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Background/Aims: Diabetic nephropathy is a common complication of diabetes. This study explored the renal protective effect and possible mechanism of gliquidone in mice with diabetic nephropathy. Methods: Animal model of diabetic nephropathy was established in KKAy mice. The renal protective effect of gliquidone was studied by evaluating the kidney function through measures of urinary protein, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Scr) and serum triglyceride (TG) that were performed using an automatic biochemical analyzer. The levels of oxidative stress indicators, such as nitric oxide (NO), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA), were evaluated in renal tissue homogenates using the automatic biochemical analyzer. The inhibitory effect of gliquidone on renal interstitial fibrosis and its association with Notch / Snail1 signaling pathway in diabetic nephropathy was investigated using molecular biological techniques. Results: It was found that low-, medium- and high-dose gliquidone improved the mice’s general health condition, such as mental status, fur condition, eating, and drinking. Gliquidone reduced the body weight and the kidney weight /body weight ratio of mice. Gliquidone improved the kidney function, indicated by reductions in urinary protein, blood urea nitrogen, and serum creatinine and triglyceride. Gliquidone treatment increased levels of nitric oxide and superoxide dismutase, but decreased level of malondialdehyde. The expression of Jagged1/Notch1/hes1/Snail1/α-SMA decreased, while the expression of E-cadherin increased in gliquidone-treated kidneys. High dose gliquidone showed the best effect, one that was similar to that of the positive control drug irbesartan. Conclusion: Taken together, our results suggested that gliquidone can ameliorate the diabetic symptoms of diabetic nephropathy through inhibiting Notch / Snail1 signaling pathway, improving anti -oxidative response and delaying renal interstitial fibrosis. The efficacy of gliquidone is dose-dependent.

Oxidative stress is a leading contributor to spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion (SCIR) injury. Recently, MLN4924, a potent and selective inhibitor of the NEDD8-activating enzyme, was shown to exert a neuroprotective effect against oxidative stress in vitro. However, it is unknown whether MLN4924 plays a protective role against SCIR injury. In the present study, we found that MLN4924 treatment significantly attenuated oxidative stress and neuronal cell death induced by H2O2 in SH-SY-5Y neural cells and during rat SCIR injury. Furthermore, MLN4924 administration restored neurological and motor functions in rats with SCIR injury. Mechanistically, we found that MLN4924 protects against H2O2- and SCIR injury-induced neurodegeneration by regulating sirtuin 1 (Sirt1) expression. Collectively, these findings demonstrate the neuroprotective role of MLN4924 against oxidative stress in SCIR injury via Sirt1.

With the rising consumption of oil resources, major oil companies around the world have increasingly engaged in offshore oil exploration and development, and offshore oil resources have accounted for an increasing proportion. Offshore oil engineering projects are capital intensive, and the development of offshore oil fields faces a tough battle, especially in a period of low oil prices. Thus, a comprehensive evaluation model is highly needed to help assess economic benefits and provide meaningful and valuable information for operators and investors to make sensible decisions. This study firstly proposed a realistic and integrated evaluation model for offshore oil development based on actual historical project data. This evaluation model incorporated modules from the underwater system to the platform system and processes from oil reservoir extraction to oil, gas and water treatment. The uncertain parameters in the evaluation process are dealt with by sensitivity analysis and Monte Carlo simulation. The proposed model is applied to a typical offshore oil development project in Bohai Bay, China. The results reveal that the recovery factor and oil price have the greatest impact on the economic benefits. In the case of deterministic analysis, the breakeven oil price of the project is 40.59 USD/bbl. After considering the uncertainty of project parameters, the higher the oil price, the greater the probability of NPV > 0. When the oil price is higher than 70 USD/bbl, even with uncertain project parameters, the probability of NPV > 0 can still be as high as 97.39%.

By determining the hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg) positive rate postexposure and HBV-specific antigen/antibody (Ag/Ab) level in patients with rheumatic diseases, we aimed at exploring the rheumatic link to HBV control. Patients who underwent HBV screening in the Ruijin Hospital from 2020 to 2021 were enrolled for the exposure rate estimation. Among antibody to HBV core antigen (HBcAb)-positive patients, we adopted propensity score matching (PSM) to study the impact of rheumatism on HBsAg seroprevalence after exposure. A second PSM evaluated the Ag/Ab differences. We also had HBsAg prevalence in human leukocyte antigen B2 (HLA-B27) tested patients studied. With 33,989 screened patients, exposure rates remained comparable between rheumatic and non-rheumatic patients: 48.94 vs. 49.86%. PSM first yielded 2,618 balanced pairs. We observed significantly fewer patients with rheumatic diseases in HBsAg positive cases than negative ones ( < 0.001). In the second round, PSM matched 279 pairs, HBsAg ( < 0.001) and HBeAg ( < 0.05) positivity rates were significantly lower in the rheumatic patients, whereas HBsAb positivity rate ( < 0.001) and level ( < 0.01) were significantly higher. Though the value of HBcAb was overall significantly lower ( < 0.001) within the realm of rheumatic diseases, patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) demonstrated a significantly higher value than other rheumatic diseases. We saw significantly fewer HBV infections in HLA-B27 positive subjects than in the negative ones ( < 0.001). In this propensity score-matched study, rheumatic patients had an advantage in HBV control. In rheumatic patients, HBcAb levels, together with the beneficial role of HLA-B27, were highlighted.

Objectives Anti‐signal recognition particle (SRP) antibodies, markers of immune‐mediated necrotising myopathy, are reportedly related to cardiac involvement; however, whether they are pathogenic to the myocardium remains unclear. We aimed, therefore, to explore the pathogenicity of anti‐SRP antibodies against the myocardium through in vivo and in vitro studies. Methods Total immunoglobulin G (IgG), purified from patients with positive anti‐SRP antibodies, was passively transferred into C57BL/6 mice. Cardiac function was evaluated via echocardiography and the ventricular pressure–volume loop; cardiac histological changes were analysed using haematoxylin–eosin staining, picrosirius red staining, immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry. Additionally, reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation was evaluated by dihydroethidium (DHE) staining; mitochondrial morphology and function were evaluated using transmission electron microscopy and seahorse mitochondrial respiration assay, respectively. The myositis cohort at our centre was subsequently reviewed in terms of cardiac assessments. Results After the passive transfer of total IgG from patients with positive anti‐SRP antibodies, C57BL/6 mice developed significant left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD). Transcriptomic analysis and corresponding experiments revealed increased oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage in the hearts of the experimental mice. Cardiomyocytes exposed to anti‐SRP‐specific IgG, however, recovered normal mitochondrial metabolism after treatment with N‐acetylcysteine, an ROS scavenger. Moreover, patients positive for anti‐SRP antibodies manifested worse diastolic but equivalent systolic function compared to their counterparts after propensity score matching. Conclusion Anti‐SRP antibodies may play a pathogenic role in the development of LVDD by promoting ROS production and subsequent myocardial mitochondrial impairment. The inhibition of oxidative stress was effective in reversing anti‐SRP antibody‐induced LVDD. In the present study, we identified the relationship between anti‐signal recognition particle (SRP) antibodies and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) through both basic and clinical research. Anti‐SRP antibodies induce LVDD by promoting the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) with mitochondrial morphological and functional alterations that can be reversed by ROS inhibitors.

The role of autophagy, neuroprotective mechanisms of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), and their relationship in spinal cord ischemic reperfusion injury (SCIR) was assessed. Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: sham, ischemia reperfusion (I/R), 10 mg/kg NAD+, and 75 mg/kg NAD+. Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry were used to assess autophagy and apoptosis. Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) scores were used to assess neurological function. Expression levels of Beclin-1, Atg12-Atg5, LC3B-II, cleaved caspase 3, and Bax were upregulated in the I/R group and downregulated in the 75 mg/kg NAD+ group; p-mTOR, p-AKT, p62, and Bcl-2 were downregulated in the I/R group and upregulated in the 75 mg/kg NAD+ group. Numbers of LC3B-positive, caspase 3-positive, Bax-positive, and TUNEL-positive cells were significantly increased in the I/R group and decreased in the 75 mg/kg NAD+ group. The mean integrated option density of Bax increased and that of Nissl decreased in the I/R group, and it decreased and increased, respectively, in the 75 mg/kg NAD+ group. BBB scores significantly increased in the 75 mg/kg NAD+ group relative to the I/R group. No difference was observed between I/R and 10 mg/kg NAD+ groups for these indicators. Therefore, excessive and sustained autophagy aggravates SCIR; administration of NAD+ alleviates injury.