Handelin alleviates cachexia- and aging-induced skeletal muscle atrophy by improving protein homeostasis and inhibiting inflammation.

BACKGROUND: Handelin is a bioactive compound from Chrysanthemum indicum L. that improves motor function and muscle integrity during aging in Caenorhabditis elegans. This study aimed to further evaluate the protective effects and molecular mechanisms of handelin in a mouse muscle atrophy model induced by cachexia and aging. METHODS: A tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α-induced atrophy model was used to examine handelin activity in cultured C2C12 myotubes in vitro. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated 8-week-old model mice and 23-month-old (aged) mice were used to examine the therapeutic effects of handelin on cachexia- and aging-induced muscle atrophy, respectively, in vivo. Protein and mRNA expressions were analysed by Western blotting, ELISA and quantitative PCR, respectively. Skeletal muscle mass was measured by histological analysis. RESULTS: Handelin treatment resulted in an upregulation of protein levels of early (MyoD and myogenin) and late (myosin heavy chain, MyHC) differentiation markers in C2C12 myotubes (P < 0.05), and enhanced mitochondrial respiratory (P < 0.05). In TNF-α-induced myotube atrophy model, handelin maintained MyHC protein levels, increased insulin-like growth factor (Igf1) mRNA expression and phosphorylated protein kinase B protein levels (P < 0.05). Handelin also reduced atrogin-1 expression, inhibited nuclear factor-κB activation and reduced mRNA levels of interleukin (Il)6, Il1b and chemokine ligand 1 (Cxcl1) (P < 0.05). In LPS-treated mice, handelin increased body weight (P < 0.05), the weight (P < 0.01) and cross-sectional area (CSA) of the soleus muscle (P < 0.0001) and improved motor function (P < 0.05). In aged mice, handelin slightly increased the weight of the tibialis anterior muscle (P = 0.06) and CSA of the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscles (P < 0.0001). In the tibialis anterior muscle of aged mice, handelin upregulated mRNA levels of Igf1 (P < 0.01), anti-inflammatory cytokine Il10 (P < 0.01), mitochondrial biogenesis genes (P < 0.05) and antioxidant-related enzymes (P < 0.05) and strengthened Sod and Cat enzyme activity (P < 0.05). Handelin also reduced lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation, downregulated mRNA levels of Fbxo32, Mstn, Cxcl1, Il1b and Tnf (P < 0.05), and decreased IL-1ß levels in serum (P < 0.05). Knockdown of Hsp70 or using an Hsp70 inhibitor abolished the ameliorating effects of handelin on myotube atrophy. CONCLUSIONS: Handelin ameliorated cachexia- and aging-induced skeletal muscle atrophy in vitro and in vivo, by maintaining homeostasis of protein synthesis and degradation, possibly by inhibiting inflammation. Handelin is a potentially promising drug candidate for the treatment of muscle wasting.

Validation of the YuWell YE660D oscillometric upper-arm blood pressure monitor for clinic and home in general population according to the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation/European Society of Hypertension/International Organization for Standardization Universal Standard (International Organization for Standardization 81060-2:2018) and the International Organization for Standardization Amendment 1. 2020.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of the YuWell YE660D oscillometric upper-arm blood pressure (BP) monitor in general population (for clinic and home BP measurements in adults) according to the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation/European Society of Hypertension/International Organization for Standardization (AAMI/ESH/ISO) Universal Standard (ISO 81060-2 : 2018) and its Amendment 1. 2020. METHODS: Subjects were recruited to fulfill the age, sex, BP and cuff distribution criteria of the AAMI/ESH/ISO Universal Standard in general population using the same arm sequential BP measurement method. Two cuffs of the test device were used for arm circumferences 22-32 cm (standard) and 22-45 cm (wide range). RESULTS: Ninety-two subjects were recruited and 85 subjects were analyzed. For validation criterion 1, the mean ±â€…SD of the differences between the test device and reference BP readings was 0.3 ±â€…7.2/2.2 ±â€…5.5 mmHg (systolic/diastolic). For validation criterion 2, the SD of the averaged BP differences between the test device and reference BP per subject was 6.1/4.8 mmHg (systolic/diastolic). CONCLUSION: The YuWell YE660D oscillometric upper-arm electronic BP monitor has passed the requirements of the AAMI/ESH/ISO Universal Standard (ISO 81060-2 : 2018) and its Amendment 1. 2020 in adults and hence can be recommended for home and clinical use.

Transgenic PDGF-BB sericin hydrogel potentiates bone regeneration of BMP9-stimulated mesenchymal stem cells through a crosstalk of the Smad-STAT pathways.

Silk as a natural biomaterial is considered as a promising bone substitute in tissue regeneration. Sericin and fibroin are the main components of silk and display unique features for their programmable mechanical properties, biocompatibility, biodegradability and morphological plasticity. It has been reported that sericin recombinant growth factors (GFs) can support cell proliferation and induce stem cell differentiation through cross-talk of signaling pathways during tissue regeneration. The transgenic technology allows the productions of bioactive heterologous GFs as fusion proteins with sericin, which are then fabricated into solid matrix or hydrogel format. Herein, using an injectable hydrogel derived from transgenic platelet-derived GF (PDGF)-BB silk sericin, we demonstrated that the PDGF-BB sericin hydrogel effectively augmented osteogenesis induced by bone morphogenetic protein (BMP9)-stimulated mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in vivo and in vitro, while inhibiting adipogenic differentiation. Further gene expression and protein-protein interactions studies demonstrated that BMP9 and PDGF-BB synergistically induced osteogenic differentiation through the cross-talk between Smad and Stat3 pathways in MSCs. Thus, our results provide a novel strategy to encapsulate osteogenic factors and osteoblastic progenitors in transgenic sericin-based hydrogel for robust bone tissue engineering.

[Influence of Psychological Factors on the Quality of Life of Patients with Non-surgical Gastric Cancer].

Objective To explore the impact of pressure and social support on the quality of life of non-surgical gastric cancer patients. Methods A total of 158 non-surgical patients diagnosed with gastric cancer by gastroscopy from June to August in 2021 were included in this study.The perceived stress scale,multidimensional scale of perceived social support,and the 36-item short form health survey questionnaire [including the physical composite score (PCS) and mental composite score (MCS)] were used for the evaluation of perceived stress,social support,and quality of life,respectively.Spearman correlation analysis was conducted.Mann-Whitney U test,Kruskal-Wallis H test or one-way analysis of variance was employed for the comparison between groups.Bivariate Logistic regression was employed for multiple comparisons. Results Gender (P<0.001),marriage (P=0.022),age (P=0.022),and sickness symptoms (P=0.009) affected the PCS of non-surgical gastric cancer patients.Gender (P=0.016),income (P=0.012),and sickness symptoms (P=0.038) influenced the MCS of non-surgical gastric cancer patients.Perceived pressure was negatively correlated with PCS and MCS (all P<0.001).The three factors of social support were positively correlated with PCS and MCS (all P<0.001).The PCS was associated with gender (OR=0.219,95%CI=0.091-0.525,P=0.001),age (OR=0.969,95%CI=0.942-0.998,P=0.035),sickness symptoms (OR=1.142,95%CI=1.013-1.287,P=0.030),perceived stress (OR=0.921,95%CI=0.860-0.987,P=0.019),and family support (OR=1.195,95%CI=1.064-1.343,P=0.003).The MCS was associated with gender (OR=0.169,95%CI=0.062-0.459,P<0.001),perceived pressure (OR=0.910,95%CI=0.844-0.981,P=0.013),and other support (OR=1.136,95%CI=1.002-1.288,P=0.046). Conclusions The quality of life of the patients with non-surgical gastric cancer was related to perceived pressure and social support.Female and elderly patients have lower quality of life,which requires more attention in clinical work.

16S rDNA analysis of osteoporotic rats treated with osteoking.

Introduction. Osteoporosis (OP) is characterized by microstructural degeneration of bone tissue, low bone mass, bone fragility and even brittle fracture (osteoporotic fracture, OPF). OP and OPF are common and there are many disadvantages to the current medications for OP/OPF. Osteoking is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) originating from the Yi nationality (Yunnan, China) that has been used to treat bone diseases for decades.Hypothesis/Gap Statement. This study will reveal the changes in the intestinal microbiota of OP rats after 70 days of osteoking treatment.Method. With duplication of sham and OP rats, eight groups were established, with six rats in each group. The intestinal microbiotas were analysed by 16S rDNA sequencing.Results. The results showed that osteoking changed the intestinal microbiota of sham rats and OP rats. The mechanism by which osteoking improves OP is related to the functions of the intestinal microbiota. After 70 days of treatment with osteoking, the contents of Pseudonocardia, Pedomicrobium, Variovorax, Niastella and Actinosynnema were decreased in OP rats. The functions of the above intestinal microbiota related to iron metabolism affected calcifediol and 25(OH)D, and measuring these bone metabolic indicators is required for further study.Conclusion. Osteoking changes the intestinal microbiota to improve OP, and further study which reveals these intestinal microbiota and mechanism is needed.

Gelatin from leather waste to tough biodegradable packaging film: One valuable recycling solution for waste gelatin from leather industry.

Large amount of gelatin can be extracted from the solid waste in leather industry. The advanced application of such gelatin is always desired by the leather industry, but remains challenging. Considering the urgent requirement of biodegradable plastic film, in this study, the gelatin extracted from waste skin scrap in the leather industry was used to fabricate a waste gelatin-based film with a high gelatin content, excellent mechanical performance, and autonomous biodegradability in natural soil. The film was prepared by introducing covalent bonds and metal-ligand bonds to the gelatin matrix. These covalent bonds, metal-ligand bonds, and inherent hydrogen bonds in the gelatin matrix serve as multiple sacrificial bonds for effective energy dissipation giving the waste gelatin-based film excellent mechanical parameters with the highest fracture stress of ≈ 32 MPa, maximum fracture strain of ≈1.25 mm/mm, and a high Young's modulus of ≈ 471 MPa, which are significantly higher than those of the original gelatin film (fracture stress ≈ 4 MPa, fracture strain ≈ 0.70 mm/mm, and Young's modulus ≈ 22 MPa). Owing to the water resistance of covalent bonds and metal-ligand bonds existed in gelatin matrix, the gelatin film possesses good water resistance. Additionally, after use, the fabricated film can completely biodegrade in natural soil in approximately 7 weeks. This strategy not only provides a valuable recycling solution for the gelatin from the unwelcome solid waste of the leather industry, but it also broadens the range of ecofriendly and cost effective biodegradable films available.

Expression of DNM3 is associated with good outcome in colorectal cancer.

The aim of this study is to reveal the potential value of dynamin3 (DNM3) in colorectal cancer (CRC) evaluation of clinical diagnosis and prognosis. A total of 100 tissue samples were collected from 50 patients with stages I-IV, CRC tissues (n = 50) paired with non-cancerous adjacent colorectal tissues (n = 50). The expression levels of DNM3 were detected in 50 cases of CRC tissues and 50 cases of non-cancerous adjacent colorectal tissues by real-time fluorescent quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Immunohistochemical method (IHC) was conducted to semi-quantify the expression of DNM3 protein. Results showed that the relative expression of DNM3 mRNA in CRC tissues was 0.634-fold of that in non-cancerous adjacent colorectal tissues. The positive rate of DNM3 protein in CRC tissues (42.0%) was much lower than that in non-cancerous adjacent colorectal tissues (66.0%; P < 0.05). The expression level of DNM3 protein in CRC tissues was dependent on tumor size, degree of histological differentiation, and clinical stage (P < 0.05). The expression level of DNM3 mRNA in CRC tissues was significantly correlated with tumor size and pathology classification (P < 0.05). The research shows that detecting the expression of DNM3 helps in analyzing the tumor size, degree of histological differentiation, and clinical stage. Expression of DNM3 may be associated with good outcome in CRC.

Self-Organization Formation of Multicellular Spheroids Mediated by Mechanically Tunable Hydrogel Platform: Toward Revealing the Synergy of Chemo- and Noninvasive Photothermal Therapy against Colon Microtumor.

Three-dimensional (3D) tumor cell culture offers a more tissue-recapitulating model in cancer treatment evaluation. However, conventional models based on cell-substrate adhesion deprivation are still of insufficient real tumor mimic. In this work, a novel method is proposed for inducing multicellular spheroids (MCSs) formation based on hydrogel with tunable microenvironmental properties. Colon tumor cells DLD1 cultured on hydrogel substrate with proper physical stimulation form MCSs via self-organization. Chemotherapy based on clinical drug and far-infrared photothermal therapy is evaluated with DLD1 MCSs obtained by this method. The synergism of chemotherapy and noninvasive photothermal therapy based on graphene device is further verified in MCSs model and it is believed this method holds potential in in vitro anti-tumor strategies evaluation for precision medicine.

Dynamic bonds enable high toughness and multifunctionality in gelatin/tannic acid-based hydrogels with tunable mechanical properties.

Biopolymer-based functional hydrogels with excellent mechanical properties are desired, but their fabrication remains a challenge. Learning from the tofu-making process, we developed a freely formable hydrogel with high toughness and stiffness from the hydrogen bond-rich coacervation of tannic acid and gelatin through a simple hot-pressing process that transforms the coacervate particles into a bulk hydrogel. The mechanical properties of the obtained gelatin/tannic acid hydrogel (G/T gel) can be controlled by tuning the weight ratio of tannic acid to gelatin in the gel. The G/T gel with optimum mechanical properties possesses high Young's modulus, fracture strain, and fracture energy of ∼60 MPa, ∼10, and ∼24 kJ m-2, respectively. These properties arise from the phase-separated structure and high concentration of dynamic hydrogen bonds with widely distributed bond strengths. These dynamic hydrogen bonds also enable multifunctional properties of the gel, such as self-recovery, self-healing, rebuildability and shape memory. The combination of excellent mechanical properties, good biocompatibility, and useful functionalities into one hydrogel that comes from renewable sources demonstrates the great potential of G/T gels.

Validation of the YuWell YE900 oscillometric blood pressure monitor for professional office use in adults and children according to the AAMI/ESH/ISO Universal Standard (ISO 81060-2:2018).

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of the YuWell YE900 oscillometric upper-arm professional office blood pressure monitor in adults and children according to the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation/European Society of Hypertension/International Organization for Standardization (AAMI/ESH/ISO) Universal Standard (ISO 81060-2:2018). METHODS: Subjects were recruited to fulfill the age, sex, blood pressure and cuff distribution criteria of the AAMI/ESH/ISO Universal Standard in adults and children (aged 3-12 years) using the same arm sequential blood pressure measurement method. Three cuffs of the test device were used for arm circumference 18-22 cm (small), 22-32 cm (medium) and 32-42 cm (large). RESULTS: Ninety-two subjects were recruited, and 85 (50 adults and 35 children) were analyzed. For validation criterion 1, the mean ± SD of the differences between the test device and reference blood pressure readings was 1.7 ± 6.62/3.1 ± 5.76 mmHg (systolic/diastolic). For validation criterion 2, the SD of the averaged blood pressure differences between the test device and reference blood pressure per subject was 5.25/5.13 mmHg (systolic/diastolic). CONCLUSION: The YuWell YE900 professional electronic blood pressure monitor has passed the requirements of the AAMI/ESH/ISO Universal Standard (ISO 81060-2:2018) in adults and children and can be recommended for clinical use.

Self-Healable, High-Strength Hydrogel Electrode for Flexible Sensors and Supercapacitors.

Flexible energy storage materials and sensors have become the key equipment of human-machine interface technology. For the preparation of these devices, hydrogel electrodes are relevant because of their unique porous structure, high capacitance, flexibility, small size, and lightweight. In this paper, regular polypyrrole (PPy) is synthesized on a heat-induced phase-separated gel (H-Gel/AS) by the template degradation method, and a gelatin-based PPy hydrogel with high strength, high strain rate, and high conductivity is prepared. Moreover, by adding multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into a gelatin solution according to the H-Gel/AS method, the electrochemical performance of the resulting H-Gel/AS-MWCNTs-PPy electrode is greatly improved. When the H-Gel/AS-MWCNTs-PPy gel is immersed in an ammonium sulfate solution, wrinkles appear on the surface, resulting in further enhancement of the capacitance. On this basis, a flexible sensor and a solid-state supercapacitor are assembled, and their performance is tested. The sensor can detect tensile, bending, and twisting strains with high sensitivity. Meanwhile, as a flexible solid-state supercapacitor, the specific capacitance is 75 F g-1, and the capacitance retention rate after 5000 cycles is 98.1% under bending conditions. More importantly, the gelatin-based hydrogel shows great potential for application in wearable devices.

16S rDNA analysis of the intestinal microbes in osteoporotic rats.

This study aimed to reveal the differences in intestinal microbes in osteoporotic rats. The rats were divided into two groups: the control and OP (osteoporosis) groups (n=6). Days 0 and 70 were set as the time points. The rats in the OP group underwent bilateral ovariectomy (OVX). Differences between the control and OP groups were determined by 16S rDNA analysis. The relative abundances of OTUs and alpha/beta diversities were determined at days 0 days and 70. The abundances of Verrucomicrobia at the phylum level and Aerococcus, Coprobacillus, Veillonella, Anaerobiospirillum, Flavobacterium, Comamonadaceae, Ohtaekwangia, etc., at the genus level were found to be different between the control_70d and OP_70d groups. KEGG ontology analysis showed that the function of lipid metabolism could be related to OP. The 16S rDNA analysis in the OP rats revealed that intestinal microbes take part in the processes of OP and could affect lipid metabolism. Further study of the relationship between OP and intestinal microbes is necessary, and the prospect for intestinal microbes is a potential treatment for OP.

Degradable Gelatin-Based Supramolecular Coating for Green Paper Sizing.

Developing a paper sizing agent to meet the requirements of low cost, high quality of the paper, and environmental sustainability is significant but remains a challenge. Herein, a novel degradable gelatin-based coating emulsion for paper surface sizing was developed by a simple one-step polymerization and blending process. Poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) was first introduced to a gelatin solution to form gelatin-PMAA emulsion (G-PMAA) through the formation of hydrogen bonds between PMAA and gelatin. The addition of PMAA endowed gelatin with the increased hydrophobicity and the decreased upper critical solution temperature. Then, a relatively small amount of the flexible poly(butyl acrylate) (PBA), which imparted the toughness of the formed film, was blended with the G-PMAA emulsion to form G-PMAA/PBA emulsion. The G-PMAA/PBA emulsion with a high gelatin content of 0.2 g/mL was in the sol state at room temperature, which facilitated the application of the G-PMAA/PBA emulsion. The corrugated papers sized by G-PMAA/PBA emulsion exhibited excellent mechanical properties and water resistance.

[Effect of MiR-451a on Erythroid Differentiation of K562 Cells under Hypoxia].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes of GATA-1 protein expression during erythroid differentiation of K562 cells under hypoxia and how GATA-1 can regulate erythroid differentiation by up-regulating the expression of miR-451a and inhibiting the expression of 14-3-3ζ. METHODS: K562 cells were divided into 2 groups: the normoxia group and the hypoxia group, after the induction of hemin for 96 h, the positive cells rate of the benzidine staining, the mRNA expression of γ-globin and the expression of CD235a were detected, and the success of the model was verified. The changes of GATA-1 and miR-451a expression in the above-mentioned 2 groups, the changes of miR-451a expression after over-expressed GATA-1 were detected by Western blot and qRT-PCR. The cells in normoxic group and hypoxia group were divided into negative control group (NC group) and miR-451a over-expression group respectively, and the degree of erythroid differentiation in the four groups was judged according to the corresponding erythroid differentiation indexes, and the expression of 14-3-3ζ was detected by Western blot after over-expressed miR-451a. RESULTS: The positive cell rate of benzidine staining, mRNA expression of γ-globin and the expression of CD235a after 96 h induction by K562 cells under hypoxia were significantly higher than 0 h, suggesting that the erythroid differentiation model of K562 cells under hypoxia was replicated successfully. The expression levels of GATA-1 protein and miR-451a in the hypoxic group were significantly higher than that in the normoxic group (P<0.05). The expression level of miR-451a in hypoxia group was significantly higher than that in NC group after overexpressed GATA-1 (P<0.05). After over-expressed of miR-451a under hypoxia, the positive cell rate of benzidine staining, the mRNA expression level of γ-globin and the expression of CD235a were significantly higher than those in NC group (P<0.05). The expression level of 14-3-3ζ protein in miR-451a over-expressed group was lower than that in NC group under hypoxia (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Hypoxia can significantly increase the expression of GATA-1 protein, and the increase of GATA-1 expression can up-regulate the expression of miR-451a, thereby inhibiting the expression of 14-3-3ζ protein, which hinders the cell proliferation in erythroid differentiation model of K562 cells and plays an important role in promoting erythroid differentiation.

Supertough Lignin Hydrogels with Multienergy Dissipative Structures and Ultrahigh Antioxidative Activities.

Hydrogels derived from lignin are typically weak and contain only a small amount of lignin, which limits their broad application prospects. In the present work, a novel lignin/poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) (PDMA) hydrogel with a high lignin content, superb toughness, and ultrahigh antioxidative performance is constructed by employing a facile dissolve-dry-swell solvent exchange method. Through this process, lignin and PDMA are self-assembled into a multienergy dissipative structure containing rigid lignin-rich domains. Precisely, the PDMA chains both interpenetrated inside and adhered on the surface of these domains through hydrophobic associations. This structure enables the lignin hydrogels to dissipate energy efficiently during the fracture process. At an optimized ultrahigh lignin content of 58% (dry weight basis), the prepared lignin hydrogel exhibited remarkable mechanical properties, such as a high elastic modulus (2.5 MPa), tensile strength (2.5 MPa), and super tensile strain (11.3), and an extremely high fracture energy above 16 000 J m-2. In addition, the tough lignin hydrogel exhibited a commendable antioxidant property and nontoxicity. All these advantageous properties provide the lignin/PDMA hydrogels with the potential for use in biomedical materials applications.

[A rapid identification of authenticity and specifications of Chinese medicine Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus based on E-eye technology].

The quality of traditional Chinese medicine tablets is correlated with clinical efficacy and drug safety, and plays a great role in promoting the development of traditional Chinese medicine. However, the existing traditional artificial identification and modern instrument detection in terms of accuracy and timeliness have both advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, how to quickly and accurately identify the quality of traditional Chinese medicine tablets has become a high-profile issue. The purpose of this paper is to explore the feasibility of the application of electronic eye technology in the study of rapid identification of traditional Chinese medicine quality. A total of 80 batches of samples were collected and tested by Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus for traditional empirical identification(M_1) and modern pharmacopeia(M_2). The optical data was collected from electronic eyes, and the chemical metrology was used to establish suitable discrimination models(M_3). Four authenticity and commodity specification models, namely identification analysis(DA), minimum bidirectional support vector machine(LS-SVM), partial minimum two-multiplier analysis(PLS-DA), main component analysis identification analysis(PCA-DA), were established, respectively. The accuracies of the authenticity identification models were 82.5%, 90.0%, 96.2% and 93.8%, while the accuracies of the commodity specification identification models were 89.3%, 96.0%, 90.7% and 97.3%, respectively. The models were well judged, the authenticity identification was based on the final identification model of PLS-DA, and the commodity specification was based on the final identification model of PCA-DA. There was no significant difference between its accuracy and M_1, and the time of determination was much shorter than M_2(P<0.01). Therefore, electronic-eye technology could be used for the rapid identification of the quality of Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus.

Developing super tough gelatin-based hydrogels by incorporating linear poly(methacrylic acid) to facilitate sacrificial hydrogen bonding.

Mechanically robust protein-based hydrogels are strongly desired but their construction remains a significant challenge. In this work, gelatin, together with methacrylic acid, is used to construct a novel hydrogen-bonded hydrogel through a facile low-temperature polymerization and a subsequent dry-swell process. The obtained gel is extremely stiff and tough with a high Young's modulus and a fracture energy of 11 MPa and 8.5 kJ m-2, respectively, which are comparable to the performance of tough synthetic hydrogels, rubber, cartilage, and skin. These gels also show recovery and healing properties as well as biocompatibility and stability in physiological saline solutions. The gel is easy to prepare and exhibits a wide range of functional properties, making it a promising load-bearing material for medical applications.

Clinical study of XiangShaLiuJunZi decoction combined with S-1 as maintenance therapy for stage III or IV gastric carcinoma and colorectal carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: S-1, a new oral fluorouracil chemotherapeutical drug, has been increasingly used in clinical maintenance after first-line chemotherapy for stage III or IV gastric carcinoma (GC) and colorectal carcinoma (CRC) for its own advantages. XiangshaLiujunzi Decoction (XSLJZD), a classic traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula with effects of alleviating the adverse reactions of chemotherapy and improving the quality of life of cancer patients has been gradually confirmed, with no more reports about the maintenance therapy mode of combination of chemotherapeutic drugs and TCM. We designed the study of XSLJZD combined with S-1 in the maintenance therapy of Stage III or IV GC and CRC, and hoped that this research program will go further and comprehensively evaluate its efficacy and safety. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety of XSLJZD combined with S-1 in the maintenance therapy of stage III or IV GC and CRC. METHODS: This study is an open, single-center, randomized study. Patients with stage III or stage IV GC and CRC will be randomized (1:1) into S-1group, S-1 combined with XSLJZD group for 5 years of maintenance therapy. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival, and secondary end point was overall survival and Quality of Life Assessment (QOLA), which include an improvement in symptoms before and after treatment, Karnofsky Performance Status, and adverse events assessment. DISCUSSION: This study will provide meaningful clinical information about the combination of chemotherapeutic drugs S-1 with TCM in the maintenance therapy of stage III or IV GC and CRC. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR-INR-16008575.

A phylogenomics approach to characterizing sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs) in Lepidoptera.

Sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs) play a critical role in the insect olfactory system but there is a deficit of functional studies beyond Drosophila. Here, we use a combination of available genome sequences, manual curation, genome and transcriptome data, phylogenetics, expression profiling and gene knockdown to investigate SNMP superfamily in various insect species with a focus on Lepidoptera. We curated 81 genes from 36 insect species and identified a novel lepidopteran SNMP gene family, SNMP3. Phylogenetic analysis shows that lepidopteran SNMP3, but not the previously annotated lepidopteran SNMP2, is the true homologue of the dipteran SNMP2. Digital expression, microarray and qPCR analyses show that the lepidopteran SNMP1 is specifically expressed in adult antennae. SNMP2 is widely expressed in multiple tissues while SNMP3 is specifically expressed in the larval midgut. Microarray analysis suggest SNMP3 may be involved in the silkworm immunity response to virus and bacterial infections. We functionally characterized SNMP1 in the silkworm using RNA interference (RNAi) and behavioral assays. Our results suggested that Bombyx mori SNMP1 is a functional orthologue of the Drosophila melanogaster SNMP1 and plays a critical role in pheromone detection. Split-ubiquitin yeast hybridization study shows that BmorSNMP1 has a protein-protein interaction with the pheromone receptor (BmorOR1), and the co-receptor (BmorOrco). Concluding, we propose a novel molecular model in which BmorOrco, BmorSNMP1 and BmorOR1 form a heteromer in the detection of the silkworm sex pheromone bombykol.

Removal of the environmental pollutant carbamazepine using molecular imprinted adsorbents: Molecular simulation, adsorption properties, and mechanisms.

Carbamazepine (CBZ) is a typical pharmaceutical residue commonly found in aqueous environments, but its removal through activated carbon or advanced oxidation processes is often disrupted by co-existing organic matter. An imprinting system which consisted of the target pollutant CBZ (template molecule) and 10 different kinds of functional monomers was constructed via molecular simulation to screen for appropriate monomers, thereby addressing CBZ removal disruptions. An annealing method simulation was used to search for stable, low-energy conformations of the template-monomer interaction system to calculate the binding energy of these different monomers with CBZ. The order of binding affinity calculated was: 4-vinylbenzoic acid > itaconic acid > methacrylic acid, which was consistent with the experimental observations. The adsorption capacity of the molecular imprinted polymer (MIP) prepared using 4-vinylbenzoic acid reached 28.40 mg/g, and the imprinting factor reached 2.72. The simulation and measurement of the ultraviolet spectrum of the imprinting system showed that a new interaction system was formed between the template and monomers, and that multiple binding conformations between them took place when specific recognition occurred. Energy calculation and hydrogen bond analysis revealed that the van der Waals force, including the π-π conjugate and electrostatic forces including hydrogen bonding, played an important role during selective adsorption, which was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy analysis.