Controlling release of astaxanthin in β-sitosterol oleogel-based emulsions via different self-assembled mechanisms and composition of the oleogelators

In this study, three types of β-sitosterol-based oleogels (β-sitosterol + γ-oryzanol oleogels, β-sitosterol + lecithin, oleogels and β-sitosterol + monostearate oleogels), loaded with astaxanthin, were employed as the oil phase to create oleogel-based emulsions (SO, SL, and SM) using high-pressure homogenization. The microstructure revealed that fine-scale crystals were dispersed within the oil phase of the droplets in the β-sitosterol oleogel-based emulsion. The bioaccessibility of astaxanthin was found to be 58.13 %, 51.24 %, 36.57 %, and 45.72 % for SM, SL, SO, and the control group, respectively. Interestingly, the release of fatty acids was positively correlated with the availability of astaxanthin (P = 0.981). Further analysis of FFAs release and kinetics indicated that the structural strength of the oil-phase in the emulsions influenced the degree and rate of lipolysis. Additionally, the micellar fraction analysis suggested that the nature and composition of the oleogelators in SM and SL also impacted lipolysis and the bioaccessibility of astaxanthin. Furthermore, interfacial binding of lipase and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) measurements revealed that the oleogel network within the oil phase of the emulsion acted as a physical barrier, hindering the interaction between lipase and lipid. Overall, β-sitosterol oleogel-based emulsions offer a versatile platform for delivering hydrophobic molecules, enhancing the bioavailability of active compounds, and achieving sustained release.

Protective Effect of Que Zui Tea on d-Galactose-Induced Oxidative Stress Damage in Mice via Regulating SIRT1/Nrf2 Signaling Pathway

Que Zui tea (QT) is an important herbal tea in the diet of the 'Yi' people, an ethnic group in China, and it has shown significant antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective effects in vitro. This study aims to explore the protective effects of the aqueous-ethanol extract (QE) taken from QT against ᴅ-galactose (ᴅ-gal)-induced oxidative stress damage in mice and its potential mechanisms. QE was identified as UHPLC-HRMS/MS for its chemical composition and possible bioactive substances. Thus, QE is rich in phenolic and flavonoid compounds. Twelve compounds were identified, the main components of which were chlorogenic acid, quinic acid, and 6'-O-caffeoylarbutin. Histopathological and biochemical analysis revealed that QE significantly alleviated brain, liver, and kidney damage in ᴅ-gal-treated mice. Moreover, QE remarkably attenuated oxidative stress by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway to increase the expression of antioxidant indexes, including GSH, GSH-Px, CAT, SOD, and T-AOC. In addition, QE administration could inhibit the IL-1β and IL-6 levels, which suppress the inflammatory response. QE could noticeably alleviate apoptosis by inhibiting the expressions of Caspase-3 and Bax proteins in the brains, livers, and kidneys of mice. The anti-apoptosis mechanism may be related to the upregulation of the SIRT1 protein and the downregulation of the p53 protein induced by QE in the brain, liver, and kidney tissues of mice. Molecular docking analysis demonstrated that the main components of QE, 6'-O-caffeoylarbutin, chlorogenic acid, quinic acid, and robustaside A, had good binding ability with Nrf2 and SIRT1 proteins. The present study indicated that QE could alleviate ᴅ-gal-induced brain, liver and kidney damage in mice by inhibiting the oxidative stress and cell apoptosis; additionally, the potential mechanism may be associated with the SIRT1/Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Rapid and Precise Differentiation and Authentication of Agricultural Products via Deep Learning-Assisted Multiplex SERS Fingerprinting

Accurate and rapid differentiation and authentication of agricultural products based on their origin and quality are crucial to ensuring food safety and quality control. However, similar chemical compositions and complex matrices often hinder precise identification, particularly for adulterated samples. Herein, we propose a novel method combining multiplex surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) fingerprinting with a one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN), which enables the effective differentiation of the category, origin, and grade of agricultural products. This strategy leverages three different SERS-active nanoparticles as multiplex sensors, each tailored to selectively amplify the signals of preferentially adsorbed chemicals within the sample. By strategically combining SERS spectra from different NPs, a 'SERS super-fingerprint' is constructed, offering a more comprehensive representation of the characteristic information on agricultural products. Subsequently, utilizing a custom-designed 1D-CNN model for feature extraction from the 'super-fingerprint' significantly enhances the predictive accuracy for agricultural products. This strategy successfully identified various agricultural products and simulated adulterated samples with exceptional accuracy, reaching 97.7% and 94.8%, respectively. Notably, the entire identification process, encompassing sample preparation, SERS measurement, and deep learning analysis, takes only 35 min. This development of deep learning-assisted multiplex SERS fingerprinting establishes a rapid and reliable method for the identification and authentication of agricultural products.

Antibacterial Activity and Mechanism of Self-Assembly Spermidine-Capped Carbon Dots against Staphylococcus aureus

This paper investigated the antibacterial mechanism of spermidine-capped carbon dots (S-PCDs) against Staphylococcus aureus. The results showed that there were a large number of amino groups on the surface of S-PCDs and they had a high positive charge (+47.06 mV), which could be adsorbed on the negatively charged bacterial surface through electrostatic interaction and changed the permeability of the bacterial cell membrane. The extracellular protein and nucleic acid contents of S. aureus treated with S-PCDs were 5.4 and 1.2 times higher than those of the control group, respectively. The surface folds and defects of the bacterial cell membrane, and the leakage of cell contents were observed using SEM and TEM. The expression of metabolic oxidation regulatory genes dmpI, narJ and narK was upregulated and the intracellular ROS generation was induced, causing bacterial oxidative stress and eventually bacterial death. S-PCDs can effectively inhibit biofilm formation and had low cytotoxicity. The S-PCD treatment successfully inhibited microbial reproduction when pasteurized milk was stored at 25 °C and 4 °C. These results provide important insights into the antimicrobial mechanism of S-PCDs and lay the foundation for their application in the food field as a potentially novel bacteriostatic nanomaterial.

Synthesizing Carbon Quantum Dots via Hydrothermal Reaction to Produce Efficient Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Nanomaterials

This study aimed to synthesize antibacterial carbon quantum dots (SP-CDs) from polyethyleneimine and spermidine via hydrothermal reaction. It was revealed that SP-CDs, with small size (7.18 nm) and high positive charge (+31.15 mV), had good fluorescence properties and lots of amino groups on their surfaces. The inhibition effect of SP-CDs on Staphylococcus aureus was better than that towards Escherichia coli, and the SP-CDs also had an inhibitory effect on multi-drug-resistant E. coli. The mechanism of SP-CDs shows that the SP-CDs were adsorbed on the surface of the negatively charged cell membrane through electrostatic interaction. SP-CDs can cause changes in membrane permeability, resulting in a shift of the cell membrane from order to disorder and the decomposition of chemical components, followed by the leakage of cell contents, resulting in bacterial death. SP-CDs can also significantly inhibit biofilm formation, destroy mature biofilms and reduce the number of living cells. Moreover, SP-CDs had negligible antimicrobial resistance even after 18 generations of treatment. This study proves that SP-CDs effectively inhibit the proliferation of foodborne pathogens, providing new feasibility for the application of carbon-based nanomaterials in the food industry.

[Analysis of the relationship between PI-RADS scores and the pathological results of targeted biopsy based on MRI]

Objective: To analyze the relationship between Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) scores and the pathological results of transperineal magnetic resonance-ultrasound fusion guided biopsy. Methods: The clinical data, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results and prostate puncture biopsies of 517 patients who were assigned to PI-RADS score of 4 or 5 and underwent transperineal magnetic resonance-ultrasound fusion guided biopsy at The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from June 2019 to March 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into the PI-RADS 4 and PI-RADS 5 groups according to their PI-RADS scores and were stratified by their prostate specific antigen (PSA) values (PSA<10 ng/ml vs. PSA 10-20 ng/ml). The pathological negative rates from the biopsy, the distribution of the grade groups according to the grading system by World Health Organization/International Society of Urological Pathology (WHO/ISUP), the detection rates of prostate cancer (PCa) and clinically significant prostate cancer (CsPCa)between the groups were compared. Results: 369 patients with a PI-RADS score of 4 and 148 patients with a PI-RADS score of 5 were included in our research. The overall detection rates of PCa and CsPCa were 77.8% (402/517) and 66.7% (345/517), respectively. In the PI-RADS 4 group, patients with prostate negative biopsies or in WHO/ISUP 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 grade groups accounted for 28.2%, 12.7%, 20.1%, 17.1%, 18.4% and 3.5%, respectively, whereas in the PI-RADS 5 group the rates were 7.4%, 6.8%, 22.3%, 22.3%, 26.4%, and 14.9%, respectively. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). The detection rates of PCa and CsPCa in the PI-RADS 4 group [71.8% (265/369) vs. 59.1% (218/369), P<0.001] were lower than those of the PI-RADS 5 group [92.6% (137/148) vs. 85.8% (127/148), P<0.001]. In the PI-RADS 4 group, the proportion of patients classified into WHO/ISUP 4-5 grade groups was lower than that of patients in the PI-RADS 5 group [22.0% (81/369) vs 41.2% (61/148) (P<0.001)]. The detection rates of PCa and CsPCa in the PSA<10 ng/ml stratification were less than that in the PSA 10-20 ng/ml stratification[74.1% (281/379) vs. 87.7% (121/138), P=0.001], and [60.9% (231/379) vs. 82.6% (114/138), P<0.001]. For patients with PSA<10 ng/ml, the detection rates of PCa and CsPCa in the PI-RADS 4 group were less than those in the PI-RADS5 group [70.9% (217/306) vs. 87.7% (64/73), P=0.003], and [56.2% (172/306) vs. 80.8% (59/73), P<0.001]. For those with a PSA value of 10-20 ng/ml, the detection rates of PCa and CsPCa in the PI-RADS 4 group were less than those in the PI-RADS 5 group [76.2% (48/63) vs. 97.3% (73/75), P<0.001], and [73.0% (46/63) vs. 90.7% (68/75), P=0.006]. There were statistically significant differences in the proportions of patients with prostate negative biopsy and those falling into WHO/ISUP grade groups 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 (P<0.001) between the PI-RADS 4 group and the PI-RADS 5 group in both stratifications. Conclusions: In this study, the detection rates of CsPCa and PCa in the PI-RADS 4 group were less than those in the PI-RADS 5 group. With the increase of PI-RADS scores, the detection rate of high-grade PCa increased. The same results held for patients with PSA<10 ng/ml or with PSA 10-20 ng/ml.

Synthesis, anti-leukemia activity, and molecular docking of novel 3,16-androstenedione derivatives

In this study, we synthesized androsta-4,14-diene-3,16-dione, 12β-hydroxyandrosta-4,14-diene-3,16-dione, and other 3,16-androstenedione derivatives from commercially available dehydroepiandrosterone as a starting material in 9-13 steps with high yields. The bioactivity of the obtained compounds was evaluated. Compounds 14a and 23a were shown to have high antitumor activity against acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell lines Nalm-6 and BALL-1, respectively. Network pharmacology analysis showed that the anti-leukemia activity of compounds 14a and 23a might be related to the JAK2, ABL1 protein, and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways. The molecular docking of compounds 14a and 23a identified possible active sites, with the lowest docking scores for PTGS2 and MAPK14, respectively. In addition, the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion prediction results revealed the drug-likeness of the two compounds. Therefore, compounds 14a and 23a should be considered anti-leukemia candidates in future studies.

Cost-Effectiveness of Short-Course Radiotherapy Based Total Neoadjuvant Therapy for Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer in China

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

The phase III STELLAR (NCT02533271) trial demonstrated that four cycles of chemotherapy after short-course radiotherapy (SCRT-TNT) were not inferior to the standard care of long-course concurrent radiotherapy (LCRT) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). This study assessed the cost-effectiveness of SCRT-TNT versus LCRT in locally advanced rectal cancer in China on the basis of the STELLAR trial.

MATERIALS/METHODS

A Markov model was used to synthesize the healthcare costs and benefits of LARC patients based on results from the STELLAR trial. The model assumes that LARC who meet the inclusion criteria of the STELLAR trial experience four possible states: No Evidence of Disease (NED), locally recurrence, distant metastases, or any death from rectal cancer or other unrelated causes, where local recurrence continues to be classified as resectable and unresectable. The transition status period is 3 month, and 5 years is used to calculate direct medical costs and health benefits. The probabilities of states transition after SCRT-TNT or LCRT were derived from the results of the STELLAR trial and previous published article (Table.1). Costs were evaluated from the Chinese payer's perspective reported in early 2022 US dollars (US$1 = 6.78 Chinese Yuan). Sensitivity analyses were performed for key variables. Cost-effectiveness was evaluated using the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio and net monetary benefits. Effectiveness was defined as quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). Willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold was set at $43500/QALY. Data were collected from October 3, 2020, to September 20, 2021, and analyzed from November 15, 2020, to October 25, 2021.

RESULTS

During the 5-year horizon, for the base case scenario, SCRT-TNT incurred a lower total cost and higher QALYs compared with LCCRT. The total cost was $65767 and QALYs were 1.77 for SCRT-TNT; for LCCRT, the total cost was $72802 and QALYs were 1.64. This resulted in an ICER of -$ 55470.69 per QALY. Therefore, SCRT-TNT was a cost-saving and dominating treatment strategy compared with LCRT. Sensitivity analysis showed that ICERs were most sensitive to the parameters of distant metastases risk after treatment.

CONCLUSION

SCRT-TNT in locally advanced rectal cancer can be a cost-effective alternative to LCRT in China, and should be considered in appropriately selected patients.

Red Rice Seed Coat Targeting SPHK2 Ameliorated Alcoholic Liver Disease via Restored Intestinal Barrier and Improved Gut Microbiota in Mice

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD), leading to the most common chronic liver diseases, is increasingly emerging as a global health problem, which is intensifying the need to develop novel treatments. Herein, our work aimed to estimate the therapeutic efficacy of red rice (Oryza sativa L.) seed coat on ALD and further uncover the underlying mechanisms. Red rice seed coat extract (RRA) was obtained with citric acid-ethanol and analyzed via a widely targeted components approach. The potential targets of RRA to ALD were predicted by bioinformatics analysis. Drunken behavior, histopathological examination, liver function, gut microbiota composition and intestinal barrier integrity were used to assess the effects of RRA (RRAH, 600 mg/kg·body weight; RRAL, 200 mg/kg·body weight) on ALD. Oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis associated factors and signaling pathways were measured by corresponding kits, Western blot and immunofluorescence staining. In ALD model mice, RRA treatment increased sphingosine kinase 2 (SPHK2) and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) levels, improved gut microbiota composition, restored intestinal barrier, decreased lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels in plasma and the liver, cut down Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathways, alleviated liver pathological injury and oxidative stress, attenuated inflammation and apoptosis and enhanced liver function. To sum up, RRA targeting SPHK2 can ameliorate ALD by repairing intestinal barrier damage and reducing liver LPS level via the TLR4/NF-κB pathway and intestinal microbiota, revealing that red rice seed coat holds potential as a functional food for the prevention and treatment of ALD.

Oryza sativa L. Indica Seed Coat Ameliorated Concanavalin A-Induced Acute Hepatitis in Mice via MDM2/p53 and PKCα/MAPK1 Signaling Pathways

Acute hepatitis (AH) is a common liver disease with an increasing number of patients each year, requiring the development of new treatments. Hence, our work aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of Oryza sativa L. indica (purple rice) seed coat on concanavalin A (ConA)-induced AH and further reveal its potential mechanisms. Purple rice seed coat extract (PRE) was extracted with hydrochloric acid ethanol and analyzed through a widely targeted components method. We evaluated the effects of PRE on AH through histopathological examination, liver function, gut microbiota composition, and the intestinal barrier. The potential targets of PRE on AH were predicted by bioinformatics. Western blotting, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling assay (TUNEL) staining, and corresponding kits were used to investigate PRE effects on predicting targets and associated signaling pathways in AH mice. In AH model mice, PRE treatment increased transformed mouse 3T3 cell double minute 2 (MDM2) expression to inhibit apoptosis; it also markedly downregulated protein kinase C alpha (PKCα), prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 1 (PTGS1), and mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1) activity to alleviate inflammation. Thus, PRE treatment also recovered the intestinal barrier, decreased the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels of plasma and the liver, enhanced liver function, and improved the composition of intestinal microbiota. In general, PRE targeting MDM2, PKCα, MAPK1, and PTGS1 ameliorated ConA-induced AH by attenuating inflammation and apoptosis, restoring the intestinal barrier, enhancing the liver function, and improving the gut microbiota, which revealed that the purple rice seed coat might hold possibilities as a therapeutic option for AH.

[Mechanism of piRNA in bisphenol A-promoted invasion and migration of prostate cancer cells]

Objective: To investigate the regulatory mechanisms of piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) in bisphenol A (BPA)-induced prostate cancer cell invasion and migration. Methods: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data was used to analyze and screen for piRNAs with significantly increased expression in prostate cancer tissues. PC-3 cells were treated with different concentrations of BPA for 12, 24, and 48 h, respectively, and the 20% inhibitory concentration (IC20) was measured using a CCK-8 assay. The expression levels of piRNAs before and after BPA treatment were determined by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. Target genes regulated by BPA and associated with prostate cancer were screened in the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD). Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was performed to verify the relationship between piRNA and target genes, and the expression change of the piRNA target gene was detected by Western blotting. Cell migration and invasion assays were used to determine the effects of piRNA on the malignant phenotype of prostate cancer cells. Results: After treatment of PC-3 cells with 160 μmol/L BPA, the expression of piR-sno48 was most significantly increased (P<0.05). Transfection of piR-sno48 antagomir resulted in decreased expression of endogenous piR-sno48 and a significant increase in the expression of its target gene GSTP1 (P<0.05). However, the expression of GSTP1 did not change significantly in BPA-treated PC-3 cells after transfection with piR-sno48 antagomir (P>0.05). The dual-luciferase reporter gene confirmed that piR-sno48 inhibited the expression of GSTP1 by forming an inversely complementary sequence with the 3'-UTR of GSTP1. The Transwell assay results showed that treatment with BPA significantly increased the invasion and migration ability of prostate cancer cells (P<0.01), whereas piR-sno48 antagonists significantly inhibited the effects above (P<0.01). Conclusion: BPA promotes the invasion and migration of prostate cancer cells by upregulating the expression of piR-sno48 and suppressing the expression of GSTP1. Interfering with the expression of endogenous piR-sno48 may inhibit the malignant phenotype of prostate cancer cells caused by BPA.

Gelanxinning capsule improves coronary microvascular dysfunction by inhibiting inflammation and restoring endothelial function

OBJECTIVE

Gelanxinning capsule (GXSC) is a Chinese medicine to cure coronary artery disease (CAD) and a compound of Pueraria lobata, hawthorn extract, and gypenosides. However, whether GXSC could improve coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) is unknown. We aimed to demonstrate the therapeutic effect of GXSC on CMD and its underlying mechanisms in CAD patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a single-center, randomized control trial. A total of 78 patients diagnosed by selective coronary angiography (CAG) participated in this study. Patients' demographics, medical history, medications, and results of laboratory testing were collected. The index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR) and coronary flow reserve (CFR) were obtained by CAG and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) separately. Fasting blood samples were obtained on the morning following the admission day. Concentrations of several molecules of inflammation, endothelial function, and coronary microvascular function were measured by ELISA. Patients were followed-up two months after discharge and fasting blood samples were also acquired.

RESULTS

All patients were randomly divided into 2 groups: GXSC, 38 (48.7%), and control, 40 (51.3%). The intergroup comparison revealed no significant differences with respect to all baseline variables. As for inflammation biomarkers, proinflammatory NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) and interleukin (IL)-1 were significantly decreased in GXSC compared with the control group (0.71±0.08 vs. 1.04±0.07, p<0.01 and 7.16±0.59 vs. 10.93±1.04, p<0.01). Anti-inflammatory adropin was increased in the GXSC group (7.75±0.59 vs. 5.71±0.68, p=0.03). As for indexes of endothelial function, the concentrations of syndecan (SDC) 1, SDC4 and heparan sulphates (HS) were significantly downregulated in 2 months GXSC treatment (3.31±0.28 vs. 4.85±0.43, p<0.01, 3.79±0.56 vs. 5.69±0.68, p=0.03 and 21.31±2.79 vs. 35.18±4.11 p<0.01). In addition, the level of SIRTUIN 1 (SIRT1), which is a vascular protective protein, was upregulated in GXSC group (5.63±0.30 vs. 4.22±0.37, p<0.01). As for molecules of coronary microvascular function, endocan, soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR), and growth differentiation factor (GDF)-15 were significantly decreased consistently in GXSC compared with the control group (0.09±0.01 vs. 0.19±0.03, p<0.01, 4.44±0.40 vs. 5.73±0.40, p=0.03 and 2.08±0.17 vs. 2.69±0.18, p=0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, GXSC could improve CMD by inhibiting inflammation and restoring endothelial function. GXSC might be an effective drug in CAD patients without obstructive epicardial coronary arteries but suffering from angina.

Protective effect of hot-water and ethanol-aqueous extracts from Anneslea fragrans against acetaminophen-induced acute liver injury in mice

Anneslea fragrans Wall. (AF) is an important medicinal and edible plant in China. The principal objectives of this study are to explore the hepatoprotective effect of ethanol-aqueous (AFE) and hot-water (AFW) extracts in vitro and in vivo. UPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis showed that AFW and AFE are rich in dihydrochalcones. Both AFW and AFE significantly up-regulated the expressions of SOD, CAT and GSH, reduced the MDA content in acetaminophen (APAP)-induced HepG2 cells, and suppressed the expressions of NO, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in LPS-induced RAW246.7 cells. In APAP-induced mice, AFW and AFE administration significantly decreased the plasma levels of AST and ALT, and improved liver tissue damage, the collagen deposition and fibrosis formation. Moreover, AFW and AFE decreased the MDA and ROS accumulations via activating Nrf2 pathway to increase the hepatic GSH contents and activities of SOD, CAT, HO-1, and NQO-1, reduced the levels of NO, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 by suppressing the JNK/p38/ERK/NF-κB pathways, and alleviated apoptosis via regulating Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3/9 protein expressions. This study provides a new sight that AFW and AFE may have a potential natural resource for the treatment of liver injury.

Risk factors for bloodstream infection in paediatric haematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), a standard treatment for paediatric haematological diseases, is highly associated with bloodstream infection (BSI), which may increase mortality.

AIM

To explore the risk factors for BSI in paediatric HSCT recipients.

METHODS

Three English databases and four Chinese databases were searched from inception to March 17th, 2022. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and case-control studies that enrolled HSCT recipients aged ≤18 years and reported BSI risk factors. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias. Using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE), certainty of body of evidence was assessed.

FINDINGS

Fourteen studies involving 4602 persons were included. The incidences of BSI and associated mortality in paediatric HSCT recipients were approximately 10-50% and 5-15%, respectively. Meta-analysis of all studies revealed that previous BSI before HSCT (relative effect (RE): 2.28; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19-4.34, moderate certainty) and receiving an umbilical cord blood transplant (RE: 1.55; 95% CI: 1.22-1.97, moderate certainty) were probably associated with an increased risk of BSI. Meta-analysis of studies with low risk of bias reassured that previous BSI before HSCT probably increased the risk of BSI (RE: 2.28; 95% CI: 1.19-4.34, moderate certainty), and revealed that steroid use (RE: 2.72; 95% CI: 1.31-5.64, moderate certainty) was likely a risk factor whereas autologous HSCT was probably a protective factor of BSI (RE: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.45-0.94, moderate certainty).

CONCLUSION

These findings could inform the management of paediatric HSCT recipients, helping identify who may benefit from prophylactic antibiotics.

A Comparative Analysis of Chemical Constituents and Antioxidant Effects of Dendrobium fimbriatum Hook Fractions with Different Polarities

The aim of this study was to investigate the chemical composition and antioxidant capacity of various polar fractions obtained from Dendrobium fimbriatum Hook (DH). First, a 90% ethanol-aqueous extract of DH (CF) was subjected to sequential fractionation using different organic solvents, resulting in the isolation of a methylene chloride fraction (DF), an ethyl acetate fraction (EF), an n-butanol fraction (BF), and a remaining water fraction (WF) after condensation. Additionally, the CF was also subjected to column chromatography via a D101 macroreticular resin column, eluted with ethanol-aqueous solution to yield six fractions (0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%). UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS/MS analysis identified a total of 47 chemical compounds from these polar fractions, including fatty acids, amino acids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, organic heterocyclic molecules, and aromatic compounds. Moreover, DF, EF, and the 60%, 80%, and 100% ethanol-aqueous fractions had higher total phenol content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) values and greater 2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS-) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)-scavenging abilities. In H2O2-induced HepG2 cells, the aforementioned fractions could increase the activities of antioxidative enzymes NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), superoxide dismutase (SOD), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and catalase (CAT), stimulate glutathione (GSH) synthesis by increasing the activities of glutamic acid cysteine ligase (GCL) and glutathione synthetase (GS), regulate GSH metabolism by increasing glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and glutathione reductase (GR) activities, and reduce levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Furthermore, the antioxidative stress effect of the DH fractions was found to be positively correlated with the activation of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) protein and the presence of antioxidative chemical constituents. In conclusion, this study highlights the efficacy of both liquid-liquid extraction and macroporous resin purification techniques in the enrichment of bioactive compounds from natural food resources. The comprehensive analysis of chemical constituents and antioxidant effects of different polar fractions from Dendrobium fimbriatum Hook contributes to the understanding of its potential application in functional foods and nutraceuticals.

Phytochemicals from Anneslea fragrans Wall. and Their Hepatoprotective and Anti-Inflammatory Activities

Anneslea fragrans Wall., popularly known as "Pangpo tea", is an edible, medicinal, and ornamental plant of the Family Theaceae. The leaves of A. fragrans were historically applied for the treatment of liver and intestinal inflammatory diseases in China. This study aimed to explore the hepatoprotective agents from A. fragrans leaves through hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory assessment. The phytochemical investigation of the leaves of A. fragrans resulted in the isolation and identification of a total of 18 chemical compounds, including triterpenoids, aliphatic alcohol, dihydrochalcones, chalcones, flavanols, phenolic glycoside, and lignans. Compounds 1-2, 4-6, 11-12, and 16-18 were identified from A. fragrans for the first time. Compounds 7 and 14 could significantly alleviate hepatocellular damage by decreasing the contents of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and inhibit the hepatocellular apoptosis in the HepG2 cells induced by N-acetyl-p-aminophenol (APAP). In addition, compounds 7 and 14 inhibited reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and increased the catalase (CAT) superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione (GSH) levels for suppressing APAP-induced oxidative stress. Additionally, compounds 7, 13, and 14 also had significant anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) productions on LPS-induced RAW246.7 cells.

Protein-Stabilized Emulsion Gels with Improved Emulsifying and Gelling Properties for the Delivery of Bioactive Ingredients: A Review

In today's food industry, the potential of bioactive compounds in preventing many chronic diseases has garnered significant attention. Many delivery systems have been developed to encapsulate these unstable bioactive compounds. Emulsion gels, as colloidal soft-solid materials, with their unique three-dimensional network structure and strong mechanical properties, are believed to provide excellent protection for bioactive substances. In the context of constructing carriers for bioactive materials, proteins are frequently employed as emulsifiers or gelling agents in emulsions or protein gels. However, in emulsion gels, when protein is used as an emulsifier to stabilize the oil/water interface, the gelling properties of proteins can also have a great influence on the functionality of the emulsion gels. Therefore, this paper aims to focus on the role of proteins' emulsifying and gelling properties in emulsion gels, providing a comprehensive review of the formation and modification of protein-based emulsion gels to build high-quality emulsion gel systems, thereby improving the stability and bioavailability of embedded bioactive substances.

Effects of different drying treatments on the microstructure, free amino acids, volatile compounds and antioxidant activity of Flammulina velutipes root

Drying treatments are an effective method of preserving the beneficial properties of postharvest mushrooms. The effects of natural-air drying (ND), hot-air drying (HD), vacuum-freeze drying (FD), heat pump drying (HPD) and microwave-vacuum drying (MVD) on the microstructure, flavor- and health-related compounds of F. velutipes root were investigated. The results showed that FD had the least impact on the microstructure of F. velutipes root and its original porous fiber structure appeared complete. It also possessed the highest content of volatile compounds. MVD gave the highest contents of umami amino acids, total phenolics and total flavonoids, and its extract exhibited high antioxidant activity. In addition, different drying treatments had significant effect on the chemical components of F. velutipes root, with FD and MVD may be the potent drying strategies for preservation of flavor and nutraceuticals respectively. Therefore, our results provided essential data support for F. velutipes root processing and functional product development.

N/S-Co-doped carbon dot-based FRET ratiometric fluorescence aptasensing platform modulated with entropy-driven DNA amplifier for ochratoxin A detection

This study proposes a nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon dot (N/S-CD)-based FRET ratiometric fluorescence aptasensing strategy modulated with entropy-driven DNA amplifier for sensitive and accurate detection of ochratoxin A (OTA). In the strategy, a duplex DNA probe containing OTA aptamer and complementary DNA (cDNA) is designed as a recognition and transformation element. Upon sensing of target OTA, the cDNA was liberated, and triggered a three-chain DNA composite-based entropy-driven DNA circuit amplification, making CuO probes anchor on a magnetic bead (MB). The CuO-encoded MB complex probe is finally turned into abundant Cu²⁺, which oxidizes o-phenylenediamine (oPD) to generate 2,3-diaminophenazine (DAP) with yellow fluorescence and further triggers FRET between the blue fluorescent N/S-CDs and DAP. The changes in ratiometric fluorescence are related to the OTA concentration. Originating from the synergistic amplifications from the entropy-driven DNA circuits and Cu²⁺ amplification, the strategy dramatically enhanced detection performance. A limit of detection as low as 0.006 pg/mL of OTA was achieved. Significantly, the aptasensor can visually evaluate the OTA via on-site visual screening. Moreover, the high-confidence quantification of the OTA in real samples with results consistent with that of the LC-MS method indicated that the proposed strategy has practical application prospects for sensitive and accurate quantification in food safety.

Influence of Ultra-High-Pressure Pretreatment Method on Chemical Constituents, Antioxidant and Cytoprotective Activities of Free, Esterified, and Bound Phenolics from Anneslea Fragrans Wall. Leaves

Anneslea fragrans Wall., an edible and medicinal plant, is traditionally used to treat liver and gastrointestinal diseases. This paper aimed to investigate the influence of ultra-high pressure (UHP) pretreatment on the phenolics profiling, antioxidant, and cytoprotective activities of free (FP), esterified (EP), and bound (BP) phenolics from A. fragrans leaves. A total of 32 compounds were characterized and quantified. The davidigenin (44.46 and 113.37 mg/g extract) was the highest in A. fragrans leaves. The vitexin (9), afzelin (10), coreopsin (15), and davidigenin (28) were analyzed with MS² fragment pathways. Results showed that UHP treated A. fragrans leaves had higher total phenolic (TPC) and total flavonoid (TFC) contents of FP, EP, and BP fractions than those in the raw leaves. Moreover, UHP pretreated A. fragrans leaves had higher scavenging activities on DPPH⁺• and ABTS⁺•, and inhibitory effects on the intracellular ROS generation in H₂O₂-induced HepG2 cells. UFP showed the highest inhibition of ROS production among the samples. Therefore, UHP pretreatment method might be used as an effective strategy for elevating the availabilities of A. fragrans leaves to develop functional foods.

Comparative effectiveness and safety of antibiotic prophylaxis during induction chemotherapy in children with acute leukaemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Bacterial infections are common during induction therapy in children and adolescents with acute leukaemia and may cause infection-related mortality.

AIM

To determine the efficacy and safety of prophylactic antibiotics in paediatric patients with acute leukaemia receiving induction chemotherapy.

METHODS

From three English databases and four Chinese databases, we searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies that compared prophylactic antibiotics to placebo, no prophylaxis, or that compared one antibiotic versus another in paediatric patients with acute leukaemia undergoing induction chemotherapy. Two reviewers independently screened the studies, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias using Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and the certainty of evidence using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE).

FINDINGS

Two RCTs and ten cohort studies were finally included. For children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, antibiotic prophylaxis, including levofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, or other antibiotics, probably reduced bacteraemia (risk ratio (RR): 0.44; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.33-0.60; moderate certainty) without significantly increasing Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) or invasive fungal infection. Levofloxacin reduced the CDI rate (RR: 0.08; 95% CI: 0.01-0.62; high certainty). Ciprofloxacin prophylaxis probably reduced infection-related mortality (RR: 0.12; 95% CI: 0.01-0.97; moderate certainty). In children with acute myeloid leukaemia, ciprofloxacin plus vancomycin may reduce febrile neutropenia (RR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.66-0.94; low certainty). Individual studies indicated that prophylaxis increased antibiotic exposure but reduced non-preventive antibiotic exposure.

CONCLUSION

In children with acute leukaemia undergoing induction therapy, antibiotic prophylaxis may improve the bacterial infection and mortality.

Effect of ultra-high pressure pretreatment on the phenolic profiles, antioxidative activity and cytoprotective capacity of different phenolic fractions from Que Zui tea

This study aims to explore whether ultra-high pressure (UHP) pre-treatment strengthened the bioaccessibility and bioactivities of the free (QF), esterified (QE) and insoluble-bound phenolics (QIB) from Que Zui tea (QT). The results revealed that the extraction yields, the total phenolic (TPC) and total flavonoid contents (TFC) of three phenolic fractions from QT were markedly increased after ultra-high pressure (UHP) processing (p < 0.05). A total of 19 and 20 compounds were characterized and quantified in non- and UHP-treated QT, respectively, including the content of 6'-O-caffeoylarbutin (11775.68 and 13248.87 μg/g of dry extract) was highest in QF, the content of caffeic acid was highest in QE (2131.58 and 7362.99 μg/g of dry extract) and QIB (9151.89 and 10930.82 μg/g of dry extract). QF, QE and QIB from QT after UHP processing had better antioxidant, ROS scavenging, and anti-apoptosis effects. The possible mechanism of cytoprotective effect was related to Keap1-Nrf2 pathway.

Improving the emulsification performance of adlay seed starch by esterification combined with ultrasonication and enzymatic treatment

In this study, superior modified starch was prepared using ultrasonic and enzymatic treatments to confirm the potential of using adlay seed starch (ASS) in Pickering emulsions. Octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA)-modified starches, such as OSA-UASS, OSA-EASS, and OSA-UEASS, were prepared using ultrasonic, enzymatic, and combined ultrasonic and enzymatic treatments, respectively. The effects of these treatments on the structure and properties of ASS were evaluated to elucidate their influence on starch modification. Ultrasonic and enzymatic treatments improved the esterification efficiency of ASS by changing its external and internal morphological characteristics and the crystalline structure to provide more binding sites for esterification. The degree of substitution (DS) of ASS modified by these pretreatments was 22.3-51.1 % higher than that of the OSA-modified starch without pretreatment (OSA-ASS). Fourier transform infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results confirmed the esterification. Small particle size and near-neutral wettability indicated that OSA-UEASS was the promising emulsification stabilizer. The emulsion prepared using OSA-UEASS exhibited better emulsifying activity and emulsion stability and long-term stability for up to 30 days. These amphiphilic granules with improved structure and morphology were used to stabilize a Pickering emulsion.

Elsholtzia bodinieri Vaniot ameliorated acute lung injury in mice by regulating pyroptosis, inflammation, oxidative stress and macrophage polarization

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Elsholtzia bodinieri Vaniot, perennial herbs, a traditional Yunnan Chinese herbal medicine. Its whole herb can be used as commonly used herbs to cure fever, headache, inflammation, indigestion etc., and its tender tip can also be used as tea in Yunnan of China. However, the protective mechanism of Elsholtzia bodinieri Vaniot on acute lung injury (ALI) still needs to be explored.

AIM OF STUDY

ALI is characterized by acute respiratory inflammation, which remains a significant source of morbidity and mortality. The current study with the aim of determining the therapeutic the efficacy of E. bodinieri Vaniot on lipopolysaccharide-induced ALI, moreover uncovered the underlying gene-regulated framework, so E. bodinieri Vaniot might serve as functional food for adjuvant therapy or therapeutic agent.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

These potential pharmacological targets of E. bodinieri Vaniot against ALI were analyzed by multiple bioinformatics databases. E. bodinieri Vaniot methanol extract (EBE) was obtained by ultrasonic-assisted extraction method, and detected by UHPLC-ESI-HRMS/MS. These pyroptosis, inflammation and oxidative stress associated factors were measured using ELISA assay, western blotting, and histopathological examination to assess the effects of EBE. EcoTyper and immunofluorescence staining were employed to estimate macrophage polarization states in ALI lungs tissue.

RESULTS

In ALI lung tissues, EBE treatment could increase B cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (BCL2) to inhibit pyroptosis, downregulate prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) to attenuate inflammation, upregulating NAD(P)H dehydrogenase, quinone 1 (NQO1) to alleviate oxidative stress and induce macrophage polarization toward the M2 phenotype.

CONCLUSION

E. bodinieri Vaniot ameliorated ALI thought regulating pyroptosis, inflammation, oxidative stress and macrophage polarization, as well as could be a promising source for therapeutic agent.

E Se tea extract ameliorates CCl4 induced liver fibrosis via regulating Nrf2/NF-κB/TGF-β1/Smad pathway

BACKGROUND

Liver fibrosis is a crucial progress to deteriorate liver disease. E Se tea (ES) is an ethnic herbal tea in China that has various biological activities for human beings. However, the traditional application on the treatment of liver disease is not studied.

PURPOSE

This study is firstly performed to explore the chemical constituents of ES extract together with its anti-hepatic fibrosis effect and potential mechanism on CCl₄ treated mice.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

The chemical constituents of ethanol-aqueous extract from ES (ESE) were analyzed by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. The anti-hepatic fibrosis effect of ESE was determined by measuring ALT and AST activities, antioxidative indexes, inflammatory cytokines and collagen protein levels on CCl₄ treated mice. Moreover, H&E, Masson staining and immunohistochemical analysis were performed for evaluating the protective effect of ESE on histopathological changes of liver tissues.

RESULTS

UHPLCHRESI-MS/MS analysis showed that the ESE was rich in flavonoids such as phlorizin, phloretin, quercetin and hyperoside. ESE could significantly reduce the plasma AST and ALT activities. The cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β) expressions were inhibited after ESE administration via suppressing NF-κB pathway. In addition, ESE could decrease MDA accumulation for alleviating CCl₄ induced liver oxidative stress via regulating Nrf2 pathway to promote the expressions of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, HO-1, CAT and NQO1). Moreover, ESE could inhibit the expressions of TGF-β1, Smad2, α-SMA, and collagens Ⅰ and III proteins, thereby effectively alleviate the liver fibrosis.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that ESE could alleviate liver fibrosis through enhancing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory abilities by Nrf2/NF-κB pathway and reducing deposition of liver fibrosis via suppressing TGF-β/Smad pathway.

A molecular networking-based isolation of gardneria alkaloids from Gardneria distincta and their anti-inflammatory activity

Gardneria distincta P. T. Li is traditionally applied as a herbal medicine for treatment various ailments, and is mainly distributed in Southwestern China. Under the guided separation of MS/MS-based molecular networking, eight undescribed oxindole alkaloids, gardistines A-H, as well as 17 known alkaloids were discovered from the whole parts of Gardneria distincta. Structural elucidation of these undescribed alkaloids was performed by various spectroscopic methods. Gardistine A is a rare oxindole gardneria alkaloid bearing an ester carbonyl group attached to C-18, which is the second reported alkaloid of oxindole gardneria-type. All of the identified monoterpene indole alkaloids were investigated for their anti-inflammatory activity in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Gardistines A-B and akuammidine demonstrated significant inhibitory effects on the expressions of nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and interleukin-6 at 20 μM.

Development of a 3D ultrafast laser written near-infrared spectro-interferometer

Direct ultrafast laser photoinscription of transparent materials is a powerful technique for the development of embedded 3D photonics. This is particularly adaptable for astrophotonic devices when a number of inputs are required. The process relies essentially on volume fabrication of waveguiding structures in flexible 3D designs and refractive index contrast parameters adjustable for specific spectral ranges. This enables 3D geometry and thus avoids in-plane crossings of waveguides that can induce losses and cross talk in multi-telescope beam combiners. The additional novel capability of the technique allows for the fabrication of high aspect ratio nanostructures nonperturbatively sampling the optical field. Combining ultrafast laser micro- and nanoprocessing with engineered beams, we present here results for the development of chip-sized silica glass integrated robust 3D three-telescope beam combiners in the near-IR range, as well as embedded diffraction gratings, for phase closure analysis and spectro-interferometry applications in astronomy.

Confusoside, a dihydrochalcone glucoside, prevents acetaminophen-induced liver injury by modulating the Nrf2/NF-κB/caspase signaling pathway

Dihydrochalcones are important bioactive ingredients in plants. Anneslea fragrans is an edible and medicinal plant, and its leaves are rich in dihydrochalcones. Confusoside (CF) is the most abundant dihydrochalcone in A. fragrans leaves, which is traditionally used in the treatment of liver diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of CF on acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatic injury in mice. CF could reduce the levels of AST, ALT, and LDH in the serum and enhance the antioxidant activity by activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway to increase the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT), and the GSH content but decrease the MDA accumulation in liver tissues. Immunofluorescence assay and western blotting analysis showed that CF can regulate Nrf2 into the cell nucleus, thereby promoting the expression of downstream antioxidant-related proteins, including NQO1 and HO-1. In addition, CF could inhibit the liver inflammatory response by suppressing the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway to reduce the expressions of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and NO. Molecular docking results showed that there was good binding between the CF and Keap1-Nrf2 protein. Western blotting and TUNEL analysis also revealed CF-inhibited cell apoptosis-related protein expression (Bcl2 and caspase-3/9 proteins). Thus, the CF from A. fragrans leaves could be served as an alternative hepaprotective agent for the treatment and prevention of APAP-induced liver injury.

Protective effect of Anneslea fragrans ethanolic extract against CCl4-induced liver injury by inhibiting inflammatory response, oxidative stress and apoptosis

Anneslea Fragrans Wall. (AF) is a medicinal and edible plant distributed in China. Its leaves and bark generally used for the treatments of diarrhea, fever, and liver diseases. While its ethnopharmacological application against liver diseases has not been fully studied. This study was aimed to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of ethanolic extract from A. fragrans (AFE) on CCl₄ induced liver injury in mice. The results showed that AFE could effectively reduce plasma activities of ALT and AST, increase antioxidant enzymes activities (SOD and CAT) and GSH level, and decrease MDA content in CCl₄ induced mice. AFE effectively decreased the expressions of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, COX-2 and iNOS), cell apoptosis-related proteins (Bax, caspase-3 and caspase-9) and increased Bcl-2 protein expression via inhibiting MAPK/ERK pathway. Additionally, TUNEL staining, Masson and Sirius red staining, immunohistochemical analyses revealed that AFE could inhibit the CCl₄-induced hepatic fibrosis formation via reducing depositions of α-SMA, collagen I and collagen III. Conclusively, the present study demonstrated that AFE had an hepatoprotective effect by MAPK/ERK pathway to inhibit oxidative stress, inflammatory response and apoptosis in CCl₄-induced liver injury mice, suggesting that AFE might be served as a hepatoprotective ingredient in the prevention and treatment of liver injury.

Ultra-High Hydrostatic Pressure Pretreatment on White Que Zui Tea: Chemical Constituents, Antioxidant, Cytoprotective, and Anti-Inflammatory Activities

Herbal tea has numerous biological activities and exhibits broad benefits for human health. In China, the flower buds of Lyonia ovalifolia are traditionally processed as herbal tea, namely White Que Zui tea (WQT). This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of ultra-high hydrostatic pressure (UHHP) pretreatment on the chemical constituents and biological activities of free, esterified, and insoluble-bound phenolic fractions from WQT. A total of 327 chemical constituents were identified by a quasi-targeted metabolomics analysis. UHHP pretreatment extremely inhibited reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and cell apoptosis in H2O2-induced HepG2 cells, and it increased the activities of intracellular antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT) and GSH content in different phenolic fractions from WQT. In addition, after UHHP pretreatment, the anti-inflammatory effects of different phenolic fractions from WQT were improved by inhibiting the production of nitric oxide (NO) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β) in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. Thus, the UHHP method might be a potential pretreatment strategy for improving the bioavailability of phytochemicals from natural plants.

Preoperative prediction of mediastinal lymph node metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer based on 18F-FDG PET/CT radiomics

AIM

To establish and verify a 2-[¹⁸F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) positron-emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT)-based radiomics nomogram to predict mediastinal lymph node metastasis (LNM) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients preoperatively.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective study enrolled 155 NSCLC patients (primary cohort, n=93; validation cohort, n=62). For each patient, 2,704 radiomic features were extracted from the primary lung cancer regions. Four procedures including the Mann-Whitney U-test, Spearman's correlation analysis, minimum redundancy-maximum relevance (mRMR), and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) binary logistic regression were utilised for determining essential features and establishing a radiomics signature. After that, a nomogram was established. The nomogram's potential was assessed based on its discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness. The radiomics signature and nomogram predictive performances were evaluated with respect to the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), specificity, accuracy, and sensitivity.

RESULTS

The radiomics signature composed of eight selected features had good discriminatory performance of LNM versus non-LNM groups an AUC of 0.851 and 0.826 in primary and validation cohorts, respectively. The nomogram also indicated good discrimination with an AUC of 0.869 and 0.847 in the primary and validation cohorts, respectively. Furthermore, good calibration was demonstrated utilising the nomogram.

CONCLUSIONS

An ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT-based radiomics nomogram that integrates the radiomics signature and age was promoted to predict mediastinal LNM within NSCLC patients, which could potentially facilitate individualised therapy for mediastinal LNM before treatment. The nomogram was beneficial in clinical practice, as illustrated by decision curve analysis.

The structures of two glucomannans from Bletilla formosana and their protective effect on inflammation via inhibiting NF-κB pathway

Bletilla formosana is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine and is widely consumed as foods and medicines in China. However, the chemical structure and bioactivity of its polysaccharides remain unknown. Herein, two new polysaccharides, BFP60 and BFP80, with molecular weights of 3.99 kDa and 10.07 kDa, respectively, were isolated and purified from dried tuber of B. formosana. Structural analysis suggested that BFP60 and BFP80 may have backbone consisted of →4)-β-d-Man-(1→,→4)-β-d-Glc-(1→,→4)-2-O-acetyl-β-d-Man-(1→, and →4)-3-O-acetyl-β-d-Man-(1→. Inflammation assay in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells showed that the productions of NO and pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IFN-γ were significantly reduced, and the expression of iNOS, COX-2, and target proteins in the NF-κB pathway were suppressed after BFP60 and BFP80 pretreatment. These findings indicated that this novel polysaccharide had significant inflammatory protective effects in vitro.

Correction: Xie et al. Preparation and Characterization of New Electrospun Poly(Lactic Acid) Nanofiber Antioxidative Active Packaging Films Containing MCM-41 Mesoporous Molecular Sieve Loaded with Phloridzin and Their Application in Strawberry Packaging. Nanomaterials 2022, 12, 1229

In the original publication, there was a mistake in Figure 7, as published in [...].

Waveguide scattering antennas made by direct laser writing in bulk glass for spectrometry applications in the short-wave IR

A buried straight waveguide perturbed periodically by six antennas composed of submicronic cylinder voids is entirely fabricated using ultrafast laser photoinscription. The light scattered from each antenna is oriented vertically and is detected by a short-wave IR camera bonded to the surface of the glass with no relay optics. The response of each antenna is analyzed using a wavelength tunable laser source and compared to simulated responses verifying the behavior of the antenna. These results show the good potential of the direct laser writing technique to realize monolithic embedded detectors by combining complex optical functions within a 3D design. A wavelength meter application with a spectral resolution of 150 pm is proposed to demonstrate this combination.

E Se tea alleviates acetaminophen-induced liver injury by activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway

E Se tea is a traditional herbal tea used in the prevention of liver diseases. However, the hepatoprotective effect of E Se tea has not been investigated. This study aimed to determine the protective effect of E Se tea on acetaminophen (APAP)-induced acute liver injury and its potential mechanism. Hot water extracts and aqueous-ethanol extracts of E Se tea were obtained, which were analyzed to determine the chemical constituents of the tea. Phlorizin and phloretin were found to be the dominant chemical compounds. Histopathological analysis showed that E Se tea extract inhibited APAP-induced inflammatory infiltration, necrosis, and cellular vacuolization of hepatocytes in the liver tissue. The E Se tea extract could significantly ameliorate liver injury, inhibit an inflammatory response, and reduce oxidative stress. Western blot analysis revealed that E Se tea extract upregulated the expressions of nuclear Nrf2, HO-1 and NQO1 proteins and downregulated the expressions of cytoplasmic Nrf2 and Keap1 proteins in the hepatocyte. qPCR results showed that E Se tea extract also increased the expression of antioxidant genes (SOD2, Gpx1, GCLC and GCLM). These findings exhibited that E Se tea, enriched in dihydrochalcones, can be used to effectively prevent and manage liver dysfunction.

Protective effects of E Se tea extracts against alcoholic fatty liver disease induced by high fat/alcohol diet: In vivo biological evaluation and molecular docking study

BACKGROUND

With the development of economy and increased workload, chronic a high-fat/alcohol diet intake may lead to alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD), which is considered as a crucial health problem worldwide. E Se tea is produced of the leaves and leaf buds of Malus toringoides (Rehd.) Hughes in Tibet and has human health benefits with anti-hyperglycemia, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia effects.

PURPOSE

The objective of this work was to investigate the protective effect of aqueous-ethanol and hot-water extracts of E Se tea against chronic high-fat/alcohol diet induced AFLD rats.

METHODS

Firstly, to determine the chemical profiling of E Se tea extracts, UHPLC-ESI-HRMS analysis was conducted. Secondly, Sprague-Dawley male rats were used to establish the AFLD animal model by feeding with high-fat/alcohol diet. The animals were treated with E Se tea extracts for 12 weeks. Serum parameters were determined, histologic sections were prepared, and activities of enzymes related to inflammatory response and lipid metabolism imbalance were analyzed. The underlying mechanisms of E Se tea extracts alleviating AFLD were analyzed by immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting analysis. Lastly, key targets of 11-MT against AFLD were verified through molecular docking.

RESULTS

In this study, seven main compounds were confirmed or tentatively identified in E Se tea extracts by UHPLC-ESI-HRMS. The results revealed that both the extracts could reverse histopathological steatotic alternation of the liver and reduced the activity of liver damage markers (ALT, AST). E Se tea extracts mitigated oxidative stress by inhibiting CYP2E1 protein and lipid peroxidation parameters (MDA), but enhancing the endogenous antioxidants (CAT, GSH, SOD). Moreover, E Se tea extracts ameliorated inflammation by restraining the activation of NF-κB, consequently releasing the expression of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, COX-2 and iNOS). Subsequently, E Se tea extracts reduced hepatocyte apoptosis by increasing capase-9, caspase-3 and Bax protein expression but decreasing Bcl-2 protein expression. Furthermore, E Se tea extracts improved metabolism imbalance by stimulating AMPK/SREBP1/FAS and PPAR-α/CPT1 signaling pathway by regulating lipid metabolism parameters (TC, TG, HDL-C, LHD-C). Furthermore, molecular docking results indicated that 7 chemical constituents of E Se tea extracts had strong docking affinity with 4 key target proteins (AMPK, PPAR-α, NF-кB and Caspase-9).

CONCLUSION

E Se tea ameliorated AFLD through ameliorating inflammatory response, apoptosis, and lipid metabolism imbalance.

Protective effect of liriodendrin against liver ischaemia/reperfusion injury in mice via modulating oxidative stress, inflammation and nuclear factor kappa B/toll-like receptor 4 pathway

BACKGROUND

The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effect and mechanism of liriodendrin (LDN) is a lignan diglucoside in hepatic ischaemia/ /reperfusion (I/R) injury.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The liver I/R was established in male C57BL/6 mice. The effect of LDN is initially investigated on hepatic I/R injury via estimating histopathology of liver. The level of metabolic enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was studied along with apoptosis of mouse hepatocytes via TUNEL and flow cytometry analysis. The effect of LDN was investigated on oxidative stress biomarkers (glutathione [GSH] content, malondialdehyde [MDA] and superoxide dismutase [SOD] activities) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumour necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α], interleukin [IL]-1β and IL-6). Western blot study was also conducted to elucidate the effect of LDN on toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor kappa B (TLR4/NF-kB).

RESULTS

Liriodendrin alleviates liver I/R injury, as manifested by decreased plasma ALT, AST and ALP with improvement in liver necrotic area. LDN also reduces apoptosis of mouse hepatocytes with reduction of oxidative stress and generation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. It significantly reduces the expression of TLR4 and NF-kB.

CONCLUSIONS

The study demonstrated that LDN reduces liver injury and prevented apoptosis of hepatocytes following I/R injury. In addition, LDN also reduces oxidative stress, inflammation, and TLR4/NF-kB in I/R injured mice.

Preparation and Characterization of New Electrospun Poly(lactic acid) Nanofiber Antioxidative Active Packaging Films Containing MCM-41 Mesoporous Molecular Sieve Loaded with Phloridzin and Their Application in Strawberry Packaging

Health concerns about food safety have increased in recent years. In order to ensure the safety and increase the shelf-life of food, many methods have been used to slow down the oxidation rate of food fat. In order to solve this problem, a new type of antioxidant-active packaging has emerged. Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) films containing phloridzin adsorbed on to an MCM-41 mesoporous molecular sieve were prepared by electrostatic spinning, using PLA as a film-forming substrate, phloridzin as an antioxidant, and MCM-41 as the adsorption and controlled release carrier. The physical properties of the new films—including microscopic structure, water vapor transmission rate, and fresh-keeping effects, as well as the mechanical, thermal, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties—were studied. When the mass ratio of MCM-41 to phloridzin is 1:2, the nanofiber membrane achieves a 53.61% free-radical scavenging rate and better antibacterial performance (85.22%) due to the high content of phloridzin (30.54%). Additionally, when the mass ratio of the molecular sieve to phloridzin is 1:2 and 3:4 (with the best antibacterial performance of 89.30%), the films significantly delay lipid oxidation in the strawberry packaging, allowing the fresh-keeping time to be extended to up to 21 days before mildew appears. In this study, an MCM-41 mesoporous molecular sieve was used to load phloridzin for the first time. The packaging film with phloridzin, MCM-41, and poly(lactic acid) were used as the raw materials and electrospinning technology was used to prepare the packaging film with antioxidant activity. The packaging film was used for the first time in the packaging of strawberries.

[Correlation analysis between children and adolescents watching food TV advertising and fast food consumption]

Based on the open data of China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), 249 children, adolescents and 249 heads of families who completed two rounds of surveys in 2011 and 2015 were selected in this study. According to the fast food consumption of children and adolescents, they were divided into fast food consumption group and non-fast food consumption group. Logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationship between children and adolescents watching Food TV advertising and fast food consumption. After adjusting relevant factors, the results showed that children and adolescents requiring their parents to buy food in TV advertisements (OR=3.122, P=0.001), parents buying food for their children in TV advertisements (OR=4.717, P=0.036), children and adolescents buying food in TV advertisements themselves (OR=3.728, P=0.041), children and adolescents' preference for food in TV advertisements (OR=2.946, P=0.044) and the frequency of children and adolescents reported by their parents asking their parents to buy food in TV advertisements (OR=3.113, P=0.002) were associated with children and adolescents' fast food consumption.

[Epidemiological research progress on the relationship between children's dietary patterns and health]

As food preferences and eating habits form early in life, the development of healthy eating habits in early childhood is a way to prevent diet-related diseases. The dietary pattern approach examines the effect of an overall diet on health outcomes, instead of individual foods or nutrients, thereby presenting a comprehensive evaluation of children's dietary intake. This article reviews the current literature to summarize the main methods for assessing dietary patterns and explore relationships between children's dietary patterns and obesity, puberty onset, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodevelopment. The purpose of this review is to provide evidence-based support for reducing the risk of diet-related diseases in children and recommendations for future research directions.

Spatially-extended 3D magnetic DNA nanodevice-based split-type photoelectrochemical strategy for sensitive and reliable miRNA detection in cancer cells

To improve the accuracy of PEC sensing. We developed a split-type “turn-off” PEC biosensor based on spatially-extended 3D magnetic DNA nanodevices with high-order DNA amplifiers for sensitive and reliable detection of miRNAs in cancer cells.

[A prospective study on the associations between dietary intakes of energy and macronutrients before menarche and age at menarche among girls]

Based on the data from China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), 840 girls aged 6-15 years who had information about menarche and participated in dietary survey at least once within 1-5 years before onset of menarche between 1989 and 2015 were included in the study. The median age at baseline of the 840 participants was 10 (9, 11) years. The median age at menarche of the participants was 13 (12, 14) years. After adjusting for the age of birth, place of residence, body mass index Z-score, physical activity level and annual household income per capita, the average age of menarche was advanced by 0.036 (95%CI: -0.068, -0.004) years for every 10 g increase in daily fat intake before menarche. The average age at menarche was 0.008 (95%CI: -0.014, -0.001) years earlier for every 1% increase in the daily energy supply ratio of fat before menarche.

Anneslea fragrans Wall. ameliorates ulcerative colitis via inhibiting NF-κB and MAPK activation and mediating intestinal barrier integrity

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Anneslea fragrans Wall. is traditionally used as a folk medicine in treating indigestion, fever, dysentery, diarrhea, and liver inflammation in China, Vietnam and Cambodia. However, its anti-inflammatory activity and mechanism under a safety therapeutic dose as well as the main chemical components have not yet been fully investigated.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to explore the therapeutic effect and possible molecular mechanisms of aqueous-methanol extract (AFE) of A. fragrans leaves on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) mice and illustrate its potent anti-inflammatory chemical compounds.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The AFE was obtained and then analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Phytochemical investigation on the AFE was carried out to isolate and characterize its major components. The acute toxicity test was performed to provide the safety information of AFE. Subsequently, the protective effect of AFE on DSS-induced UC was evaluated by physiological changes, histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis, and the expressions of antioxidant enzyme, pro-inflammatory cytokines and anti-inflammatory cytokines. The expressions of target proteins in nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) were determined by western blot analysis. The tight junction (TJ) proteins in colon tissue were performed by immunohistochemical technique for evaluating the intestinal barrier integrity.

RESULTS

HPLC guided isolation of AFE resulted into two dihydrochalcones, which were elucidated as vacciniifolin (1) and confusoside (2). Acute toxicity evaluation revealed that median lethal dose (LD₅₀) of AFE was greater than 5000 mg/kg. Furthermore, AFE significantly attenuated ulcerative colitis symptoms, suppressed myeloperoxidase activity, and increased the expression of superoxide dismutase and glutathione. AFE treatment could also reduce the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6 and increase the levels of interleukin-4 and interleukin-10 in colon tissues and serum of DSS-induced UC mice. In addition, AFE significantly increased the expression of zonula occludens-1, occludin and claudin-1, and inhibited the phosphorylation of target protein of the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways in colon tissue.

CONCLUSION

Dihydrochalcone glycosides are the major chemical constituents in AFE. AFE ameliorated DSS-induced UC in mice by inhibiting the inflammatory response via modulation of NF-κB and MAPK pathways and maintaining the intestinal barrier function, indicating that the plant A. fragrans could be used as a therapeutic candidate for ulcerative colitis.