https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30820432/

The Detergent Effect of Mesalazine Interferes with Phosphatidylcholine Binding to Mucin 2 (Ulcerative Colitis treatment/cure)

Abstract

Objectives: Therapeutically applied delayed-release phosphatidylcholine (PC) revealed mucosa protection and clinical improvement of ulcerative colitis. However, a recent trial with simultaneous application of delayed-release PC and mesalazine showed lack of efficacy. It is hypothesized that mesalazine acts as detergent to prohibit PC integration into mucus as target compartment, thus preventing topical mucus protection.

Methods: In vitro PC-binding studies with mucin 2 and intestinally differentiated CaCo2 cells as well as outcome analysis of a therapeutic trial with delayed-release PC and additional mesalazine.

Results: Choline-containing phospholipids, in particular PC, bind to mucin 2 as main scaffold protein of intestinal mucus to establish a hydrophobic barrier towards microbiota in the intestinal lumen. PC also binds to the apical surface of polarized CaCo2 cells with membrane-anchored mucin 3. Mesalazine removes mucin-bound PC and, thus, reduces transepithelial resistance. A post hoc analysis of patients from a previous multicenter phase IIB trial with delayed-release PC revealed that those without mesalazine showed a PC dose-dependent outcome with regard to achievement of partial and complete remission (p < 0.05 for 1.6 and 3.2 g PC daily) whereas those treated simultaneously with mesalazine showed no PC dose dependency.

Conclusion:Mesalazine solubilizes PC and, thus, prevents the protective action of therapeutically applied delayed-release PC within mucus.

Hilarious.

The standard medication (symptom treatment) blocks the actual cure.

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-issues-draft-rules-online-game-management-2023-12-22/

https://archive.is/9bZKr

China announces rules to reduce spending on video games

HONG KONG, Dec 22 (Reuters) - Chinese regulators announced on Friday a wide range of rules aimed at curbing spending and rewards that encourage video games, dealing a blow to the world's biggest games market, which returned to growth this year.

The new rules, which will effectively set spending limits for online games, sparked panic among investors, wiping off nearly $80 billion in market value from China's two biggest gaming companies, as investors sought to gauge the potential impact on earnings and more restrictions in the offing.

Online games will now be banned from giving players rewards if they log in every day, if they spend on the game for the first time or if they spend several times on the game consecutively. All are common incentive mechanisms in online games.

Shares in Tencent Holdings (0700.HK), the world's biggest gaming company, tumbled as much as 16% at one point, while those of its closest rival, NetEase (9999.HK), plunged as much as 25% after the National Press and Publication Administrations published the new draft rules.

Shares of tech investor Prosus (PRX.AS) followed Tencent lower, losing 14.2% in early trade on Friday and were among the biggest fallers on the pan-European stock index (.STOXX). Prosus owns a 26% stake in Tencent.

"It's not necessarily the regulation itself - it's the policy risk that's too high," said Steven Leung, executive director of institutional sales at broker UOB Kay Hian in Hong Kong. "People had thought this kind of risk should have been over and had started to look at fundamentals again. It hurts confidence a lot."

When asked about the draft rules' impact, Tencent Games' vice president Vigo Zhang said Tencent will not need to fundamentally change "its reasonable business model or operations" for games, adding that the company has been strictly implementing regulatory requirements.

Zhang added that minors had been spending a historically low level of money and time on Tencent's games since 2021 when minor protection became a focus for Beijing.

…

Games are also banned from offering probability-based lucky draw features to minors, and from enabling the speculation and auction of virtual gaming items.

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This is very good actually.