Umbilical Cord Blood and UC-MSCs Combined with Low-Dose Immunosuppressant in the Treatment of Elderly Patients with Pure Red Cell Aplastic: A Case Series.

INTRODUCTION: At present, cyclosporine (CsA) is the first-line treatment for Pure Red Cell Aplasia (PRCA), but CsA administration can be associated with a number of side effects due to its high toxicity. Therefore, it is urgent to explore a safe and effective treatment for elderly patients who cannot be treated with conventional doses of CsA, especially those with multiple complications. Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation (ASCT) for PRCA is a promising treatment, but reports of using umbilical cord blood (UCB) are very rare. CASE PRESENTATION: In this report, UCB and umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) combined with low-dose CsA (1-3mg/kg/d) were used to treat 3 elderly patients who were diagnosed with PRCA combined with multiple complications in heart, lung, and renal. The treatments were successful without complications, and 12 months after stem cell infusion, the blood tests of the patients came normal. Moreover, the function of the liver, heart, and kidney continued to be stable. CONCLUSION: This report provides an effective regimen of using UCB and UC-MSCs combined with low-dose CsA (1-3 mg/kg/d) to treat PRCA, especially for elderly patients with multiple complications who cannot use the conventional dosage.

Effectiveness of Different Telerehabilitation Strategies on Pain and Physical Function in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic, degenerative bone and joint disease. It can lead to major pressure to the quality of life and mental health of patients, and also brings a serious economic burden to society. However, it is difficult for patients with knee OA to access rehabilitation when discharging from the hospital. Internet-based rehabilitation is one of the promising telemedicine strategies for the improvement of knee OA, but the effect of different telerehabilitation strategies on knee OA is not clear. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to identify telerehabilitation strategies attributing to the improvement of pain and physical function outcomes in patients with knee OA. METHODS: We reviewed and analyzed telerehabilitation strategies from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing telerehabilitation with conventional treatment or usual care. For each strategy, we examined whether RCTs that applied the telerehabilitation strategy resulted in a significant improvement in pain or physical function compared with conventional treatment or usual care. RESULTS: We included 6 RCTs (n=734) incorporating 8 different telerehabilitation strategies. The duration of the interventions ranged from 1 to 48 weeks, and sample sizes ranged from 20 to 350 patients. The results showed that RCTs that provided telerehabilitation were found to be more effective than conventional treatments for improving pain (P=.003; standardized mean difference [SMD] -0.21, 95% CI -0.35 to -0.07), but not physical function (P=.24; SMD -0.09, 95% CI -0.25 to 0.06). Furthermore, this systematic review and meta-analysis indicated that there is no significant correlation between different telerehabilitation strategies and the pain and physical function of patients with knee OA. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review and meta-analysis showed that telerehabilitation programs could relieve pain but not improve physical function for patients with knee OA. These results indicated that telerehabilitation is beneficial for the implementation of home rehabilitation exercises for patients with knee OA, thereby reducing the economic burden of health. However, there were limitations in terms of the number of search results and the number of studies that were eligible for this review and meta-analysis. Therefore, the results need to be interpreted with caution, and more high-quality studies with large samples are needed to focus on the long-term outcomes of telerehabilitation for patients with knee OA to address this limitation.

Exosomal miR-127-5p from BMSCs alleviated sepsis-related acute lung injury by inhibiting neutrophil extracellular trap formation.

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) play an important role in sepsis-related acute lung injury (ALI). Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs)-derived exosomes and miRNA are becoming promising agents for the treatment of ALI. The current study aimed to elucidate the mechanism by BMSCs-derived exosomes carrying miR-127-5p inhibiting to the formation of NETs in sepsis-related ALI. We successfully isolated exosomes from BMSCs and confirmed that miR-127-5p was enriched in the exosomes. ALI mice treated with BMSCs-derived exosomes histologically improved, and the release of NETs and inflammatory factors in lung tissue and peripheral blood of mice also decreased compared with LPS group, while the protective effect of exosomes was attenuated after the knockdown of miR-127-5p. Using dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay, we identified CD64 as a direct target of miR-127-5p. Meanwhile, BMSCs-derived exosomes can synergize with anti-CD64 mab in ALI mice to reduce tissue damage, inhibit the release of inflammatory factors and NETs formation. The synergistic effect of exosomes was attenuated when miR-127-5p was down-regulated. These findings suggest that exosomal miR-127-5p derived from BMSCs is a potential therapeutic agent for treatment of sepsis-induced ALI through reducing NETs formation by targeting CD64.

Transcriptomics analysis and fed-batch regulation of high astaxanthin-producing Phaffia rhodozyma/Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous obtained through adaptive laboratory evolution.

Astaxanthin has high utilization value in functional food because of its strong antioxidant capacity. However, the astaxanthin content of Phaffia rhodozyma is relatively low. Adaptive laboratory evolution is an excellent method to obtain high-yield strains. TiO2 is a good inducer of oxidative stress. In this study, different concentrations of TiO2 were used to domesticate P. rhodozyma, and at a concentration of 1000 mg/L of TiO2 for 105 days, the optimal strain JMU-ALE105 for astaxanthin production was obtained. After fermentation, the astaxanthin content reached 6.50 mg/g, which was 41.61% higher than that of the original strain. The ALE105 strain was fermented by batch and fed-batch, and the astaxanthin content reached 6.81 mg/g. Transcriptomics analysis showed that the astaxanthin synthesis pathway, and fatty acid, pyruvate, and nitrogen metabolism pathway of the ALE105 strain were significantly upregulated. Based on the nitrogen metabolism pathway, the nitrogen source was adjusted by ammonium sulphate fed-batch fermentation, which increased the astaxanthin content, reaching 8.36 mg/g. This study provides a technical basis and theoretical research for promoting industrialization of astaxanthin production of P. rhodozyma. ONE-SENTENCE SUMMARY: A high-yield astaxanthin strain (ALE105) was obtained through TiO2 domestication, and its metabolic mechanism was analysed by transcriptomics, which combined with nitrogen source regulation to further improve astaxanthin yield.

Deciphering the Heterogeneity Landscape of Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles for Precise Selection in Translational Medicine.

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cell-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) have been considered promising therapeutics for disease treatments. However, MSC-EVs harvested from different tissues present unique biological features reflective of their origins. The heterogeneity of MSC-EVs constitutes an important barrier to their precise application in clinical translation that may probably lead to uncertain therapeutic effects. To give hints for future clinical translation, five MSCs are employed, whose derived EVs are most intensively utilized, namely bone marrow mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (BMMSCs), umbilical cord stem/stromal cells (UCSCs), adipose-derived stem/stromal cells (ASCs), dermal stem/stromal cells (DSCs) and dental pulp stem/stromal cells (DPSCs) and the heterogeneity landscape of the corresponding MSC-EVs are documented. Overall, the basic parameters, stability, and biosafety of different MSC-EVs are indiscriminate. Strikingly, UCSC-EVs exhibit distinguishing productivity. UCSC-EVs as well as DPSC-EVs present better drug loading/delivery capacity. In addition, the heterogeneity of different MSC-EVs in cargo diversity, cellular affinity, organ biodistribution, and therapeutic effects may cue the rational selection in different disease treatments. Through a combined assessment, a rational strategy is combined for selecting MSC-EVs in future clinics. Offering a panoramic view of MSC-EVs harvested from different tissues, the current study may provide guidelines for the precise selection of MSC-EVs in next-generation therapeutics.

Epigallocatechin gallate improves the quality of diabetic oocytes.

BACKGROUND: Maternal diabetes compromises the quality and developmental potential of oocytes. Therefore, it is important to study how to ameliorate the adverse effects of diabetes on oocyte quality. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has a variety of physiological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-diabetes. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of EGCG on the maturation of diabetic oocytes in vitro. OBJECTIVE: Investigating the role of EGCG in restoring the adverse effects of diabetes on oocyte quality. METHODS: Diabetes mouse model was established by a single injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Oocytes were collected and matured in vitro with/without EGCG in M16 medium. RESULTS: Compared with control, diabetic oocytes have a higher frequency of spindle defects and chromosome misalignment, but EGCG effectively reduces the incidence of oocytes with abnormal spindle assembly and chromosome mismatches. Moreover, the abnormal mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) of diabetic oocytes is significantly alleviated by EGCG, and the reduced expression of genes regulating mitochondrial fusion (Mfn1 and Mfn2) and fission (Drp1) in diabetic oocytes is significantly increased while EGCG is added. EGCG also decreases the higher level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in diabetic oocytes that may be regulated by the increased expression of superoxide dismutase 1 (Sod1) and superoxide dismutase 2 (Sod2). EGCG can also reduce the DNA damage of diabetic oocytes. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that EGCG, at least partially, improve the quality of diabetic oocytes.

Protocatechuic Acid Delays Postovulatory Oocyte Ageing in Mouse.

SCOPE: Tea is a popular beverage worldwide and has many health functions. Protocatechuic acid (PCA) is an important bioactive component of tea and has benefit to health. In some cases, oocytes after ovulation may miss the optimal fertilization time and enter a postovulatory ageing process. Therefore, to investigate the role of PCA in delaying oocyte ageing is aimed. METHODS AND RESULTS: Metaphase II (MII) oocytes aged in vitro are randomly divided into three groups: control, aged, and aged + PCA. PCA treatment (30 µM) reduces the fragmentation rate and the incidence of abnormal spindle morphology and chromosome misalignment of oocytes aged 24 h in vitro. The mitochondrial dysfunction of aged oocytes, such as decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen (ROS), is also alleviated by PCA. PCA also delays apoptosis of aged oocytes, and improves the sperm binding capacity. Otherwise, aged oocytes treated with PCA have a higher fertilization rate and blastocyst rate compared with untreated aged oocytes in vitro. CONCLUSION: PCA is an important bioactive ingredient of tea that improves aged oocyte quality, suggesting that PCA is available to improve the quality of aged oocytes in vitro.

Tea polyphenols alleviate the adverse effects of diabetes on oocyte quality.

Maternal diabetes mellitus reduces oocyte quality, such as abnormalities of spindle assembly and chromosome segregation, mitochondrial dysfunction, decrease of fertilization rate, increase of ROS, and so on. So, it is important to research how to restore the decreased oocyte quality induced by maternal diabetes mellitus. Polyphenols are the most abundant bioactive components of green tea. It is reported that tea polyphenols have many health functions, for instance anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, anti-obesity, and anti-diabetes. Thus, we hypothesize that tea polyphenols may play a crucial role in alleviating adverse effects of diabetes on oocyte quality. In the present study, we researched the effects of tea polyphenols on diabetic oocyte maturation in vitro. Compared with the control, oocytes from diabetic mice displayed a lower maturation rate and a higher frequency of spindle defects and chromosome misalignment. However, tea polyphenols significantly increased the oocyte maturation rate, and reduced the incidence of abnormal spindle assembly and chromosome segregation. Tea polyphenols also obviously decreased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in diabetic oocytes, and increased the expression of antioxidant genes (Sod1 and Sod2). Abnormal mitochondrial membrane potential was also alleviated in diabetic oocytes, and the expression of genes regulating mitochondrial fusion (Opa1, Mfn1 and Mfn2) and fission (Drp1) was significantly increased while tea polyphenols were added. Meanwhile, tea polyphenols reduced DNA damage in diabetic oocytes which may be mediated by the increased expression of Rad51, related to DNA damage repair. Our results suggest that tea polyphenols would, at least partially, restore the adverse effects of diabetes mellitus on oocyte quality.

Responses of soil pH to no-till and the factors affecting it: A global meta-analysis.

No-till (NT) is a sustainable option because of its benefits in controlling erosion, saving labor, and mitigating climate change. However, a comprehensive assessment of soil pH response to NT is still lacking. Thus, a global meta-analysis was conducted to determine the effects of NT on soil pH and to identify the influential factors and possible consequences based on the analysis of 114 publications. When comparing tillage practices, the results indicated an overall significant decrease by 1.33 ± 0.28% in soil pH under NT than that under conventional tillage (p < .05). Soil texture, NT duration, mean annual temperature (MAT), and initial soil pH are the critical factors affecting soil pH under NT. Specifically, with significant variations among subgroups, when compared to conventional tillage, the soil under NT had lower relative changes in soil pH observed on clay loam soil (-2.44%), long-term implementation (-2.11% for more than 15 years), medium MAT (-1.87% in the range of 8-16℃), neutral soil pH (-2.28% for 6.5 < initial soil pH < 7.5), mean annual precipitation (-1.95% in the range of 600-1200 mm), in topsoil layers (-2.03% for 0-20 cm), with crop rotation (-1.98%), N fertilizer input (the same for NT and conventional tillage) of 100-200 kg N ha-1 (-1.83%), or crop residue retention (-1.52%). Changes in organic matter decomposition under undisturbed soil and with crop residue retention might lead to a higher concentration of H+ and lower of basic cations (i.e., calcium, magnesium, and potassium), which decrease the soil pH, and consequently, impact nutrient dynamics (i.e., soil phosphorus) in the surface layer under NT. Furthermore, soil acidification may be aggravated by NT within site-specific conditions and improper fertilizer and crop residue management and consequently leading to adverse effects on soil nutrient availability. Thus, there is a need to identify strategies to ameliorate soil acidification under NT to minimize the adverse consequences.

Loss of Autophagy Causes Increased Apoptosis of Tibial Plateau Chondrocytes in Guinea Pigs with Spontaneous Osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of the present study was to observe the effect of autophagy in tibial plateau chondrocytes on apoptosis in spontaneous knee osteoarthritis (OA) in guinea pigs. DESIGN: Fifty 2-month-old female Hartley guinea pigs were divided into a normal group (10 animals, all euthanized after 7 months) and an OA group (40 animals, 10 of which were euthanized after 10 months). Immunohistochemistry, RT-qPCR and Western blotting were used to evaluate autophagy levels, intracellular glycogen accumulation and apoptosis in tibial plateau chondrocytes in vivo and in vitro. The remaining 30 guinea pigs in the OA group were divided into 3 groups: a rapamycin group, a normal saline group, and a 3-methyladenine (3-MA) group. Intracellular glycogen accumulation and chondrocyte apoptosis were assessed by altering the level of autophagy in chondrocytes in vivo. RESULTS: When spontaneous OA occurred in guinea pigs, autophagy levels in tibial plateau chondrocytes decreased, while intracellular glycogen accumulation and the rate of chondrocyte apoptosis increased. After enhancing the level of autophagy in tibial plateau chondrocytes in guinea pigs with OA, intracellular glycogen accumulation and the rate of chondrocyte apoptosis decreased, while inhibiting autophagy had the opposite effects. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the function of autophagy in chondrocytes may at least partly involve the catabolism of glycogen. In guinea pigs with OA, the level of autophagy in tibial plateau chondrocytes decreased, and chondrocytes were unable to degrade intracellular glycogen into glucose, leading to less energy for chondrocytes and increased apoptosis.

[Moxibustion inhibits growth of tumor by down-regulating expression of FGFR1 and VEGFR2 in mice with sarcoma].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of moxibustion on the growth of tumor and expression of fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) and vascular endothelial cell growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) in mice with sarcoma, so as to explore its mechanisms underlying inhibiting sarcoma growth. METHODS: C57BL/6J mice (half male and half female) were inoculated with S180 sarcoma cells to form transplanted tumors, and divided into model control, medication and moxibustion groups, with 10 mice in each group. Moxibustion was applied to the transplanted tumor directly for 10 min, once a day for 14 days. After the treatment, Luminex liquid suspension chip was used to detect the contents of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), FGFR1 and VEGFR2. The weight of the transplanted tumor was measured, and the expression of VEGF in the transplanted tumor was detected by immunohistochemistry, and the expression of FGFR1 and VEGFR2 mRNAs in the transplanted tumor was detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization. RESULTS: The tumor weight, VEGF immunoactivity, serum VEGF, VEGFR2 and FGFR1 contents, and expression levels of VEGFR2 and FGFR1 mRNAs in the transplanted tumor were significantly lower in the moxibustion group than in the model group (P<0.001, P<0.01, P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the tumor weight was remarkably lower in the medication group (P<0.001). Compared with the medication group, th VEGF immunoactivity and the contents of serum VEGF, VEGFR2 and FGFR1 were significantly lower in the moxibustion group （P<0.01, P<0.05）. H.E. staining showed a large number of red blood cells were observed in the microenvironment of the transplanted tumor in the moxibustion group rather than in the medication group. CONCLUSION: Moxibustion can inhibit the growth of tumor in mice with sarcoma, which may be related to its function in reducing the expression of FGFR1 and VEGFR2 to inhibit angiogenesis.

Effects of moxibustion on Treg cells in sarcoma microenvironment.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the therapeutic effect of moxibustion on sarcomas from mesenchymal tissues, which have a low response rate to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. METHODS: S180 sarcoma cell line was inoculated in C57BL/6 mice to form transplanted tumor. Moxibustion therapy was directly applied at the transplanted tumor sites, at a distance of 3.0 cm, 10 min per session, till skin temperature reached 45 °C, once a day, for 14 consecutive days of intervention. After the mice were killed, serum was collected and used to detect concentrations of interleukin-10 (IL-10), transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1), IL-4 and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) by Luminex liquid suspension chip. The numbers of Treg+ T cells and CD4+CD25+Forkhead Box P3 (Foxp3)+ T cells were detected by flow cytometry. Fluorescence in situ hybridization was used to analyze the changes of CD4, CD8, Foxp3 and TGF-ß1 in the tumor microenvironment (TME). RESULTS: Weight of S180 transplanted tumor in the control group was (2.03 ± 0.54) g, and that in the moxibustion group was (1.27 ± 0.29) g, which was statistically different (P = 0.023). The mean value of Foxp3+ T cells in the normal group was 2.01%, which increased to 3.63% after the formation of transplanted tumor, and decreased to 1.48% after moxibustion treatment. The moxibustion group also had reduced numbers of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells in the spleen of mice with transplanted tumor. The concentrations of IL-10, TGF-ß1 and IL-4 decreased in the serum of mice with transplanted tumor, while the concentration of IFN-γ increased. Moxibustion was associated with downregulation in expression of Foxp3, IL-10 and TGF-ß1 genes in the transplanted tumor, and increases in the gene expression of CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells in the TME. CONCLUSION: Moxibustion may have therapeutic effects on sarcomas by reducing the number of Treg cells in the blood and controlling the infiltration of Treg cells in the TME.

[Research advances in the treatment strategies for severe pertussis in children].

At present, effective antibiotics and comprehensive symptomatic/supportive treatment as early as possible are mainly used for the treatment of severe pertussis in clinical practice. However, some children with severe pertussis have unsatisfactory response to commonly used drugs and treatment measures in the intensive care unit and thus have a high risk of death. Studies have shown that certain treatment measures given in the early stage, such as exchange transfusion, may help reduce deaths, but there is still a lack of uniform implementation norms. How to determine the treatment regimen for severe pertussis and improve treatment ability remains a difficult issue in clinical practice. This article reviews the advances in the treatment of severe pertussis, in order to provide a reference for clinical treatment and research.

[Establishment of An Improved Rat Model of Sepsis Induced by Cecal Ligation and Puncture].

Objective To establish an improved animal model of sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture(CLP). Methods Ninety-six male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham operation group(n=24),intubation group(n=24),CLP group(n=24),and CLP+intubation group(n=24).The mortality rate,abdominal cavity condition,pathological changes and pathological scores of heart,lungs,liver,and kidneys of rats in each group were observed after modeling.Blood samples were obtained from the inferior vena cava for measuring the whole blood cells(WBC)and platelets(PLT)counts and analyzing serum interleukin(IL)-6,tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α,serum troponin T(cTnT),creatine kinase-MB(CK-MB),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),total bilirubin(TBIL),creatinine(CREA),and blood urea nitrogen(BUN)levels.Blood gas analysis of the aorta was also performed. Results The mortality rates 24 h after modeling were 0 in sham operation group and intubation group,20.8% in CLP group,and 54.2% in CLP+intubation group.Pathologically,swelling and inflammatory cell infiltration in the heart,lungs,liver,and kidneys were seen in the CLP+intubation group,inflammatory cell infiltration in a single organ was seen in most rats in the CLP group,and no obvious swelling and infiltration of inflammatory cells was observed in the sham-operation group and intubation group.The myocardial histopathology score,lung tissue injury pathology score,and kidney tissue injury pathology score in both the sham-operation group and the intubation group were significantly lower than those in the CLP group and the CLP+intubation group(all P=0.000).TNF-α,PaO2,CK-MB,cTnT,AST,TBIL,BUN,and CREA were significantly different between sham-operation group and intubation group/CLP group/CLP+intubation group and between intubation group and CLP group/CLP+intubation group(all P=0.000).The pH level was significantly different between sham operation group and intubation group/CLP group,between intubation group and CLP group/CLP+intubate group(all P=0.000). Conclusions Although both CLP and CLP+intubation can well mimic the pathophysiological mechanism of sepsis in rats,multiple organ dysfunction occurs in the latter.Thus,CLP+intubation can establish animal models of multiple organ dysfunction caused by sepsis induced by clinically effective abdominal infection.

Characterization of the Aroma of an Instant White Tea Dried by Freeze Drying.

The aroma of an instant white tea (IWT) was extracted through simultaneous distillation-extraction (SDE) and analyzed by sensory evaluation, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry (GC-MS-O), aroma reconstruction, omission test and synergistic interaction analysis. Sensory evaluation showed the IWT was dominated with floral and sweet notes. The SDE extract had the aroma similar to the IWT. The main volatile components in the SDE extract were benzyl alcohol, linalool, hotrienol, geraniol, α-terpineol, coumarin, camphene, benzeneacetaldehyde, 2-hexanone, cis-jasmin lactone and phenylethyl alcohol. GC-MS-O and aroma reconstruction experiments showed 16 aroma-active compounds. Linalool, trans-ß-damascenone and camphene were the major contributors to floral, sweet and green notes based on flavor dilution analysis and omission test. Linalool and trans-ß-damascenone had synergistic effect to promote floral and sweet notes. Camphene and trans-ß-damascenone had synergistic effect to reduce green and sweet notes. The study helps to understand the aroma of IWT and antagonism interactions among aroma-active volatiles.

Copper/DTBP-Promoted Oxyselenation of Propargylic Amines with Diselenides and CO2: Synthesis of Selenyl 2-Oxazolidinones.

A highly efficient electrophilic oxyselenation of propargylic amines with diselenides and CO2 under atmospheric pressure promoted by copper/DTBP is reported. Various biologically important selenyl 2-oxazolidinones were produced in moderate to excellent yields. The developed method features a broad substrate scope, easy scalability, and mild reaction conditions.

Direct Synthesis of Sulfonylated Spiro[indole-3,3'-pyrrolidines] by Silver-Mediated Sulfonylation of Acrylamides Coupled with Indole Dearomatization.

A dearomative tandem spiro-cyclization reaction of N-[(1H-indol-3-yl)methyl]methacrylamide derivatives with sulfinate sodium in the presence of AgNO3 and K2CO3 is reported, which produced sulfonylated spiro[indole-3,3'-pyrrolidines] in medium to excellent yields. The characteristics of this transformation contain good functional group tolerance and ease of operation.

Analysis of daily goal sheets on physician-nurse collaboration attitude.

BACKGROUND: Optimal communication and collaboration between inter-disciplinary health care providers is critical to ensuring high quality patient care. We aimed to quantify the impact on physician-nurse collaboration (PNC) of implementing daily goal sheets (DGSs) in emergency settings. METHODS: The usage of a DGS was administered in morning rounds in an emergency intensive care unit (ICU) for four consecutive months. A Jefferson Scale of Attitudes Toward Physician-Nurse Collaboration (JSAPNC) form was used before (n=113) and after (n=107) the intervention to evaluate the attitudes of PNCs from the perspective of both physicians and nurses. RESULTS: There is a significant positive relation between the attitude to PNC and the participant age, educational background, and professional rank and title before DGS application (P<0.01 for each), whereas there was no significant difference observed after the initiation of the DGS. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a DGS improves physician-nurse collaborations in emergency care settings.

Aroma enhancement of instant green tea infusion using ß-glucosidase and ß-xylosidase.

ß-Glucosidase and ß-xylosidase were investigated for their ability to improve the aroma of instant green tea. The aroma and corresponding contributors were analyzed by sensory evaluation, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and odor activity value. Their specific contributions to aroma attributes were further examined by aroma reconstruction and omission experiments. The ß-glucosidase treatment significantly enhanced floral and grassy notes, on account of the increases of geraniol, nonanal, and cis-3-hexen-1-ol, and weakened the caramel note, attributable to the increases of nonanal, cis-3-hexen-1-ol, geraniol, methyl salicylate, and decanal. The co-treatment with ß-glucosidase and ß-xylosidase further enhanced the grassy note, with further increase in nonanal and cis-3-hexen-1-ol, and further weakened the caramel note, with additional increase in nonanal, cis-3-hexen-1-ol, methyl salicylate, and decanal. The synergistic action of ß-glucosidase and ß-xylosidase provides new clues to the production of instant green tea infusions with high aroma quality.