Mechanism of Qili Qiangxin Capsule for Heart Failure Based on miR133a-Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the pharmacological mechanism of Qili Qiangxin Capsule (QLQX) improvement of heart failure (HF) based on miR133a-endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) pathway. METHODS: A left coronary artery ligation-induced HF after myocardial infarction model was used in this study. Rats were randomly assigned to the sham group, the model group, the QLQX group [0.32 g/(kg·d)], and the captopril group [2.25 mg/(kg·d)], 15 rats per group, followed by 4 weeks of medication. Cardiac function such as left ventricular ejection fraction (EF), fractional shortening (FS), left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP), the maximal rate of increase of left ventricular pressure (+dp/dt max), and the maximal rate of decrease of left ventricular pressure (-dp/dt max) were monitored by echocardiography and hemodynamics. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and Masson stainings were used to visualize pathological changes in myocardial tissue. The mRNA expression of miR133a, glucose-regulated protein78 (GRP78), inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1), activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6), X-box binding protein1 (XBP1), C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) and Caspase 12 were detected by RT-PCR. The protein expression of GRP78, p-IRE1/IRE1 ratio, cleaved-ATF6, XBP1-s (the spliced form of XBP1), CHOP and Caspase 12 were detected by Western blot. TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining was used to detect the rate of apoptosis. RESULTS: QLQX significantly improved cardiac function as evidenced by increased EF, FS, LVSP, +dp/dt max, -dp/dt max, and decreased LVEDP (P<0.05, P<0.01). HE staining showed that QLQX ameliorated cardiac pathologic damage to some extent. Masson staining indicated that QLQX significantly reduced collagen volume fraction in myocardial tissue (P<0.01). Results from RT-PCR and Western blot showed that QLQX significantly increased the expression of miR133a and inhibited the mRNA expressions of GRP78, IRE1, ATF6 and XBP1, as well as decreased the protein expressions of GRP78, cleaved-ATF6 and XBP1-s and decreased p-IRE1/IRE1 ratio (P<0.05, P<0.01). Further studies showed that QLQX significantly reduced the expression of CHOP and Caspase12, resulting in a significant reduction in apoptosis rate (P<0.05, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The pharmacological mechanism of QLQX in improving HF is partly attributed to its regulatory effect on the miR133a-IRE1/XBP1 pathway.

Mirabegron Add-On Tamsulosin for Men with Overactive Bladder Symptoms: A Pooled Analysis of Four Randomized Controlled Trials.

INTRODUCTION: Overactive bladder symptoms (OABSs) affect patients' quality of life (QOL) worldwide. This pooled analysis compared the efficacy and safety of mirabegron add-on tamsulosin with those of tamsulosin add-on placebo in OABS treatment. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Controlled Trial Register databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining the efficacy of mirabegron add-on therapy to tamsulosin in the treatment of OABS. Moreover, references from the selected studies were screened. Review Manager 5.4 was used to analyze data. RESULTS: Four RCTs involving 1,397 patients with OABS were selected. Of the total, 697 patients receiving mirabegron add-on tamsulosin constituted the experimental group, and 700 patients receiving tamsulosin add-on placebo constituted the control group. The efficacy endpoints were as follows: mean number of micturition per day (mean difference [MD] = -0.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.41 to -0.10, p = 0.0001), urgency episodes per day (MD = -0.67, 95% CI = -1.02 to -0.32, p = 0.0002), urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) episodes per day (MD = -0.42, 95% CI = -0.66 to -0.19, p = 0.0005), mean volume voided/micturition (MD = 10.84, 95% CI = 4.97-16.71, p = 0.0003), total International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) (MD = -2.01, 95% CI = -4.02 to -0.01, p = 0.05), and IPSS QOL index (MD = -0.65, 95% CI = -0.94 to -0.35, p < 0.0001). Mirabegron therapy, an add-on therapy to tamsulosin, was effective in treating patients with OABS. Moreover, mirabegron might reduce the total IPSS (MD = -2.01, 95% CI = -4.02 to -0.01, p = 0.05). The safety endpoint, treatment-emergent adverse events (odds ratio = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.78-1.13, p = 0.49), suggested that although mirabegron was well-tolerated, it possibly increased the post-void residual urine volume (MD = 10.28, 95% CI = 1.82-18.75, p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Combination therapy using mirabegron and tamsulosin may be effective in treating patients with non-neurogenic OABS in terms of UUI episodes, total IPSS, and IPSS QOL index. However, its effectiveness must be verified by analyzing additional factors for OABS through further RCTs.

Erchen decoction to reduce oxidative stress in dyslipidemia phlegm-dampness retention syndrome mice: In vivo mechanism revealed by metabolomics (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry).

OBJECTIVE: Erchen decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine formula, can reduce the level of oxidative stress for the treatment of dyslipidemia phlegm-dampness retention syndrome (DPDRS); however, studies have not elucidated the mechanism underlying its metabolic action. Here, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolomic techniques were utilized to characterize the in vivo effects of Erchen decoction in achieving reduction of oxidative stress levels and understand the potential metabolic mechanisms of action. METHODS: We constructed a DPDRS animal model using a multifactorial composite modeling approach, and Erchen decoction was administered by gavage. We employed LC-MS-based metabolomic techniques in combination with serum-associated factors, gene transcription, methylation detection, and hematoxylin and eosin staining. RESULTS: In this study, the constructed animal model of DPDRS had satisfactory quality. Erchen decoction treatment reduced the levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, t total cholesterol and riglyceride; it improved the endothelial structure, increased levels of serum ß-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate and glutathione concentrations, increased aortic phosphoserine aminotransferase and phosphoserine phosphatase gene expression levels, and decreased aortic phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase methylation level. A total of 64 differential metabolites were obtained using LC-MS assay, and 34 differential metabolic pathways were obtained after enrichment. CONCLUSIONS: Erchen decoction treatment of DPDRS mice reversed lipid indexes, improved vascular endothelial structure, increased serum and aortic anti-oxidative stress factor concentration and expression levels, and decreased methylation levels, thereby reducing oxidative stress and protecting vascular endothelium. Tricarboxylic acid cycle and metabolic pathways of serum glutamine, serine, tryptophan, pyrimidine, and pyruvate were the most relevant metabolic pathways involved in reducing oxidative stress levels by Erchen decoction during DPDRS treatment; especially, mitochondrial redox homeostasis maintenance in endothelial cells may be crucial. In this work, the therapeutic potential of Erchen decoction for reducing the oxidative stress level in DPDRS was demonstrated; however, its in-depth mechanism is worth further exploration.

Bioinformatics prediction and experimental verification of a novel microRNA for myocardial fibrosis after myocardial infarction in rats.

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous noncoding single-stranded small RNAs. Numerous studies have shown that miRNAs have pivotal roles in the occurrence and development of myocardial fibrosis (MF). However, miRNA expression profile in rats with MF after myocardial infarction (MI) is not well understood. The present study aimed to find the potential miRNA for MF post MI. Methods: SPF male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat models of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were established by ligating the anterior descending branch of the left coronary artery, while sham-operated rats were only threaded without ligation as a control group. Hematoxylin-eosin and Masson trichrome staining were used to detect myocardial histopathological changes for model evaluation. The differentially expressed miRNAs were detected by using the Agilent Rat miRNA gene chip in the myocardial tissue of the infarct marginal zone. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed by DAVID. The expression of miR-199a-5p was verified by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). Transfected miR-199a-5p mimics into cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) to construct cell models of miR-199a-5p overexpression. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was employed to validate the target gene of miR-199a-5p. The protein expression of the target gene in CFs transfected with miR-199a-5p mimics were detected by Western blot. Results: Myocardial fibrosis was exacerbated in the model group compared with the control group. Thirteen differentially expressed miRNAs between the two groups were screened and their expression levels in the model group were all higher than those in the control group. The expression of miR-199a-5p was significantly increased in the model group in qRT-PCR, which was consistent with the results of the gene chip. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the target genes of miR-199a-5p were enriched in the insulin signaling pathway. Furthermore, dual-luciferase reporter assay indicated that miR-199a-5p could negatively regulate the expression of GSK-3ß. After transfection, the expression of miR-199a-5p was increased in the miR-199a-5p mimics group. The protein expression of GSK-3ß was decreased in CFs transfected with miR-199a-5p mimics. Conclusion: Our study identified miR-199a-5p could promote the progression of myocardial fibrosis after myocardial infarction by targeting GSK-3ß, which provides novel targets for diagnosis and treatment of MF.

The Misdiagnosis of Intravesical Ectopic Prostatic Tissue as a Tumor.

Ectopic prostatic tissue is rare, and it is usually only discovered by chance during imaging examinations or surgery. However, between 1967 and 2021, reports of ectopic prostatic tissue in the medical literature increased. It is rarely reported that ectopic prostatic tissue can be misdiagnosed as a nephrogenic adenoma (NA). This case study aimed to increase the awareness of ectopic prostatic tissue to improve its rates of diagnosis. This paper is focused on a 45-year-old male patient with a history of bladder lesions that were accidentally discovered through a health examination. A computed tomography scan revealed a homogeneous isoechoic mass in the posterior inferior wall of the bladder. At first, a transurethral cystoscopy revealed a smooth sessile mass covering the normal bladder mucosa, which was located in the middle of the interureteric ridge. The biopsy results suggested a possible intravesical NA. The mass was then completely resected under pneumovesicoscopy, and the pathological diagnosis was ectopic prostatic tissue. The clinical symptoms of ectopic prostatic tissue are similar to other bladder neoplasms, but there are too few characteristics available in imaging examinations to allow for an accurate diagnosis. Since ectopic prostatic tissue can present as a tumor in the bladder, urologists may easily misdiagnose the condition. Surgery is the basis of treatment for ectopic prostatic tissue, and it has a good prognosis.

Circulating microparticles are associated with plaque burden and cause eNOS uncoupling in patients with carotid atherosclerosis.

Aims: The study aimed to evaluate the correlation of different microparticle (MP) phenotypes with plaque burden and their diagnostic value and preliminarily explore the role of MPs in atherosclerosis (AS). Methods: Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and maximal plaque area in 23 patients with carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) and 22 healthy subjects were measured by ultrasound. Transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis and western blot were used to identify MPs. Flow cytometry assay measured absolute number of MPs, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to assess the relationship between plaque burden and MPs. To study the preliminary mechanism of MPs in AS, MPs were administered to 32 male Kunming mice, which were randomly divided into control, CAS, healthy, and tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) groups. Hematoxylin-eosin staining, immunohistochemistry staining, and Western blot were adopted to detect relevant indexes 24 h after the injection. Results: The plasma levels of CD45+ leukocyte-derived microparticle (LMP), CD11a+ LMP, CD11a+/CD45+ LMP, and CD31+/CD42b+ platelet-derived microparticle (PMP) in CAS patients were significantly higher than those in healthy subjects, and were positively correlated with the maximal plaque area. Moreover, the levels of CD11a+ LMP, CD11a+/CD45+ LMP were also positively correlated with CIMT. The area under the ROC curve of the four MPs was 0.689, 0.747, 0.741, and 0.701, respectively. Compared with healthy subjects, MPs from CAS patients resulted in a significantly lower expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) dimer/monomer, and BH4 could improve eNOS uncoupling. Moreover, the level of VCAM-1 in intima in the CAS group was significantly higher than in the other three groups. Conclusion: CD11a+ LMP and CD11a+/CD45+ LMP might be potential biomarkers for CAS prediction. BH4-related eNOS uncoupling occurs in CAS patients, and circulating MPs from them lead to endothelial dysfunction through eNOS uncoupling.

Effect of WenXin KeLi on Improvement of Arrhythmia after Myocardial Infarction by Intervening PI3K-AKT-mTOR Autophagy Pathway.

Background: Myocardial infarction (MI) is an acute and serious cardiovascular disease. Arrhythmia after MI can lead to sudden cardiac death, which seriously affects the survival outcome of patients. WenXin KeLi is a Chinese patent medicine for the treatment of arrhythmia in a clinic, which can significantly improve symptoms of palpitation and play an important role in reducing the risk of arrhythmia after MI. In this study, we aimed to explore the pharmacological mechanism of WenXin KeLi in protecting the heart. Methods: The MI model was established by ligating the left coronary artery and the ventricular fibrillation threshold (VFT) was measured by electrical stimulation. The expression of connexin43 (CX43) and autophagy-related protein were measured by Western Blot, and correlation analysis was conducted to study the relationship between cardiac autophagy, CX43, and arrhythmia in rats after MI. The effects of WenXin KeLi on arrhythmia, cardiac structure, and function in MI rats were respectively observed by electrical stimulation, cardiac gross section, Masson staining, and cardiac ultrasound. The effects of WenXin KeLi on the expression of phosphoinositide 3 kinase-protein kinase B-mammalian targets of rapamycin (PI3K-AKT-mTOR) autophagy pathway and CX43 were observed by Western Blot. Results: After 4 weeks of MI, the VFT in the model group was significantly reduced, the expression levels of yeast ATG6 homolog (Beclin1), microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3II/LC3I), and p-CX43 (S368) significantly increased, the expression of sequestosome-1(P62) and CX43 significantly decreased. LC3II/LC3I and Beclin1 expression were significantly negatively correlated with the VFT, and the expression of P62 and CX43 were significantly positively correlated with the VFT. LC3II/LC3I and Beclin1 expression were negatively correlated with CX43 expression, while P62 expression was positively correlated with CX43 expression. WenXin KeLi could significantly increase the VFT, reduce the deposition of collagen fibers, and increase the index levels of the left ventricular end-diastolic anterior wall (LVEDAW), interventricular septum end-diastolic (IVSED), left ventricular end-systolic anterior wall (LVESAW), interventricular septum end-systolic (IVSES), left ventricular end-diastolic posterior wall (LVEDPW), left ventricular end-systolic posterior wall (LVESPW), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS), and reduce the index levels of the left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD), left ventricular end-systolic dimension (LVESD), left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) and left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV). WenXin KeLi could increase the expression of CX43, P62, AKT, p-PI3K, p-AKT (308), p-AKT (473), and p-mTOR and decrease the expression of LC3II/LC3I and Beclin1. Conclusion: WenXin KeLi can activate the PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway, improve cardiac autophagy and Cx43 expression in rats after MI, reduce the risk of arrhythmia after MI, and play a cardioprotective role.

Efficacy and Underlying Mechanism of Berberine Against Atherosclerosis: A Meta-Analysis in Preclinical Animal Studies.

ABSTRACT: Atherosclerosis is the primary cause of many cardiovascular diseases, and an increasing number of studies have shown that berberine could delay plaque formation and development. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate its effects and explore its mechanisms in this meta-analysis. We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and VIP databases for original preclinical studies to conduct meta-analysis. Twelve articles (16 studies; 312 ApoE -/- mice) were included, and all the studies scored 3-5 points according to SYRCLE's risk of bias tool. Berberine could significantly decrease plaque area and plaque macrophage content (plaque area, SMD = -2.02, 95% CI: -2.80 to -1.24, P = 0.000; plaque macrophage content, SMD = -4.28, 95% CI: -7.67 to -0.88, P = 0.013); lower the levels of TC, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein (TC, SMD = -1.47, 95% CI: -2.20 to -0.74, P = 0.000; triglyceride, SMD = -0.77, 95% CI: -1.21 to -0.33, P = 0.000; low-density lipoprotein, SMD = -0.61, 95% CI: -1.11 to -0.11, P = 0.000), and change the secretion of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, SMD = -2.29, 95% CI: -3.40 to -1.18, P = 0.000; interleukin-6, SMD = -1.48, 95% CI: -2.11 to -0.85, P = 0.008; tumor necrosis factor-α, SMD = -1.98, 95% CI: -3.01 to -0.94, P = 0.000; interleukin-10, SMD = 1.78, 95% CI: 0.76 to 2.80, P = 0.015), but there were no significant differences in high-density lipoprotein levels and plaque lipid content (high-density lipoprotein, SMD = 0.02, 95% CI: -0.35 to 0.40, P = 0.021; plaque lipid content, SMD = -6.85, 95% CI: -21.09 to 7.39, P = 0.007). The results were robust across a range of sensitivity analyses. Therefore, the results indicate that berberine is a promising drug for the treatment of atherosclerosis through regulating lipid metabolism, inflammation, and plaque composition. However, some potential mechanisms remain to be further elucidated.

Comparative Pharmacokinetics of Seven Major Compounds in Normal and Atherosclerosis Mice after Oral Administration of Simiao Yong'an Decoction.

Simiao Yong'an decoction (SMYAD), a classic traditional Chinese medicine formula, has been used to treat atherosclerosis (AS) in clinical in China, but its therapeutic mechanism and pharmacodynamic material basis are not clear. In this study, the AS model was caused by a high-fat diet and perivascular carotid collar placement (PCCP), and SMYAD was orally administered to the model and normal mice. A rapid, sensitive, selective, and reliable method using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) system combined with a Q Exactive HF-X mass spectrometer (UHPLC-Q Exactive HF-X MS) was established and validated for the simultaneous determination of seven compounds, including harpagide, chlorogenic acid, swertiamarin, sweroside, angoroside C, liquiritin, and isoliquiritigenin in the plasma of normal and AS mice. The specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, recovery, and stability of the method were all within the acceptable criteria. The results showed that some pharmacokinetic behaviors of harpagide, chlorogenic acid, and isoliquiritigenin were significantly different among the two groups of mice. The specific parameter changes were harpagide (AUC0-t and AUC0-∞ were 11075.09 ± 2132.38 and 16221.95 ± 5622.42 ng·mL-1·h, respectively; CLz/F was 2.45 ± 0.87 L/h/mg), chlorogenic acid (t 1/2 was 21.59 ± 9.16 h; AUC0-∞ was 2637.51 ± 322.54 ng·mL-1·h; CLz/F was 13.49 ± 1.81 L/h/mg) and isoliquiritigenin (AUC0-t and AUC0-∞ were 502.25 ± 165.65 and 653.68 ± 251.34 ng·mL-1·h, respectively; CLz/F was 62.16 ± 23.35 L/h/mg) were altered under the pathological status of AS. These differences might be partly ascribed to the changes in gastrointestinal microbiota, nonspecific drug transporters, and cytochrome P450 activity under the AS state, providing research ideas and experimental basis for pharmacological effects and pharmacodynamic material basis.

Platinum-Based Nanocomposite Pt@BSA as an Efficient Electrochemical Biosensing Interface for Rapid and Ultrasensitive Determination of Folate Receptor-Positive Tumor Cells.

Developing a cytosensing strategy based on electrochemical approaches has attracted wide interest due to the low cost, rapid response, and simple instrumentation. In this work, an electrochemical cytosensor employing the Pt@BSA nanocomposite as the biosensing substrate along with the covalent cross-linking of targeting molecules folic acid (FA) was constructed for highly sensitive determination of folate receptor (FR)-positive tumor cells. The prepared Pt@BSA nanocomposite revealed excellent biocompatibility for cell adhesion and proliferation, which was confirmed by cell viability evaluation using thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetric methods. Due to the satisfactory electrical conductivity originating from Pt@BSA and the high binding affinity of FA to FR on the cell surface, an ultrasensitive and specific cytosensing device was designed for rapid and quantitative determination of HeLa cells (a model system) by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) tests. This proposed cytosensor resulted in a wide HeLa cell determination range of 2.8 × 101-2.8 × 106 cells mL-1 with a low DPV detection limit of 9 cells mL-1. The developed cytosensing approach exhibited highly specific recognition of FR-positive tumor cells, excellent inter-assay reproducibility with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 4.7%, acceptable intra-assay precision, and favorable storage stability, expanding the application of electrochemical measurement technology in the biomedical field of early detection and diagnosis of cancers.

Naringin in the repair of knee cartilage injury via the TGF-ß/ALK5/Smad2/3 signal transduction pathway combined with an acellular dermal matrix.

Objective: Based on the expression changes in the TGF-ß/ALK5/Smad2/3 signal transduction pathway, the repair of cartilage injury in the rabbit knee joint was investigated and evaluated by oral administration of naringin in combination with acellular dermal matrix implantation. Methods: First, twenty New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into five groups: a sham operation group (Sham group), a model group (Mod group), a naringin group (Nar group), an acellular dermal matrix group (ADM group), a naringin â€‹+ â€‹acellular dermal matrix group (Nar/ADM group). After the 12th week, the repaired tissues were assessed for histomorphology and repair content of the repaired site by observing the morphological characteristics of articular cartilage. The International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS)'s macroscopic evaluation of the cartilage repair scale and the quantitative scoring repair effect of the modified O'Driscoll grading system were used as evaluation criteria. In addition, the structure of the rabbit knee joint was evaluated by micro-CT scan, histological staining (H & E staining, Alcian blue staining, Safranin-O staining) and immunohistochemical staining (TGF-ß2 immunostaining, TGF-ß3 immunostaining, Sox-9 immunostaining). Results: ① The observation of the repair morphology of joint defect tissues showed that the repair effects of the Nar and ADM groups were better than that of the Mod group, and the repair effect of Nar/ADM group was the best (P < 0.05). ② Quantitative scoring of joint defect tissue showed that the Nar/ADM group had the best repair efficacy in the quantitative scores of the above two scales compared with the other groups (P < 0.05). ③ Micro-CT scan showed that the ADM group had obvious repair of the defect structure, while the ADM/Nar group had blurred repair boundaries, and the layers of cartilage and subchondral bone were clear. ④ Histological staining (H & E staining, Alcian blue stain, Safranin-O staining) showed that the ADM group had a better effect on the repair of joint structure at the joint defect, the Nar group had a better effect on the repair of cartilage quality at the joint defect, and the ADM/Nar group had satisfactory results in both of the above aspects. ⑤ Immunohistochemical staining (TGF-ß2 immunostaining, TGF-ß3 immunostaining, Sox-9 immunostaining) revealed that the Nar group showed more abundant expression of the above proteins in articular cartilage defects than the Mod and ADM groups and that the Nar/ADM groups showed extensive TGF-ß2, TGF-ß3 and Sox-9 protein expression, with uniform expression and smooth distribution. Conclusions: Oral administration of naringin, the active ingredient of Rhizoma Drynariae, combined with acellular dermal matrix can achieve better repair effects in both joint structure repair and cartilage quality repair at the defect site when repairing cartilage defects in rabbit knees, and the generation of this effect may be caused by the activation of the TGF-ß/ALK5/Smad2/3 signal transduction pathway by naringin, resulting in the increased expression of TGF-ß2, TGF-ß3, and Sox-9 in cartilage defects. The Translational Potential of this Article: Naringin combined with acellular dermal matrix can facilitate the repair of osteochondral defects and has potential for application in osteochondral tissue engineering.

Standards for Collection, Preservation, and Transportation of Fecal Samples in TCM Clinical Trials.

Background: Unlike chemical drugs with a single or a few kinds of active compounds, traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs)uses herbal formulas composed of numerous kinds of chemical constituents. Therefore, TCM clinical trials require unique and stricter standards for collecting, preserving, and transporting fecal samples than those used for chemical drugs. Unfortunately, there are no special standards for processing fecal samples in TCM clinical trials. Methods: We invited interdisciplinary experts within TCM clinical trials and gut microbiome research to help formulate this standard. After more than a year's in-depth discussion and amendments, we achieved a standard via expert interviews, literature research, questionnaire surveys, and public opinion solicitation. This standard has been reviewed and approved by the Standards Office of China of the Association of Chinese medicine. Results: We established a sample information processing method prior to TCM clinical sample collection, which is adapted to the unique features of TCM. The method formulates detailed processing requirements for TCM information in addition to the factors that may disturb the gut microbiome. We also constructed a set of methods for collecting, preserving, and transporting fecal samples that meet the characteristics of TCM. These methods formulate detailed operating specifications on the collection approaches, storage conditions, transportation requirements, and management of fecal samples. Conclusions: This standard guides the information processing prior to sample collection and the standard operating procedures for the collection, preservation, and transportation of fecal samples in TCM clinical trials, which also can be used as a reference by clinicians and researchers in modern medicines.

Overexpression of EgrIAA20 from Eucalyptus grandis, a Non-Canonical Aux/IAA Gene, Specifically Decouples Lignification of the Different Cell-Types in Arabidopsis Secondary Xylem.

Wood (secondary xylem) formation is regulated by auxin, which plays a pivotal role as an integrator of developmental and environmental cues. However, our current knowledge of auxin-signaling during wood formation is incomplete. Our previous genome-wide analysis of Aux/IAAs in Eucalyptus grandis showed the presence of the non-canonical paralog member EgrIAA20 that is preferentially expressed in cambium. We analyzed its cellular localization using a GFP fusion protein and its transcriptional activity using transactivation assays, and demonstrated its nuclear localization and strong auxin response repressor activity. In addition, we functionally tested the role of EgrIAA20 by constitutive overexpression in Arabidopsis to investigate for phenotypic changes in secondary xylem formation. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing EgrIAA20 were smaller and displayed impaired development of secondary fibers, but not of other wood cell types. The inhibition in fiber development specifically affected their cell wall lignification. We performed yeast-two-hybrid assays to identify EgrIAA20 protein partners during wood formation in Eucalyptus, and identified EgrIAA9A, whose ortholog PtoIAA9 in poplar is also known to be involved in wood formation. Altogether, we showed that EgrIAA20 is an important auxin signaling component specifically involved in controlling the lignification of wood fibers.

A comparative study on aggregation and sedimentation of natural goethite and artificial Fe3O4 nanoparticles in synthetic and natural waters based on extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) theory and molecular dynamics simulations.

Natural iron oxides nanomaterials have important roles in biogeochemical processes. In this study, the effects of pH, natural organic matter, and cations on aggregation and sedimentation of natural goethite and artificial Fe3O4 nanoparticles in water were investigated to learn more about the environmental behaviors of engineered and natural nanomaterials and how they differ. In addition, a novel extended DLVO theory that considered steric, gravitational, and magnetic attraction forces concurrently was specifically developed to provide mechanisms explanations. Specifically, Fe3O4 NPs were more likely than bulk goethite to aggregate (because of magnetic attraction interactions) at low HA concentrations and disperse at high HA concentrations. Besides, goethite was less prone to settle with the same concentration of NaCl than Fe3O4 NPs, but the opposite trend was found for the same concentration of CaCl2 because of the difference in maximum net energy (barrier) and strong Ca2+ bridging effectiveness of goethite in CaCl2 solution. Statistical models were established to evaluate colloidal stability of the particles. XPS and molecular dynamics simulation results suggested that ions were adsorbed onto particles via ionic polarization and that the binding free energies at high coverage followed the order Ca2+ > Na+ > Cl- and presence of cation bridging between particles.

Electronic and Potential Synergistic Effects of Surface-Doped P-O Species on Uniform Pd Nanospheres: Breaking the Linear Scaling Relationship toward Electrochemical Oxygen Reduction.

Developing efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts is critical to fuel cells and metal-oxygen batteries, but also greatly hindered by the limited Pt resources and the long-standing linear scaling relationship (LSR). In this study, ∼6 nm and highly uniform Pd nanospheres (NSs) having surface-doped (SD) P-O species are synthesized and evenly anchored onto carbon blacks, which are further simply heat-treated (HT). Under alkaline conditions, Pd/SDP-O NSs/C-HT exhibits respective 8.7 (4.3)- and 5.0 (5.5)-fold enhancements in noble-metal-mass- and area-specific activity (NM-MSA and ASA) compared with the commercial Pd/C (Pt/C). It also possesses an improved electrochemical stability. Besides, its acidic ASA and NM-MSA are 2.9 and 5.1 times those of the commercial Pd/C, respectively, and reach 65.4 and 51.5% of those of the commercial Pt/C. Moreover, it also shows nearly ideal 4-electron ORR pathways under both alkaline and acidic conditions. The detailed experimental and theoretical analyses reveal the following: (1) The electronic effect induced by the P-O species can downshift the surface d-band center to weaken the intermediate adsorptions, thus preserving more surface active sites. (2) More importantly, the potential hydrogen bond between the O atom in the P-O species and the H atom in the hydrogen-containing intermediates can in turn stabilize their adsorptions, thus breaking the ORR LSR toward more efficient ORRs and 4-electron pathways. This study develops a low-cost and high-performance ORR electrocatalyst and proposes a promising strategy for breaking the ORR LSR, which may be further applied in other electrocatalysis.

Application of combined QSAR-ICE models in calculation of hazardous concentrations for linear alkylbenzene sulfonate.

Linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) is a widely used anionic surfactant that exists as a mixture of various homologous structures in water environment. In the calculation of hazardous concentrations of LAS, cross-taxonomies toxicity estimation was often used instead of species-level-specific estimation for the normalization of toxicity data, which led to substantial uncertainties. In this study, combined quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) and interspecific relationship estimation (ICE) models were developed to normalize the alkyl chain length of toxicity data and calculate the 5th percentile hazard concentrations (HC5s) of LAS. Using seven acute QSAR models based on measured data and 29 acute QSAR-ICE models derived from them, the acute HC5s of LAS were calculated as 2.09-3.67 mg/L. Furthermore, species- and family-level-specific QSAR and QSAR-ICE models were used to calculate chronic HC5s (0.19-0.38 mg/L). Additionally, the sensitivity of biological toxicity to the hydrophobicity of LAS, represented by the slope of the QSAR models, had a significant correlation with the taxa of the species. Further risk assessment based on chronic HC5s showed potential ecological risks in the Dianchi Lake basin and Haihe River basin in China, which should cause concern.

Advances of Traditional Chinese Medicine Regulating Connexin43 in the Prevention and Treatment of Myocardial Infarction.

Gap junctions are the main form of interaction between cardiomyocytes, through which the electrochemical activities between cardiomyocytes can be synchronized to maintain the normal function of the heart. Connexins are the basis of gap junctions. Changes in the expression, structural changes (e.g., phosphorylation and dephosphorylation), and distribution of connexins can affect the normal electrophysiological activities of the heart. Myocardial infarction (MI) and concurrent arrhythmia, shock, or heart failure can endanger life. The structural and functional damage of connexin (Cx) 43 in cardiomyocytes is a central part of the pathological progression of MI and is one of the main pathological mechanisms of arrhythmia after MI. Therefore, increasing Cx43 expression has become one of the main measures to prevent MI. Also, intervention in Cx43 expression can improve the structural and electrical remodeling of the myocardium to improve MI prognosis. Here, research progress of Cx43 in MI and its prevention and treatment using Traditional Chinese Medicine formulations is reviewed.

Wenxin Granules Regulate Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Unfolded Protein Response and Improve Ventricular Remodeling on Rats with Myocardial Infarction.

Background. Arrhythmia after myocardial infarction is the leading cause of death in clinical heart disease. Increasing studies have shown that the response to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress (ERS) caused by myocardial infarction is related to prognosis and the development of arrhythmias. The unfolded protein response (UPR) could serve as an important regulatory signaling pathway following myocardial infarction. The traditional Chinese medicine Wenxin Granules improve arrhythmias following myocardial infarction, which may be related to ERS intervention and the activation of the UPR and apoptosis. We aimed to investigate the involvement of Wenxin Granules in the activation of the UPR and apoptosis following myocardial infarction. Left coronary artery ligation was established as a rat model of myocardial infarction. The rats were randomly divided into the model group, low-dose Wenxin Granule group, high-dose Wenxin Granule group, and metoprolol group. Rats with only wire insertion and no ligature were used as the sham group. Small animal ultrasound systems were used to detect changes in heart structure and function, and the electrical stimulation threshold for ventricular fibrillation was detected. The expression of glucose-regulated protein (GRP)78, activating transcription factor (ATF)6, X-box binding protein (XBP)1, protein kinase-like ER kinase (PERK), phosphorylated (p)-PERK, Bax, Bcl2, C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), caspase 12, caspase 8, and caspase 3 were detected by western blot, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP Nick end labeling (TUNEL) was used to determine the cardiomyocyte apoptosis index. Compared with the sham group, rats in the model group displayed immediate ST-segment elevation and pathological Q waves after 24 hours. After 2 weeks, the left ventricular (LV) anterior wall thickness (LVAW) became thinner, and the inner diameter (LVID) increased. The end-diastolic LVAW (LVAWd), end-systolic LVAW (LVAWs), ejection fraction (EF), and fractional shortening (FS) were significantly reduced (P < 0.01), whereas the LVIDd, LVIDs, diastolic LV volume (LV Vold), and systolic LV volume (LV Vols) significantly increased (P < 0.01). The ventricular fibrillation threshold decreased significantly (P < 0.01). ERS proteins GRP78, p-PERK, PERK, ATF6, and XBP1 and apoptotic proteins CHOP, Bax, caspase 12, caspase 8, and caspase 3 significantly increased (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), whereas Bcl-2 expression and the Bcl-2/Bax ratio decreased (P < 0.01). Compared with the sham group, LVAWd, LVAWs, FS, and Bcl-2 protein expression were significantly increased in the low-dose Wenxin Granule group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), and p-PERK and ATF6 decreased (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Compared with the sham group, LVAWd, LVAWs, EF, FS, and the ventricular fibrillation threshold significantly increased in the high-dose Wenxin Granule and metoprolol groups (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), whereas LVIDs, LV Vols, and ERS proteins were significantly decreased (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). CHOP, Bax, caspase 12, caspase 8, and caspase 3 protein expression decreased in the Wenxin Granule group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), whereas Bcl-2 and the Bcl-2/Bax ratio increased (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). LVIDd and Bax decreased in the metoprolol group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), and the Bcl-2/Bax ratio increased (P < 0.05). The cardiomyocyte apoptosis index values for the low- and high-dose Wenxin Granule and metoprolol groups were significantly reduced (P < 0.05). This study suggested that the UPR is an essential mechanism underlying pathological injury after myocardial infarction. Wenxin Granule treatment can improve ventricular remodeling and cardiac function and inhibit arrhythmia by preventing excessive ERS from activating the UPR and apoptosis.

Lithium-mediated electrochemical nitrogen reduction: Mechanistic insights to enhance performance.

Green synthesis of ammonia by electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) shows great potential as an alternative to the Haber-Bosch process but is hampered by sluggish production rate and low Faradaic efficiency. Recently, lithium-mediated electrochemical NRR has received renewed attention due to its reproducibility. However, further improvement of the system is restricted by limited recognition of its mechanism. Herein, we demonstrate that lithium-mediated NRR began with electrochemical deposition of lithium, followed by two chemical processes of dinitrogen splitting and protonation to ammonia. Furthermore, we quantified the extent to which the freshly deposited active lithium lost its activity toward NRR due to a parasitic reaction between lithium and electrolyte. A high ammonia yield of 0.410 ± 0.038 µg s-1 cm-2 geo and Faradaic efficiency of 39.5 ± 1.7% were achieved at 20 mA cm-2 geo and 10 mA cm-2 geo, respectively, which can be attributed to fresher lithium obtained at high current density.

Mechanistic Insight into PPARγ and Tregs in Atherosclerotic Immune Inflammation.

Atherosclerosis (AS) is the main pathological cause of acute cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, such as acute myocardial infarction and cerebral apoplexy. As an immune-mediated inflammatory disease, the pathogenesis of AS involves endothelial cell dysfunction, lipid accumulation, foam cell formation, vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration, and inflammatory factor infiltration. The nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) plays an important role in lipid metabolism, inflammation, and apoptosis by antagonizing the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway and regulating cholesterol efflux and inflammatory factors. Importantly, PPARγ-dependant fatty acid uptake is critical for metabolic programming. Activated PPARγ can exert an anti-atherosclerotic effect by inhibiting the expression of various inflammatory factors, improving endothelial cell function, and restraining the proliferation and migration of VSMCs. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are the only subset of T lymphocytes that have a completely negative regulatory effect on the autoimmune response. They play a critical role in suppressing excessive immune responses and inflammatory reactions and widely affect AS-associated foam cell formation, plaque rupture, and other processes. Recent studies have shown that PPARγ activation promotes the recruitment of Tregs to reduce inflammation, thereby exerting its anti-atherosclerotic effect. In this review, we provide an overview of the anti-AS roles of PPARγ and Tregs by discussing their pathological mechanisms from the perspective of AS and immune-mediated inflammation, with a focus on basic research and clinical trials of their efficacies alone or in combination in inhibiting atherosclerotic inflammation. Additionally, we explore new ideas for AS treatment and plaque stabilization and establish a foundation for the development of natural PPARγ agonists with Treg recruitment capability.