[Non-targeted metabolomics of spleen and liver metabolism in mice treated with Pruni Semen processed with different methods].

Ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) was employed to investigate the impacts of Pruni Semen processed with different methods(raw and fried) on the liver and spleen metabolism in mice. A total of 24 male mice were randomly assigned to three groups: raw Pruni Semen group, fried Pruni Semen group, and control(deionized water) group. Mice in the three groups were orally administrated with 0.01 g·mL~(-1) Pruni Semen decoction or deionized water for one week. After that, the liver and spleen tissues were collected, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(LC-MS)-based metabolomic analysis was carried out to investigate the impact of Pruni Semen on the liver and spleen metabolism in mice. Compared with thte control group, the raw Pruni Semen group showed up-regulation of 11 metabolites and down-regulation of 57 metabolites in the spleen(P<0.05), as well as up-regulation of 15 metabolites and down-regulation of 58 metabolites in the liver(P<0.05). The fried Pruni Semen group showed up-regulation of 31 metabolites and down-regulation of 10 metabolites in the spleen(P<0.05), along with up-regulation of 26 metabolites and down-regulation of 61 metabolites in the liver(P<0.05). The differential metabolites identified in the raw Pruni Semen group were primarily associated with alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism, purine metabolism, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, and D-glutamine and D-glutamate metabolism. The differential metabolites identified in the fried Pruni Semen group predominantly involved riboflavin metabolism, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, purine metabolism, alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism, D-glutamine and D-glutamate metabolism, and glutathione metabolism. The findings suggest that both raw and fried Pruni Semen have the potential to modulate the metabolism of the liver and spleen in mice by influencing the glutamine and glutamate metabolism.

Antidiabetic action of the Chinese formula Shouhuitongbian and the underlying mechanism associated with alteration of gut microbiota.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence and incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have dramatically increased. The intestinal flora and its derived metabolites are demonstrated to play vital roles in the etiology and onset of T2DM. Shouhuitongbian (SHTB) is a traditional Chinese formula to treat constipation. SHTB is composed of seven herbs and components of Colla corii asini (CCA) that are obtained from the hide of Equus asinus L.. Some of herbs in SHTB such as Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f., Cassia obtusifolia L., fruits of Lycium barbarum L., and Citrus aurantium L. have shown to improve insulin resistance (IR) and T2DM in early reports. We hypothesized that SHTB composed of these herbs has antidiabetic effects. The antidiabetic efficacy and mechanism of action of SHTB have not been previously reported. HYPOTHESIS/PURPOSE: To demonstrate the antidiabetic effect and elucidate the underlying mechanisms of SHTB from the perspective of gut microbiota. STUDY DESIGN: The main compounds were identified and quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-mass spectrometry analysis. High fat diet (HFD)-fed mice and db/db mice were used to assess the antidiabetic effects and the mechanism of SHTB. The underlying mechanisms were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blot analysis, quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis, 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing, and targeted metabolome analysis. METHODS: HFD-fed mice and db/db mice were orally treated with the standard positive drug metformin (100 mg/kg/d) and with SHTB (200 and 100 mg/kg/d), which was chemically characterized according to the European Medicine Agency (EMA) guidelines. The beneficial effects of SHTB were studied by homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), insulin tolerance test (ITT), total cholesterol (T-CHO), triglyceride (TG), and inflammation. Subsequently, 16S rDNA-based high-throughput pyrosequencing and GC-MS-based targeted metabolomics profiling were performed to analyze the gut microbiota composition and metabolites profile in the gut, respectively. Moreover, the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) / insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) / phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) / protein kinase B (AKT) pathway was evaluated via qPCR and western blot. RESULTS: Chemically characterized SHTB, in which six markers were quantified, effectively alleviated glucose intolerance and IR, ameliorated lipid metabolism dysfunction, and reduced inflammation. In addition, 16S rDNA sequencing found that SHTB reshaped the composition of intestinal flora, as indicated by the enrichment of Akkermansia and Parabacteroides in both HFD-fed and db/db mice. Moreover, SHTB enhanced the intestinal production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and branched short-chain fatty acids (BSCFAs), and reduced the levels of the fecal and circulating branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). The IRS-1/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway was upregulated after treatment with SHTB. CONCLUSION: Orally administration of SHTB effectively improved IR and reduced hyperglycemia in mice. Treatment with SHTB regulated the gut BCAAs-mTORC1/IRS-1/PI3K/AKT axis by enhancing the BCAAs catabolism in the gut, which attenuated the deleterious effect of BCAAs on the IRS-1 signaling pathway.

Effects of dietary supplementation of grape seed extract in comparison with excessive level of vitamin E on growth performance and antioxidant function of broilers.

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effects of dietary vitamin E (VE) or grape seed extract (GSE) on the growth performance and antioxidant function of broilers. Two hundred sixteen broiler chicks were randomly assigned to 3 diets: diet supplemented with oxidized rice bran oil (CN group), CN group with 25 mg/kg VE or 100 mg/kg GSE. Dietary VE or GSE improved the growth performance, reverted the disturbed levels of liver antioxidant enzymes, and reduced liver damage of broilers fed oxidized rice bran oil. The mRNA data showed that supplementation of VE or GSE enhanced the antioxidant capacity of the broiler liver through activation of the Keap1-Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway. The results suggested that VE and GSE can increase weight gain, improve the oxidative status, and alleviate liver injury in broiler chicken fed oxidized rice bran oil.

Ferrous-sucrose complex supplementation regulates maternal plasma metabolism and the fecal microbiota composition and improves neonatal immunity and placental glucose transportation by activating the EGF/PI3K/AKT signaling pathways in sows.

Pregnancy is a dynamic state involving rapid physiological changes in metabolism, affecting the health and development of the offspring. During pregnancy, the placenta constitutes a physical and immunological barrier to provide fetal nutrition through the maternal blood and prevent the exposure of the fetus to dangerous signals. Metabolic changes in the plasma, the fecal microbiota profile, and functional regulation in the placenta were studied in sows supplied with a ferrous-sucrose complex (FeSuc) from late gestation to parturition. The results revealed that maternal FeSuc supplementation enhanced arginine and proline metabolism, glutathione metabolism, with increased glutamic acid, beta-D-glucosamine, L-proline, 1-butylamine, and succinic acid and reduced sphingosine and chenodeoxycholic acid sulfate levels in the plasma. Moreover, significantly increased abundances of Christensenellaceae_R-7_group, Prevotellaceae_NK3B31_group, and Lachnospiraceae_NK4B4_group were detected in the feces of sows from the FeSuc group (P < 0.05). Spearman's correlation analysis indicated that Prevotellaceae_NK3B31_group abundances were positively correlated with glutamic acid, indoxyl sulfate, acetyl-DL-leucine, and beta-D-glucosamine, while Christensenellaceae_R-7_group was positively correlated with beta-D-glucosamine. Furthermore, maternal FeSuc supplementation significantly increased neonatal glucose (P < 0.01) and iron (P < 0.01) in the neonatal serum, significantly increased IL-10 and TGF-ß1 levels in the neonatal liver (P < 0.01) and jejunum (P < 0.05), promoted the transcription of immune molecules in the placenta, and significantly increased the protein expressions of EGF (P < 0.05), PI3K (P < 0.01), p-PI3K (P < 0.001), p-AKT (P < 0.01), and glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) (P < 0.001) in the placenta. The current study demonstrated that FeSuc supplementation regulated maternal metabolism processes by altering the fecal microbial composition and improved neonatal immunity and placental glucose transportation by activating the EGF/PI3K/AKT signaling pathways in sows.

Glutathione supplementation improves fat graft survival by inhibiting ferroptosis via the SLC7A11/GPX4 axis.

BACKGROUND: Autologous fat grafting is hampered by unpredictable graft survival, which is potentially regulated by ferroptosis. Glutathione (GSH), a powerful antioxidant used in tissue preservation, has ferroptosis-regulating activity; however, its effects on fat grafts are unclear. This study investigated the effects and mechanisms of GSH in fat graft survival. METHODS: Human lipoaspirates were transplanted subcutaneously into the backs of normal saline-treated (control) or GSH-treated nude mice. Graft survival was evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging and histology. RNA sequencing was performed to identify differentially expressed genes and enriched pathways. GSH activity was evaluated in vitro using an oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) model of adipose-derived stem cells. RESULTS: Compared with control group, GSH induced better outcomes, including superior graft retention, appearance, and histological structures. RNA sequencing suggested enhanced negative regulation of ferroptosis in the GSH-treated grafts, which showed reduced lipid peroxides, better mitochondrial ultrastructure, and SLC7A11/GPX4 axis activation. In vitro, OGD-induced ferroptosis was ameliorated by GSH, which restored cell proliferation, reduced oxidative stress, and upregulated ferroptosis defense factors. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms that ferroptosis participates in regulating fat graft survival and that GSH exerts a protective effect by inhibiting ferroptosis. GSH-assisted lipotransfer is a promising therapeutic strategy for future clinical application.

Network Toxicology Prediction and Molecular Docking-based Strategy to Explore the Potential Toxicity Mechanism of Metformin Chlorination Byproducts in Drinking Water.

BACKGROUND: Metformin (MET), a worldwide used drug for treating type 2 diabetes but not metabolized by humans, has been found with the largest amount in the aquatic environment. Two MET chlorination byproducts, including Y and C, were transformed into drinking water during chlorination. However, the potential toxicity of the byproducts in hepatotoxicity and reproduction toxicity remains unclear. METHODS: The TOPKAT database predicted the toxicological properties of metformin disinfection by-products. The targets of metformin disinfection by-products were mainly obtained from the PharmMapper database, and then the targets of hepatotoxicity and reproductive toxicity were screened from GeneCards. The overlapping targets of toxic component targets and the hepatotoxicity or reproduction toxicity targets were regarded as the key targets. Then, the STRING database analyzed the key target to construct a protein-protein interaction network (PPI) and GO, and KEGG analysis was performed by the DAVID platform. Meanwhile, the PPI network and compound- target network were constructed by Cytoscape 3.9.1. Finally, Discovery Studio 2019 software was used for molecular docking verification of the two toxic compounds and the core genes. RESULTS: Y and C exhibited hepatotoxicity, carcinogenicity, and mutagenicity evaluated by TOPKAT. There were 22 potential targets relating to compound Y and hepatotoxicity and reproduction toxicity and 14 potential targets relating to compound C and hepatotoxicity and reproduction toxicity. PPI network analysis showed that SRC, MAPK14, F2, PTPN1, IL2, MMP3, HRAS, and RARA might be the key targets; the KEGG analysis indicated that compounds Y and C caused hepatotoxicity through Hepatitis B, Pathways in cancer, Chemical carcinogenesis-reactive oxygen species, Epstein-Barr virus infection; compound Y and C caused reproduction toxicity through GnRH signaling pathway, Endocrine resistance, Prostate cancer, Progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation. Molecular docking results showed that 2 compounds could fit in the binding pocket of the 7 hub genes. CONCLUSION: This study preliminarily revealed the potential toxicity and possible toxicity mechanism of metformin disinfection by-products and provided a new idea for follow-up research.

Supplementation with grape seed extract, onion peel extract, or rosemary extract in the diet alleviates growth inhibition, liver damage, and oxidative stress induced by diquat in Lohmann chicks.

The present study aimed to assess the impact of grape seed extract (GSE), onion peel extract (OPE), and rosemary extract (ROE) on Diquat-induced growth restriction and oxidative stress in Lohmann chicks. A total of 200 chicks were randomly assigned to 5 diets: the positive control (PC) group, the negative control (NC) group, GSE group, OPE group, and ROE group. During the first 7 d of trial, compared with NC and PC groups, the GSE group enhanced average daily feed intake (ADFI). From day 8-21, diquat injection resulted in reduced growth performance, increased platelet volume distribution width (PWD), malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, and activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in chick serum; it also decreased total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), globulin (GLB) concentration, activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in chick serum; furthermore, it increased MDA concentration while decreasing GST activities in liver. The NC group exhibited lower average daily gain (ADG) than other groups. Compared with NC group, GSE group reduced ALT activities, MDA levels, and red cell distribution width (RDW), and PDW concentration; it also increased SOD, GST activities. The ROE group lowered ALT activities and MDA concentration. The OPE group decreased ALT activities, and MDA levels, RDW, and PDW concentration, and increased SOD activities of chicks. These results suggest that supplementing antioxidants in diets alleviated oxidative stress in chicks challenged by improving antioxidant capacity and liver function.

Effects of Maternal Dietary Enteromorpha prolifera Polysaccharide Iron Supplement on Mineral Elements and Iron Level of Neonatal Piglets.

Iron plays a key role in maternal health during pregnancy and fetal growth. Enteromorpha polysaccharide-iron (EP-Fe) as an organic iron chelate may improve the iron transmission of mother and offspring, ameliorate the poor pregnancy outcomes of sows, and alleviate the growth restriction of piglets caused by iron deficiency. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of maternal dietary supplementation with EP-Fe on reproductive performance and placental iron transmission of sows, as well as growth performance of piglets. Sixty pregnant sows at the 95th day of gestation were randomly divided into control group and EP-Fe group (EP-Fe, 139 mg kg-1). Blood samples of sows and neonatal piglets, colostrum, and tissue samples were collected on the day of delivery. The animal experiment ended at the 21st day of post-delivery. Results showed that maternal dietary EP-Fe increased colostrum iron (P < 0.05) of sows, as well as final litter weight (P < 0.05) and average daily weight of piglets (P < 0.05) during days 1-21 of lactation, as well as iron and manganese content in umbilical cord blood (P < 0.05) and hepatic iron of neonatal piglets (P < 0.01), and decreased fecal iron (P < 0.001), serum calcium (P < 0.05), phosphorus (P < 0.05), and zinc (P < 0.01) in the parturient sow. RT-qPCR results showed that Fpn1 and Zip14 in placenta, as well as TfR1 and Zip14 in duodenum of neonatal piglets, were activated by maternal EP-Fe supplement. These findings suggest that maternal dietary EP-Fe could increase iron storage of neonatal piglets via improving placental iron transport and iron secretion in colostrum, thus enhancing the growth performance of sucking piglets.

Efficacy and safety of total glucosides of paeony in the treatment of recurrent aphthous ulcers: a single-center, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Introduction: There has been a lack of treatments available to lower the frequency of recurrent aphthous ulcers (RAUs) until now. Total glucosides of paeony (TGP) is a botanical drug extracted from the dried roots of Paeonia lactiflora Pall. [Ranunculaceae; Paeoniae Radix Alba]. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TGP in the treatment of RAU. Methods: This study was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR1900025623). Patients were randomly assigned to the TGP or placebo group and treated with 1.8 g/day for 24 weeks. Participants were observed for a total of 36 weeks and were asked to record ulcer severity, medication, and adverse reactions in the form of diaries or apps every day. The primary outcome was the monthly ulcer-free interval. Results: A total of 79 individuals were enrolled, with 40 assigned to the TGP group and 39 to the placebo group. The dropout rate was 18.18%. In the TGP group, the monthly ulcer-free interval was significantly longer than baseline (median, 9.6 days) since weeks 13-24 (median, 18.5 days) (p < 0.05), and after discontinuation, it was further prolonged (median, 24.7 days) than in weeks 13-24 (p < 0.05). In addition, the monthly ulcer-free interval was longer in the TGP group than in the placebo group (median, 15.9 days) at weeks 25-36 (p < 0.001). There were better improvements in the monthly number of ulcers and monthly area of ulcers, and visual analog scoring in the TGP group at weeks 25-36 (p < 0.001). Conclusion: TGP had a good long-term therapeutic effect on RAU with frequent occurrence. Systematic Review Registration: www.chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR1900025623.

Antimalarial and neuroprotective ent-abietane diterpenoids from the aerial parts of Phlogacanthus curviflorus.

Six new ent-abietane diterpenoids, abientaphlogatones A-F (1-6), along with two undescribed ent-abietane diterpenoid glucosides, abientaphlogasides A-B (7-8) and four known analogs were isolated from the aerial parts ofPhlogacanthus curviflorus (P. curviflorus). The structures of these compounds were determined using high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS), one-dimensional and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra, and quantum chemical calculations. Notably, compounds 5 and 6 represented the first reported instances of ent-norabietane diterpenoids from the genus Phlogacanthus. In the ß-hematin formation inhibition assay, compounds 2, 4, 7-10, and 12 displayed antimalarial activity, with IC50 values of 12.97-65.01 µmol·L-1. Furthermore, compounds 4, 5, 8, and 10 demonstrated neuroprotective activity in PC12 cell injury models induced by H2O2 and MPP+.

Recent advances in gut microbiota-associated natural products: structures, bioactivities, and mechanisms.

Covering: 2014 to June 2022The gut microbiota has attracted increasing attention from researchers due to its critical role in regulating human physiology and pathophysiology. Natural products (NPs) produced or transformed by gut microbes are key signalling mediators for a variety of physiological functions. On the other hand, NPs from ethnomedicines have also been found to generate health benefits through modulation of the gut microbiota. In this highlight, we review the most recent studies related to gut microbiota-derived NPs and bioactive NPs that regulate physiological and pathological processes via gut microbiota-associated mechanisms. We also outline the strategies for the discovery of gut microbiota-derived NPs and the methodologies of how to elucidate the crosstalk between bioactive NPs and the gut microbiota.

Co-occurrence network in core microorganisms driving the transformation of phosphorous fractionations during phosphorus recovery product used as soil fertilizer.

Phosphorus recovery from water and the subsequent reuse of its products can solve both water eutrophication and phosphorus resource waste issues. However, the potential use of the final recovered products as crop phosphorus fertilizers and the transformation of phosphorus fractions in soils have rarely been analyzed. In this study, the effects of a phosphorus recovery product (w-HC/CSH/P) obtained from our previous phosphorus recovery study on pepper growth were investigated. The association between soil phosphorus fraction transformation and the microbial co-occurrence network was investigated using high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that amendment with w-HC/CSH/P could promote the growth and chlorophyll content of pepper, which exhibited high phosphorus fertilizer efficiency. In addition, applying w-HC/CSH/P in soils could increase the microbial alpha-diversity during pepper cultivation and induce changes in the microbial community, leading to an increase in the relative abundance of Povalibacter, Lysobacter, and GP10 and a decrease in GP17. The proportion of Resin-P and NaHCO3-Po decreased, whereas that of NaOH-Po increased during pepper cultivation. psOTU331 (g_Latescibacteria), psOTU377 (g_Lysobacter), and psOTU461 (g_Pseudoxanthomonas) were the key microorganisms driving the transformation of phosphorus fractionation in the microbial co-occurrence network. Latescibacteria and Lysobacter were closely correlated with the transformation of NaHCO3-Po to NaOH-Po, and Pseudoxanthomonas was significantly correlated with a decrease in Resin-P. These observations highlight the potential of phosphorus recovery products as fertilizer for pepper and provide new insights into the transformation of phosphorus fractions corresponding to the microbiome in soils.

[Application and thinking of acupuncture therapy in comprehensive management of hypertension].

The theory of disease prevention with traditional Chinese medicine is introduced into the prevention of chronic diseases such as hypertension. In order to fully implement the advantages of acupuncture, the three-level prevention strategy is strengthened on the whole-process intervention with acupuncture for hypertension, including prevention before disease onset, starting intervention at the early phase, and prevention disease from exacerbating. Moreover, the comprehensive management scheme, multidisciplinary coordination and participation mechanism are investigated in the field of traditional Chinese medicine for preventive treatment of hypertension.

Turning gray selenium and sublimed sulfur into a nanocomposite to accelerate tissue regeneration by isothermal recrystallization.

BACKGROUND: Globally, millions of patients suffer from regenerative deficiencies, such as refractory wound healing, which is characterized by excessive inflammation and abnormal angiogenesis. Growth factors and stem cells are currently employed to accelerate tissue repair and regeneration; however, they are complex and costly. Thus, the exploration of new regeneration accelerators is of considerable medical interest. This study developed a plain nanoparticle that accelerates tissue regeneration with the involvement of angiogenesis and inflammatory regulation. METHODS: Grey selenium and sublimed sulphur were thermalized in PEG-200 and isothermally recrystallised to composite nanoparticles (Nano-Se@S). The tissue regeneration accelerating activities of Nano-Se@S were evaluated in mice, zebrafish, chick embryos, and human cells. Transcriptomic analysis was performed to investigate the potential mechanisms involved during tissue regeneration. RESULTS: Through the cooperation of sulphur, which is inert to tissue regeneration, Nano-Se@S demonstrated improved tissue regeneration acceleration activity compared to Nano-Se. Transcriptome analysis revealed that Nano-Se@S improved biosynthesis and ROS scavenging but suppressed inflammation. The ROS scavenging and angiogenesis-promoting activities of Nano-Se@S were further confirmed in transgenic zebrafish and chick embryos. Interestingly, we found that Nano-Se@S recruits leukocytes to the wound surface at the early stage of regeneration, which contributes to sterilization during regeneration. CONCLUSION: Our study highlights Nano-Se@S as a tissue regeneration accelerator, and Nano-Se@S may provide new inspiration for therapeutics for regenerative-deficient diseases.

Dietary nucleotides influences intestinal barrier function, immune responses and microbiota in 3-day-old weaned piglets.

Nucleotides (NTs) play a pivotal role in the growth and development of the intestine. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of nucleotides supplementation on the intestinal barrier function, immune responses and microbiota in 3-day-old weaned piglets. Ninety-six piglets weaned at 3-days after birth were randomly assigned to 2 treatments (6 replicates/treatment, 8 piglets/replicate) according to the average body weight. The dietary treatments consisted of the control (CON; fed a basal artificial milk) and nucleotides groups (NT; fed a basal artificial milk with 0.035 % nucleotides, the contents of CMP, UMP, AMP, GMP, and IMP were 1:1:1:1:1, respectively). Diarrhea rates were recorded, and blood and intestinal samples were collected on day 35 of the piglets. The current study showed that NTs supplementation tended to decrease the diarrhea rate of weaned piglets (P < 0.10). NTs increased villus height and the villus height-to-crypt depth (V/C) ratio in the ileum (P < 0.05). Dietary NTs up-regulated protein expression of ZO-1 in ileal mucosa (P < 0.05), and the protein expression of Occludin tended to increase. Furthermore, NTs up-regulated the mRNA expression of Mucin (MUC)2, while the mRNA expression of MUC4 was down-regulated in the ileal mucosa (P < 0.05). Besides, supplementation with NTs increased the ileal mucosa genes expression of IL-21, INF-γ, IL-10, IL-4, IL-6 and TNF-α (P < 0.05). Furthermore, dietary NTs increased the protein expression of NF-κB, IL-6 and TNF-α (P < 0.05), and the proteins expression of Occludin and p-NF-κB tended to be up-regulated in the ileal mucosa (P < 0.10). Furthermore, NTs supplementation increased short chain fatty acid in the colonic (P < 0.05). And NTs supplementation reduced the Firmicutes/Bacteroidota ratio in the colon, at the genus level, NTs enriched the relative abundance of Prevotella, Faecalibacterium and Olsenella (P < 0.05). These data indicate that NTs could increase the villus height, increase the V/C, regulate the expression of tight junction protein and mucin, improve the intestinal barrier of piglets, regulate the secretion of cytokines, improve the biological immunity, increase the abundance of beneficial bacteria, and thus reduce the diarrhea of piglets.

Epitaxial substitution of metal iodides for low-temperature growth of two-dimensional metal chalcogenides.

The integration of various two-dimensional (2D) materials on wafers enables a more-than-Moore approach for enriching the functionalities of devices1-3. On the other hand, the additive growth of 2D materials to form heterostructures allows construction of materials with unconventional properties. Both may be achieved by materials transfer, but often suffer from mechanical damage or chemical contamination during the transfer. The direct growth of high-quality 2D materials generally requires high temperatures, hampering the additive growth or monolithic incorporation of different 2D materials. Here we report a general approach of growing crystalline 2D layers and their heterostructures at a temperature below 400 °C. Metal iodide (MI, where M = In, Cd, Cu, Co, Fe, Pb, Sn and Bi) layers are epitaxially grown on mica, MoS2 or WS2 at a low temperature, and the subsequent low-barrier-energy substitution of iodine with chalcogens enables the conversion to at least 17 different 2D crystalline metal chalcogenides. As an example, the 2D In2S3 grown on MoS2 at 280 °C exhibits high photoresponsivity comparable with that of the materials grown by conventional high-temperature vapour deposition (~700-1,000 °C). Multiple 2D materials have also been sequentially grown on the same wafer, showing a promising solution for the monolithic integration of different high-quality 2D materials.

The generally useful estimate of solvent systems method facilitates off-line two-dimensional countercurrent chromatography for isolating compositions from Siraitia grosvenorii roots.

Solvent system selection is a crucial and the most time-consuming step for successful countercurrent chromatography separation. A thin-layer chromatography-based generally useful estimate of solvent systems method has been developed to simplify the solvent system selection. We herein utilized the method to select a solvent system for off-line two-dimensional countercurrent chromatography to separate chemical compositions from a complex fraction of the Siraitia grosvenorii root extract. The first-dimensional countercurrent separation using chloroform/methanol/water (10:5.5:4.5, v/v/v) yielded four compounds with high purity and three mixture fractions (Fr I, III, and VII). The second-dimensional countercurrent separation conducted on Fr I, III, and VII using the hexane/ethyl acetate/methanol/water (4:6:6:4, 3:7:3:7, v/v/v) and chloroform/methanol/water (10:9:6, v/v/v) solvent systems, respectively, produced another four compounds. Four triterpenoids and four lignans were finally isolated, including two novel compounds. Hence, the generally useful estimate of solvent systems method is a feasible and efficient approach for selecting an applicable solvent system for separating complex samples. In addition, the off-line two-dimensional countercurrent chromatography method can improve both the peak resolution and the capacity of countercurrent chromatography.

Low-Temperature Synthesis of Hollow ß-Tricalcium Phosphate Particles for Bone Tissue Engineering Applications.

ß-Tricalcium phosphate (ß-TCP) has been extensively used in bone tissue engineering in the form of scaffolds, granules, or as reinforcing phase in organic matrices. Solid-state reaction route at high temperatures (>1000 °C) is the most widely used method for the preparation of ß-TCP. The high-temperature synthesis, however, results in the formation of hard agglomerates and fused particles which necessitates postprocessing steps such as milling and sieving operations. This, inadvertently, could lead to introducing unwanted trace elements, promoting particle shape irregularity as well as compromising the biodegradability and bioactivity of ß-TCP because of the solid microstructure of particles. In this study, we introduce a one-pot wet-chemical method at low temperatures (between 160 and 170 °C) to synthesize hollow ß-TCP (hß-TCP) submicron particles of an average size of 300 nm with a uniform rhombohedral shape. We assessed the cytocompatibility of the hß-TCP using primary human osteoblasts (HOB), adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC), and antigen-presenting cells (APCs). We demonstrate the bioactivity of the hß-TCP when cultured with HOB, ADSC, and APCs at a range of particle concentrations (up to 1000 µg/mL) for up to 7 days. hß-TCP significantly enhances osteogenic differentiation of ADSC without the addition of osteogenic supplements. These findings offer a new type of ß-TCP particles prepared at low temperatures, which present various opportunities for developing ß-TCP based biomaterials.

The Effects of Oral Administration of Molybdenum Fertilizers on Immune Function of Nanjiang Brown Goat Grazing on Natural Pastures Contaminated by Mixed Heavy Metal.

Mineral development and metal smelting seriously polluted the surrounding groundwater and soil, threatening human health through the food chain. To investigate the effects of different sources of molybdenum (Mo) fertilizers on immune function of Nanjiang brown goats grazing on natural pastures under compound pollutions, fertilizing experiment was carried out in Liangshan Yi Nationality Prefecture of the Western Sichuan Plateau, China. Eighteen square hectometers of polluted meadows were fenced and were randomly divided into three groups (3 replications/group and 2 hm2/replication). A total of 54 healthy Nanjiang brown goats with an average BW of 31.6 ± 1.5 kg (1 year old) were used to this 30-day test (18 goats per group). The goats from CON group, AM group, and PM group were orally supplemented with deionized water, 15 mg Mo/BW·d (ammonium molybdate tetrahydrate), and 15 mg Mo/BW·d (potassium molybdate), respectively. Compared to CON group, the serum Fe content of grazing animals from AM group and PM group was 10.05% and 3.45% higher (P < 0.05), and the serum Cu content of grazing animals from AM group and PM group was 69.05% and 67.86% lower, respectively (P < 0.05). Mo fertilization significantly increased the levels of blood Hb, RBC, and PCV, and the activities of serum SOD, GSH-Px, CAT, and Cp of grazing goats (P < 0.05), and also extremely decreased the MDA content of experimental goats fed Mo compared to the control goats (P < 0.05). Compared to CON group, the activities of serum IgG, IgA, IgM, IL-2, and TNF-α of grazing animals from AM group and PM group were significantly increased (P < 0.05), and the levels of serum IL-6 and IL-1ß of grazing goats from AM group and PM group were extremely decreased (P < 0.05). In summary, oral Mo fertilizers can alter the contents of serum mineral elements, reduce oxidative stress, improve immune function, and relieve the toxic damage of goats grazing on contaminated natural grasslands.

Sesquiterpenes and polyphenols with glucose-uptake stimulatory and antioxidant activities from the medicinal mushroom Sanghuangporus sanghuang.

A chemical investigation on the fermentation products of Sanghuangporus sanghuang led to the isolation and identification of fourteen secondary metabolites (1-14) including eight sesquiterpenoids (1-8) and six polyphenols (9-14). Compounds 1-3 were sesquiterpenes with new structures which were elucidated based on NMR spectroscopy, high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) data. All the isolates were tested for their stimulation effects on glucose uptake in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells, and cellular antioxidant activity. Compounds 9-12 were subjected to molecular docking experiment to primarily evaluate their anti-coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) activity. As a result, compounds 9-12 were found to increase the glucose uptake of insulin-resistant HepG2 cells by 18.1%, 62.7%, 33.7% and 21.4% at the dose of 50 µmol·L-1, respectively. Compounds 9-12 also showed good cellular antioxidant activities with CAA50 values of 12.23, 23.11, 5.31 and 16.04 µmol·L-1, respectively. Molecular docking between COVID-19 Mpro and compounds 9-12 indicated potential SARS-CoV-2 inhibitory activity of these four compounds. This work provides new insights for the potential role of the medicinal mushroom S. sanghuang as drugs and functional foods.