Integrated Serum and Fecal Metabolomics Study of Collagen-Induced Arthritis Rats and the Therapeutic Effects of the Zushima Tablet

The Zushima tablet (ZT) has been used for decades in the clinical treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in China. However, its therapeutic mechanism is unclear. In this study, we aimed to explore the distinctive metabolic patterns in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats and evaluate the therapeutic effects of ZT on RA using untargeted serum and fecal metabolomics approaches based on gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Body weight, hind paw swelling, TNF-α and IL-1β levels, arthritis scores, and histopathological parameters were assessed. In the metabolomics study, 31 altered metabolites in the serum and 30 in the feces were identified by comparing the model with the control group using statistical processing. These altered metabolites revealed that the tricarboxylic acid cycle, glycolysis metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, and purine metabolism were disturbed in CIA rats, and most of these altered metabolites including l-isoleucine, l-aspartic acid, pyruvic acid, cholic acid, and hypoxanthine, were rectified by ZT. Furthermore, short-chain fatty acids in feces were quantitatively determined, and the results showed that ZT could regulate the levels of propionate, butyrate, and valerate in CIA rats. Then, gut microbiota were analyzed by 16S rRNA analysis. Our results showed that Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were the most abundant bacteria in rats. The levels of 19 types of bacteria at the family level were altered in RA rats, and most of them could be regulated by ZT. This study demonstrated that metabolomics analysis is a powerful tool for providing novel insight into RA and for elucidating the potential mechanism of ZT

Atomic Simulations for Packing Changes of Nano-Sized Cu Clusters Embedded in the Febulk on Heating

Understanding of the defect evolution mechanism under irradiation is very important for the research of pressure vessel steel embrittlement. In this paper, the embedded atom method (EAM) based canonical ensemble molecular dynamics (MD) method was used to study the evolution of the stacking structure of different nano-sized Cun (n = 13, 43 and 87) clusters in an Febulk embedded with BCC lattice structure during continuous heating. The mean square displacement, pair distribution functions and atomic structures of Cu atom clusters at the nanometer scale were calculated at different temperatures. The structural changes present apparent differences, for the Febulks contain nano-sized Cu clusters with different atom numbers during heating. For the Febulk–Cu13 system, since the ability to accommodate the atomic Cu in the Fe substrate is lesser, a small number of Cu atoms in BCC lattice positions cannot influence the whole structure of the Fe-Cu system. For the Febulk–Cu43 system, with an increase in temperature, a Cu atomic pile structural change happened, and the strain areas decreased significantly in the Febulk, but a single strain area grew large. For the Febulk–Cu87 system, when the Cu atoms are constrained by the Fe atoms in bulk, only a few of the Cu atoms adjust their positions. With the increase in temperature, strain in the Fe eased

Atomic Simulations for Packing Changes of Nano-Sized Cu Clusters Embedded in the Febulk on Heating

Understanding of the defect evolution mechanism under irradiation is very important for the research of pressure vessel steel embrittlement. In this paper, the embedded atom method (EAM) based canonical ensemble molecular dynamics (MD) method was used to study the evolution of the stacking structure of different nano-sized Cun (n = 13, 43 and 87) clusters in an Febulk embedded with BCC lattice structure during continuous heating. The mean square displacement, pair distribution functions and atomic structures of Cu atom clusters at the nanometer scale were calculated at different temperatures. The structural changes present apparent differences, for the Febulks contain nano-sized Cu clusters with different atom numbers during heating. For the Febulk–Cu13 system, since the ability to accommodate the atomic Cu in the Fe substrate is lesser, a small number of Cu atoms in BCC lattice positions cannot influence the whole structure of the Fe-Cu system. For the Febulk–Cu43 system, with an increase in temperature, a Cu atomic pile structural change happened, and the strain areas decreased significantly in the Febulk, but a single strain area grew large. For the Febulk–Cu87 system, when the Cu atoms are constrained by the Fe atoms in bulk, only a few of the Cu atoms adjust their positions. With the increase in temperature, strain in the Fe eased.</jats:p

Salvianolic Acid B Protects Against Myocardial Ischemic Injury Through Inhibiting Apoptosis and Promoting Autophagy

Abstract Aim of the study: Salvianolic acid B(Sal B) as a natural compound extracted from Salvia miltiorrhiza, has been extensively used to protect cardiomyocytes from myocardial ischemia. Although Sal B has shown evident effects on cardiovascular diseases, the detailed mechanism is still unclear as yet. Herein, we intended to explorethe protective effects of Sal B on myocardial ischemic injury and the underlying mechanism. Methods and Results: Western blotting, immunofluorescence assay, flow cytometry and lentiviral transfection were performed. The mice with myocardial ischemic injury were intravenously given 10 mg/kg Sal B once daily for seven days, and then H9c2 cells were treated with Sal B (20, 40, 80 μmol/L). Sal B treatment protected cardiomyocytes from myocardial ischemia through relieving apoptosis. Transmission electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy exhibited that Sal B significantly increased autophagic lysosomes and vacuoles in H9c2 cells. Administration with Sal B significantly up-regulated the expressions of autophagy-related factors such as LC3, Atg5 and Beclin 1 in H9c2 cells and myocardial tissues. The beneficial autophagic changes induced by Sal B were abrogated through pharmacological inhibition. Conclusions: This study provides a molecular mechanism by which Sal B potently inhibits apoptosis and oxidative stress upon myocardial ischemia by activating the AMPK-autophagy pathway. Sal B is a potential agent for treating myocardial ischemia.</jats:p

Hormonal Therapy for Infantile Spasms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

ObjectiveThe limitations of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) treatment for infantile spasms (ISs), such as high costs, limited availability, and adverse effects (AEs), make it necessary to explore whether corticosteroids are optimal alternatives. Many other compelling treatments have gone through trials due to the suboptimal effectiveness of hormonal therapy. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of hormonal therapy for patients with ISs.MethodsEMBASE, Ovid MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and online registers were searched through April 2021 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs).ResultsA total of 19 RCTs (N = 1,279) were included. There was no significant difference in the effectiveness of oral corticosteroids and ACTH in electro-clinical response (risk ratio [RR] = 0.85, 95% CI 0.41–1.76). Low-dose ACTH had similar effectiveness in electro-clinical response compared to usual-dose group (RR = 0.94, 95% CI 0.60–1.47) but conferred a lower risk of AEs (RR = 1.71, 95% CI 1.08–2.71). ACTH was more beneficial in controlling spasms than vigabatrin (VGB) (RR = 1.31, 95% CI 1.05–1.64) for patients without tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). All RCTs were connected through network meta-analysis, and we found that ketogenic diet (KD), zonisamide, methylprednisolone, or combined treatment of hormonal therapy with topiramate (TPM) or pyridoxine was not different in electro-clinical response compared to usual-dose ACTH.ConclusionOur analysis showed that oral corticosteroids could be optional alternatives when ACTH is not applicable, and ACTH is more beneficial for patients without TSC. Moreover, low-dose ACTH is recommended due to comparative effectiveness but lower risk of AEs. However, due to the high heterogeneity of included patients and treatment protocols, these results must be interpreted with caution. RCTs with multicentric involvement and larger sample size are needed for solid evaluation of other alternative treatments.</jats:sec

Determination of Soil Cadmium Safety Thresholds for Food Production in a Rice-Crayfish Coculture System

Previous studies have mainly focused on cadmium (Cd) contamination in conventional rice monocultures, and no research on rice-crayfish coculture has been reported. In this study, a Cd-contaminated (0–30 mg kg−1) rice-crayfish co-culture system was established by adding exogenous Cd. The results showed that the Cd concentration in each tissue of rice and each organ of crayfish increased with increasing soil Cd concentration. Specifically, the Cd concentration in each rice tissue was as follows: root > stem > leaf ≈ panicle > grain > brown rice, and the jointing and heading stages were critical periods for the rapid enrichment of Cd in the aboveground tissues of rice. The Cd concentration in each organ of crayfish was as follows: hepatopancreas > gut > gill ≈ exoskeleton > abdominal muscle. Cd was gradually enriched in the abdominal muscle after 30 days of coculture between crayfish and rice. Pearson’s correlation analysis showed that the soil’s total Cd concentration, available Cd concentration, and water Cd concentration were positively correlated with Cd content in various tissues of rice and various organs of crayfish, whereas EC and TDS in water were markedly related to rice stems, leaves, stalks, and small crayfish. According to the maximum limit of Cd in grain (0.2 mg kg−1) and crustacean aquatic products (0.5 mg kg−1) in China, the safe threshold of soil Cd for rice and crayfish under the rice-crayfish coculture system is 3.67 and 14.62 mg kg−1, respectively. Therefore, when the soil Cd concentration in the rice-crayfish coculture system exceeds 3.67 mg kg−1, the safety risk to humans through the consumption of food from this coculture system will increase. This study provides a theoretical basis for safe food production in a rice-crayfish coculture system using the established Cd pollution model