Platelet Proteomics and Tissue Metabolomics Investigation for the Mechanism of Aspirin Eugenol Ester on Preventive Thrombosis Mechanism in a Rat Thrombosis Model.

Platelet activation is closely related to thrombosis. Aspirin eugenol ester (AEE) is a novel medicinal compound synthesized by esterifying aspirin with eugenol using the pro-drug principle. Pharmacological and pharmacodynamic experiments showed that AEE has excellent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and inhibitory platelet activation effects, preventing thrombosis. However, the regulatory network and action target of AEE in inhibiting platelet activation remain unknown. This study aimed to investigate the effects of AEE on platelets of thrombosed rats to reveal its regulatory mechanism via a multi-omics approach. The platelet proteomic results showed that 348 DEPs were identified in the AEE group compared with the model group, of which 87 were up- and 261 down-regulated. The pathways in this result were different from previous results, including mTOR signaling and ADP signaling at P2Y purinoceptor 12. The metabolomics of heart and abdominal aortic tissue results showed that the differential metabolites were mainly involved in steroid biosynthesis, the citric acid cycle, phenylalanine metabolism, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis, and glutathione metabolism. Molecular docking results showed that AEE had a better binding force to both the COX-1 and P2Y12 protein. AEE could effectively inhibit platelet activation by inhibiting COX-1 protein and P2Y12 protein activity, thereby inhibiting platelet aggregation. Therefore, AEE can have a positive effect on inhibiting platelet activation.

Development of a Method for the Determination of Rifaximin and Rifampicin Residues in Foods of Animal Origin.

Rifaximin and rifampicin are good broad-spectrum antimicrobials. The irrational use of antimicrobial drugs in veterinary clinics could threaten public health and food safety. It is necessary to develop a reliable detection method of the residue for enhancing the rational supervision of the use of such drugs, reducing and slowing down the generation of bacterial resistance, and promoting animal food safety and human health. So, this study developed an LC-MS/MS method for the detection of rifaximin and rifampicin residues in animal-origin foods. The residual rifaximin and rifampicin of homogenized test materials were extracted with acetonitrile-dichloromethane solution or acetonitrile in the presence of anhydrous sodium sulfate and vitamin C, purified by dispersible solid phase extraction, determined by LC-MS/MS, and quantified by the internal standard method. The specificity, sensitivity, matrix effect, accuracy, and precision of the method were investigated in the edible tissues of cattle, swine, or chicken. In addition, the stability of the standard stock solution and the standard working solution was also investigated. The method was suitable for the muscle, liver, kidney, fat, milk, and eggs of cattle, swine, or chicken, as well as fish and shrimp. The specificity of the method was good, and the detection of the analytes was not affected by different matrices. Both the LOD and LOQ of the two analytes were 5 µg/kg and 10 µg/kg, respectively. The results of matrix effects in each tissue were in the range of 80-120%; there were no significant matrix effects. The average accuracy of rifaximin and rifampicin in different foodstuffs of animal origin was between 80% and 120%, and the method precision was below 20% (RSD). The proposed method showed good performance for determination, which could be employed for the extraction, purification, and detection of residual rifaximin and rifampicin in edible animal tissues. The pretreatment procedure of tissue samples was simple and feasible. The method was highly specific, stable, reliable, and with high sensitivity, accuracy, and precision, which met the requirements of quantitative detection of veterinary drug residues.

Effects of personalized music listening on post-stroke cognitive impairment: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Previous studies have suggested that music listening has the potential to positively affect cognitive functions and mood in individuals with post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI), with a preference for self-selected music likely to yield better outcomes. However, there is insufficient clinical evidence to suggest the use of music listening in routine rehabilitation care to treat PSCI. This randomized control trial (RCT) aims to investigate the effects of personalized music listening on mood improvement, activities of daily living (ADLs), and cognitive functions in individuals with PSCI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 34 patients with PSCI were randomly assigned to either the music group or the control group. Patients in the music group underwent a three-month personalized music-listening intervention. The intervention involved listening to a personalized playlist tailored to each individual's cultural, ethnic, and social background, life experiences, and personal music preferences. In contrast, the control group patients listened to white noise as a placebo. Cognitive function, neurological function, mood, and ADLs were assessed. RESULTS: After three months of treatment, the music group showed significantly higher Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores compared to the control group (p=0.027), particularly in the domains of delayed recall (p=0.019) and orientation (p=0.023). Moreover, the music group demonstrated significantly better scores in National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) (p=0.008), Barthel Index (BI) (p=0.019), and Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (ZBI) (p=0.008) compared to the control group. No effects were found on mood as measured by the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA) and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD). CONCLUSION: Personalized music listening promotes the recovery of cognitive and neurological functions, improves ADLs, and reduces caregiver burden in patients with PSCI.

The additive value of platelet-rich plasma to topical Minoxidil in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: It still needs to be determined if platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has any added advantage over Minoxidil in treating androgenetic alopecia. We reviewed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing scalp injections of PRP plus Minoxidil vs Minoxidil alone for managing androgenetic alopecia. METHODS: All RCTs published on Embase, Cochrane Library, and PubMed comparing PRP plus Minoxidil vs. Minoxidil alone were eligible. The literature search was completed on 5 March 2024. The review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024509826). RESULTS: Of five included RCTs, three had a high risk of bias, while one had some concerns. A systematic review of the studies showed that all trials reported better outcomes with PRP plus Minoxidil than with Minoxidil alone. Meta-analysis showed that hair density at one month (MD: 11.07 95% CI: 1.20, 20.94 I2 = 0%), three months (MD: 21.81 95% CI: 10.64, 33.00 I2 = 57%) and 5/6 months (MD: 17.80 95% CI: 7.91, 27.69 I2 = 80%) of follow-up was significantly better in the PRP plus Minoxidil vs the Minoxidil alone group. Meta-analysis of adverse events showed that the risk of adverse events was comparable in both groups (OR: 0.55 95% CI: 0.22, 1.36 I2 = 0%). The certainty of evidence on the GRADE assessment was "low to very low." CONCLUSION: Very low-quality evidence shows that the addition of injectable PRP to topical Minoxidil may improve outcomes in patients with androgenetic alopecia. The addition of PRP was found to improve hair density and patient satisfaction significantly. However, the small number of studies with a high risk of bias and heterogeneity in PRP preparation methods are significant limitations of current evidence. Further studies with larger sample sizes and uniform PRP preparation protocols are needed.

Intraoperative dexmedetomidine on postoperative sleep disturbance in older patients undergoing major abdominal surgery: A randomized controlled trial protocol.

Background: Postoperative sleep disturbance (PSD) occurs frequently in patients who undergo major abdominal surgical procedures. Dexmedetomidine is a promising agent to improve the quality of sleep for surgical patients. We designed this trial to investigate the effects of two different doses of intraoperative dexmedetomidine on the occurrence of PSD in elderly patients who have major abdominal surgery. Methods: In this randomized, double-blind, controlled trial, 210 elderly patients aged ≥65 years will be randomized, with an allocation ratio of 1:1:1, to two dexmedetomidine groups (intraoperative infusion of 0.3 or 0.6 µg/kg/h) and a normal saline placebo group. The primary endpoint is the occurrence of PSD on the first night after surgery, assessed using the Athens Insomnia Scale. The secondary endpoints are (1) the incidence of PSD during the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 30th nights postoperatively; (2) pain at rest and on movement at 24 and 48 h postoperatively, assessed using the Numerical Rating Scale; (3) the incidence of postoperative delirium during 0-7 days postoperatively or until hospital discharge, assessed using the 3-min Confusion Assessment Method; (4) depressive symptoms during 0-7 days postoperatively or until hospital discharge, assessed using the 15-items Geriatric Depression Scale; and (5) quality of recovery on postoperative days 1, 2, and 3, assessed using the 15-items Quality of Recovery Scale. Patients' sleep data will also be collected by Xiaomi Mi Band 7 for further analysis. Discussion: The findings of this trial will provide clinical evidence for improving the quality of sleep among elderly patients undergoing major abdominal surgery. Ethics and dissemination: This trial was approved by the Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University (No. 2023-160). The results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2300073163).

Probucol mitigates high-fat diet-induced cognitive and social impairments by regulating brain redox and insulin resistance.

Probucol has been utilized as a cholesterol-lowering drug with antioxidative properties. However, the impact and fundamental mechanisms of probucol in obesity-related cognitive decline are unclear. In this study, male C57BL/6J mice were allocated to a normal chow diet (NCD) group or a high-fat diet (HFD) group, followed by administration of probucol to half of the mice on the HFD regimen. Subsequently, the mice were subjected to a series of behavioral assessments, alongside the measurement of metabolic and redox parameters. Notably, probucol treatment effectively alleviates cognitive and social impairments induced by HFD in mice, while exhibiting no discernible influence on mood-related behaviors. Notably, the beneficial effects of probucol arise independently of rectifying obesity or restoring systemic glucose and lipid homeostasis, as evidenced by the lack of changes in body weight, serum cholesterol levels, blood glucose, hyperinsulinemia, systemic insulin resistance, and oxidative stress. Instead, probucol could regulate the levels of nitric oxide and superoxide-generating proteins, and it could specifically alleviate HFD-induced hippocampal insulin resistance. These findings shed light on the potential role of probucol in modulating obesity-related cognitive decline and urge reevaluation of the underlying mechanisms by which probucol exerts its beneficial effects.

Preparation of PANI-SA/CF anode to enhance the remediation and power generation capabilities of plant microbial fuel cells for chromium contaminated soil.

Plant microbial fuel cells (PMFCs) has important value for soil remediation and power generation. To improve the performance of PMFCs, a PMFC experimental system was established based on potted scindapsus aureus. Polyaniline (PANI) and sodium alginate (SA) were used as modifiers to prepare PANI-SA modified carbon felt anode. The soil remediation ability and electricity generation ability of PMFCs with four different anodes were compared and analyzed. The experimental results show that the steady-state voltage, the removal rate of hexavalent chromium, and the total chromium removal rate of PMFC using PANI-SA modified anode were 5.25 mV, 98%, and 90%, respectively, which are 253%, 10.4%, and 10% higher than those of PMFCs using unmodified carbon felt anode. PMFC is effective and feasible for removing soil chromium pollution and achieving efficient soil remediation, while modifying anodes with PANI-SA can further improve the soil remediation and electricity generation capabilities of PMFC.

Enteral nutrition in children and adolescents who receive extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and its impact on complications and mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Enteral nutrition (EN) is one method of nutrition support for children and adolescents receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy, and there are no guidelines for its use in this population. We conducted a systematic review to determine whether EN is effective and safe in children supported by ECMO. We searched the Cochrane Library database, MEDLINE, and Embase on Ovid in March 2023 to identify studies that evaluated children and adolescents who received ECMO and were treated with EN. Random effects meta-analysis was used to estimate the odds of mortality with EN compared with parenteral nutrition (PN). A total of 14 studies were included in this review with 1650 patients (796 received EN). The median duration of ECMO was 5-10 days, and the median EN initiation time ranged from 23 h to 7 days. The pooled results suggest no significant difference in mortality with EN compared with PN (odds ratio [OR] = 0.77; 95% CI, 0.56-1.05; I2 = 26%). Exclusion of the only study that reported an increase in mortality resulted in a borderline significant reduction in mortality with EN (OR = 0.71; 95% CI, 0.51-1.00; I2 = 26%). The predictors of EN were male sex, older age, heavier weight, greater height, cardiac diagnosis, longer duration of ECMO, and use of venovenous ECMO. Most studies suggest no correlation between EN and complications. EN use in children and adolescents who receive ECMO does not appear to be associated with increased mortality compared with PN and was safe in terms of intestinal complications and feeding intolerance.

Dietary Betaine Improves Glucose Metabolism in Obese Mice.

BACKGROUND: Obesity caused by the overconsumption of energy-dense foods high in fat and sugar has contributed to the growing prevalence of type 2 diabetes. Betaine, found in food or supplements, has been found to lower blood glucose concentrations, but its exact mechanism of action is not well understood. OBJECTIVES: A comprehensive evaluation of the potential mechanisms by which betaine supplementation improves glucose metabolism. METHODS: Hyperglycemic mice were fed betaine to measure the indexes of glucose metabolism in the liver and muscle. To explore the mechanism behind the regulation of betaine on glucose metabolism, Ribonucleic Acid-Seq was used to analyze the livers of the mice. In vitro, HepG2 and C2C12 cells were treated with betaine to more comprehensively evaluate the effect of betaine on glucose metabolism. RESULTS: Betaine was added to the drinking water of high-fat diet-induced mice, and it was found to reduce blood glucose concentrations and liver triglyceride concentrations without affecting body weight, confirming its hypoglycemic effect. To investigate the specific mechanism underlying its hypoglycemic effect, protein-protein interaction enrichment analysis of the liver revealed key nodes associated with glucose metabolism, including cytochrome P450 family activity, insulin sensitivity, glucose homeostasis, and triglyceride concentrations. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes and gene ontogeny enrichment analyses showed significant enrichment of the Notch signaling pathway. These results provided bioinformatic evidence for specific pathways through which betaine regulates glucose metabolism. Key enzyme activities involved in glucose uptake, glycogen synthesis, and glycogenolysis pathways of the liver and muscle were measured, and improvements were observed in these pathways. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides new insight into the mechanisms by which betaine improves glucose metabolism in the liver and muscle and supports its potential as a drug for the treatment of metabolic disorders related to glucose.

Multi-Omics Approaches for Liver Reveal the Thromboprophylaxis Mechanism of Aspirin Eugenol Ester in Rat Thrombosis Model.

Aspirin eugenol ester (AEE) is a novel medicinal compound synthesized by esterifying aspirin with eugenol using the pro-drug principle. Pharmacological and pharmacodynamic experiments showed that AEE had excellent thromboprophylaxis and inhibition of platelet aggregation. This study aimed to investigate the effect of AEE on the liver of thrombosed rats to reveal its mechanism of thromboprophylaxis. Therefore, a multi-omics approach was used to analyze the liver. Transcriptome results showed 132 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the AEE group compared to the model group. Proteome results showed that 159 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified in the AEE group compared to the model group. Six proteins including fibrinogen alpha chain (Fga), fibrinogen gamma chain (Fgg), fibrinogen beta chain (Fgb), orosomucoid 1 (Orm1), hemopexin (Hpx), and kininogen-2 (Kng2) were selected for parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) analysis. The results showed that the expression of all six proteins was upregulated in the model group compared with the control group. In turn, AEE reversed the upregulation trend of these proteins to some degree. Metabolome results showed that 17 metabolites were upregulated and 38 were downregulated in the model group compared to the control group. AEE could reverse the expression of these metabolites to some degree and make them back to normal levels. The metabolites were mainly involved in metabolic pathways, including linoleic acid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Comprehensive analyses showed that AEE could prevent thrombosis by inhibiting platelet activation, decreasing inflammation, and regulating amino acid and energy metabolism. In conclusion, AEE can have a positive effect on thrombosis-related diseases.

Low serum apolipoprotein A1 level predicts poor prognosis of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the real world: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) is a member of the apolipoprotein family with diverse functions. It is associated with the pathogenesis and prognosis of several types of tumors. However, the role of serum apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) in the prognosis of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate its influence on clinical outcomes in patients with DLBCL. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of 1583 consecutive DLBCL patients admitted to the Fujian Medical University Union Hospital between January 2011 and December 2021. 949 newly diagnosed DLBCL patients who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled for statistical analysis. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to determine the optimal cut-off value for serum ApoA1 levels for prognostic prediction among patients with DLBCL. The correlations between serum ApoA1 levels and clinical and laboratory parameters were analyzed. Prognostic significance was analyzed using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: Newly diagnosed patients with DLBCL demonstrated low serum ApoA1 levels (< 0.925 g/L), had more B symptoms, higher levels of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (>upper limit of normal), poorer performance status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score of 2-4), higher percentage of advanced stage and non-germinal center B-cell (non-GCB) subtype, more cases of > 1 extranodal site, higher International Prognostic Index (IPI) score (3-5), and higher incidence of relapse or refractory diseases compared with those with high serum ApoA1 levels (≥ 0.925 g/L). Low serum ApoA1 levels were an independent adverse prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) but not progression-free survival (PFS). CONCLUSIONS: Low serum ApoA1 levels were associated with poor treatment response and inferior survival in newly diagnosed patients with DLBCL.

Pure white cell aplasia before and after thymectomy in the rare conundrum of thymoma: A case report and review of the literature.

RATIONALE: Pure white cell aplasia (PWCA) is a rare paraneoplastic syndrome that occurs in patients with thymomas. Currently, the pathogenesis and treatment of this disease remain in the exploratory stage. PATIENT CONCERNS: We report a 68-year-old woman with thymoma experienced PWCA involvement as her first presentation. The patient had high fever and agranulocytosis at the onset of the disease. The white blood cell count in the complete blood count was 1.9 × 109/L with a neutrophil of 0.1 × 109/L. The bone marrow aspirates showed decreased granulocyte proliferation. Computed tomography showed a large mass in the anterior mediastinum. DIAGNOSES: The final diagnosis of our patient was PWCA and thymoma. INTERVENTIONS: She underwent a thymectomy and cyclosporine A administration during first remission. OUTCOMES: Long-term remission was achieved following the readministration of cyclosporine A after the disease recurrence. LESSONS: PWCA or agranulocytosis with thymoma has been confirmed to be an extremely rare disease. Thymomas with PWCA correlate with autoimmunity. From this case study and the literature review, we concluded that the pathogenesis of thymomas in PWCA is mainly related to the activation of autoreactive T cells. Thymectomy and the immunosuppressive drug, cyclosporine A, were chosen for treatment. The patient's granulocyte levels were unable to recover after surgery because of the inability to promptly clear activated T cells. After surgery, cyclosporine A continued to take for a long time. Thymectomy combined with prolonged cyclosporine A administration may be an effective method for treating this rare disease.

[Expression and Clinical Significance of Exosome Component 4 in Newly Diagnosed Patients with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the expression of Exosome Component 4（EXOSC4） in the tissues of newly diagnosed patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and its clinical significance. METHODS: The expression of EXOSC4 protein in the tissues of 181 newly diagnosed DLBCL patients was analyzed by immunohistochemical staining. Clinical data were collected. The correlation between EXOSC4 protein expression in the tissues of newly diagnosed DLBCL patients and clinical features were analyzed and its prognostic significance. RESULTS: The positive rate of EXOSC4 protein expression was 68.51% in the tissues of 181 newly diagnosed DLBCL patients. These patients were divided into two groups, with 44 cases in high expression group and 137 cases in low expression group. There were no significant differences in age, gender, B symptoms, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score, Ann Arbor stage, extranodal disease, International Prognostic Index (IPI) score, National Comprehensive Cancer Network IPI (NCCN-IPI) score, and cell origin between the two groups (P>0.05). Cox multivariate regression analysis showed that high EXOSC4 protein expression in tissues was an independent poor prognostic factor for OS and PFS in newly diagnosed DLBCL patients (all P<0.05). K-M survival analysis showed that newly diagnosed DLBCL patients with high EXOSC4 protein expression had significantly shorter overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) than those patients with low EXOSC4 protein expression (all P<0.05). CONCLUSION: High EXOSC4 protein expression in tissues of newly diagnosed DLBCL patients is an independent poor prognostic factor for survival.

Procalcitonin and C-Reactive Protein/Procalcitonin Ratio for Distinguishing between Infectious and Neoplastic Fever in Cancer Patients.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the potential of procalcitonin (PCT) levels and the C-reactive protein/procalcitonin (CRP/PCT) ratio as markers for distinguishing between infectious and neoplastic fever among febrile patients with malignant tumors. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on febrile patients admitted to the hospital with malignant tumors. The patients were categorized into an infection group (67 cases) and a non-infection group (73 cases) based on the presence or absence of positive cultures. PCT levels, CRP levels, and CRP/PCT ratios were compared between the two groups. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to identify optimal cut-off values. Results: Data from 140 patients between January 2017 and December 2021 were extracted for analysis. Patients in the infected group showed elevated PCT levels and significantly decreased CRP/PCT ratios compared to the non-infected group (P < .01). The calculated cut-off values for distinguishing infectious and neoplastic fever were 0.52 ng/mL for PCT and 101.80 for CRP/PCT ratio. The ROC curve results revealed good sensitivity for both PCT (74.63%) and CRP/PCT (70.15%), while CRP/PCT demonstrated higher specificity (78.08%) compared to PCT (58.90%). Conclusions: PCT and CRP/PCT are both sensitive markers for identifying infection in patients with malignant tumors, with PCT showing slightly better sensitivity but lower specificity than CRP/PCT. Our findings suggest that CRP/PCT may be more valuable than PCT in distinguishing between infectious fever and neoplastic fever in cancer patients.

Stepwise Diagnostic Product Ions Filtering Strategy for Rapid Discovery of Diterpenoids in Scutellaria barbata Based on UHPLC-Q-Exactive-Orbitrap-MS.

Diterpenoids are considered the major bioactive components in Scutellaria barbata to treat cancer and inflammation, but few comprehensive profiling studies of diterpenoids have been reported. Herein, a stepwise diagnostic product ions (DPIs) filtering strategy for efficient and targeted profiling of diterpenoids in Scutellaria barbata was developed using UHPLC-Q-Exactive-Orbitrap-MS. After UHPLC-HRMS/MS analysis of six diterpenoid reference standards, fragmentation behaviors of these references were studied to provide DPIs. Then, stepwise DPIs filtering aimed to reduce the potential interferences of matrix ions and achieve more chromatographic peaks was conducted to rapidly screen the diterpenoids. The results demonstrated that stepwise DPIs were capable of simplifying the workload in data post-processing and the effective acquisition of low abundance compounds. Subsequently, DPIs and MS/MS fragment patterns were adopted to identify the targeted diterpenoids. As a result, 381 diterpenoids were unambiguously or tentatively identified, while 141 of them with completely new molecular weights were potential new diterpenoids for Scutellaria barbata. These results demonstrate that the developed stepwise DPIs filtering method could be employed as an efficient, reliable, and valuable strategy to screen and identify the diterpenoid profile in Scutellaria barbata. This might accelerate and simplify target constituent profiling from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) extracts.

Berberine at sub-inhibitory concentration inhibits biofilm dispersal in Staphylococcus aureus.

Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen, which has multiple drug resistance and can cause serious infections. Recent studies have shown that berberine has antibacterial activity and it can affect biofilm formation of S. aureus. However, the berberine effect on the biofilm of S. aureus is controversial. In this study, we investigate the effect of berberine on the biofilm development in S. aureus NCTC8325 and explore the possible mechanism. Susceptibility test shows that berberine inhibits growth of methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA), methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA) at different concentrations. S. aureus NCTC8325 is chosen as a model strain to explore further the berberine effect. The MIC of berberine for S. aureus NCTC8325 is 256 µg ml-1. Berberine below 32 µg ml-1 inhibits the dispersal of biofilm and stimulates clumping of cells of NCTC8325 in a concentration-dependent manner, while not showing obvious inhibition on the bacterial growth. The transcription of the key negative regulator of biofilm dispersal AgrA is decreased and an agrA mutant forms biofilm reaching to a similar level of biomass to WT in the presence of berberine at 32 µg ml-1. Transcription of some genes involving synthesis of biofilm structure components, including polysaccharide intracellular adhesin (PIA), proteins and eDNA were also up-regulated, especially icaA for PIA synthesis. And consistently, PIA content was increased in cells exposed to berberine at 32 µg ml-1. This study reveals the dependence of berberine inhibition of biofilm dispersal on the Agr system, which is the first report exploring the molecule mechanism of the berberine effect on the biofilm of S. aureus.

[Release of Exosomes Derived from Leukocyte-Depleted Red Cell Suspension and Its Regulation on Hematological Tumor Cells].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the release of exosome (Exo) from leukocyte-depleted red cell suspension (LDRCS) at different storage time and its regulation on proliferation of hematological tumor cells and possible mechanism. METHODS: The Exo (RBC-Exo) in LDRCS at different storage time was obtained by ultracentrifugation, and the morphology and immunological marker of RBC-Exo were detected by transmission electron microscopy and Western blot, respectively. The particle size distribution of RBC-Exo in LDRCS at different storage time was detected by Dynamic Light Scattering. CCK-8 assay was used to explore the effect of RBC-Exo on hematological tumor cell proliferation. Western blot was used to detect the expression of proliferation-related proteins in hematological tumor cells after co-culture with RBC-Exo. RESULTS: RBC-Exo was isolated, which was characterized by cup-like shape, particle size distribution ranged from 20 to 200 nm, CD63/TSG101 enriched, Calnexin negative, CD235a positive and CD41 negative. The particle size distribution of RBC-Exo from LDRCS between middle was not significantly different and late stored stage. But the particle size distribution of RBC-Exo at middle-late stored stage(>14 d) was larger than that at early stored stage (≤14 days). Compared with the control group, RBC-Exo could significantly promote the proliferation of HBL1, U2932 and Jurkat cells. Compared with the control group, the cycle-related protein P21 was significantly down-regulated in HBL1, U2932 and Jurkat cells after co-culture with RBC-Exo for 3 days, while the anti-apoptotic protein BCL-2 was not changed significantly. CONCLUSION: The morphology of RBC-Exo from LDRCS at middle-late stored stage was different from that at early stored stage. RBC-Exo could promote the proliferation of hematological tumor cells, possibly by regulating the expression of cycle-associated protein P21.

[Intelligent fault diagnosis expert system for multi-parameter monitor based on fault tree].

Aiming at the dilemma of expensive and difficult maintenance, lack of technical data and insufficient maintenance force for modern medical equipment, an intelligent fault diagnosis expert system of multi-parameter monitor based on fault tree was proposed in this study. Firstly, the fault tree of multi-parameter monitor was established and analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively, then based on the analysis results of fault tree, the expert system knowledge base and inference engine were constructed and the overall framework of the system was determined, finally the intelligent fault diagnosis expert system for multi-parameter monitor was developed by using the page hypertext preprocessor (PHP) language, with an accuracy rate of 80% in fault diagnosis. The results showed that technology fusion on the basis of fault tree and expert system can effectively realize intelligent fault diagnosis of multi-parameter monitors and provide troubleshooting suggestions, which can not only provide experience accumulation for fault diagnosis of multi-parameter monitors, but also provide a new idea and technical support for fault diagnosis of medical equipment.

High Expression of MUC5AC, MUC5B, and Layilin Plays an Essential Role in Prediction in the Development of Plastic Bronchitis Caused by MPP.

Plastic bronchitis (PB) is a rare respiratory condition which can result in severe respiratory complications such as respiratory failure and death. Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection is a main etiology cause of plastic bronchitis. However, the pathogenesis of plastic bronchitis complicated by Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) has not yet been fully elucidated. Our article aims to explore biomarkers for early prediction of MPP cases complicated with plastic bronchitis. We utilized a protein chip to screen for significantly different proteins among the groups of healthy, general Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (GMPP) and refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (RMPP) patients, where layilin exhibited a potent change across biology information technology. Next, we demonstrated the high expression of MUC5AC, MUC5B, and layilin in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of MPP cases complicated with plastic bronchitis. Further study suggested that the level of layilin had a positive correlation with both MUC5AC and MUC5B. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to assess the diagnostic values of MUC5AC, MUC5B, and layilin in MPP cases with PB. Data show that the three indicators have similar diagnostic ability for MPP children with plastic bronchitis. Then, we used different concentrations of community-acquired respiratory distress syndrome (CARDS) toxin or lipid-associated membrane proteins (LAMPs) to simulate an in vitro experiment. The in vitro assay revealed that CARDS toxin or LAMPs induced A549 cells to secrete MUC5AC, MUC5B, layilin, and proinflammatory factors. These findings suggest that MUC5AC, MUC5B, and layilin are correlated with MPP. The high expression of MUC5AC, MUC5B, and layilin play an essential role in prediction in the development of plastic bronchitis caused by MPP. The high expression of MUC5AC, MUC5B, and layilin may be relevant to the severity of illness.

Enamel Matrix Derivatives for Periodontal Regeneration: Recent Developments and Future Perspectives.

In the era of the growing population, the demand for dental care is increasing at a fast pace for both older and younger people. One of the dental diseases that has attracted significant research is periodontitis. Periodontal therapy aims to regenerate tissues that are injured by periodontal disease. During recent decades, various pioneering strategies and products have been introduced for restoring or regeneration of periodontal deficiencies. One of these involves the regeneration of tissues under guidance using enamel matrix derivatives (EMDs) or combinations of these. EMDs are mainly comprised of amelogenins, which is one of the most common biological agents used in periodontics. Multiple studies have been reported regarding the role of EMD in periodontal tissue regeneration; however, the extensive mechanism remains elusive. The EMDs could promote periodontal regeneration mainly through inducing periodontal attachment during tooth formation. EMD mimics biological processes that occur during periodontal tissue growth. During root development, enamel matrix proteins are formed on the root surface by Hertwig's epithelial root sheath cells, initiating the process of cementogenesis. This article reviews the challenges and recent advances in preclinical and clinical applications of EMDs in periodontal regeneration. Moreover, we discuss the current evidence on the mechanisms of action of EMDs in the regeneration of periodontal tissues.