1D Chiral Enantiomer Lead-Free Perovskites Induced Chiralopical Activity and Photoelectric Response.

Chirality is a fascinating geometrical concept with widespread applications in biology, chemistry, and materials. Incorporating chirality into hybrid perovskite materials can induce novel physical properties (chiral optical activity, nonlinear optics, etc.). Hybrid lead-free or lead-substituted perovskite materials, as representatives of perovskites, have been widely used in fields such as photovoltaics, sensors, catalysis, and detectors. However, the successful introduction of chirality into hybrid lead-free perovskites, which can enable their potential applications in areas such as circularly polarized light photodetectors, memories, and spin transistors, remains a challenging research topic. Here, we synthesized two new chiral lead-free perovskites, [(R)-2-methylpiperazine][BiI5] and [(S)-2-methylpiperazine][BiI5]. The material possesses a perovskite structure with a one-dimensional (1D) arrangement, denoted as ABX5. This structure is composed of chiral cations, specifically methylpiperazine, and endless chains of [BiI3] along the a-axis. These chains are assembled from distorted coplanar [BiI5]2- octahedra. The testing results revealed that (R)-1 and (S)-1 have narrow band gaps (Eg-R = 2.016 eV, Eg-S = 1.964 eV), high photoelectric response, and long carrier lifetime [R = 4.94 µs (τ), S = 7.85 µs (τ)]. It is worth noting that 1D chiral lead-free perovskites (R)-1 and (S)-1, which are synthesized in this study with narrow band gaps, high photoelectric response, and long carrier lifetime, have the potential to serve as alternative materials for the perovskite layer in future iterations of lead-free perovskite solar cells. Moreover, this research will inspire the preparation of multifunctional, lead-free perovskites.

A review on the potential use of natural products in overweight and obesity.

With the increase in unhealthy lifestyles, obesity is increasingly common, which could cause many metabolic diseases. In recent research, natural product extracts have shown tremendous potential antiobesity effects via different mechanisms. In this review, we focused on widely adopted extraction methods, bioactive ingredients types, and antiobesity mechanisms of natural product extracts in the recent reports. The extraction methods include solid-liquid extraction, microwave-assisted extractions, and supercritical fluid extraction. Moreover, the bioactive ingredients identified in natural product extracts are phenolic compounds, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, and terpenoids. These exert antiobesity effects through multiple mechanisms, including suppressing the appetite, increasing energy expenditure, inhibiting enzyme activity, modulating lipid homeostasis and adipocyte lifecycle, reducing oxidative and inflammation, and improving intestinal bacteria. However, the antiobesity effects of natural products require further evaluation. Furthermore, the improvement of the bioavailability and effective and safe human dose of these bioactive ingredients should be the focus of future work.

Screening and follow-up results of fatty acid oxidative metabolism disorders in 608 818 newborns in Jining, Shandong province.

To investigate the incidence and gene mutation characteristics of fatty acid oxidative metabolism disorders in Jining area of Shandong province , and to evaluate the therapeutic effect. Blood samples of newborns were collected in Jining of Shandong province between July 14, 2014 and December 31, 2019. Tandem mass spectrometry was used to determine the levels of carnitine and acylcarnitine in the blood to screen for fatty acid oxidative metabolism disorder. For newborns with positive screening result, blood DNA was analyzed by MassARRAY and high-throughput sequencing, then verified by Sanger sequencing. The diagnosed children were given early intervention and treatment, and followed up. Forty-two children with fatty acid oxidative metabolism disorders were screened out of 608 818 newborns, with an incidence rate of 1/14 496. Primary carnitine deficiency (16 cases, 38.10%) and short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (16 cases, 38.10%) were the most common, followed by very long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (6 cases, 14.29%), medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (4 cases, 9.53%). In children with primary carnitine deficiency, c.1400C>G (p.S467C) and c.51C>G were the most common in mutations; and c.278C>T (p.S93L), c.1049T >C (p.L350P), c.572A>G (p.K191R), c.431T>C (p.L144P) were newly discovered mutations. Ten children with carnitine replacement therapy showed normal development during the follow-up. In 6 children without carnitine replacement treatment, hypoglycemia developed during the neonatal period in 1 case, in whom the creatine kinase was increased, and the intellectual and language development delayed in the later period; the other 5 children developed normally during the follow-up period. The gene mutations c.1031A>G (p.E344G) and c.164C>T (p.P55L) were common in children with short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency, and the children developed normally during the follow-up. In children with very long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency, the c.1349G>A was common in gene mutations; and c.488T>A , c.1228G>T (p.D410Y), c.1276G>A (p.A426T), c.1522C>T (p.Q508*), c.1226C>T (p.T409M) were newly discovered mutations. Three children treated with milk powder rich in medium-chain fatty acids had normal development during the follow-up. The other 3 cases with combined carnitine reduction were treated with levocarnitine and milk powder enriched of medium-chain fatty acids, 1 case developed normally during the follow-up, 1 case died of acute illness at the age of and 1 case had acute illness and recovered after treatment, and developed normally during the follow-up. c.449_452del (p.T150Rfs*4) was the most common gene mutation in children with medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency, and c. 718A>G (p.M240V) was a newly discovered mutation. All children received low-fat diet, and hunger and fatigue were avoided; 1 child was supplemented with L-carnitine, and the other 3 children were not treated with drugs, and all of them developed normal during the follow-up. Primary carnitine deficiency and short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency are the most common fatty acid oxidative metabolism disorders in Jining area. There are gene hotspot mutations and new discovered gene mutations in patients. Patients with early diagnosis and treatment through neonatal screening have a good prognosis.

Development and evaluation of lutein-loaded alginate microspheres with improved stability and antioxidant.

BACKGROUND: Lutein has been of great interest to the food processing and pharmaconutrient industries owing to its beneficial effects on human health. However, lutein is very sensitive to heat, light, pH and oxidative conditions, which limits its application in food systems. The present study aimed to prepare lutein-alginate microspheres by a calcium chloride gelation method with the purpose of improving the stability and antioxidant abilities of lutein. RESULTS: The loading capacity of lutein in the microspheres was approximately 5.3% (w/w) and the entrapment efficiency was about 63%. The loaded microspheres were nearly spherical with an average size of 150 µm. They exhibited a crimped surface by scanning electron microscopy. The lutein was in amorphous state by X-ray powder diffraction. Analysis by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and molecular docking revealed an intermolecular hydrogen bond interaction between lutein and sodium alginate. In vitro release experiments showed that the microspheres presented slower release at acidic conditions than at neutral intestinal conditions. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity of the microencapsulated lutein was higher than that of free lutein. The stability of lutein in the microspheres was improved significantly when compared with that of free lutein at various temperatures. CONCLUSION: The present work successfully developed well-protected lutein-alginate microspheres. This indicates that it is feasible to use microspheres loaded with lutein as antioxidant functional ingredients in food products. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Nanosheet-Filled Polymer Film from Flow-Induced Coassembly: Multiscale Structure Visualization and Application.

The nanoplatelet-filled polymer composite (NFPC) materials have received increasing attention because of their high strength-to-weight ratio and toughness. However, high-performance NFPC materials still face many challenges: (1) how to transfer the intrinsic extraordinary performance of individual nanoplatelets into highly ordered macroscale bulk materials; (2) how to obtain a strong interface bonding between polymer and nanoplatelet filler; and (3) how to truly reflect the structure of NFPC film. Here, to address these problems, the flow-induced assembly method is employed to fabricate the large-size continuous, flexible, highly oriented, and transparent NFPC film. During flow-induced orientation, nanoplatelet and polymer can be coassembling together to form a highly ordered layered structure with dozens of layers. On the other hand, the layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheet filler with single layer and abundant hydroxyl sites is prepared to strengthen interface by forming hydrogen bonds with polymers. To explore the effect of multiscale structure on property, carbon dots (CDs) are introduced to light up the inorganic nanoplatelet. By fixing and confining CDs in a rigid environment, the CD-LDH-based composite film shows excellent dual emission characteristics, which can be used to evaluate gas barrier, humidity, and temperature with direct visualization, high sensitivity, and easy to operation.

Direct Observation of Early-Stage High-Dose Radiotherapy-Induced Vascular Injury via Basement Membrane-Targeting Nanoparticles.

Collagen IV-targeting peptide-conjugated basement membrane-targeting nanoparticles are successfully engineered to identify early-stage blood vessel injury induced by high-dose radiotherapy.

Preparation of luteolin loaded nanostructured lipid carrier based gel and effect on psoriasis of mice.

This study investigated a nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC)-gel system containing luteolin (LUT), a potential drug delivery system for the treatment of psoriasis. LUT-NLC was prepared by solvent emulsification ultrasonication method. The particle size was 199.9 ± 2.6 nm, with the encapsulation efficiency of 99.81% and drug loading of 4.06%. X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to characterize the LUT-NLC. The NLC was dispersed in Carbomer 940 to form the NLC based gel. The rheological characteristics of LUT-NLC-gel showed an excellent shear-thinning behavior (non-Newtonian properties) and coincided with the Herschel-Bulkley model. LUT-NLC-gel (78.89 µg/cm2) exhibited better permeation properties and released over 36 hours than LUT gel (32.17 µg/cm2). The dye-labeled LUT-NLC presented intense fluorescence in the epidermis and dermis by the visualization of fluorescence and confocal microscopy, and it could accumulate in the hair follicles. The effect of LUT-NLC-gel on imiquimod-induced psoriasis mice was evaluated by psoriasis area severity index scoring, spleen index assay, histopathology, and inflammatory cytokines. These results confirmed that LUT-NLC-gel with high dose (80 mg/kg/day) remarkably reduced the level of inflammatory and proliferation factors such as TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17, and IL-23 in both skin lesions and blood. LUT-NLC-gel improved the macroscopic features. Therefore, the LUT-NLC-gel had great potential as an effective delivery system for skin diseases.

Simultaneous determination by LC-MS/MS of 25-methoxydammarane-3ß,12ß,20-triol epimers and active metabolites in rat plasma after intravenous administration.

1. The pharmacokinetics of the 25-OCH3-PPD epimers and active metabolites in rat plasma after a single intravenous (i.v.) administration were studied by a rapid, selective and sensitive UPLC-MS/MS method. 2. Chromatographic separation was performed on an Acquity UPLC with Agela C18 column, and the solvents of 5 mM ammonium acetate (pH 7.8) - acetonitrile (65: 35, v/v) were used as mobile phase for elution. The quantification was performed with the transitions of m/z 493.5 → 475.5 for 20(R,S)-25-OCH3-PPD, m/z 479.5 → 461.5 for 20(R,S)-25-OH-PPD. The Lower Limit Of Quantitation (LLOQ) was 20.0 ng mL(-1) for 20(R,S)-25-OCH3-PPD, 2.0 ng mL(-1) for 20(R,S)-25-OH-PPD in the plasma samples assay. 3. The pharmacokinetic parameters of AUC, t1/2 and MRT had no difference between 20(R)- and (S)-25-OCH3-PPD, but S-epimer has a lower plasma clearance compared to the R-isomer. The active metabolite 20(S)-25-OH-PPD showed significantly higher AUC, MRT and a longer half-life than that of 20(R)-25-OH-PPD. These assay results are necessary for the evaluation of the pharmacokinetic behavior of 25-methoxydammarane-3ß,12ß,20-triol in vivo.

Cardiac fibroblast-derived extracellular matrix produced in vitro stimulates growth and metabolism of cultured ventricular cells.

Cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) produce extracellular matrix (ECM) which is a potent regulator of heart cell function and growth, and provides a supportive microenvironment for heart cells. Therefore, CF-derived ECM produced in vitro is very suitable for heart-cell culturing and cardiac tissue engineering. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of CF-derived ECM produced in vitro on the growth and metabolism of cultured ventricular cells. CF-derived ECM-coated cell culture dishes were prepared by culturing rat CFs and then decellularizing the cultures. Isolated neonatal rat ventricular cells were seeded on ECM-coated, collagen I-coated or uncoated dishes, and the growth of cells after 1-5 days of culture was assayed with MTT reagent. In addition, cellular metabolic activity was analyzed by spectrophotometric methods and protein levels of sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase type 2a (SERCA2a) by Western blotting. The relative growth of ventricular cells was better on ECM-coated than on uncoated or collagen I-coated dishes. Furthermore, the glucose consumption ratio, lactic acid production ratio, Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity, SERCA activity and protein levels of SERCA2a were all higher in cells on the ECM-coated dishes. In conclusion, cardiac fi broblast-derived ECM produced in vitro stimulates the growth and metabolism of cultured ventricular cells. This study indicates that the bioactivity of the ECM supports heart cell growth in vitro, and this might be useful for cardiac tissue engineering.

Correction: Uncovering the effect of Moringa oleifera Lam. leaf addition to Fuzhuan Brick Tea on sensory properties, volatile profiles and anti-obesity activity.

Correction for 'Uncovering the effect of Moringa oleifera Lam. leaf addition to Fuzhuan Brick Tea on sensory properties, volatile profiles and anti-obesity activity' by Xin Li et al., Food Funct., 2023, 14, 2404-2415, https://doi.org/10.1039/D2FO03531F.

Uncovering the effect of Moringa oleifera Lam. leaf addition to Fuzhuan Brick Tea on sensory properties, volatile profiles and anti-obesity activity.

As a nutritious plant with valuable potential, the Moringa oleifera Lam. leaf addition to Fuzhuan Brick Tea (FBT) for co-fermentation is an industrial innovation and a new route to make full use of Moringa oleifera Lam. leaves. However, the sensory properties, volatile profiles and anti-obesity activity of Fuzhuan Brick (Moringa oleifera Lam.) tea (MFBT) are still unknown. The results demonstrated that MFBT has richer and more complex smell and taste, better color and higher overall acceptance scores. In total, 57 volatile flavor compounds, consisting of 3 acids, 16 hydrocarbons, 5 esters, 8 ketones, 13 aldehydes, 6 alcohols and others, were identified using HS-SPME-GC-MS. The characteristic odor components in MFBT were 3-buten-2-one, 4-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexen-1-yl)- and 1-cyclohexene-1-carboxaldehyde, 2,6,6-trimethyl-, which gave it a floral, woody, sweet, herbal and fruity aroma. 2-Octenal, (E) contributed significantly to the aroma of FBT, which could impart fresh, fatty and green aromas. In addition, MFBT could better regulate lipid accumulation, glucose tolerance, insulin tolerance and inflammation response more effectively than FBT. The mechanism is that MFBT could better regulate the dysbiosis of gut microbiota induced by HFFD, mainly increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as SCFA-producing bacteria (Bacteroidetes, Lactobacillaceae, Bacteroidales_S24-7_group and Clostridiaceae_1) and decreasing the abundance of harmful bacteria such as pro-inflammatory/obesity and metabolic syndrome-related bacteria (Proteobacteria, Deferribacteres, Desulfovibrio, Catenibacterium and Helicobacter), which in turn increased feces short-chain fatty acids and lowered circulating lipopolysaccharides. These results suggested that co-fermentation with Moringa oleifera Lam. leaf could significantly improve the quality and enhance the anti-obesity effect of FBT.

A host-guest compound formed by Cu3[P2W18O62] and HKUST-1 with capacitance and H2O2 sensing properties.

Polyoxometalate-based metal-organic frameworks (POMOFs) have received wide attention in supercapacitors and H2O2 detection due to their possession of the rich redox active sites of polyoxometalates (POMs) and the ordered structure of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). In this study, we successfully synthesized a host-guest Cu3[P2W18O62]@HKUST-1 (HRBNU-7) compound by a grinding method. Cu3[P2W18O62] successfully entered the HKUST-1 pores as confirmed by the results of infrared (IR) spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The specific capacitance of HRBNU-7 is 318.6 F g-1 at 1 A g-1 in a three-electrode system using nickel foam as the collector. The specific capacity retention is 92.36% after 5000 cycles. The assembled symmetrical supercapacitor (SSC) achieved a high energy density of 10.58 W h kg-1 at a power density of 500.00 W kg-1. In addition, HRBNU-7 exhibits excellent electrochemical detection of H2O2, including a wide linear range of 0.5 µM-0.3 mM, a low detection limit of 0.17 µM, and excellent selectivity and stability, and it can be effectively utilized for the analysis of H2O2 content in actual serum samples. These excellent properties are attributed to the unique redox activity of Cu3[P2W18O62] and the high specific surface area of HKUST-1. This work offers a strategy for exploring POMOFs as electrode materials in supercapacitors and electrochemical sensors.

Mechanical strain promotes osteoblast ECM formation and improves its osteoinductive potential.

BACKGROUND: The extracellular matrix (ECM) provides a supportive microenvironment for cells, which is suitable as a tissue engineering scaffold. Mechanical stimulus plays a significant role in the fate of osteoblast, suggesting that it regulates ECM formation. Therefore, we investigated the influence of mechanical stimulus on ECM formation and bioactivity. METHODS: Mouse osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured in cell culture dishes and stimulated with mechanical tensile strain. After removing the cells, the ECMs coated on dishes were prepared. The ECM protein and calcium were assayed and MC3T3-E1 cells were re-seeded on the ECM-coated dishes to assess osteoinductive potential of the ECM. RESULTS: The cyclic tensile strain increased collagen, bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2), BMP-4, and calcium levels in the ECM. Compared with the ECM produced by unstrained osteoblasts, those of mechanically stimulated osteoblasts promoted alkaline phosphatase activity, elevated BMP-2 and osteopontin levels and mRNA levels of runt-related transcriptional factor 2 (Runx2) and osteocalcin (OCN), and increased secreted calcium of the re-seeded MC3T3-E1 cells. CONCLUSION: Mechanical strain promoted ECM production of osteoblasts in vitro, increased BMP-2/4 levels, and improved osteoinductive potential of the ECM. This study provided a novel method to enhance bioactivity of bone ECM in vitro via mechanical strain to osteoblasts.

An inorganic-organic hybrid nanomaterial with a core-shell structure constructed by using Mn-BTC and Ag5[BW12O40] for supercapacitors and photocatalytic dye degradation.

Creating inorganic-organic hybrids with polyoxometalates (POMs) and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as energy storage and dye-degradation materials remains challenging. Here, a new hybrid nanomaterial Mn-BTC@Ag5[BW12O40] is synthesized by using Ag5[BW12O40] and Mn3(BTC)2(H2O)6 (Mn-BTC, BTC = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid) through a plain grinding method. The structure and morphology characterization by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) shows that the synthetic products have core-shell construction. Due to its unique structure wherein the core is Mn-BTC and the shell is Ag5[BW12O40], it exhibits excellent capacitance performance. In a three-electrode system where nickel foam is a collector, at a current density of 1 A g-1, its specific capacitance is 198.09 F g-1; after 5000 cycles, the capacitance retention rate is 94.4%. When the power density is 503.1 W kg-1, the symmetrical supercapacitor reveals a high energy density which is 10.9 W h kg-1. At the same time, the capacitance retention is 92.9% after 5000 cycles which showed good cycle stability. The photocatalytic degradation efficiencies of rhodamine B (RhB), methyl orange (MO) and methylene blue (MB) dyes exceed 90% after 140 min, and the degradation results remained unchanged after five photocatalytic cycles. The photocatalytic degradation mechanism shows that ˙OH has a major effect. The results show that this research provides a fresh idea for the development of energy storage and dye photocatalytic degradation materials.

Challenges of layer-structured cathodes for sodium-ion batteries.

As the most promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) still face many issues that hinder their large-scale commercialization. Layered transition metal oxide cathodes have attracted widespread attention owing to their large specific capacity, high ionic conductivity, and feasible preparation conditions. However, their electrochemical properties are usually limited by the irreversible phase transition and harsh storage conditions caused by humidity sensitivity. Recently, tremendous efforts have been devoted to solving these issues toward advanced high-performance layered oxide cathodes. Herein, we summarize these remaining challenges of layered oxide cathodes and the corresponding modification strategies such as the variations in chemical compositions, the architecture of (nano)micro-structures, surface engineering, and the regulation of phase compositions. We hope that the understanding presented in this review can provide useful guidance to developing high-performance layer-structured cathode materials for advanced SIBs.

Interaction of Companilactobacillus crustorum MN047-derived bacteriocins with gut microbiota.

Companilactobacillus crustorum MN047-derived bacteriocins (CCDB) have inhibitory effects on the growth of pathogens. In this study, a pectin/zein beads delivery system was used to investigate the effects of CCDB on the dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice. The focus was given on aspects linked with the gut microbiota, intestinal epithelial barrier, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Results suggested that CCDB alleviated the pathological symptoms of colitis, including increased disease activity index and shortened colon length. CCDB strengthened the gut barrier by increasing goblet cells and promoting the expressions of MUC2 and tight junctions-related proteins. CCDB decreased oxidative mediators and increased antioxidant mediators in serum or colon tissue. Furthermore, CCDB reduced harmful bacteria and enriched beneficial bacteria, which further decreased serum LPS and increased fecal butyric acid. In addition, CCDB inhibited the overexpressions of proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and pathogens/LPS-activated TLR4/NF-κB pathway. Therefore, CCDB is a potential dietary supplement to relieve colitis.

Protective Effects of Companilactobacillus crustorum MN047 against Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Ulcerative Colitis: A Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Study.

Gut microbiota dysbiosis could aggravate the development of ulcerative colitis (UC). Companilactobacillus crustorum MN047 (CCMN) is a potential gut microbiota-regulating probiotic that could produce multiple novel bacteriocins. In this study, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was used to verify whether CCMN could alleviate dextran sulfate sodium-induced UC by regulating gut microbiota. Results showed that both CCMN and FMT ameliorated the symptoms of UC, including attenuating the increased disease activity index, shortened colon length, gut barrier damage, and inflammation. Briefly, CCMN and FMT upregulated the expressions of MUCs and tight junctions, downregulated the expressions of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, increased fecal short-chain fatty acids, and lowered serum lipopolysaccharides, which were associated with the regulation of gut microbiota (e.g., increased Akkermansia, Blautia, and Ruminococcus levels). These results demonstrated that CCMN could ameliorate UC by modulating gut microbiota and inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB pathway. Therefore, CCMN could be considered as a potential probiotic supplement for ameliorating UC.

Involvement of BMPs/Smad signaling pathway in mechanical response in osteoblasts.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Mechanical strain plays an important role in osteoblasts differentiation and bone formation but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine whether Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs)/Smad signaling pathway is involved in mechanical response in osteoblasts. METHODS: MC3T3-E1 cells were exposed to mechanical strain via a four-point bending system. mRNA levels and protein levels of BMP-2, BMP-4, Smad1, Smad5, Smurf1, and Smurf2 were assessed using RT-PCR and immunoblotting. Protein levels of BMP-2 and BMP-4 in the culture medium were also determined using Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Pretreatment with Noggin and transfection with Smad4 siRNA were carried out to block the BMPs/Smad signaling pathway and MG132 was used to inhibit the proteasome pathway. RESULTS: We found that mechanical strain enhanced alkaline phosphatase (ALP) expression and activated BMPs/Smad signaling pathway. Mechanical strain induced expression of ALP was attenuated by Noggin and by Smad4 siRNA. The protein levels of Smad1 and Smad5, but not their mRNA levels, were up-regulated by mechanical strain. This finding could be explained by the down-regulation of Smurf1. The protein degradation of Smad might be inhibited by mechanical strain through down-regulation of Smuf1 expression. The addition of MG132 further enhanced the mechanical strain induced activation of Smad proteins and the increased expression of ALP. CONCLUSIONS: Mechanical strain might promote osteoblasts differentiation through BMPs/Smad signaling pathway. The strain causes a drop in Smurf1 levels, leading to accumulation of Smad proteins and, subsequently, to enhanced BMPs/Smad signaling.

Development and evaluation of orally disintegrating tablets containing the mosapride resin complex.

The purpose of this study was to prepare a mosapride citrate-resin (Amberlite® IRP 88) complex and orally fast-disintegrating tablets of the resin complex. The resinate complex of mosapride-Amberlite® IRP 88, mass ratio 2:1, was prepared in an ethanol-water solution. The effects of alcohol concentration, temperature, and pH of the solution on complex formation were evaluated. The complex physicochemical properties were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Orally disintegrating tablets were prepared by direct compression and were optimized using the response surface method. Optimized orally fast-disintegrating tablets disintegrated within 18 s. The pH dependence of mosapride release from the tablet decreased drug dissolution in simulated saliva, whereas it promptly released in the pH 1.0 solution. The data reported herein clearly demonstrate that tablets containing the mosapride-Amberlite® IRP 88 complex for oral disintegration could be particularly useful for patients with swallowing difficulties.

Analysis of the diagnostic value of plasma endothelin for diabetic retinopathy using the receiver operating characteristic curve.

AIM: To investigate the diagnostic efficacy and clinical application value of plasma endothelin-1 for diabetic retinopathy using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. METHODS: This was a prospective investigational study. Funduscopy and fundus fluorescein angiography were used as gold standards for the diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy. Plasma endothelin-1 was measured in 96 diabetic patients with retinopathy (the case group) and 144 diabetic patients without retinopathy (the control group). Enumerative data were listed in a fourfold table. The measurement data were analyzed by Student's t test and evaluated by cross-table analysis and ROC curve analysis. RESULTS: (1) The plasma endothelin-1 concentration was higher in the case group than the control group (p = 0.002 < 0.01). (2) If the plasma endothelin-1 level of 162 pg/ml was adopted as the threshold for clinical diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy, the diagnostic sensitivity was 71.2%, diagnostic specificity 58% and diagnostic accuracy 66%. The positive predictive value was 69.81% and the negative predictive value 59.46%, and the positive likelihood ratio was 1.69 and the negative likelihood ratio 0.50. (3) When plasma endothelin-1 was used as a diagnostic criterion for diabetic retinopathy, the area under the ROC curve was 0.737. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma endothelin-1 plays an important role in the development and progression of diabetic retinopathy. When 162 pg/ml of plasma endothelin-1 was adopted as the diagnostic threshold, the diagnostic accuracy was medium; hence, the plasma endothelin-1 level can be used as the first step for diabetic retinopathy screening.