The current quality evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is difficult to attribute to clinical efficacy due to the complexity of TCM. Zishen Yutai pill (ZYP), a well-known traditional ...Chinese patent medicine, has been widely used to prevent recurrent miscarriage and treat threatened abortion. However, the chemical components of ZYP are unknown, and there is no convincing quality control method applied on ZYP. Although ZYP has been found to promote endometrial receptivity and treat impending abortion, the substantial basis of the therapeutic effects is unclear. The aim of this study was to clarify the quality markers correlated with the potential medicinal activities and provide a theoretical foundation for scientific quality control and product quality improvement of ZYP.
The chemical constituents of ZYP were comprehensively analyzed by offline two-dimensional liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (2DLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS). The efficacy of the 27 ZYP orthogonal groups was investigated using the HTR-8/SVneo oxidative damage model and migration model
, as well as the endometrial receptivity disorder mouse model and premature ovarian failure mouse model
. Based on the efficacy and mass spectral results, spectrum-effect relationship analysis was used to identify the chemical components with corresponding pharmacological activities.
A total of 589 chemical components were found in ZYP, of which 139 were not identified in the literature. The potential quality markers for ZYP were successfully identified through orthogonal design and spectrum-effect relationship analysis. By combining mass spectrum data and pharmacological results of 27 orthogonal groups, 39 substances were identified as potential quality markers.
The approaches used in this study will provide a feasible strategy for the discovery of quality markers with bioactivity and further investigation into the quality evaluation of TCM.
Poly(2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole) (PBT) nanosheets were synthesized by chemical oxidative synthesis under mild conditions. The media, oxidant species, monomer concentrations, oxidant/monomer ...molar ratio, and temperature were optimized to achieve higher yields and better performance. The molecular structure, morphology, and properties of the nanosheets were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), and fluorescence spectroscopies, wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization/time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and simultaneous thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC). It was found that the polymerization of 2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole occurs via dehydrogenation coupling between two mercapto groups to form the ⁻S⁻S⁻ bond. PBTs show the highest polymerization yield of up to 98.47% and form uniform nanosheets with a thickness of 89~367 nm. poly(2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole) polymers (PBTs) exhibit good chemical resistance, high thermostability, interesting blue-light emitting fluorescence, and wonderful heavy metal ion adsorption properties. Particularly, the PBT nanosheets having a unique synergic combination of three kinds of active ⁻S⁻, ⁻SH, and =N⁻ groups with a moderate specific area of 15.85 m² g
exhibit an ultra-rapid initial adsorption rate of 10,653 mg g
h
and an ultrahigh adsorption capacity of up to 680.01 mg g
for mercury ion, becoming ultrafast chelate nanosorbents with a high adsorption capacity. With these impressive properties, PBT nanosheets are very promising materials in the fields of water treatment, sensors, and electrodes.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Viruses are commonly found in patients with acute respiratory infections (ARIs). However, the viral etiologies and clinical characteristics of outpatients with ARIs are poorly understood in China. ...Here, we identified the viral etiologies in outpatients with ARIs in Huzhou, China.
Our results indicated that of 426 outpatients, 246 were positive for viruses. Of them, 221 were positive for a single virus, including influenza A, which comprised H3N2 (28.5%) and pandemic H1N1 (2009) (19.0%), enterovirus (10.4%), and influenza B (8.6%). Other single viruses were detected at less than 8.0%. Twenty-five patients were positively coinfected with two viruses. The prevalent viruses in coinfections were rhinovirus and H3N2 virus (28.0%). Viruses were major pathogens in young children (< 5 years) (75.0%). Coinfections were prevalent in older adults (11.9%) and young children (9.5%). Virus-positive outpatients presented higher temperatures and more sore throat, fatigue and shortness of breath than virus-negative outpatients. ARIs and most virus detections peaked during the winter, but enteroviruses emerged between April and September.
Viruses are major agents of ARIs among outpatients in Huzhou, China. There was a variation in the distribution of viruses across different age groups and seasons. These findings are beneficial for planning prevention and treatment services for outpatients with ARIs.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
n. sp. was isolated from masson pine (
) in Guangdong province, China. The new species is characterized by an offset lip region, short stylet (female stylet 4.5-5.5 μm and male stylet 4-5 μm long) ...with three elongate posteriorly directed knobs, posteriorly located metacorpal valve and lateral field composed of three lines. The female has an elongate postuterine sac and a short conical tail, uniformly narrowing toward a sharp tip, or tapering to a slightly offset mucronate tip in a few individuals. The male has a conical tail with a sharp terminal mucro, three pairs of caudal papillae, and small arcuate spicules with a bluntly rounded condylus and small pointed rostrum.
n. sp. can be distinguished from all described
nematodes by numerous morphological and morphometrical traits, especially the tail morphology of both sexes and stylet length. In addition, molecular phylogenetic trees inferred from rRNA small subunit and D2-D3 expansion domains of large subunit revealed that this nematode belongs to the
, and is clearly different from all the other
species.
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To assess whether the administration of Zishen Yutai Pill (ZYP) could improve the pregnancy outcomes in different subgroups of women undergoing fresh embryo transfer cycles.
This is a
analysis of a ...large scale, placebo-controlled, double blind, randomized clinical trial (RCT) regarding the use of ZYP during assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment. The RCT was conducted at 19
fertilization (IVF) centers between April 2014 and June 2017. A total of 2265 women undergoing fresh embryo transfer cycles were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive ZYP (n = 1131) or placebo (n = 1134).
logistic regression analyses were applied in this study to examine the between-group differences of ZYP and placebo on clinical pregnancy rate among different subgroups. Detailed analyses, both in intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol population, were also conducted in specific subgroups with regards to rates of implantation, biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, live birth, pregnancy loss, as well as other neonatal indices.
ZYP showed a significantly higher clinical pregnancy rates than placebo in the ITT population. Detailed subgroup analyses were conducted in subgroup in advanced maternal age (AMA, ≥ 35 years old) and overweight/obese patients (BMI > 24), due to the clinical importance and statistical results. In these subgroups, baseline characteristics were similar between two arms (all P > 0.05). Significantly elevated clinical pregnancy rates were observed in ZYP cohort (both P < 0.05) compared with the placebo group. Results also showed that ZYP treatment resulted in significantly higher rates of implantation, biochemical pregnancy in AMA or overweight/obese patients in ITT analysis (all P < 0.05).
The current
subgroup analysis suggested that AMA and overweight/obese women could experience clinical benefits when treated with ZYP in their fresh embryo transfer cycles. The study provides references for the use of ZYP in ART practices. However, further studies in specific subgroups should be examined in more rigorous clinical trial settings.
Chictr.org.cn, ChictrTRC-14004494.
Abstract
Plant PR10/Bet v1-like proteins are involved in defense against microbial pathogens, however, whether they participate in host defense against plant-parasitic animals including nematodes ...remains unknown. Here, according to the phylogeny, sequence-similarity, and secondary structure analyses, we found that the rice OsBet v1 protein and its homologs constitute a new subfamily of PR10/Bet v1-like protein. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR assay showed that
OsBet v1
was highly expressed in rice roots and induced by
Meloidogyne graminicola
infection. Using a transient expression assay in rice protoplasts, we demonstrated that OsBet v1 was localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus. Furthermore, CRISPR/Cas9-targeted mutagenesis of
OsBet v1
significantly increased rice susceptibility to
M. graminicola
, but reduced rice plant height. In addition, the expression levels of two peroxidase genes (
peroxidase 5
and
peroxidase 56
) were significantly down-regulated in
OsBet v1
knockout mutants compared with those in wild-type rice plants. Taken together, this study identified a new PR10/Bet v1-like protein subfamily in plant and revealed the involvement of OsBet v1, a representative member of the subfamily, in rice growth and defense against
M. graminicola
. This provides a new insight into the role of plant PR10/Bet v1-like proteins in plant–nematode interactions.
Abortions damage the endometrium in women. Currently, therapeutic options for endometrial recovery are limited. Zishen Yutai Pill (ZYP) was found to promote endometrial blood supply as a traditional ...Chinese medicine. However, whether ZYP promotes endometrial recovery post-abortion has not yet been explored.
This study evaluated the role of ZYP in rat endometrial recovery after induced abortion and explored its mechanism of action.
Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups: no-operation group, control group, and ZYP group. The rats in the control and ZYP group were induced abortion, and then treated with normal saline or ZYPs, respectively, for 1-3 oestrous cycles. Morphological changes in the endometrium were examined. Expression levels of the factors related to endometrial recovery were analyzed. The duration of this study was almost seven months.
The endometrial thickness (7.3 ± 0.17 mm) and number of glands (5.5 ± 0.20) increased significantly in the ZYP group compared with those in the control group (5.5 ± 0.15 mm and 3.5 ± 0.18; p < 0.05). Fibrosis of the endometrium was ameliorated by ZYP administration (45 ± 6% vs. 58 ± 7%; p < 0.05). ZYPs treatment increased the expression of VEGF, ER, MMP-9, LIF, and HB-EGF, but decreased TGF-β expression. Moreover, the average number of pups in the ZYP group (9.0 ± 1.5) was greater than that in the control (4 ± 1.3).
ZYPs accelerate endometrial recovery and restored fertility in rats, suggesting its potential to promote human endometrial repair.
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A new method was established to determine short-chain chloroparaffins (SCCPs) in synthetic surfacing layers used in sports and diluents by solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled with gas ...chromatography-negative chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (GC-NCI-MS). The analysis conditions for gas chromatography and mass spectrometry were optimized. Then, the samples were extracted by ultrasonication, purified on a Florisil SPE column, monitored in the selective ion monitoring (SIM) scanning mode, and quantified by the external standard method. With this method, a good linear relationship was found over a wide mass concentration range from 0.0501 to 100.17 mg/L, with a linear correlation coefficient (
) of 0.9995. The detection limit for SCCPs by this method was found to be as low as 0.50 μg/g (i. e. 0.000050%) and the average recoveries for SCCPs spiked in the blank samples varied from 83.2% to 96.3% with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 1.56%-6.02%. Ten batches of samples were tested and the contents of SCCP
Abstract
Mutation-induced malfunction of ten-eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase 2 (TET2) is widely reported in haematological malignancies. However, the role of TET2 in solid cancers, ...including colorectal cancer (CRC), is unclear. Here, we found that TET2 malfunction in CRC is mostly due to decreased nuclear localization and that nuclear localization of TET2 is correlated with better survival of patients. To explore the underlying mechanisms, 14 immortalized solid tumour cell lines and 12 primary CRC cell lines were used. TET2 was mostly detected in the nucleus, and it induced significant DNA demethylation and suppressed cell growth by demethylating
RORA
and
SPARC
in cell lines like SW480. While in cell lines like SW620, TET2 was observed in the cytosol and did not affect DNA methylation or cell growth. Further examination with immunoprecipitation–mass spectrometry illustrated that β-catenin activation was indispensable for the nuclear localization and tumour suppression effects of TET2. In addition, the β-catenin pathway activator IM12 and the TET2 activator vitamin C were used simultaneously to enhance the effects of TET2 under low-expression conditions, and synergistic inhibitory effects on the growth of cancer were observed both in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, these data suggest that β-catenin-mediated nuclear localization of TET2 is an important therapeutic target for solid tumours.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are widely involved in immune regulation during virus infection. Several studies showed that the expression of miR-146a was increased in human immunodeficiency virus type I ...(HIV-1)-infected cells, but the definitive function of miR-146a in HIV-1 infection remains obscure. The production of chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 5 (CCL5) in macrophages has been reported to play an important role in HIV/AIDS-associated pathogenesis. In this study, we examined the effects of miR-146a on CCL5 regulation in HIV-1-infected macrophages. Gain and loss of function studies showed that CCL5 might be one of the miR-146a targets, as miR-146a mimic reduced, while miR-146a inhibitor increased CCL5 production in HIV-1-infected macrophages. In addition, we demonstrated that miR-146a reduced CCL5-induced monocyte migration. Our study provided evidence that miR-146a targets CCL5 3' untranslated regions, downregulates its release from macrophages, and affects monocyte migration consequently. These findings drew a novel layer of posttranscriptional control of the chemokine CCL5 by miR-146a during HIV infection, which might contribute to HIV pathogenesis.
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