Extraction of antimicrobial peptides from pea protein hydrolysates by sulfonic acid functionalized biochar.

The extraction methods for antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) from plants are varied, but the absence of a standardized and rapid technique remains a challenge. In this study, a functionalized biochar was developed and characterized for the extraction of AMPs from pea protein hydrolysates. The results indicated that the biochar mainly enriched AMPs through electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bonding and pore filling.

The antitumor effects of herbal medicine Triphala on oral cancer by inactivating PI3K/Akt signaling pathway: based on the network pharmacology, molecular docking, in vitro and in vivo experimental validation.

Background: This research aimed to investigate the anti-tumor effects and underlying genetic mechanisms of herbal medicine Triphala (TRP) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

Methods: The target genes of Triphala (TRP) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) were identified, and subsequent functional enrichment analysis was conducted to determine the enriched signaling pathways. Based on these genes, a protein-protein interaction network was constructed to identify the top 10 genes with the highest degree.

Tibetan medicine Ruyi Zhenbao Pill ameliorates neuropathic pain by inhibiting the CXCL10-CXCR3 pathway in spinal cord of spinal nerve ligation model.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Ruyi Zhenbao Pill (RYZBP) is a traditional Tibetan medicine that has been used for over 300 years in China to treat neurological diseases, specifically neuropathic pain (NP). However, its characteristics and mechanism of action in treating NP remains unclear.

Aim Of The Study: Based on animal experiments and transcriptomics to evaluate the characteristics and mechanism of RYZBP in treating NP.

Fate of progesterone and norgestrel in anaerobic/anoxic/oxic (A/A/O) process: Insights from biotransformation and mass flow.

Progesterone (P4) and norgestrel (NGT) are two steroid progestogens that can pose adverse effects on aquatic organisms at ng/L levels. Despite increasing concern on their occurrence and removal in wastewater, their fate in the wastewater treatment process has not been well documented. This study identified the transformation products (TPs) of P4 and NGT in anaerobic/anoxic/oxic (A/A/O) process.

Mitochondrial impairment and repair in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Nucleic acid autoantibodies, increase type I interferon (IFN-α) levels, and immune cell hyperactivation are hallmarks of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Notably, immune cell activation requires high level of cellular energy that is predominately generated by the mitochondria. Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mROS), the byproduct of mitochondrial energy generation, serves as an essential mediator to control the activation and differentiation of cells and regulate the antigenicity of oxidized nucleoids within the mitochondria.

Spatiotemporal variation and removal of selected endocrine-disrupting chemicals in wastewater treatment plants across China: Treatment process comparison.

In this study, the spatiotemporal variation in the occurrence of 19 endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) spanning four seasons in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) located in 17 Chinese cities was investigated. Removal efficiencies for selected EDCs in 17 WWTPs over four seasons were analyzed. Contributions of conventional and advanced process segments to the removal efficiency of EDCs were explored, which compared the removal efficacies of a variety of secondary and advanced processes for EDCs.

Insight into the effect of wastewater-derived dissolved organic matter composition on norgestrel degradation in activated sludge: Coupled bacterial community and molecular characteristics.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) mediates the microbial transformation of micropollutants, including norgestrel (NGT) in natural waters. However, little is known of the effect of complex and variable wastewater-derived DOM composition on NGT degradation during wastewater treatment. In this study, the relationship between the compositions of initial DOM and NGT removal efficiencies of 17 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in spring and summer were analyzed.

Implications of Human Antimicrobial Peptide Defensin Beta-1 in Clinical Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients via an Integrated Bioinformatics Approach.

Background: The human antimicrobial peptide defensin beta 1 (DEFB1) has been found to play antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory roles in oral diseases; however, its tumor-regulating role in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has not yet been researched by using an integrative bioinformatics approach.

Objective: To investigate the regulating mechanisms of the DEFB1 gene in OSCC in terms of its expression patterns, prognostic values, biological functions, and implication for tumor immunity.

Methods: The DEFB1 gene expression pattern and regulatory involvement in OSCC were investigated using publically accessible data from TCGA database.

Occurrence and removal of progestogens from wastewater treatment plants in China: Spatiotemporal variation and process comparison.

This study investigated the overall occurrence and spatiotemporal variation of 19 progestogens in 608 samples collected from 17 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) distributed across China during four seasons. The aqueous removal efficiencies of progestogens were calculated and the efficacies of process segments, secondary and advanced processes, and process units in the removal of progestogens were explored. The results indicated that progestogens were widely detected in investigating WWTPs, with the progesterone, dydrogesterone, dienogest, ethisterone, and norethindrone were always dominant in the influent, secondary effluent, final effluent, and excess sludge.

Effects of the Tibetan medicine Byur dMar Nyer lNga Ril Bu on Alzheimer's disease in mice models.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Byur dMar Nyer lNga Ril Bu (BdNlRB) is a classic Tibetan medicine prescription for treating " white vein disease". Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic degenerative disease of the central nervous system, characterized by distinct "white vein disease". In the absence of effective drugs for AD, BdNlRB may be a possible treatment for AD.

Identification and Characterization of Antimicrobial Peptides From Butterflies: An Integrated Bioinformatics and Experimental Study.

Butterflies represent one of the largest animal groups on Earth, yet antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) of this group are less studied in comparison with their moth counterparts. This study employed an integrated bioinformatics approach to survey natural AMPs from publicly available genomic datasets. Numerous AMPs, including cecropins, defensins, and moricins, were identified and subsequently used as templates for the design of a series of synthetic AMPs that mimicked the naturally occurring sequences.

Protective Effect of Triphala against Oxidative Stress-Induced Neurotoxicity.

Background: Oxidative stress is implicated in the progression of many neurological diseases, which could be induced by various chemicals, such as hydrogen peroxide (HO) and acrylamide. Triphala is a well-recognized Ayurvedic medicine that possesses different therapeutic properties (e.g.

The Genetic and Epigenetic Mechanisms Involved in Irreversible Pulp Neural Inflammation.

Aim: To identify the critical genetic and epigenetic biomarkers by constructing the long noncoding RNA- (lncRNA-) related competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network involved in irreversible pulp neural inflammation (pulpitis).

Materials And Methods: The public datasets regarding irreversible pulpitis were downloaded from the gene expression omnibus (GEO) database. The differential expression analysis was performed to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and DElncRNAs.

Deep Learning Reveals Key Immunosuppression Genes and Distinct Immunotypes in Periodontitis.

Background: Periodontitis is a chronic immuno-inflammatory disease characterized by inflammatory destruction of tooth-supporting tissues. Its pathogenesis involves a dysregulated local host immune response that is ineffective in combating microbial challenges. An integrated investigation of genes involved in mediating immune response suppression in periodontitis, based on multiple studies, can reveal genes pivotal to periodontitis pathogenesis.

Dysregulation of antimicrobial peptide expression distinguishes Alzheimer's disease from normal aging.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disease with unknown mechanism that is characterized by the aggregation of abnormal proteins and dysfunction of immune responses. In this study, an integrative approach employing analysis and wet-lab experiment was conducted to estimate the degrees of innate immune system relevant gene expression, neurotoxic Aβ generation and neuronal apoptosis in normal and a transgenic model of AD. Results demonstrated mRNA levels of antimicrobial peptide (AMP) genes gradually increased with age in wild-type flies, while which exhibited a trend for an initial decrease followed by subsequent increase during aging in the AD group.

Effects of exogenous lanthanum(III) exposure on the positive interaction between mutually beneficial populations.

Rare earth elements (REEs) are widely used in various fields, and their accumulation has been reported to pose environmental risks. Most studies confirmed the damage of excessive REE exposure to individual plants; however, little attention has been given to their effects on plant populations. A positive interaction indicates a mutually beneficial relationship between two populations, which is beneficial to the survival and growth of the populations.

The molecular differences between human papillomavirus-positive and -negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: A bioinformatics study.

Objective: To investigate the genetic and epigenetic differences between human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) and HPV-negative OPSCC.

Methods: Microarray data of HPV-positive and -negative OPSCC were retrieved from NCBI GEO datasets. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially expressed miRNAs (DE-miRNAs) were identified by performing differential expression analysis.

Triphala Suppresses Growth and Migration of Human Gastric Carcinoma Cells and in a Zebrafish Xenograft Model.

Objectives: Triphala is an extensively prescribed traditional medicinal formula with potential therapeutic effects on various malignancies such as breast, colon, pancreas, prostate, ovarian, cervical, endometrial, and lymphatic cancer as well as melanoma. This study aimed to investigate Triphala for antitumor activities against gastric cancers.

Methods: tumor growth and migration of human gastric cancer cells were examined using the CCK-8 and Transwell assays, respectively.

Chebulinic acid derived from triphala is a promising antitumour agent in human colorectal carcinoma cell lines.

Background: Triphala is an Ayurvedic rasayana formulation reputed for its antitumour activities, and chebulinic acid and chebulagic acid, along with other phenolic acids, have been proposed to be responsible for its effects.

Methods: In this study, the anti-proliferative activities of these agents were evaluated in colorectal carcinoma cell lines with three phenotypes exposed to several batches of triphala samples with different quantities of chebulinic acid and chebulagic acid. The pro-apoptotic and anti-migratory activities and the probable antitumour mechanisms of the more potent anti-proliferative phytochemical were also investigated.

Shared genetic and epigenetic mechanisms between chronic periodontitis and oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Objectives: To analyze bioinformatic datasets for detecting genetic and epigenetic mechanisms shared by chronic periodontitis (CP) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

Materials And Methods: Datasets from GEO and TCGA databases reporting mRNAs, miRNAs or methylation expression in human CP and OSCC tissues were analyzed. Differential expression, functional enrichment and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analyses were performed.

An Integrated Study on the Antitumor Effect and Mechanism of Triphala Against Gynecological Cancers Based on Network Pharmacological Prediction and In Vitro Experimental Validation.

Objectives: Triphala is a herbal medicine that has been widely used for treating a variety of ailments. This study aims to systematically analyze the antitumor effects of Triphala on gynecological cancers.

Methods: The antineoplastic activities of Triphala on gynecological cancers were analyzed using network pharmacology-based strategies.

Antimicrobial peptide repertoire of Thitarodes armoricanus, a host species of Ophiocordyceps sinensis, predicted based on de novo transcriptome sequencing and analysis.

Ophiocordyceps sinensis is an entomopathogenic fungus that parasitizes the larvae of ghost moths. The fungus-caterpillar complex resulting from fungal parasitism is a medicinally and economically important traditional Chinese medicine famous for its tonic, aphrodisiac and immunomodulatory activity. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which play predominant roles in responding to infection of pathogenic microorganisms in the immune system of ghost moths, may remain behind the fungus-caterpillar complex.

Mechanism of chlorogenic acid treatment on femoral head necrosis and its protection of osteoblasts.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the therapeutic effect of chlorogenic acid on hormonal femoral head necrosis and its protection of osteoblasts. The study established a femoral head necrosis model in Wistar rats using endotoxin and prednisolone acetate. The rats were divided into five groups and were treated with different concentrations of chlorogenic acid (1, 10 and 20 mg/kg).

Rannasangpei Is a Therapeutic Agent in the Treatment of Vascular Dementia.

Rannasangpei (RSNP) is used as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, and neurodegeneration in China; however, its potential use in the treatment of vascular dementia (VD) was unclear. In this study, our aim was to examine the neuroprotective effect of RSNP in a VD rat model, which was induced by permanent bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (2VO). Four-week administration with two doses of RSNP was investigated in our study.