Organobase-Catalyzed Umpolung of Amides: The Generation and Transfer of Carbamoyl Anion.

A novel organobase-catalyzed umpolung reaction of amides was disclosed. This method provides an efficient method to generate and transfer carbamoyl anions. In this transformation, some of the inherent disadvantages of carbamoyl metal were avoided. The mechanistic analysis revealed that the reaction proceeds through polarity inversion of amide, and various carbamoyl anions were applied in the reaction. Moreover, a wide range of substrates was achieved with moderate to excellent yield.

Exploring the partial degradation of polysaccharides: Structure, mechanism, bioactivities, and perspectives.

Polysaccharides are promising biomolecules with lowtoxicity and diverse bioactivities in food processing and clinical drug development. However, an essential prerequisite for their applications is the fine structure characterization. Due to the complexity of polysaccharide structure, partial degradation is a powerful tool for fine structure analysis, which can effectively provide valid information on the structure of backbone and branching glycosidic fragments of complex polysaccharides. This review aims to conclude current methods of partial degradation employed for polysaccharide structural characterization, discuss the molecular mechanisms, and describe the molecular structure and solution properties of degraded polysaccharides. In addition, the effects of polysaccharide degradation on the conformational relationships between the molecular structure and bioactivities, such as antioxidant, antitumor, and immunomodulatory activities, are also discussed. Finally, we summarize the prospects and current challenges for the partial degradation of polysaccharides. This review will be of great value for the scientific elucidation of polysaccharide fine structures and potential applications.

[Optimization of parameters for stir-frying of Kansui Radix with vinegar based on conversion of toxic components].

This study aims to optimize the parameters for stir-frying of Kansui Radix with vinegar based on the conversion of representative toxic diterpenes, which is expected to serve as a reference for the standardized production of Kansui Radix stir-fried with vinegar. To be specific, the toxic components [3-O-(2'E,4'Z-decadienoyl)-20-O-acetylingenol(3-O-EZ), kansuiphorin C(KPC)] in Kansui Radix and the products(ingenol, 20-deoxyingenol) after the stir-frying with vinegar were selected. The toxicity to intestine and water-draining activity were evaluated with NCM460(normal human colon mucosal epithelial cell line) and HT-29(a human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line). An HPLC method was then developed to assess the conversion of toxic components. On this basis, temperature, time, and amount of vinegar for the processing of Kansui Radix were optimized with the Box-Behnken design and the content of ingenol and 20-deoxyingenol as evaluation index. The results showed that after the stir-frying of Kansui Radix with vinegar, 3-O-EZ and KPC were first converted to monoester 3-O-(2'E,4'Z-decadienoyl)ingenol(3-EZ) and 5-O-benzoyl-20-deoxyingenol(5-O-Ben) and finally to almost non-toxic ingenol and 20-deoxyingenol, respectively. Meanwhile, the water-draining activity was retained. Six compounds had a good linear relationship with the peak area in the corresponding concentration ranges(R~2≥0.999 8), and the average recovery fell in the range of 98.20%-102.3%(RSD≤2.4%). The content of representative diterpenes and intermediate products was 14.78%-24.67% lower in the Kansui Radix stir-fried with vinegar than in the Kansui Radix, while the content of the conversed products was 14.37%-71.37% higher. Among the process parameters, temperature had significant influence on the total content of products, followed by time. The optimal parameters were 210 ℃, 15 min, and 30% vinegar. The relative error between the experimental results and the predicted values was 1.68%, indicating that the process was stable and reproducible. The strategy of screening optimal parameters for stir-frying of Kansui Radix with vinegar based on the transformation of toxic components can help improve the production stability, reduce the toxicity, and ensure the efficacy of Kansui Radix stir-fried with vinegar, which can serve as a reference for the process optimization of similar toxic Chinese medicinals.

[Jujubae Fructus alleviates intestinal injury caused by toxic medicinals in Shizao Decoction based on correlation between intestinal flora and host metabolism].

Genkwa Fols, Kansui Radix, and Euphorbiae Pekinensis Radix in Shizao Decoction(SZD) are toxic to intestinal tract. Jujubae Fructus in this prescription can alleviate the toxicity, but the mechanism is still unclear. Therefore, this study aims to explore the mechanism. To be specific, 40 normal Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats were classified into the normal group, high-dose and low-dose SZD groups, and high-dose and low-dose SZD without Jujubae Fructus(SZD-JF) groups. The SZD groups were given(ig) SZD, while SZD-JF groups received the decoction without Jujubae Fructus. The variation of body weight and spleen index were recorded. The patho-logical changes of intestinal tissue were observed based on hematoxylin and eosin(HE) staining. The content of malondialdehyde(MDA) and glutathione(GSH) and activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD) in intestinal tissue were measured to evaluate the intestinal injury. Fresh feces of rats were collected to detect intestinal flora structure by 16S ribosomal RNA gene(16S rDNA) sequencing technology. The content of fecal short chain fatty acids and fecal metabolites was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometer(GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer ultra-fast liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometer(UFLC-Q-TOF-MS), separately. Spearman's correlation analysis was employed to analyze the differential bacteria genera and differential metabolites. RESULTS:: showed that high-dose and low-dose SZD-JF groups had high content of MDA in intestinal tissue, low GSH content and SOD activity, short intestinal villi(P<0.05), low diversity and abundance of intestinal flora, variation in the intestinal flora structure, and low content of short chain fatty acids(P<0.05) compared with the normal group. Compared with high-dose and low-dose SZD-JF groups, high-dose and low-dose SZD groups displayed low content of MDA in intestinal tissue, high GSH content and SOD activity, recovery of the length of intestinal villi, increased abundance and diversity of intestinal flora, alleviation of dysbacteria, and recovery of the content of short chain fatty acids(P<0.05). According to the variation of intestinal flora and fecal metabolites after the addition of Jujubae Fructus, 6 differential bacterial genera(Lactobacillus, Butyricimonas, Clostridia＿UCG-014, Prevotella, Escherichia-Shigella, Alistipes),4 differential short chain fatty acids(such as acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid) and 18 differential metabolites(such as urolithin A, lithocholic acid, and creatinine) were screened out. Beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus were in positive correlation with butyric acid and urolithin A(P<0.05). The pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia-Shigella were in negative correlation with propionic acid and urolithin A(P<0.05). In summary, SZD-JF caused obvious intestinal injury to normal rats, which could lead to intestinal flora disorder. The addition of Jujubae Fructus can alleviate the disorder and relieve the injury by regulating intestinal flora and the metabolites. This study discusses the effect of Jujubae Fructus in relieving the intestinal injury caused by SZD and the mechanism from the perspective of intestinal flora-host metabolism, which is expected to serve as a reference for clinical application of this prescription.

SPARC induces M2 polarization of macrophages to promote proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of cholangiocarcinoma cells.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a disease that includes a variety of epithelial neoplasms characterized by the differentiation of cholangiocytes. M2 polarization is imperative to the development of CCA cells. In this study, we investigated the influence of secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) on M2 polarization and CCA cell growth. We found that the SPARC level was amplified in M2-polarized macrophages and TAMs. In addition, the downregulation of SPARC prevented the M2 polarization of macrophages. Silencing SPARC inhibited the M2 macrophage-mediated effects on the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of CCA cells. Additionally, SPARC knockdown blocked the M2 polarization of macrophages by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT signaling. Moreover, an activator of PI3K signaling repressed the effect of SPARC knockdown on the M2 macrophage-induced elevation of proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis in CCA cells. In conclusion, SPARC contributes to the M2 polarization of macrophages to promote proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of CCA cells, which provides new insight into the treatment of CCA.

Scanning of Bridge Surface Roughness from Two-Axle Vehicle Response by EKF-UI and Contact Residual: Theoretical Study.

The scanning of bridge surface roughness by the test vehicle is a coupled and non-stationary problem since the bridge deflection caused by vehicles will inevitably enter into the vehicle response. To this end, a two-step procedure is proposed to retrieve the bridge surface profile from the noise-contaminated responses of a two-axle vehicle moving over bridges. Central to this is the elimination of the bridge deflection from the estimated unknown input to the test vehicle system. First, the extended Kalman filter with unknown inputs (EKF-UI) algorithm is extended to formulating the state-space equations for the moving vehicle over the bridge. Analytical recursive solutions are derived for the improved vehicle states and the unknown input vector consisting of the vehicle-bridge contact displacement and surface profile. Second, the correlation between the cumulated contact residuals and contact displacements for the two axles is approximately defined by using the vehicle's parameters and location on the bridge. Then, the surface profile is retrieved from the unknown input by removing the roughness-free contact (bridge) displacement, calculated with no prior knowledge of bridge properties. The efficacy of the proposed procedure was validated by the finite element method and demonstrated in the parametric study for various properties of the system. It is confirmed that the retrieved bridge surface profile is in excellent agreement with the original (assumed). For practical use, the vehicle is suggested to run at a not-too-high speed or in a too noisy environment. The proposed technique is robust with regard to vehicle mass and bridge damping.

[Chemical ingredient groups B and C in Kansui Radix stir-fried with vinegar affect diversity of gut microbiota in rat model of malignant ascites induced by Walker-256 cells].

This study aims to explore the effects of chemical ingredient groups B and C in Kansui Radix stir-fried with vinegar on the diversity of gut microbiota in the rat model of malignant ascites, identify the key differential microbial taxa, and reveal the biological mechanism of water-expelling effect of the two chemical ingredient groups. The rat model of malignant ascites induced by Walker-256 cells was established, and phenolphthalein was used as the positive drug. The rats were orally administrated with corresponding agents for consecutive 7 days. On day 6, fresh feces samples were collected from the rats, and 16 S rDNA high-throughput sequencing and GC-MS were employed to determine the composition of gut microbiota and the content of short-chain fatty acids, respectively. On day 7, serum and intestinal tissue samples were collected for the determination of related indicators. Compared with the control group, the model group showed decreased feces volume and urine volume(P<0.01), increased volume of ascites and levels of Na~+, K~+, and Cl~- in urine(P<0.01), down-regulated mRNA and protein levels of intestinal AQP8(P<0.01), lowered abundance of beneficial Lactobacillus(P<0.01) while risen abundance of potential pathogenic Lachnospiraceae and Anaeroplasma(P<0.01), and reduced content of short-chain fatty acids(P<0.01). Compared with the model group, administration with chemical ingredient groups B and C alleviated all the above indicators(P<0.01). In conclusion, chemical ingredient groups B and C in Kansui Radix stir-fried with vinegar could alleviate the disordered gut microbiota in rats with malignant ascites to expel water through increasing the abundance of beneficial Lactobacillus and reducing the abundance of harmful Lachnospiraceae and Anaeroplasma. This study can provide a reference for the reasonable clinical application of Kansui Radix stir-fried with vinegar.

[Effect of Kansui Radix stir-fried with vinegar on fecal metabolomics in Walker-256 rats with ascites].

Utilizing metabolomics technology, this study explored the change of fecal endogenous metabolites in Walker-256 rats with malignant ascites after the administration with Kansui Radix(KR) stir-fried with vinegar(VKR), sought the potential biomarkers in feces which were related to the treatment of malignant ascites by VKR and revealed the biological mechanism of water-expelling effect of VKR. Ultra-fast liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UFLC-Q-TOF-MS) was employed to detect the feces of rats in all groups. Principle component analysis(PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA) were conducted to achieve pattern recognition. Combining t-test and variable importance in the projection(VIP) enabled the screening of potential biomarkers for the malignant ascites. Metabolic pathway analysis was accomplished with MetaboAnalyst. Correlation analysis was finally conducted integrating the sequencing data of gut microbiota to elucidate the mechanism underlying the water-expelling effect of VKR. The results showed that both KR and VKR could restore the abnormal metabolism of model rats to some extent, with VKR being inferior to KR in the regulation. Eleven potential biomarkers were identified to be correlated with the malignant ascites and five metabolic pathways were then enriched. Four kinds of gut microbiota were significantly related to the potential biomarkers. The water-expelling effect of VKR may be associated with the regulation of phenylalanine metabolism, biosynthesis of phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan, tryptophan metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and glycosylphosphatidylinositol(GPI)-anchor biosynthesis. This study can provide a scientific basis for comprehensive understandings of the interaction between gut microbiota and host which has relation to the water-expelling effect of VKR and guide the reasonable clinical application of VKR.

Risks associated with cryopreserved semen in a human sperm bank during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

RESEARCH QUESTION: What are the risks associated with cryopreserved semen collected during and after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic wave in Wuhan, China? DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study involving young adult men who were qualified sperm donors at the Hunan Province Human Sperm Bank (China) during the pandemic wave (1 January 2020 to 30 January 2020) and after the wave and return to work (7 April 2020 to 30 May 30 2020). One hundred paired semen and blood specimens from 100 donors were included. One-step single-tube nested quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (OSN-qRT-PCR) was used to detect SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, to control the unacceptable risk of false-negative results, a second round of screening was performed with pooled RNA from negative semen samples using crystal digital PCR (cd-PCR). RESULTS: For individual blood and semen samples, the target genes, namely the nucleocapsid protein (N) and open reading frame (ORF-1ab) genes, tested negative in all of the 100 paired samples. Further, as per cd-PCR results, there were >20,000 droplets per well in the RNA for each combined sample and no positive droplets were present for either of the aforementioned target genes. A total of 100 paired semen and blood samples from these two groups tested negative for SARS-CoV-2. CONCLUSIONS: Cryopreserved semen at the Hunan Province Human Sperm Bank during and after the COVID-19 pandemic wave was free of SARS-CoV-2 and was judged safe for external use in the future.

Experimental Study of Aerodynamic Interference Effects for a Suspended Monorail Vehicle-Bridge System Using a Wireless Acquisition System.

The suspended monorail (SM) vehicle-bridge system has been considered a promising modern transit mode due to its clear advantages: low pollution, high safety, convenient construction, and low cost. The wind-induced response can significantly affect the running safety and comfort of this type of vehicle due to its special suspended position from a fixed track. This study is the first to systematically investigate its aerodynamic characteristics and interference effects under various spacing ratios using wind tunnel tests and numerical simulations. A high level of agreement between the wind tunnel test and CFD (computational fluid dynamics) results was obtained, and the aerodynamic interference mechanism can be well explained using the CFD technique from a flow field perspective. A wireless wind pressure acquisition system is proposed to achieve synchronization acquisition for multi wind pressure test taps. The paper confirms that (1) the proposed wireless wind pressure acquisition system performed well; (2) the aerodynamic coefficients of the upstream vehicle and bridge were nearly unchanged for vehicle-bridge combinations with varying spacing ratios; (3) the aerodynamic interference effects were amplified when two vehicles meet, but the effects decrease as the spacing ratio increases; (4) the aerodynamic force coefficients, mean, and root mean square (RMS) wind pressure coefficients for the downstream vehicle and bridge are readily affected by the upstream vehicle; (5) the vortex shedding frequencies of vehicles and bridges can be readily obtained from the lift force spectra, and they decrease as the spacing ratio increases; and (6) a spacing ratio of 3.5 is suggested in the field applications to ensure the running safety and stability of the SM vehicle-bridge system under exposure to crosswinds.

Research into the hemocyte immune response of Fenneropenaeus merguiensis under decapod iridescent virus 1 (DIV1) challenge using transcriptome analysis.

The banana shrimp (Fenneropenaeus merguiensis) is a common cultural species worldwide. With the development of the shrimp farming industry, increasing number of diseases have emerged and cause huge impacts. Decapod iridescent virus 1 (DIV1) is a new virus of the family Iridoviridae isolated in China that causes very high mortality in shrimp. In this study, DIV1 and PBS were injected into two groups of shrimp, and hemocytes were collected for comparative transcriptomic analysis. We confirmed that F. merguiensis was the new host of DIV1 by nested PCR. A total of 100,759 unigenes were assembled from the control group and the DIV1 infected group, with an average length of 733.06 bp and N50 of 1136 bp. Significant hits were found in 21,465 unigenes compared to known sequences in major databases including COG (33.30%), GO (42.17%), KEGG (46.76%), KOG (61.37%), Pfam (66.90%), Swissprot (54.21%) and Nr (93.86%). A total of 1003 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, including 929 up-regulated genes and 74 down-regulated genes. Several known immune-related genes, including caspase, C-type lectin, Wnt5 and integrin, were among the differentially expressed transcripts. A total of 14,459 simple sequence repeats, including 8128 monomers, 3276 dimers, 1693 trimers, 150 quadmers, 4 pentamers and 16 hexamers, were found in the transcriptomic dataset. Our study is the first comprehensive investigation of the transcriptomic response to DIV1 infection in F. merguiensis. Collectively, these results not only provide valuable information for characterizing the immune mechanisms of the shrimp responses to DIV1 infection, they open new ways for the study of the molecular mechanisms of DIV1 infection in F. merguiensis.

Transcriptomic comparison reveals modifications in gene expression, photosynthesis, and cell wall in woody plant as responses to external pH changes.

Soil acidification is one of the crucial global environmental problems, affecting sustainable land use, crop yield, and ecosystem stability. Previous research reported the tolerance of crops to acid soil stress. However, the molecular response of woody plant to acid conditions remains largely unclear. Rhododendron L. is a widely distributed woody plant genus and prefers to grow in acidic soils. Herein, weighted gene coexpression network analysis was performed on R. protistum var. giganteum seedlings subjected to five pH treatments (3.5, 4.5, 5.5, 6.0, 7.0), and their ecophysiological characteristics were determined for the identification of their molecular responses to acidic environments. Through pairwise comparison, 855 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with photosynthesis, cell wall, and phenylpropanoid metabolism were identified. Most of the DEGs related to photosynthesis and cell wall were up-regulated after pH 4.5 treatment. Results implied that the species improves its photosynthetic abilities and changes its cell wall characteristics to adapt to acidic conditions. Weighted gene co-expression network analyses showed that most of the hub genes were annotated to the biosynthetic pathways of ribosomal proteins and photosynthesis. Expression pattern analysis showed that genes encoding subunit ribosomal proteins decreased at pH 7.0 treatment, suggesting that pH 7.0 treatment led to cell injury in the seedlings. The species regulates protein synthesis in response to high pH stress (pH 7.0). The present study revealed the molecular response mechanism of woody plant R. protistum var. giganteum to acid environments. These findings can be useful in enriching current knowledge of how woody species adapt to soil acidification under global environmental changes.

Methylation of CLEC14A is associated with its expression and lung adenocarcinoma progression.

Our main objective is probing the effect of methylation of CLEC14A on its expression and lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) progression. Microarray analysis was utilized to screen out differentially downregulated genes with hypermethylation in LUAD tissues. The CLEC14A expression level was measured by western blot analysis and qRT-PCR. Methylation-specific-PCR was performed to evaluate methylation status of CLEC14A. The 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromid (MTT) assay was used to check the relation between CLEC14A expression and cell proliferation. Cell cycle, cell apoptosis, migration, and invasion were respectively detected by the flow cytometry assay, wound healing assay, and transwell assay. Tumor xenograft models were established for investigating the effect of CLEC14A on tumor formation. CLEC14A expression in LUAD tissues was impaired compared with that in adjacent tissues, and CLEC14A promoter was highly methylated in LUAD. Overexpressing CLEC14A or inhibiting the methylation level of CLEC14A in A549 and LTEP-a-2 cells impeded the duplication of LUAD cells, promoted apoptosis, attenuated cell migration, and invasion ability, and arrested cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase. Overexpression of CLEC14A inhibited tumorigenesis of LUAD cells in nude mice. The promoter of CLEC14A is methylated in LUAD, leading to downregulation of CLEC14A in LUAD. CLEC14A acts as an antitumor role in LUAD by suppressing cell proliferation, migration, invasion, promoting cell apoptosis, and reducing tumorigenicity in nude mice. Thus, the inhibition of CLEC14A methylation is a novel strategy for the clinic treatment of LUAD.

Dietary supplementation with polypeptides improved growth performance, antibacterial immune and intestinal microbiota structure of Litopenaeus vannamei.

Antibacterial peptides (AMPs) are expected to replace some or all of the antibiotics and become a new feed additive. However, the high production cost and unclear mechanism limited the application of AMPs. In this research, the effects of a commercial polypeptide (Polypeptide S100) whose main components are AMPs on the growth, antibacterial immune and intestinal microbial of Litopenaeus vannamei were study. L. vannamei (initial weight of 0.16 ±â€¯0.03 g) were fed for 123 days with basal diet added Polypeptide S100 at two levels each (0.5% and 1%) as experimental groups, and a basal diet as control. Dietary inclusion of Polypeptide S100 at 1% level significantly increased the weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate (SGR) of L. vannamei. The survival rates of L. vannamei in 0.5% and 1% Polypeptide S100 groups were significantly higher than the control when infected by Vibrio harveyi but not Vibrio parahaemolyticus. The activities of total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) and lysozyme (LZM) in the two experimental groups were all significantly higher than the control. Differently, the activities of amylase (AMS) and lipase (LPS) were significantly higher in 0.5% Polypeptide S100 group but lower in 1.0% Polypeptide S100 group. Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing showed that the dominant phyla in the intestine of L. vannamei were Proteobacteria, followed by Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Cyanobacteria, Fusobacteria and Tenericutes, and the abundance of predominant phyla Cyanobacteria were upregulated significantly in the experimental groups. At the family level, significant increase was observed in Pseudomonadaceae and Xanthomonadaceae but decrease in Vibrionaceae in the 1.0% Polypeptide S100 group. The abundance of predominant genus Photobacterium were obviously downregulated in the two experimental groups. Unlikely, the abundance of Pseudomonas and Stenotrophomonas were distinctly increased in the 1.0% Polypeptide S100 group but not significantly different from the control in 0.5% Polypeptide S100 group. All these results suggested that Polypeptide S100 could improve the growth performance, antibacterial immune and intestinal microbiota structure of L. vannamei.

Acetyl-11-keto-ß-boswellic acid suppresses docetaxel-resistant prostate cancer cells in vitro and in vivo by blocking Akt and Stat3 signaling, thus suppressing chemoresistant stem cell-like properties.

Acquired docetaxel-resistance of prostate cancer (PCa) remains a clinical obstacle due to the lack of effective therapies. Acetyl-11-keto-ß-boswellic acid (AKBA) is a pentacyclic triterpenic acid isolated from the fragrant gum resin of the Boswellia serrata tree, which has shown intriguing antitumor activity against human cell lines established from PCa, colon cancer, malignant glioma, and leukemia. In this study, we examined the effects of AKBA against docetaxel-resistant PCa in vitro and in vivo as well as its anticancer mechanisms. We showed that AKBA dose-dependently inhibited cell proliferation and induced cell apoptosis in docetaxel-resistant PC3/Doc cells; its IC50 value in anti-proliferation was ∼17 µM. Furthermore, AKBA dose-dependently suppressed the chemoresistant stem cell-like properties of PC3/Doc cells, evidenced by significant decrease in the ability of mammosphere formation and down-regulated expression of a number of stemness-associated genes. The activation of Akt and Stat3 signaling pathways was remarkably enhanced in PC3/Doc cells, which contributed to their chemoresistant stem-like phenotype. AKBA (10-30 µM) dose-dependently suppressed the activation of Akt and Stat3 signaling pathways in PC3/Doc cells. In contrast, overexpression of Akt and Stat3 significantly attenuated the inhibition of AKBA on PC3/Doc cell proliferation. In docetaxel-resistant PCa homograft mice, treatment with AKBA significantly suppresses the growth of homograft RM-1/Doc, equivalent to its human PC3/Doc, but did not decrease their body weight. In summary, we demonstrate that AKBA inhibits the growth inhibition of docetaxel-resistant PCa cells in vitro and in vivo via blocking Akt and Stat3 signaling, thus suppressing their cancer stem cell-like properties.

Toxicity Reduction of Euphorbia kansui Stir-Fried with Vinegar Based on Conversion of 3-O-(2'E,4'Z-Decadi-enoyl)-20-O-acetylingenol.

The dried roots of Euphorbia kansui S.L.Liou ex S.B.Ho have long been used to treat edema in China. However, the severe toxicity caused by Euphorbia kansui (EK) has seriously restricted its clinical application. Although EK was processed with vinegar to reduce its toxicity, the detailed mechanisms of attenuation in toxicity of EK stir-fried with vinegar (VEK) have not been well delineated. Diterpenoids are the main toxic ingredients of EK, and changes in these after processing may be the underlying mechanism of toxicity attenuation of VEK. 3-O-(2'E,4'Z-decadienoyl)-20-O-acetylingenol (3-O-EZ) is one of the diterpenoids derived from EK, and the content of 3-O-EZ was significantly reduced after processing. This study aims to explore the underlying mechanisms of toxicity reduction of VEK based on the change of 3-O-EZ after processing with vinegar. Based on the chemical structure of 3-O-EZ and the method of processing with vinegar, simulation experiments were carried out to confirm the presence of the product both in EK and VEK and to enrich the product. Then, the difference of peak area of 3-O-EZ and its hydrolysate in EK and VEK were detected by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). Furthermore, the toxicity effect of 3-O-EZ and its hydrolysate, as well as the underlying mechanism, on zebrafish embryos were investigated. The findings showed that the diterpenoids (3-O-EZ) in EK can convert into less toxic ingenol in VEK after processing with vinegar; meanwhile, the content of ingenol in VEK was higher than that of EK. More interestingly, the ingenol exhibited less toxicity (acute toxicity, developmental toxicity and organic toxicity) than that of 3-O-EZ, and 3-O-EZ could increase malondialdehyde (MDA) content and reduce glutathione (GSH) content; cause embryo oxidative damage by inhibition of the succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity; and induce inflammation and apoptosis by elevation of IL-2 and IL-8 contents and activation of the caspase-3 and caspase-9 activity. Thus, this study contributes to our understanding of the mechanism of attenuation in toxicity of VEK, and provides the possibility of safe and rational use of EK in clinics.

[Application of Serum Aminoterminal Pro-brain Natriuretic Peptide and Interleukin-6 Levels in Early Diagnosis and Severity Assessment of Preterm Infants with Respiratory Distress Syndrome].

Objective To evaluate the value of serum aminoterminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and interleukin(IL)-6 levels in diagnosis and severity assessment of the preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome(RDS).Methods Totally 150 preterm infants with RDS who were hospitalized in our center from August 2016 to March 2018 were enrolled in this study as the RDS group. These infants were further divided into grades 1,2,3,and 4 according to chest radiography. In addition,158 preterm infants without RDS hospitalized in our center during the same period were included as the controls (control group). Serum NT-proBNP and IL-6 levels were measured by ELISA on days 1,3,and 7 after birth,and their pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) was monitored as well.Results Serum NT-proBNP and IL-6 levels in RDS group were significantly higher than those in control group on day 1 (t=-91.04,P=0.000;t=-11.03,P=0.000),day 3 (t=-89.10,P=0.000;t=-9.909,P=0.000),and day 7 (t=-87.91,P=0.000;t=-8.548,P=0.000). There were significant differences in NT-proBNP levels among grades 1,2,3,and 4 on day 1 (F=50.89,P=0.000),day 3 (F=49.16,P=0.000),and day 7 (F=45.45,P=0.000),showing an increasing trend. Serum IL-6 levels showed no significant difference among grades 1,2,3,and 4 on day 1 (F=0.89,P=0.448),day 3 (F=0.76,P=0.518),and day 7 (F=0.85,P=0.469). The PAP of the RDS group on days 1,3,and 7 was (49.3±3.7),(40.1±5.4),and (39.0±2.6)mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa),which were significantly higher than those of the control group (35.0±2.7)mmHg (t=-90.01,P=0.000),(30.0±3.1)mmHg (t=-81.90,P=0.000),(26.0±3.0)mmHg (t=-88.89,P=0.000). Thus,there was a positive correlation between NT-proBNP and IL-6 levels (r=0.876,P=0.000) and a positive correlation between NT-proBNP and PAP (r=0.916,P=0.000) in preterm infants with RDS.Conclusion Monitoring serum NT-proBN contributes to early diagnosis and disease severity assessment in preterm infants with RDS.

Genetic analysis of three porcine bocaparvoviruses and identification of a natural recombinant breakpoint in NS1.

In this study, we obtained the whole genomes of three porcine bocaparvovirus (PBoV) strains (GD6, GD10, and GD23) by polymerase chain reaction. Sequence analysis showed that all three field strains belonged to PBoV group 3 (G3). The phylogenetic trees based on NS1, NP1, and VP1 differed to the extent that these PBoVs were potentially more closely related to bocaparvoviruses known to infect other animals than to other PBoVs. GD6, GD10, and GD23 all included the conserved sequences YLGPF and HDXXY, with known phospholipase A2 activity. Using recombination-detection software we identified a natural recombinant breakpoint in the NS1 region of PBoV G3. The results of this study will further the epidemiological characterization of PBoVs.

Study on a New Ultraviolet Sterilizer to the Surface Disinfection of the Ultrasound Probe.

We studied the disinfection effect of a new ultraviolet (UV) sterilizer and its utilization on ultrasound probe surfaces. Carrier quantitative germicidal tests, simulated on-the-spot trials, and organic substance influence tests were used to carry out experimental observation. Artificially infected probes were disinfected using the sterilizer or a germicidal lamp for comparison. The total number and types of bacteria were determined and identified. Our results demonstrated the sterilizer had the best disinfection effect among three different disinfection methods in hospital. The sterilizer has been used in a hospital setting for 2 years with no notable damage to the ultrasound probe instrument. It has the advantages of fast disinfection, high disinfection effect, and good compatibility with the ultrasound instrument, worthy of being a promoted application in medical institutions.

Measuring anterior loop length of the inferior alveolar nerve to estimate safe zone in implant planning: A CBCT study in a Malaysian population.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: The inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) frequently loops backward before exiting from the mental foramen and spreads several millimeters medially to the foramen. Implant placement in this area may damage the nerve if the anterior loop area is not carefully identified in a radiographic or computed tomography (CT) evaluation. PURPOSE: The purpose of this observational study was to measure the prevalence of the presence of the anterior loop and to estimate sex and ethnicity-related variations in anterior loop length in the Malaysian population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 100 cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) files were selected from a pool of 810 ongoing or completed patients in 3 different ethnic groups: Malay (33), Indian (33), and Chinese (34). The DICOM data were imported into commercial software. The IAN was traced with software along with the anterior loop and part of the incisive nerve. The vertical length of the nerve was estimated from the canal to the opening of the mental foramen from the cross-sectional view and translated to the panoramic view. Measurement was made from this point to the most anterior point of the anterior loop by following the trajectory of the nerve and was repeated on the opposite side. A 2-way mixed analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was carried out to evaluate the sex- and ethnicity-related variations (α=.05). RESULTS: The anterior loop was present in 94% of the 100 participants. Overall anterior loop length (AnLL) ranged between 0.73 and 7.99 mm with a mean length of 3.69 ±1.75 mm on the left side and 3.85 ±1.73 mm on the right side. Among all participants, no statistically significant differences were found between the left and right sides of the mandible (P=.379). Overall, no significant main effect of ethnicity (P=.869) or sex (P=.576) was found on AnLL measurements. Also, with multiple comparisons, no significant effect was found between each pair of ethnic groups. Men in all 3 ethnic groups had greater AnLL than women. CONCLUSIONS: The anterior loop was present in 94% of the 100 participants among the 3 major ethnic groups of Malaysia. Overall AnLL ranged between 0.73 and 7.99 mm and mean lengths of 3.69 ±1.75 mm on the left side and 3.85 ±1.73 mm on the right side, with no significant ethnicity- or sex-related variations.