SUMOylation of Smad2 mediates TGF-ß-regulated endothelial-mesenchymal transition.

Endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT) is a complex biological process in which endothelial cells are transformed into mesenchymal cells, and dysregulated EndoMT causes a variety of pathological processes. Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß) signaling effectively induces the EndoMT process in endothelial cells, and Smad2 is the critical protein of the TGF-ß signaling pathway. However, whether small ubiquitin-like modifier modification (SUMOylation) is involved in EndoMT remains unclear. Here, we show that Smad2 is predominantly modified by SUMO1 at two major SUMOylation sites with PIAS2α as the primary E3 ligase, whereas SENP1 (sentrin/SUMO-specific protease 1) mediates the deSUMOylation of Smad2. In addition, we identified that SUMOylation significantly enhances the transcriptional activity and protein stability of Smad2, regulating the expression of downstream target genes. SUMOylation increases the phosphorylation of Smad2 and the formation of the Smad2-Smad4 complex, thus promoting the nuclear translocation of Smad2. Ultimately, the wildtype, but not SUMOylation site mutant Smad2 facilitated the EndoMT process. More importantly, TGF-ß enhances the nuclear translocation of Smad2 by enhancing its SUMOylation and promoting the EndoMT process. These results demonstrate that SUMOylation of Smad2 plays a critical role in the TGF-ß-mediated EndoMT process, providing a new theoretical basis for the treatment and potential drug targets of EndoMT-related clinical diseases.

miRSNP rs188493331: A key player in genetic control of microRNA-induced pathway activation in hypertrophic scars and keloids.

BACKGROUND: Our study aims to delineate the miRSNP-microRNA-gene-pathway interactions in the context of hypertrophic scars (HS) and keloids. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a computational biology study involving differential expression analysis to identify genes and their mRNAs in HS and keloid tissues compared to normal skin, identifying key hub genes and enriching their functional roles, comprehensively analyzing microRNA-target genes and related signaling pathways through bioinformatics, identifying MiRSNPs, and constructing a pathway-based network to illustrate miRSNP-miRNA-gene-signaling pathway interactions. RESULTS: Our results revealed a total of 429 hub genes, with a strong enrichment in signaling pathways related to proteoglycans in cancer, focal adhesion, TGF-ß, PI3K/Akt, and EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance. Particularly noteworthy was the substantial crosstalk between the focal adhesion and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways, making them more susceptible to regulation by microRNAs. We also identified specific miRNAs, including miRNA-1279, miRNA-429, and miRNA-302e, which harbored multiple SNP loci, with miRSNPs rs188493331 and rs78979933 exerting control over a significant number of miRNA target genes. Furthermore, we observed that miRSNP rs188493331 shared a location with microRNA302e, microRNA202a-3p, and microRNA20b-5p, and these three microRNAs collectively targeted the gene LAMA3, which is integral to the focal adhesion signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: The study successfully unveils the complex interactions between miRSNPs, miRNAs, genes, and signaling pathways, shedding light on the genetic factors contributing to HS and keloid formation.

Predicting post-operative vault and optimal implantable collamer lens size using machine learning based on various ophthalmic device combinations.

BACKGROUND: Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) surgery has been proven to be a safe, effective, and predictable method for correcting myopia and myopic astigmatism. However, predicting the vault and ideal ICL size remains technically challenging. Despite the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in ophthalmology, no AI studies have provided available choices of different instruments and combinations for further vault and size predictions. This study aimed to fill this gap and predict post-operative vault and appropriate ICL size utilizing the comparison of numerous AI algorithms, stacking ensemble learning, and data from various ophthalmic devices and combinations. RESULTS: This retrospective and cross-sectional study included 1941 eyes of 1941 patients from Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center. For both vault prediction and ICL size selection, the combination containing Pentacam, Sirius, and UBM demonstrated the best results in test sets [R2 = 0.499 (95% CI 0.470-0.528), mean absolute error = 130.655 (95% CI 128.949-132.111), accuracy = 0.895 (95% CI 0.883-0.907), AUC = 0.928 (95% CI 0.916-0.941)]. Sulcus-to-sulcus (STS), a parameter from UBM, ranked among the top five significant contributors to both post-operative vault and optimal ICL size prediction, consistently outperforming white-to-white (WTW). Moreover, dual-device combinations or single-device parameters could also effectively predict vault and ideal ICL size, and excellent ICL selection prediction was achievable using only UBM parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Strategies based on multiple machine learning algorithms for different ophthalmic devices and combinations are applicable for vault predicting and ICL sizing, potentially improving the safety of the ICL implantation. Moreover, our findings emphasize the crucial role of UBM in the perioperative period of ICL surgery, as it provides key STS measurements that outperformed WTW measurements in predicting post-operative vault and optimal ICL size, highlighting its potential to enhance ICL implantation safety and accuracy.

Novel Method for Extracting the Spectrum of a Supramolecular Complex via a Comprehensive Approach Involving Two-Dimensional Correlation Spectroscopy, Genetic Algorithm, and Grid Searching.

A supramolecular complex may be formed by two solutes via a weak intermolecular interaction in a solution. The spectrum of the complex is often inundated by the spectra of the solutes that are not involved in the intermolecular interaction. Herein, a novel spectral analysis approach is proposed to retrieve the spectrum of the supramolecular complex. First, a two-dimensional (2D) asynchronous spectrum is constructed. Then, a genetic algorithm is used to obtain a heuristic spectrum of the supramolecular complex. The heuristic spectrum is a linear combination of the spectrum of the complex and the spectrum of a solute. The coefficients of the linear combination are then obtained, according to which the equilibrium constants are invariant among the sample solutions used to construct the 2D asynchronous spectrum. We have applied the approach to a supramolecular system formed by benzene and I2. In the analysis, several binding models are evaluated, and a benzene molecule interacting with two iodine molecules via halogen bonding turns out to be the only possible model. Hence, the characteristic band of the benzene/I2 supramolecular complex around 1819 cm-1 in the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum and the corresponding equilibrium constant are obtained. The above results indicate that the novel approach provides a chance to get new insight into various intermolecular interactions studied by spectroscopy.

Robust Approach to Estimating the Stoichiometric Ratio of Supramolecular Complexes Using the Volume of Cross-Peaks in 2D Asynchronous Spectra and the Jonckheere-Terpstra Test.

Estimation of the stoichiometric ratio of a supramolecular aggregate formed by different compounds is very important in elucidating the structure and function of the aggregate. Many spectroscopic methods used to estimate the stoichiometric ratios of coordination complexes become invalid when characteristic peaks of the aggregate overlap with peaks of compounds that form the aggregate. Previously, we combined the asynchronous orthogonal sample design with Job's method to address the abovementioned problem. However, the interference of noise may lead to incorrect results. Herein, a new method has been developed. In the generation of corresponding Job's curve, the intensity of a cross peak at a single apex is replaced by the volume of the cross peak. Since most noise is canceled in the calculation of the volume of the cross peak, resultant Job's curve is robust to noise. Moreover, the Jonckheere-Terpstra statistical test, a famous nonparametric method to detect whether the data has an upward or downward trend, could further reduce the risk of yielding incorrect results caused by noise. We have applied this approach to two real-world examples (resveratrol/ß-Cyclodextrin (ß-CD) and N, N-diethyl-N'-benzoylthiourea (DEBT)/Cu2+) with satisfactory results. The method described in this paper provides a robust way to measure the stoichiometric ratio in supramolecular systems.

Retrieving Spectra of Pure Components from the DOSY-NMR Experiment via a Comprehensive Approach Involving the 2D Asynchronous Spectrum, 2D Quotient Spectrum, and Genetic Algorithm Refinement.

When diffusion coefficients of different components in a mixture are similar, NMR spectra of pure individual components are difficult to be obtained via a diffusion-ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) experiment. Two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS) is used to analyze the data from the DOSY experiment. Through the properties of the systematic absence of cross-peak (SACP) in the 2D asynchronous spectra, spectra of pure components can be obtained even if their diffusion coefficients are similar. However, fluctuations in peak-position and peak-width are often unavoidable in NMR spectra, which makes SACPs unrecognizable. To address the problem, a 2D quotient spectrum is used to identify the masked SACPs. However, undesirable interference peaks due to the fluctuations in peak-position and peak-width are still present when we extract a spectrum of a component by slicing the 2D asynchronous spectrum across the SACP. A genetic algorithm (GA) is used to select a suitable subset of spectra where the diversities of peak-position and peak-width are significantly reduced. Then, we used the selected spectra to construct a refined 2D asynchronous spectrum so that the spectra of pure components with significant attenuated interference can be obtained. The above approach has been proven to be effective on a model system and a real-world example, demonstrating that 2D-COS possesses a bright perspective in the analysis of the bilinear data from DOSY experiments.

Tsp-1 is involved in DNA stability through Tgf-ß1 activation domain in cone photoreceptor 661 W cells.

Thrombospondin-1 (Tsp-1), a matricellular protein, could protect retinal neurons from endogenous or exogenous insults; however, its underlying mechanism remains unclear. Thus, this study aimed to investigate Tsp-1-mediated neuron-protection effect in retinal cells. Our data showed that Tsp-1 downregulation would aggravate UV irradiation-induced DNA damage in 661 W cells and cone photoreceptor cells. The increasing levels of poly (ADP ribose) polymer (PAR) and γ-H2AX in Tsp-1-silenced 661 W cells indicate severe DNA single-strand breaks (SSBs) and double-strand breaks (DSBs). By utilizing an error-prone substrate, Tsp-1 silencing significantly increased deleted DNA end joining in 661 W cells with spontaneous DNA damage (SDD). Moreover, Tsp-1 is indirectly involved in DNA stability in 661 W cells as UV treatment caused a significant Tsp-1 decreasing in cytoplasm, but no obvious Tsp-1 alteration in cell nuclear of 661 W cells. Furthermore, our data indicate that Tgf-ß1 activation domain in Tsp-1 plays a critical role in DNA stability in 661 W cells through expressing mutated exogenous Tsp-1 and Tgf-ß inhibitor, LSKL. Therefore, this study provides new insights into the mechanism of the neuroprotective action positively mediated by Tsp-1, which might be a therapeutic target for the treatment of retinal pathology.

Comparison of DNA stability and its related genes of neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells and primary retinal neurons.

Maintaining DNA stability in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and iPSCs-derived neurons is a challenge in their clinical application. In the present study, we compared DNA stability between primary retinal neurons and differentiated neurons. We found that the basal level of γ-H2AX phosphorylation, a specific marker of DNA breaks, was notably higher (~26-folds) in human iPSCs compared to iPSCs-derived neurons. However, iPSCs-derived neurons are more sensitive to UV treatment compared to primary rat retinal neurons (postnatal Day 1). UV treatment induced a significantly decreasing in the cell viability of iPSCs-derived neurons by ~76.1%, whereas ~20.8% in primary retinal neurons. After analyzing the expression levels of genes involved in DNA stability, such as Brca1, Ligase IV, Ku80, and Mre11, we found that Ku80 and its heterodimeric partner, Ku70 were positive in iPSCs-derived neurons. However, both Ku80 and Ku70 are not expressed in primary retinal neurons and cerebellar neurons. Similarly, both Ku80 and Ku70 are also expressed in 3D retinal organoids from human embryonic stem cells (ESCs), except for a few Map2-negative cells and the hyaloid vessels of mice E12.5 retinas. Hence, Ku80, and Ku70 are specifically expressed in stem cell-derived neurons. Moreover, using the Ku80 inhibitor Compound L, our data showed that Ku80 promotes the DNA stability and cell viability of iPSCs-derived neurons. Thus, our results demonstrated that iPSCs-, ESCs-derived neurons have specific characteristics of DNA stability. This study provides new insights into the neural differentiation of stem cells but might also warrant the future clinical application of stem cells in neurodegenerative diseases.

Identification of gut microbiome and transcriptome changes in ulcerative colitis and pouchitis.

BACKGROUND: Pouchitis is the common postoperative complication of ulcerative colitis (UC) and is also considered as inflammatory bowel disease. The aim was to investigate the microbiological and transcriptional differences between the two illnesses. METHODS: Eighty-five participants were enrolled (37 UC, 15 healthy UC pouches, 15 pouchitis and 18 healthy volunteers) and stool samples were collected. Microbial populations were analyzed by pyrosequencing of 16S ribosomal DNA. Furthermore, transcriptome data of 119 UC and 28 pouch patients were obtained from two data sets for bioinformatics analysis. RESULTS: The results of gut microbiota community analysis showed that with aggravation of UC, intestinal microorganisms were characterized by a gradual decreased in diversity and numbers of butyrate-producing bacteria and Bacteroides. Besides, in addition to the decrease of probiotics, the proliferation of Escherichia-Shigella and Ruminococcus gnavus was observed in pouchitis which is related to multiple infection pathways. The function enrichment of differential expression genes and hub genes, as well as the immunological condition was shown to be distinct using transcriptome bioinformatics analysis between UC and pouchitis. A stronger immune response occurs in UC and may be associated with high expression of tumor necrosis factor and interleukin, while multiple hub genes such as CDK1 in pouchitis are associated with cell cycle regulation. CONCLUSIONS: The characteristics of gut microbiota disturbance and transcriptome alteration in UC and pouchitis are different. Our findings suggested that pouchitis may have a unique pathogenesis which was separated from UC.

Deprotonation from an OH on myo-Inositol Promoted by µ2-Bridges with Possible Regioselectivity/Chiral Selectivity.

Single-crystal structures of myo-inositol complexes with erbium ([Er2(C6H11O6)2(H2O)5Cl2]Cl2(H2O)4, denoted ErI hereafter) and strontium (Sr(C6H12O6)2(H2O)2Cl2, denoted SrI hereafter) are described. In ErI, deprotonation occurs on an OH of myo-inositol, although the complex is synthesized in an acidic solution, and the pKa values of all of the OHs in myo-inositol are larger than 12. The deprotonated OH is involved in a µ2-bridge. The polarization from two Er3+ ions activates the chemically relatively inert OH and promotes deprotonation. In the stable conformation of myo-inositol, there are five equatorial OHs and one axial OH. The deprotonation occurs on the only axial OH, suggesting that the deprotonation possesses characteristics of regioselectivity/chiral selectivity. Two Er3+ ions in the µ2-bridge are stabilized by five-membered rings formed by chelating Er3+ with an O-C-C-O moiety. As revealed by the X-ray crystallography study, the absolute values of the O-C-C-O torsion angles decrease from ∼60 to ∼45° upon chelating. Since the O-C-C-O moiety is within a six-membered ring, the variation of the torsion angle may exert distortion of the chair conformation. Quantum chemistry calculation results indicate that an axial OH flanked by two equatorial OHs (double ax-eq motif) is favorable for the formation of a µ2-bridge, accounting for the selectivity. The double ax-eq motif may be used in a rational design of high-performance catalysts where deprotonation with high regioselectivity/chiral selectivity is carried out.

Complexation behaviour and removal of organic-Cr(III) complexes from the environment: A review.

Chromium (Cr) is mainly found in the form of organic-Cr(III) complexes in the natural environment and industrial waste. The widespread existence of composite contaminants composed of organic matter (OM) and Cr pose a serious ecological threat, and its potential interaction and removal need to be further summarised. Organic ligands, such as carbohydrates, nitrogen compounds, phenolic compounds, humus substances (HS), and low molecular weight organic acids (LMWOAs), play an important role in governing the speciation, mobility, and absorption and desorption of Cr in the environment. Moreover, growing evidence indicates that oxygen-containing functional groups (e.g., carboxyl, hydroxyl, and phosphate) are closely related to the complexation of Cr(III). Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are efficient and widely applicable technologies. However, the re-complexation of oxidation intermediates with Cr(III) and the formation and accumulation of much more toxic Cr(VI) species hinder the possible utilisation of AOPs. In this paper, the sources and harmful effects of organic-Cr(III) complexes are reported in detail. The complexation behaviour and structure of the organic-Cr(III) complexes are also described. Subsequently, the application of AOPs in the decomplexation and degradation of organic-Cr(III) complexes is summarised. This review can be helpful for developing technologies that are more efficient for organic-Cr(III) complex removal and establishing the scientific background for reducing Cr discharge Cr into the environment.

How does health literacy affect the utilization of basic public health services in Chinese migrants?

Previous studies have focused on the determinants of basic public health services utilization, such as socioeconomic status and mobility characteristics, rather than on health literacy. Thus, this study aimed to estimate the effect of health literacy on the utilization of basic public health services among Chinese migrants. Based on the 2016 China Migrants Dynamic Survey data (N = 2335), this study used propensity score matching approach to estimate the effect of health literacy on the utilization of basic public health services, including the establishment of health records and receipt of health education, and to explore heterogeneity in this effect based on educational attainment and urban-rural status. The findings show that high levels of health literacy increased the probability of establishing health records and receiving more health education. Also, high levels of health literacy had a positive effect on the utilization of basic public health services among Chinese migrants, especially those with less education or living in urban areas. Policy makers should more carefully consider the actual situation and needs of migrants who are living in urban areas or have less education, constructing more targeted service programs.

Gata3 Silencing Is Involved in Neuronal Differentiation and Its Abnormal Expression Impedes Neural Activity in Adult Retinal Neurocytes.

GATA binding protein 3 (Gata3), a zinc-finger transcription factor, plays an important role in neural development. However, its expression and bioactivity in the retina remain unclear. In the present study, our data indicated that Gata3 maintains the precursor state of 661W cells, and Gata3 silencing induces cell differentiation. The expression of Nestin, a marker of precursor cells, was significantly decreased in parallel, whereas the expression of Map2, a marker of differentiated neurons, was significantly increased following the decrease in Gata3. Neurite outgrowth was increased by 2.78-fold in Gata3-silenced cells. Moreover, Gata3 expression generally paralleled that of Nestin in developing mouse retinas. Both Gata3 and Nestin were expressed in the retina at postnatal day 1 and silenced in the adult mouse retina. Exogenous Gata3 significantly inhibited the neural activity of primary retinal neurocytes (postnatal day 1) by decreasing synaptophysin levels, neurite outgrowth, and cell viability. Furthermore, in vivo, exogenous Gata3 significantly induced apoptosis and the contraction of retinal outlay filaments and decreased the a- and b-waves in adult mouse intravitreal injected with AAV-Re-Gata3-T2A-GFP. Thus, Gata3 silencing promotes neuronal differentiation and neurite outgrowth. Its abnormal expression impedes neural activity in adult retinal neurocytes. This study provides new insights into Gata3 bioactivity in retinal neurocytes.

Research trends and hotspots of health-related quality of life: a bibliometric analysis from 2000 to 2019.

BACKGROUND: The number of research articles on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has been strikingly increasing. This study aimed to explore the general trends and hotspots of HRQoL. METHODS: Based on the Web of Science database, research on HRQoL published between 2000 and 2019 were identified. A bibliometric analysis was performed based on the number of articles, citations, published journals, authors' addresses, and keywords. Descriptive analysis, visualization of geographic distribution and keyword clustering analysis were applied to the collected data. RESULTS: The annual number of articles showed growth over the past twenty years, but the annual total citations and annual citations per article were both in decreasing trends. Articles about HRQoL were more likely to be published in journals of multi-subject categories. The HRQoL research was mainly distributed across North America and Europe throughout the twenty years and ushered in a vigorous development worldwide after 2015. Cooperation strength between domestic institutions was much greater than that of international institutions. HRQoL research had six concentrated clusters: HRQoL, Depression, Obesity, Disability, Oncology, Fatigue. CONCLUSION: This study provided an overall perspective of global research trends and hotspots in HRQoL, and a potential insight for future research. HRQoL research had experienced significant increasing development during 2000-2019, especially the HRQoL measurement instruments, however, there were significant regional disparities in scientific output in HRQoL.

Visceral-to-Subcutaneous Fat Ratio Is a Potential Predictor of Postoperative Complications in Colorectal Cancer.

BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignant tumors. Surgery is the primary treatment for CRC. Recent studies have shown that visceral-to-subcutaneous fat ratio (VSR) may be a potential indicator of risk. The aim of the present study was to determine whether VSR is a suitable predictor of the impact of postoperative complications in CRC. MATERIAL AND METHODS Clinical data from 129 patients were analyzed retrospectively. All patients underwent laparoscopic surgery for CRC. Preoperative imaging was used to quantify VSR. The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative complications. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the association between obesity indexes and postoperative complications. RESULTS There were 129 patients who underwent primary resections of colorectal cancer. At 30 days after surgery, postoperative complications had occurred in 33 (25.6%) patients. VSR was significantly associated with postoperative complications in multivariate analysis (P=0.032, OR 6.103, 95% CI 1.173-31.748). In ROC analysis, VSR was a potential predictor of complications (AUC 0.650). A cutoff value of VSR ≥0.707 was associated with 60% sensitivity and 29% specificity for postoperative complications. Patients with VSR ≥0.707 had 41.7% risk of morbidity, whereas those with <0.707 had 16.0% risk (P=0.001). CONCLUSIONS Our study shows that VSR is superior to VFA for prediction of the risk of complications following CRC laparoscopic surgery. We have also identified the optimal cutoff values for the use of VSR for this purpose. Measurement of VSR and identifying patients with increased risk of postoperative complications facilitate making perioperative decisions.

Sample-Sample Correlation Asynchronous Spectroscopic Method Coupled with Multivariate Curve Resolution-Alternating Least Squares To Analyze Challenging Bilinear Data.

An approach to construct a secondary asynchronous spectrum via sample-sample correlation (SASS) is proposed to analyze bilinear data from hyphenated spectroscopic experiments. In SASS, bilinear data is used to construct a series of two-dimensional (2D) sample-sample correlation spectra. Then a vertical slice is extracted from each 2D sample-sample correlation spectrum so that a secondary 2D asynchronous spectrum is constructed via these slices. The advantage of SASS is demonstrated by a model system with the following challenging situations: (1) Temporal profiles of different components severely overlap, making spectra of pure components difficult to directly obtain from either original bilinear data or multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) with non-negativity and unimodality constraints. (2) Every peak in the spectra of the eluted samples contains contributions from at least two components. Hence, two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS) and n-dimensional (nD) asynchronous spectroscopic method developed in our previous work, which previously worked so well, are now invalid. SASS managed to reveal different groups of systematic absences of cross peaks (SACPs) that reflect the lack of spectral contributions of different components at different regions in the second asynchronous spectrum. Spectra of different components can still be faithfully retrieved via MCR-ALS calculation using constraints revealed by different groups of SACPs. The results demonstrate that implicit but intrinsic information revealed by SASS is indispensable in solving challenging bilinear data as the model system. We applied SASS on two real-world examples from thermogravimetry-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-FT-IR) experiments of mixtures (H2O/HOD/D2O and H2O/isopropanol/pyridine). FT-IR spectra of different components were successfully recovered. Moreover, FT-IR spectrum of HOD, which is difficult to obtain, was successfully extracted. SASS can be applied in the analysis of gaseous mixtures from TG-FT-IR experiment and a combination of quantum cascade lasers with substrate-integrated hollow waveguides in environmental monitoring and biomedical diagnosis. Furthermore, SASS is also useful in various advanced hyphenated spectroscopic experiments.

Efficacy of adjuvant curcumin therapy in ulcerative colitis: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Aminosalicylic acids are recognized to be the first-line treatment options for ulcerative colitis. Currently, the effectiveness of curcumin as an adjuvant treatment in ulcerative colitis has been investigated, which was still controversial. This study aimed to systematically review and meta-analyze the efficacy and safety of curcumin as an adjuvant treatment in ulcerative colitis. METHODS: The PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched from original to July 2019, and relevant randomized controlled clinical trials were enrolled and analyzed. The primary outcomes were clinical and endoscopic remission; meanwhile, the secondary outcomes were clinical and endoscopic improvement. Subgroup analyses of doses, delivery way, form, and intervention time of curcumin were also conducted. RESULTS: Six randomized controlled clinical trials with a total of 349 patients were included. Eligible trials suggested that adjuvant curcumin treatment in ulcerative colitis was effective in inducing clinical remission (odds ratio [OR] = 5.18, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.84-14.56, P = 0.002), endoscopic remission (OR = 5.69, 95% CI: 1.28-25.27, P = 0.02), and endoscopic improvement (OR = 17.05, 95% CI: 1.30-233.00, P = 0.03), but not in clinical improvement (OR = 4.79, 95% CI: 1.02-22.43, P = 0.05). We can see the potential advantages in large dosage, topical enema, special drug form, and longer duration from the enrolled studies. There were no severe side effects reported. CONCLUSIONS: Curcumin, as an adjuvant treatment of mesalamine, was proved to be effective and safe in ulcerative colitis. Better efficacy can be achieved with suitable dose, delivery way, formation, and intervention time, which needs further study to verify.

Novel Method of Constructing Two-Dimensional Correlation Spectroscopy without Subtracting a Reference Spectrum.

In this study, we propose a new approach to generate two-dimension spectra to enhance the intensity of cross peaks relevant to intermolecular interaction. We investigate intermolecular interaction between two solutes (denoted as P and Q, where P has a characteristic peak at XP) dissolved in the same solvent via the near diagonal cross peaks around the coordinate (XP, XP) in a two-dimensional (2D) asynchronous spectrum of generalized spectroscopy. Because of physical constrains in many cases, the variation ranges of the initial concentrations of P or Q must be kept very narrow, leading to very weak cross peak intensities. The weak cross peaks vulnerable to noise bring about difficulty in the investigation of subtle intermolecular interaction. Herein, we propose a new of way constructing a 2D asynchronous spectrum without the subtraction of the average spectrum often used as a reference spectrum. Mathematical analysis and computer simulation demonstrate that the near diagonal cross peaks around the coordinate (XP, XP) in the 2D asynchronous spectrum using the new approach possess two characteristics: (1) they can still reflect an intermolecular interaction reliably; 2) the absolute intensities of the cross peaks are significantly stronger than those generated by the conventional method. We incorporate the novel method with the DAOSD (double asynchronous orthogonal sample design scheme) approach and applied the modified DAOSD approach to study hydrogen bonding behavior in diethyl either/methanol/THF system. The new approach made the weak cross peaks, which are not observable in 2D asynchronous spectrum generated using conventional approach, become observable. The appearance of the cross peak demonstrate that When a small amount of THF is introduced into diethyl solution containing low amount of methanol, THF breaks the methanol-diethyl ether complex and forms methanol-THF complex via new hydrogen bond. This process takes place in spite of the fact that the content of diethyl ether is overwhelmingly larger than that of THF. The above result demonstrates that the new approach described in this article is applicable to enhance intensity of cross peaks in real chemical systems.

Investigation on the Behavior of Noise in Asynchronous Spectra in Generalized Two-Dimensional (2D) Correlation Spectroscopy and Application of Butterworth Filter in the Improvement of Signal-to-Noise Ratio of 2D Asynchronous Spectra.

The behavior of noise in asynchronous spectrum in generalized two-dimensional (2D) correlation spectroscopy is investigated. Mathematical analysis on the noise of 2D spectra and computer simulation on a model system show that the fluctuation of noise in a 2D asynchronous spectrum can be characterized by the standard deviation of noise in 1D spectra. Furthermore, a new approach to improve a signal-to-noise ratio of 2D asynchronous spectrum by a Butterworth filter is developed. A strategy to determine the optimal conditions is proposed. Computer simulation on a model system indicates that the noise of 2D asynchronous spectrum can be significantly suppressed using the Butterworth filtering. In addition, we have tested the approach to a real chemical system where interaction between berberine and ß-cyclodextrin is investigated using 2D UV-vis asynchronous spectra. When artificial noise is added, cross peaks that reflect intermolecular interaction between berberine and ß-cyclodextrin are completely masked by noise. After the method described in this article is utilized, noise is effectively suppressed, and cross peaks are faithfully recovered. The above result demonstrates that the approach described in this article is applicable in real chemical systems.

[Influence of Concentration Sequence on the Signal-to-Noise Ratio of Cross Peaks of 2D Asynchronous Spectra Generated by Using the DAOSD Approach].

In the present work, computer simulation was performed on a model chemical system where two solutes (denoted as P and Q, respectively) are dissolved in the same solution. Under intermolecular interaction between P and Q, part of P undergoes subtle structural variation and converts into U while part of Q converts into V. The strength of intermolecular interaction can be characterized by the corresponding equilibrium constant K. Our preliminary studies indicate that the S/N ratio of cross peak increases considerably as n increases. Moreover, the S/N ratio of the cross peak from the asynchronous spectra can be improved significantly when the suitable concentrations of P and Q are adopted. This work is helpful for a selection of suitable concentration sequence to maximize S/N ratio of cross peaks in the 2D asynchronous spectra generated by using the DAOSD approach proposed in our previous study so that weak intermolecular interaction can be probed.