Sodium butyrate alleviates fructose-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by remodeling gut microbiota to promoteγ-amino butyric acid production

Sodium butyrate(NaB)can regulate lipid metabolism and inhibit hepatic steatosis.This study aimed to investigate whether NaB can alleviate fructose-induced hepat ic steatosis via remodeling the gut microbiota and evaluate the anti-fatty liver mechanisms.The results showed that NaB and NaB-remodeled gut microbiota significantly alleviated fructose-induced hepatic steatosis and increased plasma uric acid and fructose levels.Furthermore,both NaB and NaB-remodeled gut microbiota increased the abundance of Lactobacillus and altered the levels of plasma amino acids(upregulating gamma-amino butyric acid(GABA)and downregulating L-glutamic acid and L-arginine)in fructose-exposed mice.The correlation analysis showed that GABA levels positively correlated with Lactobacillus abundance,and increased GABA levels might promote the reduction of the hepatic triglyceride content.Further studies confirmed that GABA significantly reduced lipid deposition in mouse hepatocytes induced via fructose pretreatment in vitro.These findings suggested that NaB could ameliorate fructose-induced hepatic steatosis by regulating gut microbiota.

Chronic corticosterone disrupts the circadian rhythm of CRH expression and m^(6)A RNA methylation in the chicken hypothalamus

Background:Corticotropin-releasing hormone(CRH),the major secretagogue of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal(HPA)axis,is intricately intertwined with the clock genes to regulate the circadian rhythm of various body functions.N6-methyladenosine(m^(6)A)RNA methylation is involved in the regulation of circadian rhythm,yet it remains unknown whether CRH expression and m^(6)A modification oscillate with the clock genes in chicken hypothalamus and how the circadian rhythms change under chronic stress.Results:Chronic exposure to corticosterone(CORT)eliminated the diurnal patterns of plasma CORT and melatonin levels in the chicken.The circadian rhythms of clock genes in hippocampus,hypothalamus and pituitary are all disturbed to different extent in CORT-treated chickens.The most striking changes occur in hypothalamus in which the diurnal fluctuation of CRH mRNA is flattened,together with mRNA of other feeding-related neuropeptides.Interestingly,hypothalamic m^(6)A level oscillates in an opposite pattern to CRH mRNA,with lowestm^(6)A level after midnight(ZT18)corresponding to the peak of CRH mRNA before dawn(ZT22).CORT diminished the circadian rhythm of m^(6)A methylation with significantly increased level at night.Further site-specific m^(6)A analysis on 3’UTR of CRH mRNA indicates that higher m^(6)A on 3’UTR of CRH mRNA coincides with lower CRH mRNA at night(ZT18 and ZT22).Conclusions:Our results indicate that chronic stress disrupts the circadian rhythms of CRH expression in hypothalamus,leading to dysfunction of HPA axis in the chicken.RNA m^(6)A modification is involved in the regulation of circadian rhythms in chicken hypothalamus under both basal and chronic stress conditions.

HCl-Induced Hg^(0)Transformation over CuMn_(2)O_(4)Sorbent

CuMn_(2)O_(4)spinel has been regarded as a highly efficient sorbent for Hg^(0)capture from flue gas.The regenerability and recyclability of CuMn_(2)O_(4)sorbent are mainly associated with the mercury speciation adsorbed on its surface.However,the effect mechanism of HCl on Hg^(0)transformation over CuMn_(2)O_(4)sorbent is still elusive.Experiments were conducted to understand the effect of HCl on Hg^(0)transformation over CuMn_(2)O_(4)sorbent.The results indicate thatCuMn_(2)O_(4)sorbent is a mesoporousmaterial and possesses a good thermal stability.CuMn_(2)O_(4)shows>95%Hg^(0)removal efficiency in a wide temperature window of 50-350℃.The favorable electron-transfer environment caused by the mixed valence states of Cu and Mn cations is responsible for the excellent Hg^(0)removal performance of CuMn_(2)O_(4)sorbent.CuMn_(2)O_(4)shows a higherHg^(0)adsorption capacity of 4774.57μg/g.Hg^(0)adsorption process over CuMn_(2)O_(4)sorbent can bewell described by the developed kinetic model.Hg^(0)removal efficiency of CuMn_(2)O_(4)sorbent does not depend on the presence of HCl.Mercury species adsorbed on the CuMn_(2)O_(4)sorbent in the presence of HCl mainly exist in the forms of Hg^(O)and HgCl_(2)O_(8)·H_(2)O.HCl shows a significant effect on mercury speciation over CuMn_(2)O_(4)sorbent.Most of Hg^(O)species will be transformed into HgCl_(2)O_(8)·H_(2)O in the presence of HCl.

Acupuncture versus Western Medicine Drugs (Antidepressant) to Treat Depression

The aim of the study is to assess the beneficial effects of acupuncture compared with Western medicine in treating patientswith depression.Depression is a serious psychiatric illness that involves symptoms such as depressed or sad mood,loss ofinterest or pleasure in activities,changes in weight,difficult sleep or oversleeping,energy loss,feelings of worthlessness,psychomotorchanges,and thoughts of death or suicide.Acupuncture and Western medicine have been widely used to treat the patient with depression.The following electronic databases were searched:The Cochrane Central Register for Controlled Trials(Central),MEDLINE,EMBASE,AMED,PsycINFO,and PUBMED.The summary of this report was evaluated by using the Preferred Reporting Itemsfor Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Checklist.Sixty-four journals on acupuncture,Western medicine drugs(antidepressant),and containing both in treating depression were identified and included in this review.In term of Western medicine,antidepressant may helpthe ego function in short term,and for long-term using,it may cause the patient to become addictive toward the drug.Acupuncture is relativelysafe to use and proven significantly effective to treat the depression and less side effect for long term used by the patient.Currentevidence from this summary literature review shows that acupuncture and Western medicine(antidepressant)drugs can treat depression.However,acupuncture therapies almost give none of side effect compared to antidepressant,and every patient with depression can try acupuncture notexcluding the pregnant woman.