Long-term efficacy and safety of monotherapy with a single fresh fecal microbiota transplant for recurrent active ulcerative colitis: a prospective randomized pilot study.

BACKGROUND: To assess the long-term safety and efficacy of monotherapy with a single fresh fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) for recurrent ulcerative colitis (UC). RESULTS: Twenty-six eligible patients were enrolled, and 6 patients were excluded. Ultimately, 20 patients were randomized to the FMT group (n = 10) and the control group (n = 10); 80% were females (F/M = 16/4), the mean age was 48 ± 14 years, and the mean duration was 6.4 ± 8.2 years. The mean length of post-FMT follow-up was 19.1 ± 10.1 months (6-38). No statistically significant differences in baseline demographic or clinical characteristics were found between the groups. Ninety percent of patients in the FMT group and 50% of patients in the control group met the primary endpoint at week 8. The Mayo score was significantly decreased compared with that of the control group (n = 10) when reassessed at week 4 (P = 0.001) and week 8 (P = 0.019) after FMT; there was no significant difference 6 months after treatment. The median remission time was 24 months (95% CI 68.26-131.7%) in both the FMT (range 6-38 months) and control groups (range 7-35 months), with no significant difference (P = 0.895). Participants tolerated FMT treatment, and no adverse events occurred during long-term follow-up, with one treatment-related significant adverse event (EBV infection) occurring within 2 weeks after FMT. Stool microbiota composition analysis indicated improved gut microbiota diversity after FMT, with expansion of stool-donor taxa. Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were the dominant bacterial phyla of the gut microbiota in active UC patients. The relative abundance of Bacteroidetes decreased and that of Proteobacteria increased significantly in active UC patients compared with donors, while Firmicutes showed no significant changes. A single fresh FMT could effectively reconstruct the gut microbiota composition in patients with active UC and maintain stability, with increased Bacteroidetes and decreased Proteobacteria abundance. FMT significantly reduced the relative abundance of Escherichia and increased the relative abundance of Prevotella at the genus level. Pyruvate metabolism, glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, and pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis showed significant differences after transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: Monotherapy with a single fresh FMT is an effective and safe strategy to induce long-term remission without drugs in patients with active UC and may be an alternative induction therapy for recurrent UC or even primary UC.

Selection, identification, and application of DNA aptamers against bovine pregnancy-associated glycoproteins 4.

The bovine pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (bPAGs) have been widely used as robust markers for early diagnosis of pregnancy in the cattle. The current immune recognition methods for detecting bPAGs are limited and, to a certain extent, are associated with high costs and poor stability of the antibody. Aptamers that are more stable and easily synthesized than antibodies might serve as suitable candidates for the development of rapid detection methods. This paper describes selection and characterization of bPAG4 aptamers and theirs applicability to detect bPAG4 in the serum. In this work, the recombinant bovine pregnancy-associated glycoproteins 4 (bPAG4) with a relative molecular mass of about 48 kDa was successfully expressed in human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK 293) cells. Subsequently, the ssDNA aptamers were selected by systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) using magnetic beads (MB) coated with bPAG4 as target. After 9 rounds of selection, three aptamers with high affinity to bPAG4 (Kd = 11.7~40.2 nM) were identified. The selected aptamers were successfully used in enzyme-linked aptamer assay (ELAA) to detect bPAG4 at a detection limit of 0.09 ng/mL. Meanwhile, it has been successfully applied for the detection of bPAG4 in serum samples. This work demonstrated that the selected aptamers could be used as promising affinity probes in the development of inexpensive, simple, and sensitive analysis methods for detecting bPAGs. Graphical abstract.

Colorimetric enzyme-linked aptamer assay utilizing hybridization chain reaction for determination of bovine pregnancy-associated glycoproteins.

DNA aptamers that bind to bovine pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (bPAGs) were selected by the systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) procedure coupled to surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technology. After seven rounds of selection using carboxylated magnetic beads (MB) coated with bovine pregnancy-associated glycoproteins 9 (bPAG9) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) as target and counter targets, respectively, two aptamers designated as A1 and A24 showed high affinities to bPAG9 (Kd = 1.04 and 2.5 nM). Moreover, the specificity was determined by testing the non-targets bPAG4, bPAG6, bPAG16, BSA, and ovalbumin (OVA). Results showed that two aptamers demonstrated broad group specificity to bPAG family. Subsequently, a colorimetric sandwich enzyme-linked aptamer assay was developed for ultrasensitive detection of bPAG9 based on hybridization chain reaction (HCR) amplification strategy. The method exhibited a broad determination from 0.134 to 134 ng/mL with a detection limit of 0.037 ng/mL. The method has been successfully applied to determine bPAGs in real samples. The results demonstrate that the developed aptamers could be used as promising molecular probes for the development of pregnancy diagnostic tools. Graphical abstract In this study, we first selected aptamers against bovine pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (bPAGs) as molecular recognition elements and then developed a colorimetric enzyme-linked aptamer assay utilizing hybridization chain reaction to detect bPAGs in the serum.The GA can't be deleted, the modified GA can not upload. So themodified GA and figures will be send to CorrAdmin3@spi-global.com.

Alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone increases the activity of melanocortin-3 receptor-expressing neurons in the ventral tegmental area.

KEY POINTS: Alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) is an anorexigenic peptide. Injection of the α-MSH analog MTII into the ventral tegmental area (VTA) decreases food and sucrose intake and food reward. Melanocortin-3 receptors (MC3R) are highly expressed in the VTA, suggesting that the effects of intra-VTA α-MSH may be mediated by α-MSH changing the activity of MC3R-expressing VTA neurons. α-MSH increased the firing rate of MC3R VTA neurons in acute brain slices from mice, although it did not affect the firing rate of non-MC3R VTA neurons. The α-MSH induced increase in MC3R neuron firing rate is probably activity-dependent, and was independent of fast synaptic transmission and intracellular Ca2+ levels. These results help us to better understand how α-MSH acts in the VTA to affect feeding and other dopamine-dependent behaviours. ABSTRACT: The mesocorticolimbic dopamine system, the brain's reward system, regulates multiple behaviours, including food intake and food reward. There is substantial evidence that the melanocortin system of the hypothalamus, an important neural circuit controlling feeding and body weight, interacts with the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system to affect feeding, food reward and body weight. For example, melanocortin-3 receptors (MC3Rs) are expressed in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and our laboratory previously showed that intra-VTA injection of the MC3R agonist, MTII, decreases home-cage food intake and operant responding for sucrose pellets. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying the effects of intra-VTA alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) on feeding and food reward are unknown. To determine how α-MSH acts in the VTA to affect feeding, we performed electrophysiological recordings in acute brain slices from mice expressing enhanced yellow fluorescent protein in MC3R neurons to test how α-MSH affects the activity of VTA MC3R neurons. α-MSH significantly increased the firing rate of VTA MC3R neurons without altering the activity of non-MC3R expressing VTA neurons. In addition, the α-MSH-induced increase in MC3R neuron activity was independent of fast synaptic transmission and intracellular Ca2+ levels. Finally, we show that the effect of α-MSH on MC3R neuron firing rate is probably activity-dependent. Overall, these studies provide an important advancement in the understanding of how α-MSH acts in the VTA to affect feeding and food reward.

Surface molecularly imprinted polymers prepared by two-step precipitation polymerization for the selective extraction of oleanolic acid from grape pomace extract.

Surface molecularly imprinted polymers were successfully prepared by a novel two-step precipitation polymerization method. The first-step allowed the formation of 4-vinylpyridine divinylbenzene and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate copolymeric microspheres. In the second-step precipitation polymerization, microspheres were modified with a molecularly imprinting layer of oleanolic acid as template, methacrylic acid as functional monomer, and divinylbenzene/ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as cross-linker. The obtained polymers had an average diameter of 4.43 µm and a polydispersity index of 1.011; adsorption equilibrium was achieved within 40 min, with adsorption capacity reaching 27.4 mg/g. Subsequently, the polymers were successfully applied as the adsorbents of molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction to separate and purify the oleanolic acid from grape pomace. The content of oleanolic acid in the grape pomace extract was enhanced from 13.4 to 93.2% after using the molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction process. This work provides an efficient way for effective oleanolic acid separation and enrichment from complex matrices, which is especially valuable in industrial production.

An optimized DNA extraction method for molecular identification of coccidian species.

Molecular identification of Eimeria parasites infecting poultry and livestock has been commonly used for more than 20 years. An important step of the molecular identification technique is the rupturing of the oocyst wall for DNA extraction. Previously, DNA extraction methods included pre-treatment with sodium hypochlorite and osmotic shock with saturated salt solution. Here, we present a modification of this technique for a more sensitive and efficient identification of Eimeria spp. in field samples. The disruption extent of the oocyst walls, yield of DNA extraction, and identification of species-specific DNA sequences by PCR were used to evaluate this optimized method. Incubation of oocysts in sodium hypochlorite for 1.5 h at 4 °C followed by treatment with a saturated salt solution for 1 h at 55 °C broke up the walls of most Eimeria tenella oocysts, as well as other coccidian species of chicken and rabbit, such as Eimeria intestinalis and even Cryptosporidium cuniculus. Notably, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the intervening transcribed sequence 1 (ITS-1) was successfully performed with genomic DNA extracted from just 50 oocysts using this optimized method. Our findings will greatly promote the development of molecular diagnosis methods of coccidiosis and simplify coccidian species identification and categorization as well as infection prevalence, providing a significant advancement in the development of techniques for coccidiosis control and prevention.

Computer-aided design of magnetic dummy molecularly imprinted polymers for solid-phase extraction of ten phthalates from food prior to their determination by GC-MS/MS.

Magnetic dummy molecularly imprinted polymers (MDMIPs) were prepared by combining the surface imprinting technique with computer simulation for selective recognition of phthalate esters (PAEs). A computational study based on the density functional theory was performed to evaluate the template-monomer geometry and interaction energy in the prepolymerization mixture. The MDMIPs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. They exhibited (a) high saturation magnetization of 53.14 emu g-1 (leading to fast separation), and (b) large adsorption capacity, fast binding kinetics, and high selectivity for PAEs. Subsequently, a molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction procedure followed by GC-MS was established for selective extraction and determination of 10 PAEs in food samples. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the response (peak area) was linear in the 0.5-100 ng mL-1 concentration range. The limits of detection ranged from 0.15 to 1.64 ng g-1. The method was applied to the determination of PAEs in spiked real samples. The recoveries for 10 PAEs from various foods were in the range of 73.7%-98.1%, with relative standard deviations of 1.7%-10.2%. Graphical abstract Magnetic dummy molecularly imprinted polymers (MDMIPs) were prepared and successfully were applied as a special sorbent for the selective recognition and fast enrichment of 10 PAEs from different complex matrix.

Developmental Programming: Prenatal Testosterone Excess and Insulin Signaling Disruptions in Female Sheep.

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome often manifest insulin resistance. Using a sheep model of polycystic ovary syndrome-like phenotype, we explored the contribution of androgen and insulin in programming and maintaining disruptions in insulin signaling in metabolic tissues. Phosphorylation of AKT, ERK, GSK3beta, mTOR, and p70S6K was examined in the liver, muscle, and adipose tissue of control and prenatal testosterone (T)-, prenatal T plus androgen antagonist (flutamide)-, and prenatal T plus insulin sensitizer (rosiglitazone)-treated fetuses as well as 2-yr-old females. Insulin-stimulated phospho (p)-AKT was evaluated in control and prenatal T-, prenatal T plus postnatal flutamide-, and prenatal T plus postnatal rosiglitazone-treated females at 3 yr of age. GLUT4 expression was evaluated in the muscle at all time points. Prenatal T treatment increased mTOR, p-p70S6K, and p-GSK3beta levels in the fetal liver with both androgen antagonist and insulin sensitizer preventing the mTOR increase. Both interventions had partial effect in preventing the increase in p-GSK3beta. In the fetal muscle, prenatal T excess decreased p-GSK3beta and GLUT4. The decrease in muscle p-GSK3beta was partially prevented by insulin sensitizer cotreatment. Both interventions partially prevented the decrease in GLUT4. Prenatal T treatment had no effect on basal expression of any of the markers in 2-yr-old females. At 3 yr of age, prenatal T treatment prevented the insulin-stimulated increase in p-AKT in liver and muscle, but not in adipose tissue, and neither postnatal intervention restored p-AKT response to insulin stimulation. Our findings provide evidence that prenatal T excess changes insulin sensitivity in a tissue- and development-specific manner and that both androgens and insulin may be involved in the programming of these metabolic disruptions.

Recent advances and progress in the detection of bisphenol A.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an important industrial chemical used as a plasticizer in polycarbonate and epoxy resins in the plastic and paper industries. Because of its estrogenic properties, BPA has attracted increasing attention from many researchers. This review focuses primarily on analytical methods for BPA detection that have emerged in recent years. We present and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of sample preparation techniques (e.g., solvent extraction, solid-phase extraction, molecularly imprinted polymer solid-phase extraction, and micro-extraction techniques) and analytical methods (e.g., liquid chromatography, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, capillary electrophoresis, immunoassay, and several novel sensors). We also discuss expected future developments for the detection of BPA. Graphical Abstract This review focuses primarily on the recent development in the detection of bisphenol A including sample pre-treatment and analytical methods.

Preparation and characterization of monodisperse molecularly imprinted polymers for the recognition and enrichment of oleanolic acid.

Monodisperse molecularly imprinted polymers for oleanolic acid were successfully prepared by a precipitation polymerization method using oleanolic acid as a template, methacrylic acid as a functional monomer, and divinylbenzene/ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as a crosslinker in a mixture of acetonitrile and ethanol (3:1, v/v). The imprinted polymers and nonimprinted polymers were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The resulting imprinted polymers had average diameters of 3.15 µm and monodispersity values of 1.024. The results clearly demonstrate that use of ethanol as a cosolvent is indeed exceedingly effective in promoting the dissolution of oleanolic acid and in obtaining uniform microspheres. Molecular recognition properties and binding capability to oleanolic acid were evaluated by adsorption testing, which indicated that the imprinted polymers displayed optimal binding performance with a maximum adsorption capacity of 17.3 mg/g and a binding saturation time of 80 min. Meanwhile, the produced imprinted polymers exhibited higher selectivity to oleanolic acid than that for ursolic acid and rhein. Herein, the studies can provide theoretical and experimental references for the oleanolic acid molecular imprinted system.

Magnetic-nanobead-based competitive enzyme-linked aptamer assay for the analysis of oxytetracycline in food.

This study presents a novel analytical method for the detection of oxytetracycline (OTC) in complex food matrices based on a direct competitive enzyme-linked aptamer assay and magnetic separation technology. In this protocol, free OTC competed with horseradish peroxidase labeled OTC (OTC-HRP) for binding to the OTC aptamer immobilized on magnetic beads. The parameters that can affect the response, such as avidin concentration, aptamer concentration, OTC-HRP concentration, incubation temperature, incubation time, blocking agent, and binding buffer, were optimized. Under the optimal conditions, the linear range for the OTC concentration detection is 0.5-100 ng mL(-1), with a concentration of OTC needed to obtain 50 % of the maximum signal of 14.47 ng mL(-1). The limit of detection and the limit of quantitation were 0.88 and 3.40 ng mL(-1), respectively. There was no obvious cross-reactivity with most of the tetracycline pesticides. The recovery rates ranged from 71.0 to 91.2 % for the food samples, including chicken, milk, and honey, and the relative standard deviation was less than 15.0 %. The proposed method was applied to measure OTC in real samples, and was validated using high-performance liquid chromatography. This method has the advantages of magnetic separation and the concentration effect of magnetic nanoparticles, the specificity of the aptamer, and the high-throughput of microtiter plates; it offers a promising approach for the screening of OTC because it is simple, rapid, highly sensitive, and has low cost.

Targeted deletion of growth hormone (GH) receptor in macrophage reveals novel osteopontin-mediated effects of GH on glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity in diet-induced obesity.

We investigated GH action on macrophage (MΦ) by creating a MΦ-specific GH receptor-null mouse model (MacGHR KO). On a normal diet (10% fat), MacGHR KO and littermate controls exhibited similar growth profiles and glucose excursions on intraperitoneal glucose (ipGTT) and insulin tolerance (ITT) tests. However, when challenged with high fat diet (HFD, 45% fat) for 18 weeks, MacGHR KO mice exhibited impaired ipGTT and ITT compared with controls. In MacGHR KO, adipose-tissue (AT) MΦ abundance was increased with skewing toward M1 polarization. Expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL1ß, TNF-α, IL6, and osteopontin (OPN)) were increased in MacGHR KO AT stromal vascular fraction (SVF). In MacGHR KO AT, crown-like-structures were increased with decreased insulin-dependent Akt phosphorylation. The abundance of phosphorylated NF-κB and of OPN was increased in SVF and bone-marrow-derived MΦ in MacGHR KO. GH, acting via an NF-κB site in the distal OPN promoter, inhibited the OPN promoter. Thus in diet-induced obesity (DIO), lack of GH action on the MΦ exerts an unexpected deleterious effect on glucose homeostasis by accentuating AT inflammation and NF-κB-dependent activation of OPN expression. These novel results in mice support the possibility that administration of GH could have salutary effects on DIO-associated chronic inflammation and insulin resistance in humans.

Detection of acrylamide in food based on MIL-glucose oxidase cascade colorimetric aptasensor.

BACKGROUND: Maillard reaction involves the polymerization, condensation, and other reactions between compounds containing free amino groups and reducing sugars or carbonyl compounds during heat processing. This process endows unique flavors and colors to food, while it can also produce numerous hazards. Acrylamide (AAm) is one of Maillard's hazards with neurotoxicity and carcinogenicity, these effects can trigger mutations and alternations in gene expression in human cells and accelerate organ aging. An accurate and reliable acrylamide detection method with high sensitivity and specificity for future regulatory activities is urgently needed. RESULTS: Herein, we constructed a colorimetric aptasensor with the hybridization of MIL-glucose oxidase (MGzyme)-cDNA and magnetic nanoparticle-aptamer (MNP-Apt) to specifically detect AAm. The incorporation of MB-Apt and AAm released MGzyme-cDNA in the supernatant, took the supernatant out, with the addition of glucose and TMB, MGzyme would oxidize glucose, the resulting •OH facilitated the oxidation of colorless TMB to blue ox-TMB. The absorbance value at 652 nm, which indicates the characteristic absorption peak of ox-TMB, exhibited a proportion to the concentration of AAm. MGzyme avoided the addition of harmful intermediate H2O2 and created an acid microenvironment for the catalytic reaction. MNP-Apt possessed the advantages of high specificity and simplified separation. Under optimal conditions, this method displayed a linear range of 0.01-100 µM with the limit of detection of 1.53 nM. With the spiked analysis data cross-verified by ELISA kit, this aptasensor was proven to specifically detect AAm at low concentrations. SIGNIFICANCE: This colorimetric aptasensor was the integration of aptamer and the enzyme-cascade system, which could broaden the applicable range of enzyme-cascade system, break the limits of specific detection of substrates, eliminate the need for harmful intermediates, improve the reaction efficiency, implement the specific detection, whilst enabling the accurate detection of AAm. Given these remarkable performances, this method has shown significant potential in the field of food safety inspection.

Physical activity and school adaptation among Chinese junior high school students: chain mediation of resilience and coping styles.

Background: As a crucial juncture in students' educational journey, junior high school presents challenges that profoundly influence well-being and academic performance. Physical activity emerges as a pivotal factor shaping the holistic development of junior high school students. Beyond its recognized impact on physical and mental health, engaging in regular physical activity proves effective in augmenting students' adaptability to school life. Despite its importance, the mechanisms through which physical activity influences school adaptation in junior high school students remain understudied in academic research. Objective: In exploring the potential mechanisms, this study aims to validate the mediating roles of resilience and coping styles by examining the association between physical activity and school adaptation among junior high school students. Methods: This study employed cross-sectional survey approach among junior high school students in China. Through the convenience sampling, 1,488 participants aged from 12 to 16 years old (Average age = 13.59, SD = 1.017) from two Junior high schools in Changsha City, Hunan Province were recruited to complete the Physical Activity Scale, School Adaptation Questionnaire for Junior High School Students, Resilience Scale for Adolescents, and Simple Coping Styles Questionnaire. For data analysis, the SPSS 26.0 and Amos 26.0 were used for statistical processing. Results: The results showed that physical activity exhibited a significant correlation with school adaptation (r = 0.656, p < 0.001). Resilience, positive coping style and negative coping style played partial mediating roles between physical activity and school adaptation, with the effect size were 0.229, 0.170, 0.171. The chain mediation effect size of resilience and positive coping style was 0.042, while the chain mediation effect size of resilience and negative coping style was 0.050. Conclusion: Physical activity positively predicts Chinese junior high school students' school adaptation through resilience and coping styles, suggesting that junior high school students should engage in regular physical activity, so as to improve their resilience and positive coping styles, mitigating negative coping styles, thus promoting their school adaptation.

Phage selection drives resistance-virulence trade-offs in Ralstonia solanacearum plant-pathogenic bacterium irrespective of the growth temperature.

While temperature has been shown to affect the survival and growth of bacteria and their phage parasites, it is unclear if trade-offs between phage resistance and other bacterial traits depend on the temperature. Here, we experimentally compared the evolution of phage resistance-virulence trade-offs and underlying molecular mechanisms in phytopathogenic Ralstonia solanacearum bacterium at 25 °C and 35 °C temperature environments. We found that while phages reduced R. solanacearum densities relatively more at 25 °C, no difference in the final level of phage resistance was observed between temperature treatments. Instead, small colony variants (SCVs) with increased growth rate and mutations in the quorum-sensing (QS) signaling receptor gene, phcS, evolved in both temperature treatments. Interestingly, SCVs were also phage-resistant and reached higher frequencies in the presence of phages. Evolving phage resistance was costly, resulting in reduced carrying capacity, biofilm formation, and virulence in planta, possibly due to loss of QS-mediated expression of key virulence genes. We also observed mucoid phage-resistant colonies that showed loss of virulence and reduced twitching motility likely due to parallel mutations in prepilin peptidase gene, pilD. Moreover, phage-resistant SCVs from 35 °C-phage treatment had parallel mutations in type II secretion system (T2SS) genes (gspE and gspF). Adsorption assays confirmed the role of pilD as a phage receptor, while no loss of adsorption was found with phcS or T2SS mutants, indicative of other downstream phage resistance mechanisms. Additional transcriptomic analysis revealed upregulation of CBASS and type I restriction-modification phage defense systems in response to phage exposure, which coincided with reduced expression of motility and virulence-associated genes, including pilD and type II and III secretion systems. Together, these results suggest that while phage resistance-virulence trade-offs are not affected by the growth temperature, they could be mediated through both pre- and postinfection phage resistance mechanisms.

Preliminary extraction of tannins by 1-butyl-3-methylimidazole bromide and its subsequent removal from Galla chinensis extract using macroporous resins.

In recent years, ionic liquids have become increasingly attractive as 'green solvents' used in the extraction of bioactive compounds from natural plant. However, the separation of ionic liquid from the target compounds was difficult, due to their low vapour pressure and high stabilities. In our study, ionic liquid-based ultrasonic and microwave-assisted extraction was used to obtain the crude tannins, then the macroporous resin adsorption technology was further employed to purify the tannins and remove the ionic liquid from crude extract. The results showed that XDA-6 had higher separation efficiency than other tested resins, and the equilibrium experimental data were well fitted to Langmuir isotherms. Dynamic adsorption and desorption were performed on XDA-6 packed in glass columns to optimise the separation process. The optimum conditions as follows: the ratio of column height to diameter bed was 1:8, flow rate 1 BV/h (bed volume per hour), 85% ethanol was used as eluant while the elution volume was 2 BV. Under the optimised conditions, the adsorption and desoption rate of tannins in XDA-6 were 94.81 and 91.63%, respectively. The content of tannins was increased from 70.24% in Galla chinensis extract to 85.12% with a recovery of 99.06%. The result of ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)-MS/MS analysis showed that [bmim]Br could be removed from extract.

Assessment of antibacterial properties and the active ingredient of plant extracts and its effect on the performance of crucian carp (Carassius auratus gibelio var. E'erqisi, Bloch).

BACKGROUND: In this study, the antibacterial properties and active ingredient of plant extracts and its effect on the performance of crucian carp (Carassius auratus gibelio var. E'erqisi, Bloch) were assessed. RESULTS: The transmission electron microscopy and flow cytometric analysis showed that the antibacterial activity of plant extracts is due to the disruption of the cell membrane and the leakage of cytoplasmic contents. The UPLC-MS/MS analysis showed that the contents of gallic acid, (-)-epigallocatechin, (+)-catechin, (-)-epigallocatechin gallate, (-)-epicatechin gallate, aloe-emodin, rhein, emodin, chrysophanol, and physcion, were 5.27%, 3.30%, 1.08%, 19.32%, 5.46%, 0.23%, 0.56%, 1.28%, 0.75% and 0.39% in plant extracts, respectively. Results of feeding experiment showed that feeding crucian carp with 1.0% and 2.0% plant extracts significantly enhanced specific growth rate, serum total protein, lysozyme, catalase and superoxide dismutase activities, and decreased the feed conversion rate, malondialdehyde contents and the mortality rate (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that plant extracts added to fish feed can act as natural antimicrobial and immunostimulants to prevent pathogenic infection, enhance immune response, and promote growth of the fish.

Prognostic influence of PD-1/PD-L1 suppressors in combination with chemotherapeutic agents for non-small cell pulmonary carcinoma: system review and meta-analysis.

Background: Lung cancer is a common malignant tumor, which is seriously harmful to human life and health. Nowadays, it has gradually become one of the best treatments for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to combine immunotherapy and chemotherapy, and its clinical efficacy is preliminary. Nevertheless, substantial differences exist between various studies and various indicators. Despite their unconvincing results, high-quality research evidence is needed to support them. In this case, further correlative studies are necessary to investigate the prognostic outcomes of PD-1/PD-L1 suppressors in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs in NSCLC. Methods: The online public databases were searchable for the clinical trials that consisted of NSCLC patients who had concluded their chemotherapy and who had accepted PD-1/PD-L1 suppressors. The time-span of the search spanned from the beginning to the end of the database. Two investigators retrieved the data independently. RevMan 5.3 statistical software was utilized for the assessment of bias risk. The software followed the Cochrane Handbook 5.3 guidelines. Results: There were seven clinically controlled studies with 2781 NSCLC samples finally included in this study. A meta-analysis of the post-treatment overall response rate (ORR) was undertaken. A remarkably higher ORR rate was observed in the study group (p<0.05). Study participants had a noticeably longer PFS (HR=0.61, 95% CI=0.54-0.70, P<0.00001). Study participants had markedly longer overall survival (OS) (HR=0.651, 95% CI=0.52-0.82, P<0.05). The incidence of adverse events (AEs) of Grade 3 or above was not clinically clearly different (P>0.05), as demonstrated by the incidence of AEs. The funnel plots were separately charted in accordance with ORR rate, PFE, OS, and Grade 3 AEs. The majority of the funnel plots were symmetrical and a minority of funnel plots were asymmetrical, indicating the heterogeneity of research and the limited evidence available may lead to some publication bias in the contained literature. Conclusion: The combined PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors with conventional chemotherapy can dramatically elevate the prognosis of NSCLC patients, obviously enhancing the ORR rate and prolonging their PFS and OS. Furthermore, it was found that adding PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors to conventional chemotherapy did not result in any additional adverse effects.

Effects of 8 months of high-intensity interval training on physical fitness and health-related quality of life in substance use disorder.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of 8 months of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on physical fitness and health-related quality of life in substance use disorder. Methods: Sixty substance use disorder were randomly assigned to either the HIIT group or the control group according to a random sampling method. The HIIT group received 8 months of four 60-min sessions per week under supervision. Weight, waist circumference, body fat percentage, heart rate, blood pressure, VO2max, reaction time, grip strength, standing on one foot with eyes closed, sitting forward flexion, and quadrant jumping, standing on one foot with eyes closed, the number of push-ups, quality of life (SF-36) score, and craving (VAS) scored were monitored in the HIIT and control groups at baseline, 4 months, and 8 months. SPSS 22.0 was used to conduct repeated measurement analysis of variance and Pearson correlation analysis on the collected subject data. Results: Compared with baseline, weight (p < 0.001), waist circumference (p < 0.001), body fat percentage (p < 0.001), heart rate (p < 0.05), Systolic blood pressure (p < 0.01), systolic blood pressure (p < 0.05), reaction time (p < 0.001),PSQI (p < 0.001), Total cholesterol (p < 0.001), Triglyceride (p < 0.001), Blood sugar (p < 0.001) and VAS score (p < 0.001) were significantly decreased after 8 months of exercise intervention. Contrastingly, VO2max (p < 0.05), grip strength (p < 0.05), eyes closed and one foot Standing (p < 0.001), sitting forward flexion (p < 0.001), quadrant jumping (p < 0.001), push-ups (p < 0.001), PCS (p < 0.001), and MCS (p < 0.001) were significantly increased. VO2max was significantly negatively correlated with VAS (r = -0.434, p < 0.001), and significantly positively correlated with PCS (r = 0.425, p < 0.001). There was a positive correlation between standing on one foot with closed eyes and MCS (r = 0.283, p < 0.05). Conclusion: Eight months of HIIT can comprehensively improve the physical health level and health-related quality of life of men with substance use disorders, reduce the desire for drugs, and lay the foundation for better starting a happy life.

Effects of Adverse Events and 12-Week Group Step Aerobics on Sleep Quality in Chinese Adolescents.

BACKGROUND: In China, sleep disorders have become a public health concern. This study aimed to model the relationship between adverse events and sleep quality, as well as the effect of group step aerobics on sleep quality. METHODS: The modeling was built on surveying 2760 16-19-year-old adolescents. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to evaluate sleep quality, and the Adolescent Self-rating Life Events Checklist (ASLEC) was used to evaluate adverse events. Adolescents with sleep disorders (PSQI ≥ 8) were randomized into the control (n = 26) and exercise (n = 26) groups. The exercise group participated in 12-week step aerobics, and the 300 min weekly volume is compliant with the WHO physical activity guidelines. RESULTS: The double Poisson distribution was chosen to fit the data. ASLEC had a nonlinear relationship with the PSQI. Participants in the exercise group slept better (p < 0.05) from the eighth week until the end of the study. A random adolescent, therefore, has a 92.5% probability of experiencing improved sleep quality after 12 weeks of step aerobics. CONCLUSIONS: Intervention should be implemented before adverse events accumulate. An active lifestyle should be a preparedness strategy for increasing the resilience of adolescent mental health in the face of adversity.