Morroniside suppresses hydrogen peroxide-stimulated autophagy and apoptosis in rat ovarian granulosa cells through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway

Previous evidences have indicated that granulosa cells play a critical role in follicular growth. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced oxidative stress has been associated with ovarian granulosa cell apoptosis and ovarian function. Recently, a study highlighted the protective role of morroniside against H2O2-induced damage. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of morroniside on H2O2-stimulated rat ovarian granulosa cells and its underlying molecular mechanisms. Our results showed that H2O2 treatment suppressed cell survival and increased apoptosis in rat granulosa cells, while treatment with morroniside markedly increased H2O2-induced granulosa cell survival in a dose-dependent manner (0, 10, 50 and 100 µM). Moreover, treatment with 50 µM morroniside impeded H2O2-induced cell apoptosis. An elevation in intracellular ROS, MDA, SOD, GSH-Px, and CAT level was observed in H2O2-induced granulosa cells; however, this effect was abrogated by morroniside treatment. Further studies suggested that administration of morroniside inhibited H2O2-induced granulosa cell apoptosis and caspase-3 activity. In addition, after morroniside treatment of H2O2-stimulated granulosa cells, autophagy-related protein (LC3-II/LC3-I ratio) and beclin-1 expression was decreased and p62 level was increased. Interestingly, we found that morroniside treatment activated the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in H2O2-stimulated granulosa cells. Finally, we showed that treatment with PI3K and mTOR inhibitors reversed the protective effects of morroniside on H2O2-induced granulosa cells. Taken together, our data suggest that treatment with morroniside decreased apoptosis, autophagy, and oxidative stress in rat granulosa cells through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.

Effects of Antibiotics Versus Repeated Applications of Photodynamic Therapy as an Adjunctive Treatment for Periodontitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective: Although multiple applications of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) and antibiotics (AB) have been proved to have a biomodulatory effect, no systematic review has exclusively compared the effectiveness as an adjunct to scaling and root planning (SRP). This study sought to systematically compare the clinical efficacy of repeated antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (RaPDT) with that of the systemic administered AB as an alternative approach to SRP in treating periodontitis. Methods: In this systematic review, two independent reviewers searched PubMed, Embase, and CENTRAL databases. The primary outcomes assessed were bleeding on probing (BOP), probing pocket depth (PPD), and clinical attachment level (CAL). Results: Five randomized clinical trials were included after screening 457 records. Results revealed that when patients from all studies were categorized based on their baseline CAL, AB demonstrated significant benefits over RaPDT in the improvement of PPD [weighted mean differences (WMD) = -0.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.71 to -0.02, p < 0.05] in the patients with severe periodontitis (CAL baseline ≥5 mm) 3-month postoperatively, and CAL (WMD = -0.57, 95% CI = -1.11 to -0.04, p < 0.05) at 6-month observation. Nevertheless, AB failed to show significant benefits over RaPDT, when CAL baseline <5 mm in terms of clinical parameters. Conclusions: RaPDT may represent an alternative approach to SRP in treating slight-to-moderate periodontitis cases (CAL <5 mm), whereas AB remain a main therapy for treating severe periodontitis (CAL ≥5 mm).

Successful Treatment With Intrathecal and Intravenous Polymyxin B-Based Combination Against MDR Acinetobacter baumannii Meningitis in Pediatric Patient: A Case Report

Background: Nosocomial meningitis with multidrug-resistant (MDR) or extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Acinetobacter baumannii is a life-threatening complication in neurosurgery. Treatment of these infections is challenging because of poor penetration of the available antibiotics into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Intrathecal (ITH) or intraventricular (IVT) administration of antibiotics is increasingly used as the last treatment option against MDR/XDR Gram-negative bacteria meningitis not responding to intravenous (IV) regimens. However, pertinent data in pediatric patients is scarce. Case Presentation: A 14-year-old male patient developed meningitis from an MDR strain of A. baumannii following endoscopic endonasal resection of craniopharyngioma. Despite a combination therapy involving IV tigecycline, we observed clinical and bacteriologic failure. The patient was then successfully treated with an ITH and IV polymyxin B-based combination. Quantification of tigecycline and polymyxin B in CSF was performed with two-dimensional high-performance liquid chromatography (2D-HPLC) and HDLC coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS), respectively. Adverse drug reactions (neurotoxicity and skin hyperpigmentation), probably induced by polymyxin B, were acceptable and reversible. Conclusions: The case illustrates ITH and IV Polymyxin B-based combination is an optimal therapeutic option against MDR A. baumannii meningitis in this pediatric patient. In the future, real-time PK/PD data obtained from patients during ITH/IVT polymyxin B therapy should be required to optimize polymyxin use with maximal efficacy and minimal adverse effects.

The role of the microbiome in drug resistance in gastrointestinal cancers

Introduction: The microbiota is recognized for its impact on both human health and disease. The human microbiota is made up of trillions of cells, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. The largest population of microbes reside in the gut, prompting research for better understanding of the impact of gastrointestinal microbiota in different diseases. Evidence from numerous studies has pointed out the role of commensal microbes as key determinants of cancer pathogenesis. Moreover, gut microbiota may play an important role in chemoresistance; consequently, this knowledge might be important for novel strategies to improve anticancer treatment efficacy.Areas covered: We describe the role of microbiota in different gastrointestinal cancer types (esophageal, gastric, colorectal, hepatocellular and pancreatic-biliary tract cancers). Moreover, we analyzed the impact of the microbiota on resistance to anticancer therapies, and, lastly, we focused on possibilities of microbiota modulation to enhance anticancer therapy efficacy.Expert opinion: Increasing evidence shows that gut microbiota might influence resistance to anticancer treatment, including conventional chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery. Therefore, a better knowledge of gut microbiota and its interactions with anticancer drugs will enable us to develop novel anticancer treatment strategies and subsequently improve the cancer patients' outcome.

Differential influence of Streptococcus mitis on host response to metals in reconstructed human skin and oral mucosa

BACKGROUND

Skin and oral mucosa are continuously exposed to potential metal sensitizers while hosting abundant microbes, which may influence the host response to sensitizers. This host response may also be influenced by the route of exposure that is skin or oral mucosa, due to their different immune properties.

OBJECTIVE

Determine how commensal Streptococcus mitis influences the host response to nickel sulfate (sensitizer) and titanium(IV) bis(ammonium lactato)dihydroxide (questionable sensitizer) in reconstructed human skin (RHS) and gingiva (RHG).

METHODS

RHS/RHG was exposed to nickel or titanium, in the presence or absence of S. mitis for 24 hours. Histology, cytokine secretion, and Toll-like receptors (TLRs) expression were assessed.

RESULTS

S. mitis increased interleukin (IL)-6, CXCL8, CCL2, CCL5, and CCL20 secretion in RHS but not in RHG; co-application with nickel further increased cytokine secretion. In contrast, titanium suppressed S. mitis-induced cytokine secretion in RHS and had no influence on RHG. S. mitis and metals differentially regulated TLR1 and TLR4 in RHS, and predominantly TLR4 in RHG.

CONCLUSION

Co-exposure of S. mitis and nickel resulted in a more potent innate immune response in RHS than in RHG, whereas titanium remained inert. These results indicate the important influence of commensal microbes and the route of exposure on the host's response to metals.

A Novel Electrochemical Sensor Based on Au-rGO Nanocomposite Decorated with Poly(L-cysteine) for Determination of Paracetamol

Background:

Paracetamol is a common antipyretic and analgesic drug, but its excessive intake can accumulate toxic metabolites and cause kidney and liver damage, so it is critical to determine the content of paracetamol for clinical diagnosis and dose use.

Methods:

Au-reduced graphene oxide (Au-rGO) nanocomposite decorated with poly(L-cysteine) on carbon paste electrode was fabricated for the determination of paracetamol. Au-rGO was first coelectrodeposited on the carbon paste electrode surface. Afterwards, L-cysteine was electropolymerized to fabricate the Au-rGO/poly(L-cysteine) modified carbon paste electrode. Scanning electron microscope was used to characterize the morphology of Au-rGO and poly(L-cysteine)/Au-rGO. The electrochemical properties of the sensor were studied by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry.

Results:

After exploring the optimal conditions, the sensor showed a wide linear response for paracetamol detection in the range of 1-200 μM with a detection limit of 0.5 μM (S/N = 3).

Conclusion:

The fabricated sensor demonstrated good sensitivity with rapid detection capacity in real samples.

Goos-Hänchen and Imbert-Fedorov shifts of off-axis Airy vortex beams

Based on the angular spectrum of high order off-axis Airy vortex beams (AiVBs), Goos-Hänchen (GH) shifts and Imbert-Fedorov (IF) shifts near the Brewster angle are numerically calculated. It is found that both GH and IF shifts increase with the increase of the vortex's topological charge of AiVBs. The influences of the vortex's positions on GH and IF shifts are studied for the case of the topological charge m = 1. The studies of the off-axis vortex show that the influences of the vortex's position on shifts are inversely proportional to the distance between the vortex's position and the origin point.

Characteristics and mechanism of all-optical switching based on a one-dimensional two-connected periodic triangle optical waveguide network

In this study, an all-optical switch is designed using a one-dimensional two-segment-connected periodic triangular optical waveguide network, and its switching characteristics and mechanism are investigated. The performance of the switch is numerically calculated by using the network equation and the generalized eigenfunction method and we find it relatively excellent. Its switching efficiency ratio reached 3.7202×10¹⁶, which is 5 orders of magnitude larger than the best reported result. The switching threshold control energy is approximately 1.8×10^-20J, which is 1 order of magnitude larger than the best reported result. The switch size is approximately 0.0672µm² and the integration degree is up to 14per/µm², and it can be used for micrometer chip integration. The switching time is close to 209 fs, which is the same order of magnitude as the previously reported results. In addition, the all-optical switching designed in this study not only exhibits excellent switching performance and a novel working mechanism, but also provides a new technology for the design of pump-free all-optical switching devices.

Propagation properties and radiation forces of the Hermite-Gaussian vortex beam in a medium with a parabolic refractive index

In this paper, an analytical expression with a triple sum of the Hermite-Gaussian vortex beam (HGVB) propagating in a medium with a parabolic transverse spatial distribution of the refractive index is carried out. The intensity, phase, Poynting vector, and angular momentum of the HGVB are demonstrated analytically. The parabolic parameter, orders of the HGVB, and vortex topological charge affect the propagation properties, respectively. Also, the Poynting vector and angular momentum of the HGVB are shown so that we can further discover the properties. Furthermore, radiation forces are used to demonstrate the optical trapping ability of the HGVB, and several trapping positions are formed by the beam during propagation.

Repair of spinal cord injury in rats by umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells through P38MAPK signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

To explore the repair of spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats by umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UCMSCs) through the p38mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 45 healthy adult male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 180-220 g and aged 6-8 weeks old were randomly divided into group A (SCI model + transplantation of UCMSCs, n=15), group B (sham operation), and group C (SCI model + injection of an equal dose of DMEM, n=15) using a random number table. The morphology of spinal cord tissues was observed via hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, and the protein expression of phosphorylated p38 (p-p38) in spinal cord tissues, the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the injury region, and the spinal cord neuronal apoptosis were detected via Western blotting, immunofluorescence labeling and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, respectively.

RESULTS

In group B, there was no significant damage to the structure of spinal cord tissues. In group C, the spinal cord tissues had a disordered structure and significant fragmentation, the damage to grey matter was the greatest. Also, almost all of the grey matter was destroyed and dissolved, with a large number of scars and cavitation, and it was hard to distinguish the gray matter and white matter. In group A, the spinal cord tissues had a clear structure, there were smaller necrotic cavitation regions in the grey-white matter, and the number of cavitation significantly declined compared with that in group C. The results of immunofluorescence assay revealed that the expression of GFAP in spinal cord tissues was the lowest in group B, while it was remarkably decreased in group A compared with that in group C (p<0.05), suggesting that injecting UCMSCs via the caudal vein can prominently reduce the expression of GFAP in spinal cord tissues. Moreover, the spinal cord neuronal apoptosis rate was (4.21±0.19), (0.72±0.21) and (4.57±0.31), respectively, in group A, group B, and group C. It can be seen that the spinal cord neuronal apoptosis rate significantly declined in group A due to the treatment with UCMSCs. Also, the significant difference compared with that in group C, while it was significantly increased in group A compared with that in group B, but lower than group C (p<0.05). According to the results of Western blotting, the protein expression of p-p38 in spinal cord tissues was remarkably decreased in group B compared with that in group A and group C (p<0.05), while it was also markedly decreased in group A compared with that in group C (p<0.05), indicating that injecting UCMSCs via the caudal vein can significantly lower the protein expression of p-p38 in spinal cord tissues.

CONCLUSIONS

UCMSCs promote the recovery of neurological function, inhibit the p38 MAPK pathway activated after SCI, and reduce the spinal cord neuronal apoptosis in SCI rats.

Smoking reduces cathelicidin LL-37 and human neutrophil peptide 1-3 levels in the gingival crevicular fluid of patients with periodontitis

BACKGROUND

Antimicrobial peptides are components of innate immune response that have a key role on susceptibility and resistance of the oral cavity to diseases. This study aimed to investigate the influence of smoking on cathelicidin LL-37 and human neutrophil peptides 1 through 3 (HNP 1-3) levels in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of patients with periodontitis. The relationship between levels of these peptides with the periodontal status and selected inflammatory mediators levels in smokers and non-smokers was also evaluated.

METHODS

Forty patients with periodontitis, 20 smokers and 20 non-smokers were recruited. After a full periodontal clinical assessment, GCF samples were collected from healthy (n = 5) and diseased (n = 5) sites of each patient. Peptides and inflammatory mediators in the GCF were quantitated by sandwich ELISAs and Multiplex assay, respectively.

RESULTS

Diseased sites had significantly (P <0.05) higher levels of LL-37 and lower levels of HNP 1-3 than healthy sites in both smokers and non-smokers. Diseased sites of smokers presented significantly lower levels of LL-37 and HNP 1-3 when compared with diseased sites of non-smokers. Concentration of LL-37 was directly correlated with the presence of proinflammatory mediators matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-8 and interleukin (IL)-1β and inversely correlated with concentration of IL-10. HNP 1-3 concentration was positively correlated with IL-10 and negatively correlated with concentrations of MMP-8 and IL-1β.

CONCLUSIONS

Smoking was associated with reduced levels of LL-37 and HNP 1-3 in GCF of patients with periodontitis. LL-37 had a distinct expression pattern from HNP 1-3: LL-37 was upregulated in diseased sites, and HNP 1-3 was increased in periodontally healthy sites.1.

Hetero-structured MnO-Mn3O4@rGO composites: Synthesis and nonenzymatic detection of H2O2

The construction of metal-oxide heterojunction architecture has greatly widened applications in the fields of optoelectronics, energy conversions and electrochemical sensors. In this study, olive-like hetero-structured MnO-Mn₃O₄ microparticles wrapped by reduced graphene oxide (MnO-Mn₃O₄@rGO) were synthesized through a facile solvothermal-calcination treatment. The morphology and structure of MnO-Mn₃O₄@rGO were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The as-synthesized MnO-Mn₃O₄@rGO exhibited prominent catalyzing effect on the electroreduction of H₂O₂, due to the combination of good electrical conductivity of rGO and the synergistic effect of MnO and Mn₃O₄. The MnO-Mn₃O₄@rGO modified glassy carbon electrode provided a wide linear response from 0.004 to 17 mM, a low detection limit of 0.1 μM, and high sensitivity of 274.15 μA mM^-1 cm^-2. The proposed sensor displayed noticeable selectivity and long-term stability. In addition, the biosensor has been successfully applied for detecting H₂O₂ in tomato sauce with good recovery, revealing its promising potential applications for practical electrochemical sensors.

Propagation of the first order annular Bessel Gaussian beams in a uniaxial crystal along the optical axis governed by the Pockels effect

We investigate the first order annular Bessel Gaussian beams propagating in a strontium barium niobate (SBN) crystal governed by the Pockels effect. The left-hand circularly polarized incident waves propagating along the optical axis in the crystal give rise to the right-hand circularly polarized vortex fields with a topological charge of 2. If an external dc field is applied along the optical axis of the SBN crystal, the anisotropy strength can be controlled rapidly, and the rotational invariance around the optical axis is still maintained. In this case, the normalized intensity in the focal region, the power exchange between left-hand and right-hand components, and the exchange between the spin and orbit contributions of the angular momentum flux can be manipulated. We also consider the case where the incident waves are linearly polarized along the x axis. The cylindrical symmetry of two Cartesian components is broken during propagation due to the anisotropy, and the intensity distribution as well as the polarization state of the beams can be regulated electrically.

Electroless deposition of silver nanoparticles on cellulose nanofibrils for electromagnetic interference shielding films

High-efficient electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding films were successfully fabricated by electroless deposition of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on polydopamine (PDA) functionalized cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) as building blocks according to a pressured-extrusion film-forming process. PDA was first functionalized on CNFs by oxidative self-polymerization of dopamine (DA) to synthesize CNFs@PDA, on which AgNPs were electrolessly deposited. The obtained CNFs@PDA@AgNPs composite films served as tightly-connected conductive network, so as to significantly improve the whole electrical conductivity of the EMI shielding films. Utilizing CNFs as green and soft matrix, the fabricated CNFs@PDA@AgNPs EMI films show an outstanding mechanical enduring performance. The CNFs@PDA@AgNPs films with weight ratios of CNFs:AgNO₃ = 1:24 exhibited superb electrical conductivity of 1,000,000 S m^-1 and remarkable EMI shielding effectiveness of 93.8 dB at 8.2 GHz in X band. This work provides a simple methodology to achieve surface metallization of insulating fibers to supersede traditional metals for highly efficient EMI shielding applications.

Goos-Hänchen shifts for Airy beams impinging on graphene-substrate surfaces

The spatial (Δ_GH) and the angular (Θ_GH) Goos-Hänchen (GH) shifts for an Airy beam impinging upon a weakly absorbing medium coated with the monolayer graphene are theoretically investigated. The influence of the GH shift on the incident angle, the incident wavelength, the Fermi energy, and the decay factors of Airy beams is discussed. A significant magnification of Δ_GH, which reaches its maximum of about three orders of wavelengths, is predicted. Our findings may provide a feasible tool to obtain a huge Δ_GH in experiments.

Hyperoside Protected Against Oxidative Stress-Induced Liver Injury via the PHLPP2-AKT-GSK-3β Signaling Pathway In Vivo and In Vitro

Hyperoside, isolated from Drosera rotundifolia L., seeds of Cuscuta chinensis Lam., or Hypericum perforatum L., originally showed to possess an antifungal and antibacterial activity, while recently showed the protective effects against oxidative stress-induced liver injury. This study investigated such a protective effect of hyperoside and the underlying molecular mechanisms in vitro and in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-injured rat livers. The data showed that hyperoside was able to prevent the oxidative stress-induced liver morphological changes and CCl4-induced rat liver injury. Hyperoside reversed the decrease of superoxidase dismutase (SOD) level and the increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) level in vivo. Moreover, hyperoside regulated the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain leucine-rich repeat protein phosphatase 2 (PHLPP2)-protein kinase B (AKT)-glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) signaling pathway in tert-butylhydroquinone (t-BHP)-treated liver cells, e.g., Hyperoside reduced PHLPP2 expression to activate AKT phosphorylation, induce GSK-3β phosphorylation, and then increased nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) nuclear translocation, reduced nuclear translocation of phosphorylated Fyn, and promoted heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression in vivo and in vitro. In contrast, siRNA-mediated knockdown of PHLPP2 expression enhanced hyperoside-mediated activation of the AKT-GSK-3β kinase pathway in liver cells. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that hyperoside could protect against oxidative stress-induced liver injury by regulating the PHLPP2-AKT-GSK-3β signaling pathway in vivo and in vitro.

Tailored Teaching for Specialized (Para-)medical Students - Experience From Incorporating a Relevant Genetic Disease Throughout a Course of Molecular Cell Biology

Worldwide, a mandatory course in Molecular Cell Biology is often part of the (para-) medical curricula. Student audiences are regularly not receptive to such relatively theoretical courses and teachers often struggle to convey the necessary information. Here, positive experience is shared on rigorously embedding a genetic disease that severely affects the movement apparatus, fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), in all aspects of a course for an international group of Research Master Human Movement Sciences students. Various molecular cell biological aspects of FOP were systematically implemented in the course, covering genetics, the biochemical consequences of the mutation, signaling pathways that affect bone formation and lectures on how to clone the mutation or cure the mutation. Students were invited to critically think about how to use the theories learned in the course to analyze a research paper. During the practical part of the course, students assisted in novel, cutting edge research on FOP patient derived or control cells. Research findings were reported in a research paper format. By building a Molecular Cell Biology course around an appealing disease, we managed to increase the general motivation of the students for the course as reflected in two specific questions of the course evaluations (p < 0.05). It convincingly taught the relevance of a course of Molecular Cell Biology to students with a primary background in biomechanics and physiotherapy for their paramedical professional life. This approach of embedding an audience-tailored human disease with a known genetic cause into a course can be implemented to many medical curriculum related courses and will increase students' perception of the relevance of a course.

Multioptical bottles from second-order chirped symmetric Airy vortex beams

In this Letter, we introduce a new, to the best of our knowledge, structure of multioptical bottles formed by second-order chirped symmetric Airy vortex beams (CSAVBs). The numbers and the locations of the optical bottles embedded in the CSAVBs depend on the numbers and the locations of the vortices. Besides, the lengths and the sizes of the optical bottles could be adjusted by changing the chirp parameter and the topological charges of the vortices, respectively. We believe that our results can diversify the optical tweezers system for multiparticle manipulation.

Xylitol and erythritol inhibit real-time biofilm formation of Streptococcus mutans

Background

Regular consumption of xylitol decreases the number of cariogenic streptococci in dental plaque. In vitro biofilm models to study the mechanism of xylitol action have been set-up, but the obtained results are contradictory. Biofilm growth is a dynamic process with time-specific characteristics that may remain undetected in conventional end-point biofilm tests. In this study we used an impedance spectroscopy instrument, xCELLigence Real Time Cell Analyzer (RTCA), that allows label-free, non-invasive real-time monitoring of biofilm formation, to explore effects of xylitol on biofilm formation by Streptococcus mutans. Based on the obtained information of biofilm dynamics, we assessed the number of viable bacteria, the polysaccharide content, and the expression levels of selected genes involved in glucan-mediated biofilm formation in different biofilm stages. Xylitol inhibition was compared with that of erythritol; another polyol suggested to have a positive impact on oral health.

Results

Our results showed that real-time monitoring provided new information of polyol-induced changes in S. mutans biofilm formation dynamics. The inhibitory effect of polyols was more pronounced in the early stages of biofilm formation but affected also the measured total amount of formed biofilm. Effects seen in the real-time biofilm assay were only partially explained by changes in CFU values and polysaccharide amounts in the biofilms. Both xylitol and erythritol inhibited real-time biofilm formation by all the nine tested S. mutans strains. Sensitivity of the strains to inhibition varied: some were more sensitive to xylitol and some to erythritol. Xylitol also modified the expression levels of gbpB, gtfB, gtfC and gtfD genes that are important in polysaccharide-mediated adherence of S. mutans.

Conclusion

The erythritol- and xylitol- induced inhibition of biofilm formation was only partly explained by decrease in the number of viable S. mutans cells or the amount of polysaccharides in the biofilm matrix, suggesting that in addition to reduced proliferation also the matrix composition and thereby the surface attachment quality of biofilm matrix may be altered by the polyols.

Short-term efficacy and safety of lasmiditan, a novel 5-HT1F receptor agonist, for the acute treatment of migraine: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Migraine has been recognized as one of common diseases in the world whose current treatment options are not ideal. Lasmiditan, an oral 5-hydroxytryptamine (HT)1F receptor agonist, appears more promising for the acute treatment of migraine because of considerably better effect profiles with no severe adverse events (AEs). This review aimed to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of lasmiditan from the results of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

METHODS

PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase were searched on lasmiditan for the acute treatment of migraine from inception of the databases to Feb 1, 2020. Pain free and pain relief, global impression (very much/much better), and no/mild disability at 2 h in efficacy; total treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), dizziness, nausea, fatigue, paraesthesia and somnolence in safety were extracted from the included studies. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager Software version 5.3 (RevMan 5.3).

RESULTS

Four RCTs with a total of 4960 subjects met our inclusion criteria. The overall effect estimate showed that lasmiditan was significantly superior to placebo in terms of pain free (RR 1.71, 95% CI 1.55-1.87), pain relief (RR 1.40, 95% CI 1.33-1.47), global impression (very much/much better) (RR 1.55, 95% CI 1.44-1.67), and no/mild disability (RR 1.15, 95% CI 1.10-1.20) at 2 h. For the safety, significant number of patients experienced TEAEs with lasmiditan than with placebo (RR 2.77, 95% CI 2.53-3.03), most TEAEs were central nervous system (CNS)-related and included dizziness (RR 5.81, 95% CI 4.72-7.14), nausea (RR 2.58, 95% CI 1.87-3.57), fatigue (RR 5.38, 95% CI 3.78-7.66), paraesthesia (RR 4.48, 95% CI 3.33-6.02), and somnolence (RR 2.82, 95% CI 2.18-3.66).

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis suggests that lasmiditan is effective for the acute treatment of migraine with a higher incidence of CNS-related adverse reactions compared with placebo. Long-term, open-label, multi-dose trials are required to verify the current findings.

Synthesis of Ag-Au/Reduced Graphene Oxide/TiO2 Nanocomposites: Application as a Non-enzymatic Amperometric H2O2 Sensor

Background:

Owing to the strong oxidizing and reducing properties of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), it has been widely used in many fields. In particular, H2O2 is widely used in the aseptic packaging of drinks and milk. The residue of H2O2 in food is harmful to human health. Therefore, the quantitative detection of H2O2 is of great practical significance.

Methods:

The Ag-Au/RGO/TiO2 nanocomposites were facilely synthesized by photo-reduction approach. Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy were used to characterize the synthesized Ag-Au/RGO/TiO2 nanocomposites. Cyclic voltammetry was used to analyze the electrochemical behavior of H2O2 on the Ag-Au/RGO/TiO2/GCE. Amperometry was applied for quantitative determination of the concentration of H2O2.

Results:

A novel Ag-Au/RGO/TiO2/GCE was prepared. The Ag-Au/RGO/TiO2/GCE displayed high electrocatalytic activity towards H2O2 reduction. An electrochemical reduction peak of H2O2 was achieved on the Ag-Au/RGO/TiO2/GCE. The current responses were linear with the concentrations of H2O2 in the range of 0.01-30 mM with the detection limit of 3.0 μM (S/N = 3).

Conclusion:

An amperometric sensor has been prepared for H2O2 detection using Ag- Au/RGO/TiO2/GCE. The Ag-Au/RGO/TiO2/GCE shows good performance for the determination of H2O2. The proposed sensor exhibits good selectivity and stability.