The intervention of curcumin on rodent models of hepatic fibrosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the intervention effect of curcumin on hepatic fibrosis in rodent models through systematic review and meta-analysis, in order to provide meaningful guidance for clinical practice. METHODS: A systematic retrieval of relevant studies on curcumin intervention in rats or mice hepatic fibrosis models was conducted, and the data were extracted. The outcome indicators included liver cell structure and function related indicators, such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), albumin (ALB), ratio of albumin to globulin (A/G), total bilirubin (TBIL), bax protein, bcl-2 protein and index of liver, as well as the relevant indicators for evaluating the degree of hepatic fibrosis, such as hyaluronic acid (HA), laminin (LN), type I collagen (Collagen I), type III collagen (Collagen III), type III procollagen (PCIII), type III procollagen amino terminal peptide (PIIINP), type IV collagen (IV-C), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), α-Smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), hydroxyproline (HYP), platelet derived factor-BB (PDGF-BB), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1), and oxidative stress-related indicators, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). These results were then analyzed by meta-analysis. Studies were evaluated for methodological quality using the syrcle's bias risk tool. RESULTS: A total of 59 studies were included in the meta-analysis, and the results showed that curcumin can reduce the levels of ALT, AST, ALP, TBIL, bax protein, and index of liver in hepatic fibrosis models. It can also reduce HA, LN, Collagen I, Collagen III, PCIII, PIIINP, IV-C, TNF-α, α-SMA, HYP, PDGF-BB, CTGF, TGF-ß1 and MDA, and increase the levels of ALB, A/G, SOD, and GSH-Px in the hepatic fibrosis models. However, the effects of curcumin on bcl-2 protein, IL-6 in hepatic fibrosis models and index of liver in mice were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The analysis results indicate that curcumin can reduce liver cell apoptosis by maintaining the stability of liver cell membrane, inhibit the activation and proliferation of hepatic stellate cells by reducing inflammatory response, and alleviate tissue peroxidation damage by clearing oxygen free radicals.

Diversity of fungus-mediated synthesis of gold nanoparticles: properties, mechanisms, challenges, and solving methods.

Fungi-mediated synthesis of Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) has advantages in: high efficiency, low energy consumption, no need for extra capping and stabilizing agents, simple operation, and easy isolation and purification. Many fungi have been found to synthesize AuNPs inside cells or outside cells, providing different composition and properties of particles when different fungi species or reaction conditions are used. This is good to produce AuNPs with different properties, but may cause challenges to precisely control the particle shape, size, and activities. Besides, low concentrations of substrate and fungal biomass are needed to synthesize small-size particles, limiting the yield of AuNPs in a large scale. To find clues for the development methods to solve these challenges, the reported mechanisms of the fungi-mediated synthesis of AuNPs were summarized. The mechanisms of intracellular AuNPs synthesis are dependent on gold ions absorption by the fungal cell wall via proteins, polysaccharides, or electric absorption, and the reduction of gold ions via enzymes, proteins, and other cytoplasmic redox mediators in the cytoplasm or cell wall. The extracellular synthesis of AuNPs is mainly due to the metabolites outside fungal cells, including proteins, peptides, enzymes, and phenolic metabolites. These mechanisms cause the great diversity of the produced AuNPs in functional groups, element composition, shapes, sizes, and properties. Many methods have been developed to improve the synthesis efficiency by changing: chloroauric acid concentrations, reaction temperature, pH, fungal mass, and reaction time. However, future studies are still required to precisely control the: shape, size, composition, and properties of fungal AuNPs.

Modifications of Ganoderma lucidum spores into digestive-tissue highly adherent porous carriers with selective affinity to hydrophilic or hydrophobic drugs.

Ganoderma lucidum spores (GLSs) have been suggested to provide optimal structures for transporting orally bioavailable drugs. However, the double-layer wall and cavities of GLSs are naturally closed. This study aimed to modify GLSs into porous carriers by opening the layers and internal cavity with iturin A (IA) followed by potassium hydroxide (KOH) or hydrochloric acid (HCl). The (IA + KOH)- and (IA + HCl)-treated GLS carriers exhibited a high loading rate of 301.50 ± 2.33 and 268.18 ± 7.72 mg/g for the hydrophilic methylene blue (MB) and hydrophobic rifampicin (RF), respectively. The mechanisms underlying the modification involved the enhancement of the specific surface area with IA and the exposure of hydrophilic groups or hydrophobic groups of the GLSs with KOH or HCl. The sustained 48-h molecule-release profiles of the MB- and RF-loaded GLS carriers were best fitted using a first-order kinetics model in simulated gastric (or intestinal) fluid compared with other models. In mice, the designed GLS carriers had high adhesion capacities onto the mucosa of the digestive tract and long retention times (120 h), and even promoted the secretion of mucus and expression of several key intestinal barrier proteins. This study provided a new method to modify GLSs into oral carriers with selective drug affinity, high loading capacity, sustained drug release, and high adhesion to the digestive tract.

Gut microbiota as a potential target for developing anti-fatigue foods.

Fatigue has many negative effects on human health. As such, it is desirable to develop anti-fatigue foods and understand the mechanisms of their action. Based on a comprehensive review of the literature, this article discusses the important roles of gut microbiota in fatigue and anti-fatigue. Studies have shown that an increase in pathogenic bacteria and a decrease in beneficial bacteria co-exist when fatigue is present in both rodents and humans, whereas changes in gut microbiota were reported after intervention with anti-fatigue foods. The roles of gut microbiota in the activities of anti-fatigue foods can also be explained in the causes and the effects of fatigue. Among the causes of fatigue, the accumulation of lactic acid, decrease of energy, and reduction of central nervous system function were related to gut microbiota metabolism. Among the harmful effects of fatigue, oxidative stress, inflammation, and intestinal barrier dysfunction were related to gut microbiota dysbiosis. Furthermore, gut microbiota, together with anti-fatigue foods, can inhibit pathogen growth, convert foods into highly anti-oxidative or anti-inflammatory products, produce short-chain fatty acids, maintain intestinal barrier integrity, inhibit intestinal inflammation, and stimulate the production of neurotransmitters that regulate the central nervous system. Therefore, it is believed that gut microbiota play important roles in the activities of anti-fatigue foods and may provide new insights on the development of anti-fatigue foods.

Potential role of selenium in alleviating obesity-related iron dyshomeostasis.

Obesity is a serious health problem in modern life and increases the risk of many comorbidities including iron dyshomeostasis. In contrast to malnourished anemia, obesity-related iron dyshomeostasis is mainly caused by excessive fat accumulation, inflammation, and disordered gut microbiota. In obesity, iron dyshomeostasis also induces disorders associated with gut microbiota, neurodegenerative injury, oxidative damage, and fat accumulation in the liver. Selenium deficiency is often accompanied by obesity or iron deficiency, and selenium supplementation has been shown to alleviate obesity and overcome iron deficiency. Selenium inhibits fat accumulation and exhibits anti-inflammatory activity. It regulates gut microbiota, prevents neurodegenerative injury, alleviates oxidative damage to the body, and ameliorates hepatic fat accumulation. These effects theoretically meet the requirements for the inhibition of factors underlying obesity-related iron dyshomeostasis. Selenium supplementation may have a potential role in the alleviation of obesity-related iron dyshomeostasis. This review verifies this hypothesis in theory. All the currently reported causes and results of obesity-related iron dyshomeostasis are reviewed comprehensively, together with the effects of selenium. The challenges and strategies of selenium supplementation are also discussed. The findings demonstrate the possibility of selenium-containing drugs or functional foods in alleviating obesity-related iron dyshomeostasis.

A meta-analysis and of clinical values of 11 blood biomarkers, such as AFP, DCP, and GP73 for diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma lacks ideal diagnostic biomarkers. There is a lack of scientific evaluation of relevant promising biomarkers as well. Therefore this study reanalyzes the related studies of 11 blood biomarkers of HCC, and compares the diagnostic value of these biomarkers for HCC systematically. METHODS: The relevant literatures on the diagnostic value in HCC of 11 blood indexes in recent 5 years were searched in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane libraries. Data were extracted and analyzed. RESULTS: Finally, 83 literature studies were brought into meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of AFP were 0.61 and 0.87, respectively. The AUC of AFP were 0.78. The AUC and sum of sensitivity and specificity of the combination of AFP and other biomarkers were all significantly higher than that of AFP, including AFP + AFP-L3 + DCP, AFP + DCP, AFP/DCP, AFP + GPC3. Among other biomarkers, the AUC and sum of sensitivity and specificity of biomarkers including DCP, GPC3, GP73, Hsp90alpha, midkine, and OPN were significantly higher than that of AFP. In this study, GP73 had the highest sum of sensitivity and specificity (1.78) and AUC (0.95). CONCLUSIONS: The pooled sensitivity and specificity of AFP were 0.61 and 0.87, respectively. The AUC of AFP were 0.78. The combination of AFP and other biomarkers improved the diagnostic efficiency. The diagnostic value of biomarkers including DCP, GPC3, GP73, Hsp90alpha, midkine, and OPN was higher than that of AFP. GP73 had the best diagnostic value for HCC with the highest sum of sensitivity and specificity (1.78) and AUC (0.95).KEY MESSAGESThe pooled sensitivity and specificity of AFP were 0.61 and 0.87, respectively. The AUC of AFP were 0.78. The combination of AFP and other biomarkers improved the diagnostic efficiency of HCC.The diagnostic value of biomarkers including DCP, GPC3, GP73, Hsp90alpha, midkine, and OPN was higher than that of AFP.GP73 had the best diagnostic value for HCC.

Exploration of the mechanisms underlying the beneficial effect of Luo Tong formula on retinal function in diabetic rats via the "gut microbiota-inflammation-retina" axis.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common microvascular complication of diabetes. Luo Tong formula (LTF), a classical traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription, consists of four plants that have been widely and effectively used to treat DR. Previous work in our laboratory has confirmed that LTF can effectively ameliorate DR. However, the potential mechanism underlying the therapeutic effect of LTF on DR has not been fully elucidated. To explore the potential mechanism of action through which LTF prevents and alleviates DR from an inflammation and gut microbiota perspective. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Metabolite profiling of LTF was performed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Type 1 diabetes was induced in male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats via tail vein injection of 45 mg/kg streptozotocin. Next, 100 SD rats were randomly divided into four groups, normal control; diabetic control; diabetic + insulin + calcium dobesilate; and diabetic + insulin + LTF. After 12 weeks of treatment, glucose metabolism, fundus oculi, blood-retinal barrier permeability, retinal thickness, microvascular damage, as well as cell junction expression in retinas were measured and the changes observed in different groups were compared. Finally, the alteration in gut microbiota and inflammatory cytokine expression in serum and tissues were monitored, and their correlation was analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 1024 valid peaks were obtained for LTF using GC-MS. The HbA1c and fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels in the LTF group were slightly decreased. LTF exerted protective effects on fundus oculi and the retina structure to different degrees. LTF attenuated systemic and local retinal inflammation by significantly decreasing the levels of seven pro-inflammatory cytokines, including ICAM-1, IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, VCAM-1, VEGF, and IL-1ß. LTF restored the intestinal microbiota of diabetic rats to levels that were similar to those of normal rats. Further analysis revealed that Enterobacteriales, Prevotellaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, Bacteroides, and Klebsiella were significantly and positively correlated with the inflammatory factors in DR after LTF treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our results revealed the mechanisms underlying the preventive effects of LTF on DR development and progression. LTF inhibited pathological changes in retinal histopathology, cell composition, and cell junction proteins while effectively ameliorating systemic and local retinal inflammation via regulating pivotal gut microbiota.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the intervention effect of curcumin on rodent models of myocardial infarction.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the intervention effect of curcumin in myocardial infarction rodent models. Methods: A systematic retrieval of relevant studies on curcumin intervention in rats or mice myocardial infarction models was conducted, and the data were extracted. The outcome indicators included biochemical blood indicators, such as creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB), malondialdehyde (MDA), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), as well as cardiac tissue structure indicators, such as left ventricular weight to body weight ratio (LVW/BW), apoptosis index, left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD), and myocardial infarction area, and hemodynamic indexes, such as systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS), maximum rate of left ventricular pressure rise (+dp/dtmax), and maximum rate of left ventricular pressure decline (-dp/dtmax). These results were then analyzed by meta-analysis. Studies were evaluated for methodological quality using the syrcle's bias risk tool. Results: A total of 24 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The quality assessment of included studies revealed that the evidence was low quality and none of studies was judged as having a low risk of bias across all domains. The results revealed that curcumin could reduce CK-MB, CK, LDH, and MDA levels. They also revealed that it could lower SBP, DBP, LVEDP, LVW/BW, apoptosis index, LVEDD, LVESD, and myocardial infarction area and increase LVEF, LVFS, +dp/dtmax, and-dp/dtmax. However, it had no significant impact on the heart rate and the levels of SOD in the models. Conclusion: Curcumin alleviates myocardial injury and oxidative stress in myocardial infarction rodent models in terms of blood biochemistry indicators, improves the diastolic and systolic capacity of the ventricle in terms of hemodynamic indexes, and reduces the necrosis and apoptosis of cardiomyocytes in terms of tissue structure. The methodological quality of the studies was low and additional research is warranted.

Development of a microecologic product from Lactobacillus rhamnosus based on silica.

BACKGROUND: Probiotics are primarily made into microecologic products for use in the food and feed industries. The freeze-drying technique is widely used in their preparation to maintain their high level of bioactivity. This causes high costs in terms of the energy and time needed. In this study, we developed a method to produce a highly active microecologic product from Lactobacillus rhamnosus using heating and silica. RESULTS: A microecologic product was made successfully from L. rhamnosus using the whole bacterial culture broth, without waste, and using food-grade silica (4.5 mL g-1 ) to absorb water before drying at 37 °C for 8 h. The activity of L. rhamnosus cells was increased significantly by adding water extracts of green tea to the culture medium. The viable amount of L. rhamnosus in the obtained microecologic product was 9.80 × 1010 cfu g-1 with a survival rate of 224.67% in simulated gastric juice for 3 h and 68.2% in simulated intestinal juice for 3 h. The microecologic product treated an intestinal infection by multi-drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in mice very efficiently. CONCLUSION: The study developed an economic, eco-friendly, and efficient method for preparing highly active microecologic agents using heating and without waste. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Potentials of orally supplemented selenium-enriched Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus to mitigate the lead induced liver and intestinal tract injury.

Lead is a metal that exists naturally in the Earth's crust and is a ubiquitous environmental contaminant. The alleviation of lead toxicity is important to keep human health under lead exposure. Biosynthesized selenium nanoparticle (SeNPs) and selenium-enriched Lactobacillus rhamnosus SHA113 (Se-LRS) were developed in this study, and their potentials in alleviating lead-induced injury to the liver and intestinal tract were evaluated in mice by oral administration for 4 weeks. As results, oral intake of lead acetate (150 mg/kg body weight per day) caused more than 50 times and 100 times lead accumulation in blood and the liver, respectively. Liver function was seriously damaged by the lead exposure, which is indicated as the significantly increased lipid accumulation in the liver, enhanced markers of liver function injury in serum, and occurrence of oxidative stress in liver tissues. Serious injury in intestinal tract was also found under lead exposure, as shown by the decrease of intestinal microbiota diversity and occurrence of oxidative stress. Except the lead content in blood and the liver were lowered by 52% and 58%, respectively, oral administration of Se-LRS protected all the other lead-induced injury markers to the normal level. By the comparison with the effects of normal L. rhamnosus SHA113 and the SeNPs isolated from Se-LRS, high protective effects of Se-LRS can be explained as the extremely high efficiency to promote lead excretion via feces by forming insoluble mixture. These findings illustrate the developed selenium-enriched L. rhamnosus can efficiently protect the liver and intestinal tract from injury by lead.

Yiqi Tongluo Fang could preventive and delayed development and formation of diabetic retinopathy through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

BACKGROUND: Yiqi Tongluo Fang (YQTLF) is an effective prescription for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy (DR), but its mechanism of action remains unclear. METHOD: The content of YQTLF was determined using liquid and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS and GC-MS, respectively). Twenty-five Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly selected as the normal control group. One hundred SD streptozotocin-induced diabetes (type 1) rats were randomly divided into diabetic control, diabetic+insulin+ calcium dobesilate (CaD), and diabetic+insulin+ YQTLF groups, with 25 rats in each group. Bodyweight level was measured every 2 weeks. After 12 weeks of gavage, the glucose levels, lipids, oxidative stress, inflammation, retinal histopathology, and the blood-retinal barrier were assessed in each group. The p38 MAPK pathway was changed to explore its internal mechanism. The measurement data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation, and different statistical methods were used according to a normal distribution, square error, or not. RESULTS: A total of 1024 valid peaks were identified in YQTLF using GC-MS. YQTLF significantly lowered the fasting blood glucose levels in diabetic rats. YQTLF early inhibited changes in retinal histology, capillaries, cells, and tight junction proteins (such as ZO-1, occludin, claudin-5, and VE-cadherin) before the formation and development of DR. These findings correlated with the alleviation of glucolipid metabolism, inflammation, and oxidative stress. The lncRNA MALAT1 and the PRC 2/p38 MAPK-related pathway, such as the expression of EZH2, SUZ12, EED, p38 MAPK, MMP-9, and VEGFR, were also correlated. CONCLUSION: We have demonstrated the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the preventive and delayed development and formation of DR. YQTLF prevents changes in dyslipidemia, retinal histology, capillaries, cells, and tight junction proteins. These protective effects appear to be linked to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, which prevent the activation of intracellular signaling pathways, such as the lncRNA MALAT1 and PRC 2/p38 MAPK-related pathway.

The capability of Bacillus pseudomycoides from soil to remove Cu(II) in water and prevent it from entering plants.

AIMS: Copper ion is widespread in wastewater and threatens the condition and human health. Micro-organisms have unique advantages to remove heavy-metal ions from water, but are rarely reported in the removal of copper ion. This aims to develop micro-organisms that can remove copper ion in water, characterize their properties and analyse their potential application in practice. METHODS AND RESULTS: Sewage sludge was used as the source to isolate wild bacteria that can remove copper ion in water. The most efficient strain was screened out from 23 obtained isolates, identified as Bacillus pseudomycoides and coded as C6. The properties of C6 in the removal of copper ion in water were investigated in the aspects of reaction conditions, reaction groups, reaction dynamic and the application in oat planting. The reaction at pH 7 within 10 min yielded the highest removal rate of copper ion, 83%. The presence of lead ion in the reaction system could promote the removal rate of copper ion. Carboxyl groups and amidogen of C6 biomass were mainly involved in the removal of copper ion. The removal of copper ion was in accord with single-layer adsorption and Langmuir adsorption isotherm model. In application, C6 biomass reduced the copper content in the oat seedlings grown in copper ion containing water by more than seven times. CONCLUSIONS: B. pseudomycoides C6 can efficiently remove copper ion in water and inhibit it from entering plants. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF STUDY: This is the first time to report the capability of B. pseudomycoides to remove copper ion in water, which is also more efficient than the currently reported chemical and biological methods.

[Corrigendum] Effect of Yi Guan Jian decoction on differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into hepatocyte­like cells in dimethylnitrosamine­induced liver cirrhosis in mice.

Following the publication of the above article, an interested reader to the authors' attention that there appeared to be several duplications of data panels featured within Figs. 1­3. After having consulted their original data, the authors have realized that a number of the data panels were inadvertently assembled incorrectly in these figures. The corrected versions of Fig. 1A (showing the correct data for the NC­2W and NC­4W experiments), Fig. 1B (including the correct data for the C­4W, M­2W, NC­2W and NC­4W experiments), Fig. 2 (showing the correct data for the YGD­2W experiment), Fig. 3A (NC­3W data panel corrected), Fig. 3B (HGF­1W and NC­3W data panels corrected) and Fig. 3C (C­4W data panel corrected) are shown on the next four pages. All these corrections were approved by all authors. The authors regret that these errors were not resolved before the publication of the paper, thank the Editor of Molecular Medicine Reports for granting them the opportunity to publish this corrigendum, and apologize to the readership for any inconvenience caused. [the original article was published in Molecular Medicine Reports 15: 613­626, 2017; DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2016.6083].

Vitamin A supplementation ameliorates ulcerative colitis in gut microbiota-dependent manner.

Ulcerative colitis (UC), is a chronic relapsing inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal track. The purpose of this study is to explore whether Vitamin A (VA) can treat UC and its mechanisms. A mouse model of UC was established using 3.0% (w/v) dextran sodium sulfate (DSS). VA was used to treat UC by intragastric administration of 5000 international unit (IU) retinyl acetate. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was also used to treat the UC model mice to verify the effect of influenced gut microbiota. The content of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in cecal contents was quantitatively detected by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. VA supplementation significantly ameliorated UC. 16S rRNA sequencing indicated that VA-treated mice exhibited much more abundant gut microbial diversity and flora composition. Targeted metabolomics analysis manifested the increased production of SCFAs in VA-treated mice. Gut microbiota depletion and FMT results confirmed the gut microbiota-dependent mechanism as that VA relieved UC via regulating gut microbiota: increase in SCFA-producing genera and decrease in UC-related genera. The restore of intestinal barrier and the inhibition of inflammation were also found to contribute to the amelioration of UC by VA. It was concluded that a VA supplement was enough to cause a significant change in gut microbiota and amelioration of UC.

Effectiveness of Herbal Medicine for Leukopenia/Neutropenia Induced by Chemotherapy in Adults with Colorectal Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) on leukopenia/neutropenia induced by chemotherapy in adults with colorectal cancer (CRC). METHODS: Eight electronic databases were searched from their inception to June 2020. Randomized controlled trials with clarified sequence generation were qualified. Two reviewers independently conducted the screening and data extraction. Methodological quality was assessed using the Risk of Bias tool. RevMan 5.4 was applied to the meta-analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-seven studies involving 1867 participants were qualified, of which 26 were included in the quantitative synthesis. Meta-analysis showed that CHM significantly reduced the incidence of leukopenia induced by chemotherapy (RR = 0.69; 95% CI 0.59-0.82), as well as the grade 3/4 leukopenia (RR = 0.71; 95% CI 0.55-0.90). Meanwhile,CHM decreased the occurrence of neutropenia (RR = 0.52, 95% CI 0.35-0.77), especially for the grades 3/4 neutropenia (RR = 0.42, 95% CI 0.27-0.64). Twenty-six of the included studies focused on the adverse events related to CHM. CONCLUSION: CHM may relieve neutropenia/leukopenia induced by chemotherapy in adults with colorectal cancer.

Effects of diabetes on the development of radiation pneumonitis.

Radiation pneumonia (RP) is a common adverse reaction to radiation therapy in patients with chest tumors. Recent studies have shown that diabetes mellitus (DM), which can cause systemic multisystem damage, specifically targets lungs, and the incidence of RP in patients with a history of diabetes is higher than that in other patients with tumors who have undergone radiotherapy. DM is an important risk factor for RP in tumor patients undergoing RT, and patients with DM should be treated with caution. This article reviews research on the clinical aspects, as well as the mechanism, of the effects of diabetes on RP and suggests future research needed to reduce RP.

Lactobacillus rhamnosus from human breast milk ameliorates ulcerative colitis in mice via gut microbiota modulation.

Gut microbiota imbalance is one of the major causes of ulcerative colitis (UC). L. rhamnosus SHA113 (LRS), a strain isolated from healthy human milk, influences the regulation of gut flora. This study aims to determine whether this strain can ameliorate UC by modulating gut microbiota. Mouse models of UC were established using C57BL/6Cnc mice with intragastric administration of 3.0% (w/v) dextran sodium sulfate (DSS). LRS was used to treat the mouse models of UC with 109 cfu mL-1 cell suspension via intragastric administration. To verify the effect of gut microbiota on UC, fecal microbiota collected from the mice after the treatment with LRS were also used to treat the UC mouse models (FMT). The severity of UC was evaluated based on body weight, colon length, disease activity index (DAI), and hematoxylin-eosin staining. The microbial composition was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing. The mRNA expression levels of cytokines, mucins, tight junction proteins, and antimicrobial peptides in the gastrointestinal tract were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The short-chain fatty acid (SCFAs) in the cecal contents of all mice were quantitatively detected by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Both LRS and FMT exerted excellent therapeutic effects on UC, as evidenced by the reduction in body weight loss, colon length, and colon structural integrity, as well as the increase in the DAI (disease activity index). LRS and FMT treatments showed similar effects: (1) an increase of total SCFA production in the cecal contents and the abundance of gut microbial diversity and flora composition; (2) decreases in two genera (Parabacteroides and Escherichia/Shigella) related to the DAI and the enhancement of SCFAs and IL-10 positively related genera in the gut microbiota (Bilophila, Roseburia, Akkermansia, and Bifidobacterium); (3) downregulation of the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin IL-6, and IL-1ß, and upregulation of the expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10; and (4) upregulation of the expression of mucins (Muc1-4) and tight junction protein ZO-1. Overall, L. rhamnosus SHA113 relieves UC via the regulation of gut microbiota: increases in SCFA-producing genera and decreases in UC-related genera. In addition, a single strain is sufficient to induce a significant change in the gut microbiota and exert therapeutic effects on UC.

Potential application of CHS and 4CL genes from grape endophytic fungus in production of naringenin and resveratrol and the improvement of polyphenol profiles and flavour of wine.

4-Coumaroyl-CoA ligase (Al4CL) and chalcone synthase (AlCHS) genes were found in grape endophyte Alternaria sp. MG1, but were not functional verified. A cross-validation method was used in Saccharomyces cerevisiae to identify their functions. AlCHS was identified to synthesize both naringenin and resveratrol, while Al4CL synthesized p-coumaroyl CoA. Co-culture of S. cerevisiae strains separately containing AlCHS and Al4CL resulted in the simultaneous production of naringenin (18.5 mg/L) and resveratrol (113.2 µg/L). Strain S. cerevisiae containing Al4CL was used in winemaking and the chemical and aroma compounds in wine were detected by HPLC and SPME-GC-MS. Results showed that the total contents of polyphenols, anthocyanins, flavonol, ethyl esters and fatty acids significantly increased, while the 4-vinylphenol content decreased, and the fruit and cheese flavour increased but the green aroma declined. This study indicated the potential application of Al4CL and AlCHS genes from Alternaria sp. MG1 for improvement of wine nutrients and flavour.

Filamentous fungal in situ biosynthesis of heterogeneous Au/Cd0.5Zn0.5S nano-photocatalyst: A macroscopic assembly strategy for preparing composite mycelial pellets with visible light degradation ability.

Visible light degradation is a green and economic technology for sewage treatment receiving widespread attention. Here, the filamentous fungus Phomopsis sp. XP-8 was developed as a bioreactor to successively biosynthesize Cd0.5Zn0.5S quantum dots and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in situ and formed heterogeneous Au/Cd0.5Zn0.5S nano-photocatalyst inside cells. This strategy synchronously mediates the microscopic and macroscopic assembly of zero-dimensional materials by microorganisms. The heterogeneous catalyst functionalized composite mycelium pellets (CMP) not only have excellent visible light degradation activity but some unique characteristics. The outstanding organic dye biosorption capacity of CMP increases the contact rate between organic dyes and nano-catalysts, improving catalytic activity. High mechanical strength makes CMP easy to separate and recycle, which overcomes the difficulty of nano-catalyst recovery after use and avoids creating secondary pollution to the environment. This study not only broadens the means of heterogeneous nano-catalyst synthesis but also provides a new perspective on the macroscopic assembly of nanomaterials.

Prevention of Diabetes in Overweight/Obese Adults through Traditional Chinese Patent Medicine: Study Protocol for a Prospective Cohort Study.

Background. Early intervention in prediabetes can prevent or delay the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Traditional Chinese patent medicine (TCPM) is widely used in China to prevent T2DM. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TCPMs for preventing T2DM. Method/Design. This study is a multicenter, cohort study with two arms. A total of 600 participants will be recruited. The participants will be divided into either intervention or control groups according to their own desire, and the exposure factor is the application of TCPMs. All participants will be encouraged to lead a healthy lifestyle, and the intervention group also used TCPMs based on syndrome differentiation. Incident diabetes and normalization of blood glucose are indexes of end point. Safety assessments and adverse event monitoring will also be conducted. The treatment duration is set for 24 weeks, and we will follow-up for another 2 years. Discussion. This trial may provide initial evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of TCPMs plus lifestyle intervention (LI) compared to LI alone for preventing T2DM and provide a comprehensive intervention plans that choose suitable TCPMs for diabetes prevention according to syndrome differentiation. Trial Registration Number. Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ID: ChiCTR1900023541, registered on 1 Jun 2019. The version identifier is 2018121702.