[Mechanism of Qingwei Powder in treatment of periodontitis based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS, GC-MS, network pharmacology and molecular docking].

The present study explored the mechanism of Qingwei Powder(QP) in the treatment of periodontitis based on chromatography-mass spectrometry and network pharmacology-molecular docking techniques. UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and GC-MS were used to identify the chemical constituents of QP. The active components and targets were screened out through the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform(TCMSP), and their targets were predicted using SwissTargetPrediction. Targets related to periodontitis were obtained from GeneCards, OMIM, and DisGeNET. Venn diagram was constructed using Venny 2.1 to obtain the intersection targets. Cytoscape 3.7.2 was used to construct the "chemical component-target-disease" network. The targets were analyzed for Gene Ontology(GO) function and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment by clusterProfiler R, and the "chemical component-target-pathway" network was constructed. The binding activity of the active components to the target proteins was verified by molecular docking. A total of 189 chemical components were obtained by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and GC-MS, including 39 active components with 180 potential targets related to periodontitis. Target enrichment analysis of the active components yielded 92 KEGG pathways. Twenty KEGG pathways, 34 active components, and 99 targets were involved in the "chemical component-target-pathway" network. Molecular docking verified a good binding ability of the key targets to the key compounds. This study preliminarily indicates that QP is effective in treating periodontitis through multiple components, multiple targets, and multiple pathways, which reflects the complex system of Chinese medicine. This study provides the theoretical foundation for the subsequent research on the material basis and key quality attributes of QP.

Drug-free and non-crosslinked chitosan scaffolds with efficient antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.

Treatment of oral pathogens is important for both oral and systemic health. The antimicrobial activity of chitosan (CS)-based scaffolds either loading antibiotics or compositing with other agents are well documented. However, the intrinsic antibacterial activity of CS scaffolds alone has never been reported. Herein, we fabricated the non-crosslinked CS scaffold and investigated its antibacterial activity against typical oral pathogens, Gram-negative Porphyromonas gingivalis and Gram-positive Streptococcus mutans. We found both pathogens were completely killed by 1 mg CS scaffolds at 6 h, due largely to the CS-induced time-dependent bacteria clustering. Interestingly, ß-glycerophosphate crosslinked scaffolds showed no antibacterial activity. In conclusion, the bactericidal activity of CS scaffolds alone is reported for the first time. Together with the biodegradability, physical stability, biocompatibility and great antibacterial activity, the non-crosslinked CS scaffolds may have great potentials not only in treating oral diseases but also in wound healing and tissue engineering.

Understanding the sheet size-antibacterial activity relationship of graphene oxide and the nano-bio interaction-based physical mechanisms.

The antibiotics-independent antimicrobial activity of graphene oxide (GO) is of great importance since antibiotic therapy is facing great challenges from drug resistance. However, the relations of GO size with its antimicrobial activity and how the size regulates the antibacterial mechanisms are still unknown. Herein, we fabricated four GO suspensions with different sizes and demonstrated the parabolic relationship between GO size and its antibacterial activity against the Gram-positive cariogenic bacterium Streptococcus mutans. More interestingly, we found out how GO size regulated the nano-bio interaction-based physical antibacterial mechanisms. Increasing the size reduced the cutting effect but enhanced the cell entrapment effect, and vice versa. In conclusion, GO size affects its edge density and lateral dimension, further regulates its physical antibacterial mechanisms in different orientations and ultimately determines its activity. These findings provide a deep understanding of GO antibacterial property and may guide the design and development of GO for clinical use.

Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging for Assessing the Therapeutic Response of Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic response of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) with diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI). Methods: Forty-three patients with fifty-nine hepatic cancer nodules were recruited for this study. All patients were treated by TACE. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and DKI (b=0, 800, 1,500, 2,000mm2/s) were performed before and one month after initiating TACE. Patients were classified as either progressing groups or non-progressing groups. Mean kurtosis (MK), mean diffusion (MD), and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of the tumor tissue were analyzed. Results: Twenty-three HCCs were classified as progressing groups, and thirty-six HCCs were non-progressing groups. After TACE, the values of MD and ADC in non-progressing groups (1.92±0.36×10-3mm2/s, 1.36±0.23×10-3mm2/s) were greater than progressing groups (1.44±0.32× 10-3mm2/s, 1.10±0.23×10-3mm2/s), however, the MK values in non-progressing groups (0.47±0.12) were lower than progressing groups (0.72±0.14). The MK values of tumor among non-progressing patients decreased one month after TACE (0.47±0.12) relative to the preoperative values (0.71±0.12) (P<0.05). In the non-progressing groups, the MD and ADC values of tumor after TACE (1.92±0.36×10-3mm2/s, 1.36±0.23×10-3mm2/s) became higher than their preoperative values (1.44±0.35×10-3mm2/s, 1.09±0.22×10-3mm2/s) (P<0.05). In the progressing groups, the MK, MD, and ADC values of tumor after TACE remained similar before TACE (P>0.05). The sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of the ROC curve for the assessment of HCC progress after TACE by MK (85.2%, 97.5%, and 0.95, respectively) were greater than by ADC (78.6%, 66.5%, and 0.75, respectively) and MD (76.2%, 64.3%, and 0.71, respectively). Conclusions: DKI for assessing the therapeutic response of TACE in HCC shows great promise. MK is more advantageous in the assessment of HCC progress after TACE.

Graphene-based nanomaterials: the promising active agents for antibiotics-independent antibacterial applications.

Graphene-based nanomaterials, such as graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO), have shown great potentials in drug delivery and photodynamic/photothermal therapy due to their featured structure and physicochemical properties. In recent years, their antibacterial potentials have also been exploited. The commonly recognized antibacterial mechanisms include sharp edge-mediated cutting effect, oxidative stress and cell entrapment. This antibacterial activity is very important for human health. As we know, infection with the pathogenic bacteria, especially the drug-resistant ones, is a great threat to human lives. Thus, the development of the antibiotics-independent and drug-free antibacterial agents is of great importance and significance. Graphene-based nanomaterials are a kind of such antibacterial agents. An insight into their properties and antibacterial mechanisms is necessary before they are developed into real products. Herein, we provide a comprehensive understanding of the antibacterial application of graphene-based nanomaterials via summarizing their antibacterial activities against some typical microbial species and discussing their unique mechanisms. In addition, the side-effects and problems in using these nanomaterials are also discussed.

Comparison of diffusion kurtosis imaging versus diffusion weighted imaging in predicting the recurrence of early stage single nodules of hepatocellular carcinoma treated by radiofrequency ablation.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) versus diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) in predicting the recurrence of early stage single nodules of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated by radiofrequency ablation (RFA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 107 patients with early stage single nodules of HCC was performed, all patients treated by RFA. Recurrence rate of HCC was recorded after a median follow-up of 36 months. During follow-up, the data of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), DWI and DKI were obtained in multiple time points. The predictive values of DWI and DKI were analyzed using ROC curves. RESULTS: The overall recurrence rate was 66.3% (71/107). The sensitivity, specificity, and AUC for ADC, MD and MK after RFA (78.6, 73.3% and 0.842; 85.7, 83.3% and 0.839; 85.7, 96.7% and 0.956) were higher than before RFA (44.3, 53.3% and 0.560; 51.2, 56.7% and 0.543; 43.6, 67.3% and 0.489). The sensitivity, specificity, and AUC for MK after RFA were 85.7, 96.7%, and 0.956, respectively, which were significantly greater than those of ADC (78.6, 73.3% and 0.842; P < 0.05) and MD (85.7, 83.3% and 0.839). CONCLUSIONS: The prediction efficacy of DKI for the recurrence of early stage single nodules of HCC was better than that of DWI. And, MK was the most sensitive predictor among the DKI.

Functional Nanomaterials and Their Potential Applications in Antibacterial Therapy.

In the past decades, nanomaterials have shown great potential in biomedical fields, especially in drug delivery, imaging and targeted therapy. Recently, the development of novel functional nanomaterials for antibacterial application has attracted much attention. Compared to the traditional direct use of antibiotics, antibacterial nanomaterials either as drug delivery systems or active agents have a higher efficacy and lower side effects. Herein, we will focus on the antibacterial applications of four commonly used nanomaterials, including metal-based nanomaterials, polymeric nanoparticles, graphene oxides or carbon-based nanomaterials and nanogels.

The UV absorption of graphene oxide is size-dependent: possible calibration pitfalls.

Graphene oxide (GO) is often quantified via its UV absorption, typically at around 230 nm. This is convenient but the effect of the size of GO on the accuracy of this method has been ignored so far. The authors report that the molar absorbance of GO is size-dependent. Data are presented on the absorbance of small (hydrodynamic diameter 1 µm), medium sized (1.5 µm), and large (2.2 µm) GO particles at wavelengths of 210, 230 and 250 nm. In general, linear relationship and good regression fits are obtained, but with different slope depending on size even at the same wavelength. This implies that using the UV absorption-based calibration may cause significant errors in GO quantification. Ultimately, this leads to incorrect dosages and faulty conclusions. This may also explain a variety of inconsistent results obtained in previous biological applications of GO. Graphical abstract The size of graphene oxide (GO) determines its UV absorption and the UV absorption-based calibration (GO-s, GO-m and GO-l represent the GO with small, medium and large size).

[Evolutionary process unveiled by the maximum genetic diversity hypothesis].

As two major popular theories to explain evolutionary facts, the neutral theory and Neo-Darwinism, despite their proven virtues in certain areas, still fail to offer comprehensive explanations to such fundamental evolutionary phenomena as the genetic equidistance result, abundant overlap sites, increase in complexity over time, incomplete understanding of genetic diversity, and inconsistencies with fossil and archaeological records. Maximum genetic diversity hypothesis (MGD), however, constructs a more complete evolutionary genetics theory that incorporates all of the proven virtues of existing theories and adds to them the novel concept of a maximum or optimum limit on genetic distance or diversity. It has yet to meet a contradiction and explained for the first time the half-century old Genetic Equidistance phenomenon as well as most other major evolutionary facts. It provides practical and quantitative ways of studying complexity. Molecular interpretation using MGD-based methods reveal novel insights on the origins of humans and other primates that are consistent with fossil evidence and common sense, and reestablished the important role of China in the evolution of humans. MGD theory has also uncovered an important genetic mechanism in the construction of complex traits and the pathogenesis of complex diseases. We here made a series of sequence comparisons among yeasts, fishes and primates to illustrate the concept of limit on genetic distance. The idea of limit or optimum is in line with the yin-yang paradigm in the traditional Chinese view of the universal creative law in nature.