Effects of Six Natural Compounds and Their Derivatives on the Control of Coccidiosis in Chickens.

Chicken coccidiosis costs the poultry industry over GBP 10 billion per year. The main method of preventing and controlling coccidiosis in chickens continues to be the use of drugs. Unfortunately, the prevalence of drug resistance in the field reduces or even eliminates the effectiveness of drugs, and drug residues in the food supply chain can also can be harmful to humans. Therefore, safe and effective anticoccidial drugs are urgently needed. Natural products have many advantages such as being safe, effective and inexpensive and are a sustainable way to control coccidiosis. In this study, the anticoccidial effects of six natural compounds were tested by Eimeria tenella infection. Oocyst production, cecum lesion, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and intestinal microbiota were measured. The results showed that nerolidol had a moderate effect on maintaining both body weight gain and feed conversion ratio. Silymarin and dihydroartemisinin showed significant anticoccidial effects by reducing total oocyst output. Dihydroartemisinin also significantly reduced the cecum lesion caused by Eimeria infection, but this compound may be toxic to the host at such informed doses because it decreases growth and survival rates. In addition, both silymarin and dihydroartemisinin partly restored the microbiota after challenge. This indicates that silymarin, dihydroartemisinin, and nerolidol are effective in the control of chicken coccidiosis. Our data provide basic knowledge about the anticoccidial effects of such natural compounds/derivates.

Meta-analysis of MMP-9 levels in the serum of patients with epilepsy.

Background: Epilepsy's pathogenesis and progression are significantly influenced by neuroinflammation, blood-brain barrier function, and synaptic remodeling function. Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), as a critical factor, may contribute to the development of epilepsy through one or more of the above-mentioned pathways. This study aims to evaluate and quantify the correlation between MMP-9 levels and epilepsy. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search of Embase, Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, WanFang DATA, VIP, and the CNKI to identify studies that investigate the potential association between MMP-9 and epilepsy. The data were independently extracted by two researchers and assessed for quality using the Cochrane Collaboration tool. The extracted data were analyzed using Stata 15 and Review Manager 5.4. The study protocol was registered prospectively at PROSPERO, ID: CRD42023468493. Results: Thirteen studies with a total of 756 patients and 611 matched controls met the inclusion criteria. Eight of these studies reported total serum MMP-9 levels, and the other five studies were used for a further subgroup analysis. The meta-analysis indicated that the serum MMP-9 level was higher in epilepsy patients (SMD = 4.18, 95% confidence interval = 2.18-6.17, p < 0.00001) compared with that in the control group. Publication bias was not detected according to Begg's test. The subgroup analysis of country indicated that the epilepsy patients in China, Poland, and Egypt had higher levels of serum MMP-9 than the control group, with the increase being more pronounced in Egypt. The subgroup analysis of the age category demonstrated that the serum MMP-9 levels of the adult patients with epilepsy were significantly higher than those of the matched controls. However, the serum MMP-9 levels did not significantly differ in children with epilepsy. The subgroup analysis of the seizure types demonstrated substantial difference in the MMP-9 levels between patients of seizure-free epilepsy (patients who have been seizure-free for at least 7 days) and the control group. Meanwhile, the serum MMP-9 level in patients with epileptic seizures was significantly higher than that in the control group. The subgroup analysis based on seizure duration in patients showed that the serum MMP-9 levels at 1-3, 24, and 72 h after seizure did not exhibit significant differences between female and male patients with epilepsy when compared with the control group. The serum MMP-9 levels at 1-3 and 24 h were significantly higher than those of the matched controls. Nevertheless, the serum MMP-9 level at 72 h was not significantly different from that in the control group. Conclusion: This meta-analysis presents the first comprehensive summary of the connection between serum MMP-9 level and epilepsy. The MMP-9 levels in epilepsy patients are elevated. Large-scale studies with a high level of evidence are necessary to determine the exact relationship between MMP-9 and epilepsy.

Intermittent Hypoxia Promotes TAM-Induced Glycolysis in Laryngeal Cancer Cells via Regulation of HK1 Expression through Activation of ZBTB10.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), characterized by intermittent hypoxia (IH), may increase the risk of cancer development and a poor cancer prognosis. TAMs of the M2 phenotype, together with the intermittent hypoxic environment within the tumor, drive tumor aggressiveness. However, the mechanism of TAMs in IH remains unclear. In our study, IH induced the recruitment of macrophages, and IH-induced M2-like TAMs promoted glycolysis in laryngeal cancer cells through hexokinase 1. The hexokinase inhibitor 2-deoxy-D-glucose and HK1 shRNA were applied to verify this finding, confirming that M2-like TAMs enhanced glycolysis in laryngeal cancer cells through HK1 under intermittent hypoxic conditions. Comprehensive RNA-seq analysis disclosed a marked elevation in the expression levels of the transcription factor ZBTB10, while evaluation of a laryngeal cancer patient tissue microarray demonstrated a positive correlation between ZBTB10 and HK1 expression in laryngeal carcinoma. Knockdown of ZBTB10 decreased HK1 expression, and overexpression of ZBTB10 increased HK1 expression in both laryngeal cancer cells and 293T cells. The luciferase reporter assay and Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay confirmed that ZBTB10 directly bound to the promoter region of HK1 and regulated the transcriptional activity of HK1. Finally, the CLEC3B level of the M2 supernatant is significantly higher in the IH group and showed a protumor effect on Hep2 cells. As ZBTB10-mediated regulation of HK1 affects glycolysis in laryngeal cancer, our findings may provide new potential therapeutic targets for laryngeal cancer.

Can portable sleep monitors replace polysomnography for diagnosis of pediatric OSA: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is an increasing health problem in children. The "gold standard" for OSA diagnosis at the moment is overnight polysomnography (PSG). Some researchers think portable monitors (PMs) are promising methods for diagnosing OSA, which make children more comfortable and lower costs. Compared with PSG, our comprehensively evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of PMs for diagnosing OSA in pediatrics. RESEARCH QUESTION: This study aims to determine whether PMs can replace PSG in pediatric OSA diagnosis. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The PubMed, Embase, Medline databases Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were searched systematically for studies published up to December 2022, evaluating the ability of PMs to diagnose OSA in children. For estimating the pooled sensitivity and specificity of the PMs in the included studies, we used a random-effects bivariate model. Studies included in this meta-analysis were evaluated systematically according to QUADAS-2 guidelines for assessing diagnostic accuracy studies. Two independent investigators conducted each stage of the review independently. RESULTS: A total of 396 abstracts and 31 full-text articles were screened, and 41 full-text articles were chosen for final review. There were 707 pediatric patients enrolled in these twelve studies, and 9 PMs were evaluated. There was a wide range of diagnostic sensitivity and specificity among PM systems as compared to AHI measured by PSG. The pooled sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing pediatric OSA were, respectively, 0.91 [0.86, 0.94] and 0.76 [0.58, 0.88] for PMs. According to the summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve, the AUC of PMs in diagnosing OSA in pediatric population was 0.93 [0.90, 0.95]. INTERPRETATION: PMs were more sensitive but slightly less specific for pediatric OSA. The combination of PMs and questionnaires appeared to be a reliable tool for the diagnosis of pediatric OSA. This test may be used for screening subjects or populations at high risk of OSA when there is a high demand for PSG, but the quantity is limited. No clinical trial was involved in the current study.

Organoboron- and Cyano-Grafted Solid Polymer Electrolytes Boost the Cyclability and Safety of High-Voltage Lithium Metal Batteries.

Solid-state polymer electrolytes (SPEs) are deemed as a class of sought-after candidates for high-safety and high-energy-density solid-state lithium metal batteries, but their low ionic conductivity, narrow electrochemical windows, and severe interfacial deterioration limit their practical implementations. Herein, an organoboron- and cyano-grafted polymer electrolyte (PVNB) was designed using vinylene carbonate as the polymer backbone and organoboron-modified poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate and acrylonitrile as the grafted phases, which may facilitate Li-ion transport, immobilize the anions, and enlarge the oxidation voltage window; therefore, the well-tailored PVNB exhibits a high Li-ion transference number (tLi+ = 0.86), a wide electrochemical window (>5 V), and a high ionic conductivity (σ = 9.24 × 10-4 S cm-1) at room temperature (RT). As a result, the electrochemical cyclability and safety of the Li|LiFePO4 and Li|LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 cells with in situ polymerization of PVNB are substantially improved by forming the stable organic-inorganic composite cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI) and the Li3N-LiF-rich solid electrolyte interphase (SEI).

Structure and Interface Engineering of Ultrahigh-Rate 3D Bismuth Anodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have attracted tremendous attention as promising low-cost energy storage devices in future grid-scale energy management applications. Bismuth is a promising anode for SIBs due to its high theoretical capacity (386 mAh g-1 ). Nevertheless, the huge volume variation of Bi anode during (de)sodiation processes can cause the pulverization of Bi particulates and rupture of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), resulting in quick capacity decay. It is demonstrated that rigid carbon framework and robust SEI are two essentials for stable Bi anodes. A lignin-derived carbonlayer wrapped tightly around the bismuth nanospheres provides a stable conductive pathway, while the delicate selection of linear and cyclic ether-based electrolytes enable robust and stable SEI films. These two merits enable the long-term cycling process of the LC-Bi anode. The LC-Bi composite delivers outstanding sodium-ion storage performance with an ultra-long cycle life of 10 000 cycles at a high current density of 5 A g-1 and an excellent rate capability of 94% capacity retention at an ultrahigh current density of 100 A g-1 . Herein, the underlying origins of performance improvement of Bi anode are elucidated, which provides a rational design strategy for Bi anodes in practical SIBs.

Modified Marine Predators Algorithm hybridized with teaching-learning mechanism for solving optimization problems.

Marine Predators Algorithm (MPA) is a newly nature-inspired meta-heuristic algorithm, which is proposed based on the Lévy flight and Brownian motion of ocean predators. Since the MPA was proposed, it has been successfully applied in many fields. However, it includes several shortcomings, such as falling into local optimum easily and precocious convergence. To balance the exploitation and exploration ability of MPA, a modified marine predators algorithm hybridized with teaching-learning mechanism is proposed in this paper, namely MTLMPA. Compared with MPA, the proposed MTLMPA has two highlights. Firstly, a kind of teaching mechanism is introduced in the first phase of MPA to improve the global searching ability. Secondly, a novel learning mechanism is introduced in the third phase of MPA to enhance the chance encounter rate between predator and prey and to avoid premature convergence. MTLMPA is verified by 23 benchmark numerical testing functions and 29 CEC-2017 testing functions. Experimental results reveal that the MTLMPA is more competitive compared with several state-of-the-art heuristic optimization algorithms.

DPD simulations on mixed polymeric DOX-loaded micelles assembled from PCL-SS-PPEGMA/PDEA-PPEGMA and their dual pH/reduction-responsive release.

The design of mixed polymeric micelles by a combination of two or more dissimilar polymers is a potential strategy to achieve multiple stimuli-response for anti-cancer drug delivery. However, their drug loading co-micellization behavior and multiple stimuli-responsive drug release mechanism have been poorly understood at the mesoscopic level, especially in the system that involves reduction-response due to the difficulty of simulation on the cleavage of chemical bonds. In this work, the co-micellization behavior, drug distribution regularities and dual pH/reduction-responsive drug release process of mixed micelles formed by disulfide-linked polycaprolactone-b-polyethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate (PCL-SS-PPEGMA) and poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether-b-poly(N,N-diethylamino ethyl methacrylate) (PDEA-PPEGMA) were studied by dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) mesoscopic simulations. A dedicated bond-breaking script was employed to accomplish the disulfide bond-breaking simulations. The results showed that PCL55-SS-PPEGMA10 and PDEA34-PPEGMA11 could be well mixed to form superior DOX-loaded micelles with good drug-loading capacity and drug-controlled release performance. To prepare the DOX-loaded micelles with optimized properties, the simulation results suggested the feed ratio of DOX:PCL55-SS-PPEGMA10:PDEA34-PPEGMA11 set to 3:4:4. Compared with the two single stimuli-response, the dual pH/reduction-response process perfectly combined both pH-response and reduction-response together, providing a higher release rate of DOX. Therefore, this study provides theoretical guidance aimed at the property optimization and micellar structure design of the dual pH/reduction-responsive mixed micelles.

Globular Flower-Like Reduced Graphene Oxide Design for Enhancing Thermally Conductive Properties of Silicone-Based Spherical Alumina Composites.

The enhancement of thermally conductive performances for lightweight thermal interface materials is a long-term effort. The superb micro-structures of the thermal conductivity enhancer have an important impact on increasing thermal conductivity and decreasing thermal resistance. Here, globular flower-like reduced graphene oxide (GFRGO) is designed by the self-assembly of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) sheets, under the assistance of a binder via the spray-assisted method for silicone-based spherical alumina (S-Al2O3) composites. When the total filler content is fixed at 84 wt%, silicone-based S-Al2O3 composites with 1 wt% of GFRGO exhibit a much more significant increase in thermal conductivity, reduction in thermal resistance and reinforcement in thermal management capability than that of without graphene. Meanwhile, GFRGO is obviously superior to that of their RGO counterparts. Compared with RGO sheets, GFRGO spheres which are well-distributed between the S-Al2O3 fillers and well-dispersed in the matrix can build three-dimensional and isotropic thermally conductive networks more effectively with S-Al2O3 in the matrix, and this minimizes the thermal boundary resistance among components, owning to its structural characteristics. As with RGO, the introduction of GFRGO is helpful when decreasing the density of silicone-based S-Al2O3 composites. These attractive results suggest that the strategy opens new opportunities for fabricating practical, high-performance and light-weight filler-type thermal interface materials.

Motivators for and Barriers to Exercise Rehabilitation in Hemodialysis Centers: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Survey.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to explore motivators for and barriers to exercise rehabilitation in hemodialysis patients and the barriers perceived by the hemodialysis center staff. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was performed in five hemodialysis centers using patient questionnaires designed for this study to evaluate the motivators for and barriers to exercise rehabilitation. Questionnaires were not yet validated. RESULTS: Of the 471 recruited patients, 63.3% were willing to participant in exercise rehabilitation. The greatest motivators included improving quality of life (98.0%) and wanting to be healthier (98.0%). Perceived barriers included discomfort (59.0%), concerns regarding safety (36.7%), and disinterest (27.0%). Among these, unwillingness, disinterest, and having peripheral arterial disease were independent risk factors of lack of participation in exercise rehabilitation. The most common perceived barriers among the 90 employees that participated were lack of professional guidance and advice from rehabilitation therapists (93.1%), lack of exercise rehabilitation knowledge (86.2%), and lack of special exercise equipment (86.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Most patients were willing to exercise to improve their health and quality of life. Barriers to exercise rehabilitation included patient and staff factors. It is essential to establish a rehabilitation team within dialysis centers, including general staff and rehabilitation therapists. These centers require improved rehabilitation policies and access to specialized rehabilitation equipment.

Eugenol Polysiloxane-Polycarbonate/Graphene Nanocomposite: Enhanced in Thermostability and Barrier Property.

Graphene (GR) was used to blend with eugenol polysiloxane-polycarbonate (Si-PC) copolymer to prepare a Si-PC/GR nanocomposite via a solution blending method and the impact of graphene on the properties of Si-PC/GR nanocomposite was investigated. The morphology and structure of the Si-PC/GR nanocomposite were characterized. Combining morphology and property analysis, the result showed that when the graphene dispersed uniformly in the Si-PC matrix, the mechanical properties, thermostability and barrier property of Si-PC/GR nanocomposite were enhanced. Compared with Si-PC copolymer, the pyrolytic temperature of Si-PC/2.5%GR nanocomposite at 5% weight loss was 434.3 °C, which was 20.6 °C higher than Si-PC copolymer; and the oxygen barrier value of Si-PC/1.5%GR nanocomposite decreased to 160.2 cm3/m2 24 h 0.1 MPa, which was 53.2 less than pure Si-PC. The mechanical properties of Si-PC/GR nanocomposite were enhanced with an appropriate additive amount of graphene. The hydrophobicity also had been enhanced at the meantime.

A polysaccharide isolated and purified from Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco leaves, characterization, bioactivity and its regulation on macrophage polarization.

The structure and bioactivity of a novel polysaccharide from Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco leaves (POP2) were investigated in the present study. Structure characterization demonstrated that the average molecular weight of POP2 was 9.69 kDa and consisted of arabinose (14.39%), mannose (10.24%), glucose (63.95%) and galactose (11.42%). The main linkage types of POP2 consisted of (1→4)-linked α-d-Glc and (1→6)-linked α-d-Glc based on methylation and NMR analysis. Bioactivity evaluation showed that POP2 could effectively promote the secretion of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α), as well as the anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10) in LPS-induced cells. Besides, the secretion of NO was significantly inhibited by POP2 in M1 model. POP2 could enhance the level of inflammatory cytokines (NO, IL-6 and TNF-α), while the secretion of the anti-inflammatory cytokine TGF-ß was markedly suppressed in IL-4 induced cells. Our work attempted to elucidate the regulation of macrophage polarization and support the potential application of POP2 as bioactive ingredient for functional foods.

Low-temperature all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries based on a di-cross-linked starch solid electrolyte.

The preparation of a low-temperature solid electrolyte is a challenge for the commercialization of the all-solid-state lithium-ion battery (ASSLIB). Here we report a starch-based solid electrolyte that displays phenomenal electrochemical properties below room temperature (RT). The starch host of the electrolyte is synthesized by two cross-linking reactions, which provide sufficient and orderly binding sites for the lithium salt to dissolve. At 25 °C, the solid electrolyte has exceptional ionic conductivity (σ, 3.10 × 10-4 S cm-1), lithium-ion transfer number (t +, 0.82) and decomposition potential (dP, 4.91 V). At -20 °C, it still has outstanding σ (3.10 × 10-5 S cm-1), t + (0.72) and dP (5.50 V). The LiFePO4 ASSLIB assembled with the electrolyte exhibits unique specific capacity and long cycling life below RT, and the LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 ASSLIB can operate at 4.3 V and 0 °C. This work provides a solution to solve the current challenges of ASSLIBs to widen their scope of applications.

Macroporous resin purification and characterization of flavonoids from Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco and their effects on macrophage inflammatory response.

The flavonoids (POFs) from the leaves of Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco were purified using six different macroporous adsorption resins including polar resins NKA-9 and ADS-F8, semi-polar resins ADS-17 and AB-8, and non-polar resins D101 and ADS-5. Among semi-polar resins, AB-8 demonstrated the best adsorption and desorption capacities with an adsorption ratio of 86% and a desorption ratio of 52%. According to the Simultaneous Thermogravimetry-Differential Scanning Calorimetry (STA/TG-DSC) analysis, POFs showed three thermally decomposed temperatures (347.6 °C, 437.5 °C and 494.8 °C). The main flavonoids in POFs were identified as esculin, amentoflavone, glabridin, and afromosin. Meanwhile, POFs in the dosage range of 25 to 400 µg mL-1 showed a significant anti-inflammatory effect on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 mouse macrophage cells, which could inhibit the secretion of NO, IL-6, and TNF-α through the inhibition of inflammatory-related gene expressions.

Physicochemical Characterization of a Polysaccharide Fraction from Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco and Its Macrophage Immunomodulatory and Anti-Hepatitis B Virus Activities.

A polysaccharide fraction, here called POP1, was purified from the leaves of Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco by water extraction and alcohol precipitation. Physicochemical characterization indicated that POP1 had a relative molecular weight of 8.10 × 10(3) Da and consisted of rhamnose (5.74%), arabinose (12.58%), mannose (10.97%), glucose (64.96%), and galactose (6.55%). The main linkage types of POP1 consisted of (1→5)-linked α-l-Ara, (1→3)-linked α-l-Man, (1→6)-linked ß-l-Rha, (1→4)-linked α-d-Glc, (1→6)-linked α-d-Glc, (1→6)-linked ß-d-Gal, (1→3,6)-linked ß-d-Gal, and termination with α-l-Man and α-d-Glc residues based on periodate oxidation, Smith degradation, methylation, and NMR analysis. POP1 exhibited excellent immunostimulating activity by enhancing macrophage NO, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-12 secretion and activating related mRNA expression. Besides, POP1 showed significant anti-HBV activity through inhibiting the expression of HBsAg (IC50 = 1.33 ± 0.12 mg/mL) and HBeAg (IC50 = 1.67 ± 0.13 mg/mL) and interfering with the HBV DNA replication (IC50 = 0.80 ± 0.03 mg/mL). The present study suggested that POP1 could be used as immunoregulatory agent in functional foods for the prevention of HBV infection.

Biofunctionalization of Selenium Nanoparticle with Dictyophora Indusiata Polysaccharide and Its Antiproliferative Activity through Death-Receptor and Mitochondria-Mediated Apoptotic Pathways.

Bio-functionalized nanoparticles with semiconducting/metallic core encapsulated in a bio- or bio-derived materials are promising for applications in biology and especially in cancer diagnostic and healing. In this report, we report a facile, single-step, first-time synthesis and in-situ functionalization strategy for the preparation of monodispersed selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) functionalized using a novel polysaccharide (DP1) extracted from Dictyophora indusiata (a fungus). The DP1 functionalized SeNPs (DP1-SeNPs), where DP1 is attached to the surface via Se-O bond as well as physic-sorption had, an average diameter of 89 nm, and were highly uniform, extremely stable compared to bare SeNPs. Detailed investigation of the biological properties of DP1-SeNP illustrated that they exhibit unprecedented, enhanced, and selective antiproliferative activity through inducing cell apoptosis confirmed by nuclear condensation, DNA cleavage, and accumulation of S phase cell arrest. The mechanism of the induced apoptosis was found to be a combination of the activation of caspases 3, 8, and 9, the Fas-associated death domain protein (FADD), reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction, as well as mitochondrial dysfunction. It is envisioned that the reported DP1-SeNPs will offer a new phase space for high-efficiency anticancer treatment with little side effect.

When to initiate renal replacement therapy: The trend of dialysis initiation.

The timing of renal replacement therapy for patients with end-stage renal disease has been subject to considerable variation. The United States Renal Data System shows an ascending trend of early dialysis initiation until 2010, at which point it decreased slightly for the following 2 years. In the 1990s, nephrologists believed that early initiation of dialysis could improve patient survival. Based on the Canadian-United States Peritoneal Dialysis study, the National Kidney Foundation Dialysis Outcomes Quality Initiative recommended that dialysis should be initiated early. Since 2001, several observational studies and 1 randomized controlled trial have found no beneficial effect when patients were placed on dialysis early. In contrast, they found that an increase in mortality was associated with early dialysis initiation. The most recent dialysis initiation guidelines recommend that dialysis should be initiated at an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of greater than or equal to 6 mL/min per 1.73 m(2). Nevertheless, the decision to start dialysis is mainly based on a predefined eGFR value, and no convincing evidence has demonstrated that patients would benefit from early dialysis initiation as indicated by the eGFR. Even today, the optimal dialysis initiation time remains unknown. The decision of when to start dialysis should be based on careful clinical evaluation.