Effects of short-term supplementation with DHA-enriched phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine on lipid profiles in the brain and liver of n-3 PUFA-deficient mice in early life after weaning.

BACKGROUND: Lack of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids during the period of maternity drastically lowers the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) level in the brain of offspring and studies have demonstrated that different molecular forms of DHA are beneficial to brain development. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of short-term supplementation with DHA-enriched phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) on DHA levels in the liver and brain of congenital n-3-deficient mice. RESULTS: Dietary supplementation with DHA significantly changed the fatty acid composition of various phospholipid molecules in the cerebral cortex and liver while DHA-enriched phospholipid was more effective than DHA triglyceride (TG) in increasing brain and liver DHA. Both DHA-PS and DHA-PC could effectively increase the DHA levels, but DHA in the PS form was superior to PC in the contribution of DHA content in the brain ether-linked PC (ePC) and liver lyso-phosphatidylcholine molecular species. DHA-PC showed more significant effects on the increase of DHA in liver TG, PC, ePC, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and PE plasmalogen (pPE) molecular species and decreasing the arachidonic acid level in liver PC plasmalogen, ePC, PE and pPE molecular species compared with DHA-PS. CONCLUSION: The effect of dietary interventions with different molecular forms of DHA for brain and liver lipid profiles is different, which may provide theoretical guidance for dietary supplementation of DHA for people. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Gut Microbiota Metabolite TMA May Mediate the Effects of TMAO on Glucose and Lipid Metabolism in C57BL/6J Mice.

SCOPE: Gut microbiota can convert a variety of alkaloids and TMAO into TMA, which is then transported by the blood to the liver, and converted into TMAO. In recent years, TMAO has attracted wide attention as a metabolic risk factor in cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other diseases. However, it is still unclear about the role of gut microbial metabolite TMA in the adverse health impacts of TMAO. METHODS AND RESULTS: Male C57BL/6J is treated with intraperitoneal (i.p.) or oral TMAO for 8 weeks, the area under the OGTT curve of oral group is significantly increased by about 15% compared to the control and injection groups. Serum triglyceride levels in the oral group are significantly higher by 28.2% and 24.6% than those in the control and injection groups, respectively. Meanwhile, cholesterol content in serum is significantly elevated by 27.6% and 30.7%. Similarly, proinflammatory factors gene expressions are significantly increased with oral but not i.p. TMAO intervention. Furthermore, transformation in HepG2 cells shows that TMAO could not be converted into TMA by hepatocytes. CONCLUSION: The adverse effects of TMAO on glucose and lipid metabolism in C57BL/6J mice may act through gut microbiota metabolite TMA.

EPA and DHA Alleviated Chronic Dextran Sulfate Sodium Exposure-Induced Depressive-like Behaviors in Mice and Potential Mechanisms Involved.

Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) have higher rates of depression. However, the mechanism of depression development remains unclear. The improvements of EPA and DHA on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced UC have been verified. Therefore, the present study mainly focused on the effects of EPA and DHA on UC-induced depression in C57BL/6 mice and the possible mechanisms involved. A forced swimming test and tail suspension experiment showed that EPA and DHA significantly improved DSS-induced depressive-like behavior. Further analysis demonstrated that EPA and DHA could significantly suppress the inflammation response of the gut and brain by regulating the NLRP3/ASC signal pathway. Moreover, intestine and brain barriers were maintained by enhancing ZO-1 and occludin expression. In addition, EPA and DHA also increased the serotonin (5-HT) concentration and synaptic proteins. Interestingly, EPA and DHA treatments increased the proportion of dominant bacteria, alpha diversity, and beta diversity. In conclusion, oral administration of EPA and DHA alleviated UC-induced depressive-like behavior in mice by modulating the inflammation, maintaining the mucosal and brain barriers, suppressing neuronal damage and reverting microbiota changes.

Insights into lenvatinib resistance: mechanisms, potential biomarkers, and strategies to enhance sensitivity.

Lenvatinib is a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor capable of promoting apoptosis, suppressing angiogenesis, inhibiting tumor cell proliferation, and modulating the immune response. In multiple cancer types, lenvatinib has presented manageable safety and is currently approved as an effective first-line therapy. However, with the gradual increase in lenvatinib application, the inevitable progression of resistance to lenvatinib is becoming more prevalent. A series of recent researches have reported the mechanisms underlying the development of lenvatinib resistance in tumor therapy, which are related to the regulation of cell death or proliferation, histological transformation, metabolism, transport processes, and epigenetics. In this review, we aim to outline recent discoveries achieved in terms of the mechanisms and potential predictive biomarkers of lenvatinib resistance as well as to summarize untapped approaches available for improving the therapeutic efficacy of lenvatinib in patients with various types of cancers.

Predictive value of magnetic resonance imaging indications of spinal cord swelling for cervical spondylotic myelopathy prognosis.

BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the preferred examination approach for patients with suspected cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). OBJECTIVE: To investigate the predictive value of MRI spinal cord swelling on the prognosis of decompression surgery in patients with CSM. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 115 patients with CSM who underwent decompression surgery was performed. According to whether cervical MRI showed spinal cord swelling, they were divided into a spinal cord swelling group and non-swelling group. The Modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (MJOA) score, MJOA improvement rate and abnormal spinal cord enhancement rate in the two groups were compared before and after surgery. Multiple linear regression was used to analyse the influencing factors of the MJOA improvement rate. RESULTS: The time from symptom onset to operation (t= 2.400, p= 0.018) and preoperative MJOA score in the spinal cord swelling group were lower than those in the non-swelling group (t= 3.253, p= 0.002). The body mass index (t= 2.895, p= 0.005), anteroposterior diameter of the spinal canal (t= 4.421, p< 0.001), cross-sectional area (t= 3.136, p= 0.002), postoperative improvement rate (t= 4.277, p< 0.001) and proportion of abnormal enhancement of the spinal cord in the swelling group were higher than those in the non-swelling group (χ2= 3.136, p= 0.002). The preoperative MJOA score in the swelling group was lower than that in the non-swelling group (t= 2.583, p= 0.013). A multivariate linear regression model revealed that age and spinal cord swelling were independent predictors of MJOA score improvement, explaining 33.2% of the total variation. CONCLUSION: Patients with CSM with spinal cord swelling have less time from symptoms to surgery, and the degree of preoperative neurological deterioration is more obvious. Spinal cord swelling is an independent predictor of surgical prognosis in patients with CSM.

Mechanism of ginkgo flavonoid aglycone against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To investigate the potential mechanism of the effect of ginkgo flavone aglycone （GA） against doxorubicin （DOX）-induced cardiotoxicity. METHODS The male ICR mice were randomized into control group （CON group）， model group （DOX group） and GA+DOX group （GDOX group）， with 12 mice in each group. The DOX group was injected with DOX solution at a dose of 3 mg/kg via tail vein every other day， and the GDOX group was given GA suspension intragastrically at a dose of 100 mg/kg every day+DOX solution at a dose of 3 mg/kg via tail vein every other day， for 15 consecutive days. After the end of administration， the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase（AST）， creatine kinase（CK）， creatine kinase isoenzyme（CK- MB） and lactate dehydrogenase（LDH） in mice were detected in each group. Based on the metabolomics method， UHPLC-Q- Exactive Orbitrap HRMS method was used； based on principal component analysis （PCA） and orthogonal partial least squares- discriminant analysis （OPLS-DA）， the differentially expressed metabolites （DEMs） were screened using the criteria of variable importance in the projection≥1， fold change of peak area＞1 and P＜0.05； biological analysis was conducted based on databases such as HMDB and PubChem. RESULTS Compared with CON group， serum levels of AST， CK， CK-MB and LDH were increased significantly in DOX group （P＜0.05）； compared with DOX group， the serum levels of the above indicators （except for CK-MB） were decreased significantly in GDOX group （P＜0.05）. PCA and OPLS-DA showed that myocardial tissue samples of CON group， DOX group and GDOX group were isolated completely. After database matching， 37 common DEMs were identified， among which 17 DEMs were significantly up-regulated in the DOX group and significantly down- regulated in the GDOX group， and 8 DEMs were significantly down-regulated in the DOX group and significantly up-regulated in the GDOX group； pathway enrichment involved the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids， arachidonic acid metabolism， linoleic acid metabolism， taurine and hypotaurine metabolism； the key metabolites in the above pathways included docosahexaenoic acid， arachidonic acid， phosphatidylcholine （16∶0/18∶3） and taurine. CONCLUSIONS GA may regulate the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids， arachidonic acid metabolism and other metabolic pathways by acting on the core metabolites such as docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid， thus alleviating the cardiotoxic effects of DOX.

Autistic adults' experiences of financial wellbeing: Part II.

LAY ABSTRACT: Money matters in people's lives. It helps to meet people's basic needs (food, clothes, shelter) and live the lives they want to. When people talk about 'financial wellbeing', they mean how much you feel in control over day-to-day finances and how much freedom you have to make choices to enjoy life. We don't know what autistic people think about these things. That's why we did our study. We spoke to 21 autistic adults (24-69 years) about how they felt about their financial situation. We deliberately spoke to people who had told us previously they felt 'financially well' or 'financially unwell' so we could hear a range of opinions. Autistic people told us financial wellbeing meant having enough money to pay for their basics needs, to have a safety net for unexpected bills and not having to worry about money now or in the future. But many felt that good financial wellbeing was not possible for them. They often did not have a stable income to cover day-to-day expenses. This limited the choices they could make. Despite these challenges, autistic people told us they worked hard to budget and save money when they could - because feeling financial insecure was just too stressful, especially when they could not rely on family or friends for support. It made them feel mentally unwell. Our study shows there are many factors that influence autistic people's financial wellbeing. We need more research to help us understand how autistic people can be supported to achieve financial security.

A Comparative Study about the Neuroprotective Effects of DHA-Enriched Phosphatidylserine and EPA-Enriched Phosphatidylserine against Oxidative Damage in Primary Hippocampal Neurons.

Nerve damage caused by accumulated oxidative stress is one of the characteristics and main mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Previous studies have shown that phosphatidylserine (PS) rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) plays a significant role in preventing and mitigating the progression of AD. However, whether DHA-PS and EPA-PS can directly protect primary hippocampal neurons against oxidative damage has not been studied. Here, the neuroprotective functions of DHA-PS and EPA-PS against H2O2/t-BHP-induced oxidative damage and the possible mechanisms were evaluated in primary hippocampal neurons. It was found that DHA-PS and EPA-PS could significantly improve cell morphology and promote the restoration of neural network structure. Further studies showed that both of them significantly alleviated oxidative stress-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction. EPA-PS significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of ERK, thus playing an anti-apoptotic role, and EPA-PS significantly increased the protein expressions of p-TrkB and p-CREB, thus playing a neuroprotective role. In addition, EPA-PS, rather than DHA-PS could enhance synaptic plasticity by increasing the expression of SYN, and both could significantly reduce the expression levels of p-GSK3ß and p-Tau. These results provide a scientific basis for the use of DHA/EPA-enriched phospholipids in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, and also provide a reference for the development of related functional foods.

Supplementation of n-3 PUFAs in Adulthood Attenuated Susceptibility to Pentylenetetrazol Induced Epilepsy in Mice Fed with n-3 PUFAs Deficient Diet in Early Life.

The growth and development of the fetus and newborn throughout pregnancy and lactation are directly related to the nutritional status of the mother, which has a significant impact on the health of the offspring. The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the susceptibility of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid deficiency in early life to seizures in adulthood. The n-3 PUFAs-deficient mice's offspring were established and then fed with α-LNA diet, DHA-enriched ethyl ester, and DHA-enriched phospholipid-containing diets for 17 days at the age of eight weeks. During this period, animals received intraperitoneal injections of 35 mg/kg of pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) every other day for eight days. The results showed that dietary n-3 PUFA-deficiency in early life could aggravate PTZ-induced epileptic seizures and brain disorders. Notably, nutritional supplementation with n-3 PUFAs in adulthood for 17 days could significantly recover the brain n-3 fatty acid and alleviate the epilepsy susceptibility as well as raise seizure threshold to different levels by mediating the neurotransmitter disturbance and mitochondria-dependent apoptosis, demyelination, and neuroinflammation status of the hippocampus. DHA-enriched phospholipid possessed a superior effect on alleviating the seizure compared to α-LNA and DHA-enriched ethyl ester. Dietary n-3 PUFA deficiency in early life increases the susceptibility to PTZ-induced epilepsy in adult offspring, and nutritional supplementation with n-3 PUFAs enhances the tolerance to the epileptic seizure.

[Effects of propiconazole on physiological and biochemical properties of Panax notoginseng and dietary risk assessment].

To study the residue and dietary risk of propiconazole in Panax notoginseng and the effects on physiological and bioche-mical properties of P. notoginseng, we conducted foliar spraying of propiconazole on P. notoginseng in pot experiments. The physiolo-gical and biochemical properties studied included leaf damage, osmoregulatory substance content, antioxidant enzyme system, non-enzymatic system, and saponin content in the main root. The results showed that at the same application concentration, the residual amount of propiconazole in each part of P. notoginseng increased with the increase in the times of application and decreased with the extension of harvest interval. After one-time application of propiconazole according to the recommended dose(132 g·hm~(-2)) for P. ginseng, the half-life was 11.37-13.67 days. After 1-2 times of application in P. notoginseng, propiconazole had a low risk of dietary intake and safety threat to the population. The propiconazole treatment at the recommended concentration and above significantly increased the malondialdehyde(MDA) content, relative conductivity, and osmoregulatory substances and caused the accumulation of reactive oxygen species in P. notoginseng leaves. The propiconazole treatment at half(66 g·hm~(-2)) of the recommended dose for P. ginseng significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase(SOD), peroxidase(POD), and catalase(CAT) in P. notoginseng leaves. The propiconazole treatment at 132 g·hm~(-2) above inhibited the activities of glutathione reductase(GR) and glutathione S-transferase(GST), thereby reducing glutathione(GSH) content. Proconazole treatment changed the proportion of 5 main saponins in the main root of P. notoginseng. The treatment with 66 g·hm~(-2) propiconazole promoted the accumulation of saponins, while that with 132 g·hm~(-2) and above propiconazole significantly inhibited the accumulation of saponins. In summary, using propiconazole at 132 g·hm~(-2) to prevent and treat P. notoginseng diseases will cause stress on P. notoginseng, while propiconazole treatment at 66 g·hm~(-2) will not cause stress on P. notoginseng but promote the accumulation of saponins. The effect of propiconazole on P. notoginseng diseases remains to be studied.

N-3 PUFA Deficiency from Early Life to Adulthood Exacerbated Susceptibility to Reactive Oxygen Species-Induced Testicular Dysfunction in Adult Mice.

Homeostasis of reactive oxygen species is required to maintain sperm maturation and capacitation. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is accumulated in testicles and spermatozoa and has the ability to manipulate the redox status. The effects of dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) deficiency from early life to adulthood on the physiological and functional properties of males under the redox imbalance of testicular tissue deserve attention. The consecutive injection of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) for 15 days to induce oxidative stress in testicular tissue was used to elucidate the consequences of testicular n-3 PUFA deficiency. The results indicated that reactive oxygen species treatment in adult male mice with DHA deficiency in the testis could reduce spermatogenesis and disrupt sex hormone production, as well as trigger testicular lipid peroxidation and tissue damage. N-3 PUFA deficiency from early life to adulthood resulted in higher susceptibility to testicular dysfunction in the germinal function of supplying germ cells and the endocrine role of secreting hormones through the mechanism of aggravating mitochondria-mediated apoptosis and destruction of blood testicular barrier under oxidative stress, which might provide a basis for humans to reduce susceptibility to chronic disease and maintain reproductive health in adulthood through dietary interventions of n-3 PUFAs.

Phosphatidylglucose alleviates atherosclerosis by increasing cholesterol alienation to bile acids and cholesterol efflux in ApoE-/- mice.

BACKGROUND: Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is considered to be the major dietary source for choline, which is associated with atherosclerosis progress. Thus, phosphatidylglucose (PG) was prepared by enzymatic modification of PC to investigate the effects on atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E deficient (ApoE-/- ) mice, as well as to investigate its dose-response relationship. RESULTS: The results showed that dietary PG significantly decreased the atherosclerotic lesion area in a dose-dependent manner. Further studies found that intervention with a 0.8 g kg-1 and 2 g kg-1 PG diet for 4 months significantly decreased free cholesterol level and thus reduced total cholesterol levels in serum. The results of cholesterol distribution among lipoproteins showed that dietary PG significantly decreased low-density lipoprotein levels in ApoE-/- mice. In addition, only administration of high-dose PG significantly reduced total cholesterol levels in liver tissues by 31.2%. Furthermore, mice treated with high-dose PG had an expanded bile acid pool and increased the ratio of conjugated bile acids to unconjugated bile acids in the liver, serum and gallbladder by increasing hepatic gene expression of primary and conjugated bile acid synthesis. Additionally, low-dose and high-dose PG significantly increased total fecal sterols by 20.8% and 11.9%, respectively, by increasing sitosterol and ethylcoprostanol levels. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that PG alleviated atherosclerosis in a dose-dependent manner by increasing cholesterol alienation to bile acids and cholesterol efflux. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Eicosapentaenoic acid-enriched phospholipids alleviate glucose and lipid metabolism in spontaneously hypertensive rats with CD36 mutation: a precise nutrition strategy.

Previous studies have found that eicosapentaenoic acid-enriched phospholipids (EPA-PLs) alleviated glucose and lipid metabolism, which was accompanied by an increase of cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36). However, the effects of EPA-PLs on glucose and lipid metabolism in the case of CD36 mutation are unclear. Thus, spontaneously hypertensive rats/NCrl (SHR) were used as a CD36 mutation model to determine the effects of dietary 2% EPA-PLs for 4 weeks on glucose and lipid metabolism. The results showed that the intervention of EPA-PLs significantly alleviated the abnormal increase of serum free fatty acid levels and glycerol levels in SHRs. Moreover, the administration of EPA-PLs decreased the triglyceride levels and cholesterol levels by 31.1% and 37.9%, respectively, in the liver. Dietary EPA-PLs had no effect on epididymal fat weight, but EPA-PLs inhibited adipocyte hypertrophy in SHRs. Further mechanistic research found that EPA-PL pretreatment significantly reduced triacylglycerol catabolism and increased fatty acid ß-oxidation. Additionally, the administration of EPA-PLs decreased the area under the curve of the intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test and fasting serum insulin levels by activating the IRS/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Furthermore, EPA-PL pretreatment significantly increased the CD36 gene expression in the liver tissues, adipose tissues and muscle tissues even in the case of CD36 mutation. These results indicated that EPA-PLs alleviate glucose and lipid metabolism in the case of CD36 mutation, which provides a precise nutrition strategy for people with CD36 mutation.

N-3 PUFA Deficiency Aggravates Streptozotocin-Induced Pancreatic Injury in Mice but Dietary Supplementation with DHA/EPA Protects the Pancreas via Suppressing Inflammation, Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis.

It has been reported that dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) exert therapeutic potential for the preservation of functional ß-cell mass. However, the effect of dietary n-3 PUFA deficiency on pancreatic injury and whether the supplementation of n-3 PUFA could prevent the development of pancreatic injury are still not clear. In the present study, an n-3 PUFA deficiency mouse model was established by feeding them with n-3 PUFA deficiency diets for 30 days. Results showed that n-3 PUFA deficiency aggravated streptozotocin (STZ)-induced pancreas injury by reducing the insulin level by 18.21% and the HOMA ß-cell indices by 31.13% and the area of islet by 52.58% compared with the STZ group. Moreover, pre-intervention with DHA and EPA for 15 days could alleviate STZ-induced pancreas damage by increasing the insulin level by 55.26% and 44.33%, the HOMA ß-cell indices by 118.81% and 157.26% and reversed the area of islet by 196.75% and 205.57% compared to the n-3 Def group, and the effects were significant compared to γ-linolenic acid (GLA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) treatment. The possible underlying mechanisms indicated that EPA and DHA significantly reduced the ration of n-6 PUFA to n-3 PUFA and then inhibited oxidative stress, inflammation and islet ß-cell apoptosis levels in pancreas tissue. The results might provide insights into the prevention and alleviation of pancreas injury by dietary intervention with PUFAs and provide a theoretical basis for their application in functional foods.

The synergistic effect of sea cucumber saponins and caffeine on preventing obesity in high-fat diet-fed mice by extending the action duration of caffeine.

BACKGROUND: Sea cucumber saponins (SCSs) exhibit a unique structure and high bioactivities and might have specialized implications on caffeine metabolic process by altering the activity of N-demethylation enzyme CYP1A2. The present study aimed to clarify the effects of SCS on caffeine metabolism in vivo and in vitro, as well as the synergistic anti-obesity effect of SCS and caffeine on high-fat diet-induced obese mice. RESULTS: Results found that SCS administration significantly postponed the elimination rate of caffeine and its metabolites in vivo, and further study found CYP1A2-mediated caffeine metabolism was remarkably inhibited in a dose-dependent manner in vitro. The synergistic effect of the SCS and caffeine combination could decrease the total weight of white adipose tissue by 52% compared with high-fat diet-treated group. CONCLUSION: SCS could prolong caffeine action time, and the combination of the two substances exhibited joint action on high-fat diet-induced obese mice. These findings might provide a basis for the development of functional foods and potential application using the combination of SCS and caffeine. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Free astaxanthin-rich diets enhanced astaxanthin accumulation in egg yolks compared to esterified astaxanthin-rich diets.

As an oxycarotenoid with strong antioxidant properties, astaxanthin can considerably boost pigmentation and improve the nutritional value of eggs. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the comparative effects of different chemical structures of astaxanthin including free astaxanthin, monoester-enriched astaxanthin and diester-enriched astaxanthin on the nutritional enhancement of eggs within 20 days. The results showed that supplementation of free astaxanthin to laying hens was more effective in accumulating astaxanthin in egg yolks than supplementation with esterified astaxanthin. The retention rate of free astaxanthin was approximately 12.0 % at the plateau phase in egg yolk, while that of monoester-enriched and diester-enriched astaxanthin were 4.0 % and 2.5 %, respectively. Free astaxanthin possessed a high retention rate and pigmentation effect compared with esterified astaxanthin, which might provide a basis for astaxanthin enhancement in eggs and potential application in nutritional functional foods.

DHA-Enriched Phospholipids Exhibit Anti-Depressant Effects by Immune and Neuroendocrine Regulation in Mice: A Study on Dose- and Structure-Activity Relationship.

SCOPE: It has been reported that eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), especially EPA-enriched phospholipids (EPA-PL), significantly ameliorates depression-like behavior in mice, while the corresponding effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is weak. However, it is still unclear whether the limited effect of DHA on alleviating depression is remedied by dose and chemical structure adjustment to DHA-PL. METHODS AND RESULTS: A mouse model with depression is established by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) coupled with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge to simulate the infection-triggered immune perturbation during chronic stress, and the effects of dietary 0.2% EPA-PL, 0.2% DHA-PL, 0.6% DHA-PL, and 0.6% DHA-enriched ethyl ester (DHA-EE) are comparatively investigated. The results demonstrate that dietary 0.6% DHA-PL, instead of 0.2% DHA-PL and 0.6% DHA-EE, significantly rescues the depression-like behavior with similar effects to 0.2% EPA-PL. Further studies reveal that dietary DHA-PL regulates immune dysregulation, inhibits neuroinflammation by NLRP3 inflammasome, and further improves monoamine systems and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. CONCLUSION: The limited effect of DHA on depression is remedied by chemical structure adjustment to DHA-PL and three-fold dose. The present findings provide a potential novel candidate or targeted dietary patterns to prevent and treat depression.

Investigation and analysis of knowledge status and educational needs of caregivers for children with epilepsy / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective:To determine the level of epilepsy knowledge of caregivers for children with epilepsy and analyze its influencing factors, and investigate caregivers' educational needs and their acceptance for remote education, in order to provide reference for clinical telenursing education.Methods:From March to September 2022, 221 caregivers of epileptic children in the outpatient department and ward of neurology department of Xuzhou Children's Hospital were recruited by convenient sampling method for cross-sectional investigation. The status of caregivers' knowledge and educational needs were investigated by the general information questionnaire, epilepsy knowledge questionnaire, epilepsy knowledge needs questionnaire and telenursing acceptance questionnaire, and the influencing factors of knowledge level were analyzed by multiple linear regression.Results:The average score of epilepsy knowledge of caregivers was (15.68 ± 6.43) points. The course of disease, taking medicine on time, education background and monthly income of caregivers were the influencing factors of caregivers' knowledge level, and the difference was statistically significant ( P <0.05). 94.12% (208/221)- 96.38% (213/221) of the caregivers had high educational needs, and they had the highest demand for safety guidance during seizures. Caregivers' acceptance of remote education was moderate, ranging from 34.39% (76/221) to 71.95% (159/221). Conclusions:Caregivers' epilepsy knowledge needs to be improved. Medical institutions should formulate education plans according to the different characteristics of caregivers. Caregivers have a high demand for nursing knowledge, and medical staff should increase health education. Before giving health education based on remote nursing platform, we should fully understand the attitude of caregivers to the platform, so that they can master disease knowledge, strengthen their disease management ability, and improve the quality of life of children.

Effect of Buyang Huanwu Decoction on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats by regulating autophagy through PI3K/AKT pathway / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore the effect of Buyang Huanwu Decoction on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats by regulating autophagy through PI3K/AKT pathway. Methods The rats were randomly divided into five groups(n=10): sham operation group(Sham), model group(Model), Buyang Huanwu Decoction group(BYHWD), PI3K inhibitor group(LY294002)and Vehicle group(Vehicle). Except Sham group, the other groups were treated with 2h ischemia and 72 h reperfusion for modeling. The Zea Longa score was used to assess the neurological defects, HE was used to observe brain injury in the ischemic penumbra(IP), immunofluorescence was employed to detect LC3, and Western blot was used to detect pathway and autophagy marker proteins. Results Compared BYHWD group with model group, the neurological score of rats decreased, cerebral infarction volume decreased, the pathological lesions of brain IP were relieved, PI3K and p-AKT/AKT expression increased, and LC3Ⅱ/ decreased and p62 increased(P<0.05). The regulatory effect of BYHWD was weakened by LY294002(P<0.05). Conclusion Buyang Huanwu Decoction alleviates cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats by activating PI3K/AKT pathway to inhibit autophagy.

Cytopathological characterization of ascites for the diagnosis of serous ovarian carcinoma / 中华肿瘤杂志

Objective: To investigate the cytomorphological and immunocytochemical features of tumor cells in the ascites of ovarian plasmacytoma (SOC). Methods: Specimens of serous cavity effusions were collected from 61 tumor patients admitted to the Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2015 to July 2021, including ascites from 32 SOC, 10 gastrointestinal adenocarcinomas, 5 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas, 6 lung adenocarcinomas, 4 benign mesothelial hyperplasia and 1 malignant mesothelioma patients, pleural effusions from 2 malignant mesothelioma patients and pericardial effusion from 1 malignant mesothelioma. Serous cavity effusion samples of all patients were collected, conventional smears were made through centrifugation, and cell paraffin blocks were made through centrifugation of remaining effusion samples. Conventional HE staining and immunocytochemical staining were applied to observe and summarize cytomorphological characteristics and immunocytochemical characteristics. The levels of serum tumor markers carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) were detected. Results: Of the 32 SOC patients, 5 had low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (LGSOC) and 27 had high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC). 29 (90.6%) SOC patients had elevated serum CA125, but the difference was not statistically significant between them and patients with non-ovarian primary lesions included in the study (P>0.05); The serum CEA was positive in 9 patients with gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma and 5 patients with lung adenocarcinoma, and the positive rate was higher than that in SOC patients (P<0.001); The serum CA19-9 was positive in 5 patients with gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma and 5 patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, and the positive rate was higher than that in SOC patients (P<0.05). The serum CA125, CEA and CA19-9 were within the normal range in 4 patients with benign mesothelial hyperplasia. LGSOC tumor cells were less heterogeneous and aggregated into small clusters or papillary pattern, and psammoma bodies could be observed in some LGSOC cases. The background cells were fewer and lymphocytes were predominant; the papillary structure was more obvious after making cell wax blocks. HGSOC tumor cells were highly heterogeneous, with significantly enlarged nuclei and varying sizes, which could be more than 3-fold different, and nucleoli and nuclear schizophrenia could be observed in some cases; tumor cells were mostly clustered into nested clusters, papillae and prune shapes; there were more background cells, mainly histiocytes. Immunocytochemical staining showed that AE1/AE3, CK7, PAX-8, CA125, and WT1 were diffusely positively expressed in 32 SOC cases. P53 was focally positive in all 5 LGSOCs, diffusely positive in 23 HGSOCs, and negative in the other 4 HGSOCs. Most of adenocarcinomas of the gastrointestinal tract and lung had a history of surgery, and tumor cells of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tend to form small cell nests. Immunocytochemistry can assist in the differential diagnosis of mesothelial-derived lesions with characteristic "open window" phenomenon. Conclusion: Combining the clinical manifestations of the patient, the morphological characteristics of the cells in the smear and cell block of the ascites can provide important clues for the diagnosis of SOC, and the immunocytochemical tests can further improve the accuracy of the diagnosis.