Relationship between Dietary Inflammatory Index and Blood Glucose Changes in Patients with Pre-diabetes Mellitus.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the association between the dietary inflammatory index (DII) and blood glucose changes in patients diagnosed with pre-diabetes mellitus (Pre-DM). Methods: The study participants were 111 patients diagnosed with Pre-DM at Taizhou People's Hospital of Jiangsu Province Hospital between January 2019 and December 2021. Patients' initial BG data were collected and recorded. A dietary assessment was performed on all Pre-DM patients, and the DII of each participant was calculated to explore the relationship between DII and BG changes. DII was calculated based on the relation between food and interleukin serum IL-1ß, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10 and CRP. Results: The fasting (FBG), 1-hour postprandial (1hPBG) and 2-hour postprandial blood glucose (2hPBG) levels were (5.43±0.88) mmol/L, (10.67±3.05) mmol/L, and (8.65±2.89) mmol/L, respectively, with statistical significance among them (n=111, F=222.987, P < .001). Multivariate linear regression models were established with FBG, 1hPBG, 2hPBG, and BG changes (2hPBG-FBG and 1hPBG-FBG) as dependent variables. In Model 5, the coefficient (B value) of DII and its 95% (CI) were 0.324 (0.018~0.658) (P = .031), indicating a positive correlation between DII and BG concentration that the change of BG concentration increased by 0.456 mmol/L for every 1 unit increase in DII. Conclusions: DII is a risk factor for Pre-DM patients, so attention should be paid to the content of inflammatory components in the diet, and more intake of anti-inflammatory components is helpful to prevent the occurrence of diabetes further.

Efficacy and safety of Shenbai Granules for recurrent colorectal adenoma: A multicenter randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal adenoma is benign glandular tumor of colon, the precursor of colorectal cancer. But no pharmaceutical medication is currently available to treat and prevent adenomas. PURPOSE: To evaluate efficacy of Shenbai Granules, an herbal medicine formula, in reducing the recurrence of adenomas. STUDY DESIGN: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted by eight hospitals in China. METHODS: Patients who had received complete polypectomy and were diagnosed with adenomas within the recent 6 months were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either Shenbai granules or placebo twice a day for 6 months. An annual colonoscopy was performed during the 2-year follow-up period. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with at least one adenoma detected in the modified intention-to-treat (mITT) population during follow-up for 2 years. The secondary outcomes were the proportion of patients with sessile serrated lesions and other specified polypoid lesions. The data were analyzed using logistic regression. RESULTS: Among 400 randomized patients, 336 were included in the mITT population. We found significant differences between treatment and placebo groups in the proportion of patients with at least one recurrent adenoma (42.5 % vs. 58.6 %; OR, 0.47; 95 % CI, 0.29-0.74; p = 0.001) and sessile serrated lesion (1.8 % vs. 8.3 %; OR, 0.20; 95 % CI, 0.06-0.72; p = 0.01). There was no significant difference in the proportion of patients developing polypoid lesions (70.7 % vs. 77.5 %; OR, 1.43; 95 % CI, 0.88-2.34; p = 0.15) or high-risk adenomas (9.0 % vs. 13.6 %; OR, 0.63; 95 % CI, 0.32-1.25; p = 0.18). CONCLUSION: Shenbai Granules significantly reduced the recurrence of adenomas, indicating that they could be an effective option for adenomas. Future studies should investigate its effects in larger patient populations and explore its mechanism of action to provide more comprehensive evidence for the use of Shenbai Granules in adenoma treatment.

An Analysis of the Current Situation and Influence Factors of Narrative Competence Among Nurses in VIP Ward.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the proficiency level in medical narrative ability among nurses in VIP wards and identify the influencing factors. The objective was to provide valuable insights for enhancing the training and development of medical narrative skills among nurses in VIP wards, with the ultimate goal of promoting narrative nursing in clinical practice. Methods: A survey was conducted of 94 nurses working in VIP wards at a grade-A tertiary hospital in Zhongshan City, using the Narrative Competence Scale. Results: The findings revealed that nurses' overall medical narrative ability in VIP wards was relatively low, with a total score of (135.31±16.50). The primary factors identified as influential were professional titles and familiarity with narrative medicine or narrative nursing, which played significant roles. Specifically, nurses with higher professional titles demonstrated greater proficiency in medical storytelling. Moreover, nurses more familiar with narrative medicine or narrative nursing tended to exhibit higher levels of medical narrative ability. Conclusion: The results of this study highlight the significant opportunity for enhancing the medical narrative ability of nurses in VIP wards. To address this issue, it is recommended that training programs incorporate knowledge and skills related to narrative medicine and narrative nursing into the core competency development of VIP nurses. Additionally, there is a need to introduce narrative nursing practices gradually into clinical care. These measures will empower nurses to enhance their narrative abilities, providing superior nursing services to patients. Ultimately, such efforts will strengthen nurses' sense of professional value and increase the social benefits of nursing care.

Salidroside pretreatment alleviates ferroptosis induced by myocardial ischemia/reperfusion through mitochondrial superoxide-dependent AMPKα2 activation.

BACKGROUND: Ferroptosis, a form of regulated cell death (RCD) that relies on excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, Fe2+accumulation, abnormal lipid metabolism and is involved in various organ ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, expecially in myocardium. Mitochondria are the powerhouses of eukaryotic cells and essential in regulating multiple RCD. However, the links between mitochondria and ferroptosis are still poorly understood. Salidroside (Sal), a natural phenylpropanoid glycoside isolated from Rhodiola rosea, has mult-bioactivities. However, the effects and mechanism in alleviating ferroptosis caused by myocardial I/R injury remains unclear. PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate whether pretreated with Sal could protect the myocardium against I/R damage and the underlying mechanisms. In particular, the relationship between Sal pretreatment, AMPKα2 activity, mitochondria and ROS generation was explored. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Firstly, A/R or I/R injury models were employed in H9c2 cells and Sprague-Dawley rats. And then the anti-ferroptotic effects and mechanism of Sal pretreatment was detected using multi-relevant indexes in H9c2 cells. Further, how does Sal pretreatment in AMPKα2 phosphorylation was explored. Finally, these results were validated by I/R injury in rats. RESULTS: Similar to Ferrostatin-1 (a ferroptosis inhibitor) and MitoTEMPO, a mitochondrial free radical scavenger, Sal pretreatment effectively alleviated Fe2+ accumulation, redox disequilibrium and maintained mitochondrial energy production and function in I/R-induced myocardial injury, as demonstrated using multifunctional, enzymatic, and morphological indices. However, these effects were abolished by downregulation of AMPKα2 using an adenovirus, both in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, the results also provided a non-canonical mechanism that, under mild mitochondrial ROS generation, Sal pretreatment upregulated and phosphorylated AMPKα2, which enhanced mitochondrial complex I activity to activate innate adaptive responses and increase cellular tolerance to A/R injury. CONCLUSION: Overall, our work highlighted mitochondria are of great impotance in myocardial I/R-induced ferroptosis and demonstrated that Sal pretreatment activated AMPKα2 against I/R injury, indicating that Sal could become a candidate phytochemical for the treatment of myocardial I/R injury.

How to achieve adequate quenching for DBP analysis in drinking water?

Quenching is an important step to terminate disinfection during preparation of disinfected water samples for the analysis of disinfection byproducts (DBPs). However, an incomplete quenching might result in continued reactions of residual chlorine, whereas an excessive quenching might decompose target DBPs. Therefore, an adequate quenching to achieve simultaneous disinfection termination and DBP preservation is of particular importance. In this study, the two-stage reaction kinetics of chlorine and three commonly used quenching agents (i.e., ascorbic acid, sodium thiosulfate, and sodium sulfite) were determined. Stopping quenching during the first stage prevented interactions of residual chlorine with natural organic matter. Complete quenching was achieved by minimizing the quenching time for ascorbic acid and sodium sulfite, while limiting the quenching time to less than 3 min for sodium thiosulfate. At the optimized quenching times, the molar ratios (MRs) of quenching agent to chlorine were 1.05, 1.10, and 0.75 for ascorbic acid, sodium sulfite, and sodium thiosulfate, respectively. The destructive effects of the three quenching agents on total organic halogen (TOX) followed the rank order of ascorbic acid (33.7-64.8 %) < sodium sulfite (41.6-72.8 %) < sodium thiosulfate (43.3-73.2 %), and the destructive effects on aliphatic DBPs also followed the rank order of ascorbic acid (29.5-44.5 %) < sodium sulfite (34.9-51.9 %) < sodium thiosulfate (46.9-53.2 %). For total organic chlorine (TOCl) and aliphatic DBPs, the quenching behavior itself had more significant destructive effect than the quenching agent type/dose and quenching time, but for total organic bromine (TOBr), the destructive effect caused by quenching agent type/dose and quenching time was more significant. High-dose, long-duration quenching enhanced the reduction of TOX, but had little effect on aliphatic DBPs. Additionally, the three quenching agents reduced the levels of halophenols (except for tribromophenol), while maintained or increased the levels of tribromophenol, halobenzoic/salicylic acids, and halobenzaldehydes/salicylaldehydes. To achieve adequate quenching for overall DBP analysis in chlorinated water samples, it is recommended to use ascorbic acid at a quenching agent-to-chlorine MR of 1.0 for a quenching time of < 0.5 h.

Nobiletin, an active component of Wenyang Yiqi formula, alleviates constipation associated depression through targeting MAPT to inhibit the MAPK signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Slow transit constipation (STC) is a common gastrointestinal disorder that is often accompanied by depression. Nobiletin is a natural compound that has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and anti-depressant effects. PURPOSE: To study the effects of nobiletin extracted from Wenyang Yiqi Formula 19 (WYF) on STC accompanied by depression and the related mechanism in STC mouse models. METHODS: In this study, the effects of nobiletin on STC accompanied by depression were investigated in both an STC animal model and an in vitro study. The animal model was induced by loperamide, and the in vitro study used Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) isolated from STC mice. The efficacy of nobiletin was assessed by comparing various parameters, including stool particle counts, moisture content, intestinal propulsive rate, colon histopathology, microtubule-associated protein-tau (MAPT) expression in colon tissue, serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, IFN-γ, and the levels of MAPK pathway-related proteins among three experimental groups. RESULTS: Nobiletin treatment significantly improved stool particle counts, moisture content, intestinal propulsive rate, and colon histopathology in the STC animal model. Nobiletin also decreased MAPT expression in colon tissue and serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, IFN-γ, and the levels of MAPK pathway-related proteins. In the in vitro study, nobiletin treatment reversed the increased cell proliferation and cell apoptosis observed in ICC isolated from the STC model. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study indicate that nobiletin exhibits promising therapeutic potential in addressing STC accompanied by depression. This potential may be attributed to its ability to regulate the function of ICC by targeting MAPT.

Myricetin derivatives containing the benzoxazinone moiety discovered as potential anti-tobacco mosaic virus agents.

A series of myricetin derivatives containing benzoxazinone were designed and synthesized. The structures of all compounds were characterized by NMR and HRMS. The structure of Y4 had been confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The test results of EC50 values of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) suggested that Y8 had the best curative and protective effects, with EC50 values of 236.8, 206.0 µg/mL, respectively, which were higher than that of ningnanmycin (372.4, 360.6 µg/mL). Microscale thermophoresis (MST) experiments demonstrated that Y8 possessed a strong binding affinity for tobacco mosaic virus coat protein (TMV-CP), with a dissociation constant (Kd) value of 0.045 µM, which was superior to the ningnanmycin (0.700 µM). The findings of molecular docking studies revealed that Y8 interacted with multiple amino acid residues of TMV-CP through the formation of non-covalent bonds, which had an effect on the self-assembly of TMV particles. The malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase assay (SOD) content assays also fully verified that Y8 could stimulate the plant immune system and enhance disease resistance by reducing MDA content and increasing SOD content. In summary, myricetin derivatives containing benzoxazinone could be considered to further research and development as novel antiviral agents.

Design, synthesis, and bioactivity studies of chalcone derivatives containing [1,2,4]-triazole-[4,3-a]-pyridine.

In this study, 30 chalcone derivatives containing [1,2,4]-triazole-[4,3-a]-pyridine were designed and synthesized. The results of antibacterial activity showed that EC50 values of N26 against Xoo, Pcb was 36.41, 38.53 µg/mL, respectively, which were better than those of thiodiazole copper, whose EC50 values were 60.62, 106.75 µg/mL, respectively. The bacterial inhibitory activity of N26 against Xoo was verified by SEM. Antibacterial mechanism between N26 and Xoo was preliminarily explored, the experimental results showed that when the drug concentration was 100 mg/L, N26 had a good cell membrane permeability of Xoo, and it can inhibit the production of EPS content and extracellular enzyme content to disrupt the integrity of the Xoo biofilms achieving the effect of inhibiting Xoo. At 200 mg/L, N26 can protect and inhibit the lesions of post-harvested potatoes in vivo. The activities of N1-N30 against TMV were determined with half leaf dry spot method. The EC50 values of the curative and protective activity of N22 was 77.64 and 81.55 µg/mL, respectively, which were superior to those of NNM (294.27, 175.88 µg/mL, respectively). MST experiments demonstrated that N22 (Kd = 0.0076 ± 0.0007 µmol/L) had a stronger binding ability with TMV-CP, which was much higher than that of NNM (Kd = 0.7372 ± 0.2138 µmol/L). Molecular docking results showed that N22 had a significantly higher affinity with TMV-CP than NNM.

A serum metabolomics study of vascular cognitive impairment patients based on Traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation.

Objective: Vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) accounts for approximately 50%-70% of all dementia cases and poses a significant burden on existing medical systems. Identifying an optimal strategy for preventing VCI and developing efficient symptomatic treatments remains a significant challenge. Syndrome differentiation represents a fundamental approach for personalized diagnosis and treatment in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and aligns with the principles of precision medicine. The objective of this study was to elucidate the metabolic characteristics of VCI based on TCM syndrome differentiation, thus providing novel insights into the diagnosis and treatment of VCI. Methods: A 2-year cross-sectional cognitive survey was conducted in four communities in Beijing between September 2020 and November 2022. The syndrome differentiation of participants was based on the Kidney-Yang Deficiency Syndrome Scale (KYDSS), which was originally developed by Delphi expert consultation. The identification of serum metabolites was performed by Ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) analysis coupled with an electrospray ionization quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometer (ESI-QTOF MS). Multivariate, univariate, and pathway analyses were used to investigate metabolic changes. Logistic regression models were also used to construct metabolite panels that were capable of discerning distinct groups. Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) levels were measured by a commercial ELISA kit. Results: A total of 2,337 residents completed the survey, and the prevalence of VCI was 9.84%. Of the patients with VCI, those with Kidney-Yang deficiency syndrome (VCIS) accounted for 70.87% of cases and exhibited more severe cognitive impairments. A total of 80 participants were included in metabolomics study, including 30 with VCIS, 20 without Kidney-Yang deficiency syndrome (VCINS), and 30 healthy control participants (C). Ultimately, 45 differential metabolites were identified when comparing the VCIS group with group C, 65 differential metabolites between the VCINS group and group C, and 27 differential metabolites between the VCIS group and the VCINS group. The downregulation of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and phosphatidylcholine (PC) along with the upregulation of lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE), lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), phosphatidic acid (PA) and phospholipase A2 (PLA2) can be considered as the general metabolic characteristics associated with VCI. Dysfunction of glycerophospholipids, particularly LPEs and PCs, was identified as a key metabolic characteristic of VCIS. In particular Glycerophospho-N-Arachidonoyl Ethanolamine (GP-NArE) was discovered for the first time in VCI patients and is considered to represent a potential biomarker for VCIS. The upregulation of PLA2 expression was implicated in the induction of alterations in glycerophospholipid metabolism in both VCIS and VCINS. Moreover, robust diagnostic models were established based on these metabolites, achieving high AUC values of 0.9322, 0.9550, and 0.9450, respectively. Conclusion: These findings contribute valuable information relating to the intricate relationship between metabolic disorders in VCI, neurodegeneration and vascular/neuroinflammation. Our findings also provide a TCM perspective for the precise diagnosis and treatment of VCI in the context of precision medicine.

Synthesis of composite materials combining magnetic metal-organic frameworks and conjugated organic frameworks for selective extraction of carbendazim and thiabendazole residues from Chinese herbal medicine samples.

A magnetic metal-organic framework MIL-68(Al) and a covalent organic framework were used as magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) adsorbents in combination with high-performance liquid chromatography ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV) to detect carbendazim (CBZ) and thiabendazole (TBZ). The main parameters affecting the extraction in the MSPE process were studied and optimized. Fe3O4@MIL-68(Al) coated with 1,3,5-tris(4-aminophenyl)benzene and terephthaldehyde (Fe3O4@MIL-68(Al)@TAPB-PDA-COF) was analyzed and verified. The material was proven to be suitable for adsorbing CBZ and TBZ. Various adsorption models were used to study its adsorption mechanism. The adsorption results were in good agreement with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model. The maximum adsorption capacities of Fe3O4@MIL-68(Al)@TAPB-PDA-COF over CBZ and TBZ were 54.24 and 67.87 mg g-1, respectively, and the equilibrium adsorption time was 200 min. Fe3O4@MIL-68(Al)@TAPB-PDA-COF with excellent recyclability showed higher adsorption capacity and selectivity. A method based on Fe3O4@MIL-68(Al)@TAPB-PDA-COF combined with HPLC-UV was established under the optimal extraction conditions and used to separate and detect trace imidazole drugs in Chinese herbal samples, achieving a low limit of detection (0.65-1.30 µg L-1) with excellent linear correlation (r > 0.999). The recovery rate and relative standard deviation were 86.05-99.78 % and 0.15-4.90 %, respectively. Therefore, the Fe3O4@MIL-68@TAPB-PDA-COF can be regarded as an effective adsorbent for the pretreatment of CBZ and TBZ drugs in Chinese herbal samples.

[Effects of Xihuang Pills on proliferation and apoptosis of prostate cancer LNCaP cells based on AR/m TOR signaling pathway].

Based on the androgen receptor(AR)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)signaling pathway, the effects of Xihuang Pills-medicated serum on the proliferation and apoptosis of prostate cancer LNCaP cells were investigated. The drug-containing serum of SD rats was prepared by intragastric administration of Xihuang Pills suspension. The effects of low-, medium-, and high-dose Xihuang Pills-containing serum on the in vitro proliferation of LNCaP cells were detected by cell counting kit-8(CCK-8). Flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis level of LNCaP cells after intervention with different concentrations of Xihuang Pills. Protein expression of cleaved cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase caspase-3(cleaved caspase-3), B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2), and AR as well as the phosphorylation level of mTOR protein were detected by Western blot. The results showed that compared with the blank serum, the drug-medicated serum could blunt the activity of LNCaP cells. Low-, medium-, and high-dose Xihuang Pills-containing serum could significantly increase the cell apoptosis rate, increase the expression of cleaved caspase-3 protein, decrease the expression of Bcl-2 protein, reduce the expression of AR protein, and down-regulate the level of phosphorylated mTOR(p-mTOR). To study the effect of Xihuang Pills on the growth of LNCaP cells in vivo, different doses of Xihuang Pills were used to intervene in the subcutaneous graft model in nude mice inoculated with LNCaP cells. The expression levels of AR, mTOR, p-mTOR, Bcl-2, and cleaved caspase-3 were detected by Western blot. The results showed that the volumes of subcutaneous graft tumor in the low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose Xihuang Pills groups significantly decreased compared with that in the model group. The weight of subcutaneous transplanted tumor in each group with drug intervention was significantly lower than that in the model group. Compared with the model group, the low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose Xihuang Pills groups showed increased cleaved caspase-3 protein expression, decreased Bcl-2 and AR protein expression, and reduced p-mTOR protein expression. Further experiments showed that AR agonist R1881 could block the anti-proliferation and pro-apoptotic effects of Xihuang Pills. The mechanism of Xihuang Pills against prostate cancer is related to the inhibition of the AR/mTOR signaling pathway, inhibition of LNCaP cell proliferation, and induction of apoptosis in cancer cells.

Enhanced mechanical and functional properties of chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol/hydroxypropyl methylcellulose/alizarin composite film by incorporating cinnamon essential oil and tea polyphenols.

In this study, cinnamon essential oil and tea polyphenols were added to chitosan/ polyvinyl alcohol/ hydroxypropyl methylcellulose/ alizarin composite films to enhance their mechanical and functional properties. Their addition to the composite films enhanced their antibacterial and antioxidant properties and significantly improved its elongation at break (p < 0.05). Cinnamon essential oil reduced the water vapor permeability, water content, and water solubility of composite films and improved their transparency. The composite films with additive exhibited excellent UV-barrier ability and pH responsivity. Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy and X-Ray Diffraction analyses confirmed hydrogen bond formation between the polymer molecules and additives. The results of Scanning Electron Microscope-Focused Ion Beam revealed improved surface and cross-section morphology of the films, leading to the generation of a cross-linked structure. Thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry analysis indicated enhanced thermal stability of the composite films upon cinnamon essential oil addition. Analysis of storage quality indicators (TBARS value, TVC, and TVB-N) revealed that the composite films could prolong the freshness of surimi. The incorporation of cinnamon essential oil and tea polyphenols into the composite films has demonstrated significant potential as an effective and natural alternative for active food packaging.

Hosimosines A-E, structurally diverse cytisine derivatives from the seeds of Ormosia hosiei Hemsl. et Wils.

Ormosia hosiei Hemsl. et Wils (Fabaceae family) is an arbor species endemic to China. The seeds of O. hosiei have been used as traditional Chinese medicine to treat hernia, abdominal pain, blood stasis and amenorrhea. Cytisine-like and angustifoline type alkaloids were main components identified from this plant. In our research on the bioactive alkaloids from the promising Chinese medicinal plants, four new angustifoline type alkaloids (1-4) and a new cytisine-like alkaloid (5), named hosimosine A-E, together with 13 known analogues (6-18) were isolated from the seeds of O. hosiei. Their structures were elucidated by the extensive spectroscopic methods, especially the interpretation of NMR spectra and specific rotations, along with the methods of NMR and ECD calculation. Compounds 1-4 were identified as two pairs of epimers, whose relative configurations were deduced from density functional theory (DFT) calculations of NMR chemical shifts and DP4+ analysis, and absolute configurations were determined by comparison of their experimental and theoretical ECD spectra. Compound 5 displayed two sets of NMR data caused by the existence of tautomeric forms. Compounds 14, 17 and 18 were determined to be enantiomers of literature compounds. Some of the isolates exhibited moderate cytotoxic effects against HepG2, A2780 and MCF-7 cells.

Guijiajiao (Colla Carapacis et Plastri, CCP) prevents male infertility via gut microbiota modulation.

Male infertility is a significant cause of psychosocial and marital distress in approximately 50% of couples who are unable to conceive, with male factors being the underlying cause. Guijiajiao (Colla Carapacis et Plastri, CCP) is a Traditional Chinese Medicine commonly used to treat male infertility. The present study aimed to investigate the potential mechanisms underlying the preventive effects of CCP on male infertility. An infertile male rat model was established using cyclophosphamide (CTX), and CCP was administered for both treatment and prevention. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was also performed to explore the role of gut microbiota in the CCP-mediated prevention of male infertility in rats. Sperm motility and concentration were determined using a semi-automatic sperm classification analyzer. Subsequently, histopathological analysis using HE staining was performed to examine the changes in the small intestine and testis. Moreover, the serum levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and testosterone were measured by ELISA. In addition, immunohistochemistry was conducted to detect CD3 expression in the small intestine, while RT-qPCR was employed to assess the expressions of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß), cluster of differentiation 3 (CD3), Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL-10) in the small intestine and epididymis. Finally, gut microbiota was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing. CCP improved sperm motility, number, and concentration in CTX-induced infertile male rats. CCP increased the serum testosterone level, inhibited the immune cell infiltration of the intestinal lamina propria, and promoted the aggregation of CD3+ T cells in CTX-induced male infertility rats. CCP also inhibited the expressions of MCP-1, CXCL-10, and IL-1ß in the epididymis of male infertility rats. At the genus level, CTX led to a reduction in the abundance of Lactobacillus, Clostridia_UCG.014, and Romboutsia in the intestinal tract of rats. In contrast, CCP decreased the abundance of Ruminococcus and increased the abundance of Romboutsia in infertile male rats. Additionally, FMT experiments proved that the gut microbiota of CCP-treated rats facilitated testicular tissue recovery and spermatogenesis while also reducing the serum LPS level in infertile male rats. CCP improves the spermatogenic ability of infertile male rats by restoring gut microbiota diversity and inhibiting epididymal inflammation.

MWCNTs and ZnO-based Ce-MOF nanocomposites as enhanced sensing platform for electrochemical detection of carbendazim in Chinese traditional herbs samples.

A facile and novel Ce-MOF@MWCNTs@ZnO-modified glassy carbon electrode was prepared through drop coating and used for accurate and sensitive electrochemical detection of carbendazim. The modification of ZnO nanospheres and Ce-based metal-organic frameworks (Ce-MOFs), which possess vast surface/bulk ratio, large surface area, and excellent catalytic ability, provided more active sites for reaction. The combination of multi-walled carbon nanotubes endowed the modified electrode with excellent conductivity and greatly accelerated the electron transfer. The promotion of electrochemical response and the significant improvement of peak current indicated the outstanding electrocatalytic ability of the modified electrode. The oxidation peak current of carbendazim which was measured by DPV in a potential range from 0.5 to 1.0 V produced a good linear relationship in the concentration ranges 0.05-10.0 µM and 10.0-50.0 µM under  optimized experimental conditions. The detection limit was 13.2 nM (S/N = 3). The constructed electrode was successfully applied to the detection of carbendazim in Lithospermum and Glycyrrhiza uralensis real samples and exhibited satisfactory RSD (2.7-3.6% and 1.6-4.8%, respectively) and recovery (102-106% and 97.7-107%, respectively).

Fabricating pectin and chitosan double layer coated liposomes to improve physicochemical stability of beta-carotene and alter its gastrointestinal fate.

To improve storage stability and gastrointestinal (GI) stability of liposomes, pectin and chitosan double layer coated liposome (P-C-L) was proposed and optimized using electrostatic deposition technique. The physical-chemical properties and GI fate of the carrier were then investigated in comparison to that of chitosan coated liposomes (C-L) and un-coated liposomes (L). The results showed P-C-L was successfully prepared at 0.2 % chitosan and 0.06 % pectin. It was hydrogen bonds between the amino groups in chitosan and liposomal interfacial region, and the interaction between the carboxyl groups in pectin layer and amino groups in chitosan layer maintained the structure of P-C-L after absorption by electrostatic interaction. The double layer coatings could improve chemical stability of the encapsulated ß-carotene (ßC), as well as the thermal stability of liposomes. What's more, the permeability of liposomal bilayers and ßC release mechanism in simulated GI fluids was changed by the polymer coating. P-C-L exhibited better controlled release for ßC than C-L and L, and displayer beneficial effect on delivering bioactive agents passing through intensity tract. This may assistant developing more efficient delivery system for bioactive agent.

[Research progress on chemical structures and pharmacological effects of natural cytisine and its derivatives].

Cytisine derivatives are a group of alkaloids containing the structural core of cytisine, which are mainly distributed in Fabaceae plants with a wide range of pharmacological activities, such as resisting inflammation, tumors, and viruses, and affecting the central nervous system. At present, a total of 193 natural cytisine and its derivatives have been reported, all of which are derived from L-lysine. In this study, natural cytisine derivatives were classified into eight types, namely cytisine type, sparteine type, albine type, angustifoline type, camoensidine type, cytisine-like type, tsukushinamine type, and lupanacosmine type. This study reviewed the research progress on the structures, plant sources, biosynthesis, and pharmacological activities of alkaloids of various types.

Exploring potential pharmacological mechanisms of Yiqi Tuomin Decoction in the treatment of allergic rhinitis utilizing network pharmacology prediction and molecular docking-based strategies: experimental research.

Yiqi Tuomin Decoction (YTD), which originated from the theory of lung deficiency and cold in Chinese medicine, is a common Chinese herbal formula used against allergic rhinitis (AR). In our otolaryngology department, this prescription has been used to treat so many AR patients with lung-deficiency-related colds for nearly 30 years. However, the mechanism of its ingredient-target is still unclear. Based on our early experiments and clinical case studies, in this paper, we explore the mechanism of YTD systematically against AR using bioinformatic methods of network pharmacology and molecular docking. Methods: The Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) database was used to screen the active ingredients and targets of YTD. The AR-related targets were retrieved from OMIM, GeneCards, TTD, DisGeNET, DrugBank databases, and PharmGKB. The Venn database was used to screen the potential core targets. After that, the STRING database was used to construct the protein-protein interaction (PPI) of the core targets and then visualize it by Cytoscape. The Gene Ontology (GO)-enriched processes and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways of the core targets were analyzed by the KOBAS-I database and Sangerbox. Molecular docking was used to assess interactions between potential targets and active ingredients. Results: A total of 169 active ingredients and 238 targets of YTD were predicted. YTD shared 115 common targets with AR from the Venn database. The GO-enriched processes and KEGG pathways indicate that genes involved in inflammation and oxidative stress, accompanying the MAPK signaling pathway, Th17 cell differentiation, IL-17 signaling pathway, and Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation, may play a mediated effect in YTD. The docking results showed good binding ability between the active ingredients and the selected targets. Conclusions: Our study systematically indicated the underlying mechanism of YTD against AR from the perspective of bioinformatics. By studying the active ingredients of YTD, we obtained molecular mechanisms and established a reliable method and molecular theoretical basis for the sensible development of Chinese medicine in the treatment of AR.

Selenium Biofortification Enhanced miR167a Expression in Broccoli Extracellular Vesicles Inducing Apoptosis in Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells by Targeting IRS1.

Purpose: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) presents an extremely high morbidity and mortality rate. Broccoli has excellent anti-cancer properties. However, the dosage and serious side effects still limit the application of broccoli and its derivatives for cancer therapy. Recently, extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from plants are emerging as novel therapeutic agents. Thus, we conducted this study to determine the effectiveness of EVs isolated from Se-riched broccoli (Se-BDEVs) and conventional broccoli (cBDEVs) for the treatment of PAAD. Methods: In this study, we first isolated Se-BDEVs and cBDEVs by a differential centrifugation method, and characterized them by using nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Then, miRNA-seq was combined with target genes prediction, and functional enrichment analysis to reveal the potential function of Se-BDEVs and cBDEVs. Finally, the functional verification was conducted in PANC-1 cells. Results: Se-BDEVs and cBDEVs exhibited similar characteristics in size and morphology. Subsequent miRNA-seq revealed the expression of miRNAs in Se-BDEVs and cBDEVs. Using a combination of miRNA target prediction and KEGG functional analysis, we found miRNAs in Se-BDEVs and cBDEVs may play an important role in treating pancreatic cancer. Indeed, our in vitro study showed that Se-BDEVs had greater anti-PAAD potency than cBDEVs due to increased bna-miR167a_R-2 (miR167a) expression. Transfection with miR167a mimics significantly induced apoptosis of PANC-1 cells. Mechanistically, further bioinformatics analysis showed that IRS1, which is involved in the PI3K-AKT pathway, is the key target gene of miR167a. Conclusion: This study highlights the role of miR167a transported by Se-BDEVs which could be a new tool for counteracting tumorigenesis.

Hypoglycemic mechanisms of Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharide in db/db mice via regulation of glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathway and alteration of gut microbiota.

Polygonatum rhizoma polysaccharide (PP) is a main ingredient of Polygonatum rhizoma , which is both food and traditional herbal medicine. In this study, we aimed to investigate the hypoglycemic effect of PP and the underlying mechanisms in db/db mice. Our finding showed that PP significantly ameliorates diabetic symptoms by reducing glucose levels in blood and urine and increasing insulin and leptin abundance in the serum. Histopathological examination revealed that PP improved the pathological state and increased hepatic glycogen storage in liver. Additionally, RT-qPCR results indicated that PP significantly down-regulated the expression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1. Furthermore, 16s rRNA sequencing results demonstrated that PP intervention resulted in an increase in beneficial bacteria genus and a reduction in harmful genus. Redundancy analysis revealed the correlation between intestinal flora and clinical factors. Taken together, these results suggest that PP has a significant hypoglycemic effect on type 2 diabetes (T2D) through up-regulating serum insulin and leptin, as well as hepatic glycogen storage, and down-regulating hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 expression, as well as modulating gut microbiota composition. In conclusion, this study investigated the mechanisms of PP in the treatment of diabetes in db/db mice. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to explore the positive and negative correlations between gut microbiota and clinical factors, such as oxidative stress injury in liver and glucose related indicators in the blood.