Comparatively analyzing of chloroplast genome and new insights into phylogenetic relationships regarding the genus Stephania.

The medicinal plant of the genus Stephania holds significant economic importance in the pharmaceutical industry. However, accurately classifying and subdividing this genus remains a challenge. Herein, the chloroplast (cp) genomes of Stephania and Cyclea were sequenced, and the primary characteristics, repeat sequences, inverted repeats regions, simple sequence repeats, and codon usage bias of 17 species were comparatively analyzed. Twelve markers were identified through genome alignment and sliding window analysis. Moreover, a molecular clock analysis revealed the divergence between subgenus (subg.) Botryodiscia and the combined Cyclea, subg. Stephania and Tuberiphania during the early Oligocene epoch. Notably, the raceme-type inflorescence represents the ancestral state of the Stephania and Cyclea. The genetic relationships inferred from the cp genome and protein-coding genes exhibited similar topologies. Additionally, the paraphyletic relationship between the genera Cyclea and Stephania was confirmed. Bayesian inference, maximum likelihood, and neighbor-joining trees consistently showed that section Tuberiphania and Transcostula were non-monophyletic. In conclusion, this research provides valuable insights for further investigations into species identification, evolution, and phylogenetics within the Stephania genus.

Should acupuncture become a complementary therapy in the treatment of uterine fibroid: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Uterine fibroids (UFs) are the most common benign tumors in women of reproductive age. The most effective treatment is myomectomy, but there is no long-term or low-invasive treatment option exists. Acupuncture can be used to treat UFs in a variety of ways. However, there is no meta-analytic synthesis including valid data that explored the efficacy of acupuncture for UFs. Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for treating UFs. Methods: The PRISMA 2020 checklist was used. We identified and extracted the trials through may 2023 from six databases. The quality of the trials was assessed using the risk of bias (2.0). Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software, and it was synthesized using the random-effects model if the included studies were in high heterogeneity. Subgroup and sensitivity analysis were used if necessary. Results: A total of 1,035 trials were identified, of which 11 were included in the review and meta-analysis. In terms of acupuncture scheme design and fibroid-related symptoms, the trials are highly heterogeneous. All 11 trials have reported acupuncture types, with traditional acupuncture and electroacupuncture being the more representative subgroups. A qualitative review of existing evidence shows that acupuncture has no serious adverse reaction on UFs. Meta-analysis shows that acupuncture can effectively reduce the volume of UFs (MD - 3.89, 95% CI - 5.23 to - 2.56, P < 0.00001) or uterine volume (MD - 16.22, 95% CI - 19.89 To - 12.55, p < 0.00001), reduce the score of fibroid symptoms (MD - 3.03, 95% CI - 3.45 to - 2.60, p < 0.00001), improve the treatment efficiency (RR: 0.19, 95% CI: 0.13 to 0.25, p < 0.00001), and likely do not affect the estrogen level.

Effects of biochar coupled with chemical and organic fertilizer application on physicochemical properties and in vitro digestibility of common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) starch.

Common buckwheat starch, a functional ingredient, has wide food and non-food applications. Excessive chemical fertilizer application during grain cultivation decreases quality. This study examined the effects of different combinations of chemical fertilizer, organic fertilizer, and biochar treatment on the physicochemical properties and in vitro digestibility of starch. The amendment of both organic fertilizer and biochar was observed to have a greater impact on the physicochemical properties and in vitro digestibility of common buckwheat starch in comparison to organic fertilizer amendment solely. The combined application of biochar, chemical, and organic nitrogen in an 80:10:10 ratio significantly increased the amylose content, light transmittance, solubility, resistant starch content, and swelling power of the starch. Simultaneously, the application reduced the proportion of amylopectin short chains. Additionally, this combination decreased the size of starch granules, weight-average molecular weight, polydispersity index, relative crystallinity, pasting temperature, and gelatinization enthalpy of the starch compared to the utilization of chemical fertilizer alone. The correlation between physicochemical properties and in vitro digestibility was analyzed. Four principal components were obtained, which accounted for 81.18 % of the total variance. These findings indicated that the combined application of chemical fertilizer, organic fertilizer, and biochar would improve common buckwheat grain quality.

Sonodynamic therapy combined with phototherapy: Novel synergistic strategy with superior efficacy for antitumor and antiinfection therapy.

Phototherapy (PT), including photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT), has recently achieved significant advances in antitumor and antiinfection therapy. Sonodynamic therapy (SDT), as a novel noninvasive therapy with a deeper penetration depth (>8 cm), fewer side effects and non-phototoxicity than PT, has drawn much attention in recent years. However, both PT and SDT have intrinsic limitations. By combining PT with SDT, the dualmodel therapy with advanced sensitizers overcome the intrinsic limitations and show higher efficacy than traditional monotherapy. Moreover, the photo-diagnosis modality could be easily integrated into synergistic therapy so that the sensitizer acts as a tracer for fluorescence/photoacoustic imaging, and the treatment process is visualized in a way that SDT combined with other therapies cannot achieve. This review summarizes the advanced sensitizers and the application of combination therapy, and explores the improvement strategies for promoting clinical transformation.

Development of superior nanotheranostic agents with indocyanine green-conjugated poly(styrene-alt-maleic acid) nanoparticles for tumor imaging and phototherapy.

Developing safe, high-quality theranostic agents for cancer treatment is of great clinical value. In this work, for the first time, the clinical indocyanine green (ICG) is coupled with the biocompatible poly(styrene-alt-maleic anhydride) (PSMAn) to obtain the PSMAn-ICG polymer. The self-assembly of its hydrolyzed product in water results in ICG-conjugated poly(styrene-alt-maleic acid) nanoparticles (PSMA-ICG NPs). Intriguingly, the NPs have many advantages, including good solubility and stability in aqueous solutions, high photostability and decreased hemolytic damage to red blood cells, highlighting the importance of PSMA coupling. More interestingly, PSMA-ICG NPs significantly promote tumor targeting and enable long-term imaging of tumors. Furthermore, the administration of PSMA-ICG NPs in combination with near-infrared laser irradiation provides superior potency in the photothermal therapy of tumors. Furthermore, 9-amino-sialic acid (Sia)-coated PSMA-ICG NPs are fabricated, further enhancing tumor imaging and phototherapy. This is the first report of PSMA-NIR conjugates achieving tumor reduction in mice. Overall, this study provides novel phototheranostic agents with broad clinical transformation prospects.

Effect of environment and variety on the physicochemical properties of Tartary buckwheat starch.

BACKGROUND: Starch is a major nutrient in the human diet and has been widely used as an ingredient in many food and non-food applications. However, the research on the quality characteristics of Tartary buckwheat is lagging behind, and there is a lack of high-quality special varieties, which makes it difficult to become a popular food. The physicochemical properties of Tartary buckwheat starch may be affected by different environments and varieties, and the stability of planted varieties in different regions is also an important issue in current research. RESULTS: The average amylose content and pasting properties of Dingxi Tartary buckwheat were lower, while the solubility, transparency, relative crystallinity and gelatinization enthalpy were higher compared with the other two regions, and there were significant differences between different varieties. All samples showed typical A-type structure, and the starch short-range order structure changed slightly. Amylose content, solubility, transparency, granule size distribution, pasting properties and thermal properties were significantly affected by environment and variety. CONCLUSION: When choosing high-quality special varieties and products for processing, it contributes to select different buckwheat varieties and planting areas based on various objectives by understanding the effects of environment and varieties on the physicochemical properties of Tartary buckwheat starch. In this study, the four varieties planted in Dingxi and the two varieties in Zhaojue were easy to digest, and the differences of pasting properties and thermal properties are helpful to improve the application of Tartary buckwheat starch in the food industry. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Proteomics characterization of the synthesis and accumulation of starch and amino acid driven by high-nitrogen fertilizer in common buckwheat.

The accumulation of starches and amino acid content of common buckwheat is promoted by Nitrogen (N), but the molecular mechanism is not clear. N applications with 0 (control group) and 180 kg/ha were designed. High-N significantly improved grain fullness and increased the starch, amylopectin and amylose content. The number of upregulated differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) induced by N gradually increased with the filling progress. N resulted in 139, 341 and 472DEPs significant upregulation at 10d, 20d and 30d and they were mainly related to the 'Starch and sucrose metabolism', 'Protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum' and 'Ribosome' by kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes analysis. High-N induced one sucrose synthase, two alpha-amylases and six alpha-glucan phosphorylases significant upregulation at 30d and one alpha-amylases upregulation at 10d, and the expression levels of these proteins showed a significant linear relationship with starch and amylose contents. N promoted the arginine and lysine biosynthesis at the late filling stage. These results elucidated that the mechanism of N promoted common buckwheat starches and amino acid accumulation. The identified crucial proteins may improve buckwheat quality.

Jiedu-Yizhi Formula Alleviates Neuroinflammation in AD Rats by Modulating the Gut Microbiota.

Background: The Jiedu-Yizhi formula (JDYZF) is a Chinese herbal prescription used to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD). It was previously confirmed that JDYZF can inhibit the expression of pyroptosis-related proteins in the hippocampus of AD rats and inhibit gut inflammation in AD rats. Therefore, it is hypothesized that JDYZF has a regulatory effect on the gut microbiota. Methods: In this study, an AD rat model was prepared by bilateral hippocampal injection of Aß 25-35 and AD rats received high, medium, and low doses of JDYZF orally for 8 weeks. The body weights of the AD rats were observed to assess the effect of JDYZF. The 16S rRNA sequencing technique was used to study the regulation of the gut microbiota by JDYZF in AD rats. Immunohistochemical staining was used to observe the expression levels of Caspase-1 and Caspase-11 in the hippocampus. Results: JDYZF reduced body weight in AD rats, and this effect may be related to JDYZF regulating body-weight-related gut microbes. The 16S rRNA analysis showed that JDYZF increased the diversity of the gut microbiota in AD rats. At the phylum level, JDYZF increased the abundances of Bacteroidota and Actinobacteriota and decreased the abundances of Firmicutes, Campilobacterota, and Desulfobacterota. At the genus level, the abundances of Lactobacillus, Prevotella, Bacteroides, Christensenellaceae_R-7_group, Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, and Blautia were increased and the abundances of Lachnospiraceae-NK4A136-group, Anaerobiospirillum, Turicibacter, Oscillibacter, Desulfovibrio, Helicobacter, and Intestinimonas were decreased. At the species level, the abundances of Lactobacillus johnsonii, Lactobacillus reuteri, and Lactobacillus faecis were increased and the abundances of Helicobacter rodentium and Ruminococcus_sp_N15.MGS-57 were decreased. Immunohistochemistry showed that JDYZF reduced the levels of Caspase-1- and Caspase-11-positive staining. Conclusion: JDYZF has a regulatory effect on the gut microbiota of AD rats, which may represent the basis for the anti-inflammatory effect of JDYZF.

Relationship between nitrogen fertilizer and structural, pasting and rheological properties on common buckwheat starch.

Nitrogen is an essential element for the yield and quality of grain. In this study, the structural and physicochemical properties of two common buckwheat varieties under four nitrogen levels (0, 90, 180, 270 kg N ha-1) at one location in two years were investigated. With increasing nitrogen level, the contents of moisture and amylose decreased but the contents of ash and crude protein increased. Excessive nitrogen application significantly increased the granule size, but reduced the light transmittance, water solubility, swelling power, absorption of water and oil. All the samples showed a typical A - type pattern, while high relative crystallinity and low order degree were observed under high nitrogen level. The samples under high nitrogen level had lower textural properties, pasting properties and rheological properties but higher pasting temperature and gelatinization enthalpy. These results indicated that nitrogen fertilizer significantly affected the structural and physicochemical properties of common buckwheat starch.

Jiedu-Yizhi Formula Improves Cognitive Impairment in an Aß 25-35-Induced Rat Model of Alzheimer's Disease by Inhibiting Pyroptosis.

Jiedu-Yizhi formula (JDYZF) is prescribed for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and was created by Jixue Ren, a master of traditional Chinese medicine, based on the "marrow deficiency and toxin damage" theory. In our clinic, this formula has been used for the treatment of AD for many years and has achieved good results. However, the mechanism by which JDYZF improves cognitive impairment has not been determined. In this study, we confirmed that orally administered JDYZF reversed the cognitive deficits in an Aß 25-35-induced rat model, increased the number of neurons in the hippocampal CA1 area, improved their structure, decreased the deposition of ß-amyloid (Aß), reduced the expression of proteins related to the NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD and LPS/Caspase-11/GSDMD pyroptosis pathways, and reduced the levels of interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß) and IL-18, thereby inhibiting the inflammatory response. In addition, JDYZF exerted no hepatotoxicity in rats. In short, these results provide scientific support for the clinical use of JDYZF to improve the cognitive function of patients with AD.

Proteomics characterization nitrogen fertilizer promotes the starch synthesis and metabolism and amino acid biosynthesis in common buckwheat.

Nitrogen (N) affects common buckwheat quality by affecting starch and amino acids (AAs) content, but its molecular mechanism is still unclear. We selected two common buckwheat varieties with high and low starch content, and designed two treatments with 180 and 0 kg N/ha. Application of high-N led to significant increases in starch, amylose and amylopectin content. Of 1337 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) induced by high-N conditions. 472DEPs were significantly upregulated and 176DEPs downregulated for Xinong9976. 239DEPs were significantly upregulated and 126DEPs downregulated for Beizaosheng. The six alpha-glucan phosphorylases, three alpha-amylases, one granule-bound starch synthase 1 and one sucrose synthase exhibited higher expression at the 180 kg N/ha than at the 0 kg N/ha. In addition, high-N application promoted arginine, leucine, isoleucine and valine biosynthesis. This study revealed the effect of N on the starch and AA content of common buckwheat and its mechanism. The crucial proteins identified may develop the quality of common buckwheat.

Single-stage denitrifying phosphorus removal biofilter utilizing intracellular carbon source for advanced nutrient removal and phosphorus recovery.

Advanced nutrient removal of municipal wastewater has insufficient carbon source, and resource recovery is neglected. In this study, a single-stage biofilter based on denitrifying phosphorus removal (DPR) was proposed for advanced nutrient removal and phosphorus recovery, which was operated under alternating anoxic/anaerobic mode with no extracellular carbon source in anoxic period. The results showed that the biofilter achieved efficient and stable performance with low carbon consumption (C/N ≈ 3.7). The average removal efficiency of NO3--N, TN and PO43--P were 74.81%, 71.08% and 91.15%, respectively. DPR primarily occurred in the middle of the filtration bed and nutrient removal was driven by intracellular polymers, which was the main carbon source. High-throughput sequencing indicated that Dechloromonas was enriched and contributed to DPR while Zoogloea was responsible for endogenous denitrification. Denitrifying polyphosphate accumulating organisms and endogenous denitrifiers synergistically enhanced the nutrient removal capacity. The study further provides research perspectives for improving nutrient removal.

Sulfur and iron cycles promoted nitrogen and phosphorus removal in electrochemically assisted vertical flow constructed wetland treating wastewater treatment plant effluent with high S/N ratio.

Phosphate (PO43--P) and nitrate (NO3--N) in the effluent of wastewater treatment plants are the predominant sources of eutrophication. In this study, a bench-scale electrochemically assisted vertical flow constructed wetland (E-VFCW) was developed, which exhibited favorable PO43--P (89.7-99.4%), NO3--N (82.7-99.6%), and TN (51.9-93.7%) removal efficiency in tertiary wastewater treatment. In addition, little N2O accumulation (0.32-2.19% of △NO3--N) was observed. The study further elucidated that PO43--P was removed mainly in the anode chamber by co-precipitation (Fe(n+)OH-PO4) and adsorption (FeOOH-PO4) pathways. Multi-pathway of NO3--N reduction was proposed, with 13.9-30.2% of NO3--N predominantly eliminated in the anode chamber by ferrous-dependent NO3--N reduction bacteria. In the cathode chamber, electrons storage and resupply modes during S cycle exerted crucial roles in NO3--N reduction, which enhanced the resilience capabilities of the E-VFCW to shock loadings. Stoichiometric analysis revealed that 3.3-6.6 mmol e-/cycle were stored in the form of S0, FeS, and FeS2 in the E-VFCW under longer HRT or higher current density. However, the deposited S resupplied 19.6% and 28.3% of electrons for NO3--N reduction under shorter HRT (1 h) or lower current density (0.01 mA cm-2). Moreover, ferrous-driven NO3--N-reducing or DNRA bacteria also promoted NO3--N elimination in the cathode chamber. These findings provide new insight into the coupling interactions among S, Fe and H cycles, as well as N and P transformations in electrochemically assisted NO3--N reduction systems.

Intensified nitrogen and phosphorus removal by embedding electrolysis in an anaerobic-anoxic-oxic reactor treating low carbon/nitrogen wastewater.

A modified anaerobic-anoxic-oxic (AAO) reactor embedding electrolysis was constructed for treatment of low carbon/nitrogen (C/N) wastewater. The effect of different current conditions on the performance of reactor was investigated in this study. When the current ranged from 0 mA to 200 mA, the removal efficiency of total nitrogen (TN) increased from 61.25% (0 mA) to 75.60% (200 mA), and that of total phosphorus (TP) increased from 72.24% (0 mA) to 93.93% (200 mA). In addition, the removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and NH4+-N were not affected. The results indicated that AAO reactor coupling electrolysis was an effective way to strengthen the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus for treatment of low C/N wastewater.

Therapeutic effects of curcumin nanoemulsions on prostate cancer.

The therapeutic potential of curcumin (Cur) is hampered by its poor aqueous solubility and low bioavailability. The aim of this study was to determine whether Cur nanoemulsions enhance the efficacy of Cur against prostate cancer cells and increase the oral absorption of Cur. Cur nanoemulsions were developed using the self-microemulsifying method and characterized by their morphology, droplet size and zeta potential. The results showed that the cytotoxicity and cell uptake were considerably increased with Cur nanoemulsions compared to free Cur. Cur nanoemulsions exhibited a significantly prolonged biological activity and demonstrated better therapeutic efficacy than free Cur, as assessed by apoptosis and cell cycle studies. In situ single-pass perfusion studies demonstrated higher effective permeability coefficient and absorption rate constant for Cur nanoemulsions than for free Cur. Our study suggested that Cur nanoemulsions can be used as an effective drug delivery system to enhance the anticancer effect and oral bioavailability of Cur.

Therapeutic Effects of Curcumin Nanoemulsions on Prostate Cancer / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

The therapeutic potential of curcumin (Cur) is hampered by its poor aqueous solubility and low bioavailability.The aim of this study was to determine whether Cur nanoemulsions enhance the efficacy of Cur against prostate cancer cells and increase the oral absorption of Cur.Cur nanoemulsions were developed using the self-microemulsifying method and characterized by their morphology,droplet size and zeta potential.The results showed that the cytotoxicity and cell uptake were considerably increased with Cur nanoemulsions compared to free Cur.Cur nanoemulsions exhibited a significantly prolonged biological activity and demonstrated better therapeutic efficacy than free Cur,as assessed by apoptosis and cell cycle studies.In siru single-pass perfusion studies demonstrated higher effective permeability coefficient and absorption rate constant for Cur nanoemulsions than for free Cur.Our study suggested that Cur nanoemulsions can be used as an effective drug delivery system to enhance the anticancer effect and oral bioavailability of Cur.

Enhanced biosynthetic gene expressions and production of ganoderic acids in static liquid culture of Ganoderma lucidum under phenobarbital induction.

Static liquid culture of Ganoderma lucidum, a traditional Chinese medicinal mushroom, is a proven technology for producing ganoderic acids, which are secondary metabolites that possess antitumor properties. In this work, the addition of phenobarbital, a P450 inducer, was used to enhance the production of total and individual ganoderic acids in a two-stage cultivation involving a period of initial shake flask culture followed by static liquid culture of G. lucidum. The dosage and time of phenobarbital induction were critical for the enhanced production of ganoderic acids. The addition of 100 muM (final concentration) phenobarbital on day 5 after the shake flask culture was converted to the static liquid culture was found to be optimal, resulting in a maximal amount of total ganoderic acids of 41.4 +/- 0.6 mg/g cell dry weight and increases in the levels of ganoderic acid-Mk, -T, -S, and -Me in the treated cells by 47%, 28%, 36%, and 64%, respectively. Meanwhile, the accumulation of lanosterol, a key intermediate, was found to decrease and transcriptions of three key genes encoding 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, squalene synthase, and lanosterol synthase in the triterpene biosynthetic pathway were up-regulated under phenobarbital induction. This work demonstrated a useful strategy for the enhanced production of ganoderic acids by G. lucidum.