Honey, an important additive with natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) characteristics, has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years.
We investigated the quality-improving effects of ...honey on Astragali Radix (Mikvetch Root) (RA) as an example.
Decoctions of raw RA, fried RA, honey-fried RA, and a man-made- honey-fried RA were prepared and compared in cell-based bioactivity tests, chemical composition tests, as well as a bioavailability test with calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside.
The addition of honey increased the concentrations of active compounds and their oral bioavailability, provided protection against acetylation, and consequently increased their bioactivity. These changes were also observed when a pure NADES-mimicking honey was used.
Our findings provide a potential explanation as to why honey has long been used as traditional medicine additives and rationalize the application of honey and honey-like substance in producing pharmaceuticals.
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Th aim of this study was to analyze acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) readmission events and to determine whether neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and bilirubin ...levels were associated with readmission after discharge due to AECOPD.
A total of 170 patients with AECOPD were included. Patients were stratified into the readmission group if patients had two or more readmissions within 2 years of the previous discharge, and the non-readmission group with one readmission or none within 2 years of the last discharge. Data were collected and compared between groups. The patients were separated by the cutoffs of NLR and bilirubin level. The number of all-cause readmissions within 2 years, time to first COPD-related readmission, 1-year/2-year COPD-related readmission, 1-year/2-year all-cause mortality were compared between groups, respectively.
Compared with the readmission group, patients of the non-readmission group had a shorter length of hospital stay, more systemic corticosteroid use, higher NLR, higher bilirubin levels, and lower eosinophils counts (p < 0.05). NLR and bilirubin levels on admission had significant association with the number of all-cause readmissions (p < 0.05). Lower bilirubin was associated with an increased risk of 1-year COPD-related readmission (OR 5.063) and 2-year COPD-related readmission (OR 4.699).
For patients with AECOPD, longer hospital stay, and less use of systemic corticosteroids may be associated with a higher risk of readmission. NLR and bilirubin levels on admission may be related to the number of all-cause readmissions. Bilirubin can be regarded as a biomarker to predict readmission rates within 2 years after discharged throughout the course of the disease.
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Astroglia serve as a critical role in metabolic and neurotrophic support to neurons. The loss of astroglia-derived neurotrophic effects could be a primary contributor to Parkinson’s ...disease (PD). Thus, understanding astroglia functions is an important strategy for enhancing neuronal survival. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) plays a key role in neuronal resistance to oxidative stress and glutamate-induced excitotoxicity. Balancing oxidative stress by up-regulation of Nrf2 has been demonstrated to be effective in neurodegenerative disease treatment. Naringenin (NAR), a dietary flavonoid, displays anti-oxidant, cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective activities. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying NAR-mediated neuroprotection against neurodegeneration remain unelucidated. Here, the present study investigated whether NAR promoted astroglial neurotrophic effects to support neurons and the underlying mechanisms as well. In primary rat midbrain neuron-glia co-cultures, NAR conferred neurotrophic effects to support dopaminergic (DA) neurons survival in the concentration- and time-dependent manners. Furtherly, astroglia were essential for NAR-mediated neurotrophic actions. Also, NAR elicited astrogliosis and neurotrophic factors release in primary neuron-glia co-cultures and astroglia-enriched cultures. Mechanistically, astroglial Nrf2 activation participated in NAR-mediated neurotrophic actions to support DA neurons evidenced by the following observations: 1) NAR increased Nrf2 mRNA and protein expressions both in neuron-glia and astroglia-enriched cultures; 2) Nrf2-siRNA inhibited NAR-mediated astrogliosis and neurotrophic factors release; 3) astroglial Nrf2-siRNA abolished NAR-mediated neurotrophic effects on DA neurons. Together, this study demonstrates NAR enhanced astroglial neurotrophic effects on DA neurons through the regulation of Nrf2 activation, and these findings might open new potential promising avenues for neurotrophic factor-based treatment of PD.
Indole alkaloids have attracted widespread attention of chemists and biologists. Therefore, the aim of this study is to screen more bioactivities indole alkaloids from the microorganisms. In this ...study, five undescribed CPA-type indole alkaloids, aspergillines F–J, and three known CPA-type indole alkaloids, aspergilline A, aspergilline C, and cyclopiamide E, were obtained from the Nicotiana tabacum-derived fungus Aspergillus versicolor. Notably, aspergillines F and G represent the first examples of indole alkaloids with a benzocdindol-2(1H)-one skeleton, and aspergilline J is also the firstly obtained indole alkaloids bearing a N-1-(2-(1H-imidazole-5-yl)ethyl) moiety. Aspergillines F–J and cyclopiamide E were tested for their anti-TMV activities, and the results revealed that aspergillines G and J exhibited obvious anti-TMV activities with inhibition rates of 41.2 and 56.8% at the concentration of 20 μM, respectively. These rates are high than that of positive control (with inhibition rate of 32.5%). In addition, the molecular docking studies for the isolated CPA-type indole alkaloids may also reveal that the benzocdindol-2(1H)-one substructure is the fundamental for anti-TMV activity and the oxygen-containing substituent groups at C-19 also increases the inhibitory activity. This study of structure-activity relationship is helpful to find new anti-TMV activity inhibitors.
Five undescribed CPA-type indole alkaloids were obtained from N. tabacum-derived fungus A. versicolor. Aspergillines G and J exhibited obvious anti-TMV activities. Display omitted
•Five undescribed CPA-type alkaloids were obtained from fungus A. versicolor.•Aspergillines F and G represent the examples of benzocdindol-2(1H)-one skeleton.•Aspergilline J is the CPA alkaloids bearing a N-1-(2-(1H-imidazole-5-yl)ethyl) moiety.•Aspergillines G and J exhibited obvious anti-TMV activities.
Background
While blood‐derived cell‐free DNA has been shown to be a candidate biomarker able to provide diagnostic and prognostic insight in cancer patients, little is known regarding the potential ...application of urine cell‐free DNA (ucfDNA) in diagnosis of cancer. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate ucfDNA concentration and integrity index as potential biomarkers for early detection of non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Methods
Urine samples were collected from 35 healthy controls and 55 NSCLC patients at various tumor node metastasis (TNM) stages. Two long interspersed nuclear element 1 (LINE1) fragments (LINE1‐97 and 266 bp) were quantified via quantitative real‐time PCR (qPCR). DNA integrity index was calculated as the ratio of LINE1‐266/LINE‐97.
Results
LINE1 fragments concentrations of ucfDNA (LINE1‐97, 266 bp) were significantly higher in NSCLC patients with stage III/IV than in stage I/II and in healthy controls. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for discriminating patients with stage III/IV from healthy controls had areas under the curves (AUC) of 0.84 and 0.886, respectively. Moreover, ucfDNA integrity LINE1‐266/97 was significantly higher in patients with stage III/IV than in stage I/II and in healthy controls. The AUC of ROC curve for discriminating patients with stage III/IV from healthy controls was 0.800. Furthermore, LINE1‐266 fragment concentration was significantly higher in lymph node metastasis (LNM)‐positive patients relative to LNM‐negative patients. The ROC curve for discriminating LNM‐positive from LNM‐negative patients had an AUC of 0.822.
Conclusion
UcfDNA could serve as a promising biomarker for early detection of NSCLC.
YABBY genes are plant-specific transcription factors (TFs) that function in plant growth and development. We investigated the functions of the YABBY genes in plants' stress tolerance by analyzing the ...YABBY genes in foxtail millet (Setaria italica) and studying their functions on plant growth and responses to different stresses. Eight YABBY genes were identified on five chromosomes, which showed strong relationships with YABBY genes in other monocot species. Phylogenetical SiYABs were classified into four clades: FIL/YAB3, YAB2, INO, and CRC. No monocot YABBY member was classified into the YAB5 clade. Four conserved motifs were identified, and motif 1 constituted the YABBY domain, whereas motifs 2 and 3 formed the C2-C2 region. SiYAB genes were highly expressed in reproductive tissues. SiDL, one of the SiYABs, was selected to be overexpressed in Arabidopsis thaliana to check the functions of the YABBY genes. Overexpression of SiDL in A. thaliana caused delayed flowering, leaf curling, and reduced seed size. In addition, SiDL acted as a negative regulator in plant response to salt stress. Our study provides information to assist in studying the YABBY gene functions in S. italica.
A series of 1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives containing were synthesized as anti-cancer agents and the crystal structure of compound
was confirmed by X-ray diffraction. In addition, the inhibitory ...activities against four cancer cell lines (HepG2, A549, K562, and PC-3) were tested, respectively, and compound
showed significant cytotoxicity on the A549 cell line with the IC
of 6.15 μM. Surprisingly, in the following preliminary biological experiments, we found that compound
induced autophagy by promoting the recycling of EGFR and signal transduction in the A549 cell, resulting in the activation of the EGFR signal pathway. The potential binding pattern between compound
and EGFR tyrosine kinase (PDB ID: 1M17) was also identified by molecular docking. Our research paves the way for further studies and the development of novel and powerful anti-cancer drugs.
Despite the substantial role that chickens have played in human societies across the world, both the geographic and temporal origins of their domestication remain controversial. To address this ...issue, we analyzed 863 genomes from a worldwide sampling of chickens and representatives of all four species of wild jungle fowl and each of the five subspecies of red jungle fowl (RJF). Our study suggests that domestic chickens were initially derived from the RJF subspecies Gallus gallus spadiceus whose present-day distribution is predominantly in southwestern China, northern Thailand and Myanmar. Following their domestication, chickens were translocated across Southeast and South Asia where they interbred locally with both RJF subspecies and other jungle fowl species. In addition, our results show that the White Leghorn chicken breed possesses a mosaic of divergent ancestries inherited from other subspecies of RJF. Despite the strong episodic gene flow from geographically divergent lineages of jungle fowls, our analyses show that domestic chickens undergo genetic adaptations that underlie their unique behavioral, morphological and reproductive traits. Our study provides novel insights into the evolutionary history of domestic chickens and a valuable resource to facilitate ongoing genetic and functional investigations of the world's most numerous domestic animal.
Objectives
Chronic kidney disease (CKD), a progressive and irreversible pathological syndrome, is the major cause of renal failure. Renal fibrosis is the principal process underlying the progression ...of CKD. Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) quantification is a promising noninvasive method for assessing tissue stiffness. We evaluated whether the technique could reveal renal tissue fibrosis in CKD patients.
Methods
ARFI assessments were performed in 45 patients with CKD referred for renal biopsies to measure cortical shear wave velocity (SWV). During measurement, a standardized method was employed, which aimed to minimize the potential impact of variation of transducer force, sampling error of non-cortical tissue and structural anisotropy of the kidney. Then SWV was compared to patients’ CKD stage and pathological fibrosis indicators.
Results
ARFI could not predict the different stages of CKD. Spearman correlation analysis showed that SWV did not correlate with any pathological indicators of fibrosis.
Conclusion
ARFI assesses tissue stiffness of CKD kidneys by measuring cortical SWV. However, SWV did not show significant correlations with CKD stage and fibrosis indicators despite using standardized measurement methods. We therefore suggest that it would be necessary to evaluate the effect of pathological complexity and tissue perfusion of the kidney on stiffness assessment in future studies.
Key points
•
Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) can quantify tissue elasticity of CKD kidney.
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Despite standardized measurement, ARFI-estimated elasticity did not correlate with renal fibrosis.
•
Effects of pathological complexity and tissue perfusion on renal stiffness warrant further study.
The performance of constructed wetland microbial fuel cells (CWMFC) was enhanced by synergy with zero-valent iron-activated carbon (ZVI/AC) micro-electrolysis reactions. The experimental group ...(“Group-ZVI”) removed 12.7% more chemical oxygen demand (COD; 79%) than the control group (“Group-CK”) through ZVI micro-electrolysis oxidation reactions. The presence of ZVI significantly increased the average voltage (326 ± 1.08 mV in Group-ZVI, 176 ± 1.15 mV in Group-CK) and power density (2.03 mW m−2 in Group-ZVI, 1.32 mW m−2 in Group-CK) compared with the control group by accelerating the electron transfer rate and enriching the community of electrochemically active bacteria (p < 0.05). The removal of COD dominant bacterial Sphingomonadceae was promoted and the main microorganisms that provided electricity, such as the Proteobacteria phylum, were also enriched under the action of the primary cell closed loop. The concentrations of the functional microbes Rhizobium and Alphaproteobacter also increased significantly (p < 0.05) in Group-ZVI (anode) compared with Group-CK. These observations led us to propose a new strategy to improve the performance of CWMFCs for wastewater treatment and power generation.
•ZVI/AC micro-electrolysis improved the performance of CWMFC.•COD removal was significantly improved in Group-ZVI (p < 0.05).•Better electrochemical properties were found in Group-ZVI over a 60-day period.•Group-ZVI contained more electricigens and functional bacteria for COD removal.
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