Metabonomics analysis of the flavor characteristics of Wuyi Rock Tea (Rougui) with "rock flavor" and microbial contributions to the flavor.

Wuyi Rock Tea (WRT) has different characteristics of "rock flavor" due to different production areas. In this study, we investigated the flavor characteristics and key components of "rock flavor" and the influence of microorganisms on the substances by combining metabolomics and microbiomics with the Rougui WRTs from the Zhengyan, Banyan, and Waishan production areas. The results showed that Rougui has a strong floral and fruity aroma, which is mainly brought by hotrienol, and the sweet, smooth, and fresh taste is composed of epicatechin gallate, epigallocatechin, epigallocatechin gallate, caffeine, theanine, soluble sugar, and sweet and bitter amino acids. Bacteria Chryseobacterium, Pedobacter, Bosea, Agrobacterium, Stenotrophomonas, and Actinoplanes mainly influence the production of hotrienol, epicatechin gallate, and theanine. Fungi Pestalotiopsis, Fusarium, Elsinoe, Teichospora and Tetracladium mainly influence the production of non-volatile compounds. This study provides a reference for the biological formation mechanism of the characteristic aroma of WRT's "rock falvor".

The effects of a salutogenic strength-based intervention on sense of coherence and health outcomes of dementia family carers: A randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Dementia caregiving is associated with notable impacts on the health of family carers. Although sense of coherence (SOC), as a core dimension of inner strength, has been found to have health-protecting effects in stressful encounters, few studies have designed a strength-based intervention to optimise SOC and thereby the health of carers. OBJECTIVES: To identify the effects of a strength-based intervention on SOC, coping, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), perceived burden and depression among Chinese family carers of people with dementia and to examine whether the health effects, if any, are mediated through an enhanced SOC and effective coping. DESIGN: A double-blind randomised controlled trial comparing a strengths-based intervention with a general education control. INTERVENTION: A 14-session strengths-based intervention which combined the use of narrative and empowerment strategies to support the carers of people with dementia to optimise the use of their generalised resistance resources in coping with the caregiving situation. SETTING: Older people community centres in Hong Kong. RESULTS: A total of 350 family carers participated in the study (mean age: 65.0 (SD = 12.3); female: 84.6%). Participants who received the strength-based intervention reported significantly greater improvements in their SOC, mental health, perceived burden and depression, than those in the education group, over a 22-week evaluation period. Path analysis models revealed that an SOC wholly mediated the relationship between the strength-based intervention and mental HRQoL (covering energy/vitality and psychosocial functioning) and partially mediated the relationship between the strength-based intervention and depression. We did not identify any harm from the intervention. CONCLUSION: A strength-based intervention is effective in improving the perceived burden and mental health of family caregivers of persons with dementia, and an SOC plays an important role in accounting for the mental health benefits. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered in the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (Main ID: ChiCTR-IIC-17011097).

Clinically useful flow cytometry approach to identify immunophenotype in acute leukemia.

OBJECTIVES: Acute leukemia (AL) is a highly heterogeneous malignant disease caused by hematopoietic cell abnormalities. Our study investigated the potential for immunophenotyping of leukemic cells via flow cytometry and the clinical usefulness of this approach in treatment of AL. METHODS: Bone marrow (BM) specimens were collected to detect antigen expression on hematopoietic cells in pre-treatment samples from patients with AL. In addition, fraction survival curves were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method to explore the effect of markers on prognosis in AL. RESULTS: Expression levels of immunophenotypic markers in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were significantly different from those in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In addition, there was a potential association between the surface marker, cluster of differentiation 2 (CD2), and fraction survival in AML. However, no similar result was found in ALL. Moreover, genetic tests showed greater positive variation of the break point cluster-Abelson tyrosine kinase ( BCR-ABL) fusion gene in samples from patients with ALL than in samples from patients with AML. CONCLUSIONS: We have shown a rapid and effective flow cytometry method that enables the identification of immunophenotype in AL. Moreover, CD2 may constitute a predictive marker for prognosis in patients with AML.

C­Myc inhibitor 10058­F4 increases the efficacy of dexamethasone on acute lymphoblastic leukaemia cells.

The long­term survival rate in paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) exceeds 80%; however, the outcome of adult ALL remains to be poor. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are the preferred drugs in the traditional treatment of ALL patients. In the anti­leukaemia molecular mechanisms of GCs, c­Myc inhibition serves a critical role. In the present study, a c­Myc inhibitor that increased the sensitivity to GCs in NALM6 cells of the B­cell­ALL cell line and CEM cells of the T­cell­ALL cell line was investigated. The data demonstrated that 10058­F4, a c­Myc inhibitor, increased the growth inhibition, G0/G1 phase arrest and apoptosis of the NALM6 and CEM cells as induced by dexamethasone (DXM), a type of GC. Additionally, 10058­F4 reinforced the decreased expressions of c­Myc, cyclin­dependent kinase (CDK)­4 and CDK6 in the NALM6 and CEM cells treated with DXM. These findings indicated that DXM in combination with the c­Myc inhibitor 10058­F4 may be a novel, potent therapeutic strategy for the treatment of ALL.