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Drug-related problems (DRPs) are common among surgical patients, especially older patients with polypharmacy and underlying diseases. DRPs can potentially lead to morbidity, mortality, and increased treatment costs. The enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) system has shown great advantages in managing surgical patients. Medication therapy management for surgical patients (established as "surgical pharmacy" by Guangdong Province Pharmaceutical Association (GDPA)) is an important part of the ERAS system. Improper medication therapy management can lead to serious consequences and even death. In order to reduce DRPs further, and promote the rapid recovery of surgical patients, the need for pharmacists in the ERAS program is even more pressing. However, the medication therapy management services of surgical pharmacy and how surgical pharmacists should participate in ERAS programs are still unclear worldwide. Therefore, this article reviews the main perioperative medical management strategies and precautions from several aspects, including antimicrobial agents, antithrombotic agents, pain medication, nutritional therapy, blood glucose monitoring, blood pressure treatment, fluid management, treatment of nausea and vomiting, and management of postoperative delirium. Additionally, the way surgical pharmacists participate in perioperative medication management, and the relevant medication pathways are explored for optimizing medication therapy management services within the ERAS programs. This study will greatly assist surgical pharmacists' work, contributing to surgeons accepting that pharmacists have an important role in the multidisciplinary team, benefitting medical workers in treating, counseling, and advocating for their patients, and further improving the effectiveness, safety and economy of medication therapy for patients and promoting patient recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The extracted melanin from Sepiaesculenta was characterised by physicochemical properties and biological activities. The yields of melanin were 87.1%, 69.9%, and 62.5% by water extraction, enzymolysis and acidolysis, respectively. The ink melanin contained a characteristic indole structure with irregular spherical structures. Water extraction showed a positive effect on preserving the complete structure of melanin particles based on component analysis, whereas enzymes and acids had destructive effect. Water extraction melanin (WM) exhibited a certain thermal stability and light resistance. WM performed in radical scavenging in a dose‐dependent manner. The IC50 of WM for DPPH and ABTS was 99.8 and 104.2 μg mL−1, respectively. WM protected kojic acid and ascorbic acid from light radiation. As the exposure time to light radiation prolonged, the stability of kojic acid and ascorbic acid was preserved. It indicated that melanin might be potentially used as an antioxidant and photo‐protectant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mannose treatment significantly attenuated DSS-induced intestinal barrier damage. • The AMPK pathway was responsible for the mannose-mediated protective effect in DSS-induced intestinal epithelial damage. • AMPK-AXIN pathway is involved in the mannose-mediated protection of tight junction. Mannose is a unique natural sugar that can be found in a variety of fruits and vegetables. During the past decades, mannose has been reported to be effective in promoting immune tolerance and suppressing inflammatory diseases. Metabolic dysfunction and altered inflammation have clear implications for the development and progression of inflammatory diseases. Herein, we intended to reveal the molecular mechanism of mannose in protecting against intestinal epithelial damage in experimental colitis. We showed that mannose treatment significantly attenuated dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced intestinal barrier damage. The AMPK pathway was responsible for the mannose-mediated protective effect in DSS-induced intestinal epithelial damage. Mechanistically, mannose promoted the axis inhibition protein (AXIN)-based AMPK activation, thereby preventing mitochondrial dysfunction and tight junction disruption in response to the DSS challenge. Cumulatively, the results indicate the use of mannose as a novel approach to treat IBD and other diseases involving tight junction dysfunction. The therapeutic effect of mannose is related to its regulatory function in AMPK pathway activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stance-taking in academic writing changes over time in response to individual options and shifting disciplinary, social and cultural practices. The existing literature on stance primarily adopts a synchronic perspective and diachronic studies are scarce. To add to the thin body of literature, this study investigates the changing patterns of authorial stance in the part of discussion of Chinese MA theses and published research articles (RA) over the past 30 years in the discipline of applied linguistics. Two corpora, one consisting of 90 thesis discussions written in English by Chinese MA students from 1991 to 2020, and the other comprising 90 RA discussions from three leading journals in the field from the same time period, were built and retrieved for four major stance resources, namely, hedges, boosters, attitude markers, and self-mentions according to Hyland's (2005b) stance model. Results reveal that Chinese students consistently used fewer stance markers than RA writers across the three decades. The two groups of writers' employment of the four stance resources also displayed distinct changing patterns over the years. The study also unveils problematic demonstration of authorial stance by Chinese students, thus emphasizing the need for explicit instruction on stance-taking in L2 English academic writing. • Chinese MA students employed fewer stance markers than RA expert writers over the past 30 years. • Chinese students' use of stance markers dropped notably while RA writers' remained little changed. • Two groups' use of hedges, boosters, self-mention, and attitude markers showed distinct patterns. • The preferred forms of the four stance resources varied across time for the two groups. • The problematic use of stance markers by Chinese student writers calls for explicit instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the analysis of the mechanism of freezing and dehydration of aquatic products, the relevant literatures on the development and application of salt water-retaining agents, sugar water-retaining agents, and protein gel water-retaining agents were combed. It was pointed out that excessive addition would worsen the flavor of aquatic products, although salt water-retaining agents had better performance. Sugar-based water-retaining agents and protein gel-based water-retaining agents were natural, green and safe, but the water-retaining properties alone were weak and costly. In view of this, through the use of natural ingredients such as polysaccharides and oligosaccharides, the production cost of sugar water-retaining agents was reduced, or sugar water-retaining agents and protein gel water-retaining agents were used as the main raw materials to mix with phosphorus-free salts. The synergistic effect of the composite water-retaining agent to enhance the water-retaining will effect and reduce the application cost can become future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A synergetic signal amplification electrochemical sensor for BPA was developed. • MWCNT was used as a support material to improve the electron transport. • MWCNT-PDDA-AuPd showed enhanced electrocatalytic performance. • The synergetic of the catalysis and accumulation of the MWCNT-PDDA-AuPd endow the good performance of the sensor. • The lower AuPd loading and the good performance of the sensor shows great prospect in sensing. A sensitive electrochemical sensor for BPA based on the AuPd incorporated carboxylic multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) with synergetic amplified current signal was developed, where MWCNT was used as supporter to improve electron transport and poly (diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) was used as dispersant for MWCNT and overcome the intrinsic van der Waals interactions between MWCNT and further increase metal NPs loading. The prepared MWCNT-PDDA-AuPd showed enhanced electrocatalytic performance toward BPA, which is better than those of homologous monometallic counterparts and MWCNT-PDDA though the content of AuPd is really low. The peak currents of BPA increased with BPA concentration in linear range of 0.18–18 μM and the detection limit of 60 nM. The sensor showed high sensitivity, good stability, repeatability and can be used to detect BPA in milk and water samples with good performance, which demonstrate that MWCNTs-PDDA-AuPd nanocomposite may be an attractive material in applications of environmental and food analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on a study aimed at simultaneously achieving high strength, high electrical conductivity and high thermal stability in bulk nanocrystalline (NC) Cu-NbC nanocomposites. We describe an approach that involves adding NbC nanoparticles (∼7 nm) into a nanocrystalline Cu matrix (∼96 nm) via in-situ formation during sintering of high energy mechanically milled powder into a compact. Our results show that the presence of thermally stable NbC nanoparticles in the bulk NC Cu-NbC nanocomposite contributes to a high tensile strength (868 MPa) in combination with a thermally stable nanocrystalline Cu matrix, and a high electrical conductivity of ∼56% IACS (International Annealed Copper Standard). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A combination of high tensile strength of 900 MPa and a good electrical conductivity of 50% International Annealed Copper Standard (IACS) was achieved in a nanocrystalline Cu-0.1 wt%Al (grain size: 96 nm) matrix composite reinforced with 6.4 vol% NbC nanoparticles (6.5 nm). The composite was produced by combining high energy mechanical milling (HEMM), sintering and powder compact extrusion. The composite was highly thermally stable that a higher electrical conductivity of 57% IACS was achieved, while maintaining a high tensile strength of 722 MPa and good ductility after annealing at 1000 °C for 5 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flower-like Co 3 O 4 /graphitic carbon nitride (Co 3 O 4 /g-C 3 N 4 ) nanocomposite was successfully synthesized via a facile one-pot hydrothermal method. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were employed to characterize the as-synthesized sensing material. The as-prepared Co 3 O 4 containing 2% mass fraction of g-C 3 N 4 nanocomposite modified glassy carbon electrode shows excellent electrochemical performance towards the oxidation of hydrazine by means of cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. At the scan rate range from 20 to 300 mV s −1 in 2 M NaOH electrolyte, the anodic and cathodic peak currents were linear relationship with scan rates and shows that the electrochemical process was controlled by diffuse. Under the optimum conditions, the anodic current response is proportional to the hydrazine concentration ranges of 5 μM–1000 μM with the calibration equation I pa (μA) = -874.3C-12.44 (mM) and coefficient 0.9971 at 0.50 V as applied potential. The detection limit was down to 1 μM at the signal-to-noise ratio of 3 and sensitivity high to 874.3 μA mM −1 . Furthermore, the results also demonstrated that the sensor has good selectively, appreciable stability, repeatability and reproducibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on an investigation of the in-situ formation of NbC nanoparticles in a Cu nanocrystalline matrix, paying particular attention to the role played by NbC on stabilizing and strengthening the matrix. The material was prepared by milling a Cu-5wt%Nb powder mixture with 1 wt% stearic acid for 36 h, followed by annealing of the milled powder at temperatures ranging from 400 to 1000 °C. Our results show that the NbC nucleates at an approximate temperature of 700 °C and that the associated enthalpy of formation and activation energy of NbC are approximately −0.8 kJ/mol and +312 kJ/mol, respectively. Moreover, the initial size of NbC particles formed at 700 °C was 8 nm, and showed limited coarsening (to 21 nm) even when annealed at 1000 °C for 1 h. With the presence of NbC, dislocation annihilation was impaired and grain boundary mobility was hindered, resulting in a dislocation density as high as 10 14 m −2 following annealing at 1000 °C, and a grain size of 96 nm after annealing at 900 °C. The high thermal stability of NbC nanoparticles and the Cu matrix lead to appreciable strengthening of the composite powders as evidenced by a microhardness increase from 2128 MPa for the as-milled powder to 2665 MPa for the powder annealed at 700 °C for 1 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Melanin from Sepiapharaonis significantly reduced the depression-anxiety behaviors. • Melanin inhibited NF-κB and NLRP3/ACS/Caspase-1 inflammasome. • Melanin mediated abnormal expression of inflammatory cytokines. • Melanin significantly decreased the activation state of microglia. • Melanin down-regulated oxidative stress levels in the neuroinflammation. The effects of intestinal inflammation on the brain and behavior have received a lot of attention. Melanin (MSI) from Sepiapharaonis ink as an emerging functional food, it exhibited a significant protective effect on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) induced colitis in previous study. In present study, C57BL/6J mice were free to drink 2.5% DSS solution to establish the colitis model. During the DSS treatment, mice were orally administrated with MSI once per day (75, 150, and 300 mg/kg, respectively). The results showed that MSI treatment ameliorated the depression and anxiety symptoms of colitis mice. Further mechanism studies indicated that MSI alleviated inflammatory response by adjusting cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, IFN-γ, and IL-10, and proteins NLRP3/ASC/caspase-1 inflammasome), inhibited the activation of microglia, restored brain synaptic density, reduced oxidative stress (SOD, MDA) and regulated apoptosis (tunel staining, caspase-3). MSI could modulate depression-anxiety states by targeting inflammation, nerve tissue, oxidative stress and apoptosis. MSI administration could serve as an emerging blue food and nutrition strategy for the prevention of digestive tract inflammation and behavioral disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The effect of melanin from Sepiaesculenta in colitis was studied firstly. • Melanin exhibited superior activity against inflammation and oxidation. • Melanin significantly regulated the intestinal barrier and apoptosis. • Melanin balanced the intestinal flora and metabolism affected by inflammation. Melanin is the major component from Sepiapharaonis ink (MSI), and its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities indicate the potential for improvement of inflammatory bowel diseases. The study aimed to investigate how orally-administered MSI on alleviating the dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) and the potential mechanisms. We found that MSI significantly improved DSS-induced weight loss, colon shortening, hematochezia, DAI score, histopathology, and antioxidant indices (SOD and MDA). Further analysis demonstrated that MSI could significantly down-regulate the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β and IFN-γ) and up-regulate the concentration of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 by regulating TLR4/NF-κB and NLRP3/ASC/Caspase-1 signal pathway. Moreover, tight junction proteins in melanin groups were also maintained by ZO-1 and occludin expressions. In addition, MSI also regulated cellular apoptosis by reducing the expression of pro-apoptosis protein Caspase-3. Interestingly, MSI treatments increased the proportion of dominant bacteria (such as Bacteroidetes and Clostridium) and the abundance of community (alpha diversity, β-diversity, etc.), which significantly balanced microbiota in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, oral administration of MSI alleviated DSS-induced colitis by modulating inflammatory cytokines and oxidation stress, maintaining the mucosal barrier, and reverting microbiota changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital video is widely used to record people's daily lives and share people's moods, but few researchers have conducted research on the consistency of emotional expression between short videos and music. In order to be able to match the appropriate background music to the short video image autonomously and efficiently, the paper analyzed the emotional connection between the two from the audio-visual synesthesia. First, emotional semantics was used as a bridge to connect video data and music data, and a video-music synesthesia data set based on semantic words was constructed. Then, an attention mechanism was incorporated to better extract key features in video images. In the extraction of music features, an improved lenet5 network was used, and the optimal network parameters were determined through experiments. Finally, the two types of features were fused and the mutual retrieval between video and music was performed. In order to compare the performance of different models, different CNN models were calculated in the processing of video images, including VGG16, VGG19, AlexNet and GoogleNet, and the attention mechanism was added to each network for calculation to compare its retrieval accuracy. In the processing of music data, different CNN algorithms were also used for comparative experiments, and networks with different layers were used to determine the optimal results. The experimental results show that the audiovisual synesthesia retrieval model based on emotion can effectively measure the emotional similarity between video images and music, and the method of the paper can produce a good match between them. The research method of the paper is the exploration of computer synesthetic intelligence, which can stimulate the creative inspiration of image and music creative designers. While enhancing the emotional experience of digital products, it also improves the efficiency and quality of development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel nanomaterial of two-dimensional holey CuCo2O4 (2D HCCO) nanosheets was synthesized via a general template-directed method and employed for the first time to construct an effective electrochemical platform for H2O2 sensing with the combination of cerium oxide (CeO2). During the electrocatalytic reduction of H2O2, the synergetic catalysis of CeO2/HCCO/MWCNTs/GCE owing to the naturally holey frameworks and the mediator of CeO2 results in the ultra-sensitive detection of H2O2. The current was greatly enhanced owing to the unique holey structure that can minimize the charge transfer distance and provide more active sites to boost the signals, and the dual oxidation state of Ce3+/Ce4+ on the surface of 2D HCCO nanosheets can promote the in situ production of Cu2+/Cu+ and Cu+/Cu and further amplify the detection signal. The CeO2/HCCO/MWCNTs/GCE showed a wide linear range from 1 μM to 7.31 mM using chronoamperometry at the potential of − 0.25 V and a relatively low detection limit of 0.16 μM in physiological environment, which was also utilized for tracking the trace H2O2 released from Hela cells. This study shows great promise for the emerging application of holey HCCO-based biosensors in bioanalysis and early cancer diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deficiency of selenium has been found in clinical IBD patients and supplementation selenium is recognized as beneficial for colitis treatment. In this study, an organic selenium compound—selenylation α-D-1,6-glucan (sCPA) was prepared, and the effect of sCPA on DSS induced colitis mice was investigated. The results suggested that sCPA prevented the weight loss, colon length shortening, and stool loose of colitis mice. It protected colon mucosal barrier by promoting tight junction protein ZO-1 and Occludin expression. Moreover, sCPA reduced oxidative stress via regulating SOD and MDA levels, and decreased the contents of inflammatory proteins NF-κB and NLRP3 and adjusted TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β, and IL-10 inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, sCPA repaired intestinal microbiota composition especially Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria that altered by DSS in colitis mice. Meanwhile, SCFAs produced by gut microbiota were restored by sCPA close to the level in the normal group. In conclusion, these findings indicated that the sCPA might be a potential dietary selenium supplementation for the prevention and treatment of colitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By simulating the processing of roasted chicken wing roots, the experimental environment, thawing water, contact surface, and meat products were sampled and tested to study the source of pathogenic microorganisms and the law of bacterial phase change during the processing of roasted chicken wing roots. The results showed that during the processing of roasted chicken wing roots, the highest number of colonies in the experimental ambient was in the thawing zone, which was 165 CFU/dish, followed by the pretreatment zone, which was 105 CFU/dish. The number of microorganisms in the thawing water showed an overall upward trend with the thawing process. The total number of bacterial colonies in the hands of the experimenters in the pretreatment area was higher than that of the experimenters in the vacuum packaging area, and the hands of the experimenters in the pretreatment area had a certain amount of E. coli and fungi. The total number of colonies on the contact surface of the scissors and the basket of the thawing tank and the pretreatment area was large, and the total number of colonies on the contact surface of the packaging basket reached the highest value of 4.1 CFU/cm². As the processing progresses, the number of microorganisms in the roasted chicken wing roots increased first and then decreased. In the process of thawing, pretreatment and tumbling, the total number of colonies in the semi-finished product was significantly higher, and the number of microorganisms decreased significantly after roasting. By taking measures such as controlling the sanitary condition of raw materials, disinfecting the experimental environment in real time, strictly abiding by operating regulations, shortening the thawing time, and reducing secondary pollution, the pollution of pathogenic microorganisms could be effectively controlled and the quality of products could be guaranteed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cell fusing agent virus (CFAV) was the first insect-specific virus to be characterized, and has been reported to negatively influence the growth of arboviruses such as dengue, Zika, and La Cross, making it a promising biocontrol agent for mosquito-borne disease prevention. Aedes aegypti Aag2 cells were naturally infected with CFAV. However, the ability of this virus to stably colonize an Ae. aegypti population via artificial infection and how it influences the vector competence of this mosquito have yet to be demonstrated. Methods: CFAV used in this study was harvested from Aag2 cells and its complete genome sequence was obtained by polymerase chain reaction and rapid amplification of complementary DNA ends, followed by Sanger sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis of newly identified CFAV sequences and other sequences retrieved from GenBank was performed. CFAV stock was inoculated into Ae. aegypti by intrathoracic injection, the survival of parental mosquitoes was monitored and CFAV copies in the whole bodies, ovaries, and carcasses of the injected F0 generation and in the whole bodies of the F1 generation on different days were examined by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results: The virus harvested from Aag2 cells comprised a mixture of three CFAV strains. All genome sequences of CFAV derived from Aag2 cells clustered into one clade but were far from those isolated or identified from Ae. aegypti. Aag2-derived CFAV efficiently replicated in the mosquito body and did not attenuate the survival of Ae. aegypti. However, the viral load in the ovarian tissues was much lower than that in other tissues and the virus could not passage to the offspring by vertical transmission. Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate that Aag2-derived CFAV was not vertically transmitted in Ae. aegypti and provide valuable information on the colonization of mosquitoes by this virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loops typically allosterically communicate with active sites, and their conformational dynamics can affect the catalytic properties of enzymes. Herein, by manipulating the loop conformational dynamics via adjusting loop‐loop interactions, a medium‐chain alcohol dehydrogenase (Syn94) was engineered to enhance the activity without enantioselectivity reduction. Syn94, from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 was identified, and it demonstrated good enantioselectivity (>99.9 % ee) for synthesizing (S)‐N−Boc‐3−pyrrolidinol ((S)‐Boc−PL), a key intermediate of darifenacin, but with low catalytic efficiency. To enhance its activity, three regions for loop‐loop interactions near the active pocket were identified for mutagenesis. After the iteration of two effective sites, the best mutant, S89T/P282R, with a 94.5‐fold enhancement in catalytic efficiency, was successfully obtained. By establishing a co‐expression system of S89T/P282R and glucose dehydrogenase (GDH), up to 1.0 M (180.2 g/L) substrate could be completely reduced to (S)‐Boc−PL within 7 h, with 617 g/L/d space‐time‐yield. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that the enhanced activity was related to the stabilization of two loops, D41‐V58 and W87‐T112. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A homogenous α-D-1,6-glucan (CPA) was extracted from Castanea mollissima Blume. The effect of CPA on ameliorating dextran sulfate sodium induced colitis was investigated. CPA repressed TNF-α and IL-1β level in LPS stimulated RAW264.7 cells. After the intragastric administration of CPA (200 or 400 mg/kg/day), the colon length and body weights of mice with colitis increased and the disease activity index reduced. CPA alleviated colon tissue damage by elevating ZO-1 and occludin protein levels and regulating TNF-α and IL-1β by inhibiting the protein expression of NLPR3 and NF-κB p65. The abundance of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes was altered and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels, especially propionic, butyric, and isovaleric acids increased significantly. These results indicated that CPA could alleviate colitis by protecting mucosal barriers, reducing inflammation, and regulating intestinal microbiota and SCFA levels. Thus, CPA can be developed as a functional food for the prevention and treatment of colitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple and effective quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) signal design for a given correlation matrix is presented. The method exploits the correlation properties generated by memoryless nonlinear transformation of a Gaussian process. The correlation matrix of the designed QPSK signal is compared to the given matrix and good approximation is achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poultry is one of the most widely consumed animal-based foods in the world. Understanding the characteristics of bacterial communities present during processing and the targeted design of natural preservatives could improve the quality and safety concerns of poultry industry. In this study, pathogens and spoilage bacteria arising from the processing of poultry products were identified using high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing and traditional culture screening. Ten dominant pathogenic and spoilage bacteria were isolated, including 8 g-positive and 2 g-negative bacteria. The mechanism and antibacterial activity of Kaempferia galanga Linn. extract (KGE), a spice added to the poultry products, against the targeted pathogenic bacteria were analyzed further. KGE exhibited significant antibacterial activity against all tested pathogenic bacteria. The antibacterial mechanism of KGE involved alteration of cell integrity and cell membrane permeability, resulting in an outflow of intracellular substances, such as nucleic acids, proteins, and alkaline phosphatase. Scanning electron microscopy further confirmed KGE-mediated cell membrane damage and cytoplasmic leakage. The chemical characterization indicated that the large amounts of acetic acid present in KGE might account for its excellent antibacterial activity. Taken together, the study confirms the excellent antibacterial activity of KGE and its potential use as a natural preservative for poultry products. • Identification of pathogens and spoilage bacteria arising from the processing of poultry products. • An antibacterial substance extracted from Kaempferia galangal L., namely KGE. • KGE inhibited the growth of dominant pathogens and spoilage bacteria in poultry products. • The antibacterial mechanism of KGE involved alteration of cell integrity and cell membrane permeability. • The large amount of acetic acid in KGE might be a key determinant of its antibacterial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-temperature tenderization is an important aspect in the processing of sea cucumber. Oxidative reactions induce protein aggregation or degradation during thermal treatment. However, whether protein oxidation occurs in sea cucumber during tenderization is unclear. Moreover, the effects of heat treatment on the protein structure in sea cucumber have not been well explored. In this study, Apostichopus japonicus body wall (AJBW) were tenderized at 37 °C and changes in the protein microstructure of AJBW and the relative indicators of oxidative reactions, including carbonyl, sulfhydryl, and amino constituents, were investigated. The findings indicated that the collagen fibers were depolymerized and the maximum denaturation temperature of collagen was significantly reduced after tenderization, suggesting that this process induced structural changes in collagen fibers. Furthermore, amino acid side-chain modifications and the formation of an unstable secondary and tertiary conformation indicated oxidation of the water-soluble proteins. The findings revealed that tenderization of AJBW caused the destruction of the collagen fiber structure and resulted in protein oxidation and degradation. Therefore, our study lays the foundation for subsequent research for determining the mechanism of tenderization. • Heating Apostichopus japonicus at 37 °C resulted in tenderization over time. • Collagen fibers were depolymerized and thermostability reduced after tenderization. • Carbonyl content increased and sulfhydryl content decreased after tenderization. • Unstable secondary and tertiary conformation changes were found after tenderization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meroterpenoids are partially derived from the terpenoids, distributing widely in the plants, animals and fungi. The complex structures and diverse bioactivities of meroterpenoids have attracted more attention for chemists and pharmacologists. Since the first review summarized by Geris in 2009, there are absent of systematic reviews reported about meroterpenoids from the higher and lower fungi up to now. In the past decades, myriads of meroterpenoids were discovered, and it is necessary to summarize these meroterpenoids about their unique structures and promising bioactivities. In this review, we use a new classification method based on the non-terpene precursors, and also highlight the structural features, bioactivity of natural meroterpenoids from the higher and lower fungi covering the period of September 2008 to February 2020. A total of 709 compounds were discussed and cited the 182 references. Meanwhile, we also primarily summarize their occurrence, structural diversity, biological activities, and molecular targets. Image 1 • Structural and biological diversity of meroterpenoids in fungi were reviewed (Sep 2008–Feb 2020). • A new classification method of meroterpenoids based on the non-terpene precursors were conducted. • This review highlighted the meroterpenoids of occurrence, structural diversity, biological activities, and molecular targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The clinical efficacy of temporal three-needle therapy for stroke dysfunction has been previously demonstrated in China. However, the central mechanism of temporal three-needle therapy remains unclear. Temporal three-needle projects the sensory cortex and the motor cortex, which may impact the cortex function. Current studies seldom focus on it. Hence, according to the "scalp-cortex corresponding theory," the underlying mechanism of temporal three-needle remains a domain for further research. Methods. This trial is designed to provide objective and visual evidence for the neuromodulatory effect and neuroimaging mechanism of temporal three-needle therapy for stroke patients. This ongoing study is a prospective, randomized, controlled, patient-assessor blind, single-center, neuroimaging trial involving two-parallel patient groups and a healthy control group. Forty eligible patients will be recruited from Shenzhen Nanshan District People's Hospital and randomized into either the experimental group or the control group. Twenty healthy volunteers will be recruited in the healthy control group and undergo baseline magnetic resonance imaging scans without any intervention. Patients in the control group will receive acupuncture at Dingnieqianxiexian (MS6), in addition to basic medicine and rehabilitative treatments. Patients in the experimental group will receive temporal three-needle therapy plus basic medicine and rehabilitative treatments 5 days per week, 10 sessions over two consecutive weeks. The primary outcome is resting-state functional connectivity, and the secondary outcomes are regional homogeneity, amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations, Fugl–Meyer assessment of the upper limb, and modified Barthel Index. All outcome measures will be assessed at baseline and after 2 weeks of intervention. Discussion. The results will explore the neuromodulatory effects and illustrate the central mechanism of temporal three-needle treatment from the network-level viewpoint of sensorimotor network functional plasticity and promote widespread application in real-world practice. This trial was registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry on 14 March 2018 with ChiCTR1800015209. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inquiry-based learning has been widely adopted in educational practice especially in science education. Scaffolding plays an important role in fostering learning in sophisticated inquiry. Meanwhile, it is important not to undermine the open-endedness of inquiry activities and the nature of student-centred learning. This study proposes a progressive approach to inquiry-based learning, which is characterized by a three-stage (initial, main, and extended) inquiry project. Basic knowledge is induced in an initial inquiry, which lays the foundation for developing a comprehensive understanding in the main inquiry, followed by an extended inquiry to extend the knowledge beyond textbooks. Sixty 9th grade secondary students participated in this study. We implemented inquiry-based learning in a secondary physics lesson using the proposed approach. Cloud-based technology was used to facilitate flexible sharing and reflection among students and allowing the teacher to observe student performance and provide instant support to students. We collected the data through a knowledge examination, a survey questionnaire, and an interview with the teacher to examine the effects of the proposed approach. The results have shown promising effects of the approach on improving students' subject knowledge and their attitude toward inquiry-based learning. The proposed three-stage (initial, main, and extended) approach to progressive inquiry is effective for learning by progressive construction of knowledge through a series of interrelated inquiry tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: AKT2 is one of the key molecules that involves in the insulin-induced signaling and the development of cancer. In B cells, the function of AKT2 is unclear. Methods: In this study, we used AKT2 knockout mice model to study the role of AKT2 in BCR signaling and B cell differentiation. Results: AKT2 promotes the early activation of B cells by enhancing the BCR signaling and actin remodeling. B cells from AKT2 KO mice exhibited defective spreading and BCR clustering upon stimulation in vitro. Disruption of Btk-mediated signaling caused the impaired differentiation of germinal center B cells, and the serum levels of both sepecific IgM and IgG were decreased in the immunized AKT2 KO mice. In addition, the actin remodeling was affected due to the decreased level of the activation of WASP, the actin polymerization regulator, in AKT2 KO mice as well. As a crucial regulator of both BCR signaling and actin remodeling during early activation of B cells, the phosphorylation of CD19 was decreased in the AKT2 absent B cells, while the transcription level was normal. Conclusions: AKT2 involves in the humoral responses, and promotes the BCR signaling and actin remodeling to enhance the activation of B cells via regulating CD19 phosphorylation. Video Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As NF‐κB signaling pathway is constitutively activated in lung cancer, targeting NF‐κB has a potential for the treatment. EF24 has been proved to be a NF‐κB inhibitor with good antitumor activity, while whose toxicity possibly became one of the obstacles to enter into clinical application. In order to find high efficiency and low toxicity NF‐κB inhibitors, EF24 was modified and 13d was screened out. It was proved that 13d possessed an effective combination of inhibiting NF‐κB pathway and showing lower cytotoxicity on normal cells as well as less toxicity in acute toxicity experiment compared with the lead compound of EF24. In addition, 13d was found to inhibit cell vitality, arrest cell cycle in G2/M phase, promote cell apoptosis, and suppress the xenograft tumor growth. Furthermore, 13d was elucidated to induce pyroptosis developing from apoptosis, which was associated with the inhibition of NF‐κB. Taken together, it was suggested that 13d was a potent antitumor agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: C1q/TNF-related protein-9 (CTRP9) is a novel adipokine that has been shown to promote lipid metabolism, enhance insulin sensitivity and protect against cardiovascular disease. However, previous studies in humans have produced controversial results regarding the association between CTRP9 and insulin resistance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationships between CTRP9 and insulin resistance in Chinese population.Methods: Subjects with normal glucose tolerance (NGT, n=108), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT, n=92), and newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (nT2DM, n=106) were recruited to determining the circulating CTRP9 and adiponectin levels by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Anthropometric and biochemical measurements related to insulin resistance, adiposity and lipid profile were examined for all participants. Oral glucose tolerance test was performed in healthy subjects (17 male and 17 female).Results: Circulating CTRP9 level was significantly higher in both IGT and nT2DM than in individuals with NGT. Overweight/obese subjects had much higher CTRP9 levels than lean individuals, and in all subjects, females also had higher CTRP9 levels than males. In addition, circulating CTRP9 level was positively correlated with markers of obesity and insulin resistance, including body mass index, fasting blood glucose, insulin, HbA1c, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, while was inversely correlated with high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and adiponectin. Moreover, hyperglycemia during an oral glucose challenge increased circulating CTRP9 concentrations.Conclusions: We conclude that CTRP9 was strongly associated with insulin resistance, suggesting that CTRP9 might be important in the development of type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Front Cover: Engineering a Medium-chain Alcohol Dehydrogenase for Efficient Synthesis of (S)-N-Boc-3-pyrrolidinol by Adjusting the Conformational Dynamics of Loops (ChemCatChem 5/2023) In their Research Article, H. Wang and co-workers proposed that loop-loop interaction region acts like the "bridges" between loops and could be used to adjust conformational dynamics of the enzyme, thus modifying its catalytic efficiency. Keywords: (S)-N-Boc-3-pyrrolidinol; Alcohol dehydrogenase; Protein engineering; Conformational dynamic; Co-expression EN (S)-N-Boc-3-pyrrolidinol Alcohol dehydrogenase Protein engineering Conformational dynamic Co-expression 1 1 1 03/15/23 20230308 NES 230308 B The Front Cover b shows that a medium-chain alcohol dehydrogenase modified in the loop is efficiently catalyzing N-Boc-3-pyrrolidone to produce ( I S i )-N-Boc-3-pyrrolidinol. [Extracted from the article]

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to analyze the mutation spectrum of the JK-null phenotype in the Chinese population. The JK gene encoding the Kidd blood group antigen protein and JK* A/JK* B polymorphism caused by a G-to-A mutation at nt838 are well described. However, the molecular basis of the JK-null phenotype in Chinese populations remains unclear. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Sixteen unrelated JK-null phenotype donors detected by red blood cell urea lysis resistance assay of 201,194 Chinese blood donors were confirmed in serologic agglutination tests. JK-null alleles were analyzed by MnlI polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and sequencing of all JK gene coding regions. RESULTS: In addition to the well-known Polynesian JK-null allele JK* B(IVS5-1g>a) and two alleles discovered in Taiwan, JK* B(896G>A) and JK* B(222C>A), seven JK-null allele types were detected in this study including four novel JK-null alleles: a nonsense mutation, JK* B(512G>A); two types of missense point mutations, JK* B(536C>G) and JK* B(437T>C); and a splice mutation, JK* A(IVS8+5g>a), resulting in skipping of Exon 8. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the frequency and heterogeneity of the JK-null phenotype in Chinese populations. Based on our findings, the mechanisms underlying the Chinese Jk(a−b−) phenotype are quite different from other ethnic groups. The two most common types of JK-null alleles were JK* B(IVS5-1g>a) and JK* B(896G>A) in Chinese persons. Four novel JK-null alleles were noted to be associated with the Jk(a−b−) phenotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In current study, a self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) of persimmon (Diospyros kaki) leaf extract (PLE) was developed and characterized to compare its in vitro dissolution and relative bioavailability with commercially available tablets (Naoxinqing tablets). Pseudo-ternary phase diagrams were constructed by phase diagram by micro plate dilution (PDMPD) method, of which the evaluation method was improved to use Multiskan Ascent for identifying turbidity. The formulation of PLE-loaded SNEDDS was optimized by an extreme vertices experimental design. The optimized nanoemulsion formulation, loading with 44.48mg/g PLE total flavonoids, consisted of Cremophor EL, Transcutol P, Labrafil M 1944 CS (56:34:10, w/w), and it remained stable after storing at 40°C, 25°C, 4°C for at least 6 months. When diluted with water, the SNEDDS droplet size was 34.85nm and the zeta potential was −6.18mV. Compared with the commercial tablets, the AUC of both quercetin and kaempferol, which are representative active flavonoids of PLE, was increased by 1.5-fold and 1.6-fold respectively following oral administration of PLE-loaded SNEDDS in fasting beagle dogs. These results indicate that SNEDDS is a promising drug delivery system for increasing the oral bioavailability of PLE. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Our research group has previously synthesized various chalcone analogues. Of these analogues, compound 39 has been shown to exhibit potent antioxidative activities but its anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptosis effects remain unclear. Thus, the present study investigated the in vivo and in vitro effects and mechanisms of compound 39 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI). To induce ALI, the mice received LPS via a tracheal instillation 6 h after intragastric administration of compound 39 or vehicle. Histological changes, the lung wet/dry weight ratio, and the amounts of protein and inflammatory cells in the broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) fluid were assessed after 24 h. Additionally, to determine its underlying mechanisms, Western blot and immunofluorescence analyses were used. Moreover, the in vitro effects of compound 39 were also investigated. In the in vivo experiment, compound 39 markedly alleviated histopathological alterations, lung edema, and protein leakage, and exhibited potent anti-inflammatory effects. In the in vitro experiments, compound 39 dose-dependently reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species. The results suggested that the anti-inflammatory effects of compound 39 were due to suppression of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathway. Compound 39 also enhanced the protein levels of Bcl-2 and reduced the protein levels of Bax and cleaved caspase-3. The present study confirmed the anti-inflammatory, oxy-radical prohibitive, and anti-apoptosis activities of compound 39 against LPS-induced tissue and cell damage, and revealed the mechanisms underlying those processes. • Compound 39 alleviated LPS-induced structural damage, tissue edema, protein exudation, and the overproduction of pro-inflammatory mediators in mice. • Compound 39 exhibited potent anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative functions and anti-apoptotic function in cells. • The protection effects of compound 39 may be mediated by the inhibition of MAPK/NF-κB pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel metal-organic complex (MOC) {[Eu 2 (HL) 2 (H 2 O) 4 ·3H 2 O} n (1) (H 4 L = 3,3′,5,5′-azoxybenzenetetracarboxylic acid) has been successfully constructed, which exhibits a fascinating 2D bilayer network with the 1D open channels and has excellent water, pH and thermal stabilities. Luminescence studies reveal that 1 can detect TNP and CrO 4 2− ions with high selectivity and sensitivity in aqueous solution, even if there are related interfering substances. And the mechanisms of luminescence recognitions are discussed on the basis of experiments and theoretical calculations. Furthermore, 1 shows excellent photostability and can be repeatedly used in the above two detection systems. Most importantly, 1 can detect TNP and CrO 4 2− concentration with a good recovery rate in practical application. Therefore, 1 should be a potential dual-functional luminescent sensor for reliable sensing of TNP and CrO 4 2− in the field. An excellent Eu-MOC as a dual-functional luminescent sensor exhibits highly selective and sensitive luminescence quenching toward TNP and CrO 4 2− ions in aqueous solution. Unlabelled Image • A novel luminescent MOC 1 has been synthesized and structurally characterized. • 1 can be a potential highly sensitivity and selective chemosensor for TNP. • 1 can also be a potential sensitivity chemosensor for CrO 4 2−. • Mechanisms of luminescence sensing for TNP and CrO 4 2− were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]