Dilemmas in Elderly Diabetes and Clinical Practice Involving Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Diabetes is a widespread chronic disease that occurs mainly in the elderly population. Due to the difference in pathophysiology between elderly and young patients, the current clinical practice to treat elderly patients with anti-diabetes medications still faces some challenges and dilemmas, such as the urgent need for early diagnosis and prevention, and an imbalance between restricted dietary intake and the risk of undernutrition. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) offers various treatment regimens that are actively utilized in the field of diabetes management.

Mitochondria-ER cooperation: NLRX1 detects mitochondrial protein import stress and promotes mitophagy through the ER protein RRBP1.

Mitochondria rely on efficient protein import across their membranes for optimal function. We have shown that numerous mitochondrial stressors all converge on a common pathway disrupting this import efficiency. We identified a novel pathway involving NLRX1 and RRBP1 that responds to this import stress, resulting in LC3 lipidation, mitochondrial targeting and ultimate degradation.

Effect of Chaihu Shugan Pills on the Pharmacokinetics of Duloxetine and its Metabolite 4-Hydroxyduloxetine in Beagle Dogs: A Herb-Drug Interaction Study.

The effect of Chaihu Shugan pills (CHSG) on the pharmacokinetics of duloxetine and its metabolite 4-hydroxyduloxetine in beagle dogs was investigated by establishing an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method to simultaneously measure the concentrations of duloxetine and 4-hydroxyduloxetine in beagle dog plasma. Duloxetine and 4-hydroxyduloxetine were separated on the UPLC-C18 column after acetonitrile precipitation and detected by mass spectrometry with multireaction detection mode (MRM). Six adult healthy beagle dogs (weighing 7-9 kg, male and female) were randomly selected and examined for a single-dose administration of duloxetine hydrochloride (2 mg/kg, control group) and oral administration of CHSG (0.

Mitochondrial protein import stress regulates the LC3 lipidation step of mitophagy through NLRX1 and RRBP1.

Protein import into mitochondria is a highly regulated process, yet how cells clear mitochondria undergoing dysfunctional protein import remains poorly characterized. Here we showed that mitochondrial protein import stress (MPIS) triggers localized LC3 lipidation. This arm of the mitophagy pathway occurs through the Nod-like receptor (NLR) protein NLRX1 while, surprisingly, without the engagement of the canonical mitophagy protein PINK1.

Genetic polymorphisms of RAGE and risk of ulcerative colitis in a Chinese population.

The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and its proinflammatory ligands are critically implicated in the pathological progression of ulcerative colitis (UC). Functional polymorphisms in the regulatory elements and/or ligand-binding regions of the RAGE gene affect the expression and function of RAGE and thus may increase susceptibility to UC. In this study, a total of 266 unrelated UC patients and 247 control subjects were analyzed for 3 RAGE single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (-429 T/C, -374 T/A, and G82S) using an improved small-amplicon high resolution melting curve (HRM) analysis assay.

Postoperative plasma copeptin levels independently predict delirium and cognitive dysfunction after coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Copeptin can reflect individual's stress state and are correlated with poor outcome of critical illness. The occurrence of postoperative delirium (POD) and cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is associated with worse outcome after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. The present study aimed to investigate the ability of postoperative plasma copeptin level to predict POD and POCD in patients undergoing CABG surgery.

Protectin D1 promotes resolution of inflammation in a murine model of lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury via enhancing neutrophil apoptosis.

Background: Protectin D1 (PD1), derived from docosahexaenoic acid, has been shown to control and resolve inflammation in some experimental models of inflammatory disorders. We investigated the protective roles of protectin D1 in pulmonary inflammation and lung injury induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

Methods: Mice were randomly assigned to six groups (n = 6 per group): sham-vehicle group, sham-PD1 group, sham-zVAD-fmk group, LPS-vehicle group, LPS-PD1 group, and LPS-PD1-zVAD-fmk group.

Gene expression profiling of Clostridium botulinum under heat shock stress.

During growth, C. botulinum is always exposed to different environmental changes, such as temperature increase, nutrient deprivation, and pH change; however, its corresponding global transcriptional profile is uncharacterized. This study is the first description of the genome-wide gene expression profile of C.

[Association of IL-8 gene polymorphisms with inflammatory bowel disease in Chinese patients].

Objective: To investigate the association of interleukin 8 (IL-8) gene polymorphisms with the risks of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of IL-8 gene at -845 T/C, -738 T/A, -353 A/T, -251 T/A and +678 T/C were analyzed in 183 IBD patients. They included Crohn's disease (CD, n = 41), ulcerative colitis (UC, n = 142) and healthy controls (n = 160).

Transcriptome analysis of adaptive heat shock response of Streptococcus thermophilus.

Streptococcus thermophilus, a gram-positive facultative anaerobe, is one of the most important lactic acid bacteria widely used in the dairy fermentation industry. In this study, we have analyzed the global transcriptional profiling of S. thermophilus upon temperature change.

[Association of combined polymorphisms in MIP-1α and ApoE genes with the susceptibility of inflammatory bowel disease].

Objective: To investigate whether the macrophage inflammatory protein 1 alpha (MIP-1α) and apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene polymorphisms, either alone or in combination, affect the susceptibility to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods: Genomic DNA of IBD patients with Crohn's disease (CD, n = 41) and with ulcerative colitis (UC, n = 142) and healthy controls (n = 160) was extracted and genotyped for the MIP-1α and ApoE gene polymorphisms by restriction fragment length polymorphism assay.

Results: MIP-1α -906(TA)(6)/(TA)(6) homozygotes had a significantly elevated risk of UC (OR = 1.

Improvement of chronic heart failure by dexamethasone is not associated with downregulation of leptin in rats.

Aim: To demonstrate the hypothesis that dexamethasone (Dex) could improve chronic heart failure (CHF) by inhibiting the downstream signaling transduction of leptin but had no influence on the upregulation of leptin and its receptor in myocardium.

Methods: CHF was induced by left coronary artery ligation for 6 weeks. CHF rats were treated with Dex 50 mg.

[A study of genetic polymorphism of the STR locus D7S2846, D19S400 and D18S535 in Han population in Wenzhou].

Objective: To study genetic polymorphism of D7S2846, D19S400 and D18S535 in Han population in Wenzhou.

Methods: DNA was extracted with chelex-100 method from EDTA-blood samples of 194 unrelated individuals in Wenzhou and amplified with PCR technique. The PCR products were analyzed by PAG vertical electrophoresis and silver-stain.

[Polymorphism of STR loci D12S391/D18S865 in Wenzhou Han population].

Objective: To investigate the polymorphism and forensic efficiency values of STR loci D12S391/D18S865

Methods: Population studies on D12S391 and D18S865 were carried out in a sample of 454 unrelated Wenzhou Han individuals using PCR followed by PAGE and silver stain detection.

Results: 11/7 alleles and 50/21 genotypes of D12S391/D18S865 were respectively observed among the 454 unrelated individuals. The genotype frequency matched the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, The heterozygotes (H) in D12S391/D18S865 were 0.

[Study on soluble guanylate cyclase in pulmonary hypertension rat model].

Objective: To investigate the mRNA and protein expressions of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) and its enzyme activity in pulmonary hypertension rat model which was reproduced by hypoxia and hypercapnia.

Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into hypoxic and hypercapnic group (HH group) and control group (C group). The protein expressions of sGC alpha(1) and sGC beta(1) subunits in medial and small pulmonary arteries was measured by immunohistochemistry method with a polycolonal antibody.