Bao Yuan decoction alleviates fatigue by restraining inflammation and oxidative stress via the AMPK/CRY2/PER1 signaling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Baoyuan Decoction (BYD) was initially recorded in the classic of "Bo Ai Xin Jian" in the Ming dynasty. It is traditionally used for treating weakness and cowardice, and deficiency of vital energy. In researches related to anti-fatigue effects, the reciprocal regulation of AMPK and circadian clocks likely plays an important role in anti-fatigue mechanism, while it has not yet been revealed. Therefore, we elucidated the anti-fatigue mechanism of BYD through AMPK/CRY2/PER1 pathway. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the effect and mechanism of BYD in reducing fatigue, using pharmacodynamics, network pharmacology and transcriptomics through the AMPK/CRY2/PER1 signaling pathway. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Firstly, the chemical constituents of BYD were qualitatively identified by UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap/MS, establishing a comprehensive strategy with an in-house library, Xcalibur software and Pubchem combined. Secondly, a Na2SO3-induced fatigue model and 2,2'-Azobis (2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride (AAPH)-induced oxidative stress model were developed to evaluate the anti-fatigue and anti-oxidant activities of BYD using AB zebrafish. The anti-inflammatory activity of BYD was evaluated using CuSO4-induced and tail cutting-induced Tg (lyz: dsRed) transgenic zebrafish inflammation models. Then, target screening was performed by Swiss ADME, GeneCards, OMIM and DrugBank databases, the network was constructed using Cytoscape 3.9.0. Transcriptome and network pharmacology technology were used to investigate the related signaling pathways and potential mechanisms after treatment with BYD, which were verified by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). RESULTS: In total, 114 compounds from the water extract of BYD were identified as major compounds. Na2SO3-induced fatigue model and AAPH-induced oxidative stress model indicated that BYD has significant anti-fatigue and antioxidant effects. Meanwhile, BYD showed significant anti-inflammatory effects on CuSO4-induced and tail cutting-induced zebrafish inflammation models. The KEGG result of network pharmacology showed that the anti-fatigue function of BYD was mainly effected through AMPK signaling pathway. Besides, transcriptome analysis indicated that the circadian rhythm, AMPK and IL-17 signaling pathways were recommended as the main pathways related to the anti-fatigue effect of BYD. The RT-qPCR results showed that compared with a model control group, the treatment of BYD significantly elevated the expression mRNA of AMPK, CRY2 and PER1. CONCLUSION: Herein, we identified 114 chemical constituents of BYD, performed zebrafish activity validation, while demonstrated that BYD can relieve fatigue by AMPK/CRY2/PER1 signaling pathway through network pharmacology and transcriptome.

Interlayer coupling controlled electronic and magnetic properties of two-dimensional VOCl2/PtTe2 van der Waals heterostructure.

The coupling of hetero monolayers into van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures has become an effective way to obtain tunable physical and chemical properties of two dimensional (2D) materials. In this work, based on first principles calculations, we systematically explore the electronic and magnetic properties of a 2D VOCl2/PtTe2 heterostructure. Our results indicate that the ground state of the VOCl2/PtTe2 heterostructure is a ferromagnetic (FM) metal with large magnetic anisotropy energy, among which, the VOCl2 "sublayer" shows FM half metallic properties while the PtTe2 "sublayer" shows nonmagnetic metallic properties. The Curie temperature (TC) of VOCl2/PtTe2 is 111 K. Moreover, the FM-antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase transition can be obtained under biaxial strain. Our work provides an effective way to improve the performance of 2D monolayers in nano-electronic devices.

Ab Initio Study of Structural, Electronic and Magnetic Properties of TM&(B@C60) (TM = V, Cr) Sandwich Clusters and Infinite Molecular Wires.

The geometrical structure, electronic and magnetic properties of B-endoped C60 (B@C60) ligand sandwich clusters, TM&(B@C60)2 (TM = V, Cr), and their one-dimensional (1D) infinite molecular wires, [TM&(B@C60)]∞, have been systematically studied using first-principles calculations. The calculations showed that the TM atoms can bond strongly to the pentagonal (η5-coordinated) or hexagonal rings (η6-coordinated) of the endoped C60 ligands, with binding energies ranging from 1.90 to 3.81 eV. Compared to the configurations with contrast-bonding characters, the η6- and η5-coordinated bonding is energetically more favorable for V-(B@C60) and Cr-(B@C60) complexes, respectively. Interestingly, 1D infinite molecular wire [V&(B@C60)-η6]∞ is an antiferromagnetic half-metal, and 1D [Cr&(B@C60)-η5]∞ molecular wire is a ferromagnetic metal. The tunable electronic and magnetic properties of 1D [TM&(B@C60)]∞ SMWs are found under compressive and tensile stains. These findings provide additional possibilities for the application of C60-based sandwich compounds in electronic and spintronic devices.

Flavor Components Comparison between the Neck Meat of Donkey, Swine, Bovine, and Sheep.

Donkey in China is well known for its draft purpose and transportation; however, donkey meat has attracted more and more consumers in recent years, yet it lacks sufficient information on its flavor components compared to other main meats. Therefore, in this study, volatile flavor compounds in neck meat of donkey, swine, bovine, and sheep were classified by electronic nose, then confirmed and quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography were used to quantify free fatty acid, amino acid, and flavor nucleotide. A total of 73 volatile compounds were identified, and aldehydes were identified as the characteristic flavor compounds in neck meat of donkey, bovine, swine and sheep in proportion of 76.39%, 46.62%, 31.64%, and 35.83%, respectively. Particularly, hexanal was the most abundant volatile flavor. Compared with other neck meat, much higher unsaturated free fatty acids were present in donkeys. Furthermore, neck meat of donkeys showed essential amino acid with highest content. Thus, special flavor and nutrition in donkey neck meat make it probably a candidate for consumers in other regions besides Asia.

Mean platelet volume predicts survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) having pre-existing type 2 diabetes (T2DM) have a poorer prognosis than those without T2DM. Moreover, accumulating evidence reveals that activated platelets play a crucial role in tumor and T2DM. The mean platelet volume (MPV) indicates platelet activation and is altered in malignancies. The present study aimed to investigate the clinical significance of MPV in patients with HCC having T2DM. METHODS: This retrospective study performed between January 2010 and December 2013 included 331 patients with HCC (165 with T2DM and 166 without T2DM). The overall survival was compared, and the predictors of overall survival were analyzed. RESULTS: The patients with T2DM had lower MPV levels than those without T2DM. Furthermore, the MPV levels significantly differentiated T2DM from non-T2DM. In addition, for patients with T2DM, the overall survival was significantly shorter in patients with low MPV levels than in those with high MPV levels. Multivariate analysis identified decreased MPV as an independent prognostic factor for overall survival only in patients with T2DM, but not in those without T2DM. CONCLUSION: Reduced MPV was a prognostic factor for poor outcome in patients with HCC and T2DM.

Chemical constituents and bioactivities of Panax ginseng (C. A. Mey.).

Ginseng, Panax ginseng (C. A. Mey.), is a well-known Chinese traditional medicine in the Far East and has gained popularity in the West during the last decade. There is extensive literature on the chemical constituents and bioactivities of ginseng. In this paper we compiled the chemical constituents isolated and detected from ginseng including polysaccharides, ginsenosides, peptides, polyacetylenic alcohols, fatty acids, etc. Meanwhile we summarized the biological activities of ginseng, which have been reported over the past few decades, including: anti-aging activity, anti-diabetic activity, immunoregulatory activity, anti-cancer activity, neuroregulation activity, wound and ulcer healing activity, etc. Nevertheless, further studies to exploit other kinds of constituents and new biological activities of ginseng are still necessary to facilitate research and development in the future.

Study on Chinese medicine syndrome of colorectal carcinoma in perioperative period.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the distribution characteristics of Chinese medicine (CM) syndromes and the rule of dynamic evolvement in patients with colorectal cancer at the perioperative period by applying a mathematical statistics methodology. METHODS: By using the overall sample date, and cross-sectional descriptive and prospective researching methods, the clinical data of CM symptoms of patients with colorectal cancer from the first day of preoperative care to the third, seventh, and tenth days after the operation were collected. The distribution characteristics of CM syndromes and dynamic evolution were concluded upon by experts, and then by building up a database through the use of EpiData3.1 the frequency statistics and cluster analyses were applied utilizing SAS9.2 software. RESULTS: Among 210 cases of patient, on the day before the operation, the main route of syndrome was blood deficiency (33.33%), followed by the syndrome of deficiency of both qi and yin (28.57%). On the third day after surgery, the main syndrome was qi deficiency (47.62%), followed by yin deficiency inner-heat. On the seventh day after surgery, the main syndrome was both yin deficiency inner-heat (33.33%) and phlegm-dampness (33.33%). On the tenth day after surgery, the main syndrome was a deficiency of both qi and yin (38.09%), followed by dampness and hot accumulative knotting (33.33%). CONCLUSION: Research in the field of the distribution characteristics of CM syndromes and dynamic evolution will provide an objective basis for syndrome differentiation for patients in the perioperative period, further advancing the study of preventing and decreasing relapse and metastasis in CM therapy.