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A study addressing the influence of type 2 diabetes on the prognosis of acute-on-chronic liver failure patients was reviewed. Some statistical deficiencies were found in the reviewed article, and the sample size was too small to support the study. In addition, age should have been considered as one of the prognostic factors.

Objective: to prepare and evaluate orally disintegrating films of liquorice inclusion complexes. Methods: the active components of Chinese liquorice were extracted by pressurised extraction technique, and the inclusion complexes were prepared by antisolvent method, while the buccal disintegration films of liquorice inclusion complexes were prepared by solvent casting method, and the prepared buccal disintegration films were evaluated. Results: the home-made liquorice inclusion complexes orally disintegrated films formed better films, had good hardness and toughness, the thickness was around 0.1 mm and could disintegrate within 40 s, and the dissolution was rapid, the cumulative release reached 80.1% within 10 min, reaching the immediate release effect. Conclusion: the prepared buccal disintegrating membranes of liquorice inclusion complexes, which are expected to provide new ideas for the development and study of other drugs in the future, deserve further investigation.

Highlights • TRIM25, a novel host factor, inhibits replication of PRRSV. • PRRSV N protein impedes TRIM25–RIG-I interactions by competitively binding TRIM25. • PRRSV N inhibits TRIM25 expression and RIG-I ubiquitination to suppress IFN-β production. • TRIM25 diminishes the inhibitory effect of PRRSV N on RIG-I ubiquitination., Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is caused by PRRS virus (PRRSV), and is characterized by respiratory diseases in piglet and reproductive disorders in sow. Identification of sustainable and effective measures to mitigate PRRSV transmission is a pressing problem. The nucleocapsid (N) protein of PRRSV plays a crucial role in inhibiting host innate immunity during PRRSV infection. In the current study, a new host-restricted factor, tripartite motif protein 25 (TRIM25), was identified as an inhibitor of PRRSV replication. Co-immunoprecipitation assay indicated that the PRRSV N protein interferes with TRIM25–RIG-I interactions by competitively interacting with TRIM25. Furthermore, N protein inhibits the expression of TRIM25 and TRIM25-mediated RIG-I ubiquitination to suppress interferon β production. Furthermore, with increasing TRIM25 expression, the inhibitory effect of N protein on the ubiquitination of RIG-I diminished. These results indicate for the first time that TRIM25 inhibits PRRSV replication and that the N protein antagonizes the antiviral activity by interfering with TRIM25-mediated RIG-I ubiquitination. This not only provides a theoretical basis for the development of drugs to control PRRSV replication, but also better explains the mechanism through which the PRRSV N protein inhibits innate immune responses of the host.

Objective To assess the effect of curcumin on CDDP-induced drug resistance and explore the underlying molecular mechanism through Nrf2 system and autophagy pathway. Methods A drug-resistant cell model was established by exposing A549/CDDP cell to 2 μg/mL CDDP. A549/CDDP cell was treated with 20 μg/mL CDDP and 10 μM curcumin. The cell viability and apoptosis level, the signals of Keap1/P62-Nrf2 and autophagy pathway were analyzed. Results CDDP induction promoted drug-resistant phenotype in A549/CDDP cell and activated autophagy as well as Nrf2 signals in A549/CDDP cell. Meanwhile, curcumin combination attenuated autophagy and Nrf2 activation induced by CDDP, and reversed the drug-resistant phenotype. Notably, curcumin combination augmented Keap1 transcription. Furthermore, Keap1 ablation with short hairpin RNAs hampered the efficacy of curcumin, suggesting Keap1 played a crucial role on reversal effect of curcumin. Conclusions The present findings demonstrate that CDDP promotes abnormal activation of Nrf2 pathway and autophagy, leading to drug resistance of A549/CDDP cell. Curcumin attenuates this process and combat drug-resistance through its potent activation on Keap1 transcription, which is essential for interplay between oxidative stress induced Nrf2 activation and autophagy/apoptosis switch.

Slewing bearings are the basic structural components widely used in construction machinery industry. Their stress status and distribution have great influence on the service life. A finite element approach for a single-row slewing bearing is established based on the bilinear isotropic model. The stress status at different loading conditions is simulated with the bearing geometric and material parameters. The result shows that the numerical simulation is reasonable in comparison with the analytical result obtained by Hertz’s theory and provides reliable design guideline for slewing bearings.

Three new dioxopiperazine metabolites (1-3), together with two known compounds, N-acetyltyramine (4) and cyclo-(Ala-Val) (5), were isolated from a marine-derived fungus Aspergillus fumigatus Fres. Their structures were established by spectroscopic methods. Their cytotoxic activities against the K562 cell line were preliminarily evaluated by the sulphorhodamine B (SRB) method.

To obtain ready-to-use wine malolactic starter cultures with high viability, the effects of acid stress treatments on the growth, inoculation viability, freeze-drying viability, and membrane fatty acid composition of the native Oenococcus oeni SD-2a strain were studied. The results showed that pH 3.5 and 3.2 adaptive treatments did not strongly decrease cell biomass but increased distinctly inoculation viability and freeze-drying viability. Concerning the membrane fatty acid composition, it was observed that acid stress conditions increased significantly the relative concentration of lactobacillic acid (C19cyc11) and the unsaturated:saturated fatty acid ratio in cell membrane lipids. We assumed that acid-induced cross protective responses could be used in preparing ready-to-use O. oeni SD-2a malolactic starter cultures, and the accumulation of lactobacillic acid in the membrane of O. oeni SD-2a cells appears as an acid stress response mechanism, which might be related with the enhanced viability.

A new gliotoxin analogue (1), as well as four known compounds gliotoxin (2), bisdethiobis (methylthio) gliotoxin (3), bis-N-norgliovictin (4) and didehydrobisdethiobis (methylthio) gliotoxin (5), were isolated from a culture of marine-derived fungus Aspergillus fumigatus Fres. The structure of 1 was determined on the basis of spectroscopic methods. All five compounds were evaluated for the cytotoxic effects on tsFT210 cell line by the SRB method.

New types of enantiopure compounds were synthesized to gain better insight into the structural features of phenylene ethynylene cyclophynes. Besides the previously obtained meta-substituted arylene ethynylenes, 1, ortho-connected phenylene ethynylene units were incorporated to give cyclophynes with ortho/meta and ortho/ortho connection modes, 2 and 3. Furthermore, a diphenylethyne component was also accommodated in 4. Both ab initio calculations and NMR spectra suggest a large amount of strain for 2 but less strain for 3 and 1 a, the latter having the smallest ring size among cyclophynes with the meta/meta connection mode. The CD spectra of 2 and 3 showed a characteristic shoulder at around 340 nm, similar to the case of 1 a. This implies that the aromatic acetylene bonds cross over each other in the double-helical structure. These results indicate that chirality information is useful for probing the persistency of molecular shape.

A simple 3M-dimensional loop algebra is produced, whose commutation operation defined by us is as simple and straightforward as that in the loop algebra A1. It follows that a general scheme for generating multi-component integrable hierarchy is proposed. By taking advantage of , a new isospectral problem is established, and then by making use of the Tu scheme the well-known multi-component Levi hierarchy is obtained. Finally, an expanding loop algebra M of the loop algebra is presented, based on the M, the multi-component integrable coupling system of the multi-component Levi hierarchy is worked out. The method in this paper can be applied to other nonlinear evolution equation hierarchies.

This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of intracavitary administration of recombinant human endostatin (Endostar) combined with cisplatin chemotherapy in treating malignant pleural effusion and ascites. Forty-five patients with malignant pleural effusion and ascites were divided into the EP group (n = 23), who received Endostar and cisplatin intracavitarily, and P group (n = 22), who were intracavitarily treated with cisplatin only. Pleural effusion and ascites were completely drained before treatments. The treatment was administered once a week; two treatments were considered as one course. The outcome quality of life as well as toxicity were evaluated. The objective overall response and disease control rates were, respectively, 78.3 % (18/23) and 87.0 % (20/23) in EP group. In contrast, these parameters were significantly (p < 0.05) lower in P groups: 40.9 % (9/22) and 59.1 % (13/22), respectively. The improvement rate of Karnofsky Performance Status was 87.0 % (20/23) in EP group versus 59.1 % (13/22) in P group (p < 0.05). All patients tolerated the combined treatment well, and no severe adverse effects were observed. Intracavitary injection of Endostar combined with cisplatin is effective and safe to treat malignant pleural effusion and ascites.

To prospectively evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of irinotecan plus cisplatin (IP regimen) compared with gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GP regimen) as a first-line treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).A total of 63 patients were randomly assigned to two regimens. IP Group (31 patients): irinotecan 100 mg/m(2), iv, d1 and d8; cisplatin 25 mg/m(2), iv, d1 to d3, and 3 weeks a cycle. GP Group (32 patients): gemcitabine 1000 mg/m(2), d1 and d8; cisplatin 25 mg/m(2), iv, d1 to d3, and 3 weeks a cycle. All the patients at least received two cycles of therapy. The response rate (RR), disease control rate (DCR), median time to tumor progression (TTP), median survival time (MST), l-year survival rate, and side effects were observed.Among the 31 cases of IP group, 8 patients had PR, 17 patients had SD and 6 patients had PD. The RR and DCR were 25.8% (8/31) and 80.6% (25/31), respectively. The TTP was 6.7 months, MST was 11.2 months and the 1-year survival rate was 45.2% (14/31). Among 32 cases in the GP group, 11 patients had PR, 18 patients had SD and 3 patients had PD. The RR and DCR were 34.4% (11/32) and 90.6% (29/32), respectively. The TTP was 6.5 months, MST was 11.0 months and the 1-year survival rate was 43.7% (14/32). The main side effects of the two groups included hematologic toxicities, digestive tract reaction and hair loss. The incidence of diarrhea in the IP group was significantly higher than that in the GP group (P0.05), but the incidence of thrombocytopenia in the GP group was significantly higher than that in the IP group (P0.01).Our findings demonstrate that the two regimens have similar efficacy as a first-line treatment for advanced NSCLC. The major toxicities of the two regimens are well tolerable.

To observe and compare the response rate and toxicity of irinotecan or oxaliplatin combined with capecitabine in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer.Sixty-three patients with advanced gastric cancer were randomly divided into two groups. The CPT-11 + CAP group consisted of 32 patients who received irinotecan plus capecitabine: CPT-11 100 mg/m(2) was injected in 90 minutes on d 1, 8;capecitabine 2000 mg/m(2), bid, with the first dose in the evening of day 1 and last dose the morning of day 15, repeated for every 21 days. The L-OHP + CAP group consisted of 31 patients who received oxaliplatin plus capecitabine: oxaliplatin 100 mg/m(2) on day 1, capecitabine 2000 mg/m(2), bid, with the first dose in the evening of day 1 and last dose the morning of day 15, repeated for every 21 days. Two or more cycle chemotherapy was completed in each group.In the CPT-11 + CAP group, no patient achieved complete response and 13 patients achieved partia1 response. The overall response rate was 40.6% (13/32), and the median progression-free survival time was 6.3 months. In the L-OHP + CAP group, no patient achieved complete response and 12 patients achieved partial response. The overall response rate was 38.7% (12/31), and the median progression-free survival time was 6.1 months. There was no significant difference between them (P0.05). The most common toxicities were gastrointestinal reaction, peripheral neuropathy and myelosuppression in the two groups. Patients in CPT-11 + CAP group experienced more III/IV diarrhea (28.1%/3.2%, P = 0.018). On the contrary, the rate of III/IV neurotoxicity in the group B was higher (25.8%/3.1%, P = 0.027). No chemotherapy-related death occurred.The therapeutic effects of irinotecan or oxaliplatin combined with capecitabine in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer are good and comparable, and their toxicities are tolerable.

To explore the function of placental trophoblast cell apoptosis on the pathogenetic mechanism of pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH).Apoptosis of trophoblast cells in 20 cases of PIH (PIH group) and in 10 cases of normal pregnancy (control group) were directly observed using the terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated d-UTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) method. Apoptosis gene expression patterns were screened with gene chip provided by Poxing Company, Shanghai. Standards for differently expressed genes were: (1) An absolute value of the natural logarithm of cy5 (PIH group)/cy3 (control group) greater than 0.69 with a difference of signal of cy5 2 times over that of cy3. (2) The signal value either cy3 or cy5 must be greater than 800.(1) TUNEL test showed that the number of trophoblast cells apoptosis per ten thousand micro m(2) was 1.584 in the PIH group and 0.032 in the control group with significant difference between the two groups (P0.01). (2) Ten differently expressed apoptosis genes were obtained through gene chip test (occupy 5% of total apoptosis gene in the gene chip). There was a significant decrease of apoptosis gene expression in all of PIH patient placental tissues (i.e a ratio of cy5/cy3 less than 1). Among them, there were genes that possess significant anti-apoptosis functions (including SFRP(2), IAP(2), DHCY24 and ATPIA1).Remarkable apoptosis was found in placental trophoblast cells of PIH patients. Significant decrease in genes with anti-apoptosis functions can result in the apoptosis of placental trophoblast cells and thus contributes to the pathogenesis of PIH.