Eight Zhes Decoction ameliorates the lipid dysfunction of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease using integrated lipidomics, network pharmacology and pharmacokinetics

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)has developed into the most common chronic liver disease and can lead to liver cancer.Our laboratory previously developed a novel prescription for NAFLD,“Eight Zhes Decoction”(EZD),which has shown good curative effects in clinical practice.However,the pharmacodynamic material basis and mechanism have not yet been revealed.A strategy integrating lipidomics,network pharmacology and pharmacokinetics was used to reveal the active components and mechanisms of EZD against NAFLD.The histopathological results showed that EZD attenuated the degrees of collagen deposition and steatosis in the livers of nonalcoholic steatofibrosis model mice.Furthermore,glycerophospholipid metabolism,arachidonic acid metabolism,glycerolipid metabolism and linoleic acid metabolism with phospholipase A2 group IVA(PLA2G4A)and cytochrome P450 as the core targets and 12,13-cis-epoxyoctadecenoic acid,12(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid,leukotriene B4,prostaglandin E2,phosphatidylcholines(PCs)and triacylglycerols(TGs)as the main lipids were found to be involved in the treatment of NAFLD by EZD.Importantly,naringenin,artemetin,canadine,and bicuculline were identified as the active ingredients of EZD against NAFLD;in particular,naringenin reduces PC consumption by inhibiting the expression of PLA2G4A and thus promotes sufficient synthesis of very-low-density lipoprotein to transport excess TGs in the liver.This research provides valuable data and theoretical support for the application of EZD against NAFLD.

Anesthetic injection pain and hematoma occurrence during upper blepharoplasty:Comparison between thin needles and thick needles

Background:Upper blepharoplasty is one of the most commonly performed esthetic surgeries,but injection pain during local anesthesia often disturbs patients.The objective of this study was to identify the pain levels associated with anesthetizing the upper eyelids in blepharoplasty and determine whether injection with thin needles is associated with less pain and bleeding than injection with thick needles.Methods:The study included 50 patients who underwent bilateral upper blepharoplasty.The eyelids were anesthetized using 2%lidocaine with 1:100000 epinephrine.One upper eyelid was randomly injected with a thin needle(26G)and the other with a thick needle(22G).The pain level was scored by patients immediately after the injection of each eyelid using a visual analog scale(VAS)ranging from 0 to 10.The incidence of eyelid hematomas caused by the anesthetic injection was also recorded.Results:The VAS scores in eyelids injected with thin needles were not significantly lower than those in eyelids injected with thick needles(4.0 vs.4.0,P=0.393).The formation of eyelid bruises caused by thin-needle injection was less frequent than that caused by thick-needle injection(16%vs.26%),but there was no significant difference between the two groups(P=0.326).Conclusion:Using thin needles for local anesthesia during upper blepharoplasty could not significantly decrease injection pain or hematoma occurrence compared with that associated with using thick needles.

保卫细胞中ABA信号调控机制研究进展

脱落酸(ABA)具有调节植物快速响应逆境的重要功能。植物细胞中ABA核心信号通路由ABA受体PYR1/PYLs/RCARs、A类碱性蛋白磷酸酶PP2Cs和Snf1相关蛋白激酶SnRK2s组成。活性氧(ROS)和Ca^(2+)是保卫细胞中的重要第二信使,调控ABA诱导的气孔关闭。该文对保卫细胞中核心ABA信号蛋白的调控以及ROS和Ca^(2+)介导的ABA信号转导等最新研究成果进行综述,旨在阐明保卫细胞中ABA信号调控机制。

FLC调控植物成花的分子机制研究新进展

FLC是植物成花关键抑制因子,主要通过结合到其下游2个关键的成花促进基因(FT和SOC1)启动子上而抑制二者的表达。此外,还可以与其它调控因子结合调控开花。然而,关于FLC在成花调控中的具体分子机制仍需深入研究。该文主要结合8条成花调控遗传途径,梳理近年来与FLC相关的新进展,并展望了未来的研究方向。

Chromosome-level Genomes Reveal the Genetic Basis of Descending Dysploidy and Sex Determination in Morus Plants

Multiple plant lineages have independently evolved sex chromosomes and variable karyotypes to maintain their sessile lifestyles through constant biological innovation.Morus notabilis,a dioecious mulberry species,has the fewest chromosomes among Morus spp.,but the genetic basis of sex determination and karyotype evolution in this species has not been identified.In this study,three high-quality genome assemblies were generated for Morus spp.[including dioecious M.notabilis(male and female)and Morus yunnanensis(female)]with genome sizes of 301–329 Mb and were grouped into six pseudochromosomes.Using a combination of genomic approaches,we found that the putative ancestral karyotype of Morus species was close to 14 protochromosomes,and that several chromosome fusion events resulted in descending dysploidy(2n=2x=12).We also characterized a~6.2-Mb sex-determining region on chromosome 3.Four potential male-specific genes,a partially duplicated DNA helicase gene(named MSDH)and three Ty3_Gypsy long terminal repeat retrotransposons(named MSTG1/2/3),were identified in the Y-linked area and considered to be strong candidate genes for sex determination or differentiation.Population genomic analysis showed that Guangdong accessions in China were genetically similar to Japanese accessions of mulberry.In addition,genomic areas containing selective sweeps that distinguish domesticated mulberry from wild populations in terms of flowering and disease resistance were identified.Our study provides an important genetic resource for sex identification research and molecular breeding in mulberry.

The optical and molecular signatures of DOM under the eutrophication status in a shallow,semi-enclosed coastal bay in southeast China

We applied stable carbon isotopes,ultraviolet-visible absorption(UV-Vis),fluorescence excitation-emission matrices spectroscopy(EEMs),and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry(FT-ICR-MS)to investigate the chemical composition and sources of the dissolved organic matter(DOM)in both the water column and pore water in Xiangshan Bay,a representative semi-enclosed and eutrophic bay in Zhejiang Province,China.One protein-like fluorescent component(C1)and two humic-like fluorescent components(C2 and C3)were identified by PARAFAC modeling.The concentration of dissolved organic carbon(DOC),the relative intensities of C2,C3,and black carbon-like compounds are all negatively correlated with salinity,indicating that there is a dilution effect of terrestrial signals by seawater in Xiangshan Bay.The differences in light penetration ability of Xiangshan Bay cause different degrees of photo-degradation,which may play an important role in the transformation of organic matter in Xiangshan Bay.The weak correlation between the C1 fluorescent component and salinity indicates that autochthonous sources cannot dominate the protein-like FDOM in the Xiangshan Bay drainage area.Multiple sources(such as anthropogenic inputs and release of pore water)also affect the distribution of the protein-like fluorescent component under eutrophication conditions.The relative proportion of the protein-like fluorescent component in Xiangshan Bay is on a medium level in China and anthropogenic inputs may be a significant source of DOM in coastal bays.