Lysimachia capillipes Hemsl. saponins ameliorate colorectal cancer in mice via regulating gut microbiota and restoring metabolic profiles.

Lysimachia capillipes Hemsl., a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), is commonly prescribed for its anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties. Pharmacological studies have demonstrated that Lysimachia capillipes Hemsl. saponins (LCS) are the primary bioactive component. However, its mechanism for treating colorectal cancer (CRC) is still unknown. Increasing evidence suggests a close relationship between CRC, intestinal flora, and host metabolism. Thus, this study aims to investigate the mechanism of LCS amelioration of CRC from the perspective of the gut microbiome and metabolome. As a result, seven gut microbiotas and fourteen plasma metabolites were significantly altered between the control and model groups. Among them, one gut microbiota genera (Monoglobus) and six metabolites (Ureidopropionic acid, Cytosine, L-Proline, 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid, Cyclic AMP and Suberic acid) showed the most pronounced callback trend after LCS administration. Subsequently, the correlation analysis revealed significant associations between 68 pairs of associated metabolites and gut microbes, with 13 pairs of strongly associated metabolites regulated by the LCS. Taken together, these findings indicate that the amelioration of CRC by LCS is connected to the regulation of intestinal flora and the recasting of metabolic abnormalities. These insights highlight the potential of LCS as a candidate drug for the treatment of CRC.

In-depth LC-MS and in-vitro studies of a triterpenoid saponin capilliposide-A metabolism modulation in gut microbiota of mice.

Introduction: Some herbal ingredients can reshape the composition of the gut microbiome as well as its metabolites. At the same time, the gut microbiota can also affect drug metabolism. A large number of studies have reported that saponins are biotransformed under the action of intestinal microorganisms to improve drug efficacy and bioavailability. Capilliposide A is a triterpenoid saponin, which is derived from Lysimachia capillipes Hemsl. CPS-A has anti-inflammatory pharmacological activity, but the substance basis in vivo is unknown at present, so studies on the interaction between intestinal microorganisms and CPS-A may clarify the pharmacodynamic substance basis of CPS-A. Methods: This study established a colitis mouse model, collected sterile feces from normal mice and colitis mice, and incubated CPS-A with two different intestinal flora in vitro. Based on LC-MS, the metabolic process of CPS-A mediated by intestinal microbes and the intervention effect of CPS-A on intestinal microbiome derived metabolites were studied. Results: The results of experiments indicate that intestinal microorganisms can mediate the biotransformation of CPS-A and metabolize it into corresponding deglycosylation products, thereby promoting its drug effect. Not only that, CPS-A can also promote metabolites such as Deoxycholic acid, Histamine, 3-Hydroxytridecanoic acid, and Indole-3-acetic acid in the intestinal microbiota of mice with colitis. This may result in anti-colitis effects. CPS-A mainly involved in metabolic pathways such as azathioprine and mercaptopurine, which may also have beneficial or adverse effects. Discussion: This study on the interaction between CPS-A and microbiota provides a new idea for the study of traditional Chinese medicine with poor oral bioavailability. The regulatory effect of CPS-A on the metabolites of intestinal flora in colitis mice was also found. It laid a foundation for exploring the mechanism of action of saponins on colitis mice.

Role of uranium toxicity and uranium-induced oxidative stress in advancing kidney injury and endothelial inflammation in rats.

OBJECTIVE: Uranium exposure may cause serious pathological injury to the body, which is attributed to oxidative stress and inflammation. However, the pathogenesis of uranium toxicity has not been clarified. Here, we evaluated the level of oxidative stress to determine the relationship between uranium exposure, nephrotoxic oxidative stress, and endothelial inflammation. METHODS: Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three experimental groups (U-24h, U-48h, and U-72h) and one control group. The three experimental groups were intraperitoneally injected with 2.0 mg/kg uranyl acetate, and tissue and serum samples were collected after 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively, whereas the control group was intraperitoneally injected with 1.0 ml/kg normal saline and samples were collected after 24 h. Then, we observed changes in the uranium levels and oxidative stress parameters, including the total oxidative state (TOS), total antioxidant state (TAS), and oxidative stress index (OSI) in kidney tissue and serum. We also detected the markers of kidney injury, namely urea (Ure), creatine (Cre), cystatin C (CysC), and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL). The endothelial inflammatory markers, namely C-reactive protein (CRP), lipoprotein phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), and homocysteine (Hcy), were also quantified. Finally, we analyzed the relationship among these parameters. RESULTS: TOS (z = 3.949; P < 0.001), OSI (z = 5.576; P < 0.001), Ure (z = 3.559; P < 0.001), Cre (z = 3.476; P < 0.001), CysC (z = 4.052; P < 0.001), NGAL (z = 3.661; P < 0.001), and CRP (z = 5.286; P < 0.001) gradually increased after uranium exposure, whereas TAS (z = -3.823; P < 0.001), tissue U (z = -2.736; P = 0.001), Hcy (z = -2.794; P = 0.005), and Lp-PLA2 (z = -4.515; P < 0.001) gradually decreased. The serum U level showed a V-shape change (z = -1.655; P = 0.094). The uranium levels in the kidney tissue and serum were positively correlated with TOS (r = 0.440 and 0.424; P = 0.005 and 0.007) and OSI (r = 0.389 and 0.449; P = 0.013 and 0.004); however, serum U levels were negatively correlated with TAS (r = -0.349; P = 0.027). Partial correlation analysis revealed that NGAL was closely correlated to tissue U (rpartial = 0.455; P = 0.003), CysC was closely correlated to serum U (rpartial = 0.501; P = 0.001), and Lp-PLA2 was closely correlated to TOS (rpartial = 0.391; P = 0.014), TAS (rpartial = 0.569; P < 0.001), and OSI (rpartial = -0.494; P = 0.001). Pearson correlation analysis indicated that the Hcy levels were negatively correlated with tissue U (r = -0.344; P = 0.030) and positively correlated with TAS (r = 0.396; P = 0.011). CONCLUSION: The uranium-induced oxidative injury may be mainly reflected in enhanced endothelial inflammation, and the direct chemical toxicity of uranium plays an important role in the process of kidney injury, especially in renal tubular injury. In addition, CysC may be a sensitive marker reflecting the nephrotoxicity of uranium; however, Hcy is not suitable for evaluating short-term endothelial inflammation involving oxidative stress.

Alpha-lipoic acid attenuates heat stress-induced apoptosis via upregulating the heat shock response in porcine parthenotes.

Heat stress (HS) is a long-standing hurdle that animals face in the living environment. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is a strong antioxidant synthesized by plants and animals. The present study evaluated the mechanism of ALA action in HS-induced early porcine parthenotes development. Parthenogenetically activated porcine oocytes were divided into three groups: control, high temperature (HT) (42 °C for 10 h), and HT + ALA (with 10 µM ALA). The results show that HT treatment significantly reduced the blastocyst formation rate compared to the control. The addition of ALA partially restored the development and improved the quality of blastocysts. Moreover, supplementation with ALA not only induced lower levels of reactive oxygen species and higher glutathione levels but also markedly reduced the expression of glucose regulatory protein 78. The protein levels of heat shock factor 1 and heat shock protein 40 were higher in the HT + ALA group, which suggests activation of the heat shock response. The addition of ALA reduced the expression of caspase 3 and increased the expression of B-cell lymphoma-extra-large protein. Collectively, this study revealed that ALA supplementation ameliorated HS-induced apoptosis by suppressing oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stresses via activating the heat shock response, which improved the quality of HS-exposed porcine parthenotes.

Reduction and adsorption of uranium(VI) from aqueous solutions using nanoscale zero-valent manganese.

Nano zero-valent manganese (nZVMn) is theoretically expected to exhibit high reducibility and adsorption capacity, yet its feasibility, performance, and mechanism for reducing and adsorbing hexavalent uranium (U(VI)) from wastewater remain unclear. In this study, nZVMn was prepared via borohydride reduction, and its behaviors about reduction and adsorption of U(VI), as well as the underlying mechanism, were investigated. Results indicated that nZVMn exhibited a maximum U(VI) adsorption capacity of 625.3 mg/g at a pH of 6 and an adsorbent dosage of 1 g/L, and the co-existing ions (K+, Na+, Mg2+, Cd2+, Pb2+, Tl+, Cl-) at studied range had little interference on U(VI) adsorption. Furthermore, nZVMn effectively removed U(VI) from rare-earth ore leachate at a dosage of 1.5 g/L, resulting in a U(VI) concentration of lower than 0.017 mg/L in the effluent. Comparative tests demonstrated the superiority of nZVMn over other manganese oxides (Mn2O3 and Mn3O4). Characterization analyses, including X-ray diffraction and depth profiling X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, combined with density functional theory calculation revealed that the reaction mechanism of U(VI) using nZVMn involved reduction, surface complexation, hydrolysis precipitation, and electrostatic attraction. This study provides a new alternative for efficient removal of U(VI) from wastewater and improves the understanding of the interaction between nZVMn and U(VI).

Serum metabolomics combined with 16S rRNA sequencing to reveal the effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide on host metabolism and gut microbiota.

Gut microbes and microbial metabolites derived from polysaccharides mediate beneficial effects related to polysaccharides consumption. Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) is the main bioactive components in L. barbarum fruits and possesses considerable health-promoting effects. In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether LBP supplementation influenced host metabolic responses and gut microbiota in healthy mice, and to identify bacterial taxa associated with the observed beneficial effects. Our results indicated that mice supplied with LBP at 200 mg/kg BW showed lower serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and liver TG levels. LBP supplementation strengthened the antioxidant capacity of liver, supported the growth of Lactobacillus and Lactococcus, and stimulated short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production. Serum metabolomic analysis revealed that fatty acid degradation pathways were enriched, and RT-PCR further confirmed that LBP up-regulated the expression of liver genes involved in fatty acid oxidation. The Spearman's correlation analysis indicated that some serum and liver lipid profiles and hepatic SOD activity were associated with Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Ruminococcus, Allobaculum and AF12. Collectively, these findings provide new evidence for the potential preventive effect of LBP consumption on hyperlipidemia and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Abiotic factors and endophytes co-regulate flavone and terpenoid glycoside metabolism in Glycyrrhiza uralensis.

Recently, endorhizospheric microbiota is realized to be able to promote the secondary metabolism in medicinal plants, but the detailed metabolic regulation metabolisms and whether the promotion is influenced by environmental factors are unclear yet. Here, the major flavonoids and endophytic bacterial communities in various Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. roots collected from seven distinct places in northwest China, as well as the edaphic conditions, were characterized and analyzed. It was found that the soil moisture and temperature might modulate the secondary metabolism in G. uralensis roots partially through some endophytes. One rationally isolated endophyte Rhizobium rhizolycopersici GUH21 was proved to promote the accumulation of isoliquiritin and glycyrrhizic acid significantly in roots of the potted G. uralensis under the relatively high-level watering and low temperature. Furthermore, we did the comparative transcriptome analysis of G. uralensis seedling roots in different treatments to investigate the detailed mechanisms of the environment-endophyte-plant interactions and found that the low temperature went hand in hand with the high-level watering to activate the aglycone biosynthesis in G. uralensis, while GUH21 and the high-level watering cooperatively promoted the in planta glucosyl unit production. Our study is of significance for the development of methods to rationally promote the medicinal plant quality. KEY POINTS: • Soil temperature and moisture related to isoliquiritin contents in Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. • Soil temperature and moisture related to the hosts' endophytic bacterial community structures. • The causal relation among abiotic factors-endophytes-host was proved through the pot experiment.

Black Silver Nanocubes@Amino Acid-Encoded Highly Branched Gold Shells with Efficient Photothermal Conversion for Tumor Therapy.

Cancers are among the leading causes of death currently. Conventional radiotherapy and chemotherapy are of limited use in the treatment of some tumors due to their high toxicity and drug resistance. Plasma photothermal therapy has attracted extensive attention for the treatment of tumors due to photothermal properties of plasmonic nanoparticles, such as gold (Au) nanoparticles, to achieve local hyperthermia with low toxicity and high efficiency. Herein, we report a kind of special black noble-metal core-shell nanostructure, with silver (Ag) nanocubes as the core and amino acid-encoded highly branched Au nanorods as the shells (l-CAg@Au and d-CAg@Au). The proposed growth of l-CAg@Au and d-CAg@Au nanocomposites was an amino acid-encoded Stranski-Krastanov mode. Both l-CAg@Au and d-CAg@Au exhibited outstanding photothermal conversion compared to the core-shell structure without amino acids (Ag@Au). d-CAg@Au possessed the best photothermal conversion efficiency (87.28%) among the composite nanoparticles. The antitumor therapeutic efficacy of as-prepared samples was evaluated in vitro and in vivo, and apoptosis analysis was done via flow cytometry. This work reports novel insights for the preparation of special bimetallic branched structures and broadens the application of metal nanomaterials in photothermal tumor therapy.

Effect of thermal process on the key aroma components of green tea with chestnut-like aroma.

BACKGROUND: Chestnut-like aroma is one of the unique qualities of Chinese green tea and has become an important factor influencing consumer decisions. However, the chemical formation mechanism of chestnut-like aroma during green tea processing remains unclear. In this study, the dynamic changes of key components contributing to chestnut-like aroma and their precursors were analyzed in fresh leaves, fixation leaves, first baking tea leaves, and green tea. RESULTS: The thermal process had an important effect on volatile components in tea leaves, causing a significant decrease of alcohols and esters and a significant increase of ketones, acids, phenols, and sulfur compounds. Furthermore, 31 volatiles were identified as the key odorants responsible for chestnut-like aroma of green tea, including dimethyl sulfide, methyl isobutenyl ketone, 2-methylbutanal, 2,4-dimethylstyrene, d-limonene, methyl 2-methylvalerate, linalool, decanal, longifolene, phenylethyl alcohol, l-α-terpineol, jasmone, and so on. And the majority of these odorants were only formed in the drying stage. Additionally, isoleucine, theanine, methionine, and glucose were found to be involved in the formation of chestnut-like aroma of green tea. CONCLUSION: The drying process played a vital important role in the formation of chestnut-like aroma of green tea. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate protects porcine oocytes against post-ovulatory aging through inhibition of oxidative stress.

Increased levels of oxidative stress are major factors that drive the process of post-ovulatory oocyte aging. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which accounts for up to 50% of the catechins, possesses versatile biological functions, including preventing or treating diabetes, cancer, and heart diseases. The aim of this study was to explore whether EGCG can delay porcine oocyte aging by preventing oxidative stress. Metaphase II (MII) oocytes were cultured for 48 h with different concentrations of EGCG (0-100 µM) in vitro as a post-ovulatory aging model. An optimal concentration of 5 µM EGCG maintained oocyte morphology and developmental competence during aging. The oocytes were randomly divided into five groups: fresh, 24 h control, 24 h EGCG, 48 h control, and 48 h EGCG. The results suggest that EGCG significantly prevents aging-induced oxidative stress, glutathione (GSH) reduction, apoptosis, and autophagy. Moreover, mitochondria DNA copy number was decreased, and the number of active mitochondria and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels significantly increased by supplementation with EGCG. Thus, EGCG has a preventive role against aging in porcine post-ovulatory oocytes due to its ability to inhibit oxidative stress and promote mitochondrial biogenesis.

Effects on Spirulina Supplementation on Immune Cells' Parameters of Elite College Athletes.

Objective: To identify the effect of spirulina supplementation on the immune cells' indicators of young soccer players during the preparation period of a tournament. Methods: 39 undergraduate male soccer players were recruited and randomly allocated into a spirulina supplementation group (SP group, n = 20) and the placebo supplementation group (PB group, n = 19). Their elbow venous blood samples were collected before and after the preparation period of a tournament, which included 8 weeks total. The differences within the group and between groups were recorded and analyzed. Results: The ratio of the basophils in the SP group between the pre-test and post-test were statistically significantly different (p < 0.05). In the PB group, the percentage of before and after in leukocytes and monocytes were statistically significantly different (p < 0.05). In the data of the post-test, the percentage of monocytes and basophils between the SP group and PB group were statistically significantly different. The delta variations of monocytes between groups were significantly different (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Intense long-duration exercise can reduce the ratio of leukocytes and monocytes in young athletes, yet the spirulina supplement can inhibit the change. It also might improve immunity to parasites, pathogenic bacterium, and rapid-onset allergies.

Mapping the research hotspots and theme trends of simulation in nursing education: A bibliometric analysis from 2005 to 2019.

BACKGROUND: Simulation-based nursing training has been used incorporated into nursing education for decades, however, there is limited information related to simulation research hotspots and theme trends over time. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the research hotspots and theme trends of simulation in nursing education through bibliometric analysis. METHODS: Relevant articles on simulation in nursing education published between 2005 and 2019 were retrieved from PubMed. The Bibliographic Item Co-occurrence Matrix Builder (BICOMB) was used to extract and quantitatively analyze the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms and subheadings. The biclustering analysis was conducted using gCluto1.0 to identify the research hotspots. A strategic diagram was employed to reveal the development trend of the theme. RESULTS: A total of 4102 publications were retrieved from PubMed showing an overall increasing trend. Based on the results, the United States was the most productive country (2868,55.7 %), the journal Nurse Education Today journal was the top journal concerning this field, and Cooper SJ and Holtschneider ME were authors with the highest number of publications on this topic. Quantitative and co-word biclustering analyses were used in this study. The research hotspots in recent 5 years were focused on: (1) interprofessional simulation in patient-care teams; (2) patient simulation in psychiatric nursing education; (3) virtual reality simulation (VRS) in midwifery and nursing education; (4) simulation in critical care nurses' continuing education/training, and (5) simulation in pediatric resuscitation education. The strategic diagram showed that the VRS in midwifery and nursing education might have a significant potential to become an emerging hotspot soon. CONCLUSION: The research literature production of simulation in nursing education was increasing over the past 15 years. Through co-word biclustering analysis, five research hotspots were identified. Among them, simulation in psychiatric education and critical care continuing education had a central priority that researchers should pay further attention to, and VRS could be the major trend for future study. Furthermore, this study described the overall range of research interests and provided ideas for innovative and efficient research projects.

Hernandezine Regulates Proliferation and Autophagy-Induced Apoptosis in Melanoma Cells.

Hernandezine is isolated from an herbal medicine that selectively inhibits multidrug resistance and improves the efficacy of drugs for cancer treatment. To date, no studies on hernandezine in melanoma have been conducted. In this study, hernandezine was found to inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in melanoma A375 cells and B16 cells. In hernandezine-treated melanoma cells, G0/G1 cycle arrest occurred accompanied by significantly downregulated levels of phosphorylated JAK2 and STAT3. In addition, the cycle arrest could be enhanced by AG490 (JAK2 inhibitor), suggesting that the JAK2/STAT3 pathway is involved in cell cycle regulation in hernandezine-treated melanoma cells. Hernandezine-treated melanoma cells exhibited autophagy-specific structures, autophagy markers (LC3II/LC3-I), and autophagic flow over time. Moreover, 3-MA (autophagy inhibitor) significantly inhibited apoptosis, indicating that hernandezine promotes apoptosis by inducing autophagy. Combined with differential expression of P-AMPK, P-ACC (downstream targets of adenine monophosphate activated protein kinase, AMPK), and P-p70S6K (downstream targets of mammalian target of rapamycin, mTOR) and significant inhibition of apoptosis by AMPK inhibitor complex C (CC) in hernandezine-treated melanoma cells suggested that hernandezine could induce autophagy via the AMPK-mTOR pathway, thereby inducing apoptosis. This study first analyzed the effect of melanoma cells by hernandezine and provided a theory for hernandezine in the treatment of melanoma.

Sesamol ameliorates dextran sulfate sodium-induced depression-like and anxiety-like behaviors in colitis mice: the potential involvement of the gut-brain axis.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is accompanied by some psychiatric disorders, including anxiety and depression. Sesamol has been reported to alleviate colitis symptoms and depression-like behaviors caused by chronic unpredictable mild stress, but its protective effect and underlying neurobiological mechanism on IBD induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) accompanying depression-like and anxiety-like behaviors remains still unclear. Here, we found that a six-week sesamol treatment (100 mg per kg bodyweight per day) for DSS-induced mice predominantly prevented inflammatory response, epithelial barrier dysfunction and depression-like and anxiety-like behaviors via the gut-brain axis. Sesamol alleviated neuroinflammatory responses via suppressing the TLR-4/NF-κB pathway, protected against oxidative stress and upregulated the Nrf2 antioxidant signaling pathway. Moreover, sesamol treatment improved brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) by upregulating the BDNF/TrkB/CREB signaling pathway, restored synaptic impairments and enhanced norepinephrine (NE) and serotonin (5-HT) levels. Importantly, the correlation analysis showed that the gut barrier and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) content in the serum were highly associated with behavioral performance and the biochemical indexes of the brain. In summary, the present study indicates that sesamol is a novel nutritional intervention strategy for preventing IBD and its symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Modified hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate-supplemented diet protects porcine oocyte quality from zearalenone toxicity.

Zearalenone (ZEN) is one of the most common mycotoxins produced by fungus in contaminated feed. ZEN has multiple toxicities, including reproductive toxicity of domestic animals, particularly pigs. However, studies on the effects of ZEN on ovary/oocytes have been primarily based on in vitro experiments, and there is still no evidence from porcine in vivo models due to multiple limitations. Moreover, no report has investigated the effect of hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (HSCAS) as a supplement on pig oocyte quality. In the present study, we fed pigs a 1.0 mg/kg ZEN-contaminated diet for 10 days. The results showed that pigs fed ZEN presented reduced oocyte-cumulus cell interactions, an increase in the number of denuded oocytes in ovaries, a decrease in the number of oocytes in each ovary, and an increase in the oocyte death rate. Oocytes from ZEN-exposed pigs exhibited a delayed cell cycle and abnormal cytoskeletal dynamics during meiotic maturation, which could be due to oxidative stress-induced autophagy. Moreover, we also show that supplementing the ZEN-contaminated diet with modified HSCAS effectively protected porcine oocyte quality. Taken together, our study provides in vivo data demonstrating the protective effects of HSCAS against ZEN toxicity in porcine oocytes.

Sesamol Supplementation Attenuates DSS-Induced Colitis via Mediating Gut Barrier Integrity, Inflammatory Responses, and Reshaping Gut Microbiome.

Sesamol, a liposoluble lignan extract, has already been proved to possess potent anti-inflammatory properties, and it could also regulate gut dysfunction. The purpose of the present research is to explore the protective effect of sesamol on colitis mice. In the current research, sesamol treatment (100 mg/kg bodyweight/day) for 6 weeks inhibited the dextran sulphate sodium (DSS)-induced bodyweight loss of mice. Transmission electron microscopy and hematoxylin and eosin staining results showed that the DSS-induced histopathological changes of mice were also recovered by sesamol supplementation. In addition, DSS-induced inflammatory responses were inhibited by sesamol supplementation via the NF-κB signaling pathway in mice colon. Moreover, sesamol treatment prevented gut barrier damages by enhancing the expression of tight junction proteins (occludin, claudin-1, and ZO-1) and recovering the loss of gut mucus layer. Furthermore, sesamol supplementation also increased the short-chain fatty acid (SCFAs) contents of acetate, propionate, and butyrate. Furthermore, sesamol supplementation changed the gut microbiome structure by enhancing the relative abundance of Coprococcuscus, Butyricicoccus, Odoribacter, and AF12 in colitis mice. In conclusion, sesamol could effectively ameliorate DSS-induced colitis by promoting gut microecology.

[Systematic review on the treatment of functional constipation with electroacupuncture and gastro-kinetic drugs].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the therapeutic effect and safety in treatment of functional constipation between electroacupuncture (EA) and gastro-kinetic drugs. METHODS: Using "functional constipation"， "prucalopride"， "mosapridecitrate"， "electro-acupuncture" and "randomized controlled trial"， both in Chinese and English, as search terms, the articles of randomized controlled trial (RCT) regarding to the comparison of therapeutic effect on functional constipation in the patients between EA and gastro-kinetic drugs were retrieved from CMB, Wanfang, VIP, CNKI, OpenGrey, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, JBI, PubMed, WOS and Ovid databases. The retrieval time was from the establishment date to June 2018. The two researchers screened articles, extracted data and assessed literature quality in reference to Cochrane Handbook. Using RevMan 5.3 software, the meta-analysis was conducted. RESULTS: A total of 11 articles were included finally, with 744 patients involved. It was found after meta-analysis that in EA group, the weekly spontaneous defecation frequency, constipation related quality of life in patients, depression relief and incidence of adverse reaction were all better than those in gastro-kinetic medication group. The therapeutic effect of the improvements in stool character and defecation difficulty in EA group were better or similar to that in gastro-kinetic medication group. CONCLUSION: Regarding the therapeutic effect and safety in treatment of functional constipation, the results of electroacupuncture are superior or similar to gastro-kinetic medication, presenting a satisfactory therapeutic prospect.

Comparative prevention potential of 10 mouthwashes on intolerable oral mucositis in cancer patients: A Bayesian network analysis.

BACKGROUND: There is a wide variety of mouthwashes currently available for the prevention of intolerable oral mucositis (OM) onset. Because of a lack of evidence from head-to-head randomized controlled trials (RCTs), the relative effects of these mouthwashes in intolerable OM patients remain unclear. This study compared the preventive effect of ten mouthwashes in intolerable OM. METHODS: A literature search was performed of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), EMBASE, and MEDLINE (PubMed) databases. Reports published from 1990 to 2019 focusing on mouthwashes for preventing OM were identified. Authors assessed the studies' risk of bias in accordance with the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions, and followed the PRISMA for Network Meta-Analyses Statement. Authors estimated summary odds ratios (ORs) using pairwise and Bayesian network meta-analysis with random effects. RESULTS: Thirty-six RCTs, with a total of 2594 patients, were included in the present study. Bayesian network analysis showed that honey (Odd Ratio [OR] 0.17, 95%CI 0.09 to 0.30), chamomile (OR 0.09, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.52), curcumin (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.67) and benzydamine (OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.54) mouthwashes were superior to placebo. Honey mouthwashes were more efficacious than chlorhexidine (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.92), sucralfate (OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.96) and povidone-iodine (OR 0.30, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.82) mouthwashes. Other mouthwashes showed no significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: According to the analysis of rank probabilities, chamomile, honey, curcumin and benzydamine mouthwashes may be the most advantageous in terms of the prevention of intolerable OM.

Residue behavior and removal of iprodione in garlic, green garlic, and garlic shoot.

BACKGROUND: Iprodione is considered to be an endocrine-disturbing pesticide, which could harm consumers. The garlic crop has three edible parts: the garlic, the green garlic, and the garlic shoot, which correspond to different stages of its growth. In this study, iprodione residue dissipation and distribution in these three edible parts were investigated, and dietary risk was evaluated. RESULTS: Iprodione residues were present in these samples in the following order: green garlic > garlic shoot > > garlic. The dissipation of iprodione in green garlic was slow with a half-life of 5.82-19.25 days. A very high RQchronic value of 207.35-407.30% suggested that the residual iprodione in green garlic had an unacceptable level of risk. Iprodione residue was significantly eliminated (59-90%) by an alkaline solution. The order for removing iprodione by soaking was the alkaline solutions (0.5% and 2% NaHCO3 ) > the acidic solutions (5% and 10% of vinegar) ≈ the neutral solutions (the 1% and 2% of table salt) > tap water. Processing factors (PFs) were <1, indicating that processing could decrease the iprodione residue level. CONCLUSION: This work could contribute to establishing maximum residue limits (MRLs) for iprodione in garlic, green garlic, and garlic shoots, and could provide guidance on the safe and appropriate use of iprodione in the garlic crop. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

High frequency DNA rearrangement at qγ27 creates a novel allele for Quality Protein Maize breeding.

Copy number variation (CNV) is a major source of genetic variation and often contributes to phenotypic variation in maize. The duplication at the 27-kDa γ-zein locus (qγ27) is essential to convert soft endosperm into hard endosperm in quality protein maize (QPM). This duplication is unstable and generally produces CNV at this locus. We conducted genetic experiments designed to directly measure DNA rearrangement frequencies occurring in males and females of different genetic backgrounds. The average frequency with which the duplication rearranges to single copies is 1.27 × 10-3 and varies among different lines. A triplication of γ27 gene was screened and showed a better potential than the duplication for the future QPM breeding. Our results highlight a novel approach to directly determine the frequency of DNA rearrangements, in this case resulting in CNV at the qγ27 locus. Furthermore, this provides a highly effective way to test suitable parents in QPM breeding.