Effect of decision aid tools for advance care planning in patients with cancer: a Meta-analysis / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective:To systematically evaluate the effect of decision aid tools for advance care planning (ACP) in patients with cancer.Methods:Randomized controlled trials about the effect of decision aid tools for ACP in patients with cancer were retrieved from Embase, PubMed, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, VIP, China National Knowledge Internet and Wanfang Data. The retrieval time was from inception to February 23, 2022. Literature screening, quality evaluation and data consolidation were carried out independently by two researchers. Then, RevMan 5.3 software was used for Meta analysis.Results:A total of 13 researches were included, involving 2 151 cancer patients. Meta-analysis showed that the signing of advance directives ( OR=1.81, 95% CI 1.22-2.69, Z=2.95, P<0.01) and knowledge scores related to ACP( MD=0.58, 95% CI 0.35-0.81, Z=4.90, P<0.01) in experimental group was higher than that in control group, but receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation treatment before death ( MD=0.33, 95% CI 0.21-0.53, Z=4.64, P<0.01) and the level of decision confliction ( MD=-3.69, 95% CI-6.43--0.95, Z=2.64, P<0.01) in experimental group was lower than those in control group, and the differences were statistically significant. Conclusions:Existing evidence shows that decision aid tools can improve cancer patients′ awareness of ACP, help patients to join in ACP discussions and sign advanced directives, reduce patients' preference for cardiopulmonary resuscitation treatment before death and reduce decision-making conflicts.

Application of mind map combined with blended teaching in the teaching of medicinal botany / 中华医学教育探索杂志

Objective:To investigate the value of mind map combined with blended teaching in improving the teaching quality of medicinal botany. Methods:A total of 102 students studying the course of medicinal botany were enrolled as subjects. The 51 students in the class of 2020 were enrolled as control group and received conventional teaching, and the 51 students in the class of 2021 were enrolled as observation group and received mind map combined with blended teaching. The two groups were assessed in terms of examination scores, critical thinking ability scores, self-learning ability scores, and student feedback on teaching quality. SPSS 22.0 was used for the t-test and the chi-square test. Results:Compared with the control group, the observation group had significantly higher examination scores ( t=3.01 and 3.14, P=0.003 and 0.002). After practice, both groups had increases in the scores of critical thinking ability and self-learning ability, and the observation group had significantly higher scores than the control group ( t=11.22 and 2.69, P<0.001 and P=0.008). Compared with the control group, the observation group had a better student feedback on teaching quality than the control group ( t=6.79, 7.83, 7.26, 7.43, and 8.54, P=0.009, 0.005, 0.007, 0.006, and 0.003). Conclusion:The combination of mind map and blended teaching can improve the examination scores of students and their critical thinking ability and self-learning ability, and students believe that this teaching model can help to improve teaching quality.

Establishment of a fast discriminant model with electronic nose for Polygonati Rhizoma mildew based on odor variation / 中国中药杂志

The odor fingerprint of Pollygonati Rhizoma samples with different mildewing degrees was analyzed and the relationship between the odor variation and the mildewing degree was explored. A fast discriminant model was established according to the response intensity of electronic nose. The α-FOX3000 electronic nose was applied to analyze the odor fingerprint of Pollygonati Rhizoma samples with different mildewing degrees and the radar map was used to analyze the main contributors among the volatile organic compounds. The feature data were processed and analyzed by partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA), K-nearest neighbor(KNN), sequential minimal optimization(SMO), random forest(RF) and naive Bayes(NB), respectively. According to the radar map of the electronic nose, the response values of three sensors, namely T70/2, T30/1, and P10/2, increased with the mildewing, indicating that the Pollygonati Rhizoma produced alkanes and aromatic compounds after the mildewing. According to PLS-DA model, Pollygonati Rhizoma samples of three mildewing degrees could be well distinguished in three areas. Afterwards, the variable importance analysis of the sensors was carried out and then five sensors that contributed a lot to the classification were screened out: T70/2, T30/1, PA/2, P10/1 and P40/1. The classification accuracy of all the four models(KNN, SMO, RF, and NB) was above 90%, and KNN was most accurate(accuracy: 97.2%). Different volatile organic compounds were produced after the mildewing of Pollygonati Rhizoma, and they could be detected by electronic nose, which laid a foundation for the establishment of a rapid discrimination model for mildewed Pollygonati Rhizoma. This paper shed lights on further research on change pattern and quick detection of volatile organic compounds in moldy Chinese herbal medicines.

Correlations between psoriasis vulgaris and dyslipidemia / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To investigate correlations between blood lipid levels and clinical characteristics of patients with psoriasis vulgaris (PsV) in Fujian province.Methods:Totally, 245 PsV patients were enrolled from Department of Dermatology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University from March 2019 to March 2022, and 250 gender-, age-, and body mass index-matched health checkup examinees served as controls. Their biochemical indicators, such as blood lipids, liver function, and kidney function, were evaluated. Clinical data, such as disease courses, involvement of specific sites, history of smoking and alcohol consumption, and family history of psoriasis, were collected from the PsV patients, and correlations between these clinical data and dyslipidemia were analyzed. Measurement data were compared using t test or Mann-Whitney U test, and enumeration data were compared using chi-square test. Results:There were 122 (50.8%) patients with dyslipidemia in the PsV group and 94 (37.6%) in the control group, and the prevalence of dyslipidemia significantly differed between the two groups ( χ2 = 7.48, P = 0.006). The prevalence of hypo-high-density lipoprotein cholesterolemia was significantly higher in the PsV group (29.8%) than in the control group (18.8%; χ2 = 8.15, P = 0.004). The PsV group showed significantly decreased serum levels of total cholesterol (4.5[3.9, 5.2] mmol/L), high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (1.1[1.0, 1.3] mmol/L), and apolipoprotein A1 (1.2[1.1, 1.4] g/L) compared with the control group (4.9[4.3, 5.4] mmol/L, 1.3[1.1, 1.5] mmol/L, 1.3[1.2, 1.5] g/L, respectively; all P < 0.001). The proportions of males, patients with a history of alcohol consumption, and patients with involvement of the palmoplantar sites were significantly higher in the PsV patients with dyslipidemia (92.6%, 13.1%, 13.8%, respectively) than in those without dyslipidemia (70.7%, 6.0%, 5.0%, respectively; all P < 0.001). Multifactorial logistic regression analysis showed that "male" and "BMI ≥ 25 kg/m 2" were independent risk factors for dyslipidemia in the PsV patients ( OR [95% CI]: 3.94 [1.74, 9.74], 3.18 [1.71, 6.09], respectively), and "involvement of the palmoplantar sites" was independently associated with increased risk of hyperlipidemia ( OR [95% CI]: 3.38 [1.18, 11.01]) . Conclusion:The prevalence of dyslipidemia was higher in PsV patients than in healthy populations, and PsV patients being males, having BMI ≥ 25 kg/m 2 and with involvement of palmoplantar sites may be prone to develop lipid metabolism disorders.

Effect and mechanism of TDP-43 on oxygen-glucose deprivation-induced apoptosis in mouse HL-1 atrial myocytes cells / 解放军医学杂志

Objective To investigate the effects and mechanisms of TAR DNA-binding protein 43(TDP-43)on oxygen-glucose deprivation(OGD)-induced apoptosis in mouse atrial myocytes(HL-1 cells).Methods The in vitro cultured mouse atrial myocytes(HL-1 cells)were divided into:(1)control group and groups with different OGD treatment times(2,4,8,16 h),and cell viability was detected by CCK-8 assay,and TDP-43 protein expression level was detected by Western blotting,which was used to determine the time point of OGD induction for the subsequent study;(2)control and OGD groups,flow cytometry was used to detect apoptosis,JC-1 staining to detect mitochondrial membrane potential,chemiluminescence to detect adenosine triphosphate(ATP)relative content,microplate method to detect malondialdehyde(MDA)content,and WST-1 method to detect superoxide dismutase(SOD)content.Mouse atrial myocytes(HL-1 cells)transfected with lentivirus were divided into:(1)negative control lentiviral intervention group(NC-shRNA),TDP-43 knockdown lentiviral intervention group(TDP-43-shRNA1,TDP-43-shRNA2,TDP-43-shRNA3),and Western blotting was used to detect the TDP-43 protein expression level,and the group with the highest lentiviral knockdown efficiency was selected as the TDP-43-shRNA for subsequent experiments;(2)NC-shRNA group,TDP-43-shRNA group,OGD+NC-shRNA group,OGD+TDP-43-shRNA group,under normoxic and OGD conditions,flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis rate,MitoTracker staining to detect mitochondrial morphology,JC-1 staining to detect mitochondrial membrane potential,chemiluminescence to detect the relative content of ATP,flow cytometry to detect the fluorescence intensity of reactive oxygen species(ROS),microplate to detect the content of MDA,and WST-1 to detect the content of SOD.Results CCK-8 method showed that,with the prolongation of OGD time,the viability of mouse atrial myocytes(HL-1 cells)gradually decreased;Western blotting assay showed that the expression level of TDP-43 protein gradually increased,and both of them showed a strong time-dependence.Compared with control group,mouse atrial myocytes(HL-1 cells)viability was the lowest(P<0.05)and TDP-43 protein expression was the highest(P<0.05)at 16 h of OGD,accordingly,OGD 16 h was chosen as the induction time point for subsequent experiments.Compared with control group,the apoptosis rate,the fluorescence intensity ratio of mitochondrial membrane potential and the content of MDA increased,the relative content of ATP and SOD decreased in OGD group,and the differences were all statistically significant(P<0.05).Western blotting detection showed that compared with NC-shRNA group,the TDP-43-shRNA2 group had the most obvious reduction in TDP-43 protein expression level(P<0.05)and the highest knockdown efficiency,so the TDP-43-shRNA2 group was selected for subsequent experiments.The results of flow cytometry showed that under normoxic conditions,there was no significant change in the apoptosis rate in TDP-43-shRNA group compared with NC-shRNA group(P>0.05);and under OGD conditions,the apoptosis rate in OGD+TDP-43-shRNA group reduced when compared with OGD+NC-shRNA group(P<0.05).MitoTracker staining results showed that the mitochondrial morphology of TDP-43-shRNA group was intact without significant changes compared with NC-shRNA group;the mitochondria of OGD+NC-shRNA group increased in number,most of which were fragmented and scattered in distribution;compared with OGD+NC-shRNA group,the mitochondrial morphology of OGD+TDP-43-shRNA group was restored.Under normoxic conditions,there were no significant changes in mitochondrial membrane potential,relative ATP content,ROS fluorescence intensity,MDA content,and SOD content in TDP-43-shRNA group compared with NC-shRNA group(P>0.05);however,under OGD conditions,the ratio of fluorescence intensity of mitochondrial membrane potential of cells the fluorescence intensity of ROS,and the content of MDA decreased,and the relative content of ATP and the content of SOD increased in OGD+TDP-43-shRNA group compared with that of OGD+NC-shRNA group,and all of these differences was statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion TDP-43 exacerbates OGD-induced mitochondrial dysfunction by regulating cardiomyocyte apoptosis;therefore,knockdown of TDP-43 expression is expected to be a potential therapeutic strategy for ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Efficacy of optimal pulse technology in the treatment of demodex blepharitis and its effect on ocular surface function / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To investigate the efficacy of optimal pulse technology(OPT)in the treatment of demodex blepharitis and its influence on ocular surface function.METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted from February 2018 to October 2020. A total of 127 patients(254 eyes)with demodex blepharitis were assigned to the observation group and the control group according to the treatment method. The control group(63 patients, 126 eyes)were given conventional hot compress, eye cleansing and drug therapy. On this basis, the observation group(64 patients, 128 eyes)was treated with OPT. Both groups were given 6wk of continuous treatment. Demodex count, Marx's line scores, meibum character scores, ocular surface disease index(OSDI)scores, non-invasive tear break-up time(NIBUT), non-invasive tear meniscus height(NITMH)and lipid layer thickness(LLT)were compared between the two groups, and safety was evaluated.RESULTS: After 6wk of treatment, demodex count, Marx's line scores, meibum character scores and OSDI scores of the two groups decreased. NIBUT, NITMH and LLT increased. Meanwhile, demodex count, Marx's line scores, meibum character scores and OSDI scores of the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group. NIBUT, NITMH and LLT were longer/larger than those in the control group(P<0.001). No obvious abnormality of intraocular pressure or conjunctival/corneal injury was observed in either group.CONCLUSION:OPT is effective and safe in the treatment of demodex blepharitis.

Research progress on triterpenoids of Betula plants / 药学学报

The secondary metabolites of plants are important sources of natural drugs. Betula plants have abundant pharmacological value, complex mechanism and wide applications, which are closely related to the triterpenoids of theirs. Triterpenoids in Betula species are mainly divided into dammarane-type, ocotillol-type, oleanane-type, lupane-type and cycloaltunane-type. The extracts of Betula species have varieties of activities such as anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, etc. And the biosynthetic pathways of triterpenoids after 2,3-oxidosqualene are split into four branches of dammarenediol-II, lupeol, cycloartenol and amyrin according to the different oxidosqualene cyclases. This review summarizes the chemical constituents, pharmacological activities and biosynthetic pathways of triterpenoids in Betula plants. It provides a reference for the research and development of new drugs and the production of these triterpenoids in microbial cell factories by synthetic biology methods.

Factors associated with malnutrition in infants with congenital heart disease within one year after surgery / 中华儿科杂志

Objective: To explore the risk factors of malnutrition in infants with congenital heart disease within one year after surgery. Methods: This retrospective cohort study selected 502 infants with congenital heart disease who underwent surgical treatment in Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center from February 2018 to January 2019. Their basic information and clinical data were analyzed, and their nutrition status after the surgery was followed up by questionnaire survey. Weight-for-age Z score (WAZ)≤-2 one year after operation was defined as malnutrition group, and WAZ>-2 was non-malnutrition group. The perioperative indicators and complementary food advancement were compared between the two groups by chi-square test, t-test, and Kruskal-Wallis test. The risk factors of malnutrition were analyzed by Logistic regression. Results: A total of 502 infants were selected, including 301 males and 201 females, with the age of 4.1 (2.0, 6.8) months. There were 90 cases in malnutrition group and 412 cases in non-malnutrition group. The body length and weight at birth in the malnutrition group were lower than those in the non-malnutrition group ((47.8±3.8) vs. (49.3±2.5) cm, (2.7±0.6) vs.(3.0±0.5) kg, both P<0.001). The proportion of paternal high school education or above and the proportion of family per capita income of 5 000 yuan or above in the malnutrition group were lower than those in the non-malnutrition group ((18.9% (17/90) vs. 30.8% (127/412), 18.9% (17/90) vs. 33.7% (139/412), both P<0.05). Compared to the non-malnutrition group, the proportion of complex congenital heart disease in the malnutrition group was higher (62.2% (56/90) vs. 47.3% (195/412), P<0.05). The postoperative mechanical ventilation time, postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) stay time, postoperative hospital stay, total length of ICU stay and total hospital stay in the malnutrition group were significantly longer than those in non-malnutrition group (all P<0.05). The proportion of egg and fish supplementation over 2 times/week within one year after the surgery was also lower in the malnutrition group (both P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that mother's weight at delivery (OR=0.95,95%CI 0.91-0.99), the pre-operative WAZ≤-2 (OR=6.04, 95%CI 3.13-11.65), the complexity of the cardiac disease (OR=2.23, 95%CI 1.22-4.06), the hospital stay after the surgery over 14 days (OR=2.61, 95%CI 1.30-5.26), the types of complementary food<4 (OR=2.57, 95%CI 1.39-4.76), and the frequency of meat and fish<2 times/week (OR=2.11, 95%CI 1.13-3.93) were the risk factors associated with malnutrition within one year after the surgery. Conclusion: Mother's weight at delivery pre-operative nutritional status, complexity of cardiac disease, postoperative hospital stay, types of daily supplements and frequency of fish are risk factors associated with malnutrition within one year after surgery in children with congenital heart disease.

Network Meta-Analysis of Perioperative Analgesic Effects of Different Interventions on Postoperative Pain After Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery Based on Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: Shoulder arthroscopic surgery is a common surgical method used in orthopedics. However, severe postoperative pain can significantly limit the early joint movement of patients and adversely affect the impact of the surgery. At present, there is no consistent and effective analgesic scheme for the management of postoperative pain after arthroscopic surgery of the shoulder. Purpose: The aim of this study was to search for the most effective analgesic scheme to control pain in the perioperative period of arthroscopic surgery of the shoulder. Study Design: Network meta-analysis. Methods: We searched 5 different databases (i.e., Medline, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library) from January 2011 to January 2021 for English literature. Thereafter, we sifted out randomized controlled trials (RCTs), which compared different intervention schemes for pain management after shoulder arthroscopy and selected only 12 h, 24 h, or 48 h after the patient leaves the operating room as an optimal period for administration of analgesic intervention schemes. Only patients with shoulder disease who have undergone arthroscopic shoulder surgery were included in this study. The Cochrane "risk of bias" was used for the quality assessment. Moreover, some additional tests were performed to enhance the credibility of the results. Results: Twenty-nine RCTs involving 1,885 patients were included in this frequentist network meta-analysis (NMA). These articles mainly were divided into two distinct groups, namely, the nerve block group and the non-nerve block group. Regarding the nerve block group, at postoperative 12 h, the intervention suprascapular nerve block + interscalene nerve block (SSNB + INB) was ranked first, whereas INB + intra-articular injection (INB + IAI) was ranked first at 24 h and 48 h postoperation. In the non-nerve block group, external application (EA) was ranked first at postoperative 12 h, but oral administration (OA) exhibited a better analgesic effect at postoperative 24 h and postoperative 48 h. Conclusion: We conclude that the analgesic effect of SSNB+INB was the best at postoperative 12 h, and INB+IAI was the best at postoperative 24 h and 48 h in the nerve block group. For the non-nerve block group, the effect of EA was the best at postoperative 12 h, and the analgesic effect of OA at postoperative 24 h and 48 h was significantly better than any other interventions. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier: CRD42021286777.

The glycosyltransferases involved in triterpenoid saponin biosynthesis: a review / 生物工程学报

Triterpenoid saponins are widely used in medicine, health cares, cosmetics, food additives and agriculture because of their unique chemical properties and rich pharmacological activities. UDP-dependent glycosyltransferases (UGTs) are the key enzymes involved in triterpenoid saponin biosynthesis, and play important roles in the diversity of triterpenoid saponin structures and pharmacological activities. This review summarized the UGTs involved in plant triterpenoid saponin biosynthesis based on the sources of UGTs and the types of receptors. Moreover, the application of UGTs in heterologous biosynthesis of triterpenoid saponins based on synthetic biology was also discussed.

Metabolic engineering of yeasts for green and sustainable production of bioactive ginsenosides F2 and 3β,20S-Di-O-Glc-DM

Both natural ginsenoside F2 and unnatural ginsenoside 3β,20S-Di-O-Glc-DM were reported to exhibit anti-tumor activity. Traditional approaches for producing them rely on direct extraction from Panax ginseng, enzymatic catalysis or chemical synthesis, all of which result in low yield and high cost. Metabolic engineering of microbes has been recognized as a green and sustainable biotechnology to produce natural and unnatural products. Hence we engineered the complete biosynthetic pathways of F2 and 3β,20S-Di-O-Glc-DM in Saccharomyces cerevisiae via the CRISPR/Cas9 system. The titers of F2 and 3β,20S-Di-O-Glc-DM were increased from 1.2 to 21.0 mg/L and from 82.0 to 346.1 mg/L at shake flask level, respectively, by multistep metabolic engineering strategies. Additionally, pharmacological evaluation showed that both F2 and 3β,20S-Di-O-Glc-DM exhibited anti-pancreatic cancer activity and the activity of 3β,20S-Di-O-Glc-DM was even better. Furthermore, the titer of 3β,20S-Di-O-Glc-DM reached 2.6 g/L by fed-batch fermentation in a 3 L bioreactor. To our knowledge, this is the first report on demonstrating the anti-pancreatic cancer activity of F2 and 3β,20S-Di-O-Glc-DM, and achieving their de novo biosynthesis by the engineered yeasts. Our work presents an alternative approach to produce F2 and 3β,20S-Di-O-Glc-DM from renewable biomass, which lays a foundation for drug research and development.

Study on factors associated with non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding in hospitalized elderly patients / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective:To investigate factors related to non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding(NVUGIB)in hospitalized elderly patients.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to collect the medical records of 1 085 elderly patients at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from January 1, 2018 to January 1, 2019.According to whether NVUGIB occurred during hospitalization, they were divided into the bleeding group(173 cases)and the control group(912 cases). General information(age, sex, smoking and drinking), diseases, medications and laboratory test results for the two groups were compared and analyzed, and factors related to NVUGIB were analyzed via binary Logistic regression.Results:There were significant differences in age, smoking, drinking, peptic ulcer, tumor, coronary heart disease, atrial fibrillation, stroke, helicobacter pylori(HP)infection, acute respiratory failure, use of anti-coagulant, anti-platelet drugs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and glucocorticoids, leukocyte counts, hemoglobin, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, prothrombin time and international normalized ratio(INR), D-dimer, triglycerides, albumin and glycosylated hemoglobin(all P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that history of tumor( OR=1.552, 95% CI: 1.028-2.344), peptic ulcer( OR=4.797, 95% CI: 2.263-10.165), HP infection( OR=7.199, 95% CI: 1.825-28.571), acute respiratory failure( OR=2.977, 95% CI: 1.314-6.757), use of anti-coagulant and anti-platelet drugs( OR=2.715, 95% CI: 1.769-4.167), prolonged INR( OR=21.314, 95% CI: 2.321-195.727), increased leukocyte count( OR=10.370, 95% CI: 6.521-16.493)and hypoproteinemia( OR=1.970, 95% CI: 1.304-2.976)were independent risk factors for NVUGIB in hospitalized elderly patients. Conclusions:For hospitalized elderly patients, attention should be paid to their history of tumor, peptic ulcer, HP infection, acute respiratory failure, prolonged INR, elevated leukocyte counts, hypoalbuminemia and the use of anti-coagulant and anti-platelet drugs.The occurrence of NVUGIB, early evaluation and intervention should be carefully monitored or carried out to reduce its incidence in hospitalized elderly patients.

Synthetic biology of plants-derived medicinal natural products / 生物工程学报

Medicinal natural products derived from plants are usually of low content and difficult to extract and isolate. Moreover, these compounds are structurally complex, making it difficult to obtain them by environmental unfriendly chemical synthesis. Biosynthesis of medicinal natural products through synthetic biology is a novel, environment-friendly and sustainable approach. Taking terpenoids (ginsenosides, paclitaxel, artemisinin, tanshinones), alkaloids (vincristine and morphine), and flavonoids (breviscapine) as examples, this review summarizes the advances of the biosynthetic pathways and synthetic biology strategies of plant-derived medicinal natural products. Moreover, we introduce the key technologies and methods of synthetic biology used in the research of medicinal natural products, and provide future prospects in this area.

Advances in biosynthesis of cadinane sesquiterpenes / 生物工程学报

Cadinanes are a class of bicyclic sesquiterpenes with complex stereochemistry and broad pharmacological activities, such as antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and hypoglycemic activities. To date, structurally diverse and bioactive cadinane sesquiterpenes have been isolated and identified from a variety of plants and microorganisms. Moreover, deeper understandings on cadinane sesquiterpene synthases have been made. This article categorized the 124 new cadinanes which were published in the literatures in the past four years (2017-2020) into five structural types, and presented their pharmacological activities. We also illustrated the elucidation of the biosynthetic pathways for typical cadinanes, summarized the research progress on cadinane sesquiterpene synthases. Finally, current challenges and future prospects were proposed and discussed.

Construction of acetyl-CoA and DBAT hybrid metabolic pathway for acetylation of 10-deacetylbaccatin III to baccatin III

10-Deacetylbaccatin III (10-DAB) C10 acetylation is an indispensable procedure for Taxol semi-synthesis, which often requires harsh conditions. 10-Deacetylbaccatin III-10-

Improving comprehensive retention rate of peppermint oil in freeze-dried preparation based on cyclodextrin inclusion technology / 中国中药杂志

The freeze-drying technique, characterized by low-temperature processing, is especially suitable for sensitive volatile oils with thermal instability. However, there are few studies focusing on the retention of volatile oils in the processing of freeze-dried preparations. This study evaluated the effects of different addition methods(adsorption, emulsification, solid dispersion, and inclusion) on the retention rate of the main components in peppermint oil, aiming to explore the application feasibility of freeze-dried preparations of volatile oils. Firstly, the addition method was determined based on the retention rates of menthol in four freeze-dried preparations. Secondly, an orthogonal test was designed to optimize the preparation process based on the characteristics of the preferred addition method. The results showed that the most suitable preparation form of peppermint oil was inclusion with beta-cyclodextrin(β-CD), and the retention rate of menthol in freeze-drying was 86.36%. According to the two-step preparation process of inclusion and freeze-drying, we introduced the product of inclusion rate and retention rate, i.e., comprehensive retention rate, to determine the optimum processing parameters. The results showed that β-CD/oil ratio of 7∶1, inclusion temperature of 40 ℃, and inclusion time of 2 h were the optimum processing parameters. The product prepared with these parameter had the comprehensive retention rate of 68.41%, retention rate of 92.53%, and inclusion rate of 73.93%. The inclusion compound was white powder with significantly increased solubility. The pre-paration process based on cyclodextrin inclusion in this study is stable and reliable and provides a new idea for ensuring the efficacy and stability of volatile components in freeze-dried preparations.

Research advances in methods of cyclezation mechanism of sesquiterpenes / 中国中药杂志

Terpenes are the largest group of natural products and contain the widest assortment of structural types. Terpene cyclization is also the most complex reaction found in nature. For a long time, terpenoids with diverse structures have attracted natural product chemists to explore their biosynthesis mechanism. Such a large number of terpene skeletons are catalyzed by enzymes called terpene synthase. Sesquiterpene synthase is a kind of terpene synthase, which can catalyze the cyclization of linear precursor farnesyl pyrophosphate(FPP) to sesquiterpene skeletons. Sesquiterpene synthase cyclize a single precursor FPP into many sesquiterpene skeletons. With the continuous discovery of sesquiterpene synthase, the cyclization mechanism of sesquiterpene synthase has been studied deeply. In recent years, with the development and improvement of isotope labeling of substrate FPP and structural analysis of sesquiterpene synthase, the structure and cyclization mechanism of sesquiterpene synthase have been studied more systematically and accurately. In this review, we reviewed the progress of the research methods on the mechanism of sesquiterpene cyclization by substrate isotope labeling and protein structure, as well as the summary and prospect of sesquiterpene synthase research.

Molecular mechanism of Qishen Yiqi Dripping Pills in treating myocardial ischemia:a study based on HIF-1 signaling pathway / 中国中药杂志

Qishen Yiqi Dripping Pills(QSYQ) are used clinically to treat various myocardial ischemic diseases, such as angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, and heart failure; however, the molecular mechanism of QSYQ remains unclear, and the scientific connotation of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) compatibility has not been systematically explained. The present study attempted to screen the critical pathway of QSYQ in the treatment of myocardial ischemia by network pharmacology and verify the therapeutic efficacy with the oxygen-glucose deprivation(OGD) model, in order to reveal the molecular mechanism of QSYQ based on the critical pathway. The key targets of QSYQ were determined by active ingredient identification and target prediction, and underwent pathway enrichment analysis and functional annotation with David database to reveal the biological role and the critical pathway of QSYQ. Cell counting Kit-8(CCK-8), lactate dehydrogenase(LDH), and Western blot tests were launched on high-content active ingredients with OGD cell model to reveal the molecular mechanism of QSYQ based on the critical pathway. The results of network pharmacology indicated that QSYQ, containing 18 active ingredients and 82 key targets, could protect cardiomyocytes by regulating biological functions, such as nitric oxide biosynthesis, apoptosis, inflammation, and angiogenesis, through TNF signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, PI3 K-Akt signaling pathway, etc. HIF-1 signaling pathway was the critical pathway. As revealed by CCK-8 and LDH tests, astragaloside Ⅳ, salvianic acid A, and ginsenoside Rg_1 in QSYQ could enhance cell viability and reduce LDH in the cell supernatant in a concentration-dependent manner(P<0.05). As demonstrated by the Western blot test, astragaloside Ⅳ significantly down-regulated the protein expression of serine/threonine-protein kinase(Akt1) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α(HIF-1α) in the HIF-1 signaling pathway, and up-regulated the protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A(VEGFA). Salvianic acid A significantly down-regulated the protein expression of upstream phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha(PIK3 CA) and downstream HIF-1α of Akt1. Ginsenoside Rg_1 significantly down-regulated the expression of HIF-1α protein and up-regulated the expression of VEGFA. The therapeutic efficacy of QSYQ on myocardial ischemia was achieved by multiple targets and multiple pathways, with the HIF-1 signaling pathway serving as the critical one. The active ingredients of QSYQ could protect cardiomyocytes synergistically by regulating the targets in the HIF-1 signaling pathway to inhibit its expression.

Adherence to Cancer Prevention Guidelines and Endometrial Cancer Risk: Evidence from a Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-analysis of Prospective Studies / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

Purpose@#The evidence of adherence to cancer prevention guidelines and endometrial cancer (EC) risk has been limited and controversial. This study summarizes and quantifies the relationship between adherence to cancer prevention guidelines and EC risk. @*Materials and Methods@#The online databases PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE were searched for relevant publications up to June 2, 2020. This study had been registered at PROSPERO. The registration number is CRD42020149966. Study quality evaluation was performed based on the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The I2 statistic was used to estimate heterogeneity among studies. Egger’s and Begg’s tests assessed potential publication bias. Summary hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the relationship between adherence to cancer prevention guidelines score was assigned to participants by summarizing individual scores for each lifestyle-related factor. The scores ranged from least healthy (0) to most healthy (20) and the EC risk was calculated using a randomeffects model. @*Results@#Five prospective studies (four cohort studies and one case‑cohort study) consisted of 4,470 EC cases, where 597,047 participants were included. Four studies had a low bias risk and one study had a high bias risk. Summary EC HR for the highest vs. lowest score of adherence to cancer prevention guidelines was 0.54 (95% CI, 0.40 to 0.73) and had a high heterogeneity (I2=86.1%). For the dose-response analysis, an increment of 1 significantly reduced the risk of EC by 6%. No significant publication bias was detected. @*Conclusion@#This study suggested that adherence to cancer prevention guidelines was negatively related to EC risk.

microRNA-219-5p targets NEK6 to inhibit hepatocellular carcinoma progression.

MicroRNA-219-5p (miR-219-5p) is a key post-transcriptional regulator of gene expression that is known to regulate cancer progression, but its role in the context of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains to be fully elucidated. Herein, it was found that this miRNA functions as a tumor suppressor. Specifically, significant decreases in miR-219-5p expression were detected in HCC cells and patient serum samples relative to that found in the serum of 15 healthy people, and it was concluded that miR-219-5p overexpression was sufficient to impair HCC cell proliferation in vitro and vivo and migration in vitro. At the mechanistic level, it was found that miR-219-5p was able to suppress the expression of NEK6 (never in mitosis gene a-related kinase 6), thereby resulting in dysregulated ß-catenin/c-Myc-regulated gene expression. When NEK6 was overexpressed in HCC cells, this was sufficient to reverse the inhibitory impact of miR-219-5p on HCC cell proliferation both in vitro and vivo and metastasis in vitro. Bioinformatics analyses were also conducted, and both miR-219-5p and Nek6 were linked to disease progression in HCC patients with advanced disease. More importantly, the serum specimen data showed that reduced perioperative plasma miR-219-5p correlated significantly with increased risk of early recurrence after curative hepatectomy, whereas it was opposed to NEK6. Together, these findings highlight miR-219-5p as a potentially valuable diagnostic biomarker that can potentially be leveraged to improve clinical outcomes in HCC patients.