Prefiltered Single-Carrier Frequency-Domain Equalization for Binary CPM over Shallow Water Acoustic Channel.

The continuous phase modulation (CPM) technique is an excellent solution for underwater acoustic (UWA) channels with limited bandwidth and high propagation attenuation. However, the severe intersymbol interference is a big problem for the algorithm applying in shallow water. To solve this problem, an algorithm for prefiltered single-carrier frequency-domain equalization (PF-SCFDE) is presented in this paper. The regular whitening filter is replaced by a prefilter in the proposed algorithm. The output information sequence of this prefilter contains the forward information. To improve the performance, the output of the equalizer, combined with the forward information, is used to make the maximum likelihood estimation. The simulation results with minimum-shift keying and Gaussian-filtered minimum-shift keying signals over shallow water acoustic channels with low root mean square delay spread demonstrate that PF-SCFDE outperformed the traditional single-carrier frequency-domain equalization (SCFDE) by approximately 1 dB under a bit error rate (BER) of 10-4. A shallow sea trial has demonstrated the effectiveness of PF-SCFDE; PF-SCFDE had a reduction in BER of 18.35% as compared to the traditional SCFDE.

The physical structure of compost and C and N utilization during composting and mushroom growth in Agaricus bisporus cultivation with rice, wheat, and reed straw-based composts.

The cultivation of Agaricus bisporus with compost made from wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), rice (Oryza sativa L.), and reed (Phragmites australis Trin.) straw was investigated. Straw degradation was analyzed at the microscopic level, and the corresponding changes in the breakdown of different lignocellulose components during different phases of composting and mushroom production helped in understanding the yield-limiting factors of using different straws to grow mushrooms. The wheat straw compost resulted in the highest mushroom production and had the highest bioconversion efficiency. The rice straw was limited by the softer texture, which resulted in low-porosity and overdecomposed compost in the composting process and decreased the amount of available lignocellulose during mycelial growth. Although reed straw had the largest carbon resources, its utilization rate was the lowest. The hard structure, low water holding capacity, and high porosity increased the recalcitrance of reed straw to degradation and prolonged the composting time, which resulted in large N and C losses and an increased C/N ratio. Moreover, reed straw failed to transform into "ready-to-consume C" in composting. Therefore, a high C/N ratio and deficiency of available nutrition decreased the utilization efficiency of the lignocellulosic components by A. bisporus during mycelial colonization and mushroom production. The investigation revealed that degradability by and availability to microbiota and A. bisporus seemed to be the overriding factors for optimizing the composting process with different straw types. KEY POINTS: • The physical structure of compost has a significant influence on the composting process. • Degradability and availability are key factors in compost quality evaluation. • Lignocellulose utilization efficiency positively correlated with mushroom yield.

Clinical Therapeutic Effects of Aspirin in Combination with Fufang Danshen Diwan, a Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula, on Coronary Heart Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Coronary heart disease is characterized by vascular stenosis or occlusion resulting in myocardial ischemia, hypoxia and necrosis. In China, the combination of aspirin and Fufang Danshen Diwan (FDD), a traditional Chinese medicine formula, has been suggested in the treatment of coronary heart disease. There have been several studies comparing the effectiveness of aspirin alone and in combination with FDD to treat coronary artery disease; however, it remains unclear whether combined aspirin therapy is superior. This study was thus designed to clarify this issue through a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: Databases including PubMed, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database, Wanfang Data and VIP Information were searched. Papers were reviewed systematically by two researchers and analyzed using Cochrane software Revman 5.1. RESULTS: Fourteen randomized controlled trials enrolling 1367 subjects were included. Meta-analyses revealed that aspirin in combination with FDD was significantly more effective at alleviating angina pectoris and improving electrocardiogram (ECG) results relative to aspirin therapy alone, reflected by the summary effects for the clinical markedly effective (OR = 2.45; 95% CI 1.95-3.08) and the total effective (OR = 3.92; 95% CI 2.87-5.36) rates. In addition, combined aspirin and FDD was significantly more efficacious than aspirin monotherapy at improving blood lipid levels, as indicated by the following outcomes: 1) reduction of TC level (SMD -1.12; 95% CI -1.49 to -0.76); 2) reduction of TG level (SMD -0.94; 95% CI -1.15 to -0.74); 3) reduction of LDL level (SMD -0.68; 95% CI -0.88 to -0.48); and 4) improvement of HDL level (SMD 0.52; 95% CI 0.04 to 0.99 ). No serious adverse events were reported in any of the included trials. CONCLUSION: The present meta-analysis demonstrated that aspirin in combination with FDD was more effective than aspirin alone for treating coronary heart disease. More full-scale randomized clinical trials with reliable designs are recommended to further evaluate the clinical benefits and long-term effectiveness of FDD for the treatment of coronary heart disease.

Anti-Tumor Effects of the Polysaccharide Isolated from Tarphochlamys Affinis in H22 Tumor-Bearing Mice.

BACKGROUND: The previous studies have demonstrated that the polysaccharide isolated from Tarphochlamys affinis (PTA) exhibits anti-tumor effect on S180 tumor-bearing mice and protective effects against hepatic injury. METHODS: In this study, we investigated the anti-tumor activity and possible underlying mechanism of PTA on liver cancer using a murine H22 hepatocarcinoma model. RESULTS: PTA was capable of repressing transplanted H22 solid hepatic tumor cell growth in vivo. The relative weight of immune organs (spleen and thymus) and lymphocyte proliferation induced by ConA or LPS were improved after PTA treatment. Furthermore, treatment with PTA promoted immune-stimulating serum cytokine secretion in H22 tumor-bearing mice. Additionally, the percentage of CD4+ T lymphocytes, CD8+ T lymphocytes and NK cells was increased in tumor-bearing mice following PTA administration. In tumor tissue, PTA significantly up-regulated the expression of Bax and p53 proteins and down-regulated the expression of Bcl-2 protein. In addition, at the therapeutic dose, PTA displayed very few toxic effects to major organs, such as the liver and kidney, in tumor-bearing mice. CONCLUSION: In H22 tumor-bearing mice, PTA exhibited prominent anti-tumor activity in vivo. The possible mechanism of action might be related to enhanced host immune system function and induction of H22 tumor cell apoptosis.

The Effects of 17-Methoxyl-7-Hydroxy-Benzene-Furanchalcone on Pressure Overload-Induced Cardiac Remodeling in Rats and the Endothelial Mechanisms Based on PGI2.

AIM: The primary objective of this study was to study the effects of 17-methoxyl-7-hydroxy-benzene-furanchalcone (MHBFC) on pressure overload-induced cardiac remodeling in rats, as well as the endothelial mechanisms based on PGI2. METHODS: Six weeks following surgery, rats were divided randomly into the following groups: a sham group, a model group, an MHBFC 12 mg/kg/day group (MHBFC 12), an indomethacin 2 mg/kg/day group (Indo 2), and an Indo 2+ MHBFC 12 group. The MS 4000 organism signal system was used to record the rats' hemodynamic indices. Additionally, the heart weight was determined, and the cardiac remodeling index was calculated. HE and Masson's stains were utilized to perform histological analyses; the immunofluorescence was used to observe the microvessel density of myocardial tissue; the colorimetric method was used to determine the hydroxyproline content of cardiac tissue; the ELISA method was used to measure the plasma PGI2 content; and transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the ultrastructure of the myocardium. RESULTS: A hyperdynamic circulation state, cardiac remodeling, decreased microvessel density and decreased plasma PGI2 content were each observed in the model group compared with the sham group, in which any changes in the above parameters were effectively reversed by MHBFC. Single-use Indo administration resulted in the progression of these pathophysiological changes; however, MHBFC prevented the worsening of these parameters. CONCLUSION: MHBFC significantly reverses pressure overload-induced cardiac remodeling, and its mechanism may partially contribute to the amelioration of endothelial cell function and the augmentation of PGI2 synthesis and secretion.

Protective effects of Millettia pulchra flavonoids on myocardial ischemia in vitro and in vivo.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have demonstrated that Millettia pulchra flavonoids (MPF) exhibit protective effects on myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury (MI/RI) in isolated rat hearts and show anti-oxidative, anti-hypoxic and anti-stress properties. METHODS: In this study, the cardioprotective effects of MPF on myocardial ischemia and its underlying mechanisms were investigated by a hypoxia/ reoxygenation (H/R) injury model in vitro and a rat MI/RI model in vivo. RESULTS: We found that the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activities were decreased in the MPF pretreatment group, whereas the activities of constructional nitric oxide synthase (cNOS), total nitric oxide synthase (tNOS), Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase and Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPase were significantly increased. In addition, the cardiocytes were denser in the MPF groups than in the control group. The mortality rate and apoptosis rate of cardiocytes were significantly decreased. Furthermore, pretreatment with MPF in vivo significantly improved the hemodynamics, decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) abundance, increased the activities of plasma superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and decreased the expression of the Bax protein and ratio Bax/Bc1-2 ration. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that MPF is an attractive protective substance in myocardial ischemia due to its negative effects on heart rate and ionotropy, reduction of myocardial oxidative damage and modulation of gene expression associated with apoptosis.

The effect of 17-methoxyl-7-hydroxy-benzene-furanchalcone on NF-κB and the inflammatory response during myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury in rats.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of 17-methoxyl-7-hydroxy-benzene-furanchalcone (MHBFC) on nuclear factor-kappa-binding (NF-κB) and the inflammatory response in rats with myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury (MI/RI). Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 7 groups, and the rat MI/RI model was established by the ligation of the left anterior descending for 30 minutes followed by ligation release for 1 hour. Areas of myocardial infarction were measured using Evans blue-2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. Levels of malondialdehyde, glutathione peroxidase, and total superoxide dismutase were assessed. Release of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) was measured by means of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. NF-κBp65 and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 protein expression and caspase-3 and adenine nucleotide translocator-1 messenger RNA expression were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Pretreatment with MHBFC decreased the infarction areas, the malondialdehyde, IL-1ß and IL-6 levels, the expression of caspase-3, NF-κBp65, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1. Further, MHBFC increased total superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities, the release of IL-10, and the expression of adenine nucleotide translocator-1 messenger RNA compared with the results of the model group. The experiment showed that MHBFC protected the heart against MI/RI possibly by reducing lipid peroxidation damage while inhibiting the activity of NF-κBp65 and the inflammatory response.

Unraveling the tumor immune microenvironment of lung adenocarcinoma using single-cell RNA sequencing.

Tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and its indications for lung cancer patient prognosis and therapeutic response have become new hotspots in cancer research in recent years. Tumor cells, immune cells, various regulatory factors, and their interactions in the TIME have been suggested to commonly influence lung cancer development and therapeutic outcome. The heterogeneity of TIME is composed of dynamic immune-related components, including various cancer cells, immune cells, cytokine/chemokine environments, cytotoxic activity, or immunosuppressive factors. The specific composition of cell subtypes may facilitate or hamper the response to immunotherapy and influence patient prognosis. Various markers have been found to stratify the patient prognosis or predict the therapeutic outcome. In this article, we systematically reviewed the recent advancement of TIME studies in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) techniques, with specific focuses on the roles of TIME in LUAD development, TIME heterogeneity, indications of TIME in patient prognosis and therapeutic response during immunotherapy and drug resistance. The main findings in TIME heterogeneity and relevant markers or models for prognosis stratification and response prediction have been summarized. We hope that this review provides an overview of TIME status in LUAD and an inspiration for future development of strategies and biomarkers in LUAD treatment.

Outcome differences of emergency cesarean delivery in the delivery room versus the operating room: A study based on propensity score matching.

OBJECTIVE: This study sought to compare the risks and outcomes associated with category I cesarean section procedures performed in the delivery room versus those performed in the operating room. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The analysis included 126 singleton pregnant women who underwent inpatient delivery at the Second People's Hospital of Nanning between January 2021 and May 2024. Following propensity score matching, 21 cases were in the delivery room group, and 105 cases were in the operating room group. Parameters under investigation encompassed decision-to-delivery interval, incision-to-delivery interval, surgical duration, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative antibiotic duration, postoperative hospital stay length, postoperative fever incidence, adverse neonatal outcomes, and blood routine parameters. RESULTS: The decision-to-delivery interval was significantly shorter in the delivery room group than in the operating room group. Conversely, the delivery room group exhibited longer surgical durations, higher blood loss, prolonged postoperative antibiotic usage, extended hospital stays, and elevated white blood cell counts with statistical significance (p < 0.05). Nevertheless, no notable variations were observed between the groups in maternal and neonatal outcome indicators, such as adverse neonatal outcomes and postoperative fever rates. CONCLUSIONS: The outcomes suggest that the delivery room group showed increased risks compared with the operating room group, potentially indicating heightened vulnerabilities to bleeding and infection. Hence, it is advisable for patients to undergo surgery in the operating room unless the delivery room is equipped with sterile surgical facilities or in cases of urgent necessity.

Lignocellulose Degradation Efficiency of Agaricus bisporus Strains Grown on Wheat Straw-Based Compost.

The cultivation of Agaricus bisporus was investigated with two commercial strains, A15 and W192. Nitrogen and lignocellulose were analyzed in absolute amounts based on mass balance to accurately compare the degradation efficiency of the compost, and the correlation between the degradation efficiency and extracellular enzyme activity of the mycelium was analyzed. Lignocellulose utilization efficiency positively correlated with mushroom yield. For the same strain, the compost with high lignocellulose content resulted in high utilization efficiency, which increased the yield of A. bisporus. For the same compost, the lignocellulose utilization efficiency of A15 was higher than that of W192. The activities of manganese-dependent peroxidase and ß-glucosidase indicated that W192 may have a higher demand for lignin and cellulose. Therefore, a higher yield of W192 was obtained with high-lignocellulose compost. The metabolism of cellulose and hemicellulose in the mycelial growth stage seemed to be conducive to high mushroom yield.

Associations between maternal serum phytoestrogens and liver function markers: a cross-sectional study from China.

Phytoestrogens (PEs) may harm liver function. However, studies in pregnant women are limited. Our study was conducted in pregnant women to assess the effect of serum PEs on liver function markers. We conducted a cross-sectional study focusing in the first trimester of pregnancy. A total of 352 pregnant women were enrolled in the study. We used generalized linear model (GLM) to explore the associations between each PE and each marker of liver function. We used Quantile g-computation (Qgcomp) and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models to explore the associations between mixed exposure to all PEs and liver function markers. The GLM results showed that equol (EQU), daidzein (DAD), genistein (GEN), enterolactone (ENT), and enterodiol (END) were negatively correlated with albumin (ALB). DAD and GEN were associated with elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT). DAD, GEN, naringin (NAR), and glycitein (GLY) were related to elevated aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Mixed exposure model results showed that the mixture of PEs was associated with reduced ALB. Our results support the existence of associations between PEs and maternal liver function in the first trimester. Emphasizing the detrimental associations between serum PEs and liver function in pregnant women is essential to ensure maternal liver health during pregnancy.

Hepatoprotective effects of the polysaccharide isolated from Tarphochlamys affinis (Acanthaceae) against CCl4-induced hepatic injury.

This study was designed to investigate the protective effects of the polysaccharide isolated from Tarphochlamys affinis (PTA) against CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Liver injury was induced in rats by the administration of CCl4 twice a week for 2 weeks. During the experiment, the model group received CCl4 only; the treatment groups received various drugs plus CCl4, whereas the normal control group received an equal volume of saline. Compared with the CCl4 group, PTA significantly decreased the activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in the serum and increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the liver. Moreover, the content of hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) was reduced. Histological findings also confirmed the anti-hepatotoxic characterisation. In addition, PTA significantly inhibited the proinflammatory mediators, such as prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and myeloperoxidase (MPO). Further investigation showed that the inhibitory effect of PTA on the pro-inflammatory cytokines was associated with the down-regulation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). In brief, our results show that the protective effect of PTA against CCl4-induced hepatic injury may rely on its ability to reduce oxidative stress and suppress inflammatory responses.

The effect of 17-methoxyl-7-hydroxy-benzene-furanchalcone isolated from Millettia pulchra on myocardial ischemia in vitro and in vivo.

The effect of 17-methoxyl-7-hydroxy-benzene-furanchalcone isolated from the roots of Millettia pulchra (Benth.) Kurz var. Laxior (Dunn) Z. Wei on rat myocardial ischemia has been investigated. An in vitro cardiocyte apoptosis model and an in vivo myocardial ischemia model were used to elucidate the mechanism of 17-methoxyl-7-hydroxy-benzene-furanchalcone. In contrast to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2, 100 µmol/L), 17-methoxyl-7-hydroxy-benzene-furanchalcone in vitro (255 and 510 µmol/L) increased the quantity of total superoxide dismutase and the protein expression of B cell lymphoma/leukemia-2, while it inhibited cardiocyte apoptosis, the release of malondialdehyde and tumor necrosis factor α, and protein expression of nuclear factor κ Bp65 and Bcl-2-associated X protein. Furthermore, pretreatment with MHBFC in vivo (10 and 20 mg/kg) decreased heart rate, systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, average pressure, left ventricular systolic pressure, the largest upstroke velocity of the left ventricular pressure (+ dp/dtmax), total antioxidative capability, myoglobin isoenzyme of creatine kinase, and inducible nitric oxide synthase, while it increased endothelial nitric oxide synthase, ATPases, left ventricular diastolic pressure, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, the largest descendent velocity of the left ventricular pressure (-dp/dtmax) and the interval from the beginning of left ventricular contraction to +dp/dtmax (t - dp/dtmax), all in a dose-dependent manner. Our present results suggest that 17-methoxyl-7-hydroxy-benzene-furanchalcone is an attractive antimyocardial ischemia agent mostly because of its negative heart rate and negative inotropic effects, the reduction in myocardial oxidative damage, and the modulating expression of genes associated with apoptosis, which improves diastolic function.

Inhibitory effect of total saponins isolated from Taraphochlamys affinis on duck hepatitis B virus replication.

It has been previously shown that Taraphochlamys affinis possessed anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) activities. To identify the active ingredients, the total saponins (TSTA) were isolated from T. affinis and the inhibitory effect of TSTA on HBV in the duck HBV model was examined. The results showed that serum levels of DHBV-DNA decreased in all ducks treated with TSTA (1.0 and 2.0 g x kg(-1) x d(-1)) and lamivudine (3TC) (50 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) during treatment, but 7 days after the cessation of treatment (p7) with 3TC, the viral replication level returned to the pretreatment baseline. Contrariwise in ducks treated with TSTA, the effect of DHBV DNA inhibition lasted. Compared with model control group,the alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and duck hepatitis B surface antigen (DHBsAg) values of 1.0 and 2.0 g x kg(-1) x d(-1)-dose TSTA groups were significantly lower on 7, 14 days after the treatment (d7, d14) and p7, and at p7, the ALT and DHBsAg levels of 2.0 g x kg(-1) x d(-1)-dose TSTA group was significantly lower than that of 3TC group. Furthermore, significant histological improvement was noted in ducklings of TSTA treatment group 7 days after the withdrawal. The study results demonstrate that TSTA possesses potent anti-HBV activity.

Transcriptome and Differentially Expressed Gene Profiles in Mycelium, Primordium and Fruiting Body Development in Stropharia rugosoannulata.

Stropharia rugosoannulata uses straw as a growth substrate during artificial cultivation and has been widely promoted in China. However, its fruiting body formation and development processes have not been elucidated. In this study, the developmental transcriptomes were analyzed at three stages: the mycelium (G-S), primordium (P-S) and fruiting body (M-F) stages. A total of 9690 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the different developmental stages. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses showed that these DEGs were involved mainly in hydrolase activity, structural molecule activity and oxidoreductase activity as well as xenobiotic biodegradation and metabolism and energy metabolism pathways. We further found that the higher expression of most carbohydrate enzyme (i.e., GH, CE, CBM, AA and PL) genes in the hyphal (i.e., G-S) stage was related mainly to substrate degradation, while the upregulation of glycosyltransferase (GT) gene expression in the P-S and M-F stages may be related to cell wall synthesis. In addition, we found that CO2-sensing-related genes (i.e., CA-2, CA-3, PKA-1 and PKA-2) were upregulated in the P-S and M-F stages, heat shock protein genes (HSP60 and HSP90) were significantly downregulated in the P-S stage and upregulated in the M-F stage and the transcription factors (i.e., steA, MYB, nosA, HAP1, and GATA-4/5/6) involved in growth and development were significantly upregulated in the P-S stage. These results suggest that environmental factors (i.e., CO2 and temperature) and transcription factors may play a key role in primordium formation. In short, this study provides new insights into the study of stimulating primordia formation affecting the development of fruiting bodies of S. rugosoannulata.

Correction: The Effects of 17-Methoxyl-7-Hydroxy-Benzene-Furanchalcone on the Pressure Overload-Induced Progression of Cardiac Hypertrophy to Cardiac Failure.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0091834.].

Targeting Effect of Betulinic Acid Liposome Modified by Hyaluronic Acid on Hepatoma Cells In Vitro.

Betulinic acid (BA) is a natural pentacyclic triterpenoid with broad-spectrum anticancer activity, which has great development potential as an anti-cancer drug. In this study, a novel hyaluronic acid (HA)-modified BA liposome (BA-L) was developed for use in targeted liver cancer therapy. The size, polymer dispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, and entrapment efficiency were measured. Cell viability, cell migration and clonogenicity, cellular uptake, immunohistochemistry of CD44, and protein expression of ROCK1/IP3/RAS were also investigated. BA, BA-L, and HA-BA-L had no inhibitory effect on the activity of LO2 normal hepatocytes, but they inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, with HA-BA-L exhibiting the most prominent inhibitory effect. Compared with the BA-L group, the expression of CD44 in HepG2 cells in the HA-BA-L group was decreased. The results of WB showed that BA, BA-L, and HA-BA-L downregulated the expression of ROCK1, IP3, and RAS in HepG2 cells, and the expression level in the HA-BA-L group was significantly decreased. The easily prepared HA-BA-L was demonstrated to be an excellent CD44-mediated intracellular delivery system capable of targeting effects. Further mechanistic research revealed that the inhibition of HA-BA-L on HepG2 cells may be mediated by blocking the ROCK1/IP3/RAS signaling pathways.

WITHDRAWN: Effect of 2-dodecyl-6-methoxycyclohexa-2, 5-diene-1, 4-dione, isolated from Averrhoa carambola L. (Oxalidaceae) roots, on advanced glycation end-product-mediated renal injury in type 2 diabetic KKAy mice.

The Publisher regrets that this article is an accidental duplication of an article that has already been published in [Toxicology Letters, 339C (2021) 88­96], https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxlet.2020.11.022. The duplicate article has therefore been withdrawn. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal

Network Pharmacology Reveals Polyphyllin II as One Hit of Nano Chinese Medicine Monomers against Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a malignant tumor in southern China, and nano Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) represents great potential to cancer therapy. To predict the potential targets and mechanism of polyphyllin II against NPC and explore its possibility for the future nano-pharmaceutics of Chinese medicine monomers, network pharmacology was included in the present study. Totally, ninety-four common potential targets for NPC and polyphyllin II were discovered. Gene Ontology (GO) function enrichment analysis showed that biological processes and functions mainly concentrated on apoptotic process, protein phosphorylation, cytosol, protein binding, and ATP binding. In addition, the anti-NPC effects of polyphyllin II mainly involved in the pathways related to cancer, especially in the PI3K-Akt signaling indicated by the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis. The "drug-target-disease" network diagram indicated that the key genes were SRC, MAPK1, MAPK14, and AKT1. Taken together, this study revealed the potential drug targets and underlying mechanisms of polyphyllin II against NPC through modern network pharmacology, which provided a certain theoretical basis for the future nano TCM research.

Effect of an aqueous extract of Averrhoa carambola L. on endothelial function in rats with ventricular remodelling.

Ventricular remodelling leads to cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, myocardial fibrosis, endothelial vasoactive substance changes and endothelial dysfunction. Our purpose was to research the effect of an aqueous extract of Averrhoa carambola L. (AEA) on endothelial function in rats with ventricular remodelling induced by isoprenaline. Rats were subjected to injection of isoprenaline and administration of various drugs. Vasoactive substances were measured, and the ventricular remodelling index was detected by the weighing method. Immunohistochemical analysis, pathological examination, Western blot and Masson's trichrome staining were performed. After AEA administration, the levels of transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß), angiotensin II (AngII), inducible NO synthase (iNOS), endothelin-converting enzyme (ECE), and endothelin 1 (ET-1); the ventricular remodelling index; and the collagen volume fraction were decreased, while the levels of total NO synthase (tNOS) and endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) were increased. The pathological examination results showed that apoptosis, fibrosis, necrosis and inflammatory infiltration of myocardial tissue were attenuated by AEA treatment. AEA might alleviate ventricular remodelling in rats by maintaining the balance of vasoactive substances and the function of the vascular endothelium.