Antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin LL-37 preserves intestinal barrier and organ function in rats with heat stroke.

Global warming increases the incidence of heat stroke (HS) and HS causes the reduction of visceral blood flow during hyperthermia, leading to intestinal barrier disruption, microbial translocation, systemic inflammation and multiple organ failure. Cathelicidin LL-37 exhibits antimicrobial activities, helps innate immunity within the gut to maintain intestinal homeostasis, and augments intestinal wound healing and barrier function. Thus, we evaluated the effects and possible mechanisms of cathelicidin LL-37 on HS. Wistar rats were placed in a heating-chamber of 42 ̊C to induce HS. Changes in rectal temperature, hemodynamic parameters, and survival rate were measured during the experimental period. Blood samples and ilea were collected to analyze the effects of LL-37 on systemic inflammation, multiple organ dysfunction, and intestinal injury. Furthermore, LS174T and HT-29 cells were used to assess the underlying mechanisms. Our data showed cathelicidin LL-37 ameliorated the damage of intestinal cells induced by HS. Intestinal injury, systemic inflammation, and nitrosative stress (high nitric oxide level) caused by continuous hyperthermia were attenuated in HS rats treated with cathelicidin LL-37, and hence, improved multiple organ dysfunction, coagulopathy, and survival rate. These beneficial effects of cathelicidin LL-37 were attributed to the protection of intestinal goblet cells (by increasing transepithelial resistance, mucin-2 and Nrf2 expression) and the improvement of intestinal barrier function (less cyclooxygenase-2 expression and FITC-dextran translocation). Interestingly, high cathelicidin expression in the ileal samples of inflammatory bowel disease patients was associated with better clinical outcome. These results suggest that cathelicidin LL-37 could prevent heat stress-induced intestinal damage and heat-related illnesses.

SOD3 and IL-18 Predict the First Kidney Disease-Related Hospitalization or Death during the One-Year Follow-Up Period in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease.

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients experience oxidative stress due to excess exogenous or endogenous oxidants and insufficient antioxidants. Hence, oxidative stress and inflammation cause endothelial damage, contributing to vascular dysfunction and atherosclerosis. Therefore, ESRD patients suffer more cardiovascular and hospitalization events than healthy people. This study aims to test the correlations between ROS, SOD3, IL-2, IL-6, and IL-18 and the first kidney disease-related hospitalization or death events in ESRD patients undergoing regular hemodialysis. A total of 212 participants was enrolled, including 45 normal healthy adults and 167 ESRD patients on regular dialysis. Blood samples from all participants were collected for ROS, SOD3, IL-2, IL-6, and IL-18 measurement at the beginning of the study, and every kidney disease-related admission or death was recorded for the next year. Multivariate analysis was conducted by fitting a linear regression model, logistic regression model, and Cox proportional hazards model to estimate the adjusted effects of risk factors, prognostic factors, or predictors on continuous, binary, and survival outcome data. The results showed that plasma SOD3 and serum IL-18 were two strong predictors of the first kidney disease-related hospitalization or death. In the Cox proportional hazards models (run in R), higher IL-18 concentration (>69.054 pg/mL) was associated with a hazard ratio of 3.376 for the first kidney disease-related hospitalization or death (95% CI: 1.2644 to 9.012), while log(SOD3) < 4.723 and dialysis clearance (Kt/V; 1.11 < value < 1.869) had a hazard ratio = 0.2730 (95% CI: 0.1133 to 0.6576) for reducing future kidney disease-related hospitalization or death. Other markers, including body mass index (BMI), transferrin saturation, total iron binding capacity, and sodium and alkaline phosphate, were also found to be significant in our study. These results reveal the new predictors SOD3 and IL-18 for the medical care of end-stage renal disease patients.

Testosterone Level Reduction Increases the 10-Year Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases: A Retrospective Cohort Study in a Taiwanese Young Male Population.

Low testosterone levels are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease; however, most previous studies assessed the relationship of testosterone levels with a history of cardiovascular (CV) events rather than with CV risk prediction scores consequently neglecting the effect of testosterone on CV risk in healthy young individuals. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between testosterone levels and predict the 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease. This retrospective cohort study was conducted through a large medical health examination system in four metropolises in Taiwan. Two risk scores were used to predict the 10-year cardiovascular risk of participants: the Framingham Risk Score (FRS) (2008) and the Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) Risk Estimator (2013). Multivariate-adjusted logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for the correlation of testosterone level reduction with the increase in predicted CV risk. We used the MJ Health Research Foundation database to collect reports of 125,414 individuals who underwent medical checkups between 2007 and 2016. The final sample size included 1,253 male participants. A reduction in testosterone level between two subsequent medical checkups was associated with higher CV risk estimated by the FRS and ASCVD Risk Estimator in young participants aged 30-49 years (OR = 0.804, 95% CI: 0.711-0.909, p < 0.01 and OR = 0.841, 95% CI: 0.742-0.953, p < 0.01, respectively). Reduction in total testosterone levels increases CV risk in men aged 30 to 49 years, while the CV risk is not influenced by low testosterone levels at baseline.

Sensitive Oligonucleotide Detection Using Resonant Coupling between Fano Resonance and Image Dipoles of Gold Nanoparticles.

The surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based sensor has been widely used for biodetection. One of the attractive roles is the gold nanostructure with Fano resonance. Its sharp resonant profile takes advantage of the high figure of merit (FoM) in high-sensitivity detection. However, it is still difficult to detect small molecules at low concentrations due to the extremely low refractive index changes on the metallic surface. We propose using the coupling of image dipoles of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and Fano resonance of periodic capped gold nanoslits (CGNs) for sensitive small-molecule detections. The coupling mechanism was verified by three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain calculations and experiments. AuNPs on CGN form image dimer assemblies and induce image dipole with resonance wavelengths ranging from 730 to 550 nm. The surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) interact with the image dipole of the AuNP on the CGNs and then scatter out through the periodic gold caps. The experimental results show that the peak intensity of grating resonance is decreased by the effect of image dipole and exhibits the maximum intensity change when the Fano resonance matches the resonance of image dipole. The 50 nm AuNPs can be detected with a surface density of less than one particle/µm2 by using the intensity change as the signal. With the resonant coupling between Fano resonance and image dipole extinction, the oligonucleotide with a molecular weight of 5.5 kDa can be detected at a concentration of 100 fM. The resonant coupling dramatically pushes the sensitivity boundary, and we report the limit of detection (LOD) to be 3 orders of magnitude lower than that of the prism-based SPR. This study provides a promising and efficient method for detecting low concentrations of small molecules such as aptamers, miRNA, mRNA, and peptides.

Spectral image contrast-based flow digital nanoplasmon-metry for ultrasensitive antibody detection.

BACKGROUND: Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been widely used in local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) immunoassays for biomolecule sensing, which is primarily based on two conventional methods: absorption spectra analysis and colorimetry. The low figure of merit (FoM) of the LSPR and high-concentration AuNP requirement restrict their limit of detection (LOD), which is approximately ng to µg mL-1 in antibody detection if there is no other signal or analyte amplification. Improvements in sensitivity have been slow in recent for a long time, and pushing the boundary of the current LOD is a great challenge of current LSPR immunoassays in biosensing. RESULTS: In this work, we developed spectral image contrast-based flow digital nanoplasmon-metry (Flow DiNM) to push the LOD boundary. Comparing the scattering image brightness of AuNPs in two neighboring wavelength bands near the LSPR peak, the peak shift signal is strongly amplified and quickly detected. Introducing digital analysis, the Flow DiNM provides an ultrahigh signal-to-noise ratio and has a lower sample volume requirement. Compared to the conventional analog LSPR immunoassay, Flow DiNM for anti-BSA detection in pure samples has an LOD as low as 1 pg mL-1 within only a 15-min detection time and 500 µL sample volume. Antibody assays against spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2 in artificial saliva that contained various proteins were also conducted to validate the detection of Flow DiNM in complicated samples. Flow DiNM shows significant discrimination in detection with an LOD of 10 pg mL-1 and a broad dynamic detection range of five orders of magnitude. CONCLUSION: Together with the quick readout time and simple operation, this work clearly demonstrated the high sensitivity and selectivity of the developed Flow DiNM in rapid antibody detection. Spectral image contrast and digital analysis further provide a new generation of LSPR immunoassay with AuNPs.

Effects of Mean Artery Pressure and Blood pH on Survival Rate of Patients with Acute Kidney Injury Combined with Acute Hypoxic Respiratory Failure: A Retrospective Study.

Background and Objectives: In the intensive care unit (ICU), renal failure and respiratory failure are two of the most common organ failures in patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). These clinical symptoms usually result from sepsis, trauma, hypermetabolism or shock. If this syndrome is caused by septic shock, the Surviving Sepsis Campaign Bundle suggests that vasopressin be given to maintain mean arterial pressure (MAP) > 65 mmHg if the patient is hypotensive after fluid resuscitation. Nevertheless, it is important to note that some studies found an effect of various mean arterial pressures on organ function; for example, a MAP of less than 75 mmHg was associated with the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI). However, no published study has evaluated the risk factors of mortality in the subgroup of acute kidney injury with respiratory failure, and little is known of the impact of general risk factors that may increase the mortality rate. Materials and Methods: The objective of this study was to determine the risk factors that might directly affect survival in critically ill patients with multiple organ failure in this subgroup. We retrospectively constructed a cohort study of patients who were admitted to the ICUs, including medical, surgical, and neurological, over 24 months (2015.1 to 2016.12) at Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. We only considered patients who met the criteria of acute renal injury according to the Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) and were undergoing mechanical ventilator support due to acute respiratory failure at admission. Results: Data showed that the overall ICU and hospital mortality rate was 63.5%. The most common cause of ICU admission in this cohort study was cardiovascular disease (31.7%) followed by respiratory disease (28.6%). Most patients (73%) suffered sepsis during their ICU admission and the mean length of hospital stay was 24.32 ± 25.73 days. In general, the factors independently associated with in-hospital mortality were lactate > 51.8 mg/dL, MAP ≤ 77.16 mmHg, and pH ≤ 7.22. The risk of in-patient mortality was analyzed using a multivariable Cox regression survival model. Adjusting for other covariates, MAP ≤ 77.16 mmHg was associated with higher probability of in-hospital death [OR = 3.06 (1.374-6.853), p = 0.006]. The other independent outcome predictor of mortality was pH ≤ 7.22 [OR = 2.40 (1.122-5.147), p = 0.024]. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were calculated and the log rank statistic was highly significant. Conclusions: Acute kidney injury combined with respiratory failure is associated with high mortality. High mean arterial pressure and normal blood pH might improve these outcomes. Therefore, the acid-base status and MAP should be considered when attempting to predict outcome. Moreover, the blood pressure targets for acute kidney injury in critical care should not be similar to those recommended for the general population and might prevent mortality.

Self-referencing biosensors using Fano resonance in periodic aluminium nanostructures.

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is an important technique for real-time and label-free detection of specific binding biomolecules. However, conventional SPR signals come from both the surface binding biomolecules and the variation in the bulk refractive index. This work demonstrates that Fano resonance in an aluminum capped nanoslit array has the ability to remove the signal of bulk refractive index changes from the SPR signal. As compared to gold nanostructures, the aluminum nanostructure provides an asymmetrical Fano resonance with clear peak and dip wavelengths. The peak wavelength is close to the grating resonance condition. The evanescent depth at the peak wavelength is up to several microns. The dip wavelength comes from the SPR effect. The evanescent depth at the dip wavelength is about 300 nm. By simultaneously measuring the shifts of peaks and the dip wavelengths, the variation in the bulk refractive index can be removed and only the biolayer thickness is measured. The finite-difference time-domain calculation shows that the 470 nm-period nanoslit array with 90 and 70 nm slit depths has the optimal thickness sensitivity. In this experiment, a simple multispectral imaging system is developed for multiple bio-interaction measurements. The measured results verify that the bulk refractive index changes can be removed and the surface biomolecular interactions can be directly obtained without the need of a reference channel.

Blood Glucose and Renal Function Evaluation in Patients with Viral Hepatitis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the blood glucose and renal function, determine the prevalence of hyperglycemia/diabetes mellitus (DM) and renal disease (nephropathy), and investigate the association between hyperglycemia/DM and renal disease in patients with viral hepatitis (VH). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 491 subjects were included in the study. Patients with VH were further divided into the hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and HBV-HCV co-infection subgroups. Fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), glycated albumin (GA), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), creatinine (Cr), and cystatin C (Cys C) levels were measured. Urine microalbumin levels were also assessed. Formulas for estimated average glucose calculated using glycated albumin(eAG(GA)), estimated average glucose calculated using HbA1c (eAG(HbA1c)), and estimated glomerular filtration rate calculated using cystatin C (eGFRcys) were used to evaluate the average glucose and renal function. RESULTS: The prevalence of hyperglycemia/DM and renal disease was significantly higher in the VH group, especially in the HCV subgroup. The prevalence of renal disease was significantly higher in patients with VH with eAG(GA) ≥200 mg/dL. CONCLUSION: Our study used multiple parameters to evaluate blood glucose and renal function in patients with VH and found that hyperglycemia/DM and renal disease are closely associated with VH, especially in subjects with HCV infection. Patients with VH, especially those with HCV infection and hyperglycemia/DM, were particularly vulnerable to renal disease.

Multichannel nanoplasmonic platform for imidacloprid and fipronil residues rapid screen detection.

In recent years, imidacloprid and fipronil have been reported to harm beneficial insects, such as honey bees, and to potentially pose risks to mammals, including humans. Considering their widespread use and potential minimum toxic range from 10 ppb to 1 ppm (species dependent), a simple, rapid, sensitive, and reliable method for screening and detection is urgently needed. Here, we present a surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based nanoplasmonic chip integrated with a multichannel spectral imaging system to detect ecosystem-harming pesticides. The pre-modification of the designed mercapto-haptens reduced detection time to 2.5 h. Moreover, owing to the multichannel configuration, it was possible to introduce an internal standard analytical method to effectively reduce matrix interference in real samples; thus, the concentration of the target pesticide could be determined more precisely. The strong linearity of the spiked sample test results indicated high accuracy in quantifying target pesticides. Considering the limit of detection (~10 ppb), the cutoffs for detection and quantification were set at 15 and 45 ppb, respectively, and were used as the detection criteria. The detection results of the blind tests of real samples were also compared with those of liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (standard method) and were highly consistent. The custom-made integrated SPR system allows much simpler, label-free, high-throughput, and reliable on-site identification and quantification of imidacloprid and fipronil. All test results validated the platform's capability in the on-site rapid screening and detection of pesticide residues at the parts per billion and parts per million levels.

Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant, and Antifibrotic Effects of Kefir Peptides on Salt-Induced Renal Vascular Damage and Dysfunction in Aged Stroke-Prone Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats.

The increased prevalence of renal dysfunction and chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the high costs and poor outcomes of treatment are a significant health issue. The consequence of chronic high blood pressure is the increased prevalence of target organ end-stage renal disease, which has been proven to be a strong independent risk factor for adverse cardiovascular disease. A previous study showed that kefir products have anti-inflammatory and anti-hypertensive activities and immunological modulation functions. However, no data regarding the beneficial effects of kefir peptides (KPs) on salt-induced renal damage or related kidney diseases are available. In this study, KPs were orally administered to aged salt-induced stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive (SHRSP) rats, and the effects of KPs against inflammation and oxidative stress and their ability to protect against renal dysfunction were evaluated. Fifty-five-week-old SHRSP rats under induction with 1% NaCl in drinking water for 4 weeks showed multiple renal injuries with increased renal inflammation, fibrosis, oxidative stress, tubular atrophy, and glomerulosclerosis. In contrast, oral gavage with KPs reduced the urine protein to creatinine (UPC) ratio, the fractional excretion of electrolytes (FeNa and FeCl), extracellular matrix deposition, and the interstitial fibrotic α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) levels in salt-induced SHRSP rats. The renal infiltration of inflammatory cells; the release of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), endothelin-1 (ET-1), and the cytokine nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) and transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß); the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels; and histopathological lesions were also decreased in salt-induced SHRSP rats. Furthermore, KP treatment significantly increased the renal superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and the glomerular filtration rate (GFR), which exerted potent protection against salt-induced chronic kidney disease in SHRSP rats. The results of this study suggest that KPs ameliorate salt-induced renal damage, tubular atrophy, and glomerular dysfunction through anti-inflammatory, antioxidative stress, and antifibrotic activities, and might be a promising protective agent against high salt-induced renovascular-related diseases.

1,25(OH)2 D3 attenuates indoxyl sulfate-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal cell transition via inactivation of PI3K/Akt/ß-catenin signaling in renal tubular epithelial cells.

OBJECTIVES: Indoxyl sulfate (IS), a uremic toxin, has been shown to promote the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of human proximal tubular cells and to accelerate the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Despite the well-known protective role of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2 D3] in EMT, the effect of 1,25(OH)2 D3 on IS-induced EMT in human proximal tubular epithelial cells and the underlying mechanism remain unclear. The aim of this study was to determine whether IS (0-1 mM) dose-dependently inhibited the protein expression of E-cadherin and increased the protein expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin, N-cadherin, and fibronectin. METHODS: This study investigated the molecular mechanism by which 1,25(OH)2 D3 attenuates IS-induced EMT. HK-2 human renal tubular epithelial cells was used as the study model, and the MTT assay, Western Blotting, siRNA knockdown technique were used to explore the effects of 1,25(OH)2 D3 on EMT in the presence of IS. RESULTS: Pretreatment with 1,25(OH)2 D3 inhibited the IS-induced EMT-associated protein expression in HK-2 cells. IS induced the phosphorylation of Akt (S473) and ß-catenin (S552) and subsequently increased the nuclear accumulation of ß-catenin. Pretreatment with 1,25(OH)2 D3 and LY294002 (phosphoinositide 3-kinase [PIK3] inhibitor) significantly inhibited the IS-induced phosphorylation of Akt and ß-catenin, nuclear ß-catenin accumulation, and EMT-associated protein expression. CONCLUSIONS: Results from the present study revealed that the anti-EMT effect of 1,25(OH)2 D3 is likely through inhibition of the PI3K/Akt/ß-catenin pathway, which leads to down-regulation of IS-driven EMT-associated protein expression in HK-2 human renal tubular epithelial cells.

[Acute Kidney Injury in Newborns].

Neonatal acute kidney injury is a common clinical condition encountered in neonatal intensive care units. Acute kidney injury in newborns is associated with a poor prognosis and significantly increased risks of mortality and chronic kidney disease. Neonatal kidney function changes with gestation and neonatal extra-uterine adaptation affects the transformation and regulation of renal functions. In particular, premature infants are more likely to develop acute kidney injury due to incomplete kidney development, which increases the difficulty of care. It is necessary to understand the definition and risk factors of acute kidney injury in neonates as well as treatment options, which include maintai­ning body fluid and water balance, stabilizing electrolyte levels, and implementing renal replacement therapy. Healthcare providers must carefully evaluate a newborn's physiological changes after birth and use relevant biological indicators to detect acute kidney injury as early as possible in order to prevent or reduce the risk of acute kidney injury and provide appropriate care to improve the quality of newborn care.

Quercetin facilitates cell death and chemosensitivity through RAGE/PI3K/AKT/mTOR axis in human pancreatic cancer cells.

The triggering of gemcitabine (GEM) drug resistance in pancreatic cancer by the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) has been demonstrated. Hence, finding a safe and effective adjuvant for preventing pancreatic cancer progression is imperative. Quercetin is a flavonoid that is abundant in apples, grapes, red raspberry, and onions and has been reported to inhibit RAGE. This research aimed to investigate the mechanisms of quercetin in regulating cell death and enhancing drug effects through RAGE reduction, especially in GEM-resistant pancreatic cancer cells. Our results showed that silencing RAGE expression by RAGE-specific siRNA transfection significantly increased cell death by apoptosis, autophagy and GEM-induced cytotoxicity by suppressing the PI3K/AKT/mTOR axis in MIA Paca-2 and MIA Paca-2 GEMR cells (GEM-resistant cells). Notably, quercetin showed a dramatic effect similar to RAGE silencing that effectively attenuated RAGE expression to facilitate cell cycle arrest, autophagy, apoptosis, and GEM chemosensitivity in MIA Paca-2 GEMR cells, suggesting that an additional reaction occurred under combined quercetin and GEM treatment. In conclusion, the results demonstrated that the molecular mechanisms of quercetin in regulating apoptosis and autophagy-related pathways and increasing GEM chemosensitivity in pancreatic cancer cells involved inhibition of RAGE expression.

Serum and urinary SOD3 in patients with type 2 diabetes: comparison with early chronic kidney disease patients and association with development of diabetic nephropathy.

Extracellular superoxide dismutase 3 (SOD3), one member of the antioxidant defense system and a superoxide scavenger, has been noted to be downregulated in the kidneys of diabetic mice and is characterized by a heparin-binding domain that can anchor the protein to the endothelium and extracellular matrix. The association of the serum and urinary SOD3 levels with diabetic nephropathy in different stages has never been evaluated. It remains unclear how urinary SOD3 changes in different renal diseases. We recruited 98 Taiwanese patients with type 2 diabetes and 10 patients with early chronic kidney disease (CKD) into this study. Biochemical analyses were performed, including evaluation of the serum SOD3, urinary SOD3, urinary albumin, urinary vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and urinary angiotensinogen (ANG). The Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test was used to compare various parameters among the three groups of patients: early CKD, diabetes alone, and diabetes with CKD. Results showed that lower serum and urinary SOD3 levels were observed in the group of patients with diabetes alone. Higher serum and urinary SOD3 levels were observed in the group of patients with diabetes and CKD, which had higher albuminuria and serum creatinine levels. The serum SOD3 levels were significantly positively correlated with renal function, according to the serum creatinine level. The urinary levels of SOD3 were significantly correlated with other urinary biomarkers such as urinary ANG and VEGF. Furthermore, albuminuria can positively predict the serum SOD3 level for the ratio of urinary albumin to urinary creatinine (ACR) >1,190.769 mg/g and the urinary SOD3 level for ACR ≥300 mg/g.

Extracellular superoxide dismutase ameliorates streptozotocin-induced rat diabetic nephropathy via inhibiting the ROS/ERK1/2 signaling.

AIM: Diabetic nephropathy is the leading cause of end stage renal disease in developed countries throughout the world. The imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the antioxidant defense system is the main problem that is responsible for the progression of diabetic kidney disease. In this study, we investigated whether human extracellular superoxide dismutase (hEC-SOD) can prevent diabetic nephropathy in the rat model. MAIN METHODS: Diabetic nephropathy symptoms were induced by intraperitoneal injection with 60 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ) in male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. After daily supplement of rhEC-SOD (3200 U/kg/day) for 4 weeks, the serum or urine biochemical markers (glucose, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, triglyceride, hemoglobin A1c, and microalbuminuria), histological changes, gene expressions (phox47, opn, and gapdh), and protein levels (TGF-ß, AT1-R, phospho-p42/p44 MAPK, and p42/p44 MAPK) were determined. KEY FINDINGS: Results showed that rhEC-SOD administration could reverse SOD activity measured in kidney and diabetic-associated changes, including the fibrosis change, expression of collagen I, transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-ß) and angiotensin II type I receptor (AT1-R), as well as the activation of the intracellular mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, associating with its inhibition of p42(MAPK)/p44(MAPK) (ERK1/2) phosphorylation. Additionally, diabetic nephropathy up-regulated the expression of the phox47 and opn genes, and these changes could also be suppressed. Though the proteinuria did not significantly reduce. Treatment with rhEC-SOD ameliorates STZ-induced diabetic nephropathy, leading to reduced death rates, kidney weight/body weight ratio, fibrosis change, and TGF-ß1 expression through the down-regulation of ROS/ERK1/2 signaling pathway. SIGNIFICANCE: We conclude that rhEC-SOD can act as a therapeutic agent to protect the progression of diabetic nephropathy.

Neuropathic pain in hereditary coproporphyria.

Acute porphyrias are rare diseases with varying incidences worldwide. These diseases are disorders of heme biosynthesis characterized by acute attacks of neurological symptoms. Acute porphyria should be considered in patients with unexplained abdominal pain or neurological damage. Clinical manifestations of acute porphyria are nonspecific and are associated with multiple organ systems. This report examines a rare case of an uncommon type of acute porphyria in a patient with an initial presentation of abdominal pain and progressive polyneuropathy.

High-frequency ultrasound imaging to evaluate liver fibrosis progression in rats and yi guan jian herbal therapeutic effects.

The animals used in liver fibrosis studies must usually be sacrificed. Ultrasound has been demonstrated to have the ability to diagnose hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis in experimental small-animal models. However, few studies have used high-frequency ultrasound (HFU, 40 MHz) to monitor changes in the rat liver and other hollow organs longitudinally. In this study, liver fibrosis was induced by administering dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) in SD rats, aged 8 weeks, for three consecutive days per week for up to 4 weeks. A Chinese herbal medicine Yi Guan Jian (YGJ) was orally administered (1.8 g/kg daily) to DMN-induced liver fibrosis rats for 2 weeks. Compared with the normal control rats, rats treated with DMN for either 2 weeks or 4 weeks had significantly lower body weights, liver indexes and elevation of hydroxyproline, GOT, and GPT contents. YGJ herbal treatment remarkably prevented rats from DMN-induced liver fibrosis. The HFU scoring results among the normal controls, 2-week DMN-treated rats, 4-week DMN-treated rats, and combined 2-week YGJ therapy with 4-week DMN-treated rats also reached statistical significance. Thus, HFU is an accurate tool for the longitudinal analysis of liver fibrosis progression in small-animal models, and the YGJ may be useful in reversing the development of hepatic fibrosis.