A new megastigmane glycoside, a new organic acid glycoside and other constituents with anticomplementary activity from Artemisia halodendron.

A new megastigmane glycoside, (1R,5R,6S,7E)-megastigman-3,9-dione-7-en-6,11-diol 11-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (1), and a new organic acid glycoside, methyl (4 R)-4-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-decanoate (2), together with eight known compounds (3-10), were isolated from the aerial parts of Artemisia halodendron Turcz. ex Bess. (Asteraceae). Their chemical structures were elucidated by 1 D and 2 D NMR and HR-ESI-MS spectra and DP4+ probability analysis. Among the identified compounds, compounds 5, 6 and 10 were isolated from the family Asteraceae, and compounds 3, 4 and 7-9 were identified from the genus Artemisia for the first time. All of the compounds were evaluated for their anticomplementary activity against the classical pathway (CP) and the alternative pathway (AP). Compounds 7 and 9 showed anticomplementary activity with the CH50 values of 0.31 ± 0.08 and 0.50 ± 0.09 mM, respectively.

Exosomes from TNF-α preconditioned human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells inhibit the autophagy of acinar cells of severe acute pancreatitis via shuttling bioactive metabolites.

Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is a common critical disease of the digestive system, with high mortality and a lack of effective prevention and treatment measures. Despite mesenchymal stromal cell transplantation having the potential to treat SAP, its clinical application prospect is limited, and the mechanism is unclear. Here, we reveal the therapeutic role of exosomes from TNF-α-preconditioned human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells (HUCMSCs) in attenuating SAP and show that it is partly dependent on exosomal metabolites. Bioactive metabolomics analysis showed that 48 metabolites be significantly differentially expressed between the two groups (Exo-Ctrl group versus Exo-TNF-α group). Then, the further functional experiments indicated that 3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol could be a key molecule mediating the therapeutic effect of TNF-α-preconditioned HUCMSCs. The animal experiments showed that 3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol reduced inflammation and oxidative stress in the pancreatic tissue and inhibited acinar cell autophagy in a rat model of SAP. Mechanistically, we revealed that 3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol activated the mTOR pathway to inhibit acinar cell autophagy and alleviate SAP. In summary, our study demonstrated that exosomes from TNF-α-preconditioned HUMSCs inhibit the autophagy of acinar cells of SAP by shuttling 3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol and inhibiting the mTOR pathway. This study revealed the vital role and therapeutic potential of metabolite-derived exosomes in SAP, providing a new promising method to prevent and therapy SAP.

MSCs Deliver Hypoxia-Treated Mitochondria Reprogramming Acinar Metabolism to Alleviate Severe Acute Pancreatitis Injury.

Mitochondrial function impairment due to abnormal opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) is considered the central event in acute pancreatitis; however, therapeutic choices for this condition remain controversial. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a family member of stem cells with immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory capabilities that can mitigate damage in experimental pancreatitis. Here, it is shown that MSCs deliver hypoxia-treated functional mitochondria to damaged pancreatic acinar cells (PACs) via extracellular vesicles (EVs), which reverse the metabolic function of PACs, maintain ATP supply, and exhibit an excellent injury-inhibiting effect. Mechanistically, hypoxia inhibits superoxide accumulation in the mitochondria of MSCs and upregulates the membrane potential, which is internalized into PACs via EVs, thus, remodeling the metabolic state. In addition, cargocytes constructed via stem cell denucleation as mitochondrial vectors are shown to exert similar therapeutic effects to MSCs. These findings reveal an important mechanism underlying the role of mitochondria in MSC therapy and offer the possibility of applying mitochondrial therapy to patients with severe acute pancreatitis.

Relationship between blood glucose levels and length of hospital stay in patients with acute pancreatitis: An analysis of MIMIC-III database.

We aimed to investigate the effect of blood glucose levels on length of stay (LOS) in patients hospitalized with acute pancreatitis (AP). We retrospectively collected clinical data of patients diagnosed with AP from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) database. Dose-response analysis curves of restricted cubic spline (RCS) function and multivariate logistic regression models were used to confirm the relationship between blood glucose levels and LOS. A total of 3656 patients with AP were included according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. According to RCS, all patients were divided into three groups, namely the less than 68 mg/dl group, the 68-104 mg/dl group, and the >104 mg/dl group. RCS showed a significant nonlinear correlation between blood glucose levels and LOS (p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression revealed a 53% higher risk of LOS greater than or equal to 2 days (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.53, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.24-1.89, p < 0.001), a 114% higher risk of LOS greater than or equal to 5 days (aOR = 2.14, 95% CI 1.86-2.47, p < 0.001), and a 130% higher risk of LOS greater than or equal to 7 days (aOR = 2.30, 95% CI 1.97-2.69, p < 0.001) in patients with glucose levels greater than 104 mg/dl than patients with glucose levels 68-104 mg/dl. The risk of LOS greater than or equal to 7 days was higher in patients with blood glucose less than 68 mg/dl than patients with glucose levels 68-104 mg/dl (aOR = 1.45, 95% CI 1.02-2.05, p = 0.040). In addition, we observed similar results in many subgroups. Our findings suggest that either hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia increase LOS in patients hospitalized with AP. For hospitalized patients with AP, blood glucose control in a reasonable range of 68-104 mg/dl is required.

Two new iridoid glycosides from Odontites vulgaris.

Two new iridoid glycosides, named 3'-O-benzoyl-dolichocymboside D (1) and dolichocymboside E (2), along with ten known glycosides (3-12), were isolated from the ethanol extract of the whole plants of Odontites vulgaris Moench. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR and HR-ESI-MS spectra and by comparison with those reported in the literature. This is the first report on compounds 11 and 12 isolated from the family Scrophulariaceae, and compounds 8-10 were isolated from the genus Odontites.

Optimal modes of mind-body exercise for treating chronic non-specific low back pain: Systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Background: There were limited studies that directly compare the outcomes of various mind-body exercise (MBE) therapies on chronic non-specific low back pain (CNLBP). Objectives: To compare the efficacy of the four most popular MBE modes [Pilates, Yoga, Tai Chi (TC), and Qigong] in clinically CNLBP patients, we conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA). Methods: We searched databases for eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (from origin to July 2022). RCTs were eligible if they included adults with CNLBP, and implemented one or more MBE intervention arms using Pilates, yoga, TC, and qigong. In addition, pain intensity and physical function were evaluated using validated questionnaires. Results: NMA was carried out on 36 eligible RCTs involving 3,050 participants. The effect of exercise therapy on pain was in the following rankings: Pilates [Surface under cumulative ranking (SUCRA) = 86.6%], TC (SUCRA = 77.2%), yoga (SUCRA = 67.6%), and qigong (SUCRA = 64.6%). The effect of exercise therapy on function: Pilates (SUCRA = 98.4%), qigong (SUCRA = 61.6%,), TC (SUCRA = 59.5%) and yoga (SUCRA = 59.0%). Conclusion: Our NMA shows that Pilates might be the best MBE therapy for CNLBP in pain intensity and physical function. TC is second only to Pilates in improving pain in patients with CNLBP and has the value of promotion. In the future, we need more high-quality, long-term follow-up RCTs to confirm our findings. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=306905, identifier: CRD42022306905.

Is transcranial direct current stimulation beneficial for treating pain, depression, and anxiety symptoms in patients with chronic pain? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Chronic pain is often accompanied by emotional dysfunction. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been used for reducing pain, depressive and anxiety symptoms in chronic pain patients, but its therapeutic effect remains unknown. Objectives: To ascertain the treatment effect of tDCS on pain, depression, and anxiety symptoms of patients suffering from chronic pain, and potential factors that modulate the effectiveness of tDCS. Methods: Literature search was performed on PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library from inception to July 2022. Randomized controlled trials that reported the effects of tDCS on pain and depression and anxiety symptoms in patients with chronic pain were included. Results: Twenty-two studies were included in this review. Overall pooled results indicated that the use of tDCS can effectively alleviate short-term pain intensity [standard mean difference (SMD): -0.43, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.75 to -0.12, P = 0.007] and depressive symptoms (SMD: -0.31, 95% CI, -0.47 to -0.14, P < 0.001), middle-term depressive symptoms (SMD: -0.35, 95% CI: -0.58 to -0.11, P = 0.004), long-term depressive symptoms (ES: -0.38, 95% CI: -0.64 to -0.13, P = 0.003) and anxiety symptoms (SMD: -0.26, 95% CI: -0.51 to -0.02, P = 0.03) compared with the control group. Conclusion: tDCS may be an effective short-term treatment for the improvement of pain intensity and concomitant depression and anxiety symptoms in chronic pain patients. Stimulation site, stimulation frequency, and type of chronic pain were significant influence factors for the therapeutic effect of tDCS. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=297693, identifier: CRD42022297693.

U-shaped association between sleep duration with chronic constipation and diarrhea: A population-based study.

To examine the association between sleep duration with chronic constipation and diarrhea, we collected demographic and questionnaire data of participants from The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the period 2005 to 2010. A restricted cubic spline curve function was used to determine the association between sleep duration and chronic constipation or diarrhea. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between sleep duration groups and chronic constipation or diarrhea. 14,054 eligible participants were included in this study. Among all sleep durations, 7 hours sleep per day had the highest percentage of normal stool forms (86.3%, P < .001), while people with ≤4 hours sleep had a higher number of bowel movements per week (P < .001). RCS models demonstrated a significant nonlinear association between sleep duration and risk of chronic constipation (P < .001). The inflection points of the U-shaped association curve corresponded to 7 hours of sleep per day. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that compared to participants with 7 hours daily sleep duration, participants with ≤4 hours and ≥10 hours sleep duration had a 54% (95%CI: (1.16-2.04), P = .002) and 90% (95%CI: (1.33-2.72), P < .001) higher risk of constipation, respectively. There is a non-linear association between sleep duration and the risk of chronic constipation. Our findings indicate that both shorter and longer sleep duration are associated with an increased risk of constipation.

Effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions on empathy: A meta-analysis.

Empathy is essential for human survival and social interaction. Although mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been used to improve empathy in healthy populations, its therapeutic efficacy remains unknown. This study aims to investigate the therapeutic effects of MBIs on empathy in a healthy population and the potential factors affecting the efficacy of MBIs. The literature search focused on PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and CNKI from inception to September 2022. Randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies reporting the effects of using MBIs on empathy in healthy populations were included. A total of 13 studies were included in this review. Results of the meta-analysis showed that MBIs improved empathy (SMD, 0.372, 95% CI, 0.164-0.579, p = 0.001) in the healthy population compared with that in the control group. Moreover, results of the subgroup analysis showed that intervention dose (over 24 h vs. under 24 h), format (online vs. offline), and types (different types) were important factors affecting treatment outcomes. This comprehensive review suggests that MBIs are effective treatment for empathy in healthy population. Future research should markedly focus on large-sample, rigorously designed experiments to explore the long-term effects of MBIs on empathy and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of MBIs. This study provides a reference for the daily application of MBIs.

Preparation, Characterization and Anti-Complementary Activity of Three Novel Polysaccharides from Cordyceps militaris.

This investigation focuses on the three novel polysaccharides from Cordyceps militaris and then discusses their characterization and anti-complementary activity. The three polysaccharides from C. militaris (CMP-1, CMP-2 and CMP-3) were prepared using a DEAE-52 cellulose column. The HPLC, HPGPC, FT-IR and Congo red analyses were used to characterize their monosaccharides, molecular weight and stereo conformation, which demonstrated that the three polysaccharides were homogenous polysaccharides with different molecular weights and were composed of at least ten monosaccharides with different molar ratios, and all had a triple-helix conformation. The evaluation of anti-complementary activity demonstrated that the three polysaccharides significantly inhibited complement activation through the classical pathway and alternative pathway. Preliminary mechanism studies indicated that CMP-1, CMP-2 and CMP-3 acted with C2, C5, C9, factor B, factor B, and P components in the overactivation cascade of the complement system. The analysis of the Pearson correlation and network confirmed that the ribose, glucuronic acid and galacturonic acid composition were negatively correlated with the anti-complementary activity of polysaccharides. These results suggested that the three novel polysaccharides are potential candidates for anti-complementary drugs.

Peri-Ulcerative Mucosal Inflammation Appearance is an Independent Risk Factor for 30-Day Rebleeding in Patients with Gastric Ulcer Bleeding: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

Aim: The aim of this study was to identify clinical endoscopic indicators related to peri-ulcerative mucosal inflammation and to analyze whether the degree of peri-ulcerative mucosal inflammation appearance is an independent risk factor for gastric ulcer rebleeding. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study that included patients with gastric ulcer bleeding who were hospitalized at three medical centers in China from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2019. Ulcer rebleeding that occurred within 30 days of successful initial hemostasis was analyzed to determine whether this event was related to the degree of peri-ulcerative mucosal inflammation appearance or other mucosal inflammation-related factors. Results: We enrolled 1111 patients and determined that GBS-Rebleeding-ROC (P<0.001), age (P=0.01), use of NSAIDs (P=0.001), bile reflux (P<0.001), and Helicobacter pylori (P<0.001) are all risk factors for peri-ulcerative mucosal inflammation appearance. Through multivariate analysis, we determined that severe peri-ulcerative mucosal inflammation appearance (P=0.002) was an independent risk factor for ulcer rebleeding within 30 days. Finally, we developed a risk assessment model using factors associated with mucosal inflammation that may be useful for early prediction of rebleeding. Conclusion: The risk factors for peri-ulcerative mucosal inflammation appearance were identified. Severe peri-ulcerative mucosal inflammation appearance is an independent risk factor for ulcer rebleeding.

Convolutional-de-convolutional neural networks for recognition of surgical workflow.

Computer-assisted surgery (CAS) has occupied an important position in modern surgery, further stimulating the progress of methodology and technology. In recent years, a large number of computer vision-based methods have been widely used in surgical workflow recognition tasks. For training the models, a lot of annotated data are necessary. However, the annotation of surgical data requires expert knowledge and thus becomes difficult and time-consuming. In this paper, we focus on the problem of data deficiency and propose a knowledge transfer learning method based on artificial neural network to compensate a small amount of labeled training data. To solve this problem, we propose an unsupervised method for pre-training a Convolutional-De-Convolutional (CDC) neural network for sequencing surgical workflow frames, which performs neural convolution in space (for semantic abstraction) and neural de-convolution in time (for frame level resolution) simultaneously. Specifically, through neural convolution transfer learning, we only fine-tuned the CDC neural network to classify the surgical phase. We performed some experiments for validating the model, and it showed that the proposed model can effectively extract the surgical feature and determine the surgical phase. The accuracy (Acc), recall, precision (Pres) of our model reached 91.4, 78.9, and 82.5%, respectively.

Iron metabolism mediates the relationship between Vitamin C and hepatic steatosis and fibrosis in NAFLD.

Vitamin C (Vit C) and iron metabolism are closely related to metabolic disorders. However, the relation between iron storage protein ferritin and Vit C has not been elucidated. We aimed to investigate the crosstalk between Vit C and ferritin and its implications on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Clinical information of 3,614 subjects was obtained from the NHANES Public Data 2017-2018. FibroScan data, which estimates liver steatosis and fibrosis and Vit C, were selected to assess factors influencing NAFLD in this cross-sectional study. Ferritin and Vit C among different categories of liver steatosis and fibrosis were assessed by CAP and E value. Logistic regression and RCS models were used to analyze the correlations. In vitro study in hepG2 were conducted to validate the regulations. Ferritin increased while Vit C decreased with more severe hepatic steatosis and hepatic fibrosis (all P < 0.001). Logistic regression models indicated that increased serum ferritin was a risk factor for NAFLD while increased Vit C was a protective factor for NAFLD and hepatic fibrosis after adjusting the continuous and categorical variables. Vitamin C was negatively associated with ferritin. Further mediation analysis identified that ferritin mediates the impact of Vit C on NAFLD (P < 0.05) and cirrhosis (P < 0.001). The experiments on cellular level suggested Vit C alleviated PA/OA induced steatosis and maintains iron homeostasis through inhibiting PA/OA induced upregulation of iron bound protein ferritin and labile iron pool (LIP) induction in hepG2 cells. In conclusion, Vit C was a protective factor, whereas ferritin was a risk factor for hepatic steatosis and fibrosis. Vitamin C alleviated NAFLD and maintained iron homeostasis via ferritin suppression and LIP induction.

Chinese and Global Burdens of Gastrointestinal Cancers From 1990 to 2019.

Background: Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are an important component of the tumor. This study aimed to investigate the burden of six major GI cancers in China and globally from 1990 to 2019. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study based on the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2019. Indicators on incidence, deaths, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and risk factors for esophageal, stomach, liver, pancreatic, colon and rectum, and gallbladder and biliary tract cancers were collected and analyzed for time trends. The contribution of each cancer and the proportion of cases in China among global cases were further reported. Results: Global incidence cases, death cases, and DALYs of GI cancers showed an overall ascending trend over the past 30 years, but there was temporal and geographical variation across cancer types. By 2019, colon and rectum cancer had overtaken stomach cancer as the most burdensome GI cancer globally. However, stomach cancer narrowly continued to be the most burdensome GI in China. In addition, the proportion of incidence and death cases of stomach, pancreatic, colon and rectum, and gallbladder and biliary tract cancers among global cases had further increased. It was noteworthy that the burden of liver cancer in China has been alleviated significantly. Conclusion: GI cancers remain a major public health problem in China and globally. Despite the temporal and geographic diversity of different cancers, targeted primary and secondary prevention are still necessary for the future to face these unknown challenges.

Acetylation Modification, Characterization, and Anticomplementary Activity of Polysaccharides from Rhododendron dauricum Leaves.

This study focuses on the acetylation modification of polysaccharides from Rhododendron dauricum leaves (RDPs) with a high degree of substitution (DS) and then discusses their characterization and biological activity. The optimum acetylation conditions of RDPs were optimized by response surface methodology, which were reaction time 3 h, reaction temperature 50 °C, and the liquid-solid ratio 16 mL/g. Under the optima schemes, two eco-friendly acetylated polysaccharides from R. dauricum leaves (AcRDP-1 with DS of 0.439 ± 0.025 and AcRDP-2 with DS of 0.445 ± 0.022) were prepared. The results of structural characterization showed that the AcRDP-1 (9.3525 × 103 kDa) and AcRDP-2 (4.7016 × 103 kDa) were composed of mannose, glucose, galactose, and arabinose with molar ratios of 1.00:5.01:1.17:0.15 and 1.00:4.47:2.39:0.88, respectively. Compared with unmodified polysaccharides, the arabinose content and molecular weight of the two acetylated polysaccharides decreased, and their triple helix conformation disappeared, and further improved their anticomplementary activity. The two acetylated polysaccharides showed stronger a complement inhibition effect than the positive drug by blocking C2, C3, C4, C5, C9, and factor B targets in the classical and alternative pathways. This research indicated that acetylation modification could effectively enhance the anticomplementary activity of RDPs, which is beneficial for the development and utilization of R. dauricum leaves.

A nomogram for predicting stones recurrence in patients with bile duct stones undergoing laparoscopic common bile duct exploration.

Background: The recurrence of bile duct stones is a long-term outcome for patients undergoing laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) that is worthy of attention. This study aimed to investigate long-term risk factors for stones recurrence after LCBDE and develop a nomogram for predicting the risk. Methods: The clinical data on consecutive patients with bile duct stones undergoing LCBDE at Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital between January 2014 and February 2019 with a follow-up period longer than 2 years were reviewed. Independent risk factors of stones recurrence identified by the Cox regression model were used to develop a nomogram in predicting stones recurrence after LCBDE. Results: Eight hundred and twenty-two patients were eventually included in this study. Of these patients, 42 (5.11%) developed stones recurrence. The cumulative incidences of stones recurrence at 1, 3, and 5 years after LCBDE were 1.34%, 4.36%, and 7.14%, respectively. Independent risk factors of stones recurrence were identified to be age (HR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.02-1.07), T-tube drainage (HR = 3.28, 95% CI = 1.23-8.72), fatty liver (HR = 2.69, 95% CI = 1.39-5.20), urinary calculus (HR = 4.68, 95% CI = 2.29-9.56), post-cholecystectomy (HR = 5.21, 95% CI = 2.39-11.33), and post-ERCP + EST (HR = 2.87, 95% CI = 1.18-6.96). By these factors, a developed nomogram showed a C-index of 0.770 to predict stones recurrence. Conclusions: The nomogram, based on identified risk factors, showed good accuracy for predicting stones recurrence, which is valuable to guide these patients' follow-up and prevention.

Are Mind-Body Exercise Beneficial for Treating Pain, Function, and Quality of Life in Middle-Aged and Old People With Chronic Pain? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Aging is a significant risk factor in chronic pain development with extensive disability and greater health care costs. Mind-body exercise (MBE) has been scientifically proven to affect the pain intensity and physical health. Objectives: To assess the effects of MBE modes (Tai Chi, yoga, and qigong) for treating chronic pain among middle-aged and old people, compared with nonactive and active treatment, as well as function, quality of life, and adverse events. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, and Chinese Scientific Journals Full-Text Database (VIP) till March 2022. No restrictions were chartered within the year and language of publication. We included randomized controlled trials of MBE treatment in middle-aged and elderly people with chronic pain. The overall certainty of evidence was evaluated by using the GRADE approach. Results: A total of 17 studies (n = 1,332) were included in this review. There was low-certainty evidence indicating that MBE had a moderate effect on reducing pain compared with the nonactive and active control group (standard mean difference (SMD): -0.64, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.86 to -0.42, P < 0.001). Very-low-certainty evidence showed that the pooled SMD for the functional improvement was -0.75 (95% CI: -1.13 to -0.37, P < 0.001). Low-certainty evidence presented that no influence was observed in physical component summary (SMD: 0.23, 95% CI: -0.16 to 0.62, P = 0.24) and mental component summary (SMD: -0.01, 95% CI -0.39 to 0.36, P = 0.95). Conclusion: Our results indicated that MBE was an effective treatment for reducing symptoms of middle-aged and elderly people with chronic pain compared with nonactive and active control groups. TC and qigong had obvious benefits for knee osteoarthritis in self-reported function, but the efficacy of chronic low back pain was uncertain. No significant benefit of MBE on quality of life in older adults with chronic pain was found. More high-quality RCTs should be conducted to explore the efficacy and mechanism of MBE on chronic pain in middle-aged and elderly people from various dimensions, such as affective and cognitive dimensions. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=316591, identifier CRD42022316591.

Isolation, Characterization and Anticomplementary Activity of Polysaccharides from the Rhizomes of Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC.

The polysaccharides from the rhizomes of Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC. (BCPs) were obtained by optimal water extraction (extraction temperature 84 °C, liquid to solid ratio 42 mL/g and extraction time 100 min), the extraction yield of BCPs was 23.01±0.27 % (n=3). Furthermore, two novel polysaccharides (BCP-A1 and BCP-B1) were purified by column chromatography. The BCP-A1 (6.0820×104  kDa) was composed of ß-D-Manp-(1→, ß-D-Glcp-(1→, →4)-α-D-Galp-(1→ and →3,4)-ß-D-Galp-(1→, and BCP-B1 (2.2744×104  kDa) was composed of →5)-α-L-Araf-(1→, ß-D-Manp-(1→, ß-D-Glcp-(1→, →4)-α-D-Glcp, →4)-α-D-Galp-(1→, →4)-α-D-GalpA-(1→ and →3,4)-ß-D-Galp-(1→. In anticomplementary experiments, BCP-A1 (CH50 : 0.009±0.003 mg/mL; AP50 : 0.015±0.003 mg/mL) and BCP-B1 (CH50 : 0.004±0.001 mg/mL; AP50 : 0.028±0.005 mg/mL) exhibited potent anticomplementary activity, and acted on C2-, C4- and Factor B components. Our study provides a foundation for BCP-A1 and BCP-B1 as potential complement inhibitors to treat diseases involving with excessive activation of the complement system.

Effect of Admission Serum Calcium Levels and Length of Stay in Patients with Acute Pancreatitis: Data from the MIMIC-III Database.

Objective: We retrospectively investigated the effect of admission serum calcium levels on length of stay (LOS) in patients hospitalized with acute pancreatitis (AP). Methods: Clinical data for 3156 patients diagnosed with AP were obtained from the Multiparametric Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) database. Restricted cubic spline curve (RCS) functions of dose-response analysis curves and logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the relationship between admission serum calcium levels and the LOS. Results: All patients were divided into 2 groups (<8.5 mg/dl group and ≥8.5 mg/dl group) based on RCS analysis. RCS showed a significant nonlinear negative correlation between blood calcium levels and the LOS (p < 0.001). In addition, compared with patients with blood calcium <8.5 mg/dl, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that patients with blood calcium ≥8.5 mg/dl had a reduced risk of the LOS >2 days (aOR = 0.653; 95% CI 0.507-0.842; p=0.001), a reduced risk of the LOS >5 days (aOR = 0.589; 95% CI 0.503-0.689; p < 0.001), and a reduced risk of the LOS >7 days (aOR = 0.515; 95% CI 0.437-0.609; p < 0.001). And similar results were found in the subgroup analysis. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that low blood calcium increases the LOS in patients with AP. More attention is needed for patients with combined low blood calcium levels (<8.5 mg/dl) in hospitalized AP patients.

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells ameliorate severe acute pancreatitis by inhibiting oxidative stress in rats.

To investigate whether bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) attenuate pancreatic injury via mediating oxidative stress in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). The SAP model was established in rats. Phosphate buffered saline (PBS) or BMSCs were injected into the rats by tail veins. ML385 was used to down-regulate Nrf2 expression in rats. Pancreatic pathological score was used to evaluated pancreatic injury. Inflammatory-associated cytokines, serum lipase and amylase, levels of myeloperoxidase, malondialdehyde, reactive oxygen species and superoxide dismutase, as well as catalase activity were measured for injury severity evaluation. ML385 aggravates oxidative stress in SAP + ML385 group, compared with SAP + PBS group. BMSCs transplantation alleviated pancreatic injury and enhance antioxidant tolerance in SAP + BMSCs group, while ML385 administration weakened this efficacy in SAP + BMSCs + ML385 group. In addition, BMSCs promoted Nrf2 nuclear translocation via PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Besides, BMSCs reduced inflammatory response by inhibiting NF-κB signaling pathway in SAP. BMSCs can inhibit oxidative stress and reduce pancreatic injury via inducing Nrf2 nuclear translocation in SAP.