Black raspberry-mediated metabolic changes in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis associated with rectal polyp regression.

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) patients face an almost certain 100% risk of developing colorectal cancer, necessitating prophylactic colectomy to prevent disease progression. A crucial goal is to hinder this progression. In a recent clinical trial involving 14 FAP patients, half received 60 g of black raspberry (BRB) powder orally and BRB suppositories at bedtime, while the other half received only BRB suppositories at bedtime over 9 months. This intervention led to a notable reduction in rectal polyps for 11 patients, although 3 showed no response. In this study, we delved into the metabolic changes induced by BRBs in the same patient cohort. Employing mass spectrometry-based non-targeted metabolomics, we analyzed pre- and post-BRB urinary and plasma samples from the 11 responders. The results showed significant alterations in 23 urinary and 6 plasma metabolites, influencing various pathways including polyamine, glutathione metabolism, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, inositol metabolism, and benzoate production. BRBs notably elevated levels of several metabolites associated with these pathways, suggesting a potential mechanism through which BRBs facilitate rectal polyp regression in FAP patients by modulating multiple metabolic pathways. Notably, metabolites derived from BRB polyphenols were significantly increased post-BRB intervention, emphasizing the potential therapeutic value of BRBs in FAP management.

Effect of ultrasound-assisted thawing on gelling and 3D printing properties of silver carp surimi.

The effects of ultrasound-assisted thawing (at ultrasonic frequencies of 45, 80 and 100 kHz) and water immersion thawing on gelling and 3D printing properties of silver carp surimi were examined. Ultrasound-assisted thawing (UT) can save 13.5%~40.4% time, and high ultrasonic frequency (80 kHz and 100 kHz) did not cause high thawing loss. Thawing at higher ultrasonic frequency could reduce the damage of the secondary and tertiary structure of myofibrillar proteins. No significant differences were observed for the main relaxation component (T22) and its peak area proportion (P22), and rheological properties, resulting in similar printing performance. After steam heating, cuboid samples in UT-100 kHz group kept the best geometrical shapes and had the highest hardness, springiness, and chewiness. Thus, ultrasound-assisted thawing provides a promising thawing method in food materials of 3D printing.

A facile method for fabricating a three-dimensional aligned fibrous scaffold for vascular application.

Vascular graft replacement remains the optimal treatment option for many vascular diseases despite advances in endovascular surgery. In this study, we proposed the use of surface topographical cues to align and maintain the phenotype of vascular smooth muscle cells (vSMCs) which were reported as one of the vital limitations for successful graft replacement. An auxiliary electrospinning setup has been developed to collect circumferentially aligned fibres on a 3D tubular format; this micro-architecture was found to be similar to the tunica media layer of blood vessels. The presence of aligned fibres served as a signaling modality to induce cell alignment and the maintenance of the contractile phenotype. vSMCs cultured on the 3D aligned fibrous substrate were found to exhibit better cell proliferation ability and enhanced cell-shape directionality. The functional expression of the two representative intracellular contractile proteins (i.e. α-SMA and MHC) was found to exhibit definitive markers that are orderly organized as microfilament bundles. Collectively, the result suggests a possibility of adapting the 3D aligned tubular scaffold to enhance and regulate cell function along with the additional tunability of scaffold diameter and thicknesses for tailoring to the needs of individual patients or future ex vivo studies.

Study on effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine Jianpi Chushi decoction and ointment on chronic eczema.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine Jianpi Chushi decoction and ointment on chronic eczema. METHODS: DNCB acetone solution was used to sensitize the skin of back and ears of 36 rats in order to establish chronic eczema model. A total of 36 rats were divided into four groups of 9 randomly including oral medicine group, external inunctum group, combination therapy group, and model control group respectively. Besides, the blank group of 4 healthy rats were set. The oral medicine group was given Traditional Chinese Medicine Jianpi Chushi decoction [(Poria cocos, Chinese yam, Cortex dictamni, Zaocys dhumnade, Rhizoma atractylodis, Pericarpium citri reticulatae, Scutellaria baicalensis, Radix Sophorae Flavescentis, Raw Radix Paeoniae Alba, Licorice roots (Northwest Origin)] by gastric infusion (1.6 g/mL·5 mL/d); the external inunctum group was given Qingpeng ointment on the skin, the combination therapy group was given Jianpi Chushi decoction by gastric infusion and Qingpeng ointment combination therapy. The model control group was given normal saline (NS) of the same volume by gastric infusion and vaseline on skin. Continuous administration 15 d and stopped for 3 d. The thickness difference and weight difference of left and right ear of every group were measured and the degree of ear swelling were evaluated. The CD4+ and CD8+ content and the IL-2, IL-4 level of serum were detected, and the inflammatory cells counts of back skin were recorded. RESULTS: After treatment, the degree of ear swelling of oral medicine group, external inunctum group and combination therapy group significant decreased compared with model control group (P < 0.05). The CD4+, CD8+ cell content and IL-2 level of oral medicine group, external inunctum group, combination therapy group and model control group significant decreased compared with blank group, and IL-2 level and the inflammatory cells count increased. After 15 d of treatment, the CD4+, CD8+ cell content and IL-2 level of serum of oral medicine group, external inunctum group and combination therapy group raised and the IL-4 level and the inflammatory cells count had significant decreased compared with model control group, and the effect of combination therapy group was more obvious (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Qral Jianpi Chushi decoction could treat chronic eczema effectively, and oral Chinese medicine combined with ointment could enhance and speed up the efficacy.

[Separation and molecular identification of fungal contamination on surface of 15 Chinese herbal medicines].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate fungal contamination on the surface of Chinese herbal medicines and explore an appropriate method for fast and efficient identification of contaminant fungi. METHOD: Chinese herbal medicines were first washed and the washing solution was plated onto potato dextrose agar (PDA) to obtain the pure isolates. For molecular identification, two new pairs of specific primers were designed according to ITS region of fungi genome sequences. The strains were identified through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequence analysis. RESULT: Fifty fungal strains were obtained from the surface of 15 Chinese herbal medicines with the percent of contaminated samples of 93.3%. Twenty-seven strains among them were successfully identified. CONCLUSION: Fungal contamination on the surface of Chinese herbal medicines is quite common. Although different fungal species were isolated, the genus Aspergillus was the predominant. The primer pairs developed in this study are compatible and can be used to identify fungal species from the surface of Chinese herbal medicines.

[Dynamic finite element analysis of three ferrule designs in post crown under impact loading].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the stress distribution in three ferrule designs in a maxillary central incisor restoration using PFM crown with post, and evaluate the biomechanical mechanism of the ferrule effect in the post crown by 3D finite element dynamic analysis. METHODS: The 3D finite element model of a maxillary central incisor restored with post and PFM crown was established. By simulating three types of ferrule effect [crown wrapping dentine (A), core collar wrapping (B), and contrabevel (C)] under dynamic loading, the dentin stress was analyzed. RESULTS: During dynamic loading, the stress distribution tended to increase from the cervical part to root middle and radical part of the tooth, and greater high stress area was found around the apex of the post, where the peak stress was observed value. The stress of the labial dentin of the root inferior segment increased obviously. The high stress areas were invariable at every loading step during dynamic loading. The peak stress was sigma(vonA)

[Anticancer effect of hydroxycampothecin on oral squamous carcinoma cell line].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Studies have demonstrated that hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) had therapeutic effect on many malignant tumors, but few studies on oral squamous cell carcinoma were reported. This study was designed to investigate the anticancer effect and mechanism of hydroxycampothecin (HCPT) on oral squamous carcinoma cell line (Tca8113). METHODS: The cytotoxicity of HCPT on Tca8113 cell line was measured by MTT assay and cell cycle detected by flow cytometry(FCM). The growth status of Tca8113 cell xenografts following treatment with HCPT was observed. The doubling times and tumor inhibition rate were calculated. RESULTS: HCPT had strong cytotoxicity on Tca8113 cells, the IC50 was 2 mumol/L. After treatment with low concentration of HCPT, the cell cycle was arrested in S phase or G2 + M phase; while at high concentration, apoptosis was obviously found and the rate of apoptosis was increased as the time and concentration of HCPT. Compared with control group, the xenografts of HCPT treated group grew slower and tumor doubling time was prolonged, The tumor volumes of HCPT treated group at 28th day were significantly smaller(P < 0.001) with tumor inhibition rate of 69.6%. CONCLUSION: The result showed that HCPT had strong cytotoxicity effect to oral squamous carcinoma cells and significant growth inhibition on Tca8113 xenografts. HCPT can arrest cell cycle in S phase and G2 + M phase and induce cell apoptosis.