sorrow" and "Thought" were significantly lower, suggesting that these particular emotions are related to cognitive impairment. These findings confirmed the reliability and the construct validity of the MFE. Conclusion: The criterion reliability and validity tests provided evidence for the construct validity of the MFE. The negative correlation (coefficient = -.3149) between MFE scores and DASC-21 scores suggested that MFE can serve as a scale for detecting cognitive impairment.

Influence of physicians' seniority on efficacy of silver needle therapy for low back fasciitis: A prospective, cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Physicians' seniority has always been the focus of patients. Silver needle therapy (SNT) has been applied for more than 60 years. It is similar to moxibustion and has a good therapeutic effect on soft tissue pain. This study aimed to determine the influence of physicians' seniority on the efficacy of SNT for patients with low back fasciitis. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University. Patients diagnosed with low back fasciitis were split into junior physician (JP) and senior physician (SP) groups (n = 30) based on the seniority of the physician. The numerical rating scale (NRS) was administered during the SNT, and operation time was recorded. The NRS, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and Short-Form 12 of quality of life (SF-12) scores at 1, 2, 6, and 12 months after the treatment and autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity were also observed. RESULTS: Compared with the SP group, the NRS score during the SNT (5.20 ±â€…0.71 vs 2.53 ±â€…0.94) and operation time (11.7 ±â€…1.6 minutes vs 6.8 ±â€…1.1 minute) were higher in the JP group (P < .05). The NRS, ODI score, SF-12 score, and ANS activity after treatment were not significantly different between SP and JP groups. Additionally, in the multivariate linear regression analysis model, the physicians' seniority was an independent factor affecting the NRS score during the SNT and operation time (P < .05). CONCLUSION: SNT could attenuate the pain of patients with low back fasciitis in the short and long term without severe complications. The physicians' seniority did not influence the efficacy of SNT, but the JP group showed an increased operation time and a higher degree of pain during the operation.

Electroacupuncture prevents astrocyte atrophy to alleviate depression.

Astrocyte atrophy is the main histopathological hallmark of major depressive disorder (MDD) in humans and in animal models of depression. Here we show that electroacupuncture prevents astrocyte atrophy in the prefrontal cortex and alleviates depressive-like behaviour in mice subjected to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). Treatment of mice with CUMS induced depressive-like phenotypes as confirmed by sucrose preference test, tail suspension test, and forced swimming test. These behavioural changes were paralleled with morphological atrophy of astrocytes in the prefrontal cortex, revealed by analysis of 3D reconstructions of confocal Z-stack images of mCherry expressing astrocytes. This morphological atrophy was accompanied by a decrease in the expression of cytoskeletal linker Ezrin, associated with formation of astrocytic leaflets, which form astroglial synaptic cradle. Electroacupuncture at the acupoint ST36, as well as treatment with anti-depressant fluoxetine, prevented depressive-like behaviours, astrocytic atrophy, and down-regulation of astrocytic ezrin. In conclusion, our data further strengthen the notion of a primary role of astrocytic atrophy in depression and reveal astrocytes as cellular target for electroacupuncture in treatment of depressive disorders.

Risk Factors of Dementia in Patients with Cerebral Vascular Diseases Based on Taiwan National Health Insurance Data.

INTRODUCTION: Vascular factors have been shown to be associated with increased risk of dementia. However, clinical trials have so far been unsuccessful, suggesting new approaches are needed. The aim of this study was to use population-based real-world data to investigate risk factors and preventive factors for dementia, including the effects of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study using LHID2000, a dataset randomly selected from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. Subjects with occlusion and stenosis of precerebral and cerebral arteries, cerebral atherosclerosis without mention of cerebral infarction, and transient cerebral ischemia were included. Subjects with dementia at baseline were excluded. The primary endpoint was dementia. Data for demographic and clinical comorbid status and treatments administered at baseline in 2000 and at the end of follow-up in 2013 were included. RESULTS: A total of 4,207 subjects with cerebral vascular disease and no cognitive impairment were included, of whom 392 converted to dementia during an average 5.15-year (SD: 3.79) follow-up. Depression (adjusted HR: 1.54, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.13-2.09), osteoporosis (adjusted HR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.04-1.74), and the use of enalapril (adjusted HR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.09-1.73) were risk factors for dementia, while nitroglycerin (adjusted HR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.53-0.85) was a protecting factor, in subjects with cerebrovascular diseases without mention of cerebral infarction. In total, statins were shown to be associated with decreased risk of dementia (HR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.59-0.91); however, no one statin subtype or TCM had such an effect. CONCLUSION: Depression, osteoporosis, and the use of enalapril were associated with a higher risk of dementia, while nitroglycerin might be a protecting factor for dementia, in subjects with cerebrovascular diseases without mention of cerebral infarction.

Analysis of chemical constituents of Sabia parviflora by ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time of flight tandem mass spectrometry.

Effective and targeted identification of chemical components of the Chinese herbal medicine Sabia parviflora remains a major challenge. Herein, we used ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry to analyze the chemical composition of S.parviflora. Its chemical components were rapidly identified using the characteristic ion filtration method, which involves these steps: (1) summarize the characteristic ions based on similar skeletons and compounds with substitution patterns, and establish a database; (2) screen and classify different types of compounds in S. parviflora based on the characteristic ions; and (3) identify the compounds based on molecular weight, secondary fragments, and the database. In the present study, the characteristic ions in S. parviflora were grouped into five major classes. A total of 104 components were identified, including 12 potentially novel compounds. This rapid and accurate method provides an important basis for basic chemical research in S. parviflora.

[Digestive properties of flavonoid components in Xiaoer Chiqiao Qingre Granules in simulated infant gastrointestinal environment].

This study aimed to elucidate the digestive characteristics of flavonoid components in Xiaoer Chiqiao Qingre Granules(XECQ) in the gastrointestinal environment of infants. An in vitro model was established to simulate the gastric and intestinal environment of infants. UPLC was used to analyze the content change of flavonoid components in XECQ, and their overall content was integrated through the mass fraction weight coefficient method. UPLC-Q-TOF-MS was employed to determine the digestive products of flavonoid components in gastrointestinal fluids and their metabolic pathways. The results showed that in the process of digestion, 11 digestion products were generated by oxidation, reduction, deglycosylation, methylation and other phase Ⅰ metabolism. From flavonoid content and component changes, it was found that the flavonoid components in XECQ were relatively stable in the gastric fluid, while their content in the intestinal fluid was first increased and then maintained stable. This was mainly because flavonoid components were released from proteins, polysaccharides and other macromolecular substances during gastrointestinal digestion. In addition, phase Ⅰ metabolism occurred, but with relatively low metabolic rate, resulting in their stable content. This study preliminarily explored the digestive characteristics of flavonoid components in XECQ in the infant gastrointestinal environment, which laid a foundation for further studying the absorption, transport and metabolism of pharmacodynamics components in XECQ, and facilitated the study of the biopharmaceutical pro-perties of pediatric Chinese medicine.

The Effect of Rainfall on Aquatic Nitrogen and Phosphorus in a Semi-Humid Area Catchment, Northern China.

The impact of rainfall on water quality may be more important in semi-arid regions, where rainfall is concentrated over a couple of months. To explore the impact of rainfall changes on water quality, e.g., nitrogen (TN) and phosphorous (TP), the diversion from Luan River to Tianjin Watershed in the northern semi-humid area was selected as the study area. TN and TP concentrations in rivers and the Yuqiao Reservoir during the three-year high-flow season (2019-2021) were analyzed. The response relationship and influencing factors among the watershed's biogeochemical process, rainfall, and water quality were clarified. The results showed that rainfall in the high flow season mainly controlled the river flow. The concentration of TN and TP in the inflow rivers is regulated by rainfall/flow, while the concentration of TN and TP in the water diversion river has different variation characteristics in the water diversion period and other periods. The lowest annual concentrations of TN and TP were observed in the normal year, while the highest annual concentration was observed in the wet year, indicating that the hydrological process drove the nutrient transport in the watershed. For the tributaries, the Li River catchment contributed a large amount of N and P to the aquatic environment. For the reservoir, the extreme TN concentrations were the same as the tributaries, while the extremes of TP concentrations decreased from the dry year to wet year, which was in contrast to the tributaries. The spatial variation of TN and TP concentrations in the reservoir showed that the concentration decreased following the flow direction from the river estuary to the reservoir outlet. Considering climate change, with the increase of rainfall in North China in the future, the TN and TP transport fluxes in the watershed may continue to increase, leading to the nitrogen and phosphorus load of the downstream reservoir. To ensure the impact of the increase of potential N and P output fluxes in the watershed on the water quality of the reservoir area, it is necessary to strengthen the effective prevention and control of non-point source pollution in the watershed.

[Recurrent systemic sporadic rash for 10 years in a girl aged 11 years]. / 11å²å¥³å­©åå¤å ¨èº«æ•£åœ¨çš®ç–¹10å¹´.

A girl, aged 11 years, was admitted due to recurrent rash on the whole body and mucosa for 10 years, and typical rash was erythema at the perioral region, hand-foot joints, vulva, and perianal region, with blisters, erosions, and ulcers on the erythema. The girl was improved after zinc supplementation. Her younger brother had similar rash and medical history. The histopathological examination showed epidermal parakeratosis with mild hyperkeratosis, severe spongiform edema of the stratum corneum, significant proliferation of acanthocytes, and vacuolation of keratinocytes. The genetic testing revealed that both the girl and her younger brother had a homozygous mutation of c.1456(exon9)delG in the SLC39A4 gene, and thus the girl was diagnosed with acrodermatitis enteropathica. It is concluded that for children with recurrent rash on the limbs and at the perioral region, genetic testing should be performed as early as possible to make a confirmed diagnosis, and a sufficient dose of zinc supplementation should be given, while the levels of trace elements such as blood zinc should be regularly monitored.

Effects of fertilizer application on phthalate ester pollution and the soil microbial community in plastic-shed soil on long-term fertilizer experiment.

Due to the use of agricultural film, the pollution of phthalate esters (PAEs) in plastic-shed soils has attracted increasing attention. In this study, we used watermelon as a planting system and investigated the effects of organic fertilizer and chemical fertilizer application on the degradation of PAEs by evaluating soil nutrients and soil bacterial communities in plastic-shed soil. The dibutyl phthalate (DBP) concentration in the organic fertilizer soil was only 58.2% in the zero-fertilization control (CK) soil, but the concentrations of monohexyl phthalate (MEHP) and mono-n-butyl ester (MBP), the metabolites of PAEs, were found to be higher. The concentration of MBP is ten times that of DBP. The results showed that fertilization, especially the application of organic fertilizers, had a significant effect on the degradation of PAEs. There were specific biomarkers in different fertilization treatments. Among the microbiome community, Planifilum had the highest relative abundance in the organic fertilizer (OF) soil, and the highest proportion of Thermodesulfovibrionia was detected in the chemical fertilizer (CF) soil. These biomarkers were significantly correlated with PAEs and their metabolites. The relative abundance of Thermomonosporaceae was significantly positively correlated with DBP. Planifilum and Thermaerobacter, which significantly increased in organic fertilizer soil, showed a significant negative correlation with DBP and a significant positive correlation with MBP. The relative abundances of Planifilum and Geobacillus were elevated in the OF soil and may be able to co-metabolize soil nitrogen and PAEs. PAEs and their metabolites in soils had significant effects on soil microbes, as did the soil nutrients including available phosphorus (AP), alkali-hydrolysable nitrogen (Alkali-N), and organic matter (OM). Our research provides scientific support for the use of fertilizers to reduce PAE contamination but also warns of the potential risks of PAE metabolites.

Chemical Profiling and Quality Evaluation of Callicarpa Nudiflora from Different Regions in China by UPLC-QTOF-MS Fingerprint.

Callicarpa nudiflora, belonging to the family Verbenaceaae, is wildly used as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine (Luo-hua-zi-zhu) for hemostasis, antibiosis and antiphlogosis in clinic. However, the underlying chemical basis of C. nudiflora for the significant effects remains obscure. Hence, an ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry method was established for the characterization of multi-constituents in C. nudiflora. As a result, 57 chemical compounds were identified based on their retention times, accurate masses and MS/MS data, and 20 of them were uncovered for the first time in C. nudiflora. In addition, an optimized UHPLC fingerprint analysis, combined with chemometrics including similarity analysis, principal component analysis and partial least squares-discriminant analysis was developed for quality assessment and origin discrimination of C. nudiflora. Multivariate data analysis revealed the resemblances and differences of C. nudiflora related to regions, while partial least squares-discriminant analysis screened nine characteristic markers including luteoloside, acteoside, luteolin-4'-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside, pachypodol, isoquercitrin, nudifloside, 5,7,3',4'-tetrahydroxy-8-methoxy-6-C-ß-D-glucopyranosylflavone, 7α-acetoxysandaracopimaric acid and sandaracopimaric acid which contributed the most to the classification. This was the first report on the comprehensive profiling of chemical components in C. nudiflora, which helped to uncover the material basis of C. nudiflora and possess potential value for quality evaluation and clinical application purpose.

Ursane and 24-Noroleanane-Type Triterpenoids with Anti-HIV Activity from the Twigs and Leaves of Antirhea chinensis.

Investigations on the twigs and leaves of Antirhea chinensis have led to the discovery of two undescribed pentacyclic triterpenoids (1 and 2) and nine known analogs. Compounds 1 and 2, each assigned as the ursane and 24-noroleanane-type triterpenoids, featuring similar oxidation pattern of 3ß,6ß,19α-trihydroxy-28-carboxyl. Their structures were elucidated via comprehensive analyses of spectroscopic data. Compound 1 displayed potent anti-HIV activity (EC50 =1.24 µM) and high selectivity index (SI >32.3).

Shenmai Injection Attenuates Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury by Targeting Nrf2/GPX4 Signalling-Mediated Ferroptosis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of Shenmai Injection (SMJ) on ferroptosis during myocardial ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats and the underlying mechanism. METHODS: A total of 120 SPF-grade adult male SD rats, weighing 220-250 g were randomly divided into different groups according to a random number table. Myocardial I/R model was established by occluding the left anterior descending artery for 30 min followed by 120 min of reperfusion. SMJ was injected intraperitoneally at the onset of 120 min of reperfusion, and erastin (an agonist of ferroptosis), ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1, an inhibitor of ferroptosis) and ML385 (an inhibitor of nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2)) were administered intraperitoneally separately 30 min before myocardial ischemia as different pretreatments. Cardiac function before ischemia, after ischemia and after reperfusion was analysed. Pathological changes in the myocardium and the ultrastructure of cardiomyocytes were observed, and the myocardial infarction area was measured. Additionally, the concentration of Fe2+ in heart tissues and the levels of creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), troponin I (cTnl), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in serum were measured using assay kits, and the expressions of Nrf2, glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4) were examined by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the sham group, I/R significantly injured heart tissues, as evidenced by the disordered, ruptured and oedematous myocardial fibres; the increases in infarct size, serum CK-MB, cTnI and MDA levels, and myocardial Fe2+ concentrations; and the decreases in SOD activity (P<0.05). These results were accompanied by ultrastructural alterations to the mitochondria, increased expression of ACSL4 and inhibited the activation of Nrf2/GPX4 signalling (P<0.05). Compared with I/R group, pretreatment with 9 mL/kg SMJ and 2 mg/kg Fer-1 significantly reduced myocardial I/R injury, Fe2+ concentrations and ACSL4 expression and attenuated mitochondrial impairment, while 14 mg/kg erastin exacerbated myocardial I/R injury (P<0.05). In addition, cardioprotection provided by 9 mL/kg SMJ was completely reversed by ML385, as evidenced by the increased myocardial infarct size, CK-MB, cTnI, MDA and Fe2+ concentrations, and the decreased SOD activity (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Ferroptosis is involved in myocardial I/R injury. Pretreatment with SMJ alleviated myocardial I/R injury by activating Nrf2/GPX4 signalling-mediated ferroptosis, thereby providing a strategy for the prevention and treatment of ischemic heart diseases.

Chitosan-Coated Selenium Nanoparticles Attenuate PRRSV Replication and ROS/JNK-Mediated Apoptosis in vitro.

Introduction: Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is a highly prevalent and endemic swine pathogen that causes significant economic losses to the global swine industry. Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have attracted increasing attention in the biomedical field, given their antiviral effects. This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect of chitosan-coated SeNPs (CS-SeNPs) on PRRSV replication. Methods: In this study, CS-SeNPs were synthesized by chemical reduction and characterized by assessing the morphology, size distribution, zeta potential, and element composition. Marc-145 cells were infected with r-PRRSV-EGFP (0.1 MOI) and inoculated with CS-SeNPs (10 µM). Subsequently, the concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and glutathione (GSH), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity were measured using specific commercial assay kits. ORF5 RNA expression, viral titer, and nucleocapsid (N) protein expression were assessed using qRT-PCR, TCID50, and Western blot. ROS generation, apoptosis rates, and JNK /caspase-3/PARP protein expression were evaluated using dihydroethidium staining, flow cytometry, and Western blot. Results: The results showed that CS-SeNPs treatment significantly suppressed oxidative stress induced by r-PRRSV-EGFP infection by increasing GSH-Px activity, promoting GSH production, and inhibiting H2O2 synthesis. CS-SeNPs treatment significantly inhibited ORF5 gene expression, viral titers, and N protein of r-PRRSV-EGFP at 24 and 48 hours post-infection (hpi) in Marc-145 cells. The increase in apoptosis rates induced by r-PRRSV-EGFP infection was significantly decreased by CS-SeNPs inoculation through inhibiting ROS generation, JNK phosphorylation levels, and cleavage of caspase-3 and PARP mainly at 48 hpi. Conclusion: These results demonstrated that CS-SeNPs suppress PRRSV-induced apoptosis in Marc-145 cells via the ROS/JNK signaling pathway, thereby inhibiting PRRSV replication, which suggested the potential antiviral activity of CS-SeNPs that deserves further investigation for clinical applications.

Lu3+-based nanoprobe for virtual non-contrast CT imaging of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE), the mainstream treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is a method of blocking tumor blood vessels with a mixture of lipiodol and chemotherapeutics. And the contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) is the commonly used way for follow-up of HCC after TACE. However, it is noteworthy that when lipiodol deposition plays an embolic effect, it also produces high-density artifacts in CT images. These artifacts usually conceal the enhancement effect of iodine contrast agents. As a result, the residual region is difficult to be visualized. To overcome this obstacle, we developed one kind of Lu3+/Gd3+ doped fluoride nanoprobe modified with Dp-PEG2000 to realize CT/MRI dual-modality imaging of HCC. Compared with lipiodol or ioversol, the obtained PEGylated product LG-PEG demonstrated a greater density value in high keV CT images. In vitro experiments showed the lipiodol artifacts can be removed in virtual non-contrast (VNC) imaging, but the density of ioversol was also removed at the same time. However, the LG-PEG synthesized in this work can still maintain a high density in VNC imaging, which indicates that LG-PEG can exploit its advantages to the full in VNC imaging. Furthermore, LG-PEG successfully exerted tumor enhancement effects in the in vivo VNC images of HCC with lipiodol deposition. In addition, LG-PEG exhibited a strong T2 enhancement effect with low biological toxicity and less side-effect on the main organ and blood. Thus, the LG-PEG reported in this research can serve as an effective and safe VNC contrast agent for HCC imaging after TACE.

Paclitaxel Resistance Modulated by the Interaction between TRPS1 and AF178030.2 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Paclitaxel is a chemotherapeutic agent that acts as an inhibitor of cellular mitosis and has been widely used in the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, paclitaxel resistance is one of the major reasons that contribute to the high failure rates of chemotherapy and the relapse of TNBC. Accumulating studies have demonstrated that long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) plays a role in the paclitaxel resistance and positively correlated with progression and metastasis of breast cancers. In the present study, microarray expression profile analysis of lncRNA was performed between paclitaxel-resistant TNBC cell line MDA-MB-231 and their parental cells. After verification with quantitative PCR, we identified that AF178030.2, an orphan lncRNA, was significantly upregulated in paclitaxel-resistant TNBC cells. Overexpression of AF178030.2 greatly attenuated the sensitivity of TNBC to paclitaxel, whereas knockdown of AF178030.2 enhanced the sensitivity of TNBC cells to paclitaxel. Furthermore, bioinformatic analysis and RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation assay reveal that AF178030.2 can directly bind with trichorhinophalangeal syndrome-1 (TRPS1), an oncogene in breast cancer, and downregulate its expression in paclitaxel-resistant TNBC cells. TRPS1 overexpression effectively increased the sensitivity of paclitaxel-resistant TNBC cells to paclitaxel. Taking together, high AF178030.2 expression contributed to paclitaxel resistance in TNBC through TRPS1 and poor clinical outcomes, which may provide a new treatment strategy for paclitaxel-resistant TNBC patients.

Decoy engineering of the receptor-like cytoplasmic kinase StPBS1 to defend against virus infection in potato.

Potato virus Y (PVY) is an important pathogen of potato (Solanum tuberosum). Although the PBS1-RPS5 immune system is well documented in Arabidopsis thaliana, it has not been reported in potato. In Arabidopsis, the bacterial effector AvrPphB cleaves AtPBS1 to trigger an immune response. Here, we show that the AvrPphB-triggered immune response is mediated by StPBS1, a close homologue of AtPBS1 in potato. However, downstream signalling of StPBS1 was mediated by unknown resistance (R) proteins other than potato orthologues of AtRPS5 and HvPBR1, which is important for HvPBS1 signalling in barley. Immune signalling of StPBS1 is mediated by the AvrPphB C-terminal cleavage domain and an STKPQ motif, in contrast to AtPBS1-mediated immunity in which both AvrPphB cleavage fragments and an SEMPH motif are essential. The cleavage sequence of AvrPphB in StPBS1 was replaced with that of the PVY NIa-Pro protease to obtain StPBS1NIa . StPBS1NIa overexpression potato displayed stronger immunity to PVY infection than did the StPBS1 transgenic lines. StPBS1NIa was cleaved at the expected target site by NIa-Pro protease from PVY. Thus, we characterized the function of StPBS1 in potato immunity and provide a biotechnology control method for PVY via transformation of decoy-engineered StPBS1NIa .

[Twenty years in the 21st century: research hotspots and frontier analysis on Chinese medicine processing mechanism].

The research on the processing mechanism of Chinese medicine is the key and core foundation to improve processing technologies of Chinese medicine, formulate the quality standards of Chinese medicinal pieces, enhance the clinical efficacy of Chinese medicine, enrich Chinese medicine processing theories, and promote the development of Chinese medicine processing. Many researc-hers have conducted in-depth exploration on the processing mechanism of Chinese medicine in the 20 years in the 21 st century. Significant progress has been made in the transformation of chemical components during the processing, the change of active components in the body, the law of toxicity attenuation in the processing of toxic Chinese medicine, the mechanism of efficacy enhancement and toxicity attenuation of processing with auxiliary materials, and the application of new biomedical technologies. At present, the processing mechanism of multiple Chinese medicines has been preliminarily clarified, which has greatly promoted the development of Chinese me-dicine processing. The development of the processing mechanism of Chinese medicine reveals that the in vitro transformation of chemical components is combined with the in vivo absorption, transport, and metabolism, and the macroscopic biological effects of the organism are combined with the cells, molecules, targets, and pathways in the study of the processing mechanism of Chinese medicine. More attention has been paid to exploring the processing mechanism from the overall level, and a modern systematic research system on the processing mechanism of Chinese medicine has been initially formed. To further promote the scientific development of Chinese me-dicine processing, the present study proposed that the research on the processing mechanism of Chinese medicine should take Chinese medicine properties into account, focus on the influence of disease condition on the mode of action and effect strength of the drugs, comply with the characteristics of clinical compound compatibility of Chinese medicine, use the holistic view research strategies of systems bio-logy, and deeply explore the processing mechanism of Chinese medicine from traditional Chinese medicine theories and the characteristics of clinical medication of Chinese medicine.