Antimicrobial peptides/ciprofloxacin-loaded O-carboxymethyl chitosan/self-assembling peptides hydrogel dressing with sustained-release effect for enhanced anti-bacterial infection and wound healing.

Bacteria-induced wound infections and multifunctional hydrogels have received widespread attention in wound repair. In this study, self-assembling peptides (SAPs) were grafted on O-carboxymethyl chitosan (O-CMCS), and compact spatial structure and good drug sustained-release effect on mel-d1, a new AMP designed based on melittin with the same antimicrobial activity but lower cytotoxicity and ciprofloxacin (CIP) were obtained. In vivo test showed that the O-CMCS/SAP hydrogel loaded with CIP and mel-d1 accelerated the wound closure speed caused by infection of Escherichia coli and skin tissue regeneration.

Effect of Metformin on Testosterone Levels in Male Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Treated With Insulin.

Aim: To explore the chronic effects of metformin on testosterone levels in men with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of a real-world study evaluating the efficacy and safety of premixed insulin treatment in patients with T2DM 3-month intermittent flash glucose monitoring. Male patients aged 18-60 who were using metformin during the 3-month study period were included as the metformin group.

The recent advances and future perspectives of genetic compensation studies in the zebrafish model.

Genetic compensation is a remarkable biological concept to explain the genetic robustness in an organism to maintain its fitness and viability if there is a disruption occurred in the genetic variation by mutation. However, the underlying mechanism in genetic compensation remain unsolvable. The initial concept of genetic compensation has been studied in model organisms when there was a discrepancy between knockout-mediated and knockdown-mediated phenotypes.

Accuracy of predicting metabolizable energy from in vitro digestible energy determined with a computer-controlled simulated digestion system in feed ingredients for ducks.

Two experiments were conducted to study the accuracy of predicting true metabolizable energy (TME) of ingredients for ducks from in vitro digestible energy (IVDE) determined with a computer-controlled simulated digestion system. Experiment 1 was to establish TME prediction models from the IVDE of 9 energy feed ingredients and 12 protein feed ingredients using regression analysis. Experiment 2 was to validate the accuracy of the predicted ME of 10 ingredients randomly selected from Exp.

Jolkinolide B alleviates renal fibrosis via anti-inflammation and inhibition of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in unilateral ureteral obstruction mice.

Renal fibrosis is a critical pathological process lead to a progressive loss of renal function. Jolkinolide B (JB) is a natural compound with anti-inflammatory activity from Steud. The study evaluated the effect of JB on renal fibrosis in mice with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO).

Interplay between gut microbiota and bile acids in diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome: a review.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal disease that disturbs the physiology and psychology of patients and increases the burden on families, the healthcare system, society, and economic development, affecting more and more people around the world. Despite the multiple factors that account for IBS remaining incompletely studied, emerging evidence demonstrated the abnormal changes in gut microbiota and bile acids (BAs) metabolism closely associated with IBS. Moreover, microbiota drives significant modifications for BAs, consisting of deconjugation, 7α-dehydroxylation, oxidation, epimerization, desulfation, esterification, and so on, while BAs, in turn, affect the microbiota directly or indirectly.

Absorption, Pharmacokinetics, Tissue Distribution, and Excretion Profiles of Sea Cucumber-Derived Sulfated Sterols in Mice.

Sea cucumber-derived sulfated sterols exhibited more significant bioactivities compared to plant sterols due to the distinctive structure of the sulfate group at the C-3 position; however, their absorption, pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution, and excretion profiles are unknown, which limits the analysis of molecular mechanisms related to their unique activities. In this study, the absorption characteristics of sea cucumber sterols were determined by oral gavage administration, and their pharmacokinetics, excretion, and tissue distribution were studied by tail vein injection. The results showed that SS1 and SS2 reached the peak at 3 h (20.

Geniposide Ameliorates Liver Fibrosis Through Reducing Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Respose, Inhibiting Apoptosis and Modulating Overall Metabolism.

Liver fibrosis is a progressive liver damage condition caused by various factors and may progress toward liver cirrhosis, and even hepatocellular carcinoma. Many studies have found that the disfunction in metabolism could contribute to the development of liver fibrosis. Geniposide, derived from J.

Effect of chiglitazar and sitagliptin on glucose variations, insulin resistance and inflammatory-related biomarkers in untreated patients with type 2 diabetes.

Aims: To evaluate glycemic variations, changes in insulin resistance and oxidative stress after chiglitazar or sitagliptin treatment in untreated patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: Based on the study inclusion and exclusion criteria, 81 patients with T2DM were randomly divided to receive chiglitazar or sitagliptin treatment for 24 weeks. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems were conducted for 72 h in eligible patients.

Outcomes and Prognosis of Non-Elderly Patients with Brain Metastases-A Prospective Cohort Incorporating Individualized Assessment of Heart Rate Variability.

Outcomes and prognostic factors among patients with brain metastases (BM) have been widely studied, but seldom for the non-elderly. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a physiological phenomenon and has been shown as a survival prognostic factor in cancer patients. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes and prognosis among non-elderly BM patients with the incorporation of HRV analysis.

Selection of Optimal Functional Lymphatic Vessel Cutoff Size in Supermicrosurgical Lymphaticovenous Anastomosis in Lower Extremity Lymphedema.

Background: Functional lymphatic vessels are essential for supermicrosurgical lymphaticovenous anastomosis. Theoretically, the larger the lymphatic vessel, the better the flow. However, large lymphatic vessels are not readily available.

Biomass-Derived, Highly Conductive Aqueous Inks for Superior Electromagnetic Interference Shielding, Joule Heating, and Strain Sensing.

Conductive composite inks are widely used in various applications such as flexible electronics. However, grand challenges still remain associated with their relatively low electrical conductivity and require heavy use of organic solvents, which may limit their high performance in broad applications and cause environmental concerns. Here, we report a generalized and eco-friendly strategy to fabricate highly conductive aqueous inks using silver nanowires (AgNWs) and biomass-derived organic salts, including succinic acid-chitosan (SA-chitosan) and sebacic acid-chitosan.

A novel oral inhibitor for one-carbon metabolism and checkpoint kinase 1 inhibitor as a rational combination treatment for breast cancer.

Patients with triple-negative breast cancer have a poor prognosis as only a few efficient targeted therapies are available. Cancer cells are characterized by their unregulated proliferation and require large amounts of nucleotides to replicate their DNA. One-carbon metabolism contributes to purine and pyrimidine nucleotide synthesis by supplying one carbon atom.

Berberine inhibits dendritic cells differentiation in DSS-induced colitis by promoting Bacteroides fragilis.

Backgrounds: Berberine (BBR), a compound long used in traditional Chinese medicine, has been reported to have therapeutic effects in treating ulcerative colitis (UC), attributed to its anti-inflammatory properties and restorative potential of tight junctions (TJs). However, the mechanism by which BBR affects intestinal bacteria and immunity is still unclear.

Methods: This study investigated the effects of BBR on intestinal bacteria and the inflammatory response in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mice.

Earth-affecting solar transients: a review of progresses in solar cycle 24.

This review article summarizes the advancement in the studies of Earth-affecting solar transients in the last decade that encompasses most of solar cycle 24. It is a part of the effort of the International Study of Earth-affecting Solar Transients (ISEST) project, sponsored by the SCOSTEP/VarSITI program (2014-2018). The Sun-Earth is an integrated physical system in which the space environment of the Earth sustains continuous influence from mass, magnetic field, and radiation energy output of the Sun in varying timescales from minutes to millennium.

Ethnicity Differences in the Association of UCP1-3826A/G, UCP2-866G/A and Ala55Val, and UCP3-55C/T Polymorphisms with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Susceptibility: An Updated Meta-Analysis.

Background: The relationship between uncoupling protein (UCP) 1-3 polymorphisms and susceptibility to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been extensively studied, while conclusions remain contradictory. Thus, we performed this meta-analysis to elucidate whether the UCP1-3826A/G, UCP2-866G/A, Ala55Val, and UCP3-55C/T polymorphisms are associated with T2DM.

Methods: Eligible studies were searched from PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science database before 12 July 2020.

Secoiridoid dimers and their biogenetic precursors from the fruits of Cornus officinalis with potential therapeutic effects on type 2 diabetes.

Cornusdiridoid A-F (1-6), six unusual cornuside-morroniside secoiridoid dimers, and their possible new biogenetic precursor, 3″,5″-dehydroxycornuside (7), together with four known secoiridoids (8-11), were obtained from the fruits of Cornus officinalis. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of various spectroscopic and chemical methods. A plausible biosynthetic pathway of compounds 1-11 was proposed.

The membrane-linked adaptor FRS2β fashions a cytokine-rich inflammatory microenvironment that promotes breast cancer carcinogenesis.

Although it is held that proinflammatory changes precede the onset of breast cancer, the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. Here, we demonstrate that FRS2β, an adaptor protein expressed in a small subset of epithelial cells, triggers the proinflammatory changes that induce stroma in premalignant mammary tissues and is responsible for the disease onset. FRS2β deficiency in mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV)-ErbB2 mice markedly attenuated tumorigenesis.

Short-term supplementation of DHA-enriched phospholipids attenuates the nephrotoxicity of cisplatin without compromising its antitumor activity in mice.

Cisplatin is one of the most effective chemotherapeutic agents used for the treatment of a wide variety of cancers. However, cisplatin has been associated with nephrotoxicity, which limits its application in clinical treatment. Various studies have indicated the protective effect of phospholipids against acute kidney injury.

Radiation-Induced Emesis (RIE) in Extended-Field Radiotherapy for Gynecological Malignancies: Dosimetric and Non-Dosimetric Factors.

Radiation-induced emesis (RIE) is usually noted during abdominal-pelvic radiotherapy. In gynecological malignancies, it is usually noted in para-aortic but not whole-pelvic irradiation. Irradiated small bowel (SB) may be associated with RIE.

Ribophorin II Overexpression Is Associated with Poor Response to Induction Chemotherapy with Docetaxel, Cisplatin, and Fluorouracil in P16-Negative Locally Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

This study aims to evaluate the relationship between human ribophorin II () and the effect of treatment using induction therapy with docetaxel, cisplatin, and fluorouracil (TPF) for -16 negative locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). A total of 203 patients with locally advanced p-16 negative HNSCC who received induction chemotherapy with TPF at the Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital between 2009 and 2014 were enrolled. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for RPN2 was examined and correlated with treatment outcome.

Docosahexaenoic Acid-Acylated Astaxanthin Esters Exhibit Superior Renal Protective Effect to Recombination of Astaxanthin with DHA via Alleviating Oxidative Stress Coupled with Apoptosis in Vancomycin-Treated Mice with Nephrotoxicity.

Prevention of acute kidney injury caused by drugs is still a clinical problem to be solved urgently. Astaxanthin (AST) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are important marine-derived active ingredients, and they are reported to exhibit renal protective activity. It is noteworthy that the existing forms of AST in nature are mainly fatty acid-acylated AST monoesters and diesters, as well as unesterified AST, in which DHA is an esterified fatty acid.