Berberine blocks inflammasome activation and alleviates diabetic cardiomyopathy via the miR‑18a‑3p/Gsdmd pathway.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a cardiovascular disease which has been reported as a major cause of mortality worldwide for several years. Berberine (BBR) is a natural compound extracted from a Chinese herb, with a clinically reported anti‑DCM effect; however, its molecular mechanisms have not yet been fully elucidated. The present study indicated that BBR markedly alleviated DCM by inhibiting IL‑1β secretion and the expression of gasdermin D (Gsdmd) at the post‑transcriptional level.

Cloning and respond of a cold shock domain protein (CnCSDP) gene to cold stress in noble scallop Chlamys nobilis (Bivalve: Pectinidae).

Cold shock domain proteins (CSDPs) play various roles in cellular processes, including adaptation to low temperature in mollusk. In this study, the cDNA encoding CSDP in noble scallop Chlamys nobilis was cloned (CnCSDP), and its transcript profile in cold-stressed orange and brown strains was analyzed using real-time RT-PCR. Bioinformatic analysis shows that the complete CnCSDP cDNA is 1,434 bp in length, consisting of a 5'-, and 3'-untranslated region of 86 and 466 bp, respectively, and a 882 bp open reading frame encoding 294 amino acids with an estimated molecular mass of 33.

The role of procalcitonin in the identification of invasive fungal infection-a systemic review and meta-analysis.

We aimed to summarize evidence on the accuracy of procalcitonin (PCT) test in differentiating fungal infection from other causes of infection. We searched electronic database for original researches that reported diagnostic performance of PCT alone or compare with other biomarkers to diagnose invasive fungal infection (IFI). We included 8 qualifying studies studying 474 episodes of suspected fungal infection with 155 (32.