Search

Chuanshu Yuan, Kai Yang, Hong Tang, Dan Chen Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China Background: At present, the research on serum tumor markers in the early diagnosis of malignant tumors has aroused widespread concern. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic values of serum tumor markers cytokeratin 19 fragment (Cyfra21-1), squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCAg), ferritin, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), and α-fetoprotein (AFP) for patients with oral/oropharyngeal squamous carcinoma (OSCC/OPSCC). Methods: One hundred and sixty-nine cases of patients with OSCC/OPSCC as the experimental group, 86 cases of oral benign tumor patients as the control group, and 30 cases of healthy people as the normal control group were studied. The levels of serum Cyfra21-1, SCCAg, ferritin, CEA, CA19-9, and AFP were measured using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Results: The levels of serum Cyfra21-1, SCCAg, ferritin, and CEA in patients with OSCC/OPSCC were significantly higher than those of benign tumor and healthy control group (P0.05). The level of serum Cyfra21-1 in patients with early OSCC/OPSCC (stage I + II) was significantly higher than that of benign tumor and healthy control group (P0.05). The levels of serum Cyfra21-1, SCCAg, ferritin, and CEA in the middle-late stage of patients with OSCC/OPSCC (stage III + IV) were significantly higher than those of patients with the early OSCC/OPSCC, benign tumor, and healthy control group (P

The actual incidence of neurologic dysfunction resulting from hemorrhagic complications associated with neuraxial blockade is unknown. Although the incidence cited in the literature is estimated to be less than 1 in 150,000 epidural and less than 1 in 220,000 spinal anesthetics, recent epidemiologic surveys suggest that the frequency is increasing and may be as high as 1 in 3000 in some patient populations.Overall, the risk of clinically significant bleeding increase with age,associated abnormalities of the spinal cord or vertebral column, the presence of an underlying coagulopathy, difficulty during needle placement,and an indwelling neuraxial catheter during sustained anticoagulation( particularly with standard heparin or low-molecular weight heparin). The need for prompt diagnosis and intervention to optimize neurologic outcome is also consistently reported. In response to these patient safety issues, the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA) convened its Third Consensus Conference on Regional Anesthesia and Anticoagulation. Practice guidelines or recommendations summarize evidence-based reviews. However, the rarity of spinal hematoma defies a prospective randomized study, and there is no current laboratory model. As a result,the ASRA consensus statements represent the collective experience of recognized experts in the field of neuraxial anesthesia and anticoagulation. These are based on case reports, clinical series, pharmacology,hematology, and risk factors for surgical bleeding. An understanding of the complexity of this issue is essential to patient management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pain is the major complaint of patients who choose acupuncture treatment. Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) provides a safe, standardized technique without needle insertion. TEAS can be tested with the cold-pressor test, a simple, reliable, and widely used model in humansfor the induction of tonic pain. In this controlled study, the effects of TEAS on cold-pressor-induced pain were evaluated in 20 healthy human subjects. Electrical stimulation electrodes were applied to He-Gu (LI 4) and Nui-Guan (P 6) acupoints. The effects of saline plus no TEAS, 15-minute TEAS alone, 0.05 mg/kg morphine alone, and 15-minute TEAS plus morphine were assessed. Pain score ratings were evaluated at four time points from 30 to 170 seconds during the cold-pressor test. The authors observed analgesic effects in both TEAS-alone and morphine-alone sessions, and pain score rating reductions were statistically significant compared to unstimulated control (both p < 0.01). The degree of TEAS analgesia combined with 0.05 mg/kg morphine was significantly higher than TEAS alone (p < 0.01). The results support the efficacy of TEAS analgesia and suggest that combination of TEAS with low-dose morphine can achieve better pain control in a variety of clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of long-range transport effects on marine fine particles (PM 2.5 ), particularly in remote sites such as the Dongsha Islands, is pivotal for advancing our understanding of air pollution dynamics on a regional scale and for formulating effective environmental policies. PM 2.5 concentrations were examined over three consecutive years and grouped based on their transport routes. The backward trajectory simulation revealed that high PM 2.5 concentrations were observed in the West Channel, originating from North and Central China, the Korean Peninsula, and the Japanese Islands, opposed to the East Channel. High PM 2.5 concentrations, commonly observed in winter and spring, were mainly attributed to the Asian Northeastern Monsoons. Water-soluble inorganic ions constituted the major components, accounting for 37.8-48.7% of PM 2.5 , and followed by metal elements (15.5-20.0%), carbons (7.5-13.3%), levoglucosan (0.01-0.17%), and organic aerosols (0.2-2.2%). Secondary inorganic aerosols as the dominant source accounted for 8.3-24.7% of PM 2.5 , while sea salts were the secondary major contributor. High levoglucosan contribution (3.8-7.2%) in winter and spring was attributed to biomass burning, mainly from the Indochina Peninsula. Chemical mass balance receptor modeling resolved that major sources of PM 2.5 were secondary sulfate, sea salts, fugitive dust, and industrial boilers. This study concluded that the long-range transport of PM 2.5 gradually increased since fall, contributing 52.1-74.3%, highlighting its substantial impact on PM 2.5 in all seasons except summer., 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 © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The development of bacterial resistance significantly contributes to the persistence of infections. Although previous studies have highlighted the benefits of metal-doped positive carbon nanodots in managing bacterial wound infections, their mechanism of action is relatively simple and they may pose potential hazards to human cells. Therefore, it is essential to develop a one-stop carbon dot nanoplatform that offers high biocompatibility, antibacterial properties, and anti-inflammatory activities for wound infection management. This study explores the antibacterial efficacy, without detectable resistance, and wound-healing potential of nitrogen-doped (N-doped) negatively charged carbon dots (TPP-CDs). These carbon dots are synthesized using tannic acid (TA), polyethylene polyamine, and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as precursors, with a focus on their biocompatibility. Numerous systematic studies have shown that TPP-CDs can effectively destroy bacterial biofilms and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), while also inducing oxidative stress, leading to a potent antimicrobial effect. TPP-CDs also demonstrate the ability to scavenge excess free radicals, promote cellular proliferation, and inhibit inflammatory factors, all of which contribute to improved wound healing. TPP-CDs also demonstrate favorable cell imaging capabilities. These findings suggest that N-doped negatively charged TPP-CDs hold significant potential for treating bacterial infections and offer practical insights for their application in the medical field., 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 © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Mitigating ground-level ozone (GLO) remains challenging due to its highly nonlinear formation process. Thus, understanding GLO pollution trends is crucial for developing effective control strategies, especially Kaohsiung industrial city, Taiwan. Based on the long-term monitoring data set of 2011-2022, temporal analysis reveals that monthly mean GLO peaks in autumn (40.66 ± 5.10 ppb), carbon monoxide (CO) and major precursors such as nitrogen oxides (NO x ), nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHC) reach their highest levels in winter. The distinct seasonal variation of air pollutants in Kaohsiung is primarily influenced by the unique blocking effect of the mountainous area under the northeasterly wind, as the city is situated downwind, causing high GLO levels during autumn due to the accumulation of stagnant air hindering the dispersion of pollutants. Over the 12 years (2011-2022), the deseasonalized trend analysis was conducted with p < 0.001, revealing a stabilization trend of GLO (+0.04 ppb/yr) from a previous sharp increase. The observed improvement is credited to a drastic decrease in total oxidants (O x ) at -0.63 ppb/yr due to significantly reducing their precursors. Furthermore, the effectiveness of precursor reduction is also supported by GLO daily maximum profile changes. While high GLO events (>120 ppb) decrease, days within midrange (60-80 ppb) rise from 24.4% to 33.3%. A notable difference emerges when comparing daytime and nighttime GLO. While daytime GLO decreased at -0.22 ppb/yr, nighttime GLO increased at +0.34 ppb/yr. Weakened nocturnal titration effects accounted for the nighttime increase. The distinct spatial variations in GLO trends on a citywide scale underscore that areas with complicated industrial activities may not benefit from a continuing reduction of precursors compared to less-polluted areas. The findings of this study hold significant implications for improving GLO control strategies in heavily industrialized city and provide valuable information to the general public about the current state of GLO pollution., 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 © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Refreezing the remaining genetic resources after in vitro fertilization (IVF) can conserve genetic materials. However, the precise damage inflicted by repeated freezing and thawing on bovine sperm and its underlying mechanism remain largely unexplored. Thus, this study investigates the impact of repeated freeze-thaw cycles on sperm. Our findings indicate that such cycles significantly reduce sperm viability and motility. Furthermore, the integrity of the sperm plasma membrane and acrosome is compromised during this process, exacerbating the advanced apoptosis triggered by oxidative stress. Additionally, transmission electron microscopy exposed severe damage to the plasma membranes of both the sperm head and tail. Notably, the "9 + 2" structure of the tail was disrupted, along with a significant decrease in the level of the axonemal protein DNAH10, leading to reduced sperm motility. IVF outcomes revealed that repeated freeze-thaw cycles considerably impair sperm fertilization capability, ultimately reducing the blastocyst rate. In summary, our research demonstrates that repeated freeze-thaw cycles lead to a decline in sperm viability and motility, attributed to oxidative stress-induced apoptosis and DNAH10-related dynamic deficiency. As a result, the utility of semen is compromised after repeated freezing., 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 © 2024 Society for Cryobiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Artemisinin (ART) and its derivatives are important antimalaria agents and have received increased attention due to their broad biomedical effects, such as anticancer and anti-inflammation activities. Recently, ruthenium-derived complexes have attracted considerable attention as their anticancer potentials were observed in preclinical and clinical studies., Methods: To explore an innovative approach in colorectal cancer (CRC) management, we synthesized ruthenium-dihydroartemisinin complex (D-Ru), a novel metal-based artemisinin derivative molecule, and investigated its anticancer, anti-inflammation, and adaptive immune regulatory properties., Results: Compared with its parent compound, ART, D-Ru showed stronger antiproliferative effects on the human CRC cell lines HCT-116 and HT-29. The cancer cell inhibition of D-Ru comprised G1 cell cycle arrest via the downregulation of cyclin A and the induction of apoptosis. ART and D-Ru downregulated the expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8. Although ART and D-Ru did not suppress Treg cell differentiation, they significantly inhibited Th1 and Th17 cell differentiation., Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that D-Ru, a novel ruthenium complexation of ART, remarkably enhanced its parent compound's anticancer action, while the anti-inflammatory potential was not compromised. The molecular mechanisms of action of D-Ru include inhibition of cancer cell growth via cell cycle arrest, induction of apoptosis, and anti-inflammation via regulation of adaptive immunity., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: This study aims to analyze the safety and clinical efficacy of using double posterolateral coaxial portals for endoscopic treatment of posterior ankle impingement syndrome (PAIS), a procedure that has gained popularity in recent times., Methods: Six fresh foot samples were randomly selected to measure the distances of two posterolateral portals to the sural nerve in different positions (plantar flexion 10°, dorsiflexion 30°, and plantar flexion 30°) for safety evaluation. A prospective analysis was conducted on the clinical efficacy of the operative approach for endoscopic management of posterior ankle impingement syndrome, including evaluation of effectiveness and complications., Results: In this study, the mean distances of the first and second portals to the sural nerve were measured in different ankle positions. The distances were found to be 2.26 ± 0.22 cm and 1.59 ± 0.12 cm in the plantar flexion 10° position, 2.21 ± 0.21 cm and 1.55 ± 0.12 cm in the dorsiflexion 30° position, and 2.46 ± 0.29 cm and 1.73 ± 0.19 cm in the plantar flexion 30° position, demonstrating a significant safety margin from the nerve. A total of 38 patients underwent endoscopic treatment for posterior ankle impingement syndrome using double posterolateral coaxial portals between January 2012 and December 2017. This surgical approach provided access to the subtalar joint and posterior ankle region. The patients were followed up for an average of 38.2 months (24-72 months), with a satisfaction rate of 94.7%. There were no reported complications, and significant improvements were observed in both visual analogue scale (VAS) and The American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society Score (AOFAS) scores postoperatively. The VAS score decreased from 5.68 to 0.51 (P < 0.001), while the AOFAS score increased from 71.68 to 92.34 (P < 0.001), resulting in an excellent/good rate of 97.3%., Conclusion: The use of double posterolateral coaxial portals in the treatment of posterior ankle impingement syndrome offers several advantages, including improved safety, reduced risk of nerve injury, enhanced visualization of the posterior ankle and subtalar joint, favorable clinical outcomes, and minimal complications., Competing Interests: All surgical procedures were carried out by Rui Li, Yuan-qiang Li,Cheng-song Yuan, Wan Chen and Fang-yuan Wei in this study. The Data measurement of cadaver specimens was performed by Kun-gao He and Xiao-li Gou participated in the patient selection, investigation on the outpatient clinic and radiographic assessments, literature search, and data monitoring. Chen-ke Zhang completed the statistical analysis and manuscript writing. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript. All authors declared that they have no conflict of interest., (© 2024 Asia Pacific Knee, Arthroscopy and Sports Medicine Society. Published by Elsevier (Singapore) Pte Ltd.)

Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) emitted from marine transportation, bulk materials handling at the docks, and dust dispersion has garnered increased attention, particularly in the interface between port and urban areas. This study explored the inter-transport of PM 2.5 between Kaohsiung Harbor and neighboring Metro Kaohsiung. Chemical analyses of PM 2.5 samples from four sites include water-soluble ions, metallic elements, carbons, anhydrosugars, and organic acids to establish PM 2.5 's chemical fingerprints. The CALPUFF air dispersion model is employed to simulate the spatiotemporal distribution of PM 2.5 in Kaohsiung Harbor and adjacent urban areas. A clear seasonal and diurnal variation of PM 2.5 concentrations and chemical composition was observed in both harbor and urban areas. The high correlation of nighttime PM 2.5 levels between the port and urban areas suggests inter-transport phenomena. Sea salt spray, ship emissions, secondary aerosols, and heavy fuel-oil boilers exhibit higher levels in the port area than in the urban area. In Metro Kaohsiung, mobile sources, fugitive dust, and waste incinerators emerge as major PM 2.5 contributors. Furthermore, sea breeze significantly influences PM 2.5 dispersion from Kaohsiung Harbor to Metro Kaohsiung, particularly in the afternoon. The average contribution of PM 2.5 from ships' main engines in Kaohsiung Harbor ranges from 2.9% to 5.3%, while auxiliary engines contribute 3.8%-8.3% of PM 2.5 in Metro Kaohsiung., 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 © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Continuous strawberry cropping often causes soil-borne diseases, with 20 calcium cyanamide being an effective soil fumigant, pig manure can often be used as soil organic fertilizer. Its impact on soil microorganisms structure, however, remains unclear., Methods: This study investigated the effectiveness of calcium cyanamide and pig manure in treating strawberry soil, specifically against strawberry anthracnose. We examined the physical and chemical properties of the soil and the rhizosphere microbiome and performed a network analysis., Results: Results showed that calcium cyanamide treatment significantly reduces the mortality rate of strawberry in seedling stage by reducing pathogen abundance, while increasing actinomycetes and Alphaproteobacteria during the harvest period. This treatment also enhanced bacterial network connectivity, measured by the average connectivity of each Operational Taxonomic Unit (OTU), surpassing other treatments. Moreover, calcium cyanamide notably raised the levels of organic matter, available potassium, and phosphorus in the soil-key factors for strawberry disease resistance and yield., Discussion: Overall, applying calcium cyanamide to soil used for continuous strawberry cultivation can effectively decrease anthracnose incidence. It may be by changing soil physical and chemical properties and enhancing bacterial network stability, thereby reducing the copy of anthracnose. This study highlights the dual benefit of calcium cyanamide in both disease control and soil nutrient enhancement, suggesting its potential as a valuable tool in sustainable strawberry farming., 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., (Copyright © 2024 Du, Yuan, Song, Yang, Zheng, Hou, Wang and Wang.)

Long-range transport (LRT) of air masses in East Asia and their impacts on marine PM 2.5 were explored. Situated in the leeward region of East Asia, Taiwan Island marked by its elevated Central Mountain Range (CMR) separates air masses into two distinct air currents. This study aims to investigate the transport of PM 2.5 from the north to the leeward region. Six transport routes (A-F) were identified and further classified them into three main channels (i.e. East, West, and South Channels) based on their transport routes and potential sources. Green Island (Site GR) and Hengchun Peninsula (Site HC) exhibited similarities in their transport routes, with Central China, North China, and Korean Peninsula being the major source regions of PM 2.5 , particularly during the Asian Northeastern Monsoons (ANMs). Dongsha Island (Site DS) was influenced by both Central China and coastal regions of East China, indicating Asian continental outflow (ACO) as the major source of PM 2.5 . The positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis of PM 2.5 resolved that soil dust, sea salts, biomass burning, ship emissions, and secondary aerosols were the major sources. Northerly Channels (i.e. East and West Channels) were primarily influenced by ship emissions and secondary aerosols, while South Channel was dominated by oceanic spray and soil dust. The results of W-PSCF and W-CWT analysis indicated that three remote sites experienced significant contributions from Central China in the highest PM 2.5 concentration range (75-100%). In contrast, PM 2.5 in the 0-25% and 25-50% ranges primarily originated from the open seas, with ship emissions being the prominent source. It suggested that northern regions with heavy industrialization and urbanization have impacts on high PM 2.5 concentrations, while open seas are the main sources of low PM 2.5 concentrations., 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 © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated the spatiotemporal variation, gas-particle partition, and source resolution of atmospheric speciation mercury (ASM) in Kaohsiung Harbor and neighboring Metro Kaohsiung. Four sampling sites were selected to determine the pollution characteristics and inter-transport of ASM between the port and urban areas. The yearly average GEM, GOM, and PBM concentrations were 7.13 ± 2.2 ng/m 3 , 331 ± 190 pg/m 3 , and 532 ± 301 pg/m 3 , respectively. Notably, GEM emerged as the predominant ASM species (85-94%), primarily originating from anthropogenic emissions from the harbor area and nearby industrial complex. The study revealed a distinct seasonal variation in ASM concentrations in the Kaohsiung Area in the following order: winter > fall > spring > summer. Concerning spatial distribution, ASM concentrations in the port areas were generally higher than those in the urban areas. This disparity was chiefly attributed to the influence of the prevailing winds, local sources, and atmospheric dispersion. Backward trajectory simulation revealed that polluted air masses blown from the northeast in winter and spring, moving along the western in-land part of Taiwan Island, were likely influenced by local sources and long-range transport (LRT). In summer, air pollutants originating from the south were likely transported from the coastal industrial sources. During fall, air masses blown from the western offshore waters transported air pollutants from Kaohsiung Harbor to neighboring Metro Kaohsiung. The results obtained from principle component analysis (PCA) indicated that primary sources in the port areas included ship emissions, vehicular exhausts, and nearby industrial complex, which align with the primary source factors identified by positive matrix factorization (PMF), which were mobile sources and coal-fired industrial boilers. Meanwhile, mobile sources and sulfur-containing fuel/waste combustion were identified as the primary sources in the urban areas., 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 Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate the comparative efficacy and safety of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) on glycaemic control, body weight, and lipid profile in adults with type 2 diabetes., Design: Systematic review and network meta-analysis., Data Sources: PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Embase from database inception to 19 August 2023., Eligibility Criteria for Selecting Studies: Eligible randomised controlled trials enrolled adults with type 2 diabetes who received GLP-1RA treatments and compared effects with placebo or any GLP-1RA drug, with a follow-up duration of at least 12 weeks. Trials with a crossover design, non-inferiority studies comparing GLP-1RA and other drug classes without a placebo group, using withdrawn drugs, and non-English studies were deemed ineligible., Results: 76 eligible trials involving 15 GLP-1RA drugs and 39 246 participants were included in this network meta-analysis; all subsequent estimates refer to the comparison with placebo. All 15 GLP-1RAs effectively lowered haemoglobin A 1c and fasting plasma glucose concentrations. Tirzepatide induced the largest reduction of haemoglobin A 1c concentrations (mean difference -2.10% (95% confidence interval -2.47% to -1.74%), surface under the cumulative ranking curve 94.2%; high confidence of evidence), and fasting plasma glucose concentrations (-3.12 mmol/L (-3.59 to -2.66), 97.2%; high confidence), and proved the most effective GLP-1RA drug for glycaemic control. Furthermore, GLP-1RAs were shown to have strong benefits to weight management for patients with type 2 diabetes. CagriSema (semaglutide with cagrilintide) resulted in the highest weight loss (mean difference -14.03 kg (95% confidence interval -17.05 to -11.00); high confidence of evidence), followed by tirzepatide (-8.47 kg (-9.68 to -7.26); high confidence). Semaglutide was effective in lowering the concentration of low density lipoprotein (-0.16 mmol/L (-0.30 to -0.02)) and total cholesterol (-0.48 mmol/L (-0.84 to -0.11)). Moreover, this study also raises awareness of gastrointestinal adverse events induced by GLP-1RAs, and concerns about safety are especially warranted for high dose administration., Conclusions: GLP-1RAs are efficacious in treating adults with type 2 diabetes. Compared with the placebo, tirzepatide was the most effective GLP-1RA drug for glycaemic control by reducing haemoglobin A 1c and fasting plasma glucose concentrations. GLP-1RAs also significantly improved weight management for type 2 diabetes, with CagriSema performing the best for weight loss. The results prompt safety concerns for GLP-1RAs, especially with high dose administration, regarding gastrointestinal adverse events., Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO CRD42022342845., Competing Interests: Competing interests: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form at https://www.icmje.org/disclosure-of-interest/ and declare: support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, and Beijing University of Chinese Medicine High-level Talent Start-up Research Project; no financial relationships with any organisations that might have an interest in the submitted work in the previous three years; no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Asian ginseng, the root of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer, occupies a prominent position in the list of best-selling natural products in the world. There are two major types of ginseng roots: white ginseng and red ginseng, each with numerous preparations. White ginseng is prepared by air-drying fresh Asian ginseng roots after harvest. Red ginseng is prepared by steaming roots in controlled conditions using fresh or raw Asian ginseng. Red ginseng is commonly used in Asian countries due to its unique chemical profile, different therapeutic efficacy, and increased stability. Compared with the widespread research on white ginseng, the study of red ginseng is relatively limited. In this paper, after a botanical feature description, the structures of different types of constituents in red ginseng are systematically described, including naturally occurring compounds and those resulting from the steam processing. In red ginseng phytochemical studies, the number of published reports on ginsenosides is significantly higher than that for other constituents. Up to now, 57 ginsenosides have been isolated and characterized in red ginseng. The structural transformation pathways during steaming have been summarized. In comparison with white ginseng, red ginseng also contains other constituents, including polyacetylenes, Maillard reaction products, other types of glycosides, lignans, amino acids, fatty acids, and polysaccharides, which have also been presented. Appropriate analytical methods are necessary for differentiating between unprocessed white ginseng and processed red ginseng. Specific marker compounds and chemical profiles have been used to discriminate red ginseng from white ginseng and adulterated commercial products. Additionally, a brief phytochemical profile comparison has been made between white ginseng and black ginseng, and the latter is another type of processed ginseng prepared from white or red ginseng by steaming several times. In conclusion, to ensure the safe and effective use of red ginseng, phytochemical and analytical studies of its constituents are necessary and even crucial.

During respiration, particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 µm or less (PM 2.5 ) suspended in the atmosphere enters the terminal alveoli and blood. PM 2.5 particles can attach to toxic substances, resulting in health problems. Limited information is available regarding the effects of prenatal exposure to water-soluble PM 2.5 (WS-PM 2.5 ) and water-insoluble PM 2.5 (WI-PM 2.5 ) on male reproduction. In addition, whether exposure to these particles has transgenerational effects remains unknown. We investigated whether prenatal exposure to WS-PM 2.5 and WI-PM 2.5 disrupts sperm function in generations F1, F2, and F3 of male mice. Pregnant BALB/c mice were treated using intratracheal instillation on gestation days 7, 11, and 15 with 10 mg of a water extract or insoluble PM 2.5 . On postnatal day 105, epididymal sperm count, motility, morphology, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, the sperm chromatin DNA fragmentation index (DFI), and testicular DNA methyltransferase (Dnmt) levels were evaluated in all generations. Whole-genome bisulfite sequencing was used to analyze the DNA methylation status of generation F3. According to the results, exposure to WS-PM 2.5 affected sperm morphology, ROS production, and mean DFI in generation F1; ROS production and mean DFI in generation F2; and sperm morphology and MMP in generation F3. Similarly, exposure to WI-PM 2.5 affected sperm morphology, ROS production, mean DFI, %DFI, and Dnmt1 expression in generation F1; sperm morphology, MMP, and ROS production in generation F2; and sperm morphology, ROS, and %DFI in generation F3. Two hypermethylated genes, PRR16 and TJP2, were observed in the WS-PM 2.5 and WI-PM 2.5 groups, two hypomethylated genes, NFATC1 and APOA5, were observed in the WS-PM 2.5 group, and two hypomethylated genes, ZFP945 and GSE1, were observed in the WI-PM 2.5 group. Hence, prenatal exposure to PM 2.5 resulted in transgenerational epigenetic effects, which may explain certain phenotypic changes in male reproduction., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Ping-Chi Hsu reports financial support and article publishing charges were provided by National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology. No any activities to declare. If there are other authors, they 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 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The global sulfur limit regulation mandates the use of 0.5 % low sulfur fuel oil (LSFO) to reduce emissions of sulfur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and particulate matter (PM). However, the addition of naphthalene (Nap) to LSFO to stabilize its quality has led to an increase in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), with Nap being the main pollutant. This study investigates the effects of Nap in ship exhaust by analyzing the emission concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and Nap in the exhaust of 16 ships, including 2 container ships, 6 bulk carriers, 1 tanker, 2 ferries, 3 fishing vessels, and 2 harbor crafts, based on USEPA method TO-15A. The results show that the percentage of Nap emissions in the exhaust gases of the 16 ship engines ranged from 77 % to 97 % of the total volatile organic compound (TVOC). The Nap concentration in the exhaust of fishing vessels, tanker, and harbor craft exceeded the occupational exposure limit of 50,000 μg/m 3 , with fishing vessels having the highest TVOC and Nap concentrations. The enhanced Nap emission in the air degrades air quality in port cities and poses an obvious potential public health risk. While the benefits of the global sulfur cap are being secured, additional efforts should be made to reduce the undetected side effects. Alternative stabilizers of LSFO should be considered, or Nap emission control should be boosted to mitigate the potential negative impact on harbor air quality., 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.)

An imbalance of l-tryptophan (l-Trp), a basic component of a healthy diet, is harmful to human health. Traditional methods for detecting l-Trp have many limitations. To correct a deficiency or excess of l-Trp in human diets, it is necessary to develop a novel method that is rapid, low-cost, and high-sensitivity. Herein, a molecularly imprinted polysaccharide electrochemical sensor termed MIP/CS/MWCNTs/GCE (molecularly imprinted polymer/chitosan/multiwalled carbon nanotubes/glassy carbon electrode) targeting l-Trp was first constructed on a glassy carbon electrode, which was modified with multiwalled carbon nanotubes and chitosan using bifunctional monomers. The MIP/CS/MWCNTs/GCE obtained a wide linear range (1-300 μM) for detecting l-Trp and accurately detected the proportion of l-Trp in mixtures of Trp enantiomers. In milk samples, the spiked recoveries of l-Trp were 86.50 to 99.65%. The MIP/CS/MWCNTs/GCE electrochemical sensor possessed good recognition and detection performance for l-Trp and has promising potential for practical application., 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 Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated the chemical characteristics, spatiotemporal distribution, and source apportionment of marine fine particles (PM 2.5 ) for clustered transport channels/routes of air masses moving toward three remote sites in East Asia. Six transport routes in three channels were clustered based on backward trajectory simulation (BTS) in the order of: West Channel > East Channel > South Channel. Air masses transported toward Dongsha Island (DS) came mainly from the West Channel, while those transported toward Green Island (GR) and Kenting Peninsula (KT) came mostly from the East Channel. High PM 2.5 commonly occurred from late fall to early spring during the periods of Asian Northeastern Monsoons (ANMs). Marine PM 2.5 was dominated by water-soluble ions (WSIs) which were predominated by secondary inorganic aerosols (SIAs). Although the metallic content of PM 2.5 was predominated by crustal elements (Ca, K, Mg, Fe, and Al), enrichment factor clearly showed that trace metals (Ti, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, and Zn) came mainly from anthropogenic sources. Organic carbon (OC) was superior to elemental carbon (EC), while OC/EC and SOC/OC ratios in winter and spring were higher than those in other two seasons. Similar trends were observed for levoglucosan and organic acids. The mass ratio of malonic acid and succinic acid (M/S) was commonly higher than unity, showing the influences of biomass burning (BB) and secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) on marine PM 2.5 . We resolved that the main sources of PM 2.5 were sea salts, fugitive dust, boiler combustion, and SIAs. Boiler combustion and fishing boat emissions at the site DS had higher contribution than those at the sites GR and KT. The highest/lowest contribution ratios of cross-boundary transport (CBT) were 84.9/29.6% in winter and summer, respectively., 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 Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Ketosis is one of the most frequent and costly metabolic disorders in high-producing dairy cows, and negatively associated with the health and reproductive performance of bovine. Ketosis is mainly caused by the accumulation of ketone body β-hydroxybutyric acid and its diagnosis is based on β-hydroxybutyrate (βHB) concentration in blood. Methods: In this study, we investigated the effects of βHB on bovine oocyte maturation in the concentration of subclinical (1.2 mM) βHB and clinical (3.6 mM). Results: The results showed βHB disrupted bovine oocyte maturation and development capacity. Further analysis showed that βHB induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, as indicated by the increased level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), disrupted mitochondrial structure and distribution, and depolarized membrane potential. Furthermore, oxidative stress triggered early apoptosis, as shown by the enhanced levels of Caspase-3 and Annexin-V. Moreover, 3.6 mM βHB induced the disruption of the pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) activity, showing with the decrease of the global acetylation modification and the increase of the abnormal spindle rate. Conclusion: Our study showed that βHB in subclinical/clinical concentration had toxic effects on mitochondrial function and PDH activity, which might affect energy metabolism and epigenetic modification of bovine oocytes and embryos., 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., (Copyright © 2023 Zhang, Guo, Zhan, Yuan, Min, Li, Liu, Wang, Zhao, Lu and Ma.)

This study investigated the spatiotemporal variation, chemical characteristics, and source resolution of PM 2.5 in an East Asian seaport adjacent to industrial complex and urban area. Three representative harbor sites were selected to simultaneously sample 24-h PM 2.5 once every 13 days in four seasons. A significant seasonal variation was observed with the highest and the lowest PM 2.5 concentration in February (winter) and May (summer), respectively. High contribution of secondary inorganic aerosols (SIAs) showed that SO 2 and NO x emitted from neighboring combustion sources burning coal and heavy fuel oil (HFO) were the major precursors forming secondary inorganic PM 2.5 . High ratios of V/Ni and V/Cu were observed in summer (June~August) since the prevailing west and southwest winds from outer port carried ship emissions to inter port. The correlation of chemical fingerprints (V, Ni, V/Ni, Zn, nss-SO 4 2- , OC) and the number of ships were high at the Zhung-He Site and moderate at the Qi-Ho Site. The Cl - , Na + , V, Ni, nss-SO 4 2- , OC, and V/Ni of PM 2.5 were co-influenced by ship missions and oceanic spray in the Kaohsiung Harbor. The influences were relatively higher for winds blown from the harbor areas than those blown from the industrial areas. Oppositely, the Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, Ca, Zn, and Al in PM 2.5 were higher for winds blown from the industrial areas than those from the harbor areas. The CMB receptor modelling resolved that the major sources of PM 2.5 were industrial missions, secondary aerosols, mobile sources, ship emissions, oceanic spray, fugitive dust, biomass burning, and organic carbon. Similar to Busan (South Korea), Brindisi (Italy), Lampedusa (Italy), and Barcelona (Spain), the contributions of ship emissions in the Kaohsiung Harbor were in the range of 7.4-7.8 %. Meanwhile, Kaohsiung Harbor was highly influenced by emissions from industrial areas and urban areas., 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 © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

A novel molecular-imprinted polymer (MIP)-based enzyme-free biosensor was created for the selective detection of glycoprotein transferrin (Trf). For this purpose, MIP-based biosensor for Trf was prepared by electrochemical co-polymerization of novel hybrid monomers 3-aminophenylboronic acid (M-APBA) and pyrrole on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (cMWCNTs). Hybrid epitopes of Trf (C-terminal fragment and glycan) have been selected as templates. The produced sensor exhibited great selective recognition ability toward Trf under optimal preparation conditions, offering good analytical range (0.125-1.25 μM) with a detection limit of 0.024 μM. The proposed hybrid epitope in combination with hybrid monomer-mediated imprinting strategy was successfully applied to detect Trf in spiked human serum samples, with recoveries and relative standard deviations ranging from 94.7 to 106.0% and 2.64 to 5.32%, respectively. This study provided a reliable protocol for preparing hybrid epitopes and monomers-mediated MIP for the synergistic and effective determination of glycoprotein in complicated biological samples., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

This study investigated the spatiotemporal variation and source characteristics of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Kaohsiung Harbor, one of the busiest ports in the world. The VOCs' potential to form ozone (O 3 ) and secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) was also examined. The temporal variation was studied in February, May, July, and November of 2020, while the spatial distribution was investigated in the export processing zone (KEPZ) and at the two port entrances (E1 and E2). The most polluted month in the harbor was November (37.7 ± 12.6 ppbv), while the most polluted site was the industrial area (KEPZ). A significant positive correlation was found between VOCs and O 3 (r = 0.985). Meanwhile, a moderate positive correlation (r = 0.449) was observed between VOCs and secondary organic aerosol formation potential (SOAFP), mainly affected by the concentration of toluene in the study area. The diagnostic ratios indicated that the air parcels in the site were "fresh," and three possible ambient sources of VOC were identified by the positive matrix factorization (PMF): industrial emissions (53.6%), freight transport emissions (29.6%), and others (17.7%). The study highlights the current state of VOCs and their potential sources in the port city of Kaohsiung, which can be used to enhance the strategies for regulating and controlling industrial activities and improving air pollution control measures to reduce VOC emissions., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

This study explored the temporospatial distribution, gas-particle partition, and pollution sources of atmospheric speciated mercury (ASM) from the eastern offshore waters of the Taiwan Island (TI) to the northern South China Sea (SCS). Both gaseous and particulate mercury were simultaneously sampled at three remote sites in four seasons. The average concentrations of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM), gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM), and particulate bound mercury (PBM) were 2.05 ± 0.45 ng/m 3 , 19.17 ± 5.39 pg/m 3 , and 0.11 ± 0.06 ng/m 3 , respectively. The concentrations of GEM and PBM in the cold seasons were higher than those in the warm seasons, but those of GOM had an opposite trend. In terms of gas-solid partition, ASM was apportioned as 91.3-97.3% of GEM and 2.7-8.7% of GOM and PBM. The average concentrations of GEM, GOM, and PBM at the Green Island (GI) were 2.21 ± 0.47 ng/m 3 , 22.31 ± 5.35 pg/m 3 , and 0.12 ± 0.06 ng/m 3 ; those at the Kenting Peninsula (KT) were 2.11 ± 0.43 ng/m 3 , 20.57 ± 4.38 pg/m 3 , and 0.11 ± 0.06 ng/m 3 ; and those at the Dongsha Islands (DS) were 1.84 ± 0.40 ng/m 3 , 15.19 ± 3.58 pg/m 3 , and 0.08 ± 0.05 ng/m 3 , respectively. Overall, the spatial distribution of ASM concentrations showed the order as: GI > KT > DS. Air masses blown mainly from the West Pacific Ocean (WPO) and SCS in summer showed the lowest ASM concentrations. Oppositely, high ASM concentrations were commonly observed in spring and winter when polluted air masses were blown by Asian Northeastern Monsoons (ANMs). The transport routes of polluted air masses were originated mainly from North China, Central China, Northeast China, Korea and Japan, and mostly passed through the urban and industrial regions in the northeastern Asian countries., 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 © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D), a globally prevalent functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder, is associated with elevated serotonin that increases gut motility. While anecdotal evidence suggests that the gut microbiota contributes to serotonin biosynthesis, mechanistic insights are limited. We determined that the bacterium Ruminococcus gnavus plays a pathogenic role in IBS-D. Monocolonization of germ-free mice with R. gnavus induced IBS-D-like symptoms, including increased GI transit and colonic secretion, by stimulating the production of peripheral serotonin. R. gnavus-mediated catabolism of dietary phenylalanine and tryptophan generated phenethylamine and tryptamine that directly stimulated serotonin biosynthesis in intestinal enterochromaffin cells via a mechanism involving activation of trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1). This R. gnavus-driven increase in serotonin levels elevated GI transit and colonic secretion but was abrogated upon TAAR1 inhibition. Collectively, our study provides molecular and pathogenetic insights into how gut microbial metabolites derived from dietary essential amino acids affect serotonin-dependent control of gut motility., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors have claimed no financial interests to declare., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Inducing cell death while simultaneously enhancing antitumor immune responses is a promising therapeutic approach for multiple cancers. Celastrol (Cel) and 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN38) have contrasting physicochemical properties, but strong synergy in immunogenic cell death induction and anticancer activity. Herein, a hypoxia-sensitive nanosystem (CS@TAP) was designed to demonstrate effective immunotherapy for colorectal cancer by systemic delivery of an immunostimulatory chemotherapy combination. Furthermore, the combination of CS@TAP with anti-PD-L1 mAb (αPD-L1) exhibited a significant therapeutic benefit of delaying tumor growth and increased local doses of immunogenic signaling and T-cell infiltration, ultimately extending survival. We conclude that CS@TAP is an effective inducer of immunogenic cell death (ICD) in cancer immunotherapy. Therefore, this study provides an encouraging strategy to synergistically induce immunogenic cell death to enhance tumor cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) infiltration for anticancer immunotherapy.

Ginseng is a very commonly used natural product in the world, and its two main species are Asian ginseng and American ginseng. Ginseng is an adaptogenic botanical that reportedly protects the body against stress, stabilizes physiological processes, and restores homeostasis. Previously, different animal models and contemporary research methodologies have been used to reveal ginseng's biomedical activities in different body systems and the linked mechanisms of actions. However, human clinical observation data on ginseng effects have attracted more attention from the general public and medical community. In this paper, after an introduction of the phytochemistry of ginseng species, we review positive ginseng clinical studies, mainly conducted in developed countries, performed over the past 20 years. The reported effects of ginseng are presented in several sections, and conditions impacted by ginseng include diabetes; cardiovascular disorders; cognition, memory, and mood; the common cold and flu; cancer fatigue and well-being; quality of life and social functioning, etc. Administration of ginseng demonstrated a good safety record in humans. Although encouraging beneficial effects obtained from clinical data, using the study treatment regimen, the reported ginseng effects in general only ranged from mild to moderate. Nonetheless, these beneficial effects of ginseng could be a valuable add-on therapy for patients receiving standard drug treatments. Additionally, as a dietary supplement, ginseng possesses an important role in maintaining and promoting human health. We believe that the quality of future ginseng trials should be improved, particularly by providing detailed herbal phytochemistry and quality control information. With solid effectiveness data obtained from a well-designed, carefully executed ginseng clinical trial, this meritoriously herbal medicine will be widely used by consumers and patients.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) has become a global epidemic, and the lack of an effective cure highlights the necessity and urgency to explore novel therapies. Sijunzi Decoction (SJZD), a classical Chinese herbal formula, has been comprehensively applied and clinically proven effective in treating UC; however, the pharmacological mechanism behind its therapeutic benefits is largely obscure. Here, we find that SJZD can restore microbiota homeostasis and intestinal barrier integrity in DSS-induced colitis. SJZD significantly alleviated the colonic tissue damage and improved the goblet cell count, MUC2 secretion, and tight junction protein expressions, which indicated enhanced intestinal barrier integrity. SJZD remarkedly suppressed the abundance of phylum Proteobacteria and genus Escherichia - Shigella , which are typical features of microbial dysbiosis. Escherichia-Shigella was negatively correlated with body weight and colon length, and positively correlated with disease activity index and IL-1[Formula: see text]. Furthermore, through gut microbiota depletion, we confirmed that SJZD exerted anti-inflammatory activities in a gut microbiota-dependent manner, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) validated the mediating role of gut microbiota in the SJZD treatment of UC. Through gut microbiota, SJZD modulates the biosynthesis of bile acids (BAs), especially tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA), which has been identified as the signature BA during SJZD treatment. Cumulatively, our findings disclose that SJZD attenuates UC via orchestrating gut homeostasis in microbial modulation and intestinal barrier integrity, thus offering a promising alternative approach to the clinical management of UC.

CXC chemokine receptor6 (CXCR6)-based immunotherapy plays a significant role in autoimmune diseases, however, little is known about possible small compounds that inhibit pathogenic CXCR6 + T cells for treating multiple sclerosis (MS). Baicalein, a flavonoid isolated from Scutellarin baicalensis (Huang Qin), was shown to exert therapeutic effects on MS, but the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. In the current study, we found that baicalein inhibited Th1 and Th17 differentiation in vitro. Oral administration of baicalein (25 mg/kg) significantly reduced the disease severity and the infiltration process, decreased the extent of demyelination in EAE, and selectively blocked IL-17A production and specific antibodies (IgG and IgG 3 ) in MOG 35-55 -induced specific immune responses. In addition, the expression of CD4 cell effectors (CD44 hi CD62L low ) and pathogenic Th17 cells was decreased by baicalein treatment. Furthermore, baicalein treatment largely decreased CXCR6 + CD4 and CD8 cells and prominently inhibited CXCR6 + Th17 cells in EAE. Taken together, the findings of this study suggest for the first time that baicalein may ameliorate EAE by suppressing pathogenetic CXCR6 + CD4 cells., 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 © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, and chronic gut inflammation is a risk factor for CRC initiation and development. Curcuma longa L., or turmeric, has become one of the most studied herbal medicines in recent years due to its anticancer potentials. It is generally accepted that the major component in turmeric is curcuminoids, and the active constituent in curcuminoids is curcumin. However, unprocessed curcumin is characterized by poor water solubility, which means low bioavailability in humans. To increase the bioavailability of curcumin, in this study, we utilized a novel surfactant-formulated curcumin (CuminUP60[Formula: see text]) and evaluated its CRC chemopreventive activities. Compared with the chemo-sensitive CRC cell line HCT-116, the management of the CRC SW-480 cell line is a challenge, since the latter is chemo-resistant. In other words, these cancer cells resist the effects of the chemotherapy. Using the newly formulated CuminUP60[Formula: see text] water solution, this study demonstrated its strong antiproliferative effects on the SW-480 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. This new formulation induced early apoptosis and arrested the cell cycle in the G2/M phase via the upregulation of cyclin B1. We also observed that this new formulation possessed inhibitory effects on Th17 cell differentiation, which regulates the body's immune response against gut malignancies. In summary, our results exhibited a potential clinical utility of the surfactant-formulated curcumin in chemo-resistant colorectal cancer management.

In this study, the concentrations of marine fine particles (PM 2.5 ) and their chemical fingerprints were inter-compared at two islands located aside from the west and east waters of Taiwan Island and the variability of west and east passages (i.e., Routes A1 and A2) were explored. Marine PM 2.5 was simultaneously sampled at the Green and Dongsha Islands and five chemical components (i.e., water-soluble ions, metallic elements, carbonaceous content, anhydrosugars, and organic acids) were further analyzed in PM 2.5 to characterize their chemical fingerprints. The highest concentrations of chemical composition and PM 2.5 were commonly observed during the Asian Northeastern Monsoons (ANMs) via long-range transport (LRT). Water-soluble ions (WSIs) were dominated by secondary inorganic aerosols (SIAs), and followed by oceanic spray. The major metallic content of PM 2.5 was crustal elements, while trace metals originated from anthropogenic sources with an enrichment factor (EF) > 10. In terms of carbonaceous content in PM 2.5 , organic carbon (OC) was superior to elemental carbon (EC). High levoglucosan concentrations were also observed during the periods of ANMs. Secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) were formed by atmospheric chemical reactions during the LRT procedure. The PM 2.5 concentration of Route A1 was 37.51 % higher than that of Route A2, and trace metals (V, Mn, Ni, Pb, Cr, and Cu) increased significantly by 96.16-325.83 %. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) results revealed that the dominant factor of PM 2.5 for Route A1 was shipping emissions and vehicular exhausts (41.2 %), while that for Route A2 was oceanic spray (30.2 %). Route A1 was mainly attributed to highly industrialized regions, densely populated urbanized areas, and ship-intensive traffics in East Asia., 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 © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Muscone is the main active compound of Moschus. In this paper, the cardioprotective effect of Muscone on acute myocardial ischemia (AMI) rats and its potential mechanisms were investigated. AMI rat models were established to evaluate the protective effect and antioxidative function of Muscone on the hearts. Moreover, Western blot analysis was conducted to quantify the phosphorylated PI3K and AKT levels in PI3K/Akt pathway for further investigating the mechanism of Muscone. Results showed that Muscone could markedly lessen the infarct size and myocardial injury, improve cardiac function, inhibit cardiomyocyte apoptosis and down-regulate serum reactive oxygen species level as indicated by the decreased MDA, BNP and c-TnI activities and the increased SOD, GSH-px, CAT activities and the expression of Bax protein. In addition, it was revealed that Muscone notably promoted the phosphorylation of PI3K and AKT. These findings denote that Muscone exerts a protective effect in heart via inhibition of oxidative stress and apoptosis, offering new insights into the treatment of CHD and the clinical application of Muscone., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest 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., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Exposure to fine particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤2.5 μm (PM 2.5 ) is associated with adverse health effects. This study aimed to evaluate the toxic effects of the constituents of PM 2.5 on mouse kidneys., Methods: We collected PM 2.5 near an industrial complex located in southern Kaohsiung, Taiwan, that was divided into water extract and insoluble particles. Male C57BL/6 mice were divided into five groups: control, low- and high-dose insoluble particle exposure, and low- and high-dose water extract exposure. Biochemical analysis, Western blot analysis, histological examination, and immunohistochemistry were performed to evaluate the impact of PM 2.5 constituents on mice kidneys., Results: PM 2.5 was collected from January 1, 2021, to February 8, 2021, from an industrial complex in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Metallic element analysis showed that Pb, Ni, V, and Ti were non-essential metals with enrichment factors >10. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and nitrate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon analyses revealed that the toxic equivalents are, in the order, benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), indeno(1,2,3-cd) pyrene (IP), dibenzo(a,h)anthracene (DBA), and benzo(b)fluoranthene (BbF), which are potential carcinogens. Both water extract and insoluble particle exposure induced inflammatory cytokine upregulation, inflammatory cell infiltration, antioxidant activity downregulation, and elevation of kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1) level in mouse kidneys. A dose-dependent effect of PM 2.5 water extract and insoluble particle exposure on angiotensin converter enzyme 2 downregulation in mouse kidneys was observed., Conclusion: We found that water-soluble extract and insoluble particles of PM 2.5 could induce oxidative stress and inflammatory reactions, influence the regulation of renin-angiotensin system (RAS), and lead to kidney injury marker level elevation in mouse kidneys. The lowest-observed-adverse-effect level for renal toxicity in mice was 40 μg water-soluble extract/insoluble particle inhalation per week, which was approximately equal to the ambient PM 2.5 concentration of 44 μg/m 3 for mice., 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 © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The ubiquitous hypoxic microenvironment at the tumor site helps to regulate hypoxic inducible factor (HIF-1α), up-regulate downstream CD73-adenosine (CD73-ADO) pathways, and further result in effector T cell function exhaustion, which is regarded as a crucial adverse factor in the poor clinical efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade therapy (ICB). How to reshape hypoxic microenvironment and silence CD73 remains a huge challenge to improve ICB therapeutic outcomes. In this study, cancer cell membrane-camouflaged gelatin nanoparticles (CSG@B16F10) were designed to co-deliver oxygen-generating agent catalase (CAT) and CD73siRNA, thus enhancing tumor oxygenation and alleviating CD73-ADO pathway-mediated T cell immunosuppression. The fabricated biomimetic nanoparticles could efficiently achieve immune evading and homologous targeting by virtue of the retention of cancer cell membrane protein. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-responsive gelatin nanoparticles were gradually disintegrated to accelerate the release of payloads. Rapidly released CAT was found to relieve tumor hypoxia by generating endogenous oxygen, while CD73siRNA effectively silenced target gene, synergically inhibiting CD73 protein expression and facilitating T-cell-specific immunity. Upon introduction of CSG@B16F10 in melanoma-bearing mice, PD-L1 checkpoint blockade achieved optimal tumor suppression (∼83%). The enhanced immune efficacy was mainly manifested by enhanced cytotoxic T cell (CTL), reduced regulatory T cells (Tregs), and increased anti-tumor cytokine secretion. This work presents a new paradigm for the ideal design of biomimetic nanoplatforms and the synergistic treatment of hypoxia alleviation and CD73 silence, greatly promising for enhancing clinical immune potency of PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint blockade., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of the modified Latarjet procedure in the treatment of recurrent anterior subluxation of the shoulder by "coaxial co-arc" reconstruction of the glenoid cavity. Methods: The clinical data of 103 cases (106 shoulders) of recurrent anterior dislocation of the shoulder admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of the Army Military Medical University from January 2005 to December 2020 were retrospectively studied. Out of these cases, 84 were males and 19 were females; 31 with left-sided injuries while 75 with right-sided injuries, with a mean age of (29.4±11.5) years (16-61 years). The preoperative anterior fear test was positive, and a modified Latarjet procedure was used to reconstruct the shoulder glenoid defect through a "coaxial co-arc". The Rowe score, simple shoulder test (SST) score, and Visual analogue scale (VAS) score of pain were used to assess the shoulder's function. Parameters such as the postoperative shoulder recurrent dislocation rate, shoulder body external rotation angle, and subscapularis muscle strength changes were recorded postoperatively. Moreover, radiographs and CT scans were used to check for the incidence of osteoarthritis (Samson-Prieto score). Results: After a mean follow-up of 9.0 years (1 to 16 years), bony healing occurred 3 to 6 months postoperatively. The Rowe score improved from 40.4±6.5 preoperatively to 93.2±2.5 ( P <0.001), the SST score improved from 5.2±1.3 preoperatively to 10.1±1.5 ( P <0.001), and the VAS pain score decreased from 3.5±1.9 preoperatively to 1.1±1.2 ( P <0.001) at the final follow-up. The angle of lateral external rotation of the shoulder joint was 58.8°±15.6° preoperatively and 57.6°±14.5° postoperatively with no statistically significant difference ( P >0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the measurement of subscapularis muscle strength between the healthy side and the affected side ( P >0.05). In 89.6% of patients after surgery, coaxial co-arc reconstruction of the shoulder glenoid was obtained, and the shoulder glenoid defect and postoperative inclusion angle were significantly improved compared with those before surgery ( P <0.001). Postoperatively, new-onset osteoarthritis developed in 7 cases (7/98), arthritis progressed in 2 cases (2/8), incisional healing was poor in 2 cases (2/98), and revision surgery was performed in 2 cases (2/98) due to bone mass detachment. Conclusion: Coracoid osteotomy and concentric coaxial reconstruction of the glenoid cavity elicits adequate good clinical efficacy for cases of recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation, with low recurrence rates, low revision rates and low incidence of osteoarthritis.

Obesity-prone (OP) individuals have a significant predisposition to obesity and diabetes. Previously, we have found that OP individuals, despite being normal in weight and BMI, have already exhibited diabetes-related DNA methylation signatures. However, the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. Here we determined the effects of gut microbiota on DNA methylation and investigated the underlying mechanism from microbial-derived short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Diabetes-related DNA methylation loci were screened and validated in a new OP cohort. Moreover, the OP group was revealed to have distinct gut microbiota compositions, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) demonstrated the role of gut microbiota in inducing diabetes-related DNA methylations and glucolipid disorders. UPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis indicated a significantly lower level of total fecal SCFAs in the OP group. The gut microbiota from OP subjects yielded markedly decreased total SCFAs, while notably enriched propionate. Additionally, propionate was also identified by variable importance in projection (VIP) score as the most symbolic SCFAs of the OP group. Further cellular experiments verified that propionate could induce hypermethylation at locus cg26345888 and subsequently inhibit the expression of the target gene DAB1, which was crucially associated with clinical vitamin D deficiency and thus may affect the development and progression of diabetes. In conclusion, our study revealed that gut microbiota-derived propionate induces specific DNA methylation, thus predisposing OP individuals to diabetes. The findings partially illuminate the mechanisms of diabetes susceptibility in OP populations, implying gut microbiota and SCFAs may serve as promising targets both for clinical treatment and medication development of diabetes., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)