CCR2 inhibitor strengthens the adiponectin effects against myocardial injury after infarction.

Little evidence demonstrated the effects of nitric oxide (NO) hydrogel with adipocytes in vivo. We aimed to investigate the effects of adiponectin (ADPN) and CCR2 antagonist on cardiac functions and macrophage phenotypes after myocardial infarction (MI) using chitosan caged nitric oxide donor (CSNO) patch with adipocytes. 3T3-L1 cell line was induced to adipocytes and ADPN expression was knocked down. CSNO was synthesized and patch was constructed. MI model was constructed and patch was placed on the infarcted area. ADPN knockdown adipocytes or control was incubated with CSNO patch, and CCR2 antagonist was also used to investigate the ADPN effects on myocardial injury after infarction. On day 7 after operation, cardiac functions of the mice using CSNO with adipocytes or ADPN knockdown adipocytes improved more than in mice only using CSNO for treatment. Lymphangiogenesis increased much more in the MI mice using CSNO with adipocytes. After treating with CCR2 antagonist, Connexin43+ CD206+ cells and ZO-1+ CD206+ cells increased, suggesting that CCR2 antagonist promoted M2 polarization after MI. Besides, CCR2 antagonist promoted ADPN expression in adipocytes and cardiomyocytes. ELISA was also used and CKMB expression was much lower than other groups at 3 days after operation. On day 7 after operation, the VEGF and TGFß expressions were high in the adipocytes CSNO group, illustrating that higher ADPN led to better treatment. In all, CCR2 antagonist enhanced the ADPN effects on macrophage M2 polarization and cardiac functions. The combination used in border zone and infarcted areas may help improve patients' prognosis in surgery, such as CABG.

The association between acute kidney injury and dysglycaemia in critically ill patients with and without diabetes mellitus: a retrospective single-center study.

BACKGROUND: Critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) often experience dysglycaemia. However, studies investigating the link between acute kidney injury (AKI) and dysglycaemia, especially in those with and without diabetes mellitus (DM), are limited. METHODS: We used the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV database to investigate the association between AKI within 7 days of admission and subsequent dysglycaemia. The primary outcome was the occurrence of dysglycaemia (both hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia) after 7 days of ICU admission. Logistic regression analyzed the relationship between AKI and dysglycaemia, while a Cox proportional hazards model estimated the long-term mortality risk linked to the AKI combined with dysglycaemia. RESULTS: A cohort of 20,008 critically ill patients were included. The AKI group demonstrated a higher prevalence of dysglycaemia, compared to the non-AKI group. AKI patients had an increased risk of dysglycaemia (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.53, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.41-1.65), hypoglycemia (aOR 1.56, 95% CI 1.41-1.73), and hyperglycemia (aOR 1.53, 95% CI 1.41-1.66). In subgroup analysis, compared to DM patients, AKI showed higher risk of dysglycaemia in non-DM patients (aOR: 1.93 vs. 1.33, Pint<0.01). Additionally, the AKI with dysglycaemia group exhibited a higher risk of long-term mortality compared to the non-AKI without dysglycaemia group. Dysglycaemia also mediated the relationship between AKI and long-term mortality. CONCLUSION: AKI was associated with a higher risk of dysglycaemia, especially in non-DM patients, and the combination of AKI and dysglycaemia was linked to higher long-term mortality. Further research is needed to develop optimal glycemic control strategies for AKI patients.

Development and validation of a nomogram for predicting high-burnout risk in nurses.

AIM: To develop a predictive model for high-burnout of nurses. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. METHODS: This study was conducted using an online survey. Data were collected by the Chinese Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (CMBI-GS) and self-administered questionnaires that included demographic, behavioural, health-related, and occupational variables. Participants were randomly divided into a development set and a validation set. In the development set, multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with high-burnout risk, and a nomogram was constructed based on significant contributing factors. The discrimination, calibration, and clinical practicability of the nomogram were evaluated in both the development and validation sets using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, Hosmer-Lemeshow test, and decision curve analysis, respectively. Data analysis was performed using Stata 16.0 software. RESULTS: A total of 2750 nurses from 23 provinces of mainland China responded, with 1925 participants (70%) in a development set and 825 participants (30%) in a validation set. Workplace violence, shift work, working time per week, depression, stress, self-reported health, and drinking were significant contributors to high-burnout risk and a nomogram was developed using these factors. The ROC curve analysis demonstrated that the area under the curve of the model was 0.808 in the development set and 0.790 in the validation set. The nomogram demonstrated a high net benefit in the clinical decision curve in both sets. CONCLUSION: This study has developed and validated a predictive nomogram for identifying high-burnout in nurses. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The nomogram conducted by our study will assist nursing managers in identifying at-high-risk nurses and understanding related factors, helping them implement interventions early and purposefully. REPORTING METHOD: The study adhered to the relevant EQUATOR reporting guidelines: TRIPOD Checklist for Prediction Model Development and Validation. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.

Psychological Flexibility Profiles and Mental Health Among University Students with Left-Behind Experience: A Latent Profile Analysis.

The left-behind experience as an adverse childhood experience has a negative impact on the mental health of university students. Psychological inflexibility mediated the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and mental disorders, but no similar findings were drawn in psychological flexibility (PF). More research is needed to understand the relationship between PF and mental health of university students with left-behind experience. To investigate the relationship between PF profiles and mental health and sleep quality of university students with left-behind experience based on latent profile analysis. A sample of 1988 Chinese university students with left-behind experience were recruited to complete an online survey. Participants provided demographic information and completed validated measures of PF and mental health. Latent profile analysis was used to identify patterns of PF, and logistic regression analysis was used to examine the relationships among these variables. We found four PF profiles among participants, with the largest number being the moderately flexible profile (n = 808, 40.6%). The level of PF was positively correlated with mental health and sleep quality (all P < 0.001). Females, being left behind at a young age and for a long time, and having little contact with parents were associated with low PF (all P < 0.05). Our study highlights the importance of focusing on the PF of university students with left-behind experience and left-behind children, and the need for interventions to improve their PF and thus their mental health.

Factors associated with clinical nurse's mental health: a qualitative study applying the social ecological model.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of burnout, depression, and anxiety among Chinese nurses was 34%, 55.5%, and 41.8% respectively. Mental health problems have significant impacts on their personal well-being, work performance, patient care quality, and the overall healthcare system. Mental health is influenced by factors at multiple levels and their interactions. METHODS: This was a descriptive qualitative study using phenomenological approach. We recruited a total of 48 nurses from a tertiary hospital in Changsha, Hunan Province, China. Data were collected through focus group interviews. Audio-recorded data were transcribed and inductively analysed. RESULTS: Four major themes with 13 subthemes were identified according to the social ecological model: (1) individual-level factors, including personality traits, sleep quality, workplace adaptability, and years of work experience; (2) interpersonal-level factors, encompassing interpersonal support and role conflict; (3) organization-level factors, such as organizational climate, organizational support, career plateau, and job control; and (4) social-level factors, which included compensation packages, social status, and legislative provision and policy. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted factors influencing nurses' mental health. Recognizing the interconnectedness of individual, interpersonal, organizational, and social elements is essential for developing targeted interventions and comprehensive strategies to promote and safeguard the mental well-being of nurses in clinical settings. TRIAL AND PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: The larger study was registered with Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR2300072142 (05/06/2023) https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=192676 . REPORTING METHOD: This study is reported according to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ).

Performance of the ratio of posterior complex length to depth measured by ultrasound as a predictor of difficult spinal anesthesia for elective cesarean delivery: a prospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: Ultrasound view of the interlaminar structure is likely to be associated with difficult spinal anesthesia (DSA), and a poor ultrasound view which cannot show the anterior and posterior complex predicts a difficult spinal technique. As our target site is the posterior complex, this study aimed to assess whether the ratio of posterior complex length to depth measured by ultrasound can predict DSA in cesarean delivery. METHODS: Four anesthesiologists with 1-2 years of experience located and marked the puncture interspace using a traditional surface landmark. Subsequently, the ultrasound examiner located and measured the marked interspace via an oblique parasagittal ultrasound scan. The anesthesiologists, who were blinded to the ultrasound results, performed spinal anesthesia using a 25-gauge Whitacre spinal needle. The total number of attempts, including skin punctures and needle passes, was recorded and the DSA was defined as 10 unsuccessful attempts. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent predictors, and receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed to evaluate the performance of the ratio of posterior complex length to depth for predicting DSA. RESULTS: A total of 397 cesarean delivery parturients with successfully measured posterior complex were included in the analysis. DSA occurred in 64 parturients (16.1%). Reduced length [odds ratio (OR) = 0.010, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.002-0.062, P < 0.001] and increased depth [OR = 6.127, 95% CI, 2.671-14.056, P < 0.001] of the posterior complex were independently predictive of DSA compared with body mass index, abdominal circumference, and palpable surface landmarks. The ratio of posterior complex length to depth for predicting DSA had an area under the curve of 0.86 (95% CI, 0.82-0.90). The optimal cutoff was 0.23, with a sensitivity of 86% (95% CI, 74-93%) and specificity of 72% (95% CI, 67-77%). CONCLUSION: The ratio of posterior complex length to depth measured by ultrasound demonstrated a considerable accuracy in predicting DSA for inexperienced anesthesiologists. A higher ratio at ultrasound is an indication to evaluate the optimal puncture body position and interspace in the clinic practice. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR2200065171 https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=180855.

Edge Graphitized Oxygen-Rich Carbon Based on Stainless Steel-Assisted High-energy Ball Milling for High-Capacity and Ultrafast Sodium Storage.

Oxygen doping is an effective strategy for constructing high-performance carbon anodes in Na ion batteries; however, current oxygen-doped carbons always exhibit low doping levels and high-defect surfaces, resulting in limited capacity improvement and low initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE). Herein, a stainless steel-assisted high-energy ball milling is exploited to achieve high-level oxygen doping (19.33%) in the carbon framework. The doped oxygen atoms exist dominantly in the form of carbon-oxygen double bonds, supplying sufficient Na storage sites through an addition reaction. More importantly, it is unexpected that the random carbon layers on the surface are reconstructed into a quasi-ordered arrangement by robust mechanical force, which is low-defect and favorable for suppressing the formation of thick solid electrolyte interfaces. As such, the obtained carbon presents a large reversible capacity of 363 mAh g-1 with a high ICE up to 83.1%. In addition, owing to the surface-dominated capacity contribution, an ultrafast Na storage is achieved that the capacity remains 139 mAh g-1 under a large current density of 100 A g-1 . Such good Na storage performance, especially outstanding rate capability, has rarely been achieved before.

Surface-driven fast sodium storage enabled by Se-doped honeycomb-like macroporous carbon.

Selenium (Se) is an ideal doping agent to modulate the structure of carbon materials to improve their sodium storage performance but has been rarely investigated. In the present study, a novel Se-doped honeycomb-like macroporous carbon (Se-HMC) is prepared by a surface crosslinking method using diphenyl diselenide as the carbon source and SiO2 nanospheres as the template. Se-HMC has a high Se weight percentage above 10%, with a large surface area of 557 m2 g-1. Owing to the well-developed porous structure in combination with Se-assisted capacitive redox reactions, Se-HMC exhibits surface-dominated Na storage behaviors, thus presenting large capacity and fast Na storage capability. To be specific, Se-HMC delivers a high reversible capacity of 335 mA h g-1 at 0.1 A g-1, and after an 800-cycle repeated charge/discharge test at 1 A g-1, the capacity is stable with no dramatic loss. Remarkably, the capacity remains 251 mA h g-1 under a very large current density of 5 A g-1 (≈20 C), demonstrating an ultrafast Na storage process. As far as we know, such a good rate performance has been rarely achieved for carbon anodes before.

Association of hyperglycemia ratio and ventricular arrhythmia in critically ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit.

INTRODUCTION: The relationship between relative hyperglycemia and ventricular arrhythmia (VA) in critically ill patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU) remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the association between stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR) and VA in this population. METHODS: This retrospective and observational study analyzed data from 4324 critically ill patients admitted to the ICU, obtained from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database. The SHR was calculated as the highest blood glucose level during the first 24 h of ICU admission divided by the admission blood glucose level. Based on the optimal cut-off values under the receiver operating characteristic curve, patients were stratified into high SHR (≥ 1.31) and low SHR (< 1.31) group. To investigate the impact of diabetes mellitus (DM) on the outcome, patients were stratified as low SHR/DM; low SHR/non-DM; high SHR/DM, and high SHR/non-DM. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) and logistic regression analysis were performed to analyze the relationship between SHR and VA. RESULTS: A total of 4,324 critically ill patients were included in this retrospective and observational study. The incidence of VA was higher in the high SHR group. Multiple-adjusted RCS revealed a "J-shaped" correlation between SHR and VA morbidity. The logistic regression model demonstrated that high SHR was associated with VA. The high SHR/non-DM group had a higher risk of VA than other groups stratified based on SHR and DM. Subgroup analysis showed that high SHR was associated with an increased risk of VA in patients with coronary artery disease. CONCLUSION: High SHR is an independent risk factor and has potential as a biomarker of higher VT/VF risk in ICU-admitted patients.

Anti-apoptotic capacity of MALAT1 on hippocampal neurons correlates with CASP3 DNA methylation in a mouse model of autism.

Prior evidence has suggested the alleviatory effect of metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) on neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative diseases. This study primarily investigates the underlying mechanism of how the long non-coding RNA MALAT1 affects neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampus of mice with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The findings demonstrate that CASP3 is highly expressed while MALAT1 is downregulated in the hippocampal neurons of autistic mice. MALAT1 mainly localizes within the cell nucleus and recruits DNA methyltransferases (including DNMT1, DNMT3a, and DNMT3b) to the promoter region of CASP3, promoting its methylation and further inhibiting its expression. In vitro experiments reveal that reducing MALAT1 expression promotes the expression of CASP3 and Bax while suppressing Bcl-2 expression, thereby enhancing cellular apoptosis. Conversely, increasing MALAT1 expression yields the opposite effect. Consequently, these results further confirm the role of MALAT1 in suppressing neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampus of mice with ASD through the regulation of CASP3 promoter methylation. Thus, this research unveils the significant roles of MALAT1 and CASP3 in the pathogenesis of ASD, offering new possibilities for future therapeutic interventions.

Challenges for psychiatric nurses working with non-suicidal self-injury adolescents: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Psychiatric nurses play a crucial role in treating and supporting adolescents with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in China. However, few studies have explored their experiences and challenges. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this qualitative study was to describe the challenges experienced by psychiatric nurses when working with adolescents having NSSI behaviors. METHODS: This was a descriptive qualitative study using phenomenological approach. 18 psychiatric nurses from psychiatric wards were recruited from a tertiary hospital from Changsha, Hunan province, China. In-depth interview was performed for each participant collecting information about their feelings and experiences taking care of NSSI adolescents. ATLAS.ti 8 was used to enter data and perform thematic analysis following the six-phased process described by Braun and Clarke. RESULTS: Two main themes and five sub-themes were summarized in this study. Nurses experienced both (1) Internal challenges (Lacking knowledge and skills to deal with NSSI adolescents and Feeling hard and stressful working with NSSI adolescents) and (2) External barriers (Unrealistic high expectations from family and schools, Uncooperative parents and Little help from communities and schools). CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatric nurses had to face with their own negative feelings, insufficient knowledge and skills, alongside with pressures and little help from family, schools and communities when working with NSSI adolescents. Targeted training programs of treating NSSI adolescents and their supporting systems be performed in nurses, furthermore, family, schools and societies should also be raised.

Knockdown of TRIM27 alleviated sepsis-induced inflammation, apoptosis, and oxidative stress via suppressing ubiquitination of PPARγ and reducing NOX4 expression.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is a global fatal disease and leads to severe lung injury due to dysfunction of inflammation response. TRIM27 is closely related to the diseased with dysfunction of inflammation response. The aim of this study was to clarify the role and mechanism of TRIM27 in sepsis-induced lung injury. METHODS: The lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced septic mouse model was successfully established. The lung injury was evaluated by lung wet/dry (W/D) ratio and hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining. The cell apoptosis was evaluated by TUNEL assay. The inflammatory cytokines were measured by quantitative real time-PCR (qRT-PCR) assay and commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The oxidative stress was assessed by the contents of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA), and the expression of dihydroethidium (DHE). RESULTS: In this study, we demonstrated that TRIM27 was up-regulated in LPS-induced septic mice. In loss-of-function experiments, knockdown of TRIM27 alleviated sepsis-induced lung injury, inflammation, apoptosis, and oxidative stress. More importantly, knockdown of TRIM27 was observed to reduce p-p65/NOX4 expression via suppressing ubiquitination of PPARγ. In rescue experiments, overexpression of NOX4 abolished the effect of sh-TRIM27 on alleviating sepsis-induced inflammation, apoptosis, and oxidative stress. CONCLUSION: These findings highlighted that knockdown of TRIM27 alleviated sepsis-induced inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis via suppressing ubiquitination of PPARγ and reducing NOX4 expression, which supports the potential utility of TRIM27 as a therapeutic target in septic lung injury.

Method of Changing Running Direction of Cheetah-Inspired Quadruped Robot.

The rapid change of motion direction during running is beneficial to improving the movement flexibility of the quadruped robot, which is of great relevance to its research. How to make the robot change its motion direction during running and achieve good dynamic stability is a problem to be solved. In this paper, a method to change the running direction of the cheetah-inspired quadruped robot is proposed. Based on the analysis of the running of the cheetah, a dynamic model of the quadruped robot is established, and a two-level stability index system, including a minimum index system and a range index system, is proposed. On this basis, the objective function based on the stability index system and optimization variables, including leg landing points, trunk movement trajectory, and posture change rule, are determined. Through these constraints, the direction changes with good dynamic stability of the cheetah-inspired quadruped robot during running is realized by controlling the leg parameters. The robot will not roll over during high-speed movement. Finally, the correctness of the proposed method is proven by simulation. This paper provides a theoretical basis for the quadruped robot's rapid change of direction in running.

KLRD1, FOSL2 and LILRB3 as potential biomarkers for plaques progression in acute myocardial infarction and stable coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Myocardial infarction (MI) contributes to high mortality and morbidity and can also accelerate atherosclerosis, thus inducing recurrent event due to status changing of coronary artery walls or plaques. The research aimed to investigate the differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which may be potential therapeutic targets for plaques progression in stable coronary artery disease (CAD) and ST-elevated MI (STEMI). METHODS: Two human datasets (GSE56885 and GSE59867) were analyzed by GEO2R and enrichment analysis was applied through Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis. To explore the seed genes, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed and seed genes, as well as top30 ranking neighbours were screened out. To validate these findings, one human dataset GSE120521 was analyzed. Linear regression analysis and ROC curve were also performed to determine which seed genes above mentioned could be independent factors for plaques progression. Mice MI model and ELISA of seed genes were applied and ROC curve was also performed for in vivo validation. RESULTS: 169 DEGs and 573 DEGs were screened out in GSE56885 and GSE59867, respectively. Utilizing GO and KEGG analysis, these DEGs mainly enriched in immune system response and cytokines interaction. PPI network analysis was carried out and 19 seed genes were screened out. To validate these findings, GSE120521 was analyzed and three genes were demonstrated to be targets for plaques progression and stable CAD progression, including KLRD1, FOSL2 and LILRB3. KLRD1 and LILRB3 were demonstrated to be high-expressed at 1d after MI compared to SHAM group and FOSL2 expression was low-expressed at 1d and 1w. To investigate the diagnostic abilities of seed genes, ROC analysis was applied and the AUCs of KLRD1, FOSL2 and LILRB3, were 0.771, 0.938 and 0.972, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study provided the screened seed genes, KLRD1, FOSL2 and LILRB3, as credible molecular biomarkers for plaques status changing in CAD progression and MI recurrence. Other seed genes, such as FOS, SOCS3 and MCL1, may also be potential targets for treatment due to their special clinical value in cardiovascular diseases.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for near fatal asthma with sudden cardiac arrest.

INTRODUCTION: Near fatal asthma is a life-threatening disorder that requires mechanical ventilation. Near fatal asthma and COPD with sudden cardiac arrest can worsen the outcomes. Previous studies demonstrated that ECMO is a live-saving measure for near fatal asthma that does not respond to traditional treatment. CASE STUDY: A patient with near fatal asthma (NFA) and COPD presented with high airway resistance, life-threatening acidemia and severe hypoxemia that failed to respond to conventional therapy. His hospital course was complicated by sudden cardiac arrest when preparing to initiate V-V mode extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The mode immediately changed from V-V to V-A, then to V-AV and finally to V-V mode in order to improve cardiac function and promote recovery of lung function. RESULTS: On the sixth day, ECMO was removed and on the ninth day, he was extubated and transferred to the ward. Finally, the patient was discharged home on the nineteenth day after admission to be followed up in the pulmonary clinic. CONCLUSIONS: The early application of ECMO and mode changing plausibly resulted in dramatic improvement in gas exchange and restoration of cardiac function. This case illustrates the critical role of ECMO mode changing as salvage therapy in NFA and COPD with sudden cardiac arrest.

A One-pot-synthesized Double-layered Anticoagulant Hydrogel Tube.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO) has emerged as a viable treatment in severe cases of acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute respiratory failure, and adult respiratory distress syndrome. However, thromboembolic events stemming from the use of ECMO devices results in significant morbidity and mortality rates; the inner surface of the ECMO tubing comes into contact with the blood and can readily initiate coagulation. In addition, the tubing needs to be continually replaced due to thromboses on the inner tube wall, which not only increases the risk of infection but also the economic burden. Despite considerable effort, a surface modification strategy that effectively addresses these challenges has not yet been realized. In this study, we developed an integrated hollow core-shell-shell hydrogel tube of gelatin/alginate/acrylamide-bacterial nanocellulose(GAA) that meets the anticoagulant requirements for the inner tubing layer as well as the highly elastic soft material needed for the outer layer. Using static blood from healthy volunteers, we confirmed that the platelets or coagulation is not stimulated by the GAA tubing. Importantly, experiments with dynamic blood also demonstrated that the inner layer of the tubing does not elicit blood clotting. The one-pot-synthesized process may provide guidance for the design of anticoagulation tubes used clinically. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at 10.1007/s40242-021-1267-3.

Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitor sitagliptin protected against dextran sulfate sodium-induced experimental colitis by potentiating the action of GLP-2.

Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4), a ubiquitously expressed protease that cleaves off the N-terminal dipeptide from proline and alanine on the penultimate position, has important roles in many physiological processes. In the present study, experimental colitis was induced in mice receiving 3% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in drinking water. We found that mice with DSS-induced colitis had significantly increased intestinal DPP activity and decreased serum DPP activity, suggesting a probable correlation of DPP4 with experimental colitis. Then, we investigated whether sitagliptin, a specific DPP4 inhibitor could protect against DSS-induced colitis. We showed that oral administration of single dose of sitagliptin (30 mg/kg) on D7 remarkably inhibited DPP enzyme activity in both serum and intestine of DSS-induced colitic mice. Repeated administration of sitagliptin (10, 30 mg/kg, bid, from D0 to D8) significantly ameliorated DSS-induced colitis, including reduction of disease activity index (DAI) and body weight loss, improvement of histological score and colon length. Sitagliptin administration dose-dependently increased plasma concentrations of active form of GLP-1 and colonic expression of GLP-2R. Co-administration of GLP-2R antagonist GLP-23-33 (500 µg/kg, bid, sc) abolished the protective effects of sitagliptin in DSS-induced colitic mice. Moreover, sitagliptin administration significantly decreased the ratio of apoptotic cells and increased the ratio of proliferative cells in colon epithelium of DSS-induced colitic mice, and this effect was also blocked by GLP-23-33. Taken together, our results demonstrate that sitagliptin could attenuate DSS-induced experimental colitis and the effects can be attributed to the enhancement of GLP-2 action and the subsequent protective effects on intestinal barrier by inhibiting epithelial cells apoptosis and promoting their proliferation. These findings suggest sitagliptin as a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.

[Recommendations on quality standards of Andrographis Herba and its processed slices in Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020 edition)].

To improve and perfect the quality standards and propose recommendations for the revision of quality standards for Andrographis Herba and its processed slices in Chinese Pharmacopoeia(ChP)(2020 edition) based on the problems and limitations in ChP(2015 edition). TLC identification method with andrographolide and control herbs as references was established using silica gel G thin layer plate, with chloroform-methylbenzene-methanol(8∶1∶1) as developing solvent, and 10% sulfuric acid ethanol solution as colour-developing agent. This method has good reproducibility, strong specificity and high sensitivity. As compared with the original method in ChP 2015, this method has better development effect and clearer spots. Based on the previous research, a quantitative analysis of multi-components by single-marker(QAMS) method with andrographolide as the internal reference substance was developed to simultaneously determine the contents of 4 diterpene lactones: andrographolide(S), neoandrographolide(A), 14-deoxyandrographolide(B), and dehydroandrographolide(C). The relative correction factors of f_(A/S), f_(B/S), and f_(C/S) were determined as 1.12, 0.79, and 0.63, respectively. The relative retention time of t_(A/S), t_(B/S), and t_(C/S) was 1.95, 2.18, and 2.25, respectively. According to the content determination results in 46 batches of crude drugs and 38 batches of processed slices, it was stipulated that the total contents of 4 diterpene lactones should not be less than 1.5% and 1.2% in crude drugs and processed slices, respectively. As compared with the original method in ChP 2015, the present QAMS method could not only reduce the detection cost and improve the efficiency, but also can be used to evaluate the quality of Andrographis Herba and its processed slices more comprehensively and objectively. Diterpene lactones are generally recognized as the effective components in Andrographis Herba, and their contents in leaves were much higher than those in stems. However, almost all of the current commercial processed slices are processed from stems, so their quality is gene-rally poor and the efficacy is hard to be guaranteed. Therefore, the weight percentage of leaves should be added into the inspection items of the processed slices and it should not be less than 25%.

Development and applications of a monoclonal antibody against caprine interferon-gamma.

BACKGROUND: Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) is an important mediator of type I immune response and has antiviral, immunoregulatory and anti-tumor properties, plays a wide range of roles in inflammation and autoimmune diseases. The aim of this study was to obtain monoclonal antibody (mAb) against caprine IFN-γ by immunizing of BALB/c mice with the purified rIFN-γ. RESULTS: Recombinant caprine IFN-γ was expressed in Escherichia coli strain BL21 (DE3) and monoclonal antibodies against caprine IFN-γ were produced by immunizing of BALB/c mice with rIFN-γ. One hybridoma secreting mAb was screened by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) which was designated as 2C. MAb secreted by this cell line were analyzed through ELISA, western blot and application of the mAb was evaluated by immunofluorescence analysis using goat lip tissues infected with Orf virus. ELISA analysis revealed that mAb 2C can specifically recognize rIFN-γ protein and culture supernatant of goat peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) stimulated by concanavalin A (Con A) but cannot recognize the fusion tag protein of pET-32a. Western blot analysis showed that mAb 2C can specifically react with the purified 34.9 kDa rIFN-γ protein but does not react with the fusion tag protein of pET-32a. Immunofluorescence results demonstrated that mAb 2C can detect IFN-γ secreted in histopathological sites of goats infected with Orf virus. CONCLUSIONS: A caprine IFN-γ-specific mAb was successfully developed in this study. Further analyses showed that the mAb can be used to detect IFN-γ expression level during contagious ecthyma in goats.