Scalable Synthesis of Bilayer Graphene at Ambient Temperature.

In this work, we develop for the first time a facile chemical lithiation-assisted exfoliation approach to the controllable and scalable preparation of bilayer graphene. Biphenyl lithium (Bp-Li), a strong reducing reagent, is selected to realize the spontaneous Li-intercalation into graphite at ambient temperature, forming lithium graphite intercalation compounds (Li-GICs). The potential of Bp-Li (0.11 V vs Li/Li+), which is just lower than the potential of stage-2 lithium intercalation (0.125 V), enables the precise lithiation of graphite to stage-2 Li-GICs (LiC12). Intriguingly, the exfoliation of LiC12 leads to the bilayer-favored production of graphene, giving a high selectivity of 78%. Furthermore, the mild intercalation-exfoliation procedure yields high-quality graphene with negligible structural deterioration. The obtained graphene exhibits ultralow defect density (ID/IG ∼ 0.14) and a considerably high C/O ratio (∼29.7), superior to most current state-of-the-art techniques. This simple and scalable strategy promotes the understanding of chemical Li-intercalation methods for preparing high-quality graphene and shows great potential for layer-controlled engineering.

Characteristics of Molecular Genetic Mutations and Their Correlation with Prognosis in Adolescent and Adult Patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

INTRODUCTION: The prognosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in adolescents and adults is poor, and recurrence is an important cause of their death. Changes of genetic information play a vital role in the pathogenesis and recurrence of ALL; however, the impact of molecular genetic mutations on disease diagnosis and prognosis remains unexplored. This study aimed to explore the frequency spectrum of gene mutations and their prognostic significance, along with the minimal residual disease (MRD) level and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), in adolescent and adult patients aged ≥15 years with ALL. METHODS: The basic characteristics, cytogenetics, molecular genetics, MRD level, treatment regimen, and survival outcome of patients with untreated ALL (≥15 years) were collected, and the correlation and survival analysis were performed using the SPSS 25.0 and R software. RESULTS: This study included 404 patients, of which 147 were selected for next-generation sequencing (NGS). NGS results revealed that 91.2% of the patients had at least one mutation, and 67.35% had multiple (≥2) mutations. NOTCH1, PHF6, RUNX1, PTEN, JAK3, TET2, and JAK1 were the most common mutations in T-ALL, whereas FAT1, TET2, NARS, KMT2D, FLT3, and RELN were the most common mutations in B-ALL. Correlation analysis revealed the mutation patterns, which were significantly different between T-ALL and B-ALL. In the prognostic analysis of 107 patients with B-ALL, multivariate analysis showed that the number of mutations ≥5 was an independent risk factor for overall survival and the RELN mutation was an independent poor prognostic factor for event-free survival. DISCUSSION: The distribution of gene mutations and the co-occurrence and repulsion of mutant genes in patients with ALL were closely related to the immunophenotype of the patients. The number of mutations ≥5 and the RELN mutation were significantly associated with poor prognosis in adolescent and adult patients with ALL.

Comparing the simultaneous determination of cis- and trans-palmitoleic acid in fish oil using HPLC and GC.

BACKGROUND: Cis- and trans-palmitoleic acids (Cis-POA and trans-POA) are isomers of palmitoleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid which affects glucose and lipid metabolism, and reduces insulin resistance. Trans-POA is used as a biomarker for indicating the risk of type II diabetes and coronary heart disease, but no methods of analysis or distinguishing between cis-POA and trans-POA have yet been reported. METHOD: An accurate and precise HPLC method was developed to determine cis- and trans-POA simultaneously, and compared with results from a GC method. Cis- and trans-POA were analyzed by HPLC on a reverse-phase BDS-C18 column, equilibrated and eluted with acetonitrile (A) and water (B). In the established and validated GC method used for comparison, potassium hydroxide ester exchange was chosen to derivatize the cis- and trans-POA, before being determined. RESULTS: The calibration curves for cis- and trans-POA were linear over the range 0.05 to 500 µg/mL. The HPLC method exhibited good sensitivity, precision and accuracy. The limits of detection (LOD) for cis- and trans-POA were 0.2 and 0.05 µg/mL, respectively. The method successfully determined cis- and trans-POA in fish oil. For the GC method, the contents of cis-POA quantified were similar to those from the HPLC method, but the contents of trans-POA revealed significant variation between the two methods. CONCLUSIONS: After a comprehensive consideration of the characteristics of the saponification and methyl esterification methods which have been tested and verified, the HPLC method was found to be suitable for determining cis- and trans-POA contents in fish oil. It was also suggested that in natural fish oil, cis-POA may be in the glyceride state, and trans-POA almost completely in the free acid form. In comparison with the GC method, the HPLC method provided a simpler process and faster analyses for identifying and determining cis- and trans-POA. The study has also provided technical support for studying the pharmacological differences and relationship between structure and activity of cis- and trans-POA. This could help physicians to analyze patients' samples more quickly in 10 min and therefore provide a more rapid diagnosis of problems relating to the risk of type II diabetes and coronary heart disease.

Electrodialysis Extraction of Pufferfish Skin (Takifugu flavidus): A Promising Source of Collagen.

Collagen is widely used in drugs, biomaterials, foods, and cosmetics. By-products of the fishing industry are rich sources of collagen, which can be used as an alternative to collagen traditionally harvested from land mammals. However, commercial applications of fish-based collagen are limited by the low efficiency, low productivity, and low sustainability of the extraction process. This study applied a new technique (electrodialysis) for the extraction of Takifugu flavidus skin collagen. We found electrodialysis to have better economic and environmental outcomes than traditional dialysis as it significantly reduced the purification time and wastewater (~95%) while maintaining high extraction yield (67.3 ± 1.3 g/100 g dry weight, p < 0.05). SDS-PAGE, amino acid composition analysis, and spectrophotometric characterization indicated that electrodialysis treatment retained the physicochemical properties of T. flavidus collagen. Heavy metals and tetrodotoxin analyses indicated the safety of T. flavidus collagen. Notably, the collagen had similar thermal stability to calf skin collagen, with the maximum transition temperature and denaturation temperature of 41.8 ± 0.35 and 28.4 ± 2.5 °C, respectively. All evidence suggests that electrodialysis is a promising technique for extracting collagen in the fishing industry and that T. flavidus skin collagen could serve as an alternative source of collagen to meet the increasing demand from consumers.

Melioidosis mimicking miliary tuberculosis.

Melioidosis is an infectious disease caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, a gram-negative intracellular bacillus. Tuberculosis, also an infectious disease, is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, an acid fast bacillus. In both diseases, patients commonly present with fever and respiratory symptoms due to sepsis which might lead to respiratory failure or sudden death if left untreated. Not only are these two entities similar in clinical presentation, but the autopsy findings may mimic each other, giving rise to difficulties in determining the cause of death. We report a case of melioidosis and compare it to a typical case of miliary tuberculosis. Similarities between the cases on gross and histopathological examinations are discussed. In such circumstances, microbiological culture of bodily fluids and internal organs should be performed to ascertain the correct cause of death.

A 21-35 kDa Mixed Protein Component from Helicobacter pylori Activates Mast Cells Effectively in Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) seem to involve in the etiology of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). But studies of the pathogenic mechanism are very little. METHODS: In this study, we detected the serum-specific anti-H. pylori IgG and IgE antibodies in 211 CSU and 137 normal subjects by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), evaluated the direct activation effects of H. pylori preparations and its protein components on human LAD2 mast cell line in vitro, and analyzed the specific protein ingredients and functions of the most effective H. pylori mixed protein component using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and ELISA assay. RESULTS: In CSU patients, the positive rate of anti-H. pylori IgG positive rate was significantly higher than that in normal controls, and the anti-H. pylori IgE levels had no statistical difference between H. pylori-infected patients with and without CSU. Further studies suggested that H. pylori preparations can directly activate human LAD2 mast cell line in a dose-dependent manner and its most powerful protein component was a mixture of 21-35 kDa proteins. Moreover, the 21-35 kDa mixed protein component mainly contained 23 kinds of proteins, which can stimulate the release of histamine, TNF-a, IL-3, IFN-γ, and LTB4 by LAD2 cells in a dose-dependent or time-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS: A 21-35 kDa mixed protein component should be regarded as the most promising pathogenic factor contributing to the CSU associated with H. pylori infection.

An antioxidant hydrogel dressing with wound pH indication function prepared based on silanized bacterial nanocellulose crosslinked with beet red pigment extract.

Maintaining wound moisture and monitoring of infection are crucial aspects of chronic wound treatment. The development of a pH-sensitive functional hydrogel dressing is an effective approach to monitor, protect, and facilitate wound healing. In this study, beet red pigment extract (BRPE) served as a native and efficient pH indicator by being grafted into silane-modified bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) to prepare a pH-sensitive wound hydrogel dressing (S-g-BNC/BRPE). FTIR confirmed the successful grafting of BRPE into the BNC matrix. The S-g-BNC/BRPE showed superior mechanical properties (0.25 MPa), swelling rate (1251 % on average), and hydrophilic properties (contact angle 21.83°). The composite exhibited a notable color change as the pH changed between 4.0 and 9.0. It appeared purple-red when the pH ranged from 4.0 to 6.0, and appeared light pink at pH 7.0 and 7.4, and appeared ginger-yellow at pH 8.0 and 9.0. Subsequently, the antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity of the composite was evaluated, its DPPH·, ABTS+, ·OH scavenging rates were 32.33 %, 19.31 %, and 30.06 %, respectively, and the cytotoxicity test clearly demonstrated the safety of the dressing. The antioxidant hydrogel dressing, fabricated with a cost-effective and easy method, not only showed excellent biocompatibility and dressing performance but could also indicated the wound state based on pH changes.

Effect of addition of γ-poly glutamic acid on bacterial nanocellulose production under agitated culture conditions.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC), a natural polymer material, gained significant popularity among researchers and industry. It has great potential in areas, such as textile manufacturing, fiber-based paper, and packaging products, food industry, biomedical materials, and advanced functional bionanocomposites. The main current fermentation methods for BNC involved static culture, as the agitated culture methods had lower raw material conversion rates and resulted in non-uniform product formation. Currently, studies have shown that the production of BNC can be enhanced by incorporating specific additives into the culture medium. These additives included organic acids or polysaccharides. γ-Polyglutamic acid (γ-PGA), known for its high polymerization, excellent biodegradability, and environmental friendliness, has found extensive application in various industries including daily chemicals, medicine, food, and agriculture. RESULTS: In this particular study, 0.15 g/L of γ-PGA was incorporated as a medium additive to cultivate BNC under agitated culture conditions of 120 rpm and 30 â„ƒ. The BNC production increased remarkably by 209% in the medium with 0.15 g/L γ-PGA and initial pH of 5.0 compared to that in the standard medium, and BNC production increased by 7.3% in the medium with 0.06 g/L γ-PGA. The addition of γ-PGA as a medium additive resulted in significant improvements in BNC production. Similarly, at initial pH levels of 4.0 and 6.0, the BNC production also increased by 39.3% and 102.3%, respectively. To assess the characteristics of the BNC products, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis were used. The average diameter of BNC fibers, which was prepared from the medium adding 0.15 g/L γ-PGA, was twice thicker than that of BNC fibers prepared from the control culture medium. That might be because that polyglutamic acid relieved the BNC synthesis from the shear stress from the agitation. CONCLUSIONS: This experiment held great significance as it explored the use of a novel medium additive, γ-PGA, to improve the production and the glucose conversion rate in BNC fermentation. And the BNC fibers became thicker, with better thermal stability, higher crystallinity, and higher degree of polymerization (DPv). These findings lay a solid foundation for future large-scale fermentation production of BNC using bioreactors.

Long noncoding RNA SNHG6 silencing sensitized esophageal cancer cells to 5-FU via EZH2/STAT pathway.

Chemotherapy was the main treatment method for esophageal cancer (EC) patients. However, chemotherapy resistance due to multiple factors is a major barrier to EC treatment. For investigating how small nucleolar RNA host gene 6 (SNHG6) affected the 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) resistance in EC as well as its possible molecular mechanism. This work conducted cell viability assay, clone formation, scratch assays together with cell apoptosis for evaluating the roles of SNHG6 and enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2, the histone-lysine N-methyltransferase). Relevant molecular mechanism was identified by RT-qPCR analysis together with Western-blot (WB) assays. Our data showed that SNHG6 expression increased in EC cells. SNHG6 promotes colony formation and migration, whereas suppresses EC cell apoptosis. SNHG6 silencing markedly promoted 5-FU-mediated suppression on KYSE150 and KYSE450 cells. Additional mechanism studies showed that SNHG6 modulating STAT3 and H3K27me3 via promoting EZH2 level. Similar to the function of SNHG6, abnormal expression of EZH2 promotes the malignancy of EC and intensifies its resistance to 5-FU. In addition, overexpression of EZH2 abolished the role of SNHG6 silencing in 5-FU sensitivity in EC cells. SNHG6 overexpression promoted malignancy of EC and increased EC cell resistance to 5-FU. Besides, further molecular mechanism studies provided a novel regulatory pathways that SNHG6 knockdown promoted EC cell sensitivity to 5-FU by modulating STAT3 and H3K27me3 via promoting EZH2 expression.

Perceptions and responses to cognitive decline in people with diabetes: A systematic review of qualitative studies.

Objective: We aimed at summarizing the perceptions and responses to cognitive decline, assessing the disease management, identifying deficiencies and proposing new strategies for improvement in people with diabetes (PWDs). Methods: A comprehensive search was performed in the following nine databases: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, CINAHL, WanFang, CNKI, and VIP. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Tool for qualitative research was utilized to evaluate the quality of included studies. Descriptive texts and quotations relating to patient experience were extracted from the included studies and thematically analyzed. Results: Eight qualitative studies met the inclusion criteria and 2 overarching themes were identified: (1) self-perception of cognitive decline referred to perceived cognitive symptoms, lack of knowledge and, impaired self-management and coping in multiple methods; (2) reported benefits of cognitive interventions referred to how cognitive interventions improved disease management, attitudes and needs of PWDs. Conclusion: PWDs described misconceptions about their cognitive decline and suffered from them during disease management. This study provides a patient-specific reference for cognitive screening and intervention in PWDs, supporting disease management with cognitive decline in clinical practice.

Co-production of pigment and high value-added bacterial nanocellulose from Suaeda salsa biomass with improved efficiency of enzymatic saccharification and fermentation.

This study evaluated the co-production of pigment and bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) from S. salsa biomass. The extraction of the beet red pigment reduced the salts and flavonoids contents by 82.7%-100%, promoting the efficiencies of enzymatic saccharification of the biomass and the fermentation of BNC from the hydrolysate. SEM analysis revealed that the extraction process disrupted the lignocellulosic fiber structure, and the chemical analysis revealed the lessened cellulase inhibitors, consequently facilitating enzymatic saccharification for 10.4 times. BNC producing strains were found to be hyper-sensitive to NaCl stress, produced up to 400.4% more BNC from the hydrolysate after the extraction. The fermentation results of BNC indicated that the LDU-A strain yielded 2.116 g/L and 0.539 g/L in ES-M and NES-M, respectively. In comparison to the control, the yield in ES-M increased by approximately 20.0%, while the enhancement in NES-M was more significant, reaching 292.6%. After conducting a comprehensive characterization of BNC derived from S. salsa through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), the average fiber diameter distribution of these four BNC materials ranges from 22.23 to 33.03 nanometers, with a crystallinity range of 77%-90%. Additionally, they exhibit a consistent trend during the thermal degradation process, further emphasizing their stability in high-temperature environments and similar thermal properties. Our study found an efficient co-production approach of pigment and BNC from S. salsa biomass. Pigment extraction made biomass more physically and chemically digestible to cellulase, and significantly improved BNC productivity and quality.

Preparation and application of polyethylene glycol triazine derivatives as a chrome-free tanning agent for wet-white leather manufacturing.

Leather manufacturing is the process of transforming animal skin into high value-added commodity. As a crucial step in the leather producing process, conventional chrome tanning could lead to discharge of chromium contaminant due to the low efficiency of chromium uptake. In this paper, a series of polyethylene glycol triazine derivatives' tanning agent (PT) with different molecule weight was synthesized with one-step method and applied in the main tanning of hide. The chemical structure of the PT was detected by FT-IR and 1H-NMR. The application experimental results indicated that after 16% of PT tanning at pH of 6, the wet-white was endowed with shrinkage temperature over 80°C and thickening rate over 108%. The experimental results indicated that the PT tanning leather not only have a better physical and mechanical properties than commercial triazine derivatives tanning agent, but also the leather is endowed with the effects of outstanding thermal properties. Considering that the pickling process became unnecessary, a large number of neutral salts could be avoided, the chromium load in spent liquor decreased from 1288 mg/L to 0, and the total dissolved chlorine in spent liquor decreased from 15,360 to 9581 mg/L; no toxic and harmful substances such as chromium and aldehyde are introduced into the tanning process. Compared with the leather tanned with commercial triazine derivatives' tanning agent, the leather tanned with PT showed a similar overall tanning properties and better environmental friendliness, which makes PT matches the integral requirements of the modern sustainable leather industry.

Comprehensive Analysis and Summary of the Value of Immunophenotypes of Mature NK Cell Tumors for Differential Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prognosis.

Background: Few studies have been performed to comprehensively analyze and summarize the immunophenotype and differential diagnosis of mature NK cell tumors, and there is often overlap between tumorigenic and reactive NK cell phenotypes. Furthermore, the impact of different phenotypes on patient prognosis has rarely been reported. Methods: The degree of expression of extracellular and intracellular markers of NK cells in each group was compared by FCM, and the differences in expression of various markers among different disease groups and their impact on prognosis have been analyzed and summarized. Results: Compared with normal NK cells, tumor cells of ANKL and ENKTL had characteristics of being more activated and progressive with larger FSC, in contrast to NK-CLPD and RNKL. Differential diagnoses with RNKL, ANKL, and ENKTL have broader FCM clues. In contrast, the phenotypes of NK-CLPD and RNKL are not significantly different, and consistent phenotypic abnormalities require ongoing monitoring to confirm malignant clones. The sensitivity of differentiating malignant NK cells from reactive NK cells by KIRs alone was poor. The clustering results showed that CD5, CD16, CD56, CD57, CD94, CD45RA, CD45RO, HLA-DR, KIRs, Granzyme B, Perforin and Ki-67 were differentially distributed in the expression of three NK cell tumors and reactive NK cell hyperplasia, so a comprehensive judgment using a wide range of antibody combinations is required in disease staging diagnosis. The tumor cell loads in BM and PB were also compared, and there was a clear correlation between the two. Moreover, the sensitivity of PB for monitoring tumor cells was up to 87.10%, suggesting that PB could be used as an alternative to BM for the diagnosis and screening of NK cell tumors. Analysis of the phenotypic impact of ENKTL patients on prognosis showed that those with CD7 and CD45RO expression had a poor prognosis, while those with positive KIRs had a better prognosis. Conclusion: This study systematically characterized the FCM of mature NK cell tumors, emphasizing the importance and clinical value of accurate immunophenotyping in diagnosing, classifying, determining prognosis, and guiding treatment of the disease.

Differential diagnosis and identification of prognostic markers for peripheral T-cell lymphoma subtypes based on flow cytometry immunophenotype profiles.

We compared the differential expression of 15 markers in PTCL (Peripheral T-cell lymphoma) subtypes and T-CUS (T-cell clones of uncertain significance), and summarized the specific immunophenotype profiles of each subtype and its impact on prognosis. PD-1 and CD10 are diagnostic markers for AITL (angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma). To avoid confusion with T-CUS of benign clones, it is recommended to define AITL as bounded by PD-1+%>38.01 and/or CD10+%>7.46. T cell-derived ENKTL-N (extranodal NKT cell lymphoma) specifically expresses CD56. ALCL (anaplastic large cell lymphoma) characteristically expresses CD30 and HLA-DR. PTCL-NOS (peripheral T-cell lymphoma unspecified) still lacks a relatively specific phenotype and is prone to loss of basic lineage markers CD3, CD5, and CD7. The determination of T-CUS can be verified by the overall assessment of the bone marrow and a certain period of follow-up. The clustering results showed that the expression of 8 specific markers was significantly different among the 5 groups, suggesting that a combination of related markers can be analyzed in the identification of PTCLs subtypes. The study explores the advantages of TRBC1 combined with CD45RA/CD45RO in detecting T cell clonality, which can efficiently and sensitively analyze multiple target T cell populations at the same time. The sensitivity of PB to replace BM to monitor the tumor burden or MRD (minimal residual disease) of PTCLs is as high as 85.71%, which can relieve the huge pressure of clinical sampling and improve patient compliance. CD7, CD38, and Ki-67 are prognostic indicators for AITL. CD3 and CD8 on PTCL-NOS, and CD56 and HLA-DR on ENKTL-N have prognostic role. This study supports and validates the current classification of PTCL subtypes and establishes an immunophenotypic profile that can be used for precise diagnosis. The important clinical value of PTCLs immunophenotype in routine classification diagnosis, clonality confirmation, prognosis prediction, and treatment target selection was emphasized.

Analysis of the Status and Trends of Chinese Clinical Practice Guideline Development Between 2010 and 2020: A Systematic Review.

Objective: This study aimed to systematically review the status and trends of Chinese clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) during the time period 2010-2020 and explore their methodological characteristics. Then, based on the strengths and weaknesses in development, offer several recommendations for the quality improvement which will serve as a reference for the users and developers of CPG. Introduction: With the development of evidence-based medicine (EBM), the CPGs play an increasingly important role in healthcare decision-making both in China and worldwide. Inclusion criteria: The CPGs that have been used to help the health professionals in the healthcare decision-making were included. Methodology: The China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and WanFang databases were searched from 2010 to 2020 for the studies describing the general and methodological characteristics of Chinese CPGs. Comparisons of the methodological characteristics between the groups were conducted using the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. The M-K test was adopted to identify the monotonically increasing or decreasing trends of methodological characteristics over the timespan. Results: A total of 2,654 CPGs fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The quantity and quality of the guidelines developed in China have improved over the time span. From 2010 to 2020,the guidelines had differing characteristics and covered a wide range of subjects. In total, 2,318(87.34%) guidelines focused on Western Medicine. Eight (0.30%) had been developed for patient versions of guidelines, 10(0.38%) were tentative guidelines, and 16(0.60%) were rapid advice guidelines. Medical specialty societies (including their branches) (71.1%) were the main guideline makers. The most addressed diseases were neoplasms (14.43%). The target population is mainly adults (84.97%). The methodological quality of consensus-based (CB)-CPGs was obviously lower than evidence-based (EB)-CPGs. Except for the item, "recommendations were based on evidence of systematic reviews," there were statistical differences in all other methodological items between the EB-CPGS and CB-CPGS (P < 0.01). Higher methodological quality has been observed in EB-CPGs. All the data relating to the methodological characteristics indicated that higher methodological quality was present in the guidelines using GRADE (P < 0.01). Conclusion: The quantity and quality of the guidelines developed in China have improved between 2010 and 2020. CB-CPGs have also paid attention to the methodology quality, but obviously, this is lower than that in the EB-CPGs.

Rab26 suppresses migration and invasion of breast cancer cells through mediating autophagic degradation of phosphorylated Src.

Rab proteins play crucial roles in membrane trafficking. Some Rab proteins are implicated in cancer development through regulating protein sorting or degradation. In this study, we found that the expression of Rab26 is suppressed in the aggressive breast cancer cells as compared to the levels in non-invasive breast cancer cells. Over-expression of Rab26 inhibits cell migration and invasion, while Rab26 knockdown significantly promotes the migration and invasion of breast cancer cells. Rab26 reduces focal adhesion association of Src kinase and induces endosomal translocation of Src. Further experiments revealed that Rab26 mediates the autophagic degradation of phosphorylated Src through interacting with ATG16L1, consequently, resulting in the suppression of the migration and invasion ability of breast cancer cells.

Selenium Nanoparticles-Embedded Chitosan Microspheres and Their Effects Upon Alcohol-Induced Gastric Mucosal Injury in Rats: Rapid Preparation, Oral Delivery, and Gastroprotective Potential of Selenium Nanoparticles.

BACKGROUND: Selenium (Se) is an indispensable trace element required for animals and human beings, whereas Se-deficiency can accelerate the development of acute gastric injury induced by over-consumption of alcohol. Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), as a special Se-supplement with favorable properties and unique bioactivities, are expected to play a passive role in gastroprotection. To the best of our knowledge, the gastroprotective potential of SeNPs is unknown and also, a rapid preparation of orally stable SeNPs available for prospective commercial application in the clinic is needed. Thus, SeNPs-embedded chitosan microspheres (SeNPs-CM) were developed to deliver SeNPs, and their gastroprotective potential was evaluated. RESULTS: Herein, a rapid, eco-friendly and economic preparation process, composed of synthesis of SeNPs decorated by chitosan (CS), purification of CS-SeNPs by ultra-filtration (UF) and spray-drying of the purified CS-SeNPs, was introduced to prepare SeNPs-CM. The uniformly distributed SeNPs with a nanosize range of 60 nm were loaded into CS-microspheres, and they could be released from the microspheres in gastric conditions. In addition, SeNPs-CM were safer than selenite in terms of Se dose, with a LD50 of around 8-fold of that of selenite, and it could efficiently enhance the Se retention in Se-deficient Wistar rats. Furthermore, SeNPs-CM pre-treatment might significantly attenuate the ethanol-induced gastric mucosal damage, based on histological evaluation. It might be partly attributed to the systematic antioxidant activities of SeNPs-CM, reflected by the reduction in lipid peroxidation, the augmentation in antioxidant enzymatic activity as well as decreasing aggressive nitric oxides (NO). CONCLUSION: SeNPs-CM could be taken into consideration as a prospective Se-supplement for the oral delivery of SeNPs, with prominent gastroprotective effect against ethanol-induced mucosal injury.

Cis- and Trans-Palmitoleic Acid Isomers Regulate Cholesterol Metabolism in Different Ways.

Hypercholesterolemia is a preventable risk factor for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. However, the mechanisms whereby cis-palmitoleic acid (cPOA) and trans-palmitoleic acid (tPOA) promote cholesterol homeostasis and ameliorate hypercholesterolemia remain elusive. To investigate the effects of cPOA and tPOA on cholesterol metabolism and its mechanisms, we induced hypercholesterolemia in mice using a high-fat diet and then intragastrically administered cPOA or tPOA once daily for 4 weeks. tPOA administration reduced serum cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, and hepatic free cholesterol and total bile acids (TBAs). Conversely, cPOA had no effect on these parameters except for TBAs. Histological examination of the liver, however, revealed that cPOA ameliorated hepatic steatosis more effectively than tPOA. tPOA significantly reduced the expression of 3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaryl coenzyme reductase (HMGCR), LXRα, and intestinal Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1 (NPC1L1) and increased cholesterol 7-alpha hydroxylase (CYP7A1) in the liver, whereas cPOA reduced the expression of HMGCR and CYP7A1 in the liver and had no effect on intestinal NPC1L1. In summary, our results suggest that cPOA and tPOA reduce cholesterol synthesis by decreasing HMGCR levels. Furthermore, tPOA, but not cPOA, inhibited intestinal cholesterol absorption by downregulating NPC1L1. Both high-dose tPOA and cPOA may promote the conversion of cholesterol into bile acids by upregulating CYP7A1. tPOA and cPOA prevent hypercholesterolemia via distinct mechanisms.

PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) Extension for Chinese Herbal Medicines 2020 (PRISMA-CHM 2020).

Chinese Herbal Medicines (CHM) are the most common interventions of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), typically administered as either single herbs or formulas. Systematic reviews (SRs) are essential references for evaluating the efficacy and safety of CHM treatments accurately and reliably. Unfortunately, the reporting quality of SRs with CHM is not optimal, especially the reporting of CHM interventions and the rationale of why these interventions were selected. To address this problem, a group of TCM clinical experts, methodologists, epidemiologists, and editors has developed a PRISMA extension for CHM interventions (PRISMA-CHM) through a comprehensive process, including registration, literature review, consensus meeting, three-round Delphi survey, and finalization. The PRISMA checklist was extended by introducing the concept of TCM Pattern and the characteristics of CHM interventions. A total of twenty-four items (including sub-items) are included in the checklist, relating to title (1), structured summary (2), rationale (3), objectives (4), eligibility criteria (6), data items (11), synthesis of results (14, 21), additional analyses (16, 23), study characteristics (18), summary of evidence (24), and conclusions (26). Illustrative examples and explanations are also provided. The group hopes that PRISMA-CHM 2020 will improve the reporting quality of SRs of CHM.

PRISMA extension for moxibustion 2020: recommendations, explanation, and elaboration.

BACKGROUND: Moxibustion is a common intervention of Chinese medicine (CM). Systematic reviews (SRs) on moxibustion are increasing. Although the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement provides guidelines for SRs, the quality of moxibustion-related SRs is still not satisfactory. In particular, descriptions of the interventions and the rationale for using moxibustion are insufficient. To address these inadequacies, the working group developed this PRISMA extension for reporting SRs of moxibustion (PRISMA-M 2020). METHODS: A group of CM clinical professionals, methodologists of SRs, reporting guideline developers, and journal editors developed this PRISMA-M 2020 through a comprehensive process that includes registration, literature review, consensus meetings, Delphi exercises for soliciting comments, and revision, resulting in this final draft. RESULTS: Seven of the 27 PRISMA checklist items, namely title (1), rationale (3), eligibility criteria (6), data item (11), additional analyses (16), study characteristics (18), and additional analysis (23), were extended, with specific reference to the application of moxibustion. Illustrative examples and explanations for each item are provided. CONCLUSION: The PRISMA-M 2020 will help improve the reporting quality of SRs with moxibustion. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: We have registered it on the EQUATOR (Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research) network, particularly under the item of PRISMA-TCM: http://www.equator-network.org/library/reporting-guidelines-under-development/reporting-guidelines-under-development-for-systematic-reviews/#65 .