Chemical constituents from the endophytic fungus Aspergillus sp. S3 of Hibiscus tiliaceus.

A new sterol, aspersterol E (1), a newly discovered alkaloid, asperginine A (2), and five known compounds (3-7) were obtained from the endophytic fungus Aspergillus sp. S3 of Hibiscus tiliaceus Linn. The compounds were extracted from their fermentation products using silica gel, ODS C18, and semi-preparative HPLC. The structure of each compound was determined through spectroscopic analysis. All the obtained compounds (1-7) were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against the mouse pre-gastric cancer cell line MFC by using the MTT assay. The IC50 values of compounds 1, 2, 3, and 5 were found to be 153.43 µM, 61.25 µM, 73.19 µM, and 181.69 µM respectively.

α-Lactalbumin based scaffolds for infected wound healing and tissue regeneration.

Interruption of wound healing by multi-drug resistant-bacterial infection is a harmful issue for the worldwide health care system, and conventional treatment approaches may not resolve this issue due to antimicrobial resistance. So, there is an unmet need to develop scaffolds with intrinsic wound healing properties to combat bacterial-infected wounds. Inspired by the α-lactalbumin's (Lalb's) ability to promote collagen synthesis, we herein electrospun Lalb with cephalexin (CPL) and epigallocatechin (EP) to produce nanofibers (CE-Lalb NFs) to solve this issue. The CE-Lalb NFs were prepared using the electrospinning technique and subjected to physicochemical characterizations, in vitro, and in vivo assessments. The CE-Lalb NFs promoted fibroblast migration, proliferation, and collagen synthesis, while CPL/EP annihilated MRSA and E. coli infections. Physicochemical characterizations proved the successful fabrication and doping of CE-Lalb NFs. Antimicrobial assays and fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) declared synergistic antibacterial activity of CE-Lalb NFs against MRSA and E. coli. The in vivo and immunohistochemical data evidenced its exceptional potential for wound healing, promoting growth factor, collagen synthesis, and reduced scar formation. The presence of mature collagen, fewer inflammatory cytokines, increased expression of blood vessels, and low expression of IL-6 at the wound site support in vitro and in vivo results. In our view, the tailored scaffold is the next step for personalized wound dressings that could meet patients with infected wounds' unmet needs by the subscription of noninvasive and easily navigable therapeutic options.

Isolation and Characterization of a Novel Vibrio Phage vB_ValA_R15Z.

Vibrio phages have emerged as a potential alternative to antibiotic therapy for treating Vibrio infections. In this study, a lytic Vibrio phage, vB_ValA_R15Z against Vibrio alginolyticus ATCC 17749T, was isolated from an aquatic water sample collected in Xiamen, China. The phage had an icosahedral head (diameter 69 ± 2 nm) and a short, non-contractile tail measuring 16 ± 2 nm. The genome of vB_ValA_R15Z was found to be a double-stranded DNA consisting of 43, 552 bp, containing 54 coding sequences (CDSs) associated with phage packaging, structure, DNA metabolism, lysis and additional functions. The BLASTN results indicated that vB_ValA_R15Z shared less than 90.18% similarity with known phages recorded in the NCBI GenBank database, suggesting that vB_ValA_R15Z was a novel Vibrio phage. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis revealed that vB_ValA_R15Z belongs to the genus Kaohsiungvirus. In addition, a typical lytic mechanism (holin-endolysim) was found in the genome of vB_ValA_R15Z, while no antibiotic resistance- or virulence factor-related gene was detected. Overall, the study provides valuable insights into the isolation and characterization of vB_ValA_R15Z, highlighting its potential as an effective phage therapy option for combating Vibrio alginolyticus infections.

Benzyl isothiocyanate ameliorates cognitive function in mice of chronic temporal lobe epilepsy.

Objective: Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is a prevalent refractory partial epilepsy seen in clinical practice, with most cases originating from the hippocampus and being characterized by impaired learning and memory. Oxidative stress plays a direct role in the development of epilepsy and neurodegeneration while promoting cognitive dysfunction. Previous research indicates that benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) has antioxidative stress properties and contributes to neuroprotection. In this study, we aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effect of BITC on a lithium-pilocarpine-induced temporal lobe epileptic mice model. Methods: We conducted Intellicage learning tests, Morris water maze, open field test, and step-down-type passive avoidance tests, respectively. In addition, body weight and brain-to-body ratio were calculated. Nissl staining, real-time quantitative PCR detection of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) and NAD(P)H dehydrogenase quinone 1(NQO1) were performed. Content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) were determined. Results: Our results demonstrate that BITC enhances cognitive function and motor ability in mice, as determined by Intellicage learning tests, Morris water maze, open field test, and step-down-type passive avoidance tests, respectively. Epilepsy leads to the loss of neurons in the CA3 region, while BITC treatment plays a positive role in neuroprotection, especially in the cortex. In comparison to the control group, the EP group exhibited decreased transcription levels of HO-1 and NQO1, alongside reduced GSH-Px activity, while MDA content was elevated. Conversely, the BITC treatment group, when compared to the EP group, showed enhanced transcription levels of Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1, along with increased GSH-Px activity, and a decrease in MDA content. Conclusion: In summary, our study provides evidence that BITC can improve cognitive impairments in pilocarpine-induced epileptic mice, demonstrating significant antioxidant effects and neuroprotective properties. This highlights its potential as a phytochemical for managing the sequelae of epilepsy.

Influence of acid-reducing Saccharomyces cerevisiae on the microbial communities and metabolites of Suanyu.

The inoculation of S. cerevisiae can address the excessive acidity in Suanyu, but its influence on the microbial community structure has not been documented. In this study, the microbiota succession, and metabolites of Suanyu with the inoculation of acid-reducing S. cerevisiae L7 were explored. The findings revealed that the addition of S. cerevisiae L7 elevated the pH, and decreased the microbial α-diversity. In Suanyu, the dominant bacterial genera were Lactiplantibacillus and Bacillus, while the dominant fungal genera were Meyerozyma and Saccharomyces. Following the inoculation of S. cerevisiae L7, the relative abundance of Lactiplantibacillus decreased from 21 % to 13 %. Meanwhile, the growth of fungi such as Meyerozyma and Candida was suppressed. The rise in Saccharomyces had a significant impact on various pathways related to amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism, causing the accumulation of flavor compounds. This study sheds more lights on the methods for manipulating microbial community structure in fermented food.

Changes in macrophage infiltration and podocyte injury in lupus nephritis patients with repeated renal biopsy: Report of three cases.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we retrospectively analysed macrophage infiltration and podocyte injury in three patients with diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis (LN) who underwent repeated renal biopsy. CASE SUMMARY: Clinical data of three diffuse proliferative LN patients with different pathological characteristics (case 1 was LN IV-G (A), case 2 was LN IV-G (A) + V, and case 3 was LN IV-G (A) + thrombotic microangiopathy) were reviewed. All patients underwent repeated renal biopsies 6 mo later, and renal biopsy specimens were studied. Macrophage infiltration was assessed by CD68 expression detected by immunohistochemical staining, and an immunofluorescence assay was used to detect podocin expression to assess podocyte damage. After treatment, Case 1 changed to LN III-(A), Case 2 remained as type V LN lesions, and Case 3, which changed to LN IV-S (A), had the worst prognosis. We observed reduced macrophage infiltration after therapy. However, two of the patients with active lesions after treatment still showed macrophage infiltration in the renal interstitium. Before treatment, the three patients showed discontinuous expression of podocin. Notably, the integrity of podocin was restored after treatment in Case 1. CONCLUSION: It may be possible to reverse podocyte damage and decrease the infiltrating macrophages in LN patients through effective treatment.

Bio-evaluations of sericin coated hesperidin nanoparticles for gastric ulcer management.

Gastric ulcers are worrying, and their worsening conditions may result in bleeding in the internal lining of the stomach. The problem is annoying, and both patients and professionals are still not satisfied with the available treatment options. Hesperidin, a flavonoid molecule with potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, can work like witchcraft to repair gastric ulcers and preserve the stomach lining. Here, we employed a strategy that involved covering the surface of the nano-lipid carriers (NLCs) with sericin before encasing the hesperidin within (Se-He-NLC). Sericin, a biodegradable polymer increases the muco-adhesion with stomach lining and deployment of hesperidin in controlled manner. Se-He-NLCs were physico-chemically characterized for drug loading, encapsulation, particle size, morphology, drug release, chemical stability, and chemical bonding. The nanocarriers showed first order drug release in a controlled manner. Se-He-NLCs showed better in vitro permeation and ex vivo mucoadhesion, thereby by promoting the in vivo bioavailability. Se-He-NLCs also promoted the reduced glutathione (GSH) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) levels by 2.24- and 1.61-folds, respectively in the stomach lining, and also the regulation of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities parallel to the control group. In addition, tissues lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were reduced significantly with Se-He-NLCs administration. Se-He-NLC therapy of stomach ulcers in vivo demonstrated better binding ratio and ulcer healing potential. This approach reveals huge capacity for delivering therapies to treat gastric ulcers based on the clinical significance of sericin coated hesperidin nanocarriers in gastric ulcer treatment.

Clinical efficacy of rhGM-CSF gel and medical collagen sponge on deep second-degree burns of infants: A randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to observe clinical efficacy of recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF) gel, medical collagen sponge and rhGM-CSF gel in combination with medical collagen sponge on deep second-degree burns of head, face or neck in infants. METHODS: A total of 108 infants with deep second-degree burns on head, face or neck were randomly divided into rhGM-CSF group, medical collagen sponge group, and rhGM-CSF + medical collagen sponge group. The scab dissolving time, healing time, bacterial positive rate and Vancouver scar scale were evaluated and analyzed. RESULTS: The data analysis showed that scab dissolving time and healing time were shorter in rhGM-CSF + medical collagen sponge group than that in rhGM-CSF group and medical collagen sponge group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < .05). Bacterial positive rate was lower in rhGM-CSF + medical collagen sponge group than that in rhGM-CSF group and medical collagen sponge group (P < .05). After 3 months, score of Vancouver scar scale (scar thickness, pliability, pigmentation and vascularity) was less in rhGM-CSF + medical collagen sponge group than that in rhGM-CSF group and medical collagen sponge group (P < .05). CONCLUSION: rhGM-CSF gel in combination with medical collagen sponge is significantly effective in treating deep second-degree burns of head, face or neck in infants. This combination is beneficial for infection control, acceleration of scab dissolving and wound healing, and reduction of scar hyperplasia and pigmentation, which is worthy of clinical application and promotion.

HPLC-UV/VIS for Determination of Ipratropium Bromide Mixed with Salbuterol, Beclomethasone Propionate and Budesonide using Dual Wavelength-Detection Method.

BACKGROUND: Inhalation preparation involves liquid or solid raw materials for delivering to lungs as aerosol or vapor. The liquid preparation for nebulizer is effective for convenient use and patient compliance and it has been extensively used in the treatment of clinical lung diseases. Clinical staff often mixes the compound ipratropium bromide with beclomethasone propionate and budesonide inhaler but reference values of inhalants for clinical use need to be established for simplifying the operation procedure. The high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method of compound ipratropium bromide solution, beclomethasone propionate suspension and budesonide suspension after mixed atomization was studied. METHODS: The specificity, linearity, recovery (accuracy), precision and stability of compound ipratropium bromide, beclomethasone propionate and budesonide were tested to verify the developed liquid phase method. RESULTS: The developed liquid phase method had high specificity, linear R2≥0,999, recovery (accuracy) RSD (relative standard deviation) less than 2%, precision RSD less than 2,0%, and stability RSD less than 2,0%. CONCLUSION: The liquid phase methodology developed in this study can be used for the determination of compound ipratropium bromide mixed with beclomethasone propionate and budesonide. The current methodology can also be used to provide a reference for the determination of its content after mixing, and further data support for its clinical medication.

Leak detection in real water distribution networks based on acoustic emission and machine learning.

Water scarcity as well as social and economic damages caused by the increasing amounts of non-revenue water in the water distribution networks (WDNs) have been prompting innovative solutions. A great deal of potable water is wasted due to leakage in the WDNs all over the world. Hence, various leak detection approaches have been explored, including the promising application of acoustic devices. Exploiting the benefits of technological advances in acoustic devices, signal processing, and machine learning (ML), this study aimed to develop a sophisticated system for leak detection in WDNs. Different from laboratory-based studies, this study was conducted on real WDNs in Hong Kong and lasted for about two years. Utilizing acoustic emissions acquired using wireless noise loggers, various ML algorithms were explored to develop inspection models for in-service and buried WDNs. ML classification algorithms can identify patterns in the acquired signals for leak and no-leak statuses. Thus, a combination of features describing acoustic signals in time and frequency domains was utilized to facilitate the development of ML models. Separately for metal and non-metal WDNs, ten well-known ML algorithms were used to develop leak detection models. The validation results demonstrate the promising application of noise loggers and ML for leak detection in real WDNs. Support Vector Machine (SVM), Artificial Neural Network (ANN), and Deep Learning (DL) leak detection models demonstrated a largely stable performance and a very good accuracy, particularly for new unlabelled cases.

Efficacy and safety of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation for chronic low back pain: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation for chronic low back pain.Materials and methods: Eleven databases were searched from their inception through January 2021. The primary outcomes were pain intensity, individual activities, quality of life, and adverse events. Results: Four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with 184 patients (mean age: 37.8±3.1 years; range, 35 to 50 years) met the inclusion criteria. The pooled effect size showed proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, relieved pain (standard means difference [SMD]: -0.835, 95% CI: -1.139 to -0.531, p<0.001, n=4), and improved individual activity (Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire, SMD: -1.765, 95% CI: -2.642 to -0.888, p<0.001, n=2; Oswestry Disability Index, SMD: -0.893, 95% CI: -1.434 to -0.352, p=0.001, n=1) for chronic low back pain (CLBP). Conclusion: This study verified that proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation could relieve pain and improve individual activities without serious adverse events in patients with CLBP; however, it should be cautiously recommended due to the small number of included RCTs.

The Mechanism Study of Moxa Combustion Products on Regulating Vascular Endothelial Function in Atherosclerotic Mice.

Objective: To evaluate the anti-atherogenic effect of moxa combustion products (MCPs) and whether it is mediated through improving the vascular endothelial function in ApoE-/- mice. Methods: A total of 60 male ApoE-/- mice were randomly divided into the moxa smoke (MS) group, filtered moxa smoke (FMS) group, moxa floss volatile (MFV) group, essential oil of Artemisia argyi (EOAA) group, and model group (n = 12/group), while 12 male C57BL/6 mice were used as the control group. The six groups were intervened for 20 min/day, 6 days/week. After 14 weeks of intervention, the mice were euthanized and their blood lipids were measured. The aortic roots and thoracic aortas were collected for haematoxylin and eosin (HE) or Oil Red O staining, respectively. The contents of AMPK, PI3K, Akt, and eNOS mRNA in the thoracic aortas were examined by RT-qPCR. Results: The MS group and FMS group showed significantly lower plaque area percentage in the aortic roots and thoracic aortas and higher contents of AMPK-mRNA and eNOS-mRNA in the thoracic aortas compared with the model group. Conclusion: MS and FMS equally suppressed the progression of atherosclerotic lesions in ApoE-/- mice. It was suggested that the particulate matter in MS may not be the key components of moxibustion.

Transcriptome and metabolome reveal the accumulation of secondary metabolites in different varieties of Cinnamomum longepaniculatum.

BACKGROUND: Cinnamomum longepaniculatum (Gamble) N. Chao ex H. W. Li, whose leaves produce essential oils, is a traditional Chinese medicine and economically important tree species. In our study, two C. longepaniculatum varieties that have significantly different essential oil contents and leaf phenotypes were selected as the materials to investigate secondary metabolism. RESULT: The essential oil content and leaf phenotypes were different between the two varieties. When the results of both transcriptome and metabolomic analyses were combined, it was found that the differences were related to phenylalanine metabolic pathways, particularly the metabolism of flavonoids and terpenoids. The transcriptome results based on KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that pathways involving phenylpropanoids, tryptophan biosynthesis and terpenoids significantly differed between the two varieties; 11 DEGs (2 upregulated and 9 downregulated) were associated with the biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites, and 12 DEGs (2 upregulated and 10 downregulated) were related to the metabolism of terpenoids and polyketides. Through further analysis of the leaves, we detected 196 metabolites in C. longepaniculatum. The abundance of 49 (26 downregulated and 23 upregulated) metabolites differed between the two varieties, which is likely related to the differences in the accumulation of these metabolites. We identified 12 flavonoids, 8 terpenoids and 8 alkaloids and identified 4 kinds of PMFs from the leaves of C. longepaniculatum. CONCLUSIONS: The combined results of transcriptome and metabolomic analyses revealed a strong correlation between metabolite contents and gene expression. We speculate that light leads to differences in the secondary metabolism and phenotypes of leaves of different varieties of C. longepaniculatum. This research provides data for secondary metabolite studies and lays a solid foundation for breeding ideal C. longepaniculatum plants.

Expression of Long Non-Coding RNA (lncRNA) SNHG5 in Patients with Refractory Diabetic Macular Edema and Its Regulatory Mechanism.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to assess use of lncRNAs as biomarkers in serum and aqueous humor of patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). MATERIAL AND METHODS Optical coherence tomography and fundus photography were used to analyze the retinal features of the patients. RT-qPCR was used to analyze the differential expression of lncRNA snhg5 in patients who have idiopathic macular hole (MH), DME, or refractory DME. The relationship between SNHG5 and the clinical characteristics of the patients was analyzed. The effect of SNHG5 on the hyperplasia and apoptosis of human retino-microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs) and its mechanism were analyzed in vitro. RESULTS Patients with idiopathic MH developed retinal nerve epithelium rupture and retinal fundus thickening, and patients with DME or refractory DME showed significant macular edema with hemorrhaging. The refractory DME patients improved after treatment but still showed significant macular edema and multiple laser scarring. SNHG5 expression was not only low in the atrial fluid and plasma in DME patients, but also lower in the refractory DME group compared to the idiopathic MH patients. SNHG5 expression in the aqueous humor and plasma was negatively correlated with disease duration, body mass index, and levels of fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, proteinuria, and glycosuria. In the in vitro experiments, SNHG5 expression was significantly downregulated in high glucose-induced HMECs. After SNHG5 overexpression, cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and VEGF-A protein levels were distinctly downregulated. CONCLUSIONS SNHG5 correlates with the development of DME and is a potential target for therapy.

Optimal Lymph Node Staging System in Evaluating Prognosis of Gallbladder Carcinoma: A Multi-institutional Study.

BACKGROUND: Lymph node (LN) involvement is a critical prognostic factor in patients with gallbladder carcinoma (GBC). Controversy exists regarding optimal categorization of nodal metastasis status, including anatomical location of positive nodes (AJCC 7th N staging), number of metastatic lymph nodes (NMLN), log odds of metastatic LNs (LODDS), and lymph node ratio (LNR). METHODS: Patients who underwent curative-intent resection for GBC from six Chinese tertiary hospitals between 2008 and 2013 were analyzed retrospectively. The relative discriminative abilities of the different LN staging systems were assessed by different models including the tree-augmented naïve Bayesian (TAN) model, Cox proportional hazards regression model, and binary logistic regression model. RESULTS: A total of 226 patients were involved in this cohort. Based on the TAN model and composite importance measures, the most important factor affecting the prognosis in the different LN staging systems was NMLN. Among the four TAN models which were built with 4 metastatic LN markers and baseline variables, the accuracy of the NMLN-based prognostic model was 88.15%, higher than 7th N staging (86.44%), LNR (87.34%), and LODDS (85.19%). The Cox model based on NMLN (C-index: 0.763, AIC: 1371.62) had a higher fitness than the others (7th N staging C-index: 0.756, AIC: 1375.51; LNR C-index: 0.759, AIC: 1378.82; LODDS C-index 0.748, AIC: 1390.99). The AUCs of different staging binary logistic regression models were NMLN (0.872), LNR (0.872), 7th N staging (0.869) and LODDS (0.856), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: NMLN was the optimal LN staging system in evaluating prognosis of GBC.

Desmopressin Suppresses Gonadotropin-Induced Spermatogenesis in Patients With Pituitary Stalk Interruption Syndrome: A Retrospective, Single-Center Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the influence of desmopressin on gonadotropin-induced spermatogenesis in patients with pituitary stalk interruption syndrome (PSIS). METHODS: A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted. All patients with PSIS had both gonadotropin and growth hormone (GH) deficiency. Patients were divided into desmopressin and nondesmopressin groups. The desmopressin and nondesmopressin groups were defined by the presence or absence of central diabetes insipidus, which determined whether the patient received desmopressin or not. RESULTS: The average age of gonadotropin therapy was 24.3 and 26.1 in the desmopressin and nondesmopressin groups, respectively. The rate of successful spermatogenesis in the 2 groups was 31.58% and 77.27%, respectively. The period for first sperm appearance was 13.62 ± 5.95 and 13.48 ± 6.69 months, respectively. A multivariable Cox proportional hazards model found that the adjusted hazard ratio for desmopressin was 0.260, indicating a "possible" detrimental effect of desmopressin on spermatogenesis. Central diabetes insipidus would be expected to show a similar detrimental effect. The spermatogenesis rate decreased with increased dosage of desmopressin. In the nondesmopressin group, the rate of spermatogenesis was similar between the GH group and the non-GH subgroup. The GH group had higher sperm count and concentration than the non-GH group. CONCLUSION: A minority of patients with PSIS had mild diabetes insipidus and received desmopressin therapy. The spermatogenesis rate decreased with increasing desmopressin dosage. In addition, GH supplementation did not affect the spermatogenesis rate.

[Regulation mechanism of plant hormones on secondary metabolites].

Plant hormones participate in the regulation of plant growth, and have significant physiological activities. Secondary metabolites are important raw materials of pharmaceutical and chemical industry, which have attracted extensive attention due to their economic and medicinal value. With the development of biotechnology, plant hormones have played an important role in regulating the synthesis of secondary metabolites. This paper mainly introduces the synthesis pathway, signal transduction mechanism and regulation of secondary metabolites of auxin, cytokinin, gibberellin, abscisic acid, ethylene, brassinosteroids and methyl jasmonate in plants. Researching the accumulation of secondary metabolites from a micro aspect is helpful to better understand the formation of plant hormones and their development in the process of secondary metabolism. In additionally, it provides a reference for the rational utilization of plant hormones and the scientific and efficient improvement of the production of secondary metabolites in plants.

A novel embolic microspheres with micro nano binary progressive structure for transarterial chemoembolization applications.

In this work, a novel embolic microspheres with micro nano binary progressive structure (MN-Ms) were developed for transarterial chemoembolization (TCE) applications. The Bletilla striata polysaccharide (Bsp) polymer can inhibit neovascularization and having a dimensional porous network structure, which as the first level of micron structure (microspheres) and will play a role on tumor embolization and inhibition of ischemia-induced neovascularization. The nano flexible liposomes which were embedded by the Bsp polymer microspheres as the second level nano structure to deliver drug across biological membrane barriers. And the micro nano binary progressive structure of MN-Ms was easily formed by using an emulsion crosslinking method. The MN-Ms appeared as perfect round shape with desired swelling and suspensibility characteristics, this was very convenient for embolizing operation by TCE. Due to the binary progressive structure, the MN-Ms could effectively site-specific delivery drug to the targeted liver tissue by enhancing the permeability of Sodium dimethyl-cantharidate (SC) across vessel walls & tissue matrix and delaying drug release at the site of administration, this caused the administrated SC mostly accumulated in the liver, also a higher cytotoxicity to human hepatoma cells. This work indicate that the MN-Ms may be a promising embolic agent for TCE applications for advanced liver cancer.

Characterizing the critical features when personalizing antihypertensive drugs using spectrum analysis and machine learning methods.

Globally, methods of controlling blood pressure in hypertension patients remain inefficient. The difficulty of prescribing appropriate drugs specific to a patient's clinical features serves as one of the most important factors. Characterizing the critical drug-related features, just like that of the antibacterial spectrum (where each item is sensitive to the targeted drug's effectiveness or a specified indication), may help a doctor easily prescribe appropriate drugs by matching a patient's attributes with drug-related features, and effectiveness of the selected drugs would also be ascertained. In this study, we aimed to apply data mining methods to obtain the clinical characteristics spectrum or important clinical features of five frequently used drugs (Irbesartan, Metoprolol, Felodipine, Amlodipine, and Levamlodipine) for hypertension control by comparing successful and unsuccessful cases. Spectrum analysis based on a statistical method and five algorithms based on machine learning were used to extract the critical clinical features. A visualized relative weight matrix was then achieved by combining the results from the characteristic spectrum and machine learning-based methods. Our results indicated that the five targeted antihypertension agents had different importance orders of the 15 relative clinical features. Clinical analysis showed that the extracted important clinical attributes of the five drugs were both reasonable and meaningful in the selection of hypertension treatment. Therefore, our study provided a data-driven reference for the personalization of clinical antihypertensive drugs.

Mechanism of Ca2+-mediated NOX modulated in ROS metabolism induced by T-2 toxin in potato tuber.

T-2 toxin at low concentrations can induce ROS accumulation and modulate host resistance in plants. NOX plays crucial roles in ROS production and is regulated by Ca2+via direct binding to EF-hand motifs. In this study, the effect of EGTA (Ca2+ chelating agent) on the expression and enzymatic activity of NOX, as well as the activities and corresponding gene expressions involved in ROS metabolism and cell membrane integrity, were investigated in treated slices. Results indicated that EGTA treatment significantly affected gene expression and activity of NOX, and reduced ROS accumulation and cell membrane integrity and the enzymatic activities and gene expression involved in ROS metabolism when exposed to treatment. The addition of exogenous Ca2+ restored the initial relative transcript abundance, ROS accumulation and their activities. Results suggest that Ca2+ affected by EGTA plays a crucial role in NOX activity regulation, ultimately affecting ROS metabolism in slices induced by T-2 toxin.