Liuweizhiji Gegen-Sangshen beverage protects against alcoholic liver disease in mice through the gut microbiota mediated SCFAs/GPR43/GLP-1 pathway.

Introduction: Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a pathological state of the liver caused by longterm alcohol consumption. Recent studies have shown that the modulation of the gut microbiota and its metabolic products, specifically the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), exert a critical role in the evolution and progression of ALD. The Liuweizhiji Gegen-Sangshen beverage (LGS), as a functional beverage in China, is derived from a traditional Chinese herbal formula and has been clinically applied for ALD treatment, demonstrating significant efficacy.

Gegen-Sangshen oral liquid and its active fractions mitigate alcoholic liver disease in mice through repairing intestinal epithelial injury and regulating gut microbiota.

Background: Liuweizhiji Gegen-Sangshen oral liquid (LGS), as a Chinese medicinal preparation, is developed from a Traditional Chinese medicinal formula consisting of six Chinese medicinal herbs, including Puerariae lobatae radix, Hoveniae semen, Imperatae rhizoma, Crataegi fructus, Mori fructus and Canarli fructus, and has been extensively utilized in the prevention and treatment of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) clinically. Previous study has demonstrated that LGS dose-dependently mitigated ALD in rat models. However, whether and how the main characteristic constituents of LGS (the flavonoid and polysaccharide fractions, LGSF and LGSP) contribute to the anti-ALD effect remains unclear.

Rosavin derived from Rhodiola alleviates colitis in mice through modulation of Th17 differentiation.

Background: Rosavin (RSV) is a naturally occurring compound isolated from Rhodiola species. While RSV has been reported with pharmacological activities of anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, anti-stress and immunomodulation, its effect on colitis and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate whether and how RSV alleviated colitis in mice.

Fingerprint profiling for quality evaluation and the related biological activity analysis of polysaccharides from Liuweizhiji Gegen-Sangshen beverage.

Introduction: Liuweizhiji Gegen-Sangshen beverage (LGS) is popular in China, which has been used for alleviating alcohol-mediated discomfort and preventing alcoholic liver disease (ALD). This beverage is consisted of six herbal components that are known as functional foods and fruits. LGS is rich in polysaccharides, however, the activity and quality evaluation of LGS-derived polysaccharides remain unexplored.

Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: New Generation Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract, which has a high recurrence rate and is incurable due to a lack of effective treatment. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are a class of pluripotent stem cells that have recently received a lot of attention due to their strong self-renewal ability and immunomodulatory effects, and a large number of experimental and clinical models have confirmed the positive therapeutic effect of MSCs on IBD. In preclinical studies, MSC treatment for IBD relies on MSCs paracrine effects, cell-to-cell contact, and its mediated mitochondrial transfer for immune regulation.

Chemical profiling and quality evaluation of Liuweizhiji Gegen-Sangshen oral liquid by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and HPLC-diode array detector fingerprinting.

Introduction: Liuweizhiji Gegen-Sangshen (LGS) oral liquid is a Chinese patent medicine that is widely used for the prevention and treatment of alcoholic liver disease in clinical practice. However, the chemical complexity of LGS has not yet been investigated.

Objective: The aim of this study was to rapidly identify chemical constituents of LGS and establish a quality control method based on fingerprint and quantitative analysis.

NAFLD and NASH: etiology, targets and emerging therapies.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) pose a significant threat to human health and cause a tremendous socioeconomic burden. Currently, the molecular mechanisms of NAFLD and NASH remain incompletely understood, and no effective pharmacotherapies have been approved. In the past five years, significant advances have been achieved in our understanding of the pathomechanisms and potential pharmacotherapies of NAFLD and NASH.

A novel chimeric RNA originating from BmCPV S4 and Bombyx mori HDAC11 transcripts regulates virus proliferation.

Polymerases encoded by segmented negative-strand RNA viruses cleave 5'-m7G-capped host transcripts to prime viral mRNA synthesis ("cap-snatching") to generate chimeric RNA, and trans-splicing occurs between viral and cellular transcripts. Bombyx mori cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (BmCPV), an RNA virus belonging to Reoviridae, is a major pathogen of silkworm (B. mori).

Accelerated Hybridization Chain Reaction Kinetics Using Poly DNA Tetrahedrons and Its Application in Detection of Aflatoxin B1.

Traditional hybridization chain reaction (HCR) as a popular isothermal amplification technique shows some inevitable disadvantages in bioanalysis due to its relatively slow kinetics, which could be markedly promoted when the HCR initiator occurs under tension. Herein, a poly DNA tetrahedrons (pTDNs)-mediated HCR was successfully constructed to make its initiator in a stretched state by long-range electrostatic forces owing to the superimposed electrostatic interactions derived from the synthesized pTDNs, and it was hypothesized that it could remarkably enhance HCR performance, which was testified by theoretical simulations and experimental studies. Consequently, pTDNs-mediated HCR was applied to develop a novel immunoassay for rapid and sensitive detection of aflatoxin B1 as a proof-of-concept, and its signal amplification was attributed to the increased G DNAzyme that loaded on the second antibody.

Small molecule inhibitors of RORγt for Th17 regulation in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

As a ligand-dependent transcription factor, retinoid-associated orphan receptor γt (RORγt) that controls T helper (Th) 17 cell differentiation and interleukin (IL)-17 expression plays a critical role in the progression of several inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. An emerging novel approach to the therapy of these diseases thus involves controlling the transcriptional capacity of RORγt to decrease Th17 cell development and IL-17 production. Several RORγt inhibitors including both antagonists and inverse agonists have been discovered to regulate the transcriptional activity of RORγt by binding to orthosteric- or allosteric-binding sites in the ligand-binding domain.

Chinese herbal medicines for treating ulcerative colitis via regulating gut microbiota-intestinal immunity axis.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is one of types of inflammatory bowel disease with high recurrence. Recent studies have highlighted that microbial dysbiosis as well as abnormal gut immunity are crucial factors that initiate a series of inflammatory responses in the UC. Modulating the gut microbiota-intestinal immunity loop has been suggested as one of key strategies for relieving UC.

Identification and characterization of extrachromosomal circular DNA in the silk gland of Bombyx mori.

The silk gland cells of silkworm are special cells which only replicate DNA in the nucleus without cell division throughout the larval stage. The extrachromosomal circular DNAs (eccDNAs) have not yet been reported in the silk gland of silkworms. Herein, we have explored the characterization of eccDNAs in the posterior silk gland of silkworms.

Occurrence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in raw milk and feed from nine Chinese provinces and human exposure risk assessment.

The per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are substantially produced and applied in industrial and domestic products, which have recently aroused great public concern for their potential toxicity to humans. In the present study, raw milk (n = 107) and cow feed samples (n = 70) were collected across nine Chinese provinces, in order to investigate the occurrence of PFASs in milk and feed, and the human exposure risk to milk. The concentrations of PFASs are in the range of < method detection limit -9.

Proteomic analysis using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification technology reveals mechanisms of toxic effects of tris (1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate on RAW264.7 macrophage cells.

Tris (1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP) is one of the most commonly used organophosphorus flame retardants. Immuno-toxicity induced by TDCIPP is becoming of increasing concern. However, effects of TDCIPP on immune cells and mechanisms resulting in those effects are poorly understood.

Analysis of Choline, Carnitine, Acetylcarnitine and Acetylcholine in Animal Feeds, Blood and Urine Using Ion Chromatography Coupled with Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

A simple and sensitive method was proposed for choline, carnitine, acetylcarnitine (ACa) and acetylcholine (ACh) separation in feed, blood and urine of animals by using ion chromatography (IC) and detection by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Analytes were extracted using a mixture of acetonitrile and water, purified by C18 solid-phase extraction columns, separated via IC with an IonPac SCS-1 column and detected by an MS/MS detector by using isotopic internal standards for quantification. The effects of different chromatographic parameters on the separation were also investigated.

Occurrence of short- and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins in raw dairy cow milk from five Chinese provinces.

Chlorinated paraffins (CPs) are industrial chemicals that are produced in large quantities and used globally. Human exposure to CPs is primarily through dietary intake, especially from animal-derived food products. Even so, there is little information regarding CP concentrations in dairy products.

Determination and removal of clenbuterol with a stable fluorescent zirconium(IV)-based metal organic framework.

A metal organic framework (MOF) based adsorbent of type UiO-66 was hydrothermally prepared and applied to simultaneous sensing and removal of the asthma drug clenbuterol. The MOF possesses a large specific surface area (1460 cm·g) and a stable structure, and has a large adsorption capacity for clenbuterol (160 mg·g). If clenbuterol binds to the MOF, the fluorescence of the sorbent (best measured at excitation/emission wavelengths of 290/396 nm) is quenched by up to 88%.

Simultaneous determination of antibiotics and amantadines in animal-derived feedstuffs by ultraperformance liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometry.

In this study, a method for simultaneous determination of 40 antibiotics from 6 different drug families (7 quinolones, 5 penicillins, 8 macrolides, 2 lincosamides, 4 tetracyclines, and 13 sulfonamides) and 3 amantadines in animal-derived feedstuffs (ADF) through ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry using a new lipid-removing solid-phase extraction column PRiME HLB was developed. The sample was extracted with 20 mL extraction solution and then purified and concentrated with PRiME HLB. The eluent was evaporated to dryness under nitrogen and analyzed with LC-MS/MS using acetonitrile and 0.

Development of a subcritical water extraction approach for trace analysis of chloramphenicol, thiamphenicol, florfenicol, and florfenicol amine in poultry tissues.

Subcritical water extraction was investigated as a novel and alternative technology for the separation of trace amounts of chloramphenicol, thiamphenicol, florfenicol and its major metabolite florfenicol amine from poultry tissues and its results were compared with those of conventional shaking extraction, ultrasonic extraction, and pressurized liquid extraction. Decreasing the polarity of water by successively increasing the extraction temperature from 50°C to 200°C at the moderate pressure enabled selective, highly effective extractions to be performed. Rapid quantification of the target compounds was carried out by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS).

BGI-RIS: an integrated information resource and comparative analysis workbench for rice genomics.

Rice is a major food staple for the world's population and serves as a model species in cereal genome research. The Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) has long been devoting itself to sequencing, information analysis and biological research of the rice and other crop genomes. In order to facilitate the application of the rice genomic information and to provide a foundation for functional and evolutionary studies of other important cereal crops, we implemented our Rice Information System (BGI-RIS), the most up-to-date integrated information resource as well as a workbench for comparative genomic analysis.