Discovery of a potent allosteric activator of DGKQ that ameliorates obesity-induced insulin resistance via the sn-1,2-DAG-PKCε signaling axis.

sn-1,2-diacylglycerol (sn-1,2-DAG)-mediated activation of protein kinase Cε (PKCε) is a key pathway that is responsible for obesity-related lipid metabolism disorders, which induces hepatic insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. No small molecules have been previously reported to ameliorate these diseases through this pathway. Here, we screened and identified the phytochemical atractylenolide II (AT II) that reduces the hepatic sn-1,2-DAG levels, deactivates PKCε activity, and improves obesity-induced hyperlipidemia, hepatosteatosis, and insulin resistance.

Nootkatone Improves Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress-Induced Depressive-Like Behaviors by Repressing NF-κB/NLRP3-Mediated Neuroinflammation.

Objective: To explore the effect of nootkatone (NKT) on chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced depressive-like behaviors and the mechanism underlying NKT improving the depressive-like behaviors.

Methods: The CUMS-induced depression model was established in mice. Fifty mice were randomized into 5 groups (n=10) in accordance with a random number table: control group, CUMS group, CUMS + NKT (6 mg/kg) group, CUMS + NKT (12 mg/kg) group, and CUMS + ketamine group.

Effect of Oxycodone hydrochloride combined with Dexmedetomidine on quality of recovery and stress response after general anesthesia in patients who had Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy.

Objective: To explore the effect of oxycodone hydrochloride combined with dexmedetomidine on the recovery quality and stress response during anesthesia in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC).

Methods: Ninety patients who had LC in Cangzhou Hospital of Integrated TCM-WM of Hebei from December 2016 to December 2019 were selected and divided into dexmedetomidine group (DEX group), oxycodone hydrochloride group (Q group), dexmedetomidine + oxycodone hydrochloride group (DQ group) by a random number table method, with 30 cases in each group. At the time before anesthesia induction (T0), and immediately (T1), 1 min (T2), 10 min (T3) and 30 minutes (T4) after extubation, the general vital signs of three groups were observed, and plasma cortisol (COR), epinephrine (E), norepinephrine (NE) and blood glucose (GLU) were measured.

Facile Synthesis of Urchin-Like and Bouquet-Like Silver Nanoparticles Using Gas Assisted Wet Chemistry Method.

A facile synthesis approach of urchin-like and bouquet-like silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using gas assisted wet chemistry method with silver nitride as source materials, ascorbic acid as reducing agent, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as passivator and NO₂/O₂ as ventilation mixture is proposed It was demonstrated that the urchin-like and bouquet-like AgNPs evolved from spherical nanoparti cles and/or clusters of Ag as a result of strong adsorption and passivation of newly-formed Ag {100} facets by PVP, which effectively boost preferential growth. The NO₂/O₂ as the ventilation mixture provides an equilibrium of aggregation and detachment of Ag atoms on the surface, thus confining the shapes of AgNPs generated. This study provides an alternative approach for synthesis AgNPs in specific shapes and facilitates their applications.

[Effects of flavonoids from Pyrrosiae folium on pathological changes and inflammatory response of diabetic nephropathy].

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is closely related to immune-mediated inflammatory damage. Pyrrosiae folium is used commonly for the urinary system diseases with a good efficacy, which contains abundant flavonoids (SWHT). This study was performed to investigate the therapeutic effect of SWHT on DN and its effect on inflammatory response.

[Simulation on PM detention service of green space in Haidian District, Beijing, China].

Green space plays an important role in reducing PM, since it can efficiently absorb suspended particles in the air. A quantificational method of dust detention service of green space was proposed in this study, based on the mechanism of PM reduction by plant. Daily, summer, winter and whole year cumulative dust amounts reduced by green space with different landscape types of Haidian District, Beijing, were quantified.

Design and Synthesis of a Novel Cationic Peptide with Potent and Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Activity.

Antibacterial and antifungal peptides have increasingly been used to combat the antibiotic-resistant microbes in recent years. KW-13, a novel cationic α-helical antibacterial peptide consisting of 13 amino acid residues, was designed and chemically synthesized. The peptide has a net charge of +6 with a total hydrophobic ratio of 38%.

[Landscape character assessment framework in rural area: A case study in Qiaokou, Chang-sha, China].

Based on the concept and methods of landscape character assessment (LCA) in England, this paper applied a complete process of landscape character assessment with a case study in Qiaokou Town, which is located in a typical southern paddy fields area in Changsha City. We drew the landscape character map of Qiaokou Town through desk classification and field survey, identified and compared the key characters of each character area, and proposed suggestions on the improvement and stewardship of landscape characters. The results showed that Qiaokou could be divided into 2 landscape character types and 7 landscape character areas with the main differences in cropland and vegetation pattern as well as aesthetic characters.

[Synthesis and Identification of Artificial Antigen of Mangiferin].

Objective: To establish an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) for mangiferin (MRn), artificial antigen of MRn was synthesized.

Methods: Oxidation method using sodium iodide was used to synthesize immunogenic antigen (MRn-BSA) and coating antigen(MRn-OVA) of MRn. The characterization of the synthesis was examined by UV spectrometry.

Phenotypic differentiation is associated with gender plasticity and its responsive delay to environmental changes in Alternanthera philoxeroides--phenotypic differentiation in alligator weed.

Phenotypic plasticity is common in many taxa, and it may increase an organism's fitness in heterogeneous environments. However, in some cases, the frequency of environmental changes can be faster than the ability of the individual to produce new adaptive phenotypes. The importance of such a time delay in terms of individual fitness and species adaptability has not been well studied.

Attenuating ischemia-induced H9c2 myoblasts apoptosis by therapeutic hypothermia.

Although inducing mild hypothermia (32 degrees C) in animal models of cardiac arrest with highly attenuated cardiac and neurological injury, the protective effects of hypothermia molecular mechanisms were not fully elucidated, and thus, were examined here on the H9c2 rat ventricular myoblasts that underwent cell loss as well as apoptosis in conditions of simulated ischemia, represented by serum withdrawal plus hypoxia. The H9c2 cells apoptosis was evidenced by flow cytometry-, DNA fragmentation-, and caspase 3 activation-increased apoptotic cells (Annexin-V positive and propidium iodide negative). For the simulated ischemia, both cell loss and apoptosis of these cardiomyoblasts were associated with downregulated small molecular weight proteins (heat shock protein 20, heat shock protein 27, and alphaB-crystallin).

[Expression of Alternaria tenuissima peaT2 gene in Pichia pastoris and its function].

A positive clone was screened from Alternaria tenuissima expression library. The result of sequencing and gene analysis indicated that the cloned DNA fragment has a complete ORF, which was named peaT2 (Protein Elicitor from Alternaria tenuissima 2) with the GenBank accession number EF212880. The gene was amplified by PCR and subcloned into the pPIC9K of Pichia pastoris expression system.