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Network pharmacology investigation as well as experimental validation to research the mechanism involving Hanchuan Zupa Granule inside asthma.
ated apoptosis in neuronal mitochondria or nuclei.ZBTB7A is a transcription factor that regulates all three branches of hematopoietic differentiation while repressing the expression of key glycolytic enzymes and glucose transporters. Here, we propose that ZBTB7A acts as a link between differentiation and metabolism, two interconnected cellular processes. In particular, ZBTB7A can activate or repress metabolic programs necessary for the differentiation of specific cell lineages while controlling key pathways such as Notch signaling. Finally, the dual role of ZBTB7A has implications for the treatment of myeloid malignancies, where the block of differentiation could potentially be overcome by metabolic therapies with low toxicity.Mycotoxins, ochratoxin A (OTA), and citrinin (CTN) are toxic metabolites of filamentous fungi. The most common fungal species that produce OTA and CTN belong to genera Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, and Monascus, and these fungal species are found to be contaminant a wide range of grains, food, and food product. The aim of our study was to evaluate the sub-acute repeated dose oral toxicity of OTA and CTN in experimental rodents by following OECD test guidelines for testing chemicals no. 407 with minor modifications. Twenty-five rats of each sex were divided equally into five groups; vehicle control, OTA 25 μg/kg b. wt., OTA 100 μg/kg b. wt., CTN 25 μg/kg b.wt. and CTN 100 μg/kg b. wt. The results of this study showed no abnormal clinical signs during 28 days of the experimental period. We did not found any significant changes in body weight gain, food consumption pattern, organ weight, hematology except few parameters, and biochemical values in any of the treatment and control groups. However, histopathological observations revealed severe nephrotoxicity and mild follicular depletion in the spleen of 100 μg/kg b. wt. treated groups of both OTA and CTN mycotoxins. The findings of our study are of its first kind that reports the systemic toxicity of OTA and CTN oral exposure to laboratory rodents.Antagonists of the group II metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) 2/3 receptors have been shown to have a rapid antidepressant effect. GABAergic interneurons play a crucial role in major depressive disorder (MDD) and possibly mediate the rapid antidepressant effect. However, how mGlu2/3 receptors regulate synaptic activities to GABAergic interneurons is not fully understood. In the present work, we studied the effect of mGlu2/3 receptors on excitatory and inhibitory synaptic activities to somatostatin (SST)- and parvalbumin (PV)-expressing interneurons, two major types of GABAergic interneurons, in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) that is strongly indicated in MDD. We found that activation of mGlu2/3 receptors by (2S,2'R,3'R)-2-(2',3'-dicarboxycyclopropyl) glycine (DCG-IV), an agonist of mGlu2/3 receptors, remarkably reduced the frequency, but not the amplitude, of spontaneous and miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs and mEPSCs) and the amplitude of evoked EPSCs in both types. The reduction in the frequency of sEPSCs and the amplitude of evoked EPSCs was more pronounced in SST interneurons. DCG-IV, however, did not affect spontaneous and miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs and mIPSCs) and evoked IPSCs in both types. LY341495, an antagonist of mGlu2/3 receptors, enhanced the amplitude of evoked EPSCs without affecting sEPSCs and mEPSCs in both types. It also did not affect sIPSCs and evoked IPSCs except slightly increasing the frequency of mIPSCs in SST interneurons. Our results indicate that mGlu2/3 receptors primarily regulate excitatory synaptic activities to the two types of GABAergic interneurons in the ACC.To date, there are no interventions that impede the inexorable progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and currently-available drugs cholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors and the N-Methyl-d-Aspartate receptor antagonist, memantine, offer only modest symptomatic benefit. Moreover, a range of mechanistically-diverse agents (glutamatergic, histaminergic, monoaminergic, cholinergic) have disappointed in clinical trials, alone and/or in association with AChE inhibitors. This includes serotonin (5-HT) receptor-6 antagonists, despite compelling preclinical observations in rodents and primates suggesting a positive influence on cognition. The emphasis has so far been on high selectivity. However, for a multi-factorial disorder like idiopathic AD, 5-HT6 antagonists possessing additional pharmacological actions might be more effective, by analogy to "multi-target" antipsychotics. Based on this notion, drug discovery programmes have coupled 5-HT6 blockade to 5-HT4 agonism and inhibition of AchE. Further, combined 5-HT6/dopamine D3 receptor (D3) antagonists are of especial interest since D3 blockade mirrors 5-HT6 antagonism in exerting broad-based pro-cognitive properties in animals. Moreover, 5-HT6 and dopamine D3 antagonists promote neurocognition and social cognition via both distinctive and convergent actions expressed mainly in frontal cortex, including suppression of mTOR over-activation and reinforcement of cholinergic and glutamatergic transmission. In addition, 5-HT6 blockade affords potential anti-anxiety, anti-depressive and anti-epileptic properties, and antagonising 5-HT6 receptors may be associated with neuroprotective ("disease-modifying") properties. Finally D3 antagonism may counter psychotic episodes and D3 receptors themselves offer a promising hub for multi-target agents. The present article reviews the status of "R and D" into multi-target 5-HT6 and D3 ligands for improved treatment of AD and other neurodegenerative disorders of aging.Although substantial research into genetics of psychotic disorders has been conducted, a large proportion of their genetic architecture has remained unresolved. Electroencephalographical intermediate phenotypes (EIP) have the potential to constitute a valuable tool when studying genetic risk loci for schizophrenia, in particular P3b amplitude, P50 suppression, mismatch negativity (MMN) and resting state power spectra of the electroencephalogram (EEG). Here, we systematically reviewed studies investigating the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with these EIPs and meta-analysed them when appropriate. We retrieved 45 studies (N = 34,971 study participants). Four SNPs investigated in more than one study were genome-wide significant for an association with schizophrenia and three were genome-wide suggestive, based on a lookup in the influential 2014 GWAS (Ripke et al., 2014). However, in our meta-analyses, rs1625579 failed to reach a statistically significant association with p3b amplitude decrease and rs4680 risk allele carrier status was not associated with p3b amplitude decrease or with impaired p50 suppression. In conclusion, evidence for SNP associations with EIPs remains limited to individual studies. Careful selection of EIPs and SNPs, combined with consistent reporting of effect sizes, directions of effect and p-values would aid future meta-analyses.Introduction This study evaluated the microbiological conditions of the apical root canal system of teeth with posttreatment apical periodontitis and correlated them with observations from cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and histopathology. Methods Root apices were obtained from 36 root canal-treated teeth subjected to perirradicular surgery. CBCT exam was available before surgery. The apical root specimens were scanned in a micro-CT device and then cryopulverized. The powder was subjected to DNA extraction for real-time polymerase chain reaction quantification of total bacteria, Streptococcus species, members of the phylum Actinobacteria, and Enterococcus faecalis. Microbiological findings were evaluated for associations with CBCT, micro-CT and histopathologic data. An association between lesion size and the proportion of unfilled apical canal system volume was also assessed. Results All cryopulverized specimens were positive for total bacteria. Actinobacteria and streptococci occurred in 35 and 33 specimens, respectively, and were usually dominant in the community. Actinobacteria counts were 2.23 times higher in granulomas than in cysts. Streptococcus were significantly more present in small lesion cases. E. faecalis was detected in only 7 samples, always as a dominant community member. Association of total bacteria, streptococci and Actinobacteria counts with the unfilled canal volume was significant in the univariate analyses, but not confirmed in the adjusted analyses. Large lesions were significantly associated with a higher volume of unfilled apical canal. Conclusions Bacterial infection occurred in all root apices, with high prevalence and dominance of Actinobacteria and streptococci. The volume of unfilled apical canal system was significantly associated with the lesion size and possibly with bacterial counts. Findings illustrate the need to thoroughly disinfect and fill the apical root canal of infected teeth during endodontic therapy.Introduction The current retrospective case-control study examined the potential systemic and local risk factors in relationship to external cervical resorption (ECR). The study hypothesis stated that both local and systemic risks associated with higher ECR rates. Methods The ECR group included data about 76 patients (98 teeth) diagnosed with ECR at the university graduate endodontics clinic, from 2008 to 2018. An equivalent comparative control group without ECR was composed of the same pool of patients and matched with cases by gender and age. Information about dental and medical history, including potential local risk factors (bruxism, trauma, eruption disorders, extraction of an adjacent tooth, orthodontics, restorations), and systemic risk factors (medical conditions, medication, allergies), was collected for both groups. Data were analyzed at tooth and patient levels. Chi-square test or Fisher's Exact test compared proportions between the two study groups. Results The overall ECR prevalence among endodontic patients during the 10-year follow-up was 2.3%. ECR was most frequent in maxillary anterior teeth (31.6%), and the Heithersay class 2 was the most frequent (38.8%) ECR diagnosis. Diabetes was the only significant systemic risk factor (p less then 0.05). Trauma, as a local risk factor, was significantly (p less then 0.05) more frequently reported in cases than in controls. Conclusions The study hypothesis stating that both systemic and local risk factors were associated with higher ECR rates was partly confirmed, as one systemic (diabetes) and one local (trauma) risk factor were associated with higher ECR rates.The world-wide COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted dental practice. Issues confronting practicing dentists include possible transmission of disease by droplets/ aerosol or contact with contaminated surfaces. Dentists are at increased risk due to their proximity to the oropharynx. In an effort to reduce potential exposure to aerosols generated during treatment, a device has been developed in which a polycarbonate shield is mounted to the dental operating microscope with an attached high velocity vacuum hose. Anemometer measurements demonstrate an exhaust outflow of 3.9 ft/min at a position approximating the patient's oropharynx. More research may be warranted using this or similar approaches to mitigate aerosol transmission.
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