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Food oral processing (FOP) is a fast-emerging research area in the food science discipline. Since its first introduction about a decade ago, a large amount of literature has been published in this area, forming new frontiers and leading to new research opportunities. This review aims to summarize FOP research progress from current perspectives. Food texture, food flavor (aroma and taste), bolus swallowing, and eating behavior are covered in this review. The discussion of each topic is organized into three parts: a short background introduction, reflections on current research findings and achievements, and future directions and implications on food design. Physical, physiological, and psychological principles are the main concerns of discussion for each topic. The last part of the review shares views on the research challenges and outlooks of future FOP research. It is hoped that the review not only helps readers comprehend what has been achieved in the past decade but also, more importantly, identify where the knowledge gaps are and in which direction the FOP research will go.

Phenolic lipids have been approved as safe and effective antioxidants, and are a potential ingredient for functional foods. However, the characteristics of gastrointestinal distribution and microbial hydrolysis in the gastrointestinal tract (GI) are not clear. In this study, the above characteristics of tyrosol-myristic acid ester (T-C14:0), tyrosol-palmitic acid ester (T-C16:0) and tyrosol-stearic acid ester (T-C18:0) were estimated by an

The Stevens law, S = kIn, is commonly accepted as a landmark achievement in the field of sensory psychophysics and has been widely applied in food sensory research. The theory effectively links the two parameters of very different nature, the intensity of sensory perception (S) and the intensity of physical stimulus (I). However, the Stevens law suffers from two major drawbacks. The equation was self-inconsistent in terms of the units, which makes equation questionable in principle. The Stevens law was also found inapplicable when multiple physical stimuli are involved in the perception of a sensory attribute. To solve the first drawback, we propose to replace the absolute stimulation intensity in the Stevens law with a relative intensity, S = k(I/I0)n. The modified Stevens law becomes self-consistent when both sides of the equation are dimensionless and the theory is applicable regardless of the unit of the physical stimulus. To solve the second drawback, a concept of sensory derivation is introduced and so sensory properties can be categorized as primary sensory and derived sensory. The former can be described effectively by the Stevens law, while description of the latter is beyond the applicability of the Stevens law because of the involvement of multiple sensory stimuli or multi level sensory derivation. Furthermore, a sensory hierarch is constructed with sensory perception of different nature at different levels, including the primary sensory at the basic level and derived sensory perception at progressing levels. The modified Stevens law provides a self-consistent model for psychophysical analysis of sensory perception. The proposed sensory hierarchy helps to streamline sensory terms and attributes and may be used as a useful guide in establishing instrumental analysis of sensory perception.

Gastric cancer is a highly prevalent type of cancer among digestive system tumors. Early screening and intervention of gastric cancer can significantly improve the prognosis of patients. This paper aims to explore the driver genes associated with gastritis-gastric cancer progression and the therapeutic role of Chinese medicine based on bioinformatics analysis of microarray data. First, the microarray dataset GSE55696 of gastritis and gastric cancer was downloaded from the GEO database. The weighted gene co-expression network analysis was used to identify the gene modules associated with gastritis and gastric cancer. And the microarray dataset GSE130823 of gastritis and gastric cancer was downloaded for validation by differential gene analysis, and a total of 15 crossover genes were obtained. Second, the Kaplan-Meier plotter was used for survival analysis to determine the relationship between crossover genes and gastric cancer survival, resulting in CA1, CARNS1, CHAD, CLIC5, CXCL5, KRT6B, OSM, PEBP4, and RGL3 as biomarkers for the progression of chronic gastritis to early gastric cancer. Finally, the HERB database was used to search for compounds and herbs related to gastritis and gastric cancer progression, and to build a “target-compound-herb” network. And operating AutoDockTools 1.5.7 software for molecular docking of core components and core targets. Scopolamine alcohol, fraxetin, 6-aminopurine, citrulline and coumarin showed good docking activity with CA1, CARNS1, CXCL5, CHAD, and KRT6B. In conclusion, CA1, CARNS1, CHAD, CLIC5, CXCL5, KRT6B, OSM, PEBP4, and RGL3 may be used as biomarkers for the progression of chronic gastritis to early gastric cancer. Scopolamine, fraxetin, 6-aminopurine, citicoline, and coumarin may be novel agents against gastritis-gastric cancer progression.

Cancer has become one of the major causes of human death. Several anticancer drugs are available; howeve their use and efficacy are limited by the toxic side effects and drug resistance caused by their continuous application. Many natural products have antitumor effects with low toxicity and fewer adverse effects. Moreover, they play an important role in enhancing the cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic agents, reducing toxic side effects, and reversing chemoresistance. Consequently, natural drugs are being applied as potential therapeutic options in the field of antitumor treatment. As natural medicinal plants, some components of ginseng have been shown to have excellent efficacy and a good safety profile for cancer treatment. The pharmacological activities and possible mechanisms of action of ginseng have been identified. Its broad range of pharmacological activities includes antitumor, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-stress, anti-fibrotic, central nervous system modulating, cardioprotective, and immune-enhancing effects. Numerous studies have also shown that throuth multiple pathways, ginseng and its active ingredients exert antitumor effects on gastrointestinal (GI) tract tumors, such as esophageal, gastric, colorectal, liver, and pancreatic cancers. Herein, we introduced the main components of ginseng, including ginsenosides, polysaccharides, and sterols, etc., and reviewed the mechanism of action and research progress of ginseng in the treatment of various GI tumors. Futhermore, the pathways of action of the main components of ginseng are discussed in depth to promote the clinical development and application of ginseng in the field of anti-GI tumors.

Background. Tumor microenvironment (TME) takes a vital effect on the occurrence and development of cancer. Radix Rhei Et Rhizome (RRER, Da-Huang in pinyin), a classical Chinese herb, has been widely used in gastric cancer (GC) for many years in China. However, inadequate systematic studies have focused on the anti-GC effect of RRER in TME. This study intended to uncover the mechanism of it by network pharmacology. Methods. We collected compounds and targets of RRER from traditional Chinese medicine system pharmacology database and analysis platform (TCMSP) and SwissTargetPrediction. GC targets were obtained from GeneCards. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and RRER-GC-target network were built by STRING and Cytoscape 3.2.1. Furthermore, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis were performed using Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID). Results. We obtained 92 compounds of RRER. A total of 10 key compounds and 20 key targets were selected by “RRER-GC-target network” topological analysis. GO analysis showed that the biological process mainly involved in response to the tumor necrosis factor, positive regulation of fibroblast proliferation, and DNA damage response, signal transduction by p53 class mediator resulting in cell cycle arrest. Molecular functions included cyclin-dependent protein serine/threonine kinase activity, RNA polymerase II transcription factor activity, ligand-activated sequence-specific DNA binding, and transmembrane receptor protein tyrosine kinase activity. Cellular components mainly were centrosome, cell surface, and membrane. KEGG pathway enrichment results mainly involved in the p53 signaling pathway, estrogen signaling pathway, and regulation of lipolysis in adipocytes. Conclusion. This study explored the anti-GC mechanism of RRER from the perspective of TME based on network pharmacology, which contributed to the development and application of RRER.

BACKGROUND The human tongue is important in the oral processing of food and in sensory perception. Tongue topography could influence delicate differences in sensory perception. It is hypothesized that tongue surface roughness could alter oral lubrication status and affect perception of smoothness. Fifteen participants with varying levels of tongue surface roughness were recruited and tested. Participants' in situ oral lubrication status without and after consumption of fluid food (milk with varying fat content and maltodextrin solutions with different shear viscosities) was measured. Participants' smoothness sensory scores were also recorded. RESULTS The in situ friction coefficient (0.299-1.505) was significantly positively correlated with tongue-surface roughness (54.6-140.0 μm) in all types of test fluid samples across participants. Oral lubrication was significantly decreased when participants consumed the test fluid samples compared with no liquid food consumption, for all test fluid sample types (P

Electrolyzed oxidizing water (EOW) is one of the promising novel antimicrobial agents that have recently been proposed as the alternative to conventional decontamination methods such as heat and chemical sanitizers. Acidic EOW with pH ranging from 2 to 5 is regarded most applicable in the antimicrobial treatment of vegetables and meats. Neutral and alkaline electrolyzed water have also been explored in few studies for their applications in the food industry. Neutral electrolyzed water is proposed to solve the problems related to the storage and corrosion effect of acidic EOW. Recently, the research focus has been shifted toward the application of slightly acidic EOW as more effective with some supplemental physical and chemical treatment methods such as ultrasound and UV radiations. The different applications of electrolyzed water range from drinking water and wastewater to food, utensil, and hard surfaces. The recent studies also conclude that electrolyzed water is more effective in suspensions as compared with the food surfaces where longer retention times are required. The commercialization of EOW instruments is not adopted frequently in many countries due to the potential corrosion problems associated with acidic electrolyzed water. This review article summarizes the EOW types and possible mechanism of action as well as highlights the most recent research studies in the field of antimicrobial applications and cleaning. Electrolyzed water can replace conventional chemical decontamination methods in the industry and household. However, more research is needed to know its actual mechanism of antimicrobial action along with the primary concerns related to EOW in the processing of different food products.

Crack detection is one of the important contents of the nuclear fuel pellet quality inspection. Aiming at the problem of high crack false detection rate caused by low image contrast of nuclear fuel...

Introduction: Glucose and lipid metabolism disturbances has become the third major disease after cancer and cardio-cerebrovascular diseases. Emerging evidence shows that berberine can effectively intervene glucose and lipid metabolism disturbances, but the underlying mechanisms of this remain unclear. To investigate this issue, we performed metagenomic and metabolomic analysis in a group of normal mice (the NC group), mice with disturbances in glucose and lipid metabolism (the MC group) and mice with disturbances in glucose and lipid metabolism after berberine intervention (the BER group).Result: Firstly, analysis of the clinical indicators revealed that berberine significantly improved the blood glucose and blood lipid of the host. The fasting blood glucose level decreased by approximately 30% in the BER group after 8 weeks and the oral glucose tolerance test showed that the blood glucose level of the BER group was lower than that of the MC group at any time. Besides, berberine significantly reduced body weight, total plasma cholesterol and triglyceride. Secondly, compared to the NC group, we found dramatically decreased microbial richness and diversity in the MC group and BER group. Thirdly, LDA effect size suggested that berberine significantly altered the overall gut microbiota structure and enriched many bacteria, including Akkermansia (p < 0.01), Eubacterium (p < 0.01) and Ruminococcus (p < 0.01). Fourthly, the metabolomic analysis suggested that there were significant differences in the metabolomics signature of each group. For example, isoleucine (p < 0.01), phenylalanine (p < 0.05), and arbutin (p < 0.05) significantly increased in the MC group, and berberine intervention significantly reduced them. The arbutin content in the BER group was even lower than that in the NC group. Fifthly, by combined analysis of metagenomics and metabolomics, we observed that there were significantly negative correlations between the reduced faecal metabolites (e.g., arbutin) in the BER group and the enriched gut microbiota (e.g., Eubacterium and Ruminococcus) (p < 0.05). Finally, the correlation analysis between gut microbiota and clinical indices indicated that the bacteria (e.g., Eubacterium) enriched in the BER group were negatively associated with the above-mentioned clinical indices (p < 0.05).Conclusion: Overall, our results describe that the changes of gut microbiota and metabolites are associated with berberine improving glucose and lipid metabolism disturbances.

The vascular iliac myofascial flap is a compound flap with the deep circumflex iliac artery (DCIA) as the vascular pedicle, carrying the iliac bone and parts of the internal oblique, external oblique and muscle-fascial tissue that cover the surface of the iliac crest and inside the iliac bone. The aim of this study was to advocate a feasible surgical strategy for maxillofacial surgeons through our review of clinical applications and to improve the quality of life of patients after the operation. In recent years, Stomatology Hospital of Wuhan University has performed dozens of vascularized iliac myofascial flaps, not only to repair jaw defects but also to complete the repair of intraoral soft tissue defects. 20 patients were followed up. These patients with jaw tumors who received a vascular iliac myofascial flap to repair compound defects of the jaw from 2018 to 2020. The Quality of Life Questionnaire-Head and Neck Cancer-37 (QLQ-HN37) was used to evaluate their speech function (Z=-0.061, P0.05) and postoperative aesthetics (Z=-2.824, P0.05). All patients obtained good surgical results and satisfaction in terms of aesthetics and function. The successful reconstruction of these cases prove that the vascularized iliac composite flap with myofascial tissue is a reliable flap for the reconstruction of maxillofacial defects.

WO3 has a great potential in the field of optoelectronics. Herein, sub-stoichiometric WO3-x thin film is prepared and WO3-x/Si n-n homotype heterojunction with pronounced rectifying behavior is constructed. Moreover, the heterojunction exhibits excellent photodetection characteristics, including a large responsivity of 72.8 A/W, a high specific detectivity of 3.96 × 1011 Jones and fast response times of 5.8 μs/1.27 ms. The mechanism of photoinduced charge separation and transfer in the WO3-x/Si n-n homotype heterojunction is analyzed by Kelivn probe force microscopy. These results suggest that the WO3-x/Si n-n homotype heterojunction is of excellent performance in the field of optoelectronic application.

This paper reports an experimental study on the damage evaluation of quartz woven fabrics during needle punching process under different needle punching densities. The straight fiber bundles begin appearing in Z direction at 50 punches · cm−2 and the “U-shaped” fiber bundles begin being observed at 210 punches · cm−2. The retention ratio of mean breaking force (RRMF) of the needle-punched quarts woven fabrics in warp direction decreases from 100% to 49.4% with an increase in needle punching density from 0 to 10 punches · cm−2, and that in weft direction decreases from 100% to 50.21% with the same increments in needle punching density, but the RRMF in warp direction decreases from 49.4% to 0.35% when the needle punching density increases from 10 to 245 punches · cm−2 and that in weft direction decreases from 50.21% to 0.19% with the same increments in needle punching density; obviously, the initial needle punching density increments (0 to 10 punches · cm−2) seem to have weakened tensile property more significantly compared with needle punching density increments from 10 to 245 punches · cm−2. The retention ratios in warp and weft directions are 0.61% and 0.34%, respectively, at 210 punches · cm−2, which are roughly equal with those at 245 punches · cm−2. Therefore, it could be concluded that the tensile property has reached the minimized at 245 punches · cm−2. In addition, there is an obvious paired similarity existing in the macro damage morphologies, the load–displacement curve trend at the adjacent needle punching density from 70 to 245 punches · cm−2 in 35 punches · cm−2 increments, also such similarity exists when the needle punching density is at 10 to 60 punches · cm−2.

The serine/threonine kinase Akt, also known as protein kinase B (PKB), is one of the key factors regulating glucose and lipid energy metabolism, and is the core focus of current research on diabetes and metabolic diseases. Akt is mostly expressed in key metabolism-related organs and it is activated in response to various stimuli, including cell stress, cell movement, and various hormones and drugs that affect cell metabolism. Genetic and pharmacological studies have shown that Akt is necessary to maintain the steady state of glucose and lipid metabolism and a variety of cellular responses. Existing evidence shows that metabolic syndrome is related to insulin resistance and lipid metabolism disorders. Based on a large number of studies on Akt-related pathways and reactions, we believe that Akt can be used as a potential drug target to effectively treat metabolic syndrome.

BackgroundCurrently, gastric cancer (GC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) are the most common causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Gut microbiota is closely related to the occurrence of GC and CRC and the efficacy of chemotherapy. This study is aimed at evaluating the efficacy and safety of herbal formulas with the function of gut microbiota regulation (HFGMR) in the treatment of GC and CRC and to assess the quality of the synthesized evidence.MethodsA comprehensive search was performed on eight electronic databases, PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, Web of Science, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang database, Chinese Scientific Journals Database, and two registries, Chinese Clinical Trial Registry and ClinicalTrials.gov, from their initiation to January 2022. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) studying the therapeutic effects of HFGMR were included. We used Stata 16 for data synthesis and Risk of Bias 2 (RoB 2) for methodological quality evaluation and assessed the quality of the synthesized evidence in the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach.ResultsFifty-three RCTs involving 4,478 patients were included. These trials involve seven herbal formulas that could regulate the gut microbiota of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Escherichia coli, Bacteroides, and Enterococcus faecalis. The meta-analysis results were subgrouped to three different stages in GC and CRC. 1) For the perioperative stage, HFGMR combined with conventional therapy could shorten the time to bowel sound recovery by 1.63 h [mean difference (MD) = −1.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) (−2.62, −0.65)], the time to first flatus by 9.69 h [MD = −9.69, 95% CI (−10.89, −8.48)], and the duration of hospitalization by 2.91 days [MD = −2.91, 95% CI (−4.01, −1.80)] in GC. There were no significant differences in outcomes of gastrointestinal function recovery and adverse events in CRC. 2) For postoperative patients, combined with adjuvant chemotherapy, HFGMR could decrease the incidence of diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, anorexia, and peripheral neurotoxicity in GC; boost Karnofsky performance status (KPS) improvement rate [risk ratio (RR) = 1.96, 95% CI (1.38, 2.79)]; and decrease the incidence of leucopenia and nausea and vomiting in CRC. 3) For advanced stage, HFGMR can significantly improve the objective response rate (ORR) [RR = 1.35, 95% CI (1.19~1.53)], disease control rate (DCR) [RR = 1.14, 95% CI (1.05~1.23)], and KPS improvement rate [RR = 1.56, 95% CI (1.17, 2.09)] and decrease the incidence of leucopenia, neutropenia, anemia, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, and fatigue in GC. There were no significant differences in ORR [RR = 1.32, 95% CI (0.94~1.86)] and DCR [RR = 1.22, 95% CI (0.99~1.50)], but they can improve the KPS response rate [RR = 1.62, 95% CI (1.13, 2.32)] and decrease the incidence of myelosuppression, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, and hepatic and renal dysfunction in CRC.ConclusionThis study indicates that herbal formulas that could regulate the composition and proportion of gut microbiota have a positive effect in three stages (perioperative, postoperative, and advanced) of GC and CRC. They could promote the recovery of postoperative gastrointestinal function, increase tumor response, improve performance status, and reduce the incidence of adverse events. Herbal formulas exerted anti-cancer efficacy through multiple mechanisms and pathways; among them, the regulation of gut microbiota has not been paid enough attention. To further support the conclusion and better understand the role of gut microbiota in the treatment of GC and CRC, more rigorously designed, large-scale, and multicenter RCTs that focus on herbal formulas and gut microbiota are needed in the future.

The role of saliva in oral health and the diagnosis of disease has been widely recognized, but the interactions between saliva and diet have received less attention. We review the properties and functions of saliva, as well as the role of saliva in the perception of taste and texture. The salivary secretion mechanism and the physical and chemical characteristics of saliva and its main components are described in detail. We also introduce how saliva participates in the formation of a food bolus and its influence on the perception of food texture in the oral cavity. The interactions between saliva and food components as they affect taste are also discussed.

Phenolipids, which have been widely used as food antioxidants, are also a potential functional ingredient. However, their characteristics of gastrointestinal distribution and microbial hydrolysis remain unexplored. In this study, an

The aim of the present study was to investigate the in vitro antioxidant potential of Bacillus coagulans T242. B. coagulans T242 showed better antioxidant activities, including the 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) free radical scavenging ability, lipid peroxidation inhibiting ability and reducing ability, than those exerted by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG). B. coagulans T242 positively regulated the expression of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-relatedfactor 2/Kelch-like ECH-associated protein-1 (Nrf2/Keap1) pathway-related proteins (Nrf2, Keap1, heine oxygenase-1 (HO-1)); increased antioxidant enzymes (glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD)); reduced the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) level; decreased the expression of inflammatory-related cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α); and thus increased the survival rate in 2,2'-azobis (2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride (AAPH)-damaged HT-29 cells. This study proved that B. coagulans T242 exerted antioxidative effects by quenching oxygen free radicals and activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway in HT-29 cells.

Kanglaite injection (KLTi), a Chinese herbal medicine, is used as an adjuvant treatment for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).To provide an evidence-based endorsement for the clinical application and selection of KLTi by evaluating the reporting quality, methodological quality, risk of bias, and evidence quality of systemic reviews (SRs).SRs of KLTi adjuvant therapy of NSCLC were searched by using 12 databases, consulting experts, and retrieving relevant conference papers until 2022.03.24. The treatment group received KLTi in combination with other therapies, regardless of dosage, duration, or the therapy combined. Network meta-analyses and SRs using repeated data were excluded. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines 2009, A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews, Risk of Bias in Systematic Review, and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation were used to assess the quality of reports, methodological quality, risk of bias, and level of evidence; R was used for visual analysis of the relevant contents.Twenty SRs (13 Chinese and 7 English articles), all authored by Chinese authors as the first author, were included. The reporting information of most included studies was relatively complete (21-27 points), accounting for three-fourths of the total literature. The quality of the methods used in all studies was critically low. The risk of bias was mostly high. Results of the evidence summary showed that among the "moderate" evidence, KLTi combined with chemotherapy had benefits of 9.7-16.4% for objective response rate (ORR) (11 SRs), 8.1-14% for disease control rate (four SRs), and 20.1-28.6% for quality of life (12 SRs) compared with those of chemotherapy alone. The incidence of gastrointestinal symptoms (five SRs) was reduced by 11.5%-23.2%, while that of leukopenia (four SRs) improved by 19.5-29.2%. Combined radiotherapy and targeted therapy had benefits of 25.9% and 16.8%, respectively, in ORR and 31.3% and 22.8%, respectively, in quality of life (the quality of evidence was "low"). The results depicted that treatment with two courses of KLTi produce the best results.Our results suggest that KLTi, whether combined with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or targeted therapy, has an effect on ORR and quality of life and induces adverse reactions, such as leukopenia, nausea, and vomiting. It may improve patient survival; however, the impact of its low-grade quality on the immune function remains undetermined. Owing to the low reporting quality and methodological quality and high risk of bias of the SRs and the included studies, clinical application of KLTi remains unelucidated; higher-quality SRs and randomized controlled trials are necessary in the future.

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common digestive tract cancers and ranks fifth in the incidence of malignant tumors worldwide. Brucea javanica oil emulsion injection (BJOEI), a Chinese patent medicine extracted from Brucea javanica (Yadanzi in Chinese Pinyin), is widely used as an adjuvant treatment for GC in China. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the available data on the efficacy and safety of BJOEI in the treatment of GC and assess the quality of the synthesized evidence.Methods: A comprehensive search was performed on PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, Web of Science, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang database and Chinese Scientific Journals Database (VIP database), and other potential resources, such as the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) and ClinicalTrials.gov from their inception to July 31, 2021. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the therapeutic effects of BJOEI combined with conventional therapy to those of conventional therapy alone were included. We used RevMan 5.3 for data analysis and quality evaluation of the included studies and assessed the evidence quality based on the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria.Results: Eighteen RCTs involving 1,210 patients were included, and the meta-analysis results demonstrated that compared with the control group (conventional therapy), the experimental group (BJOEI combined with conventional therapy) showed a significantly improved overall response rate (ORR) (risk ratio [RR] = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.36–1.69, P < 0.00001), clinical benefit rate (CBR) (RR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.11–1.23, P < 0.00001), performance status (RR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.46–2.01, P < 0.00001), and reduced incidence of the following adverse drug reactions (ADRs): neutropenia, leukopenia, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, liver damage, hand-foot syndrome, and peripheral sensory nerve toxicity. Subgroup analysis showed that the BJOEI intervention could significantly improve the ORR and CBR in patients with GC when combined with FOLFOX4, XELOX, and other chemotherapeutics.Conclusion: The evidence presented in this study supports the fact that BJOEI combined with conventional chemotherapy provides a statistically significant and clinically important effect in the improvement of ORR, CBR, performance status, and ADR reduction in patients with GC. To further support this conclusion, more rigorously designed, large-scale, and multicenter RCTs are needed in the future.

Phenolipids such as alkyl gallates (A-GAs) have been approved by food industry as non-toxic antioxidant additives. However, their digestion and absorption mechanisms in the intestine have not yet been clarified. In this research, the hydrolysis and transport characteristics of A-GAs with fatty alcohols of various chain lengths (C1:0, C2:0, C3:0, C4:0, C8:0, C12:0 and C16:0) were estimated by the everted-rat-gut-sac model (ERGSM) for the first time. High-performance liquid chromatography measurements proved that measurable peaks corresponding to methyl gallate (G-C1:0), ethyl gallate (G-C2:0), propyl gallate (G-C3:0) and butyl gallate (G-C4:0) were discovered in the serosal fluids, which showed the short-chain alkyl gallates can cross the membrane in the form of esters. Besides, all A-GAs were hydrolyzed to GA in the mucosal solution, which contributed evidently to the transport of GA across the membrane of the small intestine. Meanwhile, the hydrolysis rate of A-GAs and transport rate of GA initially increased and then decreased with the chain length, exhibiting a maximum for octyl gallate (G-C8:0). In general, all A-GAs have the behavior of sustained-release. In consequence, the production of A-GAs should be an effective method to extend action time and further increases biological activities of GA.

Background Epigenetic reprogramming is involved in multiple steps of human cancer evolution and is mediated by a variety of chromatin-modifying enzymes. Specifically, the histone lysine methyltransferase KMT2D is among the most frequently mutated genes in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, the mechanisms by which KMT2D affects the development of OSCC remain unclear. Results In the present study, we found that the expression of KMT2D was elevated in OSCC compared to paracancerous specimens and was correlated with a more advanced tumor grade. More importantly, knockdown of KMT2D impaired their reconstitution in patient-derived organoids and decreased the expression of CD133 and β-catenin in OSCC cells. In in vitro and in vivo models, knockdown of KMT2D reduced the colony formation, migration and invasion abilities of OSCC cells and delayed tumor growth. Mechanistically, the dual-luciferase reporter and co-immunoprecipitation assays in two individual OSCC cell lines indicated that KMT2D may cooperate with MEF2A to promote the transcription activity of CTNNB1, thereby enhancing WNT signaling. Conclusion The upregulation of KMT2D contributes to stem-like properties in OSCC cells by sustaining the MEF2A-mediated transcriptional activity of CTNNB1.

With the development of Chinese overseas direct investment (ODI) in green ports, a series of conflicts and contradictions among the participating parties have emerged, which in turn affect and hinder the process of project construction. This paper analyzes the current situation of Chinese ODI in green ports, constructs a cooperative game model between Chinese port investment enterprises and the host government with introduces the effort level, and selects three actual green port projects for calculation and analysis to show that Chinese ODI in green ports can bring economic and environmental benefits to both parties. It is found that the expected revenues and effort levels of both the Chinese port enterprises and the host government are positively correlated with each other’s effort levels, and there exists an optimal effort level and an optimal investment amount of the Chinese port enterprises to maximize the benefits obtained by both parties in the green port project. At the same time, the cases studied find that the benefits obtained by the host government are higher; Therefore, Chinese port investment enterprises can promote green ports projects by finding their own optimal effort level. Additionally, active cooperation is the optimal choice of the host government.

Phenolipids such as alkyl gallates (A-GAs) have been approved by the food industry as non-toxic antioxidant additives, which are also regarded as an emerging source of functional food ingredients. However, comprehensive understanding of their digestive absorption is needed. Thus, the models of live mice and anaerobic fermentation were used to clarify the distribution and microbial hydrolysis characteristics of A-GAs in the gastrointestinal tract. HPLC-UV results demonstrated that A-GAs could be hydrolyzed by intestinal lipases and gut microorganisms including Lactobacillus to produce free gallic acid (GA). Through regulating the chain length of the lipid part in A-GAs, the sustained and controllable release of the GA can be easily achieved. Furthermore, A-GAs were also able to reach the colon and the cecum, which would lead to potential gastrointestinal protective effects. Therefore, A-GAs may be applied as possible ingredient for functional foods.

IntroductionMetformin (MET) can regulate glucose and lipid levels, and the gut microbiota may be involved in the control of metabolism. We hypothesized that MET alleviates glucolipid metabolism disorder by modulating gut microbiota and microbial metabolites.Research design and methodsA total of 24 male C57BL/6 J mice were equally divided into three groups (normal control, model control (MC), and MET-treated groups). Model mice were established by feeding a high-fat diet for 6 weeks. The MET-treated group was administered MET solution (2.5 g/100 mL, 250 mg/kg). Fecal samples were collected to characterize the microbiota system using metagenomic shotgun sequencing and gas chromatography–time of flight–mass spectrometry analysis. Phenotypic and biochemical indices were obtained for further correlation analysis.ResultsCompared with the MC group, MET reduced the levels of weight, glucose, areas under the glucose curve in the glucose tolerance test, triglyceride (TG), and total cholesterol (TC). A decreasing abundance of bacteria, includingParabacteroides distasonis, and an increasing abundance of bacteria, includingBacteroides vulgatus, were observed in the MET-treated group. The 2-deoxytetronic acid declined after MET intervention and was positively correlated with species over-represented in the MC group and negatively correlated with species enriched in the MET-treated group. Additionally, species enriched in the MET-treated group negatively correlated with glucose, areas under the glucose curve in the glucose tolerance test, and TGs. Further, the correlation between the differential metabolites, which decreased after MET intervention, and the phenotypic indices was positive.ConclusionsMET-induced restoration of intestinal homeostasis correlates with the amelioration of host glucolipid metabolism.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) therapy is unsatisfactory, and the prevalence of the disease is increasing. The role of mitochondria in OSCC therapy has recently attracted increasing attention, however, many mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, we elaborate upon relative studies in this review to achieve a better therapeutic effect of OSCC treatment in the future. Interestingly, we found that mitochondria not only contribute to OSCC therapy but also promote resistance, and targeting the mitochondria of OSCC via nanoparticles is a promising way to treat OSCC.

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common digestive tract cancers and ranks fifth in the incidence of malignant tumors worldwide. Brucea javanica oil emulsion injection (BJOEI), a Chinese patent medicine extracted from Brucea javanica (Yadanzi in Chinese Pinyin), is widely used as an adjuvant treatment for GC in China. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the available data on the efficacy and safety of BJOEI in the treatment of GC and assess the quality of the synthesized evidence. Methods: A comprehensive search was performed on PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, Web of Science, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang database and Chinese Scientific Journals Database (VIP database), and other potential resources, such as the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) and ClinicalTrials.gov from their inception to July 31, 2021. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the therapeutic effects of BJOEI combined with conventional therapy to those of conventional therapy alone were included. We used RevMan 5.3 for data analysis and quality evaluation of the included studies and assessed the evidence quality based on the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria. Results: Eighteen RCTs involving 1,210 patients were included, and the meta-analysis results demonstrated that compared with the control group (conventional therapy), the experimental group (BJOEI combined with conventional therapy) showed a significantly improved overall response rate (ORR) (risk ratio [RR] = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.36–1.69, P < 0.00001), clinical benefit rate (CBR) (RR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.11–1.23, P < 0.00001), performance status (RR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.46–2.01, P < 0.00001), and reduced incidence of the following adverse drug reactions (ADRs): neutropenia, leukopenia, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, liver damage, hand-foot syndrome, and peripheral sensory nerve toxicity. Subgroup analysis showed that the BJOEI intervention could significantly improve the ORR and CBR in patients with GC when combined with FOLFOX4, XELOX, and other chemotherapeutics. Conclusion: The evidence presented in this study supports the fact that BJOEI combined with conventional chemotherapy provides a statistically significant and clinically important effect in the improvement of ORR, CBR, performance status, and ADR reduction in patients with GC. To further support this conclusion, more rigorously designed, large-scale, and multicenter RCTs are needed in the future.

Lactylation is a new modification discovered on histones. However, whether it can be installed on non-histone proteins remains unclear. Here we report the formation of a signature cyclic immonium ion of lactyllysine, together with the characteristically changed chromatographic behavior, enabling confident protein lactylation assignment by mass spectrometry. This identification strategy was confirmed by affinity-enriched lactylation proteome and revealed lactylation on nuclear non-histone proteins such as nucleolin. Subsequent exploitation of the approach to mining unenriched, deep proteome resources unveiled an understudied lactylation landscape. From the draft map of the Human Proteome, we identified widespread lactylation on DHRS7 among human tissues, and demonstrated site-directed mutagenesis of the lactylated site affects previously unannotated proteinaceous association. Additionally, the Meltome Atlas showed lactylation frequently occurs on glycolytic enzymes and concomitantly induces thermal stability changes on carrier enzymes. Collectively, the identified signatures of protein lactylation enable confident assignment and allow for the discovery of lactylation proteome expanding beyond histones, representing a step to further understand how lactylation governs cells.

OBJECTIVE Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are abundantly infiltrated in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), but the contact-dependent mechanisms that regulate CAFs phenotype in precursor cells, such as paracancerous fibroblasts (PFs), remain unclear. Here, a fibroblast-attached organoid (FAO) model was initiated to determine phenotype transition of fibroblasts triggered by contact with OSCC. MATERIAL AND METHODS Organoids and fibroblasts were generated using OSCC and adjacent tissues. Cell-clusters containing fibroblasts and tumour cells were aggregated to allow for FAOs expansion. Immunoblotting assay was performed to compare expression of Notch intracellular domain (NICD) in CAFs and PFs. Colony formation assay was employed to evaluate morphological activation of fibroblasts. RESULTS Compared to traditional 3D co-culture, FAOs better modulated the spatial distribution of fibroblasts with tumour nests. The presence of CAFs with multiple branches was stably observed in FAOs during serial passage. Incorporation with organoids promoted the ability of PFs to form multiple branches. Immunoblotting assay confirmed higher NICD level in CAFs than PFs. Treatment with Notch inhibitor, N-[N-(3, 5-difluorophenacetyl)-l-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t-butyl ester (i.e. DAPT) blocked morphological activation of fibroblasts incorporated into FAO. CONCLUSION We developed a robust strategy to study contact-dependent mechanisms underlying tumour-stromal interaction, and suggested that Notch activity contributes to biogenesis of OSCC-associated fibroblasts.

Lactylation was initially discovered on human histones. Given its nascence, its occurrence on nonhistone proteins and downstream functional consequences remain elusive. Here we report a cyclic immonium ion of lactyllysine formed during tandem mass spectrometry that enables confident protein lactylation assignment. We validated the sensitivity and specificity of this ion for lactylation through affinity-enriched lactylproteome analysis and large-scale informatic assessment of nonlactylated spectral libraries. With this diagnostic ion-based strategy, we confidently determined new lactylation, unveiling a wide landscape beyond histones from not only the enriched lactylproteome but also existing unenriched human proteome resources. Specifically, by mining the public human Meltome Atlas, we found that lactylation is common on glycolytic enzymes and conserved on ALDOA. We also discovered prevalent lactylation on DHRS7 in the draft of the human tissue proteome. We partially demonstrated the functional importance of lactylation: site-specific engineering of lactylation into ALDOA caused enzyme inhibition, suggesting a lactylation-dependent feedback loop in glycolysis.