Comparison of nutrients status in Liaodong Bay and Northern Yellow Sea, China: Controlling factors and nutrient budgets.

Under the dual stress of global warming and human interaction, Liaodong Bay (LDB) and northern Yellow Sea (NYS) are undergoing significant ecological changes. Little is known about the driving nutrients characteristics supporting fishery resource output in these areas. We carried out three field observations in 2019 to investigate nutrient status. Results showed that dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP), and dissolved silica (DSi) concentrations changed seasonally, with lowest values in spring, and highest values in autumn. High DIN, DIP, and DSi concentrations were detected in LDB and NYS's estuary areas. The Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass plays a role in the distribution and seasonal variation of nutrients. Exchanges across the sediment-water interface, SFGD, atmospheric deposition, and the adjacent sea input dominated DIN dynamics of these areas. DIP primarily came from the adjacent sea input and DSi mainly originated from sediment release and the adjacent sea input. NYS seawater invasion accounted for 13.8% of DIN, 63.4% of DIP, and 35.1% of DSi in LDB. These results provide new insights to better facilitate the formulation of nitrogen and phosphorus reduction and control policies in these marginal seas.

Phyllanthi Tannin Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles for Lung Cancer Therapy: Preparation, Characterization, Pharmacodynamics and Safety Evaluation.

The objective of the present study was to develop PTF-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (PTF-SLNs) and investigate their efficacy in treating lung cancer. The PTF-SLNs were prepared by the thin film hydration method and verified by FTIR and TEM. Their physicochemical properties were characterized by particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, entrapment efficiency (EE), drug loading (DL), etc. Then, the pharmacodynamic studies of PTF-SLNs were performed on Lewis lung cancer cells and tumor-bearing mice. Finally, the safety studies were assessed by organ index, serum biochemical indicators, and histopathological changes. The PTF-SLNs were characterized by around 50 nm sphere nanoparticles, sustained ideal stability, and controlled drug release effects. The pharmacodynamic evaluation results showed that PTF-SLNs had stronger anti-tumor efficacy than PTF. An in vitro study revealed a more obvious cytotoxicity and apoptosis effect. The IC 50 values of PTF and PTF-SLNs were 67.43 µg/mL and 20.74 µg/mL, respectively. An in vivo study showed that the tumor inhibition rates of 2 g/kg PTF and 0.4 g/kg PTF-SLNs were 59.97% and 64.55%, respectively. The safety preliminary study indicated that PTF-SLNs improve the damage of PTF to normal organs to a certain extent. This study provides a nanoparticle delivery system with phenolic herbal extract to improve anti-tumor efficacy in lung cancer.

Zero-Dimensional Carbon Nanomaterials for Fluorescent Sensing and Imaging.

Advances in nanotechnology and nanomaterials have attracted considerable interest and play key roles in scientific innovations in diverse fields. In particular, increased attention has been focused on carbon-based nanomaterials exhibiting diverse extended structures and unique properties. Among these materials, zero-dimensional structures, including fullerenes, carbon nano-onions, carbon nanodiamonds, and carbon dots, possess excellent bioaffinities and superior fluorescence properties that make these structures suitable for application to environmental and biological sensing, imaging, and therapeutics. This review provides a systematic overview of the classification and structural properties, design principles and preparation methods, and optical properties and sensing applications of zero-dimensional carbon nanomaterials. Recent interesting breakthroughs in the sensitive and selective sensing and imaging of heavy metal pollutants, hazardous substances, and bioactive molecules as well as applications in information encryption, super-resolution and photoacoustic imaging, and phototherapy and nanomedicine delivery are the main focus of this review. Finally, future challenges and prospects of these materials are highlighted and envisaged. This review presents a comprehensive basis and directions for designing, developing, and applying fascinating fluorescent sensors fabricated based on zero-dimensional carbon nanomaterials for specific requirements in numerous research fields.

Impacts of coexisting mineral on crystallinity and stability of Fe(II) oxidation products: Implications for neutralization treatment of acid mine drainage.

The neutralization treatment of acid mine drainage involves the oxidation of Fe(II), but little is known about the effects of co-existing minerals on the oxidation and hydrolysis of Fe(II) to iron oxides. Here we investigated the transformation of fresh and heated Fe(II) oxidation coprecipitates, which were synthesized in the presence and the absence of five co-existing minerals (montmorillonite, kaolin, quartz (SiO2), aluminium oxide (Al2O3) and calcium carbonate (CaCO3)). In the FeSO4 system with montmorillonite or kaolin, the formation of lepidocrocite was inhibited with the increase of clay mineral contents. In the same system, heated coprecipitates of montmorillonite were mainly comprised of amorphous ferrihydrite and its transformation was retarded by the excess montmorillonite. In the FeCl2 system with SiO2, Al2O3 or CaCO3, akaganeite formation was inhibited with the increase in the corresponding mineral contents. In the same system, goethite formation was blocked by either CaCO3 or Al2O3 and the growth of lepidocrocite was inhibited by CaCO3 or SiO2. However, magnetite formation was enhanced by addition of CaCO3. These findings are important for predicting products of abiotic Fe(II) oxidation during the neutralization of acid mine drainage and for better understanding the transformation of amorphous iron oxides in the complicated environmental matrix.

Fast and Sensitive Determination of Cadmium and Selenium in Rice by Direct Sampling Electrothermal Vaporization Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry.

In this work, a direct solid sampling device based on modified graphite furnace electrothermal vaporization (GF-ETV) with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was established for the simultaneous detection of trace selenium and cadmium in rice samples. A bypass gas was first designed in GF-ETV to improve the device's analytical sensitivity and precision. The ashing and vaporization conditions, the flow rates of the Ar carrier and the bypass gases of ICP-MS were all investigated. Under the optimized conditions, the limits of detection (LODs) for Se and Cd were 0.5 µg kg−1 and 0.16 µg kg−1, respectively; the relative standard deviations (RSDs) of repeated measurements were within 8% (n = 6). The recoveries of Cd and Se in rice samples were in the range of 89−112% compared with the microwave digestion ICP-MS method, indicating good accuracy and precision for the simultaneous detection of Se and Cd in rice matrix. The whole analysis time is <3 min without the sample digestion process, fulfilling the fast detection of Se and Cd in rice samples to protect food safety.

Phytoplankton community and HAB species in the South China Sea detected by morphological and metabarcoding approaches.

The southern Chinese coast is one of the most developed regions in China and is an area where harmful algal blooms (HABs) have occurred frequently. In this study, differences in the phytoplankton community between microscopic observations and 18S rDNA metabarcoding were compared in 89 surface water samples collected from the southern Chinese coast and the western South China Sea (SCS). This is the first report investigating the phytoplankton community and HAB species using a combination of morphological and metabarcoding approaches in this sea area. There were substantial differences in phytoplankton community structure detected by the two methods. Microscopic observation revealed diatom predominance in the phytoplankton community, while metabarcoding indicated dinoflagellate dominance. The phytoplankton community structure obtained by microscopic observation better reflects the real situation in the water column. Metabarcoding annotated more species than morphospecies observed by microscopy. Haptophyta and Cryptophyta were the specific phyla detected in metabarcoding but were missed in microscopy due to their small size. Conversely, some taxa were found in microscopic analysis alone, such as species in Dinophysis, Prorocentrum, and Scrippsiella, suggesting some biases during metabarcoding and gaps in sequence databases. Metabarcoding is superior for detecting morphologically cryptic, small-sized and HAB taxa, such as unarmored dinoflagellates, nanosized hatophytes and chlorophytes, as well as multiple species in Alexandrium, Pseudonitzschia, and Chaetoceros in our study. A total of 62 HAB taxa were identified in this study, including blooming and potentially toxic species. Diatom abundances generally decreased southward, while those of dinoflagellates and haptophytes showed the opposite trend. Chlorophytes were mainly distributed in coastal waters, especially in the Pearl River Estuary. Phytoplankton community structures were shaped by nutrients and salinity, and phosphorus was the most limiting factor for phytoplankton growth. The phytoplankton community in the western SCS showed unique characteristics away from those in the coastal sea areas. The results suggest that the combination of morphological and metabarcoding approaches comprehensively reveals the phytoplankton community structure and diversity of HAB species.

Electroacupuncture at Lower He-Sea and Front-Mu Acupoints Ameliorates Insulin Resistance in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus by Regulating the Intestinal Flora and Gut Barrier.

Introduction: The study objective was to investigate the effects of electroacupuncture performed at the he-sea and front-mu acupoints on the intestinal microflora and intestinal barrier in db/db mice and to explore the related mechanism in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: Db/m mice in the normal control group (NOC), electroacupuncture group (EA), metformin group (MET) and T2DM group (T2DM) were used as model controls, and db/db mice were used in all three groups, with 8 mice in each group. The treatment period was 2 weeks. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) and triglyceride (TG) levels were measured. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were detected by enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA). The ileal tissue was stained with hematoxylin-eosin staining (H&E), and histopathological changes were observed under a light microscope. Illumina sequencing was used to analyze the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene to evaluate the effect of EA on the intestinal flora. Results: Our results suggest that EA treatment can reduce the expression of diabetes-related markers, with an effect similar to that of metformin. After EA intervention, the abundance of Firmicutes and the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes increased, while the abundances of Bacteroidetes and Eubacterium decreased. In addition, the serum levels of LPS and TNF-α in the electroacupuncture group were downregulated, and ileal tissue damage was alleviated under an electron microscope. Conclusion: EA combined with acupoints can restore the intestinal flora structure, decrease the blood LPS level, reduce levels of inflammation, maintain the integrity of the intestinal barrier, and play a therapeutic role in the treatment of T2DM, mainly by increasing the abundance of Firmicutes and the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes and decreasing the abundances of Bacteroidetes and Eubacterium.

Rapid tissue prototyping with micro-organospheres.

In vitro tissue models hold great promise for modeling diseases and drug responses. Here, we used emulsion microfluidics to form micro-organospheres (MOSs), which are droplet-encapsulated miniature three-dimensional (3D) tissue models that can be established rapidly from patient tissues or cells. MOSs retain key biological features and responses to chemo-, targeted, and radiation therapies compared with organoids. The small size and large surface-to-volume ratio of MOSs enable various applications including quantitative assessment of nutrient dependence, pathogen-host interaction for anti-viral drug screening, and a rapid potency assay for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T therapy. An automated MOS imaging pipeline combined with machine learning overcomes plating variation, distinguishes tumorspheres from stroma, differentiates cytostatic versus cytotoxic drug effects, and captures resistant clones and heterogeneity in drug response. This pipeline is capable of robust assessments of drug response at individual-tumorsphere resolution and provides a rapid and high-throughput therapeutic profiling platform for precision medicine.

Iron enrichment from hypoxic hypolimnion supports the blooming of Raphidiopsis raciborskii in a tropical reservoir.

Occurring worldwide, blooms of Raphidiopsis raciborskii threaten the use of water resources especially in tropical and subtropical waterbodies. Its high flexibility in the uses of light and macronutrients (C, N, P) frustrates any bloom prediction and control based on macronutrients regulation. To identify the critical factors promoting periodic blooms of R. raciborskii, the trends of meteorological, hydrodynamic, physical, and chemical variables (including macro- and micronutrients: N, P, Fe) were analyzed in a Chinese tropical large reservoir (Dashahe reservoir) over five years. It was hypothesized that Fe availability, mediated by the mixing pattern of the reservoir, played a crucial role in the periodic blooms of the cyanobacterium. To have a more complete understanding, the effects of Fe on growth of a local R. raciborskii strain were tested in a monoculture experiment. The biomass and relative abundance of R. raciborskii in the reservoir showed a clear seasonal trend, with relative abundance > 50% in summer/autumn (July to October). Three habitat types along a dominance gradient were identified in the reservoir and 17 variables were used to compare them. Statistical analysis and habitat comparison showed that temperature and stratification, dissolved Fe and N concentrations in the epilimnion, and dissolved Fe and oxygen concentrations in the hypolimnion were the critical factors driving the dynamics of R. raciborskii in the study reservoir. The habitat dominated by R. raciborskii was characterized by a relatively low availability of macro resources (Zeu/Zm < 1, SRP < 0.01 mg/L, DIN < 0.3 mg/L) and by a high Fe availability supplemented from hypoxic hypolimnion. The dependence of growth on Fe concentration increase was confirmed in culture where the maximum was reached at 0.689 mg Fe /L. Our results suggest that a high Fe bioavailability, also originating from the hypoxic hypolimnion, influences the dynamics R. raciborskii and favors the blooms of the species. As a consequence, Fe concentrations in the water column as well as oxygen measurements along the water column should be routinely included in the monitoring programs aimed at predicting and controlling R. raciborskii blooms.

Prevalence and risk factors for incidental prostate cancer in patients after transurethral resection of the prostate with negative results on prostate biopsy: A retrospective study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore the prevalence and predictors of incidental prostate cancer (IPC) after transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) with negative results on transperineal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) fusion prostate biopsy or TRUS-guided prostate biopsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data of 253 patients who underwent TURP with a preliminary diagnosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) were evaluated. The prevalence of IPC was calculated. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to explore independent predictive factors of IPC. RESULTS: A total of 253 patients were included. IPC was diagnosed in 12 patients (4.7%). The mean age of the patients and the mean prostate volume were 69.8±7.07 years and 89.3±49.29 mL, respectively. The prevalence of IPC was higher in the TRUS guided prostate biopsy group than in the transperineal MRI/TRUS fusion prostate biopsy group (11 of 203 [5.4%] vs. 1 of 50 [2.0%], p=0.47), but the difference was not statistically significant. Our results indicated that older age (≥70 y) (odds ratio [OR], 1.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.27; p=0.025) and smaller prostate volume (OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.938-0.998; p=0.039) were associated with an increased incidence of IPC after TURP. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that the prevalence of IPC may be higher among patients who undergo transrectal prostate biopsy before TURP than among those who undergo transperineal MRI/TRUS fusion prostate biopsy. Older age and smaller prostate volume were independent predictors of increasing the risk for IPC after TURP.

Prevalence and risk factors of incidental prostate cancer in certain surgeries for benign prostatic hyperplasia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to explore the prevalence and clinical risk factors in patients diagnosed with incidental prostate cancer (IPC) during certain surgeries (transurethral resection of the prostate [TURP], open prostatectomy [OP], and holmium laser enucleation of the prostate [HoLEP]) after clinically suspected benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Literature search of the MEDILINE, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases was performed to identify eligible studies published before June 2021. Multivariate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the prevalence and clinical risk factors of IPC were calculated using random or fixed-effect models. RESULTS: Twenty-three studies were included in the meta-analysis. Amongst the 94.783 patients, IPC was detected in 24.715 (26.1%). Results showed that the chance of IPC detection (10%, 95% CI: 0.07-4.00; P<0.001; I2=97%) in patients treated with TURP is similar to that of patients treated with HoLEP (9%, 95% CI: 0.07-0.11; P<0.001; I2=81.4%). However, the pooled prevalence estimate of patients treated with OP was 11% (95% CI: -0.03-0.25; P=0.113; I2=99.1%) with no statistical significance. We observed increased incidence of IPC diagnosis after BPH surgery amongst patients with higher prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level (OR: 1.13, 95% CI: 1.04-1.23; P=0.004; I2=89%), whereas no effect of age (OR: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.97-1.06; P=0.48; I2=78.8%) and prostate volume (OR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.96-1.03; P=0.686; I2=80.5%) were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of IPC was similar amongst patients undergoing TURP, HoLEP, and OP for presumed BPH. Interestingly, increased PSA level was the only independent predictor of increasing risk of IPC after BPH surgery rather than age and prostate volume. Hence, future research should focus on predictors which accurately foretell the progression of prostate cancer to determine the optimal treatment for managing patients with IPC after BPH surgery.

Responses of environmental and soil enzyme stoichiometric characteristics of wheat cropping system to fertilizer management in rain-fed areas of China.

The application of organic fertilizer can improve soil fertility and maintain soil biodiversity. Soil enzyme activity can reflect the relationship between microbial nutrient demand and environmental nutrient availability. The experiment was established with a split-plot design, which included two main plots and two subplots. The main plots were 3 nitrogen levels (0, 150, 300 kg N ha-1). The two subplots were chemical fertilizer alone and combination of manure and inorganic application; the soil enzyme activity and chemical properties of each treatment were measured and analyzed. In the study, ecological enzyme stoichiometry was used to study the limitation of microbial resources in dryland wheat system. The results showed that the combined application of manure and chemical fertilizers did not significantly increase the activities of soil C, N and P cycling-related enzymes but decreased the activities of soil L-leucine aminopeptidase (LAP). Long-term application of organic fertilizer and mineral fertilizer significantly increased the accumulation of soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (TN) and increased soil microbial biomass (MBC, MBN). Organic fertilizer treatment significantly increased soil available phosphorus (AP) and soil NO3--N contents, and decreased SOC/AP and TN/AP, but had no significant changes under different nitrogen application levels (N0, N1, N2). GHG emissions were increaseed with the amount of nitrogen applied, the addition of manure did not significantly increase the CO2 and N2O emissions, and soil organic matter mineralization and gas emission fluxes decreased at ripen stage. The C-acquiring enzyme was negatively correlated with N-acquiring enzyme but positively correlated with P-acquiring enzyme. The microbial limiting effect of C and P on microbial metabolism becomes increasingly intense as the reproductive period progresses. Redundancy analysis of soil enzyme activities and chemical properties showed that soil TN and MBN could better explain the variation characteristics of soil enzyme activities. Therefore, the study of soil extracellular enzyme stoichiometry and microbial nutrient restriction can give us a more comprehensive understanding of the soil environment. There are more implications can be given under different nitrogen management modes and different growth stages. The results also provided an effective theoretical basis for regulating the changes of soil microbial environment.

Interface-Engineered Paclitaxel-Based Hollow Mesoporous Organosilica Nanoplatforms for Photothermal-Enhanced Chemotherapy of Tumor.

Having benefited from the combination of different therapeutic modalities, functionalized nanoplatforms with synergistic strategies have aroused great interest in anticancer treatment. Herein, an engineered, a biodegradable hollow mesoporous organosilica nanoparticle (HMON)-based nanoplatform was fabricated for photothermal-enhanced chemotherapy of tumor. For the first time, we demonstrated that HMONs could serve as nanocarriers for co-delivering of both the paclitaxel and photothermal agent new indocyanine green (IR820), denoted as Paclitaxel/IR820@ HMONs-PEG. The as-prepared nanosystem exhibited a high paclitaxel-loading capacity of 28.4%, much higher than most paclitaxel-loaded nanoformulations. Furthermore, incorporating thioether bonds (S-S) into the HMONs' framework endowed them with GSH-responsive biodegradation behavior, leading to the controllable release of drugs under a tumor reducing microenvironment, and hindered the premature release of paclitaxel. Upon being irradiated with an NIR laser, the obtained co-delivery nanosystem exhibited great photothermal properties generated from IR820. The fabricated nanocomposites could significantly suppress tumor growth under NIR laser irradiation, as validated by in vitro and in vivo assessments. Combined with outstanding biocompatibility, the constructed nanosystem holds great potential in combinational antitumor therapy.

Assessment of the efficacy of tuina on treating cervicogenic headache: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cervicogenic headache is a secondary headache characterized by unilateral headache, symptoms, and signs of neck involvement. It is often worsened by neck movement, sustained awkward head position, or external pressure over the upper cervical or occipital region on the symptomatic side. In this systematic review, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of massage therapy for the treatment of cervicogenic headache. METHODS: We searched the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, Wanfang Database, China Doctoral Dissertations Full-Text Database, China Master's Theses Full-Text Database, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, and Embase. We will select all eligible studies published on or before April 1, 2021. We will use Review Manager 5.4, provided by the Cochrane Collaborative Network for statistical analysis. We then assessed the quality and risk of the included studies and observed the outcome measures. RESULTS: This meta-analysis further confirmed the benefits of tuina in the treatment of cervicogenic headache. CONCLUSION: The purpose of this meta-analysis was to explore the effect of tuina on patients with cervicogenic headache and to provide more options for clinicians and patients to treat cervicogenic headache. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This systematic review will evaluate the efficacy and safety of tuina in the treatment of cervicogenic headache. Since all the data included were published, the systematic review did not require ethical approval. REGISTRATION NUMBER: INPLASY202150053.

High phosphorus fertilization changes the speciation and distribution of manganese in wheat grains grown in a calcareous soil.

The physiological disorders in humans resulting from the excess dietary intake of manganese (Mn) via whole-grain food has attracted considerable attention. However, the speciation and bioavailability of Mn in wheat grains and their response to different phosphorus (P) fertilization rates are still unclear. In the current study, using a long-term field trial with P application rates of 0, 21.8, 43.6, 65.5 and 87.3 kg/ha, we examined changes in the concentration, distribution, and speciation of Mn of wheat grains using synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The total Mn concentration in grains was found to be increased by phosphorus fertilization, especially in embryo in the form of Mn(II), but this phosphorus fertilization also decreased Mn concentrations in the nucellar projection. In this study, the speciation of Mn in different wheat grain tissues was examined, and results indicate that in calcareous soils, high rates of P fertilizers can increase Mn concentrations in wheat grain, including Mn which is likely to be of high bioavailability, and thus may increase the risk for human to expose to high Mn intake via whole-grain food.

[Acupuncture preconditioning at "Zusanli"(ST36) and "Zhongwan"(CV12) prevents stress gastric ulcer by regulating the TLR4/MyD88/IκB signaling pathway].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture preconditioning at "Zusanli"(ST36，Lower Confluent point) and "Zhongwan"(CV12，Front-Mu point) combination on oxidative stress and inflammation-related indicators, Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) and inhibitor-α of nuclear transcription factor κB (IκB-α) in serum and gastric tissue of rats with stress gastric ulcer(SGU)，so as to explore its mechanisms underlying prevention of SGU. METHODS: A total of 36 Wistar rats were randomly divided into blank control, model, positive drug and He-Sea-Front-Mu point combination groups (n=9 in each group). A rat model of SGU was established by restraint water-immersion stress method. Ten days before mode-ling, rats in the He-Sea-Front-Mu point combination group received electroacupuncture （2 Hz, 0.6 mA）at ST36 and CV12 for 10 min once every other day for 10 days, and those in the positive drug group was treated by gavage of omeprazole (20 mg/kg) once every other day for 10 days. The morphology of the gastric mucosa was observed by naked eyes and hematoxylin-eosin staining, and the ulcer index (UI) and lesion score were calculated. TBA and colorimetric methods, ELISA and Western blot were used to detect malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels and the relative expressions of TLR4, MyD88, and IκB-α protein, separately. RESULTS: The gastric mucosa of rats in the blank control group was smooth and intact, the cells were arranged neatly, and there was no telangiec-tasia, hyperemia and inflammatory cell infiltration. The gastric mucosal epithelial structure of rats in the model group was destroyed, and a large number of mucosal epithelial cell death and inflammatory cell infiltration were seen. The degree of gastric mucosal injury and inflammatory cell infiltration in the positive drug group and the combined point group was less than that in the model group. Compared with the blank control group, the UI and lesion score of rats in the model group were significantly increased (P<0.05), the levels of MDA and MPO in the serum and gastric tissues were significantly increased (P<0.05), GSH-Px was significantly reduced (P<0.05), the contents of TNF-α and IL-6 in serum were markedly increased (P<0.05), the expression levels of TLR4 and MyD88 proteins in gastric tissue were significantly increased (P<0.05), IκB-α was significantly reduced (P<0.05). After intervention and in comparison with the model group showed that, the UI and lesion score, the levels of MDA and MPO, contents of serum TNF-α and IL-6, expression levels of TLR4 and MyD88 proteins in positive drug and He-Sea-Front-Mu point combination groups were significantly decreased (P<0.05), while GSH-Px and IκB-α were significantly increased (P<0.05); There were no significant differences in the above indicators between the positive drug and the He-Sea-Front -Mu point combination groups （except TNF-α）. CONCLUSION: Electroacupuncture preconditioning at ST36 and CV12 can prevent SGU, which may be related to its effects in anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and regulating TLR4/MyD88/IκB signaling pathway.

Acupuncture at Back-Shu and Front-Mu Acupoints Prevents Gastric Ulcer by Regulating the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB Signaling Pathway.

PURPOSE: To assess the preventive effects of acupuncture at back-shu and front-mu acupoints on rats with restraint water-immersion stress (RWIS)-induced gastric ulcer. METHODS: Thirty-six rats were randomly divided into four groups for 10 days of treatment as follows: the normal group received no treatment; the model group received RWIS-induced gastric ulcer; the omeprazole group was administered omeprazole orally every 2 days; and the electroacupuncture group received electroacupuncture at the RN12 and BL21 acupoints every 2 days. After 10 days of treatment, except for the normal group, all rats were induced with gastric ulcer by RWIS for 3 h. The ulcer index (UI), ulcer inhibition rate, and histopathological score were calculated. We determined the levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6 in serum, and the activities of myeloperoxidase (MPO), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), nitric oxide (NO), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in serum and gastric tissues. Protein expression of MyD88, nuclear factor (NF)-κB (p65), and toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 was quantified in gastric tissues. RESULTS: The electroacupuncture and omeprazole groups were equivalent in terms of UI, ulcer inhibition rate, and histopathological score. The serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were significantly lower in the electroacupuncture group compared with the omeprazole group (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, there were significant changes in the levels of NO, MPO, GSH-Px, and MDA in all other groups, while the expression of TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB p65 in gastric tissue decreased significantly in the electroacupuncture group. The expression of TLR4 was substantially lower in the electroacupuncture group compared with the omeprazole group. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture at back-shu and front-mu acupoints played a role in preventing gastric ulcer by inhibiting extracellular signals, stimulating kinases in serum and gastric tissues, and activating the inhibition of the TLR4 signaling pathway.

[Medication rules of traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of premature ejaculation: An analysis based on data mining].

OBJECTIVE: To study the medication rules of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of premature ejaculation. METHODS: We searched the databases of CNKI, Wan Fang, VIP, SinoMed (CBM) and PubMed for studies on the treatment of PE with TCM prescriptions and performed statistical analyses on the data obtained using the TCM inheritance auxiliary platform software. RESULTS: Totally 180 prescriptions were identified, involving 209 TCM drugs. The results of statistical analysis showed that the TCM drugs for the treatment of premature ejaculation were mostly warm, flat or cold in nature, sweet or spicy in taste, and with the kidney, liver and spleen meridian tropisms. The single TCM drugs most commonly used included Lycium barbarum L (Gouqizi), followed by Epimedium brevicornum Maxim (Yinyanghuo), Os draconis (Longgu), Fructus rosae laevigatae (Jinyingzi), and the drugs most frequently used in combination with others in a prescription were Os draconis (Longgu) and Concha ostreae (Muli). Seven newly derived prescriptions were identified in addition. CONCLUSIONS: The compatibility of TCM in the treatment of premature ejaculation is characterized by the combination of the drugs for tonifying the kidney and arresting seminal emission as the main medication strategy, with those for soothing the liver and invigorating the spleen as the adjuvant agents, which has a certain clinical application value.

Polycarbonate-based ultra-pH sensitive nanoparticles improve therapeutic window.

Stimuli-sensitive nanomaterials with cooperative response are capable of converting subtle and gradual biological variations into robust outputs to improve the precision of diagnostic or therapeutic outcomes. In this study, we report the design, synthesis and characterization of a series of degradable ultra-pH sensitive (dUPS) polymers that amplify small acidic pH changes to efficacious therapeutic outputs. A hydrolytically active polycarbonate backbone is used to construct the polymer with pH-dependent degradation kinetics. One dUPS polymer, PSC7A, can achieve activation of the stimulator of interferon genes and antigen delivery upon endosomal pH activation, leading to T cell-mediated antitumor immunity. While a non-degradable UPS polymer induces granulomatous inflammation that persists over months at the injection site, degradable PSC7A primes a transient acute inflammatory response followed by polymer degradation and complete tissue healing. The improved therapeutic window of the dUPS polymers opens up opportunities in pH-targeted drug and protein therapy.

Study on metastasis inhibition of Kejinyan decoction on lung cancer by affecting tumor microenvironment.

BACKGROUND: Kejinyan decoction, as an experienced formula of Zhou Zhongying (the Master of Traditional Chinese Medicine) has been widely used in clinic for lung cancer treatment in China, while the anti-lung cancer mechanism of it is still remained to be elucidated. Herein, our basic study found that the survival of lung cancer xenograft mice was significantly prolonged after intragastrically administered high dose of Kejinyan decoction (3.8 g per kg BW) for 15 days. More importantly, we found that Kejinyan decoction inhibited the metastasis of lung cancer cells in vivo. Thus in this study, we aim to elucidate the anti-metastasis effects of Kejinyan decoction. METHODS: RNA-Seq was used to find out the gene regulation of Kejinyan decoction on the mice, flow cytometry assay was used to detect the immunocytes in the spleen, ELISA assay was used to detect the inflammatory factors in the serum and spleen, and immunofluorescence assay was used to detect the level of immune cells and the expression of glycol-metabolism related enzymes in situ. Also, we established a lung cancer orthotopic xenograft tumor model to assess the influence of Kejinyan decoction on the metastatic ability of lung cancer cells in vivo. RESULTS: GO analysis of gene sequencing of tumor tissue samples showed that Kejinyan decoction regulated immune response. Further flow cytometry analysis of splenic lymphocyte showed that Kejinyan decoction upregulated M1 macrophages and downregulated M2 macrophages, while the total level of macrophages changed little, which was verified by detection of CD68, F4/80, CD206, and CD86 in tumor tissue section. Moreover, detection of inflammatory cytokines showed that Kejinyan decoction downregulated TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6, as well as IL-4, IL-13 in tumor microenvironment. Further studies also showed that Kejinyan decoction had little effect on tumor hypoxia, but downregulated glycolysis in tumor tissues. More importantly, we found that Kejinyan decoction inhibited the metastasis of lung cancer cells in vivo. CONCLUSION: Our findings conclude that Kejinyan decoction inhibited lung cancer cell metastasis through affecting macrophage polarization and energy reprogramming.