Objective To compare the different dehydrations of microwave-vacuurn drying and high temperature drying on contents of the major effective in fructus momordicae.Methods Using two different drying methods for processing of fructus momordicae, the mogroside Ⅴ, vitamin C in dried products which was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to a main indicator for comparing different drying methods.Results The contents of mogroside Ⅴ in fructus momordicae which processed by microwave-vacuum drying, microwave-vacuum drying after ripening treatment and high temperature drying were 1.14％, 1.19％ and 0.60％;the contents of vitamin C were 0.21％, 0.30％ and 0.000 06％.Conclusion The processing method of microwave-vacuum drying to keep active components is obviously better than which of high temperature drying.

Objective:To estimate in-hospital mortality after knee replacement (KR) and to assess its trend and risk factors in China.Methods:We included patients undergoing KR in the Hospital Quality Monitoring System in China (2013-2019) to estimate in-hospital mortality after KR and assessed relation of patient's and hospital's characteristics (year of surgery, age, gender, marital status, primary indication, Charlson comorbidity index, geographic location, hospital type, hospital volume of KR, and surgery type) to in-hospital mortality using multivariable Poisson regression.Results:The annual amount of KR has increased from 20 307 in 2013 to 35 757 in 2019, and has maintained an upward trend for 7 years. The mean age of patients having KR increased from 64.9 years in 2013 to 66.6 years in 2019. Of the total 218 923 KRs, 63 deaths (0.29‰) occurred within 30 days before discharging. Older age was associated with higher in-hospital mortality ( P for trend <0.001). Male gender had higher incidence of in-hospital mortality compared with female [relative risk (RR), 2.5; 95% CI: 1.5, 4.1]. Single marital status was associated with higher, albeit non-statistically significant, in-hospital mortality than married patients (RR, 2.1; 95% CI: 0.9, 4.6). Higher Charlson comorbidity index was associated with increased risk of in-hospital mortality ( P for trend <0.001). Risk of in-hospital mortality decreased with more hospital-year knee replacement surgeries ( P for trend <0.001). In-hospital mortality varied by geographic regions, with the lowest mortality in East region (0.16‰), followed by South-West (0.31‰), South-Central (0.31‰), North region (0.33‰), North-West (0.54‰) and North-East (0.59‰). Conclusion:In-hospital mortality after KR in China was relatively low. Older age, male gender, higher Charlson comorbidity index and lower hospital-year knee replacement surgeries were risk factors for in-hospital mortality. The mortality varied greatly according to the geographic location of hospital.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of rutin on the browning of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and the mechanism. MethodCell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay was used to detect the effect of different concentration of rutin （3.125， 6.25， 12.5， 25， 50， 100， 200 μmol·L^-1） on 3T3-L1 cell activity， and Western blot to examine the effect of rutin （12.5， 25， 50 μmol·L^-1） on the expression of thermogenesis-associated proteins uncoupling protein 1 （UCP1）， PR domain containing 16 （PRDM16） and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α （PGC-1α） in adipocytes. After the optimal concentration of rutin was determined， the effect of rutin on lipid droplet formation in adipocytes was observed based on oil red O staining， and the expression of nuclear respiratory factor 1 （NRF1）， nuclear respiratory factor 2 （NRF2） and mitochondrial transcription factor A （TFAM）， which were the landmark proteins of mitochondrial biosynthesis， was detected by Western blot. ResultCompared with the blank group， 200 μmol·L^-1 rutin inhibited 3T3-L1 cell activity （P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， at the concentration of 12.5， 25， 50 μmol·L^-1 rutin significantly promoted the expression of thermogenesis-associated proteins （UCP1， PRDM16， and PGC-1α） （P<0.01）， which was determined as the optimal concentration. Compared with the blank group， 50 μmol·L^-1 rutin significantly increased the immunofluorescence intensity of mitochondrial UCP1 protein in 3T3-L1 cells （P<0.01） and the expression of the markers of mitochondrial biosynthesis （NRF1， NRF2， and TFAM） （P<0.01）. In addition， 50 μmol·L^-1 rutin significantly inhibited lipid droplet formation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes （P<0.01）. ConclusionRutin inhibited lipid droplet deposition in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and increased the expression of thermogenesis-related proteins （UCP1， PRDM16， and PGC-1α） and markers of mitochondrial biosynthesis （NRF1， NRF2， and TFAM）， thereby inducing the browning of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. This lays a basis for the development of drugs that safely regulate the browning of white cells.

Mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaf is a well-established traditional Chinese botanical and culinary resource. It has found widespread application in the management of diabetes. The bioactive constituents of mulberry leaf, specifically mulberry leaf flavonoids (MLFs), exhibit pronounced potential in the amelioration of type 2 diabetes (T2D). This potential is attributed to their ability to safeguard pancreatic β cells, enhance insulin resistance, and inhibit α-glucosidase activity. Our antecedent research findings underscore the substantial therapeutic efficacy of MLFs in treating T2D. However, the precise mechanistic underpinnings of MLF's anti-T2D effects remain the subject of inquiry. Activation of brown/beige adipocytes is a novel and promising strategy for T2D treatment. In the present study, our primary objective was to elucidate the impact of MLFs on adipose tissue browning in db/db mice and 3T3-L1 cells and elucidate its underlying mechanism. The results manifested that MLFs reduced body weight and food intake, alleviated hepatic steatosis, improved insulin sensitivity, and increased lipolysis and thermogenesis in db/db mice. Moreover, MLFs activated brown adipose tissue (BAT) and induced the browning of inguinal white adipose tissue (IWAT) and 3T3-L1 adipocytes by increasing the expressions of brown adipocyte marker genes and proteins such as uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) and beige adipocyte marker genes such as transmembrane protein 26 (Tmem26), thereby promoting mitochondrial biogenesis. Mechanistically, MLFs facilitated the activation of BAT and the induction of WAT browning to ameliorate T2D primarily through the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/sirtuin 1 (SIRT1)/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator 1α (PGC-1α) signaling pathway. These findings highlight the unique capacity of MLF to counteract T2D by enhancing BAT activation and inducing browning of IWAT, thereby ameliorating glucose and lipid metabolism disorders. As such, MLFs emerge as a prospective and innovative browning agent for the treatment of T2D.
Mice ; Animals ; Adipose Tissue, Brown ; Sirtuin 1/pharmacology* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/metabolism* ; AMP-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism* ; Morus/metabolism* ; Flavonoids/metabolism* ; Prospective Studies ; Signal Transduction ; Adipose Tissue, White ; Plant Leaves ; Uncoupling Protein 1/metabolism* ; Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha/metabolism*

The incidence of diabetes has been on the rise as the result of lifestyle changes， especially the high-fat diet and reduced exercise. Thus， it has become a global public health problem and it is an urgent task to explore effective therapy. There has been an explosion of research on the relationship of transforming growth factor-β （TGF-β） signaling pathways with diabetes complications and tumors， but the role of the pathways in the occurrence and progression of diabetes remains unclear. TGF-β signaling pathways can be activated by many factors， directly or indirectly leading to the apoptosis of islet β cells and insulin resistance （IR）， and thus they are expected to become new targets for the treatment of diabetes. TGF-β-related signaling pathways involve AMP-activated proteinkinase （AMPK）， protooncogene （c-Myc）， Ski-relatednovel protein N （SnoN）， Smad ubiquitination regulatory factor 1 （Smurf1）， miR-335-5p， and other signaling molecules. They participate in the occurrence and development of IR， apoptosis of islet β cells， insulin secretion disorder， fibrosis of adipocytes， and metabolic disorder of adipocytes， and inhibit the browning of white adipose tissue， playing an important part in the pathological process of human diabetes. According to traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， the pathogenesis of diabetes is the deficiency of Qi and Yin， and the late stage is characterized by the syndrome of Qi deficiency， and Yang deficiency and blood stasis， which should be treated according to the principle of replenishing Qi and nourishing Yin， warming Yang and activating blood. It has been found that the efficacy of some Chinese medicinals and compound prescriptions on diabetes is closely related to the TGF-β signaling pathways. This paper reviews TGF-β-associated signaling pathways， elucidating the roles of them in pathogenesis of diabetes， and analyzes the relationship of TGF-β-associated signaling pathways with the effect of compound Chinese medicine prescriptions against diabetes. This study is expected to lay a theoretical basis for the research on the treatment diabetes.

ObjectiveTo investigate the medicinal effect of total flavonoids of mulberry leaves on regulating liver lipid metabolism disorder in diabetes mellitus type 2 （T2DM） rats， and the mechanism based on liver peroxidase proliferators activate receptors-α （PPAR-α） and carnitine palmityl transferase-1 （CPT-1） proteins. MethodTotal flavonoids of mulberry leaves were extracted and purified by ethanol extraction + macroporous resin purification and then identified. T2DM rat model was induced by high fat diet （HFD） + streptozocin（STZ）method. Rats with blood glucose ≥ 11.1 mmol·L^-1 were divided into three administration groups with the high dose （300 mg·kg^-1）， medium dose （150 mg·kg^-1）， and low dose （75 mg·kg^-1） of total flavonoids of mulberry leaves for 8 weeks， respectively， to observe the weight and blood glucose of the rats. The pathological changes of rat livers were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. Biochemical method was used to detect the levels of total cholesterol （TC）， triglyceride （TG）， low density lipoprotein-cholesterol （LDL-C）， and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol （HDL-C） of blood lipid metabolism in rats. The messenger ribonucleic acid （mRNA） and protein expressions of PPAR-α and CPT-1 were determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot. ResultAfter 8 weeks of intervention of total flavonoids of mulberry leaves， compared with the control group， the food intake， liver index， and fasting blood glucose of rats in the model group increased significantly （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the food intake， fasting blood glucose， and liver index of rats in the administration groups decreased significantly （P<0.01）. The results of HE staining showed that the liver tissue structure of rats in the control group was complete and there was no obvious abnormality. The model group showed vacuolar degeneration and inflammatory infiltration of hepatocytes of rats. There was no obvious abnormality in the liver structure of rats in the administration groups. The results of blood lipid showed that compared with the control group， the levels of TC， TG， and LDL-C increased significantly （P<0.01）， but the level of HDL-C decreased significantly （P<0.01） in the model group. Compared with the model group， the levels of TC， TG， and LDL-C decreased significantly （P<0.05， P<0.01）， whereas the level of HDL-C increased significantly （P<0.01） in the administration groups. The results of Real-time PCR showed that compared with the control group， the mRNA expression of PPAR-α and CPT-1 of rats in the model group decreased significantly （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the mRNA expressions of PPAR-α and CPT-1 of rats in the high-dose group increased significantly （P<0.01）. The results of Western blot showed that compared with the control group， the protein expressions of PPAR-α and CPT-1 of rats in the model group decreased significantly （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the protein expressions of PPAR-α and CPT-1 of rats in the high-dose group increased significantly （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionTotal flavonoids of mulberry leaves can effectively reduce blood glucose and improve liver lipid metabolism disorder in T2DM rats. The total flavonoids of mulberry leaves could regulate lipid metabolism and play a hypoglycemic role by activating and regulating PPAR-α and CPT-1 proteins and promoting oxidative decomposition of fatty acids.