Molecular Mechanism of Jingfang Mixture Against H1N1 Influenza Based on Network Pharmacology and Experimental Verification / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo predict the potential targets and mechanism of Jingfang mixture in the treatment of H1N1 influenza and provide references for clinical application of Jingfang mixture. MethodThe active components and targets of Jingfang mixture against H1N1 influenza were screened out by Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform（TCMSP），SwissTargetPrediction， and TargetNet. The targets of H1N1 influenza were obtained from GeneCards，Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man （OMIM）， and DisGeNET and standardized by UniProt KB. The intersection targets were obtained by Venny 2.1.0. The "drug-component-target" network was constructed with Cytoscape 3.2.1 and analyzed for the topological attributes. The intersection targets were uploaded to STRING 11.5 to obtain the protein-protein interaction （PPI） network. Gene Ontology （GO） enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） analysis were carried out by Metascape. Finally，the top active components ranked by degree were docked to the core targets by Autodock vina and visually analyzed by PyMOL. Balb/c female rats were used for experimental verification. Hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining was used to observe the pathological changes in lung tissues. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA）was used to detect the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α），interleukin-10（IL-10）， and interleukin-17（IL-17）. Real-time fluorescence-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR） and Western blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression levels in lung tissues. ResultThere were 144 active components in Jingfang mixture. A total of 421 target genes of Jingfang mixture and 2 956 targets of H1N1 influenza were identified，including 199 common targets. Topological analysis showed that the core components of Jingfang mixture against H1N1 influenza included quercetin，luteolin， and kaempferol，and the core targets included prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2（PTGS2），estrogen receptor alpha（ESR1），inducible nitric oxide synthase 2（iNOS2），peroxisome proliferator-activated receptorγ（PPARγ），and cyclooxygenase-1（PTGS1）. GO enrichment yielded 697 items in biological process （BP） （P<0.01）， 59 items in molecular function （MF）（P<0.01）， and 21 items in cellular component （CC） （P<0.01）. A total of 132 signaling pathways （P<0.01） were obtained by KEGG enrichment analysis， including phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases（PI3K）/protein kinase B（Akt） signaling pathway and mitogen-activated protein kinase（MAPK） signaling pathway，most of which were related to the regulation of immune inflammation. Molecular docking showed that the binding energy of the active components of Jingfang mixture to the core targets was less than -5.0 kcal·mol-1，indicating good binding activity. HE staining showed that the lung tissues were significantly improved after drug intervention，and Real-time PCR and Western blot showed that Jingfang mixture could reduce the mRNA and protein expression of PI3K and Akt in lung tissues. ConclusionJingfang mixture can play an anti-viral effect against the influenza A virus through multiple components，multiple targets， and multiple pathways. The active components quercetin，luteolin， and kaempferol may control the inflammation and regulate immunity on the PI3K/Akt，MAPK， and other signaling pathways by acting on targets such as PTGS2，ESR1，iNOS2，PPARγ， and PTGS1.

NBN-Doped Conjugated Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons as an AIEgen Class for Extremely Sensitive Detection of Explosives.

A simple and efficient synthesis of NBN-doped conjugated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (such as diazaborinines) has been accomplished by a catalyst-free intermolecular dehydration reaction at room temperature between boronic acid and diamine moieties with yields up to 99 %. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with a six-membered NBN ring are a new class of aggregation-induced emissive luminogens. Extremely sensitive detection of ppb levels of TNT by phenyl naphthodiazaborinine is straightforward. Visual detection of TNT is illustrated by fabrication of TNT test strips, which can detect as little as 100 ng of TNT powder. This simple and sensitive detection of TNT has potential applications in the area of public safety and security against terrorist activities.

[Retracted] Production of interleukin­4 in CD133+ cervical cancer stem cells promotes resistance to apoptosis and initiates tumor growth.

Following the publication of this article, an investigation conducted internally within our Department has revealed that the data published in Fig.  5a are not reproducible. Consequently, confidence in the conclusions drawn from the reported results in the paper has been undermined and, as a result, all authors involved have unanimously agreed to the retraction of this article. All authors recognize the seriousness of this issue and apologize unreservedly to the editors, reviewers and readers. We are also in the process of examining other studies in the paper. We sincerely regret that this study has been compromised, and are committed to rapidly correcting the public record and implementing practices to prevent any recurrence of such a situation in the future. [the original article was published in Molecular Medicine Reports 13: 5068-5076, 2016; DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2016.5195].

Production of interleukin­4 in CD133+ cervical cancer stem cells promotes resistance to apoptosis and initiates tumor growth.

The cancer stem cell (CSC) theory suggests that cancer growth and invasion is dictated by the small population of CSCs within the heterogenous tumor. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the cause for chemotherapy failure and the resistance of CSCs to apoptosis. A total of ~2.3% cluster of differentiation (CD)133+ cancer stem­like side population (SP) cells were identified in cases of uterine cervical cancer. These CD133+ SP cells were found to potently initiate tumor growth and invasion, as they exhibit transcriptional upregulation of stemness genes, including octamer­binding transcription factor­4, B­cell­specific Moloney murine leukemia virus insertion site­1, epithelial cell adhesion molecule, (sex determining region Y)­box 2, Nestin and anti­apoptotic B cell lymphoma­2. In addition, the CD133+ SP cells showed resistance to multi­drug treatment and apoptosis. The present study further showed that the secretion of interleukin­4 (IL­4) in CD133+ cervical cancer SP cells promoted cell proliferation and prevented the SP cells from apoptosis. Following the neutralization of IL­4 with anti­IL­4 antibody, the CD133+ SP cells were more sensitive to drug treatment and apoptosis. Therefore, the data obtained in the present study suggested that the autocrine secretion of IL­4 promotes increased survival and resistance to cell death in CSCs.

The cardioprotective effects of ischemic postconditioning on myocardial interstitium following ischemic/reperfusion in rats / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of ischemic postconditioning (IPTC) on the changes of matrix metalloproteinases-2 (MMP-2) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) protein and mRNA levels in rat heart subjected to ischemia/reperfusion, and explore the mechanism by which IPTC protects myocardial interstitium following ischemic/reperfusion (I/R).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty four healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (n = 8): sham control (SC) group, I/R group and IPTC group. The parameters of left ventricular function including left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP) and its derivate (±dp/dt) were measured; the amount of myocardial collagen contents was determined by hydroxyproline quantification; the plasma activity of creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was detected; the protien levels of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 was measured by Western blot and the mRNA levels of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 was detected by real-time PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The myocardial collagen contents, left ventricular function and the protein and mRNA levels of TIMP-2 were significantly decreased in I/R group compared with those of SC group, wherease the activities of CK and LDH in the plasma and the protein and mRNA levels of MMP-2 were significantly enhanced in I/R group when compared to SC group. Compared with I/R group, the myocardial collagen contents, left ventricular function and the protein and mRNA levels of TIMP-2 were increased in IPTC group, the activities of CK and LDH in the plasma and the protein and mRNA level of MMP-2 were decreased in IPTC group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>These findings indicate that IPTC has protective effects on myocardial interstitial after the myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury, and IPTC may exert its cardioprotectve effect via inhibiting MMP-2 and enhancing TIMP-2 expression in cardiac muscle.</p>

Effect of ischemic postconditioning on the expression of myocardium matrix metalloproteinase-2 induced by ischemia/reperfusion in rats / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of ischemic postconditioning on the expression of rat myocardium matris metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) induced by ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) and relationship between its expression and interstitium and the effect on left ventricular function.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty-four rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (n = 8): sham control (SC) group, ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) group and ischemic postconditioning (IPTC) group. The left ventricular peak systolic pressure and its derivate (+/- dp/dt) were calculated; The amount of myocardium collagenous were determined; The vitality of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and content of malondialdehyde (MDA) of plasma were detected; The activity of myocardium MMP-2 was measured by Western blot and RT-PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>As compared with I/R group, IPTC could lower the expression of MMP-2, ameliorate left ventricular function and increase the content of myocardium collagenous. In the meantime, the vitality of superoxide dismutase (SOD) of plasma were greatly enhanced and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) of plasma were reduced in IFC group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Protective effect of IPIC on myocardium may be due to reduce free radical, lower expression of MMP-2 and protect myocardial interstitium. MMPs plays an important role in the myocardial protection provided by IPTC.</p>

An application of correspondence analysis method in the study of disease etiology / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the application value of correspondence analysis in ecological study.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We adopted correspondence analysis method to analyze the relationship between the amount of food intake in some cities in China and the male gastric carcinoma mortality.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>According to scatter plots of row and column points, there were regional differences among the male gastric carcinoma mortality in different cities of China.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The scatter plot of row and column points indicated directly that there were regional differences among the male gastric carcinoma mortality in different cities of China. Males from the Southern part of the country ate more rice and salt, less wheaten food and fewer light vegetables than those from the northern parts, suggesting that there might be some carcinogenic factors in some food stuff involved.</p>

[Evaluation of clinical effect of hysterectomy preserving the uterine artery].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the clinical feasibility of hysterectomy that preserves the ascending branch and the ovarian branch of the uterine artery, and the effect on the ovary. METHODS: Fifty-two women who received hysterectomy with preservation of the ovaries, the so called divest due to benign gynecological disease were selected as the study group. It consisted of 35 patients who received subtotal-divest and 17 patients who received total-divest. Meanwhile, 38 cases who received traditional hysterectomy served as the control group. Two milliliter venous blood was taken and estradiol, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin (PRL) were measured at 1 month preoperation, 1 month, 6 months, and 12 months postoperation from 30 women with age ranging from 36 - 45 years of the two groups each. All the patients in the study group received ultrasonography via vagina at 1 month preoperation and postoperation, respectively. RESULTS: Postoperatively, through vagina color ultrasound examination, in the 52 cases of study group, bilateral uterine arteries were not retained in 1 case, and unilateral uterine artery was not retained in 6 cases. The postoperative peak blood flow of uterine artery during systolic phase (Va) was (20 +/- 9) cm/s, and during diastolic phase (Vb) was (3.8 +/- 3.2) cm/s. Compared with the preoperative values, (29 +/- 8) cm/s, (7.1 +/- 3.4) cm/s, the velocity of blood was slowed obviously (P < 0.01). The postoperative resistance index (RI) (0.79 +/- 0.08), was not significantly different compared with the preoperative value (0.80 +/- 0.08) (P > 0.05). The operative time, bleeding volume, and the postoperative exhaust time had no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). Comparing the hormone assay of two groups, there was a significant change at 6 months postoperation in the control group, but postoperation hormone assay had no significant change compared with the pre-operative result in study group. It indicated that the new approach did not affect the ovarian functions. CONCLUSION: The divest is applicable in clinics, and it can preserve the completeness of blood-supply and the function of the ovary.