Coordination of industrial structure and eco-efficiency in ecologically fragile areas: A case study of the Loess Plateau, China.

The relationship between industrial structure (IS) and eco-efficiency (EE) is intricate with mutual influence and constraint. Exploring the coordinated relationship between IS and EE is beneficial to the sustainable development of ecologically fragile areas. This paper estimates and analyses the levels of EE and IS in 39 prefecture-level cities of the Loess Plateau, discussing the comprehensive and coordinated development levels between industrial structure rationalization (ISR) and EE, industrial structure advancement (ISA) and EE based on the coupling coordination degree model (CCDM). The results showed that the comprehensive development of the Loess Plateau has rough and imbalanced issues. The EE and IS are developing at a relatively low level, and the spatial distribution shows the development trend of high in the east and down in the west. The CCD of ISA and EE performs better than that of ISR and EE, but neither has reached the collaborative coupling state. The poor CCD score in the Loess Plateau is primarily attributable to its relatively backward degree of integrated EE and IS. The results are expected to provide decision-making support for EE improvement and industrial restructuring in the Loess Plateau and other ecologically fragile areas.

Molecular and morphological analyses clarify species delimitation in section Costatae and reveal Betula buggsii sp. nov. (sect. Costatae, Betulaceae) in China.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Delineating closely related and morphologically similar species is difficult. Here, we integrate morphology, genetics, ploidy and geography to resolve species and subspecies boundaries in four trees of section Costatae (genus Betula): Betula ashburneri, B. costata, B. ermanii and B. utilis, as well as multiple subspecies and polyploid races. METHODS: We genotyped 371 individuals (20-133 per species) from 51 populations at 15 microsatellite markers, as well as a subset of individuals, using restriction-site associated DNA sequencing and nuclear internal transcribed spacers. We determined the ploidy level of eight individuals using flow cytometry and characterized leaf variation for a subset of 109 individuals by morphometric analysis. KEY RESULTS: Integration of multiple lines of evidence suggested a series of revisions to the taxonomy of section Costatae. Betula costata and B. ermanii were found to be valid. Molecular and leaf morphology analyses revealed little differentiation between diploid B. albosinensis and some samples of B. utilis ssp. utilis. By contrast, other B. utilis ssp. utilis samples and ssp. albosinensis formed a morphological continuum but differed based on genetics. Specifically, B. utilis ssp. albosinensis was divided into two groups with group I genetically similar to B. utilis ssp. utilis and group II, a distinct cluster, proposed as the new diploid species Betula buggsii sp. nov. Phylogenomic analysis based on 2285 620 single nucleotide polymorphisms identified a well-supported monophyletic clade of B. buggsii. Morphologically, B. buggsii is characterized by elongated lenticels and a distinct pattern of bark peeling and may be geographically restricted to the Qinling-Daba Mountains. CONCLUSIONS: Our integrated approach identifies six taxa within section Costatae: B. ashburneri, B. buggsii, B. costata, B. utilis ssp. utilis, B. utilis ssp. albosinensis and B. ermanii. Our research demonstrates the value of an integrative approach using morphological, geographical, genetic and ploidy-level data for species delineation.

SIRT3 mediates mitofusin 2 ubiquitination and degradation to suppress ischemia reperfusion-induced acute kidney injury.

Ischemia reperfusion-induced acute kidney injury (IR-induced AKI) is a life-threatening disease with many complications. Mitofusin 2 (Mfn2) ubiquitination is related to AKI. But the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown. This study aimed to probe the mechanism of Mfn2 ubiquitination in IR-induced AKI development. In IR-induced AKI mouse models, orbital blood and urine were collected for assessing kidney function. The kidney injury, ultrastructure of mitochondria, and histopathology in mice were evaluated after injection of G5, an ubiquitination inhibitor. Oxygen glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) models were established in HK-2 cells, and the mitochondria were extracted. Cell viability, apoptosis, oxidative stress, inflammatory reaction, mitochondrial membrane potential, and ATP production were measured. Mfn2 ubiquitination in mouse and cell models was evaluated. si-SIRT3 and pcDNA3.1-SIRT3 were transfected into cell models. Consequently, kidney function in mice was impaired by IR-induced AKI. Mfn2 ubiquitination and degradation promoted IR-induced AKI. OGD/R induced renal tubular epithelial cell injury and disrupted mitochondrial dynamics and functions through promoting Mfn2 ubiquitination. SIRT3 knockdown led to Mfn2 ubiquitination by binding to UBC; while its overexpression alleviated tubular epithelial cell injury. Briefly, SIRT3 mediates Mfn2 ubiquitination to relieve IR-induced AKI. This investigation may offer new insights for the treatment of IR-induced AKI injury.

Construction of a Luminescent Cadmium-Based Metal-Organic Framework for Highly Selective Discrimination of Ferric Ions.

Fluorescent metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are ideal materials for sensors because of their adjustable pore size and functional groups, which provide them with favorable metal ion selective recognition. In this paper, a new cadmium-based MOF was synthesized using Cd(NO3)2·4H2O and 3,3',5,5'-biphenyltetracarboxylic acid by solvothermal method. CdBPTC owned three types of channels with dimensions of approximately 8.4 × 8.3 Å, 6.0 × 5.2 Å, 9.7 × 8.4 Å along a, b, and c axis, respectively. This MOF has high selectivity to ferric ions and shows excellent anti-inference ability toward many other cations. The results indicate that the fluorescence quenching efficiency of CdBPTC is close to 100% when the concentration of Fe3+ reaches 1.0 × 10-3 mol·L-1. Moreover, the luminescent intensity at 427 nm presents a linear relationship at a concentration range of 2.0 × 10-4~7.0 × 10-4 mol·L-1, which can be quantitatively expressed by the linear Stern-Volmer equation I0/I = 8489 [Fe3+] - 0.1400, which is comparable to the previously reported better-performing materials. Competitive energy absorption and ion exchange may be responsible for the variation in fluorescence intensity of CdBPTC in different Fe3+ concentrations.

Prenatal phthalate exposure in relation to gestational age and preterm birth in a prospective cohort study.

This study enrolled 3266 pregnant women, to explore the relationship of prenatal phthalate exposure with the risk of preterm birth and gestational age. All participants filled questionnaires and provided with up to three urine samples during three trimesters. Seven phthalate metabolites in urines were measured. The incidences of very preterm, late preterm, early-term, late-term and postterm births were 0.58%, 3.52%, 24.22%, 10.53%, and 0.34%, respectively. Non-linear relationships were shown between phthalate metabolites and gestational age. Except for monomethyl phthalate (OR = 1.65, 95%CI = 1.17-2.34), the average concentrations of phthalate metabolites were associated with a slightly and insignificantly increased risk of overall preterm birth (<37+0 gestational weeks). Through a restricted cubic spline regression, phthalate metabolites were found to be related to the risk of overall preterm birth in a linear manner (p-value >0.05) or a non-linear manner (p-value <0.05). All curves indicated the overall preterm birth risk rose with the increase of phthalate metabolite concentrations. Finally, compared with full-term birth (39+0 to 40+6 gestational weeks), phthalate metabolites were associated with the elevated risks of very preterm, late preterm and postterm births, although some relationships were not statistically significant. In conclusion, these findings suggested non-linear associations between phthalate metabolites and gestational age. Exposure to some phthalate metabolites was associated with increased risks of overall preterm birth and postterm birth.

Anti-inflammatory activities of Guang-Pheretima extract in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 murine macrophages.

BACKGROUND: Guang-Pheretima, which is originated from Pheretima aspergillum, has been documented in academic Chinese herbal studies for nearly 2000 years for its prominent treating effects of various inflammatory diseases such as asthma, cough and fever. However, the anti-inflammatory activity and mechanism of Guang-Pheretima has been rarely reported. Hence, we investigated the inhibitory effect and the underlying mechanism of Guang-Pheretima aqueous extracts on inflammatory response in RAW 264.7 cells. METHOD: RAW 264.7 macrophages were pretreated with various concentrations of Guang-Pheretima decoction (GPD) or protein-free Guang-Pheretima decoction (PF-GPD) and subsequently stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to trigger the inflammatory response. Productions of nitric oxide (NO) were determined by Griess reaction, and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). The protein expressions and messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) amounts of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 were analyzed by Western Blot and Real-Time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), respectively. Finally, the translocation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB was observed by Western Blot. RESULTS: GPD of the experimental concentrations showed no anti-inflammatory activity. In contrast, PF-GPD at concentrations of 40-320 µg/mL significantly inhibited NF-κB activation and reduced the production of inflammatory mediators, such as NO, PGE2, TNF-α, as well as the related key synthases including iNOS and COX-2. Moreover, PF-GPD markedly suppressed the release of inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1ß and IL-6. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate the excellent anti-inflammatory properties of PF-GPD, and suggest that Guang-Pheretima may be used to treat and prevent certain inflammatory diseases.

Proteomic Analyses of Intracellular Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Reveal Extensive Bacterial Adaptations to Infected Host Epithelial Cells.

Salmonella species can gain access into nonphagocytic cells, where the bacterium proliferates in a unique membrane-bounded compartment. In order to reveal bacterial adaptations to their intracellular niche, here we conducted the first comprehensive proteomic survey of Salmonella isolated from infected epithelial cells. Among ∼ 3,300 identified bacterial proteins, we found that about 100 proteins were significantly altered at the onset of Salmonella intracellular replication. In addition to substantially increased iron-uptake capacities, bacterial high-affinity manganese and zinc transporters were also upregulated, suggesting an overall limitation of metal ions in host epithelial cells. We also found that Salmonella induced multiple phosphate utilization pathways. Furthermore, our data suggested upregulation of the two-component PhoPQ system as well as of many downstream virulence factors under its regulation. Our survey also revealed that intracellular Salmonella has increased needs for certain amino acids and biotin. In contrast, Salmonella downregulated glycerol and maltose utilization as well as chemotaxis pathways.

Coupling coordination analysis and key factors between urbanization and water resources in ecologically fragile areas: a case study of the Yellow River Basin, China.

The rapid urbanization (UR) and industrialization in the Yellow River Basin (YRB) have resulted in a significant scarcity of water resources (WRs), highlighting the need to investigate the complex and dynamic relationship between UR and WR for sustainable urban development in ecologically fragile areas. This study utilizes the coupling coordination degree model (CCDM), spatial correlation analysis, and Tobit model to examine the coupling coordination relationship, spatial effects, and key factors between UR and WR in sixty prefecture-level cities within the YRB. The empirical findings reveal that the development of the WR subsystem lags behind the UR subsystem and that there is a significant spatial disequilibrium in the CCD between UR and WR. Specifically, the high-high clusters are located in the northwest and east, while the low-low clusters are spread in the southwest. Furthermore, investment in science and technology and economic development have a positive impact on the CCD, while government capacity, urban construction, and industrial structure have a negative impact. These results can provide valuable guidance for decision-making in urban planning for ecologically fragile areas facing water supply constraints.

Risk of Hematologic Malignancies in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies.

Background/Aims: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may contribute to the development of hematologic malignancies. In this study, the potential relationship between IBD and hematologic malignancies was investigated. Methods: We searched the PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases for all cohort studies comparing the incidence of hematologic malignancies in non-IBD populations with that in IBD patients, and we extracted relevant data from January 2000 to June 2023 for meta-analysis. Results: Twenty cohort studies involving 756,377 participants were included in this study. The results showed that compared with the non-IBD cohort, the incidence of hematologic malignancies in the IBD cohort was higher (standardized incidence ratio [SIR]=3.05, p<0.001). According to the specific types of IBD, compared with the non-IBD patients, the incidences of hematologic malignancies in ulcerative colitis patients (SIR=2.29, p=0.05) and Crohn's disease patients (SIR=3.56, p=0.005) were all higher. In the subgroup analysis of hematologic malignancy types, compared with the control group, the incidences of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (SIR=1.70, p=0.01), Hodgkin's lymphoma (SIR=3.47, p=0.002), and leukemia (SIR=3.69, p<0.001) were all higher in the IBD cohort. Conclusions: The incidence of hematologic malignancies, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma, and leukemia is higher in patients with IBD (ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease) than in non-IBD patients.

Chronic triclosan exposure induce impaired glucose tolerance by altering the gut microbiota.

Triclosan (TCS) is an antimicrobial compound incorporated into more than 2000 consumer products. This compound is frequently detected in the human body and causes ubiquitous contamination in the environment, thereby raising concerns about its impact on human health and environmental pollution. Here, we demonstrated that 20 weeks' exposure of TCS drove the development of glucose intolerance by inducing compositional and functional alterations in intestinal microbiota in rats. Fecal-transplantation experiments corroborated the involvement of gut microbiota in TCS-induced glucose-tolerance impairment. 16S rRNA gene-sequencing analysis of cecal contents showed that TCS disrupted the gut microbiota composition in rats and increased the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes. Cecal metabolomic analyses detected that TCS altered host metabolic pathways that are linked to host glucose and amino acid metabolism, particularly branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) biosynthesis. BCAA measurement confirmed the increase in serum BCAAs in rats exposed to TCS. Western blot and immunostaining results further confirmed that elevated BCAAs stimulated mTOR, a nutrient-sensing complex, and following IRS-1 serine phosphorylation, resulted in insulin resistance and glucose intolerance. These results suggested that TCS may induce glucose metabolism imbalance by regulating BCAA concentration by remodeling the gut microbiota.

Comparison of lobectomy and sublobar resection for stage I non-small cell lung cancer: a meta-analysis based on randomized controlled trials.

Background: This meta-analysis aimed to compare the prognostic between lobectomy and sublobar resection in patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: We conducted a detailed search in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the prognosis of lobectomy and sublobar resection for stage I NSCLC, with the primary outcomes being overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Results: A total of 2222 patients were included in the 5 RCTs. The results showed no statistical difference in OS (HR=0.87, p=0.445) and DFS (HR=0.99, p=0.918) between patients who underwent lobectomy and sublobar resection during the total follow-up period. In terms of dichotomous variables, there were no statistical differences in OS (relative ratio [RR]=1.05, p=0.848) and DFS (RR=1.21, p=0.075) between the two groups during the total follow-up period, as well as 5-year OS (RR=0.96, p=0.409) and 5-year DFS (RR=0.95, p=0.270). In addition, subgroup analysis showed a better prognosis for non-adenocarcinoma patients with sublobar resection than lobectomy (HR=0.53, p=0.037), but also an increased cause of cancer death (not limited to lung cancer) (RR=1.56, p=0.004). Conclusion: Our results showed that for stage I NSCLC, lobectomy is usually not a justified operation. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023407301, identifier CRD42023407301.

Terrestrial inputs and physical processes control the distributions of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in the seawater of the large-range Beibu Gulf, the northern South China Sea.

The potentially toxic elements (PTEs), Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, Hg and As in the water from the Beibu Gulf, were investigated to reveal the contaminant characteristics and assess the risks to human health. The results showed that the concentration of PTEs in the Beibu Gulf varies significantly both seasonally and spatially, with higher concentrations in summer and in the northern and southern gulf. Terrestrial inputs and local anthropogenic discharge are responsible for the higher level in the northern gulf, and the transportation of water masses is also an important factor for the higher concentrations in the southern gulf. Ecological risk assessment suggested that Hg is the main ecological risk factor. The health risk assessment revealed that dermal exposure to PTEs in the gulf presents potentially carcinogenic health effects for humans. This study provides new insight into the transport of PTEs over a large area of the Beibu Gulf.

Metal contamination in sediments of the western Bohai Bay and adjacent estuaries, China.

Twelve sediment cores were collected in July 2007 in open waters of western Bohai Bay, the Port of Tianjin, and the adjacent estuaries of the Haihe and Yongding Rivers. While overall concentrations of trace metals at incremental depths in these cores met the Marine Sediment Quality (GB18668-2002) criteria of China, the magnitude of both metal enrichment factors (EF) and geoaccumulation indices (I(geo)) suggested that pollution with Ag, Cd, Cr, Cu and Zn was occurring in the estuaries and Port. Risk analysis also suggested that Ag and Ni concentrations were sufficiently elevated as to cause adverse biological effects in the study area. Although metal concentrations in western Bohai Bay were of less concern, a positive relationship between EF values and excess (210)Pb activity for several metals suggested that their concentrations were increasing over time.

miR-194-5p protects against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury via MAPK1/PTEN/AKT pathway.

BACKGROUND: MicroRNA (miRNA), which participates in various physiological and pathological processes, is a highly conserved small RNA sequence. This study aimed to investigate the role of miR-194-5p in hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis and myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. METHODS: We set up an H/R H9c2 cell model in vitro and an I/R mouse model in vivo. Then, cell vitality, apoptosis, and histopathological evaluation were conducted. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were examined by 2',7'-Dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (H2DCFDA), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. The level of creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB), cardiac troponin I (cTnI), myoglobin (Mb) is examined by ELISA. The expression of Caspase-3, cleaved-Caspase-3, Bax, Bcl-2, phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN), and protein kinase B (AKT) was analyzed by western blot. RESULTS: Data showed the expression of miR-194-5p was decreased in H/R-induced H9c2 cells and I/R-induced mouse. Conversely, overexpression of miR-194-5p could improve cardiomyocyte damage in ischemic models in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1) was found as a direct target of miR-194-5p, which negatively regulated the expression of MAPK1. The up-regulation of MAPK1 inhibited the myocardial protection previously observed by miR-194-5p. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows overexpression of miR-194-5p protects against H/R injury in vitro and cardiac I/R injury in vivo, which involves the inhibition of cardiac apoptosis and oxidative stress by targeting MAPK1 expression via PTEN/AKT pathway. These findings supply novel insights into potential therapeutic targets for cardiovascular diseases.

Determination and pharmacokinetics of periplocin in rat plasma by LC-MS.

A simple and sensitive LC-MS method for the determination of periplocin in rat plasma was developed and validated. The chromatographic separation was carried out using a reverse-phase Kromasil C(18) column(150 × 4.6 mm, i.d., 5 µm) with a mobile phase composed of methanol-water (76:24, v/v). The flow rate of mobile phase was 0.8 mL/min. The calibration curve was linear within the concentration range 1-1000 ng/mL. The intra- and inter-day precisions across three validation days over the entire concentration range was lower than 9.2% in terms of relative standard deviation. Accuracy determined at three quality control concentrations ranged from -2.0 to 6.0% in terms of relative error. The validated method was applied to the pharmacokinetic study of periplocin in rat plasma after intravenous and intramuscular administration.

A single-chamber microbial fuel cell for rapid determination of biochemical oxygen demand using low-cost activated carbon as cathode catalyst.

The biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) is widely used for the evaluation of water and wastewater quality. However, the conventional method to measure BOD is time-consuming and requires complicated processes. In this study, a Microbial fuel cell (MFC)-based BOD sensor was developed by using low-cost activated carbon as the cathode catalyst. The sensor was calibrated with an aerated nutrient medium containing sodium acetate as the BOD source. When the sensor was operated with an external resistance of 1 K Ω, linear correlation (R2 = 0.9965) was obtained for BOD concentrations ranging from 80 to 1280 mg/L in a reaction time of 50 h. Besides acetate, glucose/glutamic acid (GGA) and ethanol could also be analyzed by the sensor. In a low concentration range (200 mg/L), the relationship between GGA solution concentration and output voltage was in accord with Monod growth kinetics.

Repeated measures of prenatal phthalate exposure and maternal hemoglobin concentration trends: The Ma'anshan birth cohort (MABC) study.

A prospective cohort study of a Chinese population was conducted to investigate the relationship between prenatal phthalates exposure and maternal hemoglobin or anemia. Based on the Ma'anshan Birth Cohort study, 7 phthalate metabolites were quantified in spot pregnancy urine samples (n = 9263) from 3269 pregnant women during each trimester. The maternal hemoglobin concentrations were obtained from electronic medical records at the same three time points for each participant during pregnancy. Anemia was defined as a hemoglobin concentration below 110 g/L in pregnant women. Repeated measures and trimester-specific analyses were used to estimate the effects of phthalates exposure on maternal hemoglobin and anemia. The prevalence of anemia was 3.6%, 27.0%, and 26.5% during the first, second and third trimester, respectively. Repeated measures analysis showed that hemoglobin concentrations decreased by 0.55, 0.19, 0.57, 0.49, and 0.54 g/L with each 1 ln-transformed concentration increase of MBP, MBzP, MEHP, MEOHP, and MEHHP, respectively. Exposure to MMP, MBP, MEHP, MEOHP, and MEHHP increased the risk of anemia by 1.11-fold, 1.21-fold, 1.20-fold, 1.13-fold, and 1.16-fold, respectively. Trimester-specific regression models stratified by the sample collection time during pregnancy generated consistent results. This is the first study focusing on the effect of prenatal phthalate exposures on hemoglobin or anemia in pregnant Chinese women. We found that prenatal phthalates exposure not only decreased the concentrations of hemoglobin but also showed associations with the prevalence of anemia. Associations appeared stronger for the subsample representing women pregnant with a male fetus than those pregnant with a female fetus. Anemia remains a moderate public health problem in China, and effective measures should be implemented.

Pheretima aspergillum decoction suppresses inflammation and relieves asthma in a mouse model of bronchial asthma by NF-κB inhibition.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE AND AIM OF THE STUDY: Guang-Pheretima, the live form of the earthworm Pheretima aspergillum, is a traditional Chinese medicine commonly used for the treatment of asthma, cough, stroke, epilepsy and other diseases due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-asthmatic, anti-seizure, thrombolytic and diuretic properties. Although Guang-Pheretima is effective in the relief of asthma, its pharmacological activity and the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. Hence, we investigated the effects of a Pheretima aspergillum decoction (PAD) against inflammation in a model of ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma in BALB/c mice, as well as the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway involved in this process. MATERIALS AND METHODS: OVA was used to sensitize and challenge the airway of the mice, and PAD was administrated by gavage. We measured airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in the mice 24h following a final methacholine challenge with whole-body plethysmography. The bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), serum and pulmonary tissues were collected 48h after the last challenge. The levels of inflammatory factors and the related mRNAs were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respectively. The number of differential inflammatory cells in the BALF was counted. Serum total and OVA-specific IgE levels were measured with ELISA. The activation of NF-κB signaling in the lung was detected by western blotting. In addition, the lung tissues were stained with hematoxylin and eosin or periodic acid Schiff stain for histopathological examination. RESULTS: PAD treatment significantly alleviated AHR in the asthmatic mice, decreased the mRNA and protein levels of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 and downregulated IgE. In addition, PAD treatment attenuated mucus secretion and infiltration of inflammatory cells in the lung while inhibiting the activation of NF-κB signaling. CONCLUSIONS: PAD effectively inhibited the activation of NF-κB signaling in the lungs of mice with OVA-induced asthma, and mitigated AHR and Th2 type inflammatory reactions. Therefore, PAD may serve as a drug candidate for asthma treatment.