Palliative Care for Adult Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis in Asia: Challenges and Opportunities.

This article underscores the importance of integrating comprehensive palliative care for noncancer patients who are undergoing hemodialysis, with an emphasis on the aging populations in Asian nations such as Taiwan, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and China. As the global demographic landscape shifts towards an aging society and healthcare continues to advance, a marked increase has been observed in patients undergoing hemodialysis who require palliative care. This necessitates an immediate paradigm shift to incorporate this care, addressing the intricate physical, psychosocial, and spiritual challenges faced by these individuals and their families. Numerous challenges impede the provision of effective palliative care, including difficulties in prognosis, delayed referrals, cultural misconceptions, lack of clinician confidence, and insufficient collaboration among healthcare professionals. The article proposes potential solutions, such as targeted training for clinicians, the use of telemedicine to facilitate shared decision-making, and the introduction of time-limited trials for dialysis to overcome these obstacles. The integration of palliative care into routine renal treatment and the promotion of transparent communication among healthcare professionals represent key strategies to enhance the quality of life and end-of-life care for people on hemodialysis. By embracing innovative strategies and fostering collaboration, healthcare providers can deliver more patient-centered, holistic care that meets the complex needs of seriously ill patients within an aging population undergoing hemodialysis.

Efficacy of transcranial photobiomodulation in the treatment for major depressive disorder: A TMS-EEG and pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) was a prevalent mental condition that may be accompanied by decreased excitability of left frontal pole (FP) and abnormal brain connections. An 820 nm tPBM can induce an increase in stimulated cortical excitability. The purpose of our study was to establish how clinical symptoms and time-varying brain network connectivity of MDD were affected by transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM). METHODS: A total of 11 patients with MDD received 820 nm tPBM targeting the left FP for 14 consecutive days. The severity of symptoms was evaluated by neuropsychological assessments at baseline, after treatment, 4-week and 8-week follow-up; 8-min transcranial magnetic stimulation combined electroencephalography (TMS-EEG) was performed for five healthy controls and five patients with MDD before and after treatment, and time-varying EEG network was analyzed using the adaptive-directed transfer function. RESULTS: All of scales scores in the 11 patients decreased significantly after 14-day tPBM (p < .01) and remained at 8-week follow-up. The time-varying brain network analysis suggested that the brain regions with enhanced connection information outflow in MDD became gradually more similar to healthy controls after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that tPBM of the left FP could improve symptoms of patients with MDD and normalize the abnormal network connections.

Atranorin inhibits Zika virus infection in human glioblastoma cell line SNB-19 via targeting Zika virus envelope protein.

BACKGROUND: Zika virus (ZIKV) is a single-stranded RNA flavivirus transmitted by mosquitoes. Its infection is associated with neurological complications such as neonatal microcephaly and adult Guillain-Barré syndrome, posing a serious threat to the health of people worldwide. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop effective anti-ZIKV drugs. Atranorin is a lichen secondary metabolite with a wide range of biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant, etc. However, the antiviral activity of atranorin and underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated. PURPOSE: We aimed to determine the anti-ZIKV activity of atranorin in human glioma cell line SNB-19 and investigate the potential mechanism from the perspective of viral life cycle and the host cell functions. METHODS: We first established ZIKV-infected human glioma cells (SNB-19) model and used Western Blot, RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence, fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and plaque assay to evaluate the anti-ZIKV activity of atranorin. Then we assessed the regulation effect of atranorin on ZIKV induced IFN signal pathway activation by RT-qPCR. Afterward, we introduced time-of-addition assay, viral adsorption assay, viral internalization assay and transferrin uptake assay to define which step of ZIKV lifecycle is influenced by atranorin. Finally, we performed virus infectivity assay, molecular docking and thermal shift assay to uncover the target protein of atranorin on ZIKV. RESULTS: Our study showed that atranorin could protect SNB-19 cells from ZIKV infection, as evidenced by inhibited viral protein expression and progeny virus yield. Meanwhile, atranorin attenuated the activation of IFN signal pathway and downstream inflammatory response that induced by ZIKV infection. The results of time-of-addition assay indicated that atranorin acted primarily by disturbing the viral entry process. After ruling out the effect of atranorin on AXL receptor tyrosine kinase (AXL) dependent virus adsorption and clathrin-mediated endocytosis, we confirmed that atranorin directly targeted the viral envelope protein and lowered ZIKV infectivity by thermal shift assay and virus infectivity assay respectively. CONCLUSION: We found atranorin inhibits ZIKV infection in SNB-19 cells via targeting ZIKV envelope protein. Our study provided an experimental basis for the further development of atranorin and a reference for antiviral drug discovery from natural resources.

YuPingFeng (YPF) upregulates caveolin-1 (CAV1) to alleviate pulmonary fibrosis through the TGF-ß1/Smad2 pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is considered a valuable asset in China's medical tradition. YPF is a classic prescription that has been derived from the "Jiu Yuan Fang" formula and consists of three herbs: Huangqi (Astragalus membranaceus Bunge), Baizhu (Atractylodes rubra Dekker), and Fangfeng (Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk). This prescription is widely acclaimed for its exceptional pharmacological properties, including potent antioxidant effects, hormone regulation, and immune modulation effects. AIM OF THE STUDY: Previous research provides evidence suggesting that YPF may have therapeutic effects on pulmonary fibrosis. Further exploration is essential to confirm its effectiveness and elucidate the fundamental processes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: First, the active components and target genes of YPF were extracted from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) database. Next, the GSE53845 dataset, which contains information on pulmonary fibrosis, was downloaded from the GEO database. Network informatics methods was then be utilized to identify target genes associated with pulmonary fibrosis. A YPF-based network of protein-protein interactions was constructed to pinpoint possible target genes for pulmonary fibrosis treatment. Additionally, an in vitro model of pulmonary fibrosis induced by bleomycin (BLM) was established to further investigate and validate the possible mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of YPF. RESULTS: In this study, a total of 24 active ingredients of YPF, along with 178 target genes associated with the treatment, were identified. Additionally, 615 target genes related to pulmonary fibrosis were identified. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that 18 candidate genes (CGs) exhibited significant responses to tumor necrosis factor, NF-kB survival signaling, and positive regulation of apoptosis processes. Among these CGs, CAV1, VCAM1, and TP63 were identified as key target genes. Furthermore, cell experiments confirmed that the expression of CAV1 protein and RNA expression was increased in pulmonary fibrosis, but significantly decreased after treatment with YPF. Additionally, the expression of pSmad2, α-SMA, TGF-ß1, and TNF-α was also decreased following YPF treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Network pharmacology analysis revealed that YPF exhibits significant potential as a therapeutic intervention for pulmonary fibrosis by targeting various compounds and pathways. This study emphasizes that the efficacy of YPF in treating pulmonary fibrosis may be attributed to its ability to up-regulate CAV1 expression and inhibiting pulmonary fibrosis via modulation of the TGF-ß1/Smad2 signaling pathway. These findings underscore the promising role of YPF and its ability to potentially alleviate pulmonary fibrosis.

Endodontic Radiopacifying Application of Barium Titanate Prepared through a Combination of Mechanical Milling and Heat Treatment.

Mineral trioxide aggregates (MTA) are commonly used as endodontic filling materials but suffer from a long setting time and tooth discoloration. In the present study, the feasibility of using barium titanate (BTO) for discoloration and a calcium chloride (CaCl2) solution to shorten the setting time was investigated. BTO powder was prepared using high-energy ball milling for 3 h, followed by sintering at 700-1300 °C for 2 h. X-ray diffraction was used to examine the crystallinity and crystalline size of the as-milled and heat-treated powders. MTA-like cements were then prepared using 20-40 wt.% BTO as a radiopacifier and solidified using a 0-30% CaCl2 solution. The corresponding radiopacity, diametral tensile strength (DTS), initial and final setting times, and discoloration performance were examined. The experimental results showed that for the BTO powder prepared using a combination of mechanical milling and heat treatment, the crystallinity and crystalline size increased with the increasing sintering temperature. The BTO sintered at 1300 °C (i.e., BTO-13) exhibited the best radiopacity and DTS. The MTA-like cement supplemented with 30% BTO-13 and solidified with a 10% CaCl2 solution exhibited a radiopacity of 3.68 ± 0.24 mmAl and a DTS of 2.54 ± 0.28 MPa, respectively. In the accelerated discoloration examination using UV irradiation, the color difference was less than 1.6 and significantly lower than the clinically perceptible level (3.7). This novel MTA exhibiting a superior color stability, shortened setting time, and excellent biocompatibility has potential for use in endodontic applications.

The Effect of Conjunctival Flap Transplantation, Pterygium Excision, and Scleral Fixation Surgery in Treating Pterygium Combined with Conjunctival Laxity and Its Impact on Postoperative Complications.

Objective: Pterygium and conjunctival laxity are common ocular conditions that can significantly affect visual comfort and quality of life. Therefore, it is essential to investigate ways to treat these problems. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of same-stage trapezoidal conjunctival flap transplantation, pterygium excision, and scleral fixation surgery versus staged pterygium excision, crescentic conjunctiva excision, and scleral fixation surgery in treating pterygium combined with conjunctival laxity. The study also aimed to evaluate the impact of these surgical techniques on postoperative complications. Methods: From June 2019 to May 2021, 90 patients (90 eyes) with pterygium combined with conjunctival laxity were included in this study and were randomly divided into two groups (A and B) using a simple number table method. Group A underwent same-stage trapezoidal conjunctival flap transplantation, pterygium excision, and scleral fixation surgery, while group B underwent staged pterygium excision, crescentic conjunctiva excision, and scleral fixation surgery. The International Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), degree of conjunctival laxity excision, changes in ocular tear film dynamics, recurrence rate, and postoperative complications were compared between the two groups. Results: The results showed that different surgical methods for pterygium and conjunctivochalasis did not significantly improve the symptoms and quality of life of patients. This suggests that more intensive research is needed to find more effective treatments. Therefore, the risks and benefits should be carefully considered when selecting ophthalmologic surgery, OSDI scores and fluorescein staining results of both groups were trending downward after surgery, while the breakup time of the tear film and height of the tear meniscus was increasing but there was no significant difference in the above indicators (P > .05). However, there was no significant difference in the above indicators between the two groups before surgery, at 1, 3, and 6 months, and at 1 year after surgery (P > .05). There was also no significant difference in the degree of conjunctival laxity excision between the two groups at 1 and 3 months after surgery (P > .05). Finally, there was no significant difference in the healing time of the conjunctiva and recurrence rates between the two groups (P > .05). The results showed that different surgical methods for pterygium and conjunctivochalasis did not significantly improve the symptoms and quality of life of patients. This suggests that more intensive research is needed to find more effective treatments. Therefore, the risks and benefits should be carefully considered when selecting ophthalmologic surgery. Conclusion: The results of this study showed no significant differences between surgical techniques, making monitoring and management of complications after surgery even more critical. Patients need to be carefully watched for possible complications such as infection, discomfort, and inflammation. Doctors and medical teams should be alert in advance and take appropriate measures to deal with these problems in a timely manner to ensure the success of the operation and the comfort of the patient. By monitoring and proactively managing potential complications, unnecessary pain and complexity can be reduced, thereby improving patient experience and outcomes. Additionally, the study had several limitations, including a small sample size, a limited study period, and failure to consider other potential factors. These limitations need to be addressed in future studies to validate and extend the results of this study. In conclusion, same-stage trapezoidal conjunctival flap transplantation, pterygium excision, and scleral fixation surgery is an effective treatment for patients with pterygium combined with conjunctival laxity, which can improve their visual function and ocular tear film dynamics. However, careful monitoring and management of postoperative complications are necessary.

Bibliometric Analysis to Global Research Status Quo on Photobiomodulation.

Background: Photobiomodulation (PBM) becomes a remedial technology with growing popularity. The primary goal of this article is to conduct a PBM literature review, providing an overall systematic understanding of current and future trends. Methods: A dataset was made with topic retrieval, concerning PBM research retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. We analyzed to forecast research frontiers in this field using the softwares: VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and Biblioshiny. Results: Four thousand five hundred thirty pieces of literature were retrieved from our database. Current trends were characterized by keywords of "light," "spinal cord injury," "skeletal muscle," and so on. Future trends were characterized probably by six cutting-edge terms: "wound healing," "pain," "oral mucositis," "Alzheimer's disease," "Parkinson's disease," and "orthodontics." Conclusions: This study finds that the inadequacy of in-depth reliable interpretation of current clinical data calls for molecular biological mechanisms together with well-designed, large-sample, multicenter clinical trials. The study of oral, wound, and neural-related mechanisms and the exploration of therapeutic effects may be the popular trend at present and in the next few years.

Citrus peel extract protects against diesel exhaust particle-induced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-like lung lesions and oxidative stress.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death worldwide and characterized by emphysema, small airway remodeling and mucus hypersecretion. Citrus peels have been widely used as food spices and in traditional Chinese medicine for chronic lung disease. Given that citrus peels are known for containing antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, we hypothesize that citrus peel intake can suppress oxidative stress and inflammatory response to air pollution exposure, thereby alleviating COPD-like pathologies. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of citrus peel extract, namely Guang Chenpi (GC), in preventing the development of COPD induced by diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) and its potential mechanism. DEP-induced COPD-like lung pathologies, inflammatory responses and oxidative stress with or without GC treatment were examined in vivo and in vitro. Our in vivo study showed that GC was effective in decreasing inflammatory cell counts and inflammatory mediator (IL-17A and TNF-α) concentrations in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Pretreatment with GC extract also significantly decreased oxidative stress in the serum and lung tissue of DEP-induced COPD rats. Furthermore, GC pretreatment effectively reduced goblet cell hyperplasia (PAS positive cells) and fibrosis of the small airways, decreased macrophage infiltration as well as carbon loading in the peripheral lungs, and facilitated the resolution of emphysema and small airway remodeling in DEP-induced COPD rats. An in vitro free radical scavenging assay revealed robust antioxidant potential of GC in scavenging DPPH free radicals. Moreover, GC demonstrated potent capacities in reducing ROS production and enhancing SOD activity in BEAS-2B cells stimulated by DEPs. GC treatment significantly attenuated the increased level of IL-8 and MUC5AC from DEP-treated BEAS-2B cells. Mechanistically, GC treatment upregulated the protein level of Nrf-2 and could function via MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathways by suppressing the phosphorylation of p38, JNK and p65. Citrus peel extract is effective in decreasing oxidative stress and inflammatory responses of the peripheral lungs to DEP exposure. These protective effects further contributed to the resolution of COPD-like pathologies.

Asymmetric aza-BODIPY photosensitizer for photoacoustic/photothermal imaging-guided synergistic photodynamic/photothermal therapy.

Cancer synergistic therapy usually shows improved therapeutic efficacy with low side effects. In this contribution, an aza-BODIPY-derived photosensitizer NBDP with asymmetric structure and the periphery phenyl ring modified with bromine atom was designed and synthesized for synergistic photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT). Photosensitizer NBDP exhibited good singlet oxygen (1O2) generation capacity (1.43 times higher than that of ICG), and NBDP NPs showed an outstanding photothermal conversion efficiency (η) of 46.0% under 660 nm photoirradiation. Guided by in vivo photoacoustic (PA) imaging, NBDP NPs were found to targetedly accumulate in the tumor tissues in 6 h. All results showed that the aza-BODIPY-derived photosensitizer NBDP had great potential for PA/photothermal imaging-guided synergistic PTT/PDT.

Evaluation of Chrysanthemi Indici Flos germplasms based on nine bioactive constituents and color parameters.

Chrysanthemi Indici Flos (CIF) is the inflorescence of Chrysanthemum indicum L., which exists in various shades of yellow and has pharmacologically active constituents. It is widely used for medicinal purposes in China, Japan, and South Korea to treat inflammatory diseases. Its external color is usually used to judge its internal quality in trade; however, the correlation between its color and chemical constituents is unknown. Here, we simultaneously determined five phenylpropanoids (neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, and isochlorogenic acids A, B, and C) and four flavonoids (linarin, luteolin, apigenin, and acacetin) of 70 CIF germplasms using a newly established UPLC method; furthermore, we measured their color parameters (L*, a*, and b*) using a spectrophotometer. Our results showed considerable variations in the bioactive constituent contents and color parameters of CIF. The content of the five phenylpropanoids and the relative correlation degree γi of the nine constituents were positively correlated with color parameters, which could be rapidly predicted based on L* and/or b*. Moreover, we screened out a high-quality germplasm with a high linarin content and bright colors using the hierarchical clustering method. Our results provide comprehensive insight into CIF's quality evaluation process, particularly the methods for procuring high-quality medicinal materials and breeding by color.

Parabacteroides distasonis ameliorates hepatic fibrosis potentially via modulating intestinal bile acid metabolism and hepatocyte pyroptosis in male mice.

Parabacteroides distasonis (P. distasonis) plays an important role in human health, including diabetes, colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. Here, we show that P. distasonis is decreased in patients with hepatic fibrosis, and that administration of P. distasonis to male mice improves thioacetamide (TAA)- and methionine and choline-deficient (MCD) diet-induced hepatic fibrosis. Administration of P. distasonis also leads to increased bile salt hydrolase (BSH) activity, inhibition of intestinal farnesoid X receptor (FXR) signaling and decreased taurochenodeoxycholic acid (TCDCA) levels in liver. TCDCA produces toxicity in mouse primary hepatic cells (HSCs) and induces mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) and Caspase-11 pyroptosis in mice. The decrease of TCDCA by P. distasonis improves activation of HSCs through decreasing MPT-Caspase-11 pyroptosis in hepatocytes. Celastrol, a compound reported to increase P. distasonis abundance in mice, promotes the growth of P. distasonis with concomitant enhancement of bile acid excretion and improvement of hepatic fibrosis in male mice. These data suggest that supplementation of P. distasonis may be a promising means to ameliorate hepatic fibrosis.

Polyacetylene Isomers Isolated from Bidens pilosa L. Suppress the Metastasis of Gastric Cancer Cells by Inhibiting Wnt/ß-Catenin and Hippo/YAP Signaling Pathways.

(E)-7-Phenyl-2-hepten-4,6-diyn-1-ol (1) and (Z)-7-Phenyl-2-hepten-4,6-diyn-1-ol (2) are isomeric natural polyacetylenes isolated from the Chinese medicinal plant Bidens pilosa L. This study first revealed the excellent anti-metastasis potential of these two polyacetylenes on human gastric cancer HGC-27 cells and the distinctive molecular mechanisms underlying their activities. Polyacetylenes 1 and 2 significantly inhibited the migration, invasion, and adhesion of HGC-27 cells at their non-toxic concentrations in a dose-dependent manner. The results of a further mechanism investigation showed that polyacetylene 1 inhibited the expressions of Vimentin, Snail, ß-catenin, GSK3ß, MST1, YAP, YAP/TAZ, and their phosphorylation, and upregulated the expression of E-cadherin and p-LATS1. In addition, the expressions of various downstream metastasis-related proteins, such as MMP2/7/9/14, c-Myc, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, MAPK, p-MAPK, Sox2, Cox2, and Cyr61, were also suppressed in a dose-dependent manner. These findings suggested that polyacetylene 1 exhibited its anti-metastasis activities on HGC-27 cells through the reversal of the EMT process and the suppression of the Wnt/ß-catenin and Hippo/YAP signaling pathways.

Identification of key genes, biological functions, and pathways of empagliflozin by network pharmacology and its significance in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: To explore the key genes, biological functions, and pathways of empagliflozin in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) through network pharmacology. Methods: The TCMSP (a traditional Chinese medicine system pharmacology database and analysis platform) was used to screen empagliflozin's active components and targets. The target genes of T2DM were screened according to the GeneCards and OMIM databases, and a Venn diagram was constructed to obtain the target for T2DM treatment. Cytoscape 3.7.2 software was adopted to construct the drug-component-target-disease network. Functional annotation of Gene Ontology (GO) and enrichment analysis of Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways were performed using R software. Results: Target genes with a probability >0 were selected, among which Compound 012, Compound 060, Compound 093, Compound 111, and Compound 119 Swiss Target Prediction suggested that no similar active substances or predictable target genes were found. A "compound-target gene-disease" network was constructed, in which SLC5A2, SLC5A1, SLC5A4, SLC5A11, ADK, and ADORA2A were the core genes of T2DM. The key factors of the GO summary map included chemical reaction, membrane organelle, protein binding, and so on. The KEGG pathway summary map included the AMPK pathway, insulin resistance, the MAPK pathway, longevity-related pathway regulation, and so on. The top 10 pathways were endocrine resistance, the NF-κB signaling pathway, the HIF-1 signaling pathway, apoptosis, cell senescence, the Ras signaling pathway, the MAPK signaling pathway, the FoxO signaling pathway, the P13K-Akt signaling pathway, and the p53 signaling pathway. The binding of active compounds to key proteins was verified based on the Swiss Dock database, and the molecular docking of 193 bioactive compounds was finally verified. Among them, SLC5A2, SLC5A1, LDHA, KLK1, KLF5, and GSTP1 had better binding to the protein molecules. Conclusions: Empagliflozin may regulate the targets of SLC5A2, SLC5A1, LDHA, KLK1, KLF5, and GSTP1. There are numerous ways of treating T2DM with empagliflozin, including by regulating apoptosis, cell aging, as well as the NF-κB, HIF-1HIF-1, Ras, MAPK, FoxO, P13K-Akt, and p53 pathways.

[A neonatal intelligent regulation system based on the combination of mild hypothermia mattress and hyperbaric oxygen chamber: introduction to a patent]. / 基于亚低温床垫与高压氧舱结合的新生儿智能调控系统.

Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a common disease that affects brain function in neonates. At present, mild hypothermia and hyperbaric oxygen therapy are the main methods for the treatment of neonatal HIE; however, they are independent of each other and cannot be combined for synchronous treatment, without monitoring of brain function-related physiological information. In addition, parameter setting of hyperbaric oxygen chamber and mild hypothermia mattress relies on the experience of the medical practitioner, and the parameters remain unchanged throughout the medical process. This article proposes a new device for the treatment of neonatal HIE, which has the modules of hyperbaric oxygen chamber and mild hypothermic mattress, so that neonates can receive the treatment of hyperbaric oxygen chamber and/or mild hypothermic mattress based on their conditions. Meanwhile, it can realize the real-time monitoring of various physiological information, including amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram, electrocardiogram, and near-infrared spectrum, which can monitor brain function, heart rate, rhythm, myocardial blood supply, hemoglobin concentration in brain tissue, and blood oxygen saturation. In combination with an intelligent control algorithm, the device can intelligently regulate parameters according to the physiological information of neonates and give recommendations for subsequent treatment.

An assessment of physical properties and the viability of osteoblast-like cells of cefazolin-impregnated calcium sulfate bone-void filler.

Calcium sulfate, an injectable and biodegradable bone-void filler, is widely used in orthopedic surgery. Based on clinical experience, bone-defect substitutes can also serve as vehicles for the delivery of drugs, for example, antibiotics, to prevent or to treat infections such as osteomyelitis. However, antibiotic additions change the characteristics of calcium sulfate cement. Moreover, high-dose antibiotics may also be toxic to bony tissues. Accordingly, cefazolin at varying weight ratios was added to calcium sulfate samples and characterized in vitro. The results revealed that cefazolin changed the hydration reaction and prolonged the initial setting times of calcium sulfate bone cement. For the crystalline structure identification, X-ray diffractometer revealed that cefazolin additive resulted in the decrease of peak intensity corresponding to calcium sulfate dihydrate which implying incomplete phase conversion of calcium sulfate hemihydrate. In addition, scanning electron microscope inspection exhibited cefazolin changed the morphology and size of the crystals greatly. A relatively higher amount of cefazolin additive caused a faster degradation and a lower compressive strength of calcium sulfate compared with those of uploaded samples. Furthermore, the extract of cefazolin-impregnated calcium sulfate impaired cell viability, and caused the death of osteoblast-like cells. The results of this study revealed that the cefazolin additives prolonged setting time, impaired mechanical strength, accelerated degradation, and caused cytotoxicity of the calcium sulfate bone-void filler. The aforementioned concerns should be considered during intra-operative applications.

Dual-signal output fluorescent aptasensor based on DNA programmability and gold nanoflowers for multiple mycotoxins detection.

Herein, a dual-signal output fluorescent aptamer sensor was constructed for the simultaneous detection of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ochratoxin A (OTA) using the specific recognition ability of aptamers and the programmability of DNA. A functional capture probe (cDNA) was designed with the black hole quenching motif BHQ1 labeled at the 5' end and biotin (bio) labeled at the 3' end. The fluorescent dye Cy3-labeled aflatoxin B1 aptamer (AFB1-Apt) and the carboxyfluorescein FAM-labeled ochratoxin A aptamer (OTA-Apt) were used as two fluorescent probes. The cDNA is anchored to the quenching material gold nanoflowers (AuNFs) by the action of streptavidin (SA) and biotin. Its ends can be complementarily paired with two fluorescent probe bases to form a double-stranded structure. The fluorescence of Cy3 was quenched by AuNFs, and the fluorescence of FAM was quenched by BHQ1 through the fluorescence energy resonance transfer (FRET) effect, forming a fluorescence quenching system. Due to the high affinity of the target and the aptamer, the structure of the aptamer probe changes and detaches from the sensor when AFB1 and OTA are present, resulting in enhanced fluorescence. Under optimal conditions, the linear range of AFB1 was 0.1-100 ng/mL (R2 = 0.996), the limit of detection (LOD) was as low as 0.014 ng/mL, and the limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.046 ng/mL. The linear range of OTA was 0.1-100 ng/mL (R2 = 0.995), the limit of detection (LOD) was as low as 0.027 ng/mL, and the limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.089 ng/mL. The sensor had high accuracy in detecting both AFB1 and OTA in real sample analysis. The results of the t test show that there is no significant difference between the results of this study and the high-performance liquid phase (HPLC) method, indicating that the prepared sensor can be used as a potential platform for multiple mycotoxins detection.

Seeds of Ginkgo biloba L. inhibit oxidative stress and inflammation induced by cigarette smoke in COPD rats through the Nrf2 pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: As a traditional medicine, seeds of Ginkgo biloba L. (Gbs) have been used to treat cough or asthma for a long time. It is commonly used in clinic for lung diseases. However, its mechanism of lung protection is not completely clear. AIMS OF THE STUDY: This research was designed to explore the protective effects of Gbs on antioxidant and inflammation during the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) pathological process provoked by cigarette smoking (CS) in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six random groups including control group, CS model group, Gbs intervention groups (25 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg, and 100 mg/kg) and aminophylline group were composed of forty-eight rats. Smoking and intratracheal instillation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were used to establish the COPD rat model. Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for quantifying the inflammatory factors such as IL-8, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17 and TNF-α. Western blotting were used for detecting the protein expressions of Nrf2, Keap1 and HO-1 in the lung tissues. RESULTS: Gbs inhibits lung histological changes and decreased the inflammatory factors in both bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum of CS-exposed rats, including IL-10, IL-17, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α. Gbs also inhibited the MDA level, increased SOD and GSH-PX activity in serum and changed expressions of Nrf2, Keap1 and HO-1 in the lung tissues. CONCLUSION: Gbs inhibit oxidative stress and inflammation induced by cigarette smoke in COPD rats through the Nrf2 Pathway.

The real-time detection of acupuncture-induced extracellular ATP mobilization in acupoints and exploration of its role in acupuncture analgesia.

Our and in vitro studies had confirmed that mechanosensitive ATP release and accumulation in acupoints was elicited by acupuncture (AP), which might be a pivotal step for triggering AP analgesia. But to date, the dynamics of extracellular ATP (eATP) in the interstitial space during AP process was poorly known, mainly due to the low temporal resolution of the current detection approach. This study attempted to capture rapid eATP signals in vivo in the process of needling, and further explored the role of this eATP mobilization in initiating AP analgesic effect. Ipsilateral 20-min needling was applied on Zusanli acupoint (ST36) of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced ankle arthritis rats. Pain thresholds were assessed in injured-side hindpaws. eATP in the interstitial space was microdialyzed and real-time quantified by luciferin-luciferase assay at 1-min interval with the aid of the microfluid chip. We revealed in behavioral tests that modulation of eATP levels in ST36 influenced AP analgesic effect on ankle arthritis. A transient eATP accumulation was induced by needling that started to mobilize at 4 min, climbed to the peak of 11.21 nM within 3.25 min and gradually recovered. Such AP-induced eATP mobilization was significantly impacted by ankle inflammation, needling depth, needle manipulation, and the presence of local ecto-nucleotidases. This work reveals that needling elicits a transient eATP mobilization in acupoints, which contributes to initiating AP analgesia. This study will help us better understand the peripheral mechanism of AP analgesia and guide clinicians to optimize the needle manipulations to improve AP efficacy.

A neonatal intelligent regulation system based on the combination of mild hypothermia mattress and hyperbaric oxygen chamber: introduction to a patent / 中国当代儿科杂志

Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a common disease that affects brain function in neonates. At present, mild hypothermia and hyperbaric oxygen therapy are the main methods for the treatment of neonatal HIE; however, they are independent of each other and cannot be combined for synchronous treatment, without monitoring of brain function-related physiological information. In addition, parameter setting of hyperbaric oxygen chamber and mild hypothermia mattress relies on the experience of the medical practitioner, and the parameters remain unchanged throughout the medical process. This article proposes a new device for the treatment of neonatal HIE, which has the modules of hyperbaric oxygen chamber and mild hypothermic mattress, so that neonates can receive the treatment of hyperbaric oxygen chamber and/or mild hypothermic mattress based on their conditions. Meanwhile, it can realize the real-time monitoring of various physiological information, including amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram, electrocardiogram, and near-infrared spectrum, which can monitor brain function, heart rate, rhythm, myocardial blood supply, hemoglobin concentration in brain tissue, and blood oxygen saturation. In combination with an intelligent control algorithm, the device can intelligently regulate parameters according to the physiological information of neonates and give recommendations for subsequent treatment.

[Germplasm resource evaluation of Chrysanthemi Indici Flos based on color and chemical components].

This study explored the correlation between color and chemical components of Chrysanthemi Indici Flos(CIF), aiming at providing a reference for its procurement, evaluation, and breeding. Colorimeter and ultra-performance liquid chromatograph(UPLC) were used to determine the color(lightness-shade chromaticity value L~*, red-green chromaticity value a~*, yellow-blue chromati-city value b~*) and chemical components(cynaroside, linarin, luteolin, apigenin, and chlorogenic acid) of 84 CIF germplasms, respectively. Diversity analysis, correlation analysis, regression analysis, and cluster analysis were performed. The results showed that the color and chemical components of CIF were diversified. Chlorogenic acid was in significantly positive correlation with L~* and b~* and significantly negative correlation with a~*. Cynaroside and grey relational grade γ_i of chemical components were in significantly po-sitive correlation with b~* and L~*, respectively, whereas linarin, luteolin, and apigenin had no significant correlation with L~*, a~*, or b~*. The 84 CIF germplasms were clustered into 4 clades. In addition, germplasms in clade Ⅲ had higher γ_i and total color value(E~*_(ab)) than those in other clades, with the best quality and color, and a germplasm with the highest quality, bright yellow color, and highest content of linarin was screened out in this clade. Thus, CIF with bright yellow color had high content of cymaroside and chlorogenic acid and thereby high quality. In summary, the color can be used to quickly predict the quality of CIF. Our results provided data for the evaluation of CIF quality by color and a reference for its procurement and breeding.