Effect of losartan potassium tablets combined with Bailing capsules on rats with chronic kidney disease

Purpose: To study the combined therapeutic effect of losartan potassium tablets and Bailing capsules in rats with chronic kidney disease (CKD) via PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathway. Methods: Sixty Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomized into blank (BG), model (MG) and study groups (OG), with 20 rats in each group. The CKD model was established in MG and OG through oral gavage of adenine. The OG was administered losartan potassium tablets combined with Bailing capsules, while BG and MG were administered saline. After 6 weeks of continuous administration, BUN, Scr, UAlb, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 were assessed. Protein expression and changes in the mRNA of PI3K, Akt and NF-κB were determined. Results: The BUN, Scr and UAlb, as well as IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α levels were highest in MG, followed by OG, and lowest in BG (p < 0.05). PI3K and Akt proteins were lowest in MG, followed by OG, and highest in BG, whereas NF-κB protein was highest in MG, followed by OG, and lowest in BG (p < 0.05). PI3K mRNA and Akt mRNA levels were lowest in MG, followed by OG, and highest in BG, while NF-κB mRNA was highest in MG, followed by OG, and lowest in BG (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The combination of losartan potassium tablets and Bailing capsules are effective in treating CKD in rats, and improves the renal function of rats. Thse effects may be related to the down-regulation of PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway

A New Structural Classification Scheme for Dissolved Organic Sulfur in Urban Snow from North China

The chemical composition of dissolved organic sulfur in snow is important in understanding the sources and scavenging processes of atmospheric organic matter. Snow samples collected simultaneously from four megacities in North China were analyzed using ultra-high-resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. The modified oxygen and redefined aromaticity index help in the interpretation of the possible structural information and evaluation of the aromaticity of sulfur-containing molecules. By extending these parameters, we provide a new structural classification for organic sulfur species in the atmosphere. With the new classification, the oxidized (O/S > 3) and less oxidized (O/S ≤ 3) sulfur-containing molecules can be easily distinguished. Typical known secondary organosulfates and sulfonates and anthropogenically derived anionic surfactants verified the validity of this new classification. The new classification was applied to the molecular characterization of dissolved organic sulfur in snow samples. More than one hundred (138–150) of the molecules with medium O/S ratios of 5–11 and a low to medium mass range of <500 Da are related with typical known secondary organosulfates and anthropogenically derived anionic surfactants. Our study provides new insights into the molecular compositions of organic sulfur species in ambient air, although their atmospheric behaviors between the snow–aerosol interfaces warrant further examination