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Background: Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is significantly correlated with glycolipid metabolic disorders. Increased GDF15 levels are associated with obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes as well as a poorer diabetes progression and prognosis. This is a prospective cohort study investigated the association between circulating GDF15 and diabetic peripheral artery disease., Methods: A total of 174 diabetic patients aged 20-80 were enrolled. Plasma GDF15 levels were measured using ELISA. Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) was evaluated with the Ankle brachial index (ABI) and the Cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI)., Results: We found that diabetic patients with higher serum GDF15 levels (mean: 2521.5 pg/mL) had a higher incidence of peripheral artery disease. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that patients with high serum GDF15 levels were at an increased risk of developing peripheral artery disease. High GDF15 levels were associated with ABI < 0.9 (right and left mean 19.5% p = 0.80, OR:1.13; 95%CI: [0.44-2.90]). Increased age (p = 0.025 OR:1.02; 95% CI [0.13-0.87]), family history (p = 0.001 OR:1.37; 95%CI: [0.37-5.05]), heart failure (p = 0.002 OR:4.96; 95%CI: [1.76-13.97]), sodium-glucose linked transporter 2 (SGLT 2) inhibitor use (p = 0.026), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (p = < 0.001), and uric acid (p = < 0.001) was also positively associated with high GDF15 levels. Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) (p = < 0.010) was associated with higher GDF15 levels after one year of follow up., Conclusions: Elevated GDF15 was significantly associated with worsening metabolic parameters and an increased risk of peripheral artery disease. Thus, it may be a stronger predictor of these outcomes in people with diabetes., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study was approved by the Ethic Committee of Institutional Review Board of Veteran General Hospital of Kaohsiung (IRB No. VGHKS 15-EM10-02) and meets the Helsinki Declaration based ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects. The requirement for informed consent was waived by the Ethic Committee of Institutional Review Board of Veteran General Hospital of Kaohsiung because the study was retrospective. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of combined hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) and steroid therapy in treating sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL)., Design: This retrospective analysis included 505 patients diagnosed with SSNHL from August 2017 to July 2022. The patients received either a systemic steroid (SS) alone or SS with HBOT. Hearing improvement was evaluated with pure-tone audiometry (PTA). Among the participants, 102 received SS + HBOT, whereas 403 were treated with SS alone., Results: The SS + HBOT group demonstrated significantly better improvement in the PTA threshold averaged across four low frequencies (PTA 4 ) scores (22.7 ± 23.5 vs. 16.2 ± 21.4, P  = 0.007) and higher response rates (≥15 dB improvement) and significant response (≥25 dB improvement) (61.8 % vs. 44.4 %, P  = 0.002; and 43.1 % vs. 22.6 %, P  < 0.001, respectively) than the SS-alone group. HBOT is particularly effective in patients with hearing loss at lower frequencies. Patients treated with HBOT were 2.50 times more likely to achieve substantial hearing improvement. Patients receiving three HBOT sessions or initiating treatment within 11 days of diagnosis demonstrated optimal outcomes. Greater improvements were observed in patients with initial hearing loss of >50 dB and younger individuals., Conclusions: HBOT improves the effectiveness of SS treatment in SSNHL, with notable benefits for younger patients and those with an initial hearing loss of >50 dB. HBOT exhibited more pronounced effects at lower frequencies. Initiating HBOT within 11 days of the SSNHL diagnosis is recommended, and a regimen of five sessions is indicated for optimal results., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are currently the mainstay treatment for preventing thrombosis-induced ischemic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), or previous infarction. However, such management may potentially induce antithrombotic-associated intracranial hemorrhage, leading to significantly adverse clinical outcomes. To investigate the risk of spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) in patients under therapeutic anticoagulation., Methods: This retrospective cohort study used a database established by Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital to estimate the risk of first onset sICH in patients with AF, DVT or previous stroke who were 18 years old or older, and who had been on at least three months continuous long-term treatment with the oral anticoagulants aspirin, warfarin, or NOACs. In addition, we used propensity-score matching to minimize bias and Cox proportional hazards ratio to compare the risk of sICH among patients prescribed these anticoagulants., Results: We analyzed the data of 546 patients (182 aspirin users, 182 warfarin users, and 182 NOAC users). 180 (20 taking aspirin, 74 warfarin, and 86 NOACs) developed new onset sICH before seven years. No new onset cases were found after 7 years. Importantly, those taking NOACs were found to be at a higher risk of early onset hemorrhage (47.80 %) compared to the groups taking aspirin (11.10 %) and warfarin (47.80 %) with a median time-to-occurrence being 2.50, 4.00, and 4.40 years, respectively., Conclusions: Though NOACs prevented ischemic stroke, they were used with a higher risk of early onset spontaneous ICH at our large medical center., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None, (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Some infants with urinary tract infection (UTI) may exhibit concurrent bacteremia, potentially leading to septic shock or bacterial meningitis. Identifying risk factors for bacteremia in infants with UTI is crucial for prompt intervention to prevent subsequent adverse outcomes., Methods: Between 2015 and 2021, a total of 632 infants with UTI aged ≤12 months were enrolled at Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital (KSVGH), among whom 20 had concurrent bacteremia. We analyzed their differences in outcomes and demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics. Independent risk factors for bacteremic UTI were identified using binary logistic regression analysis., Results: A positive underlying disease (including congenital anomalies of kidney and urinary tract [CAKUT] and prematurity), C-reactive protein (CRP) > 8 mg/dL, lower body weight, and positive urinary nitrite were independent risk factors for infants with UTI and bacteremia., Conclusions: Physicians should be mindful of the potential for bacteremia to develop in infants with UTI, particularly those with concurrent positive underlying diseases or CRP >8 mg/dL., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest No potential conflicts of interest are declared by the authors., (Copyright © 2024 Taiwan Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) is a severe central nervous system infection. In patients with HIV infections and coexisting CM, elevated baseline cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) lactate levels can predict increased mortality. However, the CSF lactate level's significance in patients with CM who are HIV negative remains unclear, necessitating further investigation to elucidate the potential distinctions and enhance patient management. This study investigated the significance of CSF lactate levels in patients with CM who were HIV negative., Methods: This retrospective study utilized data from the clinical databases of patients who underwent lumbar punctures at a medical center in Kaohsiung City, southern Taiwan. Demographic data, CSF lactate levels, routine CSF analyses, and hematologic and neurologic findings were evaluated. The optimal CSF lactate threshold value was determined by the Youden index., Results: This retrospective study included 70 patients with CM, among whom 44 (63%) and 26 (37%) tested negative and positive for HIV, respectively. The group without HIV exhibited higher CSF lactate levels, with an optimal CSF lactate cutoff point of 7.935 mmol/L for predicting 90-day mortality, resulting in significant predictive accuracies (area under the curve, 0.755; sensitivity, 57.1%; specificity, 100%); this value was an independent mortality predictor in patients who were HIV negative. In patients with CM who were HIV negative, CSF lactate levels ≥7.935 mmol/L correlated with higher mortality rates but without statistical significance. All patients with CM who were HIV negative and had CSF lactate levels ≥7.935 mmol/L died within 3 months of admission., Conclusions: Patients with CM who were HIV negative had elevated CSF lactate levels that correlated with adverse outcomes, enabling early identification of high-risk individuals., Competing Interests: Potential conflicts of interest. The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America.)

Background: A significant rise in the use of assisted reproductive technology (ART) has been observed, but concerns about its impact on neonatal outcomes have been considered. The aim of this retrospective cohort study is to determine the association between ART and the risk of neonatal complications and congenital anomalies within a recent time period., Methods: This retrospective study enrolled infants born after 20 weeks of gestation at a tertiary hospital in Taiwan between January 2019 and December 2021. The study population was divided into two groups: (1) ART pregnancy group and (2) natural pregnancy group. Maternal and neonatal characteristics, pregnancy complications, and neonatal outcomes were compared between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression was used to adjust for maternal characteristics, preexisting maternal conditions, pregnancy complications, delivery methods, and infant characteristics., Results: This study enrolled 1770 infants comprising 289 in the ART pregnancy group and 1481 in the natural pregnancy group. The ART pregnancy group showed higher rates of multiple births, preterm births, low birth weights, and longer hospitalization periods. In the stratified analyses that were conducted on singleton births, no significant difference was observed. In the case of multiple births, lower rates of preterm birth, low birth weight, and respiratory support were observed in the ART pregnancy group. After adjusting for maternal and infant characteristics, ART was not considered a significant risk factor for adverse neonatal outcomes, including mortality, complications, and congenital anomalies., Conclusion: Although ART pregnancies were more likely to result in multiple births and furthermore adverse outcomes, ART itself was not associated with an increased risk of poor neonatal outcomes. By implementing measures to control the number of implanted embryos, ensuring appropriate prenatal screening, and providing comprehensive postnatal care, the risks associated with increased multiple pregnancies caused by ART may be reduced., (Copyright © 2024 Taiwan Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Urine leukocyte count under microscopy is one of the most frequently used routine screening tests for urinary tract infection (UTI). Nevertheless, it is observed that pyuria is lacking in 10-25% of children with UTI. This study aims to determine the factors related to pyuria-negative UTI in young infants aged under four months old., Method: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 157 patients aged under 4 months old with UTI. All subjects had paired urinalysis and urine culture, which were collected via transurethral catheterization. According to the results of their urinalysis, the patients were then classified as UTI cases with pyuria and UTI cases without pyuria. The clinical characteristics and outcomes of both groups were analyzed., Result: Among the 157 UTI patients, the prevalence of pyuria-negative UTI was 44%. Significant risk factors associated with pyuria-negative UTI included non-E.coli pathogens, younger age, shorter duration of fever prior to hospital visit, lower white blood cell (WBC) count upon hospital visit, and absence of microscopic hematuria., Conclusions: We found that non-E.coli uropathogens were the strongest factor related to pyuria-negative UTI. The absence of pyuria cannot exclude the diagnosis of UTI in young infants, and it's reasonable to perform both urinalysis and urine culture as a part of the assessment of febrile or ill-looking young infants., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no potential conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The quality standards for Andrographis paniculata, a widely used medicinal herb, exhibited significant variations across different pharmacopeias. In this study, we compared the HPLC content determination methods and total lactone content of A. paniculata samples from different regions, as specified in the Chinese (CP), United States (USP), European (EP), Thai (TP), and Indian pharmacopeias (IP), as well as the Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards (HK). We aimed to assess the differences and similarities among these pharmacopeias and harmonized international quality standards for A. paniculata. The analysis revealed variations in sample preparation, liquid chromatographic conditions, fingerprint profiles, and total lactone content among the different pharmacopeias. Specifically, the CP and HK methods exhibited superior sample preparation and chromatographic separation. Further comparing the content of 20 A. paniculata samples with the CP, USP, EP and HK methods showed consistent determinations for the same components, indicating similar detection capabilities. The discrepancies in total lactone content primarily stemmed from differences in the number and types of detected compounds. Moreover, the acceptance criteria exhibited a stringency in the order CP > HK > EP > USP. In conclusion, this comparison analysis of content determination in CP, USP, HK, EP, TP and IP provided a scientific foundation for the international standardization and trade regulations of A. paniculata. It also served as a valuable reference for the development of international quality standards for other medicinal herbs, facilitating the harmonization of global pharmaceutical standards., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a potential cause of neonatal jaundice. Nevertheless, there remains a lack of consensus regarding appropriate screening practices for UTI in infants with hyperbilirubinemia. This study aimed to analyze a group of jaundiced infants to assess the prevalence of UTI, explore potential risk factors, and examine the impact of UTI on the course and severity of neonatal jaundice., Methods: This retrospective case-control study was conducted on 150 jaundiced infants (aged < 8 weeks) without a known etiology in the hyperbilirubinemia work-up. All subjects underwent phototherapy treatment and UTI screening by catheterization. They were then classified into UTI and non-UTI groups based on urine culture results, with a positive urine culture indicating the growth of ≥10,000 colony-forming units. The clinical characteristics and jaundice-related parameters of both groups were analyzed., Results: Among the 150 jaundiced patients, the prevalence of UTI was 29%. There was a significantly higher male predominance in the UTI group, and patients with UTI also had a significantly longer duration of hospitalization compared to those without UTI. Significant risk factors associated with UTI in jaundiced infants included male gender and a peak total bilirubin level higher than 18 mg/dl during hospitalization. The most common pathogens identified in urine culture were Escherichia coli (41.9%) and Enterococcus faecalis (30.2%)., Conclusion: In cases of neonatal jaundice where the underlying cause is not evident, screening for UTI should be performed, particularly when associated risk factors or inadequate response to phototherapy is present., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2024 Chen, Hsu, Yao, Chang, Wang and Fang.)

Dynamic regulation of cell-extracellular matrix (ECM)-material interactions is crucial for various biomedical applications. In this study, a light-activated molecular switch for the modulation of cell attachment/detachment behaviors was established on monolayer graphene (Gr)/n-type Silicon substrates (Gr/Si). Initiated by light illumination at the Gr/Si interface, pre-adsorbed proteins (bovine serum albumin, ECM proteins collagen-1, and fibronectin) underwent protonation to achieve negative charge transfer to Gr films (n-doping) through π-π interactions. This n-doping process stimulated the conformational switches of ECM proteins. The structural alterations in these ECM interactors significantly reduced the specificity of the cell surface receptor-ligand interaction (e.g., integrin recognition), leading to dynamic regulation of cell adhesion and eventual cell detachment. RNA-sequencing results revealed that the detached bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cell sheets from the Gr/Si system manifested regulated immunoregulatory properties and enhanced osteogenic differentiation, implying their potential application in bone tissue regeneration. This work not only provides a fast and feasible method for controllable cells/cell sheets harvesting but also gives new insights into the understanding of cell-ECM-material communications., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2022 The Authors.)

Background: The Diabetes Shared Care Program (DSCP) is an integrated care model in Taiwan to improve the care quality of patients with diabetes. Socioeconomic status (SES) is one of the important factors affecting health, and it is confirmed as a predictor of various diseases and deaths.This study aimed to determine the relationship between survival rate and SES among patients who participated in the DSCP., Methods: A cohort population-based study was conducted using the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan from 2008 to 2013. The study subjects were type 2 diabetes. We defined individual SES and neighborhood SES by each patient's job category and household income, which were characterized as advantaged or disadvantaged. Then we compared the survival rates of SES groups by Cox proportional hazards model to adjust risk factors., Results: This study included 16 614 patients with type 2 diabetes who participated in the DSCP program. The DSCP cohort showed a high hospitalization rate in low individual SES. In terms of 10-year overall survival, DSCP participants with high individual SES living in advantaged and disadvantaged neighborhoods had lower risk of mortality than those with low SES living in advantaged and disadvantaged neighborhoods, after adjustment for age and comorbidity. DSCP participants with low individual SES living in disadvantaged neighborhoods had no significant difference of mortality as those with low individual SES living in advantaged neighborhoods., Conclusion: In this study, we found that low individual SES, but not neighborhood SES, was associated with an increased mortality rate among DSCP participants., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest related to the subject matter or materials discussed in this article., (Copyright © 2022, the Chinese Medical Association.)

Objective: To study structure-specific solubilization effect of Sulfobutyl ether-β-cyclodextrin (SBE-β-CD) on Remdesivir (RDV) and to understand the experimental clathration with the aid of quantum mechanics (QM), molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) calculations., Methods: The experiment was carried out by phase solubility method at various pH and temperatures, while the concentration of Remdesivir in the solution was determined by HPLC. The complexation mechanism and the pH dependence of drug loading were investigated following a novel procedure combining QM, MD and molecular docking, based on accurate pKa predictions., Results: The phase solubility and solubilization effect of RDV in SBE-β-CD were explored kinetically and thermodynamically for each assessed condition. An optimal drug / SBE-β-CD feeding molar ratio was determined stoichiometrically for RDV solubility in pH1.7 solution. The supersaturated solubility was examined over time after pH of the solution was adjusted from 1.7 to 3.5. A possible hypothesis was raised to elucidate the experimentally observed stabilization of supersaturation based on the proposed RDV Cation A /SBE-β-CD pocket conformations., Conclusion: The computational explorations conformed to the experimentally determined phase solubilization and well elucidated the mechanism of macroscopic clathration between RDV and SBE-β-CD from the perspective of microscopic molecular calculations., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© The Author(s) 2022.)

Cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots (QDs) were biosynthesized rapidly in 18 h in Bacillus licheniformis ATCC 11946 (B. licheniformis); this process benefited from the cellular machinery of bacteria metal metabolism, in which inorganic Na 2 SeO 3 and CdCl 2 were chosen as raw materials to produce high quality CdSe QDs by a designed two-step protocol. Research outcomes demonstrated that the purified CdSe QDs possessed maximum fluorescence intensities at weak alkalinity solutions and had good fluorescence stabilities at 4°C as well as at room temperature after standing for 1 week. Glutathione (GSH) concentration and superoxide dismutase (SOD) content, both of which were reported to be greatly related to biosynthetic activities in some bacterial matrices, were monitored during the biosynthetic process in B. licheniformis. Bacterial resistance research further showed that the change in rates in bacterial inhibition zone diameter to seven different antibiotics was less than 9% after B. licheniformis was used to manufacture CdSe QDs, showing a relative lower environmental risk in short-term heavy metal exposure., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Serratia marcescens strain ZZCCN01 was isolated from the cardiac blood of a dead beef cow with a lung infection and a foam-like secretion from the nostril. Here, we introduce the 5.1-Mb draft genome sequence, which comprises 105 scaffolds, and the corresponding annotation., (Copyright © 2020 Zhang et al.)

Andrographis Herba is a commonly used plant medicine, and has been recorded in pharmacopeias of different countries. However, there are some differences in the quality standards. Based on this, this paper compare the quality standards of Andrographis Herba between Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards, United States Pharmacopoeia, European Pharmacopoeia and Indian Pharmacopoeia, including origin, botanical characteristics, identification(microscopic identification and chromatographic identification), content determination, specific test(such as impurities, loss on drying, extractives, pesticides, heavy metals, mycotoxins, and other items) and storage requirements, so as to provide a reference for studying international quality standards of Andrographis.

Seven undescribed C 27 steroidal glycosides, Seladelicatulasine A-G, including six cholestanol glycosides and one spirostanol glycoside, were isolated from Selaginella delicatula. Their structures were elucidated by 1D/2D NMR spectra and HRESIMS analyses. The absolute configurations of the sugars were determined by enzymatic hydrolysis and GC/MS analyses. These cholestanol glycosides were isolated from the family Selaginellaceae for the first time. Seladelicatulasine F is characterized as a rare B-5,6-secosteroid. In addition, all the compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory activities against cholinesterase (AChE/BChE) and monoamine oxidase (MAO-A/MAO-B). These steroidal glycosides displayed selective inhibition activities on cholinesterase. Seladelicatulasine A, B and E inhibited the AChE activity with IC 50 values of 0.31, 0.09, and 0.04 μM, respectively. Seladelicatulasine A and F showed the strongest inhibition activity on BChE with IC 50 values of 0.37 and 0.65 μM, respectively., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aortic dissection (AD) is a life-threatening disease. Patients usually experience severe pain in the chest, back, or abdomen, but some patients report a variety of other symptoms without pain. Completely asymptomatic AD is sporadic and probably under-recognized. The present study aimed to (a) report an extremely rare case of asymptomatic long-segmental type A AD, wherein exaggeratedly low diastolic blood pressure and broad pulse pressure were the primary signs, and (b) summarize the clinical characteristics of asymptomatic AD through the literature review., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Three new neolignan derivatives ( 1-3 ), together with three known isolariciresinol derivatives ( 4-6 ) were isolated from Selaginella picta . Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods (1D/2D NMR, HRESIMS and CD). All isolated compounds were assayed on the neuroprotective activity against the injury of HT-22 cells induced by L-Glutamate in vitro . All compounds displayed potent protective effect on HT-22 cells.

A simple biological strategy to couple intracellular irrelated biochemical reactions of staphylococcus aureus CMCC 26003 ( S. aureus ) with inorganic metal ions to synthesize cadmium selenide quantum dots (CdSe QDs) was demonstrated. Correspondingly, S. aureus as living matrices are internally generated and labeled with fluorescent QDs by the smart strategy. Several key factors in the process of biosynthesis were systematically evaluated. At the same time, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), photo-luminescence (PL), inverted fluorescence microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were utilized to study the characters of the as produced CdSe QDs. In addition, cytotoxicity and photostability of the QDs containing bacteria were also tested and evaluated as a whole. The results showed that intracellular CdSe nanocrystals had successfully formed in S. aureus living cells, which were less toxic, highly fluorescent and photostable. These fluorescent S. aureus bacteria were next applied as invading pathogens as well as fluorescent bioprobes for exploring the phagocytic behavior of THP-1-derived macrophage. Results proved that internal CdSe QDs labeling had no significantly adverse effects compared with the kind of infection reference, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) stained S. aureus pathogen. Assuredly, the methods presented here provide researchers with a useful option to analyze the behavior of S. aureus as a type of infectious pathogen, which would also help understand the complex interplay between host cells and the invading bacteria on molecular level., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Macrophages eliminate and destroy invading bacteria and contaminants by engulfing them or secreting cytokines that trigger downstream immune responses. Consequently, impairment of the phagocytic functions of macrophages and/or suppressing their cytokine secretion are dangerous to organisms that rely on immune protection. Accordingly, exposure to environmental nanoparticles (NPs) that display immunomodulatory properties are serious. In this work, two types of NPs, i.e., mild-toxicity CuInS 2 NPs and high-toxicity CdTe NPs, were used to evaluate the effects of NP exposure for macrophages. Following incubation for 24 h, THP-1-derived macrophage viability was assessed using an MTT method after exposing the THP-1 cells to different concentrations of CuInS 2 or CdTe NPs. Phagocytosis assays demonstrated that both CuInS 2 and CdTe NPs impair phagocytic activity toward Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). After pretreatment with CuInS 2 and CdTe NPs at 4 μmol/L, THP-1 macrophages exhibited decreases in phagocytic ratio from ca. 32.9% to ca. 18.5% and 18.7%, respectively. Since the zeta potentials of intact and weathered CuInS 2 NPs were distributed over a wide range from positive to negative, large quantities of intact and weathered CuInS 2 NPs bore sufficient positive charge on their surfaces to induce membrane depolarization, thus theoretically providing electrostatic forces between S. aureus and THP-1, which could induce downstream intracellular events that increase phagocytosis. However, real time polymerase chain reaction arrays revealed that transcription of the pro-inflammatory factors IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α decreased while that of the anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 increased after treatment with CuInS 2 NPs. Furthermore, transcription of TNF-α decreased while IL-10 increased after treatment with CdTe NPs. Thus, both kinds of NPs inhibited phagocytosis of S. aureus by THP-1 to some extent, confirming that immunosuppression can occur when macrophages are exposed to environmental NPs., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Currently, arginine-rich cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), due to their little cytotoxicity and high transmembrane efficiency, are considered as one of the important intracellular carriers. Although the mechanism of the transmembrane process for arginine-rich CPPs was proposed, the quantitative correlations and the key factors involved in this process still deserve further investigation. In this study, all-atom molecular dynamics and the umbrella sampling technique were employed to study the arginine-rich CPPs transmembrane process. In the adsorption process of CPPs from solution to the surface of the lipid bilayer, the adsorption free energy (Δ G A ) is found to be linearly related to the interaction energy change (Δ E A ): Δ G A = 0.0426Δ E A + 36.7, R 2 = 0.92. In the CPPs transmembrane process, the transmembrane free energy barrier (Δ G B ) is roughly correlated with the corresponding interaction energy change (Δ E B ): Δ G B = 0.108Δ E B +135, R 2 = 0.73. The multiple salt bridges of guanidinium-PO 4 account for 65% of the overall interaction energy, so the increased negative charges of the lipid bilayer or more salt bridges would facilitate CPPs adsorption and transmembrane processes. Also, the increased negative charges of the lipid bilayer would reduce the amount of water to be carried into the pore and further reduce the Δ G B . The peptide backbone would not have a direct impact on transmembrane efficiency. The Δ G B is also found to be related to the length of the pore ( L ): Δ G B = 46.2 L - 31.3, R 2 = 0.92, which makes the transmembrane efficiency estimable. This work is expected to deliver an in-depth understanding and help the optimization of CPPs.

Phytochemical study on the n -BuOH extract of Selaginella delicatula lead to the isolation, characterization and structure elucidation of two new adenine analogues, delicatulines A ( 1 ) and B ( 2 ), one new pyrrole alkaloid ( 4 ), and five known compounds ( 3 , 5 - 8 ). These new substances all contain an aliphatic chain in their parent nucleus, which were unusual to find in plants. In the present study, they were identified from Selaginellaceae for the first time. The structures and absolute configurations of these new compounds were determined by a combination of NMR and CD spectroscopic analyses. Compounds 1 , 3 and 4 were evaluated for their inhibitory activities on HBV surface antigen and HBV DNA in HepAD38 cells. The results showed that these compounds had only weak or no inhibitive effects on HBV.

Six new prenylated xanthones (1: -6: ) and seventeen known xanthones were isolated from extracts of Garcinia bracteata leaves. Their structures were determined by extensive NMR and MS spectroscopic data analysis. The inhibitory activities of the isolates were assayed on HeLa, A549, PC-3, HT-29, and WPMY-1 cell lines. Compounds 1: and 15: -17: showed moderate inhibitory effects on tumor cell growth, with IC 50 s ranging from 3.7 to 14.7 µM., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

The formation of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) on two different dielectrics of K9 glass and fused silica upon irradiation in ambient conditions and in vacuum with multiple femtosecond (fs) laser pulse sequences at different pulse durations (35 fs, 260 fs, and 500 fs) was studied experimentally. Three types of LIPSS, so-called high-spatial-frequency LIPSS (HSFL), low-spatial-frequency LIPSS (LSFL), and supra-wavelength periodic surface structures (SWPSS) with different spatial periods and orientations were identified. The appearance was characterized with respect to the experimental parameters of laser fluence and number of laser pulses per spot. The crater morphologies - including nanoripples, periodic microgrooves, quasiperiodic microspikes, and central smooth zone - were observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The supra-wavelength structures exhibit periodicities, which are markedly, even multiple times, higher than the laser excitation wavelength. The SWPSS were formed with a broader range of laser fluences, upon the longer laser pulse durations (260 fs and 500 fs) and/or on the lower band-gap dielectrics (K9 glass), due to the deeper effective light penetration depths and thicker viscous surface layers formation. The HSFL were observed on the higher band-gap dielectrics (fused silica) and within a certain narrow laser parameter window. The formation mechanisms of LIPSS were also discussed.

Four pairs of previously undescribed caged xanthones (1-4) and twelve known caged xanthones (5-16) were isolated from the leaf extract of Garcinia bracteata. Their structures were unambiguously elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic methods. The planar structure and relative configuration of 1 was confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis. The enantiomers of compounds 1, 2, 4 were further resolved by semi-preparative chiral HPLC, and the absolute configurations of enantiomers of compounds 1 and 4 were determined by measurement and calculation of electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra and specific rotations. The inhibitory activities of the isolated compounds against human HeLa, A549, PC-3, HT-29, and WPMY-1 cell lines were assayed, and garcibractatin A (4) showed the most potent inhibitory activities in vitro with IC 50 values from 1.11 to 2.93 μM. A preliminary structure-activity relationship has been discussed, and some helpful conclusions have been drawn., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens containing intracellularly biosynthesized cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots (QDs) was used as a fluorescent bioprobe. Several parameters in the QD biosynthesis process were systematically optimized. The optimized protocol for producing high-quality CdSe QDs in B. amyloliquefaciens features mild synthetic conditions, good reproducibility, short reaction time and high yield. This process shows promise for the mass production of QDs by bacterial matrices. The resultant fluorescent B. amyloliquefaciens containing intracellular CdSe QDs was used as a bioprobe for the simple detection of copper (II) ions in blood plasma. The selective permeability of the bacterial cell membrane along with the protection provided by a protein envelope on the QD surface prevented interference by other components of blood plasma, resulting in the accurate determination of Cu 2+ . Using the copper addition method, the content of Cu 2+ in human blood plasma samples was determined to be 15.6-18.5 μmol/L, consistent with atomic absorption spectroscopy results. The technique developed here shows potential for the simple determination of Cu 2+ in plasma with excellent selectivity and good sensitivity., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A new neolignan, selamoellenin A (1), was isolated from the whole plants of Selaginella moellendorffii Hieron. The structure was elucidated on the basis of comprehensive spectroscopic methods (1D/2D NMR and HRMS). Compound 1 was evaluated for its protective effect against high glucose-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) damage in vitro.

Effective regulation of cell-surface interactions is critical for regenerative medicine and other cell-based therapies. Herein, visible-light-induced cell sheet harvesting based on silicon wafers with a p/n junction [Si(p/n)] is introduced. Cell sheets could quickly detach from the Si(p/n) surface after 10 min of visible-light illumination with maintained cell viability and functions. It is found that preadsorbed proteins on the Si(p/n) surface like BSA and collagen-I show light-induced desorption behaviors. Molecular dynamics simulation also indicates that long-range force caused by the photovoltaic effect of Si(p/n) under visible-light illumination plays a key role in triggering the release of the preadsorbed protein. It is suggested that such protein desorption behavior mediated by the photovoltaic effect is responsible for cell release. This work not only shows promising potential for cell sheet harvesting, but also provides new insights into protein-material interactions.

Objective: To compare the applicability of the three diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome (MS) proposed by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) in 2005, Adult Treatment Panel III of National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP-ATP III) in 2005 and Chinese Diabetes Socie (CDS) in 2004., Methods: Based on the findings of cohort study of multiple metabolic disorders and metabolic syndrome (1971 cases) in Jiangsu province, MS was diagnosed according to these three definitions respectively, and by calculating the sensitivity, specificity, and ROC curve distance, those with lower false positive and false negative rates were identified as to detecting cardio vascular diseases (CVD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). While, through Cox regression analysis, to compare their relative risk (RR) and 95% confidential interval (CI) was wade., Results: Among three diagnostic criteria, the specificity by CDS of MS was higher than the other criteria (83.52%, 76.36%, 89.57%; 85.02%, 78.67%, 92.28%), however the sensitivity of CDS of MS was low (40.82%, 29.47%). When using CDS, over 50 percent of diagnosis might be missed. ATP III definition corresponded to the shortest distance in ROC curve, namely, at the diagnostic criteria, the rates of false positive and false negative for identifying clustering of CVD and T2DM were minimum (0.4369; 0.5777). The incidence of CVD [5.59 (2.62 - 11.92) vs 2.90 (1.41 - 5.93)], T2DM [3.36 (1.92 - 5.79) vs 1.97 (1.16 - 3.34)] was significantly higher in cases of ATP III+/IDF-than ATP III+/IDF+, as compared with ATP III-/IDF-., Conclusion: Among three diagnostic criteria, the ATP III definition of the MS should be the most applicable diagnostic criteria for MS in Jiangsu population.

Objective: To explore the effect of the transporter 1 associated with antigen processing (TAP1) gene 637 A/G polymorphism on the risk of metabolic syndrome(MS)., Methods: A case-control study was conducted on 138 based-community patients (68 males and 70 females, 61.31 +/- 11.00 years old) diagnosed as MS with 162 healthy subjects (74 males and 88 females, 48.73 +/- 11.66 years old) came from the same origin as cases. The allele polymorphisms TAP1 637 A/G was examined by the specificity restriction fragment length polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction(RFLP-PCR) method with genomic DNA. The effect of TAP1 637 A/G polymorphisms on MS were analyzed by multivariable unconditional logistic regression models., Results: The TAPI 637 A/G allele genotypes frequencies (83.3%, 16.7%) contribution in control group were consistent with the distribution predicted by Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (chi2 = 1.46, P > 0.05). TAP1 637 G allele genotypes frequencies (26.1%) of cases were significantly higher than controls (16.7%) with P = 0.005. There were significant differences of AA (58.0%), AG (31.9%) and GG (10.1%) genotypes in cases than controls, AA (68.5%). AG (29.6%) and GG (1.9%) for recessive model and addictive model after age was adjusted with P value as 0.006 and 0.044, but no significant differences for dominant model (P = 0. 298). Results from recessive model with OR = 6.62, 95% CI :1.73-25.31, Addictive model with OR = 1.56, 95% CI:1.01-2.41 and one-way ANOVA analysis showed that systolic blood pressure(SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) levels of GG genotype were significantly higher than AA or AG genotype (P < 0.05) whereas no significantly statistical differences for other clinical characteristics., Conclusion: The TAP1 637 allele A to G alteration or genotype AA to GG and AG to GG alterations could increase the risk of MS significantly, especially for SBP and DBP levels, and this positive association results might be helpful to support the biological role of TAP1 in MS but in need of larger sample size to provide more powerful evidences.

Objective: To compare the significance of the application in Jiangsu population using the diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome(MS) proposed by the IDF in 2005, ATP III in 2005 and CDS in 2004., Methods: Based on the populations in Jiangsu province from a project of Multiple Metabolic Disorders and MS, the study was conducted including 5888 cases, with data of plasma glucose, lipid profile, blood pressure, serum insulin etc. MS was diagnosed and compared according to these three definitions respectively., Results: The age-adjusted MS prevalence rates were 17.48%, 21.95% and 9.59% according to the IDF(2005), ATP III (2005) and CDS (2004) respectively. The agreement in the diagnosis of MS using ATP III (2005) and CDS(2004) definitions was 85.11%, and the agreement in the diagnosis of MS using IDF(2005) and CDS definitions was 87.35%. The agreement in the diagnosis of MS using IDF (2005) and ATP III (2005) definitions was 95.14%. The MS subjects diagnosed by the ATP III (2005) was 1.26 higher than subjects diagnosed by the IDF(2005) definition. The ratios of prevalence rates of high waist circumference(WC), MS&#95;IDF (2005) and MS&#95;ATP III (2005) was 2.17, 1.99 and 1.54 in sex ratio (woman to man)., Conclusion: The agreement in the diagnosis of MS using the IDF(2005) and ATP III (2005) definition was higher than using CDS(2004) and other two definitions. For diagnosing MS, the cut off of WC in IDF(2005) and ATP III (2005) seemed not appropriate and the diagnostic criteria used for ATP III (2005) (waist circumference of man 85 cm, woman 80 cm) could identify more MS.

Objective: To describe the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in Jiangsu province, using IDF 2005 and ATP III 2005 definition., Methods: Multistage cluster sampling method was used and the participants were interviewed by trained health workers under a structured questionnaire. The number of research subjects was 5888. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), blood lipids, body mass index, blood pressure (BP) of all sample population (5888 subjects) were measured., Results: The prevalence of MS was 17.48% by IDF 2005 definition and 21.95% by ATP lII 2005 definition. Women had higher prevalence than men (P < 0.01). The prevalence of MS increased with age. Abrupt increase of the prevalence started at age of 50 in women. The prevalence varied by education, marital status, occupation and income. People from the urban and the south had a higher prevalence than from the rural and from the northern part of the country. The most common combination of MS individual components were 1) central obesity, dislipidemia and high BP; 2) central obesity, dislipidemia, high BP and high FPG., Conclusion: The prevalence of MS was high in Jiangsu province. Clustering of MS components was common. It is necessary to discuss the cut-off points of central obesity for the waist circumference diagnostic criteria of MS in Chinese population. The importance of prevention of MS should be strengthened both by health professionals and the government.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) on metabolic health risks (MHR)., Methods: Based on data from two community populations (Suzhou city and Changshu city) derived from a project on 'multiple metabolic disorders and metabolic syndrome' in Jiangsu province. 1604 subjects were divided into groups as normal weight (BMI: 18-23.9), overweight (BMI: 24-27.9) and obesity (BMI > or = 28) according to BMI measurement. According to the results from WC measurement, they were grouped as abdominal obesity (male: > or = 85 cm; female: > or = 80 cm) and normal. Relative risks (RR) for hypertension, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia were calculated., Results: In males and females, the mark values of hypertension, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia as well as the prevalence of MS were related to BMI and WC. The relativity remained true when the confounding factors were under control. Among the overweight group, the aRR of all these metabolic health risks were basically lower than those when the overweight group and the abdominal obesity group were combined. Both in males and females, when groups combining normal weight with abdominal obesity group, the aRR of all these metabolic health risks were higher than overweight group combining with normal WC group in most of the cases., Conclusion: As to the effect of BMI and WC on metabolic health risks, WC--the mark of abdominal obesity seemed to be more effective than BMI.

Objectives: To explore the relationship between the XbaI and EcoRI locus polymorphisms of apolipoprotein B gene and gallstone disease., Methods: Restriction fragment length polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction (RFLP-PCR) technique was used to analyze the genotype of the ApoB gene in 106 patients and 105 controls, according to the design of case control study., Results: The frequencies of X+X- and X-X- of XbaI locus polymorphism were significantly different between the patients and controls and the frequency of X+ allele in the patients was significantly higher than that in the controls (0.104 vs 0.052). Meanwhile, the levels of LDLc and ApoB in the patients were significantly higher than those in the controls among the group of X+X- genotype. The frequencies of E+E- and E+E+ of EcoRI locus polymorphism were significantly different between the patients and controls and the frequency of E-allele in the patients was significantly higher than that the in controls, and the level of LDLc with E+E- genotype was higher than that with E+E+ genotype among the patients., Conclusion: ApoB gene X+ allele of XbaI locus and E-allele of EcoRI locus may be the susceptible genes for gallstone disease, and variation of X+ and E-alleles may affect serum lipid metabolism and formation of gallstone.