Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) molecular networking guided profiling of small molecules from Aquilaria sinensis (Lour.) Gilg leaves and their bioactivity evaluation.

INTRODUCTION: Agarwood, a fragrant resinous wood mainly formed by Aquilaria spp., is used worldwide as a natural fragrance and traditional medicine. A large amount of Aquilaria sinensis (Lour.) Gilg leaves are underutilised during the process of the agarwood industry, and the development of A. sinensis leaves as tea has recently attracted more and more attention. However, the small molecule profile of A. sinensis leaves and their bioactivities has been rarely reported. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a rapid untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis of A. sinensis leaves with a molecular networking (MN) strategy and evaluate its antioxidant and antidiabetic value. METHOD: A MN-assisted tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) analysis strategy was used to investigate the small molecule profile of A. sinensis leaves. Additionally, the integration of antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory assays with MN analysis was executed to expeditiously characterise the bioactive compounds for potential prospective application. RESULTS: Five main chemical groups including phenol C-glycosides, organic acids, 2-(2-phenylethyl) chromones, benzophenone O-glycosides and flavonoids were rapidly revealed from the A. sinensis leaves. Eighty-one compounds were provisionally identified by comparing their MS/MS fragments with canonical pathways. The featured xanthone C-glycosides and benzophenone C-glycosides were recognised as the primary components of A. sinensis leaves. Several dimers and a trimer of mangiferin were reported firstly in A. sinensis leaves. Furthermore, 17 and 14 potential bioactive molecules were rapidly annotated from antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory fraction, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our findings will help expand the utilisation of A. sinensis leaves and thus promote the high-quality development of agarwood industry.

[Effect of sulfur fumigation on quality and safety of Lilii Bulbus].

Lilii Bulbus is a commonly used Chinese herbal medicine with both medicinal and edible values, while the market products usually has the problem of sulfur fumigation. Therefore, the quality and safety of Lilii Bulbus products deserve attention. In this study, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-time of flight-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) was combined with principal component analysis(PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) to analyze the differential components of Lilii Bulbus before and after sulfur fumigation. We identified ten markers generated after sulfur fumigation, summarized their mass fragmentation and transformation patterns, and verified the structures of phenylacrylic acid markers of sulfur fumigation. At the same time, the cytotoxicity of the aqueous extracts of Lilii Bulbus before and after sulfur fumigation was evaluated. The results showed that in the concentration range of 0-800 mg·L~(-1), the aqueous extract of Lilii Bulbus after sulfur fumigation had no significant effect on the viability of human liver LO2 cells, human renal proximal tubular HK-2 cells, and rat adrenal pheochromocytoma PC-12 cells. Moreover, the viability of the cells exposed to the aqueous extract of Lilii Bulbus before and after sulfur fumigation showed no significant difference. This study identified phenylacrylic acid and furostanol saponins as markers of sulfur-fumigated Lilii Bulbus for the first time, and made clear that proper sulfur fumigation of Lilii Bulbus would not produce cytotoxicity, providing a theoretical basis for the rapid identification and quality and safety control of sulfur-fumigated Lilii Bulbus.

The Experience of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Menopausal Symptoms, Sleep Disturbance, and Body Image among Patients with Breast Cancer-A Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The objective was to decrease patient menopausal symptoms, sleep disturbance, and body image using a nonpharmacological therapy for cultivating key healthy lifestyle habits in patients with breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The participants were 26 women with breast cancer who had recently received structured mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) training in a clinical trial. Focus groups and interviews were conducted, during which the participants were asked semistructured, open-ended questions regarding the experiences of MBSR. RESULTS: The participants indicated that MBSR helped them to alleviate hot flashes and night sweats, and improve sleep quality and be more at ease with the external aspect of their body. On the other hand, during MBSR intervention in a group manner, the participants felt more psychological support and an outlet for sharing negative emotional experiences. CONCLUSION: This study identified the short-term benefits associated with group-based MBSR for women with breast cancer. In addition, our research identified the difficulties of intervention measures and coping methods. The study described the benefits of MBSR for patients with breast cancer. The findings of this study will help nursing staff identify the main coping menopausal symptoms and control negative mental health.

LC-MS-based identification and antioxidant evaluation of small molecules from the cinnamon oil extraction waste.

Cinnamon oil is obtained by steam distillation from cinnamon leaves and is usually considered highly cost-effective compared to bark oil, however, which results in tons of waste cinnamon leaves (WCL) discarded annually. By using MS/MS molecular networking (MN) assisted profiling, six main chemical diversities including flavonols and flavones, phenolic acids, lactones, terpenoids, phenylpropanoids and flavanols were rapid revealed from WCL aqueous extract. 101 compounds were tentatively identified by assigning their MS/MS fragments within typical pathways under ESI-MS/MS dissociation. The featured phenolic acids, terpenoids and their glycosides in cinnamon species were recognized as the main constituents of WCL. The hydrophilic lactones, lignans and flavanols were reported for the first time in cinnamon leaves. Furthermore, ABTS and FRAP assays integrated with MN analysis were conducted to uncover an antioxidant fraction, from which 40 potential antioxidant compounds were rapidly annotated. This fundamental information will help expand the utilization of WCL from cinnamon oil industry.

Apoptotic mechanisms of gastric cancer cells induced by isolated erinacine S through epigenetic histone H3 methylation of FasL and TRAIL.

Erinacine S, the new bioactive diterpenoid compound isolated from the ethanol extract of the mycelia of Hericium erinaceus, displays great health-promoting properties. However, the effects of erinacine S on inductive apoptosis in cancer cells such as gastric cancer and its molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Our results demonstrated that erinacine S treatment significantly induces cell apoptosis with increased ROS production in gastric cancer cells, but not in normal cells. Significantly, erinacine S also showed its inhibitory effects on tumor growth in an in vivo xenograft mouse model. Furthermore, immunohistochemical analyses revealed that erinacine S treatment significantly increases the FasL and TRAIL protein, whereas it decreases the levels of PCNA and cyclin D1 in the gastric cancer xenograft mice. Consistently, in AGS cells, erinacine S treatment not only triggers the activation of extrinsic apoptosis pathways (TRAIL, Fas-L and caspase-8, -9, -3), but it also suppresses the expression of the anti-apoptotic molecules Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL in a time-dependent manner. In addition, erinacine S also causes cell cycle G1 arrest by the inactivation of CDKs/cyclins. Moreover, our data revealed that activation of the ROS-derived and AKT/FAK/PAK1 pathways is involved in the erinacine S-mediated transcriptional activation of Fas-L and TRAIL through H3K4 trimethylation on their promoters. Together, this study sheds light on the anticancer effects of erinacine S on gastric cancer and its molecular mechanism in vitro and in vivo.

A review of the traditional uses, phytochemistry and biological activities of the Melastoma genus.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The genus Melastoma consists of approximately 100 species distributed widely in tropical and subtropical countries, and Melastoma species are often used for medicinal purposes, such as treatment for bleeding, diarrhea, diabetes, and gynecological tumors by local people, mostly in Southeast Asian countries. AIM OF THE REVIEW: The present review summarizes the traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of species belonging to Melastoma to suggest further research strategies and to facilitate the exploitation of the therapeutic potential of Melastoma species for the treatment of human disorders. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Information related to the traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological activities was systematically collected by searching for the word "Melastoma" in electronic databases, including SciFinder, Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar, from Apr. 1968 until Dec. 2019. RESULTS: A systematic literature survey revealed that Melastoma spp. are widely distributed in southern Asia to northern Oceania and the Pacific Islands and are traditionally used to treat bleeding, diarrhea, swelling, and gynecological tumors. Approximately 142 compounds, including flavonoids, tannins, phenylpropanoids, organic acids, terpenoids, and steroids, have been reported from Melastoma spp. Different extracts have been evaluated for their pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, hemostatic, anticoagulant, cytotoxic, antibacterial, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, gastroprotective and hypoglycemic activities. CONCLUSIONS: Melastoma spp. are popularly used in Southeast Asian countries as effective herbs and are rich in flavonoids, tannins and organic acids with valuable medicinal properties. However, additional studies of the chemical constituents and the mechanism-based pharmacological activities of many members of Melastoma are still needed for developing new plant-derived drugs. In addition, studies on the clinical safety and efficacy of Melastoma are also needed.

[Advances in quality research of Cinnamomum cassia].

Cinnamomum cassis is one of the commonly used traditional Chinese medicines in China. Its genuine producing areas distribute in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces. As an important edible herb and export variety of China, the quality control and internationalization of quality standards of C. cassis is extremely significant. In the recent years, with the development of the cinnamon industry, relevant academic research and the upgrade of the international standards, it is necessary to summarize the quality-related progress of C. cassis. In the present review, the germplasm resources, specific quality marker(Q-marker) and quality standards of C. cassis were summarized on the basis of published research during the last 10 years.

A proposed mother-friendly childbirth model for Taiwanese women and obstetricians' attitudes toward it.

OBJECTIVE: Pleasant and humane childbirth is every mother's wish. The objective of this study was to propose a practicable mother-friendly childbirth model tailored to Taiwanese women in order to improve the quality of perinatal care and maternal satisfaction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this study, the guidelines of several countries were systematically reviewed, and a standard set of clinical guidelines were established by a focus group. In addition, a total of 172 Taiwanese obstetricians were visited, and a cross-sectional study of these obstetricians' attitudes toward the practicality and effectiveness of the model was performed using questionnaires. RESULTS: A total of 10 suggestions were developed for this woman-friendly childbirth model, including: (1) intermittent fetal monitoring for low-risk pregnancy, (2) no routine enema, (3) no routine perineal shaving, (4) no routine restricted oral intake, (5) no routine parenteral fluid support, (6) no routine elective amniotomy, (7) nonpharmacological pain management, (8) upright position during childbirth, (9) delayed pushing, and (10) restrictive episiotomy. Taiwanese obstetricians approved of no routine oral intake restriction and providing nonmedical pain relief. The majority of obstetricians disagreed that perineal shaving and routine elective amniotomy were necessary, and agreed to modify their practice according to the suggestions. Suggestions were still being debated, such as no routine parenteral fluid support, using an upright position for childbirth, and delayed pushing. Intermittent fetal monitoring for low-risk pregnancy, no routine enema, and restrictive episiotomy were questioned by many Taiwanese obstetricians. CONCLUSION: Several suggestions were made in this model. However, there was still no consensus of Taiwanese obstetricians. More evidence for the advantages and disadvantages of the various suggestions was needed to convince Taiwanese obstetrician to modify their routine practice.

A proposed mother-friendly childbirth model for Taiwanese women, the implementation and satisfaction survey.

OBJECTIVES: Pleasant and humane childbirth is every mother's wish. We established one practicable and tailored Taiwanese mother-friendly childbirth model, and the objective of this study was to investigate the implementation, pregnancy outcomes, and women's satisfaction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used the Taiwanese mother-friendly childbirth model. Women from eight hospitals were divided into an experimental group and control group. The experimental group received prenatal care modified by the Taiwanese mother-friendly childbirth model and the control group received routine prenatal care according to their hospital. We performed a quasi-experimental study of women's satisfaction toward this mother-friendly childbirth model by questionnaires and surveyed the practicality and effectiveness of this model. RESULTS: Seven hundred and fifty-one women from eight hospitals, including three medical centers and five regional hospitals were included. There was significantly different practices between the two groups, such as: (1) intermittent fetal monitoring for low-risk pregnancy; (2) no routine enema; (3) no perineal shaving; (4) less routine parenteral fluid support; (5) using an upright position; and (6) restrictive episiotomy. The mean maternal height, body weight gain, gestational age, birth weight, and episiotomy wound infection rate were indifferent. The epidural anesthesia rate and induction medication use were significantly lower in the experimental group. The self-reported pain score was higher in the experimental group and the self-reported satisfactory score was also higher in the experimental group, without statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Women receiving standardized prenatal care modified by the woman-friendly childbirth model of prenatal care had less epidural anesthesia, less induction medication, higher self-reported satisfaction score, and indifferent pregnancy outcomes such as gestational age, birth weight, and wound infection rate.

[Nursing education: integrating gender equity consciousness].

Gender sensitivity influences the way a nurse handles the nursing process and can influence both patient care and public perception of the nursing profession. Nurses unaware of the influences of gender are unable to perform holistic nursing, the practice of which centers on patient-centered care. Education is essential to promote gender consciousness. Providing scenario-based education to apply gender consciousness can help nursing students integrate gender and nursing care concepts and improve nursing care quality. In addition to raising attention to this important issue, this article makes comprehensive suggestions on how to apply gender concepts in nursing education. These suggestions include requiring instructors to consider and assess their own gender consciousness in order to enhance positive gender consciousness; reviewing teaching materials to identify and remove content tainted by sexual discrimination, and emphasizing gender education in the nursing education curriculum.

[Sterols of marine bryozoan Bugula neritina from the South China Sea].

OBJECTIVE: To study the sterol constituents of Bugula neritina from the South China Sea. METHODS: The alcohol extract of Bugula neritina was purified by silica gel column and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, and structures of the isolated compounds were identified by spectroscopic analysis and comparison with those of literatures. RESULTS: Ten sterols were isolated and identified from the petroleum ether fraction of alcohol extract of B. neritina L.:Cholest-4-en-3-one(I); cholesterol(II);3beta,5alpha,9alpha-trihydroxy-(22E,24R)-ergosta-7,22-dien-6-one(III); 24-methyl-5alpha-cholesta-7,22-diene-3beta,5,6beta-triol(IV); 3beta-Hydroxy-7-methoxy-Cholesta-5-en(V);5alpha, 8alpha-epidioxy-(22E,24R)-ergosta-6, 22-dien-3beta-ol(VI); 3beta-hydroxycholest-5-en-7-one (VII); and 6beta-hydroxy-cholest-4-en-3-one(VIII); Cholesta-5-ene-3beta,7beta-diol(IX); Cholesta-5,22(E)-dien-3beta,7alpha-diol(X). CONCLUSION: Compounds IV-X were isolated from Bugula neritina for the first time.