Dang-Gui-Bu-Xue decoction improves wound healing in diabetic rats by the activation of Notch signaling

Diabetes serves as a severe chronic disease that severely affects the normal life of human beings. Diabetes causes the complication of diabetic wound dysfunction, which is characterized by sustained inflammation, altered angiogenesis, delayed epithelialization and abnormal secretion of protease. Dang-Gui-Bu-Xue decoction (DBD) is a Chinese traditional medicine that comprises Radix Astragali and Radix Angelicae sinensis and is widely applied in treatment of multiple diseases owing to its functions against inflammation, lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress. Nevertheless, the impact of DBD on diabetic wound healing remains elusive. In this study, we aimed to explore the function of DBD in the regulation of wound healing. We observed that the gavage administration of DBD reduced the wound area, inflammatory infiltration, inflammatory factor levesl, and enhanced granulation tissue formation, wound extracellular matrix (ECM) production, and CD31 accumulation in the diabetic rat wound model, and the co-treatment of gavage administration and the external administration of gauze containing DBD further improved the wound healing effect, while the combination of Notch signaling inhibitor DAPT ((N- [N- (3, 5-difluorophenacetyl)-l-alanyl]-s-phenylglycinet-butyl ester)) could attenuate the improvement. Regarding to the mechanism, the expression levels of Notch1, Delta-like canonical Notch ligand 4 (Dll4), Jagged1, and Hairy Enhancer of Split-1 (Hes1) were increased by DBD, while the treatment of DAPT impaired the effect in the rats. Furthermore, we found that the high glucose (HG)-inhibited viability and tube formation were induced by DBD in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), in which DAPT could reverse this effect. Therefore, we concluded that DBD contributed to wound healing by the activation of Notch signaling. Our finding provides new insight into the potential role of DBD in promoting diabetic wound healing

Canadian Energy System Management under Climate Change Conditions

Energy activities, as main cause of environmental and climate change issues, become the main concern of Canada for past decades. Robust and sustainable energy systems are essential to the prosperity of the regional, national and global economy. Energy systems consist of many components that are closely related to socio-economic development and resources conservation with multiple criteria and objectives. These components may be interrelated to each other and may present uncertain and dynamic features, associated with spatial heterogeneity, implying issues of system reliability and economic/environmental effects. Effective systems planning and policy-making support are desired for the long-term energy-environment management. In this study, eight representative regions in Canada with typical energy-related issues are identified and analyzed. A set of mathematical algorithms are integrated into the regional energy model framework to tackled uncertainties. Tradeoffs between environmental goals, economic benefits, and energy development in these regions can be reflected. Different scenarios involving greenhouse gas emission goals and renewable utilizations are analyzed, which can provide a sound basis for local governments' policy and strategy development in the future