Dimethyl sulfoxide, an alternative for control of Nosema ceranae infection in honey bees (Apis mellifera).

Nosema ceranae is a microsporidian parasite that threatens current apiculture. N. ceranae-infected honey bees (Apis mellifera) exhibit morbid physiological impairments and reduced honey production, malnutrition, shorter life span, and higher mortality than healthy honey bees. In this study, we found that dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) could enhance the survival rate of N. ceranae-infected honey bees. Therefore, we investigated the effect of DMSO on N. ceranae-infected honey bees using comparative RNA sequencing analysis. Our results revealed that DMSO was able to affect several biochemical pathways, especially the metabolic-related pathways in N. ceranae-infected honey bees. Based on these findings, we conclude that DMSO may be a useful alternative for treating N. ceranae infection in apiculture.

Species identification and pyrethroid resistance genotyping of recently resurgent Cimex lectularius and Cimex hemipterus in Korea.

The global resurgence of bed bug infestations, exacerbated by increasing international travel, trade, and insecticide resistance, has significantly impacted Korea. This study identified the bed bug species and performed pyrethroid resistance genotyping of recently resurgent bed bugs in Korea. Thirty-one regional bed bug samples were collected from 5 administrative regions: Gyeonggi-do (n=14), Seoul (n=13), Busan (n=2), Jeonllanam-do (n=1), and Chungcheongbuk-do (n=1). The samples underwent morphological and molecular identification. Twenty-four regional samples (77.4%) were identified as the tropical bed bug, Cimex hemipterus, and the remaining 7 regional samples (22.6%) were identified as the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius. The C. hemipterus regional samples carried at least three mutations associated with knockdown resistance (kdr), including 2 super-kdr mutations. The 7 C. lectularius regional samples possessed at least one of the 3 kdr-related mutations associated with pyrethroid resistance. This study confirms that the prevalent bed bug species recently in Korea is C. hemipterus, replacing the previously endemic C. lectularius. Additionally, the rise in bed bug populations with pyrethroid resistance underscores the necessity of introducing alternative insecticides.

Systematic review and meta-analysis: the efficacy and safety of radiofrequency ablation for early superficial esophageal squamous cell neoplasia.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Esophageal squamous cell neoplasia (ESCN) is predominant in Asia. Endoscopic mucosal resection and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) have both been recommended worldwide, however the application of endoscopic radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for treatment of early superficial ESCN remains inconclusive. We conducted a meta-analysis to study the effectiveness of RFA for early superficial ESCN. METHODS: Three major bibliographic databases were reviewed for the enrollment of case series and cohort trials prior to August 23, 2023. We included adults diagnosed with early superficial ESCN who had been receiving endoscopic RFA or ESD if the treatments were available. Our focus was on the 12-month histological complete response rate (CR) and 3-month histological CR, as well as the acute and late postoperative adverse events (AEs) rate during the at follow-up periods. RESULTS: Nine studies were enrolled for qualitative synthesis of narrative review, with eight trials involving a total of 447 participants for analysis. The pooled 12-month and 3-month histological CR were 0.83 (95% CI, 0.59-0.94, I2 = 80%) and 0.74 (95% CI, 0.67-0.80, I2 = 0%), respectively. As for safety, the acute and late postoperative AEs were 0.11 (95% CI, 0.05-0.26, I2 = 68%) and 0.19 (95% CI, 0.14-0.26, I2 = 0%), respectively. In subgroup analysis, the incidence of bleeding, laceration and perforation after endoscopic RFA showed 0.06, 0.06 and 0.02, respectively. When compared with ESD, RFA showed lower acute AEs and late AEs without any obvious significance. CONCLUSIONS: For early superficial ESCN, endoscopic RFA achieved both higher 12-month complete remission and late complication postoperatively when compared to 3-month histological CR and acute AEs separately, while the stricture was encountered most commonly. The choice between endoscopic RFA and ESD remains inconclusive.

Profiling the Phytochemicals of Orostachys margaritifolia: Biological Activities, LC-ESI/MS, and HPLC Analyses.

Orostachys margaritifolia Y. N. Lee (OMY) is an endemic Korean plant in the family Crassulaceae that is known to contain a variety of bioactive compounds. To assess the physiological activities of an OMY ethanol extract, ABTS+ and DPPH radical scavenging assays and a nitric oxide (NO) inhibition assay were conducted. The phytochemical makeup of the extract was profiled via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI/MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography with a photodiode array detector (HPLC/PDA). The OMY extract was found to have weaker ABTS+ and DPPH radical scavenging activities than the control group (green tea). In the NO inhibition assay, the OMY extract induced a significant increase in macrophage cell viability but showed a lower NO inhibitory activity than l-NAME, producing an IC50 value of 202.6 µg/mL. The LC-ESI/MS and HPLC/PDA analyses identified isoquercitrin and astragalin in the OMY extract, quantifying their contents at 3.74 mg/g and 3.19 mg/g, respectively. The study revealed possibilities for the utilization of OMY as a future source of drugs for alleviating inflammation and diseases related to reactive oxygen species.

Seed Dormancy Class and Germination Characteristics of Prunus spachiana (Lavallée ex Ed.Otto) Kitam. f. ascendens (Makino) Kitam Native to the Korean Peninsula.

Prunus spachiana (Lavallée ex Ed.Otto) Kitam. f. ascendens (Makino) Kitam leaves exert natural anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting nitric oxide formation. P. spachiana flowers bloom earlier than other Prunus spp. and thus could serve as a valuable resource for the horticulture and pharmaceutical industries. However, its seed dormancy class and germination traits remain uncharacterized. Thus, this study aimed to characterize the seed dormancy and germination of P. spachiana. Imbibition, phenological, and move-along experiments were performed, and the effects of H2SO4 treatment, hormone soaking, warm/cold stratification, and endocarp removal on germination were explored. Observation revealed that ripe seeds of P. spachiana contain developed embryos and are water permeable. Radicle and shoot emergence began in March and April, respectively, under natural conditions in the year following production. No seed germination was observed after 30 days of incubation at 4, 15/6, 20/10, or 25/15 °C under light/dark conditions, indicating the physiological dormancy of the seeds. Germination increased with prolonged stratification and was affected by incubation temperature. Seed scarification by H2SO4 and soaking with gibberellic acid (GA3) and fluridone were ineffective in breaking dormancy. However, GA3 soaking of the seeds after endocarp removal effectively induced germination (100%). These results indicate that P. spachiana seeds exhibit intermediate physiological dormancy.

The metabolic influence of duodenal mucosal resurfacing for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

BACKGROUND: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide with decreased life expectancy. Duodenal mucosal resurfacing (DMR) has been associated with metabolic improvement in glycemic and hepatic parameters of type 2 diabetes, but the metabolic impact of DMR for NAFLD/NASH remains inconclusive. We conducted a meta-analysis to investigate metabolic effects of DMR in patients with NAFLD/NASH. METHODS: Three major bibliographic databases were reviewed for enrollment of trials prior to January 28, 2022. We included adults with biopsy-proven NAFLD/NASH or liver magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) >5% at baseline and focused on the metabolic difference of MRI-PDFF at 12 weeks, and HbA1c or homeostatic model assessment index for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) at 24 weeks. RESULTS: Two studies involved a total of 67 participants for analysis. When compared with pre-intervention status, mean difference of MRI-PDFF, HbA1c, and HOMA-IR after DMR were -2.22 (95% CI: -12.79~8.34), -0.32% (95% CI: -0.80~0.16), and 0.15 (95% CI: -5.11~5.41) without statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with NAFLD/NASH, DMR has the trend to improve liver fat at 12 weeks, and glycemic control in terms of HbA1c level at 24 weeks based on a very low quality of evidence.

From mundane to classic: Sinomenine as a multi-therapeutic agent.

Sinomenine is an active substance extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine Sinomenium acutum. Sinomenine has been shown to mediate a wide range of pharmacological actions and is known to possess good anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive, antitumor, neuroprotective, antiarrhythmic and other pharmacological effects. Understanding the underlying mechanisms and the association between the targets and the pharmaceutical effects on different diseases is crucial to the discovery and design of new treatment strategies. In this review, we aim to give a systematic and comprehensive overview of the research progress of sinomenine over the past 20 years. We first describe the metabolism of sinomenine in vivo and then summarize the pharmacological actions of sinomenine on different diseases. Furthermore, the potential binding properties of sinomenine and the potential of developing new sinomenine-based drugs are also reviewed.

The anti-aging mechanism of ginsenosides with medicine and food homology.

With the acceleration of global aging and the rise in living standards, the achievement of healthy aging is becoming an imperative issue globally. Ginseng, a medicinal plant that has a long history of dietary intake and remarkable medicinal value, has become a research hotspot in the field of food and medicine. Ginsenosides, especially protopanaxadiol-type saponins and protopanaxatriol-type saponins, are among the most important active ingredients in ginseng. Ginsenosides have been found to exhibit powerful and diverse pharmacological activities, such as antiaging, antitumor, antifatigue and immunity enhancement activities. Their effects in antiaging mainly include (1) promotion of metabolism and stem cell proliferation, (2) protection of skin and nerves, (3) modulation of intestinal flora, (4) maintenance of mitochondrial function, and (5) enhancement of telomerase activity. The underlying mechanisms are primarily associated with the intervention of the signaling pathways in apoptosis, inflammation and oxidative stress. In this review, the mechanism of action of ginsenosides in antiaging as well as the potential values of developing ginsenoside-based functional foods and antiaging drugs are discussed.

Prospect of targeting lysine methyltransferase NSD3 for tumor therapy.

Nuclear receptor binding SET domain protein 3 (NSD3) has recently been recognized as a new epigenetic target in the fight against cancer. NSD3, which is amplified, overexpressed or mutated in a variety of tumors, promotes tumor development by regulating the cell cycle, apoptosis, DNA repair and EMT. Therefore, the inhibition, silencing or knockdown of NSD3 are highly promising antitumor strategies. This paper summarizes the structure and biological functions of NSD3 with an emphasis on its carcinogenic or cancer-promoting activity. The development of NSD3-specific inhibitors or degraders is also discussed and reviewed in this paper.

Comparisons Between Endoscopic Band Ligation, Radiofrequency Ablation and Endoscopic Thermal Therapy for Gastric Antral Vascular Ectasia: A Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic band ligation (EBL) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) have emerged as alternative therapies of gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) in addition to endoscopic thermal therapy (ETT), but the optimum choice remains inconclusive. AIM: We conducted a meta-analysis in order to compare these three treatments for GAVE. METHODS: We searched the electronic databases of PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials without any language restrictions and also performed a manual literature search of bibliographies located in both retrieved articles and published reviews for eligible publications prior to December 8, 2021. We included comparative trials which had evaluated the efficacy and safety of interventions in adults (aged ≥ 18 years) diagnosed with symptomatic GAVE and was confirmed according to clinical backgrounds and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. We included reports that compared three interventions, ETT, EBL, and RFA. The study was comprised of adults diagnosed with GAVE and focused on overall mortality, bleeding cessation, endoscopic improvement, complications, hospitalization, hemoglobin improvement, number of sessions and transfusion requirements. RESULTS: Twelve studies were performed involving a total of 571 participants for analysis. When compared with ETT, EBL achieved better bleeding cessation (OR 4.48, 95% CI 1.36-14.77, p = 0.01), higher hemoglobin improvement (MD 0.57, 95% CI 0.31-0.83, p < 0.01) and lower number of sessions (MD - 1.44, 95% CI - 2.54 to - 0.34, p = 0.01). Additionally, EBL was superior to ETT in endoscopic improvement (OR 6.00, 95% CI 2.26-15.97, p < 0.01), hospitalization (MD - 1.32, 95% CI - 1.91 to - 0.74, p < 0.01) and transfusion requirement (MD - 2.66, 95% CI - 4.67 to - 0.65, p = 0.01) with statistical significance, with the exception of mortality (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.19-1.77, p = 0.34) and complication rate (OR 5.33, 95% CI 0.58-48.84, p = 0.14). CONCLUSION: For GAVE, we suggest that EBL be initially recommended, and APC and RFA be used as alternative treatment choices based upon a very low quality of evidence.

A cell-impermeable luminogenic probe for near-infrared imaging of prostate-specific membrane antigen in prostate cancer microenvironments.

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) imaging probes are a promising tool for the diagnosis and image-guided surgery of prostate cancer (PCa). However, PSMA-specific luminescence probes for PCa detection and heterogeneity studies with high imaging contrast are lacking. Here, we report the first near-infrared (NIR) iridium(III) complex for the wash-free and specific imaging of PSMA in PCa cells and spheroids. The conjugation of a PSMA inhibitor, Lys-urea-Glu, to an iridium(III) complex synergizes the PSMA-specific affinity and biocompatibility of the inhibitor with the desirable photophysical properties of the iridium(III) complex, including NIR emission (670 nm), high photostability and a large Stokes shift. The cellular impermeability of the probe along with its strong binding affinity to PSMA enhances its specificity for PSMA, enabling the washing-free luminescent imaging of membrane PSMA with lower cytotoxicity. The probe was successfully applied for selectively visualizing PSMA-expressing cells and for the imaging of PSMA in a multicellular PCa model with good imaging penetration, indicating its potential use in complicated and heterogeneous tumor microenvironments. Furthermore, the probe showed good imaging performance in the PCa-bearing tumor mice via targeting PSMA in vivo. This work provides a novel strategy for the development of highly sensitive and specific NIR probes for PSMA in biological systems in vitro, which is of great significance for the precise diagnosis of PCa and for elucidating PCa heterogeneity.

Active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine for enhancing the effect of tumor immunotherapy.

Immunotherapy is a type of treatment that uses our own immune system to fight cancer. Studies have shown that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has antitumor activity and can enhance host immunity. This article briefly describes the immunomodulatory and escape mechanisms in tumors, as well as highlights and summarizes the antitumor immunomodulatory activities of some representative active ingredients of TCM. Finally, this article puts forward some opinions on the future research and clinical application of TCM, aiming to promote the clinical applications of TCM in tumor immunotherapy and to provide new ideas for the research of tumor immunotherapy using TCM.

The Effectiveness of Whole-Body Vibration and Heat Therapy on the Muscle Strength, Flexibility, and Balance Abilities of Elderly Groups.

Whole-body vibration (WBV) is a novel exercise training measure that promotes the muscle strength, flexibility, and balance abilities of elderly groups. The feasibility and applicability of 20-30 min (lowering a heat pack at 73 °C by wrapping it in multiple layers of towels to 40-43 °C before it touched the skin) thermotherapy are increasingly being demonstrated by applications and clinical trials. Studies show that it increases the flexibility of macules and ligament. However, no studies have examined the interactions between the pre-exercise and post-exercise application of heat therapy (duration a training course). Therefore, this study investigates the effects of WBV and heat therapy on the muscle strength, flexibility, and balance abilities of elderly groups. Eighty middle-age and elderly participants with no regular exercise habits were enrolled in this study. They were randomly assigned to a WBV group, a WBV plus heat therapy group, a heat therapy alone group, and a control group. The WBV groups underwent 5-min, fixed-amplitude (4 mm), thrice-weekly WBV training sessions for 3 consecutive months on a WBV training machine. Participants' balance was measured using the limits of stability (LOS) test on a balance system. The pretest and posttest knee extensor and flexor strength were tested using an isokinetic lower extremity dynamometer. Pretest and posttest flexibility changes were measured using the sit-and-reach test. Significantly larger pretest and posttest differences in flexibility and muscle strength were observed in the WBV and WBV plus heat therapy groups. The addition of heat therapy to WBV resulted in the largest flexibility improvements.

High-Performance Inverted Organic Solar Cells via the Incorporation of Thickness-Insensitive and Low-Temperature-Annealed Nonconjugated Polymers as Electron Transport Materials.

Developing new electron transport layers has been an effective way to fabricate high-performance bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells (OSCs). Resolving the longstanding problems associated with commonly used zinc oxide (ZnO), such as electron traps and light-induced device deterioration, however, is still a great challenge. In this study, glycerol diglycidyl ether (GDE) and 1,4-butanesultone (BS) are blended with polyethyleneimine (PEI) to produce cross-linkable PEI-based materials, PEI-GDE and PEI-GDE-BS, which can function as alternative electron transport layers to replace conventional ZnO cathode-modifying layers in inverted OSCs. PEI-GDE and PEI-GDE-BS are amendable to low-temperature annealing processes to produce cross-linked films. The inverted device structure of ITO/ETL/PM6:BTP-BO-4F:PC71BM/MoO3/Ag was used to evaluate the effects of incorporating PEI-GDE and PEI-GDE-BS as electron transport materials. Compared with ZnO-based devices, the PEI-GDE- and PEI-GDE-BS-based devices exhibit significant improvements in photovoltaic performances due to smoother surface roughness, higher charge collection and exciton dissociation efficiencies, higher electron mobilities, and stronger π-π interactions. In particular, a PEI-GDE-BS-based device shows an outstanding power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 17.55% with a VOC of 0.83 V, a JSC of 27.88 mA/cm2, and an FF of 75.96%, which offers great possibilities in the applications of flexible solar cells.

Interference reduction isothermal nucleic acid amplification strategy for COVID-19 variant detection.

Common reference methods for COVID-19 variant diagnosis include viral sequencing and PCR-based methods. However, sequencing is tedious, expensive, and time-consuming, while PCR-based methods have high risk of insensitive detection in variant-prone regions and are susceptible to potential background signal interference in biological samples. Here, we report a loop-mediated interference reduction isothermal nucleic acid amplification (LM-IR-INA) strategy for highly sensitive single-base mutation detection in viral variants. This strategy exploits the advantages of nicking endonuclease-mediated isothermal amplification, luminescent iridium(III) probes, and time-resolved emission spectroscopy (TRES). Using the LM-IR-INA strategy, we established a luminescence platform for diagnosing COVID-19 D796Y single-base substitution detection with a detection limit of 2.01 × 105 copies/µL in a linear range of 6.01 × 105 to 3.76 × 108 copies/µL and an excellent specificity with a variant/wild-type ratio of significantly less than 0.0625%. The developed TRES-based method was also successfully applied to detect D796Y single-base substitution sequence in complicated biological samples, including throat and blood, and was a superior to steady-state technique. LM-IR-INA was also demonstrated for detecting the single-base substitution D614G as well as the multiple-base mutation H69/V70del without mutual interference, indicating that this approach has the potential to be used as a universal viral variant detection strategy.

Regenerative Efficacy of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide-Derived Bone Graft Putty in Rabbit Bone Defect Model.

Bone defects can arise from numerous reasons, such as aging, tumor, trauma, infection, surgery, and congenital diseases. Bone grafts are commonly used as a substitute to fill the void and regenerate the defect. Due to its clean and green technology, the supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO2) extraction aided the production of bone grafts is a recent trend. The SCCO2-derived bone graft has osteoconductive and osteoinductive properties along with excellent biocompatible, nontoxic, bioabsorbable, osteoconductive, and good mechanical properties; however, clinical usage during surgery is time-consuming. Therefore, we produced a putty material combining bone graft powder and acellular dermal matrix (ADM) powder and tested its regenerative efficacy in the critical defect in the rabbit model. The putty was found to retain the tubular structure. In addition, the putty depicted excellent stickiness and cohesiveness in both saline and blood medium. The bone regeneration of bone graft and putty was similar; both had excellent bone healing and regeneration of critical defects as evaluated by the X-ray, microtomography, hematoxylin-eosin, Masson trichrome, and alizarin red staining. Putty contains a less washout rate, good mechanical strength, and biocompatibility. In conclusion, the SCCO2-derived moldable putty could be a promising easy-to-use alternative for bone grafts at present which might have real-world usage in orthopedics as a potential bone void filler and dental socket preservation.

Clinical values of Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer subgroup and up-to-7 criteria in intermediate stage hepatocellular carcinoma with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization.

BACKGROUND: Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is a recommended treatment for patients with intermediate stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) but with variable treatment outcomes. AIM: To determine factors for predicting outcomes of TACE in patients with intermediate stage B HCC. METHODS: Patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage B HCC who underwent TACE as the primary treatment were enrolled at Taichung Veterans General Hospital from January 2005 to December 2009. Patients were assigned to either the objective responder (OR) group or the non-OR group according to mRECIST criteria. Clinical and radiological characteristics were compared between the 2 groups. The overall survival of enrolled subjects was analyzed. RESULTS: In 128 enrolled patients, 66 (51.6%) were in the OR group and 62 (48.4%) in the non-OR group. Compared with the non-OR group, the OR group had a significantly smaller HCC size (6.55 cm vs 9.50 cm, P = 0.001) and was within the up-to-7 criteria (50% vs 26.7%, P = 0.001). After multivariable analyses, these significant associations still existed. Overall survival rate of all the subjects averaged 20.65 ± 13.26 mo. The survival rate at 1-year was 64.8%, 2-year was 46.9%, and 3-year was 31.2%. For those patients with OR to TACE, smaller tumor size and within up-to-7 criteria were associated with significantly better overall survival. Those patients with subgroup B1 had the highest OR ratio (75%) and better overall survival (26.70 ± 12.07 mo) after TACE. CONCLUSION: BCLC stage B HCC patients with smaller tumor size or within up-to-7 criteria had better survival outcomes to TACE. BCLC stage B subgroup is useful to predict refractoriness to TACE.

Nanocarriers for effective delivery: modulation of innate immunity for the management of infections and the associated complications.

Innate immunity is the first line of defense against invading pathogens. Innate immune cells can recognize invading pathogens through recognizing pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) via pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). The recognition of PAMPs by PRRs triggers immune defense mechanisms and the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6. However, sustained and overwhelming activation of immune system may disrupt immune homeostasis and contribute to inflammatory disorders. Immunomodulators targeting PRRs may be beneficial to treat infectious diseases and their associated complications. However, therapeutic performances of immunomodulators can be negatively affected by (1) high immune-mediated toxicity, (2) poor solubility and (3) bioactivity loss after long circulation. Recently, nanocarriers have emerged as a very promising tool to overcome these obstacles owning to their unique properties such as sustained circulation, desired bio-distribution, and preferred pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles. In this review, we aim to provide an up-to-date overview on the strategies and applications of nanocarrier-assisted innate immune modulation for the management of infections and their associated complications. We first summarize examples of important innate immune modulators. The types of nanomaterials available for drug delivery, as well as their applications for the delivery of immunomodulatory drugs and vaccine adjuvants are also discussed.