Mechanisms of sepsis-induced acute liver injury: a comprehensive review.

Sepsis is a severe, often life-threatening form of organ dysfunction that arises from an inappropriately regulated host response to infectious pathogen exposure. As the largest gland in the body, the liver serves as a regulatory hub for metabolic, immune, and detoxification activity. It is also an early sepsis target organ such that hepatic dysfunction is observed in 34-46% of patients with sepsis.

Ghrelin Inhibits Inflammasomes Activation in Astrocytes, Alleviates Pyroptosis, and Prevents Lipopolysaccharide-induced Depression-like Behavior in Mice.

Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and places a significant burden on society. Neuroinflammation is closely associated with the pathophysiology of depression. Increasing evidence suggests that astrocytes, as the most abundant glial cells in the brain, are involved in the occurrence and development of depression due to morphological abnormalities and dysfunction.

Congenital Pulmonary Tuberculosis in a Very Low Birth Weight Neonate: A Case Report.

Congenital tuberculosis is rare and carries a high mortality rate. In this study, we report a case of congenital pulmonary tuberculosis in a very low birth weight of 1310g neonate born at the gestational age of 30 weeks 4 days. The mother of the patient had a fever a week before the delivery, and her symptoms improved after taking antibiotics.

Mechanisms of paeoniaceae action as an antidepressant.

Paeoniflorin (PF) has been widely used for the treatment of depression in mice models, some Chinese herbal compound containing PF on treating depression, such as Xiaoyao San, Chaihu-Shugan-San, Danggui Shaoyao San etc. Many experiments are also verifying whether PF in these powders can be used as an effective component in the treatment of depression. Therefore, in this review the antidepressant effect of PF and its mechanism of action are outlined with particular focus on the following aspects: increasing the levels of monoamine neurotransmitters, inhibiting the HPA axis, promoting neuroprotection, enhancing neurogenesis in the hippocampus, and elevating levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).

[Corrigendum] polysaccharides induce breast cancer cell apoptosis via the mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic pathway.

Subsequently to the publication of the above paper, an interested reader drew to the authors' attention that, in Fig. 3B on p. 1092, the western blots shown for 'Bax' in the MCF-7 group and 'Cleaved Caspase-8' in the MDA-MB-231 group were strikingly similar, such that these may have been the identical data re-used in the same figure.

Sex Differences in Depression Caused by Early Life Stress and Related Mechanisms.

Depression is a common psychiatric disease caused by various factors, manifesting with continuous low spirits, with its precise mechanism being unclear. Early life stress (ELS) is receiving more attention as a possible cause of depression. Many studies focused on the mechanisms underlying how ELS leads to changes in sex hormones, neurotransmitters, hypothalamic pituitary adrenocortical (HPA) axis function, and epigenetics.

Congenital intestinal malrotation with gastric wall defects causing extensive gut necrosis and short gut syndrome: A case report.

Background: Congenital intestinal malrotation (CIM) is a common malformation in neonates. Early diagnosis and surgical intervention can improve the prognosis. CIM combined with congenital gastric wall defect is a potentially fatal condition.

Lumbar Puncture in the prone position for Low Birth Weight Neonates.

Background: Lumbar puncture in the lateral decubitus position will make the neonates uncomfortable and is likely to cause position change and unstable vital signs, and the application of sedative drugs will cause adverse effects. This study explored a novel method for lumbar puncture in the prone position for low weight neonates.

Methods: The neonates were randomly assigned into the standard position group receiving lumbar puncture in the lateral decubitus position; and the improved position group receiving lumbar puncture in the prone position.

Effect of Early Life Stress on the Epigenetic Profiles in Depression.

Depression is one of the most common mental disorders and has caused an overwhelming burden on world health. Abundant studies have suggested that early life stress may grant depressive-like phenotypes in adults. Childhood adversities that occurred in the developmental period amplified stress events in adulthood.

High glucose induces Nox4 expression and podocyte apoptosis through the Smad3/ezrin/PKA pathway.

Podocytes are the major target in proteinuric kidney diseases such as diabetic nephropathy. The underlying molecular mechanisms by which high glucose (HG) results in podocyte damage remain unclear. This study investigated the regulatory role of Smad3, ezrin, and protein kinase A (PKA) in NADPH oxidase (Nox4) expression, reactive oxidative species (ROS) production, and apoptosis in HG-treated podocytes.

Grifola frondosa polysaccharides induce breast cancer cell apoptosis via the mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic pathway.

Grifola frondosa, a type of food and medical fungus, has been shown to exhibit various pharmacological activities, including anticancer effects. As the most typical cancer diagnosed among female patients, breast cancer remains a huge concern threatening human health globally. In the present study, the anti-breast cancer effects of Grifola frondosa polysaccharides (GFPs) and the underlying mechanisms were investigated in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, as well as in nude mice bearing MCF-7 tumor xenografts.

Calcium channels contribute to albiflorin-mediated antinociceptive effects in mouse model.

Albiflorin (AF), one of important bioactive constituents of Paeonia lactiflora Radix, possesses neuro-protective effect. The present study aims to investigate the antinociceptive activities of AF and possible mechanisms. AF suppressed acetic acid-caused writhing, lengthened the latency period of mouse in hot plate test, and reduced the licking and biting response time of the injected mouse paw during phase I and phase II, and it suggested that AF exerted the antinociceptive activity mainly through central nervous system.