Brazilin-Ce nanoparticles attenuate inflammation by de/anti-phosphorylation of IKKβ.

Inflammation is associated with a series of diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease and infection, and phosphorylation/dephosphorylation modification of proteins are important in inflammation regulation. Here we designed and synthesized a novel Brazilin-Ce nanoparticle (BX-Ce NPs) using Brazilin, which has been used for anti-inflammation in cardiovascular diseases but with narrow therapeutic window, and Cerium (IV), a lanthanide which has the general activity in catalyzing the hydrolysis of phosphoester bonds, to conferring de/anti-phosphorylation of IKKβ. We found that BX-Ce NPs specifically bound to Asn225 and Lys428 of IKKβ and inhibited its phosphorylation at Ser181, contributing to appreciably anti-inflammatory effect in cellulo (IC = 2.

Peritoneal Amyloid as a Presenting Manifestation of AL Amyloid.

Amyloid is a systemic disease characterized by extracellular deposition of misfolded protein. Gastrointestinal and peritoneal deposition of light chain (AL) amyloid is an under-recognized manifestation of this systemic disease, usually as a late sequela. Here we present a case of recently diagnosed AL peritoneal amyloid that presented in the context of recurrent, acute onset abdominal discomfort and was found to have bowel obstruction complicated by perforation in the setting of AL-mediated gastrointestinal tract infiltration and dysmotility.

Effectiveness and Safety of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Treating COVID-19: Clinical Evidence from China.

When the outbreak of COVID-19 occurred in 2020, the Chinese government promptly undertook a series of preventive control and medical treatment measures that have effectively reduced the infection and mortality rates of COVID-19. In the process of preventing COVID-19 transmission and treating COVID-19, the Chinese government actively promotes the use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and a series of studies have been carried out to determine the efficacy of TCM for COVID-19. Chinese physicians have accumulated rich experiences and created three Chinese patent medicines (i.

Sirtuin 3 Restores Synthesis and Secretion of Very Low-Density Lipoproteins in Cow Hepatocytes Challenged with Nonesterified Fatty Acids In Vitro.

Fatty liver is closely associated with elevated concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) and a low level of very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) in blood of dairy cows. High NEFA inhibit the VLDL synthesis and assembly, and cause hepatic triacylglycerol (TAG) deposition. Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3), a mitochondrial deacetylase, antagonizes NEFA-induced TAG accumulation through modulating expressions of fatty acid synthesis and oxidation genes in cow hepatocytes.

Sirtuin 3 improves fatty acid metabolism in response to high nonesterified fatty acids in calf hepatocytes by modulating gene expression.

Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3), a mitochondrial deacetylase, is a key regulator of energy metabolism in the liver. In nonruminants, the hepatic abundance of SIRT3 is decreased in individuals with nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases, and recovery of SIRT3 alleviates hepatic triacylglycerol (TG) deposition. However, the level of SIRT3 expression and its effects on lipid metabolism in dairy cows have not been characterized.

Association between serum vitamin D levels and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

Objective: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) was the most common neuro-otological disorder manifests as recurrent positional vertigo, but its risk factors are elusive. Recent studies suggest that decreased Vitamin D level may be a risk factor, but the literature is inconsistent.

Methods: The databases PubMed, Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, SinoMed, and Embase were systematically searched for studies on the association between BPPV and  serum Vitamin D levels published up to June 2019.

Increased risk of carotid atherosclerosis for long-term exposure to indoor coal-burning pollution in rural area, Hebei Province, China.

Smoky coal burning is a predominant manner for heating and cooking in most rural areas, China. Air pollution is associated with the risk of atherosclerosis, however, the link between indoor air pollution induced by smoky coal burning and atherosclerosis is not very clear. Therefore, we designed a cross-sectional study to evaluate the association of long-term exposure to smoky coal burning pollutants with the risk of atherosclerosis.

Hepatic nuclear factor kappa B signaling pathway and NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 inflammasome is over-activated in ketotic dairy cows.

Ketosis is an important metabolic disease that can negatively affect the production efficiency of dairy cows. Earlier studies have revealed metabolic and inflammatory alterations in the blood associated with ketosis; however, a link between ketosis and hepatic inflammation has not been well documented. The objective of this study was to investigate whether the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway and NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome were activated in the liver of ketotic cows.

[Spectrum-effect relationships on enriching blood activities of fresh and dry roots of Angelica sinensis].

Ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(LC-MS) was used to establish the chromatography fingerprint for fresh(FRAS) and dry(RAS) roots of Angelica sinensis from 10 different places. The rat model of blood deficiency was established by acetyl-phenyl-hydrazine(APH) and cyclophosphamide(CTX). Then grey relational analysis(GRA) and partial least squares regression(PLS) were used to investigate the spectrum-effect relationship between the relative contents and the data of enriching blood pharmacodynamics efficacy.

[Spectrum-effect relationships on enriching blood activities of aerial parts of Angelica sinenis].

Ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) was used to establish the chromatography fingerprint for aerial parts of Angelica sinenis(AAS) from 10 different places. Acetyl-phenyl-hydrazine(APH) was used to duplicate the mouse model of blood deficiency. Then partial least squares regression was used to investigate the spectrum-effect relationship between the relative contents and the data of enriching blood pharmacodynamics efficacy.

Nobiletin alleviates palmitic acid‑induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation in a sirtuin 1‑dependent manner in AML‑12 cells.

The NOD‑like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome has been reported to contribute to palmitic acid (PA)‑induced lipotoxicity. Nobiletin (Nob) is a polymethoxylated flavonoid derived from citrus fruits that has been reported to exert antioxidant and antitumor effects. However, its protective and regulatory mechanisms in PA‑induced lipotoxicity remain unclear.

Impaired hepatic autophagic activity in dairy cows with severe fatty liver is associated with inflammation and reduced liver function.

The ability of liver to respond to changes in nutrient availability is essential for the maintenance of metabolic homeostasis. Autophagy encompasses mechanisms of cell survival, including capturing, degrading, and recycling of intracellular proteins and organelles in lysosomes. During negative nutrient status, autophagy provides substrates to sustain cellular metabolism and hence, tissue function.

Adaptations of hepatic lipid metabolism and mitochondria in dairy cows with mild fatty liver.

The inevitable deficiency in nutrients and energy at the onset of lactation requires an optimal adaptation of the hepatic metabolism to overcome metabolic stress. Fatty liver is one of the main health disorders after parturition. Therefore, to investigate changes in hepatic lipid metabolic status and mitochondria in dairy cows with mild fatty liver, liver and blood samples were collected from healthy cows (n = 15) and cows with mild fatty liver (n = 15).

Characterization of the Immune Microenvironment in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) often arises in the setting of chronic liver inflammation and may be responsive to novel immunotherapies. To characterize the immune microenvironment in HCC, IHC staining was performed for CD8-positive T lymphocytes, PD-1-positive, and LAG-3-positive lymphocytes, CD163-positive macrophages, and PD-L1 expression in tumor and liver background from 29 cases of resected HCC. Expression of CD8 was reduced in tumor, and expression of CD163 was reduced at the tumor interface.

Lack of association between the P413L variant of chromogranin B and ALS risk or age at onset: a meta-analysis.

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the most common motor neuron disease, is thought to result from interaction of genetic and environmental risk factors. Whether the potentially functional exonic P413L variant in the chromogranin B gene influences ALS risk and age at onset is controversial.

Method: We meta-analysed or other studies assessing the association between the P413L variant and ALS risk or age at ALS onset indexed in Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and SinoMed databases.

Adherence reporting in clinical trials of type 2 Diabetes Metellius in the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Objective: To assess the medication adherence reporting in clinical trials the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and the impact factors of medication adherence.

Methods: Reviewed and evaluated were all randomized clinical trials in the field of TCM in treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus published in Chinese journals in 2012, in terms of their medication adherence, adherence measurement, and impacted factors of adherence.

Results: Finally 124 studies were included.

Widespread somatic L1 retrotransposition occurs early during gastrointestinal cancer evolution.

Somatic L1 retrotransposition events have been shown to occur in epithelial cancers. Here, we attempted to determine how early somatic L1 insertions occurred during the development of gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. Using L1-targeted resequencing (L1-seq), we studied different stages of four colorectal cancers arising from colonic polyps, seven pancreatic carcinomas, as well as seven gastric cancers.

Detection of circulating tumor DNA in early- and late-stage human malignancies.

The development of noninvasive methods to detect and monitor tumors continues to be a major challenge in oncology. We used digital polymerase chain reaction-based technologies to evaluate the ability of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) to detect tumors in 640 patients with various cancer types. We found that ctDNA was detectable in >75% of patients with advanced pancreatic, ovarian, colorectal, bladder, gastroesophageal, breast, melanoma, hepatocellular, and head and neck cancers, but in less than 50% of primary brain, renal, prostate, or thyroid cancers.

Clinical research of traditional chinese medicine needs to develop its own system of core outcome sets.

Currently, quality issues concerning clinical research of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have come into the spotlight. It has been recognized that poorly-devised research methodology largely restricted the development of clinical research in TCM. The choice of appropriate outcome measurements is key to the success of clinical research; however, the current procedure for outcomes selection in clinical research of TCM is problematic due to the underdevelopment of clinical methodology.

A Case Report of Primary Recurrent Malignant Melanoma of the Urinary Bladder.

Primary malignant melanoma of the urinary bladder is a rare neoplasm, with only 19 cases reported to date. We present a case report of an 84-year-old woman who underwent transurethral resection of a mucosal melanoma of bladder origin. She had no previous or concurrent diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma.

The key role of Shenyan Kangfu tablets, a Chinese patent medicine for diabetic nephropathy: study protocol for a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Background: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major microvascular complication with diabetes. In China, an estimated 34.7 percent of people diagnosed with diabetes have renal complications and a further 50 percent die of renal failure.

Hypoxia and hypoxia-inducible factor in the burn wound.

The importance of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) in promoting angiogenesis and vasculogenesis during wound healing has been demonstrated. It is widely accepted that HIF activity can be promoted by many factors, including hypoxia in the wound or cytokines from inflammatory cells infiltrating the wound. However, there has not been a systematic exploration of the relationship between HIF activity and hypoxia in the burn wound.

Hypoxia reduces TGFbeta1-induced corneal keratocyte myofibroblast transformation.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether transient hypoxia had an effect on transforming growth factor beta1 (TGFbeta1)-induced rabbit corneal keratocyte myofibroblast transformation.

Methods: Primary isolated rabbit corneal keratocytes were cultured in a serum-free medium. The effect of transient hypoxia treatment (1% oxygen, 4 h/day) on TGFbeta1 (5 ng/ml)-induced alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SM actin) expression was examined by immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, and immunocytochemistry 72 h after treatment.