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The main varieties of Echinopsis Radix recorded in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia are the roots of Echinops latifolius Tausch or Echinops grijsii Hance. However, the chemical constituents and biological activities of this herb have not been reviewed. In order to clarify the chemical constituents of the main varieties of this herb and improve the quality of Chinese medicinal material resources, this paper systematically reviewed their chemical constituents and related biological activities. Phytochemical investigations reveal eighty-five compounds including fort y-nine thiophenes (1–49), eight flavonoids (50–57), seven caffeic acids and its derivatives (58–64), eight sesquiterpenoids (65–72), and thirteen triterpenoids and other compounds (73–85) were reported from Echinopsis Radix. The review of biological activities suggests that thiophenes are the main secondary metabolites of the medicinal material which exert antitumor, insecticidal and antifungal activities. In addition, caffeic acid and its derivatives and sesquiterpenes are potential active ingredients worthy of further study. This review provides an important scientific basis for the development of active ingredients and resource quality evaluation of Echinopsis Radix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), a global pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), has posed a catastrophic threat to human health worldwide. Human stem cell‐derived organoids serve as a promising platform for exploring SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Several review articles have summarized the application of human organoids in COVID‐19, but the research status and development trend of this field have seldom been systematically and comprehensively studied. In this review, we use bibliometric analysis method to identify the characteristics of organoid‐based COVID‐19 research. First, an annual trend of publications and citations, the most contributing countries or regions and organizations, co‐citation analysis of references and sources and research hotspots are determined. Next, systematical summaries of organoid applications in investigating the pathology of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, vaccine development and drug discovery, are provided. Lastly, the current challenges and future considerations of this field are discussed. The present study will provide an objective angle to identify the current trend and give novel insights for directing the future development of human organoid applications in SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accumulation of nitrite is frequently overlooked, despite the fact that nitrification is the most essential phase of the entire nitrogen (N) cycle and that nitrifying bacteria play a significant role in nitrification. At present, the effects of different N application rates on soil nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) abundance, community composition, diversity, and its main influencing factors are still unclear. In this study, five N fertilizer application rates under film mulching and a drip irrigation system were studied in the semi-arid area of Northeast China. The treatments were 0 kg ha−1 (N0), 90 kg ha−1 (N1), 150 kg ha−1 (N2), 210 kg ha−1 (N3), and 270 kg ha−1 (N4). Fluorescent quantitative PCR and Illumina Miseq sequencing were used to analyze the abundance and community structure of NOB under different amounts of N application. The results showed that the increase in amounts of N application was strongly accompanied by an increase in the content of soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN), nitrate nitrogen (NO3−-N), and ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N), while the pH significantly reduced with an increase in N fertilization. N fertilization significantly increased soil nitrite oxidoreductase (NXR) activity, soil nitrification potential (PNR), and soil nitrite oxidation potential (PNO). A high N application rate significantly heightened the abundance of Nitrospira- and Nitrobacter-like NOB. N fertilizer considerably raised the Shannon index of Nitrospira-like NOB. The N application amount was the key factor affecting the community structure of Nitrospira-like NOB, and available nitrogen (AN) had the dominant influence on the community structure of Nitrospira-like NOB. N fertilizer can cause soil acidification, which affects NOB abundance and diversity. Nitrospira-like NOB may promote nitrite oxidation in different N application rates under a mulched fertigation system. The findings offered a crucial scientific foundation for further investigation into how nitrite-oxidizing bacteria respond to N fertilizer management strategies in farmland soil under film mulching drip irrigation in Northeast China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichocyte keratins hold significant promise in accelerating wound healing. Yet it is difficult to discriminate characteristics and mechanisms from their subtypes because of the high sequence homology. Here, the distinct wound healing properties in terms of wound closure rate, epidermal regeneration and angiogenesis of 17 kinds of human hair keratins is reported. Each trichocyte keratin shows distinct behaviors with unique advantages. Amongst all, recombinant keratin (RK) 33B, RK34, RK39 and RK84 show the highest efficiency in wound closure acceleration, and RK34, RK37 and RK81 presented the strongest angiogenic performance. Furthermore, transcriptomic analysis revealed the regulatory mechanisms of trichocyte keratins in the proliferation and migration of keratinocyte and blood vessel generation. Finally, the keratins with strong re-epithelialization and angiogenic performances significantly accelerate wound closure in a diabetic rat model established in-house. The findings provide a panorama view of trichocyte keratin performance in wound healing and that may harbor potential for finely tailored keratin development and precision applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new ligand DFIP (2-(dibenzo[b,d]furan-3-yl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline) and its two complexes iridium(III) [Ir(ppy)2(DFIP)](PF6) (ppy = 2-phenylpyridine, Ir1) and ruthenium(II) [Ru(bpy)2(DFIP)](PF6)2 (bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine, Ru1) were synthesized and characterized. The anticancer effects of the two complexes on A549, BEL-7402, HepG2, SGC-7901, HCT116 and normal LO2 cells were tested by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method. Complex Ir1 shows high cytotoxic activity on A549, BEL-7402, SGC-7901 and HepG2, Ru1 exhibits moderate anticancer activity toward A549, BEL-7402 and SGC-7901 cells. The IC50 values of Ir1 and Ru1 toward A549 are 7.2 ± 0.1 and 22.6 ± 1.4 μM, respectively. The localization of complexes Ir1 and Ru1 in the mitochondrial, intracellular accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and the changes of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and cytochrome c (cyto-c) were investigated. Apoptosis and cell cycle were detected by flow cytometry. Immunogenic cell death (ICD) was used to detect the effects of Ir1 and Ru1 on the A549 using a confocal laser scanning microscope. The expression of apoptosis-related proteins was detected by western blotting. Ir1 and Ru1 can increase the intracellular ROS levels and release cyto-c, reduce the MMP, leading to the apoptosis of A549 cells and blocking the A549 cells at the G0/G1 phase. Additionally, the complexes caused a decrease of the expression of polyADP-ribose polymerase (PARP), caspase 3, Bcl-2 (B-cell lymphoma-2), PI3K (phosphoinositide-3 kinase) and upregulated the expression of Bax. All these findings indicated that the complexes exert anticancer efficacy to induce cell death through immunogenic cell death, apoptosis, and autophagy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) develops from pre-cancerous cellular lesions in the gut epithelium and mainly originates from specific types of colonic adenomas with dysplasia. However, gut microbiota signatures among sampling sites in patients with colorectal adenomas with low-grade dysplasia (ALGD) and normal control (NC) remain uncharacterized. To characterize gut microbial and fungal profiles in ALGD and normal colorectal mucosa tissues. We used 16S and ITS1-2 rRNA gene sequencing and bioinformatics analysis on the microbiota of ALGD and normal colorectal mucosa from 40 subjects. Bacterial sequences in the ALGD group showed an increase in Rhodobacterales, Thermales, Thermaceae, Rhodobacteraceae, and several genera, including Thermus, Paracoccus, Sphingobium, and Pseudomonas, compared to the NC group. Fungal sequences in the ALGD group showed an increase in Helotiales, Leotiomycetes, and Basidiomycota, while several orders, families, and genera, including Verrucariales, Russulales, and Trichosporonales, were decreased. The study found various interactions between intestinal bacteria and fungi. The bacterial functional analysis showed increased glycogen and vanillin degradation pathways in the ALGD group. Meanwhile, the fungal functional analysis showed a decrease in pathways related to the biosynthesis of gondoate and stearate, as well as degradation of glucose, starch, glycogen, sucrose, L-tryptophan, and pantothenate, and an increase in the octane oxidation pathway in the ALGD group. The mucosal microbiota in ALGD exhibits altered fungal and microbial composition compared to the NC mucosa, potentially contributing to the development of intestinal cancer by regulating specific metabolic pathways. Therefore, these changes in microbiota and metabolic pathways may be potential markers for diagnosing and treating colorectal adenoma and carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil microorganisms directly participate in phosphorus (P) cycle, which in turn affects crop yield and quality. However, how biological and chemical parameters respond to mineral P fertilizer application rates in rhizosphere soil remains unclear. Here, a pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different mineral P fertilizer application rates (0, 60, 120, and 300 kg P2O5 ha−1) on soil chemical properties and bacterial community in maize rhizosphere in a Mollisol. With increasing P fertilizer rates, soil organic carbon concentration decreased, while soil Olsen P and inorganic P and organic P (Po) fractions concentrations increased. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that the relative abundances of some beneficial bacteria (Anaerolinea, Anaeromyxobacter, Kaistia and Rhodobacter) significantly increased with reduced P fertilizer rates, and meanwhile those of other beneficial bacteria (Mesorhizobium, Microvirga, Rhizobacter and Skermanella) significantly decreased under high P fertilizer rates. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that labile Po was the main driver of the differences in bacterial community structure. Bacterial community diversity and composition significantly and indirectly affected maize yield via octacalcium-bound P, occluded Fe/Al-bound P, labile Po, and moderately labile Po. The results suggested that reducing P fertilizer rates can promote beneficial bacterial growth and increase bacterial community diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Psychological stress is a possible factor in the disease course and poor psychosocial outcomes in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Understanding the exact relationship between stress and health has been hampered by methodological issues and how stress has been defined and measured. Aims: To explore the association between stress and disease outcomes, investigate the impact of stress on psychosocial outcomes, and evaluate the efficacy of interventions in reducing stress for people with IBD Methods: We performed a systematic review, searching Medline, CINAHL, Embase and PsycInfo databases on 21 January 2021. We included prospective studies that recruited people with IBD who were aged 16 or over and that measured psychological stress or distress. Analyses included Critical Appraisal Skills Programme quality assessments of included studies and narrative analyses against each research question. Results: We reviewed 38 studies with 4757 people with IBD, and included 23 observational and 15 interventional studies using 36 different instruments to measure stress. Perceived stress was the most frequently studied concept and preceded IBD exacerbation. Only three studies examined the relationship between stress and psychosocial factors. Cognitive behavioural interventions may reduce stress and other interventions with disease‐specific stress, but more studies are needed where groups have comparable baseline characteristics and potential harms are considered alongside benefits. Conclusion: Psychological stress appears to precede IBD exacerbation, although what role it plays in psychosocial outcomes and how it is best managed is unclear. Further research needs to examine the differential effects of stress on disease subtypes and IBD in flare and remission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was intended to evaluate the anticancer activity of three newly synthesized iridium(III) complexes [Ir(ppy)2(PEIP)](PF6) (1) (ppy = 2-phenylpyridine, PEIP = 2-phenethyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline), [Ir(ppy)2(SIP)](PF6) (2) (SIP = (E)-2-styryl-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline) and [Ir(ppy)2(PEYIP)](PF6) (3) (PEYIP = 2-phenethynyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline). The cytotoxic activity in vitro against A549, SGC-7901, HepG2, HeLa and normal NIH3T3 cells was investigated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) method. We found that the complexes 1, 2 and 3 significantly inhibited cell proliferation, in particular, complexes 2 and 3 show high cytotoxic effect on SGC-7901 cells with an IC50 value of 5.8 ± 0.7 and 4.4 ± 0.1 μM. Moreover, cell cycle assay revealed that the complexes could block G2/M phase of the cell cycle. Apoptotic evaluation by Annexin V/PI staining indicated that complexes 1–3 can induce apoptosis in SGC-7901 cells. In addition, microscopy detection suggested that disruption of mitochondrial functions, characterized by increased generation of intracellular ROS and Ca2+ as well as decrease of mitochondrial membrane potential. Western blot analysis shows that the complexes upregulate the expression of pro-apoptotic Bax and downregulate the expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, which further activates caspase-3 and prompts the cleavage of PARP. Taken together, these results demonstrated that complexes 1–3 exert a potent anticancer effect on SGC-7901 cells via ROS-mediated endoplasmic reticulum stress-mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and have a potential to be developed as novel chemotherapeutic agents for human gastric cancer. Three new iridium(III) complexes [Ir(ppy)2(PEIP)](PF6) (1) (ppy = 2-phenylpyridine, PEIP = 2-phenethyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline), [Ir(ppy)2(SIP)](PF6) (2) (SIP = 2-styryl-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline) and [Ir(ppy)2(PEYIP)](PF6) (3) (PEYIP = 2-phenethynyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline) were synthesized and characterized. The anticancer activity in vitro was investigated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) method. The results show that the complexes induce apoptosis via ROS-mediated endoplasmic reticulum stress-mitochondrial dysfunction pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was intended to determine the antineoplastic effects of two new iridium(III) complexes [Ir(ppy)2(PTTP)](PF6) (1) (ppy = 2-phenylpyridine) and [Ir(piq)2(PTTP)](PF6) (2) (piq = 1-phenylisoquinoline, PTTP = 2-phenoxy-1,4,8,9-tetraazatriphenylene). In MTT assay, the ligand PTTP displayed ineffective inhibition on cell growth in SGC-7901, BEL-7402, HepG2 as well as NIH3T3 cell lines, while complexes 1 and 2 showed high cytotoxic activity on SGC-7901 cells with an IC50 value of 0.5 ± 0.1 µM and 4.4 ± 0.6 µM, respectively. Cellular uptake, cell cloning experiments, wound healing assay and cell cycle arrest indicated that the two complexes can inhibit the cell proliferation in SGC-7901 and induce cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase. Additionally, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential suggested that the two complexes induced cell apoptosis through disrupting mitochondrial functions. Further, western blot analysis illustrated that the two complexes caused apoptosis via regulating expression levels of Bcl-2 family proteins. Moreover, complex 1 could suppress tumor growth in vivo with an inhibitory rate of 49.41%. Altogether, these results demonstrated that complexes 1 and 2 exert a potent anticancer effect against SGC-7901 cells via mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and have a potential to be developed as antineoplastic drug candidates for human gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In real life, individuals tend to divide people into "us" (in-group) and "them" (out-group), then give a positive social identity and evaluation to the in-group, and give out-group a negative evaluation or attitude. In other words, the intergroup relationships affect individual rational judgment. For studying the relationship between individual and group interests, in order to explore and forecast the individual decision-making behavior in intergroup relations, social psychologists brought forward the Intergroup Prisoner's Dilemma Game (IPD) and Intergroup Prisoner's Dilemma-Maximizing Difference Game (IPD-MD), these experimental paradigms are referenced in many fields by posterity. On the basis of predecessors' research paradigm, the experiment adds the scheme of win-win cooperation to IPD-MD, adopts the repeated experimental design which accords with realistic state, and the study utilizes 120 Chinese enterprise employees to participate in the experiment that is named "Investment Game", by artificially establishing four virtual intergroup situations, including conflict, neutral, cooperation and relationship change. Finally, the study draws a conclusion, which is based on the statistical analysis and self-reports. Different types of intergroup relationship have an important influence on the decision-making behavior of chinese enterprise employees. Chinese enterprise employees in the intergroup conflict situation tend to be more aggressive and less friendly, meanwhile ingroup could reach consensus through higher efficiency. chinese enterprise employees in the intergroup cooperation situation could alleviate egocentric motivation and reach a win-win cooperation with outgroup in a faster rate. When the intergroup situation is changed from conflict to cooperation, the reactions of different chinese enterprise employees are various. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES:Some studies suggest that eradication of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) might increase the risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in a portion of patients. We aimed to conduct a meta-analysis to investigate this.METHODS:A comprehensive, English, multiple-source literature search was performed from 1983 to February 2007. Only randomized controlled trial (RCT) and cohort studies comparing the prevalence of GERD in patients free from GERD at baseline with Hp eradication vs. those with persistent Hp were included. Quality of RCTs and cohorts was assessed by Jadad and New Castle-Ottawa scores, respectively. Meta-analysis of pooled odds ratios (ORs) was performed using Review Manager 4.2.10.RESULTS:Twelve (7 RCTs and 5 cohorts) of 271 articles were included. In six RCTs using erosive GERD as outcome, the OR for the frequency of GERD in Hp eradicated group vs. persistent Hp group was 1.11 (0.81–1.53, P=0.52). In five RCTs using symptomatic outcome, the OR for the frequency of GERD in Hp eradicated group vs. persistent Hp was 1.22 (0.89–1.69, P=0.22). In cohort studies, the OR for the frequency of GERD in Hp eradicated group vs. persistent Hp was 1.37 (0.89–2.12; P=0.15). Test of heterogeneity was not significant for any analyses. The results were consistent in subgroup and sensitivity analyses, including cohort studies vs. RCTs, high-quality studies vs. low-quality studies, and use of endoscopic vs. symptomatic outcomes except for the subgroup of patients with peptic ulcer disease (PUD) in cohort studies (OR: 2.04 (1.08–3.85); P=0.03).CONCLUSIONS:There is no association between Hp eradication and development of new cases of GERD in the population of dyspeptic patients. However, in cohort studies, there seems to be a twofold higher risk of development of erosive GERD in patients with PUD. The effect in RCTs of patients with PUD did not show a significant difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]