Search

Objective: Molecular hydrogen (H2) exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects, and has shown benefits in glucose and lipid metabolism in certain animal metabolic disorder models. However, the potential benefits of H2 treatment in individuals with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) has seldom been studied. This randomized controlled study (RCT) aims to investigate the effects of hydrogen-rich water (HRW) on IFG subjects and explore the underlying mechanism involved. Methods: Seventy-three patients with IFG were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study. These patients were assigned to receive either 1000 mL per day of HRW or placebo pure water (no H2 infusion) for a duration of eight weeks. Metabolic parameters and fecal gut microbiota were assessed at baseline (week 0) and at week 8. A combined analysis of metabolomics and intestinal microbiota was conducted to investigate the correlation between the effect of H2 on the metabolisms and the diversity of intestinal flora in the IGF patients. Results: Both pure water and HRW demonstrated a significant reduction in fasting blood glucose in IFG patients, with a significant difference between pure water and HRW after eight weeks. Among IFG patients with abnormal pre-experimental fatty liver, 62.5% (10/16) in the HRW group and 31.6% (6/19) in the pure water group achieved remission. Furthermore, 16S RNA analysis revealed HRW-modified gut microbiota dysbiosis in the fecal samples of IGF patients. Through Pearson correlation analysis, the differential gut microbiota obtained by 16S analysis was found to be highly correlated with nine metabolites. Conclusion: H2 slightly improved metabolic abnormalities and gut microbiota dysbiosis, providing a novel target and theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of blood glucose regulation in patients with IFG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep-seated faults and folds of foreland basin systems have become important exploration targets in the recent years because they are crucial in controlling fluid migration and hydrocarbon accumulation. In this study, we analyzed the characteristics and formation history of these structures in the northwestern Sichuan Basin using recently acquired two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) seismic data. The seismic interpretation revealed that the thrust sheets, tectonic wedges, and foredeep were well developed in the northwestern Sichuan Basin from the mountain to the basin. Forward thrusts, fault-bend folds, and wedges are the main types of structures in the thrust sheets and tectonic wedges. The deep-seated faults and folds were easily recognized in the high-resolution 3D seismic data. The imbricate thrust faults that merged into detachment layers of the Lower Cambrian are the main types of structures in the foredeep, and they show a prominent strike-slip influence in the horizontal direction. The formation of these structures in the foredeep in the northwestern Sichuan Basin mainly endured two stages of thrusting, including those during the Middle-to-Late Triassic and Cenozoic. Based on the tectonic evolution and seismic data, we infer that these deep-seated faults and folds in the foredeep may have formed earlier than the northern Longmen Shan fold-and-thrust belts and they may have been initially active in the late of Early Triassic and reactive during the Cenozoic. Furthermore, evaporites in the Lower and Middle Triassic were crucial in forming these structures. The petroleum exploration data suggested that the deep-seated faults can facilitate hydrocarbon accumulation. The thrust faults in the foredeep were more likely to act as migration pathways for fluids instead of sealing barriers along the horizontal direction. The interconnected reservoirs of deep-seated folds possess a great potential to allow large-scale hydrocarbon accumulation. Our study provides a good example for evaluating the hydrocarbon exploration potential in the deeply buried area in the sedimentary basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer is a common invasive cancer in women. Ras-related protein Rab-7a (Rab7a) is involved in late endocytic trafficking, while its role in breast cancer is largely unclear. In the present study, we investigated the role of Rab7a in breast cancer. Comparing with adjacent breast tissues, Rab7a expression was increased in breast cancer tissues. Using lentivirus-mediated knockdown strategy, we found that Rab7a silencing inhibited the proliferation and colony formation of MDA-MB-231 cells. Apoptosis and G 2 cell cycle arrest were induced in Rab7a knockdown. By contrast, Rab7a suppressed the apoptosis and promoted proliferation and colony formation of MCF-7 cells. The migration of MDA-MB-231 cells was suppressed by Rab7a knockdown. In vivo , depletion of Rab7a inhibited the xenograft tumor development of MDA-MB-231 cells. Altogether, our results highlight the novel function of Rab7a in the proliferation, invasion, and xenograft tumor development of breast cancer cells., (© 2019 The Author(s).)