Calcium Peroxide-Based Hydrogel Patch with Sustainable Oxygenation for Diabetic Wound Healing.

Nonhealing diabetic wounds are predominantly attributed to the inhibition of angiogenesis, re-epithelialization, and extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis caused by hypoxia. Although oxygen therapy has demonstrated efficacy in promoting healing, its therapeutic impact remains suboptimal due to unsustainable oxygenation. Here, this work proposes an oxygen-releasing hydrogel patch embedded with polyethylene glycol-modified calcium peroxide microparticles, which sustainably releases oxygen for 7 days without requiring any supplementary conditions. The released oxygen effectively promotes cell migration and angiogenesis under hypoxic conditions as validated in vitro. The in vivo tests in diabetic mice models show that the sustainably released oxygen significantly facilitates the synthesis of ECM, induces angiogenesis, and decreases the expression of inflammatory cytokines, achieving a diabetic wound healing rate of 84.2% on day 7, outperforming the existing oxygen-releasing approaches. Moreover, the proposed hydrogel patch is designed with porous, soft, antibacterial, biodegradable, and storage stability for 15 days. The proposed hydrogel patch is expected to be promising in clinics treating diabetic wounds.

Natural alkaloids from Dicranostigma leptopodum (Maxim.) Fedde and their G5. NHAc-PBA dendrimer-alkaloid complexes for targeting chemotherapy in breast cancer MCF-7 cells.

Herein, we isolated five natural alkaloids, iso-corydine (iso-CORY), corydine (CORY), sanguinarine (SAN), chelerythrine (CHE) and magnoflorine (MAG), from traditional medicinal herb Dicranostigma leptopodum (Maxim.) Fedde (whole herb) and elucidated their structures. Then we synthesised G5. NHAc-PBA as targeting dendrimer platform to encapsulate the alkaloids into G5. NHAc-PBA-alkaloid complexes, which demonstrated alkaloid-dependent positive zeta potential and hydrodynamic particle size. G5. NHAc-PBA-alkaloid complexes demonstrated obvious breast cancer MCF-7 cell targeting effect. Among the G5. NHAc-PBA-alkaloid complexes, G5.NHAc-PBA-CHE (IC50=13.66 µM) demonstrated the highest MCF-7 cell inhibition capability and G5.NHAc-PBA-MAG (IC50=24.63 µM) had equivalent inhibitory effects on cell proliferation that comparable to the level of free MAG (IC50=23.74 µM), which made them the potential breast cancer targeting formulation for chemotherapeutic application. This work successfully demonstrated a pharmaceutical research model of 'natural bioactive product isolation-drug formulation preparation-breast cancer cell targeting inhibition'.

Protective effect of quercetin on lipopolysaccharide­induced miscarriage based on animal experiments and network pharmacology.

Spontaneous abortion (SA) occurs in woman of child­bearing age, jeopardizing their physical and mental health. Quercetin is a natural flavonoid, which exhibits a variety of pharmacological activities. However, the role and mechanisms of quercetin in SA still need to be further explored. Animal experiments were performed to examine the effect of quercetin in treating SA. Institute of Cancer Research mice were injected with lipopolysaccharide into the tail vein on the 7th day of gestation to establish a SA model. Gavage was performed during days 3­8 of gestation with high­, medium­ and low­dose of quercetin. Then the effect of quercetin on embryos was evaluated. Animal experiment showed that quercetin could remarkably reduce the embryo loss rate and increase the mean weight of surviving embryos to some degree. Furthermore, network pharmacology was employed to explore the underlying mechanisms of quercetin in the treatment of SA. Several databases were used to collect the targets of SA and quercetin. Protein­protein interaction network, Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis were performed to elucidate the interactions between SA and quercetin. The relative mRNA expressions of several targets in uterine were detected by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT­qPCR). Network pharmacology indicated that the effects of quercetin in treating SA were mainly related to hormone response and the modulation of defense response and inflammatory response, involving signaling pathways such as PI3K­Akt, VEGF, MAPK and core targets such as AKT1, albumin, caspase­3. RT­qPCR showed that quercetin could up­regulate AKT1, MAPK1, PGR, SGK1 and down­regulate ESR1, MAPK3. The results showed that quercetin may modulate multiple signaling pathways by targeting core targets to prevent and treat SA.

Acanthopanax senticosus cultures fermented by Lactobacillus rhamnosus enhanced immune response through improvement of antioxidant activity and inflammation in crucian carp (Carassius auratus).

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been recognized as safe microorganism that improve micro-flora disturbances and enhance immune response. A well-know traditional herbal medicine, Acanthopanax senticosus (As) was extensively utilized in aquaculture to improve growth performance and disease resistance. Particularly, the septicemia, skin wound and gastroenteritis caused by Aeromonas hydrophila threaten the health of aquatic animals and human. However, the effects of probiotic fermented with A. senticosus product on the immune regulation and pathogen prevention in fish remain unclear. Here, the aim of the present study was to elucidate whether the A. senticosus fermentation by Lactobacillus rhamnosus improve immune barrier function. The crucian carp were fed with basal diet supplemented with L. rhamnosus fermented A. senticosus cultures at 2 %, 4 %, 6 % and 8 % bacterial inoculum for 8 weeks. After trials, the weight gain rate (WGR), specific growth rate (SGR) were significantly increased, especially in LGG-6 group. The results confirmed that the level of the CAT, GSH-PX, SOD, lysozyme, and MDA was enhanced in fish received with probiotic fermented product. Moreover, the L. rhamnosus fermented A. senticosus cultures could trigger innate and adaptive immunity, including the up-regulation of the C3, C4, and IgM concentration. The results of qRT-PCR revealed that stronger mRNA transcription of IL-1ß, IL-10, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and MyD88 genes in the liver, spleen, kidney, intestine and gills tissues of fish treated with probiotic fermented with A. senticosus product. After infected with A. hydrophila, the survival rate of the LGG-2 (40 %), LGG-4 (50 %), LGG-6 (60 %), LGG-8 (50 %) groups was higher than the control group. Meanwhile, the pathological damage of the liver, spleen, head-kidney, and intestine tissues of probiotic fermentation-fed fish could be alleviated after pathogen infection. Therefore, the present work indicated that L. rhamnosus fermented A. senticosus could be regard as a potential intestine-target therapy strategy to protecting fish from pathogenic bacteria infection.

Correlation between metabolic syndrome and periurethral prostatic fibrosis: results of a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Prostatic fibrosis, characterized by the accumulation of myofibroblasts and collagen deposition, is closely associated with LUTS and may lead to mechanical obstruction of the urethra. Additionally, Metabolic Syndrome (MetS), characterized by central obesity, high blood sugar, lipid metabolism disorders, and hypertension, is increasingly recognized as a proinflammatory condition linked to prostate inflammation. METHODS: Clinical data from 108 subjects who underwent transurethral resection of the prostate or bipolar plasmakinetic enucleation of the prostate were prospectively collected between June 2021 and August 2022. Patients were divided in two groups according to whether or not they had a diagnosis of MetS. Specimens were stained with Masson trichrome and the periurethral prostatic fibrosis extent was evaluated using quantitative morphometry. RESULTS: Forty-three patients (39.8%) were diagnosed with MetS. Patients with MetS showed a significantly greater extent of prostatic fibrosis than the others (68.1 ± 17.1% vs. 42.5 ± 18.2%, P < 0.001), and there was a positive correlation between the number of positive MetS parameters and the extent of prostatic fibrosis (R2 = 0.4436, P < 0.001). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that central obesity (B = 2.941, 95% confidence interval, 1.700-3.283), elevated fasting glucose (B = 1.036, 95% confidence interval, 0.293-1.780), reduced HDL cholesterol (B = 0.910, 95% confidence interval, 0.183-1.636) and elevated triglycerides (B = 1.666, 95% confidence interval, 0.824-2.508) were positively correlated to prostatic fibrosis. Elevated blood pressure, however, was unrelated to prostatic fibrosis (B = 0.009, 95% confidence interval, -0.664-0.683). CONCLUSIONS: The present findings suggest that prostatic fibrosis is positively correlated with MetS and its components including central obesity, elevated fasting glucose, reduced high density lipoprotein cholesterol and elevated triglycerides.

Tough, high conductivity pectin polysaccharide-based hydrogel for strain sensing and real-time information transmission.

Hydrogels from natural polymers are eco-friendly, biocompatible and adjustable for manufacturing wearable sensors. However, it is still challenging to prepare natural polymer hydrogel sensors with excellent properties (e.g., high conductivity). Here, we developed a physically cross-linked, highly conductive and multifunctional hydrogel (named PPTP) to address this challenge. The natural renewable pectin-based PPTP hydrogel is synthesized by introducing tannic acid (TA), calcium chloride (CaCl2), and sodium chloride (NaCl) into the pectin/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) dual network structure. The hydrogel exhibits excellent characteristics, including unique tensile strength (2.6155 MPa), high electrical conductivity (7 S m-1), and high sensitivity (GF = 3.75). It is also recyclable, further enhancing its eco-friendly nature. The PPTP hydrogel can be used for monitoring human joint activities, as flexible electrodes for monitoring electrocardiogram (ECG) signals, and touchable screen pen for electronic skin. Moreover, when combined with Morse code and wireless Bluetooth technology, PPTP hydrogels can be used for underwater and land information encryption, and decryption. Our unique PPTP hydrogel offers promising opportunities for medical monitoring, information transfer, and human-computer interaction.

Effects of nanoscale zinc oxide treatment on growth, rhizosphere microbiota, and metabolism of Aconitum carmichaelii.

Trace elements play a crucial role in the growth and bioactive substance content of medicinal plants, but their utilization efficiency in soil is often low. In this study, soil and Aconitum carmichaelii samples were collected and measured from 22 different locations, followed by an analysis of the relationship between trace elements and the yield and alkaloid content of the plants. The results indicated a significant positive correlation between zinc, trace elements in the soil, and the yield and alkaloid content of A. carmichaelii. Subsequent treatment of A. carmichaelii with both bulk zinc oxide (ZnO) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) demonstrated that the use of ZnO NPs significantly enhanced plant growth and monoester-type alkaloid content. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms responsible for these effects, metabolomic analysis was performed, resulting in the identification of 38 differentially expressed metabolites in eight metabolic pathways between the two treatments. Additionally, significant differences were observed in the rhizosphere bacterial communities, with Bacteroidota and Actinobacteriota identified as valuable biomarkers for ZnO NP treatment. Covariation analysis further revealed significant correlations between specific microbial communities and metabolite expression levels. These findings provide compelling evidence that nanoscale zinc exhibits much higher utilization efficiency compared to traditional zinc fertilizer.

Quantitative prediction of potential areas likely to yield Se-rich and Cd-low rice using fuzzy weights-of-evidence method.

The research of high-quality agricultural products rich in selenium and low in cadmium (Se-rich and Cd-low, respectively) is related directly to the value of agricultural products and people's food safety. Now it is still challenging to carry out development planning for Se-rich rice. By fuzzy weights-of-evidence method, the geochemical soil survey data of Se and Cd from 27,833 surface soil samples and 804 rice samples was used to predict the probability of areas, in Hubei Province, China, that will likely yield (a) Se-rich and Cd-low rice, (b) Se-rich and Cd-normal rice and (c) Se-rich and Cd-high rice. The areas predicted to likely yield Se-rich and Cd-high rice, Se-rich and Cd-normal rice, and high quality (i.e., Se-rich and Cd-low) rice cover 6542.3 km2 (5.9 %), 35,845.9 km2 (32.6 %), 12,379.7 km2 (11.3 %), respectively, of the surveyed region. According to the predictive distribution probability mapping of Se and Cd, this paper gives preliminary suggestions on the use of endogenous and exogenous Se, and Cd-reduction measures in planting Se-rich rice in different regions of Hubei Province. This study provides a new perspective for rational rice planting of Se-rich agricultural products, and it lays a foundation for the effective implementation of a geochemical soil investigation engineering project, which is of great significance for improving the economic value of Se-rich agricultural products and sustainable utilization of Se land resources.

Activation of NR1H3 signaling pathways by psoralidin attenuates septic myocardial injury.

Sepsis can cause various organ dysfunction, which heart failure may be associated with significant mortality. Recently, natural plant extracts have gradually attracted people's attention in the clinical treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Psoralidin (PSO) is one of the main bioactive compounds from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia L and exhibits remarkable protective effects in diseases, including cancer, osteoporosis, and depression. Recently, NR1H3 is one of the emerging nuclear receptors targets for the various drugs. This study first reported the porotective role of PSO in septic myocardial injury, which was mainly attributed to the NR1H3-dependent manner. NR1H3 knockout mice subjected to cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) were used to investigate the involvement of NR1H3 in PSO protection. Our results showed that PSO prominently improved cardiac function, attenuated inflammation, inhibited oxidative stress, improved mitochondrial function, regulated ERS, suppressed apoptosis, and particularly increased NR1H3 and p-AMPK levels. However, NR1H3 knockout reversed the positive role of PSO in septic mice. Furthermore, activation of NR1H3 by T0901317 also increased the activity of AMPK and ACC in the HL-1 cardiomyocytes, indicating the regulatory relationship between NR1H3 and AMPK signaling. Together, this study demonstrated the beneficial effect of PSO in septic myocardial injury through activation of NR1H3/AMPK pathway.

Chinese traditional herbs enhanced the clinical efficacy of low-molecular-weight heparin in the treatment of recurrent spontaneous abortion complicated with thrombophilia.

Thrombophilia is an important cause of recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA). The treatment of thrombophilia is beneficial to the prevention of RSA. Therefore, we explored the clinical effect of Chinese traditional herbs with the effects of invigorating the blood, tonifying the kidney and calming the fetus in the treatment of RSA complicated with thrombophilia. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical outcomes of 190 RSA patients combined with thrombophilia using different treatment methods. The traditional Chinese medicine group was treated with kidney-invigorating, blood-activating and fetus-soothing herbs and the western medicine group was treated with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), and the traditional Chinese medicine combined with western medicine group was treated with LMWH plus Chinese traditional herbs with the effects of kidney tonifying, blood activating and fetus stabilizing. After treatments, platelet aggregation rate, plasma D-dimer and uterine artery blood flow resistance were significantly reduced in the LMWH plus herbs compared to the simple herbs and LMWH group (P < 0.0167). The LMWH plus herbs group significantly accelerated the growth of fetal bud compared with other groups (P < 0.0167). Moreover, the LMWH plus herbs group improved traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores (P < 0.0167), showing a better clinical efficacy. Adverse reactions occurred in five patients in the LMWH group but not in the simple herbs and LMWH plus herbs group during the treatment period. Therefore, our study shows that for the treatment of RSA complicated with thrombophilia, Chinese traditional herbs plus LMWH can improve the blood supply of the uterus during pregnancy and contribute to a favorable environment for the growth of the fetus. Chinese traditional herbs exert a good curative effect with few adverse reactions.

Long-term soil warming decreases microbial phosphorus utilization by increasing abiotic phosphorus sorption and phosphorus losses.

Phosphorus (P) is an essential and often limiting element that could play a crucial role in terrestrial ecosystem responses to climate warming. However, it has yet remained unclear how different P cycling processes are affected by warming. Here we investigate the response of soil P pools and P cycling processes in a mountain forest after 14 years of soil warming (+4 °C). Long-term warming decreased soil total P pools, likely due to higher outputs of P from soils by increasing net plant P uptake and downward transportation of colloidal and particulate P. Warming increased the sorption strength to more recalcitrant soil P fractions (absorbed to iron oxyhydroxides and clays), thereby further reducing bioavailable P in soil solution. As a response, soil microbes enhanced the production of acid phosphatase, though this was not sufficient to avoid decreases of soil bioavailable P and microbial biomass P (and biotic phosphate immobilization). This study therefore highlights how long-term soil warming triggers changes in biotic and abiotic soil P pools and processes, which can potentially aggravate the P constraints of the trees and soil microbes and thereby negatively affect the C sequestration potential of these forests.

Craniocervical Manual Lymphatic Drainage Increases the Efficiency of Atorvastatin-Based Treatment of Chronic Subdural Hematoma.

The objective of this study is to explore whether craniocervical manual lymphatic drainage (cMLD) can promote hematoma absorption and increase the efficiency of atorvastatin-based conservative treatment in chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) patients. All CSDH patients treated with atorvastatin-based therapy between October 2020 and February 2022 in our department were retrospectively screened for enrollment. The patients were divided into the control and cMLD groups according to whether cMLD was performed. Head CT or MR images in both groups were obtained before the treatment and 2 weeks and 4 weeks after the treatment. MR images of the deep cervical lymphatic nodes (dCLNs) in 23 patients were obtained in the cMLD group before and approximately 2 weeks after treatment. The volumes of the dCLNs and hematoma were calculated. The primary outcomes are the differences in hematoma volume reduction after 4 weeks of treatment. The secondary outcomes were (1) the differences in hematoma volume reduction between the patients in these two groups in the 2nd week, (2) the dCLN volume change in the cMLD group before and after 2 weeks of treatment, and (3) the percentage of patients who transitioned to surgery because of failure to the conservative treatment. A total of 106 consecutive patients were enrolled in this study for analysis; 54 patients received atorvastatin-based treatment (control group), and 52 were treated with both atorvastatin-based treatment and cMLD (cMLD group). At baseline, the mean hematoma volume was 76.53 ± 42.97 ml in the control group and 88.57 ± 49.01 ml in the cMLD group (p = 0.181). In the 4th week, the absolute number of hematoma reductions (20.79 ± 34.73 ml vs. 37.28 ± 28.24 ml, p = 0.009) and percentage of hematoma reductions (22.58% ± 60.01% vs. 46.43% ± 30.12%, p = 0.012) in the cMLD group were greater than those in the control group. After 2 weeks of treatment, the absolute number of hematoma reductions showed no difference in the two groups, while the percentage of hematoma reduction was higher in the cMLD group (18.18% ± 24.61% vs. 2.08% ± 25.72%, p = 0.001). One patient in cMLD and 8 patients in the control group were transitioned to receive surgical treatment. The dCLN volumes in 23 experimental patients increased significantly after 2 weeks of treatment in the cMLD group (p = 0.032). There were no severe side effects that needed to be reported. Combined with atorvastatin-based therapy, cMLD can promote hematoma absorption and decrease the surgery rate, which provides a new therapeutic strategy for CSDH.

Phenolic compounds in Nordic berry species and their application as potential natural food preservatives.

An increasing demand for natural food preservatives is raised by consumers. For Nordic berry species, abundance of phenolic compounds and potent activities of anti-oxidation and anti-bacteria enables a great potential as food preservatives. This review provides a systematic examination of current literature on phenolic profiles, anti-oxidative and anti-bacterial activities of various extracts of Nordic berry species, as well as the impact of various structure features of phenolics on the bioactivities. Special attention is placed on exploitation of leaves of berry species and pomaces after juice-pressing as side-streams of berry production and processing. The current progress and challenges in application of Nordic berry species as food preservatives are discussed. To fully explore the potential application of Nordic berry species in food industry and especially to valorize the side-streams of berry cultivation (leaves) and juice-pressing industry (pomaces), it is crucial to obtain extracts and fractions with targeted phenolic composition, which have high food preserving efficacy and minimal impact on sensory qualities of food products.

Comparative Study on Nosocomial Biliary Tract Infection Rate Between Biliary Stent Loaded with Radioactive 125 I Seeds and Conventional Biliary Stent in the Treatment of Distal Malignant Biliary Obstruction.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this prospective randomized study was to compare the nosocomial biliary tract infection rate of biliary stent implantation with a biliary stent loaded with radioactive 125 I seeds (radioactive biliary stent, RBS) and conventional biliary stent (CBS); additionally, to preliminary discuss the causes of postoperative cholangitis. Moreover, the results will provide clinical evidence for the prevention of postoperative biliary tract infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively analyzed the nosocomial infection rate of the distal malignant biliary obstruction (MBO) treatment by stent implantation with RBS and CBS. All MBO patients who initially visited our tertiary hospital between July 2015 and December 2019 (n= 196) were evaluated, enrolled, and randomly divided into 2 groups, RBS (n=97) and CBS (n=99) group. χ 2 test was used to evaluate the categorical data, and t test was used to evaluate the numerical data. RESULTS: Our analysis of the study showed the incidence of postoperative infections of a biliary tract of the RBS group (23.7%) was significantly higher than the CBS group (11.1%). The difference was statistically significant (χ 2 =5.425, P =0.020). Our study also showed the most common pathogenic bacteria after surgery was Escherichia coli (26.5%). CONCLUSION: Treatment for distal MBO with biliary stent loaded with radioactive 125 I seeds had a higher nosocomial infection rate, and the most common pathogenic bacteria was E coli. , Supplemental Digital Content 1, http://links.lww.com/sle/A350.

[Jingfang Mixture regulates balance of spleen T lymphocyte subsets in urticaria mice by inhibiting JAK2-STAT3 signaling pathway].

Urticaria is an immune-mediated allergic disease. This study explored the effect of Jingfang Mixture on spleen T lymphocyte subsets of urticaria mice. A total of 50 Kunming mice were randomized into normal group(C), model group(V), and low-(JF-L, 0.5 g·kg~(-1)), medium-(JF-M, 1 g·kg~(-1)) and high-dose(JF-H, 2 g·kg~(-1)) Jingfang Mixture groups, with 10 mice in each group. The mixture of ovalbumin and aluminum hydroxide(0.1 mg + 0.1 mL) was used(intraperitoneal injection) to induce urticaria in mice. The administration began 6 days after the first immunization, and the second immunization was carried out 10 days after the first immunization. The pruritus index was detected within 30 min after the second immunization. The administration lasted 21 days. After 21 days, the serum was taken to detect the total IgE level. Based on hematoxylin and eosin(HE) staining, the pathological changes of skin tissue were observed, and Western blot was used to detect the levels of p-Janus kinase 2(JAK2)/JAK2 and p-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3)/STAT3 in skin tissue. The spleen was taken to detect the spleen index, and flow cytometry was employed to determine the expression of lymphocyte subsets. The results showed that group V had obvious pathological changes in skin tissue compared with group C. Moreover, group V showed more scratches, higher spleen index, and higher level of total serum IgE than group C. In addition, higher levels of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3, lower proportions of CD4~+T, Th1, and Treg, higher proportions of CD8~+T, Th2, and Th17, and lower ratios of CD4~+/CD8~+, Th1/Th2, and Terg/Th17 were observed in group V than in group C. Compared with group V, each administration group showed alleviation of the pathological morphology of skin tissue, obvious epidermal thickening, relatively intact collagen fiber structure of dermal reticular layer, alleviated edema, and relief of vasodilation and peripheral inflammatory cell infiltration. Moreover, less scratching, lower spleen index, lower p-JAK2/JAK2 and p-STAT3/STAT3 were observed in the administration groups than in group V. JF-M group and JF-H group demonstrated lower levels of total IgE, larger proportions of CD4~+T, Th1, and Treg, smaller proportions of CD8~+ T, Th2, and Th17, and higher ratios of CD4~+/CD8~+, Th1/Th2, and Terg/Th17. In conclusion, Jingfang Mixture may improve the symptoms of urticaria mice by regulating the balance of spleen T lymphocyte subsets through JAK2-STAT3 signaling pathway.

Invigorating spleen, replenishing qi and tonifying kidney method treatment of traditional Chinese medicine for myasthenia gravis: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease related to the production of autoantibodies. It is mediated by antibodies against acetylcholine receptor (AChR), muscle specific kinase (MuSK) or other AChR related proteins in the postsynaptic muscle membrane, which interfere with the transmission of signals at the neuromuscular junction, resulting in clinical symptoms of skeletal muscle weakness and fatigue, leading to the occurrence and development of MG. At present, the incidence rate of Mg is increasing year by year. At present, the method of invigorating spleen, replenishing qi and tonifying kidney in traditional Chinese medicine has been widely used in the clinical treatment of MG, and the effect is good. The purpose of this study was to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of the method of invigorating the spleen, supplementing qi and tonifying the kidney in the treatment of MG. METHODS: We will search from the following eight databases: PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science, CNKI, Sinomed, Wanfang, and Vip. All randomized controlled trial (RCT) literature has been searched and classified since the establishment of the database to date. In this study, two researchers independently screened and evaluated the quality of the retrieved literature. Cochrane risk bias assessment tool was used to evaluate the risk of bias. The meta-analysis uses RevMan 5.3 software provided by Cochrane Collaboration Network for meta analysis. RESULTS: This study compared the main outcome indicators: clinical response rate, recurrence rate, incidence of adverse reactions, quantitative myasthenia gravis score (QMG). Secondary outcomes were clinical absolute score, quality of life score (QOL), levels of inflammatory factors such as IL-6, IL-10, and serum acetylcholine receptor antibody (AChR-Ab) levels. CONCLUSION: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the method of invigorating the spleen, supplementing qi and tonifying the kidney in treating MG, and to provide evidence based medicine.

Dietary supplementation of probiotics fermented Chinese herbal medicine Sanguisorba officinalis cultures enhanced immune response and disease resistance of crucian carp (Carassius auratus) against Aeromonas hydrophila.

Aeromonas hydrophila, a Gram-negative bacterium, is one of the major pathogens causing bacterial sepsis in aquatic animals due to drug resistance and pathogenicity, which could cause high mortality and serious economic losses to the aquaculture. Sanguisorba officinalis (called DiYu in Chinese, DY) is well known as herbal medicine, which could inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria, hemostasis and regulate the immune response. Moreover, the active ingredients in DY could remarkably reduce drug resistance. In this study, we investigated the effects of probiotic fermentation cultures on A. hydrophila through in vitro and in vivo experiments. Three lactic acid bacteria, including Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LGG), Lactobacillus casei (LC) and Lactobacillus plantarum (LP), were selected to ferment the Chinese herbal medicine DY. The assays of antagonism showed that all three fermented cultures could influence the ability of A. hydrophila growth, among which L. rhamnosus fermented DY cultures appeared to be the strongest inhibitory effect. In addition, the biofilm determination revealed that L. rhamnosus fermented DY cultures could significantly inhibit the biofilm formation of A. hydrophila compared to the other groups. Furthermore, protease, lecithinase and urease activities were found in the three fermentation cultures. Three probiotics fermented DY cultures were orally administration with crucian carp to evaluate the growth performance, immunological parameters and pathogen resistance. The results showed that the three fermentation cultures could promote the growth performance of crucian carp, and the immunoglobulins, antioxidant-related enzymes and immune-related genes were significantly enhanced. Besides, the results showed that crucian carp received L. rhamnosus (60.87%), L. casei (56.09%) and L. plantarum (41.46%) fermented DY cultures had higher survival rates compared with the control group after infection with A. hydrophila. Meanwhile, the pathological tissue results revealed that the probiotic fermented cultures could largely improve the tissues damage caused by the pathogenic bacteria. In conclusion, this study proved that the fermentation cultures of three probiotics could effectively inhibit the growth of A. hydrophila, regulate the level of immune response and improve the survival rate against A. hydrophila in crucian carp. The present data suggest that probiotic fermented Sanguisorba officinalis act as a potential gut-targeted therapy regimens to protecting fish from pathogenic bacteria infection.

Bioinspired Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Three Plant Extracts and Their Antibacterial Activity against Rice Bacterial Leaf Blight Pathogen Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae.

Rice bacterial leaf blight caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) is responsible for a significant reduction in rice production. Due to the small impact on the environment, biogenic nanomaterials are regarded as a new type of antibacterial agent. In this research, three colloids of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized with different biological materials such as Arctium lappa fruit, Solanum melongena leaves, and Taraxacum mongolicum leaves, and called Al-AgNPs, Sm-AgNPs and Tm-AgNPs, respectively. The appearance of brown colloids and the UV-Visible spectroscopy analysis proved the successful synthesis of the three colloids of AgNPs. Moreover, FTIR and XRD analysis revealed the formation of AgNPs structure. The SEM and TEM analysis indicated that the average diameters of the three synthesized spherical AgNPs were 20.18 nm, 21.00 nm, and 40.08 nm, respectively. The three botanical AgNPs had the strongest bacteriostatic against Xoo strain C2 at 20 µg/mL with the inhibition zone of 16.5 mm, 14.5 mm, and 12.4 mm, while bacterial numbers in a liquid broth (measured by OD600) decreased by 72.10%, 68.19%, and 65.60%, respectively. Results showed that the three AgNPs could inhibit biofilm formation and swarming motility of Xoo. The ultrastructural observation showed that Al-AgNPs adhered to the surface of bacteria and broke the bacteria. Overall, the three synthetic AgNPs could be used to inhibit the pathogen Xoo of rice bacterial leaf blight.

The Mitigatory Effect of Shen-Qi Compound on the Diabetic Thoracic Aortic Complications through Inhibiting the Inflammatory Microenvironment by miR-223-3p/RBP-J/IRF8 Axis.

Background: Disruption of the vascular immunological inflammatory microenvironment is linked to metabolic memory impairment. Even though it has been proven that the Shen-Qi compound (SQC) can efficiently halt metabolic memory and preserve vascular endothelial cells, extensive studies need to be done to investigate if it can also change the vascular immune-inflammatory microenvironment by regulating the immune system. This will help figure out the role of stopping metabolic memory. Methods: After 4 weeks on a high-fat diet (HFD), GK rats were used to create a model for diabetic thoracic aortic problems. The effect and mechanisms of SQC on diabetic thoracic aortic complications were assessed by hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), biochemical analysis, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP) nick end labeling (TUNEL), reverse transcription, real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), immunofluorescence (IF), western blot, and luciferase reporter assays. Results: SQC treatment ameliorates the HFD-induced pathological symptoms as well as the HFD-induced increased concentrations of fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting insulin (FINS), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and decreased concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Besides, SQC counteracted the HFD-induced average fluorescence intensity of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), as well as the concentrations of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), while rescuing the HFD-induced concentrations of nitric oxide (NO) and nitric oxide synthetase (NOS). Also, SQC decreases apoptosis and oxidative stress in rats with diabetic thoracic aortic complications. In addition, SQC facilitated the polarization of macrophages, stimulated the activation of dendritic cells, and regulated the inflammatory milieu in rats with diabetic thoracic aortic complications. Furthermore, SQC also modulated the miR-223-3p/RBP-J/IRF8 axis in the macrophages of rats with diabetic thoracic aortic complications. Conclusion: SQC ameliorated diabetic thoracic aortic complications through the regulation of apoptosis, oxidative stress, and inflammatory microenvironment mediating by the miR-223-3p/RBP-J/IRF8 axis.

Advances in sex disparities for cancer immunotherapy: unveiling the dilemma of Yin and Yang.

A wide sex disparity has been demonstrated in cancer incidence, tumor aggressiveness, prognosis, and treatment response of different types of cancer. The sex specificity of cancer appears to be a relevant issue in managing the disease, and studies investigating the role of sex and gender are becoming extremely urgent. Immunotherapy plays a leading role in cancer treatment, offering a new perspective on advanced malignancies. Gender has not been considered in standard cancer treatment, suggesting increasing the recognition of sex differences in cancer research and clinical management. This paper provides an overview of sex and gender disparities in cancer immunotherapy efficacy, anti-cancer immune response, predictive biomarkers, and so on. We focus on the molecular differences between male and female patients across a broad range of cancer types to arouse the attention and practice of clinicians and researchers in a sex perspective of new cancer treatment strategies.