Astragaloside IV ameliorates atherosclerosis by targeting TAK1 to suppress endothelial cell proinflammatory activation.

Background: Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease mainly characterized by the activation of endothelial cells and recruitment of macrophages, leading to plaque formation. Astragaloside IV (AS-IV), a natural saponin derived from Astragalus mongholicus Bunge, has been shown to confer protective effects against cardiovascular diseases.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the role of AS-IV on atherosclerosis and the underlying mechanism.

The adiponectin-derived peptide ALY688 protects against the development of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is the severe form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease which has a high potential to progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, yet adequate effective therapies are lacking. Hypoadiponectinemia is causally involved in the pathogenesis of MASH. This study investigated the pharmacological effects of adiponectin replacement therapy with the adiponectin-derived peptide ALY688 (ALY688-SR) in a mouse model of MASH.

FGF21-Sirtuin 3 Axis Confers the Protective Effects of Exercise Against Diabetic Cardiomyopathy by Governing Mitochondrial Integrity.

Background: Exercise is an effective nonpharmacological strategy to alleviate diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) through poorly defined mechanisms. FGF21 (fibroblast growth factor 21), a peptide hormone with pleiotropic benefits on cardiometabolic homeostasis, has been identified as an exercise responsive factor. This study aims to investigate whether FGF21 signaling mediates the benefits of exercise on DCM, and if so, to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

Hepatic PRMT1 ameliorates diet-induced hepatic steatosis via induction of PGC1α.

: Over-nutrition will lead to overexpression of PRMT1 but protein hypomethylation is observed in the liver of obese subjects. The dynamic alteration of the expression and methyltransferase activity of PRMT1 in the progression of fatty liver diseases remains elusive. : We used recombinant adeno-associated virus-mediated gene delivery system to manipulate the hepatic PRMT1 expression level in diet-induced obese mice to investigate the role of PRMT1 in hepatic steatosis.

A Fast Decline of Residual Renal Function in the First Year is a Predictor for Early Withdrawal from Peritoneal Dialysis in Non-Diabetic Patients.

Background/aims: Little is known about the relationship between residual renal function (RRF) decline in early period and survival in non-diabetic peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.

Methods: A total of 567 non-diabetic patients who began PD from January 1, 2005 to June 30, 2013 was investigated. The rate of RRF decline was determined by the "slope of the trend equation" of serial RRFs.

Association Between Comprehensive Nutritional Scoring System (CNSS) and Outcomes of Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis Patients.

Background/aims: The presence of protein-energy wasting (PEW) among dialysis patients is a crucial risk factor for outcomes. The complicated pathogenesis of PEW makes it difficult to assess and treat. This single-center retrospective study focuses on the association between nutritional markers and the outcomes of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis(CAPD) patients, aiming to establish a practical comprehensive nutritional scoring system for CAPD patients.

Association of very Low-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol with All-cause and Cardiovascular Mortality in Peritoneal Dialysis.

Background/aims: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in dialysis patients. Little is known about the relationship between very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) and cardiovascular mortality in these patients.

Methods: A total of 1324 incident patients who began continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) therapy at our hospital between January 1, 2005, and September 30, 2014, with baseline serum VLDL-C values were investigated.

Peritoneal dialysis for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease: a retrospective study.

To describe the long-term clinical outcomes of patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) who are on peritoneal dialysis (PD) therapy. We performed a retrospective matched-cohort analysis comparing the clinical outcomes of 30 ADPKD patients with those of 30 non-diabetic patients who had bilateral small kidneys between July 1 2007 and July 31 2014. The patient groups were matched by age, gender, and time of PD initiation.