A Highly Expressed Antennae Odorant-Binding Protein Involved in Recognition of Herbivore-Induced Plant Volatiles in Dastarcus helophoroides.

Natural enemies such as parasitoids and parasites depend on sensitive olfactory to search for their specific hosts. Herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) are vital components in providing host information for many natural enemies of herbivores. However, the olfactory-related proteins involved in the recognition of HIPVs are rarely reported. In this study, we established an exhaustive tissue and developmental expression profile of odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) from Dastarcus helophoroides, an essential natural enemy in the forestry ecosystem. Twenty DhelOBPs displayed various expression patterns in different organs and adult physiological states, suggesting a potential involvement in olfactory perception. In silico AlphaFold2-based modeling and molecular docking showed similar binding energies between six DhelOBPs (DhelOBP4, 5, 6, 14, 18, and 20) and HIPVs from Pinus massoniana. While in vitro fluorescence competitive binding assays showed only recombinant DhelOBP4, the most highly expressed in the antennae of emerging adults could bind to HIPVs with high binding affinities. RNAi-mediated behavioral assays indicated that DhelOBP4 was an essential functional protein for D. helophoroides adults recognizing two behaviorally attractive substances: p-cymene and γ-terpinene. Further binding conformation analyses revealed that Phe 54, Val 56, and Phe 71 might be the key binding sites for DhelOBP4 interacting with HIPVs. In conclusion, our results provide an essential molecular basis for the olfactory perception of D. helophoroides and reliable evidence for recognizing the HIPVs of natural enemies from insect OBPs' perspective.

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens ameliorates high-carbohydrate diet-induced metabolic phenotypes by restoration of intestinal acetate-producing bacteria in Nile Tilapia.

Poor utilisation efficiency of carbohydrate always leads to metabolic phenotypes in fish. The intestinal microbiota plays an important role in carbohydrate degradation. Whether the intestinal bacteria could alleviate high-carbohydrate diet (HCD)-induced metabolic phenotypes in fish remains unknown. Here, a strain affiliated to Bacillus amyloliquefaciens was isolated from the intestine of Nile tilapia. A basal diet (CON), HCD or HCD supplemented with B. amy SS1 (HCB) was used to feed fish for 10 weeks. The beneficial effects of B. amy SS1 on weight gain and protein accumulation were observed. Fasting glucose and lipid deposition were decreased in the HCB group compared with the HCD group. High-throughput sequencing showed that the abundance of acetate-producing bacteria was increased in the HCB group relative to the HCD group. Gas chromatographic analysis indicated that the concentration of intestinal acetate was increased dramatically in the HCB group compared with that in the HCD group. Glucagon-like peptide-1 was also increased in the intestine and serum of the HCB group. Thus, fish were fed with HCD, HCD supplemented with sodium acetate at 900 mg/kg (HLA), 1800 mg/kg (HMA) or 3600 mg/kg (HHA) diet for 8 weeks, and the HMA and HHA groups mirrored the effects of B. amy SS1. This study revealed that B. amy SS1 could alleviate the metabolic phenotypes caused by HCD by enriching acetate-producing bacteria in fish intestines. Regulating the intestinal microbiota and their metabolites might represent a powerful strategy for fish nutrition modulation and health maintenance in future.

[Research progress on saponins, biological activities of saponins, and quality control of Panax quinquefolium].

Panax quinquefolium, as a common precious medicinal plant, has complex chemical components and unique pharmacological activities, which can play a healthcare role in the human body. With the deepening of research, the application of P. quinquefolium has become increasingly extensive. This paper summarized the research progress of the saponins isolated and identified from diffe-rent parts of P. quinquefolium, the structural classification and pharmacological activities of the saponins, and the quality control of Panacis Quinquefolii Radix. Further, this paper put forward the urgent problems to be solved in the development of P. quinquefolium. It is hoped to lay a foundation for the further study and provide reference for the research direction of P. quinquefolium.

Electronic Modulation of Pd-Based Bimetallic Catalysts with Sulfur-Doped Carbon Support for Phenylacetylene Semihydrogenation.

The semihydrogenation of phenylacetylene to styrene represents an important process for optimizing the polystyrene production and also a model reaction for the evaluation of selective hydrogenation catalysts. Although the alloying strategy and surface engineering for noble metal (particularly for Pd) catalysts can effectively inhibit the overhydrogenation of styrene, the selectivity of phenylacetylene semihydrogenation to styrene is generally below 95% near the full conversion. Here, we demonstrate the electronic modulation of Pd-based bimetallic nanocluster catalysts based on the strong metal-support interactions for improving the catalytic selectivity for phenylacetylene semihydrogenation. A series of Pd-M (M = Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Ga) bimetallic nanoclusters of ∼2 nm are immobilized on mesoporous sulfur-doped carbon (meso_S-C) supports, which exhibit a high selectivity of >97% for the semihydrogenation of phenylacetylene to styrene. The strong interaction between metal and the meso_S-C supports enables the modulation of electronic structure of the bimetallic nanoparticles and thus leads to the selectivity enhancement for the phenylacetylene semihydrogenation.

High-Temperature Synthesis of Small-Sized Pt/Nb Alloy Catalysts on Carbon Supports for Hydrothermal Reactions.

Catalytic biomass conversions are sustainable processes to produce value-added fuels and chemicals but need stable catalysts that can tolerate harsh hydrothermal conditions. Herein, we report a hydrothermally stable catalyst by alloying Pt with a high-melting-point metal Nb. The Pt/Nb alloy catalysts are prepared by H2 reduction at a high temperature of 900 °C with a high-surface-area carbon black support, which can suppress metal sintering at high temperatures and thus lead to small-sized alloyed Pt/Nb particles of only 2.2 nm. Taking the advantages of surface acid property provided by the Nb sites and the size effect, the prepared C-supported small-sized Pt/Nb alloy catalysts exhibit attractive activities for the hydrogenation of levulinic acid into γ-valerolactone and the water-gas shift reaction. More significantly, benefiting from the inherent stability of high-melting-point Nb, the Pt/Nb alloy catalysts show much enhanced hydrothermal stability compared to commercial Pt/C and Ru/C catalysts.

Knockdown of PEBP4 inhibits human glioma cell growth and invasive potential via ERK1/2 signaling pathway.

Phosphatidylethanolamine (PE)-binding protein 4 (PEBP4) is an antiapoptotic protein that is aberrantly expressed in various malignancies. We previously demonstrated that PEBP4 expression is dramatically induced in human gliomas and positively correlated with tumor grade and patient survival. However, the function of PEBP4 in human glioma development and underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. By stable lentiviral vector-mediated silencing of PEBP4, we examined the effects of PEBP4 knockdown on the growth, apoptosis, and invasion of U251 and U373 human glioma cell lines using MTT, Transwell, colony formation, and flow cytometric assays. We examined the in vivo role of PEBP4 in tumor growth by inoculation of BALB/c nu/nu male mice with PEBP4-deficient U251 and U373 cells. The expression of cell cycle- and apoptosis-related proteins was analyzed by Western blotting and immunostaining. Knockdown of PEBP4 significantly reduced the proliferation and invasion of human glioma cells while inducing cell apoptosis by altering the expression of cell cycle- and apoptosis-related proteins. Mechanistically, PEBP4 knockdown led to activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) pathway, an effect that could be reversed by U0126, a selective inhibitor of MEK1/2 (upstream of ERK1/2), suggesting involvement of ERK1/2 signaling in the regulation of glioma development and progression by PEBP4. We identified PEBP4 as a novel regulator mediating human glioma cell proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis as well as tumor formation and growth. Therefore, PEBP4 may be a potential therapeutic target in human glioma treatment.

Identification of a 1p21 independent functional variant for abdominal obesity.

OBJECTIVES: Aiming to uncover the genetic basis of abdominal obesity, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis of trunk fat mass adjusted by trunk lean mass (TFMadj) and followed by a series of functional investigations. SUBJECTS: A total of 11,569 subjects from six samples were included into the GWAS meta-analysis. METHODS: Meta-analysis was performed by a weighted fixed-effects model. In silico replication analysis was performed in the UK-Biobank (UKB) sample (N = 331,093) and in the GIANT study (N up to 110,204). Cis-expression QTL (cis-eQTL) analysis, dual-luciferase reporter assay and electrophoresis mobility shift assay (EMSA) were conducted to examine the functional relevance of the identified SNPs. At last, differential gene expression analysis (DGEA) was performed. RESULTS: We identified an independent SNP rs12409479 at 1p21 (MAF = 0.07, p = 7.26 × 10-10), whose association was replicated by the analysis of TFM in the UKB sample (one-sided p = 3.39 × 10-3), and was cross-validated by the analyses of BMI (one-sided p = 0.03) and WHRadj (one-sided p = 0.04) in the GIANT study. Cis-eQTL analysis demonstrated that allele A at rs12409479 was positively associated with PTBP2 expression level in subcutaneous adipose tissue (N = 385, p = 4.15 × 10-3). Dual-luciferase reporter assay showed that the region repressed PTBP2 gene expression by downregulating PTBP2 promoter activity (p < 0.001), and allele A at rs12409479 induced higher luciferase activity than allele G did (p = 4.15 × 10-3). EMSA experiment implied that allele A was more capable of binding to unknown transcription factors than allele G. Lastly, DGEA showed that the level of PTBP2 expression was higher in individuals with obesity than in individuals without obesity (N = 20 and 11, p = 0.04 and 9.22 × 10-3), suggesting a regulatory role in obesity development. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, we hypothesize a regulating path from rs12409479 to trunk fat mass development through its allelic specific regulation of PTBP2 gene expression, thus providing some novel insight into the genetic basis of abdominal obesity.

Molecular Screening of Behaviorally Active Compounds with CmedOBP14 from the Rice Leaf Folder Cnaphalocrocis medinalis.

Odorant binding proteins (OBPs) play a key role in chemoreception in insects. In an earlier study, we identified CmedOBP14 from the rice leaf folder, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis, with potential physiological functions in olfaction. Here, we performed a competitive binding assay under different pH conditions as well as knockdown via RNA interference to determine the specific role of CmedOBP14 in C. medinalis. CmedOBP14 displayed broad binding affinities to many host-related compounds, with higher affinities at pH 7.4 compared with pH 5.0. After treatment with CmedOBP14-dsRNA, the transcript level of OBP14 was significantly decreased at 72 h compared with controls, and the electroantennogram response evoked by nerolidol, L-limonene and beta-ionone was reduced. Furthermore, behavioral assays revealed consistent patterns among these compounds, especially for nerolidol, with adults could no longer able to differentiate 0.1% nerolidol from controls. RNAi experiments suggest that at least in part, CmedOBP14 mediates the ability to smell nerolidol and beta-ionone.

Antibiotic Resistance Profiles of Haemophilus influenzae Isolates from Children in 2016: A Multicenter Study in China.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Haemophilus influenzae (HI) is a common cause of community-acquired pneumonia in children. In many countries, HI strains are increasingly resistant to ampicillin and other commonly prescribed antibiotics, posing a challenge for effective clinical treatment. This study was undertaken to determine the antibiotic resistance profiles of HI isolates from Chinese children and to provide guidelines for clinical treatment. METHODS: Our Infectious Disease Surveillance of Pediatrics (ISPED) collaboration group includes six children's hospitals in different regions of China. The same protocols and guidelines were used by all collaborators for the culture and identification of HI. The Kirby-Bauer method was used to test antibiotic susceptibility, and a cefinase disc was used to detect ß-lactamase activity. RESULTS: We isolated 2073 HI strains in 2016: 83.9% from the respiratory tract, 11.1% from vaginal secretions, and 0.5% from blood. Patients with respiratory isolates were significantly younger than nonrespiratory patients (P < 0.001). Of all 2073 strains, 50.3% were positive for ß-lactamase and 58.1% were resistant to ampicillin; 9.3% were ß-lactamase-negative and ampicillin-resistant. The resistance rates of the HI isolates to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, azithromycin, cefuroxime, ampicillin-sulbactam, cefotaxime, and meropenem were 71.1%, 32.0%, 31.2%, 17.6%, 5.9%, and 0.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: More than half of the HI strains isolated from Chinese children were resistant to ampicillin, primarily due to the production of ß-lactamase. Cefotaxime and other third-generation cephalosporins could be the first choice for the treatment of ampicillin-resistant HI infections.

Study of disease phenotype and its association with prognosis of paediatric inflammatory bowel disease in China.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the unique features of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in children, we wanted to identify whether there might be a strong correlation between the disease phenotype and its prognosis at various ages in paediatric patients. METHODS: We collected data from patients diagnosed with IBD (ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's disease (CD)) from 2002 to 2016. The diagnosis was made according to the Porto criteria and Paris Classification. Patient characteristics, clinical manifestations and treatments were collected. Risk factors for surgery, mortality and relapse were analysed by Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: Of the 143 patients, 113 had CD, and 30 had UC; there were 89 males and 54 females with a median age of 9 years (y). Thirteen patients in the 0-2 y group were identified as having mutations in IL-10 receptor A, and this mutation was significantly more common in this age group than in 3-9 and 10-16 y patients. The risk factor for surgery was the B3 phenotype; risk factors for death were age 0-2 y and B3 phenotype; 0-2 y, B3 phenotype and steroid dependency were risk factors for early relapse. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical manifestations of the onset of IBD in infants and toddlers were extensive and aggressive and were closely associated with early relapse and death. It is of particular interest that some of these patients developed IBD due to monogenic disorders; thus, introduction of genetic testing is essential for these patients.

Gut microbiota after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy in a diabetic rat model: Increased diversity and associations of discriminant genera with metabolic changes.

Recent work with gut microbiota after bariatric surgery is limited, and the results have not been in agreement. Given the role of the gut microbiota in regulating host metabolism, we explored the effect of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG) on the modifications of gut microbiota with regard to the potential influence of food intake and/or weight loss and examined their links with host metabolism. Zucker diabetic fatty rats were divided into the following groups: RYGB; sham-operated with pair-fed as RYGB; sham-operated fed ad libitum; and SG. The metabolic effects and gut microbiota profile were analyzed 10 weeks postoperatively. Associations between discriminating genera and metabolic markers after RYGB were explored. The 2 procedures induced similar glucose improvement and increased flora diversity after 10 weeks compared with sham-operated groups. RYGB induced a marked higher relative abundance of Proteobacteria/Gammaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria and increased emergence of Fusobacteria and Clostridium, whereas SG resulted in more abundant Actinobacteria compared with other groups. Most of the 12 discriminant genera correlated with changes in metabolic phenotype, but only 28.6% of these correlations were independent of weight, and 4 discriminant genera still negatively correlated with serum insulin level independent of food intake and weight loss after RYGB. These data demonstrate that RYGB and SG surgery produced similar diversity but different microbiota compositions changes in Zucker diabetic fatty rats. These findings stimulate deeper explorations of functions of the discriminate microbiota and the mechanisms linking postsurgical modulation of gut microbiota and improvements in insulin resistance.

Structural Transformation Detection Contributes to Screening of Behaviorally Active Compounds: Dynamic Binding Process Analysis of DhelOBP21 from Dastarcus helophoroides.

In light of reverse chemical ecology, the fluorescence competitive binding assays of functional odorant binding proteins (OBPs) is a recent advanced approach for screening behaviorally active compounds of insects. Previous research on Dastareus helophoroides identified a minus-C OBP, DhelOBP21, which preferably binds to several ligands. In this study, only (+)-ß-pinene proved attractive to unmated adult beetles. To obtain a more in-depth explanation of the lack of behavioral activity of other ligands we selected compounds with high (camphor) and low (ß-caryophyllene) binding affinities. The structural transformation of OBPs was investigated using well-established approaches for studying binding processes, such as fluorescent quenching assays, circular dichroism, and molecular dynamics. The dynamic binding process revealed that the flexibility of DhelOBP21 seems conducive to binding specific ligands, as opposed to broad substrate binding. The compound (+)-ß-pinene and DhelOBP21 formed a stable complex through a secondary structural transformation of DhelOBP21, in which its amino-terminus transformed from random coil to an α-helix to cover the binding pocket. On the other hand, camphor could not efficiently induce a stable structural transformation, and its high binding affinities were due to strong hydrogen-bonding, compromising the structure of the protein. The other compound, ß-caryophyllene, only collided with DhelOBP21 and could not be positioned in the binding pocket. Studying structural transformation of these proteins through examining the dynamic binding process rather than using approaches that just measure binding affinities such as fluorescence competitive binding assays can provide a more efficient and reliable approach for screening behaviorally active compounds.

Long-term outcomes of cruroplasty reinforcement with composite versus biologic mesh for gastroesophageal reflux disease.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the issue of improvement of disadvantages of different type meshes. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 101 gastroesophageal reflux disease patients who underwent reinforcement of crura with or without prosthetic mesh. Three types of mesh, 4-ply biologic small intestine submucosa (SIS, Surgisis(®), since November 2010), 6-ply SIS (Biodesign™ Surgisis(®), since March 2011), and composite synthetic mesh (Crurasoft(®), since May 2010), were used. All patients were assigned to simple suture group (n = 35), 4-ply SIS group (n = 13), 6-ply Biodesign™ group (n = 26) or Crurasoft(®) group (n = 27). Postoperative follow-up was performed via clinical visit or phone call contact. Subjective assessment included dysphagia, patients' symptomatic outcome judgment according to Visick and patients' satisfaction. Objective evaluation included hiatal hernia recurrence according to upper endoscopy and barium contrast swallow. Follow-up was completed in 83 patients with a mean duration of 45 months (range 16-149 months). RESULTS: For the objective outcomes, although anatomic recurrence of hiatal hernia did not significantly differ between groups at 6 months postoperatively, long-term results showed a protective effect of mesh implantation on hernia recurrence (p = 0.047). For the subjective outcomes, the mesh group had a more significant improvement in Visick score (p = 0.020) compared to the simple suture group. Patient satisfaction was significantly higher in the mesh group (p = 0.014), and subgroup analysis showed a clear trend as follows: Crurasoft(®) ≈ Biodesign(®) > SIS(®). A higher frequency of postoperative dysphagia was presented in the Crurasoft group compared with other two groups at 6 months postoperatively, but the difference was not significant over time (p = 0.227). CONCLUSION: Mesh cruroplasty results in satisfactory symptom control with a low recurrence rate. 6-ply biologic mesh is promising with respect to the reduction in anatomic recurrences. Postoperative dysphagia does not occur commonly following mesh cruroplasty with PTFE/ePTFE mesh.

A novel urinary long non-coding RNA transcript improves diagnostic accuracy in patients undergoing prostate biopsy.

BACKGROUND: Long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) PCA3 has been a well-established urine biomarker for the detection of prostate cancer (PCa). Our previous study showed a novel LncRNA FR0348383 is up-regulated in over 70% of PCa compared with matched benign tissues. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of urinary FR0348383 for men undergoing prostate biopsy due to elevated PSA (PSA > 4.0 ng/ml) and/or abnormal digital rectal examination (DRE). METHODS: Post-DRE first-catch urine specimens prior to prostate biopsies were prospectively collected. After the whole transcriptome amplification, quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction was applied to quantify urine FR0348383 and PSA levels. The FR0348383 score was calculated as the ratio of PSA and FR0348383 mRNA (PSA mRNA/FR0348383 mRNA × 1000). The diagnostic value of FR0348383 score was evaluated by logistic regression and decision curve analysis. RESULTS: 213 cases with urine samples containing sufficient mRNA were included, 94 cases had serum PSA level 4.0-10.0 ng/ml. PCa was identified in 72 cases. An increasing FR0348383 score was correlated with an increasing probability of a positive biopsy (P < 0.001). Multivariable logistic analysis indicated FR0348383 score (P < 0.001), PSA (P = 0.004), age (P = 0.007), prostate volume (P < 0.001) were independent predictors of PCa. ROC analysis demonstrated FR0348383 score outperformed PSA, %free PSA, and PSA Density in the prediction of PCa in the subgroup of patients with grey area PSA (AUC: 0.815 vs. 0.562 vs. 0.599 vs. 0.645). When using a probability threshold of 30% in the grey zone cohort, The FR0348383 score would save 52.0% of avoidable biopsies without missing any high grade cancers. CONCLUSIONS: FR0348383 transcript in post-DRE urine may be a novel biomarker for detection of PCa with great diagnostic value, especially in the grey zone cohort. The application of FR0348383 score in clinical practice might avoid unnecessary prostate biopsies and increase the specificity of PCa diagnosis.

Encapsulation of haloalkane 1-(3-chlorophenyl)-4-(3-chloropropyl)-piperazinium in symmetrical α,α',δ,δ'-tetramethyl-cucurbit[6]uril.

Complexation of haloalkane 1-(3-chlorophenyl)-4-(3-chloropropyl)-piperazinium (PZ(+)) dihydrochloride with symmetrical α,α',δ,δ'-tetramethyl-cucurbit[6]uril (TMeQ[6]) has been investigated using NMR spectroscopy, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), and X-ray crystallography. Our data indicate that the chloropropyl group of PZ(+) resides within the cavity of TMeQ[6] in both aqueous solution and the solid state, generating a highly stable inclusion complex PZ(+)@TMeQ[6]. In aqueous solution, the formation of the inclusion complex PZ(+)@TMeQ[6] benefits from the ion-dipole interactions between the guest PZ(+) and the host TMeQ[6]. While in the solid state, hydrogen-bonding interactions also play an important role in stabilizing the inclusion complex PZ(+)@TMeQ[6].

The role of carbon nanoparticles in identifying lymph nodes and preserving parathyroid in total endoscopic surgery of thyroid carcinoma.

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of carbon nanoparticles (CNs) in identifying lymph nodes and preserving parathyroids in endoscopic total thyroidectomy (ETT) with central neck dissection (CND), and to further explore the role of CNs in recovering postoperative parathyroid function. METHOD: Fifty-five patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma were randomized to either CN group (n = 28) or control group (n = 27). The primary outcome measures were pathological results (e.g., amount of incidental removed parathyroids and lymph nodes dissected) and follow-up results [e.g., recovery of serum calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels]. The secondary end-points were the rates of neuromuscular symptoms, in-hospital postoperative hormonal assay, and lymph node metastases. RESULTS: A total of 193 lymph nodes in the CN group and 123 lymph nodes in the control group were detected. The mean number of detected lymph nodes was significantly higher in the CN group than in the control group (P = 0.009). Parathyroids were present in the thyroid or central nodal specimens of five patients, which were all in the control group. The control group had a relatively higher incidence of incidental parathyroidectomy compared to the CN group (P = 0.023). Compared to the CN group, the incidence of paresthesia was higher in the control group even if not statistically significant. During follow-up, the serum calcium levels were higher in the CN group than in the control group; however, there was no statistically significant difference. For the serum PTH levels, the CN group recovered rapidly to the preoperative levels, whereas the control group climbed steadily to the normal range. The serum PTH levels in the CN group were apparently higher than in the control group at 1 week and 1 month postoperatively. CONCLUSION: CNs play an important role in protecting parathyroid glands, dissecting lymph nodes thoroughly, and promoting rapid recovery of parathyroid in ETT with CND (ChiCTR-TRC-14005042).

A meta-analysis of short-term outcomes of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and BMI ≤ 35 kg/m2 undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

BACKGROUND: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is effective for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with a body mass index (BMI) >35 kg/m(2). It is unknown whether it benefits those with a BMI ≤ 35 kg/m(2). In the last decade, the effect of bariatric procedures on metabolic outcomes in individuals who underwent surgery outside National Institutes of Health (NIH) guidelines (BMI ≤ 35 kg/m(2)) was both interesting and controversial. OBJECTIVE: We performed a systematic analysis evaluating the effect of RYGB for T2DM patients with a BMI ≤ 35 kg/m(2). METHODS: We searched databases (Embase, Ovid, PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure [CNKI], and Cochrane Library) and relevant journals between January 1980 and October 2013. Keywords used in electronic searching included 'diabetes', 'gastric bypass', 'BMI', and 'body mass index'. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) patients who underwent RYGB; (2) sample size ≥ 15; (3) patients with a BMI ≤ 35 kg/m(2); and (4) follow-up ≥ 12 months. Exclusion criteria were as follows: (1) data extracted from a database; (2) trials for sleeve gastrectomy; (3) trials for laparoscopic banding; (4) trials for bilio-pancreatic diversion; and (5) trials for duodenojejunal bypass. Participants and intervention type 2 diabetes patients with BMI ≤ 35 kg/m(2) who underwent RYGB. Two investigators reviewed all reported studies independently. Data were extracted according to previously defined endpoints. A meta-analysis was performed for these parameters, with homogeneity among different trials. RESULTS: Nine articles fulfilled inclusion criteria. After 12 months, patients with T2DM had a significant decrease in their BMI postoperatively (p < 0.00001, weighted mean difference [WMD] -7.42, 95 % confidence interval [CI] -8.87 to -5.97), and remission of diabetes (glucose: p < 0.00001, WMD -59.87, 95 % CI -67.74 to -52.01; hemoglobin A1c p < 0.00001, WMD -2.76, 95 % CI -3.41 to -2.11). There were no deaths in all trials, and the complication rate was between 6.7 and 25.9 %. Mean length of hospital stay was 2.00 to 3.20 days, and mean operative time was from 72.8 to 112.0 min. In terms of study limitations, publication and selection bias were unavoidable. Trials with small sample sizes were excluded, which may lead to a selection bias. CONCLUSION: RYGB was effective for T2DM patients with BMI ≤ 35 kg/m(2). Further clinical studies with long-term follow-up data are necessary to clarify this issue.

Phytochemical and Pharmacological Profile of Vitex negundo.

The article aims to review all the chemical constituents and pharmacological properties of Vitex negundo L. (Verbenaceae) (VN). VN is an important medicinal plant used as reputed herbal medicine with versatile pharmacological activities in China, India and Japan. A total of 104 referred articles about VN were compiled from major databases and academic publishers, such as MEDLINE, Pubmed, Scholar, Elsevier, Springer, Wiley and CNKI. As a result, a total of 120 compounds isolated from VN can be divided mainly into four classes: flavonoids, lignans, terpenoids and steroids. The crude extracts and purified compounds of VN exhibited promising bioactivities, including anti-nociceptive, antiinflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, insecticidal, antimicrobial, anti-androgenic, anti-osteoporotic, anti-cataract, hepatoprotective and anti-hyperglycemic activity. All the reported data lead us to conclude that VN has convincing medicinal potential. However, further researches are needed to explore its bioactive constituents, the structure-activity relationship and their molecular mechanisms of action.

Effects of oil on aqueous foams: electrical conductivity of foamed emulsions.

Three-phase foams containing dispersed oils (also called foamed emulsion) are usually encountered in such areas as enhanced oil recovery, food foams, and in foams containing antifoams. The presence of oil causes these complex fluids to exhibit extraordinary properties in contrast to aqueous foams. We experimentally investigated, for the first time, the conductive properties of the foamed emulsions and found that the electrical conductivity increases monotonically with the volumetric liquid fraction, presenting a linear relationship. Combined with the analysis on the foaming capacity and microstructure of this complex fluid, the conductive mechanism is revealed. In these foamed emulsions, the whole conductive network is comprised of two levels of structural hierarchy, which displays a different mechanism from those of the conventional aqueous foams. The lamella of emulsions is taken as primary electrical channel, whereas the secondary electrical channel occurs in the lamella between two bubbles. This conductive behaviour is attributed to the microstructure properties of the foamed emulsions. We believe that such findings are potentially important for a better understanding of the fundamentals of these tri-phase dispersion systems.