Prevalence and risk evaluation of cardiovascular disease in the newly diagnosed prostate cancer population in China: A nationwide, multi-center, population-based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has emerged as the leading cause of death from prostate cancer (PCa) in recent decades, bringing a great disease burden worldwide. Men with preexisting CVD have an increased risk for major adverse cardiovascular events when treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). The present study was aimed to explore the prevalence and risk evaluation of CVD among people with newly diagnosed PCa in China. METHODS: Clinical data of newly diagnosed PCa patients were retrospectively collected from 34 centers in China from 2010 to 2022 through convenience sampling. CVD was defined as myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, heart failure, stroke, ischemic heart disease, and others. CVD risk was estimated by calculating Framingham risk scores (FRS). Patients were accordingly divided into low-, medium-, and high-risk groups. χ2 or Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of categorical variables. RESULTS: A total of 4253 patients were enrolled in the present study. A total of 27.0% (1147/4253) of patients had comorbid PCa and CVD, and 7.2% (307/4253) had two or more CVDs. The enrolled population was distributed in six regions of China, and approximately 71.0% (3019/4253) of patients lived in urban areas. With imaging and pathological evaluation, most PCa patients were diagnosed at an advanced stage, with 20.5% (871/4253) locally progressing and 20.5% (871/4253) showing metastasis. Most of them initiated prostatectomy (46.6%, 1983/4253) or regimens involving ADT therapy (45.7%, 1944/4253) for prostate cancer. In the present PCa cohort, 43.1% (1832/4253) of patients had hypertension, and half of them had poorly controlled blood pressure. With FRS stratification, as expected, a higher risk of CVD was related to aging and metabolic disturbance. However, we also found that patients with treatment involving ADT presented an originally higher risk of CVD than those without ADT. This was in accordance with clinical practice, i.e., aged patients or patients at advanced oncological stages were inclined to accept systematic integrative therapy instead of surgery. Among patients who underwent medical castration, only 4.0% (45/1118) received GnRH antagonists, in stark contrast to the grim situation of CVD prevalence and risk. CONCLUSIONS: Prostate cancer patients in China are diagnosed at an advanced stage. A heavy CVD burden was present at the initiation of treatment. Patients who accepted ADT-related therapy showed an original higher risk of CVD, but the awareness of cardiovascular protection was far from sufficient.

Use of the Serum Level of Cholinesterase as a Prognostic Marker of Nonfatal Clinical Outcomes in Patients Hospitalized with Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Introduction: Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) contributes to a poor prognosis. Reliable biomarkers to predict adverse outcomes during hospitalization are important. Aim: To investigate the relationship between the serum cholinesterase (ChE) level and adverse clinical outcomes, including hypoxemia severity, hypercapnia, duration of hospital stay (DoHS), and noninvasive ventilation (NIV) requirement, in patients with AECOPD. Methods: Patients hospitalized with AECOPD in the Wuhu Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine between January 2017 and December 2021 were included. Results: A total of 429 patients were enrolled. The serum ChE level was significantly lower in patients with hypercapnia, who required NIV during hospitalization and who had a DoHS of >10 days, with an oxygenation index < 300. The ChE level was correlated negatively with the C-reactive protein level and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and correlated positively with the serum albumin level. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that a serum ChE level of ≤4116 U/L (OR = 2.857, 95% CI = 1.46-5.58, p = 0.002) was associated significantly with NIV requirement. Conclusions: The serum ChE level was correlated significantly with complicating severe hypoxemia, hypercapnia, prolonged DoHS, and the need for NIV in patients hospitalized with AECOPD. The serum ChE level is a clinically important risk-stratification biomarker in patients hospitalized with AECOPD.

Significance of phosphorus deficiency for the mitigation of mercury toxicity in the Robinia pseudoacacia L.- rhizobia symbiotic association.

Nitrogen (N2)-fixing legumes can be used for phytoremediation of toxic heavy metal Mercury (Hg) contaminated soil, but N2-fixation highly relies on phosphorus (P) availability for nodule formation and functioning. Here, we characterized the significance of P deficiency for Hg accumulation and toxicity in woody legume plants. Consequences for foliar and root traits of rhizobia inoculation, Hg exposure (+Hg) and low P (-P) supply, individually and in combination were characterized at both the metabolite and transcriptome levels in seedlings of two Robinia pseudoacacia L. provenances originating from contrasting climate and soil backgrounds, i.e., GS in northwest and the DB in northeast China. Our results reveal that depleted P mitigates the toxicity of Hg at the transcriptional level. In leaves of Robinia depleted P reduced oxidative stress and improved the utilization strategy of C, N and P nutrition; in roots depleted P regulated the expression of genes scavenging oxidative stress and promoting cell membrane synthesis. Rhizobia inoculation significantly improved the performance of both Robinia provenances under individual and combined +Hg and -P by promoting photosynthesis, increasing foliar N and P content and reducing H2O2 and MDA accumulation despite enhanced Hg uptake. DB plants developed more nodules, had higher biomass and accumulated higher Hg amounts than GS plants and thus are suggested as the high potential Robinia provenance for future phytoremediation of Hg contaminated soils with P deficiency.

Two new 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone derivatives and two sesquiterpenes from agarwood of Aquilaria sinensis with anti-inflammatory activity.

Two new 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones (1-2), two new sesquiterpenes (12-13), and twelve known compounds (3-11, 14-16) were isolated from agarwood of Aquilaria sinensis. These structures were confirmed by HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR spectra. The absolute configurations of two new sesquiterpenes were determined by comparing the experimental and calculated ECD spectra. Among them, 7,8-dihydroxy-2-[2-(4'-methoxyphenyl)ethyl]chromone (2) was the first time found that the hydroxyl groups at both C-7/C-8 in agarwood. And Aseudesm B (13), the aldehyded methyl group at C-5 of eucalyptane sesquiterpenes was first discovered in natural products. In the bioassays, all compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory activity against lipopolysaccharide-activated nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW264.7 cells. Compounds 2-5, 7, 9-10, and 13-14 revealed notable inhibitory effects against NO production with IC50 values ranging from 4.0 to 13.0 µM.

Antagonistic effect of mercury and excess nitrogen exposure reveals provenance-specific phytoremediation potential of black locust-rhizobia symbiosis.

Interaction of different environmental constrains pose severe threats to plants that cannot be predicted from individual stress exposure. In this context, mercury (Hg), as a typical toxic and hazardous heavy metal, has recently attracted particular attention. Nitrogen (N2)-fixing legumes can be used for phytoremediation of Hg accumulation, whereas N availability could greatly affect its N2-fixation efficiency. However, information on the physiological responses to combined Hg exposure and excess N supply of woody legume species is still lacking. Here, we investigated the interactive effects of rhizobia inoculation, Hg exposure (+Hg), and high N (+N) supply, individually and in combination (+N*Hg), on photosynthesis and biochemical traits in Robinia pseudoacacia L. seedlings of two provenances, one from Northeast (DB) and one from Northwest (GS) China. Our results showed antagonistic effects of combined + N*Hg exposure compared to the individual treatments that were provenance-specific. Compared to individual Hg exposure, combined + N*Hg stress significantly increased foliar photosynthesis (+50.6%) of inoculated DB seedlings and resulted in more negative (-137.4%) δ15N abundance in the roots. Furthermore, combined + N*Hg stress showed 47.7% increase in amino acid N content, 39.4% increase in NR activity, and 14.8% decrease in MDA content in roots of inoculated GS seedlings. Inoculation with rhizobia significantly promoted Hg uptake in both provenances, reduced MDA contents of leaves and roots, enhanced photosynthesis and maintained the nutrient balance of Robinia. Among the two Robinia provenances investigated, DB seedlings formed more nodules, had higher biomass and Hg accumulation than GS seedlings. For example, total Hg concentrations in leaves and roots and total biomass of inoculated DB seedlings were 1.3,1.9 and 3.4 times higher than in inoculated GS seedlings under combined + N*Hg stress, respectively. Therefore, the DB provenance is considered to possess a higher potential for phytoremediation of Hg contamination compared to the GS provenance in environments subjected to N deposition.

Consequences of excess urea application on photosynthetic characteristics and nitrogen metabolism of Robinia pseudoacacia seedlings.

Urea is the most frequently used nitrogen (N) fertilizer worldwide. However, the mechanisms in plants to cope with excess urea are largely unknown, especially for woody legumes that can meet their N demand by their own N2-fixation capacity. Here, we studied the immediate consequences of different amounts of urea application and exposure duration on photosynthesis, N metabolism, and the activity of antioxidative enzymes of Robinia pseudoacacia seedlings. For this purpose, seedlings were grown for 3 months under normal N availability with rhizobia inoculation and, subsequently, 50 mg N kg-1 was applied to the soil twice with urea as additional N source. Our results show that excess urea application significantly promoted photosynthesis, which increased by 80.3% and 84.7% compared with CK after the 1st and 2nd urea applications, respectively. The increase in photosynthesis translated into an increase in root and nodule biomass of 88.7% and 82.0%, respectively, while leaf biomass decreased by 4.8% after the first application of urea. The N content in leaves was 92.6% higher than in roots, but excess urea application increased the N content of protein and free amino acids in roots by 25.0%, and 43.3%, respectively. Apparently, enhanced root growth and N storage in the roots constitute mechanisms to prevent the negative consequences of excess N in the shoot upon urea application. Nitrate reductase (NR) activity of leaves and roots increased by 74.4% and 26.3%, respectively. Glutathione reductase (GR) activity in leaves and roots was enhanced by 337% and 34.0%, respectively, but then decreased rapidly to the initial level before fertilization. This result shows that not only N metabolism, but also antioxidative capacity was transiently promoted by excess urea application. Apparently, excess urea application initially poses oxidative stress to the plants that is immediately counteracted by enhanced scavenging of reactive oxygen species via enhanced GR activity.

Needle retaining after electroacupuncture combined with cognitive training for post-stroke cognitive impairment: a multi-center randomized controlled trial. / ç”µé’ˆåŽç•™é’ˆè”åˆè®¤çŸ¥è®­ç»ƒæ²»ç–—è„‘å’ä¸­åŽè®¤çŸ¥åŠŸèƒ½éšœç¢ï¼šå¤šä¸­å¿ƒéšæœºå¯¹ç §è¯•éªŒ.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy of needle retaining after electroacupuncture combined with cognitive training and electroacupuncture combined with cognitive training in the treatment of post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI). METHODS: A total of 206 patients with PSCI were randomized into a needle retaining group (103 cases, 9 cases dropped out) and an electroacupuncture group (103 cases, 6 cases dropped out). In addition to the conventional basic medical treatment and the rehabilitation treatment, in the needle retaining group, electroacupuncture at Shenting (GV 24) and Baihui (GV 20) was applied, with continuous wave of 50 Hz in the first 15 min and with disperse-dense wave of 2 Hz/50 Hz in the last 15 min, the needles were continuously retained for 1 h after electroacupuncture, during which cognitive training was adopted; in the electroacupuncture group, cognitive training was performed after the same electric stimulation exerted for 30 min, without additional needles retaining. The treatment was given once a day, 5 times a week for totally 8 weeks in the two groups. Before and after 8-week treatment, the TCM syndrome score was observed; before and after 4,8-week treatment, the scores of mini-mental state examination (MMSE), Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) and ability of daily living were observed in the two groups. The clinical efficacy of the two groups was evaluated after 8-week treatment. RESULTS: After 8-week treatment, the TCM syndrome scores were increased compared with those before treatment in both groups (P<0.05); the TCM syndrome score in the needle retaining group was higher than that in the electroacupuncture group (P<0.05).After 4,8-week treatment, the scores of MMSE, MoCA and ability of daily living were increased compared with those before treatment in both groups (P<0.05); MMSE, MoCA scores after 4,8-week treatment and ability of daily living score after 8-week treatment in the needle retaining group were higher than those in the electroacupuncture group (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 90.4% (85/94) in the needle retaining group, which was superior to 82.5% (80/97) in the electroacupuncture group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Both needle retaining after electroacupuncture combined with cognitive training and electroacupuncture combined with cognitive training can effectively treat PSCI, improve the clinical symptom, cognitive function and ability of daily living in PSCI patients. Needle retaining after electroacupuncture combined with cognitive training has a better therapeutic effect.

New Lupanes from Alstonia scholaris Reducing Uric Acid Level.

Twelve lupanes including three new compounds named alstoscholarilups A-C (1: -3: ) were isolated from the leaves of Alstonia scholaris. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis and ECD calculation. Structurally, compound 1: with a rare A ring-seco skeleton formed lactone and degraded C-3, while 2: with a 28-nor and 3: with a 29-nor-lupane skeleton supported the phytochemical diversity and novelty of the plant. Pharmacologically, compounds 4, 7: , and 10: reduced the serum uric acid (UA) levels of mice significantly.

Molten salts for efficient removal of radioactive contaminants from stainless steel surface: Mechanisms and applications.

Here, we have demonstrated an innovative decontamination strategy using molten salts as a solvent to clean stubborn uranium contaminants on stainless steel surfaces. The aim of this work was to investigate the evolutionary path of contaminants in molten salts to reveal the decontamination mechanism, thus providing a basis for the practical application of the method. Thermodynamic analysis revealed that alkali metal hydroxides, carbonates, chlorides and nitrates can react with uranium oxides (UO3 and U3O8) to form various uranates. Notably, the decontamination mechanism was elucidated by analyzing the chemical composition of the contaminants in the molten salts and the surface morphology of the specimens considering NaOH-Na2CO3-NaCl melt as the decontaminant. The decontamination process involved two stages: a rapid decontamination stage dominated by the thermal effect of molten salt, and a stable decontamination stage governed by the chemical reactions and diffusion of molten salt. Subsequently, a multiple decontamination strategy was implemented to achieve high decontamination rates and low residual radioactivity. Within the actual cleaning time of 30 min, the decontamination efficiency (DE) of UO3-contaminated specimens reached 97.8% and 93.0% for U3O8-contaminated specimens. Simultaneously, the radioactivity levels of all specimens were reduced to below the control level for reuse in the nuclear domain. Particularly, the actual radioactive waste from the nuclear industry reached a reusable level of radioactivity after decontamination. The NaOH-Na2CO3-NaCl melt outperforms conventional chemical solvents and may be one of the most rapid and efficient decontaminants for stubborn uranium contamination of metal surfaces, which provides insights in regard to handling nuclear waste.

[Current status of animal experiment report of acupuncture intervention in chronic fatigue syndrome based on ARRIVE guidelines and GSPC list].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the current status of animal experiments of acupuncture in intervening chronic fatigue syndrome, so as to search formethods to improve the quality of animal experiment reports. METHODS: From the databases, such as CNKI, VIP, Wanfang, SinoMed, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and Cochrane Library, the literature of animal experiment on acupuncture treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome was searched from January 1st, 2011 to April 2nd, 2022. Data were extracted according to the animal research reporting in vivo experiment (ARRIVE) guidelines 2.0 and gold standard publication checklist (GSPC), and statistical analysis was performed using Excel 2019. RESULTS: A total of 16 studies were finally included. The satis-faction rate of essential items in the ARRIVE guidelines 2.0 is 41.76%，while the satisfaction rate of recommended items is only 27.73% and of the GSPC is 25.89%. Out of 16 studies, 13 of them explained the reasons for animal exclusion in the experiment, 8 provided specific randomized methods, 8 described detailed information on animal species, strains, and quantities, 3 basically indicated that they had passed ethical review, 7 explained the limitations of the research. All 16 studies reported the main findings and elucidated their potential clinical or scientific value. CONCLUSION: Current animal studies on acupuncture in intervening the chronic fatigue syndrome are of certain limitation. Descriptions of multiple items are incomplete or missing, which prevents rea-ders from assessing reliability and authenticity of the animal experiment. It is recommended that in future research, experimental design, execution and report should be carried out according to the report guidelines for animal experiment to improve research quality.

Endophytic fungus Colletotrichum sp. AP12 promotes growth physiology and andrographolide biosynthesis in Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees.

Endophytic fungi can promote host plant growth, enhance antioxidant defense enzyme activity, and induce the biosynthesis and accumulation of secondarymetabolites. Therefore, using endophytic fungi to improve the quality and yield of medicinal plants or important crops is an effective means of regulation. Colletotrichum sp. AP12 has been reported to produce andrographolide compounds (ADCs). This study aimed to investigate the effects of AP12 and its elicitors on the growth, defense enzyme activity, accumulation, and transcription levels of key genes in Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees (A. paniculata). Using fermentation method to prepare AP12 into the inactivated fermentation solution (IFS), fermentation solution (FS), inactivated mycelium solution (IMS), and mycelium solution (MS), and the results showed that all four fungal elicitor components (ECs) could promote A. paniculata growth, enhance antioxidant defense enzymes, and increase ADC content and yield, especially the IMS group that had the highest leaf area, whole plant dry weight, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) enzyme activities, total lactone contents, and yields, which were 2.37-, 1.60-, 2.20-, 3.27-, 1.59-, and 2.65-fold of the control, respectively. The 14-deoxyandrographolide (NAD) in the host irrigated with MS was 3.35-fold that of the control. In addition, AP12-infected A. paniculata sterile seedlings could significantly increase ADC content and expression levels of key enzyme genes, especially on day 12, when the total lactone content of the host reached 88.881± 5.793 mg/g DW, while on day 6, CPS gene expression level reached 10.79-fold that of the control, in turn promoting the biosynthesis and accumulation of andrographolide. In conclusion, the endophytic fungus AP12 is beneficial to the growth and secondary metabolism of A. paniculata, which is helpful for the cultivation and application of the biological bacterial fertilizer in A. paniculata, providing a theoretical and research basis for the use of endophytic fungi as a microbial resource to improve the quality and yield of medicinal plants.

Melatonin Promotes Mitochondrial Biogenesis and Mitochondrial Degradation in Hepatocytes During Sepsis.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the protective mechanisms of melatonin in an in vitro model of sepsis-induced hepatocyte injury, specifically focusing on mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis. Methods: In this study, we utilized lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated AML12 cells to establish an in vitro model of sepsis-induced hepatocyte injury. The effects of melatonin pretreatment were examined through various analyses, including assessments of oxidative stress, inflammation, mitophagy, mitochondrial biogenesis, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels. Results: The results revealed that LPS-treated AML12 cells exhibited elevated levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6 protein, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and lipid peroxidation, specifically malondialdehyde (MDA). Moreover, the levels of key markers associated with mitophagy, including PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1), parkin, and LC3, were significantly increased (P < .05). Similarly, markers of mitochondrial biogenesis, such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator 1α (PGC-1α), nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF1), and mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM), were also significantly increased (P < .05). Conversely, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and ATP levels were significantly decreased in LPS-treated AML12 cells compared to the control group (P < .05). However, melatonin pretreatment led to a significant decrease in TNF-α and IL-6 protein levels, intracellular ROS, and MDA levels (P < .05), along with a significant increase in SOD activity, ATP levels, and markers of mitophagy and mitochondrial. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that melatonin plays a role in regulating mitochondrial quality control in sepsis-induced hepatocytes. It achieves this result by promoting mitophagy and inducing mitochondrial biogenesis, thereby selectively eliminating dysfunctional mitochondria.

Metabolic profiling of Chimonanthus grammatus via UHPLC-HRMS-MS with computer-assisted structure elucidation and its antimicrobial activity.

Chimonanthus grammatus is used as Hakka traditional herb to treat cold, flu, etc. So far, the phytochemistry and antimicrobial compounds have not been well investigated. In this study, the orbitrap-ion trap MS was used to characterize its metabolites, combined with a computer-assisted structure elucidation method, and the antimicrobial activities were assessed by a broth dilution method against 21 human pathogens, as well as the bioassay-guided purification work to clarify its main antimicrobial compounds. A total of 83 compounds were identified with their fragmentation patterns, including terpenoids, coumarins, flavonoids, organic acids, alkaloids, and others. The plant extracts can strongly inhibit the growth of three Gram-positive and four Gram-negative bacteria, and nine active compounds were bioassay-guided isolated, including homalomenol C, jasmonic acid, isofraxidin, quercitrin, stigmasta-7,22-diene-3ß,5α,6α-triol, quercetin, 4-hydroxy-1,10-secocadin-5-ene-1,10-dione, kaempferol, and E-4-(4,8-dimethylnona-3,7-dienyl)furan-2(5H)-one. Among them, isofraxidin, kaempferol, and quercitrin showed significant activity against planktonic Staphylococcus aureus (IC50 = 13.51, 18.08 and 15.86 µg/ml). Moreover, their antibiofilm activities of S. aureus (BIC50 = 15.43, 17.31, 18.86 µg/ml; BEC50 = 45.86, ≥62.50, and 57.62 µg/ml) are higher than ciprofloxacin. The results demonstrated that the isolated antimicrobial compounds played the key role of this herb in combating microbes and provided benefits for its development and quality control, and the computer-assisted structure elucidation method was a powerful tool for chemical analysis, especially for distinguishing isomers with similar structures, which can be used for other complex samples.

Predicting individual-specific cardiotoxicity responses induced by tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Introduction: Tyrosine kinase inhibitor drugs (TKIs) are highly effective cancer drugs, yet many TKIs are associated with various forms of cardiotoxicity. The mechanisms underlying these drug-induced adverse events remain poorly understood. We studied mechanisms of TKI-induced cardiotoxicity by integrating several complementary approaches, including comprehensive transcriptomics, mechanistic mathematical modeling, and physiological assays in cultured human cardiac myocytes. Methods: Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from two healthy donors were differentiated into cardiac myocytes (iPSC-CMs), and cells were treated with a panel of 26 FDA-approved TKIs. Drug-induced changes in gene expression were quantified using mRNA-seq, changes in gene expression were integrated into a mechanistic mathematical model of electrophysiology and contraction, and simulation results were used to predict physiological outcomes. Results: Experimental recordings of action potentials, intracellular calcium, and contraction in iPSC-CMs demonstrated that modeling predictions were accurate, with 81% of modeling predictions across the two cell lines confirmed experimentally. Surprisingly, simulations of how TKI-treated iPSC-CMs would respond to an additional arrhythmogenic insult, namely, hypokalemia, predicted dramatic differences between cell lines in how drugs affected arrhythmia susceptibility, and these predictions were confirmed experimentally. Computational analysis revealed that differences between cell lines in the upregulation or downregulation of particular ion channels could explain how TKI-treated cells responded differently to hypokalemia. Discussion: Overall, the study identifies transcriptional mechanisms underlying cardiotoxicity caused by TKIs, and illustrates a novel approach for integrating transcriptomics with mechanistic mathematical models to generate experimentally testable, individual-specific predictions of adverse event risk.

Effect of hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin and lecithin co-stabilized nanoemulsions on the konjac glucomannan/pullulan film.

In this study, the various ratio of hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin (HPCD) to lecithin (LEC) was 0:1, 0.5:1, 1:1, 1.5:1 and 2:1 (w/w) co-stabilized cinnamon essential oil (CEO) nanoemulsions were prepared. These nanoemulsions were successfully incorporated in the konjac glucomannan/pullulan polysaccharides-based film matrix. The composition of nanoemulsions and the effect of various nanoemulsions on rheological, mechanical, Water vapor permeability, optical, color, morphology properties, and CEO retention rate of the composite films were characterized. The results demonstrated that HPCD and LEC nanoemulsions had small particle size under 120 nm and high stability during 21 days storage, the incorporation of nanoemulsions reduced the viscosity of film-solution, transmittance, Water vapor permeability and mechanical properties of films, but an appropriate HPCD content 1:1 w/w of nanoemulsions could restored the mechanical properties of the films. Otherwise, 1:1 w/w of nanoemulsion film also exhibited a more compact and uniform structure, Furthermore, 2:1 w/w of nanoemulsion films with high retention rate of CEO, and the antioxidant and better antibacterial activities against E. coli and S. aureus. The nanoemulsion films utilized in this study also prolonged the shelf life of Agaricus bisporus mushrooms and cherries while maintaining their commercial value.

Steroidal alkaloids from the roots of Veratrum stenophyllum.

Three new steroidal alkaloids, veratrasines A - C (1-3), along with ten known analogues (4-13) were isolated from the roots of Veratrum stenophyllum. Their structures were elucidated by NMR and HRESIMS data and comparison with the reported data in the literatures. A plausible biosynthetic pathway for 1 and 2 were proposed. Compounds 1, 3, and 8 showed moderate cytotoxic activity against MHCC97H and H1299 cell lines.

Significant anti-inflammatory aziridine-containing indole alkaloids from the Chinese medicinal plant Alstonia scholaris.

Two unique windmill-like aziridine-containing indole alkaloids, possessing an unprecedented 6/5/5/6/6/5/3 rigid ring system and an unusual azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane core, were isolated from Alstonia scholaris. Their structures were established by spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electronic circular dichroism calculations. The novel compounds exhibited significant anti-inflammatory bioactivity in vitro and alleviated LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice.

Spatiotemporal Developmental Gradient of Thalamic Morphology, Microstructure, and Connectivity fromthe Third Trimester to Early Infancy.

Thalamus is a critical component of the limbic system that is extensively involved in both basic and high-order brain functions. However, how the thalamic structure and function develops at macroscopic and microscopic scales during the perinatal period development is not yet well characterized. Here, we used multishell high-angular resolution diffusion MRI of 144 preterm-born and full-term infants in both sexes scanned at 32-44 postmenstrual weeks (PMWs) from the Developing Human Connectome Project database to investigate the thalamic development in morphology, microstructure, associated connectivity, and subnucleus division. We found evident anatomic expansion and linear increases of fiber integrity in the lateral side of thalamus compared with the medial part. The tractography results indicated that thalamic connection to the frontal cortex developed later than the other thalamocortical connections (parieto-occipital, motor, somatosensory, and temporal). Using a connectivity-based segmentation strategy, we revealed that functional partitions of thalamic subdivisions were formed at 32 PMWs or earlier, and the partition developed toward the adult pattern in a lateral-to-medial pattern. Collectively, these findings revealed faster development of the lateral thalamus than the central part as well as a posterior-to-anterior developmental gradient of thalamocortical connectivity from the third trimester to early infancy.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This is the first study that characterizes the spatiotemporal developmental pattern of thalamus during the third trimester to early infancy. We found that thalamus develops in a lateral-to-medial pattern for both thalamic microstructures and subdivisions; and thalamocortical connectivity develops in a posterior-to-anterior gradient that thalamofrontal connectivity appears later than the other thalamocortical connections. These findings may enrich our understanding of the developmental principles of thalamus and provide references for the atypical brain growth in neurodevelopmental disorders.

In vitro simulated digestion of and microbial characteristics in colonic fermentation of polysaccharides from four varieties of Tibetan tea.

Polysaccharides as a functional prebiotic have numerous activities such as regulating intestinal microorganisms and polysaccharide is one of the functional active components in tea has been known. In this study, we aimed to investigate the physicochemical characteristics of polysaccharides from four kinds of Tibetan teas at simulated digestion stages and the effect on the microbiota of fecal fermentation stages in vitro. The results revealed that Tibetan tea polysaccharides were partially digested during digestion. Additionally, during in vitro fecal microbial fermentation, Tibetan tea polysaccharides can promote the growth of some beneficial bacteria such as Bifidobacterium, Prevotella and Phascolarctobacterium to change the composition of intestinal microorganisms and promote the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Finally, a strong correlation was found between the production of SCFAs and microorganisms including Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium and Lachnoclostridium. These results suggest that Tibetan tea polysaccharides could be developed as a prebiotic to regulate human gut microbiota.

New Ionone Glycosides from the Aerial Parts of Allium sativum and Their Anti-Platelet Aggregation Activity.

The bulbs of Allium sativum known as garlic are widely used as food or seasoning. In China they have been used as a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) since ancient times for the treatment of scabies, tuberculosis, pertussis, diarrhea and dysentery. A. sativum has reportedly shown platelet aggregation inhibition and has been used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. However, there are only few studies focussing on the aerial parts, which are normally discarded during harvest. In this study, two new ionone glycosides, dasuanxinosides D and E (1, 2: ), are isolated from the aerial parts together with 13 known compounds including alkanes derivatives and alkyl glycosides (3 - 15: ), which are reported for the first time from this plant. Their structures are identified by extensive NMR and HRMS analyses. The isolated compounds are evaluated for their inhibitory effect on adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced platelet aggregation in vitro.