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Objective: To investigate the molecular pathway of substance P (SP) to induce osteoblastic differentiation.Methods: Mesenchymal stem cells were isolated and cultured. The cultures were divided into four groups with Group A (control group) cultured without any factors, Group B cultured with SP, Group C cultured with SP and SP receptor neurokinin-1 (NK1) antagonist, and Group D cultured with SP NK1 antagonist respectively to induce osteoblastic cells differentiation. Osterix gene expression was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for three times after 1-2 weeks of cultivation and the results were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).Results: The log phase of bone marrow stromal cells appeared at 4-6 days. ALP staining revealed that the majority of cells, more than 95%, were positive and small blue-purple granules were found in the cytoplasm. And Group B, treated with SP, showed a higher level of ALP activity than the other three groups. Meanwhile, RT-PCR found that Osterix expression in Group B was obviously up-regulated, compared with other groups. But Osterix expression in Group D had no remarkable differences, compared with the controls.Conclusions: SP can up-regulate Osterix gene expression to stimulate differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into osteoblastic cells at the final stage. The regulatory effect of SP on Osterix expression was dependant on SP NK1 receptors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dielectric capacitors offer great potential for advanced electronics due to their high power densities, but their energy density still needs to be further improved. High-entropy strategy has emerged as an effective method for improving energy storage performance, however, discovering new high-entropy systems within a high-dimensional composition space is a daunting challenge for traditional trial-and-error experiments. Here, based on phase-field simulations and limited experimental data, we propose a generative learning approach to accelerate the discovery of high-entropy dielectrics in a practically infinite exploration space of over 10 11 combinations. By encoding-decoding latent space regularities to facilitate data sampling and forward inference, we employ inverse design to screen out the most promising combinations via a ranking strategy. Through only 5 sets of targeted experiments, we successfully obtain a Bi(Mg 0.5 Ti 0.5 )O 3 -based high-entropy dielectric film with a significantly improved energy density of 156 J cm -3 at an electric field of 5104 kV cm -1 , surpassing the pristine film by more than eight-fold. This work introduces an effective and innovative avenue for designing high-entropy dielectrics with drastically reduced experimental cycles, which could be also extended to expedite the design of other multicomponent material systems with desired properties., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: To investigate the prognostic value of skeletal muscle measured by CT at the level of the fourth thoracic vertebra (T4) in advanced epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with ecotinib. Methods: The study retrospectively reviewed clinical and pathological characteristics of 176 patients with advanced EGFR-positive NSCLC who received ecotinib and underwent chest CT scans at Wuhan Union Hospital between January 2017 and October 2020. Among them, 70 were male and 106 were female, with ages ranging from 27 to 80 (58.6±10.6) years. As of August 21, 2021, the median follow-up duration was 19.2 months (95% CI : 15.3 to 23.7 months). The optimal cut-off value of skeletal muscle density (T4-SMD) on CT images at the T4 level were determined using X-tile software. Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test were used to plot progression-free survival curves. Cox proportional hazards regression models were employed to analyze factors influencing 1-year progression-free survival (PFS), and a nomogram prognostic model was constructed accordingly. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were utilized to evaluate the predictive value of the nomogram. Results: The T4-SMD [ M ( Q 1 , Q 3 )] of 176 patients was 42.56 (37.05, 45.93) HU. Patients were divided into low T4-SMD group ( n =122) and high T4-SMD group ( n =54) based on the cut-off value (The values for males and females were 49.44 and 41.41 HU, respectively) of T4-SMD. The median PFS time and 1-year PFS rate in the low T4-SMD group were significantly lower than those in the high T4-SMD group [10.4 (95% CI : 9.3-11.8) vs 13.7 (95% CI : 11.1-18.5) months, 36.1% vs 59.3%, respectively, P =0.034]. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status ( HR =3.308, 95% CI : 1.183-9.247, P =0.023), lactate dehydrogenase level ( HR =1.852, 95% CI : 1.037-3.307, P =0.037), systemic immune-inflammation index ( HR= 1.772, 95% CI : 1.019-3.080, P =0.043), and T4-SMD ( HR =0.563, 95% CI : 0.325-0.974, P =0.040) were prognostic factors for 1-year PFS in advanced EGFR-positive NSCLC patients treated with ecotinib. A nomogram for predicting 1-year PFS of advanced EGFR-positive NSCLC patients treated with ecotinib was constructed based on the four indicators selected by multivariate Cox regression analysis. The area under the ROC curve of the nomogram was 0.775 (95% CI : 0.676-0.874). The calibration curve showed good consistency between the predicted and actual 1-year PFS. DCA demonstrated good clinical prediction effectiveness of the nomogram. Conclusion: Low T4-SMD is a prognostic risk factor for patients with advanced EGFR-positive NSCLC receiving icotinib therapy.

The treatment of immunomodulation in multiple sclerosis (MS) can alleviate the severity and relapses. However, it cannot improve the neurological disability of patients due to a lack of myelin protection and regeneration. Therefore, remyelinating therapies may be one of the feasible strategies that can prevent axonal degeneration and restore neurological disability. Natural product icariin (ICA) is a flavonol compound extracted from epimedium flavonoids, which has neuroprotective effects in several models of neurological diseases. Here, we attempt to explore whether ICA has the potential to treat demyelination and its possible mechanisms of action using lipopolysaccharide-treated BV2 microglia, primary microglia, bone marrow-derived macrophages, and cuprizone-induced demyelination model. The indicators of oxidative stress and inflammatory response were evaluated using commercial kits. The results showed that ICA significantly reduced the levels of oxidative intermediates nitric oxide, hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde, and inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and increased the levels of antioxidants superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 and TGF-β in vitro cell experiments. In vivo demyelination model, ICA significantly alleviated the behavioral abnormalities and enhanced the integrated optical density/mm 2 of Black Gold II and myelin basic protein myelin staining, accompanied by the inhibition of oxidative stress/inflammatory response. Immunohistochemical staining showed that ICA significantly induced the expression of nuclear factor erythroid derived 2/heme oxygenase-1 (Nrf2/HO-1) and inhibited the expression of toll-like receptor 4/ nuclear factor kappa B (TLR4/NF-κB), which are two key signaling pathways in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory processes. Our results strongly suggest that ICA may be used as a potential agent to treat demyelination via regulating Nrf2/HO-1-mediated antioxidative stress and TLR4/NF-κB-mediated inflammatory responses., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

The complex and heterogeneous nature of the lignin macromolecule has presented a lasting barrier to its utilization. To achieve high lignin yield, the technical lignin extraction process usually severely modifies and condenses the native structure of lignin, which is a critical drawback for its utilization in conversion processes. In addition, there is no method capable of separating lignin from plant biomass with controlled structural properties. Here, we developed an N-heterocycle-based deep eutectic solvent formed between lactic acid and pyrazole (La-Py DES) with a binary hydrogen bonding functionality resulting in a high affinity toward lignin. Up to 93.7% of lignin was extracted from wheat straw biomass at varying conditions from 90 °C to 145 °C. Through careful selection of treatment conditions as well as lactic acid to pyrazole ratios, lignin with controlled levels of ether linkage content, hydroxyl group content, and average molecular weight can be generated. Under mild extraction conditions (90 °C to 120 °C), light-colored native-like lignin can be produced with up to 80% yield, whereas ether linkage-free lignin with low polydispersity can be obtained at 145 °C. Overall, this study offers a new strategy for native lignin extraction and generating lignin with controlled structural properties.

Cicadae Periostracum (CP), the slough molted from the nymph of Cryptotympana pustulata, is a widely used medicinal material in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). N-acetyldopamine oligomers (NAOs), the homologues of acetyldopamine, including N-acetyldopamine dimers/trimers/tetramers/pentamers (NADs/NATrs/NATes/NAPs), side-chain isomer of dimers/trimers (SCIDs/SCITrs), are major bioactive ingredients of CP. However, owing to commercially unavailable reference substances of all NAOs, simultaneous quantification of these NAOs in biological samples is difficult, and thus their pharmacokinetics are still unknown. In this study, a comprehensive strategy for simultaneous quantification/semi-quantification of NAOs in plasma with single N-acetyldopamine dimer A (NAD-A) as reference substance was established and comparatively investigated their pharmacokinetics after oral administration of pure NAD-A and two types of CP extracts, i.e., post-molting-washed slough (CP-WAT) and pre-molting-washed slough (CP-WBT). A UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS assisted UPLC-TQ-MS/MS strategy was developed to quantify NAOs in rat plasma. NAOs in CP extract were qualitatively characterized by UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS, then the quasi-molecular ions and characteristic fragment ions of the identified NAOs by UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS were transferred to UPLC-TQ-MS/MS as parent-daughter ion pairs for MRM mode quantification of the NAOs, and the method was validated with single NAD-A for quantifying NAD-A and semi-quantifying other NAOs in plasma. The established method was applied to compare the pharmacokinetics of NAOs after oral administration of NAD-A and the extracts of CP-WBT/CP-WAT respectively. Six quasi-molecular ions and characteristic fragment ion m/z 192.1 were characterized by UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS and transferred to be the parent-daughter ion pairs for UPLC-TQ-MS/MS analysis of six kinds of NAOs. For the pharmacokinetics, NAD-A showed double peaks absorption character when administered with single compound, but with higher relative bioavailability when administered with CP extracts with the similar dosage. Compared with CP-WAT, NAOs in CP-WBT reached the maximum plasma concentration in much shorter time., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: This study assesses whether enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) is beneficial in treating acute appendicitis in pediatrics by laparoscopic techniques., Method: The children with acute appendicitis (n = 116) were divided into the ERAS group (n = 54) and the control group (n = 62). Then the preoperative data, intraoperative observation indexes, and postoperative data were analyzed., Results: There was no significant difference in preoperative data and intraoperative observation indexes between the two groups. C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell (WBC) in the ERAS group were significantly lower than those in the control group 3 days after the operation. Moreover, no significant difference in the visual analog score (VAS) between the two groups 3 days after the operation, but the other postoperative observation indexes in the ERAS group were significantly better than those in the control group. Nausea and vomiting in the ERAS group were significantly lower than those in the control group, with no significant difference in other complications between the two groups., Conclusion: ERAS could improve children's comfort, reduce some postoperative complications, reduce hospitalization expenses, and speed up recovery from acute appendicitis treated by laparoscopy. Therefore, it has clinical application value., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Callicarpae Formosanae Folium (CFF), derived from the leaves of Callicarpa formosana Rolfe, is a common Chinese medicinal herb used for the treatment of hematemesis. Phytochemical studies found that phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, terpenoids and polysaccharides were the main ingredients of CFF. However, there is limited scientific information concerning holistic quality method and quality consistency evaluation of CFF. In this study, a strategy integrating HPGPC-ELSD, HPLC-PDA, UV-VIS and UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS was firstly developed to simultaneously qualify and quantify polysaccharides, as well as representative small molecules in CFF. HPGPC-ELSD was applied to characterize the molecular weight distribution of polysaccharides, HPLC-PDA was developed to qualitatively and quantitatively determine monosaccharides. UV-VIS was used to determine the total polysaccharides content, and UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS was established to characterize the small molecules. The quality consistency of commercial CFF (CM-CFF) was also evaluated. It was shown that the relative molecular weights, the compositional monosaccharides and small molecules composition in CM-CFF and self-collected CFF (SC-CFF) samples were similar. A total of 32 small molecules including 6 phenylpropanoids, 7 flavonoids and 19 terpenoids were characterized in CFF. However, the variation was observed in the content of polysaccharides, luteolin, ursolic acid, as well as total contents of terponoids in CM-CFF samples, which implied that the holistic quality of CM-CFF was inconsistent. The results suggested that the proposed evaluation strategy could be applied as a potential approach for the quality control of CFF. And the quality of CM-CFF should be improved by Good Agriculture Practice (GAP) base and standard processing method., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest All authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To study the effect of breastfeeding on immune function in infants with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection., Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 135 infants with HCMV infection who were admitted to Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University from January 2021 to May 2022, and all these infants received breastfeeding. According to the results of breast milk HCMV-DNA testing, the infants were divided into two groups: breast milk HCMV positive ( n =78) and breast milk HCMV negative ( n =57). According to the median breast milk HCMV-DNA load, the infants in the breast milk HCMV positive group were further divided into two subgroups: high viral load and low viral load ( n =39 each). Related indicators were compared between the breast milk positive and negative HCMV groups and between the breast milk high viral load and low viral load subgroups, including the percentages of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets (CD3 + T cells, CD3 + CD4 + T cells, CD3 + CD8 + T cells, and CD19 + B cells), CD4 + /CD8 + ratio, IgG, IgM, IgA, and urine HCMV-DNA load., Results: There were no significant differences in the percentages of CD3 + T cells, CD3 + CD4 + T cells, CD3 + CD8 + T cells, and CD19 + B cells, CD4 + /CD8 + ratio, IgG, IgM, IgA, and urine HCMV-DNA load between the breast milk HCMV positive and HCMV negative groups, as well as between the breast milk high viral load and low viral load subgroups ( P >0.05)., Conclusions: Breastfeeding with HCMV does not affect the immune function of infants with HCMV infection.

Objective: To examine the safety and effectiveness of inflatable video-assisted mediastinoscopic transhiatal esophagectomy (IVMTE). Methods: Totally 269 patients admitted to the Anhui Provincial Hospital of Anhui Medical University who underwent IVMTE (IVMTE group, n =47) or thoracoscopy combined with minimally invasive Mckeown esophageal cancer resection (MIME group, n =222) from September 2017 to December 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. There were 31 males and 16 females in IVMTE group, aged (68.6±7.5) years (range: 54 to 87 years). There were 159 males and 63 females in MIME group, aged (66.8±8.8) years (range: 42 to 93 years). A 1∶1 match was performed on both groups by propensity score matching, with 38 cases in each group. The intraoperative conditions and postoperative complication rates of the two groups were compared by t test, Wilcoxon rank, χ 2 test, or Fisher exact probability method. Results: Patients in IVMTE group had less intraoperative bleeding ((96.0±39.2) ml vs. (123.8±49.3) ml, t =-2.627, P =0.011), shorter operation time ((239.1±47.3) minutes vs. (264.2±57.2) minutes, t =-2.086, P =0.040), and less drainage 3 days after surgery (85(89) ml vs. 675(573) ml, Z =-7.575, P <0.01) compared with that of MIME group. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of drainage tube-belt time, postoperative hospital stay, and lymph node dissection stations and numbers (all P >0.05). The incidence of Clavien-Dindo grade 1 to 2 pulmonary infection (7.9%(3/38) vs. 31.6%(12/38), χ ²=6.728, P =0.009), total complications (21.1%(8/38) vs. 47.4%(18/38), χ ²=5.846, P =0.016) and total lung complications (13.2%(5/38) vs. 42.1%(16/38), χ ²=7.962, P =0.005) in the IVMTE group were significantly lower. Conclusion: Inflatable video-assisted mediastinoscopic transhiatal esophagectomy combined with laparoscopic esophagectomy is safe and feasible, which can reach the same range of oncology as thoracoscopic surgery.

The Rho kinase inhibitor fasudil exerts neuroprotective effects. We previously showed that fasudil can regulate M1/M2 microglia polarization and inhibit neuroinflammation. Here, the therapeutic effect of fasudil on cerebral ischemia‑reperfusion (I/R) injury was investigated using the middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion (MCAO/R) model in Sprague‑Dawley rats. The effect of fasudil on the phenotype of microglia and neurotrophic factors in the I/R brain and its potential molecular mechanism was also explored. It was found that fasudil ameliorated neurological deficits, neuronal apoptosis, and inflammatory response in rats with cerebral I/R injury. Fasudil also promoted the polarization of microglia into the M2 phenotype, in turn promoting the secretion of neurotrophic factors. Furthermore, fasudil significantly inhibited the expression of TLR4 and NF‑κB. These findings suggest that fasudil could inhibit the neuroinflammatory response and reduce brain injury after I/R injury by regulating the shift of microglia from an inflammatory M1 phenotype to an anti‑inflammatory M2 phenotype, which may be related to the regulation of the TLR4/ NF‑κB signal pathway.

Objective: To observe the effect of acupuncture on microglia polarization and inflammatory reaction in rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI), so as to explore its mechanisms underlying improvement of CIRI., Methods: Thirty male SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation, model, and acupuncture groups, with 10 rats in each group. The CIRI model was established by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAO) for 1 h, followed by reperfusion. After modeling, rats in the acupuncture group received manual acupuncture stimulation of "Dazhui" (GV14), "Baihui"(GV20), "Shuigou" (GV26), bilateral "Zusanli" (ST36) and "Fengchi" (GB20) by twirling the needles rapidly for 10 s/acupoint every 10 min, with the needles retained for 20 min. The treatment was conducted once daily for successive 7 days. The neurological function was evaluated according to Longa's method. The state of CIRI was observed after Nissl staining, and the expression levels of Iba-1, iNOS, Arg1, BDNF, GDNF and NeuN in the ischemic cortex tissue were detected by immunofluorescence staining. The contents of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 in the ischemic tissue were assayed by ELISA. The protein expression levels of BDNF, GDNF, TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB in the ischemic tissues were detected by Western blot., Results: The neurological deficit score on the 24 h and 7th day was considerably higher in the model group than in the sham operation group ( P <0.01), and evidently lower on the 7th day in the acupuncture group than in the model group ( P <0.01). The number of NeuN positive cells，the area of immunofluorescence dual labelling of Arg1, BDNF and GDNF positive staining, IL-10 content, BDNF and GDNF protein expressions were significantly decreased ( P <0.01), and the immunofluorescence dual labelling area of Iba-1 and iNOS, TNF-α and IL-6 contents, the pretein expression levels of TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB considerably increased ( P <0.01) in the model group relevant to the sham operation group. In contrast to the model group, the acupuncture group had a significant increase in the number of NeuN positive cells, the immunofluorescence dual labelling area of Arg1, BDNF and GDNF positive staining, IL-10 content, and BDNF and GDNF protein expressions ( P <0.05, P <0.01), and an evident decrease in Iba-1 and iNOS positive staining, contents of TNF-α and IL-6, and the protein expression levels of TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB ( P <0.01, P <0.05). Nissl staining showed a marked reduction in the number of neurons, the nucleus pyknosis and nissl bodies and loose arrangement of the neuronal cells in the model group, which was relatively milder in the acupuncture group., Conclusion: Acupuncture intervention can improve neurological function in CIRI rats, which may be related to its effects in regulating the polarization of microglia, reducing inflammatory reaction and increasing the secretion of neurotrophic factors in the brain, inhibiting TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Chang-Kang-Fang (CKF) is a traditional Chinese herbal formula used for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in China. Decoction is the administration form of CKF in clinical practice. Previously, CKF has been confirmed with activities of releasing pain and reversing disorders of intestinal propulsion. And alkaloids, monoglycosides, chromones were found as the main bioactive components potentially contributing to the efficacy of CKF. Polysaccharide was also a major constituent in CKF. But if and how polysaccharides influence the systemic exposure of bioactive components in CKF is unknown., Aim of the Study: In this study, we aimed to demonstrate the contribution of the co-existed polysaccharides on the systemic exposure of the major bioactive components from CKF in normal and IBS model rats., Materials and Methods: An UPLC-TQ-MS with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) scan method was developed and validated for quantifying six major small molecular bioactive ingredients of CKF in the plasma samples, including magnoflorine (MAG), berberine (BBR), albiflorin (ALB), paeoniflorin (PAE), 5-O-methylvisamminol (5-OM) and prim-O-glucosylcimifugin (POG). The rats received CKF decoction (CKF) and CKF small molecule portion (knockout of polysaccharides, CKFSM), respectively. IBS model rats were induced by daily bondage and gavage of Sennae Folium decoction (derived from the leaf of Cassia angustifolia Vahl). The effects of the co-existing polysaccharides on the pharmacokinetic parameters of six small molecular bioactive components in normal and IBS model rats were systematically evaluated. The potential gut microbiota involved mechanisms of the effects was validated by broad-spectrum antibiotic (ABX) treatment., Results: The selectivity, precision, accuracy, recovery and matrix effect of the established quantification method were all within acceptable limits of biological sample. In normal rats, the co-existing polysaccharides significantly reduced the AUC (0-t) of MAG and PAE compared with CKFSM group. The C max and AUC (0-t) of other four compound were not influenced by co-existing polysaccharides. However, in IBS model rats, compared with CKFSM group, the C max and AUC (0-t) of the six ingredients significantly increased in CKF group. For CKF + ABX group, the C max of six ingredients decreased significantly when compared with CKF group, and the AUC (0-t) of MAG, BBR, ALB, PAE also reduced with significant differences., Conclusions: A reliable and sensitive UPLC-TQ-MS method was successfully developed and validated for evaluating influence of co-existing polysaccharides on pharmacokinetic behavior of six major small molecules components in CKF. The co-existing polysaccharides enhanced the systemic exposure of six bioactive small molecules in CKF under IBS pathological state potentially via gut microbiota involvement., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Cicadae Periostracum (CP) is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb derived from the slough that is molted from the nymph of the insect Cryptotympana pustulata Fabricius. Washing with water to remove residual silt is a primary processing method of CP that is recommended by the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, but how washing methods affect the quality and bioactivity of CP is unknown. In this study, the quality and bioactivity of non-washed CP (CP-NW), post-molting-washed CP (CP-WAT), and pre-molting-washed CP (CP-WBT) were comparatively investigated. The quality of these CP samples was evaluated in terms of the UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-based chemical profiling and semi-quantification of 39 N -acetyldopamine oligomers (belonging to six chemical types), the HPLC-UV-based quantification of 17 amino acids, the ICP-MS-based quantification of four heavy metals, and the contents of ash; the bioactivities of the samples were compared regarding their anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. It was found that, compared with CP-NW, both CP-WBT and CP-WAT had significantly lower contents of ash and heavy metals. Moreover, compared with CP-WAT, CP-WBT contained lower levels of total ash, acid-insoluble ash, and heavy metals and higher contents of N -acetyldopamine oligomers and amino acids. It also had enhanced anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. A Spearman's correlation analysis found that the contents of N -acetyldopamine oligomers and free amino acids were positively correlated with the anti-oxidant/-inflammatory activities of CP. All these results suggest that pre-molting washing can not only remove the residual silt but can also avoid the loss of the bioactive components and assure higher bioactivities. It is concluded that pre-molting washing could enhance the quality and bioactivity of CP and should be a superior alternative method for the primary processing of qualified CP.

Interleukin-37b (hereafter called IL-37) was identified as fundamental inhibitor of natural and acquired immunity. The molecular mechanism and function of IL-37 in colorectal cancer (CRC) has been elusive. Here, we found that IL-37 transgenic (IL-37tg) mice were highly susceptible to colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC) and suffered from dramatically increased tumor burdens in colon. Nevertheless, IL-37 is dispensable for intestinal mutagenesis, and CRC cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration. Notably, IL-37 dampened protective cytotoxic T cell-mediated immunity in CAC and B16-OVA models. CD8 + T cell dysfunction is defined by reduced retention and activation as well as failure to proliferate and produce cytotoxic cytokines in IL-37tg mice, enabling tumor evasion of immune surveillance. The dysfunction led by IL-37 antagonizes IL-18-induced proliferation and effector function of CD8 + T cells, which was dependent on SIGIRR (single immunoglobulin interleukin-1 receptor-related protein). Finally, we observed that IL-37 levels were significantly increased in CRC patients, and positively correlated with serum CRC biomarker CEA levels, but negatively correlated with the CD8 + T cell infiltration in CRC patients. Our findings highlight the role of IL-37 in harnessing antitumor immunity by inactivation of cytotoxic T cells and establish a new defined inhibitory factor IL-37/SIGIRR in cancer-immunity cycle as therapeutic targets in CRC., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

By feeding tryptophan to the marine-derived fungus Aspergillus sp. HNMF114 from the bivalve mollusk Sanguinolaria chinensis , 3 new quinazoline-containing indole alkaloids, named aspertoryadins H-J ( 1 - 3 ), along with 16 known ones ( 4 - 19 ), were obtained. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by the analysis of spectroscopic data combined with quantum chemical calculations of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shifts and electron capture detector (ECD) spectra. Structurally, compound 3 represents the first example of this type of compound, bearing an amide group at C-3. Compounds 10 and 16 showed potent α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with IC 50 values of 7.18 and 5.29 μM, and compounds 13 and 14 showed a clear activation effect on the ryanodine receptor from Spodoptera frugiperda (sfRyR), which reduced the [Ca 2+ ] ER by 37.1 and 36.2%, respectively., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Liu, Yang, Kong, Zhao, Yao, Yuchi, Ma, Xie, Zhou, Guo, Dai, Zhao and Luo.)

Dentritic cells (DCs) dysfunction has been verified detrimental for sepsis and B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) is an immune-regulatory receptor shown to be associated with DCs dysfunction. However, the role of BTLA expression in myeloid DCs (mDCs) in neonatal sepsis is unknown. In the current study, we found BTLA-expressing mDCs were elevated in neonates with sepsis and the BTLA expression level in mDCs was positively correlated to the severity of sepsis. The presence of BTLA negatively regulated the phagocytosis capacity and bactericidal ability of mDCs as well as the maturation markers expression of mDCs. Our data also showed BTLA + mDCs shifted into an anti-inflammatory phenotype with decreased expression of IL-6, TNF-α and IL-12, but increased IL-10. in addition, we found BTLA expression indeedly altered the mDCs allo-stimulatory capacity. Therefore, BTLA expression in mDCs could be a useful predictive marker for neonatal sepsis and targeting BTLA expression in mDCs may be a new therapeutic strategy., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is mainly associated with the neuroinflammation and demyelination in the central nervous system (CNS), in which the failure of remyelination results in persistent neurological dysfunction. Fasudil, a typical Rho kinase inhibitor, has been exhibited beneficial effects on several models of neurodegenerative disorders. In this study, we showed that Fasudil promoted the uptake of myelin debris by microglia via cell experiments and through a cuprizone (CPZ)-induced demyelinating model. In vitro, microglia with phagocytic debris exhibited enhanced expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), and the conditioned medium promoted the maturation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). Meanwhile, Fasudil upregulated TREM2/DAP12 pathway, which positively regulated the phagocytosis of myelin debris by microglia. Similarly, in vivo, Fasudil intervention enhanced the clearance of myelin debris, upregulated the expression of BDNF and GDNF on microglia, and promoted the formation of Oligo2+/PDGFRα+ OPCs and the maturation of MBP + oligodendrocytes in the brain. Our results showed that Fasudil targeted the phagocytic function of microglia, effectively clearing myelin debris produced during pathological process possibly by upregulating TREM2/DAP12 pathway, accompanied by increased expression of BDNF and GDNF. However, the precise mechanism underlying the effects of Fasudil in promoting phagocytic effects and neurotrophic factors remains to be elucidated., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Cicadae Periostracum (CP), the cast-off shell of Cryptotympana atrata, is specified in Chinese Pharmacopoeia for relieving fever and eliminating ulcer. N-acetyldopamine oligomers are the major characteristic bioactive components with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities that may be responsible for the efficacy of CP. However, the exposed components and metabolites of N-acetyldopamine oligomers of CP (NOCP) in vivo are still unknown. In present study, the metabolic profile of total NOCP and N-acetyldopamine dimer B in rats were systematically investigated by ultra-high liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS). In biosamples of NOCP group, 34 prototypes and 15 metabolites were identified or tentatively characterized, including 5 metabolites in plasma, 3 prototype and 9 metabolites in urine, 2 metabolites in bile, 34 prototypes and 8 metabolites in feces, respectively. In dimer B group, the prototype and 8 metabolites were identified, including 2 metabolites in plasma, 4 metabolites in urine, 1 metabolite in bile and 5 metabolites in feces, respectively. Oxidation, and hydrogenation were supposed to be the major phase I reactions, while methylation, sulfation, and glucuronidation were the main phase II reactions of NOCP and dimer B. M10 and M13 might undergo enterohepatic circulation in rats. It is concluded that NOCP and dimer B were mainly absorbed in the form of metabolites, and metabolites are probably the major bioactive forms of NOCP and dimer B. The outcomes of this study provided helpful information for extensively elucidating biological and pharmacological mechanisms of NOCP., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest All authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Recent studies have shown that Nogo-A and the Nogo-A receptor affect β-amyloid metabolism and the downstream Rho GTP enzyme signaling pathway, which may affect the levels of β-amyloid and tau. Nogo-A may play a key role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of Fasudil treatment in Alzheimer's disease are not yet clear. Our results have found that Fasudil treatment for two months substantially ameliorated behavioral deficits, diminished β-amyloid plaque and tau protein pathology, and alleviated neuronal apoptosis in APP/PS1 transgenic mice. More importantly, two well-established markers for synaptic function, growth-associated protein 43 and synaptophysin, were upregulated after Fasudil treatment. Finally, the levels of Nogo-A, Nogo-A receptor complex NgR/p75NTR/LINGO-1 and the downstream Rho/Rho kinase signaling pathway were significantly reduced. These findings suggest that Fasudil exerts its neuroprotective function in Alzheimer's disease by inhibiting the Nogo-A/NgR1/RhoA signaling pathway., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2020 Guo et al. Published by IMR Press.)

Ethanol can be used as a platform molecule for synthesizing valuable chemicals and fuel precursors. Direct synthesis of C 5+ ketones, building blocks for lubricants and hydrocarbon fuels, from ethanol was achieved over a stable Pd-promoted ZnO-ZrO 2 catalyst. The sequence of reaction steps involved in the C 5+ ketone formation from ethanol was determined. The key reaction steps were found to be the in situ generation of the acetone intermediate and the cross-aldol condensation between the reaction intermediates acetaldehyde and acetone. The formation of a Pd-Zn alloy in situ was identified to be the critical factor in maintaining high yield to the C 5+ ketones and the stability of the catalyst. A yield of >70 % to C 5+ ketones was achieved over a 0.1 % Pd-ZnO-ZrO 2 mixed oxide catalyst, and the catalyst was demonstrated to be stable beyond 2000 hours on stream without any catalyst deactivation., (© 2020 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Emerging evidence suggests an association of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) with microglial and astrocytic dysregulation. Recent studies have proposed that activated microglia can transform astrocytes to a neurotoxic A1 phenotype, which has been shown to be involved in the promotion of neuronal damage in several neurodegenerative diseases, including AD. In the present study, we observed an obvious microglial activation and A1-specific astrocyte response in the brain tissue of APP/PS1 Tg mice. Fasudil treatment improved the cognitive deficits of APP/PS1 Tg mice, inhibited microglial activation and promoted their transformation to an anti-inflammatory phenotype, and further shifted astrocytes from an A1 to an A2 phenotype. Our experiments suggest Fasudil exerted these functions by inhibing the expression of TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB, which are key mediators of inflammation. Using in vitro experiments, we further validated in vivo findings. Our cell experiments indicated that Fasudil induces a shift of inflammatory microglia towards an anti-inflammatory phenotype. LPS-induced microglia-conditioned medium promotes A1 astrocytic polarization, but Fasudil treatment resulted in a direct transformation of A1 astrocytes to A2. To summarize, our results show that Fasudil inhibits the neurotoxic activation of microglia and shifts astrocytes towards a neuroprotective A2 phenotype, representing a promising candidate for AD treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Matched filtering is widely used in active sonar because of its simplicity and ease of implementation. However, the resolution performance generally depends on the transmitted waveform. Moreover, its detection performance is limited by the high-level sidelobes and seriously degraded in a shallow water environment due to time spread induced by multipath propagation. This paper proposed a method named iterative deconvolution-time reversal (ID-TR), on which the energy of the cross-ambiguity function is modeled, as a convolution of the energy of the auto-ambiguity function of the transmitted signal with the generalized target reflectivity density. Similarly, the generalized target reflectivity density is a convolution of the spread function of channel with the reflectivity density of target as well. The ambiguity caused by the transmitted signal and the spread function of channel are removed by Richardson-Lucy iterative deconvolution and the time reversal processing, respectively. Moreover, this is a special case of the Richardson-Lucy algorithm that the blur function is one-dimensional and time-invariant. Therefore, the iteration deconvolution is actually implemented by the iterative temporal time reversal processing. Due to the iterative time reversal method can focus more and more energy on the strongest target with the iterative number increasing and then the peak-signal power increases, the simulated result shows that the noise reduction can achieve 250 dB in the "ideal" free field environment and 100 dB in a strong multipaths waveguide environment if a 1-ms linear frequency modulation with a 4-kHz frequency bandwidth is transmitted and the number of iteration is 10. Moreover, the range resolution is approximately a delta function. The results of the experiment in a tank show that the noise level is suppressed by more than 70 dB and the reverberation level is suppressed by 3 dB in the case of a single target and the iteration number being 8.

Background: Diabetic nephropathy (DN), characterized by hyperglycemia, hypertension, proteinuria, and edema, is a unique microvascular complication of diabetes. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Astragalus membranaceus (AM) has been widely used for DN in China while the pharmacological mechanisms are still unclear. This work is aimed at undertaking a network pharmacology analysis to reveal the mechanism of the effects of AM in DN. Materials and Methods . In this study, chemical constituents of AM were obtained via Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database (TCMSP), and the potential targets of AM were identified using the Therapeutic Target Database (TTD). DisGeNET and GeneCards databases were used to collect DN-related target genes. DN-AM common target protein interaction network was established by using the STRING database. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were carried out to further explore the DN mechanism and therapeutic effect of AM. The network diagrams of the active component-action target and protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed using Cytoscape software., Results: A total of 16 active ingredients contained and 78 putative identified target genes were screened from AM, of which 42 overlapped with the targets of DN and were considered potential therapeutic targets. The analysis of the network results showed that the AM activity of component quercetin, formononetin, calycosin, 7-O-methylisomucronulatol, and quercetin have a good binding activity with top ten screened targets, such as VEGFA, TNF, IL-6, MAPK, CCL3, NOS3, PTGS2, IL-1 β , JUN, and EGFR. GO and KEGG analyses revealed that these targets were associated with inflammatory response, angiogenesis, oxidative stress reaction, rheumatoid arthritis, and other biological process., Conclusions: This study demonstrated the multicomponent, multitarget, and multichannel characteristics of AM, which provided a novel approach for further research of the mechanism of AM in the treatment of DN., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Ming-Fei Guo et al.)

Objective: To study the effects of miR-221 on the biological activity of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells and its mechanism., Methods: Bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMNC) were isolated from bone marrow samples of ALL children diagnosed in our hospital from May 2018 to November 2018. The cells were divided into control group, miR-221-NC group and miR-221 group. After transfection according to the instructions of Lipofectamine 2000 kit, the levels of miR-221 in each group were detected by RT-PCR. Flow cytometry was used to detect the effects of miR-221 on cell cycle and apoptosis. Transwell assay was used to detect cell migration and invasion. Western blot was used to detect the effects of miR-221 on proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Caspase 3, Cyclin D1 and MMP-9 proteins in BMNC. Luciferase reporter gene assay was used to detect the targeting relationship between miR-221 and Wnt gene., Result: The expression level of miR-221 in the miR-221 group was significantly higher than that in the control group and the miR-221-NC group (P＜0.05). MTT assay showed that, after transfection for 2, 3, 4 and 5 days, the cell proliferation level in miR-221 group was significantly lower than that in the control group and the miR-221-NC group (P＜0.05). The cell ratio of G 0 /G 1 phase was (73.25±8.1)% in the miR-221 group, which was significantly higher than that in the control group and the miR-221-NC group (P＜0.05); moreover, the cell ratio of S phase in the miR-221 group was (12.37±1.6)%，which was significantly lower than that in the control group and the miR-221-NC group (P＜0.05). The percentage of apoptotic cells in the miR-221 group was (24.68±3.87)%, which was significantly higher than that in the control group and the miR-221-NC group (P＜0.05). Transwell cell invasion experiment showed that the number of invasive cells in the miR-221 group was 23.42±3.62, which was significantly lower than that in the control group and the miR-221-NC group (P＜0.05). Transwell cell migration assay showed that the number of migrating cells in the miR-221 group was 34.86±5.32, which was significantly lower than that in the control group and the miR-221-NC group (P＜0.05). The relative level of PCNA, Cyclin D1 and MMP-9 in the miR-221 group was 0.26±0.03, 0.17±3.61 and 0.14±0.02, respectively, which was significantly lower than those in the control group and the miR-221-NC group (P＜0.05), while the relative level of Caspase-3 in the miR-221 group was 0.37±0.05, which was significantly higher than that in the control group and the miR-221-NC group (P＜0.05). Luciferase reporter assay showed that the activity of luciferase in Wnt wild type plasmid was significantly inhibited by miR-221 (P＜0.05)., Conclusion: miR-221 can inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of BMNC, moreover can promote cell apoptosis, which may be related with the inhibition of Wnt/β- catenin signaling pathway.

Objectives: To evaluate the diagnostic value of CT for lymph node metastasis of thoracic esophageal carcinoma with a diameter of more than 1 cm, and to find the optimal diagnostic index by comparing relevant CT indexes. Methods: Totally 80 patients with pathologically proved thoracic esophageal cancer with preoperative CT examination revealed lymph node diameter greater than 1 cm admitted at Department of Thoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China from January 2016 to January 2018 were enrolled in this study. There were 70 males and 10 females, aging of (60±14) years (range: 40-85 years). According to the pathological result of lymph nodes, all the patients and lymph nodes were divided into two groups (N+group: 47 patients, 62 lymph nodes; N-group: 33 patients, 39 lymph nodes). The average number of dissected lymph nodes were 21±4 and 101 lymph nodes' diameter were greater than 1 cm. The clinicopathologic factors, postoperative complications, lymph node dissection and relevant CT indexes like the minimum diameter of lymph nodes (Min D), the maximum diameter of lymph node (Max D), lymph node axial ratio(LAR), the enhancement of lymph node (ELN) and the boundary of lymph node (BLN) were compared. The clinicopathological data, lymph node dessection and CT parameters of the two groups were compared by t test, χ(2) test or Wilcoxon rank sum test. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to compare the ability to predict lymph node metastasis between Min D, Max D, LAR, ELN and BLN. Multiple Logistic regression analysis were performed to determine the independent variables for prediction of lymph node metastasis. Results: The difference of tumor segmentation, pN stage, pTNM stage, total number of metastatic lymph nodes, total number of abdominal lymph node metastases, Min D, Max D, ELN and BLN between the two groups were statistically significant. The results of univariate and multivariate analyses showed that gender ( OR= 0.128, 95 %CI : 0.019 to 0.858, P= 0.034), pTNM stage ( OR= 1.514, 95 %CI : 1.020 to 2.247, P= 0.039), Min D ( OR= 0.102, 95 %CI : 0.010 to 0.995, P= 0.050) and LAR ( OR= 0.195, 95 %CI : 0.052 to 0.731, P= 0.015) were the independent relative factors. The area under the curve of ROC curve analysis of Min D, Max D, LAR, ELN and BLN were 0.679, 0.666, 0.561, 0.650 and 0.820, respectively. BLN was the best CT index to diagnosis lymph node metastasis, while the accuracy of dignosis of lymph node metastasis of BLN was 97.0%. The Youden index of Min D, Max D and LAR were 1.25 cm, 1.64 cm and 0.77, respectively. Combining the BLN and ELN had a higher diagnostic rate (97.0%) of lymph node metastasis. Conclusions: CT has high diagnostic value for lymph node metastasis in thoracic esophagel cancer when the lymph node diameter is greater than 1 cm. BLN is the best diagnostic index for lymph node metastasis.

Background: Unrestrained activation of Th1 and Th17 cells is associated with the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis and its animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). While inactivation of dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1), a GTPase that regulates mitochondrial fission, can reduce EAE severity by protecting myelin from demyelination, its effect on immune responses in EAE has not yet been studied., Methods: We investigated the effect of Mdivi-1, a small molecule inhibitor of Drp1, on EAE. Clinical scores, inflammation, demyelination and Drp1 activation in the central nervous system (CNS), and T cell responses in both CNS and periphery were determined., Results: Mdivi-1 effectively suppressed EAE severity by reducing demyelination and cellular infiltration in the CNS. Mdivi-1 treatment decreased the phosphorylation of Drp1 (ser616) on CD4 + T cells, reduced the numbers of Th1 and Th17 cells, and increased Foxp3 + regulatory T cells in the CNS. Moreover, Mdivi-1 treatment effectively inhibited IFN-γ + , IL-17 + , and GM-CSF + CD4 + T cells, while it induced CD4 + Foxp3 + regulatory T cells in splenocytes by flow cytometry., Conclusions: Together, our results demonstrate that Mdivi-1 has therapeutic potential in EAE by modulating the balance between Th1/Th17 and regulatory T cells.

Over fifty percent of the people around the world is infected with Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori ), which is the main cause of gastric diseases such as chronic gastritis and stomach cancer. H. pylori adhesin A (HpaA), which is a surface-located lipoprotein, is essential for bacterial colonization in the gastric mucosa. HpaA had been proposed to be a promising vaccine candidate against H. pylori infection. However, the effect of non-lipidated recombinant HpaA (rHpaA) to stimulate immune response was not very ideal, and the protective effect against H. pylori infection was also limited. Here, we hypothesized that low immunogenicity of rHpaA may attribute to lacking the immunostimulatory properties endowed by the lipid moiety. In this study, two novel lipopeptides, LP1 and LP2, which mimic the terminal structure of the native HpaA (nHpaA), were synthesized and TLR2 activation activity was confirmed in vitro . To investigate whether two novel lipopeptides could improve the protective effect of rHpaA against the infection of H. pylori , groups of mice were immunized either intramuscularly or intranasally with rHpaA together with LP1 or LP2. Compared with rHpaA alone, the bacterial colonization of the mice immunized with rHpaA plus LP2 via intranasal route was significantly decreased and the expression levels of serum IgG2a, IFN-γ, and IL-17 cytokines in spleen lymphocyte culture supernatant increased obviously, indicating that the enhanced protection of LP2 may be associated with elevated specific Th1 and Th17 responses. In conclusion, LP2 has been shown to improve the protective effect of rHpaA against H. pylori infection, which may be closely related to its ability in activating TLR2 by mimicking the terminal structure of nHpaA.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has become a chronic disease, serious harm to human health. Complications of the blood pipe are the main cause of disability and death in diabetic patients, including vascular lesions that directly affects the prognosis of patients with diabetes and survival. This study was to determine the influence of high glucose and related mechanism of vascular lesion of type 2 diabetes mellitus pathogenesis., Methods: In vivo aorta abdominalis of GK rats was observed with blood pressure, heart rate, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), Masson, and Verhoeff staining. In vitro cells were cultured with 30 mM glucose for 24 h. RT-QPCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of endothelial markers PTEN, PI3K, Akt, and VEGF. Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the expression of PTEN, PI3K, Akt, and VEGF. PI3K and Akt phosphorylation levels were detected by Western blot analysis., Results: Heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and mean blood pressure in the GK control group were higher compared with the Wistar control group and no difference compared with the GK experimental model group. Fluorescence intensity of VEGF, Akt, and PI3K in the high-sugar stimulus group was stronger than the control group; PTEN in the high-sugar stimulus group was weakening than the control group. VEGF, Akt, and PI3K mRNA in the high-sugar stimulus group were higher than the control group; protein expressions of VEGF, Akt, and PI3K in the high-sugar stimulus group were higher than the control group. PTEN mRNA in the high-sugar stimulus group was lower than the control group. Protein expression of PTEN in the high-sugar stimulus group was lower than the control group., Conclusions: Angiogenesis is an important pathogenesis of T2DM vascular disease, and PTEN plays a negative regulatory role in the development of new blood vessels and can inhibit the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Zebrafish of different strains with 5 dpf (5 days post-fertilization) were selected and fed with 0.2% high-fat diet for 8 h and 3% glucose solution for 16 halternatively during the day and night for 4 consecutive days. The zebrafish model was established and randomly divided into model group, Huangdi Anxiao Capsules (260 mg·L⁻¹) group and pioglitazone (32 mg·L⁻¹) group. The drug treatment groups were given the water-soluble drugs, with a volume of 25 mL, and incubated in a 28 °C incubator for 4 days. To detect the exposure to the corresponding drugs, the normal control group was set up. Thirty zebrafish were included in each group. The effect of Huangdi Anxiao Capsules on vascular wall thickness, fluorescence intensity of islet beta cells, fluorescence intensity of macrophages, and blood flow velocity of zebrafish were detected. The expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (vegfaa) and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) were detected by RT-PCR. The results showed that compared with the model group, Huangdi Anxiao Capsules can significantly reduce the thickness of the blood vessel wall, increase the fluorescence intensity of islet β cells and macrophages, increase the blood flow velocity in vivo, and decrease the ACE and vegfaa expressions in zebrafish. It is suggested that Huangdi Anxiao Capsules may alleviate zebrafish vascular lesions by regulating the expressions of ACE and vegfaa., Competing Interests: The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose., (Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.)

Objective: To investigate the value of simultaneous amplification and testing (SAT) in the early diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) in children and related influencing factors., Methods: A total of 526 children with community-acquired pneumonia who were hospitalized between December 2016 and December 2017 were enrolled. Particle agglutination was used to measure serum Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) antibody (MP-Ab). The value of SAT in the diagnosis of MPP was evaluated based on these results., Results: Based on the results of serum MP-Ab measurement, 165 children were diagnosed with MPP. MP-SAT had a sensitivity of 90.9% (150/165), a specificity of 97.9% (368/376), and high accuracy (Youden index=0.89) in the diagnosis of MPP, suggesting that there was good consistency between these two methods (Kappa=0.90). The diagnostic sensitivity of MP-SAT in children with a short course of disease was significantly higher than that in children with a long course of disease (P=0.031). The diagnostic sensitivity of MP-SAT was significantly higher than that of single serum MP-Ab measurement (P=0.018), with poor consistency between these two methods (Kappa=0.039). MP-SAT had good consistency with double serum MP-Ab measurement (Kappa=0.91). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that course of disease (≥7 days) and out-of-hospital macrolide treatment were the main factors influencing the results of MP-SAT (P<0.05)., Conclusions: MP-SAT has high value in the early diagnosis of MPP and can effectively cover the shortage of single serum MP-Ab test in the acute stage and thus provide help for early clinical diagnosis. MP-SAT test should be performed in the early stage of the disease (<7 days) and before the application of macrolide treatment.

Objective: To investigate the feasibility, safety, short-term efficacy and long-term efficacy of elective lymph node dissection in patients with early esophageal cancer. Methods: The study retrospectively evaluated 405 patients with cT1N0M0 esophageal carcinoma who received minimally invasive esophagectomy in the First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China between March 2007 and March 2013. Of those patients, 208 patients underwent systematic lymph node dissection (SLND) and 197 patients underwent elective lymph node dissection (ELND). The clinicopathologic factors, operational factors, postoperative complications, lymph node dissection and prognosis of patients were compared by independent sample t test, χ(2) test, or Mann-Whitney rank test. The 5-year overall survival was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier estimation method using the Log-rank test. Results: There was no significant difference in clinicopathological data between the SLND group and the ELND group. The incidence of pulmonary infection (8.2% vs . 2.9%, P =0.04) and arrhythmia (6.2% vs . 2.0%, P =0.03) of the minor postoperative complications in the SLND group were higher than the ELND group. The incidence of pulmonary infection (6.2% vs . 2.0%, P =0.03), Chylothorax (5.8% vs .1.5%, P =0.02), anastomotic or pleural hemorrhage requiring reoperation (2.9% vs .0.5%, P =0.04) of major postoperative complications in the SLND group were higher than the ELND group, the difference was statistically significant. In the perioperative data of two groups, the incidence of total postoperative complications, total pulmonary complications, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative hospitalization, postoperative thoracic drainage duration and postoperative thoracic drainage fluid volume of the SLND group were higher than the ELND group, the difference was statistically significant. The mean numbers and stations of dissected lymph node in the SLND were 30.2±4.2 and 12.1±2.7, the mean numbers and stations of dissected lymph node in the ELND were 25.7±3.8 and 8.4±3.6. The survival rates of 1, 3, 5 years of all patients were 100%, 95.9% and 82.5%, respectively. The median survival time was 87.4 months. Further analysis showed that the 1, 3 and 5 years survival rate of patients with stage Ⅰ esophageal cancer was 100%, 97.1% and 88.9%, respectively. The median survival time was 89.3 months. The 1, 3 and 5 years survival rate of patients with stage Ⅱa esophageal cancer was 100%, 93.2% and 76.8%, respectively. The median survival time was 77.2 months. There was no significant difference in survival rate between the SLND group and the ELND group in 1, 3 and 5 years. When taking a further analysis of stage Ⅰ esophageal cancer, the survival rates between 188 patients in the SLND group and 180 patients in the ELND group were no significant difference. When focus on the stage Ⅱa esophageal cancer, the 1, 3 and 5 years survival rate were higher in the SLND group than that in the ELND group (100%, 94.5%, 83.2% vs . 100%, 91.3%, 72.1%, P =0.047), the difference was statistically significant. Conclusion: ELND can be safely and effectively performed for early esophageal cancer with favorable short-term efficacy and long-term efficacy.

Background: Chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN) is the most common form of primary glomerular disease with unclear molecular mechanisms, which related to immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. Our study intended to identify potential long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and genes, and to determine the potential molecular mechanisms of CGN pathogenesis., Methods: The microarray of GSE64265 and GSE46295 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, GSE64265 including 3 rats control kidney tissues and 5 rats model kidney tissues, GSE46295 including 3 rats control kidney tissues and 3 rats model kidney tissues, which was on the basis of GPL1355 platform. Identification of differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs were performed between the 2 groups. Gene ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analyses were performed to analyze the biological functions and pathways for the differentially expressed mRNAs. LncRNA-mRNA weighted co-expression network was constructed using the WGCNA package to analyses for the genes in the modules. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was visualized., Results: A total of 40 significantly up-regulated and 24 down-regulated lncRNAs, 653 up-regulated and 128 down-regulated mRNAs were identified. Additionally, Cdk1, with the highest connectivity degree in PPI network, was noteworthy enriched in cell cycle. Seven lncRNAs: NONRATT026650, LOC102547664, NONRATT77021989, NONRATT012453, LOC102551856, LOC102553536 and NONRATT7047175 were observed in the modules of lncRNA-mRNA weighted co-expression network., Conclusions: LncRNAs NONRATT026650, LOC102547664, NONRATT77021989, NONRATT012453, LOC102551856, LOC102553536 and NONRATT7047175 were differentially expressed and might play important roles in the development of CGN. Key genes, such as Cd44, Rftn1, Runx1, may be crucial biomarkers for CGN., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To explore efficacy and safety of simulated artificial pancreas in modulating stress hyperglycemia in critically ill patients., Methods: A prospective randomized controlled study was performed. Seventy-two critically ill patients with stress hyperglycemia, aged 18-85 years, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score over 15, two consecutive random blood glucose 11.1 mmol/L or higher, glycated hemoglobin (HbA 1C ) below 0.065, unable to eat food for 3 days after inclusion, or only accepting parenteral nutrition, admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) in Shanghai Punan Hospital of Pudong New District from January 1st, 2015 to June 30th, 2017 were enrolled. The patients were divided into three groups according to the random number table method, high-intensity group and low-intensity group were injected Novolin R (high-intensity group 2/3 dosage, low-intensity group 1/3 dosage) to modulate stress hyperglycemia by simulated artificial pancreas. Simulated artificial pancreas consisted of Guardian real time glucose monitoring system (GRT system), close-circle control algorithm and micro-pump; subcutaneous injection of Humulin 70/30 was applied to modulate stress hyperglycemia in humulin group. Real-time glucose levels of interstitial fluid in abdominal wall, equivalent to blood glucose levels, 10 minutes each time, were monitored by using of GRT system for all patients in three groups. Fasting serum levels of stress hormones including epinephrine and cortisol and insulin resistance index (IRI) were recorded within 24 hours after inclusion. Mean blood glucose, blood glucose variation coefficient, blood glucose target-reaching rate, blood glucose target-reaching time, hypoglycemia rate and 6-month mortality were measured. Twenty healthy adults from health administration department of the hospital were recruited as healthy control group., Results: A total of 60 eligible critically ill patients were included in this study, each group with 20 patients. There was no significant difference in gender, age, APACHE II scores among three groups. The levels of serum epinephrine, cortisol and IRI within 24 hours after inclusion in the three groups were significantly higher than those in healthy control group. The mean blood glucose levels of humulin group, low-intensity group, high-intensity group were decreased (mmol/L: 10.2±3.2, 8.4±2.6, 8.1±2.2), the blood glucose target-reaching rate were increased [40.2% (3 295/8 196), 71.1% (5 393/7 585), 80.4% (6 286/7 818)], the blood glucose target-reaching time were shortened (hours: 49.1±5.8, 24.6±4.6, 17.5±4.2), the hypoglycemia rates were increased respectively [1.3% (108/8 196), 2.8% (211/7 585), 4.0% (313/7 818)], with statistically significant differences (all P = 0.000). There was no significant difference in blood glucose variation coefficient and 6-month mortality among three groups [blood glucose variation coefficient: (29.4±3.7)%, (28.5±5.3)%, (26.1±4.6)%, 6-month mortality: 55.0%, 45.0%, 40.0%, all P > 0.05]., Conclusions: Simulated artificial pancreas could effectively and safely modulate stress hyperglycemia in critically ill patients, high-intensity modulation could bring about better efficacy in the regulation of hyperglycemia. High-frequency blood glucose monitoring by using GRT system could promptly identify hypoglycemia and help it to be corrected.

Previous studies suggested that oxidative stress is related to the onset and development of osteoporosis. Moreover, it was demonstrated that berberine has a protective effect against oxidative stress-induced injuries. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of action of berberine on rats with induced osteoporosis. Sixty 8-week-old female Wistar rats were randomly divided into the following 6 groups: control saline-treated, osteoporosis saline-treated, 3 osteoporosis berberine-treated groups (Ber 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg/body weight, respectively), and osteoporosis alendronate-treated (ALD) group. Osteoporosis was induced by bilateral ovariectomy. All treatments were performed for 8 weeks. The bone mineral density (BMD), serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin, calcium, phosphorus, superoxide dismutase (SOD), methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) level was determined in the rat femur tissue. The gene and protein expression of osteoprotegerin (OPG) and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) was analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription PCR and Western blot, respectively. The BMD, SOD and GSH⁃Px levels, and the expression of OPG were significantly lower in osteoporosis compared to control group (all p < 0.05). The serum levels of osteocalcin, ALP, and MDA, and the expression of RANKL were significantly higher in osteoporosis compared to control group (all p < 0.05). Berberine, especially the high doses of berberine, effectively increased SOD, GSH⁃Px, and OPG levels as well as decreased serum osteocalcin, ALP, MDA and RANKL levels in berberine-treated osteoporosis groups (all p < 0.05). To conclude, oxidative stress may promote the development of osteoporosis in rats through the RANK/RANKL/OPG pathway. The antioxidative effect of berberine reduces the development of osteoporosis in rats to some extent.

Chromosomal abnormalities are an attractive avenue for the screening of various disorders especially related to carcinogens like acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The cytogenetic findings like Karyotypic patterns are common in pediatric patients. On the other hand, monosomal karyotype (MK) and complex karyotype (CK) are more common in older patients. Further, recent studies have revealed direct proportion between the number of chromosome abnormalities and mortality rates in both pediatric as well as old patients affected by AML. Moreover, to be specific 5q, 7q and/or 17p loss lead to higher mortality rates in comparison to loss of to MK.  The present review article would put light on current views of important chromosomal changes during AML, especially in pediatric patients.

Background: Involvement status of lymph node (LN) is one of the most important prognostic factors for esophagogastric junction (EGJ) adenocarcinoma. However, the prognostic value of the number of examined LNs remains unclear in node-negative (pN0) Siewert type II EGJ adenocarcinoma., Methods: A cohort of 262 patients who underwent curative surgery for pN0 Siewert type II EGJ adenocarcinoma from January 2000 to August 2013 were retrospectively analyzed from high-volume center database. All enrolled patients were categorized into 3 groups according to the number of examined LNs (≤14, 15 to 21, ≥22). Kaplan-Meier curves were used for comparing the differences of cancer-specific survival among groups; Correlation between survival and the number of examined LNs were analyzed by using stratified, uni- and multivariate analyses., Results: The hazard ratio for cancer-specific mortality decreased sequentially with increasing number of LNs examined. The 5-year cancer-specific survival rates were 45.1%, 58.4% and 65.7% for patients with ≤14 LNs, 15 to 21 and ≥ 22 LNs removed, respectively. The number of removed LNs was significantly correlated with survival in stratified analyses according to T stage. In multivariate model controlling for gender, age, surgical approach, tumor grade, and postoperative chemotherapy, the number of removed LNs and T stage were confirmed to be independent prognostic factors and significantly correlated with disease-specific survival., Conclusion: The number of examined LNs is an independent prognostic factor of survival for patients with pN0 Siewert type II EGJ adenocarcinoma. Adequate dissection of LNs (more than 15 LNs) is recommended for patients undergoing curative resection., (Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The formation of carbonaceous deposits (coke) in zeolite pores during catalysis leads to temporary deactivation of catalyst, necessitating regeneration steps, affecting throughput, and resulting in partial permanent loss of catalytic efficiency. Yet, even to date, the coke molecule distribution is quite challenging to study with high spatial resolution from surface to bulk of the catalyst particles at a single particle level. To address this challenge we investigated the coke molecules in HZSM-5 catalyst after ethanol conversion treatment by a combination of C K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), 13 C Cross polarization-magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (CP-MAS NMR) spectroscopy, and atom probe tomography (APT). XAS and NMR highlighted the aromatic character of coke molecules. APT permitted the imaging of the spatial distribution of hydrocarbon molecules located within the pores of spent HZSM-5 catalyst from surface to bulk at a single particle level. 27 Al NMR results and APT results indicated association of coke molecules with Al enriched regions within the spent HZSM-5 catalyst particles. The experimental results were additionally validated by a level-set-based APT field evaporation model. These results provide a new approach to investigate catalytic deactivation due to hydrocarbon coking or poisoning of zeolites at an unprecedented spatial resolution.

Objective: To describe the technique for minimally invasive Sweet esophagectomy and to evaluate the feasibility, safety and the short-term clinical outcomes of this approach in the treatment of Siewert type Ⅱ esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma. Methods: The clinical data of 122 patients with Siewert type Ⅱ esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma who received Sweet esophagectomy between October 2013 and June 2015 in Department of Thoracic Surgery, Anhui Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Anhui Medical University was analyzed retrospectively. The study group consisted of 87 men and 35 women, and the ages ranged from 48 to 78 years (median: 67 years). Of those 122 patients, 47 underwent minimally invasive approach and 75 underwent open left transthoracic sweet esophagectomy. This study included 16 stage Ⅰa patients, 35 stage Ⅰb patients, 32 stage Ⅱa patients, 28 stage Ⅱb patients, and 11 stage Ⅲa patients. The clinicopathologic factors, operational factors and postoperative complications of the two groups were compared by t test and χ 2 test. Results: The two groups were similar in terms of gender, age, American Society of Anesthesiologists grade, preoperative staging and incidence of comorbidities ( P >0.05). The minimally invasive approach was associated with significant increase in the number of total lymph nodes dissected or the stations of the total lymph nodes dissected (18.1±2.7 vs . 15.0±2.5, t = 6.612, P =0.001; 8.9±1.1 vs . 6.7±1.2, t =9.960, P =0.003), significant decrease in surgical blood loss ((88±32) ml vs . (120±34) ml, t =5.052, P =0.001), chest tube duration ((8±4) d vs . (10±4) d, t =3.110, P =0.002) and postoperative stay ((9±5) d vs . (12±4) d, t =3.167, P =0.002) relative to the open approach. The postoperative in-hospital mortality and total morbidity did not differ between the two groups ( P >0.05). The minimally invasive approach was associated with significantly fewer respiratory complications than the open approach (8.5% vs . 22.7%, χ 2 =4.063, P =0.044). Conclusion: Minimally invasive technique for Siewert type Ⅱ esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma can be safely and effectively performed for intrathoracic anastomosis with favorable early outcomes.

The clinical significance of serum S-100β levels in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), as a reference index to assess HIE severity, was evaluated in this study. On the basis of our strict inclusion and exclusion criteria, relevant high-quality case-control studies reporting the association between HIE and S-100β protein were selected from electronic database searches. The STATA version 12.0 software was used for the statistical analyses. The database search initially retrieved 93 studies (37 in English and 56 in Chinese), and following a multistep screening process, 13 high-quality studies were eventually included in our meta-analysis. The 13 case-control studies included a total of 646 HIE neonates and 381 healthy controls. The results of this meta-analysis revealed that serum S-100β levels in mild, moderate, and severe HIE neonates were significantly higher than those in healthy controls, and the differences were statistically significant. Importantly, the serum S-100β levels increased incrementally with HIE severity. Our results support the hypothesis that S-100β is an important biological indicator of HIE and serum S-100β levels can be used as a reference index to assess HIE severity.

Peripheral nerve injury has been shown to result in ectopic spontaneous discharges on soma and injured sites of sensory neurons, thereby inducing neuropathic pain. With the increase of membrane proteins on soma and injured site neurons, the negatively charged sialic acids bind to the external domains of membrane proteins, resulting in an increase of this charge. We therefore speculate that the electrophoretic velocity of injured neurons may be faster than non-injured neurons. The present study established rat models of neuropathic pain via chronic constriction injury. Results of the cell electrophoresis test revealed that the electrophoretic velocity of injured neuronal cells was faster than that of non-injured (control) cells. We then treated cells with divalent cations of Ca(2+) and organic compounds with positive charges, polylysine to counteract the negatively charged sialic acids, or neuraminidase to specifically remove sialic acids from the membrane surface of injured neurons. All three treatments significantly reduced the electrophoretic velocity of injured neuronal cells. These findings suggest that enhanced sialic acids on injured neurons may accelerate the electrophoretic velocity of injured neurons.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) and its animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), are autoimmune diseases characterized by the immune-mediated demyelination and neurodegeneration of the CNS. Our previous studies showed that Rho kinase inhibitor Fasudil can delay onset, and ameliorate severity of EAE, accompanied by the improvement in myelination and the inhibition of inflammatory responses in the CNS. In this study, we found that Fasudil inhibited the migration of T cells indirectly by affecting the production of inflammatory factors and the expression of chemokines in astrocytes functions, indicating that Fasudil treatment reduced inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-6, reactive oxygen species (NO) and chemokines like MIP-3α (CCL-20), RANTES (CCL5), MIP-1α (CCL-3) and MCP-1 (CCL2) in vitro, and blocked the chemotaxis of reactive mononuclear cells in EAE mice. Further studies found that Fasudil treatment reduced the infiltration and accumulation of pathogenic T cells into the CNS. Astrocytes expressing GFAP and CCL-20 were inhibited in Fasudil-treated EAE compared with control mice. These results demonstrate that Fasudil alleviates the pathogenesis of EAE possibly by blocking astrocyte-derived chemokine-mediated migration of inflammatory macrophages and pathogenic T cells, and might be used to treat MS., (Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Objective: To observe the effect of Tangke Decoction (TD) on the expression of TGF-beta1/Smad4 of rats with early diabetes and to explore the effect and mechanism of TD against the renal injury induced by diabetes., Methods: SD rats were randomly divided into the normal control group (n = 12), the model group (n = 10), the Chinese herbs prevented group (n =10), the Chinese herbs treated group (n = 10), and the Western medicine control group (n = 10). TD (18 mg/kg) was given by gastrogavage to rats in the Chinese herbs prevented group immediately after successful modeling for 12 weeks, once daily. At the 4th week of successful modeling, rats in the rest 4 groups were administered by gastrogavage. Equal volume of normal saline was given to rats in the model group and the normal control group. Benazepril suspension (1 mg/kg) was administered by gastrogavage to rats in the Western medicine control group for 8 weeks, once daily. TD (18 mg/kg) was given by gastrogavage to rats in the Chinese herbs treated group for 8 weeks, once daily. The body weight, kidney weight, index of kidney weight, fasting blood sugar, 24 h urinary albumin excretion rate were examined after experiment. The pathological changes of the renal tissue were observed by HE staining, Masson staining, and electron microscope. The expression of renal transforming growth factor-beta1, (TGF-beta1) and Smad4 were detected using immunohistochemical assay., Results: Compared with the normal control group, the body weight of rats decreased significantly; the kidney weight, index of kidney weight, blood sugar, 24 h urinary protein excretion, the urinary albumin excretion rate,TGF-beta1 and Smad4 expression increased significantly in the model group (all P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the aforesaid indices were improved in each treatment group with statistical difference (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared with the Western medicine control group, the kidney weight, index of kidney weight, blood sugar, 24 h urinary protein excretion, and the urinary albumin excretion rate were obviously improved in the Chinese herbs prevented group (P < 0.01). The renal pathological changes were most obvious in the model group significantly, but they were improved in all treatment groups., Conclusion: TD could obviously improve the symptoms of diabetes and down-regulate the expression of renal TGF-beta1 and Smad4 of early diabetic nephropathy rats, which suggested that TD had certain preventive effect on early diabetic nephropathy.

Background: Esophagectomy represents the gold standard in the treatment of resectable esophageal carcinoma. This retrospective study evaluated the significance of minimally invasive Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy (MIILE) for the treatment of esophageal carcinoma., Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 269 patients with esophageal carcinoma who received Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy in our center between October 2011 and January 2013. Of those 269 patients, 106 underwent MIILE and 163 underwent open Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy (OILE). The clinicopathologic factors, operational factors, and postoperative complications were compared., Results: The two groups were similar in terms of age, sex, smoking history, American Society of Anesthesiologists grade, tumor location, preoperative staging, and incidence of comorbidities. The MIILE approach was associated with a significant decrease in surgical blood loss (p=0.04), chest tube duration (p=0.02), and postoperative stay (p=0.02) relative to the OILE approach. The postoperative in-hospital mortality and total morbidity did not differ between the two groups. The MIILE approach was associated with significantly fewer wound infections than the OILE approach (p=0.04). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the number of total lymph nodes dissected (p=0.69) or the locations of the total lymph nodes dissected (p=0.42)., Conclusions: Our MIILE technique can be safely and effectively performed for intrathoracic anastomosis during esophageal operations with favorable early outcomes., (Copyright © 2014 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Conopomorpha sinensis Bradley (Lepidoptera: Gracilariidae) is one of the major fruit borer pests of litchi and longan in Southern China. Although chemical control is effective, alternative, biorational strategies are preferable, and should be developed. Predators play an important role in the biological control of agricultural pests, but an accurate method for the evaluation of predation in agriculture has not yet been developed. Here, we report a new, specific primer pair to amplify a C. sinensis cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequence fragment that can be used to detect consumption of C. sinensis by its predators. C. sinensis DNA was found in several arthropods collected in the field, including the important C. sinensis predators M enochilus sexmaculata (Coccinellidae), Leucauge magnifica (Tetragnathidae), Propylea japonica (Coccinellidae), and Oxyopes sertatus (Oxyopidae). The detection rates of C. sinensis COI DNA in these predators were 39.3, 36.4, 27.3, and 27.2%, respectively. Laboratory consumption and hunting capacity analysis of M. sexmaculata and P. japonica adults indicated that they exhibit a Holling type II functional response on C. sinensis eggs under field temperatures. A polymerase chain reaction digestion analysis of M. sexmaculata and P. japonica adults after consumption of a single C. sinensis egg indicated that positive detection decreased with the extension of digestion time, and estimated prey DNA half-lives were 16.3 h in M. sexmaculata and 6.0 h in P. japonica. These data serve to characterize two major predators of C. sinensis with potential for biological control of C. sinensis in litchi orchards.

Insulin is a secreted peptide hormone identified in human pancreas to promote glucose utilization. Insulin has been observed to induce cell proliferation and myogenesis in C2C12 cells. The precise mechanisms underlying the proliferation of C2C12 cells induced by insulin remain unclear. In this study, we observed for the first time that 10 nM insulin treatment promotes C2C12 cell proliferation. Additionally, 50 and 100 nM insulin treatment induces C2C12 cell apoptosis. By utilizing real-time PCR and Western blotting analysis, we found that the mRNA levels of cyclinD1 and BAD are induced upon 10 and 50 nM/100 nM insulin treatment, respectively. The similar results were observed in C2C12 cells expressing GATA-6 or PPARα. Our results identify for the first time the downstream targets of insulin, cyclin D1, and BAD, elucidate a new molecular mechanism of insulin in promoting cell proliferation and apoptosis., (© 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objective: To investigate the feasibility and safety of video-assisted thoracoscopic esophagectomy for esophageal carcinoma and gastro-esophageal anastomosis in right thoracic cavity., Methods: The clinical data of 120 patients who underwent esophagectomy for esophageal carcinoma and gastro-esophageal anastomosis in right thoracic cavity from March to December 2011 was analyzed retrospectively. In the video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery group, there were 60 patients [41 male and 19 female patients with aver age of (62 ± 7) years old] who underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic esophagectomy for esophageal carcinoma and gastro-esophageal anastomosis in right thoracic cavity. In the routine thoracotomy group, there were 60 patients [39 male and 21 female patients with aver age of (62 ± 9) years old] who underwent routine thoracotomy esophagectomy for esophageal carcinoma and gastro-esophageal anastomosis in right thoracic cavity. Operation time, intra-operative blood loss, postoperative total thoracic drainage in 3 days, total number of harvested lymph nodes, hospitalization, cost of hospitalization and complications were compared between the two groups., Result: The operations were carried out successfully in two groups. There was no perioperative death in all patients. There was no statistical difference in intra-operative blood loss, postoperative total thoracic drainage and cost of hospitalization between the two groups. Operation time of rideo-assisted thoracoscopic surgery group was significantly longer than that of thoracotomy group ((188 ± 38) minutes vs. (138 ± 50) minutes, t = 6.171, P = 0.000), but postoperative hospitalization was significantly lower ((14 ± 3) d vs. (18 ± 6) d, t = -4.093, P = 0.000) and total number of harvested lymph nodes was lower (17 ± 9 vs. 21 ± 11, t = -2.058, P = 0.042). There was significantly statistical difference in total postoperative main complication (25.0% vs. 48.3%, χ(2) = 7.033, P = 0.008). And postoperative incisional infection of VATE group patients was significantly lower than that of thoracotomy group patients (6.7% vs. 25.0%, χ(2) = 7.566, P = 0.006)., Conclusions: Video-assisted thoracoscopic esophagectomy for esophageal carcinoma and gastro-esophageal anastomosis in right thoracic cavity is technically feasible and safe, with minimized trauma and quick recovery. The recent result is satisfactory.