Double synergic chitosan-coated poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid nanospheres loaded with nucleic acids as an intranasally administered vaccine delivery system to control the infection of foot-and-mouth disease virus.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The spread of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) through aerosol droplets among cloven-hoofed ungulates in close contact is a major obstacle for successful animal husbandry. Therefore, the development of suitable mucosal vaccines, especially nasal vaccines, to block the virus at the initial site of infection is crucial. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Here, we constructed eukaryotic expression plasmids containing the T and B-cell epitopes (pTB) of FMDV in tandem with the molecular mucosal adjuvant Fms-like tyrosine kinase receptor 3 ligand (Flt3 ligand, FL) (pTB-FL). Then, the constructed plasmid was electrostatically attached to mannose-modified chitosan-coated poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanospheres (MCS-PLGA-NPs) to obtain an active nasal vaccine targeting the mannose-receptor on the surface of antigen-presenting cells (APCs). RESULTS: The MCS-PLGA-NPs loaded with pTB-FL not only induced a local mucosal immune response, but also induced a systemic immune response in mice. More importantly, the nasal vaccine afforded an 80% protection rate against a highly virulent FMDV strain (AF72) when it was subcutaneously injected into the soles of the feet of guinea pigs. CONCLUSIONS: The nasal vaccine prepared in this study can effectively induce a cross-protective immune response against the challenge with FMDV of same serotype in animals and is promising as a potential FMDV vaccine.

Differential responses of ecosystem stability to climatic and anthropogenic factors in connected and isolated lake basins on the Yangtze River.

Maintaining optimal ecological security in the Yangtze River-connected and isolated lake basins is of great significance to national projects involving Yangtze River protection. Ecosystem stability and associated factors are important components of ecological security in these basins. However, few studies have focused on ecosystem stability and its driving factors over long periods in the Yangtze River Basin. In this study, a remote sensing index was used to analyze the spatiotemporal variation in the ecosystem stability of the Dongting Lake Basin (DTL), Poyang Lake Basin (PYL), and the isolated Chaohu Lake Basin (CHL) and Taihu Lake Basin (THL) in the Yangtze River over the period 2000-2022 to determine the potential affecting factors. The results showed fluctuations in the ecosystem stability of the DTL and PYL, while a V-shape was observed for the CHL and THL during the same period; the closer to the lake, the weaker the stability of the ecosystem, especially in the DTL and PYL. Moreover, the ecosystem stability was greater in the DTL and PYL than in the CHL and THL. The spillover effect of anthropogenic activities on the ecosystem stability of the four basins and the direct effect of temperature have the greatest effect on the ecosystem stability. Specifically, the ecosystem stability index for the area around the DTL and PYL decreased with increasing human interference, whereas the opposite was observed in the CHL and THL. The effect of temperature was negative for the ecosystem stability of DTL and PYL and significantly positive for CHL and THL, at a level of 0.01 %. The findings of this study provide significant information for targeted ecological restoration of the Yangtze River Basin.

Discovery of a Potent Antiosteoporotic Drug Molecular Scaffold Derived from Angelica sinensis and Its Bioinspired Total Synthesis.

Angelica sinensis, commonly known as Dong Quai in Europe and America and as Dang-gui in China, is a medicinal plant widely utilized for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. In this study, we report the discovery of a new category of phthalide from Angelica sinensis, namely falcarinphthalides A and B (1 and 2), which contains two fragments, (3R,8S)-falcarindiol (3) and (Z)-ligustilide (4). Falcarinphthalides A and B (1 and 2) represent two unprecedented carbon skeletons of phthalide in natural products, and their antiosteoporotic activities were evaluated. The structures of 1 and 2, including their absolute configurations, were established using extensive analysis of NMR spectra, chemical derivatization, and ECD/VCD calculations. Based on LC-HR-ESI-MS analysis and DFT calculations, a production mechanism for 1 and 2 involving enzyme-catalyzed Diels-Alder/retro-Diels-Alder reactions was proposed. Falcarinphthalide A (1), the most promising lead compound, exhibits potent in vitro antiosteoporotic activity by inhibiting NF-κB and c-Fos signaling-mediated osteoclastogenesis. Moreover, the bioinspired gram-scale total synthesis of 1, guided by intensive DFT study, has paved the way for further biological investigation. The discovery and gram-scale total synthesis of falcarinphthalide A (1) provide a compelling lead compound and a novel molecular scaffold for treating osteoporosis and other metabolic bone diseases.

Clinical features of COVID-19-related optic neuritis: a retrospective study.

Objective: This retrospective study aimed to investigate the clinical features of optic neuritis associated with COVID-19 (COVID-19 ON), comparing them with neuromyelitis optica-associated optic neuritis (NMO-ON), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-associated optic neuritis (MOG-ON), and antibody-negative optic neuritis (antibody-negative ON). Methods: Data from 117 patients (145 eyes) with optic neuritis at the Shantou International Eye Center (March 2020-June 2023) were categorized into four groups based on etiology: Group 1 (neuromyelitis optica-related optic neuritis, NMO-ON), Group 2 (myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein optic neuritis, MOG-ON), Group 3 (antibody-negative optic neuritis, antibody-negative ON), and Group 4 (optic neuritis associated with COVID-19, COVID-19 ON). Characteristics of T2 and enhancement in orbital magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were assessed. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was compared before treatment, at a short-term follow-up (14 days), and at the last follow-up after treatment. Results: The COVID-19-associated optic neuritis (COVID-19 ON) group exhibited 100% bilateral involvement, significantly surpassing other groups (P < 0.001). Optic disk edema was observed in 100% of COVID-19 ON cases, markedly differing from neuromyelitis optica-related optic neuritis (NMO-ON) (P = 0.023). Orbital magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed distinctive long-segment lesions without intracranial involvement in T1-enhanced sequences for the COVID-19 ON group compared to the other three groups (P < 0.001). Discrepancies in optic nerve sheath involvement were noted between the COVID-19 ON group and both NMO-ON and antibody-negative optic neuritis (antibody-negative ON) groups (P = 0.028). Before treatment, no significant difference in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) existed between the COVID-19 ON group and other groups. At the 14-day follow-up, BCVA in the COVID-19 ON group outperformed the NMO-ON (P < 0.001) and antibody-negative ON (P = 0.028) groups, with no significant difference observed compared to the myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein optic neuritis (MOG-ON) group. At the last follow-up after treatment, BCVA in the COVID-19 ON group significantly differed from the NMO-ON group (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Optic neuritis associated with COVID-19 (COVID-19 ON) predominantly presents with bilateral onset and optic disk edema. Orbital magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrates that COVID-19 ON presents as long-segment enhancement without the involvement of the intracranial segment of the optic nerve in T1-enhanced images. Glucocorticoid therapy showed positive outcomes.

Biosynthesis of Enfumafungin-type Antibiotic Reveals an Unusual Enzymatic Fusion Pattern and Unprecedented C-C Bond Cleavage.

Enfumafungin-type antibiotics, represented by enfumafungin and fuscoatroside, belong to a distinct group of triterpenoids derived from fungi. These compounds exhibit significant antifungal properties with ibrexafungerp, a semisynthetic derivative of enfumafungin, recently gaining FDA's approval as the first oral antifungal drug for treating invasive vulvar candidiasis. Enfumafungin-type antibiotics possess a cleaved E-ring with an oxidized carboxyl group and a reduced methyl group at the break site, suggesting unprecedented C-C bond cleavage chemistry involved in their biosynthesis. Here, we show that a 4-gene (fsoA, fsoD, fsoE, fsoF) biosynthetic gene cluster is sufficient to yield fuscoatroside by heterologous expression in Aspergillus oryzae. Notably, FsoA is an unheard-of terpene cyclase-glycosyltransferase fusion enzyme, affording a triterpene glycoside product that relies on enzymatic fusion. FsoE is a P450 enzyme that catalyzes successive oxidation reactions at C19 to facilitate a C-C bond cleavage, producing an oxidized carboxyl group and a reduced methyl group that have never been observed in known P450 enzymes. Our study thus sets the important foundation for the manufacture of enfumafungin-type antibiotics using biosynthetic approaches.

Population Structure and Genetic Diversity of the Toona ciliata (Meliaceae) Complex Assayed with Chloroplast DNA Markers.

Toona ciliata is a deciduous or semi-deciduous tree species and belongs to the Toona genus of the Meliaceae family. Owing to low natural regeneration and over-exploitation, the species is listed as an endangered species at level II in China and its conservation has received increasing concern. Here, we sampled 447 individuals from 29 populations across the range-wide distribution of the T. ciliata complex in China and assessed their genetic variation using two chloroplast DNA markers. The results showed that the overall haplotype diversity and nucleotide diversity per site were high at h = 0.9767 and π = 0.0303 for the psbA-trnH fragment and h= 0.8999 and π = 0.0189 for the trnL-trnL fragment. Phylogenetic analysis supported the division of the natural distribution of T. ciliata complex into western and eastern regions. The genetic diversity was higher in the western region than in the eastern region, showing significant phylogeographic structure. Genetic differentiation among populations was moderate (Φst=42.87%), and the effects of isolation by distance (IBD) were significant. A neutrality test and mismatch distribution analysis indicated that the distribution of the T. ciliata complex generally did not expand, although a few local populations could likely expand after bottleneck effects. The overall results were complementary to and consolidated previous studies using mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers. We finally discussed strategies for the genetic conservation of the T. ciliata complex.

Associations between Erectile Dysfunction and Vascular Parameters: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PURPOSE: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is associated with several vascular disorders, but the associations between ED and vascular parameters are still unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed and synthesized a comprehensive range of studies from PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus regarding the associations between ED and the following measures: ankle-brachial index (ABI), pulse wave velocity (PWV), intima-media thickness (IMT), nitrate-mediated dilation (NMD), flow-mediated dilation (FMD), augmentation index (AI), endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and other vascular parameters. Subgroup analysis was conducted according to specific types of parameters. Study quality was assessed by using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to confirm the robustness of the pooled results. RESULTS: Fifty-seven studies with 7,312 individuals were included. Twenty-eight studies were considered to be high-quality. ED patients had a 0.11 mm higher IMT (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.07, 0.15), a 2.86% lower FMD (95% CI: -3.56, -2.17), a 2.34% lower NMD (95% CI: -3.37, -1.31), a 2.83% higher AI (95% CI: 0.02, 5.63), a 1.11 m/s higher PWV (95% CI: 0.01, 2.21), and a 0.72% lower percentage of EPCs (95% CI: -1.19, -0.24) compared to those without ED. However, ABI was similar between ED patients and non-ED individuals. According to sensitivity analysis, the pooled results were robust. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirmed the associations between ED and several vascular parameters and highlighted the importance of prevention and management of vascular and endothelial dysfunction in ED patients.

A Community-Based Framework Integrates Interspecific Interactions into Forest Genetic Conservation.

Forest genetic conservation is typically species-specific and does not integrate interspecific interaction and community structure. It mainly focuses on the theories of population and quantitative genetics. This approach depicts the intraspecific patterns of population genetic structure derived from genetic markers and the genetic differentiation of adaptive quantitative traits in provenance trials. However, it neglects possible interspecific interaction in natural forests and overlooks natural hybridization or subspeciation. We propose that the genetic diversity of a given species in a forest community is shaped by both intraspecific population and interspecific community evolutionary processes, and expand the traditional forest genetic conservation concept under the community ecology framework. We show that a community-specific phylogeny derived from molecular markers would allow us to explore the genetic mechanisms of a tree species interacting with other resident species. It would also facilitate the exploration of a species' ecological role in forest community assembly and the taxonomic relationship of the species with other species specific to its resident forest community. Phylogenetic ß-diversity would assess the similarities and differences of a tree species across communities regarding ecological function, the strength of selection pressure, and the nature and extent of its interaction with other species. Our forest genetic conservation proposal that integrates intraspecific population and interspecific community genetic variations is suitable for conserving a taxonomic species complex and maintaining its evolutionary potential in natural forests. This provides complementary information to conventional population and quantitative genetics-based conservation strategies.

Factors Influencing the Fasting Time in Adult Patients After the Endoscopic Management of Sharp Esophageal Foreign Bodies.

Background: Sharp esophageal foreign body (SEFB) impaction can cause varying degrees of damage to the esophagus. There are few studies analyzing the postoperative fasting time in SEFB patients. Methods: We retrospectively collected 835 SEFB patients. According to the fasting time after the endoscopic removal (ER) of SEFBs, the patients were divided into two groups: short fasting time (SFT, fasted ≤24 h) and long fasting time (LFT, fasted >24 h). Results: There were 216 and 619 patients in the SFT and LFT group, respectively. The average age of the SFT group (52.97 years) was younger than that of the LFT group (55.96 years) (p = 0.025). The LFT group had lower proportion of duration of impaction (DOI) within 12 hours (14.2% vs 22.2%, p = 0.006) and erosion rates (89.0% vs 94.0%, p = 0.034) as well as higher proportion of esophageal perforation (19.5 vs 6.5%, p = 0.010) and patients who got intravenous anesthesia (63.78% vs 31.9%, p = 0.000) than the SFT group. The longest diameter of the foreign body (Lmax) in the LFT group (2.60 ± 1.01 cm) was greater than that in the SFT group (2.41 ± 0.83 cm; p = 0.01). Multivariate regression analysis found that age (OR = 1.726[1.208-2.465], p = 0.003), DOI (OR = 1.793[1.175-2.737], p = 0.007), Lmax (OR = 1.477[1.033-2.111], p = 0.032), perforation (OR = 3.698[2.038-6.710]; p < 0.01) and intravenous anesthesia (OR = 3.734[2.642-5.278]; p < 0.01) were the independent factors that prolonged fasting time in patients with SEFBs, while esophageal mucosal erosion (OR = 0.433[0.229-0.820]; p = 0.01) was the influencing factor leading to shortened fasting time. Conclusion: For the first time, we analyzed factors influencing the fasting time after ER in SEFB patients. Age, DOI, Lmax, perforation and intravenous anesthesia were risk factors for a prolonged postoperative fasting time.

Comparison of Short-term and Three-year Oncological Outcomes Between Robotic and Laparoscopic Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer: A Large Multicenter Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the short-term and long-term outcomes between robotic gastrectomy (RG) and laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) for gastric cancer. BACKGROUND: The clinical outcomes of RG over LG have not yet been effectively demonstrated. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 3599 patients with gastric cancer who underwent radical gastrectomy at eight high-volume hospitals in China from January 2015 to June 2019. Propensity score matching was performed between patients who received RG and LG. The primary end point was 3-year disease-free survival (DFS). RESULTS: After 1:1 propensity score matching, 1034 pairs of patients were enrolled in a balanced cohort for further analysis. The 3-year DFS in the RG and LG was 83.7% and 83.1% ( P =0.745), respectively, and the 3-year overall survival was 85.2% and 84.4%, respectively ( P =0.647). During 3 years of follow-up, 154 patients in the RG and LG groups relapsed (cumulative incidence of recurrence: 15.0% vs 15.0%, P =0.988). There was no significant difference in the recurrence sites between the 2 groups (all P >0.05). Sensitivity analysis showed that RG had comparable 3-year DFS (77.4% vs 76.7%, P =0.745) and overall survival (79.7% vs 78.4%, P =0.577) to LG in patients with advanced (pathologic T2-4a) disease, and the recurrence pattern within 3 years was also similar between the 2 groups (all P >0.05). RG had less intraoperative blood loss, lower conversion rate, and shorter hospital stays than LG (all P >0.05). CONCLUSIONS: For resectable gastric cancer, including advanced cases, RG is a safe approach with comparable 3-year oncological outcomes to LG when performed by experienced surgeons.

Two new Nb-oxide indole alkaloids with ß-hematin inhibitory activity from the stems and leaves of Rauvolfia dichotoma.

Rauvolfia dichotoma, a shrub of Apocynaceae, was collected from the Islands of SAO Tome and Principe and cultivated locally for medicinal purpose. Phytochemical investigation of 95% ethanol extract from the stems and leaves of R. dichotoma led to the isolation of two new Nb-oxide indole alkaloids, namely Nb-oxide-mitoridine (1) and Nb-oxide-raucaffricine (2), together with two known alkaloids (3-4) and eleven known lignans (5-15). Their chemical structures were elucidated by extensive NMR and HR-ESI-MS data analysis. All compounds (except 13) were tested for their ß-hematin inhibitory activity. Compounds 2, 4, 14, and 15 showed certain inhibitory activity, indicating that they may have an antimalarial effect.

Terricoxanthones A-E, unprecedented dihydropyran-containing dimeric xanthones from the endophytic fungus Neurospora terricola HDF-Br-2 associated with the vulnerable conifer Pseudotsuga gaussenii.

An investigation on the secondary metabolites from a rice culture broth of the endophytic fungus Neurospora terricola HDF-Br-2 derived from the vulnerable conifer Pseudotsuga gaussenii led to the isolation and characterization of 34 structurally diverse polyketides (1-34). Seven of them are previously undescribed, including five unprecedented dihydropyran-containing (terricoxanthones A-E, 1-5, resp.) and one rare tetrahydrofuran-containing (terricoxanthone F, 6) dimeric xanthones. The structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. Terricoxanthones each were obtained as a racemic mixture. Their plausible biosynthetic relationships were briefly proposed. Compounds 6, aspergillusone A (8), and alatinone (27) displayed considerable inhibition against Candida albicans with MIC values of 8-16 µg/mL. 4-Hydroxyvertixanthone (12) and 27 exhibited significant inhibitory activities against Staphylococcus aureus, with MIC values of 4-8 µg/mL. Furthermore, compounds 8 and 27 could disrupt biofilm of S. aureus and C. albicans at 128 µg/mL. The findings not only extend the skeletons of xanthone dimers and contribute to the diversity of metabolites of endophytes associated with the endangered Chinese conifer P. gaussenii, but could further reveal the important role of protecting plant species diversity in support of chemical diversity and potential sources of new therapeutics.

Heterozygosity analysis of spontaneous 2n female gametes and centromere mapping of the diploid Hevea brasiliensis based on full-sib triploid populations.

KEY MESSAGE: Unreduced megagametophytes via second-division restitution were confirmed through heterozygosity analysis, and four candidate physical centromeres of rubber were located for the first time. The evaluation of maternal heterozygosity restitution (MHR) is vital in identifying the mechanism of 2n gametogenesis and assessing the utilization value of 2n gametes. In this study, three full-sib triploid populations were employed to evaluate the MHR of 2n female gametes of rubber tree clone GT1 and to confirm their genetic derivation. The 2n female gametes of GT1 were derived from second-division restitution (SDR) and transmitted more than half of the parental heterozygosity. In addition, low recombination frequency markers were developed, and four candidate physical centromeres of rubber tree were located for the first time. The confirmation that 2n female gametes of rubber tree clone GT1 are derived from SDR provides insights into the molecular mechanisms of 2n gametogenesis. In addition, the identified centromere location will aid in the development of centromeric markers for the rapid identification of the 2n gametogenesis mechanism.

Interspecific root interaction enhances cadmium accumulation in Oryza sativa when intercropping with cadmium accumulator Artemisia argyi.

The contamination of arable land with heavy metals, such as Cd, is a serious concern worldwide. Intercropping with Cd accumulators can be used for efficient safe crop production and phytoremediation of Cd-contaminated soil. However, the effect of intercropping on Cd uptake by main crops and accumulators varies among plant combinations. Rhizosphere interaction may mediate Cd uptake by intercropped plants, but the mechanism is unclear. Thus, in the present study, we aimed to examine the effect of rhizosphere interaction on Cd uptake by intercropping rice (Oryza sativa L.) with mugwort (Artemisia argyi Levl. et Vant.) in Cd-contaminated paddy soil. We grew O. sativa and A. argyi in pots designed to allow different levels of interaction: complete root interaction (no barrier), partial root interaction (nylon mesh barrier), and no root interaction (plastic film barrier). Our results indicated that both complete and partial root interaction increased the shoot and root mass of A. argyi, but did not decrease the shoot, root, and grain mass of O. sativa. Interspecific root interaction significantly increased the Cd content in the shoots, roots, and grains of O. sativa and the shoots of A. argyi. Increased content of total organic acids in the rhizosphere, which increased the content of available Cd, was a possible mechanism of increased Cd uptake in both plants under interspecific root interaction. Our findings demonstrate that an intercropping system can extract more Cd from contaminated soil than a monocropping system of either A. argyi or O. sativa. However, the intercropping system did not facilitate safe crop production because it substantially increased grain Cd content in O. sativa.

Assessing the phylogenetic relationship among varieties of Toona ciliata (Meliaceae) in sympatry with chloroplast genomes.

Toona ciliata is an endangered species due to over-cutting and low natural regeneration in China. Its genetic conservation is of an increasing concern. However, several varieties are recognized according to the leaf and flower traits, which complicates genetic conservation of T. ciliata. Here, we sequenced the whole chloroplast genome sequences of three samples for each of four varieties (T. ciliata var. ciliata, T. ciliata var. yunnanensis, T. ciliata var. pubescens, and T. ciliata var. henryi) in sympatry and assessed their phylogenetic relationship at a fine spatial scale. The four varieties had genome sizes ranged from 159,546 to 159,617 bp and had small variations in genome structure. Phylogenomic analysis indicated that the four varieties were genetically well-mixed in branch groups. Genetic diversity from the whole chloroplast genome sequences of 12 samples was low among varieties (average π = 0.0003). Besides, we investigated genetic variation of 58 samples of the four varieties in sympatry using two markers (psaA and trnL-trnF) and showed that genetic differentiation was generally insignificant among varieties (Ф st = 0%-5%). Purifying selection occurred in all protein-coding genes except for the ycf2 gene that was under weak positive selection. Most amino acid sites in all protein-coding genes were under purifying selection except for a few sites that were under positive selection. The chloroplast genome-based phylogeny did not support the morphology-based classification. The overall results implicated that a conservation strategy based on the T. ciliata complex rather than on intraspecific taxon was more appropriate.

Thirteen new peptaibols with antimicrobial activities from Trichoderma sp.

From the fungus Trichoderma sp., we isolated seven novel 18-residue peptaibols, neoatroviridins E-K (1-7), and six new 14-residue peptaibols, harzianins NPDG J-O (8-13). Additionally, four previously characterized 18-residue peptaibols neoatroviridins A-D (14-17) were also identified. The structural configurations of the newly identified peptaibols (1-13) were determined by comprehensive nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and high-resolution electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS/MS) data. Their absolute configurations were further determined using Marfey's method. Notably, compounds 12 and 13 represent the first 14-residue peptaibols containing an acidic amino acid residue. In antimicrobial assessments, all 18-residue peptaibols (1-7, 14-17) exhibited moderate inhibitory activities against Staphylococcus aureus 209P, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 8-32 µg·mL-1. Moreover, compound 9 exhibited moderate inhibitory effect on Candida albicans FIM709, with a MIC value of 16 µg·mL-1.

A systematic review of tea pigments: Prevention of major diseases, protection of organs, and potential mechanisms and applications.

With the growing awareness of a healthy life, tea pigments (TPGs) are in focus for their health benefits. TPGs not only provide specific color to tea liquor but also possess health benefits such as anti-obesity, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-oxidative, and bacteriostatic properties. Also, TPGs can benefit bone, liver, kidney, cardiovascular, gut microbiome, and sleep health. Based on previous reports, this review provides a brief introduction to the health benefits of TPGs, focusing on the prevention of human diseases and the protection of organs. Also, the latest research on the functional mechanism(s), practical application, and development strategies of TPGs is discussed.

Multifactor analysis of the technique in total laparoscopic gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal gastric anastomosis is a common surgical technique used to treat patients with gastric cancer who undergo total gastrectomy. However, using simple anastomosis techniques alone may not meet the needs of patients in some cases and can lead to complications such as anastomotic stenosis and ulceration. In order to overcome these issues and improve patient prognosis, muscle flap reconstruction technique has emerged. Muscle flap reconstruction is a method of improving gastric-esophageal anastomosis by transplanting muscle tissue. By covering the anastomotic site with muscle tissue, it not only enhances the stability of the anastomosis site but also increases blood supply, promoting healing and recovery of the anastomosis. Therefore, the use of muscle flap reconstruction technique in esophageal gastric anastomosis during total gastrectomy for gastric cancer is increasingly widely applied. AIM: To determine the effectiveness of esophagogastric anastomosis using the muscle flap reconstruction technology in total abdominal gastrectomy for gastric cancer and perform follow-up experiments to understand the factors affecting patients' prognosis. METHODS: The study subjects were 60 patients with gastric cancer who were admitted to our hospital between October 2018 and January 2022. All patients underwent esophagogastric anastomosis using the double muscle flap reconstruction technology in total abdominal gastrectomy. Perioperative indicators were determined, and patients were followed up for 1 year. Furthermore, patient outcomes were observed within 1 year, followed by patient classification based on different outcomes. Moreover, clinicopathological parameters were observed and relevant factors affecting patient prognosis were analyzed. RESULTS: The operation time was 318 ± 43 min, the formation time of esophageal double muscle flap anastomosis was 110 ± 13 min, the number of lymph node dissections was 26 ± 6, the incision length was 3 ± 0.6 cm, intraoperative bleeding volume was 48 ± 15 mL, first anal exhaust time was 5.3 ± 1.8 d, first meal time was 6.0 ± 1.6 d, length of hospital stay was 11.8 ± 2.5, and treatment cost was 5.8 ± 0.7 thousand yuan. The patient experienced three postoperative complications: 2 cases of pulmonary infection and 1 case of respiratory discomfort. During 1-year follow-up, 50 patients survived and 10 died. Univariate analysis revealed that histological types, tumor size, tumor-node-metastasis staging, vascular invasion, and postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy were the main factors affecting the prognosis of surviving patients. Furthermore, Cox regression analysis revealed that postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy were the main factors affecting patient prognosis. The survival time of the survival group was significantly higher than that of the death group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Esophagogastric anastomotic using muscle flap reconstruction exhibits good effects on patients who undergo total abdominal gastrectomy for cancer. Postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy are the main factors affecting patient prognosis.

Eremophilane and cadinane sesquiterpenoids from the fruits of Alpinia oxyphylla and their anti-inflammatory activities.

The fruits of Alpinia oxyphylla have been used for centuries in China as both edible resources and traditional Chinese medicine. In order to identify structurally interesting and bioactive constituents from the fruits of A. oxyphylla, bioassay-guided fractionation and purification of the crude extracts were performed, which led to the isolation of 38 sesquiterpenoids, including six previously undescribed eremophilane sesquiterpenoids (1-6), six new cadinane sesquiterpenoids (23-24, 26-29), and 26 known analogues (7-22, 25 and 31-38). The structures of these compounds were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic data analysis, single crystal X-ray diffraction, quantum chemistry calculations (13C-NMR and ECD), and Mo2(OAc)4 reaction. Several of the isolated compounds (8, 13, 17, 18, 30, 31 and 35) showed moderate to strong inhibition of the secretion of cytokines (NO, TNF-α and IL-6) in LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells. Furthermore, western blot, immunofluorescence, and real-time PCR assays indicated that 18 could down-regulate the mRNA levels of TNF-α, IL-6, COX-2, and iNOS and the protein expression of COX-2 and iNOS. Meanwhile, 18 was able to partially inhibit the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, JNK, and p38. Thus, the discovery of structurally diverse anti-inflammatory sesquiterpenoids from the fruits of A. oxyphylla in this study could benefit the further development and utilization of this plant.