Development of controlled-release antioxidant poly (lactic acid) bilayer active film with different distributions of α-tocopherol and its application in corn oil preservation.

The antioxidant poly (lactic acid) bilayer active films with a different distribution of α-tocopherol (TOC) in two layers (outer layer/inner layer: 0%/6%, 2%/4%, 3%/3%, 4%/2%, 6%/0%) were developed. The effects of TOC distribution on the structural, physicochemical, mechanical, antioxidant and release properties of the films and their application in corn oil packaging were investigated. The different distributions of TOC showed insignificant effects on the color, transparency, tensile strength and oxygen and water vapor barrier properties of the films, but it affected the release behavior of TOC from the films into 95% ethanol and the oxidation degree of corn oil. The film with higher TOC in outer layer showed a slower release rate. The corn oil packaged by the film containing 4% TOC in outer layer and 2% TOC in inner layer exhibited the best oxidative stability. This concept showed a great potential to develop controlled-release active films for food packaging.

Association of Selenium Levels with Neurodegenerative Disease: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) have posed significant challenges to public health, and it is crucial to understand their mechanisms in order to develop effective therapeutic strategies. Recent studies have highlighted the potential role of selenium in ND pathogenesis, as it plays a vital role in maintaining cellular homeostasis and preventing oxidative damage. However, a comprehensive analysis of the association between selenium and NDs is still lacking. METHOD: Five public databases, namely PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane and Clinical Trials, were searched in our research. Random model effects were chosen, and Higgins inconsistency analyses (I2), Cochrane's Q test and Tau2 were calculated to evaluate the heterogeneity. RESULT: The association of selenium in ND patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Huntington's disease (HD) was studied. A statistically significant relationship was only found for AD patients (SMD = -0.41, 95% CI (-0.64, -0.17), p < 0.001), especially for erythrocytes. However, no significant relationship was observed in the analysis of the other four diseases. CONCLUSION: Generally, this meta-analysis indicated that AD patients are strongly associated with lower selenium concentrations compared with healthy people, which may provide a clinical reference in the future. However, more studies are urgently needed for further study and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Effectiveness of Traditional Chinese Health-Promoting Exercise as an Adjunct Therapy for Drug Use Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: Meta-analysis was used to quantitatively examine the effectiveness of Traditional Chinese Health-Promoting Exercise (TCE) as an adjuvant therapy for drug use disorders and rehabilitation based on previously published studies. Methods: Potential literature was retrieved by searching eight electronic databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure [CNKI], Wanfang, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, China Biology Medicine [CBM], PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and EBSCOhost) from January 2000 to May 2021, as well as through manual searches, including email. These literature reports comprised randomized, controlled trial studies and nonrandomized, controlled trial studies assessing the effects of TCE intervention on the physical and psychological (mental) health of drug addicts. The quality and bias risk of each study were assessed using the Cochrane bias risk assessment tool. The RevMan5.3 statistical software was employed to evaluate the methodological quality of the included studies, and sensitivity and subgroup analyses using the Stata16.0 MP software were performed to explore the sources of heterogeneity among the data. This study is registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021254124). Results: Data from 14 studies (1094 individuals with drug abuse) meeting the inclusion criteria were extracted for meta-analysis. Compared to the control group, TCE intervention induced significant improvements in the systolic blood pressure (standardized mean difference [SMD] = -0.42, p < 0.05), diastolic blood pressure (SMD = -0.34, p < 0.05), one-leg stand with eyes closed (SMD = 0.74, p < 0.05), Symptom Check List (SMD = -0.42, p < 0.05), anxiety scale (self-rating anxiety scale/STI) (SMD = -0.49, p < 0.05), and depression scale (self-rating depression scale/Beck Depression Inventory/Hamilton Depression Rating Scale for Depression) (SMD = -0.37, p < 0.05). Sensitivity and subgroup analyses of the individual outcome indicators with high heterogeneity (I2 ≥ 50%, p < 0.10) were performed to further explore the source of heterogeneity. The results of the sensitivity analysis showed that, after removing studies one by one, the heterogeneity of the data remained high (I2 > 50), and the difference of synthetic overall effect did not change (p < 0.05), indicating that the sensitivity was low and that the results were robust and reliable. The results of the subgroup analysis results indicated that the gender of the participants and the drug type were the sources of heterogeneity. Conclusion: As an effective mind-body movement intervention, long-term TCE is beneficial to improving the physical and mental health of drug addicts. The specific intervention methods are dependent on the gender of the addict and the drug type, and longer intervention times yielded greater impacts on their physical health.

Warpage optimization and influence factors analysis of 3D printing personalized JJY tablets.

To explore the feasibility of preparing traditional Chinese medicine using 3 D printing technology and reduce warpage commonly occurs in large-size tablets, we investigated the prescription, warpage optimization and influence factors of 3 D printing Jiuxiang Jianpi Yangwei (JJY) tablets. The procedures used conformed to the requirements of the 2015 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopeia. The results of the prescription screening showed that 75% ethanol and HPMC (9%) could be adhesives. Meanwhile, stevia (0.5%) and citric acid (0.5%) improved the taste of the 3 D printed JJY tablets. To ensure the quality and appearance of the printed tablets, the best parameters were as follows: drying at room temperature, 40% of the filling density, a 3 mm model height, two outer ring numbers and a printing speed of 15 mm/s. The optimized printed tablets had a smooth appearance, suitable hardness, with the weight uniformity in accordance with the Pharmacopeia. We also prepared personalized JJY cartoon tablets (which contained images of a big-headed pig and a small yellow duck) which were designed to increase the compliance of children when taking their medications. In conclusion, this study reported that 3 D printing technology has great potential for preparing traditional Chinese medicines, and it provided guidance for 3 D printing tablets without warpage.

[Diagnosis and Treatment Recommendation and Exploration for Critical and Refractory Adverse Effects Related to Immunocheckpoint Inhibitors].

The application of immunological checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has modified many treatment strategies of malignant tumors, which has become a milestone in cancer therapy. The principle of action can be explained as "brake theory". After releasing the brakes by ICIs, unprecedented systemic toxicities, even some refractory and fatal immune-related adverse effects (irAEs) may develop. In this article, we summarized the recommended treatments of grade 3-4 severe irAEs in the latest European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)/American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) and Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO) guidelines and consensus. We also performed a systemic review of case reports and reviews of irAEs up to May 20, 2019 in PubMed and Chinese journals. Successful applications of specific immunosuppressive drugs and stimulating factors beyond the above guidelines and consensus were supplemented and highlighted, including agents blocking interleukin 6 (IL-6), rituximab, anti-tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) monoclonal antibody (mAb), anti-integrin 4 mAb, Janus kinase inhibitors, thrombopoietin receptor agonists and antithymocyte globulin (ATG) etc. We put some concerns of using high-dose steroids for long-term, and emphasize the secondary infections, tumor progression, and unavailability of ICI re-challenge during steroid treatment. We propose the "De-escalation Therapy" principle for severe and refractory irAEs, and suggest that immunosuppressive drugs specifically targeting cytokines should be used as early as possible. Many irAEs in the era of immunotherapy are unprecedented compared with traditional chemotherapy and small-molecule targeted therapy, which is a big challenge to oncologists. Therefore, the establishment of multidisciplinary system is very important for the management of cancer patients.