For T2DM with NAFLD, administrating thiazolidinediones and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists seems to provide more identified advances in attenuating hepatic fat content. Further RCTs are warranted to assess the efficacy of various hypoglycemic agents on clinical outcomes associated with NAFLD in T2DM. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases and deaths are still rising worldwide, there is currently no effective treatment for severe inflammation and acute lung injury caused by new coronavirus (SARS-COV-2) infection. Therapies to prevent or treat COVID-19, including antiviral drug and several vaccines, are still being development. Human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), expressing in lung, has been confirmed to be a receptor for SARS-COV-2 infection, interventions for attachment of spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 to ACE2 may be a potential approach to prevent viral infections and it is considered as a potential target for drug development. In this study, we observed that seabuckthorn and its flavonoid compounds quercetin and isorhamnetin were shown strong retention to ACE2 overexpression HEK293 (ACE2 h ) cells by CMC analysis. Based on drug receptor interaction analysis and viral entry studies in vitro, we evaluated the interaction of two flavonoid compounds and ACE2 as well as the inhibitory effect of the two compounds on viral entry. Surface plasmon resonance assay proved the effect that isorhamnetin bound to the ACE2, and its affinity (KD value) was at the micromolar level, that was, 2.51 ± 0.68 μM. Viral entry studies in vitro indicated that isorhamnetin inhibited SARS-CoV-2 spike pseudotyped virus entering ACE2 h cells. Based on promising in vitro results, we proposed isorhamnetin to be a potential therapeutic candidate compound against COVID-19.

Objective. To evaluate the validity, reliability, and cultural relevance of the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales 2 (AIMS2) as a health assessment tool for Chinese-speaking patients with arthritis. Methods. The cultural relevance, language equivalency, and content validity of the AIMS2, Chinese version (CAIMS2) were evaluated by an expert panel. Measurement performance was tested on 240 subjects (rheumatoid arthritis ‫؍‬ 81, osteoarthritis ‫؍‬ 77, healthy ‫؍‬ 82). Subjects (n ‫؍‬ 175) were retested within 2 weeks for testing of reliability. Results. Three items were modified and 2 items were added, as suggested by the expert panel. Interitem reliability was satisfactory (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.8552-0.9594). Test-retest reliability of the CAIMS2 subscales ranged from 0.770 to 0.952 in subjects in whom the CAIMS2 was self administered. Significant score differences between patients with arthritis and healthy subjects were found in all 12 subscales, except for the support from family and friends and tension subscales. CAIMS2 subscale scores correlated with clinical and laboratory measures of disease activity and patients' perceived quality of life as measured using the INTRODUCTIONThe Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales (AIMS) have been widely used to assess the health status of people with arthritis in many countries for years (1-9). Extensive testing and refinement have been done to make AIMS a reliable, valid, and sensitive tool for evaluating the health status of individuals with arthritis (1,10 -12). Previous studies evaluating the efficiency and sensitivity of existing health status measures have demonstrated that the AIMS was efficient in assessing patients' mobility, pain level, and global functional impairment (13). In 1992, Meenan et al (14) further revised the measure (AIMS2) to cover aspects of arthritis relevant health status-arm function, work, and support from family and friends-that were not addressed by the previous measure. Three sections were also added to assess the respondents' satisfaction with current level of function, problem areas, and areas in which they wanted improvement. Empirical data supported that the AIMS2 is valid and reliable.Chinese people make up almost one-quarter of the world's population. Han Chinese made up 93.5% of the population in the People's Republic of China where Mandarin is the official language. Although there are 201 living languages (dialects) in China, the people in China share a unified writing system (Ethnologue.com, 2002). Recently, health status measures, such as the Short Form 36, Health Assessment Questionnaire, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life instrument (WHOQOL-BREF), have been translated and validated for Chinese-speaking patients (15-17). However, these general questionnaires are not as comprehensive, sensitive, or specific as the AIMS2 in detecting health changes in arthritis patients (13). The aim of this study was therefore to translate AIMS2 into Chinese (CAIMS2) and evaluate its validity. SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Background: Delivery of therapeutic small interfering RNA (siRNA) via functionalized nanoparticles holds great promise for cancer therapy. However, developing a safe and efficient delivery carrier of siRNA is a challenging issue. Methods: RGDfC peptide was used to modify the surface of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) to synthesize a biocompatible siRNA delivery vehicle (R-SeNPs), and MEF2D-siRNA was loaded onto R-SeNPs to prepare a functionalized selenium

Our study indicated that insulin reduced lipotoxicity via ROCK1 and then improved AMPK/SREBP-1c signaling in skeletal muscle under PA-induced insulin resistance.

Hyperglycemia-induced endothelial endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is implicated in the pathophysiology of diabetes and its vascular complications. Procyanidins are enriched in many plant foods and have been demonstrated to exert several beneficial effects on diabetes, cardiovascular and other metabolic diseases. In the present study, we investigated the effect of procyanidin B2 (PCB2), the most widely distributed natural procyanidin, on ER stress evoked by high glucose in endothelial cells (ECs) and the underlying mechanisms. We showed that PCB2 mitigated the high glucose-activated ER stress pathways (PERK, IRE1α and ATF6) in human vascular ECs. In addition, we found that PCB2 attenuated endothelial ER stress via the activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor δ (PPARδ). We demonstrated that PCB2 directly bound to and activated PPARδ. Conversely, GSK0660, a selective PPARδ antagonist, attenuated the suppressive effect of PCB2 on the ER stress signal pathway. Functionally, PCB2 ameliorated the high glucose-impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation in mouse aortas. The protective effect of PCB2 on vasodilation was abolished in the aortas pretreated with GSK0660 or those from the EC-specific PPARδ knockout mice. Moreover, the protective effects of PCB2 on ER stress and endothelial dysfunction required the inter-dependent actions of PPARδ and AMPK. Collectively, we demonstrated that PCB2 mitigated ER stress and ameliorated vasodilation via a PPARδ-mediated mechanism beyond its classic action as a scavenger of free radicals. These findings further highlighted the novel roles of procyanidins in intervening the ER stress and metabolic disorders related to endothelial dysfunction.

In spite of the achievement in treatment, the gastric cancer (GC) mortality still remains high. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of small noncoding RNAs that play a crucial part in tumor progression. In this study, we explored the expression and function of microRNA‐501‐5p (miR‐501‐5p) in GC cell lines. Quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction assay results suggested that miR‐501‐5p was significantly upregulated in GC tissues and cell lines. And, the Cell Counting Kit‐8 colony formation and cell migration assay results showed that the downregulation of miR‐501‐5p decreased GC cell proliferation and migration. Besides that, we found that GC cell cycle was arrested in G2 phase and cell apoptosis rate was increased by silencing the expression of miR‐501‐5p in GC cell lines using the flow cytometry. We also found that miR‐501‐5p could directly target lysophosphatidic acid receptor 1 (LPAR1) and negatively regulate LPAR1 expression in GC cell lines by performing dual‐luciferase reporter gene assay and Western blot analysis. And, LPAR1 was significantly downregulated in GC tissues and inversely correlated with miR‐501‐5p expression. Furthermore, LPAR1 downregulation promoted cell proliferation and migration, which were attenuated by cotransfection of miR‐501‐5p inhibitor in GC cells. In conclusion, miR‐501‐5p can promote GC cell proliferation and migration by targeting and downregulating LPAR1. miR‐501‐5p/LPAR1 may become a potential therapeutic target for GC treatment.

Axial spondyloarthritis (SpA), affecting the axial skeleton, is the main form of chronic inflammatory disease. 1 The term axial SpA encompasses both patients with nonradiographic and radiographic axial SpA, which is also called as ankylosing spondylitis (AS). AS is an inflammatory disorder, resulting in the bony fusion of vertebral joints, which is the cause of chronic back pain. 1,2 It was reported that the prevalence of AS is 0.1-0.5%, and the female-to-male ratio is approximately 1:2. 1,3 Chronic back pain is a common symptom, but it lacks effective, satisfactory treatments. 70 to 80% of patients with