Retraction notice to "Betulinic acid downregulates expression of oxidative stress-induced lipoprotein lipase via PKC/ERK/c-Fos pathways in RAW264.7 macrophages" [Biochimie 119C (2015) 192-203].

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief. Concerns raised by Dr. Sander Kersten in PubPeer pointed out that Figs. 6.1B and 6.2B of this paper were different figures but the legends and Western blots were identical; the quantification was also seen to be different between the two figures. Shortly afterwards, the authors asked to publish a corrigendum for part B of Fig. 6.1, including images of western blots and associated bar plots. Subsequently, the journal conducted an investigation and found evidence that there had been improper manipulation and duplication of images in Fig. 2 E, 6.2 B, 5 A and and 6.2 D, as shown by the reuse of several western blot bands with approximately 180° rotation in each case. After raising the complaint with the authors, the corresponding author agreed that the paper should be retracted. The authors apologise to the readers of the journal.

[Seasonal Variation and Sources Identification of Dissolved Sulfate in a Typical Karst Subterranean Stream Basin Using Sulfur and Oxygen Isotopes].

Karst water, which provides approximately 25% of the world's drinking water, is especially vulnerable to anthropogenic pollutants. To determine the variations between high and low flow periods and the sources of dissolved sulfate (SO42-) in small karst basins, SO42- concentrations, stable sulfur and oxygen isotopes (δ34S-SO4 and δ18O-SO4), and oxygen isotopes of water (δ18O-H2O) were investigated in surface and groundwaters, during the high and low flow seasons, within the Babu subterranean stream basin. Analysis showed that: ① the water samples that were directly impacted by acid mine drainage exhibited high SO42- concentrations (≥250 mg·L-1) and significant seasonal variation, while the seasonal variation of non-AMD-impacted water with low SO42- concentrations was not significant. ② During the high flow season, the mean δ34S-SO4 and δ18O-SO4 values of surface water were -10.5‰ and 4.7‰, respectively, and -11.5‰ and 1.3‰ during the low flow period; the mean values of δ34S-SO4 and δ18O-SO4 in groundwater samples were -2.9‰ and 7.1‰ during the high flow period, respectively, and -3.2‰ and 6.2‰ during the low flow period. Both surface and groundwater samples exhibited higher δ34S-SO4 and δ18O-SO4 values during the high flow period than during the low flow period. ③ The values of δ34S-SO4 in the surface and groundwater samples were relatively stable, indicating that the sources of SO42- at specific sampling sites were stable.④ The main sources of SO42- in surface and groundwaters were rain, sulfide, and gypsum, accounting for 13%, 40%, and 47%, respectively, of SO42- in samples taken from the basin outlet during the high flow season, and 18%, 39%, and 43%, respectively, in samples obtained during the low flow season.

The influence factors of the metabolic syndrome in peritoneal dialysis patients / 实用医学杂志

Objective To explore the influence factors of the metabolic syndrome in the continuous ambu-latory peritoneal peptide(CAPD)patients. Methods A total of 104 CAPD in the PD center of the First and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from June 2014 to June 2016 were enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into the metabolic syndrome(MS)and the non-metabolic syndrome(non-MS)group. The clinical data of patients with MS and non-MS was compared,and the influence factors of the MS in PD patients were analyzed. Results Twelve patients were diagnosed as metabolic syndrome. Significant differences in age, urine volume,serum phosphorus(P)and uric acid(UA)were observed between group MS and non-MS(P<0.05). Twenty people were overweight,with the prevalence rate of 19.2%. Compared with the normal and overweight group,age,high density lipoprotein(HDL),P and serum iron were statistically significant(P < 0.05). Thirty-one people were diagnosed as dyslipidemia,with the prevalence rate of 29.8%. Compared with the normal group, albumin,UA,BMI and D/P were statistically significant in the dyslipidemia group(P < 0.05). Ten patients were diagnosed as hyperglycemia,with the prevalence rate of 9.6 %. Significant differences in hemoglobin and the dia-stolic blood pressure(DBP)were found between the hyperglycemia group and the normal group(P < 0.05). Age and P were shown as independent risk factors for PD patients with MS(P<0.05,respectively).Conclusion The peritoneal dialysis patients were more likely to have metabolic syndrome than the normal population.Age and serum phosphorus are the factors influencing the occurrence of MS in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Betulinic acid downregulates expression of oxidative stress-induced lipoprotein lipase via the PKC/ERK/c-Fos pathway in RAW264.7 macrophages.

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerosis is a major cause of coronary artery disease, which is characterized by cellular lipid accumulation. Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is a key enzyme in lipid metabolism. Studies have shown that macrophage-derived LPL exhibits proatherogenic properties, and plays a major role in lipid accumulation in macrophages. Evidence suggests that oxidative stress can effectively enhance macrophage LPL production. Betulinic acid (BA) is a pentacyclic lupane triterpene with a potent antioxidant activity. In this study, we investigated whether BA affects the expression of macrophage LPL and how it regulates cellular lipid accumulation. METHODS AND RESULTS: We revealed that BA downregulated H2O2-simulated macrophage LPL protein, mRNA levels and its activity in both concentration- and time-dependent manners. Furthermore, BA decreased LPL-involved total cholesterol and triglyceride levels in macrophages. In addition, cellular lipid staining by Oil Red O showed that BA decreased cellular lipid droplet deposition. Next, we confirmed that pretreatment with BA decreased H2O2-induced production of intracellular reactive oxygen species in a concentration-dependent manner. Further studies demonstrated that BA inhibited H2O2-induced membrane translocation of PKC, phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and c-Fos. Finally, the induction of LPL production and activity by H2O2 was abolished by BA, inhibition of PKC or ERK or depletion c-Fos, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: BA, through its role of antioxidant activity, attenuated macrophage-derived LPL expression and activity induced by oxidative stress, and effectively reduced cellular lipid accumulation, likely through inhibition of the pathways involving PKC, ERK and c-Fos. These effects of BA may contribute to its mitigation of atherosclerosis and help develop BA as a therapeutic compound in treatment of atherosclerosis.

[Cloning and functional verification of U6 and 7SK promoter of small RNA from Bama mini-pig in Guangxi].

To investigate the functions of U6 and 7SK of Bama mini-pig and produce Bama mini-pig with silenced GGTA1 gene, the siRNA promoters U6 and 7SK were cloned, ligated into pMD18-shEGFP, and co-transfected with PEGFP- N1 into PK-15 kidney cells of pigs to be used in RNAi experiments. The functions of the two promoters in pig cells were verified using pMD18-hU6-shEGFP as the positive control, pMD18-shEGFP vector without promoter as the negative control, PEGFP-N1 as the first blank control, ddH2O in replacement of the plasmid as the second blank control. The results showed that the lengths of U6 and 7SK in Bama mini-pig were 553 bp and 437 bp, respectively. Vectors pMD18-pU6- shEGFP and pMD18-p7SK-shEGFP were constructed and transfected into PK-15 cells from pigs. Promoters pU6 and p7SK proved to express high levels of siRNA activity and can be used in the experiment of silencing α-1,3galactosyltransferase gene.

More rapid and sensitive method for simultaneous determination of tryptophan and kynurenic acid by HPLC.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a simple, rapid, and sensitive HPLC method for simultaneous determination of TRP and KYNA in human serum. DESIGN AND METHOD: Samples were deproteinized by perchloric acid. KYNA was detected at 344 nm of excitation wavelength and 404 nm of emission wavelength, TRP was detected at 254 nm and 404 nm, with a total run time of 13 min per sample. RESULTS: Standard curves of 0.49 micromol/L to 196 micromol/L of TRP were linear. Inter-day and intra-day coefficient of variations were 3.31% and 4.14%, respectively. Average recovery was 104.43%. Detection limit was 0.001 micromol/L. The linearity of the assay was maintained from 1.5 nmol/L to 2093 nmol/L of KYNA. Inter-day and intra-day CVS were 3.20% and 4.27%, respectively. Average recovery was 101.19%. Detection limit was 0.05 nmol/L. CONCLUSION: The developed HPLC method is simple, convenient and can be applied in the diagnosis of related diseases.