Effects of a simulated maritime shift schedule on vigilance, sleep, and sleepiness.

Shift work is associated with circadian misalignment, which causes sleep loss, impairs performance, and increases the risk of accidents. Shorter, more frequently shifting watch schedules, widely used in industries such as maritime operation, defense, and mining, may mitigate these risks by reducing shift length and providing sleep opportunities for all workers across the biological night. However, the effects of frequently shifting work on sleep and performance still need to be clarified. The current study investigated the vigilance, sleepiness, and sleep patterns of fifteen participants who lived in a controlled and confined laboratory that mimicked a maritime environment for 14 d following a simulating frequent shift schedule. The results of psychomotor vigilance tasks (PVT) suggest that this shift schedule may lead to an accumulation of vigilance detrimental across watch days, with both reaction speed impairment and error growth. Furthermore, the circadian phase significantly affects PVT performance, with the afternoon shift section showing relatively better performance. Overall, more working hours per day resulted in poorer PVT performance. As the shift progressed, total sleep duration reduced slightly, and wake after sleep onset (WASO) increased. Sleep during the biological night was generally longer than sleep in the daytime. Less on-watch time was linked to longer overall sleep duration. Additionally, although the subjective sleepiness obtained by the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS) varied insignificantly across days, the KSS score was negatively correlated with PVT performance. This research can serve as a foundation for developing countermeasures to mitigate frequently shifting schedules' potentially detrimental effects and safety risks.

Tissue adhesive indocyanine green-locking granular gel-mediated photothermal therapy combined with checkpoint inhibitor for preventing postsurgical recurrence and metastasis of colorectal cancer.

Developing effective therapy to inhibit postoperative recurrence and metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC) is challenging and significant to reduce mortality and morbidity. Here, a granular hydrogel, assembled from gelatin microgels by dialdehyde starch and interpenetrated with in situ polymerized poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate-co-N-isopropylacrylamide) (P(SBMA-co-NIPAM)), is prepared to load and lock Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved indocyanine green (ICG) with definite photothermal function and biosafety for photothermal therapy (PTT) combining with checkpoint inhibitor. The presence of P(SBMA-co-NIPAM) endows granular hydrogel with high retention to water-soluble ICG, preventing easy diffusion and rapid scavenging of ICG. The ICG-locking granular hydrogel can be spread and adhered onto the surgery site at wet state in vivo, exerting a persistent and stable PTT effect. Combined with αPD-L1 treatment, ICG-locking granular hydrogel-mediated PTT can eradicate postsurgery residual and metastatic tumors, and prevent long-term tumor recurrence. Further mechanistic studies indicate that combination treatment effectively promotes dendritic cells maturation in lymph nodes, enhances the number and infiltration of CD8+ T and CD4+ T cells in tumor tissue, and improves memory T cell number in spleen, thus activating the antitumor immune response. Overall, ICG-locking gel-mediated PTT is expected to exhibit broad clinical applications in postoperative treatment of cancers, like CRC.

Application Prospect of Integrative Omics in Forensic Identification of Methamphetamine-Associated Psychosis / 法医学杂志

The clinical symptoms and signs of methamphetamine-associated psychosis (MAP) and schizophrenia are highly similar, but the situation is completely different when MAP and schizophrenia patients need to be assessed for criminal responsibility after they comitted a harmful behavior. Therefore, the distinction between the two psychoses is very important in forensic psychiatry. At present, the identification of these two psychoses is mainly dependent on the corresponding criteria such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) and the Chinese Classification of Mental Disorders Version 3 (CCMD-3). It's challenging to diagnose and distinguish between the two in practical cases due to their similar clinical symptoms and the lack of effective objective indexes. Different from the limitations of single omics, integrative omics intergrates data from multiple dimensions and has been extensively studied in the field of schizophrenia and has achieved some preliminary results. In view of the correlation between MAP and schizophrenia and the potential application value of integrative omics, this paper proposes an integrative omics strategy for MAP pathogenesis and forensic identification, aiming to improve the further understanding of the relationship between the two psychoses and the corresponding pathogenesis. It also provides references for the future exploration of integrative omics in forensic precise identification and effective monitoring and early warning methods.

Optimization of extraction technology of volatile oil from Blumea balsamifera and analysis on its compositions / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To opti mize the supercritical CO 2 extraction technology of volatile oil from Blumea balsamifera ，and compare the components of the volatile oil from B. balsamifera obtained by supercritical CO 2 extraction and steam distillation. METHODS The volatile oil of B. balsamifera was extracted by supercritical CO 2 extraction. Using extraction rate of volatile oil as index，extraction temperature ，extraction pressure and extraction time as factors ，based on single-factor experiment ，orthogonal experiment was used to optimize the supercritical CO 2 extraction technology. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to identify the components of volatile oil from B. balsamifera . Peak area normalization was used to calculate the relative contents of each component. Taking the volatile oil obtained by steam distillation as a reference ，the extraction rates ，components and contents of volatile oil by the two methods were compared. RESULTS The optimal supercritical CO 2 extraction technology of volatile oil from B. balsamifera included extraction pressure of 30 MPa，extraction temperature of 50 ℃ and extracting for 50 min. After 3 times of validation tests ，average extraction rate of volatile oil was 4.64％（RSD＝0.54％，n＝3）. Thirty-nine components such as tritriacontane，stigmasterol，squalene were identified in the volatile oil of B. balsamifera obtained by supercritical CO 2 extraction； and 51 components such as triacontane ，ledol，humulene epoxide Ⅰ were identified by steam distillation. The extraction rate of volatile oil from B. balsamifera obtained by 2 methods were 4.64％ and 0.99％. A total of 26 common components were obtained ， such as xanthoxylin ，L-borneol，β-caryophyllene. Except for xanthoxyline （34.829％ by supercritical CO 2 extraction，30.676％ by steam distillation method ）and phytol （2.401％ by supercritical CO 2 extraction，1.273％ by steam distillation ），the relative contents of the components of volatile oil obtained by supercritical CO 2 extraction were lower than those of steam distillation. CONCLUSIONS The optimal supercritical CO 2 extraction technology is stable and feasible ；the components and contents of volatile oil obtained by two methods varies greatly ，and main compounds are aldehydes and ketones ，alkenes，alcohols and other components.

Controlled release and cytobiology of recombinant human parathyroid hormone 1-34 mediated by hyaluronic acid thermo-sensitive hydrogels / 药学学报

The bone formation promoter recombinant human parathyroid hormone 1-34 [PTH (1-34)] has a short half-life and low bioavailability. In this study, we prepared a biodegradable and temperature-sensitive hyaluronic acid-poly-N-isopropyl acrylamide (AHA-g-PNIPAAm), and further investigated its effects of PTH (1-34) release and cell behavior as drug carrier. The structure of AHA-g-PNIPAAM was confirmed by hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy. Next, PTH (1-34) loaded thermo-sensitive hydrogels were prepared by physical swelling method and their stability was investigated. The morphology of hydrogel was observed by scanning electron microscope. The minimum critical transition temperature and drug release behavior of hydrogels were investigated by ultraviolet spectrophotometry. The tetrazolium-based colorimetric assay (MTT assay) was used to investigate the toxicity and proliferation effects of PTH (1-34)-loaded thermo-sensitive hydrogel on mouse mononuclear macrophage RAW264.7 and mouse precranial osteoblasts MC3T3-E1. The effect of PTH (1-34)-loaded thermo-sensitive hydrogel on the differentiation of RAW264.7 was investigated by the tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase assay. The results showed that the PTH (1-34)-loaded thermo-sensitive hydrogel prepared in this study displayed regular three-dimensional honeycomb structure, and had good stability, thermo-sensitivity and sustained and controlled release properties, which could promote the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells more effectively and inhibit the differentiation of RAW264.7 into osteoclasts.

Accuracy of Nolla Method for Age Estimation of Northern Chinese Han Children / 法医学杂志

Objective To study the accuracy of Nolla method for age estimation of Northern Chinese Han children aged between 5.00 and 14.99 years based on original transformation tables and multiple regression model. Methods A total of 2 000 orthopantomographs （OPGs） were collected from the Hospital of Stomatology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, including 1 000 males and 1 000 females. Development stage of 7 left mandibular permanent teeth （except third molars） was assessed based on Nolla method, then age estimation was conducted through transformation tables and multiple regression model, respectively. Firstly, the development stage results of 7 permanent teeth were added up and the estimated age was obtained through the original transformation tables. Secondly, 80% of the samples （80 males and 80 females in each age group） were randomly selected from 2 000 OPGs as the train set. The chronological age of the selected patients was taken as the dependent variable, while gender and the development stage results of 7 permanent teeth were taken as the independent variable to establish multiple regression model. The remaining 20% of the samples were substituted into the model as the test set, to verify the accuracy of age estimation by multiple regression model. Results Mean chronological ages of males and females were 10.03±0.09 years and 10.01±0.09 years, respectively. The age estimated by original transformation tables showed an overestimation for males （0.18 years on average） and an underestimation for females （0.02 years on average）, with mean absolute error （MAE） of 0.94 years and 0.97 years, respectively. While the results by multiple regression model showed that males were overestimated by 0.06 years on average and females were underestimated by 0.02 years on average. The MAE was 0.66 years and 0.77 years, respectively. Conclusion The Nolla method is suitable for age estimation of Northern Chinese Han children. Compared with the original transformation tables method, the multiple regression model is more accurate for age estimation.

Study on the Spectrum-effect Relationship of Antioxidant Activity of Ethanol Extract from Melastoma dodecandrum / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE： To establish the fingerprint of the ethanol e xtract from Melastoma dodecandrum ， to study spectrum-effect relationship of its antioxidant activity. METHODS ：HPLC method and Similarity Evaluation System of TCM Chromatographic Fingerprint （2012 edition）were used to establish the fingerprints of 15 batches of ethanol extracts from M. dodecandrum，and heir similarity was evaluated. The common peaks were identified by comparing with substance control. DPPH free radical scavenging method ，ABTS free radical scavenging method and total antioxidant capacity determination method （FRAP） were used to determine antioxidant activity in vitro of 15 batches of ethanol extracts from M. dodecandrum . Principal component analysis，bivariate correlation analysis and partial least squares regression analysis were used to study the spectrum-effect relationship of the antioxidant activity of the ethanol extracts from M. dodecandrum . RESULTS ：Totally 20 common peaks were identified in HPLC fingerprints of 15 batches of ethanol extracts from M. dodecandrum ；its similarity with the control fingerprint was not less than 0.831；it was identified that peak 3 was gallic acid ，peak 13 was vitexin ，peak 17 was rutin and peak 19 was ellagic acid. The IC 50 values of DPPH radical scavenging method of 15 batches of ethanol extracts from M. dodecandrum were 21.98-57.87 μ g/mL，that of ABTS radical scavenging method were 40.94-101.88 μ g/mL，the results of FRAP method were 0.19-0.48 mg/mL. Principal component analysis showed that the contribution rate of IC 50 variance of DPPH was 80.77％. Bivariate correlation analysis showed that the peak areas of peak 2 （positive correlation ） and peak 11 （negative correlation ） were significantly correlated with antioxidant activity （P＜0.05）；partial least squares regression analysis showed that ，the variable projection importance （VIP）in descending order was peak 11＞peak 2＞peak 16＞peak 15＞peak 12＞peak 13＞peak 18，and their VIP values were greater than 1. Peaks 2，13，15，16 and 18 were positively correlated with antioxidant activity ，and peaks 11 and 12 were negatively correlate d with antioxidant activity ，and the absolute value of standardized regression coefficient were greater than 0.1. CONCLUSIONS ：Fifteen batches of ethanol extracts of M. dodecandrum have antioxidant activity in vitro . The compounds corresponding to common peaks 2，11，12， 13，15，16 and 18 may be the material basis of antioxidant activity of M. dodecandrum .

Does underweight amplify the relationship between short-term particulate matter exposure and blood pressure in children and adolescents: a large cross-sectional study in a metropolis of China.

Overweight/obesity modified the effects of ambient particulate matter (PM) exposure on blood pressure (BP). This study aims to assess whether interaction of underweight and short-term PM exposure on BP exists in Chinese children. A cross-sectional analysis including 144,513 children aged 6 to 17 years in 2016 Health Promotion Program for Children and Adolescents of Suzhou, China, was performed. Daily concentrations of inhalable PM (PM10) and fine PM (PM2.5) were extracted from air monitoring stations close to students' schools. We applied generalized linear mixed-effects models to estimate the interactions. Estimated changes (95% confidence intervals (CIs)) of systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), and odds ratios (ORs) (95% CIs) for prevalence of HBP were calculated. Significant interactions between PM and underweight on BP and prevalence of high BP (HBP) were observed. For example, at lag 6, the ORs (95% CIs) for HBP by each 10 µg/m3 changes of PM2.5 were 1.066 (1.039, 1.093) and 1.036 (1.028, 1.043) among underweight and normal weight subjects, respectively; these values for PM10 were 1.048 (1.031, 1.065) and 1.025 (1.021, 1.030). At lag 5, the increases of SBP for PM2.5 were 0.32 (95% CI 0.22, 0.43) mmHg and 0.23 (95% CI 0.29, 0.26) mmHg, while changes of DBP were 0.27 (95% CI 0.18, 0.35) mmHg and 0.19 (95% CI 0.16, 0.21) mmHg among underweight and normal weight subjects, respectively. Stratified analyses demonstrated that these interactions were only obtained in males. Effects of short-term PM exposure on BP and prevalence of HBP are enhanced in underweight children and adolescents.

Author Correction: The Kunitz Domain I of Hepatocyte Growth Factor Activator Inhibitor-2 Inhibits Matriptase Activity and Invasive Ability of Human Prostate Cancer Cells.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Research Progress and Prospect of Facial Reconstruction in Forensic Science / 法医学杂志

Facial reconstruction is a way to recover facial morphology by restoring soft tissues based on unidentified skulls using the knowledge of anatomy, anthropology, aesthetics, and computer science. It is applied in forensic science, oral plastic surgery and archeology, and especially plays an important role in the identification of the origin of the unknown corpses in forensic science. Facial reconstruction is the supplementary means of identification when other approaches （such as DNA comparison, imaging matching, dental records comparison, etc.） cannot identify individual identity. Facial soft tissue thickness （FSTT） is the basis of facial reconstruction and with the development of imaging and computer science, the techniques for measuring FSTT are improving rapidly and many related researches have appeared. This paper summarizes the application of facial reconstruction in forensic science, the accuracy of different methods and the research progress of this field to provide reference to this field.

Short-term effects of ambient particulate matter on blood pressure among children and adolescents:A cross-sectional study in a city of Yangtze River delta, China.

Several studies have demonstrated associations between short-term exposure to particulate matter (PM) and blood pressure (BP) among various adults groups, but evidence in children and adolescents is still rare. In 2016, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among 194 104 participants aged 6-17 years in Suzhou, China. Daily concentrations of particulate matters with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤10 µg/m3 (PM10) and aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 µg/m3 (PM2.5) on 0-6 days preceding BP examination were collected from nearby air monitoring stations. Using generalized linear mixed-effects models, short-term effects of PM on personal BP were estimated. A 10 µg/m3 increment in the 0-6 day mean of PM2.5 was significantly associated with elevation of 0.20 mmHg [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.16-0.23] in systolic BP (SBP), 0.49 mmHg (95% CI 0.45-0.53) in diastolic BP (DBP), respectively. Similarly, 0.14 mmHg (95% CI 0.12-0.16) higher SBP and 0.32 mmHg (95% CI 0.30-0.34) higher DBP were found for each 10 µg/m3 increase in 0-6 day mean of PM10. More apparent associations were observed in females than in males. Odds ratio (95%CI) of for PM2.5 exposure at 0-6 d mean was 1.06 (1.03-1.08) in females, while it was 1.01 (0.99-1.03) in males. Participants with young ages, underweight and obesity were also associated with increased susceptibility to PM-induced BP effects. Short-term exposure in PM was significantly associated with elevated BP in children, indicating a need to control PM levels and protect children from PM exposure in China.

Edaravone attenuates traumatic brain injury through anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative modulation.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is among the leading causes of irreversible neurological damage and death worldwide. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether edaravone (EDA) had a neuroprotective effect on TBI as well as to identify the potential mechanism. Results demonstrated that EDA suppressed inflammatory and oxidative responses in mice following TBI. This was evidenced by a reduction in glutathione peroxidase, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor-α and hydrogen peroxide levels, in addition to an increase in hemeoxygenase-1, quinone oxidoreductase 1 and superoxide dismutase levels, thereby mitigating neurofunctional deficits, cell apoptosis and structural damage. EDA prevented the transfer of NF-κB protein from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, whilst promoting the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) protein in mice following TBI. These results indicated that EDA exerted neuroprotective effects, including impeding neurofunctional deficits, cell apoptosis and structural damage, in mice with TBI, potentially via suppression of NF-κB-mediated inflammatory activation and promotion of the Nrf2 antioxidant pathway.

Prevalence of high blood pressure and high normal blood pressure among 7- to 17-year-old children and adolescents in developed regions, China from 2014 to 2017: using new national blood pressure reference for Chinese children and adolescents.

As the first blood pressure (BP) reference considering influence of height in China, national blood pressure reference for Chinese han children and adolescents aged 7 to 17 years (CCBP) was issued in 2017. The current study aimed to observe the short-term trends in BP and prevalence of high blood pressure (HBP) and high normal blood pressure (HNBP) using this CCBP reference in Suzhou, China. Data of children and adolescents aged 7 to 17 years were collected from 2014 to 2017. Total population of 2014 to 2017 were 617,383, 684,453, 695,302, and 774,605, respectively, and proportions of males were 54.1%, 54.0%, 53.9%, and 53.8%, respectively. P-trend tests were conducted to examine the trends of BP among different age, region, body mass index, and socioeconomic status groups for each gender. Multivariate logistic regression analyses found secular decreases in prevalence of HBP and HNBP, after adjustment for potential confounders. Compared with that in 2014, the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for total study population were 0.936 (0.928, 0.944) in 2015, 0.879 (0.872, 0.887) in 2016, and 0.934 (0.926, 0.941) in 2017. In conclusion, prevalence of HBP and HNBP decreased among children and adolescents in developed regions of China from 2014 to 2017, and a slight rise were found in 2017.

The short-term effects of outdoor temperature on blood pressure among children and adolescents: finding from a large sample cross-sectional study in Suzhou, China.

Although several studies have demonstrated a short-term association between outdoor temperature and blood pressure (BP) among various adult groups, evidence among children and adolescents is lacking. One hundred ninety-four thousand one hundred four participants from 2016 Health Promotion Program for Children and Adolescents (HPPCA) were analyzed through generalized linear mixed-effects models to estimate the short-term effects of two outdoor temperature variables (average and minimum temperature) on participants' BP. Decreasing outdoor temperature was associated with significant increases in systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), and prevalence of hypertension during lag 0 through lag 6. Additionally, daily minimum temperature showed a more apparent association with participants' BP. The estimated increases (95% confidence interval) in SBP and DBP at lag 0 were 0.82 (0.72, 0.92) mmHg and 2.28 (2.20, 2.35) mmHg for a 1 °C decrease in daily minimum temperature, while those values were 0.11 (0.10, 0.12) mmHg and 0.25 (0.24, 0.26) mmHg for a 1 °C decrease in daily average temperature, respectively. The effects of temperature on BP were stronger among female, as well as those with young age and low body mass index. It demonstrated that short-term decreases in outdoor temperature were significantly associated with rises in BP among children and adolescents. This founding has some implications for clinical management and research of BP. Meanwhile, public health intervention should be designed to reduce the exposure to cold temperature for protecting children and adolescents' BP.

Correction to: Isoliquiritigenin Provides Protection and Attenuates Oxidative Stress-Induced Injuries via the Nrf2-ARE Signaling Pathway After Traumatic Brain Injury.

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake. The Fluorescence Immunoassays text written in Materials and Methods section and Fig. 1i, j is incorrect. In Fig. 1j, the images corresponding to Sham and TBI + ILG are incorrect. In Fig. 1i the figure caption "TBI + EDA" are incorrect. The corrected text and Fig. 1i, j are given below.

Research Progress of Age Estimation Based on the Demirjian's Method / 法医学杂志

In recent years, individual age estimation has gained increasing attention in forensic practice. Common age estimation methods mainly use developments of teeth and bones. Compared with bones, teeth are stronger and are highly resistant to external factors, therefore plays an important role in age estimation. Demirjian's method is one of the most commonly used methods to evaluate dental age and has been widely used in many countries. In this paper, the accuracy of its application in different populations is reviewed. It is found that compared with the chronological ages, most of the estimated ages are overestimated. By combining research results of many scholars and by analyzing, it can be assumed that this situation may be related with race, region, sex, etc.

Construction of Age Estimation Model of 18-Year-Olds in the Northern Chinese Population Based on the Development of Mandibular Second and Third Molars / 法医学杂志

Objective To establish a linear relationship between age and the development process of the mandibular second, third molars in a northern Chinese population and test its accuracy in inferring whether the subject is over 18 years old. Methods The orthopantograms （OPGs） of 960 northern Chinese people aged between 10.00 to 25.99 years were selected. The gender, birth date, and date of the orthopantograms of each sample were recorded. The development stages of left mandibular second and third molars were divided with Demirjian method. The experimental group （760 individuals） constructed a Logistic regression equation to infer whether the subject is over 18 years old. The validation group （200 individuals） tested the accuracy of the equation. Results When only using third molar, the formula obtained for inferring whether the subject's age is over 18 years is： logit P1=-18.276+0.494 x1+2.953 x3. When combining the second and the third molars, the formula is： logit P2=-21.045+3.177 x1+0.619 x2+2.088 x3. （x1 stands for gender, male is marked as 1 and female is marked as 2; x2 and x3 stand for the development stage of second molar and third molar, respectively）. The accuracy rates of this equation in estimating whether ages of subjects from the validation group were over 18 years old for males and females were 88.0%-92.0% and 85.0%-88.0%, respectively. Conclusion The age estimation formulas based on the development of mandibular second and third molars have important value in judging whether the individual is over 18 years old. Meanwhile, the accuracy of age estimation can be improved by combining the development of second and third molars together.

Anti-diabetic effects of the fraction of alkaloids from Ramulus Mori, an innovative Sangzhi alkaloids as an α-glucosidase inhibitor / 药学学报

Sangzhi alkaloids (SZ-A) are derived from traditional Chinese medicine Ramulus Mori, serving well as an innovative antidiabetic drug, due to α-glucosidase inhibition. To evaluate the potency of glucosidase inhibitory effect of SZ-A, the enzyme-based screening platforms, including sucrase, maltase and amylase were established, and IC50 was calculated. The effects of SZ-A on postprandial blood glucose at a single dose, oral sucrose, starch and glucose loading were determined in normal ICR mice and alloxan-induced hyperglycemic mice. To confirm the anti-diabetic effects of SZ-A on glucose and lipid metabolism after long-term administration, the postprandial and fasting blood glucose, serum insulin, urinary glucose levels, glycosylated serum proteins and blood lipid levels were determined in high-fat fed C57 obese mice (pre-diabetic HFC57 mice) and diabetic rats induced by streptozotocin (STZ). The Experimental Animal Welfare Ethics Committee of the Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College approved all of the protocols for this research. We found that SZ-A exhibited a significant inhibitory effect on the sucrase and maltase. SZ-A showed no effect on amylase. In normal ICR mice and alloxan-induced hyperglycemic mice, SZ-A at a single dose significantly delayed and reduced the peak of blood glucose after sucrose or starch loading, but showed no effect on the increase of blood glucose after glucose loading. In STZ diabetic rats, SZ-A significantly reduced the postprandial or fasting blood glucose levels, glycosylated serum proteins and urinary glucose. SZ-A also reduced serum triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol (TC) levels after 3 weeks of treatment. SZ-A ameliorated the postprandial blood glucose or the fasting blood glucose elevation, and reduced the incidence of hyperglycemia in HFC57 mice. SZ-A decreased the basal insulin level, improved insulin sensitivity, and ameliorated glucose intolerance in pre-diabetic HFC57 mice. Our results indicated that SZ-A had a novel inhibitory activity on α-glucosidase, especially on disaccharidases. SZ-A at a single dose significantly reduced the peak of blood glucose elevation and delayed the increase of blood glucose in normal and diabetic mice after disaccharide and polysaccharide loading. Long-term SZ-A treatment improved glucose and lipid metabolic profiles by delaying carbohydrate absorption from the intestine and reduced the postprandial blood glucose levels in both pre-diabetic and diabetic animal models. Therefore, SZ-A application may display a beneficial role in preventing the development and complications of diabetes.

Isoliquiritigenin Provides Protection and Attenuates Oxidative Stress-Induced Injuries via the Nrf2-ARE Signaling Pathway After Traumatic Brain Injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious public health and medical problem worldwide. Oxidative stress plays a vital role in the pathogenesis of TBI. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), an important factor in the cellular defense against oxidative stress, is activated following TBI. In this study, the protective effects of Isoliquiritigenin (ILG), a promising antioxidant stress drug, was evaluated as a protective agent against TBI. In a mouse model of controlled cortical impact Injury, we found that the ILG administration reduced the Garcia neuroscore, injury histopathology, brain water content, cerebral vascular permeability, the expression of cleaved caspase3, aquaporin-4, glial fibrillary acidic protein and the increased the expression of neurofilament light chain protein, indicating the protective effects against TBI in vivo. ILG treatment after TBI also restored the oxidative stress and promoted the Nrf2 protein transfer from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. We then used Nrf2-/- mice to test the protective effect of Nrf2 during ILG treatment of TBI. Our findings indicated that Nrf2-/- mice had greater brain injury and oxidative stress than wild-type (WT) mice and ILG was less effective at inhibiting oxidative stress and repairing the brain injury than in the WT mice. In vitro studies in SY5Y cells under oxygen glucose deprivation/re-oxygenation stimulation yielded results that were consistent with those obtained in vivo showing that ILG promotes Nrf2 protein transfer from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that Nrf2 is an important protective factor against TBI-induced injuries, which indicates that the protective effects of ILG are mediated by inhibiting oxidative stress after TBI via a mechanism that involves the promotion of Nrf2 protein transfer from the cytoplasm to the nucleus.