Allergen-specific sublingual immunotherapy altered gut microbiota in patients with allergic rhinitis.

Introduction: Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) induces long-term immune tolerance to allergens and is effective for treating allergic rhinitis (AR). However, the impact of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) on gut microbiota from AR patients and its correlation with treatment efficacy remains unclear.

Methods: In the present study, we enrolled 24 AR patients sensitized to Dermatophagoides farinae (Der-f) and 6 healthy donors (HD).

Transplantation of human induced pluripotent stem cell derived keratinocytes accelerates deep second-degree burn wound healing.

Background: Current evidence shows that human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) can effectively differentiate into keratinocytes (KCs), but its effect on skin burn healing has not been reported.

Aim: To observe the effects of hiPSCs-derived KCs transplantation on skin burn healing in mice and to preliminarily reveal the underlying mechanisms.

Methods: An analysis of differentially expressed genes in burn wounds based on GEO datasets GSE140926, and GSE27186 was established.

[Soil organic carbon density and its influencing factors in croplands with different cultivation years in the Northeastern Ulan Buh Desert, China].

Understanding the changes and influencing factors of soil organic carbon density (SOCD) during the conversion of uncultivated natural soil to croplands is of great significance for the assessment of carbon sequestration in arid areas. In this study, we compared SOCD in the uncultivated soil and that in croplands with different cultivation years (2-5, 12-15, 25-30, 40-50 years) in the Northeastern Ulan Buh Desert. The change of SOCD and its influencing factors at 0-2 m soil depth during the conversion of uncultivated natural soil to croplands were explored by the method of replacing time with space.

A CpG Methylation Classifier to Predict Relapse in Adults with T-Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma.

Purpose: Adults with T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL) generally benefit from treatment with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)-like regimens, but approximately 40% will relapse after such treatment. We evaluated the value of CpG methylation in predicting relapse for adults with T-LBL treated with ALL-like regimens.

Experimental Design: A total of 549 adults with T-LBL from 27 medical centers were included in the analysis.

[Hydrochemical Characteristics of Karst Groundwater in the Mountains of Northern Bazhong City, China].

To study the hydrogeochemical characteristics and formation mechanism of groundwater in a karst development transition zone in southern and northern China, 25 groundwater samples were collected from the Shuangfengya area in the northern part of Bazhong City. Descriptive statistics, coefficients of variation, Schoeller diagrams, Sukalev classification, Piper diagrams, and Gibbs and ion scale coefficients were used to analyze the karst water chemistry and distribution characteristics. The main processes controlling the chemical evolution of the groundwater are also discussed.

Berberine: A Traditional Natural Product With Novel Biological Activities.

Context: Having been used for thousands of years to treat gastrointestinal diseases, the natural isoquinoline alkaloid, berberine, has exhibited a wide spectrum of biochemical and pharmacological effects in studies of recent years.

Objective: The review intended to examine the many novel bioactivities of berberine, including antidiabetic, anticancer, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-atherosclerotic actions.

Design: The research team searched the MEDLINE database using PubMed, using different keyword combinations, including berberine AND diabetes, berberine AND cancer, berberine AND (neuron OR brain), berberine AND inflammation, and "berberine AND atherosclerosis to find studies evaluating the various effects exerted berberine.

Evolution and Dosimetric Analysis of Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Detected Brain Stem Injury After Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

Purpose: To evaluate the evolution of radiation-induced brain stem injury (BSI) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and to identify the critical dosimetric predictors of BSI.

Methods And Materials: A total of 6288 NPC patients treated with IMRT between 2009 and 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Among these 6288 patients, 24 had radiation-induced BSI, which manifested as edematous lesions and contrast-enhanced lesions (CLs) on magnetic resonance imaging.

Prognostic and predictive value of a microRNA signature in adults with T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma.

New prognostic factors are needed to establish indications for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in first complete remission (CR1) for T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL) patients. We used microarray to compare T-LBL tissue samples (n = 75) and fetal thymus tissues (n = 20), and identified 35 differentially expressed miRNAs. Using 107 subjects as the training group, we developed a five-miRNA-based classifier to predict patient survival with LASSO Cox regression: lower risk was associated with better prognosis (disease-free survival (DFS): hazard ratio (HR) 4.

Role of ADAMTS-12 in Protecting Against Inflammatory Arthritis in Mice By Interacting With and Inactivating Proinflammatory Connective Tissue Growth Factor.

Objective: It has been reported that ADAMTS-12 is a susceptibility gene for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) development, and its level is significantly increased in RA patients. In addition, ADAMTS-12 is reported to be required for inflammation in otherwise healthy subjects. This study was undertaken to determine the role of ADAMTS-12 and the underlying mechanisms in the pathogenesis of inflammatory arthritis.

[Effects of drying and wetting cycles induced by tides on net ecosystem exchange of CO over a salt marsh in the Yellow River Delta, China].

As a unique hydrological characteristic, the tidal action can strongly affect carbon balance in a salt marsh despite their short duration. Using the eddy covariance technique, we measured the net ecosystem CO exchange (NEE) and its environmental factors and tidal change over a salt marsh in the Yellow River Delta. It aimed to investigate the effect of tidal process and drying and wetting cycles induced by tides on NEE.

Geographical heterogeneity and inequality of access to improved drinking water supply and sanitation in Nepal.

Background: Per United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, Nepal is aspiring to achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water and provide access to adequate and equitable sanitation for all by 2030. For these goals to be accomplished, it is important to understand the country's geographical heterogeneity and inequality of access to its drinking-water supply and sanitation (WSS) so that resource allocation and disease control can be optimized. We aimed 1) to estimate spatial heterogeneity of access to improved WSS among the overall Nepalese population at a high resolution; 2) to explore inequality within and between relevant Nepalese administrative levels; and 3) to identify the specific administrative areas in greatest need of policy attention.

A Novel Risk prediction Model for Patients with Combined Hepatocellular-Cholangiocarcinoma.

Regarding the difficulty of CHC diagnosis and potential adverse outcomes or misuse of clinical therapies, an increasing number of patients have undergone liver transplantation, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) or other treatments. To construct a convenient and reliable risk prediction model for identifying high-risk individuals with combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (CHC). 3369 patients who underwent surgical resection for liver cancer at Zhongshan Hospital were enrolled in this study.

Inhibition of Methyltransferase Setd7 Allows the In Vitro Expansion of Myogenic Stem Cells with Improved Therapeutic Potential.

The development of cell therapy for repairing damaged or diseased skeletal muscle has been hindered by the inability to significantly expand immature, transplantable myogenic stem cells (MuSCs) in culture. To overcome this limitation, a deeper understanding of the mechanisms regulating the transition between activated, proliferating MuSCs and differentiation-primed, poorly engrafting progenitors is needed. Here, we show that methyltransferase Setd7 facilitates such transition by regulating the nuclear accumulation of β-catenin in proliferating MuSCs.

Comparative Proteomic Analysis of the Effect of the Four-Herb Chinese Medicine ANBP on Promoting Mouse Skin Wound Healing.

Traditional Chinese medicine has great potential to improve wound healing. ANBP, the mixture of 4 Chinese herbs- Agrimoniapilosa, Nelumbonucifera, Boswelliacarteri, and Pollen typhae-is effective in trauma treatment while its mechanism is still elusive. In this study, quantitative proteomics and bioinformatics analyses were performed to decipher the possible roles of ANBP in accelerated wound healing of mouse skin.

[Chemical constituents from Impatiens pritzllii var. hupehensis].

Eight compounds were isolated from the 50% ethanol extract of Impatiens pritzllii var.hupehensis through various column chromatography methods including silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and preparative HPLC. Their structures were elucidated as 2,6-dimethyl-2-vinyl-2,3,4,7-tetrahydrooxepine(1), 1,3,6-trihydroxy-7-methyl-anthraquinone(2),4-hydroxybenzaldehyde(3),4-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone(4), podophyllotoxin(5),scopoletin(6), α-spinasterol(7) and 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-α-spinasterol(8) based on the NMR and MS spectral data.

Report: Cytotoxic flavonoids from the young twigs and leaves of Caesalpinia bonduc (Linn) Roxb.

The extraction, fractionation and recognition of flavonoids from the ethanolic extract of young twigs and leaves of C. bonduc were carried out. In addition, cytotoxic study of the flavonoids on two cancer cell lines, BGC-823 and HeLa was carried our using sulphorhodamine B assay.

Chemical constituents from stems and leaves of Micromelum integerrimum.

A new benzene derivative microintegerrin C (1) and a new norsesquiterpenoid microintegerrin D (2), along with six known compounds (3-8), were isolated and identified from stems and leaves of Micromelum integerrimum by various chromatographies such as silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, RP-18 column chromatography and HPLC. Their structures were mainly identified based on the spectral data analysis such as 1D-, 2D-NMR and HR-EI-MS. All known compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time.

Effects of the Four-Herb Compound ANBP on Wound Healing Promotion in Diabetic Mice.

Wound healing is a troublesome problem in diabetic patients. Besides, there is also an increased risk of postsurgical wound complications for diabetic patient. It has been revealed that traditional Chinese medicine may promote healing and inhibit scar formation, while the changes of morphology and physiology of wounds on such medicine treatment still remain elusive.

The four-herb Chinese medicine ANBP enhances wound healing and inhibits scar formation via bidirectional regulation of transformation growth factor pathway.

The four-herb Chinese medicine ANBP is a pulverized mixture of four herbs including Agrimonia Eupatoria (A), Nelumbo Nucifera Gaertn (N), Boswellia Carteri (B) and Pollen Typhae Angustifoliae (P). The combination of the four herbs was first described in Chinese canonical medicine about 2000 years ago for treatment of various trauma disorders, such as hemostasis, antiinflammatory, analgesia, and wound healing, etc. However, the precise mechanisms of ANBP are still unclear.

Two new phenylpropanoids from Micromelum integerrimum.

Aim: To investigate the chemical and bioactive constituents from the stems and leaves of Micromelum integerrimum.

Method: The chemical constituents were isolated and purified by silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and HPLC. Their structures were mainly elucidated on the basis of extensive 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry.

New dicyclopeptides from Dianthus chinensis.

One new dicyclopeptide cyclo-(L-N-methyl Glu-L-N-methyl Glu) (1), together with one new natural dicyclopeptide cyclo-(L-methyl Glu ester-L-methyl Glu ester) (2), and two known dicyclopeptides cyclo-(L-methyl Glu ester-L-Glu) (3), and cyclo-(L-Glu-L-Glu) (4), were isolated from the aerial parts of Dianthus chinensis L. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analyses and chemical methods.

Astataricusones A-D and astataricusol A, five new anti-HBV shionane-type triterpenes from Aster tataricus L. f.

Five new shionane-type triterpenes, astataricusones A-D (compounds 1-4) and astataricusol A (5), together with one known shionane-type triterpene 6 were obtained from the roots and rhizomes of Aster tataricus L. f. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data, mainly NMR and MS data.

Novel inhibitor cystine knot peptides from Momordica charantia.

Two new peptides, MCh-1 and MCh-2, along with three known trypsin inhibitors (MCTI-I, MCTI-II and MCTI-III), were isolated from the seeds of the tropical vine Momordica charantia. The sequences of the peptides were determined using mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. Using a strategy involving partial reduction and stepwise alkylation of the peptides, followed by enzymatic digestion and tandem mass spectrometry sequencing, the disulfide connectivity of MCh-1 was elucidated to be CysI-CysIV, CysII-CysV and CysIII-CysVI.